He smiled down at his phone.  

From: Panda

 'Last night I watched a really cool show on polar bears. So cute' 

Another one. 

From: Panda

'But it ended like at 4, so I'm literally dying here' 

Kris rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe that Tao could be so adorable without even realizing it. They had been going out for almost two weeks, and texting constantly about nothing in particular had become common. Kris, who usually had trouble revealing things from his personal life, found himself sharing them with his boyfriend without being aware of it. His boyfriend. Sometimes he'd find himself smiling alone at the thought, totally head over heels.

Although it had been hard to get used to it at the beginning. Not between them, but at school. They had reached a silent agreement about keeping their relationship secret. That way, people wouldn't bother them, and it'd be safer. But the downside was that Kris had to look at his gorgeous Panda the whole day without being able to do anything. Practices were practically a torture. Every time he turned around, there was Tao, covered in his really thin silky black excuse of a uniform, perfect, and, most importantly, his. And he just really wanted to pin him against the wall and take it off, to kiss him and touch him. That half an hour was both his best dream and his worst nightmare. Usually, it ended with Lay nudging him on the head, begging him to get himself together and stop being so obvious. And he tried, he really did. So far, his best friend was the only one that knew about them. Not that they didn't trust their other friends, but it was kind of awkward to tell them, and besides that, Kris was pretty sure they already knew. As casually as possible, they had started to sit side by side at lunch time. Nobody had seemed to notice it. At least, nobody but their friends. And of course, they'd spent three days teasing them about it and making relationship jokes that weren't actually jokes at all.

The only time they could be themselves freely was at the library. Kris thanked whoever was above that they had picked a hidden table. Neither of them had even thought about it at the time, but now it was really useful. Those couple of weeks, they had hardly done any studying at all. Generally, they sat down, opened their books, and then spent an hour talking and making out. Kris should have felt guilty, after all he was supposed to be tutoring him, but it was quite difficult when he liked it so much. When he liked Tao so much. He liked everything about him. All the feelings he'd had before they'd gotten together were so much stronger. And kissing Tao was hands down the best thing on the world. He wasn't even ashamed of saying it. As soon as their lips touched, his whole body felt like giving up, like his heart couldn't take it any longer. More often than not, it left them breathing hard against each other, wanting more, needing more. Always the same but different every time. 

Later that morning, as he was walking through the school's yard, a girl approached him. Kris knew that look in her eyes. He had had his fair share of it. She stopped in front of him. The girl was part of the plague, he had already seen her chasing him around. She looked a weird mixture of self-confidence and nervousness. Barely two minutes later, she had confessed her undying love for Kris. Well, that was awkward. He had been through this kind of situations several times, but he was still unsure of what his reaction should be. Besides, it was the first time since he and Tao had gotten together. So, as politely and carefully as he could, he turned her down. And then, of course, the ing tears. Why did they always have to cry? It wasn't as if Kris was the only guy in the world, and they didn't even know the real him.  

"But why, Kris?" she bawled against her handkerchief. 

He shuffled his feet, "The thing is... I'm with someone else. Sorry."  

The girl stopped sobbing for a moment, just to resume barely a second later. Now that Kris came to think about it, she was actually the first person to hear those words directly from him. It was a weird feeling, saying the words aloud. Not a bad one, though.

"With- with someone else?" her high-pitched shriek took him out of his thoughts. He didn't want to come out as insensible, but he was getting tired of her. She kept rambling, "Who is she?"

Kris chuckled, trying his best to keep himself cool, "You don't need to know."

The girl grabbed his arm, shaking him desperately, "Yes, I do need to know! Is- is she pretty? Prettier than me? Cuter? Funnier? Please, Kris!"

As gently as he could, he removed his arm from her grip, patting her hand before turning around and returning to class, smiling inwardly at the thought that, actually, Tao was all that and so much more. 

Of course, by the end of the day every single person in the school knew that Kris freaking Wu was dating someone. Man, news did travel fast. Rumor had it that an international model had caught his eye, and that they had been seeing each other for almost three months. Kris couldn't help but to laugh at them. It wasn't the first time he had hear ridiculous rumors about himself, but this one was the best of all. Although, Tao could pass as an international model any day. With his gorgeous face and deep eyes. And his body... Well, the point being that Kris wasn't missing anything.

Several students approached him the following couple of days, requesting information about the mysterious girl. They weren't even looking in the right gender. His suspicions about their friends already knowing grew when they didn't bother to ask a single question. They just joked about it, sharing the twisted and complicated theories they had heard their classmates discussing. But Kris could see that Tao was beginning to feel hurt about them. When they were finally alone, that evening at the library, he begged Kris to stop the rumors. He looked as if he was about to cry from sheer desperation. He told Kris he was being selfish, letting the rumors spread just because it was easier for him, without taking into account how he felt about them. So he denied them. But just as he thought would happen, nobody even listened to him. As a matter of fact, they got even worst. Then, the whispers said that it was someone from school, and everyone seemed to accept that theory, which only made his life even harder than it already was.  Now, he had eyes on him every single moment, what meant he had to be extra careful around Tao. Not that anyone was even considering him, what was the most stupid thing he had ever heard. But at least they were left alone on their tutoring lessons.

After the first couple of weeks, they had gotten back to studying for real. With exams coming up, they couldn't afford to miss a single class. Moreover, they had had to add extra classes, sometimes staying after practice until the school closed or even skipping lunch. And Kris could see how it was taking a toll on the boy's body. Tao looked paler than usual, dark circles deeper, but he was really worried about the exams and wouldn't even consider reducing the lessons. It didn't help that he was also pretty stressed out about wushu. They'd have an important competition, and they couldn't afford to lose. He went through most of his exams easily, but unfortunately, the one he was most worried about was the last one. English. When Tao had realized that both his exam and the competition would be on the same day, he had almost had a panic attack. So, Kris was worried. More than worried, actually. The night before the exam, they'd stayed up on the phone past midnight, revising just in case they'd missed something, although Kris assured him he would be the most prepared student in the whole school. Tao didn't sound convinced, though, and Kris knew he would stay up even later.

It was nerve wracking. He had already gone through this "waiting for Tao to get out of an extremely important exam he really needed to pass" thing a couple of times, but he still felt the weight of every second the clock ticked. Tao had even skipped lunch to get the results as soon as possible, and Kris hadn’t been able to take a bite. The only thing keeping him from actually freaking out was knowing how well prepared the Panda was. And that  it’d be their last exam of the term and they could go back to their usual routine. So he took a deep breath, sat down, and waited.

When the boy finally burst in, a huge grin plastered on his face, he felt relief wash over him. Tao lunged himself at him, peppering his face with kisses, thanking him. Kris cackled, grabbing the panda's chin and guiding their lips together. When they finally came into contact, he felt his chest burst, heath expanding throughout his body. Tao traced the outline of his lips with his tongue, making his breath hitch and a shiver run through him. Pulling him closer, he deepened the kiss, groaning lowly when the boy nipped on his lower lip. It was fast, desperate at first. Needy. But then it got slower. And good. Really good. Flushed against each other, tasting the other's lips, once again he felt like they'd become one. He had missed that so much. He couldn't believe how addicted he had gotten to Tao in their short time together, but now he didn’t seem to be able to breath without him close. When they finally drew apart, panting, Kris felt his smile fall. The Panda didn't look healthy at all. He seemed like  he could pass out any moment from pure exhaustion. But before he could say anything, the boy cussed at the clock, telling him he was already late for his team's final practice before the competition later that afternoon and running towards the gym after a quick kiss. He stared at his back as he left, a small frown on his face.

As it was a Wednesday, the whole basketball team would be attending the competition, wanting to cheer for their friends. On one side, he was glad they'd all decided to go and show their support. Their friends deserved it. But on the other, he felt that he would have to be hiding his own reactions, even in front of his team. The gym was packed, but for once their reputation was useful, as several students moved away to let them seat. He had to fight the urge to rush towards Tao as soon as he saw him, surrounded by his team. He looked so gorgeous. Apparently, he had a thing for Tao in his uniform, all black silk and muscles, so he had to swallow hard and breath deep to avoid wanting to do things not exactly appropriate when they were surrounded by people.

Despite the smile on his face, Kris could practically feel the exhaustion radiate from his body. He trusted in his abilities, but eyeing the other team, they looked pretty tough and, well, scary. The competition started and his friends cheered as the teams were introduced. Tao had explained that he'd be going up first, as usually the first round was between the teams' captains. Then, another three participants would take turns to fight. Baekhyun would be next, and then Mineun. And boy, that girl sure knew how to fight. The first time he had seen her inside the gym, she looked so sweet and delicate that he honestly thought she wouldn't last a week. Of course, as soon as he saw she practice that changed completely. He was pretty sure she'd win even against one of the toughest guys. Then Joonmyeon would go up, and he knew he'd been training hard, so he wasn't exactly preoccupied. The rest of the team would cheer from the side.

He shouldn't be worried. After all, Tao had mentioned that nowadays most of the dual events were choreographed, but as this was a competition, it mostly consisted of gracefully avoiding being hit and returning the punch with not much force. Basically, a show. It couldn't go wrong. But somehow, it didn't make him feel better. When the boy's name was announced, he grinned and shouted alongside his friends, although something felt odd in his stomach as he watched his boyfriend get up and walk towards the center of the gym warily. He should have insisted that he slept earlier the previous night. The exam had obviously left him both mentally and physically exhausted, not at all fit for a competition. He saluted the crowd and his rival before the judge motioned for them to start fighting. 

"What the hell is he doing?" Chanyeol stage-whispered, "He can do so much better! We've seen him, for god's sake!" he groaned exasperatedly, as Chen grunted in agreement. 

As soon as it had started, Tao had seemed completely off, nearly getting hit several times in just a few minutes, and without being able to hit his opponent a single time. He had actually fallen down a couple of times, getting back up as fast as possible, looking so weak it made him ache. 

Kris felt it even before it happened. The other boy jumped slightly, kicking towards Tao's direction. And it hit him. And he fell. The loud thump of his body against the floor made his heart skip a beat, struggling to get some air into his lungs. As the judge declared the other guy the winner, Tao finally reacted, allowing him to take a shaky breath. The side of his face and his eye were reddish from the impact, which had completely destabilized him. Luhan and Minseok rushed towards him, helping him up, but got brushed off as soon as the boy was on his feet. Tao stormed off from the gym, leaving his older team mates to ponder if they should follow. Joonmyeon motioned for them to stay there. Baekhyun would be next and he needed their support. Kris watched the whole scene before finally considering himself recovered from the shock enough to go check on his boyfriend, despite his teammates' incredulous looks.  

He ran along the corridors surrounding the gym, finally coming to a stop when he caught a slouched figure sat on the hallway towards the locker room. Shoulders slumped and head hanging low, Tao reminded him of the day they'd gotten together. He almost smiled at the memory. Almost. Because as soon as he approached, the boy startled, raising his head. He relaxed as soon as he spotted his boyfriend, but it was enough for Kris to see the nasty bruise forming on his eye. It was already deep red, and would soon get purplish. He winced at the thought of the pain he was going through. Sitting beside him, he sighted. Tao was avoiding his eyes, and Kris almost chuckled. They were very much alike, and he knew how he felt. The Panda was embarrassed. The guilt and shame were hurting him even more than what the kick had. He had lost at what he believed was the only thing he was good at, and in front of a huge crowd, moreover. Kris had been there. But he had also learnt from his own experience. They were leaders. They couldn't just sit around and mope. Their teams needed them. It hadn't even been his fault, he was exhausted and overwhelmed, but he knew that wasn't what he needed to hear right now.

"Taozi," the boy kept his head low, "You need to go back. Your team needs you."

"No, they don't," he mumbled, voice thick, "They'd be better off without me. I just ruined everything."

"No, you didn't. Come on."

"I don't want to. I-i made a foul of myself," his shoulders shook slightly as he sobbed, "I'm an idiot. An embarrassment for my team," he tightened the grip of his arms around his knees, burying his head on his chest.

"No, you are not," it hurt seeing him like that. Broken and doubting himself, "You are just prideful and a little stubborn," he pulled him towards his chest, rubbing his arm and kissing the top of his head. 

He still felt the tremble of his body as he tried to avoid crying, "Tao, look at me." The boy raised his head warily and he cupped his chin, "You are drained. You barely slept last night, remember? This isn't your fault. Okay?" Tao let out a shaky breath, nodding slightly. "But you do need to go back. They need you."

He looked back at him with a heartbroken look, "I left them when they needed me the most. They must hate me right now," his pout quivered.

Kris laughed slightly, "There's no way they hate you. Everyone loves you, believe me. Moreover, you can't solve anything just sitting here crying and feeling miserable," he could see his eyes getting a little bit brighter. Smiling, he teased, "Besides, I didn't fall for a coward, did I?"

Tao finally smiled back, shaking his head, and he knew he was ready. 

"Now, let me see," he removed the boy's ink-like hair from his eyes, kissing both his cheeks before placing a soft one on his swollen eye, making the Panda smile and bring their lips together for a short, sweet kiss. Then he got up, reaching out to grab Tao's hand and pull him up.  

"Ready?" the boy nodded warily. 

"Thanks." 

"Don't even mention it." 

Kris returned to his place, where he found his team staring intently at the court. Just as he sat down, everyone got up and cheered. Baekhyun had won. Tao appeared back inside the gym as he returned to the group, and the team begun both congratulating Baekhyun and welcoming Tao, who finally smiled at them. Mineun was up, and not even two minutes later she was announced the winner, leaving her rival looking pretty beaten up.  

From his spot on the public, he could practically sense Joonmyeon's nervousness. The boy was up next, and he looked paler than what Kris had ever seen him. But he also got to see their captain's reassuring smile. After a few words from him, Joonmyeon finally approached the center, facing his opponent. Despite some pretty nerve wracking moments where he seemed about to lose, a while later he was announced winner. On the field, the whole wushu team cheered, the same as their friends besides him. As their names were called towards the center to receive their medals, Kris could see his boyfriend's reluctance. Knowing him, he probably felt like he didn't deserve it, like they'd won despite of him, not because of him. And he hated it. Luckily, his team ended up convincing him, smiling brightly, assuring him that without his help they'd have never gotten that far. Blushing slightly but beaming nonetheless, he received his medal, making Kris smile at the sight. 

His friends decided to wait for them outside the locker room. When most of the team got out, they cheered, and in return were invited to Joonmyeon's place to celebrate. Noticing Tao's absence, Kris turned the invitation down, waiting for them to leave before getting into the room, where his boyfriend stood with his back to him.

"Congratulations," he greeted.

The sight of Tao turning around and grinning at him knocked the air out of him. Then the boy literally ran towards him, peppering his face with kisses and hugging him. Kris tightened his hold around him, spinning around the empty locker room. Breathless, he placed him on the floor, scowling slightly at the bruise on his eye. 

"We should really go get some ice." 

They laced their fingers as they walked together towards Tao's house. Had it not been for the boy holding the ice the nurse had given him against his face, Kris would have believed he was completely asleep. As they reached his house, he nudged his boyfriend slightly.

"Taozi? We're here." The boy opened his eyes droopily and smiled at him before burying his face on his neck, ice long forgotten. Kris' chest ached painfully, "You did great. Congratulations, Panda."

"What are you talking about? It was pathetic," he breathed out, making him suppress a shiver from the feeling, "Thanks Kris. Without you I'd probably still be hiding in the corridor."

Wrapping his arms around his back, he kissed the top of his panda's head, "It’s okay. You just needed a push."

After a full minute, when Tao's breath evened out, Kris realized he was probably falling asleep. Removing himself softly, he guided the boy towards his door.

"Sleep well, my Panda."