To anonie who requested a Tao scenario :) This is the first one! :D By the title (it’s long, I know but it felt right <3), I guess you guys could figure out what my inspiration was for writing this story. :P Enjoy!

OC- Lian

Warm Summers

"I miss you."

Tao lived for these nights. Nights when he could just lie against the headboard, be it in his own apartment where the sheets are warm and familiar against his skin or in a hotel room where he would temporarily reside due to work, and just listen...

Listen to her voice muffled against the receiver of his cellphone, telling him about her day.

"How was yours?" Lian would always ask right after and Tao would smile, thinking how she always made sure to ask how he was.

"Missed you."

"You've been saying that the moment I answered the phone." She said, her tone tinged with amusement and something else... something almost sad.

"That's because I do miss you."

There was a slight pause, dead air that wasn't exactly empty but filled with unsaid words that needn't be said aloud.

Because breathing was enough; enough to know how she felt.

"Was it tough today?" Lian asked instead and Tao, being used to her tendency of sudden subject changes, sighed.

"When is it not?"

"You don't seem to tire when I ask you to help me find a dress or a new pair of shoes." She joked and Tao felt her attempt to lighten the mood, which evidently worked for he felt his mouth tug upward at the corners. "Remember that?"

I remember, Tao thought as he smiled; letting the memory consume him.

It was two Summers ago and Tao just came back from tour, tired as hell and yet the first thing he did when he landed was wear a disguise, hail a cab, and go to the one place he's been missing.

Lian wasn't expecting to see her boyfriend knocking on her front door that night.

“Oh my god Tao?!" She shrieked, her shocked expression easily switching to that of an excited grin as she threw her arms around him. He caught her with a chuckle, hugging her tight and spinning her around.

"What time did you get here?! I wasn't expecting you till tomorrow night!"

"I got an earlier flight." He answered, burying his nose against the juncture where her neck and shoulder met. He inhaled her sweet scent and sighed.

She smelled like home. And everything wonderful.

When Tao let go, he looked at her and saw that she had her coat on and her favourite white sneakers. He frowned slightly, "Going somewhere?"

Lian bit her lip which was her version of a pout. "I was going to go shopping for a new dress. My mother's taking me to this gathering this weekend."

"Oh."

"But you're here and I don't want to go anymore." she whined and Tao chuckled at her cuteness before pinching her nose.

"Your mom will kill me if you don't get a new dress." He said before stepping back. "Come on. Let's go before the mall closes."

"What?" She asked stupidly, not sure if she heard him right.

"What?" He echoed teasingly and Lian rolled her eyes. "Come on babe, we don't have all night."

"Tao, are you sure you want to come with me?" She asked, thinking how shopping could take a few hours and it wasn’t really the best of ideas to let her idol boyfriend wander around the all where anyone could recognize him. "I mean, I love that you want to but you're probably exhausted from the flight! Not to mention jet lagged--" Lian yelped when she felt something warm against her lips and she realized Tao just leant in and kissed her. She relaxed within a second, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close.

When they parted, Lian's cheeks were flushed and rosy.

"You talk too much." Tao teased and she pushed him playfully to cover up the growing blush painted against her cheeks.

"Are you sure you want to go shopping with me?"

"Of course!"

"Really?"

"Yes." Tao said exasperatedly and rolled his eyes before giving her a gentle push towards the door. "Now get your things and let's get going."

Lian sighed and held her hands up before turning around to get her purse inside. "Fine. If you really want to. But I did warn you. This is your choice, mister!" She yelled back and Tao laughed at her cuteness as he waited for her on the front porch; thinking how when it comes to Lian, he never really had a choice...

Simply because he would always choose her.

~~~

"Yeah I remember." He murmured as the memory ceased to play. He then kept it inside one of the boxes in his head, along with the other photographs that had her print in every single film.

She hummed and Tao could almost see the smile painted against her lips.

Oh her lips, he thought dreamily.

"That was fun." She said. "We should go shopping again...when you get back, okay?"

Tao yawned, a happy smile tugging at the corners of his mouth by the simple offer. "Anything you want."

"Yeah?" Lian smiled softly as she sunk deeper into her pillows. "Even if I asked you to go bungee jumping with me?"

Tao chuckled sleepily, "Let's not get too excited."

There was a slight pause and Lian sensed that he was on the edge of sleep. She couldn't even begin to imagine how tired he must be. But she was glad; glad how he still made time to call her even though he was practically half asleep.

"Well, what do you want to do when you get back?" Lian asked, her voice dropping to a whisper. She already knew the answer for he always answered the same. But she still asked nonetheless, loving how his voice sounded against the receiver like a promise.

"Anything you want." He said. And Lian knew he meant it with all his heart.

~~~

Frozen Winters

"I can't do this anymore."

Tao dreaded these nights. Nights when he was tired from work; tired from the rehearsals, recordings, and even the sound of fans screaming in his ear which practically rendered him deaf, for him to hear the sound of her muffled cries against the phone.

There were nights when distance was a sworn enemy and panic was the monster under your bed that creeps up and threatens to swallow you whole.

"Lian--" Tao started, worry bubbling in his chest.

"No, listen." She sobbed, interrupting him. "I...this...this isn't right--"

"What's not right?" Tao asked carefully, his hand flat against the wall. He had excused himself early from dinner with his managers and staff members before retreating to his assigned hotel room. He knew something was wrong the moment he heard her shallow breaths and muffled cries against the receiver.

"Lian, listen to my voice. Hey, just take deep breaths. Follow my breathing. Do you hear me?" Tao instructed, hearing her panting against the phone. "Who's with you right now?"

"N--no one." She managed to speak up and Tao cursed inwardly, closing his eyes shut and hating himself for not being there.

"It...hurts...Tao." She hiccuped between sobs and panic grew in his chest. But only slightly...for he knew what to do in situations like this.

"Lian, honey. Listen to me." Tao said, making sure his voice was careful and clear. "Take deep breaths.  And just follow my breathing, okay? In…and out. In…and out."

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