Once Joonmyun steps into Yixing's apartment he understands right away why Yixing had been so overwhelmed when he visited Joonmyun's place: Yixing's apartment is incredibly tiny. The entire thing consists of a single room with an adjacent bathroom and an open doorway that leads to a kitchenette, and now that Joonmyun has seen it in person he might actually be prone to believe Yixing's claim that Joonmyun's TV is the size of his entire kitchen.

“Welcome to my crib,” Yixing says, stretching his arms out as he walks into the living-room-slash-bedroom. “I know it's not nearly as impressive as your apartment, but, well... it's home.” Joonmyun takes a look around. It's kind of messy, though not to the point where it's dirty and disgusting. There are clothes strewn about on the floor and on the bed amongst papers and music sheets covered in scribbled handwriting. Of course Yixing sees the same thing as Joonmyun does and he begins to tidy up. “I'm sorry, I would've cleaned a bit if I knew I was going to bring you over.”

Joonmyun shakes his head. “It's alright, don't worry about it.” He kind of likes this, actually. It makes the place seem lived-in, unlike his own apartment that tends to feel almost clinically clean at times and so cold compared to the cozy little home Yixing has here. Even though there are literally no more than ten feet separating the couch area and the bed, even though the kitchenette is so small it can barely contain more than one person at the same time without it being cramped, even though the once white walls are yellowing now and the plants are nearing a death brought on them by lack of water, Joonmyun really likes it.

Yixing dumps an armful of clothes into the hamper standing at the foot of the bed. He still looks doubtful, nervously rubbing his palms against his pants, but he seems to relax somewhat when Joonmyun smiles in reassurance. “Would you be terribly upset with me if I go take a shower real quick?” Yixing asks. “I know it's not proper host etiquette, but I always feel kinda gross and sweaty after playing so...”

Still smiling, Joonmyun shakes his head. “Not at all, go ahead.”

Finally, Yixing returns the smile. “Sweet. Uhm, you can put on some music if you'd like or watch TV and there's stuff to drink in the fridge and, uhm, yeah. Make yourself at home.” As he speaks, he makes his way to the closet to grab some clean clothes. “I'll be back soon,” is the last thing Yixing says before he disappears into the bathroom.

Though Joonmyun doesn't mind Yixing taking a shower, he does feels awkward being left all by himself in an a place he's never been to before. For some time, he stays right where he is, shifting on the spot, unsure of what to do with himself. Then, after heaving a sigh, he takes off his jacket and tie, hanging both things over the back of a chair standing by one of the windows. That alone is enough to make him feel a lot less uncomfortable. A tailored suit doesn't exactly fit the setting, nor was it suitable for a concert like the one Joonmyun went to earlier, but he had no way of knowing that. Perhaps he should have asked Yixing beforehand what kind of music his band plays.

Joonmyun's socked feet are soundless against the carpeted floor as he walks over take a look at the many CDs that are stacked on the shelves next to the couch. He recognizes several of the names from his own music collection, but there are also a lot of artists he doesn't know. He casts a look towards the closed door that leads to the bathroom. The water is still running and it probably will for a while. It has only been a couple of minutes, after all. Sighing, he goes back to reading the backs of CD covers.

By the time the water stops, Joonmyun has crouched to study the books on the bottom shelves instead. There are not nearly as many books as there are CDs and most of them are in Chinese, but some of the titles are still familiar to him. He stands up when the bathroom door opens and Yixing comes out. Yixing has exchanged the jeans and sweatshirt he was wearing before for soft cotton pants and a threadbare tanktop that doesn't only expose his arms and collarbone this time, but also a large chunk of his sides and chest. Which are, as it turns out, also covered in tattoos.

“You don't want something to drink?” Yixing asks as he throws his dirty clothes into the hamper to join the rest.

Joonmyun hadn't wanted anything before. Now his mouth feels as dry as a desert, though. “Some water, maybe?” he manages to croak. His voice is hoarse.

“I think I can handle that,” Yixing says, flashing his dimple.

Joonmyun watches Yixing's back as he makes his way towards the kitchen and he sees that there is dark ink peeking over the back of his shirt as well. Joonmyun finds himself wondering exactly how large a part of Yixing's body is decorated, where the tattoos start and where they stop, if it was painful to get them, when he got his first one, why he chose to get each of them. The questions are piling up in Joonmyun's mind so fast it's making him dizzy.

Yixing doesn't seem to notice Joonmyun's inner struggles when he returns with two glasses, one of which he hands to Joonmyun. “Thanks,” Joonmyun mutters. Yixing just smiles in response and goes to sit on the couch. Joonmyun takes a long sip of water, draining nearly half the glass in one gulp. He tries very hard not to look down the front of Yixing's shirt when he leans forward with his elbows braced on his knees.

“How did you like the show?” Yixing asks.

“It was great,” Joonmyun says, purposely staring out the window to avoid staring at Yixing. “You guys are all really talented.”

There's a pause. Then: “Are you alright?” Self-consciously, Joonmyun flicks his tongue over his lips. He doesn't answer the question, though, so Yixing goes on: “You seem jumpy... or, well, more jumpy than usual. Is there a reason for that?”

Joonmyun shrugs. “I'm fine, I just...”

“You just what?” Finally, Joonmyun looks at Yixing, who seems concerned. “You know that you can tell me anything, right? I mean... if you want to, of course.”

“The tattoos,” Joonmyun blurts out, unable to stop himself.

Yixing frowns. “What about them? Do they bother you? Cause I can cover them up if–”

“No no, it's not that,” Joonmyun assures him. “It's just... I haven't known anyone with a tattoo before and I... I don't know, I find them interesting, I guess.” He shrugs again, feeling embarrassed. His face is hot.

“Oh,” Yixing says. “I see. Uhm... well... if you'd like, you can, uh... you can touch them.” Joonmyun stares at Yixing, expecting him to burst into laughter at any second and play it off as a joke. But Yixing stares right back, gaze unwavering. Joonmyun swallows thickly.

There's a coffee table separating them, but Joonmyun walks around it with the feeling that he has to do this before Yixing regrets his offer and takes it back. As he sits down next to Yixing on the couch, Joonmyun sets down his glass so he has his hands free. Yixing is watching him. If he's nervous, he's hiding it well. Or maybe it's just that Joonmyun's own anxiety is so overshadowing that Yixing's seems like nothing in comparison.

Joonmyun's hands tremble as he reaches out to take Yixing's arm into his lap, palm facing upwards, and for a while he just looks. The skin here is unmarred and pale. The first tattoo, a simple infinity sign, begins on the inside of his forearm, about an inch below the bend of his elbow. Joonmyun carefully traces the thin, black line with a finger. “When did you get this one?” he asks, curious.

“I had just turned eighteen,” Yixing says with a fond smile on his face. “That's actually my very first tattoo. I got it back in China and my best friend has a matching one. He was there to hold my hand while I got it. I held his hand when he got his afterwards.”

Joonmyun nods quietly. He lets his fingers travel further up, to the crook of Yixing's arm where a rose decorates the skin. “And this one?”

Yixing's smile turns sad. “Not long before I left Changsha. This one's for my mom. The other one is for my dad.” He holds out his right arm to show a rose a bit different from the one on his left, but still similar in style. Joonmyun also notices a set of scratchmarks. He raises himself up on his knees and reaches over to turn Yixing's arm to study the marks running down his skin. This was most likely what Joonmyun caught a glimpse of that day in the park when he was too shy to ask about it. Yixing chuckles. “That one I got just because I thought it looked cool.”

“Doesn't it hurt?” Joonmyun asks, slowly sliding his palms up both of Yixing's upper arms at the same time. His skin feels so nice under Joonmyun's hands, warm. Joonmyun is standing up now to get a better look at the various images inked onto Yixing's biceps and triceps and shoulders, and he knows he's definitely invading Yixing's personal space with how close he's leaning in, but he can't help himself. It's fascinating.

It takes a while for Yixing to answer, but after a deep breath, he says: “Most of them weren't bad. Some of them I could barely feel, some of them were awful. The worst ones where the ones on my ribs and the ones on my collarbones.” Joonmyun's eyes immediately move to Yixing's clavicles. Cursive writing is scrawled across protruding bones, a single word on each. “Carpe diem,” Yixing says in time with Joonmyun's fingers moving over the letters. “I know, it's cliché, but...”

Joonmyun shakes his head. “I like it,” he says.

There's a tattoo just barely visible on Yixing's chest, and in his attempt to see it, Joonmyun tugs at the neckline of Yixing's shirt. It doesn't stretch a lot and despite Joonmyun pulling it down, he's still not able to see much. He frowns. Yixing clears his throat. “Do you...? Do you want me to...?” He seems bashful when Joonmyun looks at him, and the reason for that becomes apparent when Yixing starts to take off his tanktop. And though Joonmyun should probably be flustered as well, all he can do is stare as Yixing pulls it all the way up and over his head so his torso is revealed.

The tattoo on Yixing's chest turns out to be a flower covering most of his right pectoral. It's part of a larger piece, a vine stretching down the right side of his body with smaller flowers along the stem and a few loose petals scattered across his abs, seemingly carried by an invisible wind. Joonmyun traces the petals with careful , but when he feels Yixing's stomach quiver under his touch, he pulls his hand away. His gaze, however, remains fastened on the tattoos. “Sorry.”

“It's okay,” Yixing quickly says. His voice is breathy, Joonmyun notices, though he doesn't know why. “It's alright, I... I'm just ticklish. That's all.” Joonmyun nods absently and continues exploring Yixing's body art with his hands.

On Yixing's left side is a large koi fish, along with a cluster of tiny stars on the ribs right below his pec. “Do these mean something?” Joonmyun asks.

Yixing shifts beneath him. His knees bumps against Joonmyun's leg. “Th-there's, uhm... there's one... one for each year I've been away from China. I haven't been able to... to visit home.” Joonmyun ghosts his fingers over every star. He counts seven in total.

“That's sad,” he says. Yixing doesn't say anything.

Joonmyun notices yet another tattoo, this one on Yixing's right hip. Most of it is covered by his pants so Joonmyun can't see it properly. Without thinking much of it, he slides down until he's kneeling on the floor and curls his fingers into the waistband of Yixing's pants to pull them down in one side and expose his hip. Yixing shifts again. “Joonmyun,” he chokes out.

It's Chinese characters, Joonmyun can tell, but he's only able to actually read a couple of them and that's not enough to decipher the entire sentence. “What does this one say?” he asks as he traces each of each character. The only response he gets is the sound of Yixing's breath catching in his throat, and Joonmyun furrows his brow in question, looking up.

Yixing's expression is strained, his teeth tightly clenched with air hissing between them, and all of a sudden it strikes Joonmyun what kind of position he's in; on his knees between Yixing's parted legs and halfway on his way to pulling Yixing's pants off and, oh God, this is really, really bad.

Joonmyun retreats so quickly he almost falls flat on his . Yixing moves just as quickly to pull a pillow into his own lap. “Joonmyun,” he says again, eyes wide. “Joonmyun, I...”

“I'm sorry,” Joonmyun says. He stands up slowly. Once more his heart seems to be threatening to make a break for it with how hard it's pounding against the inside of his chest, and he feels nauseous. “I'm... really sorry... about that, I... I shouldn't have...” He messed up. He swallows even though his throat is completely parched again. He messed up so bad. “I... I should go.”

“Wait,” Yixing pleads of him, but Joonmyun doesn't listen and he doesn't let Yixing stop him, either. He just grabs his jacket from the chair where he left it and bolts out the door.

~*~

A/N: when this story was still just an idea I constantly cried to sarah about, this was one of the first scenes that came into my head (because body worship, even when it's accidental, is like the best thing in the entire world heLP mE). so yeah. I don't know what else to say. yixing has a load of tattoos. joonmyun is being a silly . I feel like some of you guys were expecting them to do the do when they got back to yixing's apartment, but, honestly, joonmyun can barely breathe the same air as yixing without getting all confused and panicky, so do you really think he'd bone him just like that? come on, now, don't try to force your thirst onto poor joonmyun. :b

anyway. I hope y'all enjoyed this update even though it's kind of pointless and probably boring, and I hope you'll choose to stick around for the next update, which will probably (most definitely) be another 2k words of joonmyun being a silly . toodles!