I'm not unhappy, That's just my face

Somehow Song Zichen wasn’t too surprised to learn about Xue Yang’s occupation. Being a streamer seemed to suit the man just fine despite him not being all that into watching things on the internet. Internet content just wasn’t for him, it seemed.

But what sort of job did Song Zichen dream about doing? He looked down at his gloved hands then back up at the other man with a small shrug of his shoulders. “I haven’t thought on it much. Ask me again in a few months.”

Surely by then he would know what he wanted here, right? Of course he would need to find a job soon but that wasn’t too hard, was it?

He was relieved they were almost at the house, though. It would suck if— oh, nevermind. It had started to rain regardless of their distance.

Holding back a curse as his shirt gradually became damp, his feet picked up the pace. How close was close..?

Xue Yang wouldn’t take offense if his new roomie didn’t watch him stream. They’d be seeing enough of each other as it was, after all. However, this might not prevent him from asking him to spread the word to whoever would listen, though.

“Hah! Alright, that’s fair,” he shot Song Zichen a grin as he trotted beside him. “Streamer wasn’t my first choice, either. It’s just easy, now that I lucked out. As long as you can help me pay rent, it doesn’t really matter what you do, in the end.”

That was cold of him, surely. He was trying to joke, though, to dismiss it all as something for his new roommate (hopefully) to not fret about at present. Any job was good as long as they could both eat.

He was grateful for his hoodie shielding him from the brunt of the rain, but he could see that Song Zichen was not quite as fortunate. His shirt was going to go from damp to soaked if they weren’t quick. Shit, did he have an umbrella he could lend him on his way back out? The rain was sure to only get heavier. 

Jingling his keys in his hand, Xue Yang turned one final corner and ran up to his doorway, pushing the fob to the reader to unlock the entrance. He held the door open for Song Zichen, giving a comical little flourish to invite him in. 

He was. a little more focused on the fact that his clothes were getting soaked rather than Xue Yang's choice of job. By the time they got inside his shirt clung to his torso as well as he hair to his face. No way to dry his gloves at the moment, either.

Taking a glove off, he wiped the hair from his face.

"I don't mind the stairs." He said, a small frown on his lips. "I might need to borrow a towel, though." Song Zichen's voice seemed a bit sheepish. Not by much, though.

It wasn't like the rain had been his fault.

Walking toward the elevator, he hit the button to call the elevator down. All the while ignoring the way the building's a/c made his skin erupt in goosebumps due to being damp.

Following the shorter man out of the cafe, Song Zichen peered up at the grey roiling clouds that threatened rain. He should’ve brought an umbrella.. He only hoped his luck wasn’t so terrible as to get rained on before seeing the house so he picked up pace in his walk. Once he was caught up to Xue Yang he glanced over at the man.

The difference in height would take some getting used to but that was with anyone. Whether they be taller or shorter.

“No.” He said to being asked if Xue Yang was boring him. Song Zichen was only tired. Besides, this man seemed like a fire cracker. He would probably annoy Song Zichen before boring him. Though maybe excitement was what was needed in his life.

Adjusting his gloves as they walked, he mulled over the locking door comment. Xue Yang didn’t peg him as a killer but people were deceiving. Even if most jokes flew over his head he didn’t feel any need to raise his walls around the man anymore than he did with people in general.

“.. What do you do for a living?” He tried for casual conversation.

“Okay, good,” Xue Yang offered Song Zichen a cheeky grin once the man was caught up beside him. “You’ll have plenty of time to be bored of me once you sign the lease.”

He wasn’t beating around the bush here! It was best that he make his intentions perfectly clear, anyhow. That said, he didn’t really want to bore this guy. Sure, there was no reason for them to interact more than a few times a day if they didn’t want, but something about living with someone who thought he was a drag didn’t appeal to him at all.

Things would inevitably sour if that were the case. He wasn’t very good with certain attitudes.

Upon being asked about his job, he figured he’d tell the truth regardless of whether or not it made him look bad. There wasn’t any real reason why it would, but a lot of people saw it as lazy and effortless. Maybe they were right, but…

“I’m a streamer,” he shrugged. “You know, I play videogames for an audience, that kinda stuff.”

He knew Song Zichen to be unemployed currently, so he didn’t bother asking what he’d been before, job wise. Instead, as he turned the corner, he asked,

“What’s your dream job? Like, what would you be if you could choose? We’re almost there, by the way.”

But what sort of job did Song Zichen dream about doing? He looked down at his gloved hands then back up at the other man with a small shrug of his shoulders. "I haven't thought on it much. Ask me again in a few months."

Surely by then he would know what he wanted here, right? Of course he would need to find a job soon but that wasn't too hard, was it?

He was relieved they were almost at the house, though. It would suck if— oh, nevermind. It had started to rain regardless of their distance.

There was no time to correct Xue Yang. Song Zichen had been a child when he’d been adopted and chose to stay up until recently. For one reason or another. Regardless, he was more distracted by the fact Xue Yang had growled at him for his comment. It almost made him snort.

Almost.

But he was able to hold it back by pursing his lips. Thankfully due to his natural seriousness it didn’t come off as Song Zichen making fun of him. Hopefully.

“I’ll keep an eye out for my own sake, then.” He hardly sounded serious. Gathering his keys he stood up to follow the other man. It gave him a better sense of just how short Xue Yang was but he made no further comments about it. Perhaps he himself was just too tall? Ah, he shouldn’t focus on that.

He needed a place soon, for the sake of his sleep deprived state and for his bank account.

“After you.” Song Zichen spoke through a half yawn, politely covering his mouth with a small grimace.

If he had snorted, Xue Yang would have been torn between interpreting this as actual antagonism and being glad he could provide some entertainment. It got a little bit exhausting, being at war with himself over the dumbest of things, but that was how he’d been for as long as he could remember.

Something to bring up with a shrink, probably, but the only time he saw any kind of psych was for his treatment, and she was a college kid in training… 

It was almost funny how much of his life was just winging it to the extreme. 

“Lock your door at night,” he joked, stepping out into the street and stretching his arms far above his head. After grunting quietly, he straightened himself back out and adjusted his hoodie. “Nice suggestion, by the way. I liked the atmosphere.”

Jerking his head slightly to tell Song Zichen to follow, he began to lightly jog down the street. The sky was getting dark and he didn’t have an umbrella, and Song Zichen seemed like the type to not like getting wet.

Maybe it would be funny to see due to that, but he really didn’t want the man’s mood to be soured before he signed the lease.

The difference in height would take some getting used to but that was with anyone. Whether thhey be taller or shorter.

"No." He said to being asked if Xue Yang was boring him. Song Zichen was only tired. Besides, this man seemed like a fire cracker. He would probably annoy Song Zichen before boring him. Though maybe excitement was what was needed in his life.

Adjusting his gloves as they walked, he mulled over the locking door comment. Xue Yang didn't peg him as a killer but people were deceiving. Even if most jokes flew over his head he didn't feel any need to raise his walls around the man anymore than he did with people in general.

You get one free pass to make my day hell

WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO YOURSELF

...Not bad, actually! I was half afraid you’d say history documentaries or something... I’d be down for watching some crime drama. 

...Not bad, actually! I was half afraid you’d say history documentaries or something... I’d be down for watching some crime drama. 

Song Zichen couldn’t help but to gawk. He’d been hiding the lease in his hoodie this whole time?! There was no way something so bulky could’ve gone unnoticed by him and yet…

No matter. He had only been teasing to begin with. Shaking his head he reached over and brought the stack over papers over to flip through them. Obviously he wouldn’t sign it just yet but the temptation of knowing he’d have his own room again soon was tantalizing. Picking up his coffee as he read, taking sips as he went, he peered up at Xue Yang a few times. This person was strange but who wasn’t in their own way?

“I do want to see the place before I sign any of this. But no, I.. don’t have anything but my clothes and a few personal items. My parents owned everything in their house and I didn’t want anything holding me back.” A pause. “I’m making them sound awful, but they’re not. They’ve done a lot for me as my foster parents.” Song Zichen spoke fondly, a hint of a smile on his lips.

Then he shook his head. “If you’re dangerous then I’ll keep my guard up. You’re quite tiny.” He wasn’t. Song Zichen was just taller. But was that a smirk on his face..?

“Would you mind showing me the place before I sign these?”

To be fair, it was a pretty baggy hoodie. Xue Yang preferred baggy tops overall, though he did dream of the day he’d be able to wear something form-fitting and provocative.  That was a thought for another time, though.

He met Song Zichen’s stares with a quirked brow and couldn’t help but wonder if the man was scrutinizing him, judging him somehow. He didn’t want to entertain the notion, as he really wanted to get a roommate as soon as possible and would prefer to get along with whoever he ended up sharing the space with. Allowing a paranoid thought to filter through would only make things complicated down the line. Maybe the guy just liked the eyeball on his hoodie or something. There could be any number of reasons for him to keep glancing up like that.

“Right,” he replied without having to think on it for long. He’d definitely not wanted anything holding him back, either. He’d made up his mind and stuck to his path, and things had been all the better for him since. “Foster parents, huh? Didn’t know you could still be fostered as an adult…”

As awkward as that was, fortunately the conversation moved on; namely to making Xue Yang feel self-conscious. “I am not tiny,” he growled. He wanted to make a (joking) threat, but he had to get this guy to sign, remember!? Couldn’t lose track of his goal!

Shaking his head, he decided to smile instead, finishing off his drink and tucking away the lease. “You’d better watch out and make sure I don’t take inches from you while you sleep.”

Gesturing for Song Zichen to follow, he offered him a friendlier look. He really hoped this would work out. He’d left the house clean enough, right?

Almost.

But he was able to hold it back by pursing his lips. Thankfully due to his natural seriousness it didn't come off as Song Zichen making fun of him. Hopefully.

"I'll keep an eye out for my own sake, then." He hardly sounded serious. Gathering his keys he stood up to follow the other man. It gave him a better sense of just how short Xue Yang was but he made no further comments about it. Perhaps he himself was just too tall? Ah, he shouldn't focus on that.

He needed a place soon, for the sake of his sleep deprived state and for his bank account.

...Not bad, actually! I was half afraid you’d say history documentaries or something... I’d be down for watching some crime drama. 

...Not bad, actually! I was half afraid you’d say history documentaries or something... I’d be down for watching some crime drama. 

It all sounded good to him. Though something did bother him a little. Maybe it was because all the other places he’d been looking at had been more thorough in background checks and making sure Song Zichen wasn’t just lying to get a place to stay. Usually the issue was just he didn’t have a job in place at the moment.

He quirked a brow at Xue Yang before leaning forward. “There’s no contract to sign? You’re pretty trusting for not doing any sort of background check on me unless you already have before coming here. Sorry, I’m not meaning to be rude. I just want you to make sure you’re not about to take in someone who may cause you harm.”

A flash of concern washed over his face for a brief moment but then he shook his head. “Don’t worry, though. I’m not anyone dangerous and if you’re comfortable with it then I’ll move in tonight. I’ve had to sleep in a few pod hotels here and there and they’re not very comfortable long term.” Song Zichen admitted. He tried to stifle a yawn but this only proved he was tired.

“And.. you’re free to tell me more about yourself, too. Though you don’t look too dangerous.”

After taking a sip of his hot chocolate, Xue Yang reached into his hoodie pocket to produce a thick bundle of pages, dropping it on the table after presenting it with a little flourish.

“You mean the lease? I wasn’t gonna ask you to sign it until you were sure you wanted to move in,” he explained. “Which, for someone who hasn’t even seen the place, has me wondering which of the two of us is really the more trusting one.”

Smirking, he leaned back in his seat again and ran a hand through his bangs. “This’ll sound weird coming from a stranger, but that’s sweet of you. You don’t need to worry about me, though. I’m a good judge of character.”

He’d like to believe he was, anyway. Any situation in which he’d ended up in a less than favorable environment was due to him not having any control, and not due to decisions he took himself. Besides, Song Zichen really couldn’t be worse than anything he’d gone through already. 

Sure, people had been through way worse than him, but it wasn’t a contest, right?

“Yeah, tonight sounds good. Wait, tonight?” He’d just agreed without thinking it through! “You really must not have many belongings at all. As long as you don’t need my help moving, I’ll go ahead and make the house more presentable for your arrival.”

He sat up and slid the stack of papers closer to Song Zichen with a little smile. Jackpot. “I’m sure I’ll look more dangerous in time. You’ll find out more about me then, too.”

No matter. He had only been teasing to begin with. Shaking his head he reached over and brought the stack over papers over to flip through them. Obviously he wouldn't sign it just yet but the temptation of knowing he'd have his own room again soon was tantalizing. Picking up his coffee as he read, taking sips as he went, he peered up at Xue Yang a few times. This person was strange but who wasn't in their own way?

"I do want to see the place before I sign any of this. But no, I.. don't have anything but my clothes and a few personal items. My parents owned everything in their house and I didn't want anything holding me back." A pause. "I'm making them sound awful, but they're not. They've done a lot for me as my foster parents." Song Zichen spoke fondly, a hint of a smile on his lips.

Then he shook his head. "If you're dangerous then I'll keep my guard up. You're quite tiny." He wasn't. Song Zichen was just taller. But was that a smirk on his face..?

Sharing a bathroom wasn’t an issue at all. Different considering the type of home his foster family had but not awful. Song Zichen paused as he thought on this, though. “I enjoy clean spaces, I hope that won’t be an issue. Mildly messy is.. fine. My younger sibling tended to get a little lazy so I’m used to it. Just not bathroom space.” He shook his head then. “If anything I may pick up after you out of habit but if there’s something that shouldn’t be touched I will leave it alone.”

He respected boundaries greatly.

“Aside from that, noise won’t bother me as I sleep with music, and erm.. what was it.” He took another sip as he peered out of the window. Song Zichen struggled to think due to being so tired. His eyes lit up when he remembered, though.

“I don’t like fights or arguments between who I’m living with. If there’s an issue, like with any kind of relationship or acquaintanceship, I very much prefer communicating. Other than that I.. don’t have any furniture. Just my clothes and a few belongings.”

Wow this coffee was good. Song Zichen ended up stifling a yawn in the end but it showed briefly on his face. It was mostly due to lack of sleep than Xue Yang.

Clean spaces… Yeah, that made sense, looking at the guy. He looked like he ironed his jeans, and here he was, with his own completely ripped at the knees. Xue Yang turned his mug around a few times and spoke. “Just cleaned it today. I never let the bathroom get too bad, either. Just, ah…”

No, he didn’t need to know about that. Sure, he’d find out eventually if they were going to live together, but he could always just skip town for a couple days whenever the need arose. 

“If I forget anything, let me know. Like a towel lying around, that sort of thing. You don’t need to pick up after me, you’re not a maid.”

He already knew he was going to forget many things. He didn’t prioritize order or cleanliness, so there were bound to be dirty mugs (amongst other things) strewn about. He’d just need to remind himself somehow.

He nodded as he heard Song Zichen give more answers than questions. Music was okay, good. Hopefully talking was too, as his streams often ran until ungodly hours. He was about to go for another sip when he snorted softly, his smile growing.

“Relationship?” He teased, leaning back in his seat. “Relax. There’s no point in stressing out over hypotheticals. Worrying about arguing will just lead to arguing, right? We’ll deal with it when it comes, if it does. Place is fully furnished, so don’t worry about that, either.”

Though he did briefly wonder if he was droning on, he told himself instead that the man must just be tired. Still, he didn’t want to drag this out much longer. Sounded like the guy was on board. 

He quirked a brow at Xue Yang before leaning forward. "There's no contract to sign? You're pretty trusting for not doing any sort of background check on me unless you already have before coming here. Sorry, I'm not meaning to be rude. I just want you to make sure you're not about to take in someone who may cause you harm."

A flash of concern washed over his face for a brief moment but then he shook his head. "Don't worry, though. I'm not anyone dangerous and if you're comfortable with it then I'll move in tonight. I've had to sleep in a few pod hotels here and there and they're not very comfortable long term." Song Zichen admitted. He tried to stifle a yawn but this only proved he was tired.

The handshake was brief as Song Zichen was truely looking forward to the coffee. He picked it up and took a long sip, sighing quietly to himself at how nice the flavor tasted. It hit the spot. He licked his lips briefly as Xue Yang spoke, crossing one arm over the other on the table.

“Truthfully, I don’t know where to begin.” He admitted. “Usually I’m rejected because I’m not currently employed. I moved here a few weeks ago, nearly a month, hoping to get a place so I can secure my job offer.” Song Zichen explained, fighting the urge to yawn. Not because Xue Yang was boring.

He was an interesting character for sure but that would be much too rude.

“I have savings so money down and monthly payments for a few months is no problem. I’m not a freeloader, just trying to branch away from my family’s business.” A pause. “They run an insurance company but sitting in an office isn’t what I want.”

No, he liked art much better.

“I keep to myself most days and I’m quiet.”

To keep his hands busy, Xue Yang immediately picked his mug back up to sip at his drink at the same time as Song Zichen. Seeing him drink had made him thirsty, too, and he felt like he could use the sugar hit. After all, this was his first time doing this. Not that he had any doubt he could pitch the sale!

“As long as you can make rent, I don’t care what you do,” he continued to smile. He wondered where he’d been staying all this time. Maybe a hostel? “Really. I know what it’s like to drift.” 

And I really want the help, so don’t let me down, Song Zichen. 

Wanting to detach himself from his family, he understood where the other was coming from. Honestly, all things considered, it looked like they had enough things in common off the bat for this to have a fighting chance.

“Sounds like you’re the perfect roommate already,” he grinned. “I suppose I don’t need to sell you on the place, but I’ll just say that your room is as big, if not bigger, than mine, and I have enough space to stretch my legs. It’s on the third floor and near campus, if you ever need to go there for whatever reason. Walking distance from cute places like these, too. We only have one bathroom, but don’t worry. If you’re using it I’ll just come here.”

A joke. 

“TV’s pretty big, too, and the broadband’s fast. We don’t have a landline. but who does these days? You’ll even get your own shelf in the fridge. What could be better than that?”

He respected boundaries greatly.

"Aside from that, noise won't bother me as I sleep with music, and erm.. what was it." He took another sip as he peered out of the window. Song Zichen struggled to think due to being so tired. His eyes lit up when he remembered, though.

"I don't like fights or arguments between who I'm living with. If there's an issue, like with any kind of relationship or acquaintanceship, I very much prefer communicating. Other than that I.. don't have any furniture. Just my clothes and a few belongings."

It took Song Zichen longer to arrive due to unfamiliarity with his surrounding and traffic. But he arrived in exactly an hour as he walked through the doors with a small heaved sigh. He needed coffee first before he went to search for this person in a red eyed hoodie. Ordering the biggest size they had in a hazelnut coffee with french cream, Song Zichen pulled out his wallet to pay for it.

Once he had it in hand he walked to the side of the counter to scan the crowd of people. And, of course, this hoodie stood out from the reasonably dressed people for the current weather. It was kind of amusing in a way. But it also had made his job easier in finding Xue Yang, hadn’t it?

Making his way over, he placed his coffee down in front of the man before offer his gloved hand in greeting, all while smoothly sitting down.

“Xue Yang I presume? It seemed you got here before me, I apologize for the wait.” Polite as ever, the only thing he didn’t do was smile. His face was softened but not like most. No, most would smile in greeting.

Xue Yang had watched the new arrival like a hawk, figuring there was no way this guy in a t-shirt and gloves was the Song Zichen he was waiting on, but as he saw him look around as if searching for someone, he had the feeling that was exactly who it was.

Wow! He’d been completely off the mark. The man’s look was on the sleeker side, the way he carried himself equally so; it was as if he were perfectly confident despite being the one to suggest a prudent meeting with a stranger. To be fair, one had to be confident to pull off gloves (or a hoodie) in this weather.

Looking down at his own hand, he smiled softly. Looks like they already had something in common. 

Sitting up a little straighter as he was approached, he offered Song Zichen a broad smile as he took his extended hand to shake it. The other did not return the smile, which he found peculiar — people usually did, even if it was completely forced.

Everything else about his demeanor was amiable, so he figured he just didn’t like smiling much. 

“Nah, I live just around the corner, so it’s on me for getting here early,” he admitted. 

Up close, Song Zichen really did look rather proper. His hair was pulled back into a loose bun, yet it still looked well brushed, unlike his own. There was nary a wrinkle on his clothing, not even his gloves; Xue Yang looked like a pauper in comparison. The difference between the two made him the slightest bit uneasy, but he really wanted a roommate.

He’d do anything.

"Truthfully, I don't know where to begin." He admitted. "Usually I'm rejected because I'm not currently employed. I moved here a few weeks ago, nearly a month, hoping to get a place so I can secure my job offer." Song Zichen explained, fighting the urge to yawn. Not because Xue Yang was boring.

He was an interesting character for sure but that would be much too rude.

"I have savings so money down and monthly payments for a few months is no problem. I'm not a freeloader, just trying to branch away from my family's business." A pause. "They run an insurance company but sitting in an office isn't what I want."

No, he liked art much better.

He was personally glad he picked a coffee shop. The caffeine would be needed to help him keep awake and maybe bring some life into his tired eyes. Sleeping in a hotel to begin with was hard. It felt too foreign and… off. And the rooms were always too cold for his personal liking even if he wore sweaters most days.

Unless the summers got unbearable.

Grabbing his keys and phone, he checked the message blimping the notification light on his screen. Xue Yang… the characters on the screen made his lips quirk. An ocean of grass or an actual green ocean, all the same it reminded him of a poem of sorts. Based on the description of the person’s hoodie he gained an image of someone mostly in black. Probably leaning toward goth perhaps? Or grunge even.

There was only one way to find out so he shoved his hotel keycard into his pocket and left. Song Zichen ensured the door was locked behind him before he left completely, heading down to his car to make his way toward the coffee hall. Food sounded good, too, but he had to be careful about spending at the moment.

As it so happened, Xue Yang lived pretty close to the Prague Cafe, so he ended up making it there with five minutes to spare, and now sat near the window with the sweetest drink they had on the menu: hot chocolate with cinnamon and marshmallows. He hadn’t gotten to enjoy his previous cup properly, so now he was making up for that.

Sure, he looked like a total weirdo wearing a hoodie and drinking hot chocolate in t-shirt weather, but unless everyone here was drinking iced coffee or tea, they had no right to judge him. 

The plant-filled, well-lit, light-wooden interior, with a few pastel colored cushions and a big bookshelf covered in trinkets and twinkling lights, made him feel like he might just be right about the person he was going to meet. He did appreciate the clock on the wall by the bookshelf, though. It had a skeleton on it! 

Looking closer, it was quite the intricate little thing, with three tiers, golden accents and beautifully painted scenes resting within small circles. He quickly noticed it was a replica of the clock in the picture beside it, one of many framed photographs that decorated the space. 

Must be Prague, he figured. 

Once he had it in hand he walked to the side of the counter to scan the crowd of people. And, of course, this hoodie stood out from the reasonably dressed people for the current weather. It was kind of amusing in a way. But it also had made his job easier in finding Xue Yang, hadn't it?

Making his way over, he placed his coffee down in front of the man before offer his gloved hand in greeting, all while smoothly sitting down.