青靈🎋

Wen Kexing miscalculated. He made a grave mistake. He was not supposed to sitting in a puddle of his own blood mixed with rain water, it's so unromantic, and his leg burns.

Wen Kexing was supposed to gracefully fall off of his skateboard, acquire a small cut, and proceed to wail about his woes to a certain Zhou Zishu who works at the infirmary.

Wen Kexing has been getting along well with Zhou Zishu recently. He can tell that Zhou Zishu has also been getting more and more comfortable around him. Zhou Zishu even let slip a small, shy smile when Wen Kexing bought him an iced Americano the other day. So then, why has Zhou Zishu been avoiding Wen Kexing all week?

Maybe it was the lack of attention that got his head, and thoroughly waterlogged all of his logical thinking. Because when he caught Zhou Zishu looking at him through the glass windows of the corridor, the first thing he did was fall off his skateboard.

See, he did not feel the light splattering of rain dotting his hoodie, nor did he notice that the light splattering has quickly become a steady downpour. Wen Kexing was all too caught up in How can I get Zhou Zishu to keep looking at me? That's why when he genuinely fell, he fell hard.

+++

Zhou ZIshu has been avoiding Wen Kexing all week. Why? That's because when he had a fleeting thought during his busy workday about how cute Wen Kexing looked in his red outfit, he panicked.

Ever since Wen Kexing came bounding into the infirmary, holding an iced Americano and a croissant, beaming at Zhou Zishu like he hung the stars in the sky, he knew he was fucked. Both himself and Wen Kexing knew it was 10 minutes into class time, and Wen Kexing definitely needed to get to his classroom stat or else his students will tease him for life. They all knew where he was going anyway.

So when Zhou Zishu was on one of his not-so-subtle, and totally stealthy stalking missions, he was beyond shocked that 1. Wen Kexing was skateboarding when it's pouring outside, and 2. Wen Kexing just fell and is clutching at his leg.

Faster, faster, faster. Zhou Zishu's brain urges as he gathers first-aid supplies and hastily plucks an umbrella from the umbrella stand. He sprints down the hallway and out the entrance, flying past Gu Xiang, who was also making her way out to check on her favourite English teacher, who was sitting in a pile of his blood.

Did Nurse Zhou just run through the hallway? Gu Xiang stifled a laugh, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. If Zhou Zishu was willing to break a rule for Wen Kexing, maybe her ship isn't dead.

+++

Zhou Zishu sprints towards Wen Kexing, his white coat flying and his shoes splashing. He knelt in front of the said injured man, using his sleeve to soak up some blood around the wound. Zhou Zishu let out a small sigh of relief when the wound wasn't as bad as it seemed, it was only a small gash lining his shin. Swiftly applying some antiseptic, he dressed the wound quickly and efficiently. His fingers hesitated slightly, before he stuck a small Pororo sticker on top of the plain, white bandages. He knew those were Wen Kexing's favourites.

Was that too much? I haven't talked to him all week, is this fine? Wen Kexing could practically hear Zhou Zishu's thoughts as his fingers hovered awkwardly over the cute penguin sticker. His lips pinched downwards, and his eyebrows drew together, forming a small crease. Slightly delirious on pain, adrenaline, and the chills from the wind, Wen Kexing gently places a finger on the crease, massaging it away. Zhou Zishu freezes under his touch, but slowly leans into it. They stay like this for a while, under the umbrella, with Wen Kexing's cool finger on Zhou Zishu's forehead.

“I'm sorry for avoiding you this week…” Zhou Zishu's voice trails off, barely audible over the pitter-patter of rain. “I didn't think…”

Wen Kexing huffs a laugh, a fond smile stretching across his lips. “A-xu, why did you ignore me for so long? I was dying without your daily teasing! I know you love me though, our A-xu is such a little tsundere~”.

Zhou ZIshu's ears burn red, but he determinedly meets Wen Kexing's eyes, “Stop saying that, Lao Wen. You sound like you have a crush on me.”

Wen Kexing's face falls a little, before he shoots right back, “What if I do? A-xu, what will you do if I actually like you?”

Zhou Zishu thinks back to all the times Wen Kexing has said hello to him, with the world's brightest smile. All the times Wen Kexing faked an injury just to see him, all the times Wen Kexing brings him coffee when he's had a bad night of tossing and turning. He thinks about how fond he grows when Wen Kexing spends lunch breaks napping in the infirmary, next to Zhou Zishu. He knows how hard Wen Kexing works, and how much he cares for his students. The faint dark circles that paint the undersides of his eyes, and how his lashes are so long that they brush against his cheek. He thinks about how much he loves this face, and how much he would love to wake up next to this face every day.

And so, he says, “Then I'd kiss you. Because I've been wanting to do that for a while now.”

Wen Kexing resists a full-body shudder. Zhou Zishu is always so sincere, it makes him want to cry and laugh at the same time. Maybe the pain is starting to hit him now, because tears are sliding down his cheeks. He tentatively, gently, clutches Zhou Zishu's face between his hands. Cold fingers ghosting against warm cheeks. “I like you. A-xu, I really like you. I love you. I want to watch the sunrises with you, and then watch the sunsets with you. I want to think of you when I blow on dandelions. I want you to be the first thing I see when I wake up.”

Zhou Zishu exhales a shaky laugh, Wen Kexing's fingers clutch his face like a delicate glass ornament he never wants to break. His hands were always so, so big, and so, so elegant. He wants to hold them forever. “Lao Wen, stop talking like an English teacher.”

Wen Kexing laughs, bright and clear. He brings Zhou Zishu's face closer to his, millimetres away from each other. “In my career as an English teacher, no words can describe how beautiful you are to me.” Then, he presses their lips together, and the world ceases to exist.

Wen Kexing tastes like the way he loves, like fiery liquor, strong and addictive. Zhou Zishu tilts his head and presses closer, unable to get enough of the other. Wen Kexing's tongue swipes across his lower lip, and Zhou Zishu melts. Their tongues dance around each other, to the music of their affection. Zhou Zishu sucks on Wen Kexing's bottom lip, relishing in every single sound he manages to squeeze from Wen Kexing. The way Wen Kexing is unravelling under his touch, he loves it.

When they finally break apart for air, Wen Kexing lets out a literal whine. He searches for Zhou Zishu's lips again, seeking the aspartame sweetness of his mouth. Zhou Zishu presses a finger to Wen Kexing's lips, “Later, you can't possibly be comfortable lying against a railing.”

Honestly, Wen Kexing's back was indeed starting to cramp up. But one look of Zhou Zishu's soft expression, he knew he couldn't give this opportunity up. Stretching out his limbs, he said with a wink, “A-xu, you could say, quite literally, that I fell for you.”

Neatly placing items back into the first aid kit, Zhou Zishu choked on a laugh. “Shut up, Lao Wen.” Offering an arm for Wen Kexing to lean on, he said, “Let's go.”

“I love you, A-xu.”