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From an objective point of view, Xue Yang was aware that he was not a good person. You could have asked him his reasons and he would say everything without problems- he was the kind of person that would do anything to adapt and if that meant he had to be nasty from time to time, well, he would do it.
He studied in a very fancy, high class college, being sponsored by one of those rich families he could not let an opportunity to waste, but that only meant that he was, in a way, meant to hang out with the spoiled sons of such families and at the same time, to do things to gain their respect. It had been hard the first few days, but as soon as he showed them he wasn’t afraid of drawing blood, theirs or his own, they left him mostly alone.
With time, it was kind of easy to walk around campus with the rest of them and not feel like he had to be with his guard up all the time. Still, he knew there were moments he still needed to prove himself if he didn’t want trouble.
It all started in a very stupid way, if you asked him. Wang Lingjiao had been hanging from Wen Chao’s arm, as usual, and they were seen by Wen Chao’s actual girlfriend, who had run away in distress. She had probably expected him to run after her and try to get her back but when Wen Chao didn’t do that, she came back and smashed him in the face with her purse. Wen Chao was red in the face and he took her by the wrist, ready to show everyone just how nasty he really was- fortunately, he was stopped by his cousin, Wen Zhuiliu, who was often responsible for making sure he didn’t commit something stupid enough to damage his family’s reputation even further due to his terrible temper.
Xue Yang could only laugh.
“I can’t believe you’re ready to get in trouble for someone like Lingjiao”, he commented between laughs, “why don’t you just break up with your girlfriend and go fuck your stupid side chick?
“Why don’t you just shut up, you stupid charity case?” Wen Chao answers easily, really, he’s running out of names to use against Xue Yang, “why should I settle up for one when I can have whoever I want?”
Xue Yang knows it would be really easy to just let it go but Wen Chao is still mad and his face is red from the hit his (now ex-) girlfriend landed of him- this is just too much fun for him to give up.
“Do you really think that? Last time I remember you trying to get Luo Qingyang going out with you she kicked your balls. You’re not nearly as attractive as you think you are”.
Wen Chao side-eyed him like he was less than the dirt on the sole of his boot. By his side, Jin Zixun was making one of those faces were the side of his nose twitched and Wen Xu was just waiting, wanting to see what his brother would do.
“Well, at least I have face to go and ask people out. You on the other hand, who would have anything to do with a bum like you? If it weren’t for our families you wouldn’t have anything so shut up and learn your place, you piece of shit!”
Xue Yang felt a familiar burn inside his stomach he had learned to control long before he was first sponsored by the Wens.
It was through one of this charity organizations rich families fund to keep face and appease their own guilt, and for old ladies to have something to do in the afternoons when the gossip at brunch has grown boring.
He was taken from the streets to one of their educational programs and once he had shown talent for very specific things they were interested, he was taken as fulltime apprentice and provided a room and food.
By then, he knew he had to show certain kind of face to the world or he would be rejected. It’s not like rejection hurts too much, it’s more the fact that survival is a priority and he doesn’t want trouble at this point.
Yet.
So he decides to ignore the last insult and instead goes:
“I could have anyone in this school if I wanted! Unlike you, I can actually be nice from time to time and there’s a lot of people that likes that!”
“Please, don’t be stupid! Everyone knows you’re a fucking asshole! Nobody would date a guy everyone knows is as fucked up as you!”
Xue Yang smirked, because he stored that one inside his head and he would make Wen Chao pay for it, eventually. Instead, he shrugs.
“If you’re so sure about that, what about a bet?”
“Huh, if you want!” Wen Chao thought about it for a second, and then he said; “What about… find the nicest guy or girl you can, someone really decent and well behaved, and have them have sex with you. You’ll need to show proof”.
By this point, there were another couple of Wens and Jins around them, commenting on the exchange, amusing themselves with the scene. Xue Yang shrugged.
“Anything else?”
“You have two weeks.”
“A month!”
“Three weeks! And the loser has to shave their head completely, eyebrows included.”
“…alright. Even if I lose, I would still be better looking than you, even without my eyebrows.”
They sealed the deal with a reluctant, disgusted shake of hands and Xue Yang made a deliberate show of wiping his hand on his jeans after.
Wen Chao was dedicated when something interested him, much to his father dismay it was often not the right things that attracted his attention. He sent Xue Yang that same afternoon a list of approved names of people that were extremely nice or well-behaved, so he could pick one.
Xue Yang read the list and huffed in exasperated amusement, already regretting such a shitty idea.
Lan Wangji. It would be fun to try and seduce him, he must admit, but the pinning idiot would probably try to kill himself if he ever laid eyes in other than Wei Wuxian.
Jiang Yanli. Huh. An interesting one, if she didn’t have a horde of angry men ready to go for the head of anyone that dared touching her. Maybe her cooking was worth it, who knows.
Lan Xichen. That smiling bastard was a step away from going feral, Xue Yang didn’t have proof but he didn’t doubt it either, and didn’t need that kind of problem in his life.
Wen Qing. She would never even turn to look at him. Period.
Wen Ning. His sister. Xue Yang didn’t even think it.
Song Lan. Well…he was boring as hell, but Xue Yang would keep it in mind.
Xiao Xingchen.
Xiao Xingchen.
He was a year older, and he was probably the nicest guy Xue Yang had ever met. He always seemed to have a smile on his face (little, peaceful, sweet) and he moved around delicately, like he didn’t even touch the floor when he walked. He was a good student, liked by pretty much everyone, and Xue Yang had the opportunity to share a couple of extracurricular activities with him so he had firsthand experience of how nice he really was. The nicest, that is.
It wouldn’t be hard to get a date out of him, he thought, which was a good place to start. So, Xiao Xingchen it was.
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Xue Yang located Xiao Xingchen having lunch under the shadow of a tree. He looked nice with his lose white sweater, blue jeans and the glasses he used due to his myopia. The frame of the glasses was black and thick, but Xiao Xingchen could pull it off. He wasn’t a bad choice. Xue Yang would very gladly fuck him- or get fucked by him, why not?
He walked to the tree and Xiao Xingchen turned to look at him when he perceived his presence.
“Xiao Xingchen!” he greeted, a huge smile plastered on his face as he invited himself to sit by his side. The answering smile on Xingchen’s face was soft, so he considered it a good signal.
“Xue Yang. It’s nice seeing you today”.
“Not as nice as seeing you,” Xiao Xingchen tilted his head down and his cheeks dusted in a soft red. Xue Yang counted it like his first small victory, “hey, I was wondering if you could come to the movies with me. There’s this knew movie I want to watch but it would be boring to go alone.”
“Oh”, Xiao Xingchen seemed to think about it, “you mean, today?”
“That would be nice.”
Xiao Xingchen didn’t answer, but he delicately placed his sandwich back in its plate and took out a little notebook. He read his notes for a while and then, he turned to look at Xue Yang.
“I have time.”
“Alright, it’s a date then!”
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They saw each other at the movies around seven. Xue Yang selected the movie specifically for this night. He knew Xiao Xingchen was squeamish with blood (he was there when the campus provided first-aid courses, and Xingchen had almost fainted when he had to tend to a guy with a fake wound with fake blood poruing out of him) and he would take full advantage of that.
The movie review said something about this film being a laughable attempt to replicate the inexplicable success of slasher movies from the 00’s, full with jump-scares and teenagers running around while a mindless killer cut their limbs and heads one by one.
Xue Yang hated those, but he needed a pretext to hurry the development of seducing Xiao Xingchen. Soon, the nicest guy ever would be taking refuge inside his arms… well, not necessarily, but he would probably be disgusted enough to seek Xue Yang for some kind of soothing he would happily provide.
He had very intentionally dressed for this night. He paid especial attention to his looks- styled his hair, cleaned his boots, selected one of his nicest jackets.
Xiao Xingchen may not be aware he intended it to be a real date (or at least as real as it could get due to the circumstances), but Xue Yang could roll with that. He was sure Xiao Xingchen would feel flattered at the very least so he went on with it.
Xiao Xingchen arrived perfectly on time, and just as Xue Yang had predicted, he looked nice but maybe not entirely dressed for a date, and upon seeing him, he probably realized Xue Yang’s real intention.
“Oh… you look really nice”, he said, flustered, “I thought you meant it like, just a casual outing, between friends.”
“When I said it was a date I wasn’t joking,” he teased, “I fully intend on taking you to dinner after this! Unless you don’t want me to.”
Xiao Xingchen shook his head, beautiful smile showing again.
“No, I… I would very much like that.”
Success.
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Well, maybe not as successful as Xue Yang would have liked. Much to his surprise, Xiao Xingchen seemed to like the movie, or at least, it wasn’t disgusting enough for him to try to seek Xue Yang’s reassurance or anything.
Xue Yang was awfully bored, and while Xiao Xingchen certainly gasped at the jump scares, he didn’t do much else. The rest of the room was full of teenagers taking advantage of the dark to make out with their partners, and there were a couple of groups that were throwing popcorn and making jokes and laughing out loud at every turn of events from the film.
The plot twist was predictable and the last kill was anti-climactic, but Xiao Xingchen seemed interested enough so Xue Yang decided to take it as a little victory.
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“Well, that was awful.”
“It wasn’t that bad. I wasn’t expecting he was impersonating the priest the whole time, they looked nothing alike!”
“And the prosthetic was shitty.”
Xiao Xingchen laughed by his side.
“You must admit it was a good twist.”
Xue Yang shrugged, and Xiao Xingchen laughed again.
They were walking to the restaurant he had selected for their date. It was near the movie theater so they decided to take it slow and stretch their legs. It was also a good pretext to chat a little and for Xue Yang to make an attempt at taking Xiao Xingchen’s hand at some point.
His opportunity came when they got to the place. From the outside it looked… shady, to be honest, but Xue Yang had come a couple of times already and the ambience inside was nice. It was secluded enough for couples to have a nice dinner and for people like him to have a drink without having to go to a bar and end up fucking someone in the bathroom.
Xue Yang took Xiao Xingchen’s hand and pulled, offering a reassuring smile and winking.
“Come. They won’t bite you, I promise.”
Xiao Xingchen nodded, unsure, but he allowed Xue Yang to take him inside, never letting go of his hand.
Dinner was nice. Once Xiao Xingchen saw the inside of the restaurant his disposition changed, and he was enthusiast about trying many of the dishes so they asked for the taster menu and a couple of drinks. The lights were just low enough and the music was a variety of romantic and casual.
Xue Yang registered Xiao Xingchen’s permanent little smile, his bright red cheeks and the eager way he tasted and praised the food, and annotated that as another little victory for himself.
…
He insisted on accompanying Xiao Xingchen to his apartment. When they arrived, they stood by the door just a couple of silent seconds before he smiled and tilted his head, playful but still coquettish.
“Won’t you invite me in?”
Xiao Xingchen doubted for a second, and then, he inclined his head, ashamed.
Xue Yang sighed, but he didn’t stop smiling.
“Hey, it’s ok sweetheart. I get it. If you didn’t like to go out with me we could just…”
“No, no, it’s not that”, Xiao Xingchen rushed to explain, “I liked going out with you, it’s just… I wouldn’t like to rush things. I would like to have more dates and… you know. Get to know you more. You’re…very nice to be with.”
Every word coming from his mouth seemed to make Xiao Xingchen turn redder and redder, and Xue Yang had to resist the urge to laugh.
“Alright, I get it. We can just go on more dates and see how things go from there, what do you think?”
Xiao Xingchen nodded, and he seemed pleased by this resolution.
“Will I get a kiss?”
Again, Xiao Xingchen nodded, shyly.
Xue Yang had planned for this. He knew Xiao Xingchen was taller, so he had selected this boots specifically thinking about the moment he would slide a hand to the side of Xiao Xingchen’s face to support his jaw, just enough to tilt him down half an inch until their lips find each other and Xue Yang was kissing his mouth softly, pressing just a little bit, letting his tongue come out and play just enough to let him wanting for more.
And it worked. When he pulled off, Xiao Xingchen’s eyes were unfocused and his lips were separated, just a little, enough for Xue Yang to listen his labored breath.
“Good night, Xiao Xingchen.”
“…good night.”
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There wasn’t a second date per se. The next morning, Xue Yang hoped to find Xiao Xingchen having lunch under his favorite tree and there he was, so he went, sat by his side and shared his own lunch with him. He made sure to find pretexts to spend time together, and soon their schedules started synching without his intervention- he waited outside of Xingchen’s philosophy class and took him to the ice cream parlor, and the next day he told him to wait for his own tech class to finish so they could go and study together in the campus’ library. They spent time together in the halls between classes and Xue Yang made sure to steal a kiss from time to time. Light, soft kisses always, just to make sure he wouldn’t scare Xingchen away.
A week after their first date, Xue Yang knew they were getting somewhere when he finished his soccer practice and Xiao Xingchen was waiting for him outside the field, and offered him to go to his place to take a shower and spend the night studying together instead of using the gym showers.
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Xue Yang didn’t really study when he was with Xiao Xingchen. Sure, he did his homework because he didn’t really have a choice, but he also observed Xiao Xingchen. How he concentrated in what he was doing, the way he scrunched his nose when he was not understanding something. The soft inclination of his head when he was reading and the delicate smile that lightened his face when he was finished, evidently satisfied by his work.
A night in particular, he stopped whatever he was reading at the moment, took the glasses off and rubbed his eyes. He looked irritated and, thinking a little about it, Xue Yang realized Xiao Xingchen had been extremely silent for a while.
“Hey sweetheart, what is it?”
“Oh, nothing, I should have changes my glasses like six months ago but I haven’t been to the optometrist. My head hurts after a while, when I try to read.”
“Uh… do you have a lot to read for your homework?”
“Not really, it’s just this story I should have already read by tomorrow”, he handed Xue Yang a book, a collection of stories, most of them were ten or twelve pages long, printed in a very small font, “I’ll just rest for a while and finish it before bed.”
Xue Yang had an idea.
He stood up from his usual place on the floor, sitting with his back resting against the couch. Xiao Xingchen usually sat on the couch and left enough space for him but Xue Yang liked to rest his head on Xingchen’s knee at some point of the night.
He sat by Xiao Xingchen’s side and opened the book.
“Just close your eyes and let them rest. I’ll read for you, and you’ll just have to listen and make sure you understand the story.”
Xiao Xingchen’s look went from Xue Yang’s face to the book, and back. He seemed unsure about this proposition, until Xue Yang extended his arm invitingly, so he could go and rest his head on his shoulder and cuddle by his side.
While he was reading, Xue Yang was hyper aware of Xiao Xingchen’s weight on his ribs and the press of his kneecaps on his own thigh. After a while, Xiao Xingchen’s breathing was slow and deep, letting little, humid huffs against the skin of his neck. Xue Yang stopped his reading and let his head fall back.
Fuck. Was he really doing this?
…
After maybe twenty minutes, or so, Xiao Xingchen stirred. Xue Yang felt it on the way he sighed and moved in his arms. What surprised him the most was the easy way his shy almost-boyfriend deposited a small kiss on the base of his neck and cuddled back into him, hugging him by the waist with a still sleepy arm.
“I’ll have to read it on my own after all. You made me sleep.”
Xue Yang huffed a little laugh and kissed Xiao Xingchen’s head.
“Maybe you’re just tired, don’t you think?”
“Maybe.”
Neither of them moved anymore, at least for some minutes after that.
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By the time Song Lan (he was Xingchen’s roomie, who would have known right?) arrived, they were fully making out on the couch, Xiao Xingchen was shirtless, Xue Yang’s pants were halfway down his legs and he had to put them back on and run before the intruder hit him with a broom.
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Kisses became mandatory after that, and they shared them at any given moment during the many times they saw each other during the day. Xiao Xingchen’s favorite tree to have lunch now was their favorite tree, Xue Yang would spend a couple of afternoons with Xingchen volunteering at the Community Kitchen, making sure there was order in the lines and organizing the tables, and Xiao Xingchen was now permanent audience at the soccer practices, ready to provide water bottles and towels at the end.
It was very amazing for Xue Yang, to think that he didn’t have this just a couple of weeks before. He… he had never thought Xiao Xingchen would be interested in him.
He always thought someone like him would only like someone… well, like Song Lan, most probably.
Xue Yang was still telling himself this was part of the supposed bet, and it was beneficial to him too, in that he got to date such a beauty and share all of this with him but… would he ever have to tell him the truth?
Was it needed?
He could just… he could just not say anything. He could just… let it go and pretend it never happened, right? And Xiao Xingchen never had to know.
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Almost three weeks passed and Xue Yang knew what would wait for him the next day. They hadn’t have sex and he wouldn’t press it. He would just find a way to trick Wen Chao and everything would be alright.
Ugh, but… to think about his horrible, smug face, and all the insults, and the fact that he would be obligated to shave his head and face…!
Maybe there would be a way. Maybe he could… edit a photo or something? Ask Xiao Xingchen to help him and pose together?!
No no no, that was fucking stupid!
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Besides, he already had a plan for the afternoon.
After Xingchen’s music lessons, he took him by the hand and pulled wordlessly. They walked to the bus stop and Xiao Xingchen stopped asking after a while, content with holding Xue Yang’s hand, and not letting go while Xue Yang paid for their tickets and sat him by the window, resting their heads together until it was time to get down.
They arrived at the optometrist and Xiao Xingchen got checked for a new pair of glasses. Xue Yang paid the deposit and they were promised Xiao Xingchen would receive a mail when his glasses were ready.
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“Thank you,” Xiao Xingchen murmured on their way back, his head resting on Xue Yang’s shoulder.
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Xue Yang heard Xiao Xingchen sigh, and he remembered why he hadn’t wanted to fall asleep. He sat up slowly, feeling sore. By his side, the white expansion of Xingchen’s back moved along with his breathing, but then he started to reach with his hand and extended arm, inclining his body back into Xue Yang. Xue Yang laid back down, slotting his body to Xingchen’s, his own chest pressing against Xingchen’s back.
He saw his cellphone, forgotten by the side table, and he took it. He opened the camera and showed his face over Xiao Xingchen’s shoulder, angling it so just half of that precious face was visible. Just enough to be recognized and just enough proof of what had transpired, their naked shoulders bruised and bitten and the blankets around them in disarray.
He had never been a good person anyways.
Once the photo was ready, Xue Yang kissed Xingchen’s neck and whispered in his ear.
“Gotta go babe. See you tomorrow.”
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“It’s not enough”, Wen Chao sentenced, seconded by his side-chick and Jin Zixun.
“It’s more than enough, I did my part now you make yours. Do you prefer a shaver or a razor? ”
“Oh no, that stupid photo isn’t proof of anything! Some bruises and a naked shoulder? What’s this, the Victorian era? Is that supposed to be scandalous or something?” at this point it just seemed Wen Chao was going to pop a vein. By his side, Wen Xu sneered.
“Well, judging by all the courting done these three weeks I wouldn’t doubt Xue Yang did it. Xiao Xingchen is in one of my classes and he was giddy all the morning for no reason, so…”
No one seemed to go against Wen Xu, so Xue Yang locked his phone and pocketed it. “You won’t even send it to us?!”
“Why should I? The bet was I was supposed to show you evidence, not send it.”
“Bet? What bet?”
Xue Yang knew this time was going to come eventually, but he hadn’t imagined like this. Or… probably he had, but he hadn’t wanted to be pessimist.
He turns around and there he is, Xiao Xingchen is looking at him with a betrayed look on his eyes and his mouth half open in a confused breath. He lifts a hand to his own chest and closes his fist on his sweater, just over his heart.
“As you heard, this bastard went out with you and fucked you for a bet!” of course, Wen Chao wouldn’t miss that opportunity to mess with Xue Yang even more. “He took a photo of you and showed it to us!”
At this, Xiao Xingchen took a step back, almost tripping with his own feet. Xue Yang tried to help him but he rejected his hands with a shove and ran away. Xue Yang fell on his butt, which made him lose precious seconds to go behind him and try to explain.
But if he thought about it, there was nothing to explain, he had done it all… because he had wanted to! What was there to explain? Just how damaged his fucking mind was?!
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Xue Yang found Xiao Xingchen sitting under his tree, but by the other side, facing one of the school walls which made its shadow even darker. He was hugging his knees, pressing his forehead to them.
Xue Yang knew he wouldn’t say anything that could help him, so the only thing left was for him to say sorry and hope for forgiveness.
He kneeled in front of him, and tried to touch his shoulder, but Xiao Xingchen pulled back violently.
Xue Yang sighed.
“Hey… I’ll say it first, ok, I’m a bastard. I’m an asshole and a stupid idiot, and a piece of shit. You have all the reason to hate me if you want to. And I am sorry for everything I’ve done that could have hurt you”.
Xiao Xingchen didn’t say anything, so he continued.
“You are in your right to hate me if you want, if you have an idea to punish me then I’m all yours. But before that… before that”, he felt a knot on his throat, he didn’t know where that came from, and it was making it so difficult to speak, “you need to know that… I enjoyed everything we did together, you know? And… and if I had known I was going to enjoy it this much I would have asked you for a date since the day I met you because you are sweet and nice and gorgeous and… fuck, I fucked up, right? I like you, Xingchen, I really like you and listen to me, I’m rambling, because it’s only now that I’m realizing that I just lost the person that may be the love of my life and what for? For a stupid bet? I could leave without my eyebrows for a while until they grew back! What was I thinking?!”
It was in this point that Xiao Xingchen finally rose his head and looked at him, frowning, and Xue Yang had never seen such a look in his eyes. The glasses were surprisingly clean, and he didn’t know why that surprised him so much.
Xiao Xingchen then extended one of his hands in between his face and Xue Yang’s. And he blew.
Next thing Xue Yang knew, his face was covered in confetti.
“Pfff… bleh, pff”, he tried to clean his face and spit the pieces that had fallen inside his open mouth, “what in the… Xiao Xingchen?!”
Xiao Xingchen extended his other hand and blew again, not giving him time to close his mouth.
“pfff…stop!”
“You told me I could punish you! You have a lesson to learn!”
“Confetti? Really?!”
When he finally got rid of the confetti covering his eyes, Xiao Xingchen was looking at him, with a calm face, but not nearly as serious or angry as he could have imagined he would be. In fact, he was almost content, it seemed.
“I just thought it could be something equivalent. This is what that bet means to me. Almost nothing, you see?”
“I’m not following.”
Xingchen giggled, and it did something to soothe Xue Yang’s insides. At least he could relax a little while he picked at the confetti clinging to his eyelashes and his hair.
“I listened when you were talking about the bet… three weeks ago.”
“…really?!”
“Yes. I thought it was just one of the Wen’s horrible schemes. I thought if I saw you with someone soon I would tell them. Imagine my surprise when you came to me.”
“… and you went along with it? Just like that?”
“You were really nice and I had nothing much to do.” He shrugged, “I guess I wanted to see how far you wanted to go.”
“But… that horrible movie, don’t you hate those things?!”
“I had my old glasses, I didn’t see much with them, I just kept changing them when you weren’t looking at me. And the part of the plot twist was interesting, really.”
“What about… the time we spent together and… we kissed the first date!”
“I’m not that shy, you underestimated me which is different, so I just kept playing along”, he smiled, smug and satisfied with himself “I would have done it with you if you had straight up asked me instead of going on pretending.”
“You cannot be saying this. Xiao Xingchen… you are devious.”
“I’m not. As I said, you guys just underestimated me.”
Xue Yang observes him, stunned, while Xiao Xingchen just keeps smiling at him.
“What about… last night, we…”
“We had sex, yes. I was aware you would try to take a photo or something. I was ready to jump and cut your throat if you attempted to take a photo of me naked but…”
At this point, he gulped and looked to the side, evading Xue Yang’s eyes for the first time. He took a deep breathe.
“You have been so nice to me these days, you took me to the optometrist after months and months of me not taking care of myself. You kissed me so good, you read for me and let me cuddle you. You gave me happiness I haven’t experienced in a while. I wanted to punch you in the face when I realized you were going to take the photo after all, but… it wasn’t that bad, that photo, it was romantic even. I thought I could let them have that, but I didn’t want to lose what was already mine.” He took a deep breath, his voice sounded like he was trembling, but he was really determined, so he finished: “still, I thought you needed to learn a lesson so here it is. A huge scene and some confetti, so we’re even?”
Xue Yang let out a growl he didn’t know he was containing inside his chest and let himself fall back on the grass.
Before he knew it, Xiao Xingchen jumped and threw himself into his reluctantly open arms.
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Epilogue.
Xiao Xingchen eventually asked for the eyebrows thing, and when Xue Yang explained, he magnanimously decided he just needed to shave one of them. It would grow but Xue Yang’s punishment wasn’t finished. He was ok with that.
A couple of days later, they were walking around, hand in hand. They were seen by Wen Chao who didn’t hesitate to mock Xiao Xingchen for getting back with someone like Xue Yang who had played him.
Xue Yang was expecting the part where Xiao Xingchen reached into his bag and took a fistful of confetti as he walked to Wen Chao. What he wasn’t expecting was to see Wen Chao getting sucker-punched in the middle of a school day in a rain of confetti. It made for a glorious sight. A photo of the moment went viral, Xiao Xingchen got praised all over their social media for his long and strong arm, and he also got suspended for three days. But it was worth it.
Xue Yang kept getting shooed from Xingchen’s shared apartment by Song Lan’s broom until the day Xiao Xingchen loudly declared him his boyfriend. Song Lan still made a point to sweep the floors whenever he saw them, making it awkward when they were spending time together in the living room.
Xue Yang’s payback was to be especially loud during sex.
He knew he probably owed his boyfriend a life of repentance and care, but it was ok if he had this to keep: a place in Xiao Xingchen’s heart, and a life full of whatever weird things passed through that wonderfully strange mind.
And he was content with that.