Chapter Text
It starts very simple, Lu Yao runs away from the man in uniform because that what his instinct tells him to do. It doesn't matter that he's probably the most handsome man Lu Yao has ever seen, or that he wants to kiss him immediately when seeing that smirk on his face. The mystery man is a police officer and Lu Yao knows he's been unjustly accused of murder simply because he was identified at the place and unliked by the crowd.
He shakes as he runs away because Lu Yao fears what will happen if he gets caught. It doesn't matter that he didn't do the crime, police now days usually beat a confession out of a man. He's not a strong man; he doesn't think he can take that many hits before he cries for mercy.
In the end, it doesn't matter that he's smart because he still gets caught. It's not easy to hide in a crowd while wearing pajamas. Not that he blends in well, his accent slightly different then everyone else's after attending an English university. He stands out whenever he speaks!
Lu Yao is brought to the police station and questioned because Lu Yao was not a man built for running and it had been easy to catch him when he had something more predominant on his mind. Like a certain police inspector, who seems to admire Lu Yao in his thin robe. Not that he'd had any belief that he was going to be able to run away from the law.
Lu Yao wasn't even to terribly sure what his plan had been after escape. Maybe hide and think about how to solve this crime so people would stop pointing fingers at him. Maybe find somewhere safe and think about those dark eyes roaming over his body as he momentarily ran into that police inspector. It didn't matter what the plan had been, because he'd been captured somewhat easily.
He was brought in with a firm hand on his arm, which was better then handcuffs in Lu Yao's opinion, but not by much. At least he wouldn't have bruises around his wrists for days afterwards to remember this scary moment. He was forcefully sat down in a small and windowless room. The kind of place where no one cared if you exactly died and the police dumped your body because they believed you did the crime. Lu Yao was scared and on high alert.
The inspector is a good looking man, just as Lu Yao had previously thought from his three second look. He has to remind himself not to admire the other man because it might just give him more fuel to die to. He still looks, because at the end of the day Lu Yao isn't one to control himself and he's already in this as deep as he can be. One more look really won't change any outcome.
The eyes of the inspector on him right back are a bit of a shock, but not an unwelcome one. They're not out in the open and he probably trusts his men to keep their mouths shut. Or maybe this is some type of intimidation tactic? Either way, Lu Yao feels naked in a small amount of silk pajamas. He's not entirely sure he doesn't appreciate being looked at though.
The inspector is also kinder then Lu Yao thought he would be though, not letting any of his men take a swing at him even though they think he murdered somebody. He gets up from his chair and walks over to Lu Yao, towering and intimidating. He touches Lu Yao's shoulder lightly, but it's not a hostile touch. It's almost like he's being caressed. It makes Lu Yao shiver for other reasons then being afraid. He likes how strong that hand feels on him.
Lu Yao did what he did best in most situations; he used his brain. It's worked surprising well this time, while it never quite had before. Though, maybe it was beucase the good looking Inspector (Qiao Chusheng as he introduced himself) had believed in him. It was both comforting and insulting to hear that the other man thought him to pretty and delicate to do something like murder.
He'd turned red at being blatantly called pretty in a room full of people. Okay, there was only one other man but it was still very embarrassing. And he'd never been called delicate in his life! Whether he felt it or not that just wasn't what you called a man. Inspector Qiao didn't seem to care though, with the way his eyes traced over Lu Yao's reddened skin. He looked hungry.
Lu Yao tried his best to simply ignore the inspectors flirts throughout working things out because it was the safest thing to do. For both him and the good inspector's reputation. The day ended with him solving said murder, losing his job and seeing a dead body. All of those were things he'd definitely never wanted to do and worse yet, inspector Qiao announced intentions of Lu Yao working with him from other cases.
Now Lu Yao was a smart man and well educated. It wasn't hard to see that the good inspector had a heavy mobster background and backing from it. That's probably how he'd gotten the position so young, when a man twice his age should have had it. It didn't matter that he'd been somewhat kind and Lu Yao had found him dashingly handsome and had appreciated the looks even while technically under arrest. Lu Yao was smarter then to believe in a fairytale that wouldn't even come to fruition.
He'd been there with another boy in college. He'd been drug through it all and used very inappropriately when all he'd wanted was to be loved. It had hurt and even years later he still thought of it every time another man gave him the time of day. He often thought about the experience when he found someone else attractive. It wasn't worth it, it would never be worth it.
If he'd moved passed his college days like everyone said he just should, then maybe he would have tried again. Let the good inspector have his way with his body. Maybe this man would have even given Lu Yao some pleasure from the experience. He wasn't ready to try again, so Lu Yao the smart man that he was, picked up what he could and disappeared with it. He'd keep the memory of being called pretty and delicate close to his heart, and strive forwards anyways.
It sucked to leave his nice apartment behind, but if he was being honest he couldn't afford it without his nice banking job. It was only a matter of time and he had pride. Not much, but it was still there. Lu Yao instead took his savings and down paid on a tiny little place above a coffee shop that was just noisy enough during the day that it wasn't a place that anyone really wanted to live.
Lu Yao quickly found that he liked the new place just as much, though it wasn't very spacious. The noise reminded him of the busy Cambridge halls and the over stuffed dormitory. Except it had more privacy and smelled much better. The smell of fresh coffee was always in the air and he knew exactly when the fresh pastries were out because a faint ding could be heard in his own kitchen.
It took him 2 full months to be found by his Inspector again. Not that he'd been counting days or anything, but he had been wondering how long his nice new life could last. Lu Yao wasn't even technically hiding. He strolled around when he wanted, worked at a small accounting firm for a few hours a week, and even helped out at the coffee shop he lived above when they were understaffed.
Actually, he really liked baking things for them. With not much work he couldn't afford many ingredients, but if he offered to cook pastries for the shop, they readily let him keep a few for himself for payment. Lu Yao liked cooking and baking even more then he liked numbers and facts. It had been a lovely and simple life until one angry inspector knocked on his door.
"Inspector Qiao, what do I owe the pleasure?" Lu Yao asked, not letting himself feel small against those angry eyes. He'd known it was only a matter of time.
The inspector, had apparently not cared for Lu Yao's nonchalant act and pushed his way forward into the apartment. "I said I wanted you to work for me and you ran away." He growled like it was his given right. Maybe it was, he did look quite handsome with that scowl on his face.
Lu Yao nodded and smiled shyly to the inspectors words. "Yes well, I couldn't sleep for a week after seeing that dead body and still think about it Inspector. I don't think police work is for me and you, well, you don't look like the kind of man who takes no for an answer." He explained, shuffling in place.
He still remembers vividly the look on Inspector Qiao's face when he called him pretty and delicate. It might be Lu Yao's favorite day dream and the reason he has to wish his sheets so often. Now that man is standing in his pitiful one room apartment. If Lu Yao knew it would be today that he was found, he would have aired the place out.
He wished he had a place to be this afternoon, but he'd long given up those kind of things for this simple sort of life. It would be easier to make Inspector Qiao leave if he had some sort of obligation. The other man only looked frustrated at his words and even a bit shocked. Like he had barely thought about how seeing a dead body could effect somebody.
"You can't be serious." He growled, or maybe not so much growl then just spoke. Lu Yao was beginning to think that that anger was just his normal tone of voice.
"Why would I tell you anything but the truth? I'm afraid and don't want to help. I don't even care that you got me fired, and this simple life I've found since then is good enough." He admitted, looking out the window. He liked not worrying about rent because this hole in the wall was so small it was easily sustained by nearly nothing and certainly liked his little coffee shop. This was enough and for perhaps the first time ever he was at peace with things.
His father would be so disappointed with him, but wasn't that the whole point of striking it out on his own? He hadn't wanted the family money or to join the business, he wanted a happy and well fed life. One where he could be happy with baking when he felt like it and could go shopping at the morning market all he wanted. So what if his father disapproved and so what if Mr. Handsome police man thought less of him for it.
Inspector Qiao stayed quiet until Lu Yao was good and ready to turn his attention back from the window to him. And then Yao was treated to him looking a bit sheepish and maybe even put out about being refused. It was cute? Lu Yao might like the Inspector even more then he'd previously realized.
"It was a lot to go through." He seemed to concede, nodding at Lu Yao. "And you look," The inspector cut himself off there, probably not wanting to insult Lu Yao for one reason or another. Maybe he wanted to call Lu Yao pretty or delicate again. Lu Yao offhandedly wished he would, just so he could hear it again.
"It's not like I ran away either, I've been here since I lost my job. There was no way I could afford the big place without the fancy job after all." Lu Yao explained, though he did technically run away. He just didn't want the inspector to think less of him.
"Right." Inspector Qiao mumbled, scrunching his face up, probably remembering that he was the reason Lu Yao had no job. "I'm sorry about that."
The apology was certainly unexpected, considering Lu Yao new exactly who this man in front of him was. He could only wonder when the last time he'd apologized to anyone had been. It only made him seem even more attractive to Lu Yao.
"It's alright Inspector, I've found myself quite happy since it all happened. Perhaps happier then I was before." Lu Yao admitted, wanting to let the other know that he hadn't ruined his life or anything such as that. It was the truth anyways.
The inspector looked around him at his small place with that frown that always seemed to be on his face. Probably wondering how he could be happy here after having such a big place before. He cleared his throat like he didn't quite know what to say.
"I'll come back another day." He finally said, nodded to himself and then slightly bowing to Lu Yao.
"Wait, why? Inspector, we solved that murder, there's no need for you to check up on me. I'm not a suspect anymore, remember?" Lu Yao gently prodded, hoping to change his mind.
"This isn't the best part of town and I'd feel responsible if anything bad were to happen to you. It's no trouble, I'll just stop by for coffee when you usually work in the shop." Inspector Qiao insisted, before finally taking his leave.
He left before Lu Yao had half a chance to answer. Which was good because a shiver wracked down his spine just thinking about what he'd said. Just how did the inspector know that he'd been working in the shop downstairs? Or how would he know when he was there? Lu Yao didn't even have a regular weekly shift! He'd clearly been being followed and hadn't noticed it.
And just what was this interest in him? He was clearly not going to work for the police, so that should be the end of that. The soft look the other man had given him before leaving had said something different though and once again Lu Yao was struck with the feeling he should run for it. Looks like that had never been worth it in the end for Lu Yao. He didn't want to be used and thrown away again. Should he run again? Or would the inspector simply follow again?
He liked this new life enough that he chose to stay.