Work Text:
after works are funny. joshua knows well enough to not decline them, because it builds moral and it shows that he respects their time and effort to invite him in, or something. joshua’s respectful to say the least, he’s never the type to reject effort.
but drinking, drinking is not his strongest suite. he could be better, but usually a few drinks in and his face is already flushed red. maybe that’s why it’s so difficult when people are trailing home and joshua’s left sitting by a table with minghao across him. he replaced each of his drinks with water not too long into their evening and he kept that up until now.
the flush on his face has calmed down but he still drinks the rest of his water before he says anything to minghao.
“do you want to stay?” joshua asks. “we can go to mine,” he suggests.
“no, let’s go,” minghao confirms the suspicions he had. there was nothing to stay for anyways, so joshua checks his pockets and follows minghao out of the restaurant. it’s a silent road home, joshua thinks to himself. maybe the clouds in his head filled up too much space for him to muster up any words but he looks at minghao in the back of the taxi. he watches him carefully, but with tired eyes and he watches him look out the road. but he has his hand out between them for joshua to hold and he does. once minghao’s fingers curl around his, joshua finally rests his head back against the rest.
they’ve been doing things backwards, minghao pointed out with a smile on his face earlier in the morning. like it didn’t bother him that they had sex before they even had a date. joshua still thinks about it, holds onto the smile because it tells him although jumbled, it’s going well. just like he wants it to. usually joshua’s trying to be a bit more conventional, have a proper date before a kiss and have a date before sex. but coming to china wasn’t conventional, his career was meant to prosper in america and although his contract right now is only a year and a half, there’s an opening for extension and joshua’s thought about that a lot.
and like taxi ride home, the ride in the elevator’s quiet too. not because of awkwardness, but because he’s convinced they can both feel the exhaustion in each other. minghao’s quiet so far, but his eyes look heavy. he knows work has been difficult for the both of them lately, getting caught up in each other has made it more for them to catch up on. he heard their boss approached him, asked him to fix his work. not that he saw them, but minghao confided with a sigh when they took a walk during a break.
once inside his apartment, joshua doesn’t expect anything but as minghao’s undressing for the night, he catches himself looking. because it’s different to take in the sight of him like this, than it was when he was on top of him. as minghao drags his fingers through his hair to loosen the hairspray, joshua finishes changing out of his clothes.
but his feet move him elsewhere than towards the bed and he steps into his space, watching minghao through the mirror above his dresser and he leans his forehead to his shoulders. he had words to say but his head feels heavy already. and while it’s his apartment they’re in, his company-rented apartment, minghao naturally looks after him.
“you shouldn’t be drinking,” minghao whispers as he turns around and lifts his chin. he pushes his hair back, tenderly, carefully, like he can tell joshua’s head is already hurting. it didn’t wait til morning, it came now.
“you’re really tender,” joshua speaks softly, whether it’s words from the depth of his chest or from not, doesn’t matter. he leans his head into the touch of minghao’s palm. “i really like it,” joshua thinks to the kiss minghao gave him in the break room when no one was there. a gentle kiss as a gentle thank you for the tea he made him. joshua holds onto it.
minghao strokes his temple, holds his face delicately and joshua can’t take his eyes off him. he feels like he’s staring straight onto the moon, a moon that’s bright for him. but maybe that’s remnants of the alcohol doing the thinking for him.
“ tiánxīn ,” minghao whispers, voice gentle as his touch. joshua knows enough to know what that means. and all his efforts so far means that he’s been reading minghao right. that he can silence that itching part of him that’s worried it’s all for nothing. minghao strokes his cheek and kisses him softly, with no rush and nothing but cherishing. joshua melts.
“i like you too,” joshua whispers softly. he’s relieved, his chest soothed from the simple words.
“good,” minghao’s thumb brushes over his lower lip and he has a tired smile on his face. “let’s sleep.”