Chapter Text
The cafe was slightly older compared to some of the shops in the area, but that was the reason SuoWei picked it out. A bell rang as they walked in and he guided them to a nice two-seater by a window at the cafe. The natural lighting was nice and they'll be needing it soon. Cheng Yu sat at an angle so he could have space for his long legs and picked up a menu.
The younger quirked an eyebrow. "You actually wanna order something?"
Without looking up, Cheng Yu asked, "Don't you?"
"I'm ok." He already had his sweet treat for the day, his milk tea, so he was fine.
"Pick something for later," the older suggested.
He thought about it for a moment then picked the menu up. He smiled as the cafe offered tiramisu and XiaoShuai had mentioned he was craving it. A waitress made their way over to them and asked for their order.
"I'll have your macaron special and he'll have…"
"Can I please get the small tiramisu?" SuoWei said.
The waitress jotted down their order, smiling as she said, "To go or for here?"
"The tiramisu to go please," he said as he handed her their menus.
She nodded. "Payment will be at the register whenever you're ready."
They both nodded and watched as she walked away.
"You enjoy tiramisu?" Cheng Yu asked as he fiddled with the watch on his right wrist.
It was weird how the older was trying to make small talk, but he smiled nonetheless as the attempt to get to know him was appreciated.
"It's not for me," he admitted.
"Ah." Cheng Yu leaned back on the chair with a spark in his eyes. "The doctor."
"Not yet." He rolled his eyes in amusement. "But yes, my shifu has a sweet tooth the size of Mars."
Cheng Yu wiggled his eyebrows and SuoWei shot him a look of confusion.
"It's interesting how attached you are to somebody you met recently."
SuoWei bristled at the comment, but he assumed it was a fair observation. He didn't want to be obvious, but it didn't surprise him that his affection seeped more than it needed to sometimes.
"Fair, but there are people you just click with, don't you think?"
Cheng Yu mulled it over for a moment. "Yeah, you're right." He then pointed at SuoWei, changing topics. "So, your proposal…"
"Right, we should follow each other on Weibo and add each other on WeChat for one."
He motioned for Cheng Yu's phone which the older handed over without complaint. SuoWei added himself on both platforms before handing the phone back. He received the notifications and added Cheng Yu back.
It was then that the waitress approached them with their orders. She set the boxed tiramisu down in front of SuoWei and a plate of assorted colorful macarons in front of Cheng Yu. "Enjoy."
The younger smiled. "Perfect."
Cheng Yu gestured at his order. "Wanna try one?"
He shook his head. "I meant, it's perfect for a picture to post."
He laid his left hand on the table, palm up and made a "come here" motion at Cheng Yu who huffed out a laugh as he placed his hand on top—the grip was firm but not unpleasant. SuoWei adjusted the macaron plate for a better angle and took a few pictures mindful of the lighting he had chosen earlier.
Satisfied, he slipped his hand from Cheng Yu's grip and got to work on the Weibo post. He puffed his cheeks as he concentrated even if it was a simple action. He debated whether to include a caption or not and settled that at least for this post it'll be captionless. He chose the picture that best emphasized their size difference with soft, warm lightning encapsulating their joined hands.
He snapped his head up when he heard the click of a camera. Both he and Cheng Yu blinked at one another. SuoWei noticed the older had his phone out, finger right by the camera button and he tilted his head in confusion.
"Shouldn't I have candid pictures of you for this to be believable?" he asked, his phone now on the table before reaching for a chocolate macaron. He took a bite and let out a noise of pleasure before finishing it and reaching for another one—raspberry. He brought it close to SuoWei's mouth and winked. "Try it."
He rolled his eyes again. "You're such a flirt."
"Of course, I am" He waved the macaron in the air playfully for emphasis.
With reddened cheeks, SuoWei opened his mouth and leaned in for a bite. The filling was a little tart but it contrasted well with the sweetness of the shell, so he hummed in appreciation and opened his mouth to finish it off. Wordlessly, Cheng Yu placed the last bit in his mouth before wiping away at the crumbs with his thumb.
When he finished chewing, he swallowed and shook his head in mock exasperation. "Flirt," he accused again. "You're distracting me."
"Can't help it," he laughed. "I like attention."
"Eat your macarons," SuoWei retorted playfully. He only needed to tag Cheng Yu in his post and soon it was posted for the world to see. "Yu-ge, repost it."
Cheng Yu reached for his phone and he did as he was told. "By the way, why'd you choose this cafe?"
"XiaoShuai is a foodie. He's been wanting to try this place out plus I can brag about all the places you take me out to eat," he explained as he waited for certain notifications to pop up. He grinned as a few seconds later his phone pinged.
He had two new followers: Wang Shuo and Chi Cheng.
With a mischievous grin he followed both back. He heard a ping from Cheng Yu's phone and he raised an eyebrow in question. The older showed him his screen: XiaoShuai followed him.
SuoWei gave him a lopsided smirk. "See, it's already working."
"It's good he loves food, I like cooking," Cheng Yu said, almost to himself as he scrolled through XiaoShuai's account. Though he frowned as he added, "He has no recent posts, but there are some interesting comments."
"Don't mind them, I'm dealing with it." He knew that the vague answer would only prompt Cheng Yu to look more into it and cheered internally as he saw the gears shift in the older's head. He then went to his photos and pulled up some candid pictures of XiaoShuai. He sent them over through WeChat.
Immediately, Cheng Yu sent a flustered sticker in response. SuoWei did not find that cute… or so he told himself.
"Enough distractions." He set his phone down and pointed at Cheng Yu. "Boundaries and expectations. I'll start—no sex or kissing."
Surprise marred Cheng Yu's face. "I get the no sex, but no kissing? Won't that be suspicious?"
SuoWei pursed his lips. He had already thought about it but he couldn't bear the thought of kissing or being kissed by someone who wasn't Chi Cheng. "We can use my baby gayness as an explanation. We're taking things slow, y'know.—getting me used to things."
Cheng Yu didn't look too convinced but didn't push the matter. "Ok, thoughts on hand-holding, hugs, etc?"
"Those are fine, even cheek kisses are too." He knew they had to be affectionate enough to sell their fake relationship and to stir jealousy. "Do you have any expectations or?"
"Can I hire escorts?" Cheng Yu asked as he bit into another macaron.
SuoWei's eye twitched. Horny bastard, he thought. "Sure, just keep it private. I don't want our relationship to be questioned because you think with your dick."
"Wow." The older whistled with a smug smirk. "I can survive without sex, you know?"
SuoWei shrugged. "Sure."
"This plan of yours will last…"
"I should have what I want before the semester starts."
"Huh, interesting." Cheng Yu fished out a packet of cigarettes but didn't take one out, he just fiddled with the box. "So about a month and a half. Yeah, I can do that."
"What? No sex?" he couldn't keep the surprise from his voice. "You do know, I actually don't care if you sleep with others, right?"
"But Dr. Jiang would, right?"
SuoWei paused mid-retort, letting the point settle. He sighed as he nodded. "True."
"Then it's settled—I'll be celibate for a month and a half. Easy peasy," he remarked with a wink.
He couldn't help the smile that tugged on his lips.
Later that night, he debriefed with XiaoShuai. They sat in the medical student's living room, both on the floor in their pajamas. They each clutched onto a throw pillow as they waited to remove their face masks as an older drama played in the background.
"And did he pay?" his shifu asked after a bite to his tiramisu.
He nodded. "Of course, he's loaded!"
In actuality, they had fought over who was paying. SuoWei had felt a tad guilty in using Cheng Yu when they got along pretty well in the future. But the older, in this timeline, was similarly stubborn and generous so he insisted on being the one to pay. Eventually, it meant that Cheng Yu used his long limbs to his advantage, wrapping an arm around the younger's waist to hold him back as he paid. Of course, SuoWei pouted and grumbled about the whole ordeal but he appreciated the gesture.
XiaoShuai hummed. With more tiramisu on his fork he outstretched his hand for SuoWei to try. The younger opened his mouth and accepted the dessert, smiling at his shifu.
"Did you guys take pictures?"
SuoWei nodded and pulled the evidence up. It had actually been Cheng Yu's idea to take a selfie as a couple noting it would be suspicious to not have some. He handed the phone over to his shifu and he watched as XiaoShuai's eyes lingered on Cheng Yu's smiling face.
His best friend handed his phone back with a simple comment. "Cute."
Teasing, SuoWei raised an eyebrow. "Is that all, shifu?"
His face colored pink and he shrugged. "Just be careful. This thing is going a bit quick, don't you think?"
Under normal circumstances, XiaoShuai would have the right to worry, but it this wasn't the case; however, how would his friend know that? So, SuoWei settled for a reassuring smile. "Thank you for worrying, Xiao'er. I'll be careful." He turned away, coy as he added, "I told Yu-ge I wouldn't sleep with him anytime soon. I'm still nervous."
He saw how XiaoShuai perked up at the information. "Oh. Well, let's hope it stays that way." He cleared his throat. "But if he does pressure you in any way let me know and we'll deal with him."
The younger nodded enthusiastically.
"Also, I think a WeChat notif popped up when I was looking at the picture."
SuoWei frowned and tapped the app to check. Apparently, he had been tagged in one of Cheng Yu's moments. Curious, he clicked on it and he let out a yelp his phone slipping from his grasp, as he realized the older had posted the candid picture of SuoWei from earlier. His yelp surprised XiaoShuai, so his best friend picked his phone up and giggled as he realized what brought on his embarrassment.
"You're so silly, DaWei." He smiled softly before teasing. "You pursued this guy, boldly, and a simple pic has you blushing?"
He patted his warm cheeks, muttering, "I was caught off guard."
XiaoShuai hummed. "I'm saving his number, ok? I need this picture."
"You—" he started to complain, but instead opted to chuck a throw pillow at his best friend. "He's just going to take embarrassing pictures from now on. I can't believe the two of you are already conspiring against me."
The other ducked in time from the pillow, a wide grin as he shrugged. "Best friend duties, DaWei."
The alarm for their mask removal went off, so they headed to the bathroom to finish off their nighttime skin care routine. They continued chatting and giggling as they finished before bidding each other good night. SuoWei shuffled into his room and buried himself under the covers. He was glad XiaoShuai's apartment had central AC, so he didn't have to suffer the summer heat. He laid in bed as he scrolled through some of the texts he had exchanged with Cheng Yu earlier after their first fake date.
Xiao Wei [5: 16 pm]
we should meet each other's friends properly
Yu-ge [5:17 pm]
agreed
i'll pick you up Friday
wear the glitter again
Xiao Wei [5:17 pm]
why should I?
Yu-ge [5:17 pm]
it looked nice
Xiao Wei [5:18 pm]
flirt
boooo
Yu-ge [5:18 pm]
only for you bb ;)
Like the first time he had left the older on read and rolled his eyes at the cheesy text, ignoring the smile on his face. He set his alarms for the next morning and snuggled under the covers. He was still unused to sleeping alone, so he threw a leg over a pillow. In the darkness he really hoped his plan would work otherwise he knew he wouldn't sleep well for the rest of his life.
Cheng Yu leaned against his car while grey smoke curled around him as SuoWei bounded down the apartment steps. He looked handsome as always with a bold print on his shirt that shouldn't work, but somehow did. Of course, most of the buttons were undone to reveal his chest and the only saving grace in not witnessing his happy trail was that he tucked the shirt in.
"You did wear it," Cheng Yu commented in lieu of greeting as he reached to cup SuoWei's face. His thumb grazed under his eye.
The younger allowed the gesture knowing his best friend was probably watching through the curtains. He shrugged as he stood on his tiptoes to place a kiss on Cheng Yu's cheek, muttering, "You told me to,"
As he settled back on his feet he saw Cheng Yu raise an eyebrow. "Rather obedient, are we?"
SuoWei gave him a shove to his shoulder. "Not at all!" He huffed with his arms crossed. "I just agreed that it looks nice."
The older chuckled before taking another drag of his cigarette. As he exhaled he dropped it, putting it out with the heel of his fancy shoe. He opened the passenger door and inclined his head toward it. "Come on, we've got friends to fool."
The journey to the club was relatively comfortable, Cheng Yu gave him permission to be on aux, so he hummed and bobbed his head to the music. The windows were rolled down, the muggy summer breeze filtering in and he tried to map out the patterns of it with his fingers.
There was a huff from Cheng Yu. "You're a weird one, Xiao Wei."
"Takes one to know one," he retorted with a smile, eyes on the neon lit signs blurring past them.
Soon they reached the club and those that stood in line for entry swerved their heads toward them. SuoWei ignored the whispers and some glares he received, but he heard Cheng Yu make a disgruntled noise.
As he parked, one hand on the wheel as he reversed, he said, "If anybody gives you a hard time, let me know and I'll deal with it."
"And why would I be given a hard time?"
Cheng Yu reached to SuoWei's side, face close to his and the younger heard gasps from onlookers. The older paid them no mind as he kept eye contact with him as he closed the window manually. With his other hand he tucked a stray strand of hair behind SuoWei's ear. Lowly, he said, "People are jealous creatures, they might lash out."
The action was so unnecessary that SuoWei couldn't help but glare at him, but two could put on a great show. He leaned closer to Cheng Yu, nose to nose, their breaths mingling in the now rapidly heating car due to the lack of ventilation. He returned the smirk. "Oh, and you think I can't handle that?"
"No—I'm saying I don't want you to."
SuoWei stared at Cheng Yu for a moment and he was reminded of how caring the older truly was. A genuine smile broke out and he nodded. "Fine, I'll let you know big guy." He then gently shoved at his shoulder with a pout. "Now, back off, you're getting me sweaty before we even get in."
Thankfully, Cheng Yu exited the car without anymore teasing and went over to the passenger side to open it for SuoWei. As soon as he stepped out the car, an arm wrapped around his waist and guided him to the entrance. With a nod to the bouncer, Cheng Yu walked them in and confidently maneuvered them toward the VIP seating.
Wang Shuo and Chi Cheng where already there. His love rival was tucked into Chi Cheng's side, head laying against a sturdy chest and playing with the hand that draped over him. He didn't sit up as they approached but his eyes glimmered in surprise and interest as they took a seat. On the other hand, Chi Cheng had been speaking to Wang Shuo, mouth brushing against the crown of his head, but at their arrival he snapped his head over to them. His face had been relaxed, but his jaw now twitched as his eyes blanked.
"Chi Cheng, Wang Shuo this is my boyfriend, SuoWei." The older arranged SuoWei to sit on one of his spread legs. "I'm sure you've seen him around."
He gave them a smile and a wave as he wrapped an arm lazily around Cheng Yu's neck. "Nice to see you guys again."
Wang Shuo gave him a half smile. "Yeah, nice to see you."
Chi Cheng kept silent but gave him a jerky nod in acknowledgement.
"Don't mind my best friend, he can be a grump but he means well," said Cheng Yu as with his unoccupied leg landed a kick to Chi Cheng's own.
Chi Cheng reached for his drink, one finger unfurled to point at his best friend. "Don't start so early, Cheng Yu."
He chuckled and SuoWei felt the vibrations of the noise. He shifted on Cheng Yu's thigh, voice light as he remarked, "It's ok, he was nice the other night."
At that comment the rather easygoing atmosphere shifted into subtle tension. SuoWei could feel Wang Shuo's gaze sharpen, but he acted as if he had said something innocuous. Even Chi Cheng seemed to ignore the atmosphere change as he finally looked directly at him. SuoWei straightened a little at the intense gaze on him.
Chi Cheng took a sip of his drink. "Right, I was nice." He flickered his eyes over to Cheng Yu. "But it seems someone else caught your attention."
"Couldn't help it." He shrugged as he looked down at Cheng Yu.
The older ignored Chi Cheng's gaze in favor of looking up at SuoWei. His eyes glinted with mischief and he tapped his cheek with a ring-covered finger. The command was subtle and non-threatening, almost sweet. SuoWei gave him a practiced smile as he leaned down to place a kiss on the cheek. He lingered more than what was needed for a simple cheek kiss and as he retreated, he made sure for his lips to graze the shell of Cheng Yu's ear.
He felt the older's chest hitch at the action and he smirked to himself. A hand made itself comfortable on one of his inner thighs, squeezing. Still keeping the act of a inexperience he swapped at the hand with a whine, "Yu-ge."
The man chuckled and relaxed his hold on the thigh, but didn't remove his hand. Cheng Yu finally turned to face his friends again. "Couldn't help it either," he said with a lazy smile.
Wang Shuo scoffed. "Can't believe Cheng Yu found someone either good or stupid enough to want him more than a night."
Chi Cheng tapped his cheek, scolding. "Wang Shuo, be less rude."
He shrugged, uncaring. "I'm just saying that Cheng Yu can be a lot."
"I'll argue that it's you that can be a lot, Wang Shuo," retorted Cheng Yu with a raised eyebrow.
Wang Shuo pouted, tugged at Chi Cheng's hand and pointed an accusing finger at Cheng Yu. "Hey, he just insulted your boyfriend, do something."
Chi Cheng patted Wang Shuo's chest soothingly as he said, "The both of you can be a lot."
Wang Shuo huffed and whined something while Cheng Yu, unbothered by the finality of the statement, reached for the brandy bottle to serve himself some. He was mindful of his movements as SuoWei was atop him, so the younger reached for the bottle instead. He grabbed onto Cheng Yu's hand and placed it on his waist.
He gave him a smile. "I'll pour it, yeah?"
Cheng Yu's mouth hung open slightly but he shut it close as he nodded and leaned back. SuoWei poured for both of them. When he handed a glass to Cheng Yu the older clinked their glasses together with a wink. "To our first night out, Xiao Wei."
He rolled his eyes good-naturedly before downing his drink.
Throughout the night, they spent the majority of the time at the table. Wang Shuo had infinite curiosity on SuoWei, so he kept firing questions despite Chi Cheng's protests to "let him chill". But eventually, either Wang Shuo grew bored or he had his fill for the night, so he shifted his attention back to Chi Cheng.
Cheng Yu and Chi Cheng had been discussing a summer project their fathers were collaborating on with both of them checking in on their respective boyfriends every once in a while. Cheng Yu asking, "Is he too much?" while Chi Cheng would chide the other.
But now, as Wang Shuo's attention was on Chi Cheng he kept pestering them with questions about the summer project. It seemed Cheng Yu had more of an interest than Chi Cheng.
"But wouldn't it be a good opportunity?" he interjected again.
Chi Cheng sighed. "For somebody other than me, sure."
"He'd be great, but we know it's not what he likes, Shuo," Cheng Yu reminded him.
He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know, but he hasn't done this yet."
Cheng Yu teased, "I just think he doesn't want to work with me."
Chi Cheng laughed. "Yeah, who wants to work with a food obsessed fool like you?"
The best friends then bickered playfully. All the while SuoWei watched the scene with swelling fondness. He wanted to keep this friendship intact because while he knew that both men found their way back to each other, he didn't want them to experience the loss again. His eyes swept over to Wang Shuo, who while plastered to Chi Cheng's side, was clumsily trying to keep up with their bickering.
SuoWei's ears then picked up on a familiar tune and an idea popped into his head. He tugged at Cheng Yu's ear gently.
The older man paused his conversation with Chi Cheng. He cleared his throat. "Xiao Wei?"
He gestured at the dance floor. "I like this song."
Cheng Yu smiled, taking a quick sip of his drink before standing up, careful to not let SuoWei tumble off his lap. He laid his now empty glass on the table. "Gotta go, guys."
"Join us," SuoWei chimed in as he reached to lace his fingers with Cheng Yu's. "It'll be fun."
Wang Shuo perked up at the idea and turned to Chi Cheng with hopeful eyes. Chi Cheng seemed hesitant but it seemed to crumble as Wang Shuo pouted. Then his eyes flickered over to Cheng Yu then to where his best friend's hand was entwined with SuoWei's and he furrowed his eyebrows.
"Let me finish my drink, Shuo," he said gruffly. "We can dance later."
It looked like Wang Shuo wanted to argue, but at the promise of later he bit his tongue and leaned back into Chi Cheng's hold. Slightly miffed he waved them off. "Have fun."
He and Cheng Yu joined the swarm of bodies as they danced to the beat. Because of his long limbs, SuoWei thought Cheng Yu would have a difficult time keeping up with his dancing but to his pleasant shock, Cheng Yu was a decent dancer. Unlike Chi Cheng who was quite stiff, but would indulge SuoWei in a dance or two just because the younger loved swaying in his arms.
He forced the ache that came with the memories away and poked Cheng Yu's side. The older raised an eyebrow as he moved foot to foot to the beat. "You're not half bad at this."
"Certainly nowhere near your level, but I am a man of many talents Xiao Wei." He winked before giving SuoWei a spin.
And for the rest of the night, he and Cheng Yu spent their time dancing while Wang Shuo and Chi Cheng never joined them.
The following week Cheng Yu would park and lean on his car as he waited for SuoWei to bound to the edge of XiaoShuai's campus to go on a date. This, of course, drew rumors that further negatively placed his best friend in a negative light.
SuoWei always insisted on dropping XiaoShuai off at either cozy study spot or back at his apartment. So, the students on campus spun the idea that both of them became escorts for older men. They thought Cheng Yu was the handsome middle-man for the much older clients.
People's imaginations never failed to make SuoWei roll his eyes at the ridiculousness.
That Thursday, SuoWei had a much longer break before his second job and suggested the three of them get an early dinner.
"I don't want to third wheel, DaWei," teased XiaoShuai from the backseat, his lap open with yet another textbook.
As SuoWei pouted and denied XiaoShuai could ever be a third wheel, Cheng Yu decided to ask, "So, what's your summer research about?"
That brought the best friends from bickering with one another. SuoWei turned away from his best friend to hide the smile threatening to bloom across his face. Nice move, he thought.
XiaoShuai pursed his lips. "I don't think you'll—"
"What? Understand it?"
He rolled his eyes. "Rude. No, I meant like it."
Cheng Yu winked through the rear view mirror. "Try me."
As XiaoShuai explained his summer research and how it connected to his senior research, SuoWei played with Cheng Yu's hand that rested on the gear stick. The older unbothered by the action was quite engaged in what XiaoShuai wanted to study—undeserved and marginalized communities like queer patients. He asked for clarification whenever he was confused and made comments on the subject.
SuoWei's smile officially broke as this exact exchange was a familiar one. It made his insides warm with the knowledge that things could work out this time around too.
As XiaoShuai was engrossed in the talk of his field of study he had forgotten to protest third-wheeling. They arrived to a relatively new Thai restaurant and by the time SuoWei was opening the door for XiaoShuai, his best friend stared gob smacked at the place.
"This was a trick," he accused the younger.
SuoWei raised his hands up in mock surrender. "Nope. Yu-ge was truly interested in what you had to say, shifu!"
XiaoShuai's eyes were still narrowed in suspicion.
"It's not like I can blame him," he sighed. "You do look cute when you yap about the things you like."
His best friend took his glasses off to distract himself from the teasing. "Fine, just this one time."
SuoWei made a noise of excitement and pulled his best friend out of the car. Cheng Yu had been standing a few feet away watching the exchange with a perceptive look. SuoWei linked an arm with a grumbling XiaoShuai and outstretched his hand for Cheng Yu to hold. Wordlessly, the older placed his hand in SuoWei's and guided him to their reserved booth. As it was by the window, SuoWei chose the seat next to it with XiaoShuai sliding next to him, leaving Cheng Yu to sit across them both, in the middle of the younger men.
"Knew you'd like the view," Cheng Yu said as he took a picture of an awed SuoWei.
The younger gave him a playful glare. "For that picture it'll be 25 yuan."
"Stingy," joked Cheng Yu.
SuoWei crossed his arms and turned to XiaoShuai, face serious but eyes alight with mischief. "Shifu, let's make Yu-ge's pockets hurt today."
XiaoShuai gaped at him before laughter tumbled out of his mouth. The tension he carried on him from school because of the rumors and the studying melted off him. That was SuoWei's favorite part of his day—to see XiaoShuai unwind, to let his softer edges show. He didn't comment on how Cheng Yu's camera went off again though this time it wasn't pointed at him.
XiaoShuai's laughter died down but traces of it tilted his mouth upwards. He picked the menu up as he shrugged, eyes holding similar mischief. "I have no choice, Cheng Yu."
The older rested an elbow on the table and rested his head on his hand. He gave them a lazy smile. "No choice indeed."
Figuring out what to eat was relatively easy once XiaoShuai realized the restaurant was the one that he had been wanting to try out. With their orders taken the conversation was mainly held by SuoWei and Cheng Yu. They both would prompt XiaoShuai to comment on something which he would give, but SuoWei noted he was acting fairly reserved.
He tried not to deflate. He reminded himself that while there were good moments when XiaoShuai placed some of his walls down it didn't mean that they would stay down. Cheng Yu was still a relative unknown for his best friend and that surely bore some distrust and apprehension. With the arrival of their food he steered his attention fully back to the conversation at hand.
SuoWei was quick to snap some pictures of their food, with Cheng Yu and XiaoShuai in the frame, of course. He posted a picture they all liked and giggled at who was one of his first likes: Chi Cheng. With his face heating up he lifted his phone for a selfie and posted it as a WeChat moment, his preferences set for Chi Cheng only. He set his phone down with a satisfied smile knowing his boyfriend will be thinking of him.
He was glad he had gone through a drunken Cheng Yu's phone a few nights ago. It had been relatively easy to acquire Chi Cheng's number. He hadn't sent a message yet nor received one, but soon he would—he could feel it in his bones.
He tuned back into the conversation.
"—and this dish has been under my radar, so why not try it here?" XiaoShuai shrugged as he looked down at his dish with excitement.
"Well, I hope you like it." Cheng Yu grinned. "Though if you don't, remember your mission to make my pockets hurt."
As his shifu groaned SuoWei huffed out a laugh.
Cheng Yu nudged his leg under the table and SuoWei raised an eyebrow.
"Wanna try my dish, Xiao Wei?"
Eyes wide at the suggestion, SuoWei resisted the urge to deny, but alas he had to keep this charade up a little longer. He nodded, bangs falling on his forehead. He leaned forward, mouth agape as Cheng Yu lifted his spoonful of massaman curry. As he took the spoon into his mouth, the strong flavors making his head spin in tastiness, he barely registered Cheng Yu tucking his bangs with his free hand.
He retreated after swallowing and gave Cheng Yu a thumbs up. "Good choice, Yu-ge." He then fixed a good bite of his khao soi, blowing on it a little before lifting it, bringing it to Cheng Yu's mouth. "Your turn."
Amused, the older opened his mouth and took the bite into his mouth. He pulled back after wiggling his eyebrows at SuoWei who rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Tasty," he concluded with a lick to his lips.
SuoWei was quick to assemble another bite, calling out for his shifu.
"You're feeding me too?" his best friend asked, pink dusting the tip of his ears.
He nodded reverently. "Of course, sharing is caring, duh."
XiaoShuai tugged at SuoWei's ear as he muttered, "Yeah, how can I forget?"
"Shifu!"
His best friend sighed, gaze avoidant of Cheng Yu's as he opened his mouth to accept the bite crafted for him. SuoWei could see how XiaoShuai's face lit up in delight and he cheered. With a lopsided smile he was careful in feeding XiaoShuai, making sure that not a drop spilled on him. His best friend pulled back and got to work on his own bite for SuoWei.
He eagerly leaned in for the bite and grinned around the spoon, loving the half startled half affectionate look on XiaoShuai. He pulled back, still chewing and trying to decipher the taste of the boat noodles. He decided he liked them, but might prefer his own dish.
All three dug into their respective dishes, the conversation picking up from where they had left off. Halfway through the dinner SuoWei excused himself to the restroom. He appeased XiaoShuai's nervous look with a reassuring squeeze to his shoulder before making himself scarce. He hoped their alone time would be beneficial.
He walked into the restroom and made a beeline for an empty stall. Leaning his back against the stall door, he pulled out his phone and stared at the empty chat log between him and Chi Cheng. His heart clenched at the lack of communication between him and his boyfriend. He wracked his brain for a plausible conversation starter.
With a bite to his bottom lip he began to form a text.
SuoWei [4:32 pm]
What's Yu-ge's fave color?
Chi Cheng [4:32 pm]
why
SuoWei giggled. His boyfriend was cute jealous.
SuoWei [4:32 pm]
...
that's btwn Yu-ge and me
Chi Cheng [4:33 pm]
i'll know about it eventually
he's my best friend
SuoWei [4:33 pm]
>__<
fine
…I was thinking of surprising him
Chi Cheng [4:33 pm]
with… what
SuoWei [4:33 pm]
…lingerie
He stared at the text bubble with bated breath. It kept appearing and disappearing making his stomach swirl in nervousness. Had he gone too far too soon?
As he let out a defeated sigh his phone rang, caller ID: Chi Cheng.
Without hesitation, he answered.
The end of the line crackled to life, Chi Cheng's voice rough as he said, "Black."
SuoWei couldn't help his laugh. "I asked for Yu-ge's favorite color, not yours."
There was a noise of discontent and he relished in it.
"Fine—green, leaning on sage," he muttered.
SuoWei hummed. "Ok, I think I'll shop for a set this weekend. Any preferences?"
Chi Cheng chuckled. "Sure, list me my options."
He didn't correct him that time.
"Corset top, a garter belt, thigh highs," he listed, voice breathy. "Are those enough?"
"The garter belt, I—he'll love it," Chi Cheng said, voice tight.
SuoWei beamed, his lips quirking into a smirk. "I'll ask for your opinion when I shop."
"What do you—"
"Ba bye, Chi Cheng."
He ended the call and squeezed his phone to his chest. Fuck yeah!
Seduction was in full motion!
That Saturday Cheng Yu invited him to a dinner before they headed out to the club. Apparently, it was an upperclassmen catch up dinner before the start of the semester and Cheng Yu wanted his company. SuoWei found no reason to decline, eager to see Chi Cheng again.
The dinner was held at a more upscale restaurant, a private room had been booked, and by the time Cheng Yu and he arrived the liquor was already flowing. They spotted Wang Shuo and Chi Cheng in a corner with a few others leaning towards them to conversate with a rather animated Wang Shuo. On the other hand, Chi Cheng had a loose hold on Wang Shuo's waist as he nursed a drink with a look of boredom.
His eyes flickered with rapt attention once he noticed them approaching. The arm around Wang Shuo's waist tightened then loosened and tightened again as if he couldn't figure out what was the right move. Wang Shuo glanced at them briefly giving them a small wave before returning to his story. Cheng Yu sat down, shamelessly placing SuoWei on his lap and giving Chi Cheng a wide smile.
"Took you long enough," Chi Cheng said as he poured his best friend bai jiu. He lifted the bottle, dark brown eyes seemingly boring into SuoWei. "Do you want some?"
He nodded with a soft smile as he leaned his body into Cheng Yu's.
As Cheng Yu explained that he had been waiting for SuoWei which involved eyeshadow again, Chi Cheng handed SuoWei a glass of bai jiu. The younger took it, purposefully making their fingers graze one another before pulling back with his drink in hand. If SuoWei kept asking for refills it was nobody's business but his own and it was a coincidence that every time Chi Cheng's fingers got bolder and bolder with the touch.
SuoWei would lick his lips and melt into the heat of Cheng Yu's body, the wine making the room spin a little. His fake boyfriend held onto him, but he was more of a social butterfly than Chi Cheng, so he was often caught up in different conversations. Neither Chi Cheng nor did SuoWei mind. He was sure their phone call from a few days ago was at the forefront of the older's mind. SuoWei wanted him to wonder what he had going on underneath his clothes.
The little bubble of want and barely concealed desire popped when a red-faced Wang Shuo leaned his head back and puckered his lips for a kiss. SuoWei's grasp on his glass tightened. He flickered his gaze over a spot over Chi Cheng's head and looked at that instead. He swore Chi Cheng smirked smugly before planting a kiss on Wang Shuo's mouth.
Bastard, he thought.
Wang Shuo then turned to SuoWei and the younger plastered on a tentative smile. His love rival gestured at the room that was getting rowdier by the second. "Our boyfriends are being boring, aren't they?'
He nodded with a pout.
Wang Shuo smirked. "We should get out of here."
So their dinner concluded in a drunken haze and fairly empty stomachs. The wine had clearly seeped into all their veins. It made Cheng Yu a little more boisterous while SuoWei was a little more giggly. On the other hand, it mellowed Chi Cheng out and Wang Shuo was clingier than ever.
A younger Gang-zi picked them up from the restaurant and drove them to the club. They stumbled out of the car and into the bright lights, thumping ground of the club. They dropped their phones at the VIP table before Wang Shuo and SuoWei pulled their respective boyfriends to the dance floor. It was a Saturday, so it was packed.
Any other day, SuoWei would've hated it, but something about the wine in his system made him relish in it. He swayed to whatever music was playing, his arms loose around Cheng Yu's neck as the older man clutched onto his waist. The wine truly loosened the older's tongue so he would bend his head down to share his thoughts with SuoWei. The younger didn't mind, the warm puffs of air sending a shiver down his spine.
But it was when his eyes met Chi Cheng's that the world tilted.
SuoWei had a clear view of Wang Shuo wrapping his arms around Chi Cheng's neck, mouthing at the skin. His eyes narrowed and it brought a smirk to Chi Cheng's lips. Did Chi Cheng think Cheng Yu was doing the same to him?
SuoWei licked his lips, gaze unwavering as Chi Cheng let himself be kissed and bitten by Wang Shuo. Fire erupted in SuoWei's veins, his jealousy burning and he tightened his hold on Cheng Yu's neck. The lights flickered to the song playing, casting Chi Cheng's face in shadows and lines of barely held restraint.
He almost digged his nails into Cheng Yu's neck as he watched Wang Shuo trail his lips upwards to capture Chi Cheng's mouth in his. Though, Chi Cheng didn’t close his eyes. His mouth moved along to Wang Shuo's rhythm, but his dark eyes never strayed from SuoWei.
His jealousy soared in his ears, but something in his gut stirred too. SuoWei bit his lip, willing away tears and briefly made eye contact to grab onto Cheng Yu's face, guiding their mouths to meet. He could feel the confusion in the press of their lips, but he ignored it in favor of applying more pressure for a deeper kiss.
Cheng Yu squeezed his waist before pulling back a hair. Against his lips, he whispered, "Your rule—"
"Fuck my rules," he said then crashed their lips together.
Apparently, that was all Cheng Yu needed before tilting SuoWei's head for a better slide of their lips. The younger pressed himself onto his toes to get closer to him and moaned at a swipe to his bottom lip. He opened his mouth and Cheng Yu's tongue slipped in. It was unfamiliar, softer in a way he wasn't used to, but not unpleasant and for a moment he got lost in the kiss.
But at pricking heat he opened his eyes and once again had searing eye contact with Chi Cheng. He moaned into Cheng Yu's mouth, eyes busy devouring every expression flickering on Chi Cheng's face. It was a slight challenge to keep up with the kiss while he observed Wang Shuo devouring what was his, but somehow he managed the push and pull.
The heat in his gut grew, greedy eyes noting how Wang Shuo's hands ran under Chi Cheng's chest, so he wrapped his tongue around Cheng Yu's imaging it was Chi Cheng. And with that realization, he shifted the kiss from something needy but relatively slow to more passionate as he clutched onto Cheng Yu's shoulders. He looked at Chi Cheng with heady eyes hoping he was on the same wavelength—that despite the people in the room, that despite that they weren't pressed against one another—if they imagined hard enough it was like they were kissing each other.
Because it started feeling that way. He raked his hand through Cheng Yu's hair, tugging at the small hairs and reminding himself how it felt when he did it to Chi Cheng. Across the dance floor, Chi Cheng crept a hand up to Wang Shuo's throat, giving it a tentative squeeze. SuoWei's mouth flew open and he arched into Cheng Yu as if he was the one being choked by Chi Cheng. Cheng Yu took the opportunity to place open-mouthed kisses down his jaw to his neck and as he craned it, SuoWei mouthed with kiss-swollen lips, "Chi-ge."
Chi Cheng's dark, predatory gaze flickered in a mixture of shock and need. He pulled back from the kiss with Wang Shuo and bit down onto his shoulder. Wang Shuo squirmed, a delighted smile shining underneath the lights and that was enough for SuoWei.
He pulled back from Cheng Yu who blinked in confusion. SuoWei took his hand and led him away from the dance floor towards the bathroom. He felt the strain in his pants and he was sure Cheng Yu was hard as well. He took a chance to look over his shoulder and sure enough, Chi Cheng was watching them through the sea of bodies.
SuoWei turned around, licking his lips.
Chi Cheng needed a push, he believed.
He strolled into the bathroom, spotting an empty stall and shuffling into it with Cheng Yu in tow. After making sure it was secure he dropped to his knees and his hands went to the older's belt buckle.
A large hand clutched onto his and a raspy voice broke through his thoughts."Xiao Wei, wha-what are you doing?"
He cocked his head to the side. "I wanna get you off."
It was true. His own gut swelled with arousal and SuoWei felt the desperate need to get off, but he couldn't bear the touch of someone other than Chi Cheng, so he had to settle for something else. Besides, he did find Cheng Yu attractive and with all the help he had been, SuoWei decided the older man deserved a reward.
Cheng Yu leaned his head back against the stall and let out a chuckle. "Yeah, fuck your rules."
It was enough confirmation for SuoWei to keep going. He was quick to unbuckle the belt and pull down Cheng Yu's pants along with his underwear. His hardened cock sprung free, bumping against his patterned shirt. SuoWei grabbed it, squeezing the reddened erection and watching how pearls of precum dripped from its slit.
He swiped his thumb on the cockhead, collecting the precum and spreading it down to Cheng Yu's balls. The older man groaned, hands clenching and unclenching on his sides. SuoWei opened his mouth, the noise of the club restroom white noise as he imagined it was Chi Cheng's cock he was taking in his mouth despite the differences.
He wrapped his lips around the cockhead and sucked. He watched as the muscles of Cheng Yu's thighs flexed. Filled with satisfaction he licked under the mushroom shaped head and dragged the tongue down a vein noting that Cheng Yu's cock was curved with less veins, but thicker. The latter of which forced SuoWei to widen his mouth as he took more of the length into his mouth. He moaned at the hot, dripping cock in his mouth and finally a hand settled in his hair.
He looked up through his eyelashes, gaze meeting Cheng Yu's hooded eyes. He moaned again, sucking around what he could fit in his mouth.
"Fuck," Cheng Yu breathed out. "Yeah, it looks good, yo-you look good like this, Xiao Wei."
SuoWei wrapped a hand around what he couldn't fit into his mouth yet and squeezed as he bobbed his head. His other hand reached to press against his clothed erection and he jerked at his sensitive cock. He dipped his tongue into the slit of the cockhead, the taste salty, causing Cheng Yu's dick to twitch in his mouth.
Slowly but surely, Cheng Yu rocked his cock into SuoWei's mouth. He breathed through his nose, ignoring the strain of his jaw, and the burn at the back of his throat as more of the cock was being fed to him. The hand in his hair stroked the strands gently while the other went to cup his face, the thumb tracing his puffed out cheeks.
"Fuck, your mouth is so wet. Wanna fuck your throat," moaned Cheng Yu.
SuoWei moaned and drew down his own pants and underwear to wrap a hand around his painful erection. He lurched into the touch, his cock dripping wet and fluttered his eyelashes at Cheng Yu. The older licked his lips as the tip of his cock bumped against SuoWei's throat. The younger swallowed around it drawing another curse from the older. Cheng Yu continued to grind against the sponginess of SuoWei's throat.
The younger began to feel lightheaded at the lack of oxygen, but it only heightened the feel of the heavy cock in his mouth that throbbed whenever he tongued at the veins. His own tugs on his cock quickened while his other hand fondled Cheng Yu's balls. He felt the coil in his gut tighten harshly and he knew he was close. He let out a sob at the next grind to his throat and Cheng Yu pulled back, the tip of his cock smearing spit and precum on SuoWei's lips.
The younger stopped jerking himself off and he whined at both losses. Cheng Yu's thumb wiped at his reddened lips. Lowly, he asked, "Can you take it one go, Xiao Wei."
Head still fuzzy, SuoWei nodded dumbly.
Cheng Yu breathed through his nose and tapped his cock onto SuoWei's lips. "Open."
The younger did as he was told.
"Wider."
He did as he was told.
"Good boy," cooed Cheng Yu, eyes dark. Both hands rested on the back of SuoWei's head as he lined his cock up and thrusted into the wet heat.
The younger chocked as the cockhead bumped into the back of his throat, but he hollowed out his cheeks and sucked it as he pumped himself two, three times before his coil broke and he shook from the pleasure washing over him. His whines thrummed against the cock in his mouth and he heard Cheng Yu curse before the older burst down his throat. Instinctively, SuoWei swallowed the release.
His chest heaved when Cheng Yu finally pulled from his mouth and jerked himself through the throes of his own orgasm. SuoWei had swallowed most of the older's spend, but a few drops still landed on his slackened mouth. Blinking as he came down from his high he licked his lips to clean himself up. They stayed there for a moment, both breathing heavily as they caught their breaths.
Cheng Yu broke the silence with a laugh and slowly the sounds of the club came crawling back. He gently hauled SuoWei to his feet, helped the younger back into his pants after cleaning both of them up and dumping the dirty tissues into the trash.
"You're insane, Xiao Wei," he muttered as he laid a kiss on his forehead.
SuoWei's heart clenched for some unknown reason and he flushed bright red as it dawned on him what he just did and in public nonetheless.
"Yeah, and stupid," he muttered.
Cheng Yu chuckled again knowing he meant that they'll have to face accidental voyeurs. He dropped his head closer to SuoWei and kissed him softly, undeterred by the taste of himself on the younger's mouth. It was soft, almost delicate but sure. When they pulled back, Cheng Yu opened the door and they both stepped out, hand in hand.
There were some jeers, but those were easy to ignore as what truly stopped SuoWei in his tracks was the fact that Wang Shuo and Chi Cheng stood in front of them.
Wang Shuo was grinning widely with humor in his eyes. "Wow, baby gay's first bj. huh?" he teased.
SuoWei said nothing and held onto Cheng Yu's hand tighter. On the other hand, Chi Cheng's face was unreadable, though his eyes narrowed on the corner of SuoWei's mouth prompting him to look at a mirror—somehow he still had some cum on the side of his mouth. He hastily wiped at his mouth as the mortification set in, but he refused to lower his head.
Cheng Yu took that as their cue and pulled him out of the restroom. The music drowned out his mortification and he risked another glance back. Chi Cheng leaned against the doorway of the restroom, gaze narrowed on SuoWei. Wanting to make sure everything was clean SuoWei licked his lips and widened his eyes purposefully.
Chi Cheng's jaw tightened and SuoWei soared in happiness.
The ride back to XiaoShuai's apartment was silent. Cheng Yu's assistant, Li Wang, pretending not to notice the slight awkwardness in the air. Once in front of the building, SuoWei turned to Cheng Yu, spitting out, "Sorry."
The older blinked, eyes still slightly hazy from the alcohol. He furrowed his eyebrows. "What for?"
"For jumping your bones, duh."
Cheng Yu gave him a cheeky smile. "I enjoyed it."
"Still, I… broke my rules."
The older rested a hand on SuoWei's head before ruffling the strands. "Break or don't break them, I don't care Xiao Wei. You lead this however you want."
He pursed his lips, slight guilt clogging up his throat.
Still sensing his inner turmoil, Cheng Yu removed his hand as he sighed. "Look, you were right. I figured out why you're doing this."
Now that caught SuoWei's attention. "Yeah?"
"You want Chi Cheng," he said, voice low as if breathing them louder would get them caught.
SuoWei couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. Shamelessly, he nodded. His heart raced at how handsome Chi Cheng had looked earlier though he would've looked better if the older was choking SuoWei and not Wang Shuo.
"It's going to be hard to deal with Wang Shuo," the older said absentmindedly.
"I can handle him."
Cheng Yu laid his head against the headrest, a laugh tumbling for his lips. "I don't know how to feel about that."
"Two questions."
The older hummed.
"One—you want Chi Cheng to be happy right?"
A nod.
"Two—do you think he's happy with Wang Shuo?"
Cheng Yu sucked his teeth and made a noise of discontent. "He used to be." He cursed under his breath. "Fine, fuck it—I'll keep helping."
SuoWei reached over and hugged him as he let out a cheer. He pulled back with a wide smile and some tension he didn't know he had lifted from his shoulders.
"Thanks, Yu-ge," he beamed.
Cheng Yu ran a hand through his hair as he scoffed a laugh. "Yeah, now get inside and rest."
He nodded brightly and placed a kiss on Cheng Yu's cheek before exiting the car. The older should consider it another gift. He waved Cheng Yu and Li Wang off from the doorway before stepping inside. He made his way up to XiaoShuai's apartment and walked in silently though he noted that the lights were on.
Confused, he walked further into the apartment and saw XiaoShuai hunched over some scattered textbooks as he took notes. Hands on his hips, he asked, "Xiao'er, weekends are for resting. What's this?"
Startled, XiaoShuai looked up, his glasses down the bridge of his nose. "DaWei?"
The younger walked over to the dining table and sat on the chair next to his best friend. He cheekily pushed XiaoShuai's glasses back up and gestured at the textbooks.
His best friend shrugged. "I'm just getting a head start on some of the material for the coming semester."
SuoWei really admired his best friend's diligence. "Ok, but it's 2:30 am. I think sleep is more important right now."
XiaoShuai bit his bottom lip not fully convinced.
So he clasped his hands and batted his eyelashes, the glitter still on his eyelids. "At least a break?"
His best friend sighed. "All right."
SuoWei cheered softly, aware of their neighbors and they soon settled on the couch. XiaoShuai was gently wiping his makeup off as he asked, "How was tonight?"
"Dinner was yummy and we had wine. We then went to the club and had… fun!"
XiaoShuai narrowed his eyes with a knowing smirk. "Fun?"
SuoWei flushed, recalling how he blowed Cheng Yu. "I uh might've given Yu-ge a blowjob."
The hand wiping the glitter off faltered for a moment. XiaoShuai's face flickered with concern. "Did Cheng Yu ask for one?"
He shook his head. Anger stirred within him toward Meng Tao because he knew XiaoShuai was trying to discern if SuoWei had been forced into it.
He reached for XiaoShuai's hand and gave it a squeeze. "I wanted to."
His concern morphed into confusion. "Why?"
And not for the first time, SuoWei wanted to explain everything to XiaoShuai. He wanted his best friend to be involved in his scheming, but he knew it wasn't the right moment, so he settled on, "I just wanted to make him feel good."
It wasn't a lie, at least.
XiaoShuai mulled the answer over, but said nothing. Eventually, his shifu began to dose off, so SuoWei led their nighttime routine. He guided XiaoShuai to his bedroom, bidding him good night but a hand on the hem of his cotton tank top stopped him.
He turned to face XiaoShuai who seemed slightly embarrassed. He cleared his throat. "DaWei, can you sleep with me tonight?"
SuoWei gave him a soft smile, nodding. "Of course, Xiao'er."
So they settled into XiaoShuai's bed. They each laid on their sides facing one another, their hands finding each other in the middle and entwining.
SuoWei built the courage to ask. "You studied because you had another nightmare?"
XiaoShuai gave a jerky nod.
The nightmares didn't happen often as the panic attacks, but when they did, XiaoShuai's sleep suffered. SuoWei went a few days unaware of this issue, but he had discovered it one night as XiaoShuai loudly thrashed against his sheets. Since then, SuoWei did his best to settle the intense feelings that came with the nightmares. He was no expert but he hoped his attention and care could mitigate a more serious incident.
He squeezed the older's hand. "I'm here now, Xiao'er. Let's rest."
And so despite the craziness of the night, the ache in his heart for Chi Cheng, SuoWei slept soundly next to his best friend.
EXTRA:
With SuoWei gone from the table the easy atmosphere fizzled out to something more taut. XiaoShuai didn't want to say or do anything at the fear of it breaking into pieces he couldn't handle, so he simply ate small bites of his food.
He had assumed Cheng Yu would keep the silence as well, so he was taken aback as the older man cleared his throat. "You don't like it?"
XiaoShuai looked down at his dish of Thai boat noodle soup then back up at Cheng Yu and shrugged. "It's fine."
A small smile tugged at his lips. "That's not what I asked."
XiaoShuai swallowed a retort, reminding himself that SuoWei really liked this guy, so he should at least tolerate him enough to have a civil conversation with him.
"It's not bad, just not what I expected," he answered honestly.
Cheng Yu nodded in understanding. "It happens." He then gestured at his own dish—massaman curry. "Want to try this?"
He shook his head. Cheng Yu insisted, his face softening into earnestness. It did something to his heart, but he buried it as quickly as it came, but nonetheless he sighed. "Fine."
Cheng Yu grinned boyishly and prepped a good bite on his spoon before lifting it, ready to place it in XiaoShuai's mouth.
"Not like that," XiaoShuai scolded, his ears reddening. That was the way Cheng Yu and SuoWei had fed each other, the way couples do. Why would Cheng Yu do that for him too?
Cheng Yu cocked his head, spoon still in the air. "But you ate from Xiao Wei this way."
XiaoShuai blinked, mouth slightly agape though he recovered from his shock quickly. "One, that's different and two, fine—feed me."
And Cheng Yu did just that. The spoon slotted into his mouth gently and XiaoShuai swallowed the bite. He widened his eyes at the flavors bursting on his tongue, the spoon now gone from his mouth. He chewed, vary aware that Cheng Yu was watching attentively. When he swallowed he reached for a napkin, but one was handed to him.
"Some of it is here." Cheng Yu gestured at his right upper lip.
Grateful, XiaoShuai inclined his head and wiped at the excess. When done he looked up at the older and gave him a faint smile. "That was better."
Cheng Yu was quick to reach for his noodle soup and he widened his eyes. He tried stopping the switch, but afraid at causing a commotion or worse, dropping the food, his arms fell to his sides.
"Cheng Yu," he groaned. "You didn't need to do that."
The older shrugged as he began to eat the noodle soup. "I wanted to. How else was I going to get to try your dish," he teased. "I doubt you want to feed me."
XiaoShuai sucked in a breath as he felt his ears burn. His heart thumped madly against his chest and he wished SuoWei would hurry up. He breathed out slowly and looked out through the window at the darkening sky, tendrils of sunset were being swallowed. Cheng Yu seemed kind and he didn't want to doubt his kindness. He wanted SuoWei to be treated right and Cheng Yu seemed to be doing a good job at it. But it confused XiaoShuai when that kindness was directed at him.
Was it simply because XiaoShuai was his boyfriend's best friend?
Boyfriends didn't have to get along with best friends. Tolerance seemed the common route, so why was Cheng Yu trying. Did he really care about SuoWei enough to go beyond tolerance with him? Or could it be a method to disarm the best friend then hurt the boyfriend? XiaoShuai shook his head. Wasn't that too much? He bit his lip. But then again his naivety is what made him an easy target for Meng…
A bright voice pulled him from his rumination.
He blinked and realized SuoWei was back at the table.
"DaWei."
He gave XiaoShuai a quick hug. "Thanks for switching dishes with Yu-ge. I didn't know he didn't really like the one he picked."
XiaoShuai's gaze flickered to the older man who simply winked. He swallowed, ears still tingling. "Of course."
He… was fucked.