I mean. You should've seen this one coming kksksks. Fuba for any of the following? "I can't do this" / "Just stay with me" / "You love me, right?". Any other characters/ships/etc : "You are a terrible cook"? :3
<3 So as always, I will be writing them all you greedy gremlin, but let’s start with the first one :D
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“I can’t do this”
Uncharacteristically, Rishan hesitates at the doorstep of the room he’ll be sharing with Tiezui tonight.
It’s not the first time they’re paired off together.
Nor is it the first time there’s only one bed.
In fact, even where there is no room or bed to share, they’ll still usually be resting next to each other.
But it’ll be the first time they share a bed since they’ve kissed each other in a mix of adrenaline and relief at having survived their latest ordeal.
It really shouldn’t change anything between them, but there’s no denying that everything has changed now.
Rishan isn’t naive. He has known for a long time where their relationship was headed. It has always been unavoidable.
But it’s one thing to have the passing thought that if he were to sleep with anyone, he’d choose Tiezui, and quite another to have Fo Ye smiling knowingly before shooing away for the evening with an amused ‘you shouldn’t make Ba Ye wait’ not long after Tiezui has retired for the night.
“Rishan? Are you okay?”
Tiezui’s worried voice prompts him into finally stepping into the room and closing the door behind him, but he freezes again right after, unsure what he’s supposed to be doing now.
Not because he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do. His lack of experience isn’t a lack of knowledge. But he’s just realising that no matter how much he had enjoyed kissing Tiezui earlier this afternoon before remembering they were not alone, no matter how much he wouldn’t mind doing that again, he’s not interested in anything more.
And from everything that he knows, that means there’s something wrong with him.
“Rishan? What’s wrong?” Tiezui is in front of him now, looking him over for a possible injury and Rishan is hit once more by how much he loves this man who so obviously cares for him.
“I can’t do this,” he blurts out before he can stop himself, averting his eyes as he feels himself blushing in shame.
“Do what?” Tiezui asks and Rishan forces himself to meet his gaze.
“I can’t… I can’t sleep with you.”
Tiezui frowns, visibly confused, mouth opened on another question, before it clicks shut as Rishan sees sudden realisation dawn on him.
It’s all happening so fast that of course there’s no way Rishan could have had any expectation as to how Tiezui would have reacted to the revelation. But even if he had had the time to think about it, he’s pretty sure he couldn’t have predicted what happened.
Tiezui simply rolls his eyes before heaving a deep sigh and dragging him in a tight hug.
Anyone else and he would have tensed up at the unexpected physical contact, but it’s Tiezui who has always been a very tactile person whenever his friends are concerned and it’s been months since Rishan has definitely been included in that very select club. It’s second nature now to just accept the comfort, to melt into it and let Tiezui support part of his weight as Rishan presses his face against his shoulder.
“You don’t have to sleep with me. I’m sorry if I ever led you to believe otherwise.”
“Tiezui?” He’s the one confused now. On the one hand, he’s relieved, but on the other, he’s mortified to think he might have been mistaking what’s between them all this time. He tries to push away to look at Tiezui, no matter how awkward he feels, but Tiezui is deceptively strong and it’s easier to just stay in place when he starts playing with his hair gently.
“I don’t want to sleep with you either. Or with anyone else for that matter.”
“Isn’t that… weird?” He sees Tiezui’s wisdom at refusing to let him go from his embrace, since he feels free to ask his question with very minimal embarrassment and doesn’t even feel self-conscious when it elicits a small chuckle from the other man.
“To some, definitely. But as I don’t see how it can possibly affect them, I also don’t care what they think. And it’s not as unusual as one might think.”
There’s a story there, or multiple, but Tiezui doesn’t sound inclined to share tonight and quite frankly, Rishan isn’t inclined to ask either. Not now anyway.
“So you don’t want to sleep with me.”
“Not one bit. Not that I wouldn’t if you wanted to. I simply do not need it.”
They stay like that for some time in silence, swaying slightly. Rishan has no doubt that Tiezui will insist on a longer discussion once they’re back home, but for the time being, it’s more than enough.
Except maybe for one part.
“Do you want to kiss me? Again, I mean.” Because while some of the finer details of the moment have been lost to the adrenaline-fuelled craze, Rishan is certain of one thing and it’s that Tiezui had been kissing back.
He feels more than hear Tiezui’s amused snort before there’s a kiss pressed against his temple. “Definitely. But for now, how about we get to bed? I’m tired.”
Rishan nods in agreement, but doesn’t let go until he’s pressed a kiss of his own against the soft skin of Tiezui’s throat, delighting in the slight hitch it causes in his breath.
