Winter Wind (YiZhan)

10. Prey

Private.

But now...

"Fuck," he shudders and grips the comforter.

How is he to resolve this now? What is he to say? There is no doubt that Yibo is just as confounded as he is, especially since he has now been abandoned in the living room.

Damage control! He thinks and forces himself to sit upright.

He stares straight ahead without seeing a thing, and wonders about the trajectory that his life is taking. Boycotted and turning gay? All in the same year? What the fuck is happening?

He looks at the shut door and ponders on what to do next.

Damage control, the phrase repeats in his head but he doesn't know what to do in response because he is the one causing the damage here, and also the one who is severely out of control. With a sigh, he thinks of his phone and is so grateful when he finds it in the pocket of his pants. He immediately checks to see if Yibo has left him any message because this is for certain the only way they will be communicating with each other henceforth.

He finds nothing, and Xiao Zhan is somewhat grateful. Yibo has also not come to his room to check up on him, and he is also grateful for this. He needs a while- a long while to process what he has just done.

And to think that he had the gall to include that slimy conclusion.

" There. I've done something that requires an apology too. Now we're even."

Are they?

And will they ever be?

What exactly has Yibo done wrong besides confessing his attraction to him. He on the other hand had nearly molested him.

Damage control, the words come to him again so he pulls up their chat room.

Then he takes a deep breath and types.

"I lost my mind back there, I'm sorry. I think it was the wine haha. I need to sleep. I've been too exhausted of late. Please see yourself out, or sleep over if you wish. The guest room is clean and you know where everything is. Forgive me."

He reads the text message over, and clicks send.

Then he shuts the phone off and crawls underneath the covers.

>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<

To his surprise, he immediately falls asleep.

The adrenaline and alcohol did indeed take their toll so when he opens his eyes again, he meets that the sun has long risen.

Disoriented, he sits up, rubbing his eyes, and slowly it all starts to come back to him.

Yibo, the name rings out in his head and heart and he immediately jumps to his feet. Just before he reaches the door, however, something else occurs to him so he turns around and heads back to retrieve his phone. His hands are somewhat shaky as he turns the device on, and then he has to sit on the bed so that his legs do not give out from underneath him.

It is the morning after and he is still just as shaken. What is this boy doing to him?

He is immensely sullen as the phone comes on, and as expected there are messages waiting for him.

He is almost afraid to open them, but is aware that he cannot delay any further.

Yibo's chatroom is first priority so he opens that, and reads the first message.

"We're even. Don't apologize again."

An hour later.

"I'll stay over. It's too late to head back."

And then nothing.

He checks the time and sees that it is almost 9 am, and this is fucking late. There is no way that Yibo is still here. But it is a Sunday so perhaps he still is?

Xiao Zhan wants to text him to confirm, but his thumbs suddenly know what caution is so he cannot get them to work.

Eventually, he rises to his feet, goes to the bathroom to wash his face, and reminds himself that he is a grown fucking man.

How he will be able to continue living however with his head held up, knowing that he kissed Yibo and fled is an entirely different conundrum. The first step to resolving this however is to step out of his room and face Yibo.

So he goes to the door, takes a deep breath, and unlocks it. Then he strolls out to the hallway, casually, and hopefully confidently. The guest room is on the opposite side of the apartment, however, he doesn't go to it. He arrives at the kitchen and looks around.

First of all, the broken vase has been cleared up and everything else put back in its place.

And there is no sign of Yibo.

There is however something new that catches his eye.

It is a take-out bag in the middle of the island counter. So he heads over and meets that it contains scallion pancakes.

He smiles, but it is a sad one and he knows why.

For all his cowardice, he was wishing that Yibo was still here. That he could see him, even though he is quite likely to flee again.

Because God only knows when next he would be able to.

Afterwards, he finds a note in the boy's less than savory handwriting, placed underneath the bag.

It reads:

Ge,

I don't know how to cook so here's your breakfast.I have to go back to Beijing today. I have an event scheduled for thsi evening.I read the script on the leather recliner. I couldn't sleep. It was unopened. Hope you don't mind. I loved it. It seems like something you will enjoy. I hope you don't turn it down.

Yibo.

There is nothing about the kiss.

Absolutely no mention of it. Almost as if it didn't happen.

Xiao Zhan takes his first easy breath of the day, and it is only afterwards that he realizes how dangerous this relief is too because it appears that Yibo understands him more than Xiao Zhan has ever realized before.

Yibo had given him space the previous night. He had refrained from blasting him with messages or knocking on his door to demand an audience.

He had simply left, like the wind, and ensured to feed him before he did.

Shit.

Xiao Zhan runs a hand through his hair.

He feels like prey.

Willing, and susceptible prey.