Chapter Text
Guan Shan glanced at the clock hanging on the wall above the door. It read 11:20 and he sighed. His head was a tired mess, eyes still sleepy from not so well slept night, breakfast forgotten as he had overslept and pretty much ran to school to make it on his class. He was so hungry, damn the ten minutes until lunch. He glanced down on his notebook, the pages empty (excluding his drawings) and the talk of the teacher all gibberish to his ears. It didn’t matter that much anyways. Not like he was planning to go to university, he was more interested in working after graduating and making some money. So what the hell would he do with something like… He glanced up, checking the whiteboard. What class was this anyways? He stared at the whiteboard in a moment of confusion, the numbers and weird formulas spinning in his head before he shrugged it off. Yeah, didn’t matter. As long as he would graduate from high school it would all be good. He checked the time again. Really? Nine more minutes to go? Why was the time flowing so damn slowly? He fiddled the pen between his fingers and continued scribbling down the rather poorly drawn sandwich, his mouth watering even at the idea of having something to eat.
“You look like shit,” an amused voice said behind him suddenly. A voice he was way too familiar with.
“I’m not in the mood for any of your bullshit right now,” Guan Shan growled as he made his way through the school corridors, destination the school cafeteria as many of the other students. As expected, girls were starting to gather behind them, fuck, he was definitely not in the mood for this bastard’s company. Why the hell did he even get all the girls in the beginning with? What was so damn good about him?
He Tian let out a small laugh.
“I can guess as much from the look on your face. How about you let me treat you?” he offered.
Guan Shan tried to speed up his pace, get away from He Tian and all of his damn fangirls trying to have a chat with him. Of course they were sticking even closer on a day like this. An arm wound around his shoulders, He Tian leaning on him more than he was comfortable with. He was always so damn clingy, Guan Shan was pretty sure there was no such thing as ‘personal space’ in He Tian’s dictionary.
“If you buy the damn cheese –“ Guan Shan started, hissing through his teeth. If He Tian was going to end up sticking with him through the break and probably use him as an excuse to flee from all the girls, he might as well benefit from it.
“I know, I know,” He Tian cut the redhead short and turned his head slightly towards Guan Shan’s, hot breath brushing the red hairline, “No cheese, I got it already, I’m not that much of an asshole.”
“Like that day will ever come,” Guan Shan muttered, trying his best to lean away from the touch. Couldn’t he get a hint and back off already?
“Watch it, or I might accidentally mistake the labels and you might end up with something you don’t like,” He Tian said, the tune in his voice playful.
The cafeteria was packed, but the lines moved rather smoothly and He Tian arrived to the table with the tray, offering the sandwich and cup of coffee to Guan Shan. The redhead gave him a questioning look.
“You look tired as hell, are you really saying no to the coffee?” He Tian asked, taking a sip from his own and enjoying the slightly bitter taste. “What kept you awake anyways? Jerked off the whole night? Thought of me while at it and it was just too good?”
“Why the fuck you always say gross stuff like that?” Guan Shan groaned. He tore off the wrapping covering the sandwich, feeling his heart beat slightly faster in his chest. It hadn’t been like that! No! But it was all this fucker’s fault. It had all happened yesterday when he had been preparing dinner at He Tian’s apartment. Like always, He Tian had been sitting in the chair next to the dining table, a cigarette burning between his lips, body language arrogant and confident.
“So, what you wanna do tomorrow?” He Tian asked casually, sucking in the smoke and holding the cigarette between his fingers near the ashtray.
“Huh? What do you mean?” Guan Shan asked, confusion turning to suspicion slowly. He glanced over his shoulder at He Tian.
“Well, you are my Valentine after all,” He Tian breathed out together with the smoke, blowing the trail in Guan Shan’s direction, his dark eyes narrowing slightly with his words, "Aren't you, Little Mo?"
“…What?” Guan Shan said, taking the words in. He was what now? Was it Valentine’s Day tomorrow? Be his Valentine as in…?
"Like fuck I am! Go fuck yourself!”
He Tian crushed the cigarette on the ashtray, slight disappointment rising on his face and he sighed, leaning back in the chair. Guan Shan turned to face the kitchen counter. What was with that reaction? And why in the chicken dick did He Tian always say stupid shit like that?
He Tian’s words had kept repeating in his head later when he got home, and actually kept him awake until ungodly hours. Wasn’t it just He Tian’s nature that he was so damn clingy and suggestive and all the other bullshit, it wasn’t like he actually… That he… Right? Fuck. No. He couldn’t say it and he didn’t want to go there. Guan Shan shook his head and he took a big bite of his sandwich, enjoying the taste, not so much of his company. He Tian smiled knowingly at him, taking a mouthful of the curry noodles he had bought for himself. How could a gesture like that be so damn annoying? Guan Shan looked outside the windows next to them, uninterested in scenery, but it was better than looking at He Tian eating. He took another bite, savoring the delicious taste and watching the people pass by the windows. Couples were all over in the school grounds, holding hands, leaning towards each other for small kisses. Of course they were, it was Valentine’s Day after all. The occasional singles mingling in the crowds were an easy spot. Did he look like that too? Guan Shan stole a glance of the man eating next to him, returning his gaze swiftly back to the window. Well… He was definitely single but not alone, so at least there was a chance that he probably didn’t look as lonely as some of the people. It was pretty chilly winter day and people were wearing warm looking coats, puffy scarves wrapped around their necks and gloves in their hands. A group of girls passed by the window and Guan Shan felt goose bumps run on his skin. How and why most of the girls chose to wear those crazily short skirts, showing off their bare legs even in the days when the temperature dropped nearby zero, was something he didn’t understand at all. In his opinion, they were all out of their minds. No matter how much they wanted to look good, wasn’t it a bit too much? Just how the hell did they manage the cold, he didn’t know.
“See someone you like?”
Guan Shan jolted slightly, turning to look at He Tian. He couldn’t read his face, grey eyes piercing and dark behind the few strands of long, black hair. Guan Shan took another bite of his sandwich, glancing down at He Tian’s half eaten meal.
“… What bullshit are you spouting now?” Guan Shan asked warily.
There was a short silence and Guan Shan couldn’t tear his eyes away.
“Oh~ So there is someone, huh?” He Tian grinned teasingly. Guan Shan looked at him smile, He Tian’s white teeth peeking behind his slightly parted lips. That smile definitely didn’t reach his eyes.
“Ha?! Bullshit, no there isn’t!” Guan Shan denied the words right away. “And like fuck it would be any of your damn business anyways,” he mumbled and stuffed the rest of the sandwich in his mouth, mood suddenly gone foul. He could feel He Tian reading his each movement before going back to eating rest of his meal, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Guan Shan glanced at him. What the hell was he now smiling for? He Tian took another mouthful, Guan Shan’s eyes following the long noodles disappearing between his parted lips, sucked in with a slight force, peek of pink tongue appearing between to lick the corner of his mouth. The redhead turned his head away, the realization that he was actually staring at something weird hitting him. He frowned at himself, confusion and annoyance strong in his thoughts as he took the still warm cup in his hands. He leaned back in his hair, taking a few deep gulps of the dark liquid. A distasteful expression rose on his lips and he glanced down in the cup on his hand.
“What the..? This is sweet as hell, couldn’t you get just plain coffee?” he started, the sweetness of the chocolate sticking on his tongue. Definitely not his taste.
“Well, chocolate does go with Valentine’s Day, you know…”
“Just what does that have to do –“ Guan Shan looked at him, disbelief slowly rising on his features and words trailing off as he looked down in the liquid. Fucking chocolate…
“If I didn’t know you any better, I’d think there actually is someone you like.”
“Fuck, you’re so…” Guan Shan groaned, words still lost and he felt his pulse grew faster. He put the cup down on the table. He shouldn’t have drunk it. How did he let himself be swept in one of He Tian’s games yet again. Did he just… Really give him that? He Tian? Fuck, his brain hurt.
“Amazing? Good looking? Attractive?”
“Fuck you,” Guan Shan shot flipping him off, ready to leave this exhausting conversation behind. He stood up from his chair, the chocolate spiced coffee half finished in his mug. There was no way he was going to drink the rest of it.
“Hey, wait up, I’m not done with you!”
“Too fucking bad.”
“Is that how you talk to someone who just treated you a meal?”
He Tian picked up the tray and took it away, trying his best to escape the unwanted attention he was getting from the girls walking up to him, pushing their chocolates and feelings on him. Fucking Valentine’s Day. He caught up with Guan Shan outside the cafeteria. It was sunny, but the weather was absolutely freezing. He Tian could feel the cold breeze dig under his clothes, small chills travelling on his back.
“Uh, the meal… Thanks,” Guan Shan said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck as they walked on the school grounds, quickly adding, “Only for the sandwich!”
He Tian took a moment to process the words and looked at him astonished. He grabbed him in a headlock, ruffling the red hair teasingly.
“What are you so shy for, little Mo?”
“Fuck! Get off asshole! It’s fucking cold, I wanna get back to class!”
“That’s why I’m trying to warm you up,” He Tian breathed out in a low voice, their hot breaths turning into small trails of steam between them. He Tian’s hand was warm against his neck and there was a moment of something Guan Shan couldn’t describe. He Tian’s eyes went slowly down and up on his lips, before locking with his brown eyes. Guan Shan felt his mouth go dry, suppressing the need to wet his lips. He Tian was just fucking with him, right? Like always?
“Fuck, it really is cold,” He Tian said suddenly, releasing his hold on the redhead and turning to walk towards the school building. Lost in the moment, Guan Shan looked at He Tian’s retreating back. Was it just his imagination? But, then again… Why would his mind play tricks like that on him? Make up something like that and, on top of it, with He Tian? It wasn’t long before that shit eating grin turned to look back at him.
“What are you spacing out for? Let’s get out of this freezing coldness.”
Guan Shan scowled. He started walking lazily, pushing his hands deep in his pockets, not liking where his trail of thoughts were leading him. Fuck. It was probably, definitely…
“Hey, let’s drop by the arcade after school, I want to beat your ass again in the game we played before.”
Guan Shan rolled his eyes. And there he went again, just because he lost that one time.
“That was only once. You know the one who’s getting their ass kicked is you.”
“Oh~ I accept that challenge, little Mo. Loser’s going to cook dinner?”
Guan Shan looked at him face full of disbelief and terror.
“Like fuck I’m letting you in the kitchen, we’ll both end up dying of food poisoning.”
He Tian laughed and Guan Shan felt his breath stop at his brightening features. Fuck, he wanted it to go away. It wasn’t okay for his heart to flutter like this.
“Yeah, probably. So what does the winner get?”
Sharp eyes turned to look at him, stealing another glance of his lips and Guan Shan averted his gaze. Fuck.
“Or… Should we make it a punishment game? A power to command the other?”
Guan Shan turned his eyes back on He Tian, gulping at the heated gaze he was met with. He knew he was going to regret his next words later on. He spoke them anyway.
“I'm not gonna lose.”