Work Text:
Shen Yuan is glowering down at his phone when Binghe returns.
“I’m back, Yuan-ge!” he calls from the entrance way.
“Ah, Binghe…!” He sighs, shoving it back down into his pocket. Stupid no-good goddamn Airplane. But Binghe is here, and Binghe always makes things better.
“I got that soap you wanted.” Binghe is sorting through groceries onto the table, organised as ever. “And – look!”
He grins, holding up two mugs displaying Mickey and Minnie Mouse dressed up in festive attire.
“Now we can match!”
Shen Yuan smiles despite himself, patting his dear friend’s head in approval. (Honestly speaking, this stuff really isn’t his style at all… but Binghe’s the one who does all the tea and coffee – as well as, y’know, pretty much everything to do with food and drink in this apartment – so he’s more than happy to cede this ground.)
(...as if he doesn’t give Binghe pretty much anything he wants, anyway, he admits.)
“Very good. Ah, which would you prefer…?”
Binghe shrugs. “Either’s fine. But really, next time Yuan-ge should come with me! It’s so pretty out there right now – you can really tell that Christmas is coming, Yuan-ge!”
“So what, Binghe?” Shen Yuan snorts, plucking up the soap to take to the bathroom; Binghe won’t allow him to so much as step foot in the pantry, so he can at least take care of this! “It’s not as if either of us have anyone to spend it with.”
Unlike that damn Airplane… His brow knits just thinking about it. How many years had they gotten together on Christmas Eve to play video games and moan about annoying normies shoving their dog food in everyone else’s faces?! And now, just days out, he’s been dropped like a hot potato for some seven-foot asshole with pectorals as large as couch cushions. Disgusting.
Binghe hums, following to watch him from the doorway with a tilted head. “Did something happen? Is Yuan-ge not spending Christmas Eve with his friend this year?”
“Apparently not,” Shen Yuan sighs. “He’s betrayed me. Gotten himself a date instead.”
Honestly: what happened to shut-in solidarity?!
“How cruel.” Binghe pouts, even as something flashes in his eyes. “Doesn’t he know that Yuan-ge is more important than anyone else in the world?”
Shen Yuan huffs, shoulders untensing as he heads back into the kitchen. “All right, all right. I suppose I’m being just a little melodramatic…”
“Not at all! I couldn’t imagine ever cancelling plans with Yuan-ge.”
“Well, if you had a date, you probably should…” Shen Yuan admits in a mumble. “You haven’t gotten one, have you? I just assumed so a moment ago, but—”
Binghe shakes his head firmly. “I don’t.”
Shen Yuan sighs again; what kind of world is this where Shang Qinghua can get a date but someone as perfect and gorgeous as Luo Binghe can’t?!
“So, um…” Binghe murmurs, eyes flicking back as he places groceries into the cupboards. “I guess that means that Yuan-ge and I are both free that evening…”
Shen Yuan lights up immediately. “Oh – was Binghe thinking of taking Airplane’s place and having a bro night with me? That sounds really fun, actually!” Not that he and Binghe don’t spend most nights together, anyway – they’re practically living together, at this point, what with how shitty Binghe’s own apartment is – but it makes something warm bloom in his chest to think that Binghe wanted to keep him company on such a big night.
“Sure – of course!” Binghe beams. “Perhaps we could even make a day of it? I could show you all those gorgeous decorations I saw on the street! Maybe we could even go ice skating!”
“Oh, uh.” Shen Yuan pauses, surprised. “To be honest, I was just thinking we’d play games or watch movies or whatever…” But when Binghe’s eyelashes flutter a little in disappointment, Shen Yuan shakes his head. “But – sure. If that’s what Binghe wants to do, we can do it.”
Once again, Shen Yuan finds himself looking at Binghe through his eyelashes, but this time, his pretty pink lips are curled into a coy smile. “Yuan-ge really is the best. I’m already looking forward to it…!”
It’s a little hard to think for a moment, caught up once again in his confusion as to how nobody else had snatched up Binghe for good just yet.
For Binghe to be so pleased just to be spending a couple’s holiday like that with Shen Yuan… he really is the best friend anyone could ever ask for!
*
> I’m here, Yuan-ge! （。＾▽＾）
Shen Yuan smiles down at his phone, already up and heading to the door. He’d been a little nervous about today, honestly – he really wasn’t in the mood to depress himself slumming around with his guy friend while lovey-dovey couples clung to one another all around him – but now that the day had come, he found himself happy he’d agreed to it. It was good for him to get out of the house now and then, and no matter what they did together, he never regretted any time he spent with Binghe. The boy is both very knowledgeable about Shen Yuan’s interests and extremely sensitive to his moods; knowing him, they’ll probably just spend an hour or so in a bookstore and grab some bubble tea to go.
Once he opens the door, however, he stares. And then stares some more.
Binghe smiles demurely, pristine dark curls bouncing prettily as he tilts his head. “Is Yuan-ge ready to go?”
“Uh,” Shen Yuan says eloquently.
Doesn’t he say it more than anyone that Binghe is absolutely gorgeous and far out of his league (friend-wise, he means)? And yet, right now Shen Yuan can’t help but conclude that even he has been understating the matter. In those tight jeans and festively red top and that black leather jacket – even that choker drawing attention to his slim neck and collarbone, or the sideswept hair with one lock pulled up on the left in a bright red ribbon…
And – Binghe isn’t wearing make-up, is he?! Surely those endlessly long eyelashes couldn’t be natural?! Or that shade to his lips, even redder and softer-looking than usual…
Isn’t he incredibly overdressed just for a day out with a friend?!
Shen Yuan struggles for words; luckily, Binghe doesn’t appear unhappy at all about the delay. In fact, under Shen Yuan’s gaze he appears to brighten even further, lips twisting and eyes twinkling so brilliantly that Shen Yuan is forced to glance away, pink-cheeked.
“Does Yuan-ge like Binghe’s outfit…?”
“It’s,” Shen Yuan mumbles around a cough. Ah, it’s weirdly embarrassing to be so outdone like this… his cheeks are burning!! “It’s, ah, Binghe looks…”
He trails off, unable to come up with anything strong enough that wouldn’t sound incredibly weird and kinda gay.
“B-but-” Shen Yuan continues in a fluster, trying to shake himself out of it, “I-I didn’t realise we were dressing up. Should I…?”
Binghe’s eyes widen even further. “So long as Yuan-ge is comfortable, Binghe is happy as well! But… if Yuan-ge wanted to make himself a little more special…”
Shen Yuan wavers, uncertain, before nodding. “I’ll – just be a moment.”
He hurries back to his room, still unusually warm. Ahh, Binghe: what exactly do you have planned for the day, ah…?!
It takes longer than he’d prefer to search through his wardrobe. Unfortunately, he doesn’t really have a whole lot of clothing dressier than ‘sit around the house’ without being the hyper formal stuff he wears to family dinners out. Eventually he settles for a clean pair of jeans (they shrunk in the wash a little, but perhaps tight styles like Binghe’s are in…?) and a green sweater. If he can’t be stylish, he can at least be seasonally appropriate.
His mind flashes back to the Mickey and Minnie mugs all of a sudden. Could he and Binghe be said to be matching again?
Rolling his eyes, he banishes that thought, almost crashing into Binghe as he leaves.
“Oh! Yuan-ge!”
“Yes, ah, almost done, just…” He awkwardly steps past, scanning the room. “Should I comb my hair a little…?”
Binghe hums. One hand settles lightly on his back, and then another onto his head, fingers sifting through and settling the flyaway strands. Binghe’s breath is warm against his neck.
“...perfect,” Binghe whispers. Shen Yuan shivers.
“Ah… good.” Shen Yuan coughs a little, shifting away. Normally he enjoys his friend’s clinginess, but tonight he feels a little… strangely jumpy. Not in a bad way, but…
Binghe looks him up and down, eyes dark. “Definitely perfect.”
“Good.” Binghe didn’t notice that little stain near the hem of the sweater, then! That’s a relief. “Well, then. I suppose Binghe ought to lead the way…!”
Binghe’s gaze lingers for one further moment before he nods, expression turning to a more familiar friendly smile.
“Don’t forget to grab your phone before we leave, Yuan-ge!”
Shen Yuan darts back into his room to snatch it up from where he’d dropped it while changing and returns cheeks ablaze once more. “Thank you, Binghe.” He forces a laugh. “What would I do without you?”
Binghe merely beams.
*
Binghe had not, in fact, planned out a quick commonplace trip to the bookstore.
Over the course of several hours, Shen Yuan finds himself tugged through the sorts of scenes he’d mostly only ever seen before in movies: bustling thoroughfares decorated to the nines in red and green, cosy little coffee shops selling hot chocolate spiced with orange and cinnamon, and – yes – Binghe does in fact manage to get him onto the ice skating ring. Barely.
Weirdly, his trepidation mostly fades once they get out there on the ice and he learns that this is apparently one other of those rare activities Luo Binghe isn’t immediately perfect at; it’s hard to feel too embarrassed at his own clumsiness when Binghe himself is clinging to him for dear life the entire time. At one point, he slips with such force he accidentally pushes Shen Yuan down onto the ice beneath him; he apologises so much and so earnestly afterwards that he treats the child to an apple cider to cheer him up once they leave shortly after.
“I really am sorry…” Binghe murmurs, lips pressed tight. When he shivers this time, Shen Yuan realises that it’s not just out of embarrassment.
“Are you cold? Should we go inside?”
Binghe brightens immediately, radiating gratitude. “It’s all right! I just think this jacket isn’t as warm as it looked… But so long as I can keep close to Yuan-ge, I’ll be all right!”
Shen Yuan certainly doesn’t mind that, but it does sound a little obstructive to actually walking. “I’ll try to stick close, but is there anywhere warmer you wanted to see, too? Ah – wasn’t there something in the mall you wanted to show me?”
And that’s how Binghe manages to drag Shen Yuan along to one of his least favourite activities: shopping. Clothes shopping, to be precise.
“Oh, Yuan-ge! It looks amazing!” Binghe is already clapping when Shen Yuan leaves the dressing room, his eyes quickly roving all over the fit of the shirt he’d urged him to try on.
“Does it…?” Shen Yuan tries not to wince; he doesn’t want to make Binghe feel self-conscious about his suggestions!! “It’s very… tight. I’m not sure that’s quite as flattering on someone as skinny and bony as me…”
Binghe’s eyes flash. “Exactly the opposite – the shirt really shows off Yuan-ge’s delicate waist!”
‘Delicate’ is one word for it… he thinks. It’s hard not to sneak a glance at Binghe’s own midriff, lean and firm with hidden muscle. He should know – he has a tendency to want to lie on Binghe’s lap when he gets drunk, and more than once has fallen asleep there. The lap of the gods, his brain reminds him unhelpfully.
He eventually manages to put a stop to this fashion parade (not that he minds it so much when it’s Binghe dressing up…) with promises of present-buying and dutifully heads off towards the accessories section. He hadn’t really had anything planned beyond the traditional apples, but Binghe had hinted at one point that he had something for him, so Shen Yuan ought to at least try to find something appropriate. Seeing as he’d mentioned being cold, he’d thought a scarf might be nice? But as he peruses the options, he can’t help but feel entirely lost…
“Hello there, sir! Are you looking for something?”
“Ah, yes.” Shen Yuan tries to subtly tilt his head back towards Binghe’s location towards the front of the store. “I’m looking to buy a present, but I’m not entirely sure what would be best…”
“Certainly!” The girl beams, then glances back and forth between the two. “Oh, you’re matching! That’s so cute! Maybe you could get him something green, so you can match even further?”
“Ah…” Shen Yuan clears his throat, somehow feelings as though a misunderstanding has occurred but unwilling to voice it. “Yes, that… that sounds good, I think.”
While his purchase is rung up, he glances back again to see Binghe chatting animatedly to another employee. The lady is stylish and good-looking with bright red lips, and it’s no wonder at all that his friend has attracted this type of feminine attention on a night like this, but Shen Yuan just feels a little… irritated.
“Here you go, sir! And a merry Christmas to you and your date!”
Shen Yuan nods absently, striding back towards his friend with slightly unnecessary quickness.
“Yuan-ge!” Binghe chirps immediately, and just for once, it’s Shen Yuan who sidles in close, arm reaching out to curl around Binghe’s shoulder before hesitating and settling a little awkwardly on his back.
“So…! Are you ready to head on?” he asks, eyes flitting between the store lady and Binghe.
It causes something in his stomach to prick a little noticing how happy Binghe looks; had he really enjoyed his brief flirtation so much?! If Shen Yuan were a better man, he’d let go here and now and give Binghe his opportunity to score… but wasn’t the whole point of this meet-up to help Shen Yuan get over his singledom-induced loneliness?!
“I’m ready if you are, Yuan-ge!”
With a quick little wave at the store lady – who actually doesn’t seem too upset to see them go? – they head back out.
“So – where next, Binghe?”
Binghe’s eyes glitter. “If you’re not feeling too tired? I thought, um, that it’s getting close to dinnertime…I made a reservation just in case, so if you were starting to get a little hungry…”
Shen Yuan blinks. “A reservation…? You didn’t want to cook?”
“Oh!” Binghe’s jaw drops. “No, no, I just – I thought that if I cooked, I’d have to stay in the kitchen a long time and it’d be nicer to spend that time talking with Yuan-ge just this once… and it’s something we wouldn’t normally be able to do…”
His eyelashes start to flutter uneasily. “But, if Yuan-ge really had his heart set on my cooking-”
Shen Yuan shakes his head, reaching up to rustle Binghe’s hair. “It’s fine. It’s not as though you’re my personal chef or anything like that! If you want the night off, that’s perfectly fine. Christmas Eve is a perfect time for it!”
“I do have some drinks planned,” Binghe murmurs, and Shen Yuan shivers immediately at the thought of what deliciousness that might entail.
“Then I’m sure I’ll be able to brave one night of no Binghe cooking,” he promises, flashing a grin.
Binghe fairly melts in response.
It all makes perfect sense – and he truly doesn’t want to start taking Binghe’s willingness to cook for granted – but when they step into the restaurant Binghe had chosen, it’s… kinda fancy?! Not super expensive or anything – not that Shen Yuan wouldn’t happily pay for any standard of fare Binghe wished to enjoy – but just, well…
Very… romantic.
He’s flushing when they settle into their seats. He should have seen this coming, after all: it’s Christmas Eve! They’ve been surrounded by couples all day! It’s just, up until now he felt like they were just part of a crowd; here, anyone could look over and see them together and think…
“Yuan-ge?” Binghe murmurs, and Shen Yuan’s heart races even further.
“A-ah, yes…?”
Binghe’s hand reaches over to press against his own where it lies against the poinsettia-decorated tabletop. “You seem a little nervous…”
Shen Yuan almost chokes. “I-is it really warm in here?! I’m feeling a bit, um…” he mumbles, eyes darting around.
“You can take off your sweater if you’d prefer?”
“Right, right…!”
For at least one minute straight he struggles getting that thing up off his arms and head; nothing about the experience makes him feel any less stiflingly uneasy.
When at last his head breaks free and he can breathe properly again, he does feel a little better. Binghe’s eyes roam over, as though checking for any further sign of illness, and Shen Yuan forces a smile.
“All good! Probably.”
Ah, but it really is a powerful thing when Binghe leans over and smiles up at you like that…! Out of everyone in the world, how is it that he’s the one who gets to sit opposite him this evening?
Despite his unnameable tension and self-consciousness… that really does make him happy.
Binghe could be out on a hot date with any girl he wanted. That he would pass up a chance to get laid just to share tonight with his old friend surely must mean that Shen Yuan is at least a little special, right?
“All good?” Binghe murmurs huskily.
Shen Yuan nods, stomach flipping in affection. “All good.”
Honestly, Shen Yuan would have expected the awkwardness to continue: it takes a strong man to go out on such a romantic-coded evening with a bro of his, and Shen Yuan is just too easily preoccupied with other people not to overthink it!! But Binghe’s undivided attention is just that incredibly distracting. How could he care about anyone else around him when the sweetest and most beautiful man in the world sits directly before him?
Though it is very cute how he pouts whenever he thinks Shen Yuan’s attention has been stolen away elsewhere, so he may pretend just a little here and there. Look: Binghe teases him all the time, okay?! It’s no fair if he can’t do it back at least a little!!
“The tree is very well decorated!” He says, grinning internally at the way Binghe’s eyes narrow in suspicion. “It’s hard to look away from it.”
“Isn’t there something else Yuan-ge would rather be looking at right now…?”
Shen Yuan fights back a laugh. Ah, his sticky little sheep…! What a pair they must look, somebody like him with a guy as gorgeous and perfect as Binghe?
“Yuan-ge is teasing me…”
Finally averting his gaze, Shen Yuan chuckles, reaching out to ruffle Binghe’s flawless curls. As always, no matter how much Shen Yuan tousles them, they always fall with a perfect sort of messy grace around his pretty little face.
“Binghe knows perfectly well that he’ll always be the most radiant thing in any room,” he says.
And as usual, even though Shen Yuan is merely stating an obvious fact, Binghe beams.
They eat their dinner, and then Binghe is even up for ordering dessert. It’s obviously not going to be as good as what Binghe can make, and it truly isn’t (even if it’s still pretty nice; Shen Yuan is just spoiled, okay?!), but his reasoning becomes clear the moment Binghe fills his spoon and holds it aloft into the air.
“Say ahh, Yuan-ge…!”
Shen Yuan flushes. This is definitely revenge for all that teasing earlier, right…?!
“Um…”
Binghe’s eyes are dark, eyelashes a fluttering veil. “Yuan-ge’s still hungry, isn’t he…?”
No, no: he can’t do it! He doesn’t have the face for it!! Quickly, he takes up his own spoon and eats some of the pudding himself. “Mm! Very good!”
But Binghe doesn’t let up. His hand remains steady, eyes boring through him. “Yuan-ge doesn’t want Binghe to feed him…?”
“A-ahh, well…” Shen Yuan glances around. He already knew it, but: this place really is filled with couples!! Nobody’s looking at them right now, but… Shen Yuan’s looking!! Shen Yuan knows what he’s doing!!!
Binghe’s eyelashes flutter, but it’s because his gaze is shifting downwards. “We’ve done so many things together today, on Christmas Eve, but Yuan-ge is still holding back…”
“Wait, wait.” Shen Yuan waves his hands a little, startled. “I-I mean, we’ve been hanging out, sure, but…”
And then he realises. Everything they’ve done together… hasn’t it been basically a date?!
All at once, Shen Yuan’s heart feels so full it could burst. For weeks now he’s been complaining about this time of the year and all the lovey-dovey couples that take over the place shoving their PDA into everyone else’s faces, and then even his (second) best friend had abandoned him for couplesville after all their years bemoaning the holiday and making fun of the normies together…
Was Binghe really going to this great of a length to ensure Shen Yuan didn’t feel lonely? So that he, too, could get a taste of what it feels like to have the true Christmas Eve couple’s experience?!
It’s so obvious, now, in retrospect!! The ice skating, the clinging to his arm, the almost-flirting… Binghe really was just that thoroughly, deeply concerned about Shen Yuan feeling lonely!! They’re both straight, obviously, but Binghe is simply that kind of a person: one who would move heaven and earth for the sake of making his friends happy!
Given all that, how could Shen Yuan possibly sit here and reject his kind offer right at the climax of the night?!
Shen Yuan braces himself and, in one swift motion, leans forward to eat up the pudding from Binghe’s spoon. (He may or may not clang his teeth against it in the process, but that’s not important.)
“Mm!” he says, face flaming, when it’s done. “S’good!”
The pleased shock Binghe expresses a moment later makes it all worth it.
“P-please, Yuan-ge – eat as much as you like!” he says quickly, filling his spoon up again.
Shen Yuan’s chest aches a little; he should have known that indulging this little sheep the one time would have him coming back again and again for more!! But this is all a symbol of Binghe’s selfless kindness, and so Shen Yuan hardens his heart and eats from Binghe’s spoon until it’s all gone.
Just once, he takes a break from this embarrassment by filling his own spoon for Binghe.
The way that boy closes his pink lips over the metal, licking it clean without ever breaking eye contact through those lashes…
Sh-Shen Yuan is straight! But! He’s also a virgin, and – and given the whole atmosphere, well… it’s understandable to get a bit confused for a second, okay?!
(He sends a prayer to the gods that he’d thought to try this a good time before they finish their meal and have to stand up and leave…)
Nevertheless, his skin is buzzing again while they head home. In the dark, Binghe is colder than ever – Shen Yuan can feel him physically trembling up against him!! – so they press up as close as possible while they walk back to the apartment.
Waiting for traffic, Binghe leans his head against Shen Yuan’s shoulder and sighs.
“...I really enjoyed tonight, Yuan-ge.”
Maybe Shen Yuan really is confused, because each warm breath against his neck is making him shiver almost as much as Binghe is. Ahh, this whole day really has been too much like a hot date… His body is expecting something else at the end of it…!
“J-just tonight?” he finally responds, knocking his head against Binghe’s in a friendly manner.
Binghe chuckles, fingers curling in Shen Yuan’s sweater. “The whole day. Everything. I really… really love that we got to share this, Yuan-ge.”
Shen Yuan’s stomach does another flip. This can’t also be part of the ‘date experience,’ right…? Well, ah, the tone of voice leans a little that way, but the sentiment isn’t unusual for them at all!
Then again, Binghe just has that kind of a voice naturally. All smooth and high-low and breathy, even when he’s not doing it on purpose… In other words, instinctively seductive!!
He really is so blessed a guy like him wants to be friends with Shen Yuan at all.
“...me too,” he finally mumbles. It’s nothing but the truth.
In the moment before the pedestrian light blinks on, Binghe’s fingers curl ever tighter.
Binghe doesn’t speak again after that – not down the streets, not into the apartment building, not up the elevator. He stays clinging close, even inside. Shen Yuan doesn’t complain. Binghe’s always been a pretty physically affectionate guy. And deep down, Shen Yuan also tends to feel a little sad whenever Binghe heads back to his own apartment and he doesn’t get to feel his arms around him anymore.
It’s not like Binghe has to leave once they get back, though, right? He sleeps over pretty often already. And seeing as it’s already late…
Shen Yuan is busy imagining that – thinking about how nice it is to wake to Binghe’s cooking, getting to see him bright and early and still in his pajamas like nobody else gets to – when they reach the door and Binghe stops.
“Oh…! Yuan-ge…”
“Hm?”
Binghe is looking up. Above the doorframe hangs a little sprig of green leaves and white berries.
His brain freezes.
Binghe ducks his head coyly. “Someone must have… wanted to decorate the hallway a little.”
Okay, yeah, and like, that sounds perfectly reasonable given the holiday and all…
But mistletoe?!?
Binghe’s still clinging to him, now face to face. Shen Yuan’s heart is fluttering like a goddamn hummingbird.
He’s waiting for Shen Yuan to speak, but Shen Yuan just… doesn’t know what to say! Fully!! Because – okay, okay, maybe it’s not so weird for there to be mistletoe here, actually?! Because if any two people are returning to their place at this time of the night on Christmas Eve, then… haven’t they already pretty much proclaimed to the world that they’re up for kissing?!
Is Binghe getting even closer?!
“Yuan-ge…” he whispers. Their noses are almost touching. They’re going to kiss. It’s inevitable. It’s basically already happening.
“This–” he finally blurts out, a little too loudly. “This is – because Binghe doesn’t want me to feel lonely, right? Getting the – the Christmas Eve experience?”
Binghe pauses for a moment. Even this close – or perhaps especially this close, given how he can no longer see his whole face at one glance – it’s impossible to tell his expression.
“...of course, Yuan-ge,” Binghe whispers a moment later.
Right. Good!! Relief washes through Shen Yuan. So, it’s okay, then. Kind of weird, but, it’s Binghe, so he can get away with being weird sometimes, and Shen Yuan is only letting him do what he already wants to do –
And then Binghe is kissing him.
It’s hard to breathe.
Binghe is going slowly; is not moving at all, in fact. Their lips are pressing together, warm but stiff. It’s not Shen Yuan’s first kiss, but in some way it sort of feels like it is.
Minutely, Shen Yuan relaxes. Binghe follows.
Binghe moves first, running his hands up Shen Yuan’s arms to his biceps. Shen Yuan sighs a little, enjoying the touch, and Binghe grunts a little. Instinctively, Shen Yuan pulls back just enough to kiss Binghe properly, head tilted to avoid their noses bumping, and Binghe repeats the actions eagerly a moment later, peppering quick kisses against Shen Yuan’s mouth.
Honestly? For a world-class ladykiller, he actually kisses pretty innocently, like a fourteen-year-old who isn’t super sure of what they’re doing! It’s… shockingly endearing.
Warmth pools in Shen Yuan’s stomach, and he tentatively places his hands at Binghe’s sides.
Binghe jumps a little, and Shen Yuan worries for a microsecond that he’s taking it too far and making things awkward, but then Binghe’s arms fling over Shen Yuan’s shoulders and around his neck as Binghe presses them chest-to-chest. He’s still pecking at Shen Yuan’s lips, though his breathing is getting heavier, and now and then there’s a bump of teeth as though he’s trying to deepen the kiss but his tongue isn’t working properly.
When the teeth catch against Shen Yuan’s lower lip, he unintentionally moans.
Binghe tries to pull Shen Yuan even closer and ends up stumbling back against the wall, caught between it and Shen Yuan. He bites at Shen Yuan again and again, too hard, and Shen Yuan hisses, but the flashes of pain don’t in any way lessen the thrumming of his blood in his veins.
He shifts a little, trying to move around Binghe’s wallet pressing sharply into his hip, and opens his mouth a bit more. Why is Binghe still just biting him? Where is the tongue? The thought brings back sense memory of the spoon from earlier – the vibrations running up the handle to Shen Yuan’s fingers as Binghe had licked it clean – and Shen Yuan gasps, uncomfortably warm for at least the second time tonight.
Has Binghe’s wallet always been this big?! It doesn’t look like it when he’s holding it…
Fuck it: frustrated and too intoxicated by all the physical contact to care anymore, Shen Yuan takes the initiative to thrust his tongue forwards into Binghe’s mouth. Binghe moans immediately, a naturally erotic sound that has Shen Yuan struggling to contain himself as well. He almost regrets it momentarily, his trousers tight and suddenly worried that Binghe will feel him and misunderstand, but then Binghe is twisting his tongue against Shen Yuan as well and, okay, maybe they can just do this for a little longer, actually.
They kiss for longer than Shen Yuan has ever kissed anyone, by quite a long way. One of Binghe’s hands shifts into his hair and curls, black nails digging pleasantly into his scalp. Shen Yuan’s own hands have fallen a little to his hips, thumbs digging into Binghe’s pelvic bones for stability.
He certainly feels like he needs stability, right now. If not for the wall behind Binghe he’s not sure they’d still both be standing.
Which would be a problem, because Shen Yuan wants to literally never stop doing this, ever.
They kiss and kiss, tongues swirling too quickly and awkwardly for Binghe’s usual careless elegance, but knowing that this is just another side of him that maybe Shen Yuan only has ever seen has him clutching at him even tighter. Binghe wouldn’t do this with just any of his friends, right? Shen Yuan had thought earlier that this whole ‘date’ was a symbol of his friend’s faultless loyalty, but that was just stupid. Binghe doesn’t care about anyone as much as he does Shen Yuan. This is his present only.
Binghe’s panting gradually grows more rapid. He bites at Shen Yuan’s lip again and, feeling bold, Shen Yuan returns the action; the moan Binghe lets out in response is almost pornographic. Shen Yuan holds himself still, abruptly terrified of inadvertently letting out something he wouldn’t be able to take back.
...though if he didn’t know any better, from the little shifts of Binghe’s hips beneath his hands, he’d think he might not be the only one restraining himself.
...ah. Shen Yuan… really is confused right now, isn’t he?
He pulls back wetly, a string of saliva connecting his mouth from Binghe’s. Binghe’s eyes flutter just far open enough for Shen Yuan to tell that his pupils are impossible dilated, his cheeks flushed to a level Shen Yuan has certainly never seen them get from exercising before. It’s enough to make him want to go full head empty and dive right back in, but there’s something screaming in the back of his head and it’s getting increasingly difficult to ignore it.
“We should…” He swallows, voice hoarse. “Probably – head inside.”
Binghe clings tighter around his neck, refusing to allow him to pull back, but nods rapidly.
“Yes, yes, Yuan-ge, we should, I want to…”
It’s not the easiest thing in the world to open the door when he can only barely see out of the corner of his eye. After a minute of fumbling Binghe sighs reluctantly and shifts to cling to Shen Yuan’s side instead, pressing breathless kisses against Shen Yuan’s neck.
To be honest… he’d sort of thought that going inside would mean an end to the kissing. They’ve already satisfied the mistletoe, right?
He doesn’t say anything, though, as his shaking hands finally get the key to turn and the door pulls open.
He doesn’t look, either.
(He’s already seen Binghe’s dick before, anyway. On accident, when he was showering. He knows how big it is.)
Inside, he lets Binghe steer him towards the couch and push him down onto it, a mere second of disconnection before Binghe clambers onto his lap over him. Immediately, Binghe’s hand is at his crown twisting his head so he can thrust his tongue deep into Shen Yuan’s mouth. Shen Yuan returns his hands to Binghe’s hips, holding him in place as Binghe squirms and shifts into position.
Shen Yuan grunts, low and deep; all that movement on his lap is really… not helping the present situation!! Without thinking, he reaches a hand up to pull back on Binghe’s hair to part their lips, but in his fumbling tugs too hard and sets Binghe hissing.
“Oh, Yuan-ge, do that again,” he slurs out, almost drunkenly, held away and free to talk.
This is… this is going too far, isn’t it?! Binghe sounds like he’s… He’s really…
No longer connected to his conscious brain, Shen Yuan’s hand tugs again. Binghe fully grinds his hips down into Shen Yuan’s, flooding Shen Yuan’s system with startled pleasure.
With all this pressure against his dick – it’s only natural he’d be pretty aroused, right?! At this point, it’d be weirder if he wasn’t?!
Shit shit shit – he can’t think about that all right now, not consciously. Because if he thinks about it he’ll have to stop, because this is super fucking weird and he doesn’t want to do something that would probably change his relationship with Binghe forever, but he also really, really wants to keep going.
He’s so fucking close to coming, here and now.
“Yuan-ge,” Binghe murmurs into his mouth, voice hitching. “Yuan-ge. Yuan-ge. You feel good, right?”
Shen Yuan grunts. This is too far. He really, really should stop this. He is actually going to fucking come in like two minutes unless Binghe gets up off him right now.
But when his fingers tighten at Binghe’s hips – Binghe’s ass – Binghe only presses down further, grinding himself against Shen Yuan like he’s just as desperate.
Though...would it – would it be mean, to end things now? When Binghe is… feeling so good? When he’s about to get off?
He’d be frustrated otherwise, right? What a way to end Christmas Eve, with blue balls! Even if things were never supposed to end up like this – even if they’d just gotten carried away with the kissing, because they’re both lonely and they’d spent all day acting like a couple and gotten into a weird kind of mood…
Yeah, Shen Yuan thinks, and nods to himself, and flattens his hand over Binghe’s ass to grind him down into his lap.
“Oh fuck,” Binghe squeaks, hand trembling in Shen Yuan’s hair. He kisses Shen Yuan wetly, off-centre, his breaths coming out like he’s hyperventilating. Something Shen Yuan will probably do later once this is over!
But for now, fuck it!!
He pulls Binghe down into him over and over, fingers curling over that perfect curve he’s been trying not to stare at all day in those tight jeans. Binghe gets a hand under his sweater and shirt, pawing at his chest and stomach inelegantly. Their clothed dicks rub over and over, never quite enough friction, until Shen Yuan feels like he’s going crazy with want.
Binghe breaks first. His hips begin to stutter out of rhythm, crying out, and when Shen Yuan pulls him away by the hair at the sudden sound it shifts into a full, long, deep moan as he shudders through an orgasm right over Shen Yuan’s lap.
It is by far the hottest fucking thing Shen Yuan has ever seen in his life.
He scrambles clumsily for his fly, just barely getting his stupid tight jeans open when Binghe collects himself enough to lift himself into a kneel, straddling one of Shen Yuan’s thighs. Binghe’s own thigh is a blissful replacement and he offers no complaint as Shen Yuan grinds his wet-spotted briefs against him, groaning immediately at the added leverage he’s offered.
“That’s good, Yuan-ge. Keep going. You’re almost there.”
Shen Yuan has surely never been redder in his life. Binghe’s voice almost cuts through the haze of arousal, sending him flinching back in recognition of what he’s doing, but instead it does the opposite, Shen Yuan’s balls tightening impossibly as arousal pulses through him.
He rubs off like a teenager against Binghe’s thigh, arms wrapped around his chest, drooling onto his collarbone. After all they’ve done, it takes only a handful of thrusts before Shen Yuan, too, at last reaches his peak, clutching tightly to the warm, familiar body above him as his body explodes in white-hot pleasure.
When he at last falls back onto the couch, the first thing he notices is that he’s gotten Binghe’s thigh a little damp, too.
He’s still panting. It’s kind of not stopping, actually. He might have been spot-on about the hyperventilation.
“...Yuan-ge?” Binghe settles down a bit as well, loosening his grip on Shen Yuan’s hair to lightly run his fingers through it. It’s such a familiar comforting movement that Shen Yuan’s brain short-circuits for the second time in a minute, unable to process these two sensations that were never supposed to happen together.
He’s still reeling. His voice will probably come back any moment now.
Binghe sighs a little, shakily. His head falls to Shen Yuan’s, lips in his hair, and Shen Yuan wants to kiss him again.
“...was that okay, Yuan-ge? I… I really hope you enjoyed it.”
Shen Yuan burns with embarrassment. Isn’t it incredibly obvious how – how he just reacted…?!
He grunts a little. “Mm.” What else is he supposed to say?!
Because, whenever anything like this happens – not that they’ve ever done anything like this before, but, but sometimes things do get a little weird, now and then, because Binghe is so stupidly good-looking and perfect and they’re such close friends and Binghe takes really good care of him – well, Binghe always manages to smooth everything out and make things okay again. No matter what they do, at the end of it all Binghe smiles and says he’s glad and Shen Yuan can’t find it in himself to panic anymore, because so what if outsiders would get the wrong impression so long as his cutest little sheep in all the world is happy?
This… might be beyond even Binghe’s capabilities, however.
Or at least, that might be what Binghe is thinking, judging by his sudden shivering.
“I… I really wanted to keep Yuan-ge company today,” he starts saying, too fast. “I know – I know he often talks about all the couples, and, wanting to have that experience, so I put a lot of effort into it… though maybe it would’ve been better to just stay here like normal. I’m sorry if I pushed too far…”
Shen Yuan swallows thickly. His sheep had done so much for him… and now, the fear in his voice is palpable.
“We don’t – I mean, this can just be for the one time, if Yuan-ge wants. That’s okay! It’s my fault things got so out of hand… I got too carried away, um, wanting to given Yuan-ge a good Christmas… Yuan-ge doesn’t have to say anything. It’s all right.”
With effort, Shen Yuan finds his voice. He touches Binghe comfortingly, with affection – the easiest place, at his side. “Binghe.”
“Or…” Binghe’s voice is getting very high now. Shen Yuan’s chest tightens even further. He’d know that sound anywhere, from any distance: how delicate does that maiden get, when he worries that Shen Yuan doesn’t care for him as much as he does? How many times has Shen Yuan seen this worry, these tears, when he’d gotten the impression that Shen Yuan might someday leave him?
Shen Yuan never wants to leave him. He never wants Binghe to cry.
“Or… or if Yuan-ge enjoyed it, then, um…” He hears a sniffle against his hair, and doesn’t even care if Binghe drips onto him. “Maybe… I could look after him for other holidays… or – or when Yuan-ge is getting lonely…”
“Binghe.”
Shen Yuan doesn’t know what he wants to say. He just wants Binghe not to feel sad anymore.
“...Yuan-ge?”
Shen Yuan strokes at Binghe’s side. His shirt’s gotten rucked up a bit, uncovered by the open jacket. His skin is very warm. Shen Yuan likes touching it.
“Binghe…” Shen Yuan says slowly, feeling out the words as they leave him. “Wants to… do that again?”
The sound Binghe makes isn’t immediately interpretable. Shen Yuan gives him time.
After a moment, Binghe buries his face into fully Shen Yuan’s hair. He can feel him blinking; the wetness pooling at his temple.
“...maybe.”
Shen Yuan nods, more confidently than he feels. “Then we can do it again.”
Binghe’s grip tightens and then loosens. “Yuan-ge… doesn’t need to force himself.”
It’s hard not to let out a self-deprecating chuckle at that. “Ah, I’m pretty sure Binghe’s the one who’d be getting the short end of the stick there.”
Now Binghe really does grip at him more tightly, even as he pulls away enough to glare at him. “That’s not true. I really…”
He swallows; it’s as loud as a gunshot against Shen Yuan’s ear in the quiet room.
“I really… like Yuan-ge a lot.”
Shen Yuan’s stomach flips. That’s not – a confession, by any means. But it sort of sounds like one. And he… sort of wouldn’t mind at all if it was.
How could anyone not be honored to be loved by Luo Binghe?
“...sounds good,” Shen Yuan murmurs, ultimately. “I care a lot about Binghe, too, so. Sounds like a deal.”
“We can – do this again?” Binghe asks, voice high again.
“Mm.”
“And… kiss?”
Ah – why does that sound almost more embarrassing…?!
But Shen Yuan nods again, because it still doesn’t sound like such a trial, really. Exactly the opposite! So.
Binghe murmurs a little – some happy, wordless hum. A part of Shen Yuan relaxes, at long last.
So long as Binghe is happy, nothing in the world can be going too badly.
“...Yuan-ge doesn’t need to push himself,” Binghe says again, and he too starts to loosen. He shifts, lowering until he’s sitting beside Shen Yuan on the couch, though he’s still shy enough to duck his head onto his shoulder and hide his face.
Shen Yuan raises a hand to ruffle his hair. Binghe squeaks again, just a little, and then tentatively takes Shen Yuan’s hand.
“I’m not pushing myself,” Shen Yuan says, which – isn’t really entirely true?? His chest is still racing like he’s running a marathon. He’s trying very very hard not to think too deeply about any of this, or he thinks he’ll straight-up explode. But for now, Binghe’s happiness is more important to him than anything else.
And, he doesn’t think he’s getting himself into anything he couldn’t handle – not really. He could definitely do this with Binghe again. And kissing him. He could see himself doing those things for sure – every day, even.
Binghe groans a little, curling his arms around Shen Yuan’s waist in a hug. “Yuan-ge is too kind…”
Shen Yuan scoffs. “Who’s the one saying that, ah? As if I’m not the one lucky enough to have Binghe taking care of me every day.”
Binghe sniffs again. “Yuan-ge…”
He ruffles his hair. And Binghe leans into it more than even usual, like a cat, so Shen Yuan leaves it there.
“...this is nice,” he says after a moment. Binghe shuffles closer.
And that’s when he remembers that they’re both kind of… maybe due for a change of clothing sometime soon.
“...um. Binghe…?”
Binghe stiffens. “Yes?”
Shen Yuan huffs a little. Ay, this is so embarrassing… but, it’s not like Binghe isn’t just as badly off…!! “Did you… or, um, I’d be happy to lend you, ah, some pajama pants, if you’d like to…”
Binghe squeezes almost tight enough to hurt. “Y-yes! Yuan-ge, I’d love to!” he chirps, once more Shen Yuan’s excitable little puppy.
But then Binghe pauses. And then, after a moment, he presses a brief peck against Shen Yuan’s cheek.
He pulls back slowly, awaiting Shen Yuan’s reaction.
And… well!! That’s definitely not, like, not weird…
But it also makes him feel all warm and soft inside! And if Binghe wants to, then… what’s the problem, really?!
“...okay,” he breathes, skin tingling where Binghe had kissed. Ah, he kind of wants to kiss him again for real… But!! Important business, first, at least!!! “Sounds like a plan.”
Binghe clings to him all the way to the bedroom. He must really have been uncomfortable because the second Shen Yuan hands him his baggiest track pants he starts unbuttoning his jeans before Shen Yuan’s even turned away! And then laughs at Shen Yuan’s flustered reaction, teasing him that it’s okay to peek, as if that’s something Shen Yuan would ever do!!
Binghe doesn’t want to let go of Shen Yuan once they’re dressed (heck, he probably would’ve stayed clinging to Shen Yuan even then if Shen Yuan had even one tenth of the face for it…!) but he also insists on making those drinks he’d promise earlier, so he keeps Binghe company in the kitchen while he heats up the hot chocolate and measures out the Bailey’s. Shen Yuan ducks out only momentarily to snatch up the present he’d bought earlier; Binghe cries a little when he unwraps it, and they share their second-ever proper kiss.
From there they return to the couch and start up some romcom Binghe recommended. His sheep curls up in Shen Yuan’s arms, impossibly warm and comfy. It’s almost something like the way he’d actually expected to spend the night… but with Binghe there, softly stroking Shen Yuan’s palm, he doesn’t even want to roast all the corny cliches like he would have done with Airplane.
Even when it’s still and quiet, TV light winking on the matching mugs stood together on the table, Shen Yuan feels nothing but content.
And if they end up missing the end of the movie due to mutual distraction… that’s something for just the two of them to know.
*
Shen Yuan wakes up with arms around his stomach and panic in his chest.
What the fuck had he agreed to, exactly, the day before…?! He’s not sure which promise is the more unbelievable, but either way, none of that is in any way normal between two straight male friends!!!
Not wanting to wake Binghe (definitely because it would be rude and not because he has no fucking clue what he would say to him if Binghe started talking right now, what the shit), Shen Yuan instead takes up his phone. If he can get all this out of his head, maybe he can just… power through it…
There’s a message from Airplane. A photo.
That smug motherfucker sent him a photo of him cuddled up with his boyfriend on Christmas Eve when he thought Shen Yuan would be sitting at home all alone and miserable!!!
Shen Yuan glares down at it with the hatred of a thousand suns. And then, after only a moment’s hesitation, stretches out his arm and finds the right angle.
Binghe snuffles adorably against his back. “Yuan-ge…?”
“Say cheese, Binghe.”
His sheep’s smile in the resulting photo might just be the most beautiful thing Shen Yuan has ever seen.
And if Shen Yuan taps the little heart next to that photo once it’s been sent off to make Airplane fume… If Shen Yuan stares at it for just a little too long afterwards…
That can be just between the two of them, too.