over aches
Title: over aches
Pairing: Tao/Kyungsoo
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,276
A/N: Team Cheese Drabble #1: Tao tries to convince Kyungsoo that just because Kai left doesn't mean life is over.
He’s in Beijing when Luhan calls. To be precise, he’s in the airport. Zitao is scrolling through his phone as a coordi noona preps him when Luhan’s name flashes on the screen.
“Have you ever considered checking up on us every now and then?” Luhan’s voice sounds cheerful and light, just like his personality, but Zitao doesn't miss the hint of pain laced within his words.
“The movie-”
“Yeah, yeah. We all know. Huang Zitao is promoting his new movie and EXO is carrying on without him. At least you’re not in a kung fu film this time. God knows everyone got tired of that after the first thirty times.”
Zitao chuckles. He grimaces when the coordi pinches him, urging him to stay still as she fixes his eyeliner. “I should be heading back in a month or so. Do we have a new concept this time or are we still wolf-hybrid schoolboys? I don’t think I can pretend to be seventeen for much longer.”
“Please, you never looked younger than twenty-five,” Luhan snorts. There’s a pause, a small sigh, before he speaks again. “Look, Zitao. We need to talk.”
“Isn't that what we’re doing?”
“Don’t be a smartass. I’m serious.”
“Ge, I’m actually kind of busy so if I could call you back-”
“Jongin is leaving.”
He freezes. Ignoring the coordi’s questioning looks, Zitao abruptly stands up and motions to his manager. “We’re leaving right now.”
“There’s still a mob of fans outside so we have to-”
“No, not out there,” Zitao cuts him off. “We’re going to Korea.”
His manager stutters incredulously, face turning red as he tries to talk some sense into him. But Zitao won’t have any of it, waving the exasperated man away as he goes back to his phone.
“I can hear manager ge having a heart attack from here,” Luhan says dryly. “Did you do something stupid again?”
“I’m coming back,” Zitao replies. He grabs his bags and tugs the coordi back towards the terminals. “If we catch the next flight, I can be there in six hours.”
“What about your schedules?”
“Schedules can wait.” Zitao grunts when he see the long immigration line. “Goddammit. Why did this have to happen now.”
“We all knew Jongin would leave sooner than later,” Luhan sighs. “I didn’t realize this would affect you so much.”
Zitao stops. He clenches his phone tightly, a dull pain spreading in his chest. “It’s not about Jongin. It was never about him.”
Luhan laughs softly. “Still Kyungsoo, huh?”
Zitao doesn’t reply. The pain has spread to a slow throb, a familiar feeling that crawls down his throat and settles deep in his stomach. “Always.”
“You’re a very stupid dìdi, you know that?” Luhan says. Zitao thinks he can hear the smile in his ge’s voice. “See you in six hours.”
---
Impromptu flights mean empty terminals, which mean shorter travel times. Zitao breezes past immigration, past the long exit terminal, and straight to the waiting van where he’s struck with sudden stillness as they wait in traffic. His legs bounce restlessly, his fingertips tracing idle patterns and unspoken words on his jeans, as he watches cars crawl along the roads.
Three years. It had been three years since Zitao had last spoken to Kyungsoo alone. Not since that night.
Hyung. Look at me.
Closing his eyes, Zitao lets his mind wander back to their younger years. Back when they were on the rise of stardom, when the glamour of lights and cameras were everything they had ever dreamed of. Back when Zitao would trail after Kyungsoo because the world, however beautiful it was, was still a scary place, and he needed someone who could soothe his fears. Back when ‘hanging out’ meant shopping excursions to Hongdae and Zitao would buy every coloured shirt there was for Kyungsoo, when Zitao would browse for hours online shopping for stuffed penguins to place on Kyungsoo’s pillow. Back when clasped hands, long hugs, and shared beds were allowed.
Hyung. I need to tell you something.
Zitao opens his eyes to see Gangnam’s skyline in the distance. He stretches, working out a crick in his neck, and prepares himself for what’s to come.
---
“Four hours and thirty-nine minutes. Impressive.”
Zitao toes off his shoes, carefully avoiding Jongin’s eyes as he steps into the dorm. The place still smells of laundry detergent and herbal spices- just like Kyungsoo. Zitao inhales deeply.
“Did Luhan hyung tell you I was coming?”
“No. But I figured you would run your ass back here.” Jongin grins. He walks to Zitao, motioning to the younger. “I'd ask for a hug, but I feel like there’s someone else who needs it more.”
Zitao’s eyes immediately flicker to the back of the apartment, third door on the right where a Pororo sticker marks the doorknob. He bites his lip, feet already moving in that direction.
“I’m sorry, you know,” Jongin says. Zitao pauses, eyes still focused on the door even as he turns back to other. “But I’m not worried. Not with you here.”
“I doubt that.”
Jongin laughs. He claps Zitao on the shoulder before heading for the front door. “We’ve all missed you, Tao. Especially Kyungsoo.”
---
Three years ago, Zitao had told Kyungsoo he loved him. It was after their third worldwide tour, right after the London concert when they were crowded in a back alley pub and beers were thrown back faster than anyone could count. In between Chanyeol’s loud laughs and Joonmyun’s slurred "I-am-leader" speeches, Zitao grabbed Kyungsoo by the arm and tugged him outside.
Hyung. I need to tell you something.
The thing was, Zitao knew exactly what he was getting himself into. He knew what Jongin meant to Kyungsoo; he knew what soulmates and complicated bonds between friends who are not dating but not quite platonic meant. And yet, despite knowing this all, Zitao found himself standing outside on a freezing January night, in the middle of a dirty alley, in goddamn London, staring into the depths of Kyungsoo’s beautiful, beautiful eyes.
Hyung.
Even after all these years, Zitao still doesn’t know why he expected anything else. Perhaps because he’s selfish and some part of him hoped that he could have all of Kyungsoo’s heart.
Hyung. I love you.
---
Zitao knocks on the door- five short knocks followed by another three- before he nudges it open. He carefully peers into the darkness, where he can barely make out a huddled figure on the bed. The room is cold, Zitao’s breaths coming out in small, white clouds as he musters the courage to walk in.
There’s a small hiccup, a soft hitch and a choked breath, and that’s all it takes. Zitao immediately steps in, toeing the door shut, as he feels his way through the room. When his hands touch the soft bed sheets, he pauses before moving under the blankets to join Kyungsoo. Without a word, Zitao covers them both, opening his arms to let that small, trembling figure tumble into his heart again.
Just like that. Three years of growing distance, avoided gazes, cautious conversations were all gone as soon as Zitao tightened his grasp on Kyungsoo.
“Hyung,” he whispered.
He felt Kyungsoo twitch and then shift in his arms. Even in their closeness, Zitao could barely make out Kyungsoo’s face but oh, his eyes still shined so brightly in the darkness. Zitao was brought back to that night three years ago. Only this time, he knew what to say.
“Hyung. I’m here.”
Because after all this time, it’s still Kyungsoo.
Pairing: Tao/Kyungsoo
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1,276
A/N: Team Cheese Drabble #1: Tao tries to convince Kyungsoo that just because Kai left doesn't mean life is over.
He’s in Beijing when Luhan calls. To be precise, he’s in the airport. Zitao is scrolling through his phone as a coordi noona preps him when Luhan’s name flashes on the screen.
“Have you ever considered checking up on us every now and then?” Luhan’s voice sounds cheerful and light, just like his personality, but Zitao doesn't miss the hint of pain laced within his words.
“The movie-”
“Yeah, yeah. We all know. Huang Zitao is promoting his new movie and EXO is carrying on without him. At least you’re not in a kung fu film this time. God knows everyone got tired of that after the first thirty times.”
Zitao chuckles. He grimaces when the coordi pinches him, urging him to stay still as she fixes his eyeliner. “I should be heading back in a month or so. Do we have a new concept this time or are we still wolf-hybrid schoolboys? I don’t think I can pretend to be seventeen for much longer.”
“Please, you never looked younger than twenty-five,” Luhan snorts. There’s a pause, a small sigh, before he speaks again. “Look, Zitao. We need to talk.”
“Isn't that what we’re doing?”
“Don’t be a smartass. I’m serious.”
“Ge, I’m actually kind of busy so if I could call you back-”
“Jongin is leaving.”
He freezes. Ignoring the coordi’s questioning looks, Zitao abruptly stands up and motions to his manager. “We’re leaving right now.”
“There’s still a mob of fans outside so we have to-”
“No, not out there,” Zitao cuts him off. “We’re going to Korea.”
His manager stutters incredulously, face turning red as he tries to talk some sense into him. But Zitao won’t have any of it, waving the exasperated man away as he goes back to his phone.
“I can hear manager ge having a heart attack from here,” Luhan says dryly. “Did you do something stupid again?”
“I’m coming back,” Zitao replies. He grabs his bags and tugs the coordi back towards the terminals. “If we catch the next flight, I can be there in six hours.”
“What about your schedules?”
“Schedules can wait.” Zitao grunts when he see the long immigration line. “Goddammit. Why did this have to happen now.”
“We all knew Jongin would leave sooner than later,” Luhan sighs. “I didn’t realize this would affect you so much.”
Zitao stops. He clenches his phone tightly, a dull pain spreading in his chest. “It’s not about Jongin. It was never about him.”
Luhan laughs softly. “Still Kyungsoo, huh?”
Zitao doesn’t reply. The pain has spread to a slow throb, a familiar feeling that crawls down his throat and settles deep in his stomach. “Always.”
“You’re a very stupid dìdi, you know that?” Luhan says. Zitao thinks he can hear the smile in his ge’s voice. “See you in six hours.”
---
Impromptu flights mean empty terminals, which mean shorter travel times. Zitao breezes past immigration, past the long exit terminal, and straight to the waiting van where he’s struck with sudden stillness as they wait in traffic. His legs bounce restlessly, his fingertips tracing idle patterns and unspoken words on his jeans, as he watches cars crawl along the roads.
Three years. It had been three years since Zitao had last spoken to Kyungsoo alone. Not since that night.
Hyung. Look at me.
Closing his eyes, Zitao lets his mind wander back to their younger years. Back when they were on the rise of stardom, when the glamour of lights and cameras were everything they had ever dreamed of. Back when Zitao would trail after Kyungsoo because the world, however beautiful it was, was still a scary place, and he needed someone who could soothe his fears. Back when ‘hanging out’ meant shopping excursions to Hongdae and Zitao would buy every coloured shirt there was for Kyungsoo, when Zitao would browse for hours online shopping for stuffed penguins to place on Kyungsoo’s pillow. Back when clasped hands, long hugs, and shared beds were allowed.
Hyung. I need to tell you something.
Zitao opens his eyes to see Gangnam’s skyline in the distance. He stretches, working out a crick in his neck, and prepares himself for what’s to come.
---
“Four hours and thirty-nine minutes. Impressive.”
Zitao toes off his shoes, carefully avoiding Jongin’s eyes as he steps into the dorm. The place still smells of laundry detergent and herbal spices- just like Kyungsoo. Zitao inhales deeply.
“Did Luhan hyung tell you I was coming?”
“No. But I figured you would run your ass back here.” Jongin grins. He walks to Zitao, motioning to the younger. “I'd ask for a hug, but I feel like there’s someone else who needs it more.”
Zitao’s eyes immediately flicker to the back of the apartment, third door on the right where a Pororo sticker marks the doorknob. He bites his lip, feet already moving in that direction.
“I’m sorry, you know,” Jongin says. Zitao pauses, eyes still focused on the door even as he turns back to other. “But I’m not worried. Not with you here.”
“I doubt that.”
Jongin laughs. He claps Zitao on the shoulder before heading for the front door. “We’ve all missed you, Tao. Especially Kyungsoo.”
---
Three years ago, Zitao had told Kyungsoo he loved him. It was after their third worldwide tour, right after the London concert when they were crowded in a back alley pub and beers were thrown back faster than anyone could count. In between Chanyeol’s loud laughs and Joonmyun’s slurred "I-am-leader" speeches, Zitao grabbed Kyungsoo by the arm and tugged him outside.
Hyung. I need to tell you something.
The thing was, Zitao knew exactly what he was getting himself into. He knew what Jongin meant to Kyungsoo; he knew what soulmates and complicated bonds between friends who are not dating but not quite platonic meant. And yet, despite knowing this all, Zitao found himself standing outside on a freezing January night, in the middle of a dirty alley, in goddamn London, staring into the depths of Kyungsoo’s beautiful, beautiful eyes.
Hyung.
Even after all these years, Zitao still doesn’t know why he expected anything else. Perhaps because he’s selfish and some part of him hoped that he could have all of Kyungsoo’s heart.
Hyung. I love you.
---
Zitao knocks on the door- five short knocks followed by another three- before he nudges it open. He carefully peers into the darkness, where he can barely make out a huddled figure on the bed. The room is cold, Zitao’s breaths coming out in small, white clouds as he musters the courage to walk in.
There’s a small hiccup, a soft hitch and a choked breath, and that’s all it takes. Zitao immediately steps in, toeing the door shut, as he feels his way through the room. When his hands touch the soft bed sheets, he pauses before moving under the blankets to join Kyungsoo. Without a word, Zitao covers them both, opening his arms to let that small, trembling figure tumble into his heart again.
Just like that. Three years of growing distance, avoided gazes, cautious conversations were all gone as soon as Zitao tightened his grasp on Kyungsoo.
“Hyung,” he whispered.
He felt Kyungsoo twitch and then shift in his arms. Even in their closeness, Zitao could barely make out Kyungsoo’s face but oh, his eyes still shined so brightly in the darkness. Zitao was brought back to that night three years ago. Only this time, he knew what to say.
“Hyung. I’m here.”
Because after all this time, it’s still Kyungsoo.