Old Pine
for aideshou's 3rd challenge.
Title: Old Pine
Author: SilkeKim
Pairing/Members: Tao/Kris
Rating: nc-17
Genre: au, romance, atmospheric, sliiight angst
Word count: 1.150
Prompt: the picture
Tao walked through his family’s garden with a bucket of apples in each hand, when he saw Kris spying at him from the other side of the fence.
He tried not to let his excitement show on his face, ignoring the other boy completely instead while walking up to the house. He put the buckets next to the staircase leading up to the main entrance, then turned around and sent Kris his most disarming smile.
Kris immediately returned it.
Tao’s walking was more like little jumps all the way over to Kris, who tapped him friendly on the shoulder. “Took you long enough,” he told him mockingly.
“I had to finish my duties,” Tao answered with an apologetic bow, sweat on his brow after a day of hard work. “What have you been doing today?” he asked the older boy.
“Studying,” Kris sighed. “Wanna get going?”
“I’ll race you there!” Tao laughed and raced of, Kris staring after him for just a few seconds in amazement before he started running too.
They ran through the small village together like young, wild boys do, as fast as they possibly could, with no worries, the wind running through their hair, accelerating as the descended the hill on which they lived.
An auntie was yelling at them to behave themselves, but no one really cared, not even the auntie herself; for boys that age, it was healthy to run into the wild after school or duties, everyone agreed; 'Let boys be boys'.
They made it out of the small village and Kris grabbed Tao's hand, interlacing their fingers.
Tao smiled shyly, while Kris tried his best to keep up with the younger's tempo which kept increasing.
By the time they made it to the forest, the sun was almost setting, giving an orange glow to the trees. It made the sky look like it was afire. The sight would always remind him of Kris after this summer, where they had spent almost every day together like this.
It was beautiful.
On the other side of the woods, at Mr. Kim's grain field, Tao finally fell over, struggling to breathe, pulling down Kris with him, laughing loudly as he did.
The knee-tall grain covered them completely when they were like this, lying at the ground.
Tao knew by now, because they had been doing this all summer. He still gasped for air when Kris kissed him, passionately and out of breath.
"I want to stay this way with you forever." Tao said, tenderly wiping off sweat from Kris’s lower lip.
"I know," Kris answered. Neither of the two wanted to state that it was impossible.
Instead Tao spread his legs, making way for Kris, who pushed in between them firmly, claiming what was his.
Easily, he pulled off Tao’s sweatpants, which he always wore for the hard work at the farm.
The hard work was evident in other aspects as well; like how rough the skin on Kris’s lover’s hands were, and how well defined his muscles were despite his young age.
Tao stared up at Kris, Goosebumps spreading over his body as the older interlaced their fingers once more, rough against the soft hands of a rich scholar.
Their breathing became shallow, but only Tao moaned out loud as Kris entered him.
Panting, Kris leaned down to kiss him, muffling the sound.
“Shh, honey. If anyone finds us, I raped you, remember?”
Tao nodded, tears glistening in his eyes from the shame and pain, though Kris by far made it worth everything.
From above the sun still shone down on them, though it wouldn’t be more than an hour or two, before even the late midsummer sun was gone.
The late heat it gave of made them even sweatier, and gave Kris’ back a dark-skinned tone he wouldn’t usually have had.
Tao yelled out Kris’s name as he came, and for once Kris didn’t care.
The grain straws glowed around them, shutting out the world, making it seem like no one else but the two of them existed.
"I want to be allowed to go to heaven, when I die. I can't, because of you." Tao looked at the exhausted boy next to him, curious to see if he would feel guilt.
"Everyone wants to go to heaven, but only few wants to die." Kris answered, seemingly unaware of the shame he had brought into the younger boys life.
Tao didn’t say anything, so Kris explained; " I think it’s because we somehow still prefer earth to heaven."
"I would rather be on earth with you…" Tao agreed thoughtfully.
"But you would rather be at home with your parents, than be with me." Kris counteracted.
"I never said that."
"You never have to make that decision. I'm leaving for the army next month." The words were said carelessly, though Kris had planned out exactly how to say them. He didn’t want to make it any more difficult for Tao than it already was.
"What? No! Don't leave me!"
“It was really only a matter of time. It’s safer this way, trust me.”
"But I need you here! I.. I'll tell them you're gay.” Tao sat up straight, staring down angrily at his lover, threatening in a low voice; “I'll tell them how we fucked all night, and they'll discharge you with dishonor."
"You won't.” Kris answered, sitting up too, but refusing to meet Tao’s stare.
“Because you secretly want to get rid of me. Of the feeling of guilt every time you've been with me, of your mother’s condescending look and of the shame you think you've brought to you family, even though they don’t even know what we’re doing out here."
Tao looked at him in pure surprise, mouth hanging open, not knowing what to answer.
"We both know it’s the truth.” Kris stood up, reaching a hand down to Tao, to help him up. “Come on baby, we gotta get back before it gets dark this time."
After the unwanted news of Kris leaving for the army, Tao’s mind would wander for long times, making him relieved that most of his time was spent herding his family’s sheep, which was a trouble-free task most of the time.
The week crawled by and though the two boys kept meeting, Tao would always have that look; as if he in his mind were somewhere far away, making a difficult decision. They simultaneously grew sadder and sadder, and when Kris said his goodbyes to the family, he had expected Tao there, only to be disappointed.
He arrived at the military area by train with hundreds of other men.
As he was standing in line for picking up his new stuff, he spied a familiar face in a different row, making his heart jump with happiness.
Tao turned around, making eye contact with Kris for the first time in a month. For a moment they just stood there, staring at each other.
Then Kris smirked, sent him a flirtatious wink, and moved on in the line.
a/n: I just thought the pairing was perfect for what I had in mind.
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