Chapter Text
That evening, they decided to have a picnic on the roof of He Tian’s building. It wasn’t open access, but the lock proofed ineffective against two mafia-trained rule-breakers planning to impress their old flames with romantic scenery.
“How is this different from looking outside your huge-ass window?” grunted Guan Shan as he walked through the door onto a big terrace and immediately realized just how different it was to look all around the city tinted in sunset shades.
“You can feel the wind in your hair up here,” said He Tian. He closed his eyes in bliss, spreading his arms as if he wanted to embrace the world and his new-found freedom. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Dangerous, mostly,” said Guan Shan. He refused to be impressed. “I have fantasized about coming up here for a specific reason after hearing you talk to my father about gay sex earlier today.”
“He did what?” exclaimed Jian Yi. Delighted, not repulsed.
“I don’t even want to think about what you did with my mother!” Guan Shan snapped at him. “You visited my house one time and forever ruined my family!”
“We are welcome to come back anytime,” He Tian smiled, sitting down on the blanket Zheng Xi had spread on the floor and reaching for a take-away box.
Guan Shan rolled his eyes and sat down next to Zheng Xi. He didn’t want to talk about this anymore. It was getting closer to night-time, which meant bed-time, which meant nightmares involving his mother in lingerie and his father watching other prisoners go down on each other in the shower.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” asked Zheng Xi, all concerned boyfriend-like.
“Do you want to see me puke?”
“Don’t be a drama queen. Eat!” said Zheng Xi, too used to Jian Yi’s antics to be impressed.
Guan Shan took the box Zheng Xi pushed in his direction and kept his grouchy face as he looked at the contents. “We really have to start cooking again,” he said. “We’ll get fat.”
“You’re the only one who can cook and you refuse to,” said Jian Yi. He had already inhaled his food and was creeping closer every time Guan Shan blinked, so Guan Shan made sure to keep his meal out of reach, despite its questionable quality.
“Don’t forget to look at the sunset over your petty fights,” He Tian reminded them. “You wouldn’t want to miss life while you’re squabbling over unimportant things.”
Jian Yi jumped at that, insisting on squabbling over unimportant things with He Tian himself while Guan Shan decided to heed his words. He watched the sun set over the city skyline as he thoughtfully worked through his box of noodles.
It wasn’t unusual for He Tian to fall into serious musings now and again. Guan Shan wasn’t good at interpreting them, but he thought he understood this time. Still – if He Tian thought that a simple sentence was enough to make Guan Shan forgive him and stop his pretend-relationship with Zheng Xi, he was seriously overestimating Guan Shan’s maturity. Guan Shan would be a childish bitch about this for as long as he could stand it and there was nothing He Tian could do about it.
“It’s nice to be back,” He Tian said a while later. The sun had almost set. Only a violet tint reflecting off the buildings in the distance was left of it - and its warmth, molten into the asphalt and concrete and glass of the urban jungle. Just as the four boys had molten into each other, two years of absence stuffed somewhere between them but not strong enough to keep them apart. Guan Shan was leaning against Zheng Xi, who had accepted Jian Yi cuddling against his other side with He Tian at the far end, arm casually sprawled across Jian Yi’s back.
And even though there were two people between them, Guan Shan could feel the warmth of He Tian’s palm wandering through their connected bodies, seeping out of Zheng Xi’s shy fingers placed at the small of Guan Shan’s back. They were all somehow broken and complicated, but at that moment, there was not a doubt in Guan Shan’s mind that it would all end up alright. Forgiveness and trust were somewhere in the distance, just like the last rays of sunlight painting the city purple. Not quite in reach yet, but a promise that no matter how dark it got, the sun was there and it would rise again.
…
The next morning was a Monday. Never Guan Shan’s favorite time of day or day of week. He wasn’t sure if it was made better or worse by the sight of He Tian in a flowery apron greeting him as he walked through the doors of the Honey Pot.
“Good morning!” He Tian chirped. “Sleep well?”
“You didn’t force any alcohol on me this time, so it was alright,” Guan Shan grunted in response, shouldering past him to get into the little back room behind the counter, where his own apron hung.
“You’re no fun when you’re drunk. You just get mean and tired,” he heard He Tian say through the cascade of ivy separating them.
Guan Shan returned to the shop to find him parading around with a watering can, randomly filling various vases on the shelves.
“Hey!” Guan Shan barked. “We have a system here! Don’t do anything before I’ve shown you how!”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” said He Tian. He looked over his shoulder and covered his mouth with the tips of his fingers, like a dame from an old movie. “I’m such a clutz! You should come and show me how it’s done, Big Mo.”
“If you don’t take this seriously, I’m firing your ass,” said Guan Shan. He knew that He Tian could read from his tone that he didn’t mean it. Even though it was a Monday morning, he had the nerves to put up with He Tian. So far. It was a good sign.
He Tian skipped back to his side, presenting the watering can with both his hands.
“Please, Master! I’m your trusty apprentice, willing to learn anything you so generously decide to teach me.”
“I already regret this,” Guan Shan sighed, but he took the can, filled it with water and showed He Tian the list on the wall. “It says here which plants need to be watered on which days. You can’t water them every day, that would kill them. Get it?”
“They can drown. Noted.”
“Before you water them, you have to feel the potting soil. If it’s still damp, no need to water it.”
“Still on the drowning. Got it.” He Tian nodded.
“And do not give them too much! Better too little than too much, understand?”
“Third time drowning warning. It’s a big problem. I understand. I will not give them too little or too much or too often. You can count on me, Master.”
Guan Shan rolled his eyes. “I don’t know if I can do this if you’re gonna be this goofy all day long. Yesterday you were all serious. What happened?”
He Tian paused a second too long before saying, “Nothing.”
“Oh my God!” Guan Shan covered his ears, as if that could take back what he already heard. “Ugh! I’m really gonna puke now! Will you always be like this after having sex? This is so gross! You’re gross! Go away, you’re fired!”
He Tian didn’t listen, he just crossed his arms and gave a bright smile.
“You don’t have to be jealous, you know? It’s no secret that you could have me anytime you so much as blink your eyes at me.”
“Puking!” Guan Shan announced, hiding behind the counter. “I’m seriously puking!” he gagged.
The sound of someone clearing their throat right in front of the counter had him shoot up again, head bright red when he saw a customer standing there and looking at him expectantly. He hadn’t heard the bell over the door.
“What can we help you with today, good sir?” asked He Tian. He was naturally charming, so the customer turned to him for help.
“Do you have any orchids?” asked the man.
“There was no delivery yet,” Guan Shan explained. “They should arrive around midday.”
“I’m looking for a pure white one,” the man continued, still looking at He Tian as if he would magically conjure a white orchid out of his ass. Actually, Guan Shan wouldn’t have been surprised if he did.
“If you return this afternoon, I will make sure to put aside the best looking orchid for you,” He Tian promised with a smile.
The man nodded, satisfied. “Thank you, young man. I’ll be back,” he said and left without even looking at Guan Shan again.
“Wow,” said Guan Shan. “I guess you should handle the customers from now on.”
Just as well – he hated being fake-nice to people anyway. No more exercising his tone and friendly face in the mirror. He Tian would function like a customer service hand-puppet and leave Guan Shan to do his work the way he liked it best: Invisible.
“But your scowl and scrunched little eyebrows are what make the Honey Pot so sweet,” said He Tian, shooting him a bright smile. “No one would want to miss out on that.”
“Stop it!”
“Stop what?”
“Flirting, you ass!”
“This is just how I talk,” argued He Tian. “I’m like that with everyone.”
The bell above the door chimed again, just in time for He Tian to prove his outrageous lie.
“Good morning and welcome to the Honey Pot.” He smiled sweetly at the girl who had entered. She was taller than Guan Shan, and a bit lanky. Her long black hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail. She was pretty, but there was no need for He Tian to gush like he did. It was embarrassing and unprofessional.
“Oh – can I just say? Your eyes are beautiful. I just noticed them right across the room. And that really says something, since you’re beautiful to begin with.”
The girl slalomed the pots and vases on the floor. Despite the sweet talk, her face mirrored Guan Shan’s. She ignored He Tian, came to a halt in front of Guan Shan and thumped a heavy brown paper bag onto the counter.
“The yeast you asked for,” she said, voice monotone.
“I asked for some leftovers. What is this? Am I supposed to feed all of China with milk bread?” Guan Shan eyed the paper bag with contempt.
The girl just shrugged her shoulders. “This was left over. You asked for leftovers. Your leftovers now.”
“This yeast is gonna eat everything in my fridge and grow into an all-powerful being!”
“Give some away, then. Maybe the clown you hired likes to bake.”
They both turned to glance at He Tian, who stood to the side, forced smile still on his lips.
“He can’t do anything,” Guan Shan said, looking back at her. “Least of all bake.”
“I believe you,” she said. “Why is he here exactly?”
“We’re doing charity work,” said Guan Shan. “Giving people a job no one else would take. He would starve otherwise.”
“Great. Now you can bake him a load of milk bread that will last him a lifetime and you can spare yourselves the embarrassment of having him greet your customers. You’re welcome.”
She turned around, leaving Guan Shan with a paper bag full of yeast and He Tian frozen in shock. The chiming of the bell signaling her absence finally woke him up.
“I’m shocked!” he said.
Guan Shan rolled his eyes. “Some people are immune to your idiocy. Get used to it.”
“No, I mean… I’m shocked that you made a friend all on your own!”
Guan Shan turned to yell at him, but he didn’t know what to yell.
“It’s great!” He Tian said, beaming. “I like her. You seem to get along fine.”
“Shut up!” yelled Guan Shan, who had finally found something to yell. “Of course I can make friends of my own. I’m not an idiot.”
“How did you meet?”
“Her family owns the bakery next door. And we’re co-workers and classmates.”
“Sounds like you see each other every day and didn’t have much of a choice but to become friends, but I’ll let it slide,” said He Tian. “You’re friends with a girl and you never even tried to use her as a beard. I’m very proud of how in touch you are with yourself.”
“My foot is gonna be in touch with your ass any minute now,” said Guan Shan. His Monday morning nerves for He Tian were finally spent. “Go get the mop in the corner and start working or I swear I’ll fire you for real.”
He Tian was still grinning as he went to get the mop. Guan Shan could guess why. That asshole was enjoying this.
Now that they were working together, it would be like this all the time. Flirting until Guan Shan’s head exploded, almost unbearable amounts of goofing around, and continuous threats of firing.
If he was honest with himself, Guan Shan almost looked forward to it.