Work Text:
"Ge! We won!" Wang Yibo exclaimed, uncaring of his surroundings, once he had settled himself comfortably on the corner sofa. He vaguely heard the sound of the door closing, and then the noise, though still there, was distinctly lessened.
The man on his little screen smiled, his eyes crinkling as he congratulated him, his voice heavy with static but the sincerity and fondness still hit him squarely on his chest, where his heart suddenly felt too full.
"Lao Wang?"
"Yeah, Zhan-ge?"
Xiao Zhan chuckled, and if possible, Wang Yibo's smile grew wider. He could see himself on the smaller box at the bottom of his screen, fully aware that he must have looked like a fool, but he couldn't really contain his happiness even if he tried.
"I thought I lost you in there." Xiao Zhan teases, before continuing. "You look so happy. I'm glad tonight turns out well for you and your team. You deserve it."
The reminder of what had transpired earlier crossed his mind, but he didn't let it linger. He's happy—they eventually won the championship and Xiao Zhan answered his video call request after the second ring, so there's no need to dwell on it, especially if there's far more important things to focus on.
"Did my honorable and esteemed Xiao-laoshi watch the livestream?" Wang Yibo said, feeling quite proud with his choice of words when Xiao Zhan squinted his eyes at him. He's certain that if Xiao Zhan had left the main lights on instead of just using his bedside lamp, then he'll be able to see him blush too. "I look good tonight, don't I?"
Xiao Zhan's drawn out sigh was exasperatedly fond. Wang Yibo cackled, warmed by the familiarity of it even if he's hundreds miles away. He briefly wondered if he's feeling much lighter— a bit floaty, because of the emotions only Xiao Zhan could evoke from him, or his lack of proper rest in the past few weeks were finally catching up on him.
Xiao Zhan lifted his hand to fiddle absentmindedly on his ear, and oh, he's still good. It's just the usual Xiao Zhan effect.
"— said, so I did. You're going all in, yeah? Naming your group performance and all those seemingly harmless posts except they're littered with kaidian." Oh, so they're talking about it now. Wang Yibo wasn't aware he had zoned out for that long that he missed out the pacing of their conversation. "Our fans were catching up, because, well, you're not particularly subtle with it. They're launching on some conspiracies again, and your staff was complaining on mine! Are you even human, Bo-ge?"
Wang Yibo tried to rein himself in, even if all that he wanted to do was let out his gremlin laugh. Not exactly his description—he wasn't aware laughs could be given a character, not until Xiao Zhan had blurted it out one day. Still, a couple of giggles left his tightly sealed lips, and upon hearing it, Xiao Zhan waved his uncapped highlighter at him—an effort that should have made him feel threatened, but it's Xiao Zhan so it only came out as cute.
Cute, even in his all buzzcut glory. Especially, in that hairstyle. Those were very nice ears.
From out of the corner of his eyes, Wang Yibo saw his staff signalling him that he needed to go to his next schedule—Zhuhai, for his upcoming race— that he's exhausted the gap between it and that they couldn't waste any more time. Wang Yibo debated whether to pretend like he hadn't seen it and steal some more minutes, afterall he had something important to celebrate, but Xiao Zhan noticed it, because of course, he did.
"Lao Wang, aren't you needed elsewhere?" Wang Yibo wanted to deny it, but another staff member stepped closer, looking quite apprehensive but bound by his duty, so he's forced to acknowledge him.
"Baobei, hey, it's okay. You can go."
Wang Yibo sighs, his smile slipping by a fraction. He liked to think that he didn't whine often, but that's just wishful thinking. "Ge, it's too short! We haven't even talked for," He paused, lips pursing when he took note of their video call duration. "10 minutes!"
"But you said what you wanted to say, right? Thank you for sharing your victories with me. I appreciate it a lot."
Trust Xiao Zhan to always say the best words that would leave him speechless. Just when he thought that he couldn't love him more than what he already felt for him, Xiao Zhan kept on proving him otherwise. Even when he's merely confined in his electronic device— a rarity now that both of their schedules had begun to go a little crazy, whose presence he had missed terribly, whose hug he could still feel blanket him on his loneliest nights. Missing him was an ache that he's still learning to cope with everyday. Loving him, and knowing that he's loved was enough for all the troubles. It could hardly be described as a trouble, when he's more than willing to go through with them if it meant that he'll be able to stay by Xiao Zhan's side.
He didn't say I love you. He'd say it when they're finally together— against Xiao Zhan's skin, against his sensitive ears, against his lips that produced the most melodious laughter, and the most sinful sounds if he tried hard enough. Instead, he said, softly, "I'll see you after my race. Then we'll have a late celebration for your birthday."
Xiao Zhan understood him, if the way his smile shone differently was anything to go by. He's beautiful, and Wang Yibo was so so in love with him.
"Yeah, let's do that. We'll celebrate that, and you winning the race. Goodluck Bo-di." And because Xiao Zhan had his own brand of declaring how he felt, he added, "Please take care, try to catch up on some rest while you're on your way to your next schedule. I wouldn't want you collapsing while in the middle of the track."
"Always worrying about me, Zhan-ge?" Wang Yibo teased. He would have had added more, but his trusted bodyguard was coming his way. He really had to end it now. "Gotta go, I'll message you later. If you have the time, watch my race?"
Xiao Zhan features soften, a myriad of emotions pooling on his eyes, apparent even if their call had started to lag. "I'll find the time."
His bodyguard cleared his throat, though he's smiling too. Wang Yibo signed himself up for future teasing when he decided to say, "See you, baobei."
A giggle that most definitely didn't come from his screen. Yeah, there would be teasing.
"See you, sweetheart."
When Wang Yibo ended the call, it lasted for a little over 10 minutes. No wonder, the staff kept on coming to him. His bodyguard shot him a meaningful look, but thankfully, didn't say anything more. Not that Wang Yibo would care, he's feeling giddy— invincible, nothing and no one could dampen his mood.
"Car's this way, Wang-laoshi."
Coda:
1:30 AM, October 4, 2020
< link sent
< WANG YIBO
< you think you're so subtle
< even shijie recognized the caption!! she asked me why you're using your past birthday wish!!
< what am i going to say!!
> are you ready for your birthday?
< oh god please don't do anything
> ;)
< you're already coming, don't need to do anything more!
> ohhh, is zhan-ge propositioning?
< WANG YIBO !!!