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“That was really delicious, Yamcha.” Chiaotzu’s high sing- song voice cut through the quiet of the old farm house, loud rain against the roof and the crackle of fire being the only other sounds accompanying dinner. Yamcha would have thought he’d find such quiet uncomfortable after years of living in the city but rather he’d found it to be quite lovely, a nice reprieve from city life- “It sure is nice not having to cook for once. ” Though Chiaotzu smiled innocently Yamcha couldn’t help but to snicker, the dig at Tien’s lack of culinary abilities being fairly obvious- The side-eye Tien gave the small boy showed that the man himself picked up on the slight as well.
“My pleasure, Chi.” Was his only answer, as to not offend his host- Yamcha turned his eyes to Tien, the ornate red lamp hanging from the ceiling above lit the room with a slight red hue, paired with the flickering flames of the fireplace, the room felt distinctly warm.
“Chioatzu’s right, it was a very lovely dinner- Thank you.” The slight glare Tien gave Chiaotzu slowly melted away, a small smile playing at his lips as he and Yamcha’s eyes met across the table. Twenty years had passed but Yamcha still couldn’t help the flutter his stomach did every time Tien turned his gaze on him- letting out a nervous laugh he simply nodded his head, a wide smile seemed to be etched permanently into his face.
He was glad he’d come to visit- though the day had been fairly awful as far as the weather was concerned, doing field work in wet and miserable conditions wasn’t exactly high on his list of nice ways to spend a saturday, the afternoon he’d shared with Tien and Chiatzu had more than made up for it. The comfortable small talk had quickly given way to reminiscing about the old days, all their shared triumphs and tragedies- It had made his heart feel almost as warm as all the boiling pots of tea they’d consumed. But of course all good things have to come to an end and Yamcha most certainly did not want to overstay his welcome...Though he felt nothing but welcome in Tien’s home every time he had visited, the fact of the matter was they had lost contact for a long time and their revived friendship was still fresh. The very last thing Yamcha would ever want to do was make Tien feel uncomfortable or annoyed by his presence.
“Well this has been wonderful, guys-” Yamcha stood, picking up his plate and crossing the small kitchen. “I should probably get going-” He peaked out Tien’s kitchen window, the pitch darkness outside occasionally being punctuated by a flash of lightning. “Looks like the storms only going to get worse from here, so…” He trailed off, turning back from the window- “Gonna have to leave the dishes with you.” He winked towards his friends, though neither seemed to notice. Yamcha had spent enough time with the two to know when one of their internal conversations was taking place, though the look of consternation on Tien’s face and the look of exasperation on Chiaotzu's was easily proof enough. Seeming to realize they had been caught they both turned their eyes back to Yamcha, Tien’s cheeks stained with pink.
Before he could ask what was going on Chiaotzu did an exaggerated yawn, stretching his arms above his head “Maybe you can help me do them in the morning.” Chiaotzu’s voice had a note of humour in it, though Yamcha didn’t quite understand the joke. “Good night, Yamcha.” With that he disappeared down the hall, a small clink of his bedroom door shutting the only sound that trailed behind him.
Yamcha turned toward Tien, an eyebrow raised in question- “What was that about?”
Tien’s blush only seemed to deepen as he too rose from the table, coming to put his plate beside Yamcha’s. He peered out the window into the dark rain, clearing his throat he finally spoke, though his eyes still stared out into the cold night- “You could stay, if you want-” His voice was so quiet Yamcha could hardly hear it over the pummel of rain against the roof.
“Stay?” He questioned, tilting his head slightly.
Finally turning away from the window Tien met his eyes, cheeks a burning crimson now- “I wouldn’t feel right letting you leave in this storm, especially since West City is so far.” Tien finally finished, his eyes ducked away from Yamcha’s face again. Turning the offer over in his head Yamcha was hard pressed not to accept it, the notion of making the trek back to West city wasn’t exactly appealing... but still, he worried-
“Are you sure I wouldn’t be overstaying my welcome…” His voice came out sounding more timid than he’d meant for it to.
Tien turned toward him, an almost confused look on his face- “You’re always welcome here.” His voice was louder than it had been, clearer than it was before. Yamcha half expected Tien to follow that statement with a “but” or perhaps a joke, though neither came. His dark eyes simply watched Yamcha, face serious, awaiting his reply-
“Well, if it’s okay with you…” He found himself smiling shyly, the flutter in his stomach getting stronger the longer Tien looked at him- “I’d really appreciate it.”
Tien nodded his head, finally tearing his eyes from Yamcha, seemingly satisfied with that answer. “Well, we turn in pretty early around here-” Tien trailed off again, staring blankly down the hallway that held his bedroom, “You don’t have to, of course. But I’m probably going to call it a night…”
“Yeah, yeah- of course.” Yamcha waved his hand- “Don’t worry about me. Just give me a blanket and I’ll be fine on the couch.”
Tien turned his gaze back to Yamcha, he looked almost hesitant as he bought a hand up to cup the back of his neck, rubbing lightly- “The sofa is quite small.”
“I’ll make it work.” Yamcha waved a hand casually, an awkward smile on his face.
Tien continued looking at Yamcha, his brows knitted together in thought, lips pursed-
“You could just share my bed-” Tien spoke slowly as though he was worried about spooking Yamcha- “There’s enough room for the both of us.”
Of all the things Tien could have offered that most certainly was the last Yamcha had expected- he found himself momentarily dumbstruck- “Oh.” Was all he said.
“Or I could bunk with Chiaotzu if that makes you uncomfortable…?” His voice sounded unsure.
Before Yamcha could speak a barely audible voice echoed from down the hall, obscured by rain and a heavy timber door- “No, you can’t.”
Tien turned toward the yell, a deep grimace on his face- “I’m sorry about him-”
Yamcha’s laughter cut Tien’s apology off as he clapped the bigger man on the shoulder-
“I really don’t mind at all.” He finally answered. “It appears he does though.” He finished with a snicker at Chiaotzu's antics.
Tien shook his head, eyes turning back to Yamcha as he joined in the laughter- “I swear the amount of bastard he manages to contain in his tiny body is impressive.”
Another yell sounded from down the hallway- “Hey, I can hear you-”
“That’s what eavesdroppers get.” Tien answered immediately. Apparently bested for the night, Chaiotzu didn’t answer back again.
“Well, I guess that’s settled.” Tien gestured toward the hallway- “Before you-”
“Thanks.” Yamcha’s legs felt stiff as he marched toward Tien’s bedroom, footsteps against the dark timber floorboards almost drowned out by the heavy rain- wind was now whistling hard against the old house, windows rattling with strain.
The notion of spending a night sleeping right next to Tien had his stomach doing little flips. He knew this meant nothing, that Tien was simply being a good friend but that didn’t change the utter dread and delight he felt.
Of course they’d spent many nights together over their years training together but that had been a very long time ago… An extremely long time ago. The more he thought about it the pinker he could feel his cheeks getting, he went to run his fingers through his hair, a habit left over from when it had been longer, though now it sat at about chin length- It wasn’t quite long enough to completely tie back, though he would pull the front pieces from out of his face, tying them in a small knot at the crown of his head- the slicked back hair obstructed him from pulling his fingers through it fully, stray pieces escaping the hair tie. He stopped outside of Tien’s bedroom door, turning toward Tien who quietly pushed past him, swinging the door open and switching the lamp on-
Tien’s room was fairly scarce as far as furnishings went but it still had a welcoming air to it. Yamcha’s socked feet met the soft wool of an emerald blue and cream pechino rug, a welcome change from the cool, hard floorboards of the old farmstead. A large bed sat against the far wall, a thick embroidered bed set dressed it- intricate floral designs decorating the fabric, a handsomely carved merbau armoire beside it. A beautifully painted folding screen, adorned with colourful flowers and small birds was across from the bed, tucked against the corner- A potted bromeliad next to it. Yamcha realized Tien was watching him, hands held behind his back- Not sure what to do next, he simply smiled at Tien hoping he would say something. But Tien just stayed as he was- quietly observing Yamcha, his head tilted slightly- Realizing he would have to break the silence Yamcha scratched his chin,
“So, uh, bedtime?” His voice came out higher than intended.
Tien was silent for a moment, a slightly perplexed look on his face as he turned toward the dresser and back to Yamcha- “What are you going to wear?”
Looking down at his outfit Yamcha jutted his lips out- His eyes took in the sight of his dark grey slacks, stained with dirt and his lilac-grey silk shirt- adorned with deep lavender brocade. The outfit hadn’t exactly been the smartest pick for farming, though Yamcha wasn’t exactly thinking about farming when he’d decided on it… He’d been more concerned with what the farmer would think when he saw him, not that Tien was ever one to comment on outfits.
“Uh. I have boxers on…” Yamcha spoke without thinking, a fresh prickle of blood hitting his cheeks when he realized what he was saying. He couldn’t sleep with Tien in only boxers, firstly it was rather cold, and secondly… Well, even in his forties he was still a bashful man- Tien pursed his lips, wandering toward the old dresser. “You can borrow some pajamas if you want-” Pulling One of the drawers out, he tossed Yamcha a pale green button down shirt- the fabric was worn, small bobbles covering the flannel, a pair of matching pants followed a moment later. Tien plucked some pajamas for himself out of the drawer too, a pale banana yellow. “I’ll give you some privacy.”
With that Tien slipped out of the bedroom, toward the bathroom. Yamcha called out after him- “Thanks.” Sitting the pajamas on Tiens bed, he unbuttoned his shirt, tossing it toward the corner before slipping his pants off- an involuntary shiver ran down his spine as the cool air of the room hit his bare skin- he quickly reached for the pajamas, throwing them on. Turning to the mirror that sat against the wall he couldn’t help but to let out a puff of air at his reflection- His hair was a mess- if it weren’t for the crinkles at his eyes and the slight lines on his forehead he would have looked like a kid wearing his dad's pajamas. The shirt hung slightly low on his chest revealing his collarbones to the cool air, the sleeves hung as low as his fingers- the pants puddled at his feet. With a shake of his head he turned away from the mirror, pondering what to do next. Should he climb into the bed? Or wait for Tien to do so first? Deciding on the latter, Yamcha looked over the small trinkets sitting atop Tien’s dresser- A ceramic figure of a woman in traditional dress, a sad look on her face, a small bronze filigree box… Shining, coloured glass caught his eye, a familiar tiny crane- Yamcha couldn’t help but to laugh as he picked the colourful figure up, shaking his head half in wonder- it was really the same figure he’d bought for Tien on a whim in a small village they'd run through over twenty years beforehand. Turning the small bird over in his hands Yamcha was amazed it had managed to survive so long. Given how Tien lived for many of those years, the delicate glass bird still looking in perfect condition was almost remarkable, nearly as remarkable as the notion Ten had kept it… It had been a gag gift, something he’d bought on a whim from a small market, he’d complained to Tien at the time that it was always cranes, crane embroidery, crane carvings, paper cranes-
“Never wolves.” A deep voice spoke from beside him, giving Yamcha a start. Turning around he was met with the sight of Tien in butter soft looking silk pajamas. They draped over his strong physique in such a way that Yamcha could easily make out the shape of the muscles on his chest… “Never wolves.” Yamcha repeated, a smile turning up the corners of his mouth- “You remember that?”
Tien let out a gust of breath from his nose, third eye rolling- “Do I remember your twenty minute long tirade about how it’s always cranes- paper cranes, crane carvings, cranes embroidered on fabric- Never wolves. How could I forget. ” Though there was humour in Tien’s voice his heart still felt full- Tien Shinhan who held onto almost no possessions, who was liable for disappearing years on end, who had acted as though he might never see Yamcha again once upon a time, had hung onto a tiny, inconsequential gift all these years- A gift from Yamcha. Tien didn’t have to speak the words, to say he’d kept it because it had been a gift from Yamcha, deep down he understood Tien well enough to know that- so instead he just smiled, holding the small bird to his chest for a fleeting moment before carefully setting it back on the dresser.
“But there really are hardly ever wolves.” He said matter-of-factly, walking towards Tien.
“Yes, Yamcha- I know.” Tien’s voice might have sounded exasperated to outside ears but Yamcha could still hear the humour in it. “Now bedtime. I get up early.”
“Geez, okay old man.” Yamcha playfully elbowed Tien in the ribs.
“Someone has to be an adult, Yamcha.” Tien poked him in the chest with a strong finger before turning toward the bed-
“And who had a real tax paying job? Who owned an apartment nearly a decade before you ever had this farm, huh Tien?” Yamcha was standing behind Tien now, hands playfully resting on his hips as he watched Tien pull the blanket back. “I’ve been a proper adult for years. Just ‘cause you got a farm and a dojo all of a sudden doesn’t change that. Compared to me, you're new to this whole ‘adult’ thing.” Yamcha didn’t need to see Tien’s face to know he would be rolling all three of his eyes. A gruff bark of laughter rumbled from Tien as he turned back to Yamcha-
“And who has managed to total, not one, not two but three separate cruisers since you first visited the farm, what? Seven months ago?” Yamcha stuck his lips out into a confused pout, eyes looking off to the side at Tien’s ceiling-
“That may be so…” He trailed off, trying to suppress an amused smile. “You know what I’m like…” His eyes found Tien’s face again, Tien was watching him, his eyes squinted- the corner of his mouth upturned.
“I do.” Was all he said, lifting the blanket up he pointed at the crisp sheets of his bed- “Now get in and go to sleep-”
“Yes, sir.” Yamcha gave a small salute before diving into the bed as quick as a flash, the frame creaking as he laid stock still pretending to be asleep.
“So mature.” Tien spoke to the air, looking nowhere in particular before he slowly climbed onto the bed, the mattress dipping at his weight- Yamcha found himself shifting with the mattress, opening his eyes he was met with Tien’s face hovering above him- He felt his own eyes go wide, heart pummeling his chest as he realized their positioning- They were both perfectly still, looking into each others faces, If he reached out… Before his mind could trail any further down that path, he quickly rolled away again- “Oops.”
Tien didn’t say anything, instead he settled against the mattress- A gap of mere inches separated their shoulders, Yamcha couldn’t help but to note how warm Tien was, his body radiating heat into the otherwise cold bed.
They laid side by side like that for a long moment, the air thick with tension. Having to fill the quiet for once, Yamcha opened his mouth, turning his face toward Tien- “Thanks for letting me stay.”
Though Tien didn’t turn toward him, Yamcha could see his third eye peering at him- The feeling of warm fingers lightly ghosted against the back of Yamcha's hand, sending his heart thundering almost as loud as the storm outside. “No need to thank me. You're always welcome." With that Tien reached for the lamp, shutting the light off- “Good night, Yamcha.”
“Night, Tien.” He smiled into the darkness.