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Kazuha hugged himself, shivering, as the frigid air nipped at his exposed nose, and cheeks. The small man pulled the ruby colored scarf up to cover his mouth, and the tip of his nose. The sound of snow crunching was behind him, following his steps as he continued to walk to the small convenience store that was down the road. He didn’t come much to this part of the small town that he’s grown to hate.
“Stay close, idiot.” A strong arm grabbed onto his bicep, pulling him back to collide into the person’s strong chest, the smell of cigarettes that Kazuha relished in. Kazuha looked behind him, making eye to eye contact with the male that pulled him close, Xiao, the only reason why he stayed in this shitty and small town. He knew he could never leave without him. “I don’t want you getting lost.”
Kazuha giggled, backing away from the cigarette-smelling male, shrugging. “I’ve been in this town since I was born, I can’t get lost anymore! I know this town like I know the back of my own hand.”
Xiao shoved his hands into the pockets of his black bomber jacket that went down to the mid area of his thighs, his dirty and old converse stepping in the light snow that laid on the ground. The black turtleneck hugged his body and neck tightly. He probably threw that shirt on quickly in hopes of hiding the countless hickeys on his neck from Kazuha; it didn’t work. Kazuha didn’t feel like pressing on the issue today though, so for now, he would ignore the sting of his heart.
The shorter male rolled his eyes, teasingly, after Kazuha’s words. Xiao wasn’t one for speaking unless it was required or something about food, specifically tofu or black coffee. He wasn’t very open about his feelings either, he was always avoidant of feelings except if it included pretty girls, and quick hook ups. Kazuha was neither, he never liked hooking up after a certain experience that left him bruised and not out of pleasure.
Kazuha’s mind began to wonder, maybe he had a hook up recently, maybe that's why he had those hickeys? That would make sense. A lot of sense considering Xiao’s constant hook ups. Maybe if he let his hair down more, then maybe Xiao would like him more? Maybe if he appeared more feminine, would he like him then?
It wasn’t a secret that the male had had countless hook ups, girlfriends, and horrible heartbreaks, everybody in the college dorm knew about them. Yanfei, another childhood friend of his, had always told Kazuha to stay away from him, telling him that Xiao wasn’t a good influence nor person. Kazuha would scoff and roll his eyes, nobody knew the heartbreaker like he did. Nobody saw the countless tears that he shed when his heart was ripped apart or how he always had his heart on his cheek around everyone but Kazuha.
He shook his head as another thought came in, he didn’t have time to tear himself apart over these things right now. They were going to the gas station, he didn’t have to think of these, well, for now he didn’t have to. He would worry another day but for now he was focused on getting to the convenience store with the older male.
“Kazuha!” The blue haired male shouted, groaning. Kazuha stopped in his tracks only now realizing how far away he had gotten from the older male. “Hurry up! God, you’re gonna die one day or something from thinking.” Xiao waited for him, his breath becoming mist and evaporating from how cold it had gotten.
“Sorry sorry…” Kazuha carefully sped walk over to the heartbreaker, he felt his face and ears turn red. The latter thanked the gods for winter, his face was naturally red from the coldness. Hopefully the heartbreaker thought the amber colored cheeks were just from the weather. “I was just… appreciating the scenery. It’s not everyday you sneak out to the convenience store with your best friend!”
Xiao shook his head, a barely noticeable smirk on his face. “Were you enjoying the scenery inside that mind of yours?” The latter always somehow knew when Kazuha was stuck inside his head, always snapping him back into reality right as he stopped it.
Kazuha shook his head, ignoring Xiao’s voice as he spotted the small and glowing convenience store ahead of them. He felt his feet move quicker, brushing off Xiao’s groans of complaniment. The younger of the two found himself standing in front of the doors, Xiao running after him, murmuring all sorts of curse words under his breath. Kazuha giggled as he waited for the heartbreaker to get him.
The signs around him glowed in the dark night, the front doors were covered in posters and signs from the inside, most of the signs saying no smoking, Kazuha laughed to himself thinking about Xiao’s bad habit with smoking. Some of the posters promoting small artists and bands. Kazuha took note of a certain poster with the band called Ghouls. The band consisted of three people, a boy with his hair the color of baby blue, a girl with low pigtails behind her back, and a very dark purple hair scheme, the last girl with space buns, her hair a dark blue, almost black color. They all seemed to be around the same age as Kazuha.
Xiao grabbed the door handle, pulling it open as Kazuha managed to walk in before he could. He gasped at the racks full of food and sweets. He couldn’t believe he had never been here before, they had everything. The place had green tea kit kats that Kazuha grew to hate as he got older, eating the same sweets got boring easily. They had suckers of all sorts of flavors, strawberry, grape, mango, watermelon and more. He didn’t have much time to look around before he got dragged to the ramen section by Xiao. Oh right, they came to get ramen and drinks.
“So..” Trailed off Xiao, picking up a small bag of the tofu he liked. “You really never have been here? Not even once?”
“Nope. Not at all, this is my first time.” Said Kazuha, grabbing a random thing of ramen and holding onto them, waiting for Xiao to finish looking at the drinks and tofu. He silently admired the male as he waited, the way his nose curved up slightly at the end, the way his lip ring in the middle of his heart shaped lips shined in the shitty light. He tried his best to ignore the hickeys that were evident now as the turtle neck scrunched up around his neck, going lower and lower.
“Having fun looking?” Kazuha jumped at words, face turning warm as he let out a silent scream to himself. He was caught red handed checking out his best friend and it made things even worse that it was Xiao himself who saw him! Xiao laughed, Kazuha’s heart beating faster as he heard the soft chuckle. “I know I’m handsome, no need to be ashamed. You’re quite pretty yourself.”
“I was not looking!” Kazuha defended himself, hugging the bags of ramen closer to himself. “I was just waiting for your slow ass to hurry up, slow poke.”
Xiao hummed to himself, nodding as he pulled out a tea drink of some sort, Kazuha didn’t know what brand. “Okay. Well I’m done now, let’s go pay. My time right?”
“Of course it’s your turn.” Groaned Kazuha, following behind Xiao. “I didn’t bring my wallet or anything, only my phone.” Suddenly their conversation dawned on Kazuha “Wait did you call me pretty?!”
Xiao brushed off the question, taking the ramen from Kazuha and placing it on the counter. He paid for everything, and took the plastic bag from the cashier, waving goodbye and a small message of wishing them a good day.
The two walked in silence, it was obvious that the latter wouldn’t answer Kazuha’s question. The word lingered in the back of his mind though, Xiao, his best friend, the college player, found him, Kazuha, pretty! All he wanted to do now was bounce off the walls, scream that Xiao found him pretty to everyone but he didn’t. Instead he remained calm, and walked at the same speed as the other.
“Hey Kazuha,” Spoke Xiao, abruptly stopping in his tracks. “I need to tell you something. Really badly, it’s important. Like.. really important..”
Kazuha hummed, a signal for the latter to continue speaking. That was the most vulnerable Kazuha had heard Xiao be, ever. It scared him. What was so important that even the all strong and mighty Xiao was uncertain and scared about.
His train of thought stopped as he felt a pair of lips on his, the sudden coldness in the middle of his lips seeming warm compared to the weather around them. Kazuha gasped as he felt the lips, Xiao was kissing him? The older laughed into his mouth as Kazuha gasped. The quiet laugh being the only thing he heard, his heartbeat picked up, his face turned red and blood ran through his body, the butterflies in his stomach now becoming a tornado.
Kazuha clutched onto his shoulders, trying to keep him ground. Maybe this was all a dream. Even if it was, Kazuha didn't want it to end. Maybe Yanfei would come barging into his room, making him wake up from his deep slumber. When the lips pulled away from his, he knew this was real. Xiao had kissed him. He looked at him, a smirk on his face as Kazuha locked his eyes, showing obvious confusion. The blush on his face now spread onto his chest and ears.
“Wha..” Stuttered Kazuha, mind jumbled and hyperactive now, “Why?” That was all he could manage to get out before he felt a small peck on his cupid's bow, and hands softly grabbing onto the side of his head almost as if he was glass that could be broken at any touch. He heard his heartbeat in his ears, his body was flushed and burning. Xiao only looked at him, a sparkle in the usually dull eyes now.
“Does that answer the question?” The older male backed away from him, picking up the plastic bag he had put on the ground to kiss the younger. Kazuha couldn’t believe this, it had to be a dream. It seemed too perfect, Xiao kissing him? His longtime crush kissing him? It didn’t seem real. But it was, the cold weather and passing people told him that, there was no Yanfei running into his room, screaming about how he’s about to miss class and forcing him out of bed.
All this was real. He touched his lips, hoping to feel the ghost of the other’s lips on his, but he didn’t and instead he only heard the sound of snow crunching underneath Xiao’s shoes as he started to walk back to his house, not waiting for Kazuha.
The white haired male ran after him, looking at the bomber jacket he had lazily picked out when Kazuha recommended getting food at his house. He swore he could hear Xiao make a hum of happiness as he got to him. White dots of snow started to fall from the sky, landing on their heads, the snow blending in with Kazuha’s hair. It was only a small snow but Kazuha watched in admiration as Xiao seemed to only get more handsome with snow in his hair and his knuckles turning pink, the silver color of his rings making the scene even prettier and unreal.
Once they had arrived back at Xiao’s dorm, only then did it hit Kazuha. He was carelessly in love with his best friend.