Work Text:
1
Summer in B City is hot and humid and Tian Sen wakes up feeling much too warm, not quite sure how Wang Jiexi can stand having so much body heat so close by even in summer. Tian Sen sits up and takes a moment to try and trace Wang Jiexi's features into his memories - the soft slant of Wang Jiexi's mouth, the slight curl of his hair against the nape of his neck. Although Tian Sen has taken care to try and move gently and softly, Wang Jiexi still blinks awake not soon afterwards. They sit in silence together for a few moments before silently agreeing to get up and decide on their plans for the day.
2
Tian Sen can't seem to decide if he wants to watch the match sitting down or standing up, constantly shifting around as the commentators do their usual pre-game talk. When Tian Sen finally settles on the couch as the first individuals match starts, Wang Jiexi settles his hand loosely on Tian Sen's knee, easy enough to shake off if required. A few seconds later Tian Sen moves Wang Jiexi's hand so he can interlace their fingers together, and each time Peaceful Hermit appears on stage Wang Jiexi can feel a faint squeeze from their intertwined hands.
3
Tian Sen is sitting on the bed and looking at the handful of pamphlets he'd brought home from his last visit to the gym when Wang Jiexi wanders into the bedroom after finishing another application for further study. As Wang Jiexi settles onto the bed and drapes himself across Tian Sen's warm back to lean over and rest his chin on Tian Sen's shoulder, Wang Jiexi finds that the pamphlets promote a variety of practical physical health courses. Tian Sen puts down the pamphlet he's been looking at and turns around to face Wang Jiexi and there's a certain thoughtfulness in Tian Sen's eyes that has been missing for a while. Wang Jiexi's smile as Tian Sen leans forward to kiss him is a little lighter than it has been for a while.
4
The pop-up ice rink advertises two hour skate hire for only twenty dollars, and when Tian Sen learns that Wang Jiexi has never been ice-skating, it's immediately game on. Wang Jiexi is skittish as he takes his first steps onto the ice, but he knows that Tian Sen is there to catch him even if he slips and falls. Wang Jiexi doesn't take into account that Tian Sen is much out of practice, too afraid of falling and accidentally injuring his hands over the last couple of years to go skating, but Tian Sen's look of surprise and loose laughter when they topple over together is well worth their loss of dignity.
5
The creak of the front door as it opes then closes is Wang Jiexi's cue to stop reading his emails and start preparing dinner. The sound of footsteps is the only warning he gets before arms wrap around his waist and Tian Sen's head comes to rest heavily against his shoulder, and although Tian Sen hasn't complained about it, Wang Jiexi knows that Tian Sen is tired and just getting used to his new schedule. Tian Sen stays there for a few moments more as Wang Jiexi tries not to shiver from the gentle brush of air as Tian Sen breathes in and out, face pressed into the junction between Wang Jiexi's collar bone and neck.
6
The end of semester tests are a week away and Wang Jiexi can't fail this, can't let the last two and half years of study go to waste, but all the equations are starting to blend together in his brain. Tian Sen seems to be able to sense his distraction and shifts so that he's edging into Wang Jiexi's personal space, an open invitation and distraction if Wang Jiexi so wishes. Wang Jiexi thinks he's about due a break anyway so he puts down his pen and reaches out to tangle his fingers into Tian Sen's hair and pull him in for a slow kiss.
7
The rookie on stage stumbles over Gao Yingjie's name as he challenges the foremost Witch of his era, his nervousness magnified and broadcast for the whole stadium to see. Wang Jiexi watches as Gao Yingjie walks to the stage with steady steps and although it's only been a few years it feels like a whole lifetime ago that Gao Yingjie had been the rookie on the stage calling him down for battle. The lightest tap of a finger on his forearm brings him out of his thoughts, and when he looks up Tian Sen is watching him with such softness in his eyes that Wang Jiexi can feel his throat close up from all the feelings he chokes down.
8
The certificate arrives in the mail, a seemingly plain piece of paper which gives Tian Sen the ability to call himself a licensed physical therapist. Wang Jiexi insists that they go out to dinner to celebrate and when they arrive at the hotpot restaurant, Tian Sen is only a little surprised to see that Wang Jiexi has somehow sneakily managed to invite along the old teammates that Tian Sen is still in touch with. It's a rowdy affair and they get glared at a fair bit by the other patrons but Tian Sen can't bring himself to regret it even as mouth aches from how much he's smiling.
9
It's eleven PM and Wang Jiexi's thesis defence is tomorrow and he is pacing the seven steps from one side of the study to the other over and over again. After a couple of minutes of listening to Wang Jiexi's footsteps tapping its rhythm into the floorboards Tian Sen decides it is time to distract Wang Jiexi, first with his mouth then with his hands, until Wang Jiexi is feeling too relaxed and too tired to keep up the nervousness. Wang Jiexi falls asleep to the steady cadence of Tian Sen's breathing and the knowledge that whatever happens tomorrow Tian Sen will still be there for him afterwards.
10
The grading takes longer than Wang Jiexi expected so he's more than a little tired when he gets home. He can't help but smile when he sees the bowl of dinner that Tian Sen has left for him on the table, covered and just needing a quick reheat. By the time the microwave dings and his food is ready, Tian Sen is freshly showered and ready for bed but sits opposite him and talks about his day as Wang Jiexi rapidly finishes his dinner. Tian Sen washes up as Wang Jiexi showers and by the time Wang Jiexi is ready for bed, Tian Sen is already half asleep but still shifts to accommodate Wang Jiexi as he slips into bed beside him.
11
Peaceful Hermit now has black hair and Vaccaria has become blond and up on stage there are more new faces than ones they can recognise having once played against. It's the first year that no-one has recognised either of them at All Stars which is both a relief and another reminder that their era is long gone. Wang Jiexi and Tian Sen don't talk much as they watch the matches but when they go home they spend the evening trading observations of the changes and upgrades to the God accounts they used to call their own but which are now more like a distant old friend.
12
Summer in B City is hot and humid and Tian Sen wakes up feeling much too warm, and after all these years Tian Sen still wonders how Wang Jiexi make his way towards Tian Sen's body heat in his sleep even in summer. Tian Sen takes a moment to trace Wang Jiexi's features which he knows better than his own by now, taking note of the hints of laughter lines around Wang Jiexi's mouth and the first few grey hairs mixed in amongst all the black. Then he eases himself out of Wang Jiexi's embrace and starts to prepare for the day, waiting until he hears the quiet noises which means is Wang Jiexi stirring awake before he starts up the kettle to make tea.