Work Text:
Whenever He Tian looked into his eyes, it felt as though he could see through all the facades Mo put up, as if he could climb every single wall Mo had around himself, as if he could unlock all the chains that continued to rot away around Mo’s heart.
It scared the living shit out of him.
Mo didn’t know what he was going to do but all he did know was that he couldn’t be around He Tian anymore. He couldn’t allow He Tian to chip away at his armour only to leave him vulnerable when he finds someone else to annoy. Someone else to love .
The thought sent a pang through his heart but he had no right. They weren’t even dating and nor did He Tian love him. Mo rubbed away the tears as he stared at the multiple messages He Tian had left on his phone after Mo had texted him a pathetic apology.
—
Sorry. We can’t be friends anymore.
Read. 6:56
Huh?
Little Mo?
Read 6:57
What are you talking about?
MO
Answer me right now.
Mo Guan Shan.
Read 6:57
I swear to god I’m going to kick your ass when I see you at school
For making me worry
Read 7:01
MO
ANSWER ME RIGHT THIS FUCKING SECOND
IM REALL FCUKING ANGRY
Read 7:09
Mo
Please.
Just answer me.
I know what’s wrong
Just talk to me
Delivered 7:15
…
—
There were 37 more messages and more kept pouring in and Mo didn’t have the heart to keep looking at the pain and anger he had caused in the raven-haired boy so he turned off his phone and headed for work at the grocery store.
Mo could do this. He could ignore He Tian. He didn’t need him, he didn’t need anyone. He kept repeating it inside his head as if it was a mantra and soon enough he had reached the shabby looking store he had been subjected to work at.
The apron felt more suffocating than it usually did. He could almost smell He Tian from the last time he had leaned his body mass onto Mo’s body (he means the last time He Tian hugged him).
Mo shook his head, deciding that his brain was now playing tricks on him and got to work. He placed all the groceries in the right place. He replaced the empty bags. He took charge of the register as the old lady took a rest. And then it was time to leave.
He shot a quick goodbye to the old lady and picked up his bag about to leave when he saw a figure, smoking by the door.
Fuck.
He should have expected this. He Tian didn’t see him. He could still go back in and-
“Little Mo. Don’t even think about running away.” He Tian held his cigarette with tight fingers, making it look even paler under the streetlight.
“He Tian-”
“Do you enjoy pissing me off?” He Tian deadpanned even as he stared right into Mo’s eyes.
“Huh? What the fuck are you talking ab-” Mo looked away.
“Do you like it when you hurt me when you run away again and again?” He Tian's voice was getting louder and Mo was slightly embarrassed at the thought of the old lady listening to their conversation.
“I’m not running away!” Mo’s pride was slightly bruised.
He Tian chuckled darkly, throwing away his cigarette.
“You’re not?” He Tian roughly pushed a finger under Mo’s chin, forcing him to look directly into his eyes. “You know what I think? I think you’re a coward-”
Mo tried to push the raven-haired boy off of him but he didn’t move an inch.
“-you finally realised you fucking love me back and instead of telling me , figuring it out with me , you send me a pathetic apology telling us that ‘we can’t be friends anymore’” He Tian scoffed, pressing himself further into Mo. “Well… good. I don’t want to be friends with you either”
He Tian pushed forward, placing a rough kiss on Mo’s lips. Mo tried to pull away, only resulting in He Tian tightening his grip around Mo’s chin.
Mo gasped for air, finally managing to push away the boy who was acting as if he had finally gotten food after being starved for months.
“I don’t lov-”
“Don’t. Don’t lie.” The look in He Tian’s eyes was enough to leave whatever Mo had been about to say in the back of his throat. It was dangerous and calm and raging. It was none like Mo had ever seen before.
“I’m not!” Mo continued on regardless. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t let He Tian reel him back in, just leave him to deal with the repercussions at the end. Just like the men who had “helped” his father.
“Oh, really?” He Tian’s voice took an innocent turn though his eyes remained hard and cold. “You’re gonna tell me that you don’t blush around me? That you don’t jerk off to me in the shower? That you don’t have wet dreams about me?”
Mo, for once in his goddamn life, was speechless.
“You think that I don’t see you enjoying our cuddles… a little too much?” He Tian whispered the last part right into Mo’s ear, causing a shiver rock through his body.
“...No. That’s not...” Mo was speaking but he couldn’t hear himself as his brain ran over what He Tian had just said. He knew. He knew.
“Fuck.” He Tian ran a hand over his face as if he was regretting pushing Mo too far. Well, too fucking late.
Mo picked up his bag, without saying a word, and turned back to the path that would take him home.
“Hey! I thought I told you to stop running away.” He Tian followed after Mo.
“We’re done here. Look I don’t care what you think you saw but it wasn’t… that . What I said still stands, we can’t be friends anymore” Mo’s face was purposefully empty.
“Mo Guan Shan.”
“What?”
“I love you.”
“... No you don’t.” Mo continued walking at a faster speed, hoping it would discourage him from following him. It did nothing.
“You don’t get to decide my feelings for me.” He Tian purposefully remained behind Mo, hoping that it would help him open up.
“I do get to decide that when a. fucking fake and b. affect me” Mo growled out.
“They’re not fake!”
“Sure.”
“How am I supposed to convince you that I fucking love you?” He Tian was desperate. Mo could hear it clear as day in his voice.
“Stop saying that.” Mo seethed.
“...what? That I love you?” He Tian narrowed his eyes before pulling Mo back with a firm grasp on his wrist, halting them to a standstill.
“Let go of me!” Mo yelled as he felt himself being crashed against He Tian’s chest.
He Tian leaned his further down which made Mo think he was about to kiss his neck but instead he stops at the edge of Mo’s ear.
“I love you. I love you. I love-”
Mo yelled out a pathetic “Stop it!” as if it would have done anything to stop the other boy from doing whatever the fuck he wanted.
“-you. I love you so fucking much, Momo. I love every single part of y-”
“Shut up!” Mo’s entire face was now red, all of sudden making Mo glad that He Tian couldn’t see it as he whispered… whatever the fuck that was!
“-ou. From your red hair to your pinky fucking toe. Every single part of you is so beautiful”
“No, it's not! Piss off!” Mo was just about ready to combust right then and there. He wished that the ground would open up and swallow him whole but he was about 99% sure that He Tian would follow him there as well.
He Tian pulled back with the most… honest? face Mo had ever seen on the other boy. “Then you’re clearly not looking at yourself the way I do”
“Wha- that’s not… Can you stop?” Mo’s voice was uncharacteristically quiet.
“Not until you believe me. I would do anything for you. I would be ready to be your servant for the rest of my life. All you would have to do is say the word ” He Tian whispered back and then it was quiet.
They could hear the distant beeps and horns of cars and the faraway mutterings of people, though the street they were on was surprisingly empty.
“ He Tian. ” Mo stressed. “Don’t you realise how incredibly stupid this is? You and I don’t make sense. It would be better for you to find some girl and set-”
If Mo had been looking up at He Tian’s face, he would have noticed He Tian’s sudden anger and he wouldn’t have continued rambling on like the idiot he was.
“-tle down and I don’t fucking know- Marry. Have some ugly looking babies…” Mo trailed off with nothing else to say.
“Mo. Let me tell you this once and for all. I swear to god if you bring this up again, I will tie you up until you accept that I will forever be yours and you will forever be mine.” Mo would’ve once thought the words to be a cringey joke but He Tian’s voice was serious.
Mo choked on his own saliva.
“I do not and will not like anyone else, ever . You are it . You, Mo Guan Shan, are the only person on this planet that could ever make my heart… beat like this.” He Tian placed Mo’s right hand right over his quickly beating heart.
Every counterattack Mo had come up with in his head had disappeared as he felt He Tian’s heartbeat rock through his body.
Bump.
Bump.
Bump.
“Little Mo. I know this is scary, I know. But all I want from you right now is a chance. A chance to prove to you that I will never leave you. A chance to prove that I do genuinely love you…” He Tian trailed off as he stared deep into Mo’s eyes.
Mo slightly nodded without thinking it through.
“Use your words, Mo.” He Tian smirked, slowing returning back to his normal self as he got the answer that he had wanted for months now.
Mo came back to himself.
“Fuck no!” Mo yelled, pushing away for the umptieth time.
“Actually never mind. You nodded. I’ll take it” He Tian smiled, bright and loud.
“I didn’t” Mo lied, knowing for a fact that he did actually nod to He Tian’s confession.
He did in fact accept to allow He Tian to prove himself. It still scared the living shit out of him, but it was fine. He couldn’t ignore He Tian for a couple of hours, he didn’t think he could have done it forever.
“You did!” He Tian pulled Mo back into him.
“Not!”
“I saw you do it”
“You didn’t see shit, you chicken dick”
“Hey! You just accepted my love and now you’re insulting me”
“I didn’t accept shit!”
He Tian and Mo yelled back and forth, neither of them realising that they had the biggest, stupidest smiles on their faces.