Work Text:
War frowns for the nth time that morning, scowling at the unperturbed driver who only raised a brow at his petulance.
"Anan!" War cried dramatically, crossing his arms and deepening his glare. "How come I've never heard of this house of yours?"
Despite the playful tone of his voice, Yin could clearly detect the subtle hurt from the other.
"I'm your bestfriend!" War continues to protest, gesturing to himself. "And I'm an architect!"
"It's not yet ready." Yin says simply, eyes focused on the road to avoid War's stare.
"That's why you need my help!" War continues to frown, lips downturned and brows in a deep furrow. "I don't understand why you're so adamant on hiding it from me."
"First of all, I'm asking for your help now." Yin parks and turns to face the pouting man. "Second, it's a secret."
"I don't like secrets." War whined, shooing Yin's hands away when the younger tried to help him with his knotted seatbelt. "I'm not talking to you."
"Stop pouting, it's not cute." Yin joked, laughing loudly when War punched his arm. "What?!"
"How dare you, first you hide a whole house from me and now you say I'm not cute? A man can only take too much pain Anan." War replied, hopping out of the car as a snickering Yin followed behind him.
"Aow is the baby hurt?" Yin teased, ruffling the elder's hair. "You're cute."
"Stop flattering me, it stopped working five minutes ago." War huffed, effortlessly leading them through the store as he went through a mental checklist of everything he thinks Yin needed.
"Look at you so focused Mister Architect." Yin smiled, slinging an arm on his shoulder.
"This would be easier if SOMEONE-" War turned to glare at Yin, uncaring of the weight on his shoulder "- actually let me see the house than just letting me eyeball everything."
"Don't worry sunshine, you're good at what you do." Yin winked as War looked away pointedly.
"Stupid Anan and stupid house I can't even see." War continued to murmur as Yin looked at him fondly, eyes a mixture of mirth and adoration.
"You'll get to see it soon sunshine. Just wait." Yin whispered, dragging the man to a the living room section. "Now help me!"
"Slow down!" War shouts, blushing when the people inside started following them with their eyes. "I don't have long legs like you Anan!"
"Right shortie." Yin laughed, slowing down so War can match his steps. "I forgot, your attitude almost makes up for the lost height."
"You're only taller by a few centimeters."
"Eight centimeters, or nine when you're being honest."
They continued to bicker as they walked while War took note of where everything was, meticulously compartmentalizing the store in his head.
"Let's get you a living room set first then we'll move to the bedrooms, kitchen, bathrooms and other miscellaneous items."
"Aye aye captain."
---
"What do you think about this couch?" War asked, looking up at Yin who was staring at him intently. "What?"
Yin shakes his head. "Nothing. What do you think about it?"
"We're shopping for your house Anan, I'm just here as a guide." War replied, pulling Yin to sit next to him.
"I trust you. Besides you have a better eye than me."
War considered his answer and nodded solemnly, inspecting the couch. "It's comfortable and it's functional. It also fits your style, I think."
"Do you like it?" Yin asked, mysterious smile going unnoticed by the other.
"I do. I'd get it if I need another couch honestly."
"Then let's get this one." Yin said with finality, leaning over and writing the number on War's makeshift list.
War looked at him sharply, brows furrowed in confusion. "Are you sure?"
"Yup." Yin replied, popping the 'p' as he stood up and took War's hand to pull him to his feet. "I like it too."
"Alright then."
Unbeknownst to them, their hands remained clasped as they picked other items for the living room.
"That's cute." War said, pointing to a throw pillow with a cat print. "Wouldn't match your decor though."
"Let's get it. Reminds me of you." Yin replies with a laugh, holding up the pillow to War's frowing face. "The similarity is uncanny."
"ANAN!" War protested.
"Is the kitten mad?" Yin continued to tease, laughing uncontrollably when War let go of his hand and started walking away. "Stop sulking sunshine."
War looked back at him and stuck his tongue out to make a face before continuing to walk, ignoring the repeated calls of his name.
With quick strides, Yin caught up with the elder and haphazardly pulled him to a side hug, squishing his face on his sides. "Gotcha!"
"YIN ANAN WONG! Let go of me." War struggled, trying to lift Yin's arm away from him but ultimately giving up. "Watch your back."
"Ooh scary."
"I shouldn't have came with you." War huffed, dejectedly letting himself be dragged to another section of the store. "I'm not even getting paid for this."
"I'm repaying you with my affection." Yin smirked, War's face contorting to a grimace.
"Keep it."
"You don't want it?" Yin asked, pulling War to his chest and lifting him off the ground. "Are you sure?"
"Put me down!" The elder complained.
"As you wish." The younger said before letting the other drop on a bed in display.
"Wong." War growled, characteristic of a feline.
"Oops." Yin shrugged, bolting to a run when the other launched himself at him.
"I will bite you."
"Try your best." He replied, the bed in between them. "I dare you."
"Oh you're on."
War broke out to a run just as Yin did, circling the bed in harried laughter.
---
War looked at Yin curiously, mind deep in thought as he stared at his illuminated side profile.
"Are you going to tell me what's up or are you just going to keep looking at me?" Yin asked with a slight quirk of his lips.
"I'm just trying to figure something out."
"Oh? What's that?" The younger asked, stopping at a red light and tilting his head at the elder cutely.
"I'm just wondering why you kept the house a secret from me." War replied honestly, making Yin sigh.
"You're still on to that? I told you to stop thinking about it."
"Well it's just odd. I think I'm pretty good at my job and you even asked me to pick out the furniture, I just don't understand why you didn't ask for my help before."
Yin knew the other well enough to know when he was trying to hide that he was upset.
"Don't be upset, I have my reasons." Yin replied, ruffling the other's hair before turning back to the road. "You'll know soon I promise."
"The person who designed your house better be good, I will be judging everything." War said haughtily, leaning back on his seat.
"I think you'll find that they know me quite well." The younger replied mysteriously, not noticing the grimace on the elder's face, quickly wiped away as soon as Yin turned to look at him with a mysterious smile. "Don't worry."
"Who said I was worrying? It's your house."
"You're cute when you try to be mean." Yin laughed, the sound echoing in the car. "Trust me on this one okay?" War hummed in reply. "And I didn't ask for your help not because I didn't want to. I promise."
"Fine." The elder turned away and rested his head on the window.
"I'll ask you next time." Yin consoled, trying his best not to let anything slip.
"Already planning on buying your next house?" War joked lightly, already forgiving the other for not asking for his help.
"Well if this one works out, it might take awhile for another."
"Hmm, okay. I'll hold on to that." War nodded to himself, hands pinching his own cheeks in thought. "There's one other thing I'm curious about though."
"You're just full of questions today. Will we ever get home?" Yin bantered.
"Be quiet, you owe me."
"Okay what is it?"
"We picked out furniture for your house but it almost felt like I was doing most of the picking." War accused, eyes squinting at the other.
Yin coughed. "You know I'm not really good with these things. That's why I have you."
"Still-" War tried to protest meekly with a frown.
"I'll also end up liking whatever you pick out anyway." Yin shrugged easily, missing the way War's eyes widened in shock.
"That's not how it works Anan. Your home is an extension of you, not of me or anyone else. It should be a place you can call your own."
"Same thing."
"What does that even mean?" War asks with a groan, not impressed with the way Yin's eyes twinkled in delight.
"It doesn't make much sense right now but soon it will."
"You're an odd person."
"Coming from you?"
"Be thankful you're driving."
---
After a few days, Yin walks in on War's office with a bright smile, knocking lightly on the open door.
"Anan? What are you doing here?" War asked in surprise.
"I'm here to ask you if you're free."
"Like right now?"
"Hopefully."
War looks around at his unfinished work about to say no but decided to fuck it, gathering his things before walking to where Yin was waiting by the door. "Sure, where to?"
"The house. It's ready." Yin replied happily, practically bursting in excitement.
"Really?"
Despite his initial whining about not being involved, War mirrored the excitement in Yin's eyes, asking several questions as Yin drove them away from the hustle and bustle.
"Calm down, you'll see everything when we arrive." Yin said with a laugh as the scenery turned greener.
"I didn't think you'd want a house away from everything." War replied as he looked at the open roads. "Always thought you'd want to stay near busy streets."
"I did. I changed my mind a long time ago though." Yin replied, turning to a narrower road.
"What? When?" War asked, truly surprised.
"It's a secret."
The elder huffed. "You're full of secrets these days."
"I'm not. Just this time."
They pull up to a nice white gate.
"We're here."
"The living area" Yin pointed gestured to the couch, the throw pillow with the cat print placed in the middle. "I hope I got the layout right though.
War walked to the couch, tracing the cat in the pillow. So out of place yet so perfect. He turned to Yin with wide eyes.
"You remembered?" Looking around the familiar layout, to an old polaroid of them in one of the tables, laughing as he held it in his hands. "And you kept this?"
"Of course, it was the day I promised you this house." Yin replied, walking over and taking the framed photo from him.
Yin pulled out a neatly rolled blueprint from the shelf behind them and handed it to War who took it with shaking hands. The scrawl was familiar, the lines reminiscent of the time he spent working on it. It was an old gift, something he gave Yin a long time ago.
"You told me then that you made this thinking of me." Yin began. "But I asked you if we could change it together because I wanted it to be you too. I promised you that someday we would live there and you laughed and just nodded, even if it was just a silly thought."
"Anan-" War choked out, his heart overcome with something he's felt for a long time.
"I couldn't stop thinking about the house and well, here we are."
They looked around together, figures close as the reality that the home they imagined a long time ago was around them.
"Maybe it's too soon to ask you to move in with me but it feels right."
"I couldn't possibly-" Yin stopped what he was about to say by clasping his cheeks, bringing their faces impossibly close. "- Anan."
"Move in with me?" Yin asked, resting their foreheads together. "Please."
"Okay." War nods, face breaking out to a grin as he nuzzled closer. "You know most people would ask someone to be their boyfriend before building a house. Heck some people get married before building a house."
"I'm not most people." Yin replied.
"Clearly."
"So what do you say?" Yin asked again, confusing the man in his arms.
"I already said I'd move in with you."
"Not to that. To being my boyfriend."
"I don't remember you asking." War huffed cheekily.
"Will you marry me?"
"That was a big leap. What happened to boyfriend?"
"Life is too short, why waste ours?"
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Okay."
In the middle of a home that was once a promise, a new one is made.
-END-