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Wu Xie blinks awake to the late morning sun streaming into his room and he yawns, stretches, pleasantly sore in all the right places. He's naked underneath the thin sheets, and he's not alone. Xiaoge doesn't snore, as a rule, but there's few things Wu Xie is as familiar with, has listened to as many times, as the sound of Xiaoge's breathing while he sleeps. A rare luxury, due to the transient nature of their relationship, expect lately it's almost become a new normal.
Because Xiaoge ist still here. He isn't leaving.
Now, strictly speaking, although it's never been the norm, it's not the first time that Xiaoge hangs around for a couple of days after their latest adventure. But they're going on three weeks and yet, still, every morning when Wu Xie wakes he's greeted by Xiaoge's familiar shape on the bed next him, emanating warmth and comfort, either asleep or already awake and watching him. It's great. It's wonderful.
It's making Wu Xie antsy.
He sighs and swings his legs out of bed, doesn't even bother to check whether Xiaoge has woken up in the meantime. He rounds the bed, unsure whether he wants to stay in this room or rather be literally anywhere else.
The sheets rustle on the bed. Xiaoge huffs out a breath and reaches like he's searching for Wu Xie's body next to his own, huffs at the lack, and sits up to look around the room. His gaze softens when it lands on Wu Xie, mouth curled up into a brief smile, Wu Xie's name on his lips.
Wu Xie's had enough. "Don't pretend like this shit is in the cards for us," he accuses. "I know you'll leave eventually."
And when he does, it'll hurt worse than ever before.
Xiaoge furrows his brows, head tilted to the side. His expression is way too calm in the face of Wu Xie's sudden anger, almost like he'd seen this one coming, prepared his response. "What if I won't?"
Wu Xie huffs out a breath, not mollified in the least. "Don't bullshit me. Of course you'll leave. You always do, sooner or later. And I..."
And I'll be left behind, condemned to waiting and longing for you, never knowing when you'll show up next is what he doesn't say. Because no matter how upset he is, that'd be unfair. Loving Xiaoge would be an unsteady affair, he knew they going in. He can't go forth and throw it back at Xiaoge now.
Xiaoge, who's still looking back at him, seemingly calm and collected, but the storm in his dark eyes means he's not unaffected by Wu Xie's accusations. Good.
"So you and Pangzi can retire, but I can't choose to join you?" he asks, and Wu Xie's anger soars.
"Don't be ridiculous," he spits. He has to swallow down tears. This whole thing is surreal.
In one fluid movement Xiaoge is off the bed and on his feet, and in another he's next to Wu Xie, hands resting on Wu Xie's shoulders. It doesn't really help with the whole trying-not-to-cry-spiel.
"Of course I'll have to leave sometimes," he says. "But I'll... can I stay here in between?"
His eyes have gone wide, like he's suddenly not sure anymore if he's allowed in the first place.
Wu Xie immediately forgets all his own worries and surges forward to wrap his arms around Xiaoge. "Yes, always, yes," he replies. "You can stay as long as you'd like. This is..." He hesitates, weighing the impact of these words in his mind before he says them out loud. "This is your home."
Xiaoge smiles. He gives Wu Xie a short nod in reply, then lowers his head so it rests against Wu Xie's shoulder, and Wu Xie hugs him tighter.
Home. Maybe this one word will have a whole new meaning for the both of them.