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Even vampires long for sunlight

Summary:

Yin Yu has never had to deal with someone like Quan Yizhen. The problem is not that the guy jeopardized Yin Yu's visits to his favorite coffee shop. Not even that he forced Yin Yu to give him his number. No. The problem is that, despite all that, Yin Yu can't help but feel attracted to Quan Yizhen's shine.

Notes:

Written for QuanYin Week 2024, day 3: Sun and Moon.

You can read this as a standalone, though it's kind of a sequel to Vampires surely drink coffee too, which was my first QuanYin fic. I wanted to see how my depiction of the characters has changed since then. It was a fun exercise.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

Yin Yu had been considering changing coffee shops lately. It’s not that he didn’t like the establishment he currently frequented; on the contrary, he rather liked it. The coffee had great taste, the place was never filled with chatter, and he could sit in a corner, facing the window, with no one minding him. 

At least, that’s how it had been until a few weeks ago. Now, as soon as he took one step inside the building, a thunderous voice would make everyone turn to look at him.

“Yu-ge! Welcome!”

Yin Yu cringed as he walked to the counter. He was grateful that today there were only a couple of customers.

The curly-haired barista beamed at him. As if he had been waiting all day for Yin Yu to show up. Yin Yu forced a smile back. It probably didn’t look as pleasant. 

“You’re early today, Yu-ge,” the barista, this strange guy named Quan Yizhen noted. 

Yin Yu pressed his lips tightly. He never gave Quan Yizhen permission to call him so casually. Still, he maintained a cool demeanor. “Ah, yes. No lessons this evening.”

“Great! I get to talk more with you today.”

Yin Yu said nothing to that. 

“The usual?” Quan Yizhen asked. His eyes sparkled a ridiculous amount. When Yin Yu looked at them, he immediately felt weary. 

“Yes,” Yin Yu replied, even though ‘the usual’ was a mocha latte he didn't particularly like. He had opted not to correct it so he had to speak less and spend less time in front of this guy. He quickly scanned his phone to pay.

“One mocha latte. Right away!” Quan Yizhen said as he began to prepare the drink.

Yin Yu went to sit at the high bar facing the window—his usual spot. In the crystal's reflection, he could see Quan Yizhen’s blurry figure moving in a rush.

Quan Yizhen was a disconcerting person. Since their first meeting, Yin Yu found him hard to treat. For some reason, this guy had asked, or rather demanded, Yin Yu’s number—at the same time that he kicked Yin Yu out of the shop for absurd reasons—which ended in Yin Yu getting a daily message of trivial stuff he didn’t know how to reply to. 

It’s not that Yin Yu disliked Quan Yizhen. If any, he rather liked him. However, he was confused by the sudden acquaintance. He wouldn’t say they were friends, but they did talk regularly. Quan Yizhen seemed eager to meet with Yin Yu, and yet, their interactions were limited to the coffee shop. The situation made Yin Yu nervous, so he was keeping his guard up.

A coffee cup was set in front of Yin Yu, with a scribbled smiley face on the cup sleeve. Quan Yizhen had his own silly smile plastered on as he sat down on the contiguous stool. 

“Don’t you need to stay at the register?” Yin Yu asked. He didn’t see any other employees in the shop. Quan Yizhen surely couldn’t just leave the place unattended.

“It’s alright while no customer comes up to order.” 

“I was planning to work on my assignments, so…”

“I won’t bother you.”

Yin Yu arched an eyebrow. He took out his tablet and a couple of written notes. “Alright. Just stay quiet,” he said.

Quan Yizhen kept still and quiet for about a minute. Then he began to fiddle with his hands and wiggle his legs. He stared at Yin Yu.

“What’s your assignment about?” he asked.

“I have to write a report.”

“I hate to write reports.”

“I can imagine you do.”

“What is it about?”

“Economics.”

“Hm, sounds hard.”

“I also find it hard when there’s someone distracting me.”

“Ah.”

The soft ambient music was the only sound for a bit. Only for a bit.

“Isn’t long hair a hassle?” Quan Yizhen asked. He had been looking at Yin Yu’s shoulder-length hair that fell like a curtain around his face.

Yin Yu figured he wouldn’t get any work done here, so he put the tablet aside, willing to amuse Quan Yizhen. 

“It’s alright,” he replied. “What about you? Isn’t curly hair difficult?”

“Yeah, that’s why I keep it short.”

Yin Yu looked at the brown swirls in Quan Yizhen’s head. He wondered if they felt as soft as they looked. 

“Long hair fits you,” Quan Yizhen added. “But it doesn’t let me see your face well.”

“You’re not missing anything.”

“But you have a nice face.”

Yin Yu narrowed his eyes. Even if his face was ‘nice’, Yin Yu dressed in dark colors and kept his black hair loose. He had been told many times he gave off a gloomy aura, only that he didn't care enough to change. After years of living up by everyone’s standards but his own, he’d elected to give less importance to people’s opinions. He lived quietly and comfortably. In the shadows, he was free.

No matter, Yin Yu knew what his face looked like.

“It isn’t convincing when someone like you says it,” Yin Yu scoffed. 

“Someone like me?”

Quan Yizhen was a sunny man in the full meaning of the word. He was charismatic and lively, born to be in the spotlight. The atmosphere became vibrant by his mere presence. For a laid-back person like Yin Yu, he was overwhelming and tiring; yet, Yin Yu couldn't help but feel drawn to him.

“Handsome,” Yin Yu said. “You're obviously the better looking here.”

With a jingle, the door opened and Yin Yu watched the couple of customers leave. They were now alone in the shop.

“You think I’m handsome?” Quan Yizhen asked.

Yin Yu nodded absentmindedly, “of course.” 

It was a fact that Yin Yu wasn’t shy to admit. Not only was Quan Yizhen handsome, something about him was magnetic. His features were full of energy. He was… He was… 

Yin Yu struggled to think of a fitting word. Quan Yizhen didn’t say anything else, focusing on his fidgeting hands. The silence extended, and Yin Yu felt unnerved. He couldn’t understand Quan Yizhen at all. Talking nonstop a moment and falling quiet the next. Yin Yu pretended to read his class’ notes. In reality, he observed the dust that floated about, blinking white with the rays of sun.

“Why do you like to sit here?” Quan Yizhen broke the silence with a change of subject. 

Yin Yu looked up. “What?”

“You always sit here when you come. Is there a reason?”

Yin Yu turned to the window. The image of them both, sitting side by side, was dimly reflected on it. Behind, people were coming and going along the street, ignoring the two people inside the coffee shop. Almost as if they were in their own little independent world.

“When I sit here, it’s like I’m in a time-out from everything. People come and go, but no one minds me. It’s strangely comforting.”

Quan Yizhen pursed his mouth. “So, you like being ignored?”

“No, I just…” Yin Yu didn’t know how to explain it. It sounded weird enough in his head. “I like the change of pace. Everyone is always rushing to some place, but on this side of the window, doesn’t it feel different? I can sit back and fully enjoy my time.”

Quan Yizhen looked towards the street and grinned. “You’re very interesting, Yu-ge. I’ve never thought of it like that.”

“What are you saying? I’m so normal, it’s laughable.”

“Not at all!” Quan Yizhen shook his hands.

Yin Yu couldn’t believe that. It was obvious that if someone was remarkable, that was Quan Yizhen. You could see it at one glance. Even in their reflection, Quan Yizhen was vividly defined, while Yin Yu faded into softness, outshined by the sunlight. They were complete opposites.

“I’m serious, Yu-ge,” Quan Yizhen said. “You’re super interesting. I thought so since we met.”

The first time they met, Yin Yu was confused for a vampiric creature. The nonsense had made him laugh at the time; yet, he realized that he might understand how vampires felt. Because in Quan Yizhen’s presence, Yin Yu felt his throat parched and his face sweaty, as if in any moment he would go down with a heatstroke. As if he would turn into dust if he was exposed too long to Quan Yizhen’s smile.

Sunlight was a death sentence for vampires, but Yin Yu wondered if they longed for the sun despite the danger it represented. If they longed for the scorching rays of light, the same as he longed for the amber gaze of Quan Yizhen. A gaze that burned every part it touched on Yin Yu’s skin.

Facing Quan Yizhen's warm expression was too much for Yin Yu’s poor heart, so he looked away. Without knowing what else to do, he reached for his coffee. At the same time, Quan Yizhen moved his arm to point at something. Their hands bumped. Quan Yizhen jolted and his eyes opened like plates. It was quite an exaggerated reaction. 

Yin Yu huffed and retrieved his hand. “I won’t bite you,” he taunted.

Quan Yizhen relaxed his muscles. He bored his gaze in Yin Yu’s mouth, liquid sun dancing in his eyes. “You can bite me.” 

A shiver ran down Yin Yu’s spine. He tried to find humor in Quan Yizhen’s face, but there was only seriousness. Yin Yu was startled. Quan Yizhen kept staring at him with intensity. You can bite me, he had said. Yin Yu’s gaze couldn’t help but wander to Quan Yizhen’s neck. If Yin Yu were to… would Quan Yizhen…?

The door opened with a jingle, announcing a customer coming in. Yin Yu’s line of thought broke off. The electrifying atmosphere fizzled out, but Yin Yu’s heart was thumping hard against his ribcage and his hands were buzzing with the leftover energy.

It took a minute before Quan Yizhen reluctantly stood up and went to attend to the customer. Yin Yu released a breath and took a sip of his coffee. It was already cold. The sugary liquid left a strong aftertaste in his tongue.

Quan Yizhen's actions puzzled him. They were too contradictory. He was so forward with his words, yet got shy with a bit of touch. He stubbornly offered his views, but also heard Yin Yu’s opinions earnestly. Quan Yizhen had put so much effort to befriend Yin Yu, yet didn’t take any step further. What was the meaning of all that? Yin Yu didn't know how to read him. It’s like they were in different wavelengths. 

Yin Yu looked to the counter and found Quan Yizhen looking back at him. Upon being discovered, Quan Yizhen turned away, but just a few seconds later, he glanced at Yin Yu again. A dangerous idea surged in Yin Yu’s mind.  

Maybe Quan Yizhen was more affected by this strange gravitation between the two than Yin Yu thought. Maybe he was interested in Yin Yu as much as Yin Yu himself was in Quan Yizhen.

No, it couldn’t be. Yin Yu was aware that his own thoughts were in disarray in front of the other man, that his heart was skipping beats at his every kind word. However, that didn’t mean Quan Yizhen felt the same. Yin Yu didn’t expect him to. He didn’t have any appeal to catch the attention of someone like him. However, the way Quan Yizhen kept glancing at him was akin to the tide pulled by the moon's gravity. Like he couldn’t keep himself away from Yin Yu.

As Quan Yizhen finished serving the customer their order, he immediately came back to Yin Yu’s side. As if enchanted by his pale light. Although it was a narcissistic thought, Yin Yu couldn’t help but hope that was the case.

“Sorry, Yu-ge. I had to go take the order.” Quan Yizhen retook his spot.

He put his hand next to Yin Yu’s, close enough to feel its warm but not enough to touch. His gaze was expectant, as if waiting for Yin Yu to bump them accidentally again. Yin Yu almost laughed. Wasn’t this guy kind of cute? 

It occurred to Yin Yu that he probably didn’t need to overthink it. Quan Yizhen’s reactions were truly transparent and meant nothing more than what they appeared. Against his usual skepticism, Yin Yu wanted to believe that the sun was shining on him and it wouldn’t burn him away. 

Yin Yu let his hand slide until their fingers brushed. Quan Yizhen stilled.

“It’s alright,” Yin Yu said. Suddenly, it was easier for him to talk. “I can wait. I like it here.”

At that moment, Quan Yizhen smiled at Yin Yu, his eyes crinkling with fondness into half moons. The sun was gradually turning orange; the light angled in a way that outlined Quan Yizhen’s countenance and made him shimmer with warmth. 

He was dazzling. Yin Yu finally found the word for it. Quan Yizhen’s expression was colored with affection, and Yin Yu couldn’t process that kind of emotion directed at himself. It was so radiant that Yin Yu wondered if it was all a mirage. Quan Yizhen’s hand touching his felt very real, though; that was enough to calm his doubts.

“Isn’t your coffee cold?” Quan Yizhen asked. “I can prepare you a new one. It’s on me.”

“No, it’s fine. To be honest, I don’t really like lattes,” Yin Yu said, his fingers thumping against the table.

Quan Yizhen widened his eyes. “You don’t?”

Yin Yu laughed at his expression. “I prefer black coffee.”

“Then, the usual…?”

“It’s okay to not have an usual drink.” Yin Yu might want to spend the time choosing his order from now on.

Quan Yizhen nodded. “Whatever you want, Yu-ge.”

Yin Yu bit his lip. Those were dangerous words to say to a vampiric man like him. Creatures that thrived in the night would suck every bit of light offered to them, like moths to a flame. If Quan Yizhen offered himself to him like this, how could Yin Yu refuse? He would take everything until he made this sunny boy his.

“I have to get going,” Yin Yu said. He needed to clear his head, before he followed any of his impulses.

“Already?” 

“I’ll come back tomorrow.” He stood up and took his cup of cold coffee. “This is my favorite coffee shop, after all.” And if he began to extend his visits, well at least he hoped no one complained about his dark aura again.

Quan Yizhen grinned boyishly. “I’ll be here.”

Yin Yu couldn’t help but smile back. “See you tomorrow, Yizhen.” 

As he walked out of the shop, Yin Yu took a sip of his drink. He thought that once in a while, a mocha latte wasn’t so bad.

Notes:

Check out this cute fanart that Soapy made based on the fic. 🥰

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