Nonny had requested a short piece related to the guitar, which could be angsty, romantic, funny, or basically anything XD so here it goes (as usual it’s not great, it’s more like a sketch, but well…)
He Tian doesn’t delude himself: he knows the chances that Mo Guanshan will thank him for the gesture are close to zero, and that’s because there isn’t anything less than that. But he’s learned to look for those microexpressions that Guanshan occasionally lets show. His scowl, for instance, is different when Mo sees him and when He Tian touches him. So is the inflection in his voice when he screams at him. When he’s actually furious, there’s a little growl that gets mingled with the words he spits out. When he’s just embarrassed, the screaming is louder and there’s some kind of trembling that matches his clenched fists. So he’s confident that when the time comes, he’ll be able to get how Mo feels.
He Tian grins as he’s attacked by a barrage of questions (“Is it for you?” “Will it be this person’s first guitar?” “What is your budget?”). He deflects them by pointing to the guitar on display and producing a fat wallet from his pocket. By the twinkle in the salesperson’s eyes, he knows that he’s secured the guitar.
The tricky thing, however, is when to give it to Mo. After the sauce incident turned saucy, he doubts Guanshan will go to his place any time soon. Maybe if he kidnapped his mom… No, that would be wrong. What about organizing a world sandwich exhibition in his apartment and sending him a formal invitation? No way in hell. At school, in front of everyone? He rubs the back of his neck as he tries to contain a smirk. That would send him right through the roof. He can’t help but laugh at the thought of Little Mo going so red in the face, hissing like a pissed-off cat.
It would be better to see him blushing for other things instead, wouldn’t it.
Eventually, he decides to go straight to Mo’s house. Mo’s got cleaning duty that day, so he won’t be home for a while yet. Fortunately, Mother Mo is home, so he sits with her for a cup of tea and they have a little chat.
“Please tell him that I hope he can make use of this old guitar. Since my uncle left it behind and I can’t play it, you’re doing me a favor by taking it off my hands. Also,” he slides an envelope across the table, “I’m sorry for ruining Guanshan’s clothes the other day. I hope this is enough to cover for any expenses.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t accept it!” his mother blushes as she waves her hands. “Besides, it wasn’t hard to remove—”
“You’re too kind, but I must insist.” He Tian gives her his charming-schoolboy smile and by the look in her face, he knows he’s won the battle. At least he’s scored a few points with her. The thought keeps him happy as he walks down the street towards the subway station. He stops to buy something to drink and checks the time. Mo’s probably home by now, or maybe not, since he hasn’t received any furious messages.
Walking down the steps to the platform, he tries to imagine Guanshan’s face. For some reason, He Tian pictures him biting his lower lip in frustration. Mo’s pout is a sight that always stirs something within him, so he feels slightly sorry that he won’t get to see—
“HE FUCKING TIAN!” The howl startles him, but he blinks the confusion away and looks up. Mo Guanshan is standing at the top of the stairs, panting; his face is flushed from running after him. He’s clenching the envelope in his right hand and the guitar case is hanging from his shoulder.
He Tian is aware that the train has arrived at the station and is only a few meters away from him. If he hurries and strides across the platform, he can get away with it and live another day. He turns to make a run for it, but Guanshan recklessly leaps down the steps, and He Tian’s brain tells him he’s going to fall and hurt himself if he does that. His legs seem to agree, so they refuse to move, and he waits.
Now Mo is standing right before him. The strap of the guitar case slides down his shoulder and he shoves it onto He Tian. “What the fuck is this?! Are you out of your mind?!”
“Compensation,” He Tian smirks. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“Take it! I don’t need you to get it for me!” Guanshan yells. “Who do you think you are?! Who do you think I am?!”
He Tian rubs the part of the chest where the guitar poked him but he still refuses to take it. He tries to read Mo’s expression, so he simply gives Mo a quiet smile, looking for the right words. “Who do I think you are? I don’t know… But we’re getting to know each other, aren’t we?”
“What the… You’re fucking unbelievable,” Guanshan growls. “How dare you come to my place when I’m not there—”
“Oh, wait!” He Tian raises his eyebrows and flashes him a smile. “Is that your issue? That you weren’t there to—”
“As—As if, dickhead!” Mo spits out, cheeks bright red. “Stay away from my mom!”
“My, did she fall prey to my charms? I should have told her that the one I’m interested is—”
“Shut your hole!” Mo’s shrill voice is the perfect complement for the blushing that’s spreading down his neck, getting lost underneath his shirt. He grabs He Tian by the collar as if he were about to rough him up, but He Tian can see a hint of pain in his eyes.
Ah, that’s true. He’s forgotten the most important thing about this guy: his pride. Somewhere along the line He Tian has realized that Mo Guanshan is stupidly proud. He’s enjoyed teasing him, he always does, but lately it feels as if Mo’s discomfort were his own, perhaps after what happened at the restaurant. “You don’t need to be proud with me,” he wants to say, but he gets the feeling that Mo will sock him square in the face if he tells him that.
“If you hate it that much, then,” He Tian says almost gently, “take it as a farewell gift.” He sees Mo’s frozen stare and takes it as a sign that he’s actually paying attention to him. “After today, I won’t come near you anymore. So, take it.” It’s a lie, of course, but if that’s what he truly wants… He tilts his head and waits for Guanshan’s look of relief.
But Mo’s lips aren’t curving into a smile. In fact, they’re trembling as if he couldn’t help it. He Tian sees him clenching his jaw, but the more Guanshan tries to hold back, the more his body shivers.
When he speaks, his voice is brittle. “You… Why… Why do things always have to go according to your pace?”
He throws the envelope at He Tian’s face and it lands on the floor with a soft thud, but He Tian doesn’t pay attention to it. His eyes are entranced by Mo’s face, because he’s never looked this way before.
“Little Mo…” he begins to say, but before he knows it, Mo’s fist hits him in the cheek, not too hard but hard enough for the punch to sting a bit.
“Asshole!” His voice is broken now, and his rage makes his whole body shake in a way he cannot control. “Fucker, why—” Mo rubs his eyes roughly with the back of his hand, leaving a red mark on his face. “I fucking hate your guts, you dickhead!” he shouts.
He Tian picks up the envelope and slips it into the guitar case. He glances around and notices that some people are watching them. He puts his hand on Mo’s arm and says softly, “Come with me.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Mo grumbles, but his body offers no resistance.
He Tian leads him to a secluded place. He waits in silence for Mo to calm down. He’s still muttering “asshole” and “jerk” and other things that He Tian’s grown immune to. “Shouldn’t you be happy to hear that from me?” he finally asks.
For the first time, Guanshan seems to think before he speaks. But when he opens his mouth, what comes out is, “I hate you.”
He Tian sighs. “Which is why I’m saying it should be better for you if we didn’t hang out… If I didn’t go near you anymore.”
Mo clenches his fists and He Tian gets ready to be punched again. But this time, Mo says, “You’re big-headed and irritating and meddling and evil, and since I met you, my life has been fucking hell.”
“You make me sound like a demon,” He Tian chuckles bitterly.
“You fucking are,” Mo Guanshan replies. “Everything you touch turns chaotic, and I can’t deal with it. The world starts spinning like mad when you’re around and it’s fucking annoying. I can’t take it.”
He Tian passes his tongue over his lower lip and swallows hard. “I didn’t think I affected you this much.” He waits, even though he knows that Guanshan’s reply might never come, because deep down he hopes.
Mo’s shoulders tense up. He doesn’t look at him; instead, his eyes are fixed on a spot of the floor where there’s a tiny crack, like the one in his voice when he finally says, “You do.”
In his mind, He Tian pushes Mo against the wall and slides his hands down his shirt and up his back. His tongue has to hold back as well, eager as it is to slip between Mo’s lips and taste him. But he remembers Mo’s reaction to their first kiss. His body and his brain don’t seem to agree on what to do, so he just stands there, frozen.
Meanwhile, Mo’s appears to have realized the weight of his words, because it commands his legs to move and take him out of there, but Mo has forgotten how to walk. He turns around and his feet falter, and the only thing keeping from falling down is He Tian’s hand.
“Aaah, I want to kiss you right now,” He Tian says, blissfully numb.
“Wha—! Don’t, you chicken duck! Dick! Jerk!” Mo manages to babble.
“But Little Mo, you can’t say that and not expect me to act…”
“This is what I said before!” Mo snaps. “It’s always about what you want, when you want it! What about me?!”
“Then you do it,” He Tian says, stepping forward and relaxing his grip on Mo’s arm. “You take the lead.” Before Mo complains, He Tian cannot resist one more dig at him. “Or what, are you that much of a coward?” He hopes that Mo’s outrage will become the excuse he needs, and he’s not disappointed.
A pair of warm, trembling hands grab him by the t-shirt and tug at him, bringing him forward. His lips get crushed against Mo’s in a rough way that suits him, because right now there’s this bubble inside him about to burst. He Tian can’t help but smile, and when Mo’s lips leave him, he leans forward and kisses him slowly. Their breathing becomes slightly heavier and it gets mingled. Mo is clinging to him, melting.
And for a moment, the world stops.
If you haven’t seen it yet, do check @bisho-s version of an amazing TianShan kiss. I swear, she’s a freaking 19 Days angel. Bless.