That eager?

"Shan Ye," he called into the living room.

"What!" Shan Ye was playing a game in the living room. He glanced toward the kitchen, where Fan Jin stood leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed.

"Come here."

Shan Ye put down his phone and headed for the kitchen. Fan Jin looked as though he had a score to settle with him. The moment Shan Ye stepped inside, his eyes went wide.

Fuck, didn't I put that in my jacket?

He felt his empty jacket pocket.

Fan Jin held it between two fingers and asked with a perfectly straight face, "What's this?"

What do you mean, what's this? Can't you read?

"Um... well, I needed something to reach the discount threshold..." His voice grew quieter as he spoke, utterly unconvincing.

"The cashier said it was twenty off if you spent five hundred..."

"How much was this?" Fan Jin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"...One hundred and twenty."

"..." Fan Jin stared at him, not knowing what to say.

He put the box back in the bag without a word, then turned around and went back to cooking.

Shan Ye stood behind him, staring fixedly at the bag. He wanted to take it but didn't dare.

I'm screwed... Fan Jin won't kick me out, will he... This is so embarrassing...

Is there a quicker way to die?

He walked up behind Fan Jin, poked his back, and asked quietly, "Fan Jin, are you mad?"

Fan Jin said nothing.

"Don't be mad. I didn't... I didn't buy it so we could do that. I just happened to see it at checkout and grabbed a box."

"...I thought we might need it someday." He sounded less and less sure of himself.

He was doomed. Fan Jin was definitely angry with him. They had only been together for a day, and he'd already bought this. Anyone would think he was a player with a head full of filthy thoughts.

Fan Jin turned around and leaned against the counter, watching him with his arms crossed.

Shan Ye hooked his fingers around the hem of Fan Jin's shirt. "Don't be mad. I won't do it again."

"What's going through that head of yours? Are you that eager?"

"No! I'm not!" Shan Ye denied it outright.

"We only just got together. How could I do something like that to you so soon..." he said earnestly.

Fan Jin chuckled and turned back to his cooking. "Go play your game."

Shan Ye didn't dare move, but with Fan Jin's silent back facing him, he couldn't find anything else to say.

While Fan Jin wasn't looking, he quietly took the thing out of the shopping bag, then dashed out.

The thing in his hand felt like red-hot iron, scorching him.

He ran into the bedroom, shoved it under the pillow, and pressed the pillow down over it.

He probably won't find it.

Fan Jin didn't bring it up over dinner and kept talking to him as usual. Shan Ye finally breathed a sigh of relief.

After dinner, Shan Ye volunteered to clear the dishes. "I'll wash up. Thanks for cooking."

Fan Jin didn't fight him over it and sat on the couch drinking water. Shan Ye scrubbed away in the kitchen, humming a song in his good mood. He didn't even mind when water from the faucet splashed onto his clothes.

When he finished, he came out drying his hands and found Fan Jin watching him.

"What is it?"

"Come sit down."

Shan Ye went over and sat beside him. There was a fist's width between them, neither too close nor too far.

Fan Jin reached over and pinched the wet patch on his shirt, frowning. "You even managed to get yourself wet washing dishes."

"I turned the faucet up too high." Shan Ye gave an embarrassed smile.

Without a word, Fan Jin got up and went into the bedroom for a clean shirt to wear around the house. He handed it over. "Change into this. Don't catch a cold."

Shan Ye took it. It was a gray cotton T-shirt, soft to the touch, with the same laundry detergent scent that clung to Fan Jin.

"Where should I change?"

"The bedroom."

Shan Ye looked at the shirt in his hands, stood up, and walked to the bedroom door, pushing it open and going inside.

As he changed, he glanced at the pillow on the bed, then at the bedside table. A thought suddenly popped into his head.

He folded his wet shirt and draped it over the back of the chair, then came out wearing Fan Jin's shirt. The T-shirt was a little big, its loose neckline exposing part of his collarbone.

Fan Jin looked up at him. His gaze lingered on Shan Ye's collarbone for a second before shifting away.

"Does it fit?" Shan Ye tugged at the neckline.

"...It'll do."

Shan Ye sat on the couch and nestled into the cushion, wrapped in Fan Jin's scent. He secretly breathed it in and felt like a pervert.

They sat watching TV for a while, though neither was really paying attention. Shan Ye stole several glances at Fan Jin, turning one thought over and over in his head.

"Fan Jin," he said suddenly.

"Hm?"

"Could I... stay here tonight?"

Once he'd said it, he stared at the TV screen, not daring to look at Fan Jin's expression.

The living room fell quiet for a few seconds.

Fan Jin turned to look at him. "Don't you have work tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's Saturday. I don't have classes." Shan Ye added, "And you don't go to the shop until nine, right? I could have breakfast with you."

Fan Jin said nothing.

Thinking he had been turned down, Shan Ye hurried to backtrack. "It's fine if I can't. I just-"

"I didn't say you couldn't."

Shan Ye froze for a moment, then turned to look at him. "So you're saying yes?" His voice brightened instantly.

"Mm."

Shan Ye bit his lip to hold back his smile and kept watching TV, pretending to be composed. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from lifting.

He just wanted to stay with Fan Jin.

After sitting a while longer, Fan Jin stood up. "I'm going to shower. Keep watching."

"Okay."

Fan Jin went into the bathroom, and the water started running. Left alone on the couch, Shan Ye finally gave in, buried his face in the cushion, and laughed for a while.

He pretended to watch the TV with a serious expression, but all his attention was on the patter of water in the bathroom.

About ten minutes later, Fan Jin came out.

He had changed into dark gray loungewear. His hair wasn't completely dry, and a towel hung around his neck, leaving the two red moles on his collarbone half-visible.

Shan Ye stared at those two moles for a couple of seconds. They were so sexy.

"Go shower," Fan Jin said. "The towel's on the rack. There are disposable toothbrushes in the drawer to the left of the sink."

"Okay."

Shan Ye went into the bathroom and closed the door. Fan Jin's body wash still lingered in the air, a faint mint scent. Standing at the sink, he looked at his unusually flushed face in the mirror and took a deep breath.

By the time he came out of the shower, Fan Jin had already gone into the bedroom. Shan Ye stood outside the bedroom door, hesitated, then pushed it open and went in.

Fan Jin was leaning against the headboard, reading. The bedside lamp was on, its warm yellow light falling across his face and softening his features.

Shan Ye walked over and stood beside the bed, a little unsure what to do.

"What are you standing there for?" Fan Jin looked up at him.

"Which side should I sleep on?"

"Either."

Shan Ye went around to the other side of the bed, lifted the covers, and slipped underneath. It was warm beneath them, carrying the warmth of Fan Jin's body. He lay down and stared at the ceiling, his heart pounding like a drum.

It wasn't his first time sleeping beside Fan Jin. Last night, he'd been drunk and groggy and had quickly fallen asleep. Tonight was different. He was completely sober.

Fan Jin put down his book and switched off the bedside lamp.

The room went dark, with only a little streetlight filtering through the gap in the curtains. They both lay there without speaking.

Silence stretched on for a while.

"Fan Jin," Shan Ye called softly.

"Mm."

"Are you asleep?"

"No."

Shan Ye rolled over to face Fan Jin. In the darkness, he couldn't make out his expression, only a hazy outline.

"I can't sleep," Shan Ye said.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know." He paused. "It's just... my heart keeps pounding."