The secret of physical intimacy

When Shan Ye's tongue brushed along the seam of his lips, Fan Jin opened his mouth and let him in. They kissed slowly. Fan Jin slid the fingers of one hand into his hair, while his other palm rested against his skin through a thin layer of clothing, hot as a branding iron.

The kiss left Shan Ye a little breathless. He turned his head, letting his lips slide from the corner of Fan Jin's mouth to his jaw, then down to his Adam's apple. He took that protruding ridge between his lips and gave it a gentle lick. Fan Jin's Adam's apple bobbed, and his arms abruptly tightened, pulling Shan Ye into his embrace.

"Shan Ye," he called, his voice impossibly hoarse. "I want to."

Shan Ye lifted his head, his lips still pressed to Fan Jin's Adam's apple. As he spoke, they moved against that sensitive patch of skin.

Fan Jin suddenly pulled him off his body, rolled over, and pinned him to the bed. Both of them were panting, their chests heaving, their breaths mingling, especially clear in the quiet room.

He braced himself above Shan Ye and looked down at him. Shan Ye's hair lay scattered across the pillow, his face flushed from their kisses, his lips glistening, his eyes full of desire.

Shan Ye hooked an arm around his neck and pulled him a little lower, his lips brushing Fan Jin's ear. "Keep going."

He lowered his head, kissing along the rim of Shan Ye's ear and down behind it. The ticklish sensation drew a faint little hum from Shan Ye, whose fingers tightened around his clothes.

The fabric crumpled in his grip.

Then Fan Jin took his wrist and kissed the beautiful iris there. It had originally been an old scar, and he lingered over that patch of skin with his lips.

"Fan..." The kisses on his wrist tickled a little, making Shan Ye's voice tremble at the end.

He didn't want to endure any more of this "torment." He wanted to get to the main event already.

Both their eyes had reddened, one from desire, the other from restraint.

"Does it hurt?" Fan Jin asked. After their first time, he hadn't dared touch Shan Ye for quite a while. He was a rough man who didn't know his own strength, and he was afraid of hurting him.

Shan Ye shook his head, pulled him down, and pressed their lips together. Their tongues tangled, their kisses wet, both of them like drowning men desperately drawing air from each other.

Shan Ye's hand slid from Fan Jin's back to his waist, his fingertips slipping beneath the hem of his shirt to touch his burning skin.

Then they traveled slowly upward, inch by inch, brushing over his ribs, each touch like a spark.

"Is this okay?" Fan Jin asked him.

Shan Ye was almost ready to make a fuss. They were already like this-what was there left to ask? He tipped up his chin and rubbed his lips against Fan Jin's for a long while.

"Hurry up," he urged.

Fan Jin reached over and turned off the bedside lamp.

The room fell into darkness.

Fan Jin held himself back much more this time, following Shan Ye's cues and remaining gentle throughout.

Afterward, Fan Jin carried him to the bathroom to wash up. Once they were done, Shan Ye nestled in his arms, unwilling to move.

"...How do you feel? Any discomfort?" Fan Jin asked, gently patting his shoulder.

"Yes," Shan Ye said.

Fan Jin immediately tensed. "Does it hurt?" He had already been so gentle. If it still hurt, then he...

"What do I do? It felt too good," Shan Ye said shamelessly.

Fan Jin was momentarily speechless. He turned his head and gave Shan Ye's shoulder a light swat. "...Have you no shame?"

Shan Ye shook with laughter in his arms. "Were you deliberately holding back because I have classes to teach tomorrow?"

Fan Jin said nothing and gave him another pat. "Go to sleep. I'm tired." With that, he closed his eyes and stopped answering those pointless questions.

Over the next few days, Shan Ye practiced making coffee at the café every day after teaching his classes, then went home in the evenings to prepare his lessons. Once again, they spent several days apart.

On Saturday, Shan Ye practiced latte art at the café. After working at it for ages, he finally produced a passable design.

He stared at the pattern in the cup for a long time, not quite sure himself. "This is...a cat, right?"

It had a round head, two pointed ears, and two uneven blobs of milk foam where its eyes should be. It was crooked, but it was recognizably a cat.

"Fan! Come look!" he called toward the counter.

Fan Jin walked over and looked down at the cup.

"What's this?" he asked.

The light in Shan Ye's eyes immediately dimmed. "It's a cat..."

Fan Jin nodded. "I thought it was a tiger."

"...Oh." He wilted.

"I'm teasing. I could tell. It's a cat." Fan Jin smiled and ruffled his hair.

Shan Ye perked up instantly, smiling as he raised the cup for another look. "I'm getting better, aren't I?" He took out his phone and snapped a picture. "I'm going to post this on Moments."

Shan Ye posted the photo with the caption: "Success! Now I can help Fan make coffee."

It was a while before Fan Jin saw Shan Ye's post. He glanced again at Shan Ye's back as he continued studying coffee.

Little by little, Shan Ye was filling the emptiness in his heart.

That afternoon, Shan Ye studied in the café while Fan Jin tidied the counter nearby. Neither of them spoke, but the atmosphere was comfortable.

His phone vibrated, and Shan Ye picked it up to look. It was a message from his mother.

"Son, are you coming home for dinner tonight?"

Shan Ye typed: "No, I'm at Fan Jin's."

"Why don't you bring Fan home so we can all have dinner together?" His mother quickly sent another message.

Since they had gotten together, Shan Ye hadn't brought him home yet. For one thing, he hadn't found the right opportunity; for another, he was afraid Fan Jin would feel uncomfortable.

The first time Fan Jin had visited his home, he had nervously rubbed his trousers, and they had only been friends then. Now that they were actually together, he would be meeting them as Shan Ye's boyfriend. He would probably be even more nervous.

He put his phone away and spent a long time thinking about how to bring it up.

Noticing him lost in thought, Fan Jin walked over and sat opposite him. "What's wrong? Is there a problem at work?"

"No." Shan Ye quickly shook his head and pressed his lips together. "Fan, would you...like to come home with me?"

Fan Jin didn't understand. "Home?"

"To my family's place. My mom wants me to bring you over for dinner."

Sure enough, Fan Jin froze as soon as the words left his mouth. His fists tightened instinctively. "Today?"

"It doesn't have to be today. We can go whenever you want. I'm just asking what you think, so don't be nervous." Shan Ye spoke quickly, giving him plenty of time to consider it.

Fan Jin nodded. "What do you want for dinner tonight? Should we eat out or eat at home?"

Since it was Saturday, Shan Ye was supposed to stay at Fan Jin's that night.

"Let's eat out tonight. I saw a nice restaurant online." Shan Ye's eyes curved as he smiled. He looked adorable.

"Okay. Whatever you want."

Shan Ye replied to his mother: "Mom, Fan Jin's been busy at the café lately. I'll bring him home once things quiet down."

After sending the message, he called the restaurant to make a reservation.

Fan Jin went back to the counter to continue working. He said to Zhang Nan beside him, "I'm going out with him in a bit. You can finish early too."

Zhang Nan nodded knowingly. "Yes, boss. Enjoy your date. Leave the café to me." He even gave a salute, making Fan Jin laugh.

"How did I never notice what a dork you are?" Fan Jin said dryly.

Zhang Nan scratched his head and smiled sheepishly. "Really? Maybe you've become more cheerful, boss, and it's rubbed off on me."

Fan Jin's hands paused as he washed a cup. He looked up at Shan Ye, who was on the phone with someone.

It was true. Ever since Shan Ye had appeared, his life had begun to change. Under his subtle influence, even Fan Jin's personality seemed to have become less withdrawn.