Winter Wind (YiZhan)

53. Stub

Xiao Zhan awakens with a small gasp.

His eyes immediately shoot open, and for a few seconds all he can do is wonder.

About where he is... and about his racing heart.

It takes a little bit longer but soon, it all begins to come back to him.

The first thing he feels is sore... all over, and then the second is the warmth... and the lingering ecstasy. He is able to recall now that in his dream, he had been rocking into Yibo. No vivid images come to mind but the sensations are stamped into his consciousness like a brand. As a result his skin is tingling, his forehead slightly misted, his breathing somewhat laboured, and a sweet, sweettension coiled in the pit of his stomach.

The blanket over him finally registers, and as he realizes what the implication of this is, given that he had gone to sleep with Yibo under him, his back shoots up from the lounge.

He looks around the study, his mind although hazy, clear enough to process his alarm that Yibo has left without a word to him. It occurs to him that Yibo wouldn't have woken him up, so perhaps he was out in the living room or had probabaly gotten up to use the bathroom. He throws the blanket aside and rises to his feet. He begins to hurry to the door but at the sudden sting of the cool air in the room, he pauses and takes in his naked stated.

With a curse, he turns back around to search for his clothes, and finds them folded on one of the shelves.

He needs a shower, but first he just has to confirm that Yibo is still here.

Soon he is decent, but then he pauses once again at the door to take in a deep breath.

He already hears low voices from down the hall, and it makes him wonder just what the time is. With his heart in his throat, he begins to head over and soon he arrives at the living room. The two voices in conversation stop as they notice him, while he stares back at them in extreme disappointment.

"Where's Yibo?" he asks, and Mei Li turns to Li Ping.

"He left, I guess," Li Ping replies, and Xiao Zhan feels his chest squeeze dangerously tight.

However, he maintains as calm an exterior as he can manage. "You guess?" he asks.

"I didn't see him, but when I left for my lecture at 1 I noticed that his shoes were no longer in the entryway. I thought you were aware."

Xiao Zhan barely hears his last question as he turns around to leave, but before he does he asks for the time. "6:20," Li Ping replies, and Xiao Zhan feels the ache in his chest intensify. How had he slept so hard and for so long that he hadn't come awake before Yibo could sneak off?

He consoles himself that perhaps this is a good thing. Since neither of them had said their final goodbyes, then perhaps it would be the perfect avenue for a message later on.

At this thought, his gaze goes to the counter where Yibo had gifted him a phone earlier, and he is relieved to see that it is still there.

He begins to head over, however just as he reaches it, he stops in his tracks.

At first he hopes that he is not seeing clearly, but it is impossible to mistake the small, dark device that has been placed on top of the box.

His access key.

Xiao Zhan feels it then. The viciousblow to his heart that knocks the wind out of him.

His body jerks at the impact, and despite the gnawing need to bend over so that he can stomach this, he tries his best to keep his back straight, aware of the eyes that are on him.