Winter Wind (YiZhan)

60. Adamant

Xiao Zhan knows that it is not Yibo.

However, he has no rein over his anxious hope that perhaps, somehow, it is him.

So he takes the phone off his chest to gaze at the screen, and while he is indeed disappointed that it is not Yibo, he is surprised to see that it is his mother.

Sitting up, he responds to the call and she quickly relays her message.

"Your father's back."

It is now the end of the workday so this is expected, however he knows that she has called to tell him so that he can prepare himself to face him, and begin the process of repairing their relationship. Just as he had promised.

Both he and his mother are aware that his father will pull out all the stops to wear his patience thin, and thus he has to strengthen his resolve to bear it all before hand, so that he doesn't break.

With a sigh, he rises to his feet, throws on a hoodie to properly hide Yibo's kiss marks on his neck, and begins to head down the stairs.

As he approaches the living area, he slows his pace, and listens.

Only his mother is speaking, softly, and then there are the sounds from the television.

He realizes then that he is not ready, so he takes his sit on a stair, in the dark, and pulls his phone out of his pocket.

"My dad is back from work," he texts Yibo. "But I'm not ready to face him."

A funny thought occurs to him then, causing the corners of his lips to lift in amusement.

"This makes me feel like I'm a child again, about to be punished. What should I do? How should I approach him?"

As always there is no response, so he puts the phone away, and leans against the wall.

He has to face this... and resolve it, otherwise it would just give Yibo one more reason to be reluctant and uncomfortable with being a part of his life.

At this, Xiao Zhan sighs again. Love, with all its complications and duties, was truly a hassle.

And so he rises to his feet and heads into the living room. His father doesn't turn or acknowledge his entrance, so Xiao Zhan goes over to the kitchen to meet his mother.

She is peeling apples, so he stops by her side and picks up one of the peels. He quietly puts it in his mouth and begins to chew, while she stops and nudges him with her elbow.

"Go to him," she mouths, and Xiao Zhan points at the plate of fruit.

"I'll take it to him," he says, and she nods in agreement.

Soon, the fruit is ready, so he picks the plate up and heads over. He pulls out an end table by the side, places it before his father and then sets the plate down.

"Good evening," he says, and then straightens to take his leave. There is no way in heaven that his father is going to respond to this so he doesn't wait to be acknowledged. However, before he can return to the kitchen his father speaks.

"What are you doing here?"

His voice is cold and distant, but it isn't one that Xiao Zhan is completely unfamiliar with.

Xiao Zhan turns to face him, his gaze lowered respectfully from his.

"I..." he begins, his tone low and contrite."There's nowhere else to go."

"And so you came here? To the house of the man that you disowned?"

Xiao Zhan sighs under his breath again, as he realizes that he just might have to spend the rest of his life apologizing to his father, and that the possibility that he will ever be forgiven, is almost nonexistent.