Cucummato (TianShan)

38. Gloat + Extra

Everything has changed. He Tian has made sure of that. Whenever his hands fall on his shoulder in a subcounscious act of being the one who owns him, to the way he looked at him, personal and different, because they knew they've seen everything of each other.

It was thrilling and for the least experienced player, a great cardiac exercise. Mo Guan Shan has never had his heart bang around like loose change inside a little boy's pocket. He thought he'd felt it all with Xue Chen but with He Tian, he experience the sensation of wanting to piss his pants even with a simple playful glance and a slight hint of smile.

And surprisingly enough, he didn't mind the slight discomfort that crawls all throughout his body. Ironically enough, he's comfortable with it. He could be a sloth at school and guaranteed, He Tian would be there to take care of him. He appreciated the shoulder he could lean on to when he's sleepy and He Tian would secretly steal kisses whenever they go to the comfort room together. Checking if he still felt the same.

So far, Mo Guan Shan still liked him.

In the garden, they make inside jokes but both were careful to not tip off the Old Man's sharp radar for all things off. It's mainly for his sake, because if he let He Tian do whatever he wanted, he probably wouldn't bat an eye even when his grandfather was looking.

Mo Guan Shan stared at a plump tomato, the water droplets on it glistening in the sun. Its shiny, bright red surface could even reflect his dazed face.

"Ugh, I looked so dumb," he groaned, remembering his embarrassing past. It felt so long ago.

"What?"

"Back then. 'The offerings'," Mo Guan Shan answered. He Tian's grandfather was out to visit one of his friends so they could talk about these things without being too careful.

"How could you say that? I was the idiot in that story," He Tian said as he carefully rubbed each submerged radish to remove the dirt. Several crates were already waiting to be filled with their harvest.

"Nobody had an idea."

"That was a tacky idea. I only wanted to build a connection with you, because you're so cute," He Tian told him with a straight face but it was obvious he was holding in his laughter. "I tried to get your attention normally but you're snobbish."

"Stop making fun of me. I even ate them right then and there, to show my gratitude."

"And that made me fall even harder," He Tian lifted his face and gave him his most attractive smirk. "You just don't know how happy it made me, you know."

"If you gloat, I'll gloat. Stop it, dumbass."

"Oh, come on. Let me see you gloat, Little Shan Shan."

"Ha-ha, you were totally gay for me," Mo Guan Shan said mechanically that made it awkward. He Tian stopped and stared at him with his mouth gaping in disbelief.

"Fuck you! How did you know I was totally gay for you?!" He Tian said, dramatically slamming down a fat radish down the bucket before laughing out loud.

"Fuck you, bastard!"

"Yeah! Do that!"

They laughed before returning to their respected tasks. Weekends were the best. It made the work so much easier and fun, just being with each other, now that the awkwardness had gone along with Mo Guan Shan's virginity. They could goof around and still look at each other like they're the best thing in the world ever.

He learned to look at He Tian like that, because he's too tired to pretend that he didn't matter to him at all. Scowling was tiresome and so was denying the fact that he's capable of falling in love. With a guy.