Walk the line

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A/N: As most of you may know celebrating Christmas is like banned in China. But it's my story so I'm gonna make them celebrate it.lol. Though I'm not Christian. I'm a proud Muslim. So, yeah, let's get to the main story ^^

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"Are you sure, Zhan, you guys will be alright celebrating Christmas all by you yourselves?", Yishi said worriedly, "If you want we could call over your Grandma."

" Mama Yishi, no need to worry. We will be fine, and you already know celebrating Christmas is not even allowed in China. It's just like some other day. Also isn't Grandma over at uncle's home. Let her stay there, cause here she would have to look after us, and it would be hard on her. You guys go and take care of your work. Me,and Bobo, will support you by staying out of troubles and behaving like good kids at home.", Xiao Zhan said as he applied some strawberry jam on a bread and handed it over to Yibo, and smiled as Yibo took it and had a big bite.

Yishi smiled at her two sons' actions. While one did all the work and chatting, the other just went with the flow and remained close to the other. She could clearly see how much Yibo depended on Zhan, whereas Zhan accepted this dependence with wide arms.

She  was really thankful to Zhan for breaking all of  Yibo's boundaries and getting in her son's life. Since Yibo was born,owing to his illness,except her and the teachers at the take care center, Yibo has hardly been close to any other living thing. At first she blamed herself for not taking enough care during her pregnancy but it actually nothing to do with her. This was just what The Great One above had planned so what  could she do.

Yibo's father not being able to accept him decided to part ways. She was thoroughly broken, but for Yibo she remained strong, sometimes she thought it would have been great if she tried to specialize on neurons and brain, instead of being a heart specialist. She might have been able to help her son by somehow. But she was really thankful to  Mr. Xiao, especially Zhan for accepting Yibo the way he is and loving him so much. She couldn't ask for more.

" Aiya, Zhan, you are already so grown up. Thanks  for lessening my worry and for being so understanding. I will do as you say. I'm really thankful to you for taking care of Yibo. I'll be going now. You're Baba is waiting for me at the car.", Yishi said standing up from the table, ruffling Zhan's hair, and kissing Yibo on the cheek as she left.

" Say Bobo,  want to eat some cake? Especially strawberry cake?", Zhan said as he cleaned up the table, and put the dishes in the dishwasher.

As he found Yibo not answering he looked behind to find Yibo sweetly concentrating on coloring the picture book. An unconscious smile plastering on Zhan's face watching Yibo.

He dried his hand using a towel then pulling a chair by Yibo's chair sat down. He lightly tapped Yibo's shoulder to attract Yibo's attention.

Yibo slowed down on his speed of colouring and looked at Zhan with his blank eyes. For others Yibo's eyes may  always seem blank, but Zhan could always detect the sudden flicker of questioning, or curiosity, or frustration, or sleepiness. Yibo's eyes, for Zhan, were the window to his soul. So pure and so innocent, his Didi.

" Wanna help me make a cake?", Zhan said smiling at Yibo.

Yibo tilted his head and then slowly gave a nod.

" Then I'll do some holiday homework and after lunch we will make it.", Zhan said as he patted Yibo's head adoringly, and got up  to go and complete his homework which he had neglected for a long time.

They had simple lunch of stir fried chicken rice and some light soup. These days Zhan was teaching Yibo to eat by himself. Though kids of Yibo's age already knew how to use chopsticks, Yibo didn't. Zhan found Yibo having hard time using the chopsticks when he started to teach him to eat using it, thus Zhan made  Yibo practice eating using spoon and fork instead. And it is easy to hold for Yibo too.

As Yibo tried to have some soup it fell down his chin, and so did the rice when he tried to have that. But Zhan didn't scold him. Zhan instead praised Yibo and  wiped Yibo's chin, and was thankful to himself for tying a cloth near Yibo's neck so that the fallen food didn't dirty his t-shirt.

After lunch, Zhan brought out the ready made sponge cake, pack of eggs, a big bowl of sliced strawberries, strawberry flavor Hersey, several packs of gems and candies, and put it on the kitchen table. Yibo kneeled on a chair nearby looking at Zhan's actions obediently.

Zhan cracked some eggs and separated the yolks and poured the white runny substances in a bowls long with some sugar and started to whisk with a whisker. Yibo look at the motion with a sudden flicker of curiosity flashing by. After the whipped cream was ready, he kept a piece of round sponge cake on the board and put some whipped cream, the strawberry slices and he kept repeating it, getting too occupied in preparing the cake until he heard a soft 'Zhan-Ge'

He looked at Yibo and asked, "Bobo, you called me?"

Yibo slowly nodded and made a gesture with his hand to tell Zhan to come closer.

Zhan kept the spatula he was using to even the whipped cream and walked over to Yibo. And Yibo's actions that followed, boy was he shocked?

Yibo put his each hand on Zhan's shoulder and tilted his head upwards to suddenly slowly lick near Zhan's lips as he found some whipped cream being smeared, by Zhan unconsciously and with a neutral voice said, "Sweet." Then he leaned back and stared at Zhan, who got flustered by Yibo's actions and had cheeks painted with a crimson red, with a blank face.

"Y..you..Aiya!", Zhan didn't know how to react and covered his face. Zhan then took deep breaths and reminded himself that it was nothing, so why was he behaving like this?

Zhan lightly tapped his knuckles on Yibo's head and went back to complete his cake.

Once done with the cake, he kept it in fridge, and took Yibo upstairs and told him to play with the toys until he called him. Yibo obediently plopped down you play with the train set as Zhan hurried downstairs to decorate the living room.

He hurriedly set the small ready made Christmas and plugged in to lighten it up. Then kept the gift their parents bought near the tree. Cleaned the living room table and brought out the food he had prepared some during lunch, while some were made by Yishi and only needed to be heated up. At the center the cake was kept surrounded by the scrumptious foods. It was like a feast,but just for the two of them.

He brought Yibo downstairs after all the preparations were done, and as he opened the living room door, he loudly exclaimed, "Tada!"

Yibo slowly looked around the place and though his face was void of any emotions, he turned towards Zhan and hugged him tight. For Yibo words never worked, but his actions were even louder than words. A hug conveying all his gratitude and thankfulness. Zhan hugged him back tightly and kissed softly on Yibo's forehead.

Yibo and he might not be celebrating the day with their parents like other normal families, and the day was spent mostly like any other normal day. But having Yibo by his side was more than enough to make his Christmas worth it.

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Hey, my lovely readers! Sorry for the late update! But to tell you the truth, my country is locked down and I'm at home in self-quarantine. It is so boring and I usually write chapters when I'm traveling back and forth from my tuitions. So now being at home the ideas weren't actually flowing in. But still I completed this chapter for you guys!

Don't forget to comment if you like it, or not.

Till the next time.