Baked to Perfection (Clover and XiuLin)

[クローバー (Clover)]

Ryou smiled. This was why he loved working as a chef. No matter how lonesome he felt at work, he'd always be happy with the thought that his cooking would make people smile. Ryou got himself another bowl as well.

"Glad to hear it! Though you still look like you have a ways to go before you can start work again." Ryou said. "Anyway, after this, what would you like to do?"

[XiuLin]

Xiu sat down and looked thoughtful. ¨Hmm...maybe watch a movie curled up on the couch with my co-worker. You look a bit chilly. I have not noticed until now I have forgotten to turn on the heater... with this fever I guess I have been a bit warm to turn it on.¨ He was a bit scattered brained as well and perhaps lazy outside of the restaurant. But that's a given factor when your under the weather.

 

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Xiu sat down and looked thoughtful. ¨Hmm...maybe watch a movie curled up on the couch with my co-worker. You look a bit chilly. I have not noticed until now I have forgotten to turn on the heater... with this fever I guess I have been a bit warm to turn it on.¨ He was a bit scattered brained as well and perhaps lazy outside of the restaurant. But that's a given factor when your under the weather.

[クローバー (Clover)]

"A movie? That's a great idea! What kind of movie do you want to watch?" Ryou asked. He hadn't seen many movies himself, but the few he did see were great. The thought of being curled up next to his new friend made his heart warm and fuzzy inside. He blushed a little as well.

"Maybe a better question is what movies do you have?" Ryou said.

[XiuLin]

Xiu slowly ate as the other spoke. He did not want to be too full. He got up and went to take his bowl to the kitchen. He then went to the livingroom, where the television was muted but still on. He went through the movie channels and found something to watch. He grabbed the blanket off the couch and wrapped one side around one of his shoulders. He sat down and waited on Ryou to come sit next to him.

 

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Xiu slowly ate as the other spoke. He did not want to be too full. He got up and went to take his bowl to the kitchen. He then went to the livingroom, where the television was muted but still on. He went through the movie channels and found something to watch. He grabbed the blanket off the couch and wrapped one side around one of his shoulders. He sat down and waited on Ryou to come sit next to him.

[クローバー (Clover)]

Ryou finished eating as well, saving the rest of the stew in the pot and finding space for it in the fridge. He then began to wash all the dirty dishes created from his cooking before going to sit down with Xiu. He curled up next to him, almost like a cat.

"So, what are we watching?" Ryou asked.

[XiuLin]

Xiu wrapped the other end of the blanket around Ryou. ¨Your welcome to find what movie you would perfer to watch. I just put on something at random out of what I saw playing.¨ He said as he leaned in closer to him. ¨How much longer will it be before you think I can work?¨ He asked as he set the remote in the other's hand.

[クローバー (Clover)]

"I'm not sure." Ryou said, resting his head on Xiu's shoulder. "But I was wondering something. Even after you're done recovering, may I stay with you? My rent is too high, and I've tried negotiating it down, but they won't lower it. In fact, the landlord increased it out of spite. Can I live with you? Please?"

Ryou looked at him with large, pleading eyes akin to those of a beaten puppy.

[XiuLin]

Xiu felt warm next to Ryou. ¨Sure you can. I could use the help with rent and bills as well.¨ 'Plus it would not be too bad with him here.' He thought to himself. ¨Besides for not fitting in at work or with your landlord, what else has you down? If anything?¨ He asks.

[クローバー (Clover)]

"I meant permanently. Like, I want to move out of the apartment right now. I know it's kinda early to ask, but I really don't like living in this apartment that I'm living in right now. I don't want to deal with rent at all." Ryou said. "And for other things that get me down, I once had a girlfriend, but she broke up with me because I wasn't very 'manly' in her eyes. She went off to some posh college in America whose name I already forgot, and I bet she's found someone who fits her definition of manly."

Ryou looked to the floor as he explained his past failed relationship. Another thought struck him.

"I'm really a little mad at the way she treated me. A man with the ability to cook is no more of a man than a man who can't, in my opinion. Also, not all men have to have rippling muscles, right?" Ryou asked.

[XiuLin]

Xiu sighed and gave Ryou a hug. ¨It's alright. You don't need her. Don't get to bothered by something in the past. Yeah, I guess they don't. Just be in the here and now, alright?¨ He said as he held Ryou in the hug then kissed his forehead.

[クローバー (Clover)]

Ryou blushed when Xiu kissed his forehead. Nobody had ever made that gesture to him before. His old girlfriend didn't really matter that much to him anyway. However, Xiu's gestures were making him question his tastes in people.

"So, I can stay?" Ryou asked.

[XiuLin]

He smiled. ¨You can move in whenever it is convenient for you.¨ He tilted Ryou's chin up and gently went in for a cheek kiss, waiting on the other to simply turn his head; if he wanted to for their lips to connect.

[クローバー (Clover)]

Ryou turned his head and kissed Xiu gently on the lips. The kiss was chaste, but Ryou knew the full weight of the passion and love implied from that gesture, a single tear of happiness rolling down his face.

"I'm so happy I got to meet you, even if it was an accident." Ryou said.

[XiuLin]

Xiu pulled away from the kiss and gently wiped the tear away from Ryou's cheek with his finger. He began feeling warm, like his fever was coming back. He pulled the blanket from around himself. "I think I need some more medicine." He told the other. "An accident?" He asked him.

[クローバー (Clover)]

"Well, you were the only one around, so it couldn't have been an accident, I guess." Ryou smiled. "Sorry about that. Do you know where the medicine is?"

Ryou looked around for where he put the bottle of medicine.

[XiuLin]

"Well I have not left the downstairs since I came down from breakfast." He yawns softly. "I only got up for dinner. So it has to be some where in here." He tells Ryou from the couch. He looks around as well but from a sitting position.

[クローバー (Clover)]

Ryou found the bottle sitting by the fridge.

"Oh here it is! I was meaning to put it in the fridge. I hear that refrigerated cough syrup doesn't taste as bad." Ryou said, bringing the bottle over to his sick friend. "Can you do it yourself?"

[XiuLin]

Xiu nodded and poured himself out a dose of the cough syrup. He chugged it quickly with a shiver. "Well, I'll see you in the morning." He told Ryou. He got up and gave Ryou a good night hug before going to his bedroom for the night. He got into bed and fell right asleep.

[クローバー (Clover)]

"Good night," Ryou said, going up to his room. He laid in bed for while, thinking about his new life.

I like living with Xiu. He makes me feel loved, safe, welcomed, and just good in general. I think I'll move out tomorrow. But who will I sell this apartment to? he thought as sleep overtook him.

[XiuLin]

He woke up in the morning before the other. He went to the kitchen and made a pot of coffee. As he waited for Ryou to wake up, he took another dose of cough syrup. He then quietly made himself a cup. He patiently waited in the living room, drinking his coffee.

 

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He woke up in the morning before the other. He went to the kitchen and made a pot of coffee. As he waited for Ryou to wake up, he took another dose of cough syrup. He then quietly made himself a cup. He patiently waited in the living room, drinking his coffee.

[クローバー (Clover)]

Ryou woke up, stretching out his body. He went downstairs after taking a quick shower and smelled the coffee. He poured himself a cup and walked to the living room, where Xiu was waiting for him.

"Good morning, Xiu!" Ryou said.

[XiuLin]

¨Good morning. How do you like the coffee?¨ He asked him. He watched Ryou sit down next to him. ¨How did you sleep?¨ Xiu had an erotic dream about the other. He was still a bit excited from it. But he refrained from sharing that to him. He will let Ryou figure it out by his morning wood.

[クローバー (Clover)]

"The coffee is great! And I slept pretty well. Why do you ask? Did you have a weird dream last night?" Ryou asked, completely unaware of Xiu's predicament. Even though he was already out of culinary school and long past the awkwardness of high school health class, he didn't know much about... those awkward topics that were usually withheld from regular conversation.

[XiuLin]

He was thinking of pulling him onto his lap to find out. He was really trying to behave himself. He got up from the couch and went towards the front door. ¨I will be right back.¨ He grabbed his jacket on the way out. Once outside he lit up a cigarette and began smoking it as he began pacing the walk way to the front door.

 

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He was thinking of pulling him onto his lap to find out. He was really trying to behave himself. He got up from the couch and went towards the front door. ¨I will be right back.¨ He grabbed his jacket on the way out. Once outside he lit up a cigarette and began smoking it as he began pacing the walk way to the front door.

[クローバー (Clover)]

Ryou looked confused. Why was Xiu acting so weird today? Was his flu more than just a flu? He decided to let Xiu handle it on his own as not to concern him too greatly. Meanwhile, he checked his phone and saw that he got an email from his boss saying that since the holidays were near, the night workers didn't have to show up. Excited with this news, Ryou went outside looking for his friend.