Baked to Perfection (Clover and XiuLin)

[XiuLin]

Xiu was just stomping out his cigarette butt on the ground. He looked up at Ryou and walk back over to him. He pulled him into a hug gently and sighed against his shoulder.

[クローバー (Clover)]

"The boss told me that all night workers could take the rest of the month off because of the holidays. So I'll be able to be with you to care for you until you're better." Ryou said. "Also, are you all right? You seem tense."

[XiuLin]

¨It's just the coffee.¨ He whispered to him. ¨Let's go inside.¨ He let him go and walked into the house. He grabbed Ryou's hand on the way into the house. He closed the door behind them.

 

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¨It's just the coffee.¨ He whispered to him. ¨Let's go inside.¨ He let him go and walked into the house. He grabbed Ryou's hand on the way into the house. He closed the door behind them.

[クローバー (Clover)]

"Well, it's nearly lunchtime, so would you like me to make you something?" Ryou asked. "The beef stew is still good, you know."

Ryou didn't mind making new things for Xiu. As long as the old stuff was eaten before it went bad, he was happy.

[XiuLin]

Xiu turns to look at Ryou. ¨I can eat the beef stew again.¨ He pulls Ryou into a loving embrace. He placed his lips against the other's ear and whispered. ¨Or we can go to one of our rooms.¨ He said softly smirking.

[クローバー (Clover)]

Ryou didn't quite comprehend what Xiu meant, but gently wriggled out of his grasp.

"I'm kinda hungry right now, so let's eat, then rest, okay?" Ryou said. He went for the stew and began to think about what Xiu could possibly want.

Maybe I can talk to him about the question he chose not to answer. Ryou thought as he reheated the stew.

[XiuLin]

He wiped the smirk away from his face. He could not understand after Ryou had kissed him the other night, that he would get out of his hold. It then came clear to him. ¨Sorry for making you feel uncomfortible.¨ He pouted and returned to the couch. 'Get a hold of yourself Xiu.' He thought and began to breath to calm himself. 'You are interested in him. Don't mess it up now.' He kept thinking.

[クローバー (Clover)]

After serving himself and Xiu some stew, Ryou sat down at the table.

"Hey, Xiu... Something about your behavior today is bothering me. Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?" Ryou asked. "Is it something I've been doing? If it is, tell me, and I'll change it."

[XiuLin]

Xiu came to the table and sat down. He would not touch the food. ¨Well after that kiss last night, it made me have an exciting dream. I woke up to the thought of us in a bed, it gave me morning wood. It could be because I am feeling better.¨ He let out a sigh after he finished speaking.

[クローバー (Clover)]

"What's the matter? You're not hungry? What do you want to eat then?" Ryou asked. He looked concerned for his friend, who seemed to be struggling with his feelings.

"Well... I'm not sure how I feel yet." Ryou said. "Could you please give me time to think about it?"

[XiuLin]

Xiu began eating before it got cold. ¨Sure, you can have some time to think about it.¨ He said to Ryou. After he finished he gave the other space by going to his own room.

[クローバー (Clover)]

"Thanks." Ryou said, finishing his food. He gathered the bowls and began to wash them.

What's going on? Does he like me? Of course he likes me silly! But does he LIKE like me? I don't know that. Am I going crazy or is he actually in love? Ryou thought.

[XiuLin]

Xiu was back into the his room. He opened the window and let the warm breeze fill his room. He lays on the bed to take a nap, when he softly hears Ryou saying something from the downstairs. He gets up from the bed and opens his door a little, putting his ear to the opening. He hears Ryou leaving and saying he will be back later.

 

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Xiu was back into the his room. He opened the window and let the warm breeze fill his room. He lays on the bed to take a nap, when he softly hears Ryou saying something from the downstairs. He gets up from the bed and opens his door a little, putting his ear to the opening. He hears Ryou leaving and saying he will be back later.

[クローバー (Clover)]

"Xiu, I just realized that I need to gather more medicine for you. Just give me a moment and I'll be right back." Ryou said, going out the door. He went down the street to the drug store. Picking the stuff up he needed, he went to wait in line at the register Shin was working at. He was once again talking to Roger.

"He's coming back, what should I do?" Shin asked, a hint of desperation in his voice.

"Just act normal and pretend you weren't talking to me before he came." Roger said over the phone. "Don't worry, Shin. You'll be fine."

Shin gulped and set his phone aside.

"Oh, you're back? Your friend went through the medicine quickly didn't he?" Shin said, attaching his headset to his phone.

"Oh, he's recovering fine. I just need some minor medicines to get the sickness out of him." Ryou said, putting his stuff on the conveyor belt.

"Hey, Ryou, you look like something's up. Would you mind telling me?" Shin asked.

"Uhhh... It's kinda personal, so do you mind if I whisper into your ear?" Ryou asked.

"Whatever works for you." Shin said, letting Ryou come behind the register.

Ryou gulped. He didn't feel comfortable telling Shin about his issues with Xiu, so he looked around for other problems.

"Uhh... I've been trying to sell my apartment for ages, and nobody wants it, so I was wondering if you were in need of an apartment is all I wanted to know." Ryou lied. For being a generally honest person, Ryou was an excellent liar.

"I'll let you in on a secret: I've been homeless for the past year. I was evicted over a complex legal issue dealing with me having to pay rent." Shin said.

"So you didn't pay it?" Ryou asked.

"Yeah, basically." Shin admitted. "And why would I?! They were charging me up the ass for everything!"

"Well, my apartment is probably better than yours in terms of rent." Ryou said. "Its rent is monthly, and you only have to cough up $500."

"The standard for my previous one was $900 with taxes added depending how much the landlord liked you." Shin admitted dryly. When Ryou looked away to check the time, Shin decided it was a good time to ask Roger how he was doing.

"How have I been?" he asked, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"You're doing fine. Just remain calm and pay attention to him." Roger said.

"Hey, Shin, you're sweating a whole lot." Ryou said, seeing the huge stain on the back of his work uniform.

"Sorry. I stand right next to this guy who uses a space heater, so I get hot easily." Shin lied. "Anyway, now, I'm at a point where I'm making enough money to pay off my phone bill and still have a lot of extra money, so I'd be happy to take that apartment off your hands. Just give me its address."

"You would?! Thank you!" Ryou hugged Shin, catching the other off guard completely. The cashier made a small yelping sound, but got used to Ryou hugging him and hugged him back. Ryou then grabbed a pen and wrote the address down on a piece of paper for Shin.

"It's actually not that far from here, so you can get to work by foot if you buy it." Ryou said.

"Great! I'll come with you to get the papers signed so you can transfer ownership to me." Shin said, suddenly remembering to scan Ryou's items. He quickly scanned Ryou's items. "The total is $30 even."

Ryou took out $30 from his wallet, and Shin put it in the register. He then closed up his station and went to the back of the store to clock out for the day.

"Geez, Shin, you're panting into the phone. You did fine, so just calm down." Roger said.

Shin took several deep breaths. He always had trouble talking to people, and Roger was basically like his conscience telling him to calm down and helping him make it through the day.

"Thanks so much, Roger." Shin said. "I ought to get going now. I love you."

"Love you too, Shin. Call me when you're done with the apartment shit." Roger said before hanging up.

Shin came out of the back and went back to Ryou.

"Sorry, I had to clock out. You know... Workplace shit and whatnot." Shin said, nervous.

"Hey, are you nervous?" Ryou asked.

"N-no..." Shin tried to lie again.

"Don't be nervous, I won't laugh at you." Ryou said. "Now c'mon. Let's go!"

He reminds me so much of Roger when he was little... I wish he hadn't moved away. Shin thought as they left.

The boys went over to Ryou's old apartment, where Ryou phoned the landlord and informed him that he was moving out and someone else was interested in taking his apartment. They got all necessary papers signed, and Ryou got his stuff from his former apartment, leaving Shin to deal with the movement of his stuff to his new apartment.

"I'll see you later, okay?" Ryou said.

"Okay, thank you so much!" Shin said, phoning someone as Ryou left.

Ryou went back to Xiu's house with his medicine in hand and more personal belongings on a cart.

"I'm back! And I brought more of my stuff!" Ryou said, opening the door.

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Shin:

 

 

 

Roger:

 

 

((I've included pictures of Shin and Roger in case you were curious as to what they looked like.))

[XiuLin]

Xiu jumped out of his bed at the sound of the other's voice. He headed downstairs to help him. He smiled and gave him a hug. He noticed Shin the store's cashier acrossed the street and pulled away from Ryou. He quickly rolled his cart up into the house and closed the door. He smiled. ¨You found someone to rent your apartment? I am glad your back. Hmm...we have a small community, I guess.¨ He said as he was feeling jealious.

 

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Xiu jumped out of his bed at the sound of the other's voice. He headed downstairs to help him. He smiled and gave him a hug. He noticed Shin the store's cashier acrossed the street and pulled away from Ryou. He quickly rolled his cart up into the house and closed the door. He smiled. ¨You found someone to rent your apartment? I am glad your back. Hmm...we have a small community, I guess.¨ He said as he was feeling jealious.

[クローバー (Clover)]

"Yeah. The cashier at the drug store told me he was homeless at this point in his life, so I offered him my apartment. Now I can stay with you!" Ryou said happily. He didn't catch any jealousy from Xiu. "Anyway, I picked up some more medicine. This one isn't as strong since you're feeling better. It's supposed to hold off symptoms and give your immune system time to respond to it."

Ryou looked around the kitchen for a pantry.

"Where's your pantry, Xiu?" Ryou asked.

[XiuLin]

Xiu lead Ryou into the kitchen. He opened some cabinets for him that the other did not open during getting familair with the kitchen. His pantry was above the fridge, some where Ryou could not reach unless he was standing on the near by counter. ¨Well I better take some of that medicine now.¨ He waited for it to be handed over.

 

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Xiu lead Ryou into the kitchen. He opened some cabinets for him that the other did not open during getting familair with the kitchen. His pantry was above the fridge, some where Ryou could not reach unless he was standing on the near by counter. ¨Well I better take some of that medicine now.¨ He waited for it to be handed over.

[クローバー (Clover)]

Ryou brought the medicine over to Xiu and carefully climbed onto the counter. He saw some unopened chicken broth and various vegetables in there.

"Do you have a chicken on you? I could make chicken soup for you." Ryou asked.

[XiuLin]

Xiu took the medicine quickly. ¨Chicken soup sounds good.¨ He said to him as he walked out of the kitchen. ¨Thank you for the medicine. Do you need to go to the store again?¨ He asked out of the kitchen.

 

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Xiu took the medicine quickly. ¨Chicken soup sounds good.¨ He said to him as he walked out of the kitchen. ¨Thank you for the medicine. Do you need to go to the store again?¨ He asked out of the kitchen.

[クローバー (Clover)]

"Just to the supermarket, to pick up a chicken." Ryou said. "I think the market's super close to the restaurant, so it won't be long before I get back."

Ryou left to go get a chicken from the supermarket, closing the door behind him carefully. He ran down the street to the supermarket, which was thankfully only 5 blocks away. He grabbed the first fresh chicken he saw and bought it, running back to Xiu's house. The whole ordeal took around 10 minutes.

"Back! With a chicken!" Ryou said. "Now it's time to make this soup!"

He put the chicken in a pot and filled it with the broth and cut some of the vegetables into it. He then left it to simmer for a couple hours.

"Okay, so this thing should be done simmering by dinnertime." Ryou said. "What do you want to do while we wait?"

[XiuLin]

Xiu only had time to use the restroom and smoke in the time it took for Ryou to return. He barely managed to sit down when he came through the door. He smiled. ¨How about we decorate for Christmas? I really only do the inside of the house and everything is stored in the garage.¨ He said to him.

 

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Xiu only had time to use the restroom and smoke in the time it took for Ryou to return. He barely managed to sit down when he came through the door. He smiled. ¨How about we decorate for Christmas? I really only do the inside of the house and everything is stored in the garage.¨ He said to him.

[クローバー (Clover)]

"Great idea! Let's do it!" Ryou said, going to the garage. He loved Christmastime, and decorating was something he didn't frequently have time for. Whenever he had time for it, he loved doing it. He looked around for boxes and saw some labeled "Xmas lights".

"Are there any other boxes we should bring in besides the one labeled 'Xmas lights'?" Ryou asked.

[XiuLin]

Xiu came into the garage after Ryou. ¨I got the rest.¨ He went for a box with a fake christmas tree on it, bringing it inside. Then a box of ball decorations into the house. He set them on the coffee table and began setting up the tree in the room. ¨A tree like this is perfect for a house like this.¨ He said smiling.

 

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Xiu came into the garage after Ryou. ¨I got the rest.¨ He went for a box with a fake christmas tree on it, bringing it inside. Then a box of ball decorations into the house. He set them on the coffee table and began setting up the tree in the room. ¨A tree like this is perfect for a house like this.¨ He said smiling.

[クローバー (Clover)]

Ryou carefully took out the lights, taking care not to tangle them.

"Does the fake tree already have lights? Or are these lights for the fake tree?" he asked. He then looked at the pot to make sure nothing was boiling over. Thankfully, the soup was still simmering as planned.

[XiuLin]

Xiu spoke to Ryou. ¨It already has lights. You just can not tell until it's plugged in.¨ He said as he watched him. ¨Why are you playing with those lights? They do not work.¨ He told him as made the tree presentable for the house. He began humming some Christmas tunes to himself.

 

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Xiu spoke to Ryou. ¨It already has lights. You just can not tell until it's plugged in.¨ He said as he watched him. ¨Why are you playing with those lights? They do not work.¨ He told him as made the tree presentable for the house. He began humming some Christmas tunes to himself.