Stay With Me

Ch 4. The Stairwell

Or, Cheng Qing showing Feng He exactly what he wants, even as his boyfriend feigns protest

The first week of their final term arrived too fast by Cheng Qing's standards. He barely had time to rest and here he was back in the fray. But the lack of rest was only part of the problem. What he minded was that he hadn't had enough time with Feng He. Their lives weren't settled, their relationship so fragile and tentative, he feared any pressure would see it crumble. He wanted more time. But there wasn't any.

Cheng Qing was sulking rather obviously. Feng He noticed while they were getting ready for school but tried to ignore it until the third or fourth time he heard Cheng Qing sigh.

"Don't you want to go to school?" Feng He asked solicitously.

"It's okay. I just wish we had more time."

"We do..." Feng He answered him. "...every day."

How was everything about him so disarming? Cheng Qing felt like a recalcitrant child in the face of Feng He's simple acceptance of their situation. Was it selfish of him to want the other man all to himself for a little longer? Puling Feng He into his arms he rested his chin on his shoulder. "We'll be late."

Cheng Qing didn't care. He wanted some kind of reassurance and the only thing he could think of was kissing Feng He. Holding him tight and never letting go.

~

Feng He drove as he always did getting them to school in good time. Cheng Qing was lost in his thoughts; accomplishing the entire ride in a remarkable silence. Dreading the start of school while his mind furnished him with a far better prospect. Cheng Qing would have preferred his earlier plans of derailing them with a make-out session to the sight of some of their school mates waiting by the entrance to catch a glimpse of him before class.

He remembered how Feng He had looked. The cross between upset and aroused setting his insides on fire and making wish even more that they had more time before school to do all the things he could imagine.

Instead they got to school and had the joy of meeting up with Meng Meng who showed up to greet them the minute they entered the building. She kept looking from one to the other but Cheng Qing gave her a warning glare. He didn't want her thinking she could interfere in their lives no matter how much it seemed like her earlier interference had led them to this point. It was also her who had nearly broken them apart and even though he had forgiven her, Cheng Qing didn't want a repeat of the same.

Meng Meng had caught Cheng Qing's signal quickly so instead of saying whatever had been on the tip of her tongue she linked her arms with Feng He and pretended to ignore the super star trailing behind them quietly.

"So how was your holiday? I think I only saw you twice."

"You're the one who went off to visit god-knows-who-in-god-knows-where leaving me all by myself." Feng He lamented.

"I went to see my grandparents." Meng Meng defended herself. "I didn't go to Mars. Anyway...I got back before the holiday was over."

"Did you come to find me?"

"No." She answered sheepishly.

"Then that's your answer." Feng He said nailing her coffin shut and putting the blame squarely on her shoulders.

"So did you have fun without me?" There was a very clear innuendo in her words but Feng He and Cheng Qing ignored it. It would have been more effective if Feng He hadn't blushed furiously, giving away the fact that there was, in fact, something to Meng Meng's suggestion.

Meng Meng got a dreamy look on her face for a moment then seemed to snap out of it when they reached their class. She parted from Feng He and moved to her desk as the two men moved forward to take the next two seats in front of her. She stared at the for long in the hope that some of what they were hiding would make itself clear but her imagination eventually took over and she found herself daydreaming instead of paying attention to the introductory lessons.