Modern AU with roommates HC, YY, and HX. HC is the one who introduced YY and HX to each other, as he knew HX from university days and YY from a part-time job delivering packages. The three of them got a relatively large apartment pre-furnished with three rooms, a living room, and a kitchen. The laundry room resides at the end of their level’s corridor.
Unfortunately, there’s only one bathroom that they all must share. HC and HX are very insistent on having their things in separate areas. Upon moving in, both of them hastily claimed drawers and shelves in the bathroom. YY doesn’t mind too much, for he is a simple man. He takes up the space that is leftover from the other two. However, why must YY be left with the highest cabinet when HC and HX are both taller than him? (Yes, YY purchased a step stool from IKEA. Very practical.)
The three roommates have a peculiar dynamic that has developed over the last year. HC and HX seem to hold a mutual dislike towards each other that makes YY question why they decided to live together. (YY is still not over how the first words HX spoke to him were, “How do you know that one-eyed bastard?”)
Often, YY feels like the mediator between the two even though he’s the youngest. Those two truly are like the older brothers he never wanted. YY really out here walking around with HX and HC and noticing how everyone in the room is either looking at the emo death reaper or the gangly tree with a model face.
They fight like children, throwing around vulgar insults and hand gestures. Once, HC used up HX’s black nail polish without asking, which resulted in HX eating HC’s leftovers in retaliation. Passive-aggressive exchanges went back and forth for over about a week until YY used his secret trump card and threatened to move out.
None of them can afford or bother to find a new living arrangement. Naturally, HC and HX worked it out between themselves. The peace would triumph once more.
For now.
Since the beginning, HX also insists that YY has a terrible habit of sneaking up on him. Sometimes, HX will be laying on the couch, lazily scrolling on his phone when his foot touches something warm-!!?? And it’s YY’s thigh, YY who is sidled up on the end of the couch, snacking on some seaweed.
“WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU COME FROM?”
YY grimaces at HX who pulls away with the speed of lightning.
“I was here the whole time.”
In other instances, it will be when HX closes the fridge door and YY will be standing right. there. Standing still with a stoic face, like a transportable scarecrow. Or a life-sized doll. It gives HX the shivers all the same.
“We need to put a damn bell on you or something,” HX groans after exiting the bathroom only to walk straight into YY who was patiently waiting his turn.
“Or you can work on your observational skills,” YY immediately fires back, shutting the bathroom door behind him. HC’s cackle can be heard from across the hallway.
While they are a somewhat dysfunctional trio, they make everything work. All of them clean when it’s necessary–HC more than the other two, being the clean freak he is. YY enjoys completing home projects like building furniture or creating more storage units for the apartment. HX supplies the gaming systems and games. They might share a meal or watch a movie together on the weekend.
Then, fall arrives. The weather gradually gets chillier. The trees’ leaves change color, painting the sidewalks deep reds, oranges, and yellows. All of HC, HX, and YY’s long coats and jackets occupy the hooks near the front door. HC has gathered YY and HC in the living room for a roomie meeting:
“You guys need to be out of the apartment by five,” HC states with his arms crossed.
“What the fuck, why would we do that?” HX questions from the couch. YY sits next to him, legs crossed, staring nonchalantly at his interlocked hands. HC rolls his eye in irritation.
“Because Xie Lian is coming over, dumbass,” he replies icily. HX still doesn’t take the hint.
“Okay? Is that supposed to mean something-??”
“Yes, it does,” YY interrupts as he holds a finger up to HX’s lips. HX’s eyes widen in surprise. Since when did this kid have the audacity to cut him off like this?
HC turns his head to the side with a scoff. HX flicks his gaze between his two roommates, completely lost. He hates it when they do this. No one tells him anything.
“Is someone going to explain?” HX asks.
YY scrunches his nose. “You don’t want to know.”
HX bites YY’s finger.
***
HX refuses to be kicked out because he has an important deadline to make as a writer. Therefore, YY refuses to leave because HX isn’t leaving. It’s when HX walks out of his room mid-afternoon, freshly showered, that he realizes how serious HC was. HC currently has his apron on, a whole variety of ingredients spread across the counter.
“Well shit, whoever this Xie Lian is, you’re gonna wine and dine him, aren’t you?” HX whistles.
“It’s much more than that,” YY says from behind HX, shuddering. HX yells in surprise, nearly jerking away into the wall.
“You two. Help,” HC orders, tossing two aprons at his roommates. “Yin Yu, vegetables. He Xuan, dishwasher.”
“Fuck you,” HX snarls, cracking his knuckles. It’s no secret that HC is a tyrant in the kitchen. He’s the one who cooks the most out of the three of them as well. HX supposes that makes HC feel like he has ownership of the kitchen in general.
Entitled beanpole.
YY nudges HX with his shoulder. “For tonight, I suggest noise-canceling headphones. And minding your own business. That’s what I did last time.”
HX whips his head towards YY in horror. “The fuck!? There were more times!?”
YY nods solemnly. HX’s heavy footsteps lead him to the sink for dish duty. He dies a little on the inside when realizing that HC’s room is in the middle of his and YY’s.
“Fucking hell.”
***
When a series of knocks sound on their door, HC flings himself out of the kitchen to answer it.
“Finish plating the noodles!” is the last thing he yells before rounding the corner to check himself out in the mirror. HX makes a disgusted face while YY holds his breath, praying.
HC opens the door with the apron on and a charming smile on his face.
“Gege!” he greets warmly. XL is bundled up in his white, puffy jacket, looking like a cute marshmallow. HC quickly pulls XL in from the cold. “Come in, come in, don’t want you catching a cold, now do we?”
XL happily winds his arms around HC’s waist. “Haha, nope. Thank you, San Lang.”
HC presses a soft kiss to XL’s forehead, then helps him out of his jacket. “I’m very glad Gege could make it. Dinner is just about ready.”
HX and YY watch from the background, staring, appalled. Where did their HC go? Who the hell is San Lang? This whipped doofus can’t possibly be the same person as their cranky, psychotic roommate. XL looks at them with a curious expression.
“Oh.” HC turns to glare at his roommates. “Unfortunately, my roommates are staying in tonight. It seems they have nothing better to do.”
“We helped cook dinner, you ungrateful asshole,” HX bites out. He is not about to let himself be disrespected under his own roof, damn it! XL lets out a small gasp, patting HC’s cheek.
“San Lang, be nice to them. They are more than welcome to stay home, even more so since they helped you make dinner,” XL says as a matter-of-fact. HC visibly crumbles under XL’s words, pouting.
“But gegeeee, it was supposed to be just us tonight.”
XL switches to gently cupping HC’s cheeks. HC tenderly leans into XL’s touch. “That’s okay, we’ll have plenty of opportunities for that in the future.”
“Hmm, I’ll take gege’s word for it.”
HX and YY graciously introduce themselves to XL before grabbing portions of food and isolating themselves in their rooms. Too bad neither HX nor YY realize XL is just as much of a freak as HC…
***
HuaLian making out on HC’s bed. XL goes in for the kill.
HC, grabbing XL’s wrist where his palm cups HC’s poor dick: “Wait, what are you-“
XL, leaning down with a sly smile, kissing HC’s chest: “I know I can keep quiet. The question is, can you?”
HC JR.: [excited]
HC: “Fuck.”
Unfortunately for YY and HX, HC’s bed certainly can’t keep quiet. HX barely made any progress on his writing. YY fell asleep listening to Clair de lune.
