Chapter 4:

"Too hot."

Lan Yue tried to push off his blanket, but it wouldn't move. Grumbling he opened his eyes a slit, glancing at the object blocking him from going back to sleep. A pale arm, with traces of purple and blue bruises, was clinging to him, holding the blanket between their skin. Obviously, it wasn't solely the blanket that was responsible for his discomfort. Following the delicate curve of the thin limb stretched over his chest, his eyes wandered up to Shen Li's face, and he smiled softly when he saw the peaceful expression present there.

"Shen Li, I need you to move over, ok?"

Murmuring softly, Lan Yue gently attempted to shift the boy's arm, but Shen Li was clinging so tightly, and his arm so fragile, that he was afraid of hurting him. Pondering for a moment, he lifted his body and rolled under Shen Li's arm, stretching his shirt in the process. Sighing, Lan Yue dragged it over his head and, ruffling the hair of the boy as he passed, went to go get ready.

~ Shen Li's POV ~

His arms felt empty. Though there was something in his grip, the warmth was fading. Waking up, he sat up ramrod straight, and clenched his hands around the old shirt in his grip. Looking down at the unexpected softness in his hands, he loosened his fingers and smoothed out the newly formed creases. As he fiddled with the material, Shen Li became aware of the soft sound of water splashing and raining down on tiles.

Slipping out of bed and rising to his feet, Shen Li glanced around, then located a door from which the sound seemed to come from. Listening harder, he could hear Lan Yue humming softly, and relaxed. After relaxing, he yawned, feeling sleepy once more, and slowly moved back to the bed. Snuggling back under the covers, he curled up, surrounded by the remaining warmth. Inhaling, the comforting scent Shen Li associated with Lan Yue made him slowly drift back to sleep, still grasping the left behind shirt.

~ Lan Yue's POV ~

Walking out of the bathroom, he rubbed at his hair with a towel and glanced over at the bed. Seeing Shen Li still asleep, he gently drew the covers back over him, worried he would catch a cold. Going down the stairs, Lan Yue strolled slowly to the kitchen.

Ever since he had been old enough to learn how to cook, his aunt had left him to himself, and through much practice, he had pretty much perfected his skills. Thinking back to Shen Li's thin stature, and how light he was when Lan Yue lifted him, he decided to make a large breakfast. Deciding on smoked salmon with rice, and a variety of side dishes, he bustled around the kitchen.

Flipping the strips of fish onto the plates, he placed all the other bowls onto a tray and was about to bring it out to the table when he noticed a head, poked around the doorframe. He had long noticed this habit of Shen Li's, to peek into a room, but not actually go in. Smiling softly, he went past Shen Li, glancing behind himself to see the boy following behind. Reaching the table, he set the tray down in the middle, and arranged the dishes out at two adjacent places.

Sitting down at one, he guided Shen Li to sit in the other chair, watching as he awkwardly held his chopsticks and attempted to lift the food. Chuckling softly, Lan Yue set down his own chopsticks and went back to the kitchen, grabbing a spoon and fork before settling back down.

Finishing his food, Lan Yue waited patiently for Shen Li to also finish his. Once he did, Lan Yue opened his mouth, about to begin talking, then noticed the rice stuck on Shen Li's face. Sighing, he pulled the younger boy over and, picking up his unused napkin, wiped of the grains. Then, turning Shen Li around, he gazed at him with a serious look in his eyes.

"Shen Li."

"What is it?"

"Right now, you have to make a decision."

"…Okay?"

"Next week, school will restart again, right? And I won't be home for most of the day. Do you want to continue at wherever you were going before, or would you like to transfer to my school?"

��I – I wasn't going anywhere before…"

"Wait… WHAT!?"

He was shocked. Lan Yue had been aware that since Shen Li's mother abused him, he probably didn't have the best of living conditions, but he thought she would, at the very least, send him to school! Muttering to himself about the selfishness of certain people, Lan Yue quickly came to a decision.

"I will teach you the basics this week, and then I can continue tutoring you after you begin school, if you need my help. Do you want to go to the same school as me?"

"Yes! I want it!"

Faced with his new brother's sparkly eyes and a smile that seemed brighter than the sun, Lan Yue couldn't help but die of cuteness.

"S-so cuuute!"

Grabbing Shen Li, he squeezed him tightly, keeping his arms around his waist as Lan Yue drifted off into thoughts of all he needed to teach his precious younger brother in order for Shen Li to enjoy school. He needed to make sure Shen Li was taught all the same knowledge as the other kids, so he would fit in easily, but (being an overly worried older brother) Lan Yue also decided that Shen Li had to be able to protect himself as well. What if he was bullied because he was the new kid? Shifting in his arms, the boy in question twisted until he was sitting in his lap, both facing the same direction. Dropping his head onto Shen Li's shoulder, Lan Yue continued his muttering, thinking out loud, not noticing the look on the face of the boy in front of him.

It was a look of pure adoration, like whatever he was seeing, was his whole world.