Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Hold up," Moon interrupted, throwing a hand up as Ling tried to explain his relationship with Nice— or Lin Xiao, as she now knew him.

At least she knew his real name now. Small victories.

"So—you’re his older brother?"

"Correct."

"And ever since you were, what, fourteen, you’ve been raising him by yourself?"

"Yep."

"And then apparently you just... lost contact with him because he didn't want contact anymore?"

"Err, well... not exactly—"

"Wow. That’s one shitty brother right there."

Ling sighed, leaning further back into the couch. The clock ticked somewhere in the background, marking the slow crawl toward noon. Xiao had left hours ago to meet with his manager, leaving Ling to fend off Moon's relentless curiosity.

At least it wasn’t awkward anymore.

Earlier, he’d had to awkwardly, painfully clear up the misunderstanding that no, he wasn’t Nice’s secret lover—he was just crashing here because his apartment was currently in shambles and unlivable.

"He’s not really that bad," Ling said weakly, fiddling with the hem of his sleeve. "He was more than I could ever ask—"

"He didn’t contact you for years??" Moon cut him off, incredulous.

"Yeah, but... he has reasons! I think?" Ling winced even as he said it. It sounded pathetic even to his own ears.

"You think??" Moon threw her hands up. "Wow. I thought he was a jerk but I didn’t think he’d be an actual asshole."

Ling chuckled under his breath, a small, broken sound that caught Moon’s attention.

She stared at him—at this strange mirror of Nice but somehow... warmer. Softer. Realer. It was uncanny.

Same build, same sharp jawline, same voice even—but the emotions were all different. Where Nice always felt distant, like a puppet on strings, Ling was... alive.

"You know," Moon said, tossing a popcorn kernel into her mouth, "you’re so much better than him."

Ling promptly choked on his own spit.

"Wh—No! That—That doesn’t sound right!" he spluttered, coughing hard enough his eyes watered.

Moon blinked at him, then smirked once she realized what he thought she meant.

"It’s not like our relationship’s real anyway," she said breezily, whistling and returning her attention to the TV.

Ling wiped his mouth, heart still racing. God, he was so not used to casual conversation anymore.

"Right..." he laughed awkwardly. But something about the laughter felt good. Looser than it had been in a long, long time.

It had been forever since he’d had someone to just... talk to.

"So, are you staying here?" Moon asked after a moment.

"Huh? No. I can’t do that. Only heroes are allowed in the tower anyway."

"Fair. But..." she sighed, tossing a handful of popcorn into her mouth, "it would’ve been nice. Would’ve lightened the mood around here."

"I doubt it," Ling said, smiling a little.

"You just haven’t seen your brother act yet," Moon muttered, glaring at the TV like it personally wronged her. "That asshole is gonna be the death of me."

Ling tilted his head, curious. "...Is he really that bad?"

"YES!" Moon exploded, sitting up straight. "For the past years I didn’t even know his name! I’ve been calling him Nice ever since we met! And I'm just learning his real name now because you told me! He didn’t even bother introducing himself properly!"

Ling bit back a laugh, though his shoulders shook.

"And you know what?" Moon continued, voice rising. "That bastard wouldn’t even talk to me unless it was in front of the cameras or some dumb public event. And even then he avoids eye contact like I'm some contagious disease, which just makes it look more suspicious to everyone else!"

Ling winced in sympathy.

"Oh, that’s a pain in the ass," he said. "I get it—I used to be a commercial manager. I handled acting and directing sometimes too. It’s the worst when your actor won't cooperate."

"Exactly!" Moon cried, throwing a popcorn kernel at the TV. "He signed up for this! All he had to do was the bare minimum of acting! But nope! I have to carry all the physical contact, all the fake smiles, all the stupid flirting because he just—he just nopes out of it! I'm practically dragging him through every ad we shoot together!"

Ling clutched his stomach, trying not to laugh too loudly. He could imagine it too well—Xiao stiff as a board while Moon tried to put on a believable show.

"...No wonder there were rumors about him being a neglectful partner," Ling said, catching his breath.

"Because he IS," Moon huffed, arms crossed tight against her chest. "I’ve been saving his ass in public, and he doesn’t even care enough to pretend!"

The TV blared on, forgotten. Ling found himself just watching her, the way she ranted with so much frustration—and maybe, underneath it, a little hurt too.

He wondered, not for the first time, just how much Xiao had messed up without even realizing it.

And for the first time in a while, Ling didn’t feel quite so alone.

Moon eventually ran out of steam, slumping back into the couch like a popped balloon. She stared blankly at the TV, the bag of popcorn resting half-forgotten on her lap.

Ling watched her for a moment, then glanced down at his hands, turning his wrist absently like he was checking for something that wasn’t there.

The silence stretched—not uncomfortable, just... full.

"You know," he said eventually, voice low,

“when we were kids... Xiao used to be really different."

Moon tilted her head, curious but not pushing him.

Ling took a breath.

"He used to follow me everywhere," he said, smiling a little at the memory. "Like a duckling. Always grabbing my sleeve, always asking if he could come with me. He hated being alone."

Moon listened quietly, the TV buzzing in the background like a distant hum.

"And I promised him," Ling continued, voice growing softer, "that no matter what happened, I’d always be there for him. Always take care of him."

His hand clenched into a fist, resting against his knee.

"But then things got messy. After we were left alone..." He trailed off, jaw tight. "I wasn’t enough. I couldn’t be what he needed anymore. And... instead of helping him, I think I just reminded him of everything he wanted to forget."

Moon stayed silent, sensing that Ling wasn’t done.

"So he left," Ling said simply, eyes distant. "And I... let him."

The words hung heavy in the air.

"You didn’t let him," Moon said after a moment, voice firm. "You respected what he needed. That’s... more than what most people would do."

Ling smiled, but it was a sad kind of smile.

"Yeah, but part of me still wonders... if maybe I gave up too easily. Maybe I should’ve fought harder to stay in his life."

Moon was quiet for a beat, then nudged his shoulder with hers. "Hey. For what it’s worth... he’s still here, right? You’re here. Maybe... maybe it’s not too late to figure it out."

Ling looked at her, surprised.

"I mean, sure, he’s an asshole," Moon grinned, trying to lighten the mood, "but he’s your asshole."

Ling let out a genuine laugh—a rough, warm sound that startled both of them.

"You’re... a lot nicer than you act," he said, wiping his eyes with the heel of his hand.

Moon scoffed, popping another piece of popcorn into her mouth. "Don’t get used to it. I’m only nice to people who actually deserve it."

Ling’s smile lingered as he leaned back against the couch, feeling lighter than he had in years.

Maybe he couldn’t fix everything with Xiao.

Maybe he couldn’t undo the distance that had built between them.

But maybe... maybe he didn’t have to be alone in it anymore.

“Omg, he looks adorable as a kid!” Moon practically yelled, nearly dropping the popcorn from her lap.

Ling chuckled, unable to hide the fond smile tugging at his lips. He had been telling her stories about Xiao when they were younger and, before he even realized it, ended up showing her the pictures too. He just couldn’t help it.

“I know, right? There's still a lot more, but most of them are in an album I left back at the apartment," he said, scrolling through his phone.

The screen lit up with dozens of photos—Xiao in a tiny uniform, Xiao clutching a bouquet at elementary graduation, Xiao in a bunny onesie, Xiao proudly holding up trophies and certificates, grinning so wide it almost looked fake.

Ling was bragging like a proud dad, and Moon was soaking up every second of it—mostly for blackmail purposes, of course.

“He liked sports a lot," Ling said, voice warm. "I remember he won championships for badminton and even got a scholarship. Though... he broke a bone or two at the finals because he was too reckless."

“Deserved," Moon deadpanned.

Ling laughed again, his chest feeling lighter with each memory he dug up. He told her about the time Xiao dyed his hair brown because he wanted to look more like Ling.

"For real? That’s actually so sweet—too bad he’s a bastard now." Moon snickered.

Every comment from her made Ling laugh harder. Maybe because she wasn’t wrong. Maybe because it was just refreshing to hear someone say what he always tried to deny.

“Huh? What’s this one?” Moon asked, clicking on a photo where Xiao was holding a bouquet of flowers, medals slung around his neck like Christmas decorations.

“Oh, that one... He was sixteen. Just graduated high school," Ling said, a wave of nostalgia hitting him so hard it almost knocked the breath out of him.

He remembered standing there at the ceremony, taking pictures, placing the medal around Xiao's neck himself because no one else had been there. He'd cried like an idiot behind his sunglasses.

“Damn, that’s a lot of medals and cords… I’m a little envious,” Moon said, snickering as she zoomed into the photo.

Ling just smiled quietly, his heart too full to speak.

Time slipped by unnoticed. It wasn’t until the elevator dinged that either of them realized how late it was.

Nice—Xiao—walked out, still in his hero suit but minus the backpack he’d left with earlier. His boots clicked neatly against the floor as he took them off and aligned them perfectly by the door.

"Welcome back!" Ling said brightly, standing up from the couch and stretching.

"…Gege," Xiao murmured, sounding small.

"How've you been? Did the meeting go well?"

"Yeah…" Xiao answered, but something was off. His voice was dull, and he looked like a sad, wet cat.

"What’s wrong?"

"Nothing," Xiao smiled—but it didn’t reach his eyes. "Just tired. Have you eaten? I’ll cook if you haven't."

"You don’t need to—I can—" Before Ling could even finish, Xiao had already disappeared, reappearing minutes later in fresh clothes, bustling around the kitchen.

"I didn’t even say yes yet…" Ling said, dumbfounded, but he didn’t protest. He watched Xiao move—small, methodical motions that reminded him painfully of the boy he used to chase around the house, trying to keep him out of trouble.

"That guy is a whole different person when you're around," Moon said suddenly, spooking Ling enough to jump.

"Jeez! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Can't believe he didn’t immediately start deep cleaning everything the moment he walked in," she huffed.

Ling blinked. "Huh?"

"Neat freak," Moon said casually. "Obsessed."

Ah.

Moon and Ling stood there dumbly, wide-eyed, as Xiao filled the table with enough food to feed a starving village.

"Who the hell are you trying to feed? The entire damn country?" Moon said flatly.

"For my brother," Xiao said, snickering.

"Oh wow, you’re not mute."

"I just don’t like talking to you."

"You signed up for this."

Xiao just snorted. At least they weren’t throwing knives at each other, Ling thought with mild relief.

Xiao finished preparing the feast, carefully setting out plates. Ling took one look and immediately felt the panic rise.

"I made it all for you, Gege," Xiao said proudly.

"This—this is too much!" Ling cried.

"Wow. You’re not even going to offer me any?" Moon pouted dramatically.

"You can cook a steak yourself," Xiao barked.

"I would if you didn’t use up all the beef and meat from the fridge!" she shot back.

"Order it then! You're a hero—you can just make a call!"

"Oh? You want me to strangle you?!"

"Go ahead and try!"

Within seconds, they were practically throwing themselves at each other across the table, yelling threats that grew increasingly ridiculous.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down!!" Ling panicked, rushing to separate the two idiots before the entire meal got flipped upside down.

In the chaos, they both accidentally slammed into Ling, knocking him hard onto the ground.

“Ouch…” he mumbled pitifully.

"Gege—"

"Ling—"

Both of them froze, looking guilty as hell. Ling stood up slowly, dusting himself off. He looked... dangerous.

Without a word, Ling smacked Xiao lightly but firmly on the back of the head.

"Lin Xiao!" he barked.

Xiao flinched.

"Is this how I raised you?! Fighting at the dinner table?!"

He turned to Moon, who flinched slightly under the same glare.

"And you! Stop encouraging him! It looks like you wanted a brawl!"

"But he started it!" Moon pointed dramatically at Xiao.

"She did it first!" Xiao whined back.

Ling’s stare silenced them both. It worked perfectly on Xiao—he knew that face. For Moon, it was just plain terrifying.

"We're not wasting food tonight. Moon’s eating with us. We're not throwing away anything. Got it?"

"…I'm sorry, Gege," Xiao muttered, eyes down.

"You should also be more polite, even if you don't like someone," Ling added sternly, looking at Moon.

"...Sorry," she mumbled, crossing her arms.

"Good. Are we settled?"

"Yes..." both of them grumbled in unison.

Ling finally let his serious expression crack, ruffling Xiao’s hair roughly and making him yelp.

"Now sit down before I make you both scrub this entire floor with a toothbrush."

Moon and Xiao exchanged a look of shared suffering.

But for the first time in a long time, the Tower felt a little more like home.

Chapter Text

Dinner passed by quietly. They cleaned up everything together — well, mostly Moon by herself, since Xiao and Ling had something heavier waiting: their long overdue talk.

The sink was finally cleared, the dishes done, and the kitchen wiped spotless.

“...uhm, gege," Xiao called out hesitantly, holding neatly folded clothes in his arms. "I just got these from the store nearby. They should fit you."

He shuffled forward and sheepishly held them out.

Ling blinked, then smiled, softening. "Ah, thank you, didi."

The word felt weird between them, though. Ling could feel it — the way Xiao stiffened up slightly under the title.

A long silence stretched between them, thick and awkward.

"...Ah, sorry," Xiao mumbled, scratching the back of his head. "I’m not really used to being called didi."

Ling chuckled. "Right, right." He ruffled Xiao’s hair affectionately. "Then — thank you, Kai Kai."

Before Xiao could react, Ling disappeared into the bathroom, clothes in hand.

Xiao stood there, stunned.

His hand drifted up to the spot where Ling had ruffled his hair. Normally he’d rush to fix it, gelling it back into that perfect signature style.

But tonight…

He looked at his reflection and just let it be, messy and soft.

He liked the messiness, It felt more real.

By the time Ling came out, fresh from a shower and wearing clean clothes, Xiao was waiting, fidgeting slightly.

"Kai Kai," Ling called.

Xiao's head snapped up, meeting his brother’s gaze.

"Let’s head out," Xiao invited quietly, jerking his thumb toward the balcony.

The city lights sparkled around them, skyscrapers like stars come down to earth.

They stepped outside onto the wide balcony, the cool night air brushing past.

Ling tried not to look down — the height alone made his stomach twist — so he quickly sat cross-legged on the floor, pulling Xiao down too.

Xiao buckled his knees to his chest, arms wrapped around them.

The stars above were brilliant — tiny diamonds scattered across a velvet sky.

It reminded them both of all those nights when they were younger, when sleep wouldn’t come and they'd lie on ratty picnic blankets in the park, pointing at constellations with sticky candy fingers.

“Remember," Ling said with a smirk, "when you used to run up to me, showing me a snowflake because you thought it was a star?"

Xiao immediately flushed, his entire face heating up. He hid between his knees with a loud squeal.

"Y-yeah... That’s embarrassing," he mumbled, voice muffled.

Ling laughed, a genuine, belly-deep laugh. "Fun times. I think I still have a recording—"

"NO!" Xiao yelped, shooting up so fast he almost toppled over.

Ling couldn't help but laugh harder.

Sometimes he forgot how adorable his little brother could be, even now.

He didn’t get what Moon had been complaining about — sure, Xiao could be a bit of an ass sometimes, but not entirely.

They fell into a peaceful silence after that, the kind that only comes when two people are completely at ease.

"...Back when Grandfather and Grandmother visited the apartment," Xiao said suddenly, voice soft, "they said they wanted to take me in."

Ling's head turned sharply to him.

"I thought it meant you too," Xiao continued, staring up at the stars. "But... I was wrong."

Ling’s heart twisted painfully.

"It felt like abandonment or something... I don't know the word for it," Xiao muttered, hugging his knees tighter. "I wanted to ask why they didn’t take you too. But all they said was that the Lin family had to uphold their 'tradition.'"

He scowled at the word, spitting it like venom.

"Tradition?" Ling echoed.

"Yeah," Xiao said bitterly. "Keeping the genetics 'pure.' Silver hair, blue eyes — the whole 'perfect image' stuff."

Ling's hands curled into fists unconsciously. He could feel anger simmering just below his skin.

"They weren't bad at first. Not really," Xiao admitted. "They weren’t strict or cruel... they just didn’t care. As long as you played your role and kept up appearances, you were acceptable."

Silence fell again.

Ling could barely breathe through the boiling feeling in his chest.

"They said I should stop visiting you," Xiao said, voice smaller now, "because apparently, you were a terrible influence."

He let out a bitter laugh. "As if they weren’t."

Ling winced, So that was it. They'd forced him away.

"I still visited, though," Xiao said fiercely. "Even when they threatened to lock me in the manor. Only let me out for public events. Wanted a 'perfect family' image, and I was tarnishing it."

"What?!" Ling snapped, grabbing Xiao’s face roughly. "Why didn’t you tell me?! I could’ve done something! Anything!"

"I—I know!" Xiao cried, brushing Ling’s hands away. "I just... didn’t want to burden you."

His voice cracked, and Ling’s heart cracked right with it.

"Besides..." Xiao added, looking away, "I didn’t know what they would’ve done to you if you got more involved."

Ling stayed frozen, guilt gnawing at him.

Xiao stood up abruptly, pacing back and forth across the balcony, hands fisting and unfisting at his sides.

"The ghosting... was my fault," Xiao confessed. "I thought... I could handle it. I wasn’t a kid anymore. I didn’t want you saving me again whenever something went wrong.

I was supposed to be strong, dammit."

He slammed his fists against his forehead, frustrated. "I thought... it'd be better if you didn't get dragged into my mess. I—I don't even know what I'm saying anymore! Why is it so hard to explain—?!"

Ling stood up slowly, stepping forward.

He grabbed Xiao’s shoulders firmly.

"Relax," he said, his voice steady and grounding. "I get what you're trying to say."

Xiao stared at him, breathing hard.

"You didn’t want me dragged down. You were scared," Ling said simply, smiling softly. "It’s okay. I understand."

Xiao’s throat tightened painfully.

"...Thanks," he whispered.

Ling’s smile turned sly. His grip on Xiao’s shoulders tightened comically.

"Now," he said with exaggerated seriousness, "tell me about your dumbass dream of being a hero."

"I—wait, what?! ACK—!!"

Xiao shrieked as Ling started shaking him dramatically like a ragdoll.

“What were you thinking?!” Ling barked, still gripping Xiao’s shoulders. “Being a hero?! For what?! You never mentioned anything about being a hero! Do you have any idea how reckless that is?! Who even let you choose that path?!”

“G-gege—!” Xiao squirmed under his brother’s hands, completely powerless. For someone who fought villains daily, he sure was helpless when it came to his brother interrogating him.

Ling wasn’t letting up.

“Do you know how worried I was?!” Ling shouted. “Every time a fight broke out and you got injured, I had no idea what was happening to you! The only thing I'd hear is some half-assed ‘he’s being treated’ report and that's it!”

He tightened his grip, frustration spilling out of every word.

"And don’t even get me started on those brutal fights you have with Wreck! I saw that live stream, Kai Kai! I saw when he stabbed you through the chest and I— I—"

Ling choked mid-sentence.

Xiao’s wide eyes looked up in alarm.

Ling's tears hit Xiao’s cheeks before he even realized he was crying.

“Huh," Ling grunted, quickly wiping his face. "Sorry. I got carried away...”

He sniffed, scrubbing at his face harder.

“It’s just... I’m sick of it. Seeing you hurt and being powerless to do anything about it. It drives me insane. I mean—! I raised you, Kai Kai. I saw you grow up, I know how fragile you were—how stubborn you were—and now you’re out there getting hurt over and over—"

“Gege, it’s—"

"You have to fight every damn day, deal with villains, get back up even when you’re bleeding—and that bastard Wreck! It’s always him! Every time you fight him, you end up a wreck yourself—pun intended. And yeah, yeah, I know you're strong, but seeing you like that—!"

Ling’s hands trembled.

"I swear, next time I see him—I'm gonna kill that bastard—!"

“IT’S SCRIPTED!” Xiao blurted out in a panic. “Every fight I have with him is scripted, don't worry!”

Ling blinked.

"...huh?"

He stared at Xiao like he'd just grown three heads.

"My fights with Wreck were always fake from the start," Xiao explained quickly. "It’s all staged. He’s my best friend! We wouldn’t actually hurt each other—it’s for the cameras!"

Ling’s mouth hung open.

"Wait—WHAT?! You weren’t even really fighting?!"

"Of course not!" Xiao said, waving his hands frantically. "We just make it look real!"

"You little bastard!" Ling groaned and gave Xiao a light slap to the head. "Do you have any idea how many sleepless nights you cost me?!"

"I’m sorry! I should’ve told you sooner!"

"Yeah, you should’ve!"

Finally letting go of him, Ling collapsed dramatically back onto the floor.

"Gosh, this is so much to process," he muttered, scrubbing his face again. "What else is fake? Is the Earth even round?!"

Xiao dusted himself off and plopped down beside him.

"...A lot of it’s fake," Xiao admitted. "But the fights with Wreck—that’s the biggest one."

Ling shook his head, muttering something under his breath about "dumbass brother" and "high blood pressure."

"...You still haven’t told me why you became a hero," he said after a long moment, side-eyeing Xiao suspiciously.

Xiao stiffened.

"Well, uhm..." he stammered, struggling to find words.

He couldn’t say it—not really.

In public, sure, he always said the cliche: "to protect every smile." It made a good headline. It made him look noble, But the truth?

He just wanted money.

Not for himself, For Ling.

The Lin family's riches had never touched them after their parents died. Their inheritance was a myth, eaten up by debts and greedy relatives.

Xiao remembered it all—too well.

Ling giving him the last of the rice just so he could eat.

Ling skipping meals for days to save enough for bills.

Ling flirting shamelessly for discounts at grocery stores.

Ling, working two, three jobs at once, just to keep a roof over their heads.

Ling, hiding overdue bills behind fake smiles.

Xiao didn’t want Ling to live like that anymore.

He’d promised himself he'd study, become a doctor, earn enough money to buy a real house for them—to spoil Ling rotten. To finally give him a life where he could rest.

He just needed enough. Enough to make it real.

"...So I could, uh—"

“Spit it out, you brat,” Ling growled, tired but curious.

Xiao flushed bright red.

He couldn’t tell the full truth. Not when it was so pathetic. So childish.

“Uh... I just really wanted to protect people,” he said quickly.

Ling’s eyes narrowed into immediate suspicion. "Bullcrap."

“Okay—look—I just wanted a goal in life, alright?!” Xiao blurted out, It wasn’t a complete lie. It just wasn't the full truth either.

Ling studied him hard. Finally, he let out a long, defeated sigh.

"Fine. I'll take that," he grumbled.

Xiao exhaled in relief and leaned back against the balcony railing, staring up at the stars.

Ling sat next to him, heart still aching but a little lighter now.

Maybe he didn’t know everything yet.

But at least for tonight, they were here.

Together.

Morning came again — and to Moon’s surprise, it was Ling who was busy in the kitchen, while Xiao was passed out face-first on the sofa.

“Morning,” Moon yawned, trudging to the fridge. She blinked at the scene before her. "Wow, is your brother not cooking for you today?"

“We’ve got tons of leftovers," Ling said, rummaging through the containers. "No point cooking new stuff."

“Hmm, fair,” she agreed, grabbing herself a bottle of water.

Ling started reheating the food—some in the microwave, some manually on the stove, expertly juggling both.

By the time Moon finished getting ready and was now dressed in her hero uniform, Ling was already sitting at the small dining table, eating calmly.

Xiao, meanwhile, hadn't budged an inch from his spot on the couch.

“Are you not gonna wake him up?” Moon asked, sitting down with her own plate.

"No. Let him sleep," Ling said, mouth half-full. "I had to force him to go to bed last night."

"Like a baby," Moon teased.

"Like a baby," Ling repeated, dead serious.

Both of them burst out laughing, the cozy atmosphere filling the silence.

But then—the elevator dinged.

The door slid open, revealing Ms. J storming out with four guards in tow.

Ling’s chewing slowed.

"Where's Nice?" Ms. J demanded, her sharp eyes already scanning the room.

Moon, still chewing her rice, casually pointed at the sofa.

Before Ling could even think about warning her, Ms. J was already marching toward Xiao like a missile.

Ling pushed back his chair, about to say something—but before he could, Xiao, still half-asleep, mumbled:

"...Can't you guys wait for a few minutes? My brother’s still eating."

His eyes were still shut, but he was awake—and clearly very aware of the brewing chaos.

"This can’t wait any longer!" Ms. J snapped. "Nice, it's time to make up for what you pulled the other day—"

“Shut up," Xiao interrupted without even looking at her, voice flat. "I saved a civilian from falling to their death. Isn’t that enough of an excuse for disappearing?"

Ms. J’s eye twitched. She balled up her fist and, without warning, punched herself lightly in the nose out of pure frustration.

"Nice!" she barked. "You can’t just vanish! You have to fix this attitude of yours too!"

Finally, Xiao sat up, raking a hand through his messy hair, and looked at her with the most unimpressed face imaginable.

Then he laughed—a sharp, dry laugh—and said:

"F**k off."

The room went dead silent.

Ling dropped his fork with a loud clatter.

Ms. J’s eye twitched so violently it was a miracle her glasses didn’t crack.

“You brat—!” she hissed through gritted teeth, taking a threatening step forward.

Xiao just yawned, patting his messy hair down lazily. “What? You gonna scold me to death? Go ahead. I’m listening.” He even cupped his hand behind his ear mockingly.

Ling, frozen halfway between standing and sitting, looked like he was deciding if he should intervene or just throw himself out the window.

Moon, meanwhile, slurped her food loudly just to fill the unbearable tension.

"You think you're untouchable because you're popular, huh?" Ms. J snapped, hands on her hips. "You're not! We can replace you like that!" She snapped her fingers dramatically.

Xiao shrugged, completely unfazed. "Good. Replace me. Then you’ll realize I'm the only reason half of your sponsors even look at this damn agency."

Moon nearly choked on her food.

"You little—!" Ms. J growled.

"And for the record," Xiao added, standing up and stretching lazily, "if you keep breathing down my neck, I will quit. Fully. No fake contract negotiations. No crying. No begging. Bye-bye."

"You wouldn’t dare—"

"Try me." Xiao smirked.

Ms. J looked ready to commit a crime. Ling slowly pushed his chair back farther, clearly regretting every life decision that led him to this moment.

Moon glanced between them like she was watching a bomb about to go off.

"You think you’re some hotshot because you’ve got a fanbase?! Newsflash, pretty boy—there’s always someone younger, shinier, and more obedient waiting in line to take your place!" Ms. J barked.

Xiao scoffed. "Yeah, good luck finding another half-decent fighter who can actually act on camera without looking like a dead fish."

Ms. J sputtered, momentarily speechless.

Ling finally found his voice. “Okay, okay—can we maybe not destroy the apartment at 8 A.M.?”

“gege, I'll handle this" Xiao said sweetly without even looking at him. "I’m fighting for my right to sleep in."

Moon snorted into her drink.

Ms. J inhaled sharply, fixing her glasses higher on her nose like she was about to call in reinforcements.

"You have a PR event today," she said in a deadly voice. "You will show up. You will smile. You will not curse anyone out."

Xiao plopped back down onto the sofa like a ragdoll. "Yeah, yeah. Smile, wave, pretend I’m not being emotionally blackmailed into hero work. Standard."

Ms. J’s face turned red.

"And wear the gift the senator gifted you!" she added shrilly.

"Sure, mom," Xiao said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Moon completely lost it, covering her mouth to muffle her laugh.

Ling, meanwhile, facepalmed so hard it echoed.

Ms. J let out a sound between a growl and a scream, turned on her heel, and stomped back toward the elevator, guards shuffling awkwardly

behind her like confused ducklings.

Before stepping in, she pointed dramatically at Xiao.

The elevator doors closed with a loud ding.

Silence.

Xiao stretched again, yawned like nothing happened, and grabbed a random pastry off the table.

Ling just stared at him in horror.

Moon gave him a slow clap.

"That was… impressive," she said.

“Thanks," Xiao said around a mouthful of bread. "It's a skill."

Here's some art I made :)

This is Lin Xiao graduation day

This is Lin Xiao running to ling with snowflake in hand (yes I read "s-classes I raised")

Chapter Text

"That was a terrifying conversation," Ling admitted, finally relaxing a little as he picked at his breakfast. Now that Xiao was awake — already dressed in his hero uniform and inhaling his food like he hadn't eaten in days — Ling figured he could finally squeeze in a few questions without worrying about being tackled by Ms. J again.

"Hm? That's normal," Xiao said, mouth half-full, as if that nightmare of a shouting match earlier was just a daily occurrence.

"Normal for you, you anomaly," Moon snickered from across the table, raising an eyebrow.

Xiao grinned at her, unbothered. "Nothing's ever normal for you, either."

Moon smirked, propping her chin on her hand. "I'm surprised you're actually talking to me. I thought you didn’t have a tongue. I was feeling kinda sorry for you."

Xiao snorted. "Didn't you say that already last night?"

"Did I? Wow, you actually listened to what I said! Shockers!" she mocked with exaggerated amazement, pretending to clutch her heart.

Ling sighed loudly, waving a hand between them like a weary teacher breaking up bickering students.

"Hey, hey, hey — it's way too early for this nonsense."

Both Xiao and Moon huffed in unison like scolded children before grudgingly going back to their meals.

The floor settled into a peaceful rhythm after that — small chatter here and there, but mostly the kind of quiet that felt natural. Comfortable.

Ling watched them, a small smile playing at his lips. For all their chaos, this... felt nice.

"So, what are you guys doing today?" Ling asked after a while, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

Moon hummed, tilting her head. "Hmm, for me? Gotta do a short blog video later, then my hero shift. Oh — and I forgot," she groaned, resting her forehead on the table, "I have to go with Nice later for a PR event."

"That sounds like a lot," Ling said sympathetically. "Don't you have, like... an assistant for that stuff?"

Moon shook her head. "Not really. I do most of it myself. I have an editor for my videos, but everything else? All me. I don’t really need a PR crew — I already know how to manage my reputation."

"That's seriously impressive," Ling said, genuine admiration in his voice.

Moon beamed. "Thanks! Took years to figure out."

Before Ling could say more, Xiao scraped his chair back and stood up, brushing crumbs off his uniform.

"You're done already?" Ling asked, a little startled.

"Yeah. Got a meeting with another hero this morning. Can’t really miss it," Xiao said, tugging on his cape and adjusting his gloves, looking every bit the shining hero he was known to be.

Ling watched him with a frown. "You seem... really busy."

Xiao grinned, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Being a hero eats you alive," he joked lightly. "I'll be back later."

He headed toward the elevator, cape fluttering behind him. Ling waved absentmindedly.

"Sure. Bye! I'll clean up before I leave."

Xiao froze mid-step. His head turned slowly, ears practically perking up at that single word.

"Leave?"

Ling blinked. "Yeah..? I can't exactly stay here, y'know."

Xiao's smile dropped completely, replaced by something almost pitiful — the sad look of a kicked puppy.

"But..."

Ling chuckled nervously, feeling a weird pang in his chest at how devastated Xiao looked. "I'll be fine, okay? You have my number. You can call me anytime. I'll just be in the apartment anyways.”

Xiao’s eyes widened in alarm.

"No!" he blurted out, almost too loud.

He scrambled for words, waving his arms. "I— I mean, uh, no. I'll get you a hotel nearby instead! It's too dangerous there! What if you get sick?!"

Ling laughed, trying to brush it off. "It's not that bad—"

"No!" Xiao stomped his foot — actually stomped like a stubborn child. "Stay here! I’ll put this floor on lockdown if I have to! And — and I'll call Dr. Yue to check your health!"

Ling's mouth dropped open. "Wait, Kai Kai—"

"I won't let you leave until a full medical check-up is done!" Xiao declared like it was law, slamming the elevator button with so much force it nearly cracked.

The doors slid closed behind him.

Ling stared at the space Xiao left behind, dumbfounded.

"What the hell just happened..." he muttered under his breath.

Moon, chewing her food, gave him a pitying pat on the back.

"Good luck with that," she said, completely unsympathetic.

Ling dropped his face into his hands, groaning loudly.

"This is illegal. I'm being kidnapped."

Moon laughed so hard she nearly choked.
"Nope. Deal with it."

As if on cue, the apartment's intercom crackled to life, Xiao's voice blaring through.

"Gege! Don't even think about running! I already told security downstairs not to let you leave without my permission!"

Ling gawked at the speaker like it had personally betrayed him.

"You traitor," he whispered dramatically.

Moon wheezed, wiping tears from her eyes. "Welcome to house arrest, bro."

"THIS IS KIDNAPPING!" Ling yelled up at the ceiling.

"Nope!" Xiao’s voice chirped back gleefully. "This is preventive healthcare! Love you, bye!"

The intercom clicked off.

Ling let his forehead fall to the table with a heavy thunk.

He was doomed. Completely doomed.

Moon grinned wickedly. "You better get comfy. You're basically a houseplant now."

Ling groaned even louder, dragging his hands across the table like a dying man.

"I'm gonna die of secondhand embarrassment," he muttered miserably.

Outside, sirens blared faintly as heroes raced off into the morning chaos — but inside the apartment, Ling realized with horror... he had just become Nice’s new personal hostage.

And there was absolutely no way out.

About an hour later, just when Ling was considering making a run for it through the laundry chute, the elevator dinged again.

Out stepped a tall woman in a long white coat, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. Her hair was tied in a severe bun, glasses perched on her nose like a final warning. Behind her followed an entire team of assistants pushing carts stacked with medical equipment — portable monitors, scanners, even a full-on IV drip stand.

Ling gawked, frozen in place with a half-eaten pancake still in his mouth.

Moon whistled low under her breath. "Ohhh, you're screwed."

The woman, Dr. Yue presumably, marched straight up to Ling and slapped a clipboard against his chest with a force that nearly knocked him back.

"You must be Ling," she said briskly, scanning him up and down like he was some kind of stray animal she had to rehabilitate.

"Patient's vitals first!" she barked to her crew.

Three assistants swarmed around Ling instantly.

"Wait— WAIT—!" Ling stumbled back but there was nowhere to go. One assistant was already strapping a blood pressure cuff onto his arm. Another shoved a thermometer into his mouth. A third began prepping a syringe for blood samples.

Moon leaned back on the couch, watching with a huge grin.

"This is better than TV."

"I'm not even sick!" Ling protested, words muffled by the thermometer.

Dr. Yue ignored him completely, flipping through the forms on her clipboard. "Symptoms: loss of consciousness, possible internal trauma, elevated stress levels, exposure to viral environments—"

"I WAS JUST SLEEPING!" Ling cried.

"Possible delusions noted," Dr. Yue muttered, scribbling rapidly.

One assistant rolled out a portable ultrasound machine. Another started setting up heart monitors. It was chaos. Controlled, clinical chaos — but chaos nonetheless.

The elevator dinged again.

Xiao burst back inside, looking energized and smug as hell, his cape fluttering dramatically behind him.

"I see the operation is going smoothly," he said, hands on his hips.

Ling shot him a look of pure betrayal. "You planned this!"

Xiao beamed. "Of course I did. Health is important, gege."

"THIS IS A WAR CRIME."

Moon howled with laughter from her seat. "You look like a kidnapped prince!"

"Quiet, you," Ling hissed as an assistant clipped a pulse monitor to his finger.

"Strip down to the waist," Dr. Yue ordered, tapping her pen against her clipboard without even looking up.

"WHAT?!"

"For the ultrasound," she said flatly, as if that explained everything. "Now."

Ling hesitated, burning with secondhand embarrassment.

"You can't be serious..."

Dr. Yue adjusted her glasses, giving him a look so deadpan it could kill a man.

"Son, I am always serious."

Xiao gave him a thumbs-up of encouragement from the couch.

Red-faced and muttering curses under his breath, Ling finally pulled his shirt off. Instantly, three assistants began sticking electrodes to his chest, back, and arms for the heart scan.

"This is humiliating," Ling moaned.

"Standard procedure," Dr. Yue said cheerfully. "Now breathe in... hold it... and don't you dare move unless you want to do this all over again."

Ling lay back on the portable bed they'd rolled in, glaring up at the ceiling like it personally wronged him.

Moon, meanwhile, pulled out her phone and very unsubtly started recording.

"You’re dead to me," Ling muttered at her.

"Smile for the fans!" she called.

"I don't have fans!"

"You do now!"

Dr. Yue ran the ultrasound wand across his chest with clinical efficiency, frowning slightly at the monitor.

"Hmm... minor bruising on the ribs. Possible pulled muscles. Dehydration... severe lack of proper nutrition... have you been eating garbage?"

"I eat perfectly fine!" Ling yelped.

"You call microwaved noodles ‘fine’?" Moon cut in.

Ling opened his mouth — then closed it.
"... no comment."

Dr. Yue wrote something aggressively on her clipboard. "New prescription: strict meal plan. Daily hydration logs. Bed rest for forty-eight hours minimum."

Xiao beamed so brightly it was almost blinding.

"See? You're STAYING!"

"This is illegal!" Ling cried for the hundredth time.

"This is medicine," Dr. Yue corrected him smugly, snapping her gloves off and tossing them into a bin.

She turned to Xiao, handing him a thick folder. "Here's his care plan. Follow it to the letter. Any deviations, and you call me immediately."

"Yes, ma'am!" Xiao saluted.

Ling could only watch, defeated, as Dr. Yue and her army of assistants packed up their gear and left like an unstoppable force of nature.

The apartment door clicked shut.

Ling slumped back against the pillows, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Moon leaned over him, smirking.

"So, houseplant?"

Ling didn’t even fight it anymore.

"Water me twice a day and put me near a window," he said lifelessly.

Xiao practically skipped across the room, plopping down next to him.

"Don’t worry, gege! I’ll take care of you!"

Ling turned his head very, very slowly to glare at him.

"You. Are. Insane."

"And you're my precious patient now!" Xiao said with a terrifying amount of excitement.

Moon was still laughing as she flopped back onto the couch.

"This is the best day ever."

Ling closed his eyes and accepted his fate. There was no escape now. Not from the overzealous "healthcare," not from the smirking Moon, and certainly not from Xiao’s absurdly stubborn care.

He was, truly and completely...
doomed.

“Well I have to go now! Bye ling —good Luck with your brother!” By that, moon disappeared

After a long, exhausting series of arguments, pleading, and borderline wrestling, Ling finally convinced his younger brother to let him go. Xiao, still pouting like a scolded dog, reluctantly disconnected the last of the medical equipment attached to him.

"You're overreacting! I'm fine! See?" Ling spun around dramatically, arms outstretched like he was presenting himself for auction. "Perfectly healthy, no tentacles growing out of my back."

Xiao crossed his arms stubbornly. "I was just double-checking! You've been living in that mold-infested apartment for years, and that stuff could mess you up in ways you don't even notice!"

Ling groaned. "Dumbass, I haven't even been in that apartment for months! I barely go there anymore, you idiot!"

"Oh... uh..." Xiao faltered, visibly deflating.

"And besides," Ling added, waving him off, "I've been sleeping in the office most nights anyway. The mold's not even near me."

Xiao stiffened.

That’s even worse, Xiao thought, horror slowly creeping up his spine. Sleeping in an office? On a desk? On the floor?

That was diabolical. That was villain behavior. That was how supervillains got created — and broken backs.

"You've been sleeping in an office?!" he practically shrieked.

"Yes— no, no! Don't freak out!" Ling yelped, seeing Xiao's hand already darting for his phone. "Put the phone down! Don't you dare call her again! I'm fine! Dr. Yue already tested everything, right?!"

It was too late. Xiao was already dialing.

In a desperate last move, Ling lunged and kicked the phone straight out of his brother’s hand. It clattered dramatically across the marble floor.

"We need to make sure!" Xiao barked, scrambling after it.

"She already did every test under the sun!" Ling protested, wrestling him back.

"What if she missed something?!"

"She didn't!" Ling cried out. "If something was wrong, I would know by now! I’m not dying!"

"What if—"

"Stop OVERREACTING!"

They stood there, panting, glaring at each other like two cats caught mid-battle. Finally, with a heavy sigh, Ling slapped his hand against Xiao's forehead and pushed him lightly back.

"Listen, Kai Kai..." Ling said, softening his voice. "I'm okay. Really."

Xiao's shoulders sagged. He looked away, biting his lip. "Sorry... I just... I didn’t want anything to go wrong. I just got you back."

"I know," Ling said, voice quiet. "It’s fine. Really. Just... don't overdo it, okay? I'm not that fragile, you know?"

He grinned, trying to lift the mood. "I raised you, for god’s sake. You think a little mold can beat me?"

Xiao hummed, unconvinced but comforted by the joke nonetheless.

After another round of negotiations (and no less than three more pinky promises), Ling finally managed to convince Xiao that he couldn't stay holed up in the hero tower. It wasn’t practical — he was a civilian, after all. Instead, he’d find a place nearby, somewhere safe.

"Look," Ling offered, stretching his arms above his head, "if you're free right now, we could take a stroll around? You know, before you drown yourself in work again."

Xiao brightened immediately. "Oh! Right, wait a second."

Without a shred of hesitation, Xiao whipped out his phone, tapped furiously on the screen, and a beep echoed across the room.

"Ms. J, cancel all my schedules this noon," Xiao said calmly into the receiver. "I have important matters to attend to. It’s life and death."

There was another beep. Canceled.

“Did you just -”

“Yeah!" Xiao chirped, tossing the phone onto the couch. "Now let’s go! We can even meet up with Wreck on the way!"

"Wait — ack!" Ling yelped as Xiao grabbed him by the wrist and started dragging him toward the elevator again.

"You're gonna have fun, gege!" Xiao promised, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.

Ling stumbled along behind him, laughing helplessly despite himself.

"With you dragging me around? God help me," Ling muttered under his breath — but he didn’t resist.

For once, maybe a little chaos was exactly what he needed.

The streets buzzed with life outside the Hero Tower — the city moving at its usual frantic, colorful pace. Heroes zipped by overhead, civilians crowded coffee shops and crosswalks, kids tugged at their parents’ sleeves pointing excitedly at the occasional celebrity passing by.

Ling had barely taken three steps out of the building when he was swarmed by the overwhelming noise of it all. Afterall he was holed up in the tower for two days, away from human contact.

"Yikes," he muttered, shading his eyes against the sun.

"Relax, gege," Xiao said, still clinging to his wrist like an overprotective bodyguard. "You're with a hero. Nobody’s gonna mess with you."

"That's not what I'm worried about," Ling said under his breath, but he let Xiao drag him along anyway.

They wandered through the city’s busier streets, Xiao enthusiastically pointing out shops, bakeries, and random landmarks as if Ling hadn’t grown up here too. He did it partly to fill the silence, partly to show off.

Ling just smiled and let him. ‘He’s trying so hard to make this normal,’ Ling thought, chest tightening warmly.

After about ten minutes, they finally spotted a familiar figure leaning casually against a lamppost, scrolling through his phone.

There — right there — the 10th ranking hero was just chilling casually by the sidewalk, scrolling through his phone like some normal guy running errands.

Firm Man.

Just standing there like an ordinary civilian.

Ling gasped so hard it sounded like a fish yanked out of water.

He wasn’t exactly a huge "fanboy" of heroes — sure, he admired them, met a few even — but it was always chill, nothing special.
Except for a few.

And Firm Man was one of those few.

Ling didn’t even know why exactly — the guy just radiated this rare, genuine heroism. Like, real good guy energy. He wasn't flashy or cocky like a lot of the top-rankers.
Just... solid. Reliable. Firm.

"It's him! It's him!" Ling hissed, tugging on Xiao's sleeve like an excited kid.

"Huh? Who? Where?" Xiao asked, craning his neck around.

"There! Firm Man’s right there!"

Xiao blinked at the sight of the towering figure leaning lazily against a lamp post. Then he grinned.

“Ohhh. Wanna talk to him?"

"Wha—Xiao, you have to STOP dragging me into these situations!" Ling protested, already backpedaling.

Too late.

Xiao had grabbed him by the arm and was power-walking toward Firm Man like a man on a mission, Ling flailing behind him.

Firm Man looked up from his phone at the approaching chaos, a smile already forming.

"Ah — Nice, lad," he greeted warmly. His voice was deep, like a rolling wave, but somehow still gentle. "What are you doing here?"

"Good afternoon, Firm Man!" Xiao chirped, coming to a stop and practically shoving Ling forward. "I was just strolling around when we saw you! And this," he clapped a hand on Ling’s back hard enough to almost knock the breath out of him, "is my brother! He’s a fan!"

Ling’s face combusted into full tomato mode.

“Xiao!!” he hissed, mortified.

Firm Man chuckled, crossing his arms over his massive chest. Despite his intimidating build, his laugh was downright soft.

"Another one, eh? Always nice to meet family," he said, eyes crinkling at the corners.

Ling practically tried to shrink into the sidewalk. "This is so embarrassing," he muttered under his breath, shooting Xiao a murderous glare. Xiao only grinned wider and refused to let him retreat.

"Don't be embarrassed, lad," Firm Man said kindly. "Would you like a picture? Or an autograph?"

Before Ling could even open his mouth, Xiao answered brightly, "He’ll take both!"

Ling smacked a hand over his own mouth, but it was too late — Firm Man had already pulled out a marker.

"Of course, I'd be delighted!" Firm Man boomed happily.

With surprising delicacy for such a huge guy, he signed the front of Ling’s shirt in neat, looping letters. Xiao immediately seized the moment, shoving Ling to stand next to Firm Man and snapping a flurry of pictures with his phone.

"Alright — big smiles!" Xiao called like a bossy photographer.

Ling stood there, frozen stiff, his heart doing backflips. Firm Man even threw a thumbs-up in one shot.

God, kill me now, Ling thought.

When it was finally over, Ling bowed clumsily.
"Thank you so much!"

"It's no problem, lad. Always glad to meet good people," Firm Man said, patting his shoulder with a heavy but gentle hand. "Take care, both of you."

And just like that, the hero turned and melted back into the flow of the city crowd, disappearing as easily as he’d appeared.

Ling rounded on Xiao the second he was out of sight.

"You little — YOU SH*T, why would you do that?!"

Xiao laughed, totally unapologetic. "You looked amazed! So why not?"

"Because I was trying to breathe, not get publicly humiliated!"

"Pshh," Xiao waved him off. "Relax, Firm Man loves his fans. He wasn’t even bothered. He’s a great guy! Great friend too actually"

Ling glared at him. "Next time, give me a two-minute warning at least!"

"No promises!" Xiao said brightly, already opening the gallery app to show off the dozens of photos he'd snapped.

(Some of them caught Ling mid-squeal. Wonderful.)

Despite himself, Ling found a smile tugging at his lips.

Maybe… maybe it wasn’t so bad having a little brother who refused to let life be boring.

They took their time wandering around town — eating random desserts from carts, slipping into a quiet library just to browse dusty books, and even trying their luck at a claw machine outside a convenience store.

It was nostalgic.

It was the kind of stuff they used to do, back when things were simpler.

After a while, they decided to grab a real meal.

They ended up at a bar-restaurant — the kind that looked sketchy at night but, thankfully, in broad daylight just looked... slightly depressing and nearly empty.

"Wow, barely anyone’s in here," Ling muttered, glancing around.

"It’s usually more lively at night," Xiao said, shrugging. "Not surprised."

They slid into a booth near the bar counter, the cracked leather squeaking under them.

Menus were slapped down in front of them, and Ling, out of pure instinct, immediately picked the cheapest thing he could find — some basic sandwich combo.

Old habits die hard.

Without missing a beat, Xiao snatched the menu from him and flagged the waitress.

"He'll have the lobster," Xiao said with a grin.

Ling almost had a heart attack.

Lobster. The Eighty-nine freaking bucks?!

He opened his mouth to argue but froze when he caught Xiao’s expression — gentle but firm. Like he knew exactly what was going through Ling's head.

"Don't worry, ge," Xiao said quietly, smiling. "It’s my treat."

Still, Ling fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. Spending that much money on him felt wrong. He wasn’t used to it — wasn’t sure he wanted to get used to it either.

Before Ling could stew in his own awkwardness too much longer, a bartender from the back came into view — tall, broad-shouldered, wiping his hands on a rag as he spotted Xiao.

"Xiao!" the man called out, brightening immediately.

He looked familiar somehow — or maybe it was just the kind of easy familiarity in the way he called Xiao’s name.

Xiao perked up, standing from the booth. "Ah, gege," he whispered to Ling, "this is Wreck."

Ling blinked slowly.

"Wreck," he repeated, voice oddly flat.

The man — Wreck — chuckled a little awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. "Uh, nice to meet you...?" he offered, but his body visibly tensed under Ling's sharp gaze.

Ling didn’t respond right away. His face was dead serious, scrutinizing.

Then, like flipping a switch, Ling smiled warmly and reached out for a handshake. "Nice to meet you too," he said smoothly.

Wreck relaxed slightly, though there was still wariness lingering in his posture.

"This is my brother, Wreck. I'll be right back — just gotta talk to someone real quick," Xiao said, before disappearing toward the back with the bartender who had taken their order earlier.

And just like that, Ling and Wreck were left alone at the booth, silence stretching uncomfortably between them.

As if on cue, Ling leaned forward, steepling his fingers under his chin.

"I heard," Ling said, voice dangerously calm, "that you fight my brother every week."

Wreck gave a nervous laugh, running a hand through his messy hair.

"Uh, yeah. Sparring, mostly. It’s... friendly?"

Ling narrowed his eyes slightly, making Wreck shift in his seat.

"You don’t go too hard on him, do you?" Ling asked casually — but something about the casualness made it worse.

"I—no! No, no, it's nothing serious!" Wreck said quickly. "Xiao’s tough! Sometimes he wins, honestly!"

Ling raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

"I see."

Wreck swallowed.

Where the hell was Xiao?

He was going to kill him for leaving him alone with his scary older brother.

"You hurt him, even by accident," Ling said smoothly, "I’ll hear about it."

Wreck chuckled weakly. "Duly noted."

Luckily, before the tension could suffocate the poor man completely, Xiao came bouncing back toward them.

"Sorry! Had to grab something. You guys getting along?" he asked cheerily, plopping down between them.

Ling leaned back, smiling sweetly.

"Perfectly."

Wreck let out a silent breath of relief.

Dear god, he thought. I thought Xiao was already terrifying, This family is scary.

The food arrived not long after — a whole damn lobster for Ling, stacked with buttered vegetables and tiny, fancy sauces he didn’t even recognize. Xiao got some steak dish that smelled like it cost more than Ling’s monthly grocery budget, while Wreck just ordered some classic burger and fries.

Ling poked at the lobster with his fork, feeling like he was committing a crime by even looking at it.

"You’re supposed to eat it, not interrogate it," Xiao teased.

"I feel like I’m gonna get charged for murder," Ling muttered back, glaring at the expensive dish.

Wreck laughed, finally starting to relax now that the scary interrogation vibes were over. "It’s not gonna bite you, Dig in."

Ling rolled his eyes but smiled anyway, finally cracking into the shell.

As they ate, conversation flowed more naturally

They talked about mundane things — new movie releases, weird trends, local food stalls that opened and closed too fast to even try.
Wreck threw in a few bad puns that made Xiao snort into his drink, and even Ling had to suppress a few laughs.

It felt... nice.

Surprisingly easy.

After the meal, Wreck had to bail early, saying he had a shift coming up. He ruffled Xiao’s hair on the way out, and after a moment of hesitation, even gave Ling a polite nod — which Ling returned with a slight smile.

When it was just the two of them again, Ling leaned back against the booth, nursing the last few sips of his drink.

"You’ve got a real circle here, huh," Ling said, not really intending to say it out loud.

Xiao blinked at him. "Huh?"

"I mean... friends. People who watch your back. You’re doing good, Kai."

Xiao's ears turned a little pink at the praise.

"I guess," he mumbled, fiddling with the straw of his drink. "It wasn’t always easy though."

Ling hummed. He could imagine.

His mind wandered to the days when they barely scraped by — when every connection felt temporary, dangerous, or too costly to keep.

"You made it work," Ling said softly. "You’re doing better than I ever did."

Xiao looked up sharply at that, frowning. "Don’t say that."

"It’s true though."

"You’re the reason I’m even here, ge," Xiao said firmly. "You gave up everything just so I could get out. You didn’t even— you didn’t even have a real life because of me."

Ling shook his head, a soft, almost sad smile playing on his lips.

"If I had to choose again, I'd still do it a thousand times over."

The booth went quiet for a moment, the clinking sounds of dishes and low music filling in the gaps.

Then Xiao shoved a dessert menu into Ling’s face dramatically.

"Okay, stop getting sentimental. Pick a cake. Or I’m ordering three of the most expensive ones and making you eat them all."

Ling barked a surprised laugh, pushing the menu down. "Are you bribing me with sugar?"

"Absolutely," Xiao said without shame. "Now pick."

Ling chuckled, feeling the lingering weight in his chest lift slightly.

Maybe it wasn’t perfect.

Maybe it was messy, complicated, filled with scars and unspoken regrets.

But sitting here — across from the little brother he practically raised, now so much bigger and brighter than before —
he thought maybe, just maybe, it was all worth it.

He tapped the cheesecake picture with a smirk.
"Fine. But you’re paying."

Xiao grinned wide. "Always, ge."