Strange Love [19 Days Fanfiction - He Tian/Redhead]

Chapter 9 ☼ Hold Me Down

Selfish, taking what I want and call it mine
I'm helpless, clinging to a little bit of spine
They rush me
Telling me I'm running out of time
They shush me
Walking me across a fragile line
(Hold Me Down / Halsey)

☼

"Ma..." Hong Fa sighed for the tenth time. "Ma,  I'm sorry I didn't-"

"I want you to trust me, Guanshan!" the red headed woman was frantically pacing. "You've never even mentioned a boy and I suddenly come home to find you necking on my couch with this... how old even are you?"

"Leave him out of this," Hong Fa huffed. His eyes were still a little puffy from his short sleep, and He Tian found it quite endearing. He had been shoved to the corner of the couch, however, Hong Fa sitting on the opposite end looking ashamed.

The redhead had awoken at the choking sound his mother had made upon He Tian's greeting. He'd rocketed up, his eyes wild, and would have fallen off the couch had He Tian not been holding onto his waist.

"Okay," Hong Fa's mother sucked in a deep breath. "I'm going to allow you to explain, Guanshan, and don't you dare lie to me."

Hong Fa was scratching awkwardly at the back of his head, and He Tian considered speaking for him before the boy shrugged, "He's been a friend of mine for about a month now. He needed someone to clean his apartment, so I've been doing it for him and that's where my money has been coming from."

"Guanshan-"

"I was going to tell you but I didn't want you to make a big deal out of it!"

"Are you two... intimate?"

"Ma!" and He Tian thought that he could make Hong Fa's face red, but the boy's mother certainly won the prize.

"Are you at least using protection?" she pressed.

He Tian chewed at his thumb nail to hide his smirk as Hong Fa buried his face into his hands, "We... we aren't having sex, Ma."

"But you're dating?"

At that, Hong Fa fell silent. He did, however, turn his gaze to He Tian. The dark haired boy took it as Hong Fa asking for assistance, for an answer. Ideally, it would be safe for Hong Fa's mother to know. Of course, if she were to tell someone who was somehow affiliated with Wenyi Siwang... not that it was likely that she herself knew of the gang, but He Tian's thoughts were suddenly running wild.

"Just friends."

It was said at the exact moment that Hong Fa mumbled, "Yeah, we're dating."

There was an awkward pause, and He Tian saw the momentary look of hurt and confusion that Hong Fa directed his way before his nose scrunched, "Dating. Right. I wasn't sure what we were telling people."

"Guanshan... I told you when you were younger that I'd be open to any friend or significant other you brought home and I don't intend to go back on that promise," his mother said slowly. "But I do wish that you would have just given me a bit of a warning."

"I just didn't want you to worry," Hong Fa looked down at his hands. "He Tian is a good guy. He's actually who patched my neck up when I... cut it on that fence."

Hong Fa's mother walked to where Hong Fa was seated on the edge of the couch, cupping his face in her hands, "He should have taken you to get stitches... but maybe I'm being too overbearing. If you trust him, I'll trust you."