I DID IT. Damned if it didn't take the longest dialogue evar to get them together, but I think I got them together!
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One of Nan’s ex-girlfriends was also a resident advisor, and she told him that girls would come to her room at all hours crying about their problems. Since hearing this, Nan has always been thankful to be the RA of a boys’ dorm. None of his juniors, not even Yang-Yang, would think of doing something so foolish.
“Senior Nan, please, I need your guidance! Don’t turn your back on a miserable man!”
None except Xiu-Yi, of course.
“It is two in the morning,” Nan growls, fingers clenched on the doorknob. “If your room is not on fire, then I suggest you go back to bed.”
“My heart is on fire,” Xiu-Yi insists, one hand fisted in his shirt for emphasis.
“I can’t imagine you need me to guide you on how to take care of that.”
“I saw them together,” Xiu-Yi continues, ignoring Nan’s dig.
“Who?”
“Rui-Xi and, and,” Xiu-Yi starts, then wails, unable to finish.
“Oh, get in here before you wake the whole hall,” Nan snaps, tugging Xiu-Yi in by his arm and sitting him down in the computer chair by his desk. “Now, tell your senior all about it.”
Nan’s not a girl, but that doesn’t mean he’s completely immune to gossip, especially when it concerns the most-discussed romance on campus. He sits on his bed across from Xiu-Yi to listen, wishing he had snacks.
“I was going to talk to Rui-Xi about our homework,” Xiu-Yi begins, staring longingly at his shoes.
“Any excuse,” Nan comments wryly.
“And I knocked, but there was loud music playing, so I opened the door.”
“That’s a direct violation of the hall policies you agreed to at the beginning of the semester.”
Xiu-Yi stares at Nan, dumbstruck.
“Go on!” Nan grunts.
“Well, I saw them. Rui-Xi and, and, and…”
“Rui-Xi and Quan.”
“They were kissing!” Xiu-Yi says, almost a whisper.
Nan stares back at Xiu-Yi for a moment before realizing that’s all there is to the story. He wonders if he should act surprised, but decides that Xiu-Yi is old enough to handle this kind of thing.
“Rui-Xi and Quan were kissing,” Xiu-Yi repeats.
“No, I heard you the first time.”
“Aren’t you upset?”
“Why would I be upset?” Nan laughs. “I’m not interested in either of them.”
“But you used to-”
“Why are you upset? I thought you were into Rui-Xi’s friend.”
“I was, I am, it’s just so hard when we don’t see each other face to face,” Xiu-Yi says, mostly talking to himself, now. “But I never thought that Rui-Xi would...with a guy...with Quan! No, no, I decided I wasn’t gay anymore.”
Nan snorts and accidently catches Xiu-Yi’s attention. He rolls his eyes before explaining:
“You don’t decide.”
“I don’t?”
“Of course you don’t. It’s not like choosing a major. It’s how you’re wired.”
“Well, I’m wired all funny,” Xiu-Yi mumbles, looking pitifully at his shoes again.
“Most people are, actually. Have you ever heard of the Kinsey scale?”
“No.”
“It’s an American thing,” Nan explains, rather disgusted with himself for being so helpful. “The idea is that most people aren’t entirely gay or entirely straight, but somewhere in the middle. So, they use the numbers zero through six as a scale.”
“Really, an American thing,” Xiu-Yi says, slowly processing the information. “Why do you know so much about this?”
“I...have a family member...”
“Oh.”
“So, for example, you might be a one. You like girls, but you might get a crush on a guy once or twice in your life.”
“Rui-Xi.”
“Yes.”
“What about you?”
Nan frowns, taken aback.
“I’m helping you right now,” he answers.
“I’m all alone in this, senior! I can’t possibly talk to the others,” Xiu-Yi insists, jumping off the chair and onto his knees.
“Why am I the only one you can talk to?” Nan demands, not amused.
“Well, you’re the most experienced person I know,” Xiu-Yi answers, blushing a little.
occupational hazard [1/2]
---
One of Nan’s ex-girlfriends was also a resident advisor, and she told him that girls would come to her room at all hours crying about their problems. Since hearing this, Nan has always been thankful to be the RA of a boys’ dorm. None of his juniors, not even Yang-Yang, would think of doing something so foolish.
“Senior Nan, please, I need your guidance! Don’t turn your back on a miserable man!”
None except Xiu-Yi, of course.
“It is two in the morning,” Nan growls, fingers clenched on the doorknob. “If your room is not on fire, then I suggest you go back to bed.”
“My heart is on fire,” Xiu-Yi insists, one hand fisted in his shirt for emphasis.
“I can’t imagine you need me to guide you on how to take care of that.”
“I saw them together,” Xiu-Yi continues, ignoring Nan’s dig.
“Who?”
“Rui-Xi and, and,” Xiu-Yi starts, then wails, unable to finish.
“Oh, get in here before you wake the whole hall,” Nan snaps, tugging Xiu-Yi in by his arm and sitting him down in the computer chair by his desk. “Now, tell your senior all about it.”
Nan’s not a girl, but that doesn’t mean he’s completely immune to gossip, especially when it concerns the most-discussed romance on campus. He sits on his bed across from Xiu-Yi to listen, wishing he had snacks.
“I was going to talk to Rui-Xi about our homework,” Xiu-Yi begins, staring longingly at his shoes.
“Any excuse,” Nan comments wryly.
“And I knocked, but there was loud music playing, so I opened the door.”
“That’s a direct violation of the hall policies you agreed to at the beginning of the semester.”
Xiu-Yi stares at Nan, dumbstruck.
“Go on!” Nan grunts.
“Well, I saw them. Rui-Xi and, and, and…”
“Rui-Xi and Quan.”
“They were kissing!” Xiu-Yi says, almost a whisper.
Nan stares back at Xiu-Yi for a moment before realizing that’s all there is to the story. He wonders if he should act surprised, but decides that Xiu-Yi is old enough to handle this kind of thing.
“Rui-Xi and Quan were kissing,” Xiu-Yi repeats.
“No, I heard you the first time.”
“Aren’t you upset?”
“Why would I be upset?” Nan laughs. “I’m not interested in either of them.”
“But you used to-”
“Why are you upset? I thought you were into Rui-Xi’s friend.”
“I was, I am, it’s just so hard when we don’t see each other face to face,” Xiu-Yi says, mostly talking to himself, now. “But I never thought that Rui-Xi would...with a guy...with Quan! No, no, I decided I wasn’t gay anymore.”
Nan snorts and accidently catches Xiu-Yi’s attention. He rolls his eyes before explaining:
“You don’t decide.”
“I don’t?”
“Of course you don’t. It’s not like choosing a major. It’s how you’re wired.”
“Well, I’m wired all funny,” Xiu-Yi mumbles, looking pitifully at his shoes again.
“Most people are, actually. Have you ever heard of the Kinsey scale?”
“No.”
“It’s an American thing,” Nan explains, rather disgusted with himself for being so helpful. “The idea is that most people aren’t entirely gay or entirely straight, but somewhere in the middle. So, they use the numbers zero through six as a scale.”
“Really, an American thing,” Xiu-Yi says, slowly processing the information. “Why do you know so much about this?”
“I...have a family member...”
“Oh.”
“So, for example, you might be a one. You like girls, but you might get a crush on a guy once or twice in your life.”
“Rui-Xi.”
“Yes.”
“What about you?”
Nan frowns, taken aback.
“I’m helping you right now,” he answers.
“I’m all alone in this, senior! I can’t possibly talk to the others,” Xiu-Yi insists, jumping off the chair and onto his knees.
“Why am I the only one you can talk to?” Nan demands, not amused.
“Well, you’re the most experienced person I know,” Xiu-Yi answers, blushing a little.
Nan rolls his eyes.
“A two,” he answers. “Feel better?”
“A little,” Xiu-Yi admits.