Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Xiao Zhan squints his eyes into a complete focus as he connects all the small wires. People think that swapping a car engine is a simple task; just pull out the old one and drop a new one in. In fact, it’s anything but simple. A car engine has what seems like a billion cables, wires, hoses, and more connected to it. All of them have to be disconnected when the old engine is removed and they have to be reconnected again when dropping the new engine. Just one small mistake can cause the car to be nothing but a pile of useless metals.

Replacing an engine is a work-intensive process, especially for race cars. His chief doesn’t trust many people to handle engine replacement and he’s one of the few mechanics whom his chief trusts enough. It can be exhausting and time-consuming, but Xiao Zhan always feels a little sense of pride whenever he hears the roaring sound of a new engine. Perhaps that’s how a surgeon feels after a successful surgery.

“Come on, little one.” Xiao Zhan mutters to himself as he connects a small wire that’s a little difficult to reach. Just a little bit more and he can finally test this new engine.

“Xiao Zhan!”

He nearly jumps out of his skin at the call. Still with the safety goggles strapped around his head, he turns around to see his chief walking over with some papers on his hand. Albeit feeling a little annoyed to be disturbed in such a loud way, Xiao Zhan still straightens his back to face his chief, Lu Jianmin.

“Good thing I wasn’t handling the starter motor. You might have to call an ambulance by surprising me like that, Chief Lu.” He says with a sigh and puts the wrench aside.

“Sorry, I can’t wait to share this good news with you.” Jianmin walks closer with a bright smile on his face.

“What good news?” Xiao Zhan pushes the goggles up to his head.

“You’re going to be the crew chief of my team for the Asian GT3 Championship.”

Xiao Zhan takes a moment to register the news, his wide eyes blinking slowly and his jaw dropping open. “...What did you say?”

“You’ll join my team for that upcoming race.”

“As the crew chief?” He makes sure that he didn’t hear it wrong.

“Yes, as the crew chief.” Jianmin says positively.

“Me as a crew chief?” Xiao Zhan points at himself, still in disbelief. “But what about you? You’ve always been the crew chief in every team, haven’t you? Why the sudden change?”

“Yes and I am exhausted. I want to be the car chief this time.” Jianmin laughs lightly. “No, seriously, I know I can’t be the crew chief forever, so I’m looking for a young crew chief who is knowledgeable and has what it takes to be a leader.”

“And you think I’m the right person for that?”

“Are you not?” Jianmin raises a brow. “Give more credit to yourself, Xiao Zhan. I’ve always known that it’s just a matter of time before you become the crew chief for a team.”

Xiao Zhan can’t help but to feel a small sense of pride blooming inside him at the acknowledgement. “Thank you. It’s an honor to hear you say that.”

The chief smiles and pats his shoulder. “Congratulations, you are now the crew chief for Wang Yibo’s team.”

Xiao Zhan’s face falters completely at the name. His eyes are wide when he whips his head to look at the older man. “Wang… Yibo…?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t remember all the drivers we have here.” Jianmin gives him a confused look. “Do you perhaps not know who Wang Yibo is?”

“No, no, I do remember them all, I just didn’t expect… Wang Yibo.” Xiao Zhan blinks, still processing all the information.

“He’s a prodigy and our rising star. He’s young and stubborn, so I have to choose a crew chief that can understand and communicate with him, but is also good enough to lead the team.” Jianmin pats his shoulder again. “You’re the one, Xiao Zhan.”

Xiao Zhan can’t help but to smile proudly. “I’m honored to hear that.”

“I am impressed with your performance in the last championship. You’re the one who suggested Ziteng to pump the two tires on the left, weren’t you? Ziteng told me how impressed he was with your quick thinking and eye for detail.”

“It was because Yin Zheng told us through his radio, so it was quick of me to figure it out.” Xiao Zhan says sheepishly.

“Come on, don’t be too humble. Ever since I first saw you fixing that old Toyota MR2, I’ve always known that you’ll be one of the best mechanics in the industry, and so young too.” The chief gives him some pats on the shoulder.

“I’m already thirty, you know.”

“Don’t speak about being thirty in front of me. I’m twenty years older than you, young man.” Jianmin points his finger at him before looking at the car engine in front of them. “Are you done with this one?”

“Almost, I just need to reconnect all the wires and do a test drive.” Xiao Zhan says with a nod.

“You do that. Can you come to the Jingang racetrack this Friday at eight in the morning?”

“Sure.” He nods again when he remembers that he has no plan on that day yet. “You want to show me his car? Should I prepare something?”

“I want you to see his car, but I want you to meet him in person first thing first. He’s been informed that we’re going to have a new crew chief for his team and you should meet as soon as possible.” Jianmin explains. “You know, the crew chief will be the one who works side-by-side with the driver, so you have to build a good relationship with him. I think you two will get along well, but we’ll have to see.”

It makes sense. Although Xiao Zhan has been working in this company for a few years now, there are so many crews and mechanics here and he doesn’t think the drivers can remember them all. He has worked in other teams before with different drivers, but this will be his first time being the crew chief and the leader of the team, with Wang Yibo on top of it. Back then, he only needed to communicate with the crew chief and car chief in the team, but this time, he will have to communicate directly with the driver. 

Wang Yibo is a rising star in the racing industry.

Yibo started his career at the age of fifteen in junior karting and finished runner-up in Asia-Pacific KF3. He then shifted his career to car racing once he reached the age requirement. He placed third in his first international championship, which was a very impressive achievement considering his young age and short experience. People said that young drivers are hot-headed and reckless, but Yibo doesn’t seem to be that way. He has seen the way Yibo races, mostly from his phone screen or laptop screen when he’s streaming for the live race, and he’s impressed by how much control Yibo has over his car and his own adrenaline.

Xiao Zhan has been a mechanic for many years now. After finishing his study in vocational school, he started as an apprentice for a small street racing team. It was fun, but he wanted bigger things. He wanted to touch real racing cars and drive them. He wanted to listen to the rumbling engine and hear it roar as he slammed into the gas pedal. He wanted to see their engines and experiment with all the things he could do.

It didn’t take long for someone to notice him from the street racing world. Some people started approaching him and talked to him about joining a bigger, international-level racing company. It was like a dream come true, so he didn’t hesitate to say yes to the best offers he had gotten.

Of course, it wasn’t easy at first. Even though he did have experiences in street racing and the cars, an actual racing car was built differently and working as the mechanic in a big racing company was much more intense. He had to be able to perform everything in a matter of seconds while being careful not to make any mistake or hurt himself. He had to carry the responsibilities of the driver’s life and safety as a mechanic. He had to make sure that he’s helping the driver to win the race, not causing them to lose.

The first year was very tough and he had been yelled at more times than he could count, but it was his dream to be part of a racing team, so he wasn’t going to give up. Eventually, the supervisors started acknowledging his skills and giving him more responsibilities. He has been a pit crew during some racing championships and he has met some famous drivers whom he used to see on the screen.

He was already here when Yibo joined the company, but he has never met the younger man in person before. He’s a mechanic after all, his place is in the garage and in the workshop. He was never assigned to Yibo’s team before, so there was no chance for him to meet the rising star. Despite that, he sees Yibo’s face anywhere; on the TV, on the magazine, on the internet, and on his phone – because he saved a lot of Yibo’s pictures in his phone.

He can’t help it, okay? Yibo is not only gifted with a talent to race, the younger is also gifted with an attractive appearance and a handsome face. As someone who’s only attracted to men, it’s natural for Xiao Zhan to enjoy looking at attractive men. While he doesn’t announce his sexuality to every person that he meets, he isn’t really hiding or ashamed about it. After all, he knows there are other people like him in this industry and no one is really judging them as long as they do their jobs properly.

That’s why, no one is judging him when he stares at Yibo’s face for a little too long on the screen. Yibo is a famous driver, he has a lot of male fans too and Xiao Zhan is one of them, as simple as that.

“Xiao Zhan?”

“Yes, sorry, what?” Xiao Zhan quickly snaps out of his trance.

“Friday at eight in the morning?” The chief asks.

“Yes, I’ll be there.” Xiao Zhan nods firmly.

Xiao Zhan arrives early on Friday.

He’s thirty minutes early, but it’s fine, they have already rented this racetrack for the next couple of months for Yibo to practice for his upcoming race. He greets the staff, only to be informed that Yibo is already here. He quickly makes his way to the racing track, hearing the vroom of the engine as he walks closer to the pit lane, and there he sees it.

A black-and-green Audi is gliding smoothly along the tracks and making a perfect tight drift around a sharp turn, not losing any split second of time. It’s so smooth, so flawless, as if the car is gliding on a smooth surface, as if the car is actually flying. The acceleration, the drift, the control – everything is perfect and one would find it hard to believe that the driver is only a twenty-four year old man.

Xiao Zhan finds himself holding his breath as the car finally comes into a stop right in front of him. Well, right in front of the garage of the pit lane, actually. Xiao Zhan is just coincidentally standing here.

The door opens a moment later as Yibo steps out of the vehicle, fully clothed in his racing suit with a helmet over his head – which are also black-and-green in colors. Xiao Zhan watches quietly as Yibo takes off his helmet and once again, he finds himself holding his breath when the younger’s face is finally exposed to his eyes.

It’s unfair how Yibo looks even better in person. It’s unfair for someone to possess so much talent and still possess such a handsome face. Xiao Zhan must be staring too much because Yibo is now staring right back at him, but not saying a word.

“Good morning, I am a new member of your team for the upcoming Asian GT3 Championship.” Xiao Zhan quickly gives his greeting once he snaps out of his daze.

Yibo scans him from head to toe before looking at him right in the eyes. “Are you my crew chief?”

“Yes, I am.” Xiao Zhan looks down at himself to see if there’s anything odd about his appearance. He’s wearing his usual overalls and he thinks he looks decent for his job.

“I see.” Yibo hums, looking somewhat amused to see him. “Never seen you around before.”

Xiao Zhan has been working in the company for a while now, but it’s understandable for Yibo not to recognize him at all since they have never worked together. Someone like Yibo most likely doesn’t pay attention to anybody else other than his team.

“I used to handle other teams before. This is the first time I’ll be working as a crew chief, actually.” Xiao Zhan smiles awkwardly.

“Who?”

“Excuse me?”

“Who are the drivers you’ve handled before?”

“Yin Zheng, Li Wenhan, and Zhu Zhenting.”

Yibo nods his head lightly. “Were you there when Zheng-ge raced in the last championship?”

Xiao Zhan finds it somewhat adorable how Yibo addresses the older drivers with honorifics. Despite being so famous, Yibo is still a respectful young man and it’s rare to see someone who can keep their feet on the ground like this. What a good boy, he thinks. 

“Yes, I was there, but not as the crew chief.” He nods lightly.

“And your name?” Yibo looks at him again.

“Xiao Zhan.” He introduces himself with a smile. “Looking forward to working together with you, Wang Yibo.”

“Likewise.” Yibo tugs his lips into a smile, almost like a smirk, and Xiao Zhan feels his knees getting weak just slightly.

“I was told to reach here by eight. I hope I’m not late.” He tries to start a conversation in order to distract himself from unnecessary thoughts.

“You’re not. I tend to be early.”

“There are not many staff yet. It’s risky to drive on your own when there’s no crew around you.”

“You’re here.” Yibo states simply. “You’re my crew chief.”

“Well, that’s…” Xiao Zhan trails off, at a loss of words, and eventually breaks into a chuckle.

When Yibo chuckles along, Xiao Zhan finds himself laughing a little harder. Truth to be told, he was nervous about meeting the actual person of someone whom he used to admire on the screen. He has met many drivers before and not all of them are as pleasant as how they look, so he’s glad to know that Yibo doesn’t seem to be one of them.

“Oh, you two are already here.”

Xiao Zhan turns around to see Jianmin walking over with a smile on his face.

“Good morning, Chief Lu.” Yibo greets the man.

“Good morning, youngsters.” Jianmin greets both of them. “So, have you two introduced yourselves to each other?”

“We have.” Xiao Zhan nods with a smile.

“Alright, let’s get down to business then.” Jianmin clasps his hands. “The race is just a couple of months away, so we don’t really have much time actually.”

For the rest of the morning, they all sit down around the table to discuss the strategies for the upcoming championship. Xiao Zhan keeps his eyes focused as Jianmin explains about the circuit track while pointing at the big screen in front of them. Since he’s a new crew chief with no prior experience in leading a racing team, Jianmin is nice enough to guide him through everything.

It’s Suzuka circuit in japan, one of the toughest tracks Xiao Zhan has ever seen. It’s a combination of tight-speed corners and tight chicanes, with a sharp hairpin turn at some point of the tracks. Xiao Zhan narrows his eyes a little when he sees the series of high-speed S-shape turns after a curve. That part definitely requires precise car control and quick reactions, and the engine has to be perfect for that. They have to set the car for heavy acceleration.

He glances to the right, seeing Yibo staring at the screen with a focused look on his face. He knows it’s not the time for him to ogle at the young driver, but he can’t help but to stare at Yibo’s arms that are now exposed with the black undershirt he’s been wearing underneath his racing suit. Yibo seems like a thin guy with his racing suit on, but he’s actually pretty sturdy underneath. 

Well, drivers do routine exercise and cardio to maintain their health, so it’s no surprise if Yibo is packing on muscle.

As if noticing the stare, Yibo suddenly flicks his eyes to him, so he quickly shifts his gaze back to the screen. He tries to glue his eyes to the screen for the rest of the discussion. It is not the time for him to get distracted. Crew chiefs have to be highly knowledgeable, not only about racing in general but about the nuances of each and every track and of the race car itself.

He’s thrilled about this, but also nervous and anxious. Being a crew chief means that he’s the one who gets the race car set up for the driver to achieve victory. He used to admire the crew chiefs of the teams he had worked in before, but now that he’s becoming one, he realizes how heavy the burden and responsibilities are.

All this time, crew chiefs always look very calm during the race, but Xiao Zhan realizes that they all must be nervous as hell.

“Do you like him?”

Xiao Zhan nearly chokes on the water he’s drinking. “W-What?”

He’s now sitting with Jianmin in a small restaurant for lunch after the morning discussion. They will go back to the garage after this to meet the rest of the crew and work on the strategies. While this isn’t the first time for Xiao Zhan to work in a team, he has to get adjusted with his new role as a crew chief to lead the team.

He has to get more familiar with Wang Yibo too, in the most professional way, of course.

“Wang Yibo is a good boy, isn’t he?” Jianmin hums.

Oh, so that’s what the chief was talking about. For a second, Xiao Zhan thought that Jianmin was asking about his personal feelings for the driver.

“Yeah, he’s a pleasant young man.” Xiao Zhan nods and takes another gulp of water.

“When he started his career in the industry, some people didn’t really like him since he seemed like an arrogant brat, but he was actually not a very sociable person. He doesn’t warm up quickly to other people, but once he does, you will see that he’s a good young man.” Jianmin explains with a look of fondness on his face. “He’s passionate and ambitious, but also respectful and honest. It’s rare to see famous people like him these days.”

“I’ve heard good words about him.” Xiao Zhan nods again, not elaborating about all the articles he has read about Yibo.

“That’s good. You’ll be talking to him a lot since you’re the crew chief. It’s important that you two get along well.” Jianmin nods in approval. “I do have to warn you that he’s young, so there might be a little temper from him, especially when he’s under pressure.”

“That’s not new to me.” Xiao Zhan says, knowing how stressed and cranky a driver can be when they’re on tracks.

Jianmin stares at his face for a moment before leaning in to whisper quietly. “I’m not one-hundred percent sure about it, but I’ve heard that he’s also interested in men.”

Xiao Zhan takes a second to look up to his chief. “…And why are you telling me this?”

“You’re still young. You should have some romance stories, you know.” Jianmin says simply.

“I do have romance stories.”

“Come on, Xiao Zhan. I know you’re in love with cars, but finding a man is not so bad either.” Jianmin sighs. “I don’t like men like you do, but I think the basic idea of a romantic relationship is the same for all of us.”

Xiao Zhan huffs out a chuckle, but he always feels a little happy to know that his chief has never judged him for his sexuality. “Chief Lu, if he really is interested in men, he’d have found himself a male model or a celebrity instead of a boring mechanic like me.”

“You can’t judge someone’s type based on stereotypes.”

“But I’d rather put my full focus on the upcoming race instead of daydreaming about dating a superstar.”

“Don’t let a bad relationship determine your future love, Xiao Zhan.” Jianmin says with the reassurance of a father-alike.

Wang Yibo is… a very ambitious young man.

Xiao Zhan has worked with other drivers before and he knows the great ones are always ambitious, but Yibo is even more ambitious than them. Yibo knows no fear and knows no limit. Yibo can drive for so many laps until his manager, Zhou Yixuan, has to stop him and tell him to take a break. He knows Yibo is the type who puts his whole heart on something that he has decided to do, but witnessing it with his own eyes is fascinating.

Yibo doesn’t skip a day for his training and cardio either. There’s a lot of preparation needed for the race and Yibo wants to be in his best condition. Xiao Zhan drops by the training gym once to check on Yibo and ends up seeing the driver doing his training. He gets so distracted by the sweat sheening over Yibo’s flexed muscles that he only snaps out of it when Yibo waves a hand in front of his face. How embarrassing.

Being a crew chief is a pretty challenging task. Although he has Jianmin who is kind enough to guide him through the steps, he still needs time to get adjusted to his new responsibilities. During the week, he acts as the shop foreman. He directs the crew as to what they need to do to get the cars set up properly. After discussing with Jianmin about the circuit track and the strategy, they decide to set the car for heavy acceleration and they have to make sure that the engine will be able to withstand that.

During practice days, he becomes the statistician for Yibo. He watches the lap times during practice, he looks at the tires that come off the car after it's run laps, he looks at the spark plugs, he looks at the lifters and the valves, he measures fuel mileage on long runs, and he notes every single thing down.

It’s a lot of work, but not especially difficult to do. What’s more challenging is how he has to build a good relationship with Yibo. During the race, the driver often gets cranky in the heat of battle, and it will be his job to connect with Yibo and decipher the clues that Yibo gives him regarding the car's performance. Jianmin says that in short, he has to be Yibo’s best friend in the race.

He’s not the most talkative person out there and he doesn’t know if Yibo likes to talk either. The young driver doesn’t seem to be that sociable and he has heard that Yibo is a rather introverted guy. The chemistry between the driver and the crew chief is very important for the race, so Xiao Zhan tries to get closer to Yibo while keeping everything professional.

Despite that, there are days where he finds Yibo staring at him from a distance. There are times where their eyes meet too many times to call it coincidence. Xiao Zhan doesn’t want to let it get into his head, but even during the busiest days, his eyes still find Yibo in the room, still searching for the driver.  

And when Yibo’s eyes shift to him, Xiao Zhan always feels his heart skipping a beat for no reason.

Xiao Zhan is not young and foolish anymore. Whatever this is, he knows it’s not going to end well because he knows how it goes. Those famous people who are sitting up there will not bat an eye on people like him and it’s fine, he understands. He knows better than wishing for the moon.

When Xiao Zhan reaches the garage in the afternoon after coming back from the workshop, he sees Yibo throwing his hands in the air while the crew members are looking at him nervously.

“I’m telling you, there’s something wrong!” Yibo points at his car, looking frustrated and cranky over something.

“We have checked thoroughly. Everything is fine.” One of the mechanics tries to explain.

“And I’ve driven a whole three laps with this. It’s not fine!” Yibo snaps.

Xiao Zhan looks around the room before making his way to Jianmin and whispering to the chief. “Chief Lu, what is happening?”

“Yibo said that there’s something off about his car today, but nobody can figure it out.” Jianmin says.

“How come?” Xiao Zhan blinks.

“We’re not sure. We might have to disassemble the whole thing, but it’s a little risky with the race getting closer.” Jianmin says with a sigh.

Xiao Zhan looks at Yibo’s frustrated face and finally walks over to the younger man. The other mechanics immediately back away, letting the crew chief take care of the matters.

“Is there something wrong?” Xiao Zhan asks softly.

Yibo’s face softens a little when he looks at Xiao Zhan, but the anger and frustration still remain in his eyes. He blows out an exasperated sigh and places his palm against the hood of his car. “There’s something wrong. I can feel it. The acceleration is good, but the brake feels off and I won’t be able to run through the high-speed S-shape turn with this.”

Xiao Zhan stares at the black-and-green Audi in front of him. The crew is unable to find any problem, but there’s no way Yibo is making things up. He has seen the way Yibo drives his car with full control, he knows Yibo can feel his car as if it’s a part of his body. When Yibo says there’s something wrong with his car, there really is something wrong. The problem is, they don’t have enough time to deal with the risk of disassembling the entire car.

He rubs his chin thoughtfully while everybody else in the room stays silent, including Yibo who is waiting for a response from his crew chief. It’s one of those moments where Xiao Zhan has to be the one who takes decisions.

“Can I drive it?” He finally asks.

“…What?” Yibo scrunches his face like he just heard something ridiculous.

“Can I drive your car? I can feel which part is off like what you said and we’ll figure out how to fix that.”

Yibo stares incredulously at him, probably wondering if he’s out of his mind for asking that. Xiao Zhan can understand though because he knows how protective a driver can be towards their car, but this is the fastest way to find out what is actually wrong with the car.

“Can you drive though?” Yibo finally asks after a few seconds of silence. There’s no hint of mockery or sarcasm in his question, just pure curiosity and a little bit of confusion.

“I’m not going to leave a single scratch on your car. I promise.” He says reassuringly.

Yibo looks at Yixuan, like he’s trying to get his manager’s opinion, and then flicks his eyes back to Xiao Zhan a moment later. They stare at each other for a while with no words spoken, leaving the other crew members in the garage shifting uncomfortably on their feet, worried that a fight might happen by the next second.

After what feels like a full minute of intense atmosphere, Yibo takes a deep breath and nods his head, much to everybody’s surprise. “Do what you need to do then.”

Even Yixuan seems surprised by the response. The manager walks over to speak to Yibo while Jianmin pulls Xiao Zhan aside to speak to him.

“Be careful, alright? Don’t try anything dangerous.” Jianmin mutters softly so that no one else can hear them.

“I won’t. I’ll just do some drifts to see if there’s something off with the brake.” He says reassuringly to the chief.

“I’ll still make you wear the complete equipment, alright?” Jianmin pats his back before turning to the crew. “Can someone get the spare fireproof suit and helmet?”

Although Xiao Zhan knows that safety is the number one priority, he thinks it’s a little exaggerating to make him wear the full equipment when all he’s doing is a test-drive, but he’s not going to argue with his chief. Jianmin is much more experienced than him and he respects the man.

As he puts on his helmet, he can see Yibo staring at him from the other side with arms crossed against his chest. Yibo looks curious, intrigued, but also somewhat challenging. It feels like Yibo wants to see what he can do and how far he can go. Xiao Zhan thinks he can feel his spine tingling when he sees those sharp eyes. 

“You ready?” Jianmin asks, snapping him out of his trance.

He gives a nod before climbing into the car and letting himself be strapped into the seat. Once the door is closed, he slowly places his right hand on the gearshift and grabs the steering wheel in his left hand. He glances to the left, seeing everybody staring at him in anticipation, including Yibo who seems to be staring right to his eyes.

He turns his head back to the front and revs the engine, hearing it rumbling under his control. With an intake of breath, he steps onto the gas pedal, shooting the car forward to the track in front of him.

He keeps his breathing steady as he floors the pedal, eyes glancing momentarily at the speedometer while upshifting, feeling the speed rising more and more. Once the first turn is right ahead, he downshifts quickly with his feet and makes a smooth drift along the curve.

“T-That was a clean drift, wasn’t it?” One of the mechanics says to the others.

“Wow, that’s quite impressive.” Yixuan raises his eyebrows when the car makes another smooth drift on a sharp turn.

“Where did he learn to drive like that?” Yibo asks, but his eyes are gleaming in amusement, like he’s fascinated.

“You wouldn’t expect it.” Jianmin smiles proudly as he watches Xiao Zhan driving the car smoothly along the tracks. It’s obviously not as fast and swift as a professional driver, but they all know that Xiao Zhan is no amateur from the way he makes all the sharp yet clean turns.

Nobody really says another word until Xiao Zhan pulls the car in front of the garage after finishing a lap. The crew immediately walks over to help him get out of the car and open the hood to check the engine. Xiao Zhan takes a moment to take the helmet off his head before giving his instructions.

“It’s the ABS module.” Xiao Zhan explains. “It seems all good at first, but there’s a risk of hydroplaning on heavy braking conditions, especially with the circuit we’re having. There are so many sharp curves, especially those S-shaped turns, we have to switch the ABS module.”

The crew starts working under Xiao Zhan’s instructions and Jianmin’s supervision. Yibo stands at the side with his manager, eyes looking at Xiao Zhan who is explaining something to one of the mechanics. He stares at Xiao Zhan’s face for a long minute before shifting his gaze down to the elder’s body, scanning over his thin waist and long legs.

“I like him. Can we keep him?” Yibo turns to Yixuan.

“The way you say it sounds like you’re trying to keep a pet or something.” Yixuan sighs softly.

“Can we?” Yibo asks insistently.

“I can try to discuss it.” Yixuan says with a light nod.

Yibo smiles at the answer and turns his head to Xiao Zhan who is completely unaware of the conversation.

That night, Xiao Zhan stays late in the garage. The others have gone home after finishing their working hours, but he wants to spend more time on his research and experiment. He wants to see if it is possible to adjust the braking system a little so that Yibo will be able to maintain a certain speed without the risk of skidding. He knows it’s very risky to make an adjustment when the race is less than two months away and he knows his idea can be considered crazy, but he has seen the way Yibo drives, he knows Yibo can control his car.

There’s not enough time for Yibo to do all the tests and experiments that are needed, but he can test this braking system on his own. All he needs is a spare car that he can borrow for a while. He hasn’t told anybody about his idea, not even to Jianmin. He’s planning to come up with a proper image first before explaining it to the car chief.

When he hears the sound of the door, he turns over his shoulder to check, thinking that he’s going to be kicked out by a staff member who needs to close the garage for the night. Of course, he doesn’t expect to see Yibo walking through the door in his casual clothes.

“You’re still here.” Yibo hums as he looks around the garage.

“Yeah.” Xiao Zhan presses his lips into a smile, feeling a little nervous now that there’s only the two of them. “I didn’t expect to see you here at this hour.”

“I didn’t expect to see anybody here at this hour either.” Yibo walks over to him. “What are you doing?”

Xiao Zhan glances at the laptop screen in front of him. It’s too late to close his laptop and pretend that he’s doing nothing when Yibo has clearly seen the 3D picture of the brake system on the screen.

“Just trying to figure out some things.” He gestures his hand lightly.

“What are you planning to do with the brake system? You want to make adjustments?” Yibo places one hand against the desk and looks closer at the screen, eyes curious as he stares at the racing software displayed on it.

“I just want to see if it’s possible to adjust the brake caliper and ABS module so that you can maintain your speed, but controlling it will be a challenge, especially with the engine set to heavy acceleration.” He explains, though his eyes are staring at Yibo’s hand on the desk.

“Interesting.” Yibo hums and looks down at him. “Where did you learn to drive like that, by the way?”

“Drive like… what?” Xiao Zhan looks up with doe eyes.

“Don’t play dumb. I’ve never seen a mechanic who can drive like that. Are you a driver? Or used to be one?” Yibo tugs the corner of his lips into a smile.

“I’m not a driver and I’ve never been one.” He says honestly.

“Then how did you learn to drive like that? Your control and speed is really good for someone who has never been in a race.” Yibo asks curiously.

Xiao Zhan huffs out a chuckle, but his eyes aren’t really smiling along. Yibo isn’t the first person who gets curious about his driving skill, but this isn’t really something he likes to talk about. It’s something he prefers to leave behind in his past.

“I had a professional driver teach me a long time ago. It helps me to understand car engines more.” He flashes Yibo a smile, trying to end the topic there.

Yibo, however, doesn’t seem like he wants to switch the topic anytime soon. “Who?”

“What?”

“The driver who taught you how to drive like that. Who’s he?”

Xiao Zhan knows how stubborn and persistent Yibo can be, he just didn’t think the younger would be persistent about this insignificant matter. Why would a driver care about his crew chief’s personal life?

“Who was it?” Yibo asks again when he doesn’t receive an answer.

He blows out a sigh and finally says a name. “Peng Chuyue.”

Yibo raises his brows at the familiar name. “I know him. He’s joining the Asian GT3 Championship too.”

“He is.”

“When did he teach you? Did you used to work for that company? Were you part of his team as the crew pit?” Yibo starts asking more questions, like he’s interrogating him.

“I used to work with him during the early years of his career.” He reaches a hand to close his laptop, hoping that he can leave before Yibo asks more questions. It’s not that he hates talking with Yibo, he just dislikes talking about this particular topic. He doesn’t like talking about bad things that happened in the past.

“Early years of his career?” Yibo hums and tilts his head slightly, eyes staring intently at the elder’s nervous expression.

“Sort of.” Xiao Zhan puts the laptop in his bag and zips it before standing up to leave, but instead of stepping aside, Yibo stands in front of him to block his way. His eyes grow wide and his breath hitches as Yibo backs him against the desk. Yibo’s eyes are so intense that he finds himself stuck on them, unable to look away.

“Did you date him?” Yibo asks, his eyes almost interrogating.

Peng Chuyue is not exactly open about his sexuality, but it’s not a surprise if people in the industry know that he likes men too. Yibo must be aware of Chuyue’s history with male models and celebrities and the younger is now connecting the dots to him. 

“I did not date him.” Xiao Zhan looks away and pushes Yibo aside.

“Did you not?” Yibo grabs his arm to stop him from walking away completely.

“I did not.” Xiao Zhan says sternly. He sucks in a quick breath before turning over his shoulder to look at Yibo. “He never thought of me that way.”

He has no idea what kind of face he is making when he says those words, but he can see Yibo’s face faltering, so he takes the chance to pull his hand away and walk out of the garage, not even looking back.

“I’m sorry.”

Xiao Zhan nearly jumps when the door swings open with Yibo stepping in with an apology rolling out of his mouth. While he admits that today has been a little awkward after their conversation last night, he didn’t think Yibo would go as far as apologizing, especially when the younger technically didn’t do anything wrong.

Yibo was just curious, he was the one overreacting because he’s being sensitive.

“It’s… it’s fine. You didn’t do anything wrong, so you don’t have to apologize.” He says softly as Yibo walks closer to him.

It’s another night where he stays late in the garage and Yibo just happens to drop by again. Xiao Zhan doesn’t want to get his hopes up, but he can’t help but to wonder if Yibo came back to the garage at this hour just to see him.

“I was being insensitive. I didn’t realize you didn’t want to talk about your past.” Yibo keeps walking until he’s standing right next to the desk. “I’m sorry for last night.”

“No, it’s just me being overly sensitive about something that you have no idea of.” Xiao Zhan chuckles lightly, feeling a little flustered to have someone giving him such a straightforward apology. It’s rare to see someone who’s as honest and blunt as Yibo these days.

“You’re not being overly sensitive, it’s your feelings about something that I have no idea of.” Yibo says with a solemn look on face.

Xiao Zhan presses his lips into a faint smile and drags an empty chair to Yibo’s side. “Sit down. It’s awkward to have you standing like that.”

Yibo sits down and drags his chair closer to the desk so that he can take a look at the racing software on the laptop screen. “Still experimenting with the brake system?”

“Yeah, sort of.” He points his finger at the screen and gestures it around the 3D model. “I’m trying to see if I can adjust this without getting this part affected.”

“And how are you going to test it?”

“I’ll install it in a car that I can experiment on.”

“You’re going to drive with this brake system?” Yibo looks at him with a frown.

“It’s the safest option.” Xiao Zhan shrugs.

“It’s dangerous. You might lose control with this kind of brake if you don’t have enough footwork skill.” Yibo hums thoughtfully. “I’ll test it. Use my car.”

“No, not you, absolutely not.” Xiao Zhan whips his head and stares at the younger with horrified eyes.

“I have good footwork. I know how to shift the gears and control the brake.”

“I know you’re good at that, but this is an experiment. I can’t take the risk.”

“And you testing it is not a risk? You’re my crew chief.”

“And as your crew chief, I can’t let you take that risk.”

“I want to take that risk.” Yibo looks at him straight in the eyes. “So let me.”

How confident and stubborn. Yibo knows what he wants and what he can do, and he won’t back down until he gets what he wants. He’s so demanding, but that’s the side of him that makes Xiao Zhan adore the younger man. Yibo’s strong will and confidence are the things that Xiao Zhan really admires.

“Okay.” Xiao Zhan finally says. “But I’ll sit beside you while you drive.”

Yibo smiles and nods his head, satisfied by the answer. “Deal.”

Xiao Zhan chuckles lightly and turns his eyes back to his laptop screen. “I need a week to complete this and install it in the car.”

“Alright.” Yibo nods again.

There’s a long silence with Xiao Zhan fumbling with the 3D software and Yibo watching him quietly, following what he is doing with the brake system. Usually, Xiao Zhan prefers to be on his own when he’s working on a serious and detailed thing like this, but it’s not uncomfortable to have Yibo around.

He doesn’t really like having people around while he’s working since their noises can be a disturbance, but Yibo doesn’t really bother him. The younger does ask some questions once in a while, but other than that, the driver is mostly watching with his eyes.

Despite being mostly quiet, Xiao Zhan still feels a little nervous and fidgety under that intense stare.

Right now, Yibo is standing quietly at the side while he removes the coil packs with a Torque wrench. He’s no longer wearing his outfit properly at this hour since he didn’t expect to have any visitors in the garage at night. His overalls are half undone and tied around his waist, leaving him with the white tank-top he’s wearing. Whenever he bends over or reaches something with his hands, he can feel Yibo’s eyes following the movement.

“Are you not bored watching me like this?” He glances over at Yibo who is staring at the car engine.

“No, not really. I enjoy watching you.” Yibo flicks his eyes to him and Xiao Zhan notices the driver staring at his chest.

He’s still fully dressed, yet the way Yibo stares at him makes him feel somewhat exposed. It feels like Yibo can actually stare through his clothes and at his naked body. He’s probably being way too self-conscious at this point. Calm down, it’s inappropriate to feel this way when Yibo is just watching him work. He's not that sexually frustrated to get all hot and bothered just from being watched. 

“I really never dated him, you know.” He finally says it, trying to break the silence and also distract his mind from inappropriate thoughts.  

Although the topic seems to come out of the blue, Yibo is quick to catch on. “But you two were close?”

“You can say so.” Xiao Zhan smiles faintly at the old memories as he places the plug into the end of the spark plug socket. “He’s one of the first drivers I was assigned to when I just joined the industry. He was a young driver and I was a new mechanic, but we had a bond from that, I guess.”

Yibo doesn’t say anything, but he is listening and his eyes are staring intently.

“I taught him about car engines and everything while he taught me how to drive a race car. We were like that for a while, then his career took off after he won a national championship, and then he got really busy and we stopped meeting each other and…” Xiao Zhan puts the wrench down and sighs as he gazes at the car engine in front of him. “I guess he realized that it was much better to sit up there in fame instead of having me around. At some point, I felt like everything was just a dream, you know. It felt like we had never known each other at all and the Peng Chuyue I was spending time with was just a fragment from my dream or something.”

Yibo drops his gaze when he hears the pain lacing on Xiao Zhan’s voice. He has never been in Xiao Zhan’s shoes before, but he can feel the heartbreak just from listening to the story.

“But I moved on, you know. I do my own thing, I moved to another team, got hired by a big company, and here I am working with Wang Yibo.” Xiao Zhan smiles as he shuts the car hood and then turns his head to Yibo. “Don’t you think this is something I can be proud of?”

Instead of responding with words, Yibo suddenly grabs the back of his neck and pulls his head closer until their lips meet in a kiss. Xiao Zhan stops breathing, his eyes grow wide as he registers the feeling of being kissed. He’s so stunned that he stays still like a statue until Yibo starts moving his lips against his own.

When was the last time he was kissed like this? Xiao Zhan can’t really remember anymore. After Chuyue broke his heart, he didn’t really seek a rebound or a new relationship. His friends told him that he should find a new man and show him off to Chuyue, but he thought it wasn’t good enough. He wanted to grow more in the industry and show Chuyue that he could reach the top too on his own, so he put his focus on his job and career.

He had flings, just once in a while when he felt like it, but he never thought of having a serious relationship. Truthfully, he didn’t think anybody would want him so much and that he would end up being the only one who’s serious when everybody else only saw him as a fling. Maybe deep down, he’s scared of getting his heart broken again, so he closed himself off. 

He lets out a weak gasp when Yibo pries his mouth open and licks the inside of it, stealing his breath and muffling his moan. He can feel Yibo’s strong hand holding the back of his neck to keep his head in place so that the driver can kiss him to his heart’s content. It’s hot, it feels like his mouth is going to melt and his cheeks are burning.

When Yibo finally breaks the kiss, he needs a moment to snap out of his daze and realize that no, he isn’t dreaming, Yibo really kissed him. He looks into Yibo’s eyes, seeing the other man staring back at him with darkened eyes. It makes his heart pound harder in his chest, a fire burning in his loins.

When Yibo leans in again, however, he lifts his hand out of reflex.

“W-Wait…” He places his hand on Yibo’s shoulder to stop the younger.

This isn’t really the first time someone made a move on him. He isn’t that oblivious, he notices it when someone is eyeing him or trying to get his attention, but no one has ever acted so boldly like how Yibo did. He’s taken aback, he was not prepared for anything like this. His heart needs some time to calm down.

Yibo stares at him for a moment before pulling back with a chuckle, seemingly amused by his flustered reaction. “Sorry.”

“I-It’s fine, I just… I…” Xiao Zhan opens and closes his mouth, still trying to recover from his shock. “What just happened?”

“I kissed you.” Yibo says as if it’s not obvious enough.

“Y-Yeah, I know.” Xiao Zhan clears his throat, trying not to look too embarrassed.

There’s a lot of questions he wants to ask Yibo. Why did Yibo kiss him? Why him, out of everybody else? Was it just a spur of a moment or was there another meaning behind that kiss? What does Yibo think of him? A young crew chief who he can probably fuck for fun?

Xiao Zhan has been here before. He’s not going to make the same mistake and get his heart broken again. He’s not going to get his hopes up.

“Zhan-ge, can I have your number?”

Yibo’s question snaps him out of his thoughts.

“What did you just call me?” He blinks dumbly.

“Zhan-ge.” Yibo repeats casually. “You’re older than me, right?”

“Yeah, six years older.”

“You sure don’t look that old.” Yibo hums with a teasing look in his eyes.

“Don’t be a brat now.” Xiao Zhan bites back with a laugh.

Nothing much has changed since the kiss they shared that night.

During the day, Xiao Zhan does his job as usual to direct the crew in order to set up the car. He works together with Jianmin to make some adjustments with the car based on the lap times Yibo has during his practice. During the evening, he will spend his time completing his experiment. It might not work like what he’s expected, but he thinks it’s worth the try.

Yibo also follows his schedule as usual. He will come to the track to practice and help the crew make adjustments based on his feedback on the car’s performance. On some days, he will do his cardio training and exercise to get himself ready for the important day. They keep eye contact and conversation to the necessary level and not more. During the day, they’re Wang Yibo the professional driver and Xiao Zhan the crew chief.

But once the sun sets, they’re just Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo.

Once the night falls, they will meet up in the garage with Xiao Zhan showing Yibo the progress of his experiment and everything else. Somehow, they also end up talking about themselves, about their childhood days to their adulthood, about their forgotten dreams and the way they see the future. Yibo is young, ambitious, but he is full of hope and confidence, something that Xiao Zhan has never had even when he was younger.

For him, looking at Yibo is like looking at a star. Yibo is so high up there, shining so brightly like the brightest diamond in the sky, and so out of reach. Sometimes he wants to stretch his hand to touch Yibo, but the younger seems so far away like they’re worlds apart, and maybe they are.

He has been in this industry for years. He has seen what kind of world the famous drivers are living in. It’s a glimmering world filled with celebrities and models and other famous people; it’s the perfect world for someone as bright as Yibo. Meanwhile, he has never been under the spotlight and he has never wished for it. He’s content with being in the shadow and watching the bright world from a distance.

It's all good, as long as he doesn’t wish for someone who lives in that bright world.

But how can he not wish for Yibo when the sun is right in front of him? How can keep his feet on the ground when his heart flutters every time Yibo laughs? How can he stop himself from wanting more when Yibo seems so close to him during the night? How can he not imagine being someone Yibo can call a lover?

He is standing at the edge of the cliff now, just one push away from falling and breaking himself again. He’s older and wiser now, he knows better than letting himself fall for someone unattainable like Yibo, but his heart is foolish. His heart wants to love and wishes to be loved back.

He can see himself falling for Yibo in just a matter of time, yet his feet stay at the edge of the cliff instead of moving backwards, like he’s waiting to be pushed off the cliff so that he can fall completely.

“Are you sure you don’t need any other safety measures?” Xiao Zhan shifts anxiously on his seat.

“Don’t worry.” Yibo hums as he places his hand on the steering wheel.

Today is the day where they’re going to test the new brake that he has been working on. Yibo had patiently waited in the garage for a full hour as he installed the brake system to the car. He had told Jiamin about his idea and the car chief had given his approval, but he didn’t say that they’re going to test it tonight.

It’s risky, but Xiao Zhan is positive that it will work. Yibo actually told him not to sit in the car with him, but there’s no way he’s going to let Yibo drive alone when this is his idea and his responsibility.

Yibo seems very excited for this moment though. It’s already evening, yet Yibo is still wearing the same race suit that he has been wearing for the whole day. When everybody went home earlier, Yibo stayed in the garage, giving Yixuan any kind of reasons as to why he had to stay here. Yixuan obviously didn’t buy it, but Xiao Zhan noticed how the manager glanced at his direction and then smiled so slightly.

Technically, there’s nothing between them, at least that’s what Xiao Zhan is trying to convince himself in order not to get his hopes up.

“If you’re scared, you can get out and wait here. It’s fine.” Yibo says reassuringly.

“No, I’m staying here with you.” Xiao Zhan says with a determined nod of head.

Yibo smiles softly and turns his head back to the front. “Alright, let’s do this.”

Yibo revs the engine once, twice, and then hits the gas pedal. He starts slow and careful, letting the speed rise up steadily. Xiao Zhan exhales softly as he feels the car moving forward, eyes glancing at Yibo who is staring straight ahead, eyes focused and face serious. His heart beats a little faster and he isn’t sure if it’s the rising adrenaline or if it’s because Yibo looks really handsome when he’s all focused like that.

The speed starts rising as Yibo presses the pedal deeper. Xiao Zhan listens carefully to the rumbling sound of the engine, making sure that nothing is out of the ordinary. The brake system shouldn’t affect the engine that much, but he still has to pay attention.

“First turn.” Yibo shifts his foot and the gear before turning the wheel swiftly.

 Xiao Zhan waits for the car to make a full turn before turning to the younger. “All good?”

“Yeah, I’ll try more.” Yibo upshifts and floors the gas pedal.

The rumbling of the engine grows a little louder as they go faster in speed. Xiao Zhan stares at the sharp turn ahead and holds his breath as Yibo drifts along the curve.

“More?” He glances at Yibo’s hand on the shifting gear.

“More.” Yibo picks up the speed.

Xiao Zhan sucks in a quick breath when he sees the sharp S-shaped turn ahead. They’re not exactly the same as what the circuit has, but they’re enough for Yibo to practice the turns. A lot of drivers will end up losing time on these sharp turns if they’re not quick enough, but they might also lose control of the car if they’re careless. As far as he knows, there are histories of crashes and accidents on that deadly turn.

Yibo keeps his eyes on the road, mind completely focused. Following the countdown in his head, he switches his foot to the brake and shifts the gear while turning the wheel. There’s a squealing sound of tires against the asphalt as Yibo makes the first turn.

Then Yibo hits the gas again, increasing the speed as he turns his steering wheel to the other side for the next turn. Xiao Zhan holds his breath when he feels his body jerking to the side from the force of the movement. He clutches a hand against his safety belts and whips his head to look at Yibo.

Yibo’s eyes are bright with adrenaline, the corners of his lips almost curling into a smile, like a child playing a racing game arcade. Yibo looks like he’s having so much fun and the sight takes Xiao Zhan’s breath away. A soft gasp leaves his throat when Yibo shifts the gear and braking to swerve on another turn, but his eyes are still stuck on the younger man, like he’s mesmerized.

He can see Yibo’s smile growing wider once he drives past the S-shaped turn. The lights along the track are shining around them, yet Xiao Zhan finds Yibo’s face to be the brightest of them all. Yibo is so dazzling, yet so tantalizing.

“It worked.” Yibo grins from ear to ear.

“I-It worked?” Xiao Zhan quickly snaps out of his daze. “Is it safe?”

“Yeah, controlling it was a challenge, but I can do it. I didn’t lose any time in that turn.” Still grinning, Yibo punches the gas pedal, flattening Xiao Zhan back into his seat as he speeds up.

“You’re amazing, Wang Yibo.” Xiao Zhan lets out a laugh.

“I know.” Yibo says proudly before making another drift around a sharp corner.

Xiao Zhan laughs a little harder and lets himself relax into his seat, watching the lights flashing over them as Yibo slides through the turns with expert precision. He turns his head once in a while, seeing how Yibo’s eyes gleam in excitement as the car speeds through the track.

What a speed demon Wang Yibo is.

They eventually come into a screeching halt when Yibo pulls his car back into the empty garage. He slowly removes his hand from the steering wheel and takes a long, deep breath, still feeling the adrenaline rushing through his body. When he notices that Xiao Zhan has been oddly quiet, he turns to look at the elder who is seated quietly with his head turned to the other side

“What’s wrong?” He asks, slightly worried. Did he drive too fast? Is Xiao Zhan scared?

“Huh? I-I’m fine. Nothing’s wrong.” Xiao Zhan clears his throat and shifts on his seat.

Yibo flicks his eyes down and notices how Xiao Zhan has one hand on his groin, like he’s trying to cover something with his palm. The dots connect immediately in his mind as he lifts his head with a teasing grin.

“Are you turned on, Zhan-ge?”

Xiao Zhan bites his lip and looks away as he starts taking off all the safety belts.

“Is it the adrenaline?” Yibo hums as he takes off his own safety belts. He’s been in this industry pretty long to know that there are people who feel aroused from the adrenaline rush. He’s probably one of them, knowing how he often gets the desire to fuck someone as hard as he punches his gas pedal, but knowing that Xiao Zhan is the same makes him think about all the dirty thoughts he can do to the elder.

“Sort of.” Xiao Zhan’s hands fumble with the last belt, still keeping his eyes elsewhere.

“Or,” Yibo takes off his last belt and leans over to Xiao Zhan’s side. “Is it because of me?”

Xiao Zhan takes off the last belt and turns his head to Yibo, seeing how close their faces are. He can see the darkened look in Yibo’s eyes, pupils still dilated from the adrenaline rush and his chest heaving slightly. He swallows the knot in his throat before pulling the driver for a kiss.

Yibo returns the kiss with eagerness. The younger pushes him back into his seat as he kisses harder, deeper, hungrily and aggressively. Xiao Zhan melts into the kiss, keeping his mouth open as Yibo licks the inside of it. His loins are aching with arousal and his body is burning up, he wants more.

He lets out a gasp, hand automatically reaching forward when Yibo breaks the kiss suddenly. Without wasting any second, Yibo gets out of the car and slams the door closed before rounding the vehicle. Xiao Zhan doesn’t manage to make any move before Yibo pulls the door open and yanks him out of the car.

Xiao Zhan finds himself getting nearly slammed against the hood of the car with Yibo right behind him. He can feel Yibo’s hand sneaking in to pull down the zipper of his overalls before yanking them off his body. Once the overalls are pooling around his feet, Yibo proceeds to take off the rest of the clothes that he’s wearing underneath his overalls, leaving him bare against the steaming hood of the car.

The metal feels hot against his skin, not burning, but hot enough to make Xiao Zhan squirm a little. Just when he tries to lift his body up with hands on the hood, he finds a much bigger hand on the middle of his back pushing him down against the warm metal.

“It’s hot.” He turns over his shoulder slightly.

“It shouldn’t be that hot. I’ve only run a few laps.” Yibo hums.

“It’s not burning, but it’s still hot.” Xiao Zhan tries to squirm, only to find out that Yibo only needs a hand to pin him down like this.

“That’s fine.” Yibo smirks and leans down to whisper against the elder’s ear. “Your body will get hotter than my car soon.”

Xiao Zhan actually shudders at the words, his cock twitching slightly at the thoughts of what Yibo can do to his body. He feels Yibo pulling away, but he remains still, listening to the sound of zipper and rustling fabric as Yibo pulls his race suit down until he’s left with his inner clothes.

“Look at you.” Yibo grabs a handful of his ass and squeezes it tightly. “I wouldn’t have believed that you’re a mechanic if I saw this body that day.”

“What’s wrong with my body?” Xiao Zhan pushes back against the hand.

“This is the body of a supermodel.” Yibo chuckles and gives a playful smack.

“Ah…!” Xiao Zhan jerks at the hit, but Yibo pulls his hips back with a hand on his waist.

“You’re so hot.” Yibo licks his lips and presses his own groin against Xiao Zhan’s ass, forcing the elder to feel his own hard-on.

It’s big.

Xiao Zhan doesn’t even have to look. He can feel how hard and big it is just with Yibo rubbing his crotch like this. It’s been a long while since he did this and he knows it’s going to burn with how big Yibo is, but he wants it so badly, so much that he can feel his mouth watering in hunger.

“You like it?” Yibo hums in amusement when he sees Xiao Zhan pushing his hips back. How eager, no shame at all.

“Are you going to tease me or are you going to actually do something?” Xiao Zhan turns over his shoulder to meet Yibo’s eyes.

“You’re that hungry for my cock?” Yibo raises a brow, lips tugged into a smirk.

“If you’re not going to do anything, I’d rather leave.” Xiao Zhan props himself up, only to be pushed back down by the younger’s stubborn hand.

“I’m not letting you walk out of this garage without getting fucked to your brain, alright?” Yibo huffs out a low chuckle.

Xiao Zhan remains quiet, pretending to be unaffected by the dirty talk.

Yibo then starts by kissing the back of his neck. Yibo’s lips feel hot against his skin, but they’re soft. He can feel Yibo’s hands wandering across his body, touching the expanse of his bare skin and groping everywhere they can reach. When he feels Yibo’s hand curling around his cock, he automatically pushes his hips forward against it.

“Do you happen to have anything we can use as lube, Zhan-ge?” Yibo asks as he scrapes his teeth against the skin on his shoulder to leave a mark.

With the way Yibo is touching his body, Xiao Zhan doesn’t even want to think about anything else, but then he realizes Yibo might be a little too big to just shove it in. He furrows his brows, trying to think of anything they can find in the garage, but there’s no way anybody is keeping a bottle of lube here.

“I… I don’t think so…” He gasps out when Yibo gives another tug on his cock. “A motor oil?”

“You are the mechanic here. How can you suggest that?” Yibo deadpans.

“I can’t think with the way you’re touching me right now!” Xiao Zhan cries out feebly.

“You get all weak from pleasure, huh? How cute.” Yibo smiles and kisses the back of his neck. “I guess I have to be creative here.”

Yibo suddenly moves his hand faster, jerking his cock with the intention of making him come. Xiao Zhan arches his back, his fingers gripping against the smooth surface of the hood as his legs tremble. His voice comes out as gasps and choked moans as Yibo twists his wrist while rubbing him off.

It never feels this good when he’s doing it himself. Yibo’s hand is really wicked.

“Come, Zhan-ge. Come on.” Yibo says encouragingly from behind.

With his eyes screwed shut, Xiao Zhan cries out and spills all over Yibo’s hands. His body collapses against the hood again, chest heaving as he comes down from his orgasm. He barely notices Yibo removing his hand until he feels the younger pressing a slicked finger against his rim.

Without any warning, Yibo slowly pushes his entire finger in. Xiao Zhan mewls at the stretch, but pushes back eagerly. Yibo doesn’t take so much time before he begins pressing the second finger in, curling and scissoring them to spread him open. Yibo’s fingers are long and thick, and they’re reaching deeper than his own fingers.

Xiao Zhan gasps when the long fingers press against his sensitive spot. Yibo must have noticed it too because the next thing he knows, Yibo is kneading hard at it.

“Here?” Yibo hums behind him. “I’ll make sure to thrust my cock right here then.”

Xiao Zhan jerks when Yibo plunges his three fingers. His legs are twitching and his back is arching as he moans. When he rolls his hips, he finds the tip of his cock touching the metal hood of the car. It still feels warm against his body and it’s… not so bad.

Licking his lips, he starts moving his hips even more, pushing back against Yibo’s fingers and rubbing the tip of his cock against the hood of the car. He’s painfully hard again and he is starting to wonder if he’s going to leave a stain on the hood from his precome because he knows he is dripping right now.

Yibo is quick to notice though. He tugs the corner of his lips into a smirk, eyes gleaming in amusement as he watches Xiao Zhan moving his hips desperately like he’s an animal in heat. Without saying anything else, he pulls his fingers out, almost laughing when he hears the audible gasp from Xiao Zhan.

“Don’t harass my poor car now, Zhan-ge.” Yibo chuckles.  

Before Xiao Zhan can actually voice out his protest, he finds himself being flipped around and then his back is now pressing against the hood of the car. Yibo is right above him, his eyes dark and full of hunger. When Xiao Zhan glances down, he can see Yibo pulling his pants down to finally let his cock free.

It’s indeed as big as the thought he had when he felt it pressing against his ass earlier, but his still eyes grow wide when he sees how thick it is. He doesn’t think he has ever had anything that big inside him before. Will he still be alright after this? Will he be able to walk straight afterwards?

“I can get shy too if you stare at it like that, Zhan-ge.” Yibo says teasingly before pushing Xiao Zhan’s legs up and fitting himself between them as if he belongs there.

Xiao Zhan grasps onto the hood to keep himself steady. He feels so open, so exposed, and he definitely has never imagined doing this in a garage and against a car. This car is very expensive and very important. What if they end up scratching it or worse, messing it up?

“Y-You’re really going to do it like this?” He squirms, but not exactly struggling.

“Why not? You love cars too, don’t you?” Yibo presses the tip of his cock against the puckering hole, but not pushing in yet.

“I do, but… your car is beautiful. It’s a shame if I accidentally leave a scratch or something.”

Yibo stares at him for a moment before smiling in amusement. “I got a beauty on top of my beautiful car. It’s perfect.”

Before Xiao Zhan can fully register the praise, Yibo shoves his cock in. Yibo does it slowly, but he doesn’t stop as he pushes his cock inch by inch until the whole length is inside him. Xiao Zhan throws his head against the metal hood, back arching and legs shaking as he feels the thick length spreading him open in the most pleasuring way.

It burns. There’s a little pain because Yibo is so big and his body has never opened up this wide before, but it feels so good. Xiao Zhan can see his vision flickering with lights when Yibo is fully inside him.

“You’re so tight, Zhan-ge. Amazing.” Yibo bends over to place his forearms against the hood of his car, on either side of Xiao Zhan’s head.

“Y-You’re so big… I can’t…” Xiao Zhan mewls and squirms against the metal, trying to get adjusted with the intrusion.

“I’m sure you can.” Yibo says with a smile as he grinds his hips, pressing his cock even deeper.

“It hurts… you brat…” Xiao Zhan mewls again, but not making a move to push the younger away.

Yibo actually slows down at the words. He leans down to press their lips together in a kiss. Xiao Zhan kisses him back immediately, his hands that were grappling onto the metal hood earlier are now wrapped around the younger’s neck to keep him close. Yibo’s kiss is deep, a little aggressive, but it feels so good and addicting.

Yibo breaks the kiss after a while, after he thinks that Xiao Zhan is breathless enough, and then moves his lips down to Xiao Zhan’s neck, kissing and nipping the skin there. He leaves some marks without permission, but with the way Xiao Zhan cranes his neck to give him more space, he knows he doesn’t need any permission for this.

After he’s satisfied with the marks, he drags his lips down to the collarbone before reaching the chest. He stops when his lips brush against a nipple and then proceeds to latch his mouth on it, licking and sucking as if it’s a piece of succulent fruit.

Xiao Zhan bites back a moan, but his arms tighten around Yibo. He can feel that Yibo isn’t being particularly gentle with this. Yibo probably knows he’s sensitive here and he’s trying to tease him even more. This is their first time doing this together, yet Yibo seems to know his body well.

“Oh…!” Xiao Zhan gasps when Yibo uses his teeth to tug his sore nipple.

“You’re tightening up down here.” Yibo grinds his hips with a smug smile plastered across his face. “How lovely.”

“Stop teasing me.” He grits his teeth.

“I’m not teasing you. I’m making sure that I can pound hard without hurting you.” Yibo hums before teasing the other nipple with his mouth.

“You little—ah!” He lets out a feeble cry when Yibo scrapes his teeth again.

His hips begin to twitch and his loins are growing hot with Yibo’s thick cock plugging him up like this. He can feel Yibo’s cock pulsing inside him, yet the other man seems to be occupied with his nipples alone. He’s getting impatient, he wants to see how hard Yibo is going to pound into him, he wants to see if Yibo knows how to use that big cock or if it’s just all talk.

“M-Move already…” He murmurs as he wraps his legs around Yibo’s waist.

Yibo pulls away with a chuckle and stares down at him. “Hold on then. I’m going hard and fast.”

And Yibo does exactly that. Yibo snaps his hips so hard until their skins slap against each other and drives into him so fast that Xiao Zhan can barely register what’s happening to his body. He can’t even catch his breath properly, can’t even speak any coherent words as Yibo slams into his body. He can only lie against the metal hood, body trembling and legs twitching.

“Y-Yibo – too much – wait…!” His voice comes out like shrill cries and if he wasn’t so wrecked, he’d be embarrassed at how he sounds right now.

Yibo doesn’t slow down at all though. He keeps his speed demon pace as he pounds into Xiao Zhan, eyes gleaming as he watches the way Xiao Zhan’s pretty face twists in pleasure. Beautiful, so beautiful, and Xiao Zhan looks so good against his car. He wants to see more of it, he wants to see Xiao Zhan falling apart under him.

Xiao Zhan nearly shrieks when Yibo’s thrust seems to grow harder and faster, if that’s even possible at this point. He has never felt it this intense before, he has never had any man fucked him like what Yibo is doing right now. Yibo is practically messing up his insides and he wonders if his guts will stay the same way after the younger is done with him.

“Yibo…! I-I can’t…!” He shakes his head, fingers digging hard into Yibo’s back and pulling onto the shirt he is wearing.

“You can.” Yibo growls, forcing him to take everything with each hard thrust.

When Yibo slams into him once again, Xiao Zhan finally breaks with a scream. His body convulses and his back arches against the hood of the car as he reaches the peak of his pleasure. He comes so hard that he thinks his vision turns white for a few heavenly seconds.

Yibo is still thrusting into him though, ripping out choked little noises from him and drawing his orgasm longer to the point where Xiao Zhan can feel his head getting light, like he’s about to lose his consciousness. He barely realizes it when Yibo grinds his hips for a last time and shoots his seed inside, filling him up to the brim. Xiao Zhan’s eyes flutter in delight before he finally goes completely pliant against the hood of the car with Yibo resting on top of him.

A long minute goes by with him trying to catch his breath and gathering his mind after the mind-blowing orgasm. He only opens his eyes when he feels a gentle brush of hand against his cheek.

“Hey.” Yibo smiles at him, sweating yet glowing like he just went out for a refreshing run.

“You’re unbelievable, Wang Yibo.” Xiao Zhan sighs, unable to imagine how messy he looks right now with sweat and tears all over his face.

“Unbelievably good?” The younger smirks.

Xiao Zhan rolls his eyes and tries to push Yibo away, but the driver remains on his spot. When he looks into Yibo’s eyes again, there’s something different in them, something warm and soft and almost loving. Before he can wonder about it, Yibo leans down to press their lips into a kiss, wiping away all the unnecessary thoughts from his mind.

There’s a fluttering feeling in his chest and Xiao Zhan knows it’s too late for him to step back from the cliff.

He is already falling for Wang Yibo.

The next day, he finally tells the crew about his new strategy with the brake system. Jianmin is unsure at first, but then Yibo convinces the car chief by saying that he had tested the brake himself. Thankfully, Yibo doesn’t mention anything about what they did on the car afterwards.

For the next few weeks, they get busier than ever with the race coming closer. Xiao Zhan spends more and more time with his crew while Yibo spends more time with his cars. They don’t really meet up in the garage anymore since there’s no reason for Xiao Zhan to stay late now that he’s done with the brake system and Yibo should use his time for something else.

Despite that, Xiao Zhan somehow still gets more familiar with Yibo’s car and the driver himself.

One time, he has Yibo leaning back against the hood of the car while he’s on his knees, mouth wrapped around the other’s thick cock and lips stretched obscenely as he bobs his head. One time, he finds himself bent against the car with his palms on the metal hood while Yibo pounds him from behind. One time, Yibo slams him against the side of his car and fucks him standing. One time, he’s riding Yibo’s cock while the younger leans back against the seat of his car with a smug smile on his face.

He knows they should stop. He knows he’s going to get his hopes up because he is stupid and his heart is foolish, but whenever Yibo touches him, he always ends up wanting more. Yibo fucks him good and he loves the idea of doing such an intimate thing with a man he has feelings for, but there will come a point where his heart yearns to be touched too, not just his body.

There will come a time where he has to wake up and realize that Yibo is a superstar while he’s nothing more than someone that Yibo finds interesting, someone that Yibo will eventually get bored of. After all, those men who had tried to make a move on him would end up walking away because he’s not worth the effort.

On the last day before they have to leave for Japan, Xiao Zhan finds a quiet time for himself to read through all the data once again, making sure that they will be able to perform well during the race. The speed and efficiency of a pit crew is very crucial in a race, because every second is extremely valuable. The failure of a pit crew is enough to put their driver in last position of the race. It’s a big responsibility and a big pressure as a crew chief, but he wants this. He’s going to make sure that Yibo will win the race and hold that shiny trophy in his hand.

He’s so focused on his task that he doesn’t realize someone is stepping up to him until he sees a shadow casting over him. He looks up and sees Yibo standing beside him.

“Hey. What’s up?” He asks, wondering why Yibo is here when they have already sent the car to Japan for the race.

“Just want to see you.” Yibo shrugs, hands stuffed in the pockets of his varsity jacket. “You’re flying tomorrow morning?”

“Yeah, I’ll head there with all the crews, checking the tracks and making sure the car is alright and everything.”

“I see.” Yibo nods lightly. “Are you nervous?”

“Well, of course.” He chuckles lightly. “This is my first time as a crew chief. It will be weird if I don’t feel nervous.”

“Is it because Peng Chuyue will be there too?”

He blinks at the question and then gives Yibo a deadpanned look. “I literally do not care about him, Yibo.”

Honestly, he had forgotten about Peng Chuyue for a moment there since his mind is mostly filled with Yibo now, but the younger seems oblivious to it.

“I’ll beat him.” Yibo says out of the blue, eyes determined. “He’s good, but I’ll still win the race for you.”

How cruel Yibo is to say those words nonchalantly, to make his heart pound hard and make the butterflies flutter in his stomach, to make him fall harder without even having the intention to catch him. How cruel Yibo is to act as if they share the same feelings.

Still, Xiao Zhan can’t help but to smile softly. “Thank you, but I want you to race for yourself.”

“I’ll do that too.” Yibo nods.

“I’ll be there to support you, all of us will.”

“Give me a good luck charm then.” Yibo says, sounding a little demanding.

“A good luck charm? Like what?” He blinks cluelessly.

“A kiss?” Yibo tilts his head, though the corner of his lips is tugged into a smirk.

His mouth drops open in disbelief for a second, and then he chuckles lightly. It’s surprising to see how much of a brat Yibo can be, but it’s somewhat endearing too. With a smile on his face, he stands up from his seat and pulls Yibo in for a long gentle kiss.

“Good luck.” He whispers so softly.

Yibo cups his face and pulls him closer for another kiss, harder and deeper this time. When he tries to pull back, Yibo chases after his lips and backs him against the wall. He eventually melts into the kiss and wraps his arms around Yibo to pull the younger closer against him.

“Can we?” Yibo murmurs against his lips.

He knows what Yibo is asking for and although he’s aware that they shouldn't do anything funny with how close the championship is, a part of him wants it, because he knows this might be the last time they do this.

After the race, Yibo will be busy with his own schedule, especially if he manages to get first place. Yibo will be standing under all those spotlights in his bright world and he will slowly retreat into the shadows where he belongs. Whatever fling they’re having right now will come to an end.

After the race, they will be nothing more than Wang Yibo the driver and Xiao Zhan the mechanic.

But right now, there’s only the two of them in this little world.

“Okay.” He whispers softly and presses their lips together for another kiss.

Minutes later, he’s bent over against the hood of the car with his hands pressed against the metal. Yibo is right behind him, leaning over him and wrapping an arm around his torso to hold him in place as he slams into his body. He can only tremble against the metal, legs twitching with every punishing thrust that Yibo is giving him with such a punishing pace.  

It’s so hard, so intense, just like how Yibo usually does it, and Xiao Zhan wants this memory to be embedded into his mind in case this will be the last time they do this.

He had been to Suzuka circuit before to check the track in order to plan the pit strategy, but it doesn’t make him less nervous to be standing here on the actual day of the race. The whole track looks really challenging. With this kind of track, it’s so easy for the drivers to lose time and control just from one wrong move. The first place can easily drop to the last place if they fail to execute a perfect turn.

Xiao Zhan feels so nervous that his heart feels like it’s about to leap out of his throat, but Yibo looks as calm as usual. Yibo is already clothed in his race suit, shoulders squared and back straight as he takes long strides towards the circuit track where his car is. Xiao Zhan is right behind him, following the driver along with the rest of the crew.

“Let’s try the first five laps. If you feel that it’s not going to work, we’ll change strategy.” He explains to Yibo.

“Okay.” The younger hums, eyes looking straight ahead.

“As for the spoon curve—”

His words come into a halt when he sees a familiar face from the other side of the hall.

Peng Chuyue is there, also walking down the hallway with his manager and his pit crew behind him. It seems that the man notices him too because as soon as their eyes meet, Chuyue stops walking.

While he is fully aware that Chuyue is also joining the same race, he didn’t really expect to stumble upon the man here. There are other drivers and everybody is busy with their own things, so he didn’t think there would be a chance for them to see each other. The last time he saw Chuyue, the driver pretended that they didn’t know each other and he also decided to act as if they had never met each other.

This time though, Chuyue is staring blatantly at him, which makes it impossible for him to act as if they were strangers.

A tug on his arm snaps him out of his trance. He whips his head to Yibo and sees the younger staring at him with a tight face.

“Don’t look at him.” Yibo says. “Just look at me. You are my crew chief.”

He presses his lips into a smile and nods his head lightly. “I will.”

Feeling satisfied, Yibo shoots a quick glare at Chuyue before he continues walking ahead, hand still wrapped around Xiao Zhan’s arm to pull him along.

Once they arrive at the circuit track, the pit crews quickly make their way to each of their pit stops while the drivers get ready for the race. Xiao Zhan looks up from the car engine and watches them strapping Yibo into his seat. He then takes a quick look around the formation lap to see all the cars and the drivers who are participating. He recognizes Chuyue’s car, seeing that the man still likes the metallic blue color for his Chevrolet.

“All good.” Jianmin says, snapping him out of his trance.

“Alright.” He nods his head and shuts the hood. When he looks up to the front window of the car, he sees Yibo’s eyes staring at him.

Good luck. He mouths to Yibo.

Although Yibo is wearing his full helmet, he knows the younger is smiling at him, seeing his eyes scrunching up slightly as he gives a thumb-up. Xiao Zhan smiles back and gives his own thumb-up before stepping back from the car.

“We should stand by now.” Jianmin says to him.

“Yes, we should.” He flashes Yibo another smile before following the car chief to their pit stop.

The sound of rumbling engines start filling the circuit area, along with the low vibrating hum and the cheers from the spectator. Xiao Zhan presses his lips and clasps his hands together, eyes locked on the black-and-green Audi on the third row of the formation lap. He looks up to the flag man above, waiting for the countdown.

Five!

Four!

He can hear the spectators shouting the countdowns together with excited smiles on their faces.

Three!

Two!

He flicks his eyes back to Yibo’s car, seeing his tires begin to spin against the asphalt as the driver revs his engine.

One!

All the cars peel off their starting positions at the same time and shoot past the flagger with a deafening sound of rumbling engines, followed by the sound of a cheering crowd. Xiao Zhan watches the black-and-green Audi fly across his vision before turning around to face the other crews.

“We need to change the front tires after five laps. Make sure to adjust the aerodynamics.” He says.

“Yes, Chief.” The crew members reply eagerly.

Xiao Zhan takes a glance of the screen that’s installed in their garage, seeing Yibo’s name and his current place on the race. It’s just the first lap and Yibo has a good start, so there’s a big chance that he can take the first place during the final laps. He presses the headphone against his ear and starts communicating with the spotters who are keeping eyes of the traffic.

When Yibo reaches the spoon curve at the edge of the track, he takes a quick glance at the available space before jerking his wheel over to glide between the two cars. After he pops out between them in the lead, he sees the metallic blue Chevrolet in front of him, Peng Chuyue’s car.

“How do I overtake him?” He speaks into his radio.

“The curve is a little wide, but try to go from his left.” The spotter replies.

He shifts his gears, feeling the car engine rumbling loudly as he picks up his pace to take over the other’s car. Chuyue, however, also picks up his speed and executes a perfect turn, sliding ahead of him. He grits his teeth slightly, but remains calm as he finishes the lap with Chuyue in front of him.

“Calm down, don’t try to overtake someone in a wide curve. It’s useless.” Xiao Zhan says to his microphone.

“I’ll try the tighter curve then.” Yibo says simply.

There are 50 laps in total and the race will go on for at least two hours, they have to be fully prepared for anything. He looks up to the sky, seeing some dark clouds gathering above. The weather forecast did predict that there might be a light drizzle for an hour or so.

“Pit in. You need fuel.” Xiao Zhan says after gauging lap times against fuel mileage.

“My left tires too.” Yibo speaks from his in-car communication device.

“We’ll take two on the left then.” Xiao Zhan hums before informing the team.

After the fifth lap, Yibo pulls over to the pit box. The pit crew is quick to move as they start gathering around the car and do all the things that have been assigned to each of them. Jianmin supervises the mechanics while Xiao Zhan uses his communication device to talk with Yibo.

“Go steady for at least half of the laps. Don’t rush.” He says into the radio.

“Okay.” Yibo replies.

Once everything is set in a matter of seconds, Yibo revs his engine before shooting across the pit lane and back into the circuit track. Xiao Zhan smiles at the sight before going back to the garage to discuss the next pit-stop strategy with Jianmin.

Entering the twentieth lap, it starts drizzling. The spectators begin pulling out their umbrellas and putting on their raincoats, still excited about the race despite the light rain. Xiao Zhan keeps full communication with all the spotters, making sure that the track is still safe enough. If the rain really lasts for an hour, the tracks will be slippery and they have to change their strategy.

“He skidded on the hairpin turn. It’s slippery.” One of the spotters informs through the radio.

Xiao Zhan sucks in a quick breath before speaking into his radio. “Yibo, pit in.”

“I’m fine.” Yibo replies shortly.

“We are changing the tires.”

“No need. I don’t want to lose my current place.” Yibo says stubbornly.

“Well, I don’t want to lose you!” Xiao Zhan raises his voice before he realizes it. He knows Yibo wants to maintain his current place, but the track is getting slippery from the rain and it’s way too risky to let Yibo go on this way. Winning is important, but for him, Yibo’s safety is much more important.

Once the green flag drops, the performance of the race car is out of the hands of the crew chief and in the hands of the driver. At this point, he can only sit more or less helplessly on the pit box, listening to the spotters talking Yibo through the traffic. He's sitting in the pit box, but he's working as hard as Yibo. He looks calm on the outside, but he's very anxious and nervous.

There’s a beat of silence before Yibo speaks from the radio. “I’ll make a stop.”

Hearing that, Xiao Zhan immediately informs the crew. “Four rain tires.”

As they wait by the pit box for Yibo to pull over, Jianmin chuckles beside him. “You’re good at handling him.”

Xiao Zhan shifts one side of his headphones to lean his ear. “Sorry?”

“He’s normally very stubborn and often ends up arguing with the crew chiefs, but he obeys you.” Jianmin says in amusement.

It takes Xiao Zhan a second to realize what he just said into the radio that connects other people in the communication loop. When he told Yibo that he didn’t want to lose him, Yibo wasn’t the only one who heard it, everybody else did too.

Oh, how embarrassing. Xiao Zhan doesn’t say anything else as he sets the headphone back to his ear and walks towards Yibo’s car when the driver pulls over for a pit stop.

“Change the tires back once the rain stops.” Yibo says through the radio as the crew gathers around his car.

“Copy that.” Xiao Zhan replies. “Be extra careful on the hairpin turn and S curves. There’s a risk of hydroplaning. You’re losing a little time due to the rain, but you might be out of the race if you crash.”  

“Don’t worry.” Yibo hums reassuringly. “As long as you’re watching me, I’ll be alright.”

Xiao Zhan flushes at the words. “Yibo, there are other people in this line.”

“So?”

“You…” He ends up sighing and shaking his head, knowing that he shouldn’t throw personal conversation here. “Go. You’re all set.”

“See you.” Yibo says shortly before taking off again.

Thankfully, the rain doesn’t get heavier for the next hour, but the asphalt is slippery enough to have some cars fishtailing out of the track. Xiao Zhan feels his heart sinking a little whenever a spotter informs him about another car fishtailing or skidding on sharp turns. One of those cars even nearly hit Yibo, but the driver was skilful enough to avoid any crash.

“The rain has stopped.” A spotter informs through the radio.

“I’m changing tires.” Yibo says with a demanding tone.

“No, not yet. One more lap.” Xiao Zhan replies.

“Zhan-ge.” Yibo protests.

“One more lap. There’s still a layer of water on the track. It’s not safe.”

“Fine.” Yibo grunts, but still drives past the starting line instead of pulling over the pit box.

Once the rain stops, most of the cars make a pit stop to change their tires back, indicating that they will go full speed for the final ten laps. Xiao Zhan watches Yibo’s lap time and compares it with other drivers who come close. His eyes stop momentarily when he sees Chuyue’s name in the list.

He knows Chuyue is good. There was a span of time where he knew the driver very well and he wasn’t surprised when Chuyue’s career took off after winning some races, but Yibo is a prodigy and a superstar of his own. He believes that Yibo can come first place in this race. It’s not about him wanting Chuyue to lose, he no longer holds any grudge for the other driver, he just knows Yibo can do it and Yibo deserves to win.

“How’s my time? Am I leading?” Yibo speaks into the radio once he gets to the final ten laps.

“You’re at second.” He says to the microphone.

“Who’s the first? Peng Chuyue?”

“No, he’s at third. The first is Jeffrey Lee, number 77.”

“Damn. He’s tough.” Yibo clicks his tongue as he looks at the orange Acura in front of him.

“But you’re close.” Xiao Zhan looks at the lap time he’s holding in his hand.

“It’s the final pit stop next.”

“I know.” He chews on his bottom lip.

This is the final pit stop and his last chance to choose a strategy. He needs to think fast and make a decision because it’s only a matter of seconds before Yibo pulls over. Should he take two tires or four? Or should he just take fuel only? Should he adjust the track bar too? There’s no time to think, he has to decide.

“No tires. Just fuel.” He finally makes his decision.

As soon as Yibo pulls over, the pit crew is quick to add fuel before sending Yibo off again.

Xiao Zhan watches the black-and-green Audi disappear around a sharp turn before speaking to his radio. “Go all out, Yibo.”

“You're gonna cheer on me until I reach the finish line, right?”

“For sure.” He chuckles lightly. “I was once told that on the day of the race, the crew chief transforms into the driver's primary cheerleader.”

“Then keep on cheering, my personal cheerleader.” Yibo says with a laugh.

Xiao Zhan keeps his eyes on the time record each time Yibo passes the line. His time is getting better and better, but still not enough to pass the current first place. It’s the final three laps, just a little bit more and Yibo will win the race.

“He’s right behind number 77.” One of the spotters informs through the radio when he sees Yibo coming close to the orange Acura.

“Yibo, don’t tandem. You’re going to get penalized.” Xiao Zhan says in warning.

“I’m not, I’m side drafting him.” Yibo looks at the spoon curve ahead, his biggest chance to overtake the other car.

Xiao Zhan bites onto his bottom lips, hands clasped tightly. There’s only one more lap after this and if Yibo fails to overtake the leading car, then he probably doesn’t have any chance to take the first place anymore.

“Come on. Come on.” Yibo mutters to himself, grip tightening around the steering wheel as he stares at the spoiler of the car in front of him.

Once he sees that split second of opening, he jerks his wheel to the side, allowing him to pull away and steer around it, breaking the vacuum of the car in front of him. Once the Acura loses its momentum, he punches the gas pedal and overtakes him from the side.

“He did it! He’s leading now!” The spotter cheers, unable to contain his excitement.

Xiao Zhan’s face lights up as Yibo drives past the line, going to the last lap. The other team members are cheering along, but he knows this hasn’t ended yet. There’s still the final lap and he’ll be with Yibo until he reaches the finish line.

“Keep going. Come on.” Xiao Zhan says encouragingly. Yibo isn’t replying, but he knows the younger is listening. If Yibo wants him to cheer him during the entire lap, he will do so.

“No need to rush, just steady. You’ve set a record on your lap time, you’ll be fine if you’re steady.” He says, fully aware that Yibo shouldn’t speed up too much since he had opted not to take any tires during the final pit stop.

“Yes, just like that. It’s the final lap. Keep doing it like that.” He continues to speak.

“Number 77 is catching up behind him.” One of the spotters says through the radio.

Xiao Zhan bites his lip again, feeling a little worried now. He saw the other team taking two tires during the final pit stop while he didn’t take any tires from Yibo. Did he make the wrong decision? Should he have used another strategy and taken some tires? Will Yibo lose because of him?

“You can do it, Yibo. I believe you.” He murmurs into the radio, eyes filled with hope when he sees Yibo’s car coming from the 130R curve. Both their time records are so close. If the other car manages to side-draft Yibo on the final curve, Yibo will not be able to maintain his lead position.

“I love you.” Xiao Zhan whispers into his microphone.

The two cars seem to pass the finish line at the same time. The checkered flag is then waved, indicating the end of the race. The spectators cheer loudly while Xiao Zhan swiftly takes off his headphones and whips his head to the screen. There’s a name on top of the list, the first place and the winner of the race.

#85 Wang Yibo

While the other crew members are cheering and hugging each other, Xiao Zhan needs a moment to process the information, to register the fact that Yibo really did it. Yibo won the race and came in first place. A big smile slowly blooms across his face as he turns around to see Yibo pulling over the pit lane after driving one more extra lap.

Immediately, the crew gathers around and helps Yibo to get out of the car before congratulating the driver with hugs and slaps on the back. Xiao Zhan stands at the side, watching Yibo take off his helmet to reveal the bright, dazzling smile on his face. Yibo looks so happy and so proud of his achievement and the sight makes him smile too.

Yibo deserves this win, he deserves all the good things.

When their eyes meet, Yibo’s smile seems to falter slightly. It makes his own smile falter too as he begins to think about all the things he might have done wrong during the race. Did he say something wrong? Is Yibo mad about something? When Yibo starts striding towards him in long steps, his brain starts spinning. 

He said I love you to Yibo.

He didn’t realize what he said at that time because he was so nervous and tense about the race, but now that the race has ended, he remembers his unprompted love confession. Yibo has a serious look on his face as he walks over and Xiao Zhan doesn’t have time to figure out what kind of words he should say first.

Before even getting the chance to say a word, Yibo grabs the back of his neck and pulls him in for a kiss. They’re still in the circuit with so many people around them; the pit crew, the other teams, the other drivers, the spectators, and even the reporters and media. Xiao Zhan stays frozen, too stunned to react at the unexpected public kiss.

Yibo pulls away with a smug look on his face and lips are tugged into his signature smirk. “Thank you for making me win, Zhan-ge.”

Xiao Zhan takes a full second to react. He whips his head around, seeing everybody staring at them with a blank look on their faces. He can feel his face growing hot like it’s on fire and he doesn’t dare to even glance at the spectators area.

“W-What did you do?? This is a public place!” He flusters, slightly panicking. He’s sure those people have snapped some pictures of their kiss and he knows those pictures will be on the news after this.

“To show that you’re mine.” Yibo shrugs nonchalantly.

“S-Since when??”

“Since the moment you said you love me.” Yibo says, grinning from ear to ear. “And I want everybody to know that.”

The answer leaves Xiao Zhan stunned for a moment. Yibo wants everybody to know about him. Yibo doesn’t want to pretend that they never knew each other and Yibo doesn’t see him as a forgettable fling. Yibo wants his bright world to know that they’re more than just a driver and his pit crew, Yibo wants everybody to know that they’re something close to lovers.

His heart is swelling with affection, like it’s unable to contain the amount of love he’s feeling. He had learned from his previous heartbreak not to get his hopes up, not to wish for the moon and not to dream for something impossible. When he fell in love with Yibo, he was ready to get his heart broken, he was prepared to walk away and pretend that nothing had ever happened between them aside from work.

Yet here Yibo is, smiling so brightly at him and telling the world about their relationship right after winning a big race. Yibo sees him as someone to be proud of and Xiao Zhan wonders if there’s ever anybody who treated him this way.

Xiao Zhan is so caught up in his feelings that he isn’t really aware of his surroundings until someone clears their throat.

“Not to ruin the moment, but…” Yixuan walks up to them with a calm face. “Yibo, you need to receive the trophy and pop the champagne.”

“Alright.” Yibo says simply before walking away, leaving Xiao Zhan still stunned at the unexpected turn of events.

Yixuan smiles and gives him a pat on the shoulder before following Yibo to the winner's podium.

As soon as the two men leave, the whole crew immediately swarm around him with curious eyes, bombarding him questions about what his relationship is with Yibo and how in the world did they get close enough to kiss in public. In the end, Xiao Zhan can only cover his red face with both hands, too embarrassed to say a word.

Yibo stands in the middle of the podium as the winner while the two drivers are standing on either side of him, including Peng Chuyue who came in third. Yibo makes sure to flash the other driver a triumphant smile before receiving the trophy with his hands. He raises the trophy in the air with a big smile on his face, eyes staring at Xiao Zhan who is clapping his hands among the crowd.

After handing the trophy to Yixuan to be put aside, the three winners pop the champagne and splash it on each other, sharing laughter as they do so. Yibo even drinks the champagne straight from the bottle before splashing it on Chuyue’s face. Xiao Zhan can’t help but to chuckle seeing how childish the younger is acting.

Still, there’s a warm feeling in his chest when he sees the happiness radiating from Yibo’s face.

“Xiao Zhan.”

He turns his head to see Jianmin who has a hand on his shoulder.

“The reporters want to do interviews. You are the crew chief of the winning team after all.” Jianmin says with the most reassuring smile.

“…Oh God.”

He can only imagine what kind of questions he might get after everybody saw their kiss earlier.

Fortunately, the interview is not as dreadful as he thought it’s going to be. It seems that the reporters are much more interested in his pit strategy during the race than his personal relationship with the driver. Still, he can bet a finger that their kissing pictures will be on social media in a few hours.

With a sigh of relief, he returns to his crew at their garage. Yibo is nowhere to be found, so he figures that the younger is probably away to clean up and change his clothes after getting soaked during the champagne pop earlier.

“How was the interview?” Jianmin walks over to him.

“Nerve wracking, but it’s all good.” He nods lightly.

“So, I guess he made you open your heart for another love?” Jianmin asks with a teasing look on his face.

“Chief Lu.” He blows out a long sigh.

Just then, he catches a movement from the corner of his vision, so he flicks his eyes to see Chuyue standing at their pit box while looking at him, as if he is waiting for a chance to talk. Jianmin seems to notice his distraction, so the car chief turns over his shoulder to see the other driver standing there.

“Well, I’ll leave you to take care of it.” Jianmin pats his shoulder before walking away.

Xiao Zhan flashes his chief a quick smile before looking up to Chuyue. Back then, he had imagined scenarios where he would be standing face-to-face with Chuyue. Back then, he had imagined rubbing his achievements and bragging about his success to Chuyue just so the driver would see him as the one that got away, but he’s older and wiser now, and he no longer holds a grudge over Chuyue.

“Hey.” He walks closer to the other man.

“Hey.” Chuyue gives him a small smile. “Congratulations for the win.” 

“Thank you. We have an amazing driver.” His smile grows a little bigger when he thinks about Yibo.

“Yeah, Wang Yibo is great indeed.” Chuyue chuckles lightly, but his smile is quick to falter. “Listen, there’s… something I need to tell you…”

“And that is?”

“I… I’ve always wanted to apologize for what I did.” Chuyue drops his gaze like he’s ashamed. “I ghosted you and ignored you like that and it wasn’t right. I shouldn’t have done that, but I was young and arrogant, I only saw the path in front of me and I walked on it without you.”

It was a long time ago and he didn’t really think about it anymore. Back then when his heartbreak was fresh, he had hoped for Chuyue to cry with regrets and apologize in tears, but it doesn’t matter anymore. He used to be in love with this man, so much that his world revolved around him, but he has Yibo now. From now on, his world will revolve around Yibo.

“Apology accepted.” He smiles softly. “I’ve always wanted to thank you though.”

“Thank me… for what…?” Chuyue blinks, seemingly surprised at how easily he’s forgiven.

“For teaching me how to drive a racing car properly. It helped me a lot in my career.” As much as he wants to pretend that it’s not, he knows Chuyue has also helped him to get where he is right now.

Chuyue stares at him for a long second before smiling again. “How long are you staying in Japan? Tonight I’m—”

“Zhan-ge.”

Xiao Zhan immediately turns around to see Yibo walking over with his t-shirt and jeans. Yibo looks at Chuyue before placing his arm over Xiao Zhan’s waist and pulls the elder a little closer against his side to stake his claim.

“What are you two talking about?” Yibo asks with an innocent face, though the protective hold he has on Xiao Zhan says otherwise. 

Chuyue looks at Yibo’s hand on Xiao Zhan’s waist before shaking his head with a smile. “Just catching up with an old friend.”

“I see.” Yibo smiles so slightly. “You’ve had your chance and you let him go, so he is mine now.”

“Yibo.” Xiao Zhan flusters at how blunt the younger is.

“I guess so.” Chuyue huffs out a humorless chuckle and takes a step back. “Congratulations for the win, Yibo. You’re an admirable rival.”

“Thank you. You too.” Yibo hums.

Once Chuyue has walked back to his team’s garage, Xiao Zhan turns to look at Yibo. “You don’t need to do this. He’s just trying to apologize to me.”

“Yeah, and trying to get you back when he realized what he had lost. I’m not letting that happen.” Yibo squints.

“You’re unbelievable.” He laughs lightly.

They have an afterparty in the evening in Kyoto with Yixuan renting a private room in a restaurant for the whole crew. They have a big meal and a big toast to celebrate Yibo’s win. There is alcohol flowing freely and everybody seems to be having fun. Yibo is even laughing with the rest of the crew, which is a nice sight to see knowing that Yibo can be a little socially awkward in a big group.

Xiao Zhan shakes his head with a smile when Yixuan tries to refill the alcohol in his glass.

“I don’t have good tolerance.” He says.

“Alright.” Yixuan puts the bottle aside. “Thank you for this win.”

“You shouldn’t thank me. It’s all Yibo.” He chuckles lightly.

“Crew chief is very crucial in a race too. You’re the one who directs the pit strategy and makes quick decisions.”

“But when the race kicks off, I can only watch as Yibo takes the fate in his own hands.” He smiles and looks at Yibo who is talking to one of the young mechanics. “I think compared to the other crew chief, I still have a lot to learn.”

“You’re still young indeed, but you’ll have plenty of chances to improve.” Yixuan looks at him. “I want you to be a permanent crew chief for Yibo.”

Xiao Zhan freezes at the offer, hesitating. “Are you sure? What about Chief Lu?”

“I’ve discussed it with him. He’s more than happy to have you replacing him as the new crew chief." Yixuan says reassuringly. “And as Yibo’s manager, I can see that you can maintain a really good communication with him which is very important.”

“We might have a personal relationship with each other though.” He admits shyly.

“You already have that relationship and the race still went very well, so I believe it is not a problem for both of you.” Yixuan hums with a smile on his face. “Listening to your conversation through the radio was a pretty interesting experience.”

Xiao Zhan opens and closes his mouth with no words spoken, like a gaping fish. Now that Yixuan mentioned it again, he remembers how he confessed his feelings to Yibo through the radio for everybody else to hear.

“What are you doing? Why is he flustered?” Yibo suddenly appears and flops down the empty spot next to Xiao Zhan.

“Maybe he drank a little too much.” Yixuan plays dumb.

“Is Zhan-ge drunk?” Yibo peers at his face.

“I’m fine.” He clears his throat and puts his empty glass on the table.

“Xiao Zhan, when are you flying back to China?” Yixuan asks.

“Tomorrow evening.”

“No.” Yibo cuts in. “You’ll fly back with me next week.”

“But I already have my ticket and everything else.”

“Just cancel them.” Yibo says so nonchalantly. “You’re my crew chief, aren’t you? You should be by my side at all times.”

“That is not part of my job as a crew chief actually.” He points out.

“What about as my lover?” Yibo raises a brow.

“Well… alright then.”

Yibo smiles at the answer and leans in for a kiss, but he pulls back quickly.

“There are people.” He glances at the rest of the crew in the room.

“You didn’t complain when I kissed you in public earlier today.”

“Wang Yibo.” He says in warning, but he can feel his face growing warm with blush.

“Well then, I’ll be talking with the others.” Yixuan stands up, not wanting to be involved in the lover’s conversation.

When the night gets late, they decide to go back to their hotels. While Yibo stays in a five-star hotel in Kyoto, Xiao Zhan and the other crew stay in another hotel closer to the circuit which takes more than an hour drive from here. Outside the restaurant, there are already some cars waiting at the side of the street to take them back to the hotels.

Xiao Zhan follows Jiamin to their minivan, only to be stopped by Yibo who is grabbing his wrist.

“You’re coming with me tonight.” Yibo says, eyes demanding.

“But my things are in the hotel room…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll have your stuff packed and sent to Yibo’s hotel tomorrow.” Jianmin joins the conversation suddenly.

“Thank you, Chief Lu.” Yibo smiles appreciatively while Xiao Zhan still has his mouth gaping.

“Get in the car. Go before people gather around you.” Yixuan points his eyes at the black minivan.

“I’ll see you guys around.” Yibo says before dragging Xiao Zhan all the way to the car.

“Good work today, guys! See you in China! Thank you all!” Xiao Zhan waves his hand to the crew.

The ride to the hotel is pretty quick since it’s late at night and there isn't much traffic on the road. They don’t really talk in the car, both tired after talking too much during the celebration dinner, but their hands are intertwined between them and it’s enough to make Xiao Zhan’s heart beat a little faster than normal.

When the car arrives at the front of the hotel, Yibo doesn’t waste any time to drag him out of the car and across the lobby until they reach the elevator. His heart is thrumming in his chest, knowing what they’re going to do in the hotel room tonight. Yibo doesn’t say a word during the elevator ride though, the younger keeps staring at the floor indicator as it goes up.

As soon as they get inside the room, however, Yibo immediately pushes him against the door and kisses him full on. It’s such a possessive, bruising kiss. Yibo is kissing him like he wants to eat him up and drink every drop of moisture from his body till nothing’s left. Xiao Zhan can’t help but to moan into the kiss when Yibo licks the inside of his mouth.

By the time they reach the bed, their clothes are scattered all over the floor, making a trail from the door to the foot of the king-sized bed. Xiao Zhan lets his body sink into the soft bed and tilts his head back as Yibo nips and bites on his neck, littering the unmarred skin with marks.

“Ah…!” Xiao Zhan gasps when Yibo scrapes his teeth against the pulsing point on his neck.

“So beautiful.” Yibo hums as his hands roam across Xiao Zhan’s body, touching and groping everywhere they can reach. One of his hands moves to the elder’s chest, squeezing the flesh before bringing his head down to suck on a nipple.

Xiao Zhan moans lowly and pushes his chest up, his back arching slightly. He shuts his eyes and cries feebly when Yibo tugs the hardened bud with his teeth, yet his toes are curling in delight.

Yibo seems to know how to pleasure his body. Yibo’s hands are skilled, his mouth is sinful, and his kisses are addicting. His body feels like melting whenever Yibo touches him, it’s as if Yibo is made of fire that will burn his body with pleasure at every stroke.

Yibo keeps playing with his nipple, sucking and biting occasionally as Xiao Zhan moans in return. When he feels like he has played enough, he pulls away and smiles at the swollen bud. It’s perked and red on the tip, glistening with his spit. Feeling proud over his work, he quickly does the same to the other one.

“Yibo…!” Xiao Zhan curls a hand around Yibo’s hair when the younger sucks hard. His chest is getting sore and he can feel his loins aching, demanding for more. His cock is painfully hard and he’s sure it’s leaking from the tip already.

There’s a smug smile on Yibo’s face when he pulls away, liking the sight of the breathless man under him. Xiao Zhan’s eyes are dark in arousal and his chest is heaving, looking so turned on just from being teased. When Yibo flicks his eyes down, he can see Xiao Zhan’s flushed cock dripping from the tip.

“Look at that.” Yibo chuckles lightly.

“Yeah, look at this.” Xiao Zhan licks his lips before pushing a leg up to rub his thigh against the evident bulge in Yibo’s underwear. It’s hard and big against his thigh and it makes his mouth water in need.

Yibo shifts back with a soft groan and pulls his underwear down, finally letting his cock free. Xiao Zhan exhales a little breath through his mouth when he sees it. Yibo’s cock is as big as always, the veins are protruding along the length and the tip is glistening with precome. He remembers all those times where he has that cock plugging him up and messing his insides.

“I’m prepared now.” Yibo suddenly hops off the bed to get to his luggage.

“What?” Xiao Zhan props himself up with elbows to see what the hell made Yibo leave the bed when they’re in the middle of this.

“This.” Yibo shows the bottle of lube in his hand before climbing back onto the bed.

Xiao Zhan swallows thickly when he sees Yibo’s heavy cock bobbing along with the movement. Honestly, he couldn’t care less about the lube as long as he gets that inside him. He’s sure his body is used to the little burn of the stretch by now.

“Keep staring and you’ll drool, Zhan-ge.” Yibo laughs, fully aware that Xiao Zhan is ogling at his cock.

“Will you hurry up already?” Xiao Zhan shoots a glare, pretending that he’s not blushing.

“So impatient.” Yibo squeezes some of the cool gel over his fingers before bringing them to the space between Xiao Zhan’s legs.

Xiao Zhan squirms when Yibo traces his rim with a slicked finger. The gel feels so cold against that spot, but he knows it will feel hot soon, especially with the way Yibo moves his fingers every time. He digs his fingers into the mattress and lets out a shuddering breath when Yibo pushes a finger in.

Yibo pumps his finger a few times before pushing the second finger in, a little too fast to let him adjust. Xiao Zhan’s brows twitch at the slight burn, but he pushes back eagerly against the fingers.

“Sorry, I can’t wait anymore. Is it alright if I rush a little?” Yibo whispers in his ear, lust dripping from the tip of his tongue.

“Y-Yes, come on…” Xiao Zhan gasps and rubs Yibo’s shoulders in encouragement.

Yibo spreads his fingers to stretch the walls carefully. His cock is demanding for attention and he knows he has to do it soon before he becomes too aroused to control himself. Having Xiao Zhan moaning and writhing under him is definitely not helping either. When he uses his three fingers to rub the sensitive spot, Xiao Zhan yelps and arches his back.

“Yibo, give it to me now!” Xiao Zhan groans desperately, fingers digging into the other’s shoulders. Yibo’s long fingers feel good inside him, but he knows he needs more, something that’s thicker and hotter than those fingers.

Yibo quickly pulls his fingers out and replaces it with his aching cock. He stops momentarily when the tip of his cock presses against the slicked rim and then looks up to Xiao Zhan, waiting for his cue. Once the elder gives him an affirmative look, he pushes his cock in one steady movement. His eyes flutter in delight when the tight walls suck him in like he’s being swallowed.

“Nghhh… Yibo…” Xiao Zhan screws his eyes shut as Yibo slides deeper into him. It hurts a little since Yibo is so big, but it feels so good to be stretched this way. He loves how perfect Yibo’s cock presses against his sensitive spot once the younger is buried up to the hilt.

Yibo stops once he is balls-deep inside. He takes a moment to relish the tightness around his cock. The teary-eyed look Xiao Zhan is having right now and the way Xiao Zhan writhes against the bed just makes everything better. After taking a deep breath, he pulls back a little before pushing in again, giving a few short thrusts to make sure that Xiao Zhan is fine enough to accept his length.

Xiao Zhan winces at the first few thrusts, but soon enough, the pained look on his face is replaced by something else. When Xiao Zhan starts pushing his hips back, Yibo’s movement becomes faster and he starts to put more strength into his thrust, meeting Xiao Zhan’s hips in a loud slapping sound.

“Ahhh—yes! M-More…!” Xiao Zhan cries out wantonly as he holds onto Yibo’s arms, feeling the muscles flexing as the younger pounds into him.

“Beg.” Yibo growls as he gives a hard thrust into him.

“Please!” Xiao Zhan gasps, his voice almost breaking at how hard Yibo rocks his body. At this point, he doesn’t care about how embarrassing his words are. He needs Yibo to fuck him until he melts. “Please…! G-Give it to me…!”

A glint of amusement flashes in Yibo’s eyes for a second before he pulls back suddenly and adjusts his angle. He throws one of Xiao Zhan’s long legs over his shoulder and pins the other one against the bed, spreading him wide. Xiao Zhan gasps when his body is turned to the side at the change of position. He whips his head and his face flames up when he sees how wide Yibo is spreading his legs open.

“Yibo, don’t spread—ahhh!” Xiao Zhan’s protest turns into a scream when Yibo rams into him all of sudden. The pleasure strikes from his hips and spreads through his body like rolling waves. He cries out into the bed and grips onto the bed sheet as Yibo drives into him relentlessly.

“I’ve been thinking about this since I passed the finish line, you know. I wanted to fuck you against my steaming car and have the entire circuit watch, Zhan-ge.” Yibo’s breathing is heavy as he speaks, but there’s a satisfied look on his face as he stares down at the elder.

Xiao Zhan grits his teeth in an attempt to bite back his moans, but it’s useless. Whenever Yibo rams into him, his voice spills involuntarily and he ends up crying out at each punishing thrust. The way Yibo hits the sensitive spot inside him makes his eyes water and his toes curl in delight. When he takes a glance at Yibo’s face, everything is blurry.

“Look at you, Zhan-ge, so fucking hot…” Yibo murmurs senselessly as he stares at the man under him, seeing his glowing skin and tensed muscles. Xiao Zhan is tightening up whenever he’s balls-deep and his moans are melodies to his ears. The thought that this man is his makes Yibo even more turned on, if that’s still possible at this point.

“Ahhh! I’m so c-close…!” Xiao Zhan screws his eyes shut, seeing the lights flickering behind his eyelids.

“Come. I’ll fuck you until you come, just like this.” Yibo straightens his back to adjust his grip on Xiao Zhan’s legs before ramming harder into him.

Xiao Zhan starts choking at his moans and his hands begin to tremble. When Yibo drives into his body once again, he lets out a pitched scream and spills his seed all over himself. His entire body seems to tense up as the orgasm strikes him, his eyes rolling to the back of his head.

Yibo keeps thrusting into him while he is stuck in the peak of his pleasure. His head is getting light and he thinks he is going to pass out if Yibo keeps this up, but the younger stops after a few thrust. Xiao Zhan lets out a weak gasp when he feels something warm gushing into him, filling him up to the brim.

Xiao Zhan closes his eyes with a sigh when he feels Yibo’s body weight pressing down on him. He can hear the younger’s heavy breathing and feel the heaving chest against his own. He slowly wraps his arms around Yibo and places his hands on the younger’s broad back, holding him close as they catch their own breaths.

“This is the first time for us to do this on the bed, isn’t it?” Yibo asks after a minute of silence.

“Guess so.” He chuckles lightly.

“Do you prefer the car or the bed?” Yibo perks up to look into his eyes.

“Oh my God, you’re unbelievable.” He groans tiredly.

Yibo laughs and keeps him in place when he tries to squirm away. “You’re the first person I ever fucked against my car, you know, and you’ll be the only one from now on.”

Xiao Zhan gives him a look, but then his gaze turns softer. “You’re the only one who fuck me against a car.”

Yibo smiles at the words before nuzzling his face against the crook of Xiao Zhan’s neck. “I love you.”

Xiao Zhan can feel his heart skipping a beat at the words, and then there’s warmth spreading from his chest. He brings a hand to pat the back of Yibo’s head, running his fingers through the other’s soft hair. “I love you too.”

There’s a minute of silence before he feels something on his lower body.

“Yibo—ah… wait, pull out…” Xiao Zhan squirms slightly when he feels Yibo getting hard again. His inside is still a wet mess and with Yibo’s hard cock plugging him up again, he doesn’t know how his body is going to be by the end of this.

“Impossible.” Yibo props his body up and fits himself between Xiao Zhan’s legs, ready for another round. “I don’t think I can let you sleep tonight, Zhan-ge. I’m too excited.”

“Please be considerate. I may not be able to walk tomorrow if you do it so hard.” Xiao Zhan almost whimpers when Yibo starts rolling his hips.

“Don’t worry, Zhan-ge. I’ll take good care of you.” Yibo flashes him the sweetest smile before snapping his hips.

As expected, the news about their public kiss is all over the internet. It seems that it has become something viral too, seeing that a lot of people who are not even fans of racing cars read and share the news. People start talking about the relationship between a driver and a crew chief, discussing whether it’s possible for the feeling of mutual trust to turn into love and if it’s okay for lovers to work together in that way.

Xiao Zhan is stuck on the bed for half of the day after Yibo fucked him the whole night without mercy, but the younger stays by his side and shows him the articles about them. It’s so embarrassing to know that there are so many people who know about their relationship. He’s sure his parents and friends will be spamming his phone after this.

Aside from that, other people in the industry also began to notice him after yesterday’s race. Yibo shows him an article written about him, the young crew chief who managed to lead Wang Yibo to victory, and he is a little amazed at how fast they could dig up his history in the racing industry.

“So what’s next?” Xiao Zhan looks up to Yibo once he’s bored of reading the articles.

“I’m aiming for the French Grand Prix.” Yibo says positively.

The bright look in Yibo’s eyes makes him smile. “You’ll definitely get there.”

“With you by my side.” Yibo turns to him. “You’ll come with me, right?”

“I’m your crew chief. I’m responsible for you.”

“You are.” Yibo grins before pecking him on the lips.

It’s the start of something new, but he is willing to give it his all, because he knows Yibo is worth it.

“Is there still a chance for me to lead?” Yibo asks from the radio.

“Just get it back one car at a time.” Xiao Zhan says with a calming voice. They didn’t get a good start and it’s already halfway through the race, but Yibo still has the chance to at least come out as top three if he keeps it going.

“Fuck.” Yibo grunts again.

“Yibo.” He says softly, trying to calm the cranky driver.

There’s a beat of silence and he can somehow sense that Yibo has gotten calmer.

“Pit in. I’m changing the tires.” Xiao Zhan says to the driver before instructing the crew with his hand movement.

Yibo pulls over at the pit stop and within a couple of seconds, he’s off to the track again, trying to catch up to the lead.

“Calm down. You don’t want to get black-flagged, do you?” Xiao Zhan speaks into the radio as he glances at the flagger, making sure that Yibo didn’t get any penalty when exiting the pit road.

Yibo doesn’t say anything else and Xiao Zhan is left listening to the spotters who are reporting the traffic through the radio. This is a bigger championship than the last and most of the drivers here are veterans with long years of experience, so even though Yibo is a rising star and a prodigy, his experience on the circuit will affect the result of this race.

“Yibo, don’t stress so much.” He says reassuringly, knowing Yibo is thinking behind his wheels. Yibo has always been ambitious and competitive, but sometimes it can drain him down and put a weight upon himself.

He is only met with silence from Yibo and reports from the spotters who are watching the race from their elevated spots, but he keeps talking anyway.

“The fact that you’re able to race with these people is an achievement of its own. So just be yourself and go all out.” He smiles even though Yibo can’t see him.

“I want to bring the trophy to you though.” Yibo finally speaks after he passes the finishing line for another lap.

“You know I have no need for that.” He chuckles lightly.

“You look good when you’re holding the trophy on my bed.” Yibo says so shamelessly as if there’s no one else in the communication line.

“Wang Yibo!!”

Yibo comes out as third in the Grand Prix, but his achievement is enough to put him under the spotlight as a rising star in the industry. He’s still fairly young at this moment, but people believe that he will become a renowned driver internationally in just a short time.

In the world of racing, the driver is the star. They’re the ones who get their faces plastered on posters and they’re the ones who get the fame and glory when they pull into the finishing line or hoist a trophy.

But there’s always a crew chief by their side. The one who calls the shots, the one who gets the car set up for a race, and the one who leads the driver to success. They’re the driver’s biggest supporter and the driver’s anchor whenever a bad on-track incident occurred.

The driver puts their whole trust on the crew chief and the crew chief puts their whole faith on the driver. Behind every victorious driver, there’s always a crew chief who’s leading the team.

As for Wang Yibo, he has Xiao Zhan by his side; his crew chief, his own personal cheerleader, and his beautiful lover.