Fray (Flashfic Challenge 68: I Left This Morning)
Title: Fray
Author: twhitesakura
Wordcount: 450
Concrit? Yes
Rating: G
Summary: Winter is coming and certain things are unraveling. YunJae. Pre-DBSK breakup.
The cicadas have fallen silent. Jaejoong opens his eyes and is greeted by the clammy cold hands of fall, creeping in from the open window to wrap around his ankles. It is only a small tug now, weak as a kitten, but he knows soon enough winter will come. He throws the scratchy coverlet off, stomps his feet, jogs in place to warm them and the lacy chain of pinpricks along his toes shatters like delicate china. Twenty minutes later, he heads to the kitchen.
“You’re up early,” Yunho greets Jaejoong, hair still sleep-tousled. He’s crouched with both feet on his stool, the local paper dangling between his arms like a security blanket.
Jaejoong yawns at him, strolls to the refrigerator to grab the orange juice carton. He shakes it a bit, hears the tell-tale rattle that means there’s little enough for a few gulps. He brings it over to Yunho’s table, bypassing the silver cutlery and ceramic mugs.
Jaejoong shrugs.
“Junsu needs help packing.”
Jaejoong sips down the pulpy juice straight from the carton, licks the orange moustache over his upper lip and passes the box to Yunho. Yunho shakes his head and Jaejoong takes it back, tips the rest of the juice down to his throat.
“How about you?” Jaejoong asks.
In answer, Yunho laughs, voice husky and inviting, sending hot shivers down Jaejoong’s spine.
“I’m up because Changmin needs help unpacking,” Yunho smirks. “You know him. Give him an hour and he’ll be able to stuff the kitchen sink in his duffel bag.”
“And all our stores of instant ramen,” Jaejoong nods amicably, then reaches over, smoothing the line above Yunho’s brow. His fingers dance gingerly, trace the dark circles underneath Yunho’s eyes, normally vivid and bright like a small animal’s. Now they are black obsidian, mysterious still waters.
Jaejoong withdraws his hand.
“I don’t think they’ll give us more,” Jaejoong says and his gaze skitters away from Yunho’s. They’ve discussed it more than once with management. Yoochun is starting to pen an alarming amount of angry songs, Junsu is singing three decibels higher than his standard hum and Changmin is still normal, still fine, but he’s not a diamond, and enough pressure will make him crack.
Yunho lays his hand over Jaejoong’s on the table.
“We’ll try again, after this shoot in Saipan.”
Jaejoong snorts.
“It’ll be good,” Yunho cajoles, his voice turning sweet and childish. “It’ll be fun. Let’s wait a while. You trust me, don’t you?”
Jaejoong turns back, finds familiar eyes, not the brooding ones that scare him - the ones he’s not sure he understands. He turns his hand palm up and squeezes.
As long as Jaejoong has this warmth, winter won’t matter.
Author: twhitesakura
Wordcount: 450
Concrit? Yes
Rating: G
Summary: Winter is coming and certain things are unraveling. YunJae. Pre-DBSK breakup.
The cicadas have fallen silent. Jaejoong opens his eyes and is greeted by the clammy cold hands of fall, creeping in from the open window to wrap around his ankles. It is only a small tug now, weak as a kitten, but he knows soon enough winter will come. He throws the scratchy coverlet off, stomps his feet, jogs in place to warm them and the lacy chain of pinpricks along his toes shatters like delicate china. Twenty minutes later, he heads to the kitchen.
“You’re up early,” Yunho greets Jaejoong, hair still sleep-tousled. He’s crouched with both feet on his stool, the local paper dangling between his arms like a security blanket.
Jaejoong yawns at him, strolls to the refrigerator to grab the orange juice carton. He shakes it a bit, hears the tell-tale rattle that means there’s little enough for a few gulps. He brings it over to Yunho’s table, bypassing the silver cutlery and ceramic mugs.
Jaejoong shrugs.
“Junsu needs help packing.”
Jaejoong sips down the pulpy juice straight from the carton, licks the orange moustache over his upper lip and passes the box to Yunho. Yunho shakes his head and Jaejoong takes it back, tips the rest of the juice down to his throat.
“How about you?” Jaejoong asks.
In answer, Yunho laughs, voice husky and inviting, sending hot shivers down Jaejoong’s spine.
“I’m up because Changmin needs help unpacking,” Yunho smirks. “You know him. Give him an hour and he’ll be able to stuff the kitchen sink in his duffel bag.”
“And all our stores of instant ramen,” Jaejoong nods amicably, then reaches over, smoothing the line above Yunho’s brow. His fingers dance gingerly, trace the dark circles underneath Yunho’s eyes, normally vivid and bright like a small animal’s. Now they are black obsidian, mysterious still waters.
Jaejoong withdraws his hand.
“I don’t think they’ll give us more,” Jaejoong says and his gaze skitters away from Yunho’s. They’ve discussed it more than once with management. Yoochun is starting to pen an alarming amount of angry songs, Junsu is singing three decibels higher than his standard hum and Changmin is still normal, still fine, but he’s not a diamond, and enough pressure will make him crack.
Yunho lays his hand over Jaejoong’s on the table.
“We’ll try again, after this shoot in Saipan.”
Jaejoong snorts.
“It’ll be good,” Yunho cajoles, his voice turning sweet and childish. “It’ll be fun. Let’s wait a while. You trust me, don’t you?”
Jaejoong turns back, finds familiar eyes, not the brooding ones that scare him - the ones he’s not sure he understands. He turns his hand palm up and squeezes.
As long as Jaejoong has this warmth, winter won’t matter.