the sunshine that comes packed with? (oneshot)
title: the sunshine that comes packed with?pairing: taekai
rating: pg-13
summary: of course Taemin would be kicked out again. AU.
one shot ;; 3,456 wds.
a/n: this is kind of an interactive fic,
bear with me and go along.
★★★
--
the sunshine that comes packed with?
Of course Taemin would be kicked out again.
“And stay out, you gay bitch!”
“Don’t throw my clothes.”
Taemin doesn’t know when exactly would this happen to him. Most of the time he comes back from his classes to see that his roommates have conveniently put his clothes outside for him. Other times it’s usually that his roommates fell for him and Taemin would be like:
“Bahuh?”
“I…” his roommate stuttered. “L-like you, Taemin.” Taemin stared. Damn. He knew six months were too good to be true.
“I’m sorry Onew.” He has said and closed his textbooks. He had been studying. Maybe if he wasn’t so “girly-looking” things would be so different. Maybe? No, they would be.
As people in the hall stared at him in stricken interest, Taemin picked up his thrown clothes. Not a moment or two later, his books were strewn over as well.
He didn’t cry as this wasn’t the first time. In fact, he couldn’t wait to go the Head and asked for room all to himself. But would they really do that? Taemin shot a look at everyone around him and they immediately began walking to their classes, the campus’ café or wherever else. He sighed.
Even if this happened to him all the time, he wished it didn’t. He hated this whole thing. He wasn’t even gay to begin with.
--
“I need a new room.”
The head looked at him and his luggage. She sighed and wrote something in a notepad. Probably his new room number.
“Here.” She gave him the paper and he took it casually. Glancing at the numbers he just knew he was going to sharing it with someone. Before he said anything, “No. You’re just going to learn how to live with people, bye.”
“But-“
“Come back if something happens. If not, goodbye and I wish you the best of luck.”
And with a cheeky smile, she returned back to her typing and Taemin was left dragging his luggage grudgingly out her office.
--
Knock-knock.
He didn’t have keys and the door was locked so.
Taemin cleared his throat and tried again but still. Nothing. He sighed and laid his luggage flat on the floor, sitting on it. He was in a new dorm house.
It was nice, a bit more extravagant looking than his last. No one looked at him when he came in as they were just involved in their conversations, studying or something that didn’t include him. He liked that. He thudded his head against the wall. But just how long would he wait?
Taemin stayed motionless for a few minutes, his thoughts blank. Without really thinking, he got up and took his luggage-deciding to walk around the building.
--
When Taemin comes back, he finds the dorm door open and his heart speeds up. Despite the many roommates he’s had in the past, it still doesn’t take away the fact he’s meeting someone new and different.
He walks in and knocks on the door softly. There is no one around, he peers in.
“What are you doing?” A boy his age comes behind the door and peers back at him. Taemin almost dies and grips his shirt to show he’s nearly had a heart attack.
The boy raises an eyebrow.
“I’m your new roommate.” Taemin says. “Um, Lee Taemin?”
“Oh.” The boy shrugs and steps from the door and opens it fully to let him in.
Taemin looks around and it’s such a comfy and simple room. Taemin keeps looking around until the boy clears his throat and holds both of shoulders (Taemin squeaks) to move him aside.
“Alright,” the boy walked near the balcony and pointed to a door. “That’s the bathroom. I cleared a shelf for you to put your stuff--”
“Thanks.”
“No problem, here’s your desk and all that…” Taemin listens to his new roommate and he does really. But he just never knew he would room with one of the campuses’ most sought after guys. He’s always seen this guy around because where there were girls, there was this guy. They always tried to take pictures of him as Taemin got out of his dance class, blocking his way to the café. His demeanor was always serious, like he had something to do and he was going to get it done. But here he was in front of Taemin, the exact opposite.
“Uh, sorry. I had to send your pillows washed because the last person here just…”he scratched the corner of his mouth with finger and gave a sheepish look.
Taemin laughs, “Thank you, it’s fine. I could’ve done it myself.” The guy shakes his head saying No, I would do it anyway and smiles at him.
Taemin finds himself staring.
“My name is Kai, by the way.” He outstretches his hand. Taemin takes it and really, he’s trying hard not to blush. The firm grip makes him want to just fall.
--
Taemin goes and showers, feeling lighter and much cleaner. As he steps out of the bathroom he looks at the balcony and sees the sky is a murky gray.
He continues towel drying his hair slowly as he just stares. It’s going to rain.
Guitar playing.
Taemin slowly turns and there’s Kai sitting on his bed looking up from his guitar with a peculiar expression. “You can close the blinds.” He says.
Taemin stares at him for a second before he acts quickly and shuts the blinds. He should’ve just changed in the bathroom, Taemin turns and walks to drawer. He’s beginning to feel conscious on how gangly he must be looking with chest exposed and only a tower covering him. Taemin pulls out a shirt.
“So...” both of them begin. Kai looks up and Taemin is already looking at him before he laughs and covers his mouth before it gets any louder.
Kai smiles. “You go ahead.”
Taemin smiles back and pulls on his shirt. “You major in music?”
“And minoring in Dance.”
“Dance? I major in…”
“Dance?” Kai finishes for him with a smile.
Taemin sits on his bed after pulling on comfortable sweatpants. “Yeah. How come I don’t see you around?”
“I take night classes.“
“And how did you know?”
“That you majored in Dance?” Taemin looks around before nodding.
“Who doesn’t know Lee Taemin? You’re one of the best dancers here.” Taemin stares at him and chuckles, “So you have heard about me.”
Kai looks away before looking back at Taemin, smiling knowingly. He removes his guitar from his lap and puts his arms comfortably on his knees. “Want some coffee?”
“Um, sure.” Taemin watches Kai leave with a “I’ll be back”. He notes the orange-bulb in the lamp near the boy’s bed which gives the room nice warmth.
--
Weeks pass and Taemin finds Kai to be unlike any other person he has met. First he was unlike any other roommate, then after a few days after finding out the boy is scared of roaches (“I’m scared too you know!” Taemin cried as they clung to each other in dear life as the big bug crawled near Kai’s desk) he became unlike any other guy. Now he’s unlike any other person.
“1, 2, 3!” His teacher shouted and Taemin was moving, flowing into steps with popping moves that were put so well together. His hair matted against his forehead and he whispered to himself the beat of the music. After a couple minutes, the music ended and everyone in the class clapped as the professor congratulated them on a job well done. Class ended and everybody was told to practice.
Taemin packed his water bottle and didn’t bother changing as he ran outside the classroom hugging the boy who was watching him patiently the whole time. Kai laughed and patted Taemin’s back, “Hello to you too.” Taemin pulled himself away immediately and blushed but turned away before Kai caught it.
“Let’s go before girls find you’re here.” Kai nodded. They begin walking but then he stops and swiftly takes Taemin’s bag.
“Hey!” Taemin turns but Kai just whistles, walking ahead of Taemin and putting it over his shoulder.
“Hurry up if you want to get it!” Kai calls out. Taemin raises an eyebrow until he realizes Kai just broke out in a run.
“Wait! Kai! You fucking son of bitch COME BACK!”
All Taemin hears is beautiful laughter.
--
Many early forms of music and dance were created and performed together. This paired development has continued through the ages with dance/music forms such as: jig, waltz, tango, disco, salsa, electronica and hip-hop. Some musical genres have a parallel dance form such as baroque music and baroque dance; others, such as classical music and classical ballet, developed separately-
Guitar playing. Taemin groans.
“I’ve been trying to read this, you know?” Kai stops playing and mimics him.
“And I’ve been trying to play this you know?”
Taemin gives him a face and tries to read again. Kai simply smiles and after a moment, he puts his acoustic to the side. He gets up and catches Taemin attention. He’s looking for something in his desk, Taemin notes but goes back into reading and shrugs.
Then after a couple of minutes: “Taemin.”
Sigh. “I’m reading, go away.”
Kai seems to have listened to him because doesn’t hear anything else. But then he does.
Click. Taemin keeps his gaze down, reading the sentence over and over. But soon enough he feels Kai’s hand on his wrist. “Get up.” He says.
Taemin doesn’t know what’s going on. All he knows is Kai is probably bored and he’s not really playing this sappy couple music. But then Kai really is, Taemin realizes as he feels a hand on his waist.
“Dance with me.” He hears him murmur. Taemin closed his eyes and tries to breathe. “Wh-what?” But Kai sweeps with him and Taemin follows. Their steps are languid and slow and Kim Bum Soo’s voice echoes in the room.
After a turn, Taemin sees Kai has turned on a projector displaying something that makes him smother his lips deeper into Kai’s shoulder.
Taemin doesn’t want to cry.
They are dancing and everything is magical and soft and orange. But he really is crying. And he really doesn’t want to. Kai grips him tighter and Taemin lets out a shaky laugh.
“You son of a b-bitch.” He feels a smile on his shoulder.
--
It’s snowing.
Taemin wakes up first thing in the morning and sees the balcony door all white. He presses him hand to the glass and then removes it. He sees the handprint and smiles.
The sound of a door opening and Taemin looks to see Kai coming out of the bathroom, clad in a pair a boxers and his usual shirt.
“It’s snowing!” Taemin points to his handprint. Kai smiles and walks over, throwing his towel at Taemin.
“I see that.”
They stare at the white soft scenery for a couple minutes.
“You like snow?” Kai asks but doesn’t look away from the door.
“Yes.” Taemin is looking at him. “Everything that’s Winter.”
Kai hums and then presses his hand to glass. It leaves a handprint. Taemin smiles but then Kai’s hand is on his again and he guides it next his handprint. He presses the palm on the glass. “There.” Kai smiles and looks at him. Taemin laughs and just looks away.
He’s feeling too many things right now.
“Oh. Wait.” Kai uses his finger to write below their prints. “Hm…Kai….and….Taemin….” Taemin remains silent and just elbows Kai lightly at side. Kai feigns to be extremely hurt.
--
Taemin should leave. He should go to the head and ask for another room. But he can’t. He should but can’t. Taemin looks at his side to see Kai still ordering drinks. He sighs.
This can’t go on. How harder will he fall for him?
Taemin laughs to himself. And here he thought he wasn’t gay. Must be some weird twisted fate.
“Um-Taemin?” He looks up.
Onew.
“Oh.” Fuck. “Hi.”
The awkward but handsome boy waves and sits at the seat Kai would’ve resided in.
“How have you been?”
Taemin smiles.“Good. I’ve been okay.”
“That’s great.”
“Yeah.”
Everything is quiet. “Hey I was thinking…” Onew began. And Taemin already knew.
“Sure.” He says.
Onew gapes. “Huh?”
“You want to ask me to out right?” Onew nods hesitantly.
“Then it’s a yes.” Taemin smiles. “Tomorrow, 6 o’ clock.”
Onew nods still not taking it in but then he smiles widely. “Okay.” He nods happily.
Someone coughs. Both of them look up and Kai has a bored expression. Onew realizes then. “O-Oh, sorry.” He gets up and Kai looks at him weirdly.
“Bye Taemin and…see you tomorrow?” Onew grins and Taemin nods. The boy walks away practically skipping. After a couple of seconds, Taemin and Kai both look away from the passing figure.
“What was that about?” Kai snorts and passes Taemin his mocchiato.
“He just asked me out.” Kai’s cup spills on the table.
Taemin immediately moves out of his chair and Kai gets up too but he looks surprised at himself.
“What the hell?” Kai looks at Taemin and at spill.
“Sorry.” He says.
--
Taemin stumbles in and Onew is holding his waist. He giggles and as Onew shushes him.
“It’s dark.” Taemin whispers.
Onew keeps pressing his finger to Taemin’s. “Shhh, shhh! He might wake up-“
“I am awake.” A light flickers on and both Taemin and Onew are left standing awkwardly near the door.
Kai spares a glance at the entrance. “Get out.”
Onew looks at Taemin and Taemin just stares at Kai.
“Didn’t you hear me?”
“He doesn’t have to leave.” Taemin steps in front Onew.
Kai immediately looks wounded but says, after a moment, “Then you get out too.”
And Taemin feels his heart thud painfully but he swallows and nods. He takes Onew’s hand and leads him out first. He was right in closing the door until a hand wraps around his wrist and pulls him back inside.
"Kai, what the fuck-“
“Don’t ‘what the fuck’ me.” He slams the door leaving an opened mouth Onew.
“What are you doing, just look at you-“
“This isn’t your fucking business.” Taemin tries to push Kai out of the way but he stands solid, not even budging. Taemin breathes through his nose and is about to give Kai a mouthful until-
“None of my business?” Kai whispers. He's looking straight head and a tear falls onto his cheek. He blinks rapidly.
Taemin is speechless.
“Excuse me if I thought...You’ve been my business since you came here and shared your life with me. You’ve been my business when I saw you one day, getting kicked out of the dumbass Jonghyun’s room. You’ve been my business when I saw you perform for the Christmas concert last year. You have…always been my business.” Kai huffed in disbelief. “I-nevermind.”
He turns to walk away and Taemin doesn’t stop him.
He doesn’t stop Kai leaving and shutting the door.
Taemin just slumps on the floor and stares after him in the orange glow.
--
“I need a new room.”
The Head looks up and Taemin is looking at the wall behind her. She sighed.
“What happened now? The same?”
“The very same.” She shakes her head sympathetically and pulls out her notepad.
“You know…that Kai guy requested that you room with him.”
Taemin gaze shifts slowly to her. “He said “I’m not that type of guy” but look where we are.” She sighed and ripped the piece of paper off. “Here.”
Taemin takes it, still in a shock and she smiles concernedly at him.
“Come back if something happens.”
--
But nothing happens. He actually has a room to himself now. It’s been a couple of months. Throughout them Taemin has visited his family, broken up with Onew, done another school performance and auditioned for a company.
Taemin wakes up from his nap and stretches. It’s a Saturday and that means no classes. He lies back down and closes his eyes.
“I’m reading, go away.”
"Dance with me.”
“You…son of a bitch.” Taemin opens his eyes and stares at the ceiling. They were in the same floor, him and Kai. Only five doors down.
Taemin blinks and tries to stop thinking but he can’t. He gets up and turns on the light.
A bright white flashes and then his surroundings are dark again. Taemin groans, “Fucking light bulb.”
--
“Hi, I’m looking for a light bulb preferably 75 watts?” The helper looked at Taemin and blushed, pointing to Aisle 7.
Taemin gave her a charming smile and followed the direction. It was cold in the store, February being one of the most freezing months-not even a heater would stand a chance. He tightened his parka around him.
“75 watts, 75 watts…” he looked around and something then caught his eye. It was an orange light bulb. Taemin walked to it and saw it was the last one. He thought about it before making up his mind. Reaching out to take it, he got the bulb but then only to feel his hand was over someone else’s.
Taemin looked confusedly at the other hand, then arm and then by the time he got to the face, he let go of the bulb. Kai looked disinterestedly at him for a moment and then walked by him. Taemin felt their shoulders brush and he looked even further away, throat constricting.
--
Taemin reached and reached but he couldn’t even touch the ceiling. He was even standing on his bed for christ’s sake.
He gave up. Slumping on his bed, Taemin looked at the white translucent bulb in his hands. Was he really going to be out of power tonight? He sighed. The only light he had was the light from the hallway as his dorm door was open.
But there was no way in hell he would leave it as such at night. Then he remembered. But then. Would he really…ask… Kai had a ladder outside in the balcony. It was property of the school’s so surely he would lend it to him…? Taemin shook his head; of course he would since it is school property after all. He got up and left his room, locking it before heading to the place he avoided three months.
Knock-knock-
The door opened before Taemin even had the chance to wonder if anyone was there. Kai stood, clad in his usual; boxers and a white shirt. Taemin looks away.
“What do you want?”
“I need the ladder.” He said.
Kai stared at him and then after Taemin slowly met his eyes, Kai cleared his throat and straightened up. “F-fine. Hold on.”
Taemin stepped away from the door and waited. Looking at Kai made him feel like he was everything but at the same time, Kai didn’t look at him that way anymore so what did it matter.
“Here.” Taemin glanced at him and took it.
“Thanks.” He began walking away, struggling because damn it was heavy as fuck. And then, all of the sudden it wasn’t so heavy anymore. Taemin turned and he saw Kai held the back.
“This ladder isn’t sturdy.” He says.
They stop in front of Taemin’s room, him unlocking it and stepping inside. They place the ladder in silence and Taemin takes the light bulb, beginning to climb. Kai is holding the ladder “just in case”. As Taemin screws the light bulb in, he reaches over to place it more securely. He didn’t realize that he just missed a step. Taemin falls and Kai shouts. The ladder falls over to Taemin’s bed and Taemin himself falls on Kai who already has him as they fall on the floor. The light bulb lands a few feet away from them, shattered.
--
“Thank you.” Taemin takes the cup of coffee from Kai and smiles hesitantly. Kai sits on his bed and smiles back wistfully.
They were back in Kai’s room, seeing as Taemin couldn’t stay in his until the school came in and fixed the problem. It would’ve been different if Taemin had a balcony, to get some natural light in the room but then that room had electrical problems to begin with. The school had to get it fixed it regardless. He was moved back into Kai’s room in his request.
“Why?” Taemin looked at him.
“Because…” Kai looked at the window instead, finding little pellets of rain starting to drop. “I like you.”
“Bahuh?” Kai smiled and Taemin swallowed the coffee was threatening to choke him.
“I like you.” He repeated. “I’ve liked you since forever…and I guess I never wanted to admit it. But as I noticed you were feeling the same way, I started acting on my feelings.” Kai sighed. “You went with Onew, and I had something called it “no reassurance”. I felt I just been led on but-I just want you back with me now. I--” Taemin got up and placed his coffee on the floor quickly. Kai stared at him with disbelieving eyes as Taemin smiled.
“I like you too.” And he kissed him. Kai smiled widely and wounded his arms around his waist. Taemin hummed. “You’re just…” Kai began to whisper between their kisses.
Taemin chuckles. “I’m just what?” But Kai breaks the kiss and walks away from him.
“What?” Taemin says.
Kai isn’t listening to him, he seems to pressing something. Taemin’s eyes widened and then-
Click.
“Dance with me.” Kai takes his waist and Taemin blushes.
“You are so weird.”
Kai chuckles, “I know, I know.”
---- end.