No More Elephants! Part 2
“What color did you pick?” The brunette inquired, a hint of curious excitement to his tone. He was hesitant to allow it to bubble over entirely, after all the likelihood that his partner was still irritated with him was quite high. But he couldn’t quite help it.
“Be patient.” Jaejoong grabbed the can from the man’s eager grasp, carting it over to the drop cloth and two other waiting paint tubs.
After Yunho’s treatment of him regarding the emptying of the nursery, the leader had stepped back allowing the lead singer full control of picking out what color scheme they would use. Not that Jaejoong had given him much choice in the matter. Promptly upon being released, the man had stormed from the room, grabbed the car keys and demanded his bratty bandmates have the room prepared for painting by the time he got back or there would be hell to pay. Of course they had done just that then fled the apartment with their tails tightly between their legs like scolded puppies the first chance they got, leaving their appa-hyung behind.
Though, with how mad his wife had been, he couldn’t exactly blame them for it.
Yunho hovered at the singer’s back, itching to grab a can and crack it open.
They hadn’t talked about colors much beyond a common desire to steer clear of the tradition baby blue and powder pink. They weren’t traditional parents and saw no need to stick to such traditional expectations. And he couldn’t wait to see what the man had chosen instead.
“You better like them. Because I’m not taking them back.” Jaejoong spoke up, searching out the can key lost in the painting paraphernalia currently cluttering the thick mat beneath his knees. Locating it, he snatched it up and poised the small metal tool at the lip of the first color. Pausing he glanced at the brunette, smirking at the wide, eager eyes latched onto his hands.
Popping the top, he worked the tool around the rim before grasping the lid. Without much ado, he pulled it off presenting his first choice. It was a rather vibrant, calming teal color. The brunette was surprised. To be honest, he’d almost expected red. The color however, he had to admit, was quite lovely. It was lively, but different enough from Young-Nam’s color scheme of green and chocolate with hints of soft blue to not cause problems down the road.
Pale hands made quick work of the second and third cans with ease, revealing a soft light gray and a pale, pastel yellow. It was a warm color, but not so warm as to clash with the two much cooler shades. Over all it was a pleasant palette with the right hint of femininity and masculinity to be suitable for either gender. And with the twins sex completely unknown, that neutrality was important.
“Well, what do you think?” Jaejoong asked, setting the last lid aside and turned to the leader. The dancer dipped a pinky into the creamy sunshine smearing it across a blank wall. An index wiped a second swatch of teal and a third of the soft slate side by side. Cocking his head, he had to smile.
They looked perfect.
“I think they’re beautiful.” Yunho replied, turning to meet those curious doe-eyes with an honest appreciative smile. Despite the man’s earlier displeasure, he was quick to offer one right back. “Very welcoming. Our babies will like them.”
“I’m glad.”
“How do you want to do this?” The brunette inquired, knowing the man well enough to know he wouldn’t do things simple. Jaejoong never just slapped a color on the wall. He required detail and interest in all his designs. It was something Yunho didn’t quite understand himself; he didn’t have a mind for the complexities of home decorating to be honest. But he had to admit all of his lover’s design choices turned out great in the end.
“Well,” Jaejoong began peering about at the four empty walls and the space each provided. One was broken by a large, very generous window centered in the middle. The one just to its left sported the only door, and an abundant white and black built-in dominated the wall just opposite it. “I was thinking about doing the solid wall in teal and yellow alternating zigzags. And the other three predominantly gray with a large yellow stripe in the center bordered by two smaller teal stripes. Maybe even the ceiling in teal.”
Yunho whistled, eyes sufficiently widened. It sounded like a lot of work. And with their band-babies currently in hiding the bulk of it fell on the young parent's shoulders.
“That’s going to take a while.” The brunette pointed out, watching his lover snatch up a roll of painters tape.
“But it’ll be worth it.” Jaejoong countered, climbing less gracefully to his feet than was the norm; keeping a protective hand about his belly. Yunho nodded, quickly moving to the singer’s side and scooped up a pencil and the measuring tape he had somehow known the man would need.
They worked diligently, silently moving with little direction needed; a byproduct of loving and living with one another for so many years. Each chevron was measured; taped and measured again to assure it was straight and evenly spaced. It was a tedious job, spanning several hours in total. But as they stood back, gazing at one large wall fully taped off and ready for paint; the general atmosphere was one of accomplishment.
Smiling, blowing a damp lock from his eyes Jaejoong paused, digging a hairclip from a deep pocket. Pulling back long bangs, he secured them up and out of his face before dabbing the dew of moisture off his brow. Wiping his hands across jean-clad thighs, he moved to fetch the roller and a medium sized brush.
Yunho knelt next to the open paint can, picking up the teal and carefully poured a substantial amount into the nearest painter’s tray.
“You want to roll or cut in?” The brunette’ asked, snatching up a rag to wipe the excess from the side of the aluminum tub.
“I think I’ll cut in for now.” Jaejoong replied, offering the paint roller to his lover. Yunho nodded, accepting the item and smeared the soft cloth tube into the vibrant pigments.
“Do you have any idea how you want to decorate?” Yunho asked, splattering a little teal paint as he pushed the roller along the focal wall. At his side Jaejoong nodded, lowering gingerly to a knee. Dipping his brush in the bucket, he carefully began edging the baseboards in the brilliant color.
“I was thinking a nice modern mural maybe. Like a large elephant over the cribs perhaps.” The lead singer replied, wiping away a small drip from the painters tape with a pinky.
The brunette shook his head, dipping his roller back in the tray, sopping up fresh pigments. He should have seen that coming.
“No. No elephants.”
“What?” Jaejoong blinked, startled and glanced up at the dancer. “Why?” Yunho had never before complained about his affinity for the little pachyderms, it was a surprise to hear his refusal now. At times the brunette even seemed to like them as much as he did; going out of his way to continue the tradition of trading little elephant shaped trinkets every now and then.
“Jaejoong you’ve already got an elephant collage on Nammie’s wall. Not to mention the stuffed animal’s all over the study. And that painting in the master bathroom.” Yunho pointed out, dropping his paint roller from the wall and flicked a small dollop of the bright goo onto his wife’s nose. The singer recoiled in surprise. "No more elephants." The young father insisted firmly.
“They’re special.” Jaejoong pouted, scrunching his nose and jabbed his own brush at the grinning man’s ankle; swiping several stripes of bright blue onto his jeans. The brunette jumped away, starting on a white spot out of his lovers reach.
“I know that baby. That’s why I’ve never complained about them. They are a part of our relationship.” Yunho pointed out with much affectionate. Rising onto his toes, he drove the roller towards the ceiling getting as high as he could manage. “But I think its time to do something different. Don’t you think it would be nice to give these babies their own thing to cherish? Something special¸ just for them?”
The lead singer paused, lowering back onto his haunches and thought.
The dancer brought up a valid question.
Nammie cherished his elephants just as much as his mommy did. He had in fact learned to love them without Jaejoong’s help and he treasured that about him. But it wouldn’t be right to push that obsession onto their newest babies too. They deserved better.
“You’re right.” Jaejoong agreed, re-dipping his brush and went back to work, mindful of a little peel in the tape protecting the floor. “They should have their own thing. But what?”
“It would have to be something gender neutral.”
The lead singer nodded his agreement. They still didn’t know what their babies were and they planned to keep it that way. There was something special about learning that tidbit right at the time of birth that they both loved.
“Maybe we’ll see something at the store that will inspire us? I’ve already got the bedding and curtains picked out.” He offered. A light flickered behind doe-eyes at that idea and they went wide. “Oh wait! I know.” The lead singer exclaimed suddenly. Setting his brush atop the open paint can, he clamored to his feet using a section of unpainted wall for support. The brunette blinked, turning to spy his lover hurrying from the room.
“What?”
“Hold on!” Jaejoong cried, disappearing down the hall. Brow furrowed, Yunho curiously eyed the door. He could hear his lover rifling somewhere else in the house; catching the distinct clink of glass and the scrape of metal on what sounded like stone. If it hadn’t been Jaejoong making the noise he might have feared for the expensive stone flooring.
What was he doing?
Before long the very pregnant man came hurrying back into the room, lugging a wall hanging much too large and heavy for him to navigate easily with that swollen belly.
“Jaejoong!” Yunho gasped, almost dropping the paint roller in his hurry to get to the man’s side. Grasping the edge of glass plating, hefting the bulk of its substantial weight, he gazed down at the item in question; recognizing it immediately.
“How about this?” The young wife suggested, a delighted smile setting his face aglow. Only Jaejoong would think fetching the item to scrutinize in person was more logical than merely describing it.
The piece in question was a large piece of art they had mutually received from their fans at the last group anniversary. The bulk of it was made up of two separate sheets of glass bolted together by sleek silver rivets in each rounded corner. Sandwiched in between the plates, the bulk of it was decorated with stars cut out of the group’s sheet music. It had been arranged to pay tribute to their entire discography, listing their albums in order of release. It was a large piece, several feet wide and decorated quite beautifully with soft silver scrolls and smart black details interweaving between the celestial bodies. Overall it was a lovely and very nostalgic item.
“We could center it above the cribs. It’s big enough that it would be a nice focal piece without completely dominating the space. And the glass will allow the wall color to show through, easily tying it into the room. What do you think?” Jaejoong inquired, turning to his lover.
“It’s a little sentimental, don’t you think?” Yunho teased, flashing an impish little look his lover’s way. A tongue returned his cheek and he chuckled. Jaejoong always was the most attached to their fans; the most appreciative. Likely because he had been subjected to the deepest heartbreak at their hands. Either way, it was a sweet thought.
The brunette appeared to be pondering the idea despite the joke, rolling around the thought in his mind. It was a little hard to imagine the dawning nursery as his wife saw it, but he trusted his taste. If there was one thing Jaejoong excelled at outside of music and cooking, it was definitely interior design.
“It could sort of act as a bridge between our two families I suppose. Tying both band and birth into one space?” Yunho replied, seeming to instinctively understand what the singer was and wasn’t saying.
A brilliant smile lit up the expecting mothers face. If anyone in this world understood him, it was his husband.
“Exactly.” Moving carefully, they schlepped the large glass gift towards the built-in, leaning it against the heavy wood frame. As one they stood back, both simultaneously seeming to come to the same conclusion. Yunho smiled, giving a decisive nod.
“I like it. And I’m sure we can find a mobile or some cute paintings of stars to carry the theme through the rest of the room.”
The lead singer appeared quite happy, returning to his spot to draw little blue stars along the bottom half of the wall as he daydreamed. Plans decided, the brunette returned to rolling as well, moving with slow deliberate strokes.
“I like that idea.” Jaejoong smiled, swiping over one small blue star with his brush only to paint a larger one at its side. The brunette eyed the stargazing singer, fondly watching pale digits doodling across the wall.
Stargazing…
Huh.
“Hey, why don’t we paint the ceiling black? Since the trim in the room is already black it would match nicely. And we could paint a starscape to tie in the theme. With Cassiopeia in the center, of course.” The brunette suggested, smiling almost shyly at the nebulous look his lover sent his way. A beautiful, amazed little laugh jingled through the air, warming the dancer from the inside out. That single sound was more beautiful than any sun, or star or planet in the sky.
“Now who’s being sentimental?” Jaejoong teased, flicking a splatter of teal at the tall dancer.
“Hey!” Yunho cried, ducking the flying drops behind a raised arm. Seeing his lover eagerly dipping that brush back in the bucket for more he hurried to the man’s side capturing his arm mid-plunge. “It’s your fault, you cheeky little booger.” He insisted, swiping the roller at the laughing singer painting a vibrant smear along his cheek.
It was a good thing Yoochun had insisted on covering every inch of the floor in thick drop clothes and taping them down.
Jaejoong was in quite a mood it seemed.
The lead singer smiled beautifully, dropping the brush. Instead he turned, wrapping his arms about the man’s shoulders.
“I love it.” He purred, stealing a quick, chaste little kiss. Yunho smiled enjoying the lip lock that ended far too soon for his tastes. Joy quickly turned to disbelief however when wet fingers smeared across his face without warning, painting his features a brilliant blue. And not just a little either. Oh, no. Jaejoong managed to get him eyebrow to chin. There was even a little spot itching just below the jaw line.
Ooh that man was good.
That sweet, sweet laugh transformed into something much darker and far more naughty.
The smile however was positively angelic.
“But, I’m still mad at you.” Jaejoong stated, uncoiling his arms and gave the taller man a gentle nudge. Hot cocoa eyes stared, wide and shocked. “Go on. Get back to work. That paint job is going to add another day’s work at least.” Without further comment, he turned snatching up the momentarily discarded brush and got back down to business
“But..”
The brunette stood there dumbly for another good minute, blinking blue and still stunned the man had tricked him so well. In lame retaliation, he swept the roller at a dark mane not at all surprised when bristles intercepted the haphazard blow.
“Go.” Jaejoong insisted with a stern look, and, grumpy and pouting, Yunho complied.
“Can I help mama?’ A little voice interrupted the conversation, such as it was, and Jaejoong swiveled atop his knees. Spying their firstborn hefting a small paint brush and dressed in some old play clothes, he couldn’t help but grin. The boy always was so curious, wanting to try out whatever his parents happened to be doing. Setting his own brush across one of the paint can lids the lead singer nodded.
“Of course baby. Come here.” Jaejoong bid, wiping the teal from his hands across jeans he had long ago designated decorating coveralls only.
“Oh sure, be all sweet to him.” Yunho grumbled too softly for the excited child to catch. Dark eyes snapped in his direction, thinned and severe.
“He didn’t tie me to a chair for the better part of the day, now did he?” The eldest reminded, quite obviously still clinging to his earlier irritation despite the calm happiness he had exuded since his return from the hardware store.
Happily the boy shuffled over, completely missing the exchange and eyed the tubs of bright paint excitedly. Wrapping a hand about the child’s, Jaejoong guided the small appendage towards the proper bucket.
“Go ahead and dip the brush in. Be careful just to get the tip ok?” He instructed, watching diligently as the boy did as told. “Good. Now wipe the excess on the rim. Like this.” Gentle hands guided tiny fingers, swiping the majority of the paint from the small bristles.
Satisfied, Jaejoong sat back and smiled at the boy, patting the floor next to his thigh.
“Come kneel by mama.”
Eagerly the tyke complied, settling atop tiny knees at the lead singer’s right. Eyeing the blank wall, he waited patiently for instruction, all but buzzing with excited energy.
“You see that outlet there?” Jaejoong asked, pointing out the hole with the electrical plug in the center. They had removed all the covers prior to cracking open the paint cans. “I need you to paint around the edges carefully. We don’t want any paint on the metal plug ok?” Nodding, Young-Nam gently pressed the brush against the concrete wall, drawing small short strokes. They were a little messy, but he was doing well; keeping the paint off the outlet.
“Like this?” A little tongue poked out between plump heart-shaped lips and the lead singer grinned.
“That’s right. You’re doing great.” Jaejoong praised, patting the boys head.
All the while Yunho couldn’t help but watch on, jealous. The lead singer seemed to delight in plying the four-year-old with all kinds of love, rubbing in the fact that the brunette was no longer in his good graces. It just wasn’t fair!
Oh he’d get Jaejoong back for this.
One way or another.
The lead singer would pay.
X CONTINUE TO PART 3