Stolen Hearts and Shoes [4]
Title: Stolen Hearts and Shoes
Author: k_chan91
Disclaimer: I own no one. Not even Junsu. T.T
Pairing: Yoosu ::::: Yunjae, mystery pairing...
Length: [4/6]
Genre: Romantic smut comedy
Rating: PG-13/NC-17
Warnings: Sex, language, duckbutt
Summary: Yoochun, a love-starved songwriter, is in a slump, professionally and romantically and can't seem to get his juices flowing. To his humiliation, one day his roommate (forcefully) introduces him to the new neighbors and his first impression of someone's bare, wet ass isn't quite what he expected. And while his roommate stirs up more trouble than he can handle, Yoochun discovers secrets about his neighbors that inspire him more than he would've ever imagined.
Soggy Wifebeaters
Reindeer Sex
Yoochun Had a Little Lamb
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Puff Daddy
When Yoochun had laid down to sleep the night before, he had one plan in mind: Sleep. An activity that usually doesn't involve staring up at the ceiling without blinking for an eight hour record. Yoochun figured he'd failed his task.
Yoochun the rapist. Yoochun the child molester. Yoochun the child molesting rapist.
Was fondling someone's goodies even considered rape? More like sexual harassment. And Junsu's not even a child to molest. But he sure is cute like one. Wonder what kind of sounds he'd make in bed. Bet he'd whimper like a naughty little boy if Yoochun spanked him. Oh shit, Yoochun was a child molesting rapist.
Yoochun buried himself further under his sheets, tearing the threads of the blanket out with his teeth.
"Don't fuck up my linens." Jaejoong shouted, distractedly adjusting his tie, gliding past Yoochun's door for the thousandth time that morning.
Yoochun spit the blanket out of his mouth. And continued gnawing on his arm. Retribution for being such a desperate, clumsy idiot and defiling a perfectly good attractive, dateable man.
"If you're hungry, get breakfast." Jaejoong mumbled, barely glancing at Yoochun's peculiar behavior as he bustled into his bedroom for the trillionth time that morning. He snatched up Yoochun's bed sheet and peered underneath, then looked under the bed and finally in the bedside drawer. He turned on his heel and opened Yoochun's closet, noisily shuffling through his things without bothering with an explanation.
"I was trying to sleep."
"No, you weren't. Get out of bed." Dissatisfied, Jaejoong tossed a sweater from Yoochun's closet, which landed between the floor fan and the open window and continued searching.
"Not til you get the hell out of my room." Yoochun watched semi-curiously as Jaejoong buried himself in his closet. "You're gonna be late for work."
"At least someone around here is making money." A shoe was launched from Yoochun's closet and nearly made a hazardous crash landing between Yoochun's legs.
"Watch it!" Yoochun shoved the shoe onto the floor, bunching the sheets protectively around his crotch. "You almost emasculated me."
"If selling your balls would make us some extra cash, then by all means." Jaejoong emerged from Yoochun's closet and dove through Yoochun's dresser, tossing underwear out over his shoulder.
Yoochun watched distastefully as stray undergarments made their way to his floor. Since he was staying home so often, Jaejoong now expected him to do more chores. And this meant Yoochun would have to clean this up, rather than the usual Jaejoong. "What are you looking for?"
"My sunglasses." Jaejoong said absent-mindedly. "They're expensive and I can't find them."
"I know they're expensive. They're my sunglasses."
Jaejoong stopped searching long enough to let out an exhale that said, I'm counting to ten before I stuff Calvin Klein undies up your ass. "Then where are they?"
"You tell me. You're the one that adopted them right after I bought them. Just like that belt you're wearing."
"You're not helping, Chun."
"Well, it's hard when you always help yourself to my wardrobe without asking."
"It's not like you've been using it lately. And didn't you inquire if you could borrow my underwear just the other day?"
"And you were awfully snippy about it."
Jaejoong slammed Yoochun's drawer shut. "The sun is really bright this morning, the entire drive is headed east and if I don't find those glasses, I'm going to swerve, utterly blinded, off the road and into a ditch where my car will explode, burning me alive and you will be the only one left to pay all the bills." He glared at the younger. "Do you want that?"
"Well then. Don't bother spending any money on gas."
Jaejoong threw his hands up, letting out something between a roar and a sound of strangulation and stomped out of Yoochun's room, shoes clacking on the floor.
"Did you make breakfast?" Yoochun shouted after him, scratching his rumbling belly. His fingertips explored lower and lower. Maybe he'd give himself a morning treat before getting something to eat.
"There's nothing in the fridge." Jaejoong shouted back, his voice disappearing down the hallway. "Go grocery shopping if you want to eat, you lazy bastard. I have to go burn myself alive in a ditch now." The front door slammed behind him.
:::::
Pushing a cart down the cake mix aisle, Yoochun considered the quickly dwindling amount of money that remained in his bank account from his last paycheck. The last song he'd written had given him a healthy sum of cash but that had been such a long time ago. He'd have to ration himself now if he wanted to make that money last as long as possible.
This was all Jaejoong's fault. He should've just made Yoochun some breakfast. He'd asked for it nicely. Granted that was around 7am and since then, Yoochun had napped on and off and masturbated for a while so that he'd only just now reached the grocery store around 2pm but that was beside the point.
All he'd asked Jaejoong for was some breakfast. A cup of water would've sufficed. No need to get his panties in a twist. Maybe he should've 'borrowed' Jaejoong's credit card.
It was then that Yoochun realized he'd hit rock bottom. And he'd been wallowing there for some time now.
Yoochun rounded the corner to the cereal aisle feeling sorry for himself but still somewhat itching to have Jaejoong's card between his fingers. He missed the sensation of security. The feeling of knowing that his check wouldn't bounce from purchasing a box of Fruit Loops.
It was then that his heart dropped down where his dignity lay when he looked down the nearly deserted aisle to find one person staring intently at the items on the shelf. Yoochun swallowed heavily. So, Junsu likes cereal. Not that Yoochun would need to know. He'd never have to make after-sex breakfast for him.
Rolling the cart down the aisle until he was right behind his neighbor, Yoochun was torn between grabbing a box and running away with bite-sized bits of granola and sugar trailing after him or saying hi. Junsu was looking between a box of rainbow, fruity-flavored bunny-shaped cereal and another kind with marshmallow dolphins.
Yoochun went for hi. "The dolphin kind is healthier."
Yoochun did consider his voice to be pretty deep. Jaejoong told him all the time his voice had a lecherous timber. But apparently Junsu wasn't prepared for this because he cringed violently and nearly jumped out of his shoes. Yoochun should've just stuck with 'hi.'
When Junsu finally realized it was just his potentially sociopathic neighbor, he seemed stuck somewhere between embarrassment that he'd gotten so startled, relieved that it was just Yoochun and terrified because it was Yoochun.
"I'm so sorry." Yoochun croaked. He couldn't win. He just couldn't. "I'm really, really-- I didn't mean to scare you. Really."
Junsu just shook his head timidly, peering at Yoochun like he was going to do something to him. Yoochun soon ran out of apologies and Junsu said nothing, so the two were left with silence. But as awkward as it was, Junsu wasn't running away and the way he looked at Yoochun with less fright and more curiosity was awfully encouraging.
Yoochun tried to say something, anything. But Junsu began to speak up at the same time, rendering them both silent again.
"Sorry." Junsu said softly, avoiding eye contact. "You go first."
"No, no!" Who cared if he sounded too eager? This was a second--no, fourth or fifth chance. Besides, Yoochun would give anything to hear that tender, husky voice again. It was already putting lilting melodies in his head for his latest song in progress. "You go first."
Junsu stayed quiet for a moment, staring down at his hands. "Which one?"
Yoochun blinked. "What?"
Junsu looked back up at him, chocolate brown eyes blowing Yoochun away. "Which one is healthier?"
It took a moment for Yoochun to realize Junsu meant cereal, not doing it without a condom versus blowjobs.
"The dolphin marshmallows. At least it's got those tasteless whole grain bits in it. The rainbow bunnies are cute but it's pure sugar. And there are too many colors. That many colors shouldn't cohabit in one bowl. It's like puke. Or maybe that's just my opinion." Yoochun mentally kicked himself for rambling on about puke-flavored cereal.
But before he could apologize for being a royal idiot and skulk away, Junsu kind of smiled and nodded. "Okay."
Junsu picked the box of dolphin marshmallow cereal off the shelf. He stood there for a moment not making a move to leave or speak. Yoochun wasn't sure what was supposed to happen next.
"I'll take this one." Yoochun blurted and grabbed the rainbow bunnies off the shelf, tossing them in his cart. "In case you get bored of that cereal and you want to come over and eat some of mine..." He hoped that didn't sound as dirty as he thought it did. "You like it, too, right?"
Junsu only nodded, clutching his box against his chest.
Yoochun took a deep breath. Stalling for time. For something else to say. For something to keep Junsu right there where he could see him. "Anything else I can help you with?" He mentally throttled himself for sounding like a needy cashier.
Junsu watched his toe as he buried it into the tiled floor. "No, thanks. This is all I came here for."
"That's it? You came all the way here for a box of cereal?"
Junsu nodded jerkily and then added quietly, "I don't usually stay here for long..." It was when Yoochun noticed the other man's ears burning red at the tips that he realized he was embarrassing Junsu for some reason. He had to think quick and get the attention off him somehow.
"Well, c-could you help me out?" Yoochun stopped to clear his throat then tried again. "I mean, I'm still shopping--" He is? "--and I make better decisions when I've got someone else with me." He did? "I'm on a budget." A severe understatement.
Junsu looked hesitant. And his lips were poised as if to articulate a very soft and uncertain, No. No, thank you, Yoochun.
Yoochun mini-panicked. He began pushing his cart and wandered off in the other direction as if Junsu were supposed to follow. "I'm kind of in a predicament. I think Jaejoong's trying to turn me into a vegan. But not for health reasons, it's just because it's cheaper and he's tired of feeding me but that's no reason to deny a man his steak, right? Anyway, you know of any cheap, non-E. Coli-infested meat that'll keep me under budget?"
For the first few minutes, Yoochun just rambled like that and Junsu had no choice but to be polite and follow. He couldn't just leave his neighbor in the middle of the supermarket, talking to himself without saying goodbye. But of course, Yoochun wouldn't give him the time of day to say it.
But pretty soon, Junsu occasionally chimed in between Yoochun's near mentally-unhinged rants about eggplants and wasabi. And eventually, it turned into full on dialogue between the two.
Chatting about why this brand of bread is better than that. And then perhaps a story about the time Changmin left a peanut butter and banana sandwich in his room for two weeks and why Changmin still can't eat peanuts after that. And then about how Yoochun fervently hates natto. And then about Junsu's pet rabbit inexplicably named Puff Daddy.
And how Yoochun is a formerly successful songwriter suffering through a slump and that Junsu loves soccer more than life itself. And that Junsu and Changmin have actually gone sky diving and the most thrilling thing Yoochun and Jaejoong have ever done is decide to live together without committing either homicide or suicide, but contemplating both many times.
And then Junsu went on to explain that he and Changmin have been friends ever since middle school but despite what everyone back in their hometown thought, they were close and both gay but had never dated each other and never would.
Yoochun kinda shivered when Junsu quietly asked if he and Jaejoong had ever kissed. They had. Several times. But only because Jaejoong is a flamboyant douche who takes advantage of people when they sleep. But still, he's more like a mother who Yoochun goes out to drink with and pees standing up.
Junsu laughed at that. Long and unabashed.
The sweet sound of it made Yoochun laugh with him for no particular reason. Especially since they'd spent hours wandering around the grocery store and had consequently filled his cart up with stuff he had somehow convinced both of them that they needed. That check was gonna bounce sky high.
"Cookies and cream. My favorite." It seemed Yoochun was determined to impoverish himself. But if they just stayed in the supermarket forever, maybe he'd never have to go up to the cashier.
Junsu grinned, eyeing the overflowing cart. "You sure you need more food? I think you've got enough to last til Christmas."
"No. Three Christmases. But I'm in the holiday spirit."
"In May?"
"Hey. Naughty little boys get no ice cream." Yoochun waggled his finger in front of Junsu.
"I like chocolate chip cookie dough better, anyway." Junsu stuck out his tongue.
"Don't matter, cuz you ain't gettin' any, elf."
Junsu snorted. "I'm an elf now? I thought I was a naughty little boy."
"You've been demoted to elf." Yoochun explained with a mischievous grin. "You slave all year long making toys for other people while Santa Claus gets off his lazy ass that one day of the year and gets all the milk and cookies. And you're short."
Junsu laughed again but Yoochun didn't laugh with him this time. He thought he'd stop and listen, drink the sound in and inebriate himself off of it. God, that sound made him want to do things he didn't even understand.
"Move your flab, woman! You're taking up the whole aisle."
With only that as their warning, a stout, old lady ambled by them through the ice cream aisle, squeezing herself between the cart and Yoochun and bumping the latter out of her way with her ample hips. Yoochun stumbled forward and was barely able to catch himself with two hands slammed up against the cold glass of the freezer.
His chest felt warm. Yoochun looked down to see Junsu's hands pressed against him, fingers spread wide against his pecks. And Junsu's eyes wide and bright, staring up at him from mere centimeters away.
He had Junsu pressed up against the freezer glass, trapped between his arms and stunned. He could feel Junsu's hot, shaky breath against his neck. His cheeks were tinted pink but Yoochun couldn't ignore the fact that he wasn't struggling.
He just stood there rigid, fitting together with Yoochun like the perfect puzzle piece with their clothed erections rubbing against each other. Or maybe that was just Yoochun's clothed erection. Oh fuck.
Yoochun licked his chapped lips. "Did...did that lady just call me a woman? And fat?"
There was a long, long pause. Then gradually, Junsu's face crinkled up until he burst into laughter. Chuckling good-naturedly, Yoochun used this time to take a reluctant step back, putting space between the two of them.
"I'd point you to a barber to take care of that girly hair but I'm new to this town. As for you working out, you're on your own." Junsu smiled brightly, catching his breath, still leaning up against the freezer glass.
Yoochun swallowed hard. What he wouldn't give to have Junsu pressed against his mattress, smiling up at him just like that and unraveling Yoochun piece by piece.
Yoochun cleared his throat and returned to his shopping cart. "Well, maybe you can invite me to play soccer some time."
"Definitely." Junsu pushed off the glass and followed behind him. Yoochun didn't comment on how foggy the glass had gotten where they had left it. "And maybe afterward we can do what you suggested earlier."
"What did I suggest?" Yoochun asked, slightly puzzled. He'd been thinking about feeling Junsu up a while ago in the bread aisle when Junsu had bent down to pick up a loaf he'd dropped off the floor but he hadn't actually verbalized that, had he?
The other bit down on his lip, fighting a tugging upward curve of the corners of his mouth. "That we go out to eat sometime." Then he added, softer, "I like seafood."
Yoochun gave a lopsided smile, remembering the first time he'd heard Junsu's voice. "Good. Cause I know some damn good seafood restaurants."
The way Junsu smiled made him glow so bright, Yoochun nearly ran the shopping cart into an seven-year-old kid. He vaguely wondered if Jaejoong was lying in a fiery ditch yet.
"Last time I asked you to hang out, you rejected me flat. Of course, I had just called you a dumbass for doing your own gardening. Again, sorry about that." Yoochun laughed awkwardly to cover the lingering embarrassment.
Junsu laughed hollowly, the smile not quite reaching his eyes. "Yeah. It's alright."
"So, why are you changing your mind?"
Junsu paused for a moment and Yoochun watched him think through his response as he nibbled on his bottom lip. "After today, I can see that you're nice. And I think we're kinda similar in a lot of ways."
Yoochun grinned so wide he feared his teeth would fall out. "Similar how?"
The younger smiled. "Even with all odds against us, we try really hard."
Yoochun had no idea his heart knew kung fu, because it was doing all kinds of flips and stunts. "And what did you think of me before today?"
Junsu ducked his head as his cheeks blossomed pink. "Um, a little scary."
That was a thousand steps up from the 'contemptibly revolting' Yoochun had pictured himself through Junsu's eyes, so he laughed pretty hard.
Yoochun rolled the shopping cart up to the cashier and looked gloomily at all the useless stuff he'd acquired. Jaejoong was going to murder him. And he wouldn't just slit his throat either. He'd get creative. Dear lord...
He reached into his pocket for the wallet he'd hoped he'd left at home so he'd have an excuse not to buy all this shit. Nope. Still there. Guess he'd have to start writing his will before Jaejoong came home. He'd give his piano to Junsu.
Yoochun looked up to make one last joke before he trudged into his slaughter but Junsu had disappeared. Yoochun shrugged. Probably went to the bathroom. He'd have to watch his own sabotage by himself.
By the time the cashier had finished checking out his stuff and Yoochun had written a check that miraculously, yet depressingly had not yet bounced, Junsu hadn't reappeared and Yoochun considered going off to look for him. But as soon as Yoochun took the receipt and began wheeling his bags of groceries, Junsu found his way back just in time.
He looked a bit disoriented with his eyebrows high and his pupils wide and he was breathing a little irregularly. Yeah, the bathrooms here were pretty scary. Yoochun smiled at him wider than he'd intended to. Junsu managed a small one and continued with him toward the exit.
As soon as they tried to walk through the door, an alarm went off and Yoochun stopped in his tracks. Eyebrows furrowed, he glanced at the mountain of groceries in the cart. "Seriously? Did we forget to check something out? Dumbass cashier..."
"Excuse me, sir." An employee waved them over. "May I see your receipt?"
Yoochun waited impatiently while the woman went through all the shit he wasn't supposed to have anyway. If the cashier had somehow skipped something, the store could just have it. In fact, take it all. Spare Yoochun his life, please.
The employee froze for a moment and stared. Yoochun watched her curiously and followed her line of sight. To the bulge in Junsu's pocket that Yoochun doubted had been there before. As the woman approached him, Junsu's face became a mixture of worry and confusion. She cleared her throat. "Sir? Can you empty your pockets, please?"
Puzzled, Junsu reached inside his pocket. Yoochun didn't know what was going on but his heart rate was already elevating. From Junsu's pocket, he revealed a new, unopened bottle of juice with the price tag still on it. As Junsu stared down at it, Yoochun couldn't clearly make out all the emotions that fleeted through his face but he was almost sure that one of them was pure surprise.
The woman frowned. "Sir, please follow me."
"Oh--damn, yeah, we forgot about that." Yoochun blurted, just about as confused by the words coming out of his mouth as Junsu and the employee. "I told him to put the juice in the cart but it was full and he didn't want to put it on the floor cause he was going to um...to uh...tie his shoe and he put the juice in his pocket, so uh...a little dumb but I guess he kind of left it there. And we forgot. Our bad. We'll pay for it. Or better yet. Leave it here. It's all water and sugary cancer anyway. Hahahahaha..." Yoochun swallowed.
The employee eyed Yoochun like he was an idiot. Which was accurate. "This man is wearing flip flops."
Yoochun froze. Junsu's eyes darted between the employee and Yoochun. Without another thought, Yoochun put one firm hand on the cart, grabbed Junsu's hand with the other and ran.
:::::
When Yoochun pulled up in front of his house, he was still breathing heavily. It had taken a few laps around the parking lot before the overweight security guard had given up, panting and sweaty but they'd made it out with all their groceries and without a criminal record.
And it was a good thing Junsu had taken the bus to the store or else they would've had to go back and get his car from the parking lot they had narrowly escaped. They'd deserted the employee with the stolen goods anyway, so what did it matter?
Stolen goods.
Yoochun turned off the engine and glanced at Junsu in the passenger seat. His legs were drawn up to his chest with his face buried into his knees. Honestly, Yoochun wasn't sure what to make of the juice showing up in his pocket. Junsu had looked just as confused as Yoochun when it appeared. He couldn't have stolen it, right? It had to be an accident, right? It wasn't all an act...right?
They sat in silence until the rest of the sun sank behind the trees and left them in sparse sunlight. The day had started out an awkward disaster. Then became the best shopping day of his life. Then returned to a disaster. And Yoochun wasn't sure what to do or say. Until the silence was broken by a small, poorly disguised sob coming from Junsu's knees.
Yoochun's heart lurched and he laid a hand on Junsu's arm. Junsu jumped and looked at Yoochun with eyes that apologized a thousand times. Yoochun had no idea what he exactly he was apologizing for or what he wanted to say to Junsu but he wanted this man to know that whatever was going on, it was okay.
Quickly, Junsu wiped the tears from his cheeks with the palm of his hand. He cleared his throat weakly and stared straight forward. "Thank you."
Yoochun squeezed Junsu's arm and reached up to cup his cheek. "No, problem," he murmured. Junsu closed his eyes and for a brief moment, Yoochun could've sworn he pressed lightly into Yoochun's touch like a cat being petted, nearly purring into the warmth.
But Junsu suddenly pulled away. Still looking straight ahead, he started quietly, "I don't think we should..."
Yoochun's breath caught in his throat and he wished he could press rewind. "But we should," he protested almost inaudibly.
Junsu peered at him, confused. Yoochun looked back at him, focused on those eyes, intent on making him understand, but his mouth was on a different train of thought completely. "I mean, it wasn't the most orthodox date I've ever been on but...I still had fun."
Junsu's eyes widened. "Date?"
Yoochun continued on hurriedly, words tripping off his lips. "Well, if you didn't like it, I could take you on another date. A proper date. One where we actually plan to meet up on purpose and I can buy you champagne and a view of the city. Or we could just eat cereal at my house...or something."
Junsu's eyes glistened. "Yoochun..."
Something in Yoochun snapped and it was out before he could catch it. "I like you."
Yoochun inhaled sharply and bit his lip so hard he nearly bled, silently berating himself for speaking so rashly. Especially after the day had ended so strangely. Junsu hadn't spoken for a long time. Yoochun peeked over at him.
Junsu appeared more stunned than offended or burdened by Yoochun's feelings. His mouth hung slightly open and he kept taking breathes as if to say something that never came out.
Finally, Junsu ran a hand through his hair and quickly mumbled, "T-thank you." Suddenly, he reached into the back of the car and pulled some of the unnecessary groceries Yoochun had insisted he buy for him. "I can take my own groceries home. Thank you, Yoochun."
Junsu stumbled out of the car, bags in hand and when the door slammed shut, Yoochun's brain finally turned on and he realized it was too late. He sat in that car for a long time.
Until Jaejoong pulled up in his own car at first joking--"I told you to get out of the house every once and a while but that didn't mean you should camp out in your car"--and then yelling--"Why the hell are there so many damn groceries?!"
And Yoochun wondered quietly whether Junsu's thank you was for the groceries Yoochun had blown all his cash on or for Yoochun's heart that he had so honestly and foolishly handed to Junsu to keep.
Five
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*runs from umma!Jae and squishes Yoosu* T.T
P.S. I'm officially out of school for the summer. U Know what that means...? More ficcies~ >D
dbkrackweens teh comm for laughs, love and lemon pops shaped like Yoochun's forehead
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Author: k_chan91
Disclaimer: I own no one. Not even Junsu. T.T
Pairing: Yoosu ::::: Yunjae, mystery pairing...
Length: [4/6]
Genre: Romantic smut comedy
Rating: PG-13/NC-17
Warnings: Sex, language, duckbutt
Summary: Yoochun, a love-starved songwriter, is in a slump, professionally and romantically and can't seem to get his juices flowing. To his humiliation, one day his roommate (forcefully) introduces him to the new neighbors and his first impression of someone's bare, wet ass isn't quite what he expected. And while his roommate stirs up more trouble than he can handle, Yoochun discovers secrets about his neighbors that inspire him more than he would've ever imagined.
Soggy Wifebeaters
Reindeer Sex
Yoochun Had a Little Lamb
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Puff Daddy
When Yoochun had laid down to sleep the night before, he had one plan in mind: Sleep. An activity that usually doesn't involve staring up at the ceiling without blinking for an eight hour record. Yoochun figured he'd failed his task.
Yoochun the rapist. Yoochun the child molester. Yoochun the child molesting rapist.
Was fondling someone's goodies even considered rape? More like sexual harassment. And Junsu's not even a child to molest. But he sure is cute like one. Wonder what kind of sounds he'd make in bed. Bet he'd whimper like a naughty little boy if Yoochun spanked him. Oh shit, Yoochun was a child molesting rapist.
Yoochun buried himself further under his sheets, tearing the threads of the blanket out with his teeth.
"Don't fuck up my linens." Jaejoong shouted, distractedly adjusting his tie, gliding past Yoochun's door for the thousandth time that morning.
Yoochun spit the blanket out of his mouth. And continued gnawing on his arm. Retribution for being such a desperate, clumsy idiot and defiling a perfectly good attractive, dateable man.
"If you're hungry, get breakfast." Jaejoong mumbled, barely glancing at Yoochun's peculiar behavior as he bustled into his bedroom for the trillionth time that morning. He snatched up Yoochun's bed sheet and peered underneath, then looked under the bed and finally in the bedside drawer. He turned on his heel and opened Yoochun's closet, noisily shuffling through his things without bothering with an explanation.
"I was trying to sleep."
"No, you weren't. Get out of bed." Dissatisfied, Jaejoong tossed a sweater from Yoochun's closet, which landed between the floor fan and the open window and continued searching.
"Not til you get the hell out of my room." Yoochun watched semi-curiously as Jaejoong buried himself in his closet. "You're gonna be late for work."
"At least someone around here is making money." A shoe was launched from Yoochun's closet and nearly made a hazardous crash landing between Yoochun's legs.
"Watch it!" Yoochun shoved the shoe onto the floor, bunching the sheets protectively around his crotch. "You almost emasculated me."
"If selling your balls would make us some extra cash, then by all means." Jaejoong emerged from Yoochun's closet and dove through Yoochun's dresser, tossing underwear out over his shoulder.
Yoochun watched distastefully as stray undergarments made their way to his floor. Since he was staying home so often, Jaejoong now expected him to do more chores. And this meant Yoochun would have to clean this up, rather than the usual Jaejoong. "What are you looking for?"
"My sunglasses." Jaejoong said absent-mindedly. "They're expensive and I can't find them."
"I know they're expensive. They're my sunglasses."
Jaejoong stopped searching long enough to let out an exhale that said, I'm counting to ten before I stuff Calvin Klein undies up your ass. "Then where are they?"
"You tell me. You're the one that adopted them right after I bought them. Just like that belt you're wearing."
"You're not helping, Chun."
"Well, it's hard when you always help yourself to my wardrobe without asking."
"It's not like you've been using it lately. And didn't you inquire if you could borrow my underwear just the other day?"
"And you were awfully snippy about it."
Jaejoong slammed Yoochun's drawer shut. "The sun is really bright this morning, the entire drive is headed east and if I don't find those glasses, I'm going to swerve, utterly blinded, off the road and into a ditch where my car will explode, burning me alive and you will be the only one left to pay all the bills." He glared at the younger. "Do you want that?"
"Well then. Don't bother spending any money on gas."
Jaejoong threw his hands up, letting out something between a roar and a sound of strangulation and stomped out of Yoochun's room, shoes clacking on the floor.
"Did you make breakfast?" Yoochun shouted after him, scratching his rumbling belly. His fingertips explored lower and lower. Maybe he'd give himself a morning treat before getting something to eat.
"There's nothing in the fridge." Jaejoong shouted back, his voice disappearing down the hallway. "Go grocery shopping if you want to eat, you lazy bastard. I have to go burn myself alive in a ditch now." The front door slammed behind him.
:::::
Pushing a cart down the cake mix aisle, Yoochun considered the quickly dwindling amount of money that remained in his bank account from his last paycheck. The last song he'd written had given him a healthy sum of cash but that had been such a long time ago. He'd have to ration himself now if he wanted to make that money last as long as possible.
This was all Jaejoong's fault. He should've just made Yoochun some breakfast. He'd asked for it nicely. Granted that was around 7am and since then, Yoochun had napped on and off and masturbated for a while so that he'd only just now reached the grocery store around 2pm but that was beside the point.
All he'd asked Jaejoong for was some breakfast. A cup of water would've sufficed. No need to get his panties in a twist. Maybe he should've 'borrowed' Jaejoong's credit card.
It was then that Yoochun realized he'd hit rock bottom. And he'd been wallowing there for some time now.
Yoochun rounded the corner to the cereal aisle feeling sorry for himself but still somewhat itching to have Jaejoong's card between his fingers. He missed the sensation of security. The feeling of knowing that his check wouldn't bounce from purchasing a box of Fruit Loops.
It was then that his heart dropped down where his dignity lay when he looked down the nearly deserted aisle to find one person staring intently at the items on the shelf. Yoochun swallowed heavily. So, Junsu likes cereal. Not that Yoochun would need to know. He'd never have to make after-sex breakfast for him.
Rolling the cart down the aisle until he was right behind his neighbor, Yoochun was torn between grabbing a box and running away with bite-sized bits of granola and sugar trailing after him or saying hi. Junsu was looking between a box of rainbow, fruity-flavored bunny-shaped cereal and another kind with marshmallow dolphins.
Yoochun went for hi. "The dolphin kind is healthier."
Yoochun did consider his voice to be pretty deep. Jaejoong told him all the time his voice had a lecherous timber. But apparently Junsu wasn't prepared for this because he cringed violently and nearly jumped out of his shoes. Yoochun should've just stuck with 'hi.'
When Junsu finally realized it was just his potentially sociopathic neighbor, he seemed stuck somewhere between embarrassment that he'd gotten so startled, relieved that it was just Yoochun and terrified because it was Yoochun.
"I'm so sorry." Yoochun croaked. He couldn't win. He just couldn't. "I'm really, really-- I didn't mean to scare you. Really."
Junsu just shook his head timidly, peering at Yoochun like he was going to do something to him. Yoochun soon ran out of apologies and Junsu said nothing, so the two were left with silence. But as awkward as it was, Junsu wasn't running away and the way he looked at Yoochun with less fright and more curiosity was awfully encouraging.
Yoochun tried to say something, anything. But Junsu began to speak up at the same time, rendering them both silent again.
"Sorry." Junsu said softly, avoiding eye contact. "You go first."
"No, no!" Who cared if he sounded too eager? This was a second--no, fourth or fifth chance. Besides, Yoochun would give anything to hear that tender, husky voice again. It was already putting lilting melodies in his head for his latest song in progress. "You go first."
Junsu stayed quiet for a moment, staring down at his hands. "Which one?"
Yoochun blinked. "What?"
Junsu looked back up at him, chocolate brown eyes blowing Yoochun away. "Which one is healthier?"
It took a moment for Yoochun to realize Junsu meant cereal, not doing it without a condom versus blowjobs.
"The dolphin marshmallows. At least it's got those tasteless whole grain bits in it. The rainbow bunnies are cute but it's pure sugar. And there are too many colors. That many colors shouldn't cohabit in one bowl. It's like puke. Or maybe that's just my opinion." Yoochun mentally kicked himself for rambling on about puke-flavored cereal.
But before he could apologize for being a royal idiot and skulk away, Junsu kind of smiled and nodded. "Okay."
Junsu picked the box of dolphin marshmallow cereal off the shelf. He stood there for a moment not making a move to leave or speak. Yoochun wasn't sure what was supposed to happen next.
"I'll take this one." Yoochun blurted and grabbed the rainbow bunnies off the shelf, tossing them in his cart. "In case you get bored of that cereal and you want to come over and eat some of mine..." He hoped that didn't sound as dirty as he thought it did. "You like it, too, right?"
Junsu only nodded, clutching his box against his chest.
Yoochun took a deep breath. Stalling for time. For something else to say. For something to keep Junsu right there where he could see him. "Anything else I can help you with?" He mentally throttled himself for sounding like a needy cashier.
Junsu watched his toe as he buried it into the tiled floor. "No, thanks. This is all I came here for."
"That's it? You came all the way here for a box of cereal?"
Junsu nodded jerkily and then added quietly, "I don't usually stay here for long..." It was when Yoochun noticed the other man's ears burning red at the tips that he realized he was embarrassing Junsu for some reason. He had to think quick and get the attention off him somehow.
"Well, c-could you help me out?" Yoochun stopped to clear his throat then tried again. "I mean, I'm still shopping--" He is? "--and I make better decisions when I've got someone else with me." He did? "I'm on a budget." A severe understatement.
Junsu looked hesitant. And his lips were poised as if to articulate a very soft and uncertain, No. No, thank you, Yoochun.
Yoochun mini-panicked. He began pushing his cart and wandered off in the other direction as if Junsu were supposed to follow. "I'm kind of in a predicament. I think Jaejoong's trying to turn me into a vegan. But not for health reasons, it's just because it's cheaper and he's tired of feeding me but that's no reason to deny a man his steak, right? Anyway, you know of any cheap, non-E. Coli-infested meat that'll keep me under budget?"
For the first few minutes, Yoochun just rambled like that and Junsu had no choice but to be polite and follow. He couldn't just leave his neighbor in the middle of the supermarket, talking to himself without saying goodbye. But of course, Yoochun wouldn't give him the time of day to say it.
But pretty soon, Junsu occasionally chimed in between Yoochun's near mentally-unhinged rants about eggplants and wasabi. And eventually, it turned into full on dialogue between the two.
Chatting about why this brand of bread is better than that. And then perhaps a story about the time Changmin left a peanut butter and banana sandwich in his room for two weeks and why Changmin still can't eat peanuts after that. And then about how Yoochun fervently hates natto. And then about Junsu's pet rabbit inexplicably named Puff Daddy.
And how Yoochun is a formerly successful songwriter suffering through a slump and that Junsu loves soccer more than life itself. And that Junsu and Changmin have actually gone sky diving and the most thrilling thing Yoochun and Jaejoong have ever done is decide to live together without committing either homicide or suicide, but contemplating both many times.
And then Junsu went on to explain that he and Changmin have been friends ever since middle school but despite what everyone back in their hometown thought, they were close and both gay but had never dated each other and never would.
Yoochun kinda shivered when Junsu quietly asked if he and Jaejoong had ever kissed. They had. Several times. But only because Jaejoong is a flamboyant douche who takes advantage of people when they sleep. But still, he's more like a mother who Yoochun goes out to drink with and pees standing up.
Junsu laughed at that. Long and unabashed.
The sweet sound of it made Yoochun laugh with him for no particular reason. Especially since they'd spent hours wandering around the grocery store and had consequently filled his cart up with stuff he had somehow convinced both of them that they needed. That check was gonna bounce sky high.
"Cookies and cream. My favorite." It seemed Yoochun was determined to impoverish himself. But if they just stayed in the supermarket forever, maybe he'd never have to go up to the cashier.
Junsu grinned, eyeing the overflowing cart. "You sure you need more food? I think you've got enough to last til Christmas."
"No. Three Christmases. But I'm in the holiday spirit."
"In May?"
"Hey. Naughty little boys get no ice cream." Yoochun waggled his finger in front of Junsu.
"I like chocolate chip cookie dough better, anyway." Junsu stuck out his tongue.
"Don't matter, cuz you ain't gettin' any, elf."
Junsu snorted. "I'm an elf now? I thought I was a naughty little boy."
"You've been demoted to elf." Yoochun explained with a mischievous grin. "You slave all year long making toys for other people while Santa Claus gets off his lazy ass that one day of the year and gets all the milk and cookies. And you're short."
Junsu laughed again but Yoochun didn't laugh with him this time. He thought he'd stop and listen, drink the sound in and inebriate himself off of it. God, that sound made him want to do things he didn't even understand.
"Move your flab, woman! You're taking up the whole aisle."
With only that as their warning, a stout, old lady ambled by them through the ice cream aisle, squeezing herself between the cart and Yoochun and bumping the latter out of her way with her ample hips. Yoochun stumbled forward and was barely able to catch himself with two hands slammed up against the cold glass of the freezer.
His chest felt warm. Yoochun looked down to see Junsu's hands pressed against him, fingers spread wide against his pecks. And Junsu's eyes wide and bright, staring up at him from mere centimeters away.
He had Junsu pressed up against the freezer glass, trapped between his arms and stunned. He could feel Junsu's hot, shaky breath against his neck. His cheeks were tinted pink but Yoochun couldn't ignore the fact that he wasn't struggling.
He just stood there rigid, fitting together with Yoochun like the perfect puzzle piece with their clothed erections rubbing against each other. Or maybe that was just Yoochun's clothed erection. Oh fuck.
Yoochun licked his chapped lips. "Did...did that lady just call me a woman? And fat?"
There was a long, long pause. Then gradually, Junsu's face crinkled up until he burst into laughter. Chuckling good-naturedly, Yoochun used this time to take a reluctant step back, putting space between the two of them.
"I'd point you to a barber to take care of that girly hair but I'm new to this town. As for you working out, you're on your own." Junsu smiled brightly, catching his breath, still leaning up against the freezer glass.
Yoochun swallowed hard. What he wouldn't give to have Junsu pressed against his mattress, smiling up at him just like that and unraveling Yoochun piece by piece.
Yoochun cleared his throat and returned to his shopping cart. "Well, maybe you can invite me to play soccer some time."
"Definitely." Junsu pushed off the glass and followed behind him. Yoochun didn't comment on how foggy the glass had gotten where they had left it. "And maybe afterward we can do what you suggested earlier."
"What did I suggest?" Yoochun asked, slightly puzzled. He'd been thinking about feeling Junsu up a while ago in the bread aisle when Junsu had bent down to pick up a loaf he'd dropped off the floor but he hadn't actually verbalized that, had he?
The other bit down on his lip, fighting a tugging upward curve of the corners of his mouth. "That we go out to eat sometime." Then he added, softer, "I like seafood."
Yoochun gave a lopsided smile, remembering the first time he'd heard Junsu's voice. "Good. Cause I know some damn good seafood restaurants."
The way Junsu smiled made him glow so bright, Yoochun nearly ran the shopping cart into an seven-year-old kid. He vaguely wondered if Jaejoong was lying in a fiery ditch yet.
"Last time I asked you to hang out, you rejected me flat. Of course, I had just called you a dumbass for doing your own gardening. Again, sorry about that." Yoochun laughed awkwardly to cover the lingering embarrassment.
Junsu laughed hollowly, the smile not quite reaching his eyes. "Yeah. It's alright."
"So, why are you changing your mind?"
Junsu paused for a moment and Yoochun watched him think through his response as he nibbled on his bottom lip. "After today, I can see that you're nice. And I think we're kinda similar in a lot of ways."
Yoochun grinned so wide he feared his teeth would fall out. "Similar how?"
The younger smiled. "Even with all odds against us, we try really hard."
Yoochun had no idea his heart knew kung fu, because it was doing all kinds of flips and stunts. "And what did you think of me before today?"
Junsu ducked his head as his cheeks blossomed pink. "Um, a little scary."
That was a thousand steps up from the 'contemptibly revolting' Yoochun had pictured himself through Junsu's eyes, so he laughed pretty hard.
Yoochun rolled the shopping cart up to the cashier and looked gloomily at all the useless stuff he'd acquired. Jaejoong was going to murder him. And he wouldn't just slit his throat either. He'd get creative. Dear lord...
He reached into his pocket for the wallet he'd hoped he'd left at home so he'd have an excuse not to buy all this shit. Nope. Still there. Guess he'd have to start writing his will before Jaejoong came home. He'd give his piano to Junsu.
Yoochun looked up to make one last joke before he trudged into his slaughter but Junsu had disappeared. Yoochun shrugged. Probably went to the bathroom. He'd have to watch his own sabotage by himself.
By the time the cashier had finished checking out his stuff and Yoochun had written a check that miraculously, yet depressingly had not yet bounced, Junsu hadn't reappeared and Yoochun considered going off to look for him. But as soon as Yoochun took the receipt and began wheeling his bags of groceries, Junsu found his way back just in time.
He looked a bit disoriented with his eyebrows high and his pupils wide and he was breathing a little irregularly. Yeah, the bathrooms here were pretty scary. Yoochun smiled at him wider than he'd intended to. Junsu managed a small one and continued with him toward the exit.
As soon as they tried to walk through the door, an alarm went off and Yoochun stopped in his tracks. Eyebrows furrowed, he glanced at the mountain of groceries in the cart. "Seriously? Did we forget to check something out? Dumbass cashier..."
"Excuse me, sir." An employee waved them over. "May I see your receipt?"
Yoochun waited impatiently while the woman went through all the shit he wasn't supposed to have anyway. If the cashier had somehow skipped something, the store could just have it. In fact, take it all. Spare Yoochun his life, please.
The employee froze for a moment and stared. Yoochun watched her curiously and followed her line of sight. To the bulge in Junsu's pocket that Yoochun doubted had been there before. As the woman approached him, Junsu's face became a mixture of worry and confusion. She cleared her throat. "Sir? Can you empty your pockets, please?"
Puzzled, Junsu reached inside his pocket. Yoochun didn't know what was going on but his heart rate was already elevating. From Junsu's pocket, he revealed a new, unopened bottle of juice with the price tag still on it. As Junsu stared down at it, Yoochun couldn't clearly make out all the emotions that fleeted through his face but he was almost sure that one of them was pure surprise.
The woman frowned. "Sir, please follow me."
"Oh--damn, yeah, we forgot about that." Yoochun blurted, just about as confused by the words coming out of his mouth as Junsu and the employee. "I told him to put the juice in the cart but it was full and he didn't want to put it on the floor cause he was going to um...to uh...tie his shoe and he put the juice in his pocket, so uh...a little dumb but I guess he kind of left it there. And we forgot. Our bad. We'll pay for it. Or better yet. Leave it here. It's all water and sugary cancer anyway. Hahahahaha..." Yoochun swallowed.
The employee eyed Yoochun like he was an idiot. Which was accurate. "This man is wearing flip flops."
Yoochun froze. Junsu's eyes darted between the employee and Yoochun. Without another thought, Yoochun put one firm hand on the cart, grabbed Junsu's hand with the other and ran.
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When Yoochun pulled up in front of his house, he was still breathing heavily. It had taken a few laps around the parking lot before the overweight security guard had given up, panting and sweaty but they'd made it out with all their groceries and without a criminal record.
And it was a good thing Junsu had taken the bus to the store or else they would've had to go back and get his car from the parking lot they had narrowly escaped. They'd deserted the employee with the stolen goods anyway, so what did it matter?
Stolen goods.
Yoochun turned off the engine and glanced at Junsu in the passenger seat. His legs were drawn up to his chest with his face buried into his knees. Honestly, Yoochun wasn't sure what to make of the juice showing up in his pocket. Junsu had looked just as confused as Yoochun when it appeared. He couldn't have stolen it, right? It had to be an accident, right? It wasn't all an act...right?
They sat in silence until the rest of the sun sank behind the trees and left them in sparse sunlight. The day had started out an awkward disaster. Then became the best shopping day of his life. Then returned to a disaster. And Yoochun wasn't sure what to do or say. Until the silence was broken by a small, poorly disguised sob coming from Junsu's knees.
Yoochun's heart lurched and he laid a hand on Junsu's arm. Junsu jumped and looked at Yoochun with eyes that apologized a thousand times. Yoochun had no idea what he exactly he was apologizing for or what he wanted to say to Junsu but he wanted this man to know that whatever was going on, it was okay.
Quickly, Junsu wiped the tears from his cheeks with the palm of his hand. He cleared his throat weakly and stared straight forward. "Thank you."
Yoochun squeezed Junsu's arm and reached up to cup his cheek. "No, problem," he murmured. Junsu closed his eyes and for a brief moment, Yoochun could've sworn he pressed lightly into Yoochun's touch like a cat being petted, nearly purring into the warmth.
But Junsu suddenly pulled away. Still looking straight ahead, he started quietly, "I don't think we should..."
Yoochun's breath caught in his throat and he wished he could press rewind. "But we should," he protested almost inaudibly.
Junsu peered at him, confused. Yoochun looked back at him, focused on those eyes, intent on making him understand, but his mouth was on a different train of thought completely. "I mean, it wasn't the most orthodox date I've ever been on but...I still had fun."
Junsu's eyes widened. "Date?"
Yoochun continued on hurriedly, words tripping off his lips. "Well, if you didn't like it, I could take you on another date. A proper date. One where we actually plan to meet up on purpose and I can buy you champagne and a view of the city. Or we could just eat cereal at my house...or something."
Junsu's eyes glistened. "Yoochun..."
Something in Yoochun snapped and it was out before he could catch it. "I like you."
Yoochun inhaled sharply and bit his lip so hard he nearly bled, silently berating himself for speaking so rashly. Especially after the day had ended so strangely. Junsu hadn't spoken for a long time. Yoochun peeked over at him.
Junsu appeared more stunned than offended or burdened by Yoochun's feelings. His mouth hung slightly open and he kept taking breathes as if to say something that never came out.
Finally, Junsu ran a hand through his hair and quickly mumbled, "T-thank you." Suddenly, he reached into the back of the car and pulled some of the unnecessary groceries Yoochun had insisted he buy for him. "I can take my own groceries home. Thank you, Yoochun."
Junsu stumbled out of the car, bags in hand and when the door slammed shut, Yoochun's brain finally turned on and he realized it was too late. He sat in that car for a long time.
Until Jaejoong pulled up in his own car at first joking--"I told you to get out of the house every once and a while but that didn't mean you should camp out in your car"--and then yelling--"Why the hell are there so many damn groceries?!"
And Yoochun wondered quietly whether Junsu's thank you was for the groceries Yoochun had blown all his cash on or for Yoochun's heart that he had so honestly and foolishly handed to Junsu to keep.
Five
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*runs from umma!Jae and squishes Yoosu* T.T
P.S. I'm officially out of school for the summer. U Know what that means...? More ficcies~ >D
dbkrackweens teh comm for laughs, love and lemon pops shaped like Yoochun's forehead
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