[One-Shot] Swings
Swings
Taemin + Kai; past Suho/Kai / PG-13 / 758 words /
Summary: Kai didn't think that growing up would be so hard.
Figuring out a way to approach the subject is difficult, and Taemin remains silent as he and Kai sit on the swings in the playground and stare out at the setting sun. It's a sensitive topic, one that the two have avoided since the incident two years ago, and bringing it up won't be easy for Kai to handle. But, if Kai's behavior over the past couple of days is any indication, the situation could get out of hand, and Taemin realizes that nothing will change if he doesn't intervene.
"You've been quiet," Kai says and Taemin laughs.
"So have you," he replies, gently pushing his swing against Kai's.
"But you asked to see me, remember?" Kai points out, pushing back. "We've been sitting here for almost thirty minutes, yet you still haven't told me what's bothering you."
"Why does something have to be bothering me?" Taemin asks.
"Because all you did was poke at your lunch at the arcade, and when you don't finish eating something, there's something wrong. Now, tell me."
Taemin sways in his swing seat as he stares at the dirt, and Kai frowns at him.
"Whatever the problem is Tae, I'm sure that we can fix it," he says.
"It's not my problem," Taemin says quietly. "It's yours…yours and…Suho's."
Taemin prepares himself for the storm as the aura around Kai changes rapidly.
"I don't want to talk about him," Kai says firmly.
"Well, we're going to," Taemin tells him, his voice just as firm. "There are tons of photos and videos from the press conference. You're clearly being standoffish with Suho. The fans are going to notice, some of them already do. They're going to start speculating about the reason."
"It's none of their business," Kai replies heatedly.
"I agree with you, but that isn't going to matter," Taemin says gently. "They're going to assume the worst, Jongin. Usually I wouldn't tell you how to deal with this, but I have to ask you to change your behavior around Suho."
"Are you giving me an order?" Kai asks angrily and Taemin quickly shakes his head.
"I'm just strongly urging you to check yourself for the good of your team."
"Don't get high and mighty with me," Kai snaps. "How dare you try to guilt trip me after what happened!"
"Jongin, if you don't let this go, everyone's going to suffer, including yourself. Is that what you really want?!"
"I don't give a damn who suffers."
"Don't say that," Taemin says. "You know you don't mean it."
"Don't I?" Kai replies. "He lied to me, Taemin. He looked me directly in my eyes and lied to me. And now he gets to lead me. I don't trust him."
"He was only doing what he had to."
"Whose side are you on?!" Kai says angrily. "You know for someone who's supposed to be my best friend, you're doing a pretty shitty job at it right now!"
Taemin feels himself losing his temper as he opens his mouth to counter, however, the memory of Kai on the dance practice room floor hugging his knees and crying comes to his mind, and decides that he doesn't have the right to speak.
"I'm sorry," Kai says after a few minutes of silence, his hands shaking.
"Don't be," Taemin says. "And I'm on your side. That's why I'm asking you to do this. I want you to put this behind you and go back to being the person you used to be. Yes it'll benefit EXO, but it'll help you too."
"So what should I do?" Kai says, as he leans his head on Taemin's shoulder. "Lie and say that everything can go back to the way it used to be?"
"Whether or not you and Suho become close again is your decision," Taemin says. "I just want you to be civil to him. We have to think before we act. We're not kids anymore."
"I didn't know that growing up would be this hard," Kai says.
"Neither did I," Taemin replies softly.
"What happens if I can't handle it?" Kai asks.
"You pick up the phone and call me," Taemin tells him. "You can yell, scream, do what you want, I'll listen."
"And I'll do the same for you," Kai replies and Taemin grins.
Stars start to appear between the clouds as darkness fully settles around them, and Taemin and Kai reluctantly get to their feet.
"You're not a shitty best friend," Kai says quietly as they leave the playground. Taemin smiles and hugs him.
"Neither are you."
Taemin + Kai; past Suho/Kai / PG-13 / 758 words /
Summary: Kai didn't think that growing up would be so hard.
Figuring out a way to approach the subject is difficult, and Taemin remains silent as he and Kai sit on the swings in the playground and stare out at the setting sun. It's a sensitive topic, one that the two have avoided since the incident two years ago, and bringing it up won't be easy for Kai to handle. But, if Kai's behavior over the past couple of days is any indication, the situation could get out of hand, and Taemin realizes that nothing will change if he doesn't intervene.
"You've been quiet," Kai says and Taemin laughs.
"So have you," he replies, gently pushing his swing against Kai's.
"But you asked to see me, remember?" Kai points out, pushing back. "We've been sitting here for almost thirty minutes, yet you still haven't told me what's bothering you."
"Why does something have to be bothering me?" Taemin asks.
"Because all you did was poke at your lunch at the arcade, and when you don't finish eating something, there's something wrong. Now, tell me."
Taemin sways in his swing seat as he stares at the dirt, and Kai frowns at him.
"Whatever the problem is Tae, I'm sure that we can fix it," he says.
"It's not my problem," Taemin says quietly. "It's yours…yours and…Suho's."
Taemin prepares himself for the storm as the aura around Kai changes rapidly.
"I don't want to talk about him," Kai says firmly.
"Well, we're going to," Taemin tells him, his voice just as firm. "There are tons of photos and videos from the press conference. You're clearly being standoffish with Suho. The fans are going to notice, some of them already do. They're going to start speculating about the reason."
"It's none of their business," Kai replies heatedly.
"I agree with you, but that isn't going to matter," Taemin says gently. "They're going to assume the worst, Jongin. Usually I wouldn't tell you how to deal with this, but I have to ask you to change your behavior around Suho."
"Are you giving me an order?" Kai asks angrily and Taemin quickly shakes his head.
"I'm just strongly urging you to check yourself for the good of your team."
"Don't get high and mighty with me," Kai snaps. "How dare you try to guilt trip me after what happened!"
"Jongin, if you don't let this go, everyone's going to suffer, including yourself. Is that what you really want?!"
"I don't give a damn who suffers."
"Don't say that," Taemin says. "You know you don't mean it."
"Don't I?" Kai replies. "He lied to me, Taemin. He looked me directly in my eyes and lied to me. And now he gets to lead me. I don't trust him."
"He was only doing what he had to."
"Whose side are you on?!" Kai says angrily. "You know for someone who's supposed to be my best friend, you're doing a pretty shitty job at it right now!"
Taemin feels himself losing his temper as he opens his mouth to counter, however, the memory of Kai on the dance practice room floor hugging his knees and crying comes to his mind, and decides that he doesn't have the right to speak.
"I'm sorry," Kai says after a few minutes of silence, his hands shaking.
"Don't be," Taemin says. "And I'm on your side. That's why I'm asking you to do this. I want you to put this behind you and go back to being the person you used to be. Yes it'll benefit EXO, but it'll help you too."
"So what should I do?" Kai says, as he leans his head on Taemin's shoulder. "Lie and say that everything can go back to the way it used to be?"
"Whether or not you and Suho become close again is your decision," Taemin says. "I just want you to be civil to him. We have to think before we act. We're not kids anymore."
"I didn't know that growing up would be this hard," Kai says.
"Neither did I," Taemin replies softly.
"What happens if I can't handle it?" Kai asks.
"You pick up the phone and call me," Taemin tells him. "You can yell, scream, do what you want, I'll listen."
"And I'll do the same for you," Kai replies and Taemin grins.
Stars start to appear between the clouds as darkness fully settles around them, and Taemin and Kai reluctantly get to their feet.
"You're not a shitty best friend," Kai says quietly as they leave the playground. Taemin smiles and hugs him.
"Neither are you."