inbox #21

[kpopv]

inbox #21
1. EXO, Kai/Chen, "I'm too shy to express my sexual needs except over the phone to people I don't know," any rating
2. Infinite/EXO, Dongwoo/Lay, dance lessons, any rating
3. Big Bang/EXO, GD/Tao, hero worship, any rating
4. VIXX, Leo/Ken, why is Leo smiling like that?, any rating
5. B1A4, Gongchan/CNU, sometimes maknae knows best, any

Comments

[quid]

rap's black cat prompt three: gd/tao, hero worship.
note: underground hip-hop au; set in the early 2000s, but everyone is legal.

Darkness and sound envelop Zitao like water, closing over his head the minute he ducks into Slugger. He’s early: it’s barely dark outside, but open mic nights always draw an early crowd. The lights drench everyone’s faces in a blooming fuchsia. They’re in between performers when he gets to the sign-ups - a single sheet, unlined, so that a dozen messy scrawls slant over the page. He takes the pen, etches out a hwang jitao at the bottom of the page, and is giving the list a once-over when he hears a familiar melody and looks up.

The person on stage is skinny, eyes mostly hidden over a shock of white-blond hair, rapping to “This Love,” voice is distinctly sharp and nasal on his As. He’s almost vibrating with energy, barely stands still for more than a minute on the break before he’s leaping back into motion. The white stage lights arc over the crown of his head when he throws his head back, shouts into the microphone. That kind of stage presence fills the stage. He only tears his eyes away when someone jostles his elbow, whirls around to come face to face with a lanky stranger. “Are you done with that?” he repeats, at Zitao’s blank face, and points to the sign-up sheet.

The performance ends as he’s fumbling to hand it off, and Zitao almost misses him stepping down off the stage, handing the microphone off to the MC, who says, “Give it up for G-Dragon-” Zitao loses him in the crowd, the subsequent chaos of set-up. It isn’t until Zitao’s on stage, that he catches sight of him, in a corner with two other guys. G-Dragon, Zitao thinks, sounding out the words clumsily, as “Do Dat” starts to play. Almost as if on cue, G-Dragon looks up, and Zitao almost stutters on his opening verse.

It’s the first time he’s been eager to leave the stage. G-Dragon’s gone when he reaches the table, but when he scans the room again, he catches a flash of white hair, nearly at the door, and immediately starts to push forward, edging sideways between bodies until he’s through, breathless. The cool summer air feels like a balm, and when he looks around, he’s there: passing around a cigarette, still flanked by his friends, both of them are a good head taller than him.

“Hey,” Zitao offers. Then, “I’m Zitao,” a little doggedly. “I saw you performing earlier; you were really good.”

One of them - long nose, narrow face - laughs a little, though not unkindly. Zitao feels his face heat anyway, but then he nudges G-Dragon, who nods at Zitao. “Thanks. I’m GD.”

“Are you performing anywhere else this week?” Zitao asks.

GD looks at him for a moment, like he’s sizing him up. “I’ll be at Master Plan on Sunday,” he says, finally, mouth turning up in a faint smile when he sees Zitao’s expression change. Holy shit, he thinks, barely manages not to say it aloud.

“I’ll see you there, then.” Zitao fumbles a little. “I mean-I’ll go see you.”

“Sure,” he says. Zitao stands still, hesitating, before he turns to head back into the club. “Hey,” GD calls, when he’s a few steps away. His expression is halfway between pleased and amused at Zitao’s abrupt about-face. “You weren’t half bad, either.”

Zitao’s grin is immediate, ear-splitting, as he turns back around. “Oppa, I’m your fan too,” his friend’s mimicking, as he walks away, and the last thing he hears before he’s back inside is GD, voice rising in a laugh as he says, “Shut up, Seunghyun-”

[gdgdbaby]

omg i'm so y____y sigh, you're so assured with this au and i love it so much, hzt's hero worship of gd will never not be great :') gd's stage presence! passing a cigarette around w/ his tall friends!!! tao transcending when gd compliments his rapping :') as usual your descriptions are so visceral (the fuschia lights line is so great) and immersive, tysm for writing this ♥__♥

[hakkais_shadow]

This is fantastic and exactly what I wanted. Love the flow and Taobb's obvious infatuation is palpable. I held off on reading the fics written for me until I finished my own, procrastinator that I am - and I am so glad I did.

Thanks so much...and you can always continue this AU, y'know...