four shinee shorts
title: you carry my heart
type: flash fiction (679 words)
fandom: shinee
pairing: onkey
rating/warnings: pg
author's notes: 15-minute challenge piece. inspired by this prompt from this challenge post.
jinki is sure it's kind of wrong to feel this way, but he can't help it. all these years he's worked so hard to earn kibum's love that when kibum finally gives his heart to him, wholly and unconditionally, he isn't sure what to do next.
what do you do with a person's heart, anyway? lock it up in a glass container and admire it from the living room couch? display it to the world for all to see, like some sort of hard-earned prize trophy? hide it in your deepest cabinet so that no one can take it from you?
it's a very serious thing, this owning-someone-else's-heart business. being the leader of a five-man-band composed of five rowdy boys is a piece of cake compared to this. (it doesn't make it easier to round them up just in time to catch the company van each morning, though.)
jinki browses through the nearby bookstore for an idiot's guide to owning a heart. there's a manual for everything - conversational chinese, playing the guitar, amazing sex (jinki stares at that one for a while before quickly moving on, praying that the little old lady at the counter didn't notice him lingering there), leadership (he almost picks that one up instead), drawing (he briefly considers giving a copy to kibum and taemin, but he rather likes his kneecaps intact, thank you very much) - everything but taking care of a heart. it figures.
he ends up on the couch one rare free afternoon, kibum's heart cupped in his hands. it's looking a little paler than usual, fluttering slowly against his palm, and jinki wonders if he should have watered it every day.
kibum wanders out of their communal bedroom and squawks indignantly at the scene. "lee jinki, what do you think you are doing?" he demands, stalking over to the couch and brandishing a washcloth in jinki's face.
jinki instinctively rears back from the terrifying sight, clutching the heart to his chest. "i'msorrykibum, i-i don't know how to takecareofyourheartbutpleasedon'ttakeitawayipromiseicanlearnjusttellmehow-"
kibum stares at him incredulously, brain working furiously to comprehend jinki's blabbering. "wait," he holds up his hand, effectively putting a stop to jinki's ranting, "you don't know how to take care of my heart?"
"...well, i've never owned someone else's before. i haven't really had a lot of practice with one, so i don't really know what to do with it-"
"do you want me to take it back?" kibum asks irritably, reaching out for his heart.
"no! no, i like having your heart!" jinki yells, unnecessarily loudly, and flushes upon realizing what he had exclaimed.
kibum gives him one of those what-am-i-going-to-do-with-you looks and sits down on the couch next to him. jinki relaxes a little, but holds the heart warily, expecting kibum to snatch it out of his hands at any moment.
"you don't have to think about it too hard, you know," kibum suddenly says. "having someone else's heart isn't like dancing or... cooking chicken or whatever. you don't need practice with it."
"but what if i drop it?"
"you'd better not," kibum glares, and jinki nods furiously. his look softens, and he reaches out for the heart again. "here, let me just-"
"no, don't take it back!" jinki wails.
"i'm not going to take it back!" kibum frowns. "when i gave it to you, i gave it to you completely! i'm not the kind of person who takes back gifts, you know!"
"i'm sure you aren't," jinki murmurs, but it's like a burden has been lifted from his chest. his own heart feels infinitely lighter, and the feeling is so strange and wonderful that he doesn't protest when kibum gently lifts his heart out of his palms and cradles it between his.
"if you're so worried about what to do with it, why don't we exchange?" kibum offers shyly. "that way, you'll only have one heart to take care of, and... yeah."
jinki stares at him in wonderment. his heart beats furiously against his ribcage, demanding to be freed. "that sounds like a good idea."
title: of cows, cats and coming of age
type: flash fiction; to be continued? (407 words)
fandom: shinee
pairing: 2min
rating/warnings: pg
author's notes: 15-minute challenge piece. prompt: supernatural. originally posted here.
"where are you going?"
minho's hooves dig into the ground as he skids to a stop, ears flicking back to catch the innocent query. he turns around on the spot, large brown eyes meeting piercing blue.
taemin's head lolls back against the tree trunk, arching his back almost carelessly as he regards minho. "where are you going, hyung?"
the slitted pupils, a flash of fang, and for a moment, minho feels a shot of fear race up his spine - but he quickly tamps it down. he is older, bigger than taemin, and there is no reason to be intimidated by a cat. no reason to have to explain himself at all. he straightens up at this thought.
"i'm going to the town," minho grunts, and turns to leave again.
"you can't!" taemin hisses, and minho's gaze instinctively snaps back to him. "jinki-hyung said we couldn't go to town! the human brats are going to see you and we aren't supposed to be seen!"
minho tries to keep his face impassive, tries to hold taemin's narrowed gaze, but the guilt is too much and he stares down at the forest floor.
taemin's voice is deliberately soft. "you don't care."
minho shifts his weight, his ears flicking back and forth irritatedly. "i care, taemin," he bites out through gritted teeth.
"then show it!" taemin snarls with bared fangs, tail twitching in agitation. "you know we're not supposed to show ourselves to humans, so why do you keep endangering all of us by doing it?"
minho feels his temper rising. his shoulders hunch together, and he glares at taemin from below his fringe. "watch your words, maknae. i know what i'm doing."
"you don't know any better than the rest of us," taemin scowls.
minho's hoof digs into the ground, but taemin arches his back with a warning hiss. before minho can subdue him, he leaps up into the tree and disappears into the canopy.
minho huffs, forcing himself to calm down with slow, deep breaths. his ears flatten back, and with a wince of concentration, they slide down the sides of his head to form human ears. his tail retracts, and his hooves morph into human feet.
once he is certain he looks human - just like those village boys that were so tall and strong and never mind when he asks to join them - he leaves the boundary of the shrine, ignoring the piercing gaze boring into his nape.
title: car ride from hell (diggy ding ding ding)
type: flash fiction; to be continued? (486 words)
fandom: shinee
pairing: ot5
rating/warnings: pg-13
author's notes: 15-minute challenge piece. prompt: mv. originally posted here.
"hyung, are we there yet?"
key's grip tightens a fraction on the steering wheel. "not yet, taeminnie."
taemin scowls, settling back against the leather. "this sucks. we've been sitting here for hours. i can't feel my butt anymore!"
"you barely have one," jonghyun laughs, rolling down the window and sticking his head out of the car. "haha, look at me, i'm roo!"
"jesus fucking christ, get your head back in here, young man!" key's voice rises dangerously, and he sacrifices the grip of one hand to pull jonghyun back in by the fur lining of his jacket.
"hey, hey, easy on the goods!" jonghyun complains, but obediently settles back into his seat. "this is designer, you know."
key's only reply is to slam his fist on the child safety lock.
jonghyun blinks. "someone's a little touchy today."
"well, you try driving this godforsaken vehicle for hours with four idiots and then we'll-"
"oi, minho, how's the view from back there?" jonghyun quickly interrupts, adjusting the rear view mirror to beam at minho.
"nothing much to stare at except for the back of your fat head," minho says.
"you gigantic brat," jonghyun growls, scrambling around in his seat to smack minho.
"SIT THE FUCK DOWN, CHILDREN," key bellows. "jonghyun, stay in your damn seat. minho, stop egging him on. taemin, stop holding the butterfly outside the window, you're going to lose it that way." a pause. "how the hell did you get past the child lock?"
"i think mine's broken," taemin says innocently, laying his hands on his lap and smiling with crinkled eyes when key looks at him suspiciously in the mirror.
"stupid rental company. morons, the lot of them," key mutters to himself. "onew-hyung, could you roll up taemin's window?"
taemin peers at onew, who has been sitting relatively still all this time. "hyung doesn't look so good."
"hyung looks like he's going to be sick," minho concurs.
"i feel nauseous," onew confirms, clapping a hand over his mouth.
"hey, where'd you get this cool accessory?" jonghyun asks, flicking the golden set of keys that hang from the mirror.
key bristles. "don't touch that, it's expen-"
onew throws up. thanks to minho's quick thinking, it is into a paper bag, but the sound startles key enough to veer off the road and into a pool of water.
the car goes very quiet, save for onew's stifled gasps.
key tears at the door handle, slamming his fist on the child safety lock before the door swings open and he nearly tumbles out. he runs into the pool of water, kicking at the water and yelling incoherently. "WHY THE FUCK IS THERE A FUCKING POOL OF WATER ON THE SIDE OF THE FUCKING ROAD, FUCK!"
the others watch him with the fascination of curious onlookers observing a particularly gruesome train wreck.
"where are we even going?" taemin whispers to minho, who merely shrugs in reply.
title: Trainer TAEMIN wants to fight!
type: flash fiction (400 words)
fandom: shinee
pairing: ot5
rating/warnings: g
author's notes: 15-minute challenge piece. prompt: childhood. originally posted here.
they decide to face off on the sandbox, long after the other kids have gone home. it's neutral territory, they agree - just the equal distance between the water fountains and the huge pile of dried leaves that the janitor had painstakingly gathered throughout the day.
taemin twists his cap backwards like he sees ash do on television. "squirtle, i choose you!"
he throws the plastic ball into the middle of the sandbox. a few beats after, "squirtle" shuffles into their chosen arena. "squirtle," he chirps in his best pokemon voice.
across the sandbox, jinki fumbles with his own pokeball. "charmander, go!" he commands in his sternest voice, and gently tosses the ball into the sand.
long moments pass, and yet "charmander" does not appear. "charmander, go!" jinki commands again, but to no avail. "please? come on, charmander."
"oi, charmander, get in there!" kibum demands from the bench overlooking the sandbox.
jonghyun looks up sullenly from behind jinki. "no way, i don't wanna be charmander!" he complains. "what kind of idiot sends a fire pokemon against a water-type?"
"kibum already took bulbasaur, remember?" jinki tries to explain. "come on, charmander, we have to battle with taemin and his squirtle!"
"i don't wanna do this!" jonghyun yells, stomping his feet angrily. "why can't i be a pokemon trainer? come on, hyung, you can be my psyduck!"
"what?!" jinki splutters.
"just get on with it!" kibum snaps. "it's my turn to battle next!"
jonghyun turns on kibum furiously. "well, how come you can't be a pokemon? you're just sitting there, and you never want to battle as a pokemon!"
kibum sniffs. "i'm strictly a grass pokemon trainer. you can't expect me to battle as a pokemon when i'm clearly on my way to taking over the celadon city gym!"
"ugh, that's it, i'm going home," jonghyun tosses his hands up in the air and starts walking out of the playground. "i should've just stayed home and watched power ra-"
"charmander, look out!" jinki yells urgently.
"squirtle, water gun attack!"
jonghyun turns just in time to be splattered in the face by a stream of water from minho's mouth. he wipes off the liquid with his sleeve, glaring at a smirking minho and the others bursting into laughter behind him, and releases an impressive growl before tackling minho to the sandbox and wrestling with him.
"it's super effective!" kibum declares, high-fiving taemin.
type: flash fiction (679 words)
fandom: shinee
pairing: onkey
rating/warnings: pg
author's notes: 15-minute challenge piece. inspired by this prompt from this challenge post.
jinki is sure it's kind of wrong to feel this way, but he can't help it. all these years he's worked so hard to earn kibum's love that when kibum finally gives his heart to him, wholly and unconditionally, he isn't sure what to do next.
what do you do with a person's heart, anyway? lock it up in a glass container and admire it from the living room couch? display it to the world for all to see, like some sort of hard-earned prize trophy? hide it in your deepest cabinet so that no one can take it from you?
it's a very serious thing, this owning-someone-else's-heart business. being the leader of a five-man-band composed of five rowdy boys is a piece of cake compared to this. (it doesn't make it easier to round them up just in time to catch the company van each morning, though.)
jinki browses through the nearby bookstore for an idiot's guide to owning a heart. there's a manual for everything - conversational chinese, playing the guitar, amazing sex (jinki stares at that one for a while before quickly moving on, praying that the little old lady at the counter didn't notice him lingering there), leadership (he almost picks that one up instead), drawing (he briefly considers giving a copy to kibum and taemin, but he rather likes his kneecaps intact, thank you very much) - everything but taking care of a heart. it figures.
he ends up on the couch one rare free afternoon, kibum's heart cupped in his hands. it's looking a little paler than usual, fluttering slowly against his palm, and jinki wonders if he should have watered it every day.
kibum wanders out of their communal bedroom and squawks indignantly at the scene. "lee jinki, what do you think you are doing?" he demands, stalking over to the couch and brandishing a washcloth in jinki's face.
jinki instinctively rears back from the terrifying sight, clutching the heart to his chest. "i'msorrykibum, i-i don't know how to takecareofyourheartbutpleasedon'ttakeitawayipromiseicanlearnjusttellmehow-"
kibum stares at him incredulously, brain working furiously to comprehend jinki's blabbering. "wait," he holds up his hand, effectively putting a stop to jinki's ranting, "you don't know how to take care of my heart?"
"...well, i've never owned someone else's before. i haven't really had a lot of practice with one, so i don't really know what to do with it-"
"do you want me to take it back?" kibum asks irritably, reaching out for his heart.
"no! no, i like having your heart!" jinki yells, unnecessarily loudly, and flushes upon realizing what he had exclaimed.
kibum gives him one of those what-am-i-going-to-do-with-you looks and sits down on the couch next to him. jinki relaxes a little, but holds the heart warily, expecting kibum to snatch it out of his hands at any moment.
"you don't have to think about it too hard, you know," kibum suddenly says. "having someone else's heart isn't like dancing or... cooking chicken or whatever. you don't need practice with it."
"but what if i drop it?"
"you'd better not," kibum glares, and jinki nods furiously. his look softens, and he reaches out for the heart again. "here, let me just-"
"no, don't take it back!" jinki wails.
"i'm not going to take it back!" kibum frowns. "when i gave it to you, i gave it to you completely! i'm not the kind of person who takes back gifts, you know!"
"i'm sure you aren't," jinki murmurs, but it's like a burden has been lifted from his chest. his own heart feels infinitely lighter, and the feeling is so strange and wonderful that he doesn't protest when kibum gently lifts his heart out of his palms and cradles it between his.
"if you're so worried about what to do with it, why don't we exchange?" kibum offers shyly. "that way, you'll only have one heart to take care of, and... yeah."
jinki stares at him in wonderment. his heart beats furiously against his ribcage, demanding to be freed. "that sounds like a good idea."
title: of cows, cats and coming of age
type: flash fiction; to be continued? (407 words)
fandom: shinee
pairing: 2min
rating/warnings: pg
author's notes: 15-minute challenge piece. prompt: supernatural. originally posted here.
"where are you going?"
minho's hooves dig into the ground as he skids to a stop, ears flicking back to catch the innocent query. he turns around on the spot, large brown eyes meeting piercing blue.
taemin's head lolls back against the tree trunk, arching his back almost carelessly as he regards minho. "where are you going, hyung?"
the slitted pupils, a flash of fang, and for a moment, minho feels a shot of fear race up his spine - but he quickly tamps it down. he is older, bigger than taemin, and there is no reason to be intimidated by a cat. no reason to have to explain himself at all. he straightens up at this thought.
"i'm going to the town," minho grunts, and turns to leave again.
"you can't!" taemin hisses, and minho's gaze instinctively snaps back to him. "jinki-hyung said we couldn't go to town! the human brats are going to see you and we aren't supposed to be seen!"
minho tries to keep his face impassive, tries to hold taemin's narrowed gaze, but the guilt is too much and he stares down at the forest floor.
taemin's voice is deliberately soft. "you don't care."
minho shifts his weight, his ears flicking back and forth irritatedly. "i care, taemin," he bites out through gritted teeth.
"then show it!" taemin snarls with bared fangs, tail twitching in agitation. "you know we're not supposed to show ourselves to humans, so why do you keep endangering all of us by doing it?"
minho feels his temper rising. his shoulders hunch together, and he glares at taemin from below his fringe. "watch your words, maknae. i know what i'm doing."
"you don't know any better than the rest of us," taemin scowls.
minho's hoof digs into the ground, but taemin arches his back with a warning hiss. before minho can subdue him, he leaps up into the tree and disappears into the canopy.
minho huffs, forcing himself to calm down with slow, deep breaths. his ears flatten back, and with a wince of concentration, they slide down the sides of his head to form human ears. his tail retracts, and his hooves morph into human feet.
once he is certain he looks human - just like those village boys that were so tall and strong and never mind when he asks to join them - he leaves the boundary of the shrine, ignoring the piercing gaze boring into his nape.
title: car ride from hell (diggy ding ding ding)
type: flash fiction; to be continued? (486 words)
fandom: shinee
pairing: ot5
rating/warnings: pg-13
author's notes: 15-minute challenge piece. prompt: mv. originally posted here.
"hyung, are we there yet?"
key's grip tightens a fraction on the steering wheel. "not yet, taeminnie."
taemin scowls, settling back against the leather. "this sucks. we've been sitting here for hours. i can't feel my butt anymore!"
"you barely have one," jonghyun laughs, rolling down the window and sticking his head out of the car. "haha, look at me, i'm roo!"
"jesus fucking christ, get your head back in here, young man!" key's voice rises dangerously, and he sacrifices the grip of one hand to pull jonghyun back in by the fur lining of his jacket.
"hey, hey, easy on the goods!" jonghyun complains, but obediently settles back into his seat. "this is designer, you know."
key's only reply is to slam his fist on the child safety lock.
jonghyun blinks. "someone's a little touchy today."
"well, you try driving this godforsaken vehicle for hours with four idiots and then we'll-"
"oi, minho, how's the view from back there?" jonghyun quickly interrupts, adjusting the rear view mirror to beam at minho.
"nothing much to stare at except for the back of your fat head," minho says.
"you gigantic brat," jonghyun growls, scrambling around in his seat to smack minho.
"SIT THE FUCK DOWN, CHILDREN," key bellows. "jonghyun, stay in your damn seat. minho, stop egging him on. taemin, stop holding the butterfly outside the window, you're going to lose it that way." a pause. "how the hell did you get past the child lock?"
"i think mine's broken," taemin says innocently, laying his hands on his lap and smiling with crinkled eyes when key looks at him suspiciously in the mirror.
"stupid rental company. morons, the lot of them," key mutters to himself. "onew-hyung, could you roll up taemin's window?"
taemin peers at onew, who has been sitting relatively still all this time. "hyung doesn't look so good."
"hyung looks like he's going to be sick," minho concurs.
"i feel nauseous," onew confirms, clapping a hand over his mouth.
"hey, where'd you get this cool accessory?" jonghyun asks, flicking the golden set of keys that hang from the mirror.
key bristles. "don't touch that, it's expen-"
onew throws up. thanks to minho's quick thinking, it is into a paper bag, but the sound startles key enough to veer off the road and into a pool of water.
the car goes very quiet, save for onew's stifled gasps.
key tears at the door handle, slamming his fist on the child safety lock before the door swings open and he nearly tumbles out. he runs into the pool of water, kicking at the water and yelling incoherently. "WHY THE FUCK IS THERE A FUCKING POOL OF WATER ON THE SIDE OF THE FUCKING ROAD, FUCK!"
the others watch him with the fascination of curious onlookers observing a particularly gruesome train wreck.
"where are we even going?" taemin whispers to minho, who merely shrugs in reply.
title: Trainer TAEMIN wants to fight!
type: flash fiction (400 words)
fandom: shinee
pairing: ot5
rating/warnings: g
author's notes: 15-minute challenge piece. prompt: childhood. originally posted here.
they decide to face off on the sandbox, long after the other kids have gone home. it's neutral territory, they agree - just the equal distance between the water fountains and the huge pile of dried leaves that the janitor had painstakingly gathered throughout the day.
taemin twists his cap backwards like he sees ash do on television. "squirtle, i choose you!"
he throws the plastic ball into the middle of the sandbox. a few beats after, "squirtle" shuffles into their chosen arena. "squirtle," he chirps in his best pokemon voice.
across the sandbox, jinki fumbles with his own pokeball. "charmander, go!" he commands in his sternest voice, and gently tosses the ball into the sand.
long moments pass, and yet "charmander" does not appear. "charmander, go!" jinki commands again, but to no avail. "please? come on, charmander."
"oi, charmander, get in there!" kibum demands from the bench overlooking the sandbox.
jonghyun looks up sullenly from behind jinki. "no way, i don't wanna be charmander!" he complains. "what kind of idiot sends a fire pokemon against a water-type?"
"kibum already took bulbasaur, remember?" jinki tries to explain. "come on, charmander, we have to battle with taemin and his squirtle!"
"i don't wanna do this!" jonghyun yells, stomping his feet angrily. "why can't i be a pokemon trainer? come on, hyung, you can be my psyduck!"
"what?!" jinki splutters.
"just get on with it!" kibum snaps. "it's my turn to battle next!"
jonghyun turns on kibum furiously. "well, how come you can't be a pokemon? you're just sitting there, and you never want to battle as a pokemon!"
kibum sniffs. "i'm strictly a grass pokemon trainer. you can't expect me to battle as a pokemon when i'm clearly on my way to taking over the celadon city gym!"
"ugh, that's it, i'm going home," jonghyun tosses his hands up in the air and starts walking out of the playground. "i should've just stayed home and watched power ra-"
"charmander, look out!" jinki yells urgently.
"squirtle, water gun attack!"
jonghyun turns just in time to be splattered in the face by a stream of water from minho's mouth. he wipes off the liquid with his sleeve, glaring at a smirking minho and the others bursting into laughter behind him, and releases an impressive growl before tackling minho to the sandbox and wrestling with him.
"it's super effective!" kibum declares, high-fiving taemin.