Fences [3/3]
Title: Fences [part three of three]
Pairing: Jongkey, 2min
Warning: It's a complicated relationship...
Genre: Sci-Fi, AU
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Minho and Key volunteer their best friends for a beneficial experiement. They should have known it would backfire - it was Onew after all.
Note: It is split into three parts because it is too long.
It was strange the next few weeks, not being in the yard. Sometimes, he would forget that he didn’t need to go outside to relieve himself and find out, belatedly that he wasn’t his usual canid self. Minho caught him in the act a few times, tattling to Kibum and making him get in trouble but at least the other neighbors hadn’t noticed. Kibum told him that they might call the “police” which were people who took people away and put them in human carriers.
Jonghyun didn’t want to be put in a carrier, so he was trying his best to stop himself from peeing outside and peeing in the bowl inside the bathroom. The lower one. Not the one with the handles. It took him awhile to tell the difference. Kibum’s yelling helped him learn.
All in all, Jonghyun loved being human. He had discovered the magic that was the television and internet. He had learned mostly on his own how to get information from both, though Key said that it wasn’t a good idea.
Jonghyun, for the first time, didn’t believe Key knew what he was talking about. He had spoken to Taemin outside the other day, and he had told him all the real facts he had learned about human interaction and how to court mates from the internet. He didn’t give any details, but Jonghyun was getting increasingly desperate and needed advice.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Jonghyun went to the backyard door, fumbled with the knob for a moment and then stumbled outside. Thankfully, Taemin was in the yard too, laying in the grass.
“Taemin, give me advice.” He asked but he knew it sounded like an order. He didn’t care enough to change his tone; Key wasn't here. He wouldn’t know.
Taemin rose lazily, brushing a few stray leaves out of his locks before mumbling “Advice on what?”
“Jonghyun wants Key to like Jonghyun.”
“Key already likes Jonghyun.” Taemin deadpanned, already moving to lay back down and sleep.
“No, Jonghyun wants Kibum to be his mate.” Jonghyun swallowed. “Kibum doesn’t want to because he thinks Jonghyun is dog.”
“Jonghyun isn’t a dog.” Taemin stated, confused.
“Yes, Kibum says he sees Jonghyun as a dog. Not with his eyes but with his...thought.”
Taemin’s eyes narrowed with concentration before he nodded and sat up. He was still a bit tired, but he was interested enough to keep himself awake. Yawning, he stretched out his legs.
“Jonghyun has to do what Taemin did and show Kibum Jonghyun is not a dog.”
Jonghyun hummed and tilted his head, not entirely sure. How would he show Key he wasn’t a dog? He could present his body all he wanted but that wouldn’t help. In fact, he tried and all that did was make Key’s face change color and the man leave the room. This wasn’t fair. He didn’t understand.
“Taemin told you about the Internet, yes?”
Jonghyun nodded.
Smiling, Taemin stood and walked to the fence that divided them. He seemed so proud but at the same time sly as if he knew he had done something wrong and gotten away with it. He snickered, covering up the laugh with his hand before calming and leaning over the fence with an eager whisper.
“Taemin found a video of two humans mating. Male and Female. Female fake not liking male and male eventually mated with female. Female liked the male but was pretending. Kibum is pretending with Jonghyun.” Taemin huffed and then added. “Can’t watch video again because Minho says its a bad video. Doesn’t want viruses. But Taemin liked the story to the video.”
Jonghyun frowned, conflicted. “Jonghyun has to force Kibum?”
Taemin shook his head. “Not force. Show off. S-...Seduce Kibum.”
“Seduce?”
Taemin made a low noise in frustration, trying hard to explain. He couldn’t find the right words to make it sensible. “Show Kibum you are a good mate; a good choice. Make him want to mate with Jonghyun.”
Jonghyun nodded slowly, backing away from the fence. He kind of got it. His mind began to cloud, filling with ideas and plans on how he could
seduce Key. He remembered him always complaining about how tired he was when he came back from work, maybe he could...
[ Line ]
His plan was supposed to be simple. He had gotten the idea from a show--a drama he had been watching on Key’s box--television before. The female had complained about always being tired and then having to cook when she got home to the male, so the male made lots of food for his female before she came home. She was very happy and they grabbed each other--hugged, for a long time. Then it went off.
Jonghyun wanted to make Key happy like that too. So, he went to the kitchen and began taking out ingredients, the ones he used to watch Key use before. He felt hungry while making it but controlled himself, this was for Key, not for him.
He paused as he got all the supplies and thought of how he saw Key make his food. After a few minutes of thinking, he began working. Key in his mind as he mimicked his memories movements and added the good tasting dusts as he saw Key add them.
It took a few hours to make everything the way he remembered Key making it, his shirt was a mess but he hoped that Key would be so happy with his food that he wouldn’t even notice how dirty he was. That being said, he would have to pass on his hug, he wouldn’t want Key getting dirty.
All he had to do was wait.
Wait in the kitchen for Key.
He turned his head and stared at the circle on the wall, the clock. Whenever Key looked up here, he would know exactly when the person he was waiting for was coming. Jonghyun still didn’t understand how the clock told him anything. It just sat there. Silently.
Frowning, Jonghyun stared at the ticking item finding a good distraction as he waited for his beloved to return.
A few minutes passed, or maybe it was a few hours. Jonghyun couldn’t tell; he had blanked out within the first ten minutes of his staring contest with the clock. His previous dedication to waiting for Key as a dog kicking in immediately.
Then, there was a jingle. It was faint but distinct in a way that made Jonghyun perk up immediately and break his stare with the clock to look at the door. He could hear the familiar grunts and mumbles of Kibum as he ranted about something that happened to work to himself as the door knob jingled violently.
Jonghyun could barely contain his excitement. He couldn’t wait for Key to see how great his food was. He glanced at it for a second, noticing how it wasn’t very hot anymore and didn’t have that appealing smell that it used to have when he had it over the counter. He almost thought of heating it with the microwave Key taught him to use before said man opened the door and he leapt out of his seat to greet him.
“Key!” Jonghyun shouted, draping himself over Key’s front in a limp hug. “Jonghyun made surprise.”
Key hummed, eyes drooped with exhaustion. “A surprise? For me?”
Jonghyun nodded and yanked Key’s wrist, dragging him unwillingly to the kitchen. He wasn’t being very careful so with every step Key dropped his bags and loose accessories. He didn’t have enough energy to be mad about it.
“Surprise! Food!”
Jonghyun then shoved a plate of his creation into Key’s face with vigor. Watching the other man eagerly from the other side of the table. He looked so excited, craving approval, so Key decided to humor him.
“It looks good, Jonghyun.”
“It taste good too. Taste.”
Key gave an unstable smile before he picked up the spoon Jonghyun had given him and took another look at the meal. He had to admit, Jonghyun had really tried. It was his own fault for being cheap and not buying Jonghyun actual food. This was his punishment for treating Jonghyun like that.
He couldn’t tell Jonghyun that though...
He took another long, regretful glance at the meal before placing the spoon in and snatching a bit of the meat. He placed it in his mouth delicately, so close to tearing up it wasn’t funny. He had to be strong though, for Jonghyun. He took several more bites, filling his mouth and made of show of making “mm’s” to show Jonghyun that it tasted alright.
It didn’t.
It really didn’t.
Jonghyun wasn’t fooled though and watched Key with an innocent smile. “Swallow?”
“Hm?” Key asked, muffled with the food he had yet to eat.
“Swallow. Eat it all? Is good right?” Jonghyun looked sad in an instant, coming to all the right conclusions. “Is good right?”
Key wanted to cry. He wanted to cry so badly. He counted to five and on three, to try and trick himself he swallowed all of the mush. He swallowed more after the fact, trying to keep it down and smother the aftertaste.
“Oh, Jonghyun...that was the best meal I’ve ever had. Honestly.” Key knew he was going to get punished for all the lies he was telling today. “You know what, you passed.”
“Passed?” Jonghyun leant up, interested.
“Instead of eating this food, you can eat the same food I eat. How does that sound?”
“Human foods?” Jonghyun brightened, eyes wide as his smile.
Key felt his stomach churn unhappily. “Yeah, human food.”
[ Line; Jonghyun: 1 Key: -12 ]
About three weeks after his surprisingly unsuccessful attraction attempt, the phone rang. Key wasn’t home and though he had been told over and over not to answer the phone, it had already become habit.
Pressing the slender phone to his head, he answered. “Hello?”
“Jonghyun, is Key home?” A familiar voice asked eagerly. It took Jonghyun only a second to realize the voice belonged to Taemin. He sounded so proper and practiced with his speech. If Jonghyun hadn’t been the confident proud dog he was before he transformed, he might have felt jealous.
“No. Key away.”
Taemin let out a surprised noise and then a scoff. “Why do you still talk like that?”
“Jonghyun talks fine!” Jonghyun snapped back defensively. He clenched the phone tightly, squeezing as he heard Taemin’s muffled snicker through the phone.
“You talk like a caveman.” Taemin said.
“Caveman? What?”
Taemin let out a sigh. Jonghyun could feel Taemin was getting posh. He loved being better at something than someone else. The importance of his speech only made the reward he felt so much greater.
“I think I know the reason Key doesn’t want to become your mate.”
Jonghyun growled through the phone. He heard Taemin’s breath hitch and then the younger male said hurriedly, “If you act like that who will tell you the secret of your failed attempts? Hm? No one that’s who!”
Jonghyun went silent and Taemin took that opportunity to continue.
“You keep talking like you did with the collar. He still sees you as a dog.” Taemin paused, taking the thoughtful ‘hm’ Jonghyun made as a powerful ego boost. “Trust me. Once you understand their language, you understand how to catch them. They love sweet words.”
“Sweet? Taste?”
“Nevermind. Think about it, Jonghyun. Learn the language.” With that Taemin hung up.
Jonghyun put the phone on the hook and opened Key’s laptop. It shouldn’t be that hard to learn proper Korean. Taemin learned it in less than a month! He’d be able to to better. He’d know all of the words.
Jonghyun typed furiously, determined. Key would be his.
It took him a week--which was less than three weeks, in case you didn’t notice. It took determination, hard-work and sleepless nights for him to learn what he needed. He still had a bit of trouble but he knew it would be enough. He would have Key. He would have Key today.
Swallowing, Jonghyun shook his head. He stared at himself in the mirror. Maybe not today, he probably didn’t look good enough. He had styled his hair in several different ways, even though of using Key’s dye to change his hair to a solid color. In truth, he didn’t know what Key liked.
In that time he spent learning the language, Jonghyun felt like he made a jump past being a transformed dog and made a step towards being a human. With that clarity, came his constant worrying over how he looked, if he was good enough ,if he had offended Key when he didn’t understand; when he was more dog than man.
Jonghyun messed with his bangs, this wouldn’t do at all.
Snapping his attention back to the mirror, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and calmed himself. Alright, here I go.
“Key,” Jonghyun began, opening his eyes wide. He snapped them shut, berating himself as he failed once again. First names were more personal. He would use his first name .
“Kibum,” Jonghyun started again, the action the same. He let himself pause, making sure his eyes looked sincere and his appearance was alright. “I’ve been thinking...”
He felt his stomach tremble, he was nervous.
“We...It's been awhile since I’ve been a dog. and, uh, I...”
He let out a breath.
“I want you to give me a chance. Please Kibum, I’ll be good to you. I’ll take care of you. I just need you to give me the chance...”
Jonghyun let the words settle in the air for a little bit, staring at his own reflection before smiling and bursting into glee filled chuckles. It was perfect. Perfection! Key wouldn’t be able to resist.
There was a noise at the front door and all of Jonghyun’s confidence seemed to well up before sinking all the way past his stomach and into his toes. Key was home? Already!? He hadn’t even gotten to rehearse his tenth time yet...
Jonghyun stood up, clearing his throat. He walked into the living room and made sure everything was perfect. He still wasn’t sure this was proper. He had lit a few candles, picked a few pretty flowers from the neighbor's yard and made sure the light was low. This is what humans did to show they were in love, right? Right?
It wasn’t like he could change anything, so Jonghyun snatched the flowers from the couch and closed his eyes. He stood as stiff as he could, trying to look confident in his posture. Not that he wasn’t confident. Because he was. Honestly.
He heard the door open and held the hand with flowers out.
He heard a surprised gasp and wanted to open his mouth but he couldn’t. He was afraid.
“Jonghyun?”
It was Key. It was really Key! This was the real deal.
“Jonghyun, I...what’s going on?”
He was about to confess. Officially. To Key.
“Are those candles? Did you use a match!? I told you never to touch those?”
Oh god. He couldn’t do this. But he had to, this was his only chance.
“...please tell me its just a coincidence that those flowers look exactly like Ms. Lee’s?”
Before Jonghyun could tell himself no, he was in front of Key. Grabbing his face, he pressed their lips together in the rough way he had seen on one of Key’s dramas. After a few seconds, he parted. He took a two quick breaths before settling down.
“Key, I need you to give me a chance.” Jonghyun kept his eyes closed. He felt more confident with his eyes closed. “‘Cause, I...cause I love you and all that. And …uh...I can take care of you. Not that you need taking care of but if you did, I would. Y-y’know?”
He felt his flower-holding hand slowly fall back to his side. “So, yeah.”
God, he fucked it up. He fucked it all up.
“Fine.”
What?
“What?”
Key’s face was surprisingly blank. He didn’t look angry. He didn’t look anything.
“Fine, I’ll give you a chance. One. Only.” Key sighed, dropping his bag on the floor. He let out a groan as he stretched his arms. “You better be worth the trouble, Jonghyun. I expect you to be the best boyfriend I will ever have.”
Jonghyun opened his eyes. Breathless. “O-okay.”
“But, Jong, do me a favor. Don’t listen to a thing Taemin says. He is still an idiot, just like his owner. Alright?”
“Okay. Whatever you say.”
That night, Key let him sleep in the same bed. They didn’t touch. It was alright. He knew it would take a while for Key to get used to the idea. He felt happy. Finally after years of being nothing but a pet to Kibum, he was somebody. He was the most important person in his life. Finally. He loved him with all his heart...
Jonghyun reached out, taking advantage of his sleeping partner, he touched his face. Gently.
...and eventually, he would love him back.
Pairing: Jongkey, 2min
Warning: It's a complicated relationship...
Genre: Sci-Fi, AU
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Minho and Key volunteer their best friends for a beneficial experiement. They should have known it would backfire - it was Onew after all.
Note: It is split into three parts because it is too long.
It was strange the next few weeks, not being in the yard. Sometimes, he would forget that he didn’t need to go outside to relieve himself and find out, belatedly that he wasn’t his usual canid self. Minho caught him in the act a few times, tattling to Kibum and making him get in trouble but at least the other neighbors hadn’t noticed. Kibum told him that they might call the “police” which were people who took people away and put them in human carriers.
Jonghyun didn’t want to be put in a carrier, so he was trying his best to stop himself from peeing outside and peeing in the bowl inside the bathroom. The lower one. Not the one with the handles. It took him awhile to tell the difference. Kibum’s yelling helped him learn.
All in all, Jonghyun loved being human. He had discovered the magic that was the television and internet. He had learned mostly on his own how to get information from both, though Key said that it wasn’t a good idea.
Jonghyun, for the first time, didn’t believe Key knew what he was talking about. He had spoken to Taemin outside the other day, and he had told him all the real facts he had learned about human interaction and how to court mates from the internet. He didn’t give any details, but Jonghyun was getting increasingly desperate and needed advice.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Jonghyun went to the backyard door, fumbled with the knob for a moment and then stumbled outside. Thankfully, Taemin was in the yard too, laying in the grass.
“Taemin, give me advice.” He asked but he knew it sounded like an order. He didn’t care enough to change his tone; Key wasn't here. He wouldn’t know.
Taemin rose lazily, brushing a few stray leaves out of his locks before mumbling “Advice on what?”
“Jonghyun wants Key to like Jonghyun.”
“Key already likes Jonghyun.” Taemin deadpanned, already moving to lay back down and sleep.
“No, Jonghyun wants Kibum to be his mate.” Jonghyun swallowed. “Kibum doesn’t want to because he thinks Jonghyun is dog.”
“Jonghyun isn’t a dog.” Taemin stated, confused.
“Yes, Kibum says he sees Jonghyun as a dog. Not with his eyes but with his...thought.”
Taemin’s eyes narrowed with concentration before he nodded and sat up. He was still a bit tired, but he was interested enough to keep himself awake. Yawning, he stretched out his legs.
“Jonghyun has to do what Taemin did and show Kibum Jonghyun is not a dog.”
Jonghyun hummed and tilted his head, not entirely sure. How would he show Key he wasn’t a dog? He could present his body all he wanted but that wouldn’t help. In fact, he tried and all that did was make Key’s face change color and the man leave the room. This wasn’t fair. He didn’t understand.
“Taemin told you about the Internet, yes?”
Jonghyun nodded.
Smiling, Taemin stood and walked to the fence that divided them. He seemed so proud but at the same time sly as if he knew he had done something wrong and gotten away with it. He snickered, covering up the laugh with his hand before calming and leaning over the fence with an eager whisper.
“Taemin found a video of two humans mating. Male and Female. Female fake not liking male and male eventually mated with female. Female liked the male but was pretending. Kibum is pretending with Jonghyun.” Taemin huffed and then added. “Can’t watch video again because Minho says its a bad video. Doesn’t want viruses. But Taemin liked the story to the video.”
Jonghyun frowned, conflicted. “Jonghyun has to force Kibum?”
Taemin shook his head. “Not force. Show off. S-...Seduce Kibum.”
“Seduce?”
Taemin made a low noise in frustration, trying hard to explain. He couldn’t find the right words to make it sensible. “Show Kibum you are a good mate; a good choice. Make him want to mate with Jonghyun.”
Jonghyun nodded slowly, backing away from the fence. He kind of got it. His mind began to cloud, filling with ideas and plans on how he could
seduce Key. He remembered him always complaining about how tired he was when he came back from work, maybe he could...
[ Line ]
His plan was supposed to be simple. He had gotten the idea from a show--a drama he had been watching on Key’s box--television before. The female had complained about always being tired and then having to cook when she got home to the male, so the male made lots of food for his female before she came home. She was very happy and they grabbed each other--hugged, for a long time. Then it went off.
Jonghyun wanted to make Key happy like that too. So, he went to the kitchen and began taking out ingredients, the ones he used to watch Key use before. He felt hungry while making it but controlled himself, this was for Key, not for him.
He paused as he got all the supplies and thought of how he saw Key make his food. After a few minutes of thinking, he began working. Key in his mind as he mimicked his memories movements and added the good tasting dusts as he saw Key add them.
It took a few hours to make everything the way he remembered Key making it, his shirt was a mess but he hoped that Key would be so happy with his food that he wouldn’t even notice how dirty he was. That being said, he would have to pass on his hug, he wouldn’t want Key getting dirty.
All he had to do was wait.
Wait in the kitchen for Key.
He turned his head and stared at the circle on the wall, the clock. Whenever Key looked up here, he would know exactly when the person he was waiting for was coming. Jonghyun still didn’t understand how the clock told him anything. It just sat there. Silently.
Frowning, Jonghyun stared at the ticking item finding a good distraction as he waited for his beloved to return.
A few minutes passed, or maybe it was a few hours. Jonghyun couldn’t tell; he had blanked out within the first ten minutes of his staring contest with the clock. His previous dedication to waiting for Key as a dog kicking in immediately.
Then, there was a jingle. It was faint but distinct in a way that made Jonghyun perk up immediately and break his stare with the clock to look at the door. He could hear the familiar grunts and mumbles of Kibum as he ranted about something that happened to work to himself as the door knob jingled violently.
Jonghyun could barely contain his excitement. He couldn’t wait for Key to see how great his food was. He glanced at it for a second, noticing how it wasn’t very hot anymore and didn’t have that appealing smell that it used to have when he had it over the counter. He almost thought of heating it with the microwave Key taught him to use before said man opened the door and he leapt out of his seat to greet him.
“Key!” Jonghyun shouted, draping himself over Key’s front in a limp hug. “Jonghyun made surprise.”
Key hummed, eyes drooped with exhaustion. “A surprise? For me?”
Jonghyun nodded and yanked Key’s wrist, dragging him unwillingly to the kitchen. He wasn’t being very careful so with every step Key dropped his bags and loose accessories. He didn’t have enough energy to be mad about it.
“Surprise! Food!”
Jonghyun then shoved a plate of his creation into Key’s face with vigor. Watching the other man eagerly from the other side of the table. He looked so excited, craving approval, so Key decided to humor him.
“It looks good, Jonghyun.”
“It taste good too. Taste.”
Key gave an unstable smile before he picked up the spoon Jonghyun had given him and took another look at the meal. He had to admit, Jonghyun had really tried. It was his own fault for being cheap and not buying Jonghyun actual food. This was his punishment for treating Jonghyun like that.
He couldn’t tell Jonghyun that though...
He took another long, regretful glance at the meal before placing the spoon in and snatching a bit of the meat. He placed it in his mouth delicately, so close to tearing up it wasn’t funny. He had to be strong though, for Jonghyun. He took several more bites, filling his mouth and made of show of making “mm’s” to show Jonghyun that it tasted alright.
It didn’t.
It really didn’t.
Jonghyun wasn’t fooled though and watched Key with an innocent smile. “Swallow?”
“Hm?” Key asked, muffled with the food he had yet to eat.
“Swallow. Eat it all? Is good right?” Jonghyun looked sad in an instant, coming to all the right conclusions. “Is good right?”
Key wanted to cry. He wanted to cry so badly. He counted to five and on three, to try and trick himself he swallowed all of the mush. He swallowed more after the fact, trying to keep it down and smother the aftertaste.
“Oh, Jonghyun...that was the best meal I’ve ever had. Honestly.” Key knew he was going to get punished for all the lies he was telling today. “You know what, you passed.”
“Passed?” Jonghyun leant up, interested.
“Instead of eating this food, you can eat the same food I eat. How does that sound?”
“Human foods?” Jonghyun brightened, eyes wide as his smile.
Key felt his stomach churn unhappily. “Yeah, human food.”
[ Line; Jonghyun: 1 Key: -12 ]
About three weeks after his surprisingly unsuccessful attraction attempt, the phone rang. Key wasn’t home and though he had been told over and over not to answer the phone, it had already become habit.
Pressing the slender phone to his head, he answered. “Hello?”
“Jonghyun, is Key home?” A familiar voice asked eagerly. It took Jonghyun only a second to realize the voice belonged to Taemin. He sounded so proper and practiced with his speech. If Jonghyun hadn’t been the confident proud dog he was before he transformed, he might have felt jealous.
“No. Key away.”
Taemin let out a surprised noise and then a scoff. “Why do you still talk like that?”
“Jonghyun talks fine!” Jonghyun snapped back defensively. He clenched the phone tightly, squeezing as he heard Taemin’s muffled snicker through the phone.
“You talk like a caveman.” Taemin said.
“Caveman? What?”
Taemin let out a sigh. Jonghyun could feel Taemin was getting posh. He loved being better at something than someone else. The importance of his speech only made the reward he felt so much greater.
“I think I know the reason Key doesn’t want to become your mate.”
Jonghyun growled through the phone. He heard Taemin’s breath hitch and then the younger male said hurriedly, “If you act like that who will tell you the secret of your failed attempts? Hm? No one that’s who!”
Jonghyun went silent and Taemin took that opportunity to continue.
“You keep talking like you did with the collar. He still sees you as a dog.” Taemin paused, taking the thoughtful ‘hm’ Jonghyun made as a powerful ego boost. “Trust me. Once you understand their language, you understand how to catch them. They love sweet words.”
“Sweet? Taste?”
“Nevermind. Think about it, Jonghyun. Learn the language.” With that Taemin hung up.
Jonghyun put the phone on the hook and opened Key’s laptop. It shouldn’t be that hard to learn proper Korean. Taemin learned it in less than a month! He’d be able to to better. He’d know all of the words.
Jonghyun typed furiously, determined. Key would be his.
It took him a week--which was less than three weeks, in case you didn’t notice. It took determination, hard-work and sleepless nights for him to learn what he needed. He still had a bit of trouble but he knew it would be enough. He would have Key. He would have Key today.
Swallowing, Jonghyun shook his head. He stared at himself in the mirror. Maybe not today, he probably didn’t look good enough. He had styled his hair in several different ways, even though of using Key’s dye to change his hair to a solid color. In truth, he didn’t know what Key liked.
In that time he spent learning the language, Jonghyun felt like he made a jump past being a transformed dog and made a step towards being a human. With that clarity, came his constant worrying over how he looked, if he was good enough ,if he had offended Key when he didn’t understand; when he was more dog than man.
Jonghyun messed with his bangs, this wouldn’t do at all.
Snapping his attention back to the mirror, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and calmed himself. Alright, here I go.
“Key,” Jonghyun began, opening his eyes wide. He snapped them shut, berating himself as he failed once again. First names were more personal. He would use his first name .
“Kibum,” Jonghyun started again, the action the same. He let himself pause, making sure his eyes looked sincere and his appearance was alright. “I’ve been thinking...”
He felt his stomach tremble, he was nervous.
“We...It's been awhile since I’ve been a dog. and, uh, I...”
He let out a breath.
“I want you to give me a chance. Please Kibum, I’ll be good to you. I’ll take care of you. I just need you to give me the chance...”
Jonghyun let the words settle in the air for a little bit, staring at his own reflection before smiling and bursting into glee filled chuckles. It was perfect. Perfection! Key wouldn’t be able to resist.
There was a noise at the front door and all of Jonghyun’s confidence seemed to well up before sinking all the way past his stomach and into his toes. Key was home? Already!? He hadn’t even gotten to rehearse his tenth time yet...
Jonghyun stood up, clearing his throat. He walked into the living room and made sure everything was perfect. He still wasn’t sure this was proper. He had lit a few candles, picked a few pretty flowers from the neighbor's yard and made sure the light was low. This is what humans did to show they were in love, right? Right?
It wasn’t like he could change anything, so Jonghyun snatched the flowers from the couch and closed his eyes. He stood as stiff as he could, trying to look confident in his posture. Not that he wasn’t confident. Because he was. Honestly.
He heard the door open and held the hand with flowers out.
He heard a surprised gasp and wanted to open his mouth but he couldn’t. He was afraid.
“Jonghyun?”
It was Key. It was really Key! This was the real deal.
“Jonghyun, I...what’s going on?”
He was about to confess. Officially. To Key.
“Are those candles? Did you use a match!? I told you never to touch those?”
Oh god. He couldn’t do this. But he had to, this was his only chance.
“...please tell me its just a coincidence that those flowers look exactly like Ms. Lee’s?”
Before Jonghyun could tell himself no, he was in front of Key. Grabbing his face, he pressed their lips together in the rough way he had seen on one of Key’s dramas. After a few seconds, he parted. He took a two quick breaths before settling down.
“Key, I need you to give me a chance.” Jonghyun kept his eyes closed. He felt more confident with his eyes closed. “‘Cause, I...cause I love you and all that. And …uh...I can take care of you. Not that you need taking care of but if you did, I would. Y-y’know?”
He felt his flower-holding hand slowly fall back to his side. “So, yeah.”
God, he fucked it up. He fucked it all up.
“Fine.”
What?
“What?”
Key’s face was surprisingly blank. He didn’t look angry. He didn’t look anything.
“Fine, I’ll give you a chance. One. Only.” Key sighed, dropping his bag on the floor. He let out a groan as he stretched his arms. “You better be worth the trouble, Jonghyun. I expect you to be the best boyfriend I will ever have.”
Jonghyun opened his eyes. Breathless. “O-okay.”
“But, Jong, do me a favor. Don’t listen to a thing Taemin says. He is still an idiot, just like his owner. Alright?”
“Okay. Whatever you say.”
That night, Key let him sleep in the same bed. They didn’t touch. It was alright. He knew it would take a while for Key to get used to the idea. He felt happy. Finally after years of being nothing but a pet to Kibum, he was somebody. He was the most important person in his life. Finally. He loved him with all his heart...
Jonghyun reached out, taking advantage of his sleeping partner, he touched his face. Gently.
...and eventually, he would love him back.