oo1. Freefall
Leeteuk has a lot in his mind.
Sadly enough, this time around, things don't just go the way he wants it to.
If taking care of 14 other members wasn't enough, he had to deal with their manager, the fans, and other miscellaneous things that are irrelevant to his day. And to add the sweet icing on the cake, he can't help but wonder why Kangin somehow sneaked into the list of "Things Park Jungsu Has To Worry/Think About."
He doesn't know how, he doesn't remember when, but all he knows is that one day, he woke up thinking I'm in love with Kangin.
He didn't remember how, but things sometimes just happen.
And ever since that day, his affection towards the younger member grew. Many times Leeteuk has thought that Kangin returned his feelings through his actions, but for the most part, they both acted clingy in front of the camera where skinship is always on demand. There was no way for Leeteuk to know if Kangin was merely playing a part or whether he actually liked him back.
Why... does it have to be me... Leeteuk thought one day, and him?
~*~
Super Junior's schedules had ended earlier that day, and everyone was more than grateful (even the manager). Everyone went back to he dorms, and while everyone seemed happy and excited, their fearless leader seemed to be tired beyond believe; he was ready to sleep once they got back to the dorms.
Once they arrived, Leeteuk quietly made his way to his shared room and plopped on the bed with a sigh. He's grateful that their schedules ended early, but that just meant more chances of Kangin being with him. While that can mean a good thing, there are some negative aspects to it as well.
Good thing - Leeteuk will probably feel all giddy and happy when his dongsaeng talks to him through the night.
Bad thing - Leeteuk would feel on edge, wanting desperately to know whether his dongsaeng liked him back or not.
Amidst his thought, Leeteuk failed to notice a certain someone slipping into the room. The leader stayed in his state of thought until that person cleared his throat.
"Teukkie-hyung," Kangin said. "Is something wrong?"
Leeteuk looked up immediately at the source of the voice. He sat up on his bed. "No... nothing... why you asked?"
Kangin shook his head and sat on the edge of Leeteuk's bed. "It's just... you seemed tired... and more spacey than usual. I was wondering if you were over-worked or something."
Leeteuk couldn't help but smile. "It's fine Kangin-ah, you don't need to worry about me."
They both sat in (un)comfortable silence. "Hyung?" Kangin asked after a moment.
"Hn?"
"I... uh... can I sleep next to you tonight?"
Leeteuk was surprised at the question and couldn't help but feel his heart jump. "It's... Yeah, I guess, it's fine. Why though?"
Kangin shrugged. "I just... need some company tonight..."
"Oh," Leeteuk said and smiled. "Well, what are you doing just sitting there? I want to finally get an adequate amount of sleep after months barely sleeping."
Kangin laughed and crawled over, getting under the sheets next to Leeteuk. "Well, it's a small price to pay for being a star."
"It's small until it starts affecting our performance level. Then I'd be the one to get a mouthful from manager-hyung," Leeteuk replied, snuggling closer towards Kangin.
Kangin propped his head up with one arm and carefully stroked Leeteuk's hair with the other. "Don't say that," he whispered quietly, "We'll all take the blame. You don't need to take everything upon yourself."
Leeteuk sighed at the gentle caresses. "Kangin-ah, I'm the leader. I'm responsible for all of you."
"Yea, yea... we all know that. Sometimes, though, you just have to relax." Kangin laid his head on the pillow, locking gazes with Leeteuk. "Hyung, if you're scared of free-falling alone, don't be. There are 14 other people that you can drag into your mess."
Leeteuk stared deep into Kangin's eyes, hoping, wishing, that somehow, he could just gather some wits to confess. "Kangin-ah, can I ask you something?"
Kangin nodded, interweaving his fingers with Leeteuk's. "Go ahead."
The simple action left tingles of excitement on Leeteuk's skin. Why his dongsaeng did it, he has no idea. "What would you say... if I tell you..."
Kangin could see the hesitation in Leeteuk's eyes, even in the dim lighting. "Go on..."
Leeteuk took a deep breath and looked away. "What would you say if I tell you... that I'm in love with you and that I'm free-falling hard and fast I don't know if you'll be able to catch me?" he whispered.
Kangin smiled. He gently took the leader's cheeks and turned his head so that they were facing each other. Leeteuk still won't look at him, so he did something that surprised the both of them: he leaned in a gently kissed the leader. After moments, Kangin pulled away.
"I'd tell you that no matter how hard and fast you're falling, I'll always be ready to catch you."
Word count: ~850
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