06. (elvin) grey isn't really your colour
grey isn't really your colour
PG; eli/kevin (kevin centric); romance..?; 1463w
u-kiss party; prompt 08; playing favourites
"Hey guys," says Kevin, brightly, "Whatcha doing?" It's a break during practice and Eli, Dongho, Alexander and Kibum are playing cards in a circle, the atmosphere thick and contemplative until Kevin's disruption.
Eli doesn't really reply, only glances briefly sideways at Kevin as if to say can't you tell? before leaning over to Dongho and pointing to his cards and the pile in front of them, telling him something just out of Kevin's range of hearing. His smile falters just a bit, but he resolutely pushes through, turning to his other "foreigner buddy" instead for help. "Xander-hyung, what are you guys doing?"
Alexander takes pity on him. "We're teaching them to play bridge," he says, smiling easily. "It's an open game." Kevin understands, then, mouth opening into an 'o' before he makes to ask another question.
"Can I learn too?"
The four look up at this, surprise flitting across their features. "You don't know, hyung?" Dongho's wide eyes are curious, and Kevin thinks to himself that he'd never imagined that gaze would make him uncomfortable.
"...Should I?"
"I thought it was an American thing," Kibum pipes in. "I guess you could watch if you really don't know how to play, though." The youngest and oldest of the group nod in agreement.
Eli hasn't said a thing at all, Kevin notes vaguely, turning to find he's testing Dongho on the suits and when he should put down what card. He tries his best to ignore the sinking feeling, opting instead to get further away from its source.
"You're not watching, then?" Alexander is always concerned about everybody, he thinks. "You could sit between Kibum and I, you know, if it helps."
"It's okay." Kevin lies like he sings, natural and in control. "I'd best go...practice my lines with Soohyun-hyung." He smiles weakly, rushing out of the practice room, then, and nobody really raises the fact that Soohyun's sitting in the corner talking to Kiseop.
-
Whenever the members are at the gym, Kevin finds he's probably the one who works the hardest. Soohyun and Eli are forever getting the recognition for having hot bodies or something like that, and he doesn't mind most of the time, except when he's dejected. It's true that the two of them are "men's men", but he works harder than them, he's positive. Even more because he's so skinny.
So when they film the Shut Up music video and Kevin wordlessly shows off his musculature, everybody is impressed. Soohyun jokingly pokes at them, Kiseop compares definition, even their manager applauds his hard work. Somehow, though, he can't help the empty feeling when Eli doesn't mention anything about his effort, joking or not.
-
Lately, Kevin's been busy with On Air Live all the time. The other members try their best to make him still feel included by doing silly things all the time to tell him you've got that musical, but don't you dare forget you've still got us! It's so impossibly U-KISS he can't help but feel thankful he's got such a loving group.
The "Ki Brothers" have popped by his apartment to put up a mini comedy act (Bum and Bummer, they call it), and Kevin finds himself laughing no matter how many times Kiseop pretends to sneeze out a coin and feigns shock and horror. He smiles when Soohyun takes him aside for a "serious talk" during practice, only to put up a short one-person skit and sing him a corny trot song. It doesn't slip his notice either when Alexander and Dongho act the wrong age more than they normally do, his hyung crawling to him in the middle of practice to tell him Keviiiiiin, save me, Dongho's trying to make me act like an adult! to be followed by Dongho rolling his eyes and saying We should go out for a snack after this, hyung!, ignoring the oldest's antics. They're all trying their best to be so them that he feels sorry for not being him enough lately to complete the set.
It's not his fault, though, and he's tried; it's simply impossible for him to ignore the fact that Eli keeps suggesting lame gags for the Ki duo, compares abs (or lack thereof) with Soohyun and talks in his accented Chinese to Dongho and Xander who respond in kind, but when it comes to Kevin he's got nothing. He isn't ignoring him specifically. It just seems, Kevin thinks more bitterly than he really should, that Eli is playing favourites with everybody except him.
On the first day of the musical's showing he's biting his lip in anticipation backstage, knowing he's more than prepared for it. So when the curtains draw open Kevin glides out gracefully as ever, smiles amongst the applause and delivers his lines, hits all his notes like he's been trained to. It's easier than he expected, until he gets to the kiss scene.
Out of the corner of his eye he can see his members sitting in the front row, watching; Xander has his hands over their maknae's eyes, and Kevin can almost hear them in his head ("You're too young!" "Wha- no I'm not, hyung, you're mad! Lemme see!"). Then he remembers the audience, and turns back, mind on task, delivering the stage kiss smoothly. There are a few shocked gasps from the audience (fangirls, he thinks guiltily), but the rest of it goes off well enough, and when the curtains close and debrief is over he rushes out the back door where U-KISS is waiting, beaming so brightly it's like they are the sun and for a split second he can tell himself it isn't winter.
Typically, they're all telling him how amazing his voice is and how well he played his role, somehow all being turned into four-year-olds as they make kissy faces and ask Kevin do you wanna bobo me too?~ He swats at them playfully, laughs and says ewwww no way are you guys really older than me?, clutching at his sides and giggling as appropriate when Dongho fools around, shouting I'm not, keke~ and everyone piles on the maknae to punish him for flaunting his youth.
Afterwards, though, Eli tugs at his coat, forcing him to lag behind the rest and talk to him. Kevin bites his lip obstinately when Eli talks, because he knows there's definitely more to the idle chitchat than what they had for lunch at practice that one day he couldn't make it, and maybe it's a bad habit, but Kevin's always been just a tad impatient when it comes to things he cares about.
"Why're you so out of it, Kev?" you don't call me Kev, Kevin says in his head. He gives it a thought and says it out as well, a second later.
"You're right, I don't," laughs Eli, "but it doesn't answer the question." The way he talks is comfortable, and Kevin finds himself turning on him, then, angelic features distorted into an unfamiliar expression of anger.
"You know what's wrong? You never do anything for me." It's childish, he realises the moment he's said it, but he doesn't want to take it back, so Kevin chews on his quivering lip and holds his accusing stare, waiting for a response.
Eli meets his gaze evenly, but there's confusion in his eyes. "I mean, you've got some kind of soft spot for everybody except me. It's almost deliberate, like - like Dongho's your favourite dongsaeng, Soohyun's your favourite work-out partner and so on, except for me. It...it gets to me, okay." Kevin ignores the stinging sensation in his eyes, tries to tell himself he's not being a total girl about everything.
"Who says so?" Now Eli is pressed up against him, eyes boring into his. "Really, Kevin. Being mopey doesn't suit you." Before Kevin can respond, he pecks him on the forehead in a decidedly un-Eli like manner and turns away immediately, pulling him along by the hand. "Come on, they're waiting for us."
Kevin blinks and touches his forehead, following hastily. "What am I, then?" he asks, persistent.
"You really wanna know?" The rapper sounds a bit embarrassed. Kevin doesn't answer because it's obvious. "My favourite person. "
The anger has dissipated, leaving shy reassurance in his wake. "But you never do anything for me. It's true."
Eli snorts; "It's because you never need any help. You're amazing at everything you do."
It's corny and coupled with the falling snow, Kevin feels like a teenage girl, especially with the dizzy rush of happiness going to his head. But he's half of that (the teenage bit) and he thinks he's suffered enough the past few weeks, so, wrapping his arms around the older's, Kevin doesn't say anything, because his heart has all the answer it needs.
--
a/n: I am so terribly sorry for being so terribly corny :( I need to stop being such a cornmaster, really. Also I let my bias for Xander/Dongho show, hehehehe.
PG; eli/kevin (kevin centric); romance..?; 1463w
u-kiss party; prompt 08; playing favourites
"Hey guys," says Kevin, brightly, "Whatcha doing?" It's a break during practice and Eli, Dongho, Alexander and Kibum are playing cards in a circle, the atmosphere thick and contemplative until Kevin's disruption.
Eli doesn't really reply, only glances briefly sideways at Kevin as if to say can't you tell? before leaning over to Dongho and pointing to his cards and the pile in front of them, telling him something just out of Kevin's range of hearing. His smile falters just a bit, but he resolutely pushes through, turning to his other "foreigner buddy" instead for help. "Xander-hyung, what are you guys doing?"
Alexander takes pity on him. "We're teaching them to play bridge," he says, smiling easily. "It's an open game." Kevin understands, then, mouth opening into an 'o' before he makes to ask another question.
"Can I learn too?"
The four look up at this, surprise flitting across their features. "You don't know, hyung?" Dongho's wide eyes are curious, and Kevin thinks to himself that he'd never imagined that gaze would make him uncomfortable.
"...Should I?"
"I thought it was an American thing," Kibum pipes in. "I guess you could watch if you really don't know how to play, though." The youngest and oldest of the group nod in agreement.
Eli hasn't said a thing at all, Kevin notes vaguely, turning to find he's testing Dongho on the suits and when he should put down what card. He tries his best to ignore the sinking feeling, opting instead to get further away from its source.
"You're not watching, then?" Alexander is always concerned about everybody, he thinks. "You could sit between Kibum and I, you know, if it helps."
"It's okay." Kevin lies like he sings, natural and in control. "I'd best go...practice my lines with Soohyun-hyung." He smiles weakly, rushing out of the practice room, then, and nobody really raises the fact that Soohyun's sitting in the corner talking to Kiseop.
-
Whenever the members are at the gym, Kevin finds he's probably the one who works the hardest. Soohyun and Eli are forever getting the recognition for having hot bodies or something like that, and he doesn't mind most of the time, except when he's dejected. It's true that the two of them are "men's men", but he works harder than them, he's positive. Even more because he's so skinny.
So when they film the Shut Up music video and Kevin wordlessly shows off his musculature, everybody is impressed. Soohyun jokingly pokes at them, Kiseop compares definition, even their manager applauds his hard work. Somehow, though, he can't help the empty feeling when Eli doesn't mention anything about his effort, joking or not.
-
Lately, Kevin's been busy with On Air Live all the time. The other members try their best to make him still feel included by doing silly things all the time to tell him you've got that musical, but don't you dare forget you've still got us! It's so impossibly U-KISS he can't help but feel thankful he's got such a loving group.
The "Ki Brothers" have popped by his apartment to put up a mini comedy act (Bum and Bummer, they call it), and Kevin finds himself laughing no matter how many times Kiseop pretends to sneeze out a coin and feigns shock and horror. He smiles when Soohyun takes him aside for a "serious talk" during practice, only to put up a short one-person skit and sing him a corny trot song. It doesn't slip his notice either when Alexander and Dongho act the wrong age more than they normally do, his hyung crawling to him in the middle of practice to tell him Keviiiiiin, save me, Dongho's trying to make me act like an adult! to be followed by Dongho rolling his eyes and saying We should go out for a snack after this, hyung!, ignoring the oldest's antics. They're all trying their best to be so them that he feels sorry for not being him enough lately to complete the set.
It's not his fault, though, and he's tried; it's simply impossible for him to ignore the fact that Eli keeps suggesting lame gags for the Ki duo, compares abs (or lack thereof) with Soohyun and talks in his accented Chinese to Dongho and Xander who respond in kind, but when it comes to Kevin he's got nothing. He isn't ignoring him specifically. It just seems, Kevin thinks more bitterly than he really should, that Eli is playing favourites with everybody except him.
On the first day of the musical's showing he's biting his lip in anticipation backstage, knowing he's more than prepared for it. So when the curtains draw open Kevin glides out gracefully as ever, smiles amongst the applause and delivers his lines, hits all his notes like he's been trained to. It's easier than he expected, until he gets to the kiss scene.
Out of the corner of his eye he can see his members sitting in the front row, watching; Xander has his hands over their maknae's eyes, and Kevin can almost hear them in his head ("You're too young!" "Wha- no I'm not, hyung, you're mad! Lemme see!"). Then he remembers the audience, and turns back, mind on task, delivering the stage kiss smoothly. There are a few shocked gasps from the audience (fangirls, he thinks guiltily), but the rest of it goes off well enough, and when the curtains close and debrief is over he rushes out the back door where U-KISS is waiting, beaming so brightly it's like they are the sun and for a split second he can tell himself it isn't winter.
Typically, they're all telling him how amazing his voice is and how well he played his role, somehow all being turned into four-year-olds as they make kissy faces and ask Kevin do you wanna bobo me too?~ He swats at them playfully, laughs and says ewwww no way are you guys really older than me?, clutching at his sides and giggling as appropriate when Dongho fools around, shouting I'm not, keke~ and everyone piles on the maknae to punish him for flaunting his youth.
Afterwards, though, Eli tugs at his coat, forcing him to lag behind the rest and talk to him. Kevin bites his lip obstinately when Eli talks, because he knows there's definitely more to the idle chitchat than what they had for lunch at practice that one day he couldn't make it, and maybe it's a bad habit, but Kevin's always been just a tad impatient when it comes to things he cares about.
"Why're you so out of it, Kev?" you don't call me Kev, Kevin says in his head. He gives it a thought and says it out as well, a second later.
"You're right, I don't," laughs Eli, "but it doesn't answer the question." The way he talks is comfortable, and Kevin finds himself turning on him, then, angelic features distorted into an unfamiliar expression of anger.
"You know what's wrong? You never do anything for me." It's childish, he realises the moment he's said it, but he doesn't want to take it back, so Kevin chews on his quivering lip and holds his accusing stare, waiting for a response.
Eli meets his gaze evenly, but there's confusion in his eyes. "I mean, you've got some kind of soft spot for everybody except me. It's almost deliberate, like - like Dongho's your favourite dongsaeng, Soohyun's your favourite work-out partner and so on, except for me. It...it gets to me, okay." Kevin ignores the stinging sensation in his eyes, tries to tell himself he's not being a total girl about everything.
"Who says so?" Now Eli is pressed up against him, eyes boring into his. "Really, Kevin. Being mopey doesn't suit you." Before Kevin can respond, he pecks him on the forehead in a decidedly un-Eli like manner and turns away immediately, pulling him along by the hand. "Come on, they're waiting for us."
Kevin blinks and touches his forehead, following hastily. "What am I, then?" he asks, persistent.
"You really wanna know?" The rapper sounds a bit embarrassed. Kevin doesn't answer because it's obvious. "My favourite person. "
The anger has dissipated, leaving shy reassurance in his wake. "But you never do anything for me. It's true."
Eli snorts; "It's because you never need any help. You're amazing at everything you do."
It's corny and coupled with the falling snow, Kevin feels like a teenage girl, especially with the dizzy rush of happiness going to his head. But he's half of that (the teenage bit) and he thinks he's suffered enough the past few weeks, so, wrapping his arms around the older's, Kevin doesn't say anything, because his heart has all the answer it needs.
--
a/n: I am so terribly sorry for being so terribly corny :( I need to stop being such a cornmaster, really. Also I let my bias for Xander/Dongho show, hehehehe.