Tales Of Teenage Angst: Of Dads And Other Men's Boxers
Title: Tales Of Teenage Angst
Chapter: Of Dads And Other Men's Boxers (3/?)
Summary: High School AU. Unconnected Scenes from the life of a straight-but-hangs-out-with-too-many-gay-guys-adopted-by-a-gay-man-way-too-smart-for-his-own-good teenager.
Characters/Pairings: Kyuhyun-centric, KangTeuk, EunHae with cameos from just about every idol you can think of and some you probably wouldn't, with pairings that sometimes may actually be shipped by people other than us.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Warnings: Language, a lot. And drug use. Sex. Whatever it's there. Not yet, but there will be.
There was a large man Kyuhyun didn’t recognise in his kitchen. Well, he was shorter than Kyuhyun but Kyuhyun figured he would probably lose if he had to fight the stranger, so he opted to act nonchalant, as if having a complete stranger making coffee in his kitchen (with his coffee maker- but again, Kyuhyun admitted privately he would get beaten to pulp should he go up against the man) was not an entirely odd and slightly alarming experience.
‘…Hi,’ the stranger said when Kyuhyun breezed past him (nonchalantly).
Kyuhyun nodded in acknowledgement of the stranger as he put two slices of bread in the toaster. He pointed to himself with the butter knife he’d picked up (in case the stranger decided to attack him), a jar of peanut butter in his other hand (to be used as a bludgeon if necessary).
‘Hungry teenager,’ he said by way of explanation. When he noticed that the man was making a cup of tea as well as a cup of coffee, he loosened his hold on his weapons, because he figured the stranger was probably here with his dad. And Kyuhyun didn’t recognise the man from Jungsoo’s Aviculture Club meetings, so that must mean… ewwwwww, old people sex.
‘Oh…’ The stranger nodded. ‘I’m-‘
‘My new daddy?’ Kyuhyun interrupted, faking a face of childish hopeful glee (he probably looked more like a mental asylum escapee but that’s not the point) and almost giggled (not that he giggled. Manly pride and all) at the look of shock that dawned on the older man’s face. ‘... I'm kidding. I do get the concept of a one night stand.’
‘It's not a one night stand-‘ the stranger began, only to have Kyuhyun interrupt again.
‘Ah, so you could be my future appa.’ Kyuhyun nodded sagely.
‘I-‘ the man began again. Kyuhyun decided it was fun interrupting the man, now that he had some vague reassurance he wouldn’t get beaten up any second by the kitchen invader- he kept a hold on the butter knife, just in case.
‘Oh, I get it, you're bottom. I would have thought with my dad looking like the fairy princess he is-‘ Kyuhyun rambled, only to get cut off.
‘I'm straight. I work with your dad,’ the man said bluntly and Kyuhyun blinked.
‘Well. This is awkward,’ Kyuhyun said in reply. Personally, he didn’t think this man looked like he worked with Jungsoo at all- he didn’t look like a doctor at all. Maybe he was the janitor…
Kyuhyun almost leapt out of his skin when the toaster jumped in the awkwardly silent room, but he liked to think he played it off coolly by disguising the jerk of shock as a sort of half jig.
‘Youngwoonie~’ Jungsoo’s voice floated down the stairs and Kyuhyun resisted the urge to make a gagging face as he spread peanut butter on his toast.
‘Have fun working with my dad Mr I'm-straight-but-I'm-wearing-another-man's-boxers. It's been a gas,’ Kyuhyun said when he was finished and started the trek back to his room, trying to ignore the niggling feeling that he had a rather large hole in the back of his pajama pants.
‘My name’s Kangin!’ the man called after him, but Kyuhyun’s mouth was too full of peanut butter and crumbs to reply.
Two Weeks Later
Kyuhyun almost collided with Kangin coming out Jungsoo’s bedroom as he headed towards the stairs.
Kyuhyun blinked at the burly man, taking a few moments to place him.
‘Oh hey! Mr Straight-but-wearing-another-man’s-boxers!’ Kyuhyun exclaimed, triumphant at placing the man, before he raised his eyebrow. ‘Having a board meeting in my dad’s bedroom again?’
Kangin raised an eyebrow in imitation. ‘For one, it’s Kangin. For two, you do know what a paediatrician is, right? I mean, Jungsoo’s your dad, you should know what he does for a living.’
Kyuhyun scoffed. ‘Duh. Like. Whatever. Point is, dude, you were all ‘no, I’m straight’ and like. You’re coming out of my dad’s bedroom in the morning, so… yeah.’ Emphatic hand movements illustrated Kyuhyun’s point, as well as possible jazz hands.
Kangin blinked, then snorted with laughter. ‘Yeah, I’m not straight. I’m totally sleeping with your dad.’
Kyuhyun blinked, and felt like they might be taking turns being mirrors before he shook his head. ‘Well. I figured that out, but why did you say you were straight?’
Kangin laughed again. ‘Wanted to see if anyone would still buy it. I was just shitting you.’
Kyuhyun almost felt affronted. ‘Shouldn’t you be nicer to the son of the man you seem to like?’
Kangin squinted at Kyuhyun amusedly. ‘Like? Um, yeah, I’ve been dating your dad for four years.’
‘How did I not know this?’ Kyuhyun demanded after a brief awkward silence.
‘I’m not entirely sure, because we weren’t exactly trying to keep it a secret,’ Kangin replied. ‘Pretty sure Jungsoo said he told you, actually.’
Kyuhyun shifted his gaze awkwardly. ‘He calls you Youngwoon, right?’
Kangin sighed. ‘He’s the only one who does.’
Kyuhyun gave a slight cough. ‘Okay, he might have mentioned you once or twice. Or like. A lot. He kept talking to me while I was gaming. Or sto-udying.’
Kangin raised an eyebrow and smirked. ‘Sto-udying?’
Kyuhyun scoffed. ‘I said studying, whatever, are you going deaf, I mean, I know you’re old and all, I mean, you’re dating my dad, but whatever, man, just like, get a hearing aid or something.’
‘Are you nervous or something, because I feel like you normally don’t come off quite so uneducated,’ Kangin said bluntly.
‘Whatever. You’re nervous,’ Kyuhyun mumbled.
Kangin laughed heartily and held out a hand. ‘Well, either way, it’s good to officially meet you, finally. Your dad’s told me a lot about you.’
‘That’s not a good thing,’ Kyuhyun replied, shaking Kangin's hand.
‘He kinda never shut ups about you. I’ve seen all your baby pictures.’ Kangin barely hid a smirk as Kyuhyun groaned and buried his face in his hands.
‘I’m going to get ready for school now,’ he said, his voice muffled by his hands. ‘Good to meet you too, Mr Not-straight-and-actually-sleeping-with-my-dad.’ Brief pause. ‘Mr Not-straight-but-actually-sleeping-with-Cho-Kyuhyun’s-dad, I mean.’
Three Weeks Later
‘Did you cook? Cos if you cooked, I’m not eating,’ Kyuhyun said loudly as Jungsoo dragged him into the dining room.
‘Youngwoon picked up takeaways, but that’s not the point,’ Jungsoo said.
‘Who’s Young- oh, Kangin,’ Kyuhyun realised mere moments before he saw the man in question setting the table.
Kangin looked up and gave an eye crinkling grin. ‘Sup, Kyuhyun.’
‘Sup,’ Kyuhyun greeted back, walking past him to take a seat at the table. Kangin stopped and got a faintly perplexed expression when Kyuhyun passed him, eyeing him before leaning over slightly and sniffing.
‘Did you seriously just smell me?’ Kyuhyun asked incredulously, and not without a mild sheen of paranoia.
‘You smell…’ Kangin trailed off.
‘It’s an interesting smell, isn’t it?’ Jungsoo said brightly. ‘It’s this incense he buys.’
‘Incense,’ Kangin repeated, and Jungsoo nodded.
‘He uses it when he meditates, it really does seem to help him relax,’ Jungsoo continued while Kyuhyun glared daggers at him.
A grin slowly unfurled across Kangin’s face and he turned to Kyuhyun. ‘You meditate?’ he asked, laughter evident in his voice.
‘Whatever, yeah. I totally meditate,’ Kyuhyun sulked in his chair.
‘And the incense plays an important part in the whole relaxation meditation thing, I’m assuming?’ Kangin asked as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.
‘It’s like… yeah, it… yeah.’ Kyuhyun scowled at Kangin’s grin.
‘I’d quite like to try it one day, would you mind?’ Kangin asked offhandedly.
‘Yeah, I’d mind,’ Kyuhyun said, his eyes wide. ‘It’s a very personal thing. So. Yeah.’
Kangin smirked. ‘I’m sure.’
‘Whatever. Can we eat? I’m hungry,’ Kyuhyun complained and Kangin chuckled.
Two Months Later
‘You know, you’re kinda here all the time lately,’ Kyuhyun said conversationally as Kangin sat on the couch reading the paper. ‘Even when my dad isn’t here. Like now. I mean, I don’t really mind, but it’s a bit weird.’
Kangin looked up at him, surprised. ‘I moved in two weeks ago.’
Kyuhyun blinked. ‘I feel like I should have known this.’
‘Me too,’ Kangin replied, ‘Your dad said he asked you if you were cool with it and you said you were.’
Kyuhyun shifty eyed. ‘My dad talks a lot. Sometimes I kinda just zone out and nod when he looks at me.’
Kangin raised an eyebrow. ‘That seems like a rather dangerous tactic.’
‘Sometimes he just catches me at the wrong time, okay!’ Kyuhyun said defensively.
Kangin’s eyes crinkled. ‘Like right after you’ve been meditating?’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Kyuhyun asked suspiciously.
Kangin smirked. ‘Just because Jungsoo thinks it’s incense, doesn’t mean I do.’
Kyuhyun’s eyes widened and he froze in his chair like a deer caught in the headlights, causing Kangin to laugh loudly.
‘Relax, I’m not going to tell him,’ Kangin chuckled with a wide grin. ‘I wouldn’t have gotten through med school without weed.’ He paused. ‘Don’t tell your dad.’
Kyuhyun cleared his throat awkwardly. ‘You’re a doctor?’
‘I told you I worked with your dad…’ Kangin said slowly.
‘I thought you were shitting me, though.’
‘About being straight, yeah. But yeah, I work with your dad. Well, kind of,’ Kangin amended, ‘I’m a surgeon, so we don’t really work in the same wing of the hospital, but whatever.’
‘Close enough,’ Kyuhyun shrugged.
‘Exactly,’ Kangin agreed.
There was a brief silence.
‘You sure you won’t tell him?’
Kangin chuckled. ‘Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.’
‘…thanks,’ Kyuhyun mumbled awkwardly.
‘But if he figures it out on his own, don’t bring me into it,’ Kangin warned, ‘I never knew, okay?’
‘Okay.’ Kyuhyun nodded. ‘Deal.’
Kangin gave a definitive nod and went back to reading the paper.
Silence reigned again for a minute or so, the quiet rustle of the newspaper the only sound in the room.
‘How did you not notice I’d moved in!’ Kangin exclaimed suddenly, lowering his newspaper emphatically. ‘My shit is lying everywhere! There was a fucking crate in the dining room for a week! You tripped over it!’
‘Whatever, man!’ Kyuhyun defended, ‘I had other things on my mind, like… I don’t know, school or something! Don’t judge me!’
Two Months Later
Kyuhyun stared up at his bedroom ceiling contentedly, trying to tell himself the puffs of smoke emitting from his mouth were actually smoke rings.
Changmin, however, was quick to snort with laughter and ask him what the fuck he was doing. ‘Those aren’t smoke rings, bro, seriously, you just look like a backfiring dragon.’
‘You’re a backfiring dragon, whatever, hyung,’ Kyuhyun replied, with all the attitude of a bobble-headed dog.
‘A backfiring dragon who’s going to college in a few months,’ Changmin said taking a drag from the joint and giving it back to Kyuhyun.
‘Fuck you about that, by the way, I’m still pissed you’re ditching me,’ Kyuhyun sulked and Changmin laughed.
‘You have three years left of school, dude, deal with it.’
‘Whatever,’ Kyuhyun muttered, and proceeded to almost have a heart attack when his bedroom room door burst open and Kangin marched in, going directly to Kyuhyun and plucking the joint from between his fingers.
Kyuhyun was about to vehemently protest the confiscation of his weed when Kangin lifted it to his lips and took a drag. At which point Kyuhyun could do nothing more but gape.
‘You smoke?’ Changmin asked Kangin in surprise.
‘You know him?’ Kyuhyun asked Changmin in surprise.
Changmin gave him a weird look. ‘He’s been dating your dad for like, ever. I met him years ago. And he’s been living here for a few months. You do know this, right?’
‘Of course!’ Kyuhyun exclaimed. ‘I just didn’t know you’d met! … Also, how did you meet him before me?’
‘…I actually leave your room?’ Changmin guessed.
‘… Whatever,’ Kyuhyun muttered.
‘Wow, you guys have such scintillating conversations,’ Kangin said, letting out a lungful of smoke.
‘Whatever, can I have my joint back?’ Kyuhyun asked, and Kangin took another drag before handing the joint back to Kyuhyun.
‘Wow, you really are totally chill with him smoking,’ Changmin said and Kangin shrugged.
‘I was experimenting at fifteen, and I’m a pretty damn successful surgeon now, so… not that fussed,’ Kangin replied. ‘Anyway, I’m going to try sleep now, so. Yeah. Don’t tell your dad.’
‘If I told him I’d have to tell him I was smoking, so…’ Kyuhyun trailed off.
‘…Good point. Good night!’ Kangin turned and promptly left the room.
‘… Well, that was weird,’ Changmin said.
‘Incredibly so,’ Kyuhyun agreed.
Six Months Later
‘Kyuhyun?’ Kangin asked quietly, knocking on his bedroom door.
‘Yeah?’ Kyuhyun replied.
‘Can I come in?’
‘… I guess,’ Kyuhyun answered, slightly sheepishly.
Kangin walked in slowly and carefully, because of the distinct lack of floor, and settled himself on the foot of Kyuhyun’s bed.
‘I think we need to talk about yesterday,’ Kangin said without preamble.
Kyuhyun avoided his gaze. ‘What about yesterday? I was just-‘
‘Tripping balls,’ Kangin finished for him.
‘No, like, I was just-‘
Kangin laughed. ‘Kid, I’ve been there, done that. I know the signs. You were flying high.’
They sat there in silence for a minute or so, Kangin waiting for Kyuhyun to say something, and Kyuhyun playing with a thread on his blanket.
‘So, what, are you gonna tell my dad or something,’ Kyuhyun muttered eventually.
‘No,’ Kangin replied, and Kyuhyun looked at him in surprise.
‘Really?’
Kangin shrugged. ‘Your dad is like, the king of overreacting, and besides, I don’t think…’ Kangin paused and seemed to collect his thoughts. ‘You’re sixteen. I remember being sixteen and curious. I did my fair share of drugs. I’m not going to tell your dad, who will probably just… I don’t even know, put you under house arrest for the rest of your life, possibly after a stint in rehab, and I’m not going to tell you not to do them.’
Kyuhyun looked at Kangin in confusion, his brows furrowed.
‘Then… if you’re not going to do anything, why did you want to talk to me?’ Kyuhyun asked.
‘Because… Look, okay, firstly, I’m not really in a position to tell you not to do them. Secondly, how exactly would I be able to make sure you’d stopped? With the hours I keep, there’s no way that would even be feasible. Besides, why would you stop just because I told you to? You’re sixteen, you’re not going to listen. As for why I wanted to talk to you…’ Kangin looked down at the bed, and then up again.
‘Going into the hard drugs- the chemicals- it’s… It can be dangerous. It can be a slippery slope- I’ve seen people fall. It’s not pretty. It is possible to get away fairly unscathed- I did. But… I definitely had a few scares. If you’re going to go down the chemical route, just…’ Kangin looked down again and when he looked back up at Kyuhyun his eyebrows were knitted and his eyes laced with concern.
‘Just don’t be stupid, okay? Don’t do them in an environment you don’t feel comfortable and safe in, only do them with people you trust, if possible, with some hallucinogens, have a sitter- someone who will be straight enough to tell you not to jump off that cliff, to remind you that you can’t actually fly. Don’t do drugs that come from a dodgy source, you don’t know what they’ve been cut with. Know what you’re getting yourself into before you do them. Some take a while to kick in; don’t take too much. Just… yeah, be sensible.
‘And… if you need help, if you get freaked out, if you need someone, if you feel you’ve gotten in too deep, if you don’t know what to do, if… just, anything, just… come to me? I promise I won’t judge, I won’t get angry, I won’t go all authoritarian unless it’s absolutely necessary, but if you’re in trouble, if you have any doubts or worries at all, come to me. Even if you have to wake me up. I would rather you do that than have something happen. Drugs aren’t something to be taken lightly, even though they don’t have to be a hell ride. Just. Please, know that I am here if you need me. Come to me,’ Kangin repeated, his gaze fixed on Kyuhyun’s. ‘Please.’
Kyuhyun opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
‘If it’s just questions, don’t wake me up, but I’ll still answer them,’ Kangin added, a smile twitching at his lip, causing Kyuhyun to chuckle weakly.
‘Okay?’ Kangin asked for confirmation. ‘Hey.’ He gave Kyuhyun a light whack on the knee, so Kyuhyun would look up at him again. ‘You got it? I’ve got your back, okay? Okay?’
Kyuhyun nodded. ‘Yeah, I got it.’
Kangin nodded in satisfaction. ‘Okay. Good. Well, you seem pretty solid right now, so, I’m going to go crash.’ He heaved himself up off the bed and gingerly picked his way to the door.
‘Kangin,’ Kyuhyun said, causing Kangin to pause at the door and turn to look at him expectantly. ‘… Thanks.’
Kangin’s eyes crinkled into half moons. ‘Someone had to do it, and it wasn’t going to be your dad,’ he replied. ‘One more thing.’
‘Yeah?’
‘Try not to get hooked?’
Kyuhyun laughed. ‘Yeah, okay. I’ll do my best.’
Part 2
Chapter: Of Dads And Other Men's Boxers (3/?)
Summary: High School AU. Unconnected Scenes from the life of a straight-but-hangs-out-with-too-many-gay-guys-adopted-by-a-gay-man-way-too-smart-for-his-own-good teenager.
Characters/Pairings: Kyuhyun-centric, KangTeuk, EunHae with cameos from just about every idol you can think of and some you probably wouldn't, with pairings that sometimes may actually be shipped by people other than us.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Warnings: Language, a lot. And drug use. Sex. Whatever it's there. Not yet, but there will be.
There was a large man Kyuhyun didn’t recognise in his kitchen. Well, he was shorter than Kyuhyun but Kyuhyun figured he would probably lose if he had to fight the stranger, so he opted to act nonchalant, as if having a complete stranger making coffee in his kitchen (with his coffee maker- but again, Kyuhyun admitted privately he would get beaten to pulp should he go up against the man) was not an entirely odd and slightly alarming experience.
‘…Hi,’ the stranger said when Kyuhyun breezed past him (nonchalantly).
Kyuhyun nodded in acknowledgement of the stranger as he put two slices of bread in the toaster. He pointed to himself with the butter knife he’d picked up (in case the stranger decided to attack him), a jar of peanut butter in his other hand (to be used as a bludgeon if necessary).
‘Hungry teenager,’ he said by way of explanation. When he noticed that the man was making a cup of tea as well as a cup of coffee, he loosened his hold on his weapons, because he figured the stranger was probably here with his dad. And Kyuhyun didn’t recognise the man from Jungsoo’s Aviculture Club meetings, so that must mean… ewwwwww, old people sex.
‘Oh…’ The stranger nodded. ‘I’m-‘
‘My new daddy?’ Kyuhyun interrupted, faking a face of childish hopeful glee (he probably looked more like a mental asylum escapee but that’s not the point) and almost giggled (not that he giggled. Manly pride and all) at the look of shock that dawned on the older man’s face. ‘... I'm kidding. I do get the concept of a one night stand.’
‘It's not a one night stand-‘ the stranger began, only to have Kyuhyun interrupt again.
‘Ah, so you could be my future appa.’ Kyuhyun nodded sagely.
‘I-‘ the man began again. Kyuhyun decided it was fun interrupting the man, now that he had some vague reassurance he wouldn’t get beaten up any second by the kitchen invader- he kept a hold on the butter knife, just in case.
‘Oh, I get it, you're bottom. I would have thought with my dad looking like the fairy princess he is-‘ Kyuhyun rambled, only to get cut off.
‘I'm straight. I work with your dad,’ the man said bluntly and Kyuhyun blinked.
‘Well. This is awkward,’ Kyuhyun said in reply. Personally, he didn’t think this man looked like he worked with Jungsoo at all- he didn’t look like a doctor at all. Maybe he was the janitor…
Kyuhyun almost leapt out of his skin when the toaster jumped in the awkwardly silent room, but he liked to think he played it off coolly by disguising the jerk of shock as a sort of half jig.
‘Youngwoonie~’ Jungsoo’s voice floated down the stairs and Kyuhyun resisted the urge to make a gagging face as he spread peanut butter on his toast.
‘Have fun working with my dad Mr I'm-straight-but-I'm-wearing-another-man's-boxers. It's been a gas,’ Kyuhyun said when he was finished and started the trek back to his room, trying to ignore the niggling feeling that he had a rather large hole in the back of his pajama pants.
‘My name’s Kangin!’ the man called after him, but Kyuhyun’s mouth was too full of peanut butter and crumbs to reply.
Two Weeks Later
Kyuhyun almost collided with Kangin coming out Jungsoo’s bedroom as he headed towards the stairs.
Kyuhyun blinked at the burly man, taking a few moments to place him.
‘Oh hey! Mr Straight-but-wearing-another-man’s-boxers!’ Kyuhyun exclaimed, triumphant at placing the man, before he raised his eyebrow. ‘Having a board meeting in my dad’s bedroom again?’
Kangin raised an eyebrow in imitation. ‘For one, it’s Kangin. For two, you do know what a paediatrician is, right? I mean, Jungsoo’s your dad, you should know what he does for a living.’
Kyuhyun scoffed. ‘Duh. Like. Whatever. Point is, dude, you were all ‘no, I’m straight’ and like. You’re coming out of my dad’s bedroom in the morning, so… yeah.’ Emphatic hand movements illustrated Kyuhyun’s point, as well as possible jazz hands.
Kangin blinked, then snorted with laughter. ‘Yeah, I’m not straight. I’m totally sleeping with your dad.’
Kyuhyun blinked, and felt like they might be taking turns being mirrors before he shook his head. ‘Well. I figured that out, but why did you say you were straight?’
Kangin laughed again. ‘Wanted to see if anyone would still buy it. I was just shitting you.’
Kyuhyun almost felt affronted. ‘Shouldn’t you be nicer to the son of the man you seem to like?’
Kangin squinted at Kyuhyun amusedly. ‘Like? Um, yeah, I’ve been dating your dad for four years.’
‘How did I not know this?’ Kyuhyun demanded after a brief awkward silence.
‘I’m not entirely sure, because we weren’t exactly trying to keep it a secret,’ Kangin replied. ‘Pretty sure Jungsoo said he told you, actually.’
Kyuhyun shifted his gaze awkwardly. ‘He calls you Youngwoon, right?’
Kangin sighed. ‘He’s the only one who does.’
Kyuhyun gave a slight cough. ‘Okay, he might have mentioned you once or twice. Or like. A lot. He kept talking to me while I was gaming. Or sto-udying.’
Kangin raised an eyebrow and smirked. ‘Sto-udying?’
Kyuhyun scoffed. ‘I said studying, whatever, are you going deaf, I mean, I know you’re old and all, I mean, you’re dating my dad, but whatever, man, just like, get a hearing aid or something.’
‘Are you nervous or something, because I feel like you normally don’t come off quite so uneducated,’ Kangin said bluntly.
‘Whatever. You’re nervous,’ Kyuhyun mumbled.
Kangin laughed heartily and held out a hand. ‘Well, either way, it’s good to officially meet you, finally. Your dad’s told me a lot about you.’
‘That’s not a good thing,’ Kyuhyun replied, shaking Kangin's hand.
‘He kinda never shut ups about you. I’ve seen all your baby pictures.’ Kangin barely hid a smirk as Kyuhyun groaned and buried his face in his hands.
‘I’m going to get ready for school now,’ he said, his voice muffled by his hands. ‘Good to meet you too, Mr Not-straight-and-actually-sleeping-with-my-dad.’ Brief pause. ‘Mr Not-straight-but-actually-sleeping-with-Cho-Kyuhyun’s-dad, I mean.’
Three Weeks Later
‘Did you cook? Cos if you cooked, I’m not eating,’ Kyuhyun said loudly as Jungsoo dragged him into the dining room.
‘Youngwoon picked up takeaways, but that’s not the point,’ Jungsoo said.
‘Who’s Young- oh, Kangin,’ Kyuhyun realised mere moments before he saw the man in question setting the table.
Kangin looked up and gave an eye crinkling grin. ‘Sup, Kyuhyun.’
‘Sup,’ Kyuhyun greeted back, walking past him to take a seat at the table. Kangin stopped and got a faintly perplexed expression when Kyuhyun passed him, eyeing him before leaning over slightly and sniffing.
‘Did you seriously just smell me?’ Kyuhyun asked incredulously, and not without a mild sheen of paranoia.
‘You smell…’ Kangin trailed off.
‘It’s an interesting smell, isn’t it?’ Jungsoo said brightly. ‘It’s this incense he buys.’
‘Incense,’ Kangin repeated, and Jungsoo nodded.
‘He uses it when he meditates, it really does seem to help him relax,’ Jungsoo continued while Kyuhyun glared daggers at him.
A grin slowly unfurled across Kangin’s face and he turned to Kyuhyun. ‘You meditate?’ he asked, laughter evident in his voice.
‘Whatever, yeah. I totally meditate,’ Kyuhyun sulked in his chair.
‘And the incense plays an important part in the whole relaxation meditation thing, I’m assuming?’ Kangin asked as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.
‘It’s like… yeah, it… yeah.’ Kyuhyun scowled at Kangin’s grin.
‘I’d quite like to try it one day, would you mind?’ Kangin asked offhandedly.
‘Yeah, I’d mind,’ Kyuhyun said, his eyes wide. ‘It’s a very personal thing. So. Yeah.’
Kangin smirked. ‘I’m sure.’
‘Whatever. Can we eat? I’m hungry,’ Kyuhyun complained and Kangin chuckled.
Two Months Later
‘You know, you’re kinda here all the time lately,’ Kyuhyun said conversationally as Kangin sat on the couch reading the paper. ‘Even when my dad isn’t here. Like now. I mean, I don’t really mind, but it’s a bit weird.’
Kangin looked up at him, surprised. ‘I moved in two weeks ago.’
Kyuhyun blinked. ‘I feel like I should have known this.’
‘Me too,’ Kangin replied, ‘Your dad said he asked you if you were cool with it and you said you were.’
Kyuhyun shifty eyed. ‘My dad talks a lot. Sometimes I kinda just zone out and nod when he looks at me.’
Kangin raised an eyebrow. ‘That seems like a rather dangerous tactic.’
‘Sometimes he just catches me at the wrong time, okay!’ Kyuhyun said defensively.
Kangin’s eyes crinkled. ‘Like right after you’ve been meditating?’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Kyuhyun asked suspiciously.
Kangin smirked. ‘Just because Jungsoo thinks it’s incense, doesn’t mean I do.’
Kyuhyun’s eyes widened and he froze in his chair like a deer caught in the headlights, causing Kangin to laugh loudly.
‘Relax, I’m not going to tell him,’ Kangin chuckled with a wide grin. ‘I wouldn’t have gotten through med school without weed.’ He paused. ‘Don’t tell your dad.’
Kyuhyun cleared his throat awkwardly. ‘You’re a doctor?’
‘I told you I worked with your dad…’ Kangin said slowly.
‘I thought you were shitting me, though.’
‘About being straight, yeah. But yeah, I work with your dad. Well, kind of,’ Kangin amended, ‘I’m a surgeon, so we don’t really work in the same wing of the hospital, but whatever.’
‘Close enough,’ Kyuhyun shrugged.
‘Exactly,’ Kangin agreed.
There was a brief silence.
‘You sure you won’t tell him?’
Kangin chuckled. ‘Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.’
‘…thanks,’ Kyuhyun mumbled awkwardly.
‘But if he figures it out on his own, don’t bring me into it,’ Kangin warned, ‘I never knew, okay?’
‘Okay.’ Kyuhyun nodded. ‘Deal.’
Kangin gave a definitive nod and went back to reading the paper.
Silence reigned again for a minute or so, the quiet rustle of the newspaper the only sound in the room.
‘How did you not notice I’d moved in!’ Kangin exclaimed suddenly, lowering his newspaper emphatically. ‘My shit is lying everywhere! There was a fucking crate in the dining room for a week! You tripped over it!’
‘Whatever, man!’ Kyuhyun defended, ‘I had other things on my mind, like… I don’t know, school or something! Don’t judge me!’
Two Months Later
Kyuhyun stared up at his bedroom ceiling contentedly, trying to tell himself the puffs of smoke emitting from his mouth were actually smoke rings.
Changmin, however, was quick to snort with laughter and ask him what the fuck he was doing. ‘Those aren’t smoke rings, bro, seriously, you just look like a backfiring dragon.’
‘You’re a backfiring dragon, whatever, hyung,’ Kyuhyun replied, with all the attitude of a bobble-headed dog.
‘A backfiring dragon who’s going to college in a few months,’ Changmin said taking a drag from the joint and giving it back to Kyuhyun.
‘Fuck you about that, by the way, I’m still pissed you’re ditching me,’ Kyuhyun sulked and Changmin laughed.
‘You have three years left of school, dude, deal with it.’
‘Whatever,’ Kyuhyun muttered, and proceeded to almost have a heart attack when his bedroom room door burst open and Kangin marched in, going directly to Kyuhyun and plucking the joint from between his fingers.
Kyuhyun was about to vehemently protest the confiscation of his weed when Kangin lifted it to his lips and took a drag. At which point Kyuhyun could do nothing more but gape.
‘You smoke?’ Changmin asked Kangin in surprise.
‘You know him?’ Kyuhyun asked Changmin in surprise.
Changmin gave him a weird look. ‘He’s been dating your dad for like, ever. I met him years ago. And he’s been living here for a few months. You do know this, right?’
‘Of course!’ Kyuhyun exclaimed. ‘I just didn’t know you’d met! … Also, how did you meet him before me?’
‘…I actually leave your room?’ Changmin guessed.
‘… Whatever,’ Kyuhyun muttered.
‘Wow, you guys have such scintillating conversations,’ Kangin said, letting out a lungful of smoke.
‘Whatever, can I have my joint back?’ Kyuhyun asked, and Kangin took another drag before handing the joint back to Kyuhyun.
‘Wow, you really are totally chill with him smoking,’ Changmin said and Kangin shrugged.
‘I was experimenting at fifteen, and I’m a pretty damn successful surgeon now, so… not that fussed,’ Kangin replied. ‘Anyway, I’m going to try sleep now, so. Yeah. Don’t tell your dad.’
‘If I told him I’d have to tell him I was smoking, so…’ Kyuhyun trailed off.
‘…Good point. Good night!’ Kangin turned and promptly left the room.
‘… Well, that was weird,’ Changmin said.
‘Incredibly so,’ Kyuhyun agreed.
Six Months Later
‘Kyuhyun?’ Kangin asked quietly, knocking on his bedroom door.
‘Yeah?’ Kyuhyun replied.
‘Can I come in?’
‘… I guess,’ Kyuhyun answered, slightly sheepishly.
Kangin walked in slowly and carefully, because of the distinct lack of floor, and settled himself on the foot of Kyuhyun’s bed.
‘I think we need to talk about yesterday,’ Kangin said without preamble.
Kyuhyun avoided his gaze. ‘What about yesterday? I was just-‘
‘Tripping balls,’ Kangin finished for him.
‘No, like, I was just-‘
Kangin laughed. ‘Kid, I’ve been there, done that. I know the signs. You were flying high.’
They sat there in silence for a minute or so, Kangin waiting for Kyuhyun to say something, and Kyuhyun playing with a thread on his blanket.
‘So, what, are you gonna tell my dad or something,’ Kyuhyun muttered eventually.
‘No,’ Kangin replied, and Kyuhyun looked at him in surprise.
‘Really?’
Kangin shrugged. ‘Your dad is like, the king of overreacting, and besides, I don’t think…’ Kangin paused and seemed to collect his thoughts. ‘You’re sixteen. I remember being sixteen and curious. I did my fair share of drugs. I’m not going to tell your dad, who will probably just… I don’t even know, put you under house arrest for the rest of your life, possibly after a stint in rehab, and I’m not going to tell you not to do them.’
Kyuhyun looked at Kangin in confusion, his brows furrowed.
‘Then… if you’re not going to do anything, why did you want to talk to me?’ Kyuhyun asked.
‘Because… Look, okay, firstly, I’m not really in a position to tell you not to do them. Secondly, how exactly would I be able to make sure you’d stopped? With the hours I keep, there’s no way that would even be feasible. Besides, why would you stop just because I told you to? You’re sixteen, you’re not going to listen. As for why I wanted to talk to you…’ Kangin looked down at the bed, and then up again.
‘Going into the hard drugs- the chemicals- it’s… It can be dangerous. It can be a slippery slope- I’ve seen people fall. It’s not pretty. It is possible to get away fairly unscathed- I did. But… I definitely had a few scares. If you’re going to go down the chemical route, just…’ Kangin looked down again and when he looked back up at Kyuhyun his eyebrows were knitted and his eyes laced with concern.
‘Just don’t be stupid, okay? Don’t do them in an environment you don’t feel comfortable and safe in, only do them with people you trust, if possible, with some hallucinogens, have a sitter- someone who will be straight enough to tell you not to jump off that cliff, to remind you that you can’t actually fly. Don’t do drugs that come from a dodgy source, you don’t know what they’ve been cut with. Know what you’re getting yourself into before you do them. Some take a while to kick in; don’t take too much. Just… yeah, be sensible.
‘And… if you need help, if you get freaked out, if you need someone, if you feel you’ve gotten in too deep, if you don’t know what to do, if… just, anything, just… come to me? I promise I won’t judge, I won’t get angry, I won’t go all authoritarian unless it’s absolutely necessary, but if you’re in trouble, if you have any doubts or worries at all, come to me. Even if you have to wake me up. I would rather you do that than have something happen. Drugs aren’t something to be taken lightly, even though they don’t have to be a hell ride. Just. Please, know that I am here if you need me. Come to me,’ Kangin repeated, his gaze fixed on Kyuhyun’s. ‘Please.’
Kyuhyun opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
‘If it’s just questions, don’t wake me up, but I’ll still answer them,’ Kangin added, a smile twitching at his lip, causing Kyuhyun to chuckle weakly.
‘Okay?’ Kangin asked for confirmation. ‘Hey.’ He gave Kyuhyun a light whack on the knee, so Kyuhyun would look up at him again. ‘You got it? I’ve got your back, okay? Okay?’
Kyuhyun nodded. ‘Yeah, I got it.’
Kangin nodded in satisfaction. ‘Okay. Good. Well, you seem pretty solid right now, so, I’m going to go crash.’ He heaved himself up off the bed and gingerly picked his way to the door.
‘Kangin,’ Kyuhyun said, causing Kangin to pause at the door and turn to look at him expectantly. ‘… Thanks.’
Kangin’s eyes crinkled into half moons. ‘Someone had to do it, and it wasn’t going to be your dad,’ he replied. ‘One more thing.’
‘Yeah?’
‘Try not to get hooked?’
Kyuhyun laughed. ‘Yeah, okay. I’ll do my best.’
Part 2