kaisoo (long) drabbles for my water clan
a love without a language
pg-13 | au, romance, fluff | 2480w
Jongin learns to love three things: the Korean language, California, and eventually, Kyungsoo. {for belle}
“Don’t panic, don’t panic. Whatever you do, don’t panic because panicking only makes things worse,” Jongin repeats to himself as he tries to make sense of the flimsy map in his hand. He’s pretty sure he just walked past that weird, oval shaped building a couple of minutes ago, but he definitely isn’t at the bell tower that is supposed to be right next to it.
Whoever thought letting Jongin wander the campus by himself without a cell phone or any way of contacting the cousin he’s supposed to meet forgot that Jongin is just an eighteen-year-old boy with no real life skills and the navigation skills of a broken GPS running on outdated information. Add in the fact that over 90% of the campus students can’t speak Korean, and Jongin is left to roam around aimlessly for over an hour, crying over the piece-of-junk map his aunt threw at him before he left the house.
About ready to call it quits and go back home - if he can even find his way back - Jongin sees the first Asian on campus all day. In excitement and blind hope, he rushes to the short man and taps him on the shoulder. “Do you speak Korean?” he asks right as the man turns around, only to be met with wide eyes on a rather handsome face, now that Jongin can see it up close.
“Uh, I’m sorry-“ Jongin deflates after just two words - two words Jongin actually knows in his very limited English vocabulary - and he doesn’t even try to be discrete about it. He’s about to mumble a ‘never mind’ when the man continues, “I, um, know a little?”
The last two words are in Korean, and that’s enough for Jongin to pep up a little bit. At least he was right about the Korean aspect, even though he missed the nail on the whole speaking part. Still, a little is better than none, which is what Jongin has been getting so far all day. In accented English, Jongin tries to ask, “Do you know where”- he points to the bell tower in the middle of the map -"this is?" Bless those mandatory English classes he took in school, even though he only remembers a few key words and phrases from them.
“Oh, yeah, I’m walking there right now.” Upon seeing the lost look on Jongin’s face, the stranger smiles awkwardly and attempts to make a ‘follow me’ motion instead. Understanding - or, at least, thinking he understands, although Jongin’s not sure if the man wants to help or kidnap him, because both are possible and Jongin would be oblivious until he either arrives at the bell tower or is pushed into a white van - Jongin smiles back and nods.
The bell tower isn’t as far as Jongin feared; it’s less than a five minute walk away. The stranger leaves him once they arrive with a small smile, and Jongin thanks him profusely and even watches him walk away - the man’s cute, Jongin won’t lie - before looking around for his cousin. He’s even early, as indicated on the big clock on the tower.
Maybe studying in America won’t be too bad after all.
-
It’s the first week of Spring session, and Jongin has already settled in at his aunt’s place. He’s made a couple of friends too, mostly Koreans his cousin introduced him to, but Jongin has spent the majority of his time either in practice rooms or libraries.
Today, he is going to a new library on the corner of the campus, because it’s closer to his next class and his friend said it’s the least used and therefore has the most amount of free tables available. Jongin is on the second floor, looking for a seat, when he spots a familiar face concentrated on a textbook.
Nosiness has always been a character flaw of Jongin’s. He’s curious about everything, even things that don’t concern him, and it’s a tendency that can piss off the people around him, especially his older sisters. However, it’s also made him new friends and new discoveries, and besides, it’s not like Jongin can just turn it off.
Which is why he finds himself hovering over the not-so-stranger’s back, trying to read whatever he’s studying. To his delight, he recognizes the text immediately and realizes that his stranger is studying Korean.
“Do you need help?” he asks in comfortable Korean. Speaking English - well, attempting to speak English - throughout the day always tires Jongin, who revels in any chance he gets to speak his native language, as even his cousin Junmyeon and Aunt Sue never allow him to speak Korean at home because they want him to pick up English faster.
The man jumps in his seat, almost knocking over his English-to-Korean dictionary. When he sees Jongin, he apparently recognizes the face as he calms down shortly after. “Oh, it’s you again. I mean, uh, hello?”
The formality in the stranger’s Korean is cute and it makes Jongin giggle, even though he stops himself shortly after when he sees the displeasure on the man’s face at his laughter. “Are you studying Korean?” he continues, looking down at the book that contains elementary level Korean.
“If you’re asking what I think you’re asking… yes?”
Jongin beams at that, and the stranger blinks a couple of times as Jongin says, “I can help!” and pulls out a chair without invitation to do so. He assumes he’s older than the man or at least the same age though, so it shouldn’t be a trouble.
Startled, the man doesn’t say anything; he just nods wordlessly. Jongin dives right into it, forgetting his own studies as he reads through the textbook and hurries to find a way to explain it to Kyungsoo.
Of course, he should have thought it through a little more. Teaching Korean without speaking English himself sounds a bit naïve on his behalf, but then again, he has hands - charades and pointing to objects has always been Jongin’s go-to move when lost. The man seems to understand Jongin anyway, smiling so often that it makes Jongin wonder why (even though he’s no better, because his grin never leaves his face once).
At the end of their first ‘session’, the stranger introduces himself as Kyungsoo in Korean. Jongin is proud of Kyungsoo for speaking so well, and himself for learning his stranger’s name. This won’t be the last time they meet.
-
Jongin becomes Kyungsoo’s unofficial Korean tutor. He even skips out on dance practices to check the library and see if Kyungsoo is there, which he usually is. Inadvertently, Jongin finds himself learning English more as well, since Kyungsoo still texts and writes in English, forcing Jongin to ask what the words mean in English.
No stranger to having crushes on cute boys with quiet laughs, Jongin finds himself enjoying Kyungsoo’s presence far more than he expected. However, he suppresses those feelings in fear that Kyungsoo isn’t gay, and proceeds with his platonic - well, as platonic as he can get while still being touchy-feely and passing it off as friendly skinship - actions.
That all changes one day when Jongin and Kyungsoo are out for ice cream. It’s warming up again, and Kyungsoo recommends an ice cream shop just outside of campus by drawing out a picture of an ice cream cone and pointing to a map. Jongin agrees cheerily, always willing to spend more time with Kyungsoo.
When they arrive, Kyungsoo pays for their cones and they sit outside, legs sprawled out in front of them as they both face the street. Jongin thinks his mind is playing tricks on him every time he thinks he sees Kyungsoo glance his way. Wishful thinking never gets him anywhere.
Jongin is halfway done with his ice cream, Kyungsoo just barely making a dent, when Kyungsoo’s foot mysteriously makes its way closer to Jongin’s. Jongin eyes it curiously when Kyungsoo slowly nudges forward, tapping Jongin’s foot on the side. At first, Jongin passes it off as a careless mistake, since Kyungsoo isn’t even looking his way when it happens.
But then it happens again. And again. And again. And eventually Kyungsoo’s foot is lodged into the side of Jongin’s foot in a way that should be uncomfortable but strangely isn’t, and Jongin’s ice cream is melted onto his hand because he’s been distracted this entire time by Kyungsoo.
Jongin eventually gets the nerve to push back, eyes shyly meeting Kyungsoo’s as he does. Kyungsoo is staring at him now, smiling as they hit each other lightly with their feet, playing footsies as the sun sets in the distance and hope rises in Jongin’s chest.
-
Junmyeon is the worst person to go to for dating advice, Jongin decides. He went to his cousin with innocent intentions, only wanting to ask how to say, “Will you go out with me?” in English, and ended up with a double-date dinner with his cousin and his girlfriend.
“I don’t want you to come with us,” Jongin groans as Junmyeon shakes his head.
“You can’t even speak English that well,” Junmyeon replies. “I need to come to help you translate.”
That’s bullshit, but Jongin doesn’t say that out loud or else Junmyeon will kill him.
“Besides, I want to meet this girl. She must be really pretty if you’re asking her out and ignoring all the other girls pining after you in your dance class.”
Jongin gulps at that. He never really did mention his sexuality to his aunt and cousin, or anyone else in his family for that matter. He has a hunch they know and don’t want to say anything about it, but still, he fears their reaction, because if it’s poor, Jongin will have to find a place to live for the rest of the year and rent isn’t cheap around the school; plus, he won’t be able to come back next year if that happens.
Still, he can’t lie to his own cousin. Junmyeon, despite his faults, has still always been kind and caring towards Jongin, evident in the fact that he wants to chaperone Jongin’s first date in America.
“My date’s not… he’s a he?” Jongin attempts to explain. He flinches as the words fall from his lips oh-so-eloquently, averting his eyes immediately.
It’s quiet for a few seconds, before Junmyeon slowly replies, “I guess that makes sense. It’s that Kyungsoo kid, isn’t it?” Jongin nods, still not looking up. “Well, I’ve lived in California long enough to be… enlightened about these things, so I won’t say anything. Just don’t, um, introduce your date to my mom quite yet. She might take some convincing.”
Jongin’s eyes widen as he looks up at his cousin awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. He could kiss the man, but he doesn’t want Junmyeon to think he’s into guys and incest, so he refrains. Instead, he beams at Junmyeon, who loosens up enough to smile back. “Thanks.”
“No problem. Just make sure this guy is gay before you ask. I don’t want you to break your heart before you even get into a relationship.”
Jongin grins at that. “Oh, don’t worry. I’m pretty confident about him.”
-
Asking Kyungsoo out is a slam dunk, mostly because Kyungsoo is expecting it and doesn’t even miss a beat before replying with a, “Finally,” accompanied with an exasperated sigh and toothy smile. Jongin could almost kiss the living daylight out of the man, but he’s trying to be patient and reminds himself that’ll come later in their relationship.
Kyungsoo is surprisingly very okay with the fact that Junmyeon and his girlfriend are going. “It’s a bit early to be meeting the family, but that’s fine with me.” Jongin has no idea what exactly Kyungsoo is saying, but the man is smiling and locking ankles with Jongin under the table so of course he has to smile back.
Dinner goes well. Jongin picks Kyungsoo up at his dorm before meeting Junmyeon at a nearby sushi place. Junmyeon offers to pay for everyone, and even though Kyungsoo doesn’t win in his protest against that, he does win Junmyeon’s approval. Jongin has met Junmyeon’s girlfriend before, and Kyungsoo is hard not to like, so everyone talks comfortably throughout the dinner.
Right before they part ways for Jongin to drop Kyungsoo off and Junmyeon to do the same for his girlfriend, Junmyeon pulls Jongin over and says, “I know it’s a bit early to say this, but I think mom would love him. Give it time, introduce him as a friend first, but I really think he’s a keeper.” Jongin’s heart swells at his cousin’s considerate words, smiling as they wave each other goodbye.
The walk back to the dorms is quiet but comfortable. Kyungsoo grabs Jongin’s hand the moment they leave the restaurant, not caring about who sees, and Jongin loves it; he even swings their hands back and forth, flaunting it. He never could have done this back at home in Korea without getting a few glares here and there, but in California, nobody even bats an eyelash at it and Jongin feels like he belongs here, is meant to be here.
When they arrive at Kyungsoo’s building, Jongin is reluctant to let go. He’s about to say good night when Kyungsoo presses a kiss to his cheek and smiles almost shyly, a look Jongin mirrors as well.
“I just thought I should let you know,” Kyungsoo starts, squeezing their hands together. “You look good when you dance.”
Jongin blinks at the perfect, unaccented Korean that falls from Kyungsoo’s lips. It’s so cute and incredibly hot, and he’s left speechless as he watches Kyungsoo wave goodbye at him and walk into the building with a quiet laugh at Jongin’s dumbfounded look.
Questions buzz in Jongin’s mind as to where Kyungsoo learned that and, even more important, how Kyungsoo saw Jongin dancing. Sure, he’s mentioned dancing before, but he’s never demonstrated it to the man.
But he doesn’t rush after the man; he just smiles and waves back. He has plenty of time to learn more about Kyungsoo and English and California, and trust Jongin when he says he won’t waste any of it.
a/n: not as happy with this as i thought sobs i have no idea what i even had in mind when i claimed this prompt [sighs] this is why you always write down your ideas; you will forget them. on the bright side, this one is relatively short, meaning the next could be longer without needing a new post [cheers] [bricked]
•
a breach of security
pg-12 | au, romance, humor | 6420w
Kyungsoo is a fugitive and Jongin is an alien, but other than that, this is probably your typical love story. Well, if typical love stories include breaking-and-entering, bubble wrap, and a puppy (or two). {for berg}
“Chanyeol, stop that ruckus,” Kyungsoo mumbles, his voice thick with sleep as he rolls over and pulls a pillow over his head. When the popping sound coming from the living room doesn’t stop, he groans, temper rising as well as his voice. “Chanyeol, seriously! It’s almost three in the morning, what are you even-“
Wait. Chanyeol moved out two weeks ago. Kyungsoo doesn’t have a roommate anymore… Then who’s making that sound? The blood in Kyungsoo’s body turns cold as he jolts up in bed, beads of sweat on his forehead as he rushes to think of what to do. He could confront the intruder, or he could just call the police. But if he calls the police- damn. Kyungsoo is screwed either way.
“Why does this shit always happen to me,” Kyungsoo grumbles to himself as he throws his sheets to the side and pulls his legs out of bed. This is one of the few cons of losing his roommate; while it's nice not having to pick up dirty clothes everywhere, Kyungsoo also no longer has the comfort of having his roommate do the rest of the dirty work, which was mostly just scaring off anyone who dares visits uninvited. He fumbles to find his gun hidden under the bed before stumbling towards the door. So much for being silent and sneaky.
Sneaking a peak outside, the living room is dark but the popping sound is persistent. Turning on the light would be a bright idea, but Kyungsoo doesn’t want to scare the intruder away - he is going to teach this punk for breaking into Do Kyungsoo’s apartment.
Sticking to the wall, Kyungsoo quietly makes his way towards the center, eyes squinting into the darkness to see if he can make out a figure. Aha, got you! In the middle of the living room, the dark outline of a man can be seen. He looks lean and long in the dark, but Kyungsoo is used to fighting men of that stature anyway - he trains with Chanyeol and Sehun all the time, and they’re probably taller than this guy.
Kyungsoo takes a moment to make sure his gun is loaded (there’s no such thing as being too safe, after all) before he speaks, voice calm and collected, as he found out soon into his career that the less troubled you sound, the more intimidating you appear. “You sure have to be a fool to break into an apartment in this neighborhood.”
The man stops the popping sound for a moment - and it’s now that Kyungsoo finally realizes what that sound is - before replying, “I didn’t break in.”
A scowl makes its way across Kyungsoo’s features. He never was a morning person. “Cut the bullshit. No one else has a key into this place, and no one has the guts to rob me either. Tell me, kid, do you have a death wish?”
“Kid?” the voice replies, incredulous and almost offended. “I’m no kid. I’m probably older than you!”
“How old can you possibly be if you just spent half an hour popping up all my bubble wrap?”
“It’s not my fault this material is so entertaining,” the intruder grumbles, popping another one.
Kyungsoo’s eye twitches. “You really chose the wrong apartment to break into.”
“I told you, I didn’t break in anywhere. I zapped in.”
“If you think you’re being funny, you’ve got another thing coming. This gun in my hand is a hint.”
The man hums in thought, and Kyungsoo can feel his patience wearing thinner and thinner by the second. He should just fire a shot and scare the guy away so he can get back to bed, but that would make too much sound and garner too much attention. Technicalities are always such a pain. “You humans really are as violent as I read.”
“Why are you talking like that?” Kyungsoo snaps. Is this a prank? Are Jongdae and Baekhyun on their annual rampage of terror? Wasn’t last year’s big shit up enough?
“Can I see your gun?” the man asks instead, standing up. Kyungsoo glares into the darkness, eyes more adjusted than before. He can see the defined jawline and facial structure of the man; he looks as young as Kyungsoo expected.
“You should think that question through again,” Kyungsoo hisses, arms unwavering as he aims the gun at the intruder.
“Please?” the man tries, and Kyungsoo cannot believe it - the man keeps advancing forward. Any sane person would see a man with a gun and run the other way, but this guy just keeps walking closer and closer!
“Stay back!” Kyungsoo shakes his gun. “Seriously, I will shoot you if you provoke me.”
“I’m just curious,” the intruder defends, and is that a pout Kyungsoo is seeing? “I’m not going to do anything to you; our kind isn’t nearly as violent as yours.”
“And stop talking like that,” Kyungsoo snaps. “It’s weird.” And freaking me out, not that Kyungsoo would admit that part.
The intruder stops, and Kyungsoo unconsciously lets out a breath of relief, finger relaxing on the trigger. “You humans are so ignorant,” the man says after a moment, and Kyungsoo has half the nerve to use the back of his gun to knock the guy out and just drag him out, but that also sounds like too much work on Kyungsoo’s behalf to carry around that much dead weight. “To think there is not life outside of your planet, in other galaxies. How foolish.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
The man lets out a long, forced breath out of his nose. Kyungsoo is about to snap at the guy for sighing at him when suddenly the lights turn on.
"What the hell?" Kyungsoo's eyes blink a few times to adjust before they focus in on the man, still standing in the middle of the room and nowhere near the light switch. "What just happened?" His grip on the gun tightens.
"I adjusted the electrical wires to turn the lights on. I know your species can't see through the dark, and neither can mine." The man has the used up sheet of bubble wrap in his hand, looking completely harmless and rather stupid. There is no way he could do any of that.
"I swear to fuck, if this is Baekhyun and Jongdae playing some sick joke-"
Before Kyungsoo can finish his sentence, the man before him degenerates. Kyungsoo can't do anything but watch dumbly as the man goes from wearing a full body of skin, to bare flesh, and then to a dark red, rock-like substance. He looks like something straight out of Minseok's secret comic stash that he hides under his bed. And just like that, the man shifts from looking completely red back to his human form.
"Now, if you're done putting up a fight, may I please look at your gun? I promise to tell you everything in exchange."
Kyungsoo feels faint. “Let’s talk about this after I swallow down my dinner again.”
-
“So your name is Kai.”
“In Korean, yes. Well, actually, I think it’s Jongin, if I’m being completely honest. But Kai sounds closer to my homeland name, phonetically speaking.”
“… right.”
This 'Jongin' puts down the gun after examining it for five minutes and scanning it with his bracelet. Kyungsoo, after recovering from his initial shock (which probably would have been a lot harder to anyone else who's actually normal), has finally settled down - well, relatively speaking. He still has no idea what has happened and his mind is buzzing with questions, but at least he doesn't feel like passing out and never waking up.
“You don’t sound like an alien,” Kyungsoo notes, crossing his arms. “I mean, I doubt aliens are able to speak Korean.”
“I shouldn’t sound like an alien,” Jongin agrees. “I’m wearing an adaptor necklace, after all” - he gestures to the thin, silver chain around his neck - “I’m able to speak fluently in whatever language the situation calls for, as well as change my appearance to adapt to whatever environment I’m in.”
Kyungsoo needs to sit down. He didn’t ask to be in some weird sci-fi flick. He’s already starring in his own drama-slash-action-slash-overall-badass movie; adding some weird-ass, creepily attractive alien into this would just be too much.
“I was sent here to learn the ways of humans,” Jongin hums, continuing to pop the bubble wrap. After he finished the first sheet Kyungsoo had in his living room from opening a package earlier, he asked for more, and Kyungsoo, too dumbfounded to think it over, relented. He regrets it now and Kyungsoo can see himself dying ten years younger just from the stress of this single situation. “All of us Exonians must spend at least a year at every planet to complete their education.”
“That sounds tiring."
“Not really,” Jongin admits. “It depends, of course, on the planet. Some are nice, like the ones inhabited - they’re fairly entertaining. Others, the barren ones, are quite tiresome to live on, even if you’re with someone else. I don’t even want to talk about how awfully boring it was to spend a year on Mars staring at dust the entire time.”
“So Mars is empty?”
“It is now. I believe most of its inhabitants have scattered to other planets now.”
“Why?”
Jongin shrugs, bored now that all the bubble wrap is used up. “I’m not entirely sure myself. But from what I could tell, there wasn’t much to do there. If I ever run into a Martian, I will come back to tell you.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Kyungsoo mutters. He would like Jongin to leave as quickly as he can rather than linger around.
“It's the least I can do after all of your hospitality."
"Are you kidding me?" Kyungsoo scoffs. "You broke into my house and I threatened you with a gun."
"Perhaps we had a rocky meeting, but that will meaning nothing in the end."
Kyungsoo doesn't like the sound of that. "What do you mean?" he asks, squinting at the man-slash-alien-slash-freak.
"You're going to let me stay with you, aren't you?"
If Kyungsoo was drinking coffee, he'd spit it all over the guy's face right now. Then again, if Kyungsoo was drinking coffee, he'd also feel a lot less annoyed; Kyungsoo is even scarier than usual without his sleep.
"No."
Jongin looks up at that, finally stopping his popping. "What? Why not?" he asks - no, whines.
"I almost killed my last roommate, what makes you think I want another?”
“I’m not as easy to kill.”
“No.”
“I’ll help clean up!”
“No.”
“Please, I don’t know where else to go, and you seem nice enough.”
Kyungsoo laughs. He actually laughs. Nice? Him? “No.”
"I'll offer you whatever you'd like. I can pay for my stay - I hear gold is a rarity on your planet."
That catches Kyungsoo's attention. He's not exactly poor at the moment, but the more money he earns, the easier the move will be.
Still, the mere thought of a new roommate - an alien one at that - makes Kyungsoo's head ache. If he's going to suffer through this, he'll have to make it worthwhile.
“Fine," he relents, but just as Jongin is about to thank him, he tacks on, "But on one condition - before you leave, you have to zap me out of here.”
Jongin blinks, not expecting that. “What?”
“Zap me out of here. Take me to, I don’t know, America? Anywhere but Korea.”
Jongin still doesn't seem to understand, tilting his head to the side in a way that resembles a confused puppy. The motion unreasonably annoys Kyungsoo. “Why?”
“Let’s just say I’m not welcome here anymore. So is it a deal?”
“Well, I don’t know -“
“Then have fun finding a job and an apartment.”
"Okay, okay!” Jongin quickly caves in.
Kyungsoo smirks. "Good. Then we have a deal. Now, I need to go sleep, and if I hear one more popping sound, you will be out on your ass before the sun rises."
The sharp, affirmative nod Jongin gives him reminds Kyungsoo of a well-trained dog. Maybe he won't be so different from Chanyeol after all, Kyungsoo thinks wryly as he leaves Jongin behind in the living room.
-
Jongin is definitely no Chanyeol.
Jongin wakes up at unearthly times. He sleeps without any regard to the clock or setting; after Kyungsoo returns home from the grocery store, he finds Jongin asleep on the kitchen counter, head over a plate. He has no idea where the plate even came from, but he has half a mind to whack Jongin on the head with it.
Jongin also likes to try new things. When Kyungsoo leaves for a meeting, Jongin promises to study the "art of human cuisine," as he put it, and make Kyungsoo dinner for when he returns. Kyungsoo stressed several times before going that Jongin doesn't need to nor should he do that without supervision, but Jongin is a stubborn alien.
Which is why Kyungsoo comes home to a burnt pan and a pounding headache.
"Your elements of sustenance are less resistant to heat than I calculated," is all Jongin offers as an explanation to the burn pile of something stuck to the bottom of his beloved cookware.
After brooding for a good hour, Kyungsoo re-enters the kitchen and, to Jongin's awe, begins cooking dinner. He even is kind enough to cook enough for Jongin - okay, that's a lie, because the truth is he's already used to cooking for two for Chanyeol - who is practically wagging his tail.
"The scent is delightful and nothing like how mine smelled."
Jongin gobbles up the food at an inhumane rate, leaving Kyungsoo to wonder if that's just an alien thing or if he was really hungry.
"That was delicious! What poison did you put in it?" Jongin asks, literally licking the plate clean.
"Salt," Kyungsoo deadpans.
"Amazing!"
One month in, and Jongin picks up on Kyungsoo's little quirks.
For example, he knows to steer clear of Kyungsoo when he's on the phone, and to avoid all mentions of work. He also knows never to step foot in the kitchen without Kyungsoo's supervision, or else he will face the wrath of Kyungsoo's ranting for a good fifteen minutes. Most importantly, he knows Kyungsoo's soft spots, which is why he isn't scared to invite Kyungsoo to watch cute cartoon human shows with him.
Two months in, and Jongin finally begins speaking like a normal person.
"AYO, WHAT'S CRACKING, SOO SOO?"
Maybe normal was a stretch. Kyungsoo knew he should've taken away Chanyeol's spare key. (Luckily, Chanyeol didn't even question the very sudden new roommate. Although he did ask if Junmyeon was okay with it, he didn't push it or ask where the guy even came from and why he spoke like an awkward Google translation.)
Three months in, and Kyungsoo no longer fears taking Jongin out of the apartment.
The first time he attempted to bring Jongin to the grocery store, he lost the alien and spent an entire half hour searching the entire store, only to step out and find the man playing on the little rides in front of the store (and scaring children away at that). Deeming Jongin unready for human interactions, he waited a few months to take Jongin to the park.
"So that's a slide?"
"Yep."
"And that's a swing?"
"Mhm."
"And that's a huge, flying monkey?"
"Ye- wait, what?" Kyungsoo's eyes widened as he scanned the park, only to find Jongin grinning at him.
"Just wanted to make sure you're paying attention to me."
Kyungsoo wanted to point out that Jongin has only had his attention for the past three months, but he thinks the alien is already a bit too arrogant for his own good, so he keeps quiet as Jongin continues to record into his bracelet all of the 'energizing sights surrounding him,' which happens to include grass.
Four months in, and Jongin finally meets the rest of Kyungsoo's loosely-defined friends.
"So this is the new puppy Chanyeol told me about," Baekhyun hums, appraising Jongin with his eyes. Kyungsoo refrains from clawing them out; Jongin isn't some dead body for Baekhyun to cut open and prod with a stick.
"You don't look like an alien," Jongdae says, leaning in closely to examine Jongin's face. Jongin moves in the opposite direction, frowning slightly as his eyes find Kyungsoo, asking, Why are your friends looking at me like I'm dinner? Kyungsoo just pretends he doesn't notice Jongin's despair, sighing as he kicks Sehun's feet off the table.
"He looks our age," Tao notes.
"Well, he's not. He's almost fifty years old." Junmyeon whistles at the side, impressed.
"So tell me, how's Kyungsoo as a host?" Luhan asks, seated in between Sehun and Minseok on the couch, arms crossed but expression at ease.
Jongin apparently seems to find his voice at the mention of Kyungsoo. "He's great! He always cooks for me when he's at home, and he usually answers my questions now without snapping at me or threatening to cut off a part of my body"- there's snickers at that which are all silenced by Kyungsoo's glare -"Plus, he's really nice to look at, which helps because my kind gravitates towards the cute." Jongin smiles after that last statement, completely missing the way Kyungsoo's eye twitches and everyone else stiffens.
"You never told me that last part," Kyungsoo says through gritted teeth, fists clenching and unclenching as he struggles to maintain calm. It's hard though, when he can tell all of his friends are shaking with laughter, ready to explode.
Jongin flushes at that, and Kyungsoo tries not to think about whether or not aliens can even blush and why it's so endearing. "I know," he admits. "I just figured you'd like to know."
"You should've kept that to yourself," Kyungsoo tells him, voice eerily low.
"But why? It's the truth."
Kyungsoo lets out a long breath through his nose, eyes closed and eyebrows furrowed. He can hear someone whisper, "I'm surprised Jongin's not dead or seriously injured yet."
"Somebody go get me a cup of water," he says instead. "And an Advil."
Chanyeol ends up being the one to do that, the only one to know where the Advil is stored, and Jongin somehow makes his way towards Kyungsoo in the meantime. "Did I say something wrong?" he asks, genuinely concerned.
Kyungsoo doesn't reply; he just shakes his head, afraid if he speaks he'll snap at the alien, who has proven to be quite sensitive, if that fact that he teared up at the movie Mulan is any indication of that.
After Kyungsoo calms down, the rest of the guys let it go. Jongin sticks by his side, and Kyungsoo wishes he wouldn't because the alien always feels so hot around Kyungsoo, which he is convinced is because of Jongin's naturally higher body temperature and nothing more. Still, it's uncomfortable because it's summer and there's already enough body heat in the damn room because of his friends.
Midnight rolls around, and his friends start leaving, one by one. Sehun and Tao offer to drop by later to give him some of their old clothes for Jongin to wear - which Jongin seems delighted about, because human clothes excite him for reasons beyond Kyungsoo's knowledge (all he needs is a closet of black clothes, thank you very much). Junmyeon approves of his roommate, saying Jongin seems harmless and can stay as long as Kyungsoo continue his job.
As Baekhyun leaves, the last one out as always, he leans into whisper into Kyungsoo's ear, "Be sure to tell me about all the hot, alien sex you two have." Kyungsoo promptly kicks him out, slamming the door behind him.
Five months in, and Jongin has stopped sleeping on the couch.
Kyungsoo has offered him a blow-up mattress, a cot, a roll-away bed (complimentary of a friend who works at a hotel), but Jongin has rejected every single one of those options to sleep on - unbelievably enough - the floor beside Kyungsoo's bed.
"Why are you doing this?" Kyungsoo asks, exasperated but also too tired to argue as he falls onto his own bed.
Jongin stares up at him from the floor where his blankets are all laid out. "Your room is cooler."
"I can get you a fan outside." Kyungsoo stifles a yawn as he reaches over to grab an extra pillow and chuck it at Jongin's face, who catches it with a smile.
"It's okay. I like the floor."
"Of my room."
"Of your room."
"Why?"
"Because I get to be around you more."
Kyungsoo is quiet for a moment. "And why is that so great?" He's not used to people wanting to be around him; the man's a god damn fugitive. He drags people down around him, and the only reason he's able to maintain a relatively normal outer appearance is because Junmyeon and his gang took him in and let him work for them under the table. If it wasn't for Junmyeon, the police would've found him any day on the streets, passed out and almost dead, and they would've locked him up again for a crime he didn't commit (although now, he can't say he's exacty innocent anymore).
"Because you're fun to talk to."
A quiet chuckle escapes Kyungsoo's lips. "You're weird."
"I know - you tell me that all the time." He can hear the smile in Jongin's words.
"And I'll keep telling you that until you stop being weird. Now stop talking and go to sleep before a bug crawls into your mouth."
"Did you know bugs are consider a cuisine in some places?"
Kyungsoo reaches down and kicks Jongin with his foot for that.
Six months in, and Kyungsoo learns just how comfortable Jongin is around him.
It starts when Jongin starts walking around shirtless. Maybe in the summer Kyungsoo would have passed this off as mildly acceptable and necessary, but it is almost fall and there is absolutely no reason for Jongin to not wear his shirt. (Not that the alien listened the reason. "I'm always hot," he counters whenever Kyungsoo argues, effectively shutting the man up.) It takes all of Kyungsoo's willpower not to ogle every time Jongin passes.
Then Jongin begins playing with Kyungsoo's hand, claiming they're "fascinating" and "for research," and Kyungsoo doesn't even protest even though Jongin is sporting a human hand of his own to analyze. He pretends his stomach doesn't feel like it's being punched by a t-rex (at least, that is how he imagine this feeling must amount to) when he wakes up to find his hand, dangling from the bed and caressed by Jongin's calloused one.
Jongin also has a habit of snuggling with Kyungsoo whenever he gets the chance. At first, Kyungsoo thought Jongin just may have been cold and was too lazy to go grab a blanket, so he decides to burrow into Kyungsoo's side and rest his chin on Kyungsoo's shoulder as they watch a movie. Kyungsoo starts turning up the heater after that, but Jongin returns to his side every single time, no matter how warm it gets.
The peaking point, however, is when Kyungsoo walks in on Jongin showering. The alien isn't even ashamed of his very human (emphasis on the man) body - hell, he waves at Kyungsoo and asks him how his day has been going. Kyungsoo proceeds to slam the door shut and lock himself in his own room for a good two hours, despite Jongin's knocking to ask what's wrong.
He's a fucking alien, I should not be turned on, he chants in his mind over and over, his mantra for the past couple of weeks and months to follow.
Seven months in, and Kyungsoo is screwed.
-
“So you mean to tell me that you’re sexually frustrated because your alien-roommate likes to walk around half-naked and has a nice body?”
“I literally just said that.” Kyungsoo can feel his blood pressure rise as he watches Baekhyun sip on his expensive coffee.
Said man seems to think about this for a moment before replying, “Maybe I should see his body, too. You know, for science.”
“Don’t even think about it!” Kyungsoo snaps. “He’s not some specimen for you to probe under a microscope!”
“Oh, don’t get all over-protective on me now, Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun hums. “I just want to see if his body really is as hot as you say it is. I mean, his face is already killer, so I can only imagine how much more damage a hot body would do.”
"Shut up, I have this under control."
"Cold shower?" Baekhyun asks sympathetically.
Kyungsoo leaves Baekhyun crying over a puddle of spilled coffee. "THAT COST MORE THAN YOUR DAY'S WORTH OF SALARY!"
-
Kyungsoo's definition of "under control" is subjective, to say the least. In no books does it read that being "under control" means "subtly flirting with your alien roommate to see if he responds".
It's a bit unfair on both of their behalves: Kyungsoo's, because how is he to know if Jongin even understands the concept of flirting, and Jongin's, because he really doesn't understand flirting. His knowledge of affection is much more straightforward than Kyungsoo's innuendos and suggestive looks.
Still, Kyungsoo continues anyway, because he gets a kick out of Jongin's flustered confusion and Kyungsoo himself is a bit of a masochist.
Sometimes, Kyungsoo's lines are a bit shameful...
"My back hurts from sleeping on the floor," Jongin mumbles, rubbing his lower back after waking up.
"I could make it hurt for another reason," Kyungsoo says a heartbeat later.
Jongin looks over, expression confused. "What do you mean?"
Kyungsoo sighs, looking over at Jongin and shrugging. "I mean I could give you a massage, if you want."
Other times, a bit tasteless...
"This pizza is hard." Jongin makes a distasteful look after biting into their take-home food.
"Do you wanna know what else is hard?" Kyungsoo asks without thinking.
Jongin doesn't think much of it, picking away at his slice. "What?"
Kyungsoo shakes his head, unbelieving he even said that himself. "Nothing."
But they all lead to the same result: absolutely nothing.
That all changes one night, when Kyungsoo makes the biggest rookie mistake ever: kissing his roommate. He's not even sure what happened - one moment, Jongin challenges him to a pillow fight, claiming to have seen one on TV and that it looks fun, and the next, Kyungsoo is hovering over Jongin on bed, faces dangerously close and breathing heavy. In all honesty, limiting it to just one kiss is restraint enough on Kyungsoo's behalf.
After they pull away, Jongin's face is red - Kyungsoo still doesn't understand how Jongin could blush, his body temperature already supposed to be abnormally high - and lips even redder. Kyungsoo bites back a groan and forces himself to avert his eyes.
"W-What was that?" Jongin stammers, and that's the first time Kyungsoo's ever heard the alien stutter, so he's a bit proud of himself.
"A kiss," he replies shortly, as if it's no big deal that his stomach feels like it's about to vomit up butterflies.
"But why?" Jongin presses on, and Kyungsoo finally rolls off of Jongin to run a hand through his hair.
This could be his big moment. This could be the amazing sex Kyungsoo has always dreamed of. This could be his chance to rub it in his friends' face that he is not a little girl when it comes to Jongin. This could be-
A disaster. The days Jongin has left on Earth are limited - Kyungsoo hates that he started counting - and for some reason, Kyungsoo can't bring himself to use Jongin as a sex toy for himself. Any other person, he could use and toss away, but not Jongin.
Worst of all, he fears that if he lets himself succumb to his desires, he'll grow selfish and will never let Jongin leave. He already knows that feeling is sinking in, and Jongin's not even his. Acting on his wants will only make things worse, and Kyungsoo can't manage any more pain.
"Nothing. No reason, it was just- just an accident," Kyungsoo mumbles, turning his body away from Jongin so he can't see the other's response.
"Oh," is all Jongin says, and Kyungsoo pretends he doesn't sound like a kicked puppy as he sits up and walks away from the bed and the room, closing the door behind him.
-
Things change after that. Jongin curls back into himself, no longer as bold, and Kyungsoo doesn't say anything about it. It takes a whole month - a month wasted, in Kyungsoo's book - for them to even return back to something that is relatively normal.
Still, Kyungsoo tries to make the best of it. He checks out books from the library, a foreign place to him to even venture into, and gives them to Jongin to study. Jongin is thankful, but cautiously so, as if he doesn't want to let down his guards. It hurts, but Kyungsoo ignores that, like he does everything.
The days tick by, and when the last month comes around, suddenly Jongin clings to Kyungsoo's side as if nothing the past two months even happened. He follows him everywhere, even when he isn't asked to. Kyungsoo can't say he doesn't enjoy the attention, but part of him wishes Jongin wouldn't, because it makes it much harder for him to even bear the thought of Jongin leaving.
When Baekhyun asks what's wrong, Kyungsoo's reply is, "What isn't?"
-
The night of Jongin's departure is the worst Kyungsoo's had in a long time. Kyungsoo avoids the alien all day, pretending he's busy with work when in fact he just buys himself a coffee and sits on a park bench, trying to clear his mind but miserably failing.
When he returns, he find the apartment cleaned. The make-shift bed on the floor beside his own is folded up, and all the dishes are put away, and it's so clean but Kyungsoo just feels sick to the gut.
He finds Jongin in the kitchen, sitting and staring at the clock. Kyungsoo clears his throat to gain his attention, but Jongin already knows he's there. He stands up and makes his way to Kyungsoo, stopping right in front of the man. Kyungsoo's about to come up with some sarcastic remark to hide his feelings, but Jongin speaks first.
"I made you a promise - to take you to New York."
Kyungsoo almost forgot. This apartment had started feeling so much like home that he stopped obsessing over the idea of leaving it. "You did."
"But I'm sorry, I lied to you. I can't take anyone with me when I zap places," Jongin admits, watching for Kyungsoo's reaction. For some reason, he isn't as disappointed as he expected himself to be.
"Oh," is all he manages.
"But I was able to buy you a plane ticket, and get you some money to pay for a place there," Jongin continues, taking out an envelope from his back pocket.
Kyungsoo just smiles, although it feels forced. "Thanks, but I'm not exactly supposed to saunter into an airport. I'm a fugitive, remember?"
Jongin grins in return, but he looks just as unhappy. "I'm sure it won't be hard for your friends to make you a fake passport."
Kyungsoo can't argue to that. "Well, thanks," he says, reaching out to grab the envelope. As he does, Jongin pulls him in by the wrist and wraps his arms around him. Kyungsoo knows he shouldn't have let Jongin watch so many dramas.
"Thank you," Jongin murmurs into his hair. "For letting me stay with you, and for teaching me, and for letting me be with you for an entire year."
Kyungsoo's arm is stuck awkwardly between their bodies, but he uses his free arm to pat Jongin on the back. "Um, no problem, I guess," he mumbles, hoping his face isn't as red as he suspects it may be.
Jongin pulls away, still holding onto Kyungsoo, and stares at him. Kyungsoo is used to Jongin's eyes on him, mostly from curiosity for humans, but that doesn't make it any less uncomfortable for him. When did his eyes get so dark anyway?
The uneasy feeling settling in his stomach makes Kyungsoo clear his throat and speak, just to try and forget about it. "So, uh, can you send postcards from space?"
Jongin's quiet laughter shakes the both of them, and Kyungsoo's body aches at how close they are but far they will become. "It's a bit difficult, but if you give me your new address, I can try."
It's quiet again, before Jongin breaks it. "Will you miss me?" His voice is tender, and it makes Kyungsoo want to curl up in his chest. When did he become so weak?
"Unfortunately, I can't say no," he admits, voice frail.
Jongin smiles, and Kyungsoo has to look away. "I'll miss you too." Kyungsoo's doesn't reply, but Jongin takes the moment to lean in and kiss Kyungsoo on the forehead.
They part, Kyungsoo not looking at Jongin in fear of what he'll see and his reaction. It isn't until Jongin is standing in the middle of the living room, away from Kyungsoo, that he looks up, but even then, the sadness in Jongin's eyes is all too clear.
"Thank you," he says once more, hands pressing into his bracelet but eyes never leaving Kyungsoo's once.
Kyungsoo doesn't say anything; he just watches as Jongin waves at him one last time before disappearing into thin air, just like how he arrived.
It feels like a dream that Kyungsoo is finally waking up from, but the envelope in his hand tells him otherwise.
-
Settling in New York City seemed like a good choice for Kyungsoo, who was ready for a change but also wanted to keep some familiarity. The loud, bustling streets of NYC reminds him of Seoul, except stranger and more thrilling.
His apartment is not as nice as the one back in Korea, but it works for now. Kyungsoo is just happy he managed to find a place not infested by rats.
Life without Jongin was hard to adjust to at first. He spent an entire year with that insufferable alien, one of the best years he'll ever admit to. Sometimes he buys bubble wrap for the hell of it, leaving it out despite having no use for it. Maybe he's being stupidly wishful when he spends ten minutes just popping the bubble wrap, hoping it'll draw Jongin back.
Months pass and everything is normal. Thanks to his fake passport and papers, courtesy of Minseok and Junmyeon, things go smoothly in New York. He finds a job, takes care of himself, even picks up a stray puppy of the street.
It's almost Christmas now, marking his first six months in New York as well as his first six months without Jongin. He's out Christmas shopping, buying some trinkets for him to ship back to Korea to his friends. Kai, the name he chose for his puppy without thinking, is in his arms, bundled up in red.
As he fumbles to get his keys out, he hears something from inside his apartment. At first he thinks it might be water leaking from the floor above, but that's not it. It sounds a lot like... popping.
Kyungsoo has never opened his door so quickly before, almost dropping everything in his arms as he stares at the man sitting in the middle of his living room. He can't even move; he just watches as Kai jumps out of his arm and runs over to the figure on the floor.
"I'm hallucinating," Kyungsoo says, unable to tear his eyes away from Jongin as he pushes the door close behind him.
"You got a puppy while I was gone," Jongin replies, smiling as he pets the puppy licking at his feet. Kyungsoo almost laughs - he's still not wearing socks. Some things never change.
"Yeah, its name is, uh, Kai."
Jongin raises an eyebrow at that, but his eyes never leave the puppy. "I don't know if I'm flattered or offended."
"What are you doing here?" Kyungsoo blurts. "I mean, you said- shouldn't you be on another planet, studying?"
"Nope. I'm done studying," Jongin hums, smiling as he looks up to meet Kyungsoo's eyes. Kyungsoo pretends his breath doesn't in fact hitch in his throat.
"I'm sure there are many more planets out there that you haven't visited," he says, unconvinced.
"There are," Jongin agrees. "But none that I want to be more than this one."
Kyungsoo doesn't reply; he can't. His mind moves slower than his body, which carries Kyungsoo over to Jongin's side, only to collapse right in front of the alien. They stay like that, staring at each other, Jongin is amusement and something more, and Kyungsoo in quiet hope.
"So are you staying?" he finally asks.
"If you want me to."
"I want you to do whatever you want," Kyungsoo replies, crossing his arms.
Jongin chuckles. "That doesn't sound like the Kyungsoo I knew, who would yell whatever he wanted as if it was the law."
"It's been six months." Kyungsoo's voice is quieter this time.
Jongin's expression softens, hand reaching out to grab Kyungsoo's. "Sorry. I still had to make a report and finish sending in my work before I could officially leave."
"But you're staying this time?"
"Yep. But on one condition."
Kyungsoo actually laughs; the last time they had this conversation, it was Kyungsoo calling the shots, yet now, all he can do is listen to Jongin and pray that whatever he has is enough for the alien to want to stay.
"What is it?" he asks.
"I don't have to sleep on the floor anymore."
Kyungsoo snorts at that. "I never made you sleep on the floor, but alright, I can get you a bed this time."
"I don't want just any bed," Jongin continues, and Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow at that. Jongin smiles - no, smirks - and Kyungsoo knows he's a goner. "I want yours."
"And where will I sleep then?" Kyungsoo asks, breathless as Jongin's face leans closer and closer in.
"With me, of course."
"Should we seal the deal with a kiss?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
a/n: please excuse all typos; i am too lazy to reread this. thanks berg for your annoyingly inspiring prompts; look at the beast it created!! jk ilu though, and your great prompts ;;
this one could technically be defined as a oneshot but details
thank you for reading, and i hope you enjoyed! thanks again to belle and berg for their prompts and for agreeing to have a mini cute kaisoo fic exchange with me since i couldn't join the real deal ahuhuhuhu