Fic: Hope in Small Things (OT...6)
Title: Hope in Small Things
Character/Pairing: All & a brother
Rating: Preschool level sex and violence
Summary: The JunTwins' first day at daycare.
Author's Notes: The ages in this story are Korean ages where the day of your birth is counted as your first birthday, so subtract one for the more common counting. Thanks to
Rana and Tom McRea for the title. And Rana again for fixing my creative punctuation.
Junho squeezes Junsu's hand as Mommy knocks on the door. She'd said that they were going to have some new friends to play with today, and if they were good, they could come back and play again every day. Junho doesn't know why they need new friends, they have friends at their house. Junsu squeezes back, hard, because he knows that Junho's a little scared. But Junsu is more excited than scared, Junho could tell by the way he talked on the way here. When Junsu talks like that, Mommy always sighs really loud when the car stops.
Junsu starts swinging their hands, but Junho stops them as the door opens and a lady says hello to Mommy, then lets them come in. They say hello to the lady, then Mommy pulls off Junsu's rain hat but Junho takes off his own. He gets his boots off, too, but can't get the zipper on his coat to work before Mommy comes and does it for him. He can see a big playroom with bookshelves and tables and three boys leaning over the back of a big chair, staring at them. He pats down Junsu's hair, which is sticking up from the hat.
"I can't believe they're twins," the lady is saying to Mommy. Everybody says that. "Junho must be almost the same size as my Yunho. Yunho-ah, come and say hello to Mrs. Kim. And bring the other two."
The two boys on the outside poke at the cheeks of the middle one, and Junho recognizes the expression of a big brother telling little brothers to behave. They all disappear, but only two walk into the entryway, the one that was in the middle and the one with big, dark eyes.
"This is Mrs. Kim and her sons, Junho and Junsu. Boys, these are your hyungdeul--my son, Yunho and his good friend, Jaejoong. They are both six." Both boys say hello to Mommy. Yunho bows to them, too, and Junho bows back but has to tug on Junsu to remind him. Jaejoong, the one with the big eyes, reaches for Junsu's hand, but Junsu puts it behind his back and hangs on tighter to Junho. Jaejoong looks a little sad until the third boy peeks over Jaejoong's shoulder. "And this is Yoochun, who is not as shy as he's pretending to be." Yunho's mom squishes Yoochun's face in her hands as he smiles up at her. She'd better not try that with Junsu, Junsu hates that. And no one ever does that to Junho. "He just had his sixth birthday last week."
"Happy Birthday, Yoochun," Mommy says. Junho and Junsu both say happy birthday, too. Yoochun smiles at them and takes Jaejoong's hand, swinging their joined hands between them. Yunho looks at the swinging hands and smiles. Junsu's hand starts to fidget in Junho's, making Junho feel better. Junsu is excited again and Junho thinks that Yunho could be okay.
The door opens behind them and another lady comes in carrying a little kid. She stands him on a chair while taking off his rain clothes because, "I couldn't find his boots anywhere," she says.
"I think they're here," Yunho's mom says, looking in the closet while the new lady talks with Mommy.
"Come on," Yunho says, turning toward the playroom. "The toys are in here. We've got lots of cars and stuff to build roads with."
They go into the playroom, Junsu not hesitating to look in all the bins and boxes and shelves while Junho stays nearer the door to watch what's going on with Mommy and the new lady. She talks to Mommy while taking off the little kid's rain stuff, and sticks a sweater over his head while he searches through a bag she'd also set on the chair. He makes a face as the sweater goes on, and sticks one arm in a sleeve before seeming to find what he's looking for.
"Almost there," the lady says and holds out the empty sleeve which had twisted around toward the back. The kid sticks him arm in it and smiles as his mom rubs his cheek.
Just inside the playroom, out of sight of all the moms, Jaejoong is whispering at Yunho until Yunho says, "Fine!" and takes a couple of steps back outside the playroom.
"Good morning, Mrs. Shim," Yunho says very clearly.
"Good morning, Yunho. Hi, Jaejoongie," the new lady, Mrs. Shim, says.
Jaejoong gives Mrs. Shim a little wave from the playroom doorway, trying to look cute.
"You are so silly," Yunho says quietly. But Junho can see that he's laughing as he bumps into Jaejoong on the way past him. Jaejoong pretends to die from his wounds, while Yoochun dies laughing.
"Are you going to get down off the chair?" The kid shrugs, and Mrs. Shim picks him up and puts him on the floor. "I have a four year old with attitude."
The kid bows to Mommy and says, "I'm pleased to meet you, Mrs. Kim. I'm Changmin and I'm four and a half."
"Show off. Go terrorize your hyungdeul, Changminnie. Hello, Yoochun." Yoochun has snuck up to Changmin's mom's side and she takes Yoochun's face in her hands like Yunho's mom did, but kisses his forehead, too. As Yoochun walks back to the playroom, grinning, he drapes his arm around Changmin's shoulders. Changmin looks at Yoochun's dangling hand like it's something gross, and Jaejoong pretends to sob into the chair cushion. Junho can tell it's pretend, but Junsu isn't so sure so he moves close to take a careful look. Jaejoong's grinning when he raises his head as Yoochun and Changmin walk by.
"I'm going to marry Changmin's mom when I grow up," Jaejoong says to Junsu.
"Ha!" Yoochun says. Changmin rolls his eyes. Junho didn't think a little kid could do that.
"When you grow up, she's going to be OLD," Changmin says, jabbing Yoochun in the ribs with his elbow. Yoochun doubles over, still smiling, and Yunho snickers. All the moms are looking at them and then they all laugh, Changmin's mom covering her face with her hands.
"Hey," Jaejoong pokes at Changmin, who is looking at the laughing moms and frowning. "Pay attention to your hyung. This is Junho and that is Junsu. They're the same age as Yoochun."
"We're not six yet," Junsu says.
"He still calls you hyung. Changmin is four and a half, and the baby, and very cute, but stay away from him." Jaejoong indicates the boy standing behind him by pointing his thumb over his shoulder. "He bites."
"No, I don't-" Changmin wallops Jaejoong over the head with the book he's holding. It doesn't look like any of the moms saw that, so Junho moves Junsu behind him, just in case. "Don't worry," Changmin says to them. "That doesn't hurt Jaejoong because HE'S INSANE," Changmin bellows at Jaejoong, who is snickering from the other side of the room.
"Changmin!" Changmin's mom says, her hand on the outside doorknob. "Indoor voice, please."
"Yes, Mommy. Sorry." Changmin sets the book down and gives them each a bow. "I'm pleased to meet you. Welcome to the group." He looks over at the doorway and a little smile appears on his face as his mom smiles and nods at him before she leaves, then he heads toward the corner with the books, kicking at Jaejoong as he passes by.
"Good-bye, boys," Mommy calls. "I'll pick you up after lunch. Be good for Mrs. Jung."
Junho waves from the doorway, but Junsu yells, "Bye, Mom!" He's already back exploring. And singing. Junho winces, he'd hoped Junsu would save that for the second day but he should have known better. Junsu's still singing as he goes to see what Yoochun is doing at the clay table.
"What you making?" Junsu says, setting his elbows on the table and his chin in the palms of his hands.
"A bird," Yoochun says. "Wanna help?" Junsu shakes his head, but starts singing again.
Junho tries to ignore his embarrassing little brother and goes to see what's in the bin Yunho and Jaejoong have dragged out. There are pieces in there that remind Junho of the train tracks they have at home, but they have lines on them like a road.
"That's neat," he says.
"Yeah, it's better than just driving your cars around in a circle. Wanna help build a road?"
Junho nods and sits down. Yunho shows him how the pieces fit and how a path is marked out to be filled in with the flat pieces. Jaejoong is digging out all the trees and houses. Then he stops and stares at Junho. "Do you and Junsu have the same birthday?"
"Yup. We're twins. But, Junsu's my dongsaeng."
"Twins don't have to look alike, Jaejoong," Changmin says as he gets some paper and crayons from the drawers near the clay table.
"I KNOW THAT, CHANGMIN," Jaejoong says, not quite yelling. "I know there are boy-girl twins. I was just checking." He nods at Junho, and Junho nods back.
"How much younger are you than your hyung, hyung?" Changmin asks Junsu.
"One minute," Junsu says grinning.
"Oh! Junho's old!" Yoochun says. Junho looks over his shoulder and smiles as Junsu laughs.
Jaejoong isn't helping with the road building and he's not digging out the other pieces either; he's just staring into space. It doesn't seem to bother Yunho; he just keeps putting down the markers. Junho keeps putting down the pavement blocks, unless he can't find the ones that fits and then either Yunho helps find it or they change the marker. Then suddenly Jaejoong pokes at Yunho. "He's at it again."
Junho looks at them, but sees they are looking at Yoochun and Junsu at the clay table. "Does your brother hit hard?" Jaejoong asks.
"He can. Why?"
"The first time he tried this with Changmin, Changmin made him cry," Yunho says. "And Changmin was only three at the time."
"Three and a quarter," Jaejoong says. "It hurt Yoochun's feelings more than anything. But Changmin cried because Yoochun cried so that made it better. And Changmin hasn't punched him since. Think he'd quit hitting me if I cried?" Jaejoong asks Yunho.
"No. I think he'd quit hitting you if you'd stop making him mad. He's never hit me," Yunho says without looking away from Yoochun and Junsu.
Junho starts to get worried; he doesn't want anybody to cry or get hit, especially Junsu. Although Yoochun doesn't seem like the type of friend that would hit. He gets up on his knees. Jaejoong pats his arm, and gives him a smile that says that's it's okay. Yunho doesn't look worried either, just a little puzzled.
Junsu is playing with the clay himself now. He's making a soccer ball-he almost always makes a soccer ball-and seems to be telling Yoochun all about the game he's going to play with it, which is what he does when he makes the soccer ball. Yoochun is listening carefully, sitting very close. Then he kisses Junsu on the cheek. Junsu startles and looks at Yoochun. Then he laughs. Yoochun laughs, too, his smile putting dimples in his cheeks. Junsu pokes at them, making them both laugh harder.
Junho laughs, too. It's impossible not to laugh when Junsu does. Jaejoong is laughing, too, covering his mouth like girls do. Yunho is smiling, but he's also gone back to building the road. "Don't worry, Junho," Jaejoong says as he gets to his feet. "You'll get a kiss, too. Yoochun has kisses for everybody! Chunnie!" Jaejoong yells, running toward Yoochun with his arms open wide.
Yoochun is out of his chair and meets Jaejoong in a big hug and a very noisy kiss. Then they turn and yell, "Changminnie!"
Changmin jumps, startled out of his concentration on his book. He tries to scramble out of his nest of pillows, but they catch him. They hug him from both sides, blowing big, farty-noised kisses on both his chubby cheeks. At first he just scrunches his face up, but when they take big breaths for a second round he wails, "HYUUUUUUUUUNG!"
"Leave the baby alone," Yunho yells back, without looking up from his search through the car bin. Junho gets the feeling that this has happened before.
"My, such noise in here." Yunho's mom comes in and picks up Changmin. "Jaejoong and Yoochun, you know you can't play so rough with the baby. You are so much bigger than he is. Here, Minnie-ah, sit at the table and play with Junsu for awhile."
Changmin doesn't complain, but the look he gives Yunho's mom as she walks away clearly says, "Why do you always do this to me?" He scowls at the clay, but carefully picks up the bird Yoochun had been making and puts it aside. Junho sees the smile growing on Junsu's face and knows what's coming. Junsu hates to be left out, so it isn't a surprise when he kisses Changmin.
Both Jaejoong and Yoochun gasp. Junho looks at Yunho. Yunho is chewing on his lip and not looking for cars anymore. He shrugs when he sees Junho looking. Changmin is wiping his hand down the side of his face and glaring at Junsu. Junsu is smiling. Big.
"Stop it, hyung," Changmin says.
Junsu smiles bigger.
Jaejoong is now howling with laughter into the pillows while Yoochun is watching with open-mouthed shock. "This guy is amazing! Or really dumb," he says.
"I said stop smiling at me," Changmin says, starting to get the look Junho saw before he used the book as a weapon.
"Junsu," Junho says, in a tone he's had to use many times before. Junsu looks over at him, changing the full volume grin to an answering smile. It won't be the first time Junsu's been bitten by something he is poking at. "Just because he's smaller, doesn't mean he won't hurt you." Junho has had lots of experience with that.
He can see Junsu thinking about it. Then Junsu turns to Changmin and says, "Do you really read those books?"
Changmin blinks in surprise, the anger suddenly gone. "Yeah."
"Show me." Junsu gets up and drags Changmin out of the chair, back toward the reading corner. Junho can see Changmin thinking about arguing or fighting or something, but he hadn't decided what to do by the time he's back in what seems to be his favourite spot.
"Come on," Yunho says, as he puts the cars he's found in the roadway oval and gets to his feet. "Changmin reads really good."
Junho is almost knocked over by Jaejoong as he tears past them, probably needs to go pee. Yoochun and Junsu are lying on their backs with their heads at Changmin's crossed knees. Junho sits beside Junsu; Yunho sits with his back against a bookcase facing Changmin. Jaejoong comes back in with a cookie in his mouth and one in his hand. He gives it to Yunho before flopping down with his head in Yunho's lap and his feet on Yoochun's stomach.
"Changmin's story time again?" Yunho's mom says, as she hands out cookies to everyone. Junho takes one for himself and Junsu, like he always does, but Junsu has taken one, too. Junsu frowns a minute, takes one from Junho and puts the one he took from the plate into Yoochun's mouth. Junho has never seen anyone smile with their eyes as much as Yoochun does. "Yunho should read one, too," she says as she hands a cookie to Changmin, "So that Changmin doesn't always have to do it and Yunho gets some practice."
"Yes, Mom," Yunho says quietly.
When she leaves, Jaejoong says, "YAY! Yunnie story time!"
"I'm not reading about the mouse and the cookie."
"But-"
"If I read it again, Changmin will hit me."
"I will not hit you, hyung," Changmin says, his eyes on the books scattered around him. When he looks up, Junho points at Jaejoong and Changmin smiles, nodding. Junho understands now, but is not sure whether to be less or more worried about Junsu.
"BUT!" Jaejoong says louder. "I have a new book." He pulls out the book from under his shirt and reads proudly, "If You Give a Pig a Pancake." Yunho laughs and Changmin hits himself in the head with one of his books.
"I like pancakes," Yoochun says, sitting up to take the book out of Jaejoong's hands before flopping back down again. "If you give a pig a pancake, she'll want some syrup to go with it," he reads.
Junsu settles deeper into the pillows, his head almost on Yoochun's shoulder, but holding Junho's hand. Changmin has stretched out on his stomach and is reading over Yoochun's head, helping Yoochun with the hard words. Yunho is petting Jaejoong's hair and Jaejoong has the same look that their puppy gets when he's being petted. They don't seem to mind not seeing the pictures, but Junho wants to see. He lies down beside Junsu, curls around to look at the book over Junsu's head. Changmin sighs, but moves over a bit so Junho can prop his head on his hand. And Yoochun looks up at them as he turns the page, smiling again with both his mouth and eyes.
Junsu holds his hand tight. Not the scared tight, or the comforting tight, but the way they hold hands when they go to sleep. Junho's not as certain as Junsu seems to be, but he'd like to come back tomorrow to see if these guys could be their friends, too.
Character/Pairing: All & a brother
Rating: Preschool level sex and violence
Summary: The JunTwins' first day at daycare.
Author's Notes: The ages in this story are Korean ages where the day of your birth is counted as your first birthday, so subtract one for the more common counting. Thanks to
Rana and Tom McRea for the title. And Rana again for fixing my creative punctuation.
Junho squeezes Junsu's hand as Mommy knocks on the door. She'd said that they were going to have some new friends to play with today, and if they were good, they could come back and play again every day. Junho doesn't know why they need new friends, they have friends at their house. Junsu squeezes back, hard, because he knows that Junho's a little scared. But Junsu is more excited than scared, Junho could tell by the way he talked on the way here. When Junsu talks like that, Mommy always sighs really loud when the car stops.
Junsu starts swinging their hands, but Junho stops them as the door opens and a lady says hello to Mommy, then lets them come in. They say hello to the lady, then Mommy pulls off Junsu's rain hat but Junho takes off his own. He gets his boots off, too, but can't get the zipper on his coat to work before Mommy comes and does it for him. He can see a big playroom with bookshelves and tables and three boys leaning over the back of a big chair, staring at them. He pats down Junsu's hair, which is sticking up from the hat.
"I can't believe they're twins," the lady is saying to Mommy. Everybody says that. "Junho must be almost the same size as my Yunho. Yunho-ah, come and say hello to Mrs. Kim. And bring the other two."
The two boys on the outside poke at the cheeks of the middle one, and Junho recognizes the expression of a big brother telling little brothers to behave. They all disappear, but only two walk into the entryway, the one that was in the middle and the one with big, dark eyes.
"This is Mrs. Kim and her sons, Junho and Junsu. Boys, these are your hyungdeul--my son, Yunho and his good friend, Jaejoong. They are both six." Both boys say hello to Mommy. Yunho bows to them, too, and Junho bows back but has to tug on Junsu to remind him. Jaejoong, the one with the big eyes, reaches for Junsu's hand, but Junsu puts it behind his back and hangs on tighter to Junho. Jaejoong looks a little sad until the third boy peeks over Jaejoong's shoulder. "And this is Yoochun, who is not as shy as he's pretending to be." Yunho's mom squishes Yoochun's face in her hands as he smiles up at her. She'd better not try that with Junsu, Junsu hates that. And no one ever does that to Junho. "He just had his sixth birthday last week."
"Happy Birthday, Yoochun," Mommy says. Junho and Junsu both say happy birthday, too. Yoochun smiles at them and takes Jaejoong's hand, swinging their joined hands between them. Yunho looks at the swinging hands and smiles. Junsu's hand starts to fidget in Junho's, making Junho feel better. Junsu is excited again and Junho thinks that Yunho could be okay.
The door opens behind them and another lady comes in carrying a little kid. She stands him on a chair while taking off his rain clothes because, "I couldn't find his boots anywhere," she says.
"I think they're here," Yunho's mom says, looking in the closet while the new lady talks with Mommy.
"Come on," Yunho says, turning toward the playroom. "The toys are in here. We've got lots of cars and stuff to build roads with."
They go into the playroom, Junsu not hesitating to look in all the bins and boxes and shelves while Junho stays nearer the door to watch what's going on with Mommy and the new lady. She talks to Mommy while taking off the little kid's rain stuff, and sticks a sweater over his head while he searches through a bag she'd also set on the chair. He makes a face as the sweater goes on, and sticks one arm in a sleeve before seeming to find what he's looking for.
"Almost there," the lady says and holds out the empty sleeve which had twisted around toward the back. The kid sticks him arm in it and smiles as his mom rubs his cheek.
Just inside the playroom, out of sight of all the moms, Jaejoong is whispering at Yunho until Yunho says, "Fine!" and takes a couple of steps back outside the playroom.
"Good morning, Mrs. Shim," Yunho says very clearly.
"Good morning, Yunho. Hi, Jaejoongie," the new lady, Mrs. Shim, says.
Jaejoong gives Mrs. Shim a little wave from the playroom doorway, trying to look cute.
"You are so silly," Yunho says quietly. But Junho can see that he's laughing as he bumps into Jaejoong on the way past him. Jaejoong pretends to die from his wounds, while Yoochun dies laughing.
"Are you going to get down off the chair?" The kid shrugs, and Mrs. Shim picks him up and puts him on the floor. "I have a four year old with attitude."
The kid bows to Mommy and says, "I'm pleased to meet you, Mrs. Kim. I'm Changmin and I'm four and a half."
"Show off. Go terrorize your hyungdeul, Changminnie. Hello, Yoochun." Yoochun has snuck up to Changmin's mom's side and she takes Yoochun's face in her hands like Yunho's mom did, but kisses his forehead, too. As Yoochun walks back to the playroom, grinning, he drapes his arm around Changmin's shoulders. Changmin looks at Yoochun's dangling hand like it's something gross, and Jaejoong pretends to sob into the chair cushion. Junho can tell it's pretend, but Junsu isn't so sure so he moves close to take a careful look. Jaejoong's grinning when he raises his head as Yoochun and Changmin walk by.
"I'm going to marry Changmin's mom when I grow up," Jaejoong says to Junsu.
"Ha!" Yoochun says. Changmin rolls his eyes. Junho didn't think a little kid could do that.
"When you grow up, she's going to be OLD," Changmin says, jabbing Yoochun in the ribs with his elbow. Yoochun doubles over, still smiling, and Yunho snickers. All the moms are looking at them and then they all laugh, Changmin's mom covering her face with her hands.
"Hey," Jaejoong pokes at Changmin, who is looking at the laughing moms and frowning. "Pay attention to your hyung. This is Junho and that is Junsu. They're the same age as Yoochun."
"We're not six yet," Junsu says.
"He still calls you hyung. Changmin is four and a half, and the baby, and very cute, but stay away from him." Jaejoong indicates the boy standing behind him by pointing his thumb over his shoulder. "He bites."
"No, I don't-" Changmin wallops Jaejoong over the head with the book he's holding. It doesn't look like any of the moms saw that, so Junho moves Junsu behind him, just in case. "Don't worry," Changmin says to them. "That doesn't hurt Jaejoong because HE'S INSANE," Changmin bellows at Jaejoong, who is snickering from the other side of the room.
"Changmin!" Changmin's mom says, her hand on the outside doorknob. "Indoor voice, please."
"Yes, Mommy. Sorry." Changmin sets the book down and gives them each a bow. "I'm pleased to meet you. Welcome to the group." He looks over at the doorway and a little smile appears on his face as his mom smiles and nods at him before she leaves, then he heads toward the corner with the books, kicking at Jaejoong as he passes by.
"Good-bye, boys," Mommy calls. "I'll pick you up after lunch. Be good for Mrs. Jung."
Junho waves from the doorway, but Junsu yells, "Bye, Mom!" He's already back exploring. And singing. Junho winces, he'd hoped Junsu would save that for the second day but he should have known better. Junsu's still singing as he goes to see what Yoochun is doing at the clay table.
"What you making?" Junsu says, setting his elbows on the table and his chin in the palms of his hands.
"A bird," Yoochun says. "Wanna help?" Junsu shakes his head, but starts singing again.
Junho tries to ignore his embarrassing little brother and goes to see what's in the bin Yunho and Jaejoong have dragged out. There are pieces in there that remind Junho of the train tracks they have at home, but they have lines on them like a road.
"That's neat," he says.
"Yeah, it's better than just driving your cars around in a circle. Wanna help build a road?"
Junho nods and sits down. Yunho shows him how the pieces fit and how a path is marked out to be filled in with the flat pieces. Jaejoong is digging out all the trees and houses. Then he stops and stares at Junho. "Do you and Junsu have the same birthday?"
"Yup. We're twins. But, Junsu's my dongsaeng."
"Twins don't have to look alike, Jaejoong," Changmin says as he gets some paper and crayons from the drawers near the clay table.
"I KNOW THAT, CHANGMIN," Jaejoong says, not quite yelling. "I know there are boy-girl twins. I was just checking." He nods at Junho, and Junho nods back.
"How much younger are you than your hyung, hyung?" Changmin asks Junsu.
"One minute," Junsu says grinning.
"Oh! Junho's old!" Yoochun says. Junho looks over his shoulder and smiles as Junsu laughs.
Jaejoong isn't helping with the road building and he's not digging out the other pieces either; he's just staring into space. It doesn't seem to bother Yunho; he just keeps putting down the markers. Junho keeps putting down the pavement blocks, unless he can't find the ones that fits and then either Yunho helps find it or they change the marker. Then suddenly Jaejoong pokes at Yunho. "He's at it again."
Junho looks at them, but sees they are looking at Yoochun and Junsu at the clay table. "Does your brother hit hard?" Jaejoong asks.
"He can. Why?"
"The first time he tried this with Changmin, Changmin made him cry," Yunho says. "And Changmin was only three at the time."
"Three and a quarter," Jaejoong says. "It hurt Yoochun's feelings more than anything. But Changmin cried because Yoochun cried so that made it better. And Changmin hasn't punched him since. Think he'd quit hitting me if I cried?" Jaejoong asks Yunho.
"No. I think he'd quit hitting you if you'd stop making him mad. He's never hit me," Yunho says without looking away from Yoochun and Junsu.
Junho starts to get worried; he doesn't want anybody to cry or get hit, especially Junsu. Although Yoochun doesn't seem like the type of friend that would hit. He gets up on his knees. Jaejoong pats his arm, and gives him a smile that says that's it's okay. Yunho doesn't look worried either, just a little puzzled.
Junsu is playing with the clay himself now. He's making a soccer ball-he almost always makes a soccer ball-and seems to be telling Yoochun all about the game he's going to play with it, which is what he does when he makes the soccer ball. Yoochun is listening carefully, sitting very close. Then he kisses Junsu on the cheek. Junsu startles and looks at Yoochun. Then he laughs. Yoochun laughs, too, his smile putting dimples in his cheeks. Junsu pokes at them, making them both laugh harder.
Junho laughs, too. It's impossible not to laugh when Junsu does. Jaejoong is laughing, too, covering his mouth like girls do. Yunho is smiling, but he's also gone back to building the road. "Don't worry, Junho," Jaejoong says as he gets to his feet. "You'll get a kiss, too. Yoochun has kisses for everybody! Chunnie!" Jaejoong yells, running toward Yoochun with his arms open wide.
Yoochun is out of his chair and meets Jaejoong in a big hug and a very noisy kiss. Then they turn and yell, "Changminnie!"
Changmin jumps, startled out of his concentration on his book. He tries to scramble out of his nest of pillows, but they catch him. They hug him from both sides, blowing big, farty-noised kisses on both his chubby cheeks. At first he just scrunches his face up, but when they take big breaths for a second round he wails, "HYUUUUUUUUUNG!"
"Leave the baby alone," Yunho yells back, without looking up from his search through the car bin. Junho gets the feeling that this has happened before.
"My, such noise in here." Yunho's mom comes in and picks up Changmin. "Jaejoong and Yoochun, you know you can't play so rough with the baby. You are so much bigger than he is. Here, Minnie-ah, sit at the table and play with Junsu for awhile."
Changmin doesn't complain, but the look he gives Yunho's mom as she walks away clearly says, "Why do you always do this to me?" He scowls at the clay, but carefully picks up the bird Yoochun had been making and puts it aside. Junho sees the smile growing on Junsu's face and knows what's coming. Junsu hates to be left out, so it isn't a surprise when he kisses Changmin.
Both Jaejoong and Yoochun gasp. Junho looks at Yunho. Yunho is chewing on his lip and not looking for cars anymore. He shrugs when he sees Junho looking. Changmin is wiping his hand down the side of his face and glaring at Junsu. Junsu is smiling. Big.
"Stop it, hyung," Changmin says.
Junsu smiles bigger.
Jaejoong is now howling with laughter into the pillows while Yoochun is watching with open-mouthed shock. "This guy is amazing! Or really dumb," he says.
"I said stop smiling at me," Changmin says, starting to get the look Junho saw before he used the book as a weapon.
"Junsu," Junho says, in a tone he's had to use many times before. Junsu looks over at him, changing the full volume grin to an answering smile. It won't be the first time Junsu's been bitten by something he is poking at. "Just because he's smaller, doesn't mean he won't hurt you." Junho has had lots of experience with that.
He can see Junsu thinking about it. Then Junsu turns to Changmin and says, "Do you really read those books?"
Changmin blinks in surprise, the anger suddenly gone. "Yeah."
"Show me." Junsu gets up and drags Changmin out of the chair, back toward the reading corner. Junho can see Changmin thinking about arguing or fighting or something, but he hadn't decided what to do by the time he's back in what seems to be his favourite spot.
"Come on," Yunho says, as he puts the cars he's found in the roadway oval and gets to his feet. "Changmin reads really good."
Junho is almost knocked over by Jaejoong as he tears past them, probably needs to go pee. Yoochun and Junsu are lying on their backs with their heads at Changmin's crossed knees. Junho sits beside Junsu; Yunho sits with his back against a bookcase facing Changmin. Jaejoong comes back in with a cookie in his mouth and one in his hand. He gives it to Yunho before flopping down with his head in Yunho's lap and his feet on Yoochun's stomach.
"Changmin's story time again?" Yunho's mom says, as she hands out cookies to everyone. Junho takes one for himself and Junsu, like he always does, but Junsu has taken one, too. Junsu frowns a minute, takes one from Junho and puts the one he took from the plate into Yoochun's mouth. Junho has never seen anyone smile with their eyes as much as Yoochun does. "Yunho should read one, too," she says as she hands a cookie to Changmin, "So that Changmin doesn't always have to do it and Yunho gets some practice."
"Yes, Mom," Yunho says quietly.
When she leaves, Jaejoong says, "YAY! Yunnie story time!"
"I'm not reading about the mouse and the cookie."
"But-"
"If I read it again, Changmin will hit me."
"I will not hit you, hyung," Changmin says, his eyes on the books scattered around him. When he looks up, Junho points at Jaejoong and Changmin smiles, nodding. Junho understands now, but is not sure whether to be less or more worried about Junsu.
"BUT!" Jaejoong says louder. "I have a new book." He pulls out the book from under his shirt and reads proudly, "If You Give a Pig a Pancake." Yunho laughs and Changmin hits himself in the head with one of his books.
"I like pancakes," Yoochun says, sitting up to take the book out of Jaejoong's hands before flopping back down again. "If you give a pig a pancake, she'll want some syrup to go with it," he reads.
Junsu settles deeper into the pillows, his head almost on Yoochun's shoulder, but holding Junho's hand. Changmin has stretched out on his stomach and is reading over Yoochun's head, helping Yoochun with the hard words. Yunho is petting Jaejoong's hair and Jaejoong has the same look that their puppy gets when he's being petted. They don't seem to mind not seeing the pictures, but Junho wants to see. He lies down beside Junsu, curls around to look at the book over Junsu's head. Changmin sighs, but moves over a bit so Junho can prop his head on his hand. And Yoochun looks up at them as he turns the page, smiling again with both his mouth and eyes.
Junsu holds his hand tight. Not the scared tight, or the comforting tight, but the way they hold hands when they go to sleep. Junho's not as certain as Junsu seems to be, but he'd like to come back tomorrow to see if these guys could be their friends, too.