Before the Dawn [1/?]
Title: Before the Dawn
Pairing: Main: Jinki x Minho, Minor: Jonghyun x Key, others~
Rating: R
Summary: How do you love a person who isn't a person. How can you give someone your heart when they only want your soul.
Falling. That sensation of weightlessness as buildings grew taller and taller around him. There were screams; there are always screams when someone was falling. They enveloped Minho's senses as he watched the events unfolding on the rooftop. There was a voice above all the screaming that called to him but Minho couldn't be bothered to try to discern what the words were. A man was running towards him, auburn hair flying around his head as he outstretched an arm to grab onto Minho's hand. Their fingers brushed together but the man was being hauled back by someone else. He yelled for them to release him as he fought to try to save Minho. But why? Minho didn't know this man did he? His face was vaguely familiar to him. It seemed warm like they had shared happy moments together but that was the extent of it.
Soon only the feeling of falling was all Minho knew as he plummeted towards the ground. That man was reaching out to him again from the rooftop. There was desperation in his voice and Minho felt the first pinpricks of tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. Why was he crying? He sniffed softly and felt a soft sob escape his lips to be carried away by the wind rushing around him. Flashes of the past starting to play before his eyes like a movie but each memory had that strange man in them. A first meeting. A feeling that there was something strange about him. A kiss. Being chased at night. The list grew as Minho watched his tears fly up into the air around him. There was a name on the tip of his tongue but he couldn't speak it. No matter how much he tried he couldn't say it. Why couldn't he say it!
Minho remembered feeling his back impact with the top of a car as his vision flashed white and a single name escaped his lips.
"...Jinki..."
***
Minho felt someone slam a book down next to his head loudly and his eyes opened wide in an instance, almost falling out of his seat from the surprise. He looked up and watched as the rest of his classmates started to make their way out of the classroom. His eyebrows furrowed together as he looked up at the person who had forced him awake so rudely and wasn't surprised to see his friend Kibum standing there.
"Since when did you sleep in class Choi? You're lucky I brought my tape recorder and wrote down the notes."
"Since when did you pay attention in class Kim?" Minho replied back easily as he stretched out his mile long limbs and stood up, gathering his things and placing them into his backpack. It was true that sleeping in class was a rare thing for him. He blamed it on his late night study sessions and long practices. Kibum gave out a snort at the question and turned to sashay his way towards the door, leaving Minho behind with a knowing smile on his face. The only time Kibum actually bothered to provide proof of how he managed to maintain perfect grades and attend at least two college parties a night was when his cousin was in town.
Most who saw Kibum around campus saw him as the cold diva that no one could approach or even attempt to get close to. But Minho had been Key's best friend since grade school and he'd seen almost every dimension of the boy's personality in that time. If Kibum's cousin was in town then that meant Kibum would make Minho drop everything he had planned for that day. Kibum knew that Minho knew that his cousin had the biggest crush on him since they'd first met at Kibum's 15th or 16th birthday party. Those two years melted together and Minho liked to refer to them as the Rainbow years when Kibum not only fully came into his sexual preference but made sure everyone within a mile radius of him knew it.
Sure enough his cell phone vibrated a moment later with a text from Kibum outlining his new evening plans all topped off with one of those annoying little smiley faces everyone seemed to be using those days. Minho sighed softly and shook his head, pulling the strap of his backpack to rest on one shoulder as he walked out and bowed in apology to the professor before heading out and walking to his last class of the morning. Luckily he'd have the afternoon to get in some track and field practice before returning to the dorm he shared with Key. Which meant it was Minho, Kibum, and whoever he was dating at the moment’s dorm. Kibum's lively sex life was probably the number one reason why Minho stayed up late at night with ear plugs stuffed inside of his ears, blasting music loud enough to burst his ear drums. Who could honestly sleep with someone going "Oh yeah" and "Right there" over and over through the paper thing walls? No matter how hard Minho tried he had been unsuccessful at the feat and planned his sleeping schedule around Key’s. It was easier that way for him and though his work suffered only slightly he managed to keep his grades high enough to keep him in the wide range of sports he’d taken on. Track and field, hockey, and soccer dominated the tall boy’s life since the moment he could walk. His university years were already paid in full thanks to the million scholarships he’d managed to attain from his stellar performance and spotless grades.
His cell phone went off again but this time it was a text from his coach canceling practice for the next two days. A sigh of remorse passed through his slightly chapped lips as he shrugged on his jacket and wrapped a scarf tightly around his mouth and nose. Either Kibum had gotten to the coach or there was a valid reason behind the cancelation. Minho couldn’t help but place his money on Kibum, he’d learn to always place his money on Kibum. It was how he won so many bets in the first place.
Minho’s feet crunched against the snow as he trekked his way towards the dorms. Only a few other students were coming to and fro, most hunkered down in their dorms or in classes. Winter break was on the horizon and with that came finals. Minho was already exempted from three of his seven classes so his normal study till he dropped plan wasn’t as hard on him. That could be the reason behind the practice cancelation. Athletes had it the hardest when it came to studying and if they had to balance filling their brain with knowledge and keeping their bodies at the peak of performance, many crashed and burned on the second day of finals.
A cool breeze pressed at his face causing him to squint his large eyes as he felt someone brush against him as he past. He turned to mumble out a small apology when the stranger turned to do the same. Minho felt his breath catch in his breath as he stared into the face that had been haunting his waking moments and visiting him in dreams for the past month or so. The stranger was maybe a few inches shorter than him with hair that crept from beneath the hood of his black jacket and created a curtain over his eyes. His dark eyes gave Minho a questioning look before turning and walking off to where ever he had been heading. Minho blinked a few times and shook his head, figuring it to be one of those weird coincidences as he hurried along towards his dorm. With the amount of students on the campus he’d probably run into one or two more look a likes. Pushing the subject to the recesses of his mind, he steeled himself for the attack of wiry limbs and toothy smiles he’d no doubt receive as soon as he opened the door to the dorm.
“Hey Kibum I’m here…” Minho whispered out to the long hallway as he toed off his shoes and crept towards the safety of his room. Kibum’s cousin was nice in his own way with his boyish charm and young naivety but Minho had been around him long enough to know it was all a scam. Taemin was anything but innocent and if the stories and warnings Kibum gave Minho was anything to go by the high school junior got around in his own away. Why Kibum agreed to allow the boy on a college campus was beyond him but Minho stopped questions Kibum’s decisions back in the third grade. No good ever came of it and it was best to ride the storm instead of fight against it.
Minho had to pass through by the living to turn the corner to the small hallway that led to the two bedrooms and singular bathroom and he could hear the low thrum of the television and the telltale sound of one of his video games. One of his video games. Minho abandoned all hope of his room and walked into the living room with an expressionless face, eyes skimming from the rare apologetic look Kibum’s face to the excited look on Taemin’s.
“Minho hyung!” The youth shouted as he dropped the controller and ran forward to fling himself at Minho. Minho, however, had other plans and side stepped out of the way, darting forward to try and save his controller from hitting the hard linoleum floor. Minho quickly turned off the game and gathered up the two controllers in the living room, stuffing them into his backpack. “Hey Taemin..” came his ready reply, sounding only mildly exciting with having a familiar face around. Taemin put on a slight pout for having his hug evaded and returned to his spot of sitting on the couch. In Minho’s favorite spot. Minho gave a soft sniff and turned to head for his room, muttering about canceled practice and a shower to Kibum. Kibum understood what Minho was after and launched into one of his ready topics that included talking about himself and asking Taemin questions he wouldn’t give the boy time to answer. Taemin was always too ready to listen to the ramblings of his elder cousin and following along with the stories and half truths Kibum weaved easily. Minho silently thanked whoever was up there watching after him for a friend like Kibum and headed inside of his room, stripping down to nothing and tossing his clothes into the clothes basket resting in the corner by his closet. He knew Kibum would have his latest boyfriend, a foreign exchange student from America named Jay, come over to meet and dote on Taemin.
Which in Minho’s language meant Kibum was testing his latest boyfriend to see if he would give into the whims of his seductive cousin. Minho made sure to have an excuse ready to head to the nearest grocery store and pick up a gallon of strawberry ice cream for the after effects of the breakup. None of Kibum’s boyfriends survived the test phase which meant Minho had to pat the distraught boy’s back and suffer through three days of chick flicks, Kibum talking about how good he was or wasn’t in bed and other choice information that would have Minho waking up in a cold sweat and shivering violently over for week or so until he could block out the horrible mental images Kibum threw at him. Minho peeked out of his room and headed for the bathroom, feeling a heated gaze burning into his back as he ducked into the bathroom and locked the door. Taemin had managed to miraculously see him naked five times and Minho was hell bent to keep it at that number and no more. As he turned on the shower and played with the cold and hot tap until he found the perfect mixed, Minho let his thoughts slowly turn back to the stranger he’d bumped into. His dreams had always been so vivid and real that they left a lasting effect on Minho throughout the day until he dreamed again. Now the object of his dreams was alive and walking around campus.
Minho stepped under the warm spray and stared at the water swirling down into the drain. He’d have to find out this guy’s name in the least. Minho had always felt any homosexuality he may have had got sucked away and transferred to Kibum. Everyone always labeled him as the straight guy and Minho had never been given a reason to think otherwise. Avoiding Taemin’s advances was more of a life or death situation than a threat to his sexuality but these dreams of kissing this stranger. Of sharing intimate moments was shaking him down to his core. He shook his head violently and blew the water that had tinkled into his mouth away, rubbing his face as if he was able to rub away these thoughts and push them down the drain. If anything Minho would deal with this after he got passed this horrible dinner. With that decision in mind, Minho grabbed his soap and lathered up his body, slipping the end of the rope around his wrist out of habit. Kibum had showered with him plenty of times before and the real danger was when Taemin tried to sneak in and fill in Kibum’s place. Minho knew Kibum was mildly attracted to Minho but viewed him more as a younger brother than a love interest. Taemin saw Minho as a delicious steak he wanted to sink his teeth into and that was one road Minho did not want to go down. Ever.
Pairing: Main: Jinki x Minho, Minor: Jonghyun x Key, others~
Rating: R
Summary: How do you love a person who isn't a person. How can you give someone your heart when they only want your soul.
Falling. That sensation of weightlessness as buildings grew taller and taller around him. There were screams; there are always screams when someone was falling. They enveloped Minho's senses as he watched the events unfolding on the rooftop. There was a voice above all the screaming that called to him but Minho couldn't be bothered to try to discern what the words were. A man was running towards him, auburn hair flying around his head as he outstretched an arm to grab onto Minho's hand. Their fingers brushed together but the man was being hauled back by someone else. He yelled for them to release him as he fought to try to save Minho. But why? Minho didn't know this man did he? His face was vaguely familiar to him. It seemed warm like they had shared happy moments together but that was the extent of it.
Soon only the feeling of falling was all Minho knew as he plummeted towards the ground. That man was reaching out to him again from the rooftop. There was desperation in his voice and Minho felt the first pinpricks of tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. Why was he crying? He sniffed softly and felt a soft sob escape his lips to be carried away by the wind rushing around him. Flashes of the past starting to play before his eyes like a movie but each memory had that strange man in them. A first meeting. A feeling that there was something strange about him. A kiss. Being chased at night. The list grew as Minho watched his tears fly up into the air around him. There was a name on the tip of his tongue but he couldn't speak it. No matter how much he tried he couldn't say it. Why couldn't he say it!
Minho remembered feeling his back impact with the top of a car as his vision flashed white and a single name escaped his lips.
"...Jinki..."
***
Minho felt someone slam a book down next to his head loudly and his eyes opened wide in an instance, almost falling out of his seat from the surprise. He looked up and watched as the rest of his classmates started to make their way out of the classroom. His eyebrows furrowed together as he looked up at the person who had forced him awake so rudely and wasn't surprised to see his friend Kibum standing there.
"Since when did you sleep in class Choi? You're lucky I brought my tape recorder and wrote down the notes."
"Since when did you pay attention in class Kim?" Minho replied back easily as he stretched out his mile long limbs and stood up, gathering his things and placing them into his backpack. It was true that sleeping in class was a rare thing for him. He blamed it on his late night study sessions and long practices. Kibum gave out a snort at the question and turned to sashay his way towards the door, leaving Minho behind with a knowing smile on his face. The only time Kibum actually bothered to provide proof of how he managed to maintain perfect grades and attend at least two college parties a night was when his cousin was in town.
Most who saw Kibum around campus saw him as the cold diva that no one could approach or even attempt to get close to. But Minho had been Key's best friend since grade school and he'd seen almost every dimension of the boy's personality in that time. If Kibum's cousin was in town then that meant Kibum would make Minho drop everything he had planned for that day. Kibum knew that Minho knew that his cousin had the biggest crush on him since they'd first met at Kibum's 15th or 16th birthday party. Those two years melted together and Minho liked to refer to them as the Rainbow years when Kibum not only fully came into his sexual preference but made sure everyone within a mile radius of him knew it.
Sure enough his cell phone vibrated a moment later with a text from Kibum outlining his new evening plans all topped off with one of those annoying little smiley faces everyone seemed to be using those days. Minho sighed softly and shook his head, pulling the strap of his backpack to rest on one shoulder as he walked out and bowed in apology to the professor before heading out and walking to his last class of the morning. Luckily he'd have the afternoon to get in some track and field practice before returning to the dorm he shared with Key. Which meant it was Minho, Kibum, and whoever he was dating at the moment’s dorm. Kibum's lively sex life was probably the number one reason why Minho stayed up late at night with ear plugs stuffed inside of his ears, blasting music loud enough to burst his ear drums. Who could honestly sleep with someone going "Oh yeah" and "Right there" over and over through the paper thing walls? No matter how hard Minho tried he had been unsuccessful at the feat and planned his sleeping schedule around Key’s. It was easier that way for him and though his work suffered only slightly he managed to keep his grades high enough to keep him in the wide range of sports he’d taken on. Track and field, hockey, and soccer dominated the tall boy’s life since the moment he could walk. His university years were already paid in full thanks to the million scholarships he’d managed to attain from his stellar performance and spotless grades.
His cell phone went off again but this time it was a text from his coach canceling practice for the next two days. A sigh of remorse passed through his slightly chapped lips as he shrugged on his jacket and wrapped a scarf tightly around his mouth and nose. Either Kibum had gotten to the coach or there was a valid reason behind the cancelation. Minho couldn’t help but place his money on Kibum, he’d learn to always place his money on Kibum. It was how he won so many bets in the first place.
Minho’s feet crunched against the snow as he trekked his way towards the dorms. Only a few other students were coming to and fro, most hunkered down in their dorms or in classes. Winter break was on the horizon and with that came finals. Minho was already exempted from three of his seven classes so his normal study till he dropped plan wasn’t as hard on him. That could be the reason behind the practice cancelation. Athletes had it the hardest when it came to studying and if they had to balance filling their brain with knowledge and keeping their bodies at the peak of performance, many crashed and burned on the second day of finals.
A cool breeze pressed at his face causing him to squint his large eyes as he felt someone brush against him as he past. He turned to mumble out a small apology when the stranger turned to do the same. Minho felt his breath catch in his breath as he stared into the face that had been haunting his waking moments and visiting him in dreams for the past month or so. The stranger was maybe a few inches shorter than him with hair that crept from beneath the hood of his black jacket and created a curtain over his eyes. His dark eyes gave Minho a questioning look before turning and walking off to where ever he had been heading. Minho blinked a few times and shook his head, figuring it to be one of those weird coincidences as he hurried along towards his dorm. With the amount of students on the campus he’d probably run into one or two more look a likes. Pushing the subject to the recesses of his mind, he steeled himself for the attack of wiry limbs and toothy smiles he’d no doubt receive as soon as he opened the door to the dorm.
“Hey Kibum I’m here…” Minho whispered out to the long hallway as he toed off his shoes and crept towards the safety of his room. Kibum’s cousin was nice in his own way with his boyish charm and young naivety but Minho had been around him long enough to know it was all a scam. Taemin was anything but innocent and if the stories and warnings Kibum gave Minho was anything to go by the high school junior got around in his own away. Why Kibum agreed to allow the boy on a college campus was beyond him but Minho stopped questions Kibum’s decisions back in the third grade. No good ever came of it and it was best to ride the storm instead of fight against it.
Minho had to pass through by the living to turn the corner to the small hallway that led to the two bedrooms and singular bathroom and he could hear the low thrum of the television and the telltale sound of one of his video games. One of his video games. Minho abandoned all hope of his room and walked into the living room with an expressionless face, eyes skimming from the rare apologetic look Kibum’s face to the excited look on Taemin’s.
“Minho hyung!” The youth shouted as he dropped the controller and ran forward to fling himself at Minho. Minho, however, had other plans and side stepped out of the way, darting forward to try and save his controller from hitting the hard linoleum floor. Minho quickly turned off the game and gathered up the two controllers in the living room, stuffing them into his backpack. “Hey Taemin..” came his ready reply, sounding only mildly exciting with having a familiar face around. Taemin put on a slight pout for having his hug evaded and returned to his spot of sitting on the couch. In Minho’s favorite spot. Minho gave a soft sniff and turned to head for his room, muttering about canceled practice and a shower to Kibum. Kibum understood what Minho was after and launched into one of his ready topics that included talking about himself and asking Taemin questions he wouldn’t give the boy time to answer. Taemin was always too ready to listen to the ramblings of his elder cousin and following along with the stories and half truths Kibum weaved easily. Minho silently thanked whoever was up there watching after him for a friend like Kibum and headed inside of his room, stripping down to nothing and tossing his clothes into the clothes basket resting in the corner by his closet. He knew Kibum would have his latest boyfriend, a foreign exchange student from America named Jay, come over to meet and dote on Taemin.
Which in Minho’s language meant Kibum was testing his latest boyfriend to see if he would give into the whims of his seductive cousin. Minho made sure to have an excuse ready to head to the nearest grocery store and pick up a gallon of strawberry ice cream for the after effects of the breakup. None of Kibum’s boyfriends survived the test phase which meant Minho had to pat the distraught boy’s back and suffer through three days of chick flicks, Kibum talking about how good he was or wasn’t in bed and other choice information that would have Minho waking up in a cold sweat and shivering violently over for week or so until he could block out the horrible mental images Kibum threw at him. Minho peeked out of his room and headed for the bathroom, feeling a heated gaze burning into his back as he ducked into the bathroom and locked the door. Taemin had managed to miraculously see him naked five times and Minho was hell bent to keep it at that number and no more. As he turned on the shower and played with the cold and hot tap until he found the perfect mixed, Minho let his thoughts slowly turn back to the stranger he’d bumped into. His dreams had always been so vivid and real that they left a lasting effect on Minho throughout the day until he dreamed again. Now the object of his dreams was alive and walking around campus.
Minho stepped under the warm spray and stared at the water swirling down into the drain. He’d have to find out this guy’s name in the least. Minho had always felt any homosexuality he may have had got sucked away and transferred to Kibum. Everyone always labeled him as the straight guy and Minho had never been given a reason to think otherwise. Avoiding Taemin’s advances was more of a life or death situation than a threat to his sexuality but these dreams of kissing this stranger. Of sharing intimate moments was shaking him down to his core. He shook his head violently and blew the water that had tinkled into his mouth away, rubbing his face as if he was able to rub away these thoughts and push them down the drain. If anything Minho would deal with this after he got passed this horrible dinner. With that decision in mind, Minho grabbed his soap and lathered up his body, slipping the end of the rope around his wrist out of habit. Kibum had showered with him plenty of times before and the real danger was when Taemin tried to sneak in and fill in Kibum’s place. Minho knew Kibum was mildly attracted to Minho but viewed him more as a younger brother than a love interest. Taemin saw Minho as a delicious steak he wanted to sink his teeth into and that was one road Minho did not want to go down. Ever.