[009/ILC] That Thing and I
Title: That Thing and I
Pairing: Kyumin
Rating: PG
Genre: AU/Romance
Initial Line/Pairing Assigner: kendayawind & shadowcrawler12
Length: one-shot
Disclaimer: I don't own any of them, SME does. Plot is mine.
Summary: He buys a thing for him, who has a thing for him. Random match-making doesn't always end up well, is this time an exception?
Warning: Un-beta'd. Not edited.
"You'd be surprised by the things I hear, the secrets and the pretenses people tend to lose when they become drunk, such as yourself."
Sungmin dug his forehead deeper into his arm, ears numbed by the loud music surrounding them. Kyuhyun sighed, pulling Sungmin closer against himself until Sungmin's temple was resting on his shoulder.
“Is this all a lie? A pretense? Just a passing in your life?” Kyuhyun whispered into Sungmin's hair.
Sungmin shivered, hugging himself tightly. “It's not like that,” he slurred, “I don't like him like that.”
“Who?” Kyuhyun asked, “me?”
The older boy didn't reply; the music and the lights of the bar slowly fading out until all he saw was darkness and all he heard was silence.
“But I do,” Kyuhyun furrowed his brows in pain, “I like you like that.”
-
“You two should date.”
Kyuhyun turned to Yesung, one brow lifted over the other in disbelief. “Hyung, I just met him. You, literally, just introduced us.”
Yesung shrugged.
“Are you single?” Sungmin asked.
Yesung nodded. “He is, Min.”
Sungmin smiled. “Then why not?”
“I don't think this is a good idea,” Kyuhyun shook his head. “I'm not really... looking.”
“You don't have to,” Sungmin grinned, “I came straight to you.”
Kyuhyun had nothing to retort, so, he just accepted the situation as it was. He knew it was a bad idea, he knew Sungmin didn't like him that way, but he went along with it anyways. It wouldn't hurt, right? Sungmin was just a stranger, someone he didn't know. What harm could be done?
-
Kyuhyun remembers the first time they went out. Sungmin was sitting in a booth patiently, waiting for his newly made boyfriend to turn up at their designated date location. It was their first date and Sungmin hated being late; he also hated waiting.
“Hey.”
The boy lifted his eyes to meet with Kyuhyun's, who was hovering over him at the end of the booth. “How's it been?” Sungmin asked, rather informally.
Kyuhyun was taken aback, sliding into the booth across from Sungmin. “Alright, I guess. You?”
“Great,” Sungmin beamed.
“You know,” Kyuhyun started, “I really don't know why we're doing this. We don't know much about each other - no, I take that back. We don't know each other at all.”
Sungmin laughed, waving for a busboy's attention. “So? We're dating, Kyuhyun, not getting married.”
“But you don't love me,” Kyuhyun accused - and rightfully so. Yesung admitted that he encouraged them to date because he knew Sungmin liked himself, and he didn't want to give Sungmin hope - Yesung needed Sungmin to be with someone else.
Sungmin shrugged. “Neither do you. Hey, do you like cakes?”
It was hard to force Sungmin into a topic he didn't want to elaborate on - he was rather well practiced in avoiding questions and rounding about his answers - so, somewhere about half way into their lunch, Kyuhyun surrendered and just went on with the date without questions, without seeking answers, without pushing Sungmin away from himself.
The date went smoothly. Sungmin was admittedly easy to be around, comfortable to talk to, extremely easy on the eyes, and he seemed just about perfect. His social nature wasn't too forceful, his talkative nature was just enough to fill in for Kyuhyun's lack of, and his smile - that beautiful smile when his rounded eyes light up and his lips curl and lift at the corners - was blindingly gorgeous.
Kyuhyun rather enjoyed this first date.
-
About four dates into their relationship, Kyuhyun became slightly annoyed by Sungmin's outgoing personality. Not when it was directed at him, of course, but when it was being used with others.
“Do you like that thing?”
Kyuhyun looked up from the game system he was so focused on when he heard Sungmin's voice ghosting over his ear. A shiver traveled up his spine and he shook it off, shaking his head. “No, not really,” he replied.
“Right,” Sungmin laughed, rolling his eyes. He reached into his pocket, searching for his phone, when his expression fell.
“What's wrong?” Kyuhyun asked.
Sungmin pouted. “I think I dropped my phone at the movie theater.”
“Are you going to go get it?” Kyuhyun rose a brow.
Sungmin shrugged. “Too lazy.”
Kyuhyun groaned. “Wait here. I'll be right back.”
Sungmin nodded and watched as Kyuhyun ran out the game store and down the street. He quickly took the game system and headed for the counter, smirking to himself for his genius plan. “Are there any accessories that you think would be nice to get with this thing?” He asked the guy behind the counter.
“Yeah,” the boy said, “you.”
“Hah,” Sungmin scoffed, “that was cheesy.”
The associate laughed. “There are some customized controllers over in that area if you wanted to take a look,” he said, “there are also cover designs. Maybe a video game would be nice?”
“Good idea,” Sungmin smiled. With the associate's help, he chose out several games, a controller, and a cover for the system.
“This is going to be quite expensive,” the associate warned.
Sungmin shrugged. “It's fine.”
“Is it for yourself?”
After shaking his head with puffed out cheeks, Sungmin lowered his eyes from the associate's eyes to his name tag. “Kibum, huh? You ask a lot of questions.”
“Sorry,” Kibum apologized.
“No problem,” Sungmin smiled. “It's for my dorky, geeky boyfriend.”
Kibum chuckled. “He sounds cute.”
Sungmin leaned over the counter with his elbows on the surface, a grin stretching his lips from ear to ear. “Oh, he's absolutely adorable.”
The doors to the shop opened and Kyuhyun walked in, brows furrowed and a scowl on his lips. Sungmin wanted to pinch his cheeks for looking so cute.
“Did you find it?”
“No,” Kyuhyun replied coldly, “are you sure you dropped it there?”
Sungmin reached into his pockets again and pulled something out of the back pocket. “Oh, here it is!”
There was a muffled chuckle that escaped through the creases of Kibum's fingers.
“Sorry, Kyuhyun,” Sungmin apologized. “It's my fault.”
Kyuhyun took a deep breath and stormed out of the shop, leaving Sungmin behind with pursed lips and a quizzical expression.
“You're right,” Kibum said as he set Sungmin's items on the counter and pushed it towards him. “Your boyfriend is cute, especially when he's all jealous like that.”
Sungmin laughed, gathering his gifts. “You think so?”
“Yeah,” Kibum smiled, “I do.”
-
“Hey, I'm still at work, do you need something?”
Kyuhyun hesitated before replying. “I'm sorry for getting mad at you yesterday.”
“It's fine,” Sungmin shrugged. “It doesn't matter.”
“Oh,” Kyuhyun replied, “are you free this evening? Maybe we should grab a bite before you go home.”
There was a five count before Sungmin replied, the silence irking Kyuhyun in ways it shouldn't have. “I actually have plans,” Sungmin said, “maybe tomorrow?”
“Sure,” Kyuhyun gritted his teeth together. Sungmin told him a few last things before they hung up, every word clinging onto Kyuhyun and refusing to let go.
“I asked Sungmin to go to a club with me tonight,” Yesung had told Kyuhyun earlier that day, “you want to come with us?”
“Doesn't he work?” Kyuhyun asked.
Yesung shrugged. “Shouldn't you know that better than I would? What? He didn't tell you?”
“No, I guess not,” Kyuhyun said, trying to play it off cool - trying to act like he didn't care.
“Oh,” Yesung replied, “I'm sorry.”
Kyuhyun didn't want to hear those words from Yesung, not when it involved Sungmin.
-
It must have been five confessions later and a whole lot of chaos that Kyuhyun finally found Sungmin in the midst of the people - drunk and high, lost in the effects of alcohol and dead from the activity; the dancing and partying.
“Sungmin,” Kyuhyun shook the older boy lightly, “hey, are you alright?”
Sungmin forced his eyes open, blinking tiredly at Kyuhyun. “W-what are you doing here?” he managed to slur, his words bound together and almost undecipherable.
“You texted me,” Kyuhyun replied, “don't you remember?”
Sungmin furrowed his brows, clasping onto the collar of Kyuhyun's shirt and pulling him close. “I did?” He asked. “Oh well, it doesn't matter. Let's drink, Kyuhyun!”
“No, you're not allowed to drink anymore. Look at you! You're wasted,” Kyuhyun grumbled. “Let's go. I'll take you home.”
“I don't want to go home,” Sungmin complained. He threw his arms around Kyuhyun's shoulders and nestled into the crook of his neck, inhaling Kyuhyun's scent. “I have something to give you, Kyu,” Sungmin muttered into his chest, “a gift.”
“What is it?” Kyuhyun asked. His heart skipped a beat from the pet name, Sungmin's drunken voice pulling strings in his heart that it shouldn't.
“You know,” Sungmin continued, ignoring Kyuhyun's question, “there's someone I like. I really like.”
Kyuhyun cringed, his fingers tightening around Sungmin's forearms. “Yesung?”
There was no reply, just silence. Kyuhyun could feel Sungmin resting all his weight against him, his breaths even; he had fallen asleep.
“I know it is, even if you don't tell me personally,” Kyuhyun bit his bottom lip, “You'd be surprised by the things I hear, the secrets and the pretenses people tend to lose when they become drunk, such as yourself."
They sat there in their position for a while longer, Kyuhyun listening to Sungmin's random murmurs, until Yesung treaded along, not nearly as drunk as Sungmin was. “You're here!” He exclaimed happily. “Wow, Sungmin really lost it, didn't he?” Yesung laughed to himself.
“Why weren't you with him?” Kyuhyun asked. “He's totally out of it, he could have been endangered or something, hyung.”
Yesung pursed his lips. “He kept bragging about... about you... and he kept talking about how happy you make him. It was boring.. so, I left,” Yesung confessed hazily. Kyuhyun could barely make out his words.
“He... was?” Kyuhyun muttered, eyes widened slightly.
Yesung shook his head, taking one last drink out of his shot. “You don't know much about Sungmin, do you?”
“Huh?” Kyuhyun gaped.
“He isn't good at expressing himself, but Sungmin really cares about you.” Yesung explained. “Sungmin is a happy person on the outside, but he has a lot of worries. He doesn't know how to maintain relationships well, which is why he's always making new friends and meeting new people. You're probably the longest I've ever seen him with someone.”
Kyuhyun took a deep breath. “He cares about everyone,” he insisted, “a little too much.”
“You're just a jealous freak,” Yesung rolled his eyes. “Get over it. That's just how he is. Ever since the last time you got mad at him, he's been suppressing his every urge to talk to someone cute. Or not cute. Just anyone that could potentially drive you mad from the sight of them speaking. It's hard for him, you know. Really hard.”
Kyuhyun couldn't hold back a smile, looking at Sungmin who was sleeping so soundly in his arms. “You mean it?” Kyuhyun asked.
“Why else do you think he didn't tell you he was coming out with me tonight? I'm his best friend, Kyuhyun, he can't reject hanging out with me. Especially after I just went through a break up,” Yesung sighed.
The younger boy narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “You did?”
“What a friend you are,” Yesung rolled his eyes. “Yes, I did. It hurt; quite a bit.”
“Oh,” Kyuhyun said, “I'm sorry.”
“Yeah, right,” Yesung laughed. “Anyways. Just get him home and take care of him, alright?”
Kyuhyun did as he was told, helping Sungmin up and out of the bar. The night was long, but something was lifted off of Kyuhyun shoulders. He felt light. Very light. Light and elated.
-
A few days later, after taking care of Sungmin from a bad hangover and a light cold, Kyuhyun answered the door to no one. He looked down and saw two boxes, considerably large in size. They read his name, his address, and was decorated beautifully.
Kyuhyun gathered the items and took them into his apartment, sprawling everything out on the living room. When he finally opened it and found the game station he had been wanting for so long, he knew who it was from instantly.
There was a card located in the second box, along with the accessories.
“There's one more thing that comes with this,” Kyuhyun read aloud.
There were knocks on the door again and a grin crept to Kyuhyun's face. He walked over and opened it, revealing a nicely dressed Sungmin. “The associate told me that I would have been the best accessory to come along with your thing,” Sungmin smiled, “what do you think?”
Kyuhyun couldn't hide his happiness, collecting Sungmin into his arms and hugging the boy so tight he could have suffocated. “Thank you,” he repeated into Sungmin's shoulder, “thank you. This is the best gift ever.”
“Me or the thing?” Sungmin teased.
Kyuhyun pulled back, looking Sungmin in the eyes. “What do you think?”
Sungmin parted his lips to reply, but before he could get a single word out Kyuhyun's lips had found his own - their first shared kiss.
“I should have done this earlier,” Sungmin laughed when they parted.
Kyuhyun nodded in agreement. “You should have.”
Sungmin threw his fist at Kyuhyun but the younger boy caught it, holding it in his hand possessively. Sungmin shook his head - hiding a smile - as he was pulled into the apartment and Kyuhyun hooked up the system, picking the most appealing video game and sharing the night with Sungmin, void of jealousy and anger.
Just the two of them; no insecurities and no pretenses. Just themselves; their true colors, genuine affection. Kyuhyun and Sungmin. It's true love; perfection.
-----
A/N: This sucks so hard. I'm past the deadline, too... ;A; Sorry, Nyx!
♥Read Nyx's (a.k.a. kendayawind 's) version of the same couple here!♥