“Sorry?” Kibum asks, turning to face him, the amity of the moment tensing as Kibum becomes sharply aware of how Jonghyun licks his lips, the way he does when he’s about to broach into a topic he knows will draw up blinders around him.
“I said,” Jonghyun clears his throat, all of his focus suddenly on the weight of his foot on the accelerator, “you look really good tonight.”
Kibum relaxes, leaning back into the leather seat. “Don’t tell Minho that please. It’ll make him think he actually holds valid opinions on things,” he says. Jonghyun scrunches his nose in distaste.
“The worst. I’ll just keep the thought to myself then.”
“That’s a good idea,” Kibum agrees. It’s a perfect opportunity to lapse back into silence, Jonghyun prevents it though as he pushes on, a smirk that has the back of Kibum’s neck prickling, and his heart hurting -- tugging at the side of his lips.
“I thought my heart stopped when I saw your eyes in the bathroom mirror,” Jonghyun says in the tone of voice that’d torture Kibum for years.
“Jonghyun, stop,” Kibum pleads, not bothering with playing along for the lead of disappointment in his chest like he’d done so many times before.
“Jonghyun, stop,” Kibum snaps, with a different feeling entirely.
Jonghyun laughs, so full bodied and bright that Kibum is afraid the car might swerve. “I’m kidding, partly. You look like you want to punch me, so I think you might be underestimating how much I miss you.”
“No, I think you’re just overestimating how much you do,” Kibum replies, crossing his arms and staring determinedly through the front window.
“Well, here I am, driving my best friend who doesn’t seem to care about me a bit anymore, at one thirty am. So tell me, which one of our theories seems more likely?” There’s false playfulness when Jonghyun speaks, trying to make light out of something he’d rather tackle head on. Kibum is afraid to accidentally cross a latent line.
“I still care about you...” Kibum murmurs, unfinished words brimming between his closed lips.
Jonghyun glances towards him before turning his attention back to the road, “Then what was the problem, I don’t understand? God, why did it take for Minho to get hitched for me to actually see you in person.”
“You’re lucky that happened when it did,” Kibum adds quickly, “it’s still a mystery. Back in College we were still sure that’d only happen following an apocalypse. I’m still waiting for the ground to open, to be completely honest.”
“Not that I don’t agree wholeheartedly, but Kibum,” Jonghyun says sternly. “The only reason I didn’t confront you the moment I saw you was because Taemin was insistent on this new thing called ‘tact’ or something.”
“I’ve never been this disappointed and thankful towards Taemin,” Kibum says. “But maybe he has a point. Not tact, but common sense. Maybe if you had it, there wouldn’t be a problem in the first place,” Kibum half-heartedly tries to whisper the last part quietly to himself, but he knows he wants Jonghyun to hear. To finally have it out in the open. God, those Dramas. Kibum needs to find another hobby.
Jonghyun sighs. “I’m sure that would resonate with me more if I knew what the problem even was.”
“That is the problem,” Kibum states, irritation flaring up as easily as it did back in the day. “If you had just noticed things, then nipped it in the bud, I would never have gotten so ahead of myself.”
“What do you mean?” Jonghyun asks. “Kibum, you’re my best friend. You of all people should know I don’t do subtle cues.”
“But,” Kibum struggles with his words, knowing there’s no way out of this without coming head to head with what he’s been trying for months to tame and repress. “I can’t, just. Give me another few months until I can get over myself, please.”
Jonghyun looks completely towards him, disbelief and confusion etched over the contours of his face that Kibum had found himself tracing with his eyes longer than what was permissible.
“Can you get over yourself now?” Jonghyun states incredulously. “Suck it up and tell me whatever it is so I can solve it.”
Kibum shakes his head resolutely, regretting his decision to stay in Jonghyun’s presence for longer than ten seconds. Apparently that was more than enough time for his mouth to run off without him. “You can’t solve this. Maybe you can, but I’m too much of a coward to let you to. Look, it’s not your fault.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better at all!” Jonghyun is only a little less than yelling at the moment, and Kibum swallows. “Kibum, you do realise I would go to the ends of the Earth if you just asked me to--”
“Jonghyun! Red light!” Kibum screeches, pushing his attention back towards the wheel.
“Shit!” Jonghyun grinds out, stomping on the brake, the car skidding to a halt and causing them both to lurch forward in their seats. “Holy shit, I--”
Kibum kisses Jonghyun full on the lips, one hand cupping his cheek, the other carefully resting on his nape. The stick pokes uncomfortably into his stomach as Kibum leans over, but he doesn’t move when Jonghyun returns to kiss with insurmountable affection, hands coming up to wrap themselves around and loosening Kibum’s perfectly parted hair. They breathe in each other, the taste of champagne springy on their tongues and Kibum moves a hand to fist on Jonghyun’s collar and bring him closer. They only move apart when an impatient honk bursts through the moment and Jonghyun hazily removes his hands from Key’s waist and grips the steering wheel again. So tight that the veins on his hands are pronounced even under the buttery lights of the street lamps moving past outside.
Both of them are struggling to control their breathing, Kibum’s mind whirring with different permutations of remorse, guilt, and utter relief. It doesn’t stop until Jonghyun inhales deeply, finally able to speak evenly.
“Please, please don’t tell me that’s what you’ve considered a problem all along,” Jonghyun says, and he wasn’t still on a high he’d probably be irritated.
Kibum feels self-consciousness swelling up inside him, and he curls back into the side of the car and plays with his seatbelt. “I’m pretty sure you won’t be dropping me off anywhere now, will you?”
Re: THIS TIME IT IS ACTUALLY FIXED: fic; jongkey; till we're do or die [2/2]
“I said,” Jonghyun clears his throat, all of his focus suddenly on the weight of his foot on the accelerator, “you look really good tonight.”
Kibum relaxes, leaning back into the leather seat. “Don’t tell Minho that please. It’ll make him think he actually holds valid opinions on things,” he says. Jonghyun scrunches his nose in distaste.
“The worst. I’ll just keep the thought to myself then.”
“That’s a good idea,” Kibum agrees. It’s a perfect opportunity to lapse back into silence, Jonghyun prevents it though as he pushes on, a smirk that has the back of Kibum’s neck prickling, and his heart hurting -- tugging at the side of his lips.
“I thought my heart stopped when I saw your eyes in the bathroom mirror,” Jonghyun says in the tone of voice that’d torture Kibum for years.
“Jonghyun, stop,” Kibum pleads, not bothering with playing along for the lead of disappointment in his chest like he’d done so many times before.
“Seriously,” Jonghyun says, “I don’t think I’ve ever felt so complete post-urination.”
“Jonghyun, stop,” Kibum snaps, with a different feeling entirely.
Jonghyun laughs, so full bodied and bright that Kibum is afraid the car might swerve. “I’m kidding, partly. You look like you want to punch me, so I think you might be underestimating how much I miss you.”
“No, I think you’re just overestimating how much you do,” Kibum replies, crossing his arms and staring determinedly through the front window.
“Well, here I am, driving my best friend who doesn’t seem to care about me a bit anymore, at one thirty am. So tell me, which one of our theories seems more likely?” There’s false playfulness when Jonghyun speaks, trying to make light out of something he’d rather tackle head on. Kibum is afraid to accidentally cross a latent line.
“I still care about you...” Kibum murmurs, unfinished words brimming between his closed lips.
Jonghyun glances towards him before turning his attention back to the road, “Then what was the problem, I don’t understand? God, why did it take for Minho to get hitched for me to actually see you in person.”
“You’re lucky that happened when it did,” Kibum adds quickly, “it’s still a mystery. Back in College we were still sure that’d only happen following an apocalypse. I’m still waiting for the ground to open, to be completely honest.”
“Not that I don’t agree wholeheartedly, but Kibum,” Jonghyun says sternly. “The only reason I didn’t confront you the moment I saw you was because Taemin was insistent on this new thing called ‘tact’ or something.”
“I’ve never been this disappointed and thankful towards Taemin,” Kibum says. “But maybe he has a point. Not tact, but common sense. Maybe if you had it, there wouldn’t be a problem in the first place,” Kibum half-heartedly tries to whisper the last part quietly to himself, but he knows he wants Jonghyun to hear. To finally have it out in the open. God, those Dramas. Kibum needs to find another hobby.
Jonghyun sighs. “I’m sure that would resonate with me more if I knew what the problem even was.”
“That is the problem,” Kibum states, irritation flaring up as easily as it did back in the day. “If you had just noticed things, then nipped it in the bud, I would never have gotten so ahead of myself.”
“What do you mean?” Jonghyun asks. “Kibum, you’re my best friend. You of all people should know I don’t do subtle cues.”
“But,” Kibum struggles with his words, knowing there’s no way out of this without coming head to head with what he’s been trying for months to tame and repress. “I can’t, just. Give me another few months until I can get over myself, please.”
Jonghyun looks completely towards him, disbelief and confusion etched over the contours of his face that Kibum had found himself tracing with his eyes longer than what was permissible.
“Can you get over yourself now?” Jonghyun states incredulously. “Suck it up and tell me whatever it is so I can solve it.”
Kibum shakes his head resolutely, regretting his decision to stay in Jonghyun’s presence for longer than ten seconds. Apparently that was more than enough time for his mouth to run off without him. “You can’t solve this. Maybe you can, but I’m too much of a coward to let you to. Look, it’s not your fault.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better at all!” Jonghyun is only a little less than yelling at the moment, and Kibum swallows. “Kibum, you do realise I would go to the ends of the Earth if you just asked me to--”
“Jonghyun! Red light!” Kibum screeches, pushing his attention back towards the wheel.
“Shit!” Jonghyun grinds out, stomping on the brake, the car skidding to a halt and causing them both to lurch forward in their seats. “Holy shit, I--”
Kibum kisses Jonghyun full on the lips, one hand cupping his cheek, the other carefully resting on his nape. The stick pokes uncomfortably into his stomach as Kibum leans over, but he doesn’t move when Jonghyun returns to kiss with insurmountable affection, hands coming up to wrap themselves around and loosening Kibum’s perfectly parted hair. They breathe in each other, the taste of champagne springy on their tongues and Kibum moves a hand to fist on Jonghyun’s collar and bring him closer. They only move apart when an impatient honk bursts through the moment and Jonghyun hazily removes his hands from Key’s waist and grips the steering wheel again. So tight that the veins on his hands are pronounced even under the buttery lights of the street lamps moving past outside.
Both of them are struggling to control their breathing, Kibum’s mind whirring with different permutations of remorse, guilt, and utter relief. It doesn’t stop until Jonghyun inhales deeply, finally able to speak evenly.
“Please, please don’t tell me that’s what you’ve considered a problem all along,” Jonghyun says, and he wasn’t still on a high he’d probably be irritated.
Kibum feels self-consciousness swelling up inside him, and he curls back into the side of the car and plays with his seatbelt. “I’m pretty sure you won’t be dropping me off anywhere now, will you?”
“Oh, hell no,” Jonghyun reinstates, breathless.
---
u_______u it rly is 2am. as you can tell.