Chapter 10 - Interrogation
Title: Quasimodo
Rating: PG-13 (NC17 later)
Pairing: 2min
Genre: AU, angst, romance, humor, fluff
Summary: Up in the bell tower, high above the town, one lone boy rang the bells. One lone boy watched those who passed by on the streets below. One lone boy fell in love with another boy whose smile lit up his dark world
The atmosphere felt utterly awkward as the three boys sat in the den area, glancing at one another periodically. It was somewhat tense due to the fact that Onew and Jonghyun didn't even know Minho, but were highly skeptical of him. Minho was obviously older than Taemin and no longer went to high school, so why was he hanging around with him? How did they even meet? It made several questions come up between the two that rose to their lips, tingling with the urge to be said before falling short and leaving them empty handed. Minho felt as if he truly had no idea what to do in such an intimate setting, looking around slowly. He had never been inside an apartment before and he was taking it all in slowly.
Jonghyun grew tired of the silence, looking pointedly at Minho. "What are your intentions with Taemin? Are you planning anything funny? Because if you are, I will personally hunt you down and hurt you."
"Now, Jonghyun... don't get too carried away." Onew smiled at Minho with a wide creepy grin. "He won't even be able to leave the house if he is planning something..."
Minho suddenly felt very scared, regretting his decision to sit and talk with the two older males. He blinked, looking lost for a moment before he gave an awkward smile and waved his hands as if to ward of the warning vibes. "I don't plan on hurting Taemin. He's my friend, why would I do that?" He was still innocent, unknowning that people would use others for personal gain. But there was a sincere honesty in his wide, confused eyes that let both of the elder boys know that he would never intentionally hurt their maknae.
Jonghyun nodded to Onew, who in turn understood what that meant. Minho was approved and was allowed to continue to meet up with Taemin as long as everything stayed the way it was. "You're not too bad of a kid, you know that?" He turned to look at Minho, eying him before smiling. "You should come over more often so we all can get to know you better."
"Er... sure." Minho looked only confused in the slightest, looking between the two hyungs, feeling just slightly out of place. What did you normally do at someone's house? What did you talk about? The entire situation made him painfully aware at how socially inept he was and it just made him feel strange.
Onew sighed, hating this weird silence. He stood up, looking down at the other two. "I'm going to check and see... on something... yea... You guys are boring." It began to walk out, but his foot hit on the edge of the coffee table, causing him to tumble forward and crash into the floor. "Yah!"
Jonghyun laughed, falling back into his seat a bit, but Minho stood up, grabbing Onew's hand to help him up. "Are you alright?" he asked, looking concerned. There was a pained look in the elder boy's eyes, but he shook it off, smiling and standing up straight.
"Now that the ice is broken, shall we go see what the girls are doing, the food smells delicious and I know for a fact the food was done before Minho got here..." He grinned widely leading the other two towards the small dining table that was already set with five bowls of rice and Taemin was setting the main dish in the middle of the table, looking up with a wide smile. "Key-umma made kimchi."
Key walked into the room, carrying a two smaller bowls, setting them next to the rice filled with bean sprout soup. "Taemin-ah, go get the other bowls with your friend, and bring the pitcher of water and cups. We should hurry up before the food gets too cold." The maknae nodded, motioning with his hand for Minho to follow him into the kitchen. The taller boy moved with him silently.
Once inside the small area, Taemin turned to Minho and smiled. "I hope Jonghyun and Onew weren't too harsh on you... They're all a bit over protective. I'm sorry about that." He handed Minho the pitcher of water, tucking the cups under his arms before handing him the other bowl of soup and then grabbing his own two dishes.
"It's alright. It just means they care." Minho returned the smile and then followed Taemin again with all of the things they needed. They set the remaining food on the table, and all slowly sat down, looking at one another before Onew picked up his chopsticks and began to eat his food whole heartedly.
It was still a little awkward, but the tension was easing off. "Since none of us really know Minho and Minho doesn't really know any of us, we should play a game... how about the Truth game?" Jonghyun suggest after he swallowed a bit of rice, realizing just how quiet they were while they were eating. This was normal for them, to eat silently, but with Minho there, they wanted to get to know him better just to be doubly sure that the other boy was alright to be around their friend.
"Oh! Sure!" Taemin was eager to jump in, holding up his hand smiling widely. He loved playing this game and embarassing his hyungs with his young age. It was always to his advantage. He leaned over and quickly explained the rules to Minho who held up his own free hand as he ate at the same time. Everyone else was ready and they turned to Onew for him to start.
Onew paused for a moment, thinking through his question slowly. "I talk in my sleep." He looked around waiting. Every single one of them lowered a finger except for Minho who was never told if he did or didn't. But he was fairly sure he didn't. Onew smirked then looked at Jonghyun, waiting for him to come up with one.
"I swing both ways....Aigoo..." He nearly face palmed as he lowered one of his own fingers and the other's sniggered at the table. Onew and Taemin lowered one of their own fingers. Key and Minho kept their remaining fingers up. Key had always been one way and Minho was convinced he was strictly Taemin-sexual, so he couldn't like girls. "Oh... Minho-shi... You only like girls then?" Jonghyun asked, eying him.
Minho blinked, looking at his five fingers before shaking his head. "No... I like a boy." It seemed they were all being pretty open in this game, so he decided just to let it out. Everyone turned to look at him then towards Taemin who blushed furiously before covering his wide smile with his hands.
"It's not me!" But who else could there be? Did Minho talk to anyone else beside his father? Did he pine after anyone else that he saw outside of his window? It could be the case, Taemin wouldn't even know. But it seemed that Minho never talked about anyone else. So maybe it was him? Nah, no way! Minho wouldn't like someone like himself that was just a kid in disguise.
Key made a hum in thought, looking over the older boy before sighing and held up his four fingers. "I want to become closer to someone at this table." He looked slightly pleased and shot Minho and Taemin a glance. Both boys lowered their fingers silently as well as Onew. "Yah, Dubu! Who do you want to get closer to?"
"None of your business... Minho, your turn." Onew had wiped away his smile, going towards a steely expression, causing everyone to stop for a moment. Minho felt the weird shift and blinked looking around. The other three boys let the silence linger before chanting softly 'Now matter what he does it's the Onew Condition!' and Minho felt bewildered for a moment. What?
Taemin laughed, leaning against him a little before sitting up striaght again. "Alright Minho-hyung, give us something!" The maknae was smiling widely, clapping his hand against his thigh lightly.
"Uhm... okay... I'm shorter than 181 centimeters..." Minho knew that little over a year ago that he was that tall and he had grown. Everyone at the table was shorter than himself, though Key and Taemin looked as though they could possibly out grow him. He looked around the table as everyone lowered their fingers. He smirked to himself and Jonghyun glared.
"Do you have something against short people? That was a personal attack wasn't it?" The blonde glared at them, his eyes flashing. "You are tall, have big eyes and a small face. You have to be an alien to even consider being real!"
Minho took a moment, registering what the other male said before laughing whole heartedly, hiding his face in one of his large hands, just laughing away. "Really? Jonghyun-hyung, don't be so mean, he didn't know you have little people syndrome." Taemin pouted, making his face puff out and his eyes got a bit bigger than normal. The boy let his natural aegyo flow before adding a bit more so that Jonghyun was startled for a moment before making an apologetic look towards Minho. "Mianhe Minho-shi..."
Taemin let his pout fall away to a coy grin and tilted his head to the side in thought. "Hyungs... out of us, I have a job." Taemin kept his sly smile on his face as he watched the rest of them lower their fingers. He gave a cheer as Onew lowered his last finger and grumbled. "Ha! Hyung has to do the dishes." He was grinning wildly as he stood up from the dinner table. They were all practically finished and he grabbed Minho's hand, tugging him up. "Let's go to my room, I want to show you something Minho-hyung."
"Yah!" Before Key could say much more, Taemin was practically dragging Minho to his room, chuckling softly under his breath. "Don't do something we wouldn't approve of Taemin! If you do I'll come and break down the door!" The maknae just laughed a bit more, shutting the door behind them. The room was larger than Minho's and had white walls. There was a twin bed to one side with a red comforter and another towards the other side with a baby blue one. Taemin fell onto the one with the blue comforter and smiled up at Minho.
"I share a room with Key-umma..." Taemin rolled onto his stomach, patting the spot next to him and allowing the older boy to sit next to him. "Did you like coming here to visit?" he asked softly, looking a little fearful. What if Minho didn't really like his friends? What if he was scared off by them?
Minho looked down, a small crooked smile tugging on his lips as he touched Tamin's head softly, rubbing the boy's scalp carefully. "I did. Your hyungs are very caring and they're nice once you get past the odd sides they have... but I like it here." The older boy did feel comfortable around the other males more so now than he did before. Granted it was still a bit awkward, but he had the feeling he could grow used to it in time.
"Then you should stay the rest of the night. It's really late and I know Key won't let me walk you home and I don't want you getting hurt, so just stay here. Usually the drunks and stupid people are back home by the time you should be back to toll the bells." Taemin smiled, suddenly getting up from his bed and going over to the nearby closet. "Here... you can use my shirt and sleep pants and we can share my bed." Taemin turned, handing his clothes to his hyung, his smile wide and promising.
Minho knew that look and knew it would be pointless to try to get out of staying the night. He just sighed, walking out of the room and down to the bathroom to change. While he was getting dressed he heard Taemin yell, "Key-umma! Minho-hyung is staying the night because its so late. He's sharing my bed and we aren't going to do anything!" Those words alone caused the taller male to blush slightly. He pulled the clothes on, pausing to take a whiff of the shirt, smiling a little when it smelt of nothing but Taemin.
The tall boy returned to Taemin's only moments later, finding the maknae in his own sleep pants, pulling the blankets down on the bed. "Come on Minho-hyung, it's time to go to bed since I always need sleep." He laughed a little, climbing into the bed, laying down slowly before holding out a hand towards Minho.The elder male had never imagined something similar to this would ever happen to him but he was happy it was. He slowly got in bed with Taemin who looked at him slowly. He smiled before curling up underneath the blankets and closing his eyes to go to sleep. "Good night Minho-hyung."
"Good night Taemin-ah." It didn't seem like it took long for Taemin to fall asleep, his breathing becoming deep and even only after five minutes. Minho laid next to him, watching the breathtaking boy sleep for a little while. He wanted to memorize those features, to etch them into his memory for all eternity. He reached out silently, tracing his finger over Taemin's jawline, touching the smooth skin before pulling back his hand, tucking it under his head and letting his eyes close heavily to fall asleep.
Rating: PG-13 (NC17 later)
Pairing: 2min
Genre: AU, angst, romance, humor, fluff
Summary: Up in the bell tower, high above the town, one lone boy rang the bells. One lone boy watched those who passed by on the streets below. One lone boy fell in love with another boy whose smile lit up his dark world
The atmosphere felt utterly awkward as the three boys sat in the den area, glancing at one another periodically. It was somewhat tense due to the fact that Onew and Jonghyun didn't even know Minho, but were highly skeptical of him. Minho was obviously older than Taemin and no longer went to high school, so why was he hanging around with him? How did they even meet? It made several questions come up between the two that rose to their lips, tingling with the urge to be said before falling short and leaving them empty handed. Minho felt as if he truly had no idea what to do in such an intimate setting, looking around slowly. He had never been inside an apartment before and he was taking it all in slowly.
Jonghyun grew tired of the silence, looking pointedly at Minho. "What are your intentions with Taemin? Are you planning anything funny? Because if you are, I will personally hunt you down and hurt you."
"Now, Jonghyun... don't get too carried away." Onew smiled at Minho with a wide creepy grin. "He won't even be able to leave the house if he is planning something..."
Minho suddenly felt very scared, regretting his decision to sit and talk with the two older males. He blinked, looking lost for a moment before he gave an awkward smile and waved his hands as if to ward of the warning vibes. "I don't plan on hurting Taemin. He's my friend, why would I do that?" He was still innocent, unknowning that people would use others for personal gain. But there was a sincere honesty in his wide, confused eyes that let both of the elder boys know that he would never intentionally hurt their maknae.
Jonghyun nodded to Onew, who in turn understood what that meant. Minho was approved and was allowed to continue to meet up with Taemin as long as everything stayed the way it was. "You're not too bad of a kid, you know that?" He turned to look at Minho, eying him before smiling. "You should come over more often so we all can get to know you better."
"Er... sure." Minho looked only confused in the slightest, looking between the two hyungs, feeling just slightly out of place. What did you normally do at someone's house? What did you talk about? The entire situation made him painfully aware at how socially inept he was and it just made him feel strange.
Onew sighed, hating this weird silence. He stood up, looking down at the other two. "I'm going to check and see... on something... yea... You guys are boring." It began to walk out, but his foot hit on the edge of the coffee table, causing him to tumble forward and crash into the floor. "Yah!"
Jonghyun laughed, falling back into his seat a bit, but Minho stood up, grabbing Onew's hand to help him up. "Are you alright?" he asked, looking concerned. There was a pained look in the elder boy's eyes, but he shook it off, smiling and standing up straight.
"Now that the ice is broken, shall we go see what the girls are doing, the food smells delicious and I know for a fact the food was done before Minho got here..." He grinned widely leading the other two towards the small dining table that was already set with five bowls of rice and Taemin was setting the main dish in the middle of the table, looking up with a wide smile. "Key-umma made kimchi."
Key walked into the room, carrying a two smaller bowls, setting them next to the rice filled with bean sprout soup. "Taemin-ah, go get the other bowls with your friend, and bring the pitcher of water and cups. We should hurry up before the food gets too cold." The maknae nodded, motioning with his hand for Minho to follow him into the kitchen. The taller boy moved with him silently.
Once inside the small area, Taemin turned to Minho and smiled. "I hope Jonghyun and Onew weren't too harsh on you... They're all a bit over protective. I'm sorry about that." He handed Minho the pitcher of water, tucking the cups under his arms before handing him the other bowl of soup and then grabbing his own two dishes.
"It's alright. It just means they care." Minho returned the smile and then followed Taemin again with all of the things they needed. They set the remaining food on the table, and all slowly sat down, looking at one another before Onew picked up his chopsticks and began to eat his food whole heartedly.
It was still a little awkward, but the tension was easing off. "Since none of us really know Minho and Minho doesn't really know any of us, we should play a game... how about the Truth game?" Jonghyun suggest after he swallowed a bit of rice, realizing just how quiet they were while they were eating. This was normal for them, to eat silently, but with Minho there, they wanted to get to know him better just to be doubly sure that the other boy was alright to be around their friend.
"Oh! Sure!" Taemin was eager to jump in, holding up his hand smiling widely. He loved playing this game and embarassing his hyungs with his young age. It was always to his advantage. He leaned over and quickly explained the rules to Minho who held up his own free hand as he ate at the same time. Everyone else was ready and they turned to Onew for him to start.
Onew paused for a moment, thinking through his question slowly. "I talk in my sleep." He looked around waiting. Every single one of them lowered a finger except for Minho who was never told if he did or didn't. But he was fairly sure he didn't. Onew smirked then looked at Jonghyun, waiting for him to come up with one.
"I swing both ways....Aigoo..." He nearly face palmed as he lowered one of his own fingers and the other's sniggered at the table. Onew and Taemin lowered one of their own fingers. Key and Minho kept their remaining fingers up. Key had always been one way and Minho was convinced he was strictly Taemin-sexual, so he couldn't like girls. "Oh... Minho-shi... You only like girls then?" Jonghyun asked, eying him.
Minho blinked, looking at his five fingers before shaking his head. "No... I like a boy." It seemed they were all being pretty open in this game, so he decided just to let it out. Everyone turned to look at him then towards Taemin who blushed furiously before covering his wide smile with his hands.
"It's not me!" But who else could there be? Did Minho talk to anyone else beside his father? Did he pine after anyone else that he saw outside of his window? It could be the case, Taemin wouldn't even know. But it seemed that Minho never talked about anyone else. So maybe it was him? Nah, no way! Minho wouldn't like someone like himself that was just a kid in disguise.
Key made a hum in thought, looking over the older boy before sighing and held up his four fingers. "I want to become closer to someone at this table." He looked slightly pleased and shot Minho and Taemin a glance. Both boys lowered their fingers silently as well as Onew. "Yah, Dubu! Who do you want to get closer to?"
"None of your business... Minho, your turn." Onew had wiped away his smile, going towards a steely expression, causing everyone to stop for a moment. Minho felt the weird shift and blinked looking around. The other three boys let the silence linger before chanting softly 'Now matter what he does it's the Onew Condition!' and Minho felt bewildered for a moment. What?
Taemin laughed, leaning against him a little before sitting up striaght again. "Alright Minho-hyung, give us something!" The maknae was smiling widely, clapping his hand against his thigh lightly.
"Uhm... okay... I'm shorter than 181 centimeters..." Minho knew that little over a year ago that he was that tall and he had grown. Everyone at the table was shorter than himself, though Key and Taemin looked as though they could possibly out grow him. He looked around the table as everyone lowered their fingers. He smirked to himself and Jonghyun glared.
"Do you have something against short people? That was a personal attack wasn't it?" The blonde glared at them, his eyes flashing. "You are tall, have big eyes and a small face. You have to be an alien to even consider being real!"
Minho took a moment, registering what the other male said before laughing whole heartedly, hiding his face in one of his large hands, just laughing away. "Really? Jonghyun-hyung, don't be so mean, he didn't know you have little people syndrome." Taemin pouted, making his face puff out and his eyes got a bit bigger than normal. The boy let his natural aegyo flow before adding a bit more so that Jonghyun was startled for a moment before making an apologetic look towards Minho. "Mianhe Minho-shi..."
Taemin let his pout fall away to a coy grin and tilted his head to the side in thought. "Hyungs... out of us, I have a job." Taemin kept his sly smile on his face as he watched the rest of them lower their fingers. He gave a cheer as Onew lowered his last finger and grumbled. "Ha! Hyung has to do the dishes." He was grinning wildly as he stood up from the dinner table. They were all practically finished and he grabbed Minho's hand, tugging him up. "Let's go to my room, I want to show you something Minho-hyung."
"Yah!" Before Key could say much more, Taemin was practically dragging Minho to his room, chuckling softly under his breath. "Don't do something we wouldn't approve of Taemin! If you do I'll come and break down the door!" The maknae just laughed a bit more, shutting the door behind them. The room was larger than Minho's and had white walls. There was a twin bed to one side with a red comforter and another towards the other side with a baby blue one. Taemin fell onto the one with the blue comforter and smiled up at Minho.
"I share a room with Key-umma..." Taemin rolled onto his stomach, patting the spot next to him and allowing the older boy to sit next to him. "Did you like coming here to visit?" he asked softly, looking a little fearful. What if Minho didn't really like his friends? What if he was scared off by them?
Minho looked down, a small crooked smile tugging on his lips as he touched Tamin's head softly, rubbing the boy's scalp carefully. "I did. Your hyungs are very caring and they're nice once you get past the odd sides they have... but I like it here." The older boy did feel comfortable around the other males more so now than he did before. Granted it was still a bit awkward, but he had the feeling he could grow used to it in time.
"Then you should stay the rest of the night. It's really late and I know Key won't let me walk you home and I don't want you getting hurt, so just stay here. Usually the drunks and stupid people are back home by the time you should be back to toll the bells." Taemin smiled, suddenly getting up from his bed and going over to the nearby closet. "Here... you can use my shirt and sleep pants and we can share my bed." Taemin turned, handing his clothes to his hyung, his smile wide and promising.
Minho knew that look and knew it would be pointless to try to get out of staying the night. He just sighed, walking out of the room and down to the bathroom to change. While he was getting dressed he heard Taemin yell, "Key-umma! Minho-hyung is staying the night because its so late. He's sharing my bed and we aren't going to do anything!" Those words alone caused the taller male to blush slightly. He pulled the clothes on, pausing to take a whiff of the shirt, smiling a little when it smelt of nothing but Taemin.
The tall boy returned to Taemin's only moments later, finding the maknae in his own sleep pants, pulling the blankets down on the bed. "Come on Minho-hyung, it's time to go to bed since I always need sleep." He laughed a little, climbing into the bed, laying down slowly before holding out a hand towards Minho.The elder male had never imagined something similar to this would ever happen to him but he was happy it was. He slowly got in bed with Taemin who looked at him slowly. He smiled before curling up underneath the blankets and closing his eyes to go to sleep. "Good night Minho-hyung."
"Good night Taemin-ah." It didn't seem like it took long for Taemin to fall asleep, his breathing becoming deep and even only after five minutes. Minho laid next to him, watching the breathtaking boy sleep for a little while. He wanted to memorize those features, to etch them into his memory for all eternity. He reached out silently, tracing his finger over Taemin's jawline, touching the smooth skin before pulling back his hand, tucking it under his head and letting his eyes close heavily to fall asleep.