Aftermath of a War - Sihan, Kangteuk, Qmi
Title: Aftermath of a War
Author: craiglockdhart
Pairings: Sihan, Kangteuk, Qmi
Rating: PG
Warnings: !kid Ryeowook, Yesung
Summary: Siwon and Hankyung go about picking up the pieces after the war.
More of a bridging chapter from Soldier to the next part.
Siwon ran his fingers over Hankyung’s soft skin. The older man felt almost the same as he did two years ago. Except that he had lost some weight, and his skin, once fair and milky, had a sun-kissed tinge to it from working in the fields for extended hours each day.
“I missed you.”, Siwon pecked him on the cheek affectionately, “So much.”
“I missed you too.”
“I’d hate to say this, Geng, but the last two years hasn’t done much for your Korean.”, Siwon chuckled as his lover sent him a semi-glare.
“I will go to school soon, yes?”, his look turned into one that was questioning, “And I can dance.”
Siwon nodded.
“Then my Korean will be good… Better.”
Soft. That was how Siwon would describe his lover, Geng. He was soft-spoken and slightly shy. That’s why, or so he heard, Geng had not made much progress in the language while he was away, since he only spoke to Siwon’s parents and his sister. And even so, he spoke very little. But Geng was far from reserved in his own native tongue, and Siwon loved how each Mandarin syllable escaped his lips easily when he slipped into conversation, sometimes bickering childishly with Han-mama, or so he called Geng’s mother.
Geng was gentle with Siwon’s parents, taking care of the two like they were his own kin while Siwon was away. He taught Siwon’s sister how to dance. Soft, graceful steps that he remembered from dance training. He even knew some Korean traditional dances. He taught them to his sister too. And come fall, his sister would be traveling to the big city to learn how to dance in a prestigious school, having passed the entrance test as soon as they opened their doors to new students. But Geng was tough too. He worked at the fields by day under the watchful eyes of the troops, weeding, planting, sowing but seemingly never reaping. For he held the burden of four mouths to feed, and for that he never slackened for fear they might go hungry. He was perhaps not as muscled as Kangin or Siwon, but he was well-sculpted and hardworking. And responsible.
Geng was sweet-natured and understanding with Siwon. He never doubted Siwon, though sometimes Siwon was inclined to believe that Geng never questioned him because of his proficiency (or lack thereof) in Siwon’s language. But surely Geng could understand “The two of us - We made love”, and he only nodded, saying that he understood. “But are you sure you know what I’m saying?”, Siwon questioned urgently, afraid that the Chinese man did not quite comprehend. But Geng smiled, nodded, and with shocking clarity that Siwon himself would never have dreamt of hearing, replied, “I served military service back home too. I know how it gets.” So Geng knew guns and dirt, and loneliness, and seeking comfort in his closest friends too. Geng knew what it was like to be torn from home, pining for a familiarity that never came.
Yes, Geng was soft. But Geng was also the toughest man Siwon had ever seen. And Geng was all his.
It was a week later that Siwon brought Hankyung to see Kyuhyun in his hometown two villages away.
“Hyung!”, Kyuhyun greeted Siwon as soon as he saw the older man come through the door, closely followed by a shorter man who didn’t look local.
“How nice to hear you greeting me with something else other than a grunt or a nod, Kyu. What caused this amazing change?”, Siwon teased.
“Maybe you hauling me back to the trenches on your injured leg when you could have left me out there as prey…”
“Let’s not talk about that now, Kyu, those times are over. Meet Geng!”, Siwon hastily dragged Hankyung from behind him to his side, mentally kicking himself for even asking.
“Ni hao!”, Kyuhyun ventured, wondering if the man might be Chinese.
Hankyung’s eyes widened, his face a mixture of surprise and happiness, “You speak Chinese?”
“A little. Mimi taught me.”
“Mimi?”, Siwon cocked an eyebrow at Kyuhyun, “Is she from around here?”
“He’s from Geng’s country.”
“He?”
“Don’t give me that look. You’re not better off yourself!”, Kyuhyun retorted, “And yes, I met him at hospital. Volunteer with the medical services.”
And as though by perfect timing a tall and lanky man appeared at the doorway, “Kyu!”
Siwon observed Mimi - Later he learnt that his name was Zhoumi, and he did come from the huge land that Geng was from, albeit a different area. He too had left China to seek refuge, and by some strange turn of luck decided to put his medical skills to good use by volunteering with the troops. Zhoumi was tall, even taller than Siwon, and extremely thin - he looked almost malnourished. Other than that however, Siwon conceded that this Zhoumi person was one good-looker. His personality was cheerful, bubbly - a huge contrast to Kyuhyun’s. But they got along like a house on fire, and Siwon could have sworn he had never seen Kyu smile this much before. He flitted easily from Korean to Chinese, even stopping to translate for Geng at some point when Kyuhyun and Siwon went on too fast for him.
Mimi and his megawatt smile seemed like just the thing to remedy the effects of war on Kyu.
Visiting Kangin and Leeteuk, it seemed, was the most important thing on their agenda. Hankyung shared a smile with the beautiful man as Kangin and Siwon locked each other in a tight embrace - the sort you only see between two people who had literally gone through life and death together. Hankyung liked Leeteuk the minute he set his eyes on him. The man, while possessing effeminate features, had an aura about him that was deeply attractive. Hankyung could see why he was nicknamed ‘special’. When he hugged Hankyung, he smelled of vanilla and sweet roses, and his thin frame was surprisingly warm and comforting.
“Han Geng.”, he had said, getting the pronunciation right the first time, “Kangin says that you’re all Siwon ever talks about.”
And in halting Korean Hankyung replied, “Funny thing, but Siwon said the same thing about Kangin too.”
The four men laughed heartily, Siwon and Kangin having the sense to look mildly embarrassed.
Later, Siwon and Hankyung learn that Kangin and Leeteuk have adopted two young boys.
“They were abandoned at the shelter with suspicious looking wounds on them. And nobody else would take them in.”, Leeteuk explains almost wearily, “And they’re at least eight or ten. But they just won’t talk, won’t tell me anything.”
Siwon and Hankyung also learn that the other couple have decided to call their boys Jongwoon and Ryeowook after Kangin’s deceased buddy and the boy that they had failed to save on that fateful day. Siwon feels his heart tighten again by the mere memory of Ryeowook’s passing, and Hankyung puts a comforting hand on his arm, squeezing it lightly.
“We can go to school together”, Hankyung says with an almost childlike demeanor when Leeteuk talks about the boys.
Siwon understands why Geng keeps talking about going to school. He hadn’t had much of a chance even back home since they were too poor. He spent most of his childhood with the troupes. Han-mama had taught him how to read and write, and later Siwon when he was struggling with the Korean language. Now, he was determined to get himself an education, even if he was going to school with children.
Siwon thinks he will enrol himself in night-school too. Afterall, he is only 22 this year. He might get himself a degree and set up a small business so they can live comfortably. He tells Kangin, and Kangin promises to look around for a good day job for him.
They talk about getting married. Siwon says he will find a small chapel and someone to marry them. Though of course it has to be a small affair since it is hardly legal. Just family, and perhaps Kyuhyun and Zhoumi, and of course the two little boys.
The future will be difficult, they are sure, picking up the pieces and unfinished business from before the war. But they have each other, Hankyung thinks, and that is about enough.
Author: craiglockdhart
Pairings: Sihan, Kangteuk, Qmi
Rating: PG
Warnings: !kid Ryeowook, Yesung
Summary: Siwon and Hankyung go about picking up the pieces after the war.
More of a bridging chapter from Soldier to the next part.
Siwon ran his fingers over Hankyung’s soft skin. The older man felt almost the same as he did two years ago. Except that he had lost some weight, and his skin, once fair and milky, had a sun-kissed tinge to it from working in the fields for extended hours each day.
“I missed you.”, Siwon pecked him on the cheek affectionately, “So much.”
“I missed you too.”
“I’d hate to say this, Geng, but the last two years hasn’t done much for your Korean.”, Siwon chuckled as his lover sent him a semi-glare.
“I will go to school soon, yes?”, his look turned into one that was questioning, “And I can dance.”
Siwon nodded.
“Then my Korean will be good… Better.”
Soft. That was how Siwon would describe his lover, Geng. He was soft-spoken and slightly shy. That’s why, or so he heard, Geng had not made much progress in the language while he was away, since he only spoke to Siwon’s parents and his sister. And even so, he spoke very little. But Geng was far from reserved in his own native tongue, and Siwon loved how each Mandarin syllable escaped his lips easily when he slipped into conversation, sometimes bickering childishly with Han-mama, or so he called Geng’s mother.
Geng was gentle with Siwon’s parents, taking care of the two like they were his own kin while Siwon was away. He taught Siwon’s sister how to dance. Soft, graceful steps that he remembered from dance training. He even knew some Korean traditional dances. He taught them to his sister too. And come fall, his sister would be traveling to the big city to learn how to dance in a prestigious school, having passed the entrance test as soon as they opened their doors to new students. But Geng was tough too. He worked at the fields by day under the watchful eyes of the troops, weeding, planting, sowing but seemingly never reaping. For he held the burden of four mouths to feed, and for that he never slackened for fear they might go hungry. He was perhaps not as muscled as Kangin or Siwon, but he was well-sculpted and hardworking. And responsible.
Geng was sweet-natured and understanding with Siwon. He never doubted Siwon, though sometimes Siwon was inclined to believe that Geng never questioned him because of his proficiency (or lack thereof) in Siwon’s language. But surely Geng could understand “The two of us - We made love”, and he only nodded, saying that he understood. “But are you sure you know what I’m saying?”, Siwon questioned urgently, afraid that the Chinese man did not quite comprehend. But Geng smiled, nodded, and with shocking clarity that Siwon himself would never have dreamt of hearing, replied, “I served military service back home too. I know how it gets.” So Geng knew guns and dirt, and loneliness, and seeking comfort in his closest friends too. Geng knew what it was like to be torn from home, pining for a familiarity that never came.
Yes, Geng was soft. But Geng was also the toughest man Siwon had ever seen. And Geng was all his.
It was a week later that Siwon brought Hankyung to see Kyuhyun in his hometown two villages away.
“Hyung!”, Kyuhyun greeted Siwon as soon as he saw the older man come through the door, closely followed by a shorter man who didn’t look local.
“How nice to hear you greeting me with something else other than a grunt or a nod, Kyu. What caused this amazing change?”, Siwon teased.
“Maybe you hauling me back to the trenches on your injured leg when you could have left me out there as prey…”
“Let’s not talk about that now, Kyu, those times are over. Meet Geng!”, Siwon hastily dragged Hankyung from behind him to his side, mentally kicking himself for even asking.
“Ni hao!”, Kyuhyun ventured, wondering if the man might be Chinese.
Hankyung’s eyes widened, his face a mixture of surprise and happiness, “You speak Chinese?”
“A little. Mimi taught me.”
“Mimi?”, Siwon cocked an eyebrow at Kyuhyun, “Is she from around here?”
“He’s from Geng’s country.”
“He?”
“Don’t give me that look. You’re not better off yourself!”, Kyuhyun retorted, “And yes, I met him at hospital. Volunteer with the medical services.”
And as though by perfect timing a tall and lanky man appeared at the doorway, “Kyu!”
Siwon observed Mimi - Later he learnt that his name was Zhoumi, and he did come from the huge land that Geng was from, albeit a different area. He too had left China to seek refuge, and by some strange turn of luck decided to put his medical skills to good use by volunteering with the troops. Zhoumi was tall, even taller than Siwon, and extremely thin - he looked almost malnourished. Other than that however, Siwon conceded that this Zhoumi person was one good-looker. His personality was cheerful, bubbly - a huge contrast to Kyuhyun’s. But they got along like a house on fire, and Siwon could have sworn he had never seen Kyu smile this much before. He flitted easily from Korean to Chinese, even stopping to translate for Geng at some point when Kyuhyun and Siwon went on too fast for him.
Mimi and his megawatt smile seemed like just the thing to remedy the effects of war on Kyu.
Visiting Kangin and Leeteuk, it seemed, was the most important thing on their agenda. Hankyung shared a smile with the beautiful man as Kangin and Siwon locked each other in a tight embrace - the sort you only see between two people who had literally gone through life and death together. Hankyung liked Leeteuk the minute he set his eyes on him. The man, while possessing effeminate features, had an aura about him that was deeply attractive. Hankyung could see why he was nicknamed ‘special’. When he hugged Hankyung, he smelled of vanilla and sweet roses, and his thin frame was surprisingly warm and comforting.
“Han Geng.”, he had said, getting the pronunciation right the first time, “Kangin says that you’re all Siwon ever talks about.”
And in halting Korean Hankyung replied, “Funny thing, but Siwon said the same thing about Kangin too.”
The four men laughed heartily, Siwon and Kangin having the sense to look mildly embarrassed.
Later, Siwon and Hankyung learn that Kangin and Leeteuk have adopted two young boys.
“They were abandoned at the shelter with suspicious looking wounds on them. And nobody else would take them in.”, Leeteuk explains almost wearily, “And they’re at least eight or ten. But they just won’t talk, won’t tell me anything.”
Siwon and Hankyung also learn that the other couple have decided to call their boys Jongwoon and Ryeowook after Kangin’s deceased buddy and the boy that they had failed to save on that fateful day. Siwon feels his heart tighten again by the mere memory of Ryeowook’s passing, and Hankyung puts a comforting hand on his arm, squeezing it lightly.
“We can go to school together”, Hankyung says with an almost childlike demeanor when Leeteuk talks about the boys.
Siwon understands why Geng keeps talking about going to school. He hadn’t had much of a chance even back home since they were too poor. He spent most of his childhood with the troupes. Han-mama had taught him how to read and write, and later Siwon when he was struggling with the Korean language. Now, he was determined to get himself an education, even if he was going to school with children.
Siwon thinks he will enrol himself in night-school too. Afterall, he is only 22 this year. He might get himself a degree and set up a small business so they can live comfortably. He tells Kangin, and Kangin promises to look around for a good day job for him.
They talk about getting married. Siwon says he will find a small chapel and someone to marry them. Though of course it has to be a small affair since it is hardly legal. Just family, and perhaps Kyuhyun and Zhoumi, and of course the two little boys.
The future will be difficult, they are sure, picking up the pieces and unfinished business from before the war. But they have each other, Hankyung thinks, and that is about enough.