028. Choking
Eeteuk/Ryeowook
Completed: 12/19/07
1/100
(Hey, let's go to the archive!)
Eeteuk waits until the angry voices subside, until one door slams shut and then another. He lets a few minutes pass, until the perfect comfort is ready on his lips. When the dorm is nothing but /oddly/ absolutely quiet, he lifts himself and moves down the hall to the right room.
He taps the door softly, his signature, making it obvious it’s only him and not Round 2 of the argument. He lingers. Hearing nothing, he opens the door with perfect motherly caution and takes only one step inside.
“Ryeowook-ah,” he sighs, setting his head against the doorframe.
From his position on the bed, the younger boy makes no move to answer. His knees are pulled to his chest, fingers hiding his face. The only response comes in the small, sob-racked shoulders, telling the tale of silent tears being poured out into frustrated hands.
Eeteuk repeats the name in gentler tones as he moves silently to the foot of the bed. Again, lingers. When nothing is said, he sits, his hands folding neatly in his lap. He knits his brow as he begins staring at the wall, waiting for Ryeowook to speak. All the words he’d prepared suddenly seem worthless now.
Finally the “eternal magnae” makes some response as he lifts his face. “Ah…Hyung. Hyung, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry for all the noise. Don’t be mad.” His face is blood red down to the nose; though without tears, his are eyes swollen and tired. He sighs, a tremulous breath. “It was a very stupid thing…. If he’s still here, I’ll try to apologize-”
The leader turns to the younger boy, making his body language more open; he adds his own special touch: the dimpled smile, hoping for once it really does radiate the warmth everyone says it does. “He’s gone off somewhere to cool down. Don’t worry about it for now. It is not like this is the first disagreement between any of our members, you know Wookie?”
As the younger man’s eyes begin to water at this use of nickname, Eeteuk gives up care and slides directly to his side. “Yah, Ryeowook, don’t do that. You’ll make an old man like hyung cry too, and then where will we all be?” He wraps his arms around the designated baby of Super Junior as he speaks. And honestly, he almost chokes, holding back a few tears of his own. Because no matter how many times he does this, he can never get used to seeing his members unhappy.
He feels hands wrap themselves in his shirt, the worried face of the younger boy questioning his. “Ah, hyung, hyung. This…it’s not just a fight between friends. This is…it’s more complicated-”
He looks into the small face, and suddenly connects the dots. “Hum? OH!”
The smile comes much easier now for Eeteuk.“Ah, ah, I see. Well then, it will be fine soon for sure,” he says knowingly.
A series of blinks from Ryeowook change the leader’s almost-tears to almost-laughter. “H…Hyung!”
Moving back slightly, the leader frees up one of his arms, and makes a little triumphant fist. “Ryeowook-ah, ‘quarrels’ like these are always solved very quickly. If they weren’t, your umma and I would hardly even be able to be within five kilometers of each other!”
“Isn’t Kangin-hyung…”
“No. He just thinks he is.”
Blink. “I see….”
After a few moments of silence, Eeteuk slips away and into a standing position. Putting his hands on his slim hips: “So, don’t worry. An argument always seems much worse when you’re caught in the heat of the moment.”
Squeezing his lips together, Ryeowook nods, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. “Yes…. I’m sure you’re right. It was probably a silly thing to argue over, anyway.” He takes a deep breath, “Um, thank you, hyung.”
The leader nods appreciatively, then tilts his head. “What were you two arguing about anyway?”
“Well, it was all about this thing I mentioned--"
Just as Ryeowook starts to explain, a huge crash-from the kitchen? -startles them both. The sound is quickly followed by Korean screeches, battled back with livid Chinese, which is then answered with shrill shouts to “STOP DOING THAT WHEN WE ARGUE!”
Eeteuk lifts his eyebrows apologetically, his dimple showing as he turns to the door. Smiling somewhat in turn, Ryeowook nods, agreeing that the story can wait until later.
As he slips back out into the /war/ dorm, Eeteuk takes one final look at the boy as he closes the door behind him. Relieved, when he leaves the boy smiling this time.
Completed: 12/19/07
1/100
(Hey, let's go to the archive!)
Eeteuk waits until the angry voices subside, until one door slams shut and then another. He lets a few minutes pass, until the perfect comfort is ready on his lips. When the dorm is nothing but /oddly/ absolutely quiet, he lifts himself and moves down the hall to the right room.
He taps the door softly, his signature, making it obvious it’s only him and not Round 2 of the argument. He lingers. Hearing nothing, he opens the door with perfect motherly caution and takes only one step inside.
“Ryeowook-ah,” he sighs, setting his head against the doorframe.
From his position on the bed, the younger boy makes no move to answer. His knees are pulled to his chest, fingers hiding his face. The only response comes in the small, sob-racked shoulders, telling the tale of silent tears being poured out into frustrated hands.
Eeteuk repeats the name in gentler tones as he moves silently to the foot of the bed. Again, lingers. When nothing is said, he sits, his hands folding neatly in his lap. He knits his brow as he begins staring at the wall, waiting for Ryeowook to speak. All the words he’d prepared suddenly seem worthless now.
Finally the “eternal magnae” makes some response as he lifts his face. “Ah…Hyung. Hyung, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry for all the noise. Don’t be mad.” His face is blood red down to the nose; though without tears, his are eyes swollen and tired. He sighs, a tremulous breath. “It was a very stupid thing…. If he’s still here, I’ll try to apologize-”
The leader turns to the younger boy, making his body language more open; he adds his own special touch: the dimpled smile, hoping for once it really does radiate the warmth everyone says it does. “He’s gone off somewhere to cool down. Don’t worry about it for now. It is not like this is the first disagreement between any of our members, you know Wookie?”
As the younger man’s eyes begin to water at this use of nickname, Eeteuk gives up care and slides directly to his side. “Yah, Ryeowook, don’t do that. You’ll make an old man like hyung cry too, and then where will we all be?” He wraps his arms around the designated baby of Super Junior as he speaks. And honestly, he almost chokes, holding back a few tears of his own. Because no matter how many times he does this, he can never get used to seeing his members unhappy.
He feels hands wrap themselves in his shirt, the worried face of the younger boy questioning his. “Ah, hyung, hyung. This…it’s not just a fight between friends. This is…it’s more complicated-”
He looks into the small face, and suddenly connects the dots. “Hum? OH!”
The smile comes much easier now for Eeteuk.“Ah, ah, I see. Well then, it will be fine soon for sure,” he says knowingly.
A series of blinks from Ryeowook change the leader’s almost-tears to almost-laughter. “H…Hyung!”
Moving back slightly, the leader frees up one of his arms, and makes a little triumphant fist. “Ryeowook-ah, ‘quarrels’ like these are always solved very quickly. If they weren’t, your umma and I would hardly even be able to be within five kilometers of each other!”
“Isn’t Kangin-hyung…”
“No. He just thinks he is.”
Blink. “I see….”
After a few moments of silence, Eeteuk slips away and into a standing position. Putting his hands on his slim hips: “So, don’t worry. An argument always seems much worse when you’re caught in the heat of the moment.”
Squeezing his lips together, Ryeowook nods, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. “Yes…. I’m sure you’re right. It was probably a silly thing to argue over, anyway.” He takes a deep breath, “Um, thank you, hyung.”
The leader nods appreciatively, then tilts his head. “What were you two arguing about anyway?”
“Well, it was all about this thing I mentioned--"
Just as Ryeowook starts to explain, a huge crash-from the kitchen? -startles them both. The sound is quickly followed by Korean screeches, battled back with livid Chinese, which is then answered with shrill shouts to “STOP DOING THAT WHEN WE ARGUE!”
Eeteuk lifts his eyebrows apologetically, his dimple showing as he turns to the door. Smiling somewhat in turn, Ryeowook nods, agreeing that the story can wait until later.
As he slips back out into the /war/ dorm, Eeteuk takes one final look at the boy as he closes the door behind him. Relieved, when he leaves the boy smiling this time.