A Matter of Perseverance (Drabble)
Pairing: domestic!JongKey
Rating: PG
Genre: tooth-rotting Fluff
Summary:Kibum loves to spend afternoons out on the water for a reason.
A Matter of Change || A Matter of Linguistics, Part 2, Part 3 || A Matter of Balance || A Matter of Perseverance || A Matter of Surprises || A Matter of Wishful Thinking
A/N: Domestic verse revisited, because I have this huge, huge thing for waterskiing!Key. OTL This is so random, but I’ve always wanted to write about it.
Suhyun is around 7 and a half and Myungki just turned 10 in this one. Juliette is a goldie because arf arf.
____________________
The sound of the engine is loud in the small harbour, but all are used to it by then. Jonghyun is sitting behind the wheel of their boat in nothing but shorts and a life vest, assisted by Suhyun who likes to sit on her father’s lap and keep both of her small hands firmly on the steering wheel. Juliette, their golden retriever pup, waddles around the small deck, sniffing at everything in her own custom, tiny life jacket.
Once Jonghyun has driven them to the center of the rather busy marina, he cuts the motor and goes to the back to help Kibum unload their equipment. Juliette and her probing curiosity have a tendency to get in their legs considering she is still new to these boating trips, so Suhyun crouches down to hold her back and watch her fathers and brother.
Myungki has always wanted to try waterskiing and after years of watching his dad ride the waves at the back of the boat, pulled on his skis with a sort of never-forgotten ease, he is finally old enough to give it a shot. Kibum had been strict about wanting to wait until he was ten, in other words until he was a certified swimmer and strong enough to hold himself up on water. The huge smile and excitement on the boy’s face are infectious and Kibum feels a sense of pride bubble up in him as he tightens the straps of his son’s jacket.
“Remember, dad will take off at the count of three and then you have to hold on really tightly to the handle,” he instructs for what must be the tenth time already. “And always hold the tip of your skis up and lean backwards.”
Myungki nods quickly, eager to jump into the water and slip on the brand new skis. Kibum pulls him into a tight hug and kisses his cheek.
“If you fall, just stay still and we’ll turn around to come get you.”
“I know, dad,” Myungki drawls, mostly to humour Kibum who then jokingly sticks his tongue out at him before patting his back.
“Go have fun,” Jonghyun tells him. Myungki nods again and, the next second, he jumps overboard, landing in the water with a splash that gets them all wet and has Suhyun giggling when Juliette shakes herself dry in her arms. Kibum feels himself beginning to worry, leaning over the back of the boat intently as Myungki swims out to where his skis are floating nearby. Jonghyun rubs a hand down his back, lingering on the patch of skin between his life vest and swimming shorts to trace circles with his thumb around his spine.
“He’ll be alright,” the elder says, and Kibum knows he should believe him but he can’t help the frown that creases his brow. “Stop worrying,” Jonghyun adds with a light chuckle. Kibum grants him an unsure smile, torn, and Jonghyun leans in to place a quick peck to his lips before retreating to the front of the boat to start up the engine.
“Captain?” Jonghyun calls out, and Kibum smiles genuinely for a second at their family’s running joke.
“Coming!” Suhyun shouts, releasing the puppy who then rushes to Kibum and tries to climb into his lap to get closer to the water. Jonghyun lets their daughter grab the wheel as the boat slowly moves forward, stretching the towrope until it’s almost taunt.
“On three,” Kibum yells. “One, two, three!” and the engine roars when Jonghyun speeds forward, Kibum’s eyes remaining glued to his son. He watches, heart pounding, as the boy is pulled to stand by the rope but his heart jumps into throat when Myungki leans forward too much, losing his balance and falling face-first into the water. “Cut!” Kibum yells as loud as he can and is already diving out of the boat before Jonghyun can react. Without thinking, he swims up to his son, not even pausing to breathe, and holds him up in the water as soon as he gets to him.
“Are you alright?” he asks hurriedly.
Myungki is coughing up water but nods nonetheless and wraps his arms around Kibum’s neck. Kibum’s worry eases a little now that he’s holding him close and he brings them back towards the boat with his free arm. Jonghyun helps them in and, even then, Kibum doesn’t let go of Myungki. He combs his hair back and sits him down across his thighs.
“Juliette!” Suhyun screeches, pointing off towards the side, and all three of them turn around to look, only to find the puppy happily swimming alongside the boat. Jonghyun chuckles and bends over to lift her out of the water and hands her back to Suhyun, who scolds the clueless pup in that commanding tone of hers that never ceases to amuse her fathers. She could be quite a bossy little thing.
“I want to try again,” Myungki speaks up once he’s caught his breath. Kibum still looks a little unsure, but gives in when Jonghyun grants him a reassuring smile.
“Okay,” he agrees, letting his son climb down into the water once more, “I’m coming with you.” He follows him into the water, swimming out to get his skis and help him back into them.
“Keep the tips up this time, put your weight back.”
Myungki positions himself, aided by Kibum who holds his waist, leaning back with him. He holds his arm up when they’re ready and Jonghyun takes off again. Kibum lets go and holds his breath; Myungki almost loses his balance but rights himself at once and manages to stay upright on his skis. Jonghyun revs the engine, going a little faster and Kibum feels unexpectedly emotional, a wide smile splitting his lips at the sight of his son.
After a few seconds, the boat makes a smooth turn but Myungki tilts off to the side a little too much and ends up tumbling into the water. Still, when he emerges, he’s grinning and holding up a fist in triumph.
“I did it!” Myungki exclaims excitedly, some distance away. “Did you see that, dad?”
“I sure did,” Kibum assures him, hurrying over to him. He hugs his son when he reaches him and, to Myungki’s request, they try again - and again and again until the end of the afternoon and by then the boy has no trouble standing up on his skis and can even make small turns. Kibum is beaming.
After his last try, Kibum jumps back into the water with him to help him load his skis into the boat. When he clutches the sides of the small ladder to climb back in, he finds Jonghyun hovering above him, all windswept, dark hair and tanned skin.
“Hey sexy,” Jonghyun greets him, and Kibum fights back a smile - it wouldn’t be a real boat trip if the elder didn’t comment on him being half-naked and wet at least once.
When Jonghyun reaches an arm out to help pull him back into the boat, Kibum drags him down into the water with him instead. He’s laughing when Jonghyun comes back up, hair flat and dripping, but goes quiet when the elder presses him against the ladder to kiss him.
|| A Matter of Practice
Rating: PG
Genre: tooth-rotting Fluff
Summary:Kibum loves to spend afternoons out on the water for a reason.
A Matter of Change || A Matter of Linguistics, Part 2, Part 3 || A Matter of Balance || A Matter of Perseverance || A Matter of Surprises || A Matter of Wishful Thinking
A/N: Domestic verse revisited, because I have this huge, huge thing for waterskiing!Key. OTL This is so random, but I’ve always wanted to write about it.
Suhyun is around 7 and a half and Myungki just turned 10 in this one. Juliette is a goldie because arf arf.
____________________
The sound of the engine is loud in the small harbour, but all are used to it by then. Jonghyun is sitting behind the wheel of their boat in nothing but shorts and a life vest, assisted by Suhyun who likes to sit on her father’s lap and keep both of her small hands firmly on the steering wheel. Juliette, their golden retriever pup, waddles around the small deck, sniffing at everything in her own custom, tiny life jacket.
Once Jonghyun has driven them to the center of the rather busy marina, he cuts the motor and goes to the back to help Kibum unload their equipment. Juliette and her probing curiosity have a tendency to get in their legs considering she is still new to these boating trips, so Suhyun crouches down to hold her back and watch her fathers and brother.
Myungki has always wanted to try waterskiing and after years of watching his dad ride the waves at the back of the boat, pulled on his skis with a sort of never-forgotten ease, he is finally old enough to give it a shot. Kibum had been strict about wanting to wait until he was ten, in other words until he was a certified swimmer and strong enough to hold himself up on water. The huge smile and excitement on the boy’s face are infectious and Kibum feels a sense of pride bubble up in him as he tightens the straps of his son’s jacket.
“Remember, dad will take off at the count of three and then you have to hold on really tightly to the handle,” he instructs for what must be the tenth time already. “And always hold the tip of your skis up and lean backwards.”
Myungki nods quickly, eager to jump into the water and slip on the brand new skis. Kibum pulls him into a tight hug and kisses his cheek.
“If you fall, just stay still and we’ll turn around to come get you.”
“I know, dad,” Myungki drawls, mostly to humour Kibum who then jokingly sticks his tongue out at him before patting his back.
“Go have fun,” Jonghyun tells him. Myungki nods again and, the next second, he jumps overboard, landing in the water with a splash that gets them all wet and has Suhyun giggling when Juliette shakes herself dry in her arms. Kibum feels himself beginning to worry, leaning over the back of the boat intently as Myungki swims out to where his skis are floating nearby. Jonghyun rubs a hand down his back, lingering on the patch of skin between his life vest and swimming shorts to trace circles with his thumb around his spine.
“He’ll be alright,” the elder says, and Kibum knows he should believe him but he can’t help the frown that creases his brow. “Stop worrying,” Jonghyun adds with a light chuckle. Kibum grants him an unsure smile, torn, and Jonghyun leans in to place a quick peck to his lips before retreating to the front of the boat to start up the engine.
“Captain?” Jonghyun calls out, and Kibum smiles genuinely for a second at their family’s running joke.
“Coming!” Suhyun shouts, releasing the puppy who then rushes to Kibum and tries to climb into his lap to get closer to the water. Jonghyun lets their daughter grab the wheel as the boat slowly moves forward, stretching the towrope until it’s almost taunt.
“On three,” Kibum yells. “One, two, three!” and the engine roars when Jonghyun speeds forward, Kibum’s eyes remaining glued to his son. He watches, heart pounding, as the boy is pulled to stand by the rope but his heart jumps into throat when Myungki leans forward too much, losing his balance and falling face-first into the water. “Cut!” Kibum yells as loud as he can and is already diving out of the boat before Jonghyun can react. Without thinking, he swims up to his son, not even pausing to breathe, and holds him up in the water as soon as he gets to him.
“Are you alright?” he asks hurriedly.
Myungki is coughing up water but nods nonetheless and wraps his arms around Kibum’s neck. Kibum’s worry eases a little now that he’s holding him close and he brings them back towards the boat with his free arm. Jonghyun helps them in and, even then, Kibum doesn’t let go of Myungki. He combs his hair back and sits him down across his thighs.
“Juliette!” Suhyun screeches, pointing off towards the side, and all three of them turn around to look, only to find the puppy happily swimming alongside the boat. Jonghyun chuckles and bends over to lift her out of the water and hands her back to Suhyun, who scolds the clueless pup in that commanding tone of hers that never ceases to amuse her fathers. She could be quite a bossy little thing.
“I want to try again,” Myungki speaks up once he’s caught his breath. Kibum still looks a little unsure, but gives in when Jonghyun grants him a reassuring smile.
“Okay,” he agrees, letting his son climb down into the water once more, “I’m coming with you.” He follows him into the water, swimming out to get his skis and help him back into them.
“Keep the tips up this time, put your weight back.”
Myungki positions himself, aided by Kibum who holds his waist, leaning back with him. He holds his arm up when they’re ready and Jonghyun takes off again. Kibum lets go and holds his breath; Myungki almost loses his balance but rights himself at once and manages to stay upright on his skis. Jonghyun revs the engine, going a little faster and Kibum feels unexpectedly emotional, a wide smile splitting his lips at the sight of his son.
After a few seconds, the boat makes a smooth turn but Myungki tilts off to the side a little too much and ends up tumbling into the water. Still, when he emerges, he’s grinning and holding up a fist in triumph.
“I did it!” Myungki exclaims excitedly, some distance away. “Did you see that, dad?”
“I sure did,” Kibum assures him, hurrying over to him. He hugs his son when he reaches him and, to Myungki’s request, they try again - and again and again until the end of the afternoon and by then the boy has no trouble standing up on his skis and can even make small turns. Kibum is beaming.
After his last try, Kibum jumps back into the water with him to help him load his skis into the boat. When he clutches the sides of the small ladder to climb back in, he finds Jonghyun hovering above him, all windswept, dark hair and tanned skin.
“Hey sexy,” Jonghyun greets him, and Kibum fights back a smile - it wouldn’t be a real boat trip if the elder didn’t comment on him being half-naked and wet at least once.
When Jonghyun reaches an arm out to help pull him back into the boat, Kibum drags him down into the water with him instead. He’s laughing when Jonghyun comes back up, hair flat and dripping, but goes quiet when the elder presses him against the ladder to kiss him.
|| A Matter of Practice