Happy Birthday [2]
Title: Happy Birthday
Beta: muramatsu_aoi
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong
Rating: PG-13 (NC-17 for this part)
Genre: Romance, Humor, Fluff, Fantasy
Summary: No one celebrates birthdays like Jung Yunho.
Twenty One
Jaejoong crawled onto his lap, and Yunho let out a loud sigh. He met the other’s eyes and set his hands on the gumiho’s waist.
“If you don’t plan on letting this lead to sex, please don’t do anything to me.” Yunho murmured as he squeezed the other’s waist. He let out a sigh, and Jaejoong’s lips were merely formed into a pout. “You’re really killing me, you know?”
Jaejoong bit his lower lip.
“Jaejoong…”
“But, last time didn’t…”
Yunho sighed and rested his head against the other’s shoulder. “I told you, I didn’t mind last time. It was just twice, and it wasn’t like it was that bad either. Didn’t you enjoy everything? Don’t let -“
“I hit you!”
“Only a couple of times, but it really wasn’t -“
“A couple of times?” Jaejoong questioned. He quickly crawled off Yunho’s lap and sat down beside him in the sofa. “I thought you only said twice?” He let his face fall into his hands and shook his head in dismay, “Can’t you just wait five more years?”
“Are you really asking me to wait five years until we attempt to have sex again?”
“Yes.”
Yunho groaned and covered his eyes with his hands. “I really don’t think I can do that Jaejoong - not when you wear my clothes, insist on taking showers with me, strip in front of me, sit on my lap, and thousands of other things -“
“I don’t want to have sex with you until I’m human.” Jaejoong mumbled, his face still in his hands. “It was so embarrassing Yunho. You don’t understand the pain I’m going through -“
“Trust me Jaejoong, I’m fairly sure I’m going through a different kind of pain, and it’s pretty bad -“
“Yunho!”
The younger man sighed, took his hands off his eyes and looked at Jaejoong. The gumiho had a deep set frown on his lips, and Yunho wished he could kiss it away. He tried to pout, but it was quite obvious that it didn’t nearly have the same effect as Jaejoong’s did.
“Baby, I don’t mind your tails.” Yunho said finally, the tiredness evident in his voice. “I know you feel embarrassed about them, but they’re a part of you and -“
“I hit you in the face with two of my tails, and you fell off the bed!” Jaejong shouted finally, his face burning red with embarrassment. He stared at Yunho, “Can’t you see how embarrassing that is for me? Stop making me feel excited, because it makes everything worse! I can’t control my tails during sex because I’m so excited, and -“
His face reddened further, and he covered his face with his hands before he turned out of the room and fled for Yunho’s room.
Yunho sighed and turned the television on. Jaejoong wouldn’t be coming out of the room any time soon.
In all honesty, he really didn’t mind the tails that much. Sure, he’d gotten hit in the face several times, but they’d never been that hard anyway. They’d felt extremely soft, and the only reason he’d fallen off the bed that one time was because he’d been off balance in his attempt to get the lube without trying to leave the bed.
Everything had gotten so awkward between them the past couple of weeks because of that incident, and it was incredibly frustrating. Jaejoong refused to go out of the apartment, and refused to let Yunho touch him at all. Neither of them was happy, and they’d bickered a lot because of their irritated moods.
Thirty minutes passed, and Jaejoong still hadn’t come out yet. The young man sighed and changed the channel - it was quite obvious that there were no improvements to be made tonight.
o-o-o
They were coming back home from a party - his birthday party to be exact, and Yunho kept his arm around Jaejoong’s shoulders to make sure the other wouldn’t stumble. He’d drunk a lot more than he usually did, and Yunho was slightly worried, half-expecting the gumiho to trip over his feet. They walked back to their apartment, and Yunho placed a sleepy Jaejoong in bed before he walked away to look for the accounting figures he’d abandoned earlier in the week.
With a frown his lips, Yunho got to work, calculating the figures and focusing on the task at hand. Even if he didn’t finish it tonight, he would still have -
“It’s your birthday now,” Jaejoong whispered as wrapped his arms around Yunho’s neck and kissed his cheek. He tugged at Yunho’s earlobe with his teeth while his hands worked on unbuttoning Yunho’s shirt.
Yunho tensed up, and he turned his head. “What - what are you doing?”
“We are going to have sex.” Jaejoong growled as he became irritated with his attempt to try to remove Yunho’s shirt. He pulled his arms away from Yunho, turned Yunho’s swivel chair, and then crossed his arms over his chest. He narrowed his eyes, “Now come to bed.”
Yunho stared blankly. “What?”
Jaejoong pointed at Yunho, “You,” he then pointed at himself, “Me.” He then made a sort of cup figure with his hand and then proceeded to do a rather obscene gesture in which a pointed finger went in and out of the hole formed by his other hand. “Sex.”
Yunho swallowed hard. He could feel the blood rushing to his groin. He licked his lips and stared at Jaejoong. “You can’t back out this time.”
“I know.” Jaejoong replied, completely serious. “We are going to do this, and I don’t care if you liking this means you have some kind of animal fetish -“
“Hey!”
“- but despite that, we are going to have sex.” The gumiho finished. “Now, are you going to help me out of my clothes, or am I going to have to do that myself?”
Yunho quickly got out of his chair and pounced onto Jaejoong. He led the other onto their bed and quickly worked on stripping the other of all his clothes. In a matter of minutes, Jaejoong was fully naked, and Yunho climbed on top of him.
Their kisses were fuelled with lust and desperation, and Yunho ravished Jaejoong’s mouth roughly. He didn’t bother with shy or chaste kisses, instead he did exactly what he wanted. He entangled his tongue with Jaejoong’s over and over again as he familiarized himself further with the other’s mouth, continuously desperate for more. He could feel Jaejoong’s hips bucking up against him, and Yunho groaned when his clothed erection bumped against Jaejoong’s hardened cock.
“Get them off,” Jaejoong whined as he pressed his hips against Yunho to prove his point. He squeezed at Yunho’s butt, “Get these off.”
Yunho quickly moved off Jaejoong to unbuckle his jeans and slide them down. He was glad he’d gone commando, and he didn’t miss the appreciative gaze from Jaejoong when he spotted Yunho’s cock. Before Yunho could climb back over Jaejoong, the gumiho pushed him away and pinned him down against the bed.
The gumiho smirked, and Yunho could feel even more blood rush down. He felt a tail swipe against his leg, and he looked up at Jaejoong, only then noticing that something that had once been there, was now missing. “Your ears are gone.”
Jaejoong patted his head then looked down at Yunho. “You would’ve liked the ears, wouldn’t you?” he whispered, his index finger trailing down the tanned skin that was revealed by the opened buttons of Yunho’s shirt. He bit his lip and eyed Yunho, “Am I your precious pet?”
With his eyes still holding Yunho’s gaze, Jaejoong ripped open Yunho’s shirt and took one of his nipples into his mouth. He licked and sucked at it for a few seconds, his eyes still holding Yunho’s gaze, before he nipped at it. As soon as he was done, his smirk widened, and Yunho shivered when he felt another of Jaejoong’s tails sweep against his leg.
“Do you love me master?”
Yunho’s brain practically combusted at that point - nothing even comprehending anything aside from the fact Jaejoong was satisfying some sort of fetish he didn’t even know he had. Jaejoong laughed wickedly when he saw Yunho’s face then climbed back up to kiss Yunho then began to rut against the younger man. He kissed Yunho’s jaw and then nibbled at his chin.
“You’re so cute,” Jaejoong whispered as he nuzzled against Yunho. “Please fuck me hard master.”
“Oh god, why are you talking like this?” Yunho groaned finally, having a hard time trying to cope with Jaejoong’s split personality. He tried to pin Jaejoong back against the bed, but the gumiho refused and kept Yunho down with his superior strength.
Jaejoong moved his face away from Yunho’s neck and pouted. “I’m just trying to make you happy…” He pinched one of Yunho’s nipples then smiled, “I also read this manga last night. It was graphic and smutty and it reminded me of what I wanted you to do to me.” He wrinkled his nose, “Though, the main character was a cat boy. I’m much better than a cat boy, aren’t I?”
“Are you trying to kill me?”
The gumiho grinned and then began to make his way down lower to Yunho’s body. He grasped at the base of Yunho’s cock, “I only want to make you happy master.”
Yunho moaned as Jaejoong began to stroke him. The other moved his hand up and down slowly, then just as Yunho was about to ask, Jaejoong placed his mouth over Yunho’s cock and began to suck. Jaejoong’s tongue ran over the head of his cock and as soon as his teeth grazed against it, Yunho let out a loud moan. He grasped Jaejoong’s hair tightly, and the gumiho soon began to bob his head up and down.
“Shit, Jaejoong,” Yunho clenched the other’s hair tightly. The familiar tension in his gut was building up, and as Jaejoong sucked him harder, the obscene noises reaching his ears, nothing could hold him back. Yunho came into Jaejoong’s mouth and tried not to buck his hips too hard as he came.
He breathed out heavily, and when he saw Jaejoong licking at his limp cock, Yunho groaned. He covered his eyes, Jaejoong still taking small kittenish licks at cum that was on his skin.
“Fuck.”
Jaejoong crawled back up, and he kissed Yunho. “Did you enjoy that?” His tails were wagging behind him, and Yunho chuckled. The gumiho had an eager look on his face, and Yunho couldn’t help but find it irresistibly cute.
“Yes.”
“Now me?” Jaejoong asked softly as he rocked his hips against Yunho’s waist, his cock grazing against Yunho’s toned stomach. He kissed Yunho and stretched himself across the other, “Please…” he whispered, “I want it.”
Yunho could feel his cock harden once more, and he nodded. “I can give you -“
“No.” Jaejoong got off Yunho and climbed over to the nightstand. Yunho sat up, and he watched as Jaejoong grabbed the condoms and lube then practically chucked them at Yunho. Just as he was about to lie down, Yunho pulled him by the wrist.
“On my lap,” he ordered, and Jaejoong followed. He set himself down onto Yunho’s lap, and they both groaned when their cocks brushed against each other. With Jaejoong seated comfortably on him, Yunho slathered the lube on his fingers. He could feel Jaejoong tighten his grip on him as the gumiho raised up his lower body, and in a matter of seconds, he’d inserted one finger into the other’s behind.
A loud whine escaped Jaejoong’s lips, and he moved against the finger that was stretching him open. His tails brushed against Yunho’s arm, and Yunho merely chuckled before he soon inserted another. As soon as he’d gotten three fingers in, Jaejoong was mewling and rutting against him, a desperate mess of hormones.
“Please, I want…”
“I thought it was my birthday,” Yunho whispered as he watched Jaejoong rut against him wantonly. “Shouldn’t you be satisfying my wants?”
Jaejoong licked his lips then grabbed the condom packet on the bed. He ripped it open and placed the condom onto Yunho’s cock before he then proceeded to slick up Yunho’s cock. As soon as the prep was done, his amber eyes might Yunho’s, and a blush covered his cheeks.
Yunho kissed his lover gently, set one hand on Jaejoong’s waist while the other positioned the tip of his cock at Jaejoong’s entrance. Jaejoong lowered himself down, Yunho’s cock stretching him open further, and soon, Yunho was completely inside of him.
“Oh -“ Jaejoong gasped as Yunho’s hips thrust upward, and he moaned loudly. Yunho began to buck his hips up, his cock pushing deep into Jaejoong. He tried to meet with Yunho’s thrusts, but the pleasure was too much of a distraction. He was a writhing mess of ecstasy on the other’s lap, moaning and mewling as Yunho guided his hips back down onto his cock over and over again.
Yunho hissed and briefly lifted Jaejoong off before he pushed the gumiho back against the bed. He forced Jaejoong’s legs open wider and resumed thrusting into him, the sight of Jaejoong moaning underneath him pushing him further and further to his orgasm. After a few more thrusts of him hitting Jaejoong’s prostate dead on, he and Jaejoong came together, moaning each other’s names loudly.
Before Yunho could say something, he could feel Jaejoong’s tails brushing against his legs. Yunho chuckled and kissed Jaejoong, who was blushing in embarrassment. He pressed their foreheads together and carded his fingers through the other’s sweat damp hair.
“I love you pet,” Yunho teased as he kissed Jaejoong’s nose.
Jaejoong blushed in embarrassment and wrinkled his nose. He looked away and tried to wriggle out of Yunho’s grasp, but the other merely laughed and held Jaejoong even closer. Deciding that there was no way out, Jaejoong buried his face into Yunho’s chest and wished he could just disappear.
“Thank you.” Yunho murmured, and he could hear Jaejoong’s muffled you’re welcome, happy birthday against his skin.
Twenty Two
Yunho kept his eyes out onto the road, but when Jaejoong sighed uncomfortably for the fourth time in five minutes, he had to look at his anxious boyfriend. Nervousness was etched all over the gumiho’s features, and to be honest, Yunho was finding it all incredibly amusing.
“Come on, you know my parents are nice -“
“What if they know?” Jaejoong whispered nervously, his eyes focused on his hands as he wrung them together. He raised his head and looked at Yunho for comfort, “What if all along, they’ve already known that what happened to you six years ago -“
Yunho chuckled, “Jaejoong…you’re starting to sound really paranoid. Calm down. Pretty much everyone has already dismissed that incident as a poor stroke of luck. Just calm down -“
“I’ve only met them over Skype!” Jaejoong complained before he let his face fall into his hands. “That’s totally different in comparison to meeting them in person. Can’t you recognize that? Why did they have to come back? I mean, aren’t they happy in America? Why are they here anyway?”
“They missed Korea.” Yunho said plainly as he slowed the car down because of the red light. He looked over at Jaejoong and placed his hand on his boyfriend’s shoulder, “I know you’re nervous, but really, you don’t have any reason to be.”
“But your mother is kind of creepy,” Jaejoong mumbled, his voice small as he stared down at his hands. “I mean…she treats you like a kid, she calls you baby boy, and she smothers you with attention -“
“She’s always been like that.” Yunho chuckled, “It’s just her personality. She loves me…and yeah, I guess the ways she shows it aren’t exactly the most typical, but she’s still my mom, and I love her.”
Jaejoong slumped in his seat and let out a long sigh. “There’s going to be meat at this lunch, right? I need meat. Meat makes me feel better…”
“No, we’re going to a vegetarian -“
“What?!”
Yunho laughed, “I was kidding.”
The gumiho scowled. “If there’s one thing you shouldn’t joke about, it’s a gumiho and his relationship with meat. It’s a special relationship, and as much as I love you, I love meat just as much as I love you - if not more, since meat doesn’t have scary mothers that I have to deal with.”
Yunho pouted, “Are you serious?”
Jaejoong glanced at him. “I thought you knew?”
“Just wait until my mom hears about this,” Yunho said, and he laughed long and hard as soon as he saw the scared look on Jaejoong’s face.
o-o-o
It was difficult for Yunho to stifle his laughter. He watched as Jaejoong fidgeted in his seat, his hands wringing his napkin as both his mother and father began to make their way over to where they were seated. He leaned and whispered into Jaejoong’s ear, “It’s time for you to stand up now.”
They both stood up, and Yunho hugged his father before he moved over to his mother, who greeted him happy birthday then cooed and coddled him just as she’d done for the past twenty two years. As soon as she was done squeezing him and complaining that he’d lost weight, her eyes then turned to Jaejoong, who was standing beside him.
Yunho wrapped his arm around Jaejoong’s waist and smiled, “Mom, dad, this is Jaejoong, and -“
“Isn’t he the prettiest thing?” his mother cooed, “Oh, it’s so nice to see you!” She immediately crushed Jaejoong into a hug, “It’s so nice to meet you in the flesh. I kept tell Yunho’s father that you weren’t as pale as you looked on the computer!”
Jaejoong could barely breathe, and he looked at Yunho for help.
“Mom, you’re kind of -“
“I’m so sorry that you have to put up with my baby’s bad habits. Does he still smoke in the house? That bad habit was given to him by that nasty Park boy, did you break him off it yet? I remember the last time we chatted, I saw an ash tray in the apartment, was that Yunho’s? You should get him to stop, you don’t want him -“
“Mom -“
“Does Yunho still leave his stuff lying around the house? I keep telling him that he should be neater, but he doesn’t listen to me! You won’t believe the kinds of things I had to deal with when he was a teenager! All the sneaking out, and all the messes! I’m so glad that he found someone like you -“
“Mom, I think -“
“You have the loveliest hair, and my God, you’re so tall! I think you look absolutely perfect next to my son. I had my reservations at first when I found out my son was gay, but if he’s going to end up spending the rest of his life with someone as perfect as you, I don’t mind at all! When will -“
Yunho’s father cleared his throat loudly, and he shot a look at his wife. “Jimin honey, don’t you think we should all at least sit down before you start talking so much again?” He gestured to the table, “After all, we’re all here to eat.”
Yunho shot his father a grateful look, and the older man smiled back, well aware of his wife’s tendencies to ramble.
“Oh right!” Yunho’s mother took a step back and clasped her hands together, “Well, isn’t this just so lovely that we’re spending time together? Let’s eat!”
They all took their places at the table, and as Yunho’s mother flipped through the menu, Jaejoong leaned over and whispered into Yunho’s ear. “Please buy me a steak. I don’t know if I can last the whole lunch without one.”
Yunho chuckled and squeezed Jaejoong’s hand underneath the table, “Sure.”
“I didn’t know your mother talked so much…I guess I never really noticed on Skype. I always thought she talked so much because she missed you a lot,” Jaejoong whispered. “I’m so glad you didn’t pick up that trait from her -“
“Honey?”
The lovers parted, and Yunho looked at his mother. “Yes mom?”
“What will you two be ordering?”
“Jaejoong will have a steak, medium rare, and I -“
Mrs. Jung glanced at Jaejoong, “A steak? Why, are you sure dear? You don’t look like the type to have steak.” She raised an eyebrow, “Will you be okay?”
Jaejoong stared back at her and blinked. “I like meat.”
The two stared at each other, and just as Yunho was about to cut in and change the topic, his mother spoke up once again.
“Yunho, I am so happy that you found Jaejoong. Look at him, eating a steak! Didn’t you tell me before about all those other people you went out with? What did you say again, that they only liked to eat salads? It’s about time that you found someone who eats just as healthily as you do -“
Yunho chuckled and shook his head as his mother rambled.
It was going to be a very long lunch indeed.
o-o-o
Jaejoong scowled as he dabbed at Yunho’s shirt with a napkin. Yunho stared at the other in amusement, “I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” Jaejoong scoffed and continued to rub furiously, “You know who’s sorry? I’m sorry. I know how expensive this shirt is because I bought it for you, and you just spilled your squid ink pasta on it. Seriously? Are you a child? I’ve seen five year olds eat much cleaner than you do. How could you miss your mouth anyway -“
Yunho began to laugh, and Jaejoong looked up at him.
“Why in the world are you laughing?”
“You sound like my mother.”
Jaejoong’s mouth fell open, “I do not sound like your mother!”
Yunho took Jaejoong’s hands in his and kissed his lover on the nose. He took the napkin out of Jaejoong’s hand and dumped it into the trash can before he led his lover out, hand in hand. As soon as they were back at the table and seated, Mrs. Jung spoke.
“Honey, how could you be so careless? How could you drop pasta onto your shirt? I know you’ve always been somewhat of a messy child, but you’re a grown man now! It isn’t proper for you to still get your shirt messy during meals. That’s not becoming behavior, and as your mother, I feel unhappy that -“
Yunho turned his head and looked at Jaejoong, who was staring at Mrs. Jung with a look of horror on his face. As his mother continued her rant, Jaejoong felt Yunho’s eyes on him and turned his head. A smirk crossed Yunho’s lips, and he mouthed a couple of words to his lover who frowned and turned his head away in denial.
I told you so.
Twenty Three
“I said no.”
Yunho look at Jaejoong pleadingly. “But baby, he’s already here. I can’t turn him away. Do you know how heartless that would be? He’s a gift!”
Jaejoong scowled, “I don’t like dogs.”
“Boo, he’s the cutest thing ever -“
“You’re the cutest thing ever, don’t think some stupid dog would replace you in my heart,” Jaejoong said seriously as he began to walk away from Yunho, “I’m not letting you bring him inside. He can stay out in the corridor and rot.”
“Jaejoong!” Yunho shook his head in amusement and walked over to his boyfriend, who was stirring the soup. He wrapped his arms around the other’s waist and placed his chin atop his shoulder. “He’s just a puppy. Don’t worry so much about him. He’s cute, fluffy, and he’ll take care of you -“
“No, he’ll eat me alive while I sleep.”
“Jaejoong…”
“It’s not safe - even for you. I’ve heard dozens of stories about people being involved in accidents because of dogs, and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”
“Jaejoong, come on. Nothing bad is going to happen…”
The gumiho didn’t stop stirring the soup. He moved, and Yunho stepped back so that Jaejoong could cut some vegetables. Yunho frowned slightly. He honestly didn’t think it would be so difficult to get Jaejoong to agree to let him keep the dog. In fact, he didn’t even think it would be a problem - he’d thought everyone loved dogs.
Now he realized how wrong he was. He was living with and dating the biggest dog hater on the planet. Yunho sighed - Jaejoong was becoming even more protective of him lately, and he couldn’t quite understand why. Every once in a while it seemed like Jaejoong just wanted to keep him in their apartment and never let him leave. Yunho had chalked it up to Jaejoong’s mother hen nature, but really, this was highly unnecessary of him to do.
Yunho shook his head and stepped out of his apartment to retrieve the dog carrier that was out in the corridor. He picked it up effortlessly seeing as it wasn’t that heavy and brought it inside. He shut the door quietly behind him and moved to the kitchen before he set the carrier down.
Jaejoong was still busy ranting and cooking, so he didn’t bother to say anything and focued on the task at hand. He opened the carrier’s door, and the puppy walked out slowly. He grinned as soon as it came forward, and Yunho ran his hands along the dog’s smooth fur. He carefully reached out and gathered it into his arms, and the dog licked his face in response.
“Don’t you know that people use dogs to hunt foxes?” Jaejoong asked, continuing on his rant. “Do you know how many foxes that dog’s probably going to hunt? Or no, do you know how many people are bitten by dogs each year or get involved in some sort of incident with them? Yunho, I know he probably seems faithful but what are you doing?”
Yunho held the dog tighter, “He’s cute. Can we please keep him?” he glanced down at the Siberian Husky in his arms, “Isn’t he adorable? He’ll practically be our baby, I’m sure of it -“
“No!” Jaejoong cried out, “If we had a baby, it’d be ten times cuter than that rodent, for sure! Put it away!”
Yunho took a step closer, and Jaejoong backed up against the counter. The other man stopped as soon as he was a few steps from the gumiho and pouted. “Please? It’s my birthday, and Yoochun went through so much to buy him for me. Let’s have him live with us for a bit, and if you really don’t like him in a week’s time, I’ll give him back.”
Jaejoong took in deep breaths, his eyes focused on the puppy that was staring back at him with its innocent eyes.
“If it tries to eat me or hurt you -“
Yunho laughed and turned away, “He’s not going to eat you Jaejoong, and he’s not going to hurt me either. He’s just a puppy, and it’s not like you’re really a fox anyway.” He looked down at the puppy that was cradled in his arms and made a cute face, “How do you like the name Taepoong? I think it suits you -“
“I think Murderer would be a better name!” Jaejoong yelled as he shook his ladle in Yunho’s direction. “Just you wait! That thing’s going to attack one of us in our sleep!”
o-o-o
Jaejoong still hadn’t warmed up to Taepoong, and Yunho was starting to get irritated. The gumiho refused to come close to Taepoong and hardly interacted with him at all, even refusing to go out with Yunho if the dog was going along with them. They’d fought about it, but Yunho refused to give up Taepoong.
He was not backing down. Taepoong had found a place in his heart just as Jaejoong had did years ago, and Yunho refused to let go of something that gave him so much happiness. Although he was just a dog, Taepoong was practically part of his family now and that meant that he wasn’t something that could just be given away or replaced.
Yunho sighed and squatted to scratch behind Taepoong’s ears. He brought the dog close and nuzzled its fur, cherishing the feel against his skin before he pulled away and straightened up. It was dark out - Yunho having stormed out of the tent he and Jaejoong had been sharing earlier after Jaejoong had complained about Taepoong. The vacation was supposed to be a fun thing for them, a nice retreat from the city, but Yunho couldn’t find himself to be enjoying anything with Jaejoong in such an irritated state.
He walked back slowly, leaves crunching underneath his boots, not quite wanting to meet Jaejoong so soon. He knew the gumiho would shout and get upset with him, and Yunho was so sick of fighting already, especially over something so ridiculous. He sighed and tried to look where he was going, but in his rush to escape Jaejoong, he’d forgotten to bring a flashlight. He stumbled in the darkness, and in one quick movement, Yunho’s foot landed on a slope, and he tumbled down.
His body thudded roughly against the ground and hit things along the way down the slope. Yunho groaned when he stopped rolling. His ankle hurt terribly, and when he sat up, he cringed. His arm had bashed against a tree, and it was swollen, but hopefully not broken.
The woods were still as quiet as ever, and Yunho shouted for help, but no reply came. He had no idea where he was, and he had nothing that could serve as any use to him. He shouted Taepooong’s name, and in a few seconds, the dog quickly rushed over to him. Yunho let out a thankful sigh and held the dog closely, unsure of what to do next. His body was hurting all over, and he didn’t know if Jaejoong was close enough to hear him.
“What do we do?” Yunho whispered against the dog’s fur. Taepoong licked his cheek, and Yunho stared at him helplessly. There was only one thing he could try, but he didn’t know if Taepoong would be capable of doing it.
“Can you find Jaejoong?”
Taepoong stared back at him, and Yunho was fully convinced that he was asking a ridiculous request. The most Taepoong knew was to sit, to roll over, and to fetch his ball, how could he possibly get Jaejoong to come? Yunho let out a hopeless sigh and tried to reach for Taepoong, but the dog quickly darted out of his grasp and began to run in the opposite direction.
Yunho watched helplessly as Taepoong ran, and as soon as the dog was gone, he let out a sigh and lied back down, hoping that this wasn’t going to be the end for him.
o-o-o
Yunho woke up, and he blinked blearily when he realized that he wasn’t in the woods any longer. He looked around the hospital room, and when he caught sight of his bandaged ankle and arm, he cringed. Jaejoong was sitting down beside his bed, and before he could speak, Jaejoong woke up.
“Oh God, you’re awake!”
The gumiho hugged him tightly, and Yunho groaned because of the pressure Jaejoong was applying onto his arm. Jaejoong quickly stepped back, and he glanced down in shame, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay…” Yunho murmured guiltily, well aware that they wouldn’t have gotten into this situation if he hadn’t run off. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t…I shouldn’t have just left you alone and gone off.”
“Taepoong helped me find you,” Jaejoong explained. When he raised his eyes, Yunho noticed that Jaejoong looked like he was on the verge of tears. The gumiho wiped at his eyes, “I was so worried Yunho…I thought, I thought you might’ve -“
Uncaring of the pain that he would probably feel in his arm, Yunho reached out and grasped Jaejoong tightly. The gumiho sobbed softly against his shoulder, and Yunho felt guilty for bringing the other such pain, because he knew it was nothing in comparison to the physical pain he felt.
He couldn’t even think about what he’d do without Jaejoong in his life.
o-o-o
A week later, Yunho unlocked the door of his apartment and turned on the lights. He looked around, expecting Taepoong to come to the door, but the dog never came. A slight frown crossed his face, and he set his bag down onto the ground before he began to make his way to the bedroom.
Jaejoong couldn’t have possibly given Taepoong away…right?
He walked slowly, hoping that his dog would come bounding in from any corner, but the Siberian Husky was nowhere to be found. His heart beat worriedly, and he opened his bedroom door with a question on the tip of his tongue.
However, as soon as he saw what was on his bed, the question evaporated. A slow smile stretched across his lips, and he shook his head in amusement. Jaejoong’s arm was draped protectively over Taepoong, who was curled up and tucked comfortably in his side. They were sleeping peacefully, and in fact, Jaejoong was even snoring.
Once again, he was right about things. Jaejoong had just been unnecessarily protective, and Taepoong wasn’t a threat to anyone. There was really nothing for him to worry about when it came to the dog. Taepoong was a valuable addition to their family.
“Attack you in your sleep?” Yunho chuckled. “Look who’s attacking who in their sleep now.” He shook his head and exited the room to go to the bathroom and get ready for bed, not bothering to wake up Jaejoong and kiss him hello like he usually did.
He’d let the two other members of his little family sleep in peace for a little longer before he came back to bed and ruined their moment.
Twenty Four
He’d drunk a bit too much.
Yunho walked up slowly to the apartment, and it took him awhile before he managed to unlock the door. To be honest, he didn’t look forward to getting back home tonight - especially when Jaejoong had been so disapproving of him going out in the first place.
He and Jaejoong had been fighting the past couple of months over the most mundane things, and Yunho couldn’t understand why they just couldn’t stop fighting. He felt like Jaejoong was keeping on a tight leash, treating him like a kid when he didn’t need to be coddled. He didn’t appreciate being treated like a child, and he didn’t like feeling like he was inferior either.
He let out a sigh and when he opened the door, Jaejoong was got up off the sofa and frowned at him.
“Do you know what time it is?”
“Honestly, no.” Yunho muttered. He ran a hand through his hair and looked at Jaejoong tiredly. “What’s wrong now?”
“What do you mean?” Jaejoong questioned. “Did you get here alone? Do you know how dangerous -“
“Jaejoong, I am a grown man. I can handle myself.” Yunho replied. He shook his head at the gumiho and sighed. “Can you just stop already? Jesus Jaejoong, I just wanted to enjoy myself, and can you stop breathing down my neck?”
“I’m just worried!”
“Worried about what?” Yunho questioned, his frustrations mounting by the second as he stared at Jaejoong. “You know I’m worried about you too, and I get concerned about your safety as well, but you don’t see me being so possessive!”
“You don’t understand -“
Yunho shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I don’t understand, okay, I don’t understand. What, is it because I’m human and you aren’t? Is there some kind of secret gumiho knowledge that I don’t get to be enlightened on because I’m lesser than you?”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Jaejoong snapped. “Can’t you just listen to me? I don’t get why you have to be so difficult -“
“I’m not a pet, okay Jaejoong?” Yunho argued, “I can’t just keep listening to you all the time! I’m not some play thing that you can just boss around. I have stuff I want to do, and you have to let me do it! Honestly, sometimes I feel like you’re just using me to become human - that the only reason you care is because you want to be human. I don’t even get why you want to be human when it seems like all you like to do is flaunt around that you’re better than me!”
A gasp escaped Jaejoong’s lips, and Yunho immediately knew he’d gone too far.
“Jaejoong, shit, it’s -“
“Is that what you think?” Jaejoong questioned, tears threatening to spill out of the corners of his eyes. “Do you really think that I’m just using you?” He wiped his eyes and shook his head, “The reason you can’t understand is because you don’t know what it’s like to live so many years and see everything age but you. You don’t know what it’s like to see people grow old and move on while you stay the same, unchanging and alone.
” Jaejoong took a deep breath, and Yunho was stunned into silence. He could feel the guilt multiplying by the second, but his tongue remained unmoving as he watched the gumiho collect himself.
“Do you want to know why I’m so protective of you? Why I’m always so worried about you all the time lately?” Jaejoong whispered, the tears flowing freely now. “Because I don’t want to live the rest of eternity thinking and reflecting about what I used to have with you. I don’t want you to die and leave me behind to remember you until God knows when.”
The gumiho wiped his eyes. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry for forcing this burden upon you.” He swallowed hard, “I’ve been so selfish.”
“Jaejoong, please, no -“
“Don’t say you want to help me if you really don’t!” Jaejoong shouted, and Yunho stepped back in alarm. Jaejoong fought back his tears and stared at Yunho, his eyes filled with emotion. “I’d rather live an eternity alone than to know that I’m merely stealing away your years as a burden. I don’t want to do that to you. I forced you to help me once, and I won’t do it again, now that I know…now that I know…”
Jaejoong choked back a sob and shook his head. “I should go.”
Before Yunho could even move to try to block the gumiho’s way, Jaejoong pushed past him roughly. He watched as Jaejoong moved to leave the apartment, but before Jaejoong could go, he finally mustered the ability to speak.
“Jaejoong, wait -“
The gumiho shook his head. “I can’t…not anymore. I’ve already taken enough of your time.” Jaejoong smiled sadly at Yunho and pointed at something. “Happy birthday Yunho…your birthday present is the bedroom.”
Yunho watched as Jaejoong walked away, and for some reason, his body felt rooted to the ground. When the gumiho was gone, Yunho slowly walked to the bedroom, his body feeling unlike his own. Taepoong barely raised his head as Yunho came in, and Yunho’s heart clenched as he saw the present sitting upon the nightstand. He walked up to it and sat down on the bed and slowly took off the wrapping paper.
It was a formal shirt, and there was a note attached to the plastic wrapping that contained it. His eyes scanned the paper, and as soon as he’d finished reading it, Yunho sobbed quietly to himself, regretting everything that had just transpired between him and Jaejoong.
I bought you a new shirt because you’re a messy eater, and I won’t always be around to help you clean up your shirts. Take this to work, and keep it at your office, okay? ^^
Love you! ♥
o-o-o
Jaejoong had been gone for three weeks.
Yunho didn’t know where he was supposed to find the gumiho. Jaejoong hadn’t stopped by his mother’s bakery, and seeing as he’d left everything behind on the night he’d left, Yunho had no means of finding him again. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do, but he didn’t want to just wait either.
So, he’d wander the streets alone at night, hoping he’d meet Jaejoong again. He never knew how long he walked - he just kept going. It felt like he was walking in circles, but he had no other option. All he could do was keep wishing that he’d see Jaejoong again and get to talk to him, to straighten things out and to speak the words that he’d been unable to say on the night the gumiho had left.
He could feel the regret and guilt clinging to his heart like a vine, squeezing it tightly and refusing to let go. Although the years had passed, Yunho couldn’t believe himself. He’d been so blind to everything. Jaejoong had proved to him that he hadn’t left behind his selfish youthful tendencies entirely, and there was so much he still needed to improve on.
There was so much he still didn’t know and understand.
He’d been so blind and stupid - wrapped up in himself and not seeing the other side of the picture. Although Jaejoong was in the wrong for being so quiet about his own personal worries, Yunho could recognize that he was still greatly at fault. He’d been so ignorant for too long.
In his ignorance he’d made Jaejoong feel like he was a burden, when in reality, he was anything but that. Although Jaejoong’s secret was something he’d been forced into keeping at first, Yunho knew that he kept it now because he genuinely wanted to help Jaejoong. Just as much as Jaejoong didn’t want Yunho to leave him behind, he didn’t want to leave Jaejoong behind either.
He didn’t want Jaejoong to be alone anymore, and he’d been stupid to not tell Jaejoong that. He’d been so stupid, and now he didn’t even know if he would ever get the chance to repair the mistakes that he’d made in their relationship.
Yunho blinked out of his thoughts, and he realized that he was near his parents’ old butcher shop. A sad smile crossed his lips as he stared at what it was now - a laundry shop. Yunho walked up to it, but he stopped when he realized that someone was standing in front of it.
“Jaejoong.”
The gumiho turned, and Yunho walked up to him slowly. Neither of them broke the gaze, and when Yunho was only a few steps away, he stopped. Jaejoong stared at him, and Yunho could feel his heart clench tightly in his chest. But before Jaejoong could speak, Yunho spoke first.
“I want you to become human, and the reason I’m keeping your secret..I’m keeping it because...” Yunho said softly, his heart drumming in his chest as he continued to speak. “I don’t want you to be alone anymore.” He could feel his body seize up with emotion, the past few weeks finally taking a toll upon him. “I’m stupid and so young in comparison to you,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything,” Jaejoong murmured softly as he averted his eyes from Yunho and turned them to the direction of the laundry shop. “I’m sorry I didn’t say tell you about…about my fears.”
Yunho waited, and Jaejoong turned his eyes back to him. He swallowed back his tears and stared at Jaejoong. His heart was pounding so loudly in his chest, and the question he was waiting to ask was lingering on the tip of his tongue. Just as Jaejoong had been scared, he was scared now too.
“Jaejoong…will you come back home?” Yunho whispered. He looked at Jaejoong, his heart twisting painfully in his chest. “Please, come back.”
The gumiho stared at him, his amber eyes unsure.
“I love you.” Yunho said softly, his voice cracking. “Please.”
Jaejoong quickly ran back into his arms, and Yunho held him tightly. He shut his eyes, and he could feel Jaejoong sob against his shoulder. He held Jaejoong closer to him and kissed his hair, his emotions overflowing. Before he knew it, tears were running down his face as well.
They stood like that for a few minutes, and Yunho clutched Jaejoong tightly. He’d made a mistake hurting Jaejoong by making him feel unloved and unwanted, and Yunho would make sure that he never made that mistake ever again.
Twenty Five
Yunho was stirred awake by the feeling of Jaejoong wriggling against him. He cracked one of his eyes open, and Jaejoong’s amber eyes looked up at him. He held Jaejoong a little closer and kissed the other’s forehead.
“What’s up baby?” he whispered, his mind still a little groggy and half-asleep.
Jaejoong kissed his jaw and ran his hand up and down Yunho’s side. “It’s your birthday now. Happy birthday.”
“Thanks,” Yunho murmured, not quite paying attention to the other. He was still tired from the long day he’d spent at the office, and all he wanted to do was sleep and cuddle Jaejoong until it was time for him to wake up later.
He could feel Jaejoong’s hands grasp his tightly, and Yunho perked up slightly. There was something off about Jaejoong, and he had a feeling that it wasn’t just his lover having trouble sleeping. He brought his arm closer around Jaejoong’s waist and held him close.
“Is something wrong?” he asked, his warm breath ghosting against Jaejoong’s ear. After everything that had happened months prior, he did his best to become more sensitive to Jaejoong’s feelings. He didn’t want Jaejoong hiding any secret fears from him ever again.
“Only one more year left.” Jaejoong mumbled as he turned around so that he could look up at Yunho’s face. He reached up and brushed back the strands of Yunho’s hair and smiled beautifully, the moonlight that streamed in from the window illuminating his face in the darkness.
Yunho took hold of the hand that brushed against his cheek and held it tightly. He stared at Jaejoong with a look filled with affection and smiled. To be honest, he almost hadn’t realized that nearly a decade had passed. Jaejoong was still as youthful as he’d been when they’d first met, the only changes in him taking place internally, but as soon as the ten years were up, they’d be aging together.
Would Jaejoong have any regrets? Yunho knew he was far from perfect, and even though he felt like he was growing into becoming a better person, would that be enough for Jaejoong?
“I didn’t realize so much time had passed by,” Yunho whispered. “Are you happy with me?” he asked.
The days had blurred into one another, and it was only now that Yunho began thinking about everything. While he’d make improvement on understanding Jaejoong’s situation in the past months, he’d never truly understood what Jaejoong was giving up until now. He was giving up immortality, the chance to -
“Extremely,” Jaejoong replied, snapping Yunho out of his thoughts. He smiled brightly and intertwined his fingers with Yunho’s. Yunho watched as Jaejoong swallowed hard and brought Yunho’s hand to his chest, where his heart was beating. “I never thought that…I never thought I’d end up like this.”
“Like what?” Yunho breathed out, resisting the urge to kiss Jaejoong. His eyes lingered upon the other’s lips for a few seconds before he raised them to look at the other. His smile grew a little wider.
“Content?” Jaejoong mused aloud, a smile also playing at the corners of his lips. “I don’t know…just…like this. I don’t know what it is, but I like it, and I could spend the rest of my life like this.”
“Even though I’m stupid?”
The gumiho looked at him and smiled, “Yes, even though you’re stupid. You’re the only person I’d love to argue with for the rest of my life.”
“That sounds like a good plan to me,” Yunho said with a smile. “I could live the rest of my life like this too.”
“Just so you know…I’m not perfect either.” Jaejoong whispered as he inched closer to Yunho. “I get scared, selfish, and possessive -“
“You’ll make a good human then.” Yunho murmured as he pressed his forehead against Jaejoong’s. “If there’s one thing you should know - well, you probably already know it, but we make a lot of mistakes. We hurt people, and sometimes, we’re not always capable of making things better.”
“We’re going to be making a lot of mistakes in the future…aren’t we?”
Yunho chuckled, “I bet we will.”
He felt something brush against his leg, and he looked down at Jaejoong’s remaining tail. It was the only one left, and in one more year, it’d be gone. When he raised his eyes back up to look at Jaejoong, they smiled at each other for a few more seconds and then Yunho’s alarm began to ring. Before Jaejoong could reach back to get it, Yunho climbed over him and promptly turned it off. He moved back on top of Jaejoong, pinning the gumiho underneath him.
Jaejoong looked up at him, an amused and expectant smile on his face.
“What would you like for breakfast?”
“You,” Yunho breathed out before he leaned down and kissed Jaejoong deeply.
Twenty Six
It would only be a few more hours until his birthday, and Yunho wondered where Jaejoong was. He’d come home early in the hopes of spending some quality time with his boyfriend, but only Taepoong was home. The dog was settled at his feet, sleeping peacefully, but Yunho couldn’t share the same kind of peace until Jaejoong was home. He’d texted the gumiho and had called him, but the other had yet to respond.
Yunho let out a worried sighed and tried to distract himself by flipping through the channels in the hopes that Jaejoong would just come home already. They’d gone through almost ten years of waiting, and now, at the last stretch, Jaejoong was nowhere to be found? The thought of Jaejoong leaving him again scared him greatly, but Yunho pushed them away - he was being stupid thinking that.
Taepoong immediately got off the rug and made his way to the door, alerting Yunho to Jaejoong’s return. He practically leapt off the couch and made his way for the door, and when he saw Jaejoong struggling with grocery bags, a smile lit up his face before he went over to grab them.
“I was so worried,” Yunho confessed as he took two bags out of Jaejoong’s hands. “I thought something might’ve happened to you -“
“Wait, there’s a cake outside,” Jaejoong replied, too frazzled to notice the worry that had been on Yunho’s face. As soon as he stepped back inside with a cake box in his hands, he pulled the door shut and let out a long sigh. “You won’t believe what happened to me today…anyway, what were you saying?”
“I texted and called you -“
Jaejoong let out a loud sigh, “I’m so sorry. You know Min right? One of my nieces? She was toying with my phone the whole day at the bakery. I couldn’t get it back from her, and it was just -“
Yunho laughed lightly, “It’s okay. I’m just happy you’re home now. I thought something might’ve happened to you.” He turned away to take the groceries to the kitchen, and as he walked, he spoke. “Why did you buy so many things anyway?”
“Because it’s your twenty sixth birthday and my first day as a human tomorrow! Aren’t you excited?” Jaejoong proclaimed happily as he followed Yunho into his kitchen, his sole tail now wagging and completely visible.
Yunho made a face and began to take things out of the bag, “Not really…that means I’m getting old -“
“And now that means I can get old with you,” Jaejoong murmured softly, so quietly that Yunho almost didn’t catch it.
Yunho put down the can he’d been holding and glanced at Jaejoong, who was smiling at the cake in front of. He walked over to Jaejoong, turned the gumiho to face him, and kissed him deeply. Jaejoong’s eyes widened in surprise, but he deepened the kiss, threading his fingers through Yunho’s hair and pulling him closer.
After a few minutes, Taepoong nudged their legs. Yunho pulled away and laughed before bending low to scratch behind the dog’s ears. He looked up at Jaejoong, who was smiling down at them fondly, and returned the smile.
It was only a few hours left until their lives would be changed permanently.
o-o-o
“Where are we going to -“
“On the table! On the table!” Jaejoong urged, as he pressed the dining table close to the largest window in the apartment. He set the cake on top of it and then climbed up after, sat down, then turned his head to beam at Yunho. “It has to be somewhere special.”
Yunho laughed but followed Jaejoong anyway. “I hardly think a table is that special Jaejoong. What if we break it?”
“It’ll be your fault then, because you’ve been eating too many cupcakes lately,” Jaejoong teased as he looked at the wall clock. “Only five more minutes, and then it’s officially your birthday.” His tail swept behind him, and Yunho’s eyes lingered upon it, realizing that it wouldn’t be much longer until it was gone forever.
He looked up, and Jaejoong smiled at him.
“No regrets?” Yunho asked as he shifted, trying to get into a better position on the table. He crossed his legs and placed his hands on his knees, “Do you have any wishes, or is there anything -“
Jaejoong made an amused face and crossed his legs. “This isn’t New Year’s Yunho. It’s your birthday.” He rubbed his hands up and down his thighs anxiously, “But no, I don’t have any regrets.”
“I think now would be a good time for you to apologize for mauling me nearly ten years ago.” Yunho teased as he glanced down at the cake that Jaejoong had specially prepared for him. He turned his eyes back upward, “Did you know that after that incident, my mother went with me everywhere for around five months? She wouldn’t even let me go to the men’s bathroom alone, she’d let my dad go with me.”
Jaejoong bit his lip and stifled his laughter, “I’m sorry.”
Yunho shook his head and laughed, “I think that’s why I’ve grown up weird.” He relaxed and stared at Jaejoong, watching as the other proceeded to light up all the candles on the cake. The candlelight illuminated Jaejoong’s face wonderfully, and Yunho’s smile brightened. As soon as Jaejoong drew back from the cake, the gumiho let out an admiring sigh.
“I think you put too many candles,” Yunho teased.
Jaejoong looked up and scowled. “When I celebrate my first proper birthday, you can be minimalist and only give me one.” He gestured to the candles, “But right now, it’s your birthday, I’m in charge, and I say that I must put twenty six candles on your birthday cake.”
“Alright then…” Yunho glanced up at the clock, and there was only a minute left until twelve midnight. He glanced at Jaejoong, looked at his tail, and then turned his eyes back to the other’s face. “Is there going to be a mystical transformation?”
“None.” Jaejoong said softly as he kept his eyes riveted on the candles on the cake. He looked up at Yunho, “Mother said it’ll just disappear. I won’t feel any different…it’ll just happen.”
Yunho nodded, “Do you want to do a countdown?”
Jaejoong laughed and shook his head. He smiled at Yunho, “To be honest, I’m getting a little nervous about everything. I’m not regretting a single thing, but, I…I love you so much. I don’t want anything wrong to happen -“
“And nothing wrong will happen. I’ll make sure of that. It’ll be -“
“You’re not supposed to say your birthday wish aloud!”
Yunho chuckled and shook his head in amusement. He looked at Jaejoong’s face and carefully studied the person he’d grown to love over the years. They’d fought, cried, made love…pretty much everything that a couple could do, they’d already done it, but he didn’t mind the idea of spending the rest of his life doing those things over and over again.
In fact, it’d become his birthday wish that he and Jaejoong would spend the rest of their lives with one another, living every day happily and completely in love.
“Yunho…”
He was snapped out of his thoughts, and he looked at Jaejoong immediately. His eyes then wandered to where Jaejoong’s tail had been, and it was no longer there. Yunho turned his eyes back to Jaejoong’s face, and the other was smiling happily, his eyes sporting unshed tears.
“Happy birthday Yunho.” Jaejoong breathed out, his voice filled with emotion.
Yunho couldn’t think of anything to say in response. Jaejoong was human now, and they’d be going through the days together for their rest of their lives. He was so appreciative for everything he’d received through the years, but right there, sitting before him, was the greatest gift he’d ever received on any of his birthdays.
Rather than voicing that aloud, Yunho leaned over his cake and kissed Jaejoong, expressing all his love through action instead of words.
There would be many more happy birthdays to come - he was sure of it.
art made by chottoipuku
Fin ♥
<
Author’s Note: OTL Took me a bit of a while to finish this. I felt like the angst + drama was a bit necessary after my beta suggested it, so I hope none of you guys mind. XD Once again, thank you so much for reading and commenting! I hope you guys liked this! ♥
Beta: muramatsu_aoi
Pairing: Yunho/Jaejoong
Rating: PG-13 (NC-17 for this part)
Genre: Romance, Humor, Fluff, Fantasy
Summary: No one celebrates birthdays like Jung Yunho.
Twenty One
Jaejoong crawled onto his lap, and Yunho let out a loud sigh. He met the other’s eyes and set his hands on the gumiho’s waist.
“If you don’t plan on letting this lead to sex, please don’t do anything to me.” Yunho murmured as he squeezed the other’s waist. He let out a sigh, and Jaejoong’s lips were merely formed into a pout. “You’re really killing me, you know?”
Jaejoong bit his lower lip.
“Jaejoong…”
“But, last time didn’t…”
Yunho sighed and rested his head against the other’s shoulder. “I told you, I didn’t mind last time. It was just twice, and it wasn’t like it was that bad either. Didn’t you enjoy everything? Don’t let -“
“I hit you!”
“Only a couple of times, but it really wasn’t -“
“A couple of times?” Jaejoong questioned. He quickly crawled off Yunho’s lap and sat down beside him in the sofa. “I thought you only said twice?” He let his face fall into his hands and shook his head in dismay, “Can’t you just wait five more years?”
“Are you really asking me to wait five years until we attempt to have sex again?”
“Yes.”
Yunho groaned and covered his eyes with his hands. “I really don’t think I can do that Jaejoong - not when you wear my clothes, insist on taking showers with me, strip in front of me, sit on my lap, and thousands of other things -“
“I don’t want to have sex with you until I’m human.” Jaejoong mumbled, his face still in his hands. “It was so embarrassing Yunho. You don’t understand the pain I’m going through -“
“Trust me Jaejoong, I’m fairly sure I’m going through a different kind of pain, and it’s pretty bad -“
“Yunho!”
The younger man sighed, took his hands off his eyes and looked at Jaejoong. The gumiho had a deep set frown on his lips, and Yunho wished he could kiss it away. He tried to pout, but it was quite obvious that it didn’t nearly have the same effect as Jaejoong’s did.
“Baby, I don’t mind your tails.” Yunho said finally, the tiredness evident in his voice. “I know you feel embarrassed about them, but they’re a part of you and -“
“I hit you in the face with two of my tails, and you fell off the bed!” Jaejong shouted finally, his face burning red with embarrassment. He stared at Yunho, “Can’t you see how embarrassing that is for me? Stop making me feel excited, because it makes everything worse! I can’t control my tails during sex because I’m so excited, and -“
His face reddened further, and he covered his face with his hands before he turned out of the room and fled for Yunho’s room.
Yunho sighed and turned the television on. Jaejoong wouldn’t be coming out of the room any time soon.
In all honesty, he really didn’t mind the tails that much. Sure, he’d gotten hit in the face several times, but they’d never been that hard anyway. They’d felt extremely soft, and the only reason he’d fallen off the bed that one time was because he’d been off balance in his attempt to get the lube without trying to leave the bed.
Everything had gotten so awkward between them the past couple of weeks because of that incident, and it was incredibly frustrating. Jaejoong refused to go out of the apartment, and refused to let Yunho touch him at all. Neither of them was happy, and they’d bickered a lot because of their irritated moods.
Thirty minutes passed, and Jaejoong still hadn’t come out yet. The young man sighed and changed the channel - it was quite obvious that there were no improvements to be made tonight.
o-o-o
They were coming back home from a party - his birthday party to be exact, and Yunho kept his arm around Jaejoong’s shoulders to make sure the other wouldn’t stumble. He’d drunk a lot more than he usually did, and Yunho was slightly worried, half-expecting the gumiho to trip over his feet. They walked back to their apartment, and Yunho placed a sleepy Jaejoong in bed before he walked away to look for the accounting figures he’d abandoned earlier in the week.
With a frown his lips, Yunho got to work, calculating the figures and focusing on the task at hand. Even if he didn’t finish it tonight, he would still have -
“It’s your birthday now,” Jaejoong whispered as wrapped his arms around Yunho’s neck and kissed his cheek. He tugged at Yunho’s earlobe with his teeth while his hands worked on unbuttoning Yunho’s shirt.
Yunho tensed up, and he turned his head. “What - what are you doing?”
“We are going to have sex.” Jaejoong growled as he became irritated with his attempt to try to remove Yunho’s shirt. He pulled his arms away from Yunho, turned Yunho’s swivel chair, and then crossed his arms over his chest. He narrowed his eyes, “Now come to bed.”
Yunho stared blankly. “What?”
Jaejoong pointed at Yunho, “You,” he then pointed at himself, “Me.” He then made a sort of cup figure with his hand and then proceeded to do a rather obscene gesture in which a pointed finger went in and out of the hole formed by his other hand. “Sex.”
Yunho swallowed hard. He could feel the blood rushing to his groin. He licked his lips and stared at Jaejoong. “You can’t back out this time.”
“I know.” Jaejoong replied, completely serious. “We are going to do this, and I don’t care if you liking this means you have some kind of animal fetish -“
“Hey!”
“- but despite that, we are going to have sex.” The gumiho finished. “Now, are you going to help me out of my clothes, or am I going to have to do that myself?”
Yunho quickly got out of his chair and pounced onto Jaejoong. He led the other onto their bed and quickly worked on stripping the other of all his clothes. In a matter of minutes, Jaejoong was fully naked, and Yunho climbed on top of him.
Their kisses were fuelled with lust and desperation, and Yunho ravished Jaejoong’s mouth roughly. He didn’t bother with shy or chaste kisses, instead he did exactly what he wanted. He entangled his tongue with Jaejoong’s over and over again as he familiarized himself further with the other’s mouth, continuously desperate for more. He could feel Jaejoong’s hips bucking up against him, and Yunho groaned when his clothed erection bumped against Jaejoong’s hardened cock.
“Get them off,” Jaejoong whined as he pressed his hips against Yunho to prove his point. He squeezed at Yunho’s butt, “Get these off.”
Yunho quickly moved off Jaejoong to unbuckle his jeans and slide them down. He was glad he’d gone commando, and he didn’t miss the appreciative gaze from Jaejoong when he spotted Yunho’s cock. Before Yunho could climb back over Jaejoong, the gumiho pushed him away and pinned him down against the bed.
The gumiho smirked, and Yunho could feel even more blood rush down. He felt a tail swipe against his leg, and he looked up at Jaejoong, only then noticing that something that had once been there, was now missing. “Your ears are gone.”
Jaejoong patted his head then looked down at Yunho. “You would’ve liked the ears, wouldn’t you?” he whispered, his index finger trailing down the tanned skin that was revealed by the opened buttons of Yunho’s shirt. He bit his lip and eyed Yunho, “Am I your precious pet?”
With his eyes still holding Yunho’s gaze, Jaejoong ripped open Yunho’s shirt and took one of his nipples into his mouth. He licked and sucked at it for a few seconds, his eyes still holding Yunho’s gaze, before he nipped at it. As soon as he was done, his smirk widened, and Yunho shivered when he felt another of Jaejoong’s tails sweep against his leg.
“Do you love me master?”
Yunho’s brain practically combusted at that point - nothing even comprehending anything aside from the fact Jaejoong was satisfying some sort of fetish he didn’t even know he had. Jaejoong laughed wickedly when he saw Yunho’s face then climbed back up to kiss Yunho then began to rut against the younger man. He kissed Yunho’s jaw and then nibbled at his chin.
“You’re so cute,” Jaejoong whispered as he nuzzled against Yunho. “Please fuck me hard master.”
“Oh god, why are you talking like this?” Yunho groaned finally, having a hard time trying to cope with Jaejoong’s split personality. He tried to pin Jaejoong back against the bed, but the gumiho refused and kept Yunho down with his superior strength.
Jaejoong moved his face away from Yunho’s neck and pouted. “I’m just trying to make you happy…” He pinched one of Yunho’s nipples then smiled, “I also read this manga last night. It was graphic and smutty and it reminded me of what I wanted you to do to me.” He wrinkled his nose, “Though, the main character was a cat boy. I’m much better than a cat boy, aren’t I?”
“Are you trying to kill me?”
The gumiho grinned and then began to make his way down lower to Yunho’s body. He grasped at the base of Yunho’s cock, “I only want to make you happy master.”
Yunho moaned as Jaejoong began to stroke him. The other moved his hand up and down slowly, then just as Yunho was about to ask, Jaejoong placed his mouth over Yunho’s cock and began to suck. Jaejoong’s tongue ran over the head of his cock and as soon as his teeth grazed against it, Yunho let out a loud moan. He grasped Jaejoong’s hair tightly, and the gumiho soon began to bob his head up and down.
“Shit, Jaejoong,” Yunho clenched the other’s hair tightly. The familiar tension in his gut was building up, and as Jaejoong sucked him harder, the obscene noises reaching his ears, nothing could hold him back. Yunho came into Jaejoong’s mouth and tried not to buck his hips too hard as he came.
He breathed out heavily, and when he saw Jaejoong licking at his limp cock, Yunho groaned. He covered his eyes, Jaejoong still taking small kittenish licks at cum that was on his skin.
“Fuck.”
Jaejoong crawled back up, and he kissed Yunho. “Did you enjoy that?” His tails were wagging behind him, and Yunho chuckled. The gumiho had an eager look on his face, and Yunho couldn’t help but find it irresistibly cute.
“Yes.”
“Now me?” Jaejoong asked softly as he rocked his hips against Yunho’s waist, his cock grazing against Yunho’s toned stomach. He kissed Yunho and stretched himself across the other, “Please…” he whispered, “I want it.”
Yunho could feel his cock harden once more, and he nodded. “I can give you -“
“No.” Jaejoong got off Yunho and climbed over to the nightstand. Yunho sat up, and he watched as Jaejoong grabbed the condoms and lube then practically chucked them at Yunho. Just as he was about to lie down, Yunho pulled him by the wrist.
“On my lap,” he ordered, and Jaejoong followed. He set himself down onto Yunho’s lap, and they both groaned when their cocks brushed against each other. With Jaejoong seated comfortably on him, Yunho slathered the lube on his fingers. He could feel Jaejoong tighten his grip on him as the gumiho raised up his lower body, and in a matter of seconds, he’d inserted one finger into the other’s behind.
A loud whine escaped Jaejoong’s lips, and he moved against the finger that was stretching him open. His tails brushed against Yunho’s arm, and Yunho merely chuckled before he soon inserted another. As soon as he’d gotten three fingers in, Jaejoong was mewling and rutting against him, a desperate mess of hormones.
“Please, I want…”
“I thought it was my birthday,” Yunho whispered as he watched Jaejoong rut against him wantonly. “Shouldn’t you be satisfying my wants?”
Jaejoong licked his lips then grabbed the condom packet on the bed. He ripped it open and placed the condom onto Yunho’s cock before he then proceeded to slick up Yunho’s cock. As soon as the prep was done, his amber eyes might Yunho’s, and a blush covered his cheeks.
Yunho kissed his lover gently, set one hand on Jaejoong’s waist while the other positioned the tip of his cock at Jaejoong’s entrance. Jaejoong lowered himself down, Yunho’s cock stretching him open further, and soon, Yunho was completely inside of him.
“Oh -“ Jaejoong gasped as Yunho’s hips thrust upward, and he moaned loudly. Yunho began to buck his hips up, his cock pushing deep into Jaejoong. He tried to meet with Yunho’s thrusts, but the pleasure was too much of a distraction. He was a writhing mess of ecstasy on the other’s lap, moaning and mewling as Yunho guided his hips back down onto his cock over and over again.
Yunho hissed and briefly lifted Jaejoong off before he pushed the gumiho back against the bed. He forced Jaejoong’s legs open wider and resumed thrusting into him, the sight of Jaejoong moaning underneath him pushing him further and further to his orgasm. After a few more thrusts of him hitting Jaejoong’s prostate dead on, he and Jaejoong came together, moaning each other’s names loudly.
Before Yunho could say something, he could feel Jaejoong’s tails brushing against his legs. Yunho chuckled and kissed Jaejoong, who was blushing in embarrassment. He pressed their foreheads together and carded his fingers through the other’s sweat damp hair.
“I love you pet,” Yunho teased as he kissed Jaejoong’s nose.
Jaejoong blushed in embarrassment and wrinkled his nose. He looked away and tried to wriggle out of Yunho’s grasp, but the other merely laughed and held Jaejoong even closer. Deciding that there was no way out, Jaejoong buried his face into Yunho’s chest and wished he could just disappear.
“Thank you.” Yunho murmured, and he could hear Jaejoong’s muffled you’re welcome, happy birthday against his skin.
Twenty Two
Yunho kept his eyes out onto the road, but when Jaejoong sighed uncomfortably for the fourth time in five minutes, he had to look at his anxious boyfriend. Nervousness was etched all over the gumiho’s features, and to be honest, Yunho was finding it all incredibly amusing.
“Come on, you know my parents are nice -“
“What if they know?” Jaejoong whispered nervously, his eyes focused on his hands as he wrung them together. He raised his head and looked at Yunho for comfort, “What if all along, they’ve already known that what happened to you six years ago -“
Yunho chuckled, “Jaejoong…you’re starting to sound really paranoid. Calm down. Pretty much everyone has already dismissed that incident as a poor stroke of luck. Just calm down -“
“I’ve only met them over Skype!” Jaejoong complained before he let his face fall into his hands. “That’s totally different in comparison to meeting them in person. Can’t you recognize that? Why did they have to come back? I mean, aren’t they happy in America? Why are they here anyway?”
“They missed Korea.” Yunho said plainly as he slowed the car down because of the red light. He looked over at Jaejoong and placed his hand on his boyfriend’s shoulder, “I know you’re nervous, but really, you don’t have any reason to be.”
“But your mother is kind of creepy,” Jaejoong mumbled, his voice small as he stared down at his hands. “I mean…she treats you like a kid, she calls you baby boy, and she smothers you with attention -“
“She’s always been like that.” Yunho chuckled, “It’s just her personality. She loves me…and yeah, I guess the ways she shows it aren’t exactly the most typical, but she’s still my mom, and I love her.”
Jaejoong slumped in his seat and let out a long sigh. “There’s going to be meat at this lunch, right? I need meat. Meat makes me feel better…”
“No, we’re going to a vegetarian -“
“What?!”
Yunho laughed, “I was kidding.”
The gumiho scowled. “If there’s one thing you shouldn’t joke about, it’s a gumiho and his relationship with meat. It’s a special relationship, and as much as I love you, I love meat just as much as I love you - if not more, since meat doesn’t have scary mothers that I have to deal with.”
Yunho pouted, “Are you serious?”
Jaejoong glanced at him. “I thought you knew?”
“Just wait until my mom hears about this,” Yunho said, and he laughed long and hard as soon as he saw the scared look on Jaejoong’s face.
o-o-o
It was difficult for Yunho to stifle his laughter. He watched as Jaejoong fidgeted in his seat, his hands wringing his napkin as both his mother and father began to make their way over to where they were seated. He leaned and whispered into Jaejoong’s ear, “It’s time for you to stand up now.”
They both stood up, and Yunho hugged his father before he moved over to his mother, who greeted him happy birthday then cooed and coddled him just as she’d done for the past twenty two years. As soon as she was done squeezing him and complaining that he’d lost weight, her eyes then turned to Jaejoong, who was standing beside him.
Yunho wrapped his arm around Jaejoong’s waist and smiled, “Mom, dad, this is Jaejoong, and -“
“Isn’t he the prettiest thing?” his mother cooed, “Oh, it’s so nice to see you!” She immediately crushed Jaejoong into a hug, “It’s so nice to meet you in the flesh. I kept tell Yunho’s father that you weren’t as pale as you looked on the computer!”
Jaejoong could barely breathe, and he looked at Yunho for help.
“Mom, you’re kind of -“
“I’m so sorry that you have to put up with my baby’s bad habits. Does he still smoke in the house? That bad habit was given to him by that nasty Park boy, did you break him off it yet? I remember the last time we chatted, I saw an ash tray in the apartment, was that Yunho’s? You should get him to stop, you don’t want him -“
“Mom -“
“Does Yunho still leave his stuff lying around the house? I keep telling him that he should be neater, but he doesn’t listen to me! You won’t believe the kinds of things I had to deal with when he was a teenager! All the sneaking out, and all the messes! I’m so glad that he found someone like you -“
“Mom, I think -“
“You have the loveliest hair, and my God, you’re so tall! I think you look absolutely perfect next to my son. I had my reservations at first when I found out my son was gay, but if he’s going to end up spending the rest of his life with someone as perfect as you, I don’t mind at all! When will -“
Yunho’s father cleared his throat loudly, and he shot a look at his wife. “Jimin honey, don’t you think we should all at least sit down before you start talking so much again?” He gestured to the table, “After all, we’re all here to eat.”
Yunho shot his father a grateful look, and the older man smiled back, well aware of his wife’s tendencies to ramble.
“Oh right!” Yunho’s mother took a step back and clasped her hands together, “Well, isn’t this just so lovely that we’re spending time together? Let’s eat!”
They all took their places at the table, and as Yunho’s mother flipped through the menu, Jaejoong leaned over and whispered into Yunho’s ear. “Please buy me a steak. I don’t know if I can last the whole lunch without one.”
Yunho chuckled and squeezed Jaejoong’s hand underneath the table, “Sure.”
“I didn’t know your mother talked so much…I guess I never really noticed on Skype. I always thought she talked so much because she missed you a lot,” Jaejoong whispered. “I’m so glad you didn’t pick up that trait from her -“
“Honey?”
The lovers parted, and Yunho looked at his mother. “Yes mom?”
“What will you two be ordering?”
“Jaejoong will have a steak, medium rare, and I -“
Mrs. Jung glanced at Jaejoong, “A steak? Why, are you sure dear? You don’t look like the type to have steak.” She raised an eyebrow, “Will you be okay?”
Jaejoong stared back at her and blinked. “I like meat.”
The two stared at each other, and just as Yunho was about to cut in and change the topic, his mother spoke up once again.
“Yunho, I am so happy that you found Jaejoong. Look at him, eating a steak! Didn’t you tell me before about all those other people you went out with? What did you say again, that they only liked to eat salads? It’s about time that you found someone who eats just as healthily as you do -“
Yunho chuckled and shook his head as his mother rambled.
It was going to be a very long lunch indeed.
o-o-o
Jaejoong scowled as he dabbed at Yunho’s shirt with a napkin. Yunho stared at the other in amusement, “I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” Jaejoong scoffed and continued to rub furiously, “You know who’s sorry? I’m sorry. I know how expensive this shirt is because I bought it for you, and you just spilled your squid ink pasta on it. Seriously? Are you a child? I’ve seen five year olds eat much cleaner than you do. How could you miss your mouth anyway -“
Yunho began to laugh, and Jaejoong looked up at him.
“Why in the world are you laughing?”
“You sound like my mother.”
Jaejoong’s mouth fell open, “I do not sound like your mother!”
Yunho took Jaejoong’s hands in his and kissed his lover on the nose. He took the napkin out of Jaejoong’s hand and dumped it into the trash can before he led his lover out, hand in hand. As soon as they were back at the table and seated, Mrs. Jung spoke.
“Honey, how could you be so careless? How could you drop pasta onto your shirt? I know you’ve always been somewhat of a messy child, but you’re a grown man now! It isn’t proper for you to still get your shirt messy during meals. That’s not becoming behavior, and as your mother, I feel unhappy that -“
Yunho turned his head and looked at Jaejoong, who was staring at Mrs. Jung with a look of horror on his face. As his mother continued her rant, Jaejoong felt Yunho’s eyes on him and turned his head. A smirk crossed Yunho’s lips, and he mouthed a couple of words to his lover who frowned and turned his head away in denial.
I told you so.
Twenty Three
“I said no.”
Yunho look at Jaejoong pleadingly. “But baby, he’s already here. I can’t turn him away. Do you know how heartless that would be? He’s a gift!”
Jaejoong scowled, “I don’t like dogs.”
“Boo, he’s the cutest thing ever -“
“You’re the cutest thing ever, don’t think some stupid dog would replace you in my heart,” Jaejoong said seriously as he began to walk away from Yunho, “I’m not letting you bring him inside. He can stay out in the corridor and rot.”
“Jaejoong!” Yunho shook his head in amusement and walked over to his boyfriend, who was stirring the soup. He wrapped his arms around the other’s waist and placed his chin atop his shoulder. “He’s just a puppy. Don’t worry so much about him. He’s cute, fluffy, and he’ll take care of you -“
“No, he’ll eat me alive while I sleep.”
“Jaejoong…”
“It’s not safe - even for you. I’ve heard dozens of stories about people being involved in accidents because of dogs, and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”
“Jaejoong, come on. Nothing bad is going to happen…”
The gumiho didn’t stop stirring the soup. He moved, and Yunho stepped back so that Jaejoong could cut some vegetables. Yunho frowned slightly. He honestly didn’t think it would be so difficult to get Jaejoong to agree to let him keep the dog. In fact, he didn’t even think it would be a problem - he’d thought everyone loved dogs.
Now he realized how wrong he was. He was living with and dating the biggest dog hater on the planet. Yunho sighed - Jaejoong was becoming even more protective of him lately, and he couldn’t quite understand why. Every once in a while it seemed like Jaejoong just wanted to keep him in their apartment and never let him leave. Yunho had chalked it up to Jaejoong’s mother hen nature, but really, this was highly unnecessary of him to do.
Yunho shook his head and stepped out of his apartment to retrieve the dog carrier that was out in the corridor. He picked it up effortlessly seeing as it wasn’t that heavy and brought it inside. He shut the door quietly behind him and moved to the kitchen before he set the carrier down.
Jaejoong was still busy ranting and cooking, so he didn’t bother to say anything and focued on the task at hand. He opened the carrier’s door, and the puppy walked out slowly. He grinned as soon as it came forward, and Yunho ran his hands along the dog’s smooth fur. He carefully reached out and gathered it into his arms, and the dog licked his face in response.
“Don’t you know that people use dogs to hunt foxes?” Jaejoong asked, continuing on his rant. “Do you know how many foxes that dog’s probably going to hunt? Or no, do you know how many people are bitten by dogs each year or get involved in some sort of incident with them? Yunho, I know he probably seems faithful but what are you doing?”
Yunho held the dog tighter, “He’s cute. Can we please keep him?” he glanced down at the Siberian Husky in his arms, “Isn’t he adorable? He’ll practically be our baby, I’m sure of it -“
“No!” Jaejoong cried out, “If we had a baby, it’d be ten times cuter than that rodent, for sure! Put it away!”
Yunho took a step closer, and Jaejoong backed up against the counter. The other man stopped as soon as he was a few steps from the gumiho and pouted. “Please? It’s my birthday, and Yoochun went through so much to buy him for me. Let’s have him live with us for a bit, and if you really don’t like him in a week’s time, I’ll give him back.”
Jaejoong took in deep breaths, his eyes focused on the puppy that was staring back at him with its innocent eyes.
“If it tries to eat me or hurt you -“
Yunho laughed and turned away, “He’s not going to eat you Jaejoong, and he’s not going to hurt me either. He’s just a puppy, and it’s not like you’re really a fox anyway.” He looked down at the puppy that was cradled in his arms and made a cute face, “How do you like the name Taepoong? I think it suits you -“
“I think Murderer would be a better name!” Jaejoong yelled as he shook his ladle in Yunho’s direction. “Just you wait! That thing’s going to attack one of us in our sleep!”
o-o-o
Jaejoong still hadn’t warmed up to Taepoong, and Yunho was starting to get irritated. The gumiho refused to come close to Taepoong and hardly interacted with him at all, even refusing to go out with Yunho if the dog was going along with them. They’d fought about it, but Yunho refused to give up Taepoong.
He was not backing down. Taepoong had found a place in his heart just as Jaejoong had did years ago, and Yunho refused to let go of something that gave him so much happiness. Although he was just a dog, Taepoong was practically part of his family now and that meant that he wasn’t something that could just be given away or replaced.
Yunho sighed and squatted to scratch behind Taepoong’s ears. He brought the dog close and nuzzled its fur, cherishing the feel against his skin before he pulled away and straightened up. It was dark out - Yunho having stormed out of the tent he and Jaejoong had been sharing earlier after Jaejoong had complained about Taepoong. The vacation was supposed to be a fun thing for them, a nice retreat from the city, but Yunho couldn’t find himself to be enjoying anything with Jaejoong in such an irritated state.
He walked back slowly, leaves crunching underneath his boots, not quite wanting to meet Jaejoong so soon. He knew the gumiho would shout and get upset with him, and Yunho was so sick of fighting already, especially over something so ridiculous. He sighed and tried to look where he was going, but in his rush to escape Jaejoong, he’d forgotten to bring a flashlight. He stumbled in the darkness, and in one quick movement, Yunho’s foot landed on a slope, and he tumbled down.
His body thudded roughly against the ground and hit things along the way down the slope. Yunho groaned when he stopped rolling. His ankle hurt terribly, and when he sat up, he cringed. His arm had bashed against a tree, and it was swollen, but hopefully not broken.
The woods were still as quiet as ever, and Yunho shouted for help, but no reply came. He had no idea where he was, and he had nothing that could serve as any use to him. He shouted Taepooong’s name, and in a few seconds, the dog quickly rushed over to him. Yunho let out a thankful sigh and held the dog closely, unsure of what to do next. His body was hurting all over, and he didn’t know if Jaejoong was close enough to hear him.
“What do we do?” Yunho whispered against the dog’s fur. Taepoong licked his cheek, and Yunho stared at him helplessly. There was only one thing he could try, but he didn’t know if Taepoong would be capable of doing it.
“Can you find Jaejoong?”
Taepoong stared back at him, and Yunho was fully convinced that he was asking a ridiculous request. The most Taepoong knew was to sit, to roll over, and to fetch his ball, how could he possibly get Jaejoong to come? Yunho let out a hopeless sigh and tried to reach for Taepoong, but the dog quickly darted out of his grasp and began to run in the opposite direction.
Yunho watched helplessly as Taepoong ran, and as soon as the dog was gone, he let out a sigh and lied back down, hoping that this wasn’t going to be the end for him.
o-o-o
Yunho woke up, and he blinked blearily when he realized that he wasn’t in the woods any longer. He looked around the hospital room, and when he caught sight of his bandaged ankle and arm, he cringed. Jaejoong was sitting down beside his bed, and before he could speak, Jaejoong woke up.
“Oh God, you’re awake!”
The gumiho hugged him tightly, and Yunho groaned because of the pressure Jaejoong was applying onto his arm. Jaejoong quickly stepped back, and he glanced down in shame, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay…” Yunho murmured guiltily, well aware that they wouldn’t have gotten into this situation if he hadn’t run off. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t…I shouldn’t have just left you alone and gone off.”
“Taepoong helped me find you,” Jaejoong explained. When he raised his eyes, Yunho noticed that Jaejoong looked like he was on the verge of tears. The gumiho wiped at his eyes, “I was so worried Yunho…I thought, I thought you might’ve -“
Uncaring of the pain that he would probably feel in his arm, Yunho reached out and grasped Jaejoong tightly. The gumiho sobbed softly against his shoulder, and Yunho felt guilty for bringing the other such pain, because he knew it was nothing in comparison to the physical pain he felt.
He couldn’t even think about what he’d do without Jaejoong in his life.
o-o-o
A week later, Yunho unlocked the door of his apartment and turned on the lights. He looked around, expecting Taepoong to come to the door, but the dog never came. A slight frown crossed his face, and he set his bag down onto the ground before he began to make his way to the bedroom.
Jaejoong couldn’t have possibly given Taepoong away…right?
He walked slowly, hoping that his dog would come bounding in from any corner, but the Siberian Husky was nowhere to be found. His heart beat worriedly, and he opened his bedroom door with a question on the tip of his tongue.
However, as soon as he saw what was on his bed, the question evaporated. A slow smile stretched across his lips, and he shook his head in amusement. Jaejoong’s arm was draped protectively over Taepoong, who was curled up and tucked comfortably in his side. They were sleeping peacefully, and in fact, Jaejoong was even snoring.
Once again, he was right about things. Jaejoong had just been unnecessarily protective, and Taepoong wasn’t a threat to anyone. There was really nothing for him to worry about when it came to the dog. Taepoong was a valuable addition to their family.
“Attack you in your sleep?” Yunho chuckled. “Look who’s attacking who in their sleep now.” He shook his head and exited the room to go to the bathroom and get ready for bed, not bothering to wake up Jaejoong and kiss him hello like he usually did.
He’d let the two other members of his little family sleep in peace for a little longer before he came back to bed and ruined their moment.
Twenty Four
He’d drunk a bit too much.
Yunho walked up slowly to the apartment, and it took him awhile before he managed to unlock the door. To be honest, he didn’t look forward to getting back home tonight - especially when Jaejoong had been so disapproving of him going out in the first place.
He and Jaejoong had been fighting the past couple of months over the most mundane things, and Yunho couldn’t understand why they just couldn’t stop fighting. He felt like Jaejoong was keeping on a tight leash, treating him like a kid when he didn’t need to be coddled. He didn’t appreciate being treated like a child, and he didn’t like feeling like he was inferior either.
He let out a sigh and when he opened the door, Jaejoong was got up off the sofa and frowned at him.
“Do you know what time it is?”
“Honestly, no.” Yunho muttered. He ran a hand through his hair and looked at Jaejoong tiredly. “What’s wrong now?”
“What do you mean?” Jaejoong questioned. “Did you get here alone? Do you know how dangerous -“
“Jaejoong, I am a grown man. I can handle myself.” Yunho replied. He shook his head at the gumiho and sighed. “Can you just stop already? Jesus Jaejoong, I just wanted to enjoy myself, and can you stop breathing down my neck?”
“I’m just worried!”
“Worried about what?” Yunho questioned, his frustrations mounting by the second as he stared at Jaejoong. “You know I’m worried about you too, and I get concerned about your safety as well, but you don’t see me being so possessive!”
“You don’t understand -“
Yunho shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I don’t understand, okay, I don’t understand. What, is it because I’m human and you aren’t? Is there some kind of secret gumiho knowledge that I don’t get to be enlightened on because I’m lesser than you?”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Jaejoong snapped. “Can’t you just listen to me? I don’t get why you have to be so difficult -“
“I’m not a pet, okay Jaejoong?” Yunho argued, “I can’t just keep listening to you all the time! I’m not some play thing that you can just boss around. I have stuff I want to do, and you have to let me do it! Honestly, sometimes I feel like you’re just using me to become human - that the only reason you care is because you want to be human. I don’t even get why you want to be human when it seems like all you like to do is flaunt around that you’re better than me!”
A gasp escaped Jaejoong’s lips, and Yunho immediately knew he’d gone too far.
“Jaejoong, shit, it’s -“
“Is that what you think?” Jaejoong questioned, tears threatening to spill out of the corners of his eyes. “Do you really think that I’m just using you?” He wiped his eyes and shook his head, “The reason you can’t understand is because you don’t know what it’s like to live so many years and see everything age but you. You don’t know what it’s like to see people grow old and move on while you stay the same, unchanging and alone.
” Jaejoong took a deep breath, and Yunho was stunned into silence. He could feel the guilt multiplying by the second, but his tongue remained unmoving as he watched the gumiho collect himself.
“Do you want to know why I’m so protective of you? Why I’m always so worried about you all the time lately?” Jaejoong whispered, the tears flowing freely now. “Because I don’t want to live the rest of eternity thinking and reflecting about what I used to have with you. I don’t want you to die and leave me behind to remember you until God knows when.”
The gumiho wiped his eyes. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry for forcing this burden upon you.” He swallowed hard, “I’ve been so selfish.”
“Jaejoong, please, no -“
“Don’t say you want to help me if you really don’t!” Jaejoong shouted, and Yunho stepped back in alarm. Jaejoong fought back his tears and stared at Yunho, his eyes filled with emotion. “I’d rather live an eternity alone than to know that I’m merely stealing away your years as a burden. I don’t want to do that to you. I forced you to help me once, and I won’t do it again, now that I know…now that I know…”
Jaejoong choked back a sob and shook his head. “I should go.”
Before Yunho could even move to try to block the gumiho’s way, Jaejoong pushed past him roughly. He watched as Jaejoong moved to leave the apartment, but before Jaejoong could go, he finally mustered the ability to speak.
“Jaejoong, wait -“
The gumiho shook his head. “I can’t…not anymore. I’ve already taken enough of your time.” Jaejoong smiled sadly at Yunho and pointed at something. “Happy birthday Yunho…your birthday present is the bedroom.”
Yunho watched as Jaejoong walked away, and for some reason, his body felt rooted to the ground. When the gumiho was gone, Yunho slowly walked to the bedroom, his body feeling unlike his own. Taepoong barely raised his head as Yunho came in, and Yunho’s heart clenched as he saw the present sitting upon the nightstand. He walked up to it and sat down on the bed and slowly took off the wrapping paper.
It was a formal shirt, and there was a note attached to the plastic wrapping that contained it. His eyes scanned the paper, and as soon as he’d finished reading it, Yunho sobbed quietly to himself, regretting everything that had just transpired between him and Jaejoong.
I bought you a new shirt because you’re a messy eater, and I won’t always be around to help you clean up your shirts. Take this to work, and keep it at your office, okay? ^^
Love you! ♥
o-o-o
Jaejoong had been gone for three weeks.
Yunho didn’t know where he was supposed to find the gumiho. Jaejoong hadn’t stopped by his mother’s bakery, and seeing as he’d left everything behind on the night he’d left, Yunho had no means of finding him again. He didn’t know what he was supposed to do, but he didn’t want to just wait either.
So, he’d wander the streets alone at night, hoping he’d meet Jaejoong again. He never knew how long he walked - he just kept going. It felt like he was walking in circles, but he had no other option. All he could do was keep wishing that he’d see Jaejoong again and get to talk to him, to straighten things out and to speak the words that he’d been unable to say on the night the gumiho had left.
He could feel the regret and guilt clinging to his heart like a vine, squeezing it tightly and refusing to let go. Although the years had passed, Yunho couldn’t believe himself. He’d been so blind to everything. Jaejoong had proved to him that he hadn’t left behind his selfish youthful tendencies entirely, and there was so much he still needed to improve on.
There was so much he still didn’t know and understand.
He’d been so blind and stupid - wrapped up in himself and not seeing the other side of the picture. Although Jaejoong was in the wrong for being so quiet about his own personal worries, Yunho could recognize that he was still greatly at fault. He’d been so ignorant for too long.
In his ignorance he’d made Jaejoong feel like he was a burden, when in reality, he was anything but that. Although Jaejoong’s secret was something he’d been forced into keeping at first, Yunho knew that he kept it now because he genuinely wanted to help Jaejoong. Just as much as Jaejoong didn’t want Yunho to leave him behind, he didn’t want to leave Jaejoong behind either.
He didn’t want Jaejoong to be alone anymore, and he’d been stupid to not tell Jaejoong that. He’d been so stupid, and now he didn’t even know if he would ever get the chance to repair the mistakes that he’d made in their relationship.
Yunho blinked out of his thoughts, and he realized that he was near his parents’ old butcher shop. A sad smile crossed his lips as he stared at what it was now - a laundry shop. Yunho walked up to it, but he stopped when he realized that someone was standing in front of it.
“Jaejoong.”
The gumiho turned, and Yunho walked up to him slowly. Neither of them broke the gaze, and when Yunho was only a few steps away, he stopped. Jaejoong stared at him, and Yunho could feel his heart clench tightly in his chest. But before Jaejoong could speak, Yunho spoke first.
“I want you to become human, and the reason I’m keeping your secret..I’m keeping it because...” Yunho said softly, his heart drumming in his chest as he continued to speak. “I don’t want you to be alone anymore.” He could feel his body seize up with emotion, the past few weeks finally taking a toll upon him. “I’m stupid and so young in comparison to you,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything,” Jaejoong murmured softly as he averted his eyes from Yunho and turned them to the direction of the laundry shop. “I’m sorry I didn’t say tell you about…about my fears.”
Yunho waited, and Jaejoong turned his eyes back to him. He swallowed back his tears and stared at Jaejoong. His heart was pounding so loudly in his chest, and the question he was waiting to ask was lingering on the tip of his tongue. Just as Jaejoong had been scared, he was scared now too.
“Jaejoong…will you come back home?” Yunho whispered. He looked at Jaejoong, his heart twisting painfully in his chest. “Please, come back.”
The gumiho stared at him, his amber eyes unsure.
“I love you.” Yunho said softly, his voice cracking. “Please.”
Jaejoong quickly ran back into his arms, and Yunho held him tightly. He shut his eyes, and he could feel Jaejoong sob against his shoulder. He held Jaejoong closer to him and kissed his hair, his emotions overflowing. Before he knew it, tears were running down his face as well.
They stood like that for a few minutes, and Yunho clutched Jaejoong tightly. He’d made a mistake hurting Jaejoong by making him feel unloved and unwanted, and Yunho would make sure that he never made that mistake ever again.
Twenty Five
Yunho was stirred awake by the feeling of Jaejoong wriggling against him. He cracked one of his eyes open, and Jaejoong’s amber eyes looked up at him. He held Jaejoong a little closer and kissed the other’s forehead.
“What’s up baby?” he whispered, his mind still a little groggy and half-asleep.
Jaejoong kissed his jaw and ran his hand up and down Yunho’s side. “It’s your birthday now. Happy birthday.”
“Thanks,” Yunho murmured, not quite paying attention to the other. He was still tired from the long day he’d spent at the office, and all he wanted to do was sleep and cuddle Jaejoong until it was time for him to wake up later.
He could feel Jaejoong’s hands grasp his tightly, and Yunho perked up slightly. There was something off about Jaejoong, and he had a feeling that it wasn’t just his lover having trouble sleeping. He brought his arm closer around Jaejoong’s waist and held him close.
“Is something wrong?” he asked, his warm breath ghosting against Jaejoong’s ear. After everything that had happened months prior, he did his best to become more sensitive to Jaejoong’s feelings. He didn’t want Jaejoong hiding any secret fears from him ever again.
“Only one more year left.” Jaejoong mumbled as he turned around so that he could look up at Yunho’s face. He reached up and brushed back the strands of Yunho’s hair and smiled beautifully, the moonlight that streamed in from the window illuminating his face in the darkness.
Yunho took hold of the hand that brushed against his cheek and held it tightly. He stared at Jaejoong with a look filled with affection and smiled. To be honest, he almost hadn’t realized that nearly a decade had passed. Jaejoong was still as youthful as he’d been when they’d first met, the only changes in him taking place internally, but as soon as the ten years were up, they’d be aging together.
Would Jaejoong have any regrets? Yunho knew he was far from perfect, and even though he felt like he was growing into becoming a better person, would that be enough for Jaejoong?
“I didn’t realize so much time had passed by,” Yunho whispered. “Are you happy with me?” he asked.
The days had blurred into one another, and it was only now that Yunho began thinking about everything. While he’d make improvement on understanding Jaejoong’s situation in the past months, he’d never truly understood what Jaejoong was giving up until now. He was giving up immortality, the chance to -
“Extremely,” Jaejoong replied, snapping Yunho out of his thoughts. He smiled brightly and intertwined his fingers with Yunho’s. Yunho watched as Jaejoong swallowed hard and brought Yunho’s hand to his chest, where his heart was beating. “I never thought that…I never thought I’d end up like this.”
“Like what?” Yunho breathed out, resisting the urge to kiss Jaejoong. His eyes lingered upon the other’s lips for a few seconds before he raised them to look at the other. His smile grew a little wider.
“Content?” Jaejoong mused aloud, a smile also playing at the corners of his lips. “I don’t know…just…like this. I don’t know what it is, but I like it, and I could spend the rest of my life like this.”
“Even though I’m stupid?”
The gumiho looked at him and smiled, “Yes, even though you’re stupid. You’re the only person I’d love to argue with for the rest of my life.”
“That sounds like a good plan to me,” Yunho said with a smile. “I could live the rest of my life like this too.”
“Just so you know…I’m not perfect either.” Jaejoong whispered as he inched closer to Yunho. “I get scared, selfish, and possessive -“
“You’ll make a good human then.” Yunho murmured as he pressed his forehead against Jaejoong’s. “If there’s one thing you should know - well, you probably already know it, but we make a lot of mistakes. We hurt people, and sometimes, we’re not always capable of making things better.”
“We’re going to be making a lot of mistakes in the future…aren’t we?”
Yunho chuckled, “I bet we will.”
He felt something brush against his leg, and he looked down at Jaejoong’s remaining tail. It was the only one left, and in one more year, it’d be gone. When he raised his eyes back up to look at Jaejoong, they smiled at each other for a few more seconds and then Yunho’s alarm began to ring. Before Jaejoong could reach back to get it, Yunho climbed over him and promptly turned it off. He moved back on top of Jaejoong, pinning the gumiho underneath him.
Jaejoong looked up at him, an amused and expectant smile on his face.
“What would you like for breakfast?”
“You,” Yunho breathed out before he leaned down and kissed Jaejoong deeply.
Twenty Six
It would only be a few more hours until his birthday, and Yunho wondered where Jaejoong was. He’d come home early in the hopes of spending some quality time with his boyfriend, but only Taepoong was home. The dog was settled at his feet, sleeping peacefully, but Yunho couldn’t share the same kind of peace until Jaejoong was home. He’d texted the gumiho and had called him, but the other had yet to respond.
Yunho let out a worried sighed and tried to distract himself by flipping through the channels in the hopes that Jaejoong would just come home already. They’d gone through almost ten years of waiting, and now, at the last stretch, Jaejoong was nowhere to be found? The thought of Jaejoong leaving him again scared him greatly, but Yunho pushed them away - he was being stupid thinking that.
Taepoong immediately got off the rug and made his way to the door, alerting Yunho to Jaejoong’s return. He practically leapt off the couch and made his way for the door, and when he saw Jaejoong struggling with grocery bags, a smile lit up his face before he went over to grab them.
“I was so worried,” Yunho confessed as he took two bags out of Jaejoong’s hands. “I thought something might’ve happened to you -“
“Wait, there’s a cake outside,” Jaejoong replied, too frazzled to notice the worry that had been on Yunho’s face. As soon as he stepped back inside with a cake box in his hands, he pulled the door shut and let out a long sigh. “You won’t believe what happened to me today…anyway, what were you saying?”
“I texted and called you -“
Jaejoong let out a loud sigh, “I’m so sorry. You know Min right? One of my nieces? She was toying with my phone the whole day at the bakery. I couldn’t get it back from her, and it was just -“
Yunho laughed lightly, “It’s okay. I’m just happy you’re home now. I thought something might’ve happened to you.” He turned away to take the groceries to the kitchen, and as he walked, he spoke. “Why did you buy so many things anyway?”
“Because it’s your twenty sixth birthday and my first day as a human tomorrow! Aren’t you excited?” Jaejoong proclaimed happily as he followed Yunho into his kitchen, his sole tail now wagging and completely visible.
Yunho made a face and began to take things out of the bag, “Not really…that means I’m getting old -“
“And now that means I can get old with you,” Jaejoong murmured softly, so quietly that Yunho almost didn’t catch it.
Yunho put down the can he’d been holding and glanced at Jaejoong, who was smiling at the cake in front of. He walked over to Jaejoong, turned the gumiho to face him, and kissed him deeply. Jaejoong’s eyes widened in surprise, but he deepened the kiss, threading his fingers through Yunho’s hair and pulling him closer.
After a few minutes, Taepoong nudged their legs. Yunho pulled away and laughed before bending low to scratch behind the dog’s ears. He looked up at Jaejoong, who was smiling down at them fondly, and returned the smile.
It was only a few hours left until their lives would be changed permanently.
o-o-o
“Where are we going to -“
“On the table! On the table!” Jaejoong urged, as he pressed the dining table close to the largest window in the apartment. He set the cake on top of it and then climbed up after, sat down, then turned his head to beam at Yunho. “It has to be somewhere special.”
Yunho laughed but followed Jaejoong anyway. “I hardly think a table is that special Jaejoong. What if we break it?”
“It’ll be your fault then, because you’ve been eating too many cupcakes lately,” Jaejoong teased as he looked at the wall clock. “Only five more minutes, and then it’s officially your birthday.” His tail swept behind him, and Yunho’s eyes lingered upon it, realizing that it wouldn’t be much longer until it was gone forever.
He looked up, and Jaejoong smiled at him.
“No regrets?” Yunho asked as he shifted, trying to get into a better position on the table. He crossed his legs and placed his hands on his knees, “Do you have any wishes, or is there anything -“
Jaejoong made an amused face and crossed his legs. “This isn’t New Year’s Yunho. It’s your birthday.” He rubbed his hands up and down his thighs anxiously, “But no, I don’t have any regrets.”
“I think now would be a good time for you to apologize for mauling me nearly ten years ago.” Yunho teased as he glanced down at the cake that Jaejoong had specially prepared for him. He turned his eyes back upward, “Did you know that after that incident, my mother went with me everywhere for around five months? She wouldn’t even let me go to the men’s bathroom alone, she’d let my dad go with me.”
Jaejoong bit his lip and stifled his laughter, “I’m sorry.”
Yunho shook his head and laughed, “I think that’s why I’ve grown up weird.” He relaxed and stared at Jaejoong, watching as the other proceeded to light up all the candles on the cake. The candlelight illuminated Jaejoong’s face wonderfully, and Yunho’s smile brightened. As soon as Jaejoong drew back from the cake, the gumiho let out an admiring sigh.
“I think you put too many candles,” Yunho teased.
Jaejoong looked up and scowled. “When I celebrate my first proper birthday, you can be minimalist and only give me one.” He gestured to the candles, “But right now, it’s your birthday, I’m in charge, and I say that I must put twenty six candles on your birthday cake.”
“Alright then…” Yunho glanced up at the clock, and there was only a minute left until twelve midnight. He glanced at Jaejoong, looked at his tail, and then turned his eyes back to the other’s face. “Is there going to be a mystical transformation?”
“None.” Jaejoong said softly as he kept his eyes riveted on the candles on the cake. He looked up at Yunho, “Mother said it’ll just disappear. I won’t feel any different…it’ll just happen.”
Yunho nodded, “Do you want to do a countdown?”
Jaejoong laughed and shook his head. He smiled at Yunho, “To be honest, I’m getting a little nervous about everything. I’m not regretting a single thing, but, I…I love you so much. I don’t want anything wrong to happen -“
“And nothing wrong will happen. I’ll make sure of that. It’ll be -“
“You’re not supposed to say your birthday wish aloud!”
Yunho chuckled and shook his head in amusement. He looked at Jaejoong’s face and carefully studied the person he’d grown to love over the years. They’d fought, cried, made love…pretty much everything that a couple could do, they’d already done it, but he didn’t mind the idea of spending the rest of his life doing those things over and over again.
In fact, it’d become his birthday wish that he and Jaejoong would spend the rest of their lives with one another, living every day happily and completely in love.
“Yunho…”
He was snapped out of his thoughts, and he looked at Jaejoong immediately. His eyes then wandered to where Jaejoong’s tail had been, and it was no longer there. Yunho turned his eyes back to Jaejoong’s face, and the other was smiling happily, his eyes sporting unshed tears.
“Happy birthday Yunho.” Jaejoong breathed out, his voice filled with emotion.
Yunho couldn’t think of anything to say in response. Jaejoong was human now, and they’d be going through the days together for their rest of their lives. He was so appreciative for everything he’d received through the years, but right there, sitting before him, was the greatest gift he’d ever received on any of his birthdays.
Rather than voicing that aloud, Yunho leaned over his cake and kissed Jaejoong, expressing all his love through action instead of words.
There would be many more happy birthdays to come - he was sure of it.
art made by chottoipuku
Fin ♥
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Author’s Note: OTL Took me a bit of a while to finish this. I felt like the angst + drama was a bit necessary after my beta suggested it, so I hope none of you guys mind. XD Once again, thank you so much for reading and commenting! I hope you guys liked this! ♥