A Single Word - Chapter One
Title: A Single Word - Chapter One
Pairing: Future JongKey. Possibly others too.
Rating: PG-13 for now
Warnings: Angst, mentions of abuse.
Summary: The night a strange new person enters his life, everything changes for Key.
Word Count:1,424
Notes: I'm really enjoying writing this, so I hope everyone enjoys reading it! I will update at least once a week on this fic, but maybe not more since I'm working on others as well. I even made a banner for it! *gasp* Anyway, let me know what you think!
Spot For: None yet, but please ask if you'd like one on the next chapter! :DD Always feel free to ask me for a spot on a fic if you'd like one ^_^
The night his father walked in the door late, Key first thought he was holding a dead animal, but when he saw a glimpse of the face under the mess of black hair, he knew it was human. From the size, he immediately knew it was a boy, and his first guess was that he was around the age of 12 because he was so small. But Key didn't find out any more right away because his mom was ushering him into the kitchen and telling him to stay out of the way for a bit. Key moved to obey, but peeked through the door as his dad carried the mass of hair and soiled clothing into his bedroom. He felt his eyes widen at the thought of that thing touching any of his stuff, but he wasn't one to go against his parents when they looked so serious.
What seemed like only moments later, Key heard them whispering in the hall. He wondered if his mother had any idea his dad would be coming home with that. But she hadn't seemed surprised. Key felt like he might have been the only one out of the loop. He furrowed his brows and moved a little further out of the kitchen to look at them. They noticed his presence after a couple of minutes and Key's father strode over to him, while his mother kept her eyes locked on whatever it was that was now in his bedroom.
"Kibum, you know about my work enough to know that I help out those who are in bad situations. This kid, he … " he paused as if to collect his words and Key sort of realized what was going on. "He doesn't have anywhere else to go right now. He needs our help. Can I count on you?"
Key nodded fervently, not wanting to let his dad down. "Of course."
"Good. Then I'll go get washed up. Help your mother with whatever she needs, and you let me know if he wakes up, okay?"
Both Key and his mother nodded, and as Key's dad walked to the bathroom, Key moved to stand by his mother. He looked into his room a bit warily and tried not to frown when he saw the dirty boy on his bed. He could see the spots were his limbs had touched were already tinted with dirt. What looked like blood flakes littered one corner of the blanket and Key almost felt like vomiting. Luckily, he held it down, because the bathroom was currently occupied.
"Mom," Key said, his mouth talking without his brain controlling it, "my bed."
"We'll get you new sheets," she said simply. Key could only accept it, even if he'd really liked what he had now. How could he complain when there was a hurt child on his bed?
It was the next morning when Key found out that the boy wasn't as young as he had thought. Apparently he was just underweight and small. A couple of doctors had come over in the night to take blood samples. When the kid had woken up, he started fighting, and Key was quickly removed before he could see much more than what seemed like a crazed beast jumping at the man's face. His mother staid with him in the kitchen until the doctors were leaving and his father was walking in, shaking his head.
"I don't know how to make him realize that he's going to be okay, that we're not going to hurt him." he sounded defeated, and Key didn't like that one bit.
Several hours and a phone call later, his dad told him the boy was his age, something that surprised all of them. There was no way he looked sixteen. Key hadn't even thought he was high school aged, but maybe that came along with looking like a drowned rat. Not too long after, Key ventured to ask if they should take him to the hospital. His father said he'd been looked at and there wasn't any significant damage. They were trying to keep a low profile for now because they wanted to catch the man who'd been responsible. Key didn't ask any more questions. It made his gut twist sickly. He didn't want to know what the man had done to the boy, the boy who was his age, who could have possibly been him if he were much less fortunate.
The next time the boy woke up, he didn't jump at anyone, but the moment his father stepped into the room after they heard a noise, the boy scrambled across the floor. He didn't stop until he was shoved neatly into the dark corner between Key's dresser and the wall. He was huddled into himself, arms wrapped around his legs. When his father made a move toward him, what sounded like an dying animal's whine emitted from the boy, making Key feel sick again. How long had this guy been abducted anyway? Could he even communicate? Key felt like his life was going to get a lot more difficult if they really kept the poor thing around. His heart ached a little, but his selfishness made him want to demand the boy be taken in by the police or the hospital because that made a lot more sense to him. But Key would never actually say that to his parents. He couldn't.
At the sound, Key's dad stopped and his mother quietly urged him to come back. Key wondered what it was like for the boy, seeing them out there whispering. He found his gaze drawn to the shadowy figure in his room, smiling uncertainly, trying to make him feel more comfortable if he could. Key's mother urged his father to leave the room for a bit and let her try. He seemed uncertain and Key felt himself frowning. He remembered the way the boy had jumped at someone, the bruises on his father that had obviously come from a struggle with the panicked victim. He didn't know what more he might be capable of and he didn't want his mother hurt. After a few minutes of his mother insisting, his father agreed and gave the boy one last look before stepping aside to let his mother through.
Key watched as his mother approached the boy, his father leaving the room completely to give her space, but not moving more than a few steps away from the door so he was out of sight but still close, and Key knew it was just in case the kid lost it again. Key peeked back around the door frame as his mother approached the cowering boy. She reached out a hand towards his face and he visibly flinched, but made no other hasty movement to get away. Her hand touched the side of his face and Key inwardly cringed because now her hand was as dirty as his bed. She petted the hair against the side of his face, and he sat there motionless.
"It's okay," she cooed in her softest voice. "I'm a mother you know. I would never hurt you." her voice was almost like a melody as she spoke to him. "You know, I have a son of my own. He's over there. His name is Kibum," at the pointed mention of his name, Key stepped out into the doorway so he could be seen clearly, although he felt incredibly awkward. "I've taken care of him his whole life, and see how nice he's grown. If you let me, I'd like to take care of you as well."
Key could feel the kid's eyes move to him, staring right at him and it made a shiver crawl right down his spine, but he mentally shook himself and forced on a smile. "Yeah. She's a wonderful mother. She'd never do anything to hurt you."
Even though there was no obvious acknowledgement that he understood, the boy lowered his head and titled his head slightly closer to her hand. Key pressed his lips together nervously, waiting to see what would happen next.
"Good then. Now tell me, are you hungry? Thirsty? I just made lunch, and you can have as much as you want."
After over a minute of silence and no movement, the boy slowly nodded his head. Key could see his mother smile through the mirror on the adjacent wall, but all he could think was that the boy could at least understand Korean. That was something to be thankful for.
Chapter Two
Pairing: Future JongKey. Possibly others too.
Rating: PG-13 for now
Warnings: Angst, mentions of abuse.
Summary: The night a strange new person enters his life, everything changes for Key.
Word Count:1,424
Notes: I'm really enjoying writing this, so I hope everyone enjoys reading it! I will update at least once a week on this fic, but maybe not more since I'm working on others as well. I even made a banner for it! *gasp* Anyway, let me know what you think!
Spot For: None yet, but please ask if you'd like one on the next chapter! :DD Always feel free to ask me for a spot on a fic if you'd like one ^_^
The night his father walked in the door late, Key first thought he was holding a dead animal, but when he saw a glimpse of the face under the mess of black hair, he knew it was human. From the size, he immediately knew it was a boy, and his first guess was that he was around the age of 12 because he was so small. But Key didn't find out any more right away because his mom was ushering him into the kitchen and telling him to stay out of the way for a bit. Key moved to obey, but peeked through the door as his dad carried the mass of hair and soiled clothing into his bedroom. He felt his eyes widen at the thought of that thing touching any of his stuff, but he wasn't one to go against his parents when they looked so serious.
What seemed like only moments later, Key heard them whispering in the hall. He wondered if his mother had any idea his dad would be coming home with that. But she hadn't seemed surprised. Key felt like he might have been the only one out of the loop. He furrowed his brows and moved a little further out of the kitchen to look at them. They noticed his presence after a couple of minutes and Key's father strode over to him, while his mother kept her eyes locked on whatever it was that was now in his bedroom.
"Kibum, you know about my work enough to know that I help out those who are in bad situations. This kid, he … " he paused as if to collect his words and Key sort of realized what was going on. "He doesn't have anywhere else to go right now. He needs our help. Can I count on you?"
Key nodded fervently, not wanting to let his dad down. "Of course."
"Good. Then I'll go get washed up. Help your mother with whatever she needs, and you let me know if he wakes up, okay?"
Both Key and his mother nodded, and as Key's dad walked to the bathroom, Key moved to stand by his mother. He looked into his room a bit warily and tried not to frown when he saw the dirty boy on his bed. He could see the spots were his limbs had touched were already tinted with dirt. What looked like blood flakes littered one corner of the blanket and Key almost felt like vomiting. Luckily, he held it down, because the bathroom was currently occupied.
"Mom," Key said, his mouth talking without his brain controlling it, "my bed."
"We'll get you new sheets," she said simply. Key could only accept it, even if he'd really liked what he had now. How could he complain when there was a hurt child on his bed?
It was the next morning when Key found out that the boy wasn't as young as he had thought. Apparently he was just underweight and small. A couple of doctors had come over in the night to take blood samples. When the kid had woken up, he started fighting, and Key was quickly removed before he could see much more than what seemed like a crazed beast jumping at the man's face. His mother staid with him in the kitchen until the doctors were leaving and his father was walking in, shaking his head.
"I don't know how to make him realize that he's going to be okay, that we're not going to hurt him." he sounded defeated, and Key didn't like that one bit.
Several hours and a phone call later, his dad told him the boy was his age, something that surprised all of them. There was no way he looked sixteen. Key hadn't even thought he was high school aged, but maybe that came along with looking like a drowned rat. Not too long after, Key ventured to ask if they should take him to the hospital. His father said he'd been looked at and there wasn't any significant damage. They were trying to keep a low profile for now because they wanted to catch the man who'd been responsible. Key didn't ask any more questions. It made his gut twist sickly. He didn't want to know what the man had done to the boy, the boy who was his age, who could have possibly been him if he were much less fortunate.
The next time the boy woke up, he didn't jump at anyone, but the moment his father stepped into the room after they heard a noise, the boy scrambled across the floor. He didn't stop until he was shoved neatly into the dark corner between Key's dresser and the wall. He was huddled into himself, arms wrapped around his legs. When his father made a move toward him, what sounded like an dying animal's whine emitted from the boy, making Key feel sick again. How long had this guy been abducted anyway? Could he even communicate? Key felt like his life was going to get a lot more difficult if they really kept the poor thing around. His heart ached a little, but his selfishness made him want to demand the boy be taken in by the police or the hospital because that made a lot more sense to him. But Key would never actually say that to his parents. He couldn't.
At the sound, Key's dad stopped and his mother quietly urged him to come back. Key wondered what it was like for the boy, seeing them out there whispering. He found his gaze drawn to the shadowy figure in his room, smiling uncertainly, trying to make him feel more comfortable if he could. Key's mother urged his father to leave the room for a bit and let her try. He seemed uncertain and Key felt himself frowning. He remembered the way the boy had jumped at someone, the bruises on his father that had obviously come from a struggle with the panicked victim. He didn't know what more he might be capable of and he didn't want his mother hurt. After a few minutes of his mother insisting, his father agreed and gave the boy one last look before stepping aside to let his mother through.
Key watched as his mother approached the boy, his father leaving the room completely to give her space, but not moving more than a few steps away from the door so he was out of sight but still close, and Key knew it was just in case the kid lost it again. Key peeked back around the door frame as his mother approached the cowering boy. She reached out a hand towards his face and he visibly flinched, but made no other hasty movement to get away. Her hand touched the side of his face and Key inwardly cringed because now her hand was as dirty as his bed. She petted the hair against the side of his face, and he sat there motionless.
"It's okay," she cooed in her softest voice. "I'm a mother you know. I would never hurt you." her voice was almost like a melody as she spoke to him. "You know, I have a son of my own. He's over there. His name is Kibum," at the pointed mention of his name, Key stepped out into the doorway so he could be seen clearly, although he felt incredibly awkward. "I've taken care of him his whole life, and see how nice he's grown. If you let me, I'd like to take care of you as well."
Key could feel the kid's eyes move to him, staring right at him and it made a shiver crawl right down his spine, but he mentally shook himself and forced on a smile. "Yeah. She's a wonderful mother. She'd never do anything to hurt you."
Even though there was no obvious acknowledgement that he understood, the boy lowered his head and titled his head slightly closer to her hand. Key pressed his lips together nervously, waiting to see what would happen next.
"Good then. Now tell me, are you hungry? Thirsty? I just made lunch, and you can have as much as you want."
After over a minute of silence and no movement, the boy slowly nodded his head. Key could see his mother smile through the mirror on the adjacent wall, but all he could think was that the boy could at least understand Korean. That was something to be thankful for.
Chapter Two