Missed Connections: Chapter 19
Title: Missed Connections: Chapter 19
Pairing: Junbros
Rating : PG13
Summary: Things take a turn for the worse
Warnings: Language
Junho slides into bed with him. The burns on his chest are healing nicely. The younger reaches out, fingers brushing Junsu’s face; cheekbones, nose and lips. He purrs into the touch and presses his face into Junho’s palm, lips grazing his wrist. They’re both tired and Junho is pliant as he pulls him closer and tangles their bare legs together. ‘You should go home’ He murmurs, already sniffing at Junho’s fuzzy black hair. ‘You’re running out of clothes’ It’s true. Junho’s having to wash his clothes more frequently because he only has about half his wardrobe with him, if that.
‘Getting tired of me?’ Asks Junho with a strained laugh. Junsu’s glad he can’t see him wince. ‘No. I just think we should go to your apartment for once. You haven’t stayed there for a while and you are still paying for it, right?’ Part of him wonders if this is some silly plan Junho has hatched so he can move in. He feels a little guilty because Junho’s not like that. He makes a point to say ‘We’ so that Junho doesn’t think he’s fed up of him. He’s not. Well, maybe a little. It would be nice to have the bed to himself for just one night, without the temptation of Junho. He wonders when he went back to being a hormonal teenage boy.
‘I’ll go back tomorrow or the day after’ Junho says and rolls over. He wants to drop the subject. Junsu curls up against his back, wrapping his arms around Junho. The younger male stiffens in his embrace and he can’t stop the quiet sigh that escapes his lips. Junho feels it, clearly hears it by the way his shoulders tense up so Junsu squeezes him, presses a kiss to his nape and rolls back over.
Junsu wakes up one morning to the smell of dumplings and kimchi. His stomach gives an appreciative growl. It smells so good. Since he’d returned from Daegu over a month ago, Junho had barely left his house. Junho’s own apartment was probably covered in a fine layer of dust by now. It was making Junsu nervous.
It wasn’t just his unwillingness to go home that made Junsu nervous because at first he’d put that down to the simple fact that Junho had missed him. When Junho had toured with Rain-Hyung for a month he’d been beside himself like a love-struck teenager but something about Junho was different. Hell, even Junki has been acting different, always following his lover around the house and whining when they had to part. He knew Junki saw Junho as another owner but shouldn’t Junki cry when he had to leave too?
He swings his legs over the edge of the bed, a shiver settling down his spine as his feet touch the cold laminate. He should probably look into getting some sort of under-floor heating system. Grabbing a shirt from the floor, Junho’s favourite Faddy Robot t-shirt - He makes his way to the kitchen to find Junho scooping rice into two bowls. Junki is nowhere in sight.
Keeping his steps silent he inches up behind the other man. His hands slide under the light cotton and he presses his cool hands to Junho’s warm ribs. There’s a scream. Junho steps on his feet, elbows him in the stomach and then Junki, now not-so-small, is sinking his teeth into Junsu’s bare ankle. ‘Fuck!’ He hisses, managing to kick Junki off and half hop, half limp away from the two. Junho’s eyes are glossy. He’s biting his lip. ‘Hyung, I’m sorry-’ He starts but Junsu is already out the kitchen door. He doesn’t know why he bothers anymore.
The front door slams shut half an hour later and Junho crumples to the kitchen tiles.
Chansung’s already at the table when they get to the restaurant. Junho drops into the seat next to him and Chansung’s instantly leaning to whisper into the shorter boy’s ear. His hand on Junho’s hip. Junsu rolls his eyes and slips into the free seat next to Taecyeon who grins widely at him, all teeth and ears. Junsu chooses instead to take in the distinctly old fashioned décor surrounding them. Whose idea was it to come here?
Chansung pushes his chair back some moments later, one large hand wrapped around Junho’s smaller wrist. It doesn’t go unnoticed by Junsu. ‘Let’s get drinks. What do you want, Junsu-Hyung?’ Chansung turns to him with a smile as he gently pushes Junho out of his seat. He pats his jeans, checks his wallet is in his back pocket and turns back to Junsu expectantly. ‘Just a beer’’ He tells Junho; clearly ignoring that it was Chansung who asked. The younger male nods, lips set into a grim line as Chansung gives him a shove in the direction of the bar
‘Are you ok, man?’ Taecyeon turns to him as soon as their boyfriends leave. His face is somber, the mood of the table heavy around them. Junsu reaches for a napkin and begins twisting it between his slender fingers. ‘You two seem…’ Taecyeon pauses; seems to search for the words. Junsu isn’t sure if he’s just biding time or if he’s really unsure how to describe them. ‘Distanced’ Taecyeon’s eyebrows shoot up. ‘Strained’ Now his jaw relaxes and his lips form a stretched O of surprise. ‘Something’s wrong with Junho and I don’t know what it is. Do you?’ Taecyeon shakes his head, still looking a little dumbfounded but his jaw is tensed and there’s a line between his brows.
Junsu mentally snorts. Taecyeon is a terrible liar. ‘Hyung, what are you-‘ Junsu cuts him off. ‘Something’s been wrong with him ever since I came back but he isn’t telling me’ He straightens out the napkin as best as he can and laughs. It’s creased and won’t straighten out fully. The corners curl over. He lifts up the napkin between them, fingers pinching at the top edge. ‘I know you know something’ His grip tightens and he tears the napkin in two. Taecyeon’s mouth falls open and he stutters, staring at his hyung with wide, confused eyes. ‘Hyung, I-‘
‘Are we interrupting something?’ Chansung and Junho return, putting three beers and a coke on the table. They glance between them and the torn napkin, Junho staring at Junsu a little too sadly. ‘Not at all’ Answers Junsu, tone sharp as he reaches for one of the beers. ‘I was just telling Taec-ah that I think a friend is keeping something from me’ He locks eyes with Junho, not missing the way his eyes glaze over or the way his lip trembles. He looks away, reaching for a menu and spends the rest of the meal staring into his beer.
The meal finishes and Taecyeon, the first out of his seat suggests they move to the bar. The others agree, or at least Chansung and Junho do. Junsu suspects it’s because they’re just trying to buy some more time. Maybe if he’s drunk enough he’ll forget everything and things will be back to normal. He snorts into his beer. He doubts it. ‘Hyung, don’t you think you’ve had enough?’ Junho’s hand hovers above his, uncertain and unsteady. He lowers it slightly and Junsu puts his drink down and rubs his hands over his jeans. ‘No. I don’t’ Junho flinches. He reaches for his beer again. Chansung claps Junho on the shoulder and murmurs something into the boy’s ear.
‘Just let him get it out of his system’
He soon finishes that one and pushes it across the smoothly polished bar towards the barman. He pauses from where he’s emptying a small glass washer and makes his way slowly over. A little too slowly for Junsu’s liking. ‘Sir, are you sure you want another? I really don’t think th-‘ Junsu growls. ‘Beer’ A new glass is put down in front of him some moments later.
Some minutes and another beer later Junsu’s overcome by the smell of cigarette smoke and cheap cologne. The smell makes his nose wrinkle and his eyes sting. He turns to see a man stood behind Junho. ‘Hey hot stuff’ Junho half turns, eyes wide and lips parted in confusion. The man reaches out with one hand and gives Junho’s ass a firm swat. He half misses, fingers curling around the back of Junho’s thigh and laughs. Junho jumps at the contact, half his beer - his first of the night, spills over the rim of his glass and onto his sleeve. Junsu slams his glass down, a little too hard and turns towards the man. Every intention of telling him to back off building up on his tongue and ready to spill. ‘Get off him’
It’s Chansung that intervenes, one arm between Junho and the stranger. He slides over, putting himself between them and the man shrinks back slightly. From his vantage point Junsu can see Junho’s fingers curling to the back of the taller man’s shirt. ‘Don’t be like that man’ The stranger tugs at Chansung’s arm and sways slightly. ‘He has a boyfriend’ Chansung sighs, even as Junho presses his face between his shoulder blades. Junsu’s chest tightens. He’s not sure the beer is going to stay down. ‘Oh sorry, man’ The stranger throws his arms up in defence, fingers splayed in the air. ‘Can’t blame a guy for trying though right?’ Chansung stares at him silently and eventually the man slinks away.
‘You ok?’ He asks, turning to Junho. The other is pale, eyes wide and glazed with unshed tears. Normal Junho would have thrown himself into Junsu’s arms and told the stranger he was taken. This Junho had been reduced to a mess of tears. He nods against Chansung’s chest and Junsu notices Taecyeon standing to rub the boy’s back. He swivels around and slams his fists onto the bar-top, missing the way Junho’s hand freezes midway between them. Junsu barely hears Chansung speak before the other pulls his boyfriend towards the toilets. ‘Let’s get the beer out of your shirt’
It takes a few minutes of awkward silence, Taecyeon’s piercing stare and a sigh ‘Hyung…’ to get Junsu out of his seat. He sways slightly, not quite drunk yet and makes his way towards the bathrooms. It’s unusually quiet in the small hallway and the air is much cooler. He pauses for a moment and tugs at his collar, peeling his shirt from his skin.
He should talk to Junho, he realises, tries to push the butterflies out of his stomach and wipes his sweaty palms on his pants. Something’s wrong with his boyfriend and he’s determined to find out what it is. If he knows what then maybe then can fix this. He pushes the bathroom door open with ease -
‘I love you too, Chansung-ah’
Pairing: Junbros
Rating : PG13
Summary: Things take a turn for the worse
Warnings: Language
Junho slides into bed with him. The burns on his chest are healing nicely. The younger reaches out, fingers brushing Junsu’s face; cheekbones, nose and lips. He purrs into the touch and presses his face into Junho’s palm, lips grazing his wrist. They’re both tired and Junho is pliant as he pulls him closer and tangles their bare legs together. ‘You should go home’ He murmurs, already sniffing at Junho’s fuzzy black hair. ‘You’re running out of clothes’ It’s true. Junho’s having to wash his clothes more frequently because he only has about half his wardrobe with him, if that.
‘Getting tired of me?’ Asks Junho with a strained laugh. Junsu’s glad he can’t see him wince. ‘No. I just think we should go to your apartment for once. You haven’t stayed there for a while and you are still paying for it, right?’ Part of him wonders if this is some silly plan Junho has hatched so he can move in. He feels a little guilty because Junho’s not like that. He makes a point to say ‘We’ so that Junho doesn’t think he’s fed up of him. He’s not. Well, maybe a little. It would be nice to have the bed to himself for just one night, without the temptation of Junho. He wonders when he went back to being a hormonal teenage boy.
‘I’ll go back tomorrow or the day after’ Junho says and rolls over. He wants to drop the subject. Junsu curls up against his back, wrapping his arms around Junho. The younger male stiffens in his embrace and he can’t stop the quiet sigh that escapes his lips. Junho feels it, clearly hears it by the way his shoulders tense up so Junsu squeezes him, presses a kiss to his nape and rolls back over.
Junsu wakes up one morning to the smell of dumplings and kimchi. His stomach gives an appreciative growl. It smells so good. Since he’d returned from Daegu over a month ago, Junho had barely left his house. Junho’s own apartment was probably covered in a fine layer of dust by now. It was making Junsu nervous.
It wasn’t just his unwillingness to go home that made Junsu nervous because at first he’d put that down to the simple fact that Junho had missed him. When Junho had toured with Rain-Hyung for a month he’d been beside himself like a love-struck teenager but something about Junho was different. Hell, even Junki has been acting different, always following his lover around the house and whining when they had to part. He knew Junki saw Junho as another owner but shouldn’t Junki cry when he had to leave too?
He swings his legs over the edge of the bed, a shiver settling down his spine as his feet touch the cold laminate. He should probably look into getting some sort of under-floor heating system. Grabbing a shirt from the floor, Junho’s favourite Faddy Robot t-shirt - He makes his way to the kitchen to find Junho scooping rice into two bowls. Junki is nowhere in sight.
Keeping his steps silent he inches up behind the other man. His hands slide under the light cotton and he presses his cool hands to Junho’s warm ribs. There’s a scream. Junho steps on his feet, elbows him in the stomach and then Junki, now not-so-small, is sinking his teeth into Junsu’s bare ankle. ‘Fuck!’ He hisses, managing to kick Junki off and half hop, half limp away from the two. Junho’s eyes are glossy. He’s biting his lip. ‘Hyung, I’m sorry-’ He starts but Junsu is already out the kitchen door. He doesn’t know why he bothers anymore.
The front door slams shut half an hour later and Junho crumples to the kitchen tiles.
Chansung’s already at the table when they get to the restaurant. Junho drops into the seat next to him and Chansung’s instantly leaning to whisper into the shorter boy’s ear. His hand on Junho’s hip. Junsu rolls his eyes and slips into the free seat next to Taecyeon who grins widely at him, all teeth and ears. Junsu chooses instead to take in the distinctly old fashioned décor surrounding them. Whose idea was it to come here?
Chansung pushes his chair back some moments later, one large hand wrapped around Junho’s smaller wrist. It doesn’t go unnoticed by Junsu. ‘Let’s get drinks. What do you want, Junsu-Hyung?’ Chansung turns to him with a smile as he gently pushes Junho out of his seat. He pats his jeans, checks his wallet is in his back pocket and turns back to Junsu expectantly. ‘Just a beer’’ He tells Junho; clearly ignoring that it was Chansung who asked. The younger male nods, lips set into a grim line as Chansung gives him a shove in the direction of the bar
‘Are you ok, man?’ Taecyeon turns to him as soon as their boyfriends leave. His face is somber, the mood of the table heavy around them. Junsu reaches for a napkin and begins twisting it between his slender fingers. ‘You two seem…’ Taecyeon pauses; seems to search for the words. Junsu isn’t sure if he’s just biding time or if he’s really unsure how to describe them. ‘Distanced’ Taecyeon’s eyebrows shoot up. ‘Strained’ Now his jaw relaxes and his lips form a stretched O of surprise. ‘Something’s wrong with Junho and I don’t know what it is. Do you?’ Taecyeon shakes his head, still looking a little dumbfounded but his jaw is tensed and there’s a line between his brows.
Junsu mentally snorts. Taecyeon is a terrible liar. ‘Hyung, what are you-‘ Junsu cuts him off. ‘Something’s been wrong with him ever since I came back but he isn’t telling me’ He straightens out the napkin as best as he can and laughs. It’s creased and won’t straighten out fully. The corners curl over. He lifts up the napkin between them, fingers pinching at the top edge. ‘I know you know something’ His grip tightens and he tears the napkin in two. Taecyeon’s mouth falls open and he stutters, staring at his hyung with wide, confused eyes. ‘Hyung, I-‘
‘Are we interrupting something?’ Chansung and Junho return, putting three beers and a coke on the table. They glance between them and the torn napkin, Junho staring at Junsu a little too sadly. ‘Not at all’ Answers Junsu, tone sharp as he reaches for one of the beers. ‘I was just telling Taec-ah that I think a friend is keeping something from me’ He locks eyes with Junho, not missing the way his eyes glaze over or the way his lip trembles. He looks away, reaching for a menu and spends the rest of the meal staring into his beer.
The meal finishes and Taecyeon, the first out of his seat suggests they move to the bar. The others agree, or at least Chansung and Junho do. Junsu suspects it’s because they’re just trying to buy some more time. Maybe if he’s drunk enough he’ll forget everything and things will be back to normal. He snorts into his beer. He doubts it. ‘Hyung, don’t you think you’ve had enough?’ Junho’s hand hovers above his, uncertain and unsteady. He lowers it slightly and Junsu puts his drink down and rubs his hands over his jeans. ‘No. I don’t’ Junho flinches. He reaches for his beer again. Chansung claps Junho on the shoulder and murmurs something into the boy’s ear.
‘Just let him get it out of his system’
He soon finishes that one and pushes it across the smoothly polished bar towards the barman. He pauses from where he’s emptying a small glass washer and makes his way slowly over. A little too slowly for Junsu’s liking. ‘Sir, are you sure you want another? I really don’t think th-‘ Junsu growls. ‘Beer’ A new glass is put down in front of him some moments later.
Some minutes and another beer later Junsu’s overcome by the smell of cigarette smoke and cheap cologne. The smell makes his nose wrinkle and his eyes sting. He turns to see a man stood behind Junho. ‘Hey hot stuff’ Junho half turns, eyes wide and lips parted in confusion. The man reaches out with one hand and gives Junho’s ass a firm swat. He half misses, fingers curling around the back of Junho’s thigh and laughs. Junho jumps at the contact, half his beer - his first of the night, spills over the rim of his glass and onto his sleeve. Junsu slams his glass down, a little too hard and turns towards the man. Every intention of telling him to back off building up on his tongue and ready to spill. ‘Get off him’
It’s Chansung that intervenes, one arm between Junho and the stranger. He slides over, putting himself between them and the man shrinks back slightly. From his vantage point Junsu can see Junho’s fingers curling to the back of the taller man’s shirt. ‘Don’t be like that man’ The stranger tugs at Chansung’s arm and sways slightly. ‘He has a boyfriend’ Chansung sighs, even as Junho presses his face between his shoulder blades. Junsu’s chest tightens. He’s not sure the beer is going to stay down. ‘Oh sorry, man’ The stranger throws his arms up in defence, fingers splayed in the air. ‘Can’t blame a guy for trying though right?’ Chansung stares at him silently and eventually the man slinks away.
‘You ok?’ He asks, turning to Junho. The other is pale, eyes wide and glazed with unshed tears. Normal Junho would have thrown himself into Junsu’s arms and told the stranger he was taken. This Junho had been reduced to a mess of tears. He nods against Chansung’s chest and Junsu notices Taecyeon standing to rub the boy’s back. He swivels around and slams his fists onto the bar-top, missing the way Junho’s hand freezes midway between them. Junsu barely hears Chansung speak before the other pulls his boyfriend towards the toilets. ‘Let’s get the beer out of your shirt’
It takes a few minutes of awkward silence, Taecyeon’s piercing stare and a sigh ‘Hyung…’ to get Junsu out of his seat. He sways slightly, not quite drunk yet and makes his way towards the bathrooms. It’s unusually quiet in the small hallway and the air is much cooler. He pauses for a moment and tugs at his collar, peeling his shirt from his skin.
He should talk to Junho, he realises, tries to push the butterflies out of his stomach and wipes his sweaty palms on his pants. Something’s wrong with his boyfriend and he’s determined to find out what it is. If he knows what then maybe then can fix this. He pushes the bathroom door open with ease -
‘I love you too, Chansung-ah’