[ILC/015] A Cup of Tea
Title: A Cup of Tea
ILC/Pairing Assigner: kendayawind & shadowcrawler12
Pairing: Kangteuk
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance
Disclaimer: I don't own them, SME does. Plot is mine.
Challenge: Initial Line Challenge
Summary: In the end, it all comes down to a cup of tea and who it belongs to.
Warning: Un-beta'd. I have not even taken the time to go over this even once before posting it. Also, I can't Kangteuk. I just can't. Prepare for suckiness.
“I don't think that's water...”
Kangin, entirely oblivious of the comment just made to him, slams his cup onto the flat surface of the table and stands with his hands on his hips, teeth violently sunk into his bottom lip, eyes trained on... on something.
Kibum swears that it'll draw blood, but, somehow, it doesn't.
“Is something the matter?” Kibum asks. There is no answer.
The feeling of neglect creeps under Kibum's skin, picking at his nerves. He takes several deep, calming breaths. Finally, Kangin seems to take note of his presence. “You see that?” Kangin asks, pointing into what seems like oblivion.
“No?” The younger boy mutters.
Kangin pulls Kibum up by the collar of his shirt, pointing at a shop across the street. “You see him?”
“No- wait, you mean that guy eating chocolate over there?” Kibum tilts his head to the side. “What about him?”
The bigger man sighs, releasing Kibum and sliding back into his seat, his eyes still focused on the figure across the street. “I don't know,” he admits, “it's just... I don't know, but I can't take my eyes off of him. It ticks me off.”
Kibum quirks a brow. “I was fifteen minutes late, hyung, and you found a man of interest and ignore me for forever, just to tell me you don't know?” He is unamused.
“Yup,” Kangin quips, taking another sip out of his cup. For whatever reason, he feels a bit lightheaded and the strangers face whirls around before his eyes. It felt good.
“I told you that's not water,” Kibum shakes his head. “You can't hold your liquor, what are you doing drinking out of that cup?”
Kangin tilts his head to the side, causing his temples to strum in response. Ouch. “Well why didn't you tell me earlier? Like, before I get drunk,” Kangin scowls. “My head hurts.”
“I don't doubt it,” Kibum rolls his eyes.
The older man stands, attempting to make his way towards the counter to order a cup of coffee. Or tea. Whatever will make this headache and drunkenness go away.
“Where are you goi- WATCH OUT!”
“Woah,” Kangin stutters, trying to balance himself after colliding into the person beside him. “I- I'm so sorry,” he apologizes as best as he can, “I didn't mean t-to run into you.” His head is spinning, his stomach feels as if it's been flipped upside down. He feels like crap.
The man holds Kangin by the elbows, bending over to peek into Kangin's agonized face. “Are you alright? Do you need some help?”
“No, I'm fi-”
The look on Kangin's utterly terrorized face as he glances in the man's eyes sends Kibum's palm straight to his lips to stifle a cackle. A very much controlled one, thank you very much.
Kangin makes a mental note to get Kibum back for that one.
“You don't look too good,” the man comments, leaning in closer to take a better look at Kangin's face, “do you want to sit down?”
Kangin feels a blush creeping up his cheeks, he forces it back down with a clearing of his throat. “Uh, yeah...”
“My name is Leeteuk,” he says with the most blinding smile Kangin has ever seen, the man's lips stretched so smoothly over his pure, white complexion. “I own this cafe and the chocolate shop across the street, I don't think I've seen you around much.”
The drunken man attempts at nodding, but fails as his head propels forward and lands on Leeteuk's stomach. “S-sorry,” Kangin groans, pulling back immediately. Leeteuk laughs.
“I see you're not much of a drinker,” Leeteuk teases. “How about a cup of tea? My treat.”
Kangin tries not to nod again. “That would be golden.”
Leeteuk smirks and Kibum doesn't miss it. The brief, awkward three second meeting of their eyes confirms what Kibum has been suspecting. The man nods and smiles politely at Kibum before disappearing through a double door.
“I think he's interested in you,” Kangin hears Kibum say as Kibum plops down beside him. It sends another drumming to his temple and he can practically hear the grin in Kibum's tone.
Kangin frowns. “I look like an idiot right now, I really doubt it.”
“Sorry,” Leeteuk interrupts, “the barista had a hard time finding the right kind to sooth the after affects of alcohol.”
“There is such a thing?” Kibum asks nonchalantly.
Leeteuk just smiles in reply.
Kangin manages to smile thankfully and reaches out for the nearest cup on the table.
“Hyung, that's not-”
Kangin stops immediately this time around, afraid to make the same mistake twice.
Leeteuk laughs. “That's my cup of water. I've got your cup of tea right here.”
“You're...” he grumbles, swallowing the next word with a big breath of air before continuing, “my cup of tea?” Kangin stutters. His world is thrashing in his head and he highly doubts he's making any kind of logical sense at the moment.
The beautiful stranger grins wickedly and Kibum sits back with his arms over his chest, watching with amusement dancing in his, otherwise, stoic eyes.
“Am I?”
The confused man shifts awkwardly in his seat. “Are you what?” Kangin asks in turn. He thinks it over for what feels like a century before it, finally, clicks. “Oh! No! I mean- no, that's not what I- not that you're not- I don't - what?”
Leeteuk chuckles and hands the cup of tea over. “I'm just teasing.”
“Oh,” Kangin sighs in relief, albeit a bit disappointed. “Okay.”
“Unless you want me to be serious.”
“What?”
“Kidding,” Leeteuk laughs again.
Kangin almost pouts. “Oh.”
Kibum makes a gagging noise before he stands up and leaves. “I've got to go. I'll catch you later, hyung.”
He's gone before Kangin can even react.
“But I was serious. The question, I mean.”
Kangin is momentarily stunned. It must be the alcohol.
The cup is warm in his hands, Kangin watching as the tea swirls around, and only then does Kangin realize that he's shaking nervously.
Or it could still be just the alcohol.
He doesn't know anymore because another pair of hands wrap around his, and now he can't tell if it's the cup of tea that's making his hands burn, or if it's the new pair of soft, gentle hands. Or if it's just the alcohol. Or if his hands are even really burning at all.
Kangin just doesn't know; he's so confused.
“I think I've found my cup of tea,” Leeteuk smiles encouragingly at Kangin, whose eyes are on him but aren't truly on him. He looks drunk.
Kangin actually pouts this time. “This is my cup of tea, you're drinking water.”
“Well then, since you're the one drinking tea, tell me, where does your cup of tea lie?” Leeteuk asks, a bit frustrated by Kangin's slow reactions. The tone in his voice makes the hint as obvious as he can make it.
“Oh, oh,” Kangin replies bashfully. “I...”
“Yeah?” Leeteuk presses.
Kangin stares straight into Leeteuk's eyes; those genuine, gem-like eyes that hold so much emotion in them right now. “I think... I think I've had it all along,” he continues, moving his hands from Leeteuk's grasp and holding them over Leeteuk's instead, “right here.”
Leeteuk smiles, and it is a warm, immensely comforting smile. “Me too.”
Kangin's world stopped spinning.
-----
Read Nyx's version here!
-----
[ILC14: Haemin] ♦ [ILC16: Henkyu]
------
A/N: Ciel, I hope you NEVER READ THIS. I killed your OTP. I'm sorry. Nyx, I'm sorry to you as well.. for how bad this sucks, how pointless this is, and how much fail it will never stop being. I'm sorry. ;A; But at least I finished it? And it's over 400 words... though, for better or worse, I'm not sure. To those who actually read all this nonsense: thank you and I'M SORRY T.T
ILC/Pairing Assigner: kendayawind & shadowcrawler12
Pairing: Kangteuk
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance
Disclaimer: I don't own them, SME does. Plot is mine.
Challenge: Initial Line Challenge
Summary: In the end, it all comes down to a cup of tea and who it belongs to.
Warning: Un-beta'd. I have not even taken the time to go over this even once before posting it. Also, I can't Kangteuk. I just can't. Prepare for suckiness.
“I don't think that's water...”
Kangin, entirely oblivious of the comment just made to him, slams his cup onto the flat surface of the table and stands with his hands on his hips, teeth violently sunk into his bottom lip, eyes trained on... on something.
Kibum swears that it'll draw blood, but, somehow, it doesn't.
“Is something the matter?” Kibum asks. There is no answer.
The feeling of neglect creeps under Kibum's skin, picking at his nerves. He takes several deep, calming breaths. Finally, Kangin seems to take note of his presence. “You see that?” Kangin asks, pointing into what seems like oblivion.
“No?” The younger boy mutters.
Kangin pulls Kibum up by the collar of his shirt, pointing at a shop across the street. “You see him?”
“No- wait, you mean that guy eating chocolate over there?” Kibum tilts his head to the side. “What about him?”
The bigger man sighs, releasing Kibum and sliding back into his seat, his eyes still focused on the figure across the street. “I don't know,” he admits, “it's just... I don't know, but I can't take my eyes off of him. It ticks me off.”
Kibum quirks a brow. “I was fifteen minutes late, hyung, and you found a man of interest and ignore me for forever, just to tell me you don't know?” He is unamused.
“Yup,” Kangin quips, taking another sip out of his cup. For whatever reason, he feels a bit lightheaded and the strangers face whirls around before his eyes. It felt good.
“I told you that's not water,” Kibum shakes his head. “You can't hold your liquor, what are you doing drinking out of that cup?”
Kangin tilts his head to the side, causing his temples to strum in response. Ouch. “Well why didn't you tell me earlier? Like, before I get drunk,” Kangin scowls. “My head hurts.”
“I don't doubt it,” Kibum rolls his eyes.
The older man stands, attempting to make his way towards the counter to order a cup of coffee. Or tea. Whatever will make this headache and drunkenness go away.
“Where are you goi- WATCH OUT!”
“Woah,” Kangin stutters, trying to balance himself after colliding into the person beside him. “I- I'm so sorry,” he apologizes as best as he can, “I didn't mean t-to run into you.” His head is spinning, his stomach feels as if it's been flipped upside down. He feels like crap.
The man holds Kangin by the elbows, bending over to peek into Kangin's agonized face. “Are you alright? Do you need some help?”
“No, I'm fi-”
The look on Kangin's utterly terrorized face as he glances in the man's eyes sends Kibum's palm straight to his lips to stifle a cackle. A very much controlled one, thank you very much.
Kangin makes a mental note to get Kibum back for that one.
“You don't look too good,” the man comments, leaning in closer to take a better look at Kangin's face, “do you want to sit down?”
Kangin feels a blush creeping up his cheeks, he forces it back down with a clearing of his throat. “Uh, yeah...”
“My name is Leeteuk,” he says with the most blinding smile Kangin has ever seen, the man's lips stretched so smoothly over his pure, white complexion. “I own this cafe and the chocolate shop across the street, I don't think I've seen you around much.”
The drunken man attempts at nodding, but fails as his head propels forward and lands on Leeteuk's stomach. “S-sorry,” Kangin groans, pulling back immediately. Leeteuk laughs.
“I see you're not much of a drinker,” Leeteuk teases. “How about a cup of tea? My treat.”
Kangin tries not to nod again. “That would be golden.”
Leeteuk smirks and Kibum doesn't miss it. The brief, awkward three second meeting of their eyes confirms what Kibum has been suspecting. The man nods and smiles politely at Kibum before disappearing through a double door.
“I think he's interested in you,” Kangin hears Kibum say as Kibum plops down beside him. It sends another drumming to his temple and he can practically hear the grin in Kibum's tone.
Kangin frowns. “I look like an idiot right now, I really doubt it.”
“Sorry,” Leeteuk interrupts, “the barista had a hard time finding the right kind to sooth the after affects of alcohol.”
“There is such a thing?” Kibum asks nonchalantly.
Leeteuk just smiles in reply.
Kangin manages to smile thankfully and reaches out for the nearest cup on the table.
“Hyung, that's not-”
Kangin stops immediately this time around, afraid to make the same mistake twice.
Leeteuk laughs. “That's my cup of water. I've got your cup of tea right here.”
“You're...” he grumbles, swallowing the next word with a big breath of air before continuing, “my cup of tea?” Kangin stutters. His world is thrashing in his head and he highly doubts he's making any kind of logical sense at the moment.
The beautiful stranger grins wickedly and Kibum sits back with his arms over his chest, watching with amusement dancing in his, otherwise, stoic eyes.
“Am I?”
The confused man shifts awkwardly in his seat. “Are you what?” Kangin asks in turn. He thinks it over for what feels like a century before it, finally, clicks. “Oh! No! I mean- no, that's not what I- not that you're not- I don't - what?”
Leeteuk chuckles and hands the cup of tea over. “I'm just teasing.”
“Oh,” Kangin sighs in relief, albeit a bit disappointed. “Okay.”
“Unless you want me to be serious.”
“What?”
“Kidding,” Leeteuk laughs again.
Kangin almost pouts. “Oh.”
Kibum makes a gagging noise before he stands up and leaves. “I've got to go. I'll catch you later, hyung.”
He's gone before Kangin can even react.
“But I was serious. The question, I mean.”
Kangin is momentarily stunned. It must be the alcohol.
The cup is warm in his hands, Kangin watching as the tea swirls around, and only then does Kangin realize that he's shaking nervously.
Or it could still be just the alcohol.
He doesn't know anymore because another pair of hands wrap around his, and now he can't tell if it's the cup of tea that's making his hands burn, or if it's the new pair of soft, gentle hands. Or if it's just the alcohol. Or if his hands are even really burning at all.
Kangin just doesn't know; he's so confused.
“I think I've found my cup of tea,” Leeteuk smiles encouragingly at Kangin, whose eyes are on him but aren't truly on him. He looks drunk.
Kangin actually pouts this time. “This is my cup of tea, you're drinking water.”
“Well then, since you're the one drinking tea, tell me, where does your cup of tea lie?” Leeteuk asks, a bit frustrated by Kangin's slow reactions. The tone in his voice makes the hint as obvious as he can make it.
“Oh, oh,” Kangin replies bashfully. “I...”
“Yeah?” Leeteuk presses.
Kangin stares straight into Leeteuk's eyes; those genuine, gem-like eyes that hold so much emotion in them right now. “I think... I think I've had it all along,” he continues, moving his hands from Leeteuk's grasp and holding them over Leeteuk's instead, “right here.”
Leeteuk smiles, and it is a warm, immensely comforting smile. “Me too.”
Kangin's world stopped spinning.
-----
Read Nyx's version here!
-----
[ILC14: Haemin] ♦ [ILC16: Henkyu]
------
A/N: Ciel, I hope you NEVER READ THIS. I killed your OTP. I'm sorry. Nyx, I'm sorry to you as well.. for how bad this sucks, how pointless this is, and how much fail it will never stop being. I'm sorry. ;A; But at least I finished it? And it's over 400 words... though, for better or worse, I'm not sure. To those who actually read all this nonsense: thank you and I'M SORRY T.T