An Almost Dead Silence [drabble]
Title: An Almost Dead Silence
Paring: Slight!Sooseop
Rating: G
Summary: AU inspired by the poem so read it first.
The Quiet World
In an effort to get people to look
into each other's eyes more,
and also to appease the mutes,
the government has decided
to allot each person exactly one hundred
and sixty-seven words, per day.
When the phone rings, I put it to my ear
without saying hello. In the restaurant
I point at chicken noodle soup.
I am adjusting well to the new way.
Late at night, I call my long distance lover,
proudly say I only used fifty-nine today.
I saved the rest for you.
When she doesn't respond,
I know she's used up all her words,
so I slowly whisper I love you
thirty-two and a third times.
After that, we just sit on the line
and listen to each other breathe.
Jeffrey McDaniel
2:45
School's over, yet there are still two students in the library. One is scanning a shelf of books while the other leans against the wall and watches. The library is dead silent thanks to the new rule. One hundred and sixty seven words a day. Less is fine but absolutely no more.
No one's actually heard Kiseop talk. The natural assumption is that Kiseop is talkative and has used up his words by the time school's ended and it's the assumption most people make, even if no one's ever heard him talk. Most just figure he uses them up at home, before school's started. But Soohyun thinks differently because Kiseop doesn't try to write or sign, does none of the things the talkative ones have tried to use as a replacement for the human voice.
Watching the other search for a book in the library, Soohyun accidentally voices his thoughts. "Don't you ever find it annoying though?" Seven words. Exactly twenty left. Soohyun makes a mental note to shut up. Twenty words aren't an awful lot to have left. Some would consider those seven wasted since Soohyun isn't expecting a response. However, he does get one.
Kiseop pauses, hand reaching up for a book on a high shelf. 'Like a cat stretching,' Soohyun thinks. "I hate it," is the reply, almost musical in that lilting voice. Soohyun starts. It is, after all, the first thing he's ever heard the other boy say. Kiseop adds the book to his usual pile and turns to gather them up. However, on his way past Soohyun, he taps the elder on the nose. "Doesn't everyone," he asks, then glides off towards the checkout counter. Soohyun stays there for a very long time that day.
A/N: The smut’s happening. I promise. This just happened to happen first.