Puppeteer [SHINee Oneshot]

            Four precious puppets, all lined upon his shelf, there for him to ogle. Jinki circled his room and appreciated them from every angle. He’d spent much time working on these beauties, so someone had to appreciate them, no? After all, their show was not for a few days, so someone had to coo to them about their perfection… Of course, they’d been forged at his hand, so there were no imperfections to mar their physiques.

            “Oh little ones, my precious little ones,” he murmured, his breath ghosting over his smallest puppet. Lithe with long limbs, painted to the T as he envisioned a small boy. In his overalls and colourfully patterned shirt he was sure not even a real boy could match up to his creation. “Little boy, little boy, tell me why you love daddy…”

            Jinki picked up his puppet, caressing the fine hairs on his head that he had meticulously woven and cared for. The hazel locks felt smooth on his fingers and he pulled one index finger over his sharp cheek bones, tracing the curved eyelids that he’d painted on with a tiny brush. Down to his mouth where he traced the bottom curve of his lip that was painted a ruby red that offset his eggshell white skin. “What a lovely little boy…”

            But he could not spend so much time ogling only one of his creations. Not when so many were left on his shelf, all dying to have the attention of their fine creator on them. It was with a sickeningly sweet feeling of love in his breast that Jinki advanced to their pedestal once more, placing down his little boy.

            The next doll was to his right. The tallest of his wooden figurines, with his strings always tangling because of how long they had to be. Every limb, though wooden, gave the illusion through his carvings and attire that he was a muscled doll. His most handsome – but alas all of them were so handsome…

            “My, my little prince… Are you begging for the king’s attention again?” he whispered to the puppet. One hand caressed the raven locks atop his chiselled face, fawning over how handsome he was. Those big eyes he had painstakingly worked on for hours, his hands cramping up to the point where he had had to force himself to take a break otherwise he would have twitched and smudged his work. And nothing but perfection was suitable for his precious collection. Especially not when his favourite prince doll was involved.

“You’ll be so lovely on stage little prince…” Jinki chuckled breathlessly, placing him delicately back onto the shelf between his little boy and his next puppet.

            The one that he had adorned with cat ears and a collar with a little, silver bell. Everything about him was slender and feline like… He’d been struck with inspiration while constructing this doll, having topped him with close fitting outfits and a head of electric blonde hair that matched the odd colouring of his eyes. He’d been constructed of porcelain and fine linens, nothing but the best after all, and he was the most fragile, yet Jinki knew that in his shows he was the most vicious. He would tear at the other puppets until they submitted.

            “Little kitty, come out and play… Leave your friends alone today…” Jinki sang, fixing the shirt on his puppet, unable to keep himself from rubbing a thumb over the opening of his pants, up to his tiny dot of a navel. “So smooth… So soft…”

            But he was placed back on the shelf so that Jinki could pine over his brightest doll, the one who had a chiming voice that reached octaves that made his heart ache. His little musician was the smallest, but he was strong and Jinki had endured more than a few days wondering how to construct his face. The large eyes and oddly shaped nose had become the product of his revelation that had come during the wee hours of the morning. And Jinki preferred to keep the close off his tiny singer, finding the nude look suited him more than anything he could muster up with his fabrics.

            “Little singer, will you sing for me please?” Jinki hummed, grinning to himself as his lips tipped down to brush the puppet’s brow with a kiss.

            It was only too soon after he dropped him carefully onto his place on the shelf that he felt the pull. And he was off, escaping to the stage where his puppets hung from their strings. The wind was knocked out of him, a pleasant experience considering he knew what waited on the other side. Harsh winds pulled at his clothes, his hair, his skin. The gusts ripped at his body, stinging him in chilly breezes, hail knocking into his skin till tiny red abrasions appeared on his arms and neck.

            But the light was on him and he was holding the strings to his puppets, all below him on the stage for everyone else to ogle their skin. Though now they’d been transformed from wood to flesh and bones but with glass eyes, of course, since they were just dolls. All the more beautiful, though… His beauties, his babies, his toys and nothing more. Jinki grinned fondly down at them, perhaps a bit maniacally, tugging on their strings till they got the message and tilted their chins up so all their eyes were focused on him.

            His little boy held a glint of curiosity in his gaze, a childish spirit lingering in his glass orbs. He was faithfully waiting for Jinki to move his body, knowing that whatever it was he was made to do he would get pleasure from it.

            And his little prince, whose dark orbs were glistened with a sensuality that sent shivers down Jinki’s spine. His mouth was grim but the look in his irises told him that there were things lurking in his mind that weren’t appropriate for the children in the audience.

            The little kitten, whose ferocious glass eyes were squinting against the glare of the spotlight, searching for Jinki amongst the railing. When he was spotted a wild smirk flashed on his porcelain face, ready to take on whatever adventure his adored master set out for him.

            Which would most likely involve his nude singer tonight. As Jinki’s eyes cast down over the bare boy he unleashed a noise of exhilaration, bordering on a hum and a poorly executed note.

            What a fun night tonight would be! But before he got started, Jinki tipped his hand down into his stage, swiping a hand over each of his puppets to make sure they were all in good shape. The curtain would lift any second and he wanted to encourage his master pieces before sending them out. A kiss he blew to them all after he finished fussing over them.

            “Make daddy proud,” he purred, chuckling darkly as the curtains were pulled back and he was given free reign to control his creations to his will.

            “Yes Jinki,” they all chorused in airy voices.

            Because how else were they to reply to the one and only puppeteer?