Kaisoo One Shots

We Could Have Lived

Author: parkourdeer

Rating: PG-13

Genre: famous!Jongin

Word Count: ~3,120

Originally found on: livejournal.com

  He opens his eyes. There's a mobile hanging from the ceiling, shadows of birds flickering against the white walls in the light breeze. The soft curtains framing the open window flap gently.

He waits exactly ten seconds then leans over towards the nightstand to tap the top of his old-fashioned chrome alarm clock as it goes silent, taking in a deep breath before splitting the morning calm open with its fearsome ring.

###

"Bzzzzzzzzzzzz!"

There was the shrill obnoxious sound of Kyungsoo's alarm clock going off. Jongin growled, struggling out of his tangle of sheets to crawl over his classmate and flail wildly at the old-fashioned alarm clock. Finally Kyungsoo rolled over, impatient, and turned the sound off with a single gentle tap.

"Would you stop it with that alarm clock already!" Jongin was half asleep still but already annoyed.

Kyungsoo looked over at his cute squinted eyes and pout.

"No," he said playfully, and pretended to give Jongin a light punch on the arm, but Jongin picked that exact moment to sit up and Kyungsoo's arm met his with a resounding thump.

"Ouch!" Jongin exclaimed, tears actually budding in the corners of his eyes.

Kyungsoo felt a little bad but it hadn't been intentional—

"Fine, you can punch me back," he sighed, bracing himself. But he wasn't at all surprised when Jongin darted in for a kiss instead.

"You're so cliché," he laughed, his arms tangling in the sheets, Jongin's around his shoulders.

"Shut up," Jongin mumbled, mouth full, the sweet smell of jasmine sticky on his skin.

###

No matter what he does, the bed always feels empty with only one person in it. The sheets are cold and clammy and he'd like to lie in bed and enjoy the morning but he can't. Gingerly placing a foot on the parquet to test the temperature, like dipping a toe into the ocean to test the mood of the sea, Kyungsoo determines that it will be the kind of day that warms up as it goes along.

Hopping along to the kitchen, Kyungsoo stubs his toe on the edge of the chair he'd forgotten to tuck back into the table the night before and stumbles over to counter. Pulling out a bowl, he pours in some cereal and goes to the refrigerator to get some milk but there isn't any.

If he were Jongin he'd probably slam his forehead against the metal door in frustration but — he stops the thought in its tracks.

###

"Mom! We don't have any milk!" Kyungsoo looked over at Jongin, who was entirely too disappointed at the news in his opinion.

"We can just have toast or something," he said reassuringly, but Jongin's eyes were still downcast and he looked like he was about to hit something any minute — or burst into tears. Well, he was only five years old. Kyungsoo tried again.

"I can make you pancakes if you want?" Jongin didn't raise his head from where it was inspecting his lucky charms in minute detail, but Kyungsoo could see his ears perk. "With smarties...."

Jongin abandoned his cereal bowl and leapt out of his chair jumping up and down excitedly.

"Smartie pancakes are my favourite!" he exclaimed, milk and cereal forgotten.

Kyungsoo smiled as he got out the big blue mixing bowl.

###

Kyungsoo looks consideringly at the flour bin before discarding the idea in favour of a cup of fresh coffee. Throwing on a merino sweater — the morning air is still a little crisp despite the summery season — he slips on a pair of boat shoes, takes his keys from the key rack hanging beside the door and walks down all four flights of steps out into the fresh morning chill, waving hello to Mrs. Martin as he passes her watering the roses.

The birds are tweeting merrily as he walks under the trees, drops from a pre-dawn shower lightly dusting his head. The little bakery on the corner has the best fresh chocolate-filled croissants, still warm from the oven, and the smell fills him with nostalgia.