[law!verse] Beginning All Over Again

[miari]

Didn't think I would post this today....

 

Jaejoong supposed that the conversation was inevitable. It wasn’t like he was avoiding it; he was just so busy making sure everyone else knew where they were going that he really didn’t have time to think about himself. He really intended to just stay at his sister’s until something could be figured out.

“Where are you going?” Yunho finally asked him, after Jaejoong had nagged at him to at least clear his belongings from Jihye’s room.

“No where,” He replied easily.

Yunho stared at him for a long second before steering him around a castle of pillows in the living room (cleverly constructed for family sleeping parties) and into the bathroom.

“My offer still stands,” he said, letting his hands rest of Jaejoong’s waist, “My apartment is open to you if you want...which you said you did.”

Jaejoong took a breath and then let it out slowly, trying to formulate his thoughts into a sentence. “I...I do want to,” he finally said, looking anywhere but at Yunho, “But...I’m not sure...I don’t want anyone we’re hiding from to...to find out,” he ended lamely.

“Worst excuse ever,” Yunho said, and Jaejoong heard a hint of the professor voice.

“It’s not an excuse. It’s a worry.”

Yunho raised Jaejoong’s chin and said, “Then move in with me and let me worry about it.”

“How am I not supposed to worry? Your reputation as a professor is on the line, Yunho, I’m not going to be the cause of-“

“Jaejoong. First of all, I’m not a professor anymore. If anyone asks, you lost your roommate last minute, which you did, and I offered you a space to live, which I have, and you accepted, which you will, and it’s all just terribly convenient since your internship is with me.”

“Is it?” Jaejoong asked, “Because you no longer have a case.”

“Sure I do. Yejin’s.”

“Serving a restraining order is not a case. It takes all of one or two days.”

“It will become one, if I have anything to say about it.”

“Yunho, I love you. But we both know Heechul is not going to accept that as an internship.”

“You’re going to help him teach. That plus Yejin’s case and helping me re-establish my practice and you’re all set. Heechul widely approves.”

Jaejoong let the words sink in before asking, “Yunho, did you already talk to Heechul about this?”

His slightly dangerous undertones were subtle, and he was afraid that Yunho might miss them. However, he smiled (bravely, it seemed,) and said, “Um...I might have?”

“Without checking with me?”

“Oh, Jaejoong, come on, it’s brilliant.”

“Do not pout at me.”

“I’ll pout until you agree. Besides, it’s the only way Heechul will accept the internship.”

“If I teach?”

“Help him teach. yes.”

“Blackmail.” Jaejoong scoffed.

“This isn’t blackmail, it’s bargaining. Blackmail is me telling Heechul to assign you a long ass paper about what constitutes blackmail unless you agree.”

“If you even dare,” Jaejoong hissed, getting into the professor’s personal space.

“You’re adorable mad,” Yunho grinned, sneaking a quick kiss from Jaejoong, “So it’s all settled? I get you in my bed and Heechul gets you in class, yes?”

Jaejoong punched his kidney.


~~~~~


Changmin gathered his thoughts for a moment before ringing the bell to Kangin's house. He heard someone shuffling behind the door before it opened and Chansook peered out.

"Oh. It's you."

"Is Yejin here?"

"Yes. But she's mad at you."

Changmin ran a hand through his hair. "I only want to apologize to her. Can I please come in?"

"Appa said I wasn't allowed to let you near her.”

"And since when have you done everything your Appa asked?"

"You hurt Yejin," Chansook said seriously, ignoring Changmin's question.

"Chansook, please. I'll even let you stay in the room so you know I'm not breaking her heart."

"You already did."

Changmin just barely managed to catch the door before it slammed shut, "Let me fix it. Please, Chansook."

There was a space of perhaps thirty seconds before there was a long sigh and Chansook opened the door fully. “Fine. But I expect you to step in if I get in trouble.”

“Deal.”

Chansook grumbled to himself as he stepped aside, and Changmin pushed the irritated boy out of his mind as he made his way to Yejin’s room. Her door was open slightly and he peeked through the crack before knocking. It belatedly occurred to him the maybe the order of that was wrong, but when he heard nothing (and saw nothing), he pushed it open a little more.

A pillow flew at his head; Changmin dutifully stood still and let it thwack him.

“Kangin said I have to be more aggressive.”

Yejin was sitting on her bed, not looking particularly fierce, but she was holding another pillow and Changmin decided to stay where he was.

“I deserve aggressive,” he acknowledged.

“Chansook wasn’t supposed to let you inside.”

“I can be very convincing.”

Yejin pulled a face. “I know.”

Changmin bent to pick up the pillow and fingered the edge of it. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, “I’m sorry that I told you like I did. It wasn’t fair.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“I’m an ass.”

“You are,” Yejin nodded.

Changmin sensed a little of the Yejin he had tutored filter into her determined nod and he found it promising.

“Can I sit down?”

The emotions that flickered across her face came and went so fast, Changmin couldn’t follow them.

“I guess so.”

Tentatively, he lowered himself onto her bed, holding onto the pillow like it would keep him from doing something stupid again. After five minutes of silence, Yejin said, “If you aren’t going to say anything, then leave.”

“I...I don’t want to leave,” Changmin said.

“Then stay,” Yejin replied evenly, and Changmin wondered if she was talking about her room.

“I...honestly, seriously, from the bottom of my heart, I’m so sorry.”

“Changmin, don’t play with my heart,” and he swallowed when he realized that she was on the verge of tears, “It’s not fair. It’s not right to come in here and apologize for kissing me. That hurts too.”

Changmin blinked stupidly before he realized what she thought he was saying. “Oh. Oh, no. Yejin that’s not what I’m saying.”

“Then what is it?” she hissed, “Because I’m ready to hit you again.”

“I...shit, this is all wrong. I’m..I’m sorry about my timing.”

“You’re what?”

Changmin groaned. “Okay. Can...can I just start over? Please?”

Yejin was biting her lip and he had to look away. “Fine.”

“You...you can’t bite your lip, though. It’s distracting.”

She looked half amused at this as she complied with his request.

“Um...so. I’m leaving for Japan to start a kick-ass internship and I’m really excited about it and I got even more excited because you said that you’re excited.”

“That’s before you said that you were leaving.”

“I...but...I’m really sad too because it means that I can’t spend time with you. And I want to. Spend time with you. But...but we’ve both through so much, you more than me and...and we need this. This time to figure ourselves and our lives out before seeing if we want other people. I just...” he felt around clumsily for her hand and was very relieved when she didn’t jerk away. “I like you a lot, Yejin. But I need...time. I know Jaejoong told you about...Soo Ae and four years is a long time. I want to be healed, you know? She needs to be gone before you can come in.” He winced at how horrible and lame he sounded.

“Oh,” she said softly, and she actually sounded more hurt than before. “That’s what you meant to say?”

“Yes.”

“So you didn’t mean to kiss me?”

“I wanted to kiss you,” Changmin clarified, and congratulated himself by avoiding a potential disaster. He wasn’t so stupid as to tell a girl he didn’t mean to kiss her. “You...you’re beautiful,” he whispered, feeling a little desperate and sliding closer to her, “You’re mesmerizing. I can’t think properly around you.”

Yejin didn’t say anything and Changmin decided to take another liberty and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

“You were just there. Smiling. I forgot everything I meant to say.” Oh my God you’re babbling. Get a grip

“Oh,” she said again, and this time she didn’t sound hurt.

“I...I’m sorry,” Changmin said again.

His heart was beating ridiculously fast as she bit her lip and seemed to have some sort of internal debate with herself. “I forgive you,” she finally whispered, “But...I don’t...what does my forgiveness mean, Changmin?”

“Whatever you want,” he said automatically, “whatever you need it to mean, Yejin.”

“I don’t know what I want,” she admitted, and Changmin sat back against the wall, pulling her with him.

“Is this okay?” He asked, sliding an arm around her, and when she let her head rest on his shoulder, he continued, “Then it can mean this. You’ve been a fantastic friend, Yejinnie, I don’t want to lose that.”

“I don’t either,” Yejin replied, “I really don’t want you to go away. I don’t know what I’ll do, I don’t have...friends.”

“You have Leeteuk and Kangin.”

“They’re like parents,” Yejin said and Changmin glanced down in time to see the half-hearted face that she pulled, “I love them and they’re amazing but they’re parents.”

“Jaejoong and Yunho,” Changmin listed.

“They’re like party parents, you know? Not quite as strict as your actual parents, they’ll let you get away with a lot, but still...parents at the end of it all.”

“Junsu and Yoochun.”

“Older brothers.”

“People at school?” Changmin pressed.

“I didn’t really get along with them...they were just...there because my family let them be. I wasn’t supposed to associate with anyone they didn’t approve.”

“Lame. Well, now you can make friends with whomever you want. And you have my number,” he added, “I don’t mind if you make really expensive phone calls to talk to me.”

“Kangin might mind.”

“You tell him to keep a tally and I’ll pay for every minute. Okay?”

There was the faint sound of the door opening and Kangin’s voice could be heard mixing with with Leeteuk’s as they came through the door.

“How about you tell him yourself?” Yejin said mischievously, pulling away.

“You...you need to spend less time around Jaejoong,” Changmin paled, “You have a mean streak in you, Yejin, you’re throwing me into a lion’s den.”

Her grin faded down to a small smile and Changmin mind blanked as she leaned forward to press a kiss against his lips. “Don’t worry,” she murmured, “I’ll pick you up and put you back together again afterwards.”


~~~~


Jaejoong set down his last box of belongings inside Yunho’s doorway and took a deep breath. He couldn’t quite explain it, but this sort of living with Yunho felt different than the past living with Yunho he had done.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah. Just thinking.”

“You don’t have to do this. I don’t want you to feel pressured. As much as I want it, I only do if you do.”

“I want it,” Jaejoong reassured, and leant back against the arms that had come around him, “I’ve wanted it longer than you.”

He forgot the ridiculous amount of organizing he had to do when Yunho chuckled down his ear.

“So. Come with me, I have something to show you.”

"It's the couch, isn't it?" Jaejoong asked. He had noticed how Yunho had somehow managed to block him off every time he went to put down a box in the living room. He hadn't said anything because it had been adorable. "It's gone and you want to break it to me gently."

"No," Yunho pushed Jaejoong forward and he squealed a little bit when he saw the couch, unmarred, and looking absolutely fabulous.

Yunho was laughing as Jaejoong vaulted over the back of the sofa and squished himself down into the cushions.

"I hope you fervently appreciate the trouble I went through to find someone who knew what it had been stuffed with and could fix it for me."

"I do," Jaejoong muttered from the depths, and he was sure his heart was going to burst, as he reached out a hand, searching blindly.

He felt Yunho grab it and Jaejoong pulled him down onto the couch.

"Boxes," Yunho whispered, but Jaejoong heard a tremor in his voice that suggested he wanted nothing more than to forget the unpacking that needed to be done.

"Couch," Jaejoong replied, feeling Yunho's hands do things entirely unrelated to organizing his belongings.

"I knew it. You love this stupid piece of furniture more than me."

"You are here, with me, on this couch. Therefore I want the couch, not the boxes."

"So if I go over to the boxes...?" Yunho raised an eyebrow.

"You will be very sorry," Jaejoong threatened, and pulled him down for a kiss.

They didn't get to their unpacking for several hours (although they did christen the new bed...and the new countertops on the way to the bed...and the freshly painted wall on the way to the countertops...)

All in all, Jaejoong considered later, as he was filling Yunho's kitchen cupboards, it was a good way to start out.

Not that he was thrilled with everything; Yunho had left momentarily for the police station. He had received a call post bed-christening that had him dialing Heechul and asking his former professor to meet him at the station.

"I love you," Yunho had said, "But I want Heechul to do this with me; stay here and get yourself organized."

Jaejoong had tried to point out that it supposed to be part of his internship but, he was here, cleaning, and not there, working. It might have had something to do with kissing and him nodding and agreeing with whatever Yunho whispered into his ear...but no one needed to know that.

It was a good hour before he came back, looking perhaps five years older and very haggard. Jaejoong didn't say anything as Yunho just dropped everything in his hands and pulled Jaejoong close.

"Do you know," Yunho murmured, "how positively wonderful it is to come back here and see you standing in my kitchen, knowing that you're not going anywhere?"

"So it went bad?" Jaejoong asked.

"They were very unimpressed. I almost got punched. Heechul yelled a lot. My finger was slammed in the door. But other than that, it was perfect."

"Did you call Yejin?"

"Yes. I'm glad that she was grateful, but ten minutes of her profusely sobbing thank you was a bit much."

Jaejoong took a step back and regarded the lawyer, "So now what?"

"Now you kiss me."

Jaejoong pecked his cheek dutifully, “What are you going to do in regards to Yejin?"

Yunho pouted.

"No," Jaejoong said firmly.

Yunho leaned in and kissed him any way.


~~~~


"So how's married life?"

Jaejoong briefly considered doing something very painful to his friend via radio waves. "Shut up."

"Notice how I ask you over the phone so you can't hit me," Yoochun sounded terribly smug.

"Fuck you. I hold grudges. You had best sleep with your eyes open."

A short laugh crackled into Jaejoong's ear and he rolled his eyes.

"Okay. Seriously, though. You're good?"

Jaejoong glanced over to where Yunho was still sleeping, his arm still splayed out across the bed, echoing where Jaejoong had been a few moments before.

"Yeah," he said, "I'm good."


~~~~~


Well.  Not much left of this.  Just to make sure that we're all on the same page, Yejin and Changmin will eventually have their own story.  I don't want to drag this out, and they deserve some time for me to figure out develop what I want to happen.  And...I have a few other things up my sleeve in this verse...I love it too much to just...poof...gone.../cries

Anyway.  Off to watch You're Beautiful before bed...

<3