Jinki just wants to know the boy next door.

Rating: pg

Content: teenage!jongyu, fluff

The boy next door was small and frail looking, in Jinki’s opinion. He was on the shorter end of the spectrum, with arms that seemed to dangle loosely from his shoulders and a frame so narrow, Jinki expected him to split in half. When Jinki had first seen him move in a few weeks ago, the black sweatshirt he was wearing seemed to swallow him whole.

He never really saw the boy. Occasionally he noticed him getting in his car to drive off to who knows where, but that was it. He didn’t even know his name.

That is, until Thursday night happened.

The thing was, Jinki’s and the other boy’s bedroom windows were adjacent to each other, and had a small thatch of roof that you could safely sit on. And on that specific Thursday night, at exactly eight twenty-four, the small boy was wrapped up in the same black hoodie Jinki had first seen him in, and was sitting outside his own window. He had earbuds stuffed in his ears, and was zoning off.

Jinki nearly jumped out of his skin when he first glanced out his own window and saw him sitting there stagnant. He reminded him of a ghost.

Minutes ticked away and he wasn’t moving. For a second, Jinki horrifically thought he had stopped breathing.

Then, the boy’s eyes suddenly flicked up to glance at the other, who hadn’t realized he had been staring for that long. Jinki squirmed.

It went like that for a while, where the two simply gazed at one another in awkward silence. Then the boy abruptly stood, and turned as if he was going back inside.

He didn’t know what suddenly came over him, but Jinki threw his own window open and called out “Hey!”

The boy froze and looked back, some of his honey colored hair falling in his face. He ripped a bud out of his right ear in annoyance.

“What?”

“W-what’s up?” the elder asked lamely, no other words coming to mind. He had no idea what he’d been thinking- Jinki wasn't exactly the talkative type, especially when it came to cute, quiet boys who sat outside his window.

“Why do you care?”

Why did Jinki care?

Jinki paused for a second, before his lips and continuing, “Y-you seem lonely. And- and I thought you'd like some company.”

The boy’s piercing eyes softened a bit.

“We’ve been neighbors for a month or so now,” the elder boy noted, “yet we never have even spoken to each other.”

“Who said neighbors had to speak to one another?” The boy countered.

That had stung. However, Jinki figured he was right- there wasn't an obligation. He couldn't even recall the last last time he'd spoken to the other household that lived next to them.

“I’ll close my window then, if you want.” Jinki mumbled sullenly.

There was no response, and he did as he said.

The next time the boy showed up outside Jinki’s window, he was crying.

Jinki hasn't been paying any particular attention at first. He attempted to erase their awkward first encounter, disposing it in the remnants of his forgotten memories. Yet, when he'd walked past his window, he couldn't help but catch a glimpse of the boy curled inward, knees to his chest, and his head lowered.

He'd hesitated at first, not knowing if it would be appropriate to say anything. The boy didn't seem like one who appreciated help, yet Jinki felt that he should follow his conscience and at least try to talk to him yet again.

He slowly slip the window open, now hearing soft whimpers and gasps.

“H-hey again.”

The boy ignored him.

The elder clambered out of his room and onto his section of roofing, still feeling the need to provide some sort of comfort.

“Are you okay?”

“Does it look like I am?”

“Er… Not exactly…

But I want to help you cheer up.”

The boy looked up finally.

“W-why?”

Why?

Jinki twiddled a piece of fringe between his fingers.

“I don't like seeing people sad, y’know.”

“Does anyone really enjoy being sad? Or seeing someone sad? Definition: feeling or showing sorrow; unhappy. Who would want to be unhappy?” He now stared at him, straight in the eye.

“It would be pretty stupid, I guess.” Jinki shrugged, not knowing how to reply to his comrade. He seemed so smart…

“Did you memorize that definition yourself?” The elder chuckled while shifting his weight.

A rosy blush filled the boy’s cheeks, and his eyes darted to shoes. “I like to memorize definitions in my free time.”

“That's cute.” Jinki laughed.

After the two began to quiet down once again, the younger gave Jinki a small smile.

“I'm Jonghyun. Kim Jonghyun.”

“Lee Jinki.”

“Hey Jjong?”

“Mhm?”

The pair sat close on Jinki’s thatch, looking up at the sky and discussing anything and everything. It had been tantalizingly intimate, and Jinki couldn't help but shiver when Jonghyun brushed his hands against his own, or he rested his head against his shoulder.

“Do you remember the time when we first actually talked, and you’d been crying?”

Jonghyun bit his lip, racking his brain.

“I think so?”

“Why were you crying?”

“Ah, it was probably a lot of things.” He clicked his tongue, “There are times when my parents fight, and it gets to me sometimes.”

Jinki kept his eyes trained on the younger.

“I'm always here for you, okay?” he mumbled.

“I know.”

“Do you want to meet up during the day sometime? And not on the roof?”

Jinki played with Jonghyun’s stubby fingers while they sat cross legged on the younger’s roof. “Of course,” he immediately responded, “Where to?”

"We don't have to do anywhere special. We could just sit in my basement or something, watch a movie.”

“What movie?”

Jonghyun shrugged, “I'll figure something out.”

“Please don't pick a romcom,” Jinki rolled his eyes, “those are so awful.”

“They aren't really.”

“Of course they are.”

Watching a movie hadn't been the only thing they'd done.

After deliriously arguing whether The Notebook actually was a good movie or not, the pair settled into the worn sofa and simply channel surfed, finding nothing worth watching. Jonghyun had left it on an infomercial channel, stating it was enjoyable to make fun of the odd products. Jinki had rolled his eyes.

Twenty minutes into the program, Jinki had cautiously ran a hand through the younger boy’s hair, feeling the softness envelope his finger tips. Jonghyun didn't respond, as his eyes were already dropping and his head rest in the elder’s lap.

When Jinki eventually pulled his hand away, Jonghyun tugged back on his wrist.

“Don't stop, it feels nice.”

So Jinki continued combing through the hair, sometimes sneaking tender touches in as well.

After fifteen more minutes, the infomercial ended, and the next one began. The older boy was still petting the younger, but he was drifting off at this point.

“God Jinki, just kiss me already.” Jonghyun’s voice, laden with exhaustion, interrupted the eternalness. He looked up at Jinki, catching his hand in the process.

“Just kiss me.” He repeated.

“K-kiss you?” Jinki sputtered. His face was warming at a rapid pace as the thought of kissing the younger churned through him.

“Mhm.” Jonghyun squeezed his hand.

Jinki awkwardly leaned forward, to the point where he could see each of Jonghyun’s pores. His eyelashes fluttered as their lips brushed up against each other, and the younger smiled as he kissed him.

The kiss was quick, but not devoid of tenderness and passion. As Jinki broke away, he stayed near Jonghyun’s face, their breaths mixing. Jonghyun brought the hand he was still caressing up to his own cheek.

“Was it okay?” The younger frowned when Jinki became silent.

“It was wonderful.” Jinki looked down upon Jonghyun; his Jonghyun, the Jonghyun that put his arms around him when he was upset, the Jonghyun who memorized dictionary definitions and watched infomercials in his free time, the Jonghyun who made lame jokes.

“Just wonderful?” Jonghyun raised his eyebrow and smiled mischievously, “Not splendid, not sensational, not magnificent?”

Jinki shut him up with another chaste kiss.

“Magnificent,” Jinki whispered, “definition: impressively beautiful, elaborate, or extravagant; striking.”

“Where'd you learn that?”

“I wanted to find a way to correctly define you.”