final

Melting

“Jonginnie,” Kyungsoo coos, pulling the third syllable of the said man's name cutely. He's in a good mood and, after a 16-hour shift at the hospital, Jongin's glad. No hormonal Kyungsoo tonight. He's so thankful but all energy is drained from him, so he can only manage a weary smile.

“Hey babe.” He smiles, shoulders sagging. As soon as he's close enough he pulls his boyfriend to him and flops them both onto couch, Kyungsoo toppling right on top of him. He grunts when the impact hits them both because his boyfriend is more or less three months pregnant and maybe he should've thought that move through.

Jongin buries his face in Kyungsoo's neck, kissing butterflies into his skin, inhaling his scent.

Kyungsoo all but giggles, “Jonginnie, that tickles!”

“Can't help it. You smell really good.”

“Let's go out for ice cream!” Kyungsoo says giddily instead, already pulling up.

“Aw babe, I'm really tired. How ‘bout tomorrow, hm?”

“No,” Kyungsoo whines, “I really want some ice cream now!”

“Babe, I'm tired, and I really just want to wash up and sleep.”

“But you always want to sleep. Please, Jonginnie? Let's go now, they're closing in about an hour and if we run we'll make it.”

Jongin wants to cry at the thought of running.

He sighs, exhausted. “Tomorrow okay? We can walk together. Right now I'm really tired.”

Kyungsoo crosses his arms against his chest. “You're being selfish.”

“Excuse me?” Jongin sits up.

“You're being selfish.” Kyungsoo repeats, pouting. He hopes that the pout will work on Jongin. “Our baby wants some ice cream and you're just thinking of yourself.”

“I'm being selfish? Kyungsoo,” Jongin starts, dropping the term of endearment, “you're being selfish. I had a really long day and all you can think of right now is your craving for ice cream.”

“Well it's not my fault! I just want some ice cream because... I just want some, okay? And you know how I get when I don't fulfill my cravings. It's not my fault this baby of yours makes me so hungry all the time.”

“Of course you use the baby card, of course!” Jongin snaps, arms flailing. “I really hate when you do that, you know? Kyungsoo, that baby isn't even mine. The father of that baby is some out there, have you ever thought of that?” He's standing now, right in front of Kyungsoo, fuming. “God, sometimes you drive me so nuts with your tantrums and whininess I just want to get up and leave! And then I remember that that would be ridiculous, because this is my house!”

He's got all the steam out of his system, finally, and looks down to Kyungsoo. , he thinks, when he sees the sight below him.

Kyungsoo is sitting on the couch, eyes to his toes, right hand on his growing stomach. There are tears in his eyes and Jongin knows he's the cause of them. Kyungsoo tilts his head up to look at him and he wants to travel back to the 15 minutes that'd just passed and say yes, let's go, I just need to get my shoes on. He wants to all the words he's just splattered out and redo everything, kiss Kyungsoo's tears away, buy the whole branch of Baskin Robbins, anything— anything to get that broken look off of Kyungsoo's face.

But instead he stands there, frozen, looking at the trembling being in front of him, right on the verge of breaking.

“I... oh.” is all Kyungsoo manages, because there it is again, that oh feeling, like when his parents had kicked him out the minute they discovered he was and pregnant, or when his friends told him he couldn't crash at theirs anymore because he was bringing them down.

That oh feeling, when you realize that you are totally and utterly unwanted.

“I didn't know that you felt that way about our–” he gulps, correcting himself, “my baby.” The word sounds so foreign on his tongue so he looks down at his fingers, fiddling with them. He looks up again and smiles. “I'm– I'll just– I'll go pack up now, Jongin.” 

He gets up and leaves the living room, holding his sobs in until he reaches their– no, Jongin's bedroom.

Jongin just stands there, unmoved, because all he can think about is ripping that broken smile off of Kyungsoo's face and kissing a genuine one there instead, hold him flush against himself until he's breathless, anything that'll fix the damage he's done.

 

 

Kyungsoo is already pulling out a suitcase to pack his stuff in, until he realizes, it belongs to Jongin. Then he looks at all his favourite t-shirts splayed out on the bed and realizes, they're Jongin's too. He remembers only bringing a duffle bag before he'd moved in, back when he was still sleeping on the kitchen floor of the diner he worked at, serving Jongin for a whole week before Jongin plucked up some courage and asked him out. He all but forced Kyungsoo to move in with him two weeks after they'd started dating, when he found out the shorter was pregnant and homeless.

He's staring at the duffle bag now, dusty and worn out, something he assumed would be deemed useless because he thought happily ever after was with Jongin. “Trust me, I'll take care of you.” He remembers Jongin had said. Lies, all of them. He smiles a wry smile at the memory. They're all lies, he thinks. He shouldn't have thought that Jongin would be any different from the rest. He shouldn't have, he shouldn't have, he shouldn't have, but he did.

“Kyungsoo.” is what breaks him from his trance. Said man looks up. 

Jongin is standing at the doorway, an emotion Kyungsoo can't define marring his facial features.

He wipes his tears from his face and gives him the brightest smile he can manage.

“Jongin, hey.” The smile is so wide he thinks his face is going to crack. “I don't really have that much stuff, so I can leave by tomorrow morning, if that's okay with you.” 

Please say something, he wants to say. Please tell me you don't hate me.

“No.” It's empty and hollow, and Kyungsoo flinches at how cold it sounds.

“Oh. Well I can–” He holds the sob threatening to burst in his chest. “I can leave by tonight if you want–” But Kyungsoo never gets to finish his sentence because Jongin's pulled him into his embrace. He tries his best not to let the sobs escape, but it's so hard when he realizes that these arms will soon be wrapped around someone else in a matter of months, weeks even.

Before he goes, he at least needs Jongin to know.

“I'm sorry,” it comes out hoarse and shaky, and he's not sure if Jongin hears it but he at least needs to try. “I'm sorry, I just wanted to celebrate going into my second trimester today because the doctor told me our- my- the baby's a boy and I was so happy because we could name him Jongsoo after both of us and I wanted to tell you over some ice cream, I should've known you were tired, I'm sorry, I wasn't- I didn't mean to make you mad, please don't throw us out, at least not until I-

“Sh, Kyungsoo, no.” Kyungsoo's eyes widen and he starts crying even more, and Jongin realizes he shouldn't have stopped at that. “No, I didn't- I mean, I'm not throwing you out. You're staying. With me. Okay?”

Kyungsoo shakes his head no and pushes at Jongin's chest. “No, I can-” he hiccups, “I can find myself a job, get a new place- I just need this child to survive, for the time being- I don't want him to die.” He's trembling now, even as Jongin holds him. “It'll be temporary, I'll pay you. Just until I find somewhere- I'll pack my things right after..” his sobs start growing again, the lump in his throat threatening to burst, “because.. you don't..” Kyungsoo brings his hands up to wipe away at his tear-stained face, “want..” he clenches at his teeth to get the word out, but it hurts so damn much, “us.” He swallows the word in, along with the lump in his throat. Reality is a cold splash of water in his face, and he feels so unwanted.

Jongin's hands slide down to his sides as he takes in the sight of Kyungsoo and Kyungsoo believes Jongin's already let him go entirely.

Then he feels hands grab him, and a chest meets his face. “Jongin- I can't- please-”

“No. You don't have to go. I'm sorry, okay? I love you. I mean it. I really- I want this. I want you.”

Kyungsoo pulls away. “I- No- You don't have to say that just because you pity me. I know you don't like that he's not yours, I'll just-”

“Look, this child is mine, okay? Even though I'm not biologically his- even though I didn't give him to you, he's mine. He's mine just as much as he is yours. Ours, he's ours. I mean it. Those words just now, they were nothing. I was tired, had a long day, I didn't mean to hurt you like that.”

Kyungsoo shakes his head in refusal, not giving up. Jongin cups his face, bringing their eyes together. He looks at all the tears he's caused and is determined to fix everything, make it all better.

“Shh, listen to me now, listen to what I'm saying.” He's whispering now, tone soft, reassuring. “I am not going to leave you. I'm not going to throw you out like your parents did, abandon you like everyone else decided to. I am here and I'm staying. For you, for our child. You're not going anywhere, okay? You're staying with me, because I'm yours.” 

His words seem to send Kyungsoo's dam crashing down when all the smaller does is sob into his hands, and Jongin knows he's won Kyungsoo over. Jongin sighs in content as he pulls his crying beloved closer. He almost lost everything, almost lost Kyungsoo. 

“I'm- I'm sorry, I really love you, I just thought it'd be nice if we- if- if we could-”

“Sh, I've got you. It's okay.”  He drops them both onto the bed (uncaring of the shirts), rubbing Kyungsoo's back, inhaling his scent. “Don't be sorry. I'm the one who's sorry, okay?” 

Kyungsoo barely manages a nod but Jongin thinks it's enough.

He continues to pet Kyungsoo's hair and hum a tune until the sobbing mess dies down into small hiccups, and Kyungsoo is breathing against his neck. Then he starts singing.

All my loving, I will send to you,” sings Jongin in a rough voice. Kyungsoo loves it. It's the combination of his favourite song and favourite person, of course he loves it.

All my loving, darling I'll be true.”

He continues singing, humming at the parts where the lyrics are a blur, until Kyungsoo is sound asleep in his arms. 

 

 

It's hours later, when the birds are chirping good morning, that Kyungsoo stirs from his sleep to find himself alone on their bed. He hops off the bed and smiles because the duffle bag and t-shirts are nowhere in sight. Jongin must've cleaned up after him. Then he washes up and proceeds to the kitchen, following the mouth-watering scent. Jongin makes them both pancakes and tells Kyungsoo to eat up because they're going out.

“Where to?” He asks as they finish putting on their shoes.

“The ice cream shop down the block.” says Jongin, entwining their fingers together.

“Why?” asks Kyungsoo, eyebrows furrowing to what Jongin thinks look like little caterpillars.

“To celebrate having a son, silly.” And Jongin's already pulling a smiling Kyungsoo out the door.

 

 

It's a mere 15 minute walk to Baskin Robbins, and when the shop comes in sight Kyungsoo all but runs, tugging a grinning Jongin behind him.

“Can I have two scoops, Jonginnie?” Kyungsoo says, eyeing the frozen dessert. He's back to calling Jongin Jonginnie again. “I want that one and that one, and don't put it in a cup because you can't eat those things. I want it in a cone.” 

Kyungsoo's eyes are crinkling with joy and Jongin decides he can't live without it. The ice cream shop is cold to keep the food from melting but Jongin is warm with love.

When Kyungsoo doesn't get a reply he looks up to Jongin and slaps his arm. 

“Why are you smiling like that? Don't make fun of me, one scoop is for Jongsoo!”

Jongin laughs and ruffles Kyungsoo's hair (to which he receives another slap to his arm because “Jonginnie you ruined my hair!”) then proceeds to order all Kyungsoo's wants. They get a table and waddle their way over, balancing the frozen dessert in their hands.

“So, Jongsoo huh?” Jongin starts, playing footsie with Kyungsoo over the ice cream they'd promised to get together.

“Yeah,” is all Kyungsoo can muster up, smiling. His heart is bursting with love.

“Well, Kim Jongsoo does have a nice ring to it. Don't you think so too?”

“Yeah, it's cute, I like- wait, that's your- he's- I thought he was supposed to carry my surname?” 

Jongin holds back a smirk. Clueless Kyungsoo is an adorable Kyungsoo.

“Not if we get married.”


 

AN: i kinda rushed the ending idek y lol WATCH THE VIDEO KYUNGSOO'S HAIRCUT IS SO CUTE IM CRY

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dumpmara #1
Chapter 1: IM HGJHJH I LOVE THIS SO MUCH
Darkestberry #2
Chapter 1: This is my crying fix. I always come back to read this fic whenever I want to just cry all my frustrations out. Everytime I start reading this fic I think I don't think it'll help me cry this time but everytime I'm proven wrong. You really brought out that utter vulnerability in Kyungsoo's situation that it just wrings my heart every single time I read about him trying to fake a smile, looking down and trying to control his tears and that bit where he is standing in their room and not knowing what to do. Thank you so much for sharing your time to create such a heart wrenching story.
Jinu86 #3
Chapter 1: back again and crying again
doksoo1201 #4
Chapter 1: My heart hurts a lot and can't believe that I am crying. Thank you so much for writing this fic, authornim!!!^^
Andadks
#5
Chapter 1: Can't handle my tears...glad is happy end
Monicasaputra
#6
Chapter 1: I’m crying... and i still hate jongin.
mikyuhae
#7
Chapter 1: No, im not crying at the corner of my room.
chensubs #8
Chapter 1: there is a big lump inside my throat i can imagine how ksoo will be all fidgety n he keeps asking for everyone but jingo to buy things to satisfy his cravings, ,,, jingo is such an , imagine jingo asking "why u never ask me to help u buy something for ur cravings?" n ksoo is like "i am sorry jongin i dont want to be a burden to u, u r tired from work, i dont want to bother u" this why am i hurting myself
izy_angelic
#9
Chapter 1: Damn My head hurts so bad. Crying so hard that I could actually feel that my heart clenches.