Go Along With It

Key looked around the cafe as the instrumental played and xer eyes were drawn to one man in the corner. Said man seemed completely absorbed in his laptop, fingers flying across the keys as he danced in his seat. However, he wasn't bouncing in time to the music at all. Key hated people like that, who blatantly ignored performers by insultingly putting in their own headphones and blasting their own music loudly.  Then Key squinted and realised the man didn't actually have headphones in. "Huh."

When Key started singing again, and the man started nodding his head enthusiastically, xe almost laughed.  Jonghyun shot xem a look when the mic picked up xer aborted snorts.

The song ended and Key looked for the man's response. When he abandoned his laptop and clapped energetically xer breath caught in xer throat because his face was very pleasing.

Jonghyun nudged xem with his guitar and hissed, "Can't you be subtle?" Which was a bit uncalled for. It's not Key’s fault xe liked to appreciate attractive people, and the man was certainly attractive. He wasn't strikingly hot, or particularly y, but his face was open and handsome and his smile was absolutely beautiful.

Jonghyun poked xem again, "Come on, I met Minho's eye and he's getting us our free drink."

Key let Jonghyun lead xem to xer seat and sat xemself down in one as gracefully as possible; nothing to do with the fact that the man's eyes were still on xem.

Key remained in xer own little world until a splash of tea over xer jeans woke xem up.

"! I'm so sorry." Key looked up and met the gaze of the new waiter, Taemin. The young man was cute and sweet, if a little clumsy, so Key decided to merely roll xer eyes and take the napkins before Taemin could start dabbing at xer crotch.

Jonghyun huffed. "If that was me, you'd have taken my head off."

"That's 'cause you're an idiot and you're ugly. Taemin's cute." Key blinked up through xer eyelashes and smirked when Taemin's cheeks flushed bright red. "Could I have a new cup?"

"S-sure, um." Key realised Taemin's flush had morphed from a blush to something more hectic and frowned at the way Taemin was knocking his knuckles against the table instead of moping up the remains of the spilt tea and taking the half-empty cup away.

"Taemin? Are you alright?"

Taemin blinked rapidly and in several deep breaths before finally focusing on xer face again. He cleared his throat but didn't say anything, just stopped tapping the table and walked quickly back to the counter. He left the cup of tea behind.

Jonghyun hummed around a mouthful of his own coffee. "Hope he's alright."

"I didn't mean to." Key bit xer lip and Jonghyun eyed xem steadily for a moment before smiling gently.

"Don't worry, I know. I'm sure Taemin doesn't blame you or anything."

Key nodded. "Thanks." Sometimes Jonghyun was actually useful to have around.  

Taemin returned a little later, smile tight, and placed down a cup of coffee. Xe kept quiet and sighed softly when Taemin left without saying a word. Coffee. Key hated the stuff.

They played a few more songs then lounged around until the shift change, waiting for Minho to get off work so they could go out for the night. As they left, Minho with his arms around the shoulders of his two shorter friends, Key noticed Taemin leaving too, walking straight into the arms of the handsome man from earlier; the one with absolutely no sense of rhythm at all.

When Taemin lifted his head for a kiss and the man easily kissed back, Key couldn't stop xemself from pouting.

"Now who's the idiot? You really know how to pick them-"

"Hey!" A voice called. Minho stopped automatically and the three of them wheeled about the axis Minho created. The man from was jogging up to them, Taemin shuffling along behind, both smiling at them. Or, more precisely, at Key.

"Um, hi." Key said. Not exactly a riveting first meeting but what can you do.

"I'm so sorry to bother you-"

"It's no bother."

A grateful smile. "I just really loved your music and wondered if you had a mix tape or something?"

Key caught Jonghyun's excited gaze. "Well, we're coming back next week on the same day so?"

"Taem, you're working next week, aren't you?" Taemin tilted his head and did his little rapid blinking thing that Key thought was just adorable. "Taemin are you working next Wednesday?" Taemin smiled and the man turned back to them. "I guess I'll see you then."

Taemin latched onto the side of the man's coat and the couple started walking in the opposite direction to where Key and xer mates were headed.

"You don't even know his name." Jonghyun pointed out.

Key frowned at this realisation. Xe turned around and yelled, "Wait, I didn't catch your name!"

The man turned, smiling hugely. Key felt xer heart skip a beat, as terribly stereotypical as that was. "You know Taemin already. I'm Jinki!"

"My name's Key!"

"I'll see you next week Key!" Jinki waved and Key could feel the warmth of his smile across the distance between them.

"He's so nice." Key sighed.

"You're so gone. I'm pretty sure he's in a relationship with Taemin so watch yourself."

Key scowled as xe let Minho drag the two of them to his house where they'd change and have pre-drinks. "I'm not a home wrecker."

---

Key was not a home wrecker. In fact, Key didn't quite know what xe was. It was all very confusing.

Jinki had been coming to the café for every Wednesday for over a month. Minho told Key he was actually there even more often, most of the times Taemin was working.

Key had taken to grabbing xer drink from Minho - Taemin got too nervous around Key to serve xem properly, which was just so sweet, God Key wanted to gobble him all up - and sitting down at Jinki's table.

Jinki was a writer - hence the flexible hours and constant tapping on his laptop - and after a few prompts and encouraging smiles, he was bouncing ideas off the other.

"Hey Jinki."

"Hi! It's great, everyone thinks the King is alive when he's actually dead and they think the Prince is dead when actually he's actually alive!" Key blinked then laughed at Jinki's sparkling eyes and wide grin.

"Sounds great. How come everyone thinks the King is alive? How have they deceived the entire nation?" Jinki's smile faltered.

"Um, they said he recovered from his illness and is just resting at the moment?"

Key pushed Jinki further into the booth and sat down next to him.

"Surely they wouldn't believe that?"

Jinki faceplanted on the table.

"Sorry."

Jinki waved off xer apology. "No, thanks for showing me all the plot holes."

Key sipped xer tea and smiled self-satisfiedly.

"So um, would you like to come out to dinner tonight? You don't have a shift at the bar do you."

"No." Key wrinkled xer forehead at him. "Is Taeminnie coming?" Jinki nodded, looking at Key expectantly, and there it was.

Recently, Key had been going out for dinner with Jinki - who, by the way, had a personality just as open and lovely as his face - and Taemin. Key had nothing against Taemin whatsoever. Xe thought Taemin was adorable and he came out with the most hilarious things and he looked at xem and Jinki with stars in his dark eyes.

But that was just the thing. Taemin and Jinki were, undoubtedly, together. So why did Key not feel like a third wheel when they went out together? Taemin was just as likely to turn to Key as he was to Jinki. Jinki threw an arm around Key's shoulder just as easily as he did around Taemin's.

"Sure, I'll come." Key had no idea what xe's doing, only that xe always had a good time with them, came away feeling relaxed and self-confident and content.

When Key arrived at Jinki's favourite restaurant that evening - "They have the best banana smoothies Key, you can't even imagine!" - Jinki was startlingly absent. Taemin smiled at xem widely and Key couldn't help but smile back. It wasn't like it was a struggle to smile back, actually, because seeing Taemin had become synonymous with having a good time.

"Hi! Jinki's busy."

"Oh?"

Taemin rolled his eyes, "He's 'on a roll'."

"Has he figured out how the Prime Minister dies?"

Taemin laughed and pushed a glass of Grenadine across the table. "You like this, right?"

"Thanks, sweetheart." Taemin smiled and Key felt xer heart do a little skip beat. "How was your day?"

"I finished my sketches!"

"Oh?"

As Key listened, xe hooked xer ankle around Taemin's beneath the table. Taemin immediately rubbed his toes against Key's calf and with every nudge of Taemin's feet, Key felt the tension slip from xer shoulders.

---

"Jinki!" Key yelled as softly as xe could, whilst still being loud enough for Jinki to hear in the other room. Jinki came in and smiled at the sight; Key struggling to close the door with Taemin slumped against xer, fast asleep. "Don't just stand there smiling! Help me get him to bed."

Once they'd stripped Taemin and put him to bed, Key carefully draping Taemin's weighted blanket over him, the pair retreated to the kitchen.

"Tea?"

"Yes please."

"I've no idea how you can drink so much tea." Jinki said. Key huffed.

"If you drank tea you'd know."

"I drink peppermint tea to help me sleep. Taemin loves it."

Key snorted and declared, "Not real tea!"

"You're ridiculous."

"In a good way." Jinki laughed and Key smirked smugly.

"Hey so I don't mean to bother you again..." Jinki drifted into silence as he busied himself with the tea, before setting down a mug of peppermint for himself and one Earl Grey for Key.

"Is this about your book again?"

Jinki looked up at xem, startled, then his expression crumpled. "Yes, again. I'm sorry, I'll stop talking about it, I really don't mean to bother you."

"It's not a bother, really, I didn't mean it like that." Jinki blinked at Key, unsure. "I'm serious, I..."

"You...?"

Key hoped xer face wasn’t as flushed as xe thought it was. "I'm really glad that you trust my ideas and judgment. I love helping you." When Key looked up from where xe was studying the grain of the wooden table, Jinki was all smiles.

"Thank you. It's a bit different from usual."

"Oh?"

"Could you read some of it? It's this one scene, I just don't know how to finish it."

Key shrugs. "Sure."

A smile burst across Jinki’s features and Key almost had to squint in the face of it. As time passed, xe was becoming more and more enamoured with Jinki’s smile.

“I’ll run and get it.”

“Don’t wake Taemin!” Key called after him and Jinki skidded to a halt before proceeding on tip-toes. Key rolled xer eyes and sipped xer tea.

“Here it is! Look, I’m going on a business trip soon, do you mind if I start packing and leave you to it?”

Key waved him off with a fond smile. “Off with you. I’ll call you when I’m done.”

---

Key finished reading and double-checked the back of the last page. It couldn’t end there. It couldn’t.

Key couldn’t believe the Prince was being so stupid! It was obvious as could be; sure his childhood friend was in a relationship with the nobleman’s son, but they had both explicitly said they were open to polyamourous relationships. The Prince was in love with his childhood friend, that much was evident, but he seemed oblivious to the fact that he loved the nobleman’s son too. What an idiot!

“Oh my God.” Key said, as realisation struck and xe wondered how on Earth xe was so thick. Xe dropped the papers onto the kitchen table and, for lack of knowing what else to do, picked up the mug of lukewarm tea with a shaking hand. It was a wonder Key didn’t spill it all over xemself as xe almost missed xer mouth with the rim of the mug.

When Key finished all of xer tea, xe got up on wobbly legs and stumbled to the dishwasher then rummaged through the chocolate cupboard, searching for Jinki’s secret stash of dark chocolate at the very back. Key paused as xe reached for a bar.

“Oh God, I know this kitchen better than my own.” Key sat down heavily in xer chair and set about methodically eating the chocolate bar square by square, letting each piece melt on xer tongue. Key focused on the delicious taste because if xe let xer mind drift it went straight to the small stack of paper on the table.

Finally, though, the bar was finished. Sooner rather than later, considering the fact that Key and Jinki had already shared half of the bar last time Key came over for dinner and movie night.

Key sat like a statue, staring at the last sheet of paper.

Sir Minseok took hold of one of Prince Luhan’s hands and Yixing gently pulled the other into his grip. Minseok kissed the back of Luhan’s hand and Yixing moved forward to press a soft kiss to Luhan’s cheek.

“Do you finally understand?” Minseok asked, tone slightly teasing but tense and worried beneath.

“Luhan, we both love you. We love each other but we love you too.”

They both looked at him hopefully.

Luhan opened his mouth and said, “

“Well?”

Key started so much xe fell out of xer chair. Jinki hurried over and helped xem stand. When Key was standing, Jinki kept holding onto xer hand and the kitchen was one from a picture, everything silent and still.

A cough from the doorway broke the spell and Key snatched xer hand back without thinking as xe turned to look at Taemin.

Taemin opened his mouth but no sound came out and his whole face crumpled in frustration and anguish. Jinki didn’t seem like he was about to do anything, so Key huffed then said, “It’s ok, sweetheart.”

Taemin blinked rapidly and eventually focused on Key’s face. His feet weren’t really cooperating, so Taemin tripped his way to xem, Key automatically opening xer arms for Taemin to fall into.

“There we go. You’re alright. Want some tea? I just had some. Jinki made me some. He told me you like peppermint-“

“I thought you saw peppermint as an insult to all tea-drinkers?” Jinki spoke up suddenly. Taemin frowned at the way Key tensed and sent Jinki a questioning look, his mouth pursed into a pout.

Key huffed. “Well, if Taemin wants some.” Taemin nodded into Key’s shoulder. Key carefully deposited him in xer chair then bustled around filling the kettle and rummaging in the teabag pot for one of peppermint.

Key promptly dropped the teabag when Jinki suddenly said, “Taemin, Key knows.” Key could feel Taemin staring alternately between Jinki and xem but couldn’t make xemself turn around. Slowly, xe bent down and picked up the teabag. Ever so slowly, Key continued to make the tea until xe hear Taemin’s frustrated, desperate groan.

Key turned before xe could stop xemself. “Yes, baby?” Key bit xer lip.

Taemin stared back at Key for a long while before he suddenly lurched into movement, scrambling for the whiteboard and board-marker they kept just for times like this.

Well?

Taemin raised an eyebrow at Key demandingly and Key was startled into a laugh. Taemin smiled and scribbled furiously.

Do you get it now?

“Yes, I get it.” Taemin’s eyebrows drew together as if he were trying to recall a distant memory and eventually he let out a little ‘ah!’ and started writing again.

Can you love me like you love Jinki? I know you loved him first.

Key felt like xe couldn’t breath properly, and xe’d never suffered from asthma so it definitely wasn’t that.

“I definitely liked him first, Taeminnie.” Key said when xe felt like xe could breath again. Key could feel Jinki watching anxiously, biting on his lip like he always did when he was nervous. Taemin watched xem with wide, hopeful eyes. “But, uh, I think I fell in love with you both simultaneously.”

Jinki whooped and seemed to teleport across the kitchen to gather Key in his arms.

“Yes? Really?”

“Really, really!” Key laughed and Jinki set about kissing every inch of xer face. Taemin whined and Key pushed Jinki away jokingly and bent to kiss Taemin’s pouty lips. Taemin smiled and grabbed Key’s hand then threaded their fingers together.

“Does this mean the Prince is going to say yes?”

Jinki giggled. “I actually just wrote that for this very purpose.” Both Jinki and Key blushed bright pink and Taemin extracted his hands from theirs to grab the whiteboard.

Our boyfriend is so embarrassing.

Key read it and laughed at the way Taemin was rolling his eyes.

“He is, isn’t he?”

---

Jonghyun pretended to gag. “That is the most sappy confession I’ve ever heard!” Jinki laughed embarrassedly and Key cackled. Xe met eyes with Taemin, serving a couple on the other side of the café, and blew him a kiss. Taemin giggled so hard he almost dropped the plates in his hands.

“Oi! You two! Get up there and play for your coffee!” Key kissed Jinki on the cheek before sliding out of the booth and pinching Minho’s as he passed. Jonghyun grabbed his guitar and hurried to plug it into the amp.

“Hey, Key, I forgot to tell you.” Jonghyun said, just before they started. “I’ve got us a proper, regular gig every Friday night at that pub on Blackfriars Street!”

“Hell yeah!” They fistbumped then Key sent a grin in Jinki’s direction, only to find Taemin there too, sitting next to him; practically on Jinki’s lap. They didn’t know why xe was smiling so hugely at them but still smiled happily back and Key was glad the set started with an upbeat song because xe couldn’t have done a sad one just then.

Xe was far too happy.