sehun/minseok
pg
in which sehun rebels and minseok finally says something.

title: freebie

notes: sort of in Junmyeon's POV; sorry for making Sehun seem like such an in this OTL; I also didn't really fill the prompt properly but.... D:

There's a certain unspoken allowance that Sehun holds.  It baffles the other members in their friend group, particularly those in the '92 line, but Junmyeon sort of gets it - it's the reason why Junmyeon caves in to Sehun's weird requests and buys him food when Sehun gives the lame excuse that he forgot his wallet.  Yes, Junmyeon thinks that his brain's wavelength is the same as Minseok's when it comes to Sehun.  Well, except for the fact that Sehun and Minseok have this unmistakable . 

Everyone senses the special free pass Sehun gets to some extent.  When Sehun starts being petulant, Chanyeol starts to scold Sehun, Baekhyun shuts up, and Kyungsoo leaves the room.  Jongdae gets all flustered, jumping back from Sehun and Minseok until one of them (usually Sehun) tells Jongdae to out.  And this is all because Kim Minseok usually just stands there - silent and stern - with seemingly no intent to retort nor chastise nor correct.

Jongin always takes Minseok's side and Junmyeon can't help but side with the youngest of their group.  It's not like Junmyeon doesn't know that his involvement just makes Minseok angrier, but he can't help it when Sehun gives him those self-destructive eyes that say 'everyone's against me and I'm on my own'.

"It's not fair.  You nag about this every time."

Today is one of those days, despite the fact that they haven't seen each other in a while.  It's back to the same routine.

"Sehun-ah" Chanyeol starts with a frown on his face, but Sehun cuts him off.

Sehun's standing in the foyer with the thick cloud of women's perfume still clinging to him like a second skin.

"It's like I can't have a personal life.  What the hell, hyung?" Sehun continues.

Minseok looks weary - exhausted from a long day's work.  This Friday is supposed to be a fun night of casual drinking and catching up.  They're all gathered in the apartment that Minseok and Kyungsoo shares.  Junmyeon can hear Baekhyun gulp from one corner of the living room and Kyungsoo retreats to the kitchen, mumbling something about finishing the pasta he's cooking.

"Minseok hyung isn't saying you can't have a personal life" Jongdae intervenes.  "And it's not just Minseok hyung.  Why are you always like this to Minseok hyung?"

Sehun glares at Jongdae briefly before looking back towards Minseok.  Minseok sighs, raking a hand down his face.  He blinks slowly, closing his eyes for a beat too long before he opens his mouth.

"I'm not saying you can't bring women to our get togethers" Minseok tells Sehun.  "It's just-"

Minseok glances toward Junmyeon who can only give a small apologetic smile.  Junmyeon's not sure what he's apologizing about or why he should be the one apologizing for Sehun, but he takes a step closer to where Sehun stands, throwing an arm around his shoulders.

"None of us were expecting it, Sehun-ah.  Not just Minseok hyung" Jongin tells him, disappointment radiating from his tone. 

"Don't act like a child.  You know what you did" Chanyeol says coldly.

Sehun scoffs incredulously, rolling his eyes and looking at the ceiling, the walls, all around the room - everywhere except for at any of their faces. 

"And so.  Does that give you the right to just throw out my guest?!"   Sehun's eyes are practically glowing, directed back towards Minseok. 

Bloodshot and glossy from moisture, Sehun's eyes are wide like they get when he's dangerously close to bursting.

"She's the one who left, Sehun-ah" Minseok says quietly.  Then, when Sehun's eyes get even wider, "I didn't mean for her to feel unwelcome."

Grabbing his jacket from the back of the sofa, Sehun crams on his shoes in a hurry.

"Well, you know what?  Then I'm leaving too.  If you're not going to admit you were rude to my guest then-"

"She's not even the woman you're seeing!" Chanyeol yells, frustrated.  "She's just some girl you picked up at the club you were just at."

Junmyeon shakes his head at Chanyeol, but Chanyeol just groans.  He tosses his arms in the air as if unbelieving of how wildly rude Sehun's being.

"You know what Minseok hyung?  I've never met someone so inconsiderate and selfish in all my life.  You act all kind and brotherly, but you're fake.  It's all fake."

There's a beat of silence where Minseok stares at his feet, Jongin trying to rub soothing circles on the small of Minseok's back while glaring at Sehun's face.  Jongdae has a hand clapped over his mouth and Baekhyun sighs, looking away.

Minseok's not one for cooking but he'd made Sehun's favorite type of braised beef tonight.  He's not the type to go out and collect games of any kind, but both Junmyeon and Jongin had witnessed Minseok opening packages of board games and putting them casually near the coffee table when he thought no one was looking.  In other words, Junmyeon knows Minseok's made an effort tonight.

"That's right" Minseok finally returns.  "I'm inconsiderate."

Minseok takes a purposeful step toward Sehun.

"I'm selfish" Minseok continues, eyes narrowing.

Another step closer to Sehun has Minseok not five feet away.

"It's true I try to act brotherly, but you're right Sehun-ah" Minseok says as he takes two more steps closer.  When he's mere inches away from Sehun's face, Minseok whispers, "It's all a lie."

No one's surprised when Sehun stomps out the door without another word.  Junmyeon, dumbfounded at Minseok's outburst, tries to run after Sehun belatedly, but Minseok holds him back.  Sighing, Minseok shakes his head before looking into Minseok's eyes.

"Let me" Minseok tells Junmeyon.

And Junmyeon gets it.

Despite Chanyeol spouting excuses for Minseok not to go, despite Jongdae worrying about Minseok running into the night, despite Jongin and Baekhyun telling Minseok to let Sehun go cool off, Junmyeon gets why Minseok looks like he's not mad anymore.  He gets why Sehun gets that freebie after all.

"I have to" Minseok tells them with a small apologetic smile.

Chanyeol lets go of Minseok's wrist and Jongdae hands Minseok his cellphone.  Jongin has a disgruntled expression on his face, but waves him off.  And Baekhyun sighs for the umpteenth time before telling Minseok to give Sehun a swift kick for his sake.  Junmyeon catches him once more before he slips out the door.

"Don't hurt-"

"I know" Minseok reassures him, cutting Junmyeon off because he's in a hurry.

"No" Junmyeon shakes his head.  "I mean, don't hurt yourself anymore."

They exchange smiles before Minseok sets off and Junmyeon knows that when they return, hand in hand, that things will be different from now on.