This is a short one. And Garden is going up right after this.  Two for one special tonight.

#54 – Nowhere

Kibum sighed and continued searching over the top of his too-big sunglasses, trying to see where on the map they were. 

“Oh I give up!” he crumpled the map together and threw it over his head and into the seat behind him. 

Taemin snorted in the seat next to him, “Are we allowed to ask for directions now?”  The twenty-three year old asked from the passenger seat, his eyes still closed as he refused to acknowledge the sun that tried to creep into his doze. 

The couple had decided to go on a road trip, just the two of them.  Just to spend a little extra time together before Taemin went off to America to begin his studies at UCLA. 

“Fi-ine,” Kibum huffed.  He would admit to having wanted to show off for his boyfriend, but there had been construction and detours and now the couple found themselves pulled off on the side of a nameless road in the middle of farm country in Gyeongsaengnam-do, just trying to figure out where they were. 

“I’ll go,” Taemin said, suddenly swinging up, unclipping his belt in a smooth motion and partially diving over the seats to grab at the discarded map.  “I need to get out of this car anyway.”

The young man’s shirt had ridden up a little and Kibum was granted the sight of Taemin’s smooth stomach.  Kibum bit his lip and enjoyed the view while Taemin dug around, completely unaware.

“Oookay.” Taemin leaned back, kneeling in his seat, shifting around the map until it was right-way up.  “There was a gas-station back that way,” he gestured towards the way they came, “I’ll go over there and ask.”

“Want me to come with you?” Kibum asked kind of hoping the other man said no – it was hot outside the car, and Kibum liked air conditioning. 

Taemin smiled languidly, “No, I’ve been resting, you can stay here in the cool.”

“Yes!” Kibum jokingly celebrated, closing his eyes and settling back. 

He was startled when Taemin’s lips ghosted over his.  His eyes darted open, locating the dancer whose smirking eyes were already turning away and settling in a mild glare on his face.

“Tease…” Kibum tailed off. 

Taemin just laughed, “Don’t even try to start something in the car.”  Taemin shook his head, making his hair swish around in a halo.  “You wanted the flashy car, alright, but there is no room for fun in here.”  There was a note of disappointment in Taemin voice too.

Kibum sighed, “You’re picking the next car.”

“Damn straight!” Taemin added without a moment’s hesitation.

Then Kibum felt him leaning forward again, this time being able to participate in the light kisses.

After a few minutes the man leant back, breathing ragged.  “I’m…I’m going to…find the gas station and figure out where we are…and where there might be a hotel…”

Taemin practically fled from the car, running into the shade line of the trees that lined the road and walking as quickly as the humidity would let him. 

Kibum sighed once more and reached down for the lever to lay his seat back.

*****

“…and then you make a right at the E-mart and you’re there!”

“Great!”  Taemin scribbled down the last of the couple’s directions.  He hadn’t made it to the gas station, there had been a friendly couple in the 50s out inspecting their field who had seen him with map in hand and offered up their expertise.  “Thanks so much!  We’ve been driving around for hours.”

“Happens all the time around here,” the woman smiled, “Everything pretty much looks like everything else.  You could live here your whole life and still get turned around.”

Taemin bowed and thanked them again and was about to head off. 

“Wait, wait!” The man called, he trudged across the field, jumping to certain spots he knew were clear of seedlings.  He opened a cooler and grabbed out two bottles of water.  Quickly making his way back he handed them off to Taemin.  “You and your friend stay cool – this heat is a killer this year.”

Taemin grinned, already holding the cool bottle against his flesh.  “Thanks a lot!”

*****

The door opened but before Kibum could open his slumbering eyes; they were forced open by the sudden chill that took over his mid-section.

“Ahhh!!!” Kibum practically clawed at the ceiling in his shock as the bottle of water rolled onto the floor.

Taemin snorted and dissolved into giggles as he fell into the passenger seat.

“Holy crap!”  Kibum exclaimed, grabbing the bottle off of the floor.  “What was that for?!” He shoved the offending bottle into the car’s cup holder and waited for an explanation. 

“It’s just water, and I got the directions.”

“You threw water on me.”  Kibum deadpanned, still starting Taemin down.

“I tossed you a water bottle.” Taemin clarified, clicking his seatbelt into place.

“Same thing.”  Kibum mumbled, finally turning and straightened the back of his chair.  “Alright then sir, how far off are we?”

“About an hour, we’ve probably been circling this town for the last hour or so.”

Kibum rolled his eyes, “I miss the city already, with its buildings in specific locations and evenly laid out streets in grid patterns…”

Taemin didn’t even know what to make of that statement.  “Kibum…is the heat getting to you…?”

“I just don’t do country…”

“This was your idea…”

“Don’t give me logic.”

Kibum moved the car back onto the road, “Now lead on oh man of direction.” He stated dramatically, his right hand swinging out to gesture towards the road.  “And we better not wind up in the middle of nowhere again…”

Taemin snake his hand out to grab Kibum’s in mid air, bringing it down to sit between them on the console between their seats.  He laced their fingers together, “If I’m with you, than the middle of nowhere is exactly where I want to be.”

Kibum swallowed hard trying to move the lump that just took up residence in his throat.  “Mushy brat…” he muttered, trying to not think of the fact that he might not get to here that kind of mushy sentimental nonsense for a while. 

Kibum jiggled their hands together as the car pulled up to a T-intersection.  “Now were do we go to find civilization?”

“Take a left,” Taemin said softly.

And they were off, traveling down the road again.

I'm in a weird mood tonight. 

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