Kissmass Fun

05

Bradley was in his total element as he had full access to the kitchen with plenty of room in order to move about and work on his cakes. If there was one place that he could always describe as being completely and totally happy in, other than performing on stage with the rest of R-Star naturally, it was the kitchen. He loved getting able to cook and bake and make lots of different foods and treats and it just helped him to relax after a hard day’s work. No one had been able to quite figure out how preparing several different meals for a bunch of picky boys was relaxing but that was just how Bradley worked in the grand scheme of things.

Merrily he hummed as he trimmed a section of white chocolate cake, “If you are planning to steal anything, Jin, I wouldn’t recommend it.”

The youngster grinned and hopped onto the nearest available counter, “I wasn’t going to. I know how obsessive you are about making cakes...oh are those cookies.”

“Mitts off,” Bradley said, playfully wrapping the boy’s knuckles with a wooden spoon, “They’re for tomorrow. If you want to eat something go and raid one of the sweetie tins which’ll be making its rounds about now.”

Jin pouted, “But you’re cookies taste lovely when they’re warm.”

Giving a playful glare towards the other, Bradley refocused on his task of partly hollowing out a section of cake. “If you’re good I may let you help to decorate them later with Saki but that means no more pinching.”

“Understood,” Jin grinned and shifted glancing around the kitchen, “By the way Bradley, do you have a Korean name?”

Frowning the elder looked up, “What?”

“Do you have a Korean name? I mean we all know that you’re Bradley but is that a given name or do you have a middle name that’s Korean?” Jin asked, tilting his head to the side.

“Where on earth did that come from?” Bradley asked, shaking his head before chuckling, “And no, other than my family name I don’t have a Korean name. The Quad’s gave themselves a Korean name but that was for school and they pretty much got known by their English names. Why?”

“Was just curious,” Jin shrugged, “One of your elder brothers was going on about asking Baejoon for something and I wondered if it was you.”

Bradley chuckled, “That’s one of my Uncles. It can get really complicated at times.”

“No kidding,” Jin said, shifting down from the countertop and grinning manically, “If anyone asks, I wasn’t here okay?”

Refocusing on his cake, Bradley didn’t even blink at the sound of rushing feet and used the knife to indicate where the boy had gone running. For the next hour or so he wasn’t disturbed and he managed to get the cakes correctly hollowed out and re-fixed with chocolate frosting before covering them in marzipan and pre-rolled icing sugar – because it was just easier than trying to fiddle on with everything – and was rustling about the cupboards to find his icing set when another voice cut through the relative silence.

“Brad?” it was Jongki.

“In here,” he replied, pulling out a box to scowl at it and put it back, “Everything all right?”

Jongki grinned, “Annie says you may be needing this.”

Popping up from the cupboard, Bradley grinned and accepted the icing set, “Ta. I was wondering where that had gone.”

“Wow,” Jongki said, clearly having seen the as of yet unfinished cakes, “You weren’t kidding when you said these were amazing.”

Lightly the elder shrugged, “Not as good as some previous years but normally I take about a week making them so they’ll do.”

“You totally play down your strengths, you know that Bear?” Jongki grinned, “Well except for your rapping because you’re not the best at that.”

Elbowing Jongki in the ribs, Bradley set about sorting out his age old but ever reliable icing set – the icing he was using was safely in the fridge having been prepared earlier, “Do you really think I have that much of a shot against the likes of Sang and Jae?” 

“No I suppose not,” the Leader replied, finding a seat and idly playing with some left over flour on the work top.

After a minute or two, Bradley sighed knowingly and smiled, “You okay?”

Jongki nodded, “I guess I’m just thinking a little too much at the moment. I’m trying not to...”

An arm wrapped around his shoulders and a kiss was pressed it his temple, “It’s okay; you don’t have to hold it all in the whole time you know? We all miss him and we all want him back with us too.”

Nodding Jongki sighed, “I know and I’m glad but....”

“What?”  Bradley asked to fill the pause.

“I got to thinking what happened between us...” Jongki said, letting his words trail off because it was a subject that they rarely covered.

Rolling his eyes, Mama Bear sighed and pressed another kiss to his forehead, “Nothing happened between us, Jong, we just grew up, that was all.”

“Was it really just that?” Jongki was clearly going through a bout of melcolina right now.

Moving to sit down next to the other, Bradley took the other’s hand in his, “Kim Jongki, you listen to me. What we had was cute and fluffy and special but it was still your first experience of loving another man and there’s only so far that will go. You needed to understand those emotions that were confusing you and that’s what I was...it was nothing bad and you weren’t using me, you just needed a hand to guide you into a life that you didn’t fully know and I was glad to give you that,” gently he ran a hand through the boys hair, “There was nothing that you did wrong or that I did wrong, we just knew that we weren’t meant to be together like that. We both couldn’t love each other the way that we wanted so it just faded naturally between us.”

Jongki gulped a little, “But don’t you hate me for it?”

“What for giving me the personal claim that I took you first?” Bradley grinned cheekily, laughing at the raging blush which crossed the others first, “Jong Jong, we’ve been friends how long now? Do you really think that I would give it up for such a silly thing as that? I still love you as a brother and a pretend wife and I wouldn’t want to lose that for anything. The day you met Jial...I knew instantly that everything would be good between you two and it is and it will be. I’ll be here, always to support the pair of you and be a shoulder to cry on, you have nothing to worry about there,” pulling Jongki into a hug, Bradley grinned and nabbed a cookie from behind the other, “Now what you’re going to do for me is cheer yourself up and stop worrying about things that you don’t need to worry about. Especially considering the fact that you’re a cookie thief.”

“I am not,” Jongki started before finding one of the cookies being pushed into his mouth by a grinning Bradley, “Git.”

“But I’m your git,” Bradley said kissing Jongki’s forehead and grinning, “Now, enough with the depressed attitude, go and play with Saki for a little while and keep that little madam out of my kitchen whilst I finish up these cakes. The same goes for the rest of our little brood Jongki.”

Nodding, Jongki hugged the smaller male back for just a few seconds and then headed out, nearly tripping over his onesie feet on the way out as he was trying to conceal the fact that he had gotten one of the cookies first. He heard Bradley laughing behind him but went to find his boys and drown himself in some well earned happiness for a while.

~`~`~`~`~`~`~

“Right for the final time,” Annie sounded a little on the exasperated side but when trying to organise about fifty different people to take a photograph, it was understandable that she got a little on the flustered side, “Maxi, Greg and Hero, you are going to stand there and blooming well stay there. Saki go and sit with your Daddy like a good girl, Pauli and Sammy stop pestering Kyo this second, Shaun you’re going to have to stand further back else we’ll lose you in the grand scheme of things and who brought the cat?”

A white fluffy cat had appeared in the midst of the third attempt to take the traditional Christmas Eve photograph which was proving to be complicated as there were still a few people who had hangovers and as per usual the kids were running riot because it was getting closer and closer to the time for Santa to be arriving. It was a typical thing to have happen though, as the boys of R-Star could confirm from their last visit to the Eun family at Christmas and everyone was laughing, smiling and generally having a good time.

Ten minutes later, the camera was set and Annie ran to get in position whilst everyone shouted, “Merry Christmas” towards it. There a pause of maybe a second and then the camera clicked and a dazzling flash blinded half of the people waiting for the photograph to be taken. Laughter erupted at the expense of some of those who had been blinded and they dispersed happily. The photograph was bright and cheerful and would join the collection which lined the walls of the family home with its correct year written underneath.

Kiyeol chuckled when he saw the picture, “Can I get a copy of this Aunty? It’s really nice.”

Annie nodded, “Once it’s been put in a proper frame we’ll be putting an e-mail out with the image and some options so that you can get it sorted.”

“Or you could just nick mine Ducky,” Bradley said, “Mam always sends me one.”

Kiyeol smiled happily at the pair, who had begun to playfully squabble in fast flowing English which he couldn’t really follow and looked down at the image once again. He had zoomed in to see himself and Kibum grinning happily, wearing funny Santa hats, and he wanted to keep those smiles going for as long as possible.

Thin arms wrapped around his waist as Annie hugged him, “Don’t worry, Sonja (grandson), you’ll both be that happy from now on.”

Kiyeol blinked, “Sonja?”

Annie nodded, “Yes, you virtually are anyway. I heard the tale a while ago so I know and believe me; we would be more than happy to accept you and your brother into the family.”

It was Kibum who got the response in first though, “Really Auntie? You really really would?”

Annie smiled and hugged the boy, “You know I would and if you need to, my door is always open to the pair of you. That woman gives you any hassle you come and see me, understand? Cause I won’t have her hurting my Ducky and Chicky. ” 

The next second the small woman disappeared from view when both boys embraced her in a tight hug, tears streaming down from both of their eyes. It had been so long since they had been loved in such a way that they could not respond in any other way. Annie smiled and hugged them both back, glad to have brought them the feeling of love and pure joy.

~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~

It was impossible to know if it was the alcohol in his system or something had just finally burst after years of being held within, but as Jin watched Kyung standing on the sidelines of the mini disco which had been set up – though calling it a disco wasn’t exactly accurate as it was merely the dining room which had a few sparkly lights and a stereo-system to play out a few CD’s – he couldn’t help himself. The dancer was never quite the life of the party, as it was very rare that he drank and there were only a few places and people he would actually dance with but just the way that he was standing on the sidelines, watching the other couples swirling around or else having a good time just made Jinseok feel...he couldn’t even describe what it was but it was so strong that for the first time in an age he simply couldn’t resist.

Breaking away from his twin and his sister who had got to talking, Jin approached Kyung who was smiling so sweetly towards some other guy and he felt a spark of jealously go through him. Though he double checked himself, since when had he wanted Kyung’s sweet smile to be his alone? Oh this was so damn confusing and had to be something with the alcohol in his system. Still he steeled himself and kept on going, ever since Annie had said that they were allowed to open one Christmas present before Christmas Day all that had gone through the singer’s mind was that he wanted Kyung.

Brown eyes, soft and large turned to meet his as he approached a curious glint in them and gently the puppy tilted his head to the side, almost as if in question. “Dance with me?” Jinseok said, offering his hand and wondering how his voice didn’t falter at the last second.

For a second or two there was a pause and then the other smiled sweetly at him and Jinseok felt as though his heart was literally going to break in two. Silently Kyung took the others offered hand and nodded, before allowing himself to be led onto the dance floor. It felt surreal and almost as if this was some form of dream but everything else told him that it wasn’t in the slightest. He still couldn’t find any words to speak however and somehow thought it best for there to be none spoken. The song playing was bright and cheerful, the type that he usually liked to dance too but tonight he didn’t let himself break loose like he normally would do, instead focusing on dancing with Jin...his Jin, like he had wanted to dance with him for so long.

Dancing stupidly to annoy Kyo, Sang spun around and clocked the pair first, alerting the others to what was going on quietly but no one would dare to try and interrupt what appeared to be happening. Plus they had the rather distracting situation of Sunwoo being slightly tipsy and they weren’t too sure that Kiyeol had remained off the punch or not cause the maknae was far more giddy than usual.

The pair remained together throughout a few more happy and bouncy songs, their gazes barely leaving one another and their movements becoming more natural with one another. They flowed and moved back and forth, Kyung’s rhythm keeping with the tracks easily and also ensuring that Jin didn’t bash into any of the other dancing couples which had the younger smiling and laughing along with the usually hyper-active boy.

“What’s going on?” Satato, Kyung’s mother, asked when she happened upon the group before turning and raising her eyebrows, “Oh. I did wonder.”

“You knew?” Jongki asked, slightly bewildered.

Satato nodded, “I always know when my son’s got a crush. Leave them be, okay?”

Everyone nodded and went back to watching the potential couple before inevitably getting bored and wandering off to do something else more interesting for five minutes. The songs kept on coming, all bright and jolly and Christmassy as they should be and a couple of times the pair did break away from the dance floor to get a drink or else talk to someone for a little or just stand next to one another in a gentle silence, their fingers lightly intertwining. Kyung began to think that just maybe he had been spiked with something because normally this was a situation that he would never ever find himself in but somehow it just felt natural and right with Jin. Hell everything felt natural and right with Jin, all he had to do was just say the words and that would be it.

Just his nerves wouldn’t let him do so in the slightest, his brain being horrible and mean and wrenching up bad memories of times he didn’t want to remember but were quickly squashed by the soft touches of the other. The songs changed, becoming more romantic and gentle which triggered most of the couples onto the dance floor and Kyung felt a smile tug at him lips, “Let’s dance Jinseok.”

Before the other could even contemplate what was going on, the dancer had pulled him to the virtual centre of the dance floor and had him held close. Intimately so but not enough to startle Jin too much and carefully their movements filtered into soft and sensual that had goose bumps raising up on the boys skin. Normally Jin was engrossed in the lyrics of any song that he was listening to because that’s what he did, wrote songs and tried to make the words flow beautifully but right at that moment in time he couldn’t even hear the backing track let alone what was being sung. It suddenly seemed as if the whole world was just the man in front of him and to be very frank, Jinseok couldn’t have cared less about that fact.

Without warning, Jin stopped dancing feeling his heartbeat pulsate against his chest and he saw concern in the man’s eyes just before a question formed on those oh so tempting lips. For once he didn’t let the other say a word, instead Jin closed the gap between them which hadn’t been much to start with and pressed a kiss to the lips he had secretly craved for years. There was a gasp of surprise from the other and for a second Jin thought that he had completely misread everything but then Kyung pressed back, fingers curling into his bright red hair. How long they remained standing there, exchanging those sweet yet needful kisses, Jin couldn’t say but by the end of it he was breathless and smiling, “Kyu...” he murmured, finally being allowed to breathe for a few seconds, “I...”

“Shhh,” Kyung replied, pressing another quick kiss back to Jin’s lips, “I know. I feel the same Jinni. We don’t have to hide in the dark anymore....”

Jin lightly pushed back at the elder but then flung his arms around Kyung in a hug which felt refreshing and oh so nice. Though for a second his brain panicked, oh hell if his parents had seen this...

“Jinseok,” his father’s voice drifted across to him, a hand landing on his shoulder lightly, “We kinda figured that we would be waiting on your sister to give up the grandkids a while ago. Don’t worry yourself; I’m sure we can talk about it later with your new boyfriend?”

Jin blushed bright red but was glad that Kyung was there, holding onto him because he was pretty sure that he would have bolted otherwise. Though later, when his brain actually processed what had been said – when he and Kyung actually stopped playing tonsil hockey as it had been unattractively described by someone – Jin felt a little on the silly side for worrying. He was still a little shy about talking to his parents but somehow he knew that it would be a whole lot easier now, especially with Kyung by his side.

~`~`~`~`~`~

The party dispersed later than planned but it was rare that anything actually went to plan and everyone retired to their separate shacks to sleep the night away with instructions that no one was allowed out of bed until it was daylight, “In case Santa is still around which means no presents” as Bradley had explained to Saki though if truth be told the little six year old was as close as could be to passing out as all of the adults put together.

As he made his way back, Bradley felt a hand latch onto his wrist and he half turned, finding a pair of lips on his own which startled him in surprise. A giggling voice met his ears, along with the slight whiff of someone having drunk way too much eggnog as a bright grin was direct his way, “Shhh, don’t tell Brad,” Jae was completely off his rocker drunk, “But it’s his Christmas Present.”

Before the eldest of R-Star could make a grab for the rapper, Jaeshik had been dragged off by his elder brother and sister to get some sleep. Lightly Bradley touched his lips with his fingers and sighed, shaking his head, “One of these days Jae...”

Smiling he headed back indoors and prepared to go to sleep, his mind filled with nothing but the kiss and the potential thought of what could have happened if he had enough guts to ask Jae to dance with him. 

~~~~

Image Ref for Brad's Cakes ^^