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Entry tags:
keep it steady ; one-shot
Title: Keep It Steady
Pairing: JB/Jackson
Rating: PG
Length: 1.2k
Summary: It's been a long hard day for Jaebum, and Jackson's just trying to help. Domestic AU.
Pairing: JB/Jackson
Rating: PG
Length: 1.2k
Summary: It's been a long hard day for Jaebum, and Jackson's just trying to help. Domestic AU.
Jackson doesn’t hear him come in. It’s probably got something to do with the fact that he’s got the music cranked so loud that their neighbours are probably going to complain again. Whatever, there’s only one way to make cleaning less intolerable, and it’s by pairing it with enthusiastic booty shaking to Miley Cyrus. He’s got taste, obviously.
He’s nearly swept the entire living room, and he slides on his sock feet to pick up the dustpan and nearly collides with Jaebum’s chest. “Oh, hey!” Jackson says, grinning. Jaebum’s drenched from the rain, dark hair plastered down over his eyes and his sweater dripping onto Jackson’s nice clean floors. He looks tired. Jackson leans in but Jaebum steps past him, leaving wet footprints behind him. “So, I may have like five more pages of this paper left to write, but our apartment is sparkling, right?”
Jaebum just wipes the rainwater out of his eyes. “Can you turn that down? I have a headache.”
Oh. “Yeah, sure.” He turns off the music and props himself up on his broom. “So, I’m thinking chicken tonight. I feel like getting real primal and like, ripping flesh off of bones, you know?” He’s not really expecting like, a round of applause, but maybe more of a response than Jaebum shrugging, heading into the bedroom and peeling off his wet clothes. “Or not. You want something else? I don’t think we have anything in the cupboards except ramen.”
He leans against the doorway and watches as Jaebum pulls on a clean, dry sweater and some sweats. “Whatever you want,” Jaebum says. Jackson knows that he got up really early this morning, had only half-woken up when he’d left, and the day must’ve sucked for him, because he looks completely worn down. There are dark hollows beneath his eyes, and he looks drawn, tired. Jackson reaches out to wipe a bead of water off Jaebum’s cheek and freezes when Jaebum jerks his head out of the way. “Not right now,” Jaebum says, and Jackson pulls his arms in, tucking his hands under his armpits.
“Oh. Okay, my bad,” he says, and there must be something in his voice because Jaebum sighs, pushing a hand through his wet hair and forcing a weak smile.
“Sorry,” he says. “It’s just been a really long day.” He gives Jackson’s shoulder a squeeze and then slides past him, back out into the living room.
“Yeah, I bet,” Jackson says. He trails after Jaebum a bit helplessly, his hands clenching into fists. He wants to smooth the tension out of Jaebum’s shoulders, but he knows better than to get too touchy right about now. “So…want me to go pick something up, then?” He’s hovering, and he knows it’s weird, but he just feels kinda useless.
Jaebum climbs onto the couch, folding one leg underneath him and flicking on the television. “Just give me some time to recharge,” he says.
Jaebum’s always been the type to keep busy, juggling a few jobs at once, and this semester is no different. Between his classes, his TA position and teaching a few vocal lessons on the side, Jaebum’s got a lot on his plate. Jackson doesn’t even get to see him very much, except early in the morning, if he’s lucky, and late at night, too. It kinda sucks. “Yeah, of course.”
He perches on the arm of the couch and taps his hands against his knees for a second before he has to get up again. He doesn’t even think that Jaebum is watching the show. He’s just staring at the screen. Now that is sad.
Jackson’s still got that paper to finish, but he takes a second to head into the kitchen and put on the kettle. Jaebum’s kind of an old man sometimes, and Jackson knows how much he likes his tea. He makes it just the way Jaebum likes it, and he even pours it into Jaebum’s favourite mug, a chipped and battered one covered in fishes, a gift from Jinyoung. Pretty good for a dude who doesn’t even know how to work the coffee maker.
“Hey, hyung,” Jackson calls. He’s walking in tiny baby steps, so he doesn’t spill anything. “I made -”
“Not right now, Jackson. I’m too tired.” Jaebum doesn’t even look up, and that’s what stings the most. Jackson is being dismissed, apparently, like a petulant kid. It hurts.
Jackson bristles. “Whatever, man, I was just trying to help.” He slaps the tea down on the table, careless of the way it slops over the edge, and maybe the way he stomps to the bedroom is kind of childish, but he’s pretty sure that he doesn’t deserve this. Jaebum’s being an asshole.
His schoolwork is still spread across the bed, and he clears it all with a huff, slapping textbooks shut and throwing it all onto the floor so he can curl up under the covers instead. Maybe he’ll get in a quick rage nap before Jaebum’s ready to eat. He hates the way that Jaebum’s school stuff eats up all his time and energy until all he’s got left for Jackson is this. It’s not even fair.
Jackson is drifting off when he hears the door open, and he resolutely squeezes his eyes shut. The bed shifts, and then Jaebum is climbing in next to him, sliding up until his chest is pressed against Jackson’s back. He always did know what Jackson was weakest for. “I just saw the tea,” Jaebum murmurs, and he butts his nose up against the base of Jackson’s neck. “I’m sorry. I’m a dick.”
“You’re a dick,” Jackson agrees, and Jaebum’s hand shifts up, under the hem of Jackson’s shirt to curl around Jackson’s waist. It’s the kind of proprietary touch that always makes Jackson melt. “Good thing I like you.”
He feels the bite of Jaebum’s teeth against his shoulder, only for a moment. “Good thing,” he agrees. Jackson rolls over so he can press his face into Jaebum’s chest, huffing a little, but his anger is fading. “Professor Choi is riding my ass so hard lately. You’d think I was getting paid to do this TA bullshit.” Jaebum slides his hand into Jackson’s hair, the gesture so casual and familiar that Jackson really might fall asleep again. “I’m so glad the semester’s almost done.”
“Doesn’t he know that I’m the only one who gets to do that?” Jackson grumbles, and Jaebum snorts, tugging once at his hair.
“I shouldn’t take it out on you. I’m sorry.”
No, he shouldn’t. But there’s a lot to be said about a sincere apology paired with Jaebum’s lips against the top of his head. “I guess I forgive you,” Jackson decides. “I mean, as long as we get to do chicken tonight.”
“Right,” Jaebum says. “Caveman Jackson go back to his roots.” He grunts and slaps a hand against his chest, making Jackson laugh, too loudly. “Alright. Deal.”
Jackson shifts over until he’s pretty much on top of Jaebum, his chin digging into Jaebum’s sternum and one knee wedged between his thighs. “You better get some sleep tonight,” he tells him. Tomorrow, he can work on talking Jaebum into dropping the vocal lessons. He needs a break.
“Yes sir,” Jaebum says, and his voice is so fond that Jackson turns red and has to hide his face in the crook of Jaebum’s throat.
He’s nearly swept the entire living room, and he slides on his sock feet to pick up the dustpan and nearly collides with Jaebum’s chest. “Oh, hey!” Jackson says, grinning. Jaebum’s drenched from the rain, dark hair plastered down over his eyes and his sweater dripping onto Jackson’s nice clean floors. He looks tired. Jackson leans in but Jaebum steps past him, leaving wet footprints behind him. “So, I may have like five more pages of this paper left to write, but our apartment is sparkling, right?”
Jaebum just wipes the rainwater out of his eyes. “Can you turn that down? I have a headache.”
Oh. “Yeah, sure.” He turns off the music and props himself up on his broom. “So, I’m thinking chicken tonight. I feel like getting real primal and like, ripping flesh off of bones, you know?” He’s not really expecting like, a round of applause, but maybe more of a response than Jaebum shrugging, heading into the bedroom and peeling off his wet clothes. “Or not. You want something else? I don’t think we have anything in the cupboards except ramen.”
He leans against the doorway and watches as Jaebum pulls on a clean, dry sweater and some sweats. “Whatever you want,” Jaebum says. Jackson knows that he got up really early this morning, had only half-woken up when he’d left, and the day must’ve sucked for him, because he looks completely worn down. There are dark hollows beneath his eyes, and he looks drawn, tired. Jackson reaches out to wipe a bead of water off Jaebum’s cheek and freezes when Jaebum jerks his head out of the way. “Not right now,” Jaebum says, and Jackson pulls his arms in, tucking his hands under his armpits.
“Oh. Okay, my bad,” he says, and there must be something in his voice because Jaebum sighs, pushing a hand through his wet hair and forcing a weak smile.
“Sorry,” he says. “It’s just been a really long day.” He gives Jackson’s shoulder a squeeze and then slides past him, back out into the living room.
“Yeah, I bet,” Jackson says. He trails after Jaebum a bit helplessly, his hands clenching into fists. He wants to smooth the tension out of Jaebum’s shoulders, but he knows better than to get too touchy right about now. “So…want me to go pick something up, then?” He’s hovering, and he knows it’s weird, but he just feels kinda useless.
Jaebum climbs onto the couch, folding one leg underneath him and flicking on the television. “Just give me some time to recharge,” he says.
Jaebum’s always been the type to keep busy, juggling a few jobs at once, and this semester is no different. Between his classes, his TA position and teaching a few vocal lessons on the side, Jaebum’s got a lot on his plate. Jackson doesn’t even get to see him very much, except early in the morning, if he’s lucky, and late at night, too. It kinda sucks. “Yeah, of course.”
He perches on the arm of the couch and taps his hands against his knees for a second before he has to get up again. He doesn’t even think that Jaebum is watching the show. He’s just staring at the screen. Now that is sad.
Jackson’s still got that paper to finish, but he takes a second to head into the kitchen and put on the kettle. Jaebum’s kind of an old man sometimes, and Jackson knows how much he likes his tea. He makes it just the way Jaebum likes it, and he even pours it into Jaebum’s favourite mug, a chipped and battered one covered in fishes, a gift from Jinyoung. Pretty good for a dude who doesn’t even know how to work the coffee maker.
“Hey, hyung,” Jackson calls. He’s walking in tiny baby steps, so he doesn’t spill anything. “I made -”
“Not right now, Jackson. I’m too tired.” Jaebum doesn’t even look up, and that’s what stings the most. Jackson is being dismissed, apparently, like a petulant kid. It hurts.
Jackson bristles. “Whatever, man, I was just trying to help.” He slaps the tea down on the table, careless of the way it slops over the edge, and maybe the way he stomps to the bedroom is kind of childish, but he’s pretty sure that he doesn’t deserve this. Jaebum’s being an asshole.
His schoolwork is still spread across the bed, and he clears it all with a huff, slapping textbooks shut and throwing it all onto the floor so he can curl up under the covers instead. Maybe he’ll get in a quick rage nap before Jaebum’s ready to eat. He hates the way that Jaebum’s school stuff eats up all his time and energy until all he’s got left for Jackson is this. It’s not even fair.
Jackson is drifting off when he hears the door open, and he resolutely squeezes his eyes shut. The bed shifts, and then Jaebum is climbing in next to him, sliding up until his chest is pressed against Jackson’s back. He always did know what Jackson was weakest for. “I just saw the tea,” Jaebum murmurs, and he butts his nose up against the base of Jackson’s neck. “I’m sorry. I’m a dick.”
“You’re a dick,” Jackson agrees, and Jaebum’s hand shifts up, under the hem of Jackson’s shirt to curl around Jackson’s waist. It’s the kind of proprietary touch that always makes Jackson melt. “Good thing I like you.”
He feels the bite of Jaebum’s teeth against his shoulder, only for a moment. “Good thing,” he agrees. Jackson rolls over so he can press his face into Jaebum’s chest, huffing a little, but his anger is fading. “Professor Choi is riding my ass so hard lately. You’d think I was getting paid to do this TA bullshit.” Jaebum slides his hand into Jackson’s hair, the gesture so casual and familiar that Jackson really might fall asleep again. “I’m so glad the semester’s almost done.”
“Doesn’t he know that I’m the only one who gets to do that?” Jackson grumbles, and Jaebum snorts, tugging once at his hair.
“I shouldn’t take it out on you. I’m sorry.”
No, he shouldn’t. But there’s a lot to be said about a sincere apology paired with Jaebum’s lips against the top of his head. “I guess I forgive you,” Jackson decides. “I mean, as long as we get to do chicken tonight.”
“Right,” Jaebum says. “Caveman Jackson go back to his roots.” He grunts and slaps a hand against his chest, making Jackson laugh, too loudly. “Alright. Deal.”
Jackson shifts over until he’s pretty much on top of Jaebum, his chin digging into Jaebum’s sternum and one knee wedged between his thighs. “You better get some sleep tonight,” he tells him. Tomorrow, he can work on talking Jaebum into dropping the vocal lessons. He needs a break.
“Yes sir,” Jaebum says, and his voice is so fond that Jackson turns red and has to hide his face in the crook of Jaebum’s throat.
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