Title: Empty Apartment
Genre: Romance/Drama
Summary: Words falling on deaf ears, prayers unanswered and unheard. Forgiveness never attained. (Slash)
Rating: PG

Title: Out of the Box
Genre: General/Original
Word Count: 290
Rating: PG

There are some things in life that are undeniable, their existence unquestioned and unassailable. Beauty, truth, suffering and, finally, death; there is no one on earth who can deny any of these. The facts of life, if you will.

Though not all people do, some people love routine. There is a certain sense of tranquility when they are able to do the same thing at the same time every day. A feeling that they are safe, that their world is in their control and everything is in their place and as it should be. It is these people I like to watch the most. I am a full-time college student, part-time coffee girl who works at a café on weekdays from 4pm to 8pm. I like to watch these people and get to know them.

Oh, I never speak to them. That would be unprofessional. But nevertheless I become familiar with them, I can see hints of their personality and their soul by the chai latte, the espresso, the Brazilian blend that they order every day. I know who they are by the way they dress, by how neat their tie is tied, if they wear a tie, what they do, which seat they take. It’s an interesting way to pass the time, to watch these little mysteries sitting in various poufs and sofas about the comfortable café, to try and solve them.

There is one man in particular who intrigues me. Every day, at exactly three o’clock, he enters the coffee shop, the hem of his of comfortable, black beaten coat whipping about in the wind around his scuffed boots. He comes in, orders a cappuchino with two dollops of whipped cream. He pays with cash and, though I have no idea how he achieves such a feat, he always has crisp dollar bills, as if they are delivered to his place right after they’ve been newly minted at the money factory. He gives a little bow with his head, a half smile on his lips as he thanks me and then turns and sits at a comfortable chair that is situated before a little round table. He takes a sip of his cappuchino, wiping the whipped cream from the corner of his mouth with a finger and sticking it in his mouth as with his other hand he searches within his backpack for his notebook.

Perhaps it is because he uses a notebook that I am so intrigued—everyone else has their laptop out, shiny and black, reflecting the light of the lamps back at me. Notebooks are so nineties-- and yet I feel a sort of warmth when I see him take out the leather-bound book and his pen and bends over to write in it.

I wonder what it is that he writes?

A Tale Involving Mistletoe (sans- cliche)
Genre: Romance/Fluff
Pairing: AKAME
For?: CHOONMIN, MY LOVE :D

Of all the things in the world to be afraid of, Akanishi Jin was afraid of doorknobs. Thankfully he wasn't afraid of every doorknob that he ever encountered, as that would probably be very inconvenient and leave him with the embarrassing inability to go to parties, visit people, or perform the small courtesy of opening the door for others. In fact, it wasn't so much the doorknob that he was scared of (as doorknobs go, it was a pretty nice one, the gold of its finish shiny and marred with only a few scratches) but what lay beyond it. His band mates. His friends. His buddies. The people that he had left with hardly an explanation and for a very very long time.

His hands tightened reflexively upon the gifts he were clutching, feeling the material of the wrapping paper becoming slightly damp from the sweat that had suddenly accumulated on his palms, and his brow. Balancing the pile of gifts precariously in one hand, he tugged down on his shirt to straighten it, raised the same hand to rake through his hair, hopefully taming it, and then, unable to prevent his eyes from closing in fear, ringing the doorbell.

There was a moment of gut-wrenching, anxiety driven waiting, and then the door opened, the man who opened it calling over his shoulder in a teasing manner,"Alright, alright but you DEFINITELY get the next one, okay? Jeez, I'm getting tired of ki-"

At this point he had turned around to greet the newcomer and was shocked to see Jin there. While Kamenashi Kazuya's eyes were fixed upon Jin as if he were an apparition that had emerged from the scratchy wool of the doormat, Jin's eyes were fixed upon the little festive sprig of green and red that hung upon the door.

Mistletoe.

Jin had not realized that he had said this out loud until Kamenashi's eyes rose to meet his and, embarrassed, Jin leaned in to brush a swift kiss upon the others' cheek, the skin smooth and slightly cool. A blush spread across the cheeks and Jin was beginning to wonder where his kiss had gone when Junno asked the same question that was ringing in his mind.

"Well, aren't you going to kiss him?"

Kamenashi gave a little smile and then ushered Jin in, ignoring Junno and overriding anything anyone else had said with loud questions of "How was your flight? And oh the presents go over there, would you like something to drink? Or eat? Nakamaru cooked something without burning it surprisingly enough."

As Kamenashi babbled on, Jin couldn't help but feel hurt by the arch rejection of not being kissed while under the mistletoe with Kamenashi. Was he so repulsive, so unkissable that even through the obligation of the Christmas Tradition, Kamenashi would not kiss him?

The furrow in Jin's brow had not gone unnoticed by the rest of the band, so of course they all swarmed upon him, clamoring in many voices for his attention and demanding stories about the Great Unknown (otherwise known as America).

Jin smiled at them all, glad to sweep the concern under the rug and to answer all their questions. He settled down on the couch and spoke commandingly,"One at a time! The Great Akanishi can only answer one question at a time!"

And he found himself pleasantly distracted.

[♥] [♥] [♥] 

A few hours later, the hubbub had finally died down and they had all settled down to watch a movie ("My place is right here. Between you and Jack"). All but one of the J-pop band were transfixed by the movie, popcorn being shoved unceremoniously into mouths. Jin, who had already seen the movie multiple times already (who would have known that Americans would have such the thing for pirates?) and tired from his flight had drifted off to sleep, his head drooping to the side, exposing the gentle curve of his shoulder. He was sitting next to the couch, on the floor, as he had been shoved off by the others in their desperate scramble to claim a spot on the couch. Kamenashi had chosen the armchair that conmpleted the living room set and was now watching Jin thoughtfully.

"Hey guys. I think Jin's all tired out. I'll help him to the guest room." He spoke softly, Ueda the only one unentranced enough to hear him. Ueda nodded and jerked his head in the direction of the guest room.

Kamenashi knelt softly to his sleeping friend and, placing a gentle hand upon his knee, shook him,"Wake up, Jin! At least enough so that you can move. I am so not carrying you."

One of Jin's eyes fluttered open and he spoke, his voice rough and sleep-clouded," 'M not asleep."

"Sure you aren't. I'll show you to your room."

"Mmkay." Still half asleep, Jin rose to his feet and stumbled slightly after Kamenashi. Too tired to even change his clothes he simply collapsed onto the bed. His eyes closed immediately and Kamenashi, believing him to be once again asleep, started to leave when he was suddenly stopped by the sound of his name,"Kame..."

"Yeah?"

"Why didn't you kiss me?" Jin's eyes were still closed, the words half mangled by the slurring, but Kamenashi could still hear him. 

Kamenashi walked over to the bed and knelt down next to Jin's supine form. He smiled softly,"Well. I just didn't want our first kiss to be one forced by some old tradition. If you asked me to, I'd kiss you."

"Can I kiss you instead?" Jin's eyes were open now, still heavy and dark with drowsiness. 

Kamenashi leaned over him so that they were face to face and said, "Of course."

Slightly sitting up, Jin stroked one finger down the side of Kamenashi's face, the younger boy's slight shudder not going unnoticed, then leaned in and kissed him. It was a soft, gentle kiss, one filled with promise and sleep. And there was no mistletoe above them to force it.


Merry Christmas Choon-min!

( Heartbreaker, Chapter 1 )