Windows (1/1)

“Why can’t you just stay in my house?” Kibum mumbled, crawling around the fire-escape in search of his dog, Comme Des, who had a nasty habit of hopping out his open apartment window. The small, brown poodle would then then trek up the fire-escape. He usually didn't make it too far. Tonight though, he appeared to be on a mission.     Kibum looked up, and watched as his beloved Comme Des leapt through the open window of someone two floors up. Kibum's eyes widened as he watched his precious ball of fuzz disappear into the darkness of a stranger's apartment. He started shuffling up the metal steps as fast as he could without waking up the entire block with the creaky contraption. Just as he reached the window, he heard a bark below him. Kibum looked down, barely able to pick out the tiny frame of Garçons, his black poodle. He swore under his breath.    He reached the apartment window, poking his head up just enough for him to see. It was cracked just enough for his dog to get through. The apartment was completely dark, and he couldn't see anything in the pitch black. Gritting his teeth and closing his eyes, Kibum pushed the window up just enough for him to get inside. He dove in, then looked back out the window and spotted Garçons. He slammed the window shut just before the poodle could hop through, instantly regretting all the noise he'd made.     "Comme Des, come back to Key appa," Kibum stage-whispered, praying for his dog to come back. No one was home, but with his luck, it wouldn't be long before someone came back.      Kibum got up to his feet, tip-toeing through the apartment, softly calling out the name of his dog. Garçons sat whining at the window. Kibum felt a brush of fur and the clip-clop of nails on hardwood as his dog ran past him. He whipped around, diving after the dog. The fur felt different as ran his fingers through it. It was less curly. He brushed off the thought. It was late. His mind was foggy from the lack of sleep. He knew it was his baby. How could he even think it wasn't his beloved Comme Des?    Kibum rushed over to the window, trying with all his might to pull the window open. It was stuck. It was exactly what happened to his window when he closed it all the way. That's why Comme Des got out in the first place. Kibum couldn't close his windows. Apparently, it was a building-wide problem. The condition of the complex's windows was the least of his problems, though. He needed to get out before someone came home.    Again, he tried to force the window open, still to no avail. Begrudgingly, he set Comme Des down, now using both arms to push. Just as he thought he'd run out of strength, it budged. Cold air rushed in, driving a shiver down his spine and sending goosebumps down his arms. He grabbed his dog, Garçons patiently waiting outside for his brother. Just as he got a foot outside, the front door opened, and the light turned on.      "Who are you?" A light voice asked behind Kibum. He pulled his leg back in, turning around to meet the eyes of two male strangers. One was several inches taller than the other, the shorter a bleach blonde, the taller with black hair.      "W-well, m-my-" Kibum started, his words getting caught up in his throat, just as the blonde interrupted him.     "Roo! Let my baby go!" The blonde shouted. Kibum cocked his head at him, confused. He looked down at the dog in his arms, realizing his mistake. No wonder the fur felt different. It was the wrong dog.     Before Kibum had a chance to think, the dog was torn from his arms, and the taller man had his hand wrapped up in the front of his gray tee. Kibum was forced against the wall, cowering as the taller man nearly crushed him.     "What were you doing with Roo?" The man asked, the blonde in the back of the room, coddling the small brown dog they called Roo. The man's deep voice and serious tone gave him chills.     "M-my dog got o- Comme Des!" Kibum stopped mid-sentence, summoning up all the strength he had to throw the muscled, tall man off of him. He'd spotted Comme Des under the table.      Kibum dove under the table, wrapping his arms around the poodle and planting a kiss on the top of his furry head.  He did an awkward, butt-first shuffle out from under the table, the dog held tightly to his chest. He flipped around, thumping his head on the leg of a chair as he held out Comme Des for the dumbstruck strangers.     "My dog got out my window," Kibum said, forcing his nerves away, if only to speak without stuttering. He watched as Roo struggled out of his owner's arms, hopping down to sniff Comme Des. Across the room, Garçons leapt through the window to join the party.     With a face that screamed 'Why am I doing this?', the blonde dug in his pocket and pulled out his phone. He gave a quick look around the room before grabbing a golden sharpie off of the dining room table. He searched for something on his phone for a moment before grabbing Kibum's arm. He pulled the cap off the sharpie, scrawling a number on Kibum's inner forearm.     "Just in case your friend gets in again. I have a feeling your window is a pain, too," the blonde said, giving Kibum a smile, his eyes full of pity. Kibum returned the smile as best he could.     "I guess... I'll leave now," Kibum said, giving a quick bow to both the blonde and the black haired man. The blonde grabbed his arm, whipping him around. He pulled the sharpie back out, writing something else on his arm, under the number. Kibum didn't bother to look before grabbing his dogs and heading out the window.     "You know, you can take the door?" The black haired man stuck his head out the window, shouting after Kibum.     "This is fine. I'm only two floors below you guys." Kibum really didn't want to embarrass himself further. Ending the conversation was the fastest way out.     "Oh, I don't live here. I'm just his friend. My name's Choi Minho," Minho kept talking, despite the growing distance between him and Kibum.     "That's lovely, Choi. I'll have to ask to come over some time then." Kibum said anything any everything to get away. Minho gave him a final defeated look before pulling his head back through the window.     Kibum managed to get to his own window, shoving the dogs inside before slithering in himself, afraid to open the window any more than necessary, knowing his dogs' habits. He put a pile of books on the sill, so if either tried to escape, the books would fall and he'd be able to catch them. He crawled into his bed, the dogs piling on top of each other on the cushion below him.     Just before he fell asleep, he remembered the number in gold ink on his arm. He grabbed his phone from beside his pillow, using the light from the screen to see what was written. There was a phone number with the name 'Jonghyun'below it. Kibum was tired and lazy, so he decided just to put in the name Jjong. He'd fix it tomorrow.          The next morning, Kibum wasn't awoken by his alarm, but instead by the sound of books plummeting to the floor, making a heavy 'thump'when they hit the carpet. Then, dogs started barking. Kibum's eyes shot open, and he leaned over the edge of his bed. Below him, Garçons and Comme Des were fully alert, barking at the bedroom window. Kibum looked over and saw Roo, sniffing one of the books that hadn't fallen from the sill. Apparently, Roo had been inspired to adventure by Kibum's dogs.    Kibum stood to push the small dog back out the window when a shirtless, blonde man appeared. Kibum yelled out, falling back in surprise, his body making a horrible 'thump' when he hit the floor. He looked up, Jonghyun's face screwed up into a silly smile as he tried not to laugh. Roo hopped down from the sill to greet the other dogs. Jonghyun managed to force the window open, going legs first through the small opening. Thankfully, he was skinny and short, so he got into Kibum's room with relative ease. It wasn't until that moment that Kibum noticed how handsome Jonghyun was. He had a strong jaw and dark, pretty eyes. He was quite muscular as well, his tanned skin and firm muscles fully revealed by his lack of a shirt.     "Roo got out, I see," Kibum said, watching the dogs chase each other around the small room.     "Yeah, I think she learned a bit from your dogs," Jonghyun responded, crouching down to pick his dog up. She flipped out of his arms, running back to Kibum's dogs. Jonghyun sighed.      "I think she likes them." Kibum fixed his posture and sat cross legged, watching as the dogs wrestled in the corner.      "I don't want to take her away if she's happy, but I'd feel bad leaving her to bother you. I guess I'll just take her home. Sorry I broke in." Jonghyun moved to the corner and bent over, but before he could grab Roo, Kibum spoke up.     "You can stay in here to watch her if you want. It won't bother me."     "Oh, you don't have to-"     "I insist," Kibum interrupted.      Though slightly taken aback at the taller man's sudden intensity, Jonghyun obeyed, taking a seat on the floor below Kibum's bed. Kibum crawled under the covers, burying his face in his pillow. Just as he began to drift off, Jonghyun spoke.     "What's your name? You never told me," Jonghyun said, turning around to stare into Kibum's one visible eye.     "Kibum." This was mumbled into the pillow, barely loud enough for the blonde to hear.     "Key, eh? That's a cool nickname." Jonghyun hadn't heard his full name, and Key was too tired to correct him. He kind of liked the new name anyway.     The two sat in silence, Jonghyun watching the dogs, Key watching Jonghyun shiver, the absence of a shirt catching up to him as the night air flowed in through the troublesome window. Key finally decided to throw his own blanket off, the mass of fabric landing landing on the blonde's head. His already messed up hair was destroyed even further as he pulled the blanket off.     "I don't need this," Jonghyun lied, holding the blanket up for Key to grab.     "I don't either," Key lied, too. Jonghyun responded by throwing the blanket across the room, his toddler impression quite believable.     At this point, it was just barely 5 AM, and neither had to be up before noon. The dogs at this point had piled up under Key's desk, a mound of snoring, whining fluff. Both men were cold and unable to sleep. Jonghyun still didn't have the heart to take Roo away, and Key felt bad kicking the man and his adorable dog out, so in the bedroom they both stayed. Key looked to the blanket abandoned on the other side of the room and the man shivering below him (Key nearly a popsicle too). He crawled out of bed, grabbed the blanket, and moved to sit next to Jonghyun. Key threw the comforter over both of them, each stiffening and moving far enough away that they'd still be warm, but not touch each other.    Six AM hit and neither man had the strength left to hold himself up. Jonghyun collapsed first, his head landing in Key's lap. Unaware and sleep-deprived, he moved closer, putting his upper body on Key's legs, and snuggling closer to the new source of warmth. Key fell next, ending up resting on the floor next to Jonghyun, his legs wrenched out from under the shorter man. Through the rest of the morning, they eventually finagled themselves in their sleep so that Key's chest was pressed against Jonghyun's back, an arm thrown around his waist and the comforter covering them head-to-toe. The dogs sensed the movement and awoke to join their owners in the cuddle-fest.    Two hours later, Key yawned, peeling his eyes open to look through the window at the morning sun. It was then he felt the position he and Jonghyun were in. His first thought was to shove the other man away and hop into bed, but then he would feel bad for waking him. Though it made him a bit uncomfortable, he stayed on the floor, arms wrapped around the stranger. It didn't take long for him to realize he liked the warmth and the closeness. Jonghyun opened his eyes only a few minutes later, spinning around to look Key in the eyes. He smiled.     "Perhaps I should have gone home earlier?" Jonghyun asked, a coy smile on his lips.     "Oh, no. I'm fine," Key said, matching the other man's tone.      "Then, maybe we should have doggy dates more often?"     "Or regular dates," Key suggested, "I've already got your number."     "I'm down for that."      Outside, Key and Jonghyun heard the clunking of the fire escape. Minho's small head appeared behind the window, eyes fixed on the men on the floor.     "Morning, Choi," Key said, smiling sweetly at Jonghyun's dumbstruck friend.     "I'll be leaving now. Sorry to have bothe-" Minho started, Jonghyun interrupting him.     "It's no problem, I was just about to leave actually. Roo needs her breakfast." Jonghyun pushed himself up off the floor, grabbing his dog from the pile next to him.     Jonghyun handed Roo through the window, Minho grabbing the flailing dog. She tried desperately to get back inside, but to no avail. The blonde waved goodbye, Key giving him a smile as he crawled out of the barely open window. Key threw the blanket over Comme Des and Garçons, keeping them trapped just long enough for him to force the window to close.    Outside, Minho gave Jonghyun a playful shove as they climbed the steps to Jonghyun's apartment.     "What were you two doing in there?" Minho asked, sure he already knew the answer.      "Letting the dogs have a playdate. What were you doing in my apartment?"      "I came to get my phone. I forgot it when I left last night," Minho said sheepishly. He was a horrible liar.     "Can it, Choi. You wanted to see Roo. You know you love her."     "Yeah, and I know you probably let her out just so you had a reason to go see him," Minho said, jerking a thumb toward Key's apartment. Jonghyun blushed.     "Shut up, Choi."     "See, you're already starting to talk like him, Jjongie," Minho teased, barely able to suppress a laugh.     "Taemin is the only person I know that calls me 'Jjongie'. Now you're starting to talk like your boyfriend, too," Jonghyun fired back. Minho blanched.     "Hey, he's not my boyfriend."     "Just keep talking." Jonghyun grabbed his dog, taking the lead up the fire-escape, leaving his friend behind to stew in his embarrassment.      But Jonghyun really only took the lead because he couldn't stop blushing, and he knew Minho would take advantage of that the first chance he got.