tw: f-slur and implied transphobia

The sun in the sky's hotter than anything else, and Mingi cringes as he wipes his brow, his grey shirt soaked and nearly sticking to his skin.

Even though he's now seated under the shade the bleachers provide, an equally sweaty San to his right, Mingi's more than ready to just call this a day.

"Running first thing on a Monday morning should be fucking illegal," Mingi comments, casually watching as other students in similar uniforms take turns sprinting down the lined green tracks. The colour reminds the black haired teen of a certain trespassing elf, and he rubs his neck, frustrated.

San's downing some water from his bottle, his cheeks dusted a faint pink as they always do whenever he does some sort of exercise.. The brunet then rakes a thin finger through his hair, and exhales deeply. "I... I totally agree. I kinda feel faint."

"Don't faint," Mingi says, casting the smaller male a glance. "Cause I'm not carrying you to the nurse's office."

"Dick." San slaps his forearm, but his touch is light and graceful, as always. Mingi doesn't even think the shorter is capable of stepping on an ant, even if it's accidental.

Mingi hits him back, playful. "Bitch."

"Asshole."

Mingi chuckles. "I see you've been listening to me well, huh?"

San takes another sip and shrugs. "You do have an endless vocabulary of cuss words to choose from." He pauses, then motions to his bottle. "Want some?"

"Didn't you just have a nasty ass cold last week?"

"I did not!" San rushes to defend himself while Mingi laughs out loud at school, for once. His laughter quickly subsides when San punches his side. "Cunt."

"Ow." Mingi winces, but he's still smiling, a little amused at seeing San all mad. The older rarely loses his temper and even when he does, he looks totally harmless, easily back to normal in seconds.

Not like Jeong Yunho, whose heavy stares made Mingi feel a bit like a snivelling criminal.

Don't think about that elf, he yells at himself, hating how easily his thoughts seem to travel back to the otherwordly currently in his house.

"...What are you thinking about?" San asks, deep brown eyes trained on Mingi. The guy has a tendency to stare a little too intensely at others, his gaze often profound. Sometimes it freaks Mingi out, other times the taller figures that's just the way San is.

"We have language class after lunch, right?" Mingi states, eager to change the subject.

"Didn't do the writing assignment again?" San questions, vaguely disappointed.

"Yep."

"Why?"

"I just hate writing about stuff like that."

San keeps staring. "Stuff like what?"

"Descriptions, emotions and the like. You're way better at me at that," Mingi replies, taking a swig out of San's water bottle. "I can just copy and change some words, Ms Jang never notices anyway."

"You're so lazy."

"I know, and I fully commit to it."

San chuckles, the dimples on his cheeks appearing. But as soon as his smile appears it dissolves, a dark, nervous expression taking over his features.

The cause of it reveals itself in the form of three boys, their shadows large and imposing as they cross the field over to where San and Mingi sit.

An ugly smirk stretches across the middle one's face, matching ones plastered on the two others behind. They're jocks from the basketball team, how lovely.

"Well, if it isn't the fag freaks," the one in the middle called Kim Jaejun says. The two guys at the back immediately guffaw, slapping each other's backs as if Jaejun just said something revolutionary.

San's so quiet it's like he isn't even there, and Mingi knows he has to say something, because if he doesn't he's just going to keep letting them win.

"If you wanted to date us so badly you could've just fucking said so," Mingi hollers, voice a little louder than he'd like. Faces turn to them, but Mingi keeps his features composed and his jaw firm.

"Fuck no," Jaejun sneers, but it's obvious he hadn't expected Mingi to have a comeback, and say it so loudly.

"Then go on your merry way," Mingi replies, flipping the Three Douchesketeers the bird in the process.

"What's going on there boys?" Coach Lee shouts from the distance, hands on his hips.

The three idiots walk off, but not without Jaejun spitting 'fucking freaks' their way.

It's like San can now fully breathe, if his shallow inhales are anything to go by. "...Oh my god."

"I know right? Those dumbasses pay way too much attention to us," Mingi replies, disliking how he immediately makes a joke out of things whenever something fucked up happens to him or San. Either that or he gets incredibly mean and hurtful.

"Mingi," San stares at him, a pleading look on his face. "You are not a freak. You're just as much of a guy as I am. And the both of us not being straight doesn't justify them calling us those words."

"I know," Mingi nods, "but that doesn't change anything. Dicks are going to continue being dicks, especially brain-dead idiots from the basketball team."

San gets quiet, undoubtedly mulling over his words. Mingi doesn't want that, so he stands, casting a glance at his watch.

"C'mon, this shit class is ending in two minutes," he says, this matter done and dealt with for him for now. Yes, he'll probably think about this later alone in the darkness of his room, but his brain's quite overwhelmed at the moment, and he still has several classes to attend. "Let's go get cleaned up, shall we? I feel so fucking gross right now."

"Can't disagree with you there," San answers and gets up as well, though his dark eyes still shine with worry. It makes Mingi feel bad, mostly because San cares a little too much about everything, including him. The guy's just as targeted as Mingi is, yet he keeps looking out for him, keeps wanting to reassure and comfort him.

You know why. Mingi's jaw clenches, but he quickly neutralizes his expression. He wants a distraction.

"Race you to the bathrooms?" He proposes, smile widening when San just deeply sighs, more than used to Mingi's highly impulsive nature.

"Sure -- "

Mingi dashes, laughing his ass off when a disgruntled San soon jogs after him. People are watching, but at that moment he doesn't he doesn't give a fuck.

• • •

Mingi hurriedly runs a hand through his hair, frustrated beyond compare. The notes scattered across his bed stare back at him, as chaotic as the thoughts currently clouding his mind.

He's thinking again about his and San's earlier encounter with Jaejun and his jackass friends, even though he knows he shouldn't. And when he starts thinking about shit like this, he just doesn't stop. It's unhealthy, cultivated by the many years he'd spent being shunned for daring to be who he knew he was on the inside.

It's like San has a way of knowing when he feels a little more hateful of his existence, because his phone buzzes right then, its bright screen slicing through the dark.

- sannn🐈‍⬛🧋
hey minmin
what are you doing rn?

Mingi, knowing how tragic his thoughts can become at times, welcomes his best friend's message with open arms.

- mingki💤💥
ew
never call me that again lol

- mingki💤💥
but im trying to complete some homework
but its not going so well bestie

- sannn🐈‍⬛🧋
math or writing?

- mingki💤💥
lemme guess: youve done them both already

- sannn🐈‍⬛🧋
yeppp :)

- mingki💤💥
nerd 💀

- sannn🐈‍⬛🧋
want me to send u some of my answers?

- mingki💤💥
yeah
but like, im not in my mood to do some homework rn

- sannn🐈‍⬛🧋
its okay if it feels too overwhelming to do them right now
we dont have those classes tmrw so

- mingki💤💥
ur so nice bestie

- sannn🐈‍⬛🧋
i know 😌

- mingki💤💥
ok ur kinda being egotistic rn
but its fine
because i lowkey am as well 💀💀

- sannn🐈‍⬛🧋
well
u are a leo so

Mingi hears something right then, something sharp and swift like an object being dropped. A voice is heard soon after, low and panicked.

- mingki💤💥
shit
i think i might be getting murdered soon

- sannn🐈‍⬛🧋
what??

- mingki💤💥
i think the elf's doing something he shouldnt again
im gonna talk to u later

- sannn🐈‍⬛🧋
alright mingi
and dont be mean

- mingki💤💥
i'll try not to be

With that, Mingi shoves his feet into his slippers and leaves his bedroom. The lights are off except for the one in the living room, a certain someone seated on the maroon couch, his long legs crossed. He's dressed in a long-sleeved cotton shirt and sweatpants, his blond hair messily pulled into what looks like a ponytail.

Mingi's fingers twitch, itching to fix it. Why the fuck are you thinking that? He thinks, angry with himself.

He crosses his arms just as the elf looks at him, the show playing on the TV illuminating the green in his eyes. "I heard something fall. Did you drop something?"

Yunho holds up the remote, gaze inscrutable. "Accidentally dropped this, my mistake." He doesn't sound sorry, however. "Gia said I could watch something on this box machine if I'm ever starved of entertainment. Sorry if I somehow bothered you with this tonight."

Mingi's more than well aware of the fact that this elf prince is pushing his buttons since his aunt is out at work right now, trying to get a reaction out of him as a result of what transpired between them this morning. And Mingi won't give in this time. "It's called a TV."

"Tee...Vee..." Yunho mumbles to himself, light brows furrowed in confusion. It'd almost be funny if Mingi wasn't highly annoyed at the moment.

"And you should lower the volume, I'm trying to do some homework," Mingi lies, "even though I doubt you even know what that is."

"I know it has something to do with studying and course work, as I am no stranger to tutors," Yunho quickly answers, lips pursed in exasperation. "And I would turn the volume down if I knew how to do such a thing, Mingi."

Hearing Yunho say his name makes Mingi feel all sorts of weird. It was easier when he felt a disconnect with the male elf, but now he feels more than exposed underneath the prince's gaze, and he was literally shirtless during their first meeting.

"Don't say that."

Yunho shifts a soft strand of blond behind his pointed ear. "Say what, Mingi?"

"Don't say my name," Mingi says through gritted teeth.

"Then what should I call you, Mingi?" Yunho answers, his brows arched. The edge of his lips twitch as he appears almost...amused.

His emerald green eyes are playful and intense, never leaving Mingi's face. And while Mingi isn't one to cower under intimidation, he suddenly looks away.

"Mingi."

Provoked, Mingi rushes to the elf and grabs the remote, lowering the volume until it reaches zero. And then, for good measure, he switches the TV off.

There's a pause, one full of bated breaths from Mingi's side.

"...Why do you do that?" Yunho eventually speaks, his smooth, accented voice worming its way into the depths of Mingi's mind. "Why do you treat me so badly?"

"Because you're fucking annoying," Mingi states, glaring at the seated elf.

Yunho's expression barely changes, but his eyes darken with vexation. He stands, and it's then Mingi realizes just how tall the elf really is. A sea of blond spills over one shoulder as he draws closer to Mingi.

"What did I do so wrong?" Yunho asks, seeming genuinely puzzled by Mingi's behaviour. "I have been nothing but cordial to you since morning."

"Simple. You existed," Mingi says, and yeah, he knows he's just lashing out at someone who doesn't deserve it 'cause he can't deal with his problems healthily, but he's had a fucked up day and he just wants it all to be over.

He turns to leave only for Yunho to grab his wrist, trapping him in place.

Mingi stares at his hand, noting the shiny olive ring on the elf's fourth finger. It looks alive. "Let go."

"This is just as hard for me as it is for you, as I didn't want to be here either," Yunho says, his large hand heating up Mingi's skin. "I am currently alone here, without any relatives to keep me company, and I do not know when I will return."

I don't care, Mingi wants to say, but something about the sincerity in Yunho's words stops him in his tracks.

"I know you do not want me here -- as you've made it quite obvious -- but I hope you will at least be a bit more accommodating in the future," Yunho keeps going. "Because if you choose to remain bad-tempered, I will act the same to you."

Mingi pulls his wrist away, but he knows it's as a result of Yunho finally loosening his grip. "Is that a threat?"

"It is an order."

Mingi dryly laughs, taking a step back. "Sure, your highness."

Yunho's eyes narrow. "You have been warned." With that, his posture straightens and he walks off to his room, head held high.

Mingi knows he doesn't care what this elf prince thinks of him, but that doesn't stop him from feeling more like an ass now that he's been left alone in the living room.

Whatever. What's the worst Yunho could do to him anyway?

• • •

a/n: life's been so messy

but bouncy was so good n the mv was a total mindfuck in the best way possible

soo much was goin on with woosan in that fighting ring, mingi suddenly body rolling, that random parrot in the chorus, joong shooting the masked man??

and im in so love with this world like—

it sounds so amazinggg. every song sounds really incredible