elles_letters | Fic: "Worth the Wait," TVXQ/DBSK/Tohoshinki

Rating: G
Summary: Yunho will do whatever it takes to make sure they have more days like this one.
Warning: None; Written to fulfill my need for something sweet and fluffy.
Disclaimer: Jaejoong and Yunho belong to each other. All other rights belong to S.M. Entertainment, Avex, C-JeS and Time Warner Entertainment. The rights to "Until" belong to Musiq Soulchild and Atlantic Records.

If the winter springs Or the summer falls/
It won't have no effect on this love at all/
If in another time I was you and you was I/
You know I'd still recognize you all the same/
This kinda love don't ever change ...
Musiq Soulchild - Until

In his 70 odd years of life, Yunho didn't think he'd ever seen a day as beautiful as this. It was autumn, the wind blew not unpleasantly and the sky was as blue as a robin's egg. He turned to smile at the slim man next to him.

Jaejoong shivered. "Can we go home now, Yunho-yah?" he huffed. A career of crooning, belting and serenading had reduced his voice to nothing more than a husky whisper and he strained to be heard over the bustle of the crowds. "I've walked more in the last six weeks than I have in the last five years."

"No," Yunho told him. He hooked his arm more firmly around Jaejoong's waist (He's too thin, he noticed) and steered him down the busy sidewalk. Their progress was slow and a rush of people poured around them. Jaejoong scowled at each person who left him behind.

"Walking's good for you," Yunho continued. "So stop complaining. You're too old for it."

"I'm too old to be speedwalking, but that hasn't stopped you from dragging me out here every morning." Jaejoong straightened his wire-frame glasses and puffed at a piece of hair hanging over his face.

"You're too old to wear you hair that long, too," Yunho smiled.

"You're just jealous that I still have mine."

Yunho ran his free hand over his thinning, close-cropped hair. "You know, it wouldn't be that noticeable if you didn't keep pointing it out."

"Those first few days after I moved in, I woke up every morning unable to see anything. At first I thought it was glaucoma, but I was just blinded by the sun reflecting off your shiny head."

Yunho snorted dismissively and turned to look out at the passing traffic. Old age had brought with it more bickering between the two, but he found he enjoyed it. It was a comfort to know that despite his weakening body, Jaejoong's wit was as sharp as ever.

Jaejoong leaned heavily against the taller man. "You're going too fast," he whined. Kim Jaejoong's pout had always been one of his most powerful tools. It made fangirls squeal and coordi-noonas melt. Old age had served to make it even more endearing.

Yunho grinned at him indulgently. "Sorry," he replied. He slowed his pace and shortened his strides. Jaejoong's joints were stiff and sore as a result of decades of dancing. He was too vain for a cane, however, so it was Yunho who served as his walker.

"It's kind of cold out here," Jaejoong remarked. He shivered slightly and pulled his wool pullover tighter around him.

"No, it isn't."

"I feel cold."

"You're always cold. You need to eat more."

Jaejoong shrugged. "I haven't had much of an appetite lately."

Yunho stiffened. "Did you tell the doctor that?"

"No," Jaejoong groused. "Unlike you, I don't go running to that quack every time I have a hiccup."

"You have to take care of yourself, Jaejoong-ah," Yunho scolded. "Remember how weak you were last winter? You could barely make it out of the house."

"I'm old," the singer snapped.

"You're stubborn. I'm making you an appointment and you're going to go."

Jaejoong rolled his eyes. "Yes, Leader." Yunho grinned and stood taller. It had been years since he'd been called by that name.

"Thank you, umma," he teased back.

Jaejoong frowned. "Dirty old man," he mumbled.

"Geezer," Yunho retorted.

"Fogey."

"Antique."

"Baldy."

"Love of my life."

It was Jaejoong's turn to be concerned. He froze in Yunho's grasp and glanced around the sidewalk to see if anyone had heard the adoring remark.

Korea had changed dramatically since the day Jaejoong discovered he loved his best friend, but they still had cause to be careful. Yunho ignored Jaejoong's panic and smiled at a young girl with a red balloon tied around her wrist.

"I had forgotten you'd become so bold," Jaejoong said quietly. "It's still a bit of a shock."

"Not bold. Just wise." Yunho looked over at the other man. "Has the real estate agent sold your house yet?"

Jaejoong gave another cautious look before answering. No one seemed to be paying them any mind, so he relaxed back into Yunho. "Not yet," he replied. "I still have to sign the final papers."

"What's stopping you?"

"I had that house for 40 years, Yunho-yah. It does have some memories attached to it."

Yunho smirked. "Memories" was an understatement; that house had been their sanctuary. For 39 years, that house had helped them keep their true relationship from Yunho's wife and child. And for the past 12 months, it had been where they tentatively tried out the relationship they weren't able to have in their youth.

"Would you have preferred it if I had moved up there?" Yunho asked.

The singer shook his head. "Too far from the city," he answered. "Besides, I know you want to keep your house for your daughter." Jaejoong spoke the last word quietly, as if he was unsure if he should mention the topic. He kept his head down to the sidewalk and tightened his grip on his partner's arm.

"She'll come around," Yunho consoled, squeezing Jaejoong's hand. "Just give her time."

"She sees me as the 'other man'. I never wanted that."

"Jaejoong-ah..." Yunho started.

"I miss her," Jaejoong interrupted. EunJi, Yunho's only child, had meant just as much to Jaejoong as she had her parents. Possibly more so. She had been the one thing that kept him from hating Yunho for giving into society's demands, for leaving him.

"How is she?" Jaejoong questioned softly.

Yunho sighed. "Oh, fine. She's fine. That husband of hers is talking about moving her and the boys to America. Apparently he's been offered a job in California."

"That'll be good for the kids; it'll help them with their English. And it'd be good for EunJi, as well. Getting out of Korea might help her get over the loss of her mother."

At the mention of his late wife, Yunho's face softened just a bit. "Maybe," he said quietly before pulling Jaejoong closer. "But that means I might not get to see her for the holidays."

"Don't be so melodramatic," Jaejoong scoffed. "That's what video phones and airplanes are for. She'll visit you. And if not, at least this year I'll get to have a peaceful Christmas."

"What's that supposed to mean? You never do anything for the holidays. They're always peaceful."

"I'll get a peaceful Christmas where you spend the whole day with me and only me." Jaejoong gave the other man a meaningful look.

"So stingy. It's no wonder you never got married," Yunho said with a shake of his head. "You don't know how to share."

"I shared you for 40 years. I don't want to share anymore."

Wisely, Yunho didn't answer. Instead, he watched Jaejoong's short steps and listened to his rapid breathing. The older man struggled daily to make the trip around the block and it terrified Yunho. They hadn't had enough time together. Not nearly enough time. There was a fear—one Yunho didn't even like to ponder—that he'd waited too long to make Jaejoong his and time would punish him for his cowardice.

"Can we rest, please?" Jaejoong wheezed. He put a hand to his chest and tried to inhale deeply. He coughed instead.

"Alright, alright," Yunho comforted. He lead Jaejoong to a wooden bench and helped him to sit. "Just breathe," he instructed as he unzipped the collar of Jaejoong's pullover.

"Stop fussing, Yunho-yah," Jaejoong rasped, shooing Yunho's hands away. He cleared his throat and removed his eyeglasses. His lungs burned and he cursed himself for his weakness. Old age was nothing but a disappointment to Jaejoong. He used to be one of the Rising Gods of the East. A performer who could dance and sing in front of hundreds of thousands of people in cities around the world. Now, he could barely make it down the street.

"Are you okay?" Yunho asked as he hovered over him.

Jaejoong looked up to see dark eyes flickering from his feet to the top of his head. Yunho had always been a worrier, but Jaejoong's pride wouldn't stand for being coddled. He settled back onto the bench and pulled Yunho down with him. "Stop fretting, old man," he muttered as he took in gulps of air. "I'm Hero Jaejoong. I'm indestructible."

Yunho smoothed Jaejoong's silver locks and shook his head in disagreement. "Hero Jaejoong is indestructible. Kim Jaejoong is 71 and has arthritis."

"I'm 70 years and 9 months," Jaejoong corrected.

"Whatever. You need to take better care of yourself. I need you to take better care of yourself."

"Is that why you been forcing me to jog around the city with you every morning since I've moved in?"

"It's hardly jogging. More like a very slow walk."

"Don't change the subject. Do you think I'm going to die sooner if you don't keep me in shape or take me to the doctor every month or watch what I eat?"

A pained look crossed Yunho's face. It was all the answer Jaejoong needed.

"I'm not going anywhere, Yunho-yah."

"I just want to make sure, Jaejoongie."

They fell silent and watched the crowds as they passed. Jaejoong inhaled deeply and concentrated on steadying his breathing. Yunho grabbed his hand and traced the blue veins visible through the translucent skin.

Jaejoong turned to look at him and Yunho gave a piteous look. He squeezed Jaejoong's hand tightly, lacing his warm fingers between his partner's cooler ones. Jaejoong sighed.

"Fine, I'll talk to the damn doctor."

Yunho beamed. "Thank you." He pressed a kiss to Jaejoong's wrinkly hand.

Jaejoong felt his face flush, but he smiled nonetheless. "Does that mean I can skip tomorrow's walk?" he teased.

"Do you need to?" Yunho questioned seriously. He looked Jaejoong up and down again. "Can you make it back today? Should I call for help?"

"God, you're pathetic, old man," Jaejoong mumbled with a roll of his eyes. "I'm fine and I'll hike around town tomorrow if it makes you feel better."

Yunho chuckled and leaned against the slim man. "It does," he confessed. "I like showing you off."

"I have aged much more gracefully than you," Jaejoong joked as he ran a finger along a particularly deep crease on Yunho's face.

"And that's why I love you."

Jaejoong squeezed Yunho's hand. "I love you, too, Yunho."

Yunho grinned and stood to help Jaejoong up from the bench. They resumed their steady pace down the sidewalk. This time, Yunho let Jaejoong set the pace.

"Very good, Joongie," Yunho encouraged. "Soon you'll be as fit as me."

Jaejoong didn't answer. He simply patted the small patch of skin atop Yunho's head and smiled.

I'll be lovin' you/
till' the sun starts shinin' blue/
and the seas talk back to you/
Girl I'll still be there, be there/
Lovin' you until all of time is standin' still/
Nothin's ever been as real to me as/
This love, This love, This love.

A/N: So, there are some songs where as soon as I hear them, I think YunJae. This is one of them. Can I just take a moment and spazz over Musiq Soulchild? He can take the sappiest, fluffiest lyrics and make them sound authentic. If Justin Timberlake or Usher tried to sing the songs Musiq does, I'd roll my eyes at their greasiness. He sings them and I squee.

I really love the wordplay in that first line, so that's really what inspired this fic. Add the never-ending love story and you get elderly YunJae taking a walk in autumn. I'm not really satisfied with this fic. I wanted to get more of the sense of patience Jaejoong had during their relationship and more of the sense of fear Yunho had about waiting so long, but whatevs.

I think old age can affect people's personalities in a couple of ways. There are the people who have lived long lives and have developed a confidence in themselves as a result of all they've accomplished (Yunho) and people who have lived long enough to not really care what other people think, and therefore, don't let other people tell them what to do (Jaejoong). Old people are fun!

Current Mood: ditzy
Current Location: At my mother's house
Current Music: Gnarls Barkely - Crazy

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From:

theamazingberry.livejournal.com

I really want to see what they look like by the time they're in their 70's! But that means I'll be in my late fifties/ early sixties... *shivers*

LOL at the last paragraph in your A/N.

Thanks for sharing!

From:

elle's letters

Fic: "Worth the Wait," TVXQ/DBSK/Tohoshinki

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