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#27 / Dogs Don't Cook, But Neither Do You
Prompt #: 27
Author: anonymous
Title: Dogs Don't Cook, But Neither Do You
Rating: PG
Word Count: 6535
Summary: There should be a prize for the most extraordinary pet out there, just so Luhan could finally say he won a trophy at least once in his life.
Warning(s): none~
A/N: Much love to the prompter for letting me share love for HanSoo and Kimi wa petto!
"Luhaaan!"
That was the only warning he was given before someone threw themselves at him, resulting in a couple of things. One, a mumbled 'oof' left his lips as arms all but crushed him. Two, his pen slipped and drew an exceptionally long line - starting right in the middle of the word 'intermediate', which was a little ironic.
Oh, and three, he almost got a heart attack.
"Woah, watch it - you're lucky Lulu didn't go all kung-fu on you," a very familiar, bright voice added. Luhan knew it was Baekhyun without having to see him.
"Aaand that's racist," a third voice said almost casually before giving Baekhyun an equally casual smack over the head.
Meanwhile Jongdae still clung to him like a koala, humming somewhere against his neck as he scanned Luhan's essay.
"I think you made a little mistake there," he provided helpfully.
"Where?"
"There, I think it's supposed to say 'intermediate'?"
"Oh, haha," Luhan said sarcastically, wriggling in his grasp. It was a silly idea, obviously. Jongdae was like one of those deadly plants right out of a Harry Potter movie - the harder you struggled, the tighter he held on. A human death trap.
"Guys, does no one want to, I don't know, help me?" he asked, voice coming out slightly croaky with Jongdae nuzzling his neck in a shamelessly invasive way.
"Nope," Minseok provided, merrily popping the 'p'.
"You've avoided us long enough - we've had it!" Baekhyun announced way too loudly, and Luhan felt uneasiness settle somewhere in those insides that weren't currently crushed by Jongdae. Using Luhan’s immobility to his advantage, Minseok snatched away his folder while Baekhyun slammed a hand on his table instead, looking very much like a classical villain with his two henchman.
"Today. Netflix and pizza. Your place."
Luhan's heart would have dropped if it had room to do so.
"That's not a good idea-"
"It's always our tiny little dorm rooms lately, are you hiding something, Luhannie?" Baekhyun asked with a dubious look that could only mean trouble.
"NO! I mean no, I'm not! I just," Luhan began under the calculating gaze of both Baekhyun and Minseok, "it's just way too clean for you guys to ruin it! My cousin will visit me soon, and she'd tell my parents how I'm ruining the apartment, and you know-"
"Your cousin was supposed to come last week though," Baekhyun cut him off.
"No, I think last week it was his step brother. The cousin one is a little older," Minseok said conversationally. Luhan groaned.
"Fine, the truth is that everything looks horrible-"
"As if that would deter us."
"Okay, the actual truth is that the house is getting renovated and the workers are VERY noisy-"
"Luhan, this is getting embarrassing," Minseok scolded softly, giving his head a pitiful pat while he held the folder out of the struggling blond's reach.
"Awesome, let's go!"
"Okay, okay, I'll tell you the truth!" Luhan shouted, flailing his limbs as he was mercilessly dragged out of the studying area. "The truth is that I had a one night stand last night, and I'm not sure she left yet and-"
"Luhan, honey. We all know you wouldn't hook up with a girl."
"Fuck you!"
Baekhyun cackled evilly, and Luhan kept whining, though Jongdae imitating his whining was much louder and therefore drowned him out.
Now, you might ask yourselves whether this was what people call collective bullying by fake friends. And the answer would be yes, sort of. Though Luhan actually did like those three- no? Oh, it's about why Luhan would go out of his way to try and keep the three noisy, troublesome, chaotic guys out of his apartment? It could have been about them being like three joint leeches who just wouldn't leave and loved to stay over spontaneously, using up all his fresh towels, pajamas and eating all the food in his fridge because they usually only thought of providing junk food and suddenly got in the mood for his treasured strawberry milk at the weirdest times. There were plenty of reasons why he would do so, and if only to retain his sanity.
But no, the real reason was that Luhan was hiding something. Someone. Something? No, definitely someone. Because about two months ago, Luhan had acquired a pet. Pets were not allowed in the complex, but this was less of a legal problem and more an ethical one. Because Luhan's pet reached up to his forehead, had inky black hair, wide, imploring eyes, quite a snappy attitude... and was very human. Very much. Completely human, to be honest.
And even though Luhan was still a foreigner in this country, he was pretty sure that this was an unconventional arrangement.
...he wasn't a pervert, though! Really, it wasn't like that, not at all!
Let's turn back time to prove to you that this has nothing to do with exotic BDSM fantasies. Don't be afraid, there won't be any leashes involved. Promise.
It all started on a really rainy day. Today, Luhan couldn't even remember whether it was a Monday or a Friday anymore. He couldn't remember the subjects he'd had that day. All he knew was that he had quite a shitty day full of forgotten work material, lonely lunches and long hours of studying in the library, hoping that the rain cascading down the window panes would stop eventually. It didn't, though, and so the poor Chinese student found himself dripping wet as he ran towards his apartment complex. The only thing remotely dry were the books and folders he'd rolled up in his jacket. Sad, how those inanimate objects had priority over his health, Luhan had thought with an accusatory look down at the bundle in his hands. Suddenly, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He had almost frozen in his steps upon realizing it was a guy, a young man sitting next to the door on the cold stone ground, back against the wall, head buried on his arms that were resting on his knees. He could only make out pitch black hair, but the rather short cut unmistakably belonged to a man. Again, Luhan had almost stopped in his tracks, because that's kind of creepy. At the very least unsettling. Was he dangerous?
But the rain poured down noisily, and with a whine the rain gracefully concealed, Luhan had hopped towards the door, squeezing close to enjoy the shelter of the tiny roof. His eyes remained glued to the figure though. Was he drunk? Or maybe even on drugs?
There were only so many reasons for sitting in the pouring rain when generous roofs and parking lots were nearby - he probably wasn't homeless; he looked way too well-groomed for that. Had he been waiting for someone? For an angry lover to open up? Luhan couldn't think of anyone their age living in this apartment though. Well, either way it wasn't his problem... Luhan would have liked to think. Being sort of foreign in this country didn't mean he had no duties, and imagining himself in such a low point in life while people just passed by - no, that wouldn't be right.
So silly, good-natured Luhan placed the bundle of books on the ground and crouched down in front of the stranger, at a safe distance for now.
"Hello? Excuse me. Are you alright?"
No reaction. Very cautiously, Luhan had reached out to touch the stranger’s shoulder; Luhan still remembers very well how cold it had felt under his fingertips that day.
"Excuse me?"
Still, there was no reaction at all. Was he even breathing?
Luhan had dared to softly shake his shoulder, which was a mistake. The gentle movement caused the lax body to just sway to the side like a lifeless doll, and Luhan had to rush forwards to keep the guy from hitting his head on the ground. For a terrible moment, he actually thought he was dead. He leaned in close and placed the back of his hand in front of the stranger's generous lips to feel for his huffy breath. There, he was still alive. Just unconscious. A sudden cough racked the body, and Luhan's hand flinched away. Strong eyebrows were knitted together as an expression of pain flashed over his face. Without hesitation, Luhan leaned in close.
"Hey. I'll call an ambulance, I'll get you help," he started, trying very hard to speak as clear and accent-free as possible, "where does it hurt?"
He might have shrieked a little when a cold, wet hand suddenly grabbed his lower arm with unexpected force. Of course, no living soul had to know that. Luhan did not shriek. Never.
"Don't," the stranger asked, practically begging. His voice was faint and dry and was he running a fever? How long had he been sitting out here?
"No ambulance. No police. Please."
Okay, now Luhan was unsettled. No police? Was he a criminal? Was there some big scheme going on?
"But you need help, obviously-"
"No police. No ambulance..." the boy mumbled, and his eyes fluttered open with utmost difficulty. Luhan had only gotten a flash of dark, unfocused orbs, before he lost the boy again. With a string of panicked Mandarin swear words, Luhan had pulled the boy up and somehow dragged him inside his apartment. Key word being somehow, because the stranger sure was heavier than he looked - and to his chagrin, a neighbour had even seen him and gave him a very suspicious look, prompting Luhan to act like he knew close to no Korean and mumbling something about a drunk friend.
Was he getting himself into trouble? Maybe. But it was done, and Luhan had spent the evening changing the stranger's clothes, toweling his hair, freaking out, getting him wrapped up in a warm blanket on his couch, only to switch to cooling rags when the boy showed signs of fever. Oh, not to forget freaking out. He was no doctor, after all, and could only pray that the boy didn’t suffer from anything serious that could cause his condition to worsen.
"Home, sweet home!" Jongdae called blissfully, slamming open the door.
Luhan grimaced at his friends’ shamelessness, but made sure to also yell unnecessarily loudly as he reprimanded them to 'take off your shoes or I'm gonna mop the floor with you later'. He could only hope his pet would hear. Just to make sure, he quickly strode ahead, muttering something about securing his fridge and ignoring the yelp of pain as Baekhyun eagerly attempted to follow him and tumbled over his own shoes. Dumbass.
When he entered the open living room, Luhan's eyes hastily roamed the area, quickly taking in that the TV was off (good), no food was being prepared (even better), and his pet was generally nowhere to be found (ideal case-wait.
Shit, where was he? He was always home when Luhan returned, always ready to greet him eagerly. A look up at the secluded area below the ceiling where his bed (and his pet's bed) were located and he saw a tuft of black hair and sleepy eyes. With hasty hand gestures, Luhan told him to stay up there, don't come down no matter what.
In a flash, his eyes widened, and then the mop of hair was gone, just in time as Minseok passed by, giving him a casual pat on the shoulder, followed by Baekhyun, who gave him a casual pat to the butt.
Luhan threw a fit, although he was unsure of whether he did it to indulge Baekhyun or himself.
Two hours had passed since his three friends squeezed themselves on the sofa, oddly tangled in a way that screamed polyamorous relationship and was probably the reason why the three straight guys were still single - yes, Luhan had trouble believing that, too, at first. Not that they're single, obviously.
Two hours Luhan had spent on the carpet in front of the sofa, eyes continuously tempted to stray from the TV showing Harry Potter discovering Diagon Alley for the 113th first time. And he was getting so anxious about whether or not his pet was dying up there, either starving or in desperate need of a bathroom break, that he imagined feeling the urge to use the bathroom himself. Which was nonsense. He'd only had half a can of beer, nothing in comparison to the amount of pitifully empty beer cans piling up on his coffee table.
The truth was that his pet couldn't stay up there until either the great wizard war was over or all three of them fell asleep - there was no telling what would happen first, and Luhan had no idea how long he'd been up there when they arrived. He was torturing the poor guy. What if he actually got angry at him?
There had to be a way to get the guys out of his apartment.
"So... why are we re-watching Harry Potter for the umptenth time again?" he asked casually, and got a noise that perfectly spelled out 'I'm offended!' without the letters to do so.
"Are you questioning Harry Potter? I'm cancelling our friendship!" Jongdae whined, and Minseok unhelpfully asked what had gotten into him, poking his shoulder blade from where he was buried beneath the two light-weights. Quick, think of something.
"Well, it's just. Why don't we watch the new movie instead? At the cinema?" Luhan asked, trying very hard not to sound too hopeful.
"Nah, I already saw that one. It was kinda disappointing," Baekhyun lazily threw in, tempting Luhan to choke him with a cushion so there would be one less obstacle.
"Yeah, but you've seen this one a thousand times," he argued, craning his head to look over his shoulder, eyes unconsciously flitting to the place where nobody was looking down at them, "and it's a great movie, too! Wouldn't it be way more fun to rip apart a movie in the theater and ruin it for us, too?"
"Well, if you phrase it like that..."
Minseok gave him a highly suspicious look, but Jongdae was already untangling himself, obviously fired up for this.
Luhan all but pushed the three to the door, all the while still craning his head to look for the crown of inky black hair that was nowhere in sight. But he was still there, Luhan knew it. And he'd come out as soon as the apartment was blissfully silent again.
Luckily, Luhan hadn't accidentally killed the boy that day. He had no choice but to leave the sleeping boy alone to attend his lectures the next day. When he returned, he was met with a very much awake and attentive look from where the guy was half-tangled in the thin blanket on the couch. With dim satisfaction, Luhan noticed that he'd at least eaten the admittedly meager breakfast he'd left on the table.
"I'm sorry."
He had a very nice voice indeed, Luhan thought. Now that he wasn't desperately clinging onto consciousness, it had lost the rough edge and revealed itself to be rather deep, smooth and melodious. It added a sense of maturity to his youthful appearance - not that anyone was going to question his age with Luhan around. Luhan could still get kiddie discounts (or sign up for the women's night at the cinema, if he tried).
"I was going to wash the dishes. It's just that I barely finished eating when you returned."
The statement pulled Luhan back into the present. Right. A stranger was sitting on his couch. Judging by the fact that his apartment and manga collection of One Piece was still intact, the guy had no intention of robbing him.
"It's okay, don't fret it. I'm not exactly a neat freak," Luhan reassured him, awkwardly placing his jacket and bag over a chair to join the guy on the couch, at a respectable distance.
"I can see that," he replied with the hint of a smile that had Luhan blush. In embarrassment.
"Okay, it's not that bad-"
"Can I stay here for a while?"
Luhan blinked dumbly. He'd been told to be rather straightforward due to his initial language barrier, but this...
"You don't want to, I don't know, say thank you first? Or at least tell me your name?"
The boy merely blinked back at him with his wide, clear eyes. There wasn’t even a hint of red or puffiness. At least he hadn't ended up sick.
"I would have said thank you either way. Just wanted to know how much I'd have to thank you for. I really need a place to stay. Just for a bit. You won't even know I'm here."
Luhan shook his head, more out of disbelief at this stranger's attitude than actual anger.
"I don't even know you. What if you're in hiding? You could be a criminal, for all I know-"
"I'm not," he simply disagreed, and how could a voice that interrupted him sound so calm and patient? "I promise I'm not a criminal. Just... please."
Luhan sighed and broke eye contact. Because no matter how tough he might act in front of the other guys, he really was just a giant softie. And something about this petite guy just begged him to protect. But from what? From a life on the streets?
"Are you homeless?" he asked, eyes still fixated on his own knees.
"Right now, I am."
"Did you run away?" he asked next.
"I'd rather not talk about it..."
Luhan sighed again, deeper this time.
"You know, roommates aren't allowed in here," he complained weakly, mostly to gain a little more time to think.
"Oh."
"Yeah..." Luhan mumbled, when the boy voiced out something equal parts unexpected and weird.
"But what about pets?"
Luhan furrowed his brows.
"Pets?"
Suddenly, there was no avoiding the other's imploring gaze anymore, as he was crouching in front of him on the carpet.
"Yes. I'm less than a roommate, anyway. I- I'm afraid I can't pay you," he began, looking genuinely regretful, "so if I'm less than a real roommate, I could be just like a pet. I saw all these photos... you like dogs, right?"
Luhan looked over at the wall he'd plastered with photos from China. Yes, he'd had a friend whose parents owned an animal shelter, so there were lots and lots of pictures of Luhan with various dogs or cats on them.
"I'm more of a cat person," he blurted out without thinking.
"Oh."
It was amazing how quickly the boy caught himself. Barely a second had passed when he picked up where he'd left off.
"I can be a cat, too, I guess. I just thought cats might be a little less... fun to be around. Since they're not very sociable. A dog would be better, but… it’s just a suggestion."
Only now did Luhan say what he should have said a few paragraphs ago.
"You're insane."
"You took in a stranger. And you're listening to me right now," the other argued.
"...shit, I'm insane."
And the boy might have big, innocent eyes, but he was obviously sneaky, for he used Luhan's revelation and resulting re-evaluation of his life choices to place a hand on his knee. Not in a sexual way. More like he was... pawing at him.
Please don't gimme that look, please don't gimme that look, please-
He glimpsed up to see the boy having tilted his head, plush bottom lip caught in between his teeth, eyes big and pleading.
Goddammit.
That one he thought in Korean. It was followed by a string of Mandarin curses that shall not be listed. Point is that Luhan had lost. He just couldn't resist puppy eyes. Call him weak. Call him insane, because getting confirmation was always nice, no matter if it came from someone involved or not.
"Fine. You can stay. For now."
For the first time since he'd met him, the boy smiled. It was a wide, genuine smile revealing that he had heart-shaped lips, too. As if his everything wasn't cute enough already. A second hand was placed on his other knee, and Luhan flinched at the sudden touch.
"Okay, I already allowed you to stay. You don't need to be my pet. It was just a lame excuse-"
"But I want to. You won't regret it. Promise."
"Stop looking at me like that, this low-key disappointment is worse than-"
"I'm Soo. Unless you want to give me a different name - which would be fine, as well."
"I don't- I won't give you another name, that would be ridiculous!"
Soo smiled again, supporting his chin on the hands that still rested on Luhan's knees.
"That's nice of you. Soo it is, then."
Luhan never even stood a chance.
He had a puppy now, it seemed.
The lights were on when Luhan returned.
"Soo?"
Luhan stifled a yawn as he closed the door behind him, routinely kicking off his shoes. Damn all these modern movies that had the compulsive urge to waste three hours of your time, whether the plot called for it or not.
He padded into the living room, getting rid of his jacket on the way.
"Soo? Are you mad at me?"
The second he entered, he saw Soo poking his head out of the open kitchen, with the characteristic smile already spreading across his features. His expression was just so warm, and Luhan had grown accustomed to him during the past three months. To his presence, to his warm smile and welcoming nature. The welcoming nature of a loyal pet that drew him into a firm hug, that had become just as familiar as the scent of his own shampoo in Soo's hair.
"I'm not... what made you think so?" he mumbled.
Luhan really liked his voice, so he usually encouraged Soo to talk to him. When they had first started out whatever this weird pet ownership was, Soo hadn't talked at all. When prompted for an answer, he'd simply said that 'dogs don't talk'. It was probably him trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, but Luhan wouldn't have it. This was already awkward enough - he didn't wanna feel like he was suppressing Soo.
The boy drew away to return to the kitchen, where he was busy cooking something that smelled distinctly like curry.
"I don't know. I'm just sorry you were stuck up there. Without warning, too," Luhan said as he stood next to him, watching him add seasoning he had chosen himself at the grocery store - Luhan couldn't cook to save his life, and god forbid someone ask him when to use mystical herbs like 'thyme' or 'dill'.
'Pets don't cook', Luhan had said when he first returned to a freshly brewed rice soup one day.
'You don't cook either,' Soo had said, and that was the end of it.
Luhan rambled on about his day, the plague others called his friends and the agony of modern 3D movies throughout their whole dinner. Soo listened, cause that's what he always did. He frowned whenever Luhan genuinely complained about something, and laughed when he not so genuinely complained about something. Soo didn't laugh in a loud, exaggerated manner, though. It was more of an amused and quiet huffed out laugh.
When people thought of dogs, they mostly pictured something small and excitable. A terrier, maybe. A Beagle or a poodle.
Maybe a larger dog, like a Golden Retriever or Collie. As long as it trembled with excitement at the sight of a ball or snack and was both jovial and loving, it was a dog. Again, in most people's eyes.
Luhan, however, had spent a lot of hours at the animal shelter owned by Yixing's parents, and knew better. He'd seen all sorts of dogs. Very few were born at the shelter - most of them had a reason to be there. Some were given away by their owners, abandoned because the owners lost interest in their pet, or because it became too much to handle. Some were part of an unwanted litter. And some had been found on the streets, not unlike how Luhan had found Soo that one fateful, rainy day.
Sometimes, good natured people would scoop a stray dog off the street, and give it a shelter and food. Each of them had a story engraved in their very being. A story that remained a mystery forever. There was no telling what moved these animals and what kinds of experiences they've had.
Many of those dogs had been quiet. Frightened, cautious and withdrawn. Gaining their trust was hard, Luhan had learned that first hand. But it paid off. Luhan had seen a number of stray animals forming a bond, mostly with Yixing, but sometimes himself, too. And that's where they really reminded him of Soo. Because while they were sitting on the sofa, mindlessly continuing the movie where it had been paused earlier, Soo had ended up in his preferred position yet again - curled up on the sofa with his head in Luhan's lap, enjoying the way the other carded his hands through the silky, black hair.
At first, Soo sat orderly on the carpet at Luhan's feet, and he genuinely didn't seem to mind. But seeing him like this now made Luhan feel like he was the one indulging him, not the other way around. Soo was the one who cooked, kept him company and was just loyal and encouraging overall. Soo was also just a young man whose story Luhan didn't, couldn't know.
Still - the way he was lying there, perfectly lax with his eyes dropping close under the soft ministrations was no act. It couldn't be. A lot of their relationship may be weird and full of unanswered questions, but at that point, Luhan was certain: Soo's affection was nothing but honest.
Like a withdrawn dog that develops a firm, unwavering love, Soo had formed a bond that was so intimate yet innocent that Luhan lacked the words to describe it. The other never jumped him with his affection, never tackled him like an overeager terrier or a flustered, awkward friend. Soo would look him in the eye and approach him from the front to draw him into a firm hug. Soo would sigh whenever Luhan reached out of his own bed to absently pet his hair one last time before they both fell asleep. And Soo would turn on the sofa to nuzzle his nose against his stomach and sides, just to doze off while Luhan did the same, movie long forgotten.
He was a mystery, but a captivating one.
Sometimes, Luhan wondered whether the boy had somehow sensed that a 'dog' was just what he needed. Or whether he simply enjoyed being a dog.
It may become increasingly easy to forget it, but Soo was obviously not a dog, and his pretty lips knew how to form words. And Luhan was incredibly curious about his story. He never really asked him, though - because somewhere, in a deep, irrational area of his mind, he feared that Soo might leave him if his background was unveiled. Deep down he knew that the boy must have a reason for ending up in this situation. Not to mention that he had asked him to stay for 'a while'. Not forever. And even though forever might be a little much, Luhan wasn't ready or willing to watch him leave anytime soon.
It wasn't like Soo never left the house, either. Luhan had given him a key to his apartment early on, figuring that he was way too deep into this to stop there. He dared say that the money his parents provided him with in addition to the salary of his part time job at the library was easily enough to provide food for two people. Luhan wasn't a wasteful person by nature, so he figured it was alright to leave Soo a few bills along with the key and a note. He wasn't a sugar daddy though! He really wasn't!
...this might come across as suspicious, but Luhan already worried enough about that. It didn't help that Soo had made it clear that he was up for sexual stuff very early on. And by very early on we're talking about Soo joining him in the shower the exact same evening Luhan had taken him in. Today, Luhan penned it on Soo being unsure of the unspoken implications of their arrangement. It had been him testing the waters. The result was a shriek ("Really, it's just the way it echoes in the bathroom-"), and, after Luhan had instinctively pushed him away, a bunch of purple bruises from the way they both slipped in the spur of the moment.
Nowadays, there were no weird moments like that anymore. No, nowadays they even sometimes shared a bathtub, if they felt like it. Nothing about it was weird anymore. Though maybe Luhan enjoyed it just a tiny, tiny bit too much.
...either way, it was not like he was doing anything, like they were doing anything, so maybe they could take another bath today, Luhan thought as he slowly carried himself home earlier than usual, weighed down by heavy linguistic books and even heavier fatigue resting in his bones. Man, he really should go back to playing soccer with Minseok soon, his body was missing the exercise. Maybe when his job was less stressful. It would actually be nice to have Soo around, though. The boy did leave the house occasionally - mostly to buy groceries, as far as Luhan knew - though he had never once failed to greet Luhan like the loyal pet he was. Still, Soo wasn't inclined to leave the apartment for fun. He obviously preferred staying inside. Which made Luhan all the more curious about where his self-proclaimed pet went when he did leave. It was a strange and foreign image, seeing Soo in public. What was he like, when he wasn't his pet? What life did a pet lead when it roamed the streets?
With a fond shake of his head at his own, weird thoughts, Luhan took the step to his apartment, stopping by the wall of letterboxes. He grimaced when he did find a letter beneath the ridiculous amount of flyers for the Chinese place down the street (really, the guy or girl stuffing them in there must be pretty presumptuous to think a born Chinese would crave their cheap excuse for fast food).
Letters. Ugh. Letters never meant anything good. He teared it open without even looking at the origin. Who wanted his money now?
He stopped in the hallway as his eyes scanned the first few lines, realizing that this letter was not addressed at him, but at... Do Kyungsoo.
Do Kyungsoo. Was that Soo's real name? Luhan had always assumed that Soo wasn't his actual name (as far as his understanding of Korean names went), but a small part of his brain was actually happy that he hadn't lied to him or made up a completely different name. Most of his brain had the presence of mind to ask himself when Soo had changed his address to Luhan's, and the part telling him not to read the letter was far too late.
Invitation to an official hearing, it said.
The dispute was called Do/StarMedia Entertainment inc. It also had a complex ID, but Luhan's mind was too blank to process any further information.
Do Kyungsoo, no, Soo, was involved in an ongoing lawsuit? What was going on?
He was still staring at the paper when he took the stairs, caught between wanting to confront Soo as soon as possible... and feeling the childish urge to ignore the letter and just cuddle the other. Maybe even let Soo cuddle him, like he'd do whenever he had a bad day. But that was not an option right now.
Luhan opened the door to his apartment and was hit by a wave of TV dialogue. How odd, the part of his brain that enjoyed the standby mode mused. Soo never wanted to watch TV, only movies, preferably English ones.
It seemed like the boy hadn't heard him over the sound of the TV, and when he caught sight of Luhan, his first reaction was to frantically switch off the TV and jump to his feet.
"Y-you're back early-" he began, and before he could take another step, Luhan lifted the letter. Was he giving him an accusing look? Maybe. He wasn't sure whether he felt betrayed though. More... wary? Insecure?
There was no way Soo could read the letter from this distance, but the effect was immediate and he froze. He wore a shocked and vulnerable expression Luhan hadn't ever seen on his face before.
It felt foreign.
"You're involved in a lawsuit?" he whispered, desperate not to yell. It might break something. Something untouchable that might be more fragile than he'd thought it to be.
Soo nodded slowly, and the tension in his slender shoulders was visible.
"Why? Why a name like StarMedia? Soo... who are you?" Luhan asked, and rarely had he felt that small and helpless.
Very slowly, Soo approached him to gently take the letter out of Luhan's weak grasp. He skimmed the first few lines, and with a barely audible sigh, he let it sink to his side. For the first time ever, Soo had trouble meeting his gaze. After a few seconds of silent contemplation, he carefully grasped Luhan's wrist, tugging him towards the sofa. He was expecting resistance, but Luhan didn't want to be angry. Neither did he want to be sad, for Soo to be sad or hurt or in danger. He just followed along and sank into the cushions, watching Soo reach for the remote control as he switched the TV back on. They both flinched at the loud noise after a period of nearly perfect silence, and the volume was quickly lowered. Luhan was mildly confused, for he had assumed Soo wanted to talk to him while sitting down. Instead, he had switched the TV back on? His eyes kept wandering from Soo's dark orbs to the screen they were fixated on. Luhan was neither well-versed nor very interested in Korean drama series. He had no idea what this one was about. It was just a random scene at a dinner table to him. Just a pair of decadent-looking parents, more elderly people that were presumably relatives, a bunch of kids, and-
"There."
Soo's remark was completely unnecessary, but Luhan was too busy gaping to comment on it. There, in the back of the scene, looming in a doorway, was... Soo.
"You're an actor?" he asked, not really expecting an answer.
"Yeah."
And he looked so different. This wasn't warm Soo with his heart-shaped lips and serene expression. It was a dark, brooding teenager whose eyes hid dark secrets, lips pulled into a distasteful frown at the sight.
"I sued my company. For... various reasons. I doubt you wanna hear them now. I was hoping to stay with an old friend. Turns out he moved out ages ago."
Luhan teared his gaze off the screen to look at the real Soo. His Soo. But while Soo might be his, or at least his companion, Do Kyungsoo was a stranger.
"Is that why you didn't want me to call the cops or an ambulance? Because of your image?"
Soo nodded, looking about as miserable as Luhan felt. Come to think of it, he'd never seen him actually miserable. It was an awful, gut-wrenching sight.
"And... did you want to be a pet, so I wouldn't sell you out after finding out? Because I would embarrass myself, too?" Luhan asked. To be honest, he didn't even know where this question was coming from all of a sudden. It left a bitter taste in his mouth, but it wasn't unreasonable enough for him to take it back now.
Soo hesitated. That's where Luhan's heart sank for good, dropping somewhere into the puddle of confused, restless emotions.
"Maybe."
The word was as small as Luhan himself felt, and the tone had him raise his head, after all. Because it wasn't guilt over possibly using Luhan. The way he said it was a perfect mirror of Luhan's emotions, inside out. Soo looked... anxious. With his hunched up shoulders, fingers tightly clasped over his lap. He was waiting for rejection, for all they had to end now that Luhan knew the story.
"Do you want me to leave?"
He should want just that. End this weird thing before it ended him, when Do Kyungsoo went back to being a popular actor and Luhan was left being a regular student - just another foreigner in this big, big city. He'd be back to being all alone, and there would be no weight on his lap while watching TV and no melodious tune coming from the kitchen.
Luhan only shook his head, eyes trained on Soo's hands, just to avoid his eyes. Selfish. He was so selfish.
"The lawsuit isn't over, right?" he asked quietly, biting his lips to fight the burn behind his eyelids. "Until then, you should stay, right?"
You should.
Please.
His sight was getting a little blurry when Soo's fingers moved and came to a rest on his back. Luhan gratefully sank into the embrace. The other's eyelashes were tickling his sensitive neck.
"I stopped acting ages ago," the velvety voice murmured against his skin. "I've never felt this comfortable and welcome."
It was amazing, how Soo could voice out Luhan's thoughts as his own. He had no idea what to say to that, so he simply tugged the other down into a lying position. They spent a few seconds wriggling into a comfortable position, which in Soo's case seemed to include feeling taller. Luhan wasn't complaining about the way his face was pressed against the other’s chest. It was a nice, welcome change.
"I could start to pay rent after I win that lawsuit, you know."
Luhan huffed, but his stupid, traitorous, erratically beating heart was probably ruining the farce right away.
"You could start sleeping in my bed afterwards," he mumbled without thinking. Soo chuckled, and tightened his hold on Luhan.
"Wow, aren't you moving fast all of a sudden," he teased, and Luhan poked his side in retaliation, chasing a sharp flinching motion through both their bodies.
"Just for cuddles," he chastised him.
Soo hummed. "Of course, Luhan. Just for cuddles."
Mashing his cheek against the other's collarbones, Luhan's lips ghosted up the side of his neck, brushing against his skin, feather light.
For now, he exhaled soundlessly against his skin.
Judging by the way the grip around him tightened ever so slightly, Soo had heard it, anyway.