Work Text:
TAKE ONE:
The bar is beginning to liven up when Seungmin slips in through the open doors. There’s a live band near the back, some people slow dancing mindlessly nearby. But the night is still young, and Seungmin only has eyes for the man sitting by himself at the bar.
“Hey, handsome,” says Seungmin, sidling up to the man.
He receives an unimpressed look in return, big, bright eyes rolling up into the man’s skull. But at least he’s got his attention. “Is that the best you’ve got?”
Seungmin freezes. “Gorgeous?” he tries.
The man lets out a huff, aggrieved. “I’ll allow it, I guess.”
“Can I buy you a drink?” Seungmin asks, trying to get back into the groove of things. He’s dealt with this type before, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. And it’s always worth it in the end.
The man drags his eyes up and down Seungmin’s body. Seungmin tries to push down the flush that threatens to rise up from the attention, returning the look. Finally the man meets his eyes again. “You may,” he says primly.
Seungmin waves the bartender over, ordering for the both of them: his usual for himself, and a drink that he just has this weird gut feeling that his new companion will enjoy. He ignores the weird look the bartender gives him, turning back to the man once both drinks are on his tab.
The man raises an eyebrow. “You come here often?”
“You could say that,” says Seungmin, punctuating it with a casual shrug and suppressing a smirk when the man’s eyes immediately jump to how his shirt starts to slip off his shoulder at the movement. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before, though. You here alone?”
“You could say that,” the man parrots back at him.
“Really now,” says Seungmin. “Someone as pretty as you doesn’t have someone waiting at home?”
“And if I do?” the man challenges.
“Then it’ll just be our little secret,” says Seungmin, throwing the bartender a nod when their drinks arrive.
The man takes a slow sip of his drink. Seungmin tries not to preen when he looks visibly satisfied with it. “How bold of you to say,” he remarks. “I could ask the same of you.”
Seungmin smirks, leans in. “Does it matter?”
The man meets his gaze with amber eyes that glimmer in the low light, color flickering in his irises like a wildfire. “Careful there,” he murmurs. “You might be making a misstep that isn’t worth it.”
“Oh honey, someone like you is worth every misstep,” Seungmin says lowly, moving in closer. His breath hitches audibly when the man reaches up to smooth out the collar of his shirt, a satisfied, catlike smile appearing on his face at the sound.
“Well then,” says the man, pulling him in, “if you’re going to flatter me like that, then I hope you follow through.”
And Seungmin’s trying so hard to find something to say to that, he really is, but his brain was already fried when he walked in here and that last movement might’ve burnt it to a crisp. Error 404. No thoughts to be found. He was not prepared for this.
The man frowns. “Hello?”
Seungmin swallows.
“I forgot what I was supposed to say next.”
TAKE THREE:
“Can I get a name in exchange?” Seungmin asks, sliding the drink halfway over but keeping it hostage under his hand.
The man quirks an eyebrow at him, but ultimately relents. “Lee Minho.”
Seungmin hums, finally relinquishing the drink to him. “Your name matches your face well,” he says.
“How so?”
“They’re both beautiful,” Seungmin answers confidently, punctuating it with what is supposed to be a wink but ends up being him just blinking both eyes closed.
“Oh my god,” Minho snorts, bringing the glass to his lips. Two seconds later he’s spitting his drink out all over the counter, a few droplets landing on Seungmin’s shirt as collateral damage. “Oh my god,” he repeats, coughing weakly. “What the hell is in this?”
Seungmin immediately swings around to look at the bartender, who ducks underneath the counter as soon as they make eye contact. The sound of his laughter is still loud enough to be heard over the music, though.
Seungmin groans, craning his face up to the ceiling as he slaps Minho’s back through his coughing fit. He’s starting to think this was a bad idea.
“Blech,” Minho verbalizes, sticking his tongue out. “Where were we? What was my line again?”
“It’s over,” says Seungmin. “You can’t save this. It’s already ruined.”
Minho scrunches his face up. “Let’s take it from the top, then.”
TAKE SEVEN:
“Let me buy you a drink,” says Seungmin.
“I’ve already had a few,” says the man, visibly disgruntled. Seungmin hopes it isn’t because of him, but he can’t be sure at this point. “But I could use another.”
Seungmin places the orders, waiting with bated breath as the drinks arrive and his companion raises the glass to his mouth. Luckily for him, this one seems to be alright. The man downs half of it in one go, pulling off the lip with a heavy sigh.
Seungmin sips delicately at his own glass, trying not to overdo it. He passed ‘pleasantly buzzed’ at least three drinks ago. “Kim Seungmin,” he offers.
“Did I ask?”
“No, but I figured I would just throw it out there,” Seungmin says lightly. “No pressure. Take it or leave it.”
“What a gentleman,” says the man, but he looks mollified. “Lee Minho.”
“It suits you.”
“Oh yeah?” says Minho. “Don’t wear it out.”
“Of course not, Minho-ssi,” says Seungmin, leaning in with a grin. “So tell me, is it a girlfriend waiting for you at home? A boyfriend?”
“A husband,” Minho says delicately.
“Oh, wow,” says Seungmin. “And does he know you’re out here all by yourself?”
Minho fixes him with the most deadpan look Seungmin’s ever seen. “I don’t know, why don’t you ask him?”
Seungmin chokes. “And how would I do that?” he asks, strained. This was not part of the plan.
“I would say you seem like a smart guy, Kim Seungmin,” says Minho, “but I’ve changed my mind. You’re the biggest idiot I’ve ever met, so I’ll help you out and call him for you.” Minho pulls out his phone and taps the first entry on his speed dial.
Two seconds later, the phone in Seungmin’s back pocket starts to ring.
Seungmin groans, face-planting on the counter. Minho’s high-pitched giggling cuts off abruptly when the sound of one of the stools crashing to the floor is immediately followed up by a pained groan to match.
TAKE EIGHT:
“So tell me, is it a girlfriend waiting for you? A boyfriend?”
“A husband.”
“And where is he?” asks Seungmin.
“Oh, who knows,” says Minho, twirling an uncoordinated hand and nearly taking off some poor stranger’s head with the motion. “Out and about.”
“How reckless of him,” says Seungmin, wobbling on his feet when he tries to lean in. “Doesn’t he know you shouldn’t leave pretty things unaccompanied, where anyone can swoop in and grab them?”
“Well, who’s waiting for you?” Minho asks.
“Also a husband.”
Minho clicks his tongue. “How irresponsible of him,” he says, mirroring Seungmin. “Doesn’t he know he should keep his dog chained up?”
Seungmin wiggles his eyebrows. “Is that what you’re into?” he asks. “I don’t know about him, but you could certainly teach me a thing or two.”
He bursts into laughter when Minho’s face twists up in disgust. Minho smacks him on the shoulder. “Hey! You were the one who told me to be serious!”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Seungmin wheezes, “but hyung, if you really want to try it—”
“Don’t even finish that sentence, Kim Seungmin,” says Minho, slapping his shoulder again. “God, I need another drink.”
TAKE TWELVE:
After many, many, many attempts, Seungmin finally has Minho pressed up against him on the dance floor, their bodies swaying together aimlessly. He knew he would get here eventually. He’s dealt with this type before, and it’s always worth it in the end.
“You still having fun?” he whispers into Minho’s ear.
Minho shrugs. “I could be having more fun somewhere else,” he murmurs, eyes glinting in the darkness.
“Oh yeah?” says Seungmin. He grabs Minho by the hips and pulls him closer, delighting in the small gasp he receives for his efforts. “You think either of our husbands will be home?”
“Only one way to find out,” Minho says, breathy. Finally. Seungmin’s been waiting to hear that all night.
“My place or yours?” Seungmin asks, blood spiking with excitement. “Which one’s closer?”
Minho’s brow furrows at that. “Shouldn’t you know already?” he says, volume jumping several decibels up from the sexy whisper he was attempting to maintain earlier. “Actually, wait. Aren’t they the same place—”
Seungmin squeezes his eyes shut, counting to five. “Time out,” he says, pulling away from Minho. “I need a breather.”
Minho lets out a loud whine. “You can’t run away from me, Kim Seungmin,” he yells, uncaring of the attention he’s attracting. “I just remembered we live together!”
“Okay, I’m pulling the plug on, uh,” Jisung gestures between where Minho and Seungmin are slumped against the counter, “whatever this is. Go home, you two. You’re both drunk.”
Minho lets out a long, loud whine. “But we still haven’t gotten it right!”
“Maybe we should listen, hyung,” says Seungmin, face feeling a little too warm. “I think we should call it a day.”
“This was your idea,” Minho says viciously, trying to glare at him, except all he can do at this point is squint. He looks ridiculous. What’s even more ridiculous is the sudden wave of affection that surges up in Seungmin at the sight. “You can’t be giving up already.”
“You’re the one who kept going off-script,” Seungmin complains, ignoring Jisung’s judgmental stare. “I would’ve had you in bed after the second attempt if you hadn’t thrown me off with that bit about me looking like a guy you used to hunt for sport.”
“Well, was I wrong?”
“Not the point.”
Minho huffs. “Have me in bed in what way?” he asks, redirecting. “Because I swear to God, Kim Seungmin, if we go home and you don’t—”
“TMI, guys,” Jisung cuts in, making a face. “I knew it was a bad idea to let you two get married, but I didn’t think it would be because of shit like this.”
Minho smacks the countertop. “You were my best man!” he bellows.
“And I regret it,” says Jisung. “Let me call you a cab. God, I’m never getting married.”
FROM LAST WEEK:
Kim Seungmin (Hyunjin’s friend):
Hey you ever think about having an affair
bitch dont you dare
Kim Seungmin (Hyunjin’s friend):
Ok
unless its with me
Kim Seungmin (Hyunjin’s friend):
...
Hyung
Do you mean that
...
what kind of weird ideas are you getting now
Kim Seungmin (Hyunjin’s friend):
Well
Don’t you think it’d be funny if
“I knew this was a terrible idea,” Minho grumbles, stumbling into their apartment and almost dragging Seungmin down to the floor with him.
Seungmin barely manages to catch him, still trying to lock the door behind them. “Maybe it wasn’t my brightest moment,” he admits.
“You think?” says Minho, tripping towards their bedroom. Seungmin tries his best to guide him, only slightly more sober. “I’m never listening to you ever again. I’ve had enough grease from you for a lifetime, Kim Seungmin, you cheeseball.”
Seungmin waits until Minho’s fallen onto their bed, mumbling into the pillows, to say, “Thanks for indulging me anyways, hyung, even if it could’ve gone better.”
“That’s an understatement,” says Minho, fighting with his shirt and whining until Seungmin manages to untangle his arms from the sleeves. “I just don’t think we’re cut out for this kind of roleplay.”
“Probably not,” Seungmin agrees. “I can think of a part I’d much rather play instead of some random guy you meet at the bar to get away from your husband.”
“Hah?”
“The husband you’re trying to get away from.”
“Stupid,” says Minho, flopping around on the bed like a dying fish and looping his arms around Seungmin’s neck so he can land a sloppy kiss on Seungmin’s jaw, missing his mouth by a mile. “You’re the only one I’m ever trying to run away from other people to get back to.”
“Yeah?” says Seungmin, leaning down to kiss him back and landing only slightly closer to the mark. “Well, mysterious stranger, now that I have you in my bed, what do you want me to do?”
“Sleep,” Minho declares, rolling over and planting his face into Seungmin’s pillow.
Seungmin snorts. He can’t tell if it’s the alcohol or the fondness that’s making him feel lightheaded. Probably both. “That we can do,” he says, stumbling over to hit the light switch before crawling back into bed and pulling the covers over both of them.