Running out of Time - [part six]
[ - present - ]
To everyone’s dismay, nothing new on the virus case had risen. Although each division of SACPA was trying it’s hardest, the criminals seemed to have covered their tracks extremely well…
Siwon ruffled his hair in frustration. “Damn it! No matter what we try---we’re not dealing with ordinary criminals…not even ordinary terrorists! Never had we had a biological terrorist case here…or a case that was so well hidden…” Siwon growled through clenched teeth as he and Hangeng reached the car.
“Siwon…this case has just started…please don’t be angry. I’m sure something will come up soon. Don’t get yourself too worked up so quickly. We all need to keep our heads level and focus on what needs to be found, that’s all…”
The Korean agent sighed as his and Hangeng’s hands were clasped over each other’s. Hangeng gave the hand a squeeze of support, and Siwon drove them home.
………
Three hours had passed, and Siwon was still tossing and turning in bed; sleep was unable to take him over. He finally sat up in defeat and got up, changing into some athletic shorts and a t-shirt.
“…Siwon?” a groggy Hangeng asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
“Hangeng…sorry I woke you. I can’t sleep…”
“I know. You keep moving around…I haven’t been able to sleep either…” He turned on the bedside lamp and squinted in the sudden light.
“What are you doing?” he asked as Siwon pulled on a pair of athletic shoes.
“Going to the gym to try and burn off some stress. Maybe I can work myself to exhaustion…I don’t know…”
“I’m going with you…” Hangeng changed as well, and they left.
………
“Siwon…you remember that one time we went to the gym together?”
“…Hannie, we always go to the gym together…which ‘one time’?”
Hangeng sighed. “You know…the first time.”
“OH. That ‘one time’…why do you bring it up?”
“I don’t know…just feeling a bit nostalgic lately…”
.........
[flashback | three years ago]
It was the day after Siwon and Hangeng had spent their first night together, and they prayed that suspicion would not rise in the office. Fortunately, everyone's main priority was work. The terrorism case was reaching its climax, and the enemy’s base drew increasingly nearer to the grasp of SACPA and BAOHU-[AC]. Final preparations were being made for the united strike against the band of terrorists that was planned for the next day.
The day ended with anxiety from every member of both teams. Tomorrow, justice would finally be served.
“Hangeng…”
“Yes, Siwon?” he said calmly, straightening out items on their shared desk, avoiding his gaze.
“…Henry and Zhoumi are waiting for you…”
The Chinese man looked up at him. “That’s not what you were going to say.”
“…no, it wasn’t. How---?”
“I just know.” Hangeng looked in his friends’ direction, and gave them a wave to go on without him. They shrugged, waved back, and left.
“You really wanted to know if I was going with you instead of them, right?”
“You already know me so well…” Siwon said in bewilderment, and Hangeng smiled.
“Lovers just have that special connection…”
“In one night, we’re already classified as lovers?”
“Would you want to be anything else?”
“No……Hangeng? …Would you like to go to the gym with me? I need to work off some tension…or, I could take you home if you’d prefer…”
Hangeng blinked in surprise. “Gym? At this hour??”
Siwon nodded. “It doesn’t close…”
“Then I’d love to go with you.”
“Really?!”
“Getting rid of some stress sounds like a good idea.”
Siwon grinned. “Let’s drop by the house to change, then…”
………
To Hangeng’s surprise, they weren’t the only ones that were at the gym; a few individuals had also come out for some late-night exercise. When the two men arrived, they went their separate ways. Each had his own work-out preferences…
………
As Siwon began to wind down for the night, he wondered if Hangeng was doing the same. Finishing up, he stopped at the pool, where the man he’d been searching for was found.
He watched as Hangeng cut through the water like a blade; how cleanly he sliced through the waves created by his own movement as he pushed himself off of the wall and swam across. In a few minutes, the waves subsided, the splashing noises ceased, and there was only the Chinese man crossing the pool calmly, until he reached the wall and pulled himself out of the water and onto the edge of the pool. Siwon slipped off to the locker room, and Hangeng followed not too far off behind.
“I saw you watching me there, Choi Siwon~” Hangeng said, walking into the locker room in Siwon’s borrowed swimming trunks, dripping wet.
“Oh?” came the amused reply, along with a towel thrown at Hangeng’s head. Before he could dry off, Siwon pulled him into a brief kiss.
“Ugh. Your lips taste like salt.” Hangeng teased, and Siwon made a face.
“Well, you taste like chlorine.”
“Well, you’re drenched in sweat.”
“At least you know I’m a hard-working man~”
“Mm? Then what am I?”
“You’re mine~”
“I suppose I can settle for that…” Hangeng smirked as he dried himself off. “Are you showering here or at home?”
“Home…”
………
“Siwon…? …Should I go back to my apartment tonight?” Hangeng asked as the two waited for the elevator.
“Hm? …well…do you want to? A big house like mine gets terribly lonely…”
Hangeng smiled. “Then I’ll stay.”
“I’m going to take a shower…it shouldn’t take too long.” Siwon said when they had arrived at the house.
Once again, Hangeng found himself sitting on the edge of the bed, not sure which voice in his head was the right one to follow. He heard the sound of the water starting and got up, slipping into the bathroom.
Siwon poked his head out from behind the shower curtain to find Hangeng undressing. “Hangeng??” he asked curiously, blinking in surprise.
“Oh come now, Siwon. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before~ I need to shower too, unless you still want me to taste like chlorinated pool water…it’s your choice.”
Siwon pulled the curtain open to let the other man in. “God, you’re manipulative~”
………
[ - present - ]
The two took brief showers at the gym and headed home after a strenuous work-out.
After laying in bed silently - wide awake - it seemed that sleep was impossible for the two.
“I don’t know anymore…this job is going to make an insomniac out of me…” Siwon groaned, rubbing his tired, sleepless eyes.
“Barely? After all of these years?” Hangeng let out an exhausted laugh. “I’m going down with you.” He wrapped his arms around Siwon and they shared each other’s warmth beneath the covers.
Siwon smiled slightly. “At least I won’t be alone, awake at these unholy hours of the morning…”
“I wouldn’t leave you alone anywhere, Siwon. I’ll always be right here, right by your side.”
The Korean man sighed in contentment. “I love you, Hangeng.”
“I love you too, Siwon.”
By some miracle, the two finally found sleep in each other’s arms.
**short chapter this time? ;O;
ehhh…not too happy about that, but I had to end it here…you’ll see
:\
- ^ ^- <3