Thirteen: Reconnaissance (Ocean's Eleven AU)
Title: Reconnaissance (6/? of Thirteen Series)
Author: himawarixxsandz
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): BangHim, ZiKyung, U-Bomb, TaePyo, DaeJae, JongLo
Summary: Thirteen is their lucky number
A/N: bc of timezones and such consider this the new year's update and i hope you all had a marvelous end-of-2012 and let's hope for a lucky 2013 DID YOU SEE WHAT I DID THERE DID YOU SEE ME ITALICIZE THAT LIKE A WITTY SON OF A BITCH also i hope no one was under the impression that taepyo were together bc they're not also jaehyo is not a lonely ass dude he gets dat ass just watch
The Crew / The Crew II / Infiltration / Infiltration II / Infiltration III // Reconnaissance // Construction
It’s at least a good twenty minutes before the order in their ears is given (Minhyuk sounding exasperated and Kyung sounding on the brink of uncontrollable laughter) and Jiho lets Yukwon down as gently as he can which, in Yukwon’s opinion, is still rather unceremonious. Yukwon flops on the floor for a good long moment, catching his breath as Jiho stands back with hands on his thin hips and yanks his pants up. They’re both sweating because pretending to have sex is perhaps just as exhausting as actually having sex, only less fun and more chafing. He stands up after another moment, yanking up his own pants and wiping an experimental hand across his face just to see exactly how badly his eyeliner has been smeared.
“You look like a toddler just got a hold of a marker and your face,” is Jiho’s helpful answer.
Yukwon rolls his eyes. “Thanks,” he says.
“Have you been working out your thighs again?” Jiho’s voice is faint this time, as they start walking back down to the rooms once Taeil’s voice came onto their comms and confirmed that the cameras have been blocked.
“Noticed?” Yukwon responds brightly, and he instinctively runs a palm down his left thigh.
Jiho’s face looks slightly green now. “Yeah,” he mutters, his own hand touching gingerly at his hip. “I think you fractured something just now.”
And Yukwon isn’t exactly sure the best way to react to that because he hasn’t really worked on his thighs for at least a month because he and Minhyuk have been pulling jobs that keep them constantly moving from one place to another-and in none of those places is there an allowable situation with a gym. He’s also had plenty of sex during that month wherein he keeps himself propped up against a wall purely through the force of his thighs wrapped around Minhyuk’s waist, and there’d never been any complaints from the older man about aching hips.
He decides in the end to simply pat Jiho’s waist sympathetically. “Maybe you need to hit the gym,” Yukwon says pityingly.
Jiho sputters.
“I heard your sex life isn’t what it used to be,” Yukwon adds after a beat, as they finally reach the door to the suite. Neither of them have their cards on them so Yukwon raps his knuckles against the wood.
The first thing that Jiho does upon being let in to the suite by Daehyun is scream, “Park Kyung-Park Kyung, what have you been-” Jiho storming past where Yongguk and Youngjae stand near the door, only to be interrupted halfway into his tirade by a whiplash of energy and laughter colliding straight into him. Kyung’s arms are thrown around Jiho’s neck, mouth-to-mouth and-
“Shut up, Woo Jiho,” Kyung says, all too audibly into an all too public kiss.
While Minhyuk is helping Yukwon clean up in the bathroom, Yongguk gathers the others around the dining table. Taeil brings a monitor and the recorded footage, and Kyung and Jiho bring in all the compiled observations that they’ve discussed and gone through with Junhong in the days past. Daehyun is sitting to the side with charts and more design plans in hand, while Youngjae and Jongup on either side of Junhong across from Yongguk.
Jaehyo trails in at the last minute waving a sheaf of papers in hand. Yongguk glances up when he hears the swish of a bath robe. “Can you wear a shirt?” Jiho asks mockingly as he upends the last empty chair before Jaehyo can sit in it.
The sheaf of papers meets the back of Jiho’s head in full swing as Jaehyo glares, righting the chair and plopping down into it. Kyung buries his laughter in Jiho’s shoulder. Jaehyo slides the papers across the table to Yongguk and says, “Finished sending in all the orders so the trucks and guys’ll be down at the warehouse tomorrow as long as Himchan and Jihoonie are ready for them.”
“Yeah,” Youngjae rests his chin on his palm, meeting Yongguk’s eyes. “How come we haven’t gotten any calls from them at all? It’s been a week at least.”
Yongguk ignores how the collar of his shirt suddenly feels a little too tight (drawing in around his throat like a noose), and glances around the table at large. “No one’s heard from Jihoon?” Through an instinct that he doesn’t quite know how to explain (and he blames it on the fact that he’s a thief-blames it on intuition), his eyes fall to Taeil before there’s a painful kick to his ankle and Yongguk’s head whips around to meet Jiho’s eyes. Kyung instantly gives a hasty little shake of his head and Yongguk bites his tongue.
So a lot has happened while Yongguk was in prison.
“I can call him tonight,” Taeil says calmly. “Or you can call Himchan,” he adds and when his gaze meets Yongguk’s, there’s something akin to accusation there, something close to horrible curiosity (and maybe it’s his imagination-maybe it isn’t-but everyone’s gaze is suddenly turned onto Yongguk).
A lot’s happened since Yongguk was in prison and Yongguk isn’t the only one with issues-but Yongguk is the one that needs to get over those issues (or at least bury them) the fastest because he’s the leader. This job was his idea, everyone is here by his request, they’re all looking for a share of those billions of dollars now that they’ve invested time and energy, and if Yongguk lets them down on the first big con he’s had since he got out-
“Sure,” Yongguk says with a smile that yanks at his mouth like cut wires, “I’ll call Himchan.”
“How much did Kyung put on you?” Minhyuk mutters, plucking another handful of tissues and soaking them in remover. Yukwon is freshly showered, hair damp, warm and clean in sweats and a t-shirt-he looks just about ready for bed, and he feels just about ready for bed (he doesn’t understand why every time he pulls an act for Dongsun, it always exhausts him more than past times with other marks have), except for the part where his eyes are still ringed in smudges of black eyeliner.
Yukwon sits on the sink countertop with Minhyuk standing in between the younger man’s dangling legs putting in an admirable effort in trying to scrub away the make-up without scrubbing away Yukwon’s face in the process. Putting aside the fact that no one wants to have their face rubbed red, raw, and sore, they also can’t have Yukwon looking anything less than pristine and unsuspicious for his continuous future instances with Dongsun. “It’s not that he put a lot on,” he says thoughtfully and tries not to wince as Minhyuk’s fingers start to dig into Yukwon’s eyeball. “I think it’s just waterproof.”
Minhyuk holds up the now-nearly-empty bottle of remover. “This isn’t water, Kwon-ah.”
He cracks a smile and shrugs. “I don’t know,” Yukwon says slowly, “I kind of like being a raccoon.”
“I almost just gouged your left eye out,” Minhyuk says and trashes another wet ball of used tissues.
Yukwon slides his bare feet up the backs of Minhyuk’s legs until they grip around his waist, softly drawing the older man closer between Yukwon’s thighs. “Kiss me and we’ll call it even,” Yukwon says generously, hands mockingly hesitant on either side of Minhyuk’s neck. The older man’s hands find Yukwon’s waist and just a moment later there’s a warm smirk pressed against the younger man’s lips.
“We’re gonna need more remover,” Minhyuk murmurs against Yukwon’s lips.
The younger man shrugs. “There’s a drugstore downstairs somewhere. Kyung can run some up later.”
Minhyuk raises his eyebrows, drawing back enough to give Yukwon a long, look. “Really? Think he’s gonna do that for you after what you did to Jiho?”
Yukwon runs his hands over his thighs, plucking at the cloth covering them. “Not my fault he needs to work out more. And he’s not really hurt-a bruise or two maybe.” He twines his arms around Minhyuk’s neck. “Plus-it was on a job-with not a single bad intention in sight, I promise-”
“Kyung and Jiho’ve told me some funny stories about back when you used to be their recruiter,” Minhyuk interrupts smoothly.
He can’t stop the grin that overtakes his entire expression. “Funny how?”
“Sometimes,” Minhyuk says thoughtfully, leisurely, as he strokes his hands up and down the sides of Yukwon’s thighs-up and up and up until the fingers come to rest right at the waistband of the sweatpants. “I think that, for you, being terrifying is how you show people you like them.”
“I don’t terrorize you.”
“Are you sure?” And Minhyuk grins.
Yukwon locks his ankles, securing Minhyuk between his legs. “You don’t seem scared.”
“Trust me,” Minhyuk whispers, low and warm, a smile pressed into Yukwon’s jaw, “I’m terrified.”
Taeil feels him there. He saw him lingering long after everyone else went off to shower, to finish with their respective assignments, to go to bed. Now, after the lights have all been turned off in the main room and it’s only Taeil in the living area, surrounded by the glow of monitors-all showing surveillance feed from strategic points in the hotel and casino, Jaehyo’s face emerges near the doorway that leads in from the backer’s bedroom. His face is caught in the light from the farthest monitor and Taeil doesn’t need to turn-watches the change of expression from the slight reflection on one of the screens.
“So,” Jaehyo begins quietly, “you going to tell me why you’re torturing a kid?”
Taeil’s eyes slide to the side. “You going to mind your own business?”
“He is my business,” Jaehyo shoots back and Taeil hears the other man pad into the room, dragging a chair over backwards and taking a seat beside Taeil. “I’m paying for this con, remember?”
“You’ll get your investment’s worth,” Taeil murmurs, “so shove it.” From the corner of his eyes, he watches as Jaehyo’s deep eyes, deep-lidded, deeply embedded, warm and brown, flutter over the screens. Their shoulders touch, the sides of their legs touch, and Taeil finds himself inching closer towards familiar warmth.
A long moment of wordlessness passes while both pairs of eyes bore into the visual feeds-nothing is really going on, nothing interesting and nothing noteworthy aside from the occasional drunken pass that’s to be plenty expected in a Las Vegas casino at hours so late at night they breech into early morning. “Don’t even,” Jaehyo says without taking his eyes off the screen.
Taeil doesn’t take his hand away from Jaehyo’s thigh. “I’m not torturing him.”
Jaehyo smiles and snorts. “You clearly haven’t talked to him lately.”
“I’ve talked to him.”
“Without your hand in his pants?”
Taeil shrugs.
“You’re horrible,” Jaehyo says, leaning forward onto what little space there was on the table-between being covered in various keyboards and wires, papers and files, empty cups and cups filled with stale coffee. His arms folded beneath his head, chin pillows against the inside of one elbow.
“He’s a good kid,” Taeil says. “He has to grow up sometime. If I’d been with him, don’t you think he’d be falling apart on this job? On a job later?” He pokes Jaehyo’s side to get the other man to meet his gaze. “You don’t want him to end up like-” And Taeil widens his eyes significantly, head jerking back towards the rooms where the younger thieves slept (where Moon Jongup slept).
Jaehyo’s lips quirk slightly. “So you think so too?”
“He likes the con,” Taeil says lightly, “but not enough to be in on this one without a second reason.”
“Think I should let him come when we head down to the warehouse?” Jaehyo rolls his head so that his cheek rests against his arms, eyes glancing slow and easily through his long lashes to click in with Taeil’s own eyes.
Another shrug. “We don’t need him here until recon finishes up. Might as well have him be useful and get on construction.”
And with that, Jaehyo’s lips tighten. “You’re distracting me.”
“Subjects are subject to change-not my problem.”
“Lee Taeil, he’s not a piece of software. You can’t upgrade him as you go.”
Taeil raises his eyebrows-an expression of mock confusion. “Moon Jongup?”
Jaehyo sits up with a sigh, stretching his arms upward and arching his body from side to side. The bath robe falls open wider, an exposed expanse of pale skin all the way down past Jaehyo’s chest-cloth pooling loosely around the flat planes of Jaehyo’s stomach. Taeil makes a show of staring for as long as it takes Jaehyo to notice-which isn’t long-it never is-and their eyes meet in the middle again. “You shouldn’t,” Jaehyo says, tone light.
“If I’d done what Jihoonie wanted me to do, I shouldn’t,” Taeil amends. “But I didn’t. So I could.”
Jaehyo settles back against the chair, scooting over slightly so Taeil has room to stand up off of his own chair and step over towards the backer. “If he finds out?”
Taeil straddles Jaehyo’s lap, knees digging into the other man’s hips. “Then he finds out.” He leans in and kisses Jaehyo once-a breath-a stroke of tongue over collarbone-and then kisses him twice.
“Aren’t you supposed to be watching the comms?” Jaehyo asks as Taeil tugs at the rope holding the robe together and Jaehyo’s hands start to wander over Taeil’s waistband.
“I can still see them from here,” Taeil grins before they kiss again-another short kiss with the sweet promise of coming excitement-tongues just barely brushing corners of lips. “It’s been a while,” he says, going up onto his knees on the chair so that Jaehyo has to look up for their eyes to meet.
Jaehyo smiles-that smile that Taeil’s missed (it’s been too long since they’ve done a con together-they, who were partners long before Yongguk and Himchan-they, who’d shown the underground world the original rendition of partners-in-crime turned lovers-they, who’d decided that some thieves, in the end, are better working off alone-are better as friends who occasionally might or might not warm each other’s beds). It’s a smile that’s several parts goofy, a few parts clumsy, many parts deceiving, plenty of parts endearing, and all parts Ahn Jaehyo.
“It’s been a while,” Jaehyo agrees. When their eyes meet again, just as the robe falls away completely from Jaehyo’s shoulders and Taeil’s shirt is shrugged off over his own head, Taeil sees something there that makes him hunch over himself a little in protection-hates feeling exposed, hates knowing that another person in the world can look at the parts of him he hasn’t given them permission to look at.
(it’s a thief thing-definitely-taking things without permission and so naturally, what thief wants something of his own taken without permission? what irony would it be to steal from a thief?)
“You know,” and Jaehyo’s voice is barely above a whisper now, “it’s okay to fall in love a second time.”
Taeil rummages a hand blindly between Jaehyo’s thighs, pressing closer against Jaehyo’s body (Jaehyo isn’t wearing underwear underneath the robe). He guides Jaehyo’s hand between Taeil’s own thighs, and Jaehyo’s fingers don’t need any more telling before they start to pump Taeil lazily. “I don’t love him,” Taeil says, and he can’t help that his voice is sharp-whether from irritation or pleasure leaves something to be decided.
And then Jaehyo is yanking Taeil in by the neck, fingertips digging into the back juncture between throat and shoulder and Taeil is breathless and frustrated as their hips grind together-Jaehyo’s one arm winding around Taeil’s waist as the backer murmurs into the other man’s ear, “Then stop toying around with him because you and I both know-and Jiho knows and Kyung knows and Minhyuk knows and Yukwon knows-that Jihoonie is getting tired of just being a booty call whenever you’re in town for a job.”
Taeil doesn’t respond with words-yanks both of them down until they’re tumbling from the chair, landing with a painful thud against the rug and if there’re carpet burns on his bare back and thighs tomorrow morning, he can’t seem to bring himself to care right now because Jaehyo’s words have left him speechless and furious and confused and he wraps his legs around Jaehyo’s waist tight enough to bruise.
“Hurry and fuck me, I have to get back to the comms,” Taeil says.
Jaehyo blinks.
Taeil slaps the backer’s face.
“Anything you want,” Jaehyo sighs again, leaning in-one hand against Taeil’s hip, “Lee Taeil.”
“I should let Yukwon mess me up more often,” Jiho sighs, eyes finally opening after the last waves of orgasm leave him. He rolls his head back around a few times, rolls his shoulders to loosen out the bits of stress that still linger. He’s seated on the edge of the bed, and a grin stretches over his face as he leans forward, one arm resting on his own knee and the other outstretched towards the naked body kneeling between Jiho’s legs. His fingers press against Kyung’s cheek, scooping away some of the sticky fluids splattered all over Kyung’s hair and face.
Jiho is still fully clothed, but Kyung’s clothes are scattered like breadcrumbs from the doorway to the bedside. Cock straining painfully against his stomach, pink flushing his cheeks, but Kyung is still grinning like he’s king of the world-confident and careless as he looks up at Jiho. “I’m too nice to you,” he says, tipping his head up for a kiss, and Jiho immediately comes forward, brushing their mouths together-digging his teeth gently on Kyung’s lower lip. “I need to stop kissing your boo-boos all better just because your Yukwonie’s favorite rag doll.”
“Next time, it’s going to be you or Daehyun, I swear,” Jiho mutters and he’s trying his best not to be sore about it but he’s just still so undeniably sore about it. He rubs gingerly again at his hips.
Kyung looks amused. “You think Dongsun’s going to believe that I’m a bodyguard? And we need Daehyun for that other thing.”
“I was kidding-Christ, Park Kyung,” Jiho says with a roll of his eyes and a stroke of his hand along the underside of Kyung’s cock. Jiho grips the base and the amusement is suddenly wiped from Kyung’s face as he leans forward with a cheek pressed against Jiho’s knee. Kyung’s eyes are unfocused and his breaths are coming out in little pants as Jiho continues to stroke up and down with maddeningly slow, deliberate movements. Jiho doesn’t bother holding back the grin that splits his face when he feels Kyung’s nails digging into the taller man’s ankle.
A vocal edge starts to creep into Kyung’s otherwise previously silent breaths-the beginnings of a breathless whine, a hushed whimper, choked gasps, and then Kyung is glaring up at Jiho through half-lidded eyes, through damp strands of hair, color high and warm on the pale skin of his face. The nails that grip Jiho’s ankle are starting to pierce. “I gave you the best fucking blowjob of your life, Woo Jiho-get me off in the next two seconds or I will tear you into-”
And Jiho swallows the pending threat-lets Kyung bite down hard on Jiho’s lip as Jiho’s hands pump him the rest of the way there, continuous movement as Kyung shudders and arches into Jiho’s leg before falling limp and boneless, cheek once again resting on Jiho’s knee. He waits a few moments for Kyung to stop panting, to even out his breaths, before he reaches down and takes Kyung by the hand-fingers threaded. Jiho pulls him up onto the bed and Kyung falls instantly onto his side, eyes closing as his breathing steadies.
Jiho curls his legs off of the floor, kicking off his shoes and sitting with his legs folded in front of him as he rests a hand on Kyung’s shoulder and runs it down the side of Kyung’s body, fingers gently pressing into soft, heated skin. He brings his hand to a stop at the hip before flipping his hand and running back up the same path on Kyung’s body with Jiho’s knuckles. This time however he surpasses the shoulder and brings the back of his hand to Kyung’s cheek, flipping his hand once more and cupping the small face.
He watches as Kyung’s eyes slowly open, lashes fluttering and the warm brown gradually rises to meet Jiho’s own gaze. “If push comes to shove,” Kyung murmurs, “whose side are we on, Jiho-ah?”
“I don’t know,” Jiho replies, and he says it rushed-it comes out too quickly and he holds Kyung’s face a little tighter (slides closer to the other man’s body). His fingers wander into Kyung’s hair. “Push just-better not come to shove.”
Himchan’s voice is low and sleepy in his ear.
For a horrible moment, Yongguk opens his mouth and nothing comes out.
“Hello?” The sleepiness fades slightly-just enough to make room for bemusement. “Yongguk-ah? Aren’t we kind of old for prank calls?”
Yongguk clears his throat loudly. “Jaehyo has the guys ready. He said he can bring them around tomorrow if you and Jihoon have gotten the plans all worked out.”
“Yeah, everything’s ready,” Himchan responds easily and Yongguk lets himself smile a little. “Who else is tagging along?” There’s a shift on the other end-like blankets ruffling, the thump of feet or shoes against wood, and Yongguk frowns because this is supposed to be a short call. He’s going to hang up soon and let Himchan get back to sleep-there’s no reason for Himchan to be climbing out of bed.
“I’m going over to check things out,” Yongguk says, “Youngjae needs to learn the kind of material the vault’s made of so he can start gathering ammunition, Daehyun wants a look and he’ll help around, Jiho and Kyung are coming, Jaehyo’s the one bringing the guys in, and Jongup’s heading over too.”
“So everyone who isn’t holed up over there, then,” Himchan summarizes, and Yongguk hears the creak of a metal on wood-a ladder, he guesses. “I’m sending Jihoon back after tomorrow-you guys can use him there to explain the replica to the ones who can’t come.”
Yongguk nods, phone pressed between ear and shoulder as he unbuttons his shirt. He has a shower running because he doesn’t think he’ll be able to sleep without at least warm water unknotting everything that’s aching and tense in his body after the conference over the footage that just went exactly that swell. “Sounds good. I’ll send him back with Jiho and Kyung, then.”
The other line goes silent for a moment. “Who’s staying at the warehouse after tomorrow?”
“Youngjae, Jaehyo, Jongup,” Yongguk lists, “and me.”
“Aren’t you needed there?” It comes fast-snapped in Himchan’s voice in such an unfamiliar way, entirely foreign and brutal and harsh and icy and it reels Yongguk back with such force that he physically grips the sink in surprise. Yongguk feels like he’s been slapped-punched-kicked in the stomach-gutted and left out to bleed.
He swallows and breathes in deeply and out in a long sigh before he thinks he’s able to reply in at least a semblance of evenness. “I’ll be there a few days and here a few days. I’ll be going back and forth, Himchan-ah.”
“Okay,” and it’s just as swift-just as brisk-marginally less sharp but not much even then. “Okay-sounds good-yeah-okay, then. I’ll talk to you again tomorrow.”
“You’re not in bed, are you?” Yongguk says hesitantly-quietly. “Will you sleep?”
“Goodbye, Yongguk-ah.”
There’s a click on the other line and Yongguk pulls the phone away from his ear. He stares at it for the few seconds it takes to finish stepping out of his pants. The mirror has begun to fog over and he can’t see his reflection anymore. He nests his phone on top of the clothes he scattered on the sink and walks towards the shower. (and he doesn’t think even that’ll help him fall asleep anymore)
Author: himawarixxsandz
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): BangHim, ZiKyung, U-Bomb, TaePyo, DaeJae, JongLo
Summary: Thirteen is their lucky number
A/N: bc of timezones and such consider this the new year's update and i hope you all had a marvelous end-of-2012 and let's hope for a lucky 2013 DID YOU SEE WHAT I DID THERE DID YOU SEE ME ITALICIZE THAT LIKE A WITTY SON OF A BITCH also i hope no one was under the impression that taepyo were together bc they're not also jaehyo is not a lonely ass dude he gets dat ass just watch
The Crew / The Crew II / Infiltration / Infiltration II / Infiltration III // Reconnaissance // Construction
It’s at least a good twenty minutes before the order in their ears is given (Minhyuk sounding exasperated and Kyung sounding on the brink of uncontrollable laughter) and Jiho lets Yukwon down as gently as he can which, in Yukwon’s opinion, is still rather unceremonious. Yukwon flops on the floor for a good long moment, catching his breath as Jiho stands back with hands on his thin hips and yanks his pants up. They’re both sweating because pretending to have sex is perhaps just as exhausting as actually having sex, only less fun and more chafing. He stands up after another moment, yanking up his own pants and wiping an experimental hand across his face just to see exactly how badly his eyeliner has been smeared.
“You look like a toddler just got a hold of a marker and your face,” is Jiho’s helpful answer.
Yukwon rolls his eyes. “Thanks,” he says.
“Have you been working out your thighs again?” Jiho’s voice is faint this time, as they start walking back down to the rooms once Taeil’s voice came onto their comms and confirmed that the cameras have been blocked.
“Noticed?” Yukwon responds brightly, and he instinctively runs a palm down his left thigh.
Jiho’s face looks slightly green now. “Yeah,” he mutters, his own hand touching gingerly at his hip. “I think you fractured something just now.”
And Yukwon isn’t exactly sure the best way to react to that because he hasn’t really worked on his thighs for at least a month because he and Minhyuk have been pulling jobs that keep them constantly moving from one place to another-and in none of those places is there an allowable situation with a gym. He’s also had plenty of sex during that month wherein he keeps himself propped up against a wall purely through the force of his thighs wrapped around Minhyuk’s waist, and there’d never been any complaints from the older man about aching hips.
He decides in the end to simply pat Jiho’s waist sympathetically. “Maybe you need to hit the gym,” Yukwon says pityingly.
Jiho sputters.
“I heard your sex life isn’t what it used to be,” Yukwon adds after a beat, as they finally reach the door to the suite. Neither of them have their cards on them so Yukwon raps his knuckles against the wood.
The first thing that Jiho does upon being let in to the suite by Daehyun is scream, “Park Kyung-Park Kyung, what have you been-” Jiho storming past where Yongguk and Youngjae stand near the door, only to be interrupted halfway into his tirade by a whiplash of energy and laughter colliding straight into him. Kyung’s arms are thrown around Jiho’s neck, mouth-to-mouth and-
“Shut up, Woo Jiho,” Kyung says, all too audibly into an all too public kiss.
While Minhyuk is helping Yukwon clean up in the bathroom, Yongguk gathers the others around the dining table. Taeil brings a monitor and the recorded footage, and Kyung and Jiho bring in all the compiled observations that they’ve discussed and gone through with Junhong in the days past. Daehyun is sitting to the side with charts and more design plans in hand, while Youngjae and Jongup on either side of Junhong across from Yongguk.
Jaehyo trails in at the last minute waving a sheaf of papers in hand. Yongguk glances up when he hears the swish of a bath robe. “Can you wear a shirt?” Jiho asks mockingly as he upends the last empty chair before Jaehyo can sit in it.
The sheaf of papers meets the back of Jiho’s head in full swing as Jaehyo glares, righting the chair and plopping down into it. Kyung buries his laughter in Jiho’s shoulder. Jaehyo slides the papers across the table to Yongguk and says, “Finished sending in all the orders so the trucks and guys’ll be down at the warehouse tomorrow as long as Himchan and Jihoonie are ready for them.”
“Yeah,” Youngjae rests his chin on his palm, meeting Yongguk’s eyes. “How come we haven’t gotten any calls from them at all? It’s been a week at least.”
Yongguk ignores how the collar of his shirt suddenly feels a little too tight (drawing in around his throat like a noose), and glances around the table at large. “No one’s heard from Jihoon?” Through an instinct that he doesn’t quite know how to explain (and he blames it on the fact that he’s a thief-blames it on intuition), his eyes fall to Taeil before there’s a painful kick to his ankle and Yongguk’s head whips around to meet Jiho’s eyes. Kyung instantly gives a hasty little shake of his head and Yongguk bites his tongue.
So a lot has happened while Yongguk was in prison.
“I can call him tonight,” Taeil says calmly. “Or you can call Himchan,” he adds and when his gaze meets Yongguk’s, there’s something akin to accusation there, something close to horrible curiosity (and maybe it’s his imagination-maybe it isn’t-but everyone’s gaze is suddenly turned onto Yongguk).
A lot’s happened since Yongguk was in prison and Yongguk isn’t the only one with issues-but Yongguk is the one that needs to get over those issues (or at least bury them) the fastest because he’s the leader. This job was his idea, everyone is here by his request, they’re all looking for a share of those billions of dollars now that they’ve invested time and energy, and if Yongguk lets them down on the first big con he’s had since he got out-
“Sure,” Yongguk says with a smile that yanks at his mouth like cut wires, “I’ll call Himchan.”
“How much did Kyung put on you?” Minhyuk mutters, plucking another handful of tissues and soaking them in remover. Yukwon is freshly showered, hair damp, warm and clean in sweats and a t-shirt-he looks just about ready for bed, and he feels just about ready for bed (he doesn’t understand why every time he pulls an act for Dongsun, it always exhausts him more than past times with other marks have), except for the part where his eyes are still ringed in smudges of black eyeliner.
Yukwon sits on the sink countertop with Minhyuk standing in between the younger man’s dangling legs putting in an admirable effort in trying to scrub away the make-up without scrubbing away Yukwon’s face in the process. Putting aside the fact that no one wants to have their face rubbed red, raw, and sore, they also can’t have Yukwon looking anything less than pristine and unsuspicious for his continuous future instances with Dongsun. “It’s not that he put a lot on,” he says thoughtfully and tries not to wince as Minhyuk’s fingers start to dig into Yukwon’s eyeball. “I think it’s just waterproof.”
Minhyuk holds up the now-nearly-empty bottle of remover. “This isn’t water, Kwon-ah.”
He cracks a smile and shrugs. “I don’t know,” Yukwon says slowly, “I kind of like being a raccoon.”
“I almost just gouged your left eye out,” Minhyuk says and trashes another wet ball of used tissues.
Yukwon slides his bare feet up the backs of Minhyuk’s legs until they grip around his waist, softly drawing the older man closer between Yukwon’s thighs. “Kiss me and we’ll call it even,” Yukwon says generously, hands mockingly hesitant on either side of Minhyuk’s neck. The older man’s hands find Yukwon’s waist and just a moment later there’s a warm smirk pressed against the younger man’s lips.
“We’re gonna need more remover,” Minhyuk murmurs against Yukwon’s lips.
The younger man shrugs. “There’s a drugstore downstairs somewhere. Kyung can run some up later.”
Minhyuk raises his eyebrows, drawing back enough to give Yukwon a long, look. “Really? Think he’s gonna do that for you after what you did to Jiho?”
Yukwon runs his hands over his thighs, plucking at the cloth covering them. “Not my fault he needs to work out more. And he’s not really hurt-a bruise or two maybe.” He twines his arms around Minhyuk’s neck. “Plus-it was on a job-with not a single bad intention in sight, I promise-”
“Kyung and Jiho’ve told me some funny stories about back when you used to be their recruiter,” Minhyuk interrupts smoothly.
He can’t stop the grin that overtakes his entire expression. “Funny how?”
“Sometimes,” Minhyuk says thoughtfully, leisurely, as he strokes his hands up and down the sides of Yukwon’s thighs-up and up and up until the fingers come to rest right at the waistband of the sweatpants. “I think that, for you, being terrifying is how you show people you like them.”
“I don’t terrorize you.”
“Are you sure?” And Minhyuk grins.
Yukwon locks his ankles, securing Minhyuk between his legs. “You don’t seem scared.”
“Trust me,” Minhyuk whispers, low and warm, a smile pressed into Yukwon’s jaw, “I’m terrified.”
Taeil feels him there. He saw him lingering long after everyone else went off to shower, to finish with their respective assignments, to go to bed. Now, after the lights have all been turned off in the main room and it’s only Taeil in the living area, surrounded by the glow of monitors-all showing surveillance feed from strategic points in the hotel and casino, Jaehyo’s face emerges near the doorway that leads in from the backer’s bedroom. His face is caught in the light from the farthest monitor and Taeil doesn’t need to turn-watches the change of expression from the slight reflection on one of the screens.
“So,” Jaehyo begins quietly, “you going to tell me why you’re torturing a kid?”
Taeil’s eyes slide to the side. “You going to mind your own business?”
“He is my business,” Jaehyo shoots back and Taeil hears the other man pad into the room, dragging a chair over backwards and taking a seat beside Taeil. “I’m paying for this con, remember?”
“You’ll get your investment’s worth,” Taeil murmurs, “so shove it.” From the corner of his eyes, he watches as Jaehyo’s deep eyes, deep-lidded, deeply embedded, warm and brown, flutter over the screens. Their shoulders touch, the sides of their legs touch, and Taeil finds himself inching closer towards familiar warmth.
A long moment of wordlessness passes while both pairs of eyes bore into the visual feeds-nothing is really going on, nothing interesting and nothing noteworthy aside from the occasional drunken pass that’s to be plenty expected in a Las Vegas casino at hours so late at night they breech into early morning. “Don’t even,” Jaehyo says without taking his eyes off the screen.
Taeil doesn’t take his hand away from Jaehyo’s thigh. “I’m not torturing him.”
Jaehyo smiles and snorts. “You clearly haven’t talked to him lately.”
“I’ve talked to him.”
“Without your hand in his pants?”
Taeil shrugs.
“You’re horrible,” Jaehyo says, leaning forward onto what little space there was on the table-between being covered in various keyboards and wires, papers and files, empty cups and cups filled with stale coffee. His arms folded beneath his head, chin pillows against the inside of one elbow.
“He’s a good kid,” Taeil says. “He has to grow up sometime. If I’d been with him, don’t you think he’d be falling apart on this job? On a job later?” He pokes Jaehyo’s side to get the other man to meet his gaze. “You don’t want him to end up like-” And Taeil widens his eyes significantly, head jerking back towards the rooms where the younger thieves slept (where Moon Jongup slept).
Jaehyo’s lips quirk slightly. “So you think so too?”
“He likes the con,” Taeil says lightly, “but not enough to be in on this one without a second reason.”
“Think I should let him come when we head down to the warehouse?” Jaehyo rolls his head so that his cheek rests against his arms, eyes glancing slow and easily through his long lashes to click in with Taeil’s own eyes.
Another shrug. “We don’t need him here until recon finishes up. Might as well have him be useful and get on construction.”
And with that, Jaehyo’s lips tighten. “You’re distracting me.”
“Subjects are subject to change-not my problem.”
“Lee Taeil, he’s not a piece of software. You can’t upgrade him as you go.”
Taeil raises his eyebrows-an expression of mock confusion. “Moon Jongup?”
Jaehyo sits up with a sigh, stretching his arms upward and arching his body from side to side. The bath robe falls open wider, an exposed expanse of pale skin all the way down past Jaehyo’s chest-cloth pooling loosely around the flat planes of Jaehyo’s stomach. Taeil makes a show of staring for as long as it takes Jaehyo to notice-which isn’t long-it never is-and their eyes meet in the middle again. “You shouldn’t,” Jaehyo says, tone light.
“If I’d done what Jihoonie wanted me to do, I shouldn’t,” Taeil amends. “But I didn’t. So I could.”
Jaehyo settles back against the chair, scooting over slightly so Taeil has room to stand up off of his own chair and step over towards the backer. “If he finds out?”
Taeil straddles Jaehyo’s lap, knees digging into the other man’s hips. “Then he finds out.” He leans in and kisses Jaehyo once-a breath-a stroke of tongue over collarbone-and then kisses him twice.
“Aren’t you supposed to be watching the comms?” Jaehyo asks as Taeil tugs at the rope holding the robe together and Jaehyo’s hands start to wander over Taeil’s waistband.
“I can still see them from here,” Taeil grins before they kiss again-another short kiss with the sweet promise of coming excitement-tongues just barely brushing corners of lips. “It’s been a while,” he says, going up onto his knees on the chair so that Jaehyo has to look up for their eyes to meet.
Jaehyo smiles-that smile that Taeil’s missed (it’s been too long since they’ve done a con together-they, who were partners long before Yongguk and Himchan-they, who’d shown the underground world the original rendition of partners-in-crime turned lovers-they, who’d decided that some thieves, in the end, are better working off alone-are better as friends who occasionally might or might not warm each other’s beds). It’s a smile that’s several parts goofy, a few parts clumsy, many parts deceiving, plenty of parts endearing, and all parts Ahn Jaehyo.
“It’s been a while,” Jaehyo agrees. When their eyes meet again, just as the robe falls away completely from Jaehyo’s shoulders and Taeil’s shirt is shrugged off over his own head, Taeil sees something there that makes him hunch over himself a little in protection-hates feeling exposed, hates knowing that another person in the world can look at the parts of him he hasn’t given them permission to look at.
(it’s a thief thing-definitely-taking things without permission and so naturally, what thief wants something of his own taken without permission? what irony would it be to steal from a thief?)
“You know,” and Jaehyo’s voice is barely above a whisper now, “it’s okay to fall in love a second time.”
Taeil rummages a hand blindly between Jaehyo’s thighs, pressing closer against Jaehyo’s body (Jaehyo isn’t wearing underwear underneath the robe). He guides Jaehyo’s hand between Taeil’s own thighs, and Jaehyo’s fingers don’t need any more telling before they start to pump Taeil lazily. “I don’t love him,” Taeil says, and he can’t help that his voice is sharp-whether from irritation or pleasure leaves something to be decided.
And then Jaehyo is yanking Taeil in by the neck, fingertips digging into the back juncture between throat and shoulder and Taeil is breathless and frustrated as their hips grind together-Jaehyo’s one arm winding around Taeil’s waist as the backer murmurs into the other man’s ear, “Then stop toying around with him because you and I both know-and Jiho knows and Kyung knows and Minhyuk knows and Yukwon knows-that Jihoonie is getting tired of just being a booty call whenever you’re in town for a job.”
Taeil doesn’t respond with words-yanks both of them down until they’re tumbling from the chair, landing with a painful thud against the rug and if there’re carpet burns on his bare back and thighs tomorrow morning, he can’t seem to bring himself to care right now because Jaehyo’s words have left him speechless and furious and confused and he wraps his legs around Jaehyo’s waist tight enough to bruise.
“Hurry and fuck me, I have to get back to the comms,” Taeil says.
Jaehyo blinks.
Taeil slaps the backer’s face.
“Anything you want,” Jaehyo sighs again, leaning in-one hand against Taeil’s hip, “Lee Taeil.”
“I should let Yukwon mess me up more often,” Jiho sighs, eyes finally opening after the last waves of orgasm leave him. He rolls his head back around a few times, rolls his shoulders to loosen out the bits of stress that still linger. He’s seated on the edge of the bed, and a grin stretches over his face as he leans forward, one arm resting on his own knee and the other outstretched towards the naked body kneeling between Jiho’s legs. His fingers press against Kyung’s cheek, scooping away some of the sticky fluids splattered all over Kyung’s hair and face.
Jiho is still fully clothed, but Kyung’s clothes are scattered like breadcrumbs from the doorway to the bedside. Cock straining painfully against his stomach, pink flushing his cheeks, but Kyung is still grinning like he’s king of the world-confident and careless as he looks up at Jiho. “I’m too nice to you,” he says, tipping his head up for a kiss, and Jiho immediately comes forward, brushing their mouths together-digging his teeth gently on Kyung’s lower lip. “I need to stop kissing your boo-boos all better just because your Yukwonie’s favorite rag doll.”
“Next time, it’s going to be you or Daehyun, I swear,” Jiho mutters and he’s trying his best not to be sore about it but he’s just still so undeniably sore about it. He rubs gingerly again at his hips.
Kyung looks amused. “You think Dongsun’s going to believe that I’m a bodyguard? And we need Daehyun for that other thing.”
“I was kidding-Christ, Park Kyung,” Jiho says with a roll of his eyes and a stroke of his hand along the underside of Kyung’s cock. Jiho grips the base and the amusement is suddenly wiped from Kyung’s face as he leans forward with a cheek pressed against Jiho’s knee. Kyung’s eyes are unfocused and his breaths are coming out in little pants as Jiho continues to stroke up and down with maddeningly slow, deliberate movements. Jiho doesn’t bother holding back the grin that splits his face when he feels Kyung’s nails digging into the taller man’s ankle.
A vocal edge starts to creep into Kyung’s otherwise previously silent breaths-the beginnings of a breathless whine, a hushed whimper, choked gasps, and then Kyung is glaring up at Jiho through half-lidded eyes, through damp strands of hair, color high and warm on the pale skin of his face. The nails that grip Jiho’s ankle are starting to pierce. “I gave you the best fucking blowjob of your life, Woo Jiho-get me off in the next two seconds or I will tear you into-”
And Jiho swallows the pending threat-lets Kyung bite down hard on Jiho’s lip as Jiho’s hands pump him the rest of the way there, continuous movement as Kyung shudders and arches into Jiho’s leg before falling limp and boneless, cheek once again resting on Jiho’s knee. He waits a few moments for Kyung to stop panting, to even out his breaths, before he reaches down and takes Kyung by the hand-fingers threaded. Jiho pulls him up onto the bed and Kyung falls instantly onto his side, eyes closing as his breathing steadies.
Jiho curls his legs off of the floor, kicking off his shoes and sitting with his legs folded in front of him as he rests a hand on Kyung’s shoulder and runs it down the side of Kyung’s body, fingers gently pressing into soft, heated skin. He brings his hand to a stop at the hip before flipping his hand and running back up the same path on Kyung’s body with Jiho’s knuckles. This time however he surpasses the shoulder and brings the back of his hand to Kyung’s cheek, flipping his hand once more and cupping the small face.
He watches as Kyung’s eyes slowly open, lashes fluttering and the warm brown gradually rises to meet Jiho’s own gaze. “If push comes to shove,” Kyung murmurs, “whose side are we on, Jiho-ah?”
“I don’t know,” Jiho replies, and he says it rushed-it comes out too quickly and he holds Kyung’s face a little tighter (slides closer to the other man’s body). His fingers wander into Kyung’s hair. “Push just-better not come to shove.”
Himchan’s voice is low and sleepy in his ear.
For a horrible moment, Yongguk opens his mouth and nothing comes out.
“Hello?” The sleepiness fades slightly-just enough to make room for bemusement. “Yongguk-ah? Aren’t we kind of old for prank calls?”
Yongguk clears his throat loudly. “Jaehyo has the guys ready. He said he can bring them around tomorrow if you and Jihoon have gotten the plans all worked out.”
“Yeah, everything’s ready,” Himchan responds easily and Yongguk lets himself smile a little. “Who else is tagging along?” There’s a shift on the other end-like blankets ruffling, the thump of feet or shoes against wood, and Yongguk frowns because this is supposed to be a short call. He’s going to hang up soon and let Himchan get back to sleep-there’s no reason for Himchan to be climbing out of bed.
“I’m going over to check things out,” Yongguk says, “Youngjae needs to learn the kind of material the vault’s made of so he can start gathering ammunition, Daehyun wants a look and he’ll help around, Jiho and Kyung are coming, Jaehyo’s the one bringing the guys in, and Jongup’s heading over too.”
“So everyone who isn’t holed up over there, then,” Himchan summarizes, and Yongguk hears the creak of a metal on wood-a ladder, he guesses. “I’m sending Jihoon back after tomorrow-you guys can use him there to explain the replica to the ones who can’t come.”
Yongguk nods, phone pressed between ear and shoulder as he unbuttons his shirt. He has a shower running because he doesn’t think he’ll be able to sleep without at least warm water unknotting everything that’s aching and tense in his body after the conference over the footage that just went exactly that swell. “Sounds good. I’ll send him back with Jiho and Kyung, then.”
The other line goes silent for a moment. “Who’s staying at the warehouse after tomorrow?”
“Youngjae, Jaehyo, Jongup,” Yongguk lists, “and me.”
“Aren’t you needed there?” It comes fast-snapped in Himchan’s voice in such an unfamiliar way, entirely foreign and brutal and harsh and icy and it reels Yongguk back with such force that he physically grips the sink in surprise. Yongguk feels like he’s been slapped-punched-kicked in the stomach-gutted and left out to bleed.
He swallows and breathes in deeply and out in a long sigh before he thinks he’s able to reply in at least a semblance of evenness. “I’ll be there a few days and here a few days. I’ll be going back and forth, Himchan-ah.”
“Okay,” and it’s just as swift-just as brisk-marginally less sharp but not much even then. “Okay-sounds good-yeah-okay, then. I’ll talk to you again tomorrow.”
“You’re not in bed, are you?” Yongguk says hesitantly-quietly. “Will you sleep?”
“Goodbye, Yongguk-ah.”
There’s a click on the other line and Yongguk pulls the phone away from his ear. He stares at it for the few seconds it takes to finish stepping out of his pants. The mirror has begun to fog over and he can’t see his reflection anymore. He nests his phone on top of the clothes he scattered on the sink and walks towards the shower. (and he doesn’t think even that’ll help him fall asleep anymore)