in this story, the end isn't the most important (oneshot)
Written for my Weibird Lyric Challenge.
In this story, the ending isn't the most important.
vixx, hongbin/ken, mad men AU
pg-13, 1227w
Every story has a name
Using its appearance
Taking its place walking in the city
Just like a chess piece
Every name has a story
Using its way of life
To explain, interpret, or be fresh
To make every word of the story connect into a poem
What's strangest is that in this story, the ending isn't the most important
"You've got a call on line one," the woman's voice called through the intercom. After the debacle with his last secretary, Hongbin hadn't learned the name of this one yet. She was nice enough, but a temp from some company they had a contract with and she had yet to make him coffee he could stomach drinking. Hopefully Sanghyuk would find a decent permanent replacement soon.
Hongbin sighed and pressed the button to reply. "From whom?" he asked with obvious annoyance.
"Didn't give a name, sir. Just said it was about your lunch appointment."
Before he could counter that he didn't have a lunch appointment, Hongbin's eyebrows raised and he couldn't stop himself from grinning. "Of course," he replied, trying to keep his pleasure from affecting his voice. "Put him through."
There was a pause long enough for Hongbin to worry the call had been disconnected, and then suddenly a voice chirped, "Be here at one or I'll hit you on the head."
Hongbin wanted to roll his eyes but managing that while smiling as much as he was proved impossible. After making a note in his planner, he let his secretary know he was going out for lunch and would probably be late getting back. She seemed surprised, but no one else in the office would be. Hongbin's lunches out always ran late.
Jaehwan's apartment was a short cab ride away from Hongbin's office. Only months before Jaehwan had been living in a stuffy two bedroom apartment on the other side of town with a less than welcoming roommate, but after dealing with the inconvenience for over a year, Hongbin had decided enough was enough. Convincing Jaehwan to move hadn't been easy, but in the end he couldn't argue that this place made his own commute easier, not to mention Hongbin's trip when he came over.
When Hongbin wanted something, he could be irresistibly persuasive.
"They're doing construction again," Jaehwan murmured in a halfhearted whine as he twisted in the sheets, shifting closer in the bed even though there was barley enough room for both of then as it was. That was something else Hongbin was hoping to upgrade, but as in all things that involved Jaehwan, accomplishing it would take time.
Hongbin ran his hand through Jaehwan's hair and rested his cheek against the top of Jaehwan's head. "You haven't been sleeping much," he commented. The shadows under Jaehwan's eyes were evidence enough of that.
Jaehwan sighed through his smile, an awkward contrast of expressions that only Jaehwan could pull off. Rather than answer, he kissed Hongbin slowly, like Hongbin wasn't already an hour late for work, and the gentle press of Jaehwan's lips made Hongbin wish he never had to leave the bed. His hands drifted down to the small of Jaehwan's back. Jaehwan's skin was indescribably soft and very briefly Hongbin felt a burn of desire that hinted he could go a second round, but he knew better. "I could get you a job, you know. One where you could sleep at night and not the middle of the day when it's so loud." He mumbled this against Jaehwan's neck as he pressed kisses along his throat.
At that, Jaehwan pulled away. The tiny crease between his eyebrows was the only sign of his frown. "I like my job," he laughed quietly and stretched in bed. Hongbin nearly whined in protest as Jaehwan sat up and started pulling on his clothes.
It was an offer Hongbin had made a dozen times before, and he doubted he'd ever stop making it. There was something deliciously attractive about the idea of having Jaehwan in his office. He sighed and arched his back to stretch as Jaehwan dressed. "Fine, fine," he conceded. "But how about we go away somewhere? How about this weekend?"
Looking at Hongbin over his shoulder, Jaehwan looked hesitantly interested. "What would your wife think?"
"A business trip." Hongbin smiled and Jaehwan shook his head disapprovingly.
"You should see your kids. You work too much."
Hongbin rolled his eyes and sat up. The pleasant laziness of the afternoon was quickly wearing off. "Now you sound like my wife."
"Don't say that," Jaehwan muttered, his voice quiet but sharp. The tone was utterly unusual and Hongbin paused as he buttoned his shirt. Jaehwan shot him a brief but pained look from across the room and then returned to getting dressed, pulling his shirt over his head. A pang of guilt made Hongbin frown. He stared at the floor like an admonished child and waited for Jaehwan to finish dressing before he closed the distance between them again. Jaehwan was tense when Hongbin wrapped his arms around him from behind. He kissed the small bit of neck the collared shirt exposed and, after an exasperated sound, Jaehwan laughed again. He turned around in Hongbin's arms and rested his hands on Hongbin's shoulders. "Things are pretty good as they are, right?" His eyes beamed at the question and all Hongbin could do was kiss Jaehwan again. The answer Jaehwan wanted wasn't the one Hongbin could give, so kisses would have to do.
Hongbin could give Jaehwan and apartment, could give me a job, could give him anything money could buy, but no matter how hard Hongbin liked to pretend otherwise, he couldn't give Jaehwan anything meaningful.
"Where are you singing tonight?" he asked, still a little breathless from the kiss. The subject change perked Jaehwan up immediately, and he grabbed a glossy flier from his dresser. Hongbin eyed it in Jaehwan hand but was far more preoccupied with the proud glow in Jaehwan's expression.
Eyes only for the flier at the moment, Jaehwan grinned. "Some ritzy place downtown, not too far from your office I think." He glanced up in a weak excuse for a glare. "But don't you dare stop by. You make me nervous."
Hongbin laughed and snatched the flier away to set it safely back on the dresser. Jaehwan pouted momentarily before Hongbin pulled him close again, backing him up against the bed. The two of them fell awkwardly and Jaehwan laughed and tried to shove Hongbin off. "It's time to go." Hongbin shook his head against Jaehwan's neck and held on tighter. Flailing for a few seconds, Jaehwan eventually gave up. The apartment was serene and still, and Hongbin closed his eyes and focused on the subtle rhythm of Jaehwan's heart through his shirt. Usually he would be gone by now, but everything outside of this place was incredibly unappealing all of a sudden. It would be so much easier to just stay like this and pretend the outside world didn't exist.
Except that it was everything else that made this place possible.
"You'll be back tomorrow," Jaehwan said soothingly. His hands rubbed circles against Hongbin's shoulders. Sometimes it was unnerving how well Jaehwan could read Hongbin's emotions, but mostly Hongbin was grateful. Expressing himself at times was hard; some things he just couldn't say, not without lying or making everything worse.
Hongbin pulled away and helped Jaehwan back up. He was smiling sheepishly and leaned in to give Jaehwan another, this time softer, kiss. Jaehwan hummed in appreciation and held Hongbin's hand while they walked to the door together.
"See you tomorrow," Hongbin mumbled. Jaehwan leaned against the ajar door and smiled, a slight tease in his eyes.
Ask me questions/make requests/prompt me!
In this story, the ending isn't the most important.
vixx, hongbin/ken, mad men AU
pg-13, 1227w
Every story has a name
Using its appearance
Taking its place walking in the city
Just like a chess piece
Every name has a story
Using its way of life
To explain, interpret, or be fresh
To make every word of the story connect into a poem
What's strangest is that in this story, the ending isn't the most important
"You've got a call on line one," the woman's voice called through the intercom. After the debacle with his last secretary, Hongbin hadn't learned the name of this one yet. She was nice enough, but a temp from some company they had a contract with and she had yet to make him coffee he could stomach drinking. Hopefully Sanghyuk would find a decent permanent replacement soon.
Hongbin sighed and pressed the button to reply. "From whom?" he asked with obvious annoyance.
"Didn't give a name, sir. Just said it was about your lunch appointment."
Before he could counter that he didn't have a lunch appointment, Hongbin's eyebrows raised and he couldn't stop himself from grinning. "Of course," he replied, trying to keep his pleasure from affecting his voice. "Put him through."
There was a pause long enough for Hongbin to worry the call had been disconnected, and then suddenly a voice chirped, "Be here at one or I'll hit you on the head."
Hongbin wanted to roll his eyes but managing that while smiling as much as he was proved impossible. After making a note in his planner, he let his secretary know he was going out for lunch and would probably be late getting back. She seemed surprised, but no one else in the office would be. Hongbin's lunches out always ran late.
Jaehwan's apartment was a short cab ride away from Hongbin's office. Only months before Jaehwan had been living in a stuffy two bedroom apartment on the other side of town with a less than welcoming roommate, but after dealing with the inconvenience for over a year, Hongbin had decided enough was enough. Convincing Jaehwan to move hadn't been easy, but in the end he couldn't argue that this place made his own commute easier, not to mention Hongbin's trip when he came over.
When Hongbin wanted something, he could be irresistibly persuasive.
"They're doing construction again," Jaehwan murmured in a halfhearted whine as he twisted in the sheets, shifting closer in the bed even though there was barley enough room for both of then as it was. That was something else Hongbin was hoping to upgrade, but as in all things that involved Jaehwan, accomplishing it would take time.
Hongbin ran his hand through Jaehwan's hair and rested his cheek against the top of Jaehwan's head. "You haven't been sleeping much," he commented. The shadows under Jaehwan's eyes were evidence enough of that.
Jaehwan sighed through his smile, an awkward contrast of expressions that only Jaehwan could pull off. Rather than answer, he kissed Hongbin slowly, like Hongbin wasn't already an hour late for work, and the gentle press of Jaehwan's lips made Hongbin wish he never had to leave the bed. His hands drifted down to the small of Jaehwan's back. Jaehwan's skin was indescribably soft and very briefly Hongbin felt a burn of desire that hinted he could go a second round, but he knew better. "I could get you a job, you know. One where you could sleep at night and not the middle of the day when it's so loud." He mumbled this against Jaehwan's neck as he pressed kisses along his throat.
At that, Jaehwan pulled away. The tiny crease between his eyebrows was the only sign of his frown. "I like my job," he laughed quietly and stretched in bed. Hongbin nearly whined in protest as Jaehwan sat up and started pulling on his clothes.
It was an offer Hongbin had made a dozen times before, and he doubted he'd ever stop making it. There was something deliciously attractive about the idea of having Jaehwan in his office. He sighed and arched his back to stretch as Jaehwan dressed. "Fine, fine," he conceded. "But how about we go away somewhere? How about this weekend?"
Looking at Hongbin over his shoulder, Jaehwan looked hesitantly interested. "What would your wife think?"
"A business trip." Hongbin smiled and Jaehwan shook his head disapprovingly.
"You should see your kids. You work too much."
Hongbin rolled his eyes and sat up. The pleasant laziness of the afternoon was quickly wearing off. "Now you sound like my wife."
"Don't say that," Jaehwan muttered, his voice quiet but sharp. The tone was utterly unusual and Hongbin paused as he buttoned his shirt. Jaehwan shot him a brief but pained look from across the room and then returned to getting dressed, pulling his shirt over his head. A pang of guilt made Hongbin frown. He stared at the floor like an admonished child and waited for Jaehwan to finish dressing before he closed the distance between them again. Jaehwan was tense when Hongbin wrapped his arms around him from behind. He kissed the small bit of neck the collared shirt exposed and, after an exasperated sound, Jaehwan laughed again. He turned around in Hongbin's arms and rested his hands on Hongbin's shoulders. "Things are pretty good as they are, right?" His eyes beamed at the question and all Hongbin could do was kiss Jaehwan again. The answer Jaehwan wanted wasn't the one Hongbin could give, so kisses would have to do.
Hongbin could give Jaehwan and apartment, could give me a job, could give him anything money could buy, but no matter how hard Hongbin liked to pretend otherwise, he couldn't give Jaehwan anything meaningful.
"Where are you singing tonight?" he asked, still a little breathless from the kiss. The subject change perked Jaehwan up immediately, and he grabbed a glossy flier from his dresser. Hongbin eyed it in Jaehwan hand but was far more preoccupied with the proud glow in Jaehwan's expression.
Eyes only for the flier at the moment, Jaehwan grinned. "Some ritzy place downtown, not too far from your office I think." He glanced up in a weak excuse for a glare. "But don't you dare stop by. You make me nervous."
Hongbin laughed and snatched the flier away to set it safely back on the dresser. Jaehwan pouted momentarily before Hongbin pulled him close again, backing him up against the bed. The two of them fell awkwardly and Jaehwan laughed and tried to shove Hongbin off. "It's time to go." Hongbin shook his head against Jaehwan's neck and held on tighter. Flailing for a few seconds, Jaehwan eventually gave up. The apartment was serene and still, and Hongbin closed his eyes and focused on the subtle rhythm of Jaehwan's heart through his shirt. Usually he would be gone by now, but everything outside of this place was incredibly unappealing all of a sudden. It would be so much easier to just stay like this and pretend the outside world didn't exist.
Except that it was everything else that made this place possible.
"You'll be back tomorrow," Jaehwan said soothingly. His hands rubbed circles against Hongbin's shoulders. Sometimes it was unnerving how well Jaehwan could read Hongbin's emotions, but mostly Hongbin was grateful. Expressing himself at times was hard; some things he just couldn't say, not without lying or making everything worse.
Hongbin pulled away and helped Jaehwan back up. He was smiling sheepishly and leaned in to give Jaehwan another, this time softer, kiss. Jaehwan hummed in appreciation and held Hongbin's hand while they walked to the door together.
"See you tomorrow," Hongbin mumbled. Jaehwan leaned against the ajar door and smiled, a slight tease in his eyes.
Ask me questions/make requests/prompt me!