Let's Have Fun
Kris/Luhan, Kai/Luhan, ~1600w, Great Gatsby!au, pg.
Kris was the most hopeful person Joonmyun had ever met.
Another piece of ice was hammered off the block and Kai reached up to wipe the sweat of his brow. Tao watched, uninterested, from where he was sprawled across the couch, Luhan lying next to him.
"Can we open another window?" Luhan requested, sounding almost as tired as he looked.
Kris smiled fondly at the man from where he stood. "We've already opened them all."
"Then telephone for an axe."
"Can't you just forget about the heat?" Kai snapped, startling Joonmyun, who had hidden himself in a chair placed in a discreet corner. "You're making it ten times worse by complaining about it."
"Oh, leave him alone, old sport," Kris advised good-naturedly, not taking his eyes off of Luhan.
Silence hung in the air, as heavy as the heat which hadn't been discouraged by any of the fans or the applaudable height of the room. Kai tapped his finger against a muscled arm and finally gave a smirk, eyeing Kris.
"That's an interesting expression of yours."
Kris glanced up, unwillingly dragging his gaze from the lounging blond. "What is?"
"All of this 'old sport.' Where did you pick it up?" Kai asked, dismissing the hotel's servants so that it was just the five of them. His grin increased as he waited for an answer and Tao sat a bit straighter.
Luhan coughed. "Now, Kai. If you're going to start something, I won't stay a minute longer. It's too hot for this."
Tao agreed with a small nod. "Imagine getting married in this weather."
Luhan frowned and dragged himself up so that he was leaning on his elbows, stating dreamily, "Still-I was married in June."
Joonmyun let himself be involved in the inane conversation, arguing about some man who had been at the wedding and fainted. He and Kai had known him well enough, but Tao still seemed bored by the discussion and it soon came to a slow stop. Kris, who hadn't known the man and as a result, hadn't joined the conversation was suddenly the most interesting thing in the room to Kai.
"So," the dark haired man began, brushing back his falling bangs with his hand, "I've been told that you are an Oxford man."
"Not exactly," Kris replied, not skipping a beat.
"But," Kai continued, a smirk tugging at his lips, "I understand you went to Oxford."
Kris brought his attention away from the other high-rises visible from the window. "Yes," he agreed slowly, "I went there."
"When?"
"It was in nineteen-nineteen, I only stayed for five months and therefore really can't call myself an Oxford man," Kris explained with a genial smile.
Kai, thrown off his game, glanced around the room to try and catch someone's eye, but they were all staring at Kris.
"It was a opportunity given to the officers," the tall man went on, "we could go to any university in England or France." From the corner, Joonmyun let out an unheard sigh of relief.
Luhan sat up, an amused smile painted on his face. He reached forward for a glass bottle placed on the table, courtesy of the hotel. "Open the whiskey, Kai. Then you won't seem so stupid."
"Wait a minute," Kai shook his head, eyes cold, "I want to ask him one last question."
Kris nodded invitingly.
"What kind of trouble are you trying to cause?"
Joonmyun froze, hand digging into a padded arm. Now it was all out in the open.
"He isn't causing any trouble," Luhan argued desperately, glancing between the two. "You're the one who's causing trouble. Please, have some self-control."
"Self-control!" Kai scoffed. "I suppose it's the latest thing to just sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife. Well, you can count me out. Nowadays, people sneer at family values."
Joonmyun fought against rolling his eyes as the incensed man carried on with long, sweeping arm motions and the occasional reverberating laugh. Tao watched and delicately placed his chin atop his hand, face impassive.
"I know I'm not very popular. I don't give big parties. I suppose you've got to make your house into an utter mess in order to have friends, now."
Kris' jaw was clenched. "Now I've got something to say to you, old sport-"
"Please don't!" Luhan shouted, rising to his feet, eyes closed and arms spread. "Let's just all go home. Please. Let's just go."
Joonmyun stood as well. "That's a good idea," he agreed, but he was ignored.
"I want to know what he has to tell me," Kai reasoned to the helpless Luhan.
"Luhan doesn't love you. He never loved you. He loves me."
Kai fought for something to say and finally shouted, "you must be crazy!"
"He never loved you," Kris repeated, eyes dancing as he pulled Luhan near. "He only married you because I was poor and he was tired of waiting for me. It was a horrible mistake, but he had never loved anyone apart from me."
It was at this time that Joonmyun made for the door but was stopped by Kai, and with one threatening glance, the shorter brunet sat back in his chair. He and Tao shared a helpless stare and they turned back to the situation at hand.
"Sit down, Luhan," Kai ordered, sucking in a breath when the man stayed beside Kris. "So, enlighten me."
"I just did," Kris spoke eagerly. "This is what's been going on for five years, and you didn't know."
Kai turned sharply to Luhan, who didn't meet his gaze. "Five years? You've been seeing him for five years?"
"Not seeing," Kris clarified, still ridiculously cheerful, "We couldn't meet, but we loved each other the whole time, old sport, and you didn't know. I think that's funny, that you didn't know."
Kai nodded to himself before yelling back, "you're crazy! I've no idea how things were five years ago, but all the rest is a God damned lie. Luhan loved me when he married me and he loves me now."
"No," Kris shook his head, as if dealing with a child.
"He does though!" Kai argued with vigor. "It's just sometimes he gets confused, gets these foolish ideas in his head and he doesn't know what he's doing. And what's more, I love Luhan too. Once in a while I'm away and make a fool of myself, but I always come back. In my heart, I love him always."
"You're revolting," spat Luhan, who had been motionless in Kris' hold for quite a while. He turned to Joonmyun. "Do you know why we left Chicago? I'm surprised that they didn't treat you to that little story."
Kris hummed and ran a comforting hand up the length of Luhan's arm. "That's all over," he promised. "It doesn't matter anymore. Just tell him the truth-that you never loved him-and it's all wiped out. Forever."
Luhan looked up at Kris and whispered, voice suddenly small, "Why... how could I ever love him?"
"You never loved him."
Luhan met Tao's gaze and Joonmyun understood everything by looking into those frightened, teary eyes. Luhan had never intended to comply with Kris. He had never intended to say anything, and now he had just come to the realization that he had, and it was done. It was too late.
Luhan opened his mouth, staring at an unseen object before him. "I never loved him," he stated brokenly.
"Not on our honeymoon?" Kai demanded suddenly.
"No."
"Not that day when I carried you from the dock so your shoes wouldn't get wet?" Kai implored, voice suddenly soft and tender. "... Luhan?"
"Please don't." He begged, voice empty of its previous conviction. He looked up. "There, Kris." With trembling hands, he reached down for a cigarette. After a minute, he threw both the cigarette and his burning match on the ground, pulling away from the taller. "Oh, you want too much!" He cried, "I love you now-why isn't that enough? I can't help what happened in the past," he sobbed, wiping at his lined eyes, "I did love him once-but I loved you too."
Kris stared helplessly, arms holding nothing but air. "You loved me too?"
Kai took his chance. "Even that is a lie. He didn't know you were alive. There are things you'll never know. Things Luhan and I can never forget."
Kris flinched. "I want to speak with Luhan alone-"
"Even alone I couldn't admit I never loved Kai," he admitted, sniffling. "It wouldn't be true."
"Of course," Kai nodded, now self-assured.
Luhan tried to stand straight. "Like it matters to you."
"Of course it matters. I'm going to take better care of you from now on."
"You don't understand," Kris uttered, voice slightly panicked. "You're not going to be taking care of him anymore."
"I'm not?" There was that laugh again. "And why not?"
"He's leaving you."
"Nonsense."
"I am, though!" Luhan shouted, with all the intimidation of a toddler throwing a fit. "I am," he whispered.
"He's not." Kai stated, running a hand through oiled hair. "Definitely not for some swindler who'd have to steal to get a ring."
"Stop!" Luhan cried. "Let's go. Please."
"Who are you anyway?" The smirk appeared once more onto Kai's chiseled face. "I've done some research on you."
"Go ahead, old sport," Kris invited, stone-faced.
"Don't call me old sport," Kai hissed, then cleared his throat. "Involved with bootleggers? I'm not surprised."
Kris' jaw ticked, and he replied with a steady voice.
Luhan stood still, casting terrified glances between the two men.
Joonmyun sat rigidly in his chair and Tao leaned forward on his palm, nervous gaze flickering at the scene before them, looking on as a spectator in the lavish hotel room as Kris slowly fell apart until he was a broken man standing in the center of the room, golden strands of hair hanging in his contorted face, fighting a long lost battle and his once bright and sparkling dreams shattered.
Kris was the most hopeful person Joonmyun had ever met.
Another piece of ice was hammered off the block and Kai reached up to wipe the sweat of his brow. Tao watched, uninterested, from where he was sprawled across the couch, Luhan lying next to him.
"Can we open another window?" Luhan requested, sounding almost as tired as he looked.
Kris smiled fondly at the man from where he stood. "We've already opened them all."
"Then telephone for an axe."
"Can't you just forget about the heat?" Kai snapped, startling Joonmyun, who had hidden himself in a chair placed in a discreet corner. "You're making it ten times worse by complaining about it."
"Oh, leave him alone, old sport," Kris advised good-naturedly, not taking his eyes off of Luhan.
Silence hung in the air, as heavy as the heat which hadn't been discouraged by any of the fans or the applaudable height of the room. Kai tapped his finger against a muscled arm and finally gave a smirk, eyeing Kris.
"That's an interesting expression of yours."
Kris glanced up, unwillingly dragging his gaze from the lounging blond. "What is?"
"All of this 'old sport.' Where did you pick it up?" Kai asked, dismissing the hotel's servants so that it was just the five of them. His grin increased as he waited for an answer and Tao sat a bit straighter.
Luhan coughed. "Now, Kai. If you're going to start something, I won't stay a minute longer. It's too hot for this."
Tao agreed with a small nod. "Imagine getting married in this weather."
Luhan frowned and dragged himself up so that he was leaning on his elbows, stating dreamily, "Still-I was married in June."
Joonmyun let himself be involved in the inane conversation, arguing about some man who had been at the wedding and fainted. He and Kai had known him well enough, but Tao still seemed bored by the discussion and it soon came to a slow stop. Kris, who hadn't known the man and as a result, hadn't joined the conversation was suddenly the most interesting thing in the room to Kai.
"So," the dark haired man began, brushing back his falling bangs with his hand, "I've been told that you are an Oxford man."
"Not exactly," Kris replied, not skipping a beat.
"But," Kai continued, a smirk tugging at his lips, "I understand you went to Oxford."
Kris brought his attention away from the other high-rises visible from the window. "Yes," he agreed slowly, "I went there."
"When?"
"It was in nineteen-nineteen, I only stayed for five months and therefore really can't call myself an Oxford man," Kris explained with a genial smile.
Kai, thrown off his game, glanced around the room to try and catch someone's eye, but they were all staring at Kris.
"It was a opportunity given to the officers," the tall man went on, "we could go to any university in England or France." From the corner, Joonmyun let out an unheard sigh of relief.
Luhan sat up, an amused smile painted on his face. He reached forward for a glass bottle placed on the table, courtesy of the hotel. "Open the whiskey, Kai. Then you won't seem so stupid."
"Wait a minute," Kai shook his head, eyes cold, "I want to ask him one last question."
Kris nodded invitingly.
"What kind of trouble are you trying to cause?"
Joonmyun froze, hand digging into a padded arm. Now it was all out in the open.
"He isn't causing any trouble," Luhan argued desperately, glancing between the two. "You're the one who's causing trouble. Please, have some self-control."
"Self-control!" Kai scoffed. "I suppose it's the latest thing to just sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife. Well, you can count me out. Nowadays, people sneer at family values."
Joonmyun fought against rolling his eyes as the incensed man carried on with long, sweeping arm motions and the occasional reverberating laugh. Tao watched and delicately placed his chin atop his hand, face impassive.
"I know I'm not very popular. I don't give big parties. I suppose you've got to make your house into an utter mess in order to have friends, now."
Kris' jaw was clenched. "Now I've got something to say to you, old sport-"
"Please don't!" Luhan shouted, rising to his feet, eyes closed and arms spread. "Let's just all go home. Please. Let's just go."
Joonmyun stood as well. "That's a good idea," he agreed, but he was ignored.
"I want to know what he has to tell me," Kai reasoned to the helpless Luhan.
"Luhan doesn't love you. He never loved you. He loves me."
Kai fought for something to say and finally shouted, "you must be crazy!"
"He never loved you," Kris repeated, eyes dancing as he pulled Luhan near. "He only married you because I was poor and he was tired of waiting for me. It was a horrible mistake, but he had never loved anyone apart from me."
It was at this time that Joonmyun made for the door but was stopped by Kai, and with one threatening glance, the shorter brunet sat back in his chair. He and Tao shared a helpless stare and they turned back to the situation at hand.
"Sit down, Luhan," Kai ordered, sucking in a breath when the man stayed beside Kris. "So, enlighten me."
"I just did," Kris spoke eagerly. "This is what's been going on for five years, and you didn't know."
Kai turned sharply to Luhan, who didn't meet his gaze. "Five years? You've been seeing him for five years?"
"Not seeing," Kris clarified, still ridiculously cheerful, "We couldn't meet, but we loved each other the whole time, old sport, and you didn't know. I think that's funny, that you didn't know."
Kai nodded to himself before yelling back, "you're crazy! I've no idea how things were five years ago, but all the rest is a God damned lie. Luhan loved me when he married me and he loves me now."
"No," Kris shook his head, as if dealing with a child.
"He does though!" Kai argued with vigor. "It's just sometimes he gets confused, gets these foolish ideas in his head and he doesn't know what he's doing. And what's more, I love Luhan too. Once in a while I'm away and make a fool of myself, but I always come back. In my heart, I love him always."
"You're revolting," spat Luhan, who had been motionless in Kris' hold for quite a while. He turned to Joonmyun. "Do you know why we left Chicago? I'm surprised that they didn't treat you to that little story."
Kris hummed and ran a comforting hand up the length of Luhan's arm. "That's all over," he promised. "It doesn't matter anymore. Just tell him the truth-that you never loved him-and it's all wiped out. Forever."
Luhan looked up at Kris and whispered, voice suddenly small, "Why... how could I ever love him?"
"You never loved him."
Luhan met Tao's gaze and Joonmyun understood everything by looking into those frightened, teary eyes. Luhan had never intended to comply with Kris. He had never intended to say anything, and now he had just come to the realization that he had, and it was done. It was too late.
Luhan opened his mouth, staring at an unseen object before him. "I never loved him," he stated brokenly.
"Not on our honeymoon?" Kai demanded suddenly.
"No."
"Not that day when I carried you from the dock so your shoes wouldn't get wet?" Kai implored, voice suddenly soft and tender. "... Luhan?"
"Please don't." He begged, voice empty of its previous conviction. He looked up. "There, Kris." With trembling hands, he reached down for a cigarette. After a minute, he threw both the cigarette and his burning match on the ground, pulling away from the taller. "Oh, you want too much!" He cried, "I love you now-why isn't that enough? I can't help what happened in the past," he sobbed, wiping at his lined eyes, "I did love him once-but I loved you too."
Kris stared helplessly, arms holding nothing but air. "You loved me too?"
Kai took his chance. "Even that is a lie. He didn't know you were alive. There are things you'll never know. Things Luhan and I can never forget."
Kris flinched. "I want to speak with Luhan alone-"
"Even alone I couldn't admit I never loved Kai," he admitted, sniffling. "It wouldn't be true."
"Of course," Kai nodded, now self-assured.
Luhan tried to stand straight. "Like it matters to you."
"Of course it matters. I'm going to take better care of you from now on."
"You don't understand," Kris uttered, voice slightly panicked. "You're not going to be taking care of him anymore."
"I'm not?" There was that laugh again. "And why not?"
"He's leaving you."
"Nonsense."
"I am, though!" Luhan shouted, with all the intimidation of a toddler throwing a fit. "I am," he whispered.
"He's not." Kai stated, running a hand through oiled hair. "Definitely not for some swindler who'd have to steal to get a ring."
"Stop!" Luhan cried. "Let's go. Please."
"Who are you anyway?" The smirk appeared once more onto Kai's chiseled face. "I've done some research on you."
"Go ahead, old sport," Kris invited, stone-faced.
"Don't call me old sport," Kai hissed, then cleared his throat. "Involved with bootleggers? I'm not surprised."
Kris' jaw ticked, and he replied with a steady voice.
Luhan stood still, casting terrified glances between the two men.
Joonmyun sat rigidly in his chair and Tao leaned forward on his palm, nervous gaze flickering at the scene before them, looking on as a spectator in the lavish hotel room as Kris slowly fell apart until he was a broken man standing in the center of the room, golden strands of hair hanging in his contorted face, fighting a long lost battle and his once bright and sparkling dreams shattered.