Title: Don’t Tell Me Anything (Read My Thoughts)

Pairing: XiuHan

Summary: A series of inconvenience in Minseok’s life might actually for once lead to a good thing.

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Minseok doesn’t remember the last time his day was so ty.

The world seems to have deiced to play a vicious prank on him first thing in the morning by breaking his espresso machine and making him stop by that awful coffee shop around the corner that somehow always misses his order by putting too much sugar. He throws the awful drink in the trash by the road, only to have a wild taxi run down the street and drain the entire puddle of water with its tires. It happens too fast that he doesn’t have time to freeze the puddle on time or use his powers at all. Minseok doesn’t even want to look at his ruined trousers and shirt as he misses the bus and simply decides to walk to work. Joonmyun is a patient man, he’ll forgive him for being late. 

 

 

Turns out Joonmyun is not the most patient person in the world as he scowls at Minseok entering the office twenty minutes later than expected. The moment Minseok walks through the door he can see his superior standing by his desk, a stack of folders neatly packed at the centre of the desk. Minseok fights to roll his eyes as Joonmyun points him to his chair, mouth pursed and sweat breaking on his forehead.

“Please look at me first,” Minseok says, showing his stained uniform at Joonmyun. “Have some mercy.”

“Twenty minutes and thirty four seconds, and not even your pants are clean.”

“Sir, I-“

“Crime is not going to wait twenty minutes and thirty four seconds for you to put a clean pair of pants and fight it, Kim Minseok. The number of unsolved cases is rising, we’re losing control in the East Wing and not to mention that maniac is still putting everything on fire in the West!” Joonmyun is now red in face, ready to explode any second. He’s managed to grab the attention of everyone in the station and Minseok feels himself going red as well, only in embarrassment.

“Some choose the bad side after the explosion and decided to use their powers for their own personal goals, to destroy and ransack. But people like us Minseok, the ones who want to help the innocent and prevent further disaster, use their powers for greater good and show on time for it. I’ve forgiven you many things in the past, Kim, but this time I won’t tolerate it. 10% off.“

“But I didn’t-”

“No buts! We’re done discussing this. Now get the top file and meet me in my office, but only after you change your uniform. Got it?”

“Yes sir”

Joonmyun turns on his heel and leaves for his office. Everyone who was staring in their direction seem to be back to their files and computers, everyone except for Kyungsoo who walks to Minseok’s side and puts a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“They say his boyfriend hasn’t been giving him enough head, that’s why he’s a bit cranky,” Kyungsoo explains.

“I heard that!” Joonmyun rattles from his office and everyone in the station jumps at the voice.

Kyungsoo shrugs his shoulders. “I can tell Sehun to blow hot air on your pants and dry them.”

Minseok feels himself blush again, but gives a smile nonetheless. “Thanks for the offer, but I have a spare in the locker.”

“Anytime. Now go and change,” Kyungsoo ushers and pushes Minseok towards the locker room.

“Wait, I need to get the file first!”

Minseok doesn’t even get a chance to grab the top file as Kyungsoo tries to get it for him as well, only the latter for some reason grabs the one at the far bottom and pulls it out. The entire construction of plastic folders and stapled paper comes crushing down in a blink. Kyungsoo gives him a sheepish smile.

It’s official. This is the worst day of Minseok’s life.

 

 

Minseok only gets to change into a clean shirt and stick his badge of the EFUP – Exodus Federal Unit Police – until a warning comes from Joonmyun’s office making him run out of the bathroom and down the hall where his desk is, along with Joonmyun’s office.

The station he works in is only assigned to the west side of Exodus. It’s a mere construction set as an investigation and report centre, therefore it has no prison cells or custody rights – the guys in the East Wing are responsible for that. Joonmyun used to work with the top section for five years till the incident with one of the prisoners seven months ago – something about fire in one of the cells and Joonmyun not managing to set it off despite his power - which brought him to this part of the town. He still hasn’t gotten over his lost position and the insignificant role this station has, but he tries hard for all of them and, honestly, Minseok sometimes feels bad for the guy.

What upsets Minseok the most is, despite the minor role the station has or its lack of legal representatives, ever since Joonmyun came to the office he seems to have brought all the criminals from Exodus to this side of the town. Minseok remembers the time when they had to deal with nothing more than minor break-ins, shoplifts and insignificant traffic offenses, but now - in the past week there were at least five reports of arson and not to mention that poor girl found in a back alley, her body covered in third degree electrical burns. Minseok shudders at the memory of him and Kyungsoo standing by the examiner table, Joonmyun pale as a ghost as they gave out their reports.

That’s why it comes as a no surprise to him when he passes the waiting room and finds his colleague Seulgi guarding over a cuffed girl that threatens to bring the entire station to the ground, or Sehun fighting with what looks like a minor sending smirks his way and disappearing at the other side of the room, only to appear right behind Sehun. Teleportation – not the first time dealing with ones like that.

And as much as Minseok would like to assist Sehun, he has to greet Joonmyun’s rage once more.

He gives a silent nod to Kyungsoo who passes him a folder as he rushes to Joonmyun’s office. The stack, which was turned over minutes ago, is now set in a neat pile on Minseok’s desk, just the way Joonmyun left it the first time. Kyungsoo is a good friend, Minseok concludes.

“You still haven’t changed your pants,” is the first thing Joonmyun says when Minseok walks in and before Minseok could respond him Joonmyun shakes his head and shows him the chair placed in front of his desk. “Let’s just discuss this case so I can work on other stuff.” 

Minseok nods and opens the file. The first thing that greets him is a mugshot of a young man, somewhere in his mid twenties, grinning brightly despite the row of numbers he holds in his hands. Minseok ignores how malicious his eyes are, and how ridiculously stunning he looks, all for the sake of his mind.

“Han Lu, twenty six years old, taken into custody four times so far, every time released in less than six days,” Joonmyun begins explaining. “He’s mostly been caught for major break-ins, the biggest one at downtown six months ago when reportedly he and his friends tried to get in the system and steal over 10 billion. He’s been released for the lack of material evidence. Apparently the security cameras stopped working the second he lay his fingers on them. No money has been brought out and he was the only one caught.”

Minseok goes through the file and gives Joonmyun a confused look. “But you said he wasn’t alone. What happened to the others?”

“They escaped. The guy surrendered willingly.”

Minseok can’t help the small surprised “oh” that leaves his lips when he reads the report of the robbery and Lu Han’s interrogation.

“That’s right. Three days after that he gets released. Can you believe that!”

“N-no, but what about his power? Are there any information about it?” Minseok asks.

“The second page. You’ll find all you have to know there.”

Minseok turns the page and his eyes land on the descriptions of electricity running through Lu Han’s veins, high voltage and lightning at the tips of his fingers. So electricity; that explains how he could mess with the wires behind the security cameras. Minseok continues to read about the burns he left while the inspectors in the East tried to examine him.

‘The Mutant doesn’t react to isolators included rubber, porcelain, wood and paper. The examination was stopped during the inconvenience brought by the…’

Minseok doesn’t read further. The words Mutant is something he tried to bury at the back of his mind, but it’s something he still runs into while reading medical or police reports, despite the classified title he and the ones like him carry.

“What’s he brought in for this time?”

“As the 90% of them in the past week. Someone saw him lurking around the crime scene in the Emperor’s a couple of days ago. Just try to get as much information as you can out of him.”

‘So it’s the girl they’re asking him about. No wonder they brought him in, with the power he possesses he is the perfect suspect’, Minseok thinks.

“Where is he now?”

“Room 3, I’ll be watching you question him.”

“Understood”

“Oh, and Byun is already waiting for you there.”

“Wait! Which Byun are we talking about here?”

Joonmyun raises his eyebrow. “The one and only Byun, Minseok. Now get to work. I’ll be there in five.”

Just when Minseok thought his day couldn’t get worse.

 

 

“Byun Baekhyun is not a bad person, just very annoying. Byun Baekhyun is not a bad person, just very annoying. Byun Baekhyun is not a bad person, just very an-“ Minseok stops chanting as he finds himself in front of the Room 3. And really, Byun Baekhyun wasn’t a bad person at all, but considering his hobbies included slurping his coffee, making the light bulb flicker at random times and going through Minseok’s internet history when he wasn’t around, it put him on top of the list of people whose toilet seats Minseok freezes before they get to the bathroom.

Bracing himself with a deep sigh, Minseok grips the lock and opens the door.

Baekhyun is already seated at the only table in the room, legs propped on the desk and aimlessly going through his phone. He doesn’t seem to be paying attention to the man sitting on the other side, more properly than Baekhyun though, with his hands cuffed and held behind his back. Lu Han looks up from the table and Minseok feels as if he’s been struck by lightning.

Lu Han’s even more stunning in person. With his dark hair slicked back and leather jacket thrown over a worn out shirt he reminds Minseok of the guys that take you behind school’s bleachers during class and make out with you right before they you off in the teacher’s bathroom during recess and break in your room after curfew. But at the same time Minseok remembers his current state and immediately regrets his dirty pants, badly regrets for not changing them on time.

‘Well, wouldn’t mind you taking them off for me’ Minseok’s thoughts are directed at Lu Han and the latter raises his eyebrow questioningly. Then it hits Minseok that he’s been standing by the entrance for a while with Baekhyun still unaware of his presence.

The file being thrown on the desk seems to bring Baekhyun to reality as he jumps at the sound and throws his phone on the desk. He greets Minseok with a bright smile when he sits by his side, pushing Baekhyun’s legs off the table in the process.

“Lu Han, please welcome my dear colleague Kim Minseok. He’s going to ask you some questions with me. Nothing too personal, just where you’ve been last week and how you spend your days usually.”

‘Byun Baekhyun is not a bad person, just an idiot. Byun Baekhyun is not a bad person, just an idiot,’ Minseok repeats to himself and Lu Han seems to laugh at Minseok’s dumbfounded face, than turns to face Baekhyun.

“That sounds very personal to me,” Lu Han says.

Unlike Minseok, Baekhyun has no problems with expressing his emotions by making inappropriate faces and making exaggerated noises despite the surroundings. That’s why he rolls his eyes and nudges Minseok with his elbow.

“Such a pest, you deal with him now.  I’ve tried my best.”

Minseok has to bite on his tongue and not snap at the other man for being a moron. He has a job and reputation to keep after all.

“Fine!  So, Lu Han, tell me about your whereabouts on Thursday night last week.”

Lu Han’s eyes switch from Minseok to Baekhyun a couple of times till they finally settle on Minseok. Well, more precisely on Minseok’s lips, but the latter ignores that.

“I stayed at home.”

Minseok opens his mouth to question him further but Baekhyun cuts in just as fast.

“You’re lying!” Baekhyun throws open Lu Han’s file and points at a random page. “We have a report of you lurking around the Emperor’s around eleven pm on Thursday. Now tell me what you were looking for there.”

Lu Han gives Baekhyun a short, unimpressed look. “I’ve told you already, I stayed at home around that time.”

“We could go like this for days, Lu Han, but I won’t let you go till you spill the truth.”

“Do you have anyone to confirm that for you?” Minseok asks this time and Lu Han’s attention is back on him again.

“No, you’ll just have to trust me on this one love.” He gives Minseok a lazy grin, his eyes running up and down his chest. Minseok feels his pants growing tight.

‘Don’t get hard, don’t you dare Kim Minseok! You’re a grown man and a professional. You’re not going to let a suspect who looks like he could make your teenage dreams come true make you hard in the middle of a interrogation, no matter how much you want to bang him.’

Baekhyun starts yelling something at Lu Han and the latter only grins at Minseok.

‘Or the other way. He can bang you as well, yeah...’

 Minseok coughs, clearing his throat before he asks again.

“So you’re alone?”

“How is that relevant, Minseok?” Baekhyun asks and Minseok waves him off.

“Except on Friday nights. Sometimes Wednesdays and Saturdays as well.”

“He meant do you live alone, idiot?”

‘No I didn’t”

“Oh that… nah. I have a roommate, but he’s not home often. The last time I saw him was like two weeks ago.”

“Can I have the name of your roommate, please?” Baekhyun asks, making Lu Han shrug his shoulders.

He tells the name and watches as Baekhyun writes it down in the folder, murmuring something under his breath. Minseok stays silent since it’s Lu Han leaning over the table and his jacket slightly falling off his shoulder, revealing his tattooed neck, that assure him of producing nothing but a moan if he even dares and open his mouth.

Lu Han laughs at something Baekhyun is writing, commenting how they choose his prettiest picture for the folder. That makes Baekhyun push Lu Han back in his chair, making the other man laugh and settle in the chair with his legs propped on the desk.

‘Yup, you totally want to bang him Minseok. You must be very proud of yourself.’

Minseok feels sweat gathering on his forehead. He wants to leave this room and go home, take a cold shower and probably as well. Although he’s safe in his thoughts, there’s that slightly uncomfortable feeling of the effect Lu Han has on him, if it’s visible to everyone, including Joonmyun watching them from behind glass at the moment.

Oh poor Joonmyun. Minseok coughs, hiding his grin in his elbow. Baekhyun and Lu Han don’t seem to be paying attention to him as he shifts in his seat and tries not grin even wider. The image of Joonmyun’s face finding about Minseok being by a criminal flashes in his mind and he almost breaks into a laugh. Bless his safe thoughts.

‘Come one Joonmyun, cough if you can read my mind.’

Someone does cough, but it’s not Joonmyun. Minseok freezes and terrified he turns to look at the two man still arguing, but it looks more like Baekhyun barking and Lu Han laughing at him.

“Can I please get a glass of water?” Lu Han asks, turning his head towards the glass taking over the wall on their left. “I know someone’s over there; this ain’t my first time in a place like this. I feel my throat going dry at answering your idiotic questions.”

Visibly pissed, Baekhyun starts to yell but Joonmyun walking in the room makes all of them still and look at the head of the station shake his head and point at Lu Han.

“Release him, he’s of no use. I don’t want to waste my time on petty criminals like you,” he tells Lu Han, making the said criminal laugh.

“The only one being petty in this room is you, Kim Joonmyun.”

Joonmyun grits his teeth and Minseok can see his hands closing in fists by his side. The grin Lu Han wore till the very second vanishes as he fully faces Joonmyun.

“The Phoenix sends his regards.”

“Get him out of my sight.”

The door Joonmyun walked through shuts with a bang, rattling the entire frame. Baekhyun turns to look at Minseok with raised eyebrows to which he only can answer with a confused look of his own. At Joonmyun’s exit Lu Han seems to be back to his usual self, his malicious grin and tongue back.

“You heard him boys!” He rattles his hands behind the chair and both officers seem to realize Lu Han is still handcuffed. But before any of two could react, Lu Han rises from the chair, stretching his arms over his head. Minseok’s eyes widen when Lu Han spreads his arms wider, then settles them in the pockets of his leather jacket. He pulls out a key along with a pair of handcuffs from his right pocket and throws it at Baekhyun.

“I’ll walk myself out. Thank you for your attention.”

Minseok blinks once. Twice.

“Argh!” Baekhyun hurls the folder across the table when Lu Han leaves the room. It spills across the room, along with Lu Han’s mugshots and reports of previous robberies, break-ins, kidnapping and arson. A lab results meets the floor and Minseok doesn’t even have to look at it to know it’s completely different from the one he has.

Minseok is going to kill Kyungsoo.

“ing telekinesis! I don’t know about you, but I’m never dealing with that one again. Hey Minseok? Where are yo- Where are you going? Minseok!”

 

 

It doesn’t take long for Minseok to find Lu Han. The station isn’t big and it’s easy to spot him with Hyejeong, the rookie officer assigned to personal belongings returning Lu Han what looks like to be his wallet and phone. She gives Minseok a warm smile and a shy wave when she spots him at the door.

“Can I help you Minseok?” she asks politely as she fills out a form and hands it for Lu Han to sign.

“I-I was just looking for ugh—“ He avoids Lu Han’s amused expression as he fumbles nervously on his feet, the other man clearly having too much fun with this. What the hell is he even doing?

“I left something in the pocket of my jacket. Do you have it perhaps?”

“Y-your jacket? I’m sorry Minseok, but you know I only deal with the personal belongings of the-“she throws a short glance at Lu Han and whispers “- the convicted ones.”

Lu Han snorts at that. He passes Hyejeong the form and heads for the exit, smirk present on his face as ever.

“Yeah, sorry I got it mixed up with something. Thank you, Hyejeong.”

She looks at him worriedly, but nods nonetheless and watches him leave down the hall, to the room where their desks are.

“Poor thing, must not be his day,” she says sadly and goes back to her forms.

 

 

Six hours, three statements, twenty filled forms and one warning from Joonmyun later finds Minseok in front of the door of his apartment. Finally, finally he can put end to this ty day by throwing himself in his bed after crying out his misery and in the shower, along with three cans of beer he bought along the way.

He starts looking for the keys he knows he left in the back pocket of his jeans but soon realizes they’re unnecessary when he spots the door not fully shut. He gives them a teasing push and they open widely to reveal the darkness of his empty apartment. Minseok feels an icicle forming in his hand. A great ending to a great day – he’s been robbed.

He leaves the beer by the entrance after closing the door and stepping in the main room. It seems to be empty, the furniture and drawers intact. Minseok grips the ice in his hand as he searches through the kitchen and finds it empty, along with the bathroom and the storage room. There’s only one room left and Minseok braces himself for anyone who might jump at him from the darkness of his bedroom. His steps creak under the old wooden floor, the dark only seeming to make it louder as he passes his bed and reaches the cupboard by the wall.

“Took you long enough”

The icicle in Minseok’s hand flies from his hand at the source of the voice, to the very corner opposite of him, and it doesn’t seem to reach its target as no sound comes other than the voice laughing. Knowing there’s a switch somewhere near, Minseok goes blindly for the cupboard and gives a relieved sigh when he finds the button on the lamp.

The room gets illuminated by the warm light of the lamp and the first thing Minseok notices is not Lu Han sitting in the armchair in the corner, but the icicle he threw floating freely in the air. Minseok frowns but relaxes when Lu Han waves his finger in the air and the sharpened ice falls on the floor with a thud.

Silence fills the room; Minseok too uncomfortable to say anything and Lu Han too smug to stop staring at the other man, eyeing him like a predator. Minseok feels Lu Han’s eyes burning into him when he makes the first move, rising from the armchair and walking around the bed to where Minseok is cornered.

“How naughty of you to tell me your address, Minseok,” Lu Han says, “what’s chief Joonmyun going to say?”

“I didn’t tell you my address!”

“But you thought of it, it was enough. Playing all innocent and then coming to me, whispering your wishes while acting all clueless. How cute~”

“I am not cute!” Minseok growls, and when did Lu Han get so close because Minseok can almost feel the other’s lips against his own. Lu Han’s eyes go from Minseok’s own, to his lips, and then up again. He’s still wearing that damn leather jacket.

“Prove it then, officer.”

And Minseok does exactly that.

 

 

Two hours and three s later Minseok concludes his day might not be that bad after all.