Jihoon stared into the magnifier with red-rimmed eyes, feeling himself strain to focus against the exhaustion which was weighing down his eyelids. His hands rested to the floor as he began to doze, losing his grip on the wires tweezed between two metal pinchers. His eyelids fluttered, bordering closed when a loud bang crashed around him.

He knocked his forehead on the metal above him in surprise, rolling out from under the machine to acknowledge whatever jackass had decided to interrupt him.

When looked up, Jisoo noted the reddening of his forehead with a wince. “Sorry! I didn’t think it would be that loud.”

“It’s fine…” Jihoon sighed, stretching out with a yawn. “What’s up? Does Sergeant dickwa- I mean… does Seungcheol want something?”

He concealed a laugh with his palm, returning his face to Jihoon with a professional smile. “No, but I wanted to tell you good work on your first job yesterday! You did even better than analytics had expected.”

His praise was appreciated, but Jihoon had a hunch he was only saying all this because he heard about his scuffle with the Sergeant yesterday. Even Jihoon knew yesterdays mission had been a mess... Otherwise his partner wouldn't have lost his like that.

He sat properly, fiddling with his pinchers, twirling the tip against the grain of the creeper he sat on with disinterest. “Am I going on any other jobs today?”

Jisoo smiled, flipping through his clipboard. “Actually, this morning you’re scheduled for a counseling session to see how your progress is coming along. After that, we’ll see.”

The pinchers dropped, clinking against concrete. Jihoon coughed away the surprise in his expression as he turned to Jisoo. “When?”

“In a few minutes. I came here to accompany you.”

Jihoon hopped up from the floor, wiping grease-stained fingers on his jeans. He was feeling gross, seeing as he’d spent the night after his failure of a first mission working on his costume, wasting his energy being angry. He smelled like frustration and looked like exhaustion.

Not that it mattered, though. Maybe after being so patient for so ing long, his long-awaited meeting with that bastardly doctor would help him clear his head.

"Let's go."

Jisoo gestured to the door, walking beside him as they made their way through the building. He peeked to the side, noticing with a squint that Jisoo’s usual glowing complexion wasn’t present. His eyes were rimmed like a panda, even though his attitude remained consistantly peppy.

“Did you work overtime?” Jihoon asked, curious more than anything.

“Oh, well… Yeah.” He avoided looking at Jihoon, staring forward as he explained. “If my boss doesn’t leave the office, it’s hard for me to find the chance to clock off, so I worked a bit later than usual yesterday.” He chuckled.

“Your boss? As in Seungcheol?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry.” He scratched his hair with a guilty look. “I’m not sure what happened, but it seems like you didn’t get any rest either, since Seungcheol was working in his office all night. Next time this happens, don’t hesitate to contact me, and I can find a place for you to rest in the building.”

Jihoon blinked, confused. He’d honestly believed Seungcheol had gone home after their argument. If he stayed because of him, then… Really, Jisoo’s lack of sleep was partially his fault.

“If Seungcheol doesn’t go home, am I not allowed to leave without him?”

He laughed. “You could, but you would cause quite the commotion if you did.” He pointed to his wrist “Remember, you were chipped when the program began, so if you left the hundred-meter radius you’ve been granted, alarms would be going off.”

“Right…” he sighed. He’d almost forgotten about that. This thing in his arm was the only reason Stupid McDouchewad even bothered bringing him to work in the morning. And it was probably the only reason he’d stayed here last night. Of course, he was too stubborn to go get him after Jihoon had insulted his fragile ego.

“Here we are.” Jisoo knocked on the door before him, decorated with a gold plaque, with “Dr Yoon” written plainly on its front.

Although he’d been quite gung-ho about it before, now that he was standing before the door, he was starting to feel his palms sweat.

“Come in.”

A muffled voice answered back, permitting Jisoo to open the door. When he reached the doctors eyes, Yoon’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. The more he got to know him, the more Jihoon had to wonder if this guy had taken acting lessons in the past.

“Dr. Yoon, I’ve brought Private Hoon for his counseling session.”

The doctor gestured for him to come forward, peering up at Jisoo through his glasses with smiling eyes. “Thank you, Mr. Hong.”

Jihoon sat on the one-seated couch in front of his desk, looking between the two of them.

“Then, I’ll come back after you’re done, Jihoon.” His smile fell after turning up from Jihoon, bowing to Dr. Yoon with slight downwards quirk at the sides of his mouth.

Yoon smiled softly, paying little mind as Jisoo left the office, shutting the door behind him and leaving the two of them in silence.

“Are you guys on bad terms or something?”

“Hm?” Dr. Yoon eyed him with an innocent expression, feigning ignorance. Maybe it was a touchy subject, and Jihoon honestly didn’t care.

He sat up. Or, maybe, he wasn’t supposed to be acting so casual when this was supposed to be their first meeting. “Oh, uh, Pleasure to meet you, doctor Yoon. I’ve heard so much about your work.” He spoke, restraining a hint of sarcasm.

“No need for the formal act, Jihoon. There are no cameras or hidden mic’s for you to worry about, so you can talk to me normally.”

He relaxed into his chair, resting against the palm of his hand. “You should have told me that from the start..”

The doctor opened a filing cabinet, pulling his papers from a file and laying them on the table, flipping through it, with a whistle. “My, my, Park Jihoon, you’ve been doing rather well playing sidekick. I’m surprised."

“Are you wearing your glasses right? This week has been a -show and a half on my end.”

He chuckled. “Well, no road to success was ever without potholes.” The doctor pushed his glasses back with his index finger, expression soft. “You’ve done exceedingly well in my books. And according to the daily news, the city has welcomed you with open arms.”

He leaned back on the couch, twisting to get comfortable as he pondered. He had no cell-phone, no internet, and no access to a news (since Sergeant stupid didn’t even own a TV). Besides word-of-mouth, he had no idea how the public had perceived his appearance.

“If I saw the name ‘Private Hoon’ in the headlines, I’d have to bully some sense into whatever dork was running around calling himself that. I can’t imagine anybody takes me seriously…”

The doctor chuckled, spinning in his chair to grab a remote, and flipping on the television. “I guess nobody told you yet.”

Jihoon made a face of confusion, eyes snapping to the screen as it lit up, displaying the news of last week.

The video on the screen was of Seungcheol and him, side-by-side, smiling like merry little pals before the flashing of cameras. The picture paused, zooming out to reveal two reporters sat before the green screen.

“Hello and welcome to the Seoul Scoop! Early this morning, Sergeant Coups held a press conference regarding his decision on joining the Mansae’s clap program, at which his new sidekick was revealed to the public.” A woman spoke clearly, smiling to the camera as she gestured to the picture on screen.

“That’s right, miss Minji. Supporters from around the country were on the edge of their seat waiting to see who would be assisting Seoul’s most prominent and beloved superhero, but they were shocked to see who he was!”

“Why’s that, Mr. Changmin?”

He feigned a shocked expression, enunciating. “Because his sidekick has been announced to be former on-the-rise supervillain, ‘The Paladin’, who had been taken into custody months prior by Sergeant Coups himself!”

An image popped up on the screen, displaying a black-and-blue Jihoon lying unconscious, held bridal-style in Sergeant Coups arms. “Here is the viral photo which was captured the day he was arrested, which gained massive attention from online forums. After seeing this image, many fans theorized about the relationship between Paladin and Sergeant Coups, and whether or not they knew each other prior to the fight.”

Changmin nodded with a serious expression. “That’s right, Miss Minji. Their partnership had been a hot debate for Super-enthusiasts across the country. Immediately following the press conference, discussion forums on blackguard have been blowing up with debate over this rising name in the Super world. He’s the mysterious anti-hero ‘Paladin’ of yesterday, and the witty and charming ‘Private Hoon’ of today.”

“From being called ‘modern-day Robin Hood’, among numerous other admiral nicknames, the once villain turned sidekick, has been raking up supporters from across the country since his first appearance, and his popularity all but boomed since teaming up with Sergeant Coups!”

The screen paused on her face as her enthusiasm rose, leaving Jihoon slack-jawed, turning back to the Doctor.

“They.. Like me?”

He smirked. “They don’t just like you, Jihoon; They love you. You’re a breath of fresh air in the face of the media, and you shine light on a side of the Sergeant his fans had never had the privilege of seeing before.”

That’s… ridiculous. Was it the doctors underground influence pushing his agenda on the public so easily? He leaned forward, skeptical of the doctor’s confident claims. “I shine light on what? The side of him that’s pissed beyond belief?”

His expression was almost teasing, lips quirked up at the sides, eyes squinted in amusement. “You fluster him. You’re so unpredictable that even the mighty Sergeant Coups can’t foresee your next move. This is good, Jihoon.”

“Good? Maybe it’s helped my public image, but Sergeant Coups has made his hatred for my ‘individuality’ very clear, Dr. Yoon.”

Jihoon sighed, nodding his head to the side in a tired manner. The Doctor remained unchangeably positive despite his attitude. He flipped through pages in the file with slender fingers, smiling down past round frames.

“If you only knew what he was like when you aren’t around.” He smirked. “In my eyes, you’ve made a lot of progress.”

He rolled his eyes. “I guess, but we’re kind of at a stand-still at the moment. This guy is a tough ing nut to crack, I imagine it’ll be ages before he stops being physically revolted in my presence.”

When he looked to him again, the doctor’s expression had shifted to something mischievous, turning the papers he’d been reading towards Jihoon, who leaned in curiously.

“That’s why, I’m going to give you two a little push in the right direction.”

Jihoon scanned through the details of the papers, recoiling back in his seat as he scanned through every dirty detail of the report. After a moment, he was gazing up at the doctor with a grimace. “Co-worker counseling??”

~

“Therefore,” Dr. Yoon finished, joining his fingers together as a gesture as he spoke. “In order to help you two build up more efficient team-work, and to make sure Jihoon is receiving proper mentorship, I am prescribing you two a few days of rest.”

Seungcheol stared forward in disbelief, eyes staring daggers into man who sat before him, smug and unaware. “How is sitting around doing nothing going to help our ‘teamwork’?”

“I said rest only because you won't be on call during this time.” He explained, glancing up. “But that doesn’t mean you’ll be doing nothing, Seungcheol.”

Seungcheol bit his tongue in frustration, glancing to the side to look at Jihoon, who avoided his gaze as if deaf to the mess he’d created. Just what the hell had he said to make them take such severe measures?

Yoon cleared his throat, drawing back his attention. “Seungcheol, are you aware of the problems that have arisen due to you two refusing to conciliate?”

He huffed. “Why should our private relationship be-”

The doctor held up a hand to stop him. “Your private relationship with Mr. Park is essential to this operation. We can’t risk another mess like yesterday. Do you know what kind of backlash the clap program received after the higher-ups watched yesterday’s mission playback? You’re supposed to help, guide and mentor your partner, not fight with him in front of a terrorist, Sergeant.”

Seungcheol recoiled back in his seat, unsure how to argue with his logic.

“And with all due respect, you can’t argue with a corporate order.” He spoke with a deflated sigh, pressing at his nose bridge with strained fingers. “As the building councilor, I wish nothing but the best for the both of you… So, I’m sorry. I understand that you two aren’t getting along, but the public sees you two as official partners, and the company would like to keep it that way.”

He shut his mouth, unable to retort. He was right, Seungcheol knew he was… But he wanted to figure this out himself, he had already decided to try to make things work… Why did the company have to in make things more complicated?

The doctor took a breath, bringing his expression back to his usual tranquil smile, pushing papers towards him. “Until you and Jihoon are able to cooperate, I’m changing the distance on his chip from 100 meters, to 2. Come back to my office once you’re able to maintain a friendly professional relationship.”

Without room for arguing, as per his contract, Seungcheol and Jihoon were out the company doors, riding home in deafening silence after being given the corporal boot. He stared out the window with a sour expression, watching passing cars to occupy his mind.

For the first time in his entire career at the company, Seungcheol was being penalized… All because of his brat partner with a big mouth… And his own stubborn nonconformity.

He looked to the side, frown twitching as he watched Jihoon stare the other way without care. It was obvious that he was completely unaffected by this turn of events… As always, Seungcheol was the only one getting agitated, while Jihoon carried on unaffected…

~

Jihoon felt the Sergeants gaze burning into the side of his head, sensing malice with a grimace as he directed his expression to the window. Doctor Yoon was crazy… He was an absolute, toe-, lunatic with a death wish. First, Seungcheol dislikes him because he’s a criminal. Then, he hates his stupid guts because he doesn’t follow orders like a nice little soldier… And now! After all that! D. Seuss wants to handcuff them together and force them to hold hands and buddy-up? trot into the sunset together as if they didn't hate each other to the core? Nice plan, Captain! That is abso-ing-lutely going to make things better!

No, he was going to die… Sergeant Coups was going to kill him.

They stopped at his apartment, and Jihoon slid out the passenger side to catch up. He began to jog forward, stopping when he realized Seungcheol was waiting for him just outside the car.

“Stay close to me. If you trigger the alarm, I won’t forgive you.”

Seungcheol spoke facing forward, leaving his expression unreadable from where he stood. Jihoon reached him quickly, walking next to the man with a flustered feeling. He knew it was just because of the 2-meter radius rule… But it felt strange to walk by his side.

For the first time, he wasn’t invisible. When Seungcheol was next to him, the staff and people around him saw him as a person of importance. They acknowledged him with smiles and bows, as if they weren’t the same bastards who’d treated him like a street rat all the days prior.

It didn’t feel fair.

When they reached his apartment, stepping inside and locking the door behind them, Seungcheol halted, back faced to Jihoon. “You reported me?”

He opened his mouth to explain, blanking at a proper excuse.

“We may not have been pals, but It’s not like I did nothing for you.” He turned around with resentful eyes. “Did I not sign your papers and carry you in my arms? Or, did you not even consider that to be help?”

Jihoon shuffled his feet, feeling trapped. “It’s not like I was trying to throw you under the bus. That Doctor guy has got a silver tongue, you know? He squeezed the info out of me before I even realized he’d started to psychoanalyze me.”

Seungcheol breathed out as he held his face in his palm, holding back his complaints. “Never mind. I’m too tired to talk about this right now.”

When he began to walk forward, Jihoon stopped him by the shoulder.

He turned with full intention of telling him off, voice catching as he watched Jihoon bite at his lip in a nervous manner.

“Are you… going to sleep?” Jihoon questioned, looking up at Seungcheol in an attempt to get the message across with his eyes alone.

“What else would I do in my own bedroom?”

Jihoon felt his tolerance thinning, huffing out a breath. “You do realize I need to go with you, don’t you?”

Against his expectations of angry cyan eyes and a retort of denial, Seungcheol’s eyes were widening at his words, words caught in his throat. “You mean we-“

“Don’t say it.” Jihoon sighed. “let’s not make this more awkward than it has to be.”

They walked into the space of Seungcheol’s bedroom, staring at the bed as they tried to come up with an arrangement for the night. It was a king-sized mattress… It couldn’t be that bad, right?

Jihoon crossed his arms, taking careful note of the way Seungcheol stood, gears turning as he thought up a game plan.

“I need to have a shower... Just, come sit in a corner and stare at a wall, or something.”

Jihoon leaned his head in to sniff himself, grimacing. “Hey, I need a shower too. That thing is big enough for like, five people to shower in, let’s just get this over with quickly.”

“As in together?” He blurted out, eyes snapping up the length of his body with a glower. Jihoon’s expression was not of someone who was in the mood for joking around. He considered the suggestion seriously, thoughts racing while Jihoon watched him with honest eyes. It wasn’t a big deal… No, it shouldn’t’ be a big deal for him to shower with him. It was just like at the gym, or like after High school PE. No biggie, no sir.

Seungcheol turned away with a huff of resolve, tossing an extra towel in Jihoon’s direction.

He took that as his response, following after him.

When they stepped inside, they faced opposite walls, undressing under uncomfortable silence as the bathroom fan buzzed in the background. His day-and-a-half old, Grease-stained clothing fell to the bathroom floor, piling up as he stretched. He turned around, an odd sense of anxiety fluttering within him, facing Seungcheol’s back with curious eyes.

Seungcheol ed his shirt, heedless to Jihoon’s curious gaze, trailing after the movement as Seungcheol pulled his button-up down the length of his arms, exposing the details of his back, muscular yet slender. Even his back profile was ideal, tall and well-built like some sort of Greek statue. When his hands reached down to undo his pants, Jihoon whipped his gaze to the side, starting the shower and stepping in without a moment to spare.

He didn’t wait for the water to warm up, dunking his face beneath the icy cold spray in an attempt to cool his cheeks.

The bright spandex getup he usually wore was definitely a handicap on his aesthetic. Under it all, even Jihoon would admit he was easy on the eyes… ridiculously easy.

The water warmed against his skin, aiding Jihoon in suppressing his rampant thoughts, scrubbing shampoo into his hair in a rushed fashion. The faster they finished, the less uncomfortable this would be.

He glanced over when Seungcheol stepped in, eyes trained upwards to avoid any matter of eye-to--Jihoon-contact.

Somehow, he felt a little offended. They’re just guys, he should just act natural. His attitude was making things way more awkward than they should be..

They showered in complete and utter silence, back to back, switching sides to rinse and scrubbing maniacally in hopes of returning to their clothes in a timely fashion.

It was like ripping off a band-aid… If you take your time, it’s way more painful…

Finally, clothed and dried to the best of his ability, Jihoon laid an arm-length away from the same man he’d been in a bathroom with minutes before, staring up at the ceiling haggardly.

He turned his head to the side as Seungcheol sat up on the opposite end of the mattress, facing his night-stand to crack open a bottle of medicine, popping a few pills back and taking a swig of lukewarm water.

He takes medicine? Jihoon strained his eyes to read the label on the bottle, leaning close enough that Seungcheol wouldn’t notice his movement.

Tria…zolam…

Did he have insomnia or something?

When Seungcheol turned to get under the covers, Jihoon stared up at the ceiling inconspicuously, feeling his heart thump as the weight beside him shifted. Seungcheol settled under the covers, facing the wall away from Jihoon as if trying to ignore the fact that he was even there.

If not for the day and a night without sleep, he imagined getting comfortable enough to pass out next to this would be more of an issue. But to his luck, he was utterly exhausted.

And on the plus side, he was sleeping in a proper bed for the first time in a long time.

As the events of the day played over in his mind, Jihoon’s thoughts began to fuzz, slipping into sleep.

~

Light burned against his eyelids, prompting him to squint open one eye to peek at the daylight. When his vision focused, he found himself a hair away from Seungcheol, who was still fast asleep, breathing peacefully.

If anything, Wouldn’t the fact that he sleeps so carelessly next a former nemesis be considered a weakness? He stared down at long wispy eyelashes adorning dark, close-lidded eyes, trailing down to his lips, parted slightly.

If he wanted to, he really could just… Take him down right now.

He recoiled back when Seungcheol shifted in his sleep, sitting up and stretching to avoid suspicion as sleepyhead Sergeant stirred awake. Jihoon looked back, eyeing his partners bedhead with a smirk. “Uh, Goodmorning…”

Seungcheol sighed out a breath. Of course, yesterday hadn’t been a nightmare. He turned the other direction to get up and stretch, peaking at Jihoon as he rubbed away the exhaustion from his eyes. “We’re not going to the office today. I’m going  to make sure as little people know about this as humanly possible.”

He rolled his eyes. “Then are we just going to laze around all day?”

When Seungcheol moved to grab a change of clothes from his closet, Jihoon hopped up to follow him, keeping close.

“No. I’m going to follow orders.” He explained, pulling out some casual-wear from the rack and turning back to Jihoon with a frown. “We’re going to make this work.”

They started with the usual events of a work-less day, skipping an early shower to avoid the same embarrassment of yesterday, and moving on to freshening up in other ways. They stayed as close together as they possibly could without physically touching, brushing teeth, washing faces, changing into fresh clothes, and standing around the kitchen.

Seungcheol pulled a packet of ramen from the cupboard, collecting a pan and a few bowls as he got his ‘breakfast’ ready.

“You know, I like a bowl of college student MRE just as much as the next guy, but don’t you think you eat too much of that stuff?” He looked around at the interior of the house with a grudgeful eye. “It’s not like you’re suffering financially…”

“In case you hadn’t noticed,” he retorted, “I don’t usually have time to cook at home. If it’s not luxurious enough for you, then order takeout.”

Jihoon raised his hands defensively, smirking. “Not complaining, I’m just looking out for the health of my partner.”

He sighed, ripping open the packet and dropping the toppings and noodles into boiling water. There was absolutely no point in arguing with him over the attitude. Nope, no way, Seungcheol was going to make this work.

He made two bowls, and pulled out a low table from the closet for them to eat at. Jihoon slurped up his noodles happily, contrary to his complaints from before.

He swallowed, glancing up at Seungcheol with round eyes. “So, what’s the game plan? Are we going to do trust falls and talk about our trauma around the circle like an AA meeting?”

“No, we’re going to figure out our strategy for missions.” He stated simply. “Maybe we don’t get along, but we need to at least be coordinated at work.”

He laughed away Seungcheol’s words with a bitter taste in his mouth. “Figures…”

“What? Do you really expect us to sit around and make small talk? I’m trying to be realistic here.”

“No, it just figures that you’re not even considering fixing our personal relationship.” He continued, dropping his chopsticks in the bowl and looking off to the side in a sulking manner. “I don’t know what I expected.”

Seungcheol scoffed. “Are you serious? Do you even want to be friends with me? I may be a little biased, but I’m not stupid. It’s obvious that you don’t like this any more than I do.”

“Yeah, you’re right! I ing hate this.” He retorted, cheeks growing hot under his rising anger. “But at least I’m trying to make things work.”

“What, and I’m not?”

They threw their complaints back and forth for a long while, until neither one of them had leftover energy to continue this quarrel. They ate their ramen, which was overdone and lukewarm, and then sat in silence, watching the clock above the kitchen ticking in the foreground.

“This is stupid…” Jihoon sighed, leaning his head against the window behind him. It was barely afternoon now, and all they’d done so far was wake up, eat ramen, and fight like divorcees.

“For once, I agree…”

Seungcheol stared down at his pager, quiet and blank. What was he supposed to do? His only idea as to how to go about this had been tossed in the incinerator along with him.

“Do you know any good councilors besides doctor knowitall? Someone who can tell us what the we’re supposed to do?”

He thought about it seriously… Was there anyone who could help give them a push in the right direction? If he asked Soonyoung... he would probably just shove them in a closet together and lock the door while he laughed, he’d never take this seriously… Honestly, besides that, Seungcheol didn’t have many friends he could rely on.

He just had..

“Jisoo?”

Not long after sending out an S.O.S., the man in question had arrived at his apartment with a few grocery bags of supplies lugged under his arms, casually dressed and smiling, despite being called to duty during his one and only day of vacation. He looked at the two of them with a worn-out expression.

Though they were silent now, it was obvious that they had been arguing moments before. They looked equally weary and exasperated, standing a meter apart from each other, cross-armed and angry.

He handed Seungcheol a few bags, explaining. “Sir, if there’s anything that can help you, it’s this.”

He peered down at the contents, taking note that most of it was… alcohol.

“I don’t drink, Jisoo.”

Jisooe smiled. “You do tonight.” He glanced sharply between the two of them. “Jihoon, Seungcheol. My suggestion for you two, is to sit down at that table.” He spoke, pointing at the spot they’d been eating ramen at before. “And drink the contents of these bags until you can move past your differences.”

Jihoon suppressed a laugh, receiving an uncharacteristically stern look from the man before him.

“No laughing Jihoon! I’m going to go home and enjoy the rest of my night off, and you two are going to drink yourselves silly. Do I make myself clear?”

“Loud and clear, sir!” Jihoon spoke back, saluting sarcastically.

Seungcheol groaned. “Yeah... okay.”

“Good.” He handed the rest of the bags to Jihoon, before turning away. “I’ll call you in the morning to check in.”

“Thanks, Jisoo… And sorry for, you know.”

Jisoo smiled brightly at Seungcheol’s apology, moving to the door. “Good luck, Sergeant.”

~

Jihoon filled two shot-glasses for him and Seungcheol, pushing one across the small table with a humored smile.

“Cheers.”

Their cups clinked, and the two of them downed their first glass of soju. Jisoo had gone buck-wild in the 24hour grocery store… Buying enough alcohol to take down 7 large men plus a small horse.

And really, Jihoon had never been proud of his tolerance. For obvious reasons, his fridge at the hideout was never filled with alcoholic beverages...  In case one of the kids got curious and knocked themselves out drinking highball.

He never needed it, anyways...

Jihoon felt his chest squeeze thinking about home. He poured another glass for them both, drowning his memories with the smooth liquid and swallowing his emotions. Seungcheol did the same, knocking his glass back with a grimacing expression.

“Why don’t you drink?” Jihoon asked as he tipped the bottle, topping up another round.

Seungcheol looked up at him as he took his cup, feeling alarms go off at the question. It was just small talk… Why did he feel so defensive? He tucked away his pride, trying to play along. “I used to… but I can’t risk a crappy work performance on a hangover.”

He hummed in acknowledgement, cradling his cup in his hand. Looking off to the window, he squinted at the light streaming past the top of the mountains, dulling with each passing minute.

“What about you?”

He turned back in surprise. Was Seungcheol actually… going along with this?

Jihoon gulped back his drink to cool his nerves, slamming the cup down before answering. “Alcohol’s a luxury I’ve never been able to afford.” He stated quietly. “Not that I’ve ever been tempted to indulge myself before.”

Seungcheol followed him in finishing his glass, setting it down on the table. He still remained distant, not physically, but Jihoon could see the wall he’d placed between them. If only he could cross it… They drank in silence for a few rounds while Jihoon thought up topic.

He spun a new bottle, twisting it open and filling their glasses again.

“Are all superheroes at Mansae like you?” he asked, tentative.

“What do you mean?”

Jihoon pushed his glass towards him, fiddling with his own as he spoke. “No offense, but you’re kind of a workaholic. Even though you haven’t been on-call, you still wake up at the -crack of dawn and run to the office every morning.”

Seungcheol thought about it, taking a sip of soju. “No, it’s probably just me.”

“Why? Aren’t you high enough on the ladder to relax a bit? If you asked for a vacation, I doubt anyone would deny you.”

He swallowed back the rest of his drink bitterly. His eyes laid on Jihoon with a thoughtful, albeit begrudging expression. It seemed like the more he drank, and the longer they spoke, the more his face was relaxing.

“I’d rather be at work, honestly. I’m the top superhero at the company, so nothing can go wrong as long as I’m there.” He stopped, pushing his glass back to Jihoon with a frown. “Well, most of the time, anyways.”

Jihoon drank, feeling awkward. He’d never really thought about it… but, Seungcheol seemed to shoulder a lot of responsibility. Too much for one person to be carrying alone. He supposed that’s what happens when you’re the strongest hero in the country, though. People probably treated him like a machine more than a man.

“Can I ask you something seriously?”

Jihoon perked up. “What?”

“Why’d you join the program?”

He swallowed his saliva, topping up their glasses as he pondered on the question. He couldn’t outright say that he was forced to do it…

Jihoon pushed Seungcheol’s glass towards him, explaining. “I wanted to… turn my life around. Why else would I join?”

He breathed out a laugh, seemingly unconvinced. “No, really. You popped up out of nowhere as the Paladin, and then the second you get arrested you signed up. People don’t usually throw away their identity so easily.”

Seungcheol downed his shot after finishing, looking up to Jihoon expecting him to do the same.

“I wouldn’t call the Paladin my identity.” He argued, picking up his glass. “I just… felt like it’s something I should do. They gave me an opportunity, and I took it. It’s not much deeper than that.”

He gulped back a mouthful of the bitter liquid after speaking, fanning himself with his hand. Either he was nervous from lying out of his , or the alcohol was going to his head. His face felt hot to the touch.

He raised his eyes to Seungcheol, who reclined back against his hands. He didn’t look visibly drunk… But he definitely seemed to have loosened up a bit.

Seungcheol watched him, noting the pink of his cheeks, the way he pulled at the collar of his shirt in an attempt to cool down. His pale skin flushed red and hot, and…

“Do you… have a girlfriend or anything like that?”

Seungcheol snapped back to reality, shaking away his thoughts as he reached for another bottle. “No, uh… I don’t.” He filled Jihoon’s glass before topping up his own.

He hummed. “Is a workaholic like you even interested in dating? I kind of thought you and Eunha Hwang were… a thing, but I’m growing doubtful after getting to know you.”

Seungcheol looked off to the window with a sour expression. Eunha Hwang… That’s a name he hadn’t heard in a while. If Soonyoung was right about anything, it was that the clap program helped clear up scandals. Ever since Jihoon showed up, that dastardly rumor had gone off with the wind. “No, that’s… She’s just the daughter of a client.” He held the glass to his lips. “And she’s not really my type.”

“Huh? She’s beautiful! What kind of standards do you have?”

“No, no, she’s is, I just...” He looked away, unsure how to explain. He tipped his glass and drank while he thought up a reasonable way to put it.

Jihoon spoke with realization, curious. “Are you… gay?”

He choked, spitting out his drink in an embarrassing fashion. Jihoon jumped up to grab something to clean up the mess, patting at the carpet with paper towels.

After Seungcheol had stopped suffocating, Jihoon continued “Should I take that as a yes?” He asked, glancing at his red-faced partner with a nervous expression.

Seungcheol wiped his face with the back of his hand, flustered. “Is it a problem if I am?”

“No! No, of course not.” He explained, waving his hands defensively. “I mean…”

“Are you?”

Jihoon looked him in the eye, colour burning against his cheeks. If he was going to get any information out of him, he might as well try to be honest. It had to be a give and take if he was going to get down to the dirty details.

“I am… Well, not gay, but I’d say I swing both ways.” He explained, grabbing his shot off the table and shooting it back.

He said nothing, replying with a considerate hum as he moved to top up their drinks again. This was… surprising. Seungcheol had never imagined he’d be able to get along with a guy like Jihoon, let alone share some common interests.

It was nerve-wracking, actually...

Jihoon cradled his glass in one hand, feeling his head spin ever-so slightly. “How does your family feel about the whole hero thing?” He questioned. “They’ve got to be ing proud, huh?”

Seungcheol felt nauseated. “I’d rather not talk about family.”

Was it a touchy subject for him? He held back his curiosity, thinking. If it was something he felt unwilling to speak on, it could definitely be connected to his weakness, right?

He drank another glass of liquid courage, drawing up with will to press on. “Are you on bad terms with them or something?”

“I said I’m not talking about this.” He stated, looking up at Jihoon. The colour of his eyes flickered. Pulsing a dull shade of blue, as if fighting against the anger rising within him.

Jihoon wasn’t stupid, and he wasn’t about to unleash drunk and angry Sergeant Coups on the world. “Fine, fine, sorry.”

He sighed. “You’re really vexing, you know that?”

“What? I’m just trying to make small talk!” he pouted, bottle in hand. He twisted the cap and took a swig, feeling unmotivated about filling that tiny cup up again and again.

The Seungcheol before him was much more obviously intoxicated. And with the combination of angry and alcohol, his face had flushed red, and his patience was teetering.

He knocked back his own drink before continuing. “That’s what’s so annoying about you, though... Its not even on purpose, but everything you do feels… God, I don't know. Your smile, the way you talk to me. It’s so irritating.”

Jihoon wheezed out a laugh. “You think I’m irritating? Try looking in the mirror, Sergeant dickhead. I’ve been nothing but compliant since we started! And  yet you’re always complaining.”

“That’s what I’m talking about!” He defended. “I’m your senior, and technically your boss. You should show me a little respect, or at least say my name properly.”

He followed Jihoon’s influence, pulling the cap off of a new bottle and flushing his anger away in a gulp of bitter liquid.

“Oh, yeah, you’re one to talk.” He scoffed. “You only just started calling me Jihoon, you know.”

He swallowed, thinking back… Jihoon couldn’t blame him for that, he never wanted this arrangement in the first place… How could he accept working with a crimin-

“And don’t give me that crap trying to brush it off as your eternal burning hatred for criminals. I think you’re just a stubborn prick who’s stuck in his own beliefs.”

Seungcheol set the bottle down on the table, hard. “I’m a hero, I have every right not to trust people like you.”

“People like me?” He shot back, eyes shaking. “As in a villain, Seungcheol?”

“Are you going to deny that you were one?” He asked, leaning forward with a dark expression.

“I never have! But does the fact that I’m working to better myself mean nothing in your books?” Jihoon didn’t back away, shortening the distance between them with a snarl as he argued back.

Seungcheol’s eyes flickered down, moving from Jihoon’s lips, back up to the blazing anger in his eyes. “You’re not a hero yet, Jihoon. Even if you think you are, you still need to pay for what you did in the past.”

He scoffed. “Yeah? Well at least I’m not a ing phony!”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” he pressed on. “You’re a goody-goody winner on TV, but a lonely, rich jerk the rest of the time. Don’t even try to deny it.”

“You don’t know anything about me.” Seungcheol replied, gaze threatening.

Jihoon held his head up, speaking clearly. “I know you better than the back of my hand, Seungcheol. You’re nothing but an overpowered jackass with trust issues.”

He stood up from the table, closing in on Jihoon, who realized in a flashing moment of sobriety, that the Sergeants eyes were glowing bright blue beneath the darkening of his expression.

“Say that again, you son of a .”

Jihoon came to his feet in surprise, tripping as he attempted to back up, caught by Seungcheol’s hand, who wrapped a tight fist against the hair on the back of his head.

His words caught in his throat, gasping as the grip tightened.

Jihoon groaned in pain, reaching Seungcheol’s eyes with a glare. “What? You want a fight? Real heroic, Sergeant!”

“Shut up!”

He gasped as he found himself lifted him up in an effortless motion, thrown backwards.

In a flash of blue, they were across the room. Jihoon’s back was pressed against the window at the side of the apartment, eyes wide as Seungcheol held him there, hovering over him with a furious expression.

He held up a fist, and Jihoon cringed, anticipating the punch that would undoubtedly end his life.

After a moment of counting his regrets, nothing came, and when Jihoon peaked up at him again, Seungcheol’s hand had recoiled. Rather than driving a fist into his gut, he was holding him in place and crashing their mouths together.

Jihoon fought back, groaning, and pushing against him uselessly. The kiss was all tooth and gums, rough and stinging. It was obvious that Seungcheol was angry.

He anticipated getting injured midst their wrestling, but his expectation of pain crumbled when the stinging of his mouth had softened. The kiss became noticeably gentler, almost affectionate. And despite the taste of copper in his mouth, Jihoon couldn't help the feeling of butterflies in his stomach.

If he really wanted to hurt him, Seungcheol could have easily broken through the window they were up against. The hands gripping at his hair, and pulling at the collar of his shirt were inhumanly strong, he could break him in a single motion. But… They held him so gently, so carefully that Jihoon barely realized his feet were no longer touching the ground. When he felt the heat of Seungcheol's mouth ghosting over the sensitive skin of his lips, at the spot where blood had broken from the clash of their teeth, Jihoon was melting.

His hands moved from the front of his chest, wrapping around his partners neck and connecting their lips again, feeling the slide of glass against his back as they rose higher in the air in a lavish show of superpowers.

The hand against his head loosened, moving from his hair to his cheek, and down the length of his neck until his fingers found the hem of his shirt, tearing at the fabric effortlessly, exposing his chest in a snap.

His head spun as they kissed, softening from an angry show of dominance to slow, heavy movements that he couldn’t get enough of, playfully domineering. He pulled at his hair and bit his lips and grinded against him hard, but not painfully. Just enough that Jihoon couldn’t tell if the dizziness and feverous feeling was from the alcohol, or from the excruciatingly pleasurable touch of his own rival.

He hated this man… They hated each other. He was a hot-headed , and Jihoon was his irritating brat of a partner, who did nothing but make him grit his teeth on a daily basis.

Despite all this, Jihoon didn’t want him to stop. He couldn’t understand why he’d never even considered this scenario before, because holy did he know how to make a guy feel like butter in a microwave.

In another flash of blue light, Jihoon’s front was pressed against the glass, staring out at the city with a frazzled expression. The sun had already fallen behind the mountains, painting the room they were in with orange and pink tones of sunset, dim lights accentuating their silhouettes against the glass. He felt the warmth of Seungcheol hold him, flush against his back, leaning in to speak against the shell of his ear.

“Just tell me no, Jihoon…. , just tell me if you don’t want this.”

He was stating a fact more than he was asking a question. Even under the influence of alcohol, Seungcheol knew this wasn’t good. He wanted to punch that smug expression off his face, but he couldn’t…. He couldn’t bring himself to hurt him. And much more than that, he wanted to touch him. He wanted to kiss him hard, until he didn’t have a single ounce of sarcasm left in him.

But he wasn’t going to do any of that if Jihoon said no.

Jihoon shivered at the touch of lips brushing against his ear, breath fogging up the glass as his heart stuttered. He felt his stubbornness dissipating at his words, leaving Jihoon with nothing but need.

“Just kiss me, you overpowered jackass.”