Sehun watched the yellow police tape flutter in boredom as he waited for Jongin. Leaning against the cold, slightly damp brick wall of the back of the building, he looked surprisingly unremarkable in a pair of faded black jeans and a worn grey hoodie. Of course, that was just how he liked it. He fished out his phone from his pocket and pulled up Angry Birds when he gave up on trying to spot the familiar head of black hair amongst the glaring blue and red lights of the cars parked around the crime scene.

A few minutes later, he heard footfalls approach him.

"Friggin' Kyungsoo I swear to God. Just when I thought he was getting better he goes and does this"

Jongin was hurriedly tugging off his tan trenchcoat and crumpling it carelessly, stuffing it into a black drawstring bag. Sehun extended his hand, and he slapped down the black leather cardholder containing the fabricated Investigator identity.

"At least he's trying," Sehun replied, stifling a yawn.

"God I can't see with these damn things," Jongin wrenched off the large black aviators he had been wearing and crushed them beneath a heavy black leather boot. "And no, honestly. He has to be messing with me. How do you go from that spotless Busan job to this fiasco, seriously. Thank god the cops are gullible."

Sehun rolled his eyes at his obliviousness. Jongin tossed the drawstring bag into a dumpster before removing his black gloves. He let out a groan and stretched, running a hand through his hair. "Next time you pass a job to Kyungsoo can you tell him to make sure he doesn't up because I swear I'm not covering for him again."

"Tell him yourself." Sehun slipped the fake ID into his pocket and stared at the tanned male expressionlessly. "Also, do you have money for a cab? I left my wallet at home."

"Sorry man, I'm grabbing a drink."

"Where you go is irrelevant to me. Cough up."

Jongin glared at him, but drew out a few crumpled notes anyway, knowing perfectly well that it was only a tiny percent of what he owed Sehun, before turning around and sauntering away, shoulders rolling a few times and slipping easily into confident sin.

"Don't bring any more home, alright? Baekhyun's going to blow a fuse," Sehun called after him.

"Baekhyun can blow whatever he likes," came the reply, accompanied by a jaunty two- wave.

Sehun shook his head.

"."


--


He was greeted by the mouth-watering scent of kimchi jjigae when he opened the front door. Unsurprisingly, he found Kyungsoo in the kitchen, standing over a steaming pot of stew at the stove, poking at it periodically with a pair of chopsticks. He looked up happily when Sehun entered, but the expression slid off when he saw that the brunet was alone.

"Where's-?"

"Getting a drink," Sehun said, sliding without invitation into a seat at the table. He pretended not to see the spasm of hurt that crossed the elder's face, one that showed plainly he knew perfectly well what 'getting a drink' actually entailed. It wasn't hard, because the look was almost instantaneously replaced with a cheery grin as fake as Jongin's fabrication.

"Oh well. He's having leftovers then." Kyungsoo slid the pot on top of a coaster and placed it in front of the younger boy along with a bowl of rice and some utensils before sitting down opposite him.

Sehun murmured a word of thanks before tucking in. It was even more delicious than his usual cooking, since Kyungsoo always put in more effort after he had messed up a job. And because it was originally supposed to be for Jongin.

He slurped contentedly at the thick soup for a few minutes before acknowledging the fact that Kyungsoo was still there.

"Uh...aren't you going to eat?"

"I already did."

Sehun nodded slowly, returning to his food. It was quiet for a few more moments, save for the sounds of him eating. Kyungsoo fidgeted.

"Did he...was he angry?"

He swallowed a mouthful of soup and rice before replying. "No more than usual. He also told me to tell you to try to not screw up anymore because he won't cover for you again."

Kyungsoo's eyes were downcast, and he bit his thumbnail morosely, and Sehun briefly wondered who really was older between the two of them before tacking on some comfort.

"But of course, we both know how much that means."

The black-haired man in front of him smiled weakly. "Thanks, Sehunnie. Enjoy your dinner," he mumbled, before getting up and shuffling to his room. The door shut, and did not reopen for the rest of the evening.


--


He woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of moans and rhythmic thumps against the wall in the room next to his. The red numbers laughing at him from his table declared that it was almost four am.

"ing Kim Jongin," he muttered, slipping out of bed and rubbing his eyes when the increased in volume. He dragged himself to the living room and flumped bonelessly onto the couch, turning on the TV and muting the volume, cursing when the harshness of the light bit at his sensitive eyes.

He had almost fallen asleep when the half- current object of his hatred wandered past him for the kitchen, dropping a pillow on his head along the way. Sehun groaned and tossed the thing blindly at Jongin, receiving a low snicker for his efforts. He heard the fridge open and shut, and the couch dipped beside him. Jongin passed him a yogurt and a spoon before peeling the paper off the top of his own.

"You have the weirdest post- cravings."

"At least I get post- cravings. When was the last time you got any?" Jongin quipped, the light pink cream stuck to the underside of the metallic paper.

"Just because I don't a different face every night doesn't mean I don't have , you ."

Jongin snorted.

"Uh huh, whatever you say."

Sehun hit him upside the head halfheartedly, then returned his attention to spooning out a dollop of his own yogurt. He had only eaten maybe half the cup when Jongin finished his, and leaned into Sehun wearily, limbs curling around the lanky boy like a koala.

"Seehuuunniiiiieeeeee~"

"Stop being such a baby and let me eat, fool."

"So grouchy. You need to get laid really ba-Sehun! Gross!"

Sehun laughed while Jongin wiped the bluish mess off his face, grabbing a tissue from the coffee table.

"That was mean," he whined when he had settled back into place, squished tightly to Sehun.

"So is waking me up at four am in the morning because you can't keep it in your pants."

Jongin pouted, but the pout turned into a smirk quickly, and Sehun felt hot breath against his neck, a hand creeping under his shirt.

"I could make it up to you...?" he purred, pairing the husky sound with a languid down the pale column of the younger's neck.

Sehun jabbed him with his elbow. "Ew, Jongin."

The tanned male shrugged, grinning shamelessly. "Worth a try."

"You're such a-"

"Kai?"

The two men looked up.

She was a pretty thing, Sehun supposed - pale skin, long hair dyed dark red and hanging in trussed up loose curls, and a shapely body, barely and hastily covered with one of looser shirts. The buttons weren't even done up properly, and the collar hung far too low.

She bit her lip, gaze turning from sultry to confused when she spotted Sehun. "Why are you here? I-I woke up and you weren't there...I got worried..."

Sehun pitied her. These ones never ended well.

"I can be wherever I want, it's my house." Jongin sneered coldly at her, not budging from his position, still curled up to Sehun. "A better question is, why are you here?"

"What-"

"And who told you you could touch my shirt?"

"Wh-"

"Get out, and clean up after yourself."

"But-"

"But what? My wallet's on the desk, help yourself."

The girl looked as if Jongin had slapped her. She turned and stumbled back the way she came, hiding her face and her sobs.

Jongin glared at her retreating back, then signed tiredly, burrowing his face into Sehun's shoulder. "I hate the ones that actually expect something. Ugh. How desperate do you have to be?"

Sehun pursed his lips, but said nothing.

"Come on, I don't want to be here when she comes out again."

He let himself be dragged back to his room, ignoring the sobs coming from the open door next to his.


 

i had a midterm this morning and another one tonight im gonna cry ;n;
but you guys don't care about that lmao here sekai character development.
also hmm i should probably mark this as mature but i find that (M) is sort of synonymous with usually and i don't want to lead people on :/
-Ace