Title: (Don't You Wanna Save) This Dirty Little Damsel

Pairing: Xiuhan

Rating:PG-13

Summary: Lu Han's really only worried about soccer, keeping his host family happy, and keeping Minseok out of trouble. That's it. Really.

Lu Han wipes the sweat off his brow, tucking the soccer ball under his arm and walking off the field. Staying late after practice means he’s tired and ready for a shower,his shirt sticking to his back as he moves and eyes hazy from sweat and the sun sitting just above the horizon, just into his line of vision. But, the seniors will be leaving soon and he’s had his eyes set on being named captain.

He’d like to think there’s no competition, but he’s not quite that prideful. If you ask him. As it is, he cuts behind the school, headed to the parking lot and to a nice, long, shower. 

Lu Han is stopped short, though, when he sees a figure by the dumpsters. 

She’s shorter than him, maybe to his shoulders, dressed in black with straight hair to match. Long hair that falls down straight below her waist, and the tips seem to curl, resting on her backside and that’s where Lu Han stops short, a little overtaken in general. But then she turns around, a smug look on her face and he quickly looks up and smiles. He’s stuck on her eyes this time, but at least that’s unnoticable. 

“You’re staring.” Or not.

 “Sorry! Spaced out, just got back from practice. You probably shouldn’t hang around here? This is where the teachers come too!” He doesn’t have to ask why she’s there, smoke floats from her hand and hangs in the air behind her head. She smiles, mouth pulled to the side with a hint of surprise.

“Do you keep track of that kind of thing? Smoking isn’t necessarily good for athletes, I hear. Even worse for a transfer student.”

His eyes widen just a little at her recognition, but first things first. “I couldn’t ever! I really need my lungs.”

“So do most people, really.”

He can’t seem to say much of anything smart at this point. It’s the extra practice getting to him, obviously.  

“Well, yeah, but-” 

She grabs his arm, looking towards the other side of the dumpster, where a backdoor of the school is, and holds a finger to her lips. The knob twists and Lu Han is pulled down to the ground beside her, their backs to the dumpster, and she’s still holding his wrist. 

They hold their breaths as they hear footsteps on the grass, and Lu Han’s history teacher walks past them with his phone to his ear. Lu Han can feel his heart in his throat and here it in his ears, he wasn’t exactly kept on a long leash, his host family really wouldn’t like this.

They both watch him until he’s made it around the corner, and Lu Han looks over to the pretty girl still holding his wrist, sitting next to him, who almost got him in trouble with everyone over the age of 30 in his life. But then she looks back, and she starts laughing. It’s contagious, and once Lu Han joins in they only start laughing more. Her land lays relaxed against the back of his now, her cigarette snuffed out in the soil and long forgotten. Lu Han is once again too focused on her eyes, nearly shut tight with mirth, but also on her cheeks scrunched up like meat buns and stretched wide. He’s entranced, and doesn’t even notice how long they’ve been laughing at nothing. 

Lu Han’s cheeks hurt when she speaks to him, her eyes still crinkled around the edges. “Your mouth is as big as your face when you laugh! How do you even do that?”

“It is not! I laugh normally!”

She crosses her arms, looking down her nose at him. “Oh, really.”

“Yes really. It’s a hearty laugh! Like a man should have!” Lu Han will not pout in front of her. It’s not gonna happen.

“Whatever you say. Anyways,” She sticks out her hand “I’m Minseok.”

Lu Han looks down at her hand, wipes his own on his jersey, and grabs her’s as firmly as he can manage. Because he’s not nervous, she doesn’t make him nervous. “Lu Han.”

“Well Lu Han,” She seems to remember their hands and pulls her own away, “You probably smell like smoke now, you might wanna take a shower before you head home. Sorry.”

Damnit, he hated showering here. “Ah, it’s okay! Thanks for getting us hidden.”

She stands up, dusting bits of grass off her jeans and he goes to follow. “You’re welcome? It would have been my fault anyways. See you!” She waves as she turns, leaving Lu Han in the grass by the dumpster, tired and smelling like smoke and sweat.

Lu Han smiles to himself.