title: Spread your wings for me

pairing(s): XiuHan, Suyeol

word count: 1312

a/n: just because this picture

Chanyeol’s basement is a filthy thing. Any sane person would leave the room as soon as they walked in, but Minseok lost his sanity the moment he met Lu Han’s captivating gaze in his junior year. And even now, 3 years later, Minseok still hasn’t looked for an escape from Lu Han’s possessive grip on his heart, nor does he plan to. Lu Han was his light in the darkness, he gave his all to Minseok, and Minseok never felt like he showed how much grateful he was. Today he plans to change that in the simplest way his juvenile mind could think of.

Minseok never met Chanyeol, so he doesn’t recognize which of two men currently making out on the couch is actually Lu Han’s infamous friend. Minseok feels bad for interrupting. Lu Han tries clearing his throat, visibly unimpressed with the scene in front of them, but the loud American band playing on the speakers makes his efforts worthless. He turns to Minseok, who’s busy biting his nails raw, and says apologetically, “I swear I called him. He’s just a forgetful idiot.” He then flicks his hand somewhere behind Minseok’s head, and the light bulb starts going off – on. This makes the taller of the two look at the top of staircase where pissed Lu Han and embarrassed Minseok are standing.

The gangly guy quickly stands and runs a hand through his red hair, before spreading his arms and smiling wide. “Lu Han, my friend.” Lu Han starts walking down the stairs, Minseok on his heels. “You’re – umm,” Chanyeol turns his head to look at the watch hanging on one of the stained walls, “right on time.” He smiles awkwardly. “How long have you been standing over there?”

“Long enough,” Lu Han spits back.

The smaller man, who’s still sitting on the couch, gets up and smiles shyly at Lu Han. “Sorry about that.” He fumbles with his cashmere sweater and walks past them, up the stairwell. “I’m going to get something for us to drink.”

Now when Minseok got more clear view of his face, he recognizes the other boy as Kim Joonmyun – student body president, excellent grades and leader of their drama class. No one knew what happened to him after high school. Minseok has a close guess right now.

Minseok doesn’t notice his name being called, until Lu Han’s elbow on his ribs makes him turn his attention towards Chanyeol once again. “Minseok, right?” Chanyeol has Minseok’s hand in a firm handshake. “Dude, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted to meet you. You’re the only thing Lu Han talks about.” He gives Minseok an obvious wink behind those (probably) unnecessary glasses. Minseok can almost hear Lu Han roll his eyes, but the tips of his ears are faintly red and that makes Minseok relax a bit and almost forget why they’re here.

“Okay, let’s get down to businesses,” Chanyeol says. So much about relaxing. Minseok visibly tenses again, and it’s not missed by Lu Han, who grabs Minseok’s hand and squeezes it. Lu Han takes his phone from his jeans’ pocket and goes through couple pictures on it, before finding the one he wants and showing it to Chanyeol. Chanyeol takes off his glasses and examines the picture with furrowed eyebrows. “Ahh, I see.” He rubs his chin, and then smiles that dumb smile once again. “I can do it.” He puts his glasses back on and rolls the sleeves of his hoodie. Ah, there they are. Chanyeol’s forearms are decorated with dark ink, some of it colourful, but mostly black drawings and words Minseok couldn’t understand. Chanyeol points to the part of the basement where a white curtain is hung. “Go and sit over there, I’ll be right back.”

So that’s it. He’s going to do it. He’s going to follow his delinquent boyfriend’s footsteps and get a tattoo in a filthy basement. A list of every single disease goes through his mind, but Lu Han got all of tattoos over here (right?), so he can’t catch anything because he already has it from all the he gets. His mother must be so proud of him. He wants to turn around and leave, but a firm hold on his wrist makes his do the opposite. “We talked about this, remember? I’m here and I’m gonna hold your hand the whole time, don’t worry,” Lu Han whispers and ushers Minseok to the ‘cabin’.

~

“Woah!” Joonmyun peeks behind Chanyeol’s shoulder. “It looks really cool.” Chanyeol dropped the fake glasses right when he started working, and his tongue is peeking cutely between his teeth. “I love when you compliment my work, babe,” Chanyeol says and turns to his boyfriend to make a kissy face.

Joonmyun ruffles his hand playfully through Chanyeol’s hair. “I wasn’t talking with you.” He turns his attention to Minseok who’s in a most dramatic position; his hand over his forehead, eyes tightly shut (no, those are not tears) and Lu Han tightly gripping his hand. “What does it mean?”

Minseok has a novel worth explanation for the tattoo, but he can’t get to open his mouth, because more likely a sob will escape his lips then a wanted story. He feels like such a . His pierced/tattooed/hot boyfriend has to deal with a whiny Minseok in front of his friends. He wants to applaud himself for leaving such a great first impression.

“I have a similar one,” Lu Han talks for him. “On my back”

Joonmyun hums. “I see. Couple tattoos.”

“They’re not couple tattoos,” Minseok manages to grit between his teeth. “It represents freedom, escape, rising above everything else.”

He opens one eye to look at Lu Han. “Guidance and protection.”

Lu Han’s eyes soften and he runs his fingers through Minseok’s bleached bangs. “Don’t struggle yourself-“

“For ’s sake, Lu Han, you make him look like he’s in labor,” Chanyeol laughs, making Minseok blush from head to toes and Lu Han looks ready to jump and strangle the tattoo artist.

Chanyeol squints his eyes and adds the last touch, before taking off the latex gloves. “There! All done.”

Minseok wants to sit up and look at it, but his limbs are shaking so badly, so he stays in the lying position. Lu Han eyes the drawing carefully; black feathered wings, meeting in the middle of Minseok’s pelvis and spreading widely over his coxal bones. He nods at Minseok and a small smile on his lips.

 Chanyeol puts ointment over it and a bandage. He tugs on Minseok’s trouser leg. “Lu Han knows the drill, so I’m going to save my words and let you two love birds have some time alone.” Minseok is sure he hears a quiet ‘since we couldn’t’ from Chanyeol, but he quickly dismisses it. Chanyeol picks up his instruments and moves the curtain so Joonmyun can walk out also.

Only when they alone (not technically alone, since just a curtain is separating them from Chanyeol and Joonmyun) Lu Han decides to talk. “You don’t regret it, right?”

His caring voice doesn’t fit his tattooed body, various piercings and kohl around his eyes, but it’s a side of Lu Han only Minseok gets to see.

“Can’t change it now”

“You can change it.” Lu Han traces the trail of veins on Minseok’s arm with his finger. “Mistakes can be fixed, only people don’t try enough.”

Minseok hums. “I don’t want you to change.”

Lu Han smirks. “So, I’m a mistake?”

“Mistake I don’t regret”

And the moment is ruined when Chanyeol snorts somewhere behind the drape and Joonmyun tries to shush him.

“Get the out, Chanyeol!”

“No, you get the out! It’s my house”

Minseok laughs as he gets up and pulls Lu Han with him.

“Let’s go. We don’t want to give Chanyeol blue balls”

Lu Han mock gasps. “Language, Kim Minseok!”