Shut Up
Shut Up
“I’m really sorry, miss, I’m just... not interested in going on dates right now.” Suho smiled sheepishly at the pretty, young secretary.
“N-No! It’s fine, really. I... Thank you for your time.” She saluted him politely before making her way out of the spacious office.
Sighing, the alchemist ran a hand through his hair. He really should have known her intentions when she stepped into his office wearing more makeup than someone who works at a military headquarters should and stuttered out a shy “Colonel?”
He really did feel bad rejecting the poor girl. From what he had seen of her, she seemed nice and she was certainly one of the better looking women at Western Command. He honestly would have accepted if he... was interested in women.
The colonel glanced at his desk calendar. 5 months, 21 days, and 14 hours since his last date. But its not like he was counting. The “date” wasn’t even a real date. It was a simple trip to a bar with a local entertainer Suho was interested in. He called himself Chen, and Suho was sure he was interested too, until he began making passes and every woman with a C cup. Needless to say, things hadn’t worked out.
It was so hard being a high ranking officer-- a state alchemist, no less-- in the Amestris State Military. It was harder when you were gay. And even harder when you were forced to hide your uality from everyone for the sake of your career. This is something Suho was painfully familiar with, and thinking about it was giving him a headache.
Just as he was swallowing some aspirin, a knock sounded through his office. “Come in,” he said, sitting up a little straighter in his desk chair. The doorknob turned and his usually bright facial expression fell when he saw the person coming through the door.
Park Chanyeol.
Also known as the bane of his existence.
The younger alchemist smirked upon seeing his expression of distaste and swaggered into the large room, before plopping down on one of the long sofas and propping his boots on the coffee table. (His very disgusting boots, Suho added to himself). “Yo, Colonel.”
Suho had to close his eyes and remind himself that he couldn’t kill him. Deep breaths, you can’t kill him, take deep breaths. “What do you need, Chanyeol?” He managed to get out, sounding halfway normal. You lazy, ungrateful, subordina-
“Woah, relax. Why do you always assume I need something? Maybe I just wanted to see my favorite colonel. My favorite handsome colonel. Dude, that hot secretary was so upset you rejected her. It’s alright though, because I’ll be comforting her tonight, if you know what I mean.” He waggled his eyebrows as he flashed a slip of paper at him. “I’d be upset if you rejected me, too. You’re just so handsome-”
“Dammit, Chanyeol, stop trying to butter me up. Whatever you did, just tell me so I can fix it and move on with my life. Please.”
Chanyeol sighed and stood up, walking over to Suho’s desk. “Look,” he sighed, “you’ll probably be super mad but...” He hesitated, searching the colonels eyes for any sign that he might have been in a better mood than he had originally let on. He found nothing. “I’ll just show you.” He searches Suho’s eyes again before placing an unrecognizable black object on the desk.
“...What is it?” Suho says after a few moments.
“My...” Chanyeol swallows. “My pocket watch.”
“Your State Alchemist pocket watch?” Suho said through his teeth. He thought of how many times he warned Chanyeol not to play with fire, and how many times the young boy ignored him because fire alchemy was his specialty. And now he’s gone and ruined the very thing that verifies his status as a State Alchemist. I told him so, Suho thought bitterly, waiting for an answer.
Chanyeol merely nodded, eyes down. Suho took a deep breath, only this time not to calm down. Now he was preparing to give Chanyeol the scolding of a lifetime.
“Damn, what do you think he did this time?” Jongin uttered, eyes wide in shock as he and his co workers listened to Suho scream through the door.
“I don’t know, but it must be bad. I’ve never heard the boss scream at anyone like this before.” Sehun replied.
Jongin scoffed. “Yeah, he’s usually a huge puss-”
“Jongin!” Kyungsoo exclaimed. “You shouldn’t say such things about the Colonel! He is a kind, intelligent, powerful, man and he deserves your respect.”
Jongin merely laughed. “Maybe you just hold him too high. Seriously, Soo, the way you talk about him is like you’re in love or something.”
Kyungsoo blushed as Sehun and Jongin laughed and high-fived each other. Suddenly, the sound of Suho’s voice stopped and the office door creaked open. Chanyeol stepped out with his head hung low and his feet dragging. Kyungsoo smiled sympathetically, patting his shoulder before sitting back down at his desk.
“So?” Sehun asked. “What’d you do this time?”
Chanyeol merely held up the charred watch, which brought about a stunned silence among the front office (all four occupants, that is). “I have to go to Central to get a new one. I’m leaving tomorrow.”
Kyungsoo patted the younger boy again as he left, head still hung low in shame.
“Poor kid,” Sehun pitied as he shook his head.
“He’s older than you,” Jongin laughed. Sehun threw a pen at his head.
“Will you two be mature for two minutes, please, so we can think of a way to help Chanyeol?” Kyungsoo sighed, exhausted by his younger co workers.
“Why don’t we get him a lady while he’s in Central? So he won’t be lonely.” Jongin tried to wink. He just looked like he had something in his eye.
“Or one of us could go with him. It is a long train ride.”
Kyungsoo perked up. “I have a better idea.” He quickly got up from his desk and practically skipped into Suho’s office, closing the door behind him.
“No, no, no, absolutely not happening.”
“But Colonel-”
“Did I not say no enough? No, no, no, no, no.”
“Would you just-”
“Do Kyungsoo? More like No, Kyungsoo.”
“That was really lame. Just for that you have to listen to me.”
“You won’t change my mind.”
“I can try. The poor kid can’t go all the way to Central alone. He may be twenty, but he has the maturity of a twelve-year-old.”
“He’s older than you.”
“I’m not the one going to Central, am I? Plus, you know how restless he can get. Do you really want him sitting on a train for two days? He’s practically a danger to society as it is. Imagine him on a train. For two days. With nothing to do. Someone has to control him. And that someone should be you, because he really admires you and-”
“Admires me?” Suho scoffed. “Please, he’ll probably laugh at my funeral.”
“Will you please just go with him?” Kyungsoo gave him his best puppy dog eyes.
The older side eyed the cute face for a few moments. “Fine,” he said heavily, as if even saying the word pained him.
“Thanks, Colonel, I’m sure Chanyeol will be grateful!” Kyungsoo smiled as he left the office.
Chanyeol stood on the platform at the train station, waiting for his train to arrive. He rocked up and down on his heels, his heavy black boots making obnoxious noises as the repeatedly hit the pavement.
“Could you not?” he heard a voice say from behind him. He turned around to see Suho approaching him, suitcase in hand.
“Colonel? What are you doing here?” he said, staying still.
“Kyungsoo told me you wanted someone to go with you, and that he volunteered me.” His eyebrows furrowed. “Did you... not want me to go?”
Chanyeol’s eyes widened, as he hurried to cover for his friend. “N-No! I just forgot you were coming, is all.” He gave a wide smile that seemed real. At least he hoped it did.
The train pulled up to them and the pair boarded, sitting across from each other so as not to be too close. Suho shuddered at the thought of Chanyeol’s sweaty skin rubbing against his. Chanyeol sweat. Gross.
As the train began to pull out of the station, Suho realized that they were alone in the car. Figures, he thought, who wants to be on a hot train in the middle of August? As soon as he finished the thought, he had to reach up to wipe the sweat on his brow with his hand.
“Here,” Chanyeol offered, extending a handkerchief in his direction. “I have an extra.”
Suho hesitated before taking the dry cloth and running it over his face. “Thanks,” he muttered, looking away as he reached to return it.
“Keep it.” Chanyeol was smiling. The colonel could tell even though he wasn’t looking. He could feel the brightness of the smile on the side of his face. Chanyeol was always so damn bright. Suho wondered if the kid ever got tired of being so happy.
“Why are you like that?” the elder asked, turning.
“Like what?” Chanyeol was clearly confused. His eyebrows drew together in the cutest way.
“Like... So happy. All the time. Doesn’t your face hurt?”
Chanyeol only smiled bigger. “I can’t help it around you.” His cheeks reddened. “I really like and respect you and well... being around you makes me really happy.”
The colonel let his mouth fall open. He took a moment to realize that Chanyeol was being serious for once in his life, instead of a sarcastic . Coming to this realization, he returned a genuine smile and patted the younger’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’ve finally admitted that.” Now, if you respect me so much, don’t be such a disobedient little .
The pair of alchemists was awakened by the train lurching forward.
“What what-” Chanyeol stood up, his fists raised as if he was ready for combat, even though his eyes were still half shut.
“Calm down,” Suho said, still laying down with his eyes closed. “It’s probably no big deal.”
A few minutes later, a voice came over the PA. “Attention passengers; we are sorry to inform you that the engine has failed, and will not be repaired until late this evening. Please be patient. Thank you for your cooperation.”
Suho shot up. “What?” he seethed.
“Well, she said that the engine has failed and-”
“I heard her.”
“Then why did you-”
“It’s too damn hot to sit on this train.”
“Well, we don’t really have another choice.”
Looking out the window, the colonel scowled at the trees and buildings in the distance. Lucky bastards, sitting inside probably drinking cool wat- “Wait!” he stood up. “There’s buildings, Chanyeol.”
“...So?” The younger’s eyebrows did that cute thing again.
“So, we’re going to walk to one, and call for a car.”
“But the nice lady said that the engine would be fixed later-”
“Are you coming?” Suho said from the door to the car, already halfway down the stairs.
Chanyeol scrambled after him, nearly tripping over his own boots.
After walking for what seemed like days (although the colonel kept insisting it had only been half an hour), Chanyeol had finally gathered the courage to reach over to grab Suho’s hand. He gently held the smaller hand in his own large one. However, this only lasted for a few moments before the colonel pulled away.
“What are you doing?”
“Oh I uh... nothing.” Chanyeol scratched his neck awkwardly and looked away.
“No seriously,” Suho stopped and turned to him, “you’ve been weird since we got off of the train.”
Chanyeol’s thoughts immediately jumped to the way he had deflected Suho’s small talk, carefully stepping around questions about his love life, especially. “I mean... I just thought... Why did you reject that secretary?”
“I... I just wasn’t interested in her.”
“Why not? She’s really pretty, and seemed nice enough when I talked to her.”
“Because Chanyeol... You won’t understand.”
“But maybe I will. Maybe I do.” They locked eyes intensely.
Suho cringed under his gaze, but gathered his courage anyways. “I’m not interested in women at all.”
Chanyeol suddenly hugged him tightly, spinning him around. “Me neither.” He smiled brightly.
“Really?” The colonel’s eyes went wide. “You’re so handsome though; you could get any woman you wanted.”
“But I don’t want any women.” He paused, blushing, before speaking again. “I want a man. A strong, respected man. One who still puts up with me even though I give him migraines. One who comes along with me on long train rides to keep me company. One who is still nice to me even though I never listen and fried my pocket watch to a crisp. I want a man like you, Colonel.” He smiled sheepishly; his whole face was red at this point.
Suho was stunned. He looked up at the younger (but ridiculously tall) boy. “I...” He hesitated, thinking. The longer he stayed silent, the closer together Chanyeol’s eyebrows became. He guessed he was kind of cute. And those leather pants really did look good on him. And those biceps- “Okay.”
“Okay... what?”
“I’ll be your boyfriend.”
“But i haven’t asked you yet-”
“Shut up.” Suho didn’t wait for the boy to do it himself. Instead, he made sure he’d be quiet by busying Chanyeol’s lips with his own.
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