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fic advent: day eleven
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paradisist ♥
kai/luhan
pg, 1.3k words
prompt was this picture. au, kai is coincidence, luhan is fate
paradisist ♥kai/luhan
pg, 1.3k words
prompt was this picture. au, kai is coincidence, luhan is fate
As jobs go, Jongin supposes it isn't that bad. He kinda has to spend a lot of time with people, but he's mostly on the outside. He gets to watch, waiting for just the right moment to make his move. There aren't a whole lot of rules, and he gets to work on the fly, choosing whose lives to change, who to steer wherever he pleases. And of course, there's nothing like the feeling of choosing exactly right, of setting someone's life on the right path, just because of one single moment. It feels good.
Like right now. Jongin has been watching this guy for a couple of weeks now. He'd bumped into the man in an elevator, but it'd been the man who'd apologized to him, quickly and profusely, and flashed Jongin a lopsided smile. There had been something sad there, and it stuck with Jongin, itching at the back of his mind until he found himself slipping into the shadows and trailing after him.
His name is Joonmyun. He's small, fine-boned, with a thousand watt smile that he turns on everyone and everything, from the girl who serves him coffee to his neighbour in the next cubicle. Jongin finds that he's unfailingly polite, never misses a deadline, and when his boss piles the paperwork up on his desk, he never complains.
He seems to live a very small life. He gets along tolerably well with a couple of coworkers, but his only close friend is a busy lawyer with a sharp tongue and a smile like a cat, and from what Jongin can see, he's got atrocious luck in the romance department. Joonmyun goes home to an empty apartment and a little dog, and it makes Jongin sad. He seems to be a nice guy. He deserves a little something more.
After a week, Jongin thinks he's got it. There's a freakishly tall, model handsome type working the floor above Joonmyun, in HR. He likes his men short and sweet and Jongin is certain it's a perfect match. Time to get to work.
He drifts through Joonmyun's building, stealing the coffee off someone's desk as he makes his way to the tall man's office. He drags his fingers across the nameplate ('Yifan', Jongin reads) and it only takes a nudge before Yifan straightens. Jongin's touch has stirred something in his head, an idea coalescing. He has some paperwork he needs to take to accounting. Yifan could, of course, just get someone else to do it, but maybe today he wants the walk.
Jongin follows Yifan as he makes his way downstairs, heading right for senior accountant Kim Joonmyun's desk. Another job well done, he thinks to himself, pleased.
It seems he spoke too soon, though. Just as Yifan reaches Joonmyun's desk, a courier does too. He deposits an enormous flower bouquet and hands over the card and Yifan makes a detour to Joonmyun's neighbour, not wanting to intrude.
Jongin's shoulders slump, and he opens his mouth and then closes it, uselessly. Joonmyun is beaming down at the little card, his smile more wide and genuine than Jongin has ever seen it, but still, irritation prickles at the back of Jongin's neck. It was perfect. What went wrong?
“So slow.” The voice at his ear is lilting, teasing, and Jongin turns to see Lu Han, grinning at him, wide and smug. “That's the best you can do?”
Jongin bristles. “Goddamnit, Lu Han.” Of course. Lu Han and his stupid intricate little plans.
Lu Han shrugs a shoulder, nonchalant. “He and Jongdae have known each other since they were kids. I set them on this path long ago.” He pats Jongin's elbow. “I just beat you to it.” The pleased curve to Lu Han's eyes is driving Jongin nuts, and making his stomach shift unpleasantly. Every time Lu Han shows up, he has this effect on Jongin, setting him off balance. For someone who is supposed to be the embodiment of the slow, inexorable, and inevitable, Lu Han seems to do everything in his power to knock Jongin off his footing.
In front of them, Joonmyun is turning the little card over in his hands and admiring his flowers, and next to him, Yifan is flustered and tongue-tied by the brash, boyish accountant he's speaking to. Jongin wonders if this, the way the girl looks up at Yifan and grins, if this is Lu Han's work, but he suddenly has no desire to know.
Lu Han has been beating him to the punch every single time lately, and it's starting to drive Jongin up the wall. First, it was pretty Baekhyun and that styling job (Jongin was pushing his tall, gangly boyfriend to suggest it, but thanks to Lu Han Baekhyun had seen the ad all on his own), then it was Zitao (and that one stung, Jongin had almost gotten him published, and then Lu Han had to go and nudge him towards a job in the United States). And now this! It's getting ridiculous.
“Go away,” Jongin grumbles. “You ruin everything.” He's getting tired of these near misses, of never quite getting to save the day, and he's even more sick of Lu Han always popping up. Always with that pleased smile, and always making Jongin's heart rattle around in his ribs. He hates him.
“Well,” Lu Han says. “Not everything, clearly. I seem to be doing pretty well down here.”
Jongin watches Joonmyun toy with a flower petal and glowers. “Whatever,” he says. He needs to find another posting. Can you get another job when you're the physical embodiment of an intangible concept? Jongin sure hopes so.
He sets down his stolen coffee mug and turns to leave, but Lu Han catches his arm. When he turns to look at him, Lu Han looks genuinely contrite. It makes Jongin pause, his irritation burning down to a slow simmer. “Sorry,” Lu Han says, and Jongin bites his lip, searching his face. He can't decide if Lu Han is being honest, but part of him tells him he is. “I didn't mean to steal your thunder.”
“Again,” Jongin points out, sullen.
“Again,” Lu Han agrees.
Jongin would like to say that he's strong in the face of Lu Han, but he's so not. Lu Han hasn't taken his hand away from Jongin's arm, fingers curled warmly around his elbow, and he looks earnest, and it's doing stupid things to Jongin's stomach. “'s fine,” he says finally, clearing his throat.
“This one was mostly an accident,” Lu Han admits. “You were unlucky.”
Jongin eyes him warily. “And the rest?”
Lu Han shrugs a shoulder. “Well. I had to get your attention somehow, didn't I?”
“What?” Jongin chokes out. His breath catches in his throat and he blinks at Lu Han, eyes wide. “I. You did this on purpose?”
The flush that spreads across Lu Han's cheeks is simultaneously gratifying and a little bit scary. “Well, yes.” He tips his head. “You didn't really think it was all an accident, did you?”
“I, uh.” Jongin's words don't really seem to want to come out. “I am Coincidence, you know.”
“Yes,” Lu Han agrees. He takes a step forward and Jongin shivers. “And I'm Fate.” His lips are so close to Jongin's and it makes him swallow, hard. He doesn't step away, though. “I've always got a plan.”
Jongin lets him close the distance between them, Lu Han's hand coming up to cup his chin and hold him steady, and well, maybe Jongin can get behind this whole grand plan thing.
Like right now. Jongin has been watching this guy for a couple of weeks now. He'd bumped into the man in an elevator, but it'd been the man who'd apologized to him, quickly and profusely, and flashed Jongin a lopsided smile. There had been something sad there, and it stuck with Jongin, itching at the back of his mind until he found himself slipping into the shadows and trailing after him.
His name is Joonmyun. He's small, fine-boned, with a thousand watt smile that he turns on everyone and everything, from the girl who serves him coffee to his neighbour in the next cubicle. Jongin finds that he's unfailingly polite, never misses a deadline, and when his boss piles the paperwork up on his desk, he never complains.
He seems to live a very small life. He gets along tolerably well with a couple of coworkers, but his only close friend is a busy lawyer with a sharp tongue and a smile like a cat, and from what Jongin can see, he's got atrocious luck in the romance department. Joonmyun goes home to an empty apartment and a little dog, and it makes Jongin sad. He seems to be a nice guy. He deserves a little something more.
After a week, Jongin thinks he's got it. There's a freakishly tall, model handsome type working the floor above Joonmyun, in HR. He likes his men short and sweet and Jongin is certain it's a perfect match. Time to get to work.
He drifts through Joonmyun's building, stealing the coffee off someone's desk as he makes his way to the tall man's office. He drags his fingers across the nameplate ('Yifan', Jongin reads) and it only takes a nudge before Yifan straightens. Jongin's touch has stirred something in his head, an idea coalescing. He has some paperwork he needs to take to accounting. Yifan could, of course, just get someone else to do it, but maybe today he wants the walk.
Jongin follows Yifan as he makes his way downstairs, heading right for senior accountant Kim Joonmyun's desk. Another job well done, he thinks to himself, pleased.
It seems he spoke too soon, though. Just as Yifan reaches Joonmyun's desk, a courier does too. He deposits an enormous flower bouquet and hands over the card and Yifan makes a detour to Joonmyun's neighbour, not wanting to intrude.
Jongin's shoulders slump, and he opens his mouth and then closes it, uselessly. Joonmyun is beaming down at the little card, his smile more wide and genuine than Jongin has ever seen it, but still, irritation prickles at the back of Jongin's neck. It was perfect. What went wrong?
“So slow.” The voice at his ear is lilting, teasing, and Jongin turns to see Lu Han, grinning at him, wide and smug. “That's the best you can do?”
Jongin bristles. “Goddamnit, Lu Han.” Of course. Lu Han and his stupid intricate little plans.
Lu Han shrugs a shoulder, nonchalant. “He and Jongdae have known each other since they were kids. I set them on this path long ago.” He pats Jongin's elbow. “I just beat you to it.” The pleased curve to Lu Han's eyes is driving Jongin nuts, and making his stomach shift unpleasantly. Every time Lu Han shows up, he has this effect on Jongin, setting him off balance. For someone who is supposed to be the embodiment of the slow, inexorable, and inevitable, Lu Han seems to do everything in his power to knock Jongin off his footing.
In front of them, Joonmyun is turning the little card over in his hands and admiring his flowers, and next to him, Yifan is flustered and tongue-tied by the brash, boyish accountant he's speaking to. Jongin wonders if this, the way the girl looks up at Yifan and grins, if this is Lu Han's work, but he suddenly has no desire to know.
Lu Han has been beating him to the punch every single time lately, and it's starting to drive Jongin up the wall. First, it was pretty Baekhyun and that styling job (Jongin was pushing his tall, gangly boyfriend to suggest it, but thanks to Lu Han Baekhyun had seen the ad all on his own), then it was Zitao (and that one stung, Jongin had almost gotten him published, and then Lu Han had to go and nudge him towards a job in the United States). And now this! It's getting ridiculous.
“Go away,” Jongin grumbles. “You ruin everything.” He's getting tired of these near misses, of never quite getting to save the day, and he's even more sick of Lu Han always popping up. Always with that pleased smile, and always making Jongin's heart rattle around in his ribs. He hates him.
“Well,” Lu Han says. “Not everything, clearly. I seem to be doing pretty well down here.”
Jongin watches Joonmyun toy with a flower petal and glowers. “Whatever,” he says. He needs to find another posting. Can you get another job when you're the physical embodiment of an intangible concept? Jongin sure hopes so.
He sets down his stolen coffee mug and turns to leave, but Lu Han catches his arm. When he turns to look at him, Lu Han looks genuinely contrite. It makes Jongin pause, his irritation burning down to a slow simmer. “Sorry,” Lu Han says, and Jongin bites his lip, searching his face. He can't decide if Lu Han is being honest, but part of him tells him he is. “I didn't mean to steal your thunder.”
“Again,” Jongin points out, sullen.
“Again,” Lu Han agrees.
Jongin would like to say that he's strong in the face of Lu Han, but he's so not. Lu Han hasn't taken his hand away from Jongin's arm, fingers curled warmly around his elbow, and he looks earnest, and it's doing stupid things to Jongin's stomach. “'s fine,” he says finally, clearing his throat.
“This one was mostly an accident,” Lu Han admits. “You were unlucky.”
Jongin eyes him warily. “And the rest?”
Lu Han shrugs a shoulder. “Well. I had to get your attention somehow, didn't I?”
“What?” Jongin chokes out. His breath catches in his throat and he blinks at Lu Han, eyes wide. “I. You did this on purpose?”
The flush that spreads across Lu Han's cheeks is simultaneously gratifying and a little bit scary. “Well, yes.” He tips his head. “You didn't really think it was all an accident, did you?”
“I, uh.” Jongin's words don't really seem to want to come out. “I am Coincidence, you know.”
“Yes,” Lu Han agrees. He takes a step forward and Jongin shivers. “And I'm Fate.” His lips are so close to Jongin's and it makes him swallow, hard. He doesn't step away, though. “I've always got a plan.”
Jongin lets him close the distance between them, Lu Han's hand coming up to cup his chin and hold him steady, and well, maybe Jongin can get behind this whole grand plan thing.