Work Text:
“I brought your coffee,” Jungwoo calls as he enters the main room. In his hand are two mugs, one for his partner and his own. His partner’s, a design that includes multiple imprints of bunny footprints, is set on his designated desk, next to a nametag reading “DOYOUNG” in bold. The coffee sits freshly brewed, a delightful smell in the early morning hour. His own mug, containing a special Snoopy design on the front, is set on some documents, with hopes that it won’t spill.
In a moment or so, Doyoung returns to his own desk after gathering papers from the copy machine. Even before he takes a seat, his tongue clicks at the sight on his desk. Despite having his back to him, Jungwoo doesn’t bother turning the other way, already familiar with the complaints about to occur.
“I told you, I like my coffee black. (‘Like your soul,’ Jungwoo almost wants to add) And, what is this?” His finger points in disgust at something poking out of the coffee.
“It’s called a cinnamon stick.” Jungwoo comments dryly. His voice barely gets the polite tone across. He can nearly feel the glare Doyoung casts his way, despite not facing his direction. “I thought it would, I don’t know, add more flavor to your soulless coffee.” He continues. Jaehyun, who’s seated across from Jungwoo, snickers under his breath. Unfortunately for Jaehyun, his gaze matches Doyoung’s, and he clears any laughter he has left from his lungs.
“Why would you do that?” He’s already frowning as he continues his complaint. “My coffee is dark, like my—”
“Soul.” Johnny, Jungwoo, and Jaehyun complete in unison. “We know, you say the same stuff every morning,” Johnny comments with a speck of salt, but it’s more teasing than everything. Johnny, the tardy devil he is, always seems to appear at a time where teasing Doyoung is necessary. Jaehyun can’t keep his chuckles to himself, nearly slipping out of his chair onto the floor in a fit of laughter. Doyoung just rolls his eyes, not bothered enough to face the trio, instead taking a seat in his chair.
(Jungwoo thinks that Johnny likes joining these particular conversations just to bug Doyoung. He isn’t wrong.)
“Enough already,” Doyoung groans, entirely exasperated at the fit of giggles coming from behind him. “Get to work, or something!” Although the phrase was aimed at the three, Johnny feels a specific pair of daggers pointed at him. Jungwoo watches the expression in Johnny’s face still, wondering if there’s some sort of rivalry that stems between the two.
“Jeez, calm down already.” Almost as though it were a hobby, Johnny enjoys playing with Doyoung’s nerves. “I thought I was the chief around here.”
“Well, you certainly aren’t doing a great job as one, now are you,” Doyoung spouts in retaliation.
“Aw, now see what you did,” the chief’s tone is almost mocking. He’s no longer paying attention to Doyoung’s annoyed behavior, averting his attention elsewhere. “Jungwoo,” looking in the direction of said person, his lips puffing out in a pout, “you made Doyoung upset. Now we’ll never get through the day with that haggard yelling at us.” The group exchange one more round of laughter before Doyoung throws another fit of insults at the playful chief.
“I hope you actually drink that,” Johnny comments, obviously aimed in Doyoung’s direction, voice teasing once more before taking to his office. “My precious Jungwoo spent time making that for you.”
Doyoung’s middle finger raises itself in response.
(What Jungwoo never saw, or just never bothered checking into, was Doyoung’s empty mug in the break room’s sink by the end of the lunch break, cinnamon stick nowhere to be found.)
Jungwoo doesn’t hate being Doyoung’s partner. Of course, he wishes his partner was a bit more friendlier towards him. Even though they’re considered the latest pair of the department, the air between them has done little to simmer out. If his calendar serves him right, it’s been almost two years since Jungwoo joined the force and was assigned Doyoung as a partner, much to the older’s dislike.
(Jungwoo is attentive at updating his calendar, making sure every event of his lines with the calendar accordingly, anniversaries included.)
Despite the two years they share, Jungwoo knows there’s little progress in their actual outside-of-work-relationship. If they speak, it’s related to work, and even then, there’s few words the older male would care to utter. To Jungwoo’s knowledge, he’s not sure he’s done anything to offend the older, but then again, it’s been like that for two years already.
“Maybe he’s jealous of you,” is what Johnny first told Jungwoo, when he had approached the chief concerning his partnership. Jungwoo wasn’t sure what there was to be jealous of. When it comes to mind, he lacked, although he made up for it somewhat in muscle. A requirement as deputy, supposedly. “Or maybe he was upset that I paired him with a rookie.” Jungwoo ended up taking the latter.
Doyoung is brilliant, much too brilliant and experienced to be paired with Jungwoo’s lack of such. He’s not in a position to argue or recommend change, only adjust to it. He doesn’t complain about it whatsoever, but he wonders if his partner is truly satisfied with the arrangement. Something tells him he isn’t.
Maybe Doyoung simply dislikes Jungwoo. Maybe he doesn’t. The thoughts play like a game of tennis inside his thoughts. Neither side has yet to score a point.
Johnny never has a dull day. Even with his current position, he can’t help but teeter over the edge with the idea of toying with his fellow associates while risking a demotion.
“Do you guys talk? At all? Like on rounds and stuff.” He asked Jungwoo one morning, after he made a request to see him. Jungwoo frowned at the question, making the answer quite obvious.
“I’m going to assume you don’t. Try talking to him, or something. What are you waiting for?” He waved the male off to his own duties.
It was Doyoung’s turn to drive today. Normally, their rounds consist of a few blocks, the furthest point being the little bakery that sells little pastries Jungwoo could die for. Doyoung happens to like their buns.
They’ve only just left the station, the familiar feeling of morning hours dragging through his body. The suggestion presented by Johnny earlier that morning still rings clear in his mind.
“So,” Jungwoo tries, dipping his toe in the metaphorical water.
“So,” his partner returns. “What is it?” A good idea might have been to prepare a conversation topic.
“Did you hear what Sergeant Taeyong did the other day?” He sounds like a teenager, already trying to stir a conversation by mentioning another person. It’s sudden, and Jungwoo notices the slight flicker in Doyoung’s eyes as they slightly widen.
“I have no interest in gossiping about our fellow co-workers.” His eyes return to their normal gaze.
“Oh. Well.” He spends a few minutes trying to decide on another topic. In hopeless avail, his fingers end up drumming against the car window in a rhythmic tune. Jungwoo discovers he knows nothing about continuing conversations, or how to even start one. The rest of the car ride is spent in silence, like most days.
Doyoung pulls up to the same parking spot they normally do, located in the small shopping center where the bakery is located. “You want the usual?” Jungwoo nods, although he has no need to actually confirm his order, since it never changes to begin with. Besides, Doyoung is already walking into the store without giving a seconds notice. His words were only filler , not an actual question. It’s routine, Jungwoo knows.
Jungwoo doesn’t try to start another talk as they finish their rounds, only sinking his teeth into the soft pastry Doyoung purchased for him.
“If you get your crumbs everywhere, you’re cleaning the car,” his partner strictly reminds him.
“Hold on, he told you he doesn’t like to gossip?” Johnny sinks into his chair and laughs. “What a liar. He’s always the one talking up a storm about someone in the department. I can’t believe he’d say something like that.”
Jungwoo just shrugs, feeling at the areas around his mouth to wipe away any stray dough. “I told you, we never talk. About non-work things. If I told him that the weather was nice, he’d probably say he doesn’t check the forecast, or that he doesn’t care.” Johnny snorts at the comment.
“I can’t believe it. Two years of you guys being partners, and he can’t even talk about the weather?” He laughs again. “I can’t wait to tell Taeyong about this.” Jungwoo winces slightly, which Johnny raises a brow to, but never actually questions.
“What should I do?” Jungwoo whines softly. A grin crosses Johnny’s face and there’s a devilish glint in his eye.
“I have an idea,” the chief’s grin reduces to evil cackles. Jungwoo can only watch with a concerned expression.
“I’m giving you guys the night shift.” Johnny announces to Doyoung one evening. Doyoung never gets the night shift, due to past requests. But Johnny’s there to file in excuses. “Sicheng took an early leave, and Taeil copped out on me. Said he had dinner plans, that scoundrel .” Jungwoo almost didn’t hear the dropped remark. “So that leaves me with you two!” Johnny looks absolutely delighted to drop the news, while Doyoung’s expression reigns the complete opposite.
“Just go home already.” He growls in response. Johnny throws his hands up in defense, already backing out of his space.
“Can you get me another cup of coffee?” Doyoung calls once the air clears, after Johnny left for the evening. Jungwoo complies, knowing there’ll be a long night ahead of them.
No one calls this late at night. No one. Not even the kids that love to play fake emergency pranks, but that’s most likely because they were sent to bed. Besides the first cup Jungwoo had earlier that day, he’s only on his second mug, while he puts Doyoung down for his third. Paperwork is done accordingly, with little motivation behind it. The hours draw themselves sleepily in Jungwoo’s mind, only wondering when he’ll be excused from duty.
The wheels of the chair Doyoung’s seated in rattles, suggesting of its movement, and Jungwoo can hear the flap of a coat, knowing its owner.
“Night patrol.” His voice sounds dull once the hours die down, not like the sharp tone he keeps during the day. Jungwoo needn’t say a word, only following the older out with his own coat.
Jungwoo is sure he’s yawned about ten times in the span of twenty minutes. Not much goes on during the night hours, save for the few young adolescent adults that like to monkey around. A few elderly people can be seen entering their homes, probably returning after their weekly bingo event. Some of them catch Jungwoo’s eye, both parties then bowing accordingly. They call out to Jungwoo, wishing him a good evening. Doyoung overhears their faint words, acting by slowly pulling the car to the side. He quietly watches as Jungwoo engages with them in colloquial conversation.
When the young deputy finishes his greetings, wishing them a goodnight and rest, he can hear the older chuckle from his seat. His brow quirks, surprised to hear such a reaction. He never asks Doyoung to explain himself, since the older male usually speaks for himself without an instigator, so he waits.
“You’re lucky,” the cop utters under his breath, shifting the car back into drive. “Most of them yell at me or treat me a little ruder whenever they see me. I could guess why, but I’m not too sure.” It’s a little too dark for the young man to make out the face of the other, but he’s sure the expression is sincere.
“I just try my best,” he replies, fingers once again tapping against the window. “If you smile and say nice things to them, they seem to love you instantly.” Doyoung can tell he’s speaking from personal experience.
Doyoung laughs, probably wearing a faint grin the other can’t identify. “Makes sense. All I do is give warnings about their bingo games, saying it’s past curfew.” He laughs dryly.
Something in Jungwoo’s mind thinks the older is actually making an attempt to have conversation.
“Also, I don’t hate you, or dislike you, or whatever you think about how I feel towards you. I don’t mind talking about the weather either, but I can’t give a crap most of the time.” Doyoung abruptly adds. It’s spontaneous with an awkward delivery.
“Johnny is somewhat right, but also wrong. I can hear you two by the way, in case you didn’t know.” The words slightly startle the deputy. Now that he thinks about it, Jungwoo always forgets to shut the door behind him whenever he enters the chief’s office. It’s a habit needing to be fixed in the future.
“I was a little upset at first, since I’ve never been paired with such a rookie before.” The words unintentionally stab at Jungwoo. “I used to be Johnny’s partner, actually, back when we first joined the force. Times have changed, however.” His hands grip the wheel a little tighter, and he sighs to keep his breath steady. “Don’t get me wrong though, I have no ill feelings towards either of you.”
“Then why?” Jungwoo speaks up. Doyoung exhales again.
“At first, I thought you lacked experience, but as time went on, I saw just how hard you worked and all the experience you gained.” Jungwoo feels his cheeks flush at the sudden compliment. “I had judged you too early, and that’s my bad. But since I’m me, well, I was a little too prideful to admit that. Part of me felt bad about judging you so early, but part of me could never find the right thing to say to you.” He huffs out a short laugh. “I sound pathetic, don’t I?”
“No, no, of course you don’t.” Jungwoo reassures. “You don’t. I’m just glad to hear you don’t hate me.”
“Of course not, in fact,” Doyoung’s voice reduces to a low mumble, “I’m quite fond of you. I’m glad to be your partner.” If it was broad daylight, Jungwoo might have seen the red blush that creeped across his partner’s face.
Doyoung can yell at him later. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear that. Could you repeat that?” Johnny’s teasing rubs off on him.
“Ugh, just forget I ever said anything!” The man at the wheel blurts, face probably flushed red, and Jungwoo laughs, feeling so familiar with Doyoung for once.
“Wanna get drinks? We can stop by the convenience store later.” The younger suggests while they’re waiting for the stoplight to turn green. Doyoung hums softly in thought.
“We’re on duty, Jungwoo.” His voice sounds sharp once again, but the way he says Jungwoo’s name sounds more endearing than anything. “But,” he chirps, “I wouldn’t mind sharing a drink once we’re off duty.”
Jungwoo makes a mental note to thank Johnny later.