Chapter Text
The tired male’s gaze wavered over the illuminated laptop. His name neatly written in permanent marker on the lid was now a little faded but distinguishable – ‘Han Jisung’. Jisung’s still features reflected from the rusty and dim screen in front of him. He couldn’t believe that this old junk had held out for as long as it did. He was grateful, and wasn’t about to jinx himself on such a trivial thought. He leant back, the laptop sliding down his thighs slightly, as his head lay back on the hard head rest of the couch. Pillows were overrated. Pillows were overrated. Pillows were overrated. He groaned out-loud in displeasure, probably a little too loudly for a calm morning. He didn’t want to wake up today. Sleeping in would have been so, so ideal – he was bothered by the fact that his heart was beating this morning. Morbid intentions or lazy thoughts? God, he needed to stop being so cynical. But the fucking morning just did it for him.
He glanced down to his laptop again, which had awoken him at the early hour of six am with an obnoxious ping. Jisung didn’t get a ton of emails, and if any, they were from the one person he dreaded the most.
Jisung lazily moved the curser around to light up the greasy screen, painted with sticky fingerprints that were asking for a deep cleanse in bleach. The words, like some sort of road sign lit up with bright red – underlined, with a bold font too. Jisung let out another groan, wracking his brain on what to do. Nothing came to mind. He chucked the laptop to the side with a frustrated huff, running his hand through his own greasy hair. Frowning, his hands dragged down his face and soon landed with a slap on his lap.
Oh, what he would give to squeeze the life out of their landlord. Like some lemon juice. When life gives you lemons?
Realizing he had been a little to careless in taking out his anger on their communal laptop, he picked it up and checked if it still worked. Honestly, at this point, Jisung would not be surprised to see the prehistoric dell laptop puff out its last breath and set itself on fire.
Jisung placed the device back on the edge of the tiny coffee table before glancing towards the windows. There was a row of them and they gave the spectacular view of a pavement. He’d acquired an apartment just below the ground, so, he guessed it was his own fault in the end.
A round of irregular and hazy steps emerged from the opened window, making Jisung perk up slightly. Who in their right mind would be strolling at six am in the morning? Definitely not anyone around their rutted, squalid neighbourhood. But he knew one rutted and squalid person that would. The steps increased in volume as they passed the window, and it was enough for Jisung to spot the dirtied, off-brand converse he knew well – unlaced and all. This kid was something else.
Jisung smirked softly and lay back down on the couch, arms propping up his head as his feet extended to the coffee table, leaning right over the laptop. This would be a show he’d entertain more than anything. He closed his eyes and raised his voice just as the door scraped open to their apartment.
“Come on, le’me see you.” Jisung taunted with a laugh, earning a weak groan from a chestnut brown mop of hair making his entrance.
The seemingly younger man stepped into the living room hazily, as if drunk, but it wasn’t that, and Jisung knew.
“You look like road kill!” Jisung called out, opening his eyes to meet the gaze of his dear brother. He eyed the limp in his steps as he inched closer towards the couch in fatigue. Jisung looked him up and down in amusement, noting the paleness, the sweat, the redness of his teary eyes and the fact he was wearing his clothes as if someone had literally thrown them atop of his small frame.
“Tired… let me live.” The other uttered dramatically and smiled with a hum.
“You’re literally pathetic.” The older laughed incredulously, a smirk tugging at the others woozy face.
The mop of hair looked up to Jisung with mild annoyance, paired with absolutely no will to entertain Jisung’s game. It was too early. Too early. He shifted towards the couch. Jisung extended his legs, leaving no space for him.
“Han-ah you’re so mean to me. You have no reason!” The mop of hair replied with a smirk and slurred speech, as if having no power to properly bicker back.
Jisung blew off the names, it was nothing new. At least Satan himself came back home after his wild night.
“I thought you finished sleeping around.” Jisung commented with a roll at his eyes, earning a whine from the other.
But, no response.
“Seungmin.” He clicked his fingers in front of his face, making the other slap Jisung’s hand away.
“Get your disgusting fingers out of my face.” He flicked them away in disgust, moving towards the couch.
“You’re one to speak.” Jisung muttered incredulously.
“I’m sore! Move!” Seungmin managed to move past and drop carefully onto the ugly, green, patterned couch. His limbs automatically flailed around the small abundance of the piece of furniture, his head bouncing back on the hardness of the head rest. A whine puckered his lips into a frown.
“Do us all a favour and get us some cushions.”
“I thought you were done sleeping around.” Jisung started up again, ignoring the others comments. They both knew that there were more important things to take care of that took priority over comfort. It hurt his heart to think that way – what Jisung would give for comfort in his own home. He felt Seungmin’s pain.
“Are you surprised? I love fucking around.” Seungmin continued the previous conversation, opening his eyes to meet Jisung’s gaze. He grinned dramatically.
Jisung rolled his eyes, before shoving at his leg to make space for him on the small couch. Seungmin sneered lightly, with a small wince, but scooted over. He laughed at the small alerts of pain coming from Seungmin. This would happen on a daily a few months ago. Jisung’s teasings were endless. But before he could speak up, Seungmin did.
“That money I got us last time doesn’t last forever y’know!” Seungmin recounted with a laugh, making wild gestures with his eyes fluttering shut in need of sleep.
“It’s been a few months and we drained it already. Not that it was a lot to begin with, but it’s the longest we’ve gone.” Seungmin carried on,
“I’m proud of getting such a good catch. The guy I was with was clueless, man. Six months with him was kind of long, he got attached. But the cash was worth it!” the younger laughed in memory.
“Plus staying at his, he literally paid for me! Did everything Han-ah it was literally heaven on earth. But now I’m in this shithole again with you.” He grinned and leant towards Jisung lovingly, only to be pushed away in mutual disgust.
“I didn’t ask for a rundown of your love life.” Jisung rolled his eyes for the second time already. Seungmin’s presence was so obnoxious, and Jisung found himself missing the calmer months when his brother had left in peace. All good things come to an end.
“Call it what you want, but love life it was not.” The younger rolled his own eyes in return. Seungmin most of the time wasn’t fond of talking with Jisung. His teasing usually ended in hot-headed and unnecessary name calling.
“When will I ever see my little Seungmin-ie in love?” Jisung pouted. This time he’d shuffled in to Seungmin significantly closer, squishing harshly at his already rosy cheeks.
“God, you reek of sex.” The male soon choked back dramatically and Seungmin kicked him back to his side. The younger's side was left. The elders was the right.
“So you’re prostituting again?” The elder continued and laughed at the pout on Seungmin’s face.
“Don’t call it that.”
“Oh? Oh, yes of course. You’re a charitable sex worker.”
“You’re wrong! I get a heck ton of money for it. The crazier the request, the larger the stash,” Seungmin retaliated with a tongue click, as if providing his ‘business’ rundown.
“That’s grim.” Jisung winced at the splurge of unwanted information. “-And, I meant that we’re the charity.”
“Oh, then you’re right!” Seungmin chimed.
“What, that you’re a charitable sex worker?” Jisung attempted to tease, but Seungmin’s mind worked on a different gear.
“That’s kind of sexy.”
“Seungmin, you’re a walking disease.”
“I’m clean. How dare you!” He harmlessly raised his voice with a frown etched into his smooth skin.
“Not for long.”
Seungmin sighed. They were bickering, but there was a hesitance in Jisung’s voice.
“I’m bored recently. So, I’ll probably find a few more jobs for mula. Like you.” He stated nonchalantly, before his lips fell into a smirk as he continued, “atop of my charitable sex work of course.” Seungmin stated proudly.
Jisung slapped Seungmin on the thigh, the younger man’s body convulsing from pain and tightening around his core. He rapidly kicked the older off the couch with a harsh push and disgusted expression.
“The abuse in this household is getting problematic!” Seungmin joked loudly, letting out another drawn out whine. His body shot pain down his pelvis, his thighs trembling slightly – a common occurrence with Seungmin after the deed.
“Whatever.” Jisung waved him off, walking to the one of three small rooms in the apartment; the kitchen.
Jisung didn’t know what he was expecting when he opened the fridge. A hum, a flickering light, desolate shelves – and oh yes, no food.
“Hey stupid, go seduce the neighbour. Get some meat. Pork belly sounds like a feast.” Jisung voiced over to Seungmin, displayed on the couch close to being asleep.
“Not now.” The other dismissed.
“Why?”
“I haven’t exactly recovered, thank you for your care dear brother.”
“Your pitiful state will make her willing to give us food.” Jisung pointed out. He wished he was joking. But, Seungmin looked like a car crash. He heard a sleepy hum from the couch.
“Dear G-d, I don’t wish for a lot. But one thing I need is money, oh yes, and a family replacement. They use me in ways you can’t think off.” Seungmin had his hands lazily clasped together, as if he was holding onto the last sane strand of his brain. It’s funny that Jisung felt the exact same about the younger.
“You’re literally satan’s offspring, No g-d to save you here so hop along!” Jisung stated hurriedly as he searched his pockets for a lighter. The least he could make for them was some warm water for the morning. If Seungmin got meat, or even just eggs and some tea from that woman from across the hallway, then they’d be set for the morning. Instant ramyeon had run out.
Jisung lit up the gas stove. It took a few tries, but it was one of the only trustworthy pieces of equipment. It needed time.
“Out of the question!” Seungmin argued back, entertaining Jisung’s patience. The older looked up from the stove in mild annoyance.
“I don’t even look that bad, y’know?” The mop of hair started again, lifting himself from the couch and brushing through his flattened brunette hair.
“There’s a reason I’m a ‘charitable sex worker’.”
Jisung sighed, holding tightly onto the last of his nerves.
“I’m sexy to look at.” Seungmin straightened out the long petticoat that Jisung didn’t recognize. Probably a new find – literally.
Considering Seungmin was no longer laying atop the couch like a dead body, Jisung assumed that he agreed to the request. Typical Seungmin. Jisung worked on getting the kettle out of the tiny cupboard, before filling it up with water.
The other male loitered about, joining Jisung in the already claustrophobic kitchen. He reached into the deep crevices of his pockets, reeling out the cash he’d acquired from his ‘charitable’ work. A pile of banknotes landed in the jar on the kitchen counter with a few coins, creating an echoing noise and cutting through the little silence that had hung over them.
Jisung’s eyes oscillated to their personalized jar for a second, before quickly flicking back to Seungmin.
The younger was already ruffling himself up a bit more, as if his state walking back home wasn’t pitiful enough. After observing Seungmin’s dedication to increase his ‘road kill’ look, Jisung was sure they’d be guaranteed a dinner for tonight as well.