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Hyunwoo has no idea why he's here, squeezed into a tiny apartment, wearing a ridiculous PVC get-up and drinking warm beer whilst, next to him, Hoseok fusses over the smallest details of his costume.
"Do they look good?" Hoseok bares his teeth and tentatively touches one of the fake fangs he carefully applied an hour ago with the tip of his finger.
"Yes?" Hyunwoo guesses this is the right answer.
Hoseok seems to be mulling this over. "So, say, if you, objectively, if you found me attractive, how much more attractive do I look as a vampire on a scale of one to fuck-me-right-now?"
"By objectively do you mean if I was Hyungwon?"
"No." He pauses. "Maybe. Yes. He better be coming. He is coming tonight, right?"
"He text me earlier to ask the same about you." Kihyun is at Hoseok's shoulder, adjusting a pair of sunglasses. "Why is this a costume party anyway?"
"I'm sure the invitation said something to do with it being about halfway between last year's Halloween and this year's. Apparently that's as much of a reason anyone needs to throw a costume party." Hoseok says.
Kihyun hums in approval. "Well, it's fine by me because I know I make a criminally good looking secret agent." He pushes his sunglasses back onto the top of his head and gets out his phone to check his reflection in the camera.
"Let me just see my--" Hoseok pushes his own face in front of the camera and smooths a hand over his slicked back hair.
Hyunwoo takes in this exchange and then takes a long drink of his beer. His friends are still peering at their reflections appreciatively, and he'd say something to them about ego or narcissism, but he has to admit they do look good. Neither of them are wearing PVC, anyway, something that he doesn't think it a coincidence since they picked out all three costumes.
"Come on, smile. You might have fun tonight," Hoseok nudges him as Kihyun puts away his phone. "You might meet someone!"
Hyunwoo says, "Dressed like this?" and finishes his beer.
--
He's swapping his empty beer for a full one when there is a tentative tap on his shoulder and, then, a slightly less tentative voice in his ear saying, "Please arrest me."
When he turns around, there is a guy in a brown and white onesie stood close, two floppy ears adorning the hood. He's smiling, and there's a glint in his eyes that could be confused with being the kind of playful drunk some people get, except for the fact that he's clutching a can of soda and not a beer.
"I've been bad and I need to be arrested." He is still smiling brightly as he says it.
"This-- I'm-- This is a costume party, you know that, right?" Hyunwoo replies.
"Yes." Puppy Onesie almost looks worried. "You do realise you're dressed as a sexy cop?"
Hyunwoo feels himself blushing. That had been the exact name on the packet, which he'd been rather unsure about when it had been bustled into his arms earlier that evening. When Hoseok had mentioned "police" he'd had images of some cool, all black, special ops style get-up, not blue and black PVC. But, by the time he'd had a chance to take in his outfit choice for that night, Hoseok had been back at his bedroom door with fake blood running along his jawline and Hyunwoo had no choice but to put it on and leave for the party.
"So, are you going to read me my rights or what?" The guy in front of him tilts his head expectantly. The playful look is still there and Hyunwoo is wondering whether it's just the beer that makes him find this as cute as he does, but he tries not to think about that and instead think of some sort of intelligent response to this vaguely flirty request.
"I only arrest humans, sorry." Hyunwoo comes up with, only semi-awkwardly, in response.
And, miraculously, the other guy actually laughs.
--
New drink in hand, Hyunwoo finds Hoseok standing in the entrance to the kitchen, dripping blood into a glass. "It's out of control, I think I've used too much," he mumbles between drinks. "Does it still look sexy?"
"Am I meant to be thinking like Hyungwon again?"
Hoseok pouts as much as he can with a mouthful of red food colouring. "Where is he, anyway? These fangs are uncomfortable, but I want to bite his neck at least once before--"
"I really don't need to know." Hyunwoo cuts him off, stepping aside to let a black cat and a superhero, complete with cape and tights and all slip past out of the kitchen.
Puppy Onesie follows them out. He's smiling, but Hyunwoo isn't sure whether he's smiling at him or whether he's just smiling at everybody. Before Hyunwoo can give in and offer to arrest him before he even asks, Puppy Onesie's gaze flickers to Hoseok, who seems to have just about managed to get the fake blood under control.
"Oh, hey hyung! Is Hyungwon coming tonight?" He asks, and Hyunwoo suddenly wants to know how they know each other and why he has never been introduced.
"Better be." Hoseok is pouting again. "I got all dressed up for him."
"I was going to make more of an effort, but I was running late after class so ended up in this." The guy tugs at one of the fabric ears on the hood and smiles as he turns his attention back to Hyunwoo. "So, officer? Can at least just wear those handcuffs for a photo? Please?"
"Um-" Hyunwoo had forgotten they were even there, hanging from his belt loop but before he can unhook them, Puppy Onesie is dragged away by a group of excited stormtroopers, calling, "I'll see you later!" as he disappears into the crowd near the make-shift dance floor.
"I think Minhyuk likes you." Hoseok says as he checks his phone for signs of Hyunwon's arrival. "Either that or he has a uniform fetish. I actually wouldn't be surprised if it was the latter."
"How do you know him?"
"I can't even remember. I think maybe he's in some of Hyungwon's classes."
"Doesn't Hyungwon sleep through most of his classes?" Hyunwoo asks. He's not even trying to be funny, Hyungwon does sleep more than the average person, even for a student.
Hoseok looks up from his phone and smiles, fangs bared. "Only when I keep him up late."
Hyunwoo regrets asking.
--
When Hyungwon shows up he isn't even in costume. He looks Hyunwoo up and down and says, "Please tell me my boyfriend isn't in some ridiculous get up like yours."
Hyunwoo doesn't take offence. He does feel kind of ridiculous. "Actually, he's full-on vampire. His teeth are going to be stained red for days."
Hyungwon rolls his eyes. "I hope he doesn't think he's coming near me with any fake blood," he mumbles, but Hyunwoo notices that Hyungwon can't help but smile when he spots sight of the vampire.
"Hey, do you happen to know someone called Minhyuk?" Hyunwoo asks as he follows his friend across the room.
"Yeah, why?" Hyungwon turns suddenly. "Wait, don't tell me the pink maid's outfit wasn't a joke and that's actually his costume to the party." He looks around, straining his head to look over the crowd of people.
"Um. I don't-- I haven't seen anyone in pink--" Hyunwoo starts.
"Oh no, he's over there. A onesie. That's hardly a real costume," Hyungwon comments, despite the fact he's wearing jeans and a sweater. "Why you asking about him, anyway?"
"You've never introduced me, that's all. He keeps asking me to arrest him."
"He's not very subtle." Hyungwon rolls his eyes. "But thinking about it, he is the sort of person someone epically single who hasn't been on a date in forty years might have some fun with."
"Four months is not forty years."
"Yeah yeah. Loosen up and go do some arresting. That's better than me introducing you both in the awkward, formal way." Hyungwon pats his shoulder. "Where's Kihyun by the way? I might go and guess his costume wrong just to piss him off."
--
Hyunwoo is pondering Hyungwon's words, the ones about him needing to loosen up and do some arresting, and especially the ones about him being epically single, whatever that means, when Puppy Onsie - Minhyuk - appears again.
"Ah, found you!" His onesie is half off, the arms tied at the waist, a t-shirt with their university logo emblazoned across the front in its place. "Since you wouldn't arrest a defenceless puppy I had to reveal my true form."
His blonde hair is messed up from the hood, and he reaches up to fuss with the front of it. "I guess people have been asking you to do this all night."
"Nope."
Minhyuk can't seem to comprehend this. "No one except me has been asking the sexy cop to arrest them?"
Hyunwoo opens his mouth. Opts for shaking his head instead of forming a response.
"Ah, well that's no fun." Minhyuk looks deadly serious about this. "You're Hoseok-hyung's friend, right?"
Hyunwoo clears his throat. "Yeah-- I'm Hyunwoo."
"Ah, you're Hyunwoo." He says, and Hyunwoo can't tell whether this means he's heard exclusively good or exclusively bad things about him. "Hyungwon's mentioned you a few times."
Now he really can't tell. Probably the latter.
"Look, if I'm being annoying I swear I'll just go on back to my friends and leave you alone. I just think it would make a really fun photo for my twitter profile and, anyway, you keep standing on your own so I can't help but come over and... Sorry."
Hyunwoo flushes. "It's okay. It would make a good photo. So, um, your wrists please?" This feels stupid, not that Minhyuk seems to think so. He actually giggles as Hyunwoo slides the cuffs over his wrists and fumbles with the metal. "Is that okay? If it's too tight-"
"It's not," Minhyuk reassures. Turns his head, clearly looking for someone to show this off to. He spots a target and calls out, "Come here! I've been arrested!"
An army cadet in a full camouflage jumpsuit strides over, his eyes wide. "This is gold, I'm putting it on Instagram."
Minhyuk holds out his wrists obediently as he poses for the camera. He seems to be trying out a scowl, but it fades pretty fast, replaced by a white toothed grin. It's a nice smile, kind of distracting, and Hyunwoo decides that maybe the PVC cop costume and the attention it's attracted isn't such a bad thing after all.
After he has approved a photo for his friend to post online, Minhyuk turns back to Hyunwoo expectantly, waiting to be de-cuffed.
Oh. Hyunwoo hadn't thought this far ahead.
"I-- is the key-- is it attached to them somewhere?" He peers at the handcuffs, hoping that the key might just magically appear between them.
"Ha ha," Minhyuk says. "You're funny. I knew I'd like you."
"I'm not-- maybe they're--" Hyunwoo pats at each of his pockets in turn. "I'll be right back."
When he finds Hoseok and Hyungwon in the hallway, Hyungwon has fake blood around the neckline of his sweater and Hoseok is looking pleased with himself.
"Do you two know where the key to the handcuffs from my costume is?" He asks, trying to look calm and collected, though he can feel the veins in his temple throbbing.
Hoseok is adjusting his cape. "Wherever you put it."
"Right." Hyunwoo's heart sinks a little. "And if I don't remember having the key?"
Hyungwon is rubbing at his sweater and frowning at the stain. "Then you probably shouldn't use the handcuffs."
Hyunwoo wishes he'd had this conversation earlier in the night.
--
When he returns Minhyuk is talking to the girl dressed as a black cat and making some quip about being bad. He looks up when Hyunwoo approaches and says, "Did you find it?"
Hyunwoo shakes his head. "Sorry. Look, I only live a short away, I could go and get--"
"I can't stay here like this." Minhyuk cuts in, looks down at his wrists. When he looks up again he's smiling almost hopefully. "Can't I come with you?"
Hyunwoo isn't sure why he would want to, since he seems to know everyone at the party, or, if he doesn't, he does a good job of looking like it. "If you want," He replies. "Sure."
Hyungwon seems to have given up on trying to remove the fake blood from his sweater when they bump into him on their way towards the exit. Hyunwoo flushes as he explains, "I've accidentally locked Minhyuk in the handcuffs so we're going back to mine-"
Hyungwon raises an eyebrow. "That was fast."
"-To get the key," He finishes.
Hyungwon's eyebrow doesn't lower. "Right."
He stresses that, "This happened before I knew I didn't have it with me," but he doesn't think his friend believes him.
Minhyuk is suddenly right there, at his shoulder, adding, "I think this is the most elaborate way anyone has coerced me to into going back to their room before!"
Hyungwon's eyebrow lowers but his mouth turns up at the corners. "Have fun," he says.
"We will!" Minhyuk calls back, and he says it with such sincerity that Hyunwoo thinks he might actually be right.
--
As they push through the rest of the costumed party goers to reach the door, Minhyuk holds out his wrists for all to see and shouts "see you later!" to various people Hyunwoo isn't sure he's even ever met before. At least he seems to think this is hilariously good fun and not vaguely sketchy looking.
But once they reach the ground floor and make it out onto the street Minhyuk actually looks a little sheepish. "Sorry that I pretty much harassed you into letting me wear these."
"Sorry about the whole no key thing. I wasn't expecting to, uh, use them." Hyunwoo glances nervously at Minhyuk's handcuffed wrists. He feels terrible for a moment, hopes they aren't pinching at his skin too much.
Minhyuk shrugs. "It's not so bad. Actually, I think I look pretty good in these. Maybe I should make a habit of this. Not, like, getting arrested. Just wearing stuff on my wrists."
Hyunwoo laughs "Well you can borrow them whenever you want."
"Only if you'll arrest me every time."
Hyunwoo wonders how has this turned to flirting, but then realises he doesn't mind, so it doesn't really matter. "Hey- if that's your thing, I won't judge."
"It's not like I do this on a regular basis, I was just enjoying the party and then got a bit distracted by--" He raises his arms and gestures towards Hyunwoo.
"The costume?"
"You in general, actually." Minhyuk grins.
--
They manage to make it back to Hyunwoo's apartment without more than a couple of stares from passes by. Or, at least, only a couple that Hyunwoo notices. He realises when they get to his front door that he hasn't noticed much other than Minhyuk, who, incidentally, hasn't stopped talking for the last ten minutes.
He's pretty grateful for it, to be honest.
When they step inside, Hyunwoo is suddenly conscious of the fact he hasn't tidied up, kicks at a pile of laundry to shift it further under his bed as Minhyuk follows him in and says, "I like your room. It's very you."
Hyunwoo scans the room for where the hell this key could be. "What does that mean? We only just met."
"I know. And such a great first meeting too. Putting me in handcuffs, taking me to your apartment... It's lucky we have mutual friends otherwise I'd be worried."
"You did ask to come back here," Hyunwoo points out as he shakes the plastic packaging his costume had come in and listens for the clink of a key.
"Oh, true." Minhyuk considers this. "Maybe I'm the dangerous one."
Hyunwoo shakes the packet harder and breathes a sigh of relief as the key lands on the floor at his feet.
"It's lucky I have you under control then, isn't it?" He says as he bends down to pick the key up. Hopes that didn't sound as suggestive as he thinks it might have in retrospect.
He spots Minhyuk's pleased smile as he looks back up and thinks that actually, maybe it wouldn't be so bad if it did sound suggestive after all.
--
Taking off the handcuffs ends up being a much more enjoyable than putting them. Minhyuk has this infectious smile, wrists held out obediently, just about managing not to laugh at the way Hyunwoo is struggling to figure out which way to twist the key.
He doesn't even feel awkward this time.
"Hold still." He laughs at Minhyuk's expression. "Sorry, I'll just-- surely they should be easier to-- oh."
They open with a click and Minhyuk stretches his arms above his head, his university t-shirt riding up over his stomach. "Ah, freedom. I wonder what time the party's going to wind down."
Hyunwoo isn't sure if this is a hint. "Oh, right. Well, we can head back now if you want?"
Minhyuk says, "Oh, I was just thinking aloud. I'm happy here for now - I mean, if you are? And, anyway, you wouldn't be a very good cop if you just let your prisoner go so soon."
"Most cops don't get their uniform from a costume store. And they know how to use their handcuffs."
"True. Only the cutest ones can't." Minhyuk sits down on the edge of the bed and tilts his head. "So, if we're not going back to the party..."
Hyunwoo suddenly feels nervous about where this is heading.
Granted, it has been four months and two days since he's been naked with anyone (not that he's counting), and Minhyuk is stupidly attractive and probably exactly the sort of fun Hyunwoo needs just like Hyungwon had said (not that he needs to know he was right). But-- it's just that he's also kind of ridiculously cute and pretty hilarious and, Hyunwoo realises he actually would like to get to know the guy in half a puppy onesie better, wants to know who he is and what he likes and then maybe get naked with him.
Maybe Minhyuk is on the same wavelength, because he says, "I know! Should we order take-out and tell each other embarrassing stories about our mutual friends that we can use to tease them mercifully?"
Hyunwoo relaxes. "Sounds good." It really does.
Minhyuk is scrolling through his phone for the number of his favourite pizza place when he adds, "And maybe after that we can see whether you've got any better with your handcuff-skills," and smirks.
And that sounds pretty good too.