Work Text:
At the beginning of Autumn, Jumin drives past Jaehee’s café. Little paintings of spice coffee, caramels and toffee are plastered over the windows. By the time October rolls around, the window display had been overloaded with hand-painted bats and pumpkins. The window was most likely entirely done by Jaehee’s girlfriend; the RFA party coordinator had spent two years overseas, and had an unusual fondness for the Western holiday. Jumin had already made it a mission to avoid the café, seeing his former assistant was an awkward, unpleasant feeling. However, Jaehee’s girlfriend had asked everyone to meet up on the 31st of October for an impromptu get-together.
Jumin had already decided against going.
The night before the party, his assistant poked his head into his office. Yoosung, despite working as his employee for a couple months now, had hardly changed. When time allowed, his assistant would disappear back into his apartment and play games all day. Really, the only difference was that now Yoosung wore mostly suits, and ditched the hair clips to slick his blonde hair to the side.
“Aah, Mr. Han?”
Jumin glanced up from his paperwork, spinning his pen absentmindedly through his fingers.
“Jaehee wants to know if you’re going to the Halloween party?”
“No,” Jumin clipped. “I’d rather work.”
“But if you aren’t going, I won’t be able to go…” Yoosung pouts, looking suddenly far too young to be wearing a suit.
Jumin exhaled slowly. “What do you mean?”
“If you work that night,” Yoosung whined. “I have to work too…”
Some part of Jumin missed the stoic, controlled façade of Jaehee. Yoosung was too expressive, emotional, and incredibly talented at making the businessman feel guilty.
“Is it a costume party?” Jumin asked.
Yoosung brightened. “Yes! I’ve already planned out my costume, I’m going to be—“
“I do not have a costume prepared,” Jumin interrupted, glancing back at his cluster of paperwork. “If I am going to attend, one will have to prepared.”
His assistant was silent for a moment, but slowly broke out into a shy grin. Yoosung reached back and absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair.
“I think I can find something! I already have a couple ideas in mind.”
Jumin hummed in acknowledgement and left Yoosung to his own devices. The next day, he regretted at least not screening his assistant’s plans.
The costume Yoosung had chosen was a classic vampire.
It looked as if his assistant had thrown it together by raiding his personal penthouse and cheap costume stores. The heavy, double tailed, pea coat was his own. The coat itself had been living in the back of his closet for months now; Jumin had been favoring a different jacket as of late. A pair of black slacks, a necktie, a far too starchy button down, and a purple vest finished the rest of the ensemble.
The material of the necktie was especially tedious. It was a cheaper material than he was used to, and it scratched unpleasantly against the hollow of Jumin’s throat. His mouth tasted of plastic and glue from the little plastic fangs Yoosung had given him. Even with his mouth closed, they still peeked out and pressed uncomfortably against his lips. Yoosung had tried to smear some sort of fake blood across his mouth and jaw, but a pointed look had scared him off.
There had been small victories, however. Jumin wore his own, polished shoes, and had replaced the cheap plastic jewelry that Yoosung brought with his own heavy, silver rings. He wore several on each hand, as according to Yoosung’s “Vampire Standards.” Yoosung had consented to minimal eyeliner after a brief argument, and reluctantly lightly traced dark lines around Jumin’s eyes. His assistant really was too bossy for his own good.
Yoosung himself was half dressed in his costume. It appeared almost like a set of ranger green pajamas, and a delicate hat adorned with feathers. Jumin couldn’t recognize It for the life of him, and decided against asking what he was supposed to be.
Jaehee’s café party started at seven, and Yoosung managed to shove both of them out the door at 7:05. The café was a relatively short drive away. It sat in-between the business district and the more casual commercial area of the city. The location allowed for a small, homey location that also managed to attract the business of corporate employees.
By the time they arrived, the tiny café was already full of people. Someone had taped orange and black paper up against the lights, and it sent the room into dark orange shadows. For such a small building, the place was packed with people in a myriad of different costumes and makeup.
“Zen said he would be up by the counters,” Yoosung said, darting through the throngs of people. Jumin followed after him, his coat billowing out behind him. While the café was small, making their way to the back was a challenge. The crowd pressed uncomfortably against the pair of them, until they finally tumbled out near the counters. Yoosung’s eyes settled on a figure sitting on a stool and launched himself at him.
“Ah! Hyung, we’re here!” The assistant cried in excitement. Zen turned and brought Yoosung into a one-armed hug.
The actor was dressed, rather unfortunately in Jumin’s opinion, as a werewolf. Tiny silver ears poked through Zen’s hair, and the actor was wrapped up in a thick coat with a fur collar.
“Yoosung,” Zen grinned. “You’re late.”
Yoosung laughed. “Yeah…I had trouble getting Mr. Han and I out the door on time.”
“Oh,” Zen quipped, glancing over to Jumin. “I didn’t think you were coming.”
“Neither did I.”
Zen’s face scrunched up as he looked over Jumin’s costume. “Why did you have to come as a vampire though? It looks like we planned to coordinate.”
Yoosung snickered to the side.
“Well,” Jumin smirked. “I suppose I should have known you would come as a dog.”
Zen’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “Excuse me—“
“Hey,” a voice rang out. “No fighting in our café.”
Jumin turned to glance at the pair that had suddenly appeared on the other side of the counter. The RFA party coordinator grinned at the three men, holding a bowl of candy on her hip. Jaehee was at her side, smiling softly.
“It’s nice to see you two made it,” grinned the brunette. Her bangs had been streaked with bright red and greens, and the rest of her hair was tucked under a top hat. Jaehee was dressed in a blue dress, and wore a bow in her hair. The tips of her hair appeared to be sprayed gold.
“Yoosung, Mr. Han,” Jaehee greeted, nodding her head to each of them.
“Ooh,” Yoosung cooed, leaning over the counter. “What are you two dressed up as?”
Jaehee smiled. “I’m Alice and she’s-“
“I’m the Mad Hatter!” Her girlfriend interjected, tipping her hat over her face.
Jaehee laughed softly, and Jumin watched his former assistant with a concealed sense of curiosity. She seemed much more at ease here surrounded by coffee and wearing an apron than she ever did at the office. “Either way,” she began. “You all look wonderful. Can I get you another macchiato, Zen?”
The actor looked surprised, and then sheepishly pushed his empty mug across the counter. Jaehee smiled and disappeared behind a coffee machine.
Yoosung’s eyes flickered over to the other owner of the café. “Aah, I’m wondering if you have any of the turnovers left…?”
She grinned, and pulled something out from under the counter. “I saved one just for you!”
His eyes lit up and Yoosung pulled the small pastry over to him. Jaehee’s girlfriend winked and turned to speak to another customer that had come up to the counters.
The music thrummed over the silence that fell over the three members of the RFA. As Jaehee popped back out from the coffee machine, Zen leaned over.
“Do you know if Seven’s coming?” Zen asked.
Jaehee furrowed her eyebrows. “I’m not sure, Luciel said he was planning too.”
“I know he picked out a costume and everything,” Yoosung commented.
“Knowing him,” Jumin began. “He will come as a bag of chips.”
Jaehee snorted softly, meeting Jumin’s eyes. Ever since she had resigned, things between them had been tinged with awkwardness. However, as she handed Zen his drink, she slid another cup over to Jumin. With surprise, he wrapped his hands around the mug and lifted it to his mouth. It tasted just the way he liked it, and when Jaehee sent him a reserved smile, he supposed maybe they were still on good terms after all.
“Ah, speaking of costumes. Yoosung,” Zen asked. “What are you supposed to be?”
Yoosung blinked, and set down his pastry with a muffled thump. “What do you mean? How do you not know who I am?”
“Zen’s right,” interjected Jaehee’s girlfriend, briefly turning away from another party goer. “What are you dressed up as?”
Yoosung turned to Jumin. “Mr. Han, please tell me you at least know?”
“I’m sorry,” Jumin coughed, uncomfortable with the emotion in Yoosung’s eyes. “I do not.”
“This is just like my major! How does anyone not know?” Yoosung wailed, falling forward on the counter.
Jaehee reached across the surface and patted awkwardly against his arm. The fake, sprayed highlights in her hair shimmered like spun gold in the light. “Maybe someone here at the party will know?”
Zen laughed. “Cheer up, your costume is one of kind, like mine!”
“There is someone wearing a werewolf costume over at that table,” Jumin deadpanned.
“Mine is one of kind because I’m the one wearing it!” boasted Zen.
Yoosung rolled his eyes and groaned. “You are such a narcissist.”
“He has the right to be,” chorused the girls from across the counters.
The door to the café opened during an interlude in the music, sending the ringing of bells into the air.
“The Defender of Justice is here!”
A red headed figure plopped down in the stool next to Jumin. The businessman stiffened; he had not seen the hacker since the incident with Elly nearly a month ago.
“Helloo, Mr.Han,” Seven mocked in a sing-song tone. Jumin turned to respond but the words caught roughly in his throat.
Seven had arrived in an outfit more casual than costume. He had ditched the hoodie and just wore a black shirt and jeans. The hacker had also tamed his unruly red hair by parting it to the side, and letting it fall in tousled waves. The highlights of the outfit were the slender, white cat ears that poked through his hair, a set of giant cat paws, and a dark ribbon strung with a bell that was tied against his neck. A set of whiskers were painted on his cheeks.
Jumin felt heat rise in his face, and Seven shot him a grin that seemed almost teasing.
“Why are you a cat,” Zen bemoaned, he pinched his nose as if to hold back a sneeze. “You just had to be a cat.”
“I’m not just a cat,” Seven grinned, rolling his shoulders. “I’m Elly!”
Jumin frowned. “No, you aren’t.”
“Yes I am!”
“You didn’t ask me permission to dress as Elizabeth.”
“Well,” Seven laughed. “I didn’t think you were coming.”
“Take it off.”
“No.”
“Now.”
“Whatcha gonna do?” Seven said, leaning in and flicking the little exposed plastic fang. “Bite me?”
“If you insist.”
Seven instantly flushed almost as red as his hair, and laughed nervously. “You know,” he stuttered. “Ask me later.”
The hacker slid out of the seat and disappeared into the crowd.
“Oh my god,” Zen whispered. “What the hell was that.”
Yoosung burst into laughter.
“Okay boys,” began Jaehee’s girlfriend. “For Jumin’s sake, let’s forget that happened. Now, Zen, do you want me to mix some alcohol into that coffee for you?”
The rest of the night passed in a blur. Zen spent the evening as a rancorous drunk, leaning on Yoosung, and horrendously flirting with anyone that passed his way. Yoosung and the RFA party coordinator spent most of the night keeping Zen under control, and talking about cooking.
Jaehee, when not filling orders, talked quietly with Jumin. They had stumbled slowly into conversation after finding topics that didn’t relate to work, or Jaehee’s former assistant career.
The party lasted late into the night, and it was only around midnight when Jaehee ushered the remaining guests out the door. As she went to lock up the bathrooms, a disheveled Seven scrambled out of the restroom.
“Where have you been all night?” called Jaehee’s girlfriend. Zen was half asleep on her shoulder.
Seven gave a sheepish grin and held up a tiny handheld game. “What did I miss?”
“Zen tried to pick up a girl by barking at her,” Jaehee said flatly, locking up the doors.
Seven snorted loudly. “Are you serious?”
“Unfortunately, she is.” Jumin said.
Seven’s eyes flickered over to Jumin and he bit the side of his lip, before looking back at Jaehee.
“Do you have any leftover candy left, by chance?” He grinned.
Across the room, Yoosung and Jaehee’s girlfriend pelted the hacker with several pieces of candy.
“There’s some over there.” Jaehee smiled.
The hacker made his way across the room, and scrounged around in the candy bowl. Yoosung left Zen sitting against a chair and headed over to Jumin.
“Ah, do you mind if I take Zen home?” He asked. “I don’t think he’s in a state to get to his house on his own.”
Jumin hummed. “Go ahead, I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
Yoosung nodded and returned to pull Zen up. “I’m taking Zen home, goodnight everyone!”
A chorus of farewells met Yoosung as he and Zen slipped out the door.
Jaehee tucked away her keys. “I think that should do it for tonight. Luciel, Jumin, you can go out the front, the doors will lock behind you.”
“Have a great night guys!” called the other woman. She playfully tipped her hat at the two as she tucked her arm into the crook of Jaehee’s. They flipped the lights out and slipped out the back exit.
It was silent as Jumin and Seven left the dark café. The front parking lot was deserted except for Jumin’s chauffeur and a silver sports car that must have belonged to Seven.
“Have a great night,” Seven called, turning to walk towards his car.
“Wait.”
Seven turned, and raised an eyebrow. His hands were tucked into his pockets; the giant cat paws had gotten lost sometime during the night. The headband that held the cat ears sat attractively askew on his head. In the night, the hacker seemed more reserved, and lost in thought.
“Do you still want me to bite you?”
“Huh?” Seven said, turning to face Jumin. His voice was tinged surprise. “What?”
“You told me to ask you later.”
Seven threw his head back and laughed. “You know what, sure, why not. Just don’t rip my throat out for dressing as Elly.”
“I was not planning to.”
Jumin approached, and Seven rolled back on his heels before smirking and closing his eyes expectantly. Jumin stooped down, suddenly wondering what the hell he was doing. His eyes trailed up from Seven’s neck to his lips.
Jumin leaned down and bit hard against Seven’s bottom lip. The hacker flinched back slightly from shock but then pressed back against Jumin, turning it into a kiss. Jumin stepped back quickly, pulling away.
“What?” Seven hummed. “Did I surprise you?”
“I did not expect that reaction.”
Seven tilted his head and smirked. “Well then, did you expect this too?”
He crossed the distance between them and yanked Jumin down by his collar, bringing their lips back together and deepening the kiss. The businessman grunted softly in surprise; his hands fumbling against Seven’s face, smearing the face paint, and then tangling themselves into Seven’s hair.
Jumin’s fingers twirled slowly through the red hair, and eventually rested on the cat ears on his head. The hacker stiffened; his fingers stopped tugging on the fabric of Jumin’s jacket, and he stepped slightly backwards, breaking the kiss but not quite leaving Jumin’s hold.
“Did you do this to steal my cat ears,” Seven asked flatly.
Jumin tugged the cat headband off of Seven’s head. “No, I did not.” He pressed a light kiss on the corner of Seven’s mouth, and then stepped away.
“Goodnight, Luciel.”
Jumin slipped into his car, clutching the headband in his hand, and signaled his driver to take off, leaving Seven standing alone in the night.