( there's a moment where he just stands and looks at yohan. it could be any of those moments, usually less obvious than this, where he's trying to read something out of what the tableau is offering, but after a couple of breaths it becomes obvious that gaon just needed to find his balance.
too much too fast. he's fine.
he leaves yohan for the bathroom, weaving between tables with a little more sway to his step than usual. he's not long. maybe a little worse for the wear on his way back, cheeks fully flushed, using seat backs to support himself until he can land too heavily in his own again. )
I'm glad you came in. ( without fanfare, genuine, a smile on his face again as he reaches for the bottle to top them both up. ) This is nice.
Mm. ( A low thrum, possible agreement. ) You're drunk.
( Unlike any other time, Yohan doesn't seem put off by the fact. There's an ever so slight curl to his mouth, faint amusement lurking at the corners. He watches Gaon with dark eyes holding barely in check fondness, tapping the edge of his phone against his folded knee. )
Elijah says she wants us to bring burgers back when we're done. And that I'm to drive with the passenger window down, because she needs you alert enough to watch a video with her later. I don't know which. You can ignore her, but on your own head be it.
( he's only half listening to start, caught off guard by the decisions that have been made on his behalf. his brow furrows as he pours first for yohan (whether he's drinking or not) and then for himself. his eyes lift to yohan's as he lifts his bowl, serious for a half-beat and then his face crumbles into a smile and he turns away quickly to drink before yohan can try to stop him. )
I'm not drunk.
( as he sets the bowl down a touch too loud, pleased with himself. he is. arguing for argument's sake. he picks at what's left of the pajeon just a hair shy of clumsy with his chopsticks and comes up with a suitable piece to put in his mouth. )
What kind of burgers does she want? How much are you willing to spend? There's a place that's kind of on the way that's really good, you should splurge.
( It should be annoying. It would have been, before. But something has begun to change between them, a slow eroding of water on rock. Yohan finds his own mouth twitching at the corners, one eyebrow lifting in response to the smile. It's cute. He doesn't quite know what to do with it. )
All right, I'll believe you.
( His phone pings, he lifts it back up to read it, thumb moving over the screen. )
More demands. Tch. ( Eyes lifting. ) Does Kim Gaon have any others? It seems to be the day for it.
( he nods slowly at yohan as he chews as if he has an answer prepared. he doesn't, but the urge to see what he can get away with rises quicker than he can temper it and he reaches to tap at what's left of the pajeon (eat more, yohan), swallowing. )
I want banana milk.
( obviously. kang yohan should have guessed. gaon folds his arms on the table in front of him, still rolling his chopsticks between his fingers, and his eyes narrow suspiciously. theatrically, thanks to the wine. )
( It produces a laugh, a short sharp burst of sound before he's lifting a too large piece of the pajeon and shoving it in his mouth, chewing almost lazily. Once he swallows he lifts an eyebrow, gaze sparking in amusement. )
There's a 7-11 around the corner, I'm sure they sell banana milk.
( As demands go, it's tame. )
And I am. It looks like everyone else is also done for the day, and I'm beginning to understand there are more interesting things I could be doing. ( Babysitting. ) So I thought why not?
( he's only half listening to the answer. picking up the important parts. there's only a couple bites of pajeon left and he corrals one onto his side of the plate and pushes the rest toward yohan as the last bite. )
Eat up.
( his mind has moved past the pancake and the makgeolli and he's already got one foot in the convenience store in his mind, an urgency behind his motions that banana milk generally doesn't inspire. maybe it should. he shoves his own bite into his mouth and reaches to swirl what's left of the makgeolli in its bottle. )
Do you want anymore of this? ( because someone has to finish and gaon absolutely will. )
( It's probably still not enough to effect him, he knows that. But he doesn't particularly feel like it. Which means he pushes the bowl with two fingers over to Gaon, uncaring that he's already drunk. They're not fighting now. There's no real risk to any increasing intoxication.
Once done, he finishes the pajeon, chopsticks neat, still a terrible show of eating. ) Make this for me this weekend. I want to know if yours is better. Have you paid?
( gaon's eyes light up and he gladly reaches for yohan's bowl. he maybe should have slowed down a while ago but he's too deep in it now to worry about it.
It is better. uncharacteristically arrogant and aware of it, hiding a laugh in the lip of the bowl as he turns to empty it. he refills it quickly, impolitely, emptying the dregs out of the bottle just to tip it back again. he surfaces with a slow hiss, half-pleased, half-pained, and lifts his eyes to yohan as he sweeps his tongue across his top teeth, biting back a wider grin. )
You'll buy? ( just hedging into cheeky. he could pay. it's not going to hurt him. but. )
( Something narrows in Yohan's eyes at the hint of tongue, a singular second where he gives himself away entirely. It is a frisson of feeling, a spark that he covers up by shifting in his seat, phone still tapping against his knee. )
I'll settle up your bill. ( Words with a vague edge of amusement, amiable but holding an ever so slightly friendly warning. He knows Gaon is pushing him. He just doesn't particularly feel like stopping him. ) Try and get yourself to your feet, mm?
( It's fluid, the way he pushes himself up, phone slipped into a pocket and the button of his blazer readjusted, neatening the line of it out. He can see where he needs to be, and so with one last glance at Gaon's flushed face, Yohan is off. )
( he hums his agreement as yohan sorts himself out, sitting back just enough to appreciate the art of it before he disappears. he rolls his eyes at no one in particular but does as instructed even though there's no try about it. a little wobble, maybe. he sniffs as he shrugs his way back into his coat and casts a final look over the table to make sure nothing important is left behind, and then he's picking his way through the tables to meet yohan by the door. )
Is your suit okay to get wet? ( once yohan joins him. there's still a steady amount of rain outside. gaon's coat isn't meant for rain but it won't hurt it. he wavers a little where he stands, his cheeks warming now that he's on his feet and his body is making him aware of how much he's had to drink. but he's putting on a decent front. ) I don't know how far the store is.
( Actually, he's not sure. But there's a distinct lack of umbrellas in his car, and he finds himself almost curious about where Gaon's demands will take them. He can have it dry-cleaned if needs be, or he can just buy another. So he lifts his gaze from the rain and to the other man, the closeness of their bodies fending off the chill. Then he grins and steps out into the rain. )
Banana milk waits for no man, Judge Kim. Let's go. ( Pointing randomly down a street, clearly he has no clue. ) This way?
( the grin gets him. surprises him enough that he stalls in the doorway. playful yohan exists, but gaon doesn't see him in this context, out in the world. he doesn't realize he's grinning back when he finally spurs himself into motion again, following yohan out into the rain with his shoulders ducked. he's not really sure where to go, either, but yohan's pointing the way that seems most promising so sure, why not? )
This way. ( he bumps their shoulders as he passes yohan, a half-step ahead like he's the one leading them forward. he should be keeping his head down maybe but the chill of the rain is too nice on his flushed skin so he's got his head back, face tipped up for the couple of minutes it takes to get up the road and around the corner to where there is, yes, a convenience store. well done, yohan. )
( It's nice in a way he had not anticipated. Usually Yohan gets annoyed when alcohol is involved - not specifically in Kim Gaon's case, though they have certainly had their differences - but this seems fine, a little more fun, strangely freeing. The rain is cool, his belly is warm, the man beside him is smiling. He likes it.
He likes too, the buzz of the convenience store when they step in. Yohan immediately reaches for a basket, because he's not about to juggle things against his damp clothes. He hooks it over his arm as he follows Gaon, hovering perhaps a little too close by the fridges. It's outside of what they usually does, which means he finds himself pressing past boundaries, chest a hair's breadth from Gaon's shoulder as he peers into the contents. )
( just drunk enough that his balance wavers, a hint of a sway forward and then back, especially as he glances at yohan for confirmation. it closes that little space between them, the solidity of yohan taking up space, and gaon reaches for the strawberry, plucking it off the shelf to pass it over. he likes whatever this feeling is, the normalcy of it. like everything isn't several degrees of complicated.
he grabs two of the banana milks for good measure and passes them both to yohan as well, barely waiting until he's taken them to move further down the drinks cooler. )
Do you know what Elijah likes? What about a pouch drink?
( and an ice cup, hello, that's fun. he's already picking a can of milkis out and something grape flavoured because why not? )
( Does he know what Elijah likes? When has he ever brought her to a convenience store? Maybe in the early days traipsing between hospitals. Before people started to get too close, ask for too much. She liked sweet things then, cheery soda pops, brightly packaged candy. Yohan doesn't know now.
So he hums, too near Gaon's ear, deliberately shrugs. )
Pick something for her. She'll like whatever you bring.
( there's a frisson of something through him, the tiniest little shudder at the intimacy of it. he's close like this with soohyun, it's not an unfamiliar thing, but it's different with yohan, a boundary crossed, permission granted. he leans into yohan as he carefully places each of his cans into the basket, shoulder to shoulder, and then laughs as he uses him as leverage to push away again.
the freezer with the ice cups is near the front. gaon picks one out, and then a second for good measure, and then a third with a long look back down the aisle towards yohan. a collection of drink pouches then, too, something red, something blue, something he's not entirely sure of but the packaging looks promising. fun things. bright things. he finds yohan again to add to his basket, more demand, less permission. )
( He's clearly not bothered, extending the basket a little so that Gaon can place his items in. The bottles roll around a little before it returns to resting at his hip, Yohan staring more at Gaon than any of the other contents of the fridge. There's a very specific light in his eyes, uncommon fondness. )
Are we having a party?
( Only ever so slightly teasing, but he turns to move away from the fridge and escape down the aisles, only stopping to look at the ramyeon with a mischievous smirk Gaon's way. ) Ah, I think we're all stocked up. But if we don't bring Elijah a sweet treat as well as her burger she might kill us in our sleep.
( too literal, polite about it. he trails behind yohan, attention bobbing between him and the snacks on the shelves. a bag of shrimp crackers, a box of chocosongi, turtle chips -- the things he and his friends might have picked out when they were younger. he draws up alongside where yohan's looking at noodle options and he adds his stuff to the basket just to pull a pack of chapaghetti off the shelf, and then --pointedly -- spicy buldak fire noodles with a grin. )
( He pulls a face, a little incredulous twitch of his lips. )
I know for a fact she couldn't.
( It's huffy, playfully childish, the poutyness of a Kang Yohan usually reserved for the quiet of their house. ) Are you doubting my tolerance, Kim Gaon? Tch. Put it in.
( He will stoically sweat through it. )
What next? Remember we still have to go for those burgers.
( gaon doesn't try to hide this smile, doesn't even think to. there's a thrill of indulgence, of winning a prize he didn't know he was playing for, just drunk enough that the reward feels like something precious he's earned. he curls his fingers around the basket's handle without thinking, leaning in close with a laugh that's more earnest than he means it to be. )
I like you like this.
( he probably wouldn't say it sober, not direct the way he is now. he's watching yohan's face up close, too serious for a second and then he smiles again, eyes glittering in the shop's fluorescents. )
( It takes him aback. For how close Gaon is watching him he'll see it land, a shifting tidal wave of strange feeling across his features before he scoffs out a laugh. )
If you sober up by the time we get home I'll tell you where I hide my secret stash. But yes, it will melt.
( But he'll keep winding his way through the aisles until he finds something else that catches his attention, or he runs out. Whichever comes first. )
( gaon watches him go, quietly satisfied with whatever that look was. smug, too, the way he has to fumble his phone out of his pocket just to distract himself from being too pleased. he considers for a moment and then sends elijah a quick message telling her to request milkshakes with her burgers before he finally follows after yohan. )
I want a sweet potato. ( they're usually up by the counter anyway, a note to tell him. ) But I've got everything I want if you do?
( He doesn't need anything, no. So he just shakes his head, begins making his way to the counter, stopping dutifully when he gets to the produce. Then he pauses, merely looking at them. )
I don't know how to tell if they're good or not.
( Gaon would, and so Gaon can be in charge. He'll just watch. )
( he trails behind him, pleased, and then slowly confusion furrows his brow as they both study the produce, gaon's shoulder bumped pleasantly against yohan's. he's not entirely sure what they're looking at, or what's meant to be good, and then reason catches up to him and he casts a quick look at yohan's face. )
You don't get out much, do you?
( maybe not enough time spent trawling through convenience stores in his youth. he bumps their shoulders again and leads yohan further on, to the warmer at the front counter. he uses the tongs to pull one out -- hot, slow roasted -- and bags it and then a second one for good measure. )
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
what if ur already the best??
too much too fast. he's fine.
he leaves yohan for the bathroom, weaving between tables with a little more sway to his step than usual. he's not long. maybe a little worse for the wear on his way back, cheeks fully flushed, using seat backs to support himself until he can land too heavily in his own again. )
I'm glad you came in. ( without fanfare, genuine, a smile on his face again as he reaches for the bottle to top them both up. ) This is nice.
wow don't try to butter me up
( Unlike any other time, Yohan doesn't seem put off by the fact. There's an ever so slight curl to his mouth, faint amusement lurking at the corners. He watches Gaon with dark eyes holding barely in check fondness, tapping the edge of his phone against his folded knee. )
Elijah says she wants us to bring burgers back when we're done. And that I'm to drive with the passenger window down, because she needs you alert enough to watch a video with her later. I don't know which. You can ignore her, but on your own head be it.
( He doesn't want his toes run over. Again. )
like a piece of toast
I'm not drunk.
( as he sets the bowl down a touch too loud, pleased with himself. he is. arguing for argument's sake. he picks at what's left of the pajeon just a hair shy of clumsy with his chopsticks and comes up with a suitable piece to put in his mouth. )
What kind of burgers does she want? How much are you willing to spend? There's a place that's kind of on the way that's really good, you should splurge.
🥰
All right, I'll believe you.
( His phone pings, he lifts it back up to read it, thumb moving over the screen. )
More demands. Tch. ( Eyes lifting. ) Does Kim Gaon have any others? It seems to be the day for it.
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I want banana milk.
( obviously. kang yohan should have guessed. gaon folds his arms on the table in front of him, still rolling his chopsticks between his fingers, and his eyes narrow suspiciously. theatrically, thanks to the wine. )
You're done work for the day?
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There's a 7-11 around the corner, I'm sure they sell banana milk.
( As demands go, it's tame. )
And I am. It looks like everyone else is also done for the day, and I'm beginning to understand there are more interesting things I could be doing. ( Babysitting. ) So I thought why not?
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( he's only half listening to the answer. picking up the important parts. there's only a couple bites of pajeon left and he corrals one onto his side of the plate and pushes the rest toward yohan as the last bite. )
Eat up.
( his mind has moved past the pancake and the makgeolli and he's already got one foot in the convenience store in his mind, an urgency behind his motions that banana milk generally doesn't inspire. maybe it should. he shoves his own bite into his mouth and reaches to swirl what's left of the makgeolli in its bottle. )
Do you want anymore of this? ( because someone has to finish and gaon absolutely will. )
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( It's probably still not enough to effect him, he knows that. But he doesn't particularly feel like it. Which means he pushes the bowl with two fingers over to Gaon, uncaring that he's already drunk. They're not fighting now. There's no real risk to any increasing intoxication.
Once done, he finishes the pajeon, chopsticks neat, still a terrible show of eating. ) Make this for me this weekend. I want to know if yours is better. Have you paid?
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It is better. uncharacteristically arrogant and aware of it, hiding a laugh in the lip of the bowl as he turns to empty it. he refills it quickly, impolitely, emptying the dregs out of the bottle just to tip it back again. he surfaces with a slow hiss, half-pleased, half-pained, and lifts his eyes to yohan as he sweeps his tongue across his top teeth, biting back a wider grin. )
You'll buy? ( just hedging into cheeky. he could pay. it's not going to hurt him. but. )
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I'll settle up your bill. ( Words with a vague edge of amusement, amiable but holding an ever so slightly friendly warning. He knows Gaon is pushing him. He just doesn't particularly feel like stopping him. ) Try and get yourself to your feet, mm?
( It's fluid, the way he pushes himself up, phone slipped into a pocket and the button of his blazer readjusted, neatening the line of it out. He can see where he needs to be, and so with one last glance at Gaon's flushed face, Yohan is off. )
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Is your suit okay to get wet? ( once yohan joins him. there's still a steady amount of rain outside. gaon's coat isn't meant for rain but it won't hurt it. he wavers a little where he stands, his cheeks warming now that he's on his feet and his body is making him aware of how much he's had to drink. but he's putting on a decent front. ) I don't know how far the store is.
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( Actually, he's not sure. But there's a distinct lack of umbrellas in his car, and he finds himself almost curious about where Gaon's demands will take them. He can have it dry-cleaned if needs be, or he can just buy another. So he lifts his gaze from the rain and to the other man, the closeness of their bodies fending off the chill. Then he grins and steps out into the rain. )
Banana milk waits for no man, Judge Kim. Let's go. ( Pointing randomly down a street, clearly he has no clue. ) This way?
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This way. ( he bumps their shoulders as he passes yohan, a half-step ahead like he's the one leading them forward. he should be keeping his head down maybe but the chill of the rain is too nice on his flushed skin so he's got his head back, face tipped up for the couple of minutes it takes to get up the road and around the corner to where there is, yes, a convenience store. well done, yohan. )
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He likes too, the buzz of the convenience store when they step in. Yohan immediately reaches for a basket, because he's not about to juggle things against his damp clothes. He hooks it over his arm as he follows Gaon, hovering perhaps a little too close by the fridges. It's outside of what they usually does, which means he finds himself pressing past boundaries, chest a hair's breadth from Gaon's shoulder as he peers into the contents. )
Pass me a strawberry one.
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( just drunk enough that his balance wavers, a hint of a sway forward and then back, especially as he glances at yohan for confirmation. it closes that little space between them, the solidity of yohan taking up space, and gaon reaches for the strawberry, plucking it off the shelf to pass it over. he likes whatever this feeling is, the normalcy of it. like everything isn't several degrees of complicated.
he grabs two of the banana milks for good measure and passes them both to yohan as well, barely waiting until he's taken them to move further down the drinks cooler. )
Do you know what Elijah likes? What about a pouch drink?
( and an ice cup, hello, that's fun. he's already picking a can of milkis out and something grape flavoured because why not? )
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So he hums, too near Gaon's ear, deliberately shrugs. )
Pick something for her. She'll like whatever you bring.
( The perks of being her favourite. )
It's too late for anything with caffeine though.
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the freezer with the ice cups is near the front. gaon picks one out, and then a second for good measure, and then a third with a long look back down the aisle towards yohan. a collection of drink pouches then, too, something red, something blue, something he's not entirely sure of but the packaging looks promising. fun things. bright things. he finds yohan again to add to his basket, more demand, less permission. )
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Are we having a party?
( Only ever so slightly teasing, but he turns to move away from the fridge and escape down the aisles, only stopping to look at the ramyeon with a mischievous smirk Gaon's way. ) Ah, I think we're all stocked up. But if we don't bring Elijah a sweet treat as well as her burger she might kill us in our sleep.
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( too literal, polite about it. he trails behind yohan, attention bobbing between him and the snacks on the shelves. a bag of shrimp crackers, a box of chocosongi, turtle chips -- the things he and his friends might have picked out when they were younger. he draws up alongside where yohan's looking at noodle options and he adds his stuff to the basket just to pull a pack of chapaghetti off the shelf, and then --pointedly -- spicy buldak fire noodles with a grin. )
I bet she could eat more of these than you.
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I know for a fact she couldn't.
( It's huffy, playfully childish, the poutyness of a Kang Yohan usually reserved for the quiet of their house. ) Are you doubting my tolerance, Kim Gaon? Tch. Put it in.
( He will stoically sweat through it. )
What next? Remember we still have to go for those burgers.
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I like you like this.
( he probably wouldn't say it sober, not direct the way he is now. he's watching yohan's face up close, too serious for a second and then he smiles again, eyes glittering in the shop's fluorescents. )
Ice cream will melt, won't it?
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If you sober up by the time we get home I'll tell you where I hide my secret stash. But yes, it will melt.
( But he'll keep winding his way through the aisles until he finds something else that catches his attention, or he runs out. Whichever comes first. )
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I want a sweet potato. ( they're usually up by the counter anyway, a note to tell him. ) But I've got everything I want if you do?
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I don't know how to tell if they're good or not.
( Gaon would, and so Gaon can be in charge. He'll just watch. )
just go with it ok i like it it suits
You don't get out much, do you?
( maybe not enough time spent trawling through convenience stores in his youth. he bumps their shoulders again and leads yohan further on, to the warmer at the front counter. he uses the tongs to pull one out -- hot, slow roasted -- and bags it and then a second one for good measure. )
aaaaaa cute / my bad there's never been any hot sweet potatos in the videos i watch 😔
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