ANGEL ☾ winwin one shots.

two worlds. [taewin]

1/3 of the halloween bash.

a/n: mentions of cannibalism? not major but it's... there.

~

taeyong wouldn't consider himself a city person, despite living in the city for all his life. his apartment is his safe zone – although taeyong wants to explore somewhere more exciting, that could send adrenalines through his blood veins once again, because basketball simply couldn't do the trick anymore.

don't get him wrong, he loves basketball and still goes to play with jaehyun and johnny (and yuta if they get to bribe him with food) sometimes but. it's not exciting anymore.

his apartment is small, but it's good enough for a single man like him. it's 550 square feet, with only two bedrooms (one belonged to doyoung, but he moved in with taeil last year, so now it's a guest room) and one bathroom, but importantly it's close to his workplace.

oh, right. taeyong works at a café in uptown. it's nothing fancy, but it pays decent. once in a while he'll go to a club downtown with his friends, too, which is also close with his apartment so sometimes he'll ditch his car and walk.

today is another boring friday. the café is almost empty, since it's inching to six p.m., but at least tomorrow he's going to play basketball again. they managed to bribe doyoung, but taeyong doesn't expect him to come since he's got kids to take care of.

taeyong's a laid-back man, but sometimes he thinks he needs to try to catch up because while his friends are married and having kids, he's still here in this café, and even after work there's no one he's coming home to. except for ruby before.

" maybe I should get another dog ," he says to his colleague, kun, a fine man with dimples so deep taeyong always has the urge to poke them. he leans against the counter as he watches kun brews some coffee. " I mean, it can't replace ruby but at least I won't feel too empty ."

kun shoots him a look. " instead of getting another pet, why don't you try to date someone ?"

as kun expected, taeyong starts whining. the chinese man shakes his head at him and continues his work, ignoring taeyong who's ranting about how it's easier to take care of pets than a partner. when he realizes kun isn't listening taeyong pouts.

" you're not listening !"

" hyung, you're 25 ," kun reminds him. " I know you last dated in high school, blah blah, but you have to try. for once stop hanging out with the dudes, get yourself out there and find someone. or try an app, something. maybe a gay bar if that's your thing. it's 2020, who cares ."

" but it's hard! I don't even know how to talk to strangers. or humans, in this matter ."

kun rolls his eyes as he unties his apron, hanging it on the wall hanger. " then talk to the walls in your apartment for the rest of your life ."

" I don't talk to the walls !"

" then what, the ceiling ?" kun snorts. " look, I'm not really a relationship expert, so you gotta ask ten. I mean, I'm a pussy like you, and you know he's the one who grabbed me and kissed me, and asked me out after that. so, ask him ."

taeyong hesitates for a second. ten's a great guy, they've known each other since high school and considered each other best friends until ten ditched him for doyoung, that traitor. they're still close despite not seeing each other for two weeks now. taeyong can't blame him, life as a fashion designer requires ten to be here at the moment and there at the next.

speaking of the devil (literally), the door slams open and ten skips in, a bright beam on his face. he pulls kun into a hug as the other gets out from the counter, pecking his boyfriend's cheek. taeyong cringes like he's not envious inside.