⥽ apt 202

@Park Yoosungᵒᵐᵉᵍᵃ Jongup blows out a deep sigh. "You're so goddamn nosy." His voice soft and without malice. In all Jongup just sounded tired. He didn't move away from Yoosung or push him away from him. Jongup just sat there for what felt like forever.
"You think you care... You know nothing about me. And that's better for you. Just... don't push. You can't get involved. ...someone like you would only end up hurt or... honestly sold."
He leaned his head back enough to look at the ceiling. Jongup knew either the pack would kill him if something happened to Yoosung or that any of Yoosung's friends would. He closed his eyes before repeating himself yet again. "It's just best to stop pushing. Just ignore me. Ignore what you think you know about me."

@Moon Jongupᵇᵉᵗᵃ “The concept of home is important to me,” Yoosung says after a moment, returning to picking at his ramen. There's a mulish twist to his mouth, not quite distress, but unhappy. Theo says that kind of sometimes too, always well meaning, well intended, and yet still treating Yoosung like a child.

Yoosung knows he's…naive. The thought of that word leaves a bitter taste in his mouth, but he's not stupid. He is naive. Yoosung believes in hope. In people, in things, in moments and opportunities. He believes that if given the opportunity, people want to be good. And as Yoosung watches his roommate leave to take a call, he thinks about Jongup and how he was trying so hard to be cold and untouchable. Trying to.

Yoosung waits until the door closes, picking at this ramen for a moment longer before he abandons his pretense of an appetite. With the taste of faltering hope sour on his tongue, Yoosung abandons his ramen and shuffles to Jongup's room where he lingers, waiting. When he hears nothing, having missed the apparently brief call, he opens the door and peeks inside.

Theres no hesitation to the way Yoosung pads inside and drops easily against Jongup's side. “I was going to apologize,” he starts, voice subdued. “For pushing. But I think maybe that's what you need. Someone to push. Because they care.” Yoosung is hesitant to put an arm around the male, but leaning into him is easy, and Yoosung tries to relax, exuding the scent of jasmine and amber, floral and warm, secure and safe. “Being hurt can help a person grow, fortify them. I'm not afraid of that. I'd prefer that, I think, to seeing you so isolated.”

@Park Yoosungᵒᵐᵉᵍᵃ Jongup sighed heavily and hung his head. "Why do you need to know? ...why?"
His voice filled with a mixture of emotions. Disappointment. Annoyance. Regret. Just everything coming together to bother him. He couldn't express it though. It was becoming quite clear to him how innocent, how sweet Yoosung was. If he told him then he'd drag him into the trauma. Jongup ran a hand through his hair as he his lips.
"Just... Just don't worry about it. It's something that only bothers me and if you try to figure it out then it'll only hurt you." Jongup curses as his phone goes off. He glances at Yoosung before going into his room to answer his phone. Jongup's door firmly closed in an attempt to make it so Yoosung couldn't hear him.

"How did you get this number?" Jongup paced the room as his father mumbled incoherently into the phone. "You're high... Does anyone else know you have my number? Does Mom know?" Jongup curses as a female voice takes over talking into the phone.
"Jonggie... My baby... Where are you?"
Jongup scoffs, "Far away. Don't ever call me."
"Oh... My son is so cold now. Do you hate me? ...How could you talk to your parents this way? Come home." Jongup hesitated. For a moment she sounded like before. Before all the drugs.
"Oh and bring all your money," his father added.
Jongup choked out a laugh. He hung up the phone and sat on the floor of his bedroom. Jongup pulled his knees up to his chest.

@Moon Jongupᵇᵉᵗᵃ It not being Yoosung's fault means that it's likely something to do with the other male, which sounds cliche in that "it's not you, it's me" kind of way. Yoosung has heard plenty of that in his life. He sighs, shoulders slumping. "Is it that you just...don't want to be here?"

@Park Yoosungᵒᵐᵉᵍᵃ Jongup blinks hard as his brain tries to process his concerns. He scratched his head. "No. It's not a you thing."
With that Jongup focused on eating his food. Maybe if he focused on his food then he wouldn't have to answer the questions that he knew was coming. Maybe...

@Moon Jongupᵇᵉᵗᵃ Yoosung frowns, poking idly at the bowl and the contents. "We don't," he agrees. "But that's why we have to work hard to obtain the things that really matter." His roommate sounds...cold. Not angry or sad, but like he's doing his best to pretend none of it matters. He's like Teo a bit, in that regard. And Yoosung has a lot of experience with Theo.

"Is it because of me?" Yoosung stabs at some of the chicken he'd put into the ramen, brow furrowed. "I know I'm messy and weird. Am I a bad roommate?"

@Park Yoosungᵒᵐᵉᵍᵃ Jongup felt himself tense at those words. Why did he have to say them? Why? He wanted to drop the bowl and run to his room to hide from this omega. He simply inhales softly. "We don't always get to have the things we want."
He knew his voice sounded cold. He simply accepted the food sitting down without looking away from the omega. It was better to view him as that. Jongup wouldn't feel too attached when it came time to run once more. In fact it would be a relief to run if that happens once more.

@Moon Jongupᵇᵉᵗᵃ It's serious to me," Yoosung says after a moment, not placated by the pat. "You're a beta, right?" It's a redundant question, one Yoosung doesn't expect an answer to, so he barrels on regardless. "I'm not. I'm used to not feeling--" he pauses, frustrated, then tries again. "This is your home. Home deserves to feel safe. Secure. You deserve to feel safe here."

Yoosung ladles some of the ramen and broth into the bowls before offering one to the male. It's not a peace offering, even if it kind of feels like one. "My name's Yoosung.”

@Park Yoosungᵒᵐᵉᵍᵃ Jongup sighs softly and focuses on helping him get everything ready. He doesn't say anything until the omega starts to stumble over his words. He looks over at him.
"Relax. It's not that serious."
He stiffly pats the younger man's head. Jongup didn't know what else to do, let alone what to say. This kid seemed a bit worked up. Jongup hadn't figured his usual routine would bother anyone. It now made him feel a bit weird learning that it bothered this kid. Not that he felt comfortable changing it. If he changed it then there was a risk of them finding him. Jongup couldn't let them catch him.

@Moon Jongupᵇᵉᵗᵃ "I mean...you don't have to." Even if Yoosung really wants him to, determined to try to get to know him, he won't force the male to stay. So when the...beta? he certainly smells like a beta... When the beta, however reluctantly, agrees, Yoosung beams at him, gesturing for him to come into the kitchen. "Do you like chicken ramen? It should be just about done, and I'm supposed to stream later, so I made enough for leftovers, but-- but sharing's better, you know?"

Yoosung opens a cabinet and pulls down two bowls, turning to offer one to the male upon entry to the kitchen. "You don't have to stay long, either. It's just--" Just...what? Yoosung falters, then flusters, heat burning into his cheeks. "I never see you, and I just wanted to-- to clear up any misconceptions? You live here, so I want you to know you're welcome here."

@Park Yoosungᵒᵐᵉᵍᵃ Jongup looks around before looking at his roommate. "I... I guess."
He knew it wouldn't hurt him to eat with him. Jongup scratched his chin before pulling out his phone to message Yeonjun. He gives him a warning to him about running a bit behind. He moves closer to the other but makes sure there's plenty of space between them. "S-sure, I guess." Jongup knew still sounded suspicious of his roommate. He wasn't sure how to fix that...

@Moon Jongupᵇᵉᵗᵃ Yoosung's not staking out his roommate's room and waiting for him to reappear after disappearing into it following his shower. He's not. That's creepy and unnerving and Yoosung tries hard not to be a creep. He's just hopeful. It would be nice to know his roommate, after all.

Yoosung had barely met his previous one, a brief passing, just long enough to know he'd been an alpha. As a relatively ungainly, awkward omega, Yoosung likes to think awareness of his surroundings is a good trait to have. So he knows, of course, that his new roommate is a beta, that he smelled a little warm and spicy under the grime of needing a shower. But what is he like?

"Excuse me," Yoosung calls. Flustered, realizing how quiet it had been, he tries again: "Hey, are you hungry?"

@Park Yoosungᵒᵐᵉᵍᵃ Jongup showers quickly and dry off. He had perfected how to shower, dry and then get dressed fairly quickly. He stepped out of the bathroom. Jongup looks around to make sure the guy who was surely his roommate was still there. He didn't want to lose sight of him. Once he saw him Jongup went to his room to put his dirty clothes into his hamper. He stands there with a sigh. The sight of the almost full hamper made it clear he needed to do laundry. Jongup ran a hand through his hair as he contemplated if he could do so. With his thoughts focused on this newnproblem, Jongup forgot about his roommate.

@Moon Jongupᵇᵉᵗᵃ Yoosung watches the male as he grabs a change of clothing before heading for the bathroom, then glances at himself. As far as first impressions go, it could have been much worse. Yoosung’s not in a skirt or heels – he is still wearing the ears and tail from his Gorou outfit to get used to the subtle weight and way they shift as he moves – but even then, it’s not…that weird. Is it?

After a moment, Yoosung slinks back into the kitchen to check on his food, mulling over his options. It would be nice to actually talk to this roommate, let him know that Yoosung doesn’t have any expectations beyond cleaning up any dishes that are used, let him know that Yoosung does grocery runs every Sunday if there’s anything he needs. He’s got enough noodles… Maybe dinner as a peace offering and to break the ice?

@Park Yoosungᵒᵐᵉᵍᵃ Jongup froze hearing someone speak to him. He stares at the man staring at him. It takes a minute before he managed a bit of a wave. Jongup went to his room to change. He didn't close the door completely. Jongup grabbed fresh clothes and went towards the bathroom. He knew that he couldn't keep just changing. Jongup had to shower as well.
He wasn't sure what to do about actually meeting his roommate.

@Moon Jongupᵇᵉᵗᵃ Despite being told that his previous roommate had moved out and someone else had moved in – had been moved in? – Yoosung has yet to see his new, illustrious roommate. They’re either quiet or never around, because between his streaming, recording, and editing, and all of the work he puts into his cosplays, Yoosung spends a lot of time in the apartment. He’s starting to wonder if maybe it was all a fever dream, fabricated in the aftermath of too many energy drinks and late nights spent squinting at his computer screens or stitching a design together.
Yoosung has largely forgotten about his hitherto unseen roommate until he’s midway through fixing a hearty dinner of chicken ramen and he hears the apartment’s front door open. He abandons the food, shuffling over until he can peer around the edge of the wall and into the living room. And sure enough, there’s a person there. “Oh,” he says, quiet, surprised. “You do exist. You must be my roommate.”

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