Super

52. the real picture

"How did you find me?" Lucas asked.

The question had been posed as dryly and flatly as possible, but it didn't stop the smile that graced Ten's lips when he heard it. He wasn't sure why it had made him smile—maybe because it was exactly how he'd expected Lucas to start a conversation. This conversation, in particular. In his own house.

"Baekhyun's been keeping tabs on everyone," Ten answered honestly, still unable to wipe the smile off his face. It was rare that he predicated a response and got it delivered exactly the way he wanted. It was rare to get anything these days, honestly. "Safety reasons."

"Because he's afraid we'll spill the moment we're out of earshot?" Lucas asked rhetorically, raising an eyebrow. He sighed, stepping away from the door and walking inside. After a moment of indecision, Ten followed.

The man's apartment was surprisingly messy. Well, not messy exactly, but definitely much less neat than Ten had thought it would be. It was a simple single-bedroom flat, with a kitchenette and actually quite comforting décor, full of exposed brick walls and warm lights. There were books strewn across the oak table in the middle of the sitting room, the Christmas red and green couches covered in what looked like fine white hairs.

"You have...a girlfriend?" Ten asked.

"A cat," Lucas answered, and as if on cue, a soft mewl emanated from somewhere below the mound of books. A small head broke the top, followed by a slinky cream-colored body that the head was attached to.

"Oh," Ten said, significantly amused by the sight. The Siamese padded over the tops of the books, almost slipping on a hardcover jacket before it ambled up to Ten to look at him with huge inquisitive eyes. "Cute."

"So why are you here?" Lucas asked, choosing not to provide any further details about his very adorable cat. Ten gave him a frown when his back was turned, and picked his way between the books to take a seat on one low green couch.

"Maybe I just wanted to see how you were doing," Ten said.

"Right," Lucas said wryly, picking up a mug of orange juice from the kitchen counter with one hand and two glasses with the other, and brought them over to the table. "Did Taemin send you to keep an eye on me? If so, he can rest assured. I'm not going to do anything disobedient."

"Can't go further than walking out when it comes to disobedience," Ten said breezily, crossing his legs. The cat seemed to take a liking to him, rubbing its head against the side of his leg. "Why does everything you say sound so kinky? I know you're being completely unironic, but it doesn't help you at all. I say own it."

Lucas stared at him blankly.

Ten sighed, then straightened. Out of further instinct and perhaps general lack of control, he picked up the cat, which gave a surprised yowl at first, then settled nicely in his lap. "I've come to change your mind."

Lucas poured the orange juice into two glasses, not looking at him. "That's not going to happen."

"Okay, how about this? I present my argument, and you decide whether you're going to listen to me or not." Ten picked up his glass and took a sip. "Wow, this is good. You need to drop the supplier's name."

"It's homemade."

Ten paused, pulling the corners of his mouth into an impressed crescent and raising his eyebrows. "You, sir, are full of surprises," he said. "Okay, well, here's the thing: I don't think you were a militant before."

"Louis, no," Lucas said sternly when the cat tried to paw at Ten's drink. Then he turned his attention back to the ravenet. "What do you think I was?"