Word count: 3194
Chapter warnings: Mild language, themes
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"I hate this." She grumbled under her breath as they pulled into the department store, the sun shining cheerfully as a stark contradiction to her mood.
"What was that, angel?"
"I said I hate this." She repeated, not at all embarrassed that he heard her. "We should be working on solving a serial murder case, and instead we're buying you a new wardrobe."
"Well, as much as you don't want to babysit, I doubt they'll let me browse on my own." He shrugged. "Plus, the stranger I look, the more attention you'll get." She could have sworn she saw his tongue flick across his teeth as he added, "Unless that's what you want?"
"No." She quickly stated. "Let's just hurry this up." They both exited the car, walking into the store. It was specifically the men's section, so thankfully there were endless monochrome suits and slacks lining the walls. It shouldn't take long to find him some decent fitting items and get back to work. Before they'd even taken a few steps, though, an employee walked up to them, a cheerful smile on her face.
"Hi! How can I help you today?" As she looked at both of them, she didn't even give them the chance to respond as she asked, "Oo, a wedding maybe? I love weddings!" She clapped excitedly. "If you can show me the color of your dress, I can match whatever he's wearing to it? Or if you're the one getting-"
"No, thank you." She interrupted curtly. San was practically laughing his ass off as he watched her become irritated, although the woman looked confused, hurt even. Trying to amend for her impoliteness, she gently added, "He just needs some more professional attire. He started a, uh..." She started stumbling for what to say. It wasn't as if she owed this employee an explanation, but she was too far along now.
"I started a new job at her firm." San quickly swooped in, all traces of his amusement boiled down into a soft smile. "She's really doing me a huge favor, but I still need to look the part."
"Oh, of course!" The woman was back to smiling, immediately charmed. It almost annoyed Y/N how easily he was able to manipulate people, but as far as she could prove, it was just charisma. Perhaps that's what made killings easy for him- they just died in front of him upon request.
She directed them to the proper area for suits, followed by more of a business casual, with khakis, slacks, and button downs. She pointed down the aisle where they could migrate to locate shoes as well. Nodding politely, Y/N thanked her. She made it very clear that if the two wanted any more help, she'd be more than happy to assist them. It was honestly a little unsettling how infatuated with the man she was after only just meeting him, but she brushed it off. They didn't have time to be messing around.
"Alright, do you know your size?"
"I mean, I used to." He shrugged. "I may have lost some weight in prison. Or gained it."
"Well, there are fitting rooms. We should only need one full suit for you, the rest can be combinations of pants and shirts. We'll find you a place to do laundry. Machine washable, of course."
"Aw, but dry clean is so fancy."
"You gave up your right to make that choice when you killed a bunch of people."
"You just will not let that go, huh?" He huffed. She rolled her eyes. That was probably the first time anyone had ever suggested just "letting go" of a murder. Regardless, she was continually reminding herself not to argue with him.
"You can have your pick between blue, black, or charcoal."
"What about Chambray?"
"Is it blue, black, or charcoal?"
"I mean, it's technically a blue-"
"Then whatever, let's just find a size first."
"What about brown?"
"San."
"Okay, okay, coming-" He followed her over to the suits. He eyes them all rather lazily, occasionally running his hand over one, or even pulling it off the rack, but never fully observing it. Exhaling in annoyance, she grabbed a shirt, then his shoulder, surprising him. Turning him harshly, she held it to his chest, stretching it out across both his shoulders- too small.
She did this for a few more before she found a couple that may outline his size range. It was admittedly a bit larger than she'd initially expected, as he was strong compared to his projected demeanor. She slung both the shirts over his arm, making him hold them as she looked for slacks to check the size on as well.
Finally, they had a decent set of clothes that would help them determine his size, then they could get what they needed and get out. He continued smiling as she did all of his work for him, sacrificing a bit of dignity simply for time efficiency. Catching his stare, her eyes narrowed.
"What?"
"Nothing." He shook his head, gesturing towards the fitting rooms. "Let's try this, I guess." They both walked to the back wall, the lighting a bit yellow, but sufficient. Each set of stalls was separated, the door to the left being men's, the one on the right, obviously, women's. There was also a private stall in the middle for families, handicapped people, or anyone else who may need it. Of course, San walked towards the door on the left, but slowed down as he realized she was following him.
"Uh, can you, like... be in here??" She swallowed hard, hoping that the embarrassment wasn't visible on her face.
"I, uh... I have to." She coughed. "You don't have a proper tracking device right now, and I, uh... I'm responsible for your whereabouts at all times while you're in my custody."
"So...?"
"So I have to come into the room with you." He was definitely a bit confused for a second, but catching himself, his lips widened into that incredibly irritating smile.
"If you wanted to watch me take my shirt off, you could have just said that-"
"Shut up!" She snapped, but then backtracked. She could not let him get the upper hand in this situation. "I won't be watching watching. I just have to be... there." He glanced over to the door, then back to her, sighing.
"Fine, I guess we should go in the family changing room, then." She nodded, not making eye contact with him as her face heated up. God she wished she was just invisible right now. He opened the door, looking over his shoulder to make sure the employee wasn't around to see them go in together. So, maybe he did have some semblance of shame? Or he just didn't want to deal with her. Either way, he flicked the light on, the dirty LED illuminating above them.
The changing room felt all too small. There was a bench on one wall which she quickly approached and seated herself on, but the rest of the room was made up of gritty floor-to-ceiling members. She could see every angle of his body, only outlined by his tank top and old sweatpants. Even in such ratty clothes, she had to admit that he was still a fairly attractive man.
She shook her head, chastising herself for even thinking of it. She wasn't attracted to him, obviously. He was a criminal. It was common in cases where male criminals were targeting females for the aggressor to be attractive, or at the very least charismatic. While San was on trial, many women were overtaken by his good looks and easygoing personality. It wouldn't be the first time hysterical fans had turned up for a deranged man. Ted Bundy, Jeffery Dahmer, they all had them. Some people were just obsessed with the 'bad boy' type, except in these cases, 'bad' meant 'felony'.
San lightly tossed the pile of clothes over onto the empty bit of bench next to her, then hooked his fingers underneath the hem of his shirt. As he pulled it up, covering his face, she caught more than a glimpse of his exposed abdomen, nearly causing her to gasp. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it certainly wasn't what she saw. Despite his extended months in prison, his skin was still a beautiful color, shifting over his muscles as his arms moved. He wasn't necessarily jacked, but he was more than toned, a perfectly proportioned frame that was surprisingly smooth. Before his shirt had completely cleared his face, though, her eyes shot down to the ground, lips sealed shut.
"I thought you were supposed to be watching me." He said from above her. She couldn't see his face anymore, but she assumed he was smiling, if not laughing. She'd been caught- but it wasn't unreasonable for her to be flustered in this situation. It felt like a violation of privacy. Still, it was a violation that was required of her by her work.
"I- I can see your feet." She swallowed. "So I'll be able to tell if you're trying anything."
"Really?" He laughed, "Are you detectives that good, nowadays? That can't be right, or you would have caught Wooyoung by now."
"Just change." Her words were muddled through her grit teeth. He laughed again, but didn't say anything. She was given relief for just a moment, before she saw his sweatpants pool around his ankles, kicking them off onto the floor roughly. She felt a surge of curiosity in her chest to look up. Maybe there was another reason women were so infatuated with him... What was she thinking? It wouldn't matter anyway, he was definitely watching her for her reaction.
When that didn't elicit any outward demonstrations from her, he took the liberty of leaning over- way over- to grab a shirt and a pair of pants off the bench next to her. He must have only been a few inches away, although that wasn't surprising given the size of the changing room. However, as she did such, her curiosity got the best of her before she could filter her thoughts.
"They give you cologne in prison?" She asked, dreading it as soon as the words had left her lips. It was a stupid question, but also, she really was curious. When he leaned over, the air around him rushed her, her nose filling with some sort of sweet smell. It was more perfume-like than anything, but less strong, almost like the equivalent of rose-water, although she couldn't precisely place the scent.
"No, angel, that's just how I smell." He said in a low voice, clearly proud of himself. "No unnecessary products allowed in prison. Although if you're offering, I wouldn't mind a bottle of La Nuit De L'homme." She just continued staring at the floor, eyebrows twitching slightly. "Really? Never heard of it?"
"No?" She posed, "Should I have?"
"Yves Saint Laurent?"
"Saying more details is not making it any more familiar."
"Whatever, you have no taste." Well, at least that had derailed him from the fact that she had noticed something as random as his smell. And, for the record, there was no way he just... smelled like that. As she grappled with the arguing in her head, she heard the shifting of fabric as he buttoned up the shirt, tucked it in, and then the metallic clank of a zipper. "Alright, all done." He said like a child shopping with his mom for his Easter outfit. She hesitated, but eventually looked up.
"I..." She looked over him. He looked a bit ridiculous, standing there in formal attire, but with no shoes on. The pants were fairly well fit, if not a little tight towards his thighs. At least the length was okay. The shirt, however, was clearly too tight. She'd underestimated just how well-defined he was, and the fabric was clearly suffering for it.
"I'm thinking the shirt is too small." He snickered.
"Well if you knew that, why would you bother showing it to me?" She snapped. "Just change quickly. If you want bigger pants, change those too, we just need your sizes and we can go, so get to it."
"Jeez, so demanding." He grumbled. She didn't respond, just going back to locking her eyes on the floor. She thought about interviewing him further about The Argonaut, but trying to reason with him while he was half naked would be an impossible task, both because of her awkward behavior and his utter shamelessness.
Finally, they were able to find suitable sizes. To save the trouble of trying on anything else, she made the executive decision that they were going to stay within the same brand. They picked out a few business causal sets, and then a blazer to add. Thankfully, the jacket, and later the shoes, could be tried out in the store, open air a nice change from the stuffy dressing room. Ties, cuffs, and socks could all be bought without fitting as well.
She checked them out, using the company's credit card as Hongjoong had instructed, San standing silently behind her the entire time. The cashier wished them a good day, and she led him back out to her car. Opening the door, she hung everything from the handle, ensuring that it wouldn't be wrinkled or ruined on the drive.
"Alright, I guess we're ready to head out-" She started, but San suddenly coughed, as if trying to get her attention. Looking over, she actually was surprised to see him... Looking at the ground? He seemed like there was something he didn't want to say, but that needed to be said. "Is something wrong?"
"I, uh," he coughed again. "Is there any chance we can go get normal clothes too?" She stared at first, not sure really what he was asking. "I know I'm not really in charge here, and I don't want you to have to babysit me in the store or whatever, but I really don't want to have to wear a suit when I'm not working. Can we just get, like, one pair of jeans or something? I promise I'll be fast-"
At this point, he almost seemed like he was... rambling? She wasn't exactly sure how to process it, but he was actually kindly and respectfully asking for a favor, if not a little stiffly. There was no room for her to make a quip, or for him to make things weird. Honestly, it wasn't an unreasonable request. She wasn't really sure where he'd be living, but she assumed he'd have to have downtime, or at the very least have to sleep.
"Um," she started, "Yeah, that's fine. That's my bad, I completely forgot." He nodded gratefully as they travelled to a different, less formal store. Once again, as they walked in, they were quickly greeted by an enthusiastic female employee. She nearly rolled her eyes as San reverted right back to his usual flirtatious nature. They repeated the process, finding clothes he could try, making their way to the dressing room, and awkwardly entering together.
Once again, she was sitting, although this time on the floor, as there was no bench provided in the family fitting room. (It was odd, considering the circumstances someone in that room might be in, but it wasn't really something she could fix). San joked a second time that she should probably be looking at him, but she ignored him. It was almost over.
A few seconds after he put on a pair of jeans, though, he went completely still, and silent. Her ears were immediately alerted to the absence of movement, but she didn't move quite yet. Another few seconds passed, and then she heard the sound of metal on metal. Jumping up, she looked up to make eye contact with him, hand migrating to the weapon on her belt. Laughing, he dropped the two extra pairs of pants in his hands in favor of gripping his abdomen as he laughed.
She realized what had happened as he dropped the articles of clothing. He was trying to see if she'd really do anything, so he slid the two buttons together, trying to make it sound like he was drawing a knife or a shiv of some sort. He was clearly amused by the outcome, as well as pleased that he'd managed to make her look at him.
"Honestly, I didn't know if you had the guts!" He grinned.
"Just finish." She snarled, but then heard a sharp rap on the door. Both fell silent as they listened for the muffled voice outside.
"Hello?" It was the employee- or at least, a employee.
"Oh, and the games continue!" San half-whispered, clearly excited. Turning to her, he energetically asked, "Can you slap me?"
"What?!" She nearly shouted, although it was muted considering her fear of the woman outside.
"Like, right across the face, so that it's red."
"No!" She protested.
"Come on, it's gonna be funny!"
"No, I'm not gonna-" As she said this, he quickly reached his hand under her jaw, sliding it to the back of her neck as he pulled her face towards his, eyes lidding as if he was moving to kiss her. Suddenly, her instincts took over, pushing him away and slapping him across the face.
"Thank you, angel-" He winked, infuriating her now that he'd gotten what he wanted. Still not wearing a shirt, he purposely unbuttoned his pants, running a hand through his hair a few times so that it was messier. After the employee's second knock, he opened the door.
"Hello, sir, I-" The woman's voice cut short, although Y/N couldn't see her from her place against the wall. "A-are you- Y-"
"Can I help you?" He asked charismatically.
"Y-you? You can't- Uh, I-"
"We'll be done in a minute," he smiled at her, leaning against the doorframe. "Would you mind maybe heading to the register so we can check out? We'll only be a few moments."
"I- uh-" Finally, the woman, frantically nodding, agreed and ran off.
"That wasn't funny." Y/N snapped. "You know what that looked like."
"Of course I know, I did it on purpose," he laughed, "Come on, lighten up!"
"Lighten up?" She asked. "Have you forgotten what we're here to do? What my job is?" Just as she said this, her phone started ringing. "Speak of the devil." She muttered, looking over the screen. Hongjoong was calling her. Looking back up to San, she demanded, "Change back into your clothes and go pick out what you want to keep, I need to take this.
San watched as she put the phone to her ear. He watched curiously as her eyes shifted from calm, to confused, then horrified. After that, though, she managed to control herself. He could only hear her side of the conversation, split into bits and pieces.
"Hello? Yes. Yes? I understand. Just now? Yes, about half an hour. Yes. Okay, I'll see you then. Thank you." As soon as she hung up, they made eye contact.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"Another body was just discovered."