"Wooyoung, help me?"
Wooyoung set down the book on San's drawer before even registering what San needed him for. The man perched at his desk and had bowed his head to fiddle with the ties of a suit vest he rarely wore in his nape. It was his fanciest one that matched the occasion most, and he needed help to adjust the bindings.
When Wooyoung stood, San closed his shirt buttons that still allowed his necklace to dangle through the front. Pleased, Wooyoung watched the pendant disappear under his clothes as he stepped behind San to wrap the bindings to the corset around his fingers. Once San was ready, he sat up straight and pushed out his chest to adjust the form the vest was supposed to hug his frame.
Wooyoung pulled on the strings and watched pleasedly how they tightened in their holdings. From the top and the bottom, the vest closed at the same time to cradle San's body. The dark red velvety brocade matched his black shirt and dark hair. As Wooyoung tied up the strings, his fingers appreciatively brushed San's waist that looked even smaller in this getup.
San stood to shake out his sleeves and closed the buttons at his wrist once they were done. Awed, Wooyoung watched him while his fingers mindlessly fixed his own collar.
As always, San was too gorgeous for Wooyoung to endure. At the same time, he couldn't take his gaze off the man.
Once San had thrown his coat over his arm and slicked back his hair, they were ready to go. San thankfully had two walking canes and could lend Wooyoung one since he hadn't brought his own. He took the one with the silver brass top, while he gave Wooyoung the golden one that matched his jacket.
Since this evening had to be a perfect masquerade, Wooyoung left his hair pearl at home. He put it in San's drawer and adjusted his tight jacket over the remote strapped to his stomach one last time to make sure it didn't dent out his clothes before he accompanied San to the door. The other man helped him with his boots once more and held the door for Wooyoung on their way out.
The carriage that would bring them to the building they would meet Jongho at already waited outside. San had sent for it earlier and the black wood with matching black horses carried the same air of nobility as the couple.
Not that this masquerade of class wasn't foreign to Wooyoung as usual. San, by his side, made it easier for him to play his role.
They sat opposite of each other in the carriage. Wooyoung got to stare at San's regal form, that effortlessly slipped into an elegant pose. He looked taller with his heels and the cane.
"So these are gaming activities among the young heirs? Is opium at play? I heard that England at this time had quite the infatuation with it and I wouldn't want a repetition of Rome's events."
San smiled. The twinkle in his eyes gave away that he had no issues with repetition.
"Why not? You certainly were having fun."
When Wooyoung blushed in the faint light of the lantern by their side, San's grin broadened. The evening outside cast them in privacy that had Wooyoung wanting to reach out to pull San in for a kiss already.
"I did, but opium usage is frowned upon in my line of work. If I can avoid it, I shouldn't get involved with it. I would also like to point out that we were drunk strangers back then. As my lover, you need a good excuse why we would get involved in intimate games with strangers in a public setting," Wooyoung said.
San giggled into his gloved hand. He enjoyed playing this game just as much as Wooyoung. The period-typical push and pull of flirtations barely applied to them since they were already this close, but Wooyoung liked this banter. It put them on a more similar plane of wit than they had experienced so far.
"No opium; I will watch out for that. But no, these games are of innocent nature. Courting might happen, but the higher class assembles there to feint cordial relationships with each other. Behind that facade, they monitor potential enemies or allies and search for weak spots to use that knowledge to their advantage. It's an endless act of fake compliments and smiles."
Wooyoung nodded gravely. He wasn't new to the concept of Victorian society and its use to badmouth certain people. It was easy to collapse into a poor reputation with so many watchful eyes and mouths constantly making a judgment. Hence why Wooyoung and San needed to stick to themselves and couldn't appear as lovers at any cost. Rumours of being gay in such a Christian society would do badly for San. Not that San cared, but Wooyoung did.
"Will anyone you have bad blood with be present?" Wooyoung asked. If he had to look out for certain people more than others, it would be good to know before they arrived at the location.
San played with his cane by his side. His warm leather gloves caressed the ornate top.
"There is a lady who desperately wants to see me fall. She might be snappish and prudish towards you, but you don't need to pay her any further attention. So far, her subtle attempts to get rid of me or to have me blundering all failed. She knows to be careful around me since the rumour of the affair she and I had in her husband's bed is unsightly on her terms rather than mine."
Despite the stab of jealousy twisting Wooyoung's heart, he had to snicker. It came as no surprise that San still used every method to get his way. For him, intimacy had always had a very different meaning and weight than for others. Since he came from a long time before monogamy became popular, he didn't see a reason for not spicing up the trot of his life with whomever he pleased. San had promised him to dedicate his all to Wooyoung once the time came. For now, Wooyoung could only laugh about his raunchy affairs in the time he was gone.
"She sounds like a piece of work. I shall not anger her. What is your relationship with Jongho?"
"We played a few rounds together before and he had a witty playing style, but we never had much to do with each other. If he had ill intentions towards me, he hasn't touched upon them so far."
That was good. Better than if Wooyoung had to befriend that woman San liked to mess with. Jongho might just accept their requests and be open to spending an evening drinking and talking.
"We wouldn't want to give him a reason for ill intentions. Although he doesn't sound like much of a historian or researcher. Just like for Yeosang, this has to be a hobby of his more than a job." Wooyoung glanced at their feet when he sorted his legs around San's. With their calves pressed together, they shared each other's warmth.
"It seems so, yes. I have different ways of approach in case he evades your questions, but if everything goes as expected, he should swallow your company during a game. Although we might want to play in a more private setting once his interest is roused. Nobody in this community knows of my immortality, but I don't need to make it known either."
Wooyoung nodded before he glanced out of the window. He was nervous about meeting Jongho since he wanted to end this job on a pleasant note. Yongguk had praised him repeatedly for his achievements, but Wooyoung wanted to stay on top of his game until the very end. Only then he could comfortably regard his job as finished and dedicate all his time to San.
London brushed by the rattling carriage in a blur of greys and browns. The people on the street became one stripe of different coloured clothes that melted into each other as they passed.
"We will keep your condition a secret for as long as you want. I don't know if you remember it, but back in Norway, when I told you that you were free to do with it what you wanted, I meant it. I told my coworkers - who are also my close friends - of your existence, but it never has to be anything," Wooyoung said as he turned to face San again. The charming smile on the other man's features softened Wooyoung's worried frown. This evening was important to San, too. For once, he had personal bonds with the people Wooyoung was meeting with and, depending on this conversation's outcome, San's esteem in this society could take a hit.
"I believe you. I don't think you or your people mean me any harm. Although I found it became increasingly harder to hide away with the years. More and more personal records join the achieves and I have to stage accidents to excuse the end of my existence more and more often. I might have to move more frequently now and make sure I won't linger in any place for too long. Otherness is frowned upon, so I fear what might happen if the wrong people find out about who I am."
Cold determination chilled Wooyoung's veins. If anyone trapped San into a position he didn't want, Wooyoung would fight them. Nobody got to make his lover uncomfortable for their own greedy gains.
"Do you think anyone will try to hurt you in their jealousy?"
San glanced out of the window as well. They had to near their destination since the alleys they took got more and more intricate; the pattern narrowing to a tip that represented their goal.
"It happened before. Envy is a strong notion. I saw too many condemned for being special that I would be careless with it," San said towards the window. His eyes were directed into a far distance again. Wooyoung wondered what he remembered.
"I'll make sure it's no trouble. In my time, it's even more difficult to hide away, but I am sure you will solve this problem somehow. So far, we haven't heard of your existence, so you likely hid away well and also won't attempt a brusque attempt at meeting me outside the safety I offer."
San smiled at him again. The carriage halted with a shaky jerk.
"We've arrived!" The carter called with a knock on the carriage's roof. With a nod to himself, San grabbed his cane again and stepped out of the carriage first. In his stead, a chilly breeze drifted in and had Wooyoung huddle more into his coat as he left the vehicle as well. This time, San didn't offer him his hand to help him down in a gesture of noble chivalry. They were two friends now who came together to play with other acquaintances.
While San talked to the carter, Wooyoung looked around. The tall building in front of them nestled between the others of London's alleys, but it stood out with its luxurious exterior. Heavy red curtains covered the windows to allow no peek in and the lion-shaped door knocker was plated with gold. The house stood out at the same time that it hid away, creating the perfect secret meeting spot for those who avoided the eyes of the public.
San's shoulder brushed Wooyoung's when he stepped in first and knocked on the heavy door. Behind them, the carriage took off down the street. Soon, the horses disappeared in the misty air.
Wooyoung cast a glance at the sky while they waited. It would likely rain again later.
The man who opened the door for them wore the formal black uniform of a servant. He bowed deeply in front of San, not needing to ask for identification. Wordlessly, San and Wooyoung stepped past him.
"Who is playing tonight?" San asked as he hung his coat next to the others in the entrance area. The cramped building was narrow, but the interior was expensive. Red carpets and golden wallpapers were accentuated by dark furniture that had fresh flowers blooming on it.
Wooyoung put his cane aside as well and hung up his coat. The two of them followed the servant, who marched straight up ahead with his nose in the air and his hands crossed behind his back.
"Lord Choi, Lord Elton and Lord and Lady Wellington have already arrived. We are still anticipating Lady Moore's arrival. Anyone else will be a surprise guest," the servant said with his nasal voice.
San cast a fleeting grin over his shoulder at Wooyoung. Wooyoung smiled back as they followed the servant down to the lower floor. The smell of alcohol and tobacco already met them on the stairs as it wafted through the door leading to the basement.
The servant stepped aside to let them in, and San opened the door to go first. Wooyoung followed him, ready and in his role. The last mission had started.