Yue Sung is not a pushover (quiet_moon) wrote in pastabsolution, @ 2011-07-18 15:16:00 |
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Entry tags: | ! 1998 july, ! complete, ! log, spencer quick, yue sung |
Who: Yue Sung and Spencer Quick
Where: Sung house, London
When: Sunday, 24 July
What: Yue is working too hard and Spencer doesn't like it
Rating: PG-13 for language and kisses
For almost three months, Yue had been constantly on the go. If he wasn’t volunteering with the clean-up at Hogwarts, he was getting to grips with the work involved running Sung Trading, and when he did have some free time, he was checking up on his friends and spending time with Minnie. That left a very small amount of time to be with his boyfriend, but somehow he and Spencer had managed it, Yue even treating Spencer to a belated birthday celebration that was just between them.
Unsurprisingly Spencer wasn’t thrilled with Yue working himself to the bone, and now his exams were over, he was making sure Yue took more time off. Yue protested, but his boyfriend could be very persuasive and so on this warm Sunday morning, instead of being up at the crack of dawn, Yue was snuggled up in bed with his arms wrapped around Spencer. He’d sold his old home where his parents had been killed and bought a new place for himself and Minnie, slightly smaller, but still spacious and with a very comfortable master bedroom that was far enough away from Minnie’s room that Yue didn’t feel uncomfortable having his boyfriend sleeping over.
As sunshine pushed through the chinks in the curtains, Yue stirred and nuzzled the back of Spencer’s neck. As he woke, he was vaguely aware that it was Sunday and that meant Spencer would be off to church. Perhaps while he was gone he could catch up on paperwork. There were some orders that needed to be reviewed.
Spencer knew he needed to get up and get moving before his mother and abuela wondered what happened to him. But the idea of leaving held no power at that particular moment. Not that he could exactly use the excuse that he’d stayed in bed so he could cuddle with his boyfriend with his mother and abuela. They still didn’t know about Yue. Hell, they still didn’t know that he was gay. He hadn’t figured out a way to tell them that didn’t somehow end in his getting kicked out of his house (at least in his imagination). Instead he’d told them parts of the truth, he was staying over with a friend who’d lost his parents in the war and was trying to keep their business afloat. They didn’t need to know that he was spending those nights in Yue’s bed or that he’d taken to getting Minnie off to spend days with her friends. The little household tasks were none of their business.
Finally he couldn’t pretend that he wasn’t very nearly late for Mass so he stirred. Turned in Yue’s arms and gave him a brief kiss good morning before leaving the comfort of their bed (when did he start thinking of it that way?). He grabbed his church clothes and headed for the bathroom to get ready without the temptation of teasing Yue. Once he was dressed and ready he went looking for his boyfriend. He found him blearily drinking juice. He dropped a kiss onto Yue’s neck.
“When I get back here you’d better be doing something a 17-year-old bloke would do,” Spencer teased as he left through the floo.
Once Spencer was up then there really wasn’t any reason to stay in bed anymore so Yue also rose, although it was only as far as going to the kitchen and grabbing something to drink. He smiled vaguely at Spencer’s teasing, waving him off and then sat up a little straighter. Feeling slightly guilty at what he was planning to do, he finished up his juice and then washed and dressed. With hair slightly damp and smelling of shampoo, he went into his study and pulled out the paperwork Spencer had practically yanked out of his hands the other day. He would only do a little, he decided, just enough to feel like he was on top of things and then he’d read a book or something.
Within moments, Yue was absorbed in checking orders and totting up accounts, reading reports and signing off on them, forgetting the time entirely. With Minnie spending the day at a friend’s place, there was no one in the house to tell Yue that he needed to eat, so he completely forgot breakfast and was moving towards forgetting about lunch as well.
After Mass and the obligatory questions about why he wasn’t ever at home anymore Spencer finally escaped the combined hovering of the women Lakin (current and former). He’d picked up takeaway for lunch and was preparing to surprise Yue in the living room only to find his boyfriend wasn’t there. He let go a deep sigh and took the takeaway bag with him to Yue’s office.
He opened the door and was unsurprised to see Yue buried in reports of some kind (Minnie had explained them to him but he’d forgotten), “I should eat this all by myself,” he held up the takeaway bag.
Spencer’s voice broke through Yue’s focus and he jumped slightly in his chair. It was only then that he was conscious of his empty stomach, dry mouth, the pain in his neck and back from bending over the desk and a slight headache. Straightening up, he turned and had the grace to blush as he looked up at Spencer, looking rather guilty. “Er... I only meant to take a minute...”
Spencer gave him a droll look, “I’m sure,” he said his tone completely unconvinced.
Spencer might tease Yue about the amount of work he did but the truth of the matter was it bothered him to see Yue throwing himself into what he perceived as his job like this. He was 17 for Christ’s sake. This was not a time to spend cooped up driving one’s self into an early grave. But convincing Yue of that was as difficult as trying to talk Sarah into ________________. He hated to see Yue giving up on his dreams before he even graduated.
Yue’s expression turned defensive, ever so slightly mulish. “It’s got to be done, Spencer,” he said, an edge to his tone. He knew why Spencer didn’t like seeing him working like this, and inwardly Yue agreed he probably was working too hard, certainly he felt tired almost everyday and that simply wasn’t normal. Nor did it help that he really didn’t have a deep love for business. His dreams had always been mingled with music and then a desire to be a cursebreaker, and while his father was alive, Yue kept hoping that he would at least be able to live that dream until the time came when he absolutely had to take over running Sung Trading. Even then, he had his fingers crossed that Minnie would marry some business-minded individual who would take over in Yue’s place.
Yet all those dreams turned to ash when his parents were killed, landing Yue with the expectations of all the employees and managers that he would take the reins. The weight of duty and obligation weighed heavily and so he’d shelved his dreams to learn how to run a company, to give his employees confidence that he wouldn’t let them down.
“If I finish this then I can relax this afternoon,” he said as he got to his feet. “I can... uhhh...” his vision blurred as his head swam and Yue stumbled, hand shooting out to catch the back of the chair to prevent him from falling over as hunger caught up with him.
Spencer dropped the bag and rushed to Yue’s side, “Okay, now do you believe me when I say you work to fucking hard?” he knew his tone was harsher than it should be but he was a sixteen-year-old boy with his first boyfriend he had not even a clue how to deal in a situation like this. It felt too grown-up...too much for him. But Yue was important enough that he refused to leave regardless of how ill-prepared he was to deal.
“You’re going to fucking kill yourself and I’m too damned young to be a widow,” though it might seem like he was joking there was something serious about his tone.
Without thinking, Yue clutched Spencer, leaning against him as he tried to regain his balance. It was easier now Spencer had started going through a growth spurt he thought vaguely, forehead dropping to rest on the younger boy’s shoulder. The harshness in Spencer’s voice made him feel sad rather than defensive, and guilty too. His boyfriend wasn’t the only one concerned, Minnie had made her views known too and Manager Kim would frequently remind Yue that he could delegate more. But Yue also knew there was a deeper reason to his drive to keep busy, it stopped him thinking about the friends he’d lost barely three months back.
Spencer’s joking, yet serious, comment brought Yue’s head up and a quizzical expression crossed his face. “Widow?” he let out a small laugh and then sobered again, one hand coming up to stroke Spencer’s neck. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Spencer nuzzled Yue’s hand, “Well, you did. And you will continue to as long as you keep doing this.”
He took Yue’s hands intertwining their fingers and forced Yue to look him in the eye, “I know that things are hard for you. We all lost people we care about but you lost more than most. And I know you had...have feelings for Cal. Even though I care more about you every day I would be beside myself if it had been Julian in Cal’s place. And you lost your parents. And on top of it all you’re faced with this huge fucking responsibility that you never even wanted in the first place. I’m not Korean but don’t think I don’t understand the pull of family and guilt. I’m Catholic I understand guilt. And every single mutty ethnicity that runs through my veins puts family before everything else. I get it. Really, I do. But you need to slow down. You can’t do everything and be everything to everyone.”
It was perhaps the most serious thing that Spencer had ever said to anyone. And certainly the first time that he’d ever given anyone that kind of advice but he felt that Yue needed to hear it.
The mention of Cal’s name caused Yue to wince slightly. The death of his friend and the boy he’d crushed on for so long, was still painful. He wrapped an arm around Spencer and pulled him close, his boyfriend’s words hitting hard and hitting home. Fingers tightening, he nodded, lips pressed together. “I’ll try,” he said finally, his voice soft, his eyes shimmering with moisture. Yue wasn’t ashamed of the emotion he showed around Spencer, they were intimate enough with each other that he didn’t fear mockery. “I suppose in some ways... I just keep hoping that if I’m busy, I won't hurt so much, but," a small, wry smile quirked up his lips. "You're right. Collapsing from exhaustion isn't going to help anything."
Spencer kissed Yue’s nose and adopted his best Yoda voice, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”
There were moments when he was extremely grateful for his Muggle grandmother and her video collection.
But then Spencer’s tone went serious again, “I hate to sound like a fucking book but I think that the only thing that keeping yourself busy like that will do is delay whatever’s gonna happen. It’s all gonna catch up with you if you keep pushing it away. For fuck’s sake Yue we’ve all been through hell this year. You’re dealing with the same things we’re all dealing with. You lost two dorm mates and a really, really good friend. I lost two housemates and my favorite professor. Blair MacDougal lost her parents and her sister got hurt in the battle. Look at poor Romilda. We were all scarred by what happened. None of us will be the same.”
Having never seen Star Wars, Spencer’s impression earned him a quizzical frown. However, before he could inquire why he was speaking so oddly, Yue was silenced as Spencer continued speaking in a more serious vein. He was surprised by how serious his boyfriend was being, not that he never thought Spencer was capable of it, but just that it was odd to be spoken to in this way by someone who was younger. Each word hit home and he winced again, eyes closing as his mouth twisted from the emotional pain. Guilt, shame and sorrow welled up, mingling with some defensive anger, but that was outweighed by sucker punch of realisation that Spancer was right.
A small sobbing sound escaped and he buried his face in the curve of Spencer’s neck, his arms tightening around the other boy. A couple of tears leaked out, dampening his boyfriend’s warm skin as Yue wrestled with his emotions. “I know... I know...” he mumbled eventually, breathing harshly. “I just wish...” his voice tapered off and he shook his head slightly. There was no need to articulate what he wished since Spencer was likely wishing the same things. Unfortunately there really was no way to turn back the clock and change the outcome. Letting out a shuddering breath, Yue raised his head and pressed his lips to Spencer’s in a tender kiss, soft and full of pain, and yet sweet at the same time. “Thank you,” he murmured against Spencer’s lips.
Spencer kissed him back knowing that Yue just needed him to be there for him in that moment. He knew that it didn’t mean that he wouldn’t have to stop Yue from working too hard in the days and weeks to come but he sincerely hoped that maybe he wouldn’t have to worry too awful much now.
“I didn’t do anything,” he answered honestly once they’d backed away from the kiss to catch their breath.
Yue couldn’t help a little chuckle escaping and he bumped his nose against Spencer’s briefly. “You did a lot more than you know, you were honest with me, and that’s important,” he stepped back then, giving Spencer’s neck another small caress. “Clearly I need people around who’ll kick me up the backside when I need it.”
His stomach gave a loud grumble then and he blushed. “Achem... before we continue, let’s eat?”
Spencer grinned at Yue and retrieved the now cold takeaway, “Can you do a reheating charm oh, elderly boyfriend of mine?”
“Be respectful, young one!” Yue mock scolded, pulling a face at him as he took out his wand. One quick heating charm later and a move to the dining room, and Yue set to work on the important task of filling his stomach. When the growling hunger was satisfied, he washed down a mouthful with orange juice and then leaned forward to gain an answer to something that was nagging him now the emotional stuff was over.
“So what were you quoting before ‘Do... or do not’? Your voice sounded odd.”
Spencer chuckled. Sometimes it was hard for him to remember that not everyone has had the same amount of experience with the Muggle world, “It’s a Muggle movie, Star Wars. There’s a character on it called Yoda who’s very wise but has an odd way of speaking.”
“Not odd,” Yue replied with a grin after nodding in understanding when Spencer explained where the quote had come from. He’d never seen a movie, but he’d heard of them. “Sounded more like the Korean sentence structure with the subject-object-verb structure, where we say something like ‘Spencer takeaway eats’,” he sucked thoughtfully on his fork for a moment. “Wonder if the bloke who wrote it was influenced by Asian culture.”
“Abuela says that’s part of what makes English so bloody hard to learn. The language doesn’t match the grammar. Or something like that. I don’t really remember the conversation it was with Mum right around the time I said I wanted to learn Japanese,” Spencer spoke around a mouthful of food before swallowing and answering Yue’s first question, “I’ve read articles and things that say that George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars was really influenced by Asian culture. There’s actually a new Star Wars movie coming out next year hopefully. I should take you to it.”
“English is one of the hardest languages,” Yue agreed, nibbling on a little more food before deciding his stomach was satisfied and pushing away the remains. His appetite wasn’t as large as it used to be, perhaps he’d stopped growing or maybe missing meals had shrunk his stomach.
His mouth quirked up in a smile at Spencer’s suggestion. “Go to a movie, eh? I’ve never been to one so it would be fun,” he frowned thoughtfully. “Someone once told me that people used movie theatres more as places to snog rather than watch the film. Is that true?”
Spencer grinned at Yue, “Probably but I’ve only ever gone with my abuela so I wouldn’t know from any kind of personal experience. We should try it out though before we go back to school. I think that I have enough money to treat the two of us,” he pointed his fork at his boyfriend, “If you promise to calm down this workaholic thing.”
Yue was about to say that Spencer didn’t need to pay for him and then his brain kicked in, preventing the comment coming out. If Spencer wanted to take him out, then it would be churlish to object, and actually he felt a warmth bloom inside his chest at the prospect of doing something refreshingly normal as a couple.
With a half smile, he saluted Spencer. “Aye, aye!” he followed up the teasing agreement by getting up to put his arms around his boyfriend, leaning down to lightly kiss his lips, which tasted sweet chilli sauce. “I will.”
Spencer kissed him back, just a little bit deeper, teasing Yue with his tongue, “You’d better or I’ll kick your ass.”
Yue chuckled against his boyfriend’s lips. “I don’t doubt you will... try,” there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. In actual fact he was sure Spencer could cause damage in a fight, he might still be shorter, but he was tough and Yue knew how determined he was. Badgers were vicious when cornered after all. However, he couldn’t help teasing him a little, especially as now he was fed and feeling better.
Spencer settled his hands on Yue’s hips, “What are we going to do when school starts back up?” he asked. He’d become used to being with Yue like this. To them having their little life together over the summer that he wasn’t entirely sure how he was going to go back to being a sixteen-year-old boy when it was over. Sleeping without Yue he might be able to manage since they could still sneak off whenever they had a chance but he didn’t know how he was going to make it through the day without checking to see that Yue wasn’t working too hard or making ramen for Minnie’s dinner on nights when Yue locked himself away.
His hand halted and his eyebrows drew together as Yue considered the question. Like Spencer, he’d enjoyed the pattern they’d fallen into. Having the other boy and the sense of ‘normal’ that the domestic activities brought helped kept Yue hopeful and cope with raising Minnie. He knew he would miss falling asleep with Spencer, but he hadn’t really thought about the other stuff until this moment.
“Well, it’ll be an adjustment,” he acknowledged. “But on the plus side, we won’t be in fear of any idiots giving us detention for being together, so...” Yue put one hand over Spencer’s, twining their fingers together. “It won’t be the same, but let’s look at the positive side?”
“Now they’re just going to be stupid fuckers instead of stupid fuckers with a license to hex?” Spencer raised his eyebrows. He personally couldn’t wait until Murphy ran his mouth so he could beat the shit out of him.
“Exactly, and you know what?” there was an expression on Yue’s face that could only be described as devilish. “I’m really, really looking forward to snogging you in front of them at some point, just for the sheer satisfaction of knowing they can’t do anything,” he suited actions to words, lips hard against Spencer’s, giving him a deep, passionate snog. Although Yue had resolved not to seek vengeance on former IS members who had hurt him and his friends - hatred only brewed hatred after all - he wasn’t above taking some petty revenge on the ones who had threatened him and Spencer purely for flirting. He nipped Spencer’s lip as he pulled back, smirking. “They can bitch about it all they like, and show themselves up as the prejudiced idiots they are.”
Spencer nodded but he didn’t feel nearly as optimistic about this as Yue did. Yue seemed to think that people would just get used to them. He knew that wasn’t the case at all. He would forever be ‘that gay Hufflepuff’ before he was anything else and he knew it. He accepted it in the way you accepted the fact that your body would hurt if you broke a bone. You hated the idea of it but knew it was inevitable.
Yue knew Spencer wasn’t optimistic, and perhaps he was right, since Yue knew that there were even friends who still found them being together odd. Yet it was easier to be hopeful than worry about people condemning their relationship, especially as he had some many other things burdening him. So he just gave Spencer’s cheek a gentle caress as he stood up. “Anyway, in the meantime we should make the most of the time we have this summer, right? Starting with this afternoon. What would you like to do?”
Spencer wrapped his arms around Yue’s waist, “I can think up a thing or two that might take up a couple of hours then we can make a huge dinner and play music tonight?”
A slow grin curved Yue’s lips. “Sounds like a plan,” he agreed, leaning down to kiss Spencer again. A very agreeable afternoon with his boyfriend and no work stretched out before him ending in a evening spent with his sister, Spencer, and music. What could be better?