🌙 Chrysoprase

They nodded in response. "Mm. English," They affirmed. "To be honest, I find myself mostly making friends with people who speak Korean so I can default back to it when I need to. I won't learn that way, will I?"

A wry smile tugged at his mouth. "It's okay. I can handle this much," He said, slender fingers making work of the top of the can and pulling it open. "So we're on? For English lessons?"

"That makes sense. I never really thought you would feel that way, though. We both like to talk a lot. Are you telling me you talk even more in Korean?" He questioned, teasingly raising his brow. It was a case of the pot calling the kettle black, really, and Mingyu wasn't delusional enough to think that he could be the one to make Jiwon feel flustered the way he had done a moment ago. But it was still worth the try, especially since he famously sucked at serious conversations and was unable to stop himself from trying to joke around most of the time.

"Sure, I'm down. Am I supposed to give you homework as well? Or maybe we can just start with our menu."

As Aaron continued talking though, Copper's smile fell from his face. His suspicions proven correct, Copper exhaled sharply as he it all came together. "Fifteen years experience..." he repeated in a mumble, eyes widening slightly as he quickly did the math in his head. Aaron seemed to be in his early 20s, so - "Shit," Copper said suddenly, looking back at Aaron. For a several seconds, he didn't know how to reply, at a total loss for words. But one thing he didn't want to do was make Aaron talk about it. They'd been through a serious trauma, and Copper knew what that was like (though what he'd been through felt so small compared to what Aaron had seemingly endured). "Fuck, Aaron, I..." Copper trailed off, grasping for words. And then he refocused, saying, "I'm...I'm glad you're the only one getting paid now." His instinct was to reach out and touch his shoulder reassuringly, but given what Aaron had been through, Copper didn't think that was a good idea.

Although he knew how he would have responded a few minutes ago to Aaron's remark, Copper was totally thrown off now, though he managed to hide it well (at least he hoped so). "If...you really want me," Copper replied slowly. But then he thought about it, and he decided that Aaron knew what he wanted, so Copper was going to just treat him like he would anyone else. Grinning at the other, Copper added, "I've been told I'm pretty good at massages." There was a part of him that was still uncertain of how to handle this, but overall he was just pushing through because he wanted to keep spending time with Aaron. "Ice cream it is," he said, and then a minute or so later, Copper and Aaron were walking together toward the ice cream shop in the food court. "I hope they have something with marshmallow in it," Copper said as they made their way there. "Like s'more flavored or something. I'm in the mood for that. What about you?"

As they watched Copper's reaction, while the other most likely did the math, Aaron realized that they had said too much. It was easy to forget that even though it was a life they had been used to, most people would be shocked to hear about it. He averted his eyes momentarily, similarly unsure of what to say in the moment. "Sorry," He then managed, feeling a sense of guilt for putting his baggage onto someone he had just met. "I shouldn't have- You didn't want to know that." He let out an awkward chuckle and shook his head. "I'm okay. Or, you know, getting there. There's a lot of things to learn. Like swimming or reading or cooking." He laughed again, a little more genuinely this time. "I'm pretty hopeless, actually, don't listen to me."

While he couldn't be entirely sure about it, it appeared as if the mood had shifted again and Aaron assumed it was mostly due to shock on Copper's part. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had caused it. "Well, how else am I going to get rid of the stiffness in my neck?" He tried to ask as casually as possible, reaching for the back of his neck to rub it. After all, he had built up the courage to get a massage already, so he figured he should definitely get one.

Once they arrived at the ice cream shop, his eyes quickly tried to scan the signs for the pictures rather than the actual menu. "I don't know what that is," He admitted in response to Copper's preference. "But I like chocolate. Or- Or the pink kind. Is that strawberry?"

"I can do that, sure. As much as I know, anyway. We could talk about specific subjects you maybe want to have easier conversations about with people." He shrugged and watched as the other worked their magic with the vending machine, briefly waiting for Jiwon to get the items, before realizing that he was expected to do so. While he debated being stubborn about it, he also didn't want to seem ungrateful to someone who had just helped him out, so he reluctantly crouched back down to grab their drinks and handed Jiwon his. "Want me to open it for you, too?"

Yes, Copper felt like there was something...different about this situation, and though he didn't want to overly ask, he felt like he was slowly getting to the bottom of it. "I think you might surprise yourself," Copper told Aaron. "You look like you'd be fast, so good at track or soccer maybe. And I think I could make you at least a decent swimmer." The longer that he talked with Aaron, the more concerned Copper became. While his knowledge was sort of limited when it came to sex work, he thought that they got paid and at least had a say in who their clients were. But it sounded like Aaron had not only not gotten paid, but he hadn't been able to have a say in his clients. "Aaron..." Copper said quietly. He felt like he knew the story now, knew what had happened in Aaron's past, but he didn't want to say it out loud; most likely, it wasn't something he wanted to talk about. Even so, Copper felt the need to make sure the other was okay. "You get to choose who you have sex with now though, right?" Copper asked. "And...if money is exchanging hands when this happens, you're...uh, one of the hands, yeah?" Maybe he could have said that more eloquently, but he hoped Aaron would understand what he'd meant. He didn't want to actually ask if Aaron was okay because then it would be hard for the other to ignore that Copper seemed to have figured this all out (if they wanted to), but he thought he'd get his answer this way too.

The mood had gotten heavy, but Copper didn't want to stop talking with Aaron. And he also wanted to maybe cheer the other up, though Copper wasn't totally sure whether or not they needed cheering up. Either way, there was never a bad time for what Copper was about to suggest (except like maybe in the shower or while swimming or while going for a run...okay, so there were lots of bad times for his idea, but this was not one of them). "Let's go get ice cream," Copper suggested. "My treat. My shift is over anyway, and if you're okay with it, I'd like to keep hanging out."

"I look like I'd be fast? I suppose I have a pretty good stamina, but I haven't tried using it for sports. But I'm down to try some things, if you want to teach me." While there was a hint of suggestion in his tone, he was also serious about taking on the offer to be taught. It felt like even with his job, he had far too much time on his hands and didn't know what to do with it, other than just roam around the town, which didn't seem like the safest waste of time with all the attacks that had happened. "Uh, yeah, I guess I do. I don't do it that often, it's more like... a habit, I guess? An easy way to make money. It's the one thing I have fifteen years of experience with, so, you know..." He trailed off with a frown as he wrapped his arms around himself. They couldn't help but feel a little disgusted with their body as they spoke about it. "But I'm the only person getting paid now, yeah."

Aaron was taken aback by the offer of ice cream and was unable to hide the surprised look on his face. "Really? I'd like that. Uh, maybe I can do the massage some other time then? Unless you want to give me a private one."

“You don’t remember?” Copper asked, surprised. He felt like this was more to this situation, more to Aaron’s past, but this was literally the first he’d ever spoken to the other, so it didn’t feel appropriate to ask anything further. “Well I mean, maybe you are,” Copper said. “You could play a few and see if you’re any good. Maybe it’ll help you remember too.” Shaking his head, Copper told him, “You don’t have to pay me, really. I do it because I like to.” He didn’t add that he didn’t need the money, that he didn’t even work here for the money. It would have sounded like bragging. Realizing how his comment might have seemed, Copper clarified, “I don’t mean maybe like I’m not sure. I just maybe like…I’d be okay with whatever happens but don’t want to add any pressure to the situation.”

“That…makes a sad kind of sense,” Copper admitted. “Guys unfulfilled with their marriages, their sex lives. I get it though, that you did it even though they were dicks and even though they were cheaters. It was your job, and you don’t always get to choose your clients in a lot of professions, this being one of them. You just do what you have to do. Hopefully you’ve had the kind of sex where you don’t want to just get it over with.” And then Copper’s eyes widened as he realized, “Fuck, that was a really personal comment to make. I’m sorry.” He hadn’t earned the right to talk about this kind of thing with Aaron yet. Even so, Copper couldn’t stop himself from asking about Aaron’s next comment: “You got paid before though, right?” he asked. “When you were a prostitute I mean?” Maybe that wasn’t how Aaron had meant it, but it’s how it had sounded to Copper, that getting paid for his job now was different. That…well, that was a troubling thought, and Copper didn’t like it at all. 

"Ah, it was a long time ago and I was really young," They tried to clarify. It truly felt more like it had been a whole other life where they had been able to exist like a regular kid and while they logically knew that it had happened, sometimes it had been easy to become convinced that all of that had just been a dream. "I must have been six or seven, so it's hard to remember. I don't think I'm very athletic." They then admitted with a chuckle, trying to imagine himself playing any sort of sport. "I'm not feeling pressured, don't worry. There's plenty of time to take things slow."

Aaron shrugged again, letting out a dry laugh. "That's the only kind of sex I've had, really." He admitted, sounding just a little bitter. "Don't be sorry, I don't mind talking about it. It's... normal for me, you know? I stopped feeling embarrassed about it a long time ago." The question very briefly took him off guard as he hadn't realized the implication of his own words. "Oh. No. No, I didn't." He frowned, wondering if that was something unexpected. "My... I guess you could say it was like my boss? But it wasn't just him. Ah- Clients would pay the people in charge and then get to pick someone to take with them. Usually to a motel room."

Talking about swimming was much easier for Copper, and he was smiling again now. "Alright, maybe I was a little better than okay," he admitted, smile growing. "I wasn't the best though. But you know, it was never about that for me, not in soccer either. It was just about having fun and being part of a team. That's something I've always liked." Nodding at the other, Copper said, "I'd definitely love to teach you. Sometimes I think about like advertising for swimming lessons, not for pay or anything, just because I like doing it. So I'm definitely be down to teach other. And I won't let you drown." What Aaron said next had Copper grinning, cheeks a bit flushed as he thought about the implications of what the other said. "I think I'd be down for that too sometimes. Maybe..." He didn't know how serious Aaron was, but it felt nice to flirt, even if it was just for fun.

Yet again, Aaron surprised him, Copper's eyes widening when he heard what the other used to do. "Wow," he said after a moment. "I've...never met one of those before. Well I mean once at a bar actually, but I didn't know it until after I told them I was married. I thought they were just hitting on me." This didn't feel like the right thing to say, so Copper went on, "That's cool with me though," and it was; sex work was real work in his opinion, as long as it was what the person wanted to do. "I can imagine you'd meet a lot of creeps that way though," he added. Copper thought about it, about how a lot of the guys would act entitled, like they owned Aaron because they were paying him, and the thought made him angry. "I hope you like what you do now," Copper said quietly.

"It sounds nice. I don't know if I was ever really good at sports. I can't remember." It sucked to admit, but the very few childhood memories he'd had of his parents and his friends, from before, had faded over the years. Part of him had tried to hold on to them and then another part of him had decided it was most likely for the best to forget about something he would never get back. "I could pay you, though," He bit into his bottom lip. "Maybe?"

Aaron chuckled softly and brushed his hair behind his ear. "It's usually the other way around. Married guys approaching the prostitutes, I mean. At least that was my experience. Most were married; probably in denial about their sexuality as well. I don't- I mean, I don't like cheaters, I didn't like any of those guys. Just wanted to get it over with fast, usually, because they had nothing nice to say. But I like meeting people at bars, too." It was weird to now have the conscious choice to hook up with people for money, perhaps even weirder that he was still doing it. Maybe it was for the familiarity, in some sick sense. "I do like my job. It's different, but... it's healthier. And I get paid money for it, so I'm enjoying that, too."

evie loved her job. she enjoyed being in the boutique surrounded by the colorful fabrics. and best of all was it air conditioned. but she definitely enjoyed being out of work more then in work. her days off were special. they were the days that she got to spend doing what she loved. that typically involved being outdoors in some capacity. especially during the summer. she was often times found floating around in a pool or laying on a beach chair soaking up some sun.

duckie was definitely a good person for someone to keep close if they wanted to ensure that they wouldn’t be forgetting the korean language any time soon - not that it was the easiest to keep duckie actually close . while duckie did speak english with plenty of people in his life , and could speak it relatively fluently without issue , when he knew a person spoke korean , he would almost never use english ; even around non-korean speakers , duckie would often speak at least a little korean , particularly when caught in a bad mood , and it wasn’t likely that that was going to change any time soon . while less stubborn on the matter now , duckie would’ve easily been as stubborn as he was as a child if mingyu had asked him to help him practice his english .

he was glad to be made to believe that mingyu didn’t really think of him as a bad person ; duckie’s success with being morally grey at best came from his charm , and in all honesty , it wouldn’t have surprised him if his facade were ruined in the period after his attack ; he had been made to be so vulnerable , and vulnerability was far from what duckie willingly gave others . he was still struggling a large amount after the attack - understandably , as every victim in the attack was - but he did feel a little better knowing that his relationship with mingyu was relatively safe ( for now , at least ) . content with his knowledge , he didn’t feel the need to respond verbally , though that hopefully wouldn’t have come as a surprise or come across as rude ; duckie had never been one to be so eager for conversing with others all of the time , after all , and mingyu would have come to learn that already - anyone who spent much time around duckie did . 

“ yes , i am , ” though duckie was incredibly glad that mingyu hadn’t asked him whether or not he was okay , he was aware enough of mingyu’s concern to actively think about how glad he was that he hadn’t only asked him if he was okay ; he was quickly made to feel at least some of the frustration he would have felt if the pointless question was asked , though thankfully mingyu’s actual question and his attempt at keeping things more light and casual helped to calm duckie down - almost none of duckie’s internal thoughts or processes showing externally , much like usual . duckie had a rather effective poker face . “ you’ve got to make money in order to spend money , which i do enjoy doing . besides , i hate having nothing to do , ” duckie wasn’t the biggest fan of working - he especially didn’t care to do much hard work - but hanging around come what may certainly beat being stuck inside - which was something that often had him reminiscing on the time where he was imprisoned , which was understandably not the most desirable thing to have going on in his mind , for many different reasons . 

It had been odd to see the changes in Duksoo's behavior since his attack. It was hard not to notice them, no matter how hard the other male had tried to hide them. Mingyu had known better than to seem overly concerned, as he had witnessed how much it pissed Duckie off when it was coming from his brothers, but it had been impossible to seem completely unaffected by everything. The biggest change was probably how much time he had spent at home, rather than choosing to spend his free time elsewhere. Mingyu normally hated feeling cooped up inside, but he hadn't been able to leave Duckie all by himself for long periods of time as he recovered from his injuries. While he knew he wasn't responsible, he couldn't help but want to ensure he wasn't accidentally turning a blind eye to Duckie's mental health.

"Sitting inside is pretty boring, I agree. Even if working sucks sometimes, it's something to do at least. And, as you said, it makes money." He replied with a nod. Not that he was blaming Duckie for the fact he'd spent a lot of time sitting inside the last few months. "Besides, your job is far more eventful than mine," Mingyu then added with a nervous chuckle. "Not that I'm complaining about being the designated bowling shoe guy, of course. I don't think I could keep a straight face working at Come What May. But it seems like a good distraction."

"Or maybe you don't give yourself enough credit. I mean I used to think no one was checking me out but that's because I wasn't actually looking up," she joked but it was true. As self deprecating as Avery was, she knew she was attractive and worth spending time with. So she wasn't exactly surprised when people hit on her but it had taken her a long while to notice that anyone would. "It doesn't hurt to ask someone out too. Gender norms are kind of silly. And waiting around for a boy to notice anything is like asking for rain in a sixty year drought, you know? You just gotta get out there. I'd happily be your wingwoman. As much as I complain, I make a good one."

"You think you could do that? Be my wingwoman?" It was no secret that Cindy was hopeless when it came to flirting or dating. In fact, she had no idea where to start. It was hard to imagine Avery as someone who thought nobody was looking at her, but she was probably right. Perhaps most people struggled to see themselves as good enough for someone else to notice, no matter how much they wanted it. "Like... What if they say no?"