Lucky in Love

It all started with a well-meaning gesture.

Or a prank, depending on who you asked. Han still wasn’t sure what the intent was.

He’d been out for coffee and boba with his friends, enduring yet another round of teasing over his less than stellar dating history when one of them pulled up a dating app, laughing the whole time.

“It’s called ‘Christ-Chance: Bible Study and Chill’ and it’s perfect for you,” his friend Nova said, showing the site opened up on her phone. Han regarded her with a raised brow.

“Didn’t know you were into that,” he said dryly. Nova sputtered, their two other friends snickering over their drinks.

“Hey, no – hey!” Nova stuck her tongue out at him. “My mom sent it to me as a joke! Shut up!”

“I don’t know, Han,” their friend Cade said with a smirk. “Maybe this’ll be what you need. A little divine guidance to keep you away from those biker boys and street thugs.”

“Not all my dates had been biker boys and street thugs,” Han protested, fiddling with his drink’s straw.

“Yeah, there was that one lawyer who got arrested for fraud,” Edythe added unhelpfully.

Han sighed. “Why do I hang out with you guys?”

“Cause you love us,” Nova said immediately.

“And I’m rich,” Cade said.

“He’s right, I’m just here for the free drinks,” Edythe confirmed.

Han snorted despite himself. Thankfully, the topic moved on to Edythe’s love life instead, (“She’s not my girlfriend! Not yet!”) and other subjects before they separated for the day.

Han still received a message from Nova with the link to the site and too many winky faces, at the end of the day. Humouring her, Han clicked the link, which directed him to a sign up page. It was surprisingly easy to navigate.

He made an account on a whim, sending a screenshot to Nova with even more winky faces.

              LMAO I dare you to use it for a week!
              – Nova

Han laughed to himself at his friend’s reply. Well, what could it hurt, right?

---

The app was a lot more populated than Han expected, with quite the varied customer base. Its restrictions also lied in strange places. There was no restriction on what gender or age you can match with, but cursing and saying the Lord’s name in vain can get you banned pretty quickly. You can request to un-match with someone but you had to answer a questionnaire about your reasons why.

Han filled up his account with angel puns and what few nice looking pictures he had, most of them taken by Edythe while they were at work. And a picture of his cat, for good measure. He didn’t get many matches, and amongst the few he did get, none were even remotely close to his type.

Not that he was looking seriously, of course.

It had barely been a month since his last relationship – he wasn’t really in the mood to try again. His friends meant well, but they were right. The kind of people he attracted and were attracted to in return always turn out to be, in a word, rascals. Of varying degrees, but rascals all the same. At least with this app, he knew he wouldn’t run into anyone who can bring him trouble.

It was almost to the end of the week he was dared with when he got a match that actually caught his eye.

The account was sparse, with only three pictures and a cheesy pick-up line in his bio.

Let’s be like Noah and do this as a pair.

His username was two prayer hands emoji and a sweat drop emoji.

Two of the pictures were just the person’s fluffy brown cat sleeping on a book with the word ‘Bible’ scribbled on a piece of paper taped to its spine. The third one was a selfie, except the angle hid the upper half of the person’s face. All Han could see was part of his nose and his smirking lips, as the shot was focused on his shirt instead.

His shirt that said ‘GET RESSUREKT!!’ with a picture of Jesus with shades on.

Han huffed out a laugh, wondering if he should send a hello. They both matched, after all. Or as the app called it, ‘sent each other a player prayer!’

Before he could decide, his phone pinged, a message from his interesting match.

              Heaven called, they’re asking when you’ll come back with the other angels ;))
              – [Prayer Hands, Prayer Hands, Sweat Drops]

Han snorted, unimpressed, but found himself typing up a reply.

              Heaven actually banned me. Too by the book, if you know what I mean ;D
              - Ha(n)lo

              Knew it! I’m sure you got the wings to match your halo, right? Cute name, btw.
              - [Prayer Hands, Prayer Hands, Sweat Drops]

Han rolled his eyes.

              Glad you think so, mister prayer hands.
              - Ha(n)lo

              You like it? It’s pronounced Leigh!
              - [Prayer Hands, Prayer Hands, Sweat Drops]

              Hahah
              Oh, I used to know a Leigh. You kind of remind me of him.
              - Ha(n)lo

              Was he funny and cute?
              - [Prayer Hands, Prayer Hands, Sweat Drops]

              No he was ten
              - Ha(n)lo

              ;~;
              - [Prayer Hands, Prayer Hands, Sweat Drops]

Han giggled, sending a smiling emoji with a halo as an appeasement.

He ended up talking with Leigh for most of the night, actually moving on from their ribbing at each other to other things, like how they even ended up on the site and each other’s cats.

They were both bored and dared, as it turned out. Leigh’s cat was named Marshmallow, and she liked lying down on books and chewing paper. Han in turn told him about Cuddles, a rescue cat who absolutely went wild for strings and little chew toys.

It almost felt like Han was just talking to one of his friends, teasing and talking in intervals.

----

It was a few days later, Han was once again out with his friends. They were walking around at the mall, helping Edythe look for a good gift for the girl she’d recently been seeing. Cade and Nova were trying to get Edythe to buy something ridiculous, and Han was half-heartedly trying to stop them.

Mostly he was chatting a bit more with his new online friend.

“Just who are you talking to?” Edythe asked, when Han’s phone chimed for the fifth time in one hour. Han smiled apologetically.

“Just a friend,” he said, eyes already on his phone. “I just gotta answer this.”

“Ooh, Han’s got a friend,” Nova teased, blatantly leaning over his shoulder to try and see who it was.

“It’s nothing like that,” Han insisted, ducking to avoid her. “Go back to your shopping.”

“But Edythe doesn’t want to buy the coffin bathtub for her Goth gf,” Cade complained, pronouncing the word as ‘ji-ef.’

“She’s not Goth!” Edythe snapped. “And she won’t be my girlfriend if you guys don’t help me for real!”

“Okay, okay,” Han said, placating her and pocketing his phone. “What does your not-yet-girlfriend like?”

“I dunno, vampires and bath bombs, I guess,” Edythe said with a sigh. “She’s – okay maybe she’s a little Goth. But she dresses up in cute pastel outfits a lot!”

“Oh, Edythe,” Han said, smiling apologetically. “There is such a thing as Pastel Goth.”

Edythe stared at him flatly, as Nova and Cade struggled to hold in their laughter. Well, Cade did.

“Told you so,” he said, patting Edythe on the back consolingly. “I heard Lush is selling vampire themed bath bombs.”

Han’s phone chimed again, and he brought it out before he could think about it.

              Are you religious? Because you are the answer to all my prayers.
              - [Prayer Hands, Prayer Hands, Sweat Drops]

He snickered, sending a reply. When he looked up, all his friends were staring at him.

“What?” he asked.

They just exchanged knowing glances with each other.

“Did you actually meet someone in that dating app?” Nova asked, though she sounded like she already knew the answer. Her delighted grin was also a good clue to her mood.

“What? No!” Han swore he was usually a better liar than this. He pocketed his phone again, resolutely ignoring the chime of a new text. “Let’s go look at bath bombs.”

He walked ahead before he could see his friends exchange more looks.

---

Leigh didn’t want to admit that he might have been a little into his new online buddy.

Han was funny and cute. They had long moved on from the dumb dating app and to text messages instead. Small daily stuff like what they had for breakfast or what new weird thing ended up in Han’s thrift store. Leigh’s plans of travelling the world and experiencing cultures first-hand.

Dumb jokes and pictures of their cats. Man, Leigh had it bad.

His phone chimed, taking his attention away from the film he was trying to watch. Not that he was paying it much attention to begin with.

Han had sent him a picture of a porcelain doll, the type that had a really detailed baby face and probably real hair. Even through the picture it looked super cursed.

              Guess what came in the donations box today! She’s a feisty little miss!
              - Han

              I know you said you get that sort of stuff regularly but how many creepy cursed dolls are in your shop???
              - Leigh

              … Let me check…
              - Han

Leigh laughed to himself, thinking Han was just kidding. But when he didn’t answer after a few minutes, he started to get a little worried.

              Han? You don’t actually have to count it all!
              - Leigh

No reply. Leigh frowned.

              It’s okay! It just took me a while to find the records book :P
There’s 34 dolls in total! Unless we include the figurines, mannequins, and puppets
              - Han

              Damn, seriously? That’s such a big collection!
How are you not cursed?
              - Leigh

              I think it all just cancels out?
They always seem to calm down after a few days in the shop!
              - Han

              No way! I don’t believe it.
              - Leigh

              Its true!!!
              - Han

              Prove it!
              - Leigh

              ? How ??
              - Han

              Can I come visit and see it for myself? ;)
              - Leigh

Leigh was just kidding, of course. He’d love to meet Han someday, on a more romantic premise than ‘is your shop haunted or not?’ After a moment, he added a ‘just kidding! :P’ to make it clear.

---

Han was freaking out.

Was Leigh asking to meet up? It’s only been a few weeks at most. They barely knew each other! Sure they had exchanged hopes and dreams and daily little messages, and it felt like talking to an old friend he never knew he was missing.

But still! It was too soon!

He stared at his phone, placed face down on the open records book on his desk. It chimed with a message he was too scared to see.

“Everything all right there, boss?” Edythe asked with a chuckle as she passed by, a box of clothing in hand. Seeing his expression, she paused, her smile falling. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, it’s um, it’s nothing,” Han said, despite still looking a little nervous. He fiddled with his reading glasses. “Just got a text, is all.”

“From your Holy Dating App friend?” Edythe asked, raising a brow.

“Yeah,” Han squeaked before he could think about it. He groaned, taking off his glasses and burying his face in his hands. “He asked to meet up.”

“Ooh!” Edythe shifted the box in her hands, leaning the edge of it over the desk. “Are you going to agree?”

“I don’t know,” Han admitted.

Edythe hummed. Then, she hefted her box back into her arms.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” she reminded him before going back to her job.

Han knew that. He knew that!! It’s just…

He didn’t know if he wanted to.

Leigh was sweet, and funny, and had all sorts of stories about the dumb, daring things he did on his travels. He didn’t even live that far now, or at least they lived in the same city. It was probably possible to make a quick trip to see each other.

Steeling himself, Han picked up his phone, a message blinking up at him.

              Just kidding :P
              - Leigh

Han felt a weight drop in his gut. Why did he suddenly feel down? Was he… disappointed? Did disappointment hurt this much?

His phone chimed again.

              Unless… you want to meet up?
              - Leigh

Han frowned. Now he’s just playing with him! He sent a message telling him as such.

              Ahah, of course not!
              But if we do meet up, I’d like it if it wasn’t about the dolls
              - Leigh

Han bit his lip. Was he…?

              What are you asking exactly?
              - Han

              Want to go on a date?
              - Leigh

Han slammed the phone down on his desk with a thud, face hot. Across the shop, Edythe looked up from what she was doing to give her boss a questioning look. Han smiled sheepishly and waved her off.

There was no escaping it this time. He really…

He really, really wanted to!

---

Leigh drummed his fingers on the coffee table, nervous despite himself. He really went and did it! He asked Han out!! Aaah, his heart was beating so fast!

His phone chimed merrily, Han’s answer just a click away. Leigh reached for it before he could change his mind.

In front of him, the movie played its climax, explosions in the background as the handsome, weirdly muscled anthropologist saved the magic artefacts from the bad guys. It was forgotten in the midst of Leigh’s heart beating even faster and louder.

He couldn’t help the giddy smile that overtook him.

              Okay, what did you have in mind?
                - Han

---

“And don’t forget to feed Cuddles! He needs his afternoon snack or he’ll get cranky.”

“This isn’t the first time you left me with the shop, boss,” Edythe said, amused.

Han felt his cheeks heat up.

“Ah, well,” he said, laughing sheepishly and fiddling with his jacket. “I’m just a little nervous.”

“Nothing to be nervous about!” Edythe assured him, patting him on the back. “You look hot and if he’s an asshole you can call Cade to pay people to pour drinks on him.”

“That was one time!”

“That’s how you know it works!”

Han grumbled, face aflame. Well, he had to get going anyway! Leigh had agreed to pick him up in front of the store, and he didn’t want to subject the guy to Edythe’s judgement. And the chances of her taking photos to send to their other wonderful friends.

He stood on the sidewalk, fiddling with his jacket and bag. He didn’t have to wait long.

Around the corner came the low purr of a motor, followed by the sleek black figure of a man on a motorcycle. Han didn’t pay him much attention at first, not until the man stopped in front of him.

Distantly, Han remembered his friends pointing out how he always fell for the biker boys and street thugs.

Heart beating in anticipation, Han watched as the person alighted from the parked motorcycle and took off his helmet.

Han stared.

Leigh stared.

They both stared at each other, dumbfounded.

Han remembered, when he first started chatting with Leigh, that he mentioned having an old friend with the same name. Leigh hadn’t reacted much to it, and they had quickly forgotten about it. But looking at him now – Han couldn’t help but laugh.

Leigh had definitely grown, but Han would recognize him anywhere.

“Leigh!” he exclaimed, finally getting over his shock. He rushed forward to meet him.

“Han!” Leigh laughed, too, smile bright. They hugged, brief but warm. Leigh kept looking at him as if mesmerized. “I almost didn’t recognized you.”

“You didn’t recognize me in my pictures?” Han asked, hitting him lightly on the shoulder. It made a soft sound against Leigh’s leather jacket. “You’ve been playing me this whole time!”

“I swear I didn’t!” Leigh laughed again. “You look different with your glasses.”

“I only really wear them at work,” Han pointed out, a little before he realized he’d only posted work pictures in that dating app. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Leigh agreed, nodding. “It’s been so long. When did you get a store?”

Han’s smile curled with mischief.

“We can go on that date and you can find out,” he said, enjoying the way Leigh flushed at the reminder.

Lord knew he was sporting the same blush.

---

They were on a date!!

Leigh still couldn’t believe it. His heart felt like it was going the same speed as his motorcycle, as they sped along the city streets to their destination. Han was seated behind him, his arms wrapped around Leigh and surely close enough to feel his heart trying to escape his chest.

He was such an idiot for taking this long to realize it was Han! His Han! The child he spent so many summers gallivanting with, seeking adventure in their neighbourhood and occasionally making trouble. The Han that would insist on buying him popsicles whenever he got upset. The Han who had sewn him a crude little cat keychain for good luck when they found out they were going to move away.

He still had that keychain tucked away at home, a little frayed around the edges but whole and well kept.

Leigh was giddy, undeniably excited to have met Han again.

And holy shit they were on a date.

He almost missed their stop, barely catching himself with a little bit of a rough parking. But they had arrived safely at the cat café he’d promised to take Han to. Now that he knew just who it was he was dating, it felt a little too on the nose.

As soon as they entered the cosy café, it was like the air in the store had changed. Cats nearest to them perked up in interest, along with any other cat they passed by.

“Cuddles is going to think I whored myself out,” Han whispered, giggling as a particularly friendly cat brushed up against his leg.

“Marshmallow will exile me,” Leigh said with a laugh.

They picked a table and gave their orders, easily sinking into conversation. Talking online had been great, but it couldn’t hold a candle to being in person.

Leigh could stare at Han all day, absorbing every word and gesture he made. Something felt so jarringly familiar, new and old at the same time. Han still kept his hair long, still had a gentle smile that lit up with mischief every now and then. He felt like summer afternoons and lazy school lunches.

But more than that, he felt like Leigh had finally found what he was looking for. He didn’t even realize he had missed his best friend this much until he found him again.

“I can’t believe I’m so lucky.”

Han paused, words stuttering out as he looked at Leigh. His cheeks were flushed, and he hugged the fluffy calico that had climbed in his lap closer to his chest.

“What?” he asked, voice small.

Leigh startled, realizing he’d said it out loud. Just like that, he was sporting a matching blush, laughing in an attempt to cover his awkwardness.

“That I met you, I meant,” he explained. “I feel lucky that I met you then when we were kids, and now when we’re adults. It’s just… I feel so lucky.”

He looked into Han’s eyes, and saw understanding. Han’s gaze softened, his hands letting go of the cat in favour of leaning towards Leigh.

“Me too,” he said, earnest and shy in equal parts. Leigh’s eyes fluttered close as Han brushed his lips against his.

Leigh thought he tasted like home.