Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Seonghwa had never missed Captain’s goodnights, not once since they had started their online friendship two years ago. Sometimes it came after hours of banter and teasing, other nights after secrets typed across the keyboard of Seonghwa’s phone. Either way, the little green dot next to Captain’s name was the last thing he saw before falling asleep. A comforting and steady presence in his life he wouldn’t trade for anything else in the world.

Except, maybe, for a LEGO Millennium Falcon.

He smiled softly over the rim of his purple-and-white mug, taking a sip of freshly brewed coffee. It burned his throat as he swallowed, just like it did every morning because Seonghwa was too impatient to let it cool down.

He still remembered the very first time he and Captain had chatted. It had started with a mistake — one of the best mistakes of Seonghwa’s life.

Seonghwa had wanted to talk to Wooyoung about spilled coffee and a hot stranger and instead ended up chatting with a stranger about hot spilled coffee.

The irony of it all.

Starlight: ugh
you will never believe what just happened.
i swear i’m cursed!!

Captain: …
who the hell are you?

Starlight: oh wait
you’re not youngie

Captain: what the fuck is a youngie?

Starlight: oh my god
wrong chat
fuck
sorry

Captain: nono wait

Starlight: ?

Captain: i kinda need to know now.

Starlight: know what?

Captain: what’s a youngie?
why are you cursed?
don’t leave me hanging

Starlight: you’re a stranger
didn’t your parents teach you about stranger danger?
and it’s stupid

Captain: i am a stranger.
congrats
you cracked the case.
:)

Starlight: …
okay
some stupidly hot idiot bumped into me and my coffee spilled all over myself.
it’s my first day at my internship
i have no extra clothes and i’m kinda late.

Captain: i’m sorry
i laughed a little
but go on
stupidly hot idiot?

Starlight: …
what do you want me to say
he was stupidly hot
and an idiot

Captain: sounds like your type.
did you get his number? :)

Starlight: you don’t even know me!
and he actually gave it to me…
to pay for my dry cleaning
then he ran away
he wore an expensive suit though…
now he’ll live on as “Stupidly Hot Idiot” in my contacts

Captain: are you gonna call?

Starlight: wouldn’t you like to know…

Captain: well yeah
that’s why i asked
but fine keep your secrets
but if it makes you feel better
i also spilled coffee
all over myself and someone else
so…
guess we can be cursed together
:)

Starlight: …
that’s oddly comforting

Captain: see?
strangers are useful

Starlight: thanks stranger <3

Captain: don’t worry about it <3
i also gave him my number

Starlight: to?
the guy you drenched in coffee? :)

Captain: he wasn’t drenched
ok maybe he was
but i kinda hope he calls
he was really cute

And after that, they hadn’t stopped talking. That same Captain had come back to ask about his day, Seonghwa had answered, and just like that, they had been talking about everything and nothing until the clock on Seonghwa’s desk read 2:37 in the morning.

When he had woken up, all wrecked and sleep deprived, there was already a message waiting for him. Captain had wished him a good day and hoped his coffee would survive this time. Just like that it became part of Seonghwa’s routine. Every day, no matter what happened, Captain was there. They just grew closer, and closer — friends, even if Seonghwa wished they would be more.

After Wooyoung, Captain was the only one who knew Seonghwa well. He somehow always knew what mood Seonghwa was in or what he needed. It made him feel cared for in a way that no one had and sometimes, he would catch his mind wander, imagining what it might be like if Captain wished for more too.

But they would probably never cross that line. Because even if they were closer than anyone, they were still strangers in the most basic ways. There were things they didn’t know about each other.

To Captain, he was only Starlight; to him, Captain was Captain. They had never shared their real names, not even nicknames or initials. They didn’t know where the other lived, only that it was in the same country. And they didn’t know what the other looked like or even sounded like. They hadn’t shared hair color, eye color, height or other things like that.

Seonghwa sometimes felt stupid for having caught feelings for someone he had never seen, or even heard. He remembered clearly what Wooyoung had said then:

“Hwa, what if he is a serial killer? Or worse, a weirdo! Like what if he plays Animal Crossings or like LEGOs and watches all Star Wars movies diligently at least three times a year?”

“You mean, like me?” Seonghwa had shot, one brow arching.

“Yeah.” Wooyoung had grinned, unbothered. “That’s what I’m saying. A huge weirdo.”

Seonghwa had rolled his eyes and smacked his arm. And maybe Wooyoung was right, because Captain had turned him into a hopeless case of probably unrequited love.

Captain had become the reason why Seonghwa’s love life was as empty as his fridge at the end of the month — and ironically, the reason why his sex life was thriving.

He had tried relationships but even when the sex was great, something was always missing. It was like something was never quite right. So hookups and friends with benefits it was. Which was fine by him, because at least there were no expectations and most of the times, orgasms. And Seonghwa did love getting fucked. A lot.

Seonghwa’s sex-life was one of the few topics he and Captain had never really touched. Not because he was shy about it. God, no. He and Wooyoung talked about it all the time. And it wasn’t that Captain would mind either; he was open-minded. But somehow, flaunting his hookups to Captain felt… wrong. Like it was the one thing he wasn’t supposed to share with him.

But sex hadn’t mattered at six in the morning when Seonghwa’s alarm blared that Sunday. The reality hit him in his small kitchen, hot coffee burning down his throat because he was too impatient to let it cool down. Today was the day he and the team would put the finishing touches to Aurora Blooms before it officially opened its doors tomorrow.

His phone buzzed. Seonghwa didn’t even need to check to know who it was. There was only one person who would text him that early in the morning. His chest tightened in a familiar and pleasant way.

Captain: i know your shop only opens tomorrow
but today is a big day too.
good luck starlight <3

Seonghwa smiled down at the screen.

Starlight: thanks my favorite captain <3

Captain: favorite?
i’m your only captain…
am i not?
you’re not hiding others from me right?

Seonghwa’s brow arched, lips curving playfully as he typed back.

Starlight: would you be jealous if i did? ;)

Seonghwa hoped for a yes.

Captain: damn right i would.
you know i don’t like to share.
no one but me
:)
now go and sell pretty flowers or whatever <3
talk to you tonight?

Seonghwa chuckled as he set his mug down on the counter before typing back.

Starlight: aye aye captain <3

It wasn’t the first time they had been exchanging those kind of messages. Light flirting and mock jealousy had been their thing for a while now, almost as long he could remember actually — and Seonghwa enjoyed it, probably more than he should.

Seonghwa remembered how it had started too, something innocent but that still had made Seonghwa’s heart stutter.

Captain: you keep disappearing
don’t you want my attention anymore? :(

Starlight: i didn’t know you needed me to survive

Captain: i do
you’re my favorite distraction <3

Seonghwa had stared at that line way too long, cheeks warm, trying not to combust.

Somewhere after that, it had gotten… bolder.

Captain: who were you out with last night?

Starlight: didn’t know i’d come back to a police investigation…

Captain: doesn’t answer my question starlight

Starlight: jealous?

Captain: what if i am?
:)

That one had made Seonghwa’s heart stumble over itself. Because he just loved it all. Captain wasn’t the only one doing all the flirting though, Seonghwa could be shameless too, if not worse.

Starlight: then maybe i should keep you guessing
does it drive you insane?

Captain: …
behave

Starlight: what if I don’t want to?

Captain: keep pushing me if you want to see what happens
i have my ways with brats :)

Seonghwa’s lips had parted then, heat coiling low in his stomach. He had almost answered recklessly to see what would happen. Almost.

Starlight: fine
…
i’ll behave

Captain: i knew you’d be good
:)

He set his phone down, warmth still lingering in his chest at the memories flooding back. He was sure today was going to be a good day.

It was not a good day. When Seonghwa walked into Aurora Blooms at seven in the morning, the tiled floor was covered in water. Not a little spill, or a freaking puddle — no, a full-blown miniature flood. Wooyoung hadn’t arrived yet, and somehow the place already looked like one of his crime scenes. One with a very unfortunate air conditioning unit, and Seonghwa’s sanity as the victims.

His very first thought was, I don’t have time for that. His second was, Can mold grow on tiles?

He made his way carefully to the backroom, trying not to slip on the wet tiles. He shut off the air conditioning, causing the water to finally stop dripping all the way down the wall. He needed to call the contractors, because the unit wasn’t even supposed to be on in the first place, and the only people who had been at the shop that week were the ones who had installed the goddamn thing.

But it was Sunday, and they were closed, so he didn’t know who to call. And yeah… he was already getting a headache and his anxiety was thriving.

He set his bag on the breakroom table and the pink bunny keychain dangled against the leather. He rummaged through the unpacked boxes there until he grabbed a handfull of rags he found, a bucket and got to work. Wipe floor, twist rag and repeat. By the seventh round, his hands were aching and his patience was practically non-existent.

A voice came from behind him, making him jolt in panic, and he nearly kicked the bucket he had been filling for the last twenty minutes — literally.

“Hwa… why does our flower shop look like a fucking public pool?”

Seonghwa sighed in relief as he managed to steady the bucket. One more scare like that and he would probably add Wooyoung’s name to the list of the unfortunate casualties. Wooyoung really had to start making some noise when he sneaked out on people like that. Sometimes he was half-sure his best friend was a freaking poltergeist.

He didn’t even bother to turn around when he answered. “I don’t know. Ask the geniuses who installed the air conditioning Friday.”

Wooyoung whistled low, tip-toeing his way to the back, careful not to get his shoes wet.

Someone else approached before Seonghwa had the time to tell Wooyoung to come back and help. “Oh. Wow. What happened there?”

“The air conditioning,” Wooyoung and Seonghwa answered in unison, Seonghwa tossing the rag back into the huge puddle.

Yeosang stepped next to Seonghwa, coffee in hand, eyes glancing over the mess before settling on Seonghwa. “Mmh. I’ll call Yunho. His mom has one of those vacuums that can suck up water.”

And that’s exactly why he needed Yeosang. Because without him he probably would have tried to clean the whole thing by hand. And also because he was the only one with Seonghwa who could actually manage the chaos that was Jung Wooyoung. And god did Seonghwa need help babysitting his best friend sometimes.

About thirty minutes later, Seonghwa was damp with sweat, his arms hurting more than when Yeosang had dragged him to the gym that one time, and all from endless rag-wringing.

During those thirty minutes, Wooyoung had contributed exactly one (one) joke about installing water slides, Yeosang had contributed exactly one (one) unimpressed glare in his direction and Seonghwa was exactly one (one) second away from checking if there was still enough water on the tiles to drown himself in it.

Oh, and neither Wooyoung nor Yeosang had touched a damn rag.

“Delivery service!” Yunho’s voice echoed loud as he stepped inside with a bright red wet vacuum that looked too big for him to be carrying alone. “My mom says this thing can handle anything.”

Seonghwa almost collapsed in relief. “Thank god for your mom, Yunho.”

Yunho smiled brightly, plugged the bright orange cable in and to Seonghwa’s delight, made quick work of the water that was left.

But if Seonghwa thought that was the end of it? Well… he was wrong. Totally, completely and utterly wrong.

Because then came the flyers.

“Yeosangie, can you grab the boxes with the flyers from the back?” Seonghwa called out while arranging pots and vases of various colors and sizes on the shelves.

“On it.”

Seonghwa finally let himself relax, looking at the shelves for a few seconds before re-sorting the vases and pots by color instead.

Yeosang came back a moment later and set the two boxes down on the counter. “Here.”

Seonghwa wiped his hands on his jeans before making his way to the flyers. He took the scissors from the back pocket of his jeans and sliced the tape open. He pulled the first stack out and smiled at the neat, glossy paper.

And then he saw it.

For a full five seconds, Seonghwa stared, unblinking. The font was elegant, the colors tasteful and the layout perfect — and right there, in big bold lettering was Aruba Blooms.

His stomach dropped. “…You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Wooyoung leaned over his shoulder, took one look, and snorted. “Are we selling flowers and soba noodles?”

Seonghwa slapped the stack onto the counter like that would somehow change the word. “It’s supposed to say Aurora!” He tore the other box open, checking the contents. There it was again, in the same bold lettering — Aruba Blooms.

Yeosang shrugged. “At least the font is nice.”

Seonghwa turned toward him, scandalized, eyes wide while struggling to keep his voice even. “At least the—what—? Oh my god!”

Seonghwa groaned, crouching and dropping his forehead into his hands. “Aruba Blooms. Fantastic. I’m going to die.”

Yunho clasped a hand on his shoulder. “Relax Seonghwa, it’s going to be okay.”

It was not.

Because there were flowers in a flower shop, right? That was what people came to buy after all.

Well… apparently theirs was the unfortunate exception.

Seonghwa had just started recovering from the flyer fiasco when he overheard Wooyoung on the phone.

“Wait—wait—what do you mean you can’t deliver them?”

Seonghwa frowned and his eyes snapped up to Wooyoung. He was silent for a few seconds. “Do I sound like I care? We’re a goddamn flower shop! We need flowers!” he exclaimed loudly.

Oh no…

No.

No, no, no.

Dread was starting to spread slowly through his body, like a disease.

“Well find a way then!” Wooyoung almost shouted through the phone. “We paid double the price to have them delivered today. Not tomorrow. Not yesterday. Today.”

Seonghwa sat straighter in his chair as Wooyoung started pacing across the shop, phone pressed tightly to his ear.

“No. If a flower shop doesn’t have flowers, what do we sell besides scented candles and stupid vases? Air? Broken dreams?” He threw a hand in the air, almost smacking Yunho as he passed. Wooyoung mouthed a silent sorry as he muffled the receiver with his hand.

“Wooyoung—” Seonghwa tried.

Wooyoung held up a finger, silencing him without even looking. “No, you listen. I don’t care if they were delivered to the wrong address and that you don’t have any trucks available. Put the flowers in a taxi, in a bus, strap them to a bicycle for all I care — get. Them. Here. Today!”

Yeosang tapped on Wooyoung’s shoulder, extending his hand. “Give me the phone.”

Wooyoung froze mid-step, eyes narrowing like he was about to argue with him.

“Now,” Yeosang added, expression unreadable.

Wooyoung passed him the phone, but not without a dramatic sigh. He plopped himself in the chair next to Seonghwa’s, arm crossed.

Yeosang put it to his ear. “Hello? Yes. This is Kang Yeosang, Aruba Bl- I mean, Aurora Blooms.”

Seonghwa exhaled loudly, shaking his head in a mix of exasperation and exhaustion, and Wooyoung wheezed before Yeosang elbowed him to shut him up.

“We paid to have them delivered today. Weekend delivery, yes.”

There was a pause. “Mmh. That sounds like a you problem. Solve it.”

Another pause. “Kang Yeosang, yes.” He played absentmindedly with the string of his apron. “Like the mayor’s grandson, yes.” There was a small pause and then Yeosang nodded. “Good. We will expect you by two in the afternoon then.”

Yeosang set the phone calmly on the counter, like he hadn’t just played the “mayor’s grandson” card. “Done.”

Seonghwa blinked at him, both amazed and a little scared. Wooyoung pouted like a child and Yunho clapped like Yeosang was a hero.

Which, honestly, he kind of was.

When lunch break finally came, Seonghwa’s brain was fried. Almost everything that could have gone wrong actually had gone wrong. He stepped outside and sat on the small wooden bench right outside the shop. It was quite warm, the sun warming up his face enough to make him hum. He pulled out his phone from the pocket of his apron, staring at a message Captain had sent a few hours ago.

Captain: how is it going?
have you made your shop pretty yet?

Starlight: no
everything sucks
life hates me

Captain: don’t be dramatic now pretty thing
why are you mopping around like that?

Starlight: ugh don’t talk about mopping…
or mops in general
or water vacuums
or anything that has to do with water

Seonghwa clicked his tongue.

Captain: ???

Starlight: promise me you won’t make fun of me

Captain: i would never!

Seonghwa huffed, half smiling. Only Captain could make him smile even when everything had gone wrong.

Starlight: …
liar

Captain: yeah ok
i would.
but i promise i won’t
not to your face at least… :)

He rolled his eyes, mouth twitching upward in another small, fond smile despite himself.

Starlight: anyway
the shop was flooded when i arrived this morning
the ac unit leaked all over the floor
the delivery guy couldn’t deliver the flowers to the right address so we’re a flower shop without flowers
should i keep going?

Captain: there’s more?

Starlight: you bet there is. i have about 1000 flyers with a HUGE typo on it.
it says aruba…
ARUBA!!!!!!

Captain: wait
like the dish?

Starlight: …
yeah.
like the freaking dish…

Captain: that’s creative?

Starlight: that’s a nightmare.
nothing has been going right

Captain: don’t stress too much about it
you’ll make it work
you always do

Seonghwa stared at the screen for a moment. It wasn’t uncommon at all for Captain to say things like that, that was partly why Seonghwa always ran to him when he needed comforting. But Captain had said a lot of them lately and each one had hit him harder than the last. It felt like being wrapped tightly in a warm blanket.

Starlight: i take back what i said earlier
that’s why you’re my favorite captain

Captain: your ONLY captain. <3
thought we’d already established that this morning
:)

Seonghwa fingers hesitated before typing.

Starlight: i don’t know what i’d do without you

As soon as he hit send, Seonghwa blushed and shoved his phone back in his pocket. He let his eyes wander, trying to distract himself from Captain and his caring, flirty ways — the ones his heart had been craving more than usual lately.

His gaze stopped on the shop right next to theirs. The white letters on the black, worn-out sign read Pirate King Ink. The big windows were all blacked out so no one could see inside. The monochromatic aesthetic really clashed with Aurora Blooms and its baby blue sign. It was like fire and rain had decided to live right next too each other.

And god — if only Seonghwa knew just how true that really was.

He stared at the sign a few more seconds before deciding that he would have to go and introduce himself later. The shops were so close to each other that they were bound to meet often, so he wanted to make sure that they started on good terms. He would bring the people working there flowers and coffee tomorrow. He could have done it today, but his pride refused to let him buy flowers elsewhere. He wanted to give them something he had put together himself.

He was gathering his black strands into a high ponytail, eyes now fixed on a really beautiful (hot) man with split blonde and black hair walking toward him, phone in hand and the softest smile Seonghwa had ever seen pulling at his lips.

Seonghwa’s phone buzzed just as the stranger slid his own device into the pocket of his leather jacket. Seonghwa’s gaze dropped as he grabbed his own phone, and when he looked up again, the stranger was gone. He hadn’t even noticed him walk past.

What a shame. Seonghwa wouldn’t have minded looking at him a just little longer.

His eyes fell on his screen.

Captain: wow
look at you being all sweet.
don’t you worry your pretty head starlight
i won’t ever let you find out what being without me feels like <3

That made Seonghwa squeal like a freaking teenage girl. He slapped a hand over his mouth, turning his head around to make sure no one had heard him. The sidewalk was empty, thank god.

He dropped his hand, cheeks helplessly warm from something that definitely wasn’t the sun. Damn Captain and his sweet nothings, making Seonghwa act like he was fourteen all over again.

The rest of the afternoon went better than the morning had. The flowers arrived as planned, and everyone gathered at the workshop station in the back to help. They sorted them, trimming the stems diagonally before placing them in containers filled with water and flower nutrients in the cold room.

Yunho had managed to fix the air conditioning unit. Apparently, a single loose screw was what had transformed the shop into Wooyoung’s self-designed waterpark. Yeosang promised to call the contractors the next day to demand an explanation for why the goddamn work hadn’t been done properly when they had been paid a fortune for them to do it (his words, not Seonghwa’s).

They couldn’t do anything about the flyers, but after three (three) phone calls and forty-five minutes of listening to elevator music, Seonghwa had at least managed to get their money back since the mistake was on the printers. So that was that.

By the time the sun started to go down, the shop finally started looking like the dream they had all been picturing for months. The vases and pots shone on the shelves, scented candles were arranged by color and the display tables were ready to showcase the flowers. The buckets in the cold room were full of stems, rows upon rows of bright colors. It wasn’t perfect yet, but standing there, with the faint smell of tulips and roses lingering in the air, Seonghwa smiled.

Tomorrow, Aurora Blooms would open its doors.

He made sure the cold room was at the right temperature and closed shut, turned the air conditioning off (they didn’t need another water catastrophe) and hung his apron on the hook with his name above it, right next to Wooyoung’s.

Seonghwa turned the lights off, street lamps already started glowing as he stepped out and reached for the keys in his bag, glancing at the bunny keychain before locking up. The keychain had no big sentimental meaning, but it was the first thing Seonghwa had bought with his first paycheck after college. A reminder that he could reach his dreams, even when he thought he couldn’t.

As he walked past Pirate King Ink, he heard music bleeding from the door, something loud with a lot of bass. He stopped, looking at the darkened windows like he would be able to see through them if he stared long enough. His eyes caught the decal on the blackened glass panel of the door. He noticed four names listed beneath the shop hours in neat white letters: Hongjoong, San, Mingi and Jongho. Probably the artists who worked there.

He took five steps toward the door and almost reached for the handle before shaking his head, hand dropping back at his side. There would be plenty of time to introduce himself tomorrow, and at least, he would show up with coffee and flowers instead of empty-handed.

For now, it was time to go home.

Back in the comfort of his own apartment, two streets down from the shop, Seonghwa sat on his bed, freshly showered and curled up under a blanket. Captain had left him on read for the last twenty minutes, which wasn’t unusual, but Seonghwa still found himself scowling at the screen.

Starlight: did you fall asleep on me captain?

Still no answer five minutes later.

He sighed, rolling onto his side and staring at the green dot next to Captain’s name like that would somehow make him answer.

It didn’t. Seonghwa rolled onto his back again, phone above his face when something else happened.

The screen lit up with an incoming call that had Seonghwa drop the phone right onto his nose.

“Ow! Fuck—” He fumbled upright, clutching the phone and massaging his nose. His heart was already racing as he took another look at the screen.

Captain.

He blinked once, then one more time like the name might change. Like he wasn’t sure he had read that right. No. Still Captain and still calling.

Seonghwa’s thumb stilled over the green button, his stomach twisting in apprehension. He couldn’t answer this, could he? But then panic won and he swiped before he could think twice.

“Hello…?” His voice cracked embarrassingly and Seonghwa cursed at himself silently.

For he second, he thought he had answered too late. He took the phone away from his ear and saw that the call had been on for exactly six—no, seven—no, eight—

He shook his head quickly and pressed the phone back against his ear. That’s when he heard faint music coming through the speaker. It was heavy and a bit muffled, like it was playing from another room. Then he heard something brushing against the microphone, like fabric, and then the faint clink of something against metal.

“Captain…?” Seonghwa tried again.

He heard a muttered curse and then something shuffling against the microphone again. “Shit—wait—did I just—?” There was another sound, like something heavy being set down and then there was a voice, warm and rough against Seonghwa’s ear. It felt just like the sun.

“Starlight…?”

Seonghwa’s breath caught audibly. “Captain,” he whispered.

It was silent for a few seconds, except for the music still playing in the background, as neither of them seemed to know what to say.

Then Captain exhaled, the sound rough in his ear. “…fuck.” There was another pause, but shorter this time and each second made Seonghwa’s chest twist painfully. “Your voice… so fucking pretty…”

Seonghwa pressed his free hand over his burning face, feet kicking into the air under the blanket. Captain’s voice was low, rough but still warm, and it left him out of breath. It wasn’t fair that he sounded like that — that he made Seonghwa feel like that.

“You can’t just say things like that,” he mumbled, voice muffled against his palm.

Captain huffed against his ear and the sound made him want to scream. He wanted to burn it into his brain and replay it over and over and—

“I mean it.” The voice pulled him back to reality. “We’ve been talking for two years, and still I wasn’t ready for how good you sound.” Captain let out a small chuckle, like he wasn’t sure he was even allowed to say that.

But he was. Oh, he was. Seonghwa allowed it and would allow it a thousand times over.

Seonghwa’s chest tightened, the words nearly making him gasp aloud. His fingers curled harder around the phone, grounding him as he said, “I—I really like it too.” A pause. “Your voice, I mean,” he rushed to add, so Captain wouldn’t think Seonghwa was actually talking about his own voice. Which would have been embarrassing as hell.

Oh, no. Had he said too much? Was that something he wasn’t supposed to say?

Captain’s voice came out lower, a bit unsteady. Like he was struggling to keep something in place. “Starlight…”

And just hearing his name like that, in that low, rough, freaking sexy voice made heat coil in his stomach. Seonghwa had to fight himself to not moan on the spot.

“You don’t know what that does to me. Hearing you say that.”

Seonghwa buried his face in his pillow, heart stuttering so hard he was scared Captain might hear it through the phone. He didn’t know what to answer. And even if he did, he wasn’t sure his ability to speak was working anymore.

Captain let out a shaky breath, followed by an equally shaky laugh. “…fuck. I don’t think I’ll sleep tonight.”

Seonghwa’s pulse quickened, and he buried his face even deeper in the pillow. “Then we’re both screwed, I guess,” he said before he could stop himself.

Captain went quiet on the other end of the line, and Seonghwa immediately wanted to take it back.

Then that low chuckle came again, softer this time. “So you’re saying you’ll be thinking about me too?”

Seonghwa’s toes curled under the blanket. “Don’t make me say it.”

“You already did, Starlight.”

Heat climbed up Seonghwa’s face, and he kicked uselessly at the mattress. He needed to change the topic, and fast because at this rate, Seonghwa might ask Captain to whisper things to him that were definitely not supposed to be said to friends.

“It’s weird, isn’t it? Hearing each other like this.”

“It is,” Captain agreed quietly. “We should’ve done it sooner though.” There was another pause, then his voice dropped low again. “I like it.”

And I think like you. That’s what he almost said.

Instead, Seonghwa’s lips curved helplessly against the pillow, the smile impossible to hold back. “Me too.”

“Did it startle you?” Captain asked.

Seonghwa blinked. “Mmh?”

“Me calling you,” he clarified simply. The faint clink of metal resumed in the background.

“Oh. To be honest? Yeah, it did.” He hesitated, then admitted softly, “I wasn’t really expecting to hear your voice like that.”

“Is that good or bad?” Captain teased.

“Good,” Seonghwa answered too quickly, cheeks burning. “Really, really good.”

Captain hummed and Seonghwa felt the sound spread through him like wildfire. “Same. I—I didn’t mean to call you, if you couldn’t tell.”

Seonghwa laughed softly. “Yeah, I figured that when I called your name and you weren’t answering.”

“I’m so sorry about that.” He cleared his throat quietly. “I was doing some cleaning at work and I probably forgot to lock the screen when I put the phone in my pocket…”

Seonghwa rolled onto his side, raising an eyebrow. “So… you butt-dialed me?”

Captain let out a full laugh this time, something low, unrestrained and so fucking amazing. “Yeah… guess you could say that.”

“You’re still at work?” He rolled onto his stomach again, ankles crossed loosely in the air.

“Yeah, had some cleaning up to do after today.”

“You’re an artist, right?” Seonghwa frowned slightly, trying to remember if Captain had ever shared more than that about his profession, but nothing else came to mind.

“Yeah,” Captain said after a beat. “Mostly commissions. Clients hire me to… paint things.” His tone was casual.

Seonghwa wriggled slightly on the bed, curious. “So you work at an art studio?”

There was the noise of something being set down on metal, then Captain chuckled. “Yeah… something like that. I had to stay back to clean some… equipment.”

Seonghwa nodded, like Captain could see him.

“I’m almost done, though. I just need to wrap up and then I can go home.”

“How long does it take you to get home?”

The line went quiet for a few seconds as Captain hummed. Then he answered, “If there’s no traffic, about thirty seconds.”

Seonghwa blinked not sure he understood. Then Captain laughed, something warm spreading through Seonghwa’s chest. “I live right above my studio.”

Oh.

Oh!

Seonghwa laughed too, half embarrassed at his own stupidity.

“That’s convenient. I don’t live too far from the shop. Only two streets down, actually. But I’d love living right above it.”

“Yeah, it’s nice… except when it turns into everyone’s squat after work because everyone’s too tired to go home.” Seonghwa could almost hear the eye-roll in Captain’s voice. “My place is big so everyone usually hang out there.”

“I wouldn’t mind the chaos I think… Well. I’d probably murder Youngie at some point. Do you know what he told me this morning when the shop was flooded?”

“What did he say?” Captain asked right away, curiously clear in his voice.

Seonghwa groaned into the pillow. “That maybe we should install water slides and turn the shop into a theme park. He even had a name ready and everything.”

Captain snorted loudly. “That’s… kind of genius?”

“No! Don’t encourage him,” Seonghwa protested, though he was laughing too. “We were drowning in aircon water and he was pitching theme park ideas like it was a freaking board meeting.”

Captain’s laughter faded into something quiet as Seonghwa yawned softly.

“Tired?” the other man asked.

Seonghwa hummed as he tucked himself deeper under his blanket. “It was a really long day.”

“You sound like you need someone to hold you.” Captain’s voice came out so warm, Seonghwa practically melted into his bed.

Then he pouted, “I have no one to hold me, though.”

The line was silent for a few seconds except for Captain’s slow breathing. His voice came out softer than everything he had heard from him. “Then close your eyes and—” he paused, like he wasn’t sure. “And just imagine me holding you.”

Seonghwa’s throat tightened. “That… sounds really nice, Captain.” His voice was sleepy now and he buried his face deep into the pillow, wishing Captain would know how true that was.

Captain hummed, something warm and low that made Seonghwa’s chest ache pleasantly. “Then do it, Starlight. Be good for me, yeah?”

And god, Seonghwa felt it spread through his entire body. He wanted to be good. So, so good.

“I’ll be good, Captain… so good for you…” Seonghwa wasn’t even sure if he had said the words, or imagined them, his eyes already so heavy.

It was quiet except for a sharp inhale, followed by a “…fuck.”

At least, that was what Seonghwa thought as his sleepy mind couldn’t imagine why Captain would suddenly be talking about ducks.

“Don’t say things like that, Starlight… you don’t know what it does to me…” a low and husky voice whispered in his ear.

That, he definitely had made up. Seonghwa couldn’t comprehend why Captain would be whispering so low, sounding so wrecked just because of something he had said. So that was where the dream began, he told himself.

But Seonghwa didn’t mind that dream. Just like he didn’t mind the other one he had that night. The one where Captain’s strong hand was pinning him to the mattress, fingers driving in and out while that same voice told him to be good for his Captain.

And Seonghwa was good. Oh, so good for him. Only in the dream, of course.

Seonghwa woke the next morning, breath uneven, like his lungs had suddenly forgotten how to breathe air. His hair clung to his forehead, damp with sweat, and his mind was stuck on Captain’s voice murmuring you don’t know what it does to me…

He still thought he had dreamed that part, and he was certainly not about to ask Captain about it.

But there was no denying the rest. He had dreamed about Captain — the kind of dream that had left him painfully hard, wet and leaking through his underwear. On that, Seonghwa was guilty on all counts.

Flashes of the dream kept cruelly replaying into his mind, like it wasn’t enough that he was already hard and aching. Now he had to relive it too. Captain’s weight on his back, lips trailing down his throat and that voice low and commanding against his skin, relax for me, Starlight.

A high moan, followed by a sharp hiss, escaped from Seonghwa’s lips as his hips started unconsciously grinding against the mattress. His whole body was trembling, the dream replaying in fragments until it felt so, so real.

And then he froze.

“Fuck…” he muttered breathlessly, burying his face in the pillow before forcing his hips to still. He couldn’t, not because he didn’t want to, but because he was almost sure Captain would never want him like that. Why would he? Captain didn’t even know what Seonghwa looked like.

With a loud, annoyed groan, he sat up and grabbed his phone. He needed to get fucked — that much was clear.

Seonghwa had always had a crazy high sex drive. Some of his previous partners had called him insatiable because he could often go multiple rounds and still beg for more and he wasn’t ashamed about it. Most found that hot, others had found that intimidating but Seonghwa hadn’t cared about it. That was their problem, not his.

He unlocked his phone and scrolled through his contacts until he found Minho. He clicked on his name and opened their chat.

Minho and Seonghwa had been friends since their last year of high school and more than friends for almost as long. They hadn’t been dating, god no — more like friends with benefits. The first time they had hooked up was after their first college party. They were drunk, it was sloppy, and they were each other’s firsts, with no clue about what the fuck they were doing.

They had kept having sex after, only pausing whenever one of them was in a relationship. It was easy, they didn’t care if the other had other partners, and once they actually knew what they were doing? The sex was so good. No one had ever fucked Seonghwa the way Minho had, making him beg just the way he needed to.

And right now? Seonghwa really needed someone to make him beg.

Seonghwa
Hi Minho!
Hang out tonight?

They always used the words “hang out” when what they meant was fuck. They didn’t always know when the other was in a relationship and they didn’t want to take to risk scaring potential boyfriends away.

He closed his messages and opened Discord, clicking on his and Captain’s feed. Seonghwa’s eyes widened when he saw the call log: 2 hours and 3 minutes.

Seonghwa might have been half-asleep, but he knew for sure they hadn’t talk for two hours. Which meant Captain hadn’t hung up right away after Seonghwa had fallen asleep.

Heat crept up his neck as he lay back down, rolling around on his bed and smiling like a child. Then he stilled, reality pinning him into place.

The dream.

Oh no. No. The fucking dream.

What if Seonghwa had moaned?

Worse — what if he had moaned Captain’s name?

God no. Even worse… what if Captain had heard?

Panic spread through him, and Seonghwa opened their Discord chat again like it might hold answers. Because it actually freaking did. His eyes looked frantically over the messages after the call had ended.

Captain: i liked talking to you like that
maybe we could do it again soon?
it was nice hearing you say my name too :)
sorry i didn’t hang up right away
hearing you made me more productive so i started on today’s work
goodnight starlight, sleep tight <3

His heart choked on itself.

It was nice hearing you say my name.

Hearing you made me more productive.

Had he moaned it in his sleep? God, had he actually—?

Seonghwa groaned and wished he could sink so deep into his mattress he would disappear. He dragged a hand over his face before typing.

Starlight: good morning Captain!
i’d like that
doing it again

For some reason, Seonghwa felt like he had to clarify, so Captain wouldn’t misunderstand what “it” meant. His fingers fumbled over the screen.

Starlight: like calling you again i mean
yeah we should call each other again
okay?

The grey dot next to Captain’s name turned green. Seonghwa’s chest tightened.

Captain: already up pretty thing?
glad you think so too <3
are you ready for your big day?

Seonghwa frowned. What big—

Oh fuck. Seonghwa shot up and looked at the time. He had to be at the shop in less than forty minutes, getting things ready because Aurora Blooms was opening today.

Seonghwa: oh god no i’m late
i’ll talk to you later okay
wish me luck please i need it

He locked his phone and tossed it carelessly onto his bed, not giving a damn about where it landed as he grabbed fresh clothes and half-ran to the bathroom.

Thirty-eight minutes and no coffee later, he was on his way to the shop, ready to take on everything because not a single thing could spoil this day for him.

Or so he thought.

When Seonghwa stepped into the shop, a total of four (four) minutes late, Wooyoung, Yunho, and Yeosang were already there. He was out of breath from running, hair still damp because his hair-dryer was apparently on a strike, and he was still dangerously decaffeinated.

He bent over, hand braced on his knees and still panting, when Wooyoung opened his mouth to say something. But before he had the chance, Seonghwa raised a hand toward him. His mouth closed again.

“Don’t—” The words came out strained, his chest still rising fast. “Don’t bother talking to me unless you have coffee, or so help me I will murder you and turn your dead body into plant food.”

“Good morning to you too…?” Wooyoung deadpanned.

Yeosang opened a paper bag with a tray containing four large cups of coffee. Without a word, he handed one to Seonghwa.

Seonghwa grabbed it like it was the most important thing in his life and took a long sip. The liquid burned his tongue, but he didn’t give a damn. “Okay,” he said, straightening like the coffee had magically fixed him (it hadn’t). “Now I can function. Let’s get to work.”

The next hour blurred into what Seonghwa liked to call controlled chaos. Which was more effective than total chaos, but not quite as productive as organized chaos. Yunho was arranging bouquets at the workshop station, carefully bent over the flowers. Yeosang handled the register setup with his usual quiet efficiency, while Wooyoung blasted music and worked on price tags with skillful precision. Seonghwa moved back and forth from the cold room, carrying out the flowers to be put on display.

With half an hour to spare, everything was ready. For the first time, he really took in the shop. The bright flowers, the polished vases, the scent of lavender in the air. It wasn’t perfect, but it was theirs.

And just like that, the panic in his chest eased a little.

His eyes drifted to the wall they shared with the tattoo parlor next door. He still hadn’t introduced himself and the thought stuck to him like an unfinished chore. They were neighbors, right?

So Seonghwa quietly set to work, picking through the buckets in the cold room until he found the biggest and prettiest yellow roses he had and picked a dozen. Yellow roses for friendship, joy and new beginnings. He trimmed the stem carefully, added eucalyptus and baby’s breath to blend in and wrapped the bouquet in white silk paper, tying it off with a yellow ribbon.

It was simple, but it was something he hoped would make a good impression.

Seonghwa took the flowers with him before grabbing his bag from the back and making sure his keychain still hung securely on the zipper. “I’ll be back in a bit,” he called over his shoulder. Wooyoung shouted something about extra sugar and Seonghwa told him to go and buy his own coffee before stepping out into the calm street.

The coffee shop on the corner was quick, and then minutes later, he was heading back with four cups of coffee balanced in a tray in one hand and the bouquet in the other. The sun was warm and everything felt like it might actually be okay.

Which, of course, was exactly when it went wrong.

Distracted by the shop, the roses, the neighbors he hadn’t met and Captain’s voice still in his head, Seonghwa didn’t see the other man coming until it was too late. One second he was walking, the next his shoulder collided with someone else’s and he fell flat on his ass.

Miraculously, three of the coffee cups were still secured tightly to the tray, but the fourth had splattered across the pavement. Worse, the bouquet was there too, silk paper crumpled and petals scattered around.

“No! Shit—” Seonghwa gasped, heart clenching as he crouched instinctively for the flowers, even though his body ached from the fall.

A voice above him cursed too, low and rough. Something about it made Seonghwa’s chest tight. He froze, heart hammering as his gaze snapped up. He was met by black leather, split blond and black hair and dark eyes. The same stupidly gorgeous man he had seen yesterday when he sat outside.

The stranger stared at him for a moment and a flicker of something flashed through his eyes before his jaw tensed. Then he shook his head slightly and clicked his tongue. “Perfect,” he spat, tongue slipping out and curling up against his teeth. Something gleamed, and it caught Seonghwa’s attention. A piercing. He had a piercing there.

Seonghwa’s breath hitched before he could stop it. Of course the stupidly gorgeous stranger had a tongue piercing. For a moment, all he could do was stare.

The man let out a small, bitter laugh snapping Seonghwa back to reality. “Like I needed a fucking pretty thing to drench me in coffee first thing in the goddamn morning.”

Seonghwa’s eyes fell on the man’s white t-shirt under the leather jacket, it was stained brown. The stranger didn’t offer him a hand. He didn’t even glanced at the ruined roses. He just stepped around him as though Seonghwa were nothing more than an inconvenience.

The man stopped, gaze flicking to Seonghwa and then to his bag — to the pink bunny keychain still hanging there. He sneered. “Look where the fuck you’re going next time, Bunny.”

Seonghwa’s mouth fell open, caught somewhere between disbelief and pure outrage. But before he could say anything, the man walked away in the other direction.

Seonghwa stared at the back of that stupid black leather jacket until the man turned the corner and disappeared. He pushed himself back up, balancing the tray with difficulty now that one cup was missing. He gathered the empty container, threw it in the trash, then bent to pick up the bouquet. At least it was still whole even if some roses were missing petals.

Heat burned under his skin, though he wasn’t sure if it was from anger or embarrassment. Probably both. Aurora Bloom was opening its doors in ten minutes, and already some asshole in a leather jacket had knocked him flat and called him Bunny like it was the funniest thing in the worlds.

But the coffees weren’t for him, and neither were the roses. Seonghwa exhaled, and walked the twenty or so meters he had left to Pirate King Ink.

He pushed the door open with his hip, trying not to drop anything, and stepped into the shop. Three heads turned toward him, making him weirdly self-conscious.

“Uh,” Seonghwa began, voice cracking slightly. His eyes glanced quickly to the names painted on the wall behind the counter — Hongjoong, San, Mingi, Jongho. The same names he had seen on the door yesterday evening. “Hi…? I—I’m Park Seonghwa. I own the new flower shop next door…” He paused, taking a long breath. “I, uh… brought coffee. And flowers.”

The three men exchanged glanced before one of them (broad shoulders, pretty eyes, kind of Wooyoung’s type) stepped forward first, a broad grin on his face. “Welcome, neighbor! I’m Choi San.” He gestured toward the others. “That’s Song Mingi, and this is Choi Jongho.”

Seonghwa exhaled in relief, returning their smiles as best as he could while balancing the tray. He held it out. “Coffee? I thought I would come over to say hi.”

Mingi let out a pleased noise as he grabbed one cup, while San relieved him of the tray. Jongho’s eyes dropped to the bouquet still clutched in Seonghwa’s other hand.

“And, yeah… flowers,” Seonghwa added, cheeks burning. “They were meant to look a little nicer, but… one of the cups didn’t survive the trip. And, uh, the roses lost a few petals.”

“What happened?” Jongho asked, brows furrowed as he took in the look of them.

Seonghwa groaned. “Some guy with black and white hair ran into me on the street. He didn’t even help me up. Just…” He gestured helplessly at the missing coffee. “Yeah.”

Mingi coughed into his coffee, San pressed his lips together like he was trying to hold something in and Jongho glanced away.

Seonghwa frowned at their strange reactions but pressed on. “Anyway… If you guys are San, Mingi and Jongho, where’s Hongjoong then?”

They froze and the three exchanged another look. But before anyone could answer, the shop door opened behind him.

“Fuck, guys. You will not believe who—”

Seonghwa turned, bouquet still in hands, just as the man in the stained white t-shirt and black leather jacket stopped mid-step, eyes going wide as their eyes met.

Seonghwa’s grip on the bouquet tightened, but his voice came out weirdly composed for how the was feeling inside. “You—You’re Hongjoong?” He bit the inside of his cheek.

The man blinked, then gave a short nod.

Of course. Of fucking course he had to be Hongjoong of all people in that goddamn city. “I’m Park Seonghwa, owner of Aurora Blooms next door.”

Hongjoong swallowed and opened his mouth but Seonghwa stepped forward, not leaving him the chance to speak, because he didn’t fucking deserved one. “I brought coffee and flowers. But you already know where to find yours, don’t you?” His eyes snapped at Hongjoong’s stained t-shirt and then back up. His voice was so icy that even Seonghwa shivered. “And as for the flowers…” He shoved the bouquet hard against Hongjoong’s chest, forcing him to take it or let it fall. “They’re a little ruined. I hope you don’t mind.”

Without waiting for an answer, Seonghwa turned on his heel and walked out, the door swinging shut behind him.

Outside, he let out a loud groan, dragging a hand down his face. “Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable.”

He sighed loudly and walked the few steps to Aurora Blooms. He took his phone out before stepping in, checking his messages. Still no answer from Minho.

Opening day was quite a success, they had had quite a lot of clients and passersby that stopped just to check-out the shop and compliment them on the aesthetic.

Seonghwa was behind the counter, arranging ribbons and cards when he heard the bell jingle. He wiped his hands on his apron before turning.

“Welcome to Aurora—” he started, but the rest never came out. His chest tightened as his eyes fell upon someone he really, really didn’t want to see right now.

For a few seconds, neither of them moved and it felt like the oxygen had been sucked out of the small space.

Then Hongjoong moved, stopping a few feet away from the counter, bouquet-free and with a new t-shirt under his leather jacket. “About earlier—” he started, voice flat.

“Save it,” Seonghwa cut in. “I don’t need your apology and I don’t want it either.” Seonghwa didn’t look at him, busying himself with rearranging the pens in the cup on the counter.

“What—”

His eyes snapped up. “If you can’t manage basic manners, at least try not to take out your bad day on strangers.” The words came out meaner than he wanted them to, but he wasn’t about to take them back. Not in a million years.

Hongjoong blinked, head tilting slightly? brows raising, like he didn’t understand why Seonghwa was fighting him. That infuriating mix of surprise and amusement on his face made Seonghwa want to scream. “Seriously…?”

“Yes, seriously.” Seonghwa leaned his palms flat on the counter, the tiredness of opening day making his body ache. “Some of us don’t like being treated like trash. You might think a little apology is enough, but my flowers and I don’t.”

That earned him a small, disbelieving laugh as Hongjoong shook his head. “No. I mean you really thought I was here to apologize? You’re delusional then, Bunny. Weren’t you the one being careless?” Hongjoong tilted his head, tongue sliding forward to toy with the silver barbell before catching it lazily between his teeth. The metal caught the light when he smiled, all smug, like he knew exactly the effect it had on Seonghwa.

Well. He didn’t. But it fucking felt like it, because now that stupid thing was the only thing Seonghwa could focus on. It flashed every time Hongjoong opened his mouth, and it was infuriating. And hot.

Hongjoong took two slow step toward him. “You’re scolding me because I roughed up some flowers?” he said like he couldn’t decide if he was offended or amused. “Fuck, no wonder you’re wound so tight, Bunny.”

Seonghwa’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means—” Hongjoong leaned in, catching the barbell between his teeth again, “—that if you cared more about people than you did about those stupid petals, maybe you’d finally let someone fuck it out of you.”

What the—

That hurt. Bad. It hit Seonghwa in all the wrong places.

“Are you insinuating that you—”

Hongjoong laughed but it was dry and devoid of humor. “Oh, no. Don’t flatter yourself, Bunny. You’re pretty, but too uptight for my taste.”

The words lodged into Seonghwa’s chest like a bullet he couldn’t get out. He’d never felt so humiliated.

“Just—” He forced the words out as his chest twisted painfully, “If you’re not intending on buying anything, please leave. We’re closing.” Seonghwa didn’t even recognize his own voice — it was cold and distant. Nothing like Seonghwa usually was.

“Actually I would like to buy something.” Hongjoong’s voice was low.

Seonghwa blinked, caught off guard. “Wait…what?”

Hongjoong smirked slowly again. “Flowers. Isn’t that what you sell, Bunny?” he taunted. “Why don’t you show me what you have?”

Seonghwa’s jaw clenched. “Fine.” He stepped out from behind the counter. “What kind of flowers did you have in mind?” he said in a very polite voice. The one he reserved for annoying customers. How fitting.

“Oh, I don’t know. It’s for someone else,” Hongjoong replied lazily.

Seonghwa almost scoffed, but he stayed professional. “What’s the occasion?”

“My friend is moving in. I just want to welcome them.” Hongjoong leaned casually on the counter, grinning and Seonghwa made a note to himself to ask Wooyoung to scrub it harder before opening hours tomorrow.

“Then an orchid. They’re traditional for new beginnings, and low maintenance. Does your friend know how to take care of flowers?”

“Yeah,” he said, eyes planted into Seonghwa’s and voice low. “They’re really good with them.”

Seonghwa hummed. “Anything else?” Seonghwa asked more out of obligation than because he wanted to help.

Hongjoong hummed low. “Actually, wrap it up for me, Bunny. Something pretty, yeah?” Something in the tone of his voice made Seonghwa’s breath hitch, grazing all the right parts of his stupid brain and he hated himself for it.

His shoulder tensed as he reached for the silk paper before pausing. “Any preference for the color?”

“What do you like best?” Hongjoong simply asked.

“…Silver.”

“Then I want silver.”

Seonghwa rolled his eyes as he took the silver silk paper, forcing his hands to stay still. He folded each edge with geometric precision and tied the ribbon perfectly. By the time he was done, the orchid looked flawless. Exactly like Hongjoong had asked.

Hongjoong hummed again, nodding in satisfaction. “You’re good at this, Bunny. Really good.”

Seonghwa’s eyes fluttered shut for a second as he breathed in slowly, willing the heat that had started spreading to die down.

It wasn’t Hongjoong. It really wasn’t.

But the voice was low and there was something in it that grazed just right at that part of Seonghwa’s brain.

He slid the orchid across the counter. “Cash or card?”

“Card.” Hongjoong pulled a black card from a worn-out leather wallet.

Seonghwa’s eyes widened. A black card? He knew what they were, he had watched enough chaebol dramas with Wooyoung to know. But he had never seen one up close. Nothing about Hongjoong screamed money. The old leather, the partly bleached hair, the tongue piercing — he didn’t fit the picture at all. Why did he have one?

He looked at Hongjoong’s outstretched hand for a second and that’s when he noticed the tattoo. Dark flowers had been carefully inked onto his skin, petals and leaves curling around his knuckles like they were falling.

Seonghwa’s breath hitched and their fingers brushed slightly as Seonghwa took the card, the touch making his skin tingle. He swiped the card quickly, too quickly, and set it back down without meeting his eyes.

“Do you want your receipt?” he asked, though he doubted that anyone with a black card would care about a receipt for an orchid.

“Just toss it.” Hongjoong’s shrug was dismissive as he put the card back in his wallet. Then he turned and started walking to the door, leaving the orchid on Seonghwa’s counter.

“Hey—the orchid!” Seonghwa called after him, annoyed.

Hongjoong didn’t even glance back. “Told you my friend was good at taking care of flowers.” He pushed the door open, looking over his shoulder as he caught the piercing between his teeth. “Welcome to the neighborhood, Bunny.”

The bell above the door jingled as it shut behind him. Seonghwa looked at the pretty orchid sitting next to the register and frowned, not sure what to think about it — about him.

He unwrapped it before displaying it on the shelf behind him. It was a flower after all, so he would have to take care of it, even if it was a “gift” from Hongjoong. If he could even call it that.

For a moment, Seonghwa just stood there, staring at the orchid, lips pressed into a hard line. He wouldn’t let some smug and hot stranger ruin what he loved the most.

He turned back to the counter and reached for the register, ready to close for the day, when his phone buzzed. Minho.

Minho
Sorry babe.
Forgot to tell you I’m seeing Jisung.
Want me to set you up with Ian? <3
I think he can give you want you need.

Seonghwa sighed, defeated.

Seonghwa
No, it’s alright!
Not in a mood for someone I don’t know…
Just had a hard day.

Minho
You’re sure?
I think you’ll like him.

Seonghwa
Maybe some other time!
Have fun with Jisung <3

Minho
Let me know if you change your mind.
Because you’re definitely Ian’s type. ;)

Seonghwa chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. Well, no luck today. He leaned back against the counter, phone still in hand as he let out a long exhale. He was half-tempted to take on Minho’s offer — because, god, he really needed to be fucked stupid right now. But meeting someone for the first time took too much effort. He had to smile, talk, be pretty and make a good first impression. Seonghwa didn’t have the mental capacity for all the bullshit right now. He needed easy and brainless.

He sighed again. What he really wanted was to go home. Maybe hear Captain’s voice again. The thought of him made him warm and a little fuzzy.

After the day he’d just had, stepping out of the shop for the last time today felt like a bliss.

But his chest till tightened as he walked pass Pirate King Ink, like his heart was bracing itself for something.

The walk home felt easier. He had left Yunho and Yeosang behind to close the shop and all he could think about was getting home to his couch, his bed or any flat surface where he could collapse and die in piece for the rest of the evening.

He took off his shoes and hung his jacket in the small white wardrobe at the entrance. He made his way to the bedroom, feet dragging across the wooden floor like he was carrying the whole world on his tired shoulders.

To hell with Hongjoong and his gorgeously annoying face (and his hot tongue piercing). To hell with stupid Lee Minho and his successful love life, ruining his plan for a good fuck — which, by the way, he really needed after today. And to hell with everything else that was probably going to go wrong in the future.

He dropped his bag onto the floor of his bedroom and took out his phone.

Seonghwa flopped onto his bed with a loud and dramatic sigh. Finally. The day was over, and thank god for that, because he wasn’t sure how much more smugness he could have endured.

Without thinking, he unlocked his phone, going straight for Discord. His heart leaped when he saw the dot beside Captain’s name glowing green.

Starlight: evening captain

Captain: evening starlight
rough day?

Starlight: how did you know?
but yeah
the roughest

Captain: i know you

Seonghwa smiled at that. Knowing that Captain could tell he had a bad day just with two words made Seonghwa’s chest feel warm in a way nothing else had all day.

Captain: come on
spill <3

Seonghwa rolled onto his side. It felt stupid sometimes, pouring everything into screen like this. But Captain never made him feel worthless or like an inconvenience.

Starlight: alright alright
there was that guy who bumped into me
right before opening
the coffee didn’t survive…

His shoulders tensed at the unpleasant memory of Hongjoong and his coffee-stained t-shirt.

Captain: oh no
not the coffee
…
did he apologize at least
or replace it?

Starlight: i wish!
he didn’t even help me up
just barked at me like i was the reason his freaking day sucked

Captain: what a fucking asshole
are you alright?
any burns?
cuts?
bruises?
want me to beat his ass?

Seonghwa blinked at the screen. Who even asked those questions about spilled coffee? He giggled. Captain had always been protective with Seonghwa, and right now it made him feel… safe and wanted. And maybe a little breathless too.

Starlight: no bruises
just my pride
but thanks for asking captain <3

Captain: oh starlight
i’d beat his ass up just over your pride
you know i would

And now Seonghwa’s face went burning hot as he buried half of it in the pillow, like he could smother the way his heart was stuttering. God, why did Captain have to say things like that so casually?

He typed something quickly, to deflect and then regretted it instantly.

Starlight: believe me or not
my misery did not end there
minho added to it

Captain: minho?

Seonghwa felt the sudden need to explain himself, to clarify.

Starlight: yeah he is a friend
kind of
we hang out
regularly…

Captain: is that what they call fucking theses days?

Starlight: …
yeah i guess

Captain: oh.

The tiny stab to his chest surprised him. He rolled onto his back, phone above him and fingers shaking as he typed.

Starlight: i kinda needed to see him
but he is seeing someone now
i mean whatever, great for him you know?
but it just sucks for me cause after today i really needed a dick up my ass
and he was the best fuck i’ve ever had
omg sorry
i don’t know what i said that

He sent the words before he could overthink them and regretted it as soon as his thumb pressed the send button. He stared at his screen, eyes widening in horror.

They had never talked about sex before. God, this was too much. Definitely too much.

Captain: yeah i don’t think so.

Seonghwa froze and blinked at the screen, really confused now.

Starlight: what do you mean?

The three dots appeared, disappeared, and reappeared again. It made his heart combust in anticipation.

Captain: it’s simple starlight
really
i think i could have you moan for me louder than you ever did for him
or anyone else

The phone nearly slipped from his hand. His breath hitched and he blinked once, heart stuttering as heat shot between his legs.

Then he squinted at the screen, just to make sure he hadn’t hallucinated, that the fantasies he had had about Captain hadn’t make him interpret it wrong.

It hadn’t. The words where there. Every. Single. One.

His throat went dry. That was not something he had expected. Not even close.

Starlight: captain?

The reply came almost instantly.

Captain: shit
sorry forget i said that…
starlight?
fuck i’m really sorry

He hesitated, staring at the screen. His thumb hovered above the keyboard. He shouldn’t. God, he really, really shouldn’t.

And yet, he did.

Starlight: you really think you could fuck me better?

The second he sent it, he slapped a hand over his face, like that could unsend the words. What the hell had he done?

Captain: not think
know
wait
you’re not mad?

Starlight: mad? no.
turned on? maybe.

The three dots appeared instantly. Seonghwa swallowed hard.

Captain: fuck…
maybe?
baby you don’t sound very sure

Seonghwa’s whole body suddenly felt like it had been set on fire. Baby. Oh no. He was in so much trouble.

Starlight: you made me hard
happy?

The second he pressed send, Seonghwa bit down on his lips, chest rising fast. God, why had he admitted that?

Captain: more than happy
just didn’t think you’d actually say it
you’re hard?

He swallowed hard, his other hand twitching like it wanted to go lower.

Starlight: yeah…

Captain: because of what i said?

Starlight: yes

Seonghwa almost whimpered as he pressed his thighs together, trying to ease the ache, the need for friction.

Captain: yes who baby?

Seonghwa blinked at the assertiveness and he typed what he knew Captain wanted. What Seonghwa wanted to.

Starlight: yes captain

Captain: good job
i can’t stop thinking about it now

Starlight: about what?

Captain: you
all flushed
making pretty noises for me

Seonghwa let out a shaky exhale. “Fuck…” His fingers finally slipped past the waistband, sliding his pants and underwear just enough before wrapping his hand around the hard length of his cock. A broken moan escaped when his cool fingers touched the burning skin.

Starlight: you don’t how i would sound

Captain: oh but i do

The three dots blinked, disappeared for a few seconds, then came back.

Captain: soft moans first
whining when you get impatient
and if i had to make you beg…
fuck
you’d be loud wouldn’t you

His hand tightened, pre-cum smearing on his palm as his rips thrust helplessly upward, needy sounds breaking free. “Ah—Captain…”

Starlight: yes
yes i would
but
you’re making me want things i shouldn’t

Captain: what if i want them too?
should i keep going?

Starlight: please
please captain

His other hand clutched the phone tighter as he started stroking himself faster, desperate gasps spilling out of him.

Captain: are you touching yourself?

Starlight: yes…

Captain: impatient are we?
we’ll work on that

Seonghwa’s back arched slightly off the bed. “Fuck—ahh—Captain…” His breathing came out uneven.

He stared at the screen and looked at the three dots appearing, lingering, and then disappearing like Captain was holding back. The three dots came back.

Captain: tell me how bad you need it now

Starlight: bad
need it so bad captain
please

The desperation he had for some release came into his messages. But he didn’t care. He was too far gone.

Captain: shit…
tell me starlight
you like being the one fucking
or the one getting fucked?

Starlight: fucked
i like getting fucked captain

Another low moan slipped out, pushing his hips faster into his fist.

Captain: good
that’s what i wanted to hear
fuck your hand for me
i’d have you spread out
hands holding you open
making you take me slowly until you’re begging me to go harder

Seonghwa whimpered, pre-cum leaking and sliding down his length. He could almost feel Captain’s weight on his back, the stretch of his cock as he pushed in…

“Ah—ahh—god…”

Starlight: captain

Captain: yeah baby
i’ll have you all desperate and needy
moaning my name over and over
you’d be so good for me wouldn’t you?

Starlight: yes
so good

Captain: i know you would
i’ve always known that starlight

Another whimper broke past his lips, high and needy.

Starlight: wanna feel you
on me
inside me

Captain: fuck
you’re killing me starlight
can i touch myself too baby?

The image of Captain jerking himself off to him, cock in hand because of Seonghwa? That made his hips snap harder into his hand. “Fuck—fuck—yes—” Seonghwa gasped as he typed his next message, thumb shaking.

Starlight: please
please
touch yourself

Captain: then we’ll do it together yeah?
you stroking yourself for me
while i imagine how warm you’d feel around me
when i stretch you open slow
until you’re moaning so fucking pretty in my ear

Seonghwa gasped out loud, his wrist twisting, stroking harder. “Captain—ahh—more…”

Captain: don’t hold back baby
keep fucking your pretty hand

Starlight: wanna go faster

Captain: yeah?

Starlight: close

His toes curled, thighs trembling.

Captain: go on then
fuck your hand faster
don’t stop
be good for me
yeah?

“Fuckfuck—ahhh—” Seonghwa bit his lip hard, chasing the high he knew would be coming soon.

Starlight: captain
captain wanna cum
let me cum please

Seonghwa had never done that, never asked for permission to come. But he wanted to, he wanted Captain to tell him he could. He wanted to come for him. Not because he couldn’t hold it.

Captain: shit
cum for me starlight

As soon as he read the words, his back arched off the mattress as he spilled hot all over his hand, crying out, “Yes, yes—Captain—fuck—”. He kept fucking his hand, moaning Captain’s name high again and again until his voice broke. His vision blurred, phone sliding down from his grip, breath uneven as the echo of Seonghwa moaning Captain’s name filled the room.

He lay there gasping, chest heaving, his hand sticky and trembling around himself as he came down from his high.
For a moment, all he could hear was his own uneven breathing filling the silence.

God, that had felt good. So good. Seonghwa usually liked prostate stimulation best, he liked to be feel full too. But jerking off to what Captain had said — knowing he was touching himself to Seonghwa too? “Fuck…”

That was when the reality set in. God. They had crossed a line. He had crossed a line. He had come moaning Captain’s name. But oddly, he didn’t regret it. Not for a second.

He just hoped that Captain didn’t regret it either.

He reached a trembling hand for the wipes in the nightstand drawer, cleaning himself before tucking himself back into his pants.

He looked at his phone for a few seconds and picked it up. Captain hadn’t written anything since he had told Seonghwa to come.

His hands were shaking as he wrote the next words.

Starlight: did you…
did you cum?

The reply followed only seconds after.

Captain: yeah
i did
you?

Seonghwa squeezed his eyes shut, heat on his cheeks.

Starlight: yeah…

Captain: fuck…
i’m sorry starlight
didn’t mean to push that far
it just felt so good
i don’t want to ruin what we have

Ruin? God, Captain had no idea how badly Seonghwa had wanted it. He hadn’t even realized it himself — not until the dream, until now.

Starlight: nonono
god no don’t worry
i didn’t want you to stop

Seonghwa’s face burned as he sent it.

Captain: really?

Starlight: yeah…
i found that really hot
and i really needed that you know…
after today

There was no point in pretending he hadn’t. He had ached for a release of some sort to melt the tension away. To forget that unfortunate encounter with stupid Hongjoong.

Captain: shit
i needed that too starlight
had a crazy day too
sorry i called you baby earlier
it kinda slipped

Starlight: no it’s alright
actually
i liked it a lot

The admission made his chest twist, but it was true. Captain calling him baby had unraveled something in him. Something he desperately wanted to feel again.

Captain: …
fuck
you liked it?

Starlight: yeah
a lot

Seonghwa buried his face in his pillow after sending it, heart hammering in his chest before he typed again.

Starlight: i wouldn’t mind
you saying it again i mean

The dots blinked… then disappeared altogether.
The chat was silent for a few minutes and Seonghwa felt the anxiety rise. When Seonghwa’s phone buzzed again, his heart stuttered hard in anticipation.

Captain: sorry starlight
gotta go

…That was not what Seonghwa had in mind. He frowned. No talk to you tonight, not even a talk to you tomorrow — just some vague, undefined gotta go. He swallowed hard, fingers typing rapidly.

Starlight: oh
yeah sure
wait
did i do something wrong?

The green dot next to Captain’s name turned grey and Seonghwa started at it longer than he’d like to admit it.

He finally locked the screen with a sigh. He lay there in the silence, his heart racing and baby still burned in his eyes like it was the only word he could read now.

Two hours later, Seonghwa was still wide awake despise his body begging him to just let it rest. But he couldn’t, not when it felt like he might have lost something he so desperately needed. He found himself unlocking his phone, scrolling up and re-reading the whole conversation again and again. Until his chest ached. His eyes fell on the last things he had sent.

wait
did i do something wrong?

The words looked more desperate in the dark than they had when he had typed them earlier. He groaned, hiding under the blanket.

That’s when he felt the vibrations in his hand. He frowned. Who could be calling that late? God he hoped it wasn’t Wooyoung. Or someone calling to tell him the shop had gone up in flames. He looked at the screen.

Captain.

Seonghwa froze, breath catching as he fumbled to answer. “Hello?”

On the other end, there was the faint rustle of fabric, then Captain’s voice, low and so close to his ear. “Starlight? Shit… did I wake you up?”

Seonghwa shook his head even though Captain couldn’t see him. “No, I was awake. I—I couldn’t sleep.”

Captain sighed, something that Seonghwa thought sounded like relief. “Good… fuck, I’m so sorry, Starlight. I was a fucking idiot.”

Seonghwa’s voice was slightly trembling, heart thundering in his chest when he answered, “You… disappeared. I thought—”

“I know, I know.” Captain’s words came out fast. “I didn’t even think about how it would look like for you when I left like that. I just—fuck…”

“Do you… do you regret it? Doing this with me when you… when you don’t even know what I look like?”

That was Seonghwa’s insecurities shining through. He knew Captain wouldn’t have bothered calling if he regretted it. He felt silly for getting so worked up over sexting. But… that something he had with Captain felt real. It always had. That’s why Seonghwa hadn’t wanted to have something real with anyone else.

There was a few seconds of silence and then Captain’s chuckled in disbelief, like he couldn’t understand why Seonghwa would even say something like that. “Starlight…” he exhaled softly. “Do you think I care about what you look like? Fuck, I—” His voice broke for a second, then came that low and firm tone. “Starlight I need you to listen, can you do that for me?”

Seonghwa’s breath hitch and he stuttered, “Y-Yes.”

“Good.” Captain’s voice went lower, the sound rumbling through Seonghwa’s body like thunder. “Do you know where I was tonight?” He asked like Seonghwa should already know the answer.

He didn’t.

Seonghwa shook his head even though Captain couldn’t see him. “Home?” he guessed, though he had no clue.

“I was out with friends and coworkers, baby. At a bar.”

Seonghwa’s breath hitched audibly at the words baby.

“And I wanted you so fucking much,” he continued, voice husky, “that I hade to jerk off in the bathroom while they were ordering drinks because you drove me insane.”

Seonghwa blinked hard, gasping softly. “You… you were out when… when we…?”

“Yeah,” Captain admitted, voice rough now. “I was in the fucking bathroom when we were sexting. I was so hard, Starlight, just from reading what you were sending me. Because it was you. But you have no fucking idea, do you?”

There was a pause, then his words came out faster, rougher, like he couldn’t stop himself from saying them. “I heard you moan last night, Starlight… when you slept.”

Seonghwa’s breath hitched. Fuck…

“And you know what I was thinking about when I heard it?” He let out a shaky exhale in Seonghwa’s ear. “I hoped it was me. I hoped I was the one making you moan like that. Even in your dreams.”

There was another shorter pause this time.

“I’ve been wanting it, Starlight. All the dancing around each other? I’ve been wanting you for a long time. And I don’t give a damn about what you look like. All I care about is what you make me feel.”

And Seonghwa felt like he couldn’t breathe. His throat closed up and his heart was jolting so hard in his chest that he felt like someone was smothering him. He pressed a hand over his mouth, trying to quiet the uneven breaths slipping out anyway.

There was so many information at the same time. Too many. And Seonghwa couldn’t figure out how to sort them all out.

“Starlight?” Captain’s voice wavered, almost panicked now. “Talk to me—please say something. Did I scare you off? Fuck…” He paused, then continued, voice rough. “It’s that stupid call yesterday… hearing your voice and then… when you slept. And what happened today I—please tell me I didn’t ruin it all…”

Seonghwa shook his head frantically even though he was alone. “No—no, you didn’t,” he forced out, voice breaking. Not because he was lying, but because he was still too stunned. “I just… that’s a lot to process,” he finally settled for. “I have a lot of thoughts and probably just as many questions,” his voice was soft, a little bit more even as he pressed a hand over his heart just to keep himself steady. “But I need to sort everything out.”

“Starlight…”

“What if we talked about it tomorrow? I just…” He didn’t want Captain to think he was walking away now. “Give me time to organize my thoughts, just to make sense of everything and then we can talk about what it all means tomorrow. Alright?”

There was silence, then Captain exhaled shakily. “…Alright. I can wait that long.” His voice was softer, but the still sounded worried. “Don’t disappear on me, Starlight. Please…”

And god, hearing Captain like that? Like Seonghwa walking away would be the worst thing that could ever happen to him? It made something twist in his stomach.

He pressed his hand harder over his heart. “I won’t. I promise we’ll talk tomorrow. As soon as my shift at the store is over.”

Captain hummed, low then his voice came out soft. “Alright. Goodnight, Starlight.”

Seonghwa didn’t want to hang up, he really, really didn’t. But the faster he could sort his thoughts out, the faster he and Captain could have that talk.

So Seonghwa shut his eyes, clutching his phone tighter again his ear and whispered back, “Goodnight, Captain.”

Then the line went silent. Seonghwa stayed with the phone pressed to his ear, heart racing.

And it barely slowed after that. The thoughts were still tangling and there were too many emotions hitting him at the same time. They all ranged somewhere in between utter happiness to sheer humiliation and he needed to know which thought belonged to which feeling.

So Seonghwa would make a list tomorrow, like he always did when things got a little too much all at once — when there were too many thoughts and too little space in his overloaded mind to process them.

For now, he needed sleep. Because if tomorrow was anything like today… well, he would need every second he could scrape together. And an obscene amount of coffee, because Wooyoung was opening the shop with him. He knew Seonghwa like the back of his hand and he had a freaking sixth sense for weakness.

Fake it until you make it, right?

Well… there would definitely be a lot of faking it. Seonghwa wasn’t too sure about the making it part.

When his alarm finally went off, Seonghwa had slept a total of zero (zero) minutes. So much for scraping every second he could. He had ended up trying so hard to fall asleep that he got stressed about actually falling asleep… and then he never did.

So with zero minutes in the sleep bank and already two cups of coffee down, he made his way to Aurora Blooms with every intention of stopping at the coffee shop on the corner and pick up two giant lattes for himself and Wooyoung.

And god, that was the stupidest idea he’d had that day. Because what was worse than Wooyoung’s sarcasm in the morning? Hongjoong’s hot and stupid face, waiting for his own coffee like he didn’t know yesterday had turned him into the bane of Seonghwa’s existence. And of course, he had to be exactly Seonghwa’s type — bad boy energy, all in black with a blue jean jacket and two necklaces hanging low, tattoos and that goddamn tongue piercing he was rolling against his teeth.

Like Seonghwa hadn’t already suffered enough.

He stood there with too many regrets, sunglasses on even though it wasn’t sunny, wondering if the coffee was really worth it. He could survive without caffeine. Maybe. What he couldn’t survive was Hongjoong seeing him like this. So he turned, fully ready to abandon ship and swim all the way to the next port for that damn coffee.

“Morning, pretty thing.”

Seonghwa froze, something twisted in his stomach.

Hongjoong’s voice came from right behind him and Seonghwa could feel the smugness dripping from it. “Leaving without your coffee?”

“Don’t call me that,” Seonghwa snapped. Captain called him that sometimes and he refused to associate the pleasant warmth of that nickname with Hongjoong.

“So touchy. Guess no one’s managed to fuck the attitude out of you yet?”

“Just… shut up,” Seonghwa bit back, annoyed. “You don’t know shit about me.”

He didn’t even need to look to know that stupid smirk was there. But he did turn anyway and of course, Hongjoong would instantly clock Seonghwa’s sunglasses.

Hongjoong clicked his tongue. “What are you hiding behind your pretty sunglasses?” he asked in mock curiosity, tongue pushing his piercing forward until he caught it between his teeth. “Rough night?” When Seonghwa didn’t answer, he leaned a little closer, voice dropping low. “You look like you’ve been up thinking too much, Bunny.”

Which was exactly what Seonghwa had been doing and it irritated him to no end knowing that Hongjoong got that right.

“Mind your own business.” Seonghwa tried to keep is voice even, sliding his sunglasses up his nose as he walked past him to order.

As he stood in queue, Hongjoong’s voice came again, but closer. “You know, maybe you should try decaf, that might help you sleep better.”

Seonghwa rolled his eyes behind his shades. “I don’t remember asking you for your opinion on my coffee-drinking habits. Or on anything at all actually.”

Hongjoong leaned closer, too close. Close enough that the heat of his breath against his ear made Seonghwa shiver. “Good thing I don’t need an invitation to speak, then.” Just as it was Seonghwa’s turn to order, he added low. “Anyway, see you around, Bunny.”

And to Seonghwa’s relief, he left right after. Because despite the two first cups of coffee, he would have been unable to find something witty to say after that.

With Hongjoong gone, he finally ordered, picked up his two lattes (one with extra sugar for Wooyoung) before stepping out.

He tried not to dwell on how rattled he felt, how Hongjoong’s voice had grazed against something familiar in his brain. Something he couldn’t quite place no matter how hard he tried.

Just like that, Seonghwa made his way to Aurora Blooms, ready to answer the questions he knew would be coming as soon as Wooyoung would see his sleep-deprived ass.

Wooyoung was already inside, sunglasses on when Seonghwa arrived. He moved like he had just been ran over by a car. But to be honest, Seonghwa wasn’t in better shape — hiding behind his own pair even though the sky outside was nothing but dark clouds threatening with rain.

Seonghwa was clearly sleep deprived. But Wooyoung…? Wooyoung’s state was to be determined. And together they looked like a pair of washed up celebrities trying to outrun a freaking sex scandal.

Seonghwa walked up to Wooyoung and silently held up the latte like some kind of offering, praying the sacrifice of having to face Hongjoong first thing in the morning would have been enough to appease the gods he didn’t even believe in. Hopefully, they would bless him with silence and no questions.

But apparently the sacrifice wasn’t enough, and neither was the latte offering.

Wooyoung accepted the cup, smelled the coffee through the lid like he was an addict and took a long sip. Then he tilted his head at Seonghwa and deadpanned, “You look like shit.”

So much for silence.

He put his own cup next to the register, eyes settling on the orchid on the shelf behind it. His chest tightened unpleasantly “Didn’t sleep. You?”

Wooyoung smirked over his cup. “Got smashed. And fucked.”

Seonghwa pinched the bridge of his nose behind his sunglasses. “Of course you did. I didn’t think you were seeing someone.”

“Well, I wasn’t until yesterday.” Wooyoung’s grin widened, a little too pleased with himself. “Yeosang and I went out for drinks with the guys from next door. Hongjoong invited us to a bar and god—you’d love him. He is totally your type.”

Seonghwa froze mid-sip and choked on his coffee, sputtering until Wooyoung thumped his back with exactly zero (zero) sympathy.

“What—” Seonghwa croaked once he could breathe again.

Wooyoung didn’t let him finish. “He is so nice. Like you wouldn’t guess with all the tattoos and everything but he is actually a huge softie.”

Hongjoong? The asshole from yesterday? A softie? In what parallel universe had Seonghwa woken up this morning?

Wooyoung just kept going, totally oblivious. “He insisted on paying for everyone’s drinks all evening. He asked Sangie about school and he made sure San and I made it home safe. A total sweetheart.”

Seonghwa’s brain short-circuited. Hongjoong? A softie and a sweetheart? Was Wooyoung high? Was he talking about the same man who had left him sitting on the pavements with a bruised ego, splattered coffee and scattered petals? The same man who threw “Bunny” at him like it was an insult?

If it was the same Hongjoong, then Wooyoung had probably met his nicer twin because Seonghwa couldn’t imagine him being anything else than a self-absorbed dick.

“Yeah…” Seonghwa hesitated. “I met Hongjoong yesterday, and he was an asshole. Like the biggest I’ve ever met in my life.”

Wooyoung blinked, then leaned forward on the counter, suddenly super interested. “Wait—what? Hongjoong from the tattoo shop next door?”

Seonghwa nodded.

“The guy with black and blonde hair, a leather jacket and a hot tongue piercing?” Wooyoung added like he couldn’t process what Seonghwa had told him.

Another nod.

“Oh my god!” Wooyoung exclaimed. “Hwa, we’ve been opened one day and you already have beef with the guy next door?”

“He literally knocked me flat on the pavement,” Seonghwa snapped while setting up the register. “Didn’t even help me up and called me Bunny. Bunny, Wooyoung! Then he came back to the shop, basically insulted me and told me he wasn’t even going to apologize because I was the one who wasn’t paying attention.”

Wooyoung gasped like he had been handed the juiciest gossip. “He what? Bunny?” His grin widened. “Oh, Hwa, this is amazing,” he snorted.

Seonghwa glared. “Is that stupid nickname the only thing you got out of it?” he asked, half-scandalized that Wooyoung would chose to overlook the rest. “He is a dick! I just don’t like him and by the look of what happened yesterday, he doesn’t seem to like me either.” He slammed the register shut harder than he needed to.

He took a deep breath and removed his sunglasses, stuffing them back into his bag like he was physically trying to shove Hongjoong away. “So, you and San?” he asked as he made his way to the backroom. “I knew he was your type.”

Wooyoung followed right after him, opening the cold room to start getting the flowers out. “And you were right. He has a big dick too.” Seonghwa could practically hear the grin in his voice.

“I could have lived without that information.” He set his bag in one of the lockers before putting on his navy blue apron.

“Maybe, but I couldn’t have lived without sharing it,” Wooyoung shot as he started getting the petunias out.

Seonghwa rolled his eyes and stepped in to give Wooyoung a hand. Fifteen minutes after, all the flowers were on display and the shop was almost ready to open.

The day was slow — slow enough that Seonghwa had time to start sorting through the mess Captain had made of his head last night.

He sat at the register with a notebook in front of him and a pen tapping rhythmically on one page. Wooyoung was somewhere behind him, fussing over the displays and making sure none of the flowers were dying.

He had started writing, putting everything into something tangible. On one page, he listed feelings, all tied to Captain and what he had told him yesterday. So far he had managed happiness, surprise, confusion, humiliation, embarrassment, longing and excitement.

And because his brain wouldn’t leave him alone, he started assigning thoughts to them. Next to excitement he scribbled, my crush has a crush on me.

Next to humiliation, he added, did he really hear me moan?!?! and I begged on text like an idiot.

Confusion got, why me? and what now?

Under surprise he wrote, we sexted and I wanted to be good for him.

Under excitement again, he got off to me in a public bathroom and, underlined twice, baby.

Happiness and longing stayed empty until he remembered those last words Captain had said before Seonghwa panicked and shut down.

And I don’t give a damn about what you look like. All I care about is what you make me feel.

Seonghwa had felt those words deep, in a way he hadn’t known he needed. Someone wanted him for him and not his body? That was… new. Every relationship before captain had been shallow at best. Just other guys who thought he was hot, only to ditch him the second they decided he was “too high maintenance”.

By that, they had meant Seonghwa wanting to cuddle, to be held after sex and to spend quality time together instead of just fucking. You know, things normal people did when they were in a relationship. It made him realized that none of them had really known him at all. Most hadn’t known about his hobbies, his best friend’s name or his favorite snacks flavor. Some hadn’t even known his major.

They hadn’t cared. Not really. All they had cared about was parading him around like he was some sort of trophy boyfriend. That’s why he hadn’t shared his picture or even his name with Captain, because if there was to be something between them, Seonghwa had wanted it to be organic and based on something else than appearance.

So Captain wanting him without knowing what Seonghwa actually looked like? That went definitely under happiness.

And longing? Next to longing Seonghwa wrote only one word.

Captain.

Seonghwa’s fingers twitched with the sudden need to grab his phone and text him, call him. Just talk to him. But he took a deep breath and willed himself to go back to his list. Tonight. They would talk tonight.

Embarrassment was easy to fill and there he slotted, I told him I was hard and I practically begged him to touch himself (why did I do that?!) in letters so tiny that he could barely read it himself. And now he wanted to set the notebook on fire. But still, his hand kept on moving, adding baby again next to happiness and circling the word multiple times.

He was halfway through writing I want to hear his voice again under longing when a voice right next to him almost made him drop the pen.

“What are you doing?”

“Fuck—Wooyoung!” Seonghwa slammed the notebook shut fast before pressing a hand on top of it.

Wooyoung squinted at him suspiciously. “You’re writing in your feelings journal again?”

“It’s not a feelings journal,” Seonghwa grumbled, cheeks heating as he shoved the pen into the cup next to the register.

“Mmh.” Wooyoung tilted his head, amused. “Then what is it?”

“Inventory.”

Wooyoung raised a brow. “You don’t list embarrassment in the inventory logs, Hwa.”

Seonghwa froze. Shit.

“Alright, I’ll play along.” Wooyoung leaned both elbows on the counter, head in his hands and looking way too entertained for Seonghwa’s taste. “Inventory of what?”

“Of…” Seonghwa’s brain scrambled for literally anything that wasn’t the truth. “…roses. Inventory of roses.” And yeah, he heard it too. He shut his eyes, cringing at himself.

Wooyoung blinked, then burst into laughter that had two passerby turning their heads.

Seonghwa groaned, covering his face with one hand “Fine. I was not doing inventory…” he admitted reluctantly.

Wooyoung look at him, unimpressed and then rolled his eyes. “No shit, Sherlock.” Then he grinned. “So, what’s the gossip.”

Seonghwa hesitated, tracing small invisible circles on the notebook’s cover. “…It’s not about me. It’s about…”

Wooyoung immediately perked up. “Oh, let me guess! Let me guess! It’s about your friend, huh?”

“Yes. My friend.” Seonghwa stressed the word, refusing to look up. “He’s been talking to someone online. For a while.”

“And that someone is named Captain, right?”

“No!” Seonghwa exclaimed way to quickly. “…no. His name is…” His brain worked as fast a it could to try and find something. It didn’t work. “…Helmsman.”

“Helmsman? His username’s Helmsman?” Wooyoung nodded his head, pressing his lips together hard and looking like he was trying hard not to laugh.

“Yes.” Seonghwa tried his hardest not to lose the little dignity he had left in front of his best friend.

Wooyoung tilted his head, already. “Mmh. Alright, alright. And how’s that working out for your… friend?”

Seonghwa squirmed on the chair. “Good. I think. They, uh… took things further yesterday.”

Wooyoung leaned in, squinting at him. “Further how?”

Seonghwa exhaled sharply, voice dropping to almost a whisper. “…They sexted.”

Wooyoung’s eyes went wide and his jaw dropped. “Oh my god. Hwa. You— your friend sexted?!” he exclaimed loudly.

“Shhh! Not so loud!” Seonghwa looked left, then right to make sure no one had heard. “Don’t say it like that!” Seonghwa hissed, cheeks on fire now. “And we weren’t— I mean, they weren’t even planning it. It just… happened. He said things and then I— my friend said things too and before he knew it, he was jerking off in bed and Helmsman was…” He cut himself off but it was too late.

“…Helmsman was what, exactly?” Wooyoung pressed, looking like curiosity was eating him alive.

Seonghwa groaned, covering his face with both hands. “In the bathroom. At a bar. While his coworkers were ordering drinks… Because apparently I, uh, I mean my friend made him so hard he couldn’t even wait to get home before he got off…”

There was a beat of silence. Then Wooyoung exploded into high cackles. “Oh, this is gold. He jerked off in the bathroom?”

Seonghwa peeked between his fingers, mortified. “…Shut up, I’m not done.”

“Go on, then.” Wooyoung stared at him, still grinning but eyes softer.

Seonghwa dropped his hands with a dramatic sigh. “After, when they had… when it was over, Helmsman just… left. Said he had to go and that they would talk another time.”

“But he was at the bar, right?”

“Yeah, but I- my friend didn’t know that at the time.” His throat tightened, voice uneven despite himself. “And my friend felt like maybe Helmsman regretted it.”

Wooyoung’s grin softened too. “Okay. And how did that make your friend feel?”

“Like shit.”

“Yeah, understandable.” Wooyoung nodded casually. “But…?”

“How do you knew there’s a but?” Seonghwa questioned, still tracing patterns on his notebook.

“Because I’ve know your friend my whole life, literally,” Wooyoung said like it was obvious. “Now talk.”

Seonghwa sighed and swallowed hard. “But then he called. Helmsman,” he admitted quickly.

Wooyoung frowned. “Wait, what? Wasn’t that the first time you— they heard each other’s voices?”

“Well… no. Actually Helmsman called me, uh, my friend by accident the day before. So… yeah. Anyways. He was really apologetic, saying he hadn’t meant to hurt me—” He broke off and corrected himself, “my friend. That he was out with people and couldn’t stay.”

Wooyoung hummed, nodding. “And did that make you— your friend feel better?”

“Yes. No. Maybe.” Seonghwa rubbed his temple. “I— He…”

He didn’t even know why he wasn’t telling the truth outright. He and Wooyoung had no secrets and they were definitely not shy around each other. But that thing with Captain? It made him feel so raw that even explaining it to his best felt like talking about something he shouldn’t.

Wooyoung let him squirm a little before cutting in, voice softer now. “What happened, Hwa? What did he tell you?”

When Seonghwa tried to protest, Wooyoung actually didn’t leave him the chance. “No more ‘my friend’ bullshit, Hwa. Come on, talk to me.”

Seonghwa groaned and leaned forward, his head low against the cold marble. “Captain told me that he has wanted me for a long time. That he doesn’t even care what I look like, only what I make him feel. And that I… was driving him insane.”

Wooyoung let out a low whistle, eyebrows shooting up. Helmsman leaned his chin into his palm and said “And that made you feel…?”

“…Confused. Happy. Embarrassed. Excited. Like all at once,” Seonghwa confessed. “But it was a lot to process, you know?”

Wooyoung nodded, looking at Seonghwa with those infuriating knowing eyes. Like he knew something that Seonghwa didn’t. “But, don’t you have a crush on Captain? I mean isn’t that the reason why you’ve been fucking around instead of settling?”

“Yeah. I do have a huge crush on him. He makes me feel safe, wanted. But I’m not sure what it means. Like — was he serious when he said he wanted me? What does he even want? Where do we go from here? Was the sexting just once or does he want to do it again?”

Wooyoung hummed in understanding. “Have you tried answering those questions yourself?

Seonghwa frowned, lifting his head. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, What do you want Hwa?” he asked simply. “Where do you want this thing with Captain to go?”

Seonghwa went quiet, because not once had he actually thought about that.

“I think I want something more than friendship. Something more than sexting too. But… how? I mean we don’t even know how we look like, or where we live and online relationships aren’t really… sustainable, right?”

Wooyoung tilted his head. “So you want more?”

Seonghwa’s stomach twisted a little, but he forced the words out. “Yeah. I think I do. It just feel real with him, realer than anything I’ve ever had.”

“Then maybe the question isn’t whether online stuff is sustainable.” Wooyoung’s tone gentled in a way Seonghwa didn’t hear often. “Maybe it’s just whether you’re brave enough to want it anyway. Because all those limits? Not knowing what each other looks like or where you live… those aren’t walls, Hwa. They’re doors. You can open them whenever you’re ready.”

Seonghwa just blinked. He knew Captain wouldn’t be opposed to opening them, that he left them closed just because Seonghwa had asked him to, a long time ago. And there wasn’t any doubt that he wanted to learn everything about Captain when the time finally came.

But would Seonghwa ever be ready to open the doors that led to himself? That he didn’t know, but he wanted to try. To see if that thing with Captain was as real as it had felt.

Yet, the thought followed him long after Wooyoung left him alone at the counter, through the slow pace of customers and through handing the shop over to Yunho at the end of his shift.

When Seonghwa made his way home that afternoon, he knew what he wanted (he’ll have to thank Wooyoung about it later). All that was left was hoping that Captain wanted it just as much.

At home, later that afternoon, Seonghwa was taking a bath when he got that first message from Captain. Something in his stomach twisted in both happiness and anticipation. They hadn’t talked at all since the phone call ended yesterday and usually, they checked in with each other through the day and today was the first time they hadn’t. The silence had left him a bit restless and Seonghwa had missed it. Him.

Fuck. He was screwed, wasn’t he?

He shook his head like he was trying to chase the thought before he picked up his phone.

Captain: missed you today

His heart missed a beat.

Starlight: hi
me too
felt weird not talking to you

Captain: how was today?

Starlight: slow
not many customers. had my shift with youngie

Captain: did you survive?

Starlight: barely
we’ve known each other my whole life
and he still manage to drive me insane.
but with love. i adore him even when he makes me want to drown myself.
anyway
how was yours?

Captain: good good
you’d never guess who i ran into yesterday

Starlight: tell me
who

Captain: remember the day we started talking?

Starlight: yeah
i do <3

Captain: <3
well i told you i ran into some guy and spilled coffee too

Starlight: yeah i remember
wow did you ran into that guy again?

Captain: yeah!
crazy right?
i don’t think he recognized me

Seonghwa’s chest felt tight as he typed the next words.

Starlight: didn’t you have a crush on him?
i remember you whining for two weeks straight about him not calling you

Captain: i wasn’t whining
i don’t whine

Starlight: yeah you do

Captain: yeah yeah
whatever
but that was like two years ago
or something

Seonghwa’s heart beat faster, fingers fumbling to type his next message.

Starlight: still want him to call you?

Seonghwa swallowed hard when the typing dots appeared on his screen.

Captain: no
i only want you to call me

Seonghwa’s smile broke from his lips, followed by a light laugh.

Captain: but we might be forced into proximity

Starlight: ???

Captain: remember i told you i was out yesterday?

Starlight: yeah

Captain: turns out we work close to each other
so i took some of his coworkers out with us last night
pretty sure one of them fucked my roommate
or got fucked by my roommate?
i don’t know

Starlight: but would that be bad?
to see him often i mean

Captain: yes
no
i don’t know

Starlight: indecisive i see

Captain: just so you know
i’m rolling my eyes at you

Seonghwa laughed.

Starlight: so which is it?

Captain: i don’t know
something about him irks me

Starlight: that sounds tragic
how will you ever survive captain?

Captain: don’t make fun of me

Starlight: or what?

Captain: or i’ll have to put you in your place
…
:)

Starlight: guess i’ll have to behave then :)

Captain: good
but maybe i was hoping you wouldn’t

Starlight: what is that supposed to mean?
captain

Captain: means exactly what you think it does
but if you’re still unsure…
misbehave again and find out :)
but only if our talk goes well
shit
sorry
i shouldn’t have said that before we clear things up

Starlight: it’s alright
let me get out of the bath and i’ll call you
okay?

Captain:…
a bath…
you really don’t make it easy for me
but you know that don’t you?

Seonghwa chuckled and bit his lip softly before typing.

Starlight: talk to you soon captain
;)

With that, he set his phone on the edge of the bathtub and pulled the plug to let the water drain. He climbed carefully over the edge and out of the tub, grabbed his towel, drying himself off before putting on his fluffy bathrobe. He ruffled his hair with the towel, then picked up his phone again and walked back to his room.

Seonghwa dropped onto his bed, mattress dipping under his weight as he tried to calm his nerves about the call with Captain. He picked up his earphones, put them on and opened his message feed with Captain. His hands trembled slightly as his fixed on the green dot next to Captain’s name. His fingers hovered above the screen for a few seconds before he finally took a deep breath and called.

It barely rang twice before Captain picked up.

“Starlight,” his voice came low in Seonghwa’s ear. It sent a shiver through him.

“Hi,” Seonghwa barely managed, voice soft and a little uneven.

“Missed your voice,” Captain said like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Seonghwa felt his cheek heat up.

“You heard it just yesterday though,” Seonghwa teased softly, like he was already melting.

“And I don’t know how I managed without—” Captain cut himself off with a frustrated huff. “Sorry. You just— it’s hard not to fall even harder now that I know what you sound like. Fuck…” His words fumbled out roughly, like he couldn’t keep them in.

Seonghwa’s heart stuttered and chuckled lightly, trying to regain some composure. “It’s okay… I don’t mind when you say things like that.” He hesitated, breath hitching slightly before he admitted quietly, “Actually… I like hearing it.”

“Good. I wasn’t sure you would. I’m still a mess from last night and apparently my brain-to-mouth filter seems to be non-existent now.” Captain’s laugh came out uneven.

“That’s… what I wanted to talk about, actually.”

“My brain-to-mouth filter?” he teased.

Seonghwa let out a shaky laugh despite himself. “No!” he exclaimed, then added, softer this time, “Last night.”

Captain hummed low, the sound humming right through Seonghwa’s chest as he waited for him to go on. And god did Seonghwa love that sound, but he needed to focus now because they had a talk ahead and he couldn’t let himself be distracted.

“I don’t really know where to start,” Seonghwa finally managed. “You said a lot of things yesterday.”

“I know.” Captain’s next words came out hurriedly, almost tripping over each other. “I know, it was a lot to throw at you. I just—fuck, I couldn’t hold it anymore. And I’ve held it in, it was easy when I didn’t know what you sounded like… but since I’ve heard your voice? I don’t know— it just did something to me, Starlight and I can’t barely thing about anything else but you…”

Seonghwa’s breath caught in his throat and he closed his eyes briefly, an attempt to calm himself down, before opening them again.

“I don’t think I want you to hold it in. I just…” He paused, his throat working to get the next words out of his mouth. “I think I know what I want. But… I need to know what you want. What it means.”

“Just ask, then,” Captain said quickly, voice stable, like he just wanted to take away every one of Seonghwa’s doubts. “I’ll answer as best as I can for you.”

“You said… You’ve wanted me for a long time, right?”

Captain hummed again. “Yeah.”

“What we did yesterday, was it just… because you needed to jerk-off and I was a happy accident?” The words came out rough and uncertain, because Seonghwa didn’t like the idea that it might have been just that. That he might have been just convenient.

For a few seconds, everything was silent.

When Captain finally spoke, his voice dropped low. “Starlight, baby—fuck, sorry. If it was just about my needs, I’d find someone I can actually touch. I’ve wanted you for a long time, yeah… but not just what we did yesterday.”

“Then what—” Seonghwa didn’t have the time to finish.

“I want you.” The words left Captain’s mouth like a confession. “Not just last night—you. However much you’ll let me have. And if you’d rather stay friends and forget it happens? Then I’ll do it. I’ll do anything as long as I don’t have to lose you.”

Seonghwa felt dizzy, Captain’s words hitting him right in the chest, warmth spreading there. “I—I want this too. You. More than our friendship. But I don’t… I don’t know how we’re supposed to… do this.”

Captain’s let out a long shaky exhale, something that sounded a lot like relief. Like he had been holding his breath this whole time, waiting for Seonghwa to decide.

“We don’t need all the answers yet, Starlight.” Captain’s voice came out low and soft. “Wanting more is enough. We’ll figure the rest out together.”

Seonghwa’s breath caught. “You… you really think we can?”

“If you want me the way I want you,” Captain said without hesitation, “then yes. We can.”

The words tumbled out from Seonghwa’s mouth before he could stop them. “I do. I want you.”

Captain chuckled softly and heat crept up Seonghwa’s neck as he bit the inside of his cheek, mortified. God, so embarrassing. Wooyoung was right — sometimes he really behaved like a high-school girl. Not that he’d ever admit that to him.

“Good. Then that’s where we start. But Starlight…” His voice changed to something dark and rough, a warning buried somewhere there. He paused, then added, “you remember all those times I told you I didn’t like to share?”

Seonghwa hummed, chest tightening in anticipation. “Yeah… Yeah, I do.”

“I wasn’t joking, baby.” His tone sharpened, but it wasn’t unkind although it left no room for mistake. “I don’t share what’s mine. If we do this, it’s you and me.”

Seonghwa held his breath for a moment, heart stuttering at the implication. “So… like exclusively dating? Just us?” Seonghwa asked, unsure if he had gotten that right.

“If that’s what you want to call it, then yes.” Captain’s laughed softly, the sound low and warm. “But I’d rather call it a relationship. Even if it’s not the traditional kind.”

Seonghwa gasped in surprise, heart hammering. “You’re… Are you actually asking me to be your boyfriend? When you don’t even know my name, or where I live, or what I look like?”

“Starlight.” Captain’s voice broke on the word, like he was pained by the question. “I’ve told you before… I don’t give a damn about any of that. All I care about is what you make me feel. And I’ve never needed anyone the way I need you.”

Seonghwa let out a soft and breathless laugh, still hardly believing any of it was real. “You’re insane… but I’ll be yours. I want to be yours.”

On the other end, Captain exhaled shakily against Seonghwa’s ear. “You won’t regret trusting me,” he vowed softly. “I’ll make sure of it.”

Seonghwa smiled and shut his eyes, letting the feeling just sink in. He had a boyfriend. Hopefully something steadier, more real than any of his previous relationships. Better than the empty sex he’d had for the past two years. And speaking of sex…

“I… Can I ask you something else?” he blurted and he didn’t even know why he felt embarrassed.

“Anything.”

“Last night… the sexting. Was that just a one-time thing?”

“Not unless you want it to be,” Captain replied, making it clear the choice was Seonghwa’s. “I’m not going to push you Starlight, but fuck—I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want more of that with you.”

Seonghwa bit his lip, heat prickling under his skin. “I liked it. A lot.”

“Then if you want it again, I’ll give you more if it. And if you don’t, I’ll stop.”

Seonghwa blinked, almost disbelieving. “So it’s… up to me?”

“Yes.” His answer was firm yet gentle, leaving no room for argument. “You set the pace, my Starlight, and I’ll follow. However far you want to take me.”

A small, startled chuckle broke out of him. “No one has ever let me decide before. Not like that…” Seonghwa could hardly believe Captain would really leave everything up to him, just match his pace. That couldn’t be true… could it?

“So… what if I’m not ready to share my name yet? Is that up to me too?” Seonghwa added as to test if Captain really meant what he had said.

Captain hummed in confirmation. “If you want to keep it like this for now, then I’ll respect it,” he assured softly.

“And if I want to… open one of those doors someday?” Seonghwa asked tentatively.

“Then I’ll be right here on the other side,” he promised. “I’m ready to open all these doors with you. But I wont rush you.”

“And until then?”

“Until then you’re still mine.” His voice dipped low and dark with a quiet intensity that Seonghwa could feel all the way down his spine. “Just mine. No distraction, no one else and absolutely no Linho.”

Seonghwa actually laughed, the knots in his chest loosening a little. “It’s Minho.” He hesitated, but he just had to be sure. “If I’m yours then… does that mean you’re mine too?”

Captain hummed low, voice so deep it made something hot curl in his stomach. That voice… it would be the death of him.

“Promise?” Seonghwa whispered softly.

“I promise, baby.” The word wrapped itself around Seonghwa like Captain’s hands would — warm and possessive all at once.

Seonghwa couldn’t stop smiling, all because of that one word. “Will you… will you keep calling me that?”

Captain’s voice dipped low. “Calling you what? Baby?”

Seonghwa hummed in answer. He had been called baby before, always during sex, but it had never hit him like this. He could feel the word in every cell of his being. For once, he wanted to be someone’s baby — his Captain’s baby.

“Of course, my starlight.” Captain’s voice dropped again. “I’ll give you anything you want. I’ll spoil you rotten.”

Seonghwa’s breath caught, smiling before he could stop it. God, how was he supposed to survive this? Survive him?

They didn’t say much more after that. Just small and quiet things that made Captain chuckle low and Seonghwa’s heart rush. They talked until Seonghwa’s eyes grew heavy.

“Will you… stay with me? Just until I fall asleep?”

There was the sound of Captain moving, fabric brushing against the microphone, then his voice, warm and close in his ear. “I’m not going anywhere. Sleep, Starlight.”

Seonghwa shut his eyes, humming faintly. The last thing he remembered was hearing Captain’s chuckling fondly, low in his ear as he said, “Goodnight, baby. Don’t worry your pretty head; we’ll figure it all out together.”

When he finally drifted off to the sound of Captain’s soft breathing, his heart still hammering with the fear that by morning, he might wake to find it had all been just a dream.

But it was not. And when morning came, so did Captain’s message: Good morning baby.