Chapter Text
Ding!
“Ding!” Said a small voice, adorned in pretty ribbons of excitement. A fit of giggles followed suit, pulling some out of the human’s lips in return.
The human walked into his shop, closing the door behind him.
“I missed this…” Jimin exhaled softly, feeling the scent and essence of the plants wracking through his body. His ears vibrated in happiness, cheeks going soft pink.
Taehyung smiled softly at that, taking off coat carefully so he wouldn’t accidentally make Jimin fall off. He hung it near the door, bag dropped behind his desk. “Missed this?” Taehyung asked as he helped him down onto the desk. “Does that mean you like it here?”
Jimin hopped around the desk, climbing up a small pot that had been sitting there ever since they left last friday, and sat on the edge of it. “I do! I love your flowers… Plus this place is really comfortable and warm. ”
Taehyung swore he could’ve let his knees give out right then. There was a signature boxy and rather shy smile on his lips. “I’m glad you like it here… it’s my favorite place too.” He tied his apron quickly. “Do you want to help me? I need to take care of the plants.”
Jimin’s eyes lip up. “Yes!”
“And that’s the last one…” Taehyung hummed, tilting the watering can into a large pot with alstroemerias. At the same time, Jimin ran his hands through one of the petals and watched as they sparkled to life, standing luxurious and multiplying before their very own eyes. Taehyung would never get over the excitement of seeing Jimin’s magic working.
“We did a good job!” Jimin declared, hands up in the air in a show of triumph. “The plants are happy. You’re happy. I’m happy.”
Taehyung swore he got dizzy.
“We did a pretty good job.” Taehyung nodded and picked Jimin up again between his fingertips, he lowered him to the desk. “I wish we could keep doing this, but now I have to start working…”
“Oh.” Jimin nodded, a bit disappointed that this play time had to come to an end. “Alright… Where do I go?” His wings went down sadly.
“You can keep being near me.” the human sat down in front of his desk, smiling at the fairy. “Or you could go rest in the flowers… whatever you want to do.” Softly, his fingers gently pet Jimin’s head. “Don’t be sad, I’m still here.”
“I’ll stay here.” Jimin said, holding onto the human’s finger and giggling as he stepped away from its reach. “I’ll be in the same place as last time. So maybe I can help you with stuff!”
“Sure, Prince.”
The human stood and walked to the front door of the store, twisting the sign and finally opening it for the day. It had started raining outside; a soft rain that watered the plants and vines around the flowershop gently. Taehyung went back to his desk and took a small blanket that he had gotten from the house that morning, handing it to the fairy. “To keep you warm.”
“Thank you!”
The first client took a while to wander in, ten-ish minutes maybe, Taehyung thought. Jimin retreated into his blind corner as soon as he heard the bell over the door. Taehyung sighed. “Good morning. How may I help you?”
And so the day moved on, the flower shop quite agitated for a regular monday. The clock struck midday when Taehyung finished helping the last customer before it was finally lunch break — which he had established himself, really, it was quite abstract. So maybe today he’d stay closed just for a little longer than usual. He wanted to spend some time with his prince, right now was a good time to do so.
Looking over to his table and leaning his arms, chin tilted to the side peacefully, Taehyung spotted his fairy, on his knees, making a tiny, soft and loose braid with practiced fingers. He looked at his reflecting on a pocket mirror Taehyung had lend him, tongue darted out and stuck between his teeth in concentration.
The sun hit the scenery displayed in front of him just right, and the urge to immortalize it pumped through Taehyung’s veins faster than any drug or even adrenaline could. Grabbing at his phone, Taehyung was quick to snap a picture of the boy who was deliciously preoccupied with something else.
It came out perfect. As expected from anything involving the fairy.
“What are you doing?” The human's eyes fixated on the fairy’s through the screen, and saying that he blushed fiercely until his face turned into a tomato was an understatement. The fairy was sporting a wide smile, eyes opened widely and now facing him. His gaze was questioning, but there was still adoration buried deep beneath.
He debated on putting away the phone but chose not to. “Just...Uh, taking a photo. You look very pretty…”
Jimin’s head tilted. “What’s a photo?”
“It’s when you want to immortalize an image… you get a camera and snap,” he made a small sound with his mouth trying to imitate it, “you take it. Then you have that image for yourself forever.”
Jimin’s eyes glowed with a twinkle of interest, mouth opened in curiosity. “Can I see? So it’s like an instant painting?!”
“You can call it that…” He slowly moved the phone away from his face once he noticed that he wouldn’t be as red as he was anymore, and held it up the fairy. “Do you wanna see the one I just took?”
Jimin stood up and ran to his side, nodding in excitement. “Show me!"
Swiping his finger, Taehyung showed his most recently taken picture, chest swelling with pride at how pretty and perfect it looked. Jimin sat right between him and the phone, and even though Taehyung couldn't see his blush, the fairy’s signature ear vibrations were selling him out on this one. “What do you think?”
“I-It’s… me.”
“Yeah. Had to take a picture of the prettiest thing on the table.”
Jimin hated how velvety everything that came from Taehyung’s mouth sounded. “You’re too much!” The fairy shook his head, making an embarrassed noise and leaning on the human’s arm which was right there. “You say such embarrassing things!”
Taehyung giggled, turning off his phone and petting Jimin’s hair in return. “As long as it makes you blush.” He picked him up, clothes between his fingertips once more.
“You’re so mean.” Jimin kicked the air in protest. “Big and mean!"
“Yeah, yeah.” Taehyung stood, sliding his phone into his apron pocket. “Do you want me to take you to the garden now that it’s not raining, or am I still too big and mean?”
Jimin’s eyes lit up. His legs stopped kicking and he went limp in the human’s grip. “You know what… I changed my mind! Maybe you’re not so mean after all! Still big though…”
Taehyung laughed. Somehow, when he was with Jimin, that was something he couldn't stop doing. That and smiling, ever so widely. “Alright.” Adjusting the way he held onto the boy, the human made him sit in a more comfortable position in his hand, stopping him from dangling. “I’ll take you there, of course. I was going to regardless do whether you threw a fit or not.”
Jimin puffed his cheeks out. “T-Tease.”
The rain had stopped now, letting a little bit of sun out although it was still really cloudy. It was likely to rain again, but Taehyung brushed that part aside. After walking through the employ room, the human pushed through a small door besides the fridge, which opened to a whole new world outside. Jimin’s eyes widened at what he saw.
A large garden stood before them, adorned with several bushes and pots of colorful flowers; trees with succulent fruit hanging from it and a greenhouse that stood impotent and important right in the middle of it. Jimin’s wings emitted a soft glow — golden, similar to the fairy dust he had shown Taehyung — seemingly involuntarily.
The human awed. “Does… does that happen often?”
“M-My wings?” He asked softly, looking up at the human. “Yeah…” His cheeks were dusty pink. “This is...excessive fairy dust. It happens when I’m surrounded by lots of happy and healthy flowers.”
Taehyung couldn't help but smile. Knowing that his plants, the ones he took care of so dearly, were extremely healthy and happy, made him radiant. “Excessive fairy dust?” He couldn't help but ask, “Weren’t you storing it?”
“Y-Yeah but this… can’t be helped really… Besides, it helps forming more! It’s like… when excess water pours out of a glass, the glass is already full y’know…”
“I’m guessing it makes sense.” The human dwelled deeper into the garden, sitting on a pretty outdoors chair and letting the fairy sit on top of the table. The surface was kind of wet, but Jimin didn't seem to mind.
“This place is so nice, Tae!” Jimin said as he looked around, careful not to step on a too big droplet of water. “You must’ve worked really, really hard for it! Are those… Are those orchids?” The fairy pointed towards a large set of vases, eyes sparkling in interest.
“Yeah.” Taehyung replied, voice dripping in fond and overflowing with adoration like honey pouring from a full jar. “Do you like them?”
“Yes!” Without much question or request really, Taehyung picked the boy up and took him to the vases of orchids. “These… these make you feel things. Did you know? Don’t you feel it?”
“What do you mean?” The florist asked, a bit confused.
“Do orchids not make the back of your head tingle? Don't you feel it?” Jimin used his wings for a bit, hovering to a petal and dipping his hands in the pollen the flower offered. “Maybe you haven’t really felt it yet, but flowers, they make you feel things all over you body.” The fairy flew over to the human, never taking his eyes off him. He flew in front of his face, poking the tip of his nose with his hands still dipped in the soft pollen. He stayed there for a while, and, eventually, Taehyung really did start feeling small shudder going up his spine, tingling the back of his neck and eventually spreading a pleasant warmth through his chest, actually making his skin take on a reddish tone as if he was having an allergic reaction to the pollen.
“H-How did you do that?” Taehyung had to cross his eyes to properly look at the fairy, questions clouding his vision.
“I didn't do anything!” The fairy said softly, descending and landing on his hand again. “It’s you! You’re connected to nature and flowers just as much as me…” Jimin started fidgeting nervously. “I’ve been meaning to tell you, but… you do know fairies only show themselves to people who they want to show themselves to, right?”
Taehyung sat on the wet grass, not really giving a damn about his clothing and how soaked it’d be. “What?” And what was the supposed meaning of that?
“I-I… chose to show myself to you.” The fairy said all in one breath. “Obviously I-I didn’t mean to be caught but I c-could’ve simply just not have s-shown myself. I felt the connection you had with my element from the start s-so… that drew me to you.” The fairy was still fidgeting, and somehow Taehyung still just wanted to make it all stop.
And so he did. All too slowly, he was touching the boy again, giving the warmth and comfort he had learnt the other craved as much as he craved to touch. “Should that concern me?” He asked softly. The fairy leaned into his touch. “Prince, I don’t see a problem here. I’m honored that you chose to let me see you… I really am that lucky.”
Jimin blushed fiercely.
“So, you’re telling me flowers will make me feel things now?” The human asked, “Which is weird, because they’ve always given me certain thoughts, but not actually like… physical sensations. Unless I sneeze.”
Jimin nodded. “Yeah. Just like before… only a little more intense now.” His bottom lip jutted out. “But you can take it! If I can, so can you!”
The human laughed. “Yes. I’m sure I will be able to take it.”
It didn’t take long for the first symptoms of his new abilities to start showing. His senses, although not at all times, felt heightened; like his sense of smell and touch. Right off the bat he knew he could distinguish flowers because of their peculiar smells, but not like this at all. He could smell the roses from inside the store while being outside, and he swore the daisies have never smelt so much like wet dirt, the scent of grass played around his nostrils and the human felt lightheaded for long as he stumbled inside the flower shop, holding himself against the door that led to the garden.
“T-Tae!” Jimin said, holding onto the fabric of the human’s collar and looking at him with worried eyes as the florist covered his own with one of his hands. “Are you alright?”
The human let out a breathy chuckle, as light as a feather, and stood still again to make things easier for the fairy to hold himself up. “I’m okay… just got a bit dizzy there for a second.”
“Oh.” The fairy’s voice was still filled with concern, eyes looking slightly sad. “You might want to take it slow, please? It’s a new thing for you… Maybe you should sit down?”
And so he did take his advice, going up to the front desk and sitting on the comfortable chair after putting Jimin down on the desk. He leaned backwards, sighing and the fairy couldn’t help but sit near him, staring intently. “Prince… Why do you smell like daisies and honey, all of a sudden? And why do I smell like pine even though I didn’t put on perfume this morning?”
The fairy couldn’t help the blush that crept up his cheeks and neck as his scent was described, couldn’t help but feel a considerable amount of adoration for the human filling his heart again as he took in the scene before him. Taehyung’s hair was slightly disheveled, the sun kissing his skin through the blinds of the window and making his eyes look glossy and lips luscious. “It’s your new sense of scent, Taetae.” Jimin explained, getting closer and sitting on his forearm. “It will bother you for a while… But you’ll get used to it. I-I promise.”
“You smell nice. I don’t know why I haven't noticed that before.” The human smiled brightly, “It’s soft and warm .” his hand came around him and held the fairy softly; his fingertips grazing over the fairy’s back and head in a docile way, care overflowing in his touch and making the fairy eagerly lean in to get a taste.
“You’re saying embarrassing things, again!” Jimin said, hiding his face in his hand and making Taehyung laugh after saying it wasn’t his fault the fairy was this cute.
The day went quickly and before both of the boys noticed, the sun was already beginning to set and less customers came to the shop gradually. Today had been a rather full day in which Taehyung made lots of money and bouquets, but he was tired and Jimin could sense that in him. Actually, he was especially tired due to the new experiences with his senses. His nostrils seemed rather swollen and his eyes were teary, as if he was having some sort of allergic reaction.
Jimin was doing his best to try to stop it, casually and soothingly rubbing some of his dust over the poor human’s nose, which, sometimes forcefully took a sneeze out of him but helped ease the swell regardless. The florist was now getting ready to close the shop and prepare himself to go home, before his phone rang.
“Hey flower boy.” Someone said. Taehyung recognized the voice immediately and relaxed, leaning back in his chair.
“Hey Seokjin. What’s up?”
“Just thought it’d be nice if I passed by? Haven’t seen you in a while, plus, Jeongguk won’t shut up about you.” The latter chuckled slightly. “Getting harder to deal with my boyfriend each day.”
Taehyung smiled at the mention of the other two’s relationship. Even though Jeongguk talked about Seokjin like he was some sort of beast filled with wrath, he knew that they loved each other beyond words. They were subtle, as if nothing had changed after Seokjin had asked the younger out on a candle-lit dinner; as if they hadn’t exchanged more than a few touches than they should’ve that day; as if Jeongguk didn’t take a silver ring off whenever he made fresh bread every morning. Taehyung envied that a lot.
Taehyung didn’t want a relationship. That’s what he kept telling himself all throughout the years of repressing crushes and avoiding feelings that were simple; common and normal. He was scared; but things had changed from when he was a teenager.
“Sure!” He chirped into the phone excitedly, “when are you coming by?”
“Actually… I’m one street away.” The other man laughed on the other side. “I’ll be in two minutes max.”
The line got cut off right away, and after that Taehyung immediately started looking at his surroundings agitated and pale as if he had seen a ghost. He wasn’t expecting Seokjin to come, he hadn’t even discussed with Jimin how things would go down when the baker was concerned. And he would be here… in two minutes.
“W-What’s happened?” There was a minuscule tug on his sleeve and the tiny voice could only come from one place, so of course it was Jimin looking up at him with worry written all over his face.
“O-Oh, um…” Taehyung rubbed his nape, trying to recollect his calmness. Somehow, the human seemed more concerned about this than the fairy himself. “You surely remember Seokjin, right?”
The fairy boy tilted his head, frowning his brows before a look of enlightenment adorned his adorable features. “Yes… The mean man who almost fired Jeongguk?” Taehyung couldn’t help but tremble at that.
“Yes. Please don’t call him that to his face though… He’s, uh… He might be coming here in less than a minute, and we still haven’t discussed what we want to do abou—”
Just as the human was about to finish his sentence, the bell over the door rang. At the entrance of the shop, a tall and broad man in a trench coat struggled to close it while holding onto a wet umbrella dripping with rain. Jimin widened his eyes and it hurt to see the way he ran to hide next to Taehyung’s utensils. All the florist could do was move closer to the table and pull a vase over in hopes the other wouldn’t notice.
“Seokjin! Hi!” His voice wasn’t the most stable. Taehyung was a terrible liar.
“Taehyungie, this door is so heavy, how do you even deal with it every day?” The other whined as he finally put the umbrella in a drying rack. “Hello.” His voice was still soft like Taehyung remembered, still didn’t have a drop of strictness like Jeongguk made it seem. He was so dramatic. “You okay? Had a rough day?”
Tae’s eyes were peeking over the vase and elbows prompting him on the desk, trying his best to enhance confidence but he was, as a matter of fact, freaking out. “Y-Yeah, sorry. Had a long day here, lots of people. Did you need something?”
The other nodded, Jimin peeked at Taehyung from behind the vase, coming closer from the cramped space he was in. “Need some bouquets for a wedding. Not even mine, which is dumb as to why I’m ordering it but whatever. I also heard you have something to show me…~”
Taehyung swallowed thickly. “W-What?”
“Jeonggukie told me you made a new friend and apparently everyone knows about him except me! How’s that fair?” The older leaned in, a playful look on his face. “Tell me… is he cute? Is he in university or something?” There was a loud gasp, Jimin looked startled. “Do you have a crush on him?!”
“N-No!” The human shook his head and blushed intensely. Maybe if his hearing hadn’t amplified today he wouldn’t have been able to hear the shaky breath that came from the fairy’s lips. “It’s… Jeonggukie told you? What did he say?”
“Well… He said he met someone new and that you ate ramen together the other day. He said you were really close, so I was surprised you didn’t tell me about that person.” Seokjin shrugged. “Honestly, you look tired and I don’t want to upset you so I’m going to look around for the flowers I want. Gimme a moment and you can think over your answer since this seems to be so important.” With a warm smile and a defiant tone, the baker left the counter and headed outside again through the backdoor to pick flowers from Taehyung’s greenhouse.
As soon as he was out of sight, Taehyung grabbed the vase he had pushed earlier and finally looked at the fairy straight. “I’m so sorry.” He said quickly and loudly. “I didn’t know he was coming, I-I didn’t have any time to warn you…”
“I-It’s okay…” Jimin replied a bit shakily as he stood on wobbling knees (something that Taehyung found he did often when he felt scared). The florist picked him up carefully.
“What should we do?” The human asked, always keeping his eyes on the window outside.
“T-Tae can’t we just tell him?” Jimin asked, holding onto his thumb. “Everyone already knows… T-This is bad isn’t it?”
“No!” The human retorted. “Not at all? It’s just that I need to know if you’re okay with everything that’s happening. I know it’s a lot to take in, but I think you can do it for the last time, right?”
“You worry so much.” Jimin said sweetly, his shaking voice ceasing. He held onto the human’s thumb and stroked it with his own hand softly. “You worry so much about everything that happens with me… Do you think I’ll be able to introduce myself to Jin all alone? I think I could...”