Archive of Our Own

It was early evening when Yoongi had finished his last stitch in the dress. 

Leaning back in his chair, Yoongi yawned, stretching before pushing his slipping glasses up the bridge of his nose. Taking a moment to admire his work. 

The dress was pretty, the fabric sparkling in the lazy evening rays. Pink like the sunset he and Hoseok had watched on their walk the other day, his inspiration for the work. The way Hoseok had smiled under the sunset. 

A dog barking broke Yoongi from his thoughts as his gaze traveled out of the small office window towards the large backyard where he found Hoseok picking strawberries in their small garden. They must be ripe now, Yoongi thought, as he watched their small rescue prance around Hoseok’s steps, barking at the bees. 

Yoongi smiled, setting his glasses down on the desk and making way for the door, taking a moment to slip on his farm boots before making his way out towards the garden, “Seok-ah!” 

Hoseok looked up from where he was crouched down by the strawberries, smiling up towards him, “Hyungie!” He got up, dusting off his pants, “How is the new project going? Did you finish already?” 

“I did.” Yoongi slipped closer to Hoseok, pressing a kiss to his cheek before leaning down to pet the dog by their feet, “It turned out well enough. Think Seokjin will like the design enough to put it on the company website.” 

“That’s great!” Hoseok chirped, “You’ll have to show me after I finish here, I’m heading to the cow pasture to feed those cuties some strawberries before I start on dinner.” 

“Mind if I join?” Yoongi asked, reaching out to hold Hoseok’s free hand in his own. Yoongi would never tire of the way his large hand fit in Hoseok’s smaller one. 

“When have I ever minded your company?” Hoseok teased as they walked through the garden to the pasture. 

“I could count a few times.” Yoongi chuckled, reminiscing on their years together. 

“Well, okay. Maybe a few times.” Hoseok huffed, “But I was young, and you were... persistent .” 

“I feel that I have to be when I have something as good as you.” Yoongi answered easily, shrugging, “I couldn’t risk losing you, you’re the best thing I’ve ever known, Seok-ah. Sue a man for being persistent with such a treasure.” 

Hoseok blushed slightly, even after all their years, Yoongi was still able to make him blush softly under the summer sky. 

Yoongi’s heart fluttered a little as he smiled. The butterflies had never stopped fluttering in Hoseok’s presence. 

“Oh hush. You’ve got me. You’ve had me for quite some time now. Even back then.” Hoseok continued softer, a whisper, “You’ve always had me.” 

Yoongi wrapped his arm around Hoseok’s shoulders, their interlaced fingers now resting on Hoseok’s shoulder as Yoongi shuffled them closer together, “And somehow I still can’t believe I’m not dreaming.” 

Hoseok giggled, that bright, lovely little thing that sang with the birds in Yoongi’s heart. 

Once they’d arrived the short distance to the pasture, Hoseok called out for the small herd of cows. They were rescues, and if Hoseok had his way they’d have a whole farm of rescue cows. 

The thing is, Hoseok always got his way. One way or another. Yoongi made sure of it. 

The dairy cow in the herd was Yoongi’s favorite. 

“She never wants any treats from me.” Hoseok pouted from where he was feeding one of the darker colored cows a strawberry, looking over to where Yoongi was feeding the dairy cow a large some of strawberries from Hoseok’s basket. 

“Hey, the other three like you more, let me have this one.” Yoongi chuckled, petting the dairy cow sweetly, “You like Seok-ah, don’t you big girl?” Yoongi asked the cow, gesturing for Hoseok to come closer. 

Hoseok moved closer to Yoongi, allowing the elder to take his hand and lay it atop his palm, placing three little strawberries atop Hoseok’s palm, “Here,” He whispered, guiding their hands over the fence to the cows soft nose, “She’ll think she’s eating from my palm, but really…” Yoongi trailed off, smiling as his plan worked and the dairy cow nuzzled her nose against Hoseok’s palm, eating the strawberries. 

“She’s eating from mine.” Hoseok whispered, giggling, “Hyungie, isn’t this cheating?” 

“It’s a start.” Yoongi leaned over to kiss Hoseok’s cheek. 

Hoseok rolled his eyes, giggling more as he reached into the basket and pulled out another strawberry, handing it to Yoongi, “Alright, your turn.” 

“My turn?” Yoongi smirked. 

“All the cows got their treats, so now it’s your turn.” Hoseok smiled playfully as he turned on his heel to head home. 

“You’re saying I’m your pet cow?” Yoongi chuckled, popping the strawberry into his mouth. 

“If you want to be.” Hoseok sang. 

“You know, if we milked the dairy cow I bet it would taste like strawberry milk with the amount of fruit you give her.” Yoongi commented, smiling when Hoseok reached out to interlace their hands again. 

“Yeah, I think I read that somewhere too. Too bad we’re not milking the dairy cow.” 

“Why not?” Yoongi chuckled, bumping Hoseok’s shoulder gently. 

“Because she’s not pregnant.” Hoseok shrugged, “And her milk should be for her babies, not us.” Hoseok paused for a moment, thinking it over, “But if she was pregnant and had some leftover milk to spare, I guess we could try it and see if it tastes like strawberries.” 

“For science?” Yoongi teased. 

“For science, of course.” Hoseok giggled. “Oh, hyungie did you get the eggs from the chicken coup this morning?” 

“Of course, I set them in the refrigerator for you.” 

“Perfect.” Hoseok cheered, “I’m thinking of making fried rice for dinner tonight. How does that sound?” 

Perfect . Yoongi thought after he’d finished dinner and was busy helping Hoseok with the dishes. Their usual routine, Hoseok washing and Yoongi drying. 

“Hyungie!” Hoseok’s eyes grew wide as he quickly finished washing the last dish, “Your project! I want to see it!” 

“Ah, right. Let me go get it after I—”

“Shoo, shoo” Hoseok waved him off, excited, “I’ll dry this one, you go get the dress!” 

Yoongi chuckled at Hoseok’s enthusiasm, rushing to his office to set the design up on the mannequin when—

When an idea occurred to him. 

“Hyungie?” Hosoek popped his head through the door, wiping his hands across his worn jeans as he walked into Yoongi’s studio, “There’s nothing on the mannequin?”

“Yeah I…” Yoongi bit his lip, gesturing towards the folded dress on his desk, “I was kinda hoping that...you might…” 

“Hyungie?” Hoseok looked back up towards Yoongi, intrigued. 

Yoongi exhaled, “It’s your size, Seok-ah.” 

“Oh.” Hoseok’s eyes grew wide then, and Yoongi could see the excitement bubbling under those brown orbs. “Oh I...I can…” 

Yoongi nodded, moving forward to press a kiss to Hoseok’s cheek sweetly, “Take your time Seok-ah, I’ll wait for you in the living room.” He smiled before walking the rest of the way out of the office room and into the living room. 

It was...it was a new revelation. 

This . 

Yoongi sewing dresses. 

Hoseok wearing those dresses. 

Yoongi would be lying if the image of Hoseok in the dresses he sewed wasn’t the most beautiful thing to his eyes. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t dream of Hoseok wearing them more . 

But it was new to Hoseok. Even as they grew older, they were learning things about each other and themselves still. And this...this was something that Hoseok was learning about himself. 

Wearing dresses and feeling pretty was something Hoseok would never have even dreamt of in his teens or twenties. 

But now that it was just the two of them in their late thirties, 

Hoseok allowed himself to dream of such things. 

Yoongi was safe. 

And Yoongi swore, would do everything in his power, to keep it that way. 

To be safe for Hoseok. To allow him to try things like this. To explore these things. 

And lord knows Yoongi was learning himself how much he loved it. But he was also learning restraint, he was learning patience. Because Hoseok needed to do this at his own pace. And Yoongi would give him that. 

He always would. 

“Hyung?” Hoseok started quietly from the hallway. 

Yoongi whipped around from where he was standing, turning to find Hoseok shyly walking into the living room wearing the strawberry dress. 

“Wow…” Yoongi exhaled, “You...you’re a dream, Seok-ah.” 

Hoseok stood there bearfoot in his messy curls from the day, his shy smile and the pale pink dress that hugged him just right around his lithe waist, fluffed out like a pink cloud by his cafes and shoulders. The strawberry design painting the dress glittered under the low living room light. 

“Are you sure?” Hoseok bit his lip, “You can’t see as well as you used to these days. Should I go get you your glasses? I mean, this is a...a very femminine dress hyungie… and I’m wearing it.” Hoseok huffed a little, so, so shy as he tugged on the dress slightly, “How could you say that I’m like a dream?” 

“Seok-ah, come here.” Yoongi spoke gently, holding his arms out for Hoseok. 

Hoseok practically leaped into Yoongi’s embrace, into the safety of his arms. 

Yoongi held him close, whispering, “You are the most beautiful dream.” 

“But you can’t see.” Hoseok mumbled into Yoongi’s chest. 

“Which is why you’ve been growing carrots in the garden, right? I’ve been eating so many carrots lately I can see the future too.” Yoongi teased, swaying them gently. 

Hoseok giggled, “Oh really? And what do you see in the future then, huh?” 

“I see…” Yoongi started gently, taking a leap of faith. He didn’t want to push Hoseok too far, too fast…

But some things just couldn't be helped. 

“I see a peasant asking the most beautiful princess in a strawberry dress to a dance.” 

“You see a fairy tale?” Hoseok hummed, teasingly. 

“Maybe.” Yoongi smiled, stepping back and offering his hand for Hoseok to take, “What do you say, princess? Make this peasants' wildest dreams come true?” 

“You—” Hoseok’s eyes grew wide as he looked down towards his dress, then Yoongi’s hand, before eventually meeting Yoongi’s gaze again, “You meant me ? I’m the princess?” 

“Of course.” Yoongi spoke, hesitating for a moment, “Is that...is that too far, Seok-ah?” 

Hoseok paused for a long moment, tugging at the dress again. “It’s...okay? It’s okay to want to be that? A princess?” 

“Yes.” Yoongi breathed quietly, fondly, “Seok-ah, it is okay to be whatever you wish to be. Especially when you are with me. All I want is for you to be happy.” 

“And you...you don’t think it’s weird? That I might...like being a princess?” Hoseok added quickly, “Around you?” 

“You are already my princess in my heart.” Yoongi confessed gently, softly. 

Hoseok took a deep breath. It was a small moment, a quiet pause, but Yoongi knew how much this meant to the younger man. How brave he was being to embrace himself in such a way. 

Yoongi’s heart began to flutter in awe again. 

“Then I have one request that I would like to change to your fairy tale.” Hoseok started, his voice gaining more confidence as he spoke, “I don’t want you to be a peasant.” 

Yoongi raised a brow, intrigued, “Noted. What would you like me to be, princess? Your knight in shining armor?”

“My prince.” Hoseok whispered. Quiet. 

“Oh.” Yoongi exhaled, “Right. Your prince.” 

“Is that...okay?” Hoseok asked, suddenly nervous again with the lack of response. 

Yoongi smiled quickly, eager , “Can I be your dashing prince? Or your prince charming?” 

Hoseok giggled, “How about my strawberry prince?” 

“Your strawberry prince.” Yoongi bowed, extending his hand out for Hoseok’s own, “Well, beautiful princess. Will you grace this humble strawberry prince with your hand in a dance?” 

“Oh you.” Hoseok giggled more, allowing his hand to fall into Yoongi’s own palm, “I would be honored to dance with such a dashing strawberry prince.” 

“And charming.” Yoongi pulled Hoseok closer, an arm around his waist as their hands interlocked together in the air by their shoulders, Hoseok’s arm wrapping around Yoongi’s shoulder. 

“And charming.” Hoseok echoed, whispered, as Yoongi started to sway them before he realized with wide eyes, “Wait, hyungie we need music—”

“Oh shit. Right, hold on.” Yoongi’s expression mirrored Hoseok’s own, “Stay right there, don’t move princess!” Yoongi ordered as he rushed to the kitchen, bringing an old bluetooth radio into the living room. Yoongi fumbled with his phone before something lovely and gentle started playing quietly through the speakers.

Yoongi returned to pull Hoseok into his hold again, “Alright, let’s try that again.” Making Hoseok giggle into his shoulder. 

“What is this hyungie? I haven’t heard it before.” 

“Something new Namjoon-ah and Jungkook have been working on. I think maybe Jimin and Taehyung might have helped with the track too. Sent it to me the other day.” Yoongi spoke as he swayed them both in a gentle and slow waltz. 

“I like it.” Hoseok hummed, smiling, “We should bring some strawberries into town next time and give them some. We have more than enough for us and the animals.” 

“I think they’d love that, princess.” Yoongi leaned his forehead against Hoseok’s own, “How does the dress feel, beautiful?” 

“ Perfect ,” Hoseok exhaled, smiling, “You never sew anything that doesn’t fit me like a glove hyungie.” 

“Maybe I’ve had a few years to get to know that pretty little body of yours.” Yoongi shrugged, playful. 

“Hyung—” Hoseok started giggling as Yoongi backed away, twirling Hoseok with his hand and sending the pink cloud-like dress floating around him. 

Yoongi felt his breath being knocked out of him at the sight.  

“What?” Hoseok asked brightly when he’d finished his twirls, giggling, “Why are you looking at me like that?” 

“Like what?” Yoongi teased, pulling Hoseok back in and dipping him down low, hovering over him as Hoseok’s bright and surprised laughter illuminated the room. 

“Like That !” Hoseok cheered through his giggles, their noses nuzzling together until Yoongi moved to bring them both back up, pulling Hoseok close against him again. 

“Like you’ve just taken my breath away?”

“Hyung!” Hoseok smiled, stepping closer, nuzzling his nose into the crook of Yoongi’s neck. 

“What? It’s true.” Yoongi swayed them both, pressing a kiss to the side of Hoseok’s head, “You are absolutely stunning wearing my designs, princess. Can hyung tell you a secret?” 

“Mm.” Hoseok hummed, a little dreamlike. 

“You know you’re my muse in everything I do, right, beautiful?” 

Hoseok huffed fondly, “You’ve told me hyungie. I don’t know how that is still true after all these years. I don’t know how you’re not bored of me yet.” 

“ Bored of you?” Yoongi laughed, “There is not a single boring day with you. Not even out here in the countryside where all there is, is you and me.” 

“And our cows.” 

“And our cows.” Yoongi agreened gently, “When I design, you’re my muse for the themes. But when I design dresses…” Yoongi trailed off, pausing a moment to collect his thoughts, “After the first time. Do you remember? When I desperately needed a model for a design that wasn’t quite working out, and so you stepped up and helped me out?” 

“I remember.” Hoseok nodded against Yoongi’s shoulder, smiling a little, “I was so nervous. I’d never even thought about trying on a dress before.” 

Yoongi hummed, “I know you were nervous, but believe me when I say that I had never seen you so beautiful before. It...it was like something ignited in my chest that night.” 

“I liked it too.” Hoseok confessed through a whisper, “Liked how pretty I felt in it. How you looked at me wearing it.” 

“And you’re just as beautiful tonight as you were then.” Yoongi hummed, “Ever since that night, when I design dresses or gowns, I don’t just look to you for inspiration. I imagine you wearing them. I sew them for you .” Yoongi chuckled gently, “The fact that I get paid to design them is just a plus.” 

“Hyung?” Hoseok started after a moment, his voice sounded small. 

Yoongi held him closer, “Yes, princess?” 

“You’re the best strawberry prince.” 

“Oh?” Yoongi smiled, “And why’s that?” 

Hoseok giggled then, humming, “You make your princess feel really special. Really loved.” 

“That’s because you are so very special and loved, beautiful.” Yoongi whispered. Promised. 

“Yeah.” Hoseok smiled fondly as he yawned, “I love you, you know that, right?” 

“Yes, princess.” Yoongi spoke gently as the song came to a close, as he turned off the lights and helped Hoseok to bed. As he held Hoseok close and whispered quiet promises against his lips, under the moons gentle, guiding light, 

“I love you too, princess.”