Work Text:
The university greenhouse was officially closed after 8 PM, but as a junior lecturer in botany and assistant curator of the rare plants collection, Joong had a key and permission to work late. He often did, finding peace in the humid sanctuary when the rest of the campus had gone quiet. The controlled environment, with its whispering leaves and fragrant air, had become more of a home to him than his actual apartment some days.
Tonight was special. After months of careful cultivation and monitoring, his prized Bulbophyllum nocturnum; one of the few truly night-blooming orchid species was finally ready to reveal its splendor. Joong had been tracking this specimen for nearly a year, adjusting light exposure, humidity levels, and soil composition with meticulous care. The orchid, a descendant from a rapidly disappearing wild population in Thailand, represented both scientific importance and personal triumph.
His notebook open beside him on the small wooden workbench, Joong carefully documented the flower's gradual unfurling in the soft glow of his desk lamp. Every few minutes, he'd capture another photograph with the camera mounted on a tripod beside the bench, tracking the precise timeline of the bloom. The greenhouse was otherwise dark, moonlight filtering through the glass ceiling and casting long shadows among the dense foliage, creating an almost magical atmosphere in the tropical section where his research specimens were housed.
"Note the acceleration in petal movement at 9:47 PM," he murmured to himself, jotting down observations. "Approximately 3.2 millimeters of extension in the last twenty minutes."
Joong hummed softly to himself, so absorbed in his work that he didn't notice the soft footsteps approaching until a voice broke the silence.
"I thought I'd find you here."
Joong startled, looking up from his meticulous notes. He spotted Dunk leaning against the doorframe of the tropical section, arms crossed over his chest, an amused smile playing on his lips. Even in the dim light, Dunk's presence seemed to illuminate the space around him – a quality that had drawn Joong to him from their first meeting at the new faculty orientation eight months ago, when they'd both started their lecturer positions.
"You should wear a bell," Joong scolded, marking his place in the notebook. "I almost ruined my observation notes."
"But you didn't," Dunk replied cheerfully, pushing away from the doorframe and approaching the wooden workbench where Joong was stationed. His eyes caught the subtle movement of the orchid's petals, widening in appreciation. "Wow, is that the famous Bulbo-something you've been texting me about all week?"
"Bulbophyllum nocturnum," Joong corrected automatically, unable to suppress a small smile at Dunk's attempted use of the scientific name.
Dunk placed a takeout bag beside Joong's tools on the bench. "I brought dinner since I knew you'd forget to eat. Again."
The aroma of pad thai wafted from the bag, and Joong's stomach growled in response. He glanced at his watch, surprised to see it was already past 10 PM. Had he really been sitting here on this uncomfortable lab stool for four hours straight?
"You didn't have to do that," Joong said, though gratitude colored his voice. This wasn't the first time Dunk had rescued him from his own single-minded focus.
"Someone has to look after you," Dunk replied, pulling up the second lab stool from under the bench and settling beside Joong, their knees bumping briefly under the narrow workbench. "The plants won't remind you to eat, even the nocturnal ones." He gestured toward the orchid. "Though I must say, this Bulbophyllum does seem particularly demanding of your attention."
Joong capped his pen and set aside his notebook, careful not to disturb the delicate setup of camera and monitoring equipment he'd arranged around the plant. "Don't you have assignments to grade, Dr. Natachai?"
"All done," Dunk said proudly, unpacking the food containers and placing them on the cleared section of the workbench. A hint of fatigue around his eyes suggested he'd worked late himself to clear his schedule. "The advantages of teaching computer science instead of botany – no plants to water, no night blooms to observe, just code to review. Though I did have to wade through twenty-seven variations of the same sorting algorithm today."
"And here I thought you came because you missed me," Joong teased, settling more comfortably on his stool beside Dunk. Their shoulders brushed lightly as they sat side by side at the narrow bench, a casual touch that still sent a small thrill through him.
Dunk handed him chopsticks with a soft smile. "That too." Their fingers touched in the exchange, lingering just a moment longer than necessary. "Maybe mostly that."
They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the nocturnal sounds of the greenhouse – the occasional drip of water, the whirr of temperature control systems, the distant chirping of frogs in the tropical section – creating a peaceful backdrop. Joong found himself sneaking glances at Dunk, admiring the way the moonlight carved shadows along his jawline in the dimly lit space.
"How is the blooming cycle progressing?" Dunk asked, genuinely interested despite botany being far from his field of expertise. That was something Joong treasured about him – his curiosity extended far beyond his own discipline.
Joong's eyes lit up, as they always did when discussing his work. "It's fascinating! Bulbophyllum nocturnum only blooms for one night every three months. I've been tracking its photoperiodic responses. The flower actually began preparing for tonight's bloom two weeks ago, with subtle hormonal changes triggering the bud development." He gestured excitedly toward the plant positioned directly in front of them on the workbench. "See how the petals curl outward rather than simply opening? That's a specialized adaptation to release the scent more effectively to attract night pollinators – though here we don't have the specific moth species it evolved alongside."
He continued, enthusiasm growing with each word. "If we can understand its flowering triggers, it might help conservation efforts for endangered orchid species. The wild population has declined by nearly seventy percent in the last decade alone due to habitat loss and climate change."
"My boyfriend, saving the plant world one night bloom at a time," Dunk said with evident pride, turning on his stool to face Joong more directly.
Joong blushed slightly. Even after eight months together, he still wasn't used to the way Dunk looked at him – like he was something precious, something worthy of admiration. In his previous relationships, partners had often complained about his dedication to his work, but Dunk seemed to understand that his passion for plants was intrinsic to who he was.
"It's just research," he mumbled, suddenly self-conscious about his excited rambling. "I'm hoping it will strengthen my application for the tenure-track position next year."
"It's important," Dunk insisted, his tone growing serious. "And so is this." He reached into the bag and pulled out a small container. "Khanom chan for dessert. I know it's your favorite."
Joong laughed, genuinely surprised. The layered Thai dessert was indeed his favorite, but it wasn't easy to find. "You're spoiling me. Did you go all the way to that Thai market on the other side of town?"
"Maybe," Dunk replied with a mysterious smile. "Or maybe I just happened to be passing by. A computer scientist never reveals his algorithms."
"That's magicians, not computer scientists," Joong corrected, opening the container to reveal the perfectly layered, translucent green and white dessert.
"Same difference. We both create things that seem magical to the uninitiated." Dunk winked, clearly pleased with Joong's reaction.
"The departmental meeting was boring without you tonight," he continued, watching as Joong savored the first bite. "The head of department kept talking about curriculum changes for forty-five minutes straight. Even the free coffee couldn't make it interesting."
"I'm sorry I missed it," Joong said, not sounding sorry at all. Academic politics had never been his strong suit; he'd much rather spend time with his plants than navigate departmental rivalries, especially as one of the newest faculty members.
"No, you're not," Dunk chuckled, seeing right through him as usual. "But I told them your research was time-sensitive. Dr. Sutthirat seemed particularly interested in your work. He wants to visit the greenhouse sometime."
"The ecology senior lecturer? Really?" Joong perked up, nearly dropping his dessert. Dr. Sutthirat was notoriously selective about the research he supported. "That could mean collaboration opportunities! Maybe even access to that new environmental monitoring equipment his lab just received."
"I thought that might excite you more than the meeting," Dunk said, clearly pleased with himself. "I might have shown him some of those photos you sent me of your previous successful observations."
"You've been carrying around pictures of my plants?" Joong asked, oddly touched by the gesture.
"Well, you do send quite a lot of them," Dunk teased. "My phone gallery is about seventy percent your plants, twenty percent actual photos of you, and ten percent random memes."
"And you still looked at my messages enough to remember which photos to show Dr. Sutthirat," Joong said, warmth spreading through his chest at the thought.
"Of course I did." The simple sincerity in Dunk's voice made Joong's heart skip.
After they finished eating, Dunk moved his stool closer to observe the orchid with Joong. Their thighs pressed together as they leaned forward over the workbench. Despite his initial protests about Dunk "disturbing the controlled environment," Joong found himself enjoying the company, pointing out the subtle changes in the bloom as the petals continued to open.
"This species is especially interesting because it uses both visual and olfactory cues to attract pollinators," Joong explained, his scientific curiosity momentarily overriding his awareness of how close Dunk was sitting beside him. "The patterning on the labellum – that's this modified petal here – actually reflects ultraviolet light in patterns invisible to humans but visible to its moth pollinators."
"Look," Joong murmured, pointing to the delicate structure at the center of the flower. "The labellum is starting to extend. By midnight, it should be fully open. And the scent will intensify – can you smell it yet?"
Dunk leaned in, his shoulder and side pressing fully against Joong's as he inhaled deeply. "It's subtle. Like jasmine, but with something else I can't place."
"That's the chemical compound designed to mimic the female moth pheromones," Joong explained, hyper-aware of their proximity in the small space. "It's how the Bulbophyllum ensures the right pollinator visits."
"Nature's dating app," Dunk quipped. "Very sophisticated matching algorithm."
Joong laughed. "I suppose you could look at it that way."
"It's beautiful," Dunk said softly, but when Joong glanced over, he found Dunk looking at him rather than the flower, their faces now just inches apart.
Joong rolled his eyes when he noticed. "Focus on the Bulbophyllum, not me."
"Can't help it," Dunk teased, voice dropping lower. "One is a rare bloom that only appears under specific circumstances, and the other is just a flower."
"That was terrible," Joong groaned, but he couldn't hide his smile. Dunk's cheesy lines should be cringeworthy, but somehow they always managed to make his heart flutter.
"Yet you're still smiling," Dunk pointed out, turning his stool to face Joong directly, their knees now intertwined. "That's what I love about you. You pretend to hate my jokes, but you care too much about everything to truly be annoyed."
The casual way Dunk said "love" made Joong's heart skip. They hadn't said those words formally yet, dancing around the sentiment for weeks now. There had been moments – quiet good nights over the phone, lingering goodbye kisses, thoughtful gestures like tonight's dinner – when Joong had almost said it, the words balanced on the tip of his tongue. But something had always held him back, some fear he couldn't quite name.
"I need to take more notes," Joong said, clearing his throat and reaching for his notebook. "The scent should be intensifying soon." He busied himself with writing, though his thoughts were suddenly far from scientific observations.
Dunk moved back slightly to give him space, seeming to sense Joong's sudden nervousness. "How long will the bloom last?"
"Just until dawn," Joong replied, jotting down observations with a slightly unsteady hand. "That's why I have to be here tonight. Miss it, and I'll have to wait another three months. All the data collection needs to happen within this narrow window."
"Like catching rare moments," Dunk said thoughtfully. "Something we all need to appreciate when they happen." He watched as Joong carefully photographed the flower, the camera's flash briefly illuminating the greenhouse. "Do you ever feel like we're experiencing something just as rare? Something that needs to be cherished while it's happening?"
Joong paused, meeting Dunk's gaze, the seriousness in his normally playful eyes catching him off guard. "What do you mean?"
"Us," Dunk said simply, setting down the lens filter he'd been helping with and placing his hand on the workbench near Joong's. "This thing between us. It's like your Bulbophyllum – special and worth staying up all night for. At least for me."
Joong's breath caught. "Dunk..."
"I know we haven't said it yet," Dunk continued, his fingers finding Joong's where they rested on the workbench. "But I think it's time. I've been waiting for the right moment, and watching you here tonight, completely in your element, passionate and brilliant and beautiful in the moonlight..." He took a deep breath. "I love you, Joong. Not just because you're brilliant and passionate about your work, or because you look adorable when you're concentrating so hard you forget to blink. I love you because being with you feels like finding a perfect ecosystem – everything just works."
Joong stared at him, momentarily speechless. Leave it to Dunk to make a botanical analogy that actually made his heart race. All the anxiety he'd felt about those three words melted away, replaced by a certainty that felt as natural as photosynthesis.
"You're using plant metaphors to confess your love to a botanist," Joong finally said, his voice soft with wonder. "That's either very clever or very obvious."
"Is it working?" Dunk asked, a hint of vulnerability breaking through his confident facade. His fingers tightened slightly around Joong's, betraying his nervousness.
Instead of answering with words, Joong closed the distance between them, swiveling his stool to face Dunk fully and pressing his lips gently against Dunk's. He felt Dunk smile against his mouth before kissing him back, one arm sliding around Joong's waist to steady them both on the precarious lab stools. Dunk's other hand came up to cradle Joong's face as the kiss deepened, and Joong found himself thinking that perhaps some things were even more miraculous than rare orchid blooms.
When they finally pulled apart, both slightly breathless, Joong rested his forehead against Dunk's. "I love you too. And yes, your plant metaphor worked perfectly. I've been wanting to tell you for weeks."
"Why didn't you?" Dunk asked, his hand still warm against Joong's cheek, their bodies close in the small space between the workbench and equipment shelves.
"I was afraid," Joong admitted. "My work has always come between me and relationships before. People get tired of competing with plants for attention."
"I'm not competing," Dunk said, his smile gentle in the dim light. "I'm admiring. Your passion is part of who you are, and I love who you are. All of it. Even the part that forgets to eat dinner when there's an exciting Bulbophyllum blooming."
Dunk's laughter echoed among the plants as he pulled Joong close again, the lab stool creaking slightly beneath them. "I have about fifty more plant-related metaphors prepared for every occasion."
"Fifty?" Joong groaned in mock horror, his hands resting comfortably on Dunk's shoulders.
"At least," Dunk confirmed, his eyes twinkling with mischief in the moonlight. "My love for you grows like a well-watered fern..."
Joong silenced him with another kiss, which Dunk happily accepted as a fair trade for leaving his plant puns unsaid – at least for now.
Outside, rain began to patter softly against the greenhouse glass, creating a soothing rhythm that matched the contentment in Joong's heart. Inside the humid tropical section, surrounded by growing things and wrapped in each other's arms, Joong and Dunk had created their own perfect climate. On the workbench beside them, the Bulbophyllum nocturnum continued its rare display, a silent witness to a different kind of blossoming that, unlike the flower, would not fade with the dawn.
"Should we check on the orchid?" Dunk whispered against Joong's ear after a while, his arms still wrapped around Joong's waist, keeping him balanced on the stool.
"It'll do what it needs to do," Joong replied, not wanting to break the embrace. "Some things in nature don't need our constant observation to thrive."
"Like us?" Dunk asked, pulling back just enough to meet Joong's eyes in the moonlit greenhouse.
"No," Joong said, smiling as he shifted slightly on his stool. "We definitely require continued close study." He reached for his notebook and pencil. "In fact, I think I need to start a new research project immediately."
"Oh?" Dunk raised an eyebrow, intrigued, but keeping one arm firmly around Joong to ensure he didn't slide off the stool.
Joong flipped to a new page and wrote at the top, "The Effects of Computer Science Lecturers on Botanical Research Productivity: A Case Study."
Dunk read it over Joong's shoulder and laughed. "And what's your hypothesis, Dr. Archen?"
"That's what we're going to find out," Joong replied, setting the notebook aside on the workbench and leaning in for another kiss as the Bulbophyllum nocturnum finally opened completely, its perfume filling the greenhouse with sweetness. "But preliminary data looks very promising indeed."