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Seonghwa was checking their current inventory against the record the pixies maintained when Wooyoung appeared in the doorway. Seonghwa sensed him from the moment he walked up, but he pretended not to. He let Wooyoung hover there until it became clear that Wooyoung wasn't going to speak. Seonghwa sighed and turned around.
Wooyoung startled and stared at him with wide eyes like a child caught with their hand in a cookie jar.
"Do you need something?"
"No-maybe..yes," Wooyoung sputtered before clearing his throat. "I was hoping we could talk, but if you're busy that's okay. I actually have to go…do something too."
Seonghwa placed his notepad and pen down on the bench. He looked at Wooyoung properly. The human was as anxious as he'd seen him before the night they all shared together. Seonghwa frowned. This wasn't good.
"I'm not busy. Let's go to my room, it's quiet there." He stepped around the bench and walked towards Wooyoung. Wooyoung averted his eyes and shook his head.
"N-no, I think that's—"
"It's private," Seonghwa said. "No one will hear us or be able to interrupt like they can here. This seems important, like something that is better spoken about in private?"
Wooyoung hesitated before nodding. "Yeah, you're right."
Instead of seeming assured, Wooyoung's features pinched and his shoulders rose higher. Seonghwa tried to think of what could possibly upset him this much. Had he changed his mind? Was he only interested in one of them? Seonghwa had noticed his keen interest in Yunho… Seonghwa shooed away the thoughts. It was never good to assume. It never ended well.
Seonghwa led Wooyoung into his room and closed the door. He whispered a quick spell. The sigil on the door glowed briefly in response.
"What was that?" Wooyoung asked, his voice trembling. Seonghwa turned to him. The human was shaking. Seonghwa couldn't tell if he was afraid of the magic, him or something else. Seonghwa really hoped that whatever it was, he could help.
"It's just a silencing spell. San won't be able to eavesdrop." Seonghwa tried for a joke, but Wooyoung didn't smile. He gestured to the bed. "Do you want to sit? It'll be more comfortable."
Wooyoung nodded and hopped into Seonghwa's bed. Seonghwa climbed in after him. His bed was covered in pillows, giant plushies and smaller plushies. His bed was used less for sleeping, and more for stuff like this. Jongho joked that it was the 'therapy bed.' Seonghwa couldn't refute his claim. Most of the plushies were San's, but they had all contributed to the massive collection. Seonghwa stretched out beside the human-sized elephant plushie Jongho had brought home from a carnival and observed how Wooyoung delicately settled between the giant banana and teddy bear plushies.
Seonghwa offered him the soft rabbit plushie that Yunho adored. Wooyoung took it with furrowed brows, but instinctively cuddled it to his chest like Seonghwa had suspected he would.
"What did you want to talk about?" Seonghwa asked gently.
Wooyoung opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, and sighed. He averted his eyes and played with the rabbit's ears. "I just…do you hate me?"
That was not what Seonghwa had expected to hear in a million years. Where on Earth had Wooyoung gotten that ridiculous idea from?
"It's okay if you do. I just want to know the truth."
"What? Why would you think that? I could never hate you."
Wooyoung glanced at him, but Seonghwa couldn't read his expression. Maybe it was shock. Maybe it was disbelief.
"It's just," he swallowed and averted his eyes again. He held the rabbit closer. "I overheard you an Hongjoong talking back before that night. You said you didn't want me here."
Seonghwa gaped at Wooyoung. He had never said such a thing. He couldn't even recall when he would have—oh. Oh.
"Oh no, Wooyoung, sweetheart, I'm so sorry. I never meant that. I've never wanted you to leave, honey," he said earnestly.
Wooyoung looked at him with tear-filled eyes. "But I heard you. You were scared because of me and—"
"Wooyoung, listen to me," Seonghwa said sternly. "I was scared, yes. But I never wanted you to leave. I just wanted Hongjoong to tell you the truth. I wanted all of us to stop walking around on eggshells and hiding half of who we are."
Tears slipped down Wooyoung's cheek and his lips wobbled. Seonghwa crawled closer to Wooyoung and opened his arms. Wooyoung crumpled into his arms with a hiccuping sob.
"I never hated you. I don't hate you."
Wooyoung clutched at Seonghwa's shirt with one of his hands and hid his face in the rabbit plushie and Seonghwa's abdomen.
"I'm sorry that you ever thought that I wanted you gone." Seonghwa pulled Wooyoung into his lap and held him tightly. He pressed a kiss to the top of Wooyoung's head. "I love you, Wooyoung."
Wooyoung's response was a muffled unintelligible mess, but Seonghwa understood it all the same. He rested his chin atop Wooyoung's head and rocked him gently.
Wooyoung slowly calmed down and his sobs quietened. He pulled back and Seonghwa let him. Seonghwa wiped the lingering tears from Wooyoung's cheeks with a soft smile.
"I'm sorry," Wooyoung said with an embarrassed rosy tinge spreading across his face.
"There's nothing to be sorry for."
"But—"
"There's nothing to be sorry for." Seonghwa eyed Wooyoung pointedly. Wooyoung wisely got the point.
"Was there anything else you needed to get off your chest?"
Wooyoung hesitated, visibly debating whether or not to say what else was on his mind. Seonghwa rubbed his lower back encouragingly.
"I was wondering, if you don't hate me, could we spend more time together? Like outside of working?" Wooyoung refused to meet Seonghwa's eye.
Seonghwa's heart fluttered and his cheeks warmed. He'd been with the others for so long that he had forgotten how different it felt to be wanted by someone new. Someone he was also interested in. Especially someone he had thought he had no chance with. Wooyoung had been so closed off around him, he'd thought that his interest in him didn't extend beyond the sexual.
"You mean," Seonghwa swallowed. "You want to hang out together? As in just us?"
Wooyoung nodded. He looked up at Seonghwa with his big, hopeful eyes. Seonghwa smiled down at him.
"I would love that."
Wooyoung's expression lit up. He surged upwards and pressed a kiss to Seonghwa's lips. Seonghwa kissed Wooyoung back while fighting a smile.