Work Text:
Pairing: chen/xiumin
Rating: pg
Warnings: none
Word count: 7,707
Author’s note: originally posted for chenpionships round 4 here. also on my livejournal.
i. anemone: anticipation ( early spring )
The crisp air nips at the sliver of skin on his exposed wrist as Minseok scoops up the soil with his trowel, adding to the neat little pile he’s started a foot or so the right.
Maybe it was a little early to start planting already-- late March might be a bit more late winter than early spring-- but the flower nursery had reopened after their winter hiatus a couple weeks ago and he’d been eager to start his new hobby. He first got the idea from his fellow lab assistant Junmyeon, who’d suggested that he find something to occupy and relax his mind given how taxing their work could be ( “He means that you stressing the hell out puts all of us on edge too, hyung,” Sehun the undergraduate intern had piped in rather unhelpfully, earning a disapproving frown ). He hardly thinks he can be blamed, not when his job consists of handling sensitive chemicals from 08:00 until whenever they’ve collected enough data for Kyungsoo to progress with his research.
Sehun at least has his dog Vivi to help him de-stress ( he likes to post a lot of snapchat stories of him walking her with his friend Jongin and his puppies ), and Junmyeon makes good use of his gym membership by utilizing their pool fairly often. He’d struggled to think of something that would distract him without requiring him to exert too much physical energy, given that he wished to do it in the early morning before work and couldn’t show up sweaty. As luck would have it, he’d spotted a carrier passing by with a bouquet of flowers, and something had clicked: he’d heard gardening was relaxing, visually pleasing, and rewarding, knowing something so beautiful was grown at your hands. Plus, it was relatively simple and didn’t take much work.
At least, he was pretty sure it didn’t.
Minseok plops the daffodil seed in the hole he’s made before refilling it with the soil he’d removed, repeating this process in a small cluster until he’s planted a dozen of them. Before picking out which type of flower he was going to plant, he’d done some research to see which were in season currently and their symbolism. Daffodils signified rebirth and new beginnings, and he hoped they would prove true and provide him with a rebirth as a new, less-stressed person.
He reaches for the small watering can nestled in his folding fabric wagon and begins to pour over the dirt, but a laugh drags his attention away from his work. His gaze travels to the source of the sound: a young man with bright eyes that crinkle at the corners, lips that remind him of those of a kitten, and a half flower crown with a single large, cream-colored flower talking to someone at the tent with the collections of already-bloomed flowers. Something catches in his throat because wow, he sure looks lovely with the way the sunlight catches behind him, but why does it feel like his foot is wet all of a sudden--?
Tearing his gaze away alerts him to how he’s definitely given his flowers ( and his shoe ) a hearty drink, and he tsks under his breath as he returns the can to its precise placement in his wagon. After making sure everything is in order, he bids his future daffodils goodbye and promises he’ll visit them again soon before wheeling over to the tent. The person with the flower crown is arranging an assortment, it seems, of perhaps hyacinths. Minseok watches him work out of the corner of his eye, pretending to busy himself with the clusters of irises before him. He’s not expecting their eyes to meet, however, and his widen as he turns away, mentally kicking himself for being so careless.
“Okay, here we go. I’ve texted you the address of where these need to be dropped off, so travel safely and I’ll see you soon. Thanks, Yixing,” he can hear the mystery flower boy say ( he’s really not eavesdropping, he tells himself, the person just has an easily heard voice ), and the taller figure nods before taking the arrangement and turning around to head for the exit. He offers a polite smile and nod when he passes Minseok, and the latter is a little alarmed to find himself dismayed when he notices a pair of charming dimples accompanying it.
Somehow, Minseok manages to remind himself to flit to the next bunch of flowers, figuring he’s been standing in the same place for far too long to be inconspicuous. Much to his surprise ( or maybe not really ), he more senses than sees the other figure approach, though he keeps his eyes strictly trained on the petals he’s brushing his fingers along.
“Hey there, is there anything I can help you with?” comes the generic greeting, but the faint smile he’s offered seems genuine.
He lets his gaze tear away and settle on the other instead, as though he hadn’t been silently hoping he’d be addressed. “Oh, no thanks, just looking.” The stranger nods, weight shifting back on his heels as though he’s going to turn away, and Minseok can’t stop the words that race to the tip of his tongue, stumbling over themselves before they spill out of his mouth: “I like your flower crown.”
The smile grows a little, there’s those crow’s feet he’d noticed earlier as the dialogue breaks off from the typical script. “Thank you, it’s an anemone.”
“What’s it mean?” Minseok inquires, not remembering that type from his research, before really wishing he’d put a little more thought into what he says. He’d feel poorly if the other didn’t happen to know and thought he was trying to imply some pretentious hierarchy of floral knowledge.
Fortunately, he receives a response that isn’t laced with impatience. “Anticipation.” The other’s eyes travel to Minseok’s wagon, eyebrow rising curiously, and Minseok can swear he sees a shade of amusement on his features. “You sure came prepared. Are you working on a big project?”
Cheeks burning, Minseok glances at his supplies with only mild mortification. “Uh, no, just some flowers.” Yes, in retrospect, bringing a hand claw and pliers was probably a bit overboard. “I got a little excited. But I just rented out the 90B plot-- I’m Minseok. You work here, I presume?”
There’s a nod, and for a brief moment, Minseok’s worried the flower crown might tip off. “Yeah, I’m the keeper, actually. I’m Jongdae, so if you ever have any questions or want any help, please don’t hesitate to ask. It’s great you’re starting so early; we usually don’t get many gardeners until later on in the season, so things are a little quiet around here.”
“That might actually work out then, because I could use some quiet for a change.” He offers a smile of his own, ignoring how his palm wrapped around the wagon handle has gotten a little sweaty when Jongdae returns it, before glancing at his watch. “I’ve got to get going, but I’ll probably see you around here?”
“Oh, for sure,” Jongdae confirms, rearranging a few flower pots on the table before them. “I’m usually here around this time, bright and early, so if you keep coming around this time we’ll definitely be seeing a fair amount of each other. It was nice to meet you, and have a good day!”
Minseok returns the sentiment along with the dip of his head, and there’s a smile on his lips despite the way he cringes at the sound of his wagon wheeling beside him, because ‘seeing a fair amount’ of the keeper didn’t sound like such a bad thing.
He thinks Jongdae’s choice of the anemone was quite apt.
ii. ranunculus: charm ( mid-spring )
It becomes fairly clear to Minseok early on that he underestimated the amount of time he’d have to dedicate to his garden plot.
The first few weeks he visits are spent frowning at collections of dead flowers: sad, dried little things that were given the opportunity for life before he cruelly yanked it away. Maybe that was putting it a little melodramatically, but his schedule had picked up in the lab and he’d only managed to make it to the flower nursery once in a while. It also turned out that flowers required attention more than ‘once in a while,’ leading to a fair amount of embarrassment on his end because he needn’t have even consulted the Internet to understand this, yet…
A long sigh expels from Minseok’s lips as he stares dejectedly at yet another pile of withered flower corpses, the fragile structures crumbling easily upon his gentle prodding. He settles down beside them, setting the flowers he’s brought aside and pulling out the dry roots of the dead ones. They’re tossed into the plastic bag he’s brought along with him ( he’s ashamed to acknowledge that he’s gotten quite a bit of use out of it ), and he really hopes Jongdae doesn’t happen to walk by and realize that he’s going through his burying ( well… un-burying ) ritual once again. It’s embarrassing enough that he keeps getting caught watching Jongdae create flower arrangements for the customers, even if the latter always tries to ease his mind by offering a warm smile and wave whenever he notices.
Alas, karma is cruel ( or, it would be, if he invested any faith in concepts such as karma ), and it doesn’t take terribly long before a shadow is falling over his plot as he’s starting to scoop out soil for new holes. He peers upward to find, go figure, Jongdae observing him with an amused half-smile quirking at his lips. The light hits him just right from behind, creating a halo of sunshine ( it always seems to do that, and Minseok’s a little bitter that the keeper always looks like he’s part of a walking photoshoot ). “Ah, good morning, Jongdae.”
The other dips his head in return, and Minseok can notice a simple, large peach-tinted flower tucked behind his ear. He makes a mental note to inquire about it like he always does when he visits. “Morning, Minseok. You, uh,” his eyes flicker to the now-filled plastic bag, “still having troubles there?”
Now would be a perfectly acceptable time for the roots of his deceased flowers to suddenly spring to life and drag him down into the soil, swallowing him whole, but they unfortunately do not grant him such mercy and he cannot say he blames them. He chuckles, because there’s no use getting terribly upset over something that’s supposed to relieve his stress. “Apparently so. I figured I’d try my luck and see if starting with buds instead of seeds would be more fruitful.” His head nods towards the azalea buds he’s also brought along ( one of his mother’s favorites ), settled in a pot beside the plastic bag. “And, heh,” his voice is sheepish, “I’m really going to try to make it here more often.”
“Both of those sound like they would help,” Jongdae agrees, voice carrying a teasing edge. “I always feel badly passing your plot, both for the flowers and for how much money you keep spending only for them to bite the dust. Not that I’m criticizing you, of course,” he quickly adds with the shake of his head. “Just… yeah, maybe some more time here would help. Besides,” the corners of his eyes crease as his smile grows, “I like seeing you around here.”
If Minseok wasn’t already sitting in the dirt and was squatting or something of the sort instead, he’s sure he would’ve tipped right on over in surprise. His eyes widen slightly before he recovers, pretending to busy himself by pulling one of the clusters of buds out from the pot and settling it into one of the holes he’s already dug. “Yeah, I like seeing you here too-- I mean,” he verbally fumbles, mentally kicking himself because he’s normally not the kind of person to do so, “you’re the keeper, so of course I would see you. I just meant I like going here.”
Jongdae laughs, quietly but genuinely, and Minseok is struck with the hope that one day he will hear it in its entirety, like the moment he’d first seen him. “Well, I’m glad you do. In the meantime, would you like some assistance? I don’t have much I need to take care of right now so it wouldn’t be a problem in the slightest, but I understand if you’d prefer to work solo.”
The chemist’s shaking his head almost before Jongdae’s even finished his sentence, reaching for the spare dirt scoop he’s brought along. “No no, please join me. Maybe with you here these will actually survive.”
The corners of Jongdae’s eyes crinkle with his smile and Minseok can feel something stir; can feel the foundation shift in the soil of his heart, and all it takes is the brush of fingers against his forearm as the other sits down to know that something’s bloomed.
iii. lilac: early love ( late spring / early summer )
“So, when are you gonna ask that flower boy out?”
Minseok chokes on his own spit a little, nearly dropping his beaker. “I-- huh?”
Sehun shrugs, glancing up from where he’s cleaning some vials. “You either come in here super tired but smiley, or quieter but more alert. Junmyeon and I figure the sleepy smiley days are when you visit that flower nursery, and you keep mentioning the manager or whatever-- Jongdae?-- without remembering that we don’t know him. You’ve been more tired recently, so I assume you’ve been visiting the place more frequently.”
The older is quiet for a moment, returning his attention to his work and placing the beaker in the ring holder above the bunsen burner. As much as he loathes to admit it, the intern has him completely figured out. It’s probably time to admit that, over the past few months, he’s developed a little ( read: whopping ) crush on the keeper. It’s worth dragging himself out of bed a little earlier and losing a little more sleep if he gets to travel to the gardens and visit with the other’s smiling face-- and take care of his plants, of course. Fortunately, he’s gotten much better at not killing them since he first started out, and it does make for a more satisfying hobby.
“I don’t even know if he’s interested in me,” Minseok dismisses the original inquiry with the shake of his head. “Or if he’s single in the first place.”
“Well,” Sehun begins, and the other hates that he can detect a hint of amusement and maybe even smugness in his tone, “there’s only one way to find out, now isn’t there?”
Once again, Minseok is begrudging to agree.
+
He doesn’t ask right away.
It takes about another week to casually work his curiosity into one of their morning conversations. They’ve gotten to know most of the basics about one another since they’ve met, but that particular topic had never come up before and Minseok wasn’t sure how to generate it authentically without seeming like he’s trying too hard ( which, in all reality, he very well may be ).
The opportunity arises one morning when he’s gently uprooting some of his flowers so he can bring them to his mother. Jongdae’s taking care of something a few plots over ( not that Minseok’s keeping an eye on him or anything, of course ) when his name is cheerfully called. Minseok’s eyes glance up to see a handsome figure with golden skin and dark hair, and the face looks vaguely familiar but he can’t seem to place it. Something churns in his stomach as he watches a wide beam spread over Jongdae’s features, the keeper shouting “Jonginnie!” as he darts over to encase the taller in a hug ( and it clicks into place then: Jongin, the person with the puppies that Minseok keeps seeing in Sehun’s snap stories ).
As the two continue chat to one another, Minseok returns to his work and tries his best to mind his own business. He respects Jongdae more than enough to know better than to eavesdrop, though he can’t help but feel a little curious as to their relationship. Occasionally, he can hear peals of laughter, both unique and distinct but somehow more warming than the sun that’s begun to burn more hotly with the shift in season. It’s when he’s potted his plants and is taking out his next bag of seeds that he hears the other bid goodbye, and soon enough Jongdae’s pulled up by his side to check in on his progress.
Minseok informs him that it’s going well, holding up his flowers before his head tilts towards the exit. “Your boyfriend?” he asks, praying that it comes out as off-handed as he’s trying to make it sound.
“Nah,” Jongdae disconfirms, and Minseok can’t help the little thrum of relief and excitement that zips through his system, “my little brother.” He smiles, and the older can almost swear he sees a bit of playfulness sparking in his eyes. “I’m not seeing anyone.”
Minseok curses the way his adam’s apple quivers as he swallows, giving him away, and he manages a smile that hopefully doesn’t look as nervous as he feels. “Ah, gotcha. I’m not either.” The smile quirks, bordering a smirk now, and he scrambles to change the topic before he makes an even bigger fool of himself. “Lilac?” he guesses, eyes flickering to the sprig of purple tucked behind Jongdae’s ear.
The keeper nods, arms folded over his chest and that damned smirk still in place. “Mhmm. It means ‘early love.’”
Minseok’s lips part, surprise scrawled over his wide eyes, and he’s really not very good at masking his reactions-- it’s just a coincidence, and he internally scolds himself for making the mental connection between the symbolism of the flower and his own developing feelings. He can swear that Jongdae’s definitely chuckling at him now, but someone thankfully saves him from any further embarrassment by tapping the call bell at the checkout and service station.
“Ah, gotta go,” Jongdae hums, taking a step back with a grin. “If I don’t catch you before you head out, have a good day at work and I’ll see you later!”
He darts off, and Minseok’s left to mutter “Goodbye” under his breath, staring at the retreating figure as he wills his cheeks to quit burning.
iv. sunflower: adoration ( mid-summer )
Somehow, Minseok eventually summons enough courage to ask Jongdae out on a date.
It takes him another week after first discovering the keeper’s single, but he invites him out to lunch on one of the few days he knows he won’t have to go into work since Kyungsoo would need to look at some of their results before deciding what to do next. Jongdae happily accepts with a warm smile ( “I was wondering when you’d get the hint to ask me,” he’d chirped, sending Minseok spiraling into another coughing fit ) and even suggests they visit a quaint little place he’d heard of that served remarkable dori baeng baeng and fish porridge.
The food is as incredible and as satisfying as Jongdae had hyped it up to be, and afterward they go for a stroll through a nearby natural park, wandering leisurely alongside the river while chatting. At one point, they settle down on a bench beneath the shade of the trees to watch the water, the time spent alternating between comfortable silences to enjoy the scenery and learning more about one another, beyond the basics they’ve already covered prior.
Minseok discovers that the flower nursery used to belong to Jongdae’s grandmother, and he had spent much of his time as a young child helping tend to the plants by her side. When she passed away a few years earlier, she had left the place in his name, and he’d been honored; he’d thought of it as a way to still be with her even beyond death. He discovers that Jongdae has always enjoyed dandelions, even as he grew older. When he’d realized that they were in fact weeds instead of flowers, he’d been all the more enamored, because despite the fact that they had such a damaging reputation, they were still beautiful. “I’m still as in awe when they transition from little patches of sun to spheres of wishes now as I was when I was a kid,” he admits, breeze ruffling his bangs.
In return, Jongdae learns that Minseok had first become interested in chemistry when he was still fairly young. He’d watched a demonstration in one of his middle school sciences classes and was fascinated with the way the chemicals reacted to form an entire new product; it reminded him of wizardry except more tangible and he’d instantly been entranced. Magic existed in the world as it was, he’d realized, and he knew from then on that he wanted to help discover new forms of it as he grew older. With time, he’d shifted from imagining himself as a Harry Potter-type wizard to a necromancer, far more powerful and a little more diabolical; a little more exciting. His job in the lab was a way of preserving the thrill he’d first encountered as a child.
At the end of their date, when Minseok drops off Jongdae back at his apartment, he leans over to press his lips to the other’s sharp cheekbone, not wanting to push too far. His heart skitters erratically in his rib cage when the younger reaches out to intertwine their fingers together, smiling warmly as he dips closer to connect their lips together instead immediately following the moment he pulls back; the kiss is sweeter and more delicate than any flower could ever be.
Their dates slowly but surely start to become more frequent an event, as do their kisses and hand-holding, and during the peak of the summer season, Minseok plants a few sunflowers. At first, it’s because they remind him of Jongdae: bright, beaming, as grand and radiant as the sun if not more so. The sunlight catches on the petals and illuminates their splendorous gold shine in a similar manner to how it catches on Jongdae’s hair, illuminating his entire being.
As the flowers continue to grow, however, he starts to think that maybe it’s him himself that they remind him of. He observes the way they crane towards the sky, undeterred by the fact that they will never be able to physically reach the blinding mass of energy and light they so desire. He recalls one of many Greek myths he’s heard, and he can relate to the tale of how sunflowers grew to exist. He is Clytie and Jongdae is Helios: he will forever be content to upturn his face towards the sky for the sole purpose of gazing upon the other’s splendor; will be honored to bask in whatever rays may fall upon and grace his skin.
Yes, Minseok thinks, he is the sunflower and Jongdae is the sun, and he can only hope Jongdae will never stop shining.
v. bellflower: constancy, gratitude ( late summer / early autumn )
It’s when the blisteringly hot weather begins to cool down, beginning with refreshing early mornings and clear late nights, that the change of seasons becomes increasingly more apparent.
September comes around and work becomes much quieter with Sehun’s significant reduction of hours, now that he has to return to his classes and figure out how to juggle his school work with his internship. He’s no longer there to constantly pester Minseok about his personal life and ask invasive questions about how things are going with his ‘flower boy,’ and while Junmyeon does of course ask him how he’s doing every time he enters the lab, the head assistant is much more tactful, restraining any curious inquiries out of respect of his hyung’s privacy.
What really strikes Minseok as remarkable is how he’s already spent nearly half a year visiting the flower nursery. Granted, the first month was fairly inconsistent and filled with withering plants, but he was still dragging himself out of bed at dawn to tend to his plants and visit the keeper. If he was being completely honest with himself, he had never expected his hobby to last longer than a few weeks-- maybe a couple months at most, if he was lucky. He hated giving up on anything he started, but he and hobbies had never gotten along very well before. They were nice in theory, but he’d always found himself too busy to keep up with them and had never really had the motivation to return to them.
It sounds silly and even childish, but Jongdae has served as more than sufficient motivation to keep up with caring for his plants. In fact, he might serve as too much motivation, as he’s grown so many flowers over the months that both his parents’ and his grandparents’ homes have begun to resemble greenhouses. He’s even brought some of his flowers to his coworkers and boss multiple times ( to the point in which Sehun had wound up protesting that, as kind as the gesture was, he was beginning to run out of room and Vivi kept getting into them ), as well as brought some for the two security guards Chanyeol and Baekhyun.
Still, Jongdae has voiced both his pride and his excitement that Minseok has managed to grow such lovely creations ( Minseok has even begun to help assemble some of the arrangements meant for selling with the other on mornings where there’s not much to do in his own plot ), which is why Minseok begins to worry when Kyungsoo has a project so large-scale that it requires a full couple of weeks spent holed up in the lab. Any time not there is spent catching a blessed few hours of sleep, and while he keeps in touch with Jongdae via text ( profusely apologizing to the other’s insistence that really, it’s okay because it’s his work and it’s important before knocking out ), it’s still not the same as getting to see him with flowers in his hair and surrounded by his halo of sunlight.
When he finally does get to see him ( Kyungsoo gave them the day off since they’d been working so hard recently ), he rushes into the nursery, eyes sunken and hollow with fatigue and auburn hair sticking out in a dozen different directions. Jongdae turns from the hanging baskets of flowers he’s watering, eyes wide in alarm and surprise at the other’s haphazard appearance, and though his lips open to speak, Minseok beats him to the punch. “I’m so sorry for not being here for so long, but I’ve missed you and I hope you’ve been well and oh god, I bet my flowers are all dried up like when I first started gardening here--”
Sharp, bubbling laughter and a soft hand cupping his cheek effectively cuts him off, Jongdae setting down the watering can to lean in and kiss him quiet. “Shush, Min. It’s okay, I told you that. I’m just glad you guys finished up-- you look absolutely beat.”
“I feel absolutely beat,” the older admits, but he shakes his head anyway and cranes over Jongdae’s shoulder in the direction of his plot to see if he can see the wrinkled remnants of his plants, because he actually does care a great deal for them too. “The flowers, are they--”
His eyes narrow when he notices vibrant, healthy colors instead, and Jongdae assures him with the soft squeeze of his shoulders. “Don’t worry, I took care of them for you in your absence. I know you were genuinely occupied and physically could not make it here.” His smile quirks, turning lopsided as his eyes dance with amusement. “It wasn’t like when you first started out and I figured you were just another busy-body looking for a way to relieve stress but not willing to put in the time or effort it would require.”
Minseok’s cheeks warm with the embarrassed flush of being hit right on the money, but also at the sense of guilt he feels for making Jongdae care after his own plants when that’s not his job and shouldn’t have to be. “Thank you,” he breathes, shoulders slumping with the force of his tired sigh as he steps forward to wrap his arms around the petite frame in a hug, chin resting on the other’s shoulder. “Do you wanna come over for dinner tonight?”
“Sure,” is the warm reply, “but you have to let me cook for you instead. And you have to promise to go home and go back to sleep until then, you need the rest.” Minseok begins to whine in protest, but Jongdae’s arms tighten around his waist and the kiss placed to the crook of his neck quiets him. “Shh, those are my conditions.”
“You drive a hard bargain,” Minseok hums, but he’s honestly too tired to argue much because the idea of getting more than four hours of sleep for the first time in weeks is entirely too tempting. “But okay, it’s a deal.”
Before he leaves, Minseok wanders over to pick some of the now-bloomed bellflowers in his plot to bring to dinner. They symbolize constancy and gratitude-- with a job with such irregular and unpredictable hours, it’s hard to find much consistency in his life, but both the garden and Jongdae have been two constants he’s grown to rely on.
Still, he knows it’ll take a lot more than some mere flowers to demonstrate to Jongdae just how grateful he is of his of his presence in his life.
vi. aster and autumn crocus: patience and gladness ( mid-autumn )
The air is officially nippier, vibrant green grass replaced with a darkening hunter green. The sun hangs lower in the sky, its rays washing over the trees and poking through more prominently; the trees provide less shade with how the pigment of the leaves has shifted from cool tones to warm ones: honeyed yellows and stunning tangerines and captivating scarlets before they shrivel and fall to the ground, fragile and cedar brown.
Minseok likes when he and Jongdae take walks through them, hearing their structures crunch beneath their footfalls as they trod on the soil path hand in hand. He likes when Jongdae insists on them raking them into a pile outside the garden to leap into, even if it’s never as fun or as comfortable and fluffy as the cartoons and movies always make it seem; the leaves scatter around and sometimes they’re wet and stick to his jeans and jacket and smell less than pleasant, but it’s so entirely worth it to hear the younger’s laughter bubble from his lips and ring into the clear, cool sky. He likes when they go pumpkin picking and Jongdae throws a handful of them in his face while he’s stooped over and vulnerable, eliciting a battle cry as Minseok retaliates. He especially likes it when they bluster around them in the breeze, cups of hot apple cider in their hands as they talk and smile at one another.
He’s pleased that they’re far enough into the season that more university students have become interns in their lab. While Sehun is there less often and Minseok has to admit that he still misses him, there are more undergraduates on hand to help disperse the workload in Kyungsoo’s lab, which means he has more time off to spend with Jongdae. This will change when winter break rolls around and only Junmyeon and he are the ones left ( they get a break, of course, but it doesn’t last the full month like the students’ ), but Minseok takes what he can get without complaint.
“The nursery’s going to close in a couple weeks for the cold season, just so you know,” Jongdae informs him one afternoon while they’re on another walk, a crown of weaved, alternating asters and autumn crocuses lying gently atop his head-- a flooring contrast of pale purple in comparison to the darker hues of autumn surrounding them.
Minseok doesn’t understand the pang of disappointment his heart endures, seemingly of its own volition, because of course it is. That makes sense: it’s becoming too cold and too dry to maintain that much plant life on such a large scale, and while he knows that some flowers actually flourish during the cold season, that’s very much an exception and the nursery wouldn’t get much business from the typical gardeners in general. “Okay, that makes sense,” he replies with a nod.
The keeper’s eyes flicker towards him, taking in his expression before giving his shoulder a gentle nudge. “Don’t look so gloomy, yeah?” It’s so typical of him, to assure Minseok’s mind and put it at ease when he can sense the other’s not feeling his greatest even without verbal notification. Jongdae is so giving and kind, constantly putting others before himself without a word or even a thought of protest, and Minseok just wants to return as much of that energy to him. “We’ll still hang out like this. It just means we have to visit each other’s places more often.” His lips quirk to the side a little, expression so familiarly warm and gentle and safe. “And, I dunno about you, but I’m pretty okay with that if you are.”
“Ugh, really?” Minseok jests with the scoff of his voice, face adopting a disgusted expression. “I can’t say that’s something I much look forward to…” Jongdae takes on a faux scandalized look, and the older’s lips curl into a faint smirk. “But, you might be able to persuade me to…”
A mischievous shadow casts over the other’s features, and suddenly his hand’s being tugged at as he’s guided backward until his back makes contact with a tree. “Oh, my pleasure,” Jongdae hums, hand coming to cup the other’s cheek and eyes glinting dangerously. “I assure you, darling: I can be very persuasive.”
Their lips connect before Minseok can retort, and he has to admit defeat.
vii. dark red carnations: fascination, deep love ( winter )
Sure enough, the nursery closes and Minseok is left with an odd sense of emptiness.
Not solely because of the absence of early mornings being greeted by the sun that was his boyfriend, but also simply because he had grown rather accustomed to his morning routine of tending to his garden plot. His parents’ home slowly begins to resemble a house again and less like Gatsby’s place when he invites Daisy over for tea, which is both a comforting and a foreign feeling.
Fortunately, his stress hasn’t returned, at least not to an extent as irritating and insistent as it had been before he’d started visiting the flower nursery in the first place, but it still feels like something’s off. All’s not lost, however, as work has been running smoothly. No longer does he have tiresome bags under his eyes now that he gets to sleep in a little later each morning, and his more alert nature has led to a slight but noticeable increase in production rates ( or maybe he just feels like he’s moving more quickly now that he’s not yawning every half an hour ). With this boost, it means he and Junmyeon are able to complete their tasks more quickly, which means they’re able to finish the work day more quickly, and that means they’ve now started to get at least a couple days off during the week.
Minseok always spends at least one of these days with Jongdae. Instead of taking walks through the park with hot cider, they drink peppermint hot cocoa after ice skating. The colorful leaves have been replaced with white flurries, ground blanketed with snow ( that Jongdae insists on making snow angels and snowmen in ). It’s chilly but Minseok has always been fond of the cold, of the way it settles into his bones and keeps him grounded. The winter season has always been his favorite, especially when December rolls around and the town starts to get into the Christmas spirit. Strings of lights, both colorful and white are hung from local establishments, wreaths nestled up on doors, and the lamp posts always look a little more magical when dusted in sparkling crystals.
He finds that Jongdae looks particularly lovely cast under the dancing illumination of the string lights, cheeks rosy and nose and mouth obscured from the large knit scarf wrapped around him, beanie glittering from the snow. Minseok doesn’t need to see his mouth to know when he’s smiling; he can see it in the crow’s feet that appear in the corners of the other’s eyes, and it reminds him of the first time he’d laid eyes on him ( he’d been captivated right from the start ).
On Christmas, he heads over to Jongdae’s apartment after calling his family and wishing them a merry holiday, bidding them goodbye until later that evening when they’ll all gather for dinner. His knuckles rap on the door and he shifts on his feet, wrapped present tucked under his arm with his other hand behind him, fingers carefully curled around another delicate, smaller gift. He’s not one to be antsy under pressure, but there’s something he has to tell the other and it will either go extremely well or extremely horridly. When the door swings open, faint Christmas jazz music filters in, the smell of gingerbread wafts into the hallway, and Jongdae greets him with a warm grin that’s far more inviting than any of the decorations.
“Hey, you,” the keeper breathes, and Minseok barely has a chance to say hello back before Jongdae’s leaning in to press a gentle kiss to his lips. His eyes flicker upward upon parting, smile still on his kittenish lips. “Mistletoe. Come on in!”
Cheeks burning, and not just from the kiss, the older follows his host inside, setting down his present on the table but still keeping the other one hidden from sight. It doesn’t take long for Jongdae to eye the hand behind his back, unspoken question glinting in his eyes before Minseok finally caves, withdrawing a flower crown composed of dark red carnations. “So I know the flowers are kinda too big for this to look all that nice,” he begins, “but I’ve heard carnations are in season and I felt weird not growing anything at all, so I had these in front of the window in my room. You’re always wearing flowers in your hair and you make them look so beautiful and I wanted to give you something that would mirror that.”
Jongdae’s smile has widened, and it only makes Minseok’s heart pound more erratically in his chest; the words are coming out too quickly now, racing against one another to break free from his lips first. “But the color-- well, the carnations themselves represent fascination because my god, Jongdae, you have fascinated me from the day we met. You’re so kind and so giving and enchanting and sometimes I still can’t believe we’re together.” He’s sure Jongdae already knows of what they mean, but he needs to say this, because he’s felt this way for quite a while now and this has been itching to solidify from thoughts to spoken words. “And then dark red means deep love because Jongdae, I--” their eyes meet and he forces himself to finish his sentence, because even if he gets rejected the other deserves to hear this: “I am so, so in love with you.”
There’s no response at first, and Minseok wants nothing more than for some cartoon hole to appear beneath his feet and allow him to plummet into the abysmal void, but then Jongdae’s leaning in to connect their lips together again, even without the mistletoe. He all but melts against him, relief and happiness washing over him like nothing he’s ever experienced before, and when they part a few moments later, the younger’s wearing an expression of tender joy and elation. Jongdae’s arms wrap around his neck, pulling them into a crushing hug. “I’m very glad to hear that,” he murmurs, fingers running through Minseok’s hair, “because I am so, so in love with you too.”
His expression brightens then, hands clapping together with an almost childish innocence as he takes a step back. “Now! I am ready to be crowned.”
Minseok chuckles, more than happy to oblige. Winter is indeed his favorite season, and though the sun may spend the least amount of time in the sky during it, it’s okay because he’s always warm in the presence of his own sun.
viii ( bonus ). lavender: opportunity / promise of new adventure ( early spring )
Time, as it always does, continues to move on, and the snow eventually melts, revealing the grass once more. Though it will still take some time before its lackluster, straw tinge will return to its brilliant emerald hue, Minseok no longer requires his heavy winter coat to withstand the chill. He’s even beginning to spy little flower buds poking up from the ground, and more and more children are using the playgrounds around the city more often.
On the very morning Jongdae’s flower nursery reopens, Minseok bustles inside, flashing a gummy smile at his boyfriend when he passes him in his beeline for plot 90B. He receives a grin and small wave in return, but he’ll return to those later. For now, he busies himself with scooping out the new, fresh soil with his bare hands ( he’s cut back even further on the amount of tools he brings along with him, having grown fond of the way the cool dirt feels on his skin, even if it means he has to spend an extra minute or two scrubbing his nails and hands before work ). Reaching into his pocket, he drops a small object into the hole, then covers it with a fair amount of soil before planting the seeds on top. Another layer of dirt is packed on and he gives it a healthy watering before returning to where Jongdae’s taking garden supply inventory.
“Good morning,” he hums, twining his arms around the younger’s waist in a sudden back hug and resting his chin on the other’s shoulder.
“Ah,” he can hear the chuckle in Jongdae’s voice ( he doesn’t even need to see him to know he’s smiling ), the keeper leaning back into the touch a little. “Good morning to you too. Someone seems to be in a rather chipper mood. Albeit a rather rushed one, too.”
MInseok nuzzles his chin a little, holding the other a bit closer. “It’s just nice to see my flower prince back in his natural habitat. And,” he presses a kiss to the side of Jongdae’s neck, already unwrapping his arms entirely too soon for both of their likings, “I’m rushed because I gotta dash to work. But I’ll text you, love you, bye!”
The keeper hardly has time to look confused or return any of the sentiments before Minseok dashes off for the exit.
+
A couple of weeks later, Minseok’s plan is finally able to commence.
His flowers have bloomed and he’s relieved to see that they have done so rather beautifully at that. Nerves churn his stomach when he enters the nursery this particular morning, and the last time he’s felt this skittish is when he confessed those few months ago.
“Jongdae, would you mind helping me with my plot today?” Minseok asks as casually as he can, willing his voice not to shake and give him away.
The other, of course, agrees and they make their way over to the plot he’s started to think of as his child of some sorts. When Minseok asks if Jongdae will help him pull out his lavender, he ( understandably ) receives a baffled expression. “You want help with… picking it?”
“Yeah, I just…” He feigns a sheepish, almost clueless look. “Kyungsoo said he wants our hands super clean today and I don’t want to risk getting dirt on them, but I really wanted them to be picked today so I could give them to someone.”
Jongdae snorts quietly, shaking his head but sinking to his knees and reaching for the cluster of flowers regardless. “Sometimes you’re really funny, y’know that, Min?” When his fingers wrap around the stems, Minseok stops him, telling him that he thinks Jongdae should really dig deep into the earth to pull from the roots, earning another bewildered look, and he has to make an excuse that he just really wants to make sure there’s as little tarnish on them as possible. “Are these for your mother again?” Jongdae inquires as he continues to scoop his hands downward and dig.
“No, they’re for you,” Minseok corrects, but that’s not why the keeper’s eyebrows furrow.
Jongdae’s fingers brush something that is distinctly not dirt, roots, or anything that might also be living down there. It feels like metal, thin, jagged and cool to the touch. Whatever it is is small enough for him to fit in his palm, and he carefully extracts it from the soil. “What--” he begins, eyes wide when he realizes it’s a key. More specifically, it looks rather similar to Minseok’s apartment key.
“Do you know what lavender symbolizes?” the older asks, though they both know he does.
“Yeah,” Jongdae confirms, and now it’s both of their hearts that are racing with anticipation and uncertainty. “When as a gift, it means opportunity and promises for new adventures.”
Minseok sinks to both of his knees, joining Jongdae in the dirt and reaching forward to gently clasp his hands around the key still clasped between the other’s fingers. Jongdae’s cheeks are warm, a smile creeping onto his features that looks like he’s trying his best not to get too excited too quickly, and Minseok knows he probably doesn’t look much better himself.
“Wanna go on a new adventure with me, Dae?”