Work Text:
When you go to a theatre, there is so much to watch. The entrance hall is spacious and smells of old wood. On the walls hang paintings of famous actors, scenes from classic plays, and posters for new plays and musicals. The stairs leading to the auditorium are carpeted in red, and the elegant seats gleam in a rich, velvety burgundy. Chandeliers sparkle, and the technicians adjust the lighting. The orchestra gathers, and all the different instruments tune up so they can begin together. Then the curtain rises and the play begins. But what no one pays attention to are the people whose work begins as soon as the auditorium doors have closed.
Seokmin was one of those people, and he worked behind the bar. He had already gained some experience in the theatre world and liked the atmosphere in these halls.
Today, he would work with Joshua, and he liked the thought of that. Although the other was relatively new, he was a quick learner and really easy to work with.
At first, he thought Joshua was pretty shy and reserved, since he didn’t talk much and tended to just observe, but now that he feels comfortable and has finished his orientation, he’s much more outgoing and loves to chat with Seokmin about everything under the sun. They got along really well and had a lot of fun while working together.
Since Joshua liked to talk about fashion, he observed the people that visited the theatre closely, and when everybody was gone to enjoy the show, he would talk to Seokmin about all the people that were either “fashionistas” or – how he likes to call it – “fashionterroristas”. And Seokmin couldn’t help but be a little charmed by his open manner and his excitement.
Joshua was leaning against the counter as he talked to Seokmin about his latest discovery.
“I mean, it’s not like it looks particularly bad, but you need to have some guts to wear a tiger-print suit for a theatre performance. You should have seen the guy he was with. He was clearly uncomfortable, but he just acted like he didn't even notice the strange looks. It was really funny.”
Seokmin smiled as Joshua talked about the well-known guests. “Yeah, those were Soonyoung and Jihoon.”
“You know them? ”Joshua asked in surprise and immediately stood up straighter.
“They are regulars," he said as he cleaned the glasses for the break and explained further, “Jihoon is a composer and often works with the orchestra, while his boyfriend is a dance instructor. They are both really good in their work fields, and although Soonyoung is really strict, he is also funny. The only weird thing about him is his obsession with tigers. I don’t know where this is coming from, and I never dared to ask. Jihoon is really calm and accepting towards his boyfriend, but he has him also well under control.”
He set out the glasses and arranged them according to the drink orders the guests had placed before the show began. “They also met here when they worked for a new project together,” he added before he looked at Joshua expectantly. The older one had been listening intently to the story and seemed to be waiting for the rest of it. After they had stared at each other in silence for a few seconds, Seokmin asked, amused, “Aren’t you going to help me with the drinks?”
Joshua blinked before looking at all the glasses that had piled up and blushed. “Oh yeah, of course."
He walked around the counter and stood next to Seokmin. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly, and Seokmin chuckled.
“It’s okay. Can you do the tables 1 to 6? I’ll do the rest," he suggested, and Joshua nodded.
While they worked together, Seokmin had time to watch his co-worker from up close. Joshua was really handsome; Seokmin thought so since the first day. He was surprised when he was told that he was the younger of the two. With his brown hair, which often fell into his eyes, and the silver piercings adorning his ears, Joshua had a very boyish look. Tonight, he was wearing subtle makeup that accentuated his doe-eyes and especially his long eyelashes, and the soft light from the lamps gave his skin a warm glow.
Yes, he was really handsome, and he knew.
Joshua eventually caught him staring and teased, “Is there something on my face?”
This time, Seokmin blushed and huffed a laugh, shaking his head in denial because he didn’t trust his words to be subtle enough before going back to work. One thing Seokmin had learned about Joshua was that he could be a little flirt. He was really charming, and especially the ladies liked him, no matter what age. Unlike Seokmin, they didn’t know about his sexuality, though. Joshua was surprisingly open about it and often talked about the disastrous dates he had. By now, Seokmin felt that it was just really hard to meet Joshua’s expectations, but he didn’t say anything about it.
And since Joshua seemed to date only older people, Seokmin didn’t get his hopes up at all, but that didn’t stop him from going along with the other guy’s teasing every now and then.
“How did you meet Jihoon and Soonyoung anyways?" Joshua asked curiously after a while. By then, they had set up most of the tables for the break.
“I used to play a role in a musical they were working on.”
“What!?” he exclaimed, and his eyes seemed almost ready to pop out.
Seokmin chuckled at the shock he saw in his face. “Don’t act so surprised; it feels like it was ages ago.”
“What play was it? What was your role? Have I heard of it before?” His words were practically tumbling out as he asked all those questions. Which amused Seokmin even more.
“It was called Excalibur and told the story of King Arthur. The play wasn't very well known and didn't run for very long, but the production was fun." He set the last drinks on the table and mumbled, “I played King Arthur.”
That fact seemed to shock Joshua even more. “You were the main lead?”
“What? Is that so hard to believe?" he asked, amused, and turned around to meet Joshua at the counter.
He rested both arms on the table and raised an eyebrow questioningly. Joshua, who was standing on the other side, leaned forward and rested his head on his elbow, which was propped up on the table.
“I just never thought you’d be the one who loves being in the spotlight." He looked Seokmin up and down. “But you definitely have the build for it," he grinned.
“Oh, really? Well, people have told me I’m really good.” Seokmin tried to play along, even though Joshua’s remark made his heart race. As always with their verbal sparring.
“I'd like to see that for myself." Joshua challenged, “But I guess you forgot all your lines already… That’s a shame; I really would have liked to admire your acting skills."
"Tsk, I know all my lines." Seokmin crossed his arms in feigned defense, "And even without them, I could impress you."
“Prove it,” said Joshua, grinning like a mischievous cat that had caught a mouse.
Now Seokmin's ego got struck, and he rolled his shoulders like he was going to get into a fight. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and shook his whole body to get rid of the tension and put himself in the role he played years ago. He can do this. He’d done this over a dozen times. What should go wrong?
When he opened his eyes again, it felt like a completely different person stood in front of Joshua. There was a presence and a strength in Seokmin's posture that Joshua had never seen before, and his eyes were glowing with determination. It was like he was the centre of Seokmin's attention, and for some reason, it made his stomach flip, and he gulped.
And then, Seokmin began to recite his text. Walking around the counter slowly with every passing sentence.
Dear God, let me be hidden from his sight
Help me to ease my aching heart tonight
My love for him is too much to bear
It seems that he is everywhere…
With each word he took a step closer to Joshua, and once he reached him, he took one of his hands in his and raised their joint ones in the space between them. Like a knight trying to win over his beloved, he continued
…I hear your voice and I am cursed
I catch your eye, the heavens burst
My joyful heart, forever yearning
In sweet despair…
He moved them backwards till Joshua's back hit the wall behind him, caged between two wall cabinets filled with lots of alcoholic beverages Joshua wouldn’t be opposed to right now. But Seokmin wasn't done yet.
…Bright as gold, like the sun
You greet the dawn, and I am lost
For you are his, not mine to have…
With his next words, he brushed a stray strand of hair from Joshua's face.
…Never to hold, never to know…
His hand then moved to his cheek; his eyes wandered constantly over the older's soft features before he was slightly leaning towards him till their breathings mixed.
…that I am yours, never to love
Joshua felt his heart beating loudly in his chest, and he gulped visibly. Normally, he was the one to blatantly flirt with the younger because he liked to tease Seokmin. And although Seokmin got used to it and sometimes even responded, he never did anything bold like this. This right now was uncharted territory. Seokmin was always nice, attentive, and polite, which Joshua liked about him so much, but he couldn’t deny that he liked this version of Seokmin too. Every new thing he discovered about him only made him seem even more interesting to him. Right now, he felt like he should say something – anything – but he didn’t know what. Nobody gave him the script for his role in this play.
“Seokmin… I—"
“Get yourself a room, you two." An amused voice suddenly broke the tension, and they broke apart.
The two men stood there like schoolboys being caught doing something naughty. The voice belonged to Seungcheol. One of the security guards who manned the entrances and exits. However, when the theatre was short-staffed, they also took care of opening and closing the auditorium doors. They’ve known each other for years, and maybe Seokmin had talked to him about the new hot co-worker from time to time.
So, Seokmin was the first who emerged from his state of shock. “Se-Seungcheol, we didn’t…”
“You know that I don’t care, but…” He took a look at his watch. "The break starts in two minutes. So, you probably want to head to the bar before the rush starts.”
“Yes!” they shouted in unison. Both had their cheeks still coloured in red.
"Great." Seungcheol smiled and then walked to one of the huge hall doors, ready to open them when the bell rings.
During the break, the two of them were busy enough not to dwell on the incident. When the second part of the performance began, the lobby was almost empty, and with that, the actions from before took space in Joshua's head again.
He couldn’t stop thinking about what happened earlier: Seokmin's soft touch and the look in his eyes that somehow told him so much more than the words Seokmin had spoken. Because he had said those words a dozen times before, and other people had heard them, but that look was meant only for him, he was sure of it. Seokmin might be a good – even a great – actor, but Joshua felt the difference. Right now, though, the silence between them was defeating.
“So…” Joshua started eventually while he cleaned one of the glasses. “You’ve convinced me.”
Seokmin startled when he heard the others' voices. Like he completely forgot that he wasn’t alone. “What?”
“You’re a good actor." Joshua declared and cleared his throat.
“Ah…thank you.” Seokmin nodded dejectedly and went back to cleaning the bar.
Then there was the silence. Again.
Joshua puffed out his cheeks in uncertainty and suppressed a sigh. He didn't believe that people had to talk all the time, especially at work, but this wasn't a typical situation between the two of them, and he thought that by talking, he could restore a sense of normalcy—but that would only work if Seokmin played along.
“Why did you stop?” he asked, and Seokmin turned to him with a questioning look. “Acting, I mean.”
Seokmin shrugged. “It was fun, but I felt like I could get even more out of myself and my life. That’s why I went back to studying.”
“Ah, I see…” And Joshua nodded. It seemed like there was no way to break the tension.
Great, did he ruin things with Seokmin? Joshua really had a knack for that, it seems—why did he always have to go overboard? He could have just asked Seokmin for a video of the performance or something.
It would really suck if work always looked like that now. Especially because he liked working there best when they were on shift together.
Seokmin became a good friend over the past months, and Joshua felt comfortable around him. He didn't judge him for his blunt manner or his special taste and accepted his outbursts.
Besides, Seokmin was a great listener, and they shared a lot of laughs together. Seokmin was really everything Joshua had ever wanted, and even though he usually didn't hold back, he just hadn't managed to ask Seokmin if they wanted to spend more time together outside of work. Now it seemed as though he had completely blown his chance.
Of course, he couldn't possibly know what was going on inside Seokmins head at that moment. He knew it looked like he was avoiding Joshua right now, but it wasn’t that – well, partly – but it wasn’t intentional. There were just as many thoughts swirling around in his head as there were in the other one's. Sometimes, they were much more alike than they actually realised. Seokmin was sure that he crossed a line with his acting. But what would make the situation less awkward now? If they talked about it, or if they wouldn’t talk about it at all?
He wished that they could go back to normal, but the damage was done, as it seems. Maybe he could just act like nothing happened at all and talk about something – anything– else.
“Have you never thought about acting yourself?” Seokmin asked, sounding genuinely interested again.
Joshua seemed surprised about the sudden question, but Seokmin could see his shoulders relax. He took that as a win, and he smiled to himself while Joshua thought about the question for a moment. “Nah, I don't think people would take me very seriously. I probably wouldn't even take myself seriously. The only role that would suit me would be the weird, funny uncle next door that drinks too much and gives strange advice—you know what I mean?” He laughed, and Seokmin joined in.
“I think I see where you’re coming from. Although I think you could also play the antagonist very well. You know, the hot one everyone secretly has a crush on.”
As soon as he had spoken those words, he regretted them, knowing that he had given Joshua an opening and steered the conversation back in that direction. And so, Joshua naturally fell back into his old pattern of teasing. “So you’re saying you have a crush on me?"
Seokmin tried to play it cool and huffed a breathless laugh. “You wish.”
When he turned around to put the glasses back in their place in the cupboard and to hide his face from the other, he didn't see how Joshua's face fell in disappointment as he muttered a defeated “maybe”.
And maybe it was better that Seokmin hadn’t heard it, because he went back to chatting as usual, and things settled back into their normal routine. The second half of the show wouldn’t last as long as the first. So the night would still be young when the two of them finished their shift, and Seokmin asked Joshua about his plans for the evening.
“There's a midnight screening of a film I wanted to see. It's playing at the Plaza, the big cinema with the old auditoriums.” Seokmin confirmed that he knew the movie theatre and really liked the atmosphere there, but that he hadn't been there in a long time.
Joshua's ears perked up at that, and he saw his chance. He took all his courage and asked, “Do you want to come with me?”
Seokmin blinked, surprised. “Don’t you need tickets for this kind of event?”
Joshua knew it wasn’t a rejection, but he still felt his courage faint and stared down as he shrugged his shoulders. “I doubt that it’s sold out. You know, since it's a weekday and the middle of the night.”
Seokmin had noticed the change in Joshua's posture, but he wasn’t sure what caused it. He just knew he wanted the bright Joshua back, and since he didn’t need to go to university tomorrow morning, it seemed like a good opportunity to spend some more time with Joshua together. Even if it wasn’t an official date.
So, he smiled and said, “OK, sure.”
Joshua jerked his head up and looked at Seokmin with wide eyes. “Really!?” And Seokmin chuckled at that. As if it were so unbelievable that he would want to spend time with the older one.
“Yeah, sure. We can meet outside of work, right?” he said nonchalantly.
“I don’t see why not." Joshua grinned. “The movie starts at half past eleven. If we hurry up with the cleaning, we can grab something to eat beforehand. My treat.”
“Sounds good." They smiled at each other and started to prepare everything for the end of the show.
Usually, people left quickly after the end, so there wasn’t much for the two of them to do. This meant they were able to get a lot done, which would make cleaning the bar later on easier.
However, one guest came over to them after the performance and ordered a scotch. Seokmin had noticed the man during the break, since he had specifically asked to be served by Joshua. It wasn’t necessarily unusual, but there was something about the man that Seokmin didn’t like at all. He tried not to let it bother him, though, and went about his work.
When he turned around again a few seconds later, Joshua was just cleaning the counter as the men suddenly grabbed his wrist. The younger tensed at the gesture, and Joshua stiffened up as well. But as employees, they were required to be friendly to the guests at all times, so neither of them made a move at first.
“Hey there, handsome," the man slurped. “You want a drink? It’s on me.”
Joshua forced a smile and denied it, saying, "Thank you, Sir. But I’m not allowed to and…could you please let go of my hand? I need to clean the tables.”
But the men didn’t let go, and Joshua leaned back as the men leaned even closer.
“We could drink something at my place,” he flashed him a dirty grin. “And I could need some help with cleaning there too.”
Something inside Seokmin snapped at those words, and his body was filled with rage. He was usually the type to avoid a conflict, and he probably would never have stood up for himself like that, but seeing someone treat Joshua so shamelessly—he just couldn't let that happen. With confident strides, he walked toward the man and grabbed his wrist.
When the man let go of Joshua’s arm in shock, Seokmin seized the opportunity to create as much space as possible between Joshua and him. He held his free arm protectively in front of Joshua and twisted the man’s arm upward. Not enough to hurt him, but enough to make the message clear, even as he tried to maintain a friendly tone. “My colleague has made it clear to you that he's not interested, and besides, we're closing the bar now. Please leave before I have to call security, sir.”
His gaze drifted to the door, where Seungcheol was standing, still talking to a guest. It would be easy to call out to him for help, but he was sure it probably wouldn't come to that.
Once the man had recovered from the shock, he broke free from Seokmin’s grip, finished his drink, and stood up. He placed the money on the table and said, “You can keep the rest,” before muttering something unintelligible and walking away.
Seokmin's heart was still pounding like crazy, but he turned to Joshua, who already looked back at him. “Are you okay?” he asked with a steady voice. He didn't want to unsettle Joshua with his own unsettled manner.
“Y-Yes. Thank you,” he answered with a red face. Probably because of the adrenaline rush, Seokmin thought with a worried expression. His arm was still resting on his chest, and when he realised it, he lowered it again and cleared his throat.
“You should sit down for a while and calm down. I’ll talk to Seungcheol to keep an eye on that guy," and he left with those words.
Once he was out of earshot, he visibly exhaled to calm himself down. “Puh, that was intense."
When Seungcheol noticed him, he turned around with a questioning look, and his brows furrowed even more once he saw Joshua back at the bar. “What happened? ”He asked the younger.
“There was a guy; he was very persistent and bothered him. He left the room for now, but could you take care of it?”
Seungcheol nodded and pointed toward Joshua. “Is he okay? I haven't seen him this quiet since he started on the job.”
“I think he’s fine; he just needs to calm down a bit.”
“Alright, get him some water. Normally, people would look pale, but he’s rather red in the face." Seungcheol's lips then curled into a smug smile. "Maybe because it’s the fifth time he's glanced over at us.”
Seokmin turned around to figure out what Seungcheol means, but once his gaze met Joshua's, the other looked away and bit his lips like being caught. Seokmin couldn’t help but smile at that, and when he looked to Seungcheol again, he felt his own cheeks filling with heat.
“He’s just in shock,” he insisted. “I’ll keep him company, and then we’ll leave."
“You do that," Seungcheol smiled knowingly. “I’ll describe the man to my team, but I think he won’t be a problem anymore.”
“Thank you, Seungcheol.”
He winked and then left for the foyer with a “No problem.”
Once he was back, he reached into one of the fridges and opened a water bottle to hand it to Joshua.
“Drink something." Joshua hesitated – because that was the theatre's property – but Seokmin assured him, “It’s on me; don’t worry.”
Joshua smiled thankfully and took several sips, still looking uneasy.
Joshua always cared a lot about his looks, and Seokmin knew that. He assumed that Joshua might have thought about if the situation could’ve been avoided if he had dressed differently, but Seokmin encouraged him. “You’ve done nothing wrong, Shua. You didn't give him any unconscious signals or anything like that, so it’s not your fault. That guy was just an arsehole."
With the last sentence, Joshua looked up at him in surprise. “I think I’ve never heard you swear before.”
Seokmin shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly but smiled. “I’m a human too, you know,” making the both of them laugh.
Seeing Joshua smile again lifted some weight from the others' shoulders, but he still cared about his well-being.
“You still want to go to the cinema? I’d totally understand if you want to go home and get some rest.”
Joshua instantly shook his head. “I want to go. I’m fine, really, and I think your company will do me good.”
Once he finished his sentence, a blush appeared on his cheeks again, and he hurriedly took another sip from his bottle.
“Okay, I'm looking forward to it, too." He smiled contentedly before saying, “I'll finish up here, and then we can go get changed.”
Joshua stood up from the bar chair he sat on and insisted, “I’ll help you! We’ll be faster this way.”
Seokmin put his hands on his shoulders and gently but firmly pushed him back into the chair. “You can help me in a few minutes with the rest of the glasses, but please stay seated for now while I stack the chairs, okay?” Joshua pressed his lips together but finally nodded and sat down again.
After Joshua had rested enough and they had finished the rest of the work together, they both went to the staff room to change. As expected, they still had enough time to grab something to eat at the food stands across from the theatre. So they strolled leisurely toward the cinema with their hot dogs, chatting animatedly about the various events of the past week.
Since Seokmin still needed a ticket, he had to buy one at the box office. Joshua had been right—the cinema was practically empty. The young woman at the box office was kind enough to give Seokmin a ticket for the seat next to Joshua.
“Is there anything else I can do for you?” the lady asked friendly, and Seokmin turned around to Joshua. “You want something to eat? Popcorn, nachos, ice cream?”
“Popcorn sounds good." He smiled at him.
“Sweet or salty?”
Joshua grimaced at the question. "Sweet, please.”
"Phew, thank god." Seokmin joked, and they laughed when he placed the order.
They thanked her and then made their way into the cinema. As is always the case—and since it’s hard to resist the smell of popcorn—they’d already eaten half the bag on the way there and during the pre-show.
It then appeared to Seokmin that he never asked what movie they were going to watch, and he asked curiously, “What’s the movie about, anyways?”
“Well, Police Academy tells the story about a bunch of different people that want to become police officers. I heard it’s a really funny movie, so you don’t need to worry. I know you don’t like horror movies.”
“That sounds good," Seokmin chuckled. "What about you? You like to watch horror?”
Joshua just shrugged. “It’s not my favourite genre, but I don’t mind it. I don’t get scared so easily, at least not when it comes to movies.”
“Really? I always get scared. I’d be one of those people that scream loudly every time something unpredictable happens.”
“I’d like to see that," and he grinned.
Seokmin also smiled at the others teasing and said, “Maybe next time.”
Joshua's stomach flipped at the implication, and he smiled down at himself. But that was lost as the lights in the room dimmed, signalling the start of the film.
Even though it was all Joshua’s idea and the movie is genuinely entertaining, Joshua couldn’t focus on it 100 per cent. Somehow, he had to process everything that had happened that day. He had gotten to know so many new sides of Seokmin—not just the much more engaging and charismatic actor, but also the protector and the caretaker. The most confusing thing for Joshua was actually that he couldn't make sense of it all.
Seokmin was always courteous and friendly to everyone, and he seemed like a really good friend. Everyone liked him at work, but Joshua didn't really know anything about Seokmin's dating preferences. He never talked about the person he’s seeing or if he’s seeing someone after all. Joshua had a feeling he also liked men, but there was a little bit of uncertainty that filled him.
He couldn't help but recall Seokmin's performance from earlier that evening.
He hadn't said anything to the younger, but a few years ago he had gone to the theatre with some friends because there was a discount, and they watched the play. Joshua couldn't remember if he had seen Seokmin back then, but he could still remember the story because the legend had fascinated him so much at the time.
And then something occurred to him that made him sit up straighter in his seat. That’s why he had a strange feeling about the performance from the start and what had irritated him so much. Now everything made sense, and he leaned excitedly toward the other, who looked at him in surprise at the sudden action.
“Seokmin?” He looked him intensely in the eyes, movie completely forgotten. “King Arthur wasn’t gay.”
Seokmin blinked irritatedly. “Huh?”
Joshua slid further in his seat until he took up Seokmin's entire field of vision and personal space. “When you recited your text, you said, 'My love for him is too much to bear.It seems that he is everywhere…' But King Arthur loved Guinevere, the maid."
Seokmin's eyes went wide. “I said that?”
Joshua nodded excitedly, and Seokmin thought about a reasonable explanation. “Well…” he chuckled nervously. “Some people claim that he was very close to his court magician.”
Joshua shook his head and smiled. “In some cases, yeah, but not in the musical.”
Seokmin slid further back in his seat and looked at Joshua, completely bewildered and shocked. “You’ve seen it!?”
Joshua nodded. “Years ago, yes. I don’t know if you were the one back then, but I liked it very much. And I know for sure that if Arthur were gay, I would’ve remembered.”
Seokmin felt his pulse quicken, and the sweat started to trickle down the back of his neck. He hadn’t even noticed that he’d switched pronouns; it just came so naturally. Sliding into other roles had never really been difficult for him, but he knew that to be truly convincing, you had to become the role itself or assimilate the role to yourself. The fact that he’d been so careless in doing so and had simply exposed such a vulnerable part of himself startled him. So what now? Should he just downplay the whole thing?
He licked his lips nervously, which caused Joshua to look down at them, and Seokmin could feel the heat rising to his face.
“I…needed to adapt to the situation, yes." He nodded as if to persuade himself. “Otherwise it wouldn’t have been so convincing.”
“For someone who’s so good at acting, you’re not as subtle as you think you are." And Joshua grinned like he won a game Seokmin didn’t know they were playing.
“I-“
“Seokmin?” Joshua interrupted him, his voice no longer teasing. It was smoother and deeper, and Seokmin swallowed hard. “Yeah?”
“Drop the acting.”
Seokmin nodded, dumbfounded. “Okay.”
After how close Joshua was now, Seokmin kind of expected the kiss that followed next. What he didn’t expect was how feverish Joshua was while kissing. It felt like he was desperate and needed the touch as much as air, and it made Seokmin dizzy. When Joshua's hand started to wander up his thigh, his intentions got really clear, and Seokmin realised that they were still in the cinema. He stopped the warm hand and broke off the kiss, breathing heavily.
“Joshua, listen. I’m serious about people who I kiss, and I’m not a fling or something – We should stop here if you’re looking for something like that.”
“Who said I do?” He raised his eyebrow and tilted his head. God, Seokmin thought, he looked so adorable like that.
“Well, first of all, we’re making out in public right now, and from what I heard so far, you were never dating for long." Seokmin smiled nervously. “And you’re flirting with everyone so damn much.”
“I’m only flirting willingly with you, Seokmin. I’m nice to the people I serve but nothing more, and I haven’t had a date in a while; that’s why I kissed you. I just couldn’t take it anymore, you understand?” Joshua's eyes glistened with sincerity and reinforcement.
One could practically see the gears turning in Seokmin’s head as he tried to make sense of the whole situation; his forehead furrowed. “But you talked about all those people…”
Joshua leaned back in his seat and rubbed his face with his hands.
“They don’t exist, Seokmin,” he mumbled.
The gears stopped, and Seokmin's eyes went wide. “What?”
“I mean", a pained expression spread across his face, “some of them did, but that was months ago, before I started working at the theatre. I just wanted to hint at you what I like and what I don’t and if you’d find me weird for my unique personality.”
Seokmin couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s some kind of twisted reverse psychology.”
Joshua just groaned and threw his arm over his eyes, but he smiled because he knew how ridiculous he must sound right now. “I know.”
“Joshua?”
“Mh?” he sighed.
When the older one showed no signs of taking his arm away, Seokmin reached over and did it himself. Joshua seemed to be confused for a minute, but he let out a soft sigh as Seokmin's lips met his again. This time, much slower and gentler than before. It wasn’t a really comfortable position for Seokmin, but he didn’t really care at the moment. Putting the words – he didn’t quite know how to phrase them yet – into an action Joshua hopefully understood seemed way more important right now. His hand moved to his neck, and his thumb stroked carefully over the soft and chubby cheek.
This time, Joshua leaned back and looked at him and said with mock accusation, “You can’t blame me for making out in a public place and then kiss me like that; that’s unfair.”
“I’m sorry," but Seokmin couldn’t help but grin.
Joshua rolled his eyes playfully. “No, you’re not.”
“No, I’m not.” He admitted, feeling way too giddy to feel guilty.
He continued the little strokes on Joshua's cheeks and examined his features with soft eyes.
When he made no further attempts, Joshua sighed and asked, “But you won’t go any further tonight, right?”
Seokmin shook his head. “I like doing things the right way.”
“Urgh, you’re so boring." Joshua sat back in his chair dramatically and crossed his arms like a petulant child.
“And yet, you like me.”
“Yeah…” he sighed heavily and looked over at the other. “Have I really thought this through?”
“You won’t regret it.” He whispered and leaned over again.
Although Joshua had seemed to be the impatient one at first, Seokmin couldn’t help but chase the sweet taste of the other's lips. But soon, even that wasn’t enough for him. His hand wandered to get a hold of Joshua's neck, and he tried to get the other closer to him again. Seokmin's lips started to move to the corner of his mouth, his cheek and his earlobe when Joshua granted him access even to his neck and collarbone. He got attached to his skin like a leech, and he was glad that there were only a few people in the room and all relatively far away. But even if they noticed them, who cares? Seokmin won’t see them again, so the only important person right now is Joshua, and it shows in his actions.
“Seokmin…” Joshua said breathlessly as he continued to leave butterfly kisses all over his neck. Joshua always smelt so good, and being able to be close to that irresistible scent was just too tempting. “You’re saying the one thing and then doing the complete opposite.”
Seokmin reluctantly broke away, and only briefly, to say what was absolutely necessary. “I thought about it," he left another kiss, this time on the other side. “We can start tomorrow with the right way.”
And although Seokmin couldn’t see it, he heard Joshua's smile in his voice. “I like the sound of that.”
He cupped Seokmin's cheek to get him on eye level again and left a peck at his lips. “I didn’t think you’d be this eager.”
"Sorry," Seokmin said sheepishly and blushed. “Is it too much?”
“Nah, I'm flattered that I bring out that side of you."
“You’re so full of yourself,” Seokmin stated and rolled his eyes this time playfully.
Joshua just wiggled with his eyebrows and replied ambitiously “You could change that.”
When Seokmin got the implication, his eyes widened for what felt like the hundredth time that evening and he exclaimed, “Joshua!!”
But that was probably a little too loud, because from somewhere he heard one of the other guests make a psssssss sound. He mumbled a 'sorry' that was probably not even heard, and then they chuckled silently together like they were little kids again.
“You want to leave?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
They tried to leave the room as quietly as possible and tiptoed toward the door. Since they hadn’t been paying any attention to the movie at all, they had no way of knowing that, as the door closed behind them, the curtain fell over the screen and the infamous last words appeared.
The End