When they are still innocent, children are taught about the birds and the bees. Bees carrying pollen. The wind stealing pollen from flowers. However, that innocence slips as they develop into adults. Questions form. Curiosity becomes physical.

Hyesung left the studio, abandoning the glass of ice as the cubes melted together into water. Minwoo found himself momentarily transfixed with that ice. Together. Melting. Becoming one. He sighed and threw his head back, allowing it to rest on the back of the chair. Kicking forward it began to spin and he allowed his eyes to drift along with the rest of the room.

Why is it so hot? When did it get so hot?

Hyesung's face came to mind. The exhaustion he tried to hide, the vulnerability. The blush highlighting his delicate features when he touched him. The static of their skin that raised the hair on his neck.

Oh how he longed to pluck the petal from it's stem. Feel the tender flesh melt with the heat of his kiss. Engulf them both with the burning rays of passion. Minwoo closed his eyes.

Damn it's hot.

All alone in the stuffy studio with hours of musical manipulation ahead of him; the heat was unbearable. The machines with their complex circuits and waves of electricity gave off a warmth when he touched the buttons to move one voice from here to there on the track. The lights of the room beamed down on his back as he bent his head in search of keys to cut, copy and edit the mesh of sounds.

Even in the late hour the heat of the day still lingered, for in the summer, there was no promise of relief in the night. Yet still he persisted to work his musical mechanical mind to form another master track for Shinhwa with only a weak rotating fan in the corner of the room and a broken AC humming as it struggled to work. The tiny appliance buzzed in time with the music. Hyesung's voice rang out of the speakers in time with the fan.

The beautiful harmony was still fresh. The sweat trickling down his soft cheeks was vivid. The electricity that surged through him when they touched still surged from his fingertips. Minwoo loosened the top two buttons of his blouse and waved the flap of fabric to fan the skin of his neck. The heat was unrestrained.

A clatter rose in the distance. A door opened and slammed shut. Light footsteps squeaked as the feet lifted and pressed the floor with every step., A bag hit the floor. A voice called out his name. He turned his seat around as the door of the studio flung open. In walked Hyesung, a gleaming vision that he was probably not ready to revisit. Cursing and catching his breath, there he stood soaked from head to toe. His hair was a mess, matted to his forehead and cheeks. The fabric of his shirt thinned and wet exposed his tiny protruding s. His face was a distorted expression of anger and relief.

“What?” was all he managed to say as the tall lanky man took his seat across from him.

“That's what I thought.” seconded Hyesung. “I was on my way to my car then all of a sudden it started pouring. You know when it rains it pours.”

“Yea.” he agreed at his notion of South Korea's rainy weather. “It's humid too so I guess it makes sense that it would come down out of nowhere.”

“I guess so.” huffed Hyesung resting his head on the back of the chair. “Sorry but I would rather wait until it settles before I drive. The roads are a mess.”

“Yea yea no problem.” waved Minwoo rising from his seat. “I'll get you a towel.”

“Thanks.” sighed Hyesung closing his eyes as Minwoo walked pass him.

Minwoo returned moments later with a heavy orange cotton towel, but was met with a sleeping face. He smiled and shook his head. Of course he was sleepy, that much was obvious when he'd come to record not long ago. Now he was sprawled out in a chair uncomfortably with his long legs stretched lazily in front of him and his head cocked to the side. God was he a vision! A flower whose stem bent and petals dripped with the heavy droplets of a fresh rainfall. A frail thing, limp and wet with his mouth slightly open. Waiting for a bee to land.

Minwoo moved over to him cautiously. Despite the feelings building within him, he wanted his friend to rest just as peacefully as he fell asleep. Wait for the rain to settle. Wait for the heat to die down with it. But faster than his consciousness could warn him his hands moved with the towel in his grip. Dabbing his forehead. His cheeks and neck. His chest and pants. His arm froze, caught by another. Hyesung's eyes drifted open drowsily staring at him.

“You'll catch a cold.” he reasoned quickly as Hyesung sat upright in his chair with his eyes fixed on him. The grip didn't loosen, the heat from the contact burning his wrist.

“Stop lying.” Hyesung demanded, sending a sharp pain through his chest. He frantically searched his head for words that eluded him.

Hyesung pulled himself up and stood towering a few inches above Minwoo. He released his arm as Minwoo stared anxiously at him. His slender hands reached his face. His head bent as he leaned his face close. He could feel the warmth of his breath hit his face as he came close.

“I'm tired of lying to myself. Aren't you?”

Minwoo's heart bounced around in his chest. His eyes darted around the floor as the words sank in. He looked up again, slowly this time, taking in the full sight of the taller man in front of him. Towering above him, wet, waiting with a redness to his damp cheeks. He placed his hand on top of the hand that lingered on his face and narrowed his glance to meet Hyesung's eyes.

“Yea.” he replied with determination knocking the hand away and took his face in his eyes.

Their eyes half-closed as their faces clashed together, roughly kissing each other as if the only source of oxygen came from the other's lungs. Muscular arms curled around a slender torso. Slim fingers slid down over the broad shoulders tightly fitted in a half-open dry shirt. Damp lips parted and made way for moist tongues curling around each other. A sweet voice moaned in the thin air shared between them. Their skin was ablaze with heat from one another mixed with the stuffiness of the enclosed studio around them.

Minwoo pushed Hyesung back into the chair and brought himself in-between his legs. Shyly the other looked at the man before him, his chest heaving, excited and shy as he moved close and reached for his face again. Closing his eyes he eagerly received the tender kiss he was given. Minwoo leaned over him, moving his hands slowly up his arms that clutched the arms of the chair, feeling Hyesung tremble from his touch. His fingers crawled to the back of his neck, around to his collar bones and felt their way back to his face, holding it carefully as he kissed him once more before separating.

Hyesung opened his eyes again and his heart skipped as Minwoo seemed to be admiring him dearly, lost from the passion shared a moment again.

“W-What?” he stammered averting his eyes, embarrassed by that expression.

“You're just so...beautiful.” he replied earnestly.

Hyesung his teeth and knocked his hands away, folding his arms irritated by that same compliment he'd heard times before.

“Whatever.”

“You're beautiful.” he repeated as if he didn't hear himself the first time. “And you're mine.”

“Not...yet.” Hyesung scoffed, surprised that he said it himself.

Minwoo chuckled lowly and leaned in to kiss his cheek, slowly moving to his neck. Hyesung shivered as he dabbed tender wet kisses in the crook of his neck. His tensed and in a breath as his lips moved to his earlobe, cradling the flesh between his lips and teasing it with his tongue. His voice came out in a low hum that sent a wave a heat down his spine as Minwoo whispered a question;

“My place or yours?”

He didn't know how to respond. His face probably looked like a beat. His clothes would probably mildew if he did not wash them immediately. Insignificant thoughts raced through his head, but he smiled in spite of it and looked at Minwoo. Placing a shy kiss on his lips he found himself replying with eagerness.

“Yours.”

The sun shines, pouring yellow rays that beat down on the surface of flowers. Bees hum and roam, carrying pollen. Birds lay their eggs in warm nests, cradling the innocents that grow within. It's the sun alone that stays, that helps the flowers sprout from their buds. Shy, new to the world and vulnerable. It's that almighty protective light that guides them through their unforeseen changes. Highlights their petals. Heats the petals. Even burning those very same precious petals. Yea, the birds and the bees story really does have a lot of holes in it. That's okay though, because humans are a completely different case. They sometimes fight the sun. They sometimes burn the flowers. Ah, but that's love. And that's natural too, isn't it?

END

NOTE: That was as sweet as I wanted to be, but the end to some may or may not have been too tense to leave there. So, I decided to do a thing lol. If ten readers, collectively from Archive of Our Own and Asian Fan Fiction.net comment the word “nectar”, I will do my damnedest to write a juicy continuation of this “Bloom” pairing in Minwoo's place. Giggedy....giggedy lol. If not then that's cool too. Hope you enjoyed the Minsyung sweetness. Thanks for reading ^^

UPDATE: Yay. Nectar happened lol. Please enjoy the third and final chapter ^^