Day Five

“Namjoon, this is absolutely unacceptable. Your foot looks like there's a baseball where your ankle should be. We're going to the infirmary and that's final!”

Namjoon is grinning up at Hoseok. He doesn't actually look like he wants to argue, but Hoseok had let himself be talked out of this the night before. He won't let it happen again. He checks Namjoon's welcome packet for the map of the ship.

“Good morning, Hoseok. How did you sleep?” Namjoon's voice is tinged with pain, but it still sounds sweet and rich, like melted dark chocolate flowing from his lips.

“If you want to know the truth,” Hoseok glances up to see if Namjoon is interested and finds him listening attentively, “I hardly slept at all. I was too worried about you and your damn foot to sleep. How did you sleep?” Namjoon smiles. His dimples show. Hoseok swoons internally.

“I dreamt I made it to the top of that wall. Wanna go again, Hobi?”

“Are you delirious? I will not be doing anything dangerous with you ever again.”

“What would you consider dangerous? Is dangerous? Because I'd very much like to do that with you.”

Hoseok's heart stops, and he has to collect his jaw from the floor before he can respond. He narrows his eyes at Namjoon. “What did you take? Did you smuggle some kind of prescription pain meds onto the ship?”

Namjoon's head lolls to the side. “I raided the minibar.” Hoseok follows Namjoon's gaze to the bedside table where there are eight tiny bottles lined up like toy soldiers, all empty.

“Jesus Christ, Namjoon, is there anything left in the minibar?”

“Just gin. I hate gin. I love Jin though.” Hoseok hears a sound he wouldn't have thought Namjoon was capable of if he hadn't heard it with his own ears: a giggle. He giggles like a schoolgirl, all bubbly and cute but still deep and throaty, and the contrast really does a number on Hoseok's brain. “Hey! Hey, Hobi, you got any scotch in your room? I'll trade ya.” Hoseok ignores him and picks up the phone to ask for assistance getting Namjoon to the infirmary. There's no way they'll make it there alone with Namjoon in this condition. They had enough trouble just getting to the cabin yesterday after his fall.

Just as someone answers the call, Namjoon decides to speak again. “Hobiiiiii, is dangerous? Cause I'd really like to do that with you.” Hoseok doesn’t answer as he’s busy explaining the situation to the woman from guest services. He asks her to send some help and a wheelchair, if they have one. The woman promises someone will be on their way any minute, and as Hoseok ends the call, Namjoon yells, “I don't need a wheelchair. I can walk just fine.”

To prove his point Namjoon swings his legs off the bed and stands straight up only to drop to the floor a second later. “God, Namjoon! No, you cannot walk!” Hoseok struggles to get Namjoon back on the bed. When he finally manages to wrestle all 180-something centimeters of flailing limbs and dead weight off of the floor, he realises Namjoon is crying. Maybe not really crying because there aren't any tears, but he sounds like he's crying. “Hey, Namjoon, what's wrong, huh?”

“I can't walk.” Now Namjoon is wailing. Hoseok can barely hear someone knocking on the door over the noise, but he can't answer it because Namjoon has attached himself to Hoseok's arm like some kind of parasite. “I'll never be able to walk again!”

Thankfully whoever is at the door has a keycard, and just as Namjoon is attempting suffocate Hoseok by pressing Hoseok’s face against his chest, the door swings open and a burly-looking guy, Hoseok assumes he’s a nurse since he’s wearing scrubs, pushes a wheelchair through the door. Namjoon goes quiet. No more sobs or slurred requests for … just quiet.

“Thank you for coming. If you can just help me get him into the chair, I’m sure we can find our own way to the infirmary.” The nurse hardly listens, lifting Namjoon with ease. Namjoon wraps his arms around the man’s neck with a yelp as he’s scooped up off the bed.

“I can’t walk.” Hoseok rolls his eyes at the whiny tone of Namjoon’s voice, but he can’t suppress the smile that forces its way onto his face. “I can’t walk and Hobi says is dangerous-”

“I did not say that!” Hoseok smacks Namjoon’s shoulder before turning to the nurse who is busy trying to situate Namjoon in the chair. “I did not say that.”

“You said you won’t do anything dangerous with me and you won’t say if is dangerous.” As the nurse starts to push the chair toward the door Namjoon leans his head back to look up at him. His full lips are pulled into a pout that would rival any toddler in the midst of a tantrum. “He won’t tell me if is dangerous, and I really wanna do that with him. Is dangerous?”

Hoseok watches in absolute disbelief as the nurse carefully looks him over from top to bottom. He uncomfortably shifts his weight from one foot to the other and back under the scrutiny until finally the nurse bends over the wheelchair to speak to Namjoon.

“With him? Definitely.” Hoseok isn’t sure whether to feel proud or humiliated, but he’s comforted by the fact that Namjoon is probably too drunk to remember this conversation later anyway.

It’s not until they’ve made it to the infirmary and are waiting on the doctor to look over Namjoon’s x-rays that Namjoon finally starts to sober up.

“Well, this isn’t exactly how I imagined spending my vacation.” Hoseok sighs and chuckles at Namjoon’s pitiful groan as he tries to adjust his position on the cot.

“I’m really sorry about this. I’m usually… I don’t drink often. I mean, not a lot anyway. Just like a glass of wine at dinner, and even then it’s only when Jinnie cooks for me.”

“It’s not a big deal. I wasn’t complaining.” He hopes his smile conveys the truth of his words. He really doesn’t mind. It’s kind of nice spending the day with Namjoon, even if it’s in the infirmary.

“I ruined all your plans.” Hoseok scoffs at this, and then he’s on his feet, making his way over to the cot only to lose his balance halfway there and tumble over on top of Namjoon.

“! I’m so sorry. So, so sorry. I had been doing so well too. I didn’t get your ankle, did I?” Hoseok scrambles to push himself up, but Namjoon’s arms wrap around his shoulders to hold him there.

“Stay. You’ll just fall again if you get back up. ‘Sides, you’re warm. I like it.”

A faint blush rises in Hoseok’s cheeks, tinting them a pretty, rosy color and warming his skin even more. “And you’re still drunk.” He pokes a finger at the dimple that appears on Namjoon’s cheek when, instead of fighting to get away, he sinks further into Namjoon’s chest.

Namjoon’s voice is soft, and Hoseok can feel his breath against his neck when he speaks. “I’m sorry for being inappropriate earlier. I didn’t mean it.”

“You mean you don’t want to do that with me?” Hoseok flattens his palm along Namjoon’s cheek. It’s Namjoon’s turn to blush, and Hoseok feels the heat against his fingers.

“No.”

Oh . That… kind of hurts in a way Hoseok wasn’t expecting it to. He playfully and ever so gently smacks Namjoon’s cheek as he forces a grin and pushes himself up off of the cot. Namjoon opens his mouth to speak, but the doctor knocks and enters, effectively ending their conversation.

It turns out the foot is not broken, but the doctor warns Namjoon to stay off of it for the next few days. Hoseok feels slightly responsible since rock climbing had been his idea in the first place. He promises to keep Namjoon company even though he’s still feeling a little sore from Namjoon’s blunt answer earlier.

“You can’t just stay locked up in your cabin until we dock. That’s still two whole days away. You’ll have to eat at the very least.” Namjoon just sulks, keeping his eyes on his hands in his lap as Hoseok pushes the wheelchair down the hallway toward their cabins. “We can do what we did last night… if you still wanna spend time with me. I’d understand if you’d rather be alone to read or whatever. I’ll bring you some food and then let you be.”

“No, that sounds nice.” Hoseok doesn’t like Namjoon’s disappointed tone, and he almost suggests that Namjoon just try to sleep off the remaining alcohol in his system before they hang out again until Namjoon says something else. “I enjoy your company.” The way he says it sounds sincere even with the note of gloominess still wrapping around the words.

Hoseok’s breath ruffles the back of Namjoon’s hair as he sighs. “Yeah, I enjoy your company too. Let’s swing by the dining room before we go back to your cabin. That way I won’t have to come back out alone later.”

It turns out Namjoon really likes pasta. Hoseok catches him eyeing a pan of spaghetti bolognese and ends up filling an entire plate with it. Namjoon holds their plates in his lap while Hoseok pushes him to his cabin, and Hoseok finds that it’s much easier to stay steady on his feet when he has the wheelchair to brace himself against.

Hoseok helps Namjoon get settled on the bed before handing him his plate and joining him, leaning against the headboard with his own food in his lap. “This is my best vacation in years.”

“Oh?” It’s hard to understand Namjoon when he speaks with his mouth full, but Hoseok just smiles and nods.

“Yeah. Last year I went to this resort on the beach and spent a week swimming and snorkeling. I even went paragliding. It was fun, but I was all alone. It would have been so much better with someone to keep me company.”

“You’re so friendly though. How did you not meet someone?” Namjoon stuffs his face with another huge forkful of spaghetti, and Hoseok has to resist the urge to wipe away the bit of sauce on his chin… or kiss it off. Instead he hands Namjoon a napkin and points at his face.

“I don’t know. I’m a little… excited sometimes. Jimin says I’m hyperactive, but it’s really more… excited is really the best word I can think of.”

“I don’t know what you’re like on land, but you’ve been pretty calm with me. You seem capable of being serious when it’s important, like when I’m drunk and injured and need to see the doctor, and you’re a lot of fun to hang out with otherwise. I certainly would never have gone rock climbing if not for you.” A twinge of guilt squeezes at Hoseok’s heart. “I know I’ve already said this today, but I really like being with you. You make me feel comfortable in a way that lately only Jin has been able to.” Hoseok puts his fork down and sets his plate on the bedside table. Namjoon’s eyebrows draw together when Hoseok takes his plate and sets it aside as well. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No.” Hoseok shakes his head, his hair falling slightly in his eyes. “I just… I need to tell you something. Namjoon, are you completely sober now?”

“I think so. I don’t feel woozy or anything.”

“Namjoon…” Hoseok pauses. Now that he’s started talking he’s having difficulty finding the proper words to express himself. “Namjoon, I…” He trails off again. “Namjoon-”

“You really like my name, don’t you?” That warm giggle of his bubbles up out of his throat, and Hoseok feels a flutter in his stomach.

“I like you.” It’s just a whisper, a whisper aimed at his own knees, but it makes Hoseok’s breath freeze in his lungs and his heart seize in his chest. He’s afraid to move as he waits for Namjoon to respond.

A large, warm hand lands on Hoseok’s shoulder at the same time a finger gently lifts his chin. When his eyes meet Namjoon’s, he’s surprised to find a gentle smile framed by deep dimples. “Why are you so nervous? Did you think I’d freak out? Hoseok, it’s okay. I like you too.”

“Really?”

“Really.” Namjoon’s laugh might just be the most beautiful sound Hoseok has ever heard. It’s deep, more from his chest than his throat, and rich and smooth just like his speaking voice. “Isn’t that basically what I was just saying?”

“No, not really.” Hoseok laughs as well, shaking his head at his own misunderstanding of Namjoon’s words. “I mean, you probably were, but I didn’t really get it.”

“Ah…” Hoseok can sense the awkward silence pressing in on them as their conversation fades into nonexistence. He keeps glancing around the small room in search of something to talk about.

“We can’t have run out of things to say to each other already.”

“No, of course not. We just confessed. That’s not possible.”

Finally Hoseok remembers their food, cold and forgotten on the bedside table. “Are you still hungry?” Namjoon sighs, relieved, and gratefully accepts his plate. The quiet between them is actually kind of nice with something to occupy their hands and mouths.

Hoseok isn’t sure when it happens, but he finds himself sitting closer to Namjoon on the bed. His plate sits empty on his lap, his knee touching Namjoon’s, and Namjoon has a hand resting on his own thigh, his pinky finger just barely brushing against Hoseok’s leg.

“Namjoon?” As Namjoon hums his response, Hoseok drops his hand to cover Namjoon’s. “It’s getting late.”

“Oh.” Namjoon’s hand flips over, and his fingers lace together with Hoseok’s. “Are you leaving?” Hoseok thinks he might hear a touch of fear in Namjoon’s voice.

“Do you want me to?” Well, there might be a touch of fear in his own voice as well.

“No.”

Hoseok slouches down in the bed, leaning his shoulder against Namjoon’s bicep and letting his head fall on Namjoon’s shoulder. “Then I’ll stay.”

Day Six

Morning greets Namjoon with a gentle, almost imperceptible rocking of the ship, a throbbing ankle, and a mouthful of hair that doesn’t belong to him. He peeks one eye open, just to make sure last night wasn’t a dream. Nope, there’s Hoseok, one leg thrown across Namjoon’s body, an arm wrapped around his neck, and his head tucked under Namjoon’s chin.

They’re both still dressed in yesterday’s clothes, which in Namjoon’s case happens to be what he slept in the night before as well. As much as he hates to disturb Hoseok, Namjoon is dying to clean off some of the sweat and grime of the past couple of days and get in some fresh clothes. He tries to extricate himself from Hoseok’s hold without waking him, but either Hoseok is a very light sleeper or he was already partially awake.

“Hey, good morning. How did you sleep?” Namjoon smooths Hoseok’s hair back from his forehead as Hoseok tightens his hold around Namjoon.

“Mmm, you make a good pillow.” Hoseok snuggles deeper, rubbing his cheek against Namjoon’s shoulder.

Namjoon chuckles. “Ah, I always figured I was too bony to be very comfortable.”

“Nah, it’s nice.” He takes a deep breath and sighs. “And you smell good too.”

Namjoon wrinkles his nose. “I need a bath… and clean clothes, and so do you.”

Hoseok pushes himself up and looks down, apparently finally realising that he slept in his clothes. He laughs as he takes in his disheveled state. “I am a mess. I should go back to my cabin for a bit, huh?”

Namjoon grins, thinking it sounds an awful lot like Hoseok doesn’t want to go. “Well, don’t be gone long. I’m gonna need your help getting breakfast. What did you wanna do today anyway?”

There’s a moment where Hoseok gives a sly grin and makes Namjoon wonder what he’s gotten himself into, but then Hoseok’s smile softens, widens. “How do you feel about the pool?”

“Oh, I don’t know about that. I can’t do anything fun like diving or… well, anything.” When Namjoon pictures pool time he sees people goofing off, horsing around, running and chasing and playing. What he does not see is someone with an injured ankle sitting at the edge of the pool, feet dangling in the water while everyone else has all the fun.

Hoseok, in a moment of extreme gracefulness thanks to the way the ocean is calmly caressing the ship with only the gentlest of waves this particular morning, saunters smoothly over to the bed and leans down over Namjoon. “I wasn’t thinking of actually swimming.” His tone is seductive, and Namjoon has to fight the instinctive urge to wrap a hand around the back of Hoseok’s neck and drag him back into the bed. “We could just hang out in the shallow end of the pool, cosy up to each other. You won’t have to put any weight on your foot, and as long as you stay still the water should feel really good on it.” Hoseok places Namjoon’s hands on his waist and straddles Namjoon’s lap. He sighs in Namjoon’s ear, and with a swivel of his hips he whispers, “Besides, I’m dying to see what you’re hiding under all these stuffy clothes. Even when we went climbing you were wearing sweats. Bet you got some nice muscles under there, huh?” He grips Namjoon’s bicep through his sweater and then chuckles as he backs away. Namjoon misses Hoseok’s warmth immediately and tries to chase it, but Hoseok is moving faster, slipping out of Namjoon’s reach and over to the door. “I’ll be back in an hour. Find your way into your trunks and be ready to help me put sunscreen on my back by the time I return.”

Namjoon follows instructions well. He’s cleaned up and wearing his swim trunks, packing a messenger bag with sunscreen and a towel, when he hears a knock on his door. He hobbles over to let Hoseok in and cringes when Hoseok instantly starts yelling at him.

“Yah! What are you doing up? Sit your in that wheelchair so I can get you down to the pool safely.”

“I’m fine. I wasn’t even walking on it.” The look on Hoseok’s face clearly says he doesn’t believe him. Namjoon obediently sits.

“‘Sides, I need the chair to lean on in case I lose my balance.” Hoseok hangs his own bag across the handles of the wheelchair before pushing Namjoon to the door. “Ready?” He doesn’t wait for an answer, snatching the key card from the table by the door and rolling the chair out into the hallway.

The pool is huge, so much bigger than Namjoon expected, and crowded. The warm, late morning sunlight of the last full day of the cruise has brought more passengers out to enjoy the cool water. On one end there are a pair of diving boards, but Hoseok pushes the wheelchair past them to the far end of the pool, the shallow end, and parks Namjoon next to a table shaded by a parasol and flanked by two adjustable lounge chairs. He spreads their towels on the chairs and smooths out the wrinkles. Namjoon watches the way Hoseok moves, like liquid, so fluid, but then he crosses his arms in front of him and peels his shirt off inside out and Namjoon’s mind goes completely blank.

Hoseok’s body is a marvel. It’s smooth, lean lines of muscle that shift but don’t really bunch. It’s pure, unblemished skin, tanned golden and stretched taut across the muscles. It’s jutting points of hipbones and collar bones and shoulders accenting the delicate curves of his neck, his biceps, his slim waist. It’s absolute perfection in human form, and Namjoon feels a little embarrassed by his own body.

Hoseok’s long, slender arm stretches toward Namjoon, offering the bottle of sunblock, and when Namjoon squeezes a little in his palm it smells like coconut and summer. Hoseok crouches in front of the wheelchair and curves his spine so that each vertebrae shows under his skin, little knobs of bone in a straight line, surrounded by smooth columns of muscle on either side. Namjoon takes a deep breath and rubs the lotion between his palms before reaching out to touch Hoseok.

His skin is warm, like the sun lives behind his ribs and heats him from the inside out, and smooth as Namjoon’s hands glide along his back, spreading the sunscreen over every bit of exposed flesh within reach. He runs his fingers along the bumps of Hoseok’s spine and spreads the lotion outward across his shoulder blades. He works his thumbs in small circles from Hoseok’s shoulders, up his neck, and all the way up to the edge of his hairline. He massages it into Hoseok’s ribs and urges him to lift his elbows to reach around his sides. The heels of his hands press firmly into Hoseok’s lower back, all the way down to the top of his swim trunks, and Hoseok only gets ticklish when Namjoon’s hands curl around his hips and his waist, twisting in both directions to smear the last of the sunblock from between his fingers over Hoseok’s skin and then rub it in.

When he finishes, Hoseok helps him hop over to the edge of the pool where he sits with his feet in the water. Namjoon is hesitant to remove his shirt, but Hoseok tugs the fabric up insistently. Namjoon raises his arms and lets it slide over his head, and he stares down at the tiny ripples in the water created by the small movements of his feet as Hoseok kneads his back with his knuckles, like he’s trying to make the sunscreen fuse with Namjoon’s body.

Hoseok gently lowers himself into the water beside Namjoon, his triceps flexing as his weight drops slowly, and Namjoon’s mouth goes dry. He doesn’t take a full breath again until Hoseok is standing in front of him, the water hitting Hoseok’s chest right around his lowest rib. Then there are hands on his hips, and Hoseok is guiding him forward, reminding him to land on his good foot when he slides into the water. Namjoon shivers, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the cool water hitting his lower back where the sun had warmed him.

Namjoon’s foot completely misses the bottom of the pool when he lands, causing him to slip into the water so fast that his head goes under, but Hoseok catches him under his arms and pulls him back up. He surfaces, sputtering and spitting water in Hoseok’s face. His hair is flattened to his forehead, dripping water down his face, the chlorine stinging his eyes.

“I’ve got you.” Hoseok’s voice drifts to him through an earful of water that he shakes his head to clear, and he feels Hoseok holding him close, an arm around his back and a hand pushing his fringe back and swiping the water out of his eyes. It makes Namjoon feel small, like a child, but not in a bad way. Namjoon is a big, manly guy. He’s used to being the one taking care of someone. It’s nice to feel cared for.

Once Namjoon gets his foot under him and his back against the edge of the pool he’s much more stable, but Hoseok doesn’t leave his side. He presses close to Namjoon, crowding into the space in front of him. He dips his head back into the water, slicking his hair back and occasionally floats as far away as he can go without losing physical contact with Namjoon, but mostly he just stays attached to Namjoon, his arms wrapped around Namjoon’s neck and his hips swishing back and forth in the water just a few centimeters away from Namjoon’s.

It’s like dancing, except Namjoon actually feels capable. He doesn’t feel awkward or slow or goofy. All he feels is weightless and free, and it’s fun… right up until some jerk tries to come between them.

The guy is tall and has broad shoulders, just like Seokjin’s, and fire engine red hair all plastered to his head from swimming. He has a full 8-pack and a defined v-line surrounding his narrow hips, and he’s not wearing trunks. He’s not , no, but he might as well be with how tiny his speedo is and how much skin is showing. Even chest deep in the water Namjoon can see almost everything, including the guy’s big, clumsy feet that somehow manage to find Namjoon’s ankle and stomp all over it.

“Holy ! Ouch! What the hell? , that hurts!” The guy throws Namjoon an irritated glare over his shoulder as he continues to invade their space. Namjoon draws his leg up to hold his foot, his injured foot, now doubly injured, and his knee digs into the guy’s back, forcing him forward. Hoseok floats back a bit, trying to get away from the guy, but he just follows Hoseok, completely ignoring Namjoon.

“Hey there, babydoll.” Namjoon’s eyes roll so hard he thinks he’s pulled a muscle. Hoseok does not look the slightest bit amused or interested; he’s not even looking at the guy. His focus is on Namjoon who is still clutching his foot in pain.

Hoseok tries to swim past to reach Namjoon, but the guy blocks his way. “Excuse me.” Hoseok is courteous as he tries to get around the .

“Where you goin’, sweetheart? I didn’t even get your name yet.”

“You must not have noticed, but I’m with someone.” Still a gentleman.

“What, him?” The guy jerks a thumb over his shoulder at Namjoon, and Hoseok’s eyebrows shoot up at the dismissive tone. “You’re not into… that, are you?” That’s all it takes for sweet, happy, polite Hoseok to lose his patience.

“Oh, I can tell you exactly what I’m into. I’m into kindness and selflessness and intelligence. I’m into happy laughter and meaningful conversation.” Hoseok approaches the guy as he talks, spits the words at him. Hoseok doesn’t touch him, but the guy still backs away like he’s afraid of being pushed or punched or, if he’s really unlucky, kneed in the groin. “I’m into modesty and respect, and I don’t think any of those words describe you. You know who they do describe?” When Hoseok lifts his hand to point at Namjoon, the guy flinches. “They describe that man right there behind you. The man with the sweet, goofy grin that makes his dimples show, the man who is probably as clumsy on land as I am out here on the ocean, the man who ignored his fear to go rock climbing with me and then pretended he wasn’t in pain for half a day just so I wouldn’t have to spend part of my vacation sitting in the infirmary, but ya know what? I would have spent my entire vacation in that infirmary with him because he is what I’m into.”

Both Namjoon and the guy are stunned into silence, but while the guy is frozen in place, probably not used to being turned down, Namjoon surges forward. Overwhelmed with affection, he drops into the water and pushes off the wall with his good foot. Hoseok drops as well, both of them shoulder deep in the water, as he tries to catch Namjoon.

Namjoon’s arms fold around Hoseok’s neck, pulling him close, and he crashes their lips together. For a split second Hoseok doesn’t respond, but then his hands find Namjoon’s neck, his hair, and his arms constrict around Namjoon’s shoulders. Namjoon lifts his knees to wrap his legs around Hoseok’s waist, and the added weight pulls them underwater for a moment. When they surface, they’re both laughing against each other’s skin, Namjoon’s lips pressed to Hoseok’s shoulder and Hoseok’s face tucked into Namjoon’s neck.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to drown you.” Namjoon giggles, allowing Hoseok to hold him up out of the water. Hoseok just laughs harder, and when he gets his feet planted on the bottom of the pool, he drags Namjoon’s knees back around his waist, hoisting him up. “What’s so funny? What are you doing?”

“Nothing.” Hoseok laughs breathlessly. “Nothing, it’s just… it took you long enough.”

Hoseok can only move so much, can only sway or walk without dipping under the surface of the water while he’s holding all of Namjoon’s weight. He starts moving them back toward the edge of the pool.

Namjoon only removes his arms from around Hoseok to help lift himself out of the water. Hoseok follows, climbing out of the pool and helping Namjoon up off the ground. “I think I’ve had enough for today, haven’t you?” Hoseok tosses Namjoon’s arm over his shoulder as they head back to where they’d left their things.

“I’ve had enough of that to last a lifetime.”

“There’s one more thing I wanna do tonight.” Namjoon hums. He’s blissfully relaxed, lying on Hoseok’s bed with his foot propped up and his head in Hoseok’s lap. Long fingers comb through Namjoon’s hair, scratching lightly at his scalp every so often, and Hoseok’s even breaths have lulled Namjoon just to the edge of sleep. “It’s kind of a surprise, but don’t worry. It’s nothing… dangerous .”

Namjoon grins. “Just as long as I don’t have to stand we’re good.” He can hear the thickness of his sleepy voice.

“Come on. Let’s go eat early. I wanna have plenty of time tonight.” Namjoon groans when Hoseok prods his shoulder, but he complies, curious about Hoseok’s not-dangerous surprise.

“Would you like to eat in the dining room?” Namjoon asks as he hobbles over to the wheelchair.

“Namjoon, are you asking me on a date?” He hadn’t thought of it that way, but really, it would be kind of like a date. They’d be eating at a real table instead of on a bed, but Namjoon has plans in his head. He doesn’t think any part of this cruise counts as an actual date. “Not yet.” Hoseok pouts cutely until Namjoon tugs at his shirt to bring him down for a kiss. “I said ‘not yet’ not ‘not ever’ so don’t worry so much.”

“As long as you keep kissing me like that, I don’t care if we ever go on a real date.” Hoseok laughs, and it’s such a happy, free sound that Namjoon can’t help joining in.

Hoseok’s one more thing turns out to be not dangerous at all. “You want to take a walk around the deck? You realise I can’t walk, right?”

“Okay, so instead of a stroll… it’ll be a roll.” Hoseok cracks up, and Namjoon waits him out. “Okay, okay. I’ll push you. It’s not like I can walk either, at least not without you.”

“You only like me for my wheelchair.”

“Ah, I thought I listed all the reasons I like you in the pool.” Hoseok begins pushing Namjoon along the deck, just a few feet from the railing. The sun is a blazing orange ball hanging in the pink tinted sky, partially obscured by purplish-grey clouds. “Was there too much water in your ears to hear me?”

“No. No, I heard it all. Thank you, Hoseok.” Namjoon looks up at Hoseok. He isn’t positive, but he thinks he sees a bit of pink dusting Hoseok’s cheeks. Then again, it could be a reflection from the sky.

“There’s an island out there, just on the horizon. Do you see it?” Hoseok leans down behind Namjoon, his elbows resting on the handles of the wheelchair and his chin in the crook of Namjoon’s neck. He points with two fingers, and Namjoon can see the tops of trees growing out of a mountain seemingly floating in the water. They’re not close enough to see the shore, and Namjoon doesn’t know enough about where they are in the ocean to say what the island is. “It looks peaceful, doesn’t it?”

Namjoon hums and nods. It does look nice, quiet. Namjoon gets lost in his head for a moment, imagining what it might be like to sit on that shore with Hoseok. Maybe they would sleep in a hut under those trees or maybe they’d sleep out under the stars instead. Their skin would be sun-baked, bronze… warm, and they would float out into the ocean and explore each other’s bodies with roaming hands underneath the water. Namjoon thinks if Hoseok would come with him, he wouldn’t fight his vacation anymore.

By the time he notices Hoseok is talking to him again, the sun is only half visible. “I’m sorry, I kind of drifted off there.”

Namjoon can hear Hoseok’s soft smile in his words as he repeats himself. “The sun has almost set. Would you like to go back to my cabin with me when it gets dark?”

He doesn’t hesitate to answer, nodding enthusiastically as he says, “Yes, of course.”

Day Seven

A strong arm is wrapped around Hoseok’s middle when he opens his eyes, and soft lips are puffing steady breaths into his ear. He s around on the nightstand for his phone to check the time. In just under four hours the ship will dock, and he and Namjoon will part ways. They’ve traded phone numbers and promised to meet up again sometime soon, but Hoseok can’t fight the doubt that creeps into his mind anytime Namjoon isn’t whispering reassurances.

Hoseok sweeps Namjoon’s silver-grey locks behind his ear and smiles when Namjoon’s nose wrinkles as a few strands fall back over his face. He mumbles something in his sleep and tucks his face further into Hoseok’s neck, and Hoseok sighs because he’s going to miss this.

For years home has been a place where Hoseok rests his head at night, where he eats enough take-out for two people all by himself, where he crashes on his own couch after long days of teaching amateur dancers simplified versions of complicated choreography that he could do in his sleep. It’s the place he avoids whenever possible because it’s quiet, and quiet is not what he needs; quiet just reminds him that he has no one to be loud with.

He’s been in relationships before, albeit short-lived ones. He’s spent the night with men and had men spend the night with him, but he’s never lived with a lover before. He’s never wanted to. He’s never looked at his couch and imagined someone filling the other side of it. He’s never walked into the kitchen and wished someone was there making him coffee, and he’s certainly never woken up sad because he’s all alone in his big bed.

Namjoon though… Hoseok can picture him filling the empty spaces in his life and in his home. He imagines what it would be like to fall asleep wrapped securely in Namjoon’s arms, to smell his cologne lingering on the sheets, to come home to a place that actually feels like home because maybe home is not so much the space itself but the people who fill it, and Namjoon would fill the space perfectly.

“Wha time izzit?” Namjoon's groggy question is asked against Hoseok’s neck, and it makes his skin buzz and tingle.

“It’s early still. You can rest a little longer.” Hoseok gently works his fingers into the back of Namjoon’s neck, attempting to soothe him back to sleep.

Namjoon continues talking in half-coherent sentences. “‘S comfy ‘ere.”

Hoseok giggles. “You mean here on the ship? Here in my room?”

“Nn yer bed. Wif you.” Namjoon buries his face completely in Hoseok’s skin, and the next thing he says is lost in a muffled mess of sound.

“What was that?” He nuzzles a bit deeper and huffs, and Hoseok squirms because Namjoon’s breath tickles. Namjoon turns his head and hums as he settles his cheek against Hoseok’s shoulder.

“I said you smell nice.” He takes a deep breath, inhaling Hoseok’s scent and sighing happily. “Are you all packed?”

“Yeah. I’m ready to go as soon as we dock. You?”

“Mhmm.” Namjoon nods and bumps his head against Hoseok’s chin. “Bet you can’t wait to be on dry land, huh?”

“Ha, yeah. No more waves to knock me on my .” Hoseok pauses, unsure whether to voice his insecurity. “Namjoon?”

“Yes, Hobi?”

“I’m gonna miss the ship.”

“Really? Even with all the trouble this vacation has been?” Namjoon laughs a little. “You’ll just miss being on vacation, right? Nowhere to be and plenty of stuff to keep you entertained. If your vacation was longer you could climb that wall again.”

“Not really. I’m gonna miss this. I’m gonna miss spending all day with you, waking up next to you. I guess I’m not gonna miss the ship so much as I’m gonna miss us.”

“Oh, Hobi.” Namjoon pushes himself up on his elbow and caresses Hoseok’s cheek with his other hand. “I told you, this isn’t the end of us. I have never been so happy with someone. I’m not going to abandon you just because we’re home.” He kisses Hoseok’s forehead, and Hoseok sighs, trying to let go of his fear.

Yoongi is waiting for Hoseok when they dock. He had promised to drive him home, but he’s standing next to a tall brunette who Hoseok doesn’t recognize. The guy has broad shoulders and pretty lips, and Namjoon is shouting, “Jinnie! You’re here!” as they approach.

“Small world,” Hoseok says with a smile.

“Huh?”

“Your Jinnie must be dating my Yoongi.”

They all pile into Yoongi’s car, Hoseok and Namjoon together in the back seat, and it’s a little weird having any space between them when they’ve been so close for days. Hoseok almost scoots into the middle seat so he can spend just a bit more time snuggling into Namjoon on the ride home, but he decides that might make Yoongi gag which is the last thing they need while he’s busy driving.

“Should I even ask what happened to your foot?” Seokjin questions, and Hoseok giggles when Namjoon blushes.

“It was an accident.”

“Oh, I’m sure it was. Just like the accident where you tripped over a speck of dust and broke two of your fingers trying to catch yourself against a wall?”

“No,” Namjoon huffs.

“It was the rock climbing wall,” Hoseok supplies, and Seokjin nearly breaks his neck whipping his head around to look at Namjoon.

“ You climbed the rock wall? Have you lost your mind? You know you don’t have the coordination for that!”

“Relax, Jin. It wasn’t that dangerous,” Namjoon explains. “There was an instructor and a harness and ropes and-” Seokjin interrupts him, nearly hysterical.

“Don’t you tell me to relax! You’re afraid of heights and are about as coordinated as a newborn giraffe! You could have died!”

“Jin, chill.” Yoongi touches Seokjin’s arm gently to calm him down. “He’s alive. It’s fine.”

“Yeah, well, he could not be, ya know.” Namjoon looks at Hoseok and rolls his eyes, mouthing ‘mom’ and causing Hoseok to have to stifle a laugh. Yoongi just sighs as he pulls up to the curb outside Hoseok’s building.

Namjoon and Hoseok both get out, and Yoongi pops the trunk for Hoseok to grab his luggage. When Namjoon reaches for his suitcase as well, they both look at each other.

“Don’t tell me,” Hoseok says.

“This is your building?” Namjoon’s eyebrows are hiding up behind his fringe again, and his mouth is hanging open.

“What floor?”

“Six, you?”

“Six. 6H.”

“Oh my god, I’m in 6G. We’re right across the hall. How did we…”

“I have no idea. Small world… really small world.”

As soon as Hoseok slams the trunk shut, Yoongi pulls out into traffic without even saying goodbye.

“Well, that was rude,” Namjoon comments.

“That’s just Yoongi. You’ll get used to it.”

Hoseok takes Namjoon’s suitcase and drags it inside the building along with his own luggage and then helps Namjoon to the elevator. They’d had to leave the wheelchair on the ship so Namjoon has been hobbling everywhere, leaning on Hoseok’s shoulder for support.

“So, this is me,” Namjoon mumbles when they reach their apartments, pulling out his key. He opens the door, and Hoseok is about to carry his suitcase inside when he notices there's nowhere to walk.

There are stacks of unshelved books surrounding the couch and coffee table and boxes of what Hoseok assumes are work supplies in the doorway. What little of the floor isn't cluttered with boxes and books is covered in clothes, and Hoseok wrinkles his nose, unable to decide whether it would be better if they were clean or dirty.

“Jeez, Namjoon, how do you not break your neck just trying to walk to the couch?”

“Sorry about the mess, yeah. It's just, you know, packing for vacation and last minute work stuff before I left… y'know what, I'm lying. It always looks like this. But it's not dirty or anything, just… messy?”

“Uh huh.” Hoseok continues to stare at the apartment from outside the door.

Namjoon hops over the threshold and into the kitchen, which thankfully looks relatively clean even if it is rather bare. Hoseok wonders if Namjoon has ever cooked anything that wasn't microwavable in his life. He finally follows Namjoon inside, looking for a place to put the suitcase. When Namjoon opens the fridge and whoops, it startles Hoseok and makes him jump.

“I knew Jinnie wouldn’t let me come home to an empty fridge!” Namjoon’s smile does nothing to settle Hoseok’s racing heart.

“What is it?” he asks, moving closer to see what Namjoon is pulling out of the fridge.

Namjoon opens the lid on the container to smell the food. “Yukgaejang, mmmm.”

“Does Jin always feed you?” Okay, Hoseok hears the hint of jealousy in his tone, but he can’t help it.

“Pretty often, yeah. I’m kind of a disaster in the kitchen. I think he’s afraid I’ll chop my fingers off if he doesn’t cook for me.”

Hoseok sniffs the air, getting a whiff of the delicious soup. “It smells really good.”

“Oh! Do you want some? There’s more than enough here for me.”

Hoseok hesitates. Seokjin made the food for Namjoon, and if it’s true that Namjoon can’t cook, then he’s going to need the leftovers… but it smells so good . “You’re sure you don’t mind sharing with me?”

“Hobi, I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t want to share. Besides, I kind of don’t want to let you out of my sight. I might wake up alone in my bed tomorrow morning and find out you were just a hallucination all along.” Hoseok chuckles at the silly wording, but he has the same fear.

“Okay, but you come to my place. I don’t think I can eat in here until I get it cleaned up.”

“You’re going to clean my apartment?” Namjoon gives him a look of disbelief.

Hoseok shrugs. “Well, it’s not like you can get around to clean it, is it? Give me that and follow me, carefully please. We can heat it up in my apartment.”

Namjoon has dinner with Hoseok, and dinner turns into breakfast the next morning and Hoseok helping Namjoon get ready for work. One breakfast leads to two, and then to ten. Hoseok does clean Namjoon's apartment, and Namjoon keeps it clean because it means Hoseok is comfortable there. And eventually Namjoon gets an answer to his question: with Hoseok is dangerous… for his heart.