Sungyeol is really bad at dealing with ship wreckage.

He’s pretty sure that most of his former partners would probably laugh their asses off if they found that out. Sungyeol used to deal a roaring business in wrecked ships—hell, he’d been the backbone of the whole thing, because how exactly would the garage have functioned without a mechanic? But apparently, there is a massive difference between a wrecked ship and ship wreckage, because Sungyeol has no ing idea what to do with the smoking mass of metal that is completely ruining the beach view on his island.

He has even less of an idea what to do when he pries the door off and someone falls out of the cockpit.

He’ll admit, his first reaction isn’t very dignified. He shrieks, stumbles back, and almost falls over himself before he realises that the person is moving and alive and he has no idea how that’s possible but holy ing where is his first aid kit?

Sungyeol’s scrambling to grab it when the stranger groans, stirs, and very slowly starts to force his eyes open. Sungyeol isn’t exactly the best example of a good emergency responder right now because he stares at the other man in shock while he attempts to sit up, fails, and falls right back onto the sand with another groan.

“Am I dead?” the man mumbles, and somehow the fact that he just spoke finally manages to make Sungyeol break out of his stupid fit and rush over, suddenly not able to do enough.

“I don’t know, I don’t think so, but you’ve just been in a crash and you probably shouldn’t be talking,” Sungyeol garbles out because what the hell does one to say to someone who just narrowly escaped a very painful death? “That is—I mean—okay, you look like an injured mess and I’m sure you’re in a lot of pain but you’re not dead and—oh, that, you probably broke a million things and I need to fix you so stay still.” Sungyeol really hopes he doesn’t have anything worse than broken bones because he’s no medic and honestly has a better concept of how to fix ships than people. He’s busying himself trying to figure out what exactly to do first (damn it, where the hell are his first aid lessons when he needs them?) when he makes the mistake of looking up to the man’s face and sees the wide-eyed gaze.

The man blinks up at him blearily, like he’s not entirely sure what to make of him. Sungyeol can’t blame him. “Are you real?” he asks groggily, and Sungyeol is on the verge of being offended when the man’s eyes close again and he dissolves into panic instead.

“No! Stay awake! You’re probably concussed or something like that, don’t you dare go into a coma on me!” Sungyeol yells, although he is honestly not really sure what to do and he’s drawing that from memories of dramas rather than first aid lessons. But at least it works, because the man opens his eyes again. Sungyeol breathes a sigh of relief.

“Wait, you’re real?” The man just sounds confused now. Sungyeol wonders if that’s some sort of symptom. “You’re actually… here?”

“Yes?” Sungyeol offers, and why does that sound like a question? The man goes on staring at him, almost like he can’t believe it—but just when Sungyeol is about to look away because it’s getting really weird and uncomfortable and very few people have stared at him like that, the man smiles.

“Thanks.”

Sungyeol has absolutely no idea why he said that, but he’s more concerned by the fact that there’s a lot of blood and he should probably do something and stop being so distracted. Damn it. “You’re welcome,” he mumbles, because for the millionth time already he’s at a loss for words. “Now shut up.”

The man actually does stay quiet after that, not saying anything even when Sungyeol starts patching him up and everything probably hurts like . But Sungyeol never stops being aware of the gaze following his every move, and , now he remembers why ships have always been easier to deal with compared to people.

 

-

Despite Sungyeol’s clumsy best attempts at fixing him and keeping him awake, the man conks out sometime when Sungyeol’s trying to set his broken bones. Sungyeol, frankly, has no idea what to do with him, so he puts him to bed and keeps a rather awkward vigil over him in the hopes that he’ll wake up soon. Sungyeol has a lot of time to himself to think over what happened while the man’s unconscious, and everything sounds more and more bizarre the more he goes over it.

Sungyeol has been on this island for a pretty damn long time. It’s a little funny, really—it’s an uninhabited island on an uninhabited planet in a part of the galaxy that is also, as far as Sungyeol knows, uninhabited. He’s been alone for as long as he’s lived here; it’s ridiculously inconvenient, of course, especially when he first got here and there was so much to set up, but he chose this remote little corner precisely for that reason. Sungyeol’s gotten away with his solitary life for years already now, and not so much as a probe has passed by.

And now out of the goddamn blue, a ship suddenly crashes on the shores of his island. No forewarning, no explanation (that he knows of yet), nothing. And it’s not even a ship that someone launched into space to dispose of. No, it’s a manned ship, with a surviving pilot, which clearly means that it was here for a purpose.

Sungyeol has no idea what that purpose is.

The man’s obviously in no condition for Sungyeol to be interrogating him yet. From what little Sungyeol can tell he’s doing surprisingly well, considering Sungyeol has never had to patch up any injuries as severe as his before—Sungyeol’s thankful for that. If he pulls through and actually wakes up, it’ll be something like a miracle, but it’s one that Sungyeol’s willing to hope for.

 

-

“Am I alive?”

The words, thick with confusion, make Sungyeol stir from where he’s half-slumped over the table. He’s a little perplexed himself, at first—it’s certainly not the first time he’s woken up in a strange place, but he’s been pretty good about getting into bed recently—until everything rushes back and he’s sitting up hurriedly, almost knocking his knee against his chin in the process. Holy , he actually managed to forget for a few seconds that he saved someone yesterday and put him in his bed. And thank ing god the man woke up. Sungyeol would’ve had no idea what to do if he’d actually gone into a coma.

“You’re awake!” he yelps, which he quickly realises is a pretty stupid thing to say when the man turns his puzzled gaze onto him. “I mean, do you want breakfast? That is, if it’s morning, I just mean if you want to eat I have, um, food.” Oh , , , what is coming out of his mouth right now? How did he survive all those years around other people? Why has nobody killed him for his ineloquence? Why is—

Why the hell is the guy smiling? He’s not even smiling at Sungyeol. He’s kind of vaguely staring up at the ceiling like he can’t believe it’s there. Bewildered, Sungyeol actually glances up at it to figure out if something’s strange about it, but there’s nothing out of the ordinary about the ceiling. He goes on looking anyway because the other alternative is looking at that smile and Sungyeol has no idea what to think about it.

“I’m alive.”

The sheer wonder contained in those two words alone makes Sungyeol tear his eyes away from the ceiling to stare at the man. He’s not sure how to feel about that; Sungyeol has never actually heard anyone say that sort of thing with so much feeling before. Then again, Sungyeol has never saved anyone from a near-death experience until now or been in one himself, for which he’s thankful for. Sungyeol supposes it only makes sense that the man’s amazed at everything right now, even the ceiling.

“You saved me, right? I remember that. It hurt like hell.” Is the man addressing him? Wait, of course he is. Nobody else is here. “Thank you. If it wasn’t for you, I’d be dead.” The man heaves a long sigh, eyes sliding shut for a moment, and Sungyeol is suddenly scared that he’ll fall unconscious again. But after a few seconds he opens his eyes again, turning his head slightly so that he’s looking at Sungyeol directly. “What’s your name?”

Oh, good. That question he can answer, even with his current limited mental capacities. Sungyeol kind of really wishes the man would stop smiling. It should be creepy, except it isn’t. “Lee Sungyeol,” he replies automatically. “What about you?”

“I’m Woohyun.” The man—Woohyun—still hasn’t looked away. Sungyeol’s starting to get fidgety again; that stare is even worse now that it’s not glazed over with pain and only half-conscious. “Was it just you? Who saved me, I mean. I only remember you, but if anyone else…”

“It was just me,” Sungyeol confirms. He realises a second later that he might have accidentally cut Woohyun off before he could finish his sentence, but it’s a bit too late to fix that. “Actually, uh… it could only have been me. I’m the only person here.”

Sungyeol realises he could probably have phrased that clearer when Woohyun looks confused all over again. “Where am I?” he asks, and Sungyeol worries at his lip at a moment. Now that’s going to be a little harder to answer.

“You’re on my planet,” he replies after a moment. “I mean, uh—it’s not really my planet, I just think of it as my planet, because I’m the only person here… I mean, except you. But it was just me before?” Oh, god, he sounds so stupid. “I’ve lived here for a pretty long time and I kind of do everything myself, so I patch myself up too, but I’m still not very good at it. So I’m sorry about the hurting part, it could probably have been handled better, but I… oh my god, why am I so bad at this?” Sungyeol moans, not even caring how he looks anymore when he tugs at his hair in frustration. He takes a few deep breaths, hoping they help make him more coherent when he next speaks. “I’m sorry. I swear. I just haven’t had to talk to another person in, I don’t know. Years? A lot of years? It’s just me here. Okay, and now you, but that’s the thing, it’s been just me for a long time and… I should just shut up now, probably,” Sungyeol concludes with a groan. So much for coherency.

Woohyun laughs, and Sungyeol’s thoughts grind to an abrupt halt. Holy . He hasn’t heard laughter in—forever, maybe. Except for his own, and that doesn’t count. “I think you did fine,” Woohyun answers. “Definitely a better job than anything I could’ve done on my own. And don’t worry, you sound fine to me.” He winces when he tries to sit up, and Sungyeol ends up watching stupidly for a moment or two before coming back to his senses and trying to help him. Woohyun looks strangely fragile and small sitting up, all wrapped up in bandages that seem stark white against his skin, but he still turns that same bright smile onto Sungyeol when he thanks him for his help. Sungyeol thinks he might be flushing when he looks away, because how embarrassing is it that no matter how stupid he acts Woohyun won’t stop giving him that smile?

“You look really happy considering it must hurt like to talk,” Sungyeol mumbles. Woohyun’s smile only gets brighter at that, somehow.

“It does. I’m weird, I know, but I can’t stop talking. It’s probably annoying, I’m sorry—”

“It isn’t,” Sungyeol blurts out, and god he needs to learn to let Woohyun finish his sentences. “I’m just… not used to it. Uh. But I don’t mind. I kind of—like it.”

Woohyun practically grins at that, and it occurs to Sungyeol that probably even that hurts considering the cut on his cheek, but it clearly doesn’t stop him. “Thanks. So, what you said about breakfast… is the offer still open?”

Sungyeol thinks Woohyun pays too much attention for someone who broke a dozen bones, but honestly, that just makes him even more amazing.

 

-

Sungyeol gives Woohyun breakfast in bed, since it’s just plain impractical for him to walk when both his legs are broken. He almost offers to feed him because it’s also impractical for Woohyun to eat considering he snapped his wrist as well, but Woohyun seems to do a pretty good job of eating one-handed and the thought of offering is really, really awkward, so Sungyeol doesn’t do it in the end. Woohyun goes on talking throughout the meal, mostly asking him questions about the planet and his life here, and Sungyeol does his best to answer him without sounding like a complete idiot.

Woohyun seems impressed when Sungyeol tells him that the place they’re staying in is actually his grounded ship. “I thought this looked like a cabin bedroom,” he remarks, and then prods Sungyeol for more details. He seems to like hearing about everything, not even interrupting Sungyeol’s rant about how annoyingly hard it is to properly dispose of sewage although Sungyeol realises halfway through that it probably isn’t an appropriate breakfast topic. Woohyun just laughs it off. Nothing really seems to faze him. Then again, when Sungyeol thinks about it, he did somehow survive a crash that should’ve been fatal and only came out of it with broken bones and nothing worse. He supposes a near-death experience would loosen anyone up.

“So when do I get the grand tour?” Woohyun asks between mouthfuls. “I have a feeling that I’m going to be stuck here for awhile. Plus I really want to see those traps of yours.” Sungyeol casts a pointed glance at his legs, and he cracks a smile. “Alright, I get it. When I can walk.”

That, Sungyeol thinks dryly, probably isn’t going to be happening for awhile. Crutches aren’t going to do it. He taps his finger thoughtfully on his knee, remembering the wreckage of Woohyun’s ship still on his beach. Well… maybe he can scrounge up something useful from it after all. “I’ll bring you around eventually. In the meantime, do I have permission to dismantle the remains of your ship? No offence, but it kind of ruins the view.”

“Yeah, sure,” Woohyun answers, and Sungyeol hides his smile. Now he can get his plan underway.

 

-

It’s surprisingly easy to find usable parts, despite the fact that the ship is very far beyond repair. Sungyeol scrounges up some wheels he can work with from the engine room, and he has plenty of metal to melt down in the incinerator (one of the things he’s most glad he outfitted his ship with, along with his espresso machine) and turn into a usable frame. He’s a little distracted and distant with Woohyun in the proceeding days, and waves off the questions about what he’s working on when he turns up filthy and very much in need of a bath—but, he thinks, any annoyance Woohyun might have felt probably melted away when Sungyeol brought the wheelchair into the room.

“You have a wheelchair?” Woohyun asks, after a long moment of gawping. “Why didn’t you tell me on day one?”

Sungyeol snorts, rolling his eyes. “Obviously because I didn’t have it on day one. I made it! Presenting the most unique wheelchair in the world, made mostly from your ship. Be amazed.”

Woohyun is silent for so long that Sungyeol’s about to ask him if he’s okay, but then he finally speaks. “You didn’t,” he says, sounding completely disbelieving. Sungyeol smirks.

“I did. It’s a wheelchair. I promise it works and you can wheel yourself around once your wrist heals, I’ve tried. So do you want to use it or should I just leave you bedridden until you can walk again?”

“You made it? Seriously?” Woohyun asks again. “How did you even—I just—” Woohyun breaks off, shaking his head. “You’re pretty amazing,” he says sincerely, and Sungyeol has no idea why it is that the words make him a little nervous. He tries to cover it up with laughter, glancing away from Woohyun.

“Yeah, I know, I’m the best. I’m going to assume you like it, so come on, I’ll help you onto it.”

When Sungyeol walks over, Woohyun finally seems to come to his senses. For better or worse, the moment Woohyun starts talking, he barely stops—it’s an endless torrent of can I see the control room and hey I can take a look at your traps now and I can’t believe you made it thank you and goes on for so long Sungyeol loses him halfway.

“Alright, calm down and figure out where the heck you want to go first,” Sungyeol finally interrupts, experimentally wheeling Woohyun forward. It works just fine, of course. He’s tested it.

Woohyun’s grin morphs into a thoughtful expression momentarily while he considers his options. “The beach,” he finally decides, and Sungyeol grins.

“Alright. The beach it is.”

There’s a little wind in the air, but the sky’s otherwise clear—a perfect beach day, really. They run into a brief hitch when they realise the wheelchair doesn’t work very well on the sand, but Sungyeol finds some planks for a temporary measure and they figure out that wet sand has much better grip. The tide’s going out, so Sungyeol follows the lengthening stretch that’s left behind all the way the down the beach.

Woohyun’s been mostly silent so far, but Sungyeol’s not really surprised. It’s Woohyun’s first real look at the place, after all. He can still remember the awe he felt when he took his first steps out of his ship and on to fine white sand. Colours are more vibrant here, vivid jewel greens and aquamarine blues; the skies and seas and cliffs seem to go on forever. Sungyeol listens to Woohyun’s quiet breaths as they walk along the beach, glancing over his shoulder to see their tracks in the sand.

“So what do you think?” he finally asks, when they’ve almost reached the cove and it’s time to turn back. Woohyun turns around then, and his smile is blinding. It stirs something inside Sungyeol.

“It’s beautiful.”

Somehow, the words say so much more than they seem to.

 

-

Woohyun’s recovering well, if slowly. Sungyeol expected as much; he does what he can, but he has neither the expertise nor the proper equipment, so they just make do with what they have. Woohyun never complains, though, even jokes about it a little—how he manages to stay so cheerful, Sungyeol has no idea. Sungyeol’s wary, if only because he’s very aware that there might be long-term repercussions he doesn’t know about, but for the moment Woohyun’s doing fine.

But when weeks turn into months and it feels like Woohyun has been here forever, Sungyeol becomes increasingly aware of the one key issue they haven’t addressed: whether or not Woohyun wants to leave. While Sungyeol’s given him the rundown on his ship’s status (which basically amounted to ‘it’s not a ship anymore, don’t hope’), he hasn’t brought up other possibilities.

Sungyeol’s here to stay, but he wasn’t stupid enough not to bring a back door for himself in case he’s forced to leave. He has a ship, just large enough for one person and more than capable of getting to the nearest inhabited planet. But he hasn’t brought it up to Woohyun yet. He tells himself that it’s because Woohyun’s in no condition to pilot a ship—but if he has to be completely honest with himself, that’s not the whole story.

Thankfully, Woohyun hasn’t mentioned it at all. At least, for now. Sungyeol doesn’t want to think about it, so he avoids it as much as possible.

 

-

“Oh my god.”

Woohyun sounds so overwhelmed it’s a little cute. Sungyeol rolls his eyes, though he can’t stop the smile from tugging at his lips. “Yes, I know.”

“I’m walking.”

“You’re on crutches. Also, you’re not walking for long, because your muscles aren’t strong enough for that yet.”

“But I’m walking,” Woohyun repeats, and the shine in his eyes when he looks up at Sungyeol is almost embarrassing. Sungyeol glances away, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Don’t look at me like that. You’ll be lucky if I didn’t screw something up by accident trying to fix you.”

“Well, I would be dead if you hadn’t found me, so I’m lucky already. Right now I’m not dead, and I’m walking!” Woohyun sounds so ridiculously happy it’s infectious. Sungyeol rolls his eyes, walking over to stop Woohyun before he falls over out of sheer excitement.

“Alright, that’s enough for today. Get back in bed.” Oddly, Woohyun doesn’t even protest. Sungyeol awkwardly gets him to sit down, taking the crutches and propping them up against the wall (out of reach of Woohyun, or the moment he leaves the room Woohyun will probably get up again).

When he turns around, he expects Woohyun to already be lying down, but instead he’s still staring at Sungyeol unblinkingly. Feeling a little nervous, Sungyeol asks, “What is it?”

“Can you come here a moment?”

Woohyun’s voice is soft, completely unlike the usual cheer he displays. Unsure of what to think, Sungyeol slowly approaches, sitting down when Woohyun pats a spot on the bed next to him. His gaze is still following Sungyeol, and Sungyeol fidgets under the intensity of it.

He doesn’t expect what comes next, his entire body freezing up for a moment when Woohyun leans in and he feels lips pressed against his. Woohyun’s so close Sungyeol can see every one of his eyelashes, the way they flutter when his eyes slide shut before opening again, still looking into Sungyeol’s. It’s another long, long moment before Sungyeol clumsily starts to respond, trembling fingers sinking into Woohyun’s hair, and Woohyun sighs into the kiss.

Sungyeol’s eyes are wide when Woohyun pulls away, his lips absently. (Sungyeol tries not to look at them.) “What was that?” he whispers, and Woohyun smiles sheepishly.

“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have, it’s just that sometimes I look at you and you do so much for me that I—well…” Woohyun trails off, but Sungyeol doesn’t need to hear anymore. The next thing he knows Woohyun’s breathing in a surprised gasp against his lips. It’s amazing, better than anything Sungyeol’s ever felt in his life before, even back when everything was normal and different and simple.

Because, Sungyeol realises, he doesn’t want simple. He wants Woohyun.

Woohyun’s breathless when Sungyeol finally lets him go, eyes bright and lips swollen, more beautiful than anything Sungyeol has ever seen before. He thinks he should be scared at how much he feels, but at the same time it’s been so long since he’s felt anything for anyone that he’s just awed. “You know, I thought you weren’t interested,” Woohyun tells him, and Sungyeol laughs a little unsteadily. He wonders if he should tell Woohyun he thought the exact same thing, except he hadn’t been brave enough to test it out.

“I was just holding back,” he says in the end. “We shouldn’t be doing this.”

Woohyun’s face changes at that, brow furrowing in worry, and Sungyeol instinctively reaches out to smooth it away before he can stop himself. “Why not?” he asks apprehensively. “Nobody else is here. It’s just us—”

“Not that, you idiot!” Sungyeol interrupts with a laugh, not even feeling any regret about cutting Woohyun off this time. “It’s because you were injured. Are injured. Or have you forgotten that part?”

Woohyun looks relieved, and Sungyeol can’t help surging forward and kissing him again. Woohyun’s arms are wrapped tightly around him, pulling him down, and Sungyeol moves away for a moment to lay Woohyun down gently, mindful of his injuries. When he looks down at Woohyun, he feels like there’s so much of him to take in—his hair spread over the pillow, the flush to his cheeks, the brightness in his eyes.

“Sungyeol,” Woohyun whispers, and even though he doesn’t say anything else, Sungyeol has an idea of what he’s asking for.

“I shouldn’t,” he starts hesitantly. “We shouldn’t. You’re still hurt, and what if I accidentally—”

“Sungyeol.” Woohyun looks almost amused, although Sungyeol can’t say he feels the same. “It’s alright. I want this.” He pulls Sungyeol down for another long kiss. It’s as if neither of them can stop now that they know they have permission. “And I trust you,” he adds softly, and there’s no way Sungyeol can say no after that.

 

-

It’s later, when they’re lying in bed together, that Sungyeol realises he still hasn’t told him.

You know, you can leave. You don’t have to stay. You can go back to your life.

It’s only a few words, but just thought of saying them makes Sungyeol’s throat stop up. He stares down at Woohyun, nestled peacefully in his arms, and he wonders if he’ll ever manage to tell him.

 

-

“Alright, get out of the kitchen.”

Sungyeol gapes at Woohyun openly for a second or two. He’s been following Woohyun around all morning, making sure he made the right call giving Woohyun the verdict to get off his crutches—and while he seems to be doing fine so far, that came out of absolutely nowhere.

“What?” he finally asks, and Woohyun rolls his eyes. Sensing that he’s about to repeat it, Sungyeol corrects himself. “I mean, why? Why can’t I stay in the kitchen? I’m still concerned about your health, you know. It’s your first day off the crutches—”

“And you’ve been watching me all morning, not even counting all the months before that.” Woohyun pulls him down for a quick kiss, and while his smile is as sweet as ever, all he says is, “Now get out. And don’t come back in until I say so.”

Reluctantly, making sure to pout at Woohyun on the way out, Sungyeol slowly leaves the kitchen and closes the door behind him. He spends the rest of the morning pacing impatiently, occasionally yelling through the door at Woohyun (who answers him at first, but starts ignoring him halfway through) and wondering if he should try entering against Woohyun’s orders.

When Woohyun finally calls him, Sungyeol all but crashes in. “Okay, tell me what’s…” Sungyeol very slowly trails off when he realises Woohyun’s standing in front of what has to be the most lavish meal Sungyeol has ever seen. He thinks Woohyun must have literally used every plate he had, because there are almost more dishes than the table can fit. “Holy .”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Woohyun teases, and impatiently motions to Sungyeol to sit down. “Come on, start and tell me what you think.”

Sungyeol slowly picks up the cutlery Woohyun has laid ready for him, staring around at the assortment around him. “I don’t know where to start.”

“Try this.” Woohyun points, quite possibly at random, but Sungyeol obediently takes a forkful of it. He swears he feels tears come into his eyes when he tastes it, because god, Sungyeol’s been cooking for himself since he got here, but he has never managed to make anything taste this good.

Now that he’s started eating, he doesn’t even want to stop. He’s pretty damn sure he looks undignified and kind of gross scarfing down everything in sight, but from the way Woohyun’s grinning, he doesn’t seem to mind. “I didn’t know you were this good,” he manages tearfully between mouthfuls, to which Woohyun laughs and hands him a napkin. Sungyeol dabs at the dribble of sauce down his chin, feeling like he’s died and gone to heaven.

“I never told you. If you did know, I’d accuse you of reading my mind. Seconds?” Woohyun offers, and Sungyeol’s honestly about ready to cry.

“Can you cook for me every day?” Sungyeol asks in his most heartfelt voice, laced with just a tiny bit of piteous begging. He’s very definitely not above begging if it means he can have food like this every day. Woohyun rolls his eyes, pretending to look unimpressed, but Sungyeol can see that he’s trying really hard not to smile.

“I’ll think about it. You did save my life, after all.”

It’s not Sungyeol’s fault that he throws himself at Woohyun right afterwards and kisses the hell out of him.

 

-

Sungyeol can barely remember what life felt like before Woohyun came.

Strictly speaking, he knows he wasn’t unhappy. In fact, when he first arrived, just the knowledge that he was free from his old life and everything that came with it had been enough to make him enjoy every single day. Every experience was new and thrilling. Even the worries and problems that came with being completely alone and losing most of the conveniences he was accustomed to couldn’t get him down.

And yet, now that he looks back on it, it pales in comparison to the life he’s sharing with Woohyun. Woohyun’s integrated himself into every aspect of his life. Sungyeol no longer knows what it’s like not to have Woohyun to talk to and tease; Woohyun’s always there, helping him set his traps and tend his gardens, and Sungyeol swears he makes magic in his kitchen. Some things he always forgets, but Woohyun remembers. He never sleeps alone anymore, and he has Woohyun to kiss and touch and love to his heart’s content. What they have now, what they built together—it’s more precious to Sungyeol than anything else he’s ever created in his life.

One night, lying in bed with Woohyun in his arms as usual, Sungyeol realises that beyond the sound of his laughter and the taste of his mouth, he doesn’t know Woohyun at all. Even so, when he rehearses the words to himself again—you can leave—he realises they’re no easier to say.

 

-

Woohyun’s skin is salty beneath his tongue. He’s gasping, tearing at Sungyeol’s hair; when Sungyeol takes his hands away, he clings to Sungyeol so tightly Sungyeol thinks that the imprints of his fingers will be left on his skin forever.

He pulls away for a moment, and Woohyun’s begging, unsteady, an endless string of no don’t stop please Sungyeol don’t stop—so Sungyeol takes his mouth instead, hard and forceful, and Woohyun kisses back like his life depends on it.

He’s being too rough, pushing Woohyun harder than he usually would, merciless in his desperation. I shouldn’t, he thinks, I shouldn’t do this, I need to tell him, I have to stop pretending nothing’s wrong—but Woohyun’s moans are like a drug, and Sungyeol knows he can pretend all he wants but he’ll still never be able to stop himself.

He’s a little afraid when it’s all over, slowly wrapping his arms around Woohyun’s shivering form and avoiding his gaze. But when Woohyun’s calmed down, he gently guides Sungyeol down for a long kiss, and the way he smiles at Sungyeol is so trusting—so open—that Sungyeol feels a little dirty.

 

-

He can’t hide forever.

 

-

Sungyeol ends up confronting Woohyun in the kitchen right before lunch. Even with how increasingly gloomy he’s starting to feel, he can’t help noting sardonically that his apron looks so much better on Woohyun than it ever did on him. It’s like it was made to suit him.

Woohyun looks up when he enters, and the smile that spreads across his face is so familiar that it strikes a pang deep inside Sungyeol. “Hey,” Woohyun greets, putting down the knife. “I don’t know whether you’re here to ask why lunch isn’t ready yet or if you’re here to, er, help, but just remember that if you start doing anything questionable lunch is going to be even later or will possibly be sacrificed entirely.”

Sungyeol cracks a smile at that, having quite a few fond memories of ‘helping’ Woohyun in the kitchen, few of which involved actually cooking. But he’s quickly reminded of why he’s here, and his mood plummets again. He sighs, looking over at Woohyun.

“Woohyun, I have something to show you.”

Sungyeol tries not to sound too serious, but he can still tell that Woohyun’s concerned when he looks up. “What is it?” he asks, sounding somewhere between curious and worried. “Is anything wrong? You’ve seemed a little down lately.”

Not quite wrong, Sungyeol thinks. But to him, at least, it’s nothing he looks forward to. “No, just something you should see. Can you come now? We can worry about lunch later.”

Woohyun doesn’t look any less uneasy, but he does start taking off the apron. “I don’t suppose you can just tell me what it is?” he asks, but Sungyeol shakes his head.

“Not really. I think it’s better if you see it for yourself.”

He brings Woohyun out to his boat, tied up carefully where the tide can’t wash it away. Woohyun helps him get it out onto the water, settling down across from him. Sungyeol wants to say something, anything to alleviate the obvious tension in the air, but realises he doesn’t know what to say. So he busies himself with steering the boat instead, ignoring the way Woohyun’s eyes are practically boring holes into his back.

He takes Woohyun around to the back of the island. Sungyeol’s never brought him there before, though he’s gone himself a few times since to check on things. Woohyun’s usually appreciative of seeing anywhere new on the island, always admiring of its beauty in ways that Sungyeol himself doesn’t see until Woohyun shows him—but today he’s silent, barely even looking around him in favour of staring at Sungyeol. Sungyeol meets his eyes by accident once or twice, but glances away each time.

When he brings the boat back to the shore, Woohyun finally speaks again. “Are you going to tell me what this is about now?”

Sungyeol hesitates, glancing at Woohyun. He looks worried, even a little scared, and that just makes Sungyeol feel even guiltier. Wordlessly, he extends his hand to Woohyun; thankfully, Woohyun takes it after a moment, though his anxiety hasn’t eased.

Sungyeol leads him down the beach as it curves outwards, leading him under and around a protruding cliff. When they round the corner, Sungyeol hears Woohyun’s breath catch, his hand tightening around his.

“Sungyeol?” Woohyun asks, his voice so low it’s barely audible. Sungyeol swallows, fidgeting in place while Woohyun lets go of his hand to walk forward, his steps slow and hesitant. “Sungyeol, is that… a ship?”

He’s asking the obvious, so Sungyeol figures he’s probably not expecting a reply. Of course that’s a ship—a tiny one, that’s true, but it’s a ship and it’s fully functional. Sungyeol knows that for a fact. He clears his throat, answering Woohyun’s question nonetheless. “Yeah. That’s… that’s what I wanted to show you.”

Woohyun turns around then, and the shock and disbelief is written all over his face. “But how—what is it—Sungyeol, why are you showing me this?”

Sungyeol takes a deep breath, stepping forward. Woohyun’s still looking straight at him, sincere and trusting in spite of everything. He reaches out and takes Woohyun’s hands in his, squeezing them tightly. “Because I should. I’ve… I’ve always had this ship. Since my first day here. I always intended to make a home out of the ship I piloted here, but I knew I would need another vessel in case of an emergency. So I brought the parts for this one, and I assembled them here.” He looks away, unable to meet Woohyun’s gaze anymore. “It… it runs. So if you want—if you ever want to…” Sungyeol bites down on his lip hard, willing himself not to lose it. One word, just one word, one little word—

He feels Woohyun stiffen beneath his grip, and he looks up instinctively, regretting it almost immediately when he sees Woohyun’s face. It’s completely frozen, and although he’s still staring at Sungyeol, Sungyeol can sense that Woohyun’s not seeing him at all. Sungyeol casts his eyes downwards again, at their still-clasped hands. “What do you mean?” Woohyun finally manages, in a choked whisper. And Sungyeol knew it, Sungyeol knew this was going to happen, that Woohyun would hate him for hiding this from him—but that doesn’t make it hurt any less now.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before,” he says inanely, though he knows that won’t help now. Is Woohyun even listening to what he’s saying? “I couldn’t—I didn’t know how—”

“Do you want me to leave?”

Sungyeol goes completely still at Woohyun’s whispered words, and he thinks he might have stopped breathing for a moment. The silence that falls is deafening, echoing in Sungyeol’s head until it drives out his thoughts, leaving him feeling hollow. Woohyun laughs then, harsh and unsteady, and the sound is piercing in the emptiness.

“You could have just said so.”

And then Woohyun’s pulling away, sliding his hands out of Sungyeol’s grip, and Sungyeol watches stupidly for a moment as he turns around and walks forward as if he intends to board the ship right then and there. Sungyeol isn’t aware that he’s moved until Woohyun stumbles back and he realises he’s grabbing Woohyun’s sleeve. “No,” he gasps, and his voice breaks on the word. “Woohyun, that’s not—”

“What? You don’t need to lie to me. I know that I’m an inconvenience; I’ve been a burden since the moment I arrived, and it’s been bothersome, hasn’t it? Having to accommodate someone who just crashes into your life?” Woohyun laughs again, and Sungyeol hates it. It’s nothing like the laughter he loves, warm and bright and sweet, that always makes him laugh along with Woohyun. “Don’t worry, I get it. You don’t need to say it; I’ll leave. You’ve done a lot for me and I haven’t given you anything in return, so—”

“Woohyun!” Sungyeol’s voice is raised more than he meant it to be, but in his panic, he can’t even care. “Woohyun, stop! That’s not what I think!”

“Isn’t it?” Woohyun’s voice is rising too, his tone tight and sharp. “Then why else did you bring me all the way out here? Don’t worry, I understand. I get the hint now! If nothing else I really am thankful for everything, Sungyeol, and I’m sorry to have troubled you, so I’ll leave, you don’t need to say it! We’re already here anyway, so don’t worry, soon enough I’ll—”

“Woohyun, I love you!”

Woohyun’s face freezes in disbelief, and Sungyeol takes the opportunity to yank him close, holding him as tightly as he dares. “I love you,” he repeats, and it comes out sounding a little like a sob. “But I don’t want to keep you here if you don’t want to stay.” Woohyun’s still completely rigid in his arms, so Sungyeol goes on, the words tumbling out so fast they merge into each other.

“You don’t even know, Woohyun. I was alone for so long—it was just me, and then suddenly there was you, and you were beautiful and sweet and so ing amazing I could barely believe you were real, or that you were here with me, and I don’t even know what I ever did to deserve you. And you were untouchable, at first, because I didn’t think you’d ever want me—who am I compared to you? But then you did and I thought that nothing in the world could make me happier.” He’s crying, he realises. How long has it been since he’s felt tears on his cheeks? “And I want that, I want to stay with you here where it’s just us, I want that to last forever. But I couldn’t do that knowing that you had a life before me that you might want to go back to and that maybe you were just staying because you didn’t know you could leave.” His voice breaks again, and he sounds more pathetic than he’s ever been in his life, but he still can’t stop.

“I don’t know anything about your life before me, and I never dared to ask because if I heard about it then I’d have to acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, you’d want to leave. I couldn’t even tell you about the ship earlier because I couldn’t bear the thought of it. I love you so much I never want to let you go, and I know that’s selfish and petty and immature, but I’ve…” Sungyeol finally stops to take a breath, wishing that he could stop hiccupping. “I’ve never loved anyone so much before.”

Woohyun hasn’t said a word throughout this, and Sungyeol’s starting to fear the worst. His heart almost stops when Woohyun slowly starts to pull back, but the next thing he knows Woohyun’s thumbs are gently rubbing away his tears. When he blinks them away, his vision clears and the first thing he sees is Woohyun’s shaky smile.

Woohyun’s crying too.

“Sungyeol.” Woohyun’s voice is soft, so soft, but Sungyeol hangs on to every word. “All this time, did you ever stop to think that maybe I loved you just as much?”

Sungyeol stiffens, almost unable to believe what he’s hearing. But Woohyun goes on, his voice calmer than Sungyeol’s had been in his outburst but no less emotional. “You saved me, Sungyeol. You did everything you could to drag me back from death when you could have done nothing at all. But you didn’t even stop there. You’ve done so much more for me. You made me a wheelchair when I couldn’t walk. You showed me sights more beautiful than anything I’ve ever seen before in my life. You’ve never left me alone or ignored me or hated me for being a burden.” Woohyun slowly cups Sungyeol’s face in his hands, and the sight of the warm smile Sungyeol loves so much makes it hard to breathe. “How could I not fall in love with you?”

Woohyun draws closer, and the feeling of his familiar warmth pressed up against Sungyeol is more comforting than anything Sungyeol has ever felt in his life. “And I never want to leave, unless you can come with me.”

The words make Sungyeol’s vision blur over again, but this time Woohyun reaches up to brush his tears away. “I’m sorry I never told you about who I was before coming here. It seemed so far away, it was like I could forget about it. I was—am—happier here with you. But if you want to know, I can tell you. And… I’m sorry for misunderstanding, just now. For doubting you. Forgive me?”

Sungyeol smiles then, unsteady and a little crooked, and reaches up to wipe Woohyun’s tears away too. “It’s okay. Everything’s okay. I’m just… you’re not…” He laughs, feeling a little giddy. You’re not leaving. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Woohyun whispers. “I’ll never let you be alone again.”

Sungyeol leans in, sealing his lips over Woohyun’s. It’s messy and rough and a little desperate, and he can taste salt from Woohyun’s tears (or are they his own?), but he thinks it’s the best kiss he’s ever had in his life. Woohyun kisses back with equal fervour, and eventually they both end up on the sand, so tangled up in each other Sungyeol can’t tell where he begins and Woohyun ends. And he thinks he’s never been happier.

 

-

By mutual agreement, they decide to forgo the meal when they return. They end up in bed together instead, although all they do is exchange lazy kisses. Sungyeol’s content enough just holding Woohyun, listening to his calm, even breaths.

The silence is broken when Woohyun speaks from where he’s half-drowsing on Sungyeol’s chest. “Should I tell you about how I ended up here?”

Just yesterday, Sungyeol wouldn’t have wanted to think of the idea. But now he nods and hums in agreement, drawing Woohyun closer. Woohyun sighs, letting his eyes fall shut.

“Well, I guess there’s no point sugarcoating it. I was a pirate.”

Sungyeol’s mouth falls open, and he lifts his head to stare down at Woohyun. “You were a what?” he asks, and Woohyun rolls his eyes.

“A pirate. Stop judging me, Yeol.”

Sungyeol relents, but mostly because of the nickname. Woohyun goes on anyway, drawing vague patterns on Sungyeol’s stomach. “I started out as a stowaway on a pirate ship. I was an orphan that nobody really knew of or cared about, and all I really wanted to do was get the hell off my planet. So I stowed away on a ship. And of course, it would just be my luck that it was a pirate ship.

“I was found pretty quickly, but actually, from thereon things weren’t too bad. The crew took a liking to me, so they let me be a cabin boy. I did pretty well for myself, so when I was old enough I became part of the crew. I even made it to captain.”

“You were a pirate captain?” Sungyeol can’t help echoing. “You looted ships? You terrorised galaxies?”

Woohyun cringes, and Sungyeol feels a little apologetic. “Hey, look, I’m not proud of it. But the former captain was pretty upstanding, and he taught me to be too. I mean, I’m not going to deny that we did kind of, uh, pillage and rob… but we tried not to kill anyone and we stuck to robbing snooty officials—”

“Oh my god, and did you distribute your loot to the poor afterwards? Did you?” Sungyeol demands. “I bet you did!”

“No! I mean, only sometimes!” Woohyun sputters. “I just—okay, this is embarrassing! Why am I telling you this? Especially since you find it so funny.” Woohyun glares at Sungyeol, who has to admit his lip is twitching.

“How did you learn to cook so well if you were a pirate?” he can’t help asking.

“Don’t pirates still need to eat? I spent a lot of time in the kitchens, that’s all, so I—stop laughing!” Woohyun whines, but Sungyeol can’t help himself. He’s all but curled up on his side, giggling helplessly, and when Woohyun pokes him he only laughs harder. Eventually Woohyun shuts him up with a kiss, though Sungyeol’s still grinning by the time they part.

“So you were a chivalrous pirate captain who even cooked for your crew. No, don’t worry, I get it. God, that just makes you even cuter.” Sungyeol kisses Woohyun’s nose, and he wrinkles it.

“I don’t know why I put up with you,” he mutters, but Sungyeol can tell he’s fighting a smile. “Those were pretty good days though. Life wasn’t so bad then. I had a family in my crew, a ship to call home…” He sighs, sobering up a little. Recognising his shift in mood, Sungyeol subsides. “But I guess it couldn’t last forever. You know how the law treats pirates.”

Sungyeol pulls him a little closer, hearing the tint of sadness in Woohyun’s voice. “My crew—they weren’t really bad people. A lot of them were like me, just people who never really had a chance to do much else and ended up in the life. But obviously that didn’t matter, because we were still pirates. We were pretty heavily persecuted, and eventually we got trapped. My crew helped me to escape. I know what it cost them. But they did it, anyway.”

Sungyeol stays silent, rubbing soothing circles in Woohyun’s back instead. Woohyun gives him a grateful smile, leaning in. “I was on the run for a while. Switched identities, switched ships, but nothing really worked—plus it didn’t help that the only thing I knew how to be was a pirate. I was boxed in when I stole one last ship and just ran without even knowing where I was going. I almost got shot down, but my ship lasted long enough for me to get away and get here. And well, you know the rest.” Woohyun sighs. “On the bright side, I’m pretty sure they think I’m dead. So they won’t be looking for me anymore.”

“Definitely a good thing,” Sungyeol agrees, completely heartfelt. Woohyun looks at him curiously for a second, before he speaks again.

“Well, what about you? You weren’t a pirate, I bet.” The question takes Sungyeol aback for a second, and Woohyun immediately notices. “I mean, if you want to tell me,” he adds quickly. “You don’t have to tell me now.”

Sungyeol bites down on his lip, releasing it after a moment and exhaling slowly. He thinks about it, about how he graduated from being a no-name mechanic to an engineer for the Alliance, from fixing ships to designing weaponry. He thinks about the Alliance’s relentless pursuit of Woohyun and his crew and the tremble in Woohyun’s voice when he spoke of how they all but sacrificed themselves for him. And right in that moment, he thinks he’s never been more thankful that he blew up his lab and the blueprints for his creation—his greatest, most devastating creation—that might well have taken Woohyun from him if it had come to fruition.

Woohyun’s more than worth all the years he spent alone for that decision.

Sungyeol glances over at Woohyun, who’s still waiting quietly. “I’m sorry,” he says softly, leaning in. “I’m not ready to tell you yet. But I will, someday.”

Woohyun smiles at him, reaching over to tangle their fingers together. “It’s okay,” he answers lightly. “I can wait. I’m not going anywhere.” He slides up to take a kiss, long and slow, and then presses their foreheads together. “I’ll be right here.”

Woohyun’s so close Sungyeol can feel his breath on his lips. “And so will I,” Sungyeol says, whisper-soft. “Right here.”

A slow smile suffuses Woohyun’s face, and Sungyeol feels warmth stir in his heart. “You know,” Woohyun says softly, “back then, I crossed paths with a lot of other pirate crews. Considering what some of them were like… what some of them would have done to me, if I’d ended up with them, I have no idea how I ended up with the one decent lot amongst all of them. I guess I’ve been lucky all my life.”

Sungyeol smiles faintly at that, and he’s about to say something when Woohyun goes on.

“But never as lucky as right now.”

As always, Woohyun manages to take him by surprise, stealing another kiss from him. Sungyeol lets his eyes close, losing himself in Woohyun. And he thinks, distantly, that he’s never been so lucky before either.

 

-

Sungyeol brings Woohyun up to the cliffs the next day, one of the many places he hasn’t yet visited. The wonder on Woohyun’s face when he looks over the rippling ocean is something Sungyeol thinks he’ll never fall out of love with. They end up sprawled together at the top, side-by-side, the starlight casting a gentle glow on them.

“There’s nobody else here,” Woohyun says softly. “Just the two of us.”

Sungyeol glances over at him, watching the faint light play over his face. He feels a little like touching him, tracing his fingers over the sharp angle of his nose and the swells of his cheeks, but at the same time he just feels like looking, drinking in the sight. “No,” he answers. “It’s just us.”

Woohyun hums in assent, letting his eyes close. “And before I got here, it was just you.”

“That’s right.”

Woohyun rolls over then, and his eyes open just a sliver. His hair is falling over his forehead, the starlight lining it with silvery white. “It was the same for me, too,” he whispers. “Not as long as you, maybe—just the few weeks after I abandoned my crew. But even then…” Woohyun trails off, but Sungyeol understands what he doesn’t say.

It’s never easy feeling alone in the world.

He reaches out then, and Woohyun meets him halfway, tangling their fingers together. Woohyun’s skin is warm against his in a way nothing else has ever been able to replace. “When I first found this place,” Sungyeol tells him, voice quiet, “I thought it was a miracle. It was as if fate itself had dropped the world into my lap.” His lips quirk slightly, remembering the wonder he’d felt when he first laid eyes on the blue shores of this planet—an uncharted gem at the edge of the galaxy. “And it’s amazing, but there’s always been something missing. I’m pretty hard to please, aren’t I? I found a paradise like this, but I was still discontent.”

“And now?” Woohyun asks. His eyes don’t leave Sungyeol’s.

Sungyeol draws close enough to press their chests together, leaning his forehead against Woohyun’s. Beneath the layers of cloth and skin, he likes to think he can feel Woohyun’s heartbeat, a steady, reassuring thrum. “I’ve seen not one, but two miracles. I might be the luckiest person in the universe.”

Woohyun laughs softly, reaching his free hand out to gently rub a thumb over Sungyeol’s cheek. “Then that makes two of us,” he replies. “I guess it’s not a far stretch to say it was a miracle that my ship crashed on this planet, instead of any other. What are the odds?”

“Practically impossible.” Sungyeol sighs, leaning into Woohyun’s touch. “This planet really has seen a staggering number of miracles.”

“I suppose it’s a place where anything can happen.” Woohyun doesn’t sound particularly serious, but he doesn’t sound like he’s joking either. Sungyeol smiles faintly.

“Maybe.”

He leans in to kiss Woohyun, breathing in his soft sigh. The universe works in strange ways—that, he’s always known. But even if he doesn’t understand it and never will, he’ll always be thankful to whatever or whoever brought Woohyun here. He’s never really believed in miracles, but just this once… he thinks it doesn’t hurt to have a little faith.