Chapter Text
Afternoon bled into early evening. Light bathed the unnamed island golden. Waves hushed over the distant construction on the cusp of completion.
Seonghwa smoothed the map parchment over a short driftwood table. His blanket beneath him covered the sand, but it rumpled in places from his shifting.
Ink smudged Seonghwa’s fingers from his partial sketch of the island. He worked away as the sun started to hide from the night.
Seonghwa made precise lines. He labeled the coastlines and their docks. He adjusted small details over and over, redrawing the same section multiple times.
Seonghwa’s breathing shallowed without him noticing, “No, that’s not right.”
A slight curve of the coastline seemed too short. He and Hongjoong had walked that section of the island during their short afternoon breaks enough for him to know the length.
An intrusive flash in his mind. Weight on his shoulders bared down like muscular hands gripped him too tight.
“Fix it. You’re better than that.” The Baron would have said.
Waves silenced. Sunlight suffocated Seonghwa instead of warming him.
He gripped the quill harder, knocking ink onto the parchment. His breathing uneven as he realized part of the map had been damaged.
Seonghwa went to rip off the blotchy dark corner, but startled at a new presence.
Arms wrapped around his waist; solid and real.
Hongjoong slotted his legs on either side of Seonghwa from behind.
Seonghwa jerked his head aside. His mind spun, disoriented for a moment.
Hongjoong placed a soft kiss behind Seonghwa’s ear, “Hey, it’s me. Sorry, I didn’t mean to jump you.”
“I messed up the map.” Seonghwa tensed.
Hongjoong set his chin on Seonghwa’s shoulder, “Looks like a map to me.”
Seonghwa leaned back into him. “Thank you. I was just…I hate that…I feel like The Baron—”
“Isn’t alive anymore.” Hongjoong reminded him. “You’re here. With me. And this is the last thing you have to do today.”
Seonghwa chuckled, “Are you sure about that?”
“I am.” Hongjoong slipped a hand up the back of Seonghwa’s shirt.
Seonghwa said nothing, but set his quill down. He almost moaned as Hongjoong rubbed his thumb over a sensitive knot near his shoulder blade.
“Let me take care of you tonight. Just us, yeah?” Hongjoong placed a kiss into the curve of Seonghwa’s neck. “Before everyone gets their letters and arrives.”
Seonghwa melted. He spun around, lowering Hongjoong back onto the blanket. He straddled his waist.
Hongjoong found his familiar place with his hands on Seonghwa’s thighs.
“I’d like that.” Seonghwa smirked.
He stood, then helped Hongjoong stand.
Seonghwa cleaned up his work space. His eyes trained on one spot though.
An empty section on his map near the far north of the island.