↬ greenhouse.

@⁰² taeyong l. light. floaty. soft. even with his partner seated on his lap, chris felt like he was figuratively flying. maybe smoking a slightly sizeable double dose of those joints hadn't been such a good idea after all. having his head cradled tenderly as he attempted to focus his blurring gaze on taeyong's visage (unaware that the blurring was due to forming tears), he broke out into a fit of light carefree giggles. simultaneously the waterworks were switched on. long story short, he was an even bigger mess now as compared to how he was prior to smoking those joints. "y-you're so precious yongiiieeeee~~ do you know jis-s-ungie~~~??? i love him b-but he says i'm ed up~~~ c-can you believe that????? the p-people in my head say t-the same things toooooo~~~ do you t-think they're all l-lying yongiiieeeeee~~~??? i truuuuuuuusssttt youuuu~~~~!!!!"

@⁰² christopher b. if nothing had been evident before, it now smacked him hard in the face that chris was /not/ okay. which was understandable, considering the man had closed a big chapter of his life, but... this was something unlike he had ever seen of the man. it was admittedly a bit terrifying, but taeyong knew that chris was nothing but a pure soul. just sometimes misguided. letting out a soft ‘oof’ as he was tugged down into the other’s lap, taeyong briefly struggled to arrange his long limbs so that they were thrown across the elder’s lap and he was facing his roommate sideways. the mention of people in chris’s head had taeyong’s heart shattering — he wanted to tear up and sob on behalf of his lover(?), but told himself to be strong for the other. “you’re not, chris, not at all. you’re a good person, okay? you’re sweet, funny, you’re a great dad, smart and talented and i could go on all day, but bottom line is, you’re good. you’re so good,” he whispered, reverently, as he cradled chris’s head in his hands. he didn’t smell like alcohol, which would have explained his slurred speech... was chris... on drugs, perhaps?

@⁰² taeyong l. he hadn't realised exactly how or when, but at some point he had gone from his prior standing position against the greenhouse's rear wall to his currently slumped position, sitting on a relatively clear patch of earth. at the tell-tale signs of footsteps approaching, he threw (actually tilted) his head back to catch the (heartbreakingly) handsome face of his partner. his lips curled into an unfocused grin as taeyong gently caressed his cheeks, his arms (which felt more like spaghetti now, if anything) reaching up and around to weakly tug his partner onto his lap. "yongieee~ you're hereeeeee~" he sang very off-key, engulfing his partner in his arms. "i was getting lonely without youuuuuuu~ the people in my head were bothering meeeeee~~~ am i a bad person yongieeeeee~~~?"

@⁰² christopher b. the moment there was a response, taeyong immediately perked up and cast a glance around the dimly lit greenhouse. admittedly, it was really romantic to be in here, given how wonderful it smelt and the colours bursting everywhere. it was a shame they were here for... less jovial reasons. following chris’s voice, the younger found himself venturing to the back of the greenhouse, finding his roommate slumped against the wall and looking... kind of different? taeyong couldn’t put the word onto it, until he stepped closer — there was an odd smell too that mingled with the other’s usually comforting scent of musk and cologne. “hi... are you okay, love?” he whispered softly, dropping his backpack onto the floor and moving forward to lightly caress chris’s cheeks.

@⁰² taeyong l. // tw for certain loosely-mentioned topics ahead!!! //

twenty minutes, his— partner had said. chris locked his phone and shakily placed it onto the workbench as he finished reading the last of taeyong's messages. this wasn't supposed to be the case — how is it that cleanly breaking things off with his ex felt more like a fatal mistake than liberating relief? his anxiety was definitely having a field of a day, consuming his mind with so much doubt and uncertainty to the point whereby he may have manifested a full-on migraine. no, he wouldn't be able to survive the 20 arduous minutes doing nothing and left alone with his plagued mind.

he lost track of the time, but 2 joints later, his worries and migraine had dissipated into nothing but mere faraway fleeting thoughts and a very dull but barely-there throbbing. in his now-relatively-calm and slightly dazed state, he almost missed the faint but familiar voice calling out for him. "b-back here!" he responded, wincing a little at how slurred he (thought) his voice sounded.

@⁰² christopher b. even though taeyong loved being in the lab with all his heart, despite it being spring break, there was nothing that could compare to the heart-wrenching need to be there for chris right now. scholarship and dean’s honour’s list be damned, his— roommate needed him. taeyong flew through the last of the lab, not even caring if his work was sloppy. twenty minutes was twenty minutes too long that he wanted to be away from chris. luckily, the cleanup wasn’t too bad and he was able to finish up in a record time of seven minutes. packing his backpack, the young prince hurriedly exited the lab and made a straight beeline towards the greenhouse. he knew where the building was, he just had never gotten the reason to visit. (though wasn’t seeing chris in his comfort place enough reason?)

on the thirteenth minute mark, taeyong was bursting into the greenhouse, lab coat flapping with the movement and eye protection goggles still messily pushing up his chestnut locks. “chris? love?” he called out, suddenly feeling like a fish out of water amongst all the familiar and unfamiliar plants creeping everywhere.

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@⁰³ youngjae c. dohyun had been quietly watering some of the plants in the garden. it was rare for him to be this silent while being with nature's gift to this wretched earth but for once, he was lost in thought, drifting amongst past memories of things he wished he could forget. leftover. the word he hated the most. the name that had been stuck to him from such a young age, hearing such cruel words and laughter a child should never have to experience. his father had left him. then his mother. and then his first love. nothing seemed to be constant. nobody seemed to want to stay.

his state of gloom was broken as he heard a crash behind him, jolting out of his trance so quickly that he ended up spilling water everywhere. "ah, sorry sorry," he whispered quick apologies to the flowers in front of him, asking for a quick forgiveness after almost drowning them. scrambling to his feet, he carefully headed towards the noise, flinching when he heard someone shouting. a stranger was on the floor, looking terrified as though he'd seen a thing of nightmares or at the very least, was trapped in one. dohyun could barely make out the murmurs but the sight of the poor boy seemed to stab at his chest.

this scene looked so familiar. it was a complete visual representation of all the pain and panic he had locked away in himself for so many years. his heart lurched in his chest. no one had helped him when he had needed it most. he would not abandon this boy.

carefully making his way over, doing his best to stay calm as to not startle the boy, he kept his voice soft. "you're okay," he whispered, reaching out to hold the boy as gently as he could. it was as if he was trying to hold him together but he was as frail as glass and he knew he had to be careful. "it's okay. i'm here. no one is trying to kill you. i'm here. i'm here." the words repeated like a mantra, trying to reassure the panicked stranger without overwhelming him. "hey, can you breathe for me? let's take a few breaths together, okay? i'm right here. i won't let anything get to you. i promise."

@⁰¹ miyeon c. it was embarrassing, the way he got startled and almost snipped at the perfectly healthy stems of a potted delphinium plant in full bloom in reflex. he tried not to let on his embarrassment, ignoring how the tips of his ears were burning red as he carefully retracted the shears and placed them down on the workbench, ensuring that it wasn't in any precarious position before he turned around to acknowledge whoever it was that tapped him. he was met with the pretty visage of a particular female, an underclassman whom he recalled was also a gardening club member and had attended the session last week wherein he'd shared about the language of flowers and the common misconceptions most people usually had with the choosing of appropriate flowers and their quantities in floral arrangements and bouquet-making. cho miyeon, he believed her name was.

chris wouldn't deny that miyeon had such stunning ethereal visuals, she practically looked like she could pass of as a fae or a nature spirit of some sort if he didn't know better. he was still a young man after all; he's allowed to appreciate beauty in all of its forms, and that includes other people as well. miyeon was one of the prettiest girls he'd ever met, if he could say so himself. he didn't allow himself to dwell too deep into that particular train of thought however, quickly snapping himself to address the request that was posed to him. "oh, it's no problem at all! i'm sorry i didn't hear you come in earlier, you're miyeon right?" he easily made casual conversation as he flashed the brunette a warm smile, reaching for the earlier pair of shears and taking the few steps down the narrow lane to get to the plot where the yellow carnations were planted.

yellow carnations. a small unconscious smile settled on chris' plush lips as he carefully examined the carnations and picked out the best-looking few. of course he knew what yellow carnations meant, and though it wasn't his business, he couldn't help but imagine just what the (unfortunate) intended recipient of the carnations had done to the brunette to warrant her to need them specifically. snipping the best-looking blooms and taking the extra effort to also snip away at any excess and unwanted branches, leaves and sprigs, he handed them over to the waiting brunette. "here you go, 3 of the most vibrant yellow carnations as requested! i hope whoever it's meant for realises what they did wrong." he wished with a light chuckle. "do you need anything else to go with that? maybe some petunias or orange lilies?"

@⁰³ dohyun l. [ content warning ]

"youngjae!"

a familiar voice calls. he follows it, leading him to the treehouse he and his childhood friends played inside. he stares ahead at the steps leading up the tree's trunk, yet his acrophobia leaves him on the ground. his friend taehyung peeks out from the window, casting a sunshine smile even youngjae is able to see. "come on, guys! youngjae is afraid of heights now, remember?" his other friends at first surprised then follow after taehyung as they climb down the tree. youngjae himself looks to his left, noticing his sister brought a picnic.

"youngjae!" she calls, beckoning him over with a smile. his friends move ahead of him, eagerly taking their places on the red and white picnic blanket spread out across the backyard grass. "stone-faced as usual, i see!" she says, and the gazes of his friends and sister alike meet youngjae's gaze. he grows sheepish under all of the attention, taking a moment before he moves to join them.

when his shoe touches the picnic blanket, his sister and friends suddenly change into--something, things so horrible that the panic sinks into his bones. taehyung turned into a giant spider with pincers so large they could easily crush his head between them, another to a pool of arms waiting for youngjae to swim into their depths so they could drag him down into the water, and his sister--a shadow figure with a single large eye peering at him, just like how his sister's eye, as her corpse swung in the wind hanging by the noose, was promising her revenge.

'they're going to kill me,' he thinks.

_____

"they're going to kill me!"

the warmth of the greenhouse reassures him that he's in the real world, but... is he alone? is he really safe? "they're following me now," he murmurs, hoisting himself up by holding onto the various shelves--knocking a few pots over in the process. the dirt that spills across his shoes and gathers around his ankles makes him jump, his thoughts racing to the feeling of hands pulling him down into the watery depths by his ankles. tears are beginning to run down his cheeks as his sense of panic grows from afraid to terrified. "i was right the whole time," he thinks, gaze shifting around the greenhouse, cautious of any shadow that moves. "they're going to kill me."

he begins walking despite knowing he'll never be able to make it to the safety of his room in his current state, knocking over various pots in the process due to his frantic state of mind. trying to relieve himself of the building pressure in his body, he tries to breathe as his therapist had once instructed him to, but there's already too much noise in his mind to concentrate on the breath.

he feels /something/ on his shoulder. he tries to not mind it, repeating, "i just need to get home. i just need to get home." he begins to stammer as he murmurs the same thought to himself, growing less and less confident in himself as the feeling of something crawling on him multiplies to cover his body. in horror, he directs his gaze to his shoulder--and in his terrified state coupled with arachnophobia, the in truth single small spider is instead massive, threatening to pierce chucks of youngjae's flesh from his body, multiplied by several all over him as they prepare to eat him alive.

he shouts in distress as he bawls, swatting the spider away before he collapses into a ball to the concrete floor. "i'm going to die," he repeats, gaze frantically looking for any figure lurking in the distance to finish him off--when one does appear. panic seizes him once more. his upper body falls backward in his panic to get away despite his legs having already given into his fears. "stay away from me!" he shouts in desperation before he devolves into a mumbling state. "don't kill me, please... please, don't kill me... i'm sorry... don't kill me..."

@⁰² christopher b. miyeon was seated at the small table in her dorm room, dainty fingers meticulously arranging--and then rearranging, and rearranging again, in a seemingly endless cycle--the collection of flowers she had assembled for her bouquet. the vibrant hues of early spring daylight managed to spill their way around the corners of her drawn curtains, illuminating the room in a faint light under which she worked, striving to curate the most beautiful bouquet possible. after all, it was a bouquet that she was planning to give to someone who seemed to adore the beauty and vivacity of flowers more so than any other, so it /had/ to be perfect.

the idea had started out as a small seed in her mind, having arisen as a result of their last gardening club meeting during which the president had taught the members about the language of flowers. miyeon had always thought chris to be charmingly handsome, with his plush lips and seductively musclar stature, but something about the way he so passionately spoke of plants, the tenderness etched into his countenance during that meeting had caused the seed to grow roots, and before long the idea had fully blossomed to the point that she could no longer ignore it. to give him the bouquet wasn't meant as an act of flirtation, per se, but more as a sign of her admiration for him, an attempt to bring forth a genuine smile on his beautiful face--even she, usually so oblivious to the qualms of others, could see that his smile hadn't truly reached his eyes.

the bouquet mainly contained red flowers--thornless roses, camellias, and carnations--accented with white gardenias and light purple gloxinias to cultivate an overall sense of aestheticism. the sun was high in the sky by the time miyeon left her dorm, carrying the bouquet in the cradle of her left arm, having gingerly wrapped the flowers together in a pretty red ribbon. she was on a quest to find the last flower she needed: carnations, which were currently being grown in the school greenhouse. with the addition of a few carnations, the bouquet would be complete, and she could safely store it there until their next club meeting, when she intended to gift it to him.

the rickety greenhouse door creaked loudly as the girl lifted a delicate hand to push it open. the musky scent of the familiar humid enclosement greeted her as she padded forward a few steps, chocolate eyes scanning the area in search of her target. miyeon certainly stood out among the picturesque vegetation, donning a pleated silky matcha green dress and her favourite beige loafers, looking more like she should be out wandering the streets of hongdae than getting her knees dirty in a greenhouse. after a few minutes, she by sheer luck stumbled upon the area in which the carnations grew; however, there was a boy tending to some flowers in the space between the narrow pathway and the carnations. cherry lips pursing a bit in apprehension, she pondered for a moment, feeling a bit downcast because now she would need to wait for him to finish before being able to access the area she required--but suddenly she realized that this may be a godsent opportunity, given that he was dressed in appropriate gardening clothes and could easily grab what she needed--then there would be no reason for her to get dirty, right?

miyeon reluctantly took a few steps closer and gently tapped the boy--whose face she could not see--on the shoulder. "hi, i'm so sorry to bother you," she started in a soft tone, offering him a hesitant albeit lovely smile, "would you mind picking a few of the yellow carnations right there for me, please? i only need about 3 or 4."

@⁰¹ miyeon c. the familiar, almost intoxicating scents of the blooming flowers coupled with the rich earthy nuances of the soil permeated his nose the instant he opened the door to the greenhouse. he'd always loved plants (and the general outdoor), having found them to be much better company than any of the other kids during his time at that wretched excuse of a foster home during his childhood. the sticky humidity in the air didn't bother him in the slightest despite being clad in a black pair of skin-tight ripped jeans, a slightly oversized graphic muscle tank and a dark flannel tied around his waist. at least it wasn't hot; he could deal with humidity but not heat.

he padded his way to the opposite end of the greenhouse, depositing his book bag in one of the cabinets under the counter as he pondered for a moment what he should dk for the day. checking on the plants is a definite must, and maybe he should re-pot some of the healthy saplings that have grown a little too large for their baby pots too. maybe forward plan for the next gardening club's gathering? that wouldn't be a bad idea either. without much other thought, he pulled on a pair of gloves and a face mask, grabbed the necessary gardening tools and began working.

his mind unconsciously began wandering as he worked in peaceful silence, drifting to his upcoming report submissions & exams, his ongoing questionable position with his ex, himself. somehow he was never afraid to let down his defenses when surrounded by the company of plants; he used to jokingly brush it off with the knowledge that the plants - his plants - would never judge him when he was younger. a small sigh escaped his lips as he unconsciously slowed to a stop, his mind reeling deeper than usual. it reeled deep enough to the point whereby he didn't even register the distinguishable creak of the rickety greenhouse door swinging open, announcing the arrival of an unexpected visitor.