eight makes one team ➵ ateez

Night of Sevens (ATEEZ Oneshot - fluff)[Park Seonghwa]

"What do you mean, you've never been stargazing?" Seonghwa asks, incredulous, and you look up from your phone screen with raised eyebrows to see him staring at you in shock.

It's a cool Tuesday night and the two of you are walking back home after your study session in the library. Even though it's late at night and your house is in the opposite direction from his, Seonghwa has insisted on walking you home like a true gentleman – he's too sweet to you, you think fondly.

"I just... never felt interested in it." You shrug, tucking your phone back in your pocket before burying your fingers into the sleeves of your coat, hiding them from the chilly night air. Raising your head, you gaze up at the night sky above head, gesturing upwards. "Look, you can't see anything with all the light pollution of the city... there's nothing to see out here."

Seonghwa raises a hand to stop you in your words, a bright little gleam in his eye that only comes alive when he's truly passionate about something. It's cute. "Of course there isn't anything here! You need to know where to look!" He starts rambling on excitedly about his many trips out of the bustling city to a small town a few hours from here, where the lights from the city don't reach and describing how the sky is filled with tiny, twinkling diamonds with fervour.

You're not the type to be interested in these sort of things, but it's always fun to watch your usually reserved friend be so animated over something he loves. It brings out the stars in his eyes, and honestly you think they are prettier than any nebula in the night sky.

Seonghwa continues chattering zealously about stargazing and you would have been content with listening to him for the rest of the walk home, but he catches himself with a start, ducking his head shyly and covering his face with his large hands in embarrassment.

"Ahh... I digressed... I wasn't annoying, was I?"

You hurry to reassure him, a little disappointed that he's stopped talking. "No, I love hearing you talk about stuff that makes you happy!" He pauses, faltering a little, peeking out at you from behind a crack in his fingers.

He's cute.

On the inside, Seonghwa's heart is racing a million miles an hour as a single thought bounces back and forth in his brain rapidly like a pinball machine. Should he or should he not? He doesn't even realise how long he's been standing in the middle of the street looking like a fool until he feels something tug at the sleeve of his coat and jumps in surprise.

"Hey, what are you thinking about, Hwa?"

He's all too aware of the bead of sweat sliding down the side of his neck.

"I-I..." Seonghwa attempts to get the words out, but his tongue feels numb with nerves, and the words fumble about his mouth. God, he probably looks like a fool now, in front of you, no less. You lean forward to take a closer glance at his face, peering up at him from under your lashes – you're barely inches from him and your noses are nearly brushing–

He backpedals in a panic and almost trips over his own feet, but you squeak in panic and latch onto his arm before he can topple onto the sidewalk, his forearm flexing under your grip. Seonghwa can feel your warmth through the sleeve of his coat and for a brief moment he wonders whether this is heaven or hell.

"Hwa!" You yelp with worry, yanking him upright. Your eyes are filled with concern and his heart beats madly in his chest as he tries to calm himself. It's not working very well. "Are you alright?"

The thundering of his own heart fills his ears and his hands are trembling, but this is his one shot. He's gotta take it right now, because when else are the stars going to align for him like this in the same way again?