Saturn's Seas

by Adders

Summary:

The deck crew of the luxury yacht Saturn may or may not be absolutely smitten by the new third stew.

Chapter 1: Welcome Aboard!

AN: I love the show Below Deck, which is a reality show about the crew on a luxury motor yacht. I recommend it if you want some dramaaaaaaa. I grew up sailing on sloops, so my knowledge of yacht terminology/anatomy of yachts is pretty limited. I'll try to be as accurate as possible and give definitions. Also- Felix is the youngest in this. His personality is baby-therefore he is baby.

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• Deckhand- exterior crew. Maintain exterior of the boat/decks, transport guests, set up ‘water toys’ (jet skis, SeaBobs, inflatable slides)
• Stew (stewardess/steward)- interior crew. Serve guests and maintain interior of the yacht. Set up parties, make arrangements for guest entertainment.
• Bosun- manages deckhands and oversees deck operations
• Chief stew- manages stews and oversees guest interaction/interior operations
• Engineers- maintain mechanical and electrical operations

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Positions: Bang Chan- bosun, Changbin- lead deckhand, Jisung- deckhand, Jeongin- deckhand, Minho- chef, Hyunjin- first engineer, Seungmin- second engineer

OCs: Captain Jung- Captain, Eunji- chief stew, Mari- second stew

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“As you all know, it’s difficult to find replacement crew members so far into the charter season,” Captain Jung tapped her fingers over the file in front of her, “there are few deckhands available, and even fewer stews.”

“I just don’t understand why Daeun would quit in the middle of a charter,” Eunji sucked her teeth in annoyance. “That was just so unprofessional.”

“Maybe you should have been a little nicer to her,” Minho shrugged. 

The rest of the crew visibly cringed, anticipating another fight. Minho was the only one of them who would willingly battle with Eunji. They lost count of how many times the chef and the chief stew got into screaming matches. 

“It’s not my fault she was bad at her job,” Eunji rolled her eyes.

“Actually,” Minho leaned forward onto the crew mess table and stared her down. “It is your fault. You didn’t train her properly and then got pissed when she didn’t know what to do, because she had never been taught!”

“Don’t put this on me! I swe-”

“Enough,” Jung said sternly, silencing them both. “What matters is that Daeun is gone and we barely made it through the last day of this charter without her. This new stew should arrive in the next few hours. I will be very upset if you break him and I have to go through this crap of finding another one all over again.” 

“Woah, wait. ‘Him’? As in, like, a boy stew?” Hyunjin asked.

“Yes,” Jung nodded and held up her finger to silence Eunji’s protests. “I am aware of how you feel about male stews. Suck it up. Our next charter is a large group, and we need a third.”

“What’s his experience?” Chan asked.

“He's pretty green. He’s done a little work as a bartender on a cruise ship, but he has some interesting experience in other things,” Jung said, piquing their interest, “he’s worked with Lee Chaewon for years.”

“The wedding designer?” Mari lit up at the mention of the woman she idolized. She got into yachting and became a second stew specifically because she was inspired by Chaewon’s elaborate style. 

“Yes,” Jung confirmed, “our stew is considered her right-hand man. It seems like he’s exploring some career options, but he will definitely have a good sense of design.”

“Do you know anything else about him? Like, how old is he and what is his work ethic like?” Chan asked.

“As far as I can tell, he’s professional and driven,” Jung, “he’s young though. Only 20 years old.”

“Okay, so this is a kid who is totally green and has never been a stew, and we’re giving him a job just ‘cause he’s friends with a famous person?” Eunji scoffed, “I mean, he’s younger than Jeongin, and Jeongin is a baby!”

“Jeongin takes more responsibility and pride in his job than you do,” Minho shot back, defending him while Chan instinctively put a hand on Jeongin’s shoulder, wanting to protect his deckhand. 

“You are so goddamn annoying!” Eunji groaned exasperatedly.

“I decided to give him a chance because I found out that he was the one that saved the wedding of a dear friend of mine,” Jung rested her cheek on her hand, tired of her crew’s shenanigans. “The wedding would have been a disaster if it wasn’t for him.”

“What does that have to do with stewing?”

“It shows me that he can adapt to any situation, is able to make split-second decisions, and he will go to great lengths to provide an enjoyable experience. Those are some of the most important qualities in a good stew. I’ve never met him. No one told me to hire him. I recognized his name and his job experience and connected the two.”

“I’m sure dealing with the kind of clients Chaewon has, he knows how to handle difficult people,” Changbin added.

“Worst comes to worst, stick him in the laundry room and have him do behind-the-scenes stuff,” Jung said.

“What’s his name?” Jisung asked.

“His name is Felix. I have a feeling you might get along with him, Chan. He’s from Australia,” the captain stood from her seat.

“They’re gonna be sharing a room anyway,” Hyunjin said, “Daeun’s bunk is the only one that’s free and she was in the room with Chan.”

“Well, that works out perfectly then. When he gets here, bring him to the wheelhouse so I can talk to him, and then we’ll get him familiarized with the boat.”

“Will do,” Chan nodded, trying to contain his excitement at the prospect of another Aussie.

“Perfect. In the meantime, let’s get a head start on prepping the boat for our next charter,” Jung dismissed them.

As soon as the captain left the crew mess, Eunji stood and dragged Mari away, complaining loudly.

“How are you guys feeling about this?” Changbin asked the remaining group.

“It’s always fun to have a new person onboard,” Jeongin grinned, “I really hope he’s nice.”

“If he isn’t, at least he’s part of the interior crew.”

“I just hope he’s cute,” Hyunjin sighed.

---

“Is that him?” Jisung looked over the railing on the aft deck down at the dock.

Chan and the deckhands dropped the chamois cloths and hoses they were using to clean the windows to run and see.

A slim boy with silvery-blonde hair was pulling a small rolling suitcase along the dock. He was gazing at the birds flying around the marina, hiking up his sweater against the chill of the unusually cold May afternoon.

It was like he sensed their stares and turned to look up at them.

“Are you Felix?” Jisung called out and the boy nodded with a smile.

“Oh, he is cute,” Changbin drummed his hands on the railing. 

“I’ll come help you with your bag,” Chan said, and Felix gave him a thumbs up. 

“Coming with you!” Jeongin followed behind Chan as he made his way down. Unsurprisingly, the rest of the deck crew did the same, with the engineers and chef joining on the way.

“Guys, stop,” Chan waved them away and pointed to where they normally stood on the lower deck when welcoming guests. “Just wait here, so we don’t break the gangplank.”

“It’s metal, it’s not gonna break,” Changbin rolled his eyes.

“Just stay ,” the bosun ordered.

He crossed the gangplank just as Felix reached it. If Chan thought Felix’s smile was pretty from far away, it was gorgeous up close. He was wearing the slightest bit of makeup, accentuating his delicate features. His hair was cut shoulder length in a mullet style that would be hard for a normal person to have and look good with, but Felix looked amazing with it.

“Hello! I’m Bang Chan,” Chan held out his hand to shake.

“Hiya! Felix,” the younger responded, skipping the handshake and hugging him instead. Chan normally would’ve been taken aback by the action, but Felix radiated the energy of a warm and affectionate person. When Felix pulled back, he asked, “are you the deck boss?” He must have noticed Chan’s look of surprise. “Oh, yeah, I know the voice is a bit of a shock.”

“Definitely was not what I expected, but I like it,” Chan said, surprising himself with making such a forward admission. He cleared his throat before answering his question. “Yes, I’m the bosun. I oversee the deckhands and the exterior things. Captain Jung said you’re from Australia.”

“Yeah, I’m from Sydney,” Felix nodded.

“I was born in Seoul, but I grew up in Sydney,” Chan said in English and watched Felix light up even more with excitement.

“Really?!” he bounced on his feet.

“I moved back to Seoul when I was a teenager, but I do miss Australia a lot.”

“I haven’t been here for very long,” Felix brushed his hair out of his face and turned away from the wind that was intensifying. “I’m still working on my Korean, so I'm sorry for bad grammar.”

“Let’s get inside,” Chan said, “it looks like it might start raining.”

He picked up Felix’s bag, guiding the blonde boy onto the gangplank.

“Does anyone else on the crew speak English?” Felix asked.

“Captain Jung does. Jisung and Seungmin are pretty good, and Hyunjin is learning.”

Felix stepped aboard the boat and was immediately greeted by six crew members. They noticed him shivering despite his oversized sweater and shepherded him into the main salon before doing any introductions.

“So, this ship is called Saturn. This is Changbin, he’s the lead deckhand,” Chan pointed to each of them individually, “Jisung and Jeongin are the other two deckhands, so they are the exterior crew. Minho is the chef. Hyunjin is the first engineer, and Seungmin is the second engineer.”

As he did with Chan, Felix gave each of them a hug. Even Jeongin and Hyunjin, who were not the biggest fans of physical contact, willingly accepted him. The boy’s smile was contagious, and the room just seemed to come to life with his energy. There was a significant amount of fawning over the juxtaposition of his deep voice with his doll face, and they were whipped within a matter of minutes. 

The sound of footsteps coming up the spiral staircase interrupted them just before Mari and Eunji poked their heads up.

“Oh, you’re here,” Mari said.

“Hi!” Felix excitedly greeted them as they approached. He reigned back his enthusiasm slightly when the two stews didn’t match his energy.

They both looked him up and down with scrutiny. Felix bowed his head slightly, avoiding eye contact and making himself look smaller. The crew couldn’t tell if it was done consciously, but it was a clear display of submission to show he wasn’t trying to challenge authority.

Chan shared glances with the others, knowing the simple action just made them fall for Felix even more.

“I’m Eunji. I’m the chief stew, and I will tell you this right now, I am your superior, and you will address me as such,” she said sternly.

“Yes, ma’am,” Felix nodded, still not meeting her eyes.

“This is Mari. She’s the second stew, and she is also your superior. In fact, everyone in this boat is above you. They tell you to do something, you will do it without question. Do you understand?” 

“Yes, ma’am,” Felix nodded again.

“Eunji, cut the shit,” Minho rolled his eyes, “the kid just got here and you’re already making him miserable.”

Felix shifted around anxiously, leaning slightly towards Chan for comfort.

“Felix, the captain would like us to bring you to the wheelhouse and then take you on a tour,” Hyunjin said, trying to give him a way out of the conversation.

The smaller boy sent him a grateful smile. He bowed a goodbye to them all before following Chan up to the bridge.

“Is she, um…” Felix’s whisper trailed off.

“Yes, she’s always like that,” Chan sighed, “I’m not gonna lie to you. She’s an absolute nightmare. We try to avoid her as much as we can. Minho is the only person besides Captain Jung who can challenge her.”

“Is there any way to get in her good graces?” the younger asked as they reached the top of the stairs.

“Compliments usually help a little, but she has a thing against guys being stews, so I don’t know if anything will work. The rest of us are here to support you and we’ll do whatever we can to help.”

“I’m gonna take a guess and say this is what made the last stew quit?”

“Correct,” Chan said and knocked on the wheelhouse door.

“Come in,” a voice called from inside.

Chan opened the door and stepped to the side, allowing Felix to go in first.

“Welcome aboard Saturn ,” Jung shook his hand.

“Thank you for having me,” Felix responded with his bright smile back.

Jung’s eyebrows raised, “I have a feeling many of our guests will be requesting you to say some strange things, just to hear your voice.”

“Oh, I’m used to that,” Felix laughed, “I don’t mind.”

“Have you met the rest of the crew?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I know that Eunji can be a lot to handle, but try not to let it get to you. I heard what you did for Choi Jihae at her wedding. I admire your ability to adapt to whatever is thrown at you, and I heard there was quite a bit thrown at you that day.”

“It was an… interesting event. Jihae is a very kind lady. She deserved only the best, so it was all worth it to see her happy.”

Chan looked between the two of them, hoping for elaboration.

“I’ll tell you about it later,” Felix assured him.

“I’m sure Minho will find it humorous,” Jung nodded, “our next charter starts tomorrow morning. You’re going to have to learn things quickly. Your résumé stated you’re a licensed bartender.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Felix confirmed.

“I’d like to do a skills test later today. Maybe you can win Eunji over with a good cocktail. I think the crew would like it as well.”

“Sounds good!” Felix chirped.

“Fantastic,” Jung smiled, something that was a rarity. It seemed Felix’s joyous energy was rubbing off on her as well. 

“I’ve got the deck crew scrubbing down and checking the jet skis to make sure they’re fueled up,” Chan said, “I think the stews are working on the guest cabins.”

“I’ll need you, Minho, and Eunji up here after Felix is acclimated, so we can go over the guest preferences and plan for the charter.”

Chan nodded, “see you later, Captain.”

He led Felix around the boat, going into as much detail as possible. He showed the hidden compartments the stews used for storing specific things and how to work some of the different machines.

Chan’s job as a bosun would have been significantly easier if his deckhands were able to learn half as fast as Felix. He only needed to explain things once for the boy to understand. Felix had an exceptional memory and could repeat everything he said word for word. 

He brought Felix through the galley with the younger stopping to greet Minho.

“It’s nice to have someone with manners onboard,” Minho gave Felix a pat on his shoulder.

Chan blinked in surprise at the compliment. Minho was not a mean person, he just wasn't particularly open with affection or praise, even to those closest to him (except Jeongin sometimes).

“Can you radio the crew and let them know I’ll have lunch ready for them in about 20 minutes?” Minho asked Chan.

“Sure- oh! That reminds me,” Chan opened a cupboard and picked up a radio before handing it to Felix. “This is yours! Keep it with you at all times, treat it like your baby. If the captain catches you without it, she will not be happy.”

Felix nodded, holding the radio carefully like glass and inspecting all the little details. Chan bit his lip to stop himself from squealing over the adorableness of how big the radio looked in Felix’s small hands.

“When you are trying to radio someone specifically, you say their name twice before your own and wait for them to respond before continuing,” Chan said, “so if you’re trying to radio me for example, you would say, ‘Chan, Chan- Felix.’ And if you were trying to talk to exterior, you would say ‘deck crew, deck crew- Felix.’ Okay?”

“Okay."

“Watch,” the bosun picked up his own radio, “all crew, all crew- Chan.”

“Go ahead, Hyung,” Jisung’s voice came through.

“Lunch in 20.”

A chorus of the word “copy” from different voices answered.

“The last thing to show inside are the crew cabins, and we’ll show you the decks at some point when the weather is better,” Chan said, “is that good with you?”

“All good!” Felix replied.

Chan led him down the hallway, pointing to each room and saying who was there.

“Changbin and Jisung are in here, so it’s the loudest cabin for sure. This is Hyunjin and Seungmin. Over here are Minho and Jeongin. Here are Eunji and Mari. And this one is ours,” Chan opened the door to his cabin.

Felix entered the tiny room, looking around with curiosity.

“You alright being on top?”

“What?!” Felix squeaked, blushing brightly.

“Top bunk,” Chan clarified, holding back his laughter at the mortified look on Felix’s face.

“I-uh,” Felix coughed, ears red, “yeah, top bunk is fine.”

“I know it’s a bit of a small space. You’re not claustrophobic, are you?” Chan asked.

“Nope!” the younger pulled himself together, acting like nothing ever happened.

“Perfect!” the older man smiled, “feel free to start unpacking. We’ll let you know when lunch is ready. If you need anything, Seungmin is his bunk.”

“Can I call you hyung?” Felix asked, a hopeful yet cautious look in his eye. He must have been a little put-off by the coarse treatment from the stews and was scared to overstep boundaries, especially having been so forward in hugging them as soon as they met. 

“Of course,” Chan nodded understandingly, “same with all the boys. Jeongin is certainly happy to have someone calling him hyung for a change.”

Felix’s beautiful smile returned, “thank you, Hyung!”

Chan left as Felix began to put his things away, checking in on Minho to make sure the chef was alright. He returned to the main salon to move some things back into the proper places and inspected the windows from the inside to make sure there were no streaks. The sky finally ripped open, the rain pelting the boat loudly.

He made his way onto the aft deck and took pity on his deckhands, who were trying their hardest to keep working despite the downpouring rain, the wind kicking their asses, and the swells causing the boat to rock.

“Get inside and change into some dry clothing,” Chan said, “you guys have done great, we can finish this later.”

They didn’t need to be told twice, immediately bolting for the door. They were surprised to see Felix standing with a pile of white in his arms.

“I heard the rain, so I thought you might need these,” he offered the towels.

“Oh, Felix, you are now the angel of Saturn ,” Changbin gratefully accepted it.

Felix grinned, handing a towel to Chan. Even though the bosun was only outside for a moment, he was drenched as well.

“Thanks,” Chan took it and toweled his hair, “is lunch ready now?”

“Yeah, last I saw, plates were being set,” Felix nodded.

“Get into your blues and meet in the crew mess,” Chan said to the deckhands.

“Aye-aye,” Jisung gave a thumbs up.

Felix looked slightly confused as they walked away.

“You alright?” Chan asked.

“I’m… what are blues?” 

“Oh! I forgot about that,” the bosun facepalmed, “so there are three or four different uniforms. Your whites are what you wear when greeting guests or dropping them off. They’re like your formal wear. Your blues are… well, they’re blue on this ship because of our color scheme. On other boats, it could be red or tan. Here, your blues are basically your working uniform. They’re a lot more comfortable than your whites and what you’ll wear for the majority of the day. Your blacks are what you wear after the sun goes down and during dinner service.”

“Formal whites, working blues, and night blacks,” Felix nodded, “got it.”

“If you have to do outdoor work, like setting up a beach party, you can use the long-sleeved uniforms the deckhands have to keep safe from the sun,” Chan said, “Mari will likely be the one to help you get your first set of uniforms. The sizing on them is kinda weird. We had to get Changbin’s custom-made.”

“Too many muscles, ay?”

Chan snorted a laugh, “yeah, he kept ripping them. Eunji was not happy, but some guests were happy to get a peek.”

“I’m sure they were!” Felix giggled.

“Are you gonna join us for lunch?”

“Am I allowed to?” the younger boy asked nervously.

“Of course! You’re part of the crew now,” Chan patted his back, trying to ease his anxiety a bit. “I’m excited for you to have a taste of Minho’s cooking.”

Chapter 2: Viuxe Carre

AN: This is where the "Felix needs a hug" tag comes in for the first time. TW for discussions about parental loss, drunk driving, and homelessness. Yes, that's a spoiler, but I'd rather spoil than potentially hurt someone. I promise it's not all depressing. There's a ton of Felix being his adorable sunshine self and some soft moments.

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Felix followed Chan to the galley and helped Minho carry massive platters while the bosun changed. The blonde boy blushed as his stomach growled loud enough for Minho and Changbin to hear.

The two ushered him into the circular seating area, pushing a plate stacked with food towards him as Hyunjin and Changbin sat on either side of him.

“Wow!” Felix exclaimed after taking a bite, “Hyung, this is amazing!”

Minho looked smug, proud of himself that he had impressed Felix so much.

“Do you want something to drink?” Jisung asked, “we have coffee, tea, pretty much every kind of juice and soda you can think of.”

“I’ll take a Fanta,” Seungmin said.

Felix looked like he also wanted one, but was too shy to ask.

“You can have one too if you want,” Jisung offered.

“Yes, please,” Felix nodded.

“Don’t feel bad for asking for things,” Jeongin said as he dug into his full plate, “if you’re working hard, you earned it. Even if you aren’t working hard, you still deserve it for being so nice.”

“First you got a compliment from Lee Minho, now you got a compliment from Yang Jeongin,” Chan sat down next to Seungmin. “Are you magical?”

“Well, we already said he is an angel,” Jisung pointed out as he handed two bottles of Fanta over with a bottle opener.

Seungmin opened his drink and passed the opener across Hyunjin over to Felix, but Changbin gently took it out of his hands.

“Let Hyung do it,” he said. The rest of the crew rolled their eyes as he popped the cap off and gave Felix the open bottle

“Thank you!” Felix smiled, clinking his drink with Changbin’s cup as a toast to the older man. 

The momentary peace was shattered when Eunji stormed in.

“Who took the clean towels from the laundry room?” she asked angrily.

“I did,” Felix admitted immediately, unwilling to lie to his boss, despite knowing he was likely about to be yelled at. “The deck crew was out in the rain.”

“And you didn’t ask me first?” she hissed.

“Would you prefer we dripped all over the carpets?” Chan questioned. 

“Don’t get involved in this Bang Chan,” Eunji snapped, “you deal with your deckhands, and I’ll deal with my stews.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll ask from now on,” Felix said apologetically and in a soft tone. Despite his deep voice, the words were spoken in a way that felt so innocent and genuine, that it set off every protective instinct in their bodies. 

Even Eunji paused, a mix of emotions on her face. She wanted to keep yelling like her normal self, but it almost looked like she felt bad for having been mean to him. Just as soon as the conflict appeared, it went away.

“Don’t do anything without my permission,” she said sternly.

“Yes, ma’am,” the boy nodded.

Minho held a full plate out to her, “the captain requested a meal. Yours will be here for you when you come back. Don’t keep her waiting.”

Eunji looked back and forth between him and Felix before taking the plate and stomping away.

“...Holy shit,” Jisung broke the silence that followed.

“Well, that was a first,” Hyunjin took a sip of his tea.

“What was?” Felix asked confusedly.

“She was almost nice to you.”

“How the hell did you do that?” Minho asked.

“I don’t know,” Felix shrugged, not fully understanding how significant it was.

“I’ve worked with Eunji on and off for six years now,” Minho said, “we’ve done over a hundred charters together. That was the first time she looked almost guilty for yelling at a crew member.”

“Oh…” Felix frowned, absentmindedly spinning his bottle in a circle, “I upset her. I feel bad for that.”

“Everything upsets Eunji,” Hyunjin snorted, “don’t feel about that.”

“Regardless,” the younger sighed, “I don’t like upsetting anyone. She has authority and experience. I don’t know her well, but I do know she must have worked hard to get to the position she’s in. I respect that.”

“How did you end up in Seoul, Felix?” Changbin questioned, changing the subject.

“I grew up in Australia, but I moved to Paris to live with my cousin and his wife when I was thirteen,” he said, “I lived there for a couple years before I was able to get ahold of my Aunt Chaewon. I started working for her and traveling between Japan and Korea. It was mostly in Busan, but I wanted to explore, and now I’m here.”

“Where did you stay in Paris?” Minho asked.

“I was in Grigny with my cousin for two or three months. We didn’t really get along though. They were extremely conservative and religious, so they didn’t approve of me. I left and lived on the streets for four or five years.”

“What about your parents?”

“They passed away before I went to France. My cousin was the only person I could be sent to.”

“What happened to them?” Jeongin asked without thinking.

“That’s not an appropriate question,” Chan chided.

“No, it’s okay,” Felix assured him, “I’ve gotten to a point where I can talk about it without getting too upset. Basically, we were coming back from one of my sisters’ sports games and got hit by a truck driver who was drunk. I woke up a month later on my own.”

“You lost your whole family?”

Felix nodded, “I know my family wouldn’t want me to be angry and miserable for the rest of my life, so I try not to let it get to me. And Aunt Chaewon has been so kind to me, I can’t complain.”

“That must have been really difficult though,” Minho frowned, “losing your family and being a child without a home in a foreign country.”

“The homeless community in France is very tight-knit. They took me in and taught me everything I needed to know. We made money from busking and dancing, which was really fun! They became my family and I always say I have nine parents and thirteen older siblings. I try to go visit them as often as possible.”

“I like that you have a positive outlook, despite everything you’ve been through,” Chan admired.

“There are so many things to look forward to in life. So many places to visit and things to experience. I mean, just look where we are! How can I not be happy somewhere as beautiful as here?”

Hyunjin threw his arms around the younger, hugging him tightly. If Felix was happy before, he was even more now that someone had initiated physical affection. He hugged Hyunjin back, a big grin across his face.

“You’re too precious for this world,” the taller man declared dramatically, “I just wanna roll you in bubble wrap and keep you safe.”

“Well, you two got close,” Mari’s voice surprised them. She looked displeased to see Hyunjin showing affection to someone else. It was no secret among the crew that she had feelings for the engineer, however one-sided it was. 

Mari was attractive with shiny black hair and dimples, but she didn’t have a personality that attracted Hyunjin. He wanted someone he enjoyed being around, not just someone with a pretty face. Their conversations were superficial, never talking about anything deep or meaningful. 

As Felix picked up on the tension, he unconsciously held onto Hyunjin tighter for comfort.

“They look close, don’t they, Unnie?” Mari looked over her shoulder while gesturing toward them.

Eunji peered in, eyes narrowing like a raptor at the sight. “Here for an hour and you’re already buddy-buddy?” she scoffed bitterly.

“You’d be surprised how far being nice can get you, Eunji,” Minho said, “you should try it sometime.”

“Hypocrite,” Eunji growled at him, snatching her plate out of his hands.

Mari took her plate as well and sat down next to Chan while Eunji took place on her other side. Felix and Hyunjin let go of each other while the tension in the room was enough to put everyone on edge. The only sounds were forks and knives with the occasional drink sip and thunder.

“Captain wants us three to meet with her later to talk about the upcoming guests,” Chan said to Minho and Eunji, trying to ease the negative energy slightly, “she’s also going to do a test of Felix’s bartending skills, so we’ll all get to enjoy a drink.”

“Ooo, that sounds good,” Changbin patted Felix’s knee under the table when the blonde subtly scooted closer to him. He could see Felix was getting anxious again from the way Eunji and Mari kept glaring, and gave them a taste of their own medicine.

He looked straight at them until they noticed his gaze.

“What?” Eunji snapped at him.

“Oh, I thought we were having a staring contest,” Changbin said, playing dumb.

Minho snorted out a laugh while Jeongin choked on his drink. Felix quickly grabbed some paper towels and handed them to the chef to give to Jeongin, who was coughing loudly.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Jeongin assured the worried boy once he caught his breath.

“You sure?” Felix asked, still concerned.

Jeongin’s heart clenched at Felix’s consideration for his health. They had just met, but Felix treated him with the kind of care he would have only expected from long-time companions. 

“I’m good,” Jeongin nodded, “it just surprised me.”

Felix already won Chan over within minutes of meeting him, but seeing the younger care for his deckhands the way Chan cared for them had the bosun feeling like he was sitting with the most precious being in the universe.

“The curiosity is killing me,” Chan said, “I need to know the story about Choi Jihae’s wedding Captain Jung mentioned.”

“Oh, it was the definition of ‘chaotic’,” Felix laughed, “everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. It’s my favorite event I’ve ever done.”

“How can it be your favorite if it was so bad?” Eunji rolled her eyes.

“Because everyone ended up having a good time! Except for the mother of the groom, that is,” Felix acquiesced, “every other person in the wedding party was lovely to work with, but she was a nightmare, and I don’t use that term lightly. I’ve dealt with plenty of bridezillas and people hosting other events, but she is certainly in the top 3 worst.”

All attention was on him now, craving the gossip.

“There were three other event planners before me who quit because of how she treated them, but Jihae was so nice, I wasn’t about to let her mother-in-law ruin her day. Jihae had only a few requests for things she really wanted, like lavender accents on something but the mom was absolutely against it and wanted this horrible bright orange instead. My team had set up all the decorations the day before, and we came in to add some finishing touches, only to find that she had started replacing it all and threw everything in the dumpster. We salvaged what we could, but a lot of the stuff was ruined.”

“We stayed up until like 5 in the morning making decorations by hand to replace them. During that time, the flowers arrived and we found that about half of them had been damaged during travel. I know it’s morbid, but the only thing I could think of was to go to a funeral parlor and ask for any spare arrangements.”

“That’s actually a great idea,” Hyunjin said, impressed.

“That was just the start of the shitstorm,” Felix laughed and immediately covered his mouth with a sheepish look on his face.

“You can swear,” Minho chuckled, “just make sure not to do it in front of guests.”

Felix nodded, still slightly embarrassed.

“What was the rest of the shitstorm?” Changbin questioned.

“I had told the groomsmen to check their suits to make sure all the components are there like the pocket squares and ties. Turns out, the best man, who arrived just in time for the…,” he paused and turned to Chan, speaking quietly in English, “I forgot how you say buck party in Korean.”

Answering in Korean, Chan sounded out the words “bachelor party” for him.

“Thanks!” Felix said appreciatively, “the best man had taken a flight and arrived just before the bachelor party, so he didn’t check his luggage. He was in charge of bringing the suits that had been altered in their hometown, but he forgot to bring them, so we didn’t realize until a few hours before the ceremony.”

They all cringed, imagining the panic that must have ensued.

“A couple months before this, I had planned the afterparty for the premier of a movie and made friends with the cast and crew. I had the number of the head of the costume department, so I called her and asked if she had any suits. I sent her the groomsmen’s measurements, and she had her whole team do alterations on suits they had.”

“How many groomsmen were there?”

“Seven, so it was a huge rush,” Felix said, “at the same time of all this happening, the catering company delivered the food. It looked amazing, except that it was the wrong order . They delivered our order to a different place three hours away and gave that event’s order to us.”

“Oh, my god,” Mari facepalmed, “that’s a nightmare.”

“It’s every event planner’s worst fear,” the blonde nodded, “I knew there were some chain restaurants around that were decent, but I didn’t want just one kitchen to be overwhelmed with three hundred orders, so I called all of them in the area and ordered the same dishes. They thankfully got there right before the ceremony so we did everything we could to make it look presentable.”

“Okay, that is genius-level thinking,” Changbin whistled.

“The cherry on top of it all though was the mother of the groom walking into the bridal suite, while everyone was getting ready, wearing a wedding gown.”

“No!” Mari gasped.

“You never wear white to a wedding unless you are the one getting married or if it’s specifically requested. And it wasn’t like an off-white or ivory, it was pure white with lace and from the most expensive bridal salon in Busan. Jihae was so upset, but she’s not the confrontational type. I’m not either, unless absolutely necessary, and I felt that it was needed in that situation.”

“Definitely,” they agreed.

“The mom said that she had left the dress she was originally going to wear at her hotel and refused to change. She was trying to make Jihae’s day all about her, and that’s just not something I could let happen,” Felix scrunched up his nose, “I may or may not have, uh, ‘tripped’ while holding a glass of red wine.”

“Are you saying… you poured wine on the mother of the groom to ruin her dress?” Mari asked.

“... Yes.”

The crew burst out laughing as Felix hid his face behind Changbin’s back, groaning with embarrassment.

“I c- I can’t even imagine you doing that!” Chan struggled to catch his breath through his cackles.

“I have NEVER in my life done something like that,” Felix held his red cheeks.

“Oh, my god,” Jisung clutched his abdomen, “my stomach hurts. You can’t do that to me. My cause of death can’t be death by laughter. ”

“Honestly though, that sounds like a fun way to go,” Seungmin snickered.

“I’m happy to know we have a good problem-solver on board,” Changbin patted Felix’s back.

“Chan, Chan- Jung.”

Chan collected himself and picked up his radio, “go ahead, Cap.”

“If everyone is done with lunch, let’s do the skills test.”

The bosun did a quick look around to see if anyone was still eating while Felix gave him a thumbs up to say he was ready.

“Yeah, we’re good to do that now.”

“Meet me at the bar.”

“Copy,” Chan confirmed.

Felix started stacking plates, almost like he was on autopilot to clean up the table. The deckhands joined in, clearing the mess within a minute.

“I ask you to clean and you say you’re too busy, but he doesn’t even have to ask for help?” Eunji sucked her teeth in annoyance.

The rest of the crew shrugged it off, climbing the stairs to the main salon where the most frequently used bar was located. Captain Jung was staring out the window, watching the rain.

“Were you able to take a look at the bar earlier?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am. Hyung showed me,” Felix responded.

“I want to see how well you do with preparing multiple drinks at once. We will judge on taste, presentation, and how long each drink takes,” Jung said.

“What is your go-to drink to make?” Chan asked.

“There’s a really simple cocktail called a Hugo,” Felix responded, “it’s easy to make, tastes good, and can be enjoyed at any time of the day.”

“What’s in it?” Jeongin questioned.

“St. Germain elderflower, Prosecco or champagne, and a little bit of soda water. I like to put cucumber slices and mint leaves in it as well. It’s light, looks elegant, and goes well with starters at meals like salads. We serve tons of them at weddings.”

“I wanna try that,” Hyunjin said.

“Me too,” Minho agreed.

“Do you have a specialty cocktail?” Jung asked. 

“Part of it needs to be prepared beforehand, but it’s actually a hot cocktail you serve at dessert. It’s a spiced spiked mocha.”

“Oh, that sounds amazing,” Jisung awed.

“I don’t normally like coffee, but it’s just a little bit of espresso mixed with hot chocolate. There’s some cayenne pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, silver tequila, and a vanilla vodka-infused whipped cream.”

“Can you make that later for us?” Jeongin requested

“Yeah!” Felix said cheerily.

“Back to the task at hand, what does everyone else want to drink?“ Jung redirected them.

“Gin and tonic.”

“Dark and Stormy.”

“Old Fashioned.”

“Old Fashioned as well.”

“Moscow Mule.”

Eunji smirked, “I want a Mojito with extra mint, a Mai Tai, a light Cosmo, a Long Island iced tea, a Bloody Mary, a Sweet Heat, and a Ramos gin fizz.”

“You throwing a party?” Changbin laughed.

“I just want to see how he does them,” she shrugged.

“Two Hugos, two Old Fashioneds, a Dark and Stormy, a Moscow Mule, a Gin and Tonic, a Mojito with extra mint, a Mai Tai, a light Cosmo, a Long Island iced tea, a Bloody Mary, a Sweet Heat, and a Ramos Gin Fizz,” Felix repeated without pause, “spice-level of the Sweet Heat?”

“Medium.”

“Captain, what would you like?” Felix asked.

“I’d like a Manhattan.”

Felix looked to Minho, “may I please take some things from your galley?”

“Of course,” Minho was all too happy to agree to someone being so polite. “You didn’t get to look through the fridges, so I’ll help you find what you need.”

“Don’t carry anything for him,” Eunji said.

“Why not?” Minho put a hand on his hip, ready to argue.

“Because he’s not going to have anyone to bring him things or carry stuff for him when we’re all on service,” she responded, “I need to see him do it on his own.”

“You have Mari help you when four drinks are being made,” Minho shot back, “he’s going to be making fifteen drinks.”

“He can take multiple trips.”

“This is just to see what level his abilities are at,” Jung interrupted, “a single stew would not be making this number of drinks on their own during charter. It is not the end of the world if he makes a mistake. Felix, please start.”

Felix followed Minho down to the galley, listing the ingredients he needed, reciting them from memory without having to look up recipes.

“Which drink uses egg whites?” the chef asked as he pulled out limes and jalapeños.

“The Ramos. I’m not a fan of drinks that use eggs. They can get messy when making and it’s not a texture I enjoy, but I’ve seen people chug full raw eggs before, so I guess some people like it,” Felix shrugged, “I saw a wooden tray with edges on it in the back left shelf of one of the stew pantries down here. I know it’s used for breakfast services, but can I use that to carry all of this?”

“It’s a bit heavy on its own, it would be even heavier with this, but it could work,” Minho nodded, impressed with Felix’s ability to recall such a specific detail.

Felix retrieved it, lining up the ingredients in different corners and stacking them up.

“Anything else?” Minho asked.

“Can I take something from… that,” Felix pointed to a large protein shaker cup, unsure what to call it in Korean.

“Uhhh, yeah, I guess,” Minho answered, confused as to what Felix needed it for. 

“I promise, I’ll put it back together,” he said, taking off the lid and grabbing something from inside of it.

Once he had everything he needed, he lifted the tray and followed Minho back up. The chef was surprised he was able to lift it on his own, let alone carry it without looking like he was struggling. The only indication of its weight was from his knuckles turning white and him leaning back just slightly.

“We only use that during breakfast,” Eunji immediately scolded once she saw the tray when they entered the main salon.

“I didn’t think a mop bucket would have been a good look,” Felix said as he placed it down on the countertop.

Chan tried to hide his snicker as he was standing next to Eunji, but even the captain chuckled.

“One of the shakers has a lid you have to hold it a certain way to keep it from leaking. You might want to take off your sweater until you figure out how to do it,” Jisung said, having experienced the misfortune of ruining his favorite jacket when messing around with drinks.

Felix slipped his sweater off and Hyunjin nearly fell over as he ogled the way the fitted black long-sleeved shirt hugged his tiny waist. The younger boy rolled up his sleeves and started to wash his hands, but his sixth sense for when people were gawking at him made another appearance. He looked up and made direct eye contact with Changbin, whose jaw was dropped like a cartoon character.

Being the sweetheart he was, Felix pretended he didn’t notice to avoid embarrassing Changbin.

“Do you know how to do the spin things?” Jisung asked, “like when bartenders flip the bottles around?”

“Ah, good ol’ flair bartending,” Felix said, “I only know a few tricks.”

“Show us your best,” Eunji instructed.

“With the swells outside, I’m not sure it’s a good idea,” Chan looked to the captain. As if to prove his point, the boat rocked, causing unsecured things to slide a bit.

Felix’s reflexes almost rivaled Minho’s as his hand shot out and he caught a lemon without looking in its direction while picking up and inspecting a bottle of whiskey.

“I think he can handle it,” Jung’s eyebrows raised, “do as much as you feel comfortable doing, Felix. Just know, if you make a mess, it’s your mess to clean.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Felix responded. 

“Your time starts now.”

Unfazed by the prospect of making so many drinks, Felix systematically worked through them. He moved quickly, but without seeming like he was rushing.

“Felix, what’s your Korean name?” Seungmin asked.

“Yongbok,” the blonde responded.

“Cute!” Changbin expressed, then cleared his throat with embarrassment. “Do you prefer Felix?”

“I introduce myself as Felix just out of habit, but I don’t really mind. On charter, would all drinks be served at the same time, or as made?”

“Drinks that can be made easily are sometimes served first. If someone asks for a glass of champagne while someone else asks for a piña colada, you’d give the champagne first. Other than that, it’s usually all at once,” Minho responded, receiving a scoff from Eunji that he answered a question she felt should have been for her. 

If the deck crew didn’t know Felix was a dancer before, they would have known simply from the way he moved his hands. Every movement was smooth and graceful, a flair in itself. It was mesmerizing to watch, and the captain seemed pleased as she took a sip of her Manhattan.

He made Seungmin’s Gin and Tonic, followed by Changbin and Jeongin’s Old Fashioneds.

“Damn, that’s good,” Changbin whistled, fighting the urge to drink the whole thing immediately.

“Why are you using those glasses if it’s Prosecco?” Eunji asked in a demeaning tone as Felix started on the Hugos.

“I like to use Hurricane glasses rather than flutes with a Hugo because there are layers to the drink and I think it looks prettier when you can see the cucumber and mint in the bowl of the glass rather than floating at the top,” Felix responded. 

“What kind of glass would Johnnie Walker go in?” Eunji quizzed him.

“A Glencairn Whiskey glass or a Snifter.”

“What are the measurements for a Viuxe Carre?”

“¾ ounce sweet vermouth, ¾ ounce rye whiskey, ¾ ounce cognac, 2 teaspoons Benedictine liqueur, and 4 dashes of bitters.”

“How much is a dash?”

“About 10 drops with a milliliter dropper,” Felix sliced the cucumber. 

“Have you ever worked in a kitchen?” Minho asked, seeing the precision of the cuts. 

“A French patisserie, so I’m more comfortable with making baked goods and desserts than with cooking,” the younger answered, pouring the elderflower into the glasses after placing the cucumber and mint leaves in the glasses.

“I haven’t discussed our next charter with Chef, Eunji, or Chan, but the preference sheet requested French cuisine. It would be nice to have authentic pastries,” Jung said, taking another sip of her drink, “Minho, would you be willing to have Felix assist you in the galley for that?”

“Gladly,” Minho responded without hesitation.

“What?!” Eunji squawked loudly, clearly offended, “you never let anyone in the kitchen!”

“The galley is my domain, and I choose who is and isn’t allowed,” Minho said flatly.

Felix quietly placed the two Hugos on the bar, pushing them towards Hyunjin and Minho. The drinks looked astoundingly identical, down to the placement of the straw and how the ice was stacked. He had been right in saying the mint and cucumber looked elegant in the bowl of the glass.

“Do we stir it?” Hyunjin asked.

“Very lightly if you want to mix the elderflower in,” Felix nodded.

The two men did so before taking a sip.

“Wow,” Hyunjin said after a moment of silence.

“That’s lovely,” Minho nodded, “that would go perfectly with a dish I’ve been wanting to make.”

Felix smiled as he turned his attention to the Dark and Stormy. He poured the ginger beer and twirled a spoon in his hand, passing it between his fingers smoothly.

“I love making these,” Felix said.

“Why?” Chan asked.

“Because it looks like its name. When you pour the dark rum over the back of the spoon, it gives the effect of a storm rolling in,” the younger responded, showing them exactly what he meant.

They watched the dark swirls mix with the ginger beer before Felix pushed the drink toward Chan. Unlike with the previous drinks, Felix seemed genuinely anxious to see Chan’s reaction.

He bit his lip nervously as Chan took the first sip.

“That’s… the best Dark and Stormy I’ve ever had. Perfect ratio,” Chan said, being fully truthful.

Felix breathed a sigh of relief, thrilled that the bosun liked it. His confidence increased and he made Jisung’s Moscow Mule (which the elder loudly expressed his enjoyment of) before starting Eunji’s drinks.

“I want them all at once,” she said, “remember, you’re being timed.”

Felix made the Mai Tai first, then the Cosmo, Long Island iced tea, and the Mojito adding extra mint.

“The original Ramos Gin Fizz needs to be shaken for twelve to fifteen minutes, but you can cut the time down to 3 minutes if you have one of these,” Felix held up the wire whisk ball he had taken from the shaker cup. “I promise, I’ll return it,” he said to Changbin.

“How’d you know it was his cup?” Minho asked.

“Just a guess.”

“Based on?” the chef pressed further. 

“I figured with muscles like those, you’d need a lot of protein and I know those cups are mostly used for protein shakes,” Felix said, blushing a little.

“Got a thing for muscles?” Mari picked up on his bashfulness and tried to embarrass him.

“It’s nice to have strong people around, and it’s definitely not a bad sight,” Felix answered as he added all the ingredients, unwilling to let Mari distract him. 

Changbin grinned ear-to-ear, overjoyed that someone appreciated his hard-earned muscles. The fact it was Felix made it all the better, and he decided he would take every opportunity to show them off to the blonde boy in the future.

Felix began shaking the Ramos with one hand, using the other to prepare the Sweet Heat. His ability to multitask, especially with Eunji asking him more questions in an attempt to distract him, was awe-inspiring.

“What’s in a Commonwealth?”

“There are 71 ingredients in a Commonwealth cocktail. 18 are from different parts of Africa, 6 are from North and South America, 8 are from Asia, 15 are from the Caribbean, 10 are from Europe, and 14 are from the Oceania region.”

Even Eunji seemed impressed by his knowledge as he continued to shake the Ramos while mixing lime juice with vodka and agave. Once he was satisfied with the fluffiness of the Ramos’ foam, he poured it into a Highball glass.

He sliced the jalapeños and mixed them into the Sweet Heat before moving all of the drinks toward Eunji.

“Done,” he announced.

Jung hit the button to stop the timer.

“Well done, Felix,” she said, “that is the fastest I have ever seen someone make so many drinks, and mine tasted wonderful. I think the rest of the crew enjoyed their drinks as well.”

“Very much so,” Chan nodded.

“I haven’t tried mine yet,” Eunji interrupted, picking up the Cosmo and taking a few sips before passing it to Mari and sipping on the Long Island. 

She continued to test the drinks without saying anything as Felix cleaned the bar, even though he hadn’t made a mess. He was fidgeting a bit, unable to stand still as he waited for the responses of the two stews.

“Too much lime in the Mai Tai, the Sweet Heat is too spicy, and not enough Triple-sec in the Long Island.”

Although Felix tried to hide it, his disappointment was clear from the way his shoulders sank.

Minho turned to the captain and said, “I think we need an unbiased opinion. Would you mind trying these?”

Jung nodded and tasted each of them, as well as the drinks Eunji didn’t mention.

“I have to disagree,” she said, “enjoying a drink comes down to preference, like the ratio of ingredients. Personally, I like all of these. I’d happily order any one of them on a menu.”

Eunji’s anger was poorly concealed as she clenched her jaw while Mari wouldn’t even look in Felix’s direction.

“Well, I guess we can have him on drink duty when he’s not doing laundry,” she said with a fake smile, “you do know how to iron, right, Felix?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he nodded.

“I want to see how he does with turn-downs,” Mari said to Eunji like Felix wasn’t even in the room.

“We’ll time that as well,” Eunji agreed, “we should do a test service too and see how he handles demanding guests.”

Hyunjin gave Chan a “is this bitch for real” look, unable to comprehend the fact they were discussing how to bully Felix right in front of him and the captain.

“Chef, Eunji, and Chan let’s go to the wheelhouse and discuss the preference sheet for the next charter,” Jung said.

“Take inventory of how much wine we have and then start on laundry,” Eunji said to Felix, “be detailed. I want every bottle counted, and don’t let me see a single wrinkle in your ironing.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Felix nodded, stacking the used ingredients back onto the tray.

“Help clean galley, then you guys can relax for a bit until the rain stops,” Chan directed his team.

“Aye aye,” Jisung gave a thumbs up as the three followed the captain out.

“I can carry that, if you want,” Jeongin pointed to the tray, but Changbin brushed him aside.

“I got it,” he easily lifted it once Felix had placed everything on it. He smirked as he saw Felix’s gaze flicker to his flexed biceps. 

“Show-off,” Jeongin muttered under his breath.

Felix followed them to the galley and began the process of counting each bottle individually, even going as far as categorizing them into reds, whites, and rosés. He went through every fridge, pantry, and bar on the boat before writing a list detailing the location and amount of each kind, as well as if they were chilled or not.

“Overachiever much?” Mari rolled her eyes as he placed the list on the galley table while she poured herself tea.

“I just like to be thorough.”

Chapter 3: Buttery Smooth

AN: Totally 100% platonic croissant-making with absolutely no flirting whatsoever. I took a croissant-making class when I was like eleven with a former French pastry chef. I don't remember all of it, so I'm very sorry to anyone who makes croissants and actually knows what the hell they're doing. It will be cringe to read. I don't speak French, I just really love food. ESPECIALLY French food. I made a ton of edits to the previous chapter where Felix explains how he got to South Korea. I didn't like the way it was written. Also, I am going to highlight the hell out of Felix's muscle kink. That boy CANNOT keep his hands to himself.

Btw: something to note about "White Parties." They originated in France and are often referred to as formal events or fancy parties with white themes. Everything is decorated white and everyone wears white. People like them because they are classy and truly look gorgeous. When they crossed into the USA, White Parties were originally events held to raise funds for HIV/AIDS research. As someone who grew up in the LGBTQIA+ because of my artist mother, I was introduced to White Parties at a young age. I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the importance of their meanings. In this chapter, I'm referring to the white theme event rather than the fundraiser. I'll put some links in the ending notes for anyone who wants to read more about it.

---

The captain handed Eunji, Chan, and Minho each a folder.

“Our primary charter guest is Mr. Kim Doyun. He and his American girlfriend Susan are celebrating their anniversary. They are bringing along Susan’s sister, Amy, and her best friends Kathy and Trina. Additionally, Mr. Kim’s friends, Byungho, Jongsoo, Minjun, and Arata will be joining. There might be a bit of a language barrier with some of the guests who don’t speak Korean. Arata can speak it pretty fluently but prefers Japanese while the Americans speak almost solely English,” she explained.

“Felix and I can do the English communications, but I don’t know a lot of Japanese,” Chan said.

“They are requesting a French-themed dinner party with a six-course tasting menu on night one that I will attend. He wants a White Party on night two, during which he will propose. They want all the water toys and a seafood extravaganza lunch when they arrive as well as a fishing trip for the guys. I want Felix’s experience in event planning and pastries used to the greatest extent.”

“No disrespect, but I’ve done dozens of proposals and hundreds of White Parties,” Eunji responded, “Mari and I are fully capable of doing it on our own while he does laundry.”

“I know you’re more than capable. You two have done some incredible events, but if someone specializes in this kind of thing, I want to utilize their abilities. This will take some stress off of you. Wouldn’t you like a bit of a break?” Captain reasoned.

Eunji looked incredibly pissed but knew she wouldn’t win an argument against the captain.

“I want to do another test,” she said, “give him a certain amount of time to do a themed dinner setup.”

“I think that’s a great idea,” Jung nodded, “do not give him an impossible task though. Make it a reasonable request.”

“Of course,” Eunji nodded with a smirk that told Chan and Minho it was exactly what she was going to do.

“Chef, there are only two people with dietary restrictions, and they’re relatively simple to accommodate. Other than that, you’re free to do whatever you want,” the captain said.

“Perfect,” Minho gave a thumbs up.

“Alright, let’s get the boat flipped. Pick up is at 9 AM tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Cap,” Chan drummed a hand on the table as he got up from his seat.

“I’ll discuss with Yongbok about the menu. He’ll definitely have some good insights into French cuisine,” Minho said.

“You’re gonna have to wait until I’m done with him,” Eunji declared sharply.

“I can’t get you a list of provisions to order until I know what I’m making. I’m talking to him first, then you can have him,” the chef responded. 

They argued the whole way down the stairs while Chan ran ahead. He thought Felix would still be in the galley, but backtracked when he caught a glimpse of silvery blonde hair as he sped past the laundry room.

The younger boy was dutifully ironing, a stack of sheets already folded neatly on the counter next to him. He looked up when Chan jumped in the doorway. 

“Incoming: Minho and Eunji are fighting over you right now,” Chan warned him.

“Did I do something wrong?” Felix started panicking as he heard loud voices approach.

“No, no! Not like that. Minho wants your help planning a French menu and Eunji is just being Eunji,” Chan assured him.

“Yongbok, come to the galley, please,” Minho appeared beside him.

“Absolutely not!” Eunji shouted, pointing her finger in Minho’s face.

Worried about burning the sheets, Felix turned off and unplugged the iron.

“He is my stew,” Eunji snarled.

“Well, I need to borrow your stew for twenty minutes,” Minho gave back as much attitude as she was giving.

“Stop,” Chan interrupted sternly, voice laced with pure authority. The two quieted immediately as he said, “Eunji, you can’t order the things we need until we know the things we need. Let Felix work with him for twenty minutes, then you can do your test.”

“You are not the captain, Bang Chan. You don’t get to tell me what to do,” Eunji pursed her lips.

“No, I’m not the captain. But we both know who she would side with in this conversation,” Chan responded coolly.

It was silent for a moment before Eunji growled, “fine. Twenty minutes. No more than that.”

“Should I… should I leave the ironing board out?” Felix asked quietly.

“Was it out when you came in?” Eunji raised a brow. 

“No.”

“Put shit back where you find it. Don’t ask stupid questions like that,” Eunji rolled her eyes, walking away.

Dejected by her comment, Felix moved the partially ironed sheet back into the pile of unironed ones.

“That wasn’t a stupid question,” Chan said as Felix folded the board and placed it in the cabinet.

“If you have a question about how to do something, you can always come to me in the galley,” Minho put a hand on his shoulder.

“Thank you.”

“Same with us. The boys and I are always here for you. Plus, Seungmin and Hyunjin are usually hanging around here, so you’ll still have people to help you if Chef is cooking and the exterior crew are all on deck,” Chan patted Felix’s back.

The younger boy smiled at them, his appreciation for their support clear as day.

Chan left the two of them in the galley after making sure there was nothing else needed.

“How are you feeling?” Minho asked Felix, “it must be pretty overwhelming to have all of this happening within a few hours of arrival.”

“I actually really enjoy things like this. The whole ‘being thrown into the deep end’ kind of thing. It’s exciting to not know what will happen next,” Felix shrugged.

“I can barely swim and I hate surprises, so I can’t really relate,” Minho laughed.

“What do you do if you’re cooking and all of the sudden there are big waves?” Felix asked.

“The only thing you can really do is try to hold stuff in place and wait it out,” the chef said, “most of the crew members will come here immediately to help stop things from sliding around, especially if there is anything on the stove.”

“I’m really glad I don’t get seasick. I think this storm would have taken me out.”

“Yeah, it got strong pretty fast. I’m glad the deckhands came in when they did. The weather prediction for this season says it’s likely there will be a ton of really severe storms,” Minho sighed, “we might even be getting a typhoon or two.”

“We’d have to leave the boat, right?”

“Yeah, the owner of this boat owns a couple of luxury hotels and resorts, so we go there whenever we need to get out of the marina. We sometimes get to visit after charters as a reward. Hopefully, we’ll be able to go again soon,” Minho pulled over the notebook Felix had written in earlier.

“When does the charter actually start?” the younger asked.

“We pick the guests up at 9 AM. About half of them are Americans who don’t speak much Korean. They want a seafood lunch and a six-course French dinner with a themed party on the first day. On day two, they want a White Party and the primary guest is going to propose during it.”

“Aw!” Felix clapped excitedly as if it was his own friend getting engaged. His happiness for someone he hadn’t even met yet made Minho’s heart clench with fondness.

“I know a few French dishes because a lot of cooking techniques originate from there, but I’d love your input,” Minho said.

“If it’s six courses do you want to do it in the order of hors d’oeuvre, soup, appetizer, salad, main course, and dessert?” Felix asked.

Minho grinned, overjoyed that Felix knew the sequence of a multi-course tasting menu.

“Yeah, that’s good. This guest here,” Minho pointed to the pictures in the folder, “is lactose intolerant. The primary does not want cilantro on anything. This girl, Amy, is a pescatarian.”

Felix frowned slightly, biting his lip in a way that was just a bit too distracting for the chef.

“What’s wrong?” Minho questioned.

“The last word you said. I can’t remember what that means in English,” the blonde boy admitted shyly.

“Oh, uh. Shit, I don’t know how to say it in English. Um, she doesn’t eat meat other than fish.”

“OH! Okay,” Felix nodded in understanding, “sorry, I have trouble translating in my head sometimes.”

“Give yourself more credit, Yongbokkie. A lot of people only speak one language. You’re speaking two. Don’t feel bad for learning,” Minho looked at him.

Felix smiled brightly and hugged Minho’s arm, “thank you, Hyung!”

“I’m not used to you being this nice to someone,” Hyunjin’s voice surprised them from the hallway.

“Hwang Hyunjin, don’t ruin my mood,” the chef spoke sternly.

Hyunjin raised his hands in surrender, “what are you doing?”

“Planning a French menu!” Felix bounced on his feet excitedly, which seemed to be a habit of his.

“What ideas do you have so far?” Hyunjin approached, trying not to let Felix’s adorableness drop him to his knees.

“Since when are you interested in charter dinners?” Minho pursed his lips.

“Could we make a creme brulee with coconut cream?” Felix suddenly asked.

“Absolutely,” Minho wrote it down.

“For the hors d’oeuvre, we could do a Coquilles Saint Jacques or a salmon blini with a dairy-free cream cheese,” the blonde bounced more.

Minho placed a hand over his heart, sighing dramatically. “Hyunjin, I think I’m in love.”

“What the hell is a cookie saint jock?” Hyunjin asked confusedly, not knowing anything about food but obsessing over the way French sounded in Felix’s deep voice.

“Coquilles Saint Jacques is a scallop dish,” Minho explained, “we could replace the cream sauce with pesto sauce.”

“It would look really pretty if we serve it in the shell! For the soup, the go-to would be French onion soup, but sometimes dairy-free cheese doesn’t melt to the right texture for that. We could do maybe tomato bisque with a side of socca or a panisse flatbread.”

Minho was absolutely beaming as he wrote every suggestion. He didn’t want to interrupt Felix’s line of thought, letting the younger continue.

“Escargot is shellfish, but I think some of them might have a problem eating it, so we could do a maquereaux au vin blanc.”

“Okay, what’s that?” Hyunjin questioned again.

“Mackerel fish in a white wine sauce,” Minho responded.

“For the salad, what do you think about a landaise? Amy wouldn’t have the duck on hers, but it’s still a nice dish without it.”

“What’s that?” 

“It’s a kind of salad with greens, cucumber, apple, asparagus, and tomatoes and is topped with pieces of duck. It usually has a side of toast with foie gras,” Felix was the one to answer, “Oh! The main course could be a boeuf en croute with a salmon version for Amy!”

“Ah! Beef Wellington is one of my favorite things to make,” Minho nodded.

“Can you make extra of that?” Hyunjin asked hopefully.

“Sure,” Minho shrugged, “so, let’s finalize this menu.”

“Coquilles Saint-Jacques, tomato bisque, maquereaux au vin blanc, landaise, boeuf en croute, and coconut cream creme brulee,” Felix repeated without reading from the paper. “Does that… does that sound okay?” he asked uncertainly.

“That sounds really good,” the chef said, impressed as hell while Hyunjin reached across the counter and patted Felix’s head playfully.

The blonde boy smiled so wide, he was practically squinting. 

The two older men had no doubt Felix had a thing for praise. The look they shared was an entire unspoken conversation in which they negotiated the rules of the contest where they would try to outdo each other in praising and complimenting Felix, just to see his beautiful blush and gorgeous smile.

“For breakfast the next day, we’ll make the pastries, but I think these two are gonna order something really complicated,” Felix pointed to the photos of the primary’s girlfriend’s friends, Kathy and Trina, “they are going to be high maintenance.”

“How can you tell?” Hyunjin asked.

Felix started reading out the preference sheet, “Kathy said- I don’t like hot weather or too much wind. The only beer I will drink is Nail Brewing’s Antarctic. I will not drink red wines other than Domaine Leroy Richebourg. I want to go tanning on a beach with frosés on demand.”

“I’m going to assume those drinks are expensive,” Hyunjin said.

“Very expensive,” Felix nodded, “I mean, Nail Brewing’s is an Australian brand and it is amazing, but the Antarctic Ale was named the most expensive beer in the world. It topped Brewdog’s End of History. And don’t even get me started on Domaine. Trina’s preference sheet is not much better.”

“What pastries are you thinking of?” Minho questioned, entertained by Felix's enthusiasm and knowledge of alcoholic beverages.

“Definitely croissants ‘cause that’s what everyone thinks people in France eat for breakfast, even though it really isn't. They take a long time to make though, so we’d have to start the day before. A lot of stuff can be made with croissant dough. Ooo, we could do French toast flavored macarons! And baguettes for a croque madame. I can also make some petit fours to go with morning coffee!”

Minho didn’t want to ruin Felix’s eagerness, but he knew the younger was being overly ambitious. “Eunji is about to run you ragged,” Minho sighed, “I don’t know if you’re gonna have the time or energy to do that."

“I don’t sleep much, to be honest,” Felix dialed down his emotions slightly to match Minho. “I’m most energetic at night. I’ll do as much as I can, if I have permission to be in your galley, of course.”

The chef took a moment to consider it. The last thing he wanted was for Felix to burn himself out, but he seemed so eager to do things. 

“Hey! Your time is almost up!” Eunji shouted from the top of the stairs.

Minho clicked his tongue and caved to the blonde’s desire. “Alright. Don’t feel disappointed if you can’t get all of that done. I’m gonna write a list of provisions. Thank you for all your help, Felix.”

The younger boy jumped up and down, hugging Minho and making high-pitched excited noises.

“Thank you, Hyung!” he exclaimed as Eunji drummed her fingers in annoyance on the doorframe.

“Times up,” she said gruffly, “come with me.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Felix nodded, a smile still on his face. He bowed to Hyunjin and Minho before he followed Eunji out of the galley.

There was a moment of silence before Hyunjin said, “I think we may have just found the most precious human being on this planet.”

“How is it possible to be that fucking adorable?” Minho questioned in disbelief.

“I wanna ask him on a date.”

“Don’t you dare!” Minho hissed darkly.

Hyunjin looked slightly taken aback by the intensity.

“Why not?”

“He’s a sensitive soul. That’s clear to anyone. He can’t be just another notch in your belt that you sleep with a couple times and then lose interest in, Hyunjin,” Minho said.

“This is different,” Hyunjin protested, “we just met, but I’m feeling something legit. I don’t want him to just be a nice lay.”

“Look, he just got to the boat. Give him time to get used to things. If you still feel like this, then you can consider it. But be aware that it might make him uncomfortable. What if it’s not something he’s looking for and he has to turn you down? That would be awkward for everyone.”

“Is that what you’re actually worried about, or are you jealous?” Hyunjin cocked a brow.

“… Both.”

“Seungmin already caught feelings too. He told me earlier,” Hyunjin said, “I think this whole boat is gonna be fighting over him.”

“I really fucking hope not.”

---

“Felix," Eunji stood beside Mari at the table in the main salon. “You will have 15 minutes to set a black and gold-themed party.”

“15 minutes is not nearly enough time,” Changbin scowled as he walked past, carrying a heavy-looking box.

“He’s a ‘professional,’ he should be able to do it,” Mari said, using air quotes around the word “professional.”

“You can use anything on the boat, but you will be done in 15 minutes, and not a second more,” Eunji smirked, knowing it was a near-impossible task to make a luxurious setup in that amount of time.

“Okay,” Felix accepted the challenge.

Eunji pulled out her phone and said, “your time starts in 3, 2, 1. Go now.”

Felix’s memory was incomparable as he remembered every black or gold object he had seen when Chan gave him the tour. He returned in 9 minutes with a large tote bag of things he collected. 

He was completely focused as he began decorating the table with gold pearls and shiny black stones. He quickly retrieved black plates as well as black fabric napkins.

“What are those?” Eunji pointed to the metal gold rings he was holding.

“I think they are shower curtain rings, but they look nice, so I grabbed them,” Felix responded. Just like with the drinks, Felix’s hands moved fast yet smoothly as he folded the napkins in a fan style. He arranged the napkins on the plates, placing the silverware on their proper sides. 

15 minutes to the second, Felix stepped back without even being told his time was up or looking at the clock. He had created a masterpiece using a small number of materials. Each object was placed with purpose, and the arrangement was the definition of elegance. Eunji looked beyond pissed that Felix had exceeded expectations. 

Jeongin’s arm snuck around the corner, trying to be as subtle as possible while he took photos of the setup. He sent them to the group chat he had with the rest of the crew, as well as a separate text to the Captain with the message “Felix’s 15-minute design.”

She sent back “I’m impressed.”

Jeongin’s phone began blowing up with messages from the deckhands and engineers. Within minutes, the crew was joining Jeongin, peeking out to see.

“You could have done more with decorations outside of the table,” Eunji crossed her arms.

“He only had 15 minutes,” Jisung scowled, “that’s a quarter of the time it would have taken you both to set something like that already having the decorations with you.”

“Excuse me, this does not concern you,” Eunji whipped around to look at him, “none of you should be here. Don’t you have decks to scrub or something?”

“Did you forget it’s raining?” Minho cocked a brow.

“Go away!” Mari suddenly raised her voice, surprising them all and making Felix wince at the loud sound right next to his ear.

“No need to get snippy,” Hyunjin responded, walking away without waiting for the others to join. Mari looked crushed, crossing her arms and turning in the opposite direction.

“I think it looks great, Felix,” Seungmin said before following Hyunjin.

Felix began clearing the table, putting away all the materials he had used. When he was done, the two other stews brought him to a guest cabin and timed him as he prepared the room.

Chan glanced in as Felix made the bed, pulling the sheet tight to create a crisp edge. He recreated the specific variation of hospital corners that Eunji used on all of the beds.

The chief stew stood in shock, unable to comprehend it. “How did you know to do it like that?”

“I looked at the beds when Chan hyung gave me the tour earlier,” Felix said, “I love the way you do them. I never thought of doing it this way, but it's so much prettier than a normal one.”

Both pleased by the compliment, yet annoyed that Felix had bested her challenge, she said, “keep going.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Felix nodded.

Chan walked away with a grin on his face, proud of his fellow Aussie.

---

“All crew, all crew- Minho,” the chef called through his radio. 

“Go ahead,” Changbin responded.

“I know you guys are going to bed soon, but Yongbok and I are about to start making croissants. You can join if you want to learn how it’s done.”

“Deck crew will all be there in 5 minutes.”

“Engineers headed over now,” Hyunjin said.

“Either of the stews want to join?” Minho questioned.

“No, we’re busy,” Eunji answered flatly.

“Captain, the invite is extended to you as well.”

“I can’t at the moment, but if he makes them again in the future, I’ll partake,” Jung said.

“Copy.”

Minho put his radio down and helped Felix set everything up. Hyunjin and Seungmin were there within moments, and the exterior crew followed shortly after.

“All of you, wash and dry your hands before you touch anything ,” Minho glared at the grease on Seungmin’s hands and whatever the hell Jisung had on his own.

“So, this,” Felix pointed to the three massive bowls in front of him, “this is called a détrempe. It’s the beginning dough for puff pastries and has just a little bit of butter. We made it earlier and it’s been chilling and proofing. Croissants are made with laminated yeast dough, which means it has layers of butter folded into it. Each of these bowls makes about 10 croissants, so we’re gonna be making a lot.”

“How do we start?” Hyunjin asked.

“We’re gonna roll out the dough into a large rectangle shape. If it’s too thin, it will rip with the next step. If it’s too thick, it messes up the texture.”

Minho, Seungmin, and Jeongin each took a bowl and began rolling it out. Felix watched closely, instructing them if they needed to be more gentle or put more pressure.

When the rectangles were similar in shape and thickness, Felix went on to the next part. “Now, we’re gonna add the butter. One of the most important things is that the butter stays cold. If we take too long and it melts, we won’t get the nice flakiness.”

He walked towards the fridge, looking to Minho for permission to open it. Once he received a nod, he pulled out three rolled-out blocks of butter.

“This is called the beurrage. Some people use 80% butter, but I like to use 84% and we just happened to have some. The percentages are related to how long the butter churned. My mentor showed me that 84% makes a better honeycomb structure in the croissant,” he said, using some English words to fill in the ones he didn’t know in Korean.

He placed the chilled butter sheets towards the top of each rectangle, leaving space at the bottom. Hyunjin, Jisung, and Changbin switched with the others, so they could have a turn doing something as well while Chan happily stood to the side to let his crew have fun.

“First, gently lift the extra dough at the bottom and cover the butter with it,” Felix instructed, “now, take that top part and fold it over. You should have five layers now. Dough, butter, dough, butter, dough.”

“What now?” Hyunjin asked.

“Now, we’re gonna roll it out into a rectangle. Because the butter is hard, it takes a bit of effort to get it even.”

Jisung looked a bit nervous as he held the rolling pin, unsure of what to do.

“May I?” Felix approached.

Jisung started to give him the pin, but Felix directed him back to the dough. Standing at Jisung’s side, he slipped an arm below the older man’s. He placed his hands on top of Jisung’s, who melted at how soft the blonde boy’s small hands were.

Positioning the pin in the center of the dough, Felix said, “we’re gonna press down now.”

He controlled the amount of pressure Jisung used as the pin sank in. “There. Keep that pressure and roll forward.”

Jisung did as he was told, maintaining the pressure as he rolled out a rectangle.

“Perfect!” Felix clapped happily.

His blinding smile was almost enough to overwhelm the sense of loss Jisung felt when the younger’s hands left his.

Hyunjin tried to copy what he had seen, pressing down and rolling forward. Noticing the crookedness, Felix took up the same position he had with Jisung, although the height difference made things a bit difficult.

He paused for a moment, tilting his head and lightly running his fingers over Hyunjin’s right hand with a pout. 

“What?” the engineer asked, curious about what caught the smaller boy’s attention. 

“Did you have an injury?” Felix questioned. 

“W-whu, uh. Yeah, how did you know?” Hyunjin asked, bewildered.

“Does it still hurt?” Felix looked up at him, concern on his face.

“Only sometimes,” Hyunjin shrugged, “this isn’t something that would make it hurt.”

“Okay,” Felix nodded, focusing back on the dough. He kept his hand closer to Hyunjin’s wrist than to his fingers, to prevent putting pressure on his injury.

Hyunjin couldn’t help the wave of fondness that washed over him, and he bumped his head against Felix’s affectionately. The blonde giggled happily, and Hyunjin didn’t need to see his face to know he was blushing as he showed him the proper way to roll it.

“Hey! What about me?” Changbin pursed his lips.

“I didn’t forget about you, Hyung,” Felix assured him, taking a few more seconds to make sure Hyunjin’s rectangle was even.

He walked to the other side, eyes quickly flickering to Changbin’s biceps. The elder had rolled up his shirt to expose his muscles and had a smirk on his face as Felix joined him.

Felix repeated what he had done with the others, placing his hands on top of Changbin’s and pressing down.

“Not too much, Hyungie,” Felix corrected when Changbin pressed too hard. “Just that,” he said, “now roll it out.”

Changbin did so, grinning like a maniac when one of Felix’s hands (not so subtly) slid up to cop a feel of his muscles flexing. The younger pretended that he wasn’t doing anything other than watching the dough, but he squeezed Changbin’s arm every so often, just to feel the strong biceps tense and relax.

Felix leaned to look over Changbin’s shoulder. “Come do the next step with me,” he said to Chan.

“Oh, no,” Chan waved him off, “I’m good with watching.”

“Please?” Felix asked, his adorable little pout back on his face.

Chan was always a sucker for puppy dog eyes, and who was he to deny such a polite request when those darling eyes met his.

“Okay,” he gave in almost immediately, hearing snickers from some of the crew over how easily he was swayed. 

Changbin stepped out of the way for the bosun, displeased that he had to move from Felix. 

“We’re gonna do a double fold, or a book fold,” Felix said, “gently lift that side.”

“Like this?” 

“Yep! Now, fold it in towards the center,” he demonstrated.

Chan copied the action, although his side was slightly uneven. 

“Then, we fold it again.”

“O-okay,” Chan nodded, “does that look okay?”

“Perfect! Now, we fold this one on top,” Felix’s hand brushed Chan’s and lingered for a moment as he turned it into one multi-layered stack. “This goes in the fridge and chills for an hour. Then, it’s rolled out and book folded again.”

“When does it actually… become a croissant?” Jeongin asked.

“After the second book fold, it chills for a while longer. Then it’s rolled out and cut into triangles. Those triangles are what’s rolled into the crescent shape. It’s brushed with beaten egg, rises for two or three hours, then bakes,” Felix responded.

“Jesus, that’s a lot of work just for one pastry,” Changbin whistled.

“Yeah, but I think it’s worth it. Plus, it’s a good workout. I’m not sure any of you need that though,” he said cheekily. “Hyung,” he turned to Minho and pointed to the dough in front of Jisung. “Do you want to do this one with me?” 

“Sure,” Minho nodded. He watched Felix do it on his side, then did his. It was significantly straighter than Chan’s, who scratched the back of his head and tried to hide his embarrassment.

Felix finished the fold, then turned to the very last one. “Either of you want to do it?” he asked Seungmin and Jeongin, who promptly pushed the engineer in front of him, unwilling to potentially make a fool of himself.

Seungmin tried to do what Felix did, but ended up getting the dough twisted awkwardly. 

“Oh, crap. Sorry, sorry,” he apologized, cringing when his attempts to fix it only messed it up more.

“It’s okay! I got the dough stuck to my apron the first time I tried to make them. There was more dough on me than what went into the oven. We all start somewhere. It could have been worse, so don’t worry,” Felix reassured him as he untangled the dough and smoothed it back out. “Try again.”

“No, I-I don’t want to mess it up again,” Seungmin shook his head.

“It’s okay if that happens. We made enough dough that the guests will still have plenty. Just try it one more time,” Felix encouraged.

“Can you do it with me?” Seungmin asked shyly.

“Of course!” the sunshine boy smiled. He put his hands on Seungmin’s and directed them, folding the dough properly. “It’s ready to be wrapped and chilled now. You all did great!”

“Well, we had a good teacher,” Hyunjin said and Felix blushed at the compliment.

Minho helped Felix wrap them and Changbin opened the refrigerator door, receiving some reprimand from the chef for touching the stainless steel with buttery hands.

“Alright, get to bed, everyone,” Chan said, “deck team, I need you on deck at 6 AM. Provisions should be here at 7. Pick up is at 9.”

“Does Felix have any uniforms?” Jeongin asked.

“Mari gave you them, right?” Chan turned to Felix, who shook his head.

“Eunji will flip shit if she sees you tomorrow without a uniform,” Minho sighed, “Jeongin find him stuff for day 1. Even if it doesn’t fit perfectly, it’s better than nothing.”

Jeongin nodded, waving Felix to come with him to the laundry room where the crew uniforms were located. 

“The good thing about this crew is that a lot of us are pretty close in height,” Jeongin said as he opened a drawer to the left of the washers and dryers. “Some of us can swap pants, but the shirts are a different story.”

Jeongin pulled out a blue shirt and held it up to Felix’s chest. “Oh, no. Way too big,” he shook his head.

“ This is a medium?!” Felix gawked as he read the label.

“Try this one,” Jeongin handed him a size down, “no, it’s still not right.”

He leaned down and opened another drawer, pulling a shirt. “How’s that?” he asked.

Felix held it up, “yeah, this one looks right.”

“That one is gonna fit perfectly,” Jeongin nodded.

“Wait, this says medium too.”

“It’s a women’s medium,” Jeongin said as he grabbed a white shirt and a black shirt of the same size.

Felix snorted out a laugh, accepting the other shirts as Jeongin searched for black pants and khaki shorts that would fit him.

“Turn around,” Jeongin said, pleased when Felix did so without hesitation. He held up the pants, looking to see if they would be right. He tried not to get distracted by Felix’s petite waist. It was hard not to when Felix was his ideal type, both physically and personality-wise.

“This looks good,” he eventually nodded.

Felix turned around and gave him another blinding smile, “thank you. I appreciate the help.”

“No problem,” Jeongin gave him the pants.

The two walked back towards the cabins while Jeongin explained the typical protocol of loading provisions onto the boat.

“Eunji didn’t tell me when to be up, so I guess I’ll get up with Chan hyung,” Felix said.

“She and Mari are both gonna be extra tough on you tomorrow,” Jeongin warned, “if you need a moment, you can always come to us.”

The blonde nodded and gave him a big hug, “good night!”

“Night,” Jeongin squeezed him before parting as they returned to their rooms.

Felix opened his door quietly, peeking in. He heard the shower in their small bathroom running, so he took the opportunity to hang up his uniform in his side of their closet. He noticed a small book at the very bottom of the closet and picked it up.

He flipped through the pages and realized it was a manual for the boat with blueprints and technical writing. Placing it down momentarily, he changed into his pajamas before bringing it to his bunk and starting to read.

He was so focused on trying to translate the words in his head, he hadn’t even noticed Chan walk out of the bathroom. He certainly did notice Chan’s bare chest and abs, a towel hung loosely around his hips.

“What are you reading?” Chan asked in English.

Felix showed him the title, not trusting his voice.

“Ah, is it interesting?” the bosun laughed as he toweled his hair.

“Y-yeah, uh,” Felix coughed, “I don’t know what most of it means, but I really like the drawings.”

“ Saturn is actually an old ship, but they added new things to it. That’s why we need two engineers. Seungmin knows the old stuff, and Hyunjin knows the new stuff. If something goes wrong, they have to figure out which part it is,” Chan explained.

“Do things go wrong often?” 

“Things go wrong on boats all the time. I don’t want that to scare you though. It’s common to panic when a problem happens, but it’s so frequent, you would make yourself sick if you reacted every time,” Chan opened his drawer and pulled out a pair of boxers, “just watch how we react. If you see us freaking out, that’s the time to panic.”

“Oh, that’s reassuring,” Felix laughed, quickly averting his eyes when Chan dropped his towel. The older man clearly had no qualms about being naked in front of others, but Felix wasn’t quite used to being surrounded by so many handsome men. 

He certainly wasn’t complaining though.

---

Links for White Party info:

https://compassglcc.com/community-and-events/the-white-party/

https://answers-all.com/users-questions/what-is-the-origin-of-the-white-party/

Chapter 4: Cream and Sugar

Chan always struggled with both falling asleep and with waking up. He usually had to set his alarms a full hour early, just so he had enough time to fully wake. His alarm went off at 5 AM, and he reached out blindly to slap his phone to stop it. 

He heard some shuffling sounds and a little moan above him followed by a thump.

“Ah, motherfucker,” Felix cursed under his breath.

“You okay?” the bosun asked concernedly. 

“I’m fine. I just forgot how close to the ceiling I am,” the younger responded. His voice was husky with sleep and it certainly did not help Chan’s morning wood to go down.

“I didn’t mean to wake you. I’ll try to be quieter,” Chan said.

“S’all good,” Felix assured him. “I don’t know what time I’m ‘sposed to be up, so I was gonna get ready with you anyways.”

“Let me brush my teeth and then the bathroom is all yours,” he said, grabbing a shirt to cover his crotch before getting out of his bunk, even though the light wasn’t on and Felix wouldn’t have been able to see.

His hard-on thankfully flagged as he went about his morning business. When he returned, Felix started climbing down from the top bunk. He was wearing an oversized t-shirt that slid up just enough to give Chan a peek at how his black boxer briefs cupped his ass while his toned thighs were on full display. 

Realizing Felix never had the opportunity to learn the proper way to get off the bunk, Chan managed to grab him by the waist the moment he slipped. Felix let out a surprised squeak as the older man caught him and craned his neck to see Chan’s face, giggling a grateful, “thank you!”

“No problem,” Chan laughed. He gently placed Felix down, amazed at how lightweight he was, almost like a feather. The moment he touched the ground, Felix turned and gave him a big hug that made Chan want to hold him forever.

While it lingered for longer than a normal hug between two people who had just met, it still felt too short when Felix stepped back.

“When getting on or off, step right here and grab onto this,” Chan pointed to the frame edges of the bunk.

“Ah, okay,” Felix nodded, his messy hair sticking up wildly.

“I’m gonna make some tea, do you want any?” Chan offered.

“I’d love some, thanks, Hyung,” Felix rubbed his eyes.

“Alright, I’ll see you in the crew mess and there will be a hot cuppa waiting for you.”

The stew gave him another hug before parting and Chan was smiling the whole time as he heated the water, unable to contain himself. It was the most energized he had felt in the morning for a very long time. Felix’s warm personality had such an effect on him, and Chan could easily see it becoming addictive.

Seungmin joined him in the mess soon after.

“You look happy, Hyung,” the engineer said.

“I’ve had a very good morning so far,” Chan grinned, “coffeemaker is on.”

“What’s made it so good? Our new third stew?”

“Oh, Seungmin,” Chan sighed, “you ever met someone who just stole your heart immediately?”

“Yep,” Seungmin nodded, “it’s the same person you’re talking about.”

Chan blinked in surprise. “You too, then? Got a crush on Felix as well?”

“I swear, he’s cast a spell on us,” Seungmin shrugged, “Chef and Hyunjin are the same. Also heard Changbin and Jisung talking about him. Jeongin didn’t even have to tell me he has a crush, I can see it on his face.”

“So, every man on this ship is smitten,” Chan scrubbed his face, “this will be interesting.”

“I really hope Eunji doesn’t scare him off. He’s so nice, I don’t understand how they can be mean to him,” Seungmin put a coffee pod in the machine, “we should give him our numbers, so he can ask questions without having to call over the radio.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”

“Good morning, Hyung,” Felix smiled at Seungmin as he walked into the crew mess. His hair was styled and he was once again wearing the slightest bit of makeup. The khaki shorts of their uniform were a bit too big on him, held up by his belt. His shirt fit nicely and hugged his waist. With the V-neck instead of the rounded collar, they could tell the shirt was a women’s fit, and it complimented him perfectly. 

“Good morning,” the engineer smiled back as he made a second cup for Hyunjin. “How’d you sleep?”

“I’ve honestly never slept better,” the younger said.

“Even with Chan hyung’s snoring?” Seungmin raised a brow.

The bosun looked slightly embarrassed as he passed Felix his tea.

“Thank you,” Felix accepted the cup, “he didn’t snore that bad. I think the way the boat was rocking just relaxed me a lot.”

“You were on a cruise ship, right?” Seungmin asked.

“Yeah, for about three months,” Felix nodded, “it was a big one in the Mediterranean. You couldn’t really feel it rock except with bad weathe- oh, hi, Hyung!”

“Hi,” Minho responded, “I’m gonna start on breakfast for the crew.”

“Do you mind if I join you in the galley for a minute to fold the croissants?” Felix asked.

“Of course,” the chef answered, taking the cup of coffee Seungmin offered before walking with the stew.

“Minho being nice in the morning… that’s something I’ve never experienced,” Chan sipped his tea.

“When are you going on deck?” Seungmin questioned.

“At 6. We’ll do a little work, come down for breakfast, then get into the heavy-duty stuff before provisions get here.”

“Do you want me to get anyone up?”

“Nah, Changbin will be dragging Jisung out here any minute. If Minho is up, Jeongin will probably be out soon too,” Chan shook his head.

On cue, they heard bickering in the hallway approaching. Even when trying to be quiet, Changbin’s voice was loud.

“Ugh, why does it always have to be so early,” Jisung whined.

“Are the stews up yet?” Changbin asked though he was clearly asking about a specific stew.

“Felix is up,” Chan nodded, noticing how the two deckhands seemed a little less disgruntled hearing the news.

“He’s in the galley with Chef,” Seungmin added.

“We should go see if he needs help,” Jisung said to Changbin.

“Yes, I agree,” the older deckhand started heading there before the words were even fully out of his mouth. 

“We’re gonna get yelled at,” Chan predicted but followed them anyway. 

Felix was standing on the opposite side of the counter so Minho had his space to cook. The younger boy was rolling out the dough with practiced hands, steady and even despite the stiffness of the chilled pastry.

The stew jumped slightly when Jeongin suddenly asked from behind him, “need help?”

“Oh! Hi,” Felix laughed breathlessly, “I’m good. Thank you though!”

He started folding with expert precision before moving to start rolling the second one. “It’s a little hard to see it, but if you look really close, you can see the layers,” Felix pointed, and they crowded around him to take a look. 

Jisung took the opportunity to put an arm around the younger boy’s waist, watching to make sure Felix was okay with it. Instead of pulling away, Felix smiled and leaned against him to get even closer to him. Jisung swore Felix could probably hear his heart pounding over the sound of the oven’s vent hood as he admired whatever perfume the steward had on that made him smell so good.

Hyunjin, having just woken up and not knowing what was happening, joined the group but stood on the opposite side of the countertop, directly in the line of fire of the chef. The poor man nearly jumped out of his skin when Minho made a noise that could only be described as a guttural growl.

“There are too many people in my kitchen,” Minho spoke in a dangerously low voice.

The deckhands and engineers immediately scrambled to escape the galley, hiding around the corner.

“Should I go too?” Felix asked the chef, still holding the rolling pin.

“No, you can stay,” Minho’s tone softened, “do you need anything?”

“I’m good, Hyungie. Thank you,” Felix shook his head and went to work on the dough, not seeing the affectionate look on Minho’s face.

“Stop lingering!” Minho snapped when he saw Jisung’s head peek around the corner momentarily.

“Go, go, go!” Chan quietly shepherded everyone away, hearing Felix giggle as they all retreated.

“Well, that sucked,” Changbin huffed when they collected themselves in the crew mess.

“Told you we were gonna get yelled at,” Chan shrugged.

“Totally worth it,” Jisung said with a dopey smile.

---

“All crew, all crew- breakfast is ready.”

“Copy, we’ll be there in a moment,” Chan responded to the radio. He placed his mop and bucket out of the way and let the deckhands walk ahead of him, counting to make sure all of them were there.

As soon as they stepped into the crew mess, they could feel the hostility in the air. Felix was keeping his distance from Mari and Eunji while Minho stood between, separating the two women from the blonde boy.

The chief stew and chef were glaring at each other and looked like wires ready to snap from how tense they were.

Felix seemed like he wanted to disappear behind the deckhands but stayed in place. Chan understood that Felix was stopping himself because he knew how it would look if he was literally hiding from his boss and using them as human shields. 

He was holding a stack of plates and gave them one each. The room smelled of delicious food, the platters of breakfast items lined up buffet-style.

“Does anyone want coffee or tea?” Felix asked.

“I could go for some more coffee,” Hyunjin accepted the offer.

“Black with a little sugar?”

Hyunjin blinked at him in surprise before nodding.

“Hyung, do you want some too?” he asked Seungmin, “half and half with sugar?”

“Yeah… how did you know that’s how I like it?” Seungmin questioned confusedly. 

“That’s how you made it earlier,” Felix shrugged as he began making the drinks.

“Do you always pay that close attention to people’s drinks?” Eunji asked in a judgemental tone.

“Yes, ma’am,” Felix nodded.

“How does Jeongin take his coffee?” Mari pursed her lips.

“I don’t know,” he shook his head, “I haven’t seen yet. I get the feeling he’s more of a hot chocolate person than a coffee person though.”

“You’re right!” Jeongin grinned, delighted that Felix could read him so well.

“I’m looking forward to that spiked mocha you talked about before,” Changbin said.

“I don’t think he’s going to have time for that,” Eunji stated as she started on one end of the table and worked her way over, loading her plate with scrambled eggs and fruit.

“It’s a nine-person charter,” Mari added, “interior is always busy-busy when there are so many people to serve.”

“When are provisions coming?” Jisung asked.

“In about 45 minutes,” Chan responded.

A few moments later, Felix handed the two engineers their coffees. To Hyunjin, it tasted better than any coffee he had ever had in his entire life while Seungmin was amazed at how precisely Felix had copied his preferred ratio of creamer and sugar. 

“It’s perfect, thank you,” Seungmin took another sip, loving how Felix lit up again. It wasn’t hard to deduce that the stew wanted nothing more than to please others and make them happy.

Noticing Felix was staying back while they served themselves, Minho said, “you don’t have to wait till we’re done taking food.”

Felix, unaccustomed to serving himself before his elders, looked slightly apprehensive as he approached. Changbin took him by the shoulders and moved Felix in front of him in the line of deckhands.

“A-are you sure?” Felix asked, feeling guilty for cutting in front of everyone.

“Eat, eat! It’s okay! You EAT!” Jisung suddenly urged in English, causing the blonde to break down into a fit of giggles while Jeongin agreed with Jisung. 

Felix tried to take food as quickly as possible, not wanting to hold up the line. Changbin couldn’t help but find it utterly endearing that Felix was so mindful of their time.

“After we load provisions, we’ll start on prepping the cabins and detailing the salon,” Eunji said from her seat at the crew mess table.

“All the linens and towels are washed, there’s just a few that need to be ironed. I can bang those out pretty quick if you want me to focus on them first before I start on the cabins,” Felix scooted in next to Chan with Changbin following.

“I’m the one that delegates duties, Felix,” Eunji spoke sharply.

“Yes, ma’am,” Felix shrunk in on himself slightly.

Chan gave his thigh a reassuring squeeze, silently fuming at how the blonde was being treated.

“As soon as we load provisions, get that laundry done. Do not let me see a single wrinkle. After, you’ll scrub the bathrooms in the staterooms. I want them spotless, you understand?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Felix nodded.

“Make the beds, vacuum, dust, and stock the linens. Right before guests arrive, pour nine glasses of champagne. Have them ready on the tray and make sure there are rolled warm hand towels too.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You should be writing this down,” Mari said.

Felix pulled a small notepad from his pocket with a tiny pencil. With his incredible memory and perceptiveness, it was unnecessary to take notes, but Mari seemed pleased that he didn’t argue and obeyed.

“What kind of writing is that?” Chan asked quietly, noticing the swoops and circles rather than letters when he had finished.

“It’s the Gregg shorthand method,” Felix answered.

“How do you read it?” Changbin questioned.

“It’s, um, I don’t know how to say… how do you say ‘phonetic’?” the blonde boy turned to Chan.

“Uhhhhh,” the bosun blanked out for a moment, “honestly, I have no idea.”

“Basically, it focuses more on how the words sound than how they’re spelled,” Felix told Changbin, “see, these two here are different words, but the pronunciation of their vowels sound the same when spoken, so they have the same symbol in them, even though in the actual word, they aren’t the same letter.”

“Why not just write the actual word?” Eunji asked.

“It doesn’t take as long to write three characters as it does to write ten letters,” Felix answered, “it’s helpful when you have to rush, especially if you have to record what someone is saying and they talk fast.”

“Chef, Chef- Jung.”

Minho grabbed his radio and responded. “Yes, Cap?”

“Just got a call saying provisions are arriving early. It’ll be here in about 15 minutes.”

The crew groaned, unhappy that their breakfast would be cut short.

“Copy. Crew is aware.”

He turned to the rest of them and said, “better eat quick.”

The deckhands started scarfing down their food, knowing it would be a long time before they were able to eat again. 

Felix took their empty plates to the sink, quietly asking Minho, “are these washed by hand or in the dishwasher?”

“Crew stuff can be in the washer. Guest stuff has to be hand washed and polished.”

“Thank you, Hyungie,” Felix smiled and loaded the washer as quickly as possible. When he was done, he wiped the tables and threw empty energy drink cans into the recycling bin.

Eunji was all too happy to sit back and watch Felix do extra work.

“All crew, all crew- provisions have arrived.”

“Copy. Headed up now,” Chan responded.

Once they were on deck, Minho and Eunji walked the gangplank to the dock and did a quick once-over to make sure the correct number of boxes were there before signing off on the delivery.

The crew arranged themselves in a chain formation, passing the boxes to one another as they loaded them onto the ship. Once it was all onboard, they began the grueling task of carrying each box to their prospective places.

Felix organized the alcohol, chilling the wine and arranging the liquor by category to make it easier when mixing drinks. After he was done, he checked to see if anyone needed immediate help before he quickly finished ironing the laundry and started working on the cabins.

Eunji and Mari were looking for any reason to justify their meanness but were unable to find a single fault. As the chief stew ordered, the bathrooms were spotless, with not a water spot in sight. He made the beds, restocked all the linens, and dusted and vacuumed until he was certain every inch was clean. 

Sudden slamming sounds and shouting from the galley drew Felix’s attention and he was just outside when Jisung started passing by and saw the stew’s concerned face.

“Don’t worry, he does this all the time,” he assured him as Minho spewed obscenities. Felix didn’t seem totally convinced, so Jisung took a breath and prepared himself. “Hyung, are you okay?” he peeked around and asked the chef, who was sitting on the ground in front of the fridge and scouring through boxes.

“I’m about to rip someone’s goddamn head off!” Minho shouted.

“What’s wrong?” Felix asked.

“They didn’t send the salmon for the Wellingtons. They sent tuna steaks,” he spoke in a significantly less aggressive tone.

“You can’t use that instead?” Jisung questioned.

“Tuna isn’t really a traditional French thing,” Felix chewed on his lip.

“It means changing the entire course because the salmon was for the substitution of the boeuf en croute and it would be weird for someone to have an entirely different dish from everyone else,” Minho kicked a box away from him.

“We wouldn’t have to change it if we do mushrooms instead of salmon,” Felix suggested unsurely, “do we have any Portobellos?” 

Minho blinked a couple of times and stood up, yanking open the door to the second fridge and riffling through it. 

After a few moments he relaxed and nodded, “yes, there’s Portobellos. I can use that. I can definitely use that. Thank you, Felix. You should get back to the cabins before Eunji sees you. I don’t want to get you in trouble."

“Okay, just let me know if you need anything,” the blonde smiled before returning to his task.

“That’s the fastest you’ve ever calmed down,” Jisung said.

“Don’t get me mad again, Han,” Minho warned.

Jisung threw his hands up in surrender, backing away from the galley.

Felix finished the rooms before moving on to the main salon and vacuuming. He made sure to clean every inch, going into more detail than any normal third stew would. Felix was the definition of the word ‘thorough’ as nothing escaped his attention.

He was cleaning the port side windows from the interior when Jeongin started cleaning them from the exterior on the opposite side of the glass. The two made silly faces at each other, playing around and making the tedious task significantly less boring. 

Chan was trying not to bust out laughing when he looked to his left and saw Jeongin pulling faces. It took him a moment to realize he wasn’t just staring at his reflection, but he was happy to let him and Felix continue since they were still doing the work and not just goofing off.

Eunji clearly felt differently as she shouted at Felix loud enough for them to hear from outside.

Once he was sure Eunji had left the salon, Chan opened the sliding door and crept in. Felix was on his knees, scrubbing the bottom corner of the window.

“You okay?” Chan asked quietly.

Felix looked up at him and nodded, but his little pout said otherwise.

“You’re doing a great job, Lix. It looks amazing in here.”

The blonde’s vibrant smile returned, “thank you, Hyung!”

“All crew, all crew. Guest arrival in 20 minutes. Get changed into your whites.”

“What do you have left to do?” Chan asked.

“I just have to pour the champagne and roll the hand towels before they get here,” he said.

“I am genuinely amazed that you managed to get all of that done. You basically did the entire interior on your own.”

“No, I can’t take credit for the work Eunji and Mari did,” Felix shook his head, “the bridge and the master suite look gorgeous. They did all that.”

Chan held out his hand, helping Felix off the ground. He heard footsteps retreat and recognized them as Mari’s, realizing that she had been listening to their conversation.

The bosun walked Felix to their cabin as they got changed into their uniforms. The younger looked at his one-stripe epaulette confusedly.

“The stripes are to show rank. One stripe is for third stews and deckhands,” Chan clarified.

“I just don’t understand how it attaches to the shirt,” Felix said.

“Oh, like this,” Chan gently took the badges out of his and unbuttoned the small shoulder straps on his shirt, and slide them on. He noticed a raised scar on Felix’s back, just below the collar of the uniform. There was a smaller one next to it, and Chan guessed there were probably several more. He assumed they were likely from the car accident he was involved in.

He could tell Felix knew he had seen them, but the younger didn’t say anything. Chan took it as a sign that it was not the time to ask. 

He fastened the button and did the other side, patting his shoulder when he was done. “Looks good.”

“Thank you!” Felix smiled. He saw that Chan’s shirt was tucked in and copied, taking a moment to fix his hair in the mirror before following the bosun back up to the salon.

He quickly warmed some hand towels and heard Chan’s radio go off with the captain saying guests would be arriving in less than five minutes.

“Hyung, can you open this for me, please?” Felix handed up a chilled bottle of champagne.

“Sure,” Chan nodded.

He could see Felix eyeing up his muscles as he popped the cork and handed it to him. Felix thanked him and poured nine glasses, placing them on a silver platter. He took the towels and rolled them up and put them on another platter. 

“All crew, all crew- guests are arriving. Please, meet on the main aft deck.”

“You ready for this?” Chan asked.

“Let’s do it!”

Chapter 5: Pufferfish

AN: First impressions of the guests! I’m sorry this chapter took so long. I wish I could promise I’ll be updating more frequently, but the semester just started and ya baby is OVERWHELMED. Send telepathic hugs for my over-caffeinated, sleep-deprived ass, please. Also, it feels so weird to have Jeongin be called "Hyung" but we all know, he's dying for people to call him that.

No trigger warnings needed for this chapter, as far as I can tell. Please, let me know if there is anything that should be marked <3

---

“Welcome aboard Saturn . My name is Captain Jung.”

Chan translated it into English for the American guests. Going down the line, they greeted and shook hands with the guests as they introduced themselves and their positions. 

Chan stood beside the captain, Changbin on his left with Jisung and Jeongin. Hyunjin and Seungmin were next in the line, then Minho. The chef wished there was more space between him and Eunji, but they had to stand shoulder-to-shoulder.

Mari was beside her, giving the guests the rolled hand towels and Felix was the last in the line, passing out the champagne glasses.

“We’re going to split into two groups. Our chief stew Eunji will give you and your colleagues a tour while Bang Chan shows your remaining guests,” Jung said to Doyun. “Felix speaks both English and Korean as well. Once your tours are complete, we’ll depart and get underway.”

Chan instructed the deckhands to load the luggage while he was gone. Mari sent Felix with them, so she wouldn’t have to do it herself and Minho headed to the galley to finish cooking the seafood lunch they had requested. 

Felix’s eyes widened when he saw the massive bin of suitcases as he crossed the gangplank.

“Is that a normal amount of luggage for a three-day charter?” he asked quietly.

“It’s normal for rich assholes,” Changbin whispered. 

Despite his slim frame, Felix was surprisingly strong as he hauled suitcases, but still let them handle the heavier-looking ones. Changbin didn’t know if it was because he didn’t think he could lift it himself, or if he was just taking the opportunity to look at muscles again.

“Are you cold?” Jeongin asked when he noticed Felix shivering despite there being only a slight chill in the air.

“I don’t handle low temperatures well,” Felix shrugged with a blush.

“Aussie through and through, huh?” Jisung joked. He rubbed Felix’s bare arms to try and warm him up as they waited for Changbin to give them another bag. Felix bumped against him with a smile, touched by the man’s attempt to care for him.

“It’s usually warmer at this point of the year when charter season is getting into the swing of things. Next week, it will probably be a lot hotter,” Jeongin assured him.

“These are the last four bags,” Changbin took them off the cart, pushing the smaller suitcase towards Felix.

“I think the purple ones are Trina’s considering every single thing she was wearing was purple,” the blonde boy said.

“It’s always the ‘purple’ people who are the craziest,” Jisung groaned, “good luck with her.”

“She’s 100% going to make you blow up all the floats and slides and stuff just to use them for five minutes,” Felix responded quietly, looking up towards the ship where Chan was showing the Americans around deck.

“They can’t understand us, you don’t have to whisper,” Changbin hauled the heavy bag. 

“Susan is Doyun’s girlfriend, she probably knows at least a few words, and I’d rather be safe than sorry,” Felix shrugged as he lifted the suitcase he was given.

Once they all crossed the gangplank, they began bringing the bags down to the corridor. Eunji directed which ones went to each guest room before they changed uniforms and the deck crew began getting the ship ready to leave the marina.

“Would anyone like any drink?” Felix asked the guests, repeating the question in Korean. They were all relaxing on the top deck in a lounging area called the Bunny Pad.

Doyun and his colleagues had simple requests while Susan, Trina, and Kathy gave extremely complicated orders, as expected. Of the English-speaking group, Amy seemed to be the only one who wasn’t a complete nightmare as she politely requested a glass of rosé.

“Do you want me to focus on the American drinks while you do Mr. Kim and his colleagues' ones so we can give them altogether?” Felix approached Mari as she went behind the bar.

As much as Mari didn’t want to admit it, she knew Felix’s proposal was the best for the situation.

She nodded, “what are the orders?”

“Mr. Kim wants a gin martini, Jongsoo and Arata would both like scotch on the rocks, Minjun wants a Tom Collins, and Byungho wants neat whiskey.”

“What did the girls ask for?”

“Susan wants a Bunny Mary, Trina wants a frozen strawberry Margarita with extra agave, and Kathy wants an amaro daiquiri with extra lime and rum. Amy would like a glass of rosé and was very nice when she asked for it, so I want to make sure her drink is still chilled by the time we bring them all out,” Felix said.

“What the hell is a Bunny Mary? You mean a Bloody Mary?” the older stew looked at him.

“It’s basically a Bloody Mary but with carrot juice instead of tomato juice. She made it very clear that it must be fresh carrot juice, and that she can taste the difference if it’s from ‘some gross carton or whatever’,” he repeated her words quietly, so no one overheard their conversation as he grabbed the glasses he needed, “I’m just glad it was on her preference sheet, so I already juiced some.”

“I don’t think we even have amaro,” Mari said.

“There’s a bottle of Bráulio in the back of the small stew pantry. I’m gonna run to the galley real quick so I can deal with this. I’ll be back in six minutes.”

Mari scoffed, not believing for a moment that Felix would be able to make such complex drinks in such a short amount of time.

“Okay, be back in six minutes.”

“Interior, interior- keep the radio channels clear for us.”

Felix sped down to the galley. “Cheffy, may I use the blender for a moment, please?”

“Of course,” Minho nodded as he tossed the pan full of shrimp.

Felix took the blender and moved to the other side of the counter so Minho had his space. He grabbed all the ingredients he needed, trying his hardest to stay out of the chef’s path. Minho was delighted that someone was finally respecting his domain. Most of the crew, particularly the stews, would stroll in and get in his way, even while he was in the middle of cooking.

Felix listened to his radio, paying attention to the language that the deckhands used to communicate with the captain. It sounded as if he was learning yet another language, and he had so many questions.

“It’s okay, I’ll have someone else clean it,” Minho nodded to the blender after Felix poured the frozen Margarita.

“Thank youuuuu,” Felix said gratefully.

He placed the drinks on a tray and climbed the stairs, pausing to stabilize himself for a second when the ship began moving. He reached Mari precisely six minutes after leaving. The woman blinked at him, unable to comprehend how he did it. 

“I haven’t done the martini yet, I’m still working on the Tom Collins,” Mari said, “do it so we can take it out.”

Felix nodded, starting right away. When he was done, he popped the cork on a bottle of rosé and poured it into a champagne flute. He silently counted the drinks, taking in their appearance to make sure they were correct. Once he was satisfied, he picked up his tray and waited for Mari to do the same before they brought out the drinks.

Since she was the co-primary guest, Felix handed Susan her drink first. He immediately gave the next to Amy, who was patiently waiting.

“Thank you,” she said, accepting the glass.

“Of course!” Felix smiled.

“Finally,” Trina rolled her eyes as she practically snatched her drink from him, even though it had only been eight minutes since she ordered a frozen drink which required more time to make than a typical drink.

“Apologies for the wait,” Felix suppressed his annoyance.

“Well, I think people should expect to wait when they order complicated drinks,” Amy shrugged as she took a sip.

“No need for the attitude,” Susan scoffed.

Amy shot Felix a wink. “Thank you for the drinks, Felix. I might be asking for another soon.”

“That’s no problem at all. Would you like me to check what time Chef expects lunch to be ready?” Felix asked.

“Yeah, I’m hungry. Like… so so hungry. If I don’t get food soon, I’m going to be very unpleasant,” Trina said. 

Felix had to use every fiber of his being to stop himself from saying “more unpleasant than you already are?”

“I’ll go check on that now. Is there anything else you’d like in the meantime?” Felix questioned.

“I think we’re good, thank you,” Amy smiled.

“Oh, actually, we have some clothes that need to be washed and steamed. We wanted to wear them tonight for dinner. They have to be hand washed,” Kathy said, “use a good soap. I don’t want to smell like some cheap laundromat.”

“Sure. I’ll go talk to Chef and get right on that,” Felix nodded.

“Great,” Kathy said before launching into a conversation with Trina like Felix wasn’t even there.

The stew made his way back down to the galley.

“Sorry to bother, but the guests would like to know what time lunch will be,” Felix took a quick sip from his water bottle.

“I’ll be ready to serve around 10:30 if you wanna start setting up the table,” Minho said.

“Are we doing it kinda buffet or family style or is it plated?” Felix asked.

“Family style. They want an extravaganza, so I want them to see the array of seafood instead of plates.”

“Do you want the white serving bowls or the black ones?”

“White. It makes the colors stand out more,” the chef stirred one of the pots in front of him. “I could use a taste tester if you want to try this.”

Felix nodded excitedly at the prospect of tasting Minho’s food. 

“It’s a Sambal shrimp, so it’s got a little bit of heat to it. Do you like spicy food?”

“Love it!”

“Come here,” Minho waved him over before grabbing a spoon and scooping a shrimp up. He held out the spoon, cupping his hand beneath it to prevent anything from dripping on the floor. Felix seemed to have no qualms about someone else feeding him as he happily let Minho do so.

The chef saw his eyes widen for a second and Felix let out a happy sound.

“Oh, God. That’s so good. Hyung, can you just stay with me forever?”

Minho grinned at the thought. He was always a firm believer in the saying that you don’t truly know a person's heart until after three months when they can no longer keep up any charade. Felix seemed to be so genuinely Felix. He couldn’t imagine the younger boy pretending to be something else, and if this was how Felix really was, he would happily stay with him forever.

“For the wines, do you think it would be good to do a dry Riesling for the ones who like white wine and a Zinfandel for the ones who like red?” Felix asked.

“That sounds perfect,” Minho nodded, “you’re very good at pairing, Yongbokkie. Would you ever be a sommelier?”

“Aunt Chaewon had me take an introductory course when I first started working for her. I wasn’t legally old enough to drink at the time though, so I can’t technically put it on my resumé. I enjoyed it a lot! I’d like to get certified at some point.”

“I hope one of the next charters wants a wine-tasting menu. You and I can come up with something good.”

“When are we serving?” Eunji asked as she came in, and Felix stepped away from the chef, much to Minho’s disappointment.

“At 10:30. I already told Felix what dishware I want.”

“You should be telling this to me, not him,” Eunji tutted

“He’s the one who asked the question,” Minho glared at her for a moment.

“We’ll have them sit at 10:20, so go do a tablescape,” Eunji ordered Felix.

“Kathy said they have clothing they want hand-washed and steamed before dinner.”

“Sounds like a fucking nightmare,” Minho muttered to himself. 

“Set the table and then collect the clothes. Work on them in between service. Make sure the wines are open and ready to pour.”

“Yes, ma’am. Should I let the guests know when they’ll be sitting?”

“No, that’s something only the chief stew does. I’ll do that,” she said sharply.

“How do you plan on telling that to the Americans?” Minho asked.

Eunji paused and rolled her eyes. “Fine. You tell the Americans when they’ll be sitting and then start on the table.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he nodded, following her out and up to the Bunny Pad.

Felix approached the English-speaking guests and said, “Ladies, lunch will be served around 10:30, so we’ll be ready to sit down around 10:20 if that’s alright with you.”

“I want it earlier,” Trina said.

“It’s twenty minutes, Trina,” Amy rolled her eyes, “you can wait twenty minutes. Don’t rush the chef.”

“No, I want to eat now.”

“I can bring up a fruit plate if you’d like,” Felix offered, seeing the tension between them rising.

“Yes, a fruit plate would be good,” Susan agreed.

“Okay, I’ll be back in a moment with that.”

Felix rushed to the kitchen. “Hyungie, I have to make a plate of fruit asap. Trina is on the verge of a fit.”

“Do light stuff that won’t fill her up too much.”

“Strawberries, blueberries, grapes, and kiwi?” Felix looked to him for his approval.

“Yeah, that’s good,” Minho nodded and grabbed his radio. “Chan, Chan- Minho.”

“Go for Chan” 

“Can you spare a deckhand to help out in the kitchen real quick?”

After a few seconds, Chan responded. “Jeongin is headed down.”

“Thanks.” 

A couple of moments later, Jeongin was at the entrance of the galley. He smiled when he saw Felix walk out of the refrigerator with his arms full.

“What do you need?”

“Wash those for him and help make a plate,” Minho instructed.

Jeongin washed and dried them as Felix sliced the strawberries and kiwis. The deckhand tried his hardest to match the younger’s quick pace but had no clue how to place the fruits. It was almost as if Felix pulled a magic trick as he turned an empty plate into an elegant arrangement.

“Thank you, Hyung,” Felix hugged him before heading back to the Bunny Pad and giving Trina the plate.

Once he finally had a moment to himself, he began setting the table. He collected things from the cabinet full of the decorations they rented for the charter.

It was also the first time that he was able to appreciate the view of the crystalline water and the breeze as they moved toward their anchor spot. It was something that most people could only dream of seeing, yet he had the opportunity to experience it. 

Having grown up in such chaos, organization was Felix’s ultimate stress relief. Every placement of an object, every adjustment, every design that came to life in front of him helped calm his ever-racing mind.

Felix stepped back to get a full visual of his tablescape and made a few alterations. He suddenly felt a presence at his shoulder and turned to see Chan directly next to him. 

“Oh!” Felix jumped in surprise, “I swear, you guys could be super spies. I didn’t hear you.”

“I was being pretty loud. You were laser-focused though. You do this really cute thing where you puff up your cheeks when you’re thinking,” Chan grinned, “the table looks really pretty by the way."

“Thank you, Hyung,” Felix blushed, “… do I really do that with my face?”

“Yes, and it’s adorable. Please, never stop.”

“It sounds like I look like a pufferfish!”

“Well, you’re the cutest pufferfish I’ve ever seen then,” the older man said. He put more emphasis on his accent as he began narrating, “here we have the one and only of his kind. This species of pufferfish is found nowhere else other than this exact location.”

“Ah, right-o. The Yongbok Puffer,” Felix played along. 

“Felix, Felix- Eunji,” the radio interrupted.

“Yes, ma’am?”

“Are you done with the table yet? It seems to be taking a while.”

“All the decorations are done. I just need to put out the plates.”

“Plates are considered decoration, so it’s actually not done.”

Chan sighed, patting Felix’s shoulder. “I’m sorry she’s so difficult.”

“It’s okay. I’ve dealt with far worse,” he said before pressing his mic. “The table will be fully done in about 2 minutes.”

“Hurry up.”

Chan looked at Felix confusedly, “I thought someone said the guests were sitting at 10:20.”

“They are,” Felix nodded.

“Why is she rushing you so much? You still have time.”

“There are other tasks to do,” the blonde shrugged, “gotta move quick to keep from falling behind. I’ll see you in a little while, I need to get the plates.”

“Call if you need any help,” the bosun gave him another pat.

“Will do!”

Chan climbed the stairs up to the bridge, peeking into the wheelhouse. Captain caught him out of the corner of her eye and waved him in.

“How’s it going down there?” she asked.

“Cap, I think we’ve got a gem here. Felix is doing so amazing, it’s like he’s been a professional stew his whole life. It’s hard to believe this is his first charter.”

“I’ve been watching on the cameras,” she nodded, “you know that I am not someone who gives compliments frequently, but he is doing very well. He’s a sweet kid. I almost don’t want him here.”

“Why not?”

“People with kind hearts are the ones who get them broken the most painfully. He may be taking how he’s being treated on the chin right now, but I can see it getting to him down the road. I don’t want him to lose that positive light about him. This industry has a habit of taking hopeful people and ruining them. It would be an absolute tragedy for that to happen to him."

Chapter 6: SPF

AN: I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted. I have finals next week, so I wanted to put something out. Honestly, this chapter is just a lot of slow burn and Eunji being mean. Little Jilex moment though! Btw, the knot Jisung teaches Felix is the very first knot I ever learned. I highly recommend learning how to tie a bowline (pronounced bow (like rainbow) lynn). It's super useful to know.

---

“Hyung, I don’t know how you did all that! You’re incredible!” Felix ran to the galley after serving the guests. 

Minho had never had someone look at him with even a fraction of the admiration Felix was looking at him with. The younger boy’s eyes were shining, his warm smile lighting up the whole room. Even if Minho never impressed anyone the same way again, that single moment of Felix looking so proud was more than enough for him.

“Are they liking it?” Minho asked.

“Anytime a table goes quiet except for making ‘yum’ sounds, you know it’s good. It was the first time they actually stopped talking.”

Minho nodded, “I saved extra for the crew. Do you know when your lunch break is?”

“Not yet.”

“Oh, do you know what your shift time will be?”

“Um… no. I didn’t know there were shifts. I thought it was an all-day thing,” Felix said confusedly.

“There are earlies, middles, and lates. Are you a night owl or an early bird?”

“I’m normally up pretty late, but would there be anyone else working at the same time?” Felix asked.

“Usually, there’s only one deckhand doing an anchor watch. They have to stay in the bridge the whole time though.”

“Oh… I like being with others more than being on my own. Even if it’s just someone chilling out and hanging around, I like having someone else there,” the younger said, which didn’t surprise Minho in the slightest.

“You’re working lates during this charter, Felix,” Eunji looked in from the doorway.

“Mari is always the late girl,” Minho scowled.

“I want to see how he does without someone there taking his workload,” she shrugged, walking away before Minho could argue.

“That’s ridiculous,” Minho shook his head, “she’s doing that only because she heard that you’d rather work earlies. I’m sorry, Bokkie.”

“It’s okay,” Felix assured him.

“I can ask someone to stay up with you if you want,” the chef offered.

“Oh, no. Thank you though. I don’t want someone to waste their sleeping time,” he shook his head.

Minho sighed, “aw, Yongbokkie. You’re too considerate. You gotta be a little selfish sometimes.”

“I prefer to order shellfish rather than selfish,” Felix grinned. 

Jisung groaned at the terrible pun as he walked by with Changbin, who cackled like a maniac. 

Felix seemed overjoyed that even just one person laughed at his bad joke. He bounced on his feet before saying, “I’m gonna check on the guests one more time, then I’ll start on the clothes they want steamed.”

Minho nodded and gave him a pat on the back before letting him leave. 

The chef sighed, cleaning up the gallery and wishing he had his sunshine boy by his side.

---

“You good, Felix?” Chan asked after noticing the younger crossing his arms and doing his ‘puffer fish concentration’ face.

“The guests want all of these hand washed and steamed, but a few of these fabrics can’t be cleaned that way. They’ll be ruined if they come into contact with water or steam. They have to be dry cleaned, and we don’t have the stuff to do that.”

“I don’t think the guests will really notice if not everything is steamed,” Chan said.

“Um, they’re kinda… well worn, if you get what I mean,” Felix held up a long-sleeved dress that had obvious armpit stains.

“Ah, yeah. I get what you mean,” the bosun nodded.

“I can either ask Eunji what to do and get yelled at to figure it out or I can talk to the guests to let them know we can’t clean some articles and then get yelled at for not bringing it up to her first.”

“Mari might be a little more lenient,” Chan suggested.

Felix was biting his lip as he pondered, something Chan was trying his absolute hardest not to stare at.

“Oh! Oh, I have an idea!” Felix said excitedly.

“What?”

“We could bring the clothes on land to a dry cleaner’s and have them expedited! It would still take probably about 24 hours, but it’s only a few pieces that need it and they weren’t planning on wearing them until tomorrow night.”

“Damn, you’re good at problem-solving. I know a place that can do it pretty fast. I’ll send one of the deckhands on the tender. That’s the little motorboat that’s attached to us,” Chan clarified after seeing the confused look.

“Ah, okay. I’m gonna let Eunji and Mari know before I say it to the guests.”

“Righto, good luck. Let me know when to send one of them down here for the clothes.”

“Awesome, thank you, Hyung,” Felix grinned before using his radio to call for either Mari or Eunji.

Chan passed by the room again a few times, hearing Eunji chastising Felix for “making things difficult” while also saying “we can’t do it properly.” Both were absolutely ridiculous statements in Chan’s opinion, but he was finally notified to send Jeongin on the tender with instructions to give to the cleaners.

Eunji still hadn’t given Felix a break to have lunch, so Minho fed him bites of food every time he came into the galley. He had to give Felix a full meal over the course of an hour as the steward did the work of three people at once.

When more time had passed, Minho was furious that Felix was having to run around all on his own without help.

“Eunji, Eunji- Minho.”

“What?”

“I need you in the galley.”

“I’m on break. Felix is on shift.”

“I need the chief stew in the galley,” Minho gritted his teeth.

“Eunji, take a moment from your break and go to the galley,” Captain Jung’s voice suddenly came through.

“Yes, Captain.”

A few moments later, Eunji stomped into the galley. “What?” she spat.

“It’s against the law to deny someone a break.”

“He can go on break when my break is done.”

“Both you and Mari have been on break for almost two hours and left him to do everything on his own. Put him on his fucking break,” Minho threw a ladle in the sink. 

Eunji practically growled as she picked up her radio. “Felix, Felix- Eunji.”

“Yes, ma’am?” he answered right away.

“Go on a fifteen-minute break.”

“Fifteen?!” Minho asked incredulously, “you were just on break for two hours!”

Eunji rolled her eyes and spoke into the radio, “Thirty minutes, Felix.”

“Yes, ma’am. Thank you.”

Once he was finally given permission, Felix started walking down the corridor, intent on getting into his bed and giving his body a brief rest. He noticed the door to Changbin and Jisung’s room was open and went to close it, knowing the two hated when anyone left it open.

He was surprised to see Jisung lying down on the bottom bunk, a length of woven rope in his hands. 

“Hyung, do you want me to close the door?” Felix asked.

Jisung jumped slightly, looking toward him. “I know you say we are quiet when we move around, but I swear, no one on the deck team walks as quietly as you. I had no idea you were here.”

“Oh, sorry! I’m on a 30-minute break. Do you need anything?”

“I’m all good, thank you. You’re gonna wanna use those 30. I heard you’re on nights this charter.”

Felix nodded, pouting slightly.

“You don’t like staying up late?”

“I’m always up late, I just… don’t like being up late alone. What are you doing now?”

“I’ve got another hour left on my break, so I’m just practicing some knots,” Jisung held up the rope, “Changbin hyung lets me chill in his bunk on my breaks, so I don’t have to climb up and down all the time.”

“Can I… can I see?” Felix asked shyly.

Jisung was confused for a moment before he realized Felix was asking him to show him how to tie the knots.

“You sure you don’t wanna take a nap? You might not have an opportunity to later.”

“My brain hasn’t caught up with my body yet,” he shook his head.

“Okay, come here. I’ll show you a bowline.”

Jisung was about to sit up and move over to give some space, but in pure ‘never let them know your next move’ Lee Felix fashion, the younger boy got on the bed and smoothly slipped down beside him. Jisung knew that Felix definitely heard his heart pounding but didn’t bring attention to it as he cuddled against him.

“I’m happy to finally have someone else who likes hugs,” the deckhand eventually managed to say.

“Oh, is it not a normal thing for crews?” Felix asked worriedly.

“I think most people actually want affection, but just don’t know how to ask for it. It’s easier when someone else initiates it, but there aren’t many people who are comfortable initiating, so everyone just stays to themselves instead. I know the others will happily accept hugs from you though, don’t worry. I wonder though, were you always this cuddly?”

“Always,” Felix nodded, “my nickname was Koala when I was little because I was always hugging things. In France, there were only a few homeless shelters open in the arrondissement close to us and they filled up really fast, especially in winter. I got so used to sharing body heat, it’s hard to sleep without something warm now.”

Jisung nearly let out an “aw” at the thought of Felix needing to cuddle something warm to go to sleep. It was only strengthened by Felix scooting even closer. 

“So, a bowline is the knot that is used most often on boats. It’s essentially a slipknot that tightens with pressure but can also be released easily when needed. First thing is to make a loop like this,” he demonstrated, “a good way to remember the steps is to picture the loop as a rabbit den, the tail of the rope as the rabbit, and the main line as a tree.”

Felix nodded in understanding, thankful for the visual.

“So, no that we have our den, the rabbit comes out of it. Then it goes around the tree. Now it goes back into the den, and you tighten it. I’ll do it one more time, and then you try it, okay?”

Felix nodded again, fully focused on Jisung’s hands and mouthing the words along with him as he explained.

“Alright, your turn,” Jisung handed him the rope.

“Okay. Dig a home, the rabbit comes out, runs around the tree, back into the home, and burrows down,” Felix copied his movements exactly, even the specific hand position Jisung had used when tightening it.

The older realized Felix didn’t know the word ‘den’, but figured out what he meant and replaced it with the word ‘home’. It was so adorable, Jisung nearly squealed. “Hey, look! You did it perfectly! If you ever wanted to take a break from being a stew, you’d make a great deckie.”

Felix beamed at him and dropped the rope to turn and hug him.

It had been so long since Jisung had truly cuddled with someone. He wanted so badly to have a physical connection, but he was starting to realize the gravity of the emotional connection he was feeling toward Felix.

“You still have 23 minutes left. You can take a quick nap here if you want,” Jisung offered.

“Promise to wake me up?” Felix asked.

“Of course,” the older man nodded.

“Thanks, Hyung,” Felix snuggled against him, settling quickly with Jisung’s warmth.

The deckhand obsessively checked the time on his phone to make sure he wouldn’t miss when he had to wake Felix up.

At some point, Hyunjin walked by the room and backtracked, peering in with jealousy written all over his face when he saw them cuddled together. Jisung couldn’t help but smirk at the fact he had gotten someone in a bed before Hyunjin for the first time ever.

His smugness quickly faded when he realized that Hyunjin was going to get back at him somehow. The older man stalked off, leaving them alone for the remaining time.

Waking Felix up felt as wrong as moving a sleeping cat off of his lap. He tapped the younger boy’s arm gently.

“Lixie, you gotta wake up,” he said softly in English.

Felix whined slightly but nodded before sitting up. Jisung got up with him and reached out, smoothing the silvery blonde hair where it was ruffled. The deckhand thought he was gonna scream at how adorable it was when Felix instinctively leaned into his touch. 

“Thank you,” Felix stretched, arching his back in a way that only reinforced Jisung’s belief that he was just a human cat. “I think we’ll be packing for the beach party soon. Eunji wants me to stay here.”

“It will at least give you a break from the crazies.”

“You talking about the guests or the stews?” Felix asked in a hushed whisper.

“Hmmm. Both,” Jisung matched his quiet tone.

Felix giggled and gave him a hug before standing up and grabbing his radio from the desk, checking to make sure he wasn’t grabbing Jisung’s.

“Do you think… do you think they’ll ever like me?” he questioned.

“They’re both very prideful. They don’t like when someone is a threat to their egos, but I think they’re secretly relieved to have a third stew that they know will get the job done properly. They have a habit of testing people just to see how much they can take, but more often than not, that accidentally ends up breaking a person. Please, don’t let them break you.”

“Hyung, I may cry easily, but I haven’t broken yet. I’ve dealt with a lot worse than this. I’m too stubborn to give up.”

---

“Alright, for the beach party, we’ll do two trips,” Chan said, “first trip is gonna be all the equipment- tents, chairs, games. Once we get everything set up, we’ll come back here and get the sandwiches and snacks and guests. I have to stay onboard to help Cap with something, but I’ll help you guys load up.”

“Aye aye,” Jeongin saluted.

Felix opened the door to the deck, carrying a tray of cocktails. The crew immediately offered to carry it for him, but he simply smiled and thanked them.

“You guys have enough to worry about. I have a bag of drinks and some snacks for you in there. I heard it’s gonna be really hot soon,” he said.

“Aw, Yongbokkie,” Changbin patted him, “ Saturn’s little angel.”

Felix beamed, blushing a little. “I’ve gotta run these up to the guests. Have fun on the beach!”

Jeongin put a hand over his heart as Felix disappeared up the stairs. “How could we ever deserve someone so sweet?”

“I don’t know, but we must have done something right in life to end up with him.”

---

“Bang Chan, Bang Chan- Eunji.”

“Go ahead.”

“Send someone out with sunscreen. Felix didn’t pack any.”

Felix’s head shot up so fast, he nearly smacked straight into the open cabinet door as he grabbed his radio.

“Ma’am, the sunblock is in the front pocket of the blue bag. I packed both the spray-on and the lotion kind.”

“One: I didn’t radio you. Two: I looked through the bags and there’s nothing there.”

Minho could see the stress starting to take over as Felix asked, “Could you please check again? I know I packed it.”

“Don’t argue with me, Felix. There is nothing in the bag, and my guests are burning. I need a deckhand to bring some on the tender.”

Chan spoke, “I’ll send Jisung, but it would be good to take a look again.”

Felix started frantically searching all of the places it could possibly be, tearing through cabinets and drawers until Minho put a hand on his shoulder.

“Relax,” he said, “it’s okay. It’s a minor thing, don’t worry.”

“Hyung, I know I packed it. I triple-checked to make sure it was there. Amy says she burns easily, and I didn’t want… Hyung, it is there. If the bag was on the tender, the sunblock is in it.” Felix looked like he was on the verge of crying.

Minho felt like breaking something out of anger at Eunji as he pulled Felix close, hugging him tightly. “It’s okay, Bokkie. Someone might have taken it out of the bag. If you say you packed it, I know you’re telling the truth. You don’t forget anything.”

“She said it over the radio. Captain heard her. Chan hyung heard her.”

“Yongbok, look at me,” Minho took him by the shoulders, making him face him. “Chan would never blame you for anything, and Captain Jung likes you. You’d have to do something awful for her opinion to change, and I can’t imagine you doing anything that would cause that.”

“I don’t want to look like I can’t do my job right,” he hung his head.

“I’ve been in this industry for a long time, and I don’t give false compliments. You’re the most competent stew I’ve seen yet. You’ve already proven yourself.”

Felix looked up at him, scanning his face for any sign of a lie. Once he decided Minho was being serious, he sighed and hugged the older man.

Minho had never liked people who were so physically affectionate. In all honesty, he didn’t really enjoy being touched, preferring to initiate contact first. However, he happily accepted Felix’s hugs. There was something so warm about Felix’s energy, it made Minho feel like he was holding the physical embodiment of a ray of sunshine.

When Felix pulled away from the hug, Minho internally slapped himself after thinking about how kissable the younger’s pouty lips looked.

“Beach crew, beach crew- Jisung.”

“Yes?” Mari answered.

“Headed out now. I’ll be there in about ten minutes.”

“Copy.”

“God, this is so embarrassing,” Felix facepalmed.

“You didn’t do anything wrong. Even if you did, there’s been far worse. I mean, Eunji started a fire in the laundry room on the very first day we worked together years ago. I accidentally mixed up plates and gave a vegetarian the dish that had beef broth in it. Channie hyung once ripped his pants while bending over in front of guests.”

Felix slapped a hand over his mouth, trying to stifle his giggle.

“It’s okay to laugh at that. We bring it up at least once a week just to mess with him. What I’m trying to say is- no one is perfect, but you’re about as close to perfect as a person can get,” Minho patted his cheek, “don’t stress yourself out trying to reach unrealistic expectations. I can tell that you’re someone who puts a lot of stress on yourself to prove your worth. You don’t need to do that here. Just stay true to yourself, okay?”

“Okay.”

---

Jisung hopped off the tender, tugging it slightly onto the sand, so it wouldn’t drift off without him. He carried the bag of sunscreen bottles to the tent, handing it to Mari.

“Finally,” Euniji grumbled, “took you long enough.”

“Anything you want me to pack up now?” Jisung asked, ignoring the quip. 

“You can take some of the trash,” Mari pointed to the garbage off to the side.

Jisung nodded. As he went to pick it up, he noticed the blue bag Felix had mentioned. The front pocket was bulging slightly. Before Eunji could stop him, he unzipped it and looked inside.

He stood up slowly, glaring daggers at the two stews as he pulled out his radio.

“Felix, Felix- Jisung.”

“Yes, Hyung?” he responded immediately.

“Sunscreen was right where you said it was. I guess it must have been missed when they were looking for it.”

The captain’s voice suddenly came through the radio, “Let’s make sure we check things thoroughly before using up the fuel in the tender on unnecessary trips.”

Eunji looked like she was ready to kill Jisung, cheeks red with anger.

He half-expected to receive a slap as he walked past her and muttered, “Stop doing this. You’re only making yourself look bad. It’s unprofessional.”

Eunji grabbed his wrist, “Don’t ever call me unprofessional.”

“You’re really doing this in front of guests?” He raised a brow.

“We will continue this later.”

“Great. I’ll let Chan know.”

---

“There you go,” Minho squeezed Felix’s shoulder, feeling the tension drain away. “You were right. You didn’t make any mistakes. Take a breath and regroup.”

Felix nodded, taking a deep breath. Minho couldn’t help how much he loved the way Felix obeyed him without hesitation, letting the younger lean against him for a moment as he collected himself.

“Thank you, Hyungie.”

“For what?”

“I get… I get a little too in my head sometimes. You helped me get out of it, so, thank you.”

Minho smiled, “Any time, Yongbok. Did you finish the cabins?”

“Mhmm,” Felix nodded.

“Would you like to help me start prepping for dinner?”

“Yes, please!”

Chapter 7: Crème Brûlée

AN: I’m sorry I’ve been gone for so long. I actually visited Korea! I put a couple details of places in this chapter, but the next chapter will have a lot more. I feel guilty for dipping out for so long, so here’s a 13k+ word chapter for you.

---

Minho never liked having anyone in his kitchen.

His space was his space. Other people always got in his way or blocked him from his ingredients. Timing was everything when it came to cooking. A few seconds could mean all the difference between perfectly done and cooked to shit.

Felix was the exception.

The younger boy was so in sync with him, it was almost scary. It was as if they were dancing, floating around each other without getting in each other's path.

It was even more eerie that Felix seemed to know exactly what he needed without even asking. 

All he had to do was look in his direction, and Felix would give it. 

The beach party was starting to wind down with the sun setting. Chan had to switch with Changbin as Eunji and Mari couldn’t communicate with the American guests properly, and the chief stew pointedly refused Felix’s offer to come, most likely because she knew he liked the beach and didn’t want to give him any enjoyment. 

Minho and Felix knew the guests would be hungry when they returned but would likely take showers and spend an unnecessary amount of time getting dressed up. They took the extra time to get a head start on the dinner after Felix had cleaned the cabins. 

Looking at the bread they baked together, Felix asked, “Hyung, for the maquereaux, would it be better to have a side of cucumber salad or a little slice of baguette? It’s coming right after a course that has socca bread, but before a salad course that also has cucumber.”

“Let’s do the baguette,” Minho said, “It’s a different taste and texture from the socca, so it won’t feel repetitive.”

“There’s something missing from this,” Felix indicated to the pesto sauce in front of him, “I think it’s because there’s no cheese in it.”

He grabbed a small spoon and dipped it before handing it to Minho to taste.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Minho nodded, impressed with Felix’s culinary knowledge to detect the subtle unbalance. “The dairy-free cheese won’t blend well. We can substitute it with yeast.”

“Does that change the, um… texture?” Felix asked, not knowing how to say consistency.

“Not really. It just helps with flavor,” Minho said, “I have some nutritional yeast in a jar somewhere. I just don’t know where.”

The younger looked straight ahead at the wall for a moment. “Does it have a yellow lid and red writing on it?” he asked.

“Uh, yeah, I think so?” Minho said unsurely. 

“Right upper cabinet on the left side of the second shelf,” Felix pointed behind himself and across the room.

Minho knew about Felix’s ability to recall things in great detail, but it still almost knocked him over with how surprised he was when he saw the tiny jar with a yellow lid and red writing sitting exactly where Felix said.

“Yongbokkie?”

“Hmm?” Felix stopped chopping basil to look at him.

“How do you do that?” Minho asked.

“What?”

“How do you remember everything? It’s really impressive.”

“Oh,” Felix blushed, “I kinda see things like photos. When I think about something I need, it’s like going through a camera roll. It’s hard to explain. My mother was the same way. It used to freak out my dad. My sisters and I could never get away with taking extra biscuits because she could always tell.”

“Is it only visual things?” the chef questioned curiously.

“I can remember conversations pretty clearly, but only if I’m paying 100% attention, which is… hard for me to do. Especially if it’s not in English. I can get distracted really easily. I do know when someone is lying by saying they told me something when they didn’t. I don’t really call it out though,” Felix shrugged.

“Ah, gaslighting. That’s Eunji’s specialty,” Minho sighed, “I’m sorry about what happened earlier. That was so messed up. I really don’t know why they feel the need to pull shit like that.”

“Eh, it’s okay,” Felix said.

“It’s really not,” Minho shook his head, “You shouldn’t have to deal with that. Don’t minimize how badly you’re being treated.”

“My issue is that the guests were affected. Thankfully they put on sunblock before they left, so I don’t think anyone actually burned, but I’m sure they’re probably unhappy with service if they heard the stuff on the radio.”

“I could so clearly imagine Captain rolling her eyes when Jisung said he found it,” Minho chuckled, “She knows that Eunji tries to fuck with stews, but that’s one of the first times she’s actually caught it as it’s happening.”

“I don’t want to get Eunji or Mari in trouble,” the blonde said quietly and Minho wanted to just wrap him up in a big blanket and protect him from the harshness of the world. Even when someone was mistreating him so much, Felix was still considerate of their feelings. 

“I believe if someone doesn’t do their job right, they should be held accountable. Eunji isn’t prioritizing the guests like she should. She’s spending that time trying to make you miserable. I think it’s entirely justified if she’s reprimanded,” Minho said, appealing to Felix’s work ethic to make him feel less guilty.

“I guess,” the younger boy sighed, “I just don’t like being the cause of problems.”

“You’re not the cause. You’re the target. Those two have always been the problem. You’re unfortunately in the line of fire,” Minho squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t blame yourself for someone else’s unprofessionalism, okay?”

“Okay,” Felix nodded, putting a hand on top of Minho’s as a thank you with his pretty smile. 

If Minho had even the slightest bit less self-control, he would have kissed Felix then and there. The blonde boy had somehow managed to plant himself firmly in Minho’s heart in a single day when it typically took him a significant amount of time to get attached to people.

“All crew, all crew- the guests will be returning in approximately 15 minutes,” Mari said through the radio, “There’s a request for a round of shots.”

Felix frowned slightly, looking at Minho in confusion. “Does she mean vodka or tequila or something else?”

“Is there a specific choice of liquor?” Minho asked into his own radio.

After a few moments, Chan responded. “They would like special cocktail shots. They want to be surprised.”

“Copy,” Minho said, putting down his radio, “Got any ideas, cocktail artist?”

Felix thrummed his fingers on the counter before grinning.

“What?” Minho asked.

“I’m thinking about either a Flirt or a Kiss.”

Minho blinked at him, looking utterly perplexed as he tried to understand what Felix meant.

“Considering the dinner is French-themed, it seems only fitting that we start it off with a French-themed shot,” Felix said.

“What’s the difference between them?”

“A Flirt is crisp. It’s citrusy and bubbly. A Kiss is layered and creamy,” Felix said, “I think we should do a Flirt. A Kiss is more of a dessert shot. It’s a kiss goodbye to a meal and a kiss hello to a good time.”

Minho felt his cheeks flush uncharacteristically as Felix winked at him as he passed by to start collecting what he needed. 

Felix was in the midst of pouring the cognac when Minho saw his “I have an idea” face.

He put the bottle down and looked at Minho. “I know we talked about wine pairings for the courses, but what do you think about doing classic French cocktails instead? Mini versions, so they don’t get totally drunk. We could match them to the flavors of the dishes.”

“Bokkie, I swear, you’re every chef’s dream stew. You truly are a treasure trove of brilliant ideas,” Minho said.

Felix grinned so wide, Minho wouldn’t have been surprised if he couldn’t see anything. The younger boy bounced around and wiggled his body excitedly, and it was such an adorable sight, Minho couldn’t help but smile too.

He knew that if any of the other crew members were there, he would have been relentlessly teased. If Jisung or Seungmin saw him, they would never let him forget it. Considering the fact that both of them were just as whipped for Felix as he was, he knew he had ammunition against them too if they ever tried to taunt him.

Felix strained the shaker into shooter glasses and topped each of them with champagne.

“Do you mind tasting this?” Felix asked, dipping a straw into the shaker and putting his finger over the top to trap a tiny amount. “I promise, I won’t get you drunk before you have to cook.”

Minho allowed the younger to bring the straw to his mouth, an action that he would never allow with someone else. The mix of lemon juice with the champagne and triple sec gave a crisp note to the nuttiness of the cognac. Minho wasn’t usually a fan of cocktails, but Felix was able to balance his drinks in a way that kept any one flavor from overwhelming the others.

“Oh, yeah. I think they’ll like that,” Minho nodded, letting the taste spread across his tongue.

“I’m gonna put a little simple syrup in some of them and give them the option of sweetened or unsweetened. Do you want me to make a little cracker and cheese plate for anyone who finishes getting changed fast, so they’re not starving while waiting?”

“Yes. Just not anything too filling,” Minho said.

“Gouda, brie, and manchego for the cheese. Mini rice crackers and grapes?”

“That’s good. Cheese is in the second drawer of the left fridge. Give me a minute with this sauce and I can help slice it,” Minho nodded.

“I got it, don’t worry,” Felix assured him.

A few minutes before the guests arrived, Minho carried the cheese plate up to the deck while Felix carried the drinks and warmed up rolled hand towels.

“Do you need anything else?” Minho asked. 

“Nah, I think I’m good. Thank you,” the younger responded, hugging him.

“Bokkie, I think you’re the most affectionate person on this planet,” Minho chuckled.

“Too much?” Felix asked concernedly.

“No,” the chef said immediately, “I… it’s something I’m not used to. Even with family. Last time Chan tried to hug me, I accidentally punched him on instinct.”

“Do I… have to worry about that?”

“Definitely not,” Minho shook his head. He was unsure how he knew, he just knew that his brain would never allow him to injure Felix.

“I hear it,” Felix looked out to the water.

Minho listened closely before he caught the faint sound of the tender’s engine.

“I’m headed back down,” Minho said.

“You don’t wanna greet the guests?”

“Nope,” the chef scoffed, “Social interaction isn’t really my thing. I’ll leave that to butterflies like you. Do you ever get drained by it all?”

“Sometimes,” Felix nodded, “I’m not good when I’m alone though. Every once in a while, I need to cuddle up with someone and just not talk.”

Minho shifted on his feet and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. “You can… you can come to me when you, um, if you need… if you need that.”

Felix smiled brightly, grabbing Minho’s hand and squeezing it as a thank you before letting him go so he could retreat back to the galley and avoid the guests as the tender came into view. 

Chan helped each of the guests off of the tender and onto the yacht while Felix passed out the warm towels.

“How was the picnic?” Felix asked.

“It was fantastic,” Amy said at the same time as Trina said, “It was too hot.”

“We’re gonna go take showers. Let’s do dinner at 8,” Doyun accepted the towel.

“I’ll let Chef Minho know,” Felix nodded, “As requested, I have special cocktail shots for you.”

Felix picked up the tray of drinks and explained it in both languages, “This is called a French Flirt. It’s cognac, lemon juice, triple sec, and champagne. This side has a little bit of simple syrup if anyone would like it sweeter.”

“Do we sip it or take it as a shot?” one of the guests, Jongsoo, asked.

“As a shot, but you can sip it if you’d prefer,” Felix said.

“Felix, I may have to have a full-sized one of those,” Amy held her empty shot glass.

“Of course!” Felix chirped, happy to see his creation enjoyed. “For each of your courses tonight, there will be a mini cocktail pairing of classic French drinks.”

“Ooo, that sounds interesting,” Susan clapped her hands.

Felix repeated it in Korean and received a thumbs-up of approval from the men.

“I can leave your drink outside your door if you’d like to shower after your time at the beach,” Felix offered Amy as each guest began descending the stairs to their cabins. 

“Sounds good. Thank you,” she nodded. 

Eunji walked right past Felix, pointedly ignoring both him and Chan with Mari following close behind her.

“How was it, Hyung?” Felix asked while the bosun and Changbin started unloading the equipment they had used.

“These guests are a lot to deal with already. Eunji made it miserable for the two of us to get back at us for Jisung telling her she was acting unprofessional,” Chan leaned in close to whisper directly in his ear, so no one else could hear.

Felix looked guilty, feeling bad that the reason they were treated so poorly was because Jisung was defending him. 

“It’s ok, sweetheart,” Chan patted him “It’s not your fault.”

“Cheffy made some pasta for you guys before dinner. I can get some bowls ready for you if you’d like,” Felix offered.

“Yes, God, yes,” Changbin groaned, “I’m starving. Eunji wouldn’t let us have any of the sandwiches you packed for us because it would be ‘inappropriate’ to eat in front of guests and threw them to the seagulls. She threw my sandwich! She threw my sandwich!”

“You gotta keep it down, Bin,” Chan put a finger up to quiet him, very aware of how far Changbin’s strong voice could travel.

“It’s not fair,” Changbin huffed, “That sandwich looked good. And Yongbokkie spent time packing it nicely and making sure it was kept cool! He did all that work for nothing.”

Felix took ahold of Changbin’s hand. “I’ll make sure you have something extra good to eat for dinner tonight.”

Changbin pulled him into a hug, flexing his muscles so Felix could not only see them but feel them as well, playing into Felix’s obvious attraction to them. 

“Oi, we gotta finish this,” Chan poked Changbin’s shoulder. As much as he wanted to give his lead deckhand time to hang out with Felix, they were in the middle of a charter and they had work to do. 

“Sorry, sorry,” Felix apologized for distracting them and tried to step away, but Changbin kept a hold around him.

“Can’t he stay on deck with us?” Changbin asked the bosun.

“I have to serve a guest,” Felix said to prevent Chan from having to put his foot down. “I’ll call you to the galley when there’s some food ready for you.”

Changbin sighed dramatically, pretending to wipe a tear away as he released Felix. The steward gave him a final hug to his muscular arm before switching to Chan and doing the same.

They watched as Felix walked away, disappointed to see the silver blonde hair disappear around the corner.

“You get to share a room with him,” Changbin muttered angrily, “You get to spend more time with him than anyone else.”

Chan put down the cooler he was carrying and looked at him. “Listen, I would love for us all to be able to just relax and hang out right now, but this is a job. When we’re done with the charter, we get to take him on his first crew night out. I know for a fact that Felix does not want to see any kind of drop in standards. You’ve seen how seriously he takes his duties.”

“You sure you’re not just keeping him for yourself?” Changbin questioned, lips drawn tight.

All Chan had to do was raise his brows and Changbin deflated, hanging his head.

“Sorry, Hyung,” Changbin said.

Chan patted his back, “It’s okay, bro. I understand how you feel. If I had it my way, I’d be with him 24/7. He’s one of those rare people that you can’t help but adore.”

“I really like him. Like… really like him,” Changbin crossed his arms, “It’s kinda hard to ignore the way I feel whenever he’s near.”

“You don’t have to ignore it,” Chan said, “You don’t have to pretend that you have no feelings. You just have to figure out how to balance the personal with the professional.”

“How are you doing it so well? You feel the same way about him as I do, so how are you managing it?”

“Honestly, I’m not doing all that well either,” Chan grimaced, “He’s just… he really is something else. I swear, he’s not human. All I’m doing is reminding myself that Felix wants to do his job to a degree that is as close to perfect as possible, so I can’t allow myself to do something that would jeopardize his goal.”

“Welp, that’s as good of a reason as it gets,” Changbin nodded, “I’m gonna use that. Just gotta remind myself that it’s for him.”

They both jumped when Jisung popped his head out of the open window and said, “You two sound like lovesick teen girls gushing about their school crush.”

“Oh, like you and I weren’t doing exactly that last night?” Changbin retorted, “You kept talking about how pretty his freckles are and how warm he is to cuddle with!”

“Wai- what? Cuddle?” Chan asked, “When did you cuddle with him?”

“Yesterday,” Jisung blushed, “When Eunji finally gave him a break, he walked by and he saw me practicing knots. He asked me to show him how to tie one and then I let him stay with me and take a little nap."

“They were on m y bed too,” Changbin muttered, voice laced with jealousy.

“He can’t sleep unless he’s hugging something and I was there. I didn’t want him to have to go back to his room only to get up again in a couple of minutes,” the younger deckhand shrugged, “He’s a really good student by the way. He got the bowline right on the first try.”

“Can he get any more perfect?” Changbin asked.

“I like the fact that he is always happy to learn something new,” Chan said, “He’s curious about everything.”

“I’m worried he’s gonna work himself too hard, especially with Eunji pushing him,” Jisung bit his lip.

“I don’t get why she’s so horrible to him when he’s making work easier for her,” Changbin shook his head.

“She just doesn’t want it to look like he’s better at the job than she is,” Jisung said.

“Keep it down,” Chan tapped him, “If she hears you, she’ll go after you. We already have to do that ‘discussion’ with her later about what happened on the beach. Don’t make things worse.”

“Can it even get worse when it’s so bad?”

“Trust me, it can get way worse.”

---

When Felix left the deck, he made Amy’s drink and placed it on a tray, leaving it outside her door before he went back to the kitchen. “Cheffy, which fridge has the pasta? Channie hyung and Changbin hyung didn’t get to eat at the beach party.”

“Left side fridge. They can serve themselves, but you can do it if you really want to,” Minho shrugged, somewhat against Felix spending what little free time he had on things the crew could do on their own.

“I’m just gonna check and see if anyone else wants some too,” Felix said before asking over the radio. A chorus of yeses responded, including the captain. The only ones to not answer were the two other stews.

“Do you want any, Hyungie?” Felix asked Minho.

“Yongbokkie, you already serve the guests. You don’t need to be serving the crew as well.”

“I like doing it though,” the younger said, “I get kinda anxious if I don’t check to make sure everyone has whatever they might need. Plus, I just like seeing people happy, and food is usually a pretty good way to do that, right?”

“That just screams ‘I’ll do anything to make people like me’. Pathetic,” Eunji rolled her eyes as she stalked past him.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Minho shoved a pan away from him angrily, making Felix jump at the loud sound. 

The younger grabbed onto his sleeve to stop Minho from following her out.

“It’s fine. It’s fine, Hyung,” he said.

“No, it’s not,” Minho tried to pull away but Felix latched onto his arm, staring up at him with his big, doe eyes.

“Please, just let it go,” Felix held on tight, the pleading tone in his voice shifting Minho’s attention from fighting Eunji to comforting Felix. 

Jeongin and Jisung peered in, drawn by the unusual amount of genuine anger in Minho’s shout rather than his normal annoyance. “What’s going on?” Jeongin asked.

“Someone needs to keep Eunji away from me until dinner service unless they want a fucking war starting,” Minho said through gritted teeth, unknowingly pulling Felix closer by his waist.

Jisung scowled, not knowing exactly what Eunji had done but unnerved by how much it had agitated the chef, especially with Felix looking nervous.

“You alright?” Jisung asked the blonde boy.

“I’m fine,” Felix assured, “It really wasn’t that bad.”

“She just called you pathetic!” Minho was staring at the door like he was telepathically daring Eunji to come back in.

“Are you serious?” Jeongin questioned, matching Jisung’s deepening scowl.

“She just fucking walked through here and said that Yongbok wanting to get plates ready for you guys was him trying to get people to like him and called him pathetic!”

“Ack, Hyung,” Felix winced, lightly tapping Minho’s forearm around his waist. “If you squeeze me any tighter, you’ll break me.”

Minho immediately released him, cupping his face with both hands. “Shit, I’m so sorry. Are you okay?” he asked gently, raising the eyebrows of the two deckhands.

Felix affectionately nuzzled against one of his hands, reminding Minho of his cats back at home.

“I’m all good,” Felix smiled.

Jeongin tapped Jisung’s arm, leaning over and quietly whispering, “I think we should tell Chan hyung what she said. She’s bullying Felix. Captain should really know about this.”

Jisung nodded in agreement. He wasn’t particularly a fan of snitching on fellow crewmates, but Eunji had crossed the line from harshness to harassment. 

“We’ll get him alone during lunch,” Jisung said.

The two deckhands hovered around Felix, helping him warm several bowls of pasta before they called over the radio for everyone to join. Felix prepared a tray with some lemonade for the captain, and the moment he left the crew mess, Jisung and Jeongin pulled Chan aside and brought him to Minho for the chef to repeat what happened.

Chan tried his hardest to hide his anger when Felix returned, but the younger boy paused at the doorway, hesitating to enter after picking up on the tension.

“Not angry at you, Bokkie,” Jeongin said and Felix took a relieved breath.

“Are you not eating?” Seungmin asked, counting the number of bowls.

“I’m not on break,” Felix shook his head.

“Mari, Mari- Minho,” the chef pulled his radio.

“Yes?”

“Felix is joining us for lunch,” he said.

“No, he needs to go to laundry right now and work on the towels from the beach party,” Eunji called over the radio.

Minho’s knuckles went white as he pressed the button, “He’ll go there right after lunch.”

“I need him there now.”

“Well, I’m not letting him leave the crew mess until after he eats.”

“He is my stew, Lee Minho. I haven’t sent him on break yet.”

“You can’t deny a lunch break.”

“I can decide when that lunch break happens.”

Captain Jung’s annoyed voice interrupted. “That’s enough. I will not have you arguing over the radio like children. Both of you, come to the wheelhouse right now. Felix, you have thirty minutes.”

The younger Australian boy looked wracked with guilt, quietly apologizing over and over. The chef ruffled his hair gently, trying to assure him that he wasn’t mad at him. Felix anxiously bit his lip as Minho left and Jeongin took his hand, pulling him to sit down at the table while Jisung warmed a bowl for him.

Changbin sat on Felix’s left side, patting the blonde’s thigh.

“He isn’t gonna get fired, right?” Felix asked.

Changbin snorted, “There’s no way in hell Captain would fire a chef like him. The whole boat would fall apart. He probably has the most job security out of all of us. Don’t worry about him, alright?”

Jisung nudged the bowl toward him, urging him to eat.

“But what if h-”

“Felix,” Jisung put a hand over the steward’s, “Take a breath and eat.”

It wasn’t often that Jisung gave orders, but it was clear that Felix was a person who needed someone else to be in charge. Adding just a little bit of sternness to his tone had Felix obeying immediately, picking up his chopsticks and taking a bite.

Jisung had to fight the smugness he was feeling while the other crew members added a new entry to the mental list of times that Felix’s submissiveness made an appearance. 

“That’s gonna be the death of me,” Hyunjin whispered quietly to Seungmin.

Felix went back to work the moment 30 minutes passed and Seungmin sighed, “I wish he could take an actual break. We all get at least an hour and the other stews get two hours.”

“Eunji is gonna try and work him down to the bone,” Jisung said, “Especially after whatever the hell is happening in the wheelhouse right now.”

“I think we should submit a formal complaint about her,” Seungmin looked to Chan.

“I’m gonna have a discussion with Captain at the end of the charter. You might be called up to answer questions,” he said.

The crew nodded, willing to give any information they could to support the sunshine boy. 

The deckhands started planning everything on the itinerary listed for the following day, strategizing how to make sure they could fit everything in the proper amount of time when Hyunjin and Seungmin looked at their phones.

“Hyung, Felix just said the auto door on the aft deck isn’t opening,” Seungmin said to Chan.

“Shit, alright. Let’s get that fixed before the guests see,” he stood up.

The two engineers grabbed their toolboxes and followed him up to where Felix was standing by the door.

“Is it opening partially or not at all?” Hyunjin asked.

“Not at all,” Felix shook his head.

“Felix, go set the table. Make it look French,” Mari instructed from the hallway.

Even with Mari’s coldness, Felix was grinning ear-to-ear at the idea of making a French-themed tablescape. He raided the ship for anything that piqued his interest for the design. Hyunjin, Seungmin, and Chan watched him practically dance around as he decorated while they worked on fixing the automatic door.

“Pretty,” Seungmin said quietly.

“He’s really good at those designs,” Chan nodded.

“I meant him. He’s pretty.”

“He is,” Hyunjin agreed, smiling back at Felix when he looked in their direction.

“First time I’ve heard you call someone else pretty,” Seungmin knocked his leg against Hyunjin’s. “You usually only say that when you look in a mirror.”

“I don’t do that,” Hyunjin protested.

“Yes, you do. I hear you go ‘Oh, yeah. That looks sexy’ when we get ready for a night out.”

“Do you actually do that?” Chan asked.

“… Maybe I do. So what? A man’s not allowed to appreciate how he looks?” Hyunjin put his hands on his hips.

“Hyungies!” Felix called and all three of them immediately turned toward him. “Flowers here or here?” He moved white roses from the center of the table to the ends of the table to show the options.

“I like it in the middle,” Seungmin said.

“I was thinking that too,” Felix nodded, “Oh, wait!”

He grabbed a large tiered candle and put it in the center before splitting the flowers and placing them on either side. He stepped back and tilted his head before nudging one of the flowers lightly, exactly how a cat would. 

“Thoughts?” Felix asked.

“We’re not exactly the best second opinions for design but I think it looks very nice,” Chan said.

“Speak for yourself,” Hyunjin poked him with the blunt end of a screwdriver. “I’m great at design. Not as good as Felix clearly, but I can give decent input.”

“What’s your input, then?” Seungmin asked.

“I think it looks gorgeous,” Hyunjin said, admiring the blush on Felix’s cheeks as his work was praised.

“Is there anything you need from us?” Seungmin questioned the blonde.

Felix shook his head with a smile as he expertly folded the napkins in a French pleat. 

“Should we test the door now?” Chan asked.

“Yeah, go for it,” Seungmin nodded.

Chan stepped back and walked towards the door, hoping it would open and he wouldn’t slam into the glass. Thankfully, it slid open smoothly, closing behind him as the two engineers high fived while Felix gave a celebratory whoop.

“When's the dinner?” Hyunjin questioned.

“At 8. Cheffy is gonna save some of the food from the courses so everyone can try it,” Felix responded.

“I’m dying for that Wellington,” Chan sighed, “It’s been sooooo long since he made it.”

“I’m just excited to taste French food,” Seungmin said, “I haven’t really had a lot of it.”

“I think you’ll like it. If Korean food is the master of spice balance, French food is the master of herbs,” Felix folded the last napkin and placed it on the plate. He stepped back, eyes scanning the table and surrounding decorations to make sure everything was in place.

“Did you take classes for this?” Chan pointed.

“No, I just read a lot of books and watched how the designers at my aunt’s company did it,” Felix said, “I wish we had more bronze-colored things.”

“Hey, Jeongin just messaged and said Minho is back in the kitchen,” Chan looked at his phone, “I think he’s getting ready to start on dinner.”

“I’m gonna go help him,” Felix nodded, crouching to assist the engineers with putting their tools away in the box.

Hyunjin patted his shoulder and said, “Let us know if you need anything, alright?” 

Chan held out his hand, helping Felix stand up and walking him to the galley before returning back to the deck.

“Are you okay?” Felix approached Minho nervously.

“I got a verbal ass-whooping but it definitely wasn’t as bad as Eunji’s,” Minho said, smirking. “God, I wish I could have taken a picture of her face. It was magnificent.”

“Are you still in trouble though?”

“No,” he shook his head, “Captain isn’t one to hold a grudge. She pretty much just threatened to ground me and keep me on the boat for the next night out if I fight on the radio again. I’m not a huge fan of partying anyway though. I usually just go to dinner with them and come back to the boat instead of clubbing.”

“I knew there were crew dinners on land but I didn’t know about the clubbing,” Felix said as he washed his hands.

“Most of the time it’s just drinking and enjoying music. Hyunjin and Chan are the only two who will actually dance with others. Everyone else is too awkward to try. They just hang in a little circle. It’s more just a time for escaping the workplace than actually trying to get in the dating game.”

“Is there a good nightlife around here?” Felix asked.

“Eh, we’re not really a fan of the places by the marina. It’s mostly rich assholes and shitty music. We usually take a taxi to a couple of clubs farther inland. Hongdae has a good night scene but it takes a while to get there.”

“I love Hongdae!” Felix smiled as he dried his hands, “Itaewon has the best gay clubs though. I haven’t really done a lot of exploring outside of central Seoul.”

“I didn’t take you for someone who likes clubbing,” Minho said, “I figured you were more the excursion type.”

“Excursion?” Felix repeated the word, unsure of the English translation. 

“Going on trips like visiting places or doing activities,” the chef clarified.

“Oooh,” Felix nodded, “I like doing that too, but sometimes, it’s fun to just let loose and party.”

“Eh, I’d rather go to the street food in Myeongdong, but that’s mostly because I’ve already had my share of partying.”

“You got some interesting stories, Hyung?” Felix raised a brow.

“Many, but I’ll tell you about them some other time. Are you still up to being a sous chef for this dinner?”

“Hell yeah,” Felix clapped, excited to work with the older man.

The blonde focused on prep, making sure that they would be able to move from course to course easily while Minho focused on the main components. They stood side by side with Felix chopping herbs while the chef dolloped the pesto sauce on the scallops.

“Chef, Chef- Mari.”

“Go ahead.”

“Guests sitting in 10 minutes.”

“You should go change your uniform and get into your blacks,” Minho tapped Felix’s shoulder.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” he nodded, cleaning the space he was using so as not to leave a mess in Minho’s galley. The chef gave him an appreciative smile, loving the way the younger boy respected his domain. 

Felix quickly headed to his room but paused as he heard exasperated muttering and looked down the hallway towards one of the machine rooms.

“Are you alright, Hyung?” Felix asked, noticing Hyunjin crouching down.

“Yeah, I just dropped my screwdriver down the grate. I’m gonna have to find another so I can pull this up and get it,” Hyunjin brushed his brown hair out of his face.

Felix approached to take a look, peering over his shoulder to see where Hyunjin was shining his flashlight. The screwdriver glinted beneath the slotted bars of the steel grate, and Felix saw a gap between the edge of the grate and the wall.

“I might be able to get it,” Felix said, “Can I try?”

“Unless you have baby hands, I don’t think it’s possible,” Hyunjin shook his head.

“Well…,” Felix held his hand up amusedly, reminding Hyunjin that he did, in fact, have baby hands.

Hyunjin took the opportunity to press his against Felix, comparing their sizes. He couldn’t hold back his coo when he realized Felix’s hands were so small, he could curl his fingers over them.

“Oh, my god. So cute!” Hyunjin exclaimed in English. 

Felix blushed brightly, smiling as he interlaced their fingers playfully.

“I can always get the last crisp in a Pringles can,” Felix laughed, “The screwdriver is kinda at a weird angle though.”

“It’s okay if you can’t get it,” Hyunjin assured.

“I wanna at least try though,” the blonde said, “Can you hold the light a little higher, please?”

Hyunjin lifted the flashlight, moving it to the side to give Felix a better view. The younger boy slipped his hand right through the gap, snickering at Hyunjin’s surprised gasp. He nudged the tip of the screwdriver to get it in a better position before he was able to wrap his fingers around it and pull it up.

He handed the screwdriver back to the engineer, a happy grin plastered on his face.

“The Angel of Saturn,” Hyunjin leaned forward and hugged him. Felix made one of the happy sounds that went straight to Hyunjin’s heart as Felix squeezed him back. 

“I’ve gotta get changed,” Felix pouted, wishing he could spend more time with the engineer.

Hyunjin nodded, not realizing he was reaching out until he was stroking Felix’s fluffy hair and the younger boy looked beyond delighted by the physical affection.

With any other person, Hyunjin would have tried to dodge contact as much as possible. With Felix, he wanted more and more. He would have happily leaned in and kissed him, but he was having difficulties reading Felix’s signals. 

From what Hyunjin could tell, Felix wasn’t trying to instigate any jealousy. It seemed like he was attracted to all of them, but Hyunjin was still worried that he was misreading it all and it was entirely innocent. 

Everything that Hyunjin would have normally considered flirting, like being openly touchy, batting his lashes, and glancing down at lips while someone was talking seemed to be something Felix did with the majority of them. 

It could be explained as Felix being an affectionate person, blinking while trying to translate in his head, and looking at lips to make sure he was hearing correctly. The only thing that made him doubt it was the fact that Felix hadn’t done it with Eunji or Mari or the captain and guests who were speaking in Korean.

His worries lessened slightly when Felix’s gaze flickered to his lips when he wasn’t talking, disproving his theory that Felix was reading lips. 

“I’ll be in the engine room if you wanna stop by later,” Hyunjin offered, and Felix nodded excitedly.

It was the biggest confidence booster to see how joyful Felix was just at the prospect of seeing him again. 

Felix rushed to his room and changed his outfit, making sure his makeup and hair still looked intact. When he came back to the kitchen, Minho struggled to avoid looking at the way the uniform accentuated his features, particularly his tiny waist.

Every once in a while, Minho thought he caught sight of a little smirk like Felix knew his attention was on him and was enjoying it. 

“Hyung, would you like me to translate to the English-speaking guests when you introduce the courses?” Felix asked, standing beside the chef as he helped to plate the dishes.

“Yes,” Minho nodded as Eunji and Mari came to the galley, already changed into their uniforms.

“The guests are sitting,” the chief stew said.

“I’ll be ready to serve in 2 minutes,” Minho responded, “Yongbok is gonna translate for me for the Americans.”

“Felix, do you have the first set of cocktail pairings?” Mari asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, “I have them on a tray up at the bar.”

Eunji turned to Mari. “Once the dishes are placed, serve the drinks while they're introducing the meal.”

“Hyung, do you want to serve these with spoons or forks?” Felix asked, pointing to the scallops.

“Spoons,” Minho said, “Use the small ones in that drawer over there.”

Felix seemed to pick up on Minho’s rising stress level and stopped asking questions to let him focus. The blonde boy gave Minho’s shoulder a squeeze and the touch instantly comforted him slightly. 

“We’re ready to go,” Minho nodded as he finished the plating. 

The stews balanced two plates on one arm and held the third plate in the other hand, so all nine plates came up at the same time.

“Good evening,” Minho greeted the table, saying it in English as well with the pronunciation Felix helped him with earlier in the day.

“Good evening, Chef,” Doyun said. 

“Your first course is a Coquilles Saint Jacques. It’s scallops with shallots in a pesto sauce,” Minho explained and Felix repeated it in English.

Once Mari placed the mini cocktails on the table, Felix switched between Korean and English to say, “This is a French 75. It’s gin, fresh lemon juice, a little bit of simple syrup, and champagne.”

“Felix, do you speak French?” Amy asked, smiling when the stew nodded. “Bien. On peut parler dans leur dos.”

Felix managed to cover up his laugh, maintaining his composure besides an amused grin.

“Wait, what?” Trina asked, “What does that mean?”

“It means ‘we can discuss world politics’,” Amy lied, shooting a sly smirk at Felix.

“We’ll let you enjoy your meal,” Eunji said, and Felix repeated it.

As soon as the door closed behind the crew when they entered the main salon, Felix broke down in a fit of giggles.

“What did she say?” Minho questioned.

Felix took a breath to collect himself, “She said, ‘Good. We can talk about them behind their backs.’”

“You will not do that,” Eunji declared sternly.

“Of course not, ma’am,” Felix nodded, “I’m just saying what she said.”

“Yongbokkie, what’s the next cocktail for the tomato bisque?” Minho asked. 

“It’s called a Black Rose,” the blonde boy answered, “I think the bourbon undertones will go well with it. I’m gonna change the ones for the ladies a little, just to make sure they enjoy it.”

“Get to work on those,” Eunji instructed, “That was a small dish, so we’ll be clearing the plates relatively soon.”

“I can have the next course ready to go in about 6 minutes,” Minho said, “Let me know when it looks like they’re almost done.”

Although Felix didn’t mention it, Minho could tell he was surprised that he and Eunji were communicating clearly with only the slightest bit of coldness and sass when they were usually at each other’s throats.

“It’s not because of the talk with Captain. This is what it’s like during services,” Minho whispered, “As soon as meals are over, it’s right back to normal. We only do this so we can get it done smoothly.”

“Minho, Minho- Mari.”

“Go ahead,” Minho answered his radio.

“Clearing in about 3 minutes.”

“Heard,” the chef put his radio down and began slicing thin pieces of the flatbread. “Bokkie, do you have everything you need?” he asked as he noticed Felix cursing under his breath. 

“Yeah, I just didn’t know the pomegranate syrup had seeds in it and it’s taking a little while to strain,” the younger responded, using a spoon to stir the syrup in the strainer to make it drip faster.

“Will you be ready to go in about 5 minutes?” Minho questioned and Felix nodded.

The blonde shook two shakers before pouring an identical amount in each shooter glass and placing it on a try as Minho started plating.

Once Eunji and Mari brought down the used plates from the previous course, they all carried the new one up the stairs and to the deck. 

They were placed down in front of the guests, the soup in sleek bowls and the bread arranged in a delicate stack. 

“For your second course, you have a tomato bisque with a socca flatbread,” Minho said.

“Wow. This is incredible,” Amy said, and Felix knew he didn’t have to translate it from the way Minho gave her a slight appreciative nod.

“The drink is a Black Rose with cognac, pomegranate syrup, bourbon, angostura, and Peychaud,” Felix explained the drink in both languages.

“I don’t like bourbon,” Trina poked her tongue in her cheek in annoyance, “I told you this earlier. I didn’t expect you to forget so fast.”

“Both you and Ms. Kathy have white wine rather than bourbon. It’s a very different taste from the others, but I knew you would like it better.”

Amy grinned, delighted that Felix had taken away Trina’s opportunity to complain. Amy took a sip of her drink which was unchanged from the others at the table and gave Felix a thumbs up out of Trina and Kathy’s view. 

When they returned to the galley, Felix mumbled quietly, “Okay, drinks going for the next few courses. Gimlet for the maquereaux, Tart for the landaise, Kir Royale for the boeuf en croute, and end with the Kiss for the crème brûlée.”

“I didn’t catch all that,” Minho said, trying to listen closely as he stirred the sauce for the fish.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m just talking to myself. It helps me get my brain focused. I have too many ideas in my head and they’re all different languages. It’s pure chaos sometimes.”

“You spent a lot of time in France. Do you think in French sometimes, or is it mostly in English?” Minho asked.

“Mostly English but I used to think in French frequently. At this point, I think more often in Korean than in French. I guess It’s because it’s what people around me are speaking and it’s what I’m reading. Someone says something to me in Korean, I translate in my head to English and think of a response, and then translate that response in Korean.”

“That sounds exhausting,” Minho whistled.

“I need that though,” Felix shrugged, “I need to be exhausted. If I haven’t had enough of a mental workout, I’m up all night.”

“Chan is the same way, but with physical workouts instead of mental. The deckhands take every opportunity to claim the local gym. They try to drag the rest of us along with them.”

“Not a fan of the gym, hey?” 

“There’s workout equipment here. I’m not particularly social, especially when there are gross, sweaty people,” Minho wrinkled his nose, “Do you like gyms?”

“I like dance studios more,” Felix said, “There’s something so satisfying about the sound of beats on wood.”

“I agree,” Minho nodded, “It’s therapeutic.”

“You dance?” Felix asked.

“I used to. Before I started cooking. I was in a dance company that went to all sorts of competitions.”

“I knew you’d have great rhythm,” Felix said, pausing immediately when he realized that it sounded slightly sexual.

“Hyunjin dances as well. He had professional training,” Minho said, trying to prevent Felix from feeling more awkward, “There’s a studio not too far away from the port. Sometimes, we go there while the others are at the gym. You’re welcome to come along next time, if you’d like.”

“I would love to!” Felix jumped excitedly at the prospect of dancing again. 

“Minho, Minho- Eunji.”

“Go ahead,” Minho responded to his radio.

“We’ll be clearing in about 3 minutes.”

“Copy. I’ll be ready in 6.”

“And the drinks, Felix?”

The blonde grabbed his own radio and said, “They’ll be ready at the same time, ma’am.”

“Copy.”

When they brought the next course up, they went through the same exchange as before with Minho explaining the dish in Korean and Felix translating it into English.

“This course is a maquereaux au vin blanc, which is mackerel in white wine sauce. For your drink, this is a Gimlet with gin, lime, and St. Germain elderflower liqueur.”

A chorus of “yum” sounds arose from the table during the first bite as Felix followed Minho back down to the galley to get the next course ready. When they were out of view, Felix held his hands up and gave the chef a double high-five.

They worked through the next few courses with Minho fighting off the deckhands who were trying to snag some of the beef Wellington since the one the chef prepared for them hadn’t been placed in the oven yet.

“Final course,” Minho patted Felix’s lower back, “You ready for this?”

“Yes, Sir!” Felix chirped innocently, not knowing that the title instantly made heat flare up in Minho’s abdomen.

The older man bit the inside of his cheek, refusing to allow any emotion to show that might give away his feelings. The only issue was that Felix was far too perceptive for his own good and picked up on Minho’s sudden change.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I forgot to check to see if the blowtorch is working,” Minho pulled a random excuse as he sprinkled sugar on top of the crème brûlées.

“Ah, okay,” Felix nodded although it was clear that he knew there was some other reason that Minho was not sharing.

Felix’s jaw dropped when he saw the blowtorch. “Why is yours so big?!” he exclaimed, “All of the ones I’ve seen are tiny.”

Minho couldn’t help but snort, pinching his nose to try and stop his laugh. He saw the moment Felix realized the innuendo he had just said and covered his face in embarrassment, hunching over and groaning out, “Oh, God. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it to sound like that.”

“That’s my kind of humor. Immature and inappropriate,” Minho grinned, “Don’t tell anyone though. I have to keep the appearance that I’m a mature adult.”

“Any other crew members with dirty minds?” Felix asked.

“Chan and Hyunjin,” Minho answered without skipping a beat.

“I knew it!” Felix blurted, covering his mouth when he realized how loud he had been.

“Four minutes to clearing.”

“Copy. We’ll be ready then,” Minho said before he turned to Felix, “I’m gonna use the torch now. You should stand back.”

Felix grabbed all the ingredients for the final cocktail and moved out of the way, giving plenty of space as Minho lit up the torch and began to melt the sugar on top of the custard. 

A man with a lit blow torch would normally be a somewhat intimidating sight, but Felix would be lying if he said it didn’t look kinda hot, and not because of the flame. Minho had a powerful energy and the tool in his hand only highlighted it. 

Felix dug his knuckles into his own thigh to try and focus on something else, feeling wrong for thinking of his Hyung in such a way when Minho was just doing his job. It didn’t help that all of the men on the boat had varying degrees of the same kind of energy.

The exact kind of energy he just so happened to be attracted to. 

“Ready with the drinks?” Minho asked, snapping Felix out of his wandering mind.

“Uh, al-almost,” Felix responded, pouring the last layer into each glass, “Okay. Done.”

“Table cleared.”

“Ready to go,” Minho said into the radio.

Eunji and Mari brought the used plates down again and the four of them walked up together to introduce the final course.

“Your last course is a coconut cream crème brûlée and your drink is a French Kiss which is hazelnut liqueur, Irish cream, and amaretto. For the guests who don’t have dairy, your Irish cream is replaced with an almond Irish cream instead.”

Felix stayed by the bar, making drinks for anyone who requested them as the guests finished eating.

“Oh, man, I’m stuffed,” Byungho leaned back.

“How was your meal?” Eunji asked.

“Delicious,” Doyun said, “My compliments to the chef.”

“I’ll be sure to let him know,” she smiled but Felix knew damn well that she wouldn’t ever give a word of praise to Minho.

“I think we should get in that jacuzzi,” Susan looked toward Kathy.

“Felix,” Trina snapped her fingers in the air like she was calling over a dog, drawing his attention from the bar where he was making a scotch for Arata. “Have a deckhand heat up the hot tub and then bring up a bottle of wine,” she said as she stood.

“Rosé?” Felix asked.

“Obviously,” Trina rolled her eyes.

Felix managed to flag Changbin as he passed by the window and asked him to heat the tub. Susan, Trina, and Kathy walked by, ignoring their existence as they returned to their cabins to change back into their swimsuits.

Felix handed Arata his drink and said in Korean, “The ladies have requested to use the hot tub. Would you like to join them?”

“I can’t stand another moment with them,” Jongsoo shook his head, apologizing when Doyun shot him a look.

“I think we’ll just hang out in the salon,” Doyun said, “Have a couple more drinks before bed.”

The three stews cleared the plates from the table before Mari and Eunji left Felix to take down the decorations and wipe everything. Mari was allowed to go to bed and Eunji served the men in the salon while Felix cleaned and checked on the Americans. 

He paused when Amy approached him. “Please tell Chef Minho that it was a lovely dinner,” she said, “If I ever hired a private chef, I would want it to be him.”

“He’ll be very happy to hear that,” Felix smiled wide, proud of the older man for executing a complicated yet delicious meal. He was certain Minho had done it hundreds of times, but it still felt good to see people appreciating it as they should.

“Will you be joining the other ladies in the hot tub?” Felix asked.

Amy shook her head, “Oh, God no. I need a moment of peace and quiet. Just a warning, the other girls wake up pretty early. They’ll probably have a lot of wine but I still think they’d probably be up at 6:30 or so. They like to do yoga in the morning, but they’re obnoxious about it and really loud.”

“I’ll have yoga mats and mimosas ready for them then,” he said, “Would you like to be woken up at a certain time?”

“Maybe like half an hour before breakfast. All I need is a cup of coffee and I’m good to go.”

“Vanilla latte with a little bit of sugar and some cinnamon?” Felix asked.

“I can’t believe you actually remembered that,” she laughed, “Yes, that would be perfect. Good night and good luck for tomorrow.”

“Good night, Ms. Amy,” Felix nodded.

As soon as Felix went down the stairs and into the galley, he bounded over to Minho, beaming brightly.

Minho was almost too distracted by Felix’s beautiful smile to hear what he was saying.

“Amy wanted me to tell you that it was a lovely dinner and if she ever hired a private chef, she would want it to be you!” Felix jumped up and down, hugging Minho’s arm.

Minho couldn’t help but smile fondly, endeared by the way Felix was so enthusiastic about someone else’s accomplishment. The chef stroked Felix’s hair, wrapping his arms around the younger. He caught Seungmin staring at them from the corner. The engineer looked like he had been about to grab the extras Minho made from the crew fridge but focused on them upon seeing Felix come in.

“There’s extra from all of the courses in there but make sure there’s enough for everyone,” Minho said.

Felix turned to see who he was talking to and smiled, waving to Seungmin, who unconsciously matched the blonde’s grin with his own.

“Hi, Hyung! Do you want some tea?” Felix asked.

“I’d love some, thanks,” Seungmin nodded.

“The strawberry herbal one?”

Seungmin blinked at him in surprise, “How did you know that’s what I like?”

“I know that you like strawberry-flavored things and you mentioned last night to Jisung hyung that you’re trying not to have caffeine late in the day, so I just made a guess,” Felix shrugged.

“God, you really do pay attention to everything,” Seungmin laughed.

“It’s impressive,” Minho said, “Truly. It’s a talent to be so attentive.”

Seungmin gave Minho a side eye, amused that the chef, who seldom complimented people, was openly and repeatedly praising Felix. The Australian filled the kettle with water and grabbed a mug that he somehow seemed to know was Seungmin’s favorite as Minho finished wiping down the stovetop.

“Hyunjin is headed to bed,” Seungmin said, “I’ve got some repairs to do in the engine room. You’re doing the late shift, right?”

“Mhmm,” Felix nodded.

“I’ll be done at 2 or 3, but you can come visit before then if you’d like,” he offered.

“Okay,” the stew smiled.

“I’m going to bed too but I’ll be up at 5:30 for prep,” Minho said, “When do you want me to bake the croissants?”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m gonna get up to do it and then go back to bed right after.”

“Nooo, you shouldn’t interrupt your sleep. You’re definitely going to need it. Just tell me how to do it,” Minho said. 

“They have to cool for 20 minutes before they’re served, so it kinda depends on when the guests are getting up. Amy said the Americans get up early to do yoga. The croissants bake for 15 minutes with an egg wash at 245º then it has to be turned down to 177º for 10 to 15 minutes more until they’re that golden color. I’d say it would be good to start about an hour before you plan on serving.”

“Is it a standard egg wash?” Minho asked

“Yeah, just an egg and water. We have to make sure none of it pools around the bottom, so only a light brush.”

“Anything else? You were planning on making a whole bunch of things,” Minho said.

“I think I’ve got everything I need,” Felix waved him off.

“Alright, I’m headed down then,” Minho patted him, “Good night, Yongbokkie.”

“Good night, Hyung!” Felix hugged him, basking in the moment of Minho stroking his hair tenderly before releasing the older man as the kettle whistled.

Seungmin nodded an acknowledgment to the chef as he walked past him and into the hallway where their cabins were. Felix poured the hot water, letting it steep for a few minutes and tapping on the handle of the cup to make sure it wasn’t too hot for Seungmin to hold.

He took the teabag out and handed it to the engineer.

“Thank you,” Seungmin said, “I’ll see you later?”

“Mhmm!” Felix nodded.

He was about to say something else when Eunji came in, making Felix jump in surprise for a moment. 

“Everyone is in their bedrooms now, so I’m going to sleep,” Eunji said, “The list of duties for the night stew is to wipe down all of the tables and bars, wash and polish dishes and silverware, sweep, mop, vacuum the salon, juice the oranges and grapefruits, clean the juicer, refill the coffee beans, collect and take out the trash, and restock the mini-fridges.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Felix nodded, listening intently. 

“You should have written that down. You’ll forget it and then I’ll have to do it in the morning because you didn’t do the job right.”

“I promise that it will all be done,” Felix assured her.

“It better be,” Eunji glared before picking up the whiteboard marker and writing the time next to her name to show when she went to bed.

Once she was out of the stew pantry, Felix took a breath to try and mentally organize how he was going to do all of the tasks while also cooking all of the pastries he had been planning. 

“I’m gonna let you focus. If you need any help, you can text me, okay?” Seungmin asked.

“Okay, thank you, Hyung.”

When Seungmin left, Felix alternated between the duties Eunji gave him and baking. He worked through each task as thoroughly as possible and kept a watch on the timing of everything he was baking. 

“Lix, what are you making? It smells really good,” Chan peeked around the corner of the galley.

“That oven has sablée shortcrust pastry and that one has the cake for the petit fours,” Felix pointed to them.

“What’s this?” Chan nodded to the tray on the table. 

“These are palmiers. It’s a type of cookie. Do you want to try one?” 

“Uh, y-yeah,” he said, “If there’s enough to spare.”

“I made extra of everything, so all the crew can have what the guests have,” Felix smiled, using a spatula to lift a cookie off of the tray and placed it on a small plate before handing it to him.

Chan wouldn’t have been surprised if his eyes rolled into the back of his head from the sweet, buttery, crispy delicacy that melted in his mouth as he took a bite.

“Felix, where have you been all my life?” Chan put the plate down and hugged the younger boy. 

“Just hanging around,” Felix laughed, hugging back and resting his cheek against Chan’s shoulder in a way that made the bosun want to hold him forever.

“How many things are you making?” Chan asked, looking around the kitchen at the different trays and ingredients that were neatly organized.

“Palmiers, tarts, petit fours, macarons, and bread for croque madames. Minho hyung said he would bake the croissants and pain au chocolate in the morning, so they’ll be fresh for breakfast.”

“You think you can get all of that done before the sun comes up?” Chan asked, astonished by Felix’s ambition.

“Mhmm,” he nodded, “I used to make all of that and a lot more every day that I was working at the bakery. I’ve got the timing down pretty well, so I think I’ll be able to handle it. The custard for the tarts, filling the macarons, and layering and frosting the petit fours are the time-consuming things.”

“I’m worried you’re gonna be really tired in the morning,” Chan frowned.

“It’s easier for me to take little naps than to sleep all night,” Felix shrugged.

“Eunji isn’t gonna give you many opportunities to do that.”

“I’ll figure out how to manage, don’t worry,” Felix leaned back to smile at him. Even despite Chan’s concern, Felix’s warm energy was enough to make him smile back.

“You headed to bed now?” Felix asked.

“Yeah. I’m doing one more check-in with Jeongin, then I’m going down,” Chan nodded.

“I’ll be as quiet as possible,” Felix said, considering the fact that their room was closest to the galley.

“Lix, I sleep like a brick,” the older man laughed, “It takes a lot of noise to wake me up, so don’t stress too much about that. I only wake up if someone starts talking to me, there’s an emergency alarm, or if I feel the boat dragging. If you need help with anything, you can come wake me. I really don’t mind.”

“You guys work so hard, I don’t want to take away any rest,” Felix shook his head.

“You have a heart of gold, you know that?” Chan patted his back, “A kind soul.”

Felix grinned, hugging him again and affectionately rubbing his cheek against Chan’s shoulder.

“God, I understand why Minho likes you so much,” Chan chuckled, “This is such cat behavior.”

From an outside perspective, it must have looked quite strange, but Chan was enjoying whatever the hell it was that Felix was doing. He never thought he would have such a soft spot for someone, but Felix had stolen his heart within a matter of minutes.

It wasn’t only the bond of being from the same place. There was some sort of connection that Chan had never felt with anyone before. He had only ever been in love with two people. One cheated on him with his own cousin, and the other moved away and got married to someone else. 

Beyond them, his relationships were short-lived and without substance. He longed to be with someone who brought the best out of him and in the brief time he had been around Felix, he was feeling exactly that.

Chan always avoided romantic involvement with coworkers, also known as “boatmances” in their industry. With each interaction with Felix though, Chan was getting closer to throwing out his own rule. He could easily see himself being a partner to the darling in his arms if Felix accepted him.

The only issue was that he knew every man on the ship was whipped for Felix too. He couldn’t bear the thought of ruining his friendships with his crewmates, who he considered more like family than some of his biological family. 

“When are you up?” Felix asked, leaning against the older man.

“At 5:30 and on deck at 6:30. Hoping these guests don’t wanna use the water toys right away. It’s never fun to deal with that fucking slide first thing in the morning.”

“It looks super heavy.”

“It is,” Chan nodded, “It’s over 180 kilograms.”

Felix pulled back to look at him in shock, “Are you serious?"

“Yep. If we do it in the morning, whoever did the night shift is in bed, so it’s only three deckhands hauling it.”

“If you need help, I can join.”

“No, no,” Chan shook his head sternly, “That’s a piece of equipment that could easily hurt someone if they don’t know how to handle it properly. I’m not gonna put you at risk like that.”

Felix pouted, unhappy at the thought of not being able to assist, and once again, Chan found himself at the mercy of puppy dog eyes.

“You can help us with other things though, if you want,” Chan quickly said, unable to bear disappointing the freckled boy.

Felix’s smile returned, and he hugged Chan again until the sound of his phone vibrating with an alarm caught their attention.

“Cake?” Chan asked.

“Sablée,” Felix said, grabbing the oven mitt on the countertop. “It’s the crust for the tarts.”

Chan stood at his side to look over his shoulder as Felix opened the oven. Inside were two trays of short, round metal tins. The bosun moved out of the way to give Felix space as he used mitts and pulled the trays out.

“God, that smells so good,” Chan inhaled as he placed them down on the table.

“Butter makes everything better,” Felix laughed, “French cuisine uses so much butter, it’s insane.”

“You know what I could go for?” Chan asked.

“What?”

The older man leaned in close, “Vegemite.”

Felix gasped loudly, “Hyung, you have no idea how long it’s been since I even heard someone say the word.”

“Guess what,” Chan rubbed his hands together.

“What?” Felix copied the way Chan leaned in, anticipation written all over his face.

“I have a jar in our room,” he grinned, “We can have some tomorrow.”

Felix squealed happily and jumped into Chan’s arms, unable to contain his excitement. The bosun reacted instinctively, catching him and pulling him close. 

Felix kissed his cheek the way family members did back in Australia, but it made Chan’s pulse race for a moment considering how close it was to his lips.

“Sorry, but you’re gonna have to be my snuggle buddy. Every time I try to hug the members, they run,” Chan said.

“Minho hyung told me he accidentally punched you.”

“Oh, sure. Accidentally,” Chan rolled his eyes, “He hates hugs.”

“I… he said I could hug him,” Felix spoke quietly, “Do you think he was just trying to make me happy? I don’t wanna make him feel uncomfortable.”

“Minho is brutally honest. He has no problem telling someone if he doesn’t like something. He’s not intentionally trying to hurt feelings, he is just a very honest person. It’s something I love about him. I know he won’t bullshit me or sugarcoat anything. If he told you you can hug him, he means it,” Chan assured him and felt Felix’s tension lessen slightly.

For a moment, Felix forgot that he was clinging to Chan like he was climbing a tree, limbs wrapped around the older man. Chan saw the moment Felix realized and watched his freckled cheeks blush as he unhooked his legs.

Chan placed him down gently and pinched one of his bright red cheeks, cooing at how adorable the younger boy was in his shyness.

Felix covered his face with an embarrassed giggle that only made Chan want to do it more.

“Hyuuuuuuuuung, stop,” he whined but didn’t push the man away.

“Okay, okay,” Chan relented, “I know you have a lot of things to do, but please, try not to stay up too late. A couple of those guests can test the patience of even the calmest person, so sleep deprivation is not ideal.”

“You never told me what happened at the beach party,” Felix said as he opened the oven and poked a toothpick into the cake.

“Eunji was getting back at us for something Jisung said. It was the passive-aggressive bullshit and making us stand away from the canopy in direct sunlight and then throwing our food. I’m gonna bring it up with Captain because it’s just ridiculous.”

“I don’t get what the reason is,” Felix frowned, “I think that deep down, she’s got some good in her. I just don’t know why she does the exact opposite.”

“Lixie, I know you wanna be optimistic and see the best in people, but I really don’t think there’s anything good in Eunji,” Chan shook his head.

“It’s not thinking optimistic. It’s seeing it. When she thinks no one is looking, she drops the act. I think she’s putting up a front to try and keep people away.”

Knowing Eunji for so long, Chan had serious doubts, but the younger was saying it like he was absolutely certain. Considering how perceptive Felix was and how easily he had read each of them, Chan started wondering if there may be some validity.

“Even if she is somehow secretly nice, I still need to talk to Captain about her behavior,” Chan said, “It’s causing serious issues at this point.”

“I’m sorry, Hyung,” Felix bit his plump lip.

“For what?”

“I feel like I kicked a wasp nest right at you guys,” he said, “I made her mad and you’re suffering for it.”

“You’re the one getting most of the shit, Lixie. We’ve been working with her for a very long time. Yes, it’s more intense than before, but please don’t feel guilty for someone else’s behavior,” Chan stroked his hair, “You’ve done nothing wrong, and you have nothing to apologize for.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Felix asked.

“I need you to focus on yourself. Focus on you, not us. We can handle it, just like we always have, but you’ve got a gentle soul. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt.”

“You say I’m the sweet one,” Felix knocked against him before lowering the volume of his voice. “I’m far more used to coworkers like Eunji than I am to coworkers like you and the other crew members. You guys are so nice.”

“I wish Eunji and Mari could be nice to you too,” Chan sighed.

“I’m a bit nervous about how it’s gonna be tomorrow.”

“Why?”

“She’ll have all night to mull over things. Especially whatever Captain said to her. I think she’s gonna be more pissed tomorrow than she was earlier,” Felix said.

“If it’s too much, you can come to us or even go straight to Captain. She takes retaliatory behavior seriously.”

“Hyung, I really don’t want to ruffle feathers. I’d rather just deal with it than potentially make things worse or have her take it out on you even more,” Felix hesitated.

Chan pet Felix’s hair, “It’s such a shit situation.”

“I’m just happy to have you guys,” Felix leaned into the touch.

“We’re all very happy to have you here. You are, by far, the best person to step on this boat,” Chan pinched his cheek fondly.

“Hyuuuuuuung,” Felix blushed brightly as he switched off the mixer.

“It’s true though,” Chan said, “I’ve worked with a lot of people, and you are 100% the nicest.”

“Not during sports or games though,” Felix laughed, “I’m competitive as hell.”

Chan snorted, “Me too. All pleasantries go out the door when the game starts. Have you played Shouting in Silence before?”

“No, what’s that?”

“The players wear headphones that play loud music so they can’t hear each other. One of them tries to explain a word or phrase without saying it directly, and the other has to guess,” Chan explained.

“That sounds so fun!” Felix jumped.

“It is for a minute or two and then the frustration gets real .”

“I kinda wanna play it now though,” Felix admitted.

“We’d have to find a sound-proof place. Changbin’s voice would wake up the whole port, I swe- Shit, it’s 2 am. I gotta check in with Jeongin and then that’s me for the night.”

Felix nodded as he started collecting ingredients for the custard, organizing them neatly.

Chan hiked up the stairs to the bridge, “Hey, you here?”

“Yep,” Jeongin responded, writing down the readings on the radar.

“How we doing?” Chan asked, leaning over his shoulder to see, “No wind, huh?”

“Yeah, nice and calm. Nothing forecasted either,” the younger deckhand said, “The deck was a mess. Those women left shit all over the place by the tub. Wine stains everywhere.”

“You got some oil soap on it?”

“Yeah, it’s soaking,” Jeongin nodded, “Is Felix still working?”

“Eunji gave him a massive list of chores and he’s making a bunch of pastries,” Chan said, “He’s gonna be up for a while.”

“If he needs any help, can I?” Jeongin asked.

“If he needs it, yes. Try to avoid doing anything below deck though. You need to be able to get back to the bridge at any point, but as long as you do your logs, it’s okay,” the bosun said, “Got enough energy drinks up here?"

“Yep,” Jeongin pointed to the plastic bag stacked with cans and snacks.

“Alright,” Chan clapped his shoulder, “I’ll see you at 6.”

“Seeya,” Jeongin saluted.

When Chan returned to the galley, Felix was using the standing mixer to beat the egg whites for the macarons.

“I’m hitting the hay,” Chan said.

“Right-o. Night, Hyungie,” Felix smiled, giving another hug when the older man approached.

“Please, try to get some sleep at some point, kay?” Chan gave him a squeeze.

“Ooookay,” Felix pouted.

“Night, Lixie.”

Once Chan went to their cabin and closed the door, Felix went back to work. He finished the meringue of the macarons just as the timer for the cakes went off. He pulled the cakes out of the oven and placed the pans on top of heat protectors and let them start cooling while he made hot chocolate. 

When he was satisfied that it was creamy enough, he grabbed a cookie and brought it upstairs. 

“Hyung?” Felix poked his head into the bridge to find the deckhand sitting in a swivel chair.

It took Jeongin a moment to realize Felix was addressing him, unused to being called by an honorific. 

“Hi!” Jeongin smiled, “What’s up?”

“I brought some hot chocolate and a cookie,” the blonde carried the plate and the mug over, “Careful, it’s really hot. You might want to wait a few minutes.”

“Thank you!” Jeongin smiled, “This is exactly what I need right now.”

“What is it that you do up here?” Felix asked.

“I check these radars over here to see if we’ve drifted at all. If we drift too much, it drags the anchor across the sea floor. It’s not good if that happens. I go out and clean up the decks and get things ready for the morning, but I come back in to check every 10 minutes to make sure nothing has changed.”

“Do you ever get lonely up here?” the shorter boy questioned.

“Sometimes,” Jeongin admitted, “I think I really start feeling that when it gets closer to 3 am.”

“How long is your shift?” 

“11:30 pm to 6:00 am. Channie hyung and I alternate. I’m really not a night person, but for charters where guests get up early, he has to be up first so he can assign tasks for everyone for the day.”

Jeongin took a bite of the cookie and nearly moaned. “Oh, my god. What is this? It’s so good.”

“It’s called a palmier. It’s just some of the puff pastry I made earlier, butter, and demerara sugar. My mentor sometimes added nutmeg or would make them with jam, but I figured it would be better to go for the traditional version this time,” Felix said.

“Do you miss France?” Jeongin asked softly.

“Yes,” Felix nodded, “My town Grigny is… Grigny is very rough. I mean, there were riots just a few years before I got there. Papa Héctor, the head of our family, would take all the kids to the other neighborhoods. There was one street that had lavender planted all around and the smell would mix with the coffee from the cafés. And the Eiffel Tower is beautiful, especially when it lights up at night.”

“I’m sure pictures don’t do it any justice,” Jeongin said, admiring the sparkle in Felix’s eyes as he reminisced.

“If you ever get the opportunity, go,” Felix said, “It’s worth it.”

“Eh, I’m a little hesitant to go to a foreign country where I don’t know the language,” Jeongin admitted, “I’d go with you though.”

“I’d love to show you around! We could go to the Louvre in Paris and I could take you to the bakery I worked at in Fleury-Mérogis,” Felix bounced on his feet.

“The Louvre?” Jeongin asked.

“It’s a museum. It’s where the Mona Lisa painting is.”

“Maybe we can go to France at the end of the charter season,” Jeongin suggested, “If we save up on tips, we would probably have more than enough.”

“That would be the perfect time of year to visit too,” Felix smiled, “Not too hot but also not cold. It gets very humid in the summer.”

“I don’t think anywhere can get as humid as here,” the deckhand laughed, “Korea turns into a sauna, I swear.”

“Oh, yeah! I had no idea it got so hot here. My first summer here was insane.”

“Hand fans are life savers, honestly,” Jeongin said, “If you didn’t bring one, you should get one now. You’ll definitely need it in a week or two, especially since you’ll be having to go up and down stairs often.”

“Australia gets really hot sometimes, but definitely not as humid.”

“Would you… would you ever go back to Australia?” Jeongin asked cautiously, hopeful not to upset him by bringing up something that was undoubtedly a sensitive subject.

Felix was quiet for a moment before he nodded, “I haven’t been back since I went to France. I didn’t think I was ever going to, but in the past year or so, I’ve really wanted to. I miss the Great Barrier Reef and the Sydney Opera House. We would go to Bondi Beach every Christmas and one of the national parks on other holidays. I think I could go now and not… I would be okay, I think.”

Jeongin could see that Felix was starting to get slightly emotional, staring at the wall. He grabbed the younger boy’s hand and squeezed it comfortingly. It drew Felix out of his head, and the blonde’s smile returned.

“I have a question,” Jeongin said.

“What is it?”

“Is it true about the spiders?” he asked, “Are they really big enough to eat birds?”

Felix snorted, “Yep. They are massive. My dad was terrified of them and pretty much every other animal in Australia. I don’t think I’ve ever heard such a loud scream as when he found a snake in his shoe.”

“I don’t blame him. I think I would do the same,” Jeongin laughed.

“As scary as it all sounds, it’s worth visiting. Sydney especially. I think you would like it,” Felix said, “Channie hyung would probably know a couple of spots to show too, if we all went together.”

“Is Sydney the place they talk about in Finding Nemo?”

Felix laughed and nodded, “Yeah, it is. There’s a fish and chips place there that plays it all the time.”

“That’s so morbid, oh my god.”

Felix squinted slightly, looking a little confused. “I… sorry. I don’t know what that word means.”

“Oh, uh. It’s like, dark or sad.”

“Ah okay,” Felix held up a thumbs up, “Hyung, you’re from Busan?”

“Yeah, I’m from Sujeong-dong,” Jeongin nodded.

“Could we go visit on a day off?” Felix asked.

Jeongin was slightly taken aback by the forwardness of the question of asking to visit his hometown. It was usually something only established couples and long-term friends did. Then again, Felix had offered to show him both of the countries closest to his heart. 

“Of course,” Jeongin nodded, “I already told my family about you. The first words out of my mother’s mouth were ‘you better bring him here,’ immediately followed by ‘ask him if he likes ssiat hotteok’.”

“I love it!”

Chapter 8: Wheelhouse-Dog House

AN: Sorry for the delay! Things have been rough with school and health issues. I wrote the middle/last part while recovering from surgery, so I'm sorry if there are any errors. I really love whipped Minho.

---

Chan tried his hardest to stay quiet as he got ready to be on deck. He knew Felix had likely stayed up far later than he should and didn’t want to interrupt what little precious sleep he could get.

Felix was an extremely light sleeper though, and even when Chan thought he was being as close to silent as possible, Felix woke up with a pout and a huff.

“What time is it?” He asked, voice rough and gravelly.

“Almost 5:30,” Chan said. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I’ll be out of here in 2 minutes.”

Felix nodded, settling back down and snuggling his pillow tighter in a hug. Chan couldn’t stop himself from reaching up and pulling Felix’s heated blanket back over him, tucking him in.

The blonde boy sighed contentedly, relaxing under the warmth. As cheesy as it sounded, Chan couldn’t deny that Felix really did look angelic when he slept, plump lips parted and long lashes casting shadows over his freckled cheeks from the early sunrise peering through the porthole. 

Chan grabbed the rest of his clothes and tiptoed out of the room, getting dressed in the hallway and praying no one walked out to see him half naked. 

He pulled his shirt over his head and looked at the whiteboard on the wall that indicated the time each crew member went to bed. He cringed when he saw “4:48 AM” next to Felix’s name and realized he had gone to bed less than an hour ago.

Obviously, Seungmin noticed the same thing when he walked by, looking at Chan with a grimace.

“He’s gonna be sooo tired,” Seungin said as they went to the crew mess. 

“He left a note,” Chan picked up the Post-it on the table by the electric kettle, letting out an “aw” when he saw how neatly Felix had tried to write in Korean.

“What does it say?” Seungmin asked.

“It says, ‘Good morning! There are extra pastries and cold brew coffee in the crew fridge along with a homemade creamer. Pour it over ice first before the coffee! There’s also vanilla chai for anyone who doesn’t like coffee. Heart- Bokkie. P.S. There’s another note for Cheffy in the galley.”

“Hyung, I can’t handle it. He’s too cute,” Seungmin clutched his chest as if it physically pained him. 

“What’s that?” Minho questioned when he entered the crew mess and saw the note in Chan’s hand. The bosun gave it to him, noticing the way Minho smiled fondly as he read it. 

“Never seen you so soft for someone, Chef,” Chan teased.

“Because I’ve never felt this soft for someone,” Minho said, shocking the other two with his surprise admission. 

“Can I call you ‘Cheffy’ too?” Chan asked, cowering at the cold stare he received.

“You can call me that if you want Cheongyang peppers in your dinner,” he smiled eerily.

“How did that nickname even come about?” Seungmin asked.

“He just came into the galley to ask to use the blender and said it. It was so natural at the time, I didn’t even notice it at first.”

“I love when he calls one of us ‘Hyungie’,” Chan said. “He really is just so sweet.”

They opened the door to the fridge, jaws dropping when they saw the precision and uniformity of the decorations on the pastries.

“I don’t get it,” Minho shook his head. “How is he just so good at everything?”

Chan lifted the plate and placed it on the table so they could surround it and inspect the details. Every petit four had perfect edges, the fruit on the tarts were shiny and arranged in the shape of a multicolored flower, and each macaron was the exact same size.

“He’s not human,” Seungmin said. “There’s just no way.”

They followed his directions with the coffee, pouring it over ice before they began sampling every pastry. 

As a professional chef, it took a lot to impress Minho with food. The amount of perfectly balanced flavor Felix had managed to pack into such tiny morsels was almost unbelievable.

Even without Minho’s sophisticated palette, Chan and Seungmin could appreciate the complexity of the taste, savoring every bite.

“I think I understand what people mean when they say they’re having a foodgasm. This is almost better than sex,” Chan said, inspecting the even layers of cake and cream of the petit four in his hand.

“You know how I said that when I retire from yachts, I wanna open my own restaurant?” Minho asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“I want Yongbokkie to be the sous and pastry chef. He’s too good to lose, and I know for a goddamn fact that no one else would ever be able to get up to this standard,” Minho said, taking another bite of the cake.

“You want another person in your kitchen?”

“If it’s him, yes. Only him though. It’s not an invitation for you and your deckhands to come into my galley covered in degreaser,” Minho pointed at him.

“Loud and clear,” Chan nodded before walking the corridor and up the stairs all the way to the bridge.

“Jeongin?” he called when he opened the door to the wheelhouse.

“Hi, Hyung,” the deckhand answered, standing up and stretching his back.

“You can go down now and be back on deck at 2, okay?”

“Sure,” he nodded. “Oh, Felix wanted me to ask if someone could lay out the yoga mats that he left rolled up on the Bunny Pad. The Americans should be up pretty soon.”

“Gotcha, thanks. Go on down and get some rest. Felix made some pastries and coffee. They’re in the crew fridge.”

“Aw, that’s so sweet of him,” Jeongin grabbed the empty bag of energy drinks.

“They’re really good, so get some before the others finish them!”

---

Minho read the other note in the galley. There were two Post-Its, one with written instructions for the croissants, and one with a sweet message of moral support as they both knew that the Americans (excluding Amy) were likely going to be difficult during breakfast. Felix, being the empathetic and perceptive boy he was, seemed to know that Minho’s biggest annoyance was having people criticize his food.

It wasn’t that he had a big ego or anything. He wasn’t narcissistic or self-absorbed in any way. He tasted everything thoroughly before he served it, and he knew it was good. He would never serve something until he felt certain that it was perfect. Sometimes, obnoxious yacht guests would make false complaints about the food or service or even the pace of the deck team to try and have an excuse to not leave a proper tip at the end of the charter. Even though their company operated in a country without a tipping culture, their industry still had a tip system. Rich people would find every way to save a quick buck, even at the expense of others who worked their asses off.

“Where’s Felix?” Eunji asked, drawing Minho’s attention from the note.

“He’s sleeping,” Minho said, tucking it into his pocket to save for later.

“He needs to be up for breakfast.”

“He had the late shift. He was up until just a little while ago. He needs sleep, Eunji,” Minho scowled. 

“Well, he should have managed his time better,” she shrugged. “I need him to translate.”

“Then why the fuck would you put him on lates if you needed him up early? That’s not how shifts work,” The chef threw his arms in the air.

“Because it’s my decision to make,” she responded.

“Get Chan to translate,” Minho said angrily. “Leave Felix alone.”

“Bang Chan is busy,” she started walking towards the cabin area.

“Eunji, just fucking leave him alone!” Minho yelled. “You cannot deprive your subordinates of sleep.”

“He has to learn time management,” she said.

Minho didn’t get to her in time to stop her from banging on the door to Felix and Chan’s cabin loudly and opening the door before receiving permission.

“Get up,” she ordered sternly. “I need you up for breakfast.”

Minho shoved past her, seeing Felix bolt upright and narrowly avoid smacking his head on the low ceiling.

“No, go back to sleep, Bokkie,” Minho said, trying to keep his voice level to prevent the younger from thinking it was him he was mad at.

Minho turned to face Eunji, crowding her to push her out of the cabin without actually touching her. He closed the door and pulled out his radio while maintaining eye contact.

The pure fury in his expression seemed to intimidate her, and she took another step back.

“Captain, Captain- Minho,” he called.

“Yes?”

“I need to talk to you right now. Can I come up to the wheelhouse?”

The captain sighed through the radio, already anticipating the drama. “Yes, come up.”

“Everything okay?” Chan asked.

“I need someone to watch the cabins and keep people away from them,” Minho said without specifically mentioning Eunji. 

“On my way,” Hyunjin volunteered, appearing down the hallway within a few seconds.

“Don’t let her in his room again,” Minho ordered.

Hyunjin didn’t ask any questions, he simply took Minho’s place and guarded the door.

The chef climbed the stairs, stalking straight by Changbin and Jisung. While they didn’t know exactly what was going on, they could make a pretty accurate guess based on how pissed off he was. 

“Captain?” Minho called when he opened the door to the wheelhouse.

“What’s going on?” She asked exasperatedly.

“Felix was on the late shift. He only just went to bed less than an hour ago because he was baking and she gave him so many chores. Way more than the usual shift. She just barged into his room and demanded he get up to help with breakfast,” Minho explained, not feeling the slightest bit guilty for snitching.

Jung rolled her eyes, “Why would she put him on lates when she needs him for earlies?”

“Because she’s intentionally trying to wear him down,” he said. 

“Eunji, Eunji- Jung.”

“Yes, Captain?” Eunji responded, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

“Felix is not to be up before 12. Have Chan translate whatever you need.”

“Too late, Captain,” Hyunjin said. “He’s already out of bed.”

Minho stomped angrily, “Captain, it’s getting ridiculous. She’s absolutely terrorizing this kid. The deckhands will back me up on this.”

“Eunji,” she called on the radio. 

“Yes, Captain?”

“I need you in the wheelhouse right now.”

“We’re getting ready for the guest breakfast.”

“You don’t have a chef down there to cook for you. Come here now.”

In their many years of working together, Minho seldom saw Eunji look genuinely scared. The sheepish look on her face, as she entered the wheelhouse, would be forever savored in the part of his mind labeled “Petty.”

“Eunji, some things have been brought to my attention that are concerning, particularly in the way that a member of the crew is being treated. I’m giving you the opportunity to explain.”

“She’s n-“

“Minho,” the captain cut him off sternly. “I want her to speak, not you.”

The chef nodded, sitting back and keeping his mouth shut.

“He has turned the entire crew against me. They won’t do a single thing I ask them to do unless he asks them as well. They are constantly attacking me. I can’t say anything without them going after me. Minho especially!”

Captain Jung held her hand up to stop Minho before he could even say anything.

“Eunji, you can’t take your frustrations about the rest of the crew out on him. It’s not appropriate.”

“It’s not appropriate for him to be sleeping in other crew members’ beds or touching them all the time, but he’s doing it anyways,” Eunji responded. “He flirts with all of them. You don’t think that’s gonna lead to fighting when they’re so competitive?”

Jung side-eyed Minho, watching his reaction to try and figure out if what she just said was true.

“The deck crew can figure that out on their own. This isn’t a request, this is an order: do not continue this shit with Felix. Treat him with decency and respect, and he’ll treat you the same.”

“He’s always done that,” Minho mumbled. 

“Both of you, go back down. Get ready for breakfast. Worst comes to worst, have Jisung try to do some translation while I talk to Chan. If I hear any more fighting this morning, one of you, if not both of you, will be packing your things and leaving the boat. I’m sick of this nonsense. Do you understand?”

“Yes, ma’am,” they both nodded, not looking at each other as they exited.

“Chan, Chan- Jung.”

“Yeah, Cap?”

“Chat in the bridge.”

“On my way.”

“Hiya,” Chan opened the door. “Oh, you look like you need some coffee.”

“Chris, you can read me way too well,” she sighed.

“I can bring some up,” he offered.

“I want to have this conversation first and then we’ll have Felix come up with a cup,” she said, not missing the way Chan tensed slightly.

“Captain, he hasn’t done anything wrong. He’s a hard worker, and he’s kind, and the deckhands love him, and Minho loves him, and I don’t want him to leave. Please, please don’t fire him.”

After a moment of silence with her brows raised, she said, “I wasn’t planning on firing him.”

“Oh…” Chan flushed red, embarrassed that he had jumped to an assumption.

“I need to hear it from you. I value your opinion the most. Eunji and Minho have been at each other's throats for years. I have two completely different sides.”

“You know I don’t like to talk badly about my crew members, but this is extreme. I haven’t seen someone go so out of their way to make someone else miserable. I don’t know why Eunji and Mari are doing it. He has never talked back to them once. He’s always been respectful and he obeys every order. They tell him to do something, and he exceeds expectations. He does everything he can to make things easier for not just them, but the rest of the crew too. He’ll check to make sure that everyone has eaten and is taken care of.”

“I’ve heard some things on the radio, and of course Minho’s complaints, but what exactly are the things they’re doing that are supposedly tormenting?” she asked.

“They’ll let responsibilities pile up and then sync their breaks so that he’s the only one working and has to deal with it all. The whole thing with the sunblock, they were trying to make him look incompetent. They actively try to find something to criticize, and when they can’t, they attack his personality and how he tries to please people. It’s mostly Eunji instructing Mari to do these things, but every once in a while, Mari is the one leading it. It’s usually only after she sees Felix and Hyunjin interact though.”

Captain sighed, “I knew Eunji was going to give him a hard time, but I really expected more from Mari. I’m disappointed in her.”

“The thing is, I think she secretly likes Felix as a person. She’s just following what Eunji says and also taking out her anger about Hyunjin rejecting her on Felix instead.”

“You know, I really thought those two were gonna have a thing. They seemed to get along well at first,” she said curiously.

“They’re just too different to be compatible, but she hasn’t been able to accept that yet.”

“I have to ask, do you think Felix is flirting with others like Eunji says he is?” she questioned.

“Honestly, I did at first, but I have no idea now. I can’t tell if he’s got a thing for us all, or if that’s just his personality,” Chan laughed.

“She said that he’s in the other crew members' beds.”

“With permission,” Chan assured. “I understand how weird it sounds. He’s the most physically affectionate person I’ve ever met. His love language is definitely physical contact, but he has never once crossed a line or made anyone feel even remotely uncomfortable. I think the crew really likes finally having someone who is happy to be hugged.”

“I’ve always said, do whatever you want to do in your personal lives as long as it doesn’t interfere with your professional lives. I don’t care if you guys get together, just as long as you do your jobs and it doesn’t mess up communication. Hearing what’s happening with the interior crew is disturbing.”

“It’s terrible to see. Minho does everything he can to protect Felix, but he really shouldn’t have to. And god forbid Minho isn’t there, what she says to Felix is just cruel beyond belief. Even the members who avoid confrontation at all costs feel that they have to step in when they hear some things. Despite it all, he’s been nothing but nice to both Eunji and Mari. He’s a sweet kid. He doesn’t deserve this,” Chan shook his head.

“So, he’s got a good work ethic, he’s hungry to learn, and a fast learner at that, he’s personable, he follows orders, and he’s won the respect of the best bosun I’ve ever known. In my book, his position is pretty secure,” Jung said. “Eunji and Mari would never let him give them an order, but I’d like to see how he leads. If he keeps working this hard, he might end up as a chief stew someday.”

“If the next charter requests a beach party, I can give him some of the deck crew and let him direct. To be fair, considering how much they love him, they will follow everything he tells them to, so I don’t know how much of a test it would be,” Chan tapped on the table.

“I just want to see how he delegates,” Jung shrugged. “He led teams for events at his previous job, so I know he can do it. I’d just like to see it for myself. Does he seem like an ‘organized chaos’ type of leader?”

“No, he’s meticulous with tasks. The stews made him count the number of wine bottles on the boat, and he categorized them by reds, whites, and rosés and their location. He doesn’t do things half-assed. I think he’ll be extremely detailed in planning, but not overbearing or micromanaging during the execution.”

“I think we should call him up now to talk about the stew situation,” Jung said. “I want to see how he feels about all of it.”

---

The crew mess went silent when Minho and Eunji came in. Felix had a deer in the headlights look on his face, especially with his big doe eyes. He seemed like he was bracing himself to be yelled at, and was confused when Eunji only walked past him, straight to her cabin.

Minho gently took Felix’s hand and led him to the galley, away from Changbin and Hyunjin. 

“Am I in trouble?” Felix whispered.

“No. You didn’t do anything wrong. You can go back to bed,” Minho patted Felix’s cheek. The younger boy turned to him and wrapped his arms around Minho, hugging him like he hugged his pillow. Minho normally would have launched away, ready to fight. Instead, Minho happily accepted and even returned the hug, rubbing circles on his slim back.

“It’s hard for me to get back to sleep after I get out of bed,” Felix mumbled. “I might as well make use of being awake.”

“I know you don’t usually like coffee, but you might need some caffeine,” Minho said. “I’ll make you a sweet latte, okay?”

“That sounds really good. Thank you. I’m gonna ask Channie hyung if I can steal one of the energy drinks too,” Felix answered.

“Don’t worry about asking. I give you permission. The deckhands might be the ones who drink them, but I’m the one who orders them. There are plenty left.”

“Thank youuuuu,” Felix rubbed his cheek on Minho’s shoulder. The chef nearly squealed from how cute it was and how much it reminded him of his cats back home. 

“We tried the pastries,” Minho said. “They were delicious.”

“Oh, good. I’m glad you liked them. I was worried that they were a little sloppy.”

“Sloppy? They were gorgeous. The detail and the flavor were just incredible. You did amazing.”

Felix smiled wide at the praise, bouncing and hugging Minho again.

“Cheffy, should we start baking the croissants?” Felix asked.

“Yeah, I’ll make the egg wash. I saw you already rolled the chocolate ones. They look fantastic,” Minho said.

“Most of them are the normal semi-sweet chocolate ones, but I made a couple white chocolate and raspberry too. It’s not traditional, but I think the Americans will like the flavor more,” the blonde started to pull the trays of pastries from the fridge.

“That’s gonna taste delicious,” Minho whistled as he beat the egg and water together. “Honestly, I’m jealous of these guests.”

“There will be extra of these, don’t worry,” Felix smiled.

“It’s really nice of you to make sure we all have it too, Bokkie.”

Minho slid a small bowl with a brush over to him as they both began to use the egg wash on the unbaked pastries. 

“Felix, Felix- Chan.”

“Yes, Hyung?” Felix responded immediately.

“Can you bring a coffee up to the wheelhouse for Captain, please?”

“Half and half with no sugar?”

“Yep!”

“Copy, I’ll be up in a moment." He put his radio back in his pocket and looked at the chef. 

“I’ll finish this. Deep breaths, Bokkie. You’re okay.”

Felix quickly fixed a cup of coffee and grabbed a few of the extra pastries since he knew the captain hadn’t eaten yet. When he went to the bridge, he felt a small pit of anxiety in his stomach. He knocked on the door, waiting for permission to come in. 

“Hi, Captain. Hi, Hyung,” he bowed his head as he entered.

“Good morning, Felix,” Captain Jung said from the table where she and Chan were seated. “I’m sorry you’re up so early.”

“Oh, it’s okay. It gave me time to work on the croissants with Minho hyung,” Felix placed the plate and mug down in front of the captain. 

“Wow, you made these?” she asked in awe as she spun the plate to see it. 

Chan answered for him, “Cap, he made them all on his own, and they are so good.”

Felix blushed brightly, smiling at the older man. His smile faded slightly when Jung gestured for him to sit down. 

“Don’t look so scared,” she said. “You’re not in any trouble whatsoever. From everything I’ve heard today, you’re an innocent target in all of this.”

Felix let go of the breath he was holding, scooting closer to Chan.

“What do you want to happen to Eunji?” Jung suddenly asked.

“What?” he frowned, confused about what she meant.

“Do you feel that she should be fired?”

“No! No, I don’t want anything to happen to her,” Felix vehemently shook his head, looking horrified at the very idea. “I would never want to be the cause of someone losing a job that they enjoy.”

Jung looked at Chan, nodding to show that she fully understood what he meant when he said that Felix had a heart of gold. 

“Right now, everyone is still employed, though a few are on some thin ice. I need to do what’s best for everyone on board, and I think facilitating a conversation between the stews might be a good start,” she said.

Felix pouted as he tried to figure out some of the more complicated words she was saying, thankful when Chan picked up on his confusion and said it in English.

“Captain, I’d actually like to do it as just the stews, without anyone else. We haven’t had a chance to just sit down and talk, and I don’t think everyone would feel comfortable saying what they want to say,” Felix said. 

“You understand that that’s opening you up to being verbally attacked without someone there to defend you, right?” Chan asked.

“Yes,” Felix nodded. “I’d rather we have a genuine, ugly talk than a fake-nice one.”

Jung sighed. “Okay. Considering that I can see some of the guests getting up, I don’t think you have time for that discussion right now. At some point after the charter, the three of you will sit down, and I’ll be on standby in case I need to intervene. How does that sound?”

“Good,” he said. “Thank you, Captain.”

“Seriously, try to go back to sleep, and good job on the pastries,” she nodded.

Felix blushed, smiling as he bowed his head to show his appreciation for the praise. Captain Jung didn’t say it, but it felt like a breath of fresh air to have such a humble stew. She watched Felix follow Chan out, and through the window, saw him jump up and down excitedly while clinging to the older man.

The smile on the bosun’s face solidified the captain’s feelings that she was going to do whatever was necessary to make sure Felix would stay as part of the crew.

---

Felix was about to go down the staircase from the level of the guest cabins to his own when he heard his name called out by Doyun.

“Yes, sir?” the blonde immediately stopped in his tracks and came to him.

“I’d like to talk with you privately for a moment,” the man said quietly.

“Of course,” Felix nodded, following Doyun to a more isolated area of the boat.

“Captain Jung told me that you plan weddings.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I need some… advice. As you know, I want to propose to Susan tonight. I’ve been married three times, but every proposal has been a disaster. They said yes, of course, but I’d like this to be a good one.”

Felix smiled, “I’m happy to help!”

“I have a speech. Can you go over it?” he pulled a paper from his pocket.

Felix did his “concentrating pufferfish” look as he read the speech, doing everything he could to accurately translate it in his head.

“What do you think of it?” Doyun asked, and it took every fiber of Felix’s being not to tell him that it was as generic and superficial as a proposal could get. 

“I think adding some personal details would make it more intimate,” Felix said. “Talk about how you feel rather than how you think. Maybe your emotions when you’re together or when you first realized you loved her.”

“I’m not good with feelings. I usually leave that to others,” Doyun said. “I don’t really know how to express it.”

“What are some things you like about her?” Felix asked.

“Well, she’s got that great figure, and she really knows how to style herself to show it off.”

Felix forced himself to keep a straight face. “What about her personality? What do you like about her as a person besides how she looks?”

“Uhhhhh,” Doyun leaned against the table, tapping his fingers as he seemingly wracked his brain to find a good quality about his potential fiancée. “I just want companionship. I’m getting old, and I just want someone there at the end of the day. You’ve… you’ve seen what she’s like. You’ve seen how mean she can be sometimes. I don’t really like her personality, I love the way it feels when people look envious of us.”

For the next 20 minutes, Felix helped Doyun re-write his proposal to sound like there was actual emotion involved. He managed to hide how upset he was at the fact that he was participating in setting up a marriage that was doomed to fail. 

When he went back below deck, he didn’t have the energy to keep hiding it, especially with how sleep-deprived he was. The crew members around him immediately picked up on his mood, and even Mari seemed to be trying to subtly find out why he was upset. 

Seungmin opened his arms and Felix went straight into them, hugging the engineer. Seungmin began stroking a hand along his back, feeling the tense muscles under his shirt.

“What happened?” Jisung asked when he approached and petted Felix’s soft hair.

“Mr. Kim had me help write his proposal speech. There’s no love in this relationship. It’s all for appearances and finances and self-serving bullshit,” Felix said, frustration and disappointment laced in his tone as he unknowingly switched back and forth between English and Korean. 

It was hard for Felix to explain why it was so upsetting for him. He was normally a “live and let live” person when it came to other people's relationships, but he’d spent so long working with couples to make sure what should be one of the happiest days of their lives went off without a hitch. 

“I think you need some rest,” Hyunjin took his hand. “Come take a nap.”

“I have to ask Eunji,” Felix shook his head.

Jisung pulled out his radio and pressed the button. “Eunji, Eunji- Jisung.”

“Yes?” she answered after a moment of silence.

“We’re sending Felix back to bed for a little while.”

“Tell him to be up by 12.”

Felix nearly fell over in surprise at the very idea of having a four-hour break when he was used to only 15 or 30 minutes. 

“Captain told her not to get you up before 12 when she found out you worked lates,” Seungmin said. 

“Copy, he knows to be up at 12,” Jisung spoke into the radio again before putting it back in his pocket. “Go sleep, Bokkie. You deserve rest.”

“Thank you, Hyung,” Felix said gratefully, letting Hyunjin lead him to the cabins.

“I’ll have an extra alarm just as a backup in case yours doesn’t go off,” Hyunjin pulled out his phone.

“Stay with me?” Felix asked hopefully, doe eyes practically casting a spell on Hyunjin.

“Sure,” Hyunjin immediately nodded. “I can’t stay the whole time though.”

“That’s okay!” Felix bounced, pulling Hyunjin into his cabin. As they took off their shoes, Felix asked, “Are you, um. What’s the word for fear of small spaces?”

“Oh, yeah. It sounds entirely different from the English word. Claustrophobia,” Hyunjin said in Korean, repeating it slowly so Felix could follow along syllable by syllable.

“Are you claustrophobia?” Felix asked.

Hyunjin couldn’t help but coo at the slight mistake. “To describe someone who has claustrophobia, you just add ‘there is’ at the end. It turns the word to claustrophobic. I’m only slightly claustrophobic, but I don’t think I’ll have an issue with your bunk.”

“Why is Korean so fucking hard?” Felix muttered to himself. “I’ll go up first, so it’s easier for you to get out when you need to leave.”

Hyunjin nodded, trying to avoid staring at the younger boy’s tiny waist as he climbed up and untucked his perfectly made bed. He patted on the mattress, urging Hyunjin to come up. 

“Wait, sorry, I have grease on my pants. I can go change real quick,” Hyunjin said.

“Oh, you can just take them off if that’s easier. I don’t care,” Felix shrugged nonchalantly.

Hyunjin snorted, amazed by Felix’s casualness. He couldn’t tell if Felix just didn’t bother with social norms that interfered with comfort and functionality or if it was a cultural difference. Hyunjin was raised in a fairly conservative family who would probably keel over if they found out some of the things he did at clubs.

It still felt slightly scandalous to be dropping his pants on the floor before he started climbing up. The engineer was confused when Felix’s hand hovered over his head until he realized that the younger boy was trying to keep him from smacking his head on the ceiling.

As soon as Hyunjin laid down, he opened his arms up and let Felix cuddle against him, resting on his chest.

“You’re so warm,” Hyunjin chuckled. “You really need all those blankets?”

“Mhmm,” Felix nodded as he pulled two on top of himself. “Do you want?”

“No, god. I’ll overheat in a minute,” Hyunjin shook his head. “Do you have alarms set?”

“Yee yee,” Felix said, snuggling closer to him. “I’m getting up at 11:45.”

“Good, try to get some sleep now, Lixie. I’m sorry that I have to go at 10:30.”

“That’s okay. I’m just happy you’re here now,” the stew nuzzled against him, already starting to close his eyes.

“Jisung said you can’t sleep without hugging something,” Hyunjin put a hand on top of the small one resting on his abdomen. “I’m guessing it’s true.”

“It is,” Felix murmured quietly, voice deepening from exhaustion in a way that had Hyunjin biting his cheek to try and stop his mind from wandering.

It didn’t take long for Felix to fall asleep, or at least, drift off into a light snooze. He twitched at the slightest noise, so Hyunjin forced himself to stay awake, knowing his snoring would wake up the younger man. He took the opportunity to look around Felix’s bunk, getting a deeper insight into Felix’s mind.

The Aussie had made the normally cold-looking bunk into a cozy little safe space. There were lots of pillows and fluffy blankets along with a few small stuffed animals and plushies.

On the ceiling, there were a dozen or so small photos, some more worn than others. Hyunjin assumed they were of Felix’s loved ones in France, but one specific photo in the direct center caught his attention. 

A man and a woman stood behind three children, two girls and one boy. He immediately knew that it was Felix’s family, and the little brown-haired boy with freckles and a wide smile who was hugging the arms of the two girls was Felix. He looked to be around eleven or twelve, so Hyunjin knew that it probably wasn’t long before the car accident.

In every photo that had Felix in it, he was hugging or clinging onto someone. There was one of a teenaged Felix and the man Hyunjin assumed was his baking mentor. The tall, round-bellied man was placing a chef’s hat on Felix’s messy hair while the boy struggled to hold what appeared to be a massive wheel of cheese.

Another one had Felix on a woman’s lap. It looked to be a Halloween party as he was dressed as the former Queen of France, Marie Antoinette. The woman holding him was a soldier, and while the outfits in the picture looked more like scraps of fabric pasted together and the cloud of their breath was visible in the cold, they looked happy. 

There was one in a cabaret with Felix and other performers dressed in drag. Next to it was a photo with at least 20 people with Felix right in the center. Hyunjin knew it was his French family, and despite how disheveled some of them (including Felix) looked, they all appeared joyful. To the right, there were pictures from various weddings and events, filled with who Hyunjin figured were Felix’s team members and his Aunt.

The fact that all of the photos were in direct line of sight, especially with the little fairy lights Felix had hung by the ceiling to illuminate them told Hyunjin that Felix was a sentimental person who wanted to have constant reminders of the things he cherished. It wasn’t exactly a surprise, but it was still a touching thing to see.

Felix, asleep and oblivious to the fact that Hyunjin’s fondness for him was increasing every second, made an adorable sound as his small hand gently grabbed at Hyunjin’s shirt.

Hyunjin was enjoying every moment that he got to spend with the sweet boy in his arms. When his phone started vibrating at 10:30, he mournfully extricated himself from Felix’s hold. The younger whined unhappily, scowling as he opened one eye and peered up at Hyunjin.

“Sorry, honey,” Hyunjin whispered, quickly grabbing a pillow to put in Felix’s arms to give him something to hug. He climbed out of the bunk, cursing when he hit his shin against the metal of Chan’s bed. He tucked Felix back in, having no idea the bosun had done the exact same action just hours earlier.

Hyunjin stepped out of the cabin and quietly closed the door before he started buckling up his pants. He froze when he heard someone clear their throat and looked to see Minho standing at the end of the hall with his arms crossed, staring at him angrily.

“I swear to god, this is not what it looks like,” Hyunjin shook his head, panic welling in his chest from how Minho looked like he wanted to annihilate him. 

“It isn’t?” Minho cocked a brow, lips drawn tight.

“We just took a nap,” Hyunjin said. 

“Keep your voice down.”

“O-okay. Sorry. My pants they, uh, they have grease, and I didn’t want to get his bed dirty.”

“Hwang Hyunjin, I’m warning you, you lay a hand on him in the wrong way…,” Minho didn’t have to finish his threat. The terrified look on Hyunjin’s face proved that the engineer knew that Minho was capable of making his life a nightmare.

Hyunjin pressed himself against the wall, inching past Minho with his eyes squeezed shut as if his not being able to see Minho meant the chef couldn’t see him either. 

The younger man scrambled away and Minho couldn’t help but snicker when he was out of earshot. He tiptoed passed Felix’s cabin, listening closely for any sign of the stew moving around.

When he got to his own cabin, he changed out of his chef’s jacket. Even though there was only a small stain on it, he couldn’t stand wearing something messy. He took the Post-It note from his jacket and placed it on the side of his cabinet where only he could see it.

He checked his watch, calculating the amount of time until Felix would be up, just so he could see his pretty smile and hear his soothing voice.

When he walked back to the galley, checking all of his equipment, the only thing on his mind was Felix.

He was as whipped as the bowl of sweet cream on the countertop. 

---

“Hey, Yongbokkie,” Changbin smiled when he saw the silver blonde hair.

“Hi, Hyungie,” Felix skipped to him, hugging his muscular arm.

“Did you get some sleep?” the deckhand asked, subtly flexing his bicep under Felix’s hand.

“Mhmm!” Felix nodded. “I feel a lot better.”

“Chef has food for you,” Changbin said. “You should go eat.”

“Did you eat yet?”

“I ate just a little while ago, and I have to get back on deck,” Changbin said. When he noticed Felix’s disappointment, he said, “I promise, we’ll find some time to share a meal soon. Go eat, go eat.”

“Ugh, okay,” Felix sighed, hugging the deckhand again before going to the galley.

Minho was using a whisk to beat something in a large mixing bowl but immediately stopped when he saw Felix.

“Hi, Cheffy,” the stew smiled. “How’d breakfast go?”

“Those Americans are insufferable but everyone was going crazy for the pastries and the croissants,” Minho said, admiring the glow around Felix despite the fact that the younger boy had just woken up. “They practically went feral for the macarons. I’m pretty sure one of them wrapped up a few in a napkin to save for later.”

“I’m glad they enjoyed it. Sorry if breakfast was stressful though,” Felix said.

“Breakfast is my least favorite part of the day. People are more picky in the morning, especially if they’re hungover. I think they were too focused on what you made to complain as much as they likely would have,” Minho responded as he pulled a plate from one of the refrigerators. “You should eat before Eunji puts you back to work.”

He was surprised when he turned around to find Felix directly next to him.

“Oh, sorry,” Felix apologized for startling him.

“You’re so quiet, I didn’t hear you move,” Minho laughed.

Felix’s cheeks turned slightly red, and Minho spoke before his brain caught up with him. 

“It’s so cute when you blush because it makes your freckles stand out.”

Felix blushed even brighter, biting his plump lip as he playfully knocked against the chef.

“Thank you,” he said shyly. “And thank you for the meal too,” he added, accepting the plate that Minho was still holding.

Minho cleared his throat. “No problem,” he said, feeling an uncharacteristic wave of loneliness settle in his chest as Felix left his galley. All he wanted was to call back the stew and ask him to eat there. 

“Get it together,” he huffed to himself, smacking his forehead. “Get your shit together, Lee Minho.”

“Yeah, get your shit together, Lee Minho,” Jisung’s voice came from the doorway, immediately followed by a yelp as he was pelted by the lemon that was thrown at him with scarily accurate aim. 

“Don’t mess with me,” Minho growled.

“Damn, Hyung. I think you need some lemonade with extra sugar to balance out all that sourness.”

“Give me back my damn lemon and go or you’re making your own dinner.”

The lemon was back on the table in less than five seconds.

Chapter 9: Chamborde

AN: Sorry for the delay! I actually wrote a lot more, but I decided to split it so I could put the next chapter out sooner. I struggled with the pacing of this chapter. Parts of it feel rushed and others too slow. We're on number 9 and still no smut, so this is the slowest burn in the history of slow burns. I promise, there will be some spiciness in the future. The only TRIGGER WARNING in this chapter is slut-shaming, so please be aware of that.

---

Eunji and Mari seemed to be avoiding Felix, only speaking to him to give him orders. The Aussie was thrumming with anticipation about the White Party, despite his disappointment about the planned proposal. 

While the guests were enjoying all of the water toys, Felix was mentally planning decorations. In between cleaning the cabins, he visited the galley to see the chef preparing for dinner. Minho had never had a stew that he could bounce ideas with. Felix understood Minho’s aesthetic, and his suggestions only enhanced things rather than encroached on Minho’s visions. 

Since Susan didn’t know Korean, Doyun requested that Felix help him run through the proposal in English. While the other guests were still enjoying time in the water, Doyun left with the excuse of discussing the party with the crew.

Captain Jung permitted them to use the wheelhouse for privacy, and the blonde gently guided his pronunciation like a patient teacher.

“He’d be a good parent,” Jisung said quietly to Jeongin when they listened through the door.

Jeongin nodded in agreement, listening to the distinctive timbre of Felix’s voice.

“His accent is just so,” Jeongin gestured with his hands, unable to find the words to describe it. 

Thankfully, Jisung knew exactly what he meant and they pressed their ears against the door to hear Felix coach the guest, telling him to practice from various points in the speech as it would help if a distraction caused him to lose his place.

The crew had seen many White Parties, but Felix’s meticulous decorating brought a level of elegance that completely transformed the dining area. Chan went straight to the wheelhouse and told the captain to come see it, unable to hide the pride he felt for the younger man. 

By the time the party was about to start, Trina, Susan, and Kathy had run all three of the stews ragged. It was the first time in the yachting season that the deck crew saw Eunji and Mari accept the help of a third stew without fighting so much, although they did snap at him several times out of earshot from the guests.

With the courses progressing, the stews had to keep up with the demands for more drinks and better music. The three went down to the galley, bringing the used plates as Minho finished plating the entrees.

“Hyungie, they loved the palate cleanser,” Felix smiled.

“Sorbet always works,” Minho nodded, leaning in to whisper. “I saved some for you in the freezer.”

Felix would have hugged Minho’s arm if the man wasn’t delicately arranging the plates.

“Dessert will be after the proposal,” Mari said.

“Better hope she says yes or it’ll be an awkward cake-eating experience,” Minho rolled his eyes, knocking on the table to indicate he was done. “All of them are medium rare except for Trina and Kathy. Theirs are both well-done, so it’s these two plates.”

“Hyung, I swear, you are a master at plating,” Felix admired before he carefully lifted a dish in either hand. 

Because there were more guests than the number of plates the 3 stews could carry on their own, Minho and Chan had to carry the last few plates. 

They synchronized the time to set the plates down in front of the guests, and Minho introduced the dish as a filet mignon with a red wine sauce and grilled endive. Felix translated for the Americans and poured a new glass of wine for some of the guests as Minho quickly retreated to the galley. 

The stews watched from the sidelines, stepping in whenever necessary to fill drinks or answer questions. Once it was clear everyone was done with their meal, Doyun stood, taking Susan by her hands to make her stand as well. He slowly kneeled on one knee, and there were several gasps and “aws” from the table.

Felix moved around the corner into Doyun’s field of vision as inconspicuously as possible to avoid drawing the attention of the other guests. 

The man began to recite his proposal in English, eyes going to Felix when he blanked on a word. The blonde mouthed the word, which reminded him of his place and allowed him to continue, finishing with the question, “Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” Susan snatched the ring from his hand, putting it on herself as the guests let out a few whoops and cheers.

“That went well,” Chan said as Felix joined him but the subtle look on his face when Felix turned to him told Chan that the younger boy didn’t feel the same.

Once the table was cleared, Chan followed Felix down as the stews went to help Minho bring the cake.

“You didn’t like it because he forgot the vows?” Chan asked while they went down the second flight of stairs behind Eunji and Mari.

“It’s not real love between them. She’s gonna end it as soon as they’re on land. She doesn’t want to settle down. I heard her talking to Kathy about it, and her face said it all when he started getting on one knee,” Felix whispered quietly. Even though they were below deck, he didn’t want to risk anyone overhearing. 

“They were very sweet words though. You did a good job writing them,” the bosun patted him. 

“There are a lot of people who have strong feelings and who love their partners but just can’t find the words to describe it. I’m more than happy to help write those proposals or those vows. It’s their feelings just arranged in words. I hate doing it when it’s just superficial shit like this. If a person doesn’t experience romantic attraction, there are still some sort of feelings and mutual respect. Partners should always respect each other,” Felix spoke in English.

“You have strong morals,” Chan said. “I admire that. Changbin would describe that as jutdae. You’re a ‘man of principles’.”

“Did she say yes?” Minho asked when they entered the galley.

“Yep,” Chan nodded.

“Damn, I was ready to eat this cake and watch them fight,” the chef sighed.

“Hyung, do you watch melodramas?” Felix asked curiously.

Minho snorted, “Do you?”

“Sometimes, but they can get so stressful,” the blonde said. “The cake has Chambord in it?”

“Mhmm,” Minho nodded, impressed that Felix could detect the faint raspberry scent.

“Do you want me to make a Kir Imperial cocktail?” Felix asked Eunji.

“What’s in it?” Mari questioned.

“It’s just champagne and Chambord. There’s another bottle upstairs. It might be a good celebratory cocktail,” he suggested.

“Go to the bar and make it. We’ll bring it at the same time as the cake,” Eunji said.

“Yes, ma’am,” he nodded, rushing to the bar and fixing the drinks as the whole crew (except for the engineers and one of the deckhands who needed to watch the wheelhouse) joined in the salon before they stepped onto the deck.

“Congratulations!” they cheered as Minho placed the cake between Susan and Doyun, letting them blow out the candles. He lifted the cake again, taking it to the bar and cutting each slice. He placed the slices on the plates, arranging chocolate truffles, and helping serve the guests as Felix passed the cocktails.

The chef retreated to his galley as soon as possible to escape the obnoxiously loud group. He seldom enjoyed washing pots and pans, but he preferred it over having to be around them any longer.

Minho didn’t know how long had passed but he had almost completely cleaned his galley by the time the stews came back down. Eunji and Mari immediately went to sleep, leaving Felix to deal with everything else.

“Guests drank themselves straight into bed,” Felix said. “They’re gonna be hungover as hell tomorrow.”

“Oh, great,” Minho rolled his eyes.

“Sorry,” Felix apologized. “I tried to pour light, but they kept asking for more and more.”

“Is the deck crew down?” Minho asked. “Chan is checking the decks but he’ll head to the cabin in a second I think.”

“It’s only Jeonginnie hyung in the wheelhouse I think,” Felix said.

Minho snorted, “It’s wild to hear someone call him ‘hyung’. I know he’s just loving it. Wanna share a treat?”

There were two small slices of cake left, and Minho pulled the remaining sorbet from the freezer. The chef positioned himself so that his back was to the hallway and his broad shoulders hid any view of Felix if someone passed by. They ate the cake, trying to keep their giggles quiet.

Felix reached out, wiping the chocolate from Minho’s bottom lip and licking it from his thumb.

Felix didn’t even realize the kind of effects he was having on Minho, or how the action had the older man fighting the urge to press him against the wall and kiss him breathless.

“Hyung, you’re an artiste culinaire,” Felix said, the French accent sounding honey-sweet from his lips.

“What does that mean?” Minho asked, feeling like he needed to clear his throat.

“It means ‘culinary artist.’ You make art,” Felix smiled, enjoying the last bite of his sorbet.

Minho took a deep breath, “Bokkie, be careful.”

“What?” Felix’s brows furrowed. “Why?”

“Compliments like that are considered flirting for chefs,” Minho said.

Felix was quiet for a moment, taking the empty plate from Minho’s hand to bring it to the sink. “Maybe that’s something I already know,” Felix looked at him through his lashes. “Maybe I’m trying to see if what I’m feeling is reciprocated.”

“It… it is,” Minho nodded, brain trying to compute that Felix just admitted to having feelings for him. “But you… I thought you liked Changbin. I don’t understand.”

“It’s possible to have feelings for more than one person, Hyung. I happen to have lots of strong feelings,” Felix said. “Are you going to bed?”

“I… How the hell am I supposed to go to bed after this?” Minho laughed, although he was being honest. He had no idea how he would be able to sleep, knowing that his pining for the blonde wasn’t one-sided.

Felix slowly approached and kissed him on the cheek, squeezing the chef’s forearm. “I hope you sleep well, Hyung.”

“Y-you too,” Minho stuttered, turning on his heels and heading to his cabin, mind completely clouded as he left the younger boy on his own. It took him a while before he settled down enough that he felt like he could sleep but not before he took one last look at Felix’s note on his wall.

---

Behind the scenes, breakfasts on yachts were chaotic. Most of the crew weren’t morning people anyway, and difficult guests always made things worse.

Chan hated dealing with the guests asking for things when he was still waking up, Eunji hated serving breakfast, and Minho really hated making breakfast.

People were usually tired and hungover, which means they were either exceptionally picky, not appreciating the food, or just being total assholes.

Hyunjin and Seungmin could sometimes hear him raging all the way in the engine room. Thankfully, the divide between the galley and decks above meant guests couldn’t hear the profanities spilling out of the chef’s mouth. 

He nearly threw a pan when Trina sent her plate back, saying her egg wasn’t cooked how she requested even though there was only a single bite left.

“She asked for over-easy. This is over-easy!” He shouted.

“She wants a new one,” Eunji shrugged.

“She ate practically the whole fucking thing. Why am I making another one for a complaint she’s suddenly having after already eating it?!”

“Stop bitching and just do it! She’s driving us crazy up there. We’ve had to remake her drink three times and get her new napkins every time she wipes her mouth,” Eunji rolled her eyes. “Bang Chan can’t even keep up with translating because they jump from one thing to the next before I can respond."

Mari suddenly appeared, looking frustrated. “I’m done with them. I can’t do it. The Americans are being awful for no reason. They’re attacking that one girl and trying to escalate things while she’s not responding, and now they’re all asking for Felix. We told them that he wasn’t up yet but the primary said he wants Felix there because it’s the only way they’ll stop acting like this.”

“If the primary is requesting it, we have to do it,” Eunji said.

“You’ve said no to a primary before,” Minho immediately shook his head.

“That was for safety reasons,” Eunji pulled her radio. “Captain, Captain- Eunji.”

“Yes?”

“The guests are demanding Felix. He’s not supposed to be up for another hour.”

“Last meal of charter. We need to leave a good impression. Get him up and apologize to him.”

Felix’s voice suddenly came through the radio, “I’ll be on deck in a few minutes.”

“Why is he awake?” Minho muttered. He had tried his hardest to keep the stew out of his mind that whole morning, needing to focus on cooking. He called Changbin’s name when he saw the deckhand walking.

“Yeah?”

“Make a cup of coffee for Felix. Lots of vanilla syrup and cream.”

Changbin nodded, immediately doing as told.

When Felix came out of his cabin, Minho gave him an apologetic look. The chef knew how precious sleep was on a yacht. Felix’s hair and makeup weren’t as styled as usual, but it was impressive as hell that he could look put-together despite just getting up.

Changbin handed him the mug of coffee. “Is it sweet enough?” he asked as Felix took a sip.

“It’s perfect, thank you. I’m sorry I don’t get to take time to enjoy it though. I just gotta slam it and go,” Felix said before downing his hot coffee in a matter of seconds.

Chan, who had come down to tell a stew to get back up and serve drinks, managed to catch the sight of it. 

“Awright-o,” he laughed. “Chugging first thing in the morning, ey?”

“Can’t fall outta practice, mate. Share a tinnie with me later,” Felix winked, taking the plate Minho held out to him. 

“I have no idea what the hell you two just said to each other. It didn’t even sound like English,” Minho said to Chan.

“It was English, just Australian English.”

“What’s a tiny?” Minho asked.

“Tinnie,” Chan corrected. “It’s a can of beer.”

“Not during charter that’s for fucking sure,” Eunji scoffed.

“Obviously not. He said we’ll share one later, not now,” Chan said.

“Chan, Chan- Jisung.”

“Yes?” Chan responded to the radio. 

“What’s your location?”

“Galley.”

“Coming your way.”

“Oh, that doesn’t sound good,” Changbin sighed.

Jisung looked annoyed when he came down, taking a deep breath. “The Americans are telling Felix that they want to have another beach party to celebrate the engagement. They’re super drunk right now.”

“Their charter is over at 11,” Eunji shook her head. “They should have gotten up earlier. There’s no time to plan and execute another party when there’s still packing to do and we have to sail back to port.”

“They don’t seem like they’re gonna accept that answer,” Jisung frowned.

“Well, Felix is just gonna have to handle it,” she shrugged, pulling her radio. “Felix, Felix- Eunji.”

“Yes, ma’am?” he responded right away.

“Tell the guests that we apologize but cannot accommodate that request.”

“Okay,” Felix responded, although his tone made it clear he was dreading saying it.

Changbin, Jisung, and Chan went back up to the deck, getting a headstart on preparations for docking. They heard Felix calmly speaking despite the drunken argumentative tones of some of the guests. Chan was amazed by how Felix managed to pacify them by offering to call in a reservation for one of the local spas, detailing the “couples’ packages” they offered.

It pretty much immediately shut up every complaint, and Doyun instantly approved of it when Felix explained it in Korean. It was apparent that the businessman was ready to agree to anything if it would make them stop being so unpleasant.

Felix went into the salon briefly to arrange the reservation, returning to them with a note that had the time and location neatly written. 

Once the meal was over and the end of the charter was approaching, the deckhands checked around to see how many bags needed to be carried up. After asking Mari if the Americans had finished, Chan found out that only Amy was ready. He went up to the bridge, seeking out the captain.

“Captain, certain guests haven’t packed yet,” Chan said, not naming who but it was apparent who he was talking about. 

“Drop off is at 11. If they don’t pack it themselves, the stews have to. I want these people off the boat as quickly as possible,” she responded, eyes on the cameras to make sure no guests were anywhere nearby to hear her.

Of course, the burden of getting Trina, Kathy, and Susan to pack fell onto Felix. The blonde charmed his way into packing their bags without them even realizing what he was doing. Chan could overhear him praising their fashion sense, asking where they bought an article, and admiring the fabric and style.

Within a matter of minutes, he was able to finish their bags while simultaneously boosting their egos. 

When he came out of their room, he gave a thumbs-up to Chan, indicating that everything was done. 

“You’ve got the patience of a saint,” Chan whispered to Felix before he lifted his radio. “Crew, crew- Chan.”

“Go from Jeongin.”

“Luggage time. Everything is packed and ready to go to the dock.”

“Headed to the cabins now,” Jisung said.

They moved all of the bags into the hallways first before they started the painstaking task of hauling them up.

“I feel like this somehow got heavier,” Felix said as he carried Kathy’s bag up the stairs.

“I would offer to switch but these are even heavier,” Changbin grunted, carrying two of Trina’s bags.

Although Felix felt bad that they all had to lift such heavy objects, he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t admiring the view. The deck team and chef were buff as hell, and even the engineers had muscles. 

Everyone was out of breath by the time they got all the luggage onto the dock, passing the bags off to the drivers of the luxury cars that had been ordered. The crew took a moment to collect themselves before they got back on the boat and lined up in the formation they had greeted the guests in. 

Trina was holding onto Kathy to keep herself upright, not fully sobered up yet. The guests went down the line, shaking the crews’ hands. When Amy got to Felix, she hugged the blonde tightly, whispering something in French that made him giggle as he happily returned the hug.

For the crew members born and raised in Korea, it was a bit of a strange sight for a man and woman who had only known each other for a few days to hug in such a heartfelt manner. It wasn’t exactly unexpected because Felix was such a tactile person and the two had bonded for the trip, but it was still somewhat unusual for them to see.

“Thank you for having us. We had a great time. The food was amazing and the service was fantastic. Felix is a great teacher, although I think I may have recited my proposal with an Australian accent,” Doyun joked, bringing chuckles from the crew and his Korean-speaking companions. 

Doyun handed a large envelope to Captain Jung. Despite being in a location with no tipping culture, the yacht industry still expected tips.

“Thank you, Sir. It was a pleasure serving you,” she said.

As they crossed the gangplank, Jung turned to Felix and said, “You may do the honor of blowing the horn goodbye. Two long ones.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Felix smiled, running up to the wheelhouse.

The guests jumped at the loud sound as Felix blared the horn and some of the Americans looked slightly annoyed until they saw the crew waving and realized they were saying a farewell. 

Felix rejoined the rest of the crew as they watched the group’s cars pull away. 

“Start flipping the boat. Meet in the salon in 2 hours for a tip meeting,” Captain said, heading back up to the bridge.

Chan hugged Felix from behind, lifting him and jumping up and down. The stew instinctively stuck his limbs out for a moment like a cat that had suddenly been picked up before he relaxed in the older man’s hold. 

“You finished your first charter!” the bosun cheered.

“Did I do okay?” Felix asked shyly.

“You did a damn good job,” Changbin said, petting Felix’s hair.

“Let’s go. We have shit to do,” Eunji said sharply. “Go strip the cabins.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Felix nodded, getting to work as soon as Chan placed him down.

“You can’t even give him a moment to celebrate?” Chan asked.

“He can celebrate when he’s done,” she scoffed like it was an offensive thing for him even to say.

The deck team saw Felix moving from task to task, meticulously completing his duties until two hours had passed and the crew collected in the salon.

“Very good job, everyone. I know that was a challenging charter but you all handled it very well. And I’m happy to say, I’ve never seen a more competent third stew. You certainly proved yourself, Felix. It’s a delight to have you in this crew,” she said.

“Thank you, ma’am,” Felix said, his tone filled with genuine gratitude.

“Now, for the thing you’re all waiting for,” the captain pulled the envelope. “Total tip comes to about 1 million won per person.”

Felix’s cheer was slightly delayed compared to the other crew members as his brain buffered to convert the amount into a currency he understood better. 

“In about 30 minutes, I want all the stews in the wheelhouse,” the captain said. “After that, you are all free to enjoy your night once the boat is totally cleaned.”

Seungmin subtly patted Felix’s back to comfort him when he felt the Aussie boy slightly tense up next to him. Felix unconsciously leaned into his touch, seeking more of the calming physical contact. 

Felix was holding his breath as they went back downstairs. He floated around the deckhands and engineers for as long as possible, his stomach dropping with each minute that passed.

Seeing how stressed Felix was getting, Chan snuck into the galley.

“Minho,” he called the chef’s name.

“Yes?” Minho didn’t look up from where he was sharpening his knives.

“The stews are gonna have that talk in a little while. It might get kinda rough. Can you make something to cheer Felix up afterwards?” Chan asked.

Minho immediately put down all of his knives and nodded. “Yeah, I’ve got it covered.”

Chan looked at his phone when it buzzed to see a text from the Captain.

Come up to my room. The stews are about to have a sit down in the wheelhouse. Hurry before they get here.

Chan practically ran, ducking into the Captain’s bedroom just as he caught silver-blonde hair outside the window. Jung pressed a finger to her lips to shush him, closing the door to hide him as she stepped into the wheelhouse to speak to them. 

“I’d like for you three to have a sit-down conversation. If Chan or I need to intervene, just call my name over the radio. Please, try to keep it civil, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am.” The three of them nodded, waiting for her to leave. 

After some silence, Felix said, “Um, I guess we should start?”

“I’m only here because Captain told me to be,” Eunji said.

“I… did I do something to offend you?” Felix asked. “If I’ve said something or done something that upset you, I’m sorry.”

“Your entire presence here is offending,” Eunji snapped. “You come in here with supposedly no stew experience yet you seem to know how to do everything. As soon as you stepped onboard, you had all of the men doing whatever you asked. I’ve been here for years and they’ve never showed any respect but you can come in and bat your eyelashes and suddenly they’re worshipping you!”

“You’re manipulating them,” Mari joined in. “You’re leading all of them on. You’re jumping into their beds and touching them all the time. They do what you want because they think you’re going to sleep with them.”

“Is that how you get ahead? Flirt or sleep your way to the top?” Eunji asked. “Considering how much of a people-pleasure you are, I wouldn’t be surprised if you did it just to make people like you.”

Jung grabbed Chan’s wrist, stopping him from bursting through the door.

“If he needs us, he’ll call us,” Jung whispered.

Mari continued, “Is any part of your personality real, or do you just change to whatever you think people want?”

Felix cleared his throat, trying to hold back tears. “I’ve never slept with anyone to try and get ahead. I worked hard to get to my position. I started as a dishwasher when I worked for my Aunt. I didn’t get a free pass just because I’m related to her. As for the crew, I’m not trying to lead anyone on. If that’s how they feel about it, I’ll talk with them directly.”

“You’ve been here for 3 days and Captain thinks you’re chief stew quality,” Eunji spat. “3 fucking days and you're after my position.”

“I’m not trying to take anyone’s job. I’m using skills from my previous work and what I read in books about how to be a good stew. Everything else, I’ve just been watching how you do it and trying it that way. I’ve never done turn-downs before, and there wasn’t much in the books about them. I learned it from seeing how you do it. I don’t want to replace you; I want to learn from you. You don’t have to see me as a coworker. I can be a student. I just don’t want to be an enemy. Wouldn’t you rather be able to say, ‘I taught him how to do that. He knows it all because of me’?”

It was quiet for a moment, and Jung looked at Chan, both of them impressed by how Felix had managed to identify the two stews' weakness: pride. Their egos had always been their downfall.

“I respect your skills,” Felix said. “You’re both incredible at your jobs, and you deserve your positions. I would never try to take someone’s job, especially someone who earned it by working so hard.”

“Okay,” Eunji said. “You wanna be a student? You’ll be graded. You don’t talk back. You watch, learn, and repeat. Only speak if we ask you something. Understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I don’t want to hear any sort of complaining, and I don’t want you going to the deck crew to have them defend you. You take your criticism without whining about it, understand?”

“Yes, ma’am. I understand.”

“Get your shit together and go back to work.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The wheelhouse door closed and they heard some sniffles for a moment. After a minute or two, a knock sounded at the door, and Captain opened it to see Felix standing with his arms wrapped around himself. It was clear that he had cried from how red his eyes were.

“Come in. Come in,” she waved him into the room.

“Hi, Hyungie,” Felix immediately went to the older man after bowing to Jung, and Chan stroked his hair comfortingly. 

“How’d the talk go?” Jung asked, although she knew very well what had occurred.

“Well, it cleared the air a bit, I guess?”

“Are you okay?” Chan questioned, tucking Felix’s hair behind his ear. The younger boy teared up again, leaning into Chan’s touch and letting the bosun pull him into a hug.

“I’m okay. Some things kinda hurt but I feel a lot better now that it’s all out there,” Felix nodded. “You heard it all though with the thin walls, so you already know.”

Chan and Captain Jung looked at each other sheepishly.

“No, don’t worry. I’m glad you were listening. I knew you would have stepped in if I needed help,” Felix smiled that sweet, kind smile that had Chan melting. It apparently charmed Jung too because she wiped away Felix’s tears in a motherly manner, patting his cheek.

“You did very well,” she said. “I don’t think I could have handled that when I was your age.”

“I don’t know if I’d be able to handle that now ,” Chan said. “That was brutal.”

“I actually expected it to be worse,” Felix rested his cheek against Chan’s chest. “My Aunt trained me specifically for things like that.”

“What do you mean?” Jung asked.

“She would hire actors and tell them to be as difficult and as mean as possible,” Felix said. “She wanted to see if I could tough it out on my own without anyone helping. They were really good actors. It did help in the end because I’m so sensitive sometimes. It just hurt at first.”

“God, I heard that Chaewon was harsh but I didn’t think she’d subject her own nephew to that,” Jung shook her head.

“How do you feel right now?” Chan asked.

“I need a tas de chiots,” Felix answered.

“A what?” Chan laughed. 

“Direct translation is ‘pile of puppies’ but it’s supposed to be Puppy Pile.”

“There are some dogs at the dock,” Jung said.

Felix smiled but shook his head. “Not that kind of puppy. It’s basically like a… I guess like a slumber party? It usually ends up with people falling asleep.”

“Wait, let me guess this,” Chan stopped him from continuing. “Does it involve cuddling?”

“Yes.”

“Is it just a bunch of people cuddling in a pile?”

“Yeah, pretty much,” Felix nodded. 

“How many people are usually involved?” Jung asked. 

“Usually 10 or more. Minimum of 5 though,” Felix said. “A lot of my family in France grew up without love. There were over 20 of us, and Papa Hectór wanted everyone to have that kind of love. I thought Puppy Piles were a normal thing because that was what my family used to do in Australia too, especially for movie nights on the weekend.”

“That must have been difficult to go from that to a culture like ours that doesn’t approve of physical contact,” Jung said, her heart clenching as she realized that Felix’s desire for affection had been practically ingrained in him from day 1. 

“It was really hard,” Felix nodded mournfully. “I used to feel lonely but I’m close with a couple of people in my aunt’s company. I think I rubbed off on them a bit because they started hugging everyone too.”

“Well, you’ve got almost a whole crew here who are happy to cuddle you any time you want,” Chan hugged him tightly.

“Felix, I think you’ve turned these sailors into softies,” Jung teased.

“Soft people are the best,” Felix snuggled against Chan with a content smile on his face when Chan happily returned the affection. 

“You should see Minho when Lix is in the kitchen with him,” Chan said.

“A lion into a house cat, huh?” Jung asked, imagining the hot-headed chef being gentle with the blonde.

“Oh, Captain! Are you coming out tonight?” Felix questioned.

“I don’t usually join the crew on their night out,” she said, patting his shoulder when he pouted. “Gosh, don’t make me feel bad.”

“Sorry,” Felix’s pout became more prominent.

“Come here,” she waved him close to whisper in his ear, low enough that no one else could hear. “I have to confess this. I’m the most introverted person on this ship. I don’t like being around a lot of people, especially when some of them can be draining.”

Felix immediately nodded with a look of pure understanding and not an ounce of judgment. “That’s okay! I hope you have a really nice, quiet night in.”

“Felix, you are one of the few people I would welcome to come have a meal with me,” she said. “If you need a break from any of them, you can come up here.”

Felix’s eyes turned to crescent moons from how wide he smiled before he bowed. “Thank you, ma’am!”

“Minho’s making a treat downstairs. I don’t know what though, so we’ll have to go see,” Chan said.

“Would you like us to bring some up to you?” Felix asked the Captain.

“No, I’ll come down in a little while,” Captain said. “I expect there may be some tension between Eunji and Minho. If they start arguing, let me know.”

“Sure, Cap,” Chan nodded.

Felix followed Chan down to the galley, unconsciously hiding himself behind the older man as they passed Mari.

“Hi, Cheffy,” Felix greeted Minho, watching the man stir something sweet-smelling in a pot.

“You okay, Bokkie?”

“Mhmm,” the blonde nodded. “I’m alright.”

“I’ve got some tanghulu ready. So far, I have strawberries and grapes. I’m doing some other fruits now. Let those cool for another minute or two.”

Felix hugged Minho, “Thank you for making it.”

Chan let out a choked sound, clutching his chest at the adorableness when Minho rubbed his cheek against the top of Felix’s head.

“Knock it off,” Minho growled.

“Two cats disguised as humans,” Seungmin said as he walked by. “Hyunjin’s gotta draw that.”

“Seungminnie hyung, look what Cheffy made! There are strawberries,” Felix pointed at them excitedly.

Seungmin smiled at the fact that he was the first person Felix thought of when there were strawberries around. 

Once the tanghulu cooled, Chan called the other crew members. Felix sat between Changbin and Chan, looking small between the two muscular men. When Eunji and Mari came in, he shrunk down, looking even tinier. 

Minho placed another strawberry skewer on Felix’s plate, trying to make him focus on anything but the two women.

“Thank you,” Felix mouthed the words to him.

“What time do we wanna head out?” Hyunjin asked.

“Eight sound good?” Chan looked around for nods of approval. “How close are we to being done flipping?”

“Just gotta take the trash out and then we’ve gotta stow the slide from hell,” Changbin said, drawing groans from the other deckhands.

“We’re already done besides pressing sheets,” Eunji said smugly, popping a grape into her mouth. 

“If you still have something to do, you’re not technically done,” Minho shrugged, gearing up for an argument as Eunji threw her skewer on the plate. 

They heard someone clear their throat from the doorway and turned to see Captain Jung giving the two of them very stern looks.

“Am I interrupting something?” she asked.

The table was silent for a moment before Felix pointed at the platter filled with other skewers. “... Do you want the baby orange stick?”

Some of the crew burst out laughing, realizing Felix was pointing at the clementines but didn’t know how to say the words.

“Yes, I’d like one,” she laughed, accepting the plate Minho gave her. “You doing your usual night-out activities?”

“I think so,” Chan nodded.

“We need to introduce Yongbokkie to crew traditions,” Changbin said.

“Don’t ruin my stew,” she looked at him. 

“We’ll take care of him,” Jisung assured.

“What’s the rule?” she asked the group.

“Don’t disrespect the boat,” they collectively said, and Felix looked around confusedly.

“It means we still represent the boat, even when we’re away from it. We cannot do anything in public that would reflect on the boat poorly,” Chan explained.

“My Aunt had a similar rule but it’s a bit blunter,” Felix said.

“What is it?” Jeongin asked.

“Don’t be a dumbass or you’ll be a dumbass without a job.”

Chapter 10: Pomegranate

AN: Sorry for the delay! Life's been a little busy but I'm actually going back to Korea in a few months for another study abroad! So, to celebrate good things, here's a more positive chapter. Some minor trigger warnings for mentions of previous partners cheating, a moment of self-consciousness, and the scars from the car crash are mentioned a lot.

---

Chan was looking down at his phone, messaging his sister when he walked into his room. He had completely forgotten to knock and didn’t realize Felix was in the midst of getting dressed until he saw him.

The younger boy was facing away from him with his shirt off. It was the first time Chan had seen his back completely exposed. 

There were scars all over him, some more prominent than others. The most noticeable one was the thin, surgical scar running along his spine from just below the nape of his neck down to his mid-back.

“Oh, hi, Hyung!” Felix noticed him.

When Felix turned around, Chan noticed more scars, although not nearly as many as his back. 

“Do you think this belt goes with this shirt?” Felix asked. He held up a shirt with see-through mesh on the sides and sleeves along with a belt that had small silver decorations on it.

Chan was completely distracted by Felix’s abs, stuttering over his words. 

“Uh, y-yeah. It’s good, like, uh. Very good,” he nodded.

Felix put the shirt on, the tight fabric fitting him like it was tailored to his body, showing off his figure. He looped the belt through his black skinny jeans and spun around in front of Chan.

“Look okay?” he asked.

“You’re really pretty, Felix,” Chan said before his brain caught up with him.

Felix blushed from the compliment, which was equal parts adorable and attractive. Chan was open about his kinks, particularly enjoying praising partners who had shy reactions- reactions like the one Felix was giving.

“What are you wearing?” Felix asked.

“I don’t really plan my outfits,” Chan said. “Usually, it’s the stews, Hyunjin, and Jeongin who dress up the most.”

“Can I help pick one out?” Felix asked excitedly.

“Sure,” Chan nodded, not willing to dash Felix’s enthusiasm. He opened all of the drawers of the cabinet to let Felix look through. It was interesting to see whenever something caught Felix’s eye but he moved on as soon as he touched it.

“Texture is just as important as visuals,” Felix said, selecting a black t-shirt with gold patterns and loose black jeans. “You can connect the two parts with accessories. Do you have any gold-colored jewelry?”

“Uh, I think I have a chain,” Chan said.

“Those runners in the wardrobe that have the gold eyelets would be good with it too,” Felix handed him a belt with similar gold eyelets before searching his own accessory box, pulling out small, thick, gold hoop earrings, and giving them to the bosun.

Chan was amazed at how the outfit came together, the little flashes of gold in various places dressing it up significantly.

“God, you’re so good at this,” Chan said, looking at himself in the full-length mirror while Felix was fixing his makeup in the bathroom.

“Fashion Week is like a special holiday for me,” Felix laughed.

“If Mari ever stops acting like Eunji, you two would actually get along,” Chan said. “She’s all about fashion. Hyunjin too, but I think he just likes expensive things.”

“Hyung… do you think they’ll ever accept me?” Felix asked.

“I don’t know,” Chan admitted. “I hope they will. Maybe some good things will happen tonight! You ready to go?”

“Ready, ready,” Felix nodded as he zipped up his boots and grabbed a crop-top leather jacket before following him to the crew mess.

Minho, Seungmin, and Jisung were sitting at the table, watching something on a phone.

“Woah, Yongbok…” Jisung blinked when he saw the silver-haired boy. “You look really good.”

“I assume you chose Chan’s outfit too,” Hyunjin inspected the bosun’s look. “There’s no way he styled himself that well.”

“Is it a thumbs up?” Felix asked.

“He looks nice,” Hyunjin nodded. “You’re prettier, but you did a good job on him. Fashionisto approved.”

“Did you order the cars?” Eunji asked, not looking in their direction.

“Here in five,” Seungmin said.

“Let’s go down,” Chan nodded. “We’ll wait on the dock.”

Changbin immediately offered his arm for Felix to hold onto, and the Aussie didn’t miss a moment to seize the opportunity to feel up his muscles. Changbin let him walk in front as they crossed the gangway onto the dock.

Felix reached out his hand to assist Mari and Eunji down since they were wearing high heels, but they ignored his attempt to help.

When the cars arrived, the deckhands directed Felix to the large van. There were two rows of four seats, and Changbin nearly threw Hyunjin to get a spot next to Felix. The stew ended up sitting between Changbin and Jeongin with Jisung on the far side. Chan sat between Hyunjin and Minho with Seungmin next to his fellow engineer.

“Lixie, do you like galbi?” Chan turned around to ask.

“Uh, that’s grilled ribs, right?” Felix questioned, needing confirmation.

“Yep! The barbecue restaurant we’re going to is known for its galbi. We usually do a bunch of proteins and have a couple of drinks before we go clubbing,” the bosun said.

“I know some people here probably prefer staying to the side of the dance floor instead of being on it, but we should just go wild,” Felix said.

“I was afraid you’d say that,” Seungmin sighed.

“Just five minutes?” the blonde pouted.

“Five minutes is fine,” Changbin answered, talking over Seungmin. 

As soon as they got out of the car, Changbin offered his arm again, loving the way Felix smiled so brightly at him. They waited for Eunji and Mari’s car to arrive before the ten of them entered the restaurant.

Chan gave the name of their reservation and they were led to an elongated table. Since it was Felix’s first time at the restaurant, he sat next to Chan so he could ask him questions easier with Jeongin to his left. 

“Good evening,” their server appeared. “Are you ready to order?”

Chan ordered everyone’s usual drink and one he felt Felix would like before ordering the proteins to go on the barbecue.

“I’ll be back soon with your drinks,” the man said before leaving them to talk. 

“So, Yongbokkie, how do you like yacht life?” Changbin asked. 

“I really like it so far,” Felix grinned, and Eunji poorly concealed her surprise at his sincerity, sure that she had made Felix miserable during the charter. 

“What’s your favorite part so far?” Jisung asked.

“Besides the crew, Is it much of a surprise that I like the planning parts?”

“Are you missing your old job?” Hyunjin questioned.

“I miss my team. I’m still in contact with them though. They keep me updated about things, but I miss the large events a bit. I love the moment when all of the little things come together as a big thing,” Felix said with a soft smile on his lips. “I like it here though. It’s beautiful, and I love all of the new experiences.”

“Do you have questions for us?” Seungmin asked.

“Yeah, but it’s kind of a weird question,” Felix blushed.

“Go for it,” Minho waved him on.

“Well, with all of the working and traveling, how do you date? Is anyone in a relationship?” Felix asked.

“No, we’re all single at the moment. A lot of yachties don’t date until they retire, or they date other yachties they work with,” Chan said.

“None of you tried dating each other?” the blonde boy questioned.

“I think we’ve just known each other for so long, it’s become too sibling-like. I’ve been with Changbin for four years. The whole deck team has been working together for two years. Mari and Eunji grew up in the same town and have been working together for a year and a half. Minho and Eunji have worked on and off for six years. The engineers went to school together. It’s just a bit too much like a family for anything else.”

“Why aren’t you dating anyone, Felix?” Eunji asked. “You seem like someone who needs the constant reassurance of a relationship.”

“I’ve been single for about seven months now. It’s the longest I’ve been single for a while,” Felix nodded. “My relationship ended really badly, so I decided to spend that time focusing on work.”

“What happened?” Mari asked.

“Uh, well, he got my best friend pregnant,” Felix took a sip of his drink as jaws dropped.

“Are you serious?!”

“Okay, so, I have a bit of a different view on relationships. I fully believe you can love more than one person. That’s not to bash monogamy in any way. I completely understand if people want only two in a relationship. Annie was my first friend in Korea and we did everything together. I had my own apartment in Seo-gu. Kangdae, my boyfriend, moved in after a while of dating. They got along well, which I was really happy about at first but I started feeling like something was going on between them. If they had been honest with me and said they had a connection, I would have been fine with it. It’s the fact that they lied right to me and made me think I was going crazy.”

“How did you find out?” Mari asked.

“Annie told me she was pregnant and it was from a close friend’s partner, but she didn’t know how to tell them. I kinda knew right away and she finally admitted it. I went home to find all of my stuff in trash bags. Kangdae got me kicked from my lease and replaced my name with Annie’s."

“So, they live together now?” Jisung asked, trying to keep his voice level despite the rage in his body.

“Yep,” Felix nodded. “She’s due any day now.”

“Are you still talking to her?” Jeongin asked confusedly.

“She gives me updates on the pregnancy,” he said.

“If that was me, I would never talk to my friend again,” Mari said.

“I’m not really mad at her. She’s always been very easily influenced, and she was going through a rough time. I don’t blame her. I’m more upset that our relationship was so affected. It hasn’t been the same between us since then. I really liked that apartment too.”

“Why are you so forgiving?” Mari asked, judgmental and curious at the same time. “You’re okay with people walking all over you?”

“I wouldn’t say I’m okay with it,” he shook his head. “I don’t want to hold onto anger. I’d rather just move forward.”

“Do you ever hold a grudge?” Jeongin asked.

Felix looked to Chan, confused about the word Jeongin used. Chan said it in English, and Felix nodded, “I hold grudges, but only in certain situations. I can’t stand people who are mean to animals. Also, if a person hurts someone I care about. Other than that, I try to let things go. I don’t see it as letting people walk over me. I see it as choosing happiness over anger.”

“I like that outlook,” Hyunjin said. “I could never do it though. I hold grudges like no one else. Except maybe Jisung.”

“They used to fight all the time,” Seungmin said.

“We shared a room for one day and almost killed each other,” Jisung snorted. “Obviously, we’re close now.”

“Actually, Jisung fought with every person on board,” Chan said. “Even Captain once. She doesn’t take any shit though, hence the ‘once’ in that sentence.”

Jisung noticed Felix’s look of nervousness. “I can’t imagine a situation that would cause us to fight. Don’t worry, Lixie.”

Because there were three grills, Chan cooked on the one for the left side, Seungmin cooked for the middle, and Mari cooked for the right.

There was some sporadic chatter before the proteins and drinks arrived. 

“What is this, Hyung?” Felix asked Chan, inspecting the glass handed to him. 

“Stir it. Take a sip and tell me the ingredients,” Minho said.

Felix didn’t hesitate to do what Minho instructed. He stirred it and took a few sips.

“What do you taste?” Minho asked.

“Definitely taste peach schnapps, some vodka, a bit of cranberry, and I think a little lime?” Felix answered. “Is this a Woo Woo?”

“Is that what it’s called in Australia?” Minho laughed.

“Do you want a sip?” Felix offered.

“Sure,” Minho accepted, tasting it and cringing. “That’s very sweet.”

“I like sweet stuff,” Felix laughed, slightly embarrassed. 

“What’s your favorite dessert?” Changbin asked.

“Crème brûlée, brownies, or ice cream. It completely depends on my mood at the time,” Felix said.

“There’s nothing better than a good brownie,” Chan said, using meat scissors to cut slices of a chuck flap.

“Seungmin, that beef on the right needs to be flipped. You’re burning it,” Minho said, eagle eyes catching sight of it.

“You could come here and cook it,” Seungmin suggested.

“I’m off the boat. I’m not cooking jackshit,” Minho shook his head. 

Chan placed some meat on Felix’s plate while Jeongin jumped at the opportunity to help the blonde separate perilla leaves. After so long of being the “baby” of the boat, Jeongin was delighted to have someone he could take care of, especially someone as sweet as Felix. 

The crew talked about the funniest things to happen during charters and Felix responded with his own stories of the strangest events he’d planned. 

“What’s your favorite soju?” Hyunjin asked.

Felix hummed, thinking about it for a moment. “The pomegranate one is really good.”

“I love that one,” Mari said, earning a scowl from Eunji.

“They have it here,” Jisung said to Felix. 

Chan politely waved down one of the servers, “Sir, can we get two bottles of the pomegranate soju, please?”

“Of course,” he nodded, speedily returning with two cold bottles.

“How do you hold your liquor?” Chan asked as Hyunjin opened one and poured a shot for Felix.

“I’m a lightweight with anything other than beer,” Felix said. “I get drunk quickly. I’ve got levels of drunk though.”

“What are the levels?” Minho questioned.

“There are four levels. Level one- just standard drunk which for me is being even more huggy than I usually am. Level two is dancing and being generally stupid.”

“What’s level three?” Seungmin asked.

“Level three is making out with the nearest cute guy,” Felix laughed. “That’s usually where I stop.”

“What’s level four then?” Changbin raised a brow.

“Don’t think I can talk about level four, but it involves the cute guy from level three,” Felix winked, and it was clear that he was already buzzed just from what he had consumed.

Chan quickly placed more food on Felix’s plate, urging him to eat. He knew that they were in for a long night of drinking, and Felix definitely needed to have something in his stomach if he was so much of a lightweight. 

“Well, cheers to a great first charter,” Chan raised his shot glass.

The table rose up to clink their glasses together, tapping it on the table before drinking it.

“Oh, damn. That’s really good,” Jeongin said. “I think this has to be our go-to choice from now on.”

“Agreed,” the others nodded. 

They continued eating and had a few more shots of soju when they finished before paying and going back to the cars. Felix drunkenly offered a bread roll to the driver who had been patiently waiting for them. The man let out a hearty, full-bellied laugh, accepting the roll to appease him. He gave Felix a water bottle, waiting for everyone to settle in their seats.

By the time they arrived at the club, Felix, Jisung, and Hyunjin had sobered up a lot. They joined the stews, and half the group gravitated towards a table with cushioned couch seats while the other half went to the bar to order more drinks for everyone.

As soon as Felix had another strong drink in his system, he was pulling the members onto the dance floor. Noticing Jisung’s reluctance and subtle shuffling towards the edge, Felix took it upon himself to make the older man comfortable.

“Lixie, this isn’t really my thing,” Jisung shook his head.

“Dance with me,” Felix took Jisung’s hands and directed them to his waist before wrapping his arms around the deckhand’s neck. The colorful lights masked Jisung’s blush, flustered to be so close to Felix, their lips just centimeters away from each other.

“Gotta feel the music, Hyung,” Felix said, having to shout over the loud music.

Jisung wished it was that easy for him. With so much stimuli and so many people, it was a battle to keep his brain from being overwhelmed. He focused all of the attention he could on Felix, smelling the fruity cocktail on his cherry lips, feeling the heat of Felix’s body under his hands, and watching how the lights turned Felix’s hair into a rainbow halo.

He started swaying in time with Felix, copying the Aussie boy’s movements. Felix smiled, and Jisung didn’t dare look away from Felix out of fear that it would break his momentary calm He could feel several pairs of eyes boring holes into him with their glares. He knew the most burning one was either Hyunjin or Minho or maybe the two of them combined.

The song changed, and Felix changed his movements to match the new rhythm. Jisung copied him, falling into the same rhythm.

“Felix, you really are beautiful,” Jisung said.

“Hyung, have you looked in a mirror?” Felix asked. “You’re attractive as fuck.”

Jisung felt his face flush even brighter because he could see that Felix was being sincere. It was clear that Felix had a crush on some of the crew, and his words from earlier started bouncing around Jisung’s brain. Felix was polyamorous, and while Jisung didn’t particularly like sharing, he could easily imagine a happy dynamic with the other crew members.

“I really like you,” Jisung said. “ Really like you.”

Felix leaned in closer, his eyes glancing down to Jisung’s lips. “If that’s true, say it to me again when we’re both sober.”

“I don’t have the courage to say it without some sort of liquor in me,” Jisung admitted.

“I heard you stood up to a certain person at the beach party. Am I as scary as her?”

“No, you don’t scare me. Feelings scare me,” the deckhand said.

A man moved behind Felix, and Jisung instinctively pulled the stew closer, pressing their bodies together. Even though they had cuddled before, it felt different to be flushed against each other, face-to-face and chest-to-chest.

Jisung’s breath caught in his throat before he managed to get the words out, “I want… I want to kiss you.”

“You’re not just a rando in a bar, Hyung,” Felix said. “You mean something. If you wanna kiss me, do it when we’re sober.”

“O-okay,” Jisung nodded.

As more people began crowding the floor, Jisung excused himself to retreat to the couch and sit next to Changbin. They all saw a girl near Felix tripped, falling onto the floor. He immediately went to her, helping her up and letting her hold onto his shoulder as she readjusted her high heel.

“Hyunjin,” Mari tapped the engineer.

“Yeah?” he asked, never taking his eyes off of Felix’s warm smile.

“Is there any chance for us?” she questioned, finally drawing his attention.

“Us?”

“You and me. Could we… could we ever be something?” she asked.

Hyunjin shook his head, “No. I’m sorry. I see you as a friend but I can’t continue a friendship with a person who goes out of their way to make someone miserable.”

“He’s nice to me,” she said flatly. “I don’t get it. Why is he nice to me when I’m not nice to him?”

“Because he chooses to be,” Hyunjin said. “You could do it too. You don’t have to follow Eunji. You’re your own person, and you can make your own decisions. Have a one-on-one conversation with him and get to know him, Mari. Decide for yourself what he’s like, not what Eunji says he’s like.”

Mari took a large sip of her drink, turning around to go sit down at the table. 

Felix, being the social butterfly he was, danced with other people in the club for the next hour or two. The introverts of the crew watched on in amazement as he easily struck up conversations. They didn’t know how to feel when Felix sensually danced with an older man, letting the stranger’s hands roam for a while.

Hyunjin’s jealousy overpowered his self-control and he subtly made his way across the floor, dodging women left and right. He entered Felix’s field of vision, and the stew said something to the man who then looked at Hyunjin with an annoyed expression before he took his hands off of Felix and walked away. 

Felix easily slipped into Hyunjin’s arms, their height difference allowing them to fit together like puzzle pieces. 

“You ready to head back?” Hyunjin asked, wanting to take Felix away from any more touchy people. Felix nodded, knowing that several crew likely wanted to get the hell out of such a crowded space. He held Hyunjin’s arm to himself standing, having been plied with drinks by the people he’d danced with. 

Once they got outside and the fresh air hit their lungs, Felix jumped onto Jeongin from behind for a piggyback ride. The deckhand easily carried him back to the cars while Felix hummed the song they had just listened to. 

“What’s the lowest note you can hit?” Jeongin asked. 

“I don’t know. Pretty low but I probably shouldn’t try in public. I don’t wanna be too loud,” Felix slurred, despite the fact they were surrounded by loud, intoxicated groups. 

When they got back in the car, Felix chirped a greeting to the driver who had been reading while waiting for them. He seemed very fond of Felix, waiting until he specifically was settled down in his seat before starting the car.

Of course, being drunk and affectionate, Felix somehow ended up lying across Seungmin, Changbin, and Jisung’s lap. The three held him tightly to make sure he wouldn’t fall off the seat. He was giggling, poking Changbin’s bicep, and singing along to the radio.

Minho reached behind his chair to ruffle Felix’s hair, laughing when the younger boy playfully nipped at his hand. He moved his hand around blindly until he found Felix’s nose and booped it the same way he did to his cats at home.

Changbin leaned forward, moving his head over Felix’s, so when Minho went to pet Felix again, it was the deckhand’s hair instead. Apparently, Changbin’s hair was not as soft as Felix’s because Minho immediately smacked the back of his neck.

“Ow!” Changbin yelped.

Felix sat up, hugging Changbin to comfort him when the deckhand made a warbling cry.

“No fighting in an enclosed environment, please,” Chan held up his hands, already seeing the gears turning in Minho’s head to give some sort of smartass remark.

“Oh, hey, look. We’re at the marina,” Seungmin patted Felix’s thigh, surprised by how sturdy the muscles were until he remembered someone mentioning that Felix went to dance studios.

They started getting out of the car, and Felix leaned over to the driver.

“Thank you very much, Sir,” he said politely.

“You’re very welcome. Have a good night,” the man smiled, laughing when Felix stuck his tiny hand out for a fistbump.

When they walked down the dock to Saturn , Mari and Eunji crossed the gangplank cautiously in their heels while Felix affectionately hugged Seungmin from behind, making the engineer walk in a duck-waddle. If it was anyone else, Seungmin would have made some sort of quip and pushed them away, but he loved the warm energy radiating from Felix.

“Hot tub time?” Changbin asked the group once they were all onboard.

“Oh, yeah,” Chan nodded. “I’m gonna change into my swimsuit and get the tub started.”

Felix blinked in surprise after Chan left. “We’re allowed to use it?” he asked.

“Mhmm,” Changbin nodded. “As long as it’s after charter and there are no guests onboard, we can use pretty much everything.”

“Bar included if you want drinks,” Minho chimed in. “Anyone want anything?”

“I’ll take a vodka shot,” Hyunjin said.

“Me too,” Jeongin nodded.

“Bokkie, do you want something?” Minho asked.

“Oh, god. I’ll end up horizontal if I have anything else,” Felix chuckled.

“Water- got it,” the chef nodded.

“I’m going to bed,” Eunji said, looking at Mari with a raised brow.

“My shoes hurt a lot,” she said. “I need to enjoy some warm water, I think.”

Eunji shrugged, “Fine. I need both of you up at nine to start prepping for the next charter.”

The two other stews nodded, and Eunji completely ignored Felix, only saying goodnight to Mari. 

Felix waited a little while before going to his cabin, wanting to avoid Eunji. When he came in, Chan had already headed up to the sun deck to heat the tub. Felix pulled his swimsuit from his side of the closet and paused for a moment, debating whether to wear a shirt as well.

He occasionally felt self-conscious of the scars on his body, but more often it was for the comfort of others. In fact, his scars made other people more upset than they made him. He didn’t think any of the deck crew would judge him or see him differently, but he also didn’t want to give Mari a reason to mock him, not to mention if Eunji suddenly came back.

“Fuck it,” he mumbled to himself. He didn’t have a proper swimshirt, and he hated the feeling of wet fabric on his skin.

Felix went to the sun deck, seeing some of the other crew members already in the massive tub. Mari was sitting as far away from everyone as possible while Jeongin and Jisung were battling in the water.

“I’m surprised you’re not wearing a budgie-smuggler,” Felix nodded to Chan, who was crouching to turn up the bubbles on the side panel.

“A what?” Changbin asked as he came up the stairs behind Felix.

“It’s a kind of swimsuit. It’s like a speedo. It’s really common in Australia,” Chan explained as he stood up. “You’re not wearing one either, though.”

“My Aunt said I could wear anything I wanted other than that. She’s fine with makeup and heels and crop tops, but she draws the line at budgies. She’d lose her mind if I ever bought one, and I always keep my promises to her,” Felix laughed. 

He noticed Minho’s eyes flickering between his abdomen and his own stomach. Felix glanced down and realized the chef had a small scar in the exact same spot as him.

“Ah, sorry, sorry,” Minho apologized when he saw that Felix had caught him. 

“Hyung, we’re twins!” Felix said, understanding that Minho wasn’t judging him, but was just surprised that they were matching.

“You know, you and Jisung are almost twins. Your birthday is the day after his,” Chan checked the thermometer on the pool.

“Separated by a couple years obviously,” Jeongin pointed out. “Seungmin is like 2 weeks after, so we have three September babies onboard.”

Felix squealed, giggling as Changbin suddenly swept him off of his feet and carried him to the tub. He dropped Felix into the tub, splashing Minho who let out an angry squawk. Changbin was surprised when the blonde reached up and pulled his wrist to try and drag him in too.

Obviously, the difference in their build made itself clear when Changbin didn’t budge despite Felix’s best efforts.

“Hyuuuung,” he whined until Changbin relented and got in next to him.

They started playing the game “Never Have I Ever,” asking daring questions to find out more about Felix and knocking each other out of the game.

After some time in the hot tub with other games and a “bad Dad-joke” battle, Felix got out to drink some water, trying to sober up before he went to bed because the last thing he wanted was to feel like he was going to fall out of his bunk. Mari came to his side and said quietly, “Come sit with me.”

Realizing Felix hadn’t come back to the tub, Minho looked around until he located the blonde boy. The chef caught Chan’s attention, using his eyes to silently indicate the direction he wanted the bosun to look.

Felix and Mari were sitting in one of the lounge seats as they conversed. Chan was surprised that both of them had relaxed body language. In fact, they were both smiling. 

“Who knew a couple of drinks and being away from Eunji would turn them chummy,” Chan said as they laughed about something.

Hyunjin and Minho, being the perpetual eavesdroppers of the group, slowly inched their way closer so they could listen in. They pretended to pour more drinks, taking their sweet time to listen closely.

“Can… can we start over?” Mari asked.

Felix completely lit up, smiling wide as he nodded, “Yes, ma’am. I would love that!”

The older stew stuck her hand out, “My name is Jang Mari. I’m 25. I’m from Ilsan.”

Felix immediately accepted it, shaking her hand. “I’m Lee Felix. I’m 20, and I’m from Sydney.”

“How did you find out about yachting?” she asked.

“I was talking with a client who had just celebrated her anniversary on a charter. It seemed interesting, so I took a look at positions. My Aunt said she would allow one year for me to do whatever I wanted. At the end of the year, I can decide if I want to leave her company or come back to a lower position to work back up again. What about you?”

“Eunji was my senior in school, and her father was a captain. She went into yacht service and showed me what it was like. I wanted to be a fashion designer when I was little but that didn’t work out,” Mari said. 

“The summer bridal collection catalog is coming out in a few days. If we have any free time, would you wanna look at it together?” Felix questioned hopefully. 

“Yes, absolutely yes. But… I can’t act like this in front of her,” Mari said. “She’d lose it if she saw us getting along.”

“You don’t hate me?” Felix asked.

“No, I don’t hate you.”

“That’s all I need to know,” Felix smiled. “I don’t want you to get in trouble. Do whatever you need to do.”

“I feel horrible,” she spoke quietly. “I’ve treated you badly, but you’re still nice to me.”

“Ms. Mari, it’s okay,” Felix assured. 

“When we’re alone- when we know she’s not around, you can call me Noona, okay?” Mari said, patting his knee.

Felix practically glowed with happiness as he nodded, “Yes, Noona!”

“I know this is very personal, but how did you get all of those scars?”

Hyunjin and Minho looked at each other, realizing that Mari and Eunji had no idea about Felix’s experiences. They weren’t present when he talked about how he ended up in France, and because the two women had separated themselves from the rest of the crew, no one had told them.

“I was in a car accident with my parents and sisters when I was younger,” Felix said.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Is your family okay?”

“No, uh, they didn’t make it,” the blonde played with the hem of his swimsuit, trying to not cry as the alcohol in his system made him more emotional.

“I lost my little brother the same way when he was seventeen,” Mari said. “A truck ran a red light.”

“That must have been devastating. I’m so sorry,” Felix said as if he hadn’t also experienced a tragedy but was entirely focused on Mari’s emotions. 

Minho tapped Hyunjin, tilting his head to tell him it was time to leave the stews alone because it was clearly supposed to be a private conversation.

They joined the rest of the crew in the tub, trying to partake in the shenanigans, although their attention frequently returned to Felix and Mari. Their conversation ranged between tearful and lighthearted. Minho was sure they were both experiencing emotional whiplash.

Once it became later in the night, the deckhands, chef, and engineers said good night and went to bed, leaving the two to continue their talk.

“I think it’s a good sign,” Jisung said quietly when they went below deck.

Chan nodded, “Who knows, maybe Eunji will warm up to him someday too.”

Chapter 11: Le Baiser

AN: Sorry for the delay! I did a summer study abroad in Tokyo and now I'm getting ready to do a full semester in Korea! I hope everyone has watched the Lollapalooza performances because our boys ATE, and Felix went so wild. To celebrate their performance (and to apologize for this being a bit of a short chapter) I give you a KISS. Think you can guess which member it is before the end of the chapter? ;)

---

Chan wasn’t sure when exactly Felix came to bed. He woke up briefly around 5:30 AM, but Felix still wasn’t there. He was pretty sure he heard the shower turn on at some point, but he wasn’t certain.

When Chan’s alarm went off at 8 AM, he heard Felix groan. It didn’t matter where someone came from, their background, their culture, their age; there was a specific universal sound of a person with a hangover being woken up.

“You okay, bro?” Chan asked.

“I always forget how strong alcohol here is,” Felix grumbled.

Chan nearly fell off his bed from how deep and gravelly Felix’s voice sounded, even more so than his usual morning voice.

“Jesus Christ, dude!”

“Ow, what?” Felix asked, wincing at the loud sound.

“You gotta do some voice acting. Seriously, it’s insane,” Chan said. “You should hear yourself right now.”

“Do you have any Para?” Felix asked, referring to painkillers.

“No Paracetamol but I do have some Advil if that works,” Chan offered.

“I’d take just about anything,” Felix said, rolling over to the side of the bed to hang partially over the bed to see Chan.

The bosun stood up, petting Felix’s messy hair and finding it slightly damp. Even with how exhausted the young man was, he was still gorgeous. It felt somewhat unfair that he could look so pretty first thing in the morning.

Chan grabbed two Advil and a glass of water, handing them to the silver-haired boy.

“You saint,” Felix accepted it gratefully and swallowed them.

“When did you come to bed?” Chan asked.

“Around 6, I think,” Felix rubbed his eyes.

“How did your talk with Mari go?”

“It went well but I need a minute for this to kick in before I can think about it,” he sighed, massaging his temple.

“I’m gonna wash up and then I’ll make some coffee,” Chan said. “Do you want some vanilla syrup and cream?”

“Ah, yes, please,” Felix nodded, and then instantly regretted moving his head.

Chan rushed to get ready, dressing and leaving to make the coffee.

When he came back to the room, Felix was dozing with part of his body dangling off the mattress. It would have taken one wave to knock him off the bunk, so Chan gently shook his shoulder to wake him. He gave the coffee when Felix had summoned the mental capacity to safely hold a cup. As soon as the caffeine hit him, Felix began perking up. 

Chan didn’t think Felix had enough coordination to get off of the bunk, so he held up his arms. Felix immediately seized the opportunity, wrapping his arms around Chan’s neck and letting the bosun pull him down gently. He placed Felix down softly, letting the younger boy hug him for a while.

“I love how cuddly you are,” Chan smiled.

“My sisters and I always used to cuddle in the morning while waiting for breakfast. In France, Mama Adeline or Mama Manon would wake me up by hugging me,” Felix said.

“That’s really sweet,” Chan petted his hair.

“I don’t wanna get dressed,” Felix whined for a moment before he let go of Chan and started getting ready.

The bosun found it absolutely adorable that Felix could swing between playful and professional. The stew leaned his weight against the sink, taking a deep breath to try and lessen the nausea as he started his makeup.

It was far less difficult to focus once the painkillers started kicking in, but not enough for him to be as accurate as usual. His eyeliner smudged, so he blended it out and made it look intentional. He dried his hair the rest of the way, brushing it and allowing the waves to fall naturally.

Felix noticed that Chan wasn’t wearing his blues, so he copied the bosun and dressed in comfortable clothing. They would have to change after breakfast before they started working. He followed Chan out to the hallway, holding his head.

“Hi, Lixie,” Jisung said when he saw the blonde boy.

Felix smiled at him, “Hi, hi.”

Jisung momentarily wondered if Felix had forgotten their conversation at the club because the didn’t bring it up. Felix had told him that, if Jisung wanted to confess his feelings, he had to be sober. Jisung was terrified at the very thought, but also disappointed at the idea that Felix may not remember the moment they shared.

“Hey, Felix,” Hyunjin hugged the blonde boy from behind.

“Hi, Hyungie,” Felix put his arms over Hyunjin’s, patting his forearm.

“How do you feel?”

“Bit of a headache,” Felix said bashfully.

“Minho makes a good hangover cure,” Hyunjin said. “He’s probably starting it already because Jeongin has a hangover too.”

“Did you have a good time last night?” Jisung asked.

“I did,” Felix smiled. “You and I had a good talk, too.”

Jisung’s face flushed red, knowing that Felix definitely remembered. Before Jisung could stutter out a reply, Eunji’s loud voice jumpscared the three of them as she shouted from the corridor, “Where’s my radio?”

Felix cringed as the piercing sound cut straight through any relief the Advil was giving. He knew that yelling the answer would only intensify his headache, so he slipped out of Hyunjin’s arms to retrieve Eunji’s radio.

“It’s here, ma’am,” Felix gave it to her.

“Did you take it?” she asked accusatorily.

Felix blinked in confusion, unsure why she would even ask it.

“You left it in the crew mess,” he said.

“All crew, all crew. Come get breakfast,” Minho called over the radio.

Eunji stomped away, leaving Felix absolutely bewildered. He latched onto Seungmin as he walked by, falling in step with him.

Mari looked even more tired than Felix. The two shared a quick glance and a tiny smile when their eyes met. It was clear, whatever conversation they had had, they’d started a connection. 

Minho put a plate of shot glasses on the table. They were filled with some sort of thickish green juice, and three glasses were slightly larger. Minho gave the bigger ones to Felix, Jeongin, and Mari- the three most hungover crew members.

“There’s a bit of a sting from ginger and lemon,” Minho warned.

Felix didn’t bother to wait and see the reactions of the others. All he wanted was for his headache to stop, so he picked up the glass and tossed his head back, swallowing the entire shot in one go. Chan couldn’t help but laugh as the blonde puckered his lips, one eye twitching closed like a broken baby doll.

“Cute,” Jisung giggled.

The crew realized something: Felix was an incredibly skilled actor. He was able to pretend like nothing changed between him and Mari when he was around Eunji. The older stew, on the other hand, was poor at hiding her new feelings. She was over-compensating in front of Eunji, being exceptionally cruel which only encouraged Eunji to do the same.

As soon as Eunji was out of earshot, Mari would tear up and hug Felix, begging for forgiveness. Felix assured her that he was okay and harbored no ill will to her, so she could do whatever she needed to do to keep Eunji off her back.

There were a few moments where Mari unwittingly sided with Felix, earning a scalding verbal attack from the chief stew.

“Noona,” Felix whispered, waving her over into the stew pantry.

Mari joined him, looking around to make sure Eunji wasn’t nearby.

“During charters, let’s try to stay away from each other as much as possible. I keep getting you in trouble, and I don’t want you to feel bad for what you have to do,” Felix said.

Mari nodded, giving his hand a squeeze.

“Thank you for looking out for me,” she said.

The two exited the pantry and went in opposite directions. 

With the way they avoided each other, the other members thought that their new friendship had already dissolved. They only spoke to each other if absolutely necessary, and Felix kept his head down almost the whole time. It was only when they caught the two giving each other a reassuring smile that they realized it was strategic. 

There was only an hour and a half before the guests were meant to arrive, so they were finishing up with getting everything set and ready to go.

Felix was in the laundry room after cleaning the salon and bar. Jeongin backtracked when he passed by after he saw Felix holding his low back. 

“What’s up?” Jeongin asked.

“Just pressing,” Felix lifted the iron.

“Hurting?” Jeongin nodded to where Felix was holding himself.

“Oh, I’m okay,” Felix assured him although it was clearly not true because he was holding exactly where one of the major scars on his spine was located. “I’ve got a few more of these to do and then I’m on cabins,” he said.

“Can I help?” Jeongin questioned.

“You want to iron?” Felix asked confusedly. 

“No. God, no. I’d burn a hole straight through it,” Jeongin chuckled. “I meant your back. All of the deckhands go to the gym, so we’ve become massage masters.”

“I don’t wanna keep you from work,” Felix said.

“I can’t do more until the Hyungs have cleared the aft deck,” he said. “It’s no trouble.”

“You’re certain?” Felix asked

“Certain,” he nodded. “I totally get it if you’re not comfortable though.”

“I’m more than comfortable with you, I just don’t wanna waste your time,” he said.

“It’s not a waste at all,” Jeongin approached, standing behind Felix as he continued ironing. 

Jeongin admired Felix’s work ethic. Even in pain, he was still working his hardest. Jeongin prodded along his back, identifying the most painful area from the way Felix hissed. He held the stew’s tiny waist, using his thumbs to massage the tight muscles. He could feel the knots of scar tissue under his thumbs.

He realized Felix was so petite, if he spread out his fingers, his hand could take up the entire expanse of Felix’s back.

“We know a physical therapist who might be able to help with the pain if you’d like to talk to her,” Jeongin said.

“I do my exercises when I get the chance, although I know I should be doing them every day. I’ve reached the point of recovery where it’s mostly just maintenance, but I can’t really do more without having another surgery. I’ve had so many, I know I should be desensitized to it, but I still get panicky when I think about having another one,” Felix explained.

“What helps?” Jeongin asked, reversing the direction he was rubbing.

“Massage, heat, swimming, and stretching. I try to avoid painkillers as much as possible, but I need it every once in a while,” he said.

“If you’re ever hurting and need some help, please, come to any of us. We’re more than happy to help,” Jeongin said, hugging him.

“Thank you. Same for me as well. I like giving massages,” Felix smiled, leaning into his embrace.

They heard the sound of someone sucking their teeth in annoyance and looked up to see Hyunjin standing in the doorway.

“How long have you been there?” Jeongin asked.

“Long enough,” he grumbled, stalking away.

“Is he- is he mad at me?” Felix started panicking.

Jeongin shook his head, “No, not you, only at me. He gets jealous easily. Jisung and Minho hyung too. Actually, I think all of us do, but some of us are just better at hiding it.”

“Are you jealous?” Felix asked.

“Yes,” Jeongin admitted. “I’m jealous that Channie hyung gets to have a nice roommate. Minho hyung gets sooo sassy in the morning.”

“You should see me with tequila.”

---

It became clear almost immediately after the charter began that the primary guest was obsessed with Felix’s voice. She requested that he be the only crew member to speak to her. At first, Felix didn’t mind too much considering it was a common thing for people to be enthralled with the duality of his deep voice and gentle appearance. Soon, he became slightly frustrated because he couldn’t leave the guests alone for more than 10 minutes while trying to complete tasks below deck and behind the scenes. 

Despite his annoyance, he never let it show in front of the guests. As far as they knew, Felix was having as delightful of a time as they were.

To soothe himself, he hugged every crew member he passed, excluding Eunji (and Mari because he was worried the chief stew would see). The members were more than happy to indulge his need for affection, hugging him tightly. 

The stews were working together in a slightly awkward silence. Felix was doing everything he could to avoid Eunji snapping at him, Mari was trying to avoid giving any indication that she didn’t hate Felix anymore, and Eunji was avoiding bringing the Captain’s attention to her because the camera was aimed directly at the bar. It was to make sure guests didn’t become violent with the stews from overindulging with alcohol, but it certainly made Eunji behave more.

They managed to get through a flawless lunch service although it was annoying that the primary only acknowledged Felix. Mari or Eunji would ask her something, but she wouldn’t respond until he repeated it. 

The deckhands could feel the tension every time they walked by the stews, and the stress placed on Felix by having to be the sole attendant to the primary was running him ragged. Jisung joked that they needed to put a fitness watch on Felix to count how many steps he was taking because the stew was speeding all around the boat.

Felix was so quiet when he walked, no one could hear his footsteps. Changbin didn’t know he was nearby until Felix rounded the corner, and the two of them slammed into each other. With Changbin’s muscular build, Felix went flying back, hitting the ground hard with a yelp.

Hyunjin was farther down the hallway behind Changbin, but he came running to help.

“Oh, oh, oh,” Changbin cooed, crouching down next to Felix. 

“Are you okay?” Felix asked before Changbin could, as if he wasn’t the one who had just slammed into a human brick wall.

“I’m fine,” Changbin assured. “Are you alright?”

Hyunjin could see Felix subtly cradling his left hand, “Are you hurt?”

“My wrist. I jammed it a little,” he pouted slightly.

“Hey, what happened?” Chan asked, noticing Felix on the ground from his position at the far end of the staircase with Mari popping her head up close behind.

Changbin helped Felix onto his feet, watching the stew roll his wrist with a slight cringe.

“Let’s get some ice on it,” Changbin said.

“I’m okay. We ran out of chilled red wine upstairs,” Felix waved him off.

“Go take your break, Felix. I’ll handle it,” Mari said, concerned.

Changbin, Chan, and Hyunjin led him to the galley.

“Chef, can we get some ice?” Changbin asked.

“I’m a little busy,” Minho said, whipping something in a bowl. He immediately stopped when he saw Felix holding his wrist while Changbin had an arm around the stew’s waist. Minho grabbed a bag and filled it with ice from the freezer.

“What happened?” Minho asked.

“I’m okay. I fell and just landed on it a bit weird,” Felix said, not wanting them to worry about him.

Hyunjin couldn’t help but stare at the angel in front of him. Felix was beautiful inside and out, more concerned about their feelings than his own pain.

“Can you move it?” Chan asked, wanting to check the range of motion to make sure there wasn’t a serious injury.

Felix rolled it in each direction, biting the inside of his cheek. Minho came over with the bag wrapped in a soft cloth, gently holding his forearm as he placed the ice on his wrist.

“Thanks, Cheffy,” Felix smiled.

Minho stroked his fluffy hair, “Have you eaten yet?” 

Felix shook his head.

“You guys go on. I’ll take care of him,” Minho said to the other members.

Changbin affectionately brushed his knuckles against Felix’s cheek, “I’m sorry.”

“Hyung, I knocked into you ,” Felix laughed. “It wasn’t your fault at all.”

“I’m still sorry though,” Changbin said, mournfully following the bosun and engineer out.

Minho pulled a chair into the kitchen, placing it on the opposite side of the island table from where he was cooking so that he could keep an eye on Felix. He set a plate of food down in front of him, packed with protein and a side of feta and watermelon salad.

“Thank you,” Felix smiled, savoring the flavor.

Just after he finished his plate, there was a knock on the doorway, and they both turned to see Captain Jung standing there.

“Chan told me you had a fall. Are you okay?” she asked.

“I’m okay,” Felix assured her. He was a little emotional, not used to having so many people caring for him since he had left France. He was surprised that the captain herself had come down from the wheelhouse to check on him.

“Let me take a look,” she said.

She did the same tests, moving Felix’s wrist around to check range of motion. It was clearly starting to hurt a bit more as he moved it. There wasn’t any visible swelling but it was already beginning to bruise along the outer side of his wrist where it had hit the ground. 

“You bruise so easily, I think we should start calling you ‘Peach’,” Minho said, feeling sympathy for the blonde boy. 

“We’re gonna bandage this up,” she said. 

“But it’ll look bad in front of the guests,” he pouted.

“I’d rather you wear an ugly bandage than cause more damage,” she said. “I don’t want you lifting anything with this hand, okay? Let the other stews pour wine and carry platters. Try not to bend it too much.”

“I don’t think Eunji is gonna be happy with that,” Felix said.

“I’ll deal with it. That girl is getting on my nerves,” Jung said.

“Maybe it’s time to look for a new chief stew,” Minho mumbled under his breath.

“Maybe it’s time for the chef to know he should not say things like that in front of the captain,” she tutted.

Jisung appeared out of nowhere carrying the first aid kit. “Nurse Han to the rescue,” he smiled.

He held Felix’s arm delicately as he bandaged his wrist, letting out a sympathetic sound when he saw the bruise. Despite how hard Felix worked, the younger boy’s hands were soft and without callouses.

“You can go back on deck at 3,” Jung said.

“But the primary won’t talk to anyone else,” Felix frowned.

“The co-primary can talk for her then,” the Captain shrugged. “Go take a rest.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Felix said. He gave Jisung and Minho hugs to thank them for helping him as well.

He walked down the hallway and passed his room until he reached an open door.

“Hyung?” Felix’s voice piped up from the doorway.

“Hi, Bokkie. Come in,” Seungmin waved him over, already knowing what Felix wanted. “How much time do you have for your break?”

“Until 3,” Felix said as he climbed into Seungmin’s bunk.

“What happened to your wrist?” Seungmin asked concernedly, seeing the bandage.

“I fell but I’m okay,” Felix said, slipping under his arm to rest against his chest.

“You always say you’re cold but you feel so warm whenever we hug,” Seungmin said, feeling like there was a nice little hot water bottle on him. “If you fall asleep, do you want me to wake you up?”

“Yes, please,” Felix said, settling down. “What did you do today?”

“The older parts of the ship need to be manually adjusted, unlike the newer parts. I mostly worked on the hydraulics and checked all of the older electricals,” Seungmin said. “I prefer working behind the scenes. I don’t think I’d have the patience to deal with all that.”

“I like working with people but it can get a little tiring,” Felix admitted.

“Take a rest,” Seungmin petted his hair. “I’ll wake you when it’s time.”

Felix snuggled against him, resting his wrapped hand on Seungmin’s chest. He was so tired, it was only a matter of minutes before he was drifting off. He was a light sleeper, so any movement from Seungmin made him open his eyes.

The engineer scrolled through his phone, also taking a brief nap until his watch’s alarm started buzzing at 2:45.

A few minutes later, Seungmin lightly shook his shoulder.

“Lixie, you gotta get up. It’s almost 3,” he said softly.

“Waaaaah,” Felix whined quietly, slowly sitting upright.

Seungmin helped Felix stand up, stroking the younger boy’s fluffy hair. He brushed it out of his face, tracing along his jawline to his chin. His gaze flickered down to Felix’s plump lips. The silver-blonde boy did the same, looking at Seungmin’s lips before meeting his gaze.

The moment Felix gave a little nod, Seungmin leaned in and kissed him. Felix’s lips were soft, and Seungmin could taste the sweet strawberry gloss. He wrapped his arms around Felix’s waist, pulling him in closer. 

Seungmin’s dating experience was relatively limited but there was something undeniably special the moment Felix tilted his head, intensifying the kiss

Felix’s alarm buzzed loudly, but they didn’t separate until Seungmin’s alarm also started. They were both a little breathless as they reached for their phones, turning them off.

“I… liked that,” Seungmin said.

“Me too,” Felix nodded shyly.

Seungmin couldn’t help but feel slightly smug when he looked at Felix’s face. His rosy cheeks made his freckles stand out more, and his hair was a bit disheveled, but his lips caught his attention the most. His lips were ruby red and kiss swollen. There was no way to mistake how they had gotten that way.

He ran his thumb over them, admiring the beautiful boy in front of him.

“I like you a lot, Felix.”

“I like you too, Hyung,” Felix said, eyes shining bright.

“I know you like the others as well. I’m not gonna try to stop you from being with other crew. I’m okay with that, and I understand if you don’t want to date officially, but would you consider maybe you and I being… something?” the engineer said.

Felix nodded, smiling wide, “I’m open to seeing where things go.”

Seungmin leaned in and kissed him again, enjoying a few more seconds with him before they left the cabin.

Everyone could tell what they had been doing from the way Felix looked. Jisung glared at Seungmin with such intensity, it was like he was telepathically trying to set him on fire. 

When Seungmin started down the hall to the engine room, he almost had the air knocked out of him as someone pushed him against the wall.

“What the fuck?” Hyunjin growled.

“What?” Seungmin asked.

“You kissed him!”

“Yes,” Seungmin nodded.

“I want him,” Hyunjin said through gritted teeth.

“Okay?” Seungmin raised a brow. “Did you not hear him when he talked about being poly? Just ask him if he likes you, which I already know he does.”

“What’s going on?” Chan’s voice cut through the tension.

“Seungmin kissed Felix,” Hyunjin said.

“Yeah, I know. It’s pretty obvious. I’m not sure how he’s supposed to explain that to Eunji or the guests,” Chan rolled his eyes. “Let Seungmin go.”

“Are you not mad?” Hyunjin asked, releasing his grip on Seungmin’s shirt.

“More jealous that I wasn’t the first one to kiss him,” Chan said. “Minho is mad though, so you might wanna avoid him for a minute, Seungmin.”

 

Seungmin looked between the two of them and said, “I regret nothing.”

Chapter 12: Kissed Bruises

AN: Sorry again for the delay. As an apology, I give you a chapter with lots of stuff. Felix goes to the doctor to check his wrist and is super stressed. There are a lot of kisses and FINALLY some good ol’ SMUT. Guess who it will be before the end of the chapter ;)

---

The following day, Felix’s wrist was a lot more sore. He hid it exceptionally well, but he could hardly bend it. The bruising had extended around the top of his wrist. It looked like he was wearing a bracelet, or as if someone had grabbed him.

“I want you to get an x-ray,” Captain Jung said when she checked it and Chan nodded in agreement.

“It’s not broken,” Felix assured them. “I have a metal plate here connecting the bones, so it’s just bruising around that. I promise I’m okay. It’s only a sprain. I’ll just keep icing it.”

“No,” Jung shook her head firmly. “During the beach excursion, you’ll visit the walk-in clinic. I want to be sure this isn’t something serious. I’ll have a car pick you up.”

Felix seemed a bit hesitant and Chan remembered the younger boy mentioning his fear of doctors, traumatized from various surgeries and medical procedures.

He rubbed the back of Felix’s neck comfortingly and said, “It’s just a precaution. You’re probably right but we need to be sure, okay?”

Felix leaned against him, slipping under his arm for a hug. The captain picked up on his anxiety, and while Felix hadn’t talked extensively about his childhood accident, Chan had told her. She understood where the nervousness was coming from and sympathized deeply with him.

“Can you spare a deckhand?” she asked Chan. “Have two on the beach with Eunji, you stay here, and have one go with Felix?”

“Of course,” Chan nodded. “I can send either Jisung or Jeongin.”

“Jisung,” she said. “I don’t want him and Eunji catching an attitude with each other in front of the guests again.”

“It’s really not necessary. I don’t want to distract anyone,” Felix shook his head.

“It’s always good to have some support,” she patted his back as Chan pulled out his radio.

“Han, Han- Bang Chan.”

“Han is go,” Jisung responded a second later.

“Can you come up to the bridge real quick?”

“Headed up.

A few moments later, Jisung popped his head in. He smiled when he saw Felix but his smile quickly disappeared when he noticed the stew’s expression. 

“Captain is sending Felix to get his wrist checked out during the beach party. He’s a bit nervous to go on his own, so I’d like you to go with him,” Chan said.

“Absolutely,” Jisung nodded, surprised when he saw the intensity of the bruise.

Felix kept his composure around the guests, skillfully hiding his injury. As soon as he was out of their view, his fear was almost palpable. Even Eunji picked up on it. Although she was still slightly annoyed that her workload had increased, she didn’t berate him, giving him space.

At one point, Felix trailed Chan, begging him to convince the Captain to let him stay. The bosun’s heart broke when he saw that Felix wasn’t just nervous, he was terrified. He was mentally catastrophizing the situation, unintentionally convincing himself that he would be brought straight to an operating room.

Chan turned around and cupped his cheeks. “I’m sorry, Lixie. You have to go. Any injury on board that can’t be fixed with a band-aid has to be checked by a doctor. You’re probably right that it’s a sprain, but we need to be sure. You’re gonna be okay, sweetheart. I’ll be right here, waiting for you.”

“I don’t wanna go,” Felix said quietly, his big doe eyes welling with tears.

Chan pulled him into a tight hug, stroking his hair. Eunji happened to walk by the window, stopping when she caught sight. As often as she and Chan disagreed, it was rare that the bosun looked so serious. 

When she went down to the galley, she crossed her arms, staring at Minho and Mari.

“What?” Minho asked, already getting irritated by her stare.

“What’s wrong with Felix?” she asked.

“He hurt his wrist,” Minho said.

“Yeah, I know that. But why is he freaking out? Bang Chan is having to baby him right now,” Eunji pointed up.

“He’s scared of doctors,” Mari said.

“Why? Doctors help people,” Eunji rolled her eyes.

“Unnie, Felix was in a really bad car accident when he was younger. He lost his family and had to have a bunch of surgeries,” Mari explained and Minho hissed angrily, upset that Mari had just revealed something personal.

“Why didn’t I know about this?” Eunji asked, shocked to hear it.

“You’ve never had a one-on-one talk with him, Unnie,” Mari said.

“And you have?” the chief stew raised a brow.

“Yes,” Mari admitted. “When we came back from the bar. You know that I lost my brother the same way. Please, please, be nice to him. He’s been through too much for someone so young.”

Eunji was quiet for a moment before saying, “I’m not going to be nice to someone just because they had a rough childhood. I’ll be nice if he keeps working hard.”

She turned around, leaving the two of them behind in an awkward silence.

---

Felix was tense in the car on the way to the clinic, and his anxiety started feeding Jisung’s anxiety as well.

“Sorry,” Felix mumbled. “I just… I really don’t want to go there.”

Jisung held Felix’s uninjured hand, squeezing it. Felix quickly took off his seatbelt, sliding into the middle seat and buckling in again so he could be next to Jisung. He cuddled against the deckhand, comforted by his presence.

“Thank you for coming with me,” Felix said quietly. “I know you don’t like doctors much either.”

“It’s okay,” Jisung kissed his cheek, blushing when he realized what he had just done. Instead, Felix turned and kissed his cheek as well before resting his head against Jisung’s shoulder.

When they arrived at the clinic, Jisung had to urge him out of the car. Felix froze in front of the entrance, turning into a human statue. Jisung put his hands on Felix’s hips, gently pushing him forward. He grabbed Felix’s waist as the silver-blonde-haired boy tried to turn and flee.

“No, no. Hyung and Captain made me promise to get you to the doctor,” Jisung said.

Felix looked like he was about to cry again, almost breaking Jisung’s resolve. The deckhand was intent on making sure Felix was safe, so he kept his hold on the younger boy and walked him forward.

Felix was silent as Jisung brought him to the front desk. Captain Jung had called and set an appointment, so Jisung gave Felix’s name. He kept a tight grip on the stew’s waist, knowing that Felix was ready to bolt at any moment.

When Felix’s name was called, Jisung had to drag him in, eventually picking up the younger man and carrying him. He followed the nurse into one of the rooms, placing Felix down on the exam chair. Felix latched onto his arm, not allowing him to sit down in the guest chair.

The nurse started taking Felix’s vitals, speaking in a calm voice when she saw Felix clinging to Jisung’s arm as if his life depended on it. 

“My name is Hana. I promise I’m not mean.”

“Sorry,” Felix muttered.

Jisung saw how high Felix’s heart rate was on the monitor she placed on his finger and petted his hair. 

“I just need to take your blood pressure,” she said.

Felix stuck his arm out hesitantly, letting her wrap the cuff around his slim bicep.

“Hmm,” she said after a moment.

“Hmm? Why hmm?” Felix started panicking, immediately thinking he was about to have a battery of tests and procedures.

“It’s okay,” she assured him. “I expected your blood pressure to be high because you’re in a stressed state, but it’s actually very low. Have you eaten today?”

Felix nodded. 

“Is your blood pressure frequently low?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Felix shrugged, anxiously watching her write down something on his charts.

“You’re here for a wrist injury? Which side?” Felix glanced down at his left hand, cringing when she gently lifted it. She glanced at Jisung, misinterpreting the cause of a bruise that looked like a handprint.

“I fell,” Felix clarified. “I have a metal plate there, and it’s bruising around it. I’m completely safe. No one’s hurt me.”

Despite how nervous he was, his words were firm. There was no hint of hesitation.

Hana nodded, “How did you fall? Can you describe the way you landed?”

“I ran into someone and fell backwards. I landed with my full weight on the edge here and jammed it,” Felix said. 

She wrote everything he said, detailing it exactly.

“So, you are scheduled for an x-ray. It’ll be less than 10 minutes,” she said before looking at Jisung. “Unfortunately, you won’t be able to join for this part.”

Felix immediately looked as if he was about to crumple and fall apart. He squeezed the deckhand’s arm tightly, trying to hide behind him. 

The nurse gave him a knowing look and held her hand out, “I got you, honey. I’ll make sure you’re safe. Come with me.”

She said it in such a warm, motherly tone, Felix accepted her hand. Jisung gave him a pat on the back. 

“I’ll be here when you get back,” Jisung said, watching the younger boy slowly walk with stiff legs. 

Jisung pulled his phone out and sent a text to Minho.

Can u make something nice 4 Lix? He’s having a rly hard time here

Almost immediately, he received the response, “On it.”

When Felix returned to the room, he ran straight into Jisung’s open arms. Jisung stroked his back, shushing him comfortingly. He was sniffling slightly, shaken by being surrounded by giant medical devices. 

“He did great! One of the nicest patients I’ve had in a long time,” Hana said, understanding that he needed reassurance.

“Thank you for taking care of him,” Jisung said, directing Felix back into the chair.

“It was my pleasure,” she smiled. “Doctor Kim will be in in a few moments to go over the results. If you need anything, I’ll be right across the hall.”

As she said, the doctor arrived a couple minutes later. He briefly greeted them before he placed the x-ray on the light display. Jisung could see the metal plate Felix had mentioned but also the steel rod screwed into his radius. There were several healed breaks, and Jisung cringed, shocked to see just part of what Felix had survived.

“There are no visible fractures. It’s sprained. It’s likely that the rigidity of the plate caused deeper blood vessels to rupture rather than the superficial vessels closer to the surface of the skin.”

Felix pouted, not understanding most of what he said. Even with Korean being his native language, Jisung was also having difficulty understanding exactly what he was saying.

“Continue icing, keep it immobilized in a compression wrap, and avoid activities that require lifting.”

“For how long?” Felix asked.

“Keep the bandage on for at least four days. Avoid lifting for a week but start light stretching in two days to avoid loss of range of motion.”

“Sir, my job is very physical and I use my hands a lot. What would happen if I started moving it earlier?” Felix asked.

The doctor looked at him with an annoyed expression. “You could cause more blood vessel damage. Untreated sprains can lead to chronic instability. Would you rather be gentle for a few days or lose your abilities down the line?”

Felix shifted uncomfortably, intimidated by the chastising tone.

“He’s nervous. Please be gentle with him,” Jisung said, surprising himself because he normally wouldn’t have confronted someone in such a way. It annoyed him that the doctor was being unnecessarily rude, only strengthening Felix’s aversion to them. 

“I’ll leave the care instructions with your nurse. Follow the treatment plan,” Doctor Kim rolled his eyes, leaving the room without saying goodbye. 

Hana returned with a folder soon after, noticing Felix’s quietness and Jisung’s anger.

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“He was not nice at all,” Jisung said.

“Sorry about that. He’s good with the medical stuff but not really the people stuff,” she said. “These are your care instructions. Keep your wrist bandaged for four days. Start some very light stretching in two days. Avoid lifting things for about a week and start with very light objects.”

Jisung took the file while Felix thanked Hana, expressing his gratitude as best he could before speedwalking until he was finally outside. He doubled over, catching his breath.

Jisung stood beside him, holding his waist to help him stay standing as they waited for the car. When they got in, Felix let out a sigh of relief, going lax.

“You okay?” Jisung asked.

Felix nodded although he was visibly tired, emotionally drained after being stressed for the whole day. He rested against Jisung’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around one of the deckhand’s arms as he let himself finally start to relax. 

Jisung reached across and stroked his hair, enjoying the feeling of warmth from the younger boy. 

“You’re so comfy,” Jisung smiled. 

“Thanks for staying with me, Hyung,” Felix said.

“Always,” Jisung kissed the top of his head. “You can sleep if you want to.”

“I won’t be able to get out of the car if I do,” Felix laughed.

They stayed in a comfortable quiet for a little while before Jisung could no longer hold back the question on his mind.

“So, uh. Seungmin? What’s the… the situation with him?” Jisung asked. 

“Letting things happen and see where it goes,” Felix said.

“Oh,” Jisung muttered quietly.

“Hyung, I want to do the same with you, if you’re open to that,” Felix turned his body to look at him. 

“Really?” Jisung’s eyebrows raised in surprise.

“I think my feelings have been pretty clear, with you and other crew members. I understand if you’re not comfortable with that. I’m polyamorous but I completely get it for people who are monogamous. I can’t lie and say I’m not attracted to you. The offer stands. I’m more than happy to test things out if you’d like to as well.”

“God, absolutely yes,” Jisung nodded. He had already fully accepted the fact that if he wanted to be with Felix, he would need to respect the younger’s choice of partners. He was more than willing to learn how to share if it meant he got to be with the angel in front of him. 

Jisung leaned in and kissed him, amazed by how soft Felix’s lips were. He wanted to savor the moment but they were interrupted by the driver clearing his throat forcefully, shooting a dirty look at them in the rearview mirror.

Felix apologized quietly to the man but slipped his fingers between Jisung’s, holding his hand for the rest of the ride. When they got to the dock, they continued holding hands.

They heard Changbin calling on the deck, “Yongbokkie’s back!"

The lead deckhand impatiently waited by the gangway with Jeongin when they reached the ship. 

“How’s your wrist?” Jeongin asked.

“All good. Just need a few days in a bandage,” Felix said, happily letting Changbin lift him off of the plank.

Jisung went straight to the captain, relaying all of the information because he knew Felix would undoubtedly downplay the severity of his pain.

Jung called Felix, Chan, and Eunji to the wheelhouse, sitting them down to discuss next steps. She laid out strict rules. Felix was not to engage in activities that would aggravate his injury. During services with a large number of guests, some of the deckhands would have to assist with serving dishes because Felix would only be able to hold one. 

Felix assured her that he would take it easy while preparing cocktails. She had already seen his ability to multitask and make drinks with one hand, so she wasn’t particularly concerned about it. She said that Felix could make the drinks but either Eunji or Mari would carry them. 

Eunji didn’t argue, which shocked everyone in the room. She simply delegated tasks for Felix to complete that could be done with one hand. 

Felix immediately accepted his tasks, following her out after bidding farewell to Captain Jung and Chan.

“Hey, Cap?” Chan asked.

“Yes?” She responded, staring at the door they had exited through.

“Are we sure that was Kim Eunji? It wasn’t an alien that took her place?”

The captain snorted, “I’m just as surprised as you are. She seemed almost sympathetic.”

“Felix and Mari have actually gotten close. They’re pretending like they aren’t because they don’t want to make Eunji mad. I wonder if maybe Mari is slowly convincing Eunji not to hate him,” Chan pondered. 

“Maybe,” she nodded, pleased to hear that Felix was finally being accepted by at least one of the stews. “How’s he been getting along with the other crew?”

“They love him,” Chan said. “He’s got one of those personalities where just being around him makes you happy.”

“You guys seem smitten by him. Is there more going on than just crewmates?” she questioned, cocking a brow.

Chan was quiet for a moment, “Would… would that be an issue?”

Jung scoffed, “Thank you for the confirmation. I knew there was something. I don’t care what you do as long as it doesn’t affect your ability to do your jobs. I don’t want friction between anyone. You represent this boat in all aspects. If any issues come from this, I expect you to deal with them. All I ask is that you be smart about things. If you’re gonna have a boatmance, don’t let it mess things up.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Chan nodded.

---

It wasn’t exactly a surprise that after Seungmin and Jisung kissed him, it was a battle for the other members to be the next. Each of them upped their flirting game, and Felix matched their energy.

Felix was the master of separating his professional life and personal life. He made it very clear that flirting anywhere the guests might overhear was off-limits. Felix liked to play and party hard, but when it came to work, he stuck to his role strictly with no room for unprofessionalism. 

The moment Changbin gave a very light flirt near a guest, Felix raised his brow with his lips drawn together. No one knew that it was entirely out of character for him, but Changbin definitely got the message. It was blatantly obvious that Felix would not reciprocate anything when he was working.

As soon as he was away from the guests, he would resume his flirtatiousness. It initially caused some confusion because it seemed like Felix was swinging between hot and cold, but they eventually accepted the fact Felix wanted them to maintain the appearance of a workplace friendship rather than anything more.

It was certainly becoming more as he grew even closer with the crew. Eventually, he knew he needed to address the situation. 

“Can we talk about something real quick?” Felix asked when they had a free moment in between charters and the other stews were away. 

“Of course,” Chan nodded, gesturing for everyone to sit down.

“I really like everyone here. I know we haven’t had a lot of time to get to know each other but I feel like you’re all genuine. I’ve made the offer to a few of you already, but I want to say it to all of you. I’m open to pursuing things here. I didn’t intend on getting into a relationship but I really like you. If you’re comfortable with testing out this sort of dynamic, I’m entirely on board with it. That being said, I would never try to break up a family or hurt the kind of bond you guys have. If I feel like I’m causing too much tension, I promise I’ll remove myself from the situation,” Felix said. 

They all needed a moment to absorb the information before Changbin broke the silence with an emphatic, extremely loud, “YES!”

Chan thoroughly appreciated Felix’s consideration of their feelings. There were a number of extremely possessive personalities in their crew, so sharing a partner would definitely have a learning curve. He felt comforted by the knowledge that Felix would not allow their brotherhood to be impacted. 

The bosun had always followed a very strict self-imposed rule to never get romantically involved with a crew member who was directly under his supervision or he was sharing a room with. The fact that Felix was his bunkmate made him a little nervous but he also was thrilled that it meant he would get to spend more time with the stew, exploring a new dynamic. 

Over the next three days, most of the members had their first kiss, and some heavy petting, with Felix. The only ones who hadn’t yet were Chan (because the bosun became so busy dealing with an incident report after a dock worker forgot to release a rope and ripped out a cleat) and Minho. 

The chef was a bit more reserved in his approach with Felix whereas the others were more outright. He wasn’t exactly sure how to initiate things and Felix was not someone who made the first move, preferring his partners do it first so as not to unintentionally pressure them. 

During the moments they had alone together, Minho doted on him, feeding Felix his favorite things, providing physical affection, and making sure the younger boy was taking care of his health.

Felix did the same for him, helping wherever he could to lower the chef’s stress level. He subtly intervened whenever Minho and Eunji started fighting, drawing their attention away from each other. He also made sure Minho received extra support during breakfasts, which were often the most hectic times for cooking as everyone always requested different things.

There was no way for Minho to properly express how much he appreciated Felix’s efforts. The stew went out of his way to make things easier for him, and it sparked the enjoyment Minho used to have about his career that had been slowly fading over the years. 

In between charters, Minho liked to experiment with different dishes. Most of the crew had decided to go out and watch a fireworks show while the others were relaxing in their beds. 

Felix was already planning the themed party for the upcoming charter, pacing around with his little notebook in hand. 

“Yongbokkie,” Minho called his name, drawing him out of his focused state.

“Yes, Hyungie?”

“Come taste this,” the chef said.

Felix immediately obeyed, hurrying to him. The blonde boy opened his mouth, allowing Minho to feed him.

“Oh, yum! What is it? Strawberry scone?” Felix asked.

“Mhmm,” Minho nodded. 

“Hyung, you really should be a Michelin chef. Everything you make is amazing,” Felix said, and there was nothing but sincerity in his voice.

Every moment Minho spent with Felix, the more enchanted he became. It was as if Felix was some sort of magical being, ethereal and beautiful.

“You really know the best way to compliment a chef,” Minho laughed.

“I like seeing you smile,” Felix said. “Your smile makes me happy.”

Minho was in a stunned silence for a moment, blinking as he tried to get his brain working. 

“I…,” Minho trailed off. “I have strong feelings. I don’t know what to do with them.”

“Do what you feel is right,” Felix said, already knowing what Minho was referring to.

“Can I kiss you?” Minho asked.

“Yes,” Felix said without hesitation, having waited for so long for the chef to ask that particular question. 

Minho pulled Felix in by his waist, leaning in and capturing his lips. Felix melted into the kiss, holding onto Minho’s shirt. Minho couldn’t remember when the last time he kissed someone was, but it had never felt as satisfying as kissing Felix.

It started soft and sweet, enjoying the moment. It quickly heated up and Minho backed Felix against the wall, holding the slim boy. The slight manhandling was enough to rile Felix up, intensifying the kiss. It spurred Minho on even more, gripping Felix’s hips.

“Hyung,” Felix moaned as Minho kissed his throat.

The older man would have loved to leave hickeys but he didn’t want Felix to have to get up even earlier to cover them with makeup. 

They immediately paused when they heard a sound in the other room, concerned it may be the captain.

“Do you… wanna go to your room?” Felix asked, blushing. 

Minho led Felix to his room, and they quickly kicked off their shoes as they closed the door behind them. 

Each bunk had a small curtain that could cover the bed. Almost none of the crew closed the curtains, more comfortable with leaving them open. Minho turned the side light on and pulled the curtain closed to give them privacy in case anyone walked in. 

Minho pulled Felix into his lap so that the smaller man was straddling him. Felix bent down, kissing him as Minho held his tiny waist. 

Felix moved further back and sat up. He trailed his hand down to Minho’s belt, looking up at the older man.

“Can I?” Felix asked.

“Yes,” Minho immediately nodded, wanting anything Felix was willing to give. He hadn’t anticipated things to escalate so quickly, but the tension between them had been building since the moment Felix stepped onto the ship. 

Felix moved to kneel between Minho’s legs. He unbuckled the belt and unzipped Minho’s pants, dipping his hand down to palm him.

He pulled the front of Minho’s boxers down, and the older man let out a groan as Felix leaned down and licked a stripe along the underside of his cock. Minho threaded his fingers in Felix’s soft hair when the blonde took the head of his dick in his mouth.

“Fuck,” Minho moaned, watching plump lips stretch around him.

Felix put his talented tongue to use, circling the crown before he slowly started working his way down. 

“Oh, fucking hell. That’s so good,” Minho bit his lip as Felix started bobbing his head and hollowing his cheeks. It caused Minho to jerk unintentionally, thrusting partly down his throat.

Felix choked slightly before letting out a moan. He looked up at Minho with his teary, innocent doe eyes. It was particularly lewd as he took Minho further down until he was entirely sheathed in wet heat. 

Minho was amazed that Felix was able to take him. He, as well as the other crew members, were well endowed. With how close they were, it wasn’t weird when they had a dick-measuring competition. Most of them were around the same size with Chan being the biggest.

All of Minho’s previous partners struggled to deepthroat him but Felix was willingly and happily choking himself, moaning as Minho pulled his hair.

“You’re so pretty,” Minho panted, watching his wet, plump lips stretch around him.

Felix preened at the praise and tilted into Minho’s touch, allowing the older man to control him. Minho used the grip on his hair to pull him up and down, fucking his mouth. 

“Close,” Minho warned him, trying to pull him off but Felix batted his hand away. He resumed the pace, slurping loudly. Minho moaned as he came, holding Felix down as the younger man choked. 

He caught his breath for a moment before he hauled Felix up, flipping them over. He reached down, undoing Felix’s pants as he kissed along his throat. He pushed Felix’s shirt up to run his hand over the hard abs underneath.

“I still can’t believe you have these,” Minho said, moving back to lean down and kiss along the defined muscles. When he reached the waistband of Felix’s underwear, he asked, “Is this okay?”

“Yes,” Felix said breathlessly, his voice rougher than usual. 

“Tell me if you want me to stop,” Minho said, pulling them down. 

He was thankful for their size difference because he had a sensitive gag reflex but he could comfortably fit Felix in his mouth without triggering it. 

Felix let out a string of expletives, arching into his touches as Minho began copying the techniques Felix had used. He alternated between using his tongue and sucking, loving the way Felix was responding. 

The younger man ran his fingers through Minho’s hair, not pulling but simply touching. The little gasps, whines, and moans Felix was making were music to Minho’s ears, and he was determined to draw more of them. 

Felix was far more sensitive than he anticipated because the stew started pleading, asking for permission to cum. The sound of Felix begging for his permission was enough to fuel fantasies for a month because fuck that was hot to him.

Minho hummed his approval, feeling Felix’s thighs tense under his hands as the blonde threw his head back. He let out a broken, shaky moan as he came, whimpering when Minho continued sucking.

Minho decided not to push any further without having a conversation about boundaries and preferences although he had a feeling Felix was into overstimulation. 

He pulled off, sitting up and stroking Felix’s thigh comfortingly. The stew reached out, making a grabby hands motion until Minho laid down next to him. 

“Are you okay?” Minho asked.

Felix nodded. His eyes were still glazed over, but he had a smile on his face.

“You were so good for me,” Minho petted Felix’s disheveled hair, kissing the younger boy’s forehead affectionately.

Felix cuddled closer to him, basking in the praise and wanting more physical contact. Minho hugged him to his chest, running his hand along the stew’s side.

“Hyung?” he asked quietly.

“Hmm?” Minho hummed questioningly.

 

“We should definitely do that again.”

 

Chapter 13: Lip Gloss

AN: Thank you guys for being patient! Sorry I'm so inconsistent with updates. I bring you a long chapter with plenty of cute moments and a little bit of smut. Take a guess who with before the end of the chapter! TW for homophobia from some of the guests.

---

Chan was confused when he came back from the fireworks show and couldn’t find Felix anywhere. 

“Seungmin, do you know where Felix is?” he asked when he saw the engineer in the crew mess.

“He was with Minho Hyung earlier,” Seungmin said but the tone in his voice seemed very strange. 

“Okay?” Chan nodded confusedly. He was about to text Felix when he saw Jeongin freeze when he opened the door to his cabin.

“Uhhh, can I come in?” Jeongin asked, noticing the closed curtain. Normally, that meant whoever was in the bunk was annoyed and wanted to be alone.

“Yep,” Minho said.

“You okay?” Jeongin asked.

“Very much so,” he responded, and Jeongin blushed brightly when he heard a quiet giggle that was definitely not Minho.

“Uh, I’ll come back later,” he said, closing the door quickly.

Jeongin made eye contact with Chan and said, “I found Felix,” as he walked by him to the crew mess.

---

Chan had been hanging out with the other members in the galley, playing card games for some time. He heard the shower running when he finally decided to go to bed. At some point, Felix had slipped back into their cabin.

The bosun was on the verge of falling asleep when Felix quietly exited the bathroom. The younger man was so silent, Chan wouldn’t have known he was there if the dim light of his sideboard wasn’t on.

He waited for Felix to climb up to his bunk so the blonde could see what he was doing before he turned off the light. He heard Felix curse under his breath, having assumed Chan was asleep.

“You good?” Chan asked.

“Yep,” Felix responded, a little too quickly. “Did you have a good time at the fireworks?”

“It was really pretty. I’ll show you the pictures later,” Chan said, amused because he could easily guess why Felix’s deep voice was a bit rougher than normal. “I take it that you had an even better time than we did.”

“Oh, god,” Felix groaned, knowing he was caught.

“There are very few secrets on a boat, Lixie,” Chan laughed.

“You don’t think the others will be upset, do you?” Felix suddenly asked.

“Hyunjin will probably be jealous, but he’s gonna have to learn how to deal with it. Minho is also the last person he would ever go against unless he wants to be making his own meals,” Chan said. “Last time Minho got mad at him, Hyunjin ate only ramyeon and cereal for four days straight.”

“Are you upset?” Felix asked.

“I’m… envious,” Chan admitted. “I’m definitely not angry, just envious.”

“Are you tired?” 

“Surprisingly, yes. Not sure why,” Chan said. “My alarm is set for 7. Guest pick-up is at 12:30.”

“I’ll get up with you,” Felix said. “Mari and I need to get some items for the theme party. We couldn’t order them in the provisions, but a local shop has them for in-person pick-up.”

“If anything is heavy, you can take one of the deckies to help,” Chan offered.

“Thank you. The shop is within walking distance, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. If we have any issues, I’ll call,” Felix said gratefully. 

“Gotcha,” Chan nodded.

“Hey, Hyung?”

“Mm?”

“You’re a good leader,” Felix said.

“Huh?” Chan sat up. “Where did this come from?”

“I just… I see the way you take care of everyone. It makes me happy,” Felix said shyly.

Chan stood up, peering over the bunk. He could see Felix’s blonde hair even in the darkness. He reached over and patted the younger boy’s head softly. 

“Thank you, Lixie. I don’t think you realize how much I needed to hear something like that,” Chan smiled.

“I’ll say it as many times as you want me to,” Felix scooted closer to the edge, reaching out in the dark to touch the bosun.

“You really are an angel,” Chan said. “I’m glad this is the boat you ended up on.”

“Me too.”

---

The next morning, Minho blushed slightly when he made eye contact with Felix. Of course, the other members caught sight of it, some snickering while others gave annoyed looks. Felix kept an incredible poker face, simply smiling his usual sunny smile.

The only difference was the way Felix gave Minho a kiss on the cheek when he walked by, squeezing the chef’s arm affectionately. 

Minho glanced around to make sure there was no one near them and hooked his finger in the loop of Felix’s work shorts. He pulled the steward close, kissing him softly.

“The members treating you okay?” Minho asked.

“Mhmm,” Felix nodded. “We’re all good. You? Anyone being short?”

“Hyunjin is pissed. Seungmin is giving a bit of a cold shoulder but I think he may have, uh, overheard things last night,” Minho said.

Felix blanched, “Please, tell me you’re joking.”

“Walls are a little thin and I may have enjoyed your sounds a bit too much to try and keep you quiet,” the chef admitted.

“I need to apologize to him. I… that’s so awkward. How do I apologize?”

“Don’t. You’re not the one he’s annoyed with. I’m sure he just wishes he was the first one to make you sound like that,” Minho grinned.

Felix blushed, covering his red cheeks as he giggled slightly.

“Felix,” Eunji called him from the other room and Felix sighed.

He gave Minho another kiss before they parted, leaving Minho to cook breakfast for the crew. When the chef was almost done, Felix made coffee, tea, and hot chocolate for the whole crew. He gave each specially made drink to each person. He trailed his hand over Seungmin’s shoulder and murmured a quiet apology in his ear.

Seungmin patted Felix’s hand to let him know he accepted it.

“Captain, Captain- Felix,” he called over the radio.

“Yes?”

“Would you like some coffee and breakfast?”

“That sounds good. Thank you.”

“Be there in two minutes,” Felix said, fixing a cup for her and accepting the plate from Minho before climbing the stairs to the wheelhouse. He knocked on the door, waiting for her to call him in.

“Good morning, Captain,” Felix smiled brightly, bringing the food to her table.

“Hello,” she responded, freshened by his aura. “Are you always this energetic in the morning?”

“I try to be,” Felix said. “It’s good to start the day in a happy mood.”

“Did you go to the fireworks show?” she asked.

“No, I stayed back, but Channie hyung showed me some pictures. It looked very pretty,” he said.

“Come,” she patted the bench across from her. “Take a seat.”

Felix obeyed, sitting where she gestured.

“How have things been going since the talk you and the other stews had?” she asked

“It’s been so much better,” Felix said cheerily. “Ms. Mari and I have gotten closer, and Ms. Eunji has been teaching me a lot.”

“Has there been any hostility?” she asked.

Felix was momentarily confused by the word before he suddenly remembered what it meant. “I wouldn’t really call it hostility. I’d say it’s more just a… strict teaching manner,” Felix said.

“Has this ‘strict teaching manner’ been hurtful in any way?”

“Not too much. It feels like when I was training under my Aunt. She’s a ‘tough love’ sort of person, so it feels a bit similar,” Felix shrugged.

“Have the other members been treating you well?” she questioned.

“Oh, yes, ma’am,” he nodded enthusiastically. “They’ve been amazing and supportive.”

“I’m glad to hear that. How has this job compared to your previous position?”

“I enjoy both. Events are usually planned over time but I really like the fast pace of this,” Felix said.

“You’ve done well problem-solving whenever issues arrive. It’s a great quality in a stew,” she said.

“Thank you, ma’am,” Felix smiled.

“What are your plans for before guest pick-up?” Jung questioned.

“Ms. Mari and I are going into town to grab things for the party. We scheduled the dance performance for tonight but I don’t know what time the guests will want to attend the wind tasting tomorrow.”

“Do you need any help with the materials?”

“Channie hyung offered to send someone with us,” Felix said.

“Good. Thank you very much for bringing my breakfast,” she said. “Be sure to call over the radio when you leave the boat and when you return.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he nodded before bowing his head and returning to the crew mess.

Jisung scooted over to give Felix a seat, throwing his arm around the stew. Felix immediately leaned against him, happy to be hugged. The deckhand kept his arm around Felix throughout the whole breakfast, taking advantage of the moment to have as much physical contact as possible.

Once they finished eating, they cleaned the table thoroughly. Felix called over the radio that he and Mari were leaving to go get the supplies. 

They anticipated being gone for no longer than 30 minutes, but they returned over an hour later. Mari looked annoyed while Felix just looked like he wanted to take a stress nap. They were both carrying large boxes that the deckhands promptly took so they didn’t have to hold them any longer.

“What happened?” Chan asked.

“Did you argue?” Eunji questioned.

“Not with each other. We had to argue with the shop. Things were missing from our order and they tried to claim we never ordered it. We can’t use that place again. They really tried to pull some shit,” Mari shook her head.

“What happened? Did you get the items?” Eunji asked.

“Thankfully, Felix brought along the invoices that showed everything we purchased. First time I’ve seen him genuinely mad. He definitely went into planner mode because he told them that either they found replacements, or they were gonna have to go buy the items themselves to give to us because we already paid and were promised that the order would be completed at that time,” she said, almost with a hint of pride.

“You didn’t even give the option of a refund?” Chan laughed.

“No,” Felix shook his head. “It’s a contract. They needed to fulfill it. I reminded them that while they are running the storefront, they don’t own the company. The company has a binding contract with most of the charter yachts here, and if the store messed up and broke the contract, they would be responsible for the company possibly having a major financial loss.”

“Damn! That’s cutthroat, Bokkie!” Changbin exclaimed.

“That’s the Lee Chaewon business model. Take no shit. Be stern, but don’t go over the top and cause a scene,” Felix said. “I don’t like doing that. I’d rather keep everything polite, but you gotta do what you gotta do.”

“Get this stowed. We lost time, and the guests will be here soon,” Eunji said to the deckhands. 

“I think all we have left to do is some detailing in the salon,” Mari said.

“Get it done,” Eunji nodded, giving a slightly longer look to Felix before she walked towards the bridge.

“That’s her way of saying ‘well done’,” Mari patted Felix’s back.

Felix’s grin was so wide that it almost hurt his cheeks as he bounced excitedly, delighted to finally get approval from his superior.

The crew attended to their last-minute tasks with the deckhands uncovering all of the seats on the bunny pad and the stews cleaning everything in sight.

Felix went down to the laundry room to retrieve the hand towels for the warmers to give to the guests. As he exited the room, he saw Hyunjin strolling along the corridor. 

“Hey, Felix,” Hyunjin called his name in a sing-song.

“Hiya,” Felix smiled.

“How was your night?” Hyunjin asked.

Felix blushed, hearing the slightly jealous undertone in his voice.

“I had a good night. You?” Felix asked, not expanding or going into detail.

Hyunjin pulled him in close, leaning into Felix’s personal space. Whatever Hyunjin was about to say immediately left his mind as Felix looked up at him through long lashes with his big doe eyes.

“Woah,” Hyunjin breathed.

“What?” Felix asked, tilting his head.

“You’re just… really pretty,” Hyunjin said, stroking Felix’s freckled cheek with the back of his knuckles.

Felix smiled, standing on his tiptoes to hug Hyunjin around his neck. The older man took the opportunity to run his hands along Felix’s small waist.

“Minho got to you first, huh?” Hyunjin asked, biting his tongue. 

“Please don’t be mad, Hyungie,” Felix said.

“I could never be mad at you,” Hyunjin shook his head. “You made everything clear about what you want from a relationship. I can’t be angry at you for doing exactly what you said you would. I just have a bit of a possessive streak I guess.”

“I don’t want you to feel like you aren’t getting enough attention,” Felix said, nuzzling Hyunjin’s shoulder. 

“I think you’re doing a pretty good job splitting your attention between seven people while also working a full-time job. Pretty impressive,” Hyunjin patted his ass. 

Felix tilted his head back to see him, looking closely to make sure Hyunjin wasn’t upset. He gave Hyunjin a quick, yet affectionate kiss. “I have to get ready to greet the guests. We’ll be picking them up soon. I’ll see you up there, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Hyunjin nodded, tasting Felix’s strawberry gloss. He couldn’t exactly argue when he knew Felix needed to work, but he also wished he could keep the stew with him at all times. 

He would just have to make do with taking every opportunity to be around Felix.

---

The charter got off to a rough start almost immediately. The primaries, Mr. and Mrs. Cheon, had an attitude as soon as they stepped on board. Another man and woman who seemed to be an aunt and uncle had the same attitude. The last married couple had visible tension between them with the husband showing a kind smile and the wife scowling deeply.

As soon as the primary got to Felix, he pointed right at the blonde’s face and said, “Take that off.”

“Pardon?” Felix asked confusedly, unsure what he meant.

“That stuff on your face. I don’t want to see it again. Men shouldn’t wear that,” he growled, and the crew realized he meant the small amount of makeup that Felix was wearing.

“I’d appreciate it if you spoke to my crew in a more polite manner,” Captain Jung immediately said, moving to stand beside and diffuse the situation.

“I’m the guest here. I’m paying for this experience. I don’t want him wearing that. I’ll be nicer when he takes it off,” the man said.

While the primary was turned to look at the captain, Felix shook his head at Minho, knowing the chef was on the verge of snapping. 

Once Mr. Cheon looked at him again, Felix nodded. He gave a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and simply said, “Yes, Sir. I’ll do that right away.”

“Good,” the primary huffed, and the introductions resumed.

As Eunji began giving the guests a tour, Felix went below deck, his shoulders drooping. 

Chan followed within a few minutes and heard a sniffle from the bathroom. The door was open and he could see Felix using a cotton pad to wipe away his eyeshadow.

“Are you okay?” Chan asked.

“It’s so frustrating,” Felix sighed. “I’m more comfortable when I wear makeup.”

“You’re beautiful, Felix.”

“It’s not about beauty. It’s about confidence. I feel better in my own skin when I can express myself. I can mix masculinity and femininity however I want to through what I wear. Obviously, I’m in a uniform, so I can’t do it with clothing. Makeup is an outlet.”

Chan rubbed his back as Felix wiped off his color lipgloss, opting for a clear gloss that could be mistaken for chapstick. Felix pouted as he adjusted his uniform, making sure the lines were crisp. 

“This fucking sucks,” he groaned, carding his fingers through his hair to fix it. 

Felix tried to maintain his usual sunniness, but the members close to him could feel that his energy was just not the same.

Every move was being scrutinized by the guests. The whole crew could hear them making comments about Felix’s mannerisms, speculating on his sexuality and identity. 

Felix was no stranger to speculation. He had no issues with the fact that he didn’t quite fit into gender norms, and he didn’t want to fit in them either. The guests crossed the line between curiosity (even though they had no right to an explanation) and intrusive.

At one point, Mrs. Cheon asked him directly, “What are you?”

“Australian,” Felix responded with a smile. 

Clearly, it was not what they were asking, but Felix walked about to continue making drinks before they could ask again. Only the one man showed any sort of compassion or consideration. 

During lunch, while the stews were serving, the rude guests continued to question him over and over again. Felix either had the patience of a saint or was so used to that sort of treatment, he never once snapped or allowed even a hint of attitude into his voice. 

Felix tried to be as professional as possible when he said, “My apologies, but I’m someone who prefers to keep personal details separated from work. I’d rather hear about you than talk about myself.”

The blonde man managed to flip the entire conversation, getting the group to boast about their achievements and how much money they made. It was clear that Felix was a master at derailing and repositioning conversations to avoid awkward moments.

Captain Jung watched the cameras from the wheelhouse, making sure her crew was safe considering how many times the guests were asking for refills on their cocktails. She texted Chan to express how impressed she was. He responded right away, agreeing with her statement.

As soon as Eunji sent Felix on his break, he went straight down to the crew quarters. He desperately needed to be away from such emotionally draining guests. He peered through the open doors of the rooms until he found an occupied bunk.

“Hyung, can I come in?” Felix asked.

Changbin nodded, “Of course. Come here.”

Felix slid off his shoes and crawled into Changbin’s bed, resting on his muscular chest.

“These guests are kinda shitty,” Changbin said, feeling the tension in Felix’s shoulders.

“It’s driving me crazy,” Felix huffed. “I can’t wear what I want, and they’re asking really personal questions. I have to keep being fake nice. I hate being fake. I like it when people are genuine. I’m going against my own morals. It sucks.”

“You gotta do what you gotta do,” Changbin rubbed his back. 

Felix settled down, throwing an arm and a leg over Changbin to get comfy. The deckhand nearly squealed, loving how Felix was clinging to him like a cute little octopus.

The blonde man was like a personal hot water bottle. He radiated a warmth that made Changbin sweat a little but it also lulled Changbin into a nap that he very much needed.

When Felix’s alarm went off, it woke them both up and they mournfully separated. Changbin’s chest felt awfully cold as he watched Felix readjust his hair and take a deep breath. The steward kissed his cheek, smiling when Changbin leaned off of the mattress to hug Felix’s waist.

“You got this!” he said emphatically in English.

Felix giggled and drummed his hands playfully on Changbin’s broad back.

“I gotta go up,” he groaned. “I’ll see you later, Hyungie.”

“Good luck, Bokkie.”

---

It was hard for the crew to serve a group that was treating one of their own so badly. They should have expected other members of the crew would start to receive the same treatment considering the guests’ behavior.

The guests enthusiastically ate their meals, talking about how delicious it was but then complained afterward saying it, “wasn’t up to par.” Jisung’s radio malfunctioned and let out a loud screech which the guests continued to bring up for the rest of the day, claiming the equipment on board must be “cheap.”

While Felix allowed the guests to talk about him , he was not about to let them harass anyone else on the ship.

As soon as he heard them launching questions at Mari and Eunji as to why they weren’t married and at home with kids at their “prime age,” he stepped in to draw the negative attention away from them. He redirected the conversation so many times and in so many directions, it left them confused as to what they were even talking about.

It eventually led to them sitting in a strange silence, trying to comprehend how they even ended up like that. It was slightly satisfying to see the awkwardness building up, and they were so confused, they couldn’t even be angry at Felix because they didn’t even realize he had caused it.

“How did you do that?” Mari asked.

“I’ve had to deal with angry guests trying to take revenge and ruin events. The best way to stop that from happening is to confuse them and distract them so much, they forget what they were even trying to do,” Felix said.

During dinner on the second day, Minho was fuming in the kitchen, shouting and throwing things around. Everyone kept a wide berth, only going into the galley to either put dishes in the sink or take the next course up. One of the guests kept sending her dish back, asking for the stupidest changes, like a specific spice being taken out of the sauce the chicken was marinated in, as if Minho could rewind time and un-marinate it.

“Do you have another piece of chicken?” Felix asked.

“I don’t have anything that hasn’t been marinated,” Minho growled.

“They’re complaining just because they like the power trip,” Felix said. “If you have another piece that hasn’t been cut, I bet you anything she’ll say that it’s better.”

They waited for a few minutes to make it seem like Minho was cooking something new before he stacked grilled vegetables and a new piece of chicken on top of a plate.

Felix returned with an amused smile soon after delivering the plate. “She took a bite and started saying it was so much better than the one before.”

Minho rolled his eyes, “Of fucking course. I hate these people. Such assholes.”

“Mr. Yoon seems nice though. He keeps quietly apologizing. I feel like almost every charter so far has had one kind person,” Felix said.

“You try to find the good in things, even when things are bad. That’s a very special quality,” Minho nodded, holding out a spoon with some sorbet on it for Felix to try.

Felix’s eyes widened and he licked his lips after he tasted it. “What is that? It’s citrus but it doesn't taste like lemon.”

“It’s yuzu and honey,” Minho said. “I’ll keep some of it and the angel food cake for you.”

Felix smiled, thanking him. 

Mari called over the radio, “Clearing in 4 minutes.”

“Copy. Dessert will be ready in 5,” Minho called back. “I don’t want to use white plates. I think the cake would just blend in.”

“Do you want the silver and black plates?” Felix asked.

Minho nodded, “Yes. That’s good.”

“For the sorbet, are you serving them in bowls or cups?” Felix questioned, retrieving the plates from the cupboard.

“Cups. I think something glass,” Minho helped Felix spread out the plates.

“Can I suggest those coupe champagne glasses in the back pantry?”

Minho blinked at him, trying to remember which glasses he meant. “Oh, yeah. That’s perfect,” he said once he realized.

Felix brought them down, quickly cleaning them before placing them down next to the plates.

Minho started slicing the cake into precise pieces.

“Clearing soon,” Eunji called.

“I’ll be back in a moment,” Felix said to Minho, calling a “copy” over the radio.

By the time dinner finished, the stews were tired of the guests’ antics and Minho was dying to crawl into his bunk and rest up before the shitstorm that he knew breakfast would be.

He noticed Felix placing a little Post-it note in the fridge and decided to save reading it for the morning, hoping it would give him some moral support. 

---

As per usual, Minho’s prediction was correct. All of the guests were hungover, pissed off, and impatient for breakfast. Minho was already annoyed, and of course, the guests started making outlandish requests, which only made things worse.

Stepping into the galley was like stepping straight into Hell. Minho was practically bursting with rage that was very nearly bubbling over.

The kindhearted, touching note Felix left was only so much solace when he was being tempted to refuse to make another dish for the group. 

Felix and Mari were about to carry another plate up the stairs when they both jumped with a gasp. They quickly put the plates down and blocked the door, although they were facing to the left and looking up. Minho couldn’t see what was happening on the staircase.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Cheon. I have to ask you to return upstairs,” Mari said.

“Move. I want to talk to the chef,” Mr. Cheon said gruffly.

“Sir, this area isn’t safe for guests. Please, return upstairs,” Felix shook his head.

“Move!” the man shouted loudly.

The sound brought Minho, Chan, Eunji, and Jisung over immediately to see Mr. Cheon in Felix’s face, leaning into his personal space.

“Please, return upstairs,” Felix repeated, unfazed by having an angry person barely an inch away from his face.

“I’m paying to be here! Move out of the fucking way!”

Mr. Cheon looked as if he was a moment away from trying to hit Felix, but for the first time ever, Felix had a steely look that said try it and I’ll fuck you up.

Eunji took Felix’s wrist and pulled him behind her in an unusually protective action, quickly grabbing Mari as well. Chan stood where Felix had just been, pointing above the guest.

“Mr. Cheon, return upstairs immediately. This area is only for the crew. If you have a request, we will relay it or Chef Minho will speak to you at the dining table. You may not come down here,” Chan spoke sternly, like a father chastising a misbehaving child.

The man sputtered angrily, “I demand to talk to your captain!”

“I’ll bring you to her,” Chan responded. “She’s in the wheelhouse.” He gestured upwards, waiting for Mr. Chen to turn around and climb the stairs, grumbling something about disrespectful workers. 

They weren’t sure what Captain Jung said to the primary, but he was oddly compliant after his “talk” with her. He barely so much as looked in the direction of the stews as they finished their service, even staying out of the way as they packed the suitcases.

The deckhands brought all of the bags onto the dock and lined up with the rest of the crew.

As they said their goodbyes, Mr. Cheon skipped over Felix when shaking everyone’s hand. The blonde stew didn’t say anything, maintaining his smile. He was actually grateful that he didn’t have to have any more physical contact with a man who harbored such prejudices.

The crew waved goodbye as each guest walked across the gangplank. 

As soon as the guests were out of earshot, Minho started mumbling under his breath, “Goodbye. Goodbye. Go away. I hate you. Don’t ever come back. Bye. Assholes.”

Felix giggled, covering his mouth as he continued waving, even though the guests were facing the opposite way. 

Jeongin raced up to the wheelhouse and blew the horn. It was slightly satisfying to see the group jump at the loud sound. 

“I want everyone up in the salon before you start cleaning,” Captain Jung said.

They dutifully followed her inside, sitting on the couches and surrounding her.

“When a guest is belligerent, I need you to step back and call me over the radio. Even if it’s to stop a guest from doing something, your safety comes before anything. The guests sign waivers for a reason. Their actions are their own, and if they get hurt from that, that’s their responsibility. Obviously, I would like you to try to speak reason into them, but if a guest is being aggressive, remove yourself from the situation,” she said.

Felix bit his lip, knowing it was mostly directed at him. He shrunk down slightly, unconsciously leaning closer to Jeongin.

“This is not to reprimand anyone. This is a general statement. You are all my priority. You will always come first,” she looked around at the group. “Now, you deserve a good time tonight. We don’t have a charter tomorrow, so you may do whatever you’d like in your free time.”

The crew let out a few excited whoops before both Chan and Eunji began instructing their respective teams on their tasks.

At some point, Felix bounded up to Minho when the chef was walking through the hallways, tugging his sleeve. 

“Hyungie, I saw a sign for a farmer’s market. It’ll be in town tomorrow if you wanna go,” Felix said.

“Would you come with me?” Minho asked.

“Do you want me to?” Felix raised a brow.

“Yes,” Minho nodded. “I want you with me.”

“To go where?” Jisung butted into the conversation.

“Farmer’s market,” Felix said.

“Ooo, when? Where? Can I come?” Jisung asked.

“Oh, me too! I wanna go!” Jeongin joined in.

“No,” Minho shook his head. The three younger men looked at him confusedly. “I only want Yongbok with me. Neither of you likes going to markets anyway!”

“Sometimes they sell cool things. I wanna go this time,” Jisung protested.

“You can’t have him all to yourself all of the time,” Jeongin crossed his arms.

Minho huffed. “Fine. You can come too.”

“To where?” Changbin popped his head around the corner.

“Farmer’s market,” Felix, Jisung, and Jeongin said simultaneously.

“Oh, when?” Changbin asked.

“Tomorrow,” Felix replied.

“Can I come?” Changbin questioned.

Minho rolled his eyes and said sarcastically, “Why don’t we just make it a group activity?”

“We could do that,” Jisung shrugged.

“I wonder if it’s something Captain would enjoy,” Felix pondered.

“Are you finished flipping?” Eunji called to the group.

“Exterior is almost done,” Changbin said.

“I have one more cabin and the salon bar,” Felix said.

“Get it done before you start making plans,” she tutted.

“Yes, ma’am,” Felix nodded.

“We’ll be ready to go to dinner around 7,” Changbin patted Felix’s back. “It’s one of my favorite restaurants. You gotta try the fried chicken.”

“I love fried chicken,” Felix grinned.

“Honestly, fried food before drinking is unrivaled,” Jeongin said. “I think we’re going to Club Shine, but I’m not sure.”

“Finish your jobs!” Eunji shouted from around the corner, annoyed that no one listened to her.

Not wanting to anger her any further, the group split apart but promised to get ready together later. 

---

Felix went wild on the dance floor. He was vibing with the music and thriving off of the intensity of everyone around him who were already several drinks in. He was like a sponge, absorbing the energy of the crowd. 

When he was dancing on his own, he moved sensually, feeling the beat. Whenever someone approached him to dance, he toned himself down far more than on his previous visits to the club. He didn’t allow people to touch him too much, aware of the seven pairs of eyes watching him.

It took a while for them to realize that Felix was just waiting for them to join.

As soon as Chan stepped onto the dance floor, Felix threaded himself through the throngs of people and pulled him deeper into the crowd. 

“ Finally, Hyung,” Felix grinned, directing the older man’s hands around his waist. “I was wondering when you would get the message.”

“You could always ask,” Chan said.

“Where’s the fun in that?” Felix asked playfully. 

The next song that played had a slow, ‘erotic’ beat. What made it even more erotic was the way Felix kept eye contact. His cherry red lips were parted, mouthing the words to the song.

“God, you’re so beautiful,” Chan admired. 

Being close to the same height meant that Felix only had to lean in to brush his lips against Chan’s cheek. He wasn’t going to initiate a kiss, instead opting to tease Chan until the bosun snapped, pulling him off of the dance floor. 

Chan didn’t think he was the kind of person who would be making out with someone in the corner of a club but he was clearly incorrect. The angle of the lights towards the dance floor hid them from direct view, but they certainly weren’t the only couple there. They were surrounded by couples and throuples who were completely lost in their own world. 

He pinned Felix against the wall, kissing him deeply. They both had a little too much alcohol in their systems and Felix hooked a slim leg around him to pull him closer. Chan squeezed his thigh, kissing Felix’s sharp jawline as the silver-blonde man panted.

Felix ran his hands along Chan’s chest, feeling the muscles beneath his shirt. 

“H-hyung,” Felix patted his chest. “We should stop.”

Chan pulled away, nodding. If Captain Jung found out that two of her crew members were about to reach “public sex” territory, she would be very unhappy. 

They took a moment to calm themselves. Thankfully, Chan’s pants were fitted in a way that could hide his bulge until he settled and softened while Felix’s pants were too tight to even allow him to show. 

There was a strong tension between them during the ride home. Thankfully, the other crew members were too inebriated to pick up on it. 

Neither Chan nor Felix knew exactly how they ended up naked in the shower together. Chan pressed him against the wall, kissing him passionately. They both had a bit of alcohol still in their system, but not enough to affect their judgment.

“Do you think you can stay quiet?” Chan asked.

“I’ll try,” Felix responded, biting his lip to stifle himself as Chan wrapped a hand around their dicks. Felix looked down and moaned, unintentionally exposing his size kink when he saw how big Chan was.

Chan grinned, leaning in and kissing Felix’s neck as he began stroking. Felix was trying his hardest to be quiet, biting his knuckles as Chan sped up, twisting his wrist and grinding against him.

“Cl-close,” Felix gasped.

“I heard you were sensitive, but I didn’t think you were this sensitive,” Chan said.

Felix gripped Chan’s biceps, accidentally digging his nails in as he came. Chan paused even though he hadn’t finished yet, not wanting to do anything Felix was uncomfortable with. 

“Tell me if you want me to stop,” Chan panted.

“No, don’t stop. Please,” Felix shook his head.

Felix whined as Chan continued stroking, pushing him into the realm of overstimulation. Chan kissed him, swallowing up the little sounds that were driving him mad with desire.

“Hyung,” Felix moaned in such a deep yet desperate whine, it went straight to the part of Chan’s brain that wanted nothing more than to satisfy his partner. He always got off more on making his partners feel good than anything else.

Felix tensed again, his moans becoming even more breathy as he came again. The sight of Felix in pleasure was what finally pushed Chan over the edge, cumming with a few more strokes. 

Chan rested his forehead against the junction of Felix’s throat as the two caught their breath.

Chan wrapped his arm around Felix’s waist, gently pulling him under the stream of water to wash them both clean. Felix leaned against him, happily letting Chan run his hands over his body.

“I swear, when I get the chance, I’m gonna memorize every detail of you,” Chan whispered. 

They were both quiet for the rest of the shower, enjoying the moment. 

Eventually, they mournfully turned the water off, knowing the sound of the pipes could be heard in other cabins and it was now late in the night. 

Chan handed Felix a towel as they stepped out of the shower. 

“I forgot to take off my makeup,” Felix covered his mouth in embarrassment the moment he saw himself in the steamy mirror after Chan wiped it. His eyeliner and mascara were slightly smudged, but it only made him look more erotic in Chan’s opinion. 

They brushed their teeth quickly and Chan left to give him space to do his skincare routine. He put on a pair of boxers and reclined on his bunk, waiting patiently for Felix to come back.

“You good?” Chan asked once the blonde man returned.

Felix snorted before nodding, “Yeah, I’m good.”

“Was it too much?” the bosun questioned as Felix dressed, putting on a large long-sleeved shirt that gave him sweater paws and went to his mid-thigh.

“No. I liked it. It was a pretty great shower. 10 outta 10,” Felix giggled.

Chan opened his arms wide, and Felix immediately climbed onto his bed, settling down next to him and grinning as Chan pulled him close to his chest.

“Sunshine is a very fitting nickname for you. How are you so warm?” Chan asked.

“I’ve always run warm but my hands get really cold sometimes,” Felix said, holding up his hand.

Chan took Felix’s hand, letting out an ‘aw’ when he felt how cold it was. He rubbed it to try and warm it up. He could easily cover Felix’s entire hand in his own.

“Cute,” he cooed. “You’re adorable.”

“Hyuuuung,” Felix whined.

“What? You don’t think so?” Chan asked. “I think you’re fucking adorable.”

Felix looked up at him and pouted for a kiss that Chan obliged.

“I hope no one heard that,” Felix said bashfully. “Seungmin hyung is already a bit annoyed.”

Chan bit his lip, “Is it bad that I kinda hope they did hear it?”

“Why?” Felix looked at him confusedly.

“I kinda like the idea of everyone knowing I made you feel good,” Chan admitted. “I know that’s wrong, but I can’t help the fact that I like it.”

Felix snorted, “Naughty. I knew you’d be dirty-minded.”

“Hey! The first time you walked in here, I asked about the bunks and if you were okay with being on top. You were definitely the dirty-minded one,” Chan reminded him, watching Felix blush.

“I misunderstood,” Felix whined.

“Don’t think I haven’t seen you giggle at innuendos too,” Chan poked his cheek. “You’re not as innocent as you look. I see right through your disguise, pretty little angel.”

Felix’s big eyes sparkled and matched the mischievous grin that spread across his face.

“Caught that, huh?” Felix asked.

“We're pretty similar," Chan nodded. "The only difference is that you could absolutely get away with murder. Just wait until we play some games. You'll be able to fool everyone."

"I plan on it," Felix grinned with the most innocent, sweet face he could muster.

Chapter 14: L'Hôtel

AN: Thank you so much for waiting! Life's been a bit hectic, but I'm trying to get back into writing frequently. For everyone who has left comments, thank you. I can't express how much it means. I'm so awkward, I don't really know how to respond to them, but I want you to understand that they give me the confidence to continue when I often lose faith in myself. Anyways, I have a new chapter for you!

---

The next morning, Seungmin glared daggers at Chan. Hyunjin slept straight through everything, while Seungmin had once again heard Felix’s pleasure. The way the rooms were laid out had three on each side of the hallway.

The engineers were in the middle room, directly between Minho and Jeongin, and Felix and Chan. Eunji and Mari were across from Minho and Jeongin, which meant there was often arguing first thing in the morning. The middle room was used for storage and to separate the two stews from the loudest room, Jisung and Changbin, which was across from Chan and Felix.

The location of the engineers meant that Seungmin heard Felix moaning in Minho’s room and Chan’s room. It certainly was not a bad sound; in fact, he was becoming slightly obsessed with it. He wanted to hear it again, but he wanted to be the cause of it. 

Felix could tell right away that he was annoyed with the bosun and took it upon himself to soothe Seungmin. When Felix was certain he had completed everything necessary first, he gave Seungmin the best massage of his entire life, working out knots in his shoulder that Seungmin didn’t even know existed. 

With no charter scheduled, Felix brought up the farmer’s market again. If it had been anyone else, most of the crew would have politely declined so they could spend the day relaxing. Ultimately, the entire crew, including Captain Jung, decided to go.

With the sun shining bright and the humidity far higher than normal for that time, they opted to wear summer clothes. Felix wore a white tank top with a long, flowy azure blue skirt that complemented his lithe frame and sharp features that reached just above white, closed-toe heeled wedges. He and Mari giggled the moment they saw each other, realizing his skirt was the same color as her ruffle top.

“Give us a twirl,” Changbin waved his hand in a spinning motion.

Felix grinned, spinning around with the grace of a dancer. His skirt swirled around him. The flowy, elegant fabric was a stark contrast to the lithe muscles of his arms. They understood exactly what Felix meant when he said he liked mixing masculinity and femininity. It suited him well.

With the heels on, Felix was almost the same height as Hyunjin. Minho passed out small wicker baskets to some of the crew, anticipating buying several things. Once everyone was ready, they walked for about 15 minutes before they reached the location.

The market was bustling with vendors selling produce, handmade crafts, or clothes. Felix caught some stares of varying degrees of confusion. Some were curious, others were disapproving. Felix paid no mind, his smile never faltering. He was enjoying the sun, and even more so, spending time with the crew.

Changbin and Jisung stood on either side of Felix like bodyguards, dissuading anyone from attempting to come too close. 

Eunji found a gold necklace with a red jewel in the center that complemented her complexion and reddish-brown hair. She instructed Mari and Felix to take aesthetically pleasing photos of her. Felix’s experiences as an event planner and working so closely with photographers came in handy as he got the best angles.

After the crew shared some cups of shaved ice, they started wandering around and visiting various stalls. Felix and Minho gravitated toward some of the produce vendors, discussing what sort of recipes they could make. 

“I’ve never seen pomegranates like these,” Felix said.

“They’re huge! I wanna try it,” Jisung said.

Felix picked one up, feeling the hefty weight as he held it in both hands.

“Tiny hand,” Jeongin whispered, playfully poking Felix’s thumb.

“Have you ever had pomegranate juice?” Felix asked.

“No. Just pomegranate soju, thanks to you,” Jeongin said. “Is it good?”

“It’s so good. It can be kind of tart sometimes, but it tastes delicious in cocktails. We had a Halloween wedding once, and we served a drink that had pomegranate juice and blackberries. It looked spooky, and it tasted amazing. It did stain a few dresses and shirts, though, when people had a little too much to drink,” Felix giggled.

“Oh, we should do a summer Halloween party!” Jisung said. “Start the spooky time early, you know?”

“What would we do?” Jeongin asked.

“I don’t know. We could play a couple games, watch some movies, and make things,” Jisung shrugged.

“That sounds fun,” Felix nodded excitedly. 

The vendor suddenly gasped loudly, startling them. 

“You look like a living doll!” She exclaimed while staring at Felix before turning to the man next to her. She slapped his shoulder, saying, “Honey, look!”

He turned around, squinting to take in the sight of Felix’s face.

“Are you a model?” He asked.

“No, sir,” Felix shook his head, knowing he couldn’t explain that he had frequently modeled for his dress designer friends.

“You really should be,” the woman said.

Felix bowed his head graciously. While he hid it well, Chan could tell Felix was uncomfortable. Felix enjoyed occasional compliments, but he felt slightly awkward when the attention was on him and his appearance.

He tried to place the money in the tray, but the vendor started insisting he take it for far less.

“Oh, no, ma’am. I appreciate the offer, but I should pay for your hard work,” Felix shook his head, putting the proper amount in the tray before she could move it. “Thank you. I promise, we’ll enjoy it well.”

“Have a good day, young man,” she nodded.

“You know, pomegranates are often associated with beauty,” Hyunjin came to Felix’s side as they wandered to other vendors. “It feels right that you like them so much.”

Felix bumped against him, smiling. “Am I just a pretty face to you, too, Hyung?” 

“No. You are way more than that,” Hyunjin said. “I like how you think. I like how you are both kind and stubborn. I like you.”

Felix kissed Hyunjin’s cheek, affectionately bumping his shoulder against the engineer.

Felix abruptly pulled Hyunjin and Jisung toward a hat stall. He pointed to a black baseball cap with white embroidered symbols for Hyunjin and a white bucket hat with two small silver rings on the left side for Jisung. It suited their hair colors and worked with their aesthetics.

Once they had worked their way through all of the stalls, stopping for some fresh strawberry lemonade and filling their baskets, they decided it was time to return to the ship.

On the way back, Felix and Captain Jung talked about countrysides. As much as Felix needed social interaction, he also enjoyed the calming comfort of the wilderness. His Aunt had sent him on trips to scout out potential venues, and he had fallen in love with some of the more remote areas in Italy.

Felix’s outfit certainly suited a countryside lifestyle, especially with the basket full of fruits and vegetables. He looked like he was meant to be wandering around a cute little cottage, surrounded by gardens and woodland creatures.

When they returned to the boat, Felix and Minho started cooking together, dancing around each other in the galley. Captain Jung came down to observe, watching the two. After working with Minho for so many years, it was quite surprising to see the chef so content.

It wasn’t just Minho who was soft with him. Jung observed how the crew interacted with him, showering him with affection. At first, she thought it was just because of Felix’s very apparent desire for physical contact. 

Changbin showed off his strength, Jisung goofed around with him, Chan reminisced with him about their home country and cuisine, Jeongin and Seungmin talked about games and trends, and Hyunjin talked about fashion. Each of them had their own way of displaying their affection for him.

Then she noticed how many of the touches lingered, an underlying tension that she didn’t read too much into. As far as she was concerned, as long as the crew wasn’t fighting, they were free to do whatever they wanted, even if it was a little unconventional.

Minho and Felix made a pomegranate molasses cake that had the entire level of the ship smelling like a high-class bakery.

Felix cut precise slices, doling them out to all of the crew members, who promptly devoured their pieces and then the rest of the cake. 

“They’re predicting a storm this week. We’ll have to keep an eye on the radar to make sure it’s safe for charters,” Jung said, placing her fork down on her now-empty plate. “We should have contingency plans if the charter does go on and we need to do indoor activities. If it’s severe, we may cancel. Are we ready for tomorrow?”

“Yes, Cap. We’re all set for a 9 AM pick-up,” Chan said.

“Meal plans ready?” she asked Minho.

“All dietary restrictions included,” he nodded.

“Good. Enjoy the rest of your day,” she said.

After a one-day charter with an absolutely lovely elderly couple who won the whole crew’s adoration, the storm was fast approaching.

Chan disappeared into the wheelhouse for a long time. When Felix came up to bring him and Captain Jung breakfast, he found the two leaning over the radar, discussing in serious tones. He set the plates down and left, not wanting to interrupt them. 

Soon enough, the Captain called over the radio for everyone to meet in the salon. They all sat in confusion, waiting for an explanation. 

“The storm looks to be pretty significant,” Captain Jung said. “For everyone’s safety, the charter has been cancelled. For the next two, possibly three days, you have reservations at the Azul Hotel, and you will have the option of two health services. The list will be available in your rooms. Eunji and Mari will share a room, but the rest of you will draw straws. There’s one solo room, two rooms of two, and one room of three.”

For the very first time ever, none of them fought for the solo room. They were all hellbent on getting Felix to themselves in a two-person room.

Felix drew a three-person room with Seungmin and Jeongin for the first day, and another three-person room with Changbin and Hyunjin for the second day. 

They looked quite annoyed that they wouldn’t get Felix alone until he smirked and quietly said, “Two beats one, but nothing beats three.”

Chan somehow managed to draw the solo room twice but gave the second day to Minho, knowing how much they both needed some peace and quiet away from the other crew members. Felix was an absolute angel of a roommate, but Chan was grateful not to have to share with one of the others for at least a night.

“Is the ship gonna be okay?” Felix asked as he and Chan packed their bags.

“She’ll be alright. She’s sturdy. If there’s any damage, it’ll be minimal. It’s a serious storm, but not as bad as some of the ones in the past,” Chan said. “Pack for three days, just in case.”

Felix nodded, following him down to the cabins to pack. 

During the ride to the hotel, they could see people packing away outdoor furniture, storing everything inside in anticipation of the storm. Despite Chan’s assurances, Felix couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. Storms always made him anxious. There had been several times when the areas where the unhoused community in France resided were flooded. He really hated thunder, too. 

Hyunjin stuck by his side as they got out of the van by the entrance of the hotel.

“You alright?” Hyunjin asked.

“Yeah, I just don’t like storms. Thank you for checking in,” Felix hugged Hyunjin’s arm.

The hotel was spectacular. Felix couldn’t help but think that it would make an incredible wedding venue with its Renaissance-style architecture. Attendants immediately came to take their bags as they checked in. 

Felix nearly walked straight into a table as he looked at the paintings on the ceiling. The only thing that saved him was Seungmin sticking his arm out and stopping him. Unfortunately, Jisung was not as lucky and sustained a direct hit to the family jewels that had him nearly crumpling to the ground. 

When they were given the keys, each of them went to their respective rooms. As soon as Felix, Jeongin, and Seungmin walked into their room, the engineer and the deckhand began playing Rock, Paper, Scissors to see who would share one of the double beds with Felix. Seungmin eventually won and offered Felix to choose which side to sleep on.

Once they had their belongings set, they began exploring. The room was spacious with a luxurious-looking loveseat, a modern coffee table, and another lounge chair. A sliding glass door led to an outdoor balcony with a little metal table and two chairs overlooking the bustling town. The shower in the pristine marble bathroom was big enough to fit all three of them, a stark contrast to the tiny showers in the cabins. 

On one of the bedside tables, there was a list of the health services offered at the hotel. Most were types of massages and a few treatments like acupuncture or light therapy, but there were some exercise classes as well.

After settling in enough, they met the other crew members for lunch in one of the many cafes in the hotel. Felix sipped a hot chocolate and shared some of his dish with Jisung and Mari, not particularly hungry with his nerves rising about the impending storm.

“We should go to the bathhouse,” Minho said.

“That sounds suspiciously like an excuse to see a certain person naked,” Chan rolled his eyes.

“It might help with stress. Shouldn’t we take this opportunity to relax?” Minho shrugged.

“I’m not opposed,” Chan shrugged. “Anyone up for it?”

With nods around the table, they decided to go later in the day after exploring the hotel. They visited all of the stores and various attractions. It was shocking just how many places could fit within a hotel, and Felix felt an intense gratitude that Captain Jung and the owner of the yacht allowed them to spend time in such a luxurious hotel.

The rain began just before they had reconvened for dinner in the main restaurant. Felix settled between Chan and Jisung. Chan was certainly becoming a source of comfort, and Jisung understood his anxiety better than anyone else.

After a little moseying, when they finished their meal, they made their way to the floor where the baths were located. With the bathhouses separated by gender, Eunji and Mari went in the opposite direction.

After locking their clothes in the lockers, they quickly showered. While the rest of the crew were used to nudity between them, having spent years together, they had to pointedly avoid looking too closely at Felix for fear of indecent thoughts. Once they were fully clean, they made their way over to the baths.

Felix settled into the hot water, letting out a sigh. He relaxed as the water lapped against his scars.

“Gonna do one of the massages?” Jeongin asked.

“Yeah, I think it might be good,” Felix said, enjoying the heat soaking into the sore muscles.

After the bathhouse, they drank some sikhye and hung out in robes in one of the heated rooms, chatting about the strangest requests they’d ever dealt with in their respective fields.

Felix was feeling far more relaxed than he usually was during storms by the time they called it a night. He followed Seungmin and Jeongin back to the room, hugging their arms in the elevator. 

Neither Seungmin nor Jeongin was comfortable with the idea of having sex in front of another person, but they could at least look away from each other as Felix happily dropped to his knees before them. Felix alternated between the two of them, using his mouth on one and stroking the other with his hand before switching.

They both got to experience what the other crew members had been losing their minds over, and they 100% understood the obsession the moment Felix wrapped his plump lips around them. It was so strange that Felix could still look so ethereal with his mouth stuffed.

Those gorgeous doe eyes masked his wicked tongue, making him seem innocent when in reality, he was a beautiful creature of sensuality.

When Jeongin shoved himself down Felix’s throat and came, Felix happily let the deckhand hold him in place for maybe a bit longer than necessary. Felix’s head was slightly spinning from lack of oxygen by the time Jeongin pulled out, and that sent such a thrill through him, he very nearly came in his pants completely untouched.

He immediately turned his attention to Seungmin, although he kept a hand on Jeongin’s thigh to help ground the deckhand as he came down from the high of his orgasm. 

Seungmin was different from what Felix expected. For some reason, he thought that Seungmin would want it slow and languid, but Seungmin proved him wrong by being equally as rough as Jeongin.

Felix knew his voice would be slightly rougher than usual in the morning, as it had been for the past few days. While one hand was fisted in his hair, the other caressed the side of his face. The strange mixture of affection and aggression had him pressing his thighs together to try and relieve some of the ache.

Felix pulled back to suck the tip, humming in delight to see Seungmin looking so ruffled, panting with blushing cheeks. The vibrations pushed Seungmin over the edge, and Felix eagerly swallowed.

Jeongin pulled Felix off the ground, kissing his neck passionately. Seungmin pressed himself against Felix’s back, leaving open-mouth kisses on the other side of his throat. He ran his hands along Felix’s slim waist while Jeongin unbuckled the silver-haired man’s pants.

They stripped off all of the clothes hindering their access to his skin. Felix shivered as they both took in the sight of him, admiring his physique. Jeongin knelt in front of him, taking the opportunity to squeeze Felix’s strong thighs. He trailed kisses down Felix’s abs to the V-line of his hips. 

Seungmin held Felix’s chin, tilting his head to the side to capture him in a kiss. Felix gasped against his lips as Jeongin abruptly took him into his mouth, using the same techniques Felix had used on them.

One of Felix’s hands tangled in Jeongin’s hair while the other reached behind him to hold onto Seungmin’s hip, desperately trying to stop himself from cumming immediately. 

Seungmin’s machine-calloused hands traveled over his skin, playing with his nipples as Jeongin hollowed his cheeks the same way Felix had.

Felix barely had time to warn Jeongin before he came with stuttered breath and a low moan. Thankfully, Seungmin had his arms around Felix’s waist when the blonde slumped against him, his brain pleasantly blanking.

“Good?” Jeongin chuckled.

“Mhmm,” Felix nodded, his eyes dazed as they shepherded him to bed after a quick clean up and dressing in pajamas. 

Seungmin was grinning the whole time as he pulled Felix close and spooned him.

“You okay?” Seungmin asked.

“Very,” Felix nodded, which didn’t make much sense, but at least Seungmin knew he was alright.

“If you decide to switch beds and have a different cuddle-buddy, I’ve got a good spot for you right here,” Jeongin patted the mattress.

Felix snickered, and even with just the dim light of one bedside table lamp, Jeongin could feel the full force of Seungmin’s glare.

The message was loud and clear: “You steal him, and I’ll mess you up.”

---

The next day, while the storm raged outside, Felix decided to book one of the spa treatments to try to soothe his stress. 

He and Changbin unknowingly chose the same massage and giggled as they were put in the same room. With an empty bed separating them, they couldn’t really see each other, which was perhaps for the best, considering they had to undress and they didn’t want to make the staff uncomfortable by gawking at each other.

Unfortunately, they didn’t realize that the sort of massage they signed up for involved deep-tissue massage until it was too late. While Felix managed to keep relatively quiet since he had experience with it before, Changbin was practically yowling as the masseur dug his elbow into Changbin’s trapezius muscles. 

Felix’s masseur did not hold back, despite all of the scars. The stew was gripping the massage bed for dear life, feeling like someone was steamrolling the back of his thighs. The only time he genuinely yelped was when the masseur put a little too much pressure right on a knot of scar tissue, but the man thankfully recognized what it was rather than a simple muscle knot and moved on instead of trying to “work it out.”

At one point, Changbin tried to crawl off the bed only to be dragged back into place. Felix nearly cried for mercy when his entire left calf began spasming. When they were flipped over onto their backs, Felix gritted his teeth as an elbow went straight down his sternum.

Felix wasn’t particularly shy, but even he was blushing when the masseur pulled the sheet off, leaving him completely bare. He fought the urge to cover himself for only a second before he decided, since he already felt like he was dying, he might as well “go out” in all his glory.

For 90 minutes, the two of them endured a massage that might as well have been classified as torture. The metal muscle scrapers looked like torture devices, too. They left looking like they had been used as human punching bags, leaning on each other for support.

“Hyung, I feel like I just got my ass beat,” Felix muttered as they hobbled to the elevator.

“I think my kidneys are bruised,” Changbin nodded. “Never doing that again. Never.”

“It’s gonna hurt even more tomorrow, but then it feels a lot better,” Felix said.

“Still not doing it again. That hurt so bad. I need a nap, but I think I’m gonna have nightmares,” Changbin shook his head.

“If you’re not too sore, I’m sure I can distract you,” Felix winked, grinning at the blush that spread across Changbin’s cheeks as they stepped into the elevator.

“I may take you up on that offer.”

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 3 of Sunshine-Centric