To most, Renjun seemed cold. Chenle could testify - this was true. He was like a glacier; silent but unmoving and, therefore, dangerous. It was four pm on a Tuesday when the world decided to test his conviction towards that statement.
"I can't believe," Renjun huffed, "you actually managed to lock us in here."
Chenle rolled his eyes for the nth time that hour. "I said I was sorry, would you let it go already?"
The elder's eye twitched, scrutinizing his lime-haired companion. "If you think I'm gonna let this go, you'd best think again."
"Of course." Chenle watched a puff of white float up as he released an exasperated sigh, sliding down the frosty plastic that trapped the pair. It had only been twenty minutes since their manager sent them to the industrial freezer in the back of the storage container, and fifteen since Chenle had dropped the keys outside, but he had never heard Renjun talk so much in one sitting. His co-worker was usually quiet and reserved, preferring to only speak when taking someone's order or complaining to Mark about the girl that came in every Tuesday and ordered an iced, half-caffeine, ristretto, venti, 4-pump, sugar-free, cinnamon, dolce soy skinny latte. She was a bit of an urban legend in the staff room, but it was always Renjun that got stuck taking her order. It didn't seem like that would be the case today, however.
"Honestly, you'd think people these days would have at least some functioning brain cells, but I guess not." If it wasn't for the sub-zero temperatures threatening to freeze his face off, Chenle would've feigned offence, maybe even thrown in a gasp and heart-clutch for dramatic effect, but he was far too cold for that, preferring to tug his black cardigan tighter around himself in a feeble attempt to fend off the frigidity that attacked him from all around. Shivering, he ignored the strange, distant sounds of Renjun shuffling around and closed his eyes. It was stupid, but he hoped that maybe he could think some heat into existence, maybe if he focused hard enough, he could trick his body into not letting him die of hypothermia.
He was so concentrated on his self-hypnosis that he didn't notice the shuffling sound getting closer and closer until it stopped right next to him. It was only when he felt pressure against his shoulder, did he notice Renjun sitting next to him, staring. His eyes conveyed only the most obvious emotions - curiosity and concern, not to mention the healthy portion of confusion that clouded his expression. Immediately, Chenle noticed the heat that radiated off the other, drawing him in. It surprised him, considering how long they'd been stuck in here for - and the older wasn't even wearing a jacket.
When Renjun slid closer, Chenle honestly thought he was hallucinating. They were so close. Knees clashed whenever one of them moved and shoulders pressed together as if glued in place.
"Are you okay? Cold?" Renjun used a tone of voice Chenle had never heard him use. It sounded like something one would use when speaking to pets or children, although Chenle was far too distracted to come to such a conclusion. The way Renjun whispered - as if speaking any louder would cause something to come crashing to the ground - sent shivers down his spine, though that could've been something to do with sitting in a freezer for an extended period of time. He just about managed to nod his head, neck having stiffened in the artificial August wintertime.
Renjun's movements were slow, unhurried, but Chenle was hyper-aware of each minuscule motion. The older lifted his arm, gradually stretching until the limb lay on Chenle's shoulder, gently wrapping around his upper arm. Warmth seeped through his uniform and he promptly curled into the hold, too desperate for the heat the other radiated to consider embarrassment. It was minutes later, when his brain cells had defrosted, that he felt the belated mortification his actions invoked. He thought about moving away, but Renjun took that moment of stillness to drape his other arm around Chenle, effectively trapping him in an embrace.
Neither of them spoke, either because they were too cold or didn't feel the need. Renjun's face was buried in Chenle's over-dyed hair, smelling the gently coconut-scented shampoo. Similarly, Chenle found himself in the crook of the elder's neck, inhaling a scent he knew, but couldn't quite identify - it was strong, that's for sure, floral, but so sweet it smelled almost fruity. He racked his brain, trying to recall the name, whilst making a brave attempt to ignore Renjun's warm breath on the crown of his head.
Any and all thought processes he possessed ended in minutes, Renjun's embrace proving far too cosy and far too relaxing for him to stay fully conscious. The rise and fall of his chest lulled Chenle into a sense of security, and within seconds he was fading to and from the land of the living, slowly travelling to the land of dreams as he dropped to sleep, knowing full well that was exactly what you are not supposed to do.
Now, Chenle doesn't dream that often, but today he was taken to a place he had never heard of, never conceived could be possible, even in one's mind. Nothingness surrounded him. It wasn't black, wasn't white, and most definitely wasn't any other colour he had seen. He stood on a stone bridge, worn with age and, judging from the scars that littered the sediment, battle. That was what he thought, but as he focused on clearing the haze from his vision, it occurred to him that these scars were on no way accidental. There wasn't too many, maybe nine or ten, arranged next to each other, each scratch possessing a different length and width. There were some with huge gaps between scratches, mainly the longer ones, and others were barely a breaths width apart. Belatedly, he realised these scratches were only seen to his left - the right remained unscathed. He took in a deep breath, hoping to calm his oddly fast heartbeat, but was immediately attacked by an onslaught of fragrance that he recognised almost instantly.
Renjun... His thought was cut short as he coughed, the aroma seemingly trapped in his lungs. He was practically on his knees by the time his coughing fit ceased and was about to stand when he saw something he didn't notice before - something that didn't exist before. It was a cross, engraved into the stone, and from it grew a flower. Pale, oblong petals sprouted from the delicate green stem that protruded the ground, fighting its way through the stone.
He extended a hand to reach for the plant, but before he came in contact with it, his surroundings flickered into a bright darkness, startling him into a wary stance. Before he could process what was happening, the bridge started disappearing. It gradually faded out of existence, starting at the horizon of his vision and creeping towards him, like a flood of dematerialization. He tried to run, but no matter how fast his legs moved, he stayed stationary. He ran and ran but he couldn't, no matter how much he wished, leave the flower. It stayed next to him, undisturbed by the panic that radiated from him. No matter how much energy he poured into moving, the bridge continued to dissipate, leaving everything but what should be in its wake.
Before long, it reached him and stopped feeling like a dream.
The blanket wrapped around him loosened as he jolted awake, startling the person whose back he was currently draped across. Upon further inspection, he recognised the person as Jisung, his best friend who, at this point, was making no effort to hide his sniggers. Chenle attempted to raise his hand and slap the younger but found his joints were still stiff with cold. Sighing, he slumped against Jisung, who unhooked one of his arms from under Chenle's leg, leaving it to rest on his slightly protruded hip, and tugged the blanket back into place.
"You're a dumbass." he laughed as Chenle made a feeble attempt to punch his arm.
"Shut up, it wasn't my fault."
"You dropped the key on the floor and you left your phone inside. That screams big dumbass energy."
Chenle grimaced. "Renjun left his phone too, you know. Also, the key is stupidly small, how was I supposed to know it fell out of my pocket?" his friend just continued to giggle, paying no attention to how Chenle huffed and tightened his hold on the younger's neck, effectively locking him in a chokehold. By this point, Chenle's muscles had mostly thawed, so when Jisung started letting out half-strangled sounds, he was more than pleased. Jisung was released after a particularly nasty-sounding wheeze and promptly dropped his friend onto the staff room's sole piece of furniture - a sofa that Chenle swears is haunted after an unfortunate series of events involving Mark and Jisung being the gross couple they are and far too many iced coffees. Since then, there have been complaints of a cold atmosphere surrounding the sofa and Chenle, backed up by their special regulars, Jeno and Yukhei, concluded that they summoned a ghost who now haunts their sofa. He thought it was pretty solid logic, hence why he prepared to complain to Jisung that he was "subjecting him to possible hauntings", but was halted as the door swung open, revealing Mark with a furious-looking Renjun being dragged by his collar. Jisung's face lit up at his boyfriend's entrance and immediately traded placed with Renjun, forcing the older into the room, when he slotted his hand into Mark's.
Mark smiled at the younger's antics, ears taking on a pink tint, before turning to the centre of the room where Renjun and Chenle were looking everywhere but at the other. Jisung nudged Mark before whispering in his ear. Chenle noticed Mark's eyes widening and the uncharacteristically mischievous smile sneaking onto his features and he knew Jisung had said something he most definitely should not have. He stood up, planning to confront his so-called best friend, but the words didn't have time to form before the door slammed to a close and the tell-tale clicking of a lock sounded from the other side.
"Park fucking Jisung, you asshole!" he yelled, banging on the door.
"Isn't this a little much, babe?" Mark's muffled voice whispered, but Jisung assured they could handle orders for the next ten minutes while Chenle and Renjun had some "bonding time". The Canadian didn't sound convinced in the slightest but followed his boyfriend back to the main seating area. They were alone.
"So," Chenle spoke after a few moments of silence, processing the - honestly unsurprising - betrayal of his co-workers, "how's post-freezer life?"
_______
Looking back on it, Chenle most definitely could've found a more intelligent way to phrase his question, but now he just had to live with the knowledge that the Huang Renjun probably thought he was an idiot that couldn't speak eloquently and locks people in industrial freezers. Great.
On the bright side, his phrasing did manage to draw a chuckle from the boy, who no longer looked murderous, and Chenle swears the heating spontaneously broke because the room seemed to heat up to an impossible extent (or maybe it was just him).
Renjun, ever so graciously, replied that his first five minutes of freedom were spent, trapped under at least seven blankets at the mercy of a certain Mark Lee. Chenle never took Mark as the type of person to worry about these things, but obviously, he still had much to learn about his future "almost adopted" brother in law - not that Jisung ever stands for his teasing without retaliation, usually weaponising his three-week crush on Yukhei. Turns out Yukhei was the cute guy from Hong Kong that knocked over his ice cream when he was six, and Chenle was still salty, so the novelty wore off fairly quickly.
They masterfully avoided mentioning what happened inside the freezer, both making a commendable effort to continue the conversation without venturing into that territory. It worked, surprisingly enough, and the two chatted away like old friends, covering topics from China's country-wide water deficit to Renjun's nightmare customer.
"Every Tuesday she comes in and orders that monstrosity. An iced, half-caffeine, ristretto, venti, 4-pump, sugar-free, cinnamon, dolce soy skinny latte, sometimes with extra froth, sometimes with an extra pump, and that's fine. Acceptable. But today, she did the unthinkable." he closed his eyes, lips pursing in annoyance. Seconds later, he opened them and stared straight into Chenle's eyes. He would never admit it, but the younger found himself lost in those orbs, and he was sure his expression was something akin to that of a deer stuck in headlights.
"Today, she ordered it extra hot ."
It took a while for Chenle to process the information, too occupied with trying to pull his eyes away from Renjun's piercing gaze, but when it finally registered, he froze.
"She what ."
______
When Chenle first got locked in a freezer, he didn't think he'd make it out alive, let alone befriend the guy he had accidentally locked himself in with. When Chenle first got locked in the staff room, he didn't think he would end up sitting on the sofa he had deemed haunted, animatedly discussing the pros and cons ("You mean cons and cons." Renjun had laughed, causing Chenle to release a burst of his notoriously dolphin-like glee.) of working at Starbucks with that same guy. It was surreal almost, how they had spoken precisely three sentences to each other before, and yet in the span of an hour they had become what Chenle would class as friends. It was a hesitant thought, but all doubt was lost as Renjun reciprocated the hand he had tentatively placed on his knee. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
Then, the door opened and a grinning Jisung greeted the two.
It wasn't that Jisung was a bad friend - he was far from it - but there were sometimes that Chenle wished he would just keep his gob shut. Like now, for example, Chenle was desperately trying to refrain himself from slapping his best friend while Jisung poked fun at him for being such a "pathetic gay" when it was his fault that Chenle had been so startled by him slamming the door open that he ended up falling on the floor. Mark stood at least six foot away, but Chenle could almost feel the growing concern he had for his troublemaking boyfriend, especially when Chenle began turning vaguely red - it was a result of embarrassment but could've easily been mistaken for anger. What didn't help is that Renjun was in plain view, having narrowly escaped Jisung's wrath to begin taking orders again, and Jisung was making no effort to be quiet. He swore he saw a faint brush of peach on the elder's cheeks, but the chattering from his left distracted him long enough for Renjun to disappear, Mark taking over his place as Yukhei and Jeno waltzed in.
Yukhei and Jeno were regulars. They came in every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday at precisely five-thirty PM to get an iced americano before heading out to their dance lesson. Chenle knew this. Chenle also knew that, at five-thirty on Tuesday afternoon, Renjun would join Yukhei and Jeno as they headed to their dance lesson. So, when the bell rang, signalling the duo's arrival, Chenle felt his heart sink. If his heart was the Titanic, that bell was the huge ass fucking iceberg that no one thought to maybe steer away from. If his heart was Jack, that bell was Rose who somehow didn't realise her door was more than large and buoyant enough to hold two.
If his heart was Rose, however, then Renjun bursting through the staff room doors, phone in hand, was the godsent whistle that saved him from his otherwise frosty doom.
"Here." Chenle didn't really know what to think when Renjun took his hand and placed his phone in it, so he just stared. Renjun leaned closer as if preparing to whisper a secret, and Chenle inhaled that same, intoxicatingly sweet smell. It was as if the last piece of a puzzle slotted into place at that moment, because he finally recognised just what that ever so familiar scent was - honeysuckle. The thought was fleeting, especially once Renjun spoke, his breath tickling the shorter hairs in the area next to his ear. A familiar heat flooded to the tips of his ears.
"You should probably put your number in, Lele." Renjun chuckled, and Chenle decided the warmth in his chest far outweighed the heat of his face. He saved his contact as "lele" and spent what felt like an eternity deciding which emoji to use, but eventually settled on the dolphin after recalling how Renjun, like many others, had compared his laugh to the sea mammal. The phone was returned shortly, and the smile on Renjun's face was surely worth every moment of internal turmoil over his emoji usage.
Their goodbyes were brief, nothing more than a "see you tomorrow", but the fluttering in Chenle's stomach lasted for the two hours he had left of his shift, the five-minute bus ride home and the three hours he proceeded to spend in bed, staring at the ceiling before sleep finally claimed him, back to the lands of nothingness and flowers.
_____
"Hey, Lele?"
"Yeah?"
"Remember when you locked us in a freezer that once?" Chenle groaned at his boyfriend's antics, slapping his chest half-heartedly and ignoring how his skin tingled when Renjun tightened his grip on his waist.
"Do you have to always bring that up?" Renjun smiled down at the top of his head, his face hidden in the elder's neck.
"Obviously, that's literally like. Our first date."
"We were locked in a freezer."
"But we also got locked in the staff room, remember? That a date." Outraged, Chenle twisted around so he was facing the other Chinese boy.
"If that's what you class as a date, I'm breaking up with you."
Renjun raised an eyebrow, and Chenle knew he was in for it now.
"I'd like to see you try." an indignant scream escaped as they were flipped over. Renjun had trapped him in his arms, the aged bed springs squeaking at the sudden movements. Without warning, Renjun began to pepper kisses everywhere he could, sickly sweet and playfully short. That was, until Chenle caught his face in his hands, making eye contact before pulling him down for a chaste peck on the lips. And another. And another. It wasn't long before another battle broke out between the two, each fighting for who could give the other the most affection. Chenle revelled in these moments. They were far and few between, with Renjun preferring to refrain from excessive PDA in the majority of cases. He wasn't as bad as, say, Mark, as Jisung was sure to let him know, but for someone as touchy as Chenle, it was sometimes difficult to refrain himself. So, as they lay there, side-by-side, tired from their antics, Chenle came to a conclusion:
To most, Renjun seemed cold. Chenle could testify - this was far from true. He was the rising sun; a blooming flower; a gem, hidden to all those who dare not search for it.