Author's Note: In the process of writing this I was very surprised in that a very much M-rated naughty ending came to me. I will post that ending as a separate story so people who prefer pure fluff without any smut can just finish this story in peace, but if you want the alternate ending just check it out and I'll note in this story where it diverges. Cheers!
Sjin came up the stairs, heart thudding with anticipation. He had no idea what to expect. Opening the door and holding a torch, he saw Sips standing by the bed looking sheepish. He was holding two apples, and roses were on the bed. Whole flowers, dirty roots and thorns and all.
He felt an almost uncontrollable urge to laugh at the ridiculousness of the whole scene but kept it in, seeing the taut lines of nervousness on Sips' face.
"I uh, made us some dinner" Sips said, extending an apple, and looking away as his cheeks reddened. This was goddamn disastrous but he couldn't see anyway out now that it'd gone this far. Caught up in his embarrassment he didn't really notice Sjin approaching him until he felt the apple being taken out of his hand.
Slowly turning his gaze to peek at Sjin, bracing himself for a look of terrible disappointment, Sips was surprised to see Sjin was grinning and blushing slightly.
"Sips this is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me."
Sips relaxed a bit, but not completely, saying "aw hell Sjin, it's a fucking mess, nothing went right."
Sjin couldn't help but let a little giggle escape but said "it's fine Sips! You've put so much work into this, it's wonderful," pulling Sips down to sit on the bed but yelping and jumping up again as a thorn poked him.
Sips scowled at the offending rose, "this shit doesn't even make sense, why would you put roses on a bed? Look at this mess!" "I think it's supposed to just be the petals Sips" Sjin said, carefully sitting back down and cupping Sips' face in his hand before the pale man had a chance to get wrapped up in embarrassment again. Caressing Sips' hair and face in a way he knew would be soothing Sjin started unbuckling the nanosuit with his other hand, purring "I think that the perfect way to put this together is with a nice massage."
Sips moaned in agreement, floating on a cloud of relief and relaxation at Sjin's delicate touches. The armour removed Sjin slid the spacesuit down Sips' shoulders but was surprised as Sips hissed in pain and he felt sticky gashes and scabs on Sips' back. "Sip! Oh my god, what is this!" he gasped, fumbling to pull out another torch to get a better look.
Sips signed deeply and put his head in his hands. He'd forgotten that there was one more thing to go wrong. Fucking fantastic.
"I was out getting the flowers when a creeper jumped me. I didn't want to ruin the mood. Just leave it Sjin."
Filled with worry but also pity for how completely despondent his partner looked Sjin just tsked, telling Sips to stay where he was and returning quickly with bandages and water. The way that Sips' gestured and shouted and swore most people thought they had a good idea of what an angry or upset Sips looked like. But they were wrong. That was Sips' normal, when he really was feeling strong emotions he just locked down completely, not uttering a word and staring ahead. It scared Sjin to think of Sips like that on his own, trapped in his own worries and thoughts. But he calmed himself; Sips wasn't alone anymore and Sjin knew how to deal with this.
(NSFW ending branches here)
Sips was still sitting as he had been, filled with melancholy and dark thoughts. Wordlessly Sjin sat down beside him and started tenderly wiping the blood and dirt away.
He started to mutter softly, a mix of lego talk and loving words, "So you remember that satellite station idea? I was thinking we'd build this big staircase going up to it. Maybe have some fences, scaffold….. Today has been so nice, you're making me feel like a princess Sips, you're going to spoil me rotten… that sandstone made a pretty good building material, I'll have to use it more often… No one makes me feel special like you…."
And slowly Sips relaxed under his ministrations, leaning his head back to rest against Sjin, moving a hand onto his knee.
When the bandaging was done Sjin wrapped his arms around Sips' waist, just sitting in the light of the torch.
"You're too good for me Sjin" Sips said with a sigh that was more of acceptance than sadness and he could feel the twitch of Sjin's moustache that meant the taller man was smiling, aware that Sips was out of his funk. "Well, I am pretty damn fantastic" Sjin said teasingly, gently nuzzling Sips' neck.
"You really are Sjin, I mean it. I…. I love you" Sips said, turning to look Sjin in the eye. Sjin looked shocked for a moment before laughing, a gorgeous joyful sound that warmed Sips right in the depth of his heart, and said "I love you too Sips."
And even though the bed was a mess of prickly roses, the steaks were lost somewhere the pipes, and the apples had been abandoned at some point during the evening, neither one of them could really be any happier.
