yes yes yes y-

~~

Not for the first time, Hongjoong finds himself locked in a silent debate with himself. It's normal, he reasons, to spend time with the flock he's been trained to protect. Though there are few predators around, his owner Kyungmoon has been particularly vigilant since his mousing cat, San, was stolen away by a mischievous fox. It's normal to take his duty seriously.

What might not be normal, however, is spending every available moment with one specific sheep.

It's a beautiful day, warmer where they sit at the cusp of summer and accompanied by a crisp valley breeze that feels like a final gift from spring. Hongjoong, as he has done for the past week now, sits in under the old oak with his head in the lap of the most beautiful creature he's ever laid eyes on. Seonghwa is captivating in any setting but he's especially lovely like this, speckled with dappled light and smiling like nothing exists beyond the tree's shade, beyond the two of them.

Earlier, he had sent Hongjoong out to pick daisies for him. The dog had complained at first- “I'm a sheepdog, not a florist, Hwa!”- but nonetheless returned with a basket full of flowers. If his tail wagged when Seonghwa kissed his nose and told him he was a good boy, no one else has to know.

“Joong, sit up for me, please,” he says suddenly, and when Hongjoong opens his eyes, he finds him holding a beautifully woven flower crown. A handful of spare daisies have been tucked behind his horns, almost invisible against his white-blonde hair. It looks like he has a crown of his own, this time made up of tiny suns.

Obedient, Hongjoong sits up.

And if he smiles when Seonghwa rests the flowers over his hair, if he gives him the sweetest of kisses in return, no one needs to know that either.