Archive of Our Own

“I heard there’s a new knight.” 

“What?” 

Yujin nods, squinting against the sun. “Apparently Nicholas quit because he got a real job for the summer, so they had to hire someone entirely new.” 

“Real job,” Matthew mutters. “Who says this isn’t a real job?” 

Behind him, Jiwoong leans over the counter of their booth, holding a girl dressed like a fairy by the chin and hand feeding her a pickle. The juice pours over the corners of her lips when she bites. She looks up at Jiwoong like he’s an angel. Matthew gets it. Looking at Jiwoong from that angle for the first time can be life changing.

Yujin’s eyes drift over to Jiwoong for a second. He snorts. “Not me. That’s just what I heard.” 

“Right.” Matthew sighs, folding his arms against the countertop. “Okay, so, what about this new knight? Is he hot?” 

“That’s what I heard.” 

Matthew raises an eyebrow. “Is he gay?” 

“My source didn’t have any intel on that.” 

“Well, damn, your source is pretty fucking useless, isn’t he?” 

“She,” Yujin corrects.

“Well, maybe you could ask her if the new knight likes boys or girls before we get our hopes up.” 

Yujin sucks his teeth. “I dunno. She’s a lesbian, so she’s not into guys like that—” 

“But we are, Yujin.” 

“Right. I never thought about it like that.” 

“What are we talking about?” Jiwoong slings his arm over Matthew’s shoulder, draping himself over his back. If it were five degrees hotter, he wouldn’t get away with it, but it’s a pretty mild day, and Matthew is feeling kind. 

“New knight. Nicholas got a real job,” Yujin summarizes. 

Jiwoong gasps in mock offense. “This is a real job, Yujinnie…” 

“That’s what I said!” 

Yujin ignores the scolding. “But the princess told me he’s hot.” 

“Oh, okay, now I’m listening…” Jiwoong leans forward against Matthew’s shoulder, his body weight nearly toppling Matthew over. 

“Your source is Park Chaewon?” Matthew scoffs. “She’s a lesbian, Yujin!” 

“Yeah, but she knows my type in men, and she said we’d all think he’s hot. It’s a glowing review!” 

Matthew reaches across and yanks one of the ties on Yujin’s leather vest. He lets out a squawk, but when he pulls away the tiny bow unravels completely. Matthew laughs out loud. 

“Hello my favorite pickle salesmen!” Hao’s voice precedes him. He pops out from behind a couple of elves walking down the path in front of the booth, half of his face painted as Spider-Man, the other half some sort of butterfly-dragon combo. His hair is messy, a few bits of dried paint visible between locks. He walks right up to Yujin, looping their arms together. When Yujin pulls away, Hao fully hooks his arm around his neck, forcing him to stay. He beams at Matthew and Jiwoong. “When are you two taking a break? I’ve done, like, twenty-two unicorn princesses today, I need a drink.” 

“Whenever Jiwoong is done flirting with teenagers,” Matthew says sweetly. 

Jiwoong smacks his chest. “She was twenty. I checked her ID.” 

“Well, I guess we’re good to go, then!” 

Hao whoops directly into Yujin’s ear. 

⚔

Matthew has been working for the Faire for five summers in a row. It’s more than just a job. It’s a lifestyle. October through June are spent waiting for the Faire to come around, and July through September are for merrymaking. 

The best part about it isn’t the costumes, or the roleplaying, or the tips– it’s the community. By this point, his entire friend group is Faire-adjacent. He and Jiwoong have managed to drag their old friends into Faire-life and all their new friends are yearly workers, too. It’s a beautiful, self-sustaining ecosystem. Matthew loves it, even if his sister still makes fun of him for being a geek. 

Of all the jobs at the Faire, knights cycle most often. Jousting is physically demanding. Knights and princesses are as close to Faire celebrities as you can get— crowds part when they leave the arena to wander around. Little girls and boys crowd to take photos with them. Nicholas was great at his job— he was a fan favorite, along with the two female knights on the cast, Sooyoung and Hyeju. This new guy will have a lot to live up to if he wants to keep up. 

Hao has (once again) bribed Hanbin— his long-term situationship and head knight— to save them the best spots in the bleachers for the lunchtime show. Right at the top middle, so they have the best view of the arena. The announcer’s booth is right behind them, Taerae nervously mumbling to himself as he runs through his lines, as if he hasn’t been doing the same script multiple times a day for three years in a row. 

“Oh, god,” he groans when the four of them climb up the stands. “You guys are Hanbin’s very important guests? I was hoping it was his parents.” 

“Bite your tongue, Lord Taerae!” Jiwoong bellows, swinging the turkey leg he bought within inches of Yujin’s face. “At least you know this show won’t be boring!” He sends Taerae a wink before turning around and dropping into one of the reserved seats. 

Taerae visibly pinkens, busying himself with organizing his things. Matthew snorts. As someone who’s been there, done that with Jiwoong, Taerae’s flustering is wholly unnecessary. 

“We heard the new knight is hot,” Hao says a little too loudly. “Had to come see for ourselves.” 

“Who, Gunwook?” Taerae wrinkles his nose. “I guess. If you’re into nerdy meatheads.” 

Hao gasps. He grabs Matthew’s arm, shaking him almost violently. “Matthew is so into nerdy meatheads! This is perfect!” 

Taerae glances at Matthew to confirm. Matthew shrugs. “Guilty.” 

Jiwoong grabs Matthew’s arm, pulling him down into his spot. He takes a hearty bite out of his turkey leg, sauce smearing across the corner of his mouth. “Want some?” he asks through his mouthful. Matthew thinks about it for all of two seconds before he indulges, eating straight out of Jiwoong’s hand. 

A blast of a horn announces the beginning of the show. Taerae clears his throat before hopping onto the PA system. (He used to use an old-timey megaphone for period accuracy, but he was losing his voice by the end of each day, so he had to stop.) 

When Matthew came to work this morning, he wasn’t expecting his life to be changed. He got into Jiwoong’s minivan at the crack of dawn, eyes half closed, and slept against the window on their way in, just like he does every day. 

It’s a Wednesday afternoon. Lives aren’t supposed to be changed on random Wednesdays. 

It doesn’t happen immediately. Matthew’s inevitable crush manifests as a slow burn. (As slow as a renaissance faire jousting show can be, anyway.) The new knight emerges out of the tunnel to the left of the arena, and Matthew grows interested. He sits up straighter, leaning into Yujin to try to get a better look. 

The guy is tall. He’s big. He manages to dwarf Gyuvin’s noodle-like frame just by riding next to him. 

“What did you say his name is, Taerae?” Matthew asks, reaching behind himself to smack Taerae’s shin without looking. 

“Gunwook,” Taerae says straight into the microphone. Then, “Oops. That is, Sir Gunwook of the King’s Royal Court!” 

The crowd cheers. 

Suddenly, Matthew is incredibly interested in the archaic sport that is jousting. He’s fascinated by the way Gunwook moves. How he seems to have such a good grasp on something he’s brand new at. How he absolutely pummels Hao’s sad sack of a kind-of-boyfriend with his giant stick. 

Matthew steals Jiwoong’s turkey leg straight out of his hand, mindlessly sinking his teeth in as he tracks Gunwook across the arena. 

With each round Gunwook comes out successful, Matthew’s interest grows. And grows. And grows. It reaches a fever pitch when Gunwook is declared the winner of the games.

He takes off his helmet, shaking out a thick head of dark, shiny hair and shooting the audience a wide, toothy smile.  

“Oh, shit,” Matthew says. He drops Jiwoong’s turkey leg, and he’s pretty sure it falls between the bleachers down to the grass, but he’s too distracted to check. 

“Matt!” Jiwoong complains. His voice is already fading. Matthew is simply too locked in. 

He grabs Jiwoong’s arm, grip growing tighter each step Gunwook takes towards the throne pedestal at the end of the arena. 

This happens at every jousting show. The winning knight claims his prize— the princess’ hand in marriage— sealed with a dramatic kiss. Usually, Matthew is whooping and cheering along with the audience, but this time, he’s silent. 

Gunwook towers over Chaewon. He takes her around the waist, smiles a dazzling smile, and dips her down to kiss her. It’s almost painfully romantic. Matthew’s chest seizes. He’s pretty sure Jiwoong is crying about how Matthew is bruising his arm, but Matthew doesn’t care. He just fell in love. 

“How do I try out for the role of princess?” he asks dreamily. 

“That’s really heteronormative of you,” Hao says. “You should be a prince. Because you’re super fucking gay.” 

Matthew swallows the spit pooling in his mouth. He watches as Gunwook lifts Chaewon back up. The two of them join hands, turning to the stands and bowing. Gunwook winks, and Matthew swears it’s directed specifically at him. 

“I think I’m in love.” Matthew clutches his chest. 

“Heh. Told you,” Yujin snickers. 

Matthew elbows him in the stomach, too busy watching Gunwook re-mount his horse to enjoy the way Yujin keels over and groans.

⚔

A long, dramatic sigh leaves Matthew’s lips. His chin is resting in his hand as he stares off into the leaves of the trees overhead. 

“Oh, god, he’s helpless,” Yujin snorts. 

Matthew kicks him under the picnic table they’ve taken up residence at— the one right next to the face painting cart, because Hao wanted to gossip as he worked. 

It’s been a few days since Matthew fell in love. He’s been having a hard time. It’s out of character for him, really. Usually, he’s confident with men and women alike. It’s just that Gunwook is so tall, and big, and handsome, and he’s a knight. 

He sighs again.  Yujin laughs again. 

“Leave him be, he hasn’t gotten laid since we got too drunk at New Years,” Jiwoong coos, patting Matthew’s head. Matthew leans against his shoulder, cheek squishing against hard muscle. 

Yujin scrunches up his nose. “Ew.” 

Jiwoong starts unwrapping the pickle he packed for lunch. “It was actually really beautiful.” 

“Is that true, Matt?” Hanbin asks, eyes wide. It’s the first time he’s spoken since he showed up. He got brutalized in the joust today. There’s still dirt on his cheek and his hair is stuck up in every direction. 

“It’s true,” Hao chimes in, mid-painting a dragon on a visibly drunk man’s face. 

“It was beautiful because Jiwoong had so many piña coladas that when he finally got his dick up it felt like a miracle.” 

Jiwoong chuckles, shaking his head. “So true…” 

“Sorry— back up— what are we talking about?” Hanbin blinks. He looks between Matthew, Jiwoong and Yujin. He knows better than to ask Hao. Hao is prone to lying to him. 

“Matt has a thing for the new knight,” Yujin says. 

Hanbin lets out a long, understanding ah. “Oh, yeah, he’s hot.” 

“Tell me about it.” Matthew huffs. “Everyone wants him. How am I supposed to compete? I sell pickles.” 

“Pickles are phallic,” Jiwoong points out, shoving his into his mouth to prove his point. It’s a little soggy from being wrapped in wax paper for too long. Juice drips down his chin. Matthew backs up to avoid any overflow. 

“That they are,” Hanbin agrees. He looks too impressed with Jiwoong’s show. 

“Do you know anything else about this guy?” Matthew asks. “You work with him all day. You have to know something that could get me in.” 

“Mm…” Hanbin cocks his head. “No. Not really. He’s been hanging out with the princesses.” He lowers his voice. “I think he has beef with Hyeju. But you didn’t hear it from me.” 

“What did he say?” Hao finishes off his dragon wing with a spritz of glitter, leaning towards the picnic table. “I couldn’t hear.” 

“He said he thinks Gunwook has beef with Hyeju, but you didn’t hear it from him,” Jiwoong relays. 

“Got it. I heard it from Jiwoong, who heard it from Hanbin.” 

Hanbin groans. 

“This is ridiculous,” Matthew huffs. “What good are you to me if you don’t know anything about your brother in arms?!” 

“That’s a little harsh, Matt.” Hanbin pouts. “Especially when I was about to say… I could probably convince the guys to swing by tomorrow during our victory lap. Gunwook included. You guys do have the best pickles around…” 

Matthew launches himself up, grabbing Hanbin’s grubby face in both of his hands and giving him a big, wet kiss on the cheek. “Hanbin, I love you. I love you so much. Next New Year’s is reserved for you unless I’ve got Gunwook locked down by then. Promise.” 

Hanbin’s face screws up. “Okay. Ew. Thanks.” 

“Don’t say ew, Hanbinnie, Matt is a great lay!” Hao calls. 

That only makes Hanbin’s expression twist up further. “Has everyone here fucked Matthew but me?” 

“Yeah,” Jiwoong nods solemnly. 

“Pretty much.” Yujin shrugs. 

“I haven’t either, if it makes you feel better,” the guy in Hao’s facepainting chair says, raising his hand.

“And Gunwook certainly hasn’t,” Matthew says, dropping Hanbin’s cheeks and sitting back down. “For now.” 

Hanbin straightens out his vest with a fussy little noise. “Well then, you should have no problem seducing him, I suppose.” 

“I suppose I shan't." 

⚔

“How does my hair look?” 

“Stupid.” 

“Jiwoong!” Matthew shoves his hand into Jiwoong’s pocket to steal his phone. There’s a bit of a struggle, but Matthew comes out victorious. He swipes open the front camera to check his hair. It looks fine. But is fine good enough? 

“I’m kidding! It looks fine. Just be normal.” 

Matthew laughs, but it comes out flat. He locks Jiwoong’s phone, sliding it back into his pocket for him and patting it afterwards. He puts on his prettiest smile. “I am normal.” 

Jiwoong raises an eyebrow, and Matthew immediately collapses in on himself. 

“I’m not normal,” he whines. “What is wrong with me?!” 

“You need to get it together, man!” Jiwoong grabs Matthew’s shoulders, jostling him around enough to make him a little dizzy. When he comes to, Jiwoong is a few inches in front of his face. He clamps Matthew’s cheeks between his hands in a borderline threatening manner. “This isn’t the Matthew I know!” 

Matthew blinks. “What?” 

Jiwoong’s grip tightens, cheeks squishing between his fingers. “The Matthew I know fears no man! Not even a six-foot, hunk of a man who’s really good at jousting for some reason!” Jiwoong looks almost crazed, eyes wide and voice low. “The Matthew I know would approach that man, bat his eyelashes, and put a fucking pickle in his mouth to show him what he’s missing!” 

“Yeah.” Matthew nods as much as he can while he’s being held like this. 

“The Matthew I know doesn’t pine and chase— men pine and chase him,” Jiwoong continues.  

Adrenaline starts pumping through Matthew’s system. Jiwoong is good at pep talks. He should have been a high school football coach. “Yeah!” 

“So let’s go out there—” Jiwoong jerks his head towards the front of their booth, “—and feed some knights some fucking pickles!” 

“Yeah!” Matthew pumps his fist. 

Jiwoong slaps his cheeks one more time before releasing him. Matthew returns to his station with a bit more pep in his step. Jiwoong hikes up his suspenders, flashing Matthew a show-stopping grin before cupping his hands around his mouth to start his usual call. 

“Pickles for sale! Come and get ‘em. Wet and juicy! Pickles, pickles, pickles!” 

Matthew centers himself. Jiwoong is right. He never gets this worked up over a man— especially not a man he hasn’t spoken to yet. Men trip over themselves for a chance with him. If Matthew keeps acting like a virgin, he’ll never know if Gunwook wants to sleep with him. 

Every Friday afternoon the knights and princesses promenade to celebrate a week well done and to bolster support for their weekend of duels. Usually they’ll split in half— one princess for each group. As long as Hanbin follows through on his promise, Matthew’s got it in the bag. 

He gets caught up in the pickle-selling groove, sweet talking a couple of girls who want to be hand fed. When they flit away, giggling, only to reveal that the promenading knights (plus Princess Chaewon and an exasperated Taerae trying to keep things in order) are in line behind them, Matthew almost yelps. 

He looks towards Jiwoong for help, but Jiwoong is already beckoning Taerae up to the front, a big, juicy pickle clasped in his fingers. He really shouldn’t be handling it like that, but Taerae definitely won’t care. He looks up at Jiwoong like Jiwoong is heaven-sent, unhinging his jaw. It’s so intimate that Matthew has to look away. 

When he turns, he catches Gunwook’s eyes immediately. Gunwook is already looking at him. Matthew locks onto his target, letting his lips curl up. “So,” he purrs. “Who else likes their mouth stuffed?” 

Someone makes a gagging sound (probably Hyeju, if Matthew had to guess), but Matthew doesn’t even bother to look anywhere else but Gunwook. His heart skips a beat when Gunwook steps forward, licking over his bottom lip. 

“Count me in,” he says— and, oh, his voice. Matthew almost swoons. 

“New boy!” Matthew grins. He crooks his finger, begging Gunwook in. “Step right up, handsome.” 

Gunwook laughs like Matthew is being funny. He’s definitely not being funny. Still, Gunwook does as he’s told. He has a chainmail hood on, but most of his armor has been shed for purposes of movement. Matthew is thankful— the thin, white blouse Gunwook has on is practically see-through where his chest is sweating. Matthew’s mouth waters like he’s the one about to take a pickle. 

Matthew spears a pickle with a stick, pulling it out of the cooler and letting some of the juice roll off. Gunwook gets right up to the counter, resting his forearms against the surface. Most people aren’t tall enough to do that. 

“Open up,” Matthew breathes. 

Gunwook drops open his lips, looking up at Matthew through dark eyelashes. 

He’s even more handsome up close. Dark, thick brows and a strong nose. He could be the lead in a rom-com. His teeth are straight. There’s a dimple in his cheek when he smiles. Matthew hears a dull thud in the distance, but he’s focused on the way Gunwook’s lips stretch around the pickle, teeth piercing flesh. Juice runs out of the corners of his mouth. Matthew lifts his free hand under Gunwook’s chin to catch the worst of it so it doesn’t get all over the counter. 

Gunwook makes a noise akin to a moan in the back of his throat. Matthew can feel it as much as he hears it. It makes his eyelids flutter. A shallow breath leaves his lips, Gunwook pulling away with his bite. 

Rivulets of juice fall down Gunwook’s chin. He smiles at Matthew. Matthew bites his bottom lip, reaching out to take Gunwook’s chin in his hand and wiping it clean with his thumb. He hands Gunwook the rest of the pickle. 

“Hanbin was right,” Gunwook says, swallowing down his bite. “Surprisingly sweet.” 

Matthew giggles, sticking his thumb into his mouth and sucking it clean. He doesn’t miss the way Gunwook’s eyes follow the movement. This guy is definitely into men. 

“Are you coming to the staff bonfire tomorrow night, Sir Gunwook?” 

Gunwook’s smile widens. His eyes are more sparkly than his chainmail. “Wouldn’t miss it. I hear it’s a big deal.” 

“Something like that…” If Matthew had longer hair he’d be winding it around his finger. In reality, the staff bonfire is known for lustful connections. It’s hook-up central. 

“See you there, then,” Gunwook hums. He pushes the pickle into his mouth again, taking another big bite. 

“I hope so.” 

When Gunwook steps back, Matthew’s eye is drawn to the commotion to his right. Taerae has, sometime in the last two minutes, fallen to the ground. Jiwoong has left the booth and taken Taerae into his arms, fanning him with his hand and feeding him his half-eaten pickle with the other. 

“What the hell happened?” Matthew leans over the counter to get a closer look. 

“I think he has heat stroke,” Jiwoong clicks his tongue, wiping Taerae’s hair from his forehead with pickle-sticky fingers. 

“He swooned,” Hyeju corrects. 

Chaewon nods. “Yeah. We all saw it.” 

“Can someone help me out, he’s too out of it to stand on his own—” Jiwoong shoves his hands under Taerae’s armpits like he’s picking up a toddler. Gunwook passes off his pickle to Hanbin and goes to help. What a gentleman.

After everyone is back on their feet, Matthew hands out pickles to the rest of the crew— pointedly ignoring Hyeju’s snarky comment about how he didn’t give her the same service he did Gunwook. 

Gunwook catches Matthew’s eye before he leaves, once again opening his mouth and sliding his pickle over his tongue. Matthew bites the inside of his cheek, and Gunwook waves before heading off to continue promenading. Matthew stares after him as he goes, sucking the leftover pickle juice off his thumb. 

“That was…” Jiwoong trails off, leaning against Matthew like he needs support. 

“Sexually thrilling?” 

Jiwoong pulls a face. “No. Weird.” 

“Huh.” Matthew purses his lips. “Felt thrilling from over here. I think he wants to suck my dick.” 

“I was talking about Taerae.” 

Matthew adjusts his top, untying and retying the woven belt at his waist. “Oh. Well, I found that sexually thrilling, too.” 

Jiwoong snorts. “You would, pervert.” 

“Guilty as charged. 

⚔

There’s only so much that can be done to make a Faire uniform look sexy. On the day to day, he and Jiwoong are in goddamned pantaloons and, like, five layers of leather, blouse, belts, and holster. It looks sick as fuck, sure, but it’s not really sexy. 

The Faire takes place on some guy’s farm in the middle of nowhere, so it’s not like Matthew has time to beg Jiwoong to drive him home so he can change before the staff bonfire, so he has to make do with what he’s got. 

What he’s got is a bag full of every semi-sexy outfit in his closet that he sloppily threw together this morning and threw into Jiwoong’s trunk before they drove to work. 

“What about this?” Matthew picks up an entirely see-through mesh top, holding it up for Jiwoong to assess. He’s on his knees in the trunk of Jiwoong’s minivan while Jiwoong stands in the gravel parking lot, looking in. Jiwoong has already shed his outer layers, leaving him in just his untucked white blouse and pants. He looks hot in anything, though, it’s not fair. Matthew looks like a little kid when he wears his blouse untucked. 

“Are you trying to fuck him? Or marry him?” Jiwoong asks. Matthew doesn’t like his tone. 

“I don’t know! Both?!” 

Jiwoong makes a face, pondering. Shakes his head. “Not that shirt, then.” 

Matthew groans, grabbing another option, this one a bit more modest, but with a low-cut neckline. “This one shows off my arms and chest. 

“Your sexiest attributes…” Jiwoong hums. After a moment, he shakes his head. “No. Still not right.” 

“God damn it!” Matthew throws the shirt back into his bag. “Every option is bad and nothing is right!” 

Jiwoong lifts his hands in a sad bid to calm Matthew down. He takes Matthew’s wrists, forcing Matthew to look him in the eyes. “Hey— hey—” 

Matthew stops flailing. He frowns. “What?” 

“Maybe you don’t need to try so hard,” Jiwoong says evenly. “You already fed the man a pickle in a sexually perverse manner. He was definitely into it.” 

“You didn’t even see me do it.” 

“Yeah, but I trust you, because you’re my best friend.” 

Matthew sniffs. “Well… That’s kind of nice of you to say.” 

“I’m right.” Jiwoong nods. “Wearing street clothes would scream overcompensating, you need to work with what you’ve got.” 

He drops his hold on Matthew’s wrists and moves the bag of tricks out of his lap. Presses his lips together, narrowing his eyes as he surveys Matthew’s outfit. Matthew yelps when he goes for the vest, ripping it off and tossing it to the side. Suddenly, it feels like New Year’s Eve again. Jiwoong unties not one, not two, but three ties on Matthew’s blouse, leaving it gaping at his chest. He shoves his hands into Matthew’s hair, mussing it up. Matthew sits and lets it happen. 

When he steps back, Jiwoong puts his hands on his hips, grinning. “There he is… the sexpot I know and love…” 

Matthew frowns. He scoots out of the back, his boots hitting gravel. “Are you serious?” 

“Yes!” Jiwoong enthuses. He pulls out his phone and takes a picture Matthew definitely isn’t ready for and then immediately turns his screen around for Matthew to see. 

To be honest, Jiwoong is right. Matthew does look good. His blouse is loose, but still tucked into his trousers, accentuating his waist. The white fabric is just see-through enough to show a hint of his nipples. His hair is artistically messy— like someone’s had their hands in it while kissing him. It leaves a bit to the imagination. Hopefully Gunwook also imagines making out with him. 

“Eh?” Jiwoong wiggles his eyebrows. 

“Okay. Fine. I look good,” Matthew surrenders. 

“Fuck yes you do.” Jiwoong smacks him on the back, sending him stumbling a few steps forward. “Let’s go get some knight ass.” He presses the button on his trunk, the door beeping twice before slowly lowering closed. It’s less dramatic than it would be if he could slam it. They both stand and watch it close. 

Matthew waits until the trunk is safely latched before he looks back at Jiwoong. “Which knight are you trying to bone? That’s news to me.” 

“Sooyoung is really doing it for me—” 

“She’s a lesbian.” 

“Oh, really?” Jiwoong frowns. “Huh.” 

“What about Taerae?” 

“He’s not a knight.” 

“Yeah, but he wants to fuck you.” 

Jiwoong blinks. “He does?” 

Matthew blinks back. “Jiwoong…” 

“I thought he was just really into our pickles!” 

“Oh my god.” Matthew turns on his heel and starts walking back towards the Fairegrounds. 

Jiwoong’s boots crunch against the gravel as he hurries to catch up. “Are you being serious? 

“Yes, I’m being serious! You’re the only one who can’t see it!” 

“Wow.” Jiwoong falls into step next to Matthew. “I have a lot to think about.” 

⚔

The party is in full swing by the time they make it back to the grounds. 

It’s a staff tradition to gather to burn all the discarded crates and wood used to ship in the Faire set up each year. The bonfire is almost double Matthew’s height, held in the middle of a field behind the jousting arena. The campers will make sure it dies down before tomorrow morning, but for tonight, everyone is drinking and having a good time. A group of bards has set up to play music— people are dancing, laughing, and kissing. 

It’s almost like a game every year. The first people to ditch the party to hook up get the best spots on the grounds. By the end of the night, all that’s left are the wooden outhouses if you’re looking for any semblance of privacy. 

(Matthew ended up in an outhouse with Nicholas last year. Not his proudest moment, but it still blew his mind.) 

Hao, Hanbin, and Yujin are standing around near the drinks. Hao’s face is painted bright yellow. There’s two black circles around his eyes and stripes back into his hair. He’s a minion. Hanbin’s lips are smeared with yellow paint, but he keeps sipping his beer like he doesn’t notice. 

“What the fuck happened to you?” Jiwoong asks, pinching Hao’s cheek, his fingers coming away yellow. 

Hao sighs. Like he’s already tired of explaining why he’s wearing minion facepaint to a party. “I made a bet with Gyuvin that if he won the joust today I’d do this to myself for the party.” Hao pouts. “I asked Hanbin to get it off but he didn’t try very hard.” 

“He only used his mouth, apparently,” Yujin snickers. 

Hanbin’s cheeks visibly glow red, even in the low light of the fire. 

“Sorry—” Matthew laughs, shaking his head. “Gyuvin bet you what?” 

“That if he won today, I’d do minion face paint on myself for the party.” 

Matthew puts a hand on his shoulder, meeting his eyes. “Hao, the jousts are pre-determined. Gyuvin was always going to win today.” 

A litany of emotions flickers across Hao’s face. Confusion. Betrayal. Anger. “What? Hanbin said—” he cuts himself off. Hands Matthew his beer. “Hold this.” 

Hanbin’s eyes go wide. “Hao, baby—” 

“I am going to kill you!” Hao shouts. Hanbin flees. Hao follows. On the way, he knocks straight into Gyuvin where he’s making out with Ricky on top of a bale of hay. It tips him off balance so effectively that he topples over, arms windmilling, until he lands in the grass. 

“Zhang Hao! You could have broken his neck!” Ricky howls. 

“I wish I had!” Hao returns as he continues his hot pursuit. 

“Heh…” Yujin smiles, taking a sip of a Mike’s Hard Lemonade. “I swear they do that shit for foreplay. Freaks.” 

Matthew takes a long pull of Hao’s beer, doing a sweep of the crowd. He should be able to see Gunwook based on his height alone, but the only person towering over everyone else is Im Yeojin on her stilts, still dressed in her jester costume. 

“Yujin, have you seen Gunwook yet?” Matthew asks. 

“Uh, yeah, I think he and Sooyoung went to go grab something from her car. They should be back soon.” 

“Wow, he’s such a gentleman…” Matthew sighs dreamily. 

“Okay, I’m leaving before Sooyoung gets here. I tried to hit on her yesterday. Why did no one tell me she’s gay?” Jiwoong pulls Yujin’s drink out of his hand and takes a swig. 

“Dude,” Yujin complains, swiping it back. “You’re blind if you don’t know she’s into girls. Her girlfriend is one of the princesses. Jiwoo. You know Jiwoo.” 

“I thought they were just very good friends!” Jiwoong argues. He throws his hands up in exasperation. “Whatever. I’m going to go bob for apples. Everyone over there treats me like a god.” He gives them both a pointed look before sashaying off towards the apple bobbing pail. 

“He is really good at bobbing for apples,” Matthew says. 

Yujin motions to the bottom half of his face. “Big mouth.” 

“Yeah…” 

They take a sip of their drinks in tandem. 

“Heeeyyy, pickle guy!” 

Matthew straightens his back, whirling around with the most charming smile he can muster, eyelids heavy. It’s more seductive that way. If he makes his eyelids heavy. 

Gunwook is walking up, in a normal ass t-shirt and jeans (screw Jiwoong’s theory about street clothes, Gunwook looks edible). He sticks his hands in his pockets, sidling up to Matthew with an easy grin on his face. Firelight flickers across his face, emphasizing the sharp angle of his jaw. 

“It’s Matthew.” Matthew bites his bottom lip, getting a thrill when Gunwook’s eyes drop to his mouth. “I don’t know if I ever said.” 

“I know. I asked Hanbin about you.” Gunwook is close now. Any closer and Matthew would be able to feel his body heat. “I’m Gunwook.” 

“I know,” Matthew returns. 

Gunwook chews on the inside of his cheek, breaking into a pretty laugh. He looks over Matthew’s shoulder. “What happened to your friend?” 

Matthew turns. Yujin is long gone. Good. “He must have something better to do.” 

“Does he also work the pickle booth?” 

“No. Yujin doesn’t work here at all. He’s always just kinda around.” Matthew finishes off Hao’s drink. Half a bottle of beer is doing wonders for his confidence. He lays a hand on Gunwook’s bicep. “But, enough about Yujin, I’m much more interested in spending time with you.” 

Gunwook steps closer. He reaches out and pushes a lock of Matthew’s hair out of his eyes. “The feeling is mutual.” 

⚔

Matthew knows all sorts of things about Gunwook by the time they kiss thirty minutes later. 

He knows that Gunwook is a few years younger than him. That he’s a gym teacher at the local middle school for the rest of the year. He got this job because Sooyoung is his older brother’s best friend. He loves it. He already plans on coming back next year. His favorite part of the summer so far was when Matthew fed him a pickle. 

“No it wasn’t,” Matthew says. 

“Yes, it was.” Gunwook leans closer. They’re sitting on a log a bit away from the fire, thighs pressed together. “It was hot. I liked that I was the one looking up at you.” 

“Shut up,” Matthew giggles, smacking Gunwook’s arm. 

Gunwook takes the opportunity to grab his elbow, pulling him the rest of the way in and kissing him. Just like that. It’s so incredibly smooth that Matthew swears he can feel his dick twitch. 

Their lips slot together, Matthew’s noise of surprise quickly melting into a pleased hum when Gunwook doesn’t let him go. Gunwook tastes like apples. Maybe he was apple bobbing before Matthew showed up. Matthew makes a note to ask later. Right now he’s busy licking across the seam of Gunwook’s lips until Gunwook opens up for him. Winding his arms around Gunwook’s neck and pulling him in. 

It’s a messy kiss. They’re both sober, so they have no excuse besides that it’s undeniably hot. Matthew can feel the spit on his lips when Gunwook pulls back. Gunwook brings a hand to Matthew’s cheek, wiping a bit off the corner of his mouth. 

“So, like… I drive a van,” Gunwook says.  

Matthew laughs. “What sort of van?” 

“One of those old Volkswagens.” 

“I’ve always wanted to have sex in one of those.” 

Gunwook brightens like he’s just been notified he won the lottery. “Really?” 

“No. But I can pretend, if it really makes you that happy.” 

“Yeah, it does,” Gunwook breathes. 

“Okay.” Matthew runs his hand through Gunwook’s hair, nails scraping against his scalp. “I really want to have sex in your Volkswagen, Gunwook. It gets me hot.” 

Gunwook beams, smile stretching ear to ear. “Rad.” 

⚔

“No, no, take your time. I’m enjoying this,” Gunwook teases. 

He stretches, folding his arms behind his head where he lays on the floor of his old Volkswagen van. He’s shirtless. Pantsless. In just his boxers. Matthew, on the other hand, can’t get his boots off. 

“Ugh!” Matthew huffs. He doesn’t know why he didn’t think to change shoes before the bonfire, but now he’s paying the price. Half-hard and stuck in his fucking pantaloons because his boots are laced so tight. 

Gunwook laughs again, as if he’s not in the exact same predicament, his dick visible through his underwear. It looks big. Matthew would love to find out if it’s big. He just needs to get his boots off first. 

The back of Gunwook’s van is basically a makeshift bed. There are pillows and blankets and fairy lights strung up on the ceiling. They made out for a while after climbing inside, right up until Matthew started grinding against Gunwook’s leg and taking his clothes off, and Gunwook returned the favor— and now they’re here. 

Matthew is so horny he might cry, his bootlaces tied in a knot. He’s never having Jiwoong tie his boots for him again. 

Gunwook must be able to tell something is off. He sits up. Cups Matthew’s face in his hand. “Hey, hey— it’s alright,” he reassures. He catches Matthew in a soft kiss that Matthew returns solemnly. “Just relax. I’ll rip your pants off you if that’s what you want, baby.” 

Matthew laughs against Gunwook’s lips. 

Just when he’s going to suggest Gunwook try, his finger slips through the knot, laces loosening. He cries out in victory, Gunwook wincing at the volume of it. Matthew manages to get one boot undone, kicking it off and moving to the second. This knot is a little less stubborn. Matthew works through it with his renewed confidence, and it joins its pair in the corner of the van. He peels off his pants, chucking them away. He never wants to see them again. 

When he turns back to Gunwook, Gunwook is smiling at him, completely amused. He lifts himself up on his elbows. “Totally worth the wait.” 

Matthew practically tackles him, climbing into his lap and pressing him into the floor so he can get a good angle to kiss him. Gunwook moans into his mouth, hands meeting Matthew’s newly bare thighs. His hands are so big they wrap around Matthew securely. Matthew can feel heat pooling in his gut. 

“God,” Gunwook mutters into the kiss. “You’re so fucking hot.” 

“No, you,” Matthew replies lamely. He’s too busy focusing on the way his hips are moving, rolling against Gunwook’s dick through two thin layers of cotton. Both of them are dangerously hard by now. Matthew could come like this. Just from fucking up against Gunwook like a pervert. 

“Whaddya’ want?” Gunwook asks. He squeezes Matthew’s ass. Matthew jerks forward. 

He doesn’t have to think about it. “Fuck me.” 

Gunwook chokes on Matthew’s spit. His eyes go wide, and then he tries to play it off with feigned nonchalance, letting out a low whistle and grinning. “Yeah?” he asks. 

Matthew bites back a smirk. “Yes. Can you handle it?” 

“Oh, yeah. I can handle it. Hah. I can totally handle it. God, you’re beautiful. Did I tell you that already?” Gunwook swallows, throat bobbing. 

“Good.” Matthew leans down to kiss him one more time. He’s so cute. Matthew wants to eat him alive. “Do you have condoms?” 

“Yeah.” 

“What about lube?” 

“Mhm.” 

Matthew clicks his tongue. “Look at you, already doing so well, Gunwookie.” 

Gunwook moans again, tossing his head back into his pillow. It takes him a second to collect himself, especially because Matthew is groping on his chest, but once he does, he leans towards the door, pulling out a bottle of lube and a condom. 

“Wow. Do you do this often?” Matthew crooks an eyebrow. He barely knows Gunwook, but he’s already jealous about any other possible conquests he may have had. 

“No!” Gunwook shakes his head emphatically. Then, a blush blooms across his cheeks. “But, if I’m being honest, I’ve always wanted to have sex in my van.” 

“Oh my god…” Matthew laughs. A true, wild laugh from the bottom of his gut. “You’re a nerd.” 

“We work at a renaissance faire, Matthew, I thought that was implied.” 

“Touché.” 

Matthew lifts himself off of Gunwook’s lap so Gunwook can remove his underwear. Then he’s naked, and Gunwook is looking at him like he’s just won the lottery, or something. 

“You’re not a virgin, are you?” Matthew asks. 

“No.” Gunwook shakes his head. “Sorry. Just. You’re really hot.” 

Matthew preens. He knows he’s hot, but he never gets tired of being told. “Oh yeah?” he teases, guiding Gunwook’s hand back to his ass and pressing the lube into his other hand. “Gonna prove it?” 

Gunwook nods so hard his head is at risk of falling off. “Yeah. Yes. Fuck yes, dude.” 

“Dude,” Matthew repeats. 

“Sorry. Babe.” Gunwook opens the lube with one hand, like he’s not willing to stop touching Matthew. 

It’s funny. Matthew thought that Gunwook would be cocky. Confident. He’s definitely sure of himself, but he’s not showing off. He seems shocked and awed that Matthew is letting him hit. Like he knows that’s Matthew’s type. If they got this far and Gunwook was as cocky and confident as Matthew expected, Matthew might leave this night as one to remember and move on— but now that he knows Gunwook is almost stupidly into him… well… all that stuff he said about being in love might not be so much of a joke after all. 

One of Gunwook’s slicked up fingers circles Matthew’s entrance, testing. Matthew hisses at the coolness, but quickly adjusts, pushing himself back to encourage Gunwook to get on with it. 

Gunwook is good at taking cues. He’s an actor. Of course he is. 

His fingers are big. Much bigger than Matthew’s. Matthew gasps, forehead meeting the crook of Gunwook’s neck as he rides through the initial stretch. 

“Alright?” Gunwook asks against the side of his head. 

Matthew nods. “Just… been a while. My hands aren’t so big.” 

Gunwook makes an affectionate little noise. He drags his free hand down Matthew’s forearm until he reaches his hand. When he locks their fingers together, the size difference is even more obvious. “Oh, wow,” he says. 

All Matthew can manage is a little groan in response. He lifts himself further up off of Gunwook’s lap, into a more comfortable position for Gunwook to stretch him open. He braces his hands on Gunwook’s chest, breathing against the underside of his jaw, lips meeting the soft skin to suckle and bite when he has enough wherewithal to do so. 

Gunwook talks him through it. He runs a hand up Matthew’s spine, coaxing him to relax. 

Matthew feels like he’s going to split in half after two fingers. He tells Gunwook the same. Gunwook kisses the side of his head and says, “You won’t. You can take it. I’ll make it fit.” 

It’s enough to have Matthew’s cock drooling over with pre-cum. He’s pretty sure he’s stained Gunwook’s boxers, but he can’t bring himself to worry about it when Gunwook is rubbing against his prostate, and adding a third finger. Matthew nearly blacks out. 

“Okay— okay—” Matthew says after an almost painfully drawn out series of movements, Gunwook making sure he’s properly stretched. “I’m ready.” 

“You sure?” Gunwook asks. 

Matthew pushes himself up, looking Gunwook in the eyes. “I’m sure.” 

Gunwook swallows, nodding enthusiastically. He pulls out. Matthew shudders. He shifts off of Gunwook while Gunwook takes off his boxers and grabs the condom. Matthew steals it out of his hand. 

“Let me,” he says sweetly. 

Gunwook chokes on nothing when Matthew curls his fingers around his cock. He’s heavy. Thick. Big. Everything is very proportional. Matthew almost sighs dreamily. 

He gives Gunwook a few good strokes before unwrapping the condom and rolling it over him. Gunwook’s hands are clenched in the blankets like he’s going to bust right now, just from Matthew’s hand on him. 

“Fuck,” he grits. “How do you want me, babe?” 

Matthew thinks for a moment. He looks down at Gunwook, laid out on the floor of his van. It would be a shame to make him get up. Matthew smiles, swinging his leg over Gunwook’s lap again. “You said you liked looking up at me, yeah?” 

Gunwook’s hands find his hips right away. He nods, dumbstruck. “Yes. Oh, Jesus, I’m not living through this—” 

“You’ll be fine.” Matthew dips down to kiss him. Just a sweet peck. Gunwook’s lips chase his when he pulls away. Matthew laughs. 

He plants a hand on Gunwook’s chest, reaching behind him to line Gunwook up with his entrance. 

“Don’t cum right away,” Matthew teases. 

Gunwook opens his mouth to say something, but it’s cut off by a strangled moan when Matthew sinks down over him. 

It’s slow. Gunwook is too big to be smooth with it on their first time together. Matthew will get better, he’s sure. He bites his lip and works through the stretch, his nails digging into Gunwook’s chest, leaving tiny pink crescents over his heart. 

When Matthew is fully seated over Gunwook’s cock, he exhales. Gunwook is gripping his hips so tight he might leave bruises. Matthew feels high. His head spins. His mouth pools with spit. 

“Hey,” Gunwook says gently. He brushes hair out of Matthew’s face. “You with me?” 

“Shouldn’t that be my line?” 

Gunwook laughs. “I barely survived that, but I’m still kicking.” 

“Good. We’ve got a ways to go.” Matthew rolls his hips experimentally. He smiles when a moan is punched out of Gunwook. 

He starts riding Gunwook slowly. He feels so full it’s almost unbelievable. Like he’s going to pop. It’s good. Matthew loves it. He rolls his hips, steadily progressing into bouncing over Gunwook. 

His thighs burn, but Gunwook is strong enough to help him lessen the strain. He fucks himself over Gunwook’s cock like that. Until sweat is running down his temples and between his shoulderblades. 

Gunwook watches him the entire time. Eyes glued to Matthew like he wants to see all of it. Every twitch and whimper, each breath he takes. 

Just when Matthew’s legs start getting too tired to keep it up, Gunwook takes over. He plants his feet on the ground and lifts Matthew up. Kisses him as he rails into him from below. Matthew is reduced to a mess of curses and moans in a matter of minutes. 

He breathes hot and sticky against Gunwook’s cheek, hands pushed up into his hair. 

When he cums, it’s entirely untouched, Gunwook nailing his prostate dead on. Matthew cries out, spilling over Gunwook’s abdomen. He tightens around Gunwook, and Gunwook makes a choked sort of sound, finishing into the condom. He trembles as Gunwook fucks them through it. 

Gunwook pulls out, lowering Matthew to lay down next to him. He cradles the back of Matthew’s head to make sure he has a soft landing. 

Before Matthew can ask for it, Gunwook is kissing him. Soft and slow. Matthew hums happily, cradling Gunwook’s cheek in his hand. 

“Good?” Gunwook asks. 

“It was okay,” Matthew teases. 

“Yah, shut up,” Gunwook laughs. 

“Kidding.” Matthew swings his leg over Gunwook’s hip, not caring how messy he gets. He just wants to feel Gunwook close to him. “It was incredible. I’ve never been able to cum untouched with someone else.” 

“Ah, well…” Gunwook smiles against his lips. “You’d better keep me around, then.” 

“I think I might, Sir Gunwook.” 

⚔

After they’ve cleaned up with the baby wipes Gunwook also has in his van’s sex-supply-door, Matthew feels like a new man. He curls his toes, enjoying the afterglow. He has no idea what time it is. Where he is. 

Okay, he knows where he is. He’s in the parking lot of his workplace. 

“Oh, shit,” he says, sitting up. “I need to tell Jiwoong you’re driving me home.” He turns to Gunwook. “You are driving me home, right?” 

“Yeah. Definitely.” 

Matthew nods. He shoves on his pants and blouse, not bothering to tuck it in, and slips his feet into Gunwook’s shoes so he doesn’t have to fight with the boots again. He pries open the back door of the van and stumbles out into the night. “Be right back!” he says, slamming the door behind him. 

It doesn’t take long to find Jiwoong’s minivan. It’s parked only a few cars away. What a coincidence. The flop of Gunwook’s way-too-big shoes slow Matthew down more than anything else. 

Just as Matthew is about to start peeking into the windows, the side door opens and Jiwoong stumbles out, shirt untucked, pants unzipped, like he, too, just finished having sex. He shuts the door behind him, eyes going wide when he sees Matthew. 

Matthew gasps. 

“I was just coming to find you—” Jiwoong hisses. 

“What the fuck! Who’s in there?! Another lesbian?! You pervert!” 

Jiwoong scowls. “No! It’s Taerae!” 

“Oh.” Matthew relaxes. “Oh, okay. Fuck yeah, dude.” He offers Jiwoong a fist-bump, which Jiwoong happily returns. “Well, anyway. I came to say Gunwook is driving me home.” 

“Good. I came to say I’m staying with Taerae tonight.” 

Matthew nods. “Okay. Good. Good for us.”  

Jiwoong nods back. “Good talk.” 

He takes another step forward, dragging Matthew into a tight hug, smacking his back before releasing him. 

“See you tomorrow morning,” Matthew says. 

“I’ll be on time.” 

“I’ll probably be late coming outside. Gonna have a hard time walking.” 

“No excuse. I, too, got fucked tonight, Seok.” 

Matthew sticks out his tongue. Jiwoong flips him off before throwing the van door open and diving back inside. Matthew turns around, flopping back to Gunwook’s car. 

He climbs in through the door he exited, smiling like a dumbass. 

“All good?” Gunwook asks, brow cocked. 

Matthew nods. “All good.” He squeals when Gunwook pulls him in for a kiss.

⚔

“Lets! Go! Sung! Han! Bin!” Matthew screams, standing at the top of the stands. 

From the top of his horse, Hanbin glances over and grins, offering Matthew a wave and a wink before he pulls down the top of his helmet, covering his face. Matthew goes wild, waving his hands above his head and howling. 

“Big cheers for Sir Hanbin today,” Taerae’s voice crackles through the speakers. “Let’s see if he can pull it out!” 

“That’s not really an on-theme thing to say,” Jiwoong points out, mouth covered in sauce from the turkey leg clutched in his hand. 

Taerae rolls his eyes, picking his mic back up. “Hear ye, hear ye, Sir Hanbin hath many suitors in the stands this morrow, may he pulleth it out?” 

“Better,” Jiwoong says, smiling happily. He leans back and tries to kiss Taerae, but Taerae grimaces, grabbing his chin and wiping his mouth clean with the handkerchief in his pocket before acquiescing. 

“I’d cheer for your boyfriend for you, but I’m really lazy, and I can’t bring myself to care,” Hao says. His legs are crossed, hands folded in his lap. He has on giant sunglasses, because his face is currently painted with a bright purple and pink in some crazy detailed rendition of mermaid scales. He was letting the new recruit practice on him. 

“Oh, I’m not cheering for you,” Matthew laughs. “I don’t want Gunwook to win because I don’t like watching him kiss the princess.” 

Yujin snorts from Hao’s other side. 

The joust begins. Hooves clap against dirt. Gunwook looks so sexy on his horse. Matthew is definitely going to suck his dick later. 

It’s the final match, so it doesn’t last too long. Gunwook spears Hanbin with his big stick, and Hanbin goes flying, landing in the dirt. Gunwook pumps his fist in victory, lifting himself up in the stirrups to face the crowd as his hose continues trotting. 

The crowd goes crazy. Matthew sighs. 

When Gunwook takes his helmet off and shakes out his hair, Matthew is almost moved to scream like a teenager, but he holds it in. Besides, the feeling is quickly quashed when Gunwook dismounts, stepping up to the podium where Jiwoo is patiently waiting to be swept off her feet. 

Matthew’s already asked if he can audition to be a princess. He got told he has to wait until next year. Bullshit. 

He watches as his boyfriend kisses another woman. Dips her down and lays one on her. Jiwoong cheers loudly, dissolving into laughter when Matthew smacks him. 

Then it’s over. Gunwook is back on his feet, waving to the crowd. Jiwoo is wiping Gunwook’s cherry chapstick off of her mouth (she hates the taste). 

“Wow. That’s a shame,” Matthew huffs. He stands up, gathering his things. “Jiwoong, I’m taking the afternoon off of work. I made a bet with Gunwook that if he wins the joust today I’d blow him in the knight locker room.” 

Jiwoong’s jaw drops. He splutters for a moment before finding words, “The wins are predetermined! And all afternoon?! how long does it take you to suck his dick?!” 

“It’s pretty big.” Matthew shrugs. He steps over Jiwoong’s knees to head out of the row. “See ya’ later, suckers!” 

“Hey! You’re the sucker here!” Yujin calls after him. 

Matthew blows him a kiss, taking the stairs down two at a time. His boyfriend is a knight, he doesn’t have time to publicly argue with a guy who doesn’t even work here. 

When he gets to the bottom of the bleachers, Gunwook is at the fence, signing autographs for kids. Matthew stations himself at the back of the crowd and cups his hands around his mouth. “Sir Gunwook, you’re my hero!” 

Gunwook’s eyes find him immediately, like a heat-seeking missile. He bites his bottom lip. Winks. Matthew pretends to swoon. The sound of Gunwook’s laugh is all he needs to convince him that skipping pickle-selling for the afternoon is the best decision he’s ever made.