Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

i.

It all began with a small letter.

A letter from Bdd that had Sanghyeok thinking about the other midlaner in the late autumn nights. Sanghyeok didn’t think much about it at first, as it was part of some extra content the LCK was filming—writing letters to three other players that were randomly chosen for them. 

But, Sanghyeok’s thoughts would drift off to the way the other seemed to put his heart in that letter; handwriting neat and pretty, his thoughts flowing on the paper like a waterfall, how every word and sentence seemed to have their own purpose and intention behind it.

It didn’t feel like just a letter, but more so Bdd’s inner thoughts.

It was different from what Sanghyeok usually heard.

It was—

Nice…

ii.

Sanghyeok didn’t have to write a letter to Bdd; he wasn’t chosen as one of the three players, but he did so anyway. Even though time had passed, the multiple videos had already been uploaded, he still sat down at his desk in the dead of night, lamp kindling his room in a soft golden glow, with a fountain pen in his hand. He let the thoughts flow onto the paper; he didn’t stop or hesitate, his emotions and feelings being conveyed in every motion. His eyes flickered from left to right; to the next row and the next and the next and—-

Until the bottom of the page.

He gently placed the pen on his desk and sighs, closing his eyes for a moment, the other player’s face engraving themself in his head. 

iii.

When Boseong got the letter, he thought it was a scam; a fake. Except, the writer had a way with words in a way that could only be Faker himself. He read through it with a nervous heart, but each and every part of it felt so real, so genuine, and so vulnerable. When Boseong wrote that letter initially, he struggled to decide if he should make it more light-hearted and casual, or something more; something deeper and meaningful. And he realized in this moment, that Faker seemed to reciprocate his earnestness in full.

This letter wasn’t about Faker, The Unkillable Demon King; the five times Worlds Winner…not the celebrity or achievement-heavy Mid Laner of the LCK and most decorated player in the World. This was about Lee Sanghyeok. Single child of a single father, your regular high-school graduate, a boy with his own interests and hobbies simply living out his own unique life as time continues to go on and on.

Sanghyeok wrote about his life growing up; his struggles, his joys, his love and frustrations for the world.

He laid it all down to Boseong, and as he continued to read, he realized just how much he didn’t truly know about him, but wanted to know.

So, with a tender heart, he silently grabbed a piece of paper from the back of the streaming room, and exited out of the League client. He took a pen from Daegil’s desk, internally thanking the boy, and began to write.

iv.

Sanghyeok got an unexpected response back from Bdd about a week later. He figured it would be a polite and cheerful thanks and gratitude-filled letter, matching Bdd’s personality.

Except, it wasn’t.

The letter was heavier.

Not in a burdensome way, but rather, it made Bdd feel more human; more real; more Gwak Boseong and less Bdd—less professional League player and more average everyday citizen putting in the effort to be the best person they could be every day.

It made Sanghyeok feel seen and not alone.

He smiled under the dim lights of the streaming room.

v.

The main season began, and as Sanghyeok greeted the other man, something seemed different. Their pleasantries felt less general and out of obligation and so much more genuine. He didn’t know what fate had in store for them now, but Sanghyeok would take it all as it came.

He gave Boseong a soft smile and Boseong, though taken aback at first, took it in stride and gave him a bright gummy smile back.

They both went back to their respective waiting rooms, and Sanghyeok’s teammates all noticed his discreet but intense change in mood.

“It’s a secret,” he had responded when questioned about it.

Chapter Text

vi.

Neither of them spoke about it or mentioned it to anyone else. It slowly became something near sacred for the both of them; something that they preferred to keep between the two of them. Every word and feeling and secrets spilled and written on those pages being one more cherished snippet they learn about the other, to never be revealed except them.

Gwak Boseong and Lee Sanghyeok—it was something special between the two of them. No one else; just them…only them.

No one else would ever be able to have what they had.

vii.

Both Hyeonjun and Hyunjoon gave him side glances everytime Sanghyeok would stare at the ceiling with a particularly soft grin, unsure of where or why he was sporting such an expression. They had long learned to stop trying to pry details, for Sanghyeok would deflect each time, giving irrelevant or ambiguous answers.

They knew that Sanghyeok would never reveal what the cause for his new behavior was.

viii.

Boseong was no different.

He got messages from his old 2023 KT Roster, pestering him about his dazed and dare they say, soft, expressions during his matches when he was usually so much more modest and calm and collected; much less like his usual game persona.

Each time he would leave those specific questions on read, opting to reply to other messages that were less directed towards him.

That didn’t stop the four of them from trying to get information out from Boseong.

He just found it amusing.

Because he’d never tell.

ix.

This continued for multiple days, and those days turned into weeks, and then into months, and soon, they were sending letters with wax stamps on envelopes, cutesy doodles at the bottom next to their signatures, small little stickers and, and these letters became something more. These letters became something they anticipated and looked forward to.

They both didn’t know how exactly it happened, but no words were exchanged as they made eye-contact for the first time at LoL Park with flushed cheeks and pink ears, hooking at each other’s pinkies.

The world continued to revolve yet time seemed to stop for just them as they stared at one another with such a deep understanding that only could come from years and years of knowing someone. And perhaps they fit into that mold perfectly… Although they were like parallel lines for the past few years, they nonetheless saw the other person’s journey through their career, and that was enough.

Sanghyeok’s pinkie let go, and quickly, his hand embraced Boseong’s. The younger slightly jumped at the unexpected escalation but let it all happen. He let his hand go limp, Sanghyeok grasping his just a little more.

x.

They don’t need words.

They don’t need to speak about it.

They both simply know.

The strings of fate had finally brought them together…

Gwak Boseong and Lee Sanghyeok.

Chapter Text

xi.

Sanghyeok frowned slightly and walked up to Boseong who was talking to his teammates with a smile. He poked Boseong on the side and turned the boy around with a raised brow. He reached for his jacket and pulled up Boseong’s zipper. 

“It’s cold. Stay warm, Boseongie,” Sanghyeok muttered softly before turning around and walking away.

Woochan blinked and Boseong sighed, aware of the curious glances his teammates were giving him.

xii.

Boseong is seated next to Sanghyeok without a care in the world when the rest of T1 get back to their waiting room. The midlane pair look up and greet them; Boseong a bit more politely, before going back to what they were doing previously. The team can’t hear them very well, the two of them speaking in hushed whispers into each other’s ears with small smiles.

They don’t bother trying to understand them. Not anymore.

xiii.

Boseong isn’t one to express his anger outright. His friends always mentioned how it was hard to get a read on him, and that it was necessary to read into his word choices to really tell how he was feeling in that moment. This was something that Rascal, Kim Kwanghee, tended to accentuate, especially during KT’s matches during the Post-Game Comms.

Sanghyeok was no stranger to this either. He knew when Boseong’s mood was about to drop or had already dropped; he knew all the telltale signs of when Boseong was happy, sad, angry, annoyed, confused— all of it. 

Most of them were common and ones Sanghyeok witnessed fairly often.

Jealousy, however, was not one of them.

That one was rare and few and far between.

Boseong would often blink and turn his face away from Sanghyeok, eye twitching, and his words would become clipped and strained. Sanghyeok knew in just one sentence if Boseong was feeling possessive and jealous over him, whether because a stranger took too much time with him, staff got too touchy, or anything of a similar context…

And really, it was cute.

The way Boseong would insist he wasn’t jealous; wasn’t internally fuming.

Sanghyeok would always just hum and wrap his arms around him, fingers sneaking their way under Boseong’s shirt, kneading at his skin. He’d whisper sweet nothings as he comforted Boseong; promised that Sanghyeok was his only; he only had eyes for Boseong and no one else. Boseong’s ears would always turn a bright red and Sanghyeok knew it was hook, line, sinker, from there.

Those evenings would always be filled with passion.