Trope: Enemies-to-soft crushes | Found quiet | "I didn't mean to like you"
Pairing: Nicholas × EJ
Structure: A series of short nighttime scenes. All hush and sea spray.

✶ Scene I: First Watch

Night 1.

Nicholas leans on the railing like he's bored.
EJ reads the sky like it's a language only he still speaks.

"You really believe all that constellation stuff?" Nicholas mutters.

EJ doesn't even look over.
"They've gotten more ships home than your sarcasm ever did."

Nicholas almost smiles.
Doesn't.

✶ Scene II: Storytelling

Night 4.

It's quiet. Just wind, waves, and the occasional creak of wood.

EJ finally breaks it.

"That one's Vega. Brightest in Lyra."

Nicholas, blinking:

"Did you name-drop a star?"

"Did you want one named after you?"

Silence. Then—

"Only if it's the kind that burns."

✶ Scene III: Near Touch

Night 8.

Nicholas hands EJ a mug. Their fingers brush.
They both pretend it doesn't spark.

"Your hands are cold," Nicholas says, too quickly.

"Yours aren't," EJ says, way too quietly.

They look away. Together.

✶ Scene IV: The Almost

Night 13.

They're sitting shoulder to shoulder on a crate now. Not talking. Not needing to.

Nicholas speaks first.

"You ever think the sky's showing off?"

"Sometimes," EJ says. "Sometimes I think it's just... lonely. Too big to be anything else."

Nicholas doesn't respond. Just shifts a little closer.

✶ Scene V: The Northern Lights

Night 21.

The sky breaks open in green and violet and soft gold. The sea glows like a secret.

Nicholas breathes, stunned.

"Is this real?"

"Yes," EJ whispers. "But it doesn't last."

Nicholas turns.
EJ's face is lit in starlight and silence.
So much silence.

"Then I'm doing this now," Nicholas says.

And he kisses him.

Soft. Certain. Like he's been waiting for the sky to give him permission.

EJ melts into it.

Finally.

Neither of them names a star after the other.

They don't need to.

Some things are only meant to be seen once—
and remembered forever.

✶ Bonus Scene: "Gloves"

Night 24.

The wind's colder now. Sharper.

EJ doesn't complain. He just tucks his hands deeper into his sleeves, pretending his fingers aren't stiff.

Nicholas walks up with two mugs.

And a pair of black knit gloves.

He doesn't say anything.
Just holds them out.

EJ blinks.

"Did you steal these?"

"Borrowed," Nicholas mutters. "Shut up and wear them."

EJ takes them.

They don't fit perfectly. One's got a loose thread.

But they're warm.

He looks over, grateful—but Nicholas is already looking at the sky.

"Thanks," EJ says, voice quiet.

Nicholas finally meets his eyes.

"Don't mention it."

Pause.

"No really. Don't. I have a reputation."

EJ laughs under his breath.

But he keeps the gloves on the rest of the night.

And Nicholas doesn't tease him once.

💌 Unsent Letter (Found in the Gloves)

EJ finds it months later, while unpacking a box marked simply:
"Winter things – don't need"

Inside the right glove, carefully folded, barely sealed:

EJ—
I'm not great at talking. I'm worse at staying.
You probably noticed.

But I think if I leave without saying this, I'll regret it more than anything.

You make the silence feel like something alive.
You make the stars feel closer.
And I don't care if you laugh at that—because I saw how you look at them.

You made me want to look too.

If this was just a night-watch thing, I'll keep my mouth shut.

But if it wasn't—

Find me.

Or let me find you.

— N

EJ holds the note in both hands.
He doesn't smile.
Not right away.

But when he does, it's the kind that means: I'm not done with this.

🌾 Epilogue: "The Dockside Decision"

One month later.

They haven't spoken since the ship docked.

EJ didn't expect him to stay.
Nicholas never said goodbye.

Now EJ's walking a crowded shoreline market when he hears it—

"You still wear those gloves?"

He turns.

Nicholas.

Hair wind-tossed. Same boots. Hands in his pockets like he's not sure if this is allowed.

EJ freezes.

"You left," he says.

"You didn't stop me."

"I thought... maybe it was just night watch."

Nicholas swallows.

"I hoped it wasn't."

They stand there. Sky full of gulls. No starlight this time.

Just each other.

"So what now?" EJ asks.

Nicholas steps forward.

"We write our own constellations."

Some things burn bright and disappear.

But others?

Others make it to shore. 🌌🌊🧤

🌊 Future Scene: "The Same Sky, Again"

Five years later.

Same sea.
Different ship.

They don't serve a captain now—they are the captain and the first mate, trading roles when one gets too sleepy or smug.

Their boat is smaller. Quieter.

Just enough room for two.

Nicholas leans on the railing, sipping tea this time.

EJ appears beside him with a soft hum and a stargazer's smile.

"Still remember the constellations?"

"Still remember your hands shaking the first time you kissed me."

Nicholas huffs. "Bold of you to assume I ever stopped being nervous."

EJ bumps his shoulder.

"Bold of you to still be holding my hand every night."

They don't speak again for a while.

Not until the sky opens up with stars, and the Northern Lights begin to swirl.

Nicholas points up.

"Look familiar?"

EJ leans his head against Nicholas's shoulder.

"I never forgot."

Some people belong to the stars.

But these two?

They learned to bring the stars home. 🌌🧤