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nanoko-aishino · 6 hours ago

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Four Seasons by Your Side: Popcorn

Read it on Ao3!

“Ah, my love,” Saeran greets you with a kiss. “What is all this?”

You shrug, trying to appear nonchalant as your husband regards you with inquisitive eyes. “Well, it’s snowing,” you offer. You know Saeran has been in his home office writing in his journal for the better part of the day, but you also know that he usually likes to keep the curtains drawn as a means of staying connected with nature even during the coldest months.

“Yes, I’ve noticed,” he confirms your initial suspicion. Of course Saeran would be aware of something like that. You smile at the thought of him taking the time to watch the falling snow. It’s nice to think that he now has the freedom to spend each minute of his day as he pleases.

“So I thought it would be nice to have a cozy night in,” you explain, “Hence the fire,” you gesture at the fireplace. “And the blanket, and the candles.”

“And the popcorn bar?” Saeran eyes the dining room table, which you’ve decked out with a nice tablecloth and covered with as many toppings as you could get your hands on, not to mention the popcorn itself, which is fresh, hot, and buttery. “There are only two of us, my love. How will we eat it all?”

You shrug again. “There’s three of us, technically.” As if to prove your point, Apple Turnover reveals herself, finding her way out from her hiding place under the table. Although she loves to bask in the sunlight, she also tends to seek out dark spaces.

“I don’t think she’s interested in popcorn,” Saeran observes with a smile. Considering the fact that your mischievous kitty has done nothing whatsoever to disturb your display, you suppose he has a point.

“That’s true,” you concede, “But guess what? We have the Valentine’s party in a few days—I was thinking of doing a popcorn booth or something to go along with the charity auction? You know, since last time, a lot of the guests donated small amounts, and there weren’t enough art pieces to give to each of them.” Since V left the group, Jaehee and Jumin have been working tirelessly to track down independent artists to work with the RFA for each party. It’s a bit of a struggle to get as many prints as your party guests got used to while V was a member. “I kind of wanted to test out different toppings, since we’re stuck inside anyway, and maybe tomorrow we could share the leftovers with the RFA and see what flavors they like— what do you think?” If Saeran doesn’t like this idea, you can certainly switch gears. You have board games, of course, and there’s no shortage of other food in the house.

You know that Saeran isn’t usually opposed to such spontaneous plans as this, so long as you aren’t wasting food, but he may not be in the mood for popcorn right now. “That sounds like fun,” he decides, “But we have to be scientific about it, darling. We need to make sure we’re picking flavor combinations well and making notes on what works and what doesn’t.”

“Of course.” You also know that Saeran loves an excuse to try new things (especially new foods) and journal about them. “Did you think of a movie yet?” Moreover, your husband usually has a long backlog of films he’d like to watch. He did miss out on a lot of pop culture while he was trapped at Magenta, after all.

“This could take longer than two hours,” Saeran decides, “And we’d have to keep getting up to get food and take notes. Maybe it’d be better if we watched a show instead, so the breaks would be built in.” Though this wasn’t initially his idea, it’s apparent that he is very much on board with your plan.

“Mhm, good thinking,” you agree, “And let’s get something to drink, too— the popcorn will be salty. Did you want something sweet?” Granted, some of the popcorn flavors will also be sweet, so you make a mental note to grab some water for you and Saeran to drink as well.

“Can I get some juice?” Saeran asks. Lately, he’s been on a real juice kick, trying every variety of fruit juice that the grocery store sells and even doing some light research about the beverage options available overseas. You wouldn’t be surprised if he decided to partner with C&R to start up his own line of juices using the fruit from the apple trees in his greenhouse.

“Of course,” you assure him, “Is strawberry banana okay? Otherwise, I can open the grape juice we got last week.”

“The strawberry banana sounds good,” Saeran informs you. “I’ve really been enjoying it lately. Should I get the movie started?”

“Yes, please.” You kiss him on the cheek. “My sweet. I’ll get our drinks while you do that.”

Five minutes later, you’re setting down beverages in the living room and settling onto the couch while Saeran prepares a bowl of popcorn. “What is this?” You ask when he hands it to you.

“Apple cinnamon,” Saeran explains, “I used the dried apples and the cinnamon and sugar. Although… I’m worried it might be too messy if we let the guests mix their own toppings in. Maybe we should bag it in advance to sell at the party.”

“That’s a good idea,” you agree. “Especially since they’d be in evening wear. Popcorn might be fun, but we should do everything we can to avoid a mess.” You’re glad you brought this idea up with Saeran before trying to implement it at the party. “Do you think we can manage all that before the party? We only have three days.”

“Mhm,” Saeran leans against you, precariously balancing the popcorn bowl as he does so. You’re not sure how he’s comfortable eating like that, but you’ll support him nevertheless. “We should come up with as many flavors as we can think of tonight and try them out.”

“Good idea, babe.” You grin, “As long as we remember to have fun with it, too. It is date night, after all.”

“It’s always fun when we’re together,” Saeran assures you, “But we should invite the RFA over to help with the tasting.” It’s endearing to watch him getting so fired up about this popcorn idea. “And then we can all meet up early on Friday to make fresh popcorn and bag it before the party starts.”

“You want to have everyone over… right now?” Admittedly, you’re a bit taken aback by the idea, but you’ll do it if that’s what Saeran wants. “What about the snow?”

He shakes his head. “No, let’s invite them tomorrow,” he clarifies, “For now… I want to enjoy our date.”

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nanoko-aishino · 4 days ago

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Ribbon

Pairing: Unknown/Wisteria Description: What remained in his hand was an image of debauchery rather than the innocence it once proclaimed. But, was that a good thing? Unknown couldn't say for sure. (An updated take on the good old Assistant Ending.) Word Count: 11,096 [AO3] (Ao3 is down today, but the fic should be visible soon. Just keep that in mind. I'll edit the post when it's up!) My yearly birthday fic is all about Unknown!

It was no different than an uncomfortable itch she couldn’t scratch.

Tasting the acidity of the Elixir of Paradise was the same as drinking liquid nitrogen. A person could call it a liquid all day, but upon contact, it would prove to be gaseous and chilling as opposed to cool and relieving.

It ain’t no swimming pool in the middle of some heat wave, that’s for sure, she thought. She sells it to the unsuspecting believers as a cure-all that could solve their problems when in reality it just dilutes our senses until we don’t know how to fight back.

Wisteria knew very well what the elixir was and what it could do to people who didn’t know any better! She was a victim of its bitter poison more times than she could count at this point in her life, but she knew it was better for her to take the blunt force of the bottle than it would be for her precious boss to take it instead. It wasn’t his fault she’d been cleansed in the first place.

He might’ve been the one who brought her to stay in a nightmare beyond all comprehension, but he was the first person who extended a hand her way that wasn’t filled with malicious intent.

He wasn’t the monster she needed to be afraid of.

Unknown had suffered for years under the oppression hand of the Savior without so much as a single say in his fate. He fought as hard as he could, with exhaustion steadily creeping up on him, to make those who abandoned him to rot in this place pay for the mistreatment that was sent his way.

She’d seen how fast he flipped between trusting the woman who hurt him and seething with salt and vinegar in his wounds with hatred for her so-called “Paradise.”

This place wanted nothing more than to use and abuse him until he was nothing more than a husk. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to leave no matter how much Wisteria told him things could be better for them out there. She hated to say it, though.

Because he was able to convince her to listen to him after she’d been burned by the last person she thought she could trust right before she came to Seoul. How could she say it would be okay when even she didn’t have luck out there? But, even so, she knew in her heart that there had to be something out there that wouldn’t ask her boss to destroy himself with illicit drugs to stay safe.

As the Savior’s cruel hand “ tenderly” cradled her face in the middle of the ceremonial chamber, she had to find the strength to hold her head up high and take it like a woman. Every sip she took from the chalice made her dizzy, and fraught with nausea, but all the same, she drank every last drop as it was forced down her throat.

It was the only way that Wisteria could protect Unknown from continuing to suffer the same fate. If she took on a punishment on his behalf, it proved that he could continue to get his work without all the hours it would take for him to put himself back together after a cleansing ceremony.

At least, that was the reasoning Wisteria offered to the Savior when she bowed her head and asked to be cleansed in his place. Rika didn’t think it was a half-bad idea, after all. If she didn’t want to take the offer, she would’ve sent Wisteria packing to continue doing her job as his assistant.

She certainly didn't trust the woman who called herself a Savior but she knew better than to fight back when there had to be safer ways to play whatever game she’d decided to play by cultivating a religious cult in the first place.

Unknown was one of the longest-surviving members of Mint Eye to this day, and it was a mystery how he’d made it as far as he did without suffering the same fate as those who’d been given as much torment as he’d been through.

He’d been forced to sit in this same spot with the Savior for years until she offered to take his place, and even though Wisteria had taken this role to protect him, it didn’t spare him from a cleansing ceremony in the end. It would be too easy for someone to take on his pain and spare him from it for another day. The Savior seemed so familiar with the process of continually denying him peace of mind, even by the hand of other people who were willing to take his place.

If the Savior wanted to cleanse him, she would call the guards to wrench him away from his desk and do the same thing to him as she was to her then and there. She had done it before and she would do it again.

Wisteria was under no illusion that her sacrifice meant something. But, for her to survive in such a place, taking on the punishment intended for him was the only path she could take to feel as though she was making his life better.

He opened a door that allowed her to be understood in a way she’d never been, and taking on even a fraction of his suffering of her own accord made her feel… helpful; Even if that was far from the case considering no amount of her suffering would ever stop them from making him drink the poisonous slop himself.

She wished this place was everything it promised. She wished that he could’ve lived in a paradise where he would never have to know what it felt like to suffer day in and day out while praying for the bare minimum when he deserved so much more than what he was given. He didn't deserve the bare minimum, and if she was honest with herself, he didn't even get that much.

After all, the first time she raised a tender hand to his cheek, the way he looked at her reminded her of how she used to look in the mirror every day when she had no one to protect her from her mother’s abuse. There had been a time when she had her sister to protect her, but that didn't last for long given the events that led her to come to this country in the first place.

She knew what it felt like to have no one on her side, and it was all the more reason why she wanted to be on Unknown’s side. No amount of elixir could dull the clarity of that singular thought in her heart.

She could lose control of her senses and do such terrible things for the sanctity of his dream, but she would never forget why she was so willing to go that far for him in the first place. Wisteria wasn't fighting for the paradise this woman wanted to create, she was fighting for the one he desired.

That was her goal and the very reason why she didn’t waver as the Savior brought out another bottle and whispered a condemnation she could no longer understand. Every facet of her brain was fuzzy, clouded with both the bitter taste in the back of her throat and the tears in her eyes, but no amount of poison could erase her devotion to her love, Unknown.

“I invite you to Paradise, you poor, little rabbit,” the honey-glazed words meant not a single thing to Wisteria. “Perhaps, you wouldn’t be in this mess if you weren’t so ready to suffer on his behalf. But, watching you writhe in agony… all the while pretending to be in control… it’s such wonderful practice for when I capture that liar and twist him the way I want him to be. It’s such a wonder Saeran has yet to realize how alike you are with the one he hates most. I wonder how long it will take if I continue to toy with his assistant this way… he might just get rid of you himself one of these days.”

As the sound of the heavy electronic door opened and closed, Unknown kept his eyes trained on his screen as he was far too busy chasing down a thread those idiots left wide open in the middle of the night to pay any mind to whoever decided to bother him. He had better things to do than deal with a guard who had a bone to pick with him.

There was plenty of work to be done in the compound, and they could better spend their free time taking care of the believers who wanted to escape into the mountains and flee the safety of their walls for the world that abandoned them in the first place.

Instead of a voice breathing down his neck as he expected, he found a pair of small arms around his shoulders that came with a shrill laugh not far behind.

There was one person in the building who could touch him and get away with it. She was his assistant and the only one who had ever touched him without malicious intent behind her approach. He didn’t have to worry about her, not because she was far too small to overpower him, but because from the moment he laid eyes on her, he knew she would be incapable of such a wicked thought.

A girl like her bathed in ribbons and lace would never even dream of all the wicked things he’d cooked up for those who abandoned him.

“ Boss , ” the words were stretched out as they danced past her lips. “I’m sorry that I took so long. There were just too many people in the kitchen… couldn’t make a nice meal for us with all those prying eyes on me like that… I managed to grab a few things, though, so we can make a nice treat until the others go to bed.”

Frankly, he couldn't remember when she left the room. It wasn't like he didn't pay any mind to what she was doing since it was only the two of them in that room, but when he began to focus on something important, it was like the rest of the world disappeared.

Half of the time he only knew where she was because she offered the curl up on his lap to keep him grounded. It helped that floating feeling that popped up now and again. It was hard to describe, feeling both in and out of his body, but having her hips apply such poignant pressure to his lap seemed to do the trick.

Still, he didn’t want her to know that he hadn’t paid any mind to her before she left. If there was one thing he worried about, it was what could happen to her if he left her alone for more than five minutes. The last time he left her alone was when the Savior took her away for what felt like days if not weeks… and she returned as Wisteria rather than Lila.

Not that he didn't adore Wisteria, she laughed along with his ideas and found holes in his schemes that he wouldn’t have noticed otherwise.

Still, it would be a lie for him to say that he didn’t miss those unmanipulated brown eyes of hers that trembled whenever he pressed a finger to her lips. There was a benefit to both sides of her heart, but he didn't want her to disappear and return as a different person. He hadn't brought her to Mint Eye to change her from what she was into something else.

He had only brought her back to his lair because he couldn’t stop himself from imagining just how bitter he would be if the RFA got their hands on her first.

He could manipulate any old idiot to go to that apartment to become his eyes, but he would never be able to get back the intriguing flower he’d discovered if he let her step out of his sight.

He continued to type the next row, “What did you get?”

“Strawberries and whipped cream,” she hummed, nuzzling her cheek against the side of his head no different than a cat would. “Oh, and a few slices of bread. I figured it’s been a while since I made you a fruit sandwich and you might like one of those more than a hot meal since we haven’t had much since dinner last night. Jumping into a meal when you haven’t had anything before then can make you super-duper nauseated, y’know! I don’t want my precious boss to get a tummy ache.”

Frankly, he didn’t care about that sort of stuff before she came around. He ate when he could, and he made whatever he had the time to make, which wasn’t all that much if he couldn’t stomach whatever the kitchen staff put out for the general population.

It was easier to eat pre-packaged snacks since they weren’t that hard to come by. He just hated the taste of carbonation and had to find ways to fill up a water bottle to avoid picking a soda instead. It was too much effort to take care of himself, but his assistant had a habit of fussing over him that reminded him he could experience hunger pains.

The minute she mentioned food, he could feel that uncomfortable knot in the pit of his stomach that hadn’t bothered him since she came into his life.

“I have to finish decoding this,” he said, plainly.

The room was quiet for a moment. He could hear her draw in a shallow breath, one that didn't align with the usual reaction she had whenever he made a non-committal remark. He didn't think much of it though.

Wisteria could read between the lines. She knew what he wanted without him having to say it. He felt her loosen her grip around his shoulders and move to piece together a few sandwiches on the other side of the table.

It took a few minutes but once she was wholly satisfied with her work, she returned to his side and the bread to his lips. He took a huge bite of the treat she offered and continued typing away on the next line of data. He had to finish what he was doing before he could consider taking a break, and she would huff and puff until the moment he took that break.

This was the only compromise that made sense.

She would help him to take a few bites and then pull away so he could take a sip of water or savor the last bite he’d taken. It wasn’t that awful. In the past, many of the guards had tried to force food down his throat to make sure he survived his punishment, so the very idea of someone controlling his food intake made him sick to his stomach, but not when she did it.

She didn’t make him feel sick. She always prepared his food where he’d see the ingredients that went into it and the steps behind how she put it together. It was the tiny details like that that made him appreciate his assistant, after all.

Not that he needed to tell her that.

Wisteria understood what he was thinking without him having to say it. She didn't need to be coddled or put in her place.

She did what she had to do and smiled through it. The man in charge of C&R, Jumin Han, wasn't as lucky as he was given how damn close he was to losing the one person who kept his affairs in order. Jaehee Kang would have been one of the easier ones to lure if not for her common sense. It would be too easy to feast on her insecurities, but she spent so much of her time dodging threats that it wasn't as possible to sway someone like her compared to that ignoramus Yoosung Kim.

He knew what kept him afloat was the woman behind him. That empire he’d built wouldn't last long without someone to direct attention away from his mistakes in a heartbeat. If someone wasn't there to clean it up when the budget didn't align, how would it ever continue to thrive?

It wasn't that different for him. The decision to have an assistant made things easier for him. Instead of spending all his time worrying about the little things that got in the way of his mission, he could send his assistant off to take care of every last thing that needed to be taken care of. But, to have an assistant was to have someone he could trust to get the job done.

Wisteria certainly wasn't the best when it came to technology but she had a way with words that could sink into anybody's skin far deeper than they wanted. She could easily pinpoint all of the insecurities he needed to bring them crashing down and for a mission that prided itself on its ability to convert hopeless fools, knowing weakness and arrogance was crucial.

Unlike Jumin Han who had no clue how close he was to losing Jaehee Kang on a bad day, Unknown knew his assistant would never turn a blind eye to his plan. As she put another morsel in front of his lips, he took another poignant bite to let her know there was no reason to stop. His tongue danced across her messy fingertips and she giggled. It was as sweet as a ringing bell.

He could be strong on his own and make all of them pay without having someone to stand behind him and tell him what he already knew about himself.

But, it just wouldn't taste as sweet as Wisteria. After all of the pain and suffering this world had given to him the day he had the misfortune of breathing miserable air into his lungs for the first time, he deserved to indulge in the flavors of life that he once assumed were beyond his reach. If this was the only treat he could have, she would remain the only treat he would ever need.

It didn’t take long for him to consume the treats she made for him. They tasted better than the stomach that lingered in the back of his throat. It was so strange, though. The taste of bread typically made him nauseated as he remembered the stale lumps of dough his mother left out for him to eat after she filled her stomach.

Unknown typically went out of his way to avoid anything that reminded him of the past, so the first time she had extended this meal to him, he wanted to slap the food from her hand and send it where it belonged. He wanted it on the floor and far, far away from him. But, now that he had experienced the taste of fresh bread, he couldn't deny how easily it went down compared to most of the food he ate.

It was yet another reason to be bitter about his standing. He had no idea that there were better versions of things he was forced to consume. He always imagined that what he got was as good as it could get, and anything more that existed beyond his little reach wasn't meant for someone like him.

They made him settle for dirt when he could've been feasting on gold.

Unknown would've spent the rest of his life and the wiser if his assistant hadn't shown him there was more to this world. Even the Savior didn't give him a taste of something sweet to motivate him for better days. Mint Eye was supposed to be a paradise where the outcasts could have anything they wanted without the fear of judgment, but what did a man supposedly called the strongest have to show for it? Dirt? Acid? Was he supposed to be grateful for that?

Was he supposed to be grateful that the Savior gave him enough to let him live but never enough to see him thrive?

What better days could there be if he couldn't actualize anything outside of destruction?

Before he saw her and decided he needed to grab her before she was gone forever, all he could imagine was getting rid of them and then himself.

He never would have tasted this sweetness without her hand! Oh, how could he not rise with anger with the knowledge that without someone to show him the way, he couldn't know what he wanted outside of revenge? Revenge would be sweet, oh, it would be the sweetest thing in the world, but now that he had someone to call his own, how could he not clamor for all the sweetness that existed outside of decadent retribution?

“Boss, you're clenching your jaw,” a hand stroked the side of his face to show him just how tightly woven his teeth were. Normally, a motion like that would’ve made him slap the hand that touched him, but not hers. He wouldn't send her hand away like that. Not after he seethed for weeks until the Savior returned what was rightfully his. His stomach might’ve been satiated, but there was another hunger inside that clamored for the same relief her sweets offered.

“I'm thinking about what I told you the last time,” the dry, irritated words left his lips without hesitation. “How steamed I am that there are people who get to eat like this all the time and they take it for granted. They don't know what it feels like to have nothing, and they couldn’t care less to change that fact. Those RFA people… host gilded parties for the wealthy to throw coins at people like us. They eat like Gods, on silver plates lined with gold and laugh in our faces. They have everything and leave us undesirable outcasts with the crumbs.”

“You'll never be forced to lick their crumbs as long as I'm here,” she shook her head with an adamant line. “They'll be the ones forced to lap at your heels for the rest of their lives. My boss will never go a day without what he deserves. He's worked too long and hard to be denied luxury at the table they've denied him. After all, that very table… belongs to him… they've just been keeping it warm for him.”

How easy it was for her to affirm his dream.

He laughed. “Oh, pet, you're too forthcoming. To think I would let them lap at my heels when they deserve to eat the same dirt they pushed my face in instead. I'd make them watch from the floor as I take everything they've stolen from me… and then let them writhe in agony as they realize the elixir intended to cleanse their hearts intends to burn their tongues the way mine has been. I want them to lose the ability to enjoy every last bite!”

“...Even the poison? If you take too much away from them the punishment won't taste as sweet for you.”

Unknown paused. He hadn't thought of that, either, but the retort made sense as he spun it around in his head. If he took too much then they wouldn't be able to feel the full force of their punishment. Numbness could be a comfort, and he didn't want them to have such a comfort. Of course, it was hard to think of a way to make that happen as the rage burnt brighter in his gut. He could dream of over a hundred ways to make them suffer like he did but his assistant was there to narrow it all down to what would make it hurt the most.

He could do it alone, but he saved so much time having someone who knew where to be before he could ask her to jump.

He caught her hand and pressed it further against his jaw. He could feel the pressure just as much as she could. There were agonizing nights when the bitter taste on his tongue could not be satiated by berries and cream alone. She said that to make a point. “You're lucky…that I don't mind how mouthy you are. I don't hate smart people but sometimes you're too smart for your own good, sugar.”

Her playful eyes bore into his. Something felt off about her tonight, just as much as it felt right. She could be brazen these days whenever she wanted to catch his eye, but this felt… strangely different. “If I could be so bold, I could offer another suggestion to… take your mind off of the bitterness those people leave on your tongue. But, of course, only if I'm allowed to, boss.”

The only alternative to her suggestion was to stew in his anger until he either exploded or fell asleep for his twenty-minute break earlier than scheduled. His grip on her wrist became tighter as he drank in her suggestion, “It better be filled with syrup so sweet it rots my teeth out of my skull, then. I don’t want to taste anything but sugar on my lips for the rest of the night, assistant. Do you understand me? I’ll make you pay for it and then some if you’re playing a nasty little trick on me.”

Wisteria giggled. “As long as you’re the one to teach me a lesson, I could think of no better fate to befall me should I make a mistake.”

[Adult Content found in Chapter 2 only on Ao3.]

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