#Cable-stayed bridge
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Observatory
#Cable-stayed bridge#Penobscot Narrows bridge#observatory#Verona Island#Waldo county#maine#original photographers#photo#digital#photographers on tumblr
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How to Differentiate Between Different Types of Bridges
Bridges are not just remarkable feats of engineering but also symbols of human ingenuity and the desire to overcome geographical obstacles. They come in various shapes and sizes, each tailored to specific needs and conditions. From simple beam bridges to awe-inspiring suspension bridges, understanding the different types of bridges is essential for engineers, architects, and anyone fascinated byâŚ
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#arch bridge#beam bridge#bridge#bridge aesthetics#bridge architecture#Bridge Construction#bridge construction materials#Bridge Design#bridge engineering#bridge foundations#bridge infrastructure#bridge innovation#bridge inspection#Bridge Maintenance#bridge materials#bridge safety#bridge stability#bridge technology#cable-stayed bridge#famous bridges#historical bridges#iconic bridges#modern bridges#suspension bridge#truss bridge#types of bridges
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Millau Viaduct, Creissels, France: The Millau Viaduct is a multispan cable-stayed bridge completed in 2004 across the gorge valley of the Tarn near Millau in the Aveyron department in the Occitanie Region, in Southern France. The design team was led by engineer Michel Virlogeux and English architect Norman Foster. Wikipedia
#Millau Viaduct#gorge valley#multispan cable-stayed bridge#Tarn#Millau#Creissels#Aveyron department#Occitanie Region#France#europe
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cable stayed
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BlueWater Maribago
#One of the stunning resorts on Mactan Island is the Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort. This resort will undoubtedly make you feel at home#while at the same time#you may explore its amazing surroundings and stroll along its white sand beaches. While waiting for our car to Maribago#my coworkers and I packed while the sky was still dark. After some time#the van showed up and drove us to where we needed to be.#The panorama that can be seen from the top of the Mactan-Manaue Bridge is beautiful#and we passed it on our way there. Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu City in Metro Cebu#Philippines#are connected by the Mactan Channel. Three bridges cross the Mactan Channel#and this one is one of them. We left early#so there wasn't much traffic on the road#but by the time we reached the Mactan Bridge#a lot of people were already strolling on the road. We arrived to Bluewater Maribago Beach Resorts after a half-hour journey.#When we got to the blue-water beach resort#we were yelling and jumping for joy. The beach is gorgeous. Golden coconut palms and thatched houses with beach beds line 110 meters of imm#Swimmers can use the resort's sizable pool. It's worth it to stay in my suite room. The air-conditioned rooms include with a cable TV#a minibar#and a private terrace. We're really enjoying our stay at the Maribago Blue Water Resort. The Amuma Spa at the Bluewater Maribago Beach Reso
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#Woman's Bridge#Puente de la Mujer () Buenos Aires#Argentina - Rotating footbridge of 'cantilever spar cable-stayed' type. Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.
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Cable Stayed Bridge - Types, key features and construction
A cable stayed bridge is a modern engineering marvel known for its strength, efficiency, and aesthetic appeal. It uses one or more towers to support the bridge deck through a series of cables, which transfer the load directly to the foundation. Unlike suspension bridges, the cables in a cable stayed bridge connect directly from the deck to the towers in a straight line. This design providesâŚ
#bridges#cable stayed bridge construction#cable stayed bridge design example#cable stayed bridge images#cable stayed bridge surat#cable stayed bridge types#cable stayed railway bridge in india#cable stayed suspension bridge#extradosed bridge vs cable stayed bridge#travel
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Overview of Cable-stayed Bridges
Cable-stayed bridges are bridges that have cables supporting the deck, these cables are all attached to one or more supporting towers, usually in a fan-like shape. While they may look similar, suspension bridges and cable-stayed bridges have quite a few structural differences. Structural design: In a suspension bridge, the main cables are suspended from tall towers and anchored at each end ofâŚ
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Penobscot Narrows Bridge
#Cable-stayed bridge#Prospect#Waldo county#maine#original photographers#photo#digital#photographers on tumblr
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Error 404: (Self-Aware!AU, Sylus Edition) â Pt. 2
Summary: A LADS self-aware!AU featuring Sylus and aâlessâoblivious player. Thatâs it, thatâs the plot. A/N: Ok, Iâve decided to make this by series, so this oneâs just going to be purely Sylus. I hope nobody minds the specific names/places/etc. I wanted to create a personality for the âplayerâ and add a bit of backstory work (loosely based on yours truly lol) for the sake of storytelling, but there won't be any distinct description of the playerâs physical appearance <3 Tags: player!reader x sylus, fem!reader x sylus, reader x lads, self-aware!au, suggestive language, bouts of delusion
Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4 - Pt. 5 - Pt. 6 - Pt. 7 - Pt. 8
Riiiiingâ RiiiNGGGGGââ
âHuh⌠whazatâ?âÂ
A shrillâearsplitting, headache-inducing, completely fucking loudânoise wakes you up rather rudely from your peaceful slumber at⌠Jesus Christ, what time is it?Â
You blink your bleary eyes open, once⌠twiceâfuck, all you know that itâs too goddamn early for all this ruckus. Groaning, you clumsily try to find the source of the unexpected wake-up callâquite literally in this case.Â
Your hand bumps the vibrating phone straight off the edge of the mattress â along with the charger cord still attached to it â and you cuss up a storm when you hear it clatter on the hardwood floor.
The ringing finally stops, and youâre perfectly content to just leave it there and fall back to sleep when, not even ten seconds later, the blasted thing rings back to life, taunting you awake.Â
Angrily, you wrestle against the threadbare blanket wrapped around your body like a warm cocoon, pushing yourself out of bed with all the rage of a sleep-deprived insomniac whoâs been up til the buttcrack of dawn to grab yourâhuh, relatively intactâphone off the ground, while the charger cable swings haphazardly from the weight of the power brick on its tail end. Â
Without checking the caller, you swipe right to answer. âWhat?âÂ
âDonât use that tone on me, young lady,â Your mother grouses on the other end of the line. âItâs almost noon! Did you just wake up?âÂ
Barely five hours of sleep. Pinching the bridge of your nose, you shut your eyes and sigh. âNo, mom. Sorry, just had a late night,â you clear your throat in an attempt to sound more composed. âWhatâs up?âÂ
âOh, dear. Is it because of work again?â Something akin to sympathy replaces the sternness in her voice, and you dread the all-too-familiar spiel that comes next. âYou know, honey, thereâs a job opening for aâ what was it again? I have to double check, but itâs where your Auntie Helen works. You know your Auntie HelenââÂ
âMom,â you interrupt, before she could go off on a tangent. âWork is fine, donât worry. Why dâyou call?âÂ
âShould I need a reason to call my only daughter who's living by her lonesome, a country away fromââÂ
âMom!âÂ
âOh, alright,â she finally relents, sounding slightly exasperated. âWere you able to book me and Jodie the roundtrip flight to Orlando? Your cousinâs wedding is barely a month away and I want all the documents ready by now, sweetie.âÂ
Shit. âAhâ yeah. Iâll email you the flight itinerary in a bit, Iâm justââ you catch sight of your protruding hamper, innocuous but an eyesore nonetheless, right by the doorway of your humble studio unit. âI mean, I just left the condo. To do errands and stuff. Iâll send the details to you when I get back home, okay?âÂ
âOkay, honey,â she sighs. âYou stay safe outside now. Donât talk to strangers.âÂ
âI am a perfectly responsible adultââ The call disconnects. âHello? Great.âÂ
You rub away the remnants of sleep from your eyes, fully aware that your dayâs already started, despite your reluctance. Might as well get a head start on todayâs agenda.
First thingâs firstâ brunch. Oh, itâs almost one. Lunch, then. I could maybe grab a hotdog from the corner store before heading to Landers. Oh wait, your laundryâ gotta pass by the laundromat downstairs, too. Ugh, câmon, chop-chop.Â
Just as youâre about to stand up from your supine position on the floor, another ping! pulls your attention back to your phone.Â
âMom, I swearââÂ
Ah, youâre finally awake. Youâve had a very long night, kitten. Take it easy for the day â make sure to get enough rest between errands.
Iâll know if you donât. Â
Your heart skips a beat.
Oh! Um. Thatâs⌠new.Â
⌠Apparently another one on the growing list of ânew featuresâ from the latest update. It doesn't sound like an invitation for you to open the game, strangely enough. It's not a call to action to claim your daily stamina, nor a prompt for you to check your Galaxy Explorer rewards.Â
Itâs nothing more than a greeting, really. Just one thatâs particularly targeted at you, with unnerving accuracy.
You recall the weird (?) events from last night, and the now-erratic beating of your heart suddenly picks up a notch. From the unexpected dialogues to the outrageous amount of dias youâve somehow ended up withâsomething you still think is some kind of glitch in the systemâyou canât shake the feeling that youâre living out the plot of a Black Mirror episode, as fucking dumb as that sounds.Â
Not to mention during Quality Time, Sylus_v2.0 (as you so lovingly dub this version of him in your mind) had been acting more aware of you.
And youâre not talking about the pre-programmed glances that you usually get. Noâ itâs like he actually hears you.Â
He doesnât say anything. But whenever you make a comment, or utter something under your breath, he reacts with a huff or a humâdepending on the context. If itâs a slew of expletives aimed at your boss, the reaction youâre met with is one of amusement. A snort; sometimes a quiet laugh, if youâre lucky. When you say something self-deprecating, however, it elicits the heavier sighs, the sharp clicks of the tongue.Â
At one point, you heard him make a low sound of dissent, something close to a... growl, almost, after making a casual joke about being just another cog in the machine and how offing yourself wouldnât really matter in the grand scheme of late capitalism. As you oft do.Â
Your eyes met, and for a split second, it felt like you werenât looking at just pixels. His gaze weighed heavy on youâalmost accusatory.Â
It made you feel⌠naked, somehow. Perceived.Â
You recall how quickly you averted your eyes from his, face flushing hotly from a feeling you couldnât put into words.Â
Bone-tired from last nightâs (morning) overtime, you didnât have the time to look up the news on this recent version updateâalthough you really donât remember any notifications in-gameâso you quickly Google, âsylus acting sentient in rcent update loveamd Deepspace???â on your phone browser.
You scroll down for a bit, but none of the search results yield any relevancy, nor are they in any way similar to your current⌠predicament.Â
(Okay, so calling it a predicament is a little unfair. Youâre not exactly complaining about anything per se. No complaints from you. At all.)
Deciding that youâd do a deeper dive on Twitter (X) at a later time instead â probably tonight when you do your daily login â you briefly press the side button to lock your phone⌠not without a final peek at the banner notification from Sylus.Â
You press your lips together in an effort to hold back the stupid giggle bubbling up your throat.Â
Unfortunately, all the self-control in the world canât help you and your need to have the last wordâgirl, from what evenâso you ask aloud, to no one except the person you've deluded yourself into thinking is a valid recipient of your one-sided conversation:Â
â... Yeah? And what if I donât?âÂ
Youâre not really waiting for a response (or were you?), but the nervous flutter in your stomach betrays the impatience you're trying to mask with casual indifference. Itâs small, unassumingâbut there.Â
Impatient for what, exactly, youâre not sure. But maybe, just maybeâ
Feeling a bit braver now, are we? How bold. Care to say that to my face, sweetheart?
Oh.Â
Oh.
An inhuman noise escapes your throat, embarrassingly loud, almost a keen, and you fumble with the device in your hand; the new banner notification still in full viewâtaunting you.Â
You donât know what to think, you donât know how to feel. Youâ
Spring up, like an agitated jack-in-a-box, and the sudden rush of blood in your head leaves you dizzy. Youâre a molotov cocktail of emotions; one more bombshell dropped on you and you might just blow.Â
âIâmâ later, okay? Uh,â Whew, girl, keep it together. âI needâI need to go.â You almost stumble as you speed walk towards the bathroom.
-
-
-
If you didnât switch your phone to silent, didnât make the conscious effort to ignore any incoming messages, notifications, and whatever else, in a rush to get dressed and go about your day as if it's just like any other weekendânope, nothing unusual hereâyou wouldâve seen one last cheeky reply:
Of course, sweetie. You take care now.Â
Donât talk to strangers. X
Endnote: This one's pretty short, but Iâm world-building, trust.Â
Thanks for reading!Â
#love and deepspace#lads#lnds#love and deepspace sylus#lads sylus#lnds sylus#sylus x reader#sylus x you#lads x you#lads x reader#love and deepspace fic#sylus qin
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cables and crackle ęŠ jihoon x reader.
âŹâ.Ë It's goosebumps when you hear the drums / The running start before the big jump / It's that feeling, so stellar / Bro, if you like her just go and fucking tell her!
đ¸â°âş includes: f!producer!reader, feelings realization and denial, jihoon has a crush <3, pining/yearning, fluff, [light] angst, first date, confessions, references to producing (that may or may not be accurate).
đ˝â°âş this is part of my ongoing series, buzz (seventeen's version) + this piece is inspired by track 01, buzz. word count: 13,800+
When you first started working with SEVENTEEN three years ago, Jihoon wasn't all that excited to have you around.
Perhaps it was his pride. BUMZU and PRISMFILTER had been the company's go-to's until they decided they wanted to bring in someone fresh, new, up-and-coming. You had been the result: Someone two years younger than Jihoon. Scrappy and hungry. Experimental, ambitious.
His hesitance at your music production has morphed from begrudging respect, to genuine appreciation, to something akin to admiration. Jihoon would never say it out loud, but you've grown to be one of his favorite producers to work with. (He doesn't have to say it, really. Everyone is already privy to Jihoon's biases.)
Now, three years in, Jihoon finds himself trying to reckon with a foreign feelingâ
The flutter of his chest as you walk in to the studio. The stutter in his pulse as your fingers lightly brush over the digital audio workstation. The hitch of his breath as your head, ever so lightly, falls on to his shoulder the longer the evening drags on.
Jihoon is a 27-year-old man. As he tries to stay absolutely still, there's only one thing on his mind: Wasn't he too old to have crushes?
You could usually keep up with Jihoon when it came to these long-night sessions. One had to, considering how he was practically nocturnal at this point. But it had been a long day of minor misfortunes, the type that wear you down bit by bit.
You don't even seem to notice that your head is lolling to one side. When your cheek lands on something solid, you might think it's the back of the chair next to youâ except it's Jihoon's shoulder, and he absolutely freezes underneath you.
He would be the first to admit that this isn't the first time you've ever been this close. There's been many times your bodies have gravitated to the same spot on the couch, or times when your heads are practically glued to one another while your hands are both at the keyboard, or during the times your feet accidentally meet with each other under the desk.
It's just never been this close, where Jihoon can feel the brush of each of your lashes against his neck every time your eyes fall shut.
He think he might pass out if he dwells too much on it.
He watches from his peripheral vision as your eyes flutter shut, and he thinks, for a moment, that you're out of commission. But then, you mumble, "The reverb on the snare, just now."
If you hadn't been right next to Jihoon's ear, your words might have been drowned out by the speakers. But, as it is, he hears you loud and clear. "Too heavy," you go on to say, without even opening your eyes. "We need to dial it back for a cleaner sound."
There it is, he thinks with both awe and bitterness. Even half-lucid, even half-asleep, you're still as brilliant as you've ever been.
"Mhm," he hums lowly. "I'll adjust it."
He does as you've asked. When he runs the track back, you let out a soft sound of contentment and shift slightly in your seat, blissfully unaware of how you're leaning more weight in to Jihoon's side. It's absolute torture, he thinks.
"Better," you mutter. A beat. Your drowsy inquiry comes in next. "How do you feel about the tempo in the bridge?"
He forces himself to pay attention. He runs the song back once more, this time paying particular attention to the bridge. It doesn't take him long to identify the issueâ one of the main ones, anyway.
"A little too dragging," he replies. "It slows the track down a bit too much. I think it disrupts the flow. Makes the chorusâ" He suddenly stops mid-sentence.
Because, for some reason, he's become acutely aware of the way your head fits perfectly into the crook of his shoulder.
He's now fully conscious of how close you are. Of the way your breath fans against his neck. Of the way your knee seems to bump against his whenever you unconsciously readjust your position.
Jihoon feels his pulse pound at his chest as he tries to keep his tone steady.
"It disrupts the flow," he repeats, his voice slightly gruff. "Makes the chorus less of a⌠high, for lack of word."
When your initial response is a thoughtful hum, he bites back the urge to smirk. It should come to no surprise that you're about to disagree with him. More often than not, you butted heads over minor things like this.
"Thought it was too fast," you grumble, somehow sounding a little sulky because of your drowsy state. You're usually a lot more adamant and fiery when it comes to asserting your opinions. But in the lateâ or early, since it's already past midnightâ hour, you've tamped down my temper.
It does absolutely nothing for Jihoon's poor heart.
Your cheek nuzzles against Jihoon's sweater as you shake your head in a very that won't do manner. "The lyrics might suffer. Try slowing it down by 8 BPM so we have more space for vocal delivery."
8 BPM? Jihoon nearly chokes on an incredulous laugh. The number is so arbitrary, so out of pocket. "The tempo's already sitting at 139 right now," he bites out. "It's not like slowing it down by another 8 BPM is going toâ"
Jihoon makes the mistake of glancing down at you, and damn it. You're not just leaning against his shoulder at this point.
You've practically cuddled into him.
Jihoon's breath catches in his throat as you shift once more, leaning your chin against his shoulder.
He finds himself wanting to wrap an arm around you and pull you closer. Press you into his chest until your cheek is up against his. Until your head is tucked right under his chin.
But then you're grumbling out your next words. "139?" you repeat. "Notch it down by 9, then."
The slur in your tone is just enough to remind him that you're not entirely coherent. He swallows hard, his fingers a little too gentle as he inputs the changes. 9 BPM it is.
It's a bad call, one that's made abundantly clear when Jihoon plays the track back. He doesn't even have to tell you; you're already groaning, pressing your face in to his shoulder. Your words are muffled against the soft material of his sweater.
"You were right. Should have amped it up instead of slowing it down," you mutter, though there's a distracted edge to your tone. He gives it a cursory couple of seconds, letting you gather your thoughts.
"There's an issue with the kick and the bass, isn't there?" you note.
He listens closelyâ and, as always, you're right. There's a dissonance between the kick and the bass.
Jihoon frowns, a little more focused now. "Yeah, I hear it too," he manages to say succinctly.
His brain is still trying to conjure up a solution when you let out a slight huff and finally peel away from Jihoon's side. He doesn't know if he's grateful or disappointed because of it.
You're bleary-eyed and your fingers fumble but your work is efficient as you click away at his mouse, at his digital audio workstation. He watches with a straight face as you add sidechain compression to the bass, as you drag the bridge's BPM up.
It's not just the music that's synced, but the way the two of you work as well. A little push, a little pull, and you manage to find balance. You know exactly what to do, even when you're tired.
Jihoon listens closely as soon as the bridge plays back and he's pleasantly surprised.
"That fixed it," he says, his eyes darting rapidly as he takes in the revised audio levels. "Yeah, I think it's good. We should move on to verse three now."
"Jihoon."
He blinks and glances over at you. You've slumped back heavily in to your chair; it spins slightly on its wheels when you do.
"I'm not going to make it through another verse," you warn. "I think I need, like, a power nap."
"Power nap?"
Despite Jihoon's best efforts, a corner of his mouth twitches. A glance at the clock tells Jihoon that it's past one in the morning. They'd been working on the track for a solid eight hours now.
He lets out a low, considering hum, before looking back at you with a slight frown.
"How long is this power nap supposed to last?" he asks dubiously.
"I only need fifteen minutes," you respond.
There's a decisiveness to you tone, one that brokers no argument even if you're rolling your shoulders from sheer exhaustion.
"You're too stubborn for your own good," he replies, though not unkindly.
He rolls the chair back, moving so that he's facing you fully. One leg is crossed over the other, his eyes studying you carefully. He's going to attempt to convince you, obviously.
"You need a good night's rest. You won't be any use at all when you're this tired," Jihoon insists, but he immediately regrets his choice of words when he sees you wince slightly.
You're no stranger to his bluntness; you know just as well that he can be both brutally honest and painfully inconsiderate. That he shows his care and concern in much more roundabout ways compared to others.
And so when you insist that you'll be good as new in fifteen minutes, he can only sigh, leaning forward to rest his forearms against his knees.
"And if you're still tired after fifteen minutes?" he counters. His tone is gentler, softer, this time.
"I'll go home," you grumble, like the thought physically pains you. "If I'm still out of it after my nap, I'll go home."
Jihoon feels some of the tension in his shoulders abate as you finally agree to a compromise. "Fifteen minutes," he reiterates firmly, holding up a single finger for emphasis. "And if you're not ready to work again by the end of it, I'm driving you home."
You open your mouth, almost like you're about to argue at the thought of Jihoon driving you home, but then you opt to purse your lips. You know how the two of you can go in absolute circles some days and so you merely shoot him a heatless glare before stalking over to his studio's couch.
It's not really the type that should be slept on. With its stiff, black leather, the couch is an awful makeshift bed for anyone. But you and Jihoon have figure out little workarounds after spending so much time working togetherâ like the fluffy, folded comforter at the foot of the sofa and the throw pillow that's shaped like an onigiri.
Jihoon watches with a small smile as you curl up on the sofa, underneath the blanket and with the pillow. "G'night," you call out mid-yawn. "See you in fifteen."
He watches you for a beat longer, his eyes tracing the way your expression relaxes, just a little, as your head hits the pillow. After a moment, he manages to tear his gaze away. He really had to work on his habit of staring.
"Yeah," he huffs as he tries to go get a head start on the third verse. "Night."
It's difficult because he can't help but steal glances, and every single time he does, he's struck by a wave of affection. You're so small, so fragile-looking, burrowed in to the sofa. He notes the way the pillow's slightly squished underneath your head, your face half-buried in the plush materialâŚ
He almost feels the urge to take a picture just to capture the scene.
And then he realizes: Why not? You're friends, aren't you? And friends take embarrassing photos of each other.
He picks his phone up from his pocket with one hand and angles the camera with the other. He knows just what he wants to take a picture of. The way your cheek is squished against the rice ball pillow, just barely visible underneath the edge of your tangled mess of blankets. The way your expression is relaxed, softened in sleep, with the slightest pucker to your lips.
He presses down on the snap button, and the shot is just perfect. The way the glow of the monitor catches in your hair, bringing out the natural color. The way your eyelashes fan out over your cheek, and the way the shadows highlight the sharpness of your features.
Jihoon's eyes linger on the image, something akin to longing twisting in his gut.
This time, he doesn't bother to push the feeling away. He does go back to work, though.
Fifteen minutes pass. And then twenty, thirty. The longer you sleep, the more Jihoon's guilt gnaws at him.
He knows he's about to wake you up, to ruin the temporary blissfulness that sleep has brought you. He knows he's about to drag you back to the studio to work again, despite the bags that are under your eyes and the exhaustion that is evident in every line of your body.
He knows he's going to be the cause of your fatigue. And he hates thatâ hates himself, just a little, for his need, his drive.
Still. At the thirty-minute mark, he makes his way over to your side. He reaches out, fingers hesitating for a second, before he gently shakes your shoulder.
"Hey," he calls, his tone soft and neutral. "Wake up. We need more work done."
It's very likely that the unceremonious way you've been dragged out of your sleep has gotten to you, because how else can Jihoon explain the way you drowsily move to hold him?
Your fingers reach up and curl gently around his wrist. Your eyes are still closed as you exhale, "Jihoon-ah."
It's more of a whine than anything, really, but it's one that he can't deny, not when you clutch his wrist like that. "What," he asks, his tone flat out of panic. "What is it?"
It's surreal, in a way. The way your tiredness has loosened your inhibitions, has stripped you down to the simplest, most vulnerable version of yourself, one that's practically begging for closeness.
You give his hand a gentle tug. "Come nap with me. Y'need to rest, too."
Jihoon's mind goes blank the moment the words leave your mouth, his whole body freezing. Because no, he didn't just hear that, you didn't just ask thatâ
And then you tug on his wrist again, and he swears his heart stutters.
On one hand, the rational, reasonable part of his mind is screaming at him to push you away, to reject the idea entirely. He needs to focus. He needs to finish the track. He needs to work, not rest.
But then he looks down at your sleepy form, the way you're clinging on to him, and all those thoughts are thrown out the window.
Slowly, Jihoon lowers himself onto the couch, his body sinking against the plush material. It's a tight squeeze. Months ago, the two of you might have called each other ridiculous for even trying to fit in a piece of furniture that was clearly not for two people to lay on.
The thick of comeback season absolutely shatters any attempts of appropriateness or discretion. As Jihoon complies with your absurd request, you somehow manage to throw the blanket over the two of you.
Jihoon isn't a stranger to casual touchesâ he's had to survive through years of constant skinship between the membersâ but there was something different about this.
The feeling of your body, curled against his own. The way you hold his fingers in your grip, like a comfort, like an anchor. The scent of your hair, so close he could just nuzzle his face into the messy strands.
He tries very hard to focus on the negatives. On how cramped and uncomfortable the couch is, how he's going to end up with a backacheâ
â but his mind doesn't want to cooperate. Because all he can see is you, all he can feel is you; the way your soft, warm body is pressed against his own, the gentle rise-and-fall of your chest against his, you, you, you.
His mind goes blissfully vacant, and before he can even think to stop himself, Jihoon is wrapping his free arm around your waist, drawing you in.
Jihoon doesn't mind the sudden increase in body heat that comes with having you pressed so close to him, not when your back is solid and warm against his chest, not when the curve of your hips slots so smoothly against the shape of him.
He lets out a shuddering breath as you press his palm against your stomach, the fabric of your shirt slightly rucked up by the motion. You're so soft.
For once, Jihoon finds himself hating everything elseâ the studio, the album, the uncomfortable sofa, this damn comeback for robbing him of an opportunity to simply hold you.
Jihoon swallows, his throat suddenly dry as the words slip past his mouth before he can even stop himself.
"You're too close," he mutters in your ear, his lips so close to the shell that he's half-convinced you were going to feel his words against your skin. He's being a hypocrite, really, since he's the one holding you, but he needs to maintain some sense of propriety.
"Mmm," you hum, still more asleep than awake. You exhale an apology as you try to sleepily shift away, mumbling something like "didn't notice" in your languid effort to disentangle.
Your movement has to be the most half-hearted attempt at putting space between the two of you. So Jihoon tightens his grip, his fingers curling over your hip to keep you from shifting away.
He doesn't want you to move, not even an inchâ and it's greedy of him, reallyâ but the thought of losing the heat from your body is more than he can bear, not when you're here and you're so close.
His hold is firm, almost demanding. As you settle back down, Jihoon buries his face against the back of your hair, his mind going blissfully quiet.
"Dunno why y're so cozy," Jihoon murmurs, his words slightly slurred with the exhaustion that's catching up on him now, too.
He tries not to think too hard about it, the intimacy of it all. He tries not to focus on how he's practically molding his body against yours.
Just a nap, he thinks. It's just a nap.
Your voice is so soft, so quiet, nearly lost against the sound of Jihoon's thrumming pulse in his ears. He catches it anyway. Your quiet murmur of "G'night, Jihoon-ah."
He feels strangely light-headed. It's hard to focus, hard to think, his thoughts fuzzy around the edges as he slowly starts to succumb to drowsiness.
Jihoon lets his lids flutter shut, his mind sinking into darkness. "Sweet dreams," he mumbles back.
In the end, Jihoon is the one who has sweet dreams.
They're fractures of a bigger picture, pieces to a puzzle he could never piece together.
He sees your tired smile, hears your soft laugh, feels the brush of your hair against his chin. He sees you in flashes, in glimpses, always out of reach. Never close enough.
They're so vivid, these dreamsâ so realâ that Jihoon swears he can almost feel you, can almost hold you. When he reaches out for you, for the dream version of you, it feels like he's grasping at air.
There are hints of other thingsâ flashes of studio lights, melodies and songs that drift in snippets. But they all fade to the background in the face of you, the way you shine in his dreamscape like a sunbeam.
Seungcheol is the one who finds Jihoon and you the next morningâ or, rather, the next early afternoon.
He's not surprised to hear that Jihoon didn't come home to the dorm. He's not surprised to find Jihoon asleep in his studio. He is surprised to find Jihoon spooning youâ his co-producer, the one they all thought he was a little too soft towards.
Seungcheol's eyebrows raise to his hairline. Jihoon was never the affectionate type. And yet here he was, curled around you like a parentheses. Seungcheol takes a quick picture on his phone before gently nudging Jihoon with his foot.
"Yah," the leader says, his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants; his tone, a little too-amused. "Jihoon."
It takes a few nudges for the words to register, for Jihoon's sleeping mind to slowly come back to the world of the living.
He feels⌠groggy. Exhausted. And strangely warm.
After several long moments, reality catches up with him. As his sleep-addled mind slowly pieces everything together, Jihoon's eyes flutter open and it takes all of two seconds for him to process the fact that he's spooning you.
Jihoon's eyes widen, and his head snaps up to a grinning Seungcheol.
"This isn't what it looks like," Jihoon says immediately, his words tumbling out of his mouth in a rush.
He almost screams when he tries to move away, when he tries to untangle himself from you, and your soft, sleepy whine sounds more like a protest than anything.
He should've let you go. He should've, but when you make that noise, when you curl in closer to him, the part of Jihoon's brain that's awake shuts down entirely.
Jihoon freezes and tries desperately to ignore the way Seungcheol snickers.
Seungcheol keeps his hands in his pockets as he watches Jihoon with growing amusement. Put-together, frumpy Jihoon, stunned in to silence because his co-producer is latched on to him.
It is, as Jihoon had said, very much not what it looked like. Seungcheol can see that the two of you are still fully clothed. Hell, he wouldn't have even imagined Jihoon going that far when the boy barely thought of romance that way.
Still, it's just a little funny. "Long night?" the leader drawls, not even trying to conceal his sheer mirth at the situation.
Long night is a huge understatement, and Jihoon shoots Seungcheol an acerbic look that's not nearly as effective as it normally might be. Not when he's still trying to detangle himself from you without waking you up.
"You have no idea," he grumbles under his breath, his eyes flickering down to your exhausted expression as you cling to him.
He can feel the way his heart stutters at your closeness, the way his chest tightens. Not the time, he scolds himself.
"We were working on the album," Jihoon says, as if that explains everything.
He's given up on trying to move, because he knows that if he keeps trying, you're going to stirâ and the last thing Jihoon needs is an awake you, all warm and soft and adorably disheveled.
"Can you... leave?" he croaks to Seungcheol. Jihoon's cheeks are tinged with a furious red color; he prays to any deity that Seungcheol will simply chalk it up to shame. "I'll give you details later, just..."
Jihoon shifts minutely, and a muted noise of protest escapes from you. He shuts his eyes and sends a silent plea at the ceiling of Please, God, not now.
Seungcheol, for his part, lets out an amused huff, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Alright, alright," the leader says, holding his hands up to show he's conceding. "I'll leave. I'll talk to you later."
He grins. "And try not to have too much fun, yeah?"
The smirk only widens when he sees the flush on Jihoon's face. The leader saunters out of the studio, the door clicking shut behind him.
And Jihoon is... well... left with you.
Silence descends, and it's deafening.
Jihoon can feel each and every beat of his own heart, can hear your slow, soft breath coming out in steady, even exhales. You're asleepâ still clinging on to him, your body pressed firmly against his ownâ and Jihoon tries not to focus on the feeling, tries not to think about how you're so soft, so warm.
He should move, he thinks. He should untangle from you, put at least two feet of space between you, and yet.
Jihoon can't, not when you look so peaceful against him. Not when you're making little noises every now and then, the soft, low sounds coming from somewhere in your throat.
It's a special kind of torture, having you so close when he knows he can't do a single thing about it. Just a taste, an inkling of closenessâ and now he's hooked, wanting for more.
He knows it's selfish, what he's doing. To have his arm wrapped around you, holding you tighter than he should. To relish in your warmth as you sleepâ but Jihoon can't help it, not when he knows this might be the only way he could ever get to hold you.
He knows you're not his. You can't be his, for several reasons.
But for this brief, quiet moment in time, you feel like you could be.
There's no way of telling how much longer you stay there. To Jihoon, it feels like an eternity and then some; in reality, it's probably only a couple more minutes. You shift in your sleep, letting out a big yawn. Jihoon tries to not flinch when you stir.
For one ridiculous moment, he considers closing his eyes and pretending to sleep, so he can have a few more seconds, a few minutes longer with you in his arms. But then you're moving again, and Jihoon can feel his heart in his throat as you blink, shifting to look up at him.
"Huh," is the first thing you say as you squint up at him. "Hi."
"Hey," is his lame response, his tone oddly, uncharacteristically soft. He swallows when he catches the way your eyes flicker all over his face, as if drinking him in.
There's a lot to take in, he's sure. His arm is still around your waist and your leg is slotted between his. The blankets are a mess; the noonday sun, peeking through the studio's heavy curtains.
As your mind finally seems to catch up, you let out a groan. "S'rry," you slur, voice still thick with sleep. "We overslept. I'm a bit clingy when 'm tired."
Yeah, right. Clingy is not a strong enough word for what you had become in your sleep.
Jihoon tries to ignore the feeling of your legs tangled together, the way you're practically molding against him. He tries to tamp down the way his breath hitches, to ignore the way his heart skips a beat when you let out a sleep-filled groan.
"You were hanging on to me for your life," he remarks in a tone that is far more amused than exasperated.
"Yeah, I figured," you say wryly, glancing over at the clock to see the damage. Jihoon's eyes follow your gaze. Two in the afternoon. Your shared 'nap' had lasted a full twelve hours.
"Wow," you huff. "We were out for a while."
"That we were," Jihoon agrees, and he's more than a little reluctant when he lets you go, unravelling his own limbs from yours. The space between your bodies feels like a physical blow, but Jihoon tries not to seem too put off by it.
He sits up, running a hand through his hair. "I haven't slept that long since I was a trainee."
"That's unhealthy."
"Pot calling the kettle black."
There's a calculated casualness in your next words. "Did you at least sleep well?"
The slight concern undercutting your tone makes Jihoon rather light-headed. "I slept like the dead," Jihoon answers easily, and he doesn't even have to lie about that.
His rest had been more peaceful than it had been in years, and if he's truthful, he'd blame it all on the fact that you were wrapped so firmly around him, all soft skin and sleepy warmth. You'd fit so perfectly with him and Jihoon is fairly sure he's never going to get the sensation of you pressed against him out of his mind.
A corner of your lip twitches upward. "Don't say that," you tease as you stretch your arms over your head. "Because we may actually be dead soon enough."
There's still an album to finish. A couple more tracks due in mere days. But Jihoon's suddenly feeling much better in a way that he hasn't in a while.
Even the ever-present stress and exhaustion feels almost like an afterthought, like it's barely even there. In the midst of it all, there's only you, still mussed from sleep.
It helps that you're taking the little cuddle session with surprising grace. "Wanna order in breakfast? Lunch?" you inquire, like you can't quite decide what to call your first meal of the day when it was well in the afternoon.
"Breakfast-slash-lunch sounds good to me," he answers, a hint of a smile visible in the curve of his mouth.
You order Chinese food. Something proper and real, a break from the convenience store rice balls and energy drinks. In the time it takes for the takeout to come, you and Jihoon speed through the song that had been plaguing you both last night. It seemed that being well-rested did you both well.
When the food comes, you go to collect it. In your absence, Jihoon finally checks his phone.
Suddenly, the studio feels ice cold, because he has seventy-something unread messages from his group chat with the boys.
He clicks the little arrow that takes him back to the first unread message, and surprise, surpriseâ it's from Seungcheol. The stolen snap of Jihoon and you cuddled together glares up at the producer, paired with the world's most annoying message.
đ: Our Woozi-yah's a big boy now. ă
ă
ă
The messages don't stop there, because Seungcheol had essentially given the others the green light to blow his phone up.
Jihoon scrolls through them, his expression growing more and more irritated as he reads through the suggestive and ridiculous messages the boys have chosen to send.
âď¸: Jihoon-ah~ Who knew you had it in you~ đââŹ: finally! đŚŚ: LET'S FUCKING GOOOO
Jeonghan, as per usual, is the worst offender of them all. Jihoon is just about to try and get a word in when a new, rapidfire sequence of texts pop up, the second eldest member clearly having entirely too much fun with this.
đź: So cozy, our Jihoon-ie! So cozy ⥠⥠⥠đź: Finally, our Jihoon found himself a pretty girl đź: We didn't know you were such a cuddler~~~
Jihoon's fingers are itching to reply something back, but it's hard to even make sense of the messages; they're coming in so fast. Every time he tries to type something back, another notification pops up with more texts, so he's forced to sit and watch as the members tease him relentlessly.
But thenâ
đą: Cough up @Joshua @Vernon đ˘: dammit. couldn't have waited four months, woozi hyung? -_- đŚ: I didn't lose as much, so it's okay~ đŻ: WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER
The other boys all chime in with their own odds, and Jihoon realizes with horror that his bandmates had bet on him.
The horror quickly morphs into disbelief mingled with irritation.
So they'd bet on him? And on what exactly? That he wouldn't fall for a girl over the course of three years working together?
He doesn't even look at the odds before he types an aggravated reply.
đ: You guys bet on me???
No one even tries to deny it. Soonyoung, the menace that he is, is the first to respond.
đŻ: Not all of us ŕ° ââżâ ŕ° đââŹ: and it's just if you'd get with your fav producer. lol
It occurs to Jihoon, then and there, that the boys presume him and you are dating. It's a misconception he has to amend before any of the twelve can make some wisecrack about it in front of you.
đ: We're not dating.
Jihoon doesn't bother to hide his irritability.
đ: We were just napping together.
It's not the last of it, as it turns out.
More texts flood in after his message, and while there aren't as many jokes as before, it's easy to tell that the members are just dying to tease him about this whole thing.
When you return to the studio bearing your takeout, you're greeted with Jihoon typing furiously away at his phone, a disgruntled sort of look on his face. "You alright over there?" you call out amusedly as you pad over to the studio couch.
"Yes, and no," Jihoon answers shortly, a hint of petulance to his tone. If he looks up at you, it's only for a moment.
For someone who tends to be stoic and brooding, he's not exactly having the best morning right now. Jihoon is more than a little annoyed from the relentless teasing, and while he tries to fight it, there's a lingering feeling of humiliation, too.
A part of him wonders if this is what he deservesâ for having had that moment with you this morning.
"Well, whatever it isâ" you give a dismissive wave of your hand before plopping down on the couch.
He almost smiles at that; you've known each other for an odd number of years. It was enough time to be fairly acquainted with each other's habits and mannerisms, to know when something was worth pressing in to or not.
"Come on," you urge him. "The faster we eat, the sooner we can finish."
"Okay, yes, I'm coming," Jihoon answers hurriedly, and he makes a hasty beeline for the coffee table, where your takeout boxes are set out neatly.
He gives the group chat a final glance, just to make sure they're not texting anything too embarrassing. The more he scrolls the more he's bombarded with messages about you, and you would have thought the group chat was dedicated entirely to you, considering the number of texts.
He groans and locks his phone, turning it face down on the table as he takes his seat.
"Here," you say as you gently place Jihoon's order in front of him. Chao fan with a side of sweet and sour pork; a can of cola.
The way you seem to automatically know all the things he orders, the way you know what the right order to pick for him is, it almost gives Jihoon the sense that you've been working with him for even longer than three years.
He's not sure what to make of it, but it feels strangely nice, somehow, knowing that there's always something or the other that you would already know. He takes a bite out of his meal, wondering when it was that this relationship of his with you had become so comfortable.
It's an odd sensation, really.
Jihoon had always been more than content to keep to himself. But there's no denying that he feels a certain kind of peaceful contentedness when he's with you.
Perhaps it's how the two of you work so seamlessly together. Perhaps it's how you somehow managed to get under his skin. There's a certain comfort that Jihoon isn't used to having that's settled around the two of you.
And it's the kind of comfort that might make him vulnerable.
He can't have that, so he privately decides to keep you at a distance.
It's a distance you reciprocate. Both Jihoon and you know better than to tread the careful line of your friendship, especially in your line of work.
The two of you work like a well-oiled machine, like a lit match being tossed in a haystack. Jihoon and you are relentless, as always, and you finish off the rest of the mini-album in the next three hours.
There's still fine-tuning to hurdle through, but as Jihoon and you replay the last track for the first time, he has to concede. The worst is over.
You slump forward in your chair, your forehead resting against the work desk of his studio. "Done," you breathe. After a moment, you add, "For now."
"For now," Jihoon echoes.
There's a long pause between the two of you as you both relish the peace and quiet of a fully completed mini-album.
"Let's go for coffee?" he finally asks, glancing to where you're slumped in your chair.
You tilt your head ever so slightly until your cheek is pressed against the desk and you're looking up at Jihoon. You smile ruefully as you speak, your tone almost apologetic. "No to coffee. I think I want to go home and knock out for twelve hours."
You go on, "You should do the same. We've been in this studio forâŚ" You pause like you're doing the mental math, and then a disbelieving laugh slides past your lips. "About thirty-three hours, Jihoon-ah."
Thirty-three hours is almost incomprehensible. Jihoon isn't even surprised, because of course, that's the kind of work ethic you've come to expect from an idolâ but, thirty-three hours?
Jihoon's head is spinning. There's a strange, odd kind of haze settling around him, almost like he's caught between a dream and consciousness. He's tired, yes, he's more than tired, but Jihoon knows that he doesn't really need to go home to sleep.
Except he can't say no, not when your words are coming with all the weight of a command, not when you're looking at him like he's some helpless, pitiful wreck, needing some sort of care. He hates it.
He hates that you see him.
"Okay, okay," Jihoon says in a rush, standing from his chair. "I'll go home."
He's always known that any work done with you ends with him doing exactly as you say. You might have never said the words to his face before, but Jihoon isn't an idiot.
He's wrapped around your goddamn finger some days.
The thought that he's now more than willing to do whatever you want from him has never occurred to him before now, and it leaves him feeling slightly shaken, slightly unsure of everything.
It takes you both about ten minutes or so to get everything in order, then another seven minutes to head out of the company building. The relief Jihoon feels as you finally find yourselves outside is immense, even if it is a chilly, early winter evening.
You glance at your wristwatch before distractedly asking him, "You'll be okay behind the wheel?"
"'Course," he says as he fishes for his keys. For a moment, he contemplates asking if you want a ride home. It'd be out of his way, but it's something he's almost willing to bear.
Almost.
Instead, he forces himself to say, "See you. Take care."
You give the same pleasantries back before beginning your trek to the train station. Jihoon, for his part, finds his car in his designated parking space.
The drive home is the most boring and uneventful thing everâ except when Jihoon looks in his rearview mirror. The sight of you disappearing into the distance makes him feel strangely hollow and a bit wistful.
His stomach gives a weird, twisting lurch, and he's tempted to make a U turn right there and then and find a reason to be back in his company.
Maybe he'll tell you just how alone he can sometimes feel after an album is completed. How there's always this sort of lull in the days, hours after his work; how he fights it off by doing more work, even if it's not all that necessary.
He wants to ask if you ever feel the same way, too.
But you had never really been a part of that loneliness, and now you were leaving. Andâ just for the nightâ Jihoon can't help but feel more lonely than ever.
He doesn't want to be lonely.
He wants to be left alone, in a company of his own thoughts, with nothing and no one to distract him. But, for some odd reason, he wants you around.
It's almost too much to bear, so Jihoon turns the radio on louder and lets the sounds of music drown out the patter of his ragged heartbeat.
Jihoon and you are forced to reconvene a couple of days later, albeit on circumstances that neither of you are particularly fond of.
Sungsoo, the company's CEO and executive producer, is already seated at the head of the table when you walk in. Jihoon sees the way your eyes scan the meeting room; he tries not think too much of the way the tension in your shoulders seem to ease when you spot him.
The sight of you makes Jihoon's heart do a little dance, which makes him want to both pull you close and run far, far away from you.
For now, he just gives you a nod of acknowledgement and shifts his eyes back to the older man sitting across the meeting table from the both of them.
You sit across from Jihoon. Sungsoo doesn't even bother to sit; he merely launches straight in to his agenda.
"Good work on SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN," Sungsoo says right off the bat. Jihoon knows it's more of a cursory greeting than anything; there was always going to be more than just a pleasant compliment.
The other shoe drops soon enough. "I think there's more work to be done, though, specifically on three tracks," the CEO presses on.
Three tracks.
Jihoon feels his jaw clamp tightly. He's been through these kinds of corrections before, of course, both from himself and the company. Sungsoo says things about the lyrics of Back 2 Back, and the organization of Yawn, and the chorus of Diamond Days.
And while Jihoon has been through this, has needed to take things apart or put stuff together to appease the higher-ups, it's never any easier. His hands are clasped tight, and he's trying his best to hold himself together, but on the inside, he wants to scream.
This is a part of him. These are all parts of him, big and small, and it's always just a bit of a jabâ to have his heart put in someone else's hand, and then to watch that heart be poked and prodded for the sake of... what? Commercial gain?
At one point, Sungsoo pauses to look between Jihoon and you. "Are you not going to take notes?" the older man asks.
You respond before Jihoon can. "Rewrite the second half of Back 2 Back, tweak the instrumentation balance and structure of Yawn, adjust the rhythm for Diamond Days' chorus," you rattle off. "Iâ we got it, sir."
"Right. Good," he says, and Jihoon doesn't like the condescending tone that Sungsoo uses with you, but at least it's not aimed at him.
The older man sits back in his chair, and Jihoon lets his eyes drift away from the company boss just for a moment to look at you. A strange feeling fills him. He wants to name it appreciation, wants to claim it's nothing more than a little admiration.
But then he'd be lying to himself. Because that warm kind of feeling shifts intoâ just a littleâ something a bit more than what he's supposed to be feeling for a co-producer.
Before he could dwell on this thought any longer, Sungsoo clears his throat and Jihoon quickly tunes back in. He's not thinking about that right now, and that's final.
The meeting wraps up not too long after with some parting reminders on deadlines and the upcoming comeback. Jihoon can tell by the look on your face that you're a bit dazed, and Sungsoo's parting words only add gasoline to the fire.
The CEO says both your names as he readies to dismiss you. "The two of you are a good pair," he notes, and Jihoon almost short-circuits.
Pair.
Right. A good pair of co-producers. Not anything else, not anything more.
Both of you mumble your appreciation for the CEO's remark. And Jihoon, like the fool that he is, feels that warm, fuzzy glow bloom again. He doesn't care what it signifies; at the moment, he's just too happy to work with you again.
By the time you head back to his studio, there's not much that either of you can really say. Marathon edits were not new to either of you; you both slide in to work mode without much preamble.
The music starts playing and the edits start pouring in, and the five or six hours spent on the three tracks fly by without Jihoon even noticing it. It gets to the point where he's working on autopilotâ one hand on the mouse, fingers flying across the keyboard.
The thing about working on autopilot was that it made the process quicker but left little room to feel or think, which was both a blessing and a curse.
At the six-hour mark, he finally deigns to glance at you. Your gaze is focused on the digital audio workstation as you cut some low frequencies from the guitar on Diamond Days, but there's a slight quiver in your hands as you do it.
While Jihoon doesn't see what you're having trouble with, he can sense that you're off. He knows the signs of stress and exhaustion better than most, what with the hours he puts in.
"Aigo," he calls out to you, and his voice is a little raspyâ hoarseâ because he's been humming and singing for the better half of the evening. "Are you okay?"
"Still in the green," you say wryly. You had a bit of a traffic light system to refer to when talking about how far gone either of you were.
He watches intently as you implement the changes to Diamond Days, as you give a disapproving shake of your head at the revision. Still not to your standard.
Of course you wouldn't be at the red light stageâ not even close, he muses. But in Jihoon's head, there was already one foot on the red light spectrumâ and it wasn't just because of the revisions.
"Let's take a break," he suggests.
The idea comes out of absolutely nowhere, even for him. A breakâ? When was the last time he had voluntarily done that?
Jihoon's been having more questions than answers lately, but he just chalks it all up to being stressed. And maybe a little tired.
Anything except what it really is.
This time, you actually do glance up from the workstation. There's mild surprise on your expression as you tease, "Yah, who are you and what have you done to the indomitable WOOZI?"
"Huh?" he deflects. For a brief moment, he almost feels a little shy around you.
"I'm just bored," he explains, and he's surprised that he can lie so well and sound so casual. "You don't need to come if you don't want to. I just wanted to get some air."
But of course you're coming, already pushing back against the table at the rare invite from Jihoon. "The usual?" you prompt.
To others, a 'usual' might have indicated a trip to the cafeteria, a smoke break on the sidewalk. But Jihoon and you both hated the company's food and neither of you smoked, and so your breaks were spent somewhere a little more unorthodox.
"The usual," he agrees.
He leads you across the company building, the walk to your destination full of comfortable silence. Eventually, you make it to your designated break place: The company's rooftop.
Jihoon takes his usual seat at the far end while you sit closer to the ledge. The atmosphere is thick and humid from the weather, but there's a breeze to keep the heat bearable.
When Jihoon said he wanted to get some air, he meant it quite literally.
He doesn't want to give away his real intentions on calling for the break. Still, he can't help the question that slides out of him as he watches the glittering lights of Seoul beneath the two of you.
"Are you feeling better now?" he asks, glancing at you.
"I am," you answer quietly, your gaze still fixed on the city. "Thanks, Jihoon-ah. I needed this."
He almost smiles. "Of course."
This was the first time since he's met you that he'd asked you to do something just because he thought you needed it. And it isn't long until that fact has Jihoon wondering why the heck he's been putting things off so much lately.
He doesn't get to mull over his thoughts for long thoughâ not when there's a sudden urge to do another thing that he realizes he hasn't ever done.
He takes out his phone and opens up the camera app. "Yah," he calls. "Look here for a second."
You do as he asks, glancing over your shoulder, and the soft click of his phone breaks through the white noise of the city below. When you let out a surprised laugh, he thinks it's the second best thing he's ever heard. Only after music.
"What are you doing?" you chide, a bit of a giggle in your tone as you raise your handâ palm facing Jihoonâ to your face, as if trying to shy away from the camera.
"I don't know," he admits. A laugh tumbles out of him, and he knows he's blushingâ but he's not ashamed of it this time, not really.
"It doesn't have to mean anything," he assures you. He holds in a chuckle at the way you're blocking your face and snaps another picture.
Maybe he's delirious from all his work. That has to be it, he thinks, as he clicks away despite your sputtered protests.
"Alright, fine," you huff, feigning annoyance. And thenâ oh.
You brace your hands against the ledge and tilt your head to one side so you can flash Jihoon an easy, practiced grin. "Cheese," you sing-song.
It takes quite a lot of willpower for Jihoon not to just sit and stare, that strange feeling welling inside of him coming to fore. He's not proud of it, but it's there, and the fact that there's something about you that makes him feel this way makes everything a little bit more complicated.
"Cheese," he agrees, taking just one more picture of you.
He knows he's smiling too hard, his eyes turning in to crescents with just how damn fond he feels to be snapping photos at your side.
You can never tell from the expression on his face, but he's wrecked with the knowledge that he had just done three things he had never done before:
He's asked you to do something solely because he thought you needed it.
He's taken a picture of you (with your knowledge, this time).
And he's let this thing he has for you be so in control of him.
It's a damning thing, he muses as he tucks his phone away. What would happen next was up to the universe.
Admittedly, it almost all felt like a test, and Jihoon is terrified he had failed.
But then you reach out, your hand casually resting atop of Jihoon's. You don't clasp your hands together or intertwine your fingers. You merely keep it there as you cast your gaze back down at the city, like you're giving Jihoon a chance to pull away.
It's almost instinctual, how he turns his hand over and links his fingers together with yours. His fingers are longer, so your fingertips curl over his and youâre left holding his hand for the first time.
You don't say a thing about it. Jihoon tries to rationalize the action on your behalf. Maybe you're just delirious and tired, too. Maybe it's cold and you need something to hold on to. Maybe, maybe, maybe.
All the while, his heart thumps in his chest.
Did he even deserve this? Was this okay?
Would it be okay if he just sat there, looking down onto the city, holding your hand and nothing more?
His brain refrains the earlier remark he'd given you. It doesn't have to mean anything. It's just a hand in his, a quiet evening, a moment that will eventually pass.
It doesn't have to mean anything, but why does Jihoon want it to?
Back in the studio, neither of you say a word. Not about the photos of you that Jihoon now has in his phone; not about the way you initiated holding his hand. Not about how the two of you held on for just a bit too long before heading back from your break.
The two of you do what you do best: You throw ourselves in to the last of your work.
It takes you two a record of fifteen minutes to fix what had been wrong with Diamond Days, and then some twenty more minutes to make sure the three other tracks are alright. Jihoon does the honors of sending them over to Sungsoo for some final checks.
Once the email goes through, you lean back in to the couch of Jihoon's studio. "And now we wait," you exhale, sounding equally exhausted and elated.
With your work for the day done, it feels like whatever veil of formality had held the mini-album together is brokenâ and you're now just two people in Jihoon's workplace, tired, and done working for the day.
Jihoon stretches his arms out and sags against his chair, letting out a groan.
"And now we wait," he repeats. A beat, as he keeps his eyes trained to the ceiling. Then, softly, he adds, "You did good, you know."
He sees you glancing at him from the corner of his eyes. "You, too," you offer quietly, sincerely. "You did well, Jihoon-ah."
His eyes remain on the ceiling, his mind taking him back to how it felt when your hand rested atop of his. It had felt strange and it had felt goodâ and the fact that you'd so boldly initiated it in the first place made it even better.
The thought that there was a possibility of it being a one-time thing made him almost want to cry, for whatever reason.
It's just so weird, and Jihoon has never felt like this before. He's never caught in a complicated sort of feeling like this. But the way you'd held his hand was differentâ and the more thoughts he thought about it, he realized that your touch was different from the touch of anyone else's.
"Can we talk for a second?" is all he finds himself able to ask, and it's a surprise to himâ considering how much the two of you have never talked about things that were just about you and him.
Still, he wonders that perhaps now, with everything that's happened here, there was something he needed to tell you. Something he wanted you to know.
He hears you shifting on the couch, spots a corner of your lip quirking upward in a show of interest. When he fully turns to look at you, he notices the way you've braced yourself against the back of the couch to meet his gaze.
"Sure," you say. "What's on your mind?"
Jihoon rubs his hand over his mouth as he thinks of a way to articulate his thoughts.
There are so many words here that don't need to be said. There are some words that he wants to say but that you simply don't need to hear.
There were a lot of things he wanted to say, but he needed to filter them very well because he wasn't sure if they'd cause a misunderstanding.
"I'd like to keep doing this," is what eventually comes out.
His fingers find his earlobe out of nervousness. His heartrate only seems to spike when you stare back at him for a moment, your eyebrows raised like you're waiting to see if he'll elaborate.
And so elaborate he does. "All of this," he goes on. "Producing for the group, collaborating with you, just⌠seeing you and talking to you and⌠having you around."
It feels a bit weird to express after three years of working alongside each other, but it's also the first explicit admittance Jihoon has made abut wanting to keep up your collaboration.
He's not surprised when you try to pass it off with some humor. "I'll stick around for as long as you'll have me," you say almost jokingly, but there's almost a desperate weight of truth in your words.
Jihoon sighs, his expression tightening. There was a whole lot he wanted to say to youâ he wanted to make a lot of things very clearâ but he also wanted to keep whatever was blooming between the two of you going.
He tries not to dwell on it. Not now, with his feelings as fresh as they were.
"I've been thinking," he starts, his voice quieter now. "Maybe we could⌠get to know each other or something. Spend the day togetherâ away from the company. Away from this life. Just as⌠two normal adults."
Another pause.
"Are you asking me out on a date, Jihoon-ah?" you kid after a torturous minute.
Jihoon goes quiet for a moment, the gears turning in his head.
He really was asking you out on a date, wasn't he? How would he even spin this as something simple and innocent?
What had he been expecting in return when he asked you? Why did he ask in the first place if it wasn't to actually find out who you were and why you were the only person he could really say he wanted to spend time with?
Questions, no answers. He's going to go insane.
"You know what," he blurts out before he can lose his nerve. "Yeah. Yes, I am asking you out on a date."
You're both stunned in to silence, and you look like you're just about to say what you should. A 'no'. Something about this not being proper.
But then there's a faint ding from Jihoon's laptop, and he glances over just in time to see that Sungsoo had responded in the affirmative to your revisions for the group's eleventh mini-album.
A stuttering, relieved breath escapes you. Jihoon, for his part, lets out a huff, his shoulders falling. He hadn't even meant to ask you out on a date; he was only going to ask you to spend the day with him.
Now, though, it was out in the open. And he'll be damned to take it back.
"Looks like we're free now," he muses, far too prideful to let Sungsoo derail this conversation. Jihoon's voice is edged with hope as he goes on, "So, what do you say?"
Jihoon has no way of knowing this, but you admire his persistence. When you laugh, it's what changes your mind, what privately convinces you to take him up on his offer.
Because Jihoon had still somehow managed to make you laugh despite it all.
"You know what? Okay," you say readily, one shoulder raising in half a shrug. "Let's go on a date next week, Jihoon-ah."
It would definitely beat sitting in Jihoon's studio, alone and bored, until Sungsoo had sent over their next project.
"Okay," he repeats, his lips curling in a tentative smile. "I'll let you know what plans I come up with, then."
"Alright." You're already rising from the studio couch, preparing to take your leave for the evening.
As you gather your things, Jihoon tries to look back at his workstation instead. Like the sight of it might somehow give him the answers to where to take you, what to do, how to go about all this.
You pause at the door of his studio. "Text me," you say.
It's nothing short of a miracle, how Jihoon is able to respond "I will."
And then you're gone, but the loss doesn't feel as prominent as it usually does. Because now, Jihoon has something to look forward to.
He doesn't remember the last time he allowed himself to be so selfish.
His thoughts over the next few days are consumed with the upcoming date.
Everything he does seems to center around how the date will go, where he'll bring you, and how he would survive a day in your presence without completely humiliating himself.
He takes his time planning. By the time next week rolls around, he's a mess.
His ears are burning as he dials your number and presses the call button.
Your tone is casual on the other line. "Hey, Jihoon-ah," you greet. "What's up?"
Jihoon takes a moment to just hear your voice. He internally groans at how a simple what's up already has his heart rate picking up like nobody's business.
"Hey," he finally says after he gathers himself, his free hand shoving into his pocket. He's pacing his apartment bedroom, fighting for his life to keep calm. "I⌠just wanted to call about tomorrow."
When you respond, your voice is cautious. "Sure. What about tomorrow?"
There's a slight pause again, and Jihoon can already feel the sweat forming on the inside of his palm.
Surely, you wouldn't think he was calling to cancel? Why would he have waited until the day before?
"Just needed to ask you about something," he admits, his free hand coming up to fiddle with the hair on one side of his ear. "I just wanted to⌠ask a question. UhâŚ"
"What⌠are you going to be wearing?" he finally spits out, his face already going red as the words leave his mouth.
Why the fuck can't he be cool about this? Why can't he be casual and chill about the date and about seeing you? It's so goddamn frustratingâ he needed to get a handle on himself and soon, he thinks with despair.
"Oh. UhâŚ" From the other end of the phone, you seem to be shuffling around. "I was actually going to ask what our plans were," you admit rather meekly. "So I can dress accordingly."
Jihoon's eyes widen, and for a moment, he feels even more like an idiot than he usually does.
You had no idea where you were going, he realizes, and as a resultâ you had no idea what to wear.
"Oh⌠right," he says, mentally facepalming himself. He was supposed to be the one giving you information, not the other way around. "Yeah, okay. That makes sense."
He takes a second or two to collect himself, becauseâ God, he did not want to mess this up. If you found out about the amount of work and effort he'd put in this thing, you'd definitely laugh at him.
"Nothing too formal, but don't be super casual," he says slowly. "You'll want a jacket, maybe. And wear comfortable shoes."
He takes another deep breath, steadying himself before he adds, "And I'm going to pick you up at ten. Is that alright?"
Jihoon's instructions are a touch on the vague side, but you don't seem to mind as you let out a huff of amused laughter. "Dress warm, comfortable jacket and shoes, ten in the morning," you repeat. "Okay. Got it."
You go on, "I'll text you my address. Iâ we've known each other so long, but I don't think you've ever come over, have you?"
Another good point. Jihoon and you spent most of your time at the company. There were rare occasions where you'd join the group's post-comeback celebrations with the rest of the staff, but those were always at some rented-out restobar.
"Yeah. Well. Just text me, then," he says lamely, already mentally berating himself for how much of a fool he's acting. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow, Jihoon-ah," you bid, and he can hear the smile in your voice.
Just like that, Jihoon's heart rate picks up againâ except this time, it's not just nervousness he feels.
There's that strange sense of anticipation, the slight thrill of excitement he gets with the mere thought of seeing you the next day, and he nearly lets out an exhale to quell all those feelings.
"See you," he says finally, his voice barely above a murmur.
And then suddenlyâ he's hanging up, the realization of everything finally settling on him. This was actually happening.
He sits on his bed for a moment, just mulling over the conversation, before he lets himself fall back onto the mattress in horror. He had just hung up, hadn't he? Did he even say goodbye? Did he even say something nice? He was a mess.
He lets out a long, pitiful whine in to a pillow as he wonders for a second or two if he should call back just to say good night to you properly.
In the end, he decides against it. He didn't want to come off as desperate and it was pretty likely that he'd just dig a deeper hole for himself.
Still, he can't help but let out an annoyed, strangled sound as he turns to look at the ceiling.
He was going to have to put a lot of effort if he didn't want to embarrass the hell out of himself.
Come the next day, Jihoon is standing outside your apartment at exactly ten in the morning.
He knocks almost tentatively, and he's only a little surprised that you swing the door open without missing a beat.
You flash him a smile in greeting. "Come in," you say, ushering him in to what he can only describe as uncharted territory. "Can I get you something to drink? Water, juice?"
He's so tripped up over how you lookâ the smart-casual outfit, focused on warmth, as he'd advisedâ that he almost misses the offer.
"Ah," he stutters. Barely a minute in and I'm already done for, he thinks ruefully. "Do you haveâ cola?"
You give a small sound of assent as you move further in to your apartment, towards what he assumes is the kitchen. "Make yourself at home," you call, and Jihoon is left to bear witness to your space.
It looks very much like that of an artist's. There's floor-to-ceiling corkboards on almost every wall and a blackboard full of chalk markingsâ bearing everything from concepts to half-finished lyrics.
You have bookshelves groaning under the weight of music albumsâ Jihoon sees a number of SEVENTEEN'sâ and instruments crammed in to nooks and crannies.
He suddenly remembers how, for some reason, you had never really let him come over to your apartment before. And now, he understands why, because your apartment almost felt like a reflection of your own brainâ chaotic, but brilliant. It was a creative genius's studio, and it was more than just a little bit captivating.
You return with a can of Coke. "It's a lot, isn't it?" you muse.
Jihoon shakes his head. It is a lot. But alsoâ he knows how gifted you are, knows how driven you can be. Seeing it here, so openly on display, has something stammering in his chest.
"Is this all your work?" he asks a moment later, still glancing around. "Is this⌠everything you've been working on? You've been keeping it here?"
"Not all of us have separate studios," you shoot back. There's an easy smile on your face, indicating that you're just teasing.
When you seem to realize that your initial jab hasn't answered Jihoon's question, you amend, "It's not all of my work. You should see my childhood bedroom back in Jeju."
"Jesus," he says with a slight chuckle, his fingers pressing around the metal of his soda can.
He doesn't know why the thought of your childhood room in Jeju having more of this surprises him. But, then again, that was just the kind of person you were. An ambitious, freethinking, creative genius, the same qualities he'd grown to appreciate over time.
And now he was about to go on a date with you. How the hell had he gotten this lucky?
He isn't quite sure what compels him. All he knows is that the question, almost rhetorical in nature, is out of his mouth before he can reel it back in.
"You really love music, don't you?"
The question seems to throw you off-kilter, but you recover surprisingly fast. You're thoughtfully smoothing out the patches on your denim jacket as you retort, "I love it about as much as you do."
If it had been any other person, Jihoon might have scoffed, might have privately thought they were cocky or just outright lying. But it's you, and his heart twists in to a knot at the thought of how willing he is to accept that cardinal truth.
That you and him loved music in equal measure.
In a hopeless attempt to collect himself, he shoots back his soda in several big gulps. The carbonated drink burns as it goes down his throat; he forces it to stay down.
"We should probably get going," he prompts once he's done with his drink.
"Right, of course."
You go to throw away his empty soda can for him, and the way you move makes it abundantly clear that you're unaware of the effect you have on him.
As the two of you step out of your apartment and find your way to Jihoon's car, he can only hope that it won't be that long of an afternoon.
Despite the way he keeps both hands on the steering wheel, Jihoon can still feel the nerves racing up and down his spine. He's nervous, excited, his emotions a mess as he tries to get himself together.
He can't believe that after years of talking about music and just working together, after all this goddamn time, you were finally going on a date together.
The car radio is just a touch too loud, which is to be expected, considering that it was Jihoon's vehicle. You have to pitch your voice above it to be audible.
"Where are we going?" you ask as he peels in to traffic.
"You'll see when we get there," he responds.
The disapproving pinch of your expression draws a laugh out of him. He doesn't give you the opportunity to press any longer as he fiddles with the radio dial, upping the volume just a touch more.
He'd planned this date carefully after spending far too much time agonizing over all the details. He was damned if he wasn't going to keep some things in the dark.
It's a quiet drive for the most part, with only the radio keeping the silence from being too deafening. But, frankly, Jihoon isn't too bothered by the silence because it gives him ample time to collect his thoughts, to try not to focus on the way your hand is right there, a few inches away from his on the gear shift.
He keeps his eyes on the road, keeps his expression neutral, and keeps his cards as close to his chest as possible.
Once Jihoon is finally pulling in to a parking lot, he manages to find his voice. "We're here," he notes, like it's not the most obvious thing in the world.
He waits a moment for you to also unbuckle your seatbelts, and only then does he climb out of the car. He quickly walks around to your side, pulling open the door for you and gesturing for you to follow him as he crosses the parking lot.
"What is 'here', exactly?" you ask Jihoon as you walk up to the building in front of you. It looks rather unassuming; nothing on the outside giving out what it might be. Just white walls and a sign outside that's still too far to read.
Jihoon catches the way you try to make out the sign, and he can't help but find himself feeling a touch flustered because goddammit, was he allowed to find everything you did endearing?
He clears his throat before finally answering. "A planetarium."
Now, Jihoon definitely doesn't miss the way your eyes widen, nor the small tone of excitement that betrays the otherwise casualness of your voice.
"That's cool," you say with your hands shoved in to the pockets of your jacket. "Never been to one before."
He can clearly see how excited you'd gotten just at hearing where he'd brought you. And, frankly, it just makes his pulse race all that much more.
"Well, let's go in and have a look then, shall we?" he offers, his voice a little on the quieter side as he tries valiantly to not mimic your excitement.
As you approach the building façade, the signage comes in to better view. It boasts of an immersive planetarium experience, but what stops you dead in your tracks is a note tacked on the front door.
Closed for a private event.
"Oh?" you're saying, a slight edge of disappointment in your tone. "It's looks like it'sâ"
But before you can finish your sentence, the door is pulling open, and an important-looking manâ the managerâ is already stepping up to address Jihoon.
"Mr. Lee, right on time," the employee greets with a bow. "We've set everything up for you."
The oh that escapes you, this time, is a lot softer.
Jihoon can't help the small grin that immediately works its way across his lips at your reaction. He'd been hoping to catch you by surprise, and he can tell that it worked.
He gives a polite, somewhat formal half-bow in return to the manager before glancing over his shoulder to you. There's a hint of smugness in his voice as his gaze lands on you again. "C'mon," he says as he starts making his way in to the planetarium.
The inside is mostly dark; Jihoon gives his eyes a moment to adjust to the change. There's no one else here but the two of you, and Jihoon isn't really complaining about the emptiness. It just means he can have you all to himself, without having to worry about having anyone else around.
He can hear your footsteps, following behind him, and he has to mentally remind himself to keep himself together before he finally glances over his shoulder at you.
"Surprised?" he teases, the ghost of a smirk making its way on to his face.
He revels in the look of awe on your face, the way you all but ignore him to pull a couple of steps ahead. You're surveying the lobby like it's already the main exhibit, and Jihoon has the sudden urge to rent out every gallery in Seoul for you to see.
Your next words are one-two punch on Jihoon's poor, poor heart. "I think you've got some nerve, Jihoon-ah, pulling out all the stops on our first date," you muse, your face still upturned to the entryway.
Jihoon almost trips right over his own two feet as the casualness of your words registers in his mind.
Multiple dates. You were implying that there might be multiple dates to follow. That you wanted there to be multiple dates.
He takes a quick breath, trying to maintain any semblance of a nonchalant attitude as he responds. "What?" he says, the smirk just a touch more shaky on his lips. "You think this is 'going all out'?"
He continues to walk, catching up to you a few moments later. "I'm offended. How dare you think that I'd settle for anything less than perfection."
"If this isn't 'all out' yet for you," you quip. "I'm a bit nervous as to what is."
He only responds with a small chuckle. "You'll see."
He leads you to the next room over, and this particular one is far more darker. The only source of light is from the projector against the back wall, projecting a constellation map on the opposite wall.
Jihoon glances over his shoulder once more, watching the small look of wonder on your face. He leads you to a small couch in the center of the room before sitting comfortably beside you on it.
His face is partially illuminated by the lights of the projector, and he can clearly see the way you're taking in everything around him.
"You like it, hm?" he gently prods, watching you again.
It's a lot to take in, honestly. The high ceiling, the projected constellations, the lights dancing across both your faces. Even the way the room has been rearrangedâ the single plush couch, the type that allows you to recline and gaze up at the faux sky of constellationsâ is all so damn good.
"I like it," you concede, your voice barely above a murmur. You speak like you're scared that talking any louder will break an illusion. "It'sâ yah, Jihoon-ah. It's so pretty."
In that moment, Jihoon almost forgets how to breathe.
There's something so soft and gentle and fond to your voice as you speak, and the way your words came out almost reverently does something to Jihoon that he couldn't quite explain.
"Pretty," he repeats, eyes still trained on you. "It is, isn't it?"
The two of you sit in comfortable silence for a long time; Jihoon still watching you instead of the exhibit. You didn't just say it was pretty. You'd said it with words and tone and expression that told him just how much you loved it.
Christ, he was a goner. He was far gone for you.
After what feels like both an eternity and a second at the same time, Jihoon finally shifts his gaze away from you, glancing up at the ceiling above him. He's quiet for a few more moments before he finally speaks again.
"Y'knowâŚ" He starts, the sound of his voice just a touch quieter than usual. "When I was a kid, I always thought the stars were my favorite thing."
Jihoon glances over at you again, noticing the way you were still practically enchanted by the projected stars above you. It makes him bite back a small, amused smile, before he continues.
"I used to sit out in the field by my house and count them, name them, make up my own stories for each of them. I thought they were the most magical, most incredible things in the whole universe."
He thinks of his home back in Busan, the way the moon reflected over the sea water. He thinks of a version of him from lifetimes agoâ a boy he'll never be again.
He almost misses him.
Jihoon lets out a soft huff. "And then I got older, and life got really shitty and busy, and..." His voice falters a bit. "The stars were no longer as important to me as they were before."
He exhales, the sound filling the quiet room. He can feel you listening, can feel you taking in every sincere word of his. And that's enough. That means something.
"But..." He goes on quietly. "Sometimes, there are moments that come, and the only things that matter are the stars again."
It's just like Jihoon to spew something poetic without pretense or shame. In his peripheral, he sees you glancing at him, and it takes everything for him to not let this feeling overwhelm him.
"I hope you have more moments like that, then," you say, your voice equally soft.
There was something so endearing about the sentiment you'd said, and he knew that you meant every word of it. And that made it all so much worse for his heart.
He's so whipped, it almost makes him want to laugh.
This is one of those moments, he almost says. Even if it's not real stars.
He can't help it anymore. Despite all the times he's had to keep up his usually cool, calm demeanor with you, despite his usual attitude, despite his usual shyness, the urge is just too much andâ
He slides his arm around your shoulders, pulling you a little closer.
That was one thing the stars could do: Give him a bit of courage.
When you don't resist his gentle tugging, he figures he can do just one more thing.
His free hand moves to your chin, gently coaxing your head up so that youâre looking at a specific point up at the ceiling.
You're so focused on the stars, you barely even register the sound of Jihoonâs voice again.
"The most special stars," he murmurs. "They all have names."
Heâs still speaking into your ear, and you can feel his warm breath against your skin. "That one," he says, his voice like gravel. He slowly, carefully tilts your chin up just a little more. Coaxing you to look up even further. "Is my favorite."
His calmness is belied by the fact that his heart is a jackhammer in his chest. All he can do, really, is try to get you to look at one of the larger stars that's almost dead center in the middle.
"Why is it your favorite?" you inquire, the genuine curiosity in your tone almost mistakable for breathlessness.
"It's the brightest star in the entire sky." His gaze darts between the star and your face, the shadows of the room hiding the way his chest tightens at the sight of you listening intently. "It's called Sirius."
His voice is still soft, but there's a new note to it that you've never heard before. It's quiet, reverent, almost like he's about to tell you a secret.
"The Romans called it the 'dog star'," he continues. "Because it's the brightest star in Canis Major, the big dog constellation."
He lowers his head a little so that his chin is almost resting on your shoulder, and his arm around your shoulders tightens just a fraction.
"But to the Chinese, it was known as the 'heavenly river commander'," he goes on. "And the Arabs called it the 'chief star in heaven'."
Jihoon is getting nervous, now, but he has to do this. He has to.
It feels like the first flicker of a neon sign as he goes on, "To all those different people, it was all of those things. To meâ"
He pauses, feeling the words stick in his Adam's apple.
The brightest star in the night sky.
For the longest time, Jihoon had wondered whether he would find something to call it, too. The closest he's come has been the boys, his music.
But that felt like an understatement. They weren't just a group, after all; they were his whole life. And so it was more apt to describe them as the universe, as the entire planetarium.
Which left him with the brightest starâ
"To you?" you repeat, tilting your head back to meet Jihoon's gaze head on.
"What's it called to you?" you prompt.
In the relative darkness, he can't read you as well as he might have wanted.
It doesn't matter. It doesn't change what's he's going to say, anyway.
He gives you his answerâ
He says your name.
And then he leans inâ his heart at your feet, all yours for the taking.
#jihoon x reader#lee jihoon x reader#woozi x reader#jihoon fluff#woozi fluff#jihoon imagines#woozi imagines#jihoon x you#woozi x you#svt x reader#seventeen x reader#svt imagines#seventeen imagines#ylangelegy buzz x svt#( GOD. so much longer than it's meant to be )#( part two? tbh very unlikely. we must just imagine the happy ending. LOL )#ŕ¨ŕ§ muse .á svt#ŕ¨ŕ§ penned by ylangelegy
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cable stayed
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so pretty!
Repostober Day 10!!! A cityscape I absolutely love
#reblog#digital art#illustration#city#fantasy art#city drawing#buildings#city lights#cable stayed bridge
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Megatrons Family: Happy Wife, Happy Life
Tf1!Megatron x Cybertronian!GN!Reader
Part 1 (ugh why is he so fine in this gif!!!!!!????)
Content: 18+ Megatron and readers love is still there. Spiker is an adorable little shit. Youâre welcome.
Introduction Indie Series
TW/Tags: Toxic Relationship, reader is trying to stay strong for their sparkling, Reader gets traumatized at one point, Megatron got turned on at some point, death, Soundwave wants Megatron and reader booty lmao i can see it ok, that should be all???
Itâs been several months now.. Months now since the start of the new war started.
You left your home of Iacon city with your sparkling..and conjunx. Since then your sparkling very slowly growing bigger and bigger.
Her smile so much likeâŚ.like D-16s. As Megatron focused on building up his empire and fighting for the cause. So most of your time is spent with playing with your sparkling.
Megatron always too tired at the end of the day.
But on one day with the advise of a few other decepticons like Soundwave and Shockwave. Spoke about Megatron spending some time with his family.
He groaned as the two spoke to him. Eventually he returned early to your shared room that night.
Your back was facing him as you hummed a gentle lullaby to little Spiker. She was gently nibbling on her cervo as she slowly closed her optics. Trying her best to keep them open as you held her against your chest.
Your digits gently rubbing her back as you closed your optics as you hummed.
Megatron watched as you stood up and took your sparkling to the room next door to yours and megatrons. As you returned Megatron was sitting on the berth. Looking over a data pad as you walked over to him.
You sit next on your side of the berth as you look at him.
âMegatron? You alright?â
Megatron would let out a sigh. He then tosses the data pad to the nightstand as he moves on the berth resting his back against the wall. He held the bridge of his nose with his digits. He is tired. You can tell.
Youâd make your way to him and rests your cervo on his shoulder. He looked at you with his optics narrow.
Glancing down at you. Almost like as if heâsâŚannoyed. But despite the feeling you have in your spark, the bond almostâŚ.weak. You still gave him your usual soft smile.
Youâd then lean up more. Kissing his forhelm before leaning back. âWould you like some energon? Spiker is fast asleep. Maybe we can..Cuddle?..Itâs been a while.â
He doesnât say anything. Just closing his optics for a moment. He is exhausted and just leaned his helm back. Youâd then get off the bed and take out some energon. He listened to your steps. You got some energon and brought it over. âHave you eaten?â
He just shakes his helm slowly. His optics still closed. Youâd then sit by his legs as you held some energon. âMegatron.â
He lets out a grumble before sitting up more. Finally speaking.
âNo Y/N I havenât.â He took the energon out of your cervos. Pretty aggressively before putting some in his intake. You looked down. Your optic ridges a bit furrowed before you got off the berth.
Megatron noticed and grabbed your arm. You look back at him and try to pull your arm away. âMegatron.â
âYou wanted to spend time togetherâŚ..Didnât you?â
He then pulls you closer. Making you let out a small yelp. His cervos holding your waist and hip keeping you close. His dermas connecting with the side of your neck cables.
Then moved you to were youâre on your back on the berth. Him ontop. Your cervos against his shoulders as he continues, His arms now around your waist as he continues his act.
He lets out soft moans and sighs as he continued.
Youâd then let out a soft sigh. Your cervos on his shoulders as he continued. You didnât mind when he did this.
You knew how much he worked.
And besides itâs been so long and being in the mines didn't leave much room to do anything.
You were pulled out of your thoughts when his dermas were soon on yours. The kiss was dominate and slowly becoming more and more heated.
Youâd feel his glossa pressing against your dermas asking for access. Youâd accept until you both hear the door open causing you both to stop. Turning your helms only to see Spiker walking in as she looked down at a data pad while walking forward.
Megatron sat up and you leaned up a little. Your elbows supporting you up.
You both watched as she climbs up the berth once closer and Megatron scoots back as she then sat on your lap. She facing him as Megatron just stared at her You and him then making optics contact before looking back at her.
She then turned the data pad around showing a younger him as a miner and you with a mining drill.
She then stared up at him with wide optics. She has trouble speaking still. She is still an infant. Megatron stared down at the data pad of you and him. He let out a sigh and took it before speaking. âYes, little one. Thatâs sire and carrierâŚ..â
He notices sheâs reaching for him with a smile. A smileâŚthat looks so much like his.
He fully sits on the berth before gently holding her. Placing her on your lap as you fully sat up. Youâd place your cervo on his shoulder. Megatron then looking at you.
You miss his smileâŚBut you only ever receive narrowed optics and a frown ever since. You tried to hold back the sadness in your optics as you then looked at Spiker, who looked up at you too with a smile. Unable to read the room.
You and Megatron soon get a comm from Soundwave requesting for you both to the main room with the throne.
One of the seekers walking knocking on the door before it opened. You and Megatron standing and walking to the seeker. Spiker knew this meant sheâll be stuck with the seeker for a while. Knowing this means you both will be busy.
Megatron still holding her as he gently patted at his chest. Him looking down then raising an optic ridge as he stared at her.
You looking at her and gently placing a cervo on her back. âWeâll be gone for only an hour or two little one. Be good for thundercracker until we return. Please?â
She huffed. Trying to hold her tears back before looking up at Megatron. You just stared down at her expressionless and his hold on her still gave her comfort.
Thundercracker gently took her from Megatrons arms and bowed his head. Spiker soon patting his chest as she smiled up at him. Thundercracker smiling at her as wel while you and Megatron start walking to the room.
You and Megatron walking side by side. His arms and cervo on his sides as yours remain on behind your back.
You have your usual smile on your dermas as Megatron remains the same.
He then broke the silence. You both halfway to the location. âYou are too soft on her you know. She is to be next in my cause when I succeed against the traitors.â
His voice was deep and rough. You glancing at him as you continue walking.
Youâd let out a sigh and turned your helm away from him as you both got to the door. It wasnât until you reached for the buttons for the door until Megatron grabbed your wrist.
You then looking up at him.
Before you knew it had leaned down. His dermas against yours as he glared down at you. You looking at him before he pulled away. He then spoke. His voice even more low.
âBe. Good. Youâre my Conjunx. We have an image to up holdâŚ.â
Youâd look down until his digits gently held your chin. Making you look back up at him, optics dim before growing bright once more. âCome..â
His cervo moves to your lower back. Bringing you a bit closer to him as you both walked in.
Him soon walking ahead of you as he spoke. His voice booming as the other guards stood. Along with the trio Starscream, Soundwave, and Shcokwave standing close by the throne.
Megatron continues with his speech as he sat down. You then standing next to his throne. Soundwave on the other side. Megatron then gets to the point of calling for the first prisoners. Traitors of the cause who were caught. Megatron then spoke once more as he stares down at the guards kneeled before him.
Cervos behind him as he spoke.
âNow these four. Guards. With so much purpose for our cause. And yet.â He stood up and made his way to the four guards. The ones behind them backing up to give him room.
He then stood behind the guard on the far right. Speaking making the guard flinch a little. âThis one. Shot his own friend who didnât win to escape with him. Not wanting to be a decepticon.â
He stepped and stood behind the next gaurd. âThis one caused a fewâŚâaccidentsâ. Causing any of my guards to have to go to the med bay.â
He then stood behind the next. âThis one stealing some extra energon.â
And then stood behind the last one. Who was shaking a bit. Soundwave noticed you looking down a bit. Before turning his helm to look back at Megatron.
Megatron then walking to stand next to the guard. His cervos behind his back. The room dead quiet.
Everyone knowing what this guard has done.
Megatron then snapped his digits. The guards taking away the first three. He then glanced at you. You knew why. Soon youâre walking to him slowly. Megatrons cervo soon on your lower back once more as he spoke again.
âAnd this poor excuse of a guard. tried to make someâŚmoves. One your dear leaders Conjunx.â The room is silent more before he kicked the guard on the side of the helm.
Kicking him down. His cervo remaining on your back. You trying to not flinch as yo glanced at the trio.
âItâs only fitting..â He started as he looked back at you. Before standing fully infront of you. Then his other cervo grabbing the handle of you sword, roughly pulling it out.
You looked down then back at him. Before he twirled the sword then held it where the sword no longer face you but the opposite. Holding it in a way for you to grab it.
Then remaining still as his cervo on your back pulled you closer. Your frame almost touching his as he spoke.
âYou should be the one to execute the glitch. After allâŚheâs the one who assaulted youâŚright?â You remember the night very clearly. Luckily Megatron was there to protect you as Spiker slept in the same room.
You let out a bit of a shaky voice as you looked up at him. âMegatron, I canât-â
You stopped as his optics grew brighter. His flower remaining and optics almost closed. Glaring down at you. The face that says. âTake itâ.
You looked back at the sword before taking it with a shaky cervo. His larger one now around yours as you held your sword. helping you lift it. He then spoke. âFor my Conjunx to be the executor of their assaulter. Is to be moreâŚProper.â
You closed your optics as Megatrons lifted up the sword for you. Standing now behind you. His helm leaning almost down to yours as his cervo once on your back now holds firmly at your wrist. You soon closing your optics as you felt megatrons frame against your back and the sword going down fast.
You can hear the guards head fall and roll a bit.
Slowly opening your optics too see energon blood even on your sword. Megatrons frame still against yours as the guards in the room continues to watch.
Megatrons cervo once holding your wrist now rests on your lower stomach.
Megatron then spoke loudly. âLet this be a lesson!!! Ever try anything with my sparkling And Conjunx. And I promise your punishment will be more then a head off your shoulders. I will not take kindly to anyone who chooses to disrespect me once more. Understood?â The guards nodding .
Megatron then stepping back a bit. You now holding your sword without his cervo around yours. But his other still on your stomach as he spoke once more.
âDismissed.â The guards soon leaving.
He then nods at the trio. Them taking their leave as well so itâs just you and Megatron. His cervo moving from your stomach as he walks to stand next to you.
You looking at your sword before putting it back in its handle. You then looking at him as a couple guards took away the body. Megatron spoke. âHave no one come in for the next 10 minutes.â
The guards nodded and soon are out of the room.
Megatron walks to his throne. Taking a seat as the room remains dead silence once more. He then gently patted his thigh as he looked at you. You slowly making your way toawrds him. Standing before him as he stared up at you.
Megatron then reached for your cervo. Gently holding it and bringing it to his dermas.
Giving a gentle kiss on the back of it as he closed his optics. You just stared at him before speaking.
âMegatron. Iâm not some executioner. And thisâŚâŚâ You turned your helm nod upper frame toawrds the blood on the floor.
âDo you really want our sparkling to be in an envirment like this?â He just stared down at your cervo. Dermas still pressed against it as he thought. He thought hard before responding.
His other resting on the arm of the throne as he leaned back a bit. Then speaking to you in a low voice.
âI suppose youâre right. But I must show these damn mechs and nutural bots that you, my sweetspark. Are mine. And so you being my executioner. Will help me show that.â
He stood from his throne as he said that last sentence. You stared up at him while he gently grabbed your waist and kissed you deeply. Kissing seems to be the only form of affection he can give since the cause started.
His dermas then on your neck. Then speaking inbetween kisses. âItâs been so long you knowâŚusâŚagainst each others frame..â
He continues. You glancing to the door. Soundwave standing there before walking away through the open door.
Youâd look at him before looking back at Megatron. Your cervo moving to the back of his helm. Grabbing his attention. He leaned his helm up and looked at you. Both of your forhelms pressed together as a form of respect.
He then spoke. His voice very low and almostâŚsoft. âYou know..seeing you show power. Even if I helpedâŚâ
He then gives you a deep and passionate kiss against your dermas. A few kisses heard as he continued before speaking once more.
âMade me remember why I chose you as my partner..My ConjunxâŚâ he then kisses you once more.
The kisses becoming more hungry.
You finally closed your optics. His cervos going under your thighs, soon lifting you up.
Your legs wrapping around his waist and your other arm going around his neck. The kiss continuing as he sat on the throne.
Your knees now against the seat of the throne next to his hips.
His cervos moving to be on top of your thighs. The kiss continuing to become more and more heated while his frame leaned forward. Pressing against yours.
Youâd soon rest both cervos on his shoulders before pulling away. Trying to say his name before he caught you off. Pressing his dermas against yours while his cervo then moves to your panel.
Gently rubbing it so you let out a small groan in the kiss while your optics stared at his.
Megatron continues with his action. Heâd then whisper against your audio sensors.
You soon hearing a click. Something warm against your thigh. âIf I see you do such a think again I might want to try for another.â
He flirted as he licked your neck cables. Making you shiver as you thought about it. It has been a while.
And Spiker is being taken cared of. But you also told her you wouldn't be long. You then letting out a soft sigh as Megatron let out a deep chuckle.
You soon opening your panel. He then speaking. His cervos tightly gripping your waist as he leaned back.
âGood bot.â Then leaning forward and kissed your neck some more.
You letting out a soft sigh while his cervos moved to under your thighs once more. Lifting you up to line you up to his cock before setting you down.
âââââââââââââââââââââââââ
Youâre sure almost 40 minutes went by. Your frame repeaditly moving against his frame and back. His cervo on your lower back as the other rests under your thigh.
His helm at the nape of your neck. His dermas against your neck pressing soft kisses every now and then. His optics shut tightly as the pleasure tries to overwhelm him and his cervos struggle to not crush parts of your frame after each movement.
Your cervo holding tightly at the back of his neck and the other on his shoulder.
Your helm leaning back as you continued your movement. Your valve squeezing tightly around him.
Practically squeezing his cock while you got closer to your next high. You both going for your 2nd round now. You both having high stamina.
You then let out a strained but louder moan. Forgetting about time. Which luckily the guards who were suppose to clean up the mess were smart enough to quietly open the door. And soon leave when they saw the two of you.
Soon you feel yourself getting close.
Moving your hips faster and harder against his hips. Megatron letting out a gasp. His cock twitching while he gets closer to his high as well.
His cervos soon pulling you closer against his hips and frame tightly as he got to hi high. You hitting yours as well as you let out a moan. Your valve squeezing the life almost out of his cock as he soon have his release as well.
He held back the urge to bite your shoulder. He doesnt need Spiker to think her sire is hurting her carrier.
It took you both a minute to read from your high before Megtron leaned back as stared up at you. Your frame still as his cervos relaxed from holding you. He then looked down between you both. Seeing his load slowly flow out of you. When he has a release he lets out a lot-
You leaned back then looked down at him before speaking. âWe shouldâŚ..go check on SpikerâŚâ
Megatron closing his optics and leaning back as he soon nods.
âYeah yeahâŚ.â His cervo once under your thigh moved to your stomach and the other once on your lower back now on top of your other thigh.
He spoke once more. Sounding as heâs out of breath. âWe should probably clean our selves firstâŚâ You nodding. âYeahâŚâ
âââââââââââââââââââââââââ
After a few minutes you and Megatron have finally calmed down from your high.
Cleaned up and made your way to the room where Thundercracker was watching Spiker. When opening the door he was playing dolls with her as she giggled. When she noticed you both she struggled a bit to show up and ran over to you both.
You kneeling down and have your arms open. Gently picking her up as Megatron stood there. Still not smiling once since the start of the day.
He stared down at Spiker as she looked up at with with wide optics. Her cervos gripping at your shoulders as you thanked Thundercracker. Spikers arms trying to be around you as she keeps looking at Megatron.
The two staring at each other with emotionless expressions. His optics almost closed as hers remain a little more open.
The two staying that way until you spoke to them. Turning your helm.
âAre you hungry my little one?â You asked as she looked back at you while Megatron continues to look down at you both. His frown still there and optics bright red not saying a word.
You three then walking to grab some energon. Spiker resting her helm against your shoulder. Megatron having his cervo on your lower back while you keep holding little Spiker.
Spiker with a small smile. You with the brightest smile. And MegatronâŚ.with a grin.
âŚâŚâŚ.Yâall like? I swear it was hard to come up with something for part 2 but given I currently have an ongoing Plan series for Megatron. I tried my best to add different elements. Also when I rewatched transformers one and hearing Brians voice as he plays as D and Megatron just- UGH!!!!! What is his voice doing to me!!??
I cant function when I hear this mans voice I SWEAR!
I hope you guys enjoy this as much as you guys do to the first bit. I hope you guys like readers choosing to stay willingly. Accepting their partners change and Megatron not being an abusive partner but is still pretty toxic.
idk I know you guys will let me know threw ask or the comments so Iâll defiently be on watch for those lmao.
As always a repost is appreciated as well as your thoughts and I hope you guys have a good rest fo your day!
#transformers#x reader#transformers x reader#transformers one#transformers one x reader#tf one megatron#transformers one megatron#megatron x reader#transformers megatron#megatron
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