#I still can’t believe they stranded that boy in fairytale land on his own for a few decades

[liliavalley]

colour show jaune in the other reblog of the laios post 😭😭😭

[justinalovee]

Now we live

Previous chapter

Chapter: 0.07

Nova stood watching as Kane tried to blend his people with her own. It was a disaster waiting to happen. She was surprised her commander had agreed to it.

“Monin.” Kane said cheerily. “I thought we'd start with a reception then move on to training. We have a lot to learn from each other. Weapons there, please. Only Ark guards are here.” Indra along with other grounders threw their weapons into a box. “Thank you for agreeing to this, Indra.”

Indra looked him up and down, before replying with a snarky comment. “We're here on the commander's orders. I agreed to nothing.”

The council meeting room quickly became full of grounders. Kane looked uncomfortable as he spoke to Jaha in a low voice. Nova tried not to smirk as she heard Octavia telling a guard to stick his tongue up his ass. She sighed listening to Kane deliver a speech about their common enemy, the mountain men.

Nova’s eyes landed on Murphy as one of the other grounders started to square up to him. She bit down on her bottom lip as she decided what to do. With eyes on them Murphy had suggested they kept a low profile with the aftermath of Finn’s death still being raw, and a part of that was not jumping in to defend each other unless it was necessary. Nova did as Lexa said and stayed away from the ceremony, but now Nova wasn’t sure if she could go back as whispers about her involvement had started to spread. Thankfully it hadn’t reached the ears of the sky clan yet.

Murphy glared at the person in front of him, “you got a problem?”

“Yu stood der watching while Ai village was massacred.” ‘You stood there watching while my village was massacred.’

Nova couldn’t hold her tongue. “Penn hod op. Yu get in em wasn’t em.” ‘Penn stop. You know it wasn’t him.’

Murphy shrugged, “sorry man. I don’t speak grounder.

Penn stepped even closer to Murphy, causing him to push the grounder back. Kane stormed over to them. “Mr. Murphy, apologize to that man.”

“For what?” Murphy asked. “He started it!”

Kane shook his head. “Two days' work detail.”

“Work detail? I just told you I didn't do it-” Murphy challenged him.

“Care to make it three?”

Penn glared at Murphy, “you can burn just like your friend.” Murphy clenched his fist but ignored the comment. He was trying his best not to take the bait.

Penn smirked, “Hei nova? ha does Ai feel bilaik a skaikru slut nau? everybody get in Yu turned bilaik bakon ona bilaik gada in kru gon Disha. cockroach. Ai wonder chit bilaik sister would fig raun taim she could-”

Penn was cut off by Murphy punching him in the face. As a riot broke out between sky people and grounders, Murphy ignored Kane who was yelling at him, and grabbed Nova’s hand and dragged her out of the room with him.

______

Murphy closed the door behind him and spun to face Nova. Who looked bewildered by what just happened. “Are you okay?”

She nodded, “I’m fine.” Her fingers trailed over the bruise appearing on his knuckles. “I can’t believe you punched Penn in the face.”

“He had it coming,” Murphy’s eyes were glued on Nova’s fingers. He wasn’t used to somebody worrying about him, she gently pressed a kiss to the back of his hand before rubbing her thumb over his swollen skin. “What did he do to you anyway?”

‘Hey Nova? How does It feel to be a Skaikru slut now? Everybody knows you turned your back on your own people for this...cockroach. I wonder what your sister would think if she could-‘

Nova shrugged, pretending the comment didn’t hurt her. “Nothing important, just that I’m a slut, a traitor, and he was starting to talk about my sister when you punched him.”

Murphy gritted his teeth. He would have done more than punch Penn in the face if he had known what he was saying. “How do you say I’m sorry in grounder?”

Nova chuckled. “I’m fiya, why? Are you thinking of apologising for causing a riot?”

Smiling Murphy shook his head. “Hell no. I just wanted to say...I’m fiya Nova.” He brushed a loose strand of hair behind ear, “you could have gotten hurt in there.”

She closed her eyes. “I’ve been through much worse, and so have you.”

Murphy gulped down, his eyes had trailed from her fingers to her pink lips. His feelings towards the grounder confused him. From the moment he let her escape the drop-ship something changed. He had never put his neck on the line for anyone before, let alone a stranger. The grounder girl who helped him live quickly became his only friend. But now? Murphy wasn’t sure if friendship was the only thing he wanted.

Nova opened her eyes to see Murphy gazing down at her. The look made her stomach tighten, her lips parted slightly as he leaned towards her.

The door to the room swung open, as Clay, a young grounder stood sheepishly rubbing his neck. “Kane en indra are lufa au Yu both. Ai heard chit happened fou, Skai boy punched penn gon defend Yu?” ‘Kane and Indra are looking for you both. I heard what happened before, Sky boy punched penn to defend you? Causing a massive fight to break out? ’

A wide smile spread across Nova’s face as she nodded, “he don dula.”

Murphy frowned as the grounder raised his eyebrows and left, “what was that about it?”

“He was asking if it was true if you punched Penn, and caused riot.” She laughed, “Kane and Indra are looking for us.”

Great, just great.

______

“Good, Fio. Who's next?”

“I am.” Octavia stepped forward, “We're supposed to train together right?”

A few grounders tutted as the sky girl argued with Indra that she should train with them. Kane stood beside Nova who was leaning against the wall. “Aren’t you going to train?”

She shook her head, “I’ve never been much of a fighter.”

“What is your skill?” He asked curiously. Kane wasn’t dumb, every grounder he had came across had a specialsed skill.

“Archer...” memories of the promise she made to Treyton came flooding back. “Let gyon au kom foutaim.” Kane raised his eyebrow at the grounders mumble. Nova cleared her throat, “We should all try our best to let go of the past. I can teach your people how to use a bow and arrow if they are interested. And Indra says it’s okay.”

He smiled, “thank you.”

______

“I take it you don't approve.” Murphy did his best to Ignore Jaha. “I asked you a question.”

Murphy stopped mopping and turned to face Jaha. “Who cares what I think.”

“I do. That’s why I asked.” Jaha looked back at his people and grounders training together. “So what do you think?”

“I think the grounders can go to hell.” The moments the words passed his lips he regretted saying them. Murphy didn’t hate all grounders, he was pissed at them getting special treatment. “Most of them anyway.”

The chancellor waited until the hallway was clear before following John further into the camp. “I got you off work detail.” He watched as the teenager screwed his face up. “You knew my son and I'd like you to take me to his grave. Now that there's a truce, it's safe for me to go see the body.”

“Then get somebody else to take you,” Murphy spat.

“I'm told the graves are unmarked. You can show me which is his.” Jaha offered Murphy a gun, which he accepted. “You can hold a mop, you can hold and gun.”

______

Murphy scoffed as he watched Jaha kneeling at Wells grave. He had no sympathy for the man who killed his father. “Are we about done? We got to be heading back.”

Jaha didn’t take his off Well’s grave, “How well did you know him?”

“Well enough to be hung for his murder.” Murphy paused, “Clarke sugarcoated it for you didn't she?”

“What happened to my son?

Murphy sighed, he didn’t want to relive one of the worst days of his life. “Twelve-year-old girl stabbed him in the neck with a knife she took from me”

Jaha shot his head up. “Why would she do that?”

“She couldn't kill you,” he shrugged. “Yeah, so you got a lot of blood on your hands, Chancellor. Every single one of them including your son would still be alive if you hadn't sent us down here.”

Jaha stood up and clasped his hands behind his back. “ If I didn't send you, they would've died on the Ark with the rest of us and we would've never known that Earth was survivable. Their sacrifice is why we are here. Good can come out of even the darkest acts, John.”

Murph groaned as Jaha started to walk the wrong way, “Camp you is that way.”

“We'll rest at the dropship for a while.”

“Suit yourself.”

______

Murphy shook his head as Jaha continued to offer him food. “You sure? You must be hungry?”

“No one gives anything without expecting anything in return.”

Jaha looked at him with a blank expression on his face. “That's a cynical way to go through life, John.”

“You pull me off work detail, you offer me food. Why are you being so nice to me.”

The chancellor cleared his throat, as if was getting ready to deliver a speech. “Everyone deserves a second chance. That's why we sent the hundred to the Earth in the first place.”

“What a load of crap. You didn't give a damn about us. You still don't, that's why you're not fighting for those kids in Mount Weather.”

Jaha gave him a disapproving look. “I have to think of everyone. I know you don't want to hear this but sometimes you have to sacrifice the few to save the many. Like I said, good can come out of even the darkest acts.”

Murphy shook his head. The only person who treated him like a human was Nova, she showed him kindness when nobody else did. “Then you can take it from me, I was pardoned, slate wiped clean I'm still treated like dirt.”

“You made mistakes, so have I.”

Murphy glared at him, “I'm nothing like you, Chancellor.”

“No, we both should have died several times over. We both suffered at the hands of the grounders. We both have been betrayed and imprisoned by our own people.”

“So there's no place for us,” Murphy said sarcastically. “Great thought you were supposed to be inspiring.”

“There is a place for all of us. When I first landed on Earth I met a woman who spoke of a place beyond the dead zone, a place where everyone is accepted, a city of light.”

“Sounds like a fairytale.” Murphy continued to listen to Jaha’s rambles about a better life, while trying not to think about what could be happening back at camp.

______

Murphy awoke in the drop-ship to the sounds of others talking. What the fuck? He jumped to his feet, “Hey what the hell is this?”

Jaha stepped to the side to reveal a small group of people standing outside. “We're going to the City of Light.”

“You're going now? There's a million ways to die out there.”

“If it's not your time, nothing can kill you. If it is your time it only takes one.” Murphy opened his mouth to reply when Nova came into view. What the hell was she doing here? Jaha smiled at the young man’s expression. “I thought you might want some company Mr. Murphy.”

Nova quickly hugged her friend before turning to face the strange man who had asked her to join them. “Do you even have a map?”

“Nope.”

Murphy wrapped his arm around Nova’s shoulder. “Then how do you know where you're going?”

“I don't, but I won't be moved by fear. You want to stop being treated like a criminal. You gotta stop thinking that's what you are. Take this leap of faith with me, John Murphy and let me show you there is so much more for you than this.”

Jaha started to lead his ‘people’ away. Murphy and Nova watched as the group started to fo further into the forest. “Why did you come?”

“Jaha...your leader said he knows what I’ve done...he apparently knows how to make the pain stop.” She blinked away tears, “I feel so guilty. Every time I see your people...I see his face everywhere I look.”

“So you want to go?”

Nova bit down on her bottom lip. “I-I don’t know. I’m not going anywhere without you, if you stay I stay.”

For the first time in hours a smile pulled at the corners of Murphy’s mouth. He weighed up their options, they could return to camp Jaha and risk others finding out what Nova had done, or take a chance. “What the hell,” he shrugged. “My people hate me, and Lexa has practically banished you. Let’s see what this place has to offer.”

Nova leaned up and kissed him on the check. Murphy locked his own fingers with hers, as they started to catch up with the group searching for the city of lights.

[erineverly]

            FATHER’S  DAY.  each  year ,  while  other  children  and  adults  hit  the  stores  looking  for  the  most  adorable  cards ,  colorful  bouquets  and  other  sweet ,  thoughtful  gifts ,  erin  attempts  to  ignore  even  the  tiniest  things  that  could  remind  her  about  the  loving  dad  she’s  never  had.  as  the  radio  stations  across  the  country  play  songs  dedicated  to  all  these  admirable  parental  figures  who  have  inspired  their  offsprings  to  achieve  great  things  in  life  and  the  commercials  on  the  tv  speak  only  about  spoiling  the  ones  who  have  taught  the  future  generations  how  to  be  better  people ,  she  pretends  she  doesn’t  hear  the  obvious  messages  they  carry  and  avoids  turning  these  two  devices  on.  she  even  goes  as  far  as  trying  to  convince  herself  that  everything’s  simpler  and  better  the  way  it  is  —  she  doesn’t  have  to  spend  hours  wondering  how  to  honor  her  dad ,  how  to  be  more  creative  than  her  siblings ,  how  to  outdo  herself  and  whatever  gift  she  gave  him  the  previous  year.  she  doesn’t  want  to  be  pitied  and  tries  to  play  it  cool  but  deep  down  it  tears  her  heart  to  pieces.  unfortunately ,  there’s  nothing  that  can  be  done  to  change  it.  her  father  has  been  gone  for  exactly  twenty  years ,  absent  physically ,  as  well  as  emotionally.  he’s  missed  all  of  her  birthday  parties ,  all  of  her  recitals  and  school  plays ,  wasn’t  there  to  teach  her  how  to  drive  a  car  or  fix  a  dripping  faucet  or  even  just  watch  her  fly  her  first  kite  at  the  shore.  all  he’s  left  her  with  are  thousands  of  scars ,  the  constantly  bleeding  wounds  that  refuse  to  gradually  go  away  as  time passes ,  and  the  only  lesson  he’s  ever  taught  her  is  how  to  question  every  person,  or  rather  every  man ,  who  tries  to  offer  her  his  LOVE.  he  doesn’t  deserve  to  be  called  a  father  and  for  two  decades  erin’s  tried  to  erase  this  day ,  behave  as  if  it  was  just  another  sunday  in  june ,  as  though  there  was  nothing  special  about  it.

            however ,  ever  since  learning  that  she’ll  become  a  parent  herself  this  november ,  she’s  been  thinking  a  lot  about  her  own  childhood  and  how  it  shaped  her  into  the  person  she  is  today.  her  father’s  absence  is  the  reason  why  she  constantly  questions  her  worth  and  worries  her  husband  will  one  day  abandon  her ,  too.  her  mother’s  authoritarian  personality  is  the  one  to  blame  for  her  shyness  and  anxiety ,  her  extremely  protective  nature  the  cause  for  erin’s  childish  and  naive  behavior.  her  parents  have  never  been  perfect  but  she’s  been  doing  her  best  to  try  and  understand  them ,  forgive  and  learn  how  not  to  repeat  their  mistakes.  she’s  been  thinking  about  all  the  difficulties  that  come  with  parenthood ,  all  the  struggles  and  tears.  it  terrifies  her ,  makes  her  wonder  if  a  person  as  broken  as  herself  is  fit  for  this  extremely  important  and  challenging  role.  the  only  thought  that  can  put  a  genuine  smile  on  her  face  and  keep  her  sane  today  is  the  one  that  crosses  her  mind  every  time  her  stormy  gaze  flickers  to  her  husband’s  bright  emeralds  —  their  child  will  never  feel  the  way  she  has.  they  will  never  feel  worthless  or  inadequate ,  unloved  or  unwanted.  their  child  will  have  someone  who  deserves  to  be  called  not  just  farther  or  dad  but  daddy  or  DADA.  someone  who’ll  truly  care  about  him  or  her.  although ,  the  first  few  weeks  have  been  nothing  but  a  gigantic  struggle  for  both  of  them ,  it  seems  that  they’re  finally  coming  to  terms  with  the  fact  that  their  lives  are  inevitably  changing.  this  giant  responsibility  has  landed  upon  their  shoulders  a  little  sooner  than  expected  but  she  doesn’t  want  to  pull  her  hair  out  or  cry  all  night ,  anymore.  she  wants  to  hope  for  the  best  and  enjoy  their  time  together  as  a  family.  

            today  is  an  extremely  special  day  because  not  only  is  it  axl’s  first  ever  father’s  day  but  also  the  very  first  father’s  day  that  erin’s  truly  excited  about  and  wants  to  celebrate  to  the  fullest.  their  baby  hasn’t  even  been  born  yet  but  her  husband  has  already  made  her  believe  that  he’s  a  better  man  and  a  better  father  than  don (  or  william ,  or  stephen ,  or  any  other  sperm  donor  in  this  world  ).  he’s  proven  that  he  can  be  the  kind  of  parent  everyone  wants  to  have.  he  hasn’t  left  her  alone  with  this.  he’s  been  extremely  caring  and  supportive ,  even  though  she  can  tell  that  this  new  role  isn’t  something  he’s  adjusting  to  easily.  for  this  very  reason ,  as  a  little  thank  you for  his  kindness ,  she’s  decided  to  give  him  an  unforgettable  day  —  one  that’s  solely  about  him.  first ,  she  let  him  sleep  in ,  get  some  much  needed  rest.  then ,  she  made  him  heart - shaped  waffles  for  breakfast  and  brought  them  on  a  wooden  tray  to  their  bedroom.  later ,  they  went  for  a  long  walk  with  their  dogs  and  got  ice  cream.  and  now  she’s  taking  him  to  malibu ,  to  their  favorite  spot ,  the  same  one  where  many  years  ago  they  had  their  first  real  date  and  realized  they  had  fallen  in  love  with  each  other.  if  she  closes  her  eyes  even  just  for  a  moment ,  she  can  still  see  this  young ,  bashful  boy  with  dreams  bigger  than  both  of  them  and  a  heart  so  full  of  affection  and  devotion ,  love  for  her  that  it  could  barely  fit  inside  his  chest ,  his  porcelain  skin  basking  in  the  sun ,  his  green  eyes  reflecting  the  color  of  the  ocean.  at  the  time ,  he  was  as  poor  as  a  rat  but  he  still  made  sure  her  stomach  was  full  and  her  mind  at  ease.  he  brought  homemade  food  and  even  somehow  found  a  picnic  basket  ( to  this  day  she  has  no  idea  where  he  got  it  from  ).  it  was  a  magical  date ,  one  of  the  most  memorable  dates  ever  for  sure.  it’s  hard  to  believe  that  shy  boy  is  going  to  be  a  father  in  a  few  months  and  the  third ��sunday  of  june  will  always  be  all  about  him.

            as  they  stroll  along  the  shore ,  bathing  in  the  warm  glow  of  the  afternoon  sun ,  erin  can  barely  take  her  eyes  off  of  her  husband.  her  husband.  she  still can’t  believe  he  really  is  her  husband,  not  her  boyfriend.  husband.  while  she  continues  to  gaze  at  him  as  if  he  hung  the  stars  and  the  moon ,  she  comes  to  the  conclusion  that  neither  the  ocean ,  nor  the  blue ,  cloudless  sky  above  their  heads  can  compete  with  his  beauty.  the  corners  of  her  lips  twitch ,  a  look  of  sheer  happiness  passes  over  her  visage.  she  has  to  admit  that  despite  being  insanely  handsome ,  he  also  looks  a  bit  ridiculous  (  or  rather  ridiculously  adorable ) with  his  red  bandana  no  longer  tied  around  his  head  but  wrapped  tightly  a  few  inches  lower ,  covering  his  starry  eyes ,  preventing  him  from  peeking  and  ruining  the  surprise.  she  can’t  let  him  see  what’s  awaiting  him.  it  has  to  be  kept  secret  until  the  very  last  moment.  after  all ,  that’s  what  makes  things  even  more  exciting.  erin’s  right  arm  remains  draped  around  his  slim  hips ,  guiding  him  and  making  sure  he  doesn’t  lose  his  balance  now  that  she’s  taken  away  one  of  his  senses.  the  sand  is  warm  beneath  the  soles  of  her  bare  feet  (  she  could  barely  wait  and  took  her  wedges  off  the  second  she  parked  her  car  and  got  out  of  it  ) ,  tiny  grains  falling  from  her  skin  with  each  step.  she  blissfully  lifts  her  chin  a  little  higher ,  closing  her  eyes  for  a  second  as  the  salty  breeze  flows  through  her  dark  ringlets  and  kisses  her  rosy  cheeks.  her  blue  cotton  summer  dress  billowing ,  delicate  fabric  dancing  in  the  wind ,  threatening  to  uncover  what’s  beneath.  it  makes  her  giggle ,  has  her  feeling  all  carefree  and  joyous.  her  fingers  curl  a  little  tighter  around  axl’s  hip  as  she  pushes  herself  up  onto  her  tip  toes  and  plants  a  gentle  kiss  on  his  cheek.  she  wishes  they  could  spend  the  rest  of  their  lives  right  where  they  are.  ❛  alrighty !  it’s  right  in  front  of  you ,  ❜  she  softly  coos,  coming  to  a  stop.  ❛  are  you  ready  ?  ❜  to  finally  see  what  this  grand  surprise  is.  she’s  thrumming  with  a  combination  of  nerves  and  excitement  as  her  slender  fingers  carefully  work  on  undoing  the  knot.  with  his  red  strands  and  the  summer  wind  in  the  way ,  it  takes  her  a  good  minute  to  succeed.

            right  before  them ,  in  a  more  secluded  area  of  the  beach ,  with  a  beautiful  cliff  on  one  side  and  azure  waves  crashing  against  the  shore  on  the  other ,  erin’s  created  their  charming  picnic  spot.  all  she  needed  was  an  ounce  of  creativity.  when  combined  with  some  stunning ,  exotic  flowers ,  a  bohemian  teepee  tent ,  a  few  fire  logs  (  in  case  they  decide  to  stay  long  enough  to  watch  the  sun  set  on  the  horizon  and  it  gets  cold  )  and  some  sweet  treats ,  it  resulted  in  a  picture  perfect date  plan.  with  a  little  help  from  her  brother ,  erin’s  managed  to  make  it  look  more  than  just  decent  —  something  straight  out  of  a  movie  or  a  fairytale.  the  linen  walls  of  the  tent  are  meant  to  protect  them  from  the  wind  and  keep  the  bright  rays  away  from  her  husband’s  porcelain  skin.  garlands  made  of  lilies  and  peonies  adorning  the  entrance ,  their  smell  a  combination  of  sweetness  and  happiness.  inside  the  teepee ,  to  make  it  even  more  cozy  and  inviting ,  there’s  a  pile  of  soft  blankets  and  a  bunch  of  colorful  pillows ,  as  well  as  a  picnic  basket  with  all  kinds  of  delicious  teats  underneath  its  lid.  there’s  also  a  blue  bag  —  a  little  gift  from  their  unborn  child  to  the  greatest  daddy  in  the  world.  inside ,  among  torn  rose  petals  and  a  few  other  presents ,  he’ll  find  a  t-shirt  that  says  dada  bear  and  a  tiny  onesie  that  says  little  bear ,  an  album  with  pictures  of  them  and  captions  explaining  (  in  simple  yet  poetic  words  )  their  journey  together  from  the  night  they  met  to  the  day  they  found  out  they  were  having  a  baby ,  a  brand  new  video  camera  so  that  they’ll  be  able  to  record  all  the  precious  moments  with  their  son  or  daughter ,  a  tape  with  some  of  their  favorite  songs  turned  into  lullabies  that  her  brother  and  his  friends  had  worked  in  secret  for  weeks  on  and  a  red ,  heart - shaped  card  .  .  .  a  small  letter  from  their  baby  to  him ,  written  in  erin’s  handwriting :  

           happy  father’s  day,  daddy  !            it’s  the  very  first  one  that  we’re  celebrating  and  i’m  just  a  teeny  tiny  human  now  but  i  already  want  to  tell  you  so  many  things  !  first  and  foremost  — I  LOVE  YOU  SO  MUCH !  i  love  you  the  mostest  !  and  even  though  you  sometimes  doubt  yourself ,  i  know  that  you  are  the  best  daddy  in  the  whole  wide  world  and  i  am  so  grateful  that  it’s  you  i’ll  get  to  learn  from  in  the  future.  my  favorite  part  of  each  day  is  the  one  when  you  talk  or  sing  to  me ,  or  when  you  kiss  and  hug  me.  i  can’t  wait  to  finally  meet  you  and  fall  asleep  in  your  arms  or  on  your  chest  or  even  in  my  crib  with  you  watching  over  me  but  i  have  to  be  patient.  just  a  few  more  months ,  daddy.  i  may  not  be  able  to  give  you  many  precious  gifts  now  but  i  promise  to  draw  plenty  of  pretty  pictures  just  for  you  in  the  future  !  i’ll  bake  thousands  of  cakes  and  cookies  for  all  your  favorite  holidays  and  i’ll  sing  all  of  your  favorite  songs  in  the  car  with  you.  i  can’t  wait  to  finally  hug  you  back.  next  year ,  we’ll  do  all  these  fun  things  that  dads  and  their  babies  do  !  i’m  looking  forward  to  meeting  you  and  celebrating  many  more  father’s  days  with  you  —  the  coolest  daddy  in  the  universe  !              i  love  you  so  much ,              your  teeny  tiny  rose.

            clutching  her  husband’s  red  bandana  in  her  left  hand  and  squeezing  his  wrist  with  her  right  one ,  erin  carefully  studies  his  expression.  her  heart  has  somehow  left  her  chest  and  is  now  beating  within  the  confines  of  her  throat ,  not  even  the  delicate  breeze  can  carry  away  all  of  her  worries.  what  if  instead  of  making  him  happy ,  she’ll  only  stress  him  out  ? what  if  he  gets  upset  or  decides  the  gifts  she’s  picked  for  him  are  too  cheesy  ?  she  can  only  hope  it’s  not  too  much  for  him  to  handle.  after  all ,  she  wants  this  day  to  be  special ,  not  terrifying  and  stressful  for  him.  ❛  happy  father’s  day,  axy,  ❜  she  whispers ,  pressing  her  lips  to  his  soft  cheek  and  kissing  it  again.  her  hand  curling  a  little  tighter.  ❛  our  lion  cub  wanted  to  do  something  nice  for  his  or  her  favorite  dad  and  so  .  .  .  this  is  what  we  came  up  with.  we  know  you  like  picnics  and  the  ocean  ?  i  got  applesauce  and  peanut  butter  sandwiches  ?  happy  first  father’s  day ,  baby.  ❜

☆  ;  @thornrosed​

[softjeon]

Drown in me | Pt. 3

• Pairing: Pirate!Yoongi x Siren!Jungkook • Genre: Angst, Fluff | Pirate!AU / Siren!AU ( → Gifset Trailer) • Words: 9,5k • Disclaimer: mentioning of blood, alcohol, abuse, nsfw content

written with @cassiavioletblue

↳  “When I sing…people do weird things. Strange things happen.” Yoongi laughed awkwardly but stopped right away when he realized that Jungkook was serious about what he had said. This wasn’t a scared little boy trying to make use of some fairytale to scare the captain of the ship he’s been brought on into submission. He believed what he said.

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Since Yoongi had found the map on Jungkook’s back a lot of things had changed. He looked at it first thing every morning, right after waking up. Jungkook had made a little habit of his own as he tended to sleep in his bed now. Of course Yoongi would never say it out loud but he actually loved this, getting to bed and finding that Jungkook had already warmed it for him with his body or spending the sleepless hours he sometimes had and usually spent staring holes into the planks of his ship and questioning his existence with different distractions like tracing the star spots on Jungkook’s back or just watching him sleep. He just seemed to become more and more beautiful the longer he looked at him.

Namjoon had joked that apparently Jungkook had bewitched him after all because he looked at him the same way he had looked at treasures before. Needless to say, that Yoongi had just completely ignored him. No one bewitched the black captain. He just was a man with needs and having someone like Jungkook close to him all the time brought up certain thoughts of course.

That was all.

While the crew was getting the ship ready, some men were loading sufficient provision, some saying goodbye to their families as they were ready to take on a new adventure and Hoseok leaned over the map that had been transferred from Jungkook.

“And you are sure that this is the only way to get there?“ Hoseok hummed, eyeing the map and studying it carefully. As the main navigator he had to make sure they all got to their destination safely and the route that the captain chose this time wouldn't make it easier. “We're sailing close to Nightmare's territory and this isn't calm water. And this right here, there's a reef, we could run aground if we’re not working together. We have to be careful and slow. You sure you want to do this?“

“Ah, no, now that you told me this I think we should all just retire, give up the ship and live calm, riskless lives till we die.” Yoongi laughed at Hoseok’s face, “Come on, we are pirates. Since when are we afraid of reefs or riffs or other pirates?“ He had to admit that those kind of pirates were pretty scary, and the ‘Nightmare’ was a ship that lived up to its name but he definitely wouldn‘t say that out loud in front of his crew. To them he was their fearless captain!

“Just wanted to make sure. You have been acting awfully soft lately,” Hoseok nodded nonetheless with a proud smirk. “Let’s get some magical treasure then.”

...

Jungkook leaned over the edge of the ship, enjoying the salty breeze. It was still weird sometimes to be able to roam around freely - well, as freely as he could. Yoongi was always close, his eyes on him as if he still didn't believe Jungkook would stay. But the siren wanted to see the mirror, too. He had an aim now. And staying with the pirates hadn’t turned out to be so bad.

“Oh, this one is pretty!” Jungkook had wanted to go back into the cabin, when he saw the shell collection that a pirate was sorting out, taking in new ones, carefully cleaning them and making sure they would glisten perfectly under the sun. He got onto his knees, reaching for one of the closed oysters that were still alive “Can I?“

Jungkook motioned for the young pirate to be quiet, to not make a big fuss about it and held his palm on top of the oyster careful not to hurt it. “I can't promise that there will be a pearl,“ Jungkook whispered, when the oyster began to tremble and open up, “This way you don't have to hurt them.“

The young siren smiled, seeing Yoongi out of the corner of his eyes, observing them carefully as if someone could jump and try to attack him again. He came up to them, watching how delicately Jungkook handled the oyster. They would die on land and for a horrible second he wondered if keeping Jungkook on his ship would kill him too. Not for the lack of water but because of the risks Hoseok had just reminded him of. His crew was used to this kind of life - but Jungkook was gentle and caring and if they got in a fight Jungkook would be the first to fall if he couldn’t defend himself. He couldn’t just start to sing or else all of them would feel the effects. “Hey fishboy. Are you trying to get yourself a pet here?” He smiled as if he wasn’t just thinking about how he wouldn’t be able to take it if Jungkook died. Just because of the treasure of course.

Jungkook shook his head, “I don't know what you call it, but I wanted to make a friend. Not a pet.“ He looked at Taehyung who was just as cluelessly looking back at his captain, thinking Yoongi had talked about Tae and not the oyster. His expression only changed when he saw that there was really a pearl inside of the oyster. Jungkook smiled at him, “If you take him back into the ocean, I'll promise every oyster will open for you in the future.“ He winked at the pirate and got up.

“So, you are friends with oysters?” Yoongi smirked. “What else are you friends with? Just so I know what not to serve you.” He wasn’t entirely joking because since Jungkook had taken him swimming and that oyster had given him a pearl he hadn’t asked for oysters in the kitchen again. Seeing Jungkook so happy about their interaction had ruined his appetite for them. Hopefully Jungkook wasn’t friends with every fish in the ocean or else they’d run out of food.

Jungkook sighed, thinking about answering Yoongi for a second before he just walked ahead and back under deck. He had enough of his teasing, and he couldn't count the times that he told Yoongi that he wasn't a fish and couldn’t communicate with them.

With the Siren gone Yoongi could talk freely to Tae who was tossing the oysters and other clams that were still alive back into the water. “Hey.” The pirate looked up at the careful tone of his captains voice. “You know that we’re going to sail some dangerous waters right? I’ll be a lot on deck and Namjoon and Hobi will be as well. I figured you’re not scared of Jungkook like most of the others? So, it would be really nice if you could have an eye on him in case anything... happens.” He didn’t have to elaborate, something ‘happening’ on a pirate ship usually meant the same things: shallow banks, navy ships or other pirates. He would feel better knowing that Taehyung was looking out for Jungkook because even though Taehyung seemed just as soft as Jungkook at first glance he could become a ruthless, merciless pirate in case someone threatened to hurt crewmembers - and hopefully he would think of Jungkook as a crewmember as well.

Taehyung simply nodded at the order, returning his attention to his collection. Maybe the siren could help him find more rare shells in return.

Down in the captain's cabin, Jungkook watched Jin set the table for two. But when Yoongi still wasn't showing up Jungkook just ate by himself, shuffling over to the bed right after. The salty air had made him tired. Even though it had become almost a routine to eat dinner together, Jungkook knew that Yoongi still had to lead his crew and his ship. He yawned tiredly, getting rid of his clothes, before he slipped under the blanket.

…

Yoongi returned to his cabin late with the sky already dark and the stars glistening. Every time he looked up at them it made him think of Jungkook now. He sighed deeply as he stretched out his muscles from a long day of ‘pirating’ as Jungkook had called it once. Speaking of which the younger had stolen his bed again, lying so outstretched that he would have to gently nudge him aside to find room. He got out of his clothes and then tried to make Jungkook roll over without waking him - which he failed because the siren sniffled a little and then opened his eyes. “Don’t mind me, I’m just trying to find some room in my bed, pretty.” Finally, he could get into bed with Jungkook and the warmed up covers felt perfect against his cold skin.

Jungkook only mumbled something that he couldn't understand as an answer, before he noticed how cold Yoongi's body was. He shivered, turning around to pull the captain closer and the blanket tighter around their bodies. “You're ice cold,“ Jungkook whispered sleepily, placing his warm hand onto Yoongi's cold and naked chest. The pirate captain chuckled at that, liking the feel of Jungkook’s hands against his body way too much. “Well why don’t you warm me up then?” He leaned in to brush a lost strand back behind Jungkook’s face and let his hand linger there a little before he let it trail a tingling path all the way over his shoulder to the small of Jungkook’s back. “Have you decided on a proper location yet?” The amusement was sparkling in his eyes.

“Whenever you aren't afraid of me anymore.” Jungkook answered boldly but the younger’s heart skipped a few beats nonetheless as heat was rushing up into his cheeks. “You're still afraid to be bewitched by my kiss? To drown?” He smirked, nuzzling his face back into the cushion and closed his eyes again. “I always thought pirates aren't afraid of anything.“

The surprise rendered him speechless but just for a second. He had thought that Jungkook would blush again and get flustered, maybe shyly admit that he wasn’t sure yet. That the siren practically gave him a pass right now came as a pleasant revelation.

He lowered his voice, whispering dark and promising into Jungkook’s ear, “Oh pretty, I’m not scared of you. I just tried to be polite and give you time to wrap your head around what it’s going to be like for you to be my companion in bed. Though if thinking I’m scared of you was the only thing holding you back then now that it’s out of the way…” He finished his sentence by shifting his weight and leaning over Jungkook. The younger looked up at him, so beautiful, so tempting and Yoongi just surrender to his desire. He closed the sirens mouth with his, hungry and demanding while his hand was finding a way to Jungkook’s chest, touching, feeling, teasing his naked skin. He was kissing the surprised gasp right from Jungkook’s lips. The kiss was effectively shutting down every worry or doubt in the siren’s mind. It had been a long time since someone had kissed him like that and Yoongi’s hands on his skin just felt too good to push away again. He had wanted this, he wanted Yoongi. He would have lied if he told otherwise. Wherever he went, Jungkook felt the longing stare on his back and when he turned around he saw Yoongi and his heart ached blissfully, a feeling he was chasing without even noticing. He had gotten used to sleeping next to him way too quickly and whenever Jungkook woke up without Yoongi by his side it felt like something was missing. He barely knew him and still, here he was, lying underneath the handsome pirate, kissing him back just as eagerly. Before he had wanted nothing but his freedom and when Yoongi gave the choice back to him, Jungkook fought the urge to just stay in the other’s arms. And although he was scared that Yoongi would not care anymore as soon as he got the treasure and that he only wanted him because of the part that was seductively siren in Jungkook, he couldn’t stop.

Jungkook moaned quietly, pulling Yoongi in closer by his waist. Yoongi felt relief wash over him as Jungkook kissed him back just as heatedly, obviously on the same page as him. He hadn't been entirely sure if it was just the siren’s nature to react to flirting and tease right back, but this reaction felt real. He quickly pushed down Jungkook's underpants that the younger wore for sleeping because everything between him and Jungkook's body felt like a personal affront. He couldn't wait to touch all of him, explore every part of his body, every inch of his skin…

The need started burning in his gut, his body reacting to the mental stimulation it got. Jungkook could feel the need rush through his body, making him impatient and feeling way too hot. Nonetheless he couldn’t help but blush, when Yoongi pulled down his underwear so eagerly. Jungkook just kept on kissing Yoongi, nibbling at his lips, his jawline and only let go off him when the pirate got rid of his own pants.

He had seen Yoongi naked before, it was nothing new, but still it felt like he saw him for the first time like this. He gulped, a rosy blush on his cheeks when Yoongi hovered back over him, kissing his neck. Jungkook instinctively spread his thighs a little further so he could feel Yoongi even closer on him, while his hands were exploring Yoongi’s body, tracing softly over a few scars from what he assumed must be from fights, before he pushed his lips back onto his. Yoongi comfortably lied back down in between Jungkook’s thighs. Feeling how willingly the younger spread them for him had him stifling a moan. He couldn’t wait to be inside him.

He inwardly groaned - not the nice kind of groan this time - when he remembered that he needed to use something on the siren to make it easier for them and that he didn’t keep stuff like that next to his bed. Though when he needed to get up from the bed anyways he could also lock the door to prevent a drunken visit from Namjoon again. If it was going well then his crew members would hear what was happening anyways as he doubted that Jungkook wouldn’t be vocal.

Jungkook propped himself up on his elbows, watching Yoongi with a fast beating heart. The sound of the door locking made him jerk a little, as he felt so on edge and sensitive already, while his eyes stayed glued on Yoongi’s back. He tried to see what the other was doing, for a second thinking that Yoongi might have changed his mind. The doubts came just as fast as they were gone again, when the pirate turned around. Jungkook relaxed visibly when he saw that it wasn’t a cloth or anything alike to stuff his mouth with.

At the wide eyed look Jungkook gave him Yoongi startled a little. Getting up from the bed without a word after making out probably hadn’t been his best idea. “Don’t worry I just got some coconut oil from the shelf. It should work. I’ve used that kind of stuff before.” He got back on the bed, sitting back on his heels and then ordering, “Turn around for me, please.”

Jungkook couldn’t decipher the feeling inside of him, anything of it really: The aching to let Yoongi have him, the fear in him, the anxiety that he would let go off him as soon as he got his treasure and that he was just someone to spend the nights with. And still he wanted him. Jungkook tried to wave it off that he was just having his ‘needs’ too. He just couldn’t keep his hands to himself. Jungkook did as Yoongi ordered and turned around to look at him over his shoulder, biting his lip in excitement. Yoongi gave the younger a once over, from his long neck down over his shoulder blades that still stuck out a little too much even though Jungkook ate more regularly now since they had established their new rules of him being not-quite a prisoner. His small waist gave his body a slight curve that Yoongi found incredibly attractive. His eyes were glued on the siren as he opened the jar with the oil. He generously coated his erection with it, jerking himself a few times until it became too slippery to be enjoyable. However, it would be different with Jungkook‘s body so he added a bit more just to be sure and then wiped his hands clean on the sheets. He needed a good grip on Jungkook‘s hips.

Jungkook’s heart was only beating faster when he watched Yoongi jerking himself, soft, low groans leaving his lips and the need to lean in and kiss him again overwhelmed him completely. He felt a little left out, that was until Yoongi gripped him tight around his hips, pulling him closer and tearing a squeal from him. Jungkook instinctively spread his thighs a little more to give Yoongi better access. Yoongi positioned himself at Jungkook’s entrance and started to push in, only going slower when he felt how much Jungkook’s body resisted. He’s had a lot of sex so far, seeking distraction on every island they landed on, but he had always chosen the easy, no-strings-attached way; which meant male prostitutes, rent boys, the men he found on the side of the street or in certain bars. He’s never had to prepare them before. Jungkook was different though and Yoongi was a little out of his depth when he realized he might be going too fast for him.

“You... you’re not a virgin, are you? You’ve done this before…with humans?” He stuttered, trying to keep himself from pushing further in because the tightness felt heavenly - even though he knew it must be a little too much for Kook.

Jungkook nodded his head, his hands gripping the bed sheets tightly. “Y-yes, but you know…the kidnapping and…all,” He was panting, chuckling low, “The last one sold me to those sailors.” Reaching behind him, Jungkook held onto Yoongi’s waist keeping him steady, “Just go slow, okay? I can take some pain.” He looked over his shoulder for a moment, his gaze turning sultry, “I really want you, Yoongi.” Slowly, Jungkook moved his hips, gasping when the feel of being stretched out hit him hard – but he didn’t stop.

“You mean..?” Jungkook didn’t seem the type to look for one night stands so if Yoongi wasn’t wrong then the Siren had just told him that the last person he had trusted or been in love with had sold him into being a prisoner on a ship. Which only very few managed to survive. Ships had their own laws. Even for a human being sold like this promised a nightmare to come - and all the more if you were a creature of the sea supposed to show the crew a way to magical treasures you didn’t know much about. It must have broken Jungkook’s heart.

Yoongi leaned over him, suddenly feeling protective and started kissing his neck,  soothing over his shoulder to relax him. The only thing he was grateful for was that if Jungkook’s last time had been with that dishonorable prick it meant that the sailors at least hadn’t touched him. Going slow together with his caresses seemed to make it a little easier for the younger as he slowly opened up to him, inch by inch. Yoongi’s thighs trembled from the tension of holding himself back. It felt so good, better than he had ever felt before. “Fuck, you’re... incredible!” His suppressed moans sounded desperate already even though they hadn’t really started yet.

Jungkook couldn’t keep from smiling, feeling proud that he was the one making Yoongi so desperate, his fingertips digging deeper into his waist. The younger felt totally breathless when Yoongi completely bottomed out and he was sweating already. Jungkook moved his hips slowly, circling them to get used to the feeling of being filled, pushing back onto Yoongi with a little pressure, then a little more. Soft moans were spilling from Jungkook’s lips, “Please, Yoongi!”

Yoongi cursed filthily in best pirate manner when his hips met Jungkook’s ass. The younger felt better than he could have ever imagined or dreamed of; he was pure tightness and velvety heat, perfect muscles and peachy skin under his touch. “You good?” His breath didn’t last for more and he was actually quite proud that he waited for Jungkook’s affirmation before moving although everything in him ached to thrust forward and indulge himself in the younger’s sweet body. He wanted to take as much as he could before he would lose Jungkook to the water or another ship again. “Mh’ yeah, would be better if you started fucking me, or is this it?” Jungkook answered cheekily, although he knew better by now not to tease the pirate. He smirked, pushing his ass back onto him sensually.

”Did you just..?” Yoongi’s mouth hung open before his expression turned dangerous. “Whatever you want, baby. Just don’t come crying to me if you can’t walk tomorrow. I’ll make you remember who had that sweet ass of yours.” He rubbed his palm over the firm flesh before roughly pulling the boy back against him. He could feel himself slide in deeper and from the way Jungkook shuddered helplessly he wasn’t the only one who felt like he was losing his mind from pleasure. With his hands on Jungkook’s ass and his weight on top of the younger he controlled him completely, setting a deep and dirty pace that had the bed shaking. Jungkook was trying to hold onto the headboard to keep himself steady, the thrusts making him jerk forward with each push. “Ah, it feels so good,” He moaned and laid his head back down onto the cushion, his ass up as he reached for Yoongi’s hand. He placed his own on top, just to feel him even closer. Jungkook couldn’t withstand Yoongi, not physically nor emotionally. The thrusts were hitting deep, making him shake and tremble so quickly like he never had before. Jungkook closed his eyes, dwelling in the pleasure, sweet, melodic moans the only thing that mixed with his heavy pants.

The moment Jungkook started to moan for real was when Yoongi felt it; it was like being hit with something hot, like a wave that pulled him under. He didn’t stand a chance from the onslaught of pleasure that filled him, so suddenly that he almost lost balance.

“Oh.. oh fuck!” He held onto the younger for dear life as his harsh, deep trusts only teased more sounds from Jungkook’s throat. The more he used his voice the more unbearable the desire became, ebbing and flowing through his body like the ocean, filling his senses, his mind until he couldn’t think about anything else but Jungkook and that he was inside of him. He wanted to become one with Jungkook so desperately, to come inside of him and make the siren fall apart because of him that it became a need more important than oxygen. He needed to feel Jungkook closer, to fill him out, make him his, etch himself into Jungkook’s heart and body as deeply as he could.

Jungkook could feel his thighs shaking with the way Yoongi was going for it. He sat up a little more, leaning back and letting the pirate wrap his arms around him to keep him seated on his cock while he turned to kiss him sloppily. Jungkook loved the feel of Yoongi’s sweaty chest against his back, his warmth and secure hold and the force with which he fucked him. He stole one more kiss, before the siren let himself fall onto his hands again, spreading his thighs a little more and starting to jerk himself off. Jungkook moaned Yoongi’s name loudly, his hole tightening deliciously around the pirate’s cock with each stroke.

Yoongi held onto the siren as if he was everything that kept him from losing his mind and right now it felt like exactly that. He whispered praises into Jungkook’s ear, telling him how beautiful he was, how kind, how much he loved to see his smile first thing in the morning when it was still a little sleepy and only meant for him. He told him breathlessly how much he loved to watch Jungkook by the sea and how he had wanted to drag him into his cabin and just take him whenever Jungkook had gone skinny dipping, presenting that well rounded ass to the pirate as if he was teasing him with a delicacy he wasn’t allowed to taste. The words just kept coming as if something had loosened his tongue and made his heart spill over, so that he was confessing all his feelings in a rush, a fresh haze of heat burning him from the inside out whenever Jungkook so much as gasped or moaned or melodically whimpered his name while he touched himself.

Jungkook’s jerks were getting more desperate, his pants and moans louder so that he was sure his magic was reaching further than the captain’s cabin by now – but he didn’t care. Nothing of it was harmful anyways. A smile played on his lips, when he trembled and Jungkook pushed his ass back a little more, “M’ so close, please.”

Yoongi was close as well - but he couldn’t speak or tell him otherwise, his voice had been lost in what he was feeling. He was too far gone to realize that it was the siren’s magic that had infected him, heightening his pleasure because that’s what Jungkook was feeling. He was at the mercy of his own desires, his own lust and the closer Jungkook got to finishing off the more intense it got and the more overwhelmed he felt.

His grip around Jungkook’s waist tightened as if he never wanted to let go of the boy, his thrusts becoming more sharp and reckless as he chased his own pleasure. He fucked Jungkook so hard that the boy gasped for breath each time the pirate snapped his hips forward, right into his sweet spot that made him see stars flashing in front of his eyes. It didn’t take long for Jungkook to fall apart right on his cock. His thighs were trembling, his whole body shaking from the pleasure as he cried out. Jungkook fell forward, a quivering mess, his muscles clenching tightly from the waves of his orgasm, feeling blissfully gone in pure ecstasy. Each stroke inside of him, made him shiver even more, intensifying the feeling and when Yoongi began to tremble, his thrusts faltering, Jungkook was still clenching around him in aftershocks, trying to catch his breath. Yoongi came hard and with a hoarse cry, harder than he could ever remember coming before. He kept Jungkook close to him, riding out his orgasm buried deeply inside the younger’s sensitive body until the siren started twitching and jerking every time Yoongi’s shallow thrusts send him further into overstimulation. Yoongi tried to find his voice or get his breath back but failed miserably, still lost in the waves of pleasure when Jungkook's body stopped shaking and his own muscles stopped trembling as well.

When Yoongi finally pulled out, Jungkook just let go and let himself fall into the bed. The wet, hot cum inside of him had him feeling so utterly dirty but Jungkook couldn’t get himself to get up right now. He sighed softly, feeling Yoongi’s body slump down next to him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the…the moans,” Jungkook whispered and turned to look at him, “But you looked so beautiful when you were gone, and it doesn’t harm you. I didn’t want you to be scared.” A faint smile appeared on his lips and Jungkook shifted a little closer to Yoongi, holding onto him tightly. “Oh,” It made a lot more sense now, how incredible Jungkook had felt and how he had lost himself so quickly. He couldn’t find it in him to care though. He felt amazing. Sated and boneless, limbs heavy and mind blissed out. “Were you trying to bewitch me, or does it come naturally to you?” He lowered his voice to whisper into Kook’s ear, “Do you get everyone hot and bothered every time you jerk off too? Maybe that’s why I wanted you so much. How often did you make yourself come next to me at night, moaning your siren song into my ear?” He didn’t mind the sweat or cum on Jungkook, so he pulled him back in, nipping at the juncture of his neck. When it didn’t have enough of an effect he rubbed over Jungkook’s nipples, knowing that the other must be hyper aware of his oversensitivity right now.

The siren shivered, “No, it comes naturally.“ Gasping lightly, Jungkook felt too weak to hold Yoongi back, letting him nibble and kiss him everywhere he could reach. “What?“ He placed a hand on Yoongi's chest, “I would never, not when you're sleeping next to me. Did you?“ Jungkook's eyes grew wider at the sudden imagery in his head.

Yoongi smirked, kissing Jungkook's cheek half smug, half apologetically. "Yeah, I did. After we went into the sea together and I saw you naked and wet, and so so fucking beautiful and then you let me touch you - and practically told me that I could fuck you some time...you didn't think that would leave me cold, did you?" At Jungkook's shy reaction he added, "Don't worry, I didn't touch you, I just waited till you were asleep and then imagined how it would feel to sink into your tight heat and take you right on that beach. Nothing I imagined came even close to what it actually feels like to fuck you though. I hope you enjoyed it because I definitely want to do this again. And next time I know I need to go slow first. You're not hurting, are you?”

The younger’s cheeks were blushing, and he mindlessly drew pattern into Yoongi’s chest in his embarrassment, “N-no. I’m okay. I’ll just go and wash up really quick.” Jungkook leaned in and placed a kiss on the pirates cheek, one that let his own heart jump, because he’d never been the one to initiate things like that. Jungkook carefully got up and around the bed, giving Yoongi the perfect view of the bruises forming around his waist where he had gripped him tightly. Looking over his shoulder, he smiled, before he vanished into the small bathroom to wash himself. The bowl filled with water was ice cold, but Jungkook didn’t mind right now. He could hear Yoongi shift around in the room and when he came back, he noticed the changed sheets. “Thank you.” Jungkook whispered and laid back down next to him, not even bothering to put clothes back on. He put his arm around Yoongi’s waist, pulling himself in. Tiredly, he nuzzled his face closer, blending out every doubt and thought about how Yoongi was just using him and would drop him soon after he got what he wanted: the treasure. Jungkook was just a beautiful siren that passed his way and the more he thought about it, the more he realized his own fears had changed. Jungkook shuddered.

"Are you cold?" Yoongi had misinterpreted Jungkook's shudder and held him a little tighter to his chest, rubbing over his arms to warm him up. "I can get you another blanket if you want?" Suggesting that Jungkook put his clothes back on wasn't an option as he liked it too much to have the younger naked in his arms. Seeing the bruises on Kook made him feel satisfied as it would mean Kook would remember him - it was something he thought about sometimes. As a pirate he went in and out of people's life whenever they visited an Island and except for his crew no one really knew him. He couldn't change that - and also shouldn't for safety reasons. But at least he could imprint his presence in someone’s body, hoping he would live in their thoughts a little longer.

“I’m fine,” Jungkook closed his eyes and leaned his head on Yoongi’s chest, seeking the warmth of his body heat, which made it so easy to fall asleep, feeling safe in the pirates embrace.

He only woke, when the sun was shining through the bullseye again and there was no way he could sleep any longer.

Jungkook groaned, turning when he felt Yoongi leave the bed. Pursing his lips into a pout, the younger blinked his eyes open. With a sigh, he pushed the blanket away from his body and got up as well. He walked past the pirate and towards the drawer where Yoongi stored his clothes to try and find something that fit him. Unfortunately for the pirate, he could see now that the bruises were all gone and where his handprints had been the night before, there was only soft, milky skin now.

Yoongi, stopped short. He had to make a double take before he could believe it: All of the marks he had so proudly and possessively left on Jungkook‘s skin were gone. Of course, when the siren‘s ability to heal himself was able to handle cuts then a few superficial bruises were gone in no time. He hadn‘t thought about this yesterday so today came as a surprise. Yoongi huffed, feeling personally offended by Jungkook‘s healing abilities even though he knew that it was childish, that Jungkook couldn‘t control that - and that it would just give him a reason to bruise Jungkook up anew. In bed. Maybe even tonight.

“You okay?” Jungkook turned to look at the pirate when he huffed, walking over to him to brush his hand through his hair. He let his hand wander down to Yoongi’s cheek, lingering there for a little while as his gaze locked with his. Jungkook leaned in, wanting to kiss Yoongi again, but a knock on the cabin’s door made him jerk away and leave his embrace. He quickly put a shirt on, before Namjoon peeked through the door once more interrupting them. Yoongi wished he hadn’t unlocked the door already.

“You slept pretty long. How about you skip breakfast and come on deck? Hoseok needs you to help and guide through the shallow sea.” Jungkook sighed softly, folding his hands together. If Yoongi would skip breakfast, then he would need to, too. No matter where Yoongi went, and although he didn’t call him a prisoner anymore, the captain never let him out of sight.

“Great.” Yoongi’s voice was saturated with sarcasm. “You really know how to ruin my mood, Namjoon,” He took Jungkook’s chin and turned the boy’s head around to kiss him deeply and possessively, completely ignoring Namjoon’s presence. Then he leaned in, whispering a few words into Jungkook’s ear, “Why don’t you have breakfast without me and then we met back at lunch. You shouldn’t skip a meal because you’ll need your strength. Apparently your body is adamant on making it seem like I never touched you which means I’ll have to make you remember me every night.” He smirked, half promising half annoyed from how they needed to part and then quickly followed Namjoon back on deck.

Jungkook stood frozen on the spot and when Yoongi was gone and the door closed, he was completely and utterly confused. Turning around, he didn’t quite know what to do with himself now, when usually he’d follow the captain around. And only after a couple of minutes of calming his fast beating heart, did Jungkook get out of the cabin, carefully tip toeing into the kitchen to search for breakfast. Whenever a crew member passed him, Jungkook almost pressed himself to the wall, averting his gaze, not wanting to get any attention on why he was walking around alone – but luckily, no one seemed to mind.

…

“Yoongi god fucking damn it,” Hoseok yelled, “Tell your dumb ass crew to look out larboard as well. If we run aground because they thought they only need to observe one side then I’ll fucking jump off this ship and let you all sail with ten knots against a cliff.”

The captain’s answer was an angry growl. Not only was Hoseok  talking to him in a way that he shouldn’t but he was also right with what he was saying which made it even worse.

“You are part of that dumbass crew!” He reminded him roughly, “And if you don't stop running your mouth like that then you’ll go overboard either way.” He normally just overlooked Hoseok’s way of talking to him as the other did an amazing job, but he was agitated already so angering him further wouldn’t be a healthy choice for anyone today.

Jungkook was munching on an apple that Jin had given him, saying that he looked as if he was lacking vitamins, and got back on deck. He regretted it the minute he stepped out into the sun. There were crew members running around, he could hear the navigator and Yoongi screaming orders, yelling over of each other.

“If you fucking get just one scratch into my beautiful ship…”

Jungkook turned to look over his shoulder at the angry growl and up to the steering wheel, chuckling quietly. He walked ahead, his eyes only on Yoongi, when someone bumped into him roughly making him stumble. The crew member just disregarded him quickly, running off to the other side of the ship. Jungkook huffed in annoyance. “Here, Jin made you some tea and this bread is for you.” He held the metal can and the food out for the captain with a smile. “He says you shouldn’t drink whisky this early and you’ll only get it at lunch.” Jungkook quickly stepped aside again when another pirate was almost running him over.

“I can’t eat right now!” Yoongi disregarded his nice gesture with an annoyed glance. It was cute that Jungkook had thought of him but right now he didn’t have any capacities left for pleasantries, he was busy trying to stay afloat and keep them on the water instead of under it. “You eat it - you need it anyway.” He ran over to another pirate, yelling at him for taking the wrong rope and messing up the knots.

For the second time today, Jungkook stood completely confused, looking down at the bread and tea. He bit his lip. The younger could clearly see that Yoongi had his hands full, but still the way Yoongi had talked to him left a bitter taste in his mouth. Jungkook smiled faintly at Hoseok, who looked at him pitiful and he quickly began to place the food and can down where Yoongi could still take it if he wanted to. It was too chaotic on deck for him, a perfect mirror for the turmoil of feelings inside of himself. Jungkook barely had managed to get up when a wave hit the ship. The tea sloshed out of the can first and then the rest of what was left hit the planks together with the high sound of porcelain shattering. Yoongi cursed before he even saw where it had come from or what had happened. “Which of you fuckwads was stupid enough to leave dishes on deck? If anyone gets cut and bleeds out I’ll make the idiot who’s responsible for that share that fate! Clean it…” He broke off, when it hit a little too late that Jungkook’s had dishes with him when he had come on deck to bring him tea and bread. He turned and there he was, standing close to the white, sharp shards that were scattered all across the planks and tumbled even further every time the ship moved a little too roughly.

Jungkook’s eyes were wide and he looked back at Yoongi for a second, eyes fearful and then he quickly got onto his knees and began collecting the shards. He pulled his shirt out of his pants to form a little hollow to put the shards in, mumbling a few apologies. He didn’t really notice when he cut himself on a shard, trying to catch it before it flew further away from him as they sailed through the tides. The younger tried not to show how embarrassed he felt, but the laughing and pointing of the crew members around him made him feel awful. “It was your little siren, captain.” One of them said, holding their stomach as if they couldn’t contain their laughter. “Not as graceful as we thought.”

Jungkook quickly grabbed the can, mumbling something about how he would get something to clean it up further, as he balanced the shards and everything else, trying not to stumble. He was so concentrated on not letting any of the pieces fall from his grip that he didn’t notice when one of the Pirates tripped him up. Yoongi didn’t see that from his point of view, however he saw Jungkook lose his balance and fall forward, effectively throwing everything he had collected all over the place. More laughing from the pirates and curses from Yoongi washed over the siren who looked as if he had fallen into a few of the sharp, broken pieces himself.

Jungkook cried out in sudden pain, carefully bringing his palms back up to see the damage. He was shaking with the anger, blood dripping down his hands. Jungkook hated this day already and the crew was adamant on making it worse. In his vibrating anger, the siren didn’t notice how the waves were starting to tremble too, as if the ocean was mimicking his emotions. He snapped around, his eyes narrowed as his gaze bored through the laughing crew members when a wave hit overboard and drowned the pirates with it. Jungkook’s eyes widened in shock when all three of them tumbled over, now soaking wet, coughing for air. Jungkook gasped, when the tension fell off him, just like the wave ebbed back into the ocean. He had never done such a thing before and for a second he was completely stunned.

Yoongi had tried to get to Jungkook to check up on him but he wasn’t in time to stop him from working his water magic or spell or whatever it was that he was doing. It definitely helped with the laughing because there was dead silence the second they all realized that the sudden wave came from Jungkook, then there was murmuring, like an angry swarm of hornets. Out of the corner of his eyes Yoongi could see one of the pirates draw his blade and instead of carefully helping Jungkook up like he had wanted he gripped him painfully on his arm to pull him up right away. “Get up!” He hissed, dragging the younger along with him under deck.

“I didn’t mean to! I swear!” Jungkook was trying to explain right away, his heart beating into overdrive out of sheer panic that Yoongi would imprison him again, “I’ve never done such a thing before. I was angry…they hurt me, they made me fall into the shards on purpose.” Jungkook whined quietly, stumbling after Yoongi whose grip only turned more painful. “I swear, please…please don’t hurt me,” Jungkook shivered, feeling light-headed and when Yoongi stopped, he tried to turn his head, closing his eyes, waiting for the blow to hit. Yoongi held him tightly on both his arms now, turning him around so that the younger’s back hit the wall behind him, “Do you have any idea what you just did?” His voice was icy and his eyes just as cold as he stared him down.

“I’m trying to protect you! And the first time I let you be on your own, thinking that you might handle this you fucking ruin it! You’re risking not just your life but mine as well! What do you think they’ll do when they come for you and I’m trying to protect you, hm? That their captain is a reasonable human being and so they should listen to him even though he’s keeping an “evil sea creature” from them? Or that said creature bewitched him and so both of them have to die? Do you really want to drag me down with you so badly Jungkook? Is that it? Do you want to die?”

“I’m not evil! You know I’m not,” Tears stung in Jungkook’s eyes as he shook his head, “I didn’t mean to. I didn’t know I could do that…and I didn’t hurt them…they hurt me! You’re hurting me, Yoongi!” Jungkook tried to pull his arms away, his palms still bleeding. “I don’t want to die.” He shook his head, tears running down his cheeks as he sobbed, “Please…Yoongi, please don’t.”

Watching Jungkook cry in front of him made his anger vanish so that only the worry and fear were left, and his own words left a bitter taste in his mouth. He didn’t let go of him, but he loosened his grip a little. He was no longer yelling at him, but he still couldn’t look at him without the emotions washing over him, so he simply didn’t. Instead he just took him back to the cabin and sat him down. “Show me your hands.” There was still blood all over and Yoongi wasn’t sure if he might make it worse trying to clean it because that would definitely hurt. “You’ll heal, right?”

Jungkook’s eyes widened at that, pulling his hands back in fear, scared that Yoongi would punish him now. It wasn’t the first time someone would, because he hadn’t been able to control his abilities. People always feared the unknown and as soon as they found out that he healed quickly it had turned into a wicked game. Jungkook felt defeated, his heart aching painfully. “Just get it over with, please.” He looked up at the cabin with tear-filled eyes, his hands shaking, whole body shivering in fear.

The pirate nodded; his expression grim as he misread Jungkook’s reaction as a request to care for the wound despite the possible pain. “It’s going to hurt,” He warned him before getting a clean piece of cloth and the bottle of alcohol that he had used to disinfect the cut on his leg as well. Carefully he took Jungkook’s hand in his before wetting the cloth with booze and then dabbing the blood and dirt away from the younger’s wounds. A gasp fell from his lips when Yoongi didn’t hit him, but instead went for his hands. His gaze was unsure as he watched the pirate care for him. “Y-you’re not beating me up?” Jungkook asked carefully, regretting that he had asked right away. Maybe the captain would still do it.

Yoongi furrowed his brows. “I will next time you risk your life like that!” He dropped his gaze again, voice becoming softer. His crew members knew when to take his threats seriously and when to dismiss them. Jungkook however, didn’t. And considering what he had just expected him to do he would probably believe him now as well so he should better make it right before Jungkook would go back to being frightened and scared of him. “No. I won’t. The reason I’m that harsh to you is that I don’t want you to get hurt. I need you. For… for the treasure I mean. I can’t let anything happen to you. You just got me really, really scared up there. Because each time you remind them that you’re not human I feel like I need to prepare against a mutiny and…honestly I’m not sure if I’d stand a chance to protect any of us.” He gently caressed the back of the siren’s hand, the only part of it that wasn’t injured. “So please, do me a favor and lay low with your powers, okay? I’m sorry I yelled at you up there. It’s... complicated. We’re in dangerous waters and there’s a million ways thing could go wrong so I have to think about a million and one things, if you know what I mean.”

“O-okay,” Jungkook blinked a few tears away, wiping over his cheek. “I really didn’t mean to. Believe me, I didn’t know I could do this. I don’t know what happened…I was just so angry.” He took a deep shuddery breath, “I…I…won’t do anything anymore. I promise. I’ll be human!” Jungkook smiled at Yoongi faintly and obviously exhausted from the breakdown, “Just human. I am sorry I made such a fuss.”

Jungkook would have promised Yoongi anything right now, visibly relieved that he hadn’t hurt him. When Yoongi still locked the door behind him, Jungkook didn’t even jerk. He knew that in a way it was just to protect him, from keeping anyone from barging in. Tiredly the young siren let himself fall back into the mattress. He stayed like this for the rest of the day, too exhausted, not even touching the food Yoongi brought him throughout the day.

Jungkook had never been good at deciphering his feelings. As a siren, his empathic nature had always caused him trouble and finding out what he truly wanted was a struggle. When he laid on the bed alone, staring off into the distance, memories kept haunting him. It took a while until the exhaustion pulled him under and into a light sleep, only jerking awake again when Yoongi came back. The thoughts had been keeping him conscious that night, listening to the soft snores right next to him, while his eyes were wide open. He felt alone, awfully alone, holding onto himself a little tighter. Jungkook was shivering, feeling cold and exhausted and still he couldn’t sleep. Not like this. He needed to clear his head, maybe get back to bed then or wait to see the sun set outside. The crew had anchored the ship after they made it through the dangerous tides, everyone visibly exhausted and needing the night to fuel their energy levels back up. Jungkook made it out of bed quietly, closing the cabin door behind him without a creak. He grabbed one of the lanterns and a small blanket on his way up. When he was up on deck though, the young siren came to a halt, standing in complete awe. Jungkook couldn’t see a thing - because there was fog everywhere. He could barely make out his own hand. The vapor devoured it all and it seemed as though the ship was the only thing left in the world. He couldn’t even make out the ocean. All was quiet apart from the soft sound of the waves, the silence magnifying the noise of the sea lapping against the sides. But there was something different about the fog. Something that made his stomach churn. It was like the ocean was telling him to be careful.

Jungkook held on tightly to his lamp, walking ahead, narrowing his eyes to see through the fog. Something had caught his eye. He shook his head, rubbing his eyes again, thinking that they were playing tricks on him. Putting his lantern down, Jungkook leaned over the rail of the ship so he could see better.

There was another ship.

A bit further away from theirs. He could see it now. A chill ran through his body and a weird feeling inside his stomach made him want to run but the curiosity kept him still. A sudden loud crashing noise next to him had Jungkook jerking around, his heart beating fast. His lantern had fallen, the glass splintering into a million pieces, the candle extinct – he hadn’t touched it. Jungkook’s eyes were searching in the dark, trying to keep his breathing under control. Something felt awfully wrong.

“Y-Yoongi?” Jungkook stumbled ahead and through the fog, the urge to be back under deck and slip under the blanket was overwhelming now while he was internally pleading for the morning sun to rise quickly. When he neared the door, Jungkook stopped abruptly. His eyes flickered back and forth. There was a women blocking his way. Her dirty smirk only enhancing her haunting aura.

“Well, well.. aren’t you quite the catch..” She sounded excited but completely relaxed as if her being on the ship was completely normal. Before Jungkook could react she gripped him at the shoulder and turned him around until his back was pressed against her chest and she could wrap her arms around him completely, one hand closing over his mouth to keep him from making a sound, the other one reaching for her weapon to threaten the siren with. “Be smart, little boy. No sound or else you’ll have a few more holes than you need.” She whispered, still sounding more amused than threatening as she casually spoke about killing him.

Jungkook was panting against the hand over his mouth, his eyes searching through the fog as more and more women stepped out until he was circled by six of them. “He isn’t one of them,” One of them said, brushing through her short dark hair.

“But then why is he here, Dami? Black never takes strangers on his ship - especially not ones that can roam around freely like this?” A woman with long blonde hair answered and came closer, eyeing Jungkook dangerously, before she pulled off a piece of cloth from her belt and they quickly exchanged it for the hand, so Jungkook kept quiet, stuffing it into his mouth, “Black hasn’t visited us in a long time… how nice of him to bring us a gift….well, then we’re allowed to do whatever with you, right?” She leaned in so close that Jungkook shivered.  

“Absolutely!” The one who held him chuckled, brushing back Jungkook’s hair as if she was caring for him or assessing his worth. “I could think of a thing or two to do with him. Look at him, he’s so pretty! Either Black developed taste all of a sudden or there’s more behind those big brown eyes than we see. He’d look amazing in the captain's cabin on her silk sheets, don’t you think?”

“Oh yes, he would,” The leader walked up to Jungkook and his eyes widened in panic, trying to get away from her but the women were strong, keeping him in place firmly. Her bright red hair flowing in the wind. “Bring him onto my ship and then…rob this awful place. Take everything you can get and try not to wake the sleepy boys. But make sure he knows we’ve been there,” Jiu laughed. She walked a few steps, pushing her heel onto a seemingly lifeless body, that Jungkook only registered now, and lifting the poor pirates chin, who apparently has had the night shift and had to take a hit on the head, blood oozing down over his brows. Jungkook tried to scream, panicking, writhing to get out of their grip.

He wouldn’t survive another kidnapping.

They carried him easily, tying his hands up with one of the ship’s ropes until he was practically a package, one carrying his feet and another one his upper body. They hoisted him over the railing and then let him fall and for a second Jungkook was falling downwards, thinking that he was about to be dropped in the ocean to drown - before his body hit the ship’s tender boat with a dull thump. There was another woman waiting there, flinching when he landed hard on the place next to her and keeping him from falling off the side out of reflex. “Oh, hello you. I see our pilferage was worth it already. You’ll come with us?” She looked at the way he was gagged, chuckling to herself, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to answer anytime soon. “I guess so. Welcome on board then little one.”

Jungkook couldn’t help but cry out of frustration and fear. He couldn’t believe this what happening. Not now, not like this. He was begging and pleading inwardly, praying to whatever god there was to get him out of his misery. Jungkook had wanted to apologize to Yoongi again, promise him to be good and not use any of his powers anymore. He just wanted to stay with him. Everything in him just screamed to be back on the ship. Jungkook’s eyes widened in sudden realization, his heart skipping a few beats as the ship went further out of his reach.

He wanted to stay with Yoongi, be by his side, be liked by the crew members. He wanted to be seen as someone who could be at the captain’s side and not just the clumsy, frightened siren. Gulping against the lump in his throat, Jungkook began to struggle against his restraints.

He liked Yoongi.

And no matter how mean the pirate could be and although it didn’t make much sense to his own heart, the young siren wanted to be with him. Tears filled his eyes and the sounds of the women robbing the ship carelessly and the crashing of the ocean waves against the boat was the only thing he could hear.

A/N: I posted this a day earlier than usual as I am going on a small vacation the next three days. So instead of a break you’ll get the new chapter now! Thank you so much for the lovely support we have gotten for this story so far!!! It really means a lot to Cat and I! And yes, surprise ;) It’s Dreamcatcher coming to kidnap Jungkook <3 (I mean who wouldnt want to get kidnapped by those beautiful women). If you don’t know who Dreamcatcher is...what have you been doing?

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[echoes-of-the-clockwork]

Book Two: Famine (Prompto x Reader) Chapter Three

"Me?" (Y/n) asked, flabbergasted at Prompto's response.

The blonde nodded, swallowing hard. "I-I don't know why, but I always see you with these... these people who push you around. One day, you just snap and, and try to..."

"Kill them..." Famine muttered.

Prompto heard her and his eyes widened. "How did you...?"

(Y/n) sighed sorrowfully, staring down at the floor. "I was hoping to avoid this discussion for a little while longer, but it seems it can't wait."

Prompto shook his head. "You don't have to, (Y/n)."

"It's best if I do." She took a few seconds to compose herself before telling her story before her soul was dragged to Hell. "I used to live with my parents in Altissia a little over a hundred years ago. They would push me around and most of the time they were violent towards me. I had no friends, which made finding an escape even more difficult. It was the day after my twentieth birthday that I finally snapped. I grabbed a knife from the kitchen and killed my father. While I was stabbing him, my mother retrieved the pistol from their bedroom and... well, you know the ending."

Prompto slowly nodded, eyes filled with melancholy. Tears glistened in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.

(Y/n) knew why he was experiencing the nightmare over and over again and felt guilty for plaguing him with such gruesome images. Not only was he kind and sweet during their small adventures through Altissia, but he accepted her when she told him her biggest secret. The guilt continued to gnaw at her as she stood up and left the seat. She walked down the aisle, hoping the train would stop any second now so she could get fresh air.

Before she could open the door to the next car, two arms wrapped tightly around her. Her back collided with a chest and felt the person lean their head against the back of hers. "You're not gonna do that vanishing thing again, are you?"

"Prompto," she sighed. "The reason you're experiencing this nightmare is because you possess the summoning orb. It's a manifestation of my memories when I was alive. If I had known it was gonna show you my past in the form of a nightmare, I-"

"Would've never gave it to me..." Prompto said, finishing her sentence. He released his hold on her and stepped back a few inches, patting the pocket that held the yellow artifact. "I'm keeping it, (Y/n)."

"But, Prom-!"

"I don't care about the nightmare," he calmly responds. "It'll eventually go away."

"I'm not so sure about that. It's possible the images will stop once you give the summoning orb back to me." Famine replied sorrowfully. "It's the best course of action and the only one we have at the moment."

"B-But-!" He stutters.

The Horseman placed a hand on his chest, feeling his racing heart with a smile. "I'm not going anywhere, Prompto. I promise I'm never gonna leave, okay? Besides, traveling with you and your friends will provide me with the opportunity to find my targets."

Prompto sighed in relief with a smile and handed the summoning orb over. (Y/n) thanked him and took back the artifact. It vanished into thin air the second it rested in her palm.

The train lurched forward, causing both individuals to grab onto the nearest seat. With a screeching halt, the train came to a complete stop. The conductor announced their arrival at Cartanica Station and all the passengers exited the train.

The moment Prompto and (Y/n) stepped off the train, the Horseman vanished. The sharpshooter knew she would return and regrouped with Noctis, Gladio, and Ignis.

Noctis was hesitant in allowing Ignis to follow, but he was confident him, Prompto, and Gladio could help him if he needed a hand. They descended into Fodina Caestino in search of the royal tomb Cor had mentioned. The boys stepped off the elevator, the blonde stepping into a shallow puddle of water. "Feeling a little out of my element."

"We're a foreign species in this environment. Mind we don't end up prey," Ignis warned the others.

"Right, good tip," Noctis commented.

Due to Ignis' injury, he walks at a slow pace. The others make sure to not leave the advisor behind as they navigated through the abandoned quarry. Prompto remained glued to the tactician's side in case he were to slip or trip in the mud.

Continuing down the path, the party finds some mining machinery blocking the way deeper into the quarry. "They parked here?" Gladio groaned.

"Wish we could write 'em a ticket," Prompto jokes.

"Nothing but a giant roadblock."

"Ironic for a vehicle."

"If we get its motor running, perhaps we can move it out of the way," Ignis suggests.

Backtracking up the path, the group searches for a way to move the heavy machinery. Fortunately, they were able to locate a control panel. "This looks promising!" Prompto chimed.

"Is it operational?" Ignis inquired.

"We'll see." Noctis inspects the control panel and starts up the machinery. Black smoke begins to pour out of the smokestacks but abruptly stops after a moment.

"Hey," Gladio huffed. "What're you stopping for?"

"I'm not," the younger boy hissed in response.

Prompto spotted a notice sign on the side of the control panel. "Let's see here... "In case of power failure, use backup generators." There's a key in the shed!"

Noctis groaned and climbed down the battered stairwell, entering the ankle-deep water flooding the area. Prompto followed and stood next to Ignis, who was using his cane to wade through the murky liquid.

Gladio suddenly came to a halt, calling out to everyone. "The hell was that?"

"What was what?" Prompto asked, looking around the area in alarm.

"Heard something," the shield muttered, turning to look over his shoulder.

"You're just being paranoid," the raven-haired boy retorts with a scoff. "Let's find that key."

"Uh, Noct?" The blonde called out after spotting a blur of blue and black in his peripheral vision. "S-Something's here!"

The moment the prince turned around, the blur charged towards him. The boy didn't have time to summon any weapons or jump out of the way as the creature was too fast.

An unknown force pushes Noctis out of the way just as the creature came into focus. The sound of a blade piercing flesh caused all the boys to freeze up. Prompto's eyes widened in horror when he saw a blade plunged through Famine's chest, staring into the dark eye holes of her mask. "(Y-Y/n)...?"

She had been the one to push Noctis out of the way and take the blow in his place. Looking down, she stared at the sword and placed her hands against the shape blade, pushing it out of her body. Blood soaked the weapon as the creature wielding it jumped back with a low growl. The Horsemen placed her hands against the large gash, blood seeping through her fingers like a crimson waterfall.

Prompto felt faint at the sight of the tremendous amount of blood and took a few steps back, nearly tripping over his own feet. (Y/n) looked up from her wound and turned to face the monster behind her.

Not sparing another glance toward her injury, she summoned her blade-the Sword of Judgement.

"W-What the hell?" Noctis gasped as he stared at the blade and the severely injured girl. His eyes widened when he saw the wound heal and her clothes mend from where the blade pierced her body. Silently, she charged at the monster and her blade clashed against its much larger one.

While watching the Horseman and monster fight, Prompto felt the urge to help but feared he would only get it the way. He was also still in shock from the amount of blood and how (Y/n) was still alive from such a blow.

Suddenly, the air around the boy's filled with static. They saw the Horseman's blade charged with lightning as she pounced on top of the monster and pierced its sable armor. Once the blade was lodged into its body, the electricity surrounding the weapon discharged and surged through its body. It cried out in a deep, haunting voice as bolts of electricity bursted from its body.

Famine yanked the blade out of the monster's body and jumped back, charging her sword once again. The assailant saw the weapon become enshrouded with lightning and jumped high in the air. (Y/n) jumped after it, but the creature vanished before she could deliver the final blow. She cursed under her breath before landing back on the ground and dispelling her sword. "They always run..."

The moment (Y/n) turned around, she immediately sidestepped to avoid another large sword. Immediately seeing who was wielding the blade, she refused to draw her own weapon.

Before Gladio could swing again, Prompto quickly intervened. "Stop!" The shield froze at the sharpshooter's sudden outburst and stared at him as he inserted himself between him and (Y/n). "She's a friend."

"Friend?" Noctis questioned as he got to his feet.

Prompto nodded. "She's the girl I met in Altissia," he said with a gentle smile as he glanced towards her.

"No offense, but..." Noctis eyed the Horseman. "What are you?"

"Noct!" The blonde boy hissed.

(Y/n) pulled down her hood and took off her mask. She tugged at a few of her golden strands before pushing them over her shoulder. "It's alright, Prom. I'm sorry for answering a question with a question, but... what are the chances of you believing me if I said I was one of the Four Horsemen?"

"Uh..." The cerulean-eyed prince glanced down at the area where the blade once pierced her chest. "Pretty good."

"Great!" She giddily smiled and clapped her hands together. "Famine at your service, Noctis. It's more of a title than my actual name. I prefer to be called (Y/n)."

The young prince crossed his arms with a satisfied smirk. "No formalities, huh?"

"Unless you'd like me to-"

"No," Noctis quickly responded. He glanced towards Gladio, who still had his weapon drawn. "You gonna put that away?"

"Hmph..." The shield scoffed, dispelling his greatsword. "I don't trust her."

(Y/n) stepped around Prompto, eyeing the brute with piercing (e/c) eyes. "And how would I earn your trust, Gladiolus?"

"You say you're a being from a fairytale. Prove it." He crossed his arms with a fierce glare.

"Unnecessary," Ignis spoke up. "Such strapping control of lightning cannot be wielded by the royal bloodline, let alone humans."

"With your eyesight vanishing, your connection to the natural world around you has elevated-including your connection to mana. You felt my mana signature, didn't you?" Famine asked the tactician.

He nodded. "Indeed."

(Y/n) turned back to Gladio, who still didn't trust her. "I hope to earn your trust soon enough."

"You're not taggin' along," he vehemently stated.

"Why not?" Prompto asked in disbelief, taking a single step towards the older boy. "(Y/n)'s not gonna hurt us."

"She saved my ass only a few minutes ago," Noctis stated matter-of-factly. "I'd be a skewed piece of meat right now if it wasn't for her. She's good in my book."

"We would benefit from a Horseman's presence," Ignis directed towards the shield.

Gladio narrowed his eyes, still disapproving of the idea. "And why's that?"

Famine decided to step in to answer his question. "Daemons fear me and my sisters. It would keep them from attacking your group."

"Like hell it will," he growled. "That damn thing from earlier didn't hesitate to attack you."

"That's because the monster was not a daemon. The Phantom Knight has the appearance of a daemon, but is actually a monster from the Inner Sanctum, a dimension where the Horsemen watch over monsters that wish to feed off the blood of the living." (Y/n) saw the slight hint of confusion strewn across Noctis', Gladio's, and Ignis' faces. Sighing, she decided to fill them in on why she was in the land of the living. "A couple of months ago, the seal keeping the monsters at bay shattered. Some of them escaped before we could repair it and that's why I'm here. My sisters are scouring different parts of Eos in search of their targets as well."

"All four Horsemen are on Eos?" Ignis asked, wishing to verify he heard correctly.

Famine nodded. "Yes. We hope to find these abominations before they take any lives."

"She's comin' with us, Gladio," Noctis announced without caring to listen to his protest. "And, uh, thanks for earlier."

(Y/n) smiled brightly at the prince. "I should be thanking you for leading me to my first target. I've been stuck in Altissia for weeks in search of a lead, but nothing came up. It's a shame it ran away before I could finish the job, though."

Prompto, still worried about her well-being even after seeing her magnificent healing abilities in action, eyed her in concern. "Are you really okay, (Y/n)?"

"Perfectly fine. It hurt for a few seconds, but everything has mended. Guess being immortal does have some perks," she responded reassuringly.

The gunman's eyes widened. "Y-You didn't tell me you were immortal! I-I thought..."

"Sorry for the scare and for not mentioning my immortality. It may have slipped my mind," she giggled innocently. "Since that's all cleared up, shall we?" She gestured down the path leading to the maintenance shed.

"You've been following us?" Noctis raised a brow in question.

"Just a little," (Y/n) confesses with a smirk. "I've been with you all since departing Altissia. I did split up the fight on the train, but it seems anger blinded you both." Her (e/c) eyes bounced between the prince and his shield.

"Let's just find the damn tomb and get the hell back to the train," Gladio snarled before taking off without waiting for the others.

Noctis, Prompto, Ignis, and (Y/n) stared in disbelief as the shield vanished out of sight. The tactician cleared his throat and turned his head in Famine's direction. "I must apologize for Gladio's rudeness, (Y/n). It truly is an honor and a pleasure to have you as an ally."

The Horseman shook her head with a small smile. "No need for apologies, Ignis. When we get back to the loading platform, there's someone here to see you." The strategist was curious to who the girl was and wondered why she possibly wanted to see him. (Y/n) saw his face scrunch up slightly and explained a little further. "She's gonna try to help you with your eyes."

A ghost of a smile crossed over Ignis' face. "I look forward to our rendezvous."

Famine's own smile widened. "I know she'll do everything in her power to try and help you."

[gilbvrtblythe]

From Red to Green With Love Between | Anne and Gilbert

Description: Gilbert Blythe was born with a tuft of red hair sticking out from amidst his unruly dark curls... until the day it turned green. A Soulmate AU where everyone has a streak of hair that matches the color of their true love.

Author's Note: What originally was supposed to be 1500 words and 4 pages turned into this almost 8000 word 16 page monstrosity. One like is one prayer for my sanity.

Word Count:  7761

Fanfiction Masterlist | Archive of Our Own

Gilbert Blythe was born with a tuft of red hair sticking out from amidst his unruly dark curls.

He tried not to hate it, really he did. It signified something that everyone, including him, longed for more than anything else. Something that would bring ethereal happiness and love along with it.

But honestly did his soulmate have to have such an attention grabbing color of hair. And why did it have to be right by his face near his temple? A place where literally everyone could see it?

Why couldn’t it be somewhere else more discreet? He really didn’t like the fact that anyone, literally anyone, even strangers, could look at him and know what color hair his soulmate had just by walking past him on the street. It seemed like too private a detail for everyone to know.

It’s not that he hated the color, Gilbert adored it. He’d spent hours over the years twirling it between his fingers to study it in a mirror, memorizing every different colored strand that went into creating such a vibrant color.

All the dark auburns, strawberry blondes, and bright orange hues came to together to make something that rivaled the colors exploding over the horizon as the sun set each night.

The great thing that came with his soulmate having such a unique colored hair was that it narrowed the search down quite a bit. Unlike his soulmate, who unfortunately had a common plain black streak running amongst their hair, Gilbert had a streak of color that (according to the various textbooks he’d read) only occurred naturally within 4% of Earth’s population.

That along with the fact that he’d so meticulously studied the color his whole life made him sure that when he finally met his soulmate, when he finally laid eyes on the person he was destined to be with, he’d recognize them immediately and they could begin their life together.

If only it had been that simple.

  When Gilbert came back from his trip to Alberta with his very ill father, the last thing on his mind was the person who adorned the hair sprouting from that odd spot on his scalp.  

There were too many other things he had to think about regarding his future. So many in fact, that he walked almost all the way to school the following day in a trance just trying to sort through the jumble of thoughts tumbling around his mind.

What broke him out of his reverie was Billy’s taunting voice echoing through the crisp fall air of Avonlea. That along with the sound of his incessant and annoying barking peaked Gilbert’s interest.

He was able to faintly make out Billy’s figure in the near distance through the thickness of the forest. Gilbert approached apprehensively, not sure what to expect.

Billy Andrews turned around at the sound of his footsteps, crunching the dry leaves and dead branches that littered the path leading to school.

“How’s it going?” Gilbert asked, narrowing his eyes at the boy.

Billy averted his gaze and shifted his weight from foot to foot. “Hey Gilbert,” he mumbled in quiet response. It was silent for a moment, the only sound to be heard were the faint chirps of birds from the trees overhead.

“Yea it’s uh good to be back,” Gilbert said, though his attention was no longer on that of Billy Andrews.

 His eyes went past him and landed a girl, a cute girl, one that wasn’t much younger than he was, and one he didn’t recognize.

One with red hair. One with red hair that seemed almost identical to the streak he adorned. One, that with closer examination and a startling realization, he noticed had a black chunk of hair twisting in and out of her left braid. 

“Yea um,” Billy muttered, sounding really uncomfortable, “welcome back.”

Gilbert snapped his gaze away from the girl. He flashed Billy a thin lipped smile, not even bothering to make it seem convincing. “Yea, yea it’s good to see you buddy.” They shook hands, he grasping Billy’s harder than needed.

“So you guys playing a game or something. Right?” he asked, knowing very well that wasn’t what was happening, and Billy knew it too. This wasn’t the first time he’d caught Billy bullying an innocent. “Seems like fun but uh we should probably get to school now eh? Hate to be tardy, Mr. Philips sure gets a dander up about that.”

“Yea uh I was just about to get going,” Billy said. He began to walk backwards, away from him and the girl he had been bullying. “See you there.”  And with that he stumbled off.

Gilbert watched his retreating figure for a split second before turning his attention back to redheaded new girl. He gave her a brief once over, trying to figure out what to say while calming his ever increasing heartbeat.

“You alright Miss?” he asked, not able to take his eyes off her hair. It drew him in like a moth to a flame. A flame that despite his best efforts, Gilbert couldn’t look away from.

It had to be her. She had to be his soulmate.

Unfortunately enough for Gilbert however, the girl he believed might be his soulmate wasn’t nearly as entranced with him as he was with her.

She met his eyes for a brief moment, long enough for him to see that they were a brilliant blue. If anything else, the contrast made her hair seem even brighter a red.

She opened her mouth as if she were to speak, but instead she dropped down to the ground on her knees and began to pick up all of her things which were scattered around her feet.

“School,” she muttered, picking up her basket of lunch.

The girl stood up and brushed past Gilbert, not once taking a look at him. “You’re welcome,” he said, right as she passed him.

Gilbert wanted to raise an eyebrow at her behavior, but it would’ve been pointless because no one was around to see it.  “Need anything else?” he called out after her as she retreated further down the path to school. “Any dragons around here need slaying?”

“No!” she yelled back in response. “Thank you!”

He stopped in his tracks, scrunching his eyebrows together in confusion. “Hey!” he said loudly so she could hear him over the growing distance between them. “Who are you?” Gilbert held his breath while his heart skipped a beat, waiting for a response.

When it became clear she wasn’t going to stop and chat, he did the only thing that came to mind. He chased after her. “Miss! What’s your name?”

She still wouldn’t answer him, but Gilbert wasn’t one to give up easily, especially when it came to matters of importance. And this, this was important. For all he knew, the girl he was chasing after might be the one fate decided he was destined to be with.

And he couldn’t let an opportunity like that slip away.

              “What?” he said with a light chuckle as he and the girl walked up the steps of the school house. “You can’t tell me your name?” Gilbert jogged a few steps ahead and opened the door, holding it open like the gentlemen he was raised to be and let her go in first.

              The sound of chatter exploded around him as he stepped into the school house after the girl, closing the door shut behind them and taking off his hat.

 All he wanted was a name. Could she not even give him that? It wasn’t like he asking her to tell him her biggest secret or whole life story.

Just as he was about to open his mouth and speak again, the girl turned to face Gilbert. And for the first time, he got a good look at her. Her eyes, her freckles, the shape of her upturned nose, and the stray red hairs that escaped her braids and fell into her face messily.

And most importantly, she got a good look at him. Her pink lips parted slightly as her eyes took his face in, and her pupils widened as they fell upon his hair.

Gilbert’s breath hitched in his throat. He could hear the beat of his heart in his ears as it hammered against his ribcage.

She met his gaze once more, looking a little apprehensive. A moment passed. They merely stared at each other, not saying a word.

She gave him a small smile. “I’m Anne.”

Gilbert smiled back and looked down at his feet, then up at her again. “I’m Gil-“

But before he could properly introduce himself, he was whisked away by a group of boys that unlike Anne, couldn’t look more excited to see him.

  By the next afternoon, Gilbert was becoming more and more confused by the minute. He didn’t imagine it would be this hard to get his soulmate to talk to him. Or at least, a person who he thought was his soulmate.

He tried to talk to Anne, he even offered her an apple from the orchard, but all she did was ignore him, and Gilbert didn’t know why.

From all the stories he’d inadvertently heard over the years, meeting your soulmate was always described as some sort of fairytale love at first sight experience. Sparks were supposed to fly as your eyes met each other’s odd streak of hair for the first time while hearts stopped beating at the meeting of eyes.

It was supposed to be, well, simple.  And with Anne, it just wasn’t.

Maybe they weren’t soulmates after-all.

Sure Anne had a black streak running through her braid and fiery red hair that looked almost like his own odd streak, but there were a lot of people on Earth with black hair. And Anne might just be another person apart of the 4% of the population who has naturally red hair.

Maybe Gilbert was looking too hard. Maybe he was trying to force something that just wasn’t there. Maybe Anne coming to Avonlea of all the places in the world wasn’t fate. Maybe their meeting wasn’t fate either.

 Maybe it was all just one huge coincidence.

But he could’ve sworn there was something there. Something almost tangible between them. An electric charge that intensified the air between them anytime their eyes met. A pull that made it almost impossible for Gilbert to be in the near vicinity of Anne without gazing at her in wonderment.

She was something alright, and it only took knowing her for a few hours to realize that. So he was gonna give it one more shot. And if things didn’t fall into place, if fate decided they weren’t meant to be, he’d move on, and keep searching in every crowd for a girl with gorgeous red hair.

Just like Anne Shirley’s.

In retrospect, the plan Gilbert came up with was literal shit. You’d think someone as smart as him would be able to come up with something better, but sadly it seems as though that intellect only applied to academic endeavors. Not girls. Not by a longshot.

The class room was dead silent as everyone focused on solving their math sums. The sound of chalk scraping against slate filled the air along with the occasional sniffle. No one spoke, not even Mr. Phillips.

Gilbert finished his math work early, and with nothing else to occupy his attention, he looked to Anne. She was focused on her work still, her eyes not straying from the slate once.

As always, his gaze fell upon that streak of black hair that twisted through her left braid. It mocked him silently, much like he and the other students did to Mr. Phillips behind his back.

He began to twirl his streak of red hair absentmindedly between his fingers, getting lost in thought. It was an odd habit he’d picked up over the years, and one he didn’t think would stop anytime soon.

Gilbert sat up straight in his chair with a newfound purpose. He was going to get Anne to talk to him, if it was the last thing he ever did.

He took a quick glance around the room, picked up a decent sized piece of chalk, bit his bottom lip in concentration, honed in on Anne’s shoulder, and tossed it. He missed by a mere inch, but it did its job. It got her attention.

Anne stopped writing on her slate and stared at it intensely. She gripped her own piece of chalk harder, not bothering to look up.

A few others stopped what they were doing and looked up to see what was going on, but Gilbert didn’t care. He threw another piece. And this time it bounced off her shoulder.

Anne sat up straight this time, dropping her piece of chalk on the desk. She clenched her jaw and balled her hands into fists. Still, she didn’t look at him or utter one word.

A lot more people were watching now, almost everyone except Mr. Phillips. Anne was going to have to talk to him eventually if she wanted him to stop.

Gilbert glanced at the apple by the corner of his desk. He picked it up. Looking up to see if Mr. Phillips was still turned towards the board, he got up out of his seat and crouched down next to Anne.

He watched her face carefully not having ever been this close to her before, heart once again racing while his cheeks tingled.

He put the apple on the corner of her desk. “Oops,” he whispered, not looking away from her.

Anne still chose ignore his presence, and Gilbert was getting desperate. He just had to know once and for all if they were soulmates.

So he started to think of things he could do that would drive her to a point where she just had to talk to him. And it didn’t take long for him to come up with something.

Growing up, he vaguely remembered people teasing him about the one tuft of red hair he had sprouting from his head. They’d tug on it harshly and annoyingly call him Carrots as a way to get a rise out of him.

If it annoyed Gilbert, someone with only one small piece of bright red hair, there’s no way it wouldn’t annoy Anne, someone with a full head of it.

Well, he thought to himself, desperate times call for desperate measures.

So Gilbert took a look at Anne, the girl he believed that he was destined to be with, grabbed the end of her braid, and pulled it. “Carrots,” he said, in an attempt to get her attention.

And boy did it work. He definitely got her attention.

“I’m not talking to you!” Anne yelled in anger, standing up out of her seat. He stood up as well in surprise while she wacked him across the cheek with her slate.

The room let out one collective gasp. Well, he can’t say he didn’t deserve it.

Rubbing his cheek with a slight wince, he looked down at Anne who stood as still as a statue. She looked up at him with parted lips and widened eyes, her cheeks blossoming with color.

He leaned in closer, curling one end of his lips upward. “You just did.”

Anne looked at him horrified, and he looked at her with regret as Mr. Phillips called her up to the front of the room while the kids around him laughed.

The look on her face broke his heart to pieces. “It’s my fault sir,” he rushed out, standing up out of his seat. “I teased her.”

He was shocked with Mr. Philips’s lack of reprise, though really he shouldn’t have been. Everyone, even Billy Andrews, could admit that he treated girls unfairly.

What surprised Gilbert the most though, what made him feel as though he were the worst person ever to exist in the history of human kind, was the look Anne gave him as she passed him on her way out of the classroom.

Her face was void of almost all emotion except for her eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes, the ones that had a permanent twinkle to them, met his with a glint of pure unadulterated fury. They darkened a shade almost instantaneously, hatred radiated off her in waves.

If looked could kill, Gilbert would’ve been 6 feet under.

As Anne’s figure disappeared through the doorway of the school house, a heavy weight settled over Gilbert’s heart. He stared down at his desk dejectedly, once again twirling his piece of red hair between his fingers.

“Anne Shirley- Cuthbert is not your soulmate,” Gilbert mumbled, trying to convince himself of the fact more than anyone else. “Hell,” he sat back in his chair and watched as Mr. Phillip’s continued the lesson, exhaling a deep breathe, “She isn’t even your friend.”

  Gilbert never for a moment even considered the possibility that Anne could be his soulmate after that day until he ran into her a few weeks later after his father died in Charlottetown.

As he passed by the window of a pawn shop, his attention was snared by a head of gorgeous red hair. Gilbert stopped in his tracks, heart beating out his chest, and peered into the window more closely.

An odd feeling overcame him when he realized it was Anne. He should’ve known, those braids were unmistakably hers.

He watched her talk to the shop’s owner for a while with exaggerated hand gestures and facial expressions. He knew her well enough to know that she telling some story, and by the look on the shop owner’s face, he seemed to be buying into it.

With an apprehensive expression, he turned around and walked over to the cash register. Anne smiled wildly did a quick dance of celebration behind his back. Gilbert suppressed a laugh at the sight, a light smile overcoming his lips.

As she took the money with a face of triumph and began to walk towards the exit, Gilbert knew that it was time he go. But his legs stayed still against his better judgement, and as Anne exited to store, the bell above it ringing sharply, their eyes met.

Her lips parted in surprise. Anne almost looked… happy to see him.

“Gilbert,” she breathed out at the same time he said, “Anne.”

“Gilbert,” she repeated at the same time he said, “Hello.”

They looked at each other in silence for a moment, neither spoke. Gilbert wanted to say something, anything, but his mouth and brain weren’t able to coordinate properly. His attention was focused on keeping his gaze away from the strand of black hair that plagued his dreams.

Anne was the one to break the silence, letting out a shaky breath. “I- I think I need to sit down.”

Gilbert nodded his head and gave her small smile. “Sure.” He gently placed a gloved hand on the crook of her elbow, leading her away from the pawn shop.

They stumbled across a small café and decided to go sit inside. Not for coffee, but because it was mostly empty and a way to get out of the biting cold weather.

They sat across from each other, mugs of hot tea in their hands and a plate of shortbread in between them. From anyone looking inside, it might’ve looked like they were on a date.

But we’re not, Gilbert kept telling himself, we’re not on a date. Anne isn’t your soulmate, she doesn’t like you, and she might just now be able to start tolerating you.

He repeated that mantra in his head over and over like a broken record every time she looked up at him from beneath her lashes, every time a ray of sunlight hit her hair just right illuminating the multicolored strands that he swore looked exactly like the ones sprouting from his head in that one odd spot near his temple.

Gilbert didn’t realize just how much he missed the cadence of her voice until she started telling him about the troubles at Green Gables. He missed how eloquently words flew from her mouth like music, how she used extensive vocabulary to describe things very plain. He missed her.

“So you like working on the docks?” she asked, when the conversation had steered towards what he’d been up too.

“It’s a means to an end,” he replied, looking up from his hands to her freckled face. “I hope to get head on a steamer soon.”

Anne nodded her head, looking shy all of a sudden. “May I ask, what about your farm?”

“I don’t have to decide right now. I wanna see some of the world first.” Gilbert gestured vaguely to the side. “If I come back to Avonlea, I want it to be my choice, not-not obligation.” He paused. “It’s what my dad would’ve wanted.”

“I owe you an apology,” Anne said out of the blue, surprising Gilbert.

If anything, he owed her one. “No you don’t,” he said shaking his head.

“Yes I do,” she insisted.

“No I should apologize to you.”

“No you shouldn’t.”

“I was rude.”

“But it was my fault.”

Gilbert shook his head amused. He couldn’t help the soft smile that overcame his lips. “Can we please, not argue for once?”

“Can you please stop contradicting me?” Anne asked firmly.

He listened to her heartfelt apology, an empty feeling forming in the pit of his gut at the mention of his father. Gilbert hadn’t realized until that moment just how important Matthew Cuthbert had become to Anne. Sometimes he forgot that she was an orphan, and that the Cuthbert’s were the only family she ever really had.

They left the café eventually. As much as Gilbert wanted to sit and talk to Anne until the sun was down and his throat was scratchy, he did have a job, and it was one he couldn’t afford to lose.

He took his time to redress with all his winter gear, buttoning his jacket slowly and adjusting his scarf longer than he needed too, savoring his time with her. He told himself it was became he didn’t want to return to the docks just yet, but who was he kidding, Gilbert couldn’t even convince himself of that.

“I’ve missed you,” Anne admitted, as they stepped outside into the cold Canadian winter.

Gilbert stopped putting his gloves on, his breath got caught in his throat though he tried to hide it. With his heart beating faster than normal (as it always seemed to do around Anne) he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling like an idiot. “Yea?”

Anne put a gray knot hat over her head. “At school, there’s uh, no one to compete with,” she said.

He felt like an idiot for thinking that she meant anything else. Of course she doesn’t just miss you, do you not remember her deliberately ignoring you for weeks and hitting you over the head with her slate?

Still, he’d take it. “You wanna spell out a few words for old times’ sake?” he joked, electing a laugh out of her.

“How about…“Anne started, looking down at shoes. She paused for second, then looked up at Gilbert through her dark red, almost brown, eyelashes. “Truce?”

Anne stuck a gloved hand out hesitantly, her lips curved upwards into a soft smile. Gilbert laughed and grabbed her hand firmly, shaking it gently. Despite the two layers of fabric that lie between their hands, Gilbert could feel a faint heat radiating off of Anne’s small one.

“T-R-U-C-E,” he spelled slowly, letting go of her hand, “Moody would’ve gotten that wrong.”

Anne laughed again, making him smile wider. “He would’ve,” she agreed.

When Gilbert picked up the rest of his stuff the leave begrudgingly, another boy who’s he’d learn later was Jerry, the Cuthbert’s farm hand, showed up with a scrape on his face and a black eye. Apparently he’s been robbed after selling the Cuthbert’s mare.

“Can I help with anything?” Gilbert asked. He looked between Jerry and Anne as she stood up in front of him. “Anything I can do?”

Their eyes met and his heart skipped a beat. “Just… take care of yourself,” Anne said, then let out a deep breath. “Come home someday.”

He thought back to the last time he’d ever looked into her clear blue eyes for this long. They had been filled with fury and hatred at then, a look he really hoped he’d never have to see again. They looked different now. Lighter, hopeful, not so filled with a burning desire to see Gilbert 6 feet underground.

“Yea.” Gilbert nodded his head, a non-binding agreement. He had no clue if he’d ever come back, or where he’d end up. “Hope everything works out.”

“For you too.”

That magnetic pull was back, the one he’d experienced the first time they met. The one he pretended wasn’t there ever since she hit him over the head with her slate and vowed to despise him for ever and ever.

Her blue eyes drifted upwards, focusing on a spot near his temple where his hair met skin. The spot where that tuft of fiery red hair spat out from amidst his dark curls.

Until then, he’d never really thought about what Anne believed him having a streak of hair that matched hers meant. Did she ever think about the possibility that they were meant to be? Or did she not like him so much that it never once crossed her mind?

Anne’s pink lips parted slightly, her eyebrows scrunching together in thought. Gilbert could hear his heart beat in his ears as he let his eyes dart down to her left braid, the one with black weaved into it.

“Wait…” Jerry looked between them. “Are you two s-“

“No,” he and Anne both said quickly, though Gilbert’s heart, soul, brain, and gut instincts all screamed YES.

Jerry looked at the both of them amused and apprehensive, not really believing it himself.  Gilbert muttered a quick goodbye and turned around to leave when Anne called out his name. He turned back around and their eyes met one last time, his skin tingled.

 She opened her mouth to speak, closed it, glanced up quickly at Gilbert’s red streak of hair and then at his face once more. “I hope you meet her someday,” Anne said finally. “Someday soon. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet her while you’re on your travels.”

He nodded in agreement, forcing himself to give her a smile though his heart was far from into it. “Yea… I hope so too.”

If Gilbert had known that very moment that he wouldn’t see Anne again for almost a year, the conversation might’ve gone differently. He wouldn’t have walked away briskly, fighting the urge to turn back around with every step.

Instead, he would have turned around. He would’ve walked up to her, and asked how she really felt. He would’ve told her that he wasn’t going to meet his soulmate in some far away land across the Atlantic. He would’ve told her that he believed he already met his soulmate… in the forest at the beginning of fall.

But alas, he didn’t know that next time he’d see Anne they’d both be aged a year. How could he have? Gilbert was a man of many talents, but that list didn’t include the ability to foresee the future.

So Gilbert walked towards the docks, not once looking back. In his mind, he kept replaying him and Anne’s last conversation together.

I hope you meet her someday. Someday soon, Anne had said.

The problem wasn’t that Gilbert had yet to meet his soulmate. The problem was that Gilbert thought he already had… in the forest at the beginning of fall.

And now, he was about to sail halfway around the world… thousands and thousands of miles away from her.

  The first time Gilbert ever talked about his suspicions with Anne was the day he received a letter from her while docked in Trinidad.

He was laying on his back in bed, letting the sound of waves crashing against the hull and the gentle rocking of the ship lull him to sleep. There was still light chattering going on around him while the mail was being passed out.

The last thing Gilbert expected was for his name to be called. “Gilbert Blythe,” a man said from the front of the floor where the crew slept.

He opened one eye and sat up confused. “Pardon?”

The man didn’t even bothering speaking again. He simply walked over to Gilbert and dumped an off white, almost yellow, envelope on his lap.

Gilbert scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, flipping it over to read who it sent it. His lips parted in surprise. He blinked, his heart skipping a beat as he read over it again to make sure his eyes didn’t deceive him.

It was from Anne Shirley- Cuthbert.

“Who’s got you over there smiling like a moke?” Sebastian asked. He sat up in his own cot which was a few feet away from his.

Gilbert cleared his throat and spared Bash a short glance. “No one. It’s just a letter from back home.”

Bash chuckled and shook his head, pointing a finger accusingly at the young man. “Ah, I’ve been around long enough to know the look a boy gets when he’s gone with a lady Blythe. There’s no use kidding me about it boy.”

He gave Bash a halfhearted glare. “I’m not gone with a lady,” he responded using finger quotations. “It’s from a friend.” Bash raised any eyebrow. Gilbert let out a sigh of defeat, staring at his lap with a scrunched up nose. “It’s complicated,” he grumbled.

“I’ve got time,” Bash said, then gave Gilbert an expectant look.

Gilbert smiled softly, fiddling with the letter in his hands. “There’s this girl back in Avonlea…Anne. One time I called her Carrots, and she wacked me over the head.”

“I’ll give her right on that,” Bash added.

Gilbert nodded in agreement. “She has fiery red hair and a fiery temper.”

He paused, looking out of the nearby window and out into the vast blue ocean. It reminded him of her eyes, how far away he was from Anne, how far away he was from home. “I wonder if I’ll ever see her again,” he said quietly.

Gilbert could feel Bash’s gaze burning a hole into the side of his head. He turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. “What?”

“You said she had fiery red hair. Does it look like…“ he stopped talking and gestured to Gilbert’s head.

The boy reached a hand up. He ran his fingers along the strands of red that had begun to gradually darken into a more auburn then orange. “Yea,” Gilbert mumbled, pursing his lips. “It’s uncanny really.”

“And she has a streak of black?” Gilbert nodded. Bash looked at him with both surprise and curiosity. “Do you think she’s your...”

“Soulmate?” he finished for him.

The older generations had some sort of weird thing about saying the word. It was something they were taught from a young age not to talk about freely. Gilbert however, wasn’t raised that way. He had no problem saying the word. He’d say it loud and proud given the opportunity.

“I did for a while, after we first met. It was… all I could think about really. But Anne, I don’t know she didn’t really seem to feel the way I did,” Gilbert said, then corrected himself. “The way I do.”

He smacked the envelope against his hand repeatedly. “It’s just, you know I could’ve sworn there was something there, something electric and magnetic. I can never seem to take my eyes off her and, I never felt better than those few times I made her laugh and smile. That stupid left braid of hers with the stupid black streak of hair plagues my mind, I can’t even escape it with sleep. It shows up there too,” he finished grumbling.

Bash snorted and shook his with head with amusement. “And you said you weren’t gone with a lady. What do you call what you feel for this Anne?”

“Inconvenient.”

A bark of laughter. “Ah young love, so pure and sweet.”

“It’s not young love if the other person doesn’t reciprocate feelings Bash,” Gilbert said, giving his friend a pointed look. “Right now it’s only young pain.”

Another spiel of laughter. “You’re too funny Blythe. And how do you that this Anne isn’t gone with you too? She’s had too at least suspect the possibility of you two being,” he gestured vaguely to the side, “after seeing your coordinating colors.”

Gilbert let out a dry laugh and laid backwards onto his cot. He folded his hands across his chest, the letter pressed into his coal stained shirt. “You want to know what the last thing she said to me was. The last thing I heard her say before I left to get on this ship.”

When no verbal objections, he continued. “I was walking away to go to the docks when she called my name out. I turned around expecting her to say- well anything but what she actually said.” He swallowed.  “Anne looks me in the eye and goes, I hope you find her someday, someday soon.”

“Ouch.”

“Yea…ouch,” Gilbert agreed. “Felt like someone was mowing over my heart with a field plow.” The cot squeaked as he shifted to a more comfortable position. “So, I just gave up on the idea after that, the idea of Anne and I being soulmates. She obviously doesn’t think we are, and there’s no use flogging a dead horse.”

“But you still think you are?” Bash asked slowly.

“Yes…no…I don’t know. I said it’s complicated Bash,” he said, starting to get frustrated just thinking about it. “I used to think we were, but now I’m not so sure.”

“Why? Because she might not feel the same way right now?” Bash scoffed. “News flash, you’re both kids still, feelings can change with time.”

“I know that, it’s just,” Gilbert trailed off, letting out a deep sigh. “Every story I’ve heard about people finding their soulmate makes the whole thing sound so… simple. They meet, and they just know. It’s not like that with Anne. It was, for the half hour I knew her, but now it’s so complicated. Too complicated. So complicated that I’m beginning to think she’s right and we aren’t meant to be because if we were, it would have to be easier than it is right now.”

Bash’s cot creaked as he shifted to get a better look at Gilbert. “A word of advice Blythe, love isn’t simple. It never is. The stories you hear only have the parts in them people want to tell.”

“That’s not advice Sebastian, just a general statement.”

 “Fine, you want to know what I would do?” Bash asked, not waiting for an answer. “I wouldn’t give up on her just yet. If Anne really is your soulmate, I think the little bit of extra work you have to put in to be with her will be well worth your while.”

Gilbert knew he meant business the second the word soulmate left Bash’s lips. People over the age of 20 never threw the word around lightly.

It was that night, after he finally gathered up enough nerve to read over the letter, with Bash’s wise words echoing around his head like that of a damp cave, that Gilbert finally decided it was time to return home to Avonlea.

To return home to Anne.

  The day Gilbert returned to Avonlea was the day his sunset auburn streak of hair turned green.

When the carriage dropped him and Bash off at his farm that afternoon, everything was normal. His house was fine, the barn was in good shape, the fields were a little overgrown with weeds, but nothing he couldn’t fix with a little work.

Not even 3 hours later, when Gilbert went into kitchen to eat what Bash had cooked for supper did things take a turn.

Sebastian was already eating when he sat down at the table. His friend glanced up at him mid bite as Gilbert pulled out a chair to sit in.  He coughed and dropped his fork with a loud clank reiterating around the room.

“Good lord Blythe!” Bash sputtered out between coughs, choking on his food. “What have you done to your hair?”

Gilbert scrunched his eyebrows together, very confused. “What?”

Sebastian pointed towards a mirror that hung on the wall next to the sink, still trying to gain his composure. The boy got up hesitantly and walked over to it, not knowing what to expect.

He let out a strangled gasp at the sight before him. “Why is it green?” Gilbert yelped in surprise.

The leaned in closer to the mirror, trying to get a better look. The roots were still red for about an inch while the rest of it was an odd pastel sea green color. He took the once beautiful red strands between his fingers and groaned loudly.

Sebastian, having finally gotten his composure together, started laughing manically. “It’s not funny!” Gilbert whined. “My first day back at school in a year and I have green hair? What kind of luck is that?”

Bash stopped laughing and instead settled for a wide teeth barring grin. “How did you not notice?”

Gilbert went back over to the dinner table and sat down with a huff. “I’ve been unpacking all day and getting ready for school tomorrow. Sorry I haven’t the time to look in a mirror.”

Taking a bite of food, Bash studied Gilbert’s new color further. “The real question we need to be asking is why in the good name of the lord would someone willingly dye their hair that color.” He took another bite of food. “She must be a wild one.”

“Believe me,” Gilbert grumbled between harsh chews. “I’ll definitely be bringing this up when we meet.”

Bash chewed slowly and looked at him questioningly. “So you don’t think it’s Anne?”

“It just, doesn’t make any sense.” Gilbert pushed some food around his plate with the fork he was given, pursing his lips in thought.

“Though I do agree with you, care to elaborate some?”

He put his fork down, sitting backwards into his chair, hands resting on his lap. “I know that Anne isn’t fond of her red hair because she thinks it isn’t pretty and people tease her about it-“

“People like you?” Bash interrupted.

“Oh shut up that was one time.” Gilbert gave him a half-hearted glare. “Anyway,” he continued, “I can’t think of a good reason for her to want to dye her hair green. She’s vexed enough about it as it is, and dying it green is far from a solution.”

Gilbert wasn’t sure how he felt about what he was saying, though he believed it all to be true. If he turned out to be correct, that would mean Anne wasn’t his soulmate after-all. That would mean he’d spent months secretly pining over a girl he wasn’t supposed to be with.

It scared him a little bit, to think about what it meant. What he felt for Anne was indescribable, no arrangement of words in the English language could possibly capture it spot on.

But if Anne wasn’t his soulmate, then how would he feel for the real thing? He thought no one could ever feel more strongly about a person then he did for Anne. At times it seemed to consume him.

“I guess you’ll find out tomorrow then eh?” Bash said, shaking Gilbert from his reverie.

“Yea, I guess so,” he mumbled, it went quiet for a moment. Gilbert then shook his head with a laugh all of a sudden and looked at Bash. “Did you just say eh?”

Bash stopped chewing and swallowed harshly. “Oh my good lord I did.”

Gilbert raised his glass for a toast, smiling broadly. “Welcome to Canada Bash.”

He raised a glass to meet his with a clink. “No…Welcome home.”

  Gilbert woke up the next morning for school pleasantly surprised when he saw that the green streak of hair had returned to the red color he had become accustomed to his entire life.

He was both nervous and excited to return to school, so nervous and excited that he couldn’t eat breakfast. Bash forced an apple into his hand before he left the house though, which Gilbert was thankful for 5 minutes later when his stomach growled as he walked to school.

The leaves crunched under his feet as he padded the familiar trail through the forest, leading him to the school house. He passed the spot where he first met Anne all those months ago, not quite believing how much his life had changed since then.

He dumped the apple core in a bare spot of soil to decompose before he walked up the steps to school. Gilbert took a deep breath, and opened the door with as much confidence as he could possibly muster.

Charlie saw him first, doing a double take before yelling. “Gilbert!” A gasp went around a room as everyone turned towards the door and saw him.

He smiled, managing to put his stuff away and hang up his winter clothes before the crowd of boys bombarded him. They corralled him over to his desk like a dog does to a herd of sheep.

He talked to them vaguely of his travels while they caught him up on all the drama that had been going on in Avonlea since he left. Apparently, there was no gold after-all.

If Gilbert had come back to Avonlea expecting to find it, he’d probably be disappointed. But that wasn’t why he came back, and he didn’t tell the boys that. If he did, he’d have to explain the real reason, and Gilbert didn’t feel like telling that story.

The faint sound of the school door creaking open registered in Gilbert’s mind passively. He thought nothing of it. That is, until a quick moment later, everyone went quiet.

And there was only one person in all of Avonlea who could make that kind of entrance into a room.

Gilbert’s heart rate steadily increased as he moved through the crowd of boys into the walkway between the two columns of desks. The whispers around him filled his ears, though they weren’t able to drown out the sound of his own hearts’ beating.

“Anne?” he called out, stepping into her view.

Her eyes widened at the sight of him, a short gasp of surprise escaped her lips. “You’re back,” Anne breathed out, not looking away from him.

“Yes,” Gilbert replied. He could no longer hold back a smile. “Hi.”

Anne got kind of a panicked look on her face. “There’s no gold!” she blurted out. Is that why everyone thought he came back?

He gave an odd look at her strange behavior. “I-I know, I-I heard.”

Gilbert really looked at her for a moment, and felt stupid for not noticing such a drastic change before. His eyes had been too focused on her face, her eyes, and her presence for him to see that Anne’s hair was almost completely gone.

There was a little over an inch of hair in length that sprouted all across her head. He was finally able to get a good look at where the black streak originated from, it had always been hidden by braids before then. It stuck out right above her ear, in spot where it seemed to appear out of nowhere when it was weaved into her left braid.

Anne still looked cute to Gilbert. If it were possible, her eyes seemed even brighter than they did before. Her freckles looked darker and her lips more pink.

He couldn’t help but wonder why she chose to cut all her hair off though. He knew Anne didn’t like her red hair that much, but she couldn’t have hated it that much.

And that’s when it hit him.

“That’s not why I’m here,” Gilbert finally said, not able to take his eyes off her once again. This time though, for a different reason.

His heart pounded so hard against his chest that he was sure everyone around him could hear it. “Did you-“Gilbert paused, looking at her hair once more. “Did you dye your hair green?”

Anne let out a horrified gasp and covered her mouth with one of her dainty little hands. “How did you know that?” she yelped in surprise.

Her reaction answered his question. While everyone around them burst into a fit of snickers at the thought of Anne with green hair, Gilbert’s vision tunneled.

His hand slowly went up to touch his tuft of red hair, the room went silent.

Anne’s eyes followed his movement, her bottom lip quivering as the realization hit her. “Oh,” she breathed out shakily, staring at the piece of hair.

“No way,” Diana mumbled in disbelief from somewhere next to him.

The new boy, who he’d later learn was Cole, let out a short laugh. “Well I’ll be…”

Gilbert dropped his hand back to his side, eyes softening as Anne’s gaze shifted to meet his. He took a small step closer, gaging her reaction.

“It’s really good to see you,” he said, breaking the silence between them.

She did nothing but stare. She didn’t blink. She didn’t breathe. She didn’t speak. Until she took a small step forward. Then another, and another, and another as she rushed forward to close the remaining distance between them, pulling Gilbert into a bone crushing hug.

He let out an oomph as Anne latched her arms around him, pressing her face firmly against his chest. There was no doubt in his mind that she was able to hear his crazy rapid heartbeat now.

It took a second to register with Gilbert, but when it did… when it finally hit him that Anne Shirley-Cuthbert was the girl he was gonna spend the rest of his life with, the one who was going to being with her ethereal love and happiness, he hugged her back with all he had in him.

Anne let out a content sigh, a slow clap from Diana turned into a full on round of applause. Gilbert slid a hand up her back and shoulder blades, coming to a stop to cradle the back of her head against his chest.

“Thank god it’s you.”

[mychameleonsix]

ILY Epilogue

**Year 2025** "Are you ready?" Soohyun said coming into my room. "My God, I'm not sure! I don't know what to feel anymore." I said looking at her through the mirror as she stood behind me, fixing a few stray strands from my chignon. "Relax, it's going to be okay." "What if something goes wrong?" "Everything will be okay, you're worried for nothing." "I can't believe I'm doing this. I'm only 31, Soohyun, are you sure this is a good idea?" "Kang Soobin can you stop? You're doing this today, stop thinking about it. Breathe." I was about to retaliate but a knock on the door ruined my train of thought. Soohyun and I turned our heads to the figure entering - it was Jiyoung, my sister's friend who did my hair and makeup today. I don't even look like I'm wearing makeup, she's that good. "Thank you for doing this in short notice, Jiyoung, you're a life saver." "My pleasure, I'm glad to be of service." "I'll definitely recommend you to my friends." "Thank you, Ri. Everything's looking good here, you're good to go. I'll see you out there." She said before checking my lashes one last time, and tucking a curl behind my ear. As soon as she left, Ken entered the room, with Chaerin on her tail. "What are you still doing here? Girl, let's go! Everybody's waiting for you." Ken said wagging a finger at me, over-exaggerating her movements, causing Chaerin to laugh at her expense. "Can't keep everyone waiting forever, you know." Chaerin said sitting down on the couch next to where I'm seated, texting on her phone. "This is all happening so fast. Please remind me again why I'm doing this?" "We've been going at this for the past two hours, give it up already Ri. You're doing this, you're ready. Now let's go!" Soohyun said rolling her eyes at me. "Okay, here we go!" ***Jae's POV*** It's a generally beautiful day today. The sky's clear, no signs of rain or any mishaps whatsoever. The weather's fine, not too hot, the wind just right. However though, what isn't right... is this tie I'm wearing. Goddamint, I've been trying to tie this damn tie for the past 15 minutes. "Can you please chill? Here let me do it." Brian said, walking towards me, grabbing my shoulders so I can face him. "You're more nervous than Riley, it's laughable." Sungjin said. "How'd you know?" "Chaerin sent me a picture of Riley looking as if she's about to have a mental breakdown." "What?" "Okay, calm down, I was kidding. She just sent a text saying Riley's just as nervous as you are right now. So can you, please, breathe for a minute." Sungjin said sighing. "Where's Wonpil and Dowoon?" I said throwing a pillow at him, slightly annoyed that he's making jokes at this time. "Wonpil's on his way back from picking up Hana. Dowoon's getting something from the car...hold still, I'm almost done." Bri said, focused on my tie. "There, all done! Good to go, hyung." "Finally!" Sungjin said standing up, at the same time Dowoon walked in with Wonpil and Hana in tow. "Why are you all still here? Aren't you supposed to be out there already? People are waiting!" Wonpil said to us; to me especially. "Wait a minute, I just want to say a word to all of you." I said, facing them - the four people who meant everything to me all these years. "Thank you for everything boys. You've been a family to me since day one, I don't think I'd make it through if it weren't for y'all. And now that there's going to be an addition to this family, I hope nothing's going to change. I'll always be here, still, no matter what happens." "Well duh, you're just getting married. We're still DAY6; tomorrow when we all wake up, everything will be the same between us. It's just that, now, you won't be in the room next to mine." Dowoon said. "Yeah, but you and Riley bought the house downstairs so nothing's really changing. Your room's going to stay as it is, hyung, don't worry." Brian said to me, patting me on the back. "Save your sappy self for your bride, will you? You might run out of words to say for your vows. Now can we please go? You can't be late to your own wedding Jae." Sungjin said and walked straight out. "Congratulations to the both of you, Jae. I'm so happy for you and Riley." Hana said to me as we all headed out. "Thank you, Hana. Don't worry, soon you'll be another addition to this growing family." I said with a wink, laughing at how flushed she immediately looked. "Hyung!" Wonpil said, slapping the back of my head. The audacity of this man? How dare he slap me on my wedding day. "What? It's true." "Shut up, today's not about Hana and I." "See, Hana, he's neither confirming nor denying it" I said still laughing. When we entered the church, a lot of people were already there; mostly close friends and family. We decided to have the wedding in LA so that we can have the privacy that we want. It was a mutual decision. "We'll start as soon as she gets here, okay Jae?" Our manager said to me before he went to sit beside the rest of the boys. I got my phone out to check the time but saw that Riley sent me a text. Jae! Yes, my love? I'm getting married today, can you believe that? What? No way? Who's the lucky groom? Some guy who plays in a band, amazing visuals, heavenly voice, tall, looks like a chicken. His name's Park Jaehyung! You know him? Isn't he that handsome guitarist from DAY6? Oh my God you know him? Yes! But wait, you know I'm getting married today too! Really? What are the odds. Who's your bride? Oh you know, the smartest and the most talented surgeon ever! Name's Kang Soobin, you know her? Omooo, Kang Soobin? You mean you're marrying THE Kang Soobin from cardio? She's like...my role model! She's amazing! And I love her. And she loves you too. See you in a few minutes! See you soon, wife See you soon, husband I smiled reading that last one. Husband. In a few minutes, I'm really getting married, wow. "Jae, she's here." Brian said beside me. He's my best man, they all are. Everybody in the church stood up and faced the back; anticipating the moment the doors open, and Riley walks in. God, I'm so nervous, my palms are starting to sweat. Okay here we go... 3... 2... 1... Wonpil started playing the piano as soon as the doors opened; my entire world stopping. I'm having a hard time breathing now, because I can't seem to comprehend how I got so lucky to be marrying the only girl I ever loved. The moment my eyes landed on Riley, it's as if it's the first time I'm seeing her. She looks so beautiful in her white dress, with a smile that reached her ears - no traces of tears. Meanwhile I was standing here, tears so uncontrollable it's starting to get embarrassing. When she reached the end, her dad gave her to me, giving me a tight hug and a firm handshake... telling me to take care of her daughter. Don't you worry, sir, I will; even if I have to take a bullet. Riley reached her hand up to me, wiping the tears streaming down my face. I got a hold of her hand in the process, pressing it more into my cheeks - feeling her warmth against my cold skin. I locked our hands together and walked with her to the altar. "We are gathered here today to witness a beautiful union between this lovely couple: Jae and Riley." Pastor John said. The pastor was saying a lot of things, the audience reacting to the stories he was sharing about Riley and I. We've known him our entire life since we grew up going to  this church. But my mind's not really processing anything that he's saying. I'm so focused on Riley right now, I can't stop staring at her. Can this day get faster, I just wanna go home and have Riley all to myself. "Jae...hello earth to Jae..." "Huh, what?" "It's time for your vows." The pastor said. "Oh right, yes...um my vows..." "Are you feeling alright, Jae? Do you need a minute? You look like you're about to cry." Pastor John said teasing me, while Riley and the audience laughed at me. "I'm okay, I was just sidetracked." "Your vows then, Jae." Taking a deep breath, I faced Riley and took her hands and locked it in mine, giving it a small squeeze. "People have different ways on how they call you. To some, you're Riri, Riles, Soobinah, Binbin, or even Rilester or Binah. Others call you by your real name: Kang Soobin or Riley Kang, and now Dr. Kang from Cardio has been added to the list. However though, to me, you're my Ri-bear, and you'll always be Jae's girl. We've been through so much already, Ri; and if there's one thing that I've learned in the years that we've been together, it's that love is not just full of romance. You need to work hard for it to make it work, to make it last. That's why today, as I stand before you, I promise not just to love you forever, but I promise I'll love you in every single waking moment of our lives. I can't promise you I'll be the perfect husband, because I won't. I also cannot promise you the fairytale life you dreamed of as a child. But I promise that I'll never stop loving you even when I hate you. I promise that I'll keep making you laugh even when you're angry, give you hugs when you're cold, feed you when you're too tired to eat for yourself, sing you to sleep when you can't, and to be the peace whenever you're battling a war with yourself or with anything.  You and I, we balance each other out. And that's how I want this marriage to be: a balance between love, respect, time, and effort. Today's only the beginning of a lifetime that we'll have to face together; and to be able to spend the rest of my life, standing beside you - supporting you, is a privilege that I am beyond honored to have. I love you Riley, in every language that I know, in every way that I can show, and with every piece of me. You are mine, just as I am yours." I ended my vows with a kiss to Riley's forehead, stopping myself from crying more than I already am. I can see her having a really hard time controlling the waterworks, probably scared she'll ruin her makeup. "Riley, I believe it's your turn to say your vows" Pastor John said, handing her the mic. "To many, our love story will probably seem as the typical friends-to-lovers type of story. But to me it isn't. Ours is special because I knew I loved you even before we were friends. I used to be that shy little girl who had no friends, was bullied and teased a lot because of my glasses, add to that the fact that I'm Asian, and that I'm actually good at math. But you, my fellow Asian boy, who were also teased and bullied a lot as a kid, saved me from those monsters and became my friend. It was in that moment I knew, you were special to me. You've always stood by me, defending and protecting me from the world. But let me tell you, my love - today I promise you, that from this day forth, I will fight the world to protect and defend you as well. We'll conquer the world day by day, just as we always had. Jae, as I stand in front of the people closest to us, to the witnesses of our love, I will only promise you one thing: that I'll never stop trying. I will try to always love you more than I already do; to make things work even when it gets tough; to understand you even if you start sounding unreasonable; to support you with your dreams and help you attain them, and to keep our love story never ending. Today our love story is turning its pages to the next chapter, and we'll keep turning its pages to the next chapter, and the next, and then the next one, til death do us part. And you know what makes this love story, our love story, a great one? It's because God wrote ours, with you and I as the protagonists.

I love you Jae, yesterday, today, and all the days that are yet to come. And just like that line our lyrical genius, Youngk, once wrote: you are my day, Jae. Forever."

After Riley said her vows, Pastor John continued on with the ceremony, saying a few more words and whatnot. But I'm only looking forward to one thing now: the kiss. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you, husband and wife. Jae, you may now kiss your bride." He said. Gladly, pastor! I stepped closer to Riley, cupping her face in my hands, staring into her eyes. God, she's so beautiful. "I love you husband." She whispered. "I love you too wife." I said as I closed the gap between us, kissing her softly as the crowd cheered for us. 

[hsj-scenarios]

Mods! Could I request “we’re creatures of the underworld. We can’t afford to love” with Yama-Chan please?? I know you’re busy but take your time ^^

Familiar⎜Sentence Prompt⎜Song Inspo: N/A

Note: This was meant to be angst but turned fluffy by the end I think? 😅

His skin was warm against your cold one, the scent of dark amber and ginger lily played against the top of your nose as you nuzzled yourself within his arms, the night was colder than usual, Winter was near. Despite his tender wounds and the constant stinging discomfort on his upper back, he willingly let you sleep on his arms, and chest whenever you moved.

“Ryosuke ..” You softly called, taking him by surprise as he swore you were in a deep slumber. “Yes?” He replied, eyes still fixed on the ceiling.

“Will it ever stop? The attacks I mean .. will it get better?” The torment lingering in your tired voice tugged even the most stiff strings of his heart.

“It doesn’t matter, I will always be here to protect you. I can take it all, it truly doesn’t matter.” He spoke so nonchalantly, so unbothered and it most certainly irked you. Ryosuke was expressionless and careless, you questioned if he was truly that strong or simply foolishly presumptuous, it was a mystery.

Concerned you lifted your gaze from his arms, immediately pulling his eyes on you, “But your wings .. t-they ripped them off—“

“It doesn’t matter. They will eventually grow back, you need not worry.” A weak attempt of a reassuring smile made its way upon his chapped lips, he was drained and it showed. But you couldn’t settle for his apathy towards his mutilated body, or the situation; he was too relaxed.

But you knew better, you fully knew it was all a mere facade to ease your own worry. It wasn’t working unbeknownst to him.

“Stop acting like this, so .. so indifferent. Please .. stop pretending like this isn’t my fault—“

“Silence!” As expected, Ryosuke’s unremarkable temperament lashed out at you, stunned at his quickness in lifting himself off the bed you stayed quiet, not by his orders but by perplexity. He was fast in getting up but did not measure the amount of pain he would feel coursing through his back muscles as he did so, while he pretended to be unfazed by the blistering pain, you saw it being displayed crystal clear within his body language, he was as stiff as rock and his breathing was agitated.

Putting his brutish temper aside you stood from the bed and walked towards him, the bed sheets clinging gently on your fingers to tenderly lift them over his sore shoulders, covering his shirtless body and bringing him warmth. The tender act brought a sense of relief to his sudden anger, your predictable kindness alleviating his rigid breathing, the thin material upon his shoulders wasn’t remotely as warm as the fingers that gently graced him.

“This is not your fault. Please stop saying it is, don’t ever say it again ..” His anger ultimately lessened and his tone became low, tired. Still you could hear the implore in his voice, “You aided me in my time of need and for that I devote myself to you, a human. I, as a Tengu took that as my own burden willingly. I was fully aware of the consequences of taking care of a human, it is not your fault, it never will be.”

As Ryosuke spoke you went back in time for a moment, the recollection of your teenage years and how you met Ryosuke hitting you in vivid flashbacks. You still remember him, like a wounded animal resting ever so uncomfortably by a near river, his upper body was laying on the riverside while the other half was soaked in the waters, as you cautiously approached the boy you could see evident wounds, deep and raw on his arms and back. Similar to the present time, you found Ryosuke with deep lacerations just a little below his shoulders, a few black feathers were stuck to his skin, as bizarre as it was, they seemed to be plucked out. Little did you understand what you were witnessing; a wounded boy, of course! Yet you couldn’t understand how was it possible that a human boy had black feathers sticking out of his forearms and the lacerations on his back. What happened to him. You’d ask your 14 year old self.

Naturally you helped the half conscious boy to dry land, receiving a few mumbles and winces from his freshly looking wounds. You helped him. Little by little as days went by, you learned his name. Yamada Ryosuke, he said. The young boy was fascinating to you, a bit grumpy and whiny but so interesting; perhaps the icy blue eyes the boy possessed were the key part to your undying interest in him. Your teenage heart had, slowly but surely, caught a crush on the mysterious boy you happily gave a home to.

At the time, Ryosuke had long hair and most days he would wear it in a messy short ponytail, the rebellious strands of hair that fell to the sides of his face and the fringe that covered his ethereal eyes surely added to the beauty he had. He helped both your mother and yourself around the house with chores, he even took it upon himself to cook most nights, he was truly a dream inside one hell of a moody teenager. Ryosuke’s generosity did not match his character, but it added to your interests.

You grew close to the boy, in truth he was one of the first friends you made while living in the Gunma Prefecture in the town of Kusatsu. It was the countryside of Tokyo and you lived mostly with elderly people or children, you were the only teenager until Ryosuke appeared. The boy was reserved and didn’t speak much unless angered, then he would be the most outspoken and straightforward person, never missing a beat on telling it how it is regardless of whom he spoke to. You wondered why he decided to stay in your town but he would just say he had nowhere to go, no friends or family, he was alone.

It wasn’t until your last year of high school that you finally had the chance to see his true form and identity. Little did you know that the teenager you helped back on the riverside wasn’t even a human boy, but a god. One that rebelled against the demons of war and was ultimately rejected into living among the humans ..

You learned that all along Ryosuke had been serving you as a familiar, a kind repay for the days you spent sheltering him. He was a Tengu, the most humanized yokai you had ever met—or seen for that matter. You’d hear stories about dangerous Tengus, yet Ryosuke seemed to be gradually softened into one of protection. Stubborn but kind, grumpy but beautiful .. he wasn’t a monster like his kind had been depicted for years.

During that year you also learned that one of the reasons Ryosuke willingly protected you was because other fellow demons wanted to persuade you, see who was the infamous human girl Yamada Ryosuke proclaimed himself as her familiar, have a taste of you perhaps. To his kind, he was a traitor.

It was then after high school that the attacks become more serious, no longer were you able to live a normal life within the comfort of your home, things were unstable. The best place for security against the evil spirits and your wellbeing was entirely within the walls of a shrine in Kyoto far inside a forest but not entirely isolated from society, frankly, it was your own wish to be among nature and a little bit away from the busy streets of the crowded city.

The Atago Shrine reminded you of home, it’s forest felt like your childhood town in Kusatsu, filled with greenery and nature. You became known as the shrines caretaker and heard people’s prayers and stories, although you were not a land god or even a spirit, the locals were fond of you nevertheless. They found it strange how an unknown girl came from out of nowhere to live her days in a rundown shrine, the locals had their own theories about you however, and you could tell. Never had the locals met Ryosuke, but rumors say ‘they have seen a man with black wings around the shrine, mostly at night’ they believe the unknown man is actually the shrines protector and your guardian, in which they were indeed right. Of course, you never entertained any of the rumors or theories, you merely let it be.

You smiled upon the memories, your life had taken a bizarre turn, it was an odd fairytale. But you felt lucky nevertheless. “Stop spoiling me so much, Ryosuke ..” He could hear the smile on your lips as your arms leisurely surrounded his waist, careful not inflict pain, and rested your forehead on his back, trying your best to cover his body with the sheets around both of you.

He chuckled in return, “I’m reprimanding you, not spoiling you. Although I do guess I tend to spoil you rotten all the time,” His hands began to reach yours, looking down on them and having his own sweet smile as he placed them above your fingers, immediately lacing them together.

An intimate moment began to bloom, as always the feelings you sought to prevent came back, each time harder and difficult to ignore. You shut your eyes off to the thoughts, trying to shake away the feeling and the intimacy you knew he did not feel. Ryosuke couldn’t, many times he had told you before ..

“What’s wrong?” He asked, concern in his voice, sensing your sudden queasiness. “You’re tense.” Ryosuke points out, you wanted to chuckle upon his more than normal attention on your body language but you couldn’t. It hurt trying to avoid and hide certain emotions that simply would not stay silent.

You began to cower, “You already know ..” and as predicted, Ryosuke quickly detached himself from you, leaving the sheets to fall on the floor as he moved away from you, likely aggravated.

“Then stop,” He warned, swiftly searching for a sweater in his drawers, ignoring your dejected gaze as much as he could, “Block those feelings or throw them away, you’re only hurting yourself.”

Admittedly, Ryosuke couldn’t believe the irony behind his own words. It was laughable how truly contradicting he sounded, yet there he stood, masking away his own feelings with, literally, broken wings. What an idiot. He thought.

“What are you so afraid of, Ryosuke?” You asked, a hint of annoyance in your voice, and as he turned to answer he froze unexpectedly. He’d blame it on the hopelessness reflecting on your eyes that made him freeze on the spot.

I’m deathly afraid of not being able to protect you. Ryosuke wanted to scream it, he was in enough pain to do so yet he swallowed it all and kept his cold demeanor. “I’m not afraid of anything—“

“That’s bullshit!” You lashed out, “ We’re all afraid of something at some point, Ryosuke.” Granted, you were tired of his constant standoffish demeanor. “Stop acting like you have everything under control all the time–you got your wings ripped off for Christ’s sakes! Stop pretending to not have feelings or any sense of emotions, just stop trying to fit in so badly into what old tales say about you .. you are allowed to feel just as much as I do.” Your fingers gripped tightly the sheets around you with anger, feeling tears brim your eyes you opted for biting your bottom lip in nothing short of frustration.

Ryosuke’s instinct upon your disheartening sight brought him urgently to your care. It was either natural instinct as your familiar, or the plain and simple love he had for you that brings him to bindingly attend your every need and provide for you unquestionably.

After all, Ryosuke alone took it upon himself to be called as your familiar. It was a responsibility he took without ever making it formal, you weren’t his master, you weren’t a god.

“Stop ..” He whispers, his hands gently reached for your face as his thumbs grace the skin under your eyes, soothing the threatening tears away if they dared fall. Ryosuke wanted to eliminate the pain and sadness displayed on your features, he wanted to vanish all the worries but as you said, he wasn’t always in control, some things were out of his reach ..

You lifted your eyes and met an adoring and caring gaze casted down on you. Then don’t look at me like that. It was a pleading thought almost, you wished he could’ve heard it frankly. But perhaps, you were a little bit more bold.

“I love you. Always have, always will.” Unabashedly you delivered words that weren’t entirely new to him, but the meaning and power behind them weren’t the occasional best friends’ ‘I love you’, Ryosuke always knew they meant more.

Ryosuke maintain himself calm, a trait you were beginning to envy considering you were a nervous mess inside. But you knew what he would say eventually, his icy blues shared sympathy towards you and you hated him for short seconds for doing so. Still, you braced yourself.

“We’re creatures of the underworld, we can’t afford to love.”

Even then, as the words fell casually from his mouth, you knew it wasn’t true. You wholeheartedly believed he was lying, because no demon god would go out of their way to protect a feeble human as a mere good deed for aiding his wounds in the past.

No demon god would go through hell and back for a helpless human, no god would ever allow his wings to be mutilated twice as punishment for being a weak human’s familiar .. no demon god would care for a human the way Ryosuke does. His statement didn’t make sense.

“That’s not true ..” you argued back. Determined to prove him otherwise, that he was merely letting himself be led by said taboos about humans and demons not being able to coexist.

Strangely enough, Ryosuke didn’t say anything in return and instead closed the proximity with a hug. The act was tender unexpected, you’d thought he would surely start an argument but you were wrong. It was obvious to him how taken aback you were, within his embrace you were stiff as a rock. He managed to smile to himself, thinking how odd it was of you to not return the hug as fast as you always did.

“I hate how you’re always right, _____.” He spoke against your temple, no anger within his voice just a fact being confessed.

“R-Ryosuke?” You stuttered his name, still dumbly confused by his unusual and sudden behavior. Thankfully you worked your way into carefully hugging him back, slowly embracing him by the waist and pulling him in. Quite frankly, the smell of dark amber and ginger lily on him was an exquisite aroma to good to not get slightly consumed by.

“Amanozako tore my wings off today because to her I am not worthy of being a demon god if I serve a human. Essentially, Sojobo will stripp me away of my powers, leaving me unable to properly protect you. But like I said, there’s no need to worry, they can punish me all they desire .. I will always serve you.” He spoke so calmly and as usual, so confident in himself, so careless about the nonstop abuse his own kind gave him. It was basically torture, yet he did not care.

Your heart ached for the martyrdom he went through, it was ultimately hard not to put the blame entirely on yourself even though he would advise otherwise. The sheets within your hands had long been let go and fallen by each others feet, regardless of his physical pain you couldn’t hold back a tight and secure hug in exchange, again you nuzzled your face on his chest and finally allowed the tears to fall. The fact that you were powerless and incapable of protecting him the way he did made you feel absolutely incompetent.

“Why can’t they just stop? Why can’t they just leave us alone? What can I do, Ryosuke?” It was then when you lifted your head and he saw the tears that he couldn’t possibly hide it anymore. For your pain, you deserve every answer.

“You don’t have to do anything,” to your own aggravation, he gave you the sweetest chuckle. You weren’t entirely following his humor, at all. But before you could question his behavior, he continued.

“That’s just the price I pay for falling in love with a human.”

You heard the words loud and clear, and still, you were unsure of whether or not you heard him correctly. Maybe you were paying too much attention to his scent, his warmth or even the softness of his white sweater and didn’t quite catch his words properly. You thought at least.

“You what?” After lifting your gaze you watched him laugh at your reaction, the most breathtaking sight on the most confusing moment. “I’ve been serving you for most of my youth and declared myself your familiar, are you really that surprised?” He questioned bemused.

“Y-Yeah .. I actually am.” You admitted, still perplexed, “Ryosuke, just give me anything! Tell me how I can fix you!” As elated as you were inside for the new confession, you couldn’t set aside the torture, you were willing to do anything.

“There is something. But for that I would need your permission,” A shy grin tugged the corners of his lips and both curiosity and need drove you to nod with eagerness, begging him to go on.

“Would you be my lady and mistress by becoming a land god?” His request sounded quite absurd and in a way, old fashioned. Lady and .. mistress?. That was a word that most likely shouldn’t be said in public, and surely you’d hope he wouldn’t announce you as his mistress by any chance. Even so, as unfashionable as the inquiry seemed you would do anything for the man that has willingly put you up high on a pedestal for most of his life, becoming a land god did not sound half bad neither.

“I will accept the offer if you don’t ever call me master or mistress in public .. ever. I like my name how it is.” Although Ryosuke certainly got the humor and mentally agreed to your request, the idea of making you a land god kept him from further speaking. The air between the two began to change and the feeling was quite prominent.

“Well, how do I become a land god?” Your question didn’t went entirely unnoticed but halfway through your request on how he should call you in public, Ryosuke suddenly wasn’t paying much attention to anything other than his heart going wild in his chest and the interest he had on your lips. The proximity was just as close from the hug he previously gave you, his hands were firmly placed on your hips and you were still holding on to him. Ryosuke had to question, was he really nervous about making you a land god or more so of how you’d earned your mark?

His stomach was a pit of nerves and luckily for him, you were not any different. The tension in the air was palpable, it was now or never. And before another question escaped your lips, you were surprised by a kiss. His right hand brushed against your cheek as he leaned in, cupping the side of your face and keeping you in place by the sudden collision between lips.

And so, it was through a demon god’s kiss that you became the Atago Shrines land god and Ryosuke’s one and only lady and master, through a kiss you earned your proper mark to at last honor Ryosuke as your devoted familiar.

While still being rejected by most demons, Ryosuke as a familiar finally gained all the glory he desired by having you not just as his one and only lady and land god, but a lover.

Tengu – A type of legendary creature found in Japanese folk religion and are also considered a type of Shinto god or yōkai. (Think of Kurama Shinjirou from Kamisama Kiss as a reference to Yamada here)

Amanozako – “heaven opposing everything” or “tengu deity” is a monstrous goddess. This deity is described as having a furious temper, a beastly head with a long nose, long ears, and great fangs so strong they can chew metal blades ragged, and to be capable of flying for a thousand li.

Sōjōbō – The famous Daitengu of Mount Kurama.

[jae-bummer]

Princess and the Pea

Request: Can you do number 20 (romantic) with Seventeen's Jeonghan?

20) Sleepover with your bias (platonic or romantic)

Member: Seventeen’s Jeonghan x Y/N

Type: fluff

You readjusted the book bag strap digging into your shoulder. Clenching your fists as tightly as you could, you straightened out your fingers again. With a deep breath, you pressed on the buzzer situated beside the door frame of the Seventeen dorm. 

You had never been this nervous when standing on the familiar welcome mat. You tapped your foot, checking the time on your phone again as you waited. Although you had crashed at the dorm more times than you could count, this would be the first planned stay. 

This was the first occurrence of Jeonghan actually asking you to spend the night. An exclusive sleepover date for two. 

Instead of a slumber party for fourteen. 

“Noona!” a happy voice echoed down the hallway. You turned to see an enthusiastic Vernon and even more cheerful Dino round the corner. 

“Hey,” you smiled, letting out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding. 

“Why do you have so many bags? Are you cooking for us tonight?” Vernon asked hopefully, coming to a stop before you. 

“You can’t just ask if she’s cooking for us,” Dino sighed, shaking his head. “But you know, I don’t hate the idea of spaghetti.”

“She’s not here to cook for you,” a familiar voice grumbled. You spun to see Jeonghan had finally come to the front door. He lifted his brows as he leaned against it, biting his lip for good measure. “Jagi.”

Even though you had seen him a hundred times, he still made your breath stall. He was absolutely gorgeous, especially with his new halo of blonde hair to further his cherub look. 

“Well...why else would she be coming over at dinner time with luggage if she’s not cooking?” Vernon asked dumbly, looking blankly between you and Jeonghan. “Wait...oh, OH.”

Jeonghan rolled his eyes as he leaned forward and grabbed your wrist. He pulled you into the apartment, attempting to shut the door as Vernon and Dino elbowed their way in. His hands were quick to find the straps of your book bag as he slid it from your shoulders and set it down on the floor. You looked past him and into the living area, your breath catching for the second time that evening as you saw the set up he had prepared. 

You always enjoyed teasing Jeonghan about how motherly he was, but his attention to detail was impeccable. Before you sat a stack of mattresses, very evidently pulled from the boy’s bunks and piled perfectly on top of one another. A nest of blankets and pillows sat atop of the heap, including a few plushies that you had mentioned as your favorites. The mattresses were pushed against the back of the couch which was now decorated in an array of holiday lights.  Snacks and drinks were neatly organized across the cushions, along with a few rental movies. You couldn’t hide the grin on your face as Jeonghan watched you proudly. He knew he had done well. 

“Ah! Cool! Sleep over!” Dino gasped, sprinting toward the living room. He leaped into the air, landing on the mattresses and spun around where he grinned at the two of you. 

You tried to hide a chuckle as Jeonghan stared at him, slack jawed and eyebrows raised. Dino’s smile slowly faded as he analyzed his hyung, his expression slowly mirroring his understanding. 

“This...this isn’t for us...huh?” he said timidly, looking to his hands. 

Jeonghan heaved a sigh as he shuffled over to the younger boy, passing a loving but firm ruffle through his hair. “Not tonight, but we can do it again with the members.”

Dino’s face lit up again as he gave a brief nod, hopped up, and disappeared down the hall. Vernon nodded as well, sprinting behind him to join him in the bedroom. 

“Impressed?” Jeonghan smiled, plopping onto the mattress tower he had created. 

“i feel like the princess and the pea,” you grinned, falling alongside him. 

“...Princess and pea?” he asked, furrowing his brows. 

“Uh...fairytale,” you nodded. “A prince is looking for his princess. So on a stormy night, a beautiful young woman comes to his door, drenched in rain. She claims she’s a princess, but the queen doesn’t believe her, so she hides a pea within 20 mattresses and 20 feather beds. When they check on her in the morning, she says she didn’t get a minute of sleep because there was something in the bed disturbing her. The prince rejoices because only a princess would have that sort of sensitivity to feel a pea through so many layers. And then they get married.”

“That’s stupid,” Jeonghan said bluntly. “But amusing.”

“If I wake up with a bag of frozen peas under this mattress Yoon Jeonghan,” you threatened, lifting your brows. 

“It would be your own fault because you were the one to tell the story,” he nodded with a smirk. 

You rolled your eyes and snuggled into the mattress beneath you. “So how’d you get the dorm so quiet?” 

“Bribery mostly,” he nodded. 

“Why do I feel like you aren’t joking?” you muttered, closing your eyes 

“Because I’m not,” Jeonghan said simply, placing a quick kiss on your temple. “Hungry?”

“Always,” you grinned. 

Jeonghan nodded as he pushed himself up and strolled to the kitchen. The sounds of pots and pans clinking was the last thing you heard before drifting off to sleep. 

You groaned softly, trying to blink yourself awake as you felt a soft pair of lips press against your forehead. You looked up slowly, the lighting that had previously flooded the living area now long gone and replaced by a dark night. Jeonghan caressed your back over the thin cotton of your t-shirt and smiled as you stirred. “Get enough sleep princess?” 

“Since you kept the peas in the freezer,” you chuckled softly, running a hand over your eyes. “How long have I been asleep?” 

“Only a half hour,” he nodded. “Long enough for me to cook dinner and attract several men to the kitchen.” 

You looked up sleepily to see several members of Seventeen with bowls, seated at the bar. 

“I thought you bribed them,” you laughed. You let Jeonghan help you rise from the comfort of your nest. He let you lean against him as you sleepily shuffled toward what appeared to be a blurry Mingyu. 

“No amount of threats and promises can keep them away from the scent of food,” Jeonghan sighed. “They’re like wild animals.”

“But like...the adorable kind you want to feed and take into your home,” Mingyu muttered through a mouthful of what appeared to be black bean sauce noodles.

“After you get them dewormed and vaccinated maybe,” Jihoon hummed as he busied himself at the fridge. 

“And even then, it’s a toss up,” Coups grinned from his spot beside Mingyu. 

Dino looked up at you cheerfully, having appeared after food had. “Black bean noodles?”

After successfully stuffing your faces and watching Jeonghan corral his members back into their bedrooms, you both finally settled down into the blankets he had scrounged together. 

“Hello,” you cooed, watching him as he wiggled his way toward your lap. He placed his head on your thighs and smiled, closing his eyes peacefully for what appeared to be the first time in days. 

“Hi,” he breathed. Slowly, his eyes opened and he gazed upon the underside of your face, a smirk tugging on the corner of his lips. 

“What are you thinking?” you hummed, lifting your fingers to comb them through his hair 

“Mmm...how good I’m going to sleep tonight,” he whispered. 

“Oh? And why is that?” you asked. 

“I’ll have you in my arms,” he said simply, his eyes opening wider. “Not to get too gushy, but it’s a rare occasion that I get to hold my whole world in my grasp.” 

“Hannie,” you gasped, your hands halting for a moment. 

“Oh, don’t act so shocked,” he laughed. “You know how I feel about you, jagi.”

You nodded and bit you lip. Jeonghan was notorious for hiding his affection when his team was around, but when it was the two of you, he constantly made your heart skip a beat. Those private moments and conversations were for the two for you alone, no one else, members included. 

He was a different person in these moments, flipping a switch to be everything that everyone in his life needed. To the members, he was a hardworking vocalist and eomma and to you, a dedicated boyfriend and confidant. You felt silly as you thought back to the moment you had arrived at the dorm tonight, nervous of the night ahead. 

“Do you want to watch a movie?” you asked, reemerging from your thoughts. 

“I’d rather watch the inside of my eyelids,” he grinned. “Or you. Mostly you.”

You gazed carefully as he eased up to lean on his arm, just high enough to be eye level with your lips. He reached up with his opposite hand and grabbed your chin, stroking it with his thumb. “But before that happens, I think a good night kiss is in order.”

You smiled, allowing him to gently guide your face toward his. His lips were soft and kind, conveying a quiet passion that he didn’t want to get too riled up (seeing as how members could appear at any moment.) He pulled away after only a few moments of shared lip contact, eliciting a quit moan of protest from your throat. 

“Sweet dreams princess,” he cooed, tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear. “Don’t worry. There are no peas to hide in the mattresses. Believe me, I checked.”

“So kind,” you chuckled, pushing him away. 

“No promises about the frozen baby corn though.”