#also people forget that xuxi is good at drawing too!

[moonctzeny]

the ask game is soo interesting!! how about love talk + slow burn + drawing

(love talk huh 😏)

lucas.

you were an international student, studying in hong kong. on the limited free time when your body didn't consist of 85% coffee, you'd visit a local workshop, where you and a group of drawing hobbyists were weekly given a theme and collectively drew. immediately you noticed lucas, with his big body and beautiful smile, a piece of art himself. you assumed he didn't speak your language (not that you had the courage to approach him), so you just knew his first name that the instructor called him by, and that he looks cute when concentrating, and that his glasses make him hotter than usual. you two had the tiniest of communications in every class, but you were never using any words. one day he'd look you up and down when you wore your favourite skirt, the other you'd brush your hand while walking past him and getting dizzy from his cologne. naughty smiles, a wink here and there, but then he'd always be the first one to barge out the room, leaving you hungry for more. one day, when you were hurrying to your seat after arriving late, you dropped your coffee all over his block, his pencils and coal. you started to profusely apologize, signaling as best as you could that you would pay him back for the utensils you ruined. he just told you to meet him at the rooftop after the workshop's over, in surprisingly fluent english and you nervously took your seat. the today's theme was portraits, yet you couldn't get your meetup with lucas out of your head (and the scolding you'd probably get). and he didn't help your anxiety either, never taking his eyes off you during the entire class. his stare was intense, penetrating, and you thought that you'd ruined every chance of ever sleeping with him in the future. when you meet him on the rooftop, he has a piece of paper rolled in his hands, and hands it over to you when you start to apologize again. it's a drawing of you, with today's hair and jewellery and you put two and two together. "you drew me?" "i needed reference. and who else would i draw but the pretty girl in class?" pretty??? "well, uhmm" you stutter and hand him your drawing as well "it's funny, i drew you". lucas lets out a loud laugh, and you think that's the most youthful you have seen him, but his eyes change a shade immediately after. he hands you a small piece of paper with a series of digits on them and clears his throat, "your drawings may be okay but i think you might need help in your figure studies. call me if you ever want me to model for you"

send me a song stuck in your head, your favourite fanfic trope and one of your hobbies and I’ll tell you which nct member would challenge you on a rooftop fight and why

[catchlalune]

Original artwork here

a/n: Hello starbursts! Happy Juneteenth and I hope everyone is staying safe and still quarantining! This fic is very different from my usual works so I need to preface this in my authors note that all of the characters in the story are pretty awful. If you find yourself in any of these situations PLEASE seek help. I wrote this to highlight these issues and you should think of it much like a modern day Romeo and Juliette story (and what I mean by that is that everyone in that story was incredibly dense and really could’ve solved a lot of their issues by talking and working through things together.) Thank you to @skzctnightnight​ and @pockpop​ for actually helping me maintain my motivation for finishing writing in an actual day. (also tagging @jejublr​ )

Word Count: 3.6k 

Pairings: Lucas x Reader

Genre: Angst, CEO! Au, Arranged Marriage 

Warnings: unhealthy relationships, smut, abusive relationship (this is not between the reader and Lucas), this again is to highlight how awful people can be this is an extremely toxic scenario so please don’t read if you will be triggered. Also not proofread yet but I plan on fixing it later

This is not in any way, shape, or form meant to say that I believe Lucas is like this in the slightest. I am using his likeness to portray a completely fictional character and that is all. 

The entirety of the two years she has spent with Lucas culminates to the two of them in this moment. The sinful sounds the two of them make as skin slaps on skin. The feel of him inside her. Everything is hot and wet and passionate. As passionate as the kisses they’ve always shared. As hot as the sun on their skin as they sit and laugh in the sun, Lucas’ parents included. As wet as the rain as it pours outside, slapping on the pavement in hard droplets. 

They say that if it rains on your wedding day it means the relationship is meant to last forever. But what does it mean when it happens on a day of goodbyes? Are you fated to never say hello again? 

Whatever it means does not matter much to the two of them. Lucas is too busy coaxing his cock in and out of her to think of much other than their combined pleasure. They draw this out for as long as they possibly can. They know what will happen when they finish. But still Lucas must bring her to the apex of her pleasure, circling her throbbing bud as he stoaks the fire inside her belly. Her toes tingle, eyes shut tight and breathing ragged. Her fingers pinch and rub at her nipples until she's shaking. 

She comes undone with a sweet groan, gripping him until he releases into the condom. 

They lay there in the darkness of the night, the only illumination being the red of the alarm clock on Lucas’ bedside table. Glaringly it tells them the time but they ignore it as it looks in on them. It judges silently as the time reaches hours close enough for the sun to claw its way above civilization. They grasp for each other in the post-coituous haze. It does not matter, no matter how tightly they cling.

“I want to stay like this forever.” His whispers sound like music to her ears, the song of a siren. 

She does not answer him, anything she wants to say is caught in her throat. The memories that flood her mind hurt her before his words even can. Distinctly she remembers his mother telling her about the arranged marriage proposal from before he was even a child. Lucas doesn’t even know, she hadn’t even known up until two weeks ago. Their two year relationship had suddenly been reduced to nothing by those words. And his mother had been so casual about it, telling her as they searched for Lucas’ birthday present as if it was nothing more than an afterthought. ‘And  by the way, you will never be able to have my son. Not completely.’ 

She doesn’t realize the sobs that wrack her until Lucas pulls her close. He coos at her about how she always gets so emotional after sex. He jokes, tries to lighten the mood but nothing will quiet her mind. Not really. She knows that their graduation tomorrow means the end of this, of them. She knows she should at least tell him why, but she can’t bring herself to say the words. 

Instead she lets him hum the both of them to sleep, Lucas feeling bad about not being able to cure her of whatever ails her. She speaks to him after a brief period of rest, words hardly above the sound of the rustling of sheets. 

“Maybe we could’ve been, in another world.”

By the time he wakes the sun is just rising over the horizon, alarm clock blaring, and the bed cold. He doesn’t have to wait long to find out she is no longer with him. Some part of him feels the dread, knows something must’ve been wrong but he tries to brush it off. He does a good job of it too until he realizes he can’t reach her. Her number automatically disconnects, her things are no longer at her dorm room, and he doesn’t even catch a glimpse of her at graduation. When it is time for her to walk the stage there is a pregnant pause and the name of the graduate. He can’t imagine what must have happened to make her miss her own college graduation but he can’t even find the time to worry. Not when his parents are there and tell him the truth. 

---

“If I have to listen to another man tell me about how to run my own business I just might shoot myself in the foot.” 

Already the span of time has reached six long years. Leaving him was a decision she did not pride herself on. Some nights ended with dreams, ghosts of memories too long passed. Echoes of a time she felt safe, felt confident. Now she stands in the lobby of a convention center trying to figure out which panel would aggravate her the least. Two more long days she would have to deal with the misogyny, usually her patience wouldn’t be so thin but she hasn’t been able to sleep very well recently. She wakes up with the feel and taste of him on her. She feels dirty.

“I agree, we can do it together.” The woman-- who she hadn’t noticed-- smiles at her so brightly it makes her a bit uncomfortable. She was very pretty, the image of most men’s dreams probably. Perfectly manicured nails, long pin-straight hair, skin a milky complexion, lips a shade of pink that was not too bold and not too flirty. The woman also wears a dress she vaguely remembers seeing in a high fashion magazine not too long ago whilst waiting at the doctor's office-- in another word: expensive. She feels a bit embarrassed to have said that so loud where others could obviously hear her. It was obvious she was being watched, she was a woman in a man's world she was always being watched. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-”

“Don’t worry about it. Your secret is safe with me!” The woman takes a moment to wink at her, she shifts on her feet still feeling a bit awkward. “My name’s Jaeun, you’re the CEO of Xuxi’s Publishing Group, correct? I’ve been trying to find you all day.” 

Jaeun launches into a story about how she’d stumbled upon her company and relaxes her enough for the two of them to have a conversation about things other than business. It had been such a long time since she had a friend and talking to Jaeun was extremely easy. Maybe it was the way she seemed so bright and bubbly, or even the way she navigated conversations with a natural grace. Whatever it was, Jaeun quickly became a staple in her life for the next two days. 

And then it all comes crashing down on her, just like the rain on that night it rains the last day of the convention. It comes down so hard it resonates within the convention center. But that’s not what she’s focused on. Jaeun had offered for her to meet her husband and his parents excitedly yesterday after talking to her about the lack of business prospects. It was supposed to be relaxed and informal but she was on absolute high alert. 

The years were kind to him in a way that she considered unfair. He was even more beautiful than the night she left him. 

“There you are! This is my husband Lucas. I showed him your business proposal and he wants to have a meeting for a merger.” 

--

It’s no more than a few days after the convention that he shows up on her doorstep in business casual attire that puts hers to shame. She’s not even sure if it was actually smart for them to be left alone together but she swallows the lump in her throat and lets in him. She offers him a plate of food that she made for their lunch but he declines. He does the same to her offer for water and coffee as well. He’s been there all of five minutes and already her palms are sweating. She almost feels silly as he tells her that she can eat, always feeling like the one taking instead of giving. 

"Do you really like her as a friend?" A strange conversation for him to start, but he needed to vet her nonetheless. 

"Yes." There is no doubt in her words, they are hard and come out leaving no room for doubt.

"Do you love and cherish her?"

"Of course I do, it's been so long since finding a friend like her." She fiddles with her fork wondering why this was being asked to her and not the other way around. 

"You know I think she loves you too. I don't know about cherish, that's a good change word. It's just that her mom is so skeptical of everyone, it's better that she doesn't get too close." 

"I know, but it doesn't change my answer. "

There's a brief pause between them before he speaks again, a small smile on his face. 

"I almost wish I was in an arranged marriage with you. I think it would be easy to fall in love. Should I just end it with her? You know I could." He says it with such conviction it makes her heart flutter. 

"Don't say things like that. Jaeun really likes you, she really wants to make it work." It almost sickened her how easy it was for him to just say those words to her. Maybe it was easy for him, but what about her friend? She was groomed her whole life for him. The way he would easily throw her away for another makes her resolve to forget the butterflies in her stomach that much stronger. 

"Let's get down to business now shall we? You came here to talk about a merger." She looks at him with her eyes and jaw set and he knows. He knows he is going to fall into her head first and drown. He knows that she is so loyal to her morals and her friendship that she would willingly let any sparks for him fizzle out and die. He knows it, and yet the beating of his heart only gets faster. 

"Let's."

She is exactly how he remembers her. And the way he remembers her is very intimate. If he closes his eyes he can faintly feel the way her body would meld perfectly against him. Lips laying kisses across the expanse of his visage. The smell of her, fresh and sweet; the smell of citrus and a hint of honey with jasmine blooms. He can still feel the way their hearts beat at each others ribcage, trying to find a way out and meld together. But they never did, and they never will. 

It has already been two weeks since their meeting and business between them is going off without a hitch. But of course that's all that is going on between them, business. She is just as intelligent and bright as she always has been and it seems if only she had been dealt a luckier hand in life her business would've surpassed his years ago. He shouldn't be but she makes it so easy to remember their summer tryst. She makes it so easy to remember how he cares for her. 

Even at the company dinner she makes it easy, she glides through the room as if on air. Her pantsuit hugs her body in all the right places. He takes note of how it makes her stand out, of the power she exudes just by making a not so orthodox outfit choice. Of course some of the men would think she was a hardass because of it, but when she saunters away with a pretty brunette and stay in the bathroom longer than socially acceptable they begin to think other things. Of course even if these things are true it's none of their business and he tells them just that. Reminding them of the company rules against harassment and intimidation. 

This doesn't stop him from waiting for her though. After another ten minutes the brunette slipping out from the bathroom a satiated look on her face Lucas is waiting. He keeps his eyes trained on the bathroom door but when he feels it's been too long he doesn't wait anymore. It is a company wide policy that most bathrooms be gender neutral and luckily this was one such one. He makes his way quietly into the single toilet, he tells himself it's just to make sure that she's okay. But when he sees the way she looks he can't help but ask her. 

"Did you have fun?" It's an innocent enough question but the implications of it are anything but innocent. 

"Are you mad?" She doesn't even startle at his presence, as if she knew he would be looking for her. It takes him a second to really be able to answer her. He thinks about it long and hard.

"I can't be mad, because I was the one that let you slip away from me." He regards her with a soft wisftfulness that makes both their hearts ache. It hurts to look at her lipstick smudged and hair disheveled when he wasn't the one who's done it. He wonders if the woman she's just hooked up with knows. 

"If I had held you longer, maybe you wouldn't have slipped out of the bed that night. We could've woken up to each other we could've-" 

"You know that's not true. Don't even pretend for a second your parents would've given up your arranged marriage." 

"We don't know that, we could've been more persistent! We could've begged." His eyes are alight, wild with all of the things he might have done to stay with her had he known it would hurt him this much. 

"No, it wouldn't have changed anything. Just like every other rich person the only thing you and your whole family value is money and power. It doesn't matter how much they liked me." The words come out of her mouth as sharp as razor blades and they cut. They cut so deep and so hot it almost makes him dizzy. He knows she doesn't mean it, she's just upset because he'd almost caused her friendship to fall through. He deserves it but just because it was true about his parents doesn't mean it was for him. 

"You don't understand how much I love you." He steps forward, tears threatening to pour down his beautiful face. She will regret her next words for the rest of her life. But she must say them even if they aren't true, even if they hinder her from happiness. 

"I understand, but it's that my understanding does not matter. Jaeun loves you." Her words echo through different times and spaces it seems. They beat at the two of them brutally. They make it hard to breathe. 

"Do you love me?" He steps closer, words falling from his lips like water from a faucet. They begin to flood the room with their intensity, the water is at their shins. She steps back. 

"Jaeun loves you." A shake of her head and the room is flooded higher, the water at their hips now. He takes another step forward. 

"Do you love me?" The words are at their chests now and she shakes her head again, tears mirroring the ones steaming down his face. 

"Jaeun loves you." He stops when she is almost against the wall but doesn't proceed forward. 

"Do you love Jaeun?" 

"I do, with all that is in me. She's been my only friend through all of this. I can't betray her." The words are at their throats now, they choke her so that her speech is airy and labored. They press at her chest. He knew that he would drown in her, he just didn't realize he would never be saved. 

"But loving me, you already have." He steps away and she can already breathe better when her senses aren't so full of him. 

"I never said-" 

"You didn't have to." The smile he gives her is preposterously solemn for such a wide showcase of his teeth. 

"Jaeun loves you." She whispers back to him, head bowed and eyes looking at the shiny leather of his shoes. 

"I know, but I love you. " He turns away from her and begins his exit and subsequently his descent into madness. Every step he takes from her causes her to fall just a bit closer to the floor, by the time he is gone she is already on her knees gasping for air. 

Jaeun waits for him outside the room with an eerily stoic face. He knows she has heard everything but he doesn't care, he hopes she wants a divorce but to his surprise she offers him her usual smile. Normally he'd think it was full of charm but her words...her very words tell him she was simply a snake all along. 

"Let's go home, I'll help you forget about her." 

They were so caught up in the turmoil of their relationship they hadn't even seen the signs. The seeds that Jaeun had sowed. And now, they played right into her hand. But for her sake, he'd do everything to make sure she wouldn't find out.

"I don't need or want whatever it is you're offering me. What I want is for you to get the fuck away from me." His words come out scathing, he puts every bit of malice he can into each and every letter. But it just makes Jaeun laugh, she then fixes him with a look so sinister it almost makes him shiver. 

"Don't be silly. The second the two of you got together there was already a due date on your relationship. You were never meant to be forever, there was a deadline and it ended exactly when I decided it to. Really it's your fault for ever getting involved with her in the first place." She ends it with a sneer marring her pretty features and so loud he hushes her fearing that his lover might hear. 

"Is it really my fault?" The thought seems ludicrous to him but all Jaeun needs is that inch of doubt in his voice to take it a full mile. 

"Of course it is baby, you're just as awful as I am. But it's okay, I forgive you." He lets her pull him away after that, head so clouded with her words he can barely manage to walk correctly. It was true, he knew he was getting an arranged marriage and his parents knew but still he…

He would make sure that she'd be happy anyway he could even if it meant being in a relationship with Jaeun. 

The years spread between them like a desert, sands of time speeding up and slowing down in frequent intervals that they can't change though sometimes they wish they could. Lucas' marriage to Jaeun is nothing more than a facade and his deserves an Oscar for his performance every time she comes around. Sometimes he wonders why Jaeun keeps her if she doesn't really see her as a friend but then remembers that Jaeun is cruel and enjoys watching the two of them pine. Whenever he kisses Jaeun he feels her lips ghosting across his own. Whenever he touches Jaeun he feels her skin soft and supple. Whenever he fucks Jaeun he really wishes he could make love to her. And whenever he sees their daughter though he loves her to death, he wishes her mother was another woman. He especially wishes it when she comes around to babysit. 

Jaeun takes her cruelty to a whole new degree when she begins to ask her "friend" to babysit for her. 'She's just so tired and Lucas is always so busy.' And it isn't entirely a lie, but Lucas had long since been working from home just to be able to catch a glimpse of her in passing. He didn't think his heart could ache more but it does the moment he hears it. He watches from around the corner to the kitchen, peering in and spying like a shadow.

"Mommy can we have chicken for lunch?" His daughter had just begun to learn how to enunciate her words better. Four years old and Jaeun had hardly stepped in to care for the child, she wasn't a mother any more than she was a wife this much was evident from their daughters words. 

"I'm not your mommy darling, you can call me auntie though." She bends down to pat Jisoo on the head. Eyes tender with a longing she could not put into words. 

"But you act like a mommy, can't you be my mommy? Can we please have chicken?" The four year old pouts up at her, Lucas nearly swoons. Everyone knows that it's true, even the maid and butler agreed she was a much better fit for Jaeun at motherhood. But secrets should never be uttered aloud. 

"We can have chicken Jisoo, but you can't keep calling me that. At least not in front of everyone." Jisoo lights up at the prospect of some kind of compromise. 

"Does that mean I can still call you mommy?" She hushes the child and leans in close to her. Lucas has to strain to hear the words that come from her. 

"Yes, but only when we're alone and you have to be very quiet. It'll be our little secret, promise?" She holds out her pinky for Jisoo to wrap her smaller one around. 

Lucas returns to his office with a smile on his face, something he'd not worn in such a long time the staff gave him strange looks, whispers of rumors beginning. It made no difference to him, he'd just been so happy to keep their secret safe. A secret made for two. 

[jaehyunsuh]

nct ot21 (minus jisung) reaction to: their child looking more like another member than them | part 2

[Lucas - Chenle]

part 1

REQUESTS ARE: OPEN

author's note: i didn't include jisung because i think of him as a baby (just kidding) so my writer mind comes into some type of block thinking about him being a dad lol. But don't worry you will see more of him in future content💕 

thinking about chenle being a dad gave me a hard time as well, he looked so cute and small next to his nephew that i just see him as the cool and cute uncle🥺

yangyang saying that 'anything could happen' after Ten said to stop talking about babies bc they are young was playing through my head the whole time making me laugh lol

lucas

i see Xuxi as a really sweet and protective dad so he would feel kinda startled when someone says his child doesn't look like him and trying to convince everyone that they are almost twins.

his 4 year old is already so smart and confident. He does lots of questions and it's into interesting topics.  

"He has small eyes, nothing like yours." Xiaojun stares at the toddler.

"I see what you mean...he looks like Mark." Chenle says excited.

"What!? He doesn't. He is exactly like me, don't you see!!." He says picking up the 4 year old in his arm putting him next to his face.

"Anyway, baby, when you grow up you are gonna look like daddy okay?" He smiles at his child giving him a hug. 

mark

i feel like Mark likes to laugh about things that the members say but when they are messing with him he gets a little pissed of.

Mark has a 3 year old boy who is as interested in music as much as him. He love to play and listen to music with his dad and he is lately getting into instruments.  

"He sings pretty well too!." Yuta says hyped.

"Right, and if you look closer to him, he resembles Taeil a lot, he is gonna be a great singer." Doyoung smiles excited.

"W-what? My son is just like me what do you mean." He hums trying to hide his nervous.

"Junior don't listen to them, you are as cool as me okay." He ruffles the little boy's hair hivimh a kind smile. (yes, i made made mark call him junior lol peak comedy)

xiaojun

he seems so calm and kind so i think his reaction would be just to keep observing his baby and see if he really looks like him.

Xiaojun's 6 months old is so quiet and calm. He sleeps and eat well giving his parents a lot of time to relax.

"You are so cute baby, just like Lucas." Winwin plays with the baby smiling at him.

"Like who?" Xiaojun seems confused.

"Like Lucas. If you notice he is starting to look a lot like him now." Ten says firm.

"Ha! No, i don't think so." He grabs the baby and places him over his shoulder.

"This is all crazy people, let's sleep so we can forget his words." Xiaojun kisses his baby head.

hendery

I feel like his reaction would be kinda chaotic rather than negative or smth. He would laugh it off and look at his baby carefully to find his resemble with him. 

Hendery was really surprised when he found out he was going to have twins but now he is happy of having two baby boys that always play together. They are 2 years old right now.

"They are so young but yet so talented." Jeno is playing football with the little kids.

"He may be talented in dancing too. You know, since they look like Ten." Haechan says sipping on his juice.

"Kids come here." He places the two kids in front of him looking at the carefully.

"What!? They don't like him." He says giving a confused look to the members.

"Kids, let's go outside. We need to get away from this people." Hendery looks at his members pretending to be bothered.

renjun

he has a kind personality and enjoys being wish his members. He would laugh it off but then he would become slighty annoyed at the comment.  

renjun's 2 year old is really sweet and respectful to everyone. He enjoys drawing and painting, just like his dad. He also has a beautiful voice and love singing.

"Aw, he is so cute, he is like a little bunny, that's why he looks so much like Doyoung." Taeil says smiling while coloring in one of the baby's coloring books.

"What? No! He doesn't." Renjun puts on a confused expression and talks in a annoyed tone.

"Ooooh, maybe something happened at the New Years party." Johnny winks playfully trying to annoy Renjun.      

"Aaah, shut up already." Renjun says even morw annoyed.

"Keep coloring your uncles are obviously having eye issues." Renjun sits next to the little boy and begins to draw as well.  

jeno

jeno is a sweet member, he is quiet and tends not to make comments that could make his members upset or something. He would laugh about it but in the back of his head he would overthink about it wishing that his baby looks more like him or his s/o.

his little 4 year old daughter was his whole world, she was so sweet, expressive, talkative and loved to spend time with her daddy.

"Something is missing on her." Jungwoo looks at the little girl thinking. 

"I know! The eye smile. Woah, do you see? She is really Ten's child." Haechan says without hesitation.

"No! She doesn't looks like him and she is my child. What the hell." Jeno says really annoyed and slightly angry.

"Angel, you are your father's daughter, don't listen to this people." He hugs the little girl and places a kiss on the side of he head.

haechan

Haechan isn't taking anyones opinion, he would give some sassy answers to his members and then deny all of the things they are saying. His baby looks exactly like him and that's it, period.

his 10 months old is already as energetic and playful as his dad. He wants to walk, speak, play, everything! He so excited about every single thing.

"Oooh i know! Whenever he smiles he looks like Taeil." Ten looks carefully at the baby caressing his head.

"W-w-what!!!?? Are you crazy!?" Haechan quickly grabs his baby in arms.

"There has never been another human being who looks more like me that this baby." He exaggerates while pointing at the baby.

"Let's go to sleep, so this people can't see your beautiful face anymore."    

jaemin

he would be a little annoyed by the comment because he doesn't like when members tease him about this type of stuff. He would defend her avoiding the topic. 

jaemin is the dad to the sweetest an most extrovert 2 year old. She is always laughing about every single thing and the best part is that she is always excited about everything.

"She has a beautiful smile. But not like yours, like Jeno's. Woah, i can't believe your best friend betrayed you like this." Jisung says pretending to be shocked.

"No no no no no, her smile is as beautiful as mine you see?" Jaemin points at him self.

"I'm not letting you think other way."

"This baby girl and I are leaving due the fake uncles." Jaemin holds his girl and pretends to leave the room fake crying. 

yangyang

we already now this guy is savage so he would just defend his and his baby's honor shutting the members mouth making them all understand he is the only one who can male this type of comments.

he is the dad of a 1 year old babyboy. He loves to play and give exciting screams. He loves his uncle and playing with them.   

"Aaaww he even has the same dimples as Kun. He resembles him even more." Jaemin smiles while caressing the baby's cheek.

"WHAT!? my child doesn't look like any of you. Make your own children." Yangyang looks at them annoyed and grabs the baby's hand.

"You look just like me. No one else, okay?" He says firm to his baby.

chenle

this is another savage, he would make fun of his members instead of accepting what they say not paying attention to their comments.

Chenle's baby boy is so cute and talented already, he is 3 years old but already following his dad's steps. He is always so proud to see him do what he loves.

"He is good at singing. Wow that's why he looks so much like Winwin." Renjun says while playing with the little boy.

"Uh, no, i don't think so." Chenle says annoyed sitting next to his child.

"No offense Sicheng gege, you are amazing but this is 100% my blood."

"You are gonna be as cool as dad, okay?" He high fives his baby boy and hugs him.     

[plumblossomkun]

Masquerade

word count: 1999

synopsis: in which Mark goes to a party, and doesn’t really party at all, and wanders about a little lost. you know that feeling. [alludes to Mugunghwa, but no real spoilers.]

warning[s]: mentions of alcohol [underage drinking]; a single bottle of hard lemonade. party elements, a cheating trashbag. not based on real people. one profanity.

a/n: this is not a spoiler for Imagine That, not really. i want them to have met at a party, but not this one. anyway, sorry this one’s late! i’ll also be posting the next oneshot a bit late since i was working on this one for so long.

“Are you coming to Lucas’s place tonight?”

Mark looks down at the tiny girl who has just sidled up to him on his walk down the stairs to his sixth period class, and puts his arm around her to give her a brief hug. She is bouncing on her heels with excitement, though, so she slips out of his hold rather quickly. “Noona, aren’t you gonna be late for AP Lit?”

“Mrs. Dorian doesn’t really care.” She elbows him, just hard enough to get a cough out of him and draw his attention back down to her. “Tell me you’re coming.”

Mark considers it, pores over the schedule in his binder to see whether or not there’s a youth group meeting or something, but there isn’t.  “Sure, I guess. Can you give me a ride?”

“Hell no. My dad thinks he’s dropping me off at a friend’s house to do a group project.” She scrunches her nose. “I’ll ask Taeyong.”

“He’s not driving you?” Mark raises a brow at that; she and the AP Dance wonder are rarely ever seen apart these days, always walking together during passing periods and eating lunch together. “Dude, he’s so whipped for you.

“Not even. We’re just friends.” She laughs, but the sound is a little strange, like she’s unsure of those last three words. “I’ll actually be late to class if I keep walking with you, so... I’ll see you tonight?”

Mark doesn’t push the topic, only ruffles her hair, earning himself a displeased yowl. “Tell him to text me after the last bell. If he can’t drive me, I’ll ask Johnny-hyung.”

She shakes her head vigorously to unfrazzle her hair. “Okay~ Bye, Mark.”

“See you later, noona.”

Taeyong and Mark pull up to Lucas’s house at nine, an hour after the festivities have already begun. Behind the curtain, the windows flash a rainbow of lights, and laughter spills out into the street, not loud enough for the neighbors to voice complaints, but loud enough for anyone outside to know that the party going on inside isn’t one they want to miss out on.

“Did you bring a mask?” Taeyong stops just shy of opening the door. Cackles of glee and roaring laughter lie just beyond it, and the clink of bottles against cups call tantalizingly to him.

“No, what for?”

“I guess Lis didn’t tell you, huh?” The older boy hands him a white mask, whose facial features are gilded in gold leaf and with ornate details; it’s a bit hefty in the hand, and Mark nearly drops it as he fumbles with the strap. “Give it back to me when we leave later; I borrowed it from the theatre club.”

“Borrowed, or stole?” Mark teases, pulling the mask over his face. He can scarcely see out of the holes carved in it, and his breath comes out in hot puffs. “This is kinda uncomfortable.”

“Borrowed.” Taeyong laughs as he slips on his own mask, a plumed red piece that only covers his eyes and cheekbones; other than his icy-white hair, he’s unrecognizable. “Can’t be helped. It’s the party’s theme, anyway.”

Mark checks his phone’s camera and marvels at how he can barely recognize the shine of his own eyes through the mask. “Lucas’s idea?”

“I think it was Ten’s, honestly.” He pushes the door open, and they enter into the fray.

At some point, Mark acquires a bottle of Mike’s Hard Lemonade on his walk from the front to the brightly lit pool in the back. He’s caught a couple of snatches of conversation between voices he thinks he recognizes and others he doesn’t, but everyone keeps their masks on. He doesn’t quite know what to do with himself, so he wanders.

He jumps when someone in a vibrant Mardi Gras mask places a hand on his shoulder, but he recognizes the high-pitched giggle that falls from the person’s lips and grins. “Yoooo, Lucas.”

“Mark! Oh my god, man. Where have you been all night?” Lucas leans down and peers into Mark’s cup and gasps when he sees that it’s empty. “Let me get that for you, dude. I think Johnny-hyung has the bottle opener.” 

And then he’s gone again, snatching up the bottle of hard lemonade and vanishing back into the house.

Mark watches the pool slosh against the cement. He’s never really been into drinking, doesn’t like the taste of most alcohol, prefers sweet things-- so the idea of getting drunk repulses him a little. What else can he do, though, when Taeyong and Lis are nowhere to be seen, Lucas is playing host, and all their other mutual friends are nowhere to be seen or heard?

Lucas returns within a couple of minutes with the bottle opener and a red Solo cup, tucking the bottle opener into the pocket of his jeans. “Here you go, dude. Did you bring a date?”

“Me?” Mark chuckles, taking a sip of the drink. The burn of alcohol is so discreet, that he forgets that there’s any in it when swallows. “No, I didn’t bring anyone. I came with Taeyong-hyung.”

“Ah, yeah. I saw Lis trying to dodge him earlier. Wonder what’s up with them?” Lucas crouches next to him and watches, grinning, as Mark takes another deep draught from his drink. “Heyyyy, thatta boy. You know, you should see if you can find a girl tonight.”

Mark grimaces. “I don’t--”

“Not like that, I mean,” Lucas amends himself with a flustered laugh, “I mean, like, someone nice to get to know better. Not just casual. There are a lot of single girls here, man.”

“Either way, dude…” Mark trails off, pouring the rest of his bottle into his cup. “You really think a good girl would come out to a party like this?”

“Oh, I know a couple.” Lucas takes the empty bottle and exchanges it for a little key on a lanyard. “Anyway, I know you don’t drink much, so when you’re done with that, there’s some juice and water in the fridge in my room upstairs.  You can chill up there, if you want.” “Thanks, dude.” Mark pockets the key and stands.

“You can give it back to me whenever, just don’t let anyone else up there.” Lucas sighs. “I don’t want to have to wash my sheets again.”

Mark pushes the key into the lock and opens the door to Lucas’s room. It’s like a breath of fresh air, quite literally; with the windows all up to clear the room from the fumes of weed and alcohol outside, it’s just cold enough to sober him up a little.

Not that he’s drunk. Who could get drunk off of something with only 5% alcohol?

Still, he feels a little tingle at the tip of his fingertips reminding him that it’s in his bloodstream, and he sits on the bed, processing his emotions and thoughts just a little slower than normal.

So when a girl comes tumbling into the room, and slams the door shut behind her and locks it, he doesn’t react immediately.

She turns around to see him sitting on the bed, and holds a finger to her lips. Her mask is one of the masks that only hides half her face; behind the matte white material, her eyes gleam, and her lips curl with silent laughter.

Footsteps clatter up the stairs, and someone bangs on the door, with slightly slurred speech, “Hey, open up!”

Another person speaks, in a loud whisper, “Dude, this is Lucas’s room. Let’s not.”

“That bitch-- she stole my phone!”

“You can afford another one, dude. I don’t wanna get on Lucas’s bad side.”

As if summoned by those words, Lucas’s voice booms out, loud and clear as day, “Hey! Man, the whole house is open, but not my room.”

The sober one titters nervously. “Yeah, I was just telling him.”

“Fine, I’m going,” the drunker one blubbers, and then Mark hears him stumble away, presumably back down the stairs, and back into the jubilation of the party.

A moment passes, and then a soft knock. “Mark, you in there?” Lucas calls.

Mark looks at the girl, who is sitting at Lucas’s desk in the corner of the room, checking out her reflection in a mirror on the top shelf. She senses his eyes on her, and shrugs without looking back at him. “...Yeah, I’m in here.”

Lucas peeks into the room, mask raised to his forehead. When he spots Mark, he raises his hand in greeting, but freezes when he sees the girl in the corner, sitting at his desk.

In response, the girl raises her left hand in a peace sign and says, “Hey, Xuxi. Lis told me to come up here if I wanted some peace and quiet.”

“Ah! Noona! I didn’t recognize you with that mask on.” Lucas gasps, and crosses the room to fist-bump her. “That dude said you stole his phone?”

“He was cheating on my friend,” she says coolly, raising said phone in her other hand. “You don’t mind if I just find the evidence and give it back, yeah?”

Lucas shakes his head, chuckling. “No problem.” He glances at Mark and grins. Mark almost bolts right there and then, because he knows the look on Lucas’s face, the devious glitter in his eye. “Do you know Mark Lee?”

The girl is swiping through the gallery of the stolen phone, but snorts and looks up when she hears the question. “Who doesn’t?”

“What does that mean?” Mark splutters. He studies her features, or at least, what little parts of her face he can see, but finds that he doesn’t recognize them at all, though he’s sure he knows her voice from somewhere. 

Someone stars hollering for Lucas downstairs, and he perks at the sound, peeking outside into the hallway. ““I gotta go, dudes,” he says, leaning back into the room, “I think someone’s getting a little too wild downstairs.”

She laughs softly. “Xuxi, you wanna lock the door? I can’t stand the fumes.”

“That’s one thing the two of you have in common.” Lucas starts to shut the door, then pauses when he sees Mark watching him with wide eyes. “She’s a good girl,” he mouths, and then he closes the door, and it locks with a loud click.

The room is mostly silent, except for the sounds of the party downstairs coming up muffled through the floor and the open window. The girl keeps her eyes glued to the phone in her hand, and she giggles to herself once in a while, but doesn’t look up at Mark at all.

Mark fiddles with his hands, unsure of what to say or do. All he knows is that he doesn’t want to drink any more, his ride is still downstairs, and the girl next to him is probably not going to leave any time soon. Plus, the mask on his face is making it real stuffy and hard to breathe.

After what feels like an eternity, she puts the stolen phone down, and leans back in her chair with a sigh. Then, she stands, and comes to sit on the bed, leaning back on the pillows, while he stays frozen at the foot.

“Wanna tell me why Mr. Bad Boy, Mark Lee, isn’t downstairs drinking with the worst of them?” she asks, patting the spot next to her. “Otherwise, we can just sit here in silence, and be awkward. Because I don’t have any battery on my phone, and I don’t want to look through this dude’s texts anymore.”

He stares at her. 

Without a word, she crawls up the bed, and lifts the mask from his face, laughing when she sees the surprise lighting up his face.

And in response, he reaches out, and tugs her mask off too.

They stare at each other, and fire burns across his face when he recognizes her, realizes why her voice is so familiar.

He’d never have expected to meet his middle school crush at this party.