#apparently sleeping 15 hours a day whenever you get the chance is a sign of depression who knew

[crazypossumman]

Started a new antidepressant (that is also supposed to promote focus) recently on top of my prior medication and today I just like… woke up when my alarm went off and didn’t feel the need to lay in bed dreading my existence for an hour before getting up? I got up, ate, and watched my shows while drawing. Like it didn’t take until 6pm for me to muster the motivation to do stuff. Like… maybe I was more fucking depressed before than I thought

[ah-ga-seven]

Till The End of Summer - Chapter 14 (The Finale)

>> series masterlist <<

Pairing: Choi Yeonjun x Reader

In a Nutshell: College!AU, Rich Kids, Friends to Lovers, Fuckboy athlete Yeonjun, Overprotective Best friend Soobin, contains all of TXT and other Idol cameos, Omnipresent perspective.

Synopsis: You and Yeonjun are caught up in a cat and mouse game because of unspoken feelings and endless pining for each others’ attention. With the summer break approaching and lots of college parties, will you finally get a chance to explore your feelings for each other; even though the world and Yeonjun’s reputation makes things complicated?

Word count: 12,3K

Idol Cameos: NCT Johnny, ITZY Ryujin, ATEEZ Wooyoung, Stray Kids Hyunjin, Enhyphen Sunghoon, Heesung and Jay.

Genre:  Fluff, SMUT, angst if you squint.

Warnings: explicit mature content, I put a bolded warning sign at the start and end of it so you can skip through if you want.

Month 1.

Yeonjun went back home to save the reputation of Choi Enterprises by dealing with Lita’s attempt to overthrow him and his mother.  

Apparently, she did a lot more than the things she was locked up for initially. 

Lita and her husband bribed members of the board, making promises they obviously couldn’t keep. “When we have the company, the world is yours” but those days never came. and the board members that were bribed were fired effective immediately.

Each and every one of them got disposed of, with their assets included like they were last weeks’ trash. And if that wasn’t enough, Lita’s unjustified psychosis stemmed from the fact that she used to sleep with Yeonjun’s father. Lita felt like she was entitled to the Choi’s fortunes because according to her; the only woman Daniel Choi ever loved, was her.  

The revelation had Yeonjun sick to his stomach as he sat next to his mother in court. Lita looked at him with pleading eyes, claiming to really love him as her own son before the judge announced her 15-year prison sentence for fraud, spying, embezzlement, and attempted murder.

Somehow Yeonjun felt nothing as he looked at her. He really didn’t. If anything, he was glad to close this chapter of his life for good, and look ahead of the road to recovering his soul.

You, on the other hand, were completely overwhelmed with your new surroundings. You threw yourself into your work to forget about your heartache and didn’t dare to talk to Yeonjun in case it’d open up your wounds again. It would cause for you to lose focus, and you simply couldn’t afford that distraction right now.

Month 2

The first month passed without any contact between the two of you, but that changed when you wished him a happy birthday. His heart thumped in his chest on his way to his 6th therapy session as he looked at your message. 

He was even more surprised to see that you sent him a cute card with a Polaroid picture of the two of you; all happy and smiley in the park.  

It was reassuring to him that you were still thinking of him, and that you hadn’t completely forgotten about him or moved on so easily, because lord knows he hadn’t.

When you asked him about Lita’s trial a few days after his birthday, you two started to slowly talk again from time to time. You’d check up on each other and made small talk, but it was nothing like it used to be.  

There was no depth, and the core of your conversations always had to do with how both of your studies were going, if you were taking care of yourselves or if you’ve had dinner already.  

You both figured it was for the better this way, otherwise your break up would have been for nothing if you didn’t use this time apart from each other to heal, especially since you promised to be better individually so you could be even better together.

If that was still what both of you wanted upon your return of course.

He missed you so much, and he was finding it incredibly hard not to check your socials at least once a day, especially when he realized how male-dominated your studies were at Brown.

Your Instagram feed and stories indicated that you were having the time of your life when you could. You were happy despite the crazy hours you spent in a lab with your research team. A team that quickly became your new group of friends at the University.  

There were 2 other guys and one other girl in your team. The girl’s name was Giselle, you seemed to be the closest to her out of all of them. One of the guys was named Chanhee who was quite obviously gay, therefore not a threat. But the second guy, Hwang Hyunjin… let's just say that Yeonjun wasn't a fan.

Month 3

Your almost daily texts and calls with your friends back home started to shift to communication on a weekly basis.  

It was hard to keep up with your friends back home while having to entertain a new friend group here, all while you spent hours upon hours in the lab, working on a possible treatment for neurological disorders.  

You knew that whatever you were getting yourself into with this exchange was going to be hard, but you didn’t imagine it to be this hard and frankly, you were feeling incredibly homesick by now.

You missed Soobin, the boys, Mia…Yeonjun. And one time when you came home at 10 PM after a long day that started at 8 AM; you broke down on the phone when Soobin called to check in on you.

He was so shocked at your tears that he was ready to jump on a plane, but you stopped him from doing so. Knowing that you needed to push through and confide in the friends you made, whom you’ve started to hang out with a lot more, especially with Hyunjin.  

He reminded you a lot of Soobin, the way he was gentle yet in for dumb shit matched well with your own personality, and hanging out with him felt liberating. He introduced you to his friends and spent time with you and your lab partner and roommate Giselle whenever he could, which made your time at Brown a lot more bearable than you had anticipated.

Yeonjun was slowly starting to enjoy life again. He caught up with his studies, kept going to therapy, had regular calls with his mother, and spent time with his friends whenever he could. He started to pick up his neglected hobby of dancing again, finding comfort in the art form with Wooyoung and his crew.

Month 4

Yeonjun’s mother sold Choi Enterprises. She was completely done with the company as it wasn’t hers to begin with. The stock prices had risen for the first time since Daniel’s death paired with the whole Lita ordeal, so she took the chance to get rid of her past with a simple transaction.

She consulted Yeonjun about selling the company and the house he grew up in, for which he agreed, glad that they could finally close that dark chapter of their lives while getting a fresh start with new surroundings.  

With all of this newly acquired money, she opened a new headquarters of her own luxury fashion brand, closer to Yeonjun; only an hour away to be exact.  

She was determined to be a better mother and get to know her son, and the only way to do so was by actually trying. He was happier now that the burden of having to take over Choi Enterprises one day fell off of his shoulders.  

For the first time in a long time, he held the reigns to his own future again and his mother assured him that she’d support whatever he wanted to do in life both mentally and financially.

From there on out things started to look up for them.  

They went on café dates every Sunday, and sometimes he’d visit her for an entire weekend where they would bond by cooking or shopping together. 

During one visit, Yeonjun helped her pick some pieces for Fashion week, which made her pleasantly surprised by Yeonjun’s out of the box and daring passion for fashion. She suggested he’d take a minor in fashion design next to his regular Business studies and after giving it a good thought, he did, enjoying it a little more than he thought he would.

Month 5

You were doing better too. The hard part of your research was over with, and you had a well-deserved break which you spent with Giselle, Chanhee, and Hyunjin. You decided on having a mini-vacation and go sightseeing, rent an Airbnb somewhere in the state, and just chill.

Everything was fine until the last night of your trip, where you got shitfaced drunk and ended up sleeping with Hyunjin.  

You were single, so there was no reason to feel guilty, especially since the last time you even talked to Yeonjun was over a month ago, yet you still did.  

Of course, you had to talk to Mia about it, who only told you to remember that when you’d return in a month; you’d probably never see Hyunjin again, and that was enough for you to start distancing yourself from him.

The guy obviously had feelings for you, and you felt bad for friend-zoning him after being intimate with him, but the fact of the matter was that you just didn’t feel the same way about him. None of it would matter in a few weeks anyway, because you’d be heading back home, to your friends...and to Yeonjun.

Month 6  

Brown had offered you to stay and finish your studies at their facilities but you kindly declined. The experience was great, but you couldn’t put yourself through one more year of this type of curriculum, and you desperately wanted to see your friends' faces again by going back to the place you’ve called home for the past three years.

To your new-found friends’ disappointment, you were getting ready to leave as the weeks passed, packing your things little by little and meeting up with all of the people you met one last time before parting ways for good.  

It felt bittersweet though. Not only did you learn a lot about neuroscience, but you learned a lot about yourself as well. You grew as a person, matured, and blossomed by being more independent. Not having Soobin or your other friends to fall back on really pushed you to become more self-dependent, which was one of the perks of being away from them for so long.

You respected yourself and put yourself first and promised that that’d be a piece of knowledge that you’d be taking back home too.

Now.

Yeonjun couldn’t believe half a year had passed already. But what he really couldn’t believe was that he’d be seeing you again tonight.  

He stood in your apartment with the guys and Mia, organizing your things and cleaning up the place for your surprise welcome home party. Being in there felt weird, almost foreign to be exact.

It’d been half a year since he stepped foot in here, and even though you were gone for so long, the place still smelled like you. If it wasn’t for the empty shelves, missing bedsheets, and plastic covers over your furniture; it’d almost seem like you never really left.

He opened your bedroom door to see Mia struggling to make your bed and chuckled lightly at the sight. He walked over to her, grabbing the other ends of the sheets to help her out.

Mia gave him a faint smile and stopped her movements for a second to look at Yeonjun. “Are you excited?” She asks with a big smile. Lord knows she was, her best friend was finally coming back but Yeonjun didn’t really know how to answer Mia’s question.

“More nervous than excited. We checked up on each other from time to time but it’s not like we really talked or anything.”

Mia pouted at Yeonjun’s insecure facial expression. One she hasn’t seen from him that often. Especially lately. Mia and Yeonjun have gotten a lot closer in the past six months, which was a nice change for the both of them.

“It’ll be fine. Don’t worry. You’re not the same Yeonjun you were six months ago. And that’s a good thing. She’ll appreciate the change.”

“Gee, thanks.” Yeonjun snickers as he throws a pillow at Mia’s head. It hit her straight in the face, messing up her hair which made both of them erupt in loud laughter.

“Asshole,” Mia says straightening out her hair.

“What’s going on here?” Soobin asks with a big smile on his face as he enters your room.

Soobin hasn’t been able to wipe that damn grin off of his face all day. He was so excited for you to come back and honestly the mood with the boys and with Mia has been amazing lately.  

“Yeonjun is back to his old ways,” Mia argues as she tries to throw the pillow back at him, but Yeonjun swiftly caught it, giggling to himself as he fixes it before putting it back on your bed, where it belongs.

“Well, quit messing around and hurry the fuck up, I’m picking her up in an hour.” Soobin says clapping his hands together to try and give orders, but neither Yeonjun nor Mia were phased by Soobin’s attempt to assert dominance. Both of them rolled their eyes before getting back to the task of making your bed.  

It was adorable how stressed yet giddy Soobin was to see you again. Everything had to be perfect before you arrived so he could relax and make sure you’ll be able to relax after your flight too.  

He ran around your apartment like a stressed mother; making sure the boys weren’t messing around too much so that everything planned out smoothly before the guests arrived.

Soobin waited for you patiently…at the wrong exit.

You immediately recognized his tall form when you were skimming the crowd, wondering why he wasn’t there yet, but when you saw his back facing the wrong arrival hall; you knew enough.  

It’s so Soobin of him to face the wrong way. You smile to yourself as it gave you the perfect opportunity to scare him.

You chuckle as you walk towards him while pulling your suitcase with you. He was concentrated on the people exiting the gates, hoping to see you and growing more and more restless as you didn’t show up, but little did he know, you were right behind him.

“Who are we waiting for?” You ask in a serious tone as you stood beside him with your arms crossed while following his gaze onto the crowd.

Soobin’s head snapped into your direction so fast you swore you heard a bone crack.  

His eyes widened before he smacked his bunny-like lips in confusion, looking you up and down before a huge smile crept upon his face that you could only mimic.  

“YOU’RE HERE!” Soobin shouts in shock, relief, and joy at the same time while pulling you in for a tight hug. He inhaled your scent while twirling you around, and all you could do was giggle as he smothered you in his hold.

God, you missed him, and judging from the way he wasn’t letting go of you, you could tell he missed you too.

“Ugh, I missed you so much. How was your flight? And look at you! Did you change up your hair? You look good, happy, healthy. Ugh.”  

You couldn’t even respond to anything he was saying as he wrapped you into his arms again. Normally you’d fight him for being so clingy, but this time you let him have his way for a few seconds…until it got hard to breathe.

“Soobin, I can’t breathe.” You protest softly as you tap his chest to let go which made him laugh in response, holding you at an arms-length. “Sorry y/n. I just…we’re never separating for that long ever again,” he says with a serious yet playful look on his face.

“Agreed.” you beam up at him as you link arms, walking towards the exit.

“Did you have a good flight?” he asks as he pets your hair, not believing that you were standing next to him right now.  

“Mmh, there was some turbulence so I couldn’t really rest. I can’t wait till I’m home again so I can sleep,” you mumble before you let out a yawn as you drag your feet on the tiled floor of the airport.

Soobin gulped. He didn’t know how you’d feel about the hoard of people in your apartment right now, all ready to celebrate your return when all you really wanted was to get some rest after your long travels.  

He felt guilty for a second but also knew that you’d probably forget all about your tiredness when you’ll see all of your friends again.

“Uhm, the car isn’t that far. Give me that,” he says as he takes your suitcase from your hold.

“Everyone quiet down! They’re coming up right now!” Taehyun announces while he cut the music.

Everyone frantically found a spot to hide. Some giggled as it got dark, some held on to each other cause they couldn’t see shit and some were nervous wrecks like Yeonjun.

You weren’t suspecting anything as you dragged your feet to your apartment. Soobin was acting weirder and weirder; fumbling with his keys, dropping shit, and constantly checking his phone, but you were too dense and tired to notice.

You struggle with your lock and let out a yawn. Soobin stood closely behind you, taking a deep breath as the door swung open.

Before you could even close the door behind you or find the light switch, all of the lights turned on in an instant, followed by a loud ‘SURPISE’ yelled out by at least two dozen people who were occupying your living space.

You flinch, your eyes nearly popping out of your skull and stumble backward, just so your back could hit Soobin’s tall form.

He laughed hysterically clapping his hands together like a seal, followed by everyone in the room.

“Oh my god.” Is the only thing that you were able to get out as you covered your face at the overwhelming sensation.

You didn’t even realize you had this many friends? I mean you knew all of them of course, but you didn’t comprehend the fact that they were all here to welcome you back.

The music turned back on and Mia was the first one to launch herself into your arms which had you immediately defrosting in her hold.

‘BITCH!!!” she yelped. “I MISSED YOU SO MUCH.”  

She clung onto you and twirled you around making the adrenaline and confusion in your body shift to pure happiness at seeing their faces again.

You can’t believe they did this, and suddenly you don’t feel tired anymore.

“Y/N!” Beomgyu squealed your name as he hugged you, followed by Taehyun and Hueningkai who all patiently waited until it was their turn to hug you.

You were so caught up in shock and bombarded with love, that you didn't have time to scan the room for other familiar faces. Instead, you just let them come to you one by one as you stood glued to the floor, smiling, hugging and chatting away with all of the people that seemed to have missed you so dearly.  

Yeonjun stood in the corner of your living room, watching the whole ordeal. A smile crept onto his face at how happy and healthy you looked. It’s almost as if he saw you for the first time again. Making him realize that love at first sight really was a thing…even in this form.

He took a sip of his drink, still watching you carefully until someone nudged his shoulder.

“Shouldn’t you go say hi to your girl?” The taller and older guy leaned against the wall next to Yeonjun after nudging him, making him look up at him.

“Hyung, I don’t even know what to say to her. She’s so happy right now, I don’t wanna ruin it.”

Johnny furrowed his eyebrows, cocking his head to the side. “You don’t think she’ll be happy to see you?”

“I don’t know anything right now.” Yeonjun sighed, watching you join Hueningkai and Beomgyu for a selfie with a big smile on your face. “When is the last time you two spoke?” Johnny asked, taking another sip of his drink.  

“Like two months ago.”

“Damn…”

“I know.”  

and just as the picture was taken, you spotted him across the room.  

Your eyes locked, making Yeonjun freeze in place. “Shit,” he gulps, downing his drink in one go to calm his nerves which made Johnny laugh at his antics.

“Relaaaax. Did you see her eyes light up just now? I think she missed you too,” he assures him, throwing an arm around his shoulder for comfort.

This seems odd? Doesn’t it? Yeonjun and Johnny being all friendly with each other.

During Yeonjun’s never-ending therapy sessions, the school’s counselor wanted to connect Yeonjun with someone with a similar background. You should’ve seen both of their faces when they met during a group session, but after realizing they had such corresponding backgrounds, you know; the neglected rich kid kind, they haven’t stopped talking to each other and oddly became very close friends.

It was nice for Yeonjun to have an older brother figure in his life since he’s the oldest in his own friend group, and it was even nicer for Johnny to find out that Yeonjun wasn’t such a big dick after all. Oh, and the part of having someone who gets his struggle was great too, even in the form of Choi Yeonjun.  

You couldn’t believe your eyes. You didn’t expect him to be here for some reason and the last thing you expected was seeing him with Johnny’s arm around his shoulder in a non-threatening way.

Mia chuckled as she followed your gaze. “Yeah…so, they started hanging out a few months ago.”

“How even?”  

“I don’t know maybe they started to bond over being your rejects,” Taehyun says making Mia and Beomgyu cackle with him, but you couldn’t quite see the humor in it. You had only returned to your friends for 5 whole minutes and they were already being annoying.  

Soobin noticed your slight annoyance and chuckled, rubbing your back in comfort as he was the only one to notice how nervous you really were to talk to him again after all this time. “Go talk to him, he’s just as nervous. Trust me.” Soobin says into your ear so only you could hear, and you give him a small nod in response. Smiling at the encouragement you so desperately needed.

You’re a bad bitch. You got this.  

You look at him once more as he talked to Johnny.

For some reason, his whole aura changed from the last time you saw him. His features matured a bit, he lost weight and he completely embraced having a mullet. Ok…hot.  

He was breathtaking. Even after all this time of being apart, he made you feel the exact same way and all it took to remind you of that feeling was one look from him.  

He decided to man up and make his way through the crowd to greet you, but you beat him to it as your legs automatically walked over to where he was standing.

Johnny sensed the sudden electricity in the air as you approached and decided to go in for the hug first to give Yeonjun some time to collect himself. “Y/n!” Johnny coed as he enveloped you into a big bear hug. “It’s so good to see you again. How are you? How was your exchange?”  

You’re snapped out of your trance, but you still feel Yeonjun’s eyes on you as you’re trapped in Johnny’s embrace. You collect yourself as you let go of him, trying to avoid Yeonjun’s gaze for now but it was almost impossible because of how close he was.  

“I’m good, it was good. A lot of sleepless nights but it was totally worth it.” You give him the quickest answer possible; you weren’t quite sure where to start the conversation with Yeonjun but the longer the two of you ignored each other, the weirder the tension between you two was getting.

He took a deep breath, giving you a warm smile before averting his attention to Johnny. He not so subtly told him to leave with his eyes, which made Johnny suavely exit the conversation by announcing that he needed a refill.

“Hey…” you start.

Yeonjun’s eyes glistened as he looked at you with adoration. “Hey.”

You looked good. Your skin had a healthy glow, and your new haircut was working wonders for your features. He was entranced by your beauty for a second before realizing his stare might be creeping you out, though you didn’t even notice, cause you were staring at him too.  

You were completely caught up in your own perception of time. Everything seemed to slow down now that you were looking into others eyes again after all this time and just as you were about to open your mouth to speak, some kid you didn’t know accidentally bumped into you roughly.  

The sudden impact made you lose balance as you jolted forward, straight into Yeonjun’s arms. Luckily, he swiftly caught and stabilized you.

He looked at you in shock, making sure you were okay as he grabbed your shoulders before turning his attention to the random kid who somehow got an invite to be at your welcome home party, in your house, without you even knowing who he is.

He quickly apologized, but you feared for what was about to happen. The Yeonjun you left 6 months ago was a dick and a hothead, he’d make the kid regret running into you like that but to your surprise Yeonjun straightened out the freshman’s clothes and gave him a small side smile.  

“Be careful kid, we just got her back,” he says in neutral yet friendly tone.

That’s it? No threatening glare? No sarcasm?

He seemed to notice your dumbfounded facial expression and chuckled. “Anger management classes,” he explains with playfulness evident in his voice.

“You’re kidding?” you scoff in amusement.

“Nope. I’ve turned into a complete softie, just for you.”  

You teasingly shove his shoulder and laugh loudly. The sound made Yeonjun’s heart flutter as he watched your face contort into pure joy and cuteness. He felt the sudden urge to squish your cheeks together and litter your face with kisses but he withheld himself from doing so, and reciprocated your giggles with the sound of his own laugh as he raked his hand through his long locks.

This small moment of flirty teasing made the both of you realize just how much you had missed each other as you were quick to jump back in your old ways.

You both should’ve known that worrying about any awkwardness between you two was stupid. After all, you were friends before you even started dating; and luckily that dynamic returned quickly because he was just as big of a casual flirter as you were.

Suddenly it felt like you were starting all over again with him, it felt like the first time you tried to connect with him on that damn picnic that started the timeline of your relationship.

Somehow the universe granted you the opportunity to hit the reset button and do things right this time, and you couldn’t be happier now that you realize how stupid it was to worry about the inseverable connection you two seemed to have to each other.

Even after all these months and all those miles of distance, Yeonjun still felt like home.  

He gave you a shy smile, realizing you were staring at him with hearts in your eyes while you expectantly gazed into his dark orbs.

His eyes weren’t hollow anymore, for the first time in ages his happiness felt genuine and you couldn’t wait for him to tell you all about it.

“How about we…ditch your party for a bit and go take a walk,” Yeonjun suggests, giving you a hopeful yet mischievous look as he held out his hand for you.

You boldly lace your fingers through his and lead him out of your apartment without a second thought, ignoring stares from literally everyone.

Oh my god, history really was repeating itself. Your mind flashes back to the walk you took with him that night at Johnny’s party; you lead him out of Johnny’s kitchen the exact same way right after the fight you had with an overprotective Soobin about trying to date Yeonjun.

You got Yeonjun a little flustered, which is a first, but he was happy with your directness. He couldn’t wait to be alone with you in a more private setting and if that meant leaving your own party, then so be it.  

Fresh air hits your lungs as the chilly spring night welcomes you outside. Your apartment was way too crowded and way too hot which made you sigh contently as the cold wind created goosebumps on your skin.

Yeonjun looked at you and stopped in his tracks while diverting his gaze at your still intertwined fingers.

You look back at him, confused as to why he stopped walking, but before you could ask questions; he pulled you towards him, trapping you into his strong arms. One of his hands made its way to the nape of your neck to slowly pat your hair as he leaned his chin on the top of your head.

You just let it happen, wrapping your arms around his torso while burying your face in the crook of his neck. The familiar scent of soap mixed with his expensive Chanel Bleu cologne hit your nostrils and the butterflies in your tummy start to flutter again after being on rest for six months.

Whole. That’s how you feel in the moment.

“You have no idea how much I missed you.” You mumble into the hug, not wanting to look up at him out of fear that he might not have felt the same, but by the way he was holding you right now, you should know better. The insecurity of not being good enough still had its ways of fucking with your mind, even though you had no reason to be.

Yeonjun opened his eyes at your confession, not being able to hide how happy he was to hear that his feelings were mutual. He hid his grin by burying his face into your hair again as he giggled before pulling back slightly to see your face. You were trying incredibly hard to hide the heat that had risen to your cheeks but it was to no avail as Yeonjun mumbled something about how cute you were right now.

He was so worried you didn’t feel the same. He was convinced you forgot all about him at Brown. Your Instagram stories were filled with the countless parties you went to, the new people you met accompanied with the fact that your posts were littered with suggestive comments from guys he could only assume you met over there.

Yeonjun’s biggest fear relating to your return was that you utilized those six months away from him to move on, but as selfish as it sounds; he was so incredibly glad that you hadn’t.  

“Look at me.” He tried to cup your face but you didn’t let him, giggling into his chest as you protested.

The two of you must look absolutely pathetic to bystanders right now. You were completely stuck in your own world, acting like high school kids who were brand new to love, but somehow that’s exactly what you were.  

He chuckled lowly, as you tightened the hold you had on his waist. “Ah, whyyy…Look at me, come on.”

You do as you’re told, and when you look up you are greeted by the most beautiful smile you’ve seen in your life, making your breath hitch in your throat at how boyish yet manly he looked just now.

“Ok, I’m looking. Now what?” You challenge as you take a hold of his wrists as he cupped your face.

He didn’t know if he’d move too fast if he kissed your lips right now, so he decided against it while giving you a sweet kiss on your forehead instead.

“I just wanted to see your pretty face up close again. Instagram doesn’t do you justice, angel.”

“Oh, shut up.” You giggle, rolling your eyes as you push yourself out of his hold. You hate to admit it, but the little pet name made your heart skip a beat. You pretend to run from him, but he snatched you back in no time by tugging at your elbow with laughs and giggles. You give in and link arms with him as you resumed your walk through your neighborhood and look up at him to check if he was really here with you right now.

This whole thing just felt too good to be true. Here you thought he’d moved on from your relationship, but the confirmation that he hadn’t was nice, to say the least.

He looked down as he felt your eyes on him and smiles at you before looking at the path ahead of him.

“What?” he asks with an amused tone, but you just shake your head in response.

“You seem different.”  

“How different?”

“Like you aren’t carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders anymore type of different.”

He nodded understandingly and stopped in his tracks to look into your eyes again. His hands traveled down to yours, lacing your fingers together once more before he sighed, tucking a stray piece of your hair behind your ear for you.

You gave him an expecting look, squeezing the hand that was still intertwined with yours to assure him of the fact that you’re listening, which earned you a small smile.

“It’s cause I’m not. While you were changing the lives of others with your research, I was changing my own. At first, I thought the whole therapy thing was a hoax. I didn’t understand why talking to some stranger would fix me, but it helped me come to terms with a lot. I learned about acceptance and moving forward. And I learned that in order to be able to love someone in a healthy manner, I’d have to love myself first. You know…on a deeper level than just my handsome face” he jokes trying to lift some weight off of his words.

You roll your eyes, but secretly love his arrogance, making a low chuckle escape from your lips before you return to seriousness again.

“I’m so proud of you.” you say, and you mean it. You’re amazed at how clear his mind seemed to be. It’d usually take Yeonjun a good minute to collect his thoughts before he could talk about how he felt with you, but right now it came out so naturally, it was almost odd.

He gave you a weak side smile, making eye contact once again. “I’m nowhere near the finish line though. I can’t promise you that I’ll never fuck up again because I’m learning as I go, but what I can promise you, is that my heart and my feelings for you are unchanged. I haven’t stopped thinking of you, not once. The thought of being with you again was my driving force and I need you to know that.”

He caressed your cheek while you let his words sink in and suddenly you feel tears prickle your eyes.  

You were at a loss for words, completely lovestruck by his incredibly sweet and wise confession.

You hold onto his wrist for leverage, your breathing turned shaky and uneven as a tear escaped your eyes.

Here you thought he had completely moved on from your relationship. But god, you were so wrong, and you couldn’t be any happier.

“I promised myself to never make you cry again,” he joked lightheartedly as he wiped another tear away from your cheek, making you sniff in response, wiping them away with your sleeve quickly.  “They’re happy tears.”  

He looked into your eyes again, searching for answers and maybe even permission. He wanted to take things slow; give you time to reflect and time to adjust to being back home, but he simply couldn’t help himself.

When you leaned into his touch, he knew you basically gave him an okay to proceed.

He inched his face dangerously close to yours, lightly brushing his plump lips against yours. His hesitation made you smile, so you pull him down to your level by the back of his neck as you initiated the kiss.

He froze for a second at your dominance but quickly relaxed in your touch soon after he realized that you seemed to want this just as much as he did.

Kissing him was like muscle memory. It felt natural and blissful and suddenly you find yourself wondering about how you were able to live without this feeling of pure euphoria for over six months.

His love was like a drug, and all it took was one kiss to break your sobriety.

He pulled back, quickly assessing his surroundings before he realized the two of you were basically making out in the middle of the street.

He pulled you into an alleyway and pushed you against the wall of a random apartment building, his hands holding on to each side of your face delicately yet roughly as he kissed you with so much fervor, it almost made you dizzy.  

“You really had me thinking I lost you forever,” he mumbles as his lips disconnected from yours.

You weren’t given the change to respond as his lips found their way to the soft spot in your neck. He still remembered every sensitive inch of your skin and used it against you all too willingly; wrapping his hands around your throat as he kissed and licked a pattern from your jaw to your neck.  

A breathy moan left your lips as he started to suck possessive marks onto your neck and you instinctively wrap your arms around his waist, letting him do as he pleases, too entranced by the delicious feeling. You jumped up and he caught you by hooking his arms under your thighs, stabilizing you against the wall as you kept making out.

You giggled at his eagerness, a little flustered at the fact that you were in public; even though it was nighttime while being in a neglected alley; it still felt wrong.

He smirked against your neck when he felt you hesitate, and placed a soft yet wet kiss on your lips before letting go of you. He made sure you landed back on the ground safely, straightening out your clothes for you. “Maybe we should head back,” he says with a dark gaze, acting as if he didn’t just litter your neck with marks and bruises. He licked his pouty lips in amusement at the sight of what he had just done to you, knowing all too well that people would be able to see what happened while the two of you were gone.

You playfully shoved him aside, completely oblivious to how bad it really was but when you stepped into the elevator and saw your own reflection you gasped and shot Yeonjun a look of pure panic and distress. “YEONJUN!” you gasp loudly. “You can’t be fucking serious.”

“I’m sorry I just…couldn’t help myself.” he licked his lips again, cockiness emitting from his entire being. He inched closer to you to give you an innocent kiss on the top of your head and pulled the hair tie out of your hair, making your hair fall past your shoulders to cover the hickeys.

“This’ll do.”

“Oh my god, I hate you.”

He scoffed, casually smacking your ass in response.  

On the remaining way back to your apartment you were constantly fixing your clothes and hair, trying to let it nonchalantly fall to the front but you knew it looked rather ridiculous.

You had hoped your friends were too intoxicated to notice but when you stepped foot in your apartment with Yeonjun closely trailing behind you, all eyes were on you again.

How long were you two gone for? 10, maybe 20 minutes?

“Hyung.” Taehyun grabbed Yeonjun by his collar, turning him around which made Yeonjun frown at the younger one.

“For fucks sake.” Taehyun sighs dramatically, wiping something pink from the corner of Yeonjun’s mouth with his index finger.  

…it was your fucking lipgloss.

Yeonjun’s ears turned a bright red as he started to chuckle nervously. “Now I lost the fucking bet with Hueningkai. I thought it’d take at least a week before you two would start simping over each other again, it hasn’t even been an hour….AND OUTSIDE?” Taehyun sucks his teeth as a sign of disapproval, looking you up and down before his eyes lingered on your neck. “Animals. That’s it. That’s the description.”

“Pay up, loser. I told you.” Hueningkai cackles as he throws his arms around both Taehyun and Yeonjun’s shoulders.

“Y’all made a bet? An actual bet on our relationship?” you ask in pure disbelief. It was so like them to turn your emotional turmoil into their own amusement, but you couldn’t really be mad at them.

Your friends know the two of you better than anyone and probably saw this coming way before you did.

“Venmo me later.” Taehyun mumbles to Hueningkai in defeat while walking off, and you can’t help but chuckle at the irony of it all.  

All of these months left in pure insecurity about your relationship with Yeonjun. Nights of pondering about your future, worrying if he had moved on or not. It was all for nothing

Yeonjun and you move like magnets, and no course of time could really drive you apart because when you’re reunited, you will always find your way back to each other. Always.

He looked at you a little dreamily, it still wasn’t sinking in that you were back. For good. And all his.

He snaked his arm around your waist as he stood behind you, resting his head on your shoulder as you told your friends all about your adventures.

He was clingy, you were clingy and neither of you was hiding it for anyone. You’ve had your fair share of secrets with Yeonjun and you were more than glad that those times were over with.

At around 4 AM most people left, and you were left alone with the boys, Ryujin and Mia.

You were on the couch, perfectly comfortable on Yeonjun’s lap as you leaned into his chest. One hand was rubbing your back in up and down motions while the other had found its way under your shirt and onto your waist. His cold fingertips grazed over your bare skin and suddenly it was way too hard to stay awake.

The chatter of your friends became background noise as your eyelids grew heavy. But you were shortly awakened out of your slumber as you felt Yeonjuns lips on your temple.  

“You must be so tired after that flight and this whole circus,” he whispered with an empathetic pout, yet all you could do was nod as a response.

He chuckled at your cuteness and fixed a piece of your hair, kissing your forehead again before you buried your face in the crook of his neck.

“It’s funny how nothing has changed, yet everything is different,” Beomgyu says as he stares at you and Yeonjun with a loving smile.

Beomgyu might be a little shit with a smart mouth, but he cares for his friends. Seeing the two of you be so content in each other's presence made love emit from his pupils. Even though Yeonjun had been doing so much better the best couple of months, nothing compares to the pure happiness and giddiness that Gyu was seeing from him now, and that was all because you were together again.

Beomgyu wasn’t the only one to notice, because it was literally all of them, and especially Soobin.

Soobin who literally rebelled against any type of relationship between you and Yeonjun was smiling at the sight of you in his arms fondly. His two best friends finally found solace in each other after all the shit that both of you had been through together, and it made him sentimental.

A year had passed since the two of you started dating unofficially, though this was the first time in that whole year that Soobin was completely okay with it.

You were long gone and off into dreamland by now as Yeonjun looked at you with a small smile on his lips, but when he looked up to check why everyone had stopped talking, he was met with six pairs of twinkling eyes on him.

His pupils darted back and forth between them in genuine confusion. “Why? What’s wrong.”

“Nothing’s wrong.” Soobin sighed contently. “For once, nothing is wrong.” he says as he leans forward to hug Mia from behind who was sitting between his legs on the floor.

Taehyun chuckled at Soobin’s dramatic statement and Hueningkai hummed in agreement.  

“Not to get all simpy or anything, but with her being back it feels like our little dysfunctional family is whole again.” Beomgyu mumbles as he let his head drop onto Ryujin’s shoulder.

“Let’s try to be less dysfunctional,” Hueningkai says with determination.  

“We can be less dysfunctional if you can clean up after yourselves and fold your own damn laundry so I don’t have to start a fight with you every 5 seconds,” Taehyun argues as he throws a pillow at Hueningkai's face. Making him laugh as he got in in the face with full force.

“Why can’t we just…have one peaceful moment…just one.” Soobin says rubbing his forehead in agony.

Yeonjun chuckled at the banter of his little brothers and looked back at you. “I don’t know guys, maybe that’s our charm,” he says leaving all of them in pure confusion as they looked at him for clarification.

“What do you mean by that.” Mia questions as she raises a brow at him.

“We’ll literally walk through fire to be there for each other, right? We go through things individually but will never fail to be there for each other in times of need, and I think we need to embrace our worst mistakes and arguments so we can grow from them. After all we’ve been through, I know we’ll be together forever. So, I say cheers to being dysfunctional,” He says with a proud smile, picking up his drink from the side table to raise it up in the air for a collective moment of cheers.

Dumbfounded by Yeonjun’s odd display of maturity and wise words, they all comply, raising their glasses in the air followed by a loud cheer to being “dysfunctional.”

The sudden loudness of their voices woke you up, completely out of it and sleep drunk; you lift your head from Yeonjun’s chest, squinting your eyes at your friends as you rub the sleep out of your eyes.

“Did I miss anything?” you say, your voice laced with sleep and confusion.

They all burst out into laughter at your current state paired with your obliviousness and messy bed hair.

“Nah, just six months of incompleteness,”  Yeonjun says as he pecks your lips.

Mia stayed over that night and helped you unpack and clean your whole apartment the next day, which you were super grateful for but...you’d be lying if you said you didn’t wish Yeonjun would’ve stayed the night.

The fact of the matter is that you haven’t had time for a serious talk with him yet, because you know, tongue punching each other was of higher priority than hashing things out with actual words. Which meant you hadn’t really talked about your relationship status or how things will be moving forward.

“The last game of the season is tonight. Are you going?” Mia asked as she plops down on your couch with you.

“The last one? Already?”

“Yeah we’re gonna go celebrate after.”

“Even if they lose?”

“Girl, you know they don’t lose.”  

You roll your eyes and laugh at Mia’s overconfidence in her boyfriends’ team. You were about to give her a definite answer before your phone started buzzing.

[Yeonjun, 12.44 PM]: Hi baby.

[Yeonjun, 12.45 PM]: Is it ok if I come over? I’ll bring us coffees from that café you love so much. 😌

[Y/N, 12.45 PM]: Yesss please 🥺

You giddily smile at your phone, wanting to squeal with excitement but you hold it in and Mia seems to notice. “Oh god, is it him?”

“Yeah, so.” you glare at her with playful intent “Let me be happy. He’s changed so drastically; I almost couldn’t believe that last night’s Yeonjun was the Yeonjun I left six months ago.”

“Yeah, he’s been working super hard to change and the whole thing with his mom helped too.”

“His mom? What do you mean?” You ask in genuine confusion, Mia bit her lip as she furiously shook her head. “Listen, I’m never, ever going to meddle in your relationship ever again. When he gets here, I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it.”

You chuckle, nodding in agreement until your attention is averted to your phone again as it buzzes in your lap once more.

[Hyunjin, 12.46 PM]: Hey sweetheart, did you have a good flight?  

Oh….

Your eyes shoot to Mia’s in panic and she frowns, taking your phone out of your hold to read the message.

“Oh my god…is this your little slip-up?” she asks with disgust evident on her features.

“What do you mean slip up? I am a single woman,” you argue, but Mia wasn’t having it.

“AM?”

“WAS? GIRL, I DON’T KNOW. It was a fling, nothing more.”

“Flings don’t call you sweetheart and ask you how your flight was.” Mia says squinting her eyes at you.

“Mia…”

She sighed, visibly irritated with how naïve you were being, but you couldn’t have known that you’d fall back into Yeonjun’s arms that fast, and it’s not like you ever dated Hyunjin. He was just a friend…who you’ve slept with once.  

“Listen, girl. I love you...but after everything Yeonjun has put himself through to be a better man for you, you better ghost this motherfucker right now or else.”

“Jeez, I will. It’s not like I like the guy. And since when are you team Yeonjun?”

She relaxed at your statement, slouching back into the couch. “A lot has changed y/n. He was a good friend to me when you weren’t here, that’s all.”

You nod understandingly, realizing that Yeonjun and yourself have a lot to talk about; maybe even more than you had hoped for now that Hyunjin reminded you of his existence with a mere text message.

Mia left soon after, wanting to give Yeonjun and yourself some privacy for when he got here, which wasn’t long after she left.

You opened the door for him, and he smiled at you. He was wearing a black beanie, an oversized black t-shirt, and those damned gray sweatpants of his that you love so much. Your heart did a thing at the sight and he quickly kissed your cheek before he rushed his way into your living room, trying to find a place to set down the coffee cups that were burning his fingertips at the touch.

“Careful.” You mumble as you watch him struggle. When he put the coffees down on your salon table, he quickly made his way to you again to properly kiss you this time.

He cupped your face, pulling you into him as he started to steal chaste kisses from your lips. You giggled into the kisses as you tried to untangle yourself from him, slapping his chest playfully to shoo him away.

He let go with a smile, taking your hand to lead you to your couch. You could tell by his whole body language and the way he skipped through your apartment that he was happier than ever.

You hoped you wouldn’t ruin that happiness by telling him about Hyunjin, but it shouldn’t matter because he didn’t matter. You only wanted to tell him just so you weren’t keeping any secrets anymore; cause god knows how that went the last time.  

“How’d you sleep?” he asks you as he hands you your coffee. You happily take it from him and keep your eyes on him as you take a sip. “Fine, it was weird being in my own bed again, I missed it though.”

“Yeah? Anything else you missed?” his gaze was piercing into you as he took a sip of his Americano, fully aware that he was fishing for an ego boost.

“Theres this guy I kinda missed, I guess his name is Yeonjun.” You shrug as you take another sip; your flirty playfulness is one of the things that he loved about you, it kept things spicy.

“Oh him? He wanted me to tell you that he kinda missed you too,” he says with an amused glimmer in his eyes.

You chuckle. “Good.”

Suddenly the two of you fell quiet, but it wasn’t an awkward quietness; it was more of a realization that your endless flirting had to turn into somewhat of a serious conversation.

“Yeonjun…”

“Hmm?” his eyes softened at the way you called his name, he set his coffee aside turning to you completely to show you that he was listening attentively.

You sigh, not knowing what else to say other than the following. “I love you and I want to be with you.”

His eyes grow in size, a little shook by your directness but he composed himself as he fixed his posture quickly. “Why do I feel a ‘but’ coming?”

“I mean it, but I need to be honest with you too,”

“About what?”

“While I was at Brown, I kind of…flirted off and on with one of my lab partners and well…I slept with him…once. I swear it was only once and I-” he cut you off by raising his hand so you’d stop your nervous rambling and sighed. He knew exactly who you were talking about, because he had seen that motherfucker all over Instagram and had honestly seen this confession coming from miles away. 

He was glad you told him though, cause he'd feel worse if you tried to hide it from him.

Though you didn’t post about him, Hyunjin did post about you, and basically tagged you in all of his Insta stories or group pictures. Yeonjun shamelessly cyberstalked the guy. It wasn’t one of his proudest moments, but he had to just to stay sane.  

“Baby, we were broken up. You don’t have to justify what you did or didn’t do at that time. It’s not like I expected you to turn into a nun.”  

You raise your brows in surprise at his mature response. “You’re not mad?”

“No. As long as it’s over with.”

“It is, I promise.”  

“Good,” he sucked his teeth as he watched you. “Also, it’s not like anyone can fuck you as well as I can,” he states with a devious smirk as he pulled you close, making you gulp in response to his choice of words.

He chuckles at how easily intimidated you were by him and takes the opportunity to tease you.  

“Did he?”  

“N-no.” you stutter, innocently staring up at him. “He didn’t”

“Good girl.” He says, biting his lip while letting his thumb ghost over your lower lip.

His choice of words made your stomach turn but you knew better than to let lust get the best of you once again.

“Yeonjun…” you breathe his name like a warning, trying to avert the tension. “We…we need to talk.”

“We can talk.” He shrugs, pulling your legs towards him aggressively so you’d slide down. Your back was now on the couch as he parted your legs, settling himself in between them before hovering over you to kiss over the bruises he left last night. “After I give you a little reminder.” He smiles against your skin, pulling your shirt over your bra so he could kiss a trail down to your belly button.

“God I missed you,” he says digging his nails into your waist. "So fucking much."

(Warning: heavy smut ahead!)

Your mind goes into overdrive as he unties the tie to your sweatpants, and as he does so you stare at the outline that had formed in his own.

He didn’t waste any time, pulling down the waistband of your joggers with one swift motion while you helped him by lifting your hips off the couch.

He discarded of your clothes faster than your mind could comprehend but then you noticed that he was fully clothed, when the only thing you were wearing by now were your panties.

You pouted, pulling at his waistband but he grabbed your wrist, pinning your hands above your head so he could look at you, beautiful, bare, and all his.  

“Fuck, you’re so beautiful.” His lips found their way to the sensitive nub of your breast as he eagerly licked and sucked on it while his fingers found their way onto your still clothed heat.

He rubbed his middle and index finger over your clit, making you moan at the sudden stimulation.

He pulled away, making his way down to your core as he littered your inner thigh with more and more hickeys.

You were eagerly moving your hips by now, trying to get him to kiss you where you wanted him most, but he was taking his sweet time and you were losing your patience.

“Y-Yeonjun…” you moan his name. He finally rewards you by pulling your panties aside. Licking his lips at your glistening arousal, ready to feast on you as if it was the last meal he’d ever have.

“Fuck.” He says with admiration to no one in particular, placing a soft kiss on your pussy before he started to slowly kitten-lick your sensitive nub. He lowly hummed in approval at the taste of you and fastened his pace slowly.

You gasped, arching your back to give him better access as he started to eat you out like you’ve never experienced in your life.

His skill was baffling, he had your brain melting and legs shaking while he struggled to keep you still.

“Ah…” you arch your back once more, trying to get away from the overstimulation but he held you down with his strong arms.

“Who are you running from baby, stay still.” He ordered with a low voice before getting back to business, and with ten more seconds, he had you cumming in his mouth as the vibration of his low hums drove you over the edge. You cover your own mouth to muffle your loud cries, but he pulled your hands away from your face, wanting to hear you fall apart for him.

“That’s it baby.” he mused in approval, finishing you off with one last lick before he came back up to assess your fucked out state. “So fucking good for me.”  

Your chest was heaving up and down rapidly as you were trying to catch your breath. Once again you lost to the charms of Choi Yeonjun, but he was nowhere near done with you.

He quickly got rid of his own clothes and pumped himself a few times while looking straight into your eyes.

This man is a god, and he knew it.

His mischief returned when he realized you were watching him. “I think I got you wet enough, right baby?”

You almost forgot about his grit, your mouth salivating at the sight. Any slick you could build with him was a gift, because the last thing you wanted was for him to start a fire down there, cause that’s just how big he was.

You sit up which surprised him, but when you spit in your hand and pumped him a few times to slick him up some more he chuckled lowly as he realized what you were doing. He moaned in the form of a sharp exhale as your pace fastened, but he didn’t let you take control just yet.

“Scared?” he teased, keeping his eyes on you as you twisted your wrist a little more.

“No.” you huff.

“Then turn around.”  

You comply without a thought. You were both sitting up on your knees while your back leaned against his chest. You threw your head back and he kissed your forehead sweetly. guiding himself into you while his other hand held onto your waist to stabilize you against him.

You curse at the stretch, digging your nails into his thighs for leverage as he fills you up.

You both moan as your walls clenched around him. His arms snaked around you from behind as he took a hold of your neck, pinching down on the veins on each side of your throat as he slammed his hips into you continuously with long and deep strokes.

The choking sensation made everything so much more intense, especially when the fingers of his other hand started to rub circles on your still abused clit.

Your eyes rolled back as your vision got blurry, tears prickling your eyes at how good you were being wrecked right now.

He let go of your neck, putting his hand on the small of your back to push you down on the couch so your ass was up, and your face was down.

He started to pound into you mercilessly, his rhythm and pace perfectly alternating as he grabbed a fistful of your hair. “You’re mine,” he grunted as he felt himself getting closer and closer by the physical stimulation of your tightness and the mental stimulation of your moans and mewls.

It didn’t take long before you both reached your highs as he was prone boning you into heaven.

Your orgasm washes over you, and right after you came, he reached his own high.  

He pulled out right before he busted, releasing himself onto your back with a loud growl.  

Your eyes flutter closed; way too fucked out to function as you catch your breath. You feel his weight move off of you to grab one of the napkins on your side table that came with the coffees, and wiped his cum off of you with a cocky smile on his face.

You built up the energy to look back at him, and when your eyes meet all you can do is giggle with him at how ridiculous you two are.

“So…I guess now we can talk,” he says with a smirk.

- end of smut -

Once you fully recovered from having your back blown out…quite literally. You came out of your bedroom after a quick change of clothes.

You walk into your living room while you pull a clean shirt over your head.

 Yeonjun was still on your couch, watching you with a big boyish smile on his face as his gaze followed you.

“All good?” he asks, opening his arms for you. You nod in response, excitedly making your way into his arms. He moved you on top of him so you were on his lap and kissed your cheek sweetly.

“Where do we even start.” You think out loud as you start playing with Yeonjun’s hair. He threw his head back in solace, letting you massage his scalp softly.

You chuckle at his reaction, stopping your actions which made him lift his head up immediately, giving you a kittenish angry face. “Why’d you stop.”

“Because it’s been an hour since you got here and all we do is dance around the subject,” you say as you move off of him. You turn sideways, leaning against the armrest of your couch while you drape your legs over his lap and sigh.

After deciding that Yeonjun would go first, he told you everything. From the progress he has made with his therapist to the baffling information of his mother selling Choi Enterprises and moving closer to the Uni for him. He told you about their relationship and his interest in the fashion industry. He’s been spending time with his friends in the dance studio again after years of neglecting his hobby and his grades are improving drastically compared to last year too.

He’s been doing well both mentally and socially. Even though he still has his bad days, he’s a lot happier than he was before. You listened attentively asking questions and making sure you understood every detail to your best ability.

When it was your turn to start talking, you realize just how sadistic your exchange was now that you’re explaining the details out loud. You told him about the crazy schedules, spending days from 8 am to 10 pm in the lab, neglecting your health just to forget about your heartache. You were being brutally honest, and you saw Yeonjun’s jaw clench at the revelation.  

If he knew you were having such a hard time, he would’ve contacted you more, but you explained to him how the experience made you stronger, harder and less of a cry baby.  

You spoke about your new gained independence and soon realized that, where Yeonjun needed emotional cradling, you needed to be hit with the real world without the safety net that your friends and parents always provided for you.

The two of you had been talking for over two hours, and finally came to the inevitable question.

“So…what does that make us.” You sigh as you played with his fingers.  

“Really, the ‘what are we’ question?” he chuckled, watching you play with the ring on his index finger.

“Well. Do you have an answer?” you mumble, letting go of his hand.

“I’m yours,” he says, putting his hand on your thigh while his other hand tugged on your chin to make you look up at him.

Your eyes grew in size, swallowing harshly when his fingers moved from your chin to caress your cheek. “And I don’t want to take things slow anymore, I love you too much to relive the dating phase."

“Me too,” you agree with determination. He smirked contently, leaning into you to feverishly kiss you on the lips.

“You know what that was?” He asks as he pulls away with his face still in close proximity.

“What?” you question with a giggle.

“Our first kiss as boyfriend and girlfriend.”  

You slap his chest, bursting into laughter at his cheesiness. The sound of your laughs and giggles filled the room as he started to kiss you all over your face and neck, leaving you breathless and ticklish at his touch

“I love you, Choi Yeonjun, but I think you have an important basketball game to get to.”

Of course they won.  

Yeonjun made the winning point which meant he had something to brag about all night.

You were at a local diner with all of the boys, their teammates, and respective girlfriends or boyfriends. Drinking, talking, and overall having a good time.

When Mia, Ryujin, Soobin, Taehyun, Beomgyu and Hueningkai heard the news about your new relationship status, they basically congratulated you as if you announced that you were getting married.  

The whole thing was just way too funny, and Yeonjun dragged you around all night to introduce you to everyone.  

The freshman on the team were so confused when Yeonjun introduced you as his girlfriend because they had never heard of or seen you before.  

“Hyung, Imma be honest with you, I kinda thought you were gay.” Sunghoon admits as he apologetically scratched the back of his head.

“…S-same” Heesung states, looking at you both with apologetic eyes as well.

Yeonjun looked at them a little funny as he burst into laughter, pulling you closer to him. “Why?”  

“Because well, we haven’t seen you with a girl all year, and with the way you look, I don’t know. 1+1 was gay I guess.” Jay, another freshman explained their point of view a little further, which had you cackling at the situation.

“Oh my god, so you little shits were the ones spreading rumors about me and Wooyoung!?”  

“N-no! NO!” The kids protested, but Yeonjun was already playfully grabbing them by their collars to scold them.

You laughed at the whole ordeal, love emitting from your eyes as you watched Yeonjun be in his popular guy element again.

You zoned out for a bit, absentmindedly listening to how Beomgyu and Hueningkai were telling a story about that one time they took Yeonjun’s car for a joyride in the middle of the night without his permission.  

Yeonjun noticed your mental absence, wrapping an arm around your shoulder to pull you into his chest, softly kissing your temple.

“What’s wrong?”  

You shake your head, sentiment getting the better of you. This is the most complete you’ve felt in a while.

You kissed him with fervor, your hands lacing through his dark locks before you pulled away to place a small kiss on the corner of his mouth.

“I’m just really happy right now,” you say as you smile at each other lovingly.

1 year later.

Graduation was around the corner.

It was insane how fast time flew. You celebrated your first-year anniversary with Yeonjun the night before and were now laying in his bed the next morning, slowly waking up just to feel the soreness of what he did to you last night.

You groaned in agony at the bright light, even after all this time; you still weren’t a morning person.

You noticed how Yeonjun was missing from the bed, so you got up to look for him. Putting on his large shirt to cover yourself as you made your way to the boys’ living room.

Soobin was on the couch with Taehyun and Hueningkai looking you up and down with disapproval.

“Jesus. Did you get hit by a truck in there?” Taehyun asks as he clicked his tongue.

“Shut up smart-ass. Where’s Yeonjun?”  

Taehyun chuckled, being completely used to your grumpiness in the morning by now. If Yeonjun wasn’t staying at your place, you were staying at theirs; so they were more accustomed to having you around like this.  

“He said he had to run a quick errand; he’ll be back soon,” Soobin replies with light amusement in his eyes at how roughed up you looked.

“Hey, next time…be a little more quiet.” Beomgyu tells you as he walked out of the kitchen and into the living room.  

“My room is next to Yeonjun’s you know.”

“Oh shut up hyung, I hear you and Ryujin almost every night,” Hueningkai says rolling his eyes, which made you crack your first smile of the day.

“Oh nooo, not my pure baby Hueningie” Soobin pouted as he trapped Kai in between his legs for a hug.

“Hyung, you’re gonna have to let go soon. Literally. When you guys graduate you don’t get to live here and baby me anymore.” Hueningkai protests as he tries to push Soobin off of him.

Soobin pouted, making you immediately feel bad for him. 

When Yeonjun and Soobin would move out, Jay and Heesung would move in, which meant that Beomgyu, Taehyun, and Hueningkai had to hold down the fort as seniors for one more year until they graduated, and the thought alone made Soobin feel uneasy.

Soobin and Mia were officially moving in together after graduation. They had planned their whole futures together and both had job offers in the city from their internships.

“I’ll still come over…every…weekend. You know, just to make sure.”

You drift off into thought, realizing how Yeonjun and yourself have been living your lives in the moment without concrete plans for the future together.

Since your apartment was off-campus you still got to live there after graduation. You had gotten an amazing job offer because of your research at Brown, which had major corporations battle it out with outrageous contracts, salaries, and promises to your favor so your options were most definitely open.

Your future looked bright, as did Yeonjun’s who’d be working as a Creative Director for his mothers’ luxury brand...but how did you two miss the mark on planning a future together?

Were you that caught up in your own world to realize that adult decisions had to be made soon?

Yeonjun walked in, interrupting your thoughts. “Oh, hey guys.”

He set his keys on the kitchen counter, giving you a funny look. “I texted you to get ready.”

“Oh..shit, I didn’t check my phone, Sorry. Give me 20 minutes.”

You didn’t question why he wanted you to get ready, he’d probably take you out for breakfast or some shit, so you weren’t suspecting anything, but Yeonjun could sense that something was off about you.

During the car ride to your unknown destination, he looked at you as you stared out of the window. You were lost in deep thought about the whole graduation thing and didn’t even notice how the houses on the streets were starting to get ridiculously big as you drove further and further into a random neighborhood

He grabbed your hand, kissing the inside of your palm while rubbing those comforting circles into your skin.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, trying to look at the road while also looking at you from time to time.

“I’m just…worried about life after graduation. I don’t like change.”

Yeonjun raised his brows in surprise, a soft smile tugging at his lips as he turned the corner into a brand-new built street filled with massive villas.

The neighborhood looked peaceful, not too flashy and private. Maybe even a little too perfect to be real.

He pulled up to a random house, parking his car on the driveway. The confusion was evident on your face as he opened the door for you, reaching out to take your hand.

He helped you out of the car and you give him a look, chuckling at his awkwardness. “Uh…are we here to see someone?”

He sighed, back hugging you and leaning his head on your shoulder as the both of you looked up at the house.

“What do you think of this place?”

“It’s…beautiful. But I don’t really get why we’re here.” You giggle as you feel him kiss your neck and you turn around to face him, trying to find answers in his eyes.

“If you want…we can stay here.” He bit his lip nervously. “You know, after graduation.”

“W-what? I’m confused. Like Till The End of Summer?”

He shook his head, laughing once again while snaking his arms around your waist at your innocence and obliviousness. “You’re so cute,” he muses, pulling out a set of keys from his pocket and suddenly realization hit you as pure shock takes over your features.  

He bought the fucking house.  

He couldn’t help but laugh at your shocked Pikachu face. He had been planning this behind your back for so long and it was incredibly hard to keep this a secret, especially since literally everyone knew about it but you.  

You didn’t know what to do or say, completely frozen and shocked as you look at the house with big watery eyes.  

He pulled you in for a deep and passionate kiss, giving you the keys to the front door with a big smile.  

“Till the End of Our Lives.”  

Bonus Chapter 15

[howlingwind]

01. what’s your name/alias you go by ??

my name is jeff !! lmfao (i don’t let memes die) it’s not my real name but i’ve gone by cody on tumblr for a long time

02. what’s your age ??

twenty. jfc i’m old. but also apparently a fetus??

03. what’s your zodiac sign ??

aries, which couldn’t feel further from correct lmfao

04. what’s your ethnicity ??

uhh mostly italian & sicilian, but you could probably point to any white place in europe and i’ll have a little bit of that in me. i’m also 1/16th native american but it’s such a small amount and sadly i don’t even know which tribe to learn more about them.

05. what’s your nationality ??

‘murican

06. what’s your favorite band and/or musical artist ??

i’m super indecisive about everything, so it’s difficult for me to pick faves (as you’ll see in a sec) but… mac miller,  post malone, johnny cash, eminem, tenacious d, colter wall, kehlani, bruno mars, snoop dogg, elvis presley, justin timberlake, sublime, the rolling stones, etc etc there’s probably a lot i’m forgetting tho. i like most types of music except country. well, modern country anyway.

07. what’s your dream job ??

uh, i don’t have one? i mean yeah, i’d love to be a writer, or game dev, or a narrative director on a game, or direct, write, or act in movies or television, but like…i could live without any of that stuff. i just want to make a decent living, be able to own a house, not completely hate my job. yknow, not a glamorous life but a good one.

08. what’s one place you would love to visit ??

idk there’s a lot of places i’d like to go, but i’d most like to visit alpha centauri, even tho that’ll never happen lol

09. what’s your favorite tv show ??

i can’t pick that! but i love a lot of shows. general hospital, lucifer, the 100, supernatural, stranger things, izombie, south park, legends of tomorrow, once upon a time, arrow (at times), dragon ball, big brother, riverdale, chilling adventures of sabrina, that 70′s show, the ranch, umm… i could probably keep listing forever.

10. what’s your favorite movie ??

hmmmm, again i’ve got a list but… joe dirt, the new guy, why him, the waterboy, 50 first dates, all the spider-man movies, thor ragnarok, man of steel, 21 jump street, 22 jump street ,and a fuckton more lol 

11. what’s your favorite song ??

constantly in flux, but the current faves are — creep by radiohead, stay by post malone, no below by speedy ortiz, unshaken by d’angelo, cruel cruel world by willie nelson, wanksta by 50 cent, shooter by lil wayne & robin thicke, stressed out by 21 pilots, self care by mac miller (along with practically everything on his final album), and i will always, un-ironically love only in america by riff raff. he’s not the greatest ever but that song is hilarious and always puts me in a good mood.

12. what’s your favorite sport ??

can i say rocket league? lol

13. what’s your favorite food ??

pizza, unquestionably. cereal is a damn close second tho. or pot stickers. damn, i’m hungry… 

14. what’s your favorite face claim to use ??

typically, i’ve always really liked using paul wesley, chris wood, and matt daddario. i’m using lindsey morgan for the first time now though, and i really like her as an fc too.

15. what’s your least favorite face claim ??

to use?? um pretty much any singer or model just bc their resources aren’t too great. i really didn’t enjoy using pete davidson as much as i thought i would, either lol

to see… uh probs emma roberts or andy biersack. emma for obvs reasons but also bc i once had a really bad experience with people using those fcs. idm people using whoever they feel like using tho.

16. what’s your favorite character of yours to play ?? which do you think you’re most like ??

oh man, uhh i really enjoy writing chrissy & theo. they both speak to me. but tbh i’m not much like any of my characters? i’m boring af so i tend not to make any like me lol. i am kinda like theo in the sense that i’m quiet, and really just try to be a good person. other than that i’m most like jason solely based on the fact we’re both human lol

17. what’s your sexuality ??

danversexual. attracted only to fictional danvers women, examples including carol, kara, and alex danvers.

lmfao but nah i’m just a boring straight boy. well, like 99.9% straight. jensen ackles makes me question shit.

18. what’s the last movie you saw in a cinema/theater ??

captain marvel (thanks to dani lol). only two months late but it was worth the experience haha.

19. what’s the worst injury you’ve ever had ??

thankfully i’ve never really hurt myself too terribly except for a broken wrist, but between the ages of 10-17 i’d occasionally hurt my back by sitting weird, usually in an attempt to play video games without the glasses i desperately needed lol. once when i was like 11 i laid belly down on the couch with my elbows up on the arm of it for like three hours, which messed me up for days, then a few other times i hurt myself, but another bad one when i was 17, i had my back curved while sitting and propping my laptop up on my knee, tried to move and literally just cried, crawled on the floor, and laid there all night until i forced myself to move in the morning. lol luckily it hasn’t happened since i lost a little weight.

20. what’s a random or interesting fact about you ??

uhm, nothing? i literally can’t think of one, i’m dull af. i uh.. i replaced my own cpu cooler once? lmfao

21. do you listen to music while you write ??

sometimes. a lot of time i just like the silence or ambient background noise, but if i’ve got a fitting playlist for the vibe of what i’m trying to write, i’ll use it!

22. are you a morning, day, evening, or night writer ??

i’m a never writer, apparently v___v but lol ideally a night writer, my best work is between the hours of 12am & 4am, but my sleeping schedule is so inconsistent, and so is my dad’s who spends literally every waking moment of his telling me different stuff he wants done, so it’s tough to hit that sweet spot. i write whenever i get a chance tho.

23. have you ever roleplayed intoxicated ??

lol nah i’ve never even had a drink. like what teenager doesn’t have a drink at some point?? i told you i’m lame.

24. what language or languages do you speak ??

english, barely. and assassin’s creed 2 taught me some italian swears. and ac: odyssey has had me occasionally dropping “malaka” bombs since the day i first played it haha.

25. how long have you roleplayed ??

officially, about 9 years. i started at 11 on myspace, rping dragon ball z stuff. but basically about 12 years, if you count how from the ages of 8-11 i’d put an anime pic up on my myspace, pretend i was older, and talk to roleplayers i didn’t realize were roleplayers lmfao.

26. favorite roleplay genre ??

i like pretty much anything, tbh. as long as it’s well thought out, has an interesting plot, or whatever. sometimes it doesn’t even need that, it just needs to catch my eye or line up with something i’m looking for. but yeah, supernatural, multi-fandom, sci-fi, romance, town rps, high school/college rps, anime rp (well, pokemon mostly), harry potter… i’ve done it all tbh and don’t particularly have a favorite.

27. one sound you hate & one you love ??

the sound of cotton stretching is the absolute worst thing to me. or scratching cotton. idk, it just sends chills up and down my spine and makes my hands feel weak lmfao. i’m weird. i really love the sound of rain, or fire crackling, or like “ambient” harp or ukulele music.

28. do you believe in ghosts ??

short answer, yes. long answer… i’m pretty sure i was friends with a ghost girl as a kid?? like no joke, even looking back at it through rational “adult” eyes, i’m still convinced. my fam moved into a new apartment, and pretty much right after that i started having dreams about a girl my age at the time (11-12). i’d never seen her before but the dreams would be like just conversations, like i was visiting a friend or something. i don’t remember them much, but i do remember the feeling of someone else in my room all the time, like you know how if someone else is around you just know even if you’re not looking at them? like that. there was even one night i was getting in bed, laid there a minute, and then i could have absolutely sworn somebody came in the room and sat down next to me on the bed because i felt the bed sink a little under their weight, but i looked and no one was there. i had a really vivid conversation/dream/thing that night. then a few nights later, for the first time since moving there i didn’t have one. the next morning my dad was really freaked out and said he fell asleep in the chair, but woke up and couldn’t breathe, and felt cold little hands over his mouth. he rationalized it as just waking up from a nightmare but i didn’t think so, so that night when i went to sleep and saw her i got really upset, yelled at her for it, and woke up right after. then i never saw or heard anything even remotely similar again, like she left or disappeared or something. it’s so weird, and i know how crazy it sounds, but yeah. don’t get me started on the topic of ghosts lmfao. THEN AGAIN, like a year later we had a carbon monoxide scare, but i really doubt the two were related because that would mean there was an entire year that we were breathing it in and the monitor didn’t do anything lol

29. do you believe in aliens ??

no alien story, thankfully, but it just makes no sense not to believe in them to me. like, we probably don’t have them on earth, and we’ve probably never encountered any, but it’s as close as you can get to a mathematical certainty that there’s some other life out there in the universe.

30. do you believe in true love ??

like, people who are just meant for each other, like romantic soulmates? nah not really. but i believe that two people can grow to truly love one another. whether it’s based off an initial attraction/infatuation, or a friendship, or both. i’d actually argue that’s a simple explanation of the biological science behind the feeling of love, but that’s an essay i’m not gonna write lol. but there’s apparently a lot of different types of love, so i guess “true love” is suggestive? 

also slightly unrelated but i don’t-quite-believe-in-but-am-open-to-the-idea-of soulmates, not necessarily as two souls who are just meant for each other romantically and always end up together, but more as two or more souls that gravitate toward each other to make up the important people in each other’s lives, like family members, lovers, or close friends. but that’s more of a theoretical idea/possibility than an actual belief of mine.

31. do you hold grudges ??

um, yes. lol i try not to, and i really do want everyone to be their best/happiest selves, but some people man… some people can take a long walk off a short pier lmao

32. do you have any obsessions right now ??

PO KE MON GOTTA CATCH EM ALLLLL. also… life is strange (thanks dani lol). supernatural. stranger things (thanks dani & steph) the 100 / clexa / becho  (thanks steph). lucifer. captain marvel (thanks dani). the song “creep” by radiohead and all its covers (tom ellis, haley reinhart, etc). cyberpunk 2077 (thanks dani). as you can see, i’m easily influenced lmfao.

33. do you drive & if so, have you ever been in a crash ??

nope i don’t drive, precisely because i’d definitely end up in a crash lol

34. do you like the smell of gasoline ??

uh that’s a big fat no from me, chief

35. do you prefer writing fluff, angst, or smut ??

i like it all equally, i think. i just really like writing & rp in general. i did run a smut rp once in the past tho. it gets old quick tbh and is the one of the three i can live without lol

36. are you in a relationship ??

bahahahahahahaha no.

37. grab the nearest book to you and turn to page 23, what is the 17the line ??

❝  “and why would that be?” kronos’s golden eyes glittered.  ❞

— the last olympian by rick riordan.

38. put your playlist on shuffle and list the first four songs that pop up:

1. season of the witch – donovan 2. riot van – arctic monkeys 3. busta rhymes – qveen herby 4. der kommissar – after the fire

also i gotta cheat because it’s too perfect that the next two are

5. stay – mac miller (one of my favorites ever that i forgot to mention above) 6. only in america – riff raff (i just love this ok. the video is hilarious but tw james franco for those that don’t like him)

[innerclouds]

Another request:

(1) Do You Sleep With Your Closet Doors Open Or Closed? Closed because I don't want the cat getting in there and peeing/pooping.

(2) Do You Have Freckles? No, but I have enough beauty marks that they make me wonder if I wasn't loaded with birdshot in a past life.

(3) Can You Whistle? Yes.

(4) Last Song You Listened To. The bangles walk like an egyptian.

(5) What Is Your Favourite Colour? I've answered this.

(6) Relationship Status. Bae.

(7) What Is The Temperature Right Now? Nice and cool.

(8) Did You Wake Up Cranky? Extremely.

(9) How Many Followers? Not sure.

(10) Zodiac Sign. Rat.

(11) What Is Your Eye Colour? Ugly.

(12) Take A Vitamin Daily? No.

(13) Do You Sing In The Shower? No.

(14) What Books Are You Reading? None atm.

(15) Grab The Book Nearest To You, Turn To Page 64, Give Me Line 14. "It's just that he never lies. Ever."

(16) Favourite Anime? Long list.

(17) Last Person You Cried In Front Of? Siblings.

(18) Do You Collect Anything? Lots of things.

(19) What Did You Have For Lunch? Kitchen sink stir fry leftovers.

(20) Do You Dance In The Car? No.

(21) Favourite Animal? Sharks, rats, birds.

(22) Do You Watch The Olympics? No.

(23) What Time Do You Usually Go To Bed? Whenever I feel ready to pass out.

(24) Are You Wearing Makeup Right Now? No, I don't wear makeup.

(25) Do You Prefer To Swim In A Pool Or The Ocean? Ocean.

(26) Favourite Tumblr Blog? Sebbysheepy's.

(27) Bottled Water Or Tap Water? Bottled.

(28) What Makes You Happy? Bae, rain

(29) Post A Gif Of What You’re Currently Feeling Right Now.

(30) Do You Study Better With Or Without Music? ASMR.

(31) Dogs Or Cats? Gatto.

(32) If You Were A Crayon What Colour Would You Be? Some kind of light gray or blue.

(33) PlayStation Or Xbox. PC master race.

(34) Would You Swim In The Lake Or Ocean? Ocean.

(35) Do You Believe In Magic? Not seriously.

(36) What Colour Shirt Are You Wearing? Two tone gray.

(37) Can You Curl Your Tongue? Yes.

(38) Do You Save Money Or Spend It? I'm horrible with money but I do sometimes attempt to save.

(39) Is There Anything Pink Within 10 Feet Of You? Cat toy.

(40) Do You Have Any Obsessions Right Now? A few.

(41) Have You Ever Caught A Butterfly? Yes.

(42) Are You Easily Influenced By Other People? Yes and no.

(43) Do You Have Strange Dreams? Constantly.

(44) Do You Like Going On Airplanes? Absolutely not.

(45) Name One Movie That Made You Cry. Can't recall.

(46) Peanuts Or Sunflower Seeds? Sunflower seeds.

(47) If I Handed You A Concert Ticket Right Now, Who Would You Want The Performer To Be? Ozzy/Bowie.

(48) Are You A Picky Eater? Sorta.

(49) Are You A Heavy Sleeper? Not as much as I used to be.

(50) Do You Fear Thunder / Lightning? Thunder no, lightning yes because expensive electronics and the wiring where I live is garbage.

(51) Do You Like To Read / Write? Yes.

(52) Do You Like Your Music Loud? Depends on the music.

(53) Would You Rather Carve Pumpkins Or Wrap Presents? Pumpkins. I can't wrap presents to save my life.

(54) Put Your Music On Shuffle, What Is The First Song That Came Up? I don't have a shuffle.

(55) What Season Are You In Right Now? (Weather) Autumn.

(56) What Are You Craving Right Now?

Chinese take out.

(57) Post A Screenshot Of Your Tumblr Feed. I'd rather not.

(58) What Is Your Gender? Meat popsicle.

(59) Coffee Or Tea? Both.

(60) Do You Have Any Homework Right Now? If So, What Is It About? No, I haven't had homework in years.

(61) What Is Your Sexuality? Problematic, apparently.

(62) Do You Make Your Bed In The Morning? Lazily.

(63) Favourite Pokemon? Specifically: Bulbasaur and Haunter.

Types: Grass, ghost, water.

(64) Favourite Social Media? They all suck.

(65) What’s Your Opinion On Instagram Stories? I don't know what that is so I have no opinion.

(66) Do You Get Homesick? Yeah.

(67) Are You A Virgin? No.

(68) What Shampoo And Conditioner Are You Using Right Now? The kind that smells really good but is generally bad for my hair/doesn't provide what's needed for it.

(69) If You Were Far From Home And Needed To Sleep For The Night, Would You Choose To Rent A Crappy Motel Room For $60 Or Sleep In Your Car For Free? I'd say car but I don't wanna run into issues, so crappy motel.

(70) Are Both Of Your Blood Parents Still In Your Life? One is, one isn't.

(71)  Whats The Next Movie You Want To See In Theaters? Joker.

(72) Do You Miss Your Ex? Hell no.

(73) What Is Your Favourite Quote Right Now? "Never try, never fail."

(74)  What Eye Colour Do You Find Sexiest? Green/hazel.

(75) Did You Like Swinging As A Child? Do You Still Get Excited When You See A Swing Set? Yes, until the backyard swing broke and I fell down a couple feet of incline.

(76) What Was The Last Thing You Ate? Rose earl grey tea.

(77) What Games Do You Have On Your Phone? NA.

(78) Would You Give A Homeless Person CPR If They Were Dying? Why Or Why Not? Chances are someone else would have gotten to them before me but if it was just me, sure. I have no idea how to do it really, but I'd try.

(79) Been On The Computer For 5 Hours Straight? Yeah, that's happened before.

(80) Stalked Someone On A Social Network? None.

(81) Do You Like Meeting New People? Not particularly.

(82) Do You Wear Rings? If You Do, Take A Picture Of Them. No.

(83) Do You Sleep With Your Bedroom Door Open Or Closed? Closed usually.

(84) What Are Three Things You Did Today? Woke up, went to work, came home.

(85) What Do You Wear To Bed? Oversized shirt.

(86) List All Of Your Different Beauty Products You Have Right Now. I have beauty products? When did that happen?

(87) Are You A Day Or Night Person? Night.

(88) List All Of Your Video Games On Your Phone, Console Etc. PC, and that's a really long list.

(89) Tell Me About A Dream That You Had And When It Happened. It involved rob zombie, a derailed train and my brother and it was years ago.

(90) Favourite Soda Drink? Ginger ale, root beer, dr. pepper, squirt.

(91) What Sounds Are Your Favourite? Water, wind, leaves, various ASMRs.

(92) Do You Wear Jeans Or Sweats More? Half and half.

(93) How Do You Look Right Now? Tired.

(94) Name Something That Relaxes You. Bae, rain.

(95) What Tattoo Do You Want? I've answered this.

(96) Favourite YouTuber? Those that are "problematic", apparently.

Source: my-bitter-soul

[perditaalottachocolate-blog]

April Weather (23)

@adrinetteapril 2018, Day 23: Secrets

Days: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | art | 6 | 7 | 8 | art 1 | art 2 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | art | 19 | art | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | art | 29 | 30 |

AO3 / fanfiction

When Adrien woke up from his nap a few hours later the sun was already setting. He grabbed his phone, sure to have some messages or missed calls, but found his inbox empty. Suppressing the sting of disappointment he pulled Plagg out of a freshly opened box of camembert in order to check his other inbox, only to find it as empty as his civilian one. He released his transformation and let the grumbling kwami return to his abandoned cheese.

Surely Marinette would have him figured out by now? Why didn’t she contact him or even pay him a visit? Driven by a sudden hunch he rushed to his computer to load the Ladyblog. And suddenly he wasn’t so calm about the whole ordeal after all.

‘Plagg,’ he whispered in horror. ‘I broke Ladybug!’

Courtesy of Alya he watched the footage of Ladybug’s fall over and over again, with his kwami’s mad cackles as the soundtrack, until he felt sick.

‘Relax, kid,’ Plagg wiped away a stray tear, ‘The suit would absorb a lot of the hit, and she landed on top of the restaurant, not the metal floor. She’ll be fine.’

‘But what if she’s not!’ Adrien blurted out panicky. ‘What if she hit her head? What if she gets a concussion? Or an amnesia?!’

‘Pfffft,’ the black cat burst in laughter again. ‘Then she won’t remember either one of your confessions! And maybe she won’t even remember you!’ He fell into an empty cheese box and started rolling and cackling again.

Adrien ran his hands over his face. How did he not see that coming? It took Marinette’s special talent to pull off a stunt like that. Mademoiselle Madly Clumsy! Despite his concerns he couldn’t help but to smile.

‘Plagg, we’re going out,’ he declared to his kwami’s choked protest. ‘I need to check this myself.’

‘You mean you need to check on your guuuuuurrrrrlfrieeeeend,’ the kwami teased.

Adrien ducked his head, a strange mix of anxiety and affection filling him. ‘Well, she’s not my girlfriend,’ he rebuked and before Plagg could reply he added with a determined gleam in his eye. ‘Yet.’

The little cat made a show of rolling his eyes. ‘Finally,’ he sighed. ‘Come on, let’s check on your Princess,’ he chuckled, hiding in Adrien’s pocket.

Well, easier said than done. It was already evening when his car pulled in front of the bakery. A very grumpy Gorilla was asked to stay at the wheel, while Adrien ran inside. Monsieur Dupain cast him a hesitant look, but shook his head. Marinette apparently wasn’t feeling well, and she had said she didn’t want to see anyone. The way he passed this request left no doubt that by anyone he meant “ex fake boyfriends”. Needless to say, this did nothing to dispel Adrien’s concern.

Now if it wasn’t for his bodyguard waiting in the car, he would transform behind the first shrub he’d find and use the superhero way over the rooftops. Instead, he got back to the vehicle and fidgeted nervously for the whole eternity of three minutes that it took to return to the mansion. In another three minutes he was already out and heading back to the bakery.

Even before he got to the building Chat Noir already noticed that in each of Marinette’s windows the curtains were pulled shut. He quietly landed behind the chimney and crawled to her balcony, careful not to make a sound. The little space was empty and silent. He dared to drop lightly to the floor and took a quick peek at the skylight.

A gasp escaped his parted lips as he saw her.

Marinette was curled on her bed, snuggled in her pink blanket. Her chest rose and fell to the steady rhythm of deep and calm breaths. Her eyes were shut, the scarce light from the roof window making her long lashes cast deep shadows over her face. He was relieved to notice her relaxed features and the gentle smile that stretched her slightly parted pink lips. A halo of dark hair freed from the pigtails surrounded her head, silky and smooth. To say she took his breath away was to say half of it. The sight of her calm and rested, sent his heart into a wild dance and caused his hands to itch, longing to touch her.

Chat stayed at the skylight, bounded by an invisible force, watching Marinette sleep. It was his guilty secret, the pleasure he took simply from her presence. When his eyes finally started to wander over her covered figure and her bed, he spotted a pen in the girl’s hand and some sort of notebook resting opened next to her, her other hand sprawled over a page filled with Marinette’s distinct cursive. It looked like she fell asleep while writing.

Driven by his trademark curiosity he pulled out his baton and used the lens of the camera to look at the words on the page.

Dear Diary,

I don’t know what to do now that I know everything. Should I run to him and ask for forgiveness? Should I dig a deep hole and never leave it ever again? Should I in turn tell him everything?

Should I tell him about the messages I deleted from his phone? About all my attempts at confessing to him? About the heartache at rejecting him when he confessed to Ladybug? About the valentine I never signed, that would make him reject me first?

Adrien blushed under his mask at the mention of the awkward and hapless dance they had been performing around each other in and out of suits for such a long time. Now he was sure Marinette had it all figured out, not only his identity and his feelings, but also each and every situation their paths tangled and met. He averted his gaze from the diary, suddenly ashamed at invading her privacy. There were some secrets that should remain hidden until she was willing to share them.

He put his baton on his back, and with one last longing look retreated to the rooftops, and to his home. Exhausted he threw himself on his bed only to toss and turn for half of the night, to Plagg’s not so subtle complaints. Whenever he closed his eyes he saw Marinette’s face, he heard her voice calling him by either of his names. His stomach twisted with worry. Was she willing to give them a chance? Or would she try to escape, afraid of getting hurt again? He would have to do everything he could to convince her he would not make the same mistake twice. He would not let her go. Not when he found her, when he knew she loved him too. The thought of her affection was his last before he finally surrendered to slumber.

Adrien jerked when he felt Plagg’s weight resting on his head. It was one of the kwami’s most annoying ways to wake him up.

‘Rise and shine, kid,’ the little cat grumbled. ‘We have people to meet.’

His eyes fluttered opened and he squinted at the black blob appearing in his vision. ‘What people?’

‘See for yourself,’ Plagg nodded to his bedside table and to a small box that wasn’t there in the evening. It was tied with a blue ribbon matching his scarf in shade. A decorative “T&S” left no doubts as to the origins of the package.

Inside Adrien found a raspberry minitarte, accompanied by a little card with only two words written in a familiar cursive handwriting: “The Trocadero”.

‘H-how?’ he asked, knowing perfectly well the windows were closed and that Nathalie wouldn’t come to his room before he got up himself.

Plagg shrugged, very unconvincingly. He looked extra grumpy, but with a hint of something new. Something that to Adrien looked suspiciously like abashment.

‘Ladybug was here?’ the boy looked around, as if expecting to find a guest staring at him.

‘Ladybug’s kwami,’ the flying cat explained gloomily. ‘Your presence is requested,’ he added eyeing the card. ‘I was told not to keep the ladies waiting.’

‘Oh,’ Adrien sighed. ‘Oooh!’ he cried jumping out of bed.

Plagg watched his attempts at making himself ready with a cheeky smirk. ‘Don’t forget to take your scarf,’ he offered sourly. ‘Apparently it’s a bit cold today.’

Soon the boy was jumping into the car again, thanking the heavens for his clear weekend schedule. Taking two or three steps at a time he ran to the top of the Trocadero, looking for his girl.

There weren’t many people there on that chilly, overcast morning but it took a while to spot her. Marinette was hunched over her sketchbook, thoughtfully chewing the end of her pencil. Hesitant, he took a step back to watch her for a while. The embodiment of creation in her element. So Ladybug, yet so Marinette. Elated, Adrien observed as a new drawing appeared on the page, a little masterpiece created with just a few strokes of the skillful hand.

‘Are you gonna stay there much longer?’ he heard her amused voice. He hadn’t noticed when she turned to him.

‘Um… sorry,’ Adrien said shyly. ‘I didn’t want to interrupt.’

‘I was only keeping myself occupied while I waited for you,’ she said with a small smile.

That smile left him defenceless, unable to decide what to do. He didn’t know if he should hug her, or twirl her in his arms, or just shake her hand and maybe peck her cheek? Now he knew what she meant in her diary. There were so many questions, so many issues between them, he was finding it hard to decide how to act. His indecision must have prompted her to take the initiative.

‘I brought you something,’ Marinette said standing up. A light blush covered her cheeks when she came to a halt in front of him. He had yet to move or say anything in reply. The girl put her sketchbook in her bag, taking out a semi-circled notebook he immediately recognized. But he knew better than to show it.

‘Here,’ she said passing him the diary. He noticed the lock was opened. ‘No more secrets,’ she added dropping her gaze to her shoes.

Slowly, reverently Adrien reached out. He wanted to take the notebook, but when his hands touched her palms he froze, unable to move, unwilling to put an end the thrilling sensation of skin on skin. She must have felt it too, her eyes shifting between his face and their joined hands resting on the diary.

‘I- ,’ he rasped, voice failing him.

‘Please-,’ she tried with the same result.

BOOOOM!

A lightning bolt struck nearby and the deafening thunderclap startled them both. The first drops of rain plopped onto the notebook.

The water sobered him up. Adrien snatched the item and put it back in her bag in one fluid motion, still managing to keep his other hand on hers.

‘I won’t be needing this, my Lady,’ he murmured. ‘I want to hear everything right from the source,’ he supplied, grabbing her hand firmly in his. ‘Lets go,’ he said, pulling her to the car.

They ran to the beat of splashing droplets, a routine familiar yet new and thrilling at the same time. 

[hamiltontrashaccount]

Memories (Lin-Manuel Miranda X Reader)

AHHHHHH so this took a VERY log time to write but its here!!!! I really hope you guys like it <3

Request: Can I have an imagine where the reader and lin have been married since 1997 (they have no kids) and they celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary! 

SO just an fyi, i changed the anniversary to their 15th. In 1997, Lin wouldve been 17, and I didn’t want the characters to be really young when they got married. So they were about 22 when they got married :)

Pairing: Lin-Manuel Miranda x reader

Word Count: 3277

Warnings: Just some cursing, someone gets a minor injury (i dont wanna say what it is cause it might spoil the fic), if theres any other warning lmk please

MASTERLIST

You stood in front of the mirror, fretting about tonight, July 13.

July 13 was a special day. It was the day you first met Lin, at a campus tour for Wesleyan University, 20 years ago in 1997. It was also, coincidentally, the date of the first Hamilton preview. And, the most important event on this date, your wedding anniversary.

Needless to say, everything about tonight had to be perfect. Starting with your outfit.

You wore a dark blue dress, that fit tight in all the right places. Lin was so going to love it, but he’d probably love taking it off you more when he found out what you had underneath for him.

Lin knocked on the door. A few days prior to today, Lin planned to stay at a friend’s house for the day, so that you two could act like this was a date, and he’d have the opportunity to knock on the door. You had to admit, hearing the knock gave you butterflies. It made you think about your first date with him, in your sophomore year of college.

Despite having met Lin at Wesleyan, that wasn’t the college you’d decided to go to. You both kept in touch during your senior year, always hanging out when you had time. You both knew that you liked each other, but because your careers were going in two different places, you both decided that staying friends would’ve been much easier and less stressful. But that plan hadn’t lasted long. Since your colleges weren’t too far from each other, you and Lin had spent even more time together, sometimes even going to each other’s classes whenever one was too bored waiting for the other’s class to finish. Your friend groups, which eventually merged due to all the time spent together, constantly told you two of the passion you’d had when around each other. You always denied it, and you and Lin continued the friendship.

Until one fateful night, at a frat party at Wesleyan. You were sorta dating a guy during that time, and invited him to the party. A very sensual song came on, so naturally, you had decided to dance with your date. You’d both kissed during the dance and Lin saw it all. After walking you back to the dorm, Lin admitted he couldn’t stand to see you with another guy, and asked if you’d be willing to give the two of you a chance; of course you said yes.

Your first official date had been sometime in the fall of your sophomore year. You were in a red dress, all dolled up and ready. You weren’t nervous, because this was Lin. Why in the world would you be nervous?

But when you heard that knock on your dorm room door, your stomach dropped. The thought of eating that night made you sick. This was Lin. You kept telling yourself. But no, it wasn’t Lin. It was your date. You had to impress him, right?

All bad thoughts you’d had that day came back, which was absurd. You’d been married 15 years. Why in the hell would you be worried?

Because you love him. A beautifully reasonable voice in your head said. You agreed with the voice, and swallowed your worries. This was your husband, your beautiful, talented and amazing husband.

Finally getting the courage to go on this date, you smoothed down the non-existent wrinkles in the dress you’d spent a good hour ironing and walked to the door. The moment you opened the door, you were greeted with the beautiful sight of Lin-Manuel Miranda. He literally took your breath away.

“Woah,” Lin whispered, obviously as starstruck with you as you were with him.

“You look amazing,” You both said at the same time.

“Thanks, I try.” You both said at the same time again. You giggled and Lin rolled his eyes. 15 years of marriage made you both think the same way.

“So where are we going?” You asked, linking your arm with Lin’s.

“It’s a surprise.” He said.

You rolled your eyes. Lin loved surprises. As long as they weren’t for him.

Lin led you down to his car and opened the passenger door for you. You stepped in, making sure your dress was tucked under you. You didn’t want Lin to get a peak of his surprise.

The drive to wherever the hell you guys were going was a pretty long, so you and Lin played a car game on the way. I Spy, was always a favorite of yours, so that was what you played.

“I spy with my little eyes something green.” Lin started.

“The traffic light?”

“Mm-mm.”

“Uh… That tree?”

“Nope.”

“Your air freshener.” You said, sure of yourself.

“Nope, do you give up?”

“I guess.”

“It was that sign we passed by like four miles ago.”

“Lin! You can’t choose something like that!”

“Why not?”

“It’s cheating!”

“No, it’s called strategy.” He said smugly. You socked him in the arm and took your turn.

Lin won the game, through lots of cheating you might add.

As you stepped out of the car, you were greeted with the sight of Wesleyan University.

“Wha-”

“Now this is only our first stop for the night. I thought you might like a tour of the campus. It might convince you that you made a bad decision not going to Wesleyan.”

“Haha, very funny. But can I ask how you expect to get a tour of the campus when it's 6 o’clock at night?”

“See, since I’m Lin-Manuel Miranda, I can get whatever the hell I want, especially since I’m an alumni here.”

As Lin said that, a man came walking out of one of the buildings, carrying two folders with him.

“Hello, Mr. Miranda.” He said, walking up to Lin and shaking his hand. “Hello, Ms. Miranda.” He now gave his hand to you. You shook his hand, still in a state of shock, since Lin wasn’t kidding when he said you guys were getting a tour of the university.

The tour was just as you remembered it. You all passed by the science building and you were hit with another memory.

Senior year was fast approaching, so your parents decided that summer was a great time to visit colleges. You’d already visited a couple, some you had good chances of getting into, others not so much. The whole experience was fun, but at this point, you just really wanted to go home and be able to sleep. This was the second and last college of the day and you were dreading it. It didn’t help that being around other people your age made you anxious. They were so different yet similar to you that you could hardly stand them, let alone kids from your own school.

Wesleyan University had a beautiful campus, but it just didn’t give you that vibe. The vibe that this was the place that you belonged in, that feeling that this was home. But you continued the tour because the tour guide said there would be snacks waiting for everyone at the end of the tour.

Five minutes into the tour, a young man followed by an older man, who looked similar to him so you could only assume that was his father, walked up to the rest of the tour. They were both out of breath as they stood next to you and your parents.

You gave the younger man a questioning look and he shrugged and leaned in close to whisper “My dad got lost on the way here.” You nodded in response and paid attention to the tour guide.

You thought that was the end of the conversation, but the other guy apparently didn’t. “You from here?”

“Not really.”

“Where do you live?”

You sighed loudly, hoping he would see that you were exasperated with the conversation. He didn’t care. “New York.”

“Really? So do I!”

“Lin.” His dad said. You stifled a laugh as Lin quickly shut his mouth so his dad wouldn’t yell at him again.

The tour guide led everyone inside a building. You could hear him start explaining how it was a science building and where they got the money to afford to build it. Lin decided this was a perfect opportunity to start talking again.

“Where in New York do you live?”

“NYC.”

He nodded his head and thankfully, that’s the end of that conversation. The tour guide leads everyone upstairs and as you lifted your leg to step up, you tripped on your untied shoelaces. Your leg got stuck in the air and you barely had a chance to fall forward before you mom turns around to you, ultimately knocking you backwards instead.

With a yelp, you fell backwards until you’re caught in the air by a certain Nuyorican.

“Looks like you’re falling for me.” He said with a smirk.

You scoffed and stand up, putting as much space as you can from ‘Lin.’

Thankfully, the memory isn’t relived and you make it up the steps without incident.

Everything else about the tour was unmemorable, the first time you went through it. If there was anything you remembered from the first tour, it was that Lin consistently tried to flirt with you, and consistently failed.

The next stop on Lin’s surprise night is a restaurant. And not just any restaurant. It's your favorite restaurant.

It's a pizza parlor, that only just recently got renovated to add indoor seating. You and Lin are much too overdressed, but Lin didn’t seem to mind as he led you over to a table he apparently reserved. You both sit down and a waitress comes over with two small menus. Lin waves the menu away and said, “I already know what we’re going to order.”

“Do you now?” You asked, resting your chin on your hand.

The waitress tried to stifle her laugh. Lin stuck his tongue out at you and continued. “Yes, half-mushroom and half sausage pizza, with three mushrooms on each slice of the mushroom side, one lime Coke, one regular Coke, an order of garlic bread, with extra garlic, and buffalo wings, with two ranches and one nacho cheese.”

You were shocked.

“What?” Lin asked when the waitress walked away.

“We haven’t been here in five years. You still remembered our order.”

“Of course I do. I remember everything.”

You smirked. “Everything?”

Lin noticed the evil twinkle in your eye. “What?”

“Do you remember the first time we came here?”

His cheeks went red. “Nope, don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh I think you do.”

Another memory found its way through your head.

On your one year anniversary, you’d decided to take Lin to your favorite restaurant, one that your family always took you and your sibling up to on vacations. It was where they had met, and you’d always dreamed of meeting your own soulmate there too. Unfortunately that never happened, but you were pretty happy with the place where you met your soulmate.

You’d told him about it, but neither of you ever had the time to go and visit it. But for your one year anniversary, you both thought it would be fun to take the long drive up to Middletown for the date.

You loved mushroom pizza, but only from this pizzeria. No other pizzaria could match the taste of this pizza, so you’d never ordered it anywhere else. Which was why Lin was surprised when you ordered a large mushroom pizza.

“Mushrooms?” He asked, taking a nervous sip of his water.

“Yeah… Is that okay?”

“Yeah, its just just never ordered mushroom pizza before.”

“That’s because I only like it from here.” At seeing the anxious look on his face, you added “We can make it half and half if you want, it's okay.”

“No, I love mushrooms! Don’t worry, babe.” Lin said quickly. You nodded your head, although you already knew he was lying. But if he didn’t want to speak up, then you were just going to sit back and watch as a disaster happened. Boy, was it going to be a great show.

And a great show it was.

When the pizza came, Lin gagged, though he hid it pretty well. But considering how well you knew Lin, you knew when he was disgusted with something. And he was definitely disgusted now.

“Smells amazing right?” You asked, smiling big.

“Yup! Can’t wait to eat it!” He rushed to grab a slice and stuffed a big bite into his mouth. His eyes widened as the slimy texture of the mushroom finally touched his tongue. With great difficulty, he swallowed it, and smiled at you.

“Taste good, babe?” You asked. He smiled, but you could see the pain in his eyes.

He struggled to eat two slices of pizza, and you happily ate half of the pie.

Once the pizza was stored away in a take out container and the meal was paid for, you and Lin left the pizzeria.

Lin was silent as you guys walked back to the car.

“Lin, are you-”

Before you finished your sentence, Lin was running to some bushes across the street, and throwing up what he had eaten. You ran to him, asking him if he was okay.

“Yeah, I just...”

“Don’t like mushrooms?”

He looked down guiltily.

“Lin, babe.” You used your finger to lift his head up by his chin. You grabbed the sleeve of the hoodie that was wrapped around your waist to wipe his mouth. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“You seemed really excited to eat here, and when you ordered that,” He made a disgusted face, “I didn’t want to make you unhappy. You love it whenever we have something in common, and I just like making you happy, okay?”

You shook your head, smiling. “I also like it when we have things not in common. It keeps me on my toes, you know.” You joked, but then turned serious. “I want to make you happy too, and I want to take care of you. Letting you suffer by eating mushroom doesn't seem like taking care of you. Next time you don’t like something, you tell me, okay? We’re married and that means we take care of each other, Lin. It's not a one-way thing.”

He smiled, and wrapped his arms around your torso. “Got it.” He leaned down for a kiss and you quickly turned your head away.

“Okay, I love you a lot, but what we’re not gonna do is make out after you just vomited all over some people’s lawn.”

He smiled again, and settled for kissing you on your cheek.

“I thought we agreed to never bring that up again.” Lin said.

“Wha- No! That was the funniest thing to ever happen. You weren’t watching your face as you ate it, Lin. You looked like you were forced to eat shit.”

“It tasted like shit too.”

“Hey!”

He put his arms up in surrender. “I’m just being honest.”

The time at the pizzeria is uneventful. You and Lin just continue to talk and joke around, occasionally throwing food at each other, thus earning the stares of parents in the pizzeria. Neither of you were setting a good example to any of the kids in there.

Once the food was eaten and packed away, you and Lin left. There was a beach not too far from the pizzeria, so that was the next stop.

Like every other moment of that night, the beach brought up old memories of you and your husband.

It wasn’t necessarily the beach that you were afraid of; it was the nasty creatures that resided in the ocean. Namely, jellyfish. When you were ten years old, a jellyfish came and stung you on your arm. This was back when people still believed peeing on a jellyfish sting actually helped it; so of course what happened on that horrible day? Your friend, who’d been there with you, decided that they were going to save the day, and peed on your arm. Unfortunately, they didn’t pay attention to where they were peeing and accidentally got some pee on your hair.

Since then, beaches were completely banned for you. It was Lin who’d convinced you to go to a beach during spring break in your freshman year of college. You just absolutely refused to go anywhere near the water. Your rational adult brain knew that there was no reason for you to be afraid of the ocean, but your inner child always came out whenever a beach was mentioned, so you still never managed to go into the actual ocean. And if you would ever go to the beach, it would only be with Lin by your side, so that he could “beat all the mean, ol’ jellyfish away from you”, as he kindly explained it.

It was your fear of beaches that gave Lin the brilliant idea to propose to you there.

“Now wait, hear me out.” Lin said when he brought the idea up with your older sister. “I want to replace a bad memory with a good one. This is the perfect way to do it!”

Now you had to admit, when your sister told you he said this after that day, it made perfect sense. And you couldn’t help but fall more in love with him, if that were even possible.

Lin took you to the beach, as normal as ever. He’d even coaxed you into going to the edge of the water, watching him as he splashed around in the water, and giggling whenever he splashed you in return.

It was there, when he got down on one knee, submerging almost his entire lower half of his body in the water, that he proposed to you. Too bad that immediately after you said yes, and he was standing up to put the ring on you, a jellyfish stung Lin. On his… private part.

He was rushed immediately to the hospital, and the whole way there, Lin cried about how he ruined the proposal.

“Babe, it was perfect, stop crying about it. I love it.”

“But it's ruined. I tried to give you a good memory but now its a bad memory.”

“Baby, a couple years from now, hell, a couple days from now, we’re gonna be laughing about today. Don’t worry Lin, everything about today was perfect.”

He, of course, still wasn’t happy about that. But you were right. A couple days later, when Lin’s embarrassment was gone, he laughed about the situation until he couldn’t breath and he had tears rolling down his face.

You and Lin walked along the water’s edge, talking about each other’s job, occasionally splashing the other with water using your feet. It was the perfect end to a perfect day.

The drive back to New York was quiet, the only sound in the car being a CD that Lin made for you on your birthday many years ago. Come to think of it, everything you had in your life was touched by Lin. Even the car, which you’d had for 10 years now, was touched by Lin; he was there when you bought the car and he’d been the one to pick it.

There was nothing that didn’t have Lin all over it, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

“What are you smiling about over there?” Lin asked, grabbing your hand and giving the back of it a big smooch.

“Nothing. Just that I’m lucky to have you.” You turned to look at him. “I love you so much, Lin-Manuel.”

“I love you too, Y/N. I love you so much.”

[donewithjeon]

Downfall [18]

Characters: Jungkook x Reader

Word Count: 4,377

Genre: Assassin AU

Prologue | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26

“If you keep pushing yourself like this, you’re going to break.”

Your brother’s words reached your ears as he came up from behind you, but you didn’t stop your fists as they continued to land a succession of punches on the training mannequin before you. Although you waited for Namjoon to come into view, you didn’t bother to look up from your task to provide a response.

“All I’m hearing is that you don’t believe in me.”

It was almost part of a routine now for you two to be at a constant discord. Perhaps it was just the typical sibling conflicts that most others went through, but even if it wasn’t, you couldn’t find yourself to worry about the disturbances much.

Namjoon’s nagging only seemed to increase after your mission at the abandoned factory—your successful mission, as you liked to point out. Almost two weeks had passed since that particular night, and while he hadn’t been there to see the mess you had been reduced to by the end of the job, you were sure that he knew the details by now.

Apparently, information like that was fair game between teammates.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” he tried to defend himself, but you didn’t offer him a chance to, knowing that it would just be the same excuse he had given you several times before.

“Goodbye, Namjoon.”

As he stood at a close distance near the mannequin you were now endeavoring to beat to a pulp, you could see that he looked as if he still had something to say. Whether it was lack of courage or bad timing, he decided to save his breath, much to your appreciation.

The only companion you wanted to be in the presence of right now was the dummy in front of you, and no, you weren’t referring to your brother.

It was a reluctant retreat, but Namjoon left you to your own devices shortly thereafter, and ultimately, your own thoughts.

These past few weeks hadn’t been kind to you, not that the rest of your life had exactly been a walk in the park. Truthfully, it wasn’t time that was being harsh—it was you. You were pushing yourself and training rigorously in order to be in the best condition you could be, but that didn’t just end with your physical body. You felt like you were forced into reevaluating your principles, chiefly by yourself, since you had made a decision that night that could have very well ended your life if you had made one more false move.

Sure, you had succeeded in the end, but you had barely survived. That certainly was not how you wanted the rest of your missions to go—you refused to put yourself in a situation like that again just because you chose to be in over your head.

Your main objective right now was to become stronger; it was something you thought you had achieved after graduating from the orphanage, but it seemed as though life liked to throw you curveballs in the face as persistent reminders of your weakness. Still, you believed it to be an attainable goal, even if you had to lose a few hours of sleep to do it.

Besides, it wasn’t like you could sleep anyway.

“Namjoon is just worried about you. He is your brother, after all.”

Hoseok was standing at one of the stations in the armory he had claimed as his own, taking a well-deserved break from the handgun maintenance he was just about finished with, if listening to your objections and justifying his friend’s actions could be deemed a break. You had come to visit him like you normally did, standing at the other side of the tabletop as you held your cursory discussion. It was well past midnight by now, so the room was fairly empty with most of the other assassins either working a job or resting to work a job later.

In the long months you had been stuck in this building without any missions, you had grown considerably close to Hoseok. The bond had been quick to form because while your other teammates had been out having the time of their lives, the two of you had stayed in headquarters with only the joy of each other’s presence. Judging purely by the amount of encounters you had experienced ranging from the early mornings to the unholy hours of the night, it had been only a matter of time before a friendship bloomed.

Plus, he was much better company than a certain snarky sniper.

As you spent more time with Hoseok, you found yourself running into Yoongi more frequently as well. He was usually in the armory, taking his sweet time cleaning his rifle and getting the rest of his equipment in check. The man moved so languidly, as if he was trying to single-handedly prove the mantra of “slow and steady wins the race”. You would have guessed that he had no place he needed to be, but that was proven to be incorrect each time you watched him rush to the parking garage in order to make his meeting time. It was also one of the wonders of the world how someone like him was such a master at climbing stairs, but you guessed that most snipers got used to that role after a while.

Each time you found yourself speaking with Yoongi, the two of you tended to butt heads. Just for that reason alone, you enjoyed staying on Hoseok’s side of the gunroom every chance you could get—the time you had spent by Yoongi’s side on all those rooftops was enough to last a lifetime.

Still, the interactions with the two of them helped to take your mind off of things, including the sudden withdrawal of missions being given to you. You didn’t want to admit it, but you were kind of relieved. Contrary to how you had acted during your initial job drought, you presently focused your energy into readying yourself for the day you would join the front lines once more.

Hopefully, the next time would be less humiliating, if not just for the sake of having to go through all this constant pestering from the people around you. Some of your other teammates had voiced their concerns once or twice about your extreme concentration with training, but none more so than your brother.

“I know he is, but I can take care of myself,” you retorted, not really keen on hearing another person chide you.

“Really? Because you don’t look so great.”

If that comment had been from Jimin or Taehyung, you would have been glaring at a mischievous grin right now. Instead, Hoseok had a somber expression on his face, his eyes attempting to search yours for some kind of sign, although you could argue that the sign was actually right under your eyes.

“Gee, thanks,” you sarcastically remarked.

“No, I’m serious,” he said, as if that would make you feel any better. “When’s the last time you really slept?”

“I don’t know,” you sighed, leaning forward on the counter to lessen the weight on your tired feet. “It’s not that I’m not trying. Of course I want to, but I just…can’t.”

Withholding the details of the noisy thoughts that prevented you from resting easy, you didn’t tell him the exact reason for your troubled slumber. You were pretty sure he could pick up the clues, though, since it didn’t take much of a genius to figure it out in this business.

There was an empathetic notion to his creased eyebrows as he gazed at you from across the counter. Hoseok had faced insomnia in the past as well; even if he hadn’t outright told you, the signs had been rather obvious from the start. Dark circles, dull skin, bloodshot eyes—much like the traits that you were exhibiting right now. His symptoms from lack of sleep had reduced substantially, and you could confidently say that the color that had been drained from his face was starting to come back. Maybe he had been eating more broccoli to improve his complexion?

Whatever his secret was, it was working.

You could tell that something was formulating in his mind at that moment—you just didn’t know what. Good thing you didn’t need to guess, because he leaned forward and propped his arms up onto the opposite side of the table in order to get a bit closer to you.

“What if I had something that could help you?”

You raised your eyebrow at him, staring straight into his dark irises. What he had said just now made him sound suspiciously like a drug dealer—all he was missing was the long trench coat and the background of a seedy alley.

“What is it?” you asked, curiosity taking over you.

“It’s this solution I’ve been working on for a while—a sleeping potion, if you will. It can help you get a full night’s rest, if you’re willing to try it out.”

Of course you could count on Hoseok to experiment with concoctions in the lab—with the sheer number of hours he spent in there, you were surprised he hadn’t figured out a cure to cancer yet. You pursed your lips, contemplating his tempting offer.

“It’s not going to kill me, right? Because this would be the perfect opportunity to do it.”

Hoseok’s mouth curved up as he chuckled at your reluctance, the melodic sound releasing the pressure in your shoulders you hadn’t realized you were holding.

“It’s been tested plenty of times, and it’s harmless—I promise,” he assured you with a faint smile before presenting you with an age-old question. “Do you trust me?” You found yourself nodding in response before you could even consider that there was another option. His smile grew ever so slightly before he straightened back up triumphantly. “Then, don’t worry. Leave everything to me.”

Thankfully, your trust wasn’t misplaced, because Hoseok stayed true to his word.

You took the leap of faith and tried out the vial of liquid he provided you, and ever since then, you continued to stop by whenever you decided that you needed to receive more aid, which was deplorably almost every single day since the start of this exchange.

Other than your now restful nights, your days went on without any hitches. The practice ranges and training rooms became your new homes, and you fell into the same old routine—except, you knew that things would never be the same.

Not too long after your first daily distribution from Hoseok, he broke the pattern by visiting you at target practice in the late evening. You weren’t expecting his unwarranted appearance, but after he slipped you a new vial to take back to the apartment, he bid you goodbye with a quick reminder.

“Don’t turn in too late tonight. We have to get up early for the viewing.”

Right. The subject had been brought up previously this week during a group meeting. The days of the week blended together when you did the same thing every day, so it had slipped your mind for a hot minute.

The chief financial officer of the company had recently passed away.

It wasn’t rare for you or any of the other assassins to be faced with death, but it wasn’t too often that the death was from inside the organization, let alone someone in such a high position of power. Perhaps that was why you were all being forced to attend a mandatory viewing at the funeral home tomorrow.

You found the event to be a bit strange, but you assumed that the man’s significant role in the company called for everyone below him to go and pay their respects. It was either that, or perhaps this was just a common occurrence you didn’t know about that was aimed to desensitize yourself to death even more.

It turned out to be much more complicated than that.

Of course, you had heard the rumors regarding the death. Most of them had been animatedly explained by Jimin or Taehyung, although you weren’t too sure how much you trusted the former after your little incident with Jin and his supposed missing eye and fingers.

Some of the circulating rumors stated the CFO had suffered a heart attack since he had been getting on in years, taking his last breath at the ripe old age of 49. Others claimed that he had drowned in the company pool while going for a casual swim, a debate you couldn’t add much to because you hadn’t even known that there was a company pool up until that point.

Despite all the ridiculous tales of the man’s untimely death, the fan favorite seemed to be that he had been executed for being a traitor.

The stories delved even deeper from that theory as people speculated the possible motives. A few people thought that he must have abused his influence and had run a private drug business on the side, while a good number of others believed that he had stolen from the organization’s funds for his personal gain, dipping into the profits each time he could in order to satisfy his greed.

All you had learned from the rumor mill was that people loved to gossip way too much. The only thing that mattered to you was that he was dead, and so with that comforting thought, you went to sleep.

The next morning, you rose from your slumber bright-eyed and bushy-tailed—you wished. It was more like you dragged yourself out of bed to get this day over with.

Everyone was allowed to go to the funeral home at their leisure, so your team decided on an earlier time slot in hopes of beating the crowd. At least you weren’t being forced to attend a full ceremony and procession—you didn’t want to imagine how long that would have taken with the amount of people working in this organization.

Putting on your standard black blazer and slacks combo for the first time, one that had been put in your wardrobe for special occasions such as this, you took the elevator downstairs to the main parking garage where you would meet up with the teammates you would be carpooling with. Jin and Jungkook were already by the sleek, jet black sedan when you arrived, and soon after Yoongi indolently strolled up to the scene as if he wasn’t a minute away from being late, you guys were on your merry way.

The other half of your team was taking a different car to the same destination, and you could only imagine the dynamics between the members in that vehicle. On the other hand, your particular group of four had quite the silent drive, although it wasn’t as sullen as you had anticipated. Honestly, you would have thought that this was just another normal trip to a job site—technically, going to this viewing was your mission for the day.

The vast cemetery soon came into view, but even as Jin pulled into a parking spot and everyone hopped out of the car, nothing really stirred within you. This was one of the most peaceful placed you had been dropped off at, and unlike many of your nightly excursions and exterminations, this peace wasn’t feigned. Once you neared the specific funeral home you were supposed to visit, you could see a few people dressed in black shuffling in and out of the building, whether compelled by love, respect, or like yourself, the obligation to fulfill a duty.

Jin led the way into the room where the viewing was being held, and similar to the front of the building, a few people were scattered about, either standing around or mindlessly pacing to and from the far end of the hall where a large, wooden casket was placed.

At first glance, the entire viewing hall looked strikingly luxurious. It was probably the largest one you could rent at this location, and the area was filled with flowers and decorations that someone seemed to have put more money than thought into. Even from a distance, you could tell that the casket was high quality as well; the elegant, mahogany woodwork of the glossy exterior and plush, cream velvet of the padded interior that was exposed by the opened door just screamed debt. This entire viewing seemed overindulgent beyond necessity, and you couldn’t help but think that this was just a pointless allocation of resources.

Extravagances meant nothing to a dead man.

Staring at Jin’s broad shoulders that were fitted nicely with his own black blazer, you followed closely behind as he approached the open casket. The sparse group of people blocking the front of it had just turned around to leave, but not before you were able to notice the strained looks on their faces; it was as if they were frozen in the middle of trying to decide on what expression to wear, and their robotic motions as they slinked past you gave you the assumption that they were here for the same reason you were—to pay your scheduled respects and leave.

Getting this tedious task over with was the first thing you thought of when you woke up this morning, but as you stepped up to the casket that was now in full view, there were far greater things on your mind.

You felt yourself stop breathing for a moment at the sight before you. The body that lay in the off-white linen encasement could hardly be considered a full human being. Even with the preparations to make the corpse more presentable to the public, it was clearer than day that the entire body had been mutilated, and the face itself was completely unrecognizable. If you had seen this official around headquarters before, there was no way you were able to tell now.

The man, or what remained of him, was dressed in a crisp, navy suit that was no doubt designer, but the expensive threads only made his mangled flesh look that much more pitiful in comparison. Sections of his face looked like they had either been torn off or carved out like a turkey roast, although the mortician did a half-decent job of reattaching most of his nose. You couldn’t say the same for his ear that was haphazardly stitched together, barely taking on the likeness of what had once been there. All of the open wounds were discolored heavily due to the make-up and whatever else they might have used to try and cover up the hideous marks, and they weren’t even close to matching the skin that had managed to cling on through this whirlwind of pain the man must have gone through.

The more you looked at him, the more he resembled Frankenstein’s monster with this recombined parts, except the CFO didn’t look like he was going to come back to life anytime soon.

As your eyes trailed down to where the hands should have been clasped atop his torso, you realized that they simply did not exist. While his arms were gathered in front of him, the slightly elongated cuffs of the man’s suit hid whatever gory remnants of the severed appendages were left.

There was no saying who or what could have done this, but it definitely wasn’t a swimming accident, unless the company pool was a blender in disguise. It was admittedly horrifying to look at the distorted corpse, but it was even more sickening to think of what it would have been like before all the primping and prepping. Your gaze fell upon the breast of the man’s suit where a pocket square was neatly tucked away, the blood red fabric only finally catching your attention in the midst of everything else you had taken in.

Before your thoughts could travel any further, you felt a hand slide softly onto the small of your back. You automatically flinched from the sudden touch, but when you turned to see Jungkook right by your side, you felt the tension dissipating.

“Ready to go?”

His hushed voice lulled you out of your trance, the words carrying more weight in the intense silence of the viewing hall. Glancing around, you realized that the rest of your teammates had already exited the premises, making you wonder just how long you had been standing there with your eyes bonded to the gruesome sight.

Facing Jungkook once more, you took in his appearance for a split second; his onyx suit and matching tie was as customary as they came, but when you met his gaze, you recognized the same glint in his eyes from when he had carried you out of the nauseating scene where you had been lying pathetically in a puddle—it was a look that filled you with an aching sense of vulnerability, yet managed to make you feel utterly safe.

Your eyes dropped down to scan over his empty breast pocket before you nodded in response to his previous question. The two of you quietly made your way out of the funeral home, his hand never leaving the back of your waist as you moved towards the main exit. The contact felt so excruciatingly close even through the layers of clothing, but that was most likely due to the fact that you didn’t have your usual sheath knife strapped there to provide the extra cover you were used to.

It was only when you strode past the doors that you realized how suffocating the atmosphere really was inside. It was like your lungs were being restored from their constricted state with each intake of fresh air, and your eyes had to adjust to the sun’s young rays shining down on the pavement and nearby foliage.

Jungkook’s hand left your back somewhere on the way to the car, but you still walked alongside each other before wordlessly filing into the back seat of the vehicle. Jin didn’t delay in starting the car, and soon after leaving the parking lot, you were all on your way to returning back to the apartment.

It was a bit of a drive, and the interior of the spacious sedan was almost as unbearable as the funeral home. You peeked over beside you to see Jungkook tugging at his collar to loosen the slim tie as if it were the reason for the trapped feeling he was probably experiencing, one that was most definitely mutual. The tie rested a bit lopsided from its original position after he was done with it, but other than his minor clothing adjustment, there were no other movements for you to focus on.

You disliked the stiffness of the muted atmosphere, so naturally, it had to be broken.

“Why wouldn’t they just give him a closed casket?” you asked, unable to hide your unease at the situation. You didn’t know if the others had been thinking about the same thing as you or if they had been through this sort of affair already. You weren’t expecting a straight answer, whether they had one or not, especially since Yoongi was riding shotgun as the holder of the championship belt for shooting down enemies and questions, but much to your surprise, he responded.

“Funerals are for the living, not the dead.”

And that was all you really needed.

A few days after the funeral was held, Minhyuk abruptly stepped down from his role as your team’s supervising officer. Perhaps it should be referred to as a step up, since he was ultimately being promoted into a better position.

You were barely able to get a compliment or a “job well done” from him before his departure. It was one of the most anticlimactic things ever, especially after you had been working so hard to get in his good graces—it was such a shame and wasted effort, but you weren’t complaining one bit. The other half of the unexpected but pleasing turn of events was the person who would step up to the plate and become the new supervising officer: Jin.

Maybe you were being a little biased, but you liked him much better than your bland and balding ex-supervisor. Jin seemed much more confident in your abilities as an assassin and more importantly, an active member of the team. Back then, he had made sure to reassure you of a job well done after he had gone in to do a sweep of the abandoned factory to see your handiwork. The trust he had for his teammates, even the new girl, was admirable, and you knew that he would do well in his higher rank, because everyone believed in him as well.

The impenetrable partition from the chain of command within the organization was nearly nonexistent when it came to Jin, and that was a very important part of your team. After years of the boys working together in the field, and even in the months you had joined in on the action, the eight of you shared a certain connection that wasn’t really applicable to teams that were merely assigned older, less involved superiors. Jin knew everyone’s strengths and weaknesses personally, and with that boosted knowledge, he was able to lead everyone in the right direction towards success, one assignment at a time.

The transition between the two figures of authority was so smooth and painless, it was like everything had been planned ahead of time. The organization was a well-oiled machine, but you had enough intuition to suspect that the CFO’s passing had something, if not everything, to do with it.

Whether any of the causes of death you had heard contained even a fragment of truth, the point was that he was now rotting six feet under, and the world was still moving forward. Somehow, his death only brought more opportunities for you, as you were not disappointed with the amount of regular missions that you were now a major part of. You still had so much to do—so much to achieve. It might have been the end for the dead man, and a grisly one at that, but it was quite the opposite for you.

This was only the beginning.

[ruffsficstuffplace]

Reunions (Part 18): Four To Win The War (1 of 3)

7:30PM, roughly an hour-and-a-half after Mal’s now infamous comment.

Kalila strode into a bar/lounge, a trendy, modern, niche establishment where the décor was mostly carefully cultivated flora from all around the states; the furniture was made out of wicker, bamboo, and driftwood; and many of the clients were smoking liquid concoctions with the help of handheld hookahs.

She turned heads as she strode on by in her sandals, breaking some out of passionate debates about choices of literature, films, music, and other forms of entertainment; getting a number appreciative looks, whistles, and compliments; and more than a handful of people taking pictures of her and asking their companions and social media about who she was, and where in the world did she get what she was wearing.

No one made a move to intercept her and speak with her, however, for underneath the expertly applied make-up that concealed the dark rings and the decades’ worth of wrinkles, the silky clothes flowing around her shapely body like mist, and the jewelry that kept her brown-gold hair in an elegant side-plait, they could sense the aura of a woman who had a very, very, very bad day.

If Raven noticed, she didn’t let it show. “Hey, Kali!” she said, waving as Kalila reached her table. “Do you mind if I call you Kali?”

“No, it’s actually quite nice,” Kalila said as she stepped into the chair opposite her. “Quite the step-up from ‘Whore of the Demon Scourge,’ that’s for sure.”

Raven raised an eyebrow. “Huh. Already feeling the effects of being roomed with Dog, huh?”

Kalila squeezed her eyes shut and groaned. “Yes, and please don’t say his name—nickname, pseudonym, whatever—again...”

Raven nodded. “Do you want to talk about it...?” she asked, reaching out and touching Kalila on her shoulder.

Kalila looked Raven dead in her eyes. “Raven, I understand you’re being polite, but believe me, you do not want my day was like,” she said in a calm, even tone.

Raven hummed. “And you assume I wasn’t being serious, too.” She smiled. “I’m your friend, Kali! Or I’d like to be considered as one by you, and friends let friends vent to them when they need it!”

Kalila debated for a moment, before she sighed. “Okay, what the hell: I’ll bite. On the condition that you don’t get to back out once I start.”

“Good thing I didn’t intend to stop listening until you let it all out!” Raven said, before she sat up and looked interested.

Kalila nodded, before she took a deep breath, and collected her thoughts. “It all started at 4AM, when some asshole burst through our window with a knife to try and cut up Dog, and didn’t realize all that glass would cut HIM up, too...” she started.

She went on to tell of the handful of other intrusions from would-be assassins, recruiters, and reporters for the rest of the early morning, to the point where she, Gareth, and Ted had went on to install a security system to safeguard their things and their room from new break-ins, before the latter two had to leave for their jobs in New Hope.

“Do you know what it’s like to be so out of fucks to give, that when someone breaks into your room and nearly gets his fingers sliced off by a trap made of fishing line, a reel, and a vacuum motor, you actually get bandages to keep him from bleeding all over your stuff, before you tell him which bunk is Dog’s so he can skip the overturning everyone else’s stuff?

“I do. It is not a pleasant state of being, I swear.”

She went on to her attempt to get breakfast, finding out that the other Islanders had put every single conceivable warning on their door, from painting the blood of animals around the frame, carving in symbols for “Danger,” “Doom,” and “Cursed Ground” on the door itself, and hanging a “Beware of Dog” sign that had the silhouette of the animal hastily repainted to resemble the man.

“It used to be I couldn’t walk into a common area without being mobbed by men and women, all wanting me or wanting to be near me, if they weren’t staring at the sidelines jealous or admiring from a distance.

“Now, they can’t get away from me fast enough.

“There’s always a line at the cafeteria, whenever a food truck comes in and we have more than just the usual oats, orange juice, terrible tea, and even worse coffee. People will fight for their place in line, or for someone else’s just for a chance of almost-about-to-expire corned beef hash.

“But not today. I had my pick of whatever was on offer, even if I needed to hop across the counter, and get it myself, because no wanted to serve me.”

She regaled Raven about going back up to her room, finding a new would-be intruder writhing in pain in the hall, foiled by the shock trap Ted installed in the doorknob. She stepped over him, and attempted to sleep the rest of the day away in the hopes that she might wake-up, and all of this would be a nightmare.

“Then, I woke up, saw your text asking me to meet up here, because apparently something big has happened to him that you think we can use to our advantage, and realized this was a nightmare, just one I won’t be waking up from, ever.”

Kalila took a deep breath, and sighed heavily. “So, with all that out of the way... what did you have in mind...?” she finished.

“That can wait for later,” Raven said, waving her off. “Do you need a hug...?”

“What I need are several alcoholic drinks,  or better yet, a time machine or spell, whatever will let me seduce the admin into giving me any room but 404,” Kalila said. She looked around. “This place is part bar, right?”

“Non-alcoholic, sorry, but the menu’s still really good!” Raven said.

Kalila sighed. “Then I’m sorry to say that it looks like you can’t help lift my mood... shall we get to business?”

Raven sighed and nodded. “Alright… so, just making sure here: you did read the news about what Mal just said about her dad, right?”

“No, I’ve been trying to avoid anything involving him,” Kalila replied. “What happened?”

Raven pulled out her phone, and loaded up the video. Kalila watched, smiling as it ended. “Well, if that isn’t the best news I’ve heard all day! So he’s going back to the Isle, right?”

“Kali!” Raven cried. “How could you say that about him?”

“Well, there is the fact that he’s been directly responsible for turning my new life here in Auradon into a living hell, just like he did back during the Great Isle War!” Kalila chirped.

“… Okay, yeah, you’ve got a point there! But look at it this way: as unfortunate it is that this happened, this is a huge opportunity for the company to branch into the Islander market, AND launch your career, AND do some good, all at the same time!” Raven said excitedly.

Kalila stared at her, before she groaned. “Raven, please don’t tell me you’re going where I think you’re going with this…”

“If you think I’m going with ‘Make you-know-who your male counterpart for our fashion lines, help convince Auradon that he’s reformed, and play a key role in helping him get back with his daughter,’ then no, I won’t tell you that,” Raven said.

“Are you shitting me right now?!” Kalila snapped. “You know his reputation, don’t you?”

Raven threw out her arms. “Who doesn’t?! But look: the fact of the matter is, he’s the hottest, most searched, and most attention-grabbing personality in Auradon right now, and is going to be for a long time yet! Wherever he goes, whatever he does, so long as it has his name on it, or he’s even remotely connected to the events, people are going to read it, and they’re probably going to want to check out who was with him, and who he’s associated with.”

Kalila crossed her arms. “You realize that there’s a stark difference between the benefits of being famous vs infamous, right…?”

Raven nodded. “I know. Which frankly makes this opportunity even better. The entire ‘Villain Kid’ Rescue Program and the Islander Rescue and Rehabilitation Initiative are more than just long-overdue justice—it’s the biggest redemption story ever told here in Auradon, and believe me, us Auradonians love ourselves our redemption stories!

“I don’t know about you, but the public will absolutely eat up and follow every single minute of a story about one of the most infamous and feared Islanders turning his back on his dark past, fighting the demons of his past to reconnect with his estranged daughter, and find a new, better life here in Auradon…

“… All with the help of his fellow reformed Islanders—like you—and his new native friends, like me!” Raven finished, beaming.

Kalila sighed. “Raven, I hate to break it to you, but men don’t change. Ever. I wouldn’t have gotten here—or even survived this long—if I didn’t accept that cold hard reality.

“I get it: you were raised on a diet of stories where love conquers all, good people triumph over wicked folks, and even the most terrible and corrupted souls can change for the better when you show them enough kindness, but me?

“My whole life was a constant lesson that love just isn’t enough, wicked folks fuck over good people with impunity on a daily basis, and putting faith, love, and effort in someone in the hopes that they will magically change for the better just ends in tears, and whole lot of wasted time.

“Sometimes worse.”

Raven’s bright and chipper aura dimmed. “Okay. Fine. You’ve got me on that. But still, it won’t hurt to give him a chance, will it?”

“Yes,” Kalila said flatly. “And just so you know, if I end up getting horribly murdered because you tempted fate like that, I’m haunting you and your family for all of eternity.”

“And if I promise I won’t try to have your restless spirit exorcised, or move somewhere where you won’t be able to haunt me or my descendants…?” Raven replied.

Kalila shot her a look, sighed, and shook her head.

Raven reached out and touched her arm. “Come on, Kali: what have you got to lose if you try to help him out?”

“My son, who I’ve been longing to have back in my arms for 15 years!” Kalila snapped.

“And what will it take to stay with your son?”

Kalila sighed, her shoulders drooping. “Prove I’m ‘dedicated to being a Good, productive, law-abiding citizen of Auradon...’”

“And how are you planning on being gainfully employed right now…?”

“Be a model for your brand,” Kalila replied.

“And why did I recruit you?”

“Because I’m sexy, charismatic, and your in to the Villain market...”

“And can we sell to the Villain market if they see you as a pariah and, I quote, ‘Whore of the Demon Scourge’?”

Kalila scowled. “No.”

“And how big is the bill you racked up which my company considered your advance, and an investment on their part that they want back eventually...?”

Kalila threw her hands up. “OKAY! FINE! I GET IT! I’ll give him a call, and tell him you want to offer him a job. And just that. Happy?”

Raven beamed. “Yes.”

Kalila got up out of her seat, and went to a quiet corner of the bar, where the concoctions they were smoking weren’t particularly offensive to her nose, and called Dog.

Somewhere in Ursula’s Strait, Dog stopped rowing, surprised that he still got reception this far out. “Hello?” he said.

“H..lo, Dog r..ht?” Kalila said, her voice faint and filled with static. “S.it, whe.. a.. you? Re..tion’s terri..e!”

Dog looked around, saw the silhouette of a cell tower off in the distance. “Give me a minute!” he said, before he put his phone down, and started rowing to it. It was going to increase his chances of getting caught by the border patrol, but he had a feeling this was worth the risk.

He looked at his phone, saw the bar go up one, and stopped. “How’s that?” he asked after he pulled the oars back up.

“Still shit, but it’ll work,” Kalila said, audible if he strained to hear, with a few minor losses here and there. “Look, Dog, my friend Raven Hood she says got a business proposal for you, some crazy plan to try and keep you here in Auradon, and get you into your daughter’s good graces.

“If you say yes, I’ll send her your number, and you two can hash out the details.”

Dog blinked. “Sounds good! Too good, actually! What’s the catch?”

“You and me will find out, but trust me: Raven may the daughter of an outlaw but she’s about as kindhearted, generous, and selfless as most Auradonians think they are. So, are you taking it or not?”

“Just one more question: why are you calling me, after the whole ‘leave and never come back’ speech?”

“Business,” Kalila said flatly. “Raven thinks we can use your infamy for profit, hers, yours, and mine. And before you ask, our partnership is going to be strictly professional, you’re still banned from 404, and I’m not magically going to become fine with you, alright?

Dog smiled. “Fine with me; this isn’t exactly the first time a woman’s selfishly used me for personal profit...”

Kalila groaned. “Don’t remind me. Goodbye.”

“Wait! Kalila!”

“What...?” she snapped.

“Thank you.”

“… Don’t thank me yet, Dog, not until you’ve held up your end of the bargain.”

Beep.

Dog looked at his phone, then at the Isle on one side of him, then at Auradon on the other. He put it back in his coat pocket, sat down, and thought.

Kalila was just one other person willing to give him a chance besides Ben, and even then, it was clear that she was giving him the barest minimum of goodwill she could muster. Mal still hated him, Auradon feared him, and his fellow Islanders on both sides of Auradon Bay either gave him a wide berth, or wanted to get close enough to stab him to death. There was no guarantee that whatever plan Raven had in mind would help him past basic survival in the long-run, if it didn’t end up backfiring on them entirely…

… But you know what? He was going to take it anyway.

“Fear the man who has nothing left to lose, for there is nothing holding him back,” Dog thought to himself as he rowed back to Auradon.

[vertigokrp-blog1]

SUBMITTED FOR YOUR APPROVAL:

The case of one Lee Minjae, youth lost in the depths of countryside quaintness and simple delights. A 23-year-old spending days in the small suburbs of Muhan as a manager at a local bookshop, an upstanding citizen like many others in town. An unremarkable little story that takes odd turns when you take a second look. Because, in Muhan, nothing as it seems. In Muhan, you must trust no one.

        Lee Minjae is one with the vertigo.

CONTENT WARNING.

Prostitution, violence.

THE STORY.

i. ‘94

444. he was brought into the world unlucky. a bad omen. his mother tries to hold him in, refuses to let him be born, it’s only a few mere hours away from the fifth. she can wait, he can wait, a day like this wouldn’t be good for him when he gets older – she tries to reason.

in the end, he wouldn’t wait, after all. minjae was determined to be quick, and his father refuses to wait. his mother couldn’t be convinced to move so a midwife is called. he’s born there, amidst indescribable panic and pain, in the bathroom of the house he is to grow up in.

ii. '98

minjae’s supposed to have a little brother now, but something goes wrong. his parents try to explain it to him. that even though his mother’s belly was big and round, just as it had apparently been with him, another little boy didn’t get to come out.

a stillborn.

minjae didn’t understand. the sadness of not having someone to play with fades soon enough. he spends more time with the neighbors in the following weeks, his mother growing distant, his father weary.

minjae wonders, idly, if he’s done something wrong. he knows he’s not good. one of the kids at school always points it out, that he’s plagued by fours and it’s why things never seem to go quite right for him.

iii. '99

minjae’s parents invest in a bookshop. it’s more for his mother than anything else, his father still spending long hours at the police department. he’s set to get another promotion, but an extra income will be nice.

minjae spends hours upon hours surrounded by books, his mother or an employee reading to him. he’s not the best at reading, not yet, but he’ll be a big boy soon and then he’ll be the one reading to his mother.

iv. '03

he’s a charming boy, everyone says so. that he’s gotten his mother’s affection and magnetism and his father’s curiosity.

minjae’s mother will laugh, tinkling. his father will smile. minjae will wonder where all that affection goes, if it always seems to be so distant with him.

v. '05

minjae’s father mutters a lot about how things never seem quite right. minjae likes to poke his nose around. he wants to know what isn’t right. part of him wants to fix it, another just wants to see if it’ll unravel more. another, still, wonders if he could figure it out before his father and if that would mean he could also become a police officer. he’s mentioned the dream only once – his mother forbid him.

you should be something respectable, someone educated.

minjae wondered if she realized she had said his father wasn’t respectable.

vi. '06

minjae is twelve the first time he hears the words conspiracy theory. he looks it up in one of the books in his mother’s store. (her’s, even if it’s the family store.) his father fits the bill. his mother calls him crazy.

he can’t really help but worry, something gnawing at his gut and wishing his father would drop it, would leave whatever tendrils he’s latched onto alone.

something’s never felt quite right to minjae either, but his curiosity has a limit, and there’s fear lurking beyond that. fear that a child doesn’t quite understand, just knows to stay away.

vii. '09

by and large, minjae always gets what he wants. his parents are distant and traditional, caught up in their own woes, but they never leave minjae in want of anything.

part of it is probably because he’s been cursed, he knows. no one else is born on the same day as him from the handful of people he’s acquainted with. but whenever they hear his date, they give him pitying looks.

part of it, is that minjae knows how to work people. it’s come from ages of watching his parents work around customers and suspects. he knows how to smile sweet, knows how to make it a little sharper when he talks to that girl that has a crush on him. knows what words to use and how to get a pretty blush going. knows how to make the aunties swoon and hand over snacks and candies, to get pocket money shoved into his hand by neighborhood uncles.

minjae always gets what he wants but somehow, still, things are never perfect.

he fails to get into the football team at school. it’s silly. but he knows he did well, so it doesn’t make sense either. it comes after a bout of bad luck – a failed test, a rejected confession, a sprained ankle – his birthday having just passed.

it’s at this age, more than ever, that minjae becomes aware of his curse, of his bad luck. he tries to pass it off as stupid superstition, but it always lurks.

viii. '12

it’s been days and minjae doesn’t understand. his mother is grim-faced, hasn’t left their couch the entire day. she sits facing the window, glances toward their home phone every few moments.

minjae himself has paced back and forth from the receiver hooked to the wall too many times to count. his father hasn’t come home in days.

they manage another day before they declare him a missing person. minjae sits in his father’s study, panic simmering low in his gut. he’s ripped through the room, couldn’t find anything indicating that his father would leave. only maps, and drawings, and scribbles of things he’s swear he’s seen but sound like they’ve come out of one of the novels minjae often buries himself in.

his father always had his moments, but he was never crazy. he was never unhinged. but minjae doesn’t know anymore. he shuts his eyes tight, feels the sting of tears – he doesn’t know anything anymore, just that his dad isn’t here. a tiny voice in his head makes him wonder if it’s his fault.

ix. '15

minjae gives up hope of his father coming back some time after a year, but his mother never does.

she loses herself, a little, withdraws completely. no longer the twinkling star she was in his youth, but a woman too tired of having lost so much.

minjae thinks she forgets him a lot. it’s fine. he can’t really blame her.

she stops working, eventually, without much notice. minjae picks up managing the shop easily. it’s been his home for so long. often enough, he’ll find himself sleeping in the back room instead of going home to their ghosts and disappointments.

money gets tight and he has to lay off nearly all their workers except one. school becomes secondary until it disappears altogether. higher education isn’t for everyone, he tries to tell himself on days he gets particularly low. (it was supposed to be for him, though.)

minjae never opens his father’s study anymore. doesn’t care to pore over the notes and papers he’s practically memorized. his father left them – he convinces himself – left them of his own volition. he won’t waste his time wallowing after him.

x. '17

minjae stares out of the front window of the bookstore, thoroughly unsettled. (even after all these years, he still can’t call it his own).

he swears he’s seen something that can’t be real, something that sends a shiver down his spine. a specter with the face of his father, in the corner of his eye one second – gone the next. a voice in his head tells him to step outside, to chase after it, to see. but rationality wins out and he shakes his head.

he’s not a kid anymore. he doesn’t go chasing after dreams.

minjae sighs and checks his watch, quickly flipping the old sign on the door to closed. money’s tight and his vices don’t always pay but sometimes– sometimes.

he heads towards the woods when he leaves. maybe, somehow, he’ll get lucky tonight, even despite his fours.

THE TWIST.

minjae sighs as he sits at the blackjack table. he’s never been good at counting cards, this isn’t the game for him. but it relies a little less on chance than anything else and his curse, no matter how much he tells himself it isn’t real, looms over him – doesn’t let him try his luck anywhere else. there’s a sinking in his gut that always tells him he’ll lose.

at least with this, he loses a little less.

part of minjae is bitter. if he hadn’t been so quick to anger, he wouldn’t even have to be here. a small voice in his head laughs at that, knows that he would be here, regardless. the siren in the woods has her claws in too deep.

everyone knows he gambles, likes to risk it all in the hopes of getting more, just a little more. most turn a blind eye. he needs it, they know. some slip him a little extra for luck. no one knows this isn’t where he makes his fortune.

minjae takes a deep breath, trying not to think about the previous night.

there are still bruises on his hips, in the shape of fingers. big, meaty, and ugly. just like the man that left a hefty sum for him to bend over.

it’s not hard – falling into the business. a friend hooking him up with his first customer, saying she didn’t fit his type. all he had to do was fuck or be fucked, and he’d have enough to keep himself and his mother surviving – more than, even.

hell, sometimes he even liked it.

but it’s moments when they spit words of filth and whore at him – pretending to be upstanding, polite christians, neat and polished. threatening to out him if he didn’t do what they liked. it only got so far before minjae found his fist flying, his own threats – threats that were more bluffs than anything else.

i have pictures, he had said, frantic and furious, what will they think? you’re not even with one of those pretty girls at the casino, you’re with me. what will your wife thing? your children?

he’d run afterward. but there had been no fallout. minjae closes his eyes tight, taps against the table, knowing he’ll lose even as he does. panic is high in his throat.

he should tell someone, get help – maybe. but he can’t. the shame stings, and he can’t.

somehow, minjae wins the hand. he walks home heavier, it should be a good thing. but he spends an extra long time in the shower, trying to wash away grime that never leaves, so deeply ingrained.

[tshirtbedeurope]

20 Interesting Things You Didn’t Know About Sleep

20 Sleep Facts About Sleeping You Probably Didn’t Know.

Sleep is one of those things that all 7.5 billion of us have in common. We all need sleep just like food or water to survive. We spend about a third of our lives asleep, yet we know so little about what goes on when we are asleep.

The following are 20 things you didn’t know about sleep:

Delaying sleep.

Humans are the only mammals that delay sleep willingly. Most people have a time that they normally sleep depending on their age or jobs. Other animals sleep whenever they feel like. Some, such as bears, will even sleep for months at a time.

Dysania.

Do you find it hard to get out of your bed in the morning? Well, it might not be laziness; you could be suffering from dysania. Dysania may be a sign of depression, nutritional deficiency, or other problems.

Sexsomnia.

There have been plenty of reported cases of ‘sleep sex’, or sexsomnia, where they get it on while asleep. While there is no clear explanation of why this happens, some experts have pointed out that there is a higher chance of it happening if you went to sleep feeling horny or if you dream about sex and the body acts it out.

Sleep is just as important as exercise and diet.

While trying to live a healthier life, most people put a lot of focus on putting in more work at the gym and eating right. Many people don’t know that getting enough quality sleep is just as important as sleep deprivation is known to cause depression, heart disease, and diabetes.

You have dreams even when you don’t remember them.

On average, a person has four to six dreams every night, but most people can’t remember 99% of them. If you want to improve your dream memory, keep a dream journal next to the bed and jot down anything you can remember immediately after waking up.

You can lose weight just by sleeping.

Sleeping helps regulate hormones that control your appetite. Sleep deprivation decreases the production of ghrelin, a hormone that makes you feel satiated. It also increases the hunger hormone leptin.

Some people dream entirely in black and white.

According to studies, most people used to dream in black and white but after coloured TVs were invented, most people now dream in colour. However, some people, especially the older generation, still dream in black and white.

The world record for the longest period of time without sleeping is 11 days.

In 1964, a California student named Randy Gardener set thus record after going 11 straight days without sleeping. If you are tempted to try to beat that record, think twice. Just like Randy, you will experience extreme sleep deprivation or even die from staying awake for such a long time. Some scientists actually believe that sleep deprivation can kill a person faster than food deprivation.

    It is not uncommon for the deaf to use sign language while sleeping.

Most people talk in their sleep. Deaf people have something to say too, but since they can’t speak like normal people, they use the words they are used to; sign language. There are many cases where people have reported their deaf children or partners using sign language while asleep.

Parasomnia.

This is a sleeping disorder characterized by unusual behaviour of a person’s nervous system while they’re asleep. Some people have even committed serious crimes as a result of parasomnia, including sleep driving or even murder.

Falling asleep at night should take about 10-15 minutes.

If it takes you less than 5 minutes to sleep, chances are you are sleep deprived or extremely exhausted. If it takes more than 20 minutes, you may be suffering from stress, depression, or other causes of insomnia.

Sleep deprivation takes only 16 hours to show.

Symptoms of sleep deprivation can be seen when you’ve not had any sleep for 16 hours. It lowers your body performance as if your blood alcohol level was 0.05% (the legal limit is O.08%)

Sleeping at work.

In Japan, sleeping on the job is less of a problem than most other parts of the world. Companies in Japan accept it as a sign that the employee is exhausted from working too hard. If you want to get a promotion in Japan, always be asleep when your boss comes to see you.

Sleep and exercise.

Regular, scheduled exercise is known to improve sleeping patterns and overall sleep quality. However, exercise sporadically or just before bed can keep you up.

Do dolphins and whales sleep?

Dolphins and whales need to come up to the surface for air from time to time. As such, their brains have adapted in such a way that they only fall half asleep. Each side of their brains takes turns to stay awake so that they can come up to breathe.

Sea otters.

Otters literally use the sea water as their mattress while sleeping. If two sea otters are sleeping together, they hold hands so that they don’t drift from each other.

Health benefits of Sleeping styles.

Sleeping on your front has been proven to aid digestion. For this to happen, you should place your hands above the pillow such that you’re in a freefall position. Sleeping while laying on your left side apparently helps reduce heartburn.

Sleeping patterns in the 17th century.

Back in the 17th century, it was normal for people to get up in the middle of the night. People used to sleep in two segments divided by a short time for reading, intimacy, praying, or socializing.

You may jolt yourself awake.

It is normal to feel like you are falling physically while falling asleep. This feeling may trigger your muscles to jolt yourself awake. This is referred to as a hypnic jerk and it may be as a result of anxiety or taking caffeine before bed.

The moon and sleep.

According to research, most people sleep better when there is a new moon and worse when there is a full moon. There is no clear explanation as to why this is the case.

  from TShirtBedEurope via TShirtBed Europe on Inoreader https://www.tshirtbed.eu/20-interesting-things-you-didnt-know-about-sleep/