#as a lover of both of these genres I am THRIVING to be clear

[essektheylyss]

Vox Machina cameos are like "We are in the late second act of a dense war film and it IS going to get worse from here, so buckle in," and Mighty Nein cameos are like "We are playing out one scene in the long-running series of blockbuster spy thrillers that we've been living, hope you brought popcorn."

[thrillridesz]

heart racing ▫ j.yn

in part of the adrenaline rush! collab hosted by @lucas-wongs​ + @ickjun​

⇢ pairing: jaehyun x reader (f) (ft. other nct members + twice’s jeongyeon)

⇢ genre: fluff, angst, racer!au, best friends to lovers

⇢ warnings: swearing, mentions of cheating, mentions and consumption of alcohol, alcoholism, hitting rock bottom

⇢ synopsis: once a revered member of the racing industry, jaehyun has been living at rock bottom for the past few months following a tragic accident that effectively put him out of racing. it seems as though nothing would get through to him, not even you. will he ever break out of the constant loop of doubt and start seeing things for what they really are?

⇢ word count: 8.04k

⇢ fic playlist: get you to the moon - KinaBeats ft. Snøw | Amnesia - 5SOS | You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift | Confetti Falling - Big Time Rush | Go Season - Devin Bronson (highly recommended for the racing scene) | Love Story - Taylor Swift 

⇢ a/n : unedited! also posted on this account because I’m considering merging my nct account with my tbz writing blog also PLEASE check out the other writers’ works ^^ we’ve all worked hard on our fics

“Jaehyun, you’re ruining yourself.”

The dim room reeked of stale alcohol and something mouldy as the empty beer bottles that littered the floor clanged noisily against the surrounding furniture, leaking golden yellow liquid all over. Old, worn clothes were draped everywhere, stained and darkened with murky stains while the battered television flickered weakly to live, showing nothing but static. The walls were streaked and striated with scratches, as if someone had just been clawing desperately at them and on the floor amidst the empty glass bottles, were pieces of scrap poster paper. Sunlight peeks in through the drawn blinds, giving a teasing glimpse to the bustling outside world from the sad, decrepit apartment Jaehyun lived in.

Sprawled on the couch with nothing on except a wrinkled pair of jeans, Jaehyun’s eyes were devoid of emotion - blank and dazelike. In his hand, his fingers held on limply to the neck of yet another bottle of beer, possibly his nth for the day. His usually shiny hazel brown hair was greasy with filth and his bare chest was sticky with sweat from being cooped up all day in this tiny, stuffy apartment of his. His jawline was starting to grow a hint of stubble given how much he’d completely let himself go and dark circles were appearing underneath those intense eyes of his.

Slowly, Jaehyun lifted his gaze from the floor to look at you, the first flicker of emotions that he’d ever displayed in the whole day. You stood before him, arms akimbo, your gaze sharp and piercing. He smiled, a smile that held no mirth or happiness.

“Oh, you’re still here.”

You shook your head, ripping the bottle of beer from his grasp. As you approached, the bottles, clothes and torn pieces of paper on the ground almost made you trip and you tutted under your breath.

“Of course I am. I’m your best friend who is somehow still here with you. Best friends help each other.”

He chuckled nonchalantly, waving his hand at the door. “Well, feel free to leave then. I don’t need your help.” His eyes held a hint of anger as he did, something that did not escape your notice.

“Jaehyun,” you said softly, placing the bottle on a nearby table as you dread what was to come next. “Please, not this again.”

Your words only served to fuel the fiery spark of anger in his eyes as he said in a barely controlled tone, the irritation radiating from him in ripples that threatened to evolve into waves, “Why not? I’m a fucking wreck and a loser anyways. Leave like everyone else did. Leave like…” His voice wobbled, “leave like Jeongyeon did.”

Your heart fell and it took almost a godlike willpower not to let your emotions show. Was he still thinking about her?

“Jaehyun-”

“What? Are you gonna say I’m not a loser like you always do? Cut the fucking lies. Everyone out there is saying the same thing, what makes you think you can convince me that you’re not thinking it either? Hm?” He spat, the drowsiness in his demeanour dissipating fast as red hot anger replaced it. There was so much internal frustration within Jaehyun that just seeing him like this was enough to break your heart. It was one thing to see him in this terrible state but it was quite another to see him directing his anger towards you.

You drew in a deep breath, trying to calm your pounding heart and to stop the tears that pricked at the corner of your eyes. Having been there with him every step of the year ever since the both of you were children playing and horsing around the neighbourhood, you found yourself desperately missing those much simpler times and wondering how things became so wrong.

For as long as you could remember, Jaehyun had always been interested and had a natural flair for racing. There always existed a competitive streak in him that thrived off a challenge. It didn’t matter what it was, as long as it was a game that could have a clear winner or incited competitiveness, he was all up for it. As kids, the two of you used to compete over everything, be it for the last popsicle in the convenience store down the street or past the gates of your school. It was as if racing was something he needed in order to live. It wasn’t until sophomore year of high school did Jaehyun decide to take his love for racing to a professional level. He began to dive deep into the motorsport industry, starting out as a mere rookie in auto racing. He never did apply to college, preferring instead to invest all his time into his newfound life career.

His rise to fame was quick, quicker than most. Within his first year, he had won a number of races, beating even some of the well known names in the sport. Every other month, he was winning trophies and exorbitant cash prizes which in return earned him the recognition of famous sponsors and racers. Bumper stickers from the various sponsors decorated the back of his ride and it was no time at all before Jaehyun began to don some of the most expensive sports gear on the tracks. With his smouldering good looks, he also appeared on the front pages of magazines and newspapers, all while attracting a loyal fanbase made up of both racing enthusiasts and adoring admirers.

To everyone else, he was the suave, handsome and effortlessly cool young racer who was practically born to race and to do it well but to you, he was your childhood friend… and your first love. In front of the flashing lights and cameras, Jaehyun knew his way around the crowd. He knew exactly when to flash one of his dazzling, dimpled smiles and how to work the crowd - it was just one of his innate charms. Yet, you knew that underneath that, that flashy, extravagant Jaehyun, was the Jaehyun you grew up with and had gradually fallen in love with.

As children, he was there for you whenever you needed him, always ready to lend a helping hand when he noticed that you were stuck in an unfavourable situation. You distinctly remember what had happened in second grade. It was a bright and warm summer’s day, the lovely scent of sweet peas floating in the air as the sun bore down on the earth. Pigeons flitted over the sidewalks, pecking at the cemented floor and the leaves of the oak trees that lined the streets rustled gently in the wind.

You fell with a loud and heavy thud on your bottom, feeling the leaves crunch noisily under your weight. Fear and trepidation coursed through your veins as you stared with eyes wide at your tormentors.

“Look at her, she looks pathetic. Do it, Johnny! Do it!”

A tall, hunkering boy flanked by his cronies stood over you, his dark, massive shadow engulfing you as you frantically scrambled backwards. Tears were beginning to stream down your face and a sharp pain shot up your spine with each move, owing to the impact of the fall. There were scratches on your hands as you dragged your palms over the rough gravel in an attempt to move away.

There was a malicious glint in Johnny’s eyes and his lips were curved into a devious smirk as he stared down at you, domineering and intimidating. The veins in his arms and hands were bulging angrily and as he clenched his fists, you felt your stomach sink. Your legs began to feel like jelly and your vision was beginning to blur from all the salty tears. You were struck with fear and the sense of helplessness you felt made you feel both ashamed and furious at yourself yet there was nothing you could do.

You held your hand up to shield yourself from the impending attack as the bully lifted up his fist.

“Hey! How about you pick on someone your own size?!”

The group of you turned to see Jaehyun, eyes blazing with anger as his chest heaved. His wind-swept hair hung over his eyes, a surefire sign that he’d run over and his cheeks were red from exertion. Even from afar, he was clearly no match to Johnny’s larger build, much less the whole lot of them.

“J-Jaehyun?” You spluttered, shocked.

“Who is this clown- Ow!” Johnny stumbled backwards as a rock pebble hit him on the head, promptly ricocheting off his forehead and bouncing onto the ground. His jaw was clenched in pain and when he removed his palm, a reddish bruise had blossomed and there was even a faint trace of blood. There was a split second of stunned silence before Johnny turned almost magenta with rage.

“GET HIM!” He roared and his cronies shook out of their daze, immediately going after Jaehyun who’d already ran a good distance before the reality of what had just happened set in. His mocking laugh rang through the afternoon amidst a cackle of profanities and threats yelled at him.

It was a laugh that remained in your memories all these years. It was a laugh that strengthened you, a laugh that spoke so much of willful courage and youthful rebellion which was everything you’d eventually come to associate with Jaehyun. That laugh was bright and so… him.

Yet now, you could see none of that playful mischief and vibrancy in those eyes. All that is left is emptiness.

“You’re not a loser, Jaehyun,” you began softly, “you never were in my eyes. You were a fighter.”

Those beautiful eyes you adored so much narrowed at you, his face twisted into a scowl.

“A fighter? Guess what, y/n?” He sneered, his voice dripping with venom. “I fought. I fought endlessly but did that work out for me? I threw in everything I could, every little thing. I worked hard and put in a hundred and one percent of my effort.”

You stared at him, your heart aching for him as a single tear began to roll down his cheek, tears of anger, indignation and pain.

“But did that work out? No, it didn’t. If anything, it left me a wreck. People out there call me a loser, a has-been and even my girlfriend has left me. It doesn’t matter how much effort I put in, how much I fought because at the end of the day, everyone is only here because of what they think I am. They saw me as a champion, an up and coming and the moment I wasn’t anymore, they all dropped me in a heartbeat. What are you waiting for, y/n? Why the hell are you even still here?”

His words echoed through the empty apartment and out loud, it sounded bleak, harsh and biting. His anguished voice tore at your heart and as each word left those lips, it felt like your heart was slowly breaking apart. Neither of you said anything for a moment, locked in a silent, unspoken fight as he held your gaze steadily. His eyes were cold and there was the look of a broken man in them.

“I am here because I love you, Jaehyun,” you said finally, your voice quivering. “I don’t care who or what you are and it pains me to see you tear yourself down like this because I know you are not the loser you believe you are. I don’t know how much of this I can take, seeing you ruin yourself.”

You can see the slight softening in his eyes and you gritted your teeth.

“I’m going to go. I don’t know when I’ll be back. I can’t see you ruin yourself and be able to do nothing about it. I’m not strong enough for that.”

With that, you left the apartment before he could see the tears in your eyes.

The miserable, empty can of beer clattered loudly against the hardwood floor, the sound echoing through the dank apartment.

Jaehyun barely lifted an eyebrow, his fingers growing slack without him even knowing. He stared up at the dark ceiling, a hooded look in those once bright eyes. The stench that hung around him was growing more intense by the day and it was reaching a point whereby he could almost smell himself but there was nothing in him that seemed to care.

Sounds of active civilisation outside drifted in through the windows and occasionally, he’d hear the honking of angry drivers on the roads or the laughter of children playing at the playground at the courtyard below. Normally, he loved waking up to these sounds or at least when he wasn’t off to the race tracks, when he was relaxing with a book in his hands. Now however, he found them irksome, irritating and he wanted nothing more but to block them out. He wanted absolutely zero reminder of the world outside.

Grunting, Jaehyun dragged himself off the couch. As he trudged heavily back to his room where his comfortable bed beckoned to him, he turned to stare at the large, imposing front door where moments ago, you’d slammed shut as you left him to his own devices.

Guilt tugged at his heart and for a split second, Jaehyun contemplated running after you. When you left, there was an indescribable sense of hollowness that engulfed him in a way that he couldn’t quite understand or explain. The apartment was filthy, dark and small but somehow with you around just a few minutes ago, it felt just a little bigger, a little warmer. As much as he hated to admit it, his heart was calling to him to reach out to you, run after you. The crumpled look on your face haunted him but he shook the thought from his mind.

It would be better if you left him. If you knew what was good for you, you would.

The anger in him was beginning to resurface at the thought of everything that had happened over the past few months. His career plummeting on a downward spiral right after his recovery, the exact opposite of what was predicted by his agent.

He was born to race, his family and his friends had always told him so. He knew it himself, he could feel it in his blood, his bones, his spirit. Ever since he was little, Jaehyun had known that his career would have something to do one way or another with racing. As a child, he loved running, competing but most of all, he loved riding in his father’s pickup truck on the way to school. He loved the way the vehicle would zoom past the streets, overtaking other vehicles and he loved the feeling of the wind against his face. He loved the speed and everything about cars or racing. It felt natural for him to pursue a career in competitive racing and a natural he was.

After getting signed with a racing company, Jaehyun quickly rose to fame with his numerous championships, bagging trophies, medals and cash prizes in almost every event he participated in. Sports magazines and reporters would clamour over each other to score an interview with him. People wanted pictures with him, wanted him to sign an autograph for them.

He was the golden boy in the racing world, an untouchable.

In the racing world, everything goes a mile a minute and nothing waits for anyone. After the morbid crash at the June Tokyo Prix, Jaehyun had sustained several fractures to his ribs and a severe concussion that left him in the hospital’s intensive care unit bedridden for several months. The pain was unlike any other and every single move hurt immensely but what suffered more damage than he did was his career and his relationships.

Within months, the racing career he had so painstakingly built up for himself collapsed before him. Due to long inactivity, brands and sponsors began to drop him, slowly at first then steadily one by one. He was also constantly under the media’s scrutiny for a period of time, their cameras and microphones thrusted in his face while he lay helpless on the hospital bed. The bright flashes blinded him and the loud noises made his head pound and even now, he still remembered how that experience was like, shuddering every time it crossed his mind. It had taken Jaehyun countless hours of physical therapy before he could even think of racing competitively again.

Yet when he did, he quickly realised he never could revert back to his old self, the one who got off on adrenaline kicks while zooming along the tracks at breakneck speed, the one who only knew what it was like to win. He was slower, less coordinated. His body could no longer take the pressure racing would subject it too, or at least not quickly enough for him to make a full, stunning comeback.

The tabloids and news had run wild with his fall from grace, writing up horrible, demeaning articles about him. His rivals had mocked him to his face and he could even sense the visible disappointment from his fans emanating from the stands whenever he’d lost yet another race. The thing that really broke the camel’s back however, was when his girlfriend Jeongyeon initiated a breakup.

Jaehyun had hoped that things would turn for the better, never one to give up. He’d trained tirelessly everyday, pushing his brittle body to the limit. He never let up on himself, gritting his teeth through all the physical and mental pressure he had imposed on himself. When the final text was sent, Jaehyun could remember distinctly how hopeless and distraught he’d felt. It felt like his world, the empire he had so painfully and relentlessly crafted for himself from scratch was breaking bit by bit. To add salt to the wound, the next time he’d seen her on television, her body was plastered against his biggest rival, Yuta. Her arms were wrapped around his and her lips pressing against his cheeks with no shame whatsoever for the interviewer interviewing him, no sign of the girl who’d once told him that she loved him with all her heart.

What was once determination and naive hopefulness soon devolved into anger and resentment. Jaehyun began to let himself go and the change was drastic. Where there once existed a time whereby he’d rise from his slumber early to visit the gym, he now regularly slept well into the late afternoon. His diet began to consist largely of takeout, junk food and alcohol and his apartment got more and more cluttered by the day. He’d stopped contacting his friends and family, ignoring their calls and texts, preferring to fester in his own solitude. It wasn’t long before an odour had started to emit from his place, a nauseating mixture of stale pizza, beer and pure filth from the lack of showers.

His appearance was also no longer polished, but rather haggard as if he’d aged five years in a matter of months. He was beginning to lose his fit stature, the healthy glow he’d once been prized on by magazines and gossip columns dimming. It got to a point whereby Jaehyun had begun to avoid looking at his hideous reflection in the mirror, his self-hatred growing with each day.

A poster of him in his racing gear and his race car was tattered and wrinkled on the floor, stained with ketchup and soda. Staring at it blankly with eyes empty of any emotions whatsoever, Jaehyun swiped it up and in a swift moment, he tore it up with a large rip before trashing it somewhere on the floor.

Flopping onto his comforter, he almost moaned in pleasure as he sunk into the soft sheets. Reaching for the air conditioning control, a loud smack on the ground roused him from his hedonistic haze. His hair was sticking up in all directions as he peered over the edge of his bed to see a picture frame that had fallen from his night stand.

Holding it in his hands, he looked at it with a nonchalant air.

It was a picture of the both of you a few years ago, back when he was just kick starting his racing career. He hadn’t yet made a name for himself then as the two of you leaned in for the picture.

You had on a bright, illuminating beam on your face, your eyes alive and glittering with happiness. Your hair was down, wisps of it framing your face as the sun brought out the colour and shine of it. Next to him, you’d completely dwarfed in comparison. He had his arm around you, bringing you to his side and from the picture, Jaehyun could feel a smile begin to crack on his face at the comical height difference.

He’d looked completely at ease here, carefree with the recklessness and restlessness of the soul beneath shining through his dark eyes. His hair was wavy, styled down in that ridiculous fashion he wanted so badly to leave back in high school. He had worn a dimpled smile on his face, the look of someone who knew he was destined for greatness and believed in it.

Jaehyun was about to put the picture down when something caught his eye. He leaned in closer.

There was something about you. At first glance, it would have been clear that you were smiling for the camera but upon closer look, it looked as if you might be smiling at him instead. Your smile was softer, eyes gentler from the first time he’d seen the picture. It was the sort of smile that struck him in his heart, the kind of smile that would make its recipient feel loved, appreciated.

“I want to be a racer when I grow up.”

You turned to Jaehyun, eyes wide as saucers as you popped the ice popsicle out of your mouth.

“Why?”

He shrugged, still struggling with the wrapper of the popsicle. The two of you sat on the wooden bench, side by side as the other kids ran around the park, playing rounds of tag while their parents or babysitters sat watching over them. The sun was glaring down on the earth and though it was a great day to go out to play and sweat it out, it was also a perfect day to find an excuse to buy popsicles with what little pocket money your parents had given to you two. It wasn’t an opportunity to be missed.

“I really like racing. I don’t know if there’s anything else I’d want to be,” he said simply, grinning as he finally succeeded in breaking open the plastic.

You tried to hide the blush that was beginning to creep up to your cheeks, looking away from him.

“My mom says being a doctor is good.”

As soon as you said it, you immediately regretted your words. Jaehyun scrunched up his nose in disgust.

“No way! It’s so boring. Do you want to be a doctor?”

Quickly, you shook your head fervently. “No!”

“Then what do you want to be?” He asks curiously, sucking on his popsicle.

You are quiet for a while as you ponder over his question. What exactly do you want to be when you grow up?

“...A writer.” You said finally and he swiveled around to look at you, clearly not expecting your answer.

“A writer? Hm, why?”

“I just really like reading. I want to write interesting stories that people will like,” you take a tentative lick of your popsicle, the icy, sweet taste of apple flavouring coating your tongue, “Like fairytales!”

Jaehyun broods over your answer, seemingly deep in thought. For a moment, neither of you say another word as you sit together under the warm, sunny day, enjoying your popsicles.

“I want people to like me too.” He says suddenly, his eyes shining. “People will like my racing! I’m going to be a racer and people will like me to win!”

He hops to his feet, his popsicle raised as he made his declaration. There is a triumphant, toothy smile on his face and he says it with so much hope and gusto that you can’t help but feel drawn to his driven spirit. For a boy of five foot, there was a lot of motivation and energy in him and there was just something about him that got you transfixed.

Under the sunlight, his smile seemed almost blindingly bright with the shadows highlighting the charming dimples on those round cheeks. The butterflies in your stomach were going crazy and your heart began to pound. Your words seemed stuck in your throat and you choked out, “I t-think you’ll make a good racer, J-Jaehyun.”

You thought your heart might burst as his smile grew wider, his dimples making deeper indentations. It felt like the sun might just be a little too hot since your face felt like it was positively flaming.

“Thank you, y/n.”

Suddenly, something caught your eye and shakily, you pointed at him.

His smile dropped as his eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

“What?”

“Y-your popsicle is m-m-melting… down your a-arm.”

The elevator button made an uncharacteristic squeaking sound as Jaehyun jabbed repeatedly at it, his jaw clenched in impatience.

“Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up,” he muttered frantically under his breath, pacing the lift lobby. The red letters above the elevator were moving at a snail’s pace and it seemed as if it’s stopped to pick up some passengers on the 5th floor. How long does it take for people to move into an elevator?

Jaehyun groaned in annoyance as he watched the number on the display crawl up slowly.

This wouldn’t do. By the time it’s here, it would be too late.

Immediately, he sprinted for the stairs instead, his heart hammering against his chest.

There was great fanfare as the rowdy crowd erupted into raucous cheers, the large, industrial sized party poppers going off with a bang, covering everyone in glitter streamers and confetti. Cameras were flashing and clicking away at every corner while throngs of sports reporters flooded the holding area, all trying to reach the champions for their coveted exclusive interviews. Agents and pit crews were all celebrating with the sound of champagne bottles popping and yells and cheers of congratulations ringing through the air.

Jaehyun stood at the top of the podium, shooting the cameras his trademark stunning grin as he posed with his golden trophy that looked to be about the size of his torso. The racing suit he was wearing was uncomfortably hot and he wanted nothing more than to strip from it but the adrenaline and euphoria he was experiencing far surpassed any feelings of discomfort.

This was it, the taste of success. It was everything he lived for, raced for. This was why he always trained so hard, from dawn to dusk. This was why he put his own body through all those hours of endurance training, gym and dieting. It was all for this single moment of true bliss enjoyed and savoured after the extreme thrill of racing. Here on the podium, towering above everyone else… He was truly where he needed to be, where he was born to be.

As he stepped off and the bodyguards swarmed in to escort him to his own holding room, Jaehyun couldn’t wipe the grin off his face. Yet another trophy for display on his shelf back in his apartment. He didn’t think he’d ever get sick of it, the feeling of winning but then again who would?

Reporters were attempting to accost him at all sides, all screaming out the same old questions he had grown tired of early on.

“How do you feel after winning the prix for the third year running?”

“You hit a record timing today! How did you train for the race?”

“What do you have to say to your rival, Nakamoto who came in second this year? By a mere few seconds at that!”

Jaehyun nodded and waved at a few of them, still wearing a smile on his face but there was no answer evoked from him. He’d kept up a calm and cool demeanour throughout but once he was in his holding room alone, the moment the door closed shut behind him, he let out a loud, jubilant howl.

“Fuck yes!” He roared out in happiness before collapsing onto the couch, laughing to himself as he held his trophy above him. He badly needed a shower but he couldn’t care less, not with the trophy in his hands. Under the light, the gold shone and even as a seasoned racer, the excitement and happiness from winning never grew old. In the empty room, the victory felt even more profound, the reality of claiming the championships for yet another year sinking in.

He was in the middle of celebrating and basking in his own victory, he received a text.

Jy: how’s my man doing? congratulations on the win honey ❤���

Jae: thanks babe, it feels fucking amazing. you have no idea… also i missed you so much

Jy: we should celebrate. together, alone. tonight at my place? ;) we haven’t done it in awhile, i miss your body, your kisses

Jaehyun stared at the text. He should be happy, excited to see Jeongyeon again after so long. He had been so preoccupied with training for the big race that he’d barely had any time for her. He had missed her yet now that they were finally exchanging texts again after so long apart, he didn’t seem to feel the same anticipation.

There was something about that text she sent that seemed weirdly… detached. He had imagined their first interaction in over a month to be one that warmed him up in the inside, brought him to a whole new level of euphoria even after winning but if anything, this reality paled in comparison to the scenario he had looked forward to in his mind.

Jae: yeah sure

After pressing send, he tossed his phone onto the coffee table and rested his head against the velvety cushion of the couch. Somehow, that very short exchange with Jeongyeon had dimmed his excitement and readiness to celebrate.

His phone suddenly rang, disrupting him from the reverie he’d found himself in.

“Must be Jeongyeon,” he thought to himself and for some reasons as he swiped to answer the call, he found himself reluctant to talk.

“Hello?”

“Jung Jaehyun! I was watching your race on television, congratulations for coming in first yet again! You were terrific out there.”

Y/n.

Jaehyun smiled, feeling his heart swell at your words.

“Thanks, y/n. I really appreciate it.”

“How about we meet for dinner tonight? I know of this amazing Italian place that serves the best lasagna, your favourite! My treat too to celebrate your win, how’s that?”

At the mention of lasagna, Jaehyun could feel his stomach rumbling and his mouth watering. The tangy tomato sauce, copious amounts of cheese and spiced minced beef with soft pasta… He would absolutely be down for some well-deserved lasagna after weeks of feasting on plain, watery salads. Dinner sounded like a great idea.

“Sure, I- Wait, I can’t,” he groaned, suddenly remembering his plans with Jeongyeon. Plans he didn’t even particularly look forward to.

“Why not?” You asked.

“I um…”

Fuck, why is it so hard to say it?

“I have plans with Jeongyeon tonight,” he said, ignoring the strange pang of guilt and indignation that hit him square in the chest.

“Oh! Oh, uh… That’s completely fine. Don’t worry about it, we can always have dinner some other day.”

“Really? That would be great! How does next week sound?”

“Sounds good to me!” Even on call, he could imagine you bobbing your head enthusiastically like you usually did and that brought a chuckle out of him.

“Alright, I’ll see you then y/n.”

“See you! Please rest well, you deserve it.”

“Thank you,” he replied before hanging up.

What is this warm feeling in him?

Jaehyun raced out of the apartment complex, his eyes searching his surroundings.

The sun was glaring and he couldn’t see straight without squinting his eyes. He must have been a weird sight to behold - scruffy, pale from the lack of the outdoors and reeking of the garbage piled up in his apartment. An elderly woman walking past him tutted disapprovingly at his disheveled appearance, holding her nose as she did but Jaehyun didn’t seem to notice her. His mind was on something else, something more important.

A boy from across the street was staring at him with his mouth agape, looking like a deer caught in headlights as he shakily fumbled in his pockets for his phone. Jaehyun let his sights linger on him, wondering if he should have at least thrown on a coat but as he turned, he caught sight of a figure hanging by the bus stop, looking miserable.

He swallowed thickly, feeling the slight clench of his heart and without hesitating a single second longer, he made his way over.

The heart monitor’s methodical beating was driving him near insanity. If not that, then certainly the suffocating atmosphere of the hospital and the bandages wrapped tightly around almost every single inch of his body would. Not to mention the occasional undercover paparazzi who would try to inch their way into his ward.

Jaehyun stared up at the white ceilings, still as a plank. Every part of his body hurt to move, he couldn’t even turn his head without feeling a painful pounding in it. Sometimes, he would get dizzy spells so intense he actually felt nauseous. His appetite for food or anything in general had since plummeted. Everything, but racing.

He yearned to go out there onto the tracks, to resume his training. The Roman Prix is coming up in a month’s time and he was so far from ready. He needed to get out of this place as soon as possible, even if it meant jeopardising his own safety. His career mattered more than anything.

Jeongyeon hadn’t called either since the day he got admitted. Jaehyun had soon grown tired of checking his messages or asking his publicist for news from her, the feeling of disappointment felt deep within him. He closed his eyes, suddenly feeling a wave of fatigue wash over him.

There was a gentle knock on the door and as the door creaked slightly open, you poked your head in. Upon seeing him, you smiled softly and made your way over to him. Jaehyun watched you approach, his eyes following you.

You had brought along a basket with you, seemingly full of items. As much as he wanted to know what you’d brought, he tried not to look overeager. “I made you something special today,” you said, settling down and practically vibrating with excitement.

“What?”

“Tomato minestrone soup!” You exclaimed, uncovering the lid as the tantalising aroma of tomatoes and a medley of vegetables drifted in the air. Jaehyun almost had to restrain himself from moving, lest he shift a bone out of place somewhere.

Somehow seeing you had sparked a certain kind of joy in him. Maybe it was a sign nobody had really forgotten about him yet. He had watched his number of visitors trickle down day by day and now that it was close to a month since he’d been hospitalised, after the tragic accident, he barely got any. Perhaps three or four a week if he was lucky.

You, however, you were different. You visited him almost every other day, no matter how busy you were. You visited his bedside even if you were worn out from a long day of work, even when you had things to attend to, even when no one else bothered to. You would bring along snacks whenever you did or homemade get-well food like fish porridge or chicken noodle soup you’d whipped up yourself, though they might be far from the usual gourmet fare he was used to back when he was still active when he would go for exquisite dinner parties. Usually, you stayed for a substantial amount of time and sometimes, you even stayed the night.

Jaehyun didn’t understand why you would do all of this for a friend, a friend who never seemed to have time to spare for you at that. More than anything, the feeling of guilt in him only grew stronger with each visit yet he was grateful, extremely grateful. Your presence was like a warm ray of sunshine in this dreary hospital ward. Whenever you visited, he couldn’t help but smile even though he could not find it in himself to smile. But when it came to you, it felt natural.

“Y/n!”

At the sound of Jaehyun’s voice, you turned and even from afar, he could see your reddened eyes - a surefire sign you’d been crying. Guilt and anger washed over him in waves and he tried not to think how many times he had been the cause of your tears. If only he could turn back time, he would have shook himself for ever dismissing you so lightly like he did, before he saw the situation for what it was.

He was blinded. Blinded by his obsession for winning, fame, glory and pleasing the wrong people. In a way, it felt like a fog had been lifted before him and now that he could see, think, feel clearly… He wasn’t going to let the right person out of his grasp. The person who loved him unconditionally, not just for his fame and achievements. The person who stuck with him through thick and thin but he was just too daft to notice it. The person who always felt like home whether he knew it or not.

You.

“Jaehyun? W-What are you…” You spluttered, desperately trying to wipe your tears from your face as you stared up at him.

It took a couple of seconds for him to regain his breath, his face turning red from embarrassment and exertion. He should really start leaving those beers and junk food alone.

“I…” He panted, both out of fatigue and relief, “We need to talk.”

“Jung is getting closer, any minute now Hendery!”

“I don’t believe this! Are we looking at a potential comeback for this prix? Push, push, push!”

“It seems like we might be! Here he comes! He is absolutely mad!”

The nascars zipped along the race tracks, smoke and some bits of burnt rubber and chipped metal trailing along its wake. They were a blur of colours to the spectators, who were practically glued to their seats as they watched the race reach its climax. A massive telescreen was displaying close ups and the ranking board with huge overhead lights that illuminated the stadium. The crowd was growing wilder by the second as the racecars zoomed past them, their attention fixed on one racer in particular.

The sleek nascar was streaked in royal blue and crimson red over a metallic black base, looking almost purple and black with how fast it was flying across the tracks. The wheels were spinning so fast that the friction between the tough rubber tire and the rough granite almost lit up the tracks. It was charging forward with a steely determination and ruthlessness, closing in rapidly on a green and white nascar ahead of it.

The adrenaline coursing Jaehyun’s veins was unlike any other. The thrill he got from racing could practically send him into an all time high and a cunning grin tugged at his lips as he stepped his foot down hard on the pedal, his hands gripping tightly onto his steering wheel. Rounding around a bend, he clenched his jaw as he pushed his body weight to the left, the muscles in his abdominals and biceps flexing and straining against his racing suit as the car drifted across the tracks in a perfect arc.

“Did you see that perfectly executed drift?! Insanity!”

“Jung is absolutely on fire!”

The thunderous cheers of the crowd and the loud hum of the race cars racing across the tracks faded into the background as he kept his eyes trained steadily forward. Any time now…

“Watch out, Nakamoto,” he whispered under his breath.

Steering his wheel sharply and accelerating much to the crowd’s excitement and trepidation, his race car was now driving side by side along Yuta’s. For a split second, the two turned to look at each other through the window and even though there was no way of seeing the other’s face through that helmet, something in Jaehyun told him that his rival was angered, shocked and… Fearful.

Jaehyun grinned beneath his helmet and without a second thought, he zipped forward, leaving Yuta behind in the smoke.

“He’s going for it, he’s going for it… Wait for it… And he crosses the line! The legend has reclaimed his spot on the top!”

“And that is how you execute one of the greatest comebacks of all time, ladies and gentlemen. Jung has done what we believed to be impossible and dominated the race! I wonder how Nakamoto feels about that?”

The other commentator chuckles into his microphone.

“Well Haechan, if I were him, I’d be pissed off for sure! But I’d also be worried… So very worried.”

The crowd was absolutely wild when he’d disembarked from the car and as he removed his helmet, he was greeted with camera flashes all around him. He shook his head, running a gloved hand over his hair and he took a deep breath. The air smelled of burnt rubber, smoke and… Success.

He had done it. He had made his comeback.

His pit crew made a beeline for him, slapping him on the back, their faces jubilant and lit with pure joy. His new manager, one that he trusted and helped him inch his way back to the top step by step, shot him a thumbs up which he nodded in acknowledgement as the crowd of sports journalists, reporters and photographers began to swarm in on him.

Yet, he paid them no attention. If this was three years ago, he would have basked in the glory, the attention but now he had greater concerns on his mind. His heart was pounding now for a different reason altogether and he could feel his hands growing clammy.

Jaehyun craned his neck and searched the rowdy media crowd. Where were you?

“Jaehyun!”

At your voice, he turned and immediately almost stumbled backwards as you crashed into him for a hug. The feelings of you against him sparked a joy in his heart, a joy almost greater than winning. He enveloped you in a hug, holding your waist as he nuzzled his face into your hair. Your scent of honey and jasmine was intoxicating, alluring and a welcomed change from the smell of smoke and rubble.

The two of you had been dating for about two years now, each day together better than the previous. After he’d caught up with you that day, it was as if you were seeing a different Jaehyun from the one you’d seen in his apartment. That Jaehyun who had caught up with you at the bus stop was the old Jaehyun you’d missed and it was as if a switch somewhere had been flipped. To this day, he had never admitted what changed while you were gone for those few minutes. He had subsequently apologised for everything he’d done, even things you didn’t see a problem with. It was shocking to say the least to see the unapologetic Jaehyun apologise for anything at all, but not more shocking than what entailed a few days later.

It started with a vase of luscious red roses being sent to your workplace followed by an invitation for dinner. Before you knew it, the boy you’d loved almost all your life was courting you with a passion. It felt like a complete dream, so much so you had been afraid to wake up suddenly and realise it was all just your imagination. He’d been more of a romantic than he’d let on and many times, you had found yourself completely smitten by his stunts that stretched from learning how to make homemade chocolates for you on Valentine’s Day knowing that you liked them, even though he was well known as a terrible cook to sending flowers up to your doorstep every other week.

Within a couple of months, the two of you were dating and deeply, wildly in love.

Amidst date nights filled with laughter and kisses, he had also been steadily climbing his way back up the ranks of the racing world. After ditching his unhealthy lifestyle he had been living for the past year, the change was apparent. He’d started hitting the gym, eating healthier and before long, he was in prime condition to start racing again. Training was long and tough but he never did give up. He was more determined and driven than you’d seen him and though the old Jaehyun would have been gutted at a loss, this new, better version of him never fussed over a loss of any kind, instead learning from his mistakes.

All of his efforts had led to this ultimate moment, the taste of victory on his lips.

You noticed he had been shifting uncomfortably and you looked up, puzzled and concerned.

“Jaehyun? You okay?”

He looked at you, his ears red, a sign that he was anxious, nervous.

“Jaehyun? What-”

Your words got stuck in your throat as he knelt down on one knee, the lights overhead bringing out the sparkle in his eyes and the shine in his hair. Those dark orbs were so full of hope, anxiety and love all intermingled in one and you found it difficult to believe that those eyes were looking at you directly, the emotions in them all for you.

Jaehyun withdrew a tiny, velvet box from his pocket and popped it open. In the box, was a tiny diamond ring, glittering and absolutely regal. The diamond itself was beautifully cut and interwoven into the metal band with microfibres of white gold and it simply shone as the camera flashes went off. The crowd was going bonkers, screaming and cheering with wolf whistles.

“Y/n,” he spoke softly, his voice gentle. “You have always been there for me, always been my better half. We have been friends for over a decade and lovers for merely two but it seemed as if we always were meant for each other. It took me so long to realise that and there is not a day I don’t regret not realising it sooner. You are my everything - my past, present and future. Falling in love with you was gradual, unconscious. I guess my heart knew you the one before I even did. It started with me being in a dark, dark place where I drowned in my own self-hatred and insecurities. I was beaten, defeated and I just gave up. Where everyone did the same, you never did. You were like a beam of shining light, shining upon me and guiding me even if I didn’t notice it at the time. But when I did, you glowed even more brightly than I’d envisioned. I’d been oblivious to your beauty both inside and outside for far too long and god knows how much I fucking regret it. I’m different now though, because of you. I am the best version of myself right now because I have you in my life. You taught me how to love, allow myself to be loved. There’s no universe whereby I’d want to be without you. I can’t see myself without you in my life. I need you, I love you.”

Tears were beginning to stream down your face and the stadium had grown quieter, all tuning into what was happening.

Jaehyun looked up at you, hopeful and so full of love that you thought your heart might burst.

“So I guess what I’m saying is, will you marry me, y/n?” He asked breathlessly.

[iwadori]

hello! I love your works so much! Can I request an angst to comfort scenario for #21 on your prompt list?

“It’s my fault for trusting you”

Feel free to use whichever character(s) you like!!

When the haikyu boys neglect you for another girl PT 3

Part One Part Two Part Three Part four Part Five

Word Count: 2.7K

Genre: angst,fluff

masterlist

Akaashi

You and Akaashi were beautiful people

Probably the most attractive pair of young adults that anyone can find

You were both top tier models in the industry

You always had a little rivalry between you but you always promised each other to never let it affect your ‘relationship’

“Beautiful darling, your beautiful” praised your photographer as you finished your shoot giving you air kisses on your cheeks. You thanked him and the rest of the staff and entered your dressing room sighing.

“Rough day?” Asked a voice, startling you a bit. You looked up to see your boyfriend, Akaashi Keiji sitting in the corner of your dressing room on a love seat.  

“Gosh Keiji you scared me” clutching your chest dramatically “But yes, the day has been tiring Fabio has really been overworking me lately” you complained. Akaashi walks towards you and gave you a peck on the cheek “Aww poor baby” he cooed mockingly, “but don’t worry ‘bout it Y/N your sucess will be all be worth it eventually” he says making you smile.

“and besides, you’ve got a shoot with me soon anyways” he winks, making you chuckle. You finished removing your make-up as Akaashi tells you about his shoot today and Bokuto’s (your fellow model friend) antics.  

You and Akaashi first laid eyes on eachother when you were both up and coming models, you both are under the same company. At first, both of your agents decided to make you spend time with each other to push the narrative of you being a couple anyways. However, since you and Akaashi had great natural chemistry it made your relationship great and made for a great photo too.  

As much as the public loved your relationship and the saucy photos you tend to make together, they also thrived of the slight rivalry you guys had together or the times when you guys bother shot with other people (since it was easy for a fan to make a new ship off of two people literally standing next to each other.)

You spent the next day having what you and Akaashi called a ‘rest day,’ you both specifically clear your schedules for every 2nd and 4th saturday of each month to not do any work-related for the day and just bask in each other’s companies (as you were both busy and barely got enough time to see one another.)

You watched multiple movies, made your own homemade cookies and dinner, had pillow fights, built forts. You both were having so much fun, until you both got a call...Just then, the vibe changed you went from your free-spirited fun selfs back into work mode.

Your agent told you that two brands *Insert big fashion designer brand here* and *Insert another big fashion designer brand here* were having some form of standoff. To be honest, you didn’t really care about the context of the shoot(s) in this case, as your agents call ruined your day. They wanted you and Tsukishima Kei, to do some competing shoots and promotional videos for their brand against the other designer.

After getting all your information from your agent, you go back into the living and see Akaashi sitting down thinking deeply about something. “What was your call about?” you inquire sitting down next to him.

“Oh just some silly designer brand competition thing.” he mindlessly replies, still thinking deeply.

“Yeah same. So what’s got you thinking all deeply then?” you ask

“My fellow model is going to be Kiyoko Shimuzu” he sighed, making you blink repeatedly before immediately saying “You can’t do the shoot”

Kiyoko Shimuzu was japans beauty. Everybody loved her, she’s been a model since she was a child everyone wanting a grasp on her looks. The guys wanted her, the girls wanted to be here. Kiyoko Shimuzu was a force to be reckon with.

The real problem at hand wasn’t her stunning looks, popularity and fame. It was her connection with Akaashi. Before Akaashi went big and met you, he was Kiyoko’s boyfriend (well ex-boyfriend now) and they broke up because of long-distance or something like that.

However, to you, Kiyoko’s feelings for your boyfriend have never went away. Whenever you guys bumped into each other at red carpet events or runway shows, she always seemed to linger a bit too long around your boyfriend, which definitely wasn’t to your liking.

Akaashi lifted up his head from inside his palms and looked at you as if you had grown another head. “What do you mean, ‘I can’t do the shoot’” he asked in disbelief

“I mean, you can’t do the shoot” you reiterated not understanding why he didn’t understand.  

Akaashi sighs before putting his face back in his hands to think, “Well I know you got to the shoot aswell Y/N who’s yours with.”

“Tsukki” You said nonchalantly say as if it was nothing, making Akaashi look at you again as if you were fully crazy before he had a chance to speak you cut him off saying “Don’t even start Akaashi.”

You and Tsukishima Kei, have best friends since you were kids. You weren’t romantic in any way shape or form, well at least you weren’t. Akaashi always claimed that that Tsukishima was in love with you, that you and Tsukishima were the perfect example of every ‘childhood friends-lovers trope’ ever, which to you wasn’t true. Everything between you and Tsukishima was and still is completely platonic which you can’t say the same for Akaashi and Kiyoko.

“You’re not doing the shoot” he says firmly as if he was your father.  

“Oh so you can do your shoot with your literally EX GIRLFRIEND, but I can’t do mine with my best friend... yeah make sense” you say standing up, astounded.

“Y/N chill, If you’re so adamant about me not doing it with Shi- Kiyoko, then I wont” he says pulling your arm down making you land on him “and you better not do it with ‘Tsukki’” he mocked.

“Okay so none of us are doing the shoots?” you ask looking up at him  

“Yup” he says  

“Pinky promise,” you joked sticking out your pinky in his face.

“Pinky promise” he agreed hooking his finger around yours.

For the next month it seemed you were booked busy, you barely got to see your boyfriend as his agent had him running around all of Japan and even had him booked in some places in Europe for this month. Of course, you missed him, but you understand how busy it can be doing your line of work. You’ve been quite busy too, doing the usual shoots and runways.

Although he was busy, Akaashi basically went radio silent on you. You still expected him to reply to some of your messages or at least call once or twice when he had the chance, since he must have 10 minutes of break time and that's the bare minimum.

It’s been two weeks since you last saw Akaashi (and that was on your saturday rest day) and you were expecting him to come over today so you could have another. Since of course, Saturday ‘rest days’ were basically a tradition for you and Akaashi before you even started dating.

You had no text from Akaashi explaining his lateness/absense, so you just figured he wasn’t coming putting a damper on your day. You spent the day lounging around and shoving your face with your favourite snacks and food.

You get a text from Tsukishima which read:

Tsukishima: 1 Image Attached  

Tsukishima: Looks whose boyfriend stumbled on set...

You didn’t respond as you were shocked at the sight you saw, the image was a picture of Akaashi and Kiyoko on set doing shots for the *insert the other rich designer brand* the shoot that you both agreed you wouldn’t do, which was also a LINGERE brand.  

You felt betrayed, you both agreed to not do the shoot and it’s not like you did do yours. You made sure to turn it down the day you made your agreement. And he skipped on your traditional saturday ‘rest day’ without even giving you any word of him not planning on arriving.

You didn’t know what to do, do you confront him about it? Or do you wait for him to approach you? Since he would plan on telling you about this right? You eventually messaged Tsukishima a ‘thanks’ and you decided how you were going to handle the situation. Pop up on Akaashi and Kiyoko at the photoshoot.

You knew where it was at, since you had the address already from when your agent first offered you the idea. You drove to the place in a breakneck speed, strutting in there like a woman on a mission (which you technically were.) You decided to wait in Akaashi’s dressing room, not wanting to cause a scene at the shoot which would be bad for yours, Akaashi’s and Kiyoko’s image and would be a waste of the time of the staff and photographer there.

Akaashi finally finished the shoot and entered his room with a sigh not realising that you were sitting in the corner of his room. “Did you have a rough time?” you ask mockingly making him jump and his eyes widen as you were the last person he expected to be there. “Why so shocked, you weren’t expecting me?” you still keep the same mocking tone in your speech.

“Y/N I-” He started  

“Y/N what?” You interrupted “Y/N I’m sorry for basically ghosting you for a month? I'm sorry for doing a shoot with someone who I know is still in love with me? I’m sorry for lying to you? I’m sorry for skipping out on our rest day with no explanation on where I am?” you stare at him as he stares back speechless.

“Oh, am I missing something?” you continue “Oh yes ‘Y/n I’m sorry for doing the shoot that we both agreed that we weren’t doing’” you sit down and wait for him to reply.

Akaashi puts his head down in shame, not really knowing what to say. Because of his silence, you roll your eyes and get up fed up with his lack of explanation. Before you fully leave Akaashi blocks your way with slight tears in his eyes “I had no other choice Y/N, I had to do all those shoots and travel other places with Kiyoko because sh-”

“Wait, that’s where you were?” you shout “Gallivanting around the country with HER!” you extend your arm pointing outside the door before you turn trying to leave again.

“N-No No Y/N you’ve got to listen to me” he said putting your hands on my shoulder “She has something, on me and I-I couldn’t I can’t get out of it. It’s deeper than just a simple shoot.” You were confused but you were so upset you just didn’t want to hear it so instead of listening to your boyfriend you decided to say “you’re so full of shit Akaashi” making him gasp at your coldness and the use of his last name. “ but hey I guess thats my fault for trusting you”

You finally left the room and went to go get a breather for a second with tears sparking in your eyes. You leaned against the wall and whispered “fuck” frustrated with the whole situation. Making you jump, Tsukishima said “you should go talk to him you know.”  

“What do you know Tsukki” he cringed at the nickname

“I know more than you Y/N, just go talk to him.” he said making you squint your eyes at him wondering what information he held.

When you walked back to Akaashi’s dressing room practicing an apology in your head. But you paused your arrival hearing Akaashi talking to the one and only, Kiyoko Shimuzu in his room.

“Let’s face it Akaashi, now that I’ve got this sex tape of us, I basically own you.” she said to him making your eyes widen.  

You decided the smartest thing to do was to pull out your phone and record as much as the conversation as you possibly could. Because you could already tell Akaashi was in a bind.

“The next thing I want you to do is...” she continued acting as if she was thinking “break it with Y/N!”

“No certainly not Kiyoko, you’re going too far.” he said making you smile internally that he still defended your relationship. “Me and Y/N are definitely NOT breaking up.”

“Akaashi are you forgetting that I have something over you.” she pulls out her phone and she plays a video, which you can only assume is the sex tape. You can hear a bunch of moans and groans which made your stomache ache.

Tired of hearing this, you burst into the room and say “What the fuck are you doing Kiyoko”  

“Oh Y/N how lovely for you to join us...” she said with a smile, “I was just discussing with your ‘boyfriend’ plans for our next shoots.”

“I always knew you were a bitch.” you say shocking your head at her.

“What do you mean Y/N?” she says with a fake smile, not knowing that you were listening in on your conversation “Actually Akaashi was telling me something he had to tell you... isn’t that right Akaashi.” you both looked over at him and he was scared and speechless.

“Oh you mean how you’ve been blackmailing him for the past two weeks...” you accuse  

“You have no proof of that.” She taunted  

“Oh do I..” you rebuttal then pressing play on the recording you just took watching as both Kiyoko and Akaashi look shocked. Kiyoko scurries out the room knowing she’s been caught leaving you with a triumphant smile.

You sit down, gesturing Akaashi to sit next to you. “Akaashi, I’m so sorry for not listening to you earlier I felt so betrayed thinking that you went agaisnt out agreement, but I guess I was just being a self-obsessed bitch” you say with you now looking down in shame.

“Y/N” he says with you still not meeting his eye “Y/N look at me” he lifted your chin up so you met his eye “It’s fine, It’s completely fine you didn’t know of course you didn’t know, how would you know of sex tape I unknowingly did back when I was 16!” he exclaims “Its fine, we’re good” he pulls you into a hug and kisses you on the forehead.

After you both calm down, Akaashi explains how Kiyoko started to blackmail him and how the agency loved the idea of them two being together (not the blackmailing) as it created a jealousy storyline between you and her and how every time they met she kept proposing ridiculous demands.

“Also, how did you know I ended doing the shoot?” he asks

“Oh a little bird told me” you tease  

“You mean a 6ft2 bird with blonde hair and a shit personality.” he retorts making you laugh  

“Heyy don’t be so mean, if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t of came to save the day.”

“True, I’d give him that.”

Eventually, you and Akaashi go to your agency and present all your evidence and claims that Kiyoko was blackmailing Akaashi. Although they were upset, that Akaashi did partake in a sex tape they knew that they’d be an even bigger scandal if you presented your news that Japans sweetheart Kiyoko Shimuzu was blackmailing Akaashi Keiji. So the agency thought it was in everyones best interest if they got Kiyoko to sign an NDA saying that she will never bring forth or share the Sex Tape to anyone and she’ll agree to be dropped from the agency.

Your life was great now, with Kiyoko off your back and Akaashi being back to his usual self you couldn’t wish for anything more. You ended up doing the shoot persuading the design brand person (whatever the name for it is) to agree to let you do the shoot together instead of with other people. Both brands let you, because who wouldn’t want Akaashi Keiji and L/N Y/N to do a shoot together?

AUTHORS NOTE: this is the longest work ive written for a single character and i am TIRED lol..I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed my other works so I hope you enjoy this one.. to be honest I think with my works I start off strong and end shitly :// However I wanted to do something different today by making them models instead of students so I hope you like it. Now im off to read some fanfic so you guys have a good day!! <3 

[vad-hander]

JAEBEOM, THE GUY FROM THE BAR

Pairing: Jaebeom x reader

Genre: Series | Eventual Smut | Angst | Fluff

Warnings: break up, cheating, strangers to lovers, mentions of drinking

Words: 3.3k

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

You opened your eyes in fear. Your head was about to break in pieces and it took you forever to work out where you woke up.

It was your bedroom. At least you woke up in your bed, you thought happily. You tried to sit up, feeling as if your head weighed thousand kilograms. You looked around trying to remember how you got home, pointing out as well that you felt completely fine except for the headache, just in case anything could’ve happened to you physically.

Jaebeom, you remembered that you were with him last night. You gasped, lifting your blanket off your body to check what you were wearing. A shirt.

You tried hard to remember if you changed clothes yourself, doubting it highly. He probably did it for you. Did he see you naked? You felt the heat of embarrassment on your cheeks. What if he didn’t leave and is in the living room now…?

You tried to stand up, noticing a piece of paper on the table. Reaching out to grab it, you read “drink water and take the pill, I’m sure you’re dying from hangover right now. ;)” your eyes moved lower to the corner of the paper “p.s. I closed my eyes when you changed clothes, I promise.” you chuckled and grabbed your head in pain right after. You took the pill, gulping the water hungrily. You plopped your body on the bed, grabbing your phone to scroll mindlessly. Your fingers automatically found contacts, scrolling through the phone numbers you had, pausing on the letter J, seeing how Jaebeom saved himself as “Jaebeom, the guy from the bar”. You opened the chat box , thinking what possibly you could text him. Should you even text him first? Your fingers automatically typed “thanks for getting me home.”, deleting it right after. “hi, it’s y/n, thank you for taking care of me.” you typed another message, thinking for a few seconds if you should send it. Quickly exiting the chat, you lowered your eyes on the letter J noticing “Jeno👩🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻”. Your fingers quickly opened the chat with him, feeling the fear of seeing whatever message from him. But the chat was empty. The last message was sent by you and you felt even worse now noticing how it was read after you caught him cheat “Jenoyah, babyyyyy, happy birthday my love. I’m so happy to have you in my life and I wish you all the best because this is what you’re deserving. Can’t wait to see you and cuddle you to death, birthday boy <3”. He didn’t even try to reach out to you, he didn’t even try to apologise. You threw the phone to the bedside table, turning on the bed to hug your pillow and hide your face in it. You shut your eyes, feeling like tears could flood your pillow any second. Jeno is a cheater, what if he cheated before? Now you weren’t sure he didn’t do it before. Jeno didn’t even regret it. He didn’t try to contact your or explain anything to you. He just disappeared and now you had to pretend he never existed.

You rested your body against the mattress of your bed, suddenly getting a flashback.

/You moved your face closer to his, losing the balance and dropping your palms onto his thighs. Jaebeom’s arms caught you by wrists right before you smashed your face against his.

“I think you’re a bit too drunk now.” he chuckled, helping you back into the stool.

“Isn’t it a great day to get drunk?” you smiled wildly.

“It’s a Saturday, just a normal Saturday, at least the last time I checked.” he spoke to you seriously, covering your drink with his palm when you tried to grab it.

“I guess you checked too many hours ago. Today we’re celebrating my sudden freedom, fun, right?” you giggled hysterically. “A great day to be thriving, I was dedicated and loyal this whole time. Turns out it’s a waste? I could’ve slept around even while I was in a relationship, turns out it didn’t matter.” you spoke into nowhere, focusing your gaze on the wall of bottles. “I really wish I knew so I didn’t feel too hurt and too surprised right now. Do you know that it actually hurts? Do you know how much it actually hurts?” you turned back to Jaebeom, finding his beautiful brown eyes with yours. He blinked, blinked multiple times and kept quiet. You felt as if he gave you a chance to speak, a chance to get everything off your chest and he was the only person you could talk to right now and you felt thankful in the deepest sober part of you, you were endlessly thankful to Jaebeom. “Am I this useless? I met Jeno three years ago through a friend and he immediately became someone I always wanted to have in my life, someone I’d like to travel the world with, someone I’d die for and I was ready to die when he straight up ignored me for three years. First he was acting like I never existed, like no girl existed and I asked everyone around if he had a girlfriend but he didn’t. And I guessed it just wasn’t the time for him, I patiently waited and we became friends, we became close. We were so close he even asked me to get him with my friend, and I did because I could never say no to him. But they never fit, I knew they wouldn’t, maybe that’s why I was too keen for it, I hoped he’d see that we actually fit. And when they broke up in three months he came to me. I thought he came to talk, to maybe I don’t know what I thought. But he just asked for another friends phone number and then I just broke down in front of him. I told him that he’s mean and blind, that he asked me for all those things when I liked him so much and even loved him by then, and showed him all of it the whole time. And you know what happened?” you asked him feeling the tears in your eyes. You wanted him to answer this time, and he felt it, speaking.

“You began dating?” he cleared his throat before speaking. You nodded and pursed your lips.

“We did, he apologised so many times, he said he never thought I’d like him like that, he said sorry so many times I couldn’t believe this was even happening in real life. He stayed the night, and then the other, and he stayed all the nights there were, and days too, we’ve spent every day together. In a month he said we should tell everyone we’re together, I thought I was in heaven. He treated me nicely, he treated me the way I wanted him to, but to be fair I had nothing really to compare him to. But I waited for so long maybe I was blinded by it to see signals?” you chuckled and your eyes noticed that his hand let go of the glass, and you grabbed it, quickly taking a sip. “In five months I was barely seeing him, he just began disappearing, constantly, I’d only see him twice a week, I was scared and I told him I am, but he apologised again, and said he just got busy with life. From then up until today we were seeing each other regularly, yes, sometimes like the night you saw me for the first time… but we’d come home and he’d tell me I’m the one… and that mattered to me, and I guess it shouldn’t have. Because even with spending time with me he found time to cheat…” you gripped onto the glass. You looked Jaebeom deeper in the eyes, seeing sympathy, compassion? “Why am I giving a speech to you?” you chuckled suddenly trying to switch your mood in a click. “I’m sorry I’m like that.” you wiped the tear.

“It’s okay, we all need to get things off our chest sometimes, and I was the one who told you to do it. You needed it, I hope you’re a little bit better.” his fingers found the back of your palm, caressing lightly. Both his and yours eyes fell to where your hands met, raising back up to look at each other.

His burning touch and even more burning gaze made you want to do questionable things. Things you weren’t able to allow yourself to do yet in the morning. The movement of his fingers made your insides tickle and you slid off the chair you were sitting on. You felt your body get excited when you turned your hands around, laying your palm on top of his. The heat rushed over your body and you were scared he’d notice you turn red if you’ll get any closer. The amount of alcohol you consumed was the only thing that kept you from getting a stroke when your fingers ran up his hand, feeling up his soft and warm skin. Your eyes traced your fingers because you were too scared to see Jaebeom’s reaction, not feeling him move or tense up. It felt as if he froze. When your hand got to his biceps you wrapped your hand around it, finally lifting your eyes to meet his, that immediately moved to meet yours. He turned his body towards you, spreading his legs more for you to stand between them. You moved your hand even higher, feeling your fingers get under the shirt and having to let go of him for a second to rest your hand on his shoulder. You felt your heart beat in your ears, only thinking how he said he liked you. Maybe it was your turn to take chances? Not wait and sulk until someone picked your hopeless self, but to take your life in your hands, be wild, bold, young and alive? Jaebeom suddenly laid his palm on your waist, pulling you in closer between his legs, forcing you to hook your hand around his neck. His other hand found your cheek, rubbing it with his thumb. His eyes burned into yours and it felt like you stopped breathing at all. You leaned in but stopped, being too scared even though you had nothing to regret or be afraid of. “Do you like me as a friend or as a woman?” you didn’t find anything better to ask before you’d embarrass yourself.

“I like you as a person.” his fingers moved to your hair, brushing it behind your ear.

“What is that supposed to mean?” you replied before you could think.

“What do you want this to mean?” you felt his fingers run down to your neck, caressing it lightly. If this didn’t mean he liked you what did it mean at all.

“Kiss me.” you said baldly, watching his reaction. His eyes smiled with satisfaction, and he pulled you in closer, leaving only 2 centimetres between you. Your second hand wrapped around his neck too, and the electricity between you two made it impossible for you to keep yourself on your feet. Your mind focused on him only, you could not hear or see anything around you except for Jaebeom. He lingered, running his eyes all over your face, stroking your hair. Finally, he got closer and you shut your eyes in anticipation. You could smell him close to you, unconsciously brushing your fingers trough his hair. You felt him leave a warm kiss on your cheek and move away. You opened your eyes and your first intention was to smile, but then reality hit you and embarrassment took over you. You were wrong yet again in reading signals. He didn’t mean it and he was just kind to not reject you completely. You felt tears form in the back of your eyes in a span of a second, pulling your hands in swift motion from him.

“I’m sorry.” you mumbled and felt your face get red. “I’m too dumb.”

“No, no, don’t run away.” he protested, grabbing your hands and clipping you between his legs.

“You don’t have to make excuses, I’m okay.” you chuckled pitying yourself once more.

“It’s not that, I’m not making excuses, you just broke up with your boyfriend, you’re trying to make me someone you’ll regret sleeping with when you’ll get sober, and the last thing I want is our relationship to die like it was a stupid drunk hook up.” his hand got back to your cheek, and he pulled you in, forcing your drunken body to fall against him and hug him. “Let me take you home, you’re too drunk, I’m scared you’ll pass out soon or will do something silly. What if you’ll try to kiss someone else instead of me?” he chuckled and you felt his fresh breath on your face. Did he not drink at all? You wondered. “I don’t think that someone will hold back, I’ll get jealous and will fight.” he moved his face closer to yours again, making you think he’d kiss you. “Let’s go home.” he just whispered.

“I’m not drunk.” he chuckled and nodded “I’m serious. You can kiss me if you want to, I won’t regret, I swear.” you might’ve sounded a bit too desperate but you were drunk and you could’ve just told him it was alcohol if he’d reject. You really were as desperate as you sounded by now, feeling no shame only knowing if he’d let you go to bed like that you’d lose hope in yourself completely. “I won’t go anywhere without that.” you brushed your hair off your collarbone. Jaebeom laughed loudly at that.

“Because you won’t remember?”

“No, because I’ll have written confirmation I won’t be able to brush aside.”

“You’re carrying paper with you for such instances?”

“No, but I have a pen.” you painted with your finger, reaching out into your bag and taking few seconds to find it. “Here!” you showed it to him.

“Okay, and what and where are you going to write?” his eyes sweetly looked at you and your insides did a flip. His fingers moved on your waist, while his other hand got back to your neck. You looked around, trying to find a piece of paper.

“Here.” you grabbed Jaebeom’s hand by fingers, laying it on the bar and running your fingers through inner side of his lower arm.

“My arm?”

“Your arm.” you nodded.

“What are you going to write?” he chuckled.

“This.” you sighed, beginning to draw words letter by letter on his arm.

“I, Y/n, want Jaebeom to kiss me, sober or drunk.” he read out loud when you finished.

“Want a sign or is it eligible enough?” you lifted your eyes at him.

“Eligible enough.” he chuckled and grabbed your face in his hands. “Are you normally this cute or am I able to enjoy your cuteness only because I never met you sober?” both of his hands were drawing small circles with his thumbs on your cheeks. Your eyes trembled because of his touch, almost closing when his finger ran over your lower lip. Your hands wrapped around his neck and you felt him push you in and lay his lips on top of yours softly. He didn’t move for a second, slowly moving his mouth against yours in a moment, not pushing or pacing, just making your heart beat out of your chest. His tongue slipped into your mouth when you opened it inviting him, and a low groan left your throat accidentally, letting him know you enjoyed it very much. You weren’t planning on being too open about it, but the drunken state of you broke your plans and he pulled you in closer, wrapping his hands tighter around you. You tried to run your hand down his chest, to wrap it around his body, but Jaebeom made it impossible with the way he held you. Your tongues moved in unison until he pulled back, pecking and licking your mouth multiple times before finally letting go. You held in a disappointed moan, killing the will to hug him once again as well./

You did what? No, you didn’t. You sat up immediately. You grabbed your phone, not knowing if calling him would look as if you were pushing boundaries and asking for more? We’re you in position to do any of that or were you meant to wait until he’ll text you first? You pushed the phone back off, hiding your face in your pillow. You groaned loudly in disbelief. You wrote on his arm that you wanted him to kiss you. Were you out of your mind when you wrote that? Oh, you definitely were, after all those drinks you definitely were out of this world. Your fingers ran over your lips, reminiscing on how his lips felt on yours. It felt nice, but you couldn’t remember for sure. And now, the only thing you wanted is to kiss him once again when you’re sober to remember it vividly./

Your phone made a sound taking you back to reality.

from: Jaebeom, the guy from the bar

“I hope you took the pill and feel better.”

“hi”

You read, sighing loudly. He texted you in the morning… that’s o positive sign, right? It definitely is, you quickly opened the chat, texting him back.

“hi!”

“I did”

“thank you for the pill, and for everything you did too”

“really”

You texted him back quickly, seeing him reading it immediately.

from: Jaebeom, the guy from the bar

“You replied”

“good”

“So you really don’t have any regrets”

“Or don’t remember a thing”

“ㅋㅋㅋ”

So he did remember, you should’ve guessed he did, but you couldn’t remember how he got you home.

“yeah…”

from: Jaebeom, the guy from the bar

“I took a picture of your message in case you forgot.”

“Want to see?”

to: Jaebeom, the guy from the bar

“no, thank you.”

“how did I got home?”

from: Jaebeom, the guy from the bar

“do you want to see me?”

“with me, I drove you.”

“I thought you guessed that by my note.”

to: Jaebeom, the guy from the bar

“I did, I just thought you ordered a taxi.”

you only replied.

from: Jaebeom, the guy from the bar

“so you do see me as a mistake?”

to: Jaebeom, the guy from the bar

“no, no, I told you I won’t regret”

“I liked it”

“I mean, hanging with you.”

“I liked your company.”

from: Jaebeom, the guy from the bar

“I liked kissing you too.”

You choked on air.

“let’s meet tomorrow?”

“I want to see you sober.”

“tell me what time you’re free.”

You didn’t read his messages, taking some time to process his words.

“don’t ignore me, I know where you live. You even told me the code. I’ll find you and will make you go eat with me.”

to: Jaebeom, the guy from the bar

“sorry”

“aren’t you working tomorrow?” suddenly you realised you didn’t know if he works, how old is he, what is he even doing in life.

from: Jaebeom, the guy from the bar

“I’m on freelance, I can find time for you.”

to: Jaebeom, the guy from the bar

“I’ll text you in the morning, okay?”

from: Jaebeom, the guy from the bar

“Can’t wait to hear from you.”

____

let me know what you think ❤️

[dreamywriting]

Friends to Lovers - Taishiro x Reader

pairing: fatgum x reader

genre: a lil angst, a lil fluff

warnings: none

a/n: he is my baby! this is my first time writing for him and i kind of liked how it turned out. short n’ sweet! 🤍

-

You had danced around each other your whole lives, never quite finding the other’s rhythm. There was always another crush, another goal, another place, another time. Missed opportunities kept piling up over the years and somewhere along the way your heart had collapsed under the weight. Young love was as beautiful as it was fragile.

When Taishiro told you he was moving to the city you could barely hold back your tears. You wanted to be selfish for once. You wanted him to see the crystalline drops flow freely down your cheeks, to identify the pain in your eyes for what it was; heartbreak.

You loved him. But trying to convince him to stay wasn’t an option. Holding him back wasn’t love. So, you sealed every emotion threatening to surface behind a tight smile. You could only hug him with everything you had, bury your flushed face in his neck and hope that you wouldn’t get left behind.

Taishiro’s heart was free in every sense of the word. It was strong. It was sincere. And it was absolutely yours.

You had grown up together and held each other’s hands while navigating through this confusing world. No matter how many places and people his heart led him to, it would never forget you. He was sure you knew this. But as he studied your crestfallen expression he didn’t feel so certain anymore.

“You could always come with me, y’know?” The hum of his words trembled against your cheek as he returned your embrace carefully. “It’s been you and me our whole lives and I don’t want that to change. I know it’s selfish of me to ask, but whaddya say sweets? It’d probably save us a lot of tears.” he smiled, holding back his own that were threatening to fall.

The word yes was burning in your heart, scorching the tip of your tongue, but would that really be the best thing for him? Would he be able to thrive with you by his side? Your best friend had always been destined for something more, something greater than this small town had to offer. Perhaps it was time to let the past go, to have everything end when it was still beautiful so it would remain that way.

“I probably should’ve done this earlier, but you know how I am,” Taishiro raised a bashful hand to the back of his neck and paused slightly, bracing himself before taking a leap of faith.

“I love you, y/n. And I’ve loved you since... forever.”

You two had one of those bonds that felt like once a lifetime, so interconnected that it took a while to identify what kind of feelings you harboured for each other. But as you held one another, hearts beating against rib cages, it was clear as day that you were just two idiots in love.

In the spur of the moment you grabbed your best friend’s face with both of your hands and locked your lips in an eager kiss, mumbling “I love you” against his lips over and over again, unable to think of anything else to say. Finally, was all you could conjure in your head, every doubt melting away as you at last found the rhythm of you and him.

-

a/n: constructive criticism is always welcome! i’d love to know your thoughts. <3

[yongiefilms]

GONE IN THE MORNING.

pairing: na jaemin x reader

genre: mostly fluff; slight angst; neighbors!au; neighbors to lovers!au

warnings: none really, except for cuteness that makes your heart ache and an up for interpretation ending 

word count: 3.4k (no longer writing 1k fics? who is she?)

summary: wondrous things happen when the sky goes dark. you can meet new people or grow closer to the ones you already know. the night is limitless with no boundaries and it was why it didn’t even cross your mind that you could grow closer to someone in just a few hours. you didn’t think you would open up to a boy several doors down the hall or fall as quick as the night turns to dawn, but life has ways of surprising you and it was something you would be thankful for, even if time was limited.

author’s note: this fic is dedicated to our forever loving and wholesome flirt king, na jaemin. thank you for always managing to make me smile and being the bundle of joy you are. happy (belated) birthday, angel. i love you till the end of time. also huge shout out to my proofreader, my partner in crime, and my renjun enthusiast, nini ( @dvrlingrenjun​ ) for enduring through this with me late at night (again). te amo. without further ado, i hope you enjoy this loves!                           

you liked nights like these the most. it was the calm before the storm. the only occasion when you could just bask in relaxation amongst your ever growing stressful week. between balancing classes and your part time job as well as other creative projects you had going, it had taken a toll on you physically, mentally, and emotionally. however, as much as you despised the unwarranted stress, it kept you busy and on your feet. you never were one to sit still and wait for something to happen. no, you were far from being that person because you just had to go out and make a change. you itched to create, it was instilled in your veins, and that is how you thrived. that is how you survived. albeit you still found something else that gave you just as much contentment, a time of day to help lessen the load.

every friday, or just any day depending on the circumstances, you would get up at the same in the middle of the night. it would be after the clock struck midnight and before the sun woke. those were the nights when you couldn’t sleep, but tossed and turned in your bed, waiting for slumber to take you under. sadly it never did because you were restless from your time consuming schedule and your body resisted the temptation of drowsiness. so it became a routine: you would throw the covers off your body to get out of bed after staring at the ceiling for instants too long. you would grab your phone and earbuds on the bedside table, essential items that you could not forget. then you would always put on the baby blue oversized hoodie that hung over your desk chair while slipping on your same old skool vans on your way towards the door to leave for a secluded place that wasn’t your bedroom. you didn’t have to go far because when you discovered the rooftop of your apartment complex that fateful night, it would soon become your second home, away from prying eyes.

the exact routine you found yourself following this particular friday.

your earbuds were plugged into your phone while your music was put on shuffle. your forearms rested on the brick railing, your chin on your clasped palms. your head was moving to the beat of the music as your eyes rested closed. no disturbance could be felt in that moment, even when you opened your eyes to glimpse at the skyline. the darkness of the city and sky met you. the stars twinkled like tiny specks amongst a greater universe, catching radiance with small movements. the city was still bustling with life too, even in the wee hours. the buildings stood tall and as black as midnight with the window lights going off and on within seconds as people went to the comfort of their beds. everything was sparkling anew and it felt wondrous. 

until a sound was heard, one that was drowned out by the blues ringing in your ears.

the creak of the metal door leading to the rooftop could be heard ever so faintly, disrupting the once quiet aura. walking through the entrance and emerging from the shadows was a figure of a tall boy, his head held high with beverages in his hand and a phone in his back pocket.

“shoot,” he muttered under his breath. the creak sound increased as he was trying to shut the door with his foot rather than his hands that were full with the drinks he was holding.

when the metal door slammed shut and he looked over at where you were, still unknowing to all that was going on, he let out a sigh of relief.

he tiptoed carefully to where you stood, making sure not to make any mere sound for the fear that he would get caught before the surprise. as he was striding over to stand behind you, he couldn’t help but stop to admire your loveliness. half your face was turned away from him, but your side profile was enough to leave him in awe. breathtakingly gorgeous is what you were and even if he saw you plenty of times before in the hall of your apartment floor, he never saw you in such a close proximity before, which is what made everything feel so surreal as if he saw you for the very first time.

although before he himself could feel like a creep for watching someone for what felt like years, he shook his head to get himself together. he was acting like he had a crush, when he should be acting like the confident boy he portrayed himself to be.

so he held his head up higher, relaxed his shoulders, put on his charming grin and strolled over to where you stood detached from the real world. when he reached you, he tapped your shoulder to make his presence known and your reaction was like any other kind of scare.

you jolted suddenly, but didn’t let out a scream. you swiftly pulled your earbuds out and whipped around to face the intruder who startled you.

when your wide eyes locked onto his own deep chocolate ones, you gave a relieved sigh.

“ah it’s just you,” you exclaimed, leaning back on the brick while closing your eyes shut for the merest second.

he chuckled, a teasing grin adorning his face. “yes, just me.”

you rolled your eyes, but didn’t respond to him.

his beam faltered before he cleared his throat and leaned on the railing, with the two bottles in his hand.

“so want some chocolate milk?” he handed one bottle out to you, waiting for a reply

you twisted ever so slightly to study him properly, your eyes furrowed. he could see a hint of annoyance in your gaze, which made him nervous. yet annoyance was far from it.

he stumbled over his words. his confident façade cracked. “i-i mean i s-saw you c-come up here while i was on my way to the small mart around the corner of the complex for a late night snack. i thought why not buy you one because i am always curious as to why you come up here and i see you come up often too.” 

you stared intently at him, making his cheeks flush due to the intensity. it was now his chance to turn away. 

“plus i thought you might want some company…possibly.” he then swung round, his cheeks still warm, but a smile was on his lips.

you let out a small giggle that bubbled up your throat and you immediately coughed to cover up sound. you didn’t want to chortle at his obvious embarrassment. you reached out to take the chocolate milk from his grasp. “i am just messing with you, jaemin. thank you.” you smiled in return. “i don’t mind the company at all.”

the breath he didn’t know he was holding came out, and he positioned his head to look forward at the gleaming lights of seoul. silence engulfed both of you, wrapping you in its embrace. the breeze was felt so prominently in the cool air and it was a quietness that stilled the heart. even so, jaemin had grown to hate the quietude after those moments. he wanted to know more about you if anything, even if he didn’t truly hate the soundlessness or your presence. he was simply drawn into the mysterious aura that surrounded you. he had to find out more about you, he had to figure you out for his own sake. 

he took a sip of his chocolate milk before proceeding to ask his question, courtesy of curiosity.

“so,” jaemin’s voice rang out, wavering the serene mood. “why do you come up here? if you don’t mind me asking. why the rooftop at…” he trailed off and glanced at the watch on his wrist to check the hour. “nearly 2 in the morning?” he marginally laughed. “i would think you would want to sleep to get some rest after tiring days.”

you hummed at his words, settling your bottle down on the brick. “i don’t know if i’m completely honest.” you picked at the loose thread of your hoodie sleeve. “usually i can’t sleep. i just toss and turn for the rest of the night, so i guess i just come up here to escape my restlessness. plus this view is beautiful.” you tilted your head up, admiring the cityscape once again.

jaemin could see your eyes reflecting the lights of the city, making your eyes glisten and it was just as striking as the skyline. “it’s just so calming up here. i am at peace where no one can bother me. where no one can find me if they don’t try hard enough. it’s my safe place of sorts. there is just something so stunning to see the world like this, amongst the chaos—at a standstill. i admire it more than anything because you get a whole new perspective, you catch something new every time you see it. there is allure in the night and maybe that is the night owl within me talking. i can’t help but flourish in the night. i feel alive then and it’s what makes me come back every single time.” 

you nervously giggled when you glanced at jaemin who was observing you a particular way, a look that was hard to decipher and you felt judged from the hard stare. if only you knew judgment was far from his mind. 

“sorry if i went too into depth for that question.” another titter. “frequently my words get the best of me.” you put your head down, uneasy at the fact that you got carried away.

jaemin’s lips that were pressed tightly together quickly morphed into a grin. “oh no! no, no, no!” he quickly declared, shaking his head. his eyebrows were creased and he was scared that he offended you with his previous expression. “don’t be sorry, in fact i get what you mean. everything you described makes perfect sense. there is something different about the air of the night. regularly, i feel like that too. i just bask in the tranquility when the rest of reality is in shambles.”

you raised your head up to truly see him. he was already glancing at you so softly, his eyes filled with stars. the breeze ruffled his faded blue hair after every passing second that contrasted the dullness of his grey hoodie, black light washed denim jacket, and black jeans he was wearing. he looked cute and you slightly shook your head to get rid of the idea, but the smile that had grown on his face was contagious for your lips twitched against their will to form a subtle grin.

you moved closer to him, to cherish his heat amongst the increasing coldness of the night, even if you were in a fleece hoodie that kept you most certainly cozy. you bumped your shoulder with his and leaned down, refusing to peer at him for the fear that those beliefs would make their way into your head again.

you took a deep breath. “i also come up here to feel less lonely.” you didn’t know where those words came from. you were never one to share your feelings. you were a closed off individual by nature, but by being around a boy who you truly didn’t know except for the passings in the hall, you just found yourself opening up for no particular reason. he drew you in, he made you comfortable, and you felt safe enough around him to share your most personal thoughts.

“i mean i still am alone up here, but i don’t feel like i am. i am surrounded by miles of buildings and blinding lights and people who i can barely make out on the sidewalk or those in their cars. so i may be alone, but i truly am not because the world is around me, keeping me company.”

you couldn’t see, but he nodded at your words in response. he licked his lips and moved forward, not meeting your eyes though he could feel you scrutinizing him when he moved. “well besides having this city for company, you also have me now. i may not be as many people as a whole city, but at least it’s something.” he bumped your shoulder, the teasing evident in his words and you laughed at his answer. 

“it’s enough for me,” you spoke, swiveling to focus on him, a giddy look on your face and you were glad he didn’t notice you.

however, from that point on it is where everything switched, for you opened yourself up after a long while to none other than your neighbor at apartment number seventy—na jaemin, and you were glad for it. you were grateful for him.

so you talked animatedly with the boy you had only managed to see for fleeting seconds each day. it felt like hours as you were talking, in fact it was possible that it was hours. the night was beginning to fade to daylight, but your energy hadn’t dwindled in the slightest. you could talk till the sunrise, but you were held back from reality. you couldn’t stay till the morning. you couldn’t stay with the boy that you felt a connection with. there was a spark, something that would be put out like a diminishing flame once the sun rose.

noiselessness had enveloped the both of you once again when the last words were spoken on his end. you could see the peak of the sun behind the clouds. the stars had disappeared and so did the blackness of the night. in its place was the warm colors of the sunrise soon to come with yellow, red, and orange intermixed to create an enchanting gradient.

you let out a loud sigh that caught the attention of jaemin. he regarded you with fretful eyes and in return you gave him a half smile.

“what’s wrong?” he asked, placing his hand on your arm and giving a soft rub to the clothed skin.

his touch burned when it didn’t before and you whipped your head the other way.

“it’s just that it will be my last time doing this,” you solemnly voiced.

his hand dropped and he brought it around to hug himself. he was confused and concerned, but terrified at the same second.

“love…what do you mean?” he questioned, his tone nearly sharp and uncannily high. 

you heart clenched at his affectionate name for you, one that just slipped out through conversation unknowingly and it stuck. it was sweet like him and it made you feel guilty, but you couldn’t let him suspect a thing. 

he was burning his eyes into the side of your head, awaiting your reply. “it will just be the last time i see this view.” your eyes squinted at the sky and you puffed up your cheeks. water was prickling under your eyelids, but you wouldn’t let them fall.

his voice croaked out. “what are you talking about?”

you were worrying him. he was curious. you couldn’t let him know.

you rotated your whole body and moved forward to be closer to him. a beam graced your face to give him reassurance that everything would be okay. to give him hope that would last till the occasion came. “nothing…” you paused and shook your head. “nothing at all.”

he was skeptical because his head tilted and his eyebrows creased, but he let it go. you stared at him then, you really stared at him. examining every feature of his face from all the tiny imperfections that you saw beauty in, to the outfit he was in, and the look on his face. you memorized his whole being so you wouldn’t forget. seeing him like that with his hands in his pockets, slighting shivering and flushed pink cheeks, it stirred something within you for you had the urge to lean forward and kiss him. you were unable to resist and succumbed to the heart, even if it made things more complicated.

he was surprised when your warm lips met his cold, chapped ones. the kiss was sweet and he tasted like iced lemonade on a hot day with the sun blazing down as teenagers basked in the heat by the pool. he reminded you of summer—interminable, pleasant, and extraordinarily sunny. 

you maneuvered your arms around his neck to get even closer to him as he brought his own arms around your waist. he hugged you so tightly and when you both needed to catch your breath, you were afraid to let go. you had to though, so you leaned back with a bashful grin on your face. 

his beam could melt ice with how bright and wide it was. “what was that for?” he locked his hands together behind your waist and gently swayed you side-to-side. he chuckled, waiting to see how you would answer.

you tilted your head down and lightly hit his chest, but your smile grew. “just because,” you murmured and his loud chortle was music to your ears. you wouldn’t forget his laugh, it was your favorite part of him besides his glowing grin. 

your head rested under his chin and he pulled out his phone from his back pocket to put on some music to fill the void of passing cars and city life.

the tears pricked under your eyes and one stray tear cascaded down your cheek, staining the hoodie in a dark splotch. he didn’t see it, too immersed in the scenery again.

“live in the moment,” you mumbled into his chest. “because i’ll be gone in the morning.” 

however, jaemin didn’t pay any mind to your words since after all he didn’t hear them, something that would utterly hurt him. so you remain cuddled up on the rooftop till the sun peeked over the clouds and the both of you rushed off for fear of getting caught.

jaemin had walked you to your door to make sure you arrived safely, even if you called him out for the fact that you were just a few doors down from him. he had rolled his eyes at your statement, but proceeded to kiss you once more. that would be your last kiss with na jaemin before he went down the hall to his own apartment and shut the door, awaiting for the morning that was only a few hours away.

if only he knew.

for when he knocked on your door several hours later, what he found out broke him.

you hadn’t opened up the door.

he called your name countless times but there wasn’t a response.

you weren’t there, something he refused to believe.

it was rather fortunate that the landlord was passing by in the hall several moments after and jaemin rushed forward on a whim to ask the man if he knew anything of your whereabouts.

“excuse me, sir?” jaemin asked and tapped the man’s shoulder as he was on his way down the hall towards the staircase.

the man whirled around with a stoic expression on his face. “what do you need, kid?”

jaemin gulped, but let an easy grin present itself. “do you happen to know where the resident in apartment number seventy-two is? they don’t seem to be home and i was wondering if you knew anything.”

the man grunted and shook his head, checking out the apartment doors, then gazed back at jaemin’s distraught face. “don’t know, kid. there hasn’t been anyone living in that apartment for weeks. i’ve been trying to get people to move in, but to no avail. no one wants to...wonder why.” he scratched his chin. “better get on that.” he proceeded towards his destination, but not before jaemin staggered forward.

“wait!”

the man stopped in his tracks and spun around, his eyebrows raised.

“but y/n lives there, sir! y/n has been for several months. maybe you got the apartment numbers confused. i am sure of it.” he spoke in a desperate manner.

the man shook his head. “no, i’m sure. no one has been living there so i’m sorry, kid. don’t know what to tell you. “ he heaved a sigh and went off, not sparing a glance at jaemin or his shocked expression.

nothing of what the man said could be right because jaemin clearly knew you had been living there for months. he always saw you around and those remarks couldn’t be comprehended.

if only he knew the truth of why you would be gone in the morning, escaping reality for a piece of make believe and leaving a loving boy behind in the midst. 

[fairyshuuu]

Iveracity 1| do kyungsoo

.summary. IVERACITY (noun) the act or practice of deceiving; concealment or distortion of the truth for the purpose of misleading; duplicity; fraud; lies. .word count. 30k .pirate!au | princess!au | strangers to lovers!au. .pairing. kyungsoo x female!reader .genre. fluff, romance, fantasy, smut (in part 2) 

.warnings. violence, blood mentions, char/char threats (violence is not cute pals!), swearing, human trafficking mentions, drowning threats and mentions, sehun is best boy, pirate!baekhyun (not a warning but i ♡), explicit language and scenes, dom!kyungsoo, first time, unprotected sex, it starts very slow, i’m sorry!

!  if you are on mobile, please try to open this post on desktop instead because it might very well crash the app, thank youu  !

.author’s note. this bitch is really long, so sit down with a blanket and a cup of tea please, i don’t want you to get back or neck pain. hope you enjoy!!

    🌊🌊🌊    

With the bright of morn, a harmonic melody sounds just barely though the thick, stone walls, waking any stragglers from slumber. You, however, have been awake for hours already. Though your hair is pinned up with costly jewelry every which way, still a few stray strands fall into your face. “Oh please, your Highness,” you breathe, turning on your heel to follow behind the tall figure that readies to walk out the door, “it’s hardly a difficult request. I’ve been scouring the port for weeks now. I’m prepared entirely, top to bottom.”

The man sighs and sends you a small smile, while two maids slide the protectors around his lower arms into place. When all is finished, his pristine outfit all in place for the day, he turns to you. A heavy hand is rested on your shoulder, dark eyes finding yours. “Will you settle down? It’s early, Princess, and people are still sleeping.”

“The sun is up,” you huff in response, “that means ‘get to work’.” The two maids bow deeply and leave the room after that, leaving just the two of you in the smaller of dressing rooms inside the palace. When the King doesn’t say any more, you breathe out deeply. “Father, please. I promise I can do this. I’ve readied all my supplies myself, I have a guard set up and everything. Besides, I’m not as young as you hope I am anymore. If not now, I’ll never get to do anything worthwhile before I’m married off.” When your father glances at you again, you pout. “Please?”

“Y/N Clementine Panethin,” he says, a frown sliding onto his face. Your father, though he does his best to sound fed up, has always had a soft spot for you. It is why you can push it as much as you can, you’d hardly ever consider whining this way to your mother. He rubs his fingers right above his brow, smoothing away the non-existent wrinkles there as he thinks. Your father, like most of the kings and queens, is still very young. Perhaps it’s this that sets you apart from the working class. The ability to marry young, to have children while you’re still as able-bodied as you were. Well, that, and the money of course. 

“Why,” he sighs then, “why is it so hard for you to just accept your role in this world?” His clothes are covered top to bottom in fine copper thread, shimmering even in the low light of the sun. If he was hunting for food, and not for fun, you’d guess the clothes impractical. But royals don’t do anything for the need of it. “And I don’t think you can complain about marriage, young lady. When I was as young as you are now, I was already married and had your sister, after all. Be glad I haven’t married you off myself already.” You huff in response, taking as deep a breath as the tight corset around your ribs allows you to.

“I’m fading away in these sad, lonely walls! Colet and Toelo don’t have to stay inside all day, why do I?”

“Because your older sister and brother are both married and are doing their ruling jobs, Princess. Until you are, you’re supposed to stay inside and learn your families craft by heart. That is your role, as the younger of the two girls,” he smiles as he says it, sensing your absolute refusal of his words as soon as he speaks them. He is, by all accounts, right of course. Women being the head of the family comes with some great advantages, ones you have no right complaining about. Still doesn’t take away the excruciating boredom though.

“I’ve learned everything I had to since I was five years old. I can read texts older than my great great grandmother, should I ever need to do so. I can paint, sing and dance.” You sigh, looking at the countless pieces of jewelry displayed on the wall next to you, and pick one of the pieces from it’s hanger. Your father bows his head smoothly for you to place it on him, securing it in his long, black hair to have the colorful stone fall between his brows. A protection charm. “But what I want more than all of that combined— is to see the world. Please, your Highness, let me. And I’ll never complain again.”

With this, your father straightens up, and pulls you into a small hug. “Alright, you little monkey. You can go.” He walks to the door and past it then, not willing to lose more precious daylight spent indoors. You trail behind, eyes wide.

“Wait, really? I’m really allowed to go?” When your father rolls his eyes at your disbelief, you jump up and give him another hug. “Oh really?! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You’re the best parent ever. I love you.” When you rush past him and toward the exit, your father laughs along with you.

“Be careful! And I want to hear from you in a dozen days at the latest.”

“Promise!” you confirm, already rushing through the shiny halls on bare feet. With the door closing behind you, you run past the many rooms of the palace, past the gardens too. After a good minute or two you finally make it to the main room, as many of your cousins and nieces get ready to eat breakfast. You don’t need to join them, not when you have a ship to board in a couple hours. Arriving to the main hall, you slow, taking a deep breath in and out. Excitement rushes through your veins.

The main hall leads straight to the wide, open world. The sky is clear, though still dim in the early quiet of the morning, colored an orange to pull in the rising sun. The big plaza in front of the palace is still devoid of people this early too. You clean and dry your feet quickly before tying your shoes and grabbing the bags prepared carefully for your departure.

The plan is to join the traveling fleet on it’s journey to your biggest trading companion. Aking, the Capital and the only home you’ve ever known, is rich with many talented artisans who often sail their goods to the land north from here. You don’t just know this of course, since a Princess doesn’t have much to trade for. You barely go outside of the city, let alone to leave the island. And you like it that way for the most part, since your country is a beautiful, thriving place. 

But for as much as you’ve read, there’s one place that seems to be even prettier. Elyfhil, of the land of snow. When your older sister announced yet another trading fleet to go there, you couldn’t help yourself. You just have to see it yourself, if only once. The cold breeze travels down your spine, carrying the soft rumbling of the lively city to greet you. As if right on time, a voice clears behind you. “Where do you think you’re rushing off to so quietly, Princess?”

You straighten out, and pull a grin as you greet the new person. “Out.”

The young man’s eyebrows rise considerably, normally serious expression replaced for one of youthful wonder. “You actually got them to let you go?” Sehun is dressed in the royal guard colors, sunflower yellow and a deep blue, though he still looks about as sleep deprived as usual. For as much as the guards get switched out, a security measure of sorts, Sehun’s been there for longer than you can remember. He was one of the only people to ever volunteer, if you recall correctly. He’s been your friend ever since he entered the palace at twelve years old, wide eyed and clueless.

“Sure did,” you nod, smiling gratefully when Sehun takes the heavier bag from you to carry it himself. He’s not the little, scrawny boy he once was anymore, and it shows. “Actually, I was just about to go check the quarters for a guard willing to accompany me on a long and tiresome journey like this one. It might be hard to find someone able to travel with me. Unless you want—”

“I’ll go!” Sehun brings out before you can even finish, reaching forward to grab your second bag. “Anything to get away from the new maid girl. She’s been following me around for the entire week, I can’t do it anymore. I suppose I feel flattered, but Gods… I can hardly focus on my work this way.” You snort as he colors slightly pink.

“Yeah, you’re right. Which man would possibly enjoy the attention of a beautiful girl like her? I can’t imagine the hardship.” Sehun’s face voids when he looks at you, though you can almost read the retort in his eyes. Luckily you’re a Princess, who can’t be sworn at. “Come on, Master Sehun. We have a ride to catch.” With a swift nod, he slips into his shoes as well, and starts walking. Down the stairs and across the marketplace that unfold in the shadow of the mountain. You greet some people as they walk past, getting ready to set up store on the expanse.

When you look further down the path, Sehun has your both bags on a shoulder each, dark hair swaying left and right in the wind, much like the flowers that line the cobbled street. You speed your steps to keep up with the man, and take a deep breath of the peaceful silence of the city. Some kids dart behind the houses when they see you two approach. “Are my bags not too heavy?” you ask, turning to your friend. “We might have to leave some things behind in the stables if they are.”

Sehun laughs at that, shaking his head. His eyes crinkle into moons with that sentiment, reminding you of the many times you two played in the royal gardens when you were both a lot younger. This must be the first time you’re heading out with him though, even with all the years that have passed. “They are fine, Princess,” your friend grins, looking over his shoulder as you do your best to keep up with his long legs. As you arrive to the big, richly decorated building he pauses, putting them down next to his feet. “Now quickly go pick a horse for us both. Or your precious dream will sail off without you.”

     🌊🌊🌊    

The trip to the port city Aoran takes both longer and less than you expect it to. The sun is quite unforgiving while you travel, the heat of the horse beneath you only adding to it in turn. But though you ride for a couple of hours, the scenery is ever-changing and you find it to go by much quicker than hours normally do. When you finally arrive, your water and tea are almost at day’s end. The salty ocean wind comes to wish you welcome, along with the busy chatter of the city life. The streets are wider than those back home, and crawling with people left and right. You dismount your horse smoothly, not catching your robe like you watch Sehun do, as he almost levels with the ground. You do your best to keep the giggles to a minimum when he already looks entirely mortified.

As you cautiously walk into town, many eyes trail behind you. You guess you do stand out quite a bit, doused top to bottom in everything expensive. Aking is full of these sorts though, you never noticed how obvious you were until just now. The people here are used to a more toned down display of class. Long hair tied out of the way with ribbons instead of the metal pins you’re used to, and a surprising amount of pants. Weird. As you walk, Sehun stays close to your side, though his eyes are as full of curious stars as yours are, if not more. “I’m pretty sure we just follow the road down,” you mumble to him, noticing people who scurry around to get out of your path. You never really thought the Capital as rich before, but maybe now— 

“I believe so too, Princess.” He cocks his head forward in gesture, towards a group of men and women further down the wide, cobbled streets that click under your shoes. “I’d say follow the fishermen, probably.” Indeed, the people have thick bundles of nets tied around their backs, and heavy ropes in hand, most likely seafolk of a sort. When they turn the corner at the end of the street, so do you. The houses here are nowhere near as tall or large as you’re used to, but they have a certain charm. Though foreign, the city carries a peacefulness, a rhythm of life that seems to bring you warmth. If you weren’t so down on time, you’d love to spend weeks here, exploring every single nook and cranny. 

Soon, the sounds of chatter is replaced with that of seagulls, and of metal slamming against wood. A much rougher sound. The sun sinks ever so slowly past it’s highest point, making you swallow. After midday, the letters had informed. You just hope… “What if we missed the boat, Sehun? I can’t possibly explain my mother that I wish to try again.” You lean a bit closer to him when a vendor jumps into the street to sell some goods, reeking of wine, or maybe some cheaper drink. He doesn’t seem worried though, and trails peacefully behind you.

“I doubt there’s anything your parents wouldn’t allow you, your Highness.” He smiles as if to himself, before looking over at you. “Or is it not you whose entire collection of ancient pottery was painted over at a certain time, “by accident”? Pretty sure you didn’t even get told off, let alone punished. The King and Queen have the biggest of soft spots for you. If you blink your lashes enough, I’m certain you can do whatever you desire.” When he finishes with a giggle, you have to pause. A soft hum leaves you, because he’s right. You can hardly complain.

The fisherfolk in front turn corner again, leaving you to wonder. As you look up to follow one of the birds overhead with your eyes, you spot a tall pole sticking out above the houses. It is a little rough around the edges, with worn ropes hanging from the top and another fabric that darts softly back and forth in the wind. It takes a few seconds for you to really realize what it is, but when you do you almost swallow your tongue. “Is that the mast?” you bring out, shocked. “It’s so much taller than I thought it would be, dear Gods! How big is this damn boat?”

You rush down the last bit of road at a much swifter pace, the brown mare trotting behind you. When you round the corner, with Sehun’s displeased mumbling in the background, you stop drop dead in the middle of the street. The pier is long, and filled with hundreds of people, but that’s not what catches your attention. The wooden boat closest to you is massive, and only one of many. You could run the entire length of it and be out of breath. The national flag blows proud in the wind, wood accompanied with touches of silver, and ocean topaz that shimmers in the light of the sun. Clearly part of the royal fleet. You don’t even want to doubt how a thing of this size floats.

“Princess Y/N,” Sehun calls from behind you, having caught up. “Over here.” You have to forcefully tear your eyes away from the countless things happening to find your friend in the stir. People do their best to stay out of your way though, staring over their shoulders with whispers of ‘princess’ to their friends. You spot Sehun standing by another guard, as he motions you closer. “This is Marthe, a guard of house Sinith. He’s staying here in town until the crew return from their journey.” The boy is still quite young, with boyish features and some messy, brown hair. He gives you a deep bow, not quite catching your eyes. It too, is pinned out of his face with a silver-like pin, decorated all over with tiny, orange gems. Strange how easy it is to pick out who belongs and who doesn’t. But then again, maybe that’s the point.

“Your Majesty” the boy smiles, taking hold of Sehun’s horse as he hands it over. “My sister and her husband own that tavern, over down by the beach. We have some stables that can hold the royal mounts while you go, though. If that would convenience your Majesty, of course.” Sehun’s already taking your bags off of the horses before you can say anything, so with a small smile, you agree. He smoothly picks the reigns from your hands without touching them, and bows once again. “I’ll take good care of them,” he confirms. You don’t doubt it.

“Thank you. You’ll be rewarded graciously upon my return,” you confirm, already watching him turn away. Some voices sound from down further, with the wafts of the waves rhythmically smashing against the pier. Everything seems to move much quicker here, like the rapid flow of the ocean affects the people just as much as it affects the sand. This is their life though, the maritime trade provides everyone here with money to live. You grab a loose hold of Sehun’s garb as he travels through the people, hands occupied with your large sacks. His tall shape barely sticks out between all the others here. “Hey, Sehun?” you suddenly bring out, squeezing between two men who drag a full net over the ground. Sehun can just about catch your eyes as he looks over, and pulls a questioning face. “Was this one of my really bad ideas, you think?”

“Probably,” he laughs, “but I like it. At least you’re trying to be someone you dream of being. The Capital has enough prim and proper Princesses to marry half of them off without problems. You’re making a difference!” He points over to the ocean then, to the incoming waves that look a lot less unruly from a distance. “I haven’t heard of a single princess boarding a ship just for the fun of it, after all.” You two walk past the full length of the pier to reach the way up, as you stare all the while. People climb with ease into the ropes that span between the masts. Some people carry the last of giant boxes of merchandise down deck, while others talk joyfully between them. A boat like this, as strange as it sounds, almost has an entire life of it’s own, you think. A life where city rules don’t count nearly as much.

“Careful,” Sehun motions over to the edge of the pier as you come to a standstill, looking up now too. He stares for a second longer, before lifting his shoulders. “I think here is where my expertise stops, your Highness. You do have a way to get on board, don’t you?” You point in front of you without thinking, to the narrow piece of wood connecting the pier to the boat. It moves up and down with the motions of the wooden vehicle. “By Idite, not that! I mean, are we even allowed to be on the ship, Princess?”

“Oh, that,” you respond. Of course you thought of that, you’ve been preparing for this journey for two months now. Though, you’re not quite sure how this works. “Yes, of course, we’re allowed. I’ve sent multiple letters back and forth with the crew leader, after all. I just don’t really … know what they look like, ‘s all.” This makes your friend’s mouth drop open in disbelief, but you’re already walking up the plank before he can add any of his no-doubt entirely positive criticism. “Only one way to find out, I guess!” With wide outstretched arms you walk forth bit by bit, not willing to let the sudden movements of the waves below scare you. Another advantage of being royal born maybe, is that you have received a great swimming training, since you were a small child.

You hold your breath when the plank creaks below your feet, balance feeling entirely clunky on the narrow walkway. When you finally set foot on board, a relief seems to fill your tense body. You turn to Sehun to check on him, and motion for him to throw the bags over to you, which he does with a surprising ease. As the bags land with loud thumps beside you, you turn to take in the ship. Your entrance doesn’t seem to have gone unnoticed, however, since many of the men stare at you without blinking. “Captain!” one calls over his shoulder, as you look around. The sails of the boat are truly gigantic, most likely the largest pieces of fabric you’ve ever seen, and fall from three different masts. The wood under your feet is polished top to bottom.

Without warning, a person suddenly drops from the sky— or one of the many ropes more likely, having you stumble back in surprise. The stranger is tall and quite built, with long, copper hair that peeks out from under a large hat. The woman grins when your eyes widen in surprise, before bowing a slight bit. “Well, well, what pretty flower washed onto my ship so suddenly.” Before you can answer, she takes a gentle hold of your hand and presses a kiss to your knuckles, as you shoot entirely cherry red. “You’re awfully dressed up.” 

When you don’t respond right away, she lets your hand drop back down under the laughter of some of the crew, and lifts an eyebrow. “Sorry to say, sugar plum, but I think you’ve walked onto the wrong ship. And I don’t like sending pretty girls away so rudely, but we have somewhere to be before sundown, so.” The woman is clearly a good bit older than you, but is dressed in the colors of your house, albeit a faded version of them because of the sun. Her skin is full and warm, and her face with big, round eyes that seem to scan you thoroughly.

As you open your lips to respond, a smooth voice comes from your right, somewhat hurried and with a hint of laughter laced between the words. “Ah, Captain, I think this is my doing.” The man greets you with a deep bow, and smiles, lips curling cutely like a feline during a nap. “You must be Princess Y/N, I’ll assume. I’m your correspondent of the last few weeks, it’s nice to finally meet you in person. Kim Jongdae, quartermaster.” He greets you in the traditional Aking way that you’re much more used to, with his knuckles pressed together against his heart and a small bow of the head, that you gratefully reincorporate. “Or first mate, for the non seafaring folk, I guess.”

He then turns your attention back to the woman to his side, and smiles widely. “This scary one is the boss of this operation, you’ll be safe in her hands. Captain Lilith, meet the Princess that will be accompanying us for our travels. Princess,” he then returns. You briefly offer the captain a deep bow, looking around. The crew that have gathered around you in a circle seem increasingly interested now. You have to wonder how many of them have ever been to the Capital before, if any. Lilith nods in understanding, before crossing her muscular arms over her chest. You’ve seen strong women before, but geez, she’s got more muscles than Sehun does. It’s kind of impressive.

“I see. Well then,” she sighs, pointing in the general direction of the cabin at the far end of the boat. “Sugar plum can stay in the free room downstairs.” She looks around at her crew then, and frowns. “What are all of you still standing here, we’ve got a ship to man! Off your feet and to your positions. This is not a evening cruise, so make it snappy, thank you very much.” With a hand on the black-haired man’s shoulder, she moves to walk away. “Jongdae, you’ll handle this?”

“Aye, Captain.” Her heavy boots make the wood creak as she walks away, disappearing out of view by the wild back and forth of her crew. You stare until the feather of her hat vanishes entirely when the door is pulled close behind her. So instead you turn your attention to the man who’s left. Jongdae is kind-looking, with bright, calculating eyes and high cheekbones, one of which has a scar down it. His hair is tied back with the same ribbons you saw the townspeople use, but he has a certain attitude that screams Capital to you. He takes you in top to bottom again now, and then smiles, the gesture warm. “I’m sorry about that. I did tell her that you’d be coming a few days ago, but in all the preparation, it must have slipped both of our minds. I’ll prepare your room as soon as we’re out of the harbor, Princess.”

“It’s okay,” you reply, toying with your dress, “I’ve had that happen to me more times than I can count.” You turn to pick up the bags that were so graciously tossed on board earlier, and then gasp. “Oh! This is Sehun, by the way. He’s my guard for this journey. I did mention that, didn’t I?” Sehun bows politely to the quartermaster, looking about as out-of-his-element as you feel.

“You did,” the raven haired man grins, giving the other a slight bow.

“Good.” You flush a little, attempting to shake the silence between you. It’s just strange. You’ve never met people before who regard you so casually while knowing who you are. It’s either one or the other, most of the time. When you go out into the outskirts of capital, dressed in the plainest clothes you own, it’s easy to pretend that you’re one of them. Sit by the canal, watching small children rushing by on their short, stubby, little legs. When one of them tumbles and you rush forward to help, a mother thanks you genuinely. Because she wants to thank you, not because of a certain imposed obligation. Jongdae looks at you this way now too, despite knowing who you are. You swallow, and attempt a better hold on the bag when it slips down. “Is there anything I could help with?”

“Later, maybe,” he agrees, which makes a slight pride swell in your chest. At least he doesn’t think you’re entirely useless. Jongdae nods, more to himself than to you, and cleans his hands on his brown pants. You’re a bit caught off guard when you really take a look at him. His clothes are not what you expected a sailor to wear, though that might be an entirely self-centered misconception on your part. It’s just— his clothes are clean, and entirely well made too. The white blouse seems much more comfortable on a busy place like this than the tight, restrictive clothing your dressed in. Colorful glass beads are woven into some strands of his hair, and his earrings are even more intricate then yours. “I guess it’s good that our ship is as big as it is, huh. With the amount of metal you’re wearing, a smaller vessel would have gone straight to the bottom.”

You laugh a little at that, glad to rid the situation of the awkward tension as soon as possible. If you’ll be on the same ship for a few weeks, you’d rather be comfortable with the people you’re on it with. Jongdae doesn’t seem very hard to like, though. “I think you’ll be fine.” You look up to the sky again, watching as people swing around between the ropes with ease, like they’ve spent their entire lives up in the ropes. Most of them probably have. “I’ve never been on a boat this big,” you admit, “or at all, really.”

Jongdae motions to follow him as he talks, eyes smiley. “It’s not just a boat. It’s a ship, Princess. The royal fleet has some of the biggest ships in the entire world, the May Terror is no exception.” As you walk toward the cabin, you notice that the plaque above the door indeed has ‘May Terror’ engraved into it, bright in the afternoon sun. You wonder who gave it it’s name. Lilith, maybe. You walk past many of the crew, attempting to acknowledge every person you meet with a little bow of your head. “Besides,” Jongdae continues, “I guess we would be fine! Don’t Royal born’s float in water?” He turns to you with a laugh, but the question seems entirely genuine, so you raise your brows at him.

“No! Of course we don’t.” You glance behind you to check for your friend a second, before continuing. Sehun seems bright in the light of the sun, his demeanor entirely soaking in the new environment. You’re glad he likes it this much, you do too. “I don’t think there’s anything that floats in the ocean, quartermaster.”

“Actually,” Sehun brings out, long legs easily keeping up with your pace even with his wondrous looking around, “I heard the same about sailors.” Jongdae’s eyebrows raise at that. “That they float in water, you know.”

Jongdae snorts, and pushes open the back door of the cabin, leading into a dim staircase. “Well, believe me, we don’t either. After you,” he gestures. You shift your dumb, big bag to one arm, and lift your dress with the other hand as you descend, blinking against the darkness of the hall. Jongdae follows behind you, and Sehun last. The hall is narrow, the air a bit dull. The strong scent of sea is still present, but there’s also hints of candle wax and wine here, which seems to check out. Jongdae leans over you a little to point at the far door to your right, and laughs. “That’s the one. You and your guard would be sharing a room though, if that’s okay. Or, if you’re not too comfortable with that idea, he can sleep downstairs as well, where the rest of the crew is.”

You nod and make your way over, pushing down the silver handle to reveal a beautiful room, with more light than you would’ve expected. A large, round window sits in the middle of the wall, flanked on both sides by beds. The side closest to you has a large dresser, and even a mirror. “Wow,” you just breathe, making way to allow both men to enter. As you walk towards the window, a loud bell sounds from somewhere upstairs, scaring you a little.

“Ah, I’ve gotta be getting up there, we’re sailing out.” Jongdae checks around the room quickly, before nodding. “You can get settled in, your Highness. And afterwards, come find us up top, the main door will lead you straight to the office. If you have a need for anything else, we’ll get you sorted out then.” Before you can even say a proper thanks, he closes the door behind him and rushes off to help man the ship, you guess. With a little sigh, you drop the one bag on your bed, and sit down next to it. Sehun follows your lead, though he stays standing on his side of the room, with a little frown.

“Your Highness. I’ll go find myself a place downstairs, do not worry. And maybe I can get the quartermaster to apologize for the mistake as well.” He turns away to start unpacking your stuff, mumbling quietly to himself, but loud enough for you to catch it. “A guard and a Princess sleeping in the same room, ridiculous.”

You pause to think for a moment, hearing the waves rushing past at an almost timed speed, again and again. Paired with the creaking of the ship and the muffled sound of voices, sounds entirely foreign, and yet you find a joy in it. You, a Princess, on a gigantic ship called the May Terror, it’s comical at best. “Actually,” you say, “if you don’t mind, I’d rather have you here.” Sehun’s eyes are big as saucers when he turns to look over his shoulder at you. “It’s unconventional, I know, but I don’t know anyone else here, and I’d take a great comfort in having you here. Besides, it’s not like the King and Queen would even find out.”

After a long pause, your friend nods, though hesitation is still marked in his eyes. “Of course, your Highness, if that’s what you wish for.”

“It is,” you confirm, getting up to take out one of your dresses. It’s a much lighter fabric that the traditional one you’re used to wearing, which means it’s infinitely more expensive, but it doesn’t look it. Besides, it’s hot down here, the air smothering. A lighter dress would do you well. When Sehun notices your stance, he immediately looks away.

“I’m waiting outside.” With that he runs off and shuts the door behind him, while your giggle follows. Sehun should probably also change. You’re not sure if he brought anything but the bare essentials though. Maybe he could borrow from Jongdae. You lay the dress down on the bed and stare at it for a second, taking in it’s pale pink color, as well as the form-fitted silhouette. Modern craftsmanship at it’s finest. If you were to wear this inside the palace though… well— safe to say you just wouldn’t wear it in the palace. Your mom and your older sister would both have your head.

You reach behind you to loosen the tied lints of your corset, fiddling with them until they come apart, and lay it down next to you on the bed, to disrobe entirely. Despite what some people might think, you actually don’t get dressed by maids every day, so you’ve gotten quite good at taking off your clothes without wrinkling them. The intricately embroidered dress is put aside and replaced by the pretty, empire waisted dress. It’s light, made of countless layers of sheer linen and entirely too “modern” for someone of your status, but this place makes you feel daring. You slip it on quickly, and sigh because it’s gorgeous, like you expected it to be. But Gods, does it show the entirety of your ankles. You’ll just have to live with it, you suppose.

“Sehun,” you call out then, hoping that he’s still waiting in the hall, “please come help me lace up! I can’t do it on my own.” This is true, of course, you think as you situate the corset back into place, but this way you can also check the reaction of your friend before going out into the real world. If he truly thinks it too much, you might just have to suffer through the heat. Sehun enters after two swift knocks, and sighs.

“It’s really dark in that hall, they should place some candles or — something.” He trails off, before blinking a couple of times. You motion for him to lace up your support and to your luck, he does so without thinking twice about it. “I won’t say anything about it, your Highness,” he says as he pulls the piece to your usual tightness, “but if your parents would know what you’ve been up to already, and the ship has barely left the port?” He doesn’t need to continue that sentence, because you both know you’d be in massive trouble.

“But they won’t know, now will they?” You respond, relaxing when Sehun ties the lints easily. “Now, I’ll go ask Jongdae if he has something to lend that you can wear. You’ll overheat if you keep walking around in uniform like this.”

Sehun snorts, but lets you do what you want. He’s known you for long enough now to realize that you will do what you want to do, whether there is someone to stop you or not. “Let’s get up to the cabin, then,” he grins. “If I you don’t get followed around by every man on the ship, that is. You know, I thought you were going on this trip to get away from the prospect of marriage, not to gain your own harem.”

“I heard that all girls dress like this in the smaller towns, actually.” You push open the door with a huff, already walking towards the stairs. “Your lack of fashion knowledge proves that you’ve never been outside the Capital before, Master Sehun.”

“And you have?” He laughs when you send him a little glare, but follows behind at a polite distance. When you get back on deck, the wind is much more wild then it was in port. You lean over the barricade as far as you can, mouth dropping open when you look behind you. Aoran already looks tiny from here, the white of smaller sails looking like little specks in the distance. Everything looks so green from this far out. The waves of the sea smash against the sides of the ship, small drops flying up high enough to reach your face. “Have you ever seen anything that beautiful, Sehun? Look at the city.”

He nods, staring at the view much like you are. “The world is so much bigger than you realize when you’re always locked up indoors.” And right he is. You feel so small in the wake of it all. Trailing behind this first ship are two more, smaller in size but impressive nevertheless, all with the same design as this one. Not wanting to disturb anyone working on deck, you decide to follow Jongdae’s command and make your way to the main cabin as soon as possible, while Sehun decides to explore the ship further. When you knock and push open the office door, you’re surprised by how spacious the room is. The Captain is stood bent over the massive map, as Jongdae sits slouched comfortably in a chair by the window.

“Hope I’m not intervening,” you mumble softly, as the door falls into lock behind you.

Jongdae smiles, getting up to motion you over. “Not at all, princess. We’re just trying to predict what route to sail, is all.” You nod in understanding, as Lilith gives you a small smile of acknowledgement. “You said you’ve never been on a ship before, right?”

“Right.”

“Have you ever seen any other place but the Capital, your Majesty?” the Captain then asks, frown deep set on her visage, as you lift your shoulders.

“I saw Aoran for the first time a few hours ago, if that tells you anything. I mean,” you trail your finger over the map slowly, where Aking is just barely visible on it, “there’s large forests around the city, and mountains that you can walk up for days without getting to the other side. I’ve seen some of those places on outings before, briefly. But real cities, I’ve only ever read about.” The two sailors share a glance when you talk. “Not that I’m ungrateful for my position, of course. I have it much easier than most people. But that’s also partly why I wanted to join this journey. I want to be involved in my nation’s trade, I want to know who we’re trading with. Want to know what people go through, you know.”

Jongdae nods, before putting a hand on your shoulder. “I think that’s you’re doing a pretty good thing then, your Highness.” You mouth a ‘thank you’, before aiming your gaze back at the map. Lilith maps out points with a definite ease, she must have done this many, many times before after all. “Well, let me show you then,” Jongdae suddenly says, pulling you around to the other side of the table. “Our first stop will be this island. There’s a small town there called Caryon, where our food and water gets refilled for the rest of the journey. It’s the biggest of a couple islands here, as you can see. But unlike most other islands in this area, Caryon is under the nation’s control. If you have a need for anything, be sure to ask before we leave there. We’re meant to arrive around tomorrow evening, by sundown. Then we dock there until morning to resume our travels.”

“What about the other islands?” you ask, looking over at Jongdae as he easily explains. Jongdae too, looks at total ease on the ship. You wonder how long he’s been sailing for, but don’t ask. If he’s from Aking, something that seems likely considering his appearance and gesturing, something must have happened to turn him into a seafarer. People from the Capital don’t just become sea folk. Not like he is.

“What about the other islands?” he repeats.

“Well, you said, unlike the other islands, Caryon is owned by the nation. Who own the other islands?” You can barely finish your sentence or the Captain clears her throat, standing up straight. The two experienced sailors don’t say anything for a few seconds, before someone moves. Captain Lilith turns then, takes a glass and fills it to the brim with peach wine, a drink highly prized even in Aking. She offers it to you, and sighs.

“Just no-good chums, sugar plum. Don’t worry too much about them, we’re not planning to run into them anyway.” She wraps your fingers around the cup and then softly gestures you towards the door. “Why don’t you enjoy a bit of the sun and the wind, outside, ay? It’s a nice day out, and you’ll be stuck inside for too long when it starts getting cold out. Faring North tends to have that effect.” As if to confirm her words, Jongdae nods and gives you a wink.

“Captain’s right, Princess. I’ll let you know when you can help, okay? For now, you should probably experience your first boat ride from a better place than inside this dusty, old office.” With a slight pout, you nod, and bow as you head back out. The sun still hangs high in the sky, and the crew is easily bustling with a life of it’s own, laughing and talking as they do their jobs. The wind in the sails makes them bulge like reeds in the wind. As you sip your wine, you take in the view. The city that was once visible on the horizon behind now is gone, swallowed entirely by the waves, making way for an endless ocean to stretch out. It seems just as vast as the night sky, without edges to contain it on any side. You wonder if you’ll be able to count stars on the surface of the ocean when evening comes. You hope you can.

     🌊🌊🌊    

Your hands wrap around the cold game pieces again, tossing them onto the table with an attentive gaze. The ship bobs back and forward without purpose, as you reach to the side and watch the man in front of you work. He topples one of the bone runes, and then another. The game is kind of confusing, and you absolutely suck at it, but it’s entertaining anyway. The man across you plays easy, you can tell by the rolling of the eyes of the crew behind him. “Put that one forward,” Sehun mumbles to you, pointing at the piece with the number three. Cato, that’s what the blond in front of you is called, nods and points at the piece too.

“Good move,” he says. So you push it forward a square, and smile when Cato hands you a silver coin as a reward. “Congrats, your Highness.”

“You let me win.” Though he doesn’t say anything, you can see it in the glint in his eyes.

He shakes his head dramatically though. “I wouldn’t dare.” You don’t believe it one bit. “Well, thank you for this game, Princess. I’ll be heading back up though, my break is done.” Cato is a junior officer, in charge of the naval provisions and making sure the food is all accounted for. He’s nice, he offered you a biscuit earlier. With a bow, he stands from the table and puts on his vest. “I best take my leave before the Captain has my head on a stick.” The blond smiles at your expression. “Metaphorically, of course.”

“Or literally,” a guy laughs behind him, as you look on in surprise. “You know what they say, Cato.”

“Aye,” the other responds, placing his hat on his head.

You don’t though, and frown in question. “What do they say?”

Cato laughs off your confused frown, and rests his hands on his belt with ease. “They say that the Captain is the daughter of a giant and the ocean Goddess. I wouldn’t know though,” he smiles, “I’ve never asked her. It would make a lot of sense if you think about it.” You don’t know much about giants, but if anyone is the daughter of one, you believe it to be Lilith. And she does carry herself with the confidence you expect from a goddess’ child. “I’ll play you later, if I get the chance. And I won’t go easy on you that time.” You nod at that, laughing softly.

As you wave Cato out, the loud bell signalling your departure sounds out of the blue, the ringing rushed. It lasts a really long time. The two crewmen left in the hull look up at the sound of it, while glances are exchanged between all of you. They seem just as confused with the signal as you and Sehun are, which is much more concerning than the sound itself. Shouting seems to come from up top, ringing through the depth of the ship. The men get up and rush out the way Cato left, leaving only you and your friend left behind in the confusion.

“Uhm, what’s going on?” you question, asking no one in particular, glancing at Sehun with wide eyes. He is entirely as lost as you are, looking more like a sailor himself instead of a guard in the new clothes he borrowed. The shouting doesn’t stop, and you take this as a signal that something is wrong. “We have to go check up deck,” you say. Sehun attempts to hold you back by your dress but you’re up and through the door before he gets the chance to, rushing down the abandoned halls. The shouting gets louder and louder the higher you get, indicating your guess to be correct. Whatever is causing the ruckus is an unexpected and unwelcome one. When some of the crew scramble down the stairs in a hurry, you flatten yourself to the wall to let them pass and continue up, ignoring Sehun when he calls for you.

You get upstairs slightly disoriented, the sun bright compared to the dim inside, even though the sky colors orange and yellow. People are scuffling all around you, as you heave yourself out of the indent of the stairs and onto deck. Someone dressed entirely in black almost runs into you, choosing to push you aside instead. You frown but don’t let this stop you. As you get up from the deck you look around the tangled mess for anyone you recognize. And sure enough. Jongdae stands far behind you, sword in hand and fighting off the person that opposes him. When he spots you, his eyes widen, as he uses his free hand to motion ‘no’ over and over again. You can hardly run back to the stairs though, watching the rest of the crew storming up them, armed with swords and shields. Jongdae overpowers the other man and kicks him in the gut, before pushing him overboard with a grunt. 

While you’re distracted with all of this, someone grabs for your arm, holding tight. Sehun. He says something in words so rushed you don’t get to make them out, but sounds angry without question. You point over to the stern of the ship. “Jongdae’s over there.” Sehun pushes you behind him, and makes his way over there slowly but surely, avoiding strangers that get in your way. The quartermaster runs to meet you halfway, pushing another stranger out of the way in the process, as you blink around you in confusion, clinging to your friend. “What’s going on?” you yell over the noise. Jongdae wipes some blood from his cheek with his sleeve. You don’t know if it’s his or someone else’s, and it doesn’t really seem like the time to ask. You’re so lost at the situation. Both parties drop to the floor like flies, marking the spotless deck with stains of red.

“Pirates,” Jongdae breathes, gaze dark. He takes the smaller knife out of his belt to hand it to Sehun, before hiding the both of you behind him to make his way through the invaders. It’s hard to make out who is who in the mess of it, so you just cling to Sehun as you can’t do anything but watch. People getting pushed overboard, and others getting stabbed. Your stomach drops at the sight of it. To the side of the ship, you notice, is another boat, almost identical in size. It’s not a part of the fleet though, because the entire length of it is painted entirely black, with deep red sails that seem to have been doused in blood.

Jongdae comes back around to stay by you, something you find a lot more comforting. He seems to have found the Captain in the fighting, or they at least end up in the same place together when you look over at him. The woman slashes two men across their throats at the same time, the bodies falling overboard with a well-aimed kick. They fall in between the gap of your ship and the other, but just barely. “Captain!” Jongdae yells, glancing at her in worry. “Where’s the other ships?”

“I sent them ahead! These bloodsuckers are not getting a single coin today,” she roars back. She tackles another of the men and skewers him against the deck, viciously glancing around. Whatever she is, Goddess or not, you’d be terrified if you were fighting against her. She glances over her shoulder for just long enough to make you and Sehun out in the madness, and swears. “Get those two on a ship and out of here, Quartermaster!” Jongdae refutes almost instantly, but she doesn’t back down. “We are fine! They won’t keep fighting if enough of their men are injured. If she dies however,” another person gets speared to the floor, smacking their head into the deck hard enough to knock them out, “I won’t be responsible for the start of a war! Get her off my ship!”

Jongdae slashes another person down when they charge at you, before giving in with a swear. He pushes the two of you toward the back of the ship more, grabbing a hold of you. When he turns, you notice how much blood is on his face and ruining his white blouse. Blood runs out of his nose, though it doesn’t seem to bother him at all. “Run to the back and get your stuff, as fast as you can,” he says to Sehun, who nods and runs to the back immediately. “You,” he brings out, wiping the back of his hand over his face and smearing the blood all over his cheek because of it, “run into the Captain’s cabin and get a big bag. Fill it with food, money, and flasks of water, okay? I’ll protect the door. Go quick!”

Waiting for one of the Pirates to stumble away, you nod, doing your best to keep your eyes from watering. You didn’t even know pirates were a thing, let alone that they would attack you on sight. With the way towards the cabin relatively clear, you run over there as fast as you can, and push your full weight against the heavy door to open it. The door falls closed behind you, leaving you obstructed from the fight. If something were to happen to Jongdae or Sehun or the Captain, you wouldn’t even be aware of it until you got back out there. However, you don’t have time to think about that. You grab a big bag and do exactly as Jongdae asked, tossing everything in with shaky hands. A map, the small metal thingie the captain was using to mark places, you toss all of it inside. Three flasks of water, a heavy pouch of money, and all the fruit that was cleanly displayed on the dresser to the side.

The door creaks behind you as someone attempts to open it, but falls back into lock just as fast. Tingles of adrenaline crawl all over your skin, like small needles. When you’re done, you grab the thing in both arms and hoist it up to the best of your ability, but it’s heavy. You lean it against the wall to pull open the door, screaming as a person stumbles inside when you do. The pirate has a knife in his back though, the one Sehun had. “Come on!” your friend blurts when he notices you there, pushed against the wall as your only protection. He grabs the bag from you and pulls you through the door so fast you almost fall over your own feet. Jongdae is standing by the railing, and fights off another of the pirates. How many of these guys even are there?!

You arrive out of breath and with flushed cheeks, but don’t get time to pause. Sehun tosses the bag overboard, as you watch with wide eyes. “Sehun!” you start, before noticing the much smaller boat there to catch it’s fall. The bag lands with a loud thump, but the small rowboat stays afloat. Sehun climbs onto the other side of the railing without hesitating, and lowers himself down to the boat by the thick rope that Jongdae must have tied there at some point when you were inside. The ship is high though, and the waves suddenly don’t look nearly as calming as they once did.

“It’s okay, Y/N,” Sehun says, “you can do it!” You climb onto the other side of the railing with shallow breaths, and start lowering yourself down the rope by clenching it in between your legs. It gives you some nasty rope burns. Before you can side down any further, your hands lose strength and slip. You fall the rest of the way, landing onto the side of the boat and almost flipping it. “By Idite’s name,” Sehun brings out, helping you into the boat properly. Your feet are wet and your hip hurts a lot, but apart from that you’re fine, and the boat luckily is intact. Now you just stare up at the edge of the ship and wait for Jongdae’s face to appear. It doesn’t, not for a long while, to the point where you both attempt to pull yourself back up to check for him, but to no avail.

Luckily, after another minute or so, he finally appears to look over the side of the ship, and climbs down with his sword still in hand. He lands easily, but stares guiltily to the ship as the small boat bobs with the motion of the waves. “We don’t have to leave, Jongdae,” you quickly say, feeling equally guilty. “I can hide, or fight!”

“No,” he says though, putting the sword down and grabbing the paddles, as Sehun grabs the second pair. “The fact that you think that just means that we have to leave. The Captain knows what she’s doing. She’ll meet us in Caryon, by tomorrow. Sit tight, Princess.” So you do as told, and sit down. But the entire time the boys row away from the atrocity that just happened, your eyes stay on the ship. You can’t see anyone on deck anymore. You don’t dare to ask if that’s a good sign, or a bad one.

You’ve been swaying with the stubborn movement of the waves for at least an hour now, staring into the distance where the ship has vanished into the fog for ages already. It’s getting later and later, and the ocean is getting exponentially dark as time goes on. Not much more now, and you’ll be surrounded entirely by darkness. The idea that that can happen is terrifying. Aking is never entirely dark, even at night. However, that seems like the lesser of your many problems. Jongdae peers to the front intently, on his knees and looking for something, though you don’t know what. Sehun seems to have taken it onto himself to count your items, most likely to fight away the silence. He doesn’t do well in complete silence, it lets his thoughts run entirely free and in situations like this, he’s never the best at staying calm.

After a while, you get more anxious by all the things and Sehun’s twitching, and turn around in the boat to watch Jongdae instead. He glances behind to catch your eye, and smiles a bit. His face is still not entirely clean of the blood, but he did his best to wipe most of it away, or at least you think he did. It’s hard to tell in the slumber of nightfall. As if sensing your total and complete loss at the situation, he cocks his head to the front. “The waves are too strong for a rowboat of this size. We’d just be burning energy and staying in place, trying to head for the main island.” That makes sense. A while ago, he told Sehun to stop rowing after all. You offered to take his place, but it would have been no use, he’d said.

“So where are we going now then?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” he nods, glancing at the stars and then at the map again. You don’t know how much use a map is when you don’t have a single thing to base your position off though, just water. Jongdae doesn’t seem scared by the ocean even in a situation like this, you admire that in him. “If we have a little bit of luck on our side, we’re still heading in the right direction. And with even a bit more of said luck, we’re coming up to land any second now.” He peers out into the distance again, fingers curled tight around the paper in hand. Sehun stops his mindless counting to join in your staring. It’s hard to see because of the fog. But sure enough, very faintly, like a small curve sticking out above the horizon, you see something that you just hope is land.

“Is that it, you think?” Sehun asks, a hopeful tone in his voice.

“It can’t be anything else,” the sailor confirms, which settles your nerves. Your heart still feels heavy though. At least you’ll be reunited with the Captain and her fleet. You worry about the crew, about Cato and all the other innocent people who might have gotten hurt in the attack. How didn’t you know about this? The Captain and Jongdae did, which means that it’s happened before. How many innocent people have been attacked by pirates to get rich folk some foreign fabrics? The possibility that your parents don’t know of this is scary, but it’s even scarier to think they do. That just means they don’t care. That’s not an issue for right now though, you decide.

“Is Caryon far from the beach?” you settle on asking, “how will we get there?”

But Jongdae makes a slight noise of disagreement, before looking back at you. “This isn’t the main island, your Highness. We’re still a few hours out of reach on this little boat.” He frowns, and shakes his head. “No, this is one of the smaller islands, one we normally choose not to stop at. It is not a place you wish to stay when you work for the Royal fleet. Ayusoshil.”

You sigh, and lean forward a little, grasping the sides of the boat. “What does that mean?”

“Thief’s Bay.” Jongdae doesn’t look away from the slight bump raised above the water as he talks. Sure enough, it already seems closer than it was before. 

“Charming name,” you bring out, which makes him snort.

“Very.” When you wait with shallow breaths to get even closer, you swear you can see a tiny light through the fog. It’s faint, but unmoving, and at least it’s something to base your position on. “Let’s row now,” he says, turning to face you in the boat, “we’re close.” Sehun nods and takes a hold back on the paddles, dropping your stuff back into the big bag that lays useless at the bottom of the boat. You can hear the waves raging in the distance, washing up against the islands like a vicious attack.

    🌊🌊🌊    

The wind is cold against your skin, biting at the exposed parts of your body with razor sharp teeth, and though Sehun shelters the most of it by walking behind you, you feel weak. The sand hurts when it hits your face too. But Jongdae walks with a reasonable pace, and an optimistic attitude. The grass is long and wet, wrapping around your ankles as you scale the hill. The light you had seen from afar had been but a mirage, but Jongdae is sure that people actually live here, and that you should be coming up on them soon. The silence is broken by the sound of a bird in the distance. When you make it to the top of the hill you’re truly exhausted from the events of the day. “I told you!” the quartermaster sighs, relief brushing his features ever so softly.

Jongdae helps you up the last step and makes way for Sehun, before pointing towards the valley that spreads out in front of your eyes. Many torches burn in the darkness, flames fighting to stay ignited against the damp air. They reveal a few houses, with one large one in the center of the town, and lights that lead a path to the other side of the island, where you guess the ships are docked. “Oh, good Gods!” Sehun whispers, “I didn’t want to say it but I was worried we’d never arrive. I’m so tired, a good warm drink and I’ll be ready to go to bed.”

Jongdae stares for a while, before slowly walking down the hill, with the two of you following behind. “I don’t know if there’s an inn we can stay at, Sehun. I don’t even know if there’s anyone here who can help us. But it’s worth a try, at least.” He walks in front of you two by a few steps, and nods. “Let’s just be careful, though. And your Highness, if anyone asks,” he swallows then, eyes too serious as they regard you, “you are not a Princess starting from now, alright?” Though you don’t understand why, you nod. It seems to be really important to him.

When you finally arrive at the town, the bottom of your dress is colored a dark pink because of the wet grass. The streets are abandoned because of the nasty weather, you guess, partly wishful thinking. The main building you spotted from a distance looks old and worn, the wooden front colorless and bulging because of the elements, with yellow stained windows that are fogged up by the cold night air. “Here’s the plan,” Jongdae says, slowing his steps underneath the overhang of one of the much smaller buildings. They looked like houses from a distance, but it seems more like an abandoned storage house when you look at it now.

“The people that come here aren’t those favored by the nation. Some are probably criminals, some are most likely fugitives or other lot of that sort. And I can’t enter there without being denied immediately or worse,” he admits, “I should have brought some neutral clothing but — we were kind of in a rush to leave. It’s also not a good idea to enter there with your money on you, unless you want to be robbed the second you set foot in that place. So Sehun will stay here and hide behind this house with our things, and I’ll stand guard out here.” The wind whistles through the cracks of the building.

Sehun drops the bag to the floor for a second then, and raises his eyebrows. “All right, but then who will go inside to ask for help?” It stays silent for a while, before Jongdae’s gaze slides over to you. Sehun immediately shakes his head though. “No, no way. You can’t make the Princess of the Capital enter into a rat’s nest like that! What if something happens? She can stay hidden behind the building instead of me.”

“Sehun,” Jongdae frowns, “with all due respect, she can’t fight. You’re a guard, you have at least some fighting training. If we lose the money to thieves, we’re as good as dead. Then we’re never leaving here, and we wouldn’t have any reason for them to not kill us on the spot.” He sighs, and turns to you. His clothes are still entirely stained with blood. It would be best if he didn’t enter, you reason. He’s right, if he were to enter he’d immediately give away in how much trouble you really are. “You’ll have to do it, your Highness. I’m sorry.” Sehun opens his mouth to cut in again, but you place a hand on his arm.

“It’s fine, Master Sehun. I can do this.” You look to the floor then, and at the one bag full of everything you own. “I can do this,” you nod to yourself, before motioning to the biggest building. “I’ll try to hurry. Stay safe out here, please.”

“You too,” your friend says, frown still digging into his features in worry.

When you walk to the door by yourself, the night seems entirely quiet. Even the wind has ceased to reach this far down the valley, instead making way for a void where only the ocean is audible. You’re so used to the sound of it you almost don’t notice it anymore. The door is thick, and heavy-looking, like a piece of driftwood that was merely attached here out of ease. When you look behind again, the two guys have already moved to hide behind the building, so you take a deep breath to calm yourself, and then push hard against the door with your shoulder. The loud buzz of the room quiets when you enter, and tens of eyes turn in your direction. The men here look unfriendly to say the least. With unshaven faces, scarred arms, and sunken eyes. They seem to gleam at your arrival, but you will yourself to be brave.

The door falls shut with a loud sigh of the wood, bending under the pressure. “Does anyone here have a ship?” you ask, looking around the room and briefly at the fire that burns wildly in the fireplace. It stays silent for a while, so you sigh, and bite your lip. “Or does anyone here have a ship, who can speak Home Tongue?” Your reading ability might be pretty great, but you’re far less equipped to speak a language you’ve never even heard before. Some men talk among each other when again no one responds. Then, with the sound of metal being dropped and some ruffling, the group of men to your right move apart to reveal one of the few tables of the place, and the person sitting at it.

“I do,” he says, voice deep and full, with a slight bit of raspiness. When his eyes move from the grain of the table to meet yours, you pause to take a deep breath, and link your hands behind your back. The man seems to radiate cold from every fiber of his body, bringing a baring panic that is laced into the color of him. Though his skin tone is far from pale, it seems icy, just like the slight curl of his lips. His eyes are dark and piercing, though he’s dressed entirely in white. The many piercings that he has are delicate, and his posture casual. But maybe the most peculiar part is his hair, since it’s so much shorter than you’ve ever seen anyone wear. It is not only weird to cut your hair in your culture, it’s almost like you’re cursing at the Gods directly. “Well?” he asks, sounding bored.

“Good,” you just respond, taking a few steps closer to him. His men come to stand behind you, closing off the entrance with their bodies. You feel entirely uncomfortable turning your back to them, but you don’t really have a choice. “Me and some friends were on a fishing trip, but it seems a storm snuck up on us and we got stranded here. We would really like to get back to Caryon by tomorrow, or people will start to worry.” You pause for a second to check his reaction. But the man barely moves, just blinking a little. “I can pay you.”

“Can you, now?” he responds, straightening up in his chair. He rests his hands on the table for a bit, before toying with the glass on the table. “So a storm caught you off guard, and now you need to get out of here?” he repeats, not looking at you while he speaks. It doesn’t look like he’s looking at anything really, rather staring through the creaky, old planks of the floor into nothing.

You squeeze your own hand out of nerves and ignore the breathing of the men behind you, too close for comfort. “Yes, Sir.”

He smiles. Wide and mischievous, it curls on his lips into a heart, making him look younger than you expect him to be. It’s a pretty smile. But despite that, it sends a shiver down your spine. Smoothly, he leans back in his chair, and props his feet up on the table. Polite. His eyes find yours for just a few seconds from under long lashes, before flicking away at his surroundings. “I’ve never seen fishers before with clothes like that. Very pretty.” It’s like he doesn’t even want to look at you, like you couldn’t pose a threat if you tried. Your gaze hasn’t left his shape once for the opposite reason. He seems volatile, flammable and if you’ve learned anything of people like this, it’s to keep close watch on them.

When he gestures vaguely in your direction, you actively have to break that rule to look down at yourself. Your corset is bedazzled all over with small, shiny crystals that shimmer in the light of the fire, with thin threads and exquisite craftsmanship. Even the dumbest of people would be able to tell it to be of value, but you take solace in the fact that there are plenty of families rich enough to afford things like this. He wouldn’t be able to track you back to the royal house with just this. “You seem like a smart girl,” he sighs, with a nonchalance and a slight tick of his jaw. The rest of his crew keep their eyes on you, increasing levels of curiosity. “How about you tell us your name, huh?”

He takes clear pleasure in the doubt you express, dark eyes gleaming with the gold light of an inferno. Like a lion, exchanging glances with his prey. As if he’s asking to be dared, wants to have a reason to light up this room and tie you to the floor with it. You’re determined not to let him though. With a small nod, you take another step forward, and place your hands on the table. “It’s Clem,” you say, voice sturdy as much as you can get it in a situation like this. You only straighten up when he looks at you again, sighing deeply. “Now, can you help us or not, Captain?”

He lifts a brow and grins again, looking over at his crew. “You seem very sure about your chances here, little girl. I assure you that I’m not normally very kind to strangers who impede on my territory, though.” He stands up from his chair then, leaning forward on the table like you had seconds before, and bringing his sword up from his belt to have the blade rest against your throat. It’s perfectly sharp, dragging lines into your soft skin every time you shake. Both from the cold and the nerves. “You have some guts to come in here all alone and demand something from me so confidently.” The breath you take is shaky against the cold metal, but you clench your teeth and do your best to fight through.

“Not confident, just desperate,” you gasp.

He now pauses, expression freezing over within seconds. Then, slowly, he drags the tip of the sword down your throat and leaves it to press under your collarbones, thin skin almost revealing blood. “Then what makes you think that I won’t kill you here, right now, and find your little friends after that. It seems to me a lot more profitable to just get rid of you all together, and still take your silver for myself.” Some of the men chuckle at that, like threatening a person is a normal part of their routine.

“You won’t,” you breathe. This seems to amuse him greatly.

“Want to bet your head on that, rich girl?”

Despite the blazing fire in the room, your body is cold, and your muscles weak. You might as well. “You won’t kill me, because if you wanted to do that, you would’ve by now.” His eyebrow twitches a little at your voice, sword becoming increasingly painful on your skin. “Now, I might not know much about you or anyone in this room, but I bet you’re all here for the same reason. You believe in rules that the world doesn’t adhere to, and you think that you can do better on your own, out here in the middle of nowhere. I believe in that too.” The room feels thick with the eyes that are aimed at you like throwing swords at your head, but you don’t dare stop. At least, as long as you’re talking he doesn’t get the chance to scare you out of it. “But if you truly feel that way and you’re willing to die for it, then don’t play around like unknowing, little children. Prove that you are better than what you’re running away from.” A long, tense pause. You don’t think anyone breathes, because the room is entirely dead quiet.

In one smooth move, the sword is away from your skin, and slid back into his belt. His heavy gaze stays on yours for a second longer, before he makes his way through the men and to the door with weighted steps. “The smart mouth can live, for right now,” he brings out, taking the white jacket that matches his other clothes and draping it over his shoulders. “Baekhyun, bring her and her foundlings to the beach in a bit. The rest of you, go man our godforsaken ship before the wind changes again.” When the door is pulled open, it carries in waves of cold, and the howling of the wind through the frame. He turns over his shoulder once to give you a one over, and tuts. “Oh, and if she opens her little trap again, you kill ‘em where they stand. Understood?”

“Ay ay, Captain,” it sounds from across the room, almost sung with amusement. The idea of talking so casually about death makes you sick to your stomach. It’s like none of them have seen death before, like they don’t believe in the concept of it. But before you can say anything else, or want to, he leaves the house and disappears into the dark night, taking most of the men with him. You stare until the door slams shut with a lot of noise, before letting out a deep breath. The place where his sword was pressed is painful when you brush your fingers over it. “So what have we here,” the same voice sounds from behind you, slipping around you too fast to keep up. When you look over your shoulder, he’s already in front of you, and turns your face to meet his with a hold on your jaw. “What a curious little fish who washed up on our beach,” he grins.

“I didn’t wash up on your beach, I washed up on the other side of the island,” you bring out, pulling your face from his hold and frowning at him. The man in front of you also has relatively short hair for a citizen of any city, with smiley features and a bright grin. He’s beautiful as well, eerily so, with silvery eyes that glint with glee. He seems to light up at your attitude, and brings his face uncomfortably close to yours while he inspects you.

“I should really stab you for that,” he brings out, voice playful, “but I quite like a bit of bite in my ladies. So you’re free to do so, for as long as I’m around. Isn’t that kind?” His back is turned to you but his gaze is over his shoulder at you, as he holds his sword in his hands behind his back. You just glare at him and don’t respond, which makes him laugh. One of the men who didn’t go with the Captain pours a bucket of sand onto the fire, effectively putting it out. The other, Baekhyun you guess, tosses him a piece of silver, and then glances back at you. 

When he notices your gaze on him, his smile grows. “So, let me guess about you, little fish. I think you’re the second daughter of some sort of high ranked citizen in the Capital who sent you out, right? Your storm story is complete garbage, there were no storms anywhere near here. So the people who are with you are most likely a brother, cousin or friend who was sent with you for support, and the person who was supposed to ferry you over, right? You’re one of those librarians they sent every once in a while, right, one of those girls?” You again, don’t respond, but he doesn’t seem bothered in the slightest. “I always wondered why they only send girls. My guess is they offer one to the gods every few months.” He smiles as he places the point of his sword against your lower back. “Guess you’ll find out, huh. Now walk, unless you want to get skewered.”

You walk to the door under his tight surveillance, and pull it open with both hands, goosebumps covering your every inch in the cold night air. Baekhyun hums a melody as he walks behind you, steering you towards the dirt road and out of the light that peeks through the small windows of the inn. “So what are you,” you start, staring out into the night to see of any sign that might reveal your friends, “you’re pirates, right?” Baekhyun doesn’t really respond for a bit, so you slowly start moving into the direction you came from, and wait for a sign. But as you think that, a doubt makes it’s way through you. Jongdae is still in his same uniform, unmistakably an ally of the Capital and if these men find that out, things don’t look good for his safety. You stop in the middle of the road as you think, suddenly unsure about this whole idea. You’ve got a sword pressed to your back, for the Gods’ sake. 

“I guess that’s what they call us, yes,” he admits, halting when you do. You can feel his statue behind you, unwavering. What now?

“But you’re not?”

This makes him laugh, a bright, chilling sound in the silence of the abandoned island that sounds much too genuine. “Oh no, we definitely are. It just doesn’t sound very nice, does it? ‘Pirates’, like we’re out to hurt every single person in the whole wide world, murder in cold blood. Thief would be kinder, I think.” You can’t help but wonder how sane this man truly is, if he thinks being called a thief would be any better. In old tales, thieves end up with their heads being bitten off in the night. When you still don’t move, Baekhyun presses harder against the sword, urging you forward. “What are you waiting for, little fish? If you want your request fulfilled, you’ll have to move and get your friends.”

“How can I trust that you won’t kill us and take our money?” you bring out, gathering some of your dress in your both hands to step into the long grass.

“You can’t.” Baekhyun sighs deeply, and then hums again, the same tune. After a second of walking, you pause, and turn to face him. “What?” he blinks, staring at you with a teasing look. His eyes are lined with a black that makes them seem sunken in, and almost impossible to read in the darkness. This of course, is true. But you can’t help but feel that if they were planning on killing you, they would’ve done so by now, and twice over. You just hope this man is loyal enough to his Captain to follow the order of bringing you to the ship, alive. You don’t have another choice, or the Royal fleet will leave without you.

You take in a deep breath, and hold back a frown as best as you can. Here goes nothing. “I was going the wrong way, the sword held to my spine must’ve confused me.” At the raise of his eyebrows, you breathe out. “I’m sorry, it’s that way instead.” Baekhyun tilts his head to the side, before shrugging and lowering his sword entirely, a small grin crawling up to his lips, triumphant. He cocks his head to motion you to lead the way again, hands settling around his belt. The casual way in which he does it only seems to prove again that he doesn’t consider you a threat. So either he’s dumb and cocky, or he genuinely has no reason to be worried. You don’t really know which you’d prefer.

You speed your steps a bit as you return in the way you just walked, and towards the house you left your friends at. Baekhyun trails behind leisurely, the gravel crunching under his feet with each step. As you peek around the back of the house, relief fills your body. Sehun is pressed to the wall of the building, his eyes wide as he stares at your sudden appearance. Jongdae lowers his sword and smiles at you, as you let out a breath. “You’re not dead,” Sehun cleverly says, which makes you laugh.

You nod, and let your dress fall back to it’s normal length, smoothing it out with small movements. “Good news, I found us a way to Caryon. Uhm, bad news—” you say, falling silent when Baekhyun shows up beside you, face lit up with curiosity.

“Hi there.” He looks the two men up and down, before huffing a little and putting out his hand toward the sword in the other’s hand. “I’ll take that.” The frown on Jongdae’s face is clear, but he agrees with the man almost instantly. He too seems to know that in this state, he’d lose a duel, even if you have the majority here. “You look to be in seriously bad shape,” he nods in the quartermaster’s direction, taking in the blood stains and the intricate stitchings of the shirt, “and from a much more prestigious ship than a small fisher boat.” A big grin comes to kiss his lips. “You know, you’re a really bad liar,” he says, turning back to you. Jongdae’s sword is slid into his belt, as he motions his own at the three of you to guide you toward the beach. “I guess you’re lucky I worship the Goddess Manto. We’re big enthusiasts of any form of drama, you know.”

“So I’ve heard,” you bring out, as you grab Sehun’s arm and trail behind the pirate, who walks backwards toward the beach. Many of the royal palace worship that same goddess, and you are sure to know that they most definitely enjoy a good bit of conflict and theater. The walk down the narrow path happens mostly in silence, with the humming of the leading man carrying through the emptiness of the valley. The island isn’t that big, it seems, because you reach the beach sooner than expected. “I’m sorry to say,” you suddenly begin, hesitating for a second when Jongdae catches your eyes, “but you seem quite casual for a pirate.”

Baekhyun laughs, ringing loud as he walks, and turns back to look at you. “How so?”

“I was under the assumption that pirates were more… ruthless, maybe.” You smile a little when Sehun squeezes your arm under his.

“Would you like me to be?” the raven-haired pirate asks, raising his eyebrows. When you shake your head ‘no’, he smiles. “We are when we need to be, I think. Captain definitely is not one for small talk like I am, I guess you would find him ‘ruthless’ more so then me, in the simple sense of the word. But he doesn’t enjoy suffering as much as I do, either.” When he faces you this time, it’s with a smile that you can only describe as dangerous, one of a person needing desperately to play games. “I like seeing a body curl into unnatural shapes with pain,” he admits. You quiet when he doesn’t say more, and look away from the pirate to glance at the busy back and forth of the indistinguishable shapes near the water edge.

The ship is about as big as you think the May Terror was, though hard to tell from this far away. People are loading large boxes up into it. As you get close enough, you can see the ship in it’s full glory. Though it doesn’t have the same glamour as the royal fleet did, there’s a definite air that surrounds it. Like the ship allows only awe to be pulled from you. The ship is made of dark wood that has grayed in the sun, and giant, white sails. Baekhyun grins as he comes to a stop, poking Jongdae with his sword. “Up, up, my seafaring friend. We’ll have to get you onto the ship without the Captain seeing, after all.”

“Why are you helping us if you’re so against the Capital?” you bring out at that, glaring when he jabs Jongdae between the shoulder blades.

“Well, because I really want to see this thing play out. Long journeys can be so terribly boring when we don’t have captives or any form of entertainment. The rest of them,” motioning at the men that walk around on deck above you, “are just following orders. And the Captain— just hope that he doesn’t find out before we load you off again. Maybe you’ll be able to run off as soon as we board, and just survive it.” With a smile he pushes Jongdae toward the plank, then Sehun and lastly you. As you walk up it, Baekhyun follows close behind, sliding his sword away. “You know… a kiss might make me consider trying harder to keep your secret from coming out, little fish.”

You turn over your shoulder to catch his smug grin, as you send him your hardest death glare. “Don’t dream of it, you sneaky, stealing— lowlife.”

“Ouch,” he pouts, “you wound me. Truly.” When you arrive on the deck, people are too busy manning the ship to really pay attention to you, though some eyes follow your group to the back of the ship. They walk around with candles and lanterns, giving just enough light to keep you from running into things. Baekhyun takes one of the candles and tosses open a door nearing the back of the cabin. “Down into there,” he points, to the dark hole that the door opens into. The ladder down is rickety, creaking under Sehun’s feet as he descends. 

You follow, wanting to get away from Baekhyun though not daring to remove your eyes from him. You quickly think of the Captain, and what he might do if he finds out that Jongdae is who he is, or worse, who you are. But then the last of your trio descends and Baekhyun is leading you around in the belly of the ship, past food stocks and even past the beds of crew until you reach a little corner. There’s a small space left there, with ropes and barrels taking up most of the space. “Here we are,” Baekhyun nods, squishing you in one by one, “pleasure having you on board, and thank you for sailing the world’s grandest pirate ship. I do have to tie you up now. Don’t want you getting any ideas, of course. Oh!” He suddenly exclaims, dramatic as ever, “and I need our money.”

You pause for a bit to think, locking eyes with Jongdae and Sehun before nodding. “Alright. We’re paying you half now, and the other half when we arrive in Caryon, safe and unharmed.” When Baekhyun giggles, you swallow, and cross your arms over your chest. “I think that’s only fair, considering our situation. And I’m staying untied, also.” The black haired man cocks his head to the side with a smirk, before looking behind him and back.

“If that makes you feel any better, sure.”

Before you have to ask, Sehun reaches into the bag without taking his eyes off of the pirate, and takes a handful pieces of silver to hand him. “You can try to cheat us or steal from us before we arrive,” he mumbles, “but this is all we have. You’ll be disappointed by your win if you do.” You nod along, watching Baekhyun as he slides the money into his pocket with a smooth move. Now just to hope that he doesn’t take it all for himself. Jongdae seems to be strangely quiet, leaning against the wall with a frown on his handsome visage. Maybe he’s thinking the same you are. A pirate isn’t to be trusted.

“Alright, pretty boy, quiet down. If I wanted to steal from you, you wouldn’t have that bag anymore, or your hands, alright? I won’t keep being as civil as I’ve been if you keep accusing me.” True to his word, he ties each of your arms behind your backs, leaving one of your hands untied. You are all tied to the barrels then, as Baekhyun gives you a small bow. His grin has yet to leave his face, and you can’t help but think that this is his normal expression. With his free hand he gives you a little wave, walking back in the direction of the ladder. “Goodnight, sleep tight, don’t let the rats bite. I’ll see you all in the morning. Or before that, who knows.” With a loud laugh, he climbs back up to the deck, slamming the door shut. It falls into lock with a grinding, metal noise. Most likely a lock of sorts.

When the silence comes for the first time since maybe an hour ago, you slide down the side of the barrel to sit on the floor, grabbing at the bag near your feet. Sehun and Jongdae are already seated, their hands tied tight behind their backs. Poor them. You guess he didn’t feel the need to tie you up because he thinks you can’t fight, and sadly, he’s right in that assumption. Instead of dancing or singing, they should have given you fencing lessons, at least you’d be able to make yourself useful now. “I’ve just doomed all of us, haven’t I,” you breathe, looking at the both of them. Your eyes are still adjusting since Baekhyun left you behind in total darkness.

Sehun opens his mouth to answer, but settles on squeezing your arm softly instead, and rests into you a bit. It must be terrifying to him too, though he doesn’t admit it. Jongdae stays quiet for a long while, like he’s trying to sort through all his thoughts, before finally sighing deeply. “No, you did well. I’ve dealt with pirates before and I was hardly as helpful as you were. I mean, we’re tied up, but on our way to Caryon at the very least. That’s more than we had an hour ago.” Count on him to be full of optimism even in the dark, dim depths of a pirate ship.

“Jongdae?” you call again, waiting for his small hum, “what happens to you if they find out that you’re part of the royal fleet? What if Baekhyun lied, and he’s tells the Captain at this very moment or at any point during the trip? I don’t trust him.” Sehun seems troubled by this thought too. You don’t want anything to happen to him. He saved you before, and even if he didn’t, you’d want him to be okay more than anything.

A tiny smile comes to his lips, but you can tell it’s not very genuine, or self-assured. “I don’t know, Princess. Let’s just hope they don’t find out before we arrive.” When silence falls, every crack of the wood or whisper of the wind sounds loud, and you have a hard time letting go of thoughts. Despite this, the call of sleep catches up to you after a while. In the cold belly of the ship you sleep, resting against Sehun’s shoulder as you sink into a dreamless night.

     🌊🌊🌊     

You’re awoken by the sound of many feet on the deck above, and the faint sigh of the heavy door being pushed open. Cold, salty air blows down into the belly of the ship and fills your lungs, a much needed breath of fresh air. Sehun is already awake when you glance over at him with heavy lids, Jongdae awakening from slumber much like you. “They are coming down,” Sehun mumbles, and he’s right. Heavy boots stomp down the ladder, past the load of food and past the beds. They are coming for you guys.

“We can’t have arrived this soon already,” Jongdae mumbles, which makes your heart sink to your toes. If they’re not here to get you off their ship, then why are they?

Two men drag you up by your tied arms before you can say anything to your friends, yanking you through the rooms under loud mumbling from the other crew, as you struggle to stay upright. They don’t even allow you to climb up yourself entirely, instead dragging you up by your shoulders the last bit. You’re led to the middle of the deck, and pushed down onto your knees without a second thought, with Sehun and Jongdae following the same path. Sehun is dumped down with a harsh shove that sends him on his side, and winces when he lands onto his shoulder. You do your best to help him up with your tied hands, looking around. The waves are wild today, ship anchored in the middle of nowhere. Though the sun is out, the weather is chilly, leaving you with the hairs on your body raised.

Feet click on the wood, shoes decorated with metal that gleams in the first light of the morning. The person halts in front of you three, barely acknowledging you as humans in their own right. Dust blows into your face, but you don’t look away. The man of last night sighs with the same stone cold attitude he carried then, before squatting down and taking a hold of Sehun’s face to yank it up into view. When his stained fingers grab at your friend you clench your teeth, but hold your tongue. Now’s not the time to talk back, you know this. His dark eyes flick to yours for just a second, before he surveys the young man. After a little while, all under the judging eyes of the crew, he moves away from your friend to do the same with Jongdae.

“Tell me,” he clicks his tongue, before looking between all three of you again, “where’s the rest of your men and women?” He trails his finger over the colorful emblem on Jongdae’s shoulder as he waits, but none of you answer. Only the wind can be heard over the rushing of the ocean waves. The small emblem is that of your family, your home so far away by now, it’s yellow and blue clearly recognizable. You don’t know how they found out, but you can only guess that someone talked to the Captain. But as you look around, you don’t see Baekhyun under the men. “Is my question unclear to you?” the man in white breathes, glancing at you with a fire in his eyes, like that of the burning sun.

You curl your legs to the side to push yourself from the wood, and glare back at him. But before you can say much of anything, Jongdae pushes himself up from the deck as sits on his knees, hands still hung uncomfortably behind him. His brow buries deep into his visage, the frown proof of his fighting spirit. “What men and women do you speak of, Sir, that we are supposed to know the location of?” Before he’s able to say any more, the Captain’s leather boot connects with his face. Jongdae collapses back against the deck, head hitting with a sharp thud. He winces, blood dripping on the floor.

You stare at the scene in horror, heart dropping all the way down to toes. “Do I look like I am wanting to play games?” the Captain asks, taking out his sword to twist it in the light of the sun. The sharp metal glints playfully in the beams of morning color. Jongdae just groans, and rolls onto his back, hands trapped under his body. His nose is bleeding, and bottom lip busted because of the impact, face paled. When no one responds, the man standing above you all clicks his tongue in disapproval, and lifts Sehun’s chin with the edge of his sword. The point makes a mark under his jaw, blood dripping down his neck. He trembles, catching your eyes for a flash before looking back at the Captain. And you see the fear in his eyes.

He didn’t want this, Jongdae didn’t want this. Only you did, and look at you now. The dark, cold eyes stay aimed at your best friend’s face for a while. “Tell me. Or I’ll cut into his pretty face over and over and over, until you can’t look at him anymore without feeling terror. Same goes for that capital scum.” Though the Captain doesn’t look at you, you feel the weight of the question on you. Your lip wobbles without your control, so you pull it between your teeth to keep it at bay.

“I don’t know where —” Another sharp kick to Jongdae’s face, this time connecting with his cheekbone so hard you think you hear it crunch. Jongdae’s head falls to the side, eyes flickering with pain and you can’t hold the tears that well up. “I’m sorry, I’m trying!” you yell at the standing man, and glare at him from under your lashes. His eyes are just as cold, though now they are unflinching on yours. His full lips open to let out a sigh, as he places the sole of his shoe on Jongdae’s face. “Just stop! Stop hurting him, he has nothing to do with this,” you repeat. Sehun’s eyes bore into the side of your head when the sword comes to press into your cheek instead, but you don’t look away. Can’t look away.

“I’ll ask one more time.” His deep voice unwavering, filled with a hatred that you can barely comprehend. How can a person have so much darkness inside them towards someone they don’t know? “Why are you traveling with this rat,” he motions toward Jongdae, “and what are you doing on my fucking ship?”

The sword presses hard enough to slice open the skin of your cheek, sharply burning like a fire. You breathe in deeply, and do your best to silence the cries that well up in his throat. But before you can muster up the courage to answer him, Jongdae huffs out a strained laugh. “Don’t.” His soft eyes glide over to you, and despite the blood and blooming bruises that mark his face, he doesn’t look scared. “Let him rot in his doubt.” Everyone quiets. Where before there were soft whispers running between the crew, now there’s a thick void. You look back up to the man dressed in white, taking in his quiet form. In those cold, dark eyes brews a storm that would terrify every mortal soul.

Then, ever so slowly, a smile starts creeping up to his lips, as he meets your eyes again. “Have you ever held a sword before, little girl?” A shiver runs between your shoulder blades at the softness of his voice. Tender almost, like he’s talking to a loved one. You shake your head into a minuscule ‘no’. “A sword is an honorable weapon. It kills quick. When on sea, there’s much more horrible deaths. Starving. Disease. Drowning.” He kneels gently before you, and looks only at you with that same smile that would bring comfort in any other situation. 

Right now, it looks like death itself. “I almost drowned, once. You can’t do anything but sink, holding your breath as long as you can. Longer than you ever have, until you feel like your head is going to burst. You can’t help but hold out until every single part of you quakes in pain. Your head bursting from the pressure. It’s agony. And then, when everything starts to fade, when you can’t hold out anymore, you open your mouth anyway. And it feels like hell. Filling your lungs to the brim, as you choke to death. It’s the longest, most painful death you can imagine.”

Your lips are still shaking. For the second it lasts, he seems truthful, entirely. A deep, suffocating sadness that is pulled from the deepest part of his soul, making it’s way onto his features. And it touches you, despite your anger and your fear. “That’s horrible,” you breathe. Because it is. The Captain nods, staring at you for a beat longer, and then he gets back up to his full height. Towering above you from where you sit motionless on the cold, hard floor. His voice is equally soft as he speaks again. 

“Throw the rat overboard.”

A darkness overtakes you at those words, dread bubbling up from deep inside. You flinch when the crew grabs hold of Jongdae by his arms, and glance between the three men in rapid succession. Blaring fear for the new friend who only wanted to help. The Captain doesn’t move a muscle when you look at him. The quartermaster now looks scared more than you’ve ever seen him, jerking in their hold as they drag his towards the edge. He fights with all his might, but to no avail, ignoring his words. They lift him over the wooden railing, and— “Stop!” you scream, “take me instead!” Your free hand wraps around the Captain’s ankle, grabbing his attention whether he wants it or not. The crew waits, Jongdae dangling halfway over. “It’s me you want, believe me. Throw me overboard instead. Please. I’m begging you.”

Finally, a sliver of emotion crosses his face, a frown pulling his eyebrows close together. “Did you not hear what I said? That right there is the most painful death you can imagine.”

“I heard you,” you say, letting go of his leg now to wipe your hand under your eyes, glancing over your shoulder at the bloodied face of Jongdae. He looks about ready to pass out from the stress and pain that he’s been put through. So you pull up your nose, and rub your eyes with the back of your hand again, staring into the Captain’s face. “And it sounds terrifying. But I don’t want anyone else to hurt because of me.” Sehun makes a noise of disagreement, but a hand comes over his mouth to shut him up, much to his displeasure. “You want Jongdae because he is of the Royal fleet, right? But I’m the Royal blood that fleet was carrying,” you admit. Sehun’s shoulders sag.

In one smooth motion, you’re pushed backward against the deck, sword back at your neck. The Captain’s eyes glint with anger, jaw tight as he looks you straight in the eye, your cheeks still red and burning up. This is the most emotion you’ve seen cross his face yet, anger dripping from him like tar. “What are you doing on a ship?!” he grunts, teeth clenched so hard they might shatter.

You smile pitifully, the open wound on your cheek pulling with the motion. “I wanted to see the world. Just once.” The wind whistles as it blows between the creaks in the wood, ocean waves slamming against the belly of the ship again and again, as you wait. Your breathing unsteady, heart slamming painfully hard against your rib cage. The metal gleams a pretty shade of orange under the rising sun, that you choose to watch instead of looking at the man above you.

After what feels like forever, the silence is finally broken. From the back of the group of men, a voice sounds out, strangely familiar. “They’d probably pay a nice sum if we bring her back unharmed, Captain.” Baekhyun moves from between the taller, burly men to reveal his sharp face, a slight smile on his lips as he catches the recognition on your face. His raven hair is damp, curling slightly as it falls over his eyes. His steps are smooth as he walks closer, not disturbed in the slightest by the hostile posture his Captain carries. His sword is still pressed to your neck. “I’m not sure about you, but I’d rather have her weight in silver than another stain to clean, Kyungsoo.” His grin only widens as he reaches forward, hand wrapping around the blade and slowly dragging it away from you.

“You dare push me too far, Baekhyun. I’m your Captain.” The man in white only sighs, before straightening and letting the sword drop from his hands into the other man’s, not acknowledging you in the slightest.

“Aye, but you’re also my best friend. So with all due respect, Captain,” the man grins so wide at the word that you barely believe he means it at all, “let me play devil’s advocate for once. If we bring this little fish to Caryon unscathed, we’ll be richer than we are now, and isn’t that what you told me pirates do? Rob the rich, give to the poor, more of that inspirational nonsense.” He squeezes his friend’s shoulder, the other already turning his back on you and walking between the crew, who plop Jongdae back down on the deck. 

“I’m the murderous, crazy one of us two. You’re the smart one.” The Captain, Kyungsoo, shakes his head at his friend’s antics, but clearly the words hit home in some way. When you let out a relieved sigh, Baekhyun grins down at you and pulls you back up to a seated position. Kyungsoo waves his hand dismissively, telling his men something that makes them spread out, as the dark haired one in front of you calls after him. “If they don’t give us a high enough price, you can still get your revenge! Drown her in a bathtub for all I care.” You’re not sure if he means it or not. It doesn’t matter, relief fills you all the same.

“Get back to work, Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo responds, before disappearing into the cabin.

Baekhyun’s eyes glide from you, to Sehun, to Jongdae, all three of you slumped onto the deck from the stress. With two fingers, he brushes a loose strand away from your face. “There, there.” He stays squatted in front of you for a bit too long, staring down at you with those same gleeful, flickering eyes, like he doesn’t see the absolute terror you just went through as a bad thing. But still, he takes the flask of water you didn’t know he had, wetting a piece of fabric to press it to your cheek. Then he walks over to Jongdae, to cut loose his binds and helps him up, doing the same for Sehun. Some of the crew glance at you three while they work, but none seem surprised by Baekhyun’s behavior, which only serves to heighten your confusion.

As you stand up, you notice the sun has risen entirely above the sea now, gold and peach tones filling the sky. Your legs are shaky still, but you’re alive. And so are both men you came with. As soon as you realize this fully, you rush to embrace Sehun. His long arms come around you just as easily, breath still shaky against your cheek. He holds you for a long while, before stepping back to check your injury. You look over at Jongdae then, who has a grateful smile on his lips, holding himself up against the railing. And Baekhyun— he just stares at you and your best friend with an interest that you can only see as foreign. Like he’s watching a fascinating animal in it’s natural habitat. Still, when you catch his eyes, you bow at him. “Thank you, Baekhyun.”

The man smiles, before tossing the flask towards you. You catch it, just barely. “I didn’t do it for you.” He bows back the slightest bit, before disappearing the same way Kyungsoo went. Leaving the three of you behind in confusion, as the day truly begins.

You haven’t seen Baekhyun or the Captain again, since they entered the cabin. Something you are grateful for, now that the shock has worn off. Sehun helped Jongdae back down into the belly of the ship not much after, to clean him up and settle him into rest. And while he wanted to stick close by you, you asked him to keep an eye out for Jongdae instead. He got the much shorter end of the stick after all. Now, with the sun still rising, the clean air has been abandoned by most for wine and music below deck. You run your hand over the railing as you walk the length of the ship, stilling once you get to the very front. In a couple of hours, you’ll arrive on the small island of Caryon. You hope to see some familiar faces soon, Lilith, or Cato, or anyone else.

The sea, though loud and wild earlier, has now settled into a softer shape, crashing open into millions of tiny droplets. You take a deep breath of the salty air, and lean your top half onto the wood, letting your arms dangle. Your body is tired, and muscles uncomfortable in their stretch. Your mind can’t help but wander, settling back to your home, to your father, mother, siblings. If they ever caught news of all that you’ve been through, they’d never let you set another foot outside the palace. Understandable in a way. You’re their precious gem, you know this. They would, however, protect you with everything they have. Some people, like Jongdae don’t have such luxury. For maybe the first time in years, you notice the true advantage of your position.

It reminds you of the one other time you realized it. You were still young, barely half your height now, and out with your older sister. A bright day, perfect for going for a walk, though unlike much of the kids in Aking, you had to be under tight surveillance. While walking down the stairs toward the river, a group of giggling children rushed by you, in the middle of their own game. In the mess, an even smaller girl ran straight into you, falling backwards because of the impact. She tumbled down several stairs, sitting up with a small hand pressed against her head and tears in her big eyes. But instead of helping her, your royal guard demanded an apology from the poor thing. And she did, with the most sorry expression you’d ever seen on a person.

Now, it strikes you again. Jongdae almost died in your place, and for what. You let out another sigh, before standing up. From the corner of your eye, you can make out a shape behind you, scaring you into the corner. You almost lose your balance from the shock. The Captain regards you with a blank expression, wearing a soft blue, long-sleeve shirt in place of his white jacket now. Despite the softer appearance, he still carries the same darkness on his face. At your unmoving state, he clenches his jaw a tad. When he takes a step forward, you take one back, his frown deepening. “I’ve hurt you once today, I think that’s enough.” He lifts his hands, to reveal a bottle with a murky, brown liquid. “I’m going to clean up that cut.”

“I didn’t ask for your help,” you snap back, almost rolling your eyes. He gave you the damned cut.

Kyungsoo just stares at you for a moment, before taking a few steps in your direction with raised hands, like you’re a rabid animal ready to strike. He has the same deep line digging between his brows every time he looks your way, only fading slightly when you cross your arms over your chest. The small jewels of your corset dig into your skin that way. “Baekhyun is helping your … friend,” he sighs, “he can’t help you right now. If you don’t clean the wound it will infect and fester.” Though you want to argue that he doesn’t care either way, you choose to look away instead. In a way, he probably does care. If you’re damaged, he might not get his money after all.

Kyungsoo steps up onto the higher ledge to stand a few feet away, and opens the bottle. A strong, alcoholic smell comes with it, making you pull up your nose. “Turn this way,” he motions. You turn your head towards the other end of the ship, as he pours some of the stuff on a rag. As a frown comes to rest on your face, he shakes his head. “This is all we have for cleaning wounds. Luckily, I don’t see a need for stitches.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have cut me at all,” you mumble, gaze on the wooden boards beneath your feet.

His eyes narrow at you as he lifts the rag to your face. “Maybe you shouldn’t be too nonchalant about my help. You’re on my ship, surrounded by my crew, under my rules.” A pause, and then he looks out from the ocean to you. “It’ll sting,” he says, as he drags the rag over your cut. It does burn like hell, and you have to bite your lip to keep from cursing something. Two good brushes of the rag before he takes it away, and walks down the ledge to go back towards the cabin. His steps rhythmic on the planks. After a second, he stops in place to turn around, and looks at you once more. “Don’t mistake my curiosity for kindness. I’m a lot of things and kind isn’t one of them.” You scoff. Yeah, you’ve noticed. It doesn’t seem to bother him. “Where was the fleet going to take you?” he questions, and for the first time the dark shadow on his face clears.

You hesitate for a second, before uncrossing your arms and swallowing. For some reason, you find it strange that he would ask. There’s barely any cities that far north, that the Royal fleet would fare to. Only a few have trading accords with the Capital. The other ones aren’t seen as important, and you barely know a thing about them. So, you answer him truthfully. “We were going to Elyfhil.” The Captain nods in response, expression barely changing. Yet, staring back at him like this, his face looks softer at the admission. “I read it’s the loveliest city in the world. Have you ever been there?”

“Born there,” he says, frown climbing back to it’s place on his features. “It’s a miserable place, really. Always cold, many old, abandoned houses, a lot of poverty and a lot of rich people abusing power.” He shakes his head though, and lifts his shoulders, as the ghost of a smile tugs at his mouth corner. “I guess someone like you wouldn’t find it miserable though. After all, you’ll never be one of the poor suckers struggling to feed their family.” The words hit your skin like a knife, leaving you with an open mouth and too little words coming out of it. “Go back indoors now, the wind is picking up.”

He walks away without waiting for your reply, as you follow his retreating shape with your eyes. You can’t even say anything in return, because to your surprise, you find yourself agreeing. You’ll never be one of the people who need help the most.

The sound of people is surprisingly loud, not only on the ship itself but from around it. There’s sound of vendors and merchants, but also children playing around the port. Sadly, you can’t see much of the small town of Caryon since the three of you are tied together around the mast and with your backs facing each other. And even if you could escape, you wouldn’t be able to get far without Sehun or Jongdae’s help. Most of the pirates went to land long ago, leaving you under the surveilling eye of a big man with a grimy beard and large hoop earrings. He doesn’t seem to speak Home Tongue, since he’s ignored every one of your pleads for water. After even more waiting in the smoldering sunlight that beams down on you without stop, people finally come back. You can only hope the Royal fleet was willing to pay off a group of pirates.

Baekhyun is the first one back on deck, with nimble movements as he hoists himself and two large bags over the wooden guardrail that protects you from the water. His dark hair messier than ever, but partly clipped back with a golden pin. He tosses the heavy looking bags to the side, before skipping over to the three of you with a smile. His dark eyes shining silver as he crouches in front of you. “Do you like my pin? I got it to match yours.” He tilts his head more into your view then, revealing the intricate details of a gold-threaded dragon that you recognize immediately. It’s yours, one you left on the ship when you had to flee. Baekhyun sees the recognition in your eyes, and giggles. “Seems like you really are from the royal fleet, huh. They sold some of your stuff but I’m guessing most of it is still on board.”

“They— no, wait, who sold you this?” you fumble, watching him stand again. The rest of the crew is already pouring back on board, carrying various crates and sacks. “Did you find the Royal fleet? Did they give you the money?” Baekhyun doesn’t answer your questions. He walks towards the cabin with a spring in his step. “What in Idite’s name…” you sigh, feeling Sehun’s fingers wrap around your hand and holding it in support.

“I’m sure they found them,” he mumbles back, his shoulder pressed to your own, “Captain Lilith wouldn’t just let us sit here. Right, Jongdae?” There’s a non-committal sound from the quartermaster. “As soon as she hears word of your being on the ship, she’ll come and get you, Princess. Have no worry.” Though his comforting words help to calm your heart, there’s part of you that doubts this notion. After all, any pirate could say they have someone of value on board. Who would believe a bunch of thieves without a shred of proof?

Not much later, the Captain comes on board too, hopping over the railing easily. He straightens his jacket, before giving an order to the men behind him. You’re too far away to hear. After a second, his eyes meet yours though, deep orbs scanning you up and down a few times. It sends an uncomfortable feeling to your stomach, you don’t enjoy being viewed as cargo. He grabs the shoulder of one of the pirates, and cocks his head towards the three of you. “We’re sailing back out, so get into the nest. When we’re about an hour out, you can let them out of their binds. They won’t be able to run elsewhere.”

When he turns to walk away, most likely to steer the ship, you lean forward and clear your throat. “Captain Kyungsoo!” Several of the men turn to look at you, but don’t say anything. “Could we get some water, please? We’ve been sitting in the sun for hours.” When he turns to look at you, he lifts an eyebrow, before clicking his tongue in disapproval. His hands come to rest at his belt, where the sharp sword that was pressed to your throat just this morning still hangs easily, next to two smaller knives.

“Any requests can go to Baekhyun,” he sighs, sounding most fed up you’ve ever heard him. You want to ask about the fate of you and your friends, but judging his expression, now is not the best of times to ask. “He’s been put in charge of your well-being.” Said man comes from around the corner with a grin that makes his cheeks cutely round, already waving a water bottle back and forth nonchalantly. Kyungsoo whispers him something as they cross, but doesn’t acknowledge you any further. He merely shakes his head, and walks toward the helm, to steer the ship without having to see you three. You huff when he disappears, and watch the last of the men pull the anchor of the ship up. Four of them, straining to get the giant metal onto deck. Baekhyun hums as he approaches, pressing the bottle against Sehun’s lips and pouring without thinking twice.

Half of the water runs down the sides of his mouth and almost in his nose, but the pirate clearly doesn’t care. “Drink up, buttercup!” he grins, waddling to Jongdae next. The man has been mostly quiet since you’ve arrived on Caryon. It doesn’t sit well. Jongdae, out of you three, has been the most optimistic the entire trip. Even when you were floating out in the middle of nowhere, he had a smile on his lips and a spring in his step that brought you an immense feeling of calm, despite the hopeless situation. You can only guess what’s going on in his head. When the quartermaster has had his fill, Baekhyun settles in front of you, and motions at you to open your mouth.

The water is cool, even when it slips down your lips and drops from your chin. Two gulps, and then the bottle is pulled away. Though you glare at him from under your lashes, Baekhyun beams down at you with a smile. You still can’t get over the strange feeling you have around him, even with the kindness he’s shown you. There’s just something— that feels off about him. “What is happening now, Baekhyun?” you ask. You can feel the ship moving again, the sails curved into half moons in the wind. “You didn’t find the Royal fleet, did you?”

At the very last, the artificial grin slips off, revealing for the first time ever a slight frown on his handsome face. It stays silent for a long while, before Baekhyun leans a bit closer, face uncomfortably close to yours. He truly must not understand what personal space is. “You didn’t tell me you got attacked by pirates before. I thought we were friends, and friends tell each other things.” Holding your tongue for a moment, you look at him. His eyes are tense, lips set into a straight line, like whatever he found out genuinely bothers him and for this moment only do you truly feel for him. But then he leans back and cocks his head, smiling. The chance is instant, if you had blinked you would’ve missed it. “There’s no problem, little fish. Just a change of plans.”

You frown, but nod. “Well, I would have told you, but I thought whoever attacked us must have been part of your men. I take it that assumption is wrong?”

Baekhyun grins, before tapping his hand softly against your injured cheek, ignoring your wince entirely. “You do have some brains in that pretty head of yours, after all. A bad liar, but not useless.” He jumps back to his feet to put the bottle into a bunched stack of thick ropes, and then stretches out. “You’ll all be staying with us for a bit longer. You see, the Captain has decided that he really wants that coin you’ll make us, so I’m not allowed to play with any of you. But it seems the Royal fleet has been split up. One of the ships was taken by the Red Skulls, and they are on their merry way to capture the other two as well. With on board, our money. So you see how this becomes a problem for us. If the Red Skulls take the fleet before we can, there won’t be anyone left to pay us off.”

“How do you know all this?” Sehun asks, unable to look at Baekhyun but listening intently nevertheless.

The raven-haired pirate just shrugs. “I have charms, getting people to talk isn’t hard.”

For the first time in a few hours, you finally hear Jongdae’s voice as well. “Did they say anything about the crew?” But Baekhyun doesn’t answer, which is the most telling answer of all. His lips purse though, and he turns away from you to look out at the no doubts vanishing island, as if he doesn’t want to face the disappointment in Jongdae’s eyes. All you can do is touch your fingertips to the man’s bound hands, unsure of what to say. When Baekhyun turns back to you, he lets out a deep breath, and rubs his black-stained hands under his eyes.

“They have a few hours on us, but our ship is much faster. We’re going to take that ship before it can get to Elyfhil.”

“And what about us,” you question, running it over in your head. If they can take back the ship with that much ease, surely, they don’t need to deliver you back to get the money they so eagerly ache for. If anything, I’d be easier to just get rid of you all together, and take the remaining ships as well. Baekhyun takes out his sword as you talk, planting it into the wood between your feet. “The way I see it you have no good reason to keep us around. You’re going to get your money, you’re going to get your revenge. You’ll probably even get to stab a few guys along the way.”

He chuckles, before leaning forward onto the sword to look straight into your eyes. “Aye, but you forgot to tell us some really important things before, didn’t you? The first ships of the royal fleet, those that weren’t taken yet? They were looking for something more valuable than coin.” His eyes glint knowingly, the same dangerous smile curving onto his face like a shadow. “They were looking for a lost guard, and the Queen’s daughter. Now what are the odds of that?”

“You think I’m the Queen’s daughter?” you scoff.

“No, little fish,” Baekhyun shakes his head the tiniest bit, before answering, “we know you are.”

     🌊🌊🌊     

It’s been a day. A whole day, you’ve been locked up in the small wine storage they cleared out as a cell. You’ve burned through six candles, since the tiny window that sits right below the ceiling is constantly blocked by water gushing past. At least you’re able to use your hands again, and look your friends in the eye. This has given you plenty of time to think, too. Something limited only slightly by the alcoholic fumes you’ve been breathing in. Sehun sits slumped against the wall across from you. “We could try and pry loose one of these boards, and jam it into the keyhole to open the door. Then, we sneak past the crew once they are asleep, and we knock out the captain. Then we either sail straight ahead towards the city, or we turn us back around to Caryon. Either would work, really.”

You snort, unable to help it. His ideas have been getting more and more ridiculous by the minute. “You almost lost your finger pushing it into the lock earlier, Master Sehun. I think we’ve all seen enough of that for the rest of our trip.” Jongdae is stood against the wall next to you, his arms crossed over his chest and eyes the sharpest of all of you yet. You guess he’s more used to the wine than you are. His lip is still swollen, cut right through the middle and looking very painful. “And even if we got out of this room, we’re still on the ship with a couple dozen pirates who won’t hesitate to stab us.”

“Stab me and Jongdae, you mean. They are not going to stab a Princess.”

You stretch out your leg to deliver a tap to his shin, your friend jumping out of the way with a smile. At least someone’s still seeing the fun in all this. You shake your head at him, and sigh. “What happens to you, will happen to me as well. I’m not letting any of you get hurt in my stead. Not again.” It’s strange to think that less than a week ago, you were still in the innocent belief that this would be a fun experience. Jongdae’s hand is soft on your arm, his smile strained against his injury but genuine all the same. You wave him off, when he mouths a ‘thank you’. “We’re not going to escape here any time soon, is all I’m saying,” you finish, pressing your back against the coarse wood behind you.

It stays silent for a bit, before Jongdae clears his throat. “Actually, that isn’t that bad of an idea.” Your eyes are wide when you glance at him over your shoulder, and see that he means it. Never mind, Jongdae doesn’t handle wine well at all. He’s gone completely crazy. When you laugh, the quartermaster takes hold of your hand. “No, listen, Princess! We could take the ship from the inside out!”

“How in the Gods’ names would we do that?!” you respond, glancing between the two clearly irrational men that are locked in this shed with you.

“Well, Baekhyun is right. They know who you are, they know they are right and how much the Capital can pay to have you back unharmed. Meaning, you’re relatively safe around them, even though they don’t look at all like the caring types.” Jongdae speaks with so much conviction, that you almost believe him. “Second, and please excuse my crudeness, your Highness; but you’re an desirable young girl, if anyone can get close to the Captain, it’s you.”

You just blink at him. “You’ve gone insane, Jongdae. Truly!”

“I hate to be against your judgement, Princess Y/N, but I think the Quartermaster is right.” Your disbelieving gaze snaps to your best friend at that, mouth dropping open. He cannot be serious. “You’re the only girl on a ship full of men, and you cannot be harmed under their care. That is the perfect moment to use your womanly charm, and enchant the Captain into your trust.”

Jongdae nods. “If he trusts you enough, maybe you’ll be able to enter the cabin. You can steal the key, and then when night comes, we can sneak out and lock the men beneath deck. I can take the wheel from there, and we’d only have to deal with the captain, which is us three against one.” He runs his hands through his hair, and nods. The faith they have in your abilities would be a compliment, if not for the fact that Captain Kyungsoo scares you more than a tad. “It’s quite a good plan, your Highness. But we need you to be willing, of course.”

“That is, assuming the Captain wants to be charmed at all! I don’t know if you’ve yet noticed, but he’s not the most jolly of individuals,” you argue, with wild, frustrated hand movements. “Let’s just assume that he did, in fact, have an interest in me past the monetary value he sees me as, then I have to convince him to let me into the cabin without him, and steal a key that I don’t know what it looks like. And then what?! Say we do get to Elyfhil without any further issues, what do we do with them then?” Sehun seems entirely too amused by your worry, so you take off your shoe to toss it at him, only missing his face by a hair. Jongdae, for the first time in a while, smiles as well.

“We have a few weeks to figure it out,” Sehun grins, giddy at the idea and all you can do is glare at him in response. “This is pretty much the only plan we have, Princess. But fear not, for I have faith in your abilities.” Stupid boys. Stupid, idiotic boys with their stupid plans.

When night falls, your head falls into an tired rest on Jongdae’s shoulder, with the last flickering light of the candle dimming into darkness. The wood creaks around you, ship waving back and forth smoothly on the face of the sea. Your lids are so heavy, and soon you’re falling into an unsteady sleep.

The sea is calm, smooth like a mirror to the sky, as the ship cuts through it. The water reflects yellows and soft pinks, cold filling your lungs as you wait. The figure stands at the very front of the ship, looking out over the sea with gentle, rhythmic breaths. Calm. ‘Captain Kyungsoo?’ you breathe at the shape, watching him as he turns over his shoulder to look at you. Face dusted a soft pink, he smiles. A kind smile, one that fills you with joy and you can’t help but return the gesture a tenfold. ‘There you are, I was waiting for you for a long time,’ he says, motioning you up onto the ledge. You do, feel his hand in yours as support, while he leads you to stand in front of him. His sturdy figure close to yours, pointing out at the sea. ‘A bit further and we’ll arrive at the shore. Just past the fog you see there, there’s trees as tall as giants, white beaches with sand finer than the finest thread. Woods, for miles and miles. You’ve always wanted to see it, haven’t you?’ Your nod is gentle, but genuine. You have. He rests his chin on your shoulder then, breath brushing over your exposed skin. ‘I wish we could see it together. I wish you could explore it all, with me.’ ‘But we can’t. Can we, Princess?’ You can’t move. You want to turn to look at him, you really do, but you can’t move. Unable to move a single muscle. Unable to speak. You can only watch the undisturbed ocean, and feel the soft brush of his hand against your fingers. ‘We can’t, because you lied to me. You’ve been lying to me the whole time, and now everything is ruined. Did I deserve it? Did I deserve to be a pawn in your royal game?’ ‘Y/N?’

“Y/N.”

A hand wraps around your wrist, shaking you up and awake at once, eyes wide. Small beads of sweat gather at your hairline, your cheeks glowy, bright red. “Wake up, Princess,” Sehun breathes, his large hand still gently wrapped around your arm. You blink a few times, before pushing yourself up from the uncomfortable position you’re sat in. “You’re glowing.” You look around to see the same small space, though the door is open, and Jongdae is nowhere to be seen.

“Where are we?” you breathe, rubbing your warm hands over your cheeks in circles. They are very hot indeed.

Sehun lets go of you once your stable on your feet, and smiles. “Still aboard the ship, Princess. But we’ve been allowed out, we’re too far away from land to escape, it seems. I think you need some fresh air, you were overheating in here.” You nod, and swallow. Your throat is dry, tongue sponge-like. Your friend watches you intently, before lifting his brows. “Are you okay? You look out of it.”

“I’m fine, Master Sehun,” you respond, peeking out of the door into the dark belly of the ship. You need some fresh air. As you walk, the tall man follows close behind. That must have been a dream. It can’t have been anything but a dream, yet it felt so real. Your breathing is still strained, only evening out once you get out of the confined space of the ship. The ship creaks loudly, under the busy movement of the crew. Jongdae is sitting on the railing further up, letting his legs dangle. He looks so casual, despite the worried expression he carries. You feel his worry. Sehun’s hand comes to rest on your shoulder after a second, where he returns with a cup, ordering you to drink with the most gentle voice anyone has ever given an order.

You sigh when you catch his eyes. “Listen, Hun… I know that you’re putting all your hope on this plan,” you lean a bit closer to say the last word, “but I have a really bad feeling about it. As in, I don’t think we should go through with it.” Your friend doesn’t try to hide his surprise, mouth dropping open slightly. “I know that we should try— but I don’t think I can. I’m hardly as charming as you seem to believe I am, I’m stubborn and a little bit too snappy for my own good sometimes. I can’t… make a random man suddenly like me. He’ll see right through it!”

The dark haired man bites his lip in thought. “I don’t think he will, Princess. After all, he did clean your cut out of his own volition, did he not?” You let out a tense breath, and pout up at him, making Sehun’s face flood with a certain joy. You should both know that he only did that not to carry damaged goods aboard. Sehun seems to purposefully ignore that part. “If you really don’t want to, then don’t. But you know as well as we do that there’s nothing more we can plan. We’re outnumbered by a tenfold. The only way to get anywhere is to gain a bit of their trust or even respect.”

“And what if I don’t think they deserve to be lied to so?” you bring out, wringing your hands together in the soft, pink fabric of your dress. There’s no other clothes aboard, so you’ve been in the same dress for days.

At this your friend just stares at you, disbelief in his eyes. “They are pirates, Princess!”

“I know, I know that,” you sigh, “I know that I’m looking too much into it but…” 

Before your friend can say anything in response, a shout comes from behind you. “Little fish!” the voice beams, bright and too loud for even your sunny disposition. Sehun just lifts his shoulders, as confused as you are when you turn. Baekhyun’s bright features cut through the bustle easily. “Come over here, please.” He waves you over with a happy grin, and places his hands on his hips. “Or Princess Little fish, I should say!” You huff out a tense breath, but walk over, and tilt your head at him in question.

“What do you want?” you say.

Your defiance delights him endlessly, every time. You can see it in the way his cheeks seem to get even wider, if possible. “Don’t be rude now.” You glare at him in return. “You’re all worked up I see,” he beams, and takes your hand smoothly in his own to lead you around, “but I’ll get you even more worked up! Captain has sent me to get your pretty self to join us for lunch. He worries about your well-being every second! Isn’t he the kindest?” You can only imagine the tiniest truth hidden behind his words, and decide to ignore the rest. This man really knows how to get under someone’s skin like a rash. You pull your hand from his, but walk alongside him.

“What’s the purpose behind this sudden lunch invitation if I may ask?”

A playful hum comes from him, as he pinches your side. “No reason~” Baekhyun sings, only adding more fuel to your worry. As you near the door, you sigh, glancing back at Sehun just once. You can’t deny that the setup to the plan is being handed to you on a silver platter at this very moment. Your friend gives you a tense smile, and puts up his thumbs toward you. Though it frustrates you beyond belief, you know as well as your two friends that any other means of escaping will be as good as impossible. You’re more than a week away from your destination. You tuck a loose strand of your hair behind your ear when Baekhyun leans around you to open the door, and swallow your hesitance. You can at least give it a try.

The silence that lingers in the room between each sentence is deafeningly uncomfortable. You lay your hands next to your plate, and drum your nails on the smooth wood of the table. It’s a miracle that this ship even floats, with the amount of heavily decorative furniture occupy the cabin. You’re sat across from the Captain, whose seat remains empty for now, while Baekhyun sits at the head of the table. “Would you like some water?” the deep voice calls from across the room, broad back facing you.

You don’t respond, unsure of what to say. After all, what could he possibly want from you that requires lunch to precede it? You will yourself to remember that these men, however charming, are still pirates. Pillagers, murderers, thieves. They take what they want, when they want it. The only reason you’re still alive is because they have a use for you. You have to remember that. The Captain glances back at you with a frown, and places a glass of water in front of you anyway, mouth corners turned down. “I’m not usually this attentive to my captives,” he mumbles, as he takes his seat across yours. “Your pride is going to give out before I start caring, so drink while you still get to.”

“Maybe I won’t drink anymore for this entire journey,” you bite back, unable to help it. You don’t understand this man, and it frustrates you to no end. He invites you to lunch, but threatens you basically the second you’re in his presence, and calls you his captive. “Then I will die of sickness and you won’t get any riches at all.” The darkness on his face flickers like a flame over his gaze, playful but unwavering, though his frown grows deeper if possible.

“Then die, Princess.” He takes a drink from his own glass, before slumping back in the plush of the chair. “If that is the way your Highness chooses to go, by all means, be my guest.” Your jaw stays locked hard together, eyes on his expression. But he’s not looking at you anymore, like the sight of you disgusts him. His handsome face aimed solely at the table, or the wall behind you, but not on your face. You almost wish he’d at least have the guts to stare you in the eye when he talks to you, but in truth, that might just anger you further. “You speak of your life so easily, like you’d be willing to give it up for anything and anyone.”

“I would,” you say, full in this notion. You don’t feel the need to lie, since your truth is much more to you than just a way you were raised. You believe in it, fully and from the bottom of your heart. Not that he’d understand, you think, watching the nonchalant way he twirls the small knife between his fingers. Baekhyun, meanwhile, has been the most quiet you’ve ever seen him. Your bottom lip juts out a bit as you continue. “It’s my duty to protect my people, and I take that role very seriously.”

At this the Captain scoffs, loudly, grinning at the ceiling in disbelief. For two full heartbeats, it stays quiet, and you can feel the anger in your body bubbling over. Forget charming this man, maybe you’ll just launch over the table and strangle him instead. But when he finally looks at you again, you don’t see the gloating expression you’re expecting. Instead, there’s a distinct sadness that settles in his features, brushed gently over his face. The face of sorrow, and loss. “Have you ever even seen death before, Princess? Sickness? Excruciating hunger and pain?” He shakes his head at you. “Because if you are willing to give your life so easily, I don’t believe you have.”

The tenseness of your body ebbs out with the long breath you let out. “Then don’t believe it. I have. Not me, and not my close relatives. Because I was as fortunate as to be born into a position of power and money.” He doesn’t respond. But your lips shake slightly as you continue. “But I think I’ve seen more death than you have, Captain. Whenever I can, I sneak out of the palace to visit the temples, and after that the doctor houses. Orphanages. I see people pray to every God they know of to heal their family members. I watch them wither away as I hold their hand, cold in their beds. I read stories to those poor children who’ve lost everything and it’s true… I am healthy, because I get fed every day, and because I can pay the best medics.” You swallow, removing your eyes from his to stare into your glass. “But do you think I don’t feel it? I am the only one standing tall between people who see death as a constant. People put their faith in me, their hope, their dreams, they give them all to me because I was born a princess and yet, I can’t do a single thing to save them!

“So yes, I want to give my life for the people I care about, because that is the only thing I can do to help,” you say, clenching your trembling hands in your dress. “I’m not sorry for giving my one life away for the values I believe in. At least I don’t kill for enjoyment.” You’re not sure what the man is thinking, but you’ve had about enough, and lunch hasn’t even started yet. You push your chair back and stand, ready to walk out of here. Tell your friends that you’d just have to sit it out. You and the Captain are just too different, there’s no way you’d ever get along. But then fingers wrap around your arm, pulling you back, and your feet falter as if automatic. Baekhyun’s grip on you is tight, long fingers locked around your wrist.

“Stay,” he says, face void of the familiar grin you’ve learned to anticipate on him, and it makes you hesitate. “Kyungsoo is not a man of many words. He doesn’t talk much, and when he does, it often comes out too harsh. But we might all have some things in common, Princess.” His eyes are clear on yours, mouth pulled in a soft line. “So sit back down, please.” You huff, but do so, not looking across the table again. One of the men soon enters with a pot of soup, and places it on the table. You all eat in silence, something you’re not used to, but at this moment you’re glad for the bit of peace. When Baekhyun finishes his plate in record speed, the Captain sends him a look.

“Baekhyun, would you please check up on our other two guests for a moment?” The other nods, and leaves the room without another word. You wonder which of the two really wanted this lunch. From the way Baekhyun held your arm, it seems to suggest… but then why? The Captain pauses for a moment, before linking his hands together on the table. “I trust that Baekhyun has been looking out for your well-being sufficiently?”

You bite your bottom lip, but nod. “He has been trying his hardest, I think.” The Captain agrees wordlessly, and chooses to watch you instead. His sharp, calculating gaze is entirely distracting. You play with your cutlery for a moment, but are unable to keep quiet anymore. “Whatever the reason for this dinner, I don’t think I—”

“I wanted to apologize for my impertinence toward you throughout this trip,” the Captain cuts in, his strong voice filling the cabin easily. Definitely now it’s just the two of you, it seems to tremble through the fibers of the wood.

“Do— w-wait, what?” you stutter, eyes wide, “Apologize?”

“Yes.” His handsome face is aimed solely on you yet again, and this time, your cheeks heat under his gaze. You’re absolutely confused now. Kyungsoo tilts his head a bit when you don’t immediately respond, and continues. “I was harsh in my punishment, and I’ve come to understand you’ve been quite polite towards me for it in return. I wanted to…” he pauses, and for the first time to this point, he looks unsure of his words. Like you’re the one who might shut him down. But, you’re still too starstruck by the apology to make out anything else. Who in the history of -ever- has gotten a pirate of all people to apologize to them, out of choice? “I want to promise that I will not cause you harm again, Princess.”

Your mouth drops open at that. You’re starting to think you’re currently still having a fever dream and that you’re still locked up in the wine cellar, imagining all of this. You don’t even really care if he has an alternative motive, which he most likely has. That makes two of you, then. “Thank you,” you mumble, finishing the last of your soup quickly. Then, you look around the room, this time out of genuine curiosity. On the wall facing you, hangs a giant map, with thin, blue lines of ink marking a spider web across it. They must have all been sailing together for a long time, if they’ve seen all those places in their relatively short lives. You bite your cheek, and slowly breathe in. “Can I ask you a question, Captain Kyungsoo?” He nods.

“You’ve traveled a lot, right?” Again, he gives you a nonverbal response. “Do you believe in mermaids? I know they are most likely just stories,” you smile despite your hesitance, “but I’ve always wondered. They seem so fascinating!” This pulls a quirk from his full lips, turning them up at the corners, ever so gently. “Don’t laugh! My aunt, the third Queen, swears on her life that they are real. I just have to know, it’s been eating me up inside. And even if you haven’t seen them yet, doesn’t mean they can’t exist. You haven’t sailed the entire world yet.” You cross your arms over your chest when his smile grows, turning his smile into the shape of a heart, full and warm. It’s a foreign sight on his otherwise serious face.

“They are real,” he nods, smoothing his expression back into one of indifference, but you can see the twinkle in his eyes as he looks at you.

You brush your strand of hair back behind your ear, before shaking your head. “You’re making fun of me, aren’t you?” This makes the man giggle, a sound that surprises you so that you freeze in place. It makes him look so much younger, painting such true joy into him that you can’t help but join in. “I would’ve believed you!” you whine, pushing your plate forward a bit in protest.

“They are real,” he repeats, eyes crinkled into half moons because of his wide cheeks. “There’s an island, far up north where the water is as cold as ice, but it doesn’t freeze. And there, in the water, you can see them swimming around. I swear it, they are real.”

You stop laughing when he does, and lean forward. “Are they pretty?”

“No,” the Captain breathes, “they are very ugly. With thick, grey scales all over, and sunken in cheeks. They have dull, almost see through skin, only barely visible in the water. And their hair is long and dark like the night. When you sail through their waters they try to crawl on-board of the ship, to take you with them into the water, and they cry painful songs as soon as their heads peak above the water.” He says it so fully, that you can’t even tell if it’s a lie or not. You want to believe it. “The Hellbound still has scratches on the side of her from when their claws scraped by the wood,” he nods. You just blink, and look at your plate.

“How do you know they want to harm? If they are magical creatures, they could be kind.”

“We don’t know they want to harm. But none of us were willing to find out. The water is too cold anyway, would’ve killed us in minutes. And since I’m responsible for my men, I didn’t want to take a chance.” You nod in understanding, looking around this room. To your left is the door back out, and to your right is a door that has only a small window in it. The golden plaque on it says ‘Office’. You can only imagine what treasures lie hidden in the office of a Pirate Captain. “And magic, that’s something for landlubbers like yourself. I don’t really believe in it.”

For some reason that doesn’t surprise you. With the breath you let out, some of your anxiety ebbs away. “Maybe I’m totally wrong, and excuse me if I am, but you don’t seem to want this,” you suddenly murmur. The Captain raises his brow a bit, a silent question. You clear your throat. “Everyone looks at you like you’re meant to be the one to lead, like… like you’re programmed to do so. They admire you, but they also seem to think you have all the answers, when you don’t. I feel the same things in a way, back home. Being a Royal. I know I shouldn’t complain, but most days I wish I could switch places with any other girl my age. I never asked for this, but people treat me like I did.”

You blink at him for a second again, biting through the tense feeling as best you can. “You treat me like I asked for this. And I treat you like you wanted to become what you are.” The man across from you gives you the tiniest nod. So you pick at the thin fabric of your dress, and look down. “So I guess I’m asking you now… Did you?”

The silence is filled yet again with the rushing of the waves, a constant the last few days that has become calming to your soul. Then, like the truth pains him deeply, he lets out a huff. “No.” Kyungsoo stares through the window revealing the deck for a long time, blinking against the muted light. “But things happen that push you in ways you never meant to go.” You try to respond a couple of times, but you’re not sure what to say. You agree with him… again. He doesn’t seem interested in elaborating about it further, so that leaves you both alone to your thoughts, in the same room. Not much later, Baekhyun suddenly pushes the door back open, his happy demeanor breaking through the void easily.

“The guests are breathing and alive! And I brought the second course.” The rest of the meal goes by in relative silence, both men informing you that the Red Skulls sold most of your left-behind items in Caryon. They also mention that these pirates are more ruthless than most. When you ask about what might have happened to the remaining crew on the ship, their faces don’t let on much, but you can notice Baekhyun tensing up at the topic. He swiftly explains that you shouldn’t have hope of seeing them again, which makes you incredibly sad for Jongdae. You don’t find out the actual reason behind inviting you to lunch though, which leaves you the most uncomfortable you’ve been in a while. Because you can’t figure out for the life of you why the Captain and his Right hand are being kind to you.

     🌊🌊🌊     

The days, though painstakingly long at times, are quite nice. You’ve truly grown to enjoy the breeze that flows past your shoulders when you stand out on deck. You’re gotten to sit up in the lowest of the crows nests, even though Sehun looked terrified for you the entire while. Turns out you wholly underestimated how long the trip would take, because seven more days out at sea seem like a lifetime. However, today is fun, since the wind has turned. The ship barely moves on the ocean, and the sails are pulled up and bound, which is a spectacle in itself. Baekhyun hangs in the ropes like a monkey, grinning like he is having the time of his life and you can’t help but tilt your head all the way back to follow his smooth motions from mast to mast, swinging between the ropes.

When you look over towards the rear of the ship, you can see Jongdae and Kyungsoo talk, even though it doesn’t last long. Kyungsoo’s hair is loose today, like it’s been freshly washed and though you’re not sure how he did that on a ship, you decides it looks good on him. It falls in fluffy tufts over his brows, hiding most of his frown even though you don’t doubt it’s still very much in place. When Jongdae returns back to your side, he smiles. You smile back at him, though the motion seems to pull at your muscles uncomfortably. You haven’t told him about the Red Skulls yet. You couldn’t, not when it’s clear that the hope has been all that he’s been holding onto. You turn to him, and lift your brows. “What’s got you so happy, Master Jongdae?”

“Nothing much,” he blinks, before poking your side playfully. “But I do have a slight surprise for you.”

“Oh no, what now…” you breathe, growing even more concerned at his overly excited grin.

“The ship is going to be stuck here for a while, since we’re stuck in between two currents caused by some smaller islands to the east. So I might have asked the Captain if it was alright to go have a swim. And before you say no, Sehun’s already getting you one of his shirts so you can’t back out.” He takes your hand to take you across the deck to the small space without railing, where a rope ladder hangs to a foot above the water. “We’ll just have a little dive, alright? The water looks great and it’s not very deep either.” The water does look great. It’s a warm, blue color, like that of a tropical island, and small droplets splash onto your exposed skin while you look.

“We’re on an pirate ship, and you want to take a little dive?” you giggle in return.

“Just because we’re on enemy territory doesn’t mean we’re not allowed to have some fun! Even Captain grumpy didn’t need any convincing.” When you roll your eyes, he pouts. “Come on, Princess, we’re going to be stuck here for an hour or two at least!”

To your other side, your best friend comes to lean his arm over your shoulder, and holds out the dark fabric of what you guess must be the shirt he was talking about. It’s quite thin of fabric, but at least it’s not as sheer as the dress you’re wearing. “You know you want to,” Sehun mumbles, the smile on his face audible even in his voice. You shake your head at both man’s antics, before jutting out your lips. But before you can convince yourself of any reasons that this might be a bad idea, your best friend lets out a high pitched laugh. Because he can see it on your face clear as day, fuck yes, you want to.

The water was pretty cold when you first entered, but now it’s actually quite warm. You laugh when Jongdae splashes a whole wall of water Sehun’s way, and swim out a bit more. The seafloor is only a few feet lower than the belly of the ship here, but it’s still way to deep to stand up. You smile, before letting yourself sink underneath the surface of the water and gently open your eyes. It feels a bit uncomfortable, but after a second or two you can make out your friends in the water, lower halves looking extremely silly. They look like frogs jumping around, only without getting very far. You look down the side of the ship, making out some paler lines on the wood that could very well be scratches, before coming back up for breath.

Jongdae smiles at you. “Princess! I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to catch a fish like that.”

“I wasn’t trying to catch one,” you giggle, and splash some water on their direction, before shaking your head. “Never-mind,” you reply. You sink under again, this time turning away from the ship to look down at the colorful plants that occupy most of the sea bottom. Small, multicolored fish swim in and out between the corals, unbothered by your presence. Some even swim towards you, as if curious to what strange creature you might be. They never get close enough to touch though, so you come back up to the surface for air. How pretty. For the first time in a while, this trip is going the way you wanted it to, and without being able to help it, you smile. You slowly make your way back to your friends, feeling the strain in your muscles from the lack of using them.

In all honesty, though you’re a good swimmer, you can’t remember the last time you actually did. It must have been years ago, that’s for sure. After another couple circles, you take hold of the ladder to your side to rest. Some of the pirates in the ropes glance down at you three every few, most likely wanting to take a dive as well. Jongdae comes to hold onto your shoulder as well, motioning Sehun over. “The plan seems to be going quite well, right, your Highness?” the older says, lowering his voice a bit out of caution. “The Captain seems less on edge about our presence than before.”

You give him a slight hum, though your brows are furrowed. “I guess… but I don’t really think that’s because of me. Baekhyun mentioned something about common goals, so it wouldn’t surprise me if we weren’t the only ones with hidden agendas. And besides, the Captain has hardly been very open with me since that one lunch we had a few days ago. He’s been very busy with the crew, and I don’t want to make it obvious either. Who knows what they’ll do if they find out we are —” you lower your voice even more, barely reaching above a whisper in volume, “trying to take over the ship?”

“I don’t think they have a clue,” Sehun smiles easily, backstroking past. “Who’d think that three people would plot against three dozen, after all?”

Jongdae nods. The two have become good friends throughout the time you’ve spent together, you’ve noticed. It makes you happy to see, since most of your time has been spent away from your best friend the last few days. And not that you’d admit it to him, but you’ve also grown quite attached to the older man’s quirky sense of humor and kind personality. “Exactly,” he agrees. “You’re doing great, Princess. Really. If you keep this going, in a few days you’ll definitely be able to enter there without the Captain even questioning it.” Though you shake your head with a roll of your eyes, you can’t help but hope he’s right. You don’t feel particularly glad to be misleading him after all, even though you should have no problems with it. Sehun and Jongdae are both kind people, and they don’t seem bothered, after all. Why should you be?

“Hey, Dae?” you then call, swimming away to let Sehun rest for a bit. “What do you think is going on with Captain Lilith? I know you most likely don’t want to talk about it, but I… I just worry, you know?” Baekhyun and Kyungsoo seem to worry too, though you don’t say this.

“I understand, Princess,” he soothes you, though he smiles sadly as he talks. “I know I’ve been avoiding the topic, because honestly… I felt guilty for a long time there. The Red Skulls are infamous, and known to sail those parts. As soon as we got attacked, I should have realized it was either them or these group of thieves, and never have left the fleet.”

“Jongdae…” Sehun tries to cut in, attempting to help, but Jongdae shakes his head.

“That’s what I should have done. But I didn’t, so there’s no reason I should beat myself up about it any longer. I can’t change the events of the past anymore anyway.” And he’s right, though you can’t help but wonder what would have happened if you didn’t get attacked by pirates. What would you be doing right now? You’d probably be lounging in your bed, in the belly of the ship and sailing across the sea with no worries and no qualms. You wouldn’t have the scab on your cheek from a pirate sword, and you would most likely never have become friends with Jongdae. Not as quickly, at least. You would have never met Captain Kyungsoo and his mess of a Right Hand Baekhyun. You would definitely not have stopped here to take a dive in the perfect, blue water and you can’t help the nagging feeling in the back of your brain telling you that maybe, very maybe, you’re having a better time because of it.

but no, that’s ridiculous, right? You do your best to shake that idea from your mind, and sigh. “Whatever might happen next—” You’re cut off by a loud, childlike shriek from above you, and you look up. Baekhyun grins down at the three of you in the water, along with many others of the pirates who seem to have given up on work for right now, in favor of a bit of fun. The raven-haired tease scrunches his nose at you when you eye him, before taking a run up and tossing himself over the guardrails of the ship.

“CANNONBALL!” The splash he creates is gigantic, and goes up your nose when you giggle.

After a few long hours of playing in the water, you’re the first to climb back up onto the ladder. Which isn’t easy, with the immense effort you have to put in to lift your exhausted limbs above your head. You almost crawl onto deck, choosing to lay down on your back for a second, and feeling the cold wind nip at your shoulders. The afternoon sun is still warm on your shoulders, and the air is clear and cold in your lungs. If this wasn’t such a strange situation, this would be the only way you’d choose to spend your free time. Out at sea with friends, just enjoying the days. Maybe visit a tropical island or two, while you’re at it. When you open your eyes and roll onto your side, you come face to face with some boots, and looking up further, Kyungsoo. He stands hovered over your body, his top lip lifted slightly in what you can only guess is… awkwardness? So you stare at him for a moment, before pushing yourself up from the deck surface to stand on your legs. Only when you do, you notice the airtight way your shirt sticks to your shape, revealing much more of yourself than you wanted to. Oh, that’s why.

The man’s eyes linger for just a split second too long for you to miss it, though the rest of his face is schooled back perfectly into one of seriousness. He holds his arm out, with over it a white piece of clothing. “Here,” he nods for you to take it, “we figured you’d like to have the remainder of your items if given the chance. We found them being sold in Caryon. Don’t thank me either, it was all Baekhyun.” As you take the dress from his hands, you stare at it for a bit. It’s a white dress, with a boat neck and simple lace ruffles at the bottom, though pretty designs have been stitched on with white thread. Did you really bring this dress with you? You might have, though you don’t recognize it. The entire preparation period seems like a bit of a blur now, since everything that has happened between then and now. “I saw you getting up so…” he trails off, biting the side of his cheek. “Can you call the rest back up? The wind is picking up, we have to get going soon.” With that he walks away, not waiting up for your answer.

You hum after him in response anyway. When the Captain disappears from sight, you quickly peel the wet shirt from your body to slide into the dress, shaking a bit as the wind indeed picks up. Normally you’d never be this brave, but since everyone is either in the water or sleeping, you take a chance. Right on time in fact, because not long after the first pirates are making their way back onto deck. You tug your dress down a bit, frowning. You definitely did not bring this dress, you now realize, as it doesn’t even reach your knees. With a frown, you push the edge down a bit, turning when a whistle sounds out. Of course.

Baekhyun’s eyes seem to shine like diamonds, glee like you’ve never seen on him before. Of course this is his doing. “Baekhyun!” you hiss, walking over to him to punch him in the shoulder. “You think this is so very funny, don’t you?” He doesn’t respond, but takes hold of the hand you hit him with to pull your body way too close to his drenched one, smirking all the while. “Gods— let go, you maniac!” A bit harsh maybe, but it’s Baekhyun you’re talking to. He’ll get over it. This seems to push him towards the edge even more though.

“Don’t be like that, Princess. I got you a gift, you should be grateful.” Gift, hah, you think. The only person who it’s a gift for is him. “If you’re not grateful, I’ll tie you back up and sell you for a nice price as soon as we get to land again, little fish. Wouldn’t be the first. Don’t test my limits or I will test yours,” his voice grows so very close, face way too close to yours. Never mind, not harsh enough. You can’t help but want to shove him back, but his hold is too strong on your wrists. His words give you shivers down your spine, because you know he means it. You pull back again, and tilt your face away from him. Too much, too much— 

“Baekhyun,” that calm, deep voice suddenly mumbles, and you can’t help the relief that fills your chest, “let the girl go.” Kyungsoo, though he just lifts a simple eyebrow in your direction, looks livid. It expresses in the line that digs deep between his eyebrows, and the corners of his mouth that are genuinely down-turned. You freeze, as well as Baekhyun does, because both of you seemingly had not expected anyone to help. But you’re oh so grateful.

“Come on, Kyungsoo, let me play with her just a little bit!” the other whines, wrapping his arm around your waist as you struggle against him. “You never nag like this when other women are present. Just because she’s a pretty, little Princess doesn’t mean that I can’t tease her. Should I tease you a bit,” he asks you then, glints still flickering in his eyes. You don’t want to be teased. Not by him at least, you think, glaring up at the attractive guy, who suddenly looks so much less pleasant. He really doesn’t seem to notice that the game has long died for you, and that you just want him to let you go now. But with Kyungsoo standing so close, you’re not scared to push against the other man harder, shoving him to let go of you. But Baekhyun is quick, and his hand snakes around your arm, grip painful on you now. “Come on, sweetheart, I won’t bite.”

“I don’t care, you’re gross and this dress is not a gift to anyone but you! You care about no one but yourself, I can’t even believe I was starting to not despise you!” you snap at him, feeling a warmth around your other hand now. Kyungsoo is holding your free one, clenched tight in his. If it’s for your support, or his own, you’re not quite sure. It doesn’t seem to deter Baekhyun, in fact, it’s as if he’s able to look straight through Kyungsoo. Like a bull seeing red.

“If you want me to sort you out, you just have to ask, Princess. I’ll treat your precious, rich girl body so well that you can never spread your legs again unless I tell you to.” The grin he was wearing has long worn off, eyes so sharp that you don’t want to keep them. When he wants to step closer to you again, Kyungsoo pulls his friend back by his shoulder.

“Let. her. go,” the bassy thrill of his voice makes the hairs on your neck stand up. “I’m not telling you again.”

The dirty look that Baekhyun sends the other is vicious. “Why? No one else is allowed to play with your property, is it?” Though he seems to be getting more ferocious, he loosens the grip on you. “You’re delusional, Kyungsoo. You’re just as bad of a person as I am, I don’t know why you’re acting like a saint here. Why don’t you let go of her?! At least I never put a scar on her face.” You, seemingly forgotten, fall from his hand entirely, as he closes in on the other man. “I saw you looking at her too, I’m just not afraid to admit to it. You’re delusional,” he repeats. “At least I don’t expect her to suddenly fix what a shitty human I am! Unlike you, I have self-respect!” When you step forward automatically, Kyungsoo’s hand pushes you back away, keeping you out of reach. You’re not sure why you care, but Baekhyun looks frantic. Like he can’t see the world around him anymore, too drilled down in this emotion of anger to care.

“Baekhyun, snap out,” Kyungsoo solemnly replies, not backing down when Baekhyun shoves him against the shoulder. He doesn’t even seem to listen to the words thrown at his face, Something in the Captain’s expression makes you feel like he feels at least as sad for the other as you do, if not more. Your eyes narrow a bit as you watch the both of them from the sidelines. You want to help, but you wouldn’t know how. It’s truly as if the older sees black from all sides, and Kyungsoo knows. “Hey, breathe. I’m not your enemy.”

“Fuck off, Kyungsoo! You don’t know me!” Baekhyun basically growls at his friend, pushing past him. The man stomps away with his fists clenched so tight that his bones peek out white through his skin. You stare after him until he disappears into the stairway, leaving you both standing here in silence. All your energy has depleted, and the urge to sink to the floor floods over you. But you stay standing, and instead turn back to Kyungsoo.

“Thank y-” Don’t, a voice in the back of your mind screams like an echo of your previous anger, making you swallow the rest of that. 

What Kyungsoo did was only what any other person would do. You don’t need to thank him for being a sane human being! Baekhyun was all up on you, because you’ve been taken as a captive here! You know your frustration is speaking now, but can’t help be mad. Kyungsoo doesn’t seem to notice your mental tug-of-war. “Don’t— hold it against him, if you can. Baekhyun doesn’t mean to be this way, he hates it too,” his voice seems to die down the longer he speaks. “He just can’t… he wasn’t always like that. Some things still give him a very difficult time, and he has a hard time snapping out of it by himself.” He doesn’t look you in the eyes as he takes a few steps back, staring instead at your shoulder or something behind it. “I brought the rest of your stuff down. Baekhyun bought you some new things too. He thought you might like to get out of that one dress you have.” A soft sigh, as he looks at you again, storm-colored eyes dripping down your skin, as if soothing you from afar. “He seems to really like you, you’re kind to him. He hasn’t had a lot of that in life yet.”

“Right,” you just respond, biting your lips as you give a tense nod, not able to aim it towards him fully. He seems to understand, and gives a soft, understanding hum. Kyungsoo walks back after that, picking some of the thick ropes from the floor and hoisting them over his shoulder, before walking out of your view. And though you might not be able to admit it out loud, you say it internally with every fiber of your being. Thank you, Kyungsoo. Really.

     🌊🌊🌊      🌊🌊🌊      🌊🌊🌊    

.next part. 30.01.2020  as soon as possible

next part up tomorrow if all goes well!! thank you so much for reading his beast up ‘till here already~ it would mean the absolute world if you could sent me something about this one because i felt like deleting it all more times than i’d like to admit! hope you enjoyed and love you ♡♡♡

tag list @chanyeolol​ @ninibears-erigom​​ @suhoerections​ @kimjongdaely​ @byunfirstlady​ @greenmetalroof​ and @spring-medley​ pirate!kyungsoo is finally here ♡ thank you so much for helping me through this and being excited for it

[hollyxqx]

got my number  //  jooheon

↪ PAIRING: Reader / Jooheon  ↪ GENRE:  slight angst > slight smut  ↪ WORD COUNT: 2.1k ↪ SUMMARY: Jooheon wants to remind you that he’s the one you need, and you can call him any time…[inspired by this song] 

When you realize, it ain’t him that's on your mind Baby, you got my number

ALL ABOUT LUV SERIES

It feels like divine intervention when Jooheon first spots you across the crowded bar. Firstly - he never goes out. Well, not really. He works hard but he usually forgets to play hard too. Secondly, you'd agreed to have zero contact since your...fling ended. The fling that ended because you decided to get a boyfriend out of nowhere. Thirdly, and most importantly; you were alone.

Although he's two drinks in he suddenly feels entirely too sober, the buzz of the alcohol gone like a cold splash of water to the face. His throat feels dry as he watches you talking to your girl friend whom he recognises but for the life of him can't remember her name. It appears as if it's just the two of you tonight. He wonders where boyfriend is tonight.

As far as Jooheon is aware your new relationship is alive and thriving. According to instagram, anyway.

His attention drifts away from you briefly as he orders another much needed drink. Beside him Changkyun is talking about something but Jooheon is barely listening, only nodding his head when he has to. The two boys move to a table that's all together too close to where you're sat. Jooheon has the sense to avoid staring.

Changkyun unintentionally sits with his back facing your table, meaning Jooheon and you are facing each other - albeit with several crowded tables separating the distance.  "...and then I was like, you're going to fall! And lo and behold, Hyungwon fell into the pool."

His friend's laugh grounds Jooheon back to reality. He forces out a chuckle of his own. "Why am I not surprised?"

"He's too tall. Those long arms and legs get the better of him." Changkyun muses with a smirk as he sips his drink. "Anyway, how are you doing man? It's been a while."

It's the truth, Jooheon thinks feeling slightly guilty. After everything ended with you, unwilling to admit his heart may have been a tiny bit broken ( ego hugely bruised, however) he had thrown himself into work. If he thinks hard it must have been two months since the two men had met in person, which was unusual. Long hours at the studio had merged into one long blur.

"Yeah it has, I've been okay. Busy with work." Jooheon sighs. "It's nice to get out and have a drink though."

"Tell me about it." Changkyun grins. "Cheers to that."

They clink glasses and as if his vision is magnetised to you, Jooheon glances over again. You still haven't clocked he's in the same room as you. He isn't sure if he's annoyed or relieved. "How is the wife?" Jooheon asks teasingly, bringing his focus back.

"Oh god don't let her ever hear you use the ‘w’ word, she'd already desperate for me to propose." Changkyun groans, playfully rolling his eyes and Jooheon laughs. "I mean, I will, I'm just waiting for work to settle down."

"Fair, fair." He agrees with a sigh. A voice in his head says at least you have someone but he doesn't dare speak it aloud. "It won't be long now, surely?"

"Nah," Changkyun. "In a month or two, maybe."

"I'm happy for you."

"How's things on your end? Still no girlfriend since - "

"No." Jooheon cuts him off. It's too much to be in the same room as you and rehash painful memories with a friend who borderline pitied him. "A few good nights with people, but that's it."

Initially when you had broke things off with Jooheon it was so abrupt he almost believed you were joking, as did his friends when he shared the news. Things had been going so well between you, he could barely believe it. It was rare he could find someone who he was friends as well as lovers with. It was special.

His friends teased him, after all it was a casual thing (although Jooheon often looks back and wonders how many casual relationships last an entire year) so he wasn't expected to feel down.

No strings meant no hurt feelings. Everyone knew that. So in the six months you'd been with Mr New Guy, Jooheon hated that he hadn't bounced back yet. Hated how much he thought about you. Hated how you could discard him like a toy. Yet, he didn't hate you.

"It'll happen man, you'll meet someone don't worry." Changkyun assures but there's little weight to his words.

Jooheon hums something that's meant to be agreement but it sounds flat, even to him. As he sips his drink, his eyes catch yours. You're staring at him, a mixture of shock and surprise on your face. When you realise he's watching you give him a small wave, mouthing hi.

He nods his head and tips his drink to you. The action makes Changkyun crane his neck to see what his drinking partner was doing and why. "Oh," Falls from his lips. "y/n's here."

"She is most definitely here." Jooheon downs his drink in one.

***

This isn't how he imagined it would go. As the night draws closer and closer to an end you still have done nothing  more than briefly acknowledge his existence. It's another kick to his bruised ego. He always thought if you saw each other again you'd end up tangled in his bedsheets like a day hadn't passed.

Changkyun excuses himself to the restroom and a desperate Jooheon uses this as an opportunity when he witnesses you make your way to the bar. He leaps up from his seat and crosses the room quickly. Your back is to him as he approaches you.

"Hi," He says lowly in your ear. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Jooheon." You give him what he knows is an uneasy smile. You're probably wondering if this is going to be a pleasant conversation or something much more bitter. "Hey."

"You look like you're missing something tonight." His eyes search yours as your face twists in confusion.

"Huh?"

"That new accessory of yours!" He says like it's obvious. "You know, that 180cm brown haired, boring puppy you drag around with you sometimes?"

Realization dawns across your face when it clicks he's insulting your boyfriend. "Ah, right. Yeah. Whatever Jooheon, make your digs at me. Get it out of your system."

"It's not a dig at you, darling." He throws you a sickeningly sweet smile. You roll your eyes. "Where is Mr Bland tonight anyway?"

"Working." You answer curtly.

"As usual."

He knows he's hitting a sore spot, it's no secret how much your man works. Jooheon had heard from one of your mutual friends it was something you had often complained about. "Don't act like you know what you're talking about."

"We both know I do." He leans in closer, the alcohol that's been consumed in the last few hours giving him far too much confidence. "How do you spend all those lonely nights in your bed hmm? Think of me?"

You blush and look away. "I'm not lonely." You reply unconvincingly. He raises a disbelieving eyebrow towards you.

"No?" He asks. "That's not what I've heard."

"Stop." You say and he knows in that moment just how correct he is in his assumptions.

"You don't have to be lonely." His hands grip your waist and swivel your hips around so your facing him, chest to chest against the wood of the bar. "You know where I am. Baby, you've got my number."

You stare up at him with large, unblinking doe eyes and in that moment he wants nothing more than to kiss the sadness he sees in them away. Fortunately he refrains. "I don't need your number anymore." Your words are weak and not entirely believable.

"He's gone a lot, isn't he?" Jooheon presses, gripping your familiar body tighter. Six months without you has been forgotten in an instant the second he touched you.

"Sometimes..." You look away. He gently tilts your chin with his finger forcing you to look back at him.

"Say the word. That's all you have to do." He tells you softly. "And I'll be there."

You look like you want to give in, he can see it written all over your beautiful face. "I..I can't."

He sighs. "Can't or won't?" You open your mouth to speak but Jooheon suddenly doesn't want to hear it. Neither answer will make him feel better at this point. "Actually don't answer that. I meant what I said, you've got my number. You know where I am."

Leaning down he gives you the briefest of pecks on the cheek before walking away, leaving you somewhat speechless and alone.

***

Every part of his brain is telling him that it's not a good idea and he knows when he wakes he'll feel foolish but still, that doesn't stop Jooheon from texting you when he arrives home that night. His bed feels lacking when he's in it alone, he misses you and he can't stop himself.

[from: jooheon 1.43am]: you know where I am.

He stares at it for a few seconds. It's the only exchange between both of your numbers, in a heated moment of anger months ago Jooheon had deleted everything else. Sometimes he regretted destroying the evidence of how much you had wanted him at one point.

As he's looking those three little tell tale dotes spring up at the bottom of the chat log. You're typing. You're typing. You're typing. His adrenaline spikes.

He watches and waits.

And waits.

The dots disappear and he feels a wave of disappointment. What did you want to say to him? He was dying to know. He waits a few seconds more hoping they will reappear but they don't. Jooheon tosses his phone carelessly somewhere on the mattress beside him. He tried, at least.

He's unsure how much time has passed, having drifted in and out of drunken slumber, when his phone pings. Groggily he reaches blindly for it in the sheets, squinting in the darkness to read the text. It's from you.

[from: y/n 2.37am] I fucked up, I know. You were right about everything tonight.

He rubs at his eyes as if to clear them, afraid he's seeing things or worse - dreaming.

[from: jooheon 2.40am] He's gone isn't he? And you're missing me

[from: y/n 2.40am] Yes.

[from: jooheon 2.41am] Yes to what part?

[from: y/n 2.41am] All of it. I wish you were here.

[from: jooheon 2.42am] why? Desperate for your first good fuck in 6 months?

[from: y/n 2.42am] You know I am

[from: jooheon 2.43am] And only I can fulfil that?

[from: y/n 2.43am] only you. I mean that exactly how you think I do.

He frowns, puzzled momentarily. If he didn't know better it sounded like you were regretting your decision to end things but he didn’t want to assume anything too quickly. As he's overthinking you do something that takes him aback. You call.

"You should be asleep." Is the first thing he says as he answers.

"So should you." You reply with a breathy chuckle. "I wanted to hear your voice. I'm sorry."

"It's nice to hear you." He yawns. "Even if I am being used as a substitute." His joke is a little too on the nose.

"I'm not allowed to miss you?"

"No, you are. Do you miss him?" He queries.

"Jooheon..." You whine.

"Tell me."

"Not as much as I probably should." You admit. "I miss you more and we were never even together."

"I call bullshit on that darling. We might not have put a label on it but we were together." Jooheon says firmly. How either of you could have deluded yourselves otherwise was insane. "Then you freaked because your parents pressured you and got with the first suit you could find. Let's be real here."

"In the spirit of being real, I guess I'd have to agree. Probably why I'm having so many second thoughts now." You sigh sadly.

"This doesn't have to be your fate forever. You can break up with him you know."

"I don't know if the only man that's on my mind would have me back." You say cryptically but you both know exactly what that means.

"He would if he was the only man in your life."

"Really?"

"Really. You'd have to make it up to me though." He teases, as a small smile tugs at his lips. Jooheon can't quite believe what he's hearing.

"You'd want me after everything I did?" You ask tentatively.

"I never stopped wanting you." He breathed. "Even after everything you did."

"Jooheon I don't deserve you." You say shakily. "Listen, give me some time to sort things out and maybe we can meet up? I'll call you?"

"I can wait. You've got my number don't you? Use it this time."

masterlist

[yoongisbars]

Your Name Here: ____. | JJK

summary: Studying the Fae always seemed like a great idea, and it was-- You just didn’t count on that particular being to be so... Captivating. His face definitely helped his trickster ways. Maybe that’s how you fell for the oldest trick of all: “Give me your name”.

pairing: fae!jjk x elf!reader (named) genre: fantasy au | fae!jungkook | fairy!jungkook | fluff | one shot | strangers to lovers word count: 18k cw: very subtle smut if you can even call it that  note: me, the biggest copycat of all but also not !! this was my 2018 XMas gift to @gguktarts​, and since i HAVENT HAD THE TIME TO SIT DOWN AND WRITE QOO (i am so sorry life is v hard at the moment) -- so asking for some permish, as an apology for not posting for two weeks straight: here y’all gooooo

The forest was vast, clear, and prospering. Its canopy was dominated by walnut, pine, and cedar; their leaves and branches allowing just enough light to pass down for a flood of mushrooms to claim the branch and twig loaded ground below. Thick vines dangled from every tree, and a range of flowers, which desperately tried to avoid the shadows, were a welcome change in the otherwise brown and green landscape. A variety of noises, mostly belonging to small creatures, brightened up the forest and added to the trickling sounds of a gentle river stream.

You trekked your way throughout it, wary of your steps, but already knowing the path like the back of your hand. It was a long walk from the house to your destination, but it was nothing compared to the travels you made to get to where you are now. And frankly, it was worth it. The discoveries you made over the past few months made your journeys a total success. It all started when you lived in Everwind. 

The city home to Elves was forged on the bottom of a mountain. It was erected there due to the healing properties the mountain had, which was of great importance to your people. It was a graceful place. Ceramic rooftops, maple wood walls and a frozen waterfall gave Everwind an enchanting air. It was known for alchemy, carpentering and jewel crafting.  For 125 years you grew up there alongside your best friends, Lorelynn and Jackson. Eventually, Lorelynn moved away with her family to Roseshire due to business reasons. It was another elven township, settled at a grotto. Roseshire prided itself with their advances in medicine, alchemy and herbalism. From previous visits, you found it stunning, like Everwind, similar in its architecture and nature, but with a deeper and stronger connection to magic.

You and Jackson were left as a duo who then decided to travel for research and study once you turned 180 and 200 respectively. He stuck by you, though being of noble bloodline and birthright, since he preferred a much calmer life than that of a noble elf. You were drawn to the study of different beings and creatures, and witchcraft, and it was that interest that led you to the village of South Vale. Located on the edge of a glade the village is home to various magical creatures like Dwarves, Elves, Fauns, Witches, Mermaids, etc. The village’s main pride was an ancient water source, which natives believed was the source of their prosperity. Though it was just a village to most, with its oak wood rooftops and walls, and luscious gardens, South Vale’s atmosphere wasn’t like any other. Their main economic rise was due to their blacksmithing. Alchemy and animal training were of their better scholar activities, but their biggest strength is rare herbalism. You took especially to alchemy and herbalism. It was here where you met a much older witch, who was the one to guide you in your witchcraft studies. She was your mentor, and you were very grateful for it.

By the time you were 195 years old, you heard word of Lorelynn’s engagement to a Roseshire Elf named Yoongi who, from what you knew, was a medical student with a thrive for alchemy and herbalism, much like yourself. You had made note of that for when you met him, have something to bond over. It wasn’t usual for Elf folk to get engaged and have weddings, but with Lorelynn’s fascination with the human traditions of marriage, she needed a grandiose event like such, to proclaim their love further.

So, she ended up having a wedding in Everwind, since the waterfall “would make for the perfect ceremonial portrait backdrop”. You and Jackson decided to arrive a few days early to Everwind, in order to catch up and help with what she needed in a timely manner. You met Yoongi and he acclimated well with the temporary reunion of the trio. It wasn’t until after the wedding that you found out that Lorelynn wasn’t living in Roseshire anymore. She had moved about a year prior with Yoongi to Glistening Woods, where he tended to the locals in his medical clinic, and Lorelynn set up her bakery. The move was originally because she had apparently fallen victim to a strange allergy to Fae Dust. The mention of such was a first, and especially the fact that she would be visited by Fae, constantly being pulled tricks on. You envied such contact, but not the allergies, however. Fae were creatures you had yet to encounter, yet to study. They were so rare to find, that it was a small shock to discover the existence of Fae life in Roseshire.

A quarter of a century later, your mentor, well-versed in foretelling paths, insisted that your destiny lay in Glistening Woods, deep within the Silver Forest. It was of great importance that you went there, so she said, and maybe settled there for a period of time in order to progress on your studies. With no other explanation, and not ever once doubting your mentor, you and Jackson set foot once again in travel, heading to Lorelynn’s new home in Glistening Woods. After arriving the first day, you decided to drop by the bakery, as you heard all the way from various travellers that “If you’re heading to Glistening Woods, make time to stop by the Flour Pot”, which of course was the name of your elven friend’s bakery, and it seemed to draw in a lot of clientele. It was there that Lorelynn offered to put you up at her house, to avoid having to pay pesky prices at inns or struggle to find a personal lodging of sorts. So long as you and Jackson helped around the house and the bakery from time to time, of course. Not that either of you minded. A helping hand in exchange for baked goods and shelter? It was a better deal than any lodging could offer.

Of course, you only told Lorelynn that your reason for coming to these areas was for study, which was true, but when you found what your mentor meant by progressing your studies, it far too much to explain to Lorelynn, at least not yet. She would absolutely have you at the stake if she knew what you were up to. If she knew the reason, she had been getting a more sensitive nose was not due to just a dusty house… 

Deep within the woods, after months of walking through it, searching for whatever it was that your Elder Witch meant, you found it. A mushroom circle, deep within the forest, where four Fae seemed to gather almost every day. You now spent most of your days coming near the circle, studying them. You were enthralled. By their ways, their personalities, their clothes, their looks. Specifically, the looks of one of the four Fae. They obviously knew you were gawking, studying, but they didn’t see you as a threat, so they let you continue. Even sometimes trying to show off just for the sake of tampering very slightly with your studies.

While you were caught up in the moment staring at the youngest looking Fae, you ended up making eye contact for the first time, something you avoided constantly. He winked at you, sending flutters through your stomach and forcing you to end your studies a bit early. You hastily packed your things, leaving only the small offering of sweets that you have now accustomed to bringing every time you visit, as a thank you for allowing you to study them for hours.

On the way back out of the forest, you felt a… presence. It wasn’t threatening so you paid no mind to it, since your thoughts were elsewhere. Back to that Fae who for a split second you locked eyes with. How dare he wink? How dare you get all red in the face and nervous in the stomach? He was just an attractive Fae, they all were, but… By being lost in your thoughts of him, and only paying attention to your steps below, you failed to look forwards before bumping head first into something. With a step back and a sharp glance up, you noted it wasn't something, but rather someone, and not just any someone… But a Fae… That Fae… You had only ever seen him from a distance, and he was still beautiful, but from this proximity, he was sculpted like a God. He had both soft and sharp facial features, his black hair a playful mess, his expression was about as curious as a rabbit. He had a glow to him, warm and inviting, but his mischievous orbs quickly reminded you of who he was, of what he was. And you couldn’t fall for it. The sly grin spreading on his face meant he knew what you had realized. You felt your face slowly burn at his never-ending stare as he towered over you, and for the first time, you felt small.

“Hello,” He let out slowly, his voice smooth and enticing. “you’re leaving rather early today.” So, they noticed… He noticed and had to come all the way over here to let you know.

“I have some responsibilities to tend to.” You didn’t really know what to say, but you didn’t want to let him know you left because he made you nervous.

“More important than studying me? You hurt my feelings.” He snickered, there was a glint in his eyes you couldn’t place. It made your knees weak. He raises an eyebrow at your silence, you forgot to answer. “I’ll let you get to them then. I look forward to another chance like this. And another of these.” He pulled out a piece of sunflower bread you left behind as offering, took a bite of it, and gave you one more wink before turning into nothing but smoke and Fae dust.

Flustered, you made your way out of the Silver Forest and back to the outskirts of Glistening Woods. The woodland was settled along the banks of modest rivers and is truly an extraordinary marvel. Its elegance is only matched by the backdrop of a majestic Silver Forest which helped shape the city to what it is today. The climate this forest brought was of great importance for its fauna and flora, but it was also influential when it came to architectural designs as most buildings have been built with both materials and stylistic shapes of the forest.

You could see the outline of Lorelynn’s house as you approached it. From the outside the house looked old, but wonderful. It had been built with oak wood with mahogany wooden decorations. Large, octagon windows let in plenty of light and have been added to the house in a very symmetric way. The building is shaped like a circle, partially surrounded by glass overhanging panels on two sides. The roof is high and rounded and is covered with red ceramic tiles. Two small chimneys sit at the side of the house. The house itself is surrounded by a gorgeous garden, including various trees, bushes, flowers and a pond. While about to enter, you are met with Yoongi, dressed and ready to go to his clinic.

“Hey, Yoongi. Off to work?”

“Oh, hey Rowen. Back so…” He stopped mid sentence, and you could hear a sniff. He opened the door behind him and motioned for you to follow him. You didn’t hesitate, but you started to get a bit nervous. Inside, the first floor is equipped with a huge kitchen and two bathrooms, it also has a modest living room, two bedrooms, a roomy dining area, and a study. Yoongi went up the stairs to the newly added second floor. It was a bit smaller than the first, but part of it hangs over the edge of the floor below, creating an overhang on one side and a balcony on the other. This floor has a slightly different style than the floor below, as it only has two bedrooms, one bathroom and a study. Several small windows let in just enough light to the rooms below the roof. Your room, thankfully, owned both the study and balcony. Which is where Yoongi ended up taking you. He stepped in first, but let you go into the study deeper before closing the door behind him.

 “You found the Fae.” His words caught you off guard, but you should have expected them. “The ones by the mushroom circle in the forest, correct?”

“Uh…” Before you could begin to formulate any kind of excuse, Yoongi brought his hand up in pause.

 “Don’t worry. At least now I know why Lorelynn’s been having allergies lately. Though this is the first time I can smell the dust, were you really close to them?” He spoke, as if already knowing about the many times you went. Which was now obvious.

“Only one got too close, I guess I have residue of his departure.” He nodded with a small ‘hmm’.  But a question did arise in you.

“Actually, I thought Lorelynn said that you guys moved here because there were no Fae in these parts… How’d you know about the mushroom circle?” Your question caused him to exhale heavily and put a hand on his neck.

“Well, I lied to Lorelynn about it. Everwind is the only place with no Fae reports whatsoever, but she didn’t want to go back. This was the next best thing, since there are not many here. She doesn’t know that though. So, I simply put up a protection spell to prohibit Fae from entering property grounds, but they never leave the forest from what I’ve gathered. So, it’s okay for her to wander around the city. But now…”

“Oh… I’m sorry. I’ll try to keep the dust at bay even more diligently from now on.” With that, you casted a quick clean up spell to eliminate the specs of Fae dust you have brought in today.

“Thank you, but I do fear that if one got close to you... Nothing, I should get going now then.” He shook his head in dismissal and made his way out of the study, before stopping to add one more thing. “Oh, and Rowen? Be careful with them… Don’t fall into their tricks.”

You gave him a curt nod, if there was anything to know about Fae, is that they are sly tricksters and con artists. “You got it. Have a good shift!” He knocked once on the door and saluted you before leaving.

You put your hands through your curls as you let out a breath. You needed to be more careful with what you were doing. And not only you, but Jackson too. You figured you should shower and change out of your Fae intoxicated clothes. You had already casted the spell, but you can never be too sure. 

Now being sure that you were 100% clean, you headed out for the Flour Pot to meet up with Jackson and Lorelynn, you were hoping you were still on time for the surprise today. From the outside the bakery looked cosy, clean and cheerful. Large and small stones and marble details make up most of the building's outer structure. As you enter the bakery through the hardwood door, you're immediately welcomed by the smell of fresh baked pastries. It's as enchanting inside as it is on the outside. The walls were bright and gave a feeling of serenity. Rounded wooden beams support the upper floor and the variety of flowerpots attached to them. The Flour Pot draws in an alarming number of clients from all over, surely based off 50% Lorelynn’s charm and 50% her undeniably delicious pastries, which often leads to exciting stories. When you were first traveling to Glistening Woods, you did hear rumours about this bakery being famous, and judging by the warmth and joy radiating through the bakery, it's probably because of that.

Lorelynn and Jackson were both hard at work on the counter, decorating a batch of cookies. Even though they were busy, they managed to welcome you warmly. The bakery was surprisingly empty, besides an elder human couple, sitting by the window sipping on tea and sharing a lemon cake; and yourself. You sat on a stool in front of the counter, reaching quickly for one of the newly decorated cookies. Often your hand would have been swatted, but miraculously not today.

“What’s the occasion?” You asked as you munched on a classic chocolate chip cookie. Soft baked, her specialty. “You never let me eat them like this.”

“Well,” Lorelynn spoke’s busy hands and eyes never left her cookies. She was a lazy elf… She only turned to magic the moment she realized she could use it to do all the pesky chores she often hated. But when it came to her baking, the only magic allowed was that of her own skills. Jackson moved out of that side of the counter, cookie also in hand, plopping down on the stool next to you.

“Today my ‘sons’ are visiting.” Both you and Jackson nearly choked.

“Say what now? Sons?” You were flabbergasted.

“Since when do you and Yoongi even have kids?” Jackson was in disbelief.

“Calm down. They were at the wedding. And they’re obviously not my sons, it’s just a playful thing. Back in Roseshire, there was this lovely human couple of noble bloodlines, and they had two sons.” You did recall spotting a few humans at the wedding, and a small hazy memory of Lorelynn being hugged by some young boys. “Once I moved away, the couple and their sons would often come over and visit, always stopping by the bakery. I’ve basically watched them grow for almost 50 years,” Her cheerful composure became sombre with what followed next. “but being of this bloodline, they age slower than normal men, but much faster than elves… they don’t look a day over 20.” A soft chuckle escaped her. “Now they travel the world, learning new cultures and broadening their horizons.” That sounded interesting, they sounded interesting. You wondered what places they’ve been to, the things they’ve seen. You had yet to know them and already envied their experiences.

“Oh, right. The kids. Where were they this time?” Jackson spoke what was on your mind.

“That’s a good question. Usually they never know where they’re going until they get there. Free living, I guess. We’ll find out when they get here.” Lorelynn shrugged. What a free-range life…

As if on cue, two good looking young men walk into the shop. You could place them from that one time from seeing them at the wedding. Lorelynn was right, they were men now. “Ah! My boys! Welcome back home!” Lorelynn explained quickly removing her apron to go over and hug both boys warmly. They were quite excited to see her as well, noted in their big smiles and cheers. Lorelynn brought them over, mumbling something about how much older they’ve gotten, they look a few years older than her. She said 20 earlier, but you’d say they look between 24 and 25. You suddenly worried over Lorelynn getting attached to these humans, only to watch them die before her. A thought you put away tight in the back of your mind, never to be reached again.

“These are the boys I was telling you about. Rowen, Jackson. Namjoon, Hoseok.” Lorelynn pointed at each name respectively. The deep dimpled one, Namjoon, smiled and greeted first, Hoseok followed, quickly proclaiming to call him Hobi if you pleased. The cute nickname seemed fitting to his energetic self, so you obliged.

“I knew Lorelynn and Yoongi were tiny, but I didn’t expect to see another small elf.” Hobi cocked his head to the side both in confusion and playfulness. It stung but it was true. The three of you were rather… Short in elf standards. Lorelynn and Namjoon both elbowed Hobi gently, but Namjoon seemed to be holding in a laugh. He may agree. Ignoring this, you started.

“It’s been a while. Lorelynn was telling us about your travels. How were they?” You inquired quickly after all introductions were made. Namjoon was the first to speak, while Hoseok eagerly devoured a cookie Lorelynn offered. His eyes gleamed, perhaps those were his favorite.

“Well, we’re used to going to different places where there is usually a large concentration of only one race or species, this time however, we ended up in a village where a lot of different ones coexist harmoniously, something we hadn’t experienced yet. It was interesting to see how their interpersonal relations developed differently to those in concentrated areas.”

“Oh, sounds a lot like where I’m from. Where was it exactly?” Your interest slowly was deflating. Especially when Hobi confirmed.

“South Vale.” Muffled by cookie crumbs, but still understandable. It was a bit of a letdown. You already knew everything there was to know about South Vale. But now you can place Namjoon’s face from somewhere other than the wedding. You recalled once going to meet the Elder Witch and a man was exiting her dwelling. You wondered what he might be doing there, but that question did not serve purpose right now.

“Oh, yeah. That’s what we’re from!” Jackson exclaimed. He grew to love South Vale and prided it like a native. “Did you visit the Library there? It’s one of the best I’ve been to.”

“Indeed, we did, and I agree. It was greatly vast. I would have spent most of my stay in the library, had I not been eager to discover and experience more in person.”

“I mostly enjoyed the food, it’s really something else. But no matter where we go, nothing beats Lorelynn’s cookies.” Hoseok spoke cheerfully, and you could tell Lorelynn’s heart was swollen.

After a nice chit chat, you understood why Lorelynn loved these boys so much, what wasn’t to love about them? They radiated joy and familiarity, you hoped to get close to them soon, and learn more about their other travels. The boys presented Lorelynn with a South Vale native plant, a pale pink succulent. Succulents were common over there, but you hadn’t seen any here. Lorelynn adored it and quickly set it up nicely on the counter. They had to leave to go put away their things back home and get some rest after their trip. Namjoon said something about wanting to organize his field journal of creature behaviour, and as soon as they set foot outside the bakery, you jumped and followed suit. The thought that he’s probably met Fae before and had note on them invaded your mind, maybe he could lend you some advice.

“Namjoon, wait up.”

“Hm?”

“You mentioned something about a creature journal. Have you encountered Fae?”

“I have. Why?” His expression wrote suspicion, but you made nothing of it.

“I was just curious. I also study different creatures, but I hadn’t been exposed to Fae at all. I wondered if one day I could look at your journal and see your findings?” Your eyes were eager, and he found it amusing.

“Hm, past tense.” Hmm? “Sure, next time we stop by, I’ll make sure to bring it along. However,” His tone shifted to that of a warning. “Be very wary of Fae and their tricks, the ones in these parts… They’re fond of wordplay. Be safe.” Like Yoongi, he seemed to know you’ve encountered Fae.

“You know, I really can’t believe I’ve met three short elves in my lifetime.” He chuckled, and with that he and Hobi marched on with that, not before Hobi waved big and shouted, ‘Nice meeting you, Rowen!’

A few days passed, and you made your way to the mushroom circle with Jackson. He hadn’t gone in a while and said he missed watching them play. You of course didn’t hesitate to let him join you, especially with both Yoongi and Namjoon’s warning still fresh in your head. And maybe if you went accompanied this time, that Fae wouldn’t come near. In your bag you carried your journal, some water, and snacks for both the Fae and Jackson. He gets a tad hungry whenever he must walk such a distance. And jealous that the Fae got more treats than him, so to shut him up for the day, they seemed fitting. Already halfway to the checkpoint, he was complaining about hunger. His snacks were already in danger.

When you reached the bush you fancied, you and Jackson plopped down, ready to set up your study session. After getting comfortable for the long hours to come, you grab your journal and start onlooking. However, only three Fae were present… That Fae wasn’t around. For a moment, you felt disappointed, and even questioned if you wanted to stick around. But you set that thought aside, you were here to study the Fae, not just that one.

“Hm, I wonder where the other one is… It’s not like him to be absent.” Jackson mumbled to himself, he seemed to side eye you, waiting for a reaction. As if he knew what that Fae stirs inside you. An oddly inviting smell of smoke came from behind both of you. And a voice not belonging to either of you spoke.

“I wonder where I am, it really isn’t like me.” You turned around to see that Fae crouched down behind you with his elbows on his knees and his chin resting on his hands. “Hi.” His tone was puckish, your face getting hot, Jackson was spooked. With a hand on his heart he let out an exasperated breath.

“I know you like pulling pranks and playing tricks, but damn it, don’t give me a heart attack, you lil’ pixie!” The Fae enjoyed Jackson’s reaction, but you noted the glint of annoyance at the word ‘pixie’ and pleaded the Gods for this Fae not to give him a heart attack for real this time… The Fae ignored Jackson’s remarks and continued.

“So, this is what you do, day after day? Just sit here and take notes? Tsk, not even a favourable view of us.” He would speak to you, but his eyes and mind were elsewhere.

“It’s a respectful distance, I can see what I need to see from here.” He nodded at your answer and turned to Jackson.

“What about you, boy? I only ever see you come here to eat. Don’t you study us as well?” The Fae’s remark stung Jackson a bit, but in all fairness, he was right. Jackson only came to eat most of the time.

“Hey, that’s not true! I also came here to study…”

“Study what? How to continuously move your jaw up and down?” It was during their bickering that you noted that the Fae kept moving his fingers in an odd way, stealing glances from your journal ever so often. You looked down to discover why he seemed puckish in the first place. He had been tampering with your notes this whole time with Fae magic. Words were replaced, pages were missing and out of order, and a dumb drawing of what apparently seems to be him with his tongue out was now left on the page. You fumbled through the journal infuriated, months of study, altered and ruined.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!” He simply cackled in a way that made your stomach boil. You were supposed to be enraged, but why did this Fae’s mischievous way of laughing sent flutters to your heart instead? The Fae laughed hysterically, rolling on his back and snapping his fingers, only to turn into a puff of dust and smoke. You looked over to the other three Fae, who had been watching the whole scene unfold. They were in on it, by the way they were also laughing. They all turned to smoke and dust one by one, almost simultaneously. Was this their way of getting back at you for leaving early last time? That dumb Fae… You mumbled and grumbled, annoyed as you put away your things.

“Sheesh… What was that all about?” Jackson uttered as he got up and stretched his back. “I didn’t expect them to leave so soon, also didn’t expect that pesky thing to come bother us.” You shot daggers at him, almost instantly, but you quickly composed. Why did his insult to the Fae annoy you? You were already set to go but remembered to leave the sunflower bread behind.

“Really, you’re going to leave them offerings, after that? After they did what they did? You’re getting soft for them, Rowen.” He snickered as he avoided the elbow you threw at him and headed out.

“Don’t leave me behind!”

The following weeks were more of the same. You’d either go study the Fae alone or with Jackson, but often ended up striking conversations with that one Fae, he would now always come to you once you reached the bush. Sometimes now it would just be him at the mushroom circle, waiting for you. Though he was quite impish, you found yourself growing to enjoy his company, dare you say, a friendship was building between you. You still weren’t on speaking terms with the other Fae, but they would wave hello and goodbye whenever they saw you in the woods. You felt lucky. Going from only glancing from a distance, to now being bothered and welcomed by them. That one Fae still made you a bit nervous however, especially when you noticed that Yoongi’s spell wasn’t as strong on the second floor as it seemed to be on the first. Either that or this Fae was just strong… You started to notice that some of your things would be misplaced. That went on for a few days, but you didn’t mind. As long as you always found everything and cast a cleaning spell to remove his dust, it was okay. Sometimes the dust got to Lorelynn before you could get to it, and her allergies had gotten a bit worse. Yoongi would worry, but he knew how much you were taking care of the dust, so he didn’t mind much, if by the end of the day there were no dust laying around, and nobody found out that it was because of that Fae coming here, it was all fine. 

One day, however, enough was enough. Your rings and crystals… Not only were they misplaced, but after searching high and low all day you realized, they were missing… Simple tricks were okay, but downright stealing what was most precious and vital to you, that was crossing many lines. You were hunting this Fae down, and getting back what was rightfully yours.

The path to the mushroom circle didn’t seem far this time, your enraged self got there rather quickly. Still a bit at a distance, you could already make out the four Fae. They were playing with your crystals, trying them up with twine and twigs, to make them look like a crown of sorts. They seemed to be playing as Royals due to their exaggerated and fine movements, which led them to laugh at each other. The broad one wore the biggest crown, sitting atop a large rock. Even though it was just for play, he deemed authority, he was clearly the elder of the four. The other three, including that one Fae, were dancing and clapping to please their ‘King’. You almost forgot why you were here, almost forgot you were mad, you were captivated by their youthful and playful essence, clearly ensuring they were as Fae as Fae could get.

“Hey!” You shouted over at them, a bit louder than what you wanted. The young Fae looked over at you, and his expression turned into one of excitement. He disappeared from where he once stood and appeared before you. Taking your hand in his and dragging you over to the rest of the Fae.

“Come, come, we’re having a party of sorts! We have treasures!” Treasures?

“You mean my crystals and rings?” You knew where the crystals were, atop the head of the ‘Fae King’, but your rings… They were nestled on every finger of that Fae. Your heart was a mess again when you realized your hand was in his and he wore all your rings.

The eldest Fae, their ‘King’, was the first to speak. “Thank you for lending us your crystals.” He bowed his head slightly with a snicker. The other two Fae followed suit with their own thanks. The crystals were now the least of your worries, as they looked fantastic in the crowns made for them. Now they really felt magical.

“You’re welcome… So long as I get them back, it’s okay.” You nodded, taking your hand from that Fae’s as you noticed it was still tightly secured in his.

One of the other Fae spoke, his voice deep. “Of course, you will get them back, we were going to send our youngest to put them back where he found them after we were done.” 

The smallest Fae out of the four chimed in. “But we can’t promise you anything about your rings… He’s grown too fond of them.” Your eye twitched.

“I need my rings.” You turned your gaze over to the Fae towering over you. His arms crossed and eyes avoiding your stare.

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do.”

“No.

“Yes!” Your shout caught him off guard, his eyes finally meeting yours as he realized you weren’t playing.

“You really aren’t that keen on fun, are you? Here.” He started to take off his rings, with an expression you couldn’t make out, but it stung you a bit. He hesitated a bit before giving you a ring in specific, but he still gave it up. You took this as his preferred ring and decided to… let him have it.

“Keep it. Before I change my mind.” You saw his expression change back to the excited one when you first arrived, he quickly slipped the ring back on his pinkie. It suited him well. You stayed with all four Fae, getting to know them. The smallest Fae stood next to you, giggling.

“For the second time in my life, I’m taller than an Elf.” He burst out into laughter and they all followed suit… You sighed, fully knowing your height was going to be the butt of the joke every chance they got from now on.

As time passed by, you and Jackson bonded with all four Fae whenever you had the chance to. You could now cross reference your notes with their facts, hoping that they weren’t playing tricks on you again. As the time passed, you and that Fae grew closer and closer. You still didn’t quite accept that he made you a nervous wreck, that his eyes caused your knees to weaken. You couldn’t accept that this mere Fae could make you feel so small. One day, as you were leaving the circle, the Fae decided to walk with you to the edge of the forest, a newly found habit of his which you didn’t question. Though he made you tremble, you couldn’t help but enjoy the attention.

You get the feeling that since you are now both aware after months and months of getting to know each other, that you aren’t a threat to one or the other, that it is time to finally know each other’s names.

“So,” you started, a knot already forming in your throat, what if he didn’t feel safe yet? “What’s your name? I feel weird not knowing what to call you besides ‘boy’.” He chuckled softly; poking his tongue on his lip before responding.

“Jungkook. My name is Jungkook, Kook for short.” He smiled, looking forward.

“Jungkook… Kook. Nice.” You nodded.

“Mhm. And I believe it is now time for you to give me your name.” There was a glint in his eyes you didn’t understand.

“Rowen.” You were dumb, you were stupid, and it wasn’t until Jungkook guffawed in disbelief that you realized just how dumb you really were. You gave him your name. You fell for the one thing everyone warned you, wordplay. You were now bound by name to the most mischievous and impulsive Fae you’ve ever met, and you’ve only met four.

“I can’t believe you actually fell for it! YOU WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO GIVE ME YOUR NAME! YOU’RE A WITCH, YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO KNOW THIS!” Those were the last words he managed to get out before fully turning into unstoppable laughter. You weren’t even halfway back to the edge of the forest, and you were now nameless. Because of your dumb self wanting to know his name…

“Phew, I have to go take care of something, have a safe walk back.” He turned into a puff of smoke and dust with one last laugh. You sighed in disbelief… This could only happen to you, for falling for this stupid Fae, stupid Kook…

With shrugged shoulders you made it out of the forest and back to the house, the walk felt longer this time, what with being alone and losing your name and all. Your shoulders fell even more when you saw Lorelynn outside, waiting for you. As you got closer, you realized her eyes were watery and puffy, her nose was red, she was allergy ridden, all due to the letter she had in her fingers, dripping with Fae dust… Oh no…

“So, you met a few Fae… and gave one of them your name?” Was the first thing the stuffy nosed elf said. “I overheard Namjoon giving you advice. He could have warned of anything, but he chose: don’t fall for wordplay; and that’s exactly what you do.” She blew her nose into a tissue. 

“I know, I’m dumb…” There was no other way around this, you were just dumb.

“Wow, you really fell hard for a Fae, huh?” She handed you the letter, which was obviously from Jungkook. “Here, it’s a name-binding contract. A warning, really. You’re officially his plaything, though I would dare to go as far as calling you his slave.” She sighed. “Yoongi told me about everything, including the spell.” At least you’re not the only 0ne in trouble. “Apparently, it's only been working on our floor, and now with this new dilemma… Just be wary of the name-binding consequences. And try to keep him at bay…” She motions for you to follow her inside. “Come on, you’re on cleaning duty. That dumb letter has gotten dust everywhere. And I might as well learn about the Fae, so you’re also on teaching duty.” You followed her up to your study, casting a cleaning spell almost every step of the way, can never be too sure anymore.

“Is he cute at least?”

“Shut up.”

It had been a few days since you gave up your name and you hadn’t seen its new owner; however, you’ve noticed he’s been around and fully using your name because lately some of the spells, charms and incantations that you’ve practiced with ease, are now suddenly… not working as they should. You were downstairs in the living room this time, since Jungkook shouldn’t be on the first floor anyways, you felt better off practicing there. You had placed Sage Incense, a Silver Spell Candle, a bowl of Sea Salt and a Chalice filled with water on the coffee table. You drew your circle, then lit the incense and the candle, and meditated for a few minutes while the sage filled the room. You held your hands over the incense and said, “with air I cleanse myself.” You let the smoke twirl around your fingers for a few moments. Feeling the cleansing properties of sage immerse you. Then you held your hands above the candle and said, “with fire I cleanse myself.” Visualizing the flame burning away anything unwanted within you. You took the sea salt and crumbled it between your fingers, gently rubbing it on your hands, and said, “with earth I cleanse myself.” Then dipped your hands in the water, again gently rubbing your hands, and said…

“With water I cleanse myself.” Another voice overlapped yours. Jungkook. He sat Indian style on the Lazy Chair, elbow on one knee, chin in hand, eyes on you. And that fluttering smile.  How was he even inside? How did he break through the barrier spell? To your knowledge, the spell didn’t reach the second floor due to it being a new addition and Yoongi forgetting to correct it, but Jungkook had only been around in his diminutive state, from what he had told you. But now he was in full form, on the First floor. The forbidden floor. Oh no…

“What are you doing here?” You quickly blurted out in surprise.

“Well, visiting, of course. Haven’t seen you in a while.” His expression turned confused, as if you didn’t know he was coming over. Which you didn’t. This was completely unannounced, but that wasn’t the point of the question.

“No, I mean, what are you doing here, the First floor?” His smile turned coy.

“Ah, you mean the protection spell? Yeah, that doesn’t apply to me anymore.” Your spine went cold. He stood up, picking at his finger. “You are safe to come into the first floor, I own your name, therefore, I’m safe to come in also.” He gave you a sly wink, and then shrugged. “That, and the fact that Lorelynn has a lot of Fae inviting plants both inside and outside of the house, it’s stupid to be honest with you. The spell gets cancelled out due to the plants and the contract. Had there been no plants, maybe I wouldn’t be allowed in, but who knows. Too late now, anyways.” He walked towards you, with a questionable glint. “Why is there a protection spell against Fae, exactly?” He towered over you, causing panic. He liked having this power over you. Even though he was ten years younger, he asserted dominance over you.

“I’ll explain later, but really you have to…” You stopped mid sentence, already hearing Lorelynn’s steps up the entrance path. “Shit. Follow me.” You grabbed his arm and practically yanked it from its socket as you dragged him up the stairs and into your room. You close the door behind you and usher the Fae boy to stay quiet. Pressing an ear to the floor, you listened to Lorelynn’s movements, what was happening downstairs. You kicked yourself for not doing a quick cleaning spell the moment you heard Lorelynn sneeze, subsequently followed by a ‘Rowen...’ Shit, shit, shit.

“Listen,” You started to whisper to Jungkook. “you need to go, now. Even though Lorelynn already knows of you, she would be absolutely enraged if she found you here, she’s severely allergic to Fae Dust, which you leave around every which way! It could complicate my living arrangement here…” His eyes widened in alarm, he did not know of the allergies prior or what his presence could imply.

“Oh, I’ll leave now…” The both of you looked over to the door after hearing Lorelynn’s steps coming up the stairs.

“No time, you poof, more dust. In the closet.”  You quickly shoved him in and closed the closet. He tried his hardest to stay still, quiet and not drop any dust.

Lorelynn knocked and opened the door to your room, looking a mess of confusion and death. “Whose turn was it to clean the house this week? Was it me? Did I forget again? Or did you go play with the Fae?” Her stuffy nose interfered with her pronunciation.

“Nah, it’s mine, and I was out with the Fae. I left some of my spell stuff downstairs but came to get something else, so I could get to it properly.” Truthfully, it was your turn. You had already cleaned the house, though. But forgot to do it again with the presence of the Fae, she just didn’t need to know he was there. She nodded in understanding but waved you off.

“It’s okay then, I’ll do a quick one while I get some medicine.” Yoongi had conjured up some herbal medicine for whenever the allergies took over, for now they were the ones that mostly helped her control the allergies, but it was only a temporary fix. She proceeded to go downstairs, and you closed the door after she left. You waited a few moments before releasing the Fae from the closet. You let out a sigh and dragged him over to your study, casting a cleansing spell in the room behind you.

“Well, I’m starting to understand why the spell to keep her allergies controlled, but it makes no sense with all those plants.” He sat on top of your desk, confusion on his face. At least he was trying to understand.

“If I didn’t know about them, then Lorelynn had a much lesser chance of knowing they’re inviting plants. That spell was put up by her husband because of her allergies to Fae dust, to keep the house at bay from exposure, and to keep Lorelynn away from knowledge that Fae lurk these areas, at least until he found a cure for her allergies.” Explaining this, you heard the bedroom door, meaning Lorelynn was there again. You forced the Fae boy under the desk with a swift motion and sat at it. Causing him to be face to face with your thighs. You didn’t know this, but this proximity was causing a little bit of Fae dust to fall off him, which he was trying desperately to control.

Lorelynn waltzed into the study, feeling better, but still looking much like death.

“So, I meant to ask, if you and Jackson would be willing to help me with a big order. A Dwarven wedding requested cake and an array of cookies, and I need to get on it quickly. The day after tomorrow, please?” She practically begged, but she knew you’d agree. A Dwarven wedding, you got to help in? Definitely.

“Of course! Count us in. Lorelynn,” She started to get a red nose again. “I think you should go rest a bit, wait until the medicine takes full effect before prancing about.”

“You’re right.” She was already stuffy again. As she left, she sneezed on last time, throwing out another cleaning spell as reflex. “Sorry…” 

After she was gone, you moved away from the desk, and a blushing red Jungkook crawled out of it. Seeing the situation firsthand, his mischievous ways seeded for a moment, taking into consideration that you need this living arrangement for your research, to be near him. That’s what he understood. He stared at you for a moment, and you noticed a glint in his eyes. What it meant; you had no idea.

“I think I’ll go ahead and leave now, see you soon, Rowen.” Before he turned to smoke and dust, he gave you another signature wink.  As a response, you casted a cleaning spell upon his disappearance. In his diminutive form, Jungkook decided to go ahead and scout the area, something he was never interested in doing before. It was a long time since he, or any of the Fae, had been in contact with species besides their own. He had now travelled as far as Lorelynn’s house, where Rowen currently lived at, but knowing he isn’t really supposed to be there, he decided to find where she works. He quickly gathered that it was a bakery, and the famous bakery by that. Once he found the Flour Pot, he was quick to scan if there was any spell like at the house. To his luck, no spell, but plenty of inviting plants. Another plus were the sweets, giving it was a bakery. He found the loophole, and Lorelynn wouldn’t be able to protest if she found him. Having this information, he seems its only fair if he drops by the day of the big order to help out.

It was the day you and Jackson would help Lorelynn with the Dwarven Wedding order. Lorelynn chose to work in the bakery the day it’s usually closed, to be able to concentrate on the order with no distractions from customers. You arrive early, even earlier than Lorelynn, eager to be able to participate in preparing goods for dwarves. You reviewed the list of cookies they wanted, and headed to the kitchen, looking for Lorelynn’s Cookie recipe book to get the ones you needed and prep the kitchen with the ingredients for the first cookie recipe to make. There was a total of 8 kinds of cookies, 125 cookies each, at a total of 1,000 cookies. What an event it should be. While reading over the recipes, you heard a noise in the pantry. Was it a mouse? You went over to the pantry to check, opening its doors and revealing none other than Jungkook. Covered in flour. With a mixing bowl on his head. You resisted the urge to scream. “What in blazing hell are you doing here?”

“I’m here to help with the big order!” You quickly opened your mouth to refute, but he put his hands up and spoke first. “There are a lot of inviting plants here and no spell to say otherwise. There shouldn’t be a problem with me here.” A loophole. He found a loophole. Along with many of the other ones he keeps finding for everything.

“Jungkook, please. I need you to leave. This is a very important day, an important order. I know you want to help, but today is just not that day. So, pleas…” Oh no, not again. Like last time, you didn’t have enough time to make Jungkook leave, before Lorelynn arrived. You heard her and Jackson opening the door. So, without a thought, you pushed the tall Fae, back into the pantry, along with yourself. For who knows, what reason.

“I just thought it would be fine…”

“SHH, us elves have superb hearing, shut up.”

You heard Lorelynn and Jackson made their way into the kitchen, and for your unlucky self, Lorelynn starts sneezing immediately. Her annoyed mutters grew rapid, as now she had to prep the kitchen and deal with food with an unexpected allergy. You both remained quiet, trying not to breathe loudly, to avoid detection. You suddenly were very aware of the fact that Jungkook’s chest was practically pressed on your face. The pantry fit one person fine, but two? The proximity between you started to quicken your heart rate, and by being so close to his chest, you noted that his was going a mile a minute as well. You looked up, only to be met with his eyes. He had been staring for a while, his eyes piercing through your soul. You could have sworn he was leaning into your face, that is until the dark pantry was suddenly filled with light when its doors swung open. Jungkook, for reasons unknown to you, and maybe even to him, blew out flour onto the face of the poor bakery owner.

“SURPRISE!” He shouted. You wanted to die, but probably not more than Lorelynn did. Blinded by the flour, she brought up her hands to wipe it off her face. Only after was when she realized, the Fae in her midst. You were anticipating a scream by the face she pulled, but it quickly turned into a sneeze. You and Jungkook exit the pantry as Lorelynn tries to compose herself, letting out an exasperated breath.

“So… This is that Fae?” She was blowing fumes, even though she spoke calmly. Jungkook didn’t even give you time to explain the situation.

“I am one of the Fae, but yes, I am that Fae. Jungkook. Nice to meet you, Lorelynn.” He quickly shifted his attention and waved his hand over to the other figure. “Hello Jack.” What?

“Hey Kook.” WHAT? Since when were Jackson and Jungkook on a nickname basis? And since when do they even know their names? It stung a bit that he quickly told Lorelynn his name, when you had waited months for it. But that was an irrational moment, put away quickly.

“Why is the Fa- Why’s Jungkook here? Why? Why are you here? Oh, ugh.” In her panicked interrogation, she reached for her nose. “Oh no, I’m already starting to get clogged up.” She casted a quick medicinal spell to be able to breathe, backing away from Jungkook, and casting a cleaning spell while she was at it. And there began her whining. “I never use magic here, this is upsetting… Rowen.” Whining like the stupid child she often was, but she had every right to.

“I am only here to help, I swear.” He put his arms out in defense, by now he had already taken off his mixing bowl hat, so he could be taken a bit more seriously. But Lorelynn wasn’t buying into it.

“No, you’re not, you’re here to play your Fae tricks and mess up my business.” She crossed her arms and plopped down to the floor, lips pouting out. You sighed, Jungkook needed to go.

“Jungkook, please. I was practically begging before they got here, you need to go.” A disconnect could be seen in his eyes, he had an expression you had never seen him do before, and it… Hurt.

“But I’m being honest, I genuinely want to help.” At the end, he scoffed. He couldn’t believe you didn’t believe him. And you still didn’t. Before you could respond. Lorelynn had already gotten up.

“Alright.” It seemed like she heard something you hadn’t. “You can stay. But in the back. No messing with the order. I will let you help in ways that would require your help, other than that, you are to be sat in the corner. Got it?” Her words were directed at Jungkook, but you felt that the consequences would be yours, her stare said it all.

You take Jungkook over to the back, bring a chair along with you and placing it in the corner. You breathe in deeply, looking how to make these instructions clear.

“You heard her. I need you to stay put, at least until the order is done.” You grab his hand, squeezing it firmly, hoping to pass on some understanding to him. “This is a really important order for Lorelynn. You cannot do anything to the goods being baked, or the tools used to make them, and that if you manage at least that, I will have Lorelynn bake your favorite snack.” His tense expression from earlier softened.

“I understand all of this, I wasn’t here to wreak havoc, but okay. I’ll stay still.” It hits you that all this time, he was in fact genuine, and not trying to play Fae tricks. Not knowing what to say, you simply nod and back away. “Thank you, Kook.” Heading back into the main workstation with Lorelynn and Jackson.

“Why’d you change your mind?” You asked Lorelynn, as she pulled her hair back and washed her hands, preparing for the work of a lifetime.

“He reminded me of when Hoseok and Namjoon wanted to help me when they were kids. He spoke with a child’s genuine interest.” Oh. She picked it up before you did… You were never near enough kids, or any to be honest, to know that, let alone that the same logic applied to Fae, or to Jungkook in any case.

For the rest of the evening, everything went about peacefully, as it should. The goods were not tampered with, and neither were the instruments and machines used for their preparation. Occasionally Jungkook would start to play a few tricks but only neither of you were dealing with the goods. He would fling flour, icing and glitter when he had the chance, never missing an opportunity. For the most part, he was calm. Helping in the way Lorelynn required it by bringing him a spoon with batter and having him taste test occasionally. This helped keep him in place and help Lorelynn get accustomed to having a Fae around, which you all realized that would be their new fate. The only problem being whenever Kook liked a sample, he would shake off a little bit of dust. Which is why he was mostly kept to the back of the room. After a busy day. The order, at least the cookie part, is complete. Lorelynn and Jackson left the bakery, leaving you and Kook behind, but not before she prepared some of his favorite sunflower bread, for behaving today. A peace offering.

“Wow, Lorelynn really is a good baker.” Fae dust immediately dropping has he took his first bites. “Remember to cast a cleaning spell after I leave.” He looked over at you with widened eyes and snickered.

“She is, and I will. I always do, or at least try to.” You shrugged. You both stayed quiet, but not an awkward silence. It was enjoyable, especially since you were both having your fill with the sunflower bread and a few of the error cookies left over.

“I’m sorry for today. I didn’t realize you sincerely wanted to help.”

“It’s alright. I’m a Fae, so mistrust is normal.” Mistrust…

“It’s not that I didn’t trust you… This was just important, and I couldn’t risk it.” Your shoulders slumped down. You should have known, should have felt his sincerity. But because of your various encounters and tricks, you couldn’t bring yourself to fully believe him. So, when Lorelynn noted he spoke true and let him stay… It hurt. You were supposed to know, you know him. But just how well do you know him?

He put a hand on your back and let it stay there. “Apology accepted.” He looked over at you with soft eyes and a smile. Your face started to burn again, as it had gotten used to doing whenever moments like these transpired, especially now, when you were practically wrapped under his arm.

“Y’know, I like spending time with you. And I think the rest might start liking it too.”

“Well, I’m glad. I like having you around too.” His soft expression became mischievous in an instant. “I like owning you too.” Your shock caused him to burst into laughter, give you a sly wink, and turn into a puff of smoke and dust. Not even allowing you a defense, or even a goodbye. You scoffed, and chuckled. What a Fae. You cleaned up thoroughly and headed back home.

The next day you and Jackson were asked to man the bakery front while Lorelynn was finishing the wedding cake in the back, just in time for the order to be picked up. You secretly wished for the order to have been a delivery run as well, just to catch a glimpse of the event.

The months to follow were simply just of you and Jackson going to study the Fae, which had now turned to be more of a hangout session rather than studying. Now you knew that the eldest one was named Seokjin, but you all called him Jin for short. Speaking of short, the shortest of the Fae, was Jimin, who constantly mocked your height being an Elf. And the deep voiced Fae, Taehyung. Jungkook hijinks were more prominent now around the house since he was partially allowed to be there, it also helped for him to grow bonds with Lorelynn and Yoongi. 

Most days the bakery was visited by Hoseok and Namjoon, where they would vividly tell you about their many travels and experiences and invited you to in the future tag along with them to see what new horizons you may find. Over these months you grew to enjoy everyone you’ve met in your time living here.

Jackson, Lorelynn, Yoongi, Namjoon, Hoseok, Jin, Jimin, Taehyung… and Jungkook. Not all were connected to each other, but you were connected to all, and that filled your chest up with some sort of pride. Hopefully one day, everyone could integrate.

One day, you were sat at the Flour Pot, going over and comparing creature notes with Namjoon. His knowledge on creature and racial study was impressive as it was immersive, and you felt slightly ashamed that your findings were lacking, but you thought not much of it, until he reached your extensive chapter on Fae folk.

“Uh, Rowen… Things here seem a bit out of place.” He raised his eyes towards you, ridden with confusion. Ah, right. You had forgotten what had happened long ago.

“I’m sorry. Jungkook did Fae magic to some pages while on a study trip. He never bothered to fix them.” With a heavy sigh, you flipped through the pages, trying to find anything salvageable. The only thing you came across, was his simple yet characteristic self-portrait. It was quite endearing, no matter how falsely annoyed you may have gotten.

The noble let out a chuckle. “Should have casted a spell on it before you got too close.”

“Yeah… I might have pictures of the notes on my phone, but I highly doubt it. Worth checking though.” Your fingers worked on the screen as you spoke, eyes scanning the gallery in search for any of your pages. Instead, selfies of Jungkook, and pictures of a rather annoyed Rowen, taken by him, flooded the screen. Your cheeked reddened as you kept scrolling, he looked quite stunning in the images. Putting away the phone, you commented on your misfortune, but were quite fond of your new findings.

As three months turned to five, you had taken a job over at Yoongi’s clinic, where the both of you would discuss herbalism and find new mixes for medicine and such, he was mostly interested in the rare herbalism you had picked up in South Vale, and you were eager to unwrap that knowledge and present it to him. Jackson discovered a passion for baking, and while he would still go with you on your ‘studies’, he would mostly find himself working at the bakery. Both of you figured that by helping and working at Lorelynn and Yoongi’s respective businesses, it was a good way to give back to them for having put you up. Especially now with the whole Fae ordeal.

Jungkook would now spend his time in your study, often helping with the herbs you worked with whenever he notes some are lacking, by nourishing them, instead of being out in the woods with the rest of the Fae, and you would spend your free time at the mushroom circle with them. Other days there would be no sort of contact between the two, which left you feeling empty, but it was understandable, he was a busy Fae, and you were a busy Elf witch. Lately though, he’s traded his mischievous hand for a helping one. He takes care of some plants around the house, finds misplaced things, and even helps in the creation of new recipes for Lorelynn’s bakery, which have been getting popular, becoming weekly favourites.

Of course, in order to be spending time in the bakery, Jackson suggested; in a protective and humiliating manner, that Lorelynn make him wear a hazmat suit. Just for allergy prevention purposes. And maybe a chuckle or two for himself, since he was seemingly getting slightly jealous of all the attention the ‘pixie’ took from his best friends. Attention that was once his. Truly, they did get along, but they bickered like an old married couple.

Whenever Jungkook wasn’t helping at the bakery, he made time to play pranks and cause a bit of havoc in the house, but it was mostly rare now. He then since stopped messing with your name, but still very much enjoys pointing out that he owns it and therefore owns you.

One of the days that Jungkook was busily helping Lorelynn, he struck up a curious conversation.

“So, Lorelynn. You’re married to Yoongi, right?” The semi muffled voice came from the suit.

“Well, you’re quite observant.” She responded with sarcasm, a new habit of theirs.

“Funny.” His eyes rolled in time with the dough. “I just want to know; how did it happen? What was the marriage ceremony like? What is the Elf way of union?” He spoke with genuine interest.

“Well, funny you should ask. Yoongi and I had a human wedding for our ceremony.” A soft smile of nostalgia spread across her face, remembering that special day.

“Oh,” This came as a surprise to the Fae. “Why human and not Elf?” Lorelynn snorted at this remark.

“Because Elves don’t have weddings, silly. Our marriages are concealed through the act of sex. And in that case, I think Yoongi and I are pretty solid that we’re married.” The curious Fae reddened up, thankfully hidden in his suit. “I just wanted a big celebration like I’ve seen other races do, and a human-like wedding was the easiest to pull off.”

“So, if your kind doesn’t have a wedding, how do you show off that you’re married? Is it something you announce or...?” If he was interested before, there was no word to describe what he was now.

“Well, with Elves, you can see it in our eyes and hear it in our voice. Depending on how you look at it, it’s convenient, really. Instantly people know that you’re married, and to who.”

From the back of the kitchen, Jackson chimed in. “Well, if you ask me: it’s an inconvenience. What about Fae?”

“Whenever Fae ‘marry’ we get matching marks on our bodies. In a way, it’s like your voice and eye thing, you just know.”

From then on out, the conversation slowly turned into a comparison of Elf and Fae differences, Jungkook giving small thanks as to Lorelynn and Jackson’s easily distracted minds.

One night, he was in your studio, sitting on your desk, watching you work your magic as he was accustomed to now. While caught up chatting the night away, the moonlight peaks into the room, catching your face, causing your usual elven charms to skyrocket for him right then and there. You noticed he stopped talking so you looked up at him, only to catch him staring at you dearly, but instead his eyes ended up catching you. Caught in his gaze, unable to escape, you felt under a microscope, yet you remained still. He started to lean in slowly, like when he did in the pantry long ago, but there wasn’t any flour in this scenario. No sneezing Lorelynn’s to walk in on you. Not to be disrupted in the locked room. Just the two of you. And before you knew it, his lips landed on yours, gentle at first, but slowly becoming greedier, and to your surprise, you met his actions. You were in a daze, and he seemed to be in one too, as the Fae dust would not stop pouring off him. In the time that you knew him, and the other Fae, you had never witnessed so much dust. 

Unknowingly to you, it started to seep through the floorboards and reach downstairs to where Lorelynn sat in the living room, enjoying a cooking show. But her enjoyment came to an end, once the dust landed all over her and her allergies kicked into overdrive. You and Kook pulled away from each other as Lorelynn’s sneezes broke the sound barrier, only to begin laughing at what you had caused, both blushing tremendously.

“I don’t think a cleaning spell is going to help her after this one…” Jungkook laughed to himself. “Or the rest to come.” That second part sent shivers down your spine, because you desperately wanted more. “Does this mean we’re dating?” He asked softly in between breaths.

“I think so.” You say, might as well. This is your fate now. He smirked, and his tongue peered out just a bit.

“It’s good to know you’re mine in more ways than one.” In a matter of seconds, you were both consuming each other once again, with a passion neither of you knew you had.

After that, it wasn’t long before the other three Fae found out. And of course, they wanted to celebrate this union. Jungkook had quite the tongue, and you knew it well. You were outside in the garden, helping Lorelynn plant some new flowers she got. She wanted to ‘spruce it up a bit’ now that a Fae was visiting often. She had run inside to get another bag of potting soil, she would have been able to summon it, had it not been for Jungkook hiding it. Speaking of him, he was well on his way leading all the Fae over to Lorelynn’s house, and he took to using the fact that he owned your name, to be able to have his friends pass on to the property. You were in a coughing fit the moment all four Fae popped up at once, because of the amount of dust. 

“What are you all doing here?” You asked hurriedly, not knowing when Lorelynn would burst outside.

“They’ve come to celebrate our kiss union!” Jungkook exclaimed as they all gathered in for a group hug. Cheers throughout. Panic started to set in. The Fae were gathered here, screaming at that, when Lorelynn could come out at any given moment. You begged them to at the very least turn into their diminutive selves and fly off. And they did so. The first part at least. You shouted at Lorelynn to not come out when she was nearing the sliding door, because of bees, and she was deathly scared of them. So, she just watched as you chased down these “bees”, shooing them off. After the Fae got their fun, they yielded and went back to the woods. A solution for Lorelynn’s allergies needed to be found before they could just all wander into the property like this…

Over the next few days, you and Yoongi got to work, trying to come up with a cure for Lorelynn’s allergies. After 1 week of testing and inventing, the both of you gave up the medicinal aspect, and opted for something creative. A mask of sorts, to cover her nose and mouth area. This one, however, would have a magic thread, just to fully prevent Lorelynn breathing in any Fae dust. This took another week to perfect, and after finishing it, with what you hope was 100% secure, you decided to bring Lorelynn and Jungkook in to test it out. 

You, Yoongi, Jackson, Jungkook and Lorelynn all were gathered in your studio.

“So, I just put it on?” Lorelynn asked, answering herself by putting the mask on.

“Yes. Now, Rowen: cast a cleaning spell.” Yoongi ordered, and you followed. Making sure the room was perfectly clean. “Good. Okay, Jungkook: take off the hazmat suit.” Jungkook did as instructed, and now we waited. There was a little bit of Fae dust, not the amount he usually exudes normally, due to him being nervous.

“Does it work? I mean, I’m not sneezing.” The elf looked at all the faces in the room.

“Hard to say, there’s not enough dust.” You scratched your head, thinking of what to do.

“I’m trying really hard guys, there’s just nothing worth dusting about.” The poor Fae kept straining himself to dust.

“Well, what caused that dust storm the other day? She was practically in a coma.” Jackson questioned, perplexed.

“Really? You want them to start sucking the life out of each other again? We barely got rid of that dust last week!” Lorelynn’s exclaims made the blushing Fae suddenly start to drop some dust. With that, a thought sparked within you.

“I’m going to need you guys to leave for a while.” You started to point them out the door of your study, Yoongi didn’t want to risk his in case the mask didn’t work.

“But what about testing…”

“Just trust me.”

After a vigorous make out session with Jungkook, enough dust was swirling through the room to cause Lorelynn another near death experience. You called over for them to come over. Lorelynn was the first to walk in, with the mask on. Yoongi and Jackson followed suit.

“We were gone for 2 minutes and you managed to pour out all this? Kookie gets rather excited with kisses, eh?” Jackson poked an elbow at the Fae, the two often threw jabs at each other, always with their constant bickering, but you knew it came from a good place. Now, it was time to see if the mask worked.

“Okay, Lorelynn. The room is supposed to be a toxic zone for you right now. Take a few deep breaths to see how you do.” Yoongi spoke, he was quite hopeful this time around.

 After five large inhales on Lorelynn’s behalf, there were no allergies. The mask was a success!

“FINALLY! I can breathe!” She screamed overjoyed; she had been liberated from the dust. So long as she wore the mask, she would be fine.

Over the next few days; you supervised party planning. Namjoon and Hoseok were going on another trip earlier than expected, due to family matters. But knowing them, it would probably be extended once they set off, so you all agreed on sending them off properly. Not only that, you all had to celebrate the success of the mask too, which involved inviting all the Fae over, for all to meet. Months ago, you only hoped for this to happen, now it was becoming real. All your friends, together at once.

Hoseok and Namjoon were the first to arrive, curious to see the mask and meet the Fae that they had heard so much about. You knew it was all a bluff now. When you pieced it together, your mentor telling you where to find your destiny, seeing the boys; specifically, Namjoon; in South Vale, the warnings of wordplay, it all made sense now. Your mentor really was an all-knowing Elder Witch.

The boys quickly go over to hug their Elf mother who bore her allergy mask.

“So, this is what’s helping you survive the Fae dust? Outstanding.” Namjoon commented.

“Yeah, and I can see why.” Hoseok started to pat at his arms, already catching dust on his clothes.

“See that? That would have had me in my room, sneezing my insides out.” Lorelynn was very much excited about being able to walk around her house freely again, even if she had to wear a mask most of the time. She says she doesn’t mind since it accentuates her eyes. Whatever works. “And that,” She pointed at Jungkook just walked into the living room with Jackson. “Is the main source.” The Fae rolled his dark orbs at her.

“Hello,” Jungkook spoke at them, but he walked towards you, who was standing near them, and grabbed your hand tightly. “I’m that.”

“Hello, That. I’m Hobi, nice to meet you!” He extended his hand out, and Jungkook shook it with his free one.

“And I’m Namjoon. It’s good to see that now there can be peace between Lorelynn and Fae.”

“It is, only that there’s only peace with me. The rest, that’s another story.”

And as if on cue, three puffs of smoke and dust appear outside the door, and knocks are heard. Since the spell still hasn’t been lifted, they can’t come in unless Jungkook directly invites them, which when he motioned the door opened, the Fae could waltz in freely.

“HELLO!” Jimin, the small Fae cheered, his eyes becoming little crescent moons. A small gasp could be heard from Lorelynn’s mask. You guessed it was because of Jimin’s cuteness.

“Nice to see everyone!” Tae walked in quickly after, going to greet Jungkook and you first.

Lastly, Jin made his entrance. “I forgot what it was like to be surrounded by other species after so long… I missed it. Hello, everyone.” Jin closed the door behind him and quickly acclimated himself to the party. They were all acting particularly civil. This was odd. Until they spotted the owner of the house, she was easy to single out because of her mask, even though she was trying to hide behind Yoongi.

“Wow, I didn’t think after Rowen, we’d ever see another small elf, but there’s two more.” Tae was the first to act.

“Wuah, they really are tiny, but what about that mask, the poor thing can only be around us if she wears it.” Jin teased.

“C’mon, take it easy on her.” Jungkook tried defending, but to no avail.

Jimin sparked up in laughter. “A tiny elf with a Fae allergy? That’s hilarious- wait.” He got really close to Lorelynn, Yoongi stepped in front of her instinctively. “No, don’t worry, I’m not going to do anything. She just seems… Familiar.” Yoongi moves away a little, but still wary. Lorelynn’s eyes are the only thing visible to Jimin, yet they stirred something in him.

“Is your name common among your people?”

“No…” Her eyes darted around.

“Did you live in Roseshire?” Jimin took a step further, in awe. Lorelynn nodded, something in her eyes said that Jimin also seems familiar.

“YOU’RE THE ELF KID WITH THE SOCKS, AREN’T YOU?!” Jimin suddenly hopped and pointed at her, face utterly in shock. Everyone jumped as well, spooked from his actions.

“STOP IT, NO I’M NOT.” Lorelynn practically mimicked him.

“YES, YOU ARE!” Within seconds he was gone and back, sporting one of Lorelynn’s fancy socks on his head, laughing loudly. “Those allergies were never real, don’t you remember?” Lorelynn furrowed her brows and crossed her arms. “I gave them to you for smacking me with a book!”

“I THOUGHT YOU WERE A FLY! HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW IT WAS YOU? And what do you mean you gave them to me?”

“It was a punishment. It was meant to only be temporary… But you moved away before I could even revert it! And I never found out where you went anyways, but now that we’re here.” Jimin snapped his fingers in front of her face. “There, now you can take off that silly mask.”

You and Yoongi just stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. The allergies… were magic. It took you and Yoongi creating a one of a kind magic mask, to find out that with the presence of the Fae, the allergies could have been cured with one fucking snap. Fantastic.

“You guys went through all that trouble for the longest time, for all your efforts to be undone with a single snap.” Jackson whispered and snickered into your ears. “Yoongi looks so defeated after this.” He did look… Tragic. Well, at least now Lorelynn can breathe as the rest of the world does, but you are never getting those two weeks back.

The rest of the evening went on as planned with no allergies and loads of fun.  The Fae would go around playing harmless tricks that caused a laugh every now and then, Lorelynn and Jimin would bicker about the past, Jackson bothered Yoongi over not solving the allergy sooner, Jungkook stayed by you close, holding your hand firmly whenever anyone but Yoongi and Lorelynn got near you. Whenever any guy gets near you, actually… 

At the end of the night, Hoseok and Namjoon decided it was officially time to say goodbye. Lorelynn was a mess, even though they reassured her several times they would come back. Yoongi, who looked so small next to them, seemed like a sad father bidding farewell. It was almost comical, but you also grew to like, no, to love theme, so it was a bit sad for you as well, but you were mostly excited for them. You know when they returned, they tell you all about their royal cousin’s wedding and the new places they surely would visit. After the boys had gone, the Fae trio decided it was time for them to leave as well.

“Today was fun, thank you for having us.” Jin started.

“Yeah, thank you. Though we do have one request before we leave…” Tae, followed by Jimin, started to lead on what you were planning on asking.

“The spell… May you remove it?” Jimin directed his gaze at Yoongi, they know who put up the spell. “We’d like to visit, some other time.” His smile spread, and eyes landed on Lorelynn this time. It seems like she will be his target, yet again.

Yoongi sighed, knowing that once he removed it, he’d too fall victim to one of the Fae, and going off by how the night went, it seemed that he was Jin’s victim. Jackson was Taehyung’s plaything the whole night, so it goes without saying that he will also be fully pranked. And, obviously, you had Jungkook. But now, as Yoongi moved his hand with a swift motion, you were all doomed, the four Fae had full invitation to come inside the house.

“Thank you,” Jin bowed his head only slightly. “You will be seeing us quite often.” He winked.

“Better hide those socks, Lorelynn.” Jimin sneered at the Elf girl.

“Stop touching my SOCKS!”

One year later…

           Ever since the Farewell party for Hobi and Namjoon took place so long ago, the house has never been more… busy. Yoongi had removed the spell, as requested by the Fae, which caused them to now freely go to the house whenever they wanted. Be it to just hang out and have a nice time, or… wreak havoc. Things started off slow. Jimin would occasionally sneak into Lorelynn’s sock drawer, not doing much, just moving them out of place, mismatching them, poking a few holes in some. Nothing too much. But then it grew into magically placing them where she could not reach. Last week she was dangling from the chandelier in the living room because she used a step stool to try and get it, but then Jimin got rid of the step stool under her and watched as she screamed. She was fine, though, he also magically tied her hands to the chandelier while she was trying to rescue her socks.

           At first, Jin would mess with Yoongi using notes. He would leave random start-off jokes in one place for Yoongi to find, and then the punchline somewhere rather inconvenient, like in his sandwiches for example. But that then turned into Jin sneaking into the room in the middle of the night in his diminutive state, whispering a random pun into Yoongi’s ear, and then proceed to laugh like a broken windshield so loudly, even Lorelynn would freak out.

           At the beginning, Taehyung would try to set up pranks meant for you, but Jungkook would quickly diffuse them, either by undoing the prank, stopping it, or putting misplaced things back in their place. After seeing how he would not be allowed to prank his Fae brother’s beloved, he moved onto Jackson… Jackson faced the worst of it. Tae would just unplug his phone from charging at first and lock it for a while. But then… He decided that playing with Jackson’s consoles, switching and deleting save files from games, finishing games before Jackson did and then rewriting that save file, was a much better way to spend his time.

           Of course, it wasn’t all bad, the Fae’s also had their good times. Seeing as they got attached to each one of them, they not only pranked them on occasion, but mostly helped their elf whenever they deemed it so. Jimin would help Lorelynn with the garden, and her various plants in the house and bakery, and replaced Jungkook as the pastry tester. Jin would keep Yoongi company in the clinic whenever things got too stressful and helped around with menial tasks that would otherwise interfere with Yoongi’s work if it got too busy. Taehyung had a separate Memory Card for Jackson’s console that he didn’t mess with and was used to play games together.

And you, you had Jungkook. He did strike a prank every now and again, but it was rare now. He mostly helped you out by tending to your herbs and protecting you from random pranks from any of the other Fae. His time was spent mostly in your room, cuddling up to you, making you nervous, kissing you, teasing you, etc. You were always doing couple stuff for the most part now. But even after a whole year, you were still putty in his hands. And, he still owned your name.

Eventually Hoseok and Namjoon returned and a Welcome party had awaited them at the bakery. They shared their stories about the weddings and tales of a Vampire town they went to afterwards, you made note to ask more about it later, hoping to visit soon. Hobi and Joon’s arrival now meant that the Fae had another two victims to torment. And sadly, for both the humans, they quickly were invaded by all four Fae almost every week, but they all became buddied up with each other through the hi-jinks.

One day, Jungkook showed up in your room, urging you to come with him. He had a picnic basket filled with different finger foods and pastries that he had requested Lorelynn to make prior. Due to his excitement, you went with whatever it is he had planned. “It’s a really beautiful spot in the woods, you’re going to love it.” Were the words that piqued your interest for this exclusive date. 

After all the time you spent wandering in the woods, you would have thought you could never have missed a place quite like the one the Fae took you too. Then again, these lands were his home, not yours, and you were as thankful as ever of having him by your side.

It was an open cave, from where the water from a resounding waterfall fell to connect with a river. Light came from the top, which you guessed has exposed to the continuity of the forest and that dwelled within. Birds swooped in from time to time, nudging their heads against the water and taking away their food for the day.

Near the centre, on a sort of islet surrounded by the streaming water, stood an elder willow, its whip-like arms swaying in the breeze as smaller, glowing creatures danced around it. Jungkook grabbed your hand and led you towards the willow. There he laid down the blanket and basket, motioning for you to sit down, so he could rest his head atop your lap, a habit he picked up a few months ago that caused the right kind of stir within you

Whatever attention you would have normally given to your surroundings vanished much like it always did when he was around, his presence enough to render you dull in seconds even after all this time. His doe eyes grabbed your attention first, like usual, warm and enchanting and speaking so many words left unsaid. His cheeks were your favourite shade of rosy, and his lips quivered by a corner. Your hand stilled the gentle caress it offered his locks when he scrunched his nose your way, mischief glazing over his features.

“You know,” he spoke, voice twice as velvety, “it’s been a year.” You hummed in confirmation, very much aware of how long your relationship had shifted those 12 months ago. A shy smile inched its way into your lips when you remembered the first night you kissed, the hunger behind it after every stroke, and the scalding touch that left you restless the few nights after.

“I'm well aware,” you answered, trying to shoo away unnecessary thoughts in whatever efforts to keep the innocence of it all. Though, he was never one to help in that department.

“One year since you've been all mine.” Before you knew it, his head had left your lap, and your back met the petaled floor, breath hitched and cheeks undoubtedly red.

If you didn't know any better, you'd have guessed he read your thoughts, the resurfaced memories and feelings. But you knew he could read your expression like his favourite book, every detail already engraved into his memory. It was very much the same to you, though the tightening of your stomach didn't quite let you function - neither did the leg he raised to separate yours, nor the now pupil-consumed eyes that practically ate you on their own.

“But have I been yours?” He added, an odd choice of words for the moment you were sharing.

“Well, have you?” You asked, a bit confused really, flustered all the same.

“I thought about that for a long time, but it always led back to you being mine. I’m changing that today.” He reached a hand into the basket that had been left untouched and pulled out what seemed to be a note. “I give you this.” You took it in your hands, unfolding each crease carefully. Inside, only one word was written. ‘Jungkook’. “I give you my name, as I have yours. Bounded by name. Forever.” He spoke softly, throwing in his signature wink that set your heart aflame that one day in the forest.

“Do you plan on keeping me then?” you asked, voice more of a whisper because of the lack of distance between you. His raised eyebrow would have been more prominent to you had your eyes not been too keen on observing his lips.  They curled into a lazy smirk, and all you wanted to do was bruise them with your own. He could feel it in your heartbeat, both your nerves and your excitement, when he answered.

“Yes, permanently.” he said, eyes too dark and devastating you dared not doubt him. “You'll never belong to anyone else, but me.” As if to seal the promise, his lips came crashing down on yours, a tug of war between softness and greed. It seeped desperation and ardour, heat spreading everywhere until it became too much, and far too little.

Whenever he pulled back it was with a bite, only to continue with his tongue until he tasted every part of your mouth with his own, grunting against your gasps and trying to blurry the line between where you and he began. You could feel the dust leaving his skin in streams, coating everything it got in its way, though you paid no mind to it.

It was when he shifted to kissing elsewhere that it got too much, his skin too far away from your own to your liking. Sometime along the way, your garments were lost to the water along with his, and nothing stopped you from becoming one for as long as time allowed. Soft, feverish touches turned scalding and heady, sounds drowning out even the rush of the water farther in the cave.

You were thankful to have put up a sound locking spell, as well as a glamour wall around you to keep the privacy - really, the last sane action you committed before losing yourself to him. It wasn't like you minded at all, high on the ecstasy of his strokes and the playful kisses he managed to give during the process. You were absolutely drenched in the dust before you knew it, each shift of his hips sputtering more around your body, your hair, your face. 

By the time you came down from the high, your skin glowed the faint lilac light the Fae dust had turned into. What a way to celebrate your first year. He rolled off gently to lay beside you, gazing at you with pure innocence that would betray what had happened just moments ago.

His breath hitched suddenly, and he brought his right wrist to his face. Simultaneously, you felt an odd but pleasant sensation creep up in your left wrist. Mimicking his actions, you saw as a simple dark outline of a crescent moon slowly appeared on your bare wrist. Your eyes went to Jungkook’s wrist, to see the same moon appear on his. He looked at his wrist and yours with a softness in his eyes. But what were these markings?

Finally, his eyes landed on you. A soft smile made its way to his lips as he spoke.

“I’m glad to know we’re bound together in more ways than one, love.” Bounded?

“Oh?” And then you heard it. Your voice. “Oh.” You… We are married. “These markings?”

“Symbols of our union. We’re bound in both the Fae way and the Elven way.” He really brought you here to get married, and your dumbass didn’t even realize you were doing so.

“I mean, it’s beautiful. I simply forgot that Elves got married by… doing that.”

“What?” His content expression shifted a bit.

“No, I mean, I’m glad we’re married! I just forgot, since Lorelynn had a human wedding and all, it slipped my mind.” You reassured him that you were okay with this, and you really were. The only problem now was… How to tell your friends?

“Well, I’m glad we’re married too. Now I need to go to Fae City and speak with the Queen. I just need to report that I’m leaving the group because I married out of race and then we’re good to go wherever we please. You should come with me, of course.” Wow, it was all such a bureaucratic procedure. And going to Fae City… That’s something most people only dream of.

“Then we’ll go to Fae City. But I need at least a week to figure out how to tell everyone we’re married. So, give me one week, no surprises, no showing up unannounced, for one week. And then we’ll meet with everyone and head on to Fae City.”

By your words, excitement spread across his face. “Deal. One week.” You nodded happily. The plan was set. You’d tell your household, you’re tell the rest, and you would go. It would be a simple task, and you could handle it in a day or two. You and Jungkook continued to enjoy your date, finishing off the basket, and cuddling under the elder willow.

You arrive at the house after your apparent wedding at the grotto. Before this, you stopped by a store and bought some very dark spectacles, avoiding eye contact with anyone and not speaking a word. Likewise, you walk into the house with your eyes hidden and mouth sealed. You also got a bracelet to cover up that new mark on your wrist. You really were Jungkook’s wife now, huh?

Unfortunately for you, Jackson, Lorelynn and Yoongi were all in the living room, playing a board game of sorts. Oh no…

“You’re back early, wanna play?” Jackson was the first to notice your arrival. “What’s with the glasses?” You wrote out words in the air. ‘I have a killer migraine. I’m also feeling a little hoarse, so I’m going to rest my throat.’

“Oh, I have a nice herbal blend for that, you’ll be fine in no time after you drink it.” Yoongi suggested and panic went through you. Lorelynn got up quickly in the direction of the kitchen.

“I’ll prepare it and bring it to your room, go lay down or something.” She stopped in front of you, you felt a quick assessment of the situation. She brought a hand up to your forehead, and your panic subsided. “You’re awfully sparkly. No fever.” The first part was a whisper inside your head, a point being made: telepathy, and the suspicion in her eyes raised the hairs at the back of your neck. The second part was discretion. You hoped she didn’t figure it out, but if she did, you knew she’d keep quiet until you talked. You went upstairs, took off the spectacles, and dove right into your bed face first. A few moments later, Lorelynn walked into your room and you heard her put down the cup of tea on your night table and leave the room with a ‘Feel better.’ You needed a week. You would tell them before the week ends. And then you will go to Fae city. You will do it.

The week went on, hiding your eyes and voice, drinking herbal blends that left Yoongi dumbfounded because you were ‘still sick’, and speaking only through magic words that appear in thin air. You spent most of the week hiding in your room, due to the ‘sickness’, avoiding any contact that could reveal you were now a married woman.

Jackson, Lorelynn and Yoongi were all starting to suspect. The latter was absent, when Lorelynn and Jackson were downstairs at the table having breakfast. You figured you could grab a quick bite and come back, giving out another excuse about being sick. So down you went, with your dark spectacles magically secured on your face, to avoid any mishaps.  You reached the kitchen and noticed the pair at the table, giving them an acknowledging nod, but speaking nothing whatsoever.

“Feeling any better?” Jackson asked first.

“Or are you going to speak only through magic now?” Lorelynn added.  ‘No & No’ appeared behind you as a response.

Meanwhile… Jackson and Lorelynn had their own private conversation.

“She could just be using telepathy if she were actually sick.” Jackson texted Lorelynn. “Actually.” ‘We could be using telepathy; this is much quicker.’

‘Yeah, I know. She’s been hiding her eyes and voice for so long… You don’t think?’  Lorelynn’s eyes widened, matching Jackson’s.

‘No… Really? I’m going to make those spectacles fall off.’ Immediately Jackson looked over to you, and suddenly started to strain. ‘Huh, they’re… not coming off? You try.’

‘What do you mean they’re not,’ At that, Lorelynn tried too, meeting the same fate. ‘I CAN’T REMOVE THEM EITHER, THEY’RE BOUND BY MAGIC. THIS BITCH!’

‘THEN DID SHE ACTUALLY-’ Jackson’s telepathy was interrupted by a sudden puff of smoke and dust.

A Fae figure stood in the middle of the kitchen, bearing with him a huge bouquet of flowers. “GOOD MORNING, DEAR WIFE-O-MINE. ARE YOU READY FOR FAE CITY?!” Jungkook screeched. Your spectacles fell off on their own. You had forgotten you had to tell them, you just kept hiding it, ashamed.

“WIFE?!” Lorelynn and Jackson both shouted at once. Lorelynn was clearly faking, she probably knew and was just letting you do you. You couldn’t even answer anything as they both quickly got up to look at your eyes in awe. Lorelynn was quick to check Jungkook and noticed his wrist so she went to inspect yours to be met with the bracelet. “Really? This too? Y’all got married and didn’t say a damn word.”

“Didn’t Rowen tell you?” Jungkook asked, his excitement quickly deflated at the realization that you had not mentioned your union at all, but was mildly interrupted when the plethora of Fae and Royal blood humans swarmed into the house and kitchen shouting cheers of celebration. Of course…  Jungkook took your previous deal literally, as Fae do. One week, and we’ll gather everyone. They caused such a commotion that even Yoongi was awakened from his slumber to join the festivities.

Shamefulness, guilt and regret washed over you like a tidal wave as you laid eyes on the momentarily crushed soul that was Jungkook. Mouthing a small, but sincere ‘I’m sorry’, Jungkook gave you a nod, and the purest smile of understanding before responding ‘It’s okay.’ You’d talk it through with him eventually. It’s not like you weren’t excited for it, anyways. He knew that.

After explaining to everyone that you had been married for a week, and apologizing for not saying anything about it, the celebration went on. Jackson was the one hurt most of all, feign of course. 

“I’m your best friend, I could have been your Man of Honour. The disrespect. Our friendship is ultimately over.”

“Really? You wanted to be there, holding my hand, while I had a fucking?” You whispered to him, only with him would you be so crude. His brows furrowed, and his nose crinkled in disgust.

“I forgot that’s how our kind does that… Our friendship is reinstated.” He rested his elbow on your shoulder, a classic move since you were the smallest.

“Hah, same. And I thought so.” You smiled, winning this round of many bickering that have come and gone and have yet to happen between you.

 Everyone left after roughly an hour, since it was a workday for most elves and humans, and the Fae had to go man their post at the mushroom circle, lest they completely abandon it and get scolded for it again. You all said your ‘see you soons’ and went your own way for the day.

           Jungkook stayed downstairs, while Lorelynn was busy helping you pack your bags upstairs.

           “You knew, didn’t you?” You asked, breaking the silence that was overwhelming the room.

           “I knew the minute you walked into my house covered in Fae cum.” You almost choked on her words. FAE CUM. “I asked Jungkook a long time ago what happens to Fae Dust when Fae have sex because I noticed a slight change in colour with the dust whenever you guys kissed.” So, it was obvious… dumb.

           “Why didn’t you say anything? You let me go on hiding this, thinking I was completely keeping it hidden.” You put away the last few things you needed to pack in a hurry, already nervous again.

           “I wanted to see how long you kept it up and how long it took Jackson and Yoongi to figure it out.” She smirked. “It’s about time to go, isn’t it?” She handed you the small travel bag with your essentials. It was indeed about time to go. The two of you were not a hug-and-kiss type of friendship, so goodbyes were always sorted with a quick jab at the other. “The least you can do is not show up in front of the Queen in Fae Jizz, be respectful.” Before you could respond, the Elf dashed out of the room, you could hear her footsteps rushing down the stairs. You left it at that, sighing, and headed downstairs to where your husband awaited, with his own bag, rather small. 

Jungkook was gleaming, excited for the next step on your journey together, both your journey to Fae City and your journey in life. He took your hand as you approached him, slightly trembling with excited nerves.

“Are you ready, love?” His eyes darted all over your face as he bit his lip eagerly. This was a moment he longed for.

“As I’ll ever be.” You gave him a small squeeze and nod in confirmation. You were ready. To go to Fae City, face the Queen, and start your life with Jungkook, wherever it took you.

You were back deep within the woods with Jungkook, only this time it was for nothing related to the grotto. Well, technically. You had carefully passed way beyond the mushroom circle, down a hidden path bound to Fae City. Jungkook knew the way like the back of his hand, but for you, like the grotto, this was new territory. You almost doubted why you were going so deep, why you were venturing so out of the way, but you knew that the entrance to Fae City had to be hidden.

Jungkook comes to a stop in quite likely the most ominous spot in all the forest.

“Well, this is it.” He squeezed the hand that was entrapped in his for the entirety of the walk.

“Fae City?” You asked dubiously, there was nothing there. The area looked bleak and depressing, too dark and humid, not like anything you had imagine.

“The entrance, yeah.” His eyes stayed forward and then landed on you. “I have to go in first and wait for you on the other side. It can be overwhelming for non-Fae.”

“Oh, okay.” Your voice betrayed you, nerves hitched.

“Don’t worry. Just wait a few seconds before you follow me in. I’ll be right on the other side, I promise.” He kissed your fingers in assurance. You simply nodded, he had a way of calming you down in ways unknown to you, but fully appreciated. He let go of your hands carefully and walked ahead, giving a small nod back at you before disappearing completely.

As he said, you waited a few seconds before following him. A few seconds that felt eternal in this dark, musky and foggy swamp-like place, but still you took your first step, and then another, and another… Until you saw it.

You advance forward through the glistening portal hidden deep in the forest among a layer of fog. You're immediately met by a vibrant, soothing world that welcomes you. A gentle breeze touches you gently from the lush and thick forests in front of you as the rays of a blueish sun warm your skin. Perfect conditions in a perfect world and a sense of excitement takes hold of you. A barrage of the senses takes over as you begin to take in every element of this world you can.

As promised, Jungkook was standing right there. He chuckled at your awe as you took in Fae City. It was unreal, but it was real. You were there. It felt like a dream. The colors were bright, yet soft. The air was crisp and gentle. The sun… Blue, yet it shone with such brightness that not even your yellow sun could beat. You never would have guessed, never would have imagined, that this was what Fae City would be. You were enthralled. “I told you it could be overwhelming.”

You spent that week in Fae City, getting to know what Jungkook’s life was up until now, the places he went to, his culture. Everything a Fae was about, you learned and kept engraved in your mind forever. The visit to the Queen was short. Jungkook simply had to present you and report that he would now be leaving their group due to marrying out of race. His report was marked with the royal seal and archived, he was now free to roam wherever he wanted, for as long as he wanted. He now belonged to you, and not his Queen.

So far, life has been great. You never imagined that giving up your name to a Fae would change your life the way it did. If you had to do it all over, you wouldn’t change a thing. Months after having gotten married and reported to the Fae Queen, Jungkook and you had settled into Glistening Woods semi permanently. You moved out of Lorelynn and Yoongi’s house and moved into your own that was acquired through your and Jungkook’s savings. With a little help from Lorelynn, Yoongi, Hoseok, Namjoon, Jin, Jimin and Taehyung, you managed to furnish your house entirely, which otherwise would have been a hassle. You had a two floor, three-bedroom house, like Lorelynn’s.  You were quick to invite Jackson to live with you and he obviously accepted. Wherever you went, he followed. Destined best friends. The remaining room was a guest room which often became Tae’s since he would visit and stay over quite often. The rooms you and Jackson abandoned in Lorelynn’s house quickly became shared rooms for Hoseok and Namjoon, and Jin and Jimin, whenever they needed to stay. Lorelynn liked to call her home the Hotel because of how many of you had stayed over time.

            You were sitting on a bench outside your porch at night, drinking a warm cup of tea before you went to bed. You heard the front door open and close behind you. A kiss landing softly on your forehead revealed who it was. Jungkook took a seat next to you, admiring the night sky. Moments like these, silent and unassuming, were the important ones. They made you realize just how lucky you are.

           “So,” Jungkook spoke, a smile toying on his lips. “I think we should try for a kid soon.” These sudden words almost caused you to choke on your tea. Almost. You turned a serious gaze to him, as he waited for a response.

           “Elves stop craving sex after children.” The Fae’s eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped slightly to a small ‘o’. After blinking and nodding a bit too quickly, he spoke again.

           “Yeah, we should wait a bit more before we have children, we’re still newlyweds and all.”

           “Waiting sounds good, yeah.” You nodded in agreement, both of you chuckling at shared inner thoughts.

 After finishing your tea, the both of you headed back inside and into the bedroom where once again, you would bind yourselves together in lilac marriage.

-end-

[yeoldontknow]

Time Runner: 5

Author’s Note: welcome back! thank you all for being so patient! once again, im making it clear that there will be historical inaccuracies and that this is a fictionalized account of the events of the inquistion, and i am not claiming that everything that is happening is something that would have happened. thank <3  Pairing: Chanyeol x Reader (oc; female) Genre: time travel!au; suspense; thriller; drama; romance; angst; sci-fi Rating (this chapter): R Warnings: graphic violence; graphic depictions of blood; swearing; dark themes; themes of abandonment; themes of war; explicit language Word count: 4,526

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Unknown, 1484-85 Turuel, Kingdom of Aragon, Spain

How strange, you thought, for the air to lose its static, a vacuum biting against your skin with claws; hard enough to make your existence hurt.

How strange, you thought, for the world to taste bitter. To taste bitter and to becoming little more than a mausoleum of memory, colours rusting and dimming with only your joyless eyes to touch them.

How strange to be burning alone in the world, waiting and waiting and waiting.

It seemed as though, with Chanyeol’s fading form, your breath had left with him, dissolving into little more than a phantasm of life and living. With no oxygen to propel you into motion, your feet faltered, unsteady and unbalanced against foreign terrain without a hand to lead them true.

Echoing everywhere and nowhere at once, perhaps thriving only in the marrow of your bones, his named died on your lips. Against your lips, the syllables were hot to the touch and left a residue on your tongue, thick and scratching at the roof of your mouth like ash. In the brief moment of stillness, you felt the flux of solitude press against your arms, the molecules in the air disrupted by a thing that was once there and suddenly was no longer.

There was a gentleness and a cruelty to the glimmers of possibility that faded around you - a soft brush against your skin, feeling not unlike whim or fantasy, before the weight of knowledge sought the innocent openness of your pores. Once inside, it moved deeper and deeper still until it found your throat, found the trust that you offered freely alongside every word you had ever said, and choked it. Of you, it wanted everything, until there was no end to where your turmoil began.

Behind you, the members of the Ministry vanished with little pomp or circumstance, their interest in you evidenced by how quickly they left you behind. With you on your knees, they had you exactly as they wanted you: vulnerable, broken, tongue pressed behind your teeth and silenced. Your turmoil had been their victory, a thing they had never witnessed in the long line of history, a new treasure to behold. And, once they had seen it, it became clear that your grief was neither special nor unlike any other throughout the whole of time, it merely tasted sweeter because it belonged to them.

Perhaps it should have alarmed you how one swift motion of abandonment could render you obsolete, leaving you for dead or simply just leaving you, letting history claim you as its own to fade namelessly into oblivion. Confronted at last with the speed at which life both begins and ends, ugly at both ends of the spectrum. Of you, they had created an offering, a gift offered to the slowness of time and the madness of men.

It was not, you thought, that you wanted to be found, that you wanted them to care, that you wanted be found as guilty as you felt. Simply, you thought you wanted to matter. To someone.

They never came back for you, neither for questioning nor for an execution.

Instead they left you for dead at the hands of an army so skilled in psychological and physical torture, you took to breaking yourself, cutting at the dead pieces of your spirit, before they could do it themselves. At least this, you thought, you were good at. Staying mobile, moving, running, accepting the darkness and letting eat the tips of your fingers. The length of your life had become blurred with Chanyeol by your side, the chronology unordered and disorganized, but you know you had spent years learning how to move without eyes keenly following; of learning to make yourself small and make yourself invisible, running with enough speed to be forgotten and enough force to slowly stop wanting to be seen at all.

This time, your footprints left marks in dirt roads, tracks you learned to cover with leaves or mud. This time, you did not have days or weeks to catch your breath. Sometimes minutes, most often seconds. This time, it was not to explore or see or learn or help or love.

This time, it was to survive.

And this time, it was for yourself.

You ran from town to town, palms sweating and chest burning with each thrust of your feet to soil. Every burning city you entered held a brief promise of security: empty houses containing discarded scraps of food, piss soaked beds to sleep in, the torn, mangled clothing of men hauled off to jail cells below the earth. Some homes contained weapons, discarded daggers and knives you strapped to your belt with leather laces you found in old, worn boots.

With a knife, you learned to pull apart the shoes and yield scraps of leather. With butchers needles and tools, you learned to strap the leather together, binding your breasts tightly beneath a soiled tunic you found discarded behind a farm, no trace of the man who had worn it. It took practice to cut your hair without clipping part of your ears in the process. You wore scars on the side of your head, self-inflicted and only half healed.

Three weeks was all it took before you killed a man. You told yourself it was survival, that he would have killed you first, that this was your life now. You had walked into a war between God and men, and if men could command time and temporality then there was no longer a difference between the two. God, man, woman, beast - in your eyes there was no difference, decided that in the mouth of hell, we were all equal. His life left his eyes before your dagger left his side, the blood hot and thick on your fingers as if to burn straight through your bones.

It seared against your fingerprints, as though his blood contained all the memories of his life, as though, in death, he demanded you remember him.

You held him close while he struggled, spasming violently until he stilled, collapsing against your chest like a spent lover. In your arms, you held him, cradled him, while you cried through grit teeth, realizing that it was easy, easier than you thought it would be. Killing a man was easy and this would not be the first time you held mortality between your unwilling hands.

In a daze, you walked along a river until sundown, unseeing and unseen. The trees lined the bank, leaves rustling in the wind as though whispering about you, sharing your secrets, speaking the names of the dead as though you were meant to respect them. For hours, you did not want to clean your hands, stared at your open palms and remembered Chanyeol’s palm against yours, wondered how his skin would feel with blood pressed between you. For hours, you wore him, until the stain of his blood on your skin became a tattoo.

And even when you did, when you finally used the blunt edge of a rock to wash him away, replacing his blood with yours, your skin was slick with the memory of him for days.

Patience was never one of your virtues, your past life so filled with endless noise begging for your attention that stillness always seemed irrational in the modern world. With Chanyeol, time had become tangible, something you had run through, and between, something you could touch, and kiss. With Chanyeol, there time became something that moved with your will, and you thought, surely, that kind of unrestrained living could never be replaced.

After six months of running towards nothingness, towards a mapless terrain and without any promise of safety, the slowness of living, the slowness of expecting death and counting the hours of night, you forgot what it mean to live quickly at all.

Somewhere along the way, you had grown accustomed to fear, to anguish, to the impossible length of a minute, the unbearable torment of a second. Somewhere along the way, the cold and the fear of longing had given way to a survival instinct that filled your lungs with heat; expectation of the warm arms of a man became a dream of an oncoming pleasure, inconsistent, irrational, and intangible, and, when it was over, you were always filled with disappointment.

After six months, you stopped telling yourself he would come back, ceased a morning ritual of bathing and whispering today is the day. Eventually the memory of him splintered altogether, becoming little more than just footprints on the wind and a phantom limb in a cold bed.

Yours had become a tempered reality, one  filled with false heroism and the saving of tyrannical children from a sacrilegious death. The violence of this new life suited you fine, and you wore the blood and the armor with a chest puffed full of regret. Unfazed by corpses and carcasses, your nose no longer seared from the stench of burning flesh, eyes unblinking and the bones piled high or the homes reduced to ash. Steps slowing as you passed, you saw these things, you felt them, you mourned them, but, eventually, you did not fear them.

You’d seen towns fall and women bleed; you tasted war on the air and swallowed it whole, studying the nuances of the flavor and finding retribution in the way it made your teeth ache. The sight of a sword ripping through a man no longer made you ache with recoil, only made your knuckles tense with disdain. The hatred of men had become commonplace and, until he came back, until you were pulled back and taught how to run without the clanking of metal behind you, the act of loving was nothing but a distant, surreal dream.

When winter came you skinned rabbits and learned to properly sew, stitching their uncleaned fur into the lining of your shirt, binder, and boots. You walked through ice and snow, from town to town, taking a drink in each but never staying long enough to share a name, to share a bed, to be remembered at all. You had become a wanted man, hoarding secrets beneath the costume you’d turned into a shield; a heretic for believing in nothing except that time was continuous, that this genocide would happen again, and that if Chanyeol could touch time then somehow he was touching you, until even this too was brought down like so many of the gods before him.

When the trees of the forest of Aragon began to emerge from their slumber, the shade of their bark taking a ruddy complexion rather than the pale brown of death, you saw him standing not too far down the path you walked on. Like a pine shaking loose its nettles, you shivered at the sight of him and paused, breath stilling in your lungs at the sight.

He was beautiful, still so impossibly beautiful, you recognized him the moment his frame appeared on the hill up ahead. The sunlight, frigid and unsoothing in its glow, yet learning how to bloom once again, splayed behind him, making halos against his limbs where none should exist. You could have sighed, you would have sighed, shut your eyes from the relief and the hope and the bliss, but instead visage on the hill made you feel slightly sick. As though this should convince you he were yours for touching, as though this, his emergence like Virgil before Dante, should act as reassurance at all.

You’d imagined his presence countless times and, while you were fully aware he was no premonition, that your mind had long since given up imagining his visage once it had been almost completely forgotten, you felt little excitement behind the knowledge that he had proven you wrong, expecting this to make up for all the days in which you were right.

He ran to you, face unchanged and golden, the brightness of his smile combating the sun for dominance and tugging at his cheeks as it demanded access to your heart. Around him the air shifted, just like it always did, making space for him and igniting with an electricity bordering on cosmic, your skin starting to prick just like it used to simply because he was near and he was magic. Already, you could see the coil of tension in his elbows and hands, desperate to hold you and pull you to him, as if you were still his to touch. His hair in the wind moved back and turned his expression of delight and relief into something boyish.

Long ago, you would have swooned at the sight of, would have held his cheeks between your palms with a desperation that dripped down to your soul, and kissed and kissed and kissed him, until all the breath in your lungs was his. Instead, you felt yourself begin to seethe, the scars along your neck searing with blood for the first time in months, burning with contempt and derision. At him. At time. Mostly, at yourself.

Still you wanted him, still you yearned for him, limbs twitching with the unfulfilled effort of reaching towards his arms, his hands, his cheeks, his skin. The urgency to touch him betrayed the year of everything you had learned without him, pulled towards him as always as a moth to a flame, but you kept still. Gritting your teeth and lips pressed in a thin, neutral line, you kept your feet rooted to the earth, reminding yourself you were no longer the woman he left behind, body pressed into shapes you could no longer call human. He was running towards the past, a version of you he had idealized and held close, or maybe never held at all, and you remained motionless, accepting that time neither begins nor ends, it simply is.

‘I found you.’ He said the words to himself as he approached, proud and pleased and pink with gladness at your reunion, celebrating in solitude with himself. As he reached you, he slowed, paused, fumbling awkwardly over his feet as he finally, truly saw you.

‘What’s happened to you?’ The lowness of his tone wandered over your skin, reintroducing itself to your veins, your pores, and seeking permission against a guard that did not previously exist.

Time had pulled you apart, Chanyeol had pulled you apart, and still his voice could make you quake, make you thirst for the flush taste of his sweat on your lips, the needle that promised to mend you back together. But even then, you did not know exactly what you desired of him, or how you were meant to be sewn, for you were not a thing worth softness, or the gentleness, hope. The ghost of you had burned to ash beneath your bones so long ago, the desire you felt was little more than echoes, little more than memories of a love born from childish fantasy.

Now, you simply needed his eyes on your scars, his eyes on yours, demanded he feast on the mess and trauma of you. You hoped he would drink his fill, that he would see what he had made of you, that you had become this for him.

In stoic silence, you watched the way his gaze traveled down your body, tracing the scars and the scabs, the distinct lack of the swell of your breasts, the steadiness of your grip. Wherever his eyes went, the hairs on your body stood to attention, forced awake after a hibernation that felt like prison, the magnetic touch of his gaze bringing your molecules back to life. Slowly, his expression became mangled with a shock not unlike horror, jaw twitching in an expression you could not read. You were glad for this, glad that you had unlearned enough of him to make new opinions about the length and power of his bones.

And only after he returned his eyes to yours, only after you finally saw his nostrils flare in confusion and hurt did you take your turn to speak.

‘What the fuck took you so long?’ You were a venomous thing, and you wondered if he would ever learn to love a snake.

He loved you when you were young, naive, begging to be brave and uncertain how. He loved you when you followed, when you asked questions that felt like philosophies and not war strategies. He loved you when you were asking to matter. Now, he would have to relearn you. Now, he would have to love you as his judge, his jury, and his executioner.

Without hesitation his brow furrowed, eyes wide in bewilderment and abjection, cheeks blanching. Chanyeol fell over his words, eager and rushing his speech like a child. ‘Took me - it’s been two hours!’

‘Two hours?’ you shouted, unconcerned with giving away your position. Let them find me, you thought. Let them find me so I could watch him run once more. Blood left you, left your head, your cheeks, your fingers, numbing you. Anger, a red thing, blanched you completely, mouth turning dry as it kissed your tongue. ‘It’s been over a year!’

Behind his eyes, you counted infinity, an endless stream of thoughts that raced behind his dilated pupils, the only place his fragile guard had never reached. You expected tears or rage, regret, every emotion he had ever offered or received or taught you to feel. Instead, he blinked. He blinked and he nodded, brows furrowed as he released a trembling sigh.

‘So this is what happened to you...’ he began, slowly, chewing at the inside of his cheek before glancing away from you, conflicted.

‘What the fuck did you expect?’ you sneered, tone cold and demanding. The loss of his gaze made you feel scorned, betrayed - you wanted all of his sadness, all of his distress; wanted to see if it could ever match your own.

Meeting your eyes once more, he regarded you as though you were the key he had stolen, as though you were his answer, his benediction, his greatest fear. The change, you felt, was staggering.

‘When I met you,’ he said, voice small and struggling to remain even, ‘you were raw and hard. Something about youth didn’t sit right on you, I could never imagine you as a child - you just were as I had met you, forever. Not at all the person I met in the library. I see now this was the year that turned you.’

The voices of the crows echoed in the sky as though echoing his words, and you felt yourself rear back, frowning. No longer merely a thief, he had become a liar.

About you.

About the order of your life.

About everything that involved him, which weighed so much more than the memories you had of just yourself and your past.

It was as though he had peeled back pieces of your skin, his skin, revealing an ugliness that tainted every memory you had shared with him - the ugliness of expectation and disappointment. You were not as he had wanted to find you in the library, and, now that you were, you were unsure you wanted to be found at all.

‘Remember,’ you said, tone thick and words heavy, ‘that you did this. You made us this.’

Chanyeol did not crumble or break in the wake of your words, neither begged for forgiveness nor defended his actions, simply remained still and relearned how to breathe. Lines formed on his cheeks, creases giving away his sadness and his anguish, the guilt eating away at him just as life had eaten you.

For a while you said nothing, simply watched the way his fatigues moved in the breeze and the way he flushed when your tongue moved along your lips, wetting the flesh. The tension in his throat was palpable, full of words that lived and died before ever reaching his lips, strained from the effort of remaining strong, hardened, when for you he was always, eternally soft.

Between your bodies, longing lingered, a heaviness that begged to be felt - unfinished kisses, unwhispered sentiments, vows of love and life and death cluttering the space your bodies did not touch. These things looked nice, sounded nice. You wanted them, almost as badly as you wanted him, but there were too many questions, too many bodies, and too many knife wounds were your affections used to lie.

You wanted him, oh how deeply you wanted him, but not like this.

Chanyeol broke the silence with whimper comprised of sorrow and regret, fists clenched at his sides from the effort of not reaching and touching you.

‘There’s blood under your fingernails,’ he offered weakly, eyes focused on your left hand which remained weaponless.

He studied your knuckles, the scars and the marks, the bloodstains and the dirt, likely remembering how he used to cherish your hands. Pressing his lips to your fingers, he would kiss each pad before moving your hand to his cheek, feeling your skin against his and sighing with an affection that made your chest ache. He would bind your fingers together, blocking out the sun, the air, atoms unable to fit between your hands until you felt as one. It must have hurt, you thought, for him to wonder what you had held without him.

‘There’s more than blood under my nails,’ you said, keeping your voice level and emotionless, remembering how you used to touch him, too. How even after war and death and grief he was still so incredibly, impossibly soft. For you. Only for you. ‘You don’t send a person to the Inquistion and expect a child to come back.’

'It's killing me not to touch you -'

'I went a year without you.' You cut him off, voice strained and tight, the thickness in your throat beginning to throb. 'Surely, you can wait a little longer.'

‘You were always a soldier. I wondered what made you this way, all these years. You would never tell me.’

‘The details are in history books, where they belong,’ you countered. ‘My version is too stained with blood and vomit to be legible.’

‘What’s -’

You cut him off, blinded by questions and anger. You wanted to scream, to hold his throat beneath your palm and remind him you had earned the right, the right was yours to be the Inquisitor. My feelings are valid, you wanted to shout. This right is mine because I felt it. It was mine because I lived it.

‘Run me somewhere safe,’ you said, instead. ‘Run me somewhere that feels like home.’

31 December, 2012 New York, New York

The world built itself around and against you in a haze of black and white, malformed objects that surrounded you as deities, the hiss of exterior modern sounds consuming your senses in disorienting cacophony. When the colours started to seep in, the noise of the Earth became vibrant and loud. Everything felt distantly familiar, things that once belonged to you but had been traded away for a promise of delight, a promise of excitement. They no longer belonged to you, and you did not miss them, though, briefly, you missed the sense of simplicity they brought.

Modernity, you remembered, was an uncomplicated mess. Disastrous, if only because the effort and the knowledge of to survive had been almost eradicated.

The concrete beneath your feet was a comfort, the terrain unchanging with weather and weight. For the first time in over a year, you felt stable, powerful in the posture that rooted itself in your spine. Almost instantly, your eyes began to burn, the smog in the air making them sting and the lights of modernity altogether too bright after spending so long in the bleak dimness of the past. Covering your mouth, you coughed several times, lungs having grown used to an uncontaminated atmosphere.

Chanyeol watched you with eager eyes, glancing between your face and the panel on his arm, with a wary gaze.

‘When are we?’ you asked once you were able to speak, taking in the high rise buildings. Their height made you anxious, feel swallowed by the metals and manufactured glory of men.

‘New Years Eve, 2012,’ he said softly. He came to stand next to you, facing out to the street as he watched cars pass.

In the closeness, he let his fingers graze against yours, seeking the feel of your skin if only for a moment. Electricity coursed through your joints, the shock of contact making you glance down at his hand, though neither of you moved away. Perhaps, you thought, he was afraid you would run from him, breaking away and abandoning him once your feet had touched the ground.

It would not have been the first time he misjudged you. It seemed as though you were born to make the hard choices, born to make the things that hurt most into something magnificent.

‘Where?’ Your voice was flat, exhausted.

‘New York.’

‘I need clothes.’ You moved your hand away from his, ignoring the small whine of protest that spilled over from his lips. He kept his eyes on the street as you pulled the thick tunic away from your chest, nervous to look at you and the actions of a life you learned without him. It reeked of dirt, blood and vomit. In the oncoming breeze, you could smell the odor of your skin and clothes, and you scowled, nose hairs burning with the stench. Water had began to leak into your boots, the snow melting through to numb your toes. ‘What time is it?’

‘Just half six.’ Chanyeol turned to you, body and soul battling the hope for reconnection that threatened to turn him into a dying star. He was waiting for the fallout - your fallout.

‘Shops should still be open,’ you hummed, though truly it did not matter. A small smile played at your lips, smirking at how naturally willing you were to follow the rules of your own time. You turned from him then, beginning a brisk walking down the street towards bright lights and a crowd of people, suddenly bold in the anonymity his presence offered you.

In just a few strides, he caught up, walking at your pace as though he were born to follow you, as though he were used to existing at your side and not asking for much more.

One year for you but two hours for him. You played this over in your mind as you walked, wondering what happened in his two hours that would have made him so compliant, so willing to let you walk freely without question. Idly, you recalled the last thing you had said to him, the last proper request you had made.

‘When we get out of here, you teach me how to lead.’

It took effort not to snort at the irony, that it was not he who taught you how to lead, but yourself.

You taught yourself to lead. You taught yourself to stay safe.

You were safe.

You were safe.

[europeanguy]

Gotta Gogh [Part 1: Tour-guiding for Dummies]

Pairing: Nadia x Maxwell

Genre: Fluff (?)

Words: 1,684

Tags: Canon Divergence, Crossovers, Curse words probably, The Riot Club!AU sort of

- an accompanying fic for this drawing

There were two people looking at the Cordonian Ruby — Nadia assumed they were a couple by the way that they stood a little too close together and the magnetic energy that seemed to spark between them. Like she couldn’t have pulled them apart if she tried.

Two girls. Well, women. One was tall, tan, and toned to the gods. She probably modeled, or played sports professionally. The other one was shorter, medium blonde hair done in a side-braid, pretty enough to be an actress. Neither was Nadia’s type of course. She looked at them the way she looked at Picasso’s paintings — she likes what she sees. It was a nice sight.

The tall one snakes an arm around the blonde’s waist as they walk away and once again, Nadia was alone. Like something in this museum would come alive any second now. Nadia swore that one time that the portrait of the late Queen Kenna Rys blinked at her, but that was probably the result of caffeine withdrawals.

 “Welcome home,” – the letter said. Nadia could never forget the feeling when she received her acceptance letter — it was like getting accepted to Hogwarts — if Hogwarts had exchange programs that would only last for one semester. 

The University of Cordonia had a thriving student population of 5,000 (they were very selective) — composed of the country’s finest minds or filthy rich. You could be either or both. They offered an amazing Fine Arts program, given the country’s own rich history and deep love for the arts. Not to mention the white sand beaches, castles, princes she could bring home and make Kai so jealous with — but the truth is, it’s been two weeks and Nadia had been nothing but lonely. She hasn’t so much as dipped one toe into the ocean, visited a castle, nor met a prince (this one was unrealistic, even Nadia would admit so). So far her only friend would be Otis — the museum custodian — who happens to be sixty-eight and hard of hearing.

 The next day Nadia is greeted by a boatload (literally a boatload – well, cruise ship) of tourists. She was advised by the financial aid admin through a phone call to be prepared with extra research this time as to not repeat the Cordonian Ruby incident.

“Look, I know you try your best, but please be more careful this time,” Nadia could hear the anxiety radiating off of Helena’s voice. “I was advised that the Pierce moneybags would be present today.”

“...moneybags?”

“Yes! They’re looking to invest in the museum.”

Nadia looks around the empty entrance hall from her chair. If there was a speck of dust anywhere she wouldn’t be able to spot it (care of Otis). The rooms were individually temperature-controlled. They even had wifi.

“Do we even need it?”

Helena heaves a sigh so loud that Nadia could almost feel her exasperation herself. “Yes, Nadia, we need it! It can give us access to public collections, long-term maintenance,”

Nadia’s mouth forms into a small “o”.

“And think about Otis, he can retire right now and be at home, not worrying about anything because the museum WILL generously pay for his retirement plus pension!”

“I think Otis wants to live here until he dies.” Nadia whispers.

“Bottomline is, Nadia, you have to know what you’re talking about this time.”

“Yes, I know you’re referring to the Cordonian Ruby incident-“

“Don’t call it that.”

“Anyway, the incident — well, it’s not gonna happen again. Don’t worry.” In hindsight, Nadia’s first lesson should have been The Significance of Apples in Cordonian Culture 101. It would explain so much.

“Right. I trust you,” Helena says. “They’ll be arriving at around eleven in the morning.”

 The tourists arrive right on the clock, they had a tour guide of their own (a giant 6’5 guy who looked like he could bench press three of her, plus Otis) but apparently the boss-man Bartholomew Pierce wanted someone who was more familiar with Cordonian art scene. Nadia was hardly a local, but she had been studying nothing but the country’s art everyday since she got here – she lived and breathed it. Well, for two weeks anyway.

Chaz – the tour guide – hands Nadia a blue flag with “EOS” on it. “You can take it from here,”

The crowd was pretty small, more or less forty people, she wouldn’t need a flag. It’s not like the museum had other people aside from the group. “EOS?” Nadia gingerly takes the goofy flag.

“Ember of the Sea.”

“Shouldn’t it be EOTS?”

Chaz snorts. “No that sounds stupid, now go.”

 Nadia takes her place in front of the group, holding the blue flag above her head. “Hi everyone, I’m Nadia, on behalf of the University of Cordonia, I’d like to welcome you all to the museum,” She takes a deep breath before continuing. God, public-speaking never gets easier. “Firstly, I ask that you do not touch anything, and please do not deviate from the group-“

 The tour goes surprisingly well. Nadia studied up on the Cordonian Ruby (the country’s Mona Lisa – in terms of notoriety). Oil on canvas, commissioned by King Fabian – a direct ancestor of the current royal family, painted by an anonymous artist in 1816. The artist was rumored to be a mixed English noblewoman who became a lover of the young King, resulting into her painting the Cordonian Ruby, a gift to symbolize her love. However, she died of heartbreak since the late King loved his Lythikos Moscato and other mistresses more than her.

 Nadia leads the group to the portraits section – or as she secretly calls it stuffy-rich-people-paintings – and with this she gets to relax a bit. She tells them a few facts, lands one or two (Helena-approved, non-offensive) jokes, and lets the group disperse across the room to let them look at the art without her spewing random information about how Luther Nevrakis from The Crown and The Flame is actually based off of a real Luther Nevrakis who wasn’t a super-villain. Well, an obvious super-villain.

 “Nadia?” A pre-teen girl approaches her, followed by a… twin? Except the second one wore glasses and a slightly embarrassed look on her face. “Who do you think is hotter?”

“We’re trying to settle an argument.” Glasses explained. They gesture to a family portrait of stoic looking parents – the mother’s expression a little warmer than the father’s – and two starkly different brothers. One with black hair and fierce gaze, and a younger one with brown hair and the tiniest smile on his face.

“I’m not sure I’m comfortable talking about boys your age…” Nadia laughs awkwardly.

“Well, they’re dead so it doesn’t matter… right?” The first twin looks at Glasses. She simply shrugs.

“I don’t care I don’t even like boys.” Glasses pushes up her specs on the bridge of her nose as-a-matter-of-factly. “But now that she said it, it is really weird to ask her that.”

Nadia checks the information plate beneath the family portrait. Beaumont, 2004. “Well, this was seven years ago, so I don’t think they’re dead.”

A small, and sudden racket at the other end of the room captures Nadia’s and the twins’ attention. A group of boys (students, probably) were speed-walking through the room, laughing in a way that disturbed the peaceful vibe – and Nadia realizes that they were walking towards the one place that only Otis is allowed in. He explicitly told her to never go there or let anyone in. It was a tall and narrow arch-way that leads to a grand curving staircase, but that was only as far as Nadia saw. She wasn’t the type to break rules anyway. 

The first guy jumps over the velvet rope, followed by a second guy who merely steps over it. Before the last one could lift his feet, Nadia’s onto their heels.

“Sir, you can’t go through there!”

The first one is long gone, already shooting up the staircase like a man child on a sugar-rush. The other two turn around looking like they just became aware of her presence – along with the other tourists. The middle one looks snooty – expensive coat, slicked back hair. He doesn’t acknowledge Nadia, instead he turns to his friend. “Handle this.” With one last judging look at Nadia, Slick turns around to follow the first one up the staircase. “Leo, wait up!”

“Um-!” Nadia could feel the heat rising up her cheeks. Oh, she would follow them up the stairs, damn Otis’ rules, she would like to give these entitled boys a piece of her mind-

Someone clears their throat. Nadia looks up at him, the only guy left, – he was tall and broad-shouldered, brown wind-blown hair, and an amused expression in his eyes. He doesn’t say anything, instead he lifts his gaze from Nadia to a painting on her right. Nadia turns to where he’s looking and it registers on her. Same brown hair as the kid, same smile, only this time he was alone in the portrait and older. The plate said 2010. One year ago, and the man on the portrait was standing right next to her.

Shit.

A small part of Nadia still wanted to climb up the stairs and kick them out the window, but a bigger, smarter, part of her knew that if this guy was important enough to have his portrait hung in the same room as a prince – let alone the fact that he even had a portrait, in this case two – she had better start apologizing.

“I… am so, SO, sorry.” I’ve been here two weeks please don’t have me kicked out of Cordonia or assassinated I’m still young I still have dreams-

“Hey,” he flashes her an embarrassed smile and Nadia’s cheeks heat up. “It’s fine, honestly.”

“Max!!” Someone calls from upstairs. Probably Slick.

“Sorry, I gotta go.” He looks apologetic as he turns around to walk away, but not without looking at Nadia over his shoulder.

 “Whoa, he is hot,” Glasses and her twin suddenly appear beside her. “Okay, Jess, you win I guess.” Glasses shrugs, but Jess’s jaw is still dropped.

“That was… the Beaumont guy…” she says, looking at his solo portrait.

And sure enough, when Nadia reads the plate under his painting, it says Maxwell Percival Beaumont (2010), oil on canvas.

to be continued

FUN FACTS that you don’t have to read but the story will make more sense if you do lol and honestly I just really like fun facts pls read... please?

Title:

- I literally chose “Gotta Gogh” on a whim

Canon divergence:

- This takes place in 2011. Maxwell is 21 (1990) and Nadia is 19 (1992).

- This is inspired by that one scene in the riot club. There WILL be a version of the riot club in later parts, but it will be small since its mostly about Nads and Max.

Names:

- Otis means “keen of hearing”

- Helena the financial aid administrator is just a Cordonian parody of Helen Twombly. Points for creativity lmao honestly i just imagined helen twombly but it wouldnt make sense for her to be in cordonia

The Cordonian Ruby:

- The anonymous artist is the D&D MC and her death is based on the actual wife of the Prince Regent (George IV), Princess Caroline who “died of a heartbreak” - a cold hard fact. Jk, no, but she was in a toxic marriage and it was just a Bad Situation. George IV had several mistresses, fathered illegitimate children, and apparently was a Party Boy and he was an immensely unpopular ruler. This is all based off of my art history professor telling us Georgian Era gossip instead of sticking to the syllabus.

- The mystery of what the Cordonian Ruby Incident will never be solved. That is, until I actually know what happened during the “incident” HAHAHA

Progress:

- I wasn’t gonna post this originally, I just wrote it on my phone during a 3-hour trip (I got inspired by my own drawing LMAO) and I kept updating it during the week every night before I slept and suddenly it just blossomed into something that I kept thinking about so now it’s a fic!

- I will be posting more art and updates on max and nadia’s story in the near future lol I already know how it ends so dw I’ll come thru and finish this! (probably around 4-5 parts)

[gentleknj]

consequences (part 2) | kth

✧ pairing: kim taehyung x reader / crime au

✧ genre: angst, light smut, breaks of fluff because i needed to break up all that angst.

✧ word count: over 6k  ✧ summary:  This is a love story of two people, told in chronological order. Lovers on the lam was never going to be an easy feat. But falling in love wasn’t any easier than robbing a bank, especially if your love thrives in the midst of a drug war. One from a broken home and the other from an underground drug world, will this love triverse the odds or will it succumb to its demise?

✧ warnings: heavy swearing, familial issues, cheating, slight gore, mentions of drugs, guns, serious crimes, death, and alcohol. If you are easily triggered/very sensitive i recommend you not reading this. i’ve said it before and i will continue to say this until i run out of words to write. I would rather have 0 readers than harm anyone. enjoy. X

(ps i am so so sorry this is so late, but i promise the next chapter will be over 10k and there will be more backstory for both y/n and taehyung as well. thank you for the continued support, and i hope it lives up to your expectations)

masterlist

Love. A completely foreign concept to the blonde man, a feeling he thought he had only felt many years ago when his mother was still alive. But such a out-of-the-box feeling resonated from the figure beside him. Whatever he was developing with you, he knew it had to be protected and he would stop at nothing to do so.

It truly was astonishing how there was even any room for oxygen in the office, the tension thick enough to disperse the hydrogen from the oxygen atoms themselves. Jin’s hardset eyes continued to lock with Taehyung’s. The latter still found it harder to breathe, despite keeping his resolve. The older man waved gently for Laura to shut the door, making a tsk sound when she tried to leave while doing so. The sound alone drove chills down your spine as if it were some warning signal that only went off to alert full hell had broken loose.

“Laura, dear, please do stay. I think you’d at least like to get a goodbye in if this whole ordeal goes south.” Jin’s voice was sweet like honey, only stinging like the bee it was made from. Such a handsome man, kind and gentle looking, but his soft features were a ploy to deter you from the malevolence brewing inside.

The blonde woman swallowed thickly before doing as told, closing the door to cut off the party unfolding beneath them.

“Now, I’m aware that Mr. Jeon has told you about a job tonight, is that correct?” Jin spoke as he shifted his position, resting against the front of the doe eyed boys desk flatly on his palms. The tone of his voice kept Taehyung on edge, his digits sweating against yours as he gripped you tightly, stepping in front of you just a fraction. “Ah, well, there have been a tiny change in plans. You see, what you collect tonight is to be returned here to me. Of course, you all get your cut, but only what is seen fit for the effort I see you put in.”

“Sure. It doesn’t bother me either way. I drop a few bodies, hand you your shit and leave.” The blonde male fired, feline eyes never leaving his targeted audience.

“Mm. I see.” Jin reached up to gently rub his chin in what seemed to be annoyance, quickly standing to his full height as he adjusted his expensive blazer. “You and Jungkook are to head to the docks and disband this poker game to bring me my payout.” His expression was now calm, unreadable almost as he sat further onto the edge of the wooden desk.

“But it’s mine, is it not?” Jungkook’s features were hard, emotionless save for the quick tilt of his head to the side. Taehyung knew that gesture all too well, his friend was ready to pounce and quite literally rip apart Jin’s throat in pure anger despite, howbeit, his formalities still lacing his voice. “Those men owe me, sir. I don’t mind splitting my profit 70-30 with you-”

“You expect me to take such a low share when I’m doing you a favor and not putting a bullet between your lady’s eyes after taking her on your desk in front of you? Hmm?”

He was egging Jungkook on, enjoying the rise he was getting out of him. Your free hand lent itself outwards to Laura, her hand welcoming yours immediately. Taehyung swallowed thickly, releasing your hand before outstretching his towards Jin. ”You have a deal,” The younger verbally sealing the negotiation. “My only request is that our girls are monitored among the guests downstairs. None of your men, or you, get alone time with them. You wouldn’t want us to focus on their safety while we’re gone and fuck up the job, would you?”

Taehyung was charismatic, it was hard to say no to him whenever he made any kind of business transactions. He radiated confidence even if his life was on the line. Jin turned his attention to the blonde man, eyebrows raising slightly as his expression became furthermore unreadable. Minutes passed silently as they looked at one another, the latter’s hand still outstretched causing your heart to pound with the muted bass from downstairs.

“We have a deal. 50-50, and the ladies join the party downstairs. I’ll have my men posted at every door, and if you or your ladies try anything, our deal is off. Do I make myself clear?”

The agreement was then made by the chorus of hums in agreeance, guns lowered and tucked away as Jungkook was released. The brunette boy wasted no time in making his way to his girlfriend, his emotions etched into his face. The tension was still residing in the stuffy office and the purple haired man nodded towards the door.

The four of you were to follow Namjoon to the room down the hall to equip the two men before they headed out for the night, the door slightly ajar as Jin’s voice rang out.

“Oh and boys,” He smiled smugly, taking a seat in the lavish chair behind Jungkook’s desk. “Don’t take too long, I may charge a late fee if you do. I’ll choose which of the girls will repay me for the time you waste of mine.” Taehyung grasped the younger boys arm firmly at his words and shoved him further down the hallway before he could reply with some remark that would guarantee the deal would be off.

Twenty minutes later, the two of you were stood outside in the cobblestone driveway. Jungkook had said his goodbye to Laura before he left the house, instructing her to take care of herself by any means until he returned. The blonde mans eyes were fixed on yours, his hands taking yours firmly.

“I’ll be back soon. Don’t go anywhere alone and keep in mind what I taught you about close combat.”

“Tae, I’m not seven. I can handle myself if I feel my life is in immediate danger.”

“I know that. I just needed to hear it. I’ll call you when we’re coming back and then you and I can leave alright? I heard Yoongi’s got us a penthouse suite for the week and a run for us to do.”

“I don’t want to think about that until you’re back in one piece, got it? Focus on getting you and Jungkook back safely and then we can talk about the next run.” Your hand moved to cup his cheek gently, your teeth worrying into your lower lip as you paused. It was hard to grow attached to someone, let alone someone like him, a complete mystery. But the affliction that brewed in the pit of your stomach was hard to suppress. You had given your heart completely to him and you hoped he knows it. Falling in love wasn’t something you ever wanted to do, love never existing in your upbringing, but it sure did have a hold on your heart when you looked at him.

“I promise.” He nodded, tangling your free pinky with his own before leaving a chaste kiss to your forehead.

Within minutes, the car had disappeared into the traffic of the night, the pale woman beside you reminding you to join her inside. The heavy feeling that plagued your chest was one Taehyung felt himself. Only, he couldn’t focus on it, but instead the man beside him and the mission at hand.

Jungkook is amazing on his feet, agile and intelligent, he was a great man to fight beside. The tension that radiated from his body and filled the car, however, was something the younger man was always struggling to subdue behind a facade of indifference.

“They’ll be fine, you know.” The older of the two spoke, checking the magazine of his silenced .9mm as his friends knuckles turned pale at the intensity of his grip. “Even if that bastard wanted to put his hands on her, you know she could-”

“Just shut the fuck up, hyung. I don’t need to keep the image of him laying hands on her in the front of my mind. It’s bad enough he fucking came to my home.” Jungkook all but growled, jaw tight as the traffic heading to the docs blurred by.

The blonde man sat tight lipped the rest of the way, a frown remaining prominent on his otherwise model like features. Once the two arrived, there wasn’t much security for the game that nestled itself in a freight container, sitting against the waterside. The headlights of the car were turned off as they parked a few containers down, scoping out the area for any unexpected onlookers or security. Gun silencers in place, mags full and hearts silently racing, the two snuck amongst the shadows to the entrance and easily took out the two hefty guards. But not before one of them got a good left hook in on Taehyung, his lip splitting at the harsh contact. It only egged his anger and discomfort of the entire situation on further.

Loud music pumped through the metal container to muffle the chatter of the older men inside, the bickering amongst who was bluffing and playful banter about the others abilities at poker. It was almost a shame to break up such a domestic get together, as domestic as drug kingpins could get on a weeknight.

The brunette nodded his chin towards the opening gap of the container and the two stepped fluidly inside, neither hesitating to put a bullet between the two goons’ eyes that stood to overlook the game. The six men sat around the poker table shouted in a mixture of shock and anger upon the interruption.

“Ah, Mr. Jeon. I see you’re here to collect your money personally, eh?” The eldest man sat at the far end of the table spoke after they had quieted down, all eyes on the two young men with gun sights that moved between each of the elders.

“Something like that.” Jungkook quipped, a small smirk making an appearance. “I grew impatient of waiting. I have people to pay off as well, you see, it isn’t just about you.”

Laughter boomed from the bold man, hands moving to swipe through his taut hair, glasses dropping to the tip of his nose. “Young man, there is such thing as patience-”

“Cut the shit, Ahn, we aren’t here to talk. We’re here to get what you owe my friend here and leave. Now, either you can give us the fucking money, or we’ll put a bullet through your head and take your fucking pals out as well.” Taehyung made his way to the other side of the container to press the tip of his silencer firmly to the back of the man’s head, annoyance bubbling through his veins.

The smoke from the abandoned cigarettes around the table made the air thicker, apprehensive glances shared between the two boys. Neither one of them taken seriously by the gangsters sat before them. Each men in the room had their fair share of guns pointed at their skulls, so this was nothing new. But they needed to be provoked into cooperation and Taehyung was getting impatient as the thought of you being alone at the manor creeped up his spine.

Dry laughter befell the older men and that seemed to only heighten the blonde’s annoyance, his gun swiftly shifting momentarily to lodge a bullet in the man beside Mr. Ahn. The men’s head made a loud thudding sound as it hit the table, the laughter ceasing between the older men.

“Christ..” Mr. Ahn sighed, motioning to the three duffle bags sat in the corner of the container. “Your fucking money is in there. Take it and leave.”

Jungkook nodded, lowering his gun before shouldering two of the duffle bags and motioning for his friend to take the other.

“Don’t even think about retaliation, sir. I know where your daughter and her three children live.” The youngest man threw a smirk over his shoulder before taking a leave through the slightly ajar doors.

The walk wasn’t very far to the car although their pace was swift, the trunk opening upon a simple press of a button from the keychain that sat comfortably in Jungkook’s hand. The two boys shared a silent congratulatory nod as the duffles were stuffed in the trunk. The hour long drive back was now the only thing left of this fucked situation.

Back at the manor, Laura had flit between small groups of party guests to do her best at keeping the anxiety of the situation at bay. You on the other hand, gripped the mostly full bottle of soju in your hands, knee bouncing up and down as you sat on the bar stool that hugged the in-home bar. It was hard to keep the gnawing thoughts of negativity from clouding your mind. And the smug look on Seokjin’s face from the far end of the room didn’t help ease your mind one bit. You could feel his eyes boring into your skin, making you feel small and under a magnifying glass.

You had been too caught up in nursing the tiniest of sips from your bottle that you hadn’t noticed someone sat down beside you.

“You’re kind of cute when you’re frightened.” Namjoon chuckled before ordering a drink of his own.

“Oh, piss off.” You hissed, your nose scrunching slightly as you tucked into the bar counter further, eyes scanning the front door periodically in hopes of seeing the man that made you feel safe.

“Mm, feisty.” The purple haired man shook softly with laughter, sipping from his freshly made drink. “You know, you should ease up a little bit. We aren’t as fucked up as you’re making us out to be.”

“Oh yeah?” You finally looked at him, brows knotting together. If he wasn’t so intimidating and on the ‘opposing team’ you would’ve found him to be much cuter than your senses would allow. He’s probably a nice man, but right now you could only think about the million and one ways he could put you in danger right now with a simple signal from his boss just over 10 feet away.

He simply nodded, eyeing you over the rim of his glass. But before the conversation could carry out, you had anxiously glanced at the front door for the umpteenth time that night and were pleasantly overwhelmed by what you saw. You didn’t owe Namjoon a polite excuse before jumping from your seat, feet shuffling quickly through the intoxicated bodies.

Your hands immediately cupped Taehyung’s face to give his features a good look over, noting his split lip and deciding to ask him about it later before pulling him into the tightest hug you could manage. He’d only been gone maybe three hours, tops, but after growing used to doing any runs with him, this felt like you’d been apart for too long. Relief finally flooded through you when he let out a laugh at your actions, duffle dropping to beside his feet to wrap his arms around your frame.

Your embrace was short lived when none other but Seokjin himself interrupted with an unamused clearing of his throat. “Shall we head to the office, boys?” He spoke, a wry smile making an appearance.

Jungkook waved his girlfriend over with a small smile, the two interlacing hands before the four of you followed behind Jin to the office you met in earlier. The air seemed to be just as tense as a few hours ago, duffle bags making a quiet thud against the hardwood of the desk. 3.5 billion won sat comfortably between the three large bags, each bundle of money counted twice to ensure the full payout was there. Half was taken by Hoseok and Namjoon down to their leader’s car as the aforementioned man stayed behind, hand outstretched to Jungkook.

“Pleasure doing business with you, Jeon.” A cheshire cat smile making an appearance as the two shook hands.

Jungkook had stayed silent in response as Taehyung shook Jin’s hand as well, the older male leaving immediately after. You let out a heavy sigh, unaware that you had been holding your breath that entire time. And now that you could relax, the dried blood that sat against Taehyung’s swollen lip brought itself to the front of your mind once more.

“Christ, what happened?” You frowned, brows furrowing as you tilted his chin to get a better look at the bruising area.

Instead of answering, he simply sucked in a quiet breath when your fingertip ghosted over the wound sat proudly on his plump lip. A ‘tsk’ sound fell from your own lips, his face being tugged down gently by your hands as you leaned up on your toes to place a firm kiss to his forehead. Your fingers laced with his when Jungkook spoke up, Taehyung’s chest blooming with warmth at your simple actions. He hadn’t felt someone care about his injuries, however minor they may be in this case, since primary school.

“Goodness, what am I to do with you, raindrop?” Her voice was hoarse from the medication pulsing through the IV. “What happened?” She tried again, this time with a new softness in her tone.

The small boy looked at the floor, eyes brimming with embarrassed tears. “The boys at school told me I looked like I was poor. And they said mean things about you so I pushed one of them and told them they were stupid.” His voice broke as the tears spilled, tiny hands clinging to the soft fabric of her sweater.

Gentle coos filled the room along with his sobs. Her tired arms mustered as much strength as she could to pull him up into her lap as she sat at the edge of the bed, fingers carding through his messy brown locks slowly.

“It’s okay, raindrop. They don’t know any better, okay? Their parents didn’t take the time to tell them right from wrong. Now how about this, hmm? You and I can go down to Myeongdong tomorrow and do some clothes shopping okay? It’s going to be okay, baby.” She paused, pulling away enough to make eye contact with the sad boy in her arms. “I’ll make it all better, I promise you. But you have to promise to never get sent home from school for some dumb fight. Got it?”

He nodded hurriedly, afraid that if he even missed a beat that she would be disappointed in any hesitation. Any over thought reaction. She was all he had, and he couldn’t bear the thought of what would happen if he made her hate him. Although, what he didn’t know, was that his mother wasn’t wired to hate the small, intelligent and kind boy that sat in her lap with snot and tears claiming their spot on his small, puffy face.

The two men bid their goodbyes after splitting the cash evenly, the younger of the two muttering an apology before whisking away his girlfriend to be a host of the party still carrying out strong on the floor below. The anxiety finally subsided as Taehyung’s hand laced with yours, a nod towards the door for a silent understanding of much needed rest. Although, with the amount of fear you had during this evening’s events; you were sure that it would be near sunrise that the two of you would finally be getting some sleep.

AUGUST.

-

Today had been marked the hottest day of the year, lucky for you two, you were calmly sat in the large apartment Yoongi rented out. From the windows, you could see all of Daegu. Soft chatter from some droning newscaster about a convenience store robbery from yesterday. Your hip rested against the grand piano Yoongi had bought and occasionally played when he stayed at the apartment between jobs. The sun beat down on the lively city, people going about their day and completely unaware of your actions the previous day. More so, they knew what you’d done, but not that it had been you.

Taehyung had gotten stir crazy, going on about how he had been itching to get his hands on actual cash and not on the cold plastic of the card his friend set up for money to be wired to for jobs. So, on a complete impulse, the two of you drove to the edge of town and robbed the fourth convenience store since last month. The registers were never full of enough money to raise eyebrows, but close to a million won was enough to report to the police.

Adrenaline, pure and hot as it coursed through your body. The balaclava snug against your skin, leaving your eyes and lips exposed. Two things Taehyung couldn’t quite get enough of. A friend of Yoongi’s, Park Jimin, decided he would be an accomplice so long as he got a third of whatever proceeds the two of you were able to get.

The van circled the block twice, the three of you scouting for any ‘heros’ that would come to the rescue of the young, unwary cashier that sat inside. Business was slow and there were hardly any people roaming the streets. What a perfect opportunity. Taehyung dialed Jimin’s cell, instructing him to keep it on speaker and sit around the block with the van running so they could make a smooth getaway.

The orange haired man was obedient to his friends instructions as he adjusted his sunglasses higher on the bridge of his nose. “Good luck, I’ll be here.” A soft smile was hidden behind his mask as the three nodded to one another.

Your feet carried in sync with the tall blonde’s, hands entwined while you entered the store. No customers were inside, the adrenaline subduing slightly. Taehyung held the trash bag open as you pointed the gun at the cashier, heart pounding loudly in your ears.

“Clean the register out!” You shouted, pacing slightly as you glanced around the store once more. “And don’t you fucking get ballsy kid. I won’t hesitate to fucking shoot you.”

Tears began pouring from the young man’s face and you felt a little guilty, this had to’ve been his first job. Ironed work vest, naive. He followed directions well enough, though, emptying the entirety of the register into the bag Taehyung had held out, gun tucked into the back of his pants snugly.

But before either of you could register the older woman that came out of the backroom, she fired a shot. It rung out in your ears as you turned to the source, morals out the window as you fired not once, but twice at her. The young boy had taken this opportunity to book it out of the store, jumbled words falling from Taehyung’s lips.

As your heart nearly stopped, you grabbed the bag from the tan boy’s hands, wrapping an arm around his waist to help him out to the van that now sat with the backdoor opened and a very panicked Jimin in the driver’s seat.

“Fuck! Step on it! Get us to the fucking apartment!” Taehyung’s body thudded into the bed in the back of the van, the door sloppily slamming shut as the orange haired male did as instructed, speeding off down various streets in an effort to not seem suspicious.

“Baby, you’re okay, you’re gonna be okay.” You cried, tearing the wool fabric from your face as well as his to hold your hair back.

Your hands were covered in blood, the bullet luckily hitting his lower left abdomen where there would be less chance of any major organs being completely thrashed.

“Fuck, J-Jimin! Learn to fucking drive, huh?” Taehyung shouted, face growing pale.

Sweat beaded on his hairline, large hands enclasping yours to add pressure to the wound. “Call Hyunsik and tell him to meet us at Yoongi’s place.” You shouted over your shoulder as the van haphazardly pulled into the basement parking lot of the apartment complex. Luckily enough, if you insert a special card into the elevator then you can bypass the front desk and any staff that would inevitably ask questions. “Baby, you’ll be okay. I’ve got you, okay?” You tried once more, reaching a hand up to brush hair out of your boyfriend’s face, blinking away the tears that spilled.

It was no easy feat to support Taehyung’s weight as you and Jimin helped him into the elevator, the phone wedged between his shoulder and his ear as he helped lean his friend against the elevator wall. Within the span of twenty minutes you had gone from an adrenaline junky to a complete mess. The man you cared so deeply for was now bleeding on you, losing consciousness as you made it to the dining room table of the apartment. The blood trailing itself from the elevator and across the white tiles.

Within minutes, you had managed to follow the instructions being given over the phone as Hyungsik informed you that he would be there in ten minutes. The blood was staining your hands at this point, tears mixing with sweat as you inspected for the exit wound.

“Yeah, yeah- There’s an exit hole, fuck! Please-” You sniffled, trying your best to remain level headed as every emotioned flooded through your head at once. “Please hurry.”

As he promised, ten minutes had passed and the elevator doors opened, a tall man in workout clothes entered the apartment. The size of the first aid kit in his hand looked more than equipped with whatever he could possibly need. But the amount of blood Taehyung had lost was more than any kind of first aid kit could even dream of having. Of course, medical TV shows were almost never correct in their diagnosis considering 90% of them were all fictional or dramas.

“He’s going to need blood.” Hyunsik spoke, gloves already on and kit opened beside the now pale man splayed on the table.

“Take mine.” Without a second thought you began searching for a tourniquet amidst the supplies. “I-I have O Negative, I can give to anyone. Please.” your eyes met the older man’s as tears blurred your vision.

A quiet nod was given as you sat at the head of the table, hands running through Taehyung’s hair in an effort to calm his grunts of pain. An IV was started as best as an at home one could be, your attention shifting to the pacing man across the room.

“Jimin,” Your voice shook. Clearing your throat as the orange haired man turned his attention to you, he looked almost as helpless as you felt. “Call Yoongi, please and let him know what happened okay? And- and figure out a way to clean up all the blood so we don’t get caught and you can have my share of what we took, okay?”

A sigh fell from his lips as he shook his head, long strides carrying him to the elevator as he dialled who you assumed was Yoongi. This was supposed to be simple, get in, intimidate the kid and get the cash. That was it. How could this have gotten so fucked in such a short amount of time?

A soft groan of your name came from the room down the hall, your thoughts interrupted by the sound. Padding quietly to the source, worry etched itself onto your features as you stood in the bedroom doorway. The curtains had been closed and a humidifier infused with lavender were all an attempt to keep the tan boy you’d grown very, very fond of, calm.

“Y/n.” He called again, arm over his eyes so he hadn’t a clue that you had been standing there.

“I’m here baby.” You started, carefully moving further into the room. “Are you okay?”

He jumped slightly at the closeness of your voice, the darkness concealing the majority of your figure, sve for the soft glow from the humidifier. But in the sudden movement, he winced and you could feel your chest tighten at the sound. His hand came down to pat the bed beside him, a pout forming on his pink lips. A quiet giggle escaped your mouth at the sight, he resembled a small child who was needy for affection and it made your heart swell. To see him acting normal like this after the events of yesterday was enlightening to say the least.

Once sat beside him, your hand gently brushed through his hair as the other carefully lifted the covers to investigate the large bandage that sat above his hip. He was lucky enough that the woman had bad aim and missed his organs. He sure was happy that he had gained a little bit of extra weight or else he probably wouldn’t have survived. That, and the handiwork of Hyunsik who, luckily enough, works at the hospital but is close friends to Tae as well as Yoongi, so this kind of a call wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for him.

While you were lost in your thoughts, eyes glued to the injury, the blonde took a moment to admire your features, soft with a warm glow from the light of the humidifier, relentlessly beautiful. And as if he were a mad man, his large hands grasped your cheeks gently, tugging your face to his to place a firm kiss to your lips. He felt intoxicated when he kissed you, like nothing in the world went wrong and you were the only other person on the planet with him.

The hum you let out against his lips caused a wide, boxy smile to appear. One you hadn’t seen fully since before Kim Seokjin appeared that night in Jungkook’s office. The butterflies were entirely mutual, but he hadn’t a clue that they were. To anyone outside of the relationship, it was obvious you were in love. Madly in love.

But the words that hung at the back of your throat didn’t have the courage to climb out and make themselves known. Pulling his thoughts back to reality, admittedly yours as well, his large palm skimmed down your neck and down between your breasts, trailing down your stomach as he finally rested it in your lap. Long fingers tugged at the fabric of his sweats that adorned your body, his teeth capturing your lower lip between his to graze his pearly whites over. The feeling caused you to moan into his mouth, hands moving to push gently at his shoulders.

“You’re hurt baby, we can’t do that.” Bashful giggles left your mouth as you leaned back against your palms, your eyes meeting his.

He sported a very unconvincing pout, the corners of his lips tugging as you squinted at him. “That doesn’t mean I can’t make you feel better. You are taking care of me afterall, like some kind of hot nurse.”

“Oh, no no. No foreplay, no sex, no nothing until you’re better. I know you’re tough, but I don’t want to hurt you even more okay? It was my fault anyways that you got hurt.” Your eyes fell to your lap were your hands now sat, guilt eating at your mind.

“What the fuck?” The volume of his voice took you by surprise, your eyes meeting once more. “You know that isn’t true.”

“I could’ve checked the store better before just pointing a gun in that kids face.” God, you felt like you’d let him down.

“Hey, neither of us expected there to be anyone else. I could’ve checked the store too, you know? It’s not your fault, I want you to know that.” Large, warm hands took yours, tugging you to lay beside him on the bed. “We both could’ve done better at checking, but you got me to the van. I remember little...snippets, if you will, of you helping hyung. If it wasn’t for you, I probably wouldn’t have made it. Okay?”

You nodded, not trusting your voice now. Instead, you carefully tucked into his side, your face seeking a home in the crook of his neck. The two of you laid like this for a while in silence until Taehyung switched on the tv, flicking through the channels aimlessly. That is until the CCTV screencap of the two of you robbing the convenience store was on every news channel. Both of you watched intently as the reporter carried on.

“There have been reports of robberies in the last month by, what seems to be, the same couple. The two remain unnamed, but are armed and dangerous. Yesterday around 3pm, there were shots exchanged by the owner of a G25 near the edge of the city. The owner, Ms. Kim Heejung is in critical condition, and it is hard to tell whether or not she will survive the two bullet wounds. If you have any information about the suspects, we urge you to call 119. Thank you, and we will keep you updated as the story develops.”

Taehyung’s rumbling laughter took you by surprise, your brows knitting together as you moved to look at him. Before you could even question him, he shook his head and put one hand up in surrender.

“I’m not laughing at the fact that that woman has been hospitalized, it’s just funny to me that it took them this long to even broadcast our robberies. At this rate, they’ll never catch us.”

“Shut up, or you’ll jinx us.”

A sly smirk graced his features and you shook your head, moving to get up from the bed. But of course, a strong pair of arms wrapped around your waist and anchored you in place. Giggles bubbled from your lips, your eyes rolling heavenward as soft lips left sporadic kisses against your face. Your attempts to push him way proved futile, but the laughter that bubbled between the two of you as you now lay face to face was enough to make butterflies erupt in your stomach. His breath fanned over your face, stray hairs of your own tickling against your skin.

Over the year, Taehyung had grown accustomed to being alone. Sleeping with someone was purely physical for him and he absolutely refused to let anyone spend the night with him afterwards. Feelings were just something that would inevitably leave him in shambles and he couldn’t quite bring himself to do such a lousy thing to himself again. So what was so different about you? Why is he letting you in so close? The laughter died down as these thoughts swirled his cluttered mind, hand resting in its place against your chin; thumb ghosting its pad against your cheek.

“You know, I can see the sadness in your eyes when you think like that.” You whispered, keeping your gaze on his lips as he put his full attention on you. “Whatever it is that makes the cogs in your brain work so furiously like that, that make your eyes seem so lost, I hope you’ll tell me one day.” Where the boldness came from that encouraged you to say this was beyond you. But before the cops catch you both, you opt for getting to know the man who has your heart in his giant, warm palms. All of your life was filled with horrible examples of marriage and family, money and drugs tearing everything at the seems. There was just something about him that made you want to pretend, just for a moment, that love exists and the world isn’t completely overrun by money hungry, sex driven, unintelligent beings with enough empathy to spare for a cockroach.

His touch retracted for a moment, mind stalling at how you were able to read him so well. It didn’t make sense how you were able to see that he was so caught up in his own mind when he had grown so talented at masking everything. The way he pulled away, even if it was for a second, you could feel any courage that grew on those words at the back of your throat had been squandered and replaced with a nauseating feeling of overstepping. And with that, you pressed a kiss to his forehead before standing.

“I’m going to make sure the blood trail we left is gone, yeah? Just...ring me if you need me, babe.” The tone of your voice faltered slightly, eyes glossed over before exiting the room. How could you have been so bold like that? To assume you know anything about the mystery that is Kim Taehyung?

Your bottom lip was taken between your teeth, hands finding comfort around the glass of wine you had left atop the piano. The keys seemed to beg to be touched, but you couldn’t be bothered to remember the sickeningly bittersweet lies that tangled with the melodies you’d practiced until your fingers hurt. Maybe you were in fact defective like your uncle had said all those years ago, incapable of anything but destruction and caressing those ivory keys you begged so fervently to save you.

-

a/n: AHHHH! an update, fiNALLY! again, i am so so so sorry this took so long to post but i had a lot going on. its also past midnight and ive been up for nearly 30 hours so i apologize for any mistakes that were left in, im posting this without editing it three times like i usually do (pls go easy on me). i hope you guys enjoy this series as much as i do, and feedback is always appreciated! x

[avaliveradio]

Janet Odani Newest Single Midnight Breakthrough

Janet Odani is a singer and songwriter currently based in Coffs Harbour, Australia. ​ A keen music lover from the very beginning, she wrote her first song as a young girl at the tender age of six. She was also an enthusiastic part of musicals at schools, as well as choirs. Passion stemming from such an early age cannot be curtailed, and so as the years have gone by, she has worked on developing her unique style of music. She released her debut album, Transparency, in 2013.

This was a rich blend of both inspirational songs and love songs that were well-received for its soulfulness. Critics noted how Janet’s music came straight from the heart and with purpose. Filled with spiritual lyrics, Transparency was an introspective album that allowed the sweetness and innocence of Janet’s voice to shine through. October 2016 saw the release of her single Significant Mistake, after which she was featured in American Pride Magazine. Then in 2017, she released her second album, Mismatched Planets, which was noted for being the work of a talented songwriter. The album had a strong selection of songs, and Janet received much praise for her writing skills.

Right on the heels of this second album, Janet released her latest album Valiant Warrior in 2018. Valiant Warrior is an inspirational album, highlighting the challenges on her journey as a believer in Jesus Christ with a focus on the promises of God for companionship, salvation, victory, and love. The analogy she used is that of a tenacious struggle whilst singing songs and praying for a positive change. The songwriting process for Valiant Warrior album led Janet into a lot of souls searching and being real about certain struggles that one can face not only by the fact that they are a Christian but also just by 'doing life'. Early reviewers are already placing their stamp of approval on this, calling the new album greatly appealing to Gospel music fans. She hopes to communicate the emotional depth of each of her songs honestly.

Janet’s repertoire consists majorly of love songs and inspirational lyrics. She believes that love songs can take you back to moments of intense emotion, whether those are the initial moments of a blossoming romance or the final moments of heartbreak. Just about everyone can relate to love songs, and so by writing these, she can connect with people on a lyrical and emotional level.

On a personal level, she is moved by how many ways there are to say “I love you”, and that the emotion never gets old.

Janet chooses to write inspirational songs because she sings about her faith in God. The song ‘Like Moses’ on her debut album is a clear indicator of this. She also believes that inspirational songwriting opens the door to emotional healing, which is why so many of her songs carry this message.

Inspirational songwriting began a long time before she released musical albums, and it remains very close to her heart. Janet finds the inspiration for her songs in a variety of activities. To put it simply, she simply does the things that she enjoys doing. She states that she enjoys listening to music from different genres and sources. Whether those sources are online, musicals or live music concerts, she finds that listening to diverse music opens up her mind to express lyrics in different ways. She also enjoys hiking, nature photography and road trips (as should be abundantly clear from her Instagram account!).

Her love for beautiful scenery and of nature and landscape photography allows her to see things in a new light and express her feelings.  Janet has a deep love for nature and nature walks, as well as hikes along the beach and national parks.

It also never hurts to collaborate with other people - an experience she has always found interesting and rewarding as there is always so much to learn. She collaborated with UK Hip Hop Artist of the year (2015) Bluehomie, and wrote and performed chorus vocals for his rap song ‘Just' and also performed vocals for Everyoneband’s song 'Stand by You' Janet notes that she has been able to thrive on the modern dynamic of the music business.

According to her, the advancement of technology allows anyone to record and produce a pretty good sounding track from a home studio and pitch it to a producer or perform it if they choose to. Social media can be a great help for musicians and helps a lot with networking, collaborating and marketing. Janet has thus wholeheartedly used social media to share her music.

February 2020 saw the release of a single, Wildfire, another track with inspirational lyrics and an African beat feel. Her latest EP, Midnight Breakthrough, released on March 31st 2020, reflects comforting lyrics during current global times of uncertainty.

SONG NAME:

Midnight Breakthrough

MUSIC GENRE::

Gospel

I LIVE IN...

Coffs Harbour

THIS SONG IS ABOUT...

Midnight Breakthrough is about asking GOD for help in the darkest hour/midnight hour and divine help or breakthrough does come depicted by joy in the morning. I believe when you realize you're at the end of your strength, the only thing you can do is pray. Psalm 46 promises us that God is our refuge and strength and very present help in time of need. 

In a way, I feel the song relates to a feeling of helplessness that many people may be experiencing during the current global pandemic. Everyone has been affected by it in one way or another. I hope that listeners will have a sense of comfort and peace when they listen to this song.

WHO HAS BEEN THE MOST INFLUENTIAL IN YOUR MUSIC AND WHY? :

I am a follower of Jesus Christ and I believe GOD is my source for everything I am today and is influential in my music.

WHEN DID YOU KNOW THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT PATH FOR YOU? :

From a young age, I have been drawn to music with involvement in choirs or music groups. In hindsight, I was slowly improving my craft over the years and every step in the past has contributed to where I am today.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT WHAT YOU DO? :

I like the fact that I can reach out to people through my music and be a positive influence on others.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE YOU HAVE FACED IN YOUR CAREER, AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME IT?:

I suppose the biggest obstacle was overcoming negativity. I found that remaining confident in my gift and continuing to work at my craft constantly has helped me grow more and I believe an artist's journey is one that involves always working at your craft.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS: :

Website: www.janetodani.com Facebook at  www.facebook.com/janetodanimusic Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/user/janetodanimusic Instagram at http://instagram.com/janetodani Twitter at https://twitter.com/OdaniJanet Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7Jk85PgZin4TnnBx9S8fev Applemusic stream: http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1071228875