#ateez agent au
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dees-writing-corner · 6 months ago
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old habits die hard - part 1
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agent!ateez x ex!agent!reader
word count: 3k
genre: spy au, agent au
a/n this is going to have multiple parts, so comment or message me if you want to be tagged for the rest of it
masterlist
“Mum, we’ve been through this before.” 
Balancing my phone between my ear and shoulder, I rummaged through my bag, trying to find my house keys. 
“Yeah, well, I don’t plan on doing that anytime soon, so let move on from this topic, yeah?” 
Finally fishing the keys out, I grabbed my phone and unlocked the door. 
“Hmm, I’ll think about it. I-” Seeing a brown enveloped with a distinct stamp on it, I paused. “Mum, I’ll call you back later, yeah? I just remembered I’ve got some work to do. Love you. Bye.” 
Locking the door behind me, I picked up the envelope and made my way into the living room, closing the curtains before setting the envelope on the coffee table as I stared at it. 
I haven’t seen that stamp in over two years. Not since I left. I don’t know why they’ve decided to send me a letter now, but it can’t be anything good. Pacing around the table, I mulled over the idea of opening the envelope. Unsure if I actually wanted to know what was inside it. 
A sudden knock on my door stopped me in my tracks. On instinct, my head snapped up in the direction of the sound. 
“It’s just me. We need to talk.” 
Recognising the voice, I quickly made my way over to let the person in. 
“Hey.” 
“What’re you doing here?” Closing the door, I let the person into the living room, gesturing him to sit down. 
Sitting down, he raised a brow at me, “What? It’s been two years, and this is all I get?” 
“I’m serious Junghoon.” Picking up the envelope, I looked back up at him. “Why are you here? Because when I left. I left for good.” 
His eyes lowered to the envelope before coming back up to mine. “You’ve not read it.” 
“No. I’ve just come back. Why should I.” 
Junghoon patted the space next to him, “I came to show you something.” 
Taking a seat behind him, I watched as he pulled out a tablet from his backpack. 
“Three months ago, the police got a call for a break in at 62 Walkers Avenue.” 
Frowning, I looked at him, “That’s Yeosang’s place.” 
“The call got transferred to us because of the location. When we got there, the place was already burning. When the fire was put out, we found partially burnt remains of a male. The only key evidence that we could pick up was the vintage leather strap watch that Yeosang never took off and a black dagger with a mountain carved at the base that belongs to -” 
“San.” 
Junghoon nodded, his eyes never leaving my face, trying to find something, “Yes. After we found the dagger, we headed straight to San’s but his place was empty. And so was everyone else's.” 
I looked straight at Junghoon, knowing exactly what he was trying to say, “What are you trying to say?” 
“They killed Yeosang. And a few other officers in our department. They all died the same way.” 
Junghoon took out four more folders, each folder consisted of a partially burnt victim, with evidence showing that they were members of KQ Agency. 
“You can’t be serious.” My eyes darted from the folders laid out on the coffee table to Junghoon. “You know them, Junghoon! They trained you! I don’t know about the other four, but they would never do that to Yeosang. Never.” 
“It’s hard to not believe it, when the evidence all points to them.” 
I stared at Junghoon in disbelief. He can’t be serious. 
Junghoon looked at me before turning away, his entire demeanour turning to one of hesitance, “Have you.... Have they contacted you recently?” 
“No. They haven’t. Neither has anyone from the agency before now. When I left, I cut all ties from your lot.” 
Sensing my irritation, Junghoon stood up, his bag in hand as I walked him to the door. 
“I should go. If you get anything. Please call us. And please, open the envelope and consider the offer.” 
I simply stared at him as he got into his car. 
Once he drove off, I shut the door, locking it before heading back to the living room. 
I may have lied to Junghoon. While I don’t contact anyone from my unit, it didn’t mean I didn’t know how to contact them when they didn’t want others to hear. I also don’t trust Junghoon. I haven’t seen him in two years and that’s more than enough time for someone to change. But I know my old unit, and they would never do that, so something is going on within KQ. 
Tearing open the envelope, I took out the piece of paper within it. Reading through it, I quirked a brow at the offer. They are really desperate, aren’t they. Turning to look at the pictures concealed in a flap in the envelope, I was met with seven familiar faces staring at me. Each one of them had information written about them. Information I knew by heart. 
Dropping the papers back on the table, I looked at the five, open folders on the coffee table. I picked up the polaroid camera that was on one of my shelves and took pictures of all of them. Making sure that the pictures came out clear. 
With five polaroids in my hand, I walked up the stairs to my bedroom. Having the habit of keeping my bedroom curtains closed, I head straight for my wardrobe, not worrying about anyone looking at me. I grabbed a large duffle bag from the corner, sliding the polaroids into a side pocket, before stuffing a few sets of clothes and essential products into the bag. 
Zipping up the bag, I went to my bedside table, opening the drawer, I pushed slightly at the corner, revealing a false bottom. Removing the slab of wood, I took out the dagger and gun that were concealed beneath it. Placing the dagger in my boot and the gun to my hip, I put the slab of wood back before kneeling next to my bed. 
Flipping up the duvet and bed sheet that hung over the side of the bed frame, I pulled out the storage drawer under the bed completely to access the floor board beneath it. Opening up the flood, I took out a briefcase that I placed in there two years ago. I was something Yeosang gave me before I left the unit. Something that I didn’t want to touch after leaving.  
Opening the briefcase up, I looked at the radio system and earplug within it. It was one Yeosang made. He made eight in total. One for each of us. The unit was a way for us to communicate without anyone listening in. Yeosang made sure that no one could hack into the system. Though there was one flaw with it. And it was that no one knew how many people were on. Which meant we had to make sure we knew where the briefcase was at all times. 
I put on the head set and flipped the switch to turn the system on. Listening to the static, I waited to see if anyone was on, as each second passed, I started to lose hope. Until I heard someone. 
“We’re - done – headed- war - house – by-” 
Turning off the system, I frowned. What have they done? I thought of the places they could be at, but nothing came up. House? War house? The warehouse! If it’s the same warehouse as before, then I know where they are. 
I put the floor and drawer back, making sure everything was where it’s supposed to be and headed back downstairs with the briefcase and duffle bag in hand. I went into the kitchen, stuffed some bottles of water and protein bars into the duffle, and then walked into the pantry, closing the door behind me. This pantry may seem like a normal one to everyone else, but after I bought the house, I built a passage that went under the house that led to a private garage not far from me. 
I ran my finger along one of the shelves, stopping when I felt a small bump. Leaving my finger on the bump, I waited for a few seconds before a small panel opened up on the wall beside me. Placing my hand inside the wall, waiting for the reader to finish scanning my hand. It didn’t take long before the wall in front of me opened up, showing a stairs case that went down. 
Walking into the dimly lit passage, I made sure to wall close behind before making my way down the stairs and to the garage. 
While I could’ve just walked out the house and left in my normal car, I knew KQ. They probably have agents parked around my house watching out for me, which I kind of find funny. I worked for KQ for a long time. I knew all their strategies and protocols. Which is why I built this passage. For times like this. 
Coming to the end of the passage, I stared at the wooden door that was covered in cobwebs. I haven’t been to the garage through this way since it was built two years ago, and I honestly didn’t think I’d have to. 
Opening the door, I stepped into the garage, everything inside was how I left it a couple of months ago. I walked up to the covered car in the centre of the room, and yanked the white sheet off. The car was a well looked after 1969 Chevrolet Impala. I bought the car two years ago for emergency use. With it being an old car, there was no way for someone to hack into the GPS to track me. There is literally nothing they can hack in to. And people might think, ‘oh, it’s too flashy. People can tell straight away.’. No one will bat an eye in this neighbourhood because everyone here is rich and there’s a classic car driving down the road every two seconds. 
I opened the car door, threw the bag and briefcase into the back, and started up the car. Before I pulled out of the garage, I put on a face mask and pulled down the sun shield, lowering the chances of someone noticing me through the street cameras. 
Driving down the road, I looked back at the house that was almost out of view. There were cars I had never seen parked not far from my house. Guess my suspicions were right. 
The warehouse that I was heading to was on the outskirts of the town next to the city. When I was still at KQ, the boys and I would go there after missions to rest and relax. It was basically out headquarters outside of KQ. No one but us knew about it. We decorated the place so that it could act as a home to us as well, with all of us having a bedroom there. 
By the time I got to the next town, the sun had already set. While the drive wasn’t as long as it used to be, seeing as I lived on the outskirts of the city, it still took a couple of hours to get there. 
Parking the car a couple of blocks away. I grabbed the briefcase and duffle and made my way down the street. As I got closer, I made out the familiar, worn-down exterior of the warehouse. Walking up to the door, I hoovered my thumb above the handle where the sensor was located. I have no idea if they still have my thumb print saved or not, but here goes nothing. 
Pressing down on the handle, I waited a couple of seconds before I heard a click of the door unlocking. 
Pulling the door open, I walked in. The ground floor remained bare; it was the only place we didn’t decorate, to keep up the facade of it being unused. Shutting the door behind me, I walked to the back of the building where the stairs were located. If they still did things the way they used to, then they were probably upstairs relaxing on the sofas. 
I quietly made my way up the stairs, the sound of laughter and chatter getting louder, the closer I got to them. 
“Look, it wasn’t my fault they had people outside. Woo said they were only inside!” 
The sound of the familiar voices made me stop at the top of the stairs. It’s been too long since I heard them. 
“Are you lot going to stand there all night or join us?” 
The sudden sound of Mingi’s deep voice made me raise a brow. He must’ve thought I was the others. 
“Not them.” I walked out of the shadows towards their forms by the sofa. “But you guys have a lot of explaining to do.” 
Yeosang and Mingi froze sightly before their heads shot around. Eyes wide in shock, their gaze never left me as I closed the distance between us. 
“When they come back, there better be an explanation because I had Junghoon at my door step earlier and KQ agents patrolling outside my house.” 
I took a seat on the arm chair by the coffee table, completely ignoring their looks. 
Mingi opened his mouth a couple of times, trying to form a complete sentence, “You - what -” 
“We’re back!” Hongjoong’s voice echoed through the warehouse, as heavy footsteps made their way up the metal stairs. “And we’ve got the files.” 
Hongjoong was the first to emerge from the stairs, his hair now a dark brown instead of the blue it was two years ago. His eyes shifted between Mingi and Yeosang, noting their silence, before landing on me.  
I gave him a small wave, “Hi.” 
Hongjoong stopped in the middle of the room causing Wooyoung to crash into him. 
“What’s wrong with -” Wooyoung stopped mid-sentence after noticing my presence. “What’re you doing here?” 
Everyone was now stood somewhere behind Mingi and Yeosang, their expressions ranging from shock to apprehension. 
I took out the polaroids from my duffle bag, placing them on the coffee table before turning to them. 
“Someone explain to me why Junghoon came to me this afternoon saying Yeosang was dead and that you lot killed him and several other Agents.” 
My gaze stayed steady on Hongjoong’s, “Well, Joong?” 
“How can we know that you aren’t working for them?” 
Seonghwa was the one who spoke up, his demeanour cold as he stared at me, “Two year’s a long time. How can we know that you can be trusted?” 
“Because the day I left KQ was the day I swore to never get back into this field. And you know me, Hwa. Unless it’s putting people I care about at risk; I would never come back here.” 
Sensing the tension between me and Seonghwa, Hongjoong stepped around the sofa, motioning for everyone else to sit down.  
Yunho picked up the polaroids I set down on the table, studying each of the intently, “These the files Junghoon showed you?” 
“Yeah. I didn’t want to risk taking the folders with me.” I nodded, before turning my eyes back on Hongjoong. “Say something.” 
Hongjoong ran a hand through his dark hair, debating what he should say, “KQ’s not what it was. A few months back, me and Jongho noticed that there were unfamiliar people going in and out of the building. More specifically the laboratories. Yeosang later found that the people were linked to the Ace Gang. KQ is doing business with the gang, providing them with weapons and substances. Every single person in KQ is a part of it. Except us.” 
I nodded along, looking at the polaroids, “What about those bodies?” 
“Those weren’t us. Well, other than the last one. When we found out, we questioned some of them, and managed to get some answers out of them. KQ must’ve found out and thought them as a liability so they killed them. They’re trying to get us framed as serial killers and gang members. That’s why we’re in hiding. And also, why we staged the last victim out to be Yeosang. It’ll make it easier for him to do stuff outside.” 
I sat there, looking at each and every one of them, processing what Hongjoong just told me. Honestly, I could see it. When I left KQ, it was mainly because of the shift in dynamic within the organisation. They started being more secretive even though we were one of the best units they had. The tasks that we were given became more frequent and longer, making us spend weeks, sometimes even months on a mission. I have a suspicion that was when they started helping out the gang. 
“Okay. So, what can I do? KQ sent me envelope this earlier today. They’re asking for me to help out with catching you guys.” 
“What have you got on mind?” San was the one to speak. He was always the one who could see through me. 
I looked up at them, a plan already forming in my head. It was like being part of the team again. 
“I’m going to accept the offer.” 
Seonghwa opened his mouth, about to say something, but I cut him short, “Let me finish. I’m going to accept the offer in the morning and be your person inside KQ.” 
Seonghwa raised a brow, “Do you know how dangerous that could be for you?” 
“Anything’s better than KQ and Ace working together.” My mind went back to everything I gathered about Ace since I left. “Ace have been getting too powerful. They’ve infiltrated the police, hospitals, everywhere. They’ve got people everywhere.” 
Jongho looked at me, his eyes shining in silent laughter, “So this is what you’ve been up to, huh?” 
“Old habits die hard. Plus, normal life gets a bit boring after years of constant adrenaline rushes. What’s better than some light investigating?” 
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cultofdionysusnet · 11 months ago
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Check out this Ateez fic written by Topaz!
𝔻𝕒𝕪 𝕋𝕨𝕠: ℂ𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘/ℂ𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞𝕡𝕚𝕖
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🥀Pairing: Choi Jongho x Reader (f)
🥀Genre: Smut
🥀Rating: 18+, Minors Do not Interact
🥀Au: Secret Agents, Mr & Mrs Smith
🥀Trope: age gap (older reader, younger member)
🥀Summary: in which you're assigned the alias as Jongho's wife and he takes that pretty fucking seriously
🥀Kinks: ⚠cheating!⚠, creampie, penetrative sex with no barrier, dirty talk, everything is consensual! (They have a safe word, they do this all the time), slight degradation kink directed at reader, possessive! jongho
🥀Word Count: 769
🥀Betas: @mejuii @downtoamagicalland
🥀Day One: Wooyoung 🥀Mini Masterlist 🥀Day Three
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“We can’t do this,” You protested, even though Jongho’s fingers were already deep inside your pussy and you had just finished messily making out.
Jongho grinned. “I think the lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
You cried out as Jongho crooked his fingers inside of you. “I’m serious,” You whined.
Jongho shrugged. “According to our aliases, we’re already husband and wife, are we not?”
Those fingers began to vigorously pump inside of you, making your cries crescendo until you came all over Jongho’s fingers. 
You panted as you attempted to recover from your orgasm. “But-but, I’m married--you know this!” You attempted one last protest. It was all apart the game you two played.
Jongho removed his fingers from you and pushed them inside of your mouth. His eyes were dark with anger. He never liked you reminding him that you were already taken. “You’re mine,” He insisted, waiting until you had cleaned his fingers off. “I’ll show you exactly what I mean.”
During broad daylight, in the place that was your home as long as you were on this mission, Jongho fucked you up against the wall, next to the picture window that was in your living room. With your leg crooked around his hip, he thrusted into you, slowly but powerfully. Your ‘husband’ couldn't decide whether he wanted to watch how well your cunt took his cock or to watch the pleasure that seemed to be painted all over your face.
“Jo-jongho,” You groaned lowly.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Jongho cooed, pushing some stray hairs out of your face, “I’ll take care of you, don’t you worry. I’ll fill you up, just wait.”
“Oh fuck,” You shook your head, “Wait!”
Jongho scrunched up his nose, failing to hold back because of how good your pussy felt around him. “Fuck--bet you he doesn’t stretch you like I do, huh? Can he even get it up anymore? He doesn’t deserve this cunt.”
You whined, a result of your pleasure getting the better of you. “St-stop it, Jongho.”
"Not until you say your safeword, Sweetheart." Jongho smirked, one shade lighter than mean. “Need a young cock to get you off, don’t you? That’s why you’re mine. I’m that for you.”
Then all hats were off. Jongho brought your other leg around his waist, and you had no choice but to lock your legs behind his back, as he leaned against the wall and fucked you with the enthusiasm of a younger man in his prime, with all the experience of those one-night stands accumulating into a good lover.
There were no more protests from you, because your mind was simply white-noise. All you could focus on was the growing climax deep in the pit of your stomach. Your cries of pleasure were pushed out of your lungs with the enthusiasm of Jongho’s thrusts. He just kept hitting that spot inside of you over and over. All you could do was cling to his shoulders as he pounded into you.
“This pussy is mine,” He growled and then finally stilled deep inside of you.
With that final brush against the spongy part inside of you, you came undone for him. You dug your nails into his trapezius muscles, moaning as your pussy convulsed around him. Jongho’s dick twitched inside of you, unloading all his cum inside of you, and even dripped out around his cock. 
Jongho pulled out of you, a hand on your waist to hold you steady and upwards, and watched with sharp eyes as his cum began to further leak out of your abused pussy. Jongho met your eyes with a satisfied smirk. “Did my cock feel good, Sweetheart? You came awfully hard didn’t you?”
“Fuck you, Choi,” You snarled half-heartedly, not having the energy to truly scold him.
Jongho continued to push your buttons. “That’s MISTER Choi, Wifey.” 
Both of your phones dinged as an encrypted message came in; the information that you had dug up on the CEO from a foreign country funding the senator-turned-president turned out to be just the right amount of condemning. Your mission is over. 
Jongho found where he had tossed your underwear and helped you put them back on. He patted your cunt softly but you still winced at the touch. “You keep my cum inside of you, Sweetheart. See if he notices another man has even been inside you. And if not, well, you’ve got my number.”
With a salacious wink, Jongho waved and then walked out the door. You didn’t know if you wanted to throttle him or run after him, demanding a goodbye kiss. You were all kinds of confused and it might be because of how good he had just fucked your brains out.
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🥀Day One: Wooyoung 🥀Mini Masterlist 🥀Day Three
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sorryimananti-romantic · 1 year ago
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Sunrise
soldier!san x soldier!reader
military dilf/milf agents working in the special forces au
word count: ~29k
genres and warnings: mostly angst, sometimes fluffy, smut (mdni), violence warnings, past trauma, blood and weapons, basically its war but san makes it better <3
synopsis: you and san are majors in the special forces, having trained together after your sector was occupied. you both work as partners in your team now, surviving through hell together and having each other's back. you think the idea of romance while being in the military is stupid for a number of reasons, but san thinks otherwise and decides to prove his point, making you question your beliefs.
manager-nim: @eightmakesonebraincell (we talked about ateez as military dilfs and this happened LOL)
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“I’ve had enough of grown men acting like children,” you muttered to yourself, trying to find the scissors in the box of instruments, shuffling them loudly and not realising you were holding your breath until the patient in front of you helped by picking the scissors right out as if they had been right there the entire time time. 
“What was that?”
You glared at the grown man you had referred to now having heard your complaint, a faint smirk crawling on his lips as if taunting you- and perhaps, he was. You were acting like a child too. You were feeling like a child ready to burst at him.
You said nothing, only cut the gauze and secured it around the wound you had just stitched. His eyes continued to bore holes into you and you continued to ignore it as you took the ointment and a cotton swab, applying it gently on his grazed cheekbone. 
“You’re clenching your jaw a bit too hard right now, Major Seo. You don’t want to end up being unable to sleep because your jaw hurts… again.”
Referring to the time you hurt your jaw- the only time you lost your footing even in your own memory. It made it on your Top Embarrassing Moments list, and he was a part of every item on that list. And the fact that your squad wouldn’t let you live it down made it worse. After all, you had lost your footing and bumped into a shelf because Major Choi caught your eye when he was taking off his jacket.
Major Choi San. Your squad member but probably your worst enemy too. 
“At least I didn’t cut my arm trying to run after a cat, Major Choi.”
“The cat might have stepped on a landmine-”
“The cats are not that dumb,” you put a bandage on his cheekbone and intentionally pressed it harder than you had to, making sure this jab hurt with the one you had made verbally- referring to the time he almost stepped on a landmine after drinking. He had been grounded for weeks after and you had enjoyed every bit of peace that followed. “We literally have a mission in two days, Major.”
“Ah, don’t tell me you care,” Major Choi scoffed out loud and you couldn’t help but glance around you, noticing very well how the other nurses were eyeing the two of you while they treated their patients. You understood them but at the same time, you didn’t. You understood that most of them found him intimidating and for all the right reasons. You didn’t (though that was questionable too) because you two had trained together since the very beginning. 
So, why did Major Choi refuse to be treated by anyone else other than you? Was it simply to get on your nerves? In that case, he should know he was already doing a good enough job. Or was it because you two were the only ones who were still here, still alive, after spending almost a decade on the field together? Or maybe it was because of that one time you both shared a traumatic experience-
You didn’t care enough, you told yourself. 
“Of course I care,” you began, wrapping up the sprawled instruments on the trolley. “I will have to do twice the amount of work without you. And my risk of dying increases by a solid 14 percent. Of course I’d rather have you on the team.”
Major Choi rolled his eyes, getting up and wearing his jacket again, watching you close the medical kits and roll the trolley to a corner, shaking his head in amusement when you flipped a finger at him and went ahead to report him. He followed right behind you, wondering how to bait you into not reporting to their leader at all.
“Major Seo,” he called but you ignored him, knowing that ‘pleading’ tone very well. “Major Seo… Pretty.”
You rolled your eyes so hard you felt a sharp pain go through your skull. He was always making something up with your last name ‘Seo’, adding adjectives so he could call you something like ‘so angry’ or ‘so bossy’. You hated it and it had been a mistake to react to it in the beginning because he never let it go again.
“Say something like that again and you’ll have me presenting an exaggerated report. You won’t be seeing sunlight for a while, Major.”
“So feisty,” he shook his head and you stopped, turning to glare at him and he realised then, shaking his head furiously. “I didn’t mean it like that. Promise.”
You sighed, tuning out his rambling and knocking at the squad leader’s door. When you heard the familiar clearing of his throat as an answer, you stepped inside and the two of you saluted in synchronisation until the man nodded.
“Sergeant Kim, reporting to you from Squad 8,” you called and the sergeant scoffed.
“Major Choi got in trouble again?”
“Yes, Sergeant,” Major Choi decided to speak for himself. “I was… saving a cat from a landmine.”
“How many times have I told you to leave the cats alone, Major?”
“17 times as of now, Sergeant!” Major Choi saluted and you stifled a smile. The Sergeant asked you to report the damage and you did- it wasn’t too bad but if you had to go on the mission tomorrow instead of the day after like planned, he wouldn’t be able to join.
“If we have to go to the field tomorrow,” Sergeant Kim concluded, “You’ll stay back.”
“But, Sergeant-”
“And we better have clean rooms and a fresh meal when we get back,” Sergeant Kim glared at him. “If we go the day after… then you can join.”
You felt the Major shift from one foot to another and were reminded of the boy he used to be- when he was still Choi San and not Major Choi- suddenly feeling nostalgic. Some habits never changed. The Major cleared his throat and saluted in answer and you followed, leaving to go back to your rooms. 
You both walked in silence as you approached the dorms and just as you were about to part ways, you heard Major Choi clear his throat and you spared a glance.
“I won’t be staying back, even if we have to go tomorrow,” his gaze was steel. “You, of all people, should know that.”
“I don’t want to risk bringing an injured squad member who could be a liability to the rest of us. You know that.”
The Major stifled a groan but before he could insist, you continued. “Do you remember the last time we took an injured member with us?”
His eyes flashed. “This is only a cut to my arm. It’s not something that will affect our mission.”
“Your aim could be affected. Whatever, there’s no point arguing with you,” you groaned, tired and ready to hit the bed and knock yourself out. “You’ll stay behind if we’re going tomorrow, end of the discussion.”
“We’ll see,” he said and you knew he meant that there was no way he wouldn’t join. You hoped Sergeant Kim, at least, wouldn’t give in to him tomorrow. You really could not lose another squad member just because they insisted on joining despite being injured, no matter how small the injury might be. 
So you did the only thing you could do- pray you wouldn’t have to go to the field tomorrow. But you knew that as a Major in the Special Forces, you always had to expect the worst. You did not have the luxury of hoping for a miracle. All you could do was pray and ignore the gnawing feeling in your gut which was answer enough.
And it was not like your prayers were answered because as you woke up at the crack of dawn, you noticed that it wasn’t as noisy as it used to be. Already knowing what was ahead, you wore your black and grey uniform and got ready, taking a few deep breaths in the room before straightening and stepping outside.
It was awfully empty too- none of the others from your squad or other squads exiting their rooms with puffy eyes or tired figures. When you heard the sound of a door opening, you turned to see your own squad member, Major Yu, looking as confused as you.
“Where are the others?” She asked.
“Exactly what I’m wondering,” you frowned. “Did they perhaps dispatch Squad 6 last night?”
“Not when I was awake,” she wiped the sleep from her eyes. “Let’s go. We might have to prepare for the mission today, it seems.”
With a sinking heart, you both decided to go to the Sergeant’s office first and just as you had thought, the mission had taken an unexpected turn last night. The secret operation the other squads had been on for the past few days had been discovered and Squad 6 had been dispatched to help them, but they needed to change shifts now. 
“It’s getting uglier- the enemy won’t let them go so easily,” Sergeant Kim said. “We’re carrying out our operation in 3 hours from now, so prepare for it. Make no mistakes- but first… eat breakfast. I don’t want any of you looking pale because you didn’t eat.”
Major Yu smiled at that and the two of you saluted, about to exit when you turned. “Major Choi San insists on joining the operation.”
“He’s ready to go,” the Sergeant shook his head and you gaped at him. “He got up quite early today. As if he knew.”
Indeed, you spotted him in the cafeteria gulping down his breakfast as if he was short on time when he looked as prepared as one could be, dressed in his gear and loaded with weapons. You rolled your eyes, taking your tray of food to sit at the table next to him.
“All this effort. Did you change your bandages?”
The Major stopped in the middle of stuffing his face with rice. “Uh… I thought I had to change it later?”
“You’re going to the field, you fool,” you couldn’t believe it. “What are you gonna do, ask me to change your bandage when we’re getting fired at from every direction?”
“Oh, but you’d do that for me, won’t you?” He teased and you pretended to throw up, Major Yu laughing at the two of you as she joined you. “Don’t worry. We can get the bandage changed now. I’ll undress for you-”
“And, there he is,” Major Yu sighed. “I really wonder what you’ve got against this poor girl, Major Choi. You should go to the medical ward- we have to prepare too.”
“Then the bandages can wait-”
“Ugh, okay, I’ll change them for you, we don’t want them infected,” you muttered, already feeling done for the day. He always had to be so stubborn. You simply did not have the time to entertain him. You had things to do- but first, you would change his bandages so he could get off your back and let you prepare in peace.
You had to admit- you were slightly amused to see him struggle unloading himself and taking off all the complicated belts and ropes before finally being able to take off his shirt so you could inspect his upper arm. You shook your head. “That’s what you get for being over-efficient. You could have waited until I woke up, but no. You had to be present before any of your squad members.”
“I knew you were not going to let me go, so I did what I had to.”
Even though working in the Special Forces had turned your heart to rock, it still fluttered whenever the man in front of you looked at you funny or said something like this. However, your face didn’t reveal any of it and you prayed he wasn’t observant enough to notice. 
“Well, I can’t stop you now,” you sighed in relief to see he was healing up well. “Be careful not to rip your stitches. I’ll be carrying a kit so if you feel like something is wrong, you need to tell me before it gets worse, okay?”
“Yes, boss.”
“And stop being so casual with me,” you glared at him before taping a new bandage to his arm and securing it well this time. 
“I literally called you ‘boss’,” Major Choi chuckled to himself. You poked your tongue in your cheek as you glared at him- or tried to, but his eyes curving when he laughed always put a smile on your own face. He noticed that and said, “You’re allowed to smile.”
“Whatever,” you chuckled. “Be careful out there, okay? We’re marching to Sector 1. It cannot get any more dangerous than that.”
“I know,” his tone grew grim and you knew you were both recalling the life-threatening situation you faced the last time you were there- about two years ago. “You’ll have my back, won’t you?”
“And you’ll have mine,” you said and he nodded. “Let’s all come back alive, okay?”
It was always like this between you two- especially after that incident a couple years ago. You two may tease each other to death and be out for each other like enemies but you trusted each other the most out of anyone else. Time and time again, you both proved what being a team meant. The Major got up and opened his mouth as if to say something but shook his head instead, and you resisted the urge to ask him to finish his thought, instead saying you’ll join him in the office after getting ready and went to prepare for the operation in your room.
It was a mechanical process now- gearing up in your uniform which was so black you would become one with the shadows, docking up on layers and ropes and packing your bag with all the necessities- a medical kit, some food rations, water, your radio and all the necessary equipment. Lastly, you hid weapons everywhere on yourself where you could, the only visible ones the guns around your belt and a sniper hanging by your shoulder.
You went to the office and found Major Kang and Major Choi Jongho already present, chatting with Major Yu. Your squad- and naturally, the rest started referring to Major Choi Jongho as ‘Major CJ’ which started as a joke first until it wasn’t anymore. You settled down near them and said hello, joining in the conversation- Major Yu detailing the events of the morning to them.
“So I genuinely thought someone had died, or worse, because it hasn’t been this silent around here since the time Major Han said she found Sergeant Kim attractive out loud,” Major Yu said and Major Kang burst into his trademark giggle that made everyone around him laugh. “So I found her looking as confused as me and she had that funny look on her face- you know the one she makes when she either has no idea what’s going on or when Major Choi says something weird-”
You rolled your eyes. Major Yu had to be the most laid back person in your squad and sometimes you wished she wasn’t so observant. “Whatever Major Choi does doesn’t affect me.”
“He literally makes you almost cry, but okay, we can pretend we don’t see that,” Major CJ said and the others grinned at you giving them the side-eye. 
“Where’s he now, anyway?” You wondered. “He was up and ready so early that I’m wondering if he went to bed like that-”
“And of course you wonder how I go to bed,” Major Choi said, entering the room and having heard the last part, making you wonder how he always managed to appear at the worst possible timing. “I had to do what I had to.”
“Still, I think it’s too much,” Major Kang shook his head. “We don’t take injured people to the field. You know the rules.”
“But this mission requires my presence- everyone’s presence. We’re all going in, whether you guys like it or not.”
“Alright,” you shrugged. “If you become a liability, we’ll leave you on the field and return. At least my nurse duties will decrease by half.”
“And I’d have the room to myself!” Major Kang cheered and Major CJ grinned. Major Choi, however, was sulking deeper with every passing minute and Major Yu poked his elbow right where you had stitched it, making him scowl and you wondered if she did it on purpose. 
“Ay, you know we wouldn’t do that to you,” she assured him. “But you have to admit, the thought of having one less person to write reports about is very tempting to me-”
“Please,” Major Choi groaned out loud and you silently laughed, knowing they were all trying to raise his spirits before the mission because he was the type to get very serious before going to the field.
A few moments later, Sergeant Kim and Major Han arrived in the office and all of you got up and saluted your leader before he settled down with you, now forming a little circle so he could look all of you in the eyes as he instructed you and shared the details. 
“I’m happy to see all of you present and healthy,” Sergeant Kim glared at Major Choi who pretended to be interested in the very boring ceiling all of a sudden. “We’re leaving in exactly 30 minutes from now and we will be on standby at the border of Sector 1 before we go in to extract Squad 7. Squad 5 will take care of Squad 6 so if you come across anyone from Squad 6, you will take them with you but alert 5 before you take another step, is that understood?”
“Yes, Sir!” Everyone said in unison.
“Just like always, we’re splitting into teams- I’m leading with Delta and Sierra as Team 1,” Sergeant Kim referred to Major Kang and Major Yu who straightened and nodded. “Fox and Victor as Team 3, Charlie and Echo as Team 2.”
You being Echo and Charlie being Major Choi- you met eyes for a moment before nodding. Sergeant Kim continued, “If the two of you require assistance, you will call either Fox or Victor,” he referred to Major Han and Major CJ. “And if they cannot join you, then Delta or Sierra will. You’re at the heart of the operation, though, so be careful, okay?”
“Okay,” Major Choi’s grip on his rifle tightened- something that went unobserved by most but then again, you were familiar with every movement of his body. 
“And lastly,” Sergeant Kim sighed- you all knew how much he hated delivering the final instruction which was- “If any of you is indisposed, you all know the rules. Our first priority is making sure the mission succeeds- and this time, it’s to extract Squad 7 who hold important data with them. Help will come later, till then… you’ll be on your own. May the fates be with you.”
A collective sigh went through the room- it wasn’t because of the fear of being indisposed, but the fear someone else would be and you would have to leave them behind. That was the hardest part. Sergeant Kim got up. “You are allowed to request backup, remember that. I will be back in 30- check each other’s gears.”
The half an hour passed by in a flurry of light jokes, assuring taps, fixing some part of the gear and then waiting until Sergeant Kim arrived in gear and the seven of you proceeded to move to the basement where three cars waited for you with additional soldiers. You and Major Choi got inside your car and travelled in silence for the rest of the way, watching the expanse of barren fields until you reached the border of Sector 1. You leaned a bit to see the silhouette of buildings that were at the heart of Sector 1- a city that had once bloomed with life, now dead and infiltrated with terrorists. 
The city that had once been your home- and Major Choi’s, who was also staring into the distance with glazed eyes.
You proceeded to turn on the radio setup and connect it with the rest of the teams while Major Choi lazily cleaned his guns, sighing deeply in between. Once you were done testing your radios, you relaxed back and he finally spoke.
“Do you think we would have come across each other if Eden hadn’t attacked our home?”
You blinked at the sudden and personal question- another unusual thing from Major Choi today- you didn’t like being personal during a mission and he knew it. But the way you both had been stealing glances at what was once your home, you supposed curiosity got the better of him.
“I don’t know,” you shrugged. “Maybe? At some point of our life? Sector 1 isn’t too big.”
“I sometimes wonder if we were fated to meet each other,” he mused. “From being homeless to finding a place in the army- we have been together for a while, haven’t we?”
You pursed your lips- it still stung whenever you recalled the dark times. “Do you sometimes wonder what it would have been like if we didn’t make it in the army?”
“All the time,” he admitted, sounding grim. “But we… We kept each other in check. We still do.”  You smiled at that and he joined, whispering, “We’ve kept each other alive.”
“Or maybe you have been stupid enough to not let me die- not without you,” you pointed out. “I still wonder what went through your head that one time you disobeyed all orders, risked your title and stayed back for me when I was indisposed.”
“But you did the same for me so many times,” he cocked his head. “You’ve risked your life for me more times than I can count.”
“We do that for everyone in our team,” you reminded him, though you knew he saw right through you. “We disobey orders all the time. I’m surprised they haven’t shuffled us around yet. Also, can you stop being sentimental right before a life-threatening mission?” You couldn’t help it and you both laughed. “There’s a time for everything, Major Choi San.”
He raised a brow at the way you called his name and you looked away- you could never meet his gaze long enough. Luckily, the radio sounded with your leader’s voice instructing you all to get out and walk on foot to the base in Sector 1 with your designated members and routes. You bumped fists with Major Choi before securing each other’s helmets, getting off the car and following the familiar barren road to the outskirts of the town, careful to avoid eyes but glad it was very hazy today.
The two of you walked in sync until you reached the abandoned hospital which was your station. You took the lead, he provided cover and you entered the building, inspecting it thoroughly as you made way to the 4th floor and took out the binoculars to monitor any sort of activity and help Sergeant Kim’s team get to the heart of the city. A few hours passed like that, mostly in silence, occasional comments or instructions passed through the radio, and you almost, almost relaxed until a loud blast shook you to the core, making you both instinctively duck down and cover each other, trying not to lose your footing as the ground beneath your feet rumbled.
A whistle rang in your ear and you took a few deep breaths- it wasn’t the first time you experienced a blast up close but it always made your heart sink in the worst possible way. You felt Major Choi squeezing your shoulder- you were alright. He was alright. You motioned okay at him and he peeked up from the window to inspect the damage and you followed after a moment. The six-story building that had been two streets away from you was now turning into rubble. 
“That is Squad 6’s station,” you said. “Squad 7 might have been in there. We should move.”
Major Choi nodded and spoke on his radio. “Alpha- you heard that?”
“Loud and clear,” Sergeant Kim’s voice sounded grim. “Do not move right now. You’re the closest- you might meet trouble on the way. Wait for my instruction.”
“Copy that,” he replied and you both decided to move up another floor and see if you could spot the enemy somewhere. You did- a couple of men in cloaks leaving from the West Exit and you alerted Team 3 who went to inspect as per your instructions.
“We have about 20 minutes until it gets dark, and then you can inspect the damage to Squad 6’s station while on your way to the enemy’s base,” Sergeant Kim ordered. “We have retrieved two of Squad 7’s members. Team 3?”
“We have retrieved three of Squad 6’s members,” Major CJ reported. “That leaves one member from each team- Squad 6 here says they were last seen near the enemy base.”
“Team 2 will take care of it then,” the Sergeant concluded. “Meet me at the North Exit, Victor and Fox. We’ll take care of the enemy there.”
“Copy that,” the rest of you reported and you prayed silently that everyone would make it back alive. Meanwhile, Major Choi offered you a sandwich from his bag and you ate it while you kept watch, thankful that your station still hadn’t been exposed to the enemy.
As soon as the sun set, you put on your night vision goggles and started following Major Choi out, hands gripping the rifle. You both trod like cats- silent and alert. You reached the rubble of what was once Squad 6’s base in a few minutes and searched for any signs of life but found none. 
“They must be around the enemy base somewhere then,” you said. “Let’s follow their last location.”
Your partner agreed and you both walked in silence yet again, hiding behind walls and rubble until you could spot the enemy base in your vision, noticing a few men walking around it, probably on guard duty. 
“What if they’re held hostage?” You asked.
“Our mission is to extract them wherever they are,” Major Choi reminded. “We can request backup.”
“Let’s inspect the area first and then create a distraction before we move inside,” you suggested and he agreed.
All your senses felt heightened as you parted ways- mostly because you felt a bit defenceless that he wasn’t providing cover like he usually did. All you could think about was remaining alert and not missing anything, and you counted seconds until you spotted the Major again and joined him, containing in your sigh of relief because the mission wasn’t over yet.
“Request backup?” You asked.
“I’ll ask them to meet us right here after we’re done extracting the agents,” he said and you nodded, watching him speak into his radio while you tightened your gloves, buzzing with eagerness to get this mission done and over with. The two of you went through interconnected buildings and doorways until you stood outside a door in the basement of one of the buildings that connected inside the enemy base- some path they probably hadn’t learned about, if you were lucky, since they had quite recently changed bases. You were about to break the door when the Major grabbed your wrist-
Quite gently, you noticed.
“If things go south, you know what to do, right?”
You scoffed. “Who are we kidding, Major? We were never ones to obey orders- at least not from each other.”
Major Choi groaned loudly, almost in amusement. “If things go south, you will call for an immediate backup request, not wait for me and make your way out, is that clear?”
You did not like being talked to in that tone so you snatched your wrist and poked his chest with your gloved finger. “The last time I told you this… don’t even get me started.”
You both stared at each other, none of you giving in, his eyes locked on yours- the only thing you could see with the masks and the helmets. Your finger was still poking into his chest and he finally sighed, taking your hand in his and drawing it away. You swallowed the lump in your throat and shook your head. “If things look bleak, let’s not make them worse, okay?”
“Okay,” his voice was laced with amusement and you glared at him.
“I won’t be surprised if we have to change partners soon.”
“I won’t let them,” Major Choi promised. “You’re the only one I trust.”
“What did I tell you about not being sentimental during missions?” You broke the door, grimacing at the loud sounds that rang through the basement. “Let’s move, Charlie.”
“Got you, Echo,” he patted your back and you both stepped into the darkness, wearing your goggles again.
Every sound from that point on caught your attention. You could hear the Major’s breathing so you trained your ears to ignore it and focus on the other sounds. You walked along the path that only got narrower with each step and waited a few moments at the door which was the entrance inside the enemy base, letting the Major do his thing and check for any signs of life with his equipment.
“Empty room,” he whispered. “Go.”
You nodded and began unlocking the door with a set of pins, humming when it clicked in place and you opened the door- or tried to, since it was blocked. Major Choi helped you push it until the gap was big enough for you two to pass through and you carefully stepped inside.
“You remember the layout?” You asked and he nodded. “This must be the only storage room in the basement. Where do you reckon they would keep their hostages?”
“In the basement… in the cells. If not, they’ve defected.”
“Unless-”
“Unless that’s their strategy,” he completed and you nodded, glad your partner was one to follow his instinct and heart instead of the book, which if you were honest simply did not have a few principles right. “Let’s inspect the cells first.”
“You ready?”
Major Choi mirrored your motions- adjusting his guns and fixing the daggers in his sleeves. “Let’s get the party started.”
After that, it was a flash of blood and screams as you both exited the storage room, exterminating any enemy in sight until you reached the cells and found one of your agents inside, a bloody mess himself. You broke his chains and asked his name and when he said his codename ‘Bravo’, you were glad he was in his senses.
“Where’s Agent Oscar?” You asked and he shook his head.
“They might have taken him for questioning- I heard the guards talk.”
You clenched your jaw- this was going to get messier then, especially with the Major already firing at the incoming stream of enemy guards. “You can walk?”
“Yes,” he said and you accompanied him to the storage room, the Major providing cover. You instructed Agent Bravo to follow the path to the exit where backup would arrive in a few minutes, handed him a loaded gun and secured the door after him. You joined the Major who had just finished with a fresh wave of guards.
“They’re onto us. Let’s make it quick. I’ll shell them.”
You nodded and you took the lead this time, taking the stairs and firing at anyone who was unfortunate enough to get in your way and you made your way up another flight after inspecting the rooms on the ground level. Thankfully, you and Major Choi only had minor scratches and grazes right now- nothing that kept you from moving forward.
You took a sharp turn but got pulled back as a bullet passed, missing you by a fraction. You spared a glance at Major Choi who gave you a warning look and you heard what he meant loud and clear- ‘be careful’. Before you could continue, he took the lead and you provided cover, letting him guide you both to the end of the hallway where he turned-
And found himself faced with 5 guns pointed at his head. You were outnumbered.
You paused as well, a couple of guards aiming their own gun at you from the other end. You clicked your tongue twice and your partner understood, raising his hands in surrender and you followed suit- but what the enemy did not know was that you had learned a few magic tricks when you were little. You never thought you’d use them in the military, but here you were, a grenade rolling down the hallway out of nowhere and you clicked your fingers.
Three.
The guards shouted and you rolled another grenade with a tap of your feet, the others wondering where the hell it appeared from when your own hands had been raised as long as the Major’s. 
Two.
Major Choi watched one of the guards point his guns at Agent Oscar who said a silent prayer as he looked up at the ceiling. 
One.
You smirked to yourself, clicking your tongue again. The guards in front of you took cover while the ones in the room shouted at each other, trying to come up with an escape plan now that the grenade was right at their feet but failing.
Zero.
You and Major Choi switched positions in a flash and while he covered you with his body, you shot at the 5 men in a series while the grenade behind you burst. Unfortunately, one of them managed to shoot at you and the bullet landed in your calf though your reaction only lasted a few seconds. You felt the Major’s body shake against yours as rubble fell on the two of you. You ignored the pain burning though your entire body and glanced up, sighing in relief when you saw that Oscar was fine.
“We’re exiting from the window,” Major Choi got up and started planting the hook to the wall and dropped the rope down the building, groaning when he spotted movement outside the building too. He aimed at them with his rifle and got rid of them while you took care of any approaching guards, finding a few moments of peace.
“We’re sliding down first- he can’t walk properly,” Major Choi had noticed Oscar’s mutilated leg. “You’ll follow after I give the signal, okay?”
“Okay,” you breathed heavily.
“You good?” He scanned you, noticing the blood dripping down. You nodded but he made quick work of pulling a piece of cloth from his bag and tying it around your leg, securing the bullet inside, the pain dimming since it wouldn’t jab with every movement you made now. Oscar stood watch in the meanwhile, inquiring about the rest of his squad and you told him they were extracted, which made his eyes fill with life again.
“Let’s move,” Major Choi called Oscar and you went back to covering for them while they escaped through the window. You sighed in relief when your radio sounded to alert you that they had made it to the ground safely but the relief didn’t last long as a bunch of guards came in your vision and you hid.
“Come down, now,” Major Choi called and you took a deep breath, knowing you would have to jump a good distance since you didn’t have enough time to simply slide down the rope all the way down. As if Major Choi had read your thoughts, he was there to cushion your jump and the three of you disappeared inside the alleyway, trying to navigate back to the spot where backup would be waiting. 
However, luck was not on your side tonight. One moment you were jogging to the building in front of you and the next, the three of you were thrown into the air, the bright fire blinding you momentarily despite your protective goggles. For a few seconds, all you did was stare at the sky, wondering if you had died or if the sky was simply so cloudy that not a single star could be seen. It wasn’t until you heard a familiar groan that you came back to your senses and crawled towards your partner.
“San- Are you okay?” You managed to ask- he seemed to have hit his head somewhere, blood trickling down his forehead.
“I’m good,” he exhaled. “Oscar?”
Oscar didn’t respond and you panicked, crawling desperately towards the limp figure and found his pulse growing fainter. You began dragging him with Major Choi to the nearest cover- a big chunk of cement and you stopped, out of breath. You took off your mask and checked your radio but it had broken. You muttered a series of curses, throwing your helmet away in anger while you planned your escape.
“Take Oscar with you to the basement- backup will be waiting,” you hoisted yourself up so you could lean against the rock. “I’ll join you.”
Major Choi narrowed his eyes, taking off his own mask. “You can’t walk, can you?”
“I don’t think I can right now, but I’ll be fine- I’ll be following close, I just need to catch my breath,” you coughed, mouth very dry. “Go, now. I can hide.”
“I’ll come back for you-”
“Don’t you dare,” you seethed. “It’s already been a bad day. Just take Oscar to the backup and wait for me there- do not send anyone else.”
“I won’t leave you in this state,” Major Choi announced- a plain and simple statement.
“Just go,” you begged. “Our mission won’t be complete until we deliver Oscar back. I’ll be fine- no one will come and check in here for a while. I’ll hide elsewhere.”
Major Choi looked conflicted, glancing back and forth between you and Oscar until you nudged his thigh with your boot. He crawled towards you, throwing off his helmet and your hand instinctively went to inspect his injury, sighing internally when you found it wasn’t as bad as you thought. 
What surprised you was him locking his forehead with yours as he said, “I promise I’ll be back.”
Before you could respond in any way, he had drawn back and was dragging Oscar, navigating through the rubble and meeting your eyes, pointing towards north. You understood and made a note to yourself to kill him if you made it out of here alive tonight. For now, you were going to hide in the rubble and watch them until they were out of sight. As soon as they were out of your vision, you relaxed and sat back down-
And heard the most horrible sound of gunshots in the direction Major Choi had gone- so horrible that your entire being shook. You immediately stood up and took out your binoculars to try and see if you could spot them but it was no use. 
You sat back down, looking up at the dark sky- where had it all gone wrong? It was like they were prepared, like they knew you were coming. Was there a rat in your base? Or was it obvious that the Special Forces never left their agents in the enemy’s hands? Were they expecting you because they knew you so well now?
You were glad it was so dark that the tears in your eyes didn’t blur your vision- there wasn’t anything to see anyway so you blindly started crawling towards north, staying as low as possible- you weren’t sure you could walk without limping now anyway. You went from hiding behind one chunk of rubble to another, checking your watch and knowing you didn’t have much time until someone would come to check if you made it out alive. 
After crawling endlessly, you checked your watch- it took you about forty minutes to simply reach the end of the destruction the blast had caused. You hid under a rock yet again, out of breath and with trembling hands you took out your bottle from the bag and drank a few sips, storing the rest for later in case you needed it. You could see your surroundings now thanks to the faint glow of streetlights in the distance and wondered if you should inspect your wound- Major Choi had done a good job of binding it. You decided to let it be and rest for a few minutes before moving forwards.
Forwards. For how long? You were already feeling groggy. Your eyes were twitching and you weren’t sure if you could remain awake if you weren’t moving.
So you decided to move. You prayed Major Choi would come back for you and disobey every order because only then you could know he was alive. For once, you wanted him to come back, because if he died-
You heard footsteps and you aimed your gun at the source, seeing the silhouette of someone walk, almost limp in your direction- the walk looked strangely familiar-
You lowered your gun when the outlines of his body became visible- it was Major Choi. He was alive-
“I searched for you everywhere,” Major Choi whispered harshly as he crouched down and a whimper escaped your mouth as he crushed you in a hug. “I thought I lost you, y/n.”
You shivered due to a number of reasons- he hadn’t called you by your name in a very, very long time. The last time he did was to wake you up when you both had been hostages together and even that had been years ago. The last time he hugged you was a memory you had almost forgotten too-
Not forgotten. Pushed in the deepest part of your memory so it wouldn’t come to you at unexpected times.
You were amazed by how awake you felt now that his arms were around you, his hand in your hair keeping your face tucked in the crook of his neck. You sighed deeply, your uneven breaths synchronising. You tugged at his shirt and perhaps, it was a wrong move. Perhaps he was suddenly aware of the position you were in because he pulled back-
You didn’t want him to pull back.
“I-” you cleared your throat. “I heard the gunshots- are you okay? Where’s Oscar?” You heard him suck in his breath when your hand touched his arm as you were drawing back and you touched the spot again, finding it wet and sticky-
Blood.
“What happened?”
“They must have spotted us- they fired. The first one hit Oscar in the head. I’m sorry-”
“But you’re okay?” You asked. “Only this?”
“Yeah, but we lost Oscar-” his voice shook and you put your hands on his.
“It’s okay,” you assured him. “Oscar might not have made it anyway- his pulse was very faint after the blast. You’re okay- god, I thought they got you, San, I really thought they did-”
You felt his body language shift after you called his name and you wondered just how much you both missed normal physical contact, normal human interactions since only the sound of your names on each other’s lips was making you react- perhaps even more than the casual displays of affection. You shook your head, willing yourself to focus. “What do we do?”
“Our retreat spot is compromised,” Major Choi said, “I think we should head to safety first before we come up with a plan or try to revive your radio. Mine got lost.”
“Okay,” you breathed. “Where to?”
“North, I think,” he sighed. “We mentioned north quite a few times today to the squad. They should get the hint and find us there.”
“They should,” you agreed and he got up. You followed but stumbled on your feet and he caught your arm right on time. 
“Can you walk?”
“Let me try,” you said, looking around before taking a step and biting your lips so harshly it almost drew blood- the pain in your leg was burning you at this point. “I think I’ll be fine… after a few steps.”
“You don’t look fine… Major.”
You glared at him, taking another step and this time unable to control the hiss of pain. He tsk-ed. “Get on my back- it’ll save us time.”
“I’m sorry but you’re not in the best shape either,” you pointed out. “And there’s no way I’m getting on your back-”
“Major, now is not the time for the little game we play of who makes it out in better shape,” he took a step forward and you instinctively took one back, making him groan. “Get on my back- don’t make me carry you like a princess.”
“Fine,” you gave up, “You better run then. There’s no way they wouldn’t spot us.”
With that, you hopped on his back and he hooked his arms under your legs. Silently, he carried you all the way towards the north, never stopping to catch his breath though you could see he was struggling- after all, he was tired too. When you could see the North Exit gate, you motioned for him to go to find someplace to hide- there would surely be enemy prowling here after Team 1’s successful mission. So the Major finally slowed down and turned in an alley and you helped yourself down.
“I don’t think we should risk going inside one of these,” he said, glancing at the abandoned structures of what had to be houses or shops once. “We should wait until sunrise before we try something. Let’s hide somewhere- come on.”
He took your hand and you both trod silently, sticking to the walls until you found a spot where it looked like whoever cared had collected rubble there to keep the rest of the city clean. A shed roof lay on the floor, twisted, and you pointed towards it. San helped you walk towards it and you finally collapsed on the ground under it, stifling a groan. Now that you allowed yourself to relax, the weariness was catching up and making your head spin.
Major Choi didn’t miss it- he immediately dug into his bag and handed you his bottle and two of the sandwiches he still had left. You asked him to conserve the water, glad you had your own bottle and took the sandwich, though the overwhelmingness of everything was making you nauseous.
“Can I inspect your wound?” Major Choi asked. You shook your head. 
“I don’t think I can be quiet if you try to extract the bullet- I think… I think I’ve lost a lot of blood,” you gulped, patting your trousers and finding them wet. “I shouldn’t sleep tonight.”
“I’ll make sure you don’t,” he took a deep breath and you could see the worry on his face even in the very faint light. “Someone should find us in the morning.”
“You’re okay, aren’t you? Anything odd you’re feeling?”
“Just the dull pain now,” he admitted. 
“You shouldn’t have come back, Major,” you chuckled, finishing the sandwich and urging him to eat his. He shook his head, offering it to you and you grabbed it only to stuff it in his mouth, making him chuckle. “You should have stayed behind. I would have been fine- someone would have come in the morning.”
“You know me,” He finished the sandwich in two bites, drinking a sip of water. “I don’t like making it back alone.”
You clicked your tongue in disappointment. “It’s a wonder they haven’t fired you yet. It really is.”
“I could say the same for you,” he raised a brow, shifting so he could sit beside you, back resting against the shed roof. “You’re not any different from me.”
You didn’t answer, recalling the old times. For a few moments, you were both silent and then the Major tapped your thigh and you hummed to tell him you were still awake.
“Don’t fall asleep- keep talking,” he ordered and you sighed. 
“You’re better at talking. I’m better at listening.”
“Just keep talking, for heaven’s sake,” he shifted to be closer to you so your shoulders were touching now. “Don’t say anything out loud- only whisper so you don’t get thirsty.”
“Okay,” you coughed a little, clenching your eyes shut when you felt a fresh wave of pain consume you. You felt the Major’s bare hands snake in yours and you smiled faintly.
“You shouldn’t have joined the mission today. Things could have been very different.”
“We’ll talk about that when we get back,” he dismissed. “Tell me what you want to do when you get back.”
“Sleep,” you laughed a little and he grinned. “What’s the time?”
“Almost midnight.”
“Damn it,” you sighed deeply. “I don’t think I’ll make it-”
“No,” he squeezed your hand. “I’m with you. I’m not letting anything happen to you. I won’t lose you- not like this.”
“Whatever,” you shrugged though you had to admit you were pleased to hear it. “Wait- isn’t that what I said when we were held hostages in Eden?”
“You remember?” He asked. You two hadn’t talked about the events of those three very, very long nights you had spent as hostages in Eden’s territory. “I thought you deleted that memory or something- you never addressed it again.”
“It’s not a good memory,” you said.
“True… but some of my favourite memories are from those days,” he began. “I made it out alive solely because you refused to let me die.”
“Is that why you’re doing the same right now?” You asked.
“Maybe,” he said and you looked at your interlocked hands. “Maybe I like us as a team and don’t want to lose you. Maybe I like you even as a friend- after all, we’ve been together for so long, haven’t we?”
“Back when we were still a boy and a girl,” you recalled. “What happened to us… San?”
There it was. The unintentional squeeze of his hand. You glanced at him and he met your eyes.
“Do you like it when I call you by your name?”
“Don’t you, y/n?”
Something like butterflies in your stomach as his deep voice sounded made you suck in a breath. “Well then… should I call you San? At least for tonight? Just like the old times?”
“Just like the old times,” he smiled, looking ahead. “How did we get here?”
“We refused to let each other go because we were rivals back then, of sorts… I’d say we still are- but we’re better as a team than rivals, aren’t we?” You said and San agreed. “It would just be even better if you stopped being an ass to me in routine.”
“It’s because I love to see you all riled up,” he said, body shaking with laughter. “It’s so easy to rile you up.”
You yawned big and wide and San waited until you were done. “You with me?”
“I am,” you told him. “Tell me then- do you do it on purpose? Only let me treat your wounds? I’m not your personal nurse, you know.”
“You know my reason,” San muttered. “Otherwise you would have downright refused. You know, don’t you?”
“Because you don’t like to show your scars to anyone… And because I’ve seen every scar on your body since the beginning, haven’t I?”
“You’re the only one who looks without judgement,” he admitted. “You know I wasn’t always the best.”
“Look at you now!” you said dramatically. “The best of the best.”
“We are, as a team,” San pointed out. “You remember how bad we are when partnered with other members.”
“Ah, right,” you giggled and San looked at you in horror. “We don’t really coordinate with others, do we?”
“What is that sound you just produced,” San scoffed. “I wonder what other sounds you make, Major.”
“You want to find out?”
San looked away- how come you both had switched roles now? “Looks like the blood loss is really getting to your head now.”
“It is,” you admitted, sinking down a bit and resting your head on your partner’s shoulder, feeling him freeze for just a moment before he relaxed. “I don’t think I should talk anymore.”
“I’ll keep you awake with pain if I have to,” he promised and you grimaced- you had done the same to him once too. No doubt he would return the favour. “If I see you getting groggy, I’m going to press on the wound, you hear me?”
You almost cried- the pain was already too much, but you knew he was right. “Why are you being like this?”
“I would do this for anyone- I cannot let you die on my watch,” he announced. “Which reminds me- give me your radio.”
“Oh, right. Are you sure I’m not the only one suffering from blood loss?” You said which he ignored, crossing his legs as he started inspecting the radio remains. You lit your watch to provide him with better light and watched him twist wires and cut them with his teeth, attempting to revive it-
For a very small moment, the sound of static came through and you both almost rejoiced until it died down. You asked San to do whatever he just did again and he did but it wasn’t any use now. The radio was dead. 
You both slumped back to your original positions and this time you were the one who found San’s hand and squeezed it in assurance. “It’s okay. You’ll be fine.”
“We’ll be fine,” he sighed. “Stop considering yourself dead already. If you survived that moment when we were surrounded by seven guards earlier, you can survive the night too. Good work there, by the way.”
You grinned. “How did you know what I was planning? I was half worried you’d misunderstand the signal and get us all killed.”
“Oh please, when have I ever made that mistake?”
“Are we forgetting that one time when I was waving at you from a distance and you thought I was saying hi-” you paused when San chuckled.
“You were saying ‘get the hell away’, I know,” he shook his head. “I was just curious why.”
“You keep telling yourself that. The fact is, you made a mistake which got us both grounded for two weeks.”
“Yet here we are,” he scoffed. “Still a team. The best of the best.”
“Are we?” You thought out loud. “When we’re always at death’s door?”
“Well, let’s see,” San took a deep breath. “9 out of 10 missions are successful- that’s a pretty high rating for someone in Special Forces, don’t you think? And even if we’re compromised, we’ve never lost data. Even now, I retrieved the chip from Oscar,” he patted his pocket and you looked proud. “We just have to make it back alive now, so hang in there, alright?”
You were silent for a few moments, focusing on San absently caressing your hand and glancing at you a few times to make sure you were awake. You checked the time- there were still about 3 hours until sunrise.
San grunted in pain and you opened your eyes, realising you had almost dozed off. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” he said but you noticed his eyes twitching. 
“How bad did you hit your head back then, Major Choi San?”
He rolled his eyes but you could tell it had to be something related to his head injury because his other injuries were minor. “I’m fine.”
“Can I see it? Properly?”
“I said I’m fine.”
And that’s how you knew he wasn’t. You shifted, ignoring the pain exploding through your leg as you put your injured leg over the Major’s to get half on top of him and access the other side of his head- the one you had noticed he kept away from your vision. San grabbed your wrists in an attempt to stop you but you glared at him, tski-ing in warning and he gave up, letting you inspect it.
It looked like a normal gash and it had stopped bleeding, so maybe it was a concussion. You sighed. “Are you feeling nauseous? Dizzy?”
“A little,” he admitted.
You pouted, going back to sitting next to him. “Looks like I’ll be the one keeping you awake for the night.”
He laughed to himself and you joined. “You’re making it sound like it's an awful task.”
“It is,” you rubbed your face. “Let’s not fall asleep, Choi San. Your turn to tell me what you would like to do when you go back.”
“Sleep,” he laughed and you poked his thigh. “Okay, I’d like to get a few days off. Should I get you some days off too?”
“What will we even do in our free time?” 
“We could go somewhere,” he looked at you. “Remember Sector 6?”
You didn’t expect him to bring up Sector 6. It was the one time you both almost crossed boundaries with each other- your squad had gotten a few days off and all of you decided to spend those days like ‘normal people’ in the ‘normal’ sector- the one known for its lively atmosphere. The town that never sleeps, it was called. Somehow, you and San strayed away from the rest of the team and had a night you would try to forget for the next few years, the one you were still trying to forget-
It wasn’t even anything much. You two had drank and danced in a club. You two had joked about getting hooked up except you two couldn’t stay away from each other even when you tried. Whenever you looked at someone, San would make some comment about what type of a person they were. You were ashamed to admit you did the same to him too- so you two only danced with each other- 
Only looked at each other. 
Something had changed after that. You couldn’t shake off the ghost of his hands on your waist, on your shoulders, a comfortable weight. You called each other by your names and it almost felt like you two were only civilians, friends who were flirting with each other. At one point, he had hugged you and told you that you were the best thing that happened to him, though you were pretty sure he forgot all about that the next day, since he claimed he remembered nothing- he wasn’t good with his drinks, so you believed him.
Until he brought it up again, now.
“Sector 6?” You scoffed. “Why would you want to go there again?”
“Do I really need a reason to relive that again?”
So cryptic. You tried to make sense of his words but you couldn’t.
“Well, if we live through tonight, might think about it then,” you said, trying not to recall the things you had said to San that night. Things you wished he really had forgotten. 
“Do you think we’ll live to see the sunrise?”
You glanced at San. He looked weary- perhaps, he really did need a break. You rarely ever saw him look weary. You did not like him with such low spirits. You only squeezed his hand and let the silence fall- you were both too tired to continue talking anyway, so you both resorted to tapping out morse code. It was nostalgic to talk that way, though all you were tapping was curses and ‘awake?’, it made you reminisce about your time together as agents. You supposed you would let the memories flash by- after all, you might really not live to see the sunrise. 
The two hours following had to be the longest of your life. Your fingers were tired from tapping to each other, but at least that meant you were alive. You would occasionally drink a sip of water or shake each other. Sometimes you would recall a funny memory and share a brief laugh. But by the end of it, you were both so groggy that you had to press into San’s now ripped stitches to make him wake up, earning a groan that was too loud for your liking. You also made him press on your wound and you cried this time. The pain was nowhere near dull.
You didn’t notice the sky getting lighter until the rays of sun hit your face and you looked at San who was almost dozing off. You shook him.
“Hey. We lived to see the sunrise.”
San opened his eyes, blinking a few times and you watched the sun cast shadows on the sharp angles of his face. His brown eyes looked warm as he smiled.
“We really did live to see the sunrise…”
You smiled, squeezing his hand. All you two had to do now was wait for a signal- there was this new kernel of hope in your heart that you would make it out alive now- even if backup never comes, you two would make it out alive somehow-
“I wish to see the rest of my sunrises with you too.”
You stopped in the middle of shuffling through your bag, not having the strength to meet his eyes- you recognised this tone of his voice so well you knew how he would be looking at you anyway. However, you couldn’t help the smile creeping up on your face and you took out your medical kit, finally having enough light and the newfound energy to do something about San’s wounds at least. 
“That’s… not something you should be saying to me. You do not wish to see the rest of your sunrises with your partner in Special Forces, Major.”
“And if I do?”
You finally looked at him, narrowing your eyes. “I think I should have done something about your wounds earlier. You’re in a worse state than I am, and I am the one who got hit by a goddamn bullet.”
San chuckled, unbuttoning his shirt and letting you take care of his stitches- he knew you were doing it not because it was necessary but because you would have something to focus on. Perhaps you were dizzy for a different reason now, in which case…
“You think I don’t mean it?”
“Major Choi San,” you warned-
“Look at me, y/n,” he called and you sighed deeply, finishing cleaning his wound and then meeting his eyes, your heart sinking at the way he was gazing at you. “You know I don’t lie. You know that. Everything that I say… I mean it. I really, really do wish we’ll be together for a long time.”
“You like working as a team that much?” You tried joking but he shook his head, his hand finding yours and snaking up to caress your wrist. You gulped, finally looking at him and the two of you just stared at each other for a few moments.
“Whatever’s going on in your head… don’t say it. Not now.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t think I’ll be able to make logical decisions right now,” you muttered, taking your hand away from him with immense willpower. 
If you expected San’s spirits to lower, he was smirking too hard for that right now. “So that means there is something, isn’t it? How long are we going to pretend we don’t like each other like that?”
“San-”
You heard the familiar sound of a high pitched frequency and turned towards the source, San getting up immediately and taking a look around, spotting a black flag raised in the air- backup.
“Finally,” you groaned in relief. “Help me up.”
“Finish your thoughts first,” San hovered over you and you rolled your eyes, knowing there was no way out of this.
“God, you’re insufferable,” you laughed, raising your hand and he helped you up, purposely pulling you to him so you bumped into his chest and you smacked it. “I think you’re the most annoying person in my life, but I like you anyway.”
“Perhaps you’re right- must be the blood loss speaking,” he couldn’t believe his ears. Normally, you would have pointed your gun at him and threatened to blow his brains out if he ever said something like that. “Let’s talk about it when we get back. For now… thank you for being alive, y/n.”
“Thank you for coming back for me too, San,” you felt way too emotional all of a sudden. “I really thought something happened to you when I heard the gunshots- I just… thank you.”
The Major brought a hand to your face and caressed it as if it was something he did every other day. He planted a lingering kiss to your forehead and you bit the inside of your cheek to contain the sigh that threatened to leave your mouth. He simply smiled when he met your eyes as he drew back and motioned for you to follow him.
—---------------------
Your team leader allowed you to rest first before he came to check on you both in the evening, looking scarier than ever, especially having caught you both with ‘stupid snacks’ like he used to refer to them, giggling like kids with the rest of your team.
“Major Choi and Major Seo,” he called and your grins fell. Major Yu attempted to hide the lollies but was interrupted by Major Kang, who had tried doing the same which just made them roll dramatically on the floor until they hit the Sergeant’s boot. His frown got deeper especially when Major CJ chuckled out loud and Major Han slapped his arm to shut him up.
“The two of you-” he began, taking a deep breath. “How the hell did you make it back alive this time? I think I'd better like you dead now.”
Major Kang snorted. San cleared his throat. “Major Seo kept me alive!”
“Major Choi kept me alive!” You responded and he groaned.
“I don’t care who kept whom alive- you need to present a full report to me right now. There’s something I need to check. The rest of you- out.”
The team left with a series of grunts and more than one ‘boomer’ thrown at the Sergeant which earned them a threatening (but playful) raise of fist in the air. You began narrating the events, San filling in the gaps occasionally. The Sergeant nodded along until you told him about being cornered by the guards when you found Oscar.
“Did you perhaps recognise any of those guards?”
“They were all wearing masks,” San looked at you and you nodded. “I noticed one of them had a tattoo on his wrist.”
“What kind of a tattoo? Do you think you can recognise it if I show you some pictures?” Sergeant Kim asked and Major Choi said he would try. You continued to narrate the rest of the story and San mentioned the chip he had handed in earlier when they arrived. 
“It’s a shame we lost Oscar, but good job staying alive and completing the mission- both of you,” Sergeant Kim acknowledged and you both relaxed in relief. “There is a reason I send you both in the heart of the operation most of the time- it’s because I trust you both. It’s not that I do not trust the others, but the three of us have worked together for the longest- and we were once a team, after all- back when I was still Major Kim,” he smiled and your heart warmed- the Sergeant wasn’t much older than you both and the three of you had been a trio back in your early days- though you both always called him your captain anyway. It’s like he was meant to lead. 
“I trust you both to complete the mission no matter what, and I trust you both to make it out alive each time- even if it takes days,” he continued. “For a while, I’ve been suspecting there’s a rat around us. I don’t know which squad or who, but the past few days have been a sign enough that we’ve been betrayed- especially since they captured so many of our agents. I want you both to stay alert and wary of everyone- even the ones in your squad,” he sounded disappointed. “I know you trust your squad but you both almost died today, and I cannot help but be worried.”
You watched the Sergeant sigh deeply. “Is there anyone you suspect?”
“Not at the moment, at least not from our squad,” he admitted. “Or maybe it’s because I’m making a mistake of trusting them. Perhaps I’m making a mistake in letting you both know too. Maybe the rat is one of you.”
“Yeah, it could totally be me,” you began, scoffing. “I asked to be shot so I could pretend to die and do what?”
“Or it could be me,” Major Choi chuckled. “I went back to finish Major Seo but ended up using my last shreds of humanity to save her instead. Should have killed her when I had the chance-”
“I’m only saying!” Sergeant Kim laughed this time but you weren’t having it. 
“You know what- maybe he’s the rat,” you looked at the Sergeant and San agreed. “He usually makes it out unscathed. Wonder what that means.”
“You both know there’s a reason why I rank higher than you both,” he scoffed. “With the amount of times you get hurt, I should lower your ranks-”
“Sergeant, we’re just joking. I trust you both. I really do. And I trust my squad too, but I’ll keep my guard up anyway.”
He nodded. “Take some rest, you both. Once you’re back, I have another task for the two of you- until then, I’ll take care of it.”
“What’s it about?” San asked but the Sergeant waved his hand and left. You pursed your lips.
“I knew it wasn’t simply bad luck- there must be someone who reports our activity to Eden.”
“And we can’t even narrow it down since there were four Squads involved in this mission,” San shook his head. “Do you think Sergeant Kim will be sending us on a false mission again?”
“I hope not,” you sighed, glancing at your bandaged leg, thankful the bullet hadn’t done much damage. “I need… a break.”
San laughed at that. “When are you scheduled to get some days off?”
“In two months, I think,” you tried to recall the exact date. 
“That’s too far away. If we can’t have a break right now… we could at least get some drinks together?”
“You can’t even hold your liquor, Major,” you muttered and he glared at you. You shrugged, “I’m not taking care of you if you get drunk again. Last time was enough.”
“What did I do last time?”
“See? You don’t even remember,” you muttered, looking away. Last time, and the time before, and every time San got drunk… he was a mess- especially with you, and you weren’t sure if he realised it yet. “We could just go to town to get dinner. No drinks.”
“Come on, we haven’t let loose in a while-”
“Did someone say drinks?” Major CJ entered and you muttered ‘oh no’.
Because the next night, you heard a knock on your room around 10pm and you opened the door to see Major Han grinning widely.
“How’s your leg healing up?”
“Pretty well, actually,” you told her. “What’s got you so giddy?”
“We’re having drinks in Major CJ’s room,” she winked. “Even Sergeant Kim is there.”
“Oh, you better go then,” you winked back. “I think I’ll stay.”
“Oh no, you won’t,” she grabbed your hand and pulled you, making you squeal. “Sergeant Kim ordered me to bring you there.”
“No way he did,” you muttered. “Let me change?”
“Oh, you look fine,” she said, scanning your black tank top and shorts. “Absolutely ravishing.”
“Let me get a jacket, at least,” you laughed and she finally let go of you with a grin. You grabbed your uniform jacket and followed Major Han to the men’s dorm which was opposite yours, going in the direction of where all the noise was coming from-
It was a mess. Not just your squad- even some from Squad 6 were present. As soon as the Sergeant spotted you, he smirked. 
“Oh no. I’m going back-”
“No, you’re not,” Sergeant Kim got up and you attempted to leave but he grabbed your wrist and everyone else laughed.
“I’m here because I’m keeping an eye out for odd behaviour,” he whispered and you scoffed.
“You’re already almost drunk. I don’t think you can ‘keep an eye out’ for much longer…” you faltered when he glared at you- “... Sergeant.”
“I need you here too- you’re good at detecting odd behaviour,” he dragged you back towards the table and you sat between him and Major Kang. “Just like old times.”
“Just like old times,” you raised the drink he poured you, clicking with the rest on the table, Major San across from you, a flush already creeping up on his neck. “Just how long have you all been drinking?”
“It was going to be just us, but Sergeant Kim decided to join,” Major Kang began. “And then he called Major Yu- they’re boomer drinking buddies so they cannot even drink without each other.”
“I’m not a boomer…” Major Yu drawled. “I am the life of the party.”
You and Major Kang ignored her and you got into a discussion about who was the best drinker in the room- it was definitely Major CJ who Major Kang said had been drinking for an hour now but still looked fresh. You two began ranking the people in the room, occasionally passing a comment, purposely ignoring San’s watchful eyes on you.
“I think the worst has to be San,” you tsk-ed. “Look at him.”
Major Kang raised a brow at the way you addressed him- he had never heard you two call each other by your first names. In fact, all of you always referred to the other formally. 
“I think you must be pretty down on the ranking too if you’re calling him ‘San’,” Major Kang commented and you stared at him in confusion until it sank in. However, you could redeem yourself.
“I don’t think a Major looks like that,” you pointed at the very flushed, almost drowsy and very giggly Choi San and Major Kang almost choked on his drink as he laughed. San seemed to have noticed that and wasn’t having any of it now- he got up and went around the table to push Sergeant Kim away from you so he could sit with you.
“I bet he didn’t ask you to keep an eye out for something odd,” you scoffed. “You can’t even look after yourself right now.”
“I am a fully conscious individual right now,” he began and you shared a grin with Major Kang who was watching you two. “I may look red but I’m crystal clear inside.”
“Yeah? How many fingers do you see?” Major Kang raised three fingers.
“I’m not blind. Two.”
You hadn’t laughed this hard in such a long time that you had to put your head down, feeling dizzy for a moment. Major Kang was laughing just as hard, clapping along and you looked up to see San smiling at you.
“I know it’s three. I just wanted to make you laugh.”
“Ohh,” Major Kang looked between you two. “You can’t tell me something hasn’t changed between you two now, Major Seo.”
“He’s drunk,” you shook your head. “Everything that comes out of his mouth from this point on is nonsense.”
Thus started an argument between the three of you and halfway through it, you shut your eyes and tuned out the men on either side of you now in a heated discussion about something else entirely. You opened your eyes, wanting to rest your folded arms on the table but San was taking all the space. San, and his stupid muscular arms looking spectacular in his stupid white tank top-
Yes. You were definitely tipsy now. 
You definitely were, because for quite a while you simply watched the man crowding your personal space talk. You smiled at his little habits of blinking too many times when he felt dizzy or cracking his neck to shrug off the sleep. You itched to inquire about his healing progress- for all the times you complained about being his personal nurse, you sure were worried now. You licked your suddenly dry lips when he spared you a glance.
“You okay?”
“Move, you’re taking too much space,” you muttered, pushing his arm away with your elbow and he grinned. The Sergeant got San’s attention and you and Major Kang watched the others for the rest of the night-
Until most of the agents left and San was such a drunken mess that you couldn’t take it anymore.
“Will someone please take him to his room? Or just drop him here, I don’t even care,” you mumbled. “Just get him off of me, please.”
Major CJ was cackling. “I’m not touching him. He starts demanding cuddles.”
“Neither am I,” Major Kang was half asleep but not because he was drunk. 
“You both literally share a room, Major,” you glared at him.
“Jongho, do you mind if I crash over tonight?” Major Kang asked.
“Not at all,” he glanced at the Sergeant. “We can throw him on the couch, you can take his bed.”
“Wow,” you tsk-ed at all of them. “Traitors, all of you. Major Han?”
“I can’t even carry myself right now,” she said, almost tripping on her feet. “Why did Major Yu leave me all alone?”
“Probably to avoid this mess,” you muttered. “Major Choi San, wake the hell up, right now.”
“I wasn’t asleep,” he mumbled.
“Then get the hell away from me?” You glared at him in disbelief- he was using your arm on the table as a pillow and it was starting to hurt. “Go to your room and sleep.”
“Help me up then,” he said, not even opening his eyes. You looked up and gathered the last of your willpower to push his head away and pull his arm.
“Take his keys,” Major Kang tossed them in the air and you caught them, flipping a finger at him. He only laughed in dismissal. You asked San to at least cooperate with you a little and that your leg would hurt if you had to carry him, which was when he finally opened his eyes and straightened.
“You shouldn’t suggest drinks ever again,” you told him, hooking your arm in his and helping him walk straight. “Look at you. Such a mess.”
“You don’t look so bad either,” he grinned and you shook your head. He pointed at the room at the end of the hall and you looked around while you walked. 
“Is this your first time coming here?”
“No, but I haven’t ever visited your room since we got posted here,” you told him, unlocking his room and pushing the door open- it was pretty much the same as the other rooms but with beds on either corner of the room since he shared it with Major Kang. 
“There you go,” you tried unhooking your arm but he tucked it in. “I should go now, I’m tired. Let me go.”
“I don’t want to…” he pouted and you dug your nails in his arm until he winced and let your arm go. You laughed in victory, taking a step away.
“You’re supposed to heal me, not hurt me!” He rubbed at the marks your nails left but then stopped, admiring them. “You know what? I think I’ll keep them as a badge of honour anyway.”
“Wow, okay. Want me to give you some more? This time bloody marks, perhaps?”
The way San looked at you in that moment, his eyes slowly filling with mischief and lips curling into a smirk, you finally realised what you had said. This time, you were the one flushing and you turned to leave, muttering a bye but he caught your wrist.
“Maybe I’d like that.”
“You’re very, very drunk right now,” you laughed. “You won’t remember this tomorrow anyway.”
“You think the memories don’t come back to me?” He asked, his tone changing and you stopped struggling. “You think I forgot this exact moment? In Sector 6, when…” he pulled you towards him, making you face him. “When we danced all night long… just like this,” he interlocked his fingers with yours, his other hand finding its way inside your jacket to rest on your hip. “Do you remember?”
You were afraid to ask just how much he remembered. You weren’t sure you could manage to form a question right now anyway, especially with the way he was looking at you. You could feel your walls coming down-
All it took was him bringing your interlocked hands closer to kiss your hand and you felt the years worth of effort melting in an instant. 
He had done the same thing that night, in Sector 6. And you had almost kissed him and told him how much he meant to you. But you had been drunk, and you had managed to keep yourself in control, though you couldn’t stop yourself from saying things you regretted saying ever since.
You were drunk tonight too- though you were pretty sure this was the most awake you had been for a while. San still had his lips on your hand, his eyes glazed as he looked at you.
“We shouldn’t- I was drunk-”
“Then tell me you didn’t mean anything you said back then,” he scoffed. “Tell me you don’t think about us every night before you sleep. And tell me you’re not holding yourself back right now, because Major… I know you. I can see that you’re holding back.”
Indeed, he was familiar with every movement, every shift of your body like they were his own. He could read your eyes and your silence like you could read his. So when you didn’t respond, he dared to take another step and let his hand on your hip snake back so he could pull you closer, closer until you were flush against each other and you-
You couldn’t bear to look at him anymore, not without doing anything you might regret, so you did the next best thing and rested your head on his chest, making him freeze for the slightest moment before he relaxed and let go of your hand only to embrace you in a hug- a hug that made you melt into it and you wondered just how much you had craved this all along.
“Did I tell you how glad I am that you’re alive?” He mumbled, taking a deep breath when your arms finally went around his waist. You nodded, nuzzling the crook of his neck with your nose as a yes. He squeezed you in the hug before drawing back and kissing your forehead just like he had a couple nights ago. You inhaled deeply, wanting to stay in that moment forever. Perhaps he saw that- after all, this was probably the most vulnerable you had looked in front of him. Perhaps he wanted to test the waters- he kissed your cheek next, his hands resting on your shoulders.
“Do you still think I’m not in my senses?”
His words rang in your ears and for a few seconds, you just stared back at him, trying to get your brain to work and scream at you that this wasn’t something you should be doing, especially with someone you worked with. Not like this. Not now. But the silence in your brain was louder. You found yourself inching towards him, eyes fixed on his parted lips that looked like your salvation right now.
“I don’t want you to do something you will regret later-”
You ignored his warning and pulled him towards you, meeting his lips in a kiss. You drew back, finding him more surprised than you had thought- as if he hadn’t practically led you here with his own hands. You kissed his lips again, tasting the sweet tinge of alcohol- a reminder that perhaps, this wasn’t right. But you didn’t care. You’ve had enough of this. So you kissed him yet again, but he remained unmoving. You drew back and frowned in confusion.
“Why won’t you kiss me back, Sannie?”
It was like you calling him by that name undid something in him- he let out a guttural sound before cupping your face and kissing you back like it was the last time he would get to do so- and perhaps, he feared that it was. With your somewhat clouded minds, maybe this was just in the heat of the moment- for you- because he was so sure about himself. He had wanted you for so, so long and now that he finally had you-
You tried to meet the pace of his desperate kisses but it was overwhelming you, so you let him kiss you as he liked for a moment before breaking apart for air. You cupped his face, your heart breaking at the way he looked so unguarded.
“San- I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere- I’m right here.”
 “You’re here… with me.”
“I’m here,” you nodded with a smile, pecking his lips. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”
San understood and then kissed you so gently that the butterflies you got earlier in your stomach felt weak- this was how it should feel, like something in you was becoming undone and you could melt right there, in his arms, and be there forever. You wrapped your arms around his neck to meet his lips better and he held you close to him as if his arms were the only reason you were standing- you realised it was true because your knees were putty. He made you wrap your legs around him and pinned you to the wall, making you sit on his thigh while he kissed you.
The way he kissed… you were absolutely losing it. The sound of his mouth on yours and the little grunts he produced were driving you crazy. The way his hands stayed on your waist, his thumbs hooking on your tank top made you shiver against him and he smiled into the kiss. And his tongue- oh goodness. He was incredible and you were wondering why you hadn’t done this earlier.
This time when you broke apart, he started trailing kisses down your neck and you shut your eyes in pleasure, rocking against his body, and when his lips stayed on one part of your skin unmoving but his hands gripped your hips, you realised he liked what you were doing. He liked you moving against his thigh. He looked up, a shit-eating grin on his face.
“Just how long have you wanted me, Major Seo?”
You raised a brow, annoyed, and smacked his arm, making him chuckle and capture your lips in a kiss again, guiding you towards his bed where he sat you, getting on top of you and you were both grinning and about to kiss again when-
When you both heard the sound of click on the door and couldn’t do anything but watch Major Kang enter, humming to himself, and then looking up- 
And freezing.
For a few moments, it was so silent that you could hear your own heartbeat in your ears.
“Uh… carry on, please, don’t stop on my account,” he finally said, looking mortified. “I’ll just see myself out-”
“Wait-” you called but he only waved and disappeared, making you look at San-
And then you both burst into laughter, unable to tone it down, laughing as loudly as you could until you had tears in your eyes. San wiped his eyes, shaking his head at you.
“You really won’t be laughing like this tomorrow, y/n. I hope you will be, but I know you.”
Your smile slowly fell. You found San’s hand and looked at your interlocked hands for a long time. San didn’t ask what you were thinking- he knew anyways. So when you said you were going back to your room now, he let you- but not before he kissed you again and you responded enthusiastically- you really had no control over yourself tonight, it almost turned into another makeout session but San drew back.
“You should go. But when tomorrow comes… don’t tell me you regret any of this, okay?”
“I won’t. I promise.”
He visibly relaxed. “Goodnight, y/n. I’ll come with you- I have to fetch Major Kang anyway. He might be traumatised.”
You chuckled, saying goodbye and going to your room and finding yourself unable to sleep because you couldn’t help replaying what just happened in your head- smiling like an idiot in love.
Maybe you were.
—--------------------------
“Can you stop looking at me like that?”
“Like what?” Major Kang raised his hands in surrender. “I’m not looking at you.”
You paused in the middle of cleaning your bullet wound to glare at the man in front of you who was also in the middle of changing his own bandages in the medical ward. He stifled a smile but failed, opting to turn his back to you instead.
“Just say it. Say it and get it over with.”
Major Kang sighed deeply. “Look, I’m not interested in what you and Major Choi do when you’re both alone- ” You threw the roll of surgical tape at him which he caught with a glare but he continued, “-I really did not have to see that sight when I came into my room, Major Seo. That’s all I’m saying.”
Years of training did not teach you how to keep the flush from your face. “I didn’t mean to-”
“Yeah, I’ve heard it before. ‘It just happened’- ”
“Shut up,” you groaned. “It really did just happen.”
“Don’t tell me it was your first time,” he scoffed and when he didn’t get a response, he gasped out loud, actually looking concerned for once. “It was your first time?”
“Yes,” you muttered, looking around and glad no one was in the vicinity. “If you’re thinking me and Major Choi are a thing, you’re wrong.”
“So you only made out yesterday because you were drunk?”
Was what you were asking yourself ever since the morning too. It was definitely not because you were drunk- moreover, you promised San that you would not regret this. 
And you did not. You were just confused about a number of things, especially how this would go on now. And you were glad the day was almost over and you still hadn’t come across San because you weren’t sure you could face him right now- you needed to get your thoughts straightened. 
“You’re confused,” Major Kang scanned your face with curiosity. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this confused, and I’ve known you for a very long time now. Something happened when you two were out there until we came to retrieve you, right?”
You sighed deeply, finishing bandaging your leg again and seating yourself on the corner of the bed. “I always thought that Major Choi joked around with me, but you know how he gets around me when he’s drunk, right?” Major Kang nodded and you continued. “I thought he only did that to rile me up or something-”
“He didn’t, but okay, carry on.”
You passed him a side-eye. “We’ve had a few moments in the past two years. Moments when I wondered if Major Choi was going to cross the boundaries of professionalism and do something that might change our dynamic-”
“Can you sound any more cryptic?” Major Kang sighed. “Just say that you like him.”
“I do!” You groaned out loud, burying your face in the bed. 
“Major Choi likes you too- you’ve just been too blind to see it.”
“I know.”
“Then I don’t see the problem?”
“I just…” you got up. “We’re special agents, Major Kang. Do you think it’s a wise decision to make? To be with a member of your team, of all the people in the world? We walk into death’s trap every other day and it’s honestly a miracle that we’re still alive, isn’t it? We’re on borrowed time. I just… I cannot make this more complicated than it already is.”
“Hmm… it makes sense,” Major Kang finished bandaging his own arm and sat next to you. “But that’s the agent in you speaking about all this professionalism and stuff. It’s not like the other agents here don’t have a family. Major Yu is a mother. You think she didn’t think about this before marrying a civilian?”
You bit your lips- it was true. Major Yu was someone you had immense respect for- she was balancing her work and personal life extremely well. As a mother, as someone with a family, she probably risked more than any one of you when going into missions. Major CJ was the only provider in his family too. 
“I think there’s something else you’re scared of… and perhaps, you haven’t figured out what exactly that is yet,” Major Kang smiled knowingly. “I think you just need to go with the flow. If you really think you’re on borrowed time, shouldn’t you be living each moment to the fullest instead of holding yourself back?”
That line stuck with you. 
It stuck with you for the rest of the day, making you wonder just what would be so bad about being with Choi San and what was really stopping you and making you so afraid of the future.
You didn’t try to find Major Choi that day but you knew you couldn’t avoid him forever. You did come across him the next day but it was with everyone else and it was very casual- as if nothing had happened between you two. You were arguing just like usual, met up with Sergeant Kim to get the files and data for your next mission and the three of you planned a strategy for hours until you parted ways for the night. You wondered if he had actually been so drunk that he forgot the events of that night when a knock sounded on your door and you checked the time, wondering if it was one of the girls who needed something-
And blinked twice when you opened the door and found Major Choi in front of you.
“Is something wrong?” You asked, looking around, wondering if something had happened-
“Shouldn’t we talk?”
Oh. Your eyes went wide and you pulled him inside, shutting the door. “You shouldn’t come here so casually.”
“Why? Major CJ comes and goes as he pleases- I’ve never seen anyone feel strange about that.”
“Jongho is everyone’s baby here,” you told him. “He’s like our little brother. We don’t mind him,” you grinned. “However, you coming here is another story-”
“Oh? On a first name basis with Jongho yet the first time you called my name in years is because we thought we wouldn’t live to see the next day?”
You scanned his figure- he was still in his uniform and it looked like he hadn’t gone back to his room at all. He had removed the bandage from his cheekbone so there was a dull graze instead. His hair was no longer combed back but messily falling on his forehead as if he had been running his hands through them.
“If you wanted to be called by your name that bad, you could have just asked,” you said casually, steering towards the small kitchen in your room and offering him a drink. He raised a brow.
“Should we drink again?”
You sighed deeply, resting your figure against the counter and ditching the drinks. “You came to talk.”
“How’s your leg?”
“Oh, it’s fine,” you looked down at your bandaged calf. “How’s your arm?”
“What do I mean to you?”
The room fell silent. The silence was too suffocating. You did not realise how long you simply stared at San until he took a step towards you and you took a step back, watching hurt flash in his eyes.
“Wait, let me just…” you tried saying something to undo that moment, swallowing the anxious wave that spread through you. You took a deep breath and looked at the man-
The man who meant the world to you. The only person who had been in your life for so long and was such a big part of it. How could you ever tell him that with words? 
“Just tell me one thing, y/n,” he insisted, his voice low and so cautious. “Tell me if you regret where we are right now.”
“I don’t,” your response was immediate. “I don’t regret any moment of it.”
“Then what are you so afraid of?”
You looked away and this time you didn’t stop San as he inched closer towards you until he could hold your hands in his. “Tell me what’s holding you back.”
Your heart fluttered at the sight of your linked hands. You weren’t sure you could say anything that would not hurt him at that moment but there were some things you needed to address. “Should we really do this, Major? We’re special agents. We’re a team. You can’t tell me this is a good decision.”
“Do you think I care about that?” He asked. “We’re a team and we will continue to be a team. Nothing will change.”
“That’s a lie, though,” you smiled sadly as you looked at him. “Everything will change. Everything has changed.”
“Not for me,” he brought one hand to tuck your hair behind your ear, studying your eyes and trying to decipher the puzzling look in them. “I have loved you for so long that it’s become a part of me now.”
You shut your eyes, letting that sink in and when he took another step towards you, you didn’t stop him as he kissed your forehead. “I know you feel at least a fraction of what I feel for you. So tell me all your fears, y/n. I’m here.”
“Isn’t it obvious?” You laughed a bit. “I’ve always talked about professionalism, haven’t I? I’ve always talked about how unprofessional it is to have an intimate relationship with someone in this field when you don’t even know if you will live to see the next day. How can I do this and not be afraid, Major?”
“I mean…” he pouted. “You’re right but we’re still alive-”
“Major Choi San-”
“Okay, I’m sorry,” he laughed and you were kind of grateful that he was keeping it light because you weren’t sure what sort of a mess you would become otherwise. “I know what you mean. I feel that as much as you do. But y/n…” he caressed your cheek. “Every mission where we cheat death, I grow more and more afraid of losing you. And then I think about what I will regret if I lose you- not telling you how I feel about you. How much you mean to me.”
“That’s why I’m afraid, San,” you admitted. “I know one day it’s going to happen. I know why I’m here, I know how dangerous it is, and I have seen what happens when you lose someone in this manner. You know that.”
You were referring to your mother. He knew the stories about your family quite well- you told him when you first became friends. “This war is ugly. We’re here to end this and we will die in the process. It is our fate. We’re only going to make it more complicated for us if we do this.”
Major Choi did not like the way you thought about these things- time and time again, you both had been on opposite ends in this argument. He had tried so hard to break your walls and make you see life from an optimistic lens. He wished you could take a peek in his mind.
“I would rather die happy than to live regretting what I could have done for the rest of my life,” San said, making you lock eyes with him. “I would rather have known the taste of your lips, the feel of your skin on my skin than to imagine what it could have been,” he leaned down to whisper in your ears-
“And I would rather have known the sounds you make when I touch you, because god, I cannot get those sounds out of my head.”
Warmth pooled in your stomach at his words and perhaps he was good at triggering you to do things you wouldn’t normally do because you saw the opportunity and took it- you saw his bare neck and snaked your hand up to push the collar of his jacket to the side so you could plant a sweet kiss at the spot you had your eyes on- the spot that had made him squirm that night. This time, he was the one making those sounds and perhaps he was right-
You’d rather die having known all those things. Having known what he felt like, in every way possible.
San’s grip on your waist tightened a bit as you trailed kisses up his neck to his jaw and then caressed the scar on his cheekbone with your thumb. You were dazed in that moment and you did not want to think about anything else except the fact that he was so close to you right now, so close that you could feel the warmth of his body and it felt so welcoming. You buried your face in the crook of his neck, realising it might be your favourite spot. San let you have your moment until he hummed to make sure you were alright.
“What are you thinking, love?”
You sighed. How could you ever get used to him calling you ‘love’? How could you ever get used to being in his arms and feeling so safe? How could you go to the field with him covering you? You would want to shield him from everything. But then…
You have always felt that way. Perhaps he was right. It wouldn’t be so different.
You didn’t respond. You drew back and scanned his face once before locking your gaze on his lips. He got the signal and he immediately planted his lips on yours and you kissed him, feeling every nerve in your body ignite with pleasure. One of his hands went to rest on the back of your neck, his thumb caressing your skin and guiding you as he kissed you better, deeper until you had to draw away and catch your breath.
You melted at the way he couldn’t open his eyes for a few moments. For the shortest moment, you could understand why you were afraid of all the wrong reasons, though that did nothing to soothe your anxiety. It was only San kissing you again that made you forget about all your fears and let yourself get lost in that moment. He picked you up effortlessly and took you to the couch, placing you down ever so gently as he got on top of you. 
“I need you to use your words,” San moved your hair away from your face gently, searching your eyes. “Tell me we’re good.”
“We’re good,” you nodded. “San, please-”
San realised what you meant when he noticed the position you both were in- he was hovering on top of you but his knee was dangerously close to your core. His breath got caught and he looked at you again but before you could take the matters into your own hands, he held your wrists.
“Tell me what you want.”
You groaned, looking away but San wasn’t having any of it. He leaned closer, turning your face to him gently by placing his fingers under your chin and made you lock eyes with him. You watched his lips curl into a smile and he said, “Look at you, Major. You’re all flushed.”
“Shut up,” you laughed, attempting to hide your face but he was grinning, not allowing you to do so. You huffed in defeat, locking eyes with him yet again, trailing one hand up his arm and then down his chest to unbutton his jacket slowly. San watched you while you did that and then his jacket fell open, leaving him with a black tank top underneath. You were about to snake both your hands under when he gripped your wrists again.
“You still haven’t answered me.”
“I want you,” you breathed, propelling yourself forward so you could meet his lips and you pecked them. “I want you, Major. I want to be with you for the rest of my life, however short it may be, even though the rational part of my brain still thinks it’s a bad idea,” you said, letting San fall back on the couch so you were now on top of him with your legs on either side of him. “I don’t know how long I’ve wanted you for, how long I’ve loved you because I know I do, I just… never allowed myself to think about this, so,” you bit your lips, looking at him and finding his gaze overwhelming. His grip on your wrists loosened and you took that chance to place your hands on his collarbones, caressing them. “You mean so much to me. I will always be afraid of losing you. And I don’t know how we’ll figure this out- how I will figure this out since you seem to have the hang of it already, but…” you both laughed at that and you locked eyes with him. “I want you.”
San kissed you, lingering there. “Say that again.”
“I want you,” you breathed, meeting his lips again and opening your mouth as soon as his tongue swiped your lips, your arms going around his neck to hold him closer as you kissed. It wasn’t rushed yet there was a sense of urgency now that you both had bared your hearts to each other. And San wasn’t shy while making out with you at all. His hands were everywhere and soon, he shifted so he was back to being on top of you, which was when he started to trail his lips down your neck.
“Can I take this off?” He asked, fisting your shirt and you nodded, taking off his jacket first. He smirked, taking off your shirt for you and leaving you in a black athletic bra. He shook his head in amusement but went back to trailing kisses down your neck. You shut your eyes and lowered your defences- that was what he was aiming to do. His kisses were gradually releasing all the tension from your shoulders and you wondered how he knew that. His hands travelled up your waist and you opened your eyes, nodding and he wasted no time taking off your bra as well and when you pouted, he laughed, taking off his tank top.
“Now we’re even,” he grinned, looking shamelessly at you and you resisted the urge to fold in on yourself.
“No, we’re not,” you muttered. “And stop looking at me like I’m your last meal.”
San laughed heartily, kissing your lips and you smiled into the kiss. “You’re beautiful. So beautiful. Seo beautiful.”
“Shut up,” you groaned. “That joke is the worst thing I’ve heard.”
“It cracks you up everytime,” he muttered against your mouth, kissing you again and diving down, his hand cupping one of your breasts and playing with it while he kissed and licked and nibbled everywhere he could. You couldn’t breathe and you put a hand over your mouth as if you needed to stifle your sounds but he noticed that and held your hand away.
“Don’t be shy, Major. I need to hear you make all those pretty sounds.”
“God, you’re insufferable-” you began but he went to attack your sweet spot right at that moment, earning a little moan and then he smiled in victory, making you slap his arm. You decided that he had teased you enough and with your legs, you pushed him away to get back on top of him, your chests flush against each other and your arms around his neck, holding his face closer to yours as you kissed him deeply, rolling your hips on his lap and earning a loud groan from him. You grinned in the kiss but this time, it was you who groaned when he grabbed your waist and made you do that again.
“Don’t stop,” he pleaded, kissing you again and you nodded, matching his movements and finding him hard against your core. You weren’t trying to hold back your noises anymore and neither was he, and you were glad at least one of you had a room all to themself so you could do this without any worries. You gave up on kissing at some point and snaked your hands down his chest to the plane of his stomach, tracing his abs, and then down and down-
“Shall we take this to bed?” San suggested, stifling a groan when your hands played with the waistband of his pants. “You’re not shy anymore.”
You shrugged and he got up, making you wrap yourself around him, giggling as he made his way to your bed, dropping you gently. He caressed your injured leg. “We don’t want you to be uncomfortable, do we?”
You hummed, letting him take your trousers off and he got back on top of you, admiring your body and wondering where to start. You poked his stomach with your toes and he laughed, nuzzling your neck with his nose and you took a moment to memorise how that felt, because…
You felt so, so safe. There were no alarms ringing in your head. There were no sounds alerting you except the sound of his breath or his kisses which relaxed you. There was no sense of rush, for all your talk about ‘being short on time’. You wrapped your arms around him and he was quick to detect the sudden shift in your mood but didn’t say anything. He knew you were figuring it out along the way now, and he was elated that you even gave him a chance to prove that it wasn’t as bad as you thought. He settled next to you, bringing you in his arms and you placed a leg on top of him. His hands went to cup your thigh and your breath hitched at the sensation of his hand so near where you wanted him so, so bad. You fiddled closer and he kissed your head, letting his hands caress your inner thigh.
“Are we good?”
“So good,” you almost moaned, kissing his lips again. You wanted- no, needed him at this point. And you were glad he understood you so well, so when his fingers slid inside your panties, you shuddered against him. He caressed your folds, finding you soaked and kissing you eagerly as he slid his fingers up your wet folds, rubbing your clit once and you moaned into the kiss, pushing your hips against his hand to meet his movements better. He continued like that, just teasing you and kissing all your moans away before he finally slid one finger inside you-
“Fuck,” he groaned in your ear. “You feel so good.”
You didn’t respond, shutting your eyes and letting him continue like that for a while until he slid another finger inside you and you groaned loudly.
“Gosh, you’re perfect,” he met your lips in an open mouthed kiss. “Look at you. All needy for me.”
“You look like you’ve done this before,” you bit your lips, stifling a moan. “You’re pretty good at what you’re doing.”
“Am I?” He grinned, pressing his thumb to your clit and making you squirm. “I think it’s just because I know you so well. I know exactly how to get you riled up, Major.”
You rolled your eyes but when he started to stop teasing and start pleasing, you brought him closer, your kisses messy and needier now as he drove you to the edge and he drew back to watch you fall apart on his fingers, shuddering deeply and out of breath. He peppered kisses on your face as you recovered from your high and you finally opened your eyes.
“Shall I return the favour?”
San raised a brow before it hit him and he groaned. “I don’t think I’ll be able to stop if you decide to touch me tonight, Major.”
“I never asked you to stop-”
“Shh,” he scolded, putting a finger on your lips and you took that chance to kiss it, making him laugh in disbelief. “I don’t want to rush anything with you,” he kissed you deeply. “I will have you soon, I promise that. I should let your leg heal first. I know it still hurts.”
You pouted deeply and he settled next to you, holding you in his arms. “Just let me hold you like this tonight, okay?”
“If that’s what you want,” you said, content to be right there. There was no better feeling than this. “I will have my revenge soon, though.”
“Oh? Is that how it is now?” 
“Yes,” you grinned, “I will settle the score soon.”
San shook his head in amusement and you teased each other for a while, occasionally riling the other up until you both fell asleep in each other’s arms.
—----------------------------
You were starting to understand why people always choose love no matter what their circumstances were. You were starting to understand how they found love even in the darkest of times, because…
Choi San was making sure that you would never feel alone or sad again.
A lot had changed since that night. While working, you two were pretty much the same. He would still rile you up with his bad jokes (were they bad if they did make you crack up later?) and you would still threaten to off him each time. It was very casual like before, yet…
He still refused to get his bandages changed by anyone else and invited himself to your room each morning and night so you could play his nurse. In the mornings since you were short on time and had to get to work, you two would joke around or share a light kiss which was routine now- you still marvelled at how it had become something you could call ‘routine’. But at night…
You asked Major Kang later if he was lonely because his roommate was spending most of his nights in your room. He only laughed in response and said he couldn’t care less because Major Choi annoyed him enough in the day so he could make up for it. You tsk-ed at that, having missed the chance to use that card on San so he could stop coming to your room all the time- surely the others must have noticed now as well. But could you really put all the blame on him when you were just as eager to see him at nights as he was?
Perhaps, you were more to blame. He would come in your room with the excuse of you checking on his wounds, and each time you would end up tracing the scars on his body, kissing some of them and that would turn into a makeout session and more, until you were skin on skin. He would return the favour then- trace your scars but each time with a story-
“I wish I had reacted earlier so you wouldn’t have gotten this.”
“I wish I had been there instead of you.”
You knew that the Major had the softest heart since the beginning, but it still amazed you when he looked at you with such hurt in his eyes, as if it physically pained him to see your body littered with scars. You told him it was okay, that these scars were unavoidable and you didn’t think much of them, but he only responded that he found them beautiful- especially the ones you took for him.
“Oh? Can you count all the ones I took for you?” You had asked.
“I can. I bet you can count all the ones I took for you too,” he responded with a smirk. 
He was right. You could. You had his body memorised since the very beginning- you could trace each of his scars with your eyes shut. You told him that and he was pretty pleased to hear that, attacking you with newfound affection and adoration that sometimes you found overwhelming but loved anyway. Overwhelming only because you had pushed him away all these years and-
And because it reminded you of your parents. 
Your parents had been so much in love. Your mother would wait for the weekends when it was time for your father to visit from the army. She would become a different person in his presence and you had loved that about her. You often resented your mother for breaking apart after your father’s sudden death, but now you were starting to understand what she must have felt because you were sure you would be the same. However… 
She did not possess the power to protect her partner. You did.
You were thinking about that when San nuzzled your cheek and broke you out of your trance. “You’re zoning out, love.”
You realised that you were- you had been staring at the documents in your hands for far too long now. You cleared your throat and started arranging them again so you could get back to the page you had been reading before you got lost in your head. San watched you do so and asked, “Is something bothering you?”
“No, I was just thinking about a few things,” you said, remembering where your train of thoughts started when you found the page. “Look- that’s Agent Golf, right? From Squad 6?”
“Major Lee, yes,”  San scanned the page. “From that damned mission two years ago.”
You recalled that very well- the agents here still referred to that incident because everyone thought it had been a mistake to take an injured agent to the field. Sure, you needed manpower at that time and every soldier counted, but… 
You all could still have avoided Major Lee’s death.
“I don’t remember him much, I’m sure you’ve interacted with him more,” you began and San nodded in agreement, “Was he close to his squad members? Like we are?”
“He was one of the older members,” San recalled. “So I’m sure his juniors depended on him a lot.”
“Did they ever find his body? I remember the funeral but I remember they didn’t find a body.”
“I’ll have to ask Sergeant Kim. What are you thinking?”
“I’m just wondering…” you began, your gut feeling making you confused. “I’m wondering if he is still alive.”
“If he was…” San shifted towards you. “I’m sure someone would have gone to retrieve him or he would have found his way back. It’s been two years.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” you shook your head and put the page back inside the folder. “It’s sad. We don’t even know if he had a family.”
“I’m sure his squad members will be taking care of that,” San placed his hand on your shoulder, rubbing it assuringly. “What’s really bothering you, love?”
You passed him a side-eye as you smiled. He knew you too well. “Nothing. I just don’t like the idea of performing a background check on people we are supposed to trust. I don’t like the idea that there is a rat among us.”
San could understand. “I’m more surprised than mad. I don’t know why anyone would choose to do that- when Eden has destroyed our home and families.”
“Right? I’m trying to look into why anyone would do that in the first place. That way we would be able to narrow down our suspects.”
“And is that why you were looking into Major Lee? Do you think he might be alive?”
“I was probably overthinking,” you sighed, cracking your neck. “I’ll look into the rest later. Do you want some tea? Coffee?”
“Coffee, please,” San said and you nodded, kissing his temple and getting up to go to the kitchen. Today had been a long day and you were getting tired of suspecting everyone around you- at least not your squad. They could never do that. 
You were just mixing up different blends of coffee when you felt arms wrap around your waist and you jumped, making San laugh. “I didn’t even hear you!”
“I wasn’t trying to be silent. You’re too lost in your head tonight,” San kissed the top of your head. “Long day?”
“Since I can’t go to the field for a while, Major Yu is making me do all her paperwork while she goes in my place,” you sighed. “I like being in the field better. I can’t sit at the desk all day.”
“I miss you too,” San muttered and you laughed, trying to grab the sugar pot but San just held you closer, resting his head against yours. “I miss being on the field with you. I had to partner up with Major Yu- she couldn’t stop cracking jokes through the radio- I almost got caught because of her twice.”
“I think that’s how she copes,” you giggled. “And you better be careful. I’m done nursing your wounds.”
“Are you?” San backed away only to stare at you. “Because I distinctly recall you kissing all my wounds a couple nights ago-”
You smacked his chest, asking him to back away if he wanted his coffee, but when he swung you around whilst tickling you, you were positive your laugh must have rang throughout the dorms and you put a hand over your mouth when he placed you on the counter.
“Major Choi San, the entire dorm must have heard my laugh-”
San shut you up with a kiss, catching you by surprise. However, you were quick to melt into it, the butterflies in your stomach wild. You wrapped your arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss and when he broke apart, he watched you as you caught your breath, your lashes fluttering while you gazed at his lips- he was driving you insane. 
“You know how much I love it when you laugh, don’t you?”
You sighed internally- the Major was pretty direct with his words and feelings. No beating around the bush- not from him. Sometimes, you appreciated that because he was so clear and straightforward with you, no room left for confusion.
But at times when he said things like these…
San smiled, watching your cheeks get flushed. “You know… I never thought it was that simple to make you blush. With just words. You never blush when we make out or have sex, but…”
“What can I say? I’m not hard to please,” you laughed a bit, burying your face in his neck, still shy from his sudden comment. “Maybe you should have tried that instead of teasing me all this time.”
San hummed in agreement, running his hands down your arms and then snaking them inside your shirt to hold you at your waist. You kissed his neck in response, fisting his shirt and looking up at him. “This needs to go.”
“Oh?” San scoffed. “Not tired anymore, are you?”
“Oh, I still am,” you helped him take off his T-shirt, running your hands across the smooth planes of his chest. “I’m just waiting for you to do something about it.” 
“And? What would you like me to do about it?” San brought his hand up to your face to caress it as he looked at you lovingly, tracing the curves and edges of your face and sliding a thumb across your lips, a faint hint of smirk on his own lips as he slid his thumb inside your mouth. You pretended to bite him, making him grin but then you sucked on it until he looked pleased. He traced it across your lower lip again before kissing you softly.
“Words, love. I need your words.”
“You can do whatever you want to me-”
“That’s pretty vague,” San cocked his head. “I could leave you right here and go back to sleep.”
“Well then,” you huffed. “Why don’t you bend me over and fuck me? Is that what you want to hear?”
“Ah, that’s better,” San started taking off your clothes until you were in your panties only. You watched him take in the sight- he always did that. His eyes would travel everywhere along your body as he ran his rough palms across them, and then he would start kissing your neck, peppering kisses anywhere he liked until you were squirmy and needy for him. It was as if he aimed to please you and you alone- he wouldn’t let you have your way until he was done with you.
You clenched your thighs as he stopped sucking on the crook of your neck and he noticed, raising a brow. “Already needy for me?”
“Do something about it,” you said through gritted teeth and he let his hands run down your sides until he hooked his thumbs in the waistband of your panties. You spread your legs for him, your core throbbing painfully now- and perhaps, he could see it on how you furrowed your brows. San rubbed at your clothed clit and you moaned loudly-
And that was his undoing. He dragged you closer and slid his fingers under your panties, sliding them along your wet folds and sliding his tongue in your mouth simultaneously, making you grip his shoulders as he kissed you. You lifted yourself up so he could take off your panties and he did, bending down to slide them off your legs and gripping your thighs afterwards, spreading them to see the mess he had made-
“In just a few minutes… you really want me that bad?” He commented and you groaned.
“Fuck you.”
“Oh, you will,” he promised, trailing kisses up your thighs and keeping them apart before his lips reached dangerously close to your core. He looked up at you once, settling on his knees before licking up a stripe and you cursed loudly, one hand supporting you up while the other automatically went to grip San’s hair-
Oh, how he loved that. He licked up again before his tongue dived inside you and his thumb started rubbing slow, slow and steady circles on your clit. It was too much and at the same time, it was not enough- you wanted him impossibly closer to you. He was driven by your moans and he was so good at what he was doing. You tried clenching your thighs but he wouldn’t let you. You moaned shamelessly when his nose rubbed against your clit as he shifted his position and at this point, he was practically making out with your clit. 
“San, please,” you begged. “I’m so close.”
He only hummed, inserting a finger inside you- he had done this enough times now to know exactly what drove you to the edge. The combination of his finger inside you, his nose rubbing against your clit and his tongue lapping your juices while he hummed against you drove you to your high and you tugged at his hair as you broke apart, clenching your thighs against his face but he did not stop- he continued with his ministrations until you were spent and you recovered from your orgasm. When he finally looked up at you, he grinned and you chuckled to yourself, running your hands through his hair. He got up and wiped his mouth with his hand.
“You’re delicious.”
“Shut up,” you smacked his chest but he shook his head, capturing your lips in an open mouthed kiss and diving his tongue inside so you could taste yourself on him and the way he kissed you, gripping your neck and hips and scooting you closer so you spread your legs and met his hard bulge made warmth pool in your stomach again for what was in store next.
“I’m nowhere near done, as you can already tell,” he muttered, tucking your hair back before taking out a condom from his pocket and shrugging down his trousers and boxers, his hard length swollen and ready to take you. You licked your lips at the sight and he noticed that, shaking his head in amusement as he pumped himself a few times before wrapping the condom around his length.
“Fuck me, San.”
“What?” 
“Fuck me, Major Choi San,” you said, not a shred of exhaustion in you as you wrapped your legs around his waist and brought him closer, his length wedged between the two of you. “I want you to fuck me right here, hard.”
San growled in your ear, biting your earlobe in response and positioning his cock to meet your wet folds, rubbing it against them a few times before sliding it inside you and you helped position yourself better, letting out a deep breath once he was fully wedged inside you-
And then he pumped himself in you- hard. 
Your eyes rolled back in pleasure and he started pumping his length in and out of you, kissing you anywhere his mouth could meet in between, your hands running across his back, chest, waist, and gripping at his hips. 
“Harder, San. Harder,” you begged. “I don’t want you to be soft this time.”
“Babe, do you want me to break you?” San asked, slowing down.
“Yes,” you breathed, kissing his lips. “Break me.”
San groaned, placing his hand on your neck and pushing you back until you were flat on the counter and you decided you liked this position better already, until-
Until he placed your legs on his shoulders and started pumping into you and your moans got uncontrollably loud, his length hitting you so deep in places you hadn’t discovered earlier.
“You like this, huh?” San groaned. “Want me to use you like a ragdoll?”
You only moaned in response, already close even though he seemed nowhere near done and you wondered if you really should have asked for this- though the pleasure now was nothing like what you had before. He took your hand and placed it on your stomach, pressing it so you could feel him pumping in and out of you, while his other hand remained on your neck, occasionally squeezing it lightly making your walls clench around him uncontrollably. 
“So tight for me,” San grunted, “Always so tight for me.”
“I’m so close-”
As soon as you said that, San squeezed the sides of your neck and pumped deeply into you, making you break apart with a loud moan, the orgasm heightened thanks to his hand on your neck. He continued for a few moments until he, too, groaned loudly and reached his orgasm, shaking as his body rested on top of you. 
You both stayed like that for a few moments with you caressing his head. When he recovered, he started peppering soft kisses all over your face, making you giggle. He drew back to lock eyes with you, and before he could say anything-
“I love you so much.”
His eyes went a little wide at the sudden confession. He smiled, pecking your lips. “I love you too. I’m glad you finally caved in, y/n. I’m glad you’re mine.”
“Hmm, you might need to be a little more convincing…”
San raised a brow, laughing loudly at your suggestion. He snatched a few tissues from the table and started cleaning your thighs.
“Next time you say that you’re tired,” he began. “I’ll understand that you just mean you want to be fucked-”
“San!” You laughed, getting up from the counter and down on the floor, your legs wobbly and you instinctively held on to him.
“You were saying?”
You glared at the man, smacking his chest as you muttered you were going to the shower. He shook his head, deciding to follow you there too.
—----------------------------
“Route 2 is clear, Team 1 please proceed forward,” you said into the radio, switching your position to the other window, making sure Team 1’s exit point was also clear. You heard a ‘copy that’ confirmation and zoomed in on the exit. 
“All clear on the West Exit. Team 2, please report your status?”
“We’re ready,” Major Choi’s voice sounded.
“Copy that. Proceed to the West Exit from Route 4. Team 3, I need confirmation for data retrieval?”
“Data retrieved,” Major Han responded. 
You moved to the other end of the room, signalling Major Yeom to keep watch on the West Exit while you checked Team 3’s route. After confirming a clear path, you called in the radio, “Team 3 towards North Exit- avoid Route 3. I spot movement.”
“Copy that,” Major Han confirmed and you watched for any signs of movement. All seemed clear and you allowed your shoulders to relax a bit, taking a deep breath. You switched positions with Major Yeom again, asking if everything seemed okay and he reported that it did.
“Team 1 has exited,” Sergeant Kim called. 
“Copy that,” you finally spotted Team 2 not far behind, Major Choi and Major Yu walking stealthily towards the gate, the enemy guard having disappeared to switch rotations. You watched them exit and exhaled another breath of relief.
“I’m spotting movement on the North Exit,” Major Yeom called and you waited until Team 2 was safely outside and signalled their exit before joining Major Yeom across the room. You zoomed in with your binoculars and indeed, three guards seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. You frowned, “Where did they come from?”
“I spotted them around that building,” Major Yeom pointed, turning on his radio and you nodded. He called, “Team 3, please halt. Proceed to find shelter- movement spotted near the North Exit at your 10 o’clock.”
“Copy that,” Major CJ answered. Major Yeom alerted the Squad 6 members waiting for Team 3 at the North Exit and you dared to ask him something.
“How has your squad been holding up after Agent Oscar?”
Major Yeom slowly brought the binoculars down, glancing at you for a moment. “Uh… we’re holding up okay, for the most part. It’s not the first time this happened after all.”
You felt a sharp sting at his words but you knew what he meant. He was probably talking about the past members such as Major Lee and the others. “I know. Somehow… you get used to being okay. You just have to be.”
“Yeah…” Major Yeom switched his binoculars. “You… you saved Agent Bravo, right?”
“Agent Oscar too,” you pointed out, sparing him a glance. “Before the enemy fired and we lost Oscar. He wasn’t in the best state anyway- I think he lost his leg.”
“What do you mean?”
“What do you think they do to you when they capture you, Major?” You asked, not waiting for his response as you guided Team 3 to switch buildings. “Agent Oscar was unfortunate enough to be questioned by the enemy. They were getting answers out of him when we arrived- Major Choi and I.”
“I… I did not know that,” Major Yeom sighed. 
“Team 3?” You called into the radio. “I think you have a tail.”
“Shall we split?” Major CJ asked.
“No, it’s better to stick together,” you answered, asking Major Yeom to guide Team 3 to the North Exit or steer them towards the West Exit while you went to the other corner of the room and took out the radio meant for you and the Sergeant only.
“Sergeant?”
“I’m here,” Sergeant Kim sounded grim already. “Team 3 has a tail?”
“You’re thinking what I’m thinking?” You asked, making sure to keep your voice low.
“I’m going to inspect everyone who’s back. I don’t care anymore,” Sergeant Kim began but you bit your lips in thought.
“Wait- not yet,” you told him. “It would make it too obvious. Let’s wait until we get back and we’ll see what we have to do.”
Sergeant Kim did not respond for a few seconds but then he gave you an okay and you went back to join Major Yeom. The Team was being guided to the North Exit now and you resorted to watching Major Yeom plan out a new route. You occasionally quipped in and it took another half an hour for Team 3 to make a safe exit at north and you finally sat down and drank water.
“Good job, Major,” you said and he passed a smile, nodding. “I’m wondering why they were being tailed. Nobody spotted them during the mission.”
“Maybe they watched and decided to confront them later,” Major Yeom shrugged and you agreed, though you highly doubted that. You both packed your gear and started to exit out of the building, going inside the basement and walking in silence along the path that connected to a building right outside the West Exit. Bumping fists with the Major after making it through, you walked to your car where Sergeant Kim awaited, looking-
“Very grumpy. You’re making it too obvious.”
“I can’t help it,” he said. “There is a rat in our base who knew we were going to be here today. Who knew exactly what our plan was.”
“Let’s talk about it when we get back,” you whispered, patting his arm and going to Major Choi who was waving at you, looking rather cheerful.
“What’s got you in a good mood today?”
“Ask her,” San pointed at Major Yu who was in a heated discussion with Major Kang. You stood next to San, listening to their discussion and smacking San’s thigh when he tried holding your hand. 
“-so I asked my husband if he could really get me some tickets to the festival. And he’s such a sweetheart- it was tough but he managed to get exactly 7 tickets for the 7 of us!” Major Yu grinned. “So we’re scheduling our vacation next month and all going to Sector 6. I don’t care if you have to go see your families or friends- you all are coming with me to Sector 6 first before you go home.”
Major Kang got up and saluted her dramatically, making everyone laugh. You looked at San who already had a shit-eating grin on his face. You leaned closer, “I know what’s going on in your head right now. Cleanse your brain.”
“Not a chance,” he blew a kiss and you swatted it, making a face, Major Kang noticing and pretending to throw up. Sergeant Kim ordered everyone to get inside the car and you began your way back to the base. During the ride, you kept replaying the events of this mission in your head, wondering how the enemy knew exactly where Team 3 was. There had to be someone who told the enemy about the mission and you felt nauseous at the thought that it could be someone you knew.
You met up with Major CJ and Major Han when you got back to the base and found them just as confused as you. Sergeant Kim was wise enough to not let the confusion spread any further, calling them in his office for individual reports. Meanwhile, San and you casually moved to a corner and he asked you what was up.
“Our mission almost got compromised today, San,” you admitted and he frowned. “Team 3 got a tail right when they were about to exit- we had to reroute them. Someone knew Team 3’s exact location, our routes, our exit points. We’ve been compromised, San. And I’m wondering how long this has been going- if we really could have saved more people had we found out earlier.”
San pursed his lips in thought. “Does Sergeant Kim know?” 
“Yeah, he caught on just as I did,” you nodded. “We need to do something about this before they retaliate, the enemy. Because if they’ve been gathering information so far… I think they’ll strike soon, and it’s making me so worried-”
“Shh, it’s okay,” San came forward and wrapped you in a hug, not caring if anyone saw. You didn’t care either, simply relaxing in his arms. “We’ll figure it out together, okay? I think today’s mission might have narrowed our suspect list- this mission was supposed to be known only to a selected few.”
“I hope so,” you drew back. 
“Let’s go eat dinner before Sergeant Kim calls for us,” San suggested and you agreed, not really talking much and San let you sort your thoughts out while you ate. It was the Sergeant himself who found you both in the dining hall and the three of you decided to go to your room.
Sergeant Kim looked around a bit before settling on the couch beside San who had already made himself home on the other end. Sergeant Kim narrowed his eyes at him, “You look too comfortable here.”
“Ah, it must be your first time here, huh?” San scoffed. “Welcome to Mr. and Mrs. Choi’s residence-”
“What did you gather from Team 3’s report?” You interrupted, having brought the documents Sergeant Kim had handed you a few days earlier and joining the two, dragging a chair to sit across them. 
“Nothing much,” the Sergeant replied and you noticed San sulking at the way the two of you had ignored him completely. You shrugged at him as if to say ‘did you expect anything else?’. “They are pretty sure no one spotted them during the mission. Did you see anything suspicious while you kept watch?”
“Nothing until Team 3’s exit,” you told him. “The guards started moving towards where they were all of a sudden as if they knew. Major Yeom guided the team out for the most part.”
“Okay, so here’s the thing,” Sergeant Kim started spreading the pages on the table while he continued. “I don’t think there’s a pattern yet, but I think it’s safe to say that if there’s a rat and they’ve been watching our movements, they’re done simply watching. They’re retaliating. And we know that because in the past 4 months, our success rate has significantly dropped- and I’m not talking about the book definition of success.”
“You’re talking about the agents we’ve lost,” San said.
“That’s right,” the Sergeant nodded. “What do you think?”
You took a deep breath. “With both these missions, we were compromised on one of the routes known only within the base, right? With Squad 7 guiding us back at the base, and the rest of us in the field. Can we narrow it down somehow?”
“I have a feeling today didn’t go like they expected,” Sergeant Kim admitted. “If they tailed Team 3, they must have tried to accomplish something, right? What did they get accomplished though? Nothing. I think today is the first time they failed. In which case…”
“In which case they might retaliate,” you completed and he nodded, grim. “What changed today?”
“We can omit Squad 5 from the list of suspects, I think,” he answered. “That leaves us with our squad and Squad 6. I don’t think we should suspect Squad 7- if there’s a rat in there, they would find out themselves. It’s not like they were guiding us today either.”
“I really don’t think it’s someone from our squad,” San quipped in and you agreed.
“Squad 6, huh?” Sergeant Kim looked at the pages spread across the table- information of the current and former members of the squad. He picked Major Yeom’s page to get a closer look. “Did he know you were joining him today? At the station?”
“It was a last minute thing for me too, no one did,” you told him. “Do you think Major Yeom could be the rat?”
“Even if he is… who is he reporting to? Is it someone in the base or someone outside?” Sergeant Kim sighed. “And can we really suspect Major Yeom? What about the others? One of them made a pretty stupid mistake in our previous mission, if I recall.”
“Plus, Major Yeom is the one who eventually guided Team 3 safely outside,” you glanced at San. “You’re friends with a few from Squad 6, right? Anyone exhibiting strange behaviour after our previous mission?”
“Not really, no,” San shook his head, leaning forward. “I don’t think us sitting and drawing conclusions like this will yield any results. We need to conduct a proper investigation into this before something worse happens. We should alert the Lieutenant.”
“I would have alerted him already had I secured some solid evidence. There’s no pattern yet and we’re trusting our guts. As much as I trust my gut and you both, I can’t simply go with that to the Lieutenant,” Sergeant Kim sighed loudly before slumping back and you made a face. 
“We have to follow protocol, huh?” San sighed too.
“The protocol sucks,” you groaned. “I’ll conduct my own investigation. Major Yeom did not know what state Agent Oscar had been in when we retrieved him- before we lost him. Why was he not aware? Do the rest know?”
“My job was to convey information to Sergeant Park,” Sergeant Kim raised a brow as he thought. “I don’t think he did that on purpose though.
“Ah. I forgot Sergeant Park is literally your best friend-”
“No, that’s not it,” Sergeant Kim laughed. “He must have told them that Oscar was held hostage and questioned before you retrieved him. Maybe he didn’t go into the details.”
“Maybe Major Yeom lied,” San pouted. “I trust Sergeant Park for some reason.”
“You trust everyone,” you retorted and San sulked further, sinking down into the couch. “Come on, Sergeant, we need to make a decision.”
“Let’s start with Squad 6- I’ll talk with Sergeant Park,” he decided. “He must be suspicious too with how things have been recently. But you two… try not to make it too obvious, okay?”
You and San burst into a chorus of ‘as if’ and ‘you’re the most obvious one’ and Sergeant Kim decided to see himself out. You started gathering the documents, glancing once more at Major Yeom’s file. San gave your shoulder a comforting squeeze and you decided to trust your captain, relaxing into San’s touch.
—-------------------------
The sound of the alarm ringing loudly enough to wake the dead up had to be the most horrible sound you had ever heard in your life.
It had only played once before and it was a memory you wished you would forget- even now, for a few moments, you remained in your bed blinking and wondering if you were dreaming. It wasn’t until you heard the radio announcement that you got up abruptly and moved to grab your bulletproof vest and jacket, grabbing every weapon you had in your room, because-
The base was under attack.
It had only been a mere two days since your last mission, since Sergeant Kim and Park started investigating their squad members in secret. You wondered if it was somehow linked to their investigation- it had to be. As soon as you were prepared, you went outside, greeted by the rush of soldiers donning their jackets or loading their weapons. Amidst all the chaos, you spotted San and rushed towards him, holding his hand and squeezing it.
“Oh, you’re here,” he gave you a brief hug. “You’re thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Yeah, we need to find Sergeant Kim or Sergeant Park,” you said and he nodded, looking around once and dragging you into a corner. 
“Listen- I just asked and it’s not looking good. The enemy chose a direct attack this time and the Left Wing is compromised already. How’s your leg?”
“It’s good, San, don’t worry,” you assured him, and it was the truth. “There was a reason I joined the previous mission. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“I can’t help it,” he smiled, kissing your forehead. “Let’s go then. We have no time to waste.”
You nodded and the two of you started asking around for Sergeant Kim, knowing he wouldn’t be in his office but out fighting. Major Han spotted you both and dragged you to the weapons room-
“I’ve been charged with making sure you gear up like proper soldiers, and for exactly this reason,” she shook her head at the lack of helmet and equipment. “Sergeant Kim has put me in charge of leading our squad in his absence, so turn on your radios and follow me. The rest are waiting with him.”
You and San stifled your scoffs and wore the helmets, Major Han slapping you both on the neck and checking your gear, inquiring about your leg. She sighed, “We’ve already reported three casualties on the Left Wing. We will be in charge of driving them out, understood? Follow me.”
Your blood boiled at the number and you gripped your sniper as you made way to the Right Wing- the exit that your squad frequently used. As you reached closer, the sound of gunshots and soldiers shouting got louder. You spotted your members and Squad 6 ready and waiting, the Sergeants in a corner talking in hushed voices. As soon as Sergeant Kim spotted you both, he signalled and you both joined him.
“We’re waiting for orders from the Lieutenant before we go to help at the Left Wing- but I’m going to task you both for another mission. Sergeant Park?”
Sergeant Park nodded. “Major Yeom is missing. We have high suspicions to believe that he is the one who has been updating the enemy. He must have left earlier to either join them or hide. I need you both to find him and bring him back alive, is that understood?”
“Yes, Sergeant!” you both nodded. 
“I’m not entrusting my squad because of obvious reasons and sympathy factor, but Sergeant Kim here says you both are perfect for the job. Prove it.”
“And please stay safe, both of you,” Sergeant Kim huffed. “Don’t give me another heart attack. My lifespan has already decreased a good amount thanks to the two of you.”
San stifled a grin and you asked, “Do you have any suspects for who exactly Major Yeom might be providing information too? Or did you ever find out information on the man with the tattoo?” You recalled the man you had encountered while saving Agent Oscar.
“We believe it might be a group within the enemy, one specified to be spies,” Sergeant Kim said. “We haven’t seen it before, so we can’t say much. It’s only speculation.”
“Understood. We’ll take our leave then,” you said and the Sergeants nodded, making sure you had enough weapons before instructing you to find Squad 4 in the control room and start from there. You stayed on your toes the entire time, scanning everyone who crossed your path, looking for signs of anything suspicious because if Major Yeom had defected…
There could very well be others. 
You reached the control room and the Sergeant let you in, already having heard from Sergeant Kim and Park. He guided you both to the CCTVs and you got a good look at what was going on- the soldiers were still fighting against the enemy at the Left Wing and the enemy was trying to push its way inside or circle around to the Right Wing. It looked ugly. San went to monitor what was happening inside and for a while you both stood observing the base until San spotted a few of the enemy soldiers squeezing their way inside. The Sergeant immediately alerted Squad 5 to take care of it and you both decided to check the unmonitored rooms for Major Yeom. 
“Shall we check the basement first? Or keep it for the end?” You asked.
“The basement can be accessed from outside too, right?” San asked, pausing to think. “Shall we look at the dorms first? Divide and conquer?”
“Sure,” you nodded, getting anxious. You were short on time- you needed to join your squad back at the Right Wing too. “Check the dorms first, meet outside. And then the offices, the weapon rooms, and let’s go to the basement together after?”
“Sure. you take the offices, I’ll take the weapon rooms,” San said and you both agreed, splitting immediately after connecting your radios.
About an hour passed by as you checked each level, meeting by the staircase with a confirmation of ‘all clear’. You found nothing and San informed Sergeant Kim about going to check the basement. Sergeant Kim told him to make it quick and meet him at the Right Wing. 
As the two of you descended into the eerie silence of the basement, a part of you wondered if this search was just a waste of time- why would Major Yeom be in the basement? He could have exited amidst this chaos at any time- or done whatever he needed to. The basement only contained storage rooms with the archives and some exit routes- but exit routes were more easily accessible on the ground level, so why would the enemy be there?
“You take the right side, I’ll take the left,” San said when you reached down. You nodded and patted his arm before parting ways, aiming your gun as you started checking the rooms- empty, empty, yet another empty room-
And then the sound of footsteps that did not belong to San.
You hid behind a shelf, trying to calculate the distance- it seemed like the person was going further away from you. You dared to take a peak and frowned at the sight of someone in the same uniform as yours, walking at high alert with their gun aimed and ready-
It was Squad 6’s badge. It had to be Major Yeom.
You started following him silently, not even daring to breathe any louder than necessary, and when the Major went inside one of the rooms, you quickened your pace and took a look inside that room-
He was alone and it looked like he was looking for something. He was searching through the files- for what?
You took a deep breath and entered the room with your gun pointed at the Major. “Hands up, drop your weapons, now.”
The Major froze, glancing at you once, not daring to turn. “Major Seo. I can explain-”
“Drop your weapons, now,” you seethed, stepping closer as he dropped his gun to the ground, the metal meeting the floor with a clang. You buried the muzzle of your gun in his back before ordering him to exit the room. The Major knew better than to disobey you and took slow and steady footsteps as per your instructions until you had him pinned to the wall so you could signal San.
“Charlie, I’ve got the mole,” you said into the radio, waiting for a response but when 10 seconds passed and you got none, you grabbed the Major’s collar and started steering him to the direction San had gone into earlier.
“Charlie? I need a response,” you called, panic starting to bubble in your heart. “Charlie, this is Echo, can you hear me?”
You wondered if his silence was because he found something or was in a situation where he needed to be silent- you simply prayed it was only that. However, having scoured the basement and finding no signs of San, you slammed the Major against the wall and dug your gun in his back. “Who was with you here?”
“No one-”
“Choose your answer carefully, I will not hesitate to shoot you down,” you warned and the Major scoffed. 
“I bet Sergeant Park wants me back alive.”
“He never said anything about you being unharmed, though,” you started dragging your gun down his thigh and Major Yeom groaned.
“Fine, there is someone. You should check the exit.”
“Take the lead,” you gave him space to walk, still holding him by his collar as he led you to the room at the other end of the basement- a storage room with one of its bookshelves now pushed away from the wall, behind which a door was slightly ajar.
“What were you trying to find in the archives?” You asked, nudging him to go ahead inside the passage. 
“I don’t know-”
“Like hell you don’t,” you entered the path, the smell of damp mud hitting you right away and you turned on the light on your helmet.
“I was only instructed to retrieve a specific document, which wasn’t even present there,” Major Yeom clicked his tongue in disappointment. “Look, I’ve got nothing against you- I know you’re following orders. But you really shouldn’t go to the end of this path.”
You didn’t stop walking. “I need to find Major Choi.”
“If he’s got Major Choi, you can forget about him-”
That was your last straw- you slammed the Major into the wall and dug your arm into his neck, your hand almost shaking as you pointed the gun at his temple. “Who?”
Major Yeom tried retaliating but you were quicker and you kicked his ankle harshly, effectively making him drop to his knees as you pointed your gun at his head. “I’ve had enough- your colleagues are dying out there fighting the enemy, Major Yeom. Just what have you gotten yourself into?”
“Are you sure they’re the enemy? Eden? We haven’t been saints either,” he scoffed, spitting on the ground. “You talk about principles and morals but where were your morals when you abandoned your colleagues when some mission went wrong, huh?”
Your heart sank. “If this is about Oscar, I did not abandon him-”
“Not him,” he shook his head. “The others. You and Major Choi… you go back for each other, disobeying every protocol and you get an applause. Why did no one go back for Major Lee?”
You frowned. “I’m pretty sure Sergeant Park eventually went back for him. As for Major Choi and I… you don’t know anything.”
“Sergeant Park never went back for him- or if he did, he didn’t try hard enough. Do you have any idea what they did to Major Lee?”
“Major Lee is dead,” you almost cried. “Forget about the past- why are you doing this now, huh? Who’s ordering you?”
“He’s not dead-”
“Stand back and drop your weapons, now.”
You froze- how did you not hear someone coming when even your hushed voices were echoing? Was the person already present and listening to your conversation? With the feeling of dread clouding your mind, you took a step back from Major Yeom and glanced up-
To see a masked man holding San at gunpoint.
And fortunately enough, Major Yeom took your stepping back as a sign to stand up and you did the first thing you thought sensible- mirror that masked man and hold Major Yeom at gunpoint. Major Yeom groaned as the muzzle of your gun buried painfully in his temple but you ignored it and glared at the man, trying not to meet eyes with San.
“So you’re the one who’s been ordering Major Yeom around, huh?” You asked. “Let go of Major Choi and I’ll let go of your man.”
The man’s deep laugh echoed through the passage. “Not that simple. You will obey every order I give you or else your Major Choi won’t live to see the sunrise.”
Something shattered in you at that moment as you recalled San’s words- “I wish to see the rest of my sunrises with you”. You finally dared to look at San, now rid of his helmet with a few bruises across his face. He shook his head subtly as if to say ‘do what you’re being told’ but you remained frozen in your spot.
“Take off your helmet. Let me see who you are,” the man ordered. You kept ahold of Major Yeom and removed your helmet, your jaw clenched painfully. You aimed the gun back at the Major and the man shook his head. 
“Drop your weapon and step away from him, Major Seo.”
Once again, you were surprised- just who was he? He must have seen the confusion on your face and he finally removed his mask-
It was Major Lee.
“Why?” was all you could ask. Major Lee only shook his head.
“You will not understand how it is like to be abandoned by your own people. And for what? For nothing,” he tsk-ed. “Do you remember that mission, Major? Do you remember how we marched into the enemy territory because we were going to retrieve stolen data? There was no stolen data,-”
“Major Lee, please listen to me,” you pleaded. “We’re soldiers. We obey orders. It is not our duty to question it- we’re only given orders. We don’t even know what we retrieve, you may be right, but… if you have a problem with it, you should take it to the Headquarters or I don’t know… the General, the higher-ups, anyone but us. So please let go of Major Choi, at least. Your fight is not with us.”
“You will let go of Major Yeom and step back,” his voice was cold and you shut your eyes in defeat. “And then I will decide what to do with Major Choi.”
“Major Lee-”
“Now!” He hit San with the grip of his gun on his forehead, instantly making you drop your gun with an ‘okay, okay!’ and you took a few steps back until Major Lee grunted in approval. “Kneel and face backwards.”
“Please let go of Major Choi-”
“Don’t make me do something you will regret,” he warned. “I will let go of him, but not right now. Kneel and face backwards- and you will count 100 seconds before you take one step. If I hear you, he dies, understood?”
You nodded through tears, looking at San once who only passed you a reassuring smile. You did as you were told and counted 1, hearing the footsteps fade and by the time you counted to 100, you had stopped sobbing and instead, anger- hot, boiling hot anger clouded all sense of rationality. You stood up and grabbed your gun and began running towards where they had taken Major Choi, praying he was okay all the while. But you reached the end of the passage which exited near the Right Wing and found no signs of Major Yeom and Major Lee. 
No signs of Choi San.
You took a deep breath, surveying the area- you could hear the sounds of a fight to your left so you reckoned Major Lee must have avoided that and gone in the opposite direction. You started marching to your right, taking out the radio that connected you to Sergeant Kim.
“Alpha, this is Echo, please respond. Alpha?”
You continued treading along the building for a few seconds which was when your radio sounded. “Alpha responding.”
“The mole and the rat have escaped with Charlie. I am going to retrieve Charlie. Awaiting no further orders.”
“Echo, halt where you are. I will join you-”
“I do not have the time, Sergeant,” you seethed into the radio, ditching all formalities. “They took him, okay? Major Lee took him and he feels betrayed by all of us. I don’t know what he will do to him, I need to save him.”
There was a few seconds of silence and you spotted movement towards the gate- two or three figures. It had to be them. You started running towards them, hearing the sound of a jeep in the distance and you ran faster, trying to make it in time but you would never make it- you took off the sniper from your shoulder and started shooting towards the men getting in the car but it was no use- you were too far away. The jeep took off, leaving you all alone in the middle of the abandoned post and you fell to your knees, trying to control your unsteady breathing and shake off the ringing in your ears realising later that Sergeant Kim was repeatedly calling your name into the radio.
“They got away,” you breathed, unable to control your sobs this time. “They’ve taken him.”
“Where are you?”
“The abandoned post,” you looked around. “I need to go-”
“Stay where you are,” he ordered. “I’m coming to get you. The fight is almost over anyway.”
You buried your head in your arms as you knelt on the ground, your mind already hyperfunctioning as it planned all possible routes they could have taken, all possible spots they could be going to. All you knew was you would have to go to Eden all alone and retrieve him at all costs. But you couldn’t help the fear and the dread, because something like this had never happened- not to him, at least. You had been taken by force once and San had disobeyed all orders and marched into the enemy territory to retrieve you-
And you would do the same for him. 
You did not realise how long you spent kneeling and planning through the utter pain of processing just what happened and the fear for San’s life when you heard a number of footsteps and you finally looked up to see not only Sergeant Kim but Major CJ and Major Yu.
“Oh, dear,” Major Yu shook her head at your state and knelt down, enveloping you in a hug. “It’s going to be okay. We will go back for him, okay?”
You nodded, breaking away and looking at Sergeant Kim who looked like he could pass out right there. “It’s Major Lee- I spotted his tattoo too, on the wrist. He’s the one who’s been sabotaging our missions, and I don’t know what he’s planning to do now. He said something about how our missions are baseless or something, I don’t know,” you sighed. “He has a problem with how things are being run. And now he’s taking it out on us.”
“I have a problem with how things are run here too,” Sergeant Kim sounded pissed. “But that does not mean I betray my people and side with the enemy for some petty revenge- even if something happens. We will go back for Major Choi, okay? But first you need to come back and plan-”
“I have no time to waste,” you shook your head fiercely. “You can join me later or not at all, for all I care, but I am leaving right now. I just need more weapons and I’m good-”
“Major Seo-”
“I cannot let anything happen to him!” You almost shouted, looking at Major Yu or Major CJ for help- surely they understood. “I finally, finally learned to live with myself and learned to function like a normal human being, I…” you breathed. “You know me, Sergeant. You know that I cannot live without him- I- “ you laughed at the irony of the situation. “I swore to never be like my mother but here I am.”
Major CJ turned as if to process what was happening and realisation dawned on Major Yu’s face. Sergeant Kim knelt down next to you. “You’re the strongest person I know here, Major. But please, think with your head for once. Come back with me, gear up properly, plan this and then leave-”
“You can do all of that and join me later,” you gave the final verdict. “I am leaving right now- keep me updated on the radio. And give me all of your bullets and weapons, dammit.”
Major CJ sighed. “Let me come with you. You don’t have to do this alone.”
Sergeant Kim groaned. “You think I don’t want to save him? I have to follow protocol- I cannot allow two of you to disappear-”
“It doesn’t matter anymore- someone needs to keep her grounded, and I can do that,” Major CJ offered you a hand and you smiled, taking it. “You can both give us your weapons and go back to the base, prepare and follow us right after. It shouldn’t be a problem anymore.”
Sergeant Kim considered for a few seconds before finally giving in, taking out his guns and daggers and Major Yu did the same. You both docked yourselves up and made sure everything was working.
“This is the last time I’m allowing this,” Sergeant Kim warned and you rolled your eyes. “Bring that brat back. And both of you… don’t get hurt. That is an order- come back alive.”
“Yes, Sergeant!” You both saluted and he told you both to hurry on, calling in the radio to order a car for you two. You looked ahead at the horizon, the sky already starting to lighten.
You prayed you would watch the sunrise once again and got in the car.
—---------------------------
Major CJ was proving to be quite the strategist. He was keeping the mood light, probably because you appeared tense enough to make up for him too, and you had to stop and appreciate him at one point, which he just shyly dismissed.
“I really don’t think a defected soldier will have much influence around there, so if they allowed Major Lee in the enemy base in Sector 1… that’s the only place he might go if he’s still working with them. Even if he’s not, Sector 1 is a pretty good place to start-”
“Stop calling him ‘Major’,” you growled. “Call him the motherfu-”
“-until we get some visual or locate Major Choi by some miracle,” Major CJ finished saying. “And stop being angry- it’s only going to cloud your decisions.”
“Oh no, not me,” you scoffed. “Anger fuels me and keeps me alive.”
“Whatever helps you,” Major CJ passed you a weird look.
You were both in Sector 1 now, going through the connected passages just like you had on your previous mission here. You could spot the enemy base now and you prayed Major CJ’s instinct was correct- San had to be there. 
“Do you think we should negotiate with Major Lee or just… go berserk?” Major CJ asked and when the radio responded before you, you realised he had asked the Sergeant too.
“Let Major Seo do whatever she wishes,” the Sergeant sighed loudly. “I’ll leave my post once she’s back. She should be the Sergeant since she can make all her decisions herself now-”
“Oh, please, I would not have waited for you back there if that was the case,” you muttered. “Don’t fuel me any further right now, Captain.”
“Whatever. Try to negotiate first and see if you can get him to come back.”
“Permission to shoot otherwise? If things don’t look bright?”
“In case he tries to harm any of you, permission to shoot is granted,” Sergeant Park’s voice sounded. “For Major Yeom too. He is a defected soldier- his case must be handled differently from Major Lee because we thought him dead.”
“Copy that,” Major CJ responded. “Stepping within a 2 mile radius into the enemy base… now.”
You took the lead, Major CJ providing cover and you couldn’t help but be reminded of San. Gritting your teeth and steeling your nerves, you loaded your guns and went into stealth mode-
And all hell went loose.
Major CJ was strong in every sense- he naturally took the lead as you eliminated guard after guard, forcing your way inside through a back door. And unsurprisingly, Major CJ was depending on his fists more in close combat and you would finish it off with bullets. You wondered if you two were syncing better because you were both fueled with the same purpose- to retrieve Major Choi.
“To the basement,” you motioned towards the stairs. “They keep the hostages there unless they’re being questioned.”
“They should have changed locations by now,” Major CJ flexed his arms, having suffocated one of the soldiers. “If Major Lee is in there… he’s pretty fucking stupid.”
You grinned, covering for him as you both went downstairs, this time shelling the guards first before gunning them down. You told Major CJ to hold his own while you checked the rooms, finding one empty room after another-
Nothing. He wasn’t in the basement.
With pure adrenaline fuelling you now, you lead Major CJ upstairs to the same level you had found Agent Oscar on, shooting in succession at anyone who dared to cross your path, not caring if you hit a vital spot anymore- they had done enough damage tonight too. You hurried along the corridor towards the rooms at the end and spotted San tied to a chair, his head hanging down. You almost stepped inside the room but paused-
There had to be someone else in the room.
You glanced at Major CJ and nodded before pushing the door open with your foot and as soon as you spotted movement against the wall, you pointed your gun in that direction and shot at the lower region, successfully hitting Major Yeom in the thigh who shot reflexively at you in return but he was slower- you kicked his gun away and held him at gunpoint once again.
“That was quick,” he seethed through the pain.
“You took my partner, of course I was quick,” you hit his head with the grip of your gun, making him groan louder. “Where’s that bastard?”
“He knew you would come here,” Major Yeom spat. “He’s got plans for you-”
“Oh no, he hasn’t,” you grinned. “Major Lee got some abandonment issues, huh? He must have thought no one would come back for Major Choi. But did he ever think our squads would retaliate against his actions? Your colleagues will be joining soon, Major.”
Major Yeom paled. “They wouldn’t have allowed you to-”
“That’s the thing- Major Lee made it pretty clear what he was expecting, and all we had to do was the opposite. Sergeant Park is not pleased at two of his members defecting. You do know how he gets when he’s angry, right? He’s on his way here right now, so I’ll let him take care of you.”
Major CJ joined and told you that the rest of the members were already here. You allowed yourself to relax while he took care of Major Yeom and you walked to San, untying the ropes on his wrists and kissing his knuckles.
“Major Choi. Can you hear me?”
He did not respond. You figured he must have been drugged to unconsciousness. You held his face, tucking his hair back and examining the bruises there and then the rest of his body- at least he was unharmed. You bent down and with the help of Major CJ, you propped his body on your back, deciding to carry him out while Major CJ provided cover. A sense of relief started to wash over you as you made your way out, your members and Squad 6’s members passing smiles because as Sergeant Kim said when he joined you on this mission, some protocols really needed to change. It was high time and considering how Major Lee felt about his situation and Major Yeom joined him, they must have felt abandoned- perhaps for the right reasons. You had often felt that too, though you were lucky enough to have San as your partner who always had your back and broke protocols and disobeyed orders again and again for you. And the thought scared you- that if not for him, you might have turned into Major Lee too.
You exited the base and hopped into the car waiting for you, Major CJ helping you lay him down across the seat and you checked San’s pulse and monitored his breathing- he was okay. 
Major CJ said he was going to help the rest and left you and San alone in the car. The adrenaline started to wear off and with trembling hands, you examined the rest of his body for any signs of injuries, finding none and relaxing once again, resting your head on his chest and listening to his heartbeat while you waited for him to wake up. You shut your eyes, not sure if the sound in your ears was the sound of San’s heart or your own. 
You didn’t realise how tired you were until you felt a hand caress your head, tucking your hair behind your ears. You found yourself unable to open your eyes, a stream of fresh tears falling down on San’s jacket. His warm fingers wiped the tears away, caressing your cheek softly. 
“Won’t you look at me?”
You only buried your face in his chest, silently crying. San let you be for a few moments before he couldn’t take it anymore and nudged you to face him, seating himself up. You finally opened your eyes and let out a relieved laugh. San smiled in response, wiping your face with his sleeve. 
“You have no idea how much it hurts me to see you cry.”
“I’m crying because of you,” you said, sniffing. “Do you have any idea how scared I was?”
“I’m sorry,” he kissed your forehead, lingering. “I’m so sorry-”
“No, it’s not your fault,” you told him, cupping his face. “I’m just so glad that you’re okay, so glad,” you said, pecking his lips. “I was so scared-”
San captured your mouth in a kiss as a form of an apology and you took it, letting his hand guide you as he deepened the kiss. You fisted his shirt in one hand, the other finding his and intertwining with it. San broke away, your breaths lingering and you reached in to hug him, burying your face in the crook of his neck- your favourite spot. San caressed your back, holding you as close as he could. 
“You came back for me, huh?” San shook his head at the insanity of it. “Do you realise just what you did? Did you march here alone?”
“I almost did, but CJ joined and then the rest did- even Squad 6,” you told him, breaking away so you could look at him. “Captain wouldn’t let me go alone.”
“He’s always like this,” San laughed. “But you- you shouldn’t have been so reckless-”
“Says who? At least I had the others join later. You marched into enemy base alone to get me back 3 years ago-”
“That was different-”
“Yes, but that was more reckless,” you slapped his arm. “And anyways, I would have done this for you. You know I would have come for you. It’s a miracle I found you this quick.”
San caressed your face. “Even if we were not… like this?”
“We’ve always been in love, though,” you said and San caught your confession in it. “And I have realised now… love is supposed to be a strength, not a weakness.”
San glanced outside, the sky glowing a beautiful pastel now and spotted the Sergeants collecting their members and arresting Major Lee and Major Yeom. When you counted the rest of your members, all safe and sound, you relaxed into San’s arms. The enemy was stupid to attack your base- of course you would have retaliated. San kissed your forehead. “We lived to see the sunrise yet again.”
“I wish to see the rest of my sunrises with you too,” you said and San smiled. You sealed that promise with a kiss.
To a better future. 
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okshu · 11 months ago
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—ㅤ⠀ 峠ㅤ⠀ 𝗐͟𝗐͟𝗐﹕﹙ATEEZ FIC RECS﹚
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all fics of ateez that i read and went "omg wow". the authors are really talented too so make sure to check out their other works.
▨ LEGEND ㄑ ꮺ favs . f,a,s - fluff, angst, smut
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𖥔 MEMBERS ˖
홍중 ─── kim hongjoong
i. guns and roses by @baekhvuns [s,ꮺ ] [mafia, enemies to lovers; 6.4k.] ii. love tailored by @arafilez [f] [e2l, fashion designer!khj x ceo!reader; 8.5k] iii. look after you by @mingigoo [f,s] [nurse fem reader x struggling musician hongjoong, enemies to lovers (kind of), some angst, smut, fluff, hospital au; 10.3k] iv. promise by @daesukiii [a,f] [angst, some fluff, hurt/minimal comfort, e for everyone, established relationship; 1.8k] v. ugh, as if by @ennysbookstore [s] [one-shot, punk!hongjoong x feminine!reader, enemies to lovers (kinda); 11.13k]
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성화 ─── park seonghwa
i. sleep-talker by @mingigoo [f, s, ꮺ] [roommates au, vacation au, one bed trope, forced proximity au; 10.2k] ii. the duke and his general by @baekhvuns [a,s] [royalty, arranged marriage au, romcom, miniseries; 61k] iii. mr and mrs park by @baekhvuns [f,a,s] [mafia, romcom, e2l, single parent au, 50k] iv. bodyguard by @baekhvuns [f,a,s] [romcom, bodyguard au + forbidden relationship au; 37.8k] v. misguided by @flurrys-creativity [f,a]
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윤호 ─── jeong yunho
i. come fly with me by @hwaightme [f, ꮺ] [love at first sight, bit of angst, slice of life; 9k] ii. bedfellows by @sungbeam [f] [one bed trope, frnds who cuddle; 1.1k]
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여상 ─── kang yeosang
i. crash landing on you by @atozfic [f, a, s, ꮺ] [mild enemies to friends to lovers, fake dating au, nepobaby!yeosang, student reader; 20.3k] ii. 7:29 P.M. by @edenesth [a, comfort] [timestamp]
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산 ─── choi san
i. this youth of craziness by @baekhvuns [f, s, ꮺ] [slice of life, drama, romcom & travel dreams; 40k] ii. when he's (drunk) too much by @atinybitofau [f, a] [headcannons]
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민기 ─── song mingi
i. butterflies by @hwaslayer [f, s, ꮺ] [established relationship/marriage, parents au; 3.2k] ii. 23:47 by @lvlystars [f]
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우영 ─── jung wooyoung
i. 3.20 a.m. by @strawberryseonghwaz [f] ii. bf texts w/ wooyoung by @beenbaanbuun [f] iii. change of heart by @hotteoki [f, ꮺ] [suitor!wooyoung x princess!reader, arranged marriage, medieval era, strangers to lovers] iv. 21:23 P.M. by @adoringsan v. i don't want to by @sanjoongie [f, ꮺ] [office au, single parent au, rivals to lovers; 1k]
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종호 ─── choi jongho
i. scoot over, choi by @seonghwaddict [f, ꮺ] [one bed trope, slight fluff, slight enemies to lovers but they're not quite at the lovers part yet, agent jongho and reader; 0.6k] ii. falling and sleeping by @seonghwaddict [f] [crack, friends to lovers; 1.5k]
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𖥔 OT8 // POLY ˖
i. ateez in the multiverse by @hotteoki [ f, ꮺ ] [ headcannons ] ii. splish splash by @atozfic [s] [no use of y/n, swim team au, lifeguard!reader, pro-swimmers!sanhwawooho; 20k+] iii. asking bf!ateez to draw you a flower by @eightmakesonebraincell [ f ] [ text imagines ] iv. world episode fin:will by @arafilez [f,a,s] [ series ] v. happy death day by @flurrys-creativity [s] vi. ateez as mafia member who fall for you [ one . two . christmas sp ] by @eightmakesonebraincell [ f ] [ headcannons ]
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copyright to respective authors, don't forget to reblog their works ^^ okshu
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baek-at-it-again95 · 1 year ago
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We Know
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Pairings: park seonghwa x fem reader x choi san
genres/content: action, agent au, mafia au? rivalry, leader bang chan, angry seonghwa, y/n is san's weakness lol
Warnings: profanity, violence, weapons, suggestive content!! please take care of yourselves <3
A/N: I am nervous about this one y'all 😳 I've never written something like this before, but it ended up being so fun! This is for my friends, @milfks and L, who had these wonderful ideas! Love you two lots <3
Synopsis: Tonight's mission is in your hands, and you're eager to prove that you're capable of handling it on your own. Unfortunately, your plans are interrupted a bit sooner than you expected.
***
"I've got eyes on him," you mumble, pretending to fix your diamond earring as you adjust your earpiece. Surveying from the platform of the mansion's grand staircase, your eyes follow a man in a black suit as he turns the corner and disappears down a far hallway.
Chan's sigh rings in your earpiece. "Be careful."
"I can handle myself. Trust me."
"I trust you, Y/N. You know that. It's everyone else that I don't trust. It's your first time unaccompanied," Chan says.
"Like I said, I can handle it. Besides, the boys are always out by themselves and they're just fine." If you could see Chan right now, you know he'd be pinching the bridge of his nose out of stress, holding back from giving you a lecture on why your situation is different from theirs. You know his concern is out of love, and he would blame himself if anything were ever to happen to you. But this is your chance to prove yourself. Tonight, you'll be participating in an auction to get your hands on the Cromer, a powerful artifact that can control time. It's been rumored that ATEEZ has their sights set on it as well, so Chan had you do as much research on them as possible. Unfortunately for you, they're quite good at covering their tracks and keeping their identities under wraps. You know only a few of their names and faces, so you'll need to be extra careful about your approach to this. 
The auction will begin in about an hour, and you'd rather not hear a lecture from Chan. "I'm going in," you whisper. Your black dress flatters your figure perfectly, and you're excited to show it off tonight. With a deep breath, you make your way down the staircase, your heels silent on the expensive red carpet.
Clusters of people stand together around the large space, sipping champagne and chatting amongst themselves. Many wives have separated into groups away from their husbands, who go on and on about their latest business ventures and investments. Understandable—how boring. You greet some people as you go, your charming smile in effect as their eyes land on you. One woman compliments your dress as you pass by, and you enthusiastically return her compliment, telling her that her own dress brings out her eyes. She blushes and tells you it's custom made, which basically means "my dress is worth twice as much as the average person's monthly paycheck." 
You continue to weave through the crowds and admittedly get a bit distracted, still thinking about the woman's compliment. As you turn into the hallway you witnessed your target disappear into, you bump straight into an oncoming person. A strong arm wraps around your waist before you can lose balance on your high heels. 
"Woah there, doll. Straying too far, are we?" A tall man with dark hair looks down at you, his eyebrows raised.
Park Seonghwa. Just the man you were looking for. 
"My apologies sir," you say quietly, feigning innocence and avoiding his eyes. His arm leaves your waist after steadying you. "I was wandering in hopes of finding a vacant room to lie down...I'm afraid I've had a bit too many drinks too early in the night." You stumble for dramatic effect, hoping he'll eat up your lies. "I have to sober up before the auction," you say, shaking your head. "Daddy will throw a fit if I spend all his money tonight."
The man looks amused. "Yeah? Better be careful, princess."
"I can handle myself," you say for the second time tonight, stepping closer to trace the pads of your manicured fingers over the fabric on his chest. He tilts your chin up gently, and you meet his intense gaze. He's breathtaking. Suddenly, you have an idea that seems much more fun than your previous plans.
Sorry Chan, you think as you press yourself against Seonghwa.
***
You didn't find anything of importance on Seonghwa's person, but you did manage to slip a tracking device into his suit pocket. Chan should be able to access his location any minute now.
You enter the auction room fifteen minutes before the event is scheduled to start, scanning the tables for your seat. It's dimly lit, a majority of the lighting coming from a screen behind the stage. You don't see Seonghwa seated anywhere yet.
"And what are the starting bids on you, lovely?" a low voice asks, breath tickling your ear. You turn to look at the owner of the voice, his strong facial features almost as striking as his neatly-styled red hair. He's practically undressing you with his eyes, and you can't say you hate it.
"Whatever you've got to offer, pretty boy," you reply sweetly. He smirks, pleased with himself as one of his hands finds your waist.
"My friend says you're not as innocent as you look."
"Pardon?" you ask. The man turns you around, your back against his broad chest as his free hand reaches up to your ear. Before you know it, your earpiece is on the ground in front of you, crushed beneath a polished designer shoe. Looking up, you see that the shoe belongs to none other than Park Seonghwa. Of course they're working together.
You freeze as something cold presses to the exposed small of your back. 
Fuck.
"One wrong move and you're done for, princess," the man with red hair says calmly, lowering himself back down to your ear. "Try to cause a scene and innocent people will pay the price."
You take a deep breath before nodding your head in submission. You slowly turn back around and watch as he returns his gun to his shoulder holster, his expensive blazer completely concealing it. No one around you sees the ordeal, too distracted and eager to spend their money. The man then puts his arm around your shoulders, leading you out of the auction room. Seonghwa follows close behind, making sure you aren't able to slip away. You have no idea if he is armed at this point in time.
You're led into a large meeting room at the very end of the upstairs corridor, the bright moonlight seeping through the open balcony doors and illuminating the glossy wooden table at the center of the room. You catch a glimpse of the pretty garden below the balcony before the man guiding you throws you to the floor. You can feel the bruises forming on your knees instantly.
You don't dare fight back yet—your training in hand-to-hand combat doesn't do shit when your opponents are armed with guns, of course. You would attempt it if he were alone, but with Seonghwa present and potentially armed, you'd rather feel the situation out. 
God, Chan will never let you out onto the field again. He's probably losing his mind now that you've lost contact with each other. Not to mention the fact that you were busted before you even had a chance to get what you came here for. The auction is going to start any minute, and now you're certain there are other ATEEZ members in the auction room that are ready to claim the Cromer instead of you.
You're angry with yourself for not being more prepared with your own weapon, but your favorite handgun unfortunately didn't fit under your dress of choice. You sigh to yourself. At least you look good in it. 
"Give it up, sweetheart. We know what's going on here," the man with red hair says. Seonghwa locks the door behind him before speaking.
"I saw your wolf tattoo, and I've seen only one other just like it. You're working with Bang Chan," he states, is emotions unreadable. 
No. You had forgotten to conceal your waist tattoo since your dress fully covers it. You hadn't expected to completely remove your dress tonight. Rookie mistake. You should expect everything. 
"All this over a tattoo?" You eye him, downplaying the situation.
"How brave of you to interfere with our operation by yourself," the other man comments, ignoring your previous sentence. "No back up here to save you, huh?" 
"Oh, you don't really believe she's here alone, do you, San?" Seonghwa asks. Choi San. You recognize that name. Seonghwa comes over to you, a completely different aura surrounding him now. He's intimidating, gripping your chin with much more force than he had earlier. "Be a good girl and tell us where your friends are, yeah? Don't make things difficult." A chill runs down your spine at his threat. 
"I'm not here with anyone," you state. It's the truth. Even though Chan had insisted he wait in his car nearby, you convinced him to stay and monitor operations from your base. If you don't make contact within the next hour or two, he'll know something is wrong and follow Seonghwa's location.
"Wrong answer, princess." He grips your hair harshly and you wince. "I have a hard time believing that they would put you in a situation like this without back up. Where are they?"
It's sweet of him to underestimate you, honestly. You got yourself into this situation, and you're sure as hell going to get yourself out. You're already halfway done formulating your escape plan. "I said they're not here," you answer again. He lets go of your hair with a hiss.
"It would pain me to ruin such a pretty face...I think we'll let the boss deal with you." 
The boss? Chan told you that no one knows the leader of ATEEZ—it's safe to assume that anyone who's seen him hasn't lived to tell the tale. You're not sure if he'll have any mercy at all to offer you. But maybe these two still have some in them.
"No, please!" you plead, your fists balled up as they rest on your thighs. "If I tell you where they are, will you go easy on me?" You let your head hang low, looking at the floor. San lowers himself in front of you and you find his eyes. You blink, letting a few tears slip down your cheeks. 
"Sure, doll face. We will." You look away from him to briefly meet eyes with Seonghwa. He still stands at full height, arms crossed as he looks down at you. Perhaps it's your tears making your vision blurry, but you swear his gaze softens at the sight of you. You look back to San, sniffling.
"You promise?"
Now, never ever would someone in their right mind trust a promise from someone like them. But you're not planning on following through with your own side of the promise, either. Two can play at this game. You would never jeopardize the safety of SKZ...you told Chan you could handle yourself and you meant it.
"Promise," San says. He's truly something else, radiating such strong and convincing charm. You would fall for his promise in a heartbeat if you didn't know who he really was.
As you slowly rise from your knees, San stands with you. "They made me do it," you confess, more tears spilling from your eyes and taking your favorite mascara with them. "They said they would kill me if I didn't," you whisper, looking away. 
"It's okay, doll," San says, coming closer to comfort you. You flinch before he touches you. "Just tell us where they are, okay? We'll help you." You bury yourself in his chest, your frame shaking in his arms as you cry quietly.
Your best performance yet, if you say so yourself.
After a long minute in his embrace, you begin to pull away. In the process, you grab the gun out of San's shoulder holster and hold the barrel to the center of his chest. He curses under his breath, raising his arms in defeat. You slowly step backwards, turning your aim to Seonghwa as a warning not to try anything, and then returning your aim to San. Seonghwa makes no attempt to grab for anything, so now you know for a fact that he is unarmed.
"I told you the first time that there's no one here with me." You smile. "But it's nice to discover that you both have a heart." 
"Tell Chan we said hi," Seonghwa replies, irritated. 
"Of course, it would be rude of me not to. It's truly been a pleasure, boys." You give Seonghwa a wink. "We'll meet again, right? Maybe you can introduce me to your boss next time."
You've backed up far enough to step onto the balcony, assessing the situation above and below. The garden below is deserted now that the auction has started, but it's a far drop to the ground. There is another balcony above you, but it seems a bit too high for you to escape to. You're trapped, so you're going to have to pull this off fast to avoid getting hurt. 
All you can hear is the sound of your own heartbeat as you throw the gun over the railing into the garden. If you slip up, they could get their hands on it again, and you cannot let that happen. You'll fight the real way if you must.
As soon as it leaves your hands, the men launch at you. You quickly dodge them, ducking under San's punch and managing to sweep Seonghwa's leg, knocking him to the ground. Now that they're both on the balcony, you run back inside, shutting the french doors and locking them behind you. You know it will barely do anything to set them back—they could easily break them down if they wanted to. Through the glass, you watch as San pulls Seonghwa off the ground and looks at you. He doesn't make an immediate effort to get inside.
Is he letting you go? 
You shouldn't wait around any longer to find out. You blow him a kiss before taking your exit out into the main hall. 
But after stepping out, you see why they let you go...
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blankjournal · 1 year ago
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Check out our member Lilo's new work!
scoot over, choi — choi jongho
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synopsis. there was only one bed... :).
pairing. agent!choi jongho x agent!fem!reader
genre. one bed trope, slight fluff, slight enemies to lovers but they're not quite at the lovers part yet.
warnings. swearing, slight banter, he calls reader princess once, denial of feelings.
wc. 0.6k
[ listening to . . . ] get up by newjeans.
         main masterlist
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"are you fucking kidding me?" you scoffed when you finally came back from the bathroom. "we specifically asked for two beds."
of course, had you noticed this fatal problem earlier, then you would've already been down asking for a room with two separate beds. but you made a beeline for the bathroom as soon as you entered the small hotel room, desperate to get into something more comfortable than the skimpy dress you had to wear for a mission.
though the pair of you were supposed to be partners for this mission, you were never really fond of each other. you’d been partners many times before and had clearly expressed your dislike for each other. the first time you worked together was to recover a stolen file. even though it was a successful mission, you were both nearly shot because you yelled at him for breathing too loudly. but hongjoong insisted on pairing you up because, despite your constant bickering, you made a good team.
jongho rolled his eyes discreetly and secured the entrance exit door as he turned around and sighed, walking over to the bed, taking off his jacket while doing so, and fluffing up some pillows. "yes, princess, i can see that."
you watched him briefly, your eyes narrowed at the nickname. how dare he call you that? and how dare your face heat up at it? you dropped your bag on the carpeted floor and leaned against the desk that stood against the wall. you shook your head and scowled, crossing your arms. "well, i'm not sharing a bed with you."
"why? you just wouldn't be able to resist me, would you?" his voice was silky smooth. if there was something he loved more than anything, it would be taunting you. riling you up just because he enjoyed the annoyed scowl on your face.
you huffed and jutted your chin up defiantly. "i'm a lady, that would be improper."
he laughed, resting his hand against the headboard after taking off his shoes and getting on the bed to sit against it. "you’re most definitely anything but proper, but sure. if you really don't wanna sleep on the bed, make yourself comfortable on the floor because i surely won’t."
"like hell, i am," out of pure spite, you walked over to the other side of the bed, kicking your shoes off harshly. "scoot over, choi."
jongho chuckled quietly, doing as told. you lifted the bedsheets and laid underneath it (you also made sure that you were as far away from him as you possibly could be) before pulling it up to your chin in hopes to provide some warmth. for a second, you considered grabbing some of the towels from the bedroom and creating a physical wall between where he was laying and you.
"this changes nothing, i still hate you."
"you don't hate me, you just hate how i make you feel."
"shut up and let me sleep."
he blinked at the fact that you didn’t deny his statement, unsure of how to feel about it. but soon enough, the brushed his thoughts away and the of you drifted off into sleep, needing plenty of rest for tomorrow.
however, when jongho awoke in the middle of the night for water, he found that you had drifted together in their sleep and you were now halfway on top of him, your leg thrown over his midsection and your arms holding him loosely. a moment of panic radiated through him for a split second before he realised how strangely natural your body fit against his. how peaceful your face looked as it was pressed against the side of his chest.
and yet he decided to carefully remove himself from under you and not speak of it ever again.
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  [ lilo's notes ... ] a little jongho drabble :>
  [ networks ... ] @cromernet @blankjournal
  [ perm taglist — open ... ] @ad0rechuu @sankatchu
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nebulousbrainsoup · 1 month ago
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[23:17]
SUMMARY: San has been stuck. Maybe it's time to let go. PAIRING: Choi San x gn!reader GENRE: angst angst angst AU/TROPE: nonidol au, exes WORD COUNT: 907 TAGS/WARNINGS: not beta read RATING: G A/N: back at it again, using fanfic to cope. also, thought a little timestamp might be a good way to get me back into writing for ateez. shout out yappers [ @justhere4kpop, @cheolism, @kwanisms, @yoonguurt ] for helping me craft this.
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The diner still looked the same. The barstool San settled on still had a tear in the vinyl straight down the center, and it still jolted under his weight, tilting a bit to the right. He still had to squirm until it clicked back into place, and even then he spun away from the counter without his leg as a brace. The same mismatched coffee mugs, donated by local businesses for advertising, were still stacked up on the shelf in front of him, and the waitress still grabbed the third one from the left—this time, something from an insurance agent whose name had long been rubbed away—and filled it in the same movement.
She didn’t reach for the next mug from the left anymore. That had changed.
Everything else remained the same. 
San still ordered a slice of apple pie, warmed up, à la mode, while he doctored his coffee with a little creamer cup and a packet of sugar. He still held his steaming mug in both hands, clutching it close to stave off the winter chill that had followed him. He still made small talk with the waitress before she sauntered back to the kitchen to fill his order, and his eyes still drifted over to the windows, watching as the snow fell lazily. The lights still reflected back at him in the glass, the one in the back corner, just above the kitchen door, flickering every few seconds.  
Silence fell over him, no one peering out from behind him in the reflection to prompt him with a question or lean over and show him a new cat video. That had changed. 
So little had changed, but so much had changed. San closed his eyes, drew in a deep breath, held it, and exhaled shakily. 
The waitress still spoke the same chipper greeting as she set his food in front of him, but her smile these days was just a little melancholy. He still savored his treat, balancing each bite between the pie and the ice cream and making sure not to wash the taste away too quickly with his sips of coffee, but when he finished and looked at the clock, only fifteen minutes had passed, and he hadn’t needed a refill of his mug. He still went up to the same cash register to pay, but now, his bill was half the price it should have been. The long brown coat was the same one as last winter, and he pulled it tight around himself in the same fashion he always did as he stepped into the night, but it felt stuffier with the fleece scarf around his neck, too.
Last winter, it would have been around yours. 
He wasn’t sure what exactly had happened, where he’d gone wrong. One morning, he’d woken up beside you, pouring his love into every soft kiss he planted on your lips. You looked at him like he’d hung the stars. The next, his bed had been cold, and when he’d found you staring out the balcony window at the winter’s first snow, you’d slipped away from the wrap of his arms around your waist.
“Jagiya?” 
“I don’t think we should see each other anymore.”
The breath left him like he was still in the room, still staring at you, still stunned and floundering for the words to beg you to stay. San inhaled sharply, the chill air filling his lungs bringing him back to his senses, and kept walking. He wasn’t sure when he had stopped.
He’d spent a few hours angry. At you, at the world… At himself, for whatever it was he’d done to make you leave him. It faded quickly, leaving a simmering hurt behind, sadness mixing with confusion. It had been so sudden, and even in the minutes you’d spent gathering your things, you hadn’t bothered to spare him an explanation.
His search for one had been entirely fruitless. Texts went unanswered, calls rang through, and after the first time that little red exclamation point taunted him, telling him his message could not be delivered, he gave up. The anger came back for a split second, of course, but most of what he’d felt was a sense of defeat and a fresh wave of sadness. He would never have an answer, would never know why. 
He still wondered, of course. On nights like tonight that were a little too quiet, a little too cold, a little too dark, he wondered. Without you, everything was still the same. His coffee tasted just as bitter, his pie just as sweet. Snow still fell and lights still flickered and the world still turned. He was still the same man, still had the same cat you’d loved so much, laughed at the jokes you’d fall over onto him to and worked at the same dead-end job you cheered him on through. He had not changed, nor had the world, but it seemed so much dimmer without you beside him.
Joyous laughter contrasted the sorrowful sigh he released as the bus doors opened. He stood just to the side, let the people filter off—and barely caught you in his arms as you stumbled down the slick steps and nearly fell into the snow. You still looked the same. The snow still fell, the wind still chilled him, and the bus doors began to close.
San smiled as you righted yourself, a joyless thing, and let you go.
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© September 2024 nebulousbrainsoup | all rights reserved. reposting and translating of author’s work is prohibited.
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kpop-stories-21 · 2 years ago
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20:00
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Group: ATEEZ
Pairing: Yeosang x Fem!Reader
Word Count: 1.9k
Rating: 18-21+
Genres, Tropes, & AUs: Non-Idol AU, Futuristic AU, Dystopian AU, Coworkers to Lovers, Smut
Content & Trigger Warnings: Undercover Rebel!Yeosang, Delivery Driver!Reader, rebellion, uprising, undercover agents, unprotected sex(wrap that shit up, kids), semi-public sex, rough sex, punishment, orgasm denial, manhandling, edging, marking
Summary: You always figured there was more to Yeosang than meets the eye, but this is not quite what you were expecting
Tags: @kpop---scenarios @stardragongalaxy @jeonrose @skittlez-area512 @mybiasisexo @skeletor-ify @biaswreckingfics @anyamaris @liliesofdreamsskz @rdiamond2727 @naturalogre @thelargefrye @bxffietheblxxdy @wooyoungmybelovedhusband @kwanisms @sanjoongie @flowerboykun
If you want to be added to my taglist, click here
Network pings: @cacaokpop-fics | @kdiarynet
MDNI banner courtesy of @cafekitsune
A/N: I had Taylor Swift's "Safe and Sound" on repeat as I wrote this, so listen to that while reading for maximum ✨vibes✨
Collab Masterlist | Main Masterlist
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The back door to Blue Bird Delivery banged open, breaking the silence and causing Yeosang to look up as you rushed in, helmet askew and little hairs already escaping from the braid draped down your back.
"Sorry I'm late!" You said, smiling at Yeosang but directing your words to the boss. "My neighbor's kid thought it would be fun to hack my watch and turn off every alarm that looked even remotely important."
A couple of your coworkers snickered, but your boss nodded understandingly. "Kids can be a real pain sometimes, I know that all too well." Turning to address everyone, he continued.
"Now it's still early evening so there haven't been many orders yet, but everyone should remain ready to leave. Yeosang's friends have put in orders, but he has requested to handle them personally."
"Wouldn't it be faster and easier to split them with someone else?"
"I'd much rather deliver them myself." Yeosang said, bristling a little.
The woman who'd spoken recoiled at his tone and he was quick to backtrack.
"I apologize, I didn't mean to be rude. It's just that my friends are a bit distrustful of strangers."
The woman seemed to accept this and went back to whatever she was doing. The boss returned to his office and everyone went about their own business as Yeosang prepared to leave.
You were a bit suspicious of Yeosang suddenly. This was unusual behavior for him, usually he'd accept help gladly. Why would all of his friends make orders at the same time? What was Yeosang trying to hide?
You decided to see if you could follow him and find out what they were up to. Making your way to the back as if going for the restroom, you slipped out the back door. Peering around the corner, you watched Yeosang get on one of the company's hoverbikes and take off.
You went to the front and hopped on your personal hoverbike. Taking a company bike would be a bad idea, since they were tracked and you weren't making a delivery.
It didn't take long for you to catch sight of Yeosang, and you sped up, getting close enough to keep track of him but not so close that he realised you were following him.
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His first stop was at a large warehouse on the outskirts of the city. A blue-haired man answered his knock and invited him in. You parked your bike in some bushes and snuck around the building until you were able to find a window. Peeking in, you saw Yeosang and the blue-haired man standing in front of a table absolutely loaded with all kinds of gear and weapons, most of them illegal.
They spoke in low voices, but you were able to pick out bits and pieces. Something about a train, an explosion and money. Were they part of some kind of rebellion? You weren't sure, which meant you needed to keep following him.
The next stop was to a small, Western-themed bar. Yeosang made his way up to the roof and you knew better than to follow him, so you pulled out the tiny camera drone your father had given you and sent it off.
There was a tall man seated by the edge in full cowboy regalia, a sniper gun set up beside him. There was a woman with him, but she had her back to you so you couldn't make out her face. Yeosang handed the man a takeout box, which was promptly opened to reveal extra ammo for the gun. Words were exchanged that you couldn't hear and then Yeosang was leaving. You called the drone back and returned to your bike.
The third stop brought you to a large van in a secluded little clearing. Two men stepped out, one looked like an underground fighter, the other could be his handler. You didn't see what they got, from your vantage point all you saw was Yeosang's back.
Not that I'm complaining, exactly. He's got a great ass. You thought to yourself, giggling quietly. Yeosang returned to his bike and you sobered, ready to continue following.
Next was a repair shop called Outlaw Customs. The place looked closed, but a tall male with black hair answered the door. Craning your neck you could see a shorter man just behind him, and further in the shop were the vague figures of two women. This time you could see what was being delivered, but you didn't recognize it at all.
The last stop was at a small house in a tucked away little area. A man dressed in leather took the container from Yeosang without opening it and went back inside.
After this he went back to the delivery company and you waited a beat before parking your bike and re-entering through the same back door. You were still for a moment, debating what to do, then decided it would be best to confront him about it.
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Glancing around at all the eyes and ears present in the room, you approached Yeosang and quietly asked, "Can I talk to you out back for a minute?"
Expression equal parts curious and confused, Yeosang nodded and followed you out the back door into the alleyway that ran behind the building. Once you were out of earshot of the door you turned to face him.
"I didn't know you led a rebellion in your spare time."
"Oh I don't lead it, I'm just a member of-" he paused, realising you'd just caught him out.
You eye him seriously. "Please tell me you aren't always this easy to crack."
Yeosang shook his head. "No, it's just… you know how I feel about you. I can't help but want to always tell you the truth."
You nodded, figuring he'd say something like that. A revelation pops into your head just then and you look Yeosang in the eyes.
"This is why you never made a move, isn't it? You were afraid I'd get hurt if the government retaliated."
Yeosang looked down and sighed softly but said nothing. You stepped closer, placing your hands on your shoulders and causing him to look up.
"Hey listen, I'm stronger than you think. The last rebellion that failed, my dad was part of it. That's how I lost him. I have just as much cause to hate those in power as you and your friends."
"There was another rebellion?" Yeosang inquired.
You nodded. "Yes. But it was covered up, so no one was ever aware of it save for those who lost loved ones." Taking a deep breath, you continued. "I want to help you and your friends, Yeo. Dad always made sure I could protect myself should anything ever happen to him, and I've been keeping up what he taught me ever since."
Yeosang looked at you sternly as he spoke. "Alright, I'll speak to the others about it. But you have to promise me you'll be careful. I can't lose you."
His voice cracked at the end, and you saw his eyes start to glisten. Wrapping him in a tight hug you whispered, "I promise I will always come back to you, no matter what. I can't lose you either."
Leaning back a little, Yeosang looked deep into your eyes. "I love you so much, my sweet Bluejay."
Your heart soared at the words you'd been waiting to hear for so long. Coupled with the nickname he'd given you some time ago, you were sure how you were still on your feet.
Yeosang's eyes fell to your lips as you replied, "I love you too, Kang Yeosang."
At this he surged forward, wrapping you in a breathtaking kiss as your back hit the wall. When you reluctantly parted for air, his hands came up to cup your face as your foreheads pressed together.
"I'm sorry it took me so long to say it." He murmured.
You smiled softly and kissed the tip of his nose. "Don't be, I understand why you didn't. To be honest, I probably would have done the same if our places were reversed."
Yeosang smiled back, then a glint came into his eyes. "Now, about you sneaking around and spying on me without my permission. I think that calls for a punishment, don't you?"
Heat pooled between your thighs as his hands slid down your body to rest at your hips. “S-Should we go back to my place, or yours?”
Yeosang just chuckled. “I think this is as good a place as any.”
You gaped at him, protests forming on your tongue, but his lips met yours again and all complaints fled your mind as his tongue slipped in to tangle with yours. Your hands came up to rest against his chest, fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt to ground yourself.
He broke the kiss to nip at the shell of your ear, sending a shiver of delight down your spine. "Tell me the minute you become uncomfortable and I won't hesitate to stop."
"P-Promise." You stuttered as Yeosang began mouthing over your collarbones.
His hands made quick work of the button on your jeans, sliding them and your panties down to your knees in one smooth motion. His thumb found your clit immediately, rubbing it in fast circles as your body heated up rapidly.
"Fuck, Yeo, gonna make me c-"
"Hold it." He cut off your words briskly, voice deepened with lust. The command alone nearly had you cumming, but you were determined to be good for him. "This is supposed to be a punishment, remember?"
He removed his hand from your pussy and gripped your thighs, veins appearing on his arms as he did so. Bracing your back against the brick wall of the alley, you hiked your legs up to wrap around his waist. His clothed cock pressed against you and you moaned, nails digging into his shoulders as you struggled to hold back your orgasm.
"Gonna fuck you till you forget everything but my name, make sure everyone inside knows who you belong to."
"Oh God, please! Make me yours Yeosang!"
"You asked so nicely, how can I not give you what you want?"
After yanking his pants and boxers down with one hand, Yeosang dragged two fingers through your sopping heat and used your own arousal to coat his dick. Once ready, he thrust all the way to the hilt without warning, punching a gasping moan out of you.
He set a rough pace, bringing you to the edge twice more but each time backing off. You had been reduced to an incoherent mess, half-phrases and sounds of pleasure all your mind had the forethought to produce.
Teeth nipped your skin at the juncture between neck and shoulder, leaving behind a sizeable hickey as he came up to kiss you deeply.
"You've taken your punishment so well, I think you deserve to be rewarded." He began pounding into you for the last time, lips brushing your ear as he spoke. "You can cum now, little Bluejay."
The effect was instantaneous, your high crashing over you like a tsunami. Your body seized up, twitching and shaking from the intensity as a loud cry left you. You tightened around him, bringing him to his own edge as he buried himself deep inside you, stuffing you full of his cum.
When you had both calmed a bit, Yeosang helped you slip your clothes back on, then dressed himself.
"That was fun."
You laughed, kissing his cheek as you took his hand in yours. "Yes, it was."
There were bright smiles on both your faces as you stepped back into the building. Things would be different from now on, but it would be okay because you would face them with Yeosang beside you.
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cloverdaisies · 1 year ago
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HOW TO BUILD PERFECT HUMANS
lee sangyeon (cyberpunk) au
𝗐𝖾’𝗅𝗅 𝗌𝗎𝗋𝗏𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 t𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾 🔭 …. for @winterchimez
‧₊˚🖇️ ✮⋆˙ ₊˚🎧⊹⋆。𖦹 °. @: cloverdaisies
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➸ description: somewhere in the future, undercover agents are trailing the government creation of microchips, inserted into the human brain to collect information in order create a generation of ai that will infiltrate and eventually eliminate all need for the last survivors of the human race. time is ticking…
➸ genre: sci-fi, cyberpunk, action, unexpected romance, mildly suggestive at times.
૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა.づᡕᠵ᠊ᡃ࡚ࠢ࠘ ⸝່ࠡࠣ᠊߯᠆ࠣ࠘ᡁࠣ࠘᠊᠊°.~♡︎
➸ word count: 2.3k+
➸ channel: @deoboyznet
➸ tws: violence! mentions of blood!
➸ member: agent!sangyeon x scientist! reader
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♫ THIS WORLD - ATEEZ PLAYING DISTANTLY ♫
Have you ever wondered how to build the perfect human? Perhaps in the future this will be the new normal, microchips for humans, technology that wanders slightly too far down the uncanny valley, maybe even your pet dog will be replaced by a hologram. In this world this the reality. However, there is still good in the world, the last survivors of the apocalypse want their lives back.
SMASH!
The shrieking of glass shattering as the wind breezed through the back of a man’s jacket, falling gracefully from a 45 story building as the world buzzed around him, tearing off the suit he’d worn as a disguise. Security alarms screamed in the background as he slid a small mechanical device into his pocket. Landing with two feet on the ground, the feather falling device strapped to his ankles allowing him to hover to the ground gently.
“Another piece of evidence collected, delta. Over.” He held his palm over the winged ear piece in his ear, waiting for a response from the team controlling the mission, speeding away on the electric motorcycle he’d parked in an alleyway beside the building before anyone could trail him.
Sangyeon was probably the companies most competent agent, with equal intelligence and equal agility. He was a spy at times, some sort of ninja at others. He was richly adored by the women and men of the company due to his good looks and charm. He was closely watched at all times, to preserve his useful nature from danger or threat. Standing at the top of the agent food chain, he wore all black at all times, an unsuspecting item of headwear, ranging from motorcycle helmets to even stupid sunglasses that would profile everyone he passed that day.
“Hm, looks like you found another piece of the puzzle, delta.” You smile proudly at the man, lifting the digital helmet that was enclosed around his skull. He shook his head, revealing his messy hair that was only 2 or three shades darker than his sweet honey skin as he arrived in the base’s lab.
You had to admit, the way the suit he wore hugged his figure was probably one of the most attractive things you’ve made of a man. You’d designed his suit for him, every dimension of the suit was measured by you, built to blend in with everything he encountered. It hugged his biceps and wrapped his torso perfectly.
“What is it? It’s not one of the typical syringe mechanisms.” He observed the piece, handing the small card to you, flinching as it folded into an even smaller piece upon your touch.
“Well you know how a sim card works? For your hollophone, it’s just like that. This seems to be a device that can enter the brain straight through the ear canal, what’s scary about it, this device can be inserted without anyone noticing.” You present him a holographic demonstration, the white outline of a holographic human appearing as you slot the piece into the ear canal, watching lines wrap around the brain marking points and learning information.
“That’s terrifying.” He walked a circle around the lab table, observing the demonstration and then looking at you with a serious gaze as you closed the tab, the device falling to the table. “There could be thousands of these and we’d have no idea.”
“Luckily it seems like you’ve found a prototype. I doubt these are ready for full circulation yet. Considering the information it can learn is only basic level compared to the syringes.” You reassure the man, folding your arms over your lab coat and watching as the device was lasered under the table, destroying the feeble piece of technology immediately. “And, they seem to break pretty easily, one bit of head trauma and the occupier's brain would be fried meat.”
“I’m sure your next mission will be putting a stop to this line of production.” You sighed, looking over the boy whose life seemed to be always in danger being chased by government officials.
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—-🏍️—- A FEW HOURS EARLIER
“I’m telling you y/n. we’re running out of agents there’s no one else who could complete this mission but you. We simply don’t have the intelligence.” The head of the companies son looked at you with a voice of genuine concern, his eyes glinting in fear of their mission falling to pieces.
You were a lab technician, a developer, a philosopher of science, not an agent, not anyone capable of the stunts performed by the professionals that were amongst the companies agents such as Sangyeon Lee, delta.
“I don’t think I can, Younghoon. It’s too risky.” You bit your lip in anxiety, tearing the skin on the inside. As you thought through the idea and all the possible horrendous outcomes.
“Listen, it’s one mission. Sangyeon will be with you, I just need the intelligence, we have back up available. If you don’t pull through with this, the world will be over.” Not attempting to guilt trip you in anyway, Younghoon was simply stating what was true. If you didn’t sneak into the production lines of this human sim card, the world would be over.
“I’ll think about it, give me 12 hours.” If there wasn’t such a time crunch you would have said a few days, but you didn’t have that much time. That’s how fast technology moves now, in a world with no laws.
—-🏍️—-
Sangyeon peered over at you curiously, wondering what was on your mind as you paced the lab moving misplaced items and storing them away - your eyes black in deep thought, the wings of the headphones you wore frowning making it clear you were sad.
“What’s on your mind?” He asked, stepping behind a screen to change into regular clothes watching as you went to turn around but quickly turned back as you saw the bare top of his built shoulders.
“Younghoon asked me to do a mission.” You fiddled with the microscope on the counter, facing the wall for his privacy, even though he didn’t care at all at who was looking at him.
“Well, do it. After all, we don’t have enough intelligence left.” He simply shrugged off the worries, in his mind, you were completely competent enough to do the assignment and couldn’t understand your stress.
“Well, it’s not that simple. I’ll get myself killed. I’m not trained enough.” You turned around as the screen disappeared, Sangyeon now dressed in parachute bottoms and a well fitted black shirt leaned over the counter looking at you dubiously.
“Wellll, let’s start now. Here’s a gun.” He pulled a gun out of thin air making you flinch with sudden action as he smirked thinking of how adorable your reaction was.
“Absolutely not.” Your eyes widened, the wings of your ear piece sparking up in shock, as he chuckled to himself deviously.
“Well you’re gonna have to.” He smiled, asking you to hold out your palm as you accepted it, clutching it and being careful only to hover over the trigger gently.
He opened a target, a digital hologram of a human outline with a white sphere revolving in its chest where the heart was located. You got nervous as he placed himself behind you, feeling his breath over your neck as he leaned his arms over yours, placing his palms over your hand and correcting the posture.
“You want to close one eye to get the aim right, I’m sure you know those basics. Now, focus on the point and shoot.” With his words you made the shot, him not moving away from you for support as the sphere exploded and the target cleared.
The next hologram was a moving target, Sangyeon guided you to follow its movements but all you could think was how sensational his breath felt over your neck, how masculine his scent was and how strong his arms felt as they rested over yours.
Despite this, you followed the target, managing to land a critical hit on the hologram as it lit up green and cleared.
“You’re a natural, you’ll be fine y/n. I’ll be standing next to you the entire time.” He reassured you with a sweet smile, you smiled back being sure not to make eye contact as you recovered from his movements.
—-🏍️—-
The day of the mission had arrived, Younghoon was beyond relieved that you’d agreed, as he briefed the idea to you and Sangyeon. In this post apocalyptic world, it was up to you two to save the remaining members of society from being wiped out completely, and the pressure was certainly high.
You were about to set off, Sangyeon threw you a helmet, the piece of technology folding out as you brought it over your head. As you got on the back of his motorcycle, Younghoon stepped out and wished you well on the mission - being one of the most risky ones yet.
“Sangyeon I’m scared, I can’t lie.” You wrapped your arms around his torso cautiously, the anxiety soon to get the better of you.
“That’s not like you, y/n. I’m right beside you the entire time. We’ll do this and the world will return to normal. It’s delta for now too, you got that?” He chuckled, trying to make light of the situation. Tightening your grip around his waist before setting off into the night.
♫ STANDING NEXT TO YOU - JUNGKOOK PLAYING QUIETLY IN THE BACKGROUND ♫
The wind breezed past you both, the city lit up with dimly lit neon lights as you surpassed the highway to your destination. It was a skyscraper, surely more than 70 stories high, virtually not lit at all, disguised as a hotel but secretly a government base located on the higher floors.
“The floor we’re looking for is 62, it’s not accessible via the elevator and it would be too suspicious to enter through the main doors of the stairwell. So we will have to enter through the vent system located on floor 63 and go below.” Sangyeon’s stern briefing made you even more nervous than before, as you entered the elevator checking in your reservation to not make a scene on the lobby surveillance - disguising yourselves as a couple, checking into their hotel room for the night.
“Enjoy your stay.” The lady behind the counter wasn’t a real lady, but a piece of uncanny valley ai specialized to organize reservations no emotion or feeling behind it, however if you didn’t complete this mission, that would soon change.
Floor 63 had plenty of surveillance and if you were going to cut it, you had to be quick to destroy access to the programming and leave. There were currently no workers on the lower floors to your knowledge, however there was ai security designed to kill intruders at any cost.
“We can’t do this in time.” Sangyeon observed, moving one of the ceiling tiles, as you crawled through the ventilation system closely behind him. “There’s too much to do at such a high chance of risk.”
“Then what do we do?” You asked, panicking at his sudden change of mind as you peered down at the security bots pacing the lab floor.
“I’ll take out the bots, you grab the programme key and get into the database to shut everything down. Since you can get past the encryption. Then we set the floor a light.” He simply made a plan B on the spot, which he was known for doing, he did get told off for doing so but he always succeeded.
“I can but it will take a long time. What about the innocent people on the upper floors?” You asked thinking about the hotel guests
“I’ve got time, and there isn’t anyone on the top floors, there’s barely any of us left y/n. They’ve had 3 reservations today all on lower floors, the fire alarms are sure to go off.” He said this quickly, before springing to the floor taking cover from the bullets of the security bots and shooting their equipment out.
You carried out with your side of the mission, connecting yourself to harness and lowering down into the computer side of the base. A man with glasses turned around, working overtime on the sim project eyes wide as you pulled out a weapon and shot him down in his tracks.
You took over the computer as he was still logged in things were made simpler and you began deleting files. The database soon caught on however it was too late. You’d killed all the files containing research on the sim, before grabbing all the cases of sims stored in the cupboards and stuffing them into a duffel bag.
Soon the fire alarm sounded, that was your cue, Sangyeon ran into the room, a grenade in hand that would set off a fire and destroy everything left in the lab. He threw a device through the window that smashed the glass, before grabbing you and throwing the grenade at the nearest wall. A sinking feeling dwelled in your stomach as he fell with you in his arms out of the 62nd story.
Everything felt as if it was in slow motion as, Sangyeon looked at you in awe, activating his feather falling device a few feet early and bringing your face closer to his. He leaned in as you followed his movements, there was a slight scratch on his face where one of the bullets from the security bots had grazed his face. You gently brought your thumb across it as he smiled, the blood wiping away as you brought your lips to his. A spark of magic in such a dark world lit a flame, as you both landed on your feet and pulled away from each others embrace.
You’d saved the world together, you and an agent you’d grown fond over the days of dread. Maybe now, the world would get better, back to how it used to be before. Even if not…
“I’ll always be standing next to you darling.” Sangyeon smiled, pulling into you into his embrace once more before you both disappeared back into the night.
—-🏍️—-
a/n: well i kind of promised ally that i would make up for killing sangyeon off in the scream au, this is my apology and i’m so proud of how this turned out !! dedicated to my wonderful ally, my first friend on this platform, thank you for everything darling 🤍 hope you enjoyed <3?
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dinossaurz · 6 months ago
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The shadow raven
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Prologue
Pairing: ??!reader; mafia!ateez;
Genre: Enemies to lovers, slow burn, mafia au.
Summary: Y/N is the mafia princess. She's heir to the "throne", but for that, she need to be married to a good boy. But he doesn't need to be part of Mafia. But what if destiny just decided to play with Y/N?
Warning: implicit nudity, guns are cited, blood (in this chapter)
WC: 478
Credits: to @rems-writing to this beautiful banner. Thank you, love 💜
Network: @newworldnet
You just kicked your red high heels through the lobby of your home. Your black dress damped with fresh blood.
You don't even tried to care about all the people working in your family manor at that point, just taking off that fucking tight dress and throwing him away just as you did with the heels.
"Darling, where are you going?" You listened to your father's high toned voice, but decided to ignore. "Y/N! I'm having a serious meeting here."
But again, you just ignored his desperate calling.
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In the silence of your room, all alone, finally, you decided to look to yourself in your bathroom's mirror, and just realized how stained was your skin, with someone else's blood, already dark and dry. All along with bruises everywhere, where you were hit by something.
"You've fucked up again, little mafia shitty princess, don't you?" You whispered to yourself, turning away from your own reflection.
The water that falls in your tub is cold as ice, but you just thought about how the temperature would make you forget about what just happened a few hours ago.
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Flashback
"You don't even now what you're doing, do you?" Your instructor asked.
You secretly were having shooting lessons with a cop friend. Ironically enough, he never know who you were, even if your father is his main mission as a police agent. You laughed a little thinking about it.
"No, I don't. That's why I asked you to teach me how to use it". Lies, all lies. You knew exactly what you needed to do, but you also needed to pretend being dumb just to make sure he never discover your true identity.
But not everything is what it looks like, and he knew exactly who you are. Oh, boy... And how he knew.
"You can stop pretending now, princess." He said, a lower tone that he's used to talk to you. You turn your head a bit, looking at him with a interrogative expression.
"I finally found you, the fucking shadow raven." And then, he smiled, pointing his gun to your chest, covered just with the black dress. You hold your breath, thinking about how close he is to you at this moment.
Without no thinking, you punched the gun away from his hand, skillfully. And he scoffed.
"So I'm right?" He looked at you with angry in his eyes, as if you had ruined his trust on you.
And then... he took a haste as skilfully as you, and then punched you various times, making your body ache and you screamed in pain, your eyes being blurry with the tears.
And then, when he was far enough from you, you took the gun and pressed the trigger.
BAM... was the last thing you remember after you entered your house and made a bloody mess in the lobby full of other people.
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writingmochi · 1 year ago
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cast: ateez & txt & enhypen ✗ reader
synopsis: a collection of ateez, txt, and enhypen works based on author's favorite radiohead songs
genre: variative for each member
based on: music radiohead's discography from albums “the bends”, "ok computer", "kid a", "amnesiac", "in rainbows", and "ok computer oknotok 1997 2017" (1995-2017)
status: subterranean homesick alien out now!
message from the moon: do remember that this is fiction and all the actions the idols do in these works do not reflect what they are in the real world. this is a non-priority anthology so all stories are standalone, won't have any schedule for deadlines, and will be written on my availability! also, note that the infos written below aren't the final one so i can add/subtract anything such as each of the synopsis which will have its final form when the certain fic is released
taglist? right here
listen to all 20 tracks!
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you're turning into something you are not
cast: frat bro!sunghoon ✗ sorority girl!fem.reader
genre: romantic comedy, greek life au, college au, angst, mature content (smut)
inspired by: literature the prince and the pauper (1881)
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it wears me out
cast: san ✗ fem.reader
genre: adventure, sci-fi, romance, dystopian, angst
inspired by: movie wall-e (2008)
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you do it to yourself
cast: wooyoung ✗ fem.reader
genre: modern dystopia, thriller, tragedy
inspired by: tv show black mirror (2011-present)
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this, this is our new song
cast: idol!hongjoong ✗ indie musician!fem.reader
genre: drama, coming of age, musicians au
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i am back to save the universe
cast: jungwon ✗ fem.reader
genre: superhero fiction, adolescence, science fiction, angst
inspired by: comic cloak and dagger
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ambition makes you look pretty ugly
cast: hueningkai ✗ reader
genre: content not available, set in the terra incognita universe
inspired by: error 401
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they'd think that i'd finally lost it completely
cast: alt kid!soobin ✗ fashion student/designer!fem.reader
synopsis: after soobin's encounter with a person from his original timeline, he experiences doubts if he can settle in this new timeline or not. his alienation and existentialism take a spin in a new world he has to figure out himself, or if he could be courageous enough to ask you to guide him down back to the surface
genre: coming of age, slice of life, romance, drama, friends with benefits au, college/university au, angst, fluff, mature content (drug consumption and explicit smut), set in the time wave universe
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this is what you'll get when you mess with us
cast: jay ✗ fem.reader
genre: drama, crime, romance, thriller, angst, mature content (smut)
inspired by: bonnie and clyde but with a dynamic of succession's tom wambsgans and siobhan roy
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you know we're friends 'til we die
cast: seonghwa ✗ fem.reader
genre: content not available, set in the terra incognita universe
inspired by: error 404
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we are standing on the edge
cast: detective!jongho ✗ detective!fem.reader
genre: crime, mystery, psychological thriller, noir
inspired by: movie se7en (1995)
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the worms will come for you, big boots
cast: spy!yeonjun ✗ investigative journalist!fem.reader
genre: action, adventure, drama, agent au, angst
inspired by: movies from the 007 series: the spy who loved me (1977) and tomorrow never dies (1997)
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i'm not here, this isn't happening
cast: singer-songwriter!taehyun ✗ up-and-coming actress!fem.reader
genre: drama, childhood friends au, fame au, angst, mature content (suicidal thoughts, manipulation, exploitation), set in early 2000s
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help me get back to your arms
cast: high school student!heeseung ✗ high school student!fem.reader
genre: psychological thriller, parasocial relationship, angst
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there was nothing to fear and nothing to doubt
cast: yeosang ✗ reader
genre: adventure, action, mystery
inspired by: video game silent hill 2 (2001)
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catch the mouse
cast: beomgyu ✗ fem.reader
genre: adventure, drama, thriller, road trip au, run away au, angst, mature content (smut)
inspired by: movies bones and all (2022), american honey (2016), and y tu mamá también (2001)
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one by one
cast: guitarist!mingi ✗ session musician!fem.reader
genre: rock band au, angst
inspired by: documentary meeting people is easy (1998)
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it is the 21st century
cast: niki ✗ fem.reader
genre: enemies to lovers?, high school au, angst, fluff
inspired by: folk story mulan
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because we separate like ripples on a blank shore
cast: guardian angel!sunoo ✗ human!gn.reader
genre: fantasy, angel au, angst
inspired by: the boyz's roar concept (2023)
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i don't want to be your friend, i just want to be your lover
cast: yunho ✗ reader
genre: drama, toxic relationship, friends to lovers au, angst, mature content (smut)
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the beat goes round and round
cast: jake ✗ fem.reader
genre: time-loop, science fiction, mystery, drama, fantasy, romance, gang au
inspired by: movie groundhog day (1993) meets musical west side story
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NOTABLE MENTIONS (written fics and the radiohead songs in their playlists)
let down ; exit music (for a film) - time wave
weird fishes/arpeggi - troubled pixies
all i need ; go slowly ; spectre - isobel
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© writingmochi on tumblr, 2021-2024. all rights reserved
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just-some-random-blogger · 1 year ago
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kpop masterlist
🍓 = fluff themes
❄️ = angst themes
🚧 = smut themes
🤸‍♀️ = slice of life / bish idek what theme this is
🚀 = crack fic themes
🎩 = dark and/or violent themes
🏩 = genre fic, i.e. mystery, horror, fantasy, etc
🍳 = slow burn
🦕 = personal favorite
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back to main masterlist
A.C.E.
Memory | 🍓❄️🦕 Kim Byeongkwan x Reader + Park Junhee x Reader (University AU) [Blurb]
Ateez
Only One | 🍓❄️❄️❄️🍳🦕 CEO!Choi San x Reader
BigBang
It’s An Act [WBU I] | ❄️ Choi Seunghyun (TOP) x Reader
Smoke | 🍓🤸‍♀️ Choi Seunghyun (TOP) x Reader
BTS
Runaway | 🍓❄️🏩 Mafia!Kim Seokjin (Jin) x Reader (Mafia AU) Preview 1 2 3 4 x
Mah Boyfriend | 🍓🍓🤸‍♀️🦕 Jung Jungkook x Idol!Reader
BTOB
Hidden Heart | 🍓🍓🍓🤸‍♀️🚀🍳 Lee Minhyuk (HUTA) x Idol!Reader [Headcanon]
Day6
A University Dilemma | 🤸‍♀️ Kang Younghyun (Young-K) x Reader (Univeristy AU)
What A Joke | ❄️ Kang Younghyun (Young K) x Reader + Park Jaehyung x Reader (University AU) [Blurb]
So... Haha... I Like You | 🍓🦕 Park Jaehyung x Reader (Fake Dating AU)
EXO
Wheel Of Fortune | 🍓🍳🚀 Park Chanyeol x Reader [Headcanon]
Welcome To The Jungle | 🚀🚀🚀🏩 Park Chanyeol & Oh Sehun (Jungle AU)
Maybe We Still Have A Shot [WBU III] | 🍓🍓🏩 CatHybid!Oh Sehun x Reader (University AU)
Unrequited Attraction | 🚧🏩🍳🦕 Mafia!Kim Jongdae (Chen) x Retail Worker!Reader
Color Palette | 🍓 Byun Baekhyun x Reader [Blurb]
Brown Leaves | 🍓 Kim Jongin (Kai) x Reader (University AU)
GOT7
One Million In One Day | 🍓🍓❄️❄️🍳 Sugar Daddy!Jackson Wang x Reader Preview ~ Alternate Moodboard ~ Moodboard Teaser  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 
Car Rides | 🍓 Jackson Wang x Reader [Blurb]
Juice Box | 🍓🚀🏩🦕 Kunpimook Bhuwakul Bambam x Reader [Blurb] (Pre-Schooler AU)
Somewhere In Between | ❄️❄️Civil Engineer!Park Jinyoung x Reader + Architect!Henry Lau x Reader
Trading Secrets | 🍓🍓 Kim Yugyeom x WangSis!Reader
JYJ
Winning Losses | ❄️ Kim Jaejoong x Idol!Reader
Monsta X
Introspect | 🍓🤸‍♀️ Lee Jooheon x Reader [Blurb]
Letting Off Steam | 🤸‍♀️ Lee Hoseok (Wonho) x ArtStudent!Reader (University AU)
NCT
Seventeen
December Dates | 🍓🚀 bf!Seventeen x Reader [Headcanon]
The Stroke Of Midnight | 🍓❄️🏩🦕 Mafia!Kwon Soonyoung (Hoshi) x Reader
Here's My Problem: I Can't Get You Out Of My Head | ❄️❄️❄️🎩🎩🎩🏩🍳🦕 Detective!Jeon Wonwoo x Actress!Reader
10 Ways To Get Over Gyu | 🍓❄️❄️❄️🍳🍳🦕 Kim Mingyu x Reader + others (Childhood AU)
Half Of My Heart | 🍓❄️🤸‍♀️🍳 Kim Mingyu x Reader + Jeon Wonwoo x Reader (CEO AU)
On A Thread | ❄️❄️ CEO!Joshua Hong (Hong Jisoo) x Nurse!Reader
SF9
A Final Offering | 🍓🍓❄️🏩🦕 Deity!Kim Inseong & Child!Reader + Baek Juho (Zuho) x Mom  
What Does It Mean? | 🍓❄️🤸‍♀️ Kim Inseong x Reader + Lee Jaeyoon x Reader (University AU) 
16th Floor | 🍓🤸‍♀️ Kim Seokwoo (Rowoon) x Reader (Office AU)
SHINee
Understand This |❄️ Choi Minho x Reader I Don’t Understand [Understand This II] | ❄️ Choi Minho x Reader
It’s All A Big Joke [WBU II] | ❄️ Lee Taemin x Reader
Th-that’s Not | ❄️❄️🚧🦕 Lee Taemin x Reader Regrets [Th-that’s Not II] | ❄️ Lee Taemin x Reader
Angel Bride | ❄️🚧🏩🦕 Pirate!Lee Taemin x Reader
Noona, You're So Pretty | 🍓 Lee Taemin x Noona!Reader
Stray Kids
Professional Boundaries | 🍓❄️🚧🦕 CEO!Bang Chan x Pre-School Teacher!Reader + CEO!Hwang Hyunjin x Pre-School Teacher!Reader 1 2 3 4 
Bootylicious | 🍓🚀 Bang Chan x Idol!Reader
Super Junior
The Soup | 🍓🍓🚀🚀 SuJu x SuJu Maknae!Reader [Headcanon]
Secrets Of A Maknae | 🍓🚀🚀 Kim Heechul x SuJuMaknae!Reader
The Boyz
Gentle With Me | 🍓🍓🤸‍♀️ Lee Sangyeon x Reader
TVXQ!
Pitter-Patter | 🍓 Jung Yunho (U-Know) x Reader (Pre-School Teacher AU)
The Art Of Deception | ❄️🎩🏩 Shim Changmin x Reader (Secret Agent/Spy AU)
TXT
Forget About It | 🍓❄️🤸‍♀️🍳🦕 Choi Soobin x Reader (University AU)  
WINNER
I’m Not Playing | 🍓❄️❄️ Gangster!Song Minho (Mino) x Reader 1 2 3 
113 notes · View notes
seonghwaddict · 2 years ago
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✶ LILO'S LIBRARY !
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requests are open but slow! + all my series have slow updates pls bear with me. i write for ateez but feel free to request for other groups!! minors do not interact with smut. do not plagiarise or copy my work to other platforms. please reply to this post or send an ask to be added to my permanent taglist.
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⨾ APPENDIX ⋆  additional links and info
ateez fic recs.
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eight makes one team ; ateez
  
  ⨾ KIM HONGJOONG ⋆  ( 김홍중 )
forget-me-not [ neighbour!khj. fluff. 1k. ]
tell me [ fuckboy!khj. nsfw. 2.7k. ]
super duper pretty [ musician!khj. f2l. angst. fluff. 4k. ]
  
  ⨾ PARK SEONGHWA ⋆  ( 박성화 )
i loved you [ king!psh. angst. 2.1k. ]
thoughts on hard dom hwa [ drabble. nsfw. 475. ]
the lamb and the wolf [ hades!psh. fluff. nsfw. 7.2k. ]
not just a distraction [ prof!psh. angst. fluff. 10.4k. ]
  
  ⨾ JEONG YUNHO ⋆  ( 정윤호 )
eyes don't lie [ ongoing mini-series. nsfw. fluff. angst. ]
attention [ bf!jyh. oneshot. fluff. 729. ]
the best of the best [ ripperdoc!yunho. nsfw. 2.5k. ]
  
  ⨾ KANG YEOSANG ⋆  ( 강여상 )
fortune teller [ college au. fluff. 601. ]
stupefied [ prince!kys. fluff. 5.8k. ]
  
  ⨾ CHOI SAN ⋆  ( 최산 )
in your arms [ bf!csn. h/c. angst. fluff. 1.1k. ]
one more minute [ bf!csn. fluff. 632. ]
music to my ears [ fwb!csn. nsfw. fluff. 1.7k. ]
no strings, no expectations [ fwb!csn. angst. fluff. 1.3k. ]
to taint your soul [ incubus!csn. angst. nsfw. 7.3k. ]
flattery [ bf!csn. fluff. nsfw. 1.3k. ]
  
  ⨾ SONG MINGI ⋆  ( 송민기 )
say my name [ nsfw. 1.2k. ]
private lessons [ prof!smg. fluff. smut. 3.5k. ]
23:46 [ roommate!smp. fluff. 1k. ]
save a horse, ride your best friend [ fwb!smg.nsfw. 4k. ]
  
  ⨾ JUNG WOOYOUNG ⋆  ( 정우영 )
comfortable? [ bf!jwy. fluff. 714. ]
mirror mirror [ bf!jwy. fluff. angst. nsfw. 1.3k. ]
  
  ⨾ CHOI JONGHO ⋆  ( 최종호 )
scoot over, choi [ agent!cjh. fluff. 630. ]
falling and sleeping [ bsf!cjh. fluf. 1.5k. ]
  
  ⨾ MULTI ⋆  ( 에이티즈 )
never say never [ vamp!ot8 series. discont. 20.9k. ]
divine ruination [ demon!ot8 series. fluff. angst. nsfw. ]
blue bird  [ mafia!csn and jwy. nsfw. fluff. 6.9k. ]
ateez and their kinks [ ot8. hc. nsfw. 1.1k. ]
showering with ateez [ ot8. hc. fluff. 944. ]
ateez's favourite positions [ ot8. hc. nsfw. 764. ]
ateez's favourite petnames [ ot8. hc. fluff. 734. ]
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marvelous-llama · 1 year ago
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ATEEZ recs
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<<original book
most of the mentioned works is 18+ NSFW, MINORS DNI
pls don´t hesitate to hmu, if any of mentioned links doesn´t work or you have suggestions for more fics... thank you so much for all the love and comments
one shots
Run For The Crown, Baby by @bambikisss
Wooyoung x fem!reader (wc - 2.9k) idol AU, Kingdom show, friends to lovers (ish) - smut While being on KINGDOM, you run into and meet Wooyoung, who lays down a challenge: if their group wins, he gets a date with you. If you win, you get his prized motorcycle.
Blockbuster by @x03yd0cx
Wooyoung x fem!reader (wc - 2k) friends with benefits - smut who knew hooking up with your best friend could be so surreal?
If Without You by @sorryimananti-romantic
Wooyoung x fem!reader (wc - 14k) best friends to lovers - fluff, angst, suggestive your childhood best friend wooyoung decides to move in with you in the middle of your college degree, and now you just have to live with him and hide your very romantic feelings for him in the fear it would ruin your friendship.
Seduction by @yustea
Wooyoung x afab!reader [gn pronouns] (wc - 2k) best friends to lovers - crack, smut, fluff You and Wooyoung have been best friends every since you could remember, however, when that friendship is trialed by the temptation of lust, desire, and seduction, how will it play out?
Clockwork by @yeoblurbs
Wooyoung x fem!reader (wc - 8.7k) university AU, best friends to lovers - fluff, angst Being best friends with Jung Wooyoung was everything you could imagine. That is, until you catch feelings for him. Now, you navigate a heartbreak minus the rejection, and Wooyoung doesn’t seem to like it.
Deja Vu: "I want you so bad" by @teeskz
Wooyoung x fem!reader (wc - 9k) university AU - angst, fluff, smut Getting paired with Wooyoung, notorious half-asser and asshole, on your midterm assignment must’ve been karma for something you’ve done in the past, cause god did you luck out bad. He’s constantly late to your meetings, hardly does any work, and on top of that, he teases you like no another. You can’t stand him. Until one day, a storm comes, brewing unfamiliar feelings amongst you two, and what you thought you knew had honestly just turned out to be deja vu.
Grilled Cheese Philosophy by @hwaightme
Wooyoung x fem!reader (wc - 14k) soulmate AU, slowburn - angst, fluff, hurt/comfort, mature themes Abstaining from a cruel reality became your one goal, and around every corner you searched for an escape from the turmoil. Until a certain soul-searching demon showed up at your door, adamant to make himself a part of your life.
that and then by @halaboyz
Wooyoung x gn!reader (wc - 2.1k) love at first sight - fluff
Forbidden fruit by @astoriasite
Wooyoung x fem!reader (wc - 5.9k) best friend´s brother, idol!Wooyoung, friends to lovers? - smut you think a one night stand with your best friend's brother doesn't lead you to anything.
Ocean, Bed, Tattoo by @hwallazia
Wooyoung x fem!reader (wc - 2.1k) established relationship, tattooartist!Wooyoung - fluff, smut wooyoung tattoos your skin with ink... and with his lips.
Whiskey Neat by @eoieopda
Wooyoung x fem!reader (wc - 8.3k) strangers to lovers? - fluff, smut there’s no common ground between yours and wooyoung’s vastly different circles. that is, until tuesday nights at the black catform the center of the venn diagram.
series
Win by @sorryimananti-romantic
Wooyoung x fem!reader (wc - 41k) complete royal AU - fluff, angst, smut-ish you are the princess of wonderland but also an undercover agent for your nation. on one of your undercover assassination missions, you happen to cross paths with wooyoung, also undercover. you cross paths again as princess and the representative of utopia's foreign affairs, and learn that wooyoung is a wonderland native but serves the enemy nation. though you two don't make the connection instantly, wooyoung soon realises that you are both princess and assassin- and you realise he serves utopia only on the surface. will you two team up and prevent utopia from taking your homeland? will wooyoung be loyal to you, the princess of the homeland that he has hated all his life, or to the place that raised and fed him?
Midnight Kisses by @mingigoo
Wooyoung x fem!reader, San x fem!reader (wc - 27.7k) single parent!reader, best friends to lovers - fluff, bit of angst, smut you weren’t sure how well you could raise your daughter as a single mother, but your best friend, Wooyoung, has been there every step of the way with no strings attached. When you decide that it’s time to try and date again, he realizes too late that his love for you doesn’t just stop at friendship.
body talk, dirty talk, pillow talk by @jungkxook
Wooyoung x fem!reader (wc - 8.8k + 8.9k + 10.3k) best friends > fwb > lovers, idiots to lovers - fluff, smut so maybe asking your best friend to take your virginity is wrong for a number of reasons, but you swear you’re still just friends. nothing more, nor less
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minparkmochi · 1 year ago
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ATEEZ FIC REC MASTERLIST
WIP
i’m literally atm still adding to it but with what i have rn you can still look and read
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Alternate-Universe:
•A/B/O
•Arranged Relationships
•Age Gap
•Angst
•BDSM
•Best Friends Brother
•Bodyguard
•Break Up
•Bullying
•Camping
•Coffee Shop
•College
•Crime
•Demons
•Dystopian
•Dom/Sub
•Drunk
•Employee/Boss/Ceo
•Enemies to Lovers
•Established Relationship
•Famous
•Fangirl/Fanboy
•Fake Relationship
•Fluff
•Fluff & Smut
•Friends to Lovers
•Friends with Benefits
•Ghost
•Halloween
•Hate Sex
•High School
•Historical
•Hybrid
•Kinky
•Mafia
•Maid
•Mentally Insane
•Model
•Neighbors
•Non-AU
•Office
•Parties
•Phone Sex
•Photographer
•Pornstar
•Religion
•Roommates
•Royalty
•Sad Fic
•Secret Relationship
•Soulmate
•Spy/Agent
•Student/Teacher
•Sugar Daddy
•Tattoo Artist
•Vampire
•Werwolves
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lavandulacosmos · 1 year ago
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Inktober Day 28: SPARKLE [ATEEZ x John Wick] 
Spy!Yeosang & Assassin!Seonghwa
"One of these days, I'll let you clean up your own mess," Seonghwa sighed as he stared down the two agents of the foreign organization Yeosang was meant to infiltrate. But instead instigated a fight with. After the mess the others caused the other day, Seonghwa knew Hongjoong would be livid, so Yeosang'd better come up with a good reason for causing another. "One of these days, the High Table will listen to me when I say some cases are just meant to be exterminated," Yeosang smiled, saluting the men with his glass. "So another usurper," Seonghwa concluded, unsheathing both of his swords as he slipped into his enforcer mindset. "How unoriginal." "Sparkling wine? Before we go to town?" Yeosang asked even as he stepped into the protective embrace of his blades, discreetly signing the opening move he wanted to go with. "We can open a bottle once we are done here," Seonghwa nodded. "We'll certainly need it for the dressing down we will get." "Are you scared, Black Rabbit?" Yeosang grinned, and dropping that name finally clued in their opponents just who they were facing. "From Hongjoong?" Seonghwa grinned back. "It's not me who should be afraid."
[ATEEZ days - Part 9]
Continuing the John Wick AU mini story from Day 25, 26 & 27~ (Insp.: x, x)
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