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enihk-writes · 1 year ago

Text

[i got my red dress on tonight]

pairing: baek cheon x afab!she/her!reader

summary: you were in a wedding dress for an assignment, baek cheon misunderstands the situation.

word count: 7.21k

[01] ║ [02]

content warning: mentions of a death late in the story // brief detailed description of a post-mortem examination

author's note: heavily inspired by that one scene in the crimson wedding arc from yeon lokheun, webtoon chapter 44-45,,,,, oh man,,,,,, it got me thinking for YEARSSSS!!!!! i was running laps and losing my mind!!!! oh my god!!!!! foaming at the mouth,,, yall i have to get it out of my system asap,,,, i let it marinate in my noggin for too long,,, finally i have my perfect lab rat to test the scene on,,,,,,,, baek cheon,,,,,when i catch you,,,,,baek cheon,,,,, grabs him like a squeaking rubber chicken.... i hope yall know im writing this while my main room light is broken and im doing all of this in complete darkness lmao the maintenance takes weeks to get back to me.... OH AND BTW,, the story got so long i had to cut it in half... i think i would have gone insane if i let it run any longer.

[PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION! I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TRIGGERS CAUSED BEYOND THIS LINE]

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the fourth division of the emperor's guard corps was a small unit with members you could count with the fingers on both hands. otherwise known as the unnatural death investigation squad, you and your fellow detectives would take on cold cases from various magistrate offices across the empire, who just couldn't understand why people were suddenly dropping dead like flies without rhyme or reason. most times, it was a restless spirit. other times, it was the work of some unorthodox martial arts cult.

and when it was the latter case, that's when you had to call on other martial artists to deal with their own. civilian government and murim politics shouldn't mix. that was the first and most important unspoken rule everyone had to follow. but it was not that big of a deal to turn a blind eye toward anything not involving the law.

it was from these exchanges you first got to meet baek cheon.

he was by all means a good guy, annoyingly put-together every time you crossed paths with him. it would've been better if he wasn't so sharp to know exactly what would rile you up — made you wonder if there was some ulterior motive for all of this.

it was on the last night of an expedition in some town you didn't even remember the name of anymore. the case was closed with no issue and the spirits had been led into the afterlife smoothly. it was just one of those days when the problem was nipped in the bud early enough that the casualties were kept at a minimum. your fellow detectives had decided to celebrate by drinking and eating at the inn till your pockets were drained.

you let them do what they like, besides, it's been a while since the squad had a proper break from work. it was good to keep things balanced, and if you did run out of money you could always ask the emperor for more.

but there was no doubt that you were growing tired. eyelids growing heavier as the night went on, the noisy chatter of the people around you was lulling you into a short slumber.

miss detective, you shouldn't be sleeping in a place like this.

there was a low voice speaking softly in your ear. you open your eyes a crack to see a hand cradling your head gently. as you slowly came back down to earth, you glimpse at the familiar faces of the mount hua sect disciples talking to your subordinates. chung myung was already ordering multiple bottles of wine as he made himself comfortable at the table seated next to your vice-captain, the others were mingling around. which means—

are you awake, miss detective?

in your drowsiness, you had somehow leaned back far enough to fall out of your chair. baek cheon had caught you just in time and saved you from getting hurt. you should have been thankful, but the embarrassment of having him of all people see this humiliating side of you really ruffled your feathers, and you had to hold back from jolting away out of instinct.

thanks... i suppose.

you say, muttering off at the end. not wanting to look at the man who was now sitting next to you.

hm? i didn't quite catch that...

you swing your head to glare at him indignantly. but baek cheon returns your hostility with a closed-eyed smile, an arm propped up on the table, his cheek resting on his palm.

i just wanted to say thank you... for catching me from falling over just now...

hm.

that's it? a mere hm, like he wasn't trying to tease a reaction out of you and you were fighting so hard to not give him that satisfaction of knowing he got you wrapped around his finger, and all he could give you was a hm?

you know, if baek cheon wasn't as handsome or good-looking as he was, you wouldn't have been this upset and bothered. you were so cool-headed, you were so good at being calm it was exactly how you got this job but he had to dance into your life and keep appearing around you to the point where it was weirder if you hadn't heard any news about him at all—

hold on.

wait.

did you... did you just think that he was... handsome and good-looking?

oh no.

you did like him. when did it even happen? how could you have let this happen? this wasn't what you had planned! ugh, curse that stupid heart of yours! why were you this weak to handsome men?

standing up, you feel your face grow heated. shit. shit. shit. has he noticed that you liked him? you'd rather be caught dead then have baek cheon flash you that annoying smile at you again.

miss detective?

you look down at his face, eyes turned down in worry. a small pang shot through your heart — were you going to have to be mean to that soft expression on his face?

you racked your brain for a reason, any good reason to leave, but all your answers were all filmsy and really, truly obvious that you thought he was a problem. but he just looked so much like a kicked puppy your mouth just began to blabber.

i'm fine. i just.... needed some air... that's all.

oh, that was so smooth. you totally nailed it, you smart woman—

ah! then, could i accompany you? i guess i'm still worried that you would fall over like you did earlier...

fuck. you couldn't say no to that.

sighing deeply, you nod. whatever strength in you utterly spent. you knew in your gut that whatever god or guardian angel existed was snickering at you right now. and you sure hoped that you were putting on the best-damned show of their lives.

you made your way out to the back alley, but not before dropping the money for the bill in the store-owner's hands. baek cheon followed closely behind. so close, in fact, that sometimes you would move back a little and inevitably bump into his chest. and every time you did, his hands would ghost over the dip of your curves. always close but never actually touching you, leaving you even more frustrated at each instance.

ah...?

you feel something furry brush past your ankles, the sudden feeling made you jump back yet again. and once more, he was there to catch you from falling unceremoniously to the floor.

miss detective... please be careful...

his voice was low and breathy, and so, so dangerously close to your ear. again, those stupid hands of his were hovering along your sides. barely touching even though he could have. you glance at his hands. you mind wonders how it would feel on you.

they were bigger than yours for sure, rough with callouses and healed over cuts, probably from the training he's done. his fingers were thick, but also shaped so beautifully — shame that his nails were cropped short, you think it would have made his hands look lovelier. if you held them, you wonder, would your fingers fit into the gaps of his?

was this the time to grow a little courageous? should you say something? your head runs with questions you were not sure if you wanted an answer to, but if this went on for any longer, you don't know how your poor heart would have handled it.

mount hua's righteous sword, there is something i believe we should address. something that is related to the two of us.

you had turned to face him, your eyes looking straight into his. baek cheon gulped anxiously at the intensity of your gaze, moving a step back as you took one forward. one foot behind another until he was backed up against the wall. he wanted to hide his face, having you right in front of him like this... he didn't know just how much more he could endure.

i think you're a little too close, miss detective.

am i now?

you chuckle, palms laying flat on the wall on either side of him, arms straight as you hold yourself up and only slightly away from him. everything around you begins to go dull, it was just you and him, standing in this narrow and dark back alley where no one had ever bothered to pass through. the night was cold, and the warmth radiating between from him was tempting, but you weren't going to make the first move. you figured he might share the same feelings as you did, or something close to it. if you push at it, would he fold to his desire or would you be proven wrong?

miss detective, i'm not sure if we should be doing this?

hm? whatever do you mean?

miss detective, please don't act coy.

baek cheon tried to be firm with you, tried to reason with himself that this was just you playing a prank on him. though, he really wanted to know what it would be like if he leaned down and took your lips in his, and got you to shut up for a bit.

forgive me, miss detective, for what i am to do. i am merely a mortal man with desires, after all.

his voice dropped into a breathless whisper as he brought his hand under your head, cradling it as gently as he would a precious being. fingers tread through your hair before it takes hold of a small bunch, yanking it lightly to have you look up into his face. your hands hurriedly grasped his uniform, the fabric bunching up in your tight grip. sure, you did the calculations, but man, were you shit at math. your heart was racing so rapidly at that point you just knew he could feel the thumping of your chest against him.

nervous?

he asks, leaning down a little closer, the corners of his mouth quivering from turning upwards into a smile. this little shit! you should've known he was ten steps ahead of you and planned for you to corner him like this since the night began!

so you connected the dots?

i cannot imagine just where you get your audacity from.

hm, maybe if you kiss me now, i could tell you.

stop looking for excuses and just... you know what?

baek cheon's eyes widen when he feels you grab the front of his uniform, pulling him down and feeling something soft barely brushing against his lips for a moment before you pull away.

you hid your face behind your arm, feet flat on the ground after standing on the tip of your toes just to reach his ridiculous height. if you didn't know any better, you would have thought you were running a fever with how heated the back of your ears and neck were becoming, palms ridden with sweat and the shrill ringing in your ears. you hoped it was dark enough that he wouldn't see you in this state.

baek cheon on the other hand, was still reeling from your straightforwardness, never really expecting that you were the one to take the lead. but strangely, he wanted to see more of that side of you, and honestly? he liked that his heart fluttered from that.

oh? taking the initiative now, aren't we? miss detective, you've gotten so bold...

grinning down at you cheekily, he tries to take a peek past the arm you were hiding behind. he was really having the time of his life taking the piss out of you, wasn't he?

please shut up.

i think you'd have to make me, miss detective.

you shot him a look. wondering if you were the bolder one or he. but maybe you didn't really need to mull over that question for long since he's already cupped his hand on your cheek, tilting your face to meet his as he leaned down once more, to give you a proper kiss on your lips this time.

and you couldn't find it in you to pull away.

he felt the same.

if one of you pulled away for a second, even for a short gasp of air, the other would chase after them — it's almost like the two of you had finally been given something you were both starved of for who knows how long?

it was getting dangerous, how heated things were growing to be between the two of you — he parts from the kiss for a moment, muttering a soft, wait, as his arms hooked under your knees, hoisting you up and against the wall.

you take this moment to look at him, properly. the new angle had him looking up at you, eyes a little glassy and his lips slightly damp and swollen from all that kissing. that forehead ribbon of his had begun slipping a little, your hands found their way to the back of his head, untying the knot and watching it fall over his eyes and draped across his shoulders.

i didn't even notice it was coming undone...

baek cheon mutters to himself, not really bothering to do anything with the ribbon, especially since his hands were a little busy with holding you up against the wall.

you giggle, leaning down to kiss his now exposed forehead, a peck on his brow down to the bridge of his nose and further onto his cheekbones and back again on his lips.

he smiles into the kiss, growing giddy as the air grows scarce between the two of you, the heat of the moment growing to a boiling point and beginning to tip over. shit, things were going fast, but it felt like it was now or never, your clothes were dishevelled enough to be taken off at this point and if he'd asked you to, you think you would have done it without question.

senior investigator!

baek cheon sasuk!

it was the voices of your juniors sent out to look for you both. probably because of how long you were back here with him.

the two of you pulled away from each other, minds still in a daze from what conspired. but as the footsteps grew closer towards the direction of the back alley you were in, the realisation snapped in instantaneously — baek cheon drops you on your feet, as you scramble to straighten out the creases on your attire, he ties his hair back up as neatly as he could, patting his uniform down and trying to look presentable. not that getting caught would have put either of you in trouble, it was just not something a senior should be seen doing, especially when out in public.

you look back at him, and your eyes meet. you feel a little shy after what happened, and he shoots you a sheepish grin in an attempt to apologise for the interruption. hm, maybe you should find him in private later, to continue this exchange, seeing how neither of you were satisfied with this outcome.

miss detective...

baek cheon clears his throat.

our juniors are calling for us, i believe we should get going.

you nod, absentmindedly.

you were the first to walk off, baek cheon hanging back for a moment, not wanting to cause you trouble by walking out together with you. even if he really wanted to pull back for one last quick kiss.

stepping out onto the streets, your junior officer greets you, their eyes growing round in the way only a rookie new to the field would be. through the nervous stammer of their words, you receive your instructions for the next operation.

behind you, baek cheon finally emerges from the shadows, heading towards the kid from his sect, the one named jo-gul, was it? they talked amongst themselves, voices too far and too muted for you to dechiper. well, who cares? that wasn't any of your business anyway.

miss detective, i'll be going in now.

again, his voice was low and slightly raspy in your ear. a hand rests on your shoulder, a little rough and bigger than yours but still pleasantly warm regardless.

sure. i won't keep you here any longer.

your tongue darts out to wet your lips, looking away from his hands.

the rookie's eyes dart between you and baek cheon rapidly, the cogs in their brain turning faster when they see how his hand leaves your shoulder and down to his side, though his fingers kept lingering over the small of your back as he talked to you.

he pulls away at the last second, hands balled up lightly as he takes a step back and turns to walk towards the inn. the rookie clicks their tongue, what was that anti-climatic scene? if he wants to flirt, do it properly, for heaven's sake!

oi rookie, watch it.

shoot, they forgot you were still right there.

═══════════════

that was the first of your many escapades with him.

both of you were moving from town to town and had different places to be every time. but on the off chance he was in the same area as you were, he would always be the first to find you, slipping out of bed in the middle of the night to meet you at the open windows of your room. sometimes he'd walk in with his sa-jaes into the restaurant you were in and act as though it was a whole coincidence. with the whole never expected to see you here speech and everything.

it wasn't though. you had already told him where you were planning to take the kids for dinner when he came over last night, and you had joked then that he would use this knowledge to walk in like he had no clue beforehand and put on a big act about how all this was such a coincidence, totally not something he'd already known of.

aww... so you want me to lie to everybody?

he sulks a little, rolling to his side in mock sadness, facing away from you. but the bed you were both lying on was only so wide, and baek cheon ended up on his back, looking up at the ceiling while the cicadas cried into the summer night skies.

you giggled, cooing at his somewhat childish display, your hand reaching out to cradle his cheek, turning his face to meet yours.

but i thought you said we shouldn't tell anyone about us yet?

scooting a little closer, you drape your arm across his chest, moving around to get more comfortable. a short pause later, you let out a tired yawn, nuzzling your head under his chin, fingers curling around the loose threads of his clothes.

you couldn't see it then, but baek cheon's felt a small twinge in his heart at what you'd said. yes, it was true that he'd suggested keeping your relationship a secret, for now. but, it was also true that you wouldn't have agreed to be with him in any way if you were both ever open about being together.

you'd told him in passing about how falling in love or having a significant other was risky and frankly, quite troublesome — especially in your line of work. if you ever needed anything, or ever felt the need for something physical, you'd rather have one where strings weren't attached.

did you like him? yeah.

were you committed to him?

...

that was something you don't think you could ever say yes to with any sort of certainty or conviction.

you liked the way things were with him now. meeting him every few weeks, making out in dark corners of the streets or behind closed doors where no one else goes, catching up and cuddling in bed until he had to go back to his place before the sun rose — it was nice. that was a nice routine.

if you were to commit, what if your feelings for him begin to change? what if they changed because putting on a label for your relationship was like chaining you to him in some way? you were a selfish person, always had been and always known it. you didn't like promising yourself to someone, yet you wanted baek cheon to be with you only and also hated the idea of you yourself ever liking anybody other them him.

your finger had been drawing shapes on his chest mindlessly this whole time as you were deep in thought. he wonders what was weighing on your mind this deeply for you to be looking that lost?

baek cheon decided not to push it.

if you'd retreated away from him, out of habit or apprehension, he doesn't think he would be able to handle the pain he would feel from that. so instead, he chooses to flip you on your back and pepper your face with kisses. at least it snapped you out of whatever reverie you were in, and he even got to see you giggle a little.

this was good enough.

it was good enough for the two of you right now.

═══════════════

i have to go off earlier tomorrow.

it was spring now, and a few days after new years. the red banners and lanterns were still hanging above the streets, festivities still not over with the distant laughter of children or the clinks from the cups filled with sweet wine from last year's harvest or the startled barking of dogs as firecrackers were set off.

i can't tell you what it is about, obviously.

you continued, making your way over to where he was, settling down on his lap, legs on either side of him as you were both face-to-face. he hums softly, arms slowly snaking behind your waist, pulling you in close enough to burrow into your chest.

someone's a little clingy tonight...

you say with a teasing lilt in your voice, not bothering to stop or push his head off you. he mumbles something in retaliation, though you couldn't hear it with how muffled the sound was from how he covered his whole face in your chest. wow, who would have thought that the righteous sword of hua was a pervert all along huh?

earlier that day, baek cheon had a feeling in his gut, he didn't really know if it was a good or bad feeling but there was something in there, telling him that he should try to wear his heart on his sleeve just for you tonight. it's almost like, he was scared of something that would certainly change your relationship with him was going to happen soon.

you look down at him, wondering what got him so unusually quiet.

cheon-ah.

he lets out a noise of acknowledgement, not looking up at you.

cheon-ah, what are you thinking about?

this and that.

he still wasn't looking up.

you huffed. really? you were finally seeing him after more than three months, and now, he acts so distant when you're bound to leave tomorrow? this was unacceptable.

cheon-ah, look at me...

a short pause, and with a shaky breath —

...please?

he hears the tremble in your voice, and he feels like a knife had pierced and twisted through his wretched heart. no, he didn't mean to make you cry, he didn't mean to upset you.

he looks up, eyes desperately meeting yours, taking in how glossy it looked. really, he should be saying something, but he couldn't find the words. choosing to pull you down on the bed with him, amused by the muted grunt you let out when you fell on his chest.

sorry about that.

he wants to tell you how much he's always liked you, he wants to tell you how much he's waited and waited to even have the courage to first approach you, he wants to tell you that he wants so much more than a touch-and-go night encounter with you, that you were so much more then a means of fulfilling his physical needs.

but yet again, like every night before this, he keeps those thoughts to himself. he could see clearer than anyone that you still were not ready to commit to him. he said he could wait, and so he will wait.

honestly though?

he was believing less and less in his own patience.

═══════════════

the new assignment your unit was taking was the consistent deaths of young brides who, after being left alone to prepare for the first wedding night, were all found dead under mysterious circumstances. no signs of a struggle led everyone to think it was a case of taking one's own life.

thing is, with one or two far-apart cases it would have been a viable reason. but with how it started all of a sudden and had never stopped since, everyone believed it was a serial killer. again, with no traces, there was just no way to tell who was responsible for all the tragedies that have occurred.

the fourth division of the emperor's guard corps, otherwise known as the unnatural death investigation squad, were all psychics of varying degrees. some could only see, some could only hear, some could only purify and some were a combination of a few of those traits. but all were trained imperial soldiers, and you stood above them as an outsider with the ability to do all three.

you had to work really hard to gain the respect of your subordinates. though, that is a story for another day. people have asked, wondering why the emperor, of all people, would ever put together a unit that specialised in exorcisms?

well, sure he was a man of science, and he personally didn't believe in all of this occult gibberish. but he was a ruler, and a decent ruler listens to the needs of his people no matter how silly it was. at the height of the unexplained death phenomena that spread and planted seeds of fear into the hearts of the people nationwide, the special unit was formed quickly and dispatched. deep down, you knew the real reason was that he did not want to create a flaw in his authority and risk his position on the throne he fought so hard for.

when all these cases were solved, what was going to happen to you? what was going to happen to your subordinates? the emperor, he was a man who kept up appearances. if history were to record the existence of this unit, he would have seemed like a fool who believed in something as baseless as the supernatural. and he hated that idea more than anything.

though, that was a bridge you would have to cross when you get to it. you just hoped you could lie and provide a cover-up convincing enough when that time comes —

chief detective!

you felt your body jolt in surprise. you were so out of it, not hearing the constant calls from your juniors. what a bad example you were setting. your worries will have to be put aside for now. you were to meet with the latest victims of the bride slayings.

you step into the bedroom of the newlyweds, decorated from floor to ceiling in red, the colour of prosperity and the promise of a life of joy with each other, now sullied with the blood of the innocent bride.

right in the middle all alone, was the groom, sitting quietly on the chair, his hands gripping the veil his wife wore close to his chest. his back heaving, his breaths shallow and shaky. it seems he has cried away all of his tears, and all that was left was a man who was a shell of himself. he turns to the people coming in, and you bite back a gasp at the hollow emptiness of his eyes.

have you found the one who took my wife's life away?

the fathers of the bride and groom share a look, before shaking their heads. unable to find the strength to answer him.

oh, i see.

the man answers numbly, turning back to look at the veil in his hands. his shoulders droop even lower and you felt so, so much pity for the family.

the two fathers bring you back to the courtyard. telling you the story of how all of this happened.

═══════════════

new years eve.

the streets were filled with villagers visiting vendors and watching lion dance performances long after the sun had set. the energy of the crowd grew when a palanquin decorated with ribbons and flowers made its way down the road.

cheers and hoots erupt from the crowd as the more nosy few tried to take a peek at the bride inside. she sat with her legs folded under her, hands placed delicately on her lap, the vibrant red veil covering her face from the world. she was glad for the veil, grateful at how it hid her giddy smile. she had met the man of her dreams and was now going to marry him? she never thought she would be this lucky.

after tonight, they would really be husband and wife.

the bride giggled, her hand over her mouth, she was so happy. would this happiness ever end?

the palanquin soon left the village centre and turned onto the road leading to her groom's house. the trip was a short and rather uneventful one. after all, it was from her parent's house on the other side of town, less than a few minutes away.

when they arrived, she stepped out and was greeted by a line of ladies-in-waiting, all hired just to help her prepare for her wedding night. the bride, felt her face heat up at the thoughts running in her head — how improper! she really should behave a little.

she was hurried into the bedroom, all decked out in lavish red decorations, and was told to wait for the ladies-in-waiting to come back soon.

the door shut behind her, and the bride was left to her thoughts.

the moon shone high above the cloudless night sky, it's cold light gentle and quiet. the bride takes off her veil, taking in a deep breath of the fresh air after being suffocated under the veil the whole ceremony.

hehehe...

a tinkling laugh swept past behind her in the dark bedroom.

startled, the bride looks back, searching to see who or what it was. she takes a timid step, and then another into the dark room. her hand rests on the back of a chair to steady herself as her eyes grew used to the darkness.

she was alone in the room.

how peculiar, the bride thinks, wondering if she was just hearing things from exhaustion or nervousness.

the shadows above started to trickle down onto the unsuspecting bride, as a pair of hands began to take shape around her. the long fingers taking ahold of the veil in the bride's hands slowly, inch by inch, until the sides were bunched up in their hands.

keugh...!

in a quick motion, the shadows lifted the veil upwards, catching the under of the bride's chin. the bride didn't even have the chance to react, it all happened in an instant. she couldn't even put up a struggle, and her feet grew limp and eventually stopped kicking.

═══════════════

that was how we found her.

the groom's father ended the story with a glance into the room where his son still sat. the bride's father was also in a mess, covering his eyes with the palm of his hand, trying not to let out a sob.

you take in the sight before you, steeling yourself to ask the inevitable question.

if i may, could i see the body?

the fathers share a glance.

you may.

they agree to the request and turn to lead you to the funeral home where the victim lay to rest. the one who met the three of you at the entrance was a small, middle-aged man who had his seeing glasses balanced precariously on the tip of his nose. he introduced himself as the private coroner the two fathers had hired. you nod solemnly in greeting.

we will be taking our leave now chief detective. i hope you can find the culprit soon.

when the backs of the two fathers finally disappear into the horizon, you turn to the coroner, your gaze landing on the table behind you. you gesture at him to give you the run down of what he's found.

the bride's injuries were as expected, ligature marks on her neck where she had choked against her veil. her eyes were rolled back, and her tongue was puffy, sticking against the roof of her mouth, meaning it was hard for her to breathe. thin miniscule red threads were found on the underside of her fingernails, probably from when she was clawing at the veil. interestingly enough, there were no signs of other materials found. no skin or foreign hairs, did she not see who had attacked her?

there's also something i want to show you

the coroner pulls the white sheet covering her body down, revealing to you a spot on her shoulder, dark with veins growing outwards of the centre in a spider-web fashion. you took another look at the unnatural paleness of the corpse, it's almost as if —

her blood was drained?

yes, and we found her like this, officer.

you look at the man, hoping he would continue, but he only replied with a shrug. it seemed that he was just about as clueless as you were in this bizarre post-mortem findings.

you thank him, regardless. leaving the funeral home to meet your team with more questions than answers.

the surroundings were quiet and still, almost like nothing this terrible ever happened at all. nature held back, refusing to give you a clue on this matter. you didn't sense any presence back in the bedroom, you felt nothing in the funeral home or even when your fingers hovered near the odd spot on the victim's shoulder.

chief?

somehow, your feet had led you back to the inn you and the kids were staying in. you didn't want to waste too much time, as much as you would have loved to ask more questions about when the incidents even began, there was a wedding scheduled in a few days and you were not going to let a bride die like that on your watch.

═══════════════

chief, isn't this dangerous?

it is. but we have to do it, i can't think of any other plan. we're too short on time.

but what if something happens to you, senior?

you pause, mulling over the idea once more, before letting out a long drawn-out sigh. you plop on the chair, tired and exasperated, your head in your hands. they were right, something could go wrong and you could die from this. but a job was a job, besides, you didn't want to risk anyone else's life with this reckless plan you had.

if something happens to me, remember that getting rid of the culprit is your top priority. you can always find me later. is that clear?

silence.

the kids all looked at each other anxiously.

officers. have i made myself clear?

your voice hardens, time was ticking. you had to go now.

a few of the new recruits flinched at your cold tone and the older ones looked away. you were going to ask them again but they finally responded a meek, yes chief.

═══════════════

night has fallen, the red lanterns had been lit once more and the colourful banners and ribbons danced high up in the breezy night skies.

baek cheon walked together with his sect brothers past the bustling crowd of people. they were all leaving the town to go back to mount hua after finishing the odd jobs the elders had given out.

hey, isn't it a lot busier today?

one of the other second-class disciples wondered aloud. baek cheon looks around him, noticing the crowds were larger than yesterday's. and a lot more excited for some reason too.

did you hear? there's a wedding procession coming along!

another wedding? didn't we have that a few days ago?

baek cheon, felt his ears twitch.

a wedding, huh? his mind wanders off to an image of you donned in red silk, patterns of peacock feathers and branches woven in gold thread, a red veil over your head and your hair decorated with peonies and the loveliest plum blossoms one could find atop mount hua.

just like that bride sitting in the palanquin over there —

oh.

his heart sank, shattering at the pit on his feet. he knows that face anywhere, how could he ever hope to forget that face that was now mirroring his own in shock, though he couldn't tell if you were just as despaired as he was.

you had only planned so far, you didn't think he would cross paths with you like this. you didn't want him to see you like this. not at all, not ever. your mind registered the way his shoulders fell, shoulders that were always straight and firm, to show the world how he carried the name of mount hua with pride. they fell, because of you.

what should you do? you have to let him know but, the mission! you couldn't abandon your post, but you —

your eyes darted frantically, nails digging into your palms from how tightly your hands were balled. something, there had to be something!

a gust of wind blows harshly past the town, strong enough to send your veil flying off your head towards the crowd of people. it flutters in the air, like a vivid flame, falling gracefully on the dusty dirt path.

baek cheon steps past the crowds, picking up your veil that fell to his feet, clutching the delicate fabric in his hands. he looks at it longingly for a moment and you wonder for a moment if he would have a change of heart and tear it up in anger. maybe if he did, you would have felt better, it would be justified and you would have paid your dues.

a loud crack and the sky was filled with blooms of light. the crowd's attention was drawn to the fireworks being set off in the distance. their heads and bodies turn away from you, and they made their way towards the site of the new spectacle. you watch baek cheon exchange words with his sect brothers, and they wave goodbye as they too turn and went off.

it was just you and baek cheon, and the distance in between you two, left in that place. he dusts off the debris on your veil and walks towards you in big strides.

one. two. three.

just like that, he stood before you, his features backlit by the blinding fireworks in the sky. you couldn't read his expressions either, the night was too dark for you to make out anything.

cheon-ah...

you know.

he cuts you off, not wanting to hear what you were going to say. not wanting to know if this was truly what he thought it was.

you know, i've always wanted to be the one to lift this veil off you one day. but to think another man would be the one to do it, and not me... it hurts. i'm sorry for being so selfish, i know you don't like men that are like that. but, i can't help it... you know?

baek cheon gently puts the veil back on your head. he wants to tell you how pretty you looked then, but he bites back. this wasn't his place to say such a thing, he wasn't even yours anymore. besides, he's said more than enough.

he steps back, and takes another, turns, and begins to head off. if he stayed, he might do something he would regret, he didn't want to go off and act on his desires and ruin your future because of it.

you weren't thinking when your hand reached out, grabbing the end of his sleeve, gripping at it till your knuckles turned white.

baek cheon stops in his tracks, his head turning to look back at your face, the outline of your frantic expression shining through the translucent veil. you were so cruel. how could you pull him back in like this, when you knew how weak he was to your every order?

don't grip it so hard, you could hurt these lovely hands you have.

he spoke softly, taking your balled fist in his, thumbs rubbing it over soothingly. he coos as your grip grew loose, lacing your hands together with his, bringing it to his lips as he kisses the tip of each finger tenderly.

he's still not your husband yet, and you're not his either. so i suppose this much i can do.

muttering, he cradles the back of your head tilting it up to face him. baek cheon leans down, placing his hand over yours that had wriggled free from his kisses, now gripping the frame of the opening in the palanquin.

you gasped softly when you felt his lips meet yours, the veil that was still draped over your head acted as a barrier, but it couldn't really obstruct the desperation you felt in his kiss. he parted for a brief second when the air in your lungs ran out.

cheon-ah, listen...

he draws you in for another kiss, and another, and then another. or was he the one moving closer towards you? either way, he was falling into the small space of the palanquin you were sitting in, the air rapidly growing warmer as time went on.

finally, he pulls away, breathless and dazed. you were looking up at him, doe-eyed with lips soft and plumped from his ministrations. you looked so tempting, he wanted to carry you up and away from here to someplace no one besides him would know of, leave everything behind and live out the rest of his life with you.

your hand reaches up to brush his hair out of his face, tucking a strand behind his ear, fingers ghosting over his cheek. baek cheon laughs tiredly, moving to place a peck on the palm of your hand and finally pulling away fully. stepping out he stands up fully, squaring his shoulders, he steels himself to really get going.

wait, cheon-ah...

your hand reached out again to grab at him, but he was too quick for you, leaving you grasping into thin air. your hand fell, and so did your heart. you didn't get to tell him, you stupid, stupid woman! you were supposed to tell him, weren't you? getting all caught up in a kiss like some teenage girl in puberty — you were the head investigator of the fourth division for fuck's sake!

you sigh deeply, leaning back to rest against the hard lacquer of the palanquin. you had to get back to your job. hopefully, nothing bad happens and you finish this mission quickly. maybe you could even catch up to him and finally explain everything, clear up all the doubts in his mind once and for all too.

you lit the smoke flare and sent it out to your unit waiting on standby.

well, it's time to get going.

#enihkwrites #return of the mount hua sect #return of mount hua #return of the blossoming blade #rotbb #rotmhs #baek cheon #baek chun #baek cheon x reader #baek chun x reader #return of the mount hua sect x reader #return of the blossoming blade x reader #title is cringe but i am free #i was struggling against my school assignments just to release this fic on my birthday which is like 7 days after baek cheon's lmao #clearly i did not make it on the date #working that baek cheon ai i created to the bone rn

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