#but is it choice again that took him away from hyukjae

[rowonlgc]

with a little help of one park hyukjae, minjun gave him specific directions whenever items arrived for his friend. when it was all perfectly set, he asked hyuk to deliver a box to rowon’s door exactly that saturday morning. he wanted it to be the first thing the older male would see before leaving for his schedule that morning. 

inside said box, there was an old camera, a camcorder, and probably at least 100 polaroid pictures. it was evident they captured minjun during the past year, through different stages of his training period, but also landscapes, buildings, and random moments of the two of them together; they were in short amount, much for minjun’s displease, but still present (like the day rowon visited the last swimming competition minjun swum, their late night gatherings at a random convenience store and of course, this year’s famcon.

when rowon would turn the camera, he’d find more pictures, this time more recent, from every place minjun traveled with versus during that past month. there were about 90 pictures there, from minjun sleeping form to him practicing, and the many places he visited. the last picture was of a note, written in minjun’s handwriting.

“hi wonie hyung,

i should be there with you today but since i couldn’t, i wanted you to know that through all those days i’ve kept you in my thoughts. every place, every memory, every smile, i wanted to share with you, so i took those pictures as a way of showing you a little bit of the world through my eyes. i miss you mostly.

i cannot wait to see you and hug you again.

happy birthday,

junnie”

with the camcorder, however, it’s something different. the videos were all recorded through months, they are short, recorded inside the dorms, late at night. on them, minjun directs his words to rowon, telling him about his day and how much he wished they were still living closer. his last video is from a snowy city, the view from the hotel is in front of him but minjun keeps talking in a low tone, close to the camera:

“when you get to this video, i want you to close your eyes and imagine me there with you. there’s not one single day i don’t think about being this close to you. we will make it happen, i promise you hyung. one day it’ll be us together recording all those memories. don’t let go of my hand, ok?

love,

junnie”

last but not least, minjun decided to add one of his drawings as a gift. he knew rowon liked it when he drew and this time he hoped he would enjoy that as well. because it wasn’t only one drawing, but his latest sketchbook. inside, rowon would find drawings of the many places minjun traveled - los angeles, osaka and even seoul. every landscape was portrayed through the eyes of not only one person, but two - the silhouette of a couple holding hands during sundown in la, the same couple under the snow falling with the namsan tower in the background. drawings of a ferris wheel, the rooftop of a building, a collection of hoodies, and last but not least, a birthday cake, they were all there for him.

“you deserve the world and one day we’ll be exploring it together. i can’t wait to wish you a happy birthday in person. i miss you ♥

love,

rowon’s junnie”

🍰

there’s a particular gleam in rowon’s eye, one that reads go away. he doesn’t mean any ill intent towards the delivery boy, but he’s no longer interested in idle chit-chat — at least, not after finding out that this box is from minjun. so after sending hyuk off with a gracious tip of leftover swiss rolls, rowon carries the box to his room and sets it on his desk. for some time, he stares at it. the package is light in weight, and knowing minjun’s love of the arts, it’s likely more drawings. his heart sinks to his stomach. he has always adored minjun’s artwork. in every stroke and with every choice of color, minjun has somehow managed to capture the simplicity of a shared dream. it’s a wish from the artist to the muse.

a part of him doesn’t want to open it. a part of him doesn’t want to see what minjun has wished for them, because then — because then, rowon would want it too. he’d want it too much, and it would hurt, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to have it. not yet, at least.

he decides, after a good half-hour, to bite the bullet.

it bites back.

tens of polaroids are strewn along his desk, showcasing distant memories and moments he hasn’t been privy to until now. he keeps the few of them together closest to him, the faintest smile riding his lips as he recalls the famcon one in particular. it was taken just minutes before they fought over something that, in hindsight, was spectacularly stupid. but rowon didn’t regret it; he said exactly what he wanted to say, though admittedly through convoluted phrasing and a bitter tongue. it’s yours. i gave it to you. and it hurts me that you were able to let go of it so easily. as if he wasn’t talking about a dumb hoodie.

he picks up the old camera next, brow furrowing as he fiddles with the buttons. it’s been a while since he’s held one of these, but he likes the vintage charm of it. without much thought, he raises it to the window and snaps a picture of the framed illustration that minjun had drawn for him last valentine’s. it remains the only flower he has cared to keep alive. he picks up his phone to take a picture of the picture but stops abruptly. 1/91. he flicks through, and with each passing photo, he feels his chest getting tighter and tighter until he lands on the note.

i miss you mostly.

rowon shoves the camera back into the box as if it’s made of poison. his eyes flicker across the polaroids. the hole in his chest grows. he gathers them all up and hides them in a drawer. then he sits there, in complete silence, steadying what’s left of a last breath. he wants to be happy about this. it’s evident that minjun had put a year’s worth of thought into his gift, and yet — rowon can’t bring himself to feel that same spark of joy he had when minjun gave him the bracelet. perhaps if this were a different circumstance, a different time, a time before minjun debuted when they had every day together, perhaps then, he’d be happy. but in this moment, on this day, all he knows is this deep feeling of longing. of yearning. of missing. it’s been eating him alive for weeks now, and he doesn’t know what to do, how to handle it, he just —

misses him.

so fucking much.

his patience fails him once again. he reaches for the camcorder, figuring it bears a similar surprise to the camera. for the first time, he wishes he weren’t right. all he can do is watch as the clips roll. minjun’s soft voice fills the emptiness in his room. he tells rowon of his day, everything he did, what they could do together, one day. some day. when? rowon wants to ask. when can we?

he should’ve asked minjun to be his, back mid-december.

the last of the gifts is a sketchbook. it’s the first item he’d noticed but chose to ignore out of fear that he wouldn’t be able to get through the rest. but he can’t put it off for too long; he knows, of everything here, this is minjun’s true gift. he takes his time with this one, his fingers faintly tracing each illustration, pausing occasionally over the silhouettes. as much as it hurts, it brings that small smile back. he’s never been to los angeles, or osaka. perhaps he should put that on their itinerary, right under sydney, australia, his hometown.

when he gets to the final note, he reads it, and he reads it again. rowon’s junnie. his thumb grazes over the nickname. and he realizes then that he has it all wrong. he didn’t need to ask.

minjun is already his.

[blu-joons]

Telling Him Your Pregnant ~ Lee Hyukjae

Your smile was instinctive as you heard Hyukjae walk into the apartment, hearing his footsteps echo all around until he found you sat on the sofa, distantly listening to the episode of your newest series playing on the television, with very little attention being paid to it.

���How was work?” You instantly asked as he walked through to take a seat on the sofa, keeping a small bit of distance between you both. “Anything good happen?”

Your fast questions took Hyukjae slightly by surprise, usually you gave him a few moments to gather his thoughts before you asked him about his day. The more he thought about things though, the stranger a lot of what you were doing seemed, especially how jumpy you were.

“Work was just work to be honest,” he laughed, making himself comfortable, “nothing too much happened, few routines going, got the notes for Weekly Idol next week, don’t let me forget to read through them before I go to bed tonight and get learning.”

“When have I ever let you forget anything?” You nervously chuckled, smiling softly as Hyukjae’s head nodded back at you. “You’re lucky you’re dating someone with such a good memory otherwise I’m confused you’d spend half of your life stuck in a pickle.”

“Hopefully if we ever have a baby one day you won’t end up with baby brain,” he innocently responded.

Straight away however, your body tensed up, which Hyukjae quickly managed to pick up on too. You tried to shrug it off as best as you could, agreeing with Hyukjae’s statement whilst also trying to make your reaction as subtle as you possibly could.

“I was thinking maybe we could order in for dinner tonight too, I’m not really in the mood for busying up the kitchen,” Hyukjae then suggested, much to your relief. “Does that sound good?”

“Yeah, I’ll grab some menus if you want me to.”

As you went to stand up, Hyukjae’s hand grabbed onto your arm to pull you back down, taking you by surprise. Your body jolted as you fell back onto the sofa, unable to bring your eyes across to look at Hyukjae, well aware he was watching you.

“I was about to say that I’ll go because you look comfortable,” he sighed, “but now you look like you’re about to freak out.”

Your head shook, shrugging him off as he stood up from the sofa and made his way over to the drawer where you kept the menus. As Hyukjae returned, you quickly pushed aside two of the menus on top that you were sure you didn’t want to eat.

“I’m not feeling spicy,” you told him as his confused eyes watched over you. “I was thinking maybe something a bit plainer,” you added as Hyukjae sat down, only adding to his confusion as to why you were acting so uncharacteristically.

As much as he wanted to let things go, Hyukjae just couldn’t. “Something’s not right with you, usually you’re more than willing to try spice, let alone everything else that is going on.”

“There’s nothing going on,” you sighed, pushing the menus further away from you, unable to look at them.

With a sigh, Hyukjae leant forwards and took a hold of your hand, leaving you no choice but to look across at him. “Just tell me, I can tell that there’s something, you’ll only make things worse Y/N.”

“I’m pregnant,” you responded, barely loud enough for Hyukjae to hear what you were saying. “I’m sorry, I know this probably isn’t what you want or need, but I don’t know what else to do.”

His eyes widened, moving his other hand to guide your eyes across to him properly. “Why on earth are you apologising for being pregnant? Have you completely lost your mind, or do you just know nothing about me?”

“But you’re so busy,” you sighed, meeting his eyes. “We’ve only just got married, and your career is flying, neither of us planned on getting pregnant so quickly.”

“That doesn’t mean to say I’d ever be upset that we were pregnant, I’m thrilled Y/N, but I want to make sure that you are too.”

Your head nodded back at him, for all of your fears as to how Hyukjae would handle your pregnancy, you were over the moon. It had been something you’d taken a little more seriously since the two of you married, but you never expected it would happen so soon.

“I know you’re worried, but this is something we’ve discussed for a while. My career is flying, and it still can, I can just be a dad who has a successful career instead. We can be practical Y/N, that’s what we’ve been for so many years, right?”

“Of course. But having a baby is a little different to dating or getting married to each other.”

His grip tightened onto your hand, letting go of a soft chuckle. “It might be a little different, but it’s not impossible. Even if it’s a little quicker than we imagined, this is our dreams coming true Y/N, we can’t forget about that.”

You admired the optimism that Hyukjae had, he wasn’t blind to the fact that there would be challenges ahead but none of them would be challenges that Hyukjae would back down from, instead he’d just embrace them.

“It’s going to be scary, but we’re going to do all of this together Y/N, remember that.”

“I know, but it still worries me a little.”

“It would be stranger for me after all of these years together if you weren’t worrying, I know exactly what you’re like.”

“I just want to make sure that throughout all of this we protect you,” you smiled, “I’m worried that this could be dangerous for you Hyukjae.”

His head shook, having managed to get through marrying you just a few months ago with little backlash, he was confident you’d experience the same this time around.

“Are you sure it doesn’t somewhat feel like we’re rushing?” You asked in a whisper.

Hyukjae’s head shook once again, perhaps it was a little sooner than either of you expected, but that would never change how excited he was.

“We always wanted this one day, but the fun of pregnancy is you never know when that day will be,” he reminded you. “Our day is today, but I think even if our day was months, maybe years down the line, you and I would still have our worries.”

“You know whenever we found out that we were pregnant, I was always going to panic about something.”

His head nodded, pulling you towards him, “and you always know that whenever you’re panicking, I’ll be right there to try and pick you back up again and reassure you.”

“I’d be pretty screwed if I didn’t have you right by my side, especially during a time as crazy as these next few months will be.”

Neither of you would ever be able to predict how crazy the next nine months would be, but Hyukjae did know that you were right when you knew he was going to be right by your side. Work would be hard, his schedule would be an added pressure, but the two of you would get through it, just as you had done for so many years.

“We’ll stick together and make sure that from now on we enjoy the start of the rest of our lives.”

“Can you believe that this is really happening Hyukjae?”

“I think it might take a while to sink in just yet.”

---

Masterlist

[euijoowons]

LOSS [ Park Jeongsu x Reader ]

GENRE: ANGST, SLIGHT FLUFF

WARNINGS: MILD(?) CURSING, (MY) FIRST STORY ON TUMBLR

     The rain patted against the window gently, as if making a small rhythm to the male's small tapping. His reddish-orange tinted hair swayed slightly as he moved, his eyes nearly piercing the other in front of him. It was silent, besides the rhythm of the rain against the window, as the two stared at another. At this point, Jeongsu didn't want to say anything. He didn't want to waste his energy in saying anything, especially when he knew it would end in an argument.        "You look like hell, Jeongsu. You smell like hell too. Take a shower, get out of this damn house." the dark haired male stated, sternly and almost coldly. It was something that nearly caused the older to wince, not expecting Heechul to sound so menacing and demanding. It was unlike Heechul to be so stern, and Jeongsu knew it was because he was worried. But even with knowing that, Jeongsu couldn't bother to do what the younger was instructing him to do. It was what lead to the male turning away from the other, allowing his back to face Heechul and letting his gaze rest on the rain that pattered against the window.        "The doctor said she was improving. So stop doing this, and do something. She wouldn't want to see you this way, and everyone is worried about you. Including me, and you know I don't worry about others aloud." Heechul stated. His voice had became much more softer than it had been the first time he had spoken about the situation, as if he had just wanted Jeongsu to understand why he was there. He was worried, it was evident in his voice and his facial features.        The older male wanted to listen to the slightly younger. He wanted to go take a shower, put on fresh clothes, and maybe spend a bit of time with the people he considered his younger brothers. But, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't bring himself to go to that shower, to turn that water on and to get fresh clothes from his closet, to drive himself over to his and the others' usual hangout spot. As if he felt he didn't deserve the small sliver of happiness it would bring him. Which was exactly what he felt, because it was his fault.        Her eyes looked at him with a mix of slight desperation and sadness. She watched as he paced back and fourth in the room, not even once stealing a glance her way. It was abnormal for Jeongsu to act this way. He was usually a very patient and tame person, someone who wouldn't even hurt a tiny insect. He was just someone who never unleashed what he felt to the world. Though, everyone had their breaking point, and this was Jeongsu's.        "Would you like something to drink, love?" she questioned, beginning to stand up from her spot on the couch. She watched his figure, watching as he came to a slight stop at her words. "No." His reply was curt and almost cold, something that caused her heart to ache inside her chest. Jeongsu was never rude or cold toward her, not once in their years of a relationship had he been. It was just not Jeongsu.        "Would you like me to-" She began her question, though it was cut short by the male.        "No. I don't want anything. I just want to be left alone." He replied. It caused the female's heart to ache even more, but also for annoyance to arise within her. Though, she wouldn't allow it to show. Why? Because this was Jeongsu, and this was something that didn't happen often. She cared about this man too much to actually raise her voice or get too annoyed with him, especially in his awful state like this. That was just how she worked. "I'll go stay over at Hyeri's tonight, then. Call me if you need me." Her voice was soft and delicate as she grabbed her jacket and made her way out of the apartment, not even bothering to get fully dressed in better, decent clothing.        Heechul gave a loud sigh as he stared at the broken man in front of him, shaking his head slightly. Though, his sigh of annoyance and desperation didn't seem to really bother Jeongsu much. "You're really leaving me with no choice right now, Jeongsu. I will personally strip that clothing off your body and wash you myself at this point. What if you get a call from the doctor? Are you going to show up to that hospital looking like that? Not on my watch." Heechul stated, his voice becoming stern again. Jeongsu was his best friend, his brother, and someone that he had relied on way too much before. It was his turn to try and pay back those many favors that Jeongsu had done for him.        "I just don't have to the energy. I can't bring myself to do it, even though I know I should." Jeongsu mumbled, turning slightly to look over his shoulder at the younger male. He could feel tears sting his eyes, the memories coming back to haunt him. The memories wouldn't allow him to bring happiness to himself, even if it was a tiny sliver of it. Not even to please her when she woke up. If she woke up.        A knocking at the door caused the male to get up from his spot in his chair, an annoyed expression appearing across his features. He wasn't in the mood to talk with anyone, especially when he didn't even want to talk to his own girlfriend. "Please, go away. Whoever it is." Jeongsu stated, although he was slowly approaching the door.        "I'm not going fucking anywhere until you open this fucking door right now, Jeongsu. Do you know to keep your phone off silent?" Hyukjae questioned, his voice laced with poison as he continued to knock on the door. "Why? I put the busy signal on for a reason, and turned it on silent for a reason. Why are you bothering me?" Jeongsu asked in retaliation. "Because your girlfriend has been rushed to the fucking hospital! But, you wouldn't know that unless you had answered Yoona's calls!" Hyukjae seethed from behind the door. Jeongsu could feel his face grow pale, his hands beginning to shake. All of his previous worries had flown out the window, filling with only worries of her. He hastily threw the door open to reveal Hyukjae, his face contorting into twisted panic. "What hospital is she at?"        The sudden sound of a phone ringing seemed to bring Jeongsu from his state of mind and nearly causing his best friend to jump out of his own skin. Jeongsu really didn't want to answer it. He feared the worst. What if it was the hospital saying that there was no hope? It would tear him in two, he wouldn't know what to do with himself. He breathed in, staring at his phone that laid on the coffee table.        As if he had taken notice to Jeongsu's current position, Heechul quickly made his way to the coffee table and grabbed the device, answering the phone. Jeongsu stood there, eyeing his best friend and the device that was in his hand with caution, fearing the absolute worse of what could come from that damn call. All was silent as Heechul listened to the person on the other line, words that Jeongsu couldn't quite make out.        Jeongsu took to the realization that he was shaking slightly where he stood, his brown eyes staring holes of desperation into his close friend that stood in the room with his phone. It stayed silent, until Heechul thanked the person who had called and threw the phone at the older male. "We have to go to the hospital right now." Heechul stated. Jeongsu barely caught his phone, shaking as he watched as the other grabbed his jacket off the rack beside the door and threw it at him. He barely caught that item as well, before he was hurriedly pulling the clothing over his body and following Heechul out the door.        His eyes were focused solely on the road in front of him, even if he wasn't the one currently driving. He didn't dare to look over on the sidelines, to the passing buildings and people. He was just too focused and worried about her, that he couldn't even think about anything else. Right now, nothing was running through his mind besides her. Her appearance. Her memories. His memories. Please be alright.        It wasn't too long before they had arrived at the hospital, thanks to Hyukjae breaking the speed limit ten times over in a rush to get there. Within a matter of seconds, Jeongsu was out of the car and at the front desk of the hospital. He was quick to ask where she was, which room she was at, only to be informed that she was currently in surgery and that he would have to wait with the others. His heart dropped inside his chest, beginning to ache.        He approached the waiting area outside of the surgery room that she was in, taking notice to his other dear brothers and the few women that were the significant others of a few of his beloved friends. "I'm sure everything will be alright, Jeongsu." Ally stated, getting up from her spot beside Kyuhyun and gently rubbing the older male's back in an attempt to soothe him. He could hear the slight scoff that came from Yoona, though he didn't bother to comment on it. She had a right to feel angry and upset too, especially when this was his fault.        Once more, it didn't take long for the pair to find themselves at the hospital. And once again, did Jeongsu finally seem to have spring to his actions, as he appeared at the front desk in a matter of seconds. As if history was repeating itself, he questioned where she was. Though, this time, he was given an actual room number and nothing that was considered bad news.        He approached the room, only to stop when he came to the closed door. He shouldn't give up his hopes, to wish that she was wide awake and to draw her into his loving arms. He shouldn't, he knew that, but he hoped. He hoped that was what would happen, because it had been too long. It had been too long without her embrace, without her laughter, without her love.        He stood there for a good minute, contemplating his hopes and dreams, that he hadn't even noticed that Heechul had came to where he stood. "Jeongsu, open the door. I know you're fearing the worst, but it's been so long since you've seen her." the younger male stated, before opening the door himself, an action that Jeongsu figured the male would do, much to his displeasure.        Jeongsu walked inside the room, hesitantly and slowly. He was expecting the worse, even though he was hoping for the best. "Jeongsu! I'm so glad they called you!" Hyeri excitedly stated as she took notice to him. She quickly grabbed his hand and brought him around the corner of the curtain. At that point, Jeongsu could feel tears well up into his eyes.        Laying on the bed, wide awake with a smile across her features was the love of his life. She was awake. She was alive. She was going to be okay. Jeongsu could only find himself thanking every celestial being that was ever created for having her be alright now. He approached her, a tearful smile playing onto his handsome yet worn features. "I'm so glad you're awake. And here." he mumbled, wrapping his arms around her in a hug, trying his best to get her as close to him as possible without hurting her. He had missed her being in his arms.        "I'm glad you're here, and that you're okay too, love. I missed you. During all my dreams, all my thoughts were about you." she replied, feeling tears well up in her own eyes as she wrapped her arms around the male. She pulled away after a moment, a small laugh coming from her lips that caused Jeongsu to smile. He had missed that laugh so damn much. "Jeongsu, I love you. But, you really need to clean up." she told him, and he could only give a small laugh in return.        It seemed as everything was alright now.

[justtextmeoppa]

❝ I’ve an eternity with you ❞

Plot: You’re Super Junior’s manager and all of you are vampire. But you and Yesung hate each other so Lee Sooman puts both of you in the same house. With the time both start to develop feelings and in the end he can’t stand the situation anymore and tells the truth.

Pairing: YesungxReader

Genre: Vampire!Au  

Words count: 5,3k+ 

For our cutie @vintage-misery16, (FINALLY!!) I hope you like it! - M. 

Gif isn’t mine, credits to the owner! 

The screen in front of you illuminated part of your face, while your mood became more and more black at every second that passed.  

You had specified to not reveal anything about the new project, indeed you had forbidden the most inclined to let slip information to literally keep their mouth shut. And yet there he is, on the screen, with his smile that openly challenged your impositions.  

You never knew how it was possible that Yesung was still alive after all that time. His voice sounded faintly in your ears when you took your headphones off, getting out of the door like a fury ready to sink your teeth into someone's flesh.  

It had become unbearable to endure that man, his never-ending challenges, his faking to be a little angel when everyone knew how swaggering, arrogant and bad he was to the others.  

When the members of the group continued to attribute that behavior to the fact that he had undergone the transformation recently, you kept repeating that no, Kim Jongwoon, was a devil already before becoming a vampire.  

The transformation wasn't an event that happens at all. More than five hundred years ago there had been a war and no one knew how, but some soldiers had developed a particular gene. All kept assuming that they had been experiments, covered by the Government, which had resulted in untoward results. The fact that some soldiers had become "vampires", feeding on the blood of their comrades blinded by a violent thirst, could only be attributed to some kind of experiment. It wasn't possible that the human population, suddenly, became a species of herd of hungry animals without control.  

With the passing of centuries, the remaining humans - or those who didn't carry the gene - and the vampires had learned to live together, although the mutated population still had some difficulty in keeping their canine safe in their own mouth.  

And here you are, that you had undergone your transformation at only 16 years. Yes, all were born as mere human beings, without worries if they had within themselves the mutant gene. The age in which the change often occurred was in the twentieth; seldom it happened before. And it was this that surprised your parents, completely human, when they saw their daughter completely healthy become a monster.  

And it had been that the day when, after being kicked out of your own house, a gentleman with a kind appearance (perhaps too much, you would have begun to think after a few years) welcomed you into his home, gave you an instruction and everything that a person could even want. It was the 1940 and your immortal life began.  

"DAMN IT!"  

Your scream resonated inside the studio, the cameramen immediately closed the transmission and you could hear, thanks to your abilities, the amused giggles of Heechul and Kangin, in the farthest corner of the room. When Lee SooMan, the kind man who saved your life more than 70 years earlier, decided that you would be the most appropriate person to follow Super Junior, you never thought about how wrong that idea was.  

Your relationship with the group members was perfect, except with one. You had driven every single transformation, making them aware of what was going on and helping them control their most ruthless impulses. They were famous for being one of the few groups entirely "supernatural" of the world music scene, perhaps even for this were so followed. The different was well liked (and you wondered how it was possible that homosexuality was still a taboo in Korea), especially if it was represented by 13 perfect, sensual and talented boys.  

Jongwoon was your Achilles' heel. You couldn't stand him, and he couldn't stand you if he could have bled you with one bite.  

"Now she kills him," murmured Hangeng, knowing that this time they couldn't save their bandmates, "perhaps he deserves it," Hyukjae added and the only one who snorted was Heechul, who kept protecting his friend despite his continual mistakes.  

The sound of your heels on the marble of the floor resonated until you stopped before your goal, forcefully pushing your forefinger against his chest knowing that you wouldn't intimidate him. It was practically impossible to do it with him.  

"Listen to me," you'd say between your tight teeth, pushing your finger more forcefully and he made two steps back because of your strength, "when I say one thing, you have to obey. I'm your damn manager, can you figure that out?"  

"To be an old lady of almost ninety you have strength," he gave you a smirk and your patience was again put to the test, "Do you practice by chance?"  

An annoyed sigh left your lips, "Jongwoon, don't joke with the fire. You're a vampire, but you can hurt yourself too," you deadly whispered, moving away and leaving the studio with same violence with which you entered. And as you expected, Kim Jongwoon hadn't been scratched by your performance.  

 ~ ~

The smell of the blood in the glass had sickened you, despite your smile didn't disappear from your face. The blood produced by the companies that had found their gold mine in supplying the vampires always had a taste too strange for you. Too metallic, too fake. You didn't feed on human blood for more than half a century, and even though there were, by now, many remedies to that little problem, from time to time your mind and your thirst were so attuned that it was a torture resisting the impulse to sink your canine in the neck of someone.  

The steps outside your office, or rather at the end of the corridor, warned you that someone was about to enter and a few minutes after the one you wished to avoid seeing, settled in the armchair that you usually used in the late hours to relax our body after a tiring day.  

"Still having problems with Jongwoon, mh?"  

"Sooman-Nim, I.."  

"You two force myself to take extraordinary measures, Y/N," he hummed filling with blood a glass, drinking it in a single sip and then approaching your desk. His intimidating aura was so different from how you remembered it. If you could you avoid staying in the same room with him for more than five minutes. The kind and sweet man you had known dozens of years before was almost completely disappeared, or perhaps simply it had always been a façade. Or the business had changed him so much that you could hardly recognize him. "What.." Your voice was hesitant, while you engaged your hands to fix some documents in front of you, "What do you think you do??"  

"Pack your things, you're going to leave tonight."  

That news made you open wide your eyes, while a strange sensation made your way inside you and promised that nothing good would happen. With a sigh, you nodded and when he stepped out of your office, you followed him in a complete silence imagining that that was the end of your career as a manager. Who knows what that demon said to your boss (and father if for that matter) to get you fired.  

The hallways were quiet, it was so late that no one had stayed in that maze of offices, but Sooman's regular breathing kept reminding you that there was someone next to you. Vampires didn't need to breathe, but it was something that soothed humans. Seeing your breasts get up and down, feel your breath when you vampires crashed your lips with theirs in a burst of passion, every little gesture soothed the human mind.  

It was different for you. Breathing brought with it the ability to feel the scents, the flavors on your tongue, it was something magical that you kept still in your memories.  

Only after walking for five minutes you both came out of the building, where a car was waiting in the driveway. You didn't know if the vehicle was for you, for Sooman or for both. But when the door opened and your worst nightmare went down, you knew it was there for you.  

"W-what??"  

"Jongwoon has already packed his things. As you see you're both very happy with my decision, " sarcastic Sooman approached the luxurious machine, giving a vigorous pat on the shoulder to a bored and visibly infuriated Jongwoon, "I hope you can smooth out your differences in this way."  

The confusion continued to reign in your head, but always in silence, you followed the man in the car and you leaned your head against the window once the vehicle began to start. The only presence of that arrogant provoked in you the most inconvenient reactions.  

The profile of your apartment stood in front of you after ten minutes, the choice of living near the company had proved useful due to the amount of work you had every day, so without saying a single word to the other occupant of the car, you went out and with suffering spirit you headed to your room, after entering the bright and especially warm apartment.  

Your suitcase was on the bed and you started to go back and forth from your closet trying not to wrinkle your clothes too much. You loved the order, the cleanliness and that things had their own space, without too much trouble. Your soul was already damned, it was what you kept repeating for years, you preferred to keep your "human" life relatively quiet.  

"So this is your house, wow."  

"No one has given you permission to enter."  

"Why? From today we'll be roommates, what is yours will be mine. "  

Forcefully you'd close the suitcase, trying not to jump on him and biting him, opening the upper hinge in order to insert your laptop and the loader. Your footsteps on the floor were delicate, despite the heels you wore, and you moved to the room as a dancer moves on stage. Graceful and perfect. Jongwoon had always thought that you were too perfect to be a damned like all of them and it was perhaps the reason why he couldn't be nice to you. You were too much, he kept feeling at the lowest rung of a social ladder that suppressed him. The fact that you were Lee Sooman's daughter, then, worsened things. But he could hardly deny that you had an ethereal beauty.  

"Done? If you keep this way, I'll age ten years, " he mumbled bored, tightening his arms to his chest and feeling to be worn when you crossed him, beating his shoulder forcefully with yours. Ethereal, graceful but also lethal, that particular always made him smile.  

You watched one last time your apartment, your little private space that needed to distract your thoughts from the difficulties that being a vampire behaved, coming out with a sigh from the huge wooden door direct towards the car. The driver took your suitcase, managing to get a little smile and you entered the vehicle without even waiting for Jongwoon to arrive. You had decided, once discovered thanks to his words what was going to happen to both, that you would totally reset the contacts with him. You didn't have to talk to him, conversing and spending your time with him. Same house, but you would have used every grain of your willpower to keep him away from you.  

He entered the car and it finally started to drive to any place your dear "Daddy" had chosen for you, letting the mood of both darkened the atmosphere.  

"We're on hiatus, both."  

"WHAT?" The saliva blocked in your throat, almost choking you, but you immediately drove out that feeling, looking at him as if he was the cause of your every problem, which had a bottom of the truth. "What do you mean by hiatus?"  

"Are you deaf by chance? Or stupid? You know what it means, grandma. "  

"Jongwoon, don't star--"  

"Shut up, I need to rest, Sooman keeps me fast for two days because of our last bickering," he silenced you and turned his face towards the window, closing the conversation even if you hadn't finished.  

Hiatus, it meant that you'd be stuck in that house with him all the time because you were sure you wouldn't have the slightest permission to leave.  

The torture was about to begin.  

~ ~ 

"Have you seen my hair band?"  

"Even if I had seen it, I wouldn't tell you," he chuckled continuing to read the paper and you would raise your eyes to heaven, puffing nervously. His child attitudes were something you really couldn't bear, they created in you the worst murderous instincts you had to keep in every way.  

"Thank you anyway."  

You walked away from the kitchen, returning to look for your hair band. You had others, but they were buried in your suitcase, and even four days had passed, you couldn't unpack it. You continued to hope in the good soul of your paternal figure to be able to get you out of that condition.  

Jongwoon did practically nothing. He fed himself, occasionally he had fun cooking human food to annoy you -the smell slightly sickened you- and the music that came from his room could be heard in every corner of the house because of the volume. A child, he behaved exactly like a child.  

"Here it is," Jongwoon appeared next to you, handing out the black band you were looking for from whole minutes, waiting for you to grasp it, "Isn't that what you were looking for?"  

You nodded quietly, shaking the soft fabric of the object in your hand and prevented the corners of your mouth from rising upward. You would never give a smile to that horrible being, as you kept naming him with your best friend every night. The music from his room changed, even when he was downstairs he was quieter with a background of his favorite music, turning into a ballad that sounded familiar to you despite not being able to recognize it. Yet it was pleasant, one of the few choices you could really appreciate.  

"Y/N?"  

"Thank you for the hair band, sorry I was distract.."  

"Do you want to dance??" He handed you, his expression always emotionless but his eyes were brighter than usual. You hated him, but you loved dancing and that song almost seemed to call you so ignoring the screams of your mind to not accept his request, you rested your hand on his and he gently clasped it. You would never have believed that he could have such a delicate touch, but he made you believe it when with so much prudence he placed his other hand on your side and drew you to himself. Your bodies were close but they couldn't touch each other and for this you were grateful, so you both started to move your feet in perfect synchrony by waving for the living room as if you had wings under your feet. His grip was strong, his hand covered totally yours and the one that he kept resting on your side was delicate, but he managed to drive your every movement to perfection. You could feel his touch from under the silk robe that you wore, almost burned that small portion of skin but you didn't care about it. The touch of another vampire always had a similar effect, you didn't have to worry about it that much.  

The time seemed to stop around you and only when the electronic beat of an EDM song echoed for the house you remembered what you were doing, moving away to each other. "Thank you," you whispered before disappeared up the stairs, looking refuge between the walls of your bedroom.  

Once you enter you lean against the door, managing to still feel his warmth on your side. As if his hand was still resting against your flesh.  

"You forgot the band downstairs."  

His voice behind your door made you jump, but you wouldn't trigger the lock. That moment of intimacy, the music in the background, the perfection of which he seemed to move without making any effort, all the whole had a strange effect on you and you would have waited the next day to be able to face him. Maybe because of that Jongwoon, that strange and nice kind version of him was kind and you.. You liked him.   

A furious banging against your door suddenly woke you up and with fatigue you watched the alarm clock next to you, noticing that it was only four o'clock in the morning. As anger began to boil even inside you, you would get out from the bed and open the door you let someone fall on the floor of your room. Your gaze rested on the figure still standing in the hallway, Heechul, and then on the one on the floor that gasped in an attempt to breathe.  

"What the heck..?"  

"Sorry Y/N-SSI, sometimes I also lose control because of this jerk," the eldest of the two apologized, giving you an amused smile while you noticed the blood on his knuckles. "Oh shut Up, Hyung," Jongwoon gasped and in an attempt to stand up he grasped your arm, so you found yourself having to help him.  

Effortlessly you put him in an upright position, quickly passing your arm under his armpit to be able to support him since he didn't seem very stable on his own legs.  

"Can you care to explain me, Chul?"  

"The jerk has almost bitten a girl earlier and you know it's something I can't stand."  

"So you came out, you ugly asshole? I'm confined here and you can go out?" You hissed, passing Heechul and direct to his room. With a kick you opened the door, starting to drag him and throwing him on the bed without much care. You would have preferred that Heechul had done some worse damage, some damage that even a vampire takes more than a few days to heal.  

"Y/N, he escaped, neither of you is allowed to leave. How is cohabitation?? "  

"Horrible, unlivable, heavy."  

A whistle of appreciation came behind your shoulders but you ignored it, you weren't in the mood to joke with what you considered one of your dearest friends, starting to strip the boy on the bed.  

"So that's what you wanted?" he asked with a lopsided smile, feeling your hands on his body, but you shook your head and took off the blood dirty jeans letting them fall on the floor.  

"In your dreams, you prick. Now try to sleep, tomorrow you'll be good. "  

You walked away from him and you turned walking toward the door, where Heechul was waiting for you. "Thank you," it was a whisper but you both could hear it, so you closed the door without answering. He didn't deserve it, just as he didn't deserve that strange and unhealthy concern that had gripped your heart when you saw him dripping with blood on the floor of your room.  

 ~ ~

"Good morning," the greeting of Jongwoon went empty because you would lay your empty cup and leave the kitchen without even saying goodbye. And this provoked his annoyance, like everything you did in the rest. Deeply Inhaling he followed you and without delicacy slammed you against the wall, closing every way out and letting his body towering on you. He smelled clean, the few scratches he had on his face had disappeared and his gaze emanated that ounce of danger that capitulated every single fan. They loved Yesung for that, but without knowing Jongwoon.  

"What do you want?"  

"You're fucking polite. If I give you a good morning, I'm asking for an answer. "  

"I pretend I didn't wake up at four in the morning by a blood-covered jerk, but my claims are never respected, " you answered sarcastically and his eyes darkened, the iris began to turn and that docile dark color was slowly becoming the scarlet red that characterized the novices. "I pretend that you don't get killed and then soil my floor with blood. I pretend you're more responsible. You were going to attack an innocent girl yesterday," The tension was high among you two, you could feel it even on your skin so much was high, but that wouldn't have prevented you from saying what you had to tell him, "Jongwoon you must be careful. I know what that means, we all know. We know the feeling of thirst, the treacherous burning that sticks your throat in the worst moments and the control that slowly leaves your body. We know it, but you also are a public figure.. You can't let yourself go. "  

His face was unmoved, no emotion outlined those usually so kind lines when he was with the other boys and you sighed, trying to move him away by pushing your hands on his chest. But even though you were stronger and older than him, your efforts were totally vain.  

"Jongwoon, let me go."  

"You have to stop making the haughty girl, Y/N. Not because you were born before me, it means you know more things than I do. I know how to control myself, so I don't need your rhetoric. "  

He walked away, raising his hands to heaven and smiling with sarcasm he disappeared up the stairs. Leaving you with that same concern felt a few hours earlier, feeling that didn't seem to want to leave you for no reason. And it was at that moment that you realized that something was changing and maybe not for the better.  

~ ~

"Ehi, take this," You handed him a cup full of blood and he arched his left eyebrow, trying to conceal the surprise that your gesture had provoked.  

After the incident with Heechul had passed two months, two months full of oppressive silences but moments of calm and tranquility where you were even able to converse from time to time. And in those weeks, closed in the same house with him without being able to use the work as an excuse to distract yourself, you had begun to develop feelings for him.  

At first, it was something related to concern. You were worried he could get in trouble. Slowly it had turned into affection because when you watched him even from afar, you didn't feel the feeling of annoyance that had been your companion for more than three years. Maybe the disgust was the cover for something more, you didn't know. But with the passing of days, you were astonished to live better the days with him, to smile more and to be kinder to him.  

"I don't drink artificial bloo--"  

"It's mine."  

The newspaper fell with a little puff onto his legs and his eyes wide open made you realize that he was upset. Rarely did another vampire offer his own blood, but you knew how much he struggled with the artificial one and found difficult to resist the impulse of drinking the human ones. You protruded the cup towards him, then sighing when he didn't squeeze it and rested it in his hand, closing his fingers on the smooth surface of the cup.  

"Drink Woon, you know you have to feed," you order, giving your back and returning from the direction you came from.  

"Y/N; It's your damn blood. "  

"So?"  

He followed you, after resting the cup on the table, grasping your wrist and inspecting the two holes on the delicate skin that were already healing with speed. He stroked with his thumb one of the two holes, trying to figure out what was that confusion that was quickly blurring his head.  

"I can't drink it, it's your bloo--"  

"You already said it, it's not important.. It's just blood."  

"It will make me dependent on you, Y/N," he emphasized that information with contempt and despite you kept thinking of not having a soul, you felt hurt by his words. Almost he was disgusted by that thought, to be in some way tied to you. You tried to hide at best what his words had provoked and rested your other hand on his you rid effortlessly from his grasp. No sudden gesture, no sarcastic response. You didn't feel the strength to fight with him, especially because now on your part there were feelings that you were struggling to manage.  

"I'm sorry, I hadn't thought about it.  You can avoid drinking it, I don't want to cause you any more problems. "  

The rustle of your slippers was the only thing that he heard shortly after, you disappeared in a second and only your scent remained with him. He could perceive it, as if you were still beside him, giving slowly to his head. The confusion became even more persistent and he spent the rest of the day closed in his room, seeking the answer to those questions that kept nagging him.  

It was two at night when he decided it was time to go out and be able to find something to eat in the fridge, he would even swallow liters of artificial blood to smooth out the thirst that was tormenting him.  

The music struck him when he began to descend the stairs, a sweet but sad melody came from the living room and the notes resonated for the house making it as desperate as the song he heard. In small steps he approached the room, noticing you sitting on the stool while sliding your fingers with mastery on the black and white keys of the piano. He had never heard something so beautiful but sad at the same time and would never say that you knew how to play so well. No one knew because you never played before the others. You sister taught you, that same sister who had repudiated you once you became the vampire you were.  

You sighed as you observed how your fingers were getting married with those keys, without noticing the presence behind you that kept observing you totally kidnapped by your beauty. And that vision, you so irresistibly perfect under the light of the moon, erased altogether the confusion of those hours.  

Jongwoon knew what happened to him and hated himself for making it happen. Because in his mind you were too perfect for someone broken like him.  

"Oh, I didn't notice you," you murmured by blocking your fingers on the keys after you turned towards him, "I didn't want to wake you up with the music, sorry.."  

"Go to hell, Y/N."  

He walked away from the living room under your astonished look but this time you wouldn't let it run, you thought your relationship had slightly improved. And instead, he was acting like an asshole as always.  

The floor beneath your feet was cold, but you would welcome that feeling with pleasure, and you could stop him just as he was about to get out of the main door. "What the hell are you doing?"  

"Let me go Y/N before I can't respond to my actions!"  

"NO, NOW YOU TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK YOU GET!" Your screams were high, but you knew nobody was living nearby so you didn't care much. He freed himself from your grasp and went out, the warm air of the night struck both but you followed him even though you were still barefoot and in a nightgown. "JONGWOON!"  

"GO AWAY, Y/N. I CAN'T STAND YOU ANYMORE, THIS COHABITATION HAS TIRED ME."  

"I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPROVED. YOU WERE ENE KIND, NOW AND THEN!! "  

"YOU'RE MY FUCKING PROBLEM!"  

The pain endured during the transformation made less harm than what he yelled at you. You stuck in the middle of the driveway, while he turned and watched you with a short breath. His hands were shaking, even he seemed to be tormented by a tremor that you couldn't explain. But you, inside you, felt a tornado of emotions that were about to make you collapse altogether.  

"IT'S YOU, YOU," he pointed his finger at you, at quick steps he came up to you and pressed your wrist lifting upward so you could observe it, "YOU'RE MY PROBLEM. COULDN'T YOU KEEP BEING THE PRICK YOU ALWAYS ARE? WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME? WHAT!?!? "  

"I.. I don't know what you're talking about, you didn't even drink my blood. You were disgusted by the idea.. "  

He opened his eyes wide feeling the misery with which your voice was resonated in his ears, by quitting the grip on your wrist that was left inanimate to your side while for the first time, after more than seventy years, hot and unexpected tears began to slip on your cheeks. Vampires could cry, but it was a rare occurrence and you had never experienced it.  

"I was disgusted by the idea.. Did you really think this?? "  

"Obvious, otherwise why you should have refuse--"  

His lips crashed with yours, suddenly silenced you. They moulded on yours, made his own and you started to reciprocate that kiss after a few seconds. His hands slipped along your hips, stopping on your back and drawing you to himself, letting your bodies adhere to perfection. His lips continued to move against yours with passion, almost as he was trying to survive thanks to that kiss and shortly after the tip of his tongue stroked your lower lip, asking for access. You denied it and walked away breathlessly, managing to loosen the grip of his arms on your middle.  

"What--what the hell.. Jongwoon.. " You panted, feeling a strange warmth blossoming in your chest and spreading flat for every nerve that your body possessed, "w-why..? "  

"I wasn't disgusted by the idea," he started whispering, approaching you again, and with his fingertips, he drew your cheek, stroking your cheekbone and slowly descending towards your jaw, "I was afraid to not control myself if I had tasted your blood.. I was afraid to hurt you. "  

"I--I wasn't referring to that.. W-Why did you kiss me..? "  

"Isn't it clear why someone kisses a person?" His usual sarcasm stroked his voice, but there was something more. A sweetness that almost dimmed it, which made what he said most affectionate. "I kissed you because these two months have made me understand so many things, but I still think that you're too perfect for me.. For anyone. "  

"W-what..?"  

"You're really dumb, are you? I like Y/N, it's not hard to understand. "  

"Oh....."  

Jongwoon smiled, amused by your reaction and without saying anything for the first time he showed his true colors in front of you. He was fragile, so much to evaluate himself inferior to you when in fact you were nothing special.  

He smelled like hawthorn and vanilla, something good you thought while resting your forehead against his chest and letting him lull you from that hug, treating the wounds you've been carrying inside you for years. The fear of being abandoned, of not being enough or beloved, had tormented you for years after the refusal of your parents. But that simple hug began to heal what time had failed to cure.  

"Y/N..?"  

"I like you too," you asserted quickly, after understanding what he wanted to hear, bending your head backward to watch him and a huge smile painted on his lips. You hadn't noticed that you had fed a dependence on his smile, but when his lips stretched out the vise to your stomach squeezed, making you almost melt in his arms. "It was taken for granted, otherwise I wouldn't have kissed you.."  

"Or you wouldn't give me your blood."  

"That you didn't drink."  

"I told you the reason, silly girl."  

"Don't mock me!"  

"It's so easy, dummy."  

You grunted and pinched his side, while in the distance the headlights of a car lit you up and approached more and more. You remained in his arms when the car stopped in front of your driveway and Leeteuk along with Donghae and Heechul went out, starting to whistle at the sight of you two into the arms of each other.  

"They will tease us..?"  

"Well, Woon.. They have eternity to do it. "  

"At least I'll pass it with you, it's not a bad deal this."

[idhyukjae]

one on one.

Character development prompt; Detail your parent’s initial and current thoughts on your career choice; +5 exp.

A small part of him knew he had always been destined for great things, for good things, for the best opportunities out there. Something in him always told him that he had everything in his power to do something about it, that if he really trusted his gut and followed his instincts? He’d meet eventual success. 

A coin has two sides, and he always saw his parents as that ‘life coin’, per say. 

His father hated the idea. He was the first one who made sure to mock him every time he pranced around their living room, dancing and singing to Michael Jackson songs. He was the first one who called him “an idiot” for mentioning he wanted to be a big star like all of the famous singers on TV. Hyukjae still, ever so vividly, remembers one of his father’s birthdays. He knew they were short on money and, being just a seven-year old foreigner in America, it wasn’t like he could get out of his house and get a job, it was impossible. Thus, he prepared a performance for his father. It was strange, because as far as he knew, his dad didn’t even like music, so, Hyukjae had to choose a random song he thought fit his father and then created his own choreography. Safe to say the performance lasted five seconds because his father was quick to call him a “loser” and told him to “never waste his time with something as stupid as that.”

Message received, because from then on, he stopped doing anything that could anger his dad. If he wanted to sing or dance? Then he had to do it in the shower (as he shared a bedroom with his two older brothers who, just as his dad, they also hated that ‘side’ of him.)

His mother loved the idea. Whenever dad wasn’t home and his siblings were too busy probably stealing money from someone; she was the one who encouraged him. She was the one turning on the radio, she was the one prancing around the living room while holding Hyukjae’s hand, dancing around like nothing else mattered, like at that time? The only thing they should care about was their happiness, their moment. She was the one who even made outfits for him, sparkly, fun outfits. She was the one he always performed to. She was the one who welcomed his voice and moves as the greatest birthday presents she could ever receive. 

His mother wanted to push his career, always looking out for him and looking for ways she could help him improve. She was sure he had talent, just as she was sure he could be a huge star if he truly wished to do so. That’s why, when he entered his teens, she was the one who wanted him to go to that one American talent show. She knew he had what it took to get in and win! But, at the time, she didn’t know better and allowed her husband to not be okay with the idea, ending Hyukjae’s dreams. 

...for a couple of days that is.

Nowadays, his mother believes that all of the sacrifices in the past were absolutely worth it. When she watches him perform with Titanium, she knows that every tear, every effort, every fear pushed away, every penny spent moving back to South Korea, every terrible job she got to find them a place to live while he pursued his dreams was worth it. When she watches his son shine and smile, when she watches the fans go almost crazy over him and his group mates; she knows, for sure? That everything she did in the past for him was worth it, and she would do it again if she had to.

As far as his father goes? Hyukjae has no idea if he’s even aware of his current career. He has no idea if his father knows he’s already fulfilling one of his dreams, but truthfully, he wishes he did. On top of that, he wishes he’s proud of him, he wishes for him to be sorry for what he did in the past, and for him to feel very happy about him being the star that he is today. 

But he doesn’t know and something tells him that he might never know. But only time will tell.

[kewltie]

Random Useless In-‘verse info #3 - space slave fic

I am extremely nitpicky when it comes to title because for me it has to convey the central theme of the fic or relate to it somehow so “a fronte praecipitium a tergo lupi” is the official title of space slave fic and it’s a latin proverb that translate to precipice in front, wolves behind, basically between a rock and a hard place. This reflects Donghae’s current situation with Hyukjae, the most wanted and dangerous man in the entire galaxy.

The first arc of space slave fic set up Donghae as an animal-human hybrid, part of the genetic modified human (mod), dubbed as “animo” in completely different galaxy than ours. Mods were created as a means of war but what do you do with all these people once the war is over? They get enveloped back into society but society can’t accept them as their equal because they are much too different and dangerous so they reclassified as second class citizen, but the animo–animal-human hybrid– are consider even subhuman by that standard and many of them are made into slave. The governments is able to exert control over the Mods by managing their dependence on the drug, DUST, which is the only thing that keep them alive.

This system is completely abhorrent but it’s the only thing that Donghae had ever known. Compare to most of his kind, Donghae lives a relatively spoiled and privilege within his glass cage because of the rarity of wings that make him extremely desirable. The very thing that make him a subhuman in many people eyes also make him an attractive item for the rich and powerful who wish to add him into their collection. Though his master had never raised a hand against him and he never had to dirty his hands nor worry about getting the wrong side of his master, there’s a reason Donghae, no matter how attractive he is, isn’t use for sex because you don’t have sex with your pet right? So Donghae’s master see that as bestiality in his eyes :/. It say a lot that you can love your pet and treat them well, spoil them in your care, but people don’t often think of their pet as equal terms as themselves because for many they wouldn’t value a dog life as equal as they value their spouse or kid because one is a human and the other is an animal. So while Donghae is quite love and heavily spoiled, he is nothing more but a pretty trinket for his master to show off at parties.

So this is why upon meet Hyukjae–intergalactic terrorist, murderer, wanted criminal, mad man, and countless other monikers–who gave him a choice to come along with him and his crew of wayward criminals or go back to the empire, he is stumped by the choice he is given, the first major decision in a very, very long time. Both, admittedly, are terrible options because if he go back to empire he will be made into a slave again with a different master but if he chose Hyukjae, someone who is a stranger to him and who only heard through rumors and whispers of insurrection and so many deaths, whose know where he’ll end up.

This is where the title comes in because it’s literally between a precipice in front of him and a wolf at his back, but in the end he chose Hyukjae. Which, interestingly enough, by his perspective is not the lesser evil of the two but perhaps the more dangerous option because at least if he had chosen the empire, he’ll end up with in the same situation as before–it’s familiar and comforting even in his cage but with Hyukjae there is so many unknown and he’ll constantly be on the run and hunted across the galaxy and it’s terrifying but rather than falling over the precipice and accepting his fate, he turned around and walked straight in the jaw of the wolf because at least it’ll be his choice.

Choice is a very powerful thing to give to someone who had very little of it in their life, and is it in that way that Donghae chooses to follow Hyukjae, not to save the people or to dismantle the corrupted system, but for his own selfish desire and that’s perhaps the greatest gift Hyukjae had ever given him.