#head hurty lol and it's keeping me up

[orphanedwolfandfriends]

Sleeping's for chumps.

[hyunfilms]

blue side of the sky (lmh) | twelve.

♡ spotify playlist | series masterlist

—summary: waking up after 3 months with no recollection of your past, your friends do what they can to help you remember. except, they omit an important piece to the puzzle - afraid you would remember the heartbreak and hurt all over again.

—pairing: lee know x f. reader

—genre: (18+) exes to lovers, bestfriends to lovers au | fluff, angst, (eventual) smut

—word count: 4.5k

—chapter content/warnings: cussing, more of a lighthearted chapter hehe but a very oc x minho centered chapter! JJ & chan share some words with minho, hanging out and spending time together, cute lil flashback, small sweet kisses, lots of thoughts about recent events lol, holding hands, feelings being aired out, quickly edited so pls excuse any errors! also pls trust that things will fall into place as they should 😩

"Dude, what the fuck are you doing? I got this. Just goooo." JJ whines and tries to shove Minho out of the back area of the café. "You're hanging out with Y/N today and the first thing you think about is coming to the café? Weirdo."

"Shut up, okay? I wanted to bake something really quickly."

"Where are you guys hanging out at now? Is it just you two this time?" Minho nods. 

"Yeah. She said she's been wanting to go to the Conservatory of Flowers, but hasn't since it's kinda far. I offered to take her."

"Hm." JJ hums. "What did Jisung say about this?" Minho shrugs.

"Nothing. We haven't been talking too much. I know he's still mad, but I'm sure we'll talk about it soon."

"I mean truthfully, it's valid. Cause you fucked up." Minho glares at him before shaking his head. "But, I know you're trying to not make things weird. I just hope you both don't fuck this up."

"Yup." Minho pops the 'p' in his response, tired of people associating him and Jisung with 'fucking things up.' Him, mainly. He gets it, though.

"No, but on a serious note. Are you going to tell her?" Minho pauses.

"I will. I will eventually." He looks at JJ.

"As long as you do it and it comes from you. Nobody else." JJ looks at him worriedly. "Promise me that, please? It's the least you can do for Y/N." Minho continues to keep eye contact with his cousin, pursing his lips before letting out a sigh.

"Yeah, I know." Is all he can respond with before swallowing the lump in his throat. It has to come from him. It wouldn't make sense for Jisung to do it, and even if they were fighting about it now, he'd never let Jisung take the blame for this.

It needed to come from him.

"Alright." JJ says. "So, what are you baking exactly?"

"Nothing for you, if that's what you're asking." Minho chuckles. "Kidding. I did get a head start on these brownies for you, though." He sets the timer aside, peeking into the oven at his special for the day. "7 mins left." Minho washes his hands and sets the hand towel aside.

"Didn't you make these already?"

"Yeah." Minho purses his lips together before heading towards the back door of the café. "They're Y/N's favorite."

"This dude." JJ mutters to himself as he watches his cousin hop into his car and drive off. He has to stop by home really quickly to get a few things together [esp himself] before swinging by to pick you up.

"Where are you going?" Chan asks as Minho steps through the door and hurriedly heads up to his room.

"I need to take Y/N to the conservatory."

"For what?" Chan chuckles.

"Just cause. She wants to go." Chan hums.

"I'm assuming Jisung doesn't know about this?"

"He does."

"No, that's not what I'm saying." Minho stops in front of the bathroom to look at him.

"Then, what are you saying?"

"You. Your feelings for her."

"He's aware, I guess." Chan shakes his head and shrugs.

"We can't keep hiding this from her, you know? Especially if you're starting to have feelings again."

"Yeah, I know." Minho sighs. "But Jisung just doesn't wanna talk to me about it. He doesn't wanna talk about any of this. Wants to play things safe."

"It's not going to be safe forever. We're going to end up hurting her more." Chan looks at him worriedly. "Besides, you've called it quits with Kat, right? Officially? No more back and forth shit. You— that—" Chan pauses. "That whole thing was fucked up." Minho's eyes soften and all he can do is respond with a small, subtle nod. "When you say you're done, please mean it. For both their sakes, especially Y/N."

"I know. I.. I mean it. That's done with."

"I get it. The whole accident was hard to process but falling onto Kat shouldn't have been the first thing you thought about while Y/N was in there. But, you should know that's why we're equally scared about the outcome of this, right?"

"Yeah, I know."

"Alright then." Chan shrugs it off as if he didn't know what else to say. Of course, he couldn't continue to lecture the guy— he's aware Minho has heard it time and time again. "Well, enjoy the conservatory." 

"Mm, yeah. I will." Minho rushes into the bathroom to end the conversation and finish getting ready. The topic has started to dwindle on him and it's been messing with his mood a bit. He knows JJ and his friends come from a good place, and he knows he has to tell you.

It just never feels like the right time.

Or, he's just afraid of ripping that bandaid. He tells himself it's never the right time because he wants to avoid re-opening the wound.

Inevitably, it will re-open and he has to understand that.

By the time Minho is finished getting ready, Chan is also on his way out to head to the studio. They bid their farewells and go their separate ways, Minho brushing off the talks that just happened to put himself in a better place before having you in the car.

Uncle Adrian is just about to get into his truck when Minho pulls up to the curb. He gives him a small smile and wave before hopping in. Minho waits until he pulls out of the driveway with one final goodbye before stepping out and heading to the backyard. As he approaches your cottage, he can hear the soft music playing in your living room area while you hum along. 

"Y/N?" He knocks and calls your name.

"Door's open! I'm almost done." He hears you say before twisting the door knob and entering your space. A gentle, calming smell of lavender fills the room, and it fills Minho with nostalgia.

You brought home some fresh lavender. Like you used to.

He plops on the couch and manspreads, catching up to the group chat with his roommates. He chuckles to himself when he finds Seungmin and Jisung going at it over a certain video game, with Chan trying to change the subject and prevent it from going on. 

seungmin: dude you're full of shit, that game is sooo bad

seungmin: i've seen better

chan: what time is everyone getting back home?

jisung: maybe you're the one who's bad at playing it?! i highly enjoyed it

jisung: the complexity, graphics, story line? chef's kiss

minho: both of you could greatly benefit from being quiet

jisung: all of a sudden

jisung: go pay attention to y/n

jisung: since you wanna be all knight and shining armor now

chan: ooooookay lets relax lmao

chan: so, what's for dinner tonight?

Minho lets out a small, dry chuckle at Jisung's continued passive aggressiveness, but he knows he also just needs a moment to talk to him more about this; to let him know that he acknowledges he was wrong first and foremost, but he truly means it when he'll do better this time around—

"Hi." You pop out of your room in a cute little sundress and your sneakers.

"Hey." He smiles at you and stands. "You look cute." 

"Thank you." You giggle.

"Are you ready? Do you need anything before we go?"

"Mm, no." You grab your bag and phone before looking back at him. "Thank you for taking me. I know it's probably going to be so boring for you. I really would have been okay taking a cab and going by myself."

"No, I don't mind it. I'm happy to take you." He chuckles as he steps out and waits for you to lock your door. You walk alongside of him and scrunch your nose when you look up to meet his eyes.

"You sure?"

"Of course." Minho laughs, letting you settle into the passenger seat before he hops in. This really wasn't unusual for him, anyway. You used to drag him and Jisung to the monthly free admission days that a few museums participated in. He'd go, he loved spending time with you. With his bestfriend. It was always good times.

☁︎ FLASHBACK | JUNIOR YEAR

"Wake up!" You yell as you run into Jisung's room, letting the door hit the wall harshly.

"Cielo, what the actual fuck?" He mumbles sleepily, bed head poking out of his covers. "It's so early."

"It's literally almost 11am and time to start the day." You smack the covers. "Get ready! We're going to the science museum!"

"Have you lost your mind? On a Saturday?" Jisung tries to bring the covers over his head, but you tug on it and pull it back. 

"Nope! It's free admissions day! Minho's already getting ready." Jisung groans. 

"Yeah, because he's your boyfriend! Just take him!

"Nope, you're coming along too.

"I swear to god."

"I'll buy you food later." He groans even louder before tossing the sheets off of him and waddling over to his closet.

"Fine." He mumbles, shooing you out of his room so he can pick his clothes out and get ready in peace. 

Once the two are finally up and ready, you take them to the science museum downtown. It takes about a good 25 minutes to get there with the daytime traffic already beginning, plus finding parking in the garage proves to be even more difficult until you hit the lower levels. The admissions line is a bit lengthy, but it moves quickly, finally allowing you, your boyfriend and your bestfriend to enjoy the museum. 

"What exactly are we doing here?" Jisung's bitter ass wonders as he adjusts his hat.

"To learn new things." You face him just as you slip your hand into Minho's. 

"Okay then, lead the way princess." Minho gives you a toothless smile before letting you begin the journey around the museum. Eventually, Jisung slips out of his exhaustion and begins to enjoy the visit— now also joining in and excitedly pointing at the huge dinosaur exhibit and the aquarium right past it.

As Jisung settles to watch the divers swim around the coral reef exhibit, Minho lags behind you to snap a few candid photos before slipping his arms around your waist and planting a soft kiss against your head.

"Enjoying yourself?" You giggle as he continues to hug you from behind, the both of you a few steps away from Jisung [who is nearly pressed against the front and center with the kids]. 

"Yeah, told you it'd be fun."

"Baby, I never even had a problem with it." He laughs a bit. "At least he's enjoying himself now." You both chuckle at Jisung joining the kids and pointing at different fish.

"I know, grumpy pants." 

"Hey." He gently taps your waist. "Face me."

"Why?" You look at him slyly before turning in his hold to face him.

"Just cause." He smiles before kissing the tip of your nose, down to your lips. "Glad you're having fun."

"Are you having fun?"

"Course. Nothing beats spending time with my girlfriend and the child." You laugh. "Look." He pulls out his phone to show you the pictures he's taken of you. "Like 'em?"

"They're cute! May I have permission to post these?" You ask cutely and Minho laughs.

"Yeah, but. I need a little tip." He puckers his lips, and you give him what he asks for— slightly tiptoeing to kiss him on the lips again. 

"Thank you."

"Mhm." He boops your nose.

"Yo, lovebirds! Let's go check out the insects please." Jisung pleads.

"Why? All you're gonna do is cry about it when you actually see one." Minho furrows his brows and laces his fingers with yours as he follows him to the insects section.

"Oh yeah, so funny." Jisung says sarcastically. "And what about you, funny guy? Like you're any better!"

"At least I don't scream and make a scene when they move!" They continue to bicker as you silently follow along and make your way into the insect section—

Where, as expected, Jisung flinches and nearly knocks a child out after seeing the tarantula on display.

☁︎ END 

"This is for you, by the way." He hands you a small pastry bag with a brownie inside.

"My favorite!" You let out a small gasp before taking it out to begin munching on it. "You wanna share?"

"I have it too many times, Y/N." You chuckle at the small head tilt he does.

"Did you eat or have some coffee?"

"I did. I'm good, promise."

"Okay." You happily eat away at the brownie. "I hope there aren't too many people since it's still early."

"We'll be fine."

"I felt bad for leaving Mrs. Pak alone today, but she said I should go. She went recently and said they have new plants and flowers decorating the place." You look at him. "I think I'm gonna take a few pictures and try to paint some."

"That sounds like a good plan. Did you ever draw the beach from the wedding?"

"I did. Rough draft. I wasn't too happy with it. Maybe I'll work on it a bit more later."

"I'm sure it looks great."

"I'm rusty." You shrug it off. "I asked Jisung if he wanted to come but he said he's seeing his parents today."

"Yeah, he left really early this morning. But, I think he'll be back for dinner. The guys were trying to figure out what to make for tonight. Which, good for me. Gives me a break from feeding their asses." You laugh at the way he slightly huffs after the response.

Sooner or later, Minho pulls into a spot along the curb since the conservatory sits within a bigger central park. The both of you walk towards admissions to buy tickets for the day and walk in, feeling the warmth increase a teeny bit. You pause in your tracks to take in the view, admiring the colorful blends of all the exotic plants and flowers decorating the place. 

Mrs. Pak was right.

Minho does the same with his hands tucked into his pockets, following closely behind you as you take the time to stop in front of all the exhibits so far. You happily read out the facts to Minho as he stands next to you and takes all of this in.

You gently place your palm under some of the flowers to admire them closely, and Minho takes this as his opportunity to start snapping photos of you— just like before. Most of the time, you don't say much to him because you're so engrossed in the plants, the flowers.

And that's okay, as long as you're enjoying yourself. He wants to see you happy.

"Minho, look!" You smile at the huge monstera leaf, holding it in your hands to show him how big it's gotten.

"Hey, that's cute." He says, holding up his phone to take a picture and showing it to you shortly afterwards. "Here." Your eyes glow at the picture, the shyest smile creeping at the corner of your lips once you meet his eyes again.

"I love it. Thank you, Minho. Did you.. take more?"

"I did. I like 'em all. But— " The two of you continue to walk alongside of each other as he scrolls through the pictures he took of you. "This is my favorite. Besides the one I just took." He chuckles a bit, showing you a picture of you tipping the Medinilla flower close to your nose with a cute smile on your face. 

"You actually took photos of me?" You giggle.

"Why not? Gotta capture the moments, right?" He chuckles. 

"I'm shy."

"Why? It's just me, Y/N."

"Cause. It's weird to see myself in photos. I can't really explain it." You giggle and shake your head, subconsciously holding onto his arm as you continue to walk through the conservatory.

"Hm." He hums. "You look beautiful to me." He looks at you with the softest, sweetest eyes.

"You're sweet." You look down at your feet, feeling the heat rise to your cheeks. Minho is your bestfriend, but he feels more to you. You crave for him, his comfort.

He feels special, feels like something deeper— to you.

"Did you like it? Do you wanna stay around for a little more?" Minho asks when you finally hit the end of the conservatory. He watches as you glance around before shaking your head, smiling up at him with your phone in hand.

"I did like it, but I think I'm good. I took photos of all the plants I want to attempt to paint." 

"Cool." He holds his arm back for you to hold onto. "Wanna go on a walk?"

"Where to?"

"I don't know honestly, let's see where it takes us." 

"Okay." You chuckle.

Minho leads the way down a random path that goes around the central park and into the residential neighborhood that has a few small shops lining the streets.

The sun is still up, and the streets are busier now that it's hitting the early afternoon. Minho gently moves you to the side and away from the street, taking the busier side to keep you safe. The both of you talk a bit about the café and JJ, which then reminds you about San.

"I hung out with Sannie the other day."

"Yeah?" Minho says, kicking the rocks beneath his feet as you continue to walk around in the surrounding area. "How was that?" He's trying his best to not give away the fact that he saw you two happily walking into the theater together. With the way it was going, it was easy to tell you had a good night. He's assuming you'll tell him he made you happy, and he asked you out. This is how the news will be broken to him. He hates thinking about it, but he needs to be here for you first and foremost. If you were happy with San, then he needs to hear it and he needs to be happy for you. He will be happy for you. You are his bestfriend before anything, and you are important.

"Good. We had dinner at that fancy unagi place. Then we ate dessert at Peace Piece before catching Spirited Away at the theater."

"Oh, for the Studio Ghibli event?" Impressive, Minho thinks. He honestly thought San was going to take you to see something else. "That sounded like fun."

"I know, I kinda missed you guys while sitting in the theater. Not that San isn't good company, but it would've been nice to see it with you guys, too." You chuckle. "Hopefully, they do it again."

"Yeah, I'd be down." He responds. "What else did you guys do?"

"Hm, nothing really. He took me to the beach and we talked about some things." Minho looks at you with a brow cocked up— definitely his way of prying for more info. "He.. kinda confessed that he liked me? Not kinda, but.. you know what I mean." You feel the heat rise to your cheeks again, and you suddenly feel shy, maybe a bit embarrassed, to be telling Minho this like it's some silly elementary school crush. 

"Mm. Can't say I didn't see that coming." Minho responds with a drip of sarcasm, making you gently push him with a giggle.

"What do you mean?"

"It's obvious he likes you."

"I guess? We just clicked easily." You sigh. "To be honest, I thought I'd have some genuine feelings for him. But, I realized I felt like I was forcing myself to feel a certain way just cause he was there and we've spent time together." You pout a bit as you look back down at your feet. "Anyway, I told him I wanted to stay friends. I don't wanna ruin what we've built. We just seem.. good this way. I think that's what my mind was trying to tell me and I feel content saying that out loud."

"I'm sorry. I know that's tough, though."

"Hm, it's okay." It falls quiet for a bit before Minho's head shoots up and slows his pace a bit. You almost bump into him with the way your head hangs low, unsure of what is stopping him from moving forward.

"Ice cream?" He points towards the ice cream shop.

"Before dinner?" He laughs.

"It's the only way to do it. Plus, it's a nice little picker-upper." You giggle, letting him lead the way into the ice cream parlor. You two stand off to the side, eyeing the menu before stepping forward to order your ice cream. Minho settles for his to be in a cup, while you fully indulge in a waffle cone. He pays for your ice cream shortly after, with you savoring the flavors on your way back to the car.

As you continue the trek back, you hear sounds coming from nearby. You gently tug Minho in the direction, loosely lacing your hand with his to figure out what's happening at this time of day. To your surprise, there's an event happening in one part of the park nearby, with people laid out on their blankets. It seems to be a family friendly movie event, being that there are a ton of kids running around if not seated with their family. 

Minho takes a seat at an open bench facing the screen and shaded lawn area, leaning onto his knees as he eats away at the ice cream scoops sitting in the cup. You sit as close as possible to him, with your legs brushing against his. He likes the feeling, he likes being close to you. It brings him comfort. 

"Oh, look! They're playing a Disney movie."

"Toy Story." Minho responds. "Such a classic."

"Did you plan this?" You look at him slyly before he chuckles and shakes his head.

"If I say yes, does that give me more brownie points?" You giggle and shake your head, chomping onto your waffle cone. 

"I can say that grabbing ice cream before dinner was the right idea."

"See." He looks at you and smirks.

"Good thing it isn't super cold."

"You're not too cold now though, are you?"

"No. I'm okay." The movie starts and the both of you actually start to watch even though this wasn't really included in the original plan. Minho finishes his cup of ice cream first, tossing it into the trash can nearby before plopping back down next to you. He sits back against the bench, lazily throwing an arm onto the ledge and behind your back. You silently giggle to yourself, assuming Minho was probably trying to be slick about his actions. You don't mind it though, and it makes you settle into your seat a little more— back pressed against the bench, bodies close enough to exchange warmth.

"You sure you're okay?" You look at Minho when he suddenly pops the question, wiping at your mouth once you've finished the cone entirely. You let it marinate for a minute, wondering what he could possibly be hinting at. 

"Of course, why?" You ask him, stuck on what could possibly be bothering you.

"I don't know. The whole thing with San?" Minho hates to ask, but he wants to be sure you're okay. You make an 'o' shape with your mouth before nodding.

"Oh, yeah. I'm okay. I think." You shrug. "I just hope we can continue to be the same as friends. We've built a really good friendship in such a short amount of time, I'd hate to lose that." You look at Minho. "I'm just getting used the world again. You know? Exploring everything, making friends. It'll be terrible to lose a friend already."

"I know, but you won't, Y/N. I'm sure it'll be okay. He seems to feel the same way, and I'm sure he understands."

"I—" You look at Minho worriedly, and he slightly furrows his brows in response.

"Hm?" He hums.

"I think it's my turn to sort out my feelings." You chuckle a bit. "I'm not really sure how to explain it."

"That's okay, Y/N. Take your time." You pause, fiddling with your fingers as your feet sway over the edge.

"Minho?"

"Yes?"

"Would you find it weird if I said I feel attached to you?" He chuckles a bit. "I feel comfortable and safe with you. Like you've always taken care of me. It's nice."

"No. I wouldn't be surprised." He looks at you again with a small smirk. "I've always been the fun one compared to Jisung, anyway." You laugh and playfully push him. "Kidding."

"Seriously. It's not weird? I can't explain it."

"No." He says softly. "We've.. always been—" He pauses as if he's trying to choose his wording. "Really close." He purses his lips. "We've gone through a lot together." He sighs. 

"I see." You respond because you're not sure if you should continue to ask. Perhaps, this was what he wanted to talk more about. But, he wasn't ready. It's obvious he wasn't ready. He knows he should tell you. He's just afraid. Of course, he doesn't wanna be selfish— though, at the same time, he looks at you and realizes he just can't lose you again.

This is the first time Minho has been able to look at you for long. 

"I've really.. missed this." There's a slight pause in between his words, and part of you has to prevent yourself from prying more. You won't out of respect to him, but you also aren't sure what to make of this feeling when you look at him.

Like you love him, adore him— like he means much more to you than you think, than you know.

"We're here now, right?" You smile at him. Minho looks at you, really looks at you— adoration twinkling in his eyes as he softly smiles back. He doesn't say anything, even as he throws his arm around you and pulls you close, planting a sweet kiss on your temple. You lay your head on his shoulder as you two continue to sit there, admiring the surroundings, casually watching the movie.

Sadly, part of you is also overthinking. You can't help but wonder why he wasn't in photos with you. Or, why he was so distant in the beginning. It couldn't just be that he hated taking pictures, or that he was learning how to cope. You were surely missing something to the puzzle. Something that didn't end well, something that happened? Kat? Maybe two young lovebirds who didn't expect their turns in the relationship? But, you trust in Minho to tell you when he's ready.

And who knows, maybe you won't be ready to hear what he has to say. Or, maybe you won't understand what this is all about. Maybe, it'll give you the time that you need. You just hope it isn't entirely heartbreaking.

Whenever it comes.

You trust him.

That's probably what sucks the most because Minho knows you trust him, but you won't after he tells you. He doesn't wanna ruin that today, not just yet— he'll just need to find another day where he can tell you before he gets too wrapped up into this, into you. 

Again.

But he will tell you, he will rip that bandaid. And when that day comes, he'll only hope that you will let him show you that he's better— that he's acknowledged his mistakes and that he is learning from them. Hopefully, you'll still be able to trust him no matter how long it takes.

Hopefully, you'll still look at him with the same love, the same twinkle in your eye.

Hopefully, you'll still smile at him the same way you smile at the blue sky— the sky that makes room for everchanging weather, like dark clouds or thunderstorms. But, the blue sky has always waited behind every dark cloud, or every thunderstorm just to shine again.

Hopefully, you'll see that what you've longed for has always been here, just like the blue sky. 

Minho is your blue sky.

⇢ 12.5 [cloud days]: here

♡ taglist: @ppiri-bahng @jihanlovic @meloncremesoda @sweetlikecherry @asjkdk @hoes4lino @skzddicted @skzho @edgaralienpoe @harui-zen @bestleeknowstan @havenwithleeknow @septicrebel @heesdazed @borahae-reads @yoontaethings @pearbunny @bintific @lukeys-giggle @ajxreads @everglowdaisies @allaboutsan @endzii23 @leeknowsramen @heres-your-ramen2000 @morningstardada @mal-lunar-28 @downbadreading @lilysophie @feelikecinderella @urmomma0324 @ddazed-lhs @djeniryuu @melanctton @i8rsie @maru-matt @sleepyleeji @taerifin @nattisbored @jisunglyricist @m111nho @drhsthl @nixtape-foryou @arminseas @guiltycoco @syuuji @sulkygyu @cadihyo @reianagarcia @leeknowyah @smndjdufuehr @dprkbyn @xxibreinaxx @mxnsxngie [bold = can’t tag 😭]

[padawansuggest]

Woke up with a singular migraine placement (meaning it’s much worse than a headache but it is localized to a single spot in the head yes that’s normal for me no idk why) and it was straight up pain that even woke me at all. The lotion is still keeping me from scratching my stomach, which is good cause the hives have moved from road rash territory to looking like small pimples all over my stomach and I wanna scratch them to death. I tried with one, it doesn’t die. I have a few itchy patches on my body but that’s about it. Took update pics cause lol wtf. I wanna sleep but head hurty. Waiting for pain killers to kick in and it’s almost time for the next antibiotic dose anyways. Ugh.

[sentofight]

Plots please + Lyn, Rokurou, Zack, maybe Lucina and Kula too?

Lyn

Taking from what you said in the bingo card, would teaching him how to ride a horse count as a plot for a thread? Listen, things could go south in a battlefield and it would do good for Zech to know how to ride one if it was necessarily. Or he can just sit behind Lyn and let her ride the horse and he off heads with his sword? (Listen, Zech what if i offered you a casual horse ride and idle chat? bonding hours in nature? y/y?)

We could circle back to the 'scars' on him idea? She's curios because how can a person get this many when he is 'young'. Being sensitive and sympathetic to people's pain, it probably eat at her to know if she can help in a way. Knowing Lyn, she can be a bit pushy but she will back off to give him his personal space. Though Zech can spot her giving him the 'talk to me if you want, friend' look.

Perhaps in her world thread? A mission back in her world and Zech is picked by summoner to go with Lyn and the gang because he asked or Summoner thought he would be an asset in battle. Zech can learn first hand about the dragons and the whole Nergal's plan and what happened to Lyn's tribe?

or we can do a normal idle chat thread? opening up about some traumatic events--like how her tribe got killed, her parents and how she lost everything in one night. nudge nudge at zech, tell her more about yourself. does he have a dream? she does! want to hear about it?

relationship wise, I don't mind if it goes into romantic department but they are both on the hurty side, it will definitely take some time. Plus, she is a stubborn lady and looking at how Zech tend to 'act nice guy' it might ruffle some of her 'I can handle myself' feathers, the whole misunderstanding because she tends to quickly be defensive about her abilities and being a woman lol. she got dismissed so quickly after all from her tribe who survived the slaughter so it is something will be in the back of her mind forever. it is not something that will go away with time. Even with Zech's reassurance, it comes and goes from time to time, so they both need to play the patient game with each other lol.

Rokurou

Listen, Rokurou is a daemon--a yaksha, war daemon. If he sensed that Zech is strong then he will come and ask for a match. A swordsman's pride is being unparalleled so count on him to keep bothering Zech to fight him. In which verse though? In yours or his or we can make up something that works for the both of them yehaw.

This could go into the 'oops did I summon a daemon?' kind of idea. Dunno how it will work with Zech but perhaps someone tried to curse Zech and instead, they unable him to have a demon buddy lol. (slides maybe some f/ate at you if you are interested.)

Another idea, similarly, Zech might have broken rokurou's seal and awakened him. Technically, he could have been trapped by a mage because he kept wrecking havoc trying to find fighters to fight against. Basically, terrorizing people until someone put a spell on him to trap him in some sort of eternal sleep. you unlocked the grand prize, now he will follow you because (idk how to repay you so imma follow you and destroy your foes for you, buddy. wanna grab some drinks, too? let me check that sword for you--I'll have you know, I know a thing or two about smithy.)

Their relationship is definitely wonky. Looking at how zero morale compass Roku can be (at times), it might push some buttons for Zech. At least, he can trust that Roku will honor his word if they had some sort of agreement. Listen, rokurou is old school, you do him a solid favor, he will pay it back no matter what.

Zack

I remember I had a small thread with sora and she was eyes emoji at him like Serge and hes like who dis? and shes like my sister's late boyfriend and yeah. would zeck be looking for sora and maybe zack helps him? another mission for the 1st class soldier! lol

If zech has a F/F 7 verse then would they be soldiers together? if so, the two can be on a mission together and they cause chaos together lol. if not, he found himself in gaia (like he always get kicked into other realms) and perhaps is mercenary and does what it needs to gather info and there walks zack who is willing to yap info if you became his friend lol.

Their relationship is definitely buddies! whether zech want to admit it or not, Zack will get another big bro figure. sparkle eyes at him to teach him the cool moves he got and tell him more about the adventures he went through. come on man, dont be a wet blanket! nudge nudge you like him, dont you? eh? eh? positive reinforcement from one puppy! give zech diabetes for having an innocent(?) puppy guy around lol.

Lucina

ROLLS MY SLEEVES. HELLO, WELCOME TO MY DOMAIN. IS ZECH WILLING TO GO INTO ANOTHER PARALLEL WORLD WITH THE BROKEN FUTURE AND BROKEN LUCINA?

HOW ABOUT FALLEN LUCINA MHM? ALL HAIL GRIMA! CAN ZECH CUT DOWN HIS DOOTER? HUH? HUH? CAN YOU HARM HER EVEN THOUGH SHE IS ABOUT TO CHOP HIS HEAD?? CAN HE TOLERATE HEARING HER CRIES AND EYES TEARING BLOOD. [I LOST. EVERYTHING .... EVERYTHING ... I HAVE NOTHING ....LEFT... FATHER.....MOTHER.....EVERYONE....THEY'RE GONE....I AM ALONE....ALL ALONE.....IT'S.....COLD....I HATE THIS....L...E.....O........] teehee~ <3

Listen, post game threads is good, too man. In my main post game setting for Lucina, she would open an orphanage to raise children who lost their parents to the war. She knows what it feels like to be parents-less in a blink of an eye. I can see Leo going with her wish (i think, I hope) and the two starting it together. Father, come visit and share stories to the kids. After all, you are the valiant hero with the sword that shines so brightly against the darkness (totally not Lucina had been telling stories about her time with the shepherds and totally didnt tell stories about her two papas and two mamas and the kids now think zech is magical hero who will beam light of his sword. sorry not sorry.) have diabetes instead of sad teehee.

ok more diabetes. father daughter thread. idle chat. let them do a hobby they can enjoy together. cooking? be her taste taster. fishing? watch her nap instantly bored out of her mind but she wanted to try something new lol. carving wood? she knows how to handle a sword but imagination is not her forte;;; shopping? unleash her chaotic and eccentric taste on zech; picking the most random thing for him and for sora and leo and aurora.

listen listen. daughters thread? if zech is not going shopping with her, can aurora go? settle down in a tavern or somewhere to talk about girls stuff! lucina asking aurora to tell her more about leo, their childhood. maybe aurora can ask her things she wants to know too! it would do her good to have a bestie she can talk to ;u; bestieeeee come here lets go pick the weirdest shirt to leo! giggles happily~

rubs my angsty hands. listen buddy i gave you fun threads now listen to this one. one of them taking a critical hit because imma abuse the partner jump for a hit game mechanic and yolo. listen, would i throw more sad and say it is lucina who took the hit and now zech feels like life is doing the same shit at him, giving him happiness and taking it in the most cruel way? he thinks he ruined his son's happy life as well the first time someone called him father beside his kids? ehehehehe i double the sad and say it is zech who got hurt and lucina feels like nothing good ever happens to her--her world got destroyed, her parents die, her friends lost their parents, she lost her country, her people, and now she is the reason her lover's father is in a critical condition because of her. she can't look into leo's eyes if so. aurora might try to talk to her but she is depressed and only blaming herself. not enough 'it is not your fault' can change her mind until papa wakes up and tell her to stop being an idiot because he will do it again for her; she is his daughter waaaaa. eat this kinkoz! *weeps*

yo papa what if you got a grandchild .....................just saying. leo better make dreams come true. winks winks wonks wonks nudge nudge. honks.

Kula

Will Zech join the tournament? If so, she might join his team to piss of K' and Maxima because he bought her lots of ice cream XD their team will be zech, sora and kula lmao (never forget ZZ!)

Since it is modern-ish settings, zech might stumble upon kula shopping and for some reason dudes are trying to rob her and insert comical moment zech trying to save her and she just freezes them like its nothing. ah! oji---zeze! whatcha doing? blinks blinks.

but what if NESTS, too tried to kidnap sora and use her for experiment? and zech wants more clue, hence kula 'i was part of them.' looks innocently and brightly at him 'wanna go destroy them together? diana and foxy can help us! and K! and maxima! and Seirah! and Seirah's big boss and shades(clark) and muscles(ralf)!'

also this could branch out of the previous one, but kula is kind of 'easy' to hack her brain because 'child mentality' and all, so what if she got hacked to get rid of zech who is snooping around NEST? he got a lot of work cut out of him if he wants her sanity back. or not. there are lots of options haha. he can't treat her nicely when she is about to make him part of the ice age lol.

for their relationship, expect her a freeloader for ice cream lol and attention and fun time! kula gets attached to people who are nice to her and generally don't treat her like a helpless kid. she likes to learn so i can see zech the 'let me explain' kind of guy because she is always about to do something she thinks is ok but common sense says no.

send plot and imma ramble rose some ideas | accepting | @wayward-sword

[sharksa-shivers]

Max is sick/more texts between character stuff cuz why not?

Kristy: Max

Kristy: Max, cmon dude, need you to wake up! We kinda need you today!!

Max: Ive been up ffs been trying to sleep tho

Max: damn that sucks cuz i feel like shit

Kristy: Ughhhh, look, i get it, depression but like…You can't just keep sitting stuff out because of your depression???

Max: ??????? It's not depression tho???? Hshshshshs fuck

Max: Im fuckin sick lol im not coming sorry to disappointt

Kristy: Yeah, sure, ok. Nice prank buddy

Kristy: Now get up and get dressed, we need to go!!!

Max:(sends a pic of him holding up a wad of used tissues, Max looks out of it in the picture, he is obviously sick) sorry lol would you like a snot or cough sample to prove that im not fucking lying?

Kristy: …….Oh…….

Max: YEAH LMAO

Max: you try fuckin sleeping when you can't breath, having a tiny nose thats clogged doesn't help when im trying to inhale oxygen

Max: throat hurts, head hurty, nose blocked tf off, can i sttay home now mom??? please???? Im so tired and i feel like shit lol

Kristy: …..I guess you're kinda gonna have to, hmmm….Trying to think…

Max: how about fuck the mission, tkae a day off???

Kristy: No!!!

Max: lol you should

Max: i love demon fighting and shit and you nkow i do but like…life is nore then labor ok? Enjoy it

Kristy: ……That is so weird of a phrase to come from you of all people who's suicidal af

Max: IM NOT SUICIDAL EVERY FUCKING DAY GODDAMNIT SHSHSHSHSHSH IM ONLY SUICIDAL MOST DAYS OK?.??? THERE IS A DIFFERENCE

Max: in seriousness tho, eh. Today feels kinda good mental health wise, its just my physical health thats shit today lololol Kristy: Well…Guess it is what it is then…

Max: hey lol can you get me some food and some meds plz? Im cozy in bed dont wanna spread germs and shit but a bitch needa eat lol (also meds would be p nice i miss breathing…oxygen bb plz come back im sorry;~;)

Kristy: Yeah yeah lmao, i can. I'm gonna assume no food preferences today?

Max: No lol just plz, im so hungry, blehhhh (preferably something i can fucjing taste and that wont hurt my throat much tho lol)

Kristy: Okayyyyyy, i'll see what i can do.

Max: Best friendo ever lol you da best!!! 💗 ---------------- And now some rambling text info bout The Trio derps whenever sick cuz why not tho? --- Trio derp sickness levels (this sickness meaning like…ig nausea levels --- Kristy: So Kristy is least likely to like get sick like that. With her having magic and the amulet and whatnot, she gets very used to rapid, disorienting movements over time (though at the series start, i can see this being more of an issue but also with Kristy's determination, i can see her blowing that shit out of the water pretty quick, her determination being the stronger of the 2) Kristy can still very much get sick tho, if she's in a very disorienting situation for a long time period, she's gonna get fucking sick… 🍃🍃🍃

Sharky: So with Sharky, he can get sick and he does from time to time. It's either him getting motion sick, him getting actual sick (from like food poisoning and bugs and whatnot) or it's the third option and that tying into him being a shark (but i'll hop back to this in a sec)

Sharky is kind of harder to get motion sick because he does have the advantage of being born in the ocean so…He's used to that sort of thing, like a ride or whatever isn't going to give him motion sickness, he gets it more from like…Being thrown around rapidly with 0 control or from magic use or things like that…

So for the other thing…So…him being a shark yeah? So a reminder; Sharky can throw up his entire stomach, like wholeass organ…This is because he's a shark and it's something Sharky REALLY REALLY FUCKING HATES part cuz it's so weird, part cuz it's disgusting and part because it fucking hurts since he's very not used to doing that…Sharky can vomit up either his entire stomach or he just throws up normally…Sharky doesn't really have much control over this but if it's a higher stress situation, it's gonna be the entire organ coming up. (this whole bit happens more if Sharky's scared or very fucking stressed or in a big emergency sort of thing…Otherwise, Sharky's probably gonna just throw up normally…) Sharky learns he has this ability during the series and i kinda megadoubt he ever utilizes it like Slash does BUT Sharky does learn how to control this a bit better and when he feels it happening, he tends to insta-calm down to try and prevent the whole thing from coming out… 🦈🦈🦈 Max: Max defs gets motion sickness probably the worst…This is probably another reason why Max isn't the biggest on dizzying shit or boats or things like that because it probably fucks him up alottttttttt… Unlike Kristy he has no magic And unlike Sharky, Max does not have any sort of help from the ocean soooooooooo…Yeah, rip dogeboi [i kinda feel like Sharky throws up more then Max does tbh but i think it's cuz Sharky's put in more situations where that can happen vs Max…] 🐶🐶🐶 Now for sickness sickness, i feel like Sharky probs gets sick in that way the least cuz of his height honestly (it's harder for germs and shit to bother him if they can't reach his face…If somebody coughs near him, it ain't gonna be near his face so…) I feel like Kristy's second And i feel like Max probs has it worst here again tbh (i defs feel like Max has really fucking awful allergies tbh…Idk why but it's a vibe i get, probably if i had to guess, something with his fur picking up things that make him sneeze and cough and whatnot, rip dogeboi again)

[bumpscosity]

Highlights

MY SURGEON DIDNT GIVE ME A COUNTDOWN FOR THE ANESTHESIA. He said something like “ok this is gonna make you drowsy” and then I could feel stuff coming thru the needle and thought “well here goes this shit” and then I was out

Literally the best sleep I’ve ever got. It felt like I slept 10 hours on the comfiest mattress with the comfiest blankets and the comfiest pillows in the comfiest room of all time. I only was out for like a half our. Every sleep will feel like shit sleep compared to that.

I wasn’t loopy at all lmao???? I was sleepy for like the first hour post-surgery and then I was fine?????

What it DID effect really bad was my balance. It felt like when you get off a crazy roller coaster but like x10 I couldn’t walk for like 8 hrs. Even just moving my head fucked me up lol

When I first woke up I literally couldn’t keep my eyes open for more then 15 seconds it was like the muscles were so numb that it was physically hard to keep my eyelids up

My lip was numb for like 8 hours post op for some reason??? Everything else un-numbed but I guess whatever they put in me for local numbing specifically was crazy powerful

They want me to drink like 6 bottles of water every day lmao usually I barely drink 2 no way in hell im doing that

Nobody warned me abt face swelling I have an uneven yet square jawline now :/

Ibiprophen more like I don’t do shit it worked for like the last 20 mins it was active and that’s it

The antibiotics and Super Pain Killers I was prescribed are fucking huge man like the length is probably the size of a nickel I feel like mr krabs taking The Pill

I didn’t cry over random fictional characters so you guys lost that one (that’s kinda a lie I was crying abt walle last night but it’s bc I was tired it wasn’t me being high) but teeth IS hurty so congrats to 27% of you

Hey guys, I’m gettin’ my wisdom teeth out today and I’m banning myself from electronics until tomorrow so I’m not going around loopy-posting or sending any stupid messages/asks while the anesthetics are still in effect. in the meantime maybe send some ask abt whatever (fixations, questions abt me, etc.) so I have something fun to come back to???

[deadly-departed]

Awwww thank you for appreciating my request!! I actually love it when you do one of them so I come and check if there's anything new everyday lol. Ok ok so how about some fluffy headcanons with Hanako, Tsukasa, Teru and Akane (male) and how they would react when s/o is on her period? I'm currently on mine rn and I. AM.DYING.

Qfohsxohwgjpvshpcd OMFG YEEEEEESSSS!!!!!!!!! I love your requests much! I didn't expect so many of them at once lmao but I love them!!! Also if you wanna know when I post you can turn on notifications for my acc if you're on moblile-

You are by far my favorite anon that I've had over the course of my Tumblr HC days, which honestly hasn't been too long, at most a few months over all my accounts but still!!! I love you-

Hanako-kun The Bathroom Ghost, Wonder No. 7

He'd be pretty confused and worried

Like

You're bleeding??? Out of your baby maker hole??? Why?????

Once you explain to him what's going on and that you're in pain he'll be the sweetest little ghost boyfriend ever

Are you craving something? He'll do his best to get it. And by that I mean he'll ask Kou or Yashiro to get it for you.

Do you want cuddles? He's not exactly warm but he'll happily cuddle you whenever you want!

Having mood swings because hormones? He'll understand and not hold anything against you!

He is kinda clueless as to why you are on your period and why it's so necessary but just give him time, he'll understand eventually.

He can't exactly do much for getting pads or tampons so guess ya gotta ask Yashiro or Aoi-chan for those but you can't blame him, he's dead.

If he notices blood on your skirt before he understands what's going on his have a panic attack, thinking someone hurt you.

But hey, at least it was him who noticed and not a classmate or teacher.

Just so that he doesn't seem dumb, he'll ask Yashiro questions to help him understand. That leads to her being a blushing mess though.

But you really gotta give him some credit for trying

He never got to learn this when he was alive!

He's just really trying his best, comforting you when you're cramps are bad, playing with your hair to call you down if you get upset, whatever

He's always there for you, even if he doesn't completely understand what's going on with your body

Tsukasa Yugi, The Rumor Spreader

You will never see this boy more confused then when you tell him you're on your period

Like, fr, he would be absolutely clueless and wouldn't understand a single word you say

Use small words, like you're talking to a 4 year old

"Me go hurtie hurtie, body want make baby." You say, trying to hold in your laughter as you watch Natsuhiko in the background losing his shit

"Well then tell it to stop." Tsukasa says, smiling like he had just solved a cold case that has been ongoing for 23 years.

"I can't do that." You say, laughing as Natsuhiko wheezes behind Tsukasa.

"I have to just wait it out. And while I do, I'm going to be in a lot of pain." You explain, trying to help him understand what you're going through.

He nods a bit, seeming to understand.

And like that, he brought you literally everything he thought would help you.

Some of it was nice.

Like tea, sweets, heating pads, a stray cat to pet and keep you company.

Other things, not so much.

"Why did you bring me homework? It's not even mine."

"How did you get a hold of an Exorcist's Staff? It can't even work, it has a seal on it!"

"Did you just bring me someone's shirt?"

Meanwhile Natsuhiko is desperately trying not to fall onto the ground as he laughs.

Sakura has the look of 'yep, same old shit'

Once you leave to go home, he'll ask Sakura questions about periods and for some reason the questions get more and more personal???

"Why do they happen?" "Will I have them?" "What are they like?" When was the last time you had one?"

Yeah after that last question Sakura just noped out of school for the rest of the day.

But like, the boy has a morbid sense of curiosity, what do you expect?

When you come back to school, hell hopefully have a better grasp on the concept (thanks to Natsuhiko being shameless in talking to him about it)

So he'll be better at comforting you

Akane Aoi, The Time Keeper

Gets exceedingly flustered when you mention that you're on your period

Like wow ok that's something to hear at 7 in the morning

Will try to help out as best he can, grabbing a pad or something out of your backpack for you, getting you something to snack on

Just like, not around Teru.

He'll try to laugh it off then immediately feel really bad and just silently get up and get the thing you asked for.

Akane will also cuddle the life out of you if you want, he will never he able to get enough of you

Probably has a stash of your favorite foods somewhere in his room for you to eat when you start to get cramps

His moods will swing with yours.

Are you happy bouncy and giggly? So is he! Are you crying because you just accidentally dropped a pop tart on the floor? He'll be on the floor with you, crying.

But!!! If you get angry for any reason, he'll be so calm and understanding and just let you get all that angy out of you.

Once you're done he'll hug you and kiss the top of your head and ask if you feel better now

Man's really out here, buying a heating pad or a heatable stuffed animal if your cramps get too bad

Cannot tell me that Akane wouldn't make an excuse for you if you have to skip school because of the pain

"Sorry sir, she can't come in today, she has a doctor's appointment."

Teru Minamoto, The School Prince

Surprisingly knows very little about periods

Like yeah he has a sister but she's like, 5 so-

Hes probably red in the face when you told him

He's not grossed out or anything! Just wasn't something he expected to hear when he walked into school that morning.

Has absolutely no shame in asking one of his female classmates for a pad/tampon if you need one

Besides, what are they about to do? Tell the school prince no?

Yeah that's what I thought.

We know this man can't cook for his like so he'll ask his little brother to make some cookies or something.

He's not going to be specific, he doesn't want to embarrass you.

Hell just be like 'hey, would it be alright if you make my girlfriend some cookies? She really likes your baking'

And Kou will just 'yeah why not?' And do it

He'll bring them to school along with one of those stuffed animals that are also a heating pad and hand them to you with a smile on his face and fidbdj-

Just an overall nice experience. Kinda. Youre on your period after all.

[kithtaehyung]

RYEN u really wanted to break my heart huh,, u wanted me to feel soul crushing sadness from this interlude didn't u. it's a double edged sword getting into yoongi's head bc i know i def wanted to see what he was thinking and how he feels about/around reader and what went down at basketball but poor baby :(

it's so upsetting that he thinks so poorly of himself and that he feels like he isn't enough ,, he puts so much thought into how reader must have been treated badly in the past and recognizes when she starts feeling off because of it but then turns it on himself saying he should do better :( like BABE ?? who hurt him in the past i'm so ready to fight for him he's doing his absolute best like GOD when he's thinking about his GUITAR. no. i'm stopping that right here. it doesn't exist in my brain i just erased it i can't take it. someone give him head scratches rn lay him down and treat him gently for a minute he's so. GOD RYEN i'm actually going to cry thinking about it i'm moving on LMAO

i'm really excited to go back and reread this side by side with all the other pars because getting to see both perspectives and compare how reader and yoongi were feeling/thinkng,,, they're so similar fr. i wish they could see that they're both MORE than good enough for each other and that they're both feeling the same way </3 me telepathically communicating that to them rn it'll get through eventually don't worry i got this !!

but seriously, from what i can remember from my (v recent hehe) reread,, everything ties in so well and adding that extra Flavor and Depth to the scenes UGH i love it here, seriously. i don't think i've ever felt such a strong emotional connection to a published book, let alone a fanfic?? and i'm a bitch who ANNOTATES books, ryen. highlighters, sticky tabs, notes in margins. there's just something about your writing and the way you weave everything together and build on top of the past things you've written that hits just right. it all feels so relatable and real it's DELICIOUS.

i loved seeing the friendship between jimin and yoongi !! i wish yoongi would LISTEN TO HIM tho fr,, reader is so into you AND YOU'RE SO HAPPY WITH HER LIKE ?? i get that bro (did i officially announce myself as team namjoon is bro bc yes) finding out is something that he's worried about, and i get that fr. bro has been there to watch all of yoongi's mistakes, it makes sense that bro would be concerned and maybe even upset, especially about them keeping it a secret for so long but like,, bro even dom admitted that yoongi was different with her. i rlly think he would come around after he saw them together bc god they just,, they both are just so good to each other and they care so much for each other </3 heart hurty

anyways here take the lines that i would highlight tf out of if this was anywhere that i could do that lol

"Just this once. Let him be the only one that worries." OUCHIES

“I did what I thought you would do.” yes yoongi would in fact go to the ends of the earth to make sure she was safe thank you for pointing that out and hurting me jimin .

“What are you gonna do once you stop?” um hahaha who said there had to be an end ahahahahahaha nooooo ahaha stop jimin ahaha dw i'll distract bro for the rest of forever he will simply not find out !!!

"What the fuck are you doing to him?  If you came up to him right now? He’d give you anything you wanted. All you’d have to do is say it." i am punching a wall right now btw :-) "Once a space that saw many destructive arguments and silent, unfinished meals, your appearance started giving it new life. New energy. Energy that he can physically feel as he passes it on the way to his room." i can't take this one actually "Lips at your temple, he vows, “That won’t happen again, love.” okay so this was a personal attack and i can't accept this i want to get you back for this so bad i am crying i can't take this this is kind of like embarrassingly long and if i tell u i've reread this 2.5 times already you WILL pretend it's been longer than a day. ig i could copy paste this into the feedback form but <3 it's already here so i will apologize for the wall of text . i did indeed get carried away but such is life -loona anon (should have a character limit fr)

LOONA ISTG THIS REVIEW IS DAMN DELICIOUS. apologies for not getting to it sooner! i needed the right amount of energy to respond bc holy hell you typed so much and i appreciate it sm :')) did i wanna break hearts? yes and no. i didn't wanna write yoongi's inner thoughts like that, but that's what they were. so i didn't wanna disrespect his character by writing it lightly. rest under the cut bc i have an essay lol

you're right. it's completely upsetting to know this is how he thinks of himself. whatever happened before seemed to really stick with him, to the point where he doesn't even give himself credit for anything good - only the bad (like being the reason the threat was made, etc.) when he's thinking about the guitar? i wanted to cry and i did tear up a lot. so. yeah. i understand if you cry while thinking about that bc i know i did. especially considering the song he played for reader in dalo.

OOOH yes!! they were actually meant to be read side by side if you have the time/resources to try it. i had to make sure they lined up well, despite their thought flows being different. i hope your telepathy works! the flavor worked? i'm glad.

oh my gosh.. a strong emotional connection to something i've created? that is one of the highest compliments i could ever receive, truly. maybe it can be printed someday so you can annotate it and keep it forever! i would love to hear commentary like that. i'm glad it's all woven together in a coherent way. i'm having so much fun and i hope you continue to enjoy the rest!

JIMIN AND YOONGI MY BOYSSSSSS UGH. i love them so fcking much it is absurd. (putting you on team joonie!) i know we all see that reader and yoongi have huge chemistry and care between each other, and the people that are around them enough can see it. but the thing with bro is that he's not actively looking for that. all he sees is his best friend and his sister, and they've had banter between each other ever since the old days. coupled with the fact that he's been gone and is thinking about so many other things. i just think it would be one of the last things on his mind, whereas people like dom and jimin can see the slipping bc yoongi and reader act different without bro around.

now for your annotation worthy lines:

"Just this once. Let him be the only one that worries." YEAH THIS ONE BROKE ME.

“I did what I thought you would do.” oh god... yeah. you picked the hard hitters, didn't you.

“What are you gonna do once you stop?” REALITY IS A BIIIIICH

"What the fuck are you doing to him?  If you came up to him right now? He’d give you anything you wanted. All you’d have to do is say it." i am punching a wall right now btw :-)

"Once a space that saw many destructive arguments and silent, unfinished meals, your appearance started giving it new life. New energy. Energy that he can physically feel as he passes it on the way to his room." you know what they say about unfinished meals in literature...

"Lips at your temple, he vows, “That won’t happen again, love.” HE SAID IT AGAIN. HE DID. THE SECOND TIME AND ITS WHEN READER IS ASLEEP dklfjdkvj

thank you so much for all of this, love. i thoroughly enjoyed it all and read it a shameful amount of times before finally putting this hopefully coherent response together. seriously, thank you!

[orphicnatural]

i was tagged by @queerstudiesnatural thank you so much for tagging me bestie!!💗

rules: tag nine people you want to get to know better

favorite color: i really like purple and yellow but NOT TOGETHER omg thats disgusting

currently reading: you may not know this about me but im really obsessed w deal or no deal so im reading howie mandell’s biography “Here’s the Deal: Don’t Touch Me” lol. in terms or fanfiction i just finished Edge of Night by Sinelaborennihil and oh my god. oh MY GOD. so incredible i just finished all 365k yesterday and im about to reread it. fix-it fic and the best part is if youre in the mood for a short little sweet fic about dean and cas exploring their new relationship, you can just read the first few chapters, but if youre into longer/darker stuff you can just keep reading!

last song: I Am Here For You from the Book of Mormon soundtrack (huge andy randy stan here)

last movie: i watched that stop motion rudolph movie with my lil baby niece a few days ago🥰💕

sweet, savory, or spicy: honestly? sweet/spicy combo! my fave snack is hot fries and lemon heads (potion of hurty your tongue)

currently working on: well i am always working on my spn antiquitropes spreadsheet where im tracking all the characters/plots/themes that come from antiquity (classics major over here🤪). i dont make much tumblr content bc im hella busy and cannot edit videos but i am always thinking about chicksnatural amvs i would make if i did (“Sin Wagon” godstiel/demon!dean and “Everybody Loves You” jimmy&claire vs cas) ((these amv ideas are totally up for grabs i will never make them)). that being said i think i will make a destiel orpheus and eurydice post bc i found this baller quote in my capstone research that just makes my brain vibrate into jelly. mostly saying all this so i HAVE TO commit and make those things lmao

id like to tag besties @ive-been-playing-human @80sgorl @nobodydean @seasononedyke @deancrowleycas

@brittanyitsdecember25th @profoundcastiel @neon-cas @outdean if youd like to do this :)

pls tag me if you do so i dont miss it!

[daechwitatamicrecs]

Okay!!! Here we go!!

There are little things I love in writing and one of them is “bookend” beginnings and endings, where the end is a callback. So I love that you started and ended the story with reference to her father. It’s kind of her motivating force in a lot of ways.

You really went all-out with visual description in this one and it is WORKING. It sort of makes the forest itself feel like a player in the game, which I think is the point.

Death doughnuts :’)

Literally falling down a hill and landing next to something that wants to eat you is like… damn the universe really delivered me on a silver platter with an apple in my mouth, huh

Wolfjoon is so endearing aahfskjashfjkahfjkah. The cautious trust… my heart :(

 “I’m sorry, do you want to do this instead?” Your only answer is a rumble as it looks the other direction. “That’s what I thought.” – lolololololololololol TELL HIM, RED

You do a great job setting up the vibes behind the attacks, so when the reveals come they each make sense, like the first attack on the family “it felt angry” being lead-up to the reveal that it was Yoongi’s (and others) revenge

“nearly tripping over a wolfskin rug in the home” – in case u wondered why this family got murdered lol

“dark eyes that look at you with… annoyance” – what I would give to see the argument between Namjoon and yoongi later when Namjoon is like NO WE LEAVE HER ALONE I SAID SO >:( >:( >:( and yoongi is like GET A GRIP BRO nashfkjafhsf

The hairs on your arm stand up when you see him. – mood.

“There is… a protected here. But I still fear for them.” – LITERALLY AM HERE TO KEEP RED FROM GETTING HURTY GODDDDD

“Pretty name. I think I’ll stick with Red, though.” – hrrrrrrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhh can I have him

 “Yoongi!” you hear the deep voice but it sounds warbled like you’re hearing it through water. Your head lolls to the side, the ringing in your ears still going as you see feet pass you. “Enough!” – hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE ENDING LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IASNFIAHF MA’AM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT SCRATCHED THE BRAIN SOO GOOOOOOOOOOOD

The tension between them from the jump was just DELICIOUS and wolfjoon is sooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!! Hrrrrrgggggggggh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Would honestly love to see what it looks like when she joins in and how she mixes with the rest of the crew. Is there… is there…….. wolf tae?! AiskjdFJAIUGHQEIUFIUEHDUGHGDSUHG OH NO

Red | KNJ | (m)

☾ Pairing: Werewolf!Namjoon x f. reader

☾ Summary: For as long as you can remember, your village has been relatively normal. But when people begin to turn up dead right after a group of newcomers arrive, pieces of your past start to fall into place, and something feels familiar - particularly the quiet man who can't take his eyes off of you.

☾ Word Count: 21,148

☾ Genre: Supernatural, thriller, smut

☾ Rating: 18+ Minors are strictly prohibited from engaging and reading this content. It contains explicit content and any minors discovered reading or engaging with this work will be blocked immediately. 

☾ Warnings: Fantasy violence, light depections of murder and animal attacks, mentions of gore, discussions about community displacement and violence, Yoongi is an asshole, animal attacks, depictions of blood, tbh reader and Namjoon don’t know each other THAT well when they fuck so idk, implied protecting from a far but not in a stalker way, explicit language, intense sequences of fear and anxiety, reader is attacked by a wolf, there is a mention of animals being hurt/killed but not in explicit details, dead bodies, arson, sexually explicit content invluding vaginal fingering, nipple play, vaginal penetration, a little bit of mention of fluids but not really. 

☾ Published: Sunday, January 21 2024

☾ A/N: I wish I could explain to you how this got to be so long. I wrote it over several weeks and each day I picked it back up, I just kept adding dialogue and scenery and setting. Like half of this isn’t even Namjoon and reader reacting - what was I doing? I wish I knew! I hope you like my spin on Red Riding Hood anyway! I tried to do this in a way that it doesn’t seem creepy that Namjoon was silently looking out for reader but like… I could understand if someone finds it creepy I am so sorry lmfao.  I did read through this to edit but I 100% missed stuff because I'm a rougher editor and this is unbeta'd.

☾ A/N 2: This is a Red Riding Hood Retelling that is similar in vibe to the 2011 Red Riding Hood movie directed by Catherine Hardwicke.

 Disclaimer: All members of BTS are faces and name claims for this story. This is entirely a work of fiction and by no means is meant to be a projection, judgment or representation of real-life people. Any scenarios or representations of the people and places mentioned in works are not representative of real-life scenarios.

| Masterlist | Ask | Make Me Your Villain Collab | Taglist

Father always said not to go into the woods at night. Like him, though, the woods have always called to you, feeling like a second home. You’ve never been able to explain it, and you’ve stopped trying to. 

It’s a little chilly outside, the first breath of harvest air nipping at your skin. In a few weeks, it will be freezing outside, forcing you into cloaks and furs. 

Grass crunches beneath your feet as you slip through the small yard and toward the tree line. Your house already sits at the edge of the village, the dark trees stretching high above the rooftops. Soon the trees will be dusted in snow, but for now, they sway gently in the autumn breeze, turned silver by the moonlight. 

You’ve always loved the woods. The sounds of the crickets singing and rabbits dashing underfoot are calming, the smell of sticky pine and fresh air invigorating. You especially love them at night, hidden beneath boughs and walking through the shafts of moonlight that slip through the trees. 

The best part is that you don’t feel so alone out here. There is a feeling you cannot place each time you enter the woods, like you’re a little closer to discovering yourself. You’ve been chasing that feeling since you were a little girl, hungry for finding whatever it is that drives you out here. 

Hands tucked into your pockets, you walk the same route you always follow. It isn’t deep into the woods - you aren’t silly enough to believe you’re safe alone in the dark - but it’s enough of a walk to clear your head. 

Howls echo up into the night, a wolf pack on their hunt. The sound of them makes the hair on your arms stand on end.

The wolves don’t come very close to the village anymore since the vicious wolf hunts when you were barely old enough to remember them. The relationship between the men of your home and the wolves in the wood is violent, a chill cooling your skin every time they’re mentioned by one of your neighbors. 

A terrible howl splits the night. You feel your body go cold with fear, warmth leaching out of you as you press yourself against a tree, heart in your throat. The sound is something like a howl laced with utter anguish, chilling you down to the marrow. It tapers off into a whimper before falling silent again. 

Pressed against the tree, you wait. Your heart is beating so harshly that it feels like you might vomit in fear. Soft whimpering drifts on the wind. You hold your breath and strain your ears. It almost sounds like an injured dog.

It tugs at your heartstrings. You bite your lip, weighing your options. The noise sounded like it came from the south a little off of your path and toward the ravine that splits the part of the woods that is relatively safe from the deeper part where the animals are more lethal and more frequent. You could easily find your way back if you made it to the ravine, and as the whimpering vanishes entirely, you can’t help but imagine an animal in pain. 

The most difficult part about working with Dr. Kim at the veterinary clinic is always the animals that he can’t fix. You’ve held the hands of loved ones who couldn’t save their aging dogs, and you’ve hushed lame horses as Dr. Kim prepared draughts to send them to sleep and then to death. 

Pivoting, you turn and march toward the initial sound. It may perhaps be the single worst idea you’ve ever had, but you suddenly don’t care. You’ve worked with Dr. Kim enough to know how to triage animal wounds, and the thought of leaving something alone and suffering replaces any sort of fear you originally had. 

You’re careful not to lose your footing as the ground slopes steadily as you get closer to the ravines and canyons of the south side. Leaves shift underneath your feet as you go. It feels overly loud in a forest that is suddenly so quiet, only filled with the softest sound of labored breathing.

A small dip in the ground catches you off guard. You gasp, a scream stuck in your throat as you lose your footing and slide down the slope, your back and ass hitting the ground hard as you slide, leaves hissing underneath you. You scramble to grab a hold of something, but the hill isn’t very high and you hit the bottom of it quickly.

Heart pounding, you lay in the damp leaves for a second, panting, hand pressed to your heart as it rattles under your palm. Just as the fear settles down, a growl makes your blood run cold. Slowly, you begin to turn your face toward the left. You realize you’ve slid down a dell, and a few yards from you is a large, shivering form covered in fur.

You blink. Once. Twice. You realize that the large mound of fur is a creature - a wolf. It lays on the ground shaking, a ride of jet black hair standing up on its spine, hackles raised. The wolf’s ears are pinned back and its yellow eyes are wild, nearly consumed by the dark pupils drinking you in. Its teeth are bared, foam and drool lining pink gums as it snares, nose twitching. 

It’s the biggest wolf you’ve ever seen. You can’t move. You can only stare at it, wondering why it continues to snarl and stare at you, but not move. Your eyes rove its trembling form from maw to tail, and you realize its front leg is wet and held at an odd angle.

“Oh,” you gasp, realizing that the wolf’s foot is stuck in a claw trap. “I’m so sorry. I… can I help you?”

The wolf stops growling for a moment as if it understands. You stare with wide eyes, not daring to move as it assesses you. It leans toward you and sniffs, the sound of snuffing loud in the silence of the dell. For a few moments, you just watch as the beast regards you. 

Then, it chuffs and looks at its own foot, whining. You sit up slowly in amazement. The creature watches you with what you can only describe as a caution. You get up carefully and make your way toward the wolf. It watches your every movement. It can surely smell your fear as you get a few feet away, crouching down with your hands held out to let it know you’re not going to cause harm. 

You pause, waiting for permission to examine the wolf’s foot. It gazes at you and for a moment, you lose yourself in that burning, golden gaze. The wolf’s eyes are so human that it’s hard to see it as a simple beast. There is something alive and intelligent there.

As if sensing that you’re waiting for the all-clear, the wolf chuffs and lowers its head toward its foot, gesturing. You smile a little at that, marveling at the communication skills. Carefully, you look at the trap around the wolf’s foot. It’s a metal contraption that is pressure-engaged, with metal teeth. You cringe seeing the red on matted fur and metal.

“You must have stepped on the pressure plate,” you tell the wolf, though it probably doesn’t understand. You gesture to the round plate at the center of the trap. “It would have been in a circle and when stepped on, snapped closed like jaws.”

The wolf whines and bows its head. You wince. “They’re really strong,” you admit, chewing on your lip. “I don’t think I can pull it apart all the way, but I might be able to open it enough just for a moment for you to pull out your leg. Can you do that?” 

A huff. Somehow, you think if it could, the wolf might roll its eyes. Your mouth twitches in an almost smile as you get onto your knees, wiping sweaty hands on your pants. This close to the beast, you realize just how large it is. 

“This is going to hurt,” you insist. “Please… Please don’t bite me, okay? I want to help you.” 

The wolf lowers its head until it's lying on the ground, gold eyes watching you. Its muscles are tense and the hair along the ridge of its back is still standing, afraid and alert. 

“Okay. I’m just… I’m just going to touch the trap and try to get a grip first, okay?” The wolf doesn’t answer. It blinks at you, waiting. Licking your lips, you whisper, more to yourself than anything, “Okay, I can do this.”

Slowly, you reach out toward the wolf’s injured foot. You flick your gaze over to the wolf looking for a reaction. It just watches you, though you feel tension. The metal is wicked cold to the touch. You hiss and the creature flinches a little, a whistle-whine escaping its nose. You mutter an apology, fingers pressing to the ridges of the cold metal. 

It’s slippery with blood. You chew on your lip, prodding your finger in the space between the metal teeth on the edges where it’s not clamped around the wolf’s paw. You wiggle your finger a little, testing the strength of the closed jaws of the trap. It doesn’t budge and you curse. 

Sweat beads on the back of your neck, freezing in the cool air. You lift your other hand, very carefully trying to find a good grip on either side of the jaws to pry them open. The movement jostles the trap a little, the wolf snarling in pain. You flinch and rip your hands away, looking at it. Gold eyes burn and the wolf huffs, as though telling you to be more careful.

“Sorry,” you mutter. “I’m nervous and it’s hard to get a grip on it.” The wolf snorts. You glare at it. “I’m sorry, do you want to do this instead?” Your only answer is a rumble as it looks the other direction. “That’s what I thought.”

Sighing, you turn your attention back to the metal. Anyone a little stronger and older could probably pull it open. Seokjin for sure could - even Hoseok who is as old as you are, but plenty stronger. You try not to think about how weak you are, and instead wiggle your fingers through the gaps in the teeth.

The cool metal stings your hands. It’s not a great grip and your fingers are placed in bad positioning due to the teeth of the trap. Taking in a big breath, you try to pull the metal jaws apart. 

Nothing happens and you let your breath out, panting lightly as you stop trying to pull. The wolf flicks its tale but makes no other sound. With the way you’re gripping the jaws, you realize that pulling it apart is going to be difficult. It would rely on your forearms to peel the metal jaws backward… But if you were to push down and push apart, you could use your body weight as an extra boost. It would be pushing the jaws apart from above instead of trying to pry them apart with sheer strength.

Leaning high on your knees, you position yourself straight over the trap, your weight settling in on your forearms. You take another deep breath and this time when you pull, you push your weight down on the trap. For a second, it seems like it’s not going to give. You hiss through your teeth, muscles clenching, fingers burning as your skin presses against the metal as hard as you can stand it.

Then, the jaw opens a little. You grind your teeth harder, the ache in your arms growing as you push as hard as you can. Your forearms are trembling. You feel the vein throbbing in your neck and forehead. Just when you think you’re going to fail, the jaws give way again. You growl, feeling a surge of energy go through you at the small victory and you shove your body weight down on it hard. The springs creak a little and open more.

Little by little, the trap opens up. Your vision pulses red as you pant, strength waning. And then it’s like you hit the let-off point of the contraption, pushing it enough that the rest of the way it just falls open. You let go of the trap and the wolf yanks its leg from it. It now lies open and bloody as you collapse on the ground next to it, breathing hard, breath misting the air. 

Your heart beats in your ears, pulse thrumming in your neck wildly. For a second, you forget all about the wolf. You laugh up to the dark trees, a giddy feeling shooting through you. You did it, even though you didn’t think you would be able to. 

A dark presence alerts you. Slowly, you turn your head to face the wolf. It’s standing almost above you, looking more imposing than it did before. You swallow hard, mouth going dry as it blinks down at you. It favors the injured leg, but stands nonetheless, watching you. 

“Please don’t kill me,” you whisper, limbs trembling not only with exhaustion but fear. 

The wolf doesn’t kill you at all. Instead, it leans its head down and presses its cold, wet nose to your arm. You flinch, squeezing your eyes shut for a minute. Then the beast chuffs, making you peak at it. When you meet its gold eyes, you get the sense it is vaguely amused.

“Oh,” you breathe, relief sagging your aching body. “Cool. You’re not going to kill me.”

Standing, you realize that the wolf is still taller than you. You tilt your head upward, staring. There’s no way this is a normal creature, but you don’t know what else it could possibly be. You recall the legends of werewolves and dire wolves told by the men of your town, but you’re unsure if those are real. 

“Let’s take care of this,” you mutter, grabbing a branch and jamming it into the pressure plate of the trap. It snaps shut with a loud clang, snapping the branch, but otherwise ineffective now that it’s re-sprung. The wolf flinches and whines at the sound, no doubt remembering the feeling of the instrument on its leg. “Sorry.” 

Silence stretches out over the woods, the night growing deeper and cooler. You shiver, rubbing your hands up and down your arms as you turn to the wolf, which watches you keenly. 

“Will you be okay?” the question comes out as a whisper. The wolf huffs and steps forward, pressing its snout to your head. It’s cold and wet, making you shiver as it snuffs against your skin. “Good. I um - should start climbing this hill.”

It swivels its head and turns, waiting. You grin, realizing it will accompany you back up, at least. Though injured, the wolf is able to walk with three legs, the wounded leg lifted off the ground. Its gait is awkward and hobbled, but the two of you make it up the hill together, your breathing labored. 

At the top, moonlight shines through the trees and you both pause. A series of howls goes up in the night, startling you. The wolf looks up, ears twitching as it tilts its head, listening. Slowly, it turns to look at you, gold eyes sparkling. 

“I guess you have to go, huh?” it bows its head once. “Stay safe, okay?” 

The wolf steps forward. Presses its muzzle into your temple and huffs, making you grin. You smell pine and bergamot, pleasant and calming. “Yeah, you’re welcome.” 

Slowly, the wolf clambours off, vanishing into the dark woods, leaving you to hurry home yourself. 

-

“Wear this at all times for protection, especially in the forest,” you murmur, holding the neatly scrawled note. You frown and look down at the fine cloak folded on the dresser. It had appeared overnight as if by magic, a funny feeling flipping your stomach. “Where did you come from?”

The cloak, of course, has no answer. You lift your hand to feel it, breathing out a dreamy sigh. The inside is lined with soft bear fur. Outside is some of the finest cloth you’ve ever seen, gentle but sturdy to the touch and dyed the most delicious shade of scarlet. 

Carefully, you lift the cloak. It’s a little big for your size, but not unwearable. You slip it over your sleeping gown, loving the way the material ripples like blood over your shoulders, the fur lining keeping you warm. It smells like pine and bergamot, making you pause. 

Certainly, a wolf did not bring you a cloak. Still, the timing is quite odd. You don’t know who else could possibly make a cloak so fine in the village, and the smell… you shake your head. A wolf did not bring you a cloak, but it did seem perhaps you had a secret admirer. 

-

THIRTEEN YEARS LATER

“Boo!” You scream and drop the collection of logs in your hands, whirling around. Hoseok bursts into laughter, doubling over as he slaps his hands against his knees, hot breath misting the air. “You should see your face!”

“You rotten bastard!” You growl, picking up a log and throwing it at him. It doesn’t hit him, but he jumps away from it anyway, careful not to let it drop on his toes. “That isn’t funny!”

“It’s a little funny.”

“It’s not!” You crouch down and start picking up the timber. Hoseok at least has the decency to help you, starting with the log you threw at him. “There was another animal attack last night, in case you didn’t know.” 

That makes him pause. “There was?”

“Yes,” you hiss, snatching the last log and standing. “So stop lurking around corners and scaring me. It isn’t funny.” 

“Well, an animal isn’t going to attack you in the village. Unless you’re talking about Mingyu’s fiancee, anyway. That one is feral indeed.” 

You level Hoseok with a look and he gives you a grin. His nose and ears are red from the cold - and maybe a little guilt for scaring you - and he offers to take the timber from your arms. You let him, shoveling it over to him and marching around the front of your house. 

Wind howls between the houses, ripping at the ends of your red cloak. It catches your hood, throwing it up over your head as you shiver and tuck your hands into the fur lining. A shiver rattles up your spine as you kick the snow from your boots and rush inside, Hoseok quick on your heels. 

“So what happened?” Hoseok asks, following you to your room. 

“The Matheson Family,” you mumble. “They were attacked. San went down to collect new saddles his father ordered and found them slaughtered - their hounds too.” 

“They have hunting hounds - what the hell can kill those?”

“Perhaps it’s the wolves again. Dr. Kim was going with the city council to investigate.” 

Hoseok sighs. “The timing isn’t good. It’s about time the traders arrived. What if they bypass us entirely if the road is too dangerous?”

It’s a thought that has been plaguing everyone in the village. Because of the remote location on the north side of the woods, your small spec on the map relies on traders at the beginning of every winter for things that you’ll need to make it through: salt, extra grain and fruits, tools too advanced and large for the local smithy, repairs on houses and wagons. 

Arrival times of traders fluctuate every year. Sometimes there’s a cold snap, burying roads in heavy snow that are unnavigable. Other times, there is unrest in the woods when a rogue band of thieves gets the idea to rob travelers and hide in the woods until the city council sends a team of men to deal with it. 

Now, though, it’s getting into the late period of their arrival. The entire village holds its breath waiting for them, people looking out the open gates down the snowy road hoping to see a courier come ahead to announce the arrival of wagons and troupes of people. 

“Do you really think it’s wolves?” Hoseok asks. “I don’t think I’ve heard of wolf attacks like this since…” 

Hoseok winces. “It’s fine,” you assure him with a smile. “It’s not like I remember that time, much less remember my dad.” 

It’s true. Early memories of your childhood are murky at best. You remember being happy and loving your dad. You remember a period of fear and general uneasiness in the town, wolf attacks rampant and frequent. There had been plenty of men and women who died during that period, including your father.

That was a long time ago, though. For the most part, life in your small village is uninteresting. Some winters are harder than others, like the current season, but you’ve always managed to get by. 

“Do you remember much of that time period?” you ask him quietly. 

“Not really. Just that everyone was afraid. It was a really harsh winter and it drove wolves down from the mountains. I remember it being strange.”

“Strange how?” 

You chew your lip and shake your head, trying to encapsulate the thread of memory you have. Of feeling the tremor of fear in the air, the cold feeling of dread… like something violent was in the village. Something wrong.

“I don’t know. I was so young.”

“Hmm.” 

The talk of wolves makes you think about your wolf. Your lips curve at the memory of how gentle the wolf was, the somber eyes, and the smell of pine and bergamot. 

It would be a lie to say you had not gone out to the woods several times since that night to try and find the beast again. You haven’t seen him since, but you’ve always had a feeling he’s there somewhere. Watching. Waiting. 

“Either way,” Hoseok sighs. “Dad seems worried this winter will be like that time. He’s been doing a lot of will and testament papers at the office. He works late every night and is gone early in the morning.” 

“Really?”

“Want to hear what Mr. Hillshire is leaving for his kids?” Hoseok leans forward, conspiratorial. “You won’t believe it.” 

-

The bell over the door rings as someone enters the salon of Dr. Kim’s veterinary practice, drawing your attention. You straighten when you see San walk in.

“Hi, San,” you greet. “Here to pick up Maple?” 

“Yeah, is that alright? Mom is busy at the shop.” 

“Of course.” You wipe your sweaty hands on your skirts and gesture behind you with your thumb. “I’ll go fetch her. Dr. Kim is on an errand but she’s ready to go.” 

The back of the building with the kennels is quiet. The Choi family cat and two other sleeping dogs are the only occupants of the practice, making it an easy day. Maple is dozing in her kennel, chirping in protest when you open the cage and scoop her into a carrier. She’s a lazy thing, a calico with pretty eyes and a newly stitched ear. 

Carefully you carry her up front. San is standing patiently in the lobby, hands behind his back as he looks around nervously. You raise your brows as you come around the counter, handing over the carrier. “Everything okay?”

“Hmm?”

“You look nervous. It’s just me and the Lowells’ hounds back here.” 

“Oh, yes.” His ears blush pink as he accepts the carrier and steps back. “Just a nervous energy in general. I have been since um…”

Oh. You had forgotten that it was San who discovered the Matheson family disemboweled by some kind of animal. The constable had thought that maybe it was a pack of wolves but was concerned by how big the claw marks and destruction were. 

“I’m sorry,” you blurt.

“For what?”

“That you had to see that, I guess? It must have been terrifying.”

“A little,” he admits, looking at his shoes. “I walked the path to the Mathesons all the time. I don’t ever recall seeing something that could… do that.”

“Was it that awful?” 

He nods. “Like nothing I’ve ever seen. Don’t get me wrong, I go on hunting parties. We’ve seen the leftovers from bears and wolves. This was something worse. It felt like…” He shakes his head and looks up at you. “It felt angry.”

“Angry?”

“Yeah. I know that doesn’t make sense. It was probably just a beast coming down from the mountain because it was starving. You know how harsh winters are.” 

You hum in agreement. 

San dismisses himself, thanking you again for helping with the family cat and throwing a wave over his shoulder. You return it half-heartedly, already distracted with thoughts of what the animal attacks could mean.

You think about your wolf and how kind and intelligent it was. You don’t remember ever feeling a sense of impending doom like you do now, a heaviness to the air as you stand idly behind the counter. 

Dr. Kim's return startles you at the counter. You press your hands flat against the top of the desk, leaning up on your tiptoes as you see his son Seokjin enter behind him. Your heart flutters a little at the sight, still overwhelmed by his handsome face. 

Seokjin is tall and broad, with dark hair and a beautiful face. His sharp eyes find you and he gives you a half smile, though there seems to be something on his mind as he follows his father into the backroom, Dr. Kim barely saying hello as he goes, his brows furrowed in deep thought.

The two of them disappear and you watch the door swing shut behind them. Curious, you trail around the counter and softly walk over to the door, pulling it open a smidge.

It’s difficult to pick up on their words, but you can hear Dr. Kim’s timbre speaking in low tones from somewhere in the backroom. You hold your breath and wedge the door open a little more, pressing your ear toward the gap between the frame and the door. 

“... again. They’re going to want to start hunting parties again soon.”

“So what do we do?”

Silence. Then, “Send a message….”

“... brought it on themselves… it’s time to make things right.” 

Behind you, the bell rings at the door. You gasp, letting go of the door to the back room and spin around, heart hammering in your chest. Hoseok stands at the door, raising his brows in question. 

“What are you doing here?” you demand, suddenly angry that he’s startled you and ruined your sleuthing.

“I promised your mom I would walk home with you at the end of your shift, remember? Dangerous out there.” 

You blink and look out the window, realizing that the heavy gray of evening is setting over the road. You hadn’t realized it was so late. 

Nodding, you grab your cloak in a hurry. You pop your head into the back room, both Seokjin and Dr. Kim looking at you as you do. “I’m leaving for the evening, sir. Is there anything else you need?”

“No, thank you for watching the place while I was gone. Tomorrow we have to make a house call to the Marrow farm. Lame horse.”

Seokjin frowns. “Do you think that is wise?” Dr. Kim looks at his son under heavy brows. “With the current conditions.” 

“We’ll be fine.” Something passes between them, son and father locked in a heated gaze. You stand there awkwardly, glancing between the two.

Seokjin breaks his stare from his father and flashes you a grin. “You have someone to walk you home?”

“Yeah, Hoseok is here.” You hug the cloak tighter to your chest and Seokjin’s eyes drop to it. An unreadable expression passes his face before he nods. “Have a good evening!”

“You too.”

Leaving them behind, you head to where Hoseok waits for you, examining drawings of animal skeletons and anatomy. You pull your cloak on, feeling safe and warm under the red material. Hoseok looks up at you, thrusting his thumb at one of the drawings of a horse. “I don’t look like that, right?” 

-

The red cloak tied around you wicks the sweat from the back of your neck. Your fingers work quickly as you tie it, knowing you’re already late to meeting Dr. Kim. Thankfully, you don’t make a habit of being late and you’re sure he won’t mind too much.

Strange dreams had plagued you all night. Images of wolves, blood and mist. Echoes of howling, screaming and thunder. Now as you hurry out of your home and into the wicked wind of winter, you cannot shake a sense of premonition.

Dr. Kim is already on the doorstep when you arrive at the veterinary office, a heavy coat on his shoulders and a bag of tools in his hand. He nods when he sees you and comes down the steps, turning toward the south exit of the village. 

Neither of you speak. Beyond the fact that you don’t think you’d be able to hear Dr. Kim over the howling wind, it doesn’t feel like the kind of trip that requires speaking. The evergreens on either side of the road loom over you, bows heavy with snow. Every so often, a branch cracks with the weight of frozen icicles, making you flinch with the sound.

It feels like you’re being watched. Every so often, you swivel your head this way and that, glancing at the trees. The trunks are too close together and the branches to tangle to see beyond them on either side of the road. Still, your skin tingles from something beyond the cold, you just don’t know what. 

The Marrow farm is only a little over a mile from the main village, but the snow covered roads make it slow going. As you near the edge of where their acres begin, your boots are already heavy with melted slush and your calves and thighs burn from dragging your feet through the path. 

Perhaps it was not a good day to do a house call. 

Passing white-covered gates, you’re thankful that at least the wind has died down as the morning turns into midday. The sun is hidden by clouds, but there is a hint of warmth in the air. The Marrow farm is made up of three buildings: the small house in front, the large barn to the back left where they keep their animals, and a giant silo for grains. 

As you near the house, a loud banging reaches you. Both you and Dr. Kim pause, listening as the sound carries on the wind. It doesn’t sound like hammering, but rather like a door slamming over and over again. 

“Barn door?” you suggest, looking up at Dr. Kim. His dark eyes look at the house, expression grim. “But why would they let it slam relentlessly?” 

“Keep your wits about you,” he murmurs, ignoring your question. “Go to the main house. I’ll go round to the barn. Perhaps they’ve forgotten the appointment.”

No smoke comes from the chimney. No snow is cleared from the footpath to the door. The shutters are closed, which makes sense to keep the cold out. As you approach the steps leading up to the porch, you note that none of the hounds are baying. The Marrow’s have several bloodhounds, all of which keep noisy providence around the threshold of the door. 

Spine tingling, you lift your hand and knock. There’s no answer. You strain your ears, leaning forward for any hint that the Marrow’s or one of their two sons are coming to the door. Not even the dogs alert them of your presence. 

You think about San finding the Mathesons butchered and your stomach drops. You knock again, knuckles stinging with cold as they rap harshly against the wooden door. Tucking your hand back into your cloak, you wait. 

Nothing comes. 

Taking a deep breath, you reach for the door and twist the handle. It opens easily, swinging inward to a cold, empty home. Inside, the air is still and dead. Behind you, the breeze brushes the edges of your cloak and the hood on your head. 

Silence hangs. Licking your lips, you lift a foot. It hands over the threshold, fear making you pause. There is nothing inside the home, and yet you find that you’re utterly terrified of stepping inside. Your stomach knots and for a few moments, you just stand there with your foot in the air, staring with unseeing eyes into the dark interior. 

You step into the room and pause. Nothing happens. The air inside the home is stale, like the doors and windows have not been opened for a few days. The cold is bone deep, clinging to the undisturbed air. You scan the room for any sign of life, but see nothing that stirs. 

Everything looks lived in. There are knitted blankets tossed across the backs of old arm chairs, boots by the door, unlaced and soft with age. Mugs have been turned upside down and placed on a towel near the basin for drying, and there are dice on the kitchen table. 

Navigating slowly, you move to the hall with bedrooms. Doors hang open, revealing unmade beds and clothes on the floor. Here too, the air feels undisturbed. You hear the breeze outside and the soft creak of the house, but nothing else makes a sound, save for the loud beating of your own heart. 

Shivering, you make your way to the front of the home. Something foul hangs in the air and you want to be rid of the feeling, quickening your steps to leave through the front door and-

Fear stabs deep into your stomach when you see the wolf standing in the doorway. It stands half in the home, half out, only the front two paws over the threshold. The beast barely fits in the door frame, wide as two men standing side by side and tall as a horse. 

You don’t move. It stares at you with bright, burning eyes. Its fur is dark, though there is a jagged ring of light fur around the right, front paw. You swear you smell pine and bergamot. Something nudges at the back of your mind as the two of you stand off - and it clicks into place.

“You,” you breathe. “You’re the wolf I helped!” 

For a moment, the bright yellow eyes stare at you. They’re unreadable, and yet… emotive. Intelligent. Understanding. The wolf dips its snout in a nod. 

“What are you doing here? Where are the Marrows?” 

The wolf’s ears flicker. Slowly, it backs out of the house. Throwing caution to the wind, you rush after him, nearly tripping over a wolfskin rug in the home.

Outside, the wolf stands below the porch. You step on the porch and pull up short, heart racing as you see the pack of wolves standing in front of the home.

The wolves are a variety of colors and sizes. You dare not move your head, but you scan them with your eyes, drinking in the different creatures. The only thing that they have in common is that they are freakishly large. 

Your wolf - for in your mind he’s yours - stands in front of you. He growls, hair on his spine raising as he regards the other wolves. There’s a silent standoff of sorts, the wolf you saved facing the others. You cannot understand their body language, but the air seems charged. 

The smell of smoke is in the air. You don’t dare look for the source, too afraid to do anything to disrupt the standoff. Breathing in deeply, you think you smell cedar. Oil. Something else that you can’t identify. 

Footsteps crunch the snow. You whip your head to the side, a warning on your tongue as Dr. Kim rounds the house, a haunted expression on his face. He stops abruptly, looking at the display in front of him behind frosted glasses. He says nothing - does nothing but glance between you, the wolf in front of you, and the others. 

Finally, one of the other wolves chuffs and shakes, dispelling snow. It has an all white coat and intense, dark eyes that look at you with… annoyance, if wolves can look annoyed. It turns to leave and the others follow - all five of them - as the white wolf leads them at a loping trot toward the silo and the woods beyond.

Your wolf turns to peer at you, ears flicking before it breaks off into a run, trailing after its pack to leave you and Dr. Kim standing in silence, watching them go. 

Slowly, you turn to Dr. Kim. He scrutinizes you, eyes squinted. “Where did you get that cloak?” 

You look down at the rich, red cloth. “I… well it just appeared, one day when I was younger. I don’t know.”

He regards you suspiciously. “I see. Come. We must leave right away.”

Dr. Kim begins walking at a fast pace back toward town, clutching his tool case. “Wait! Where are the Morrows?” 

Instead of answering, Dr. Kim continues on. You scramble after him, careful not to slip on the icy stairs. The wind picks up and you smell a fire again, making you turn back as you try to catch up. You almost stumble over your feet, eyebrows shooting up as you see orange flames consuming the barn. 

“Dr. Kim!”

Again, he says nothing. You stop and stare, watching as the fire eats away at the barn. The smoke burns black. Fueled by oil, you think. Looking over your shoulder, you watch Dr. Kim’s retreating back and wonder what exactly it is that he’s done. 

“Did you set that fire?” you demand, chasing him. He gives you a withering look. “What is going on?”

“Speak nothing of this,” he snaps. “We arrived here to make a housecall and discovered that the barn was on fire. We suspect that Mr. Marrow was burning to melt the snow around the barn and that the barn caught. The Marrow family died inside trying to put out the fire.”

“But the wolves-”

“Do not mention the wolves, girl.”

“Did they kill the Marrows?” His jaw works but he doesn’t answer. “Did they kill the Mathesons?” 

“This village has a complicated history,” he says finally. He pulls his coat tighter. “I don’t expect you to understand, but I do expect you to stay out of it. Say nothing of the wolves and stay away from them. You’ll make it through winter.”

-

Two weeks pass, the secret heavy on your tongue. You work with Dr. Kim as though nothing happened, and when people ask about the Marrow farm, you recite vague details. You don’t know why you do it but… the image of the wolf - your wolf - floats in your mind each time you spit out the lie. 

Thoughts plague you as Hoseok lounges on the porch of the office that belongs to Hoseok’s father, who acts as the town’s scribe and legal affairs recorder. A sudden warm day has brought everyone outdoors, lounging on their porches and trying to take advantage of the melting snow around the buildings. The streets are muddy and murky as kids run by, feet splashing. 

A group of men prowl around the outskirts of the village. Sun shines through the slats of the overhang in front of the inn, warming where you lean on the porch railing. Hoseok rattles on about gossip he’s heard from his mother’s tea parties and his father’s work on will and testaments with the growing fear of death in the village. 

“Plagues, serial killings, blood feuds and animal attacks,” Hoseok sighs, staring up at the ceiling where he lies. “Good for father’s business. Bad for my cramping hand trying to help him.” 

“Hmm,” you hum noncommittally, thoughts lost as you stare out into the street with unseeing eyes.

Shouts make you flinch. You stand rod straight, gripping the railing as you look for the source of the disruption. Hoseok stands up immediately, joining you at the railing as the pair of you lean to look toward the entrance to the town. 

At first, you think that it’s about another wolf attack. People rush into the street, looking toward the commotion. Then you see it. Gleeful cheers spring up to the buildings closest to the town’s entrance as the first few traders enter the road. Your heart soars when you see donkeys pulling a cart behind them, followed by more people carrying packs and towing small carts. 

“The traders!” You breathe, feeling a sigh of relief sweep through you. “They’ve made it!” 

Excitement ripples through the village. People come flocking from the buildings to welcome cart after cart full of people. Some traders tow full carriages with riders at the front, the shutters on their carriages tied shut, hiding their wares inside. 

Hoseok lounges back down, letting out a sigh of relief. You feel the same, leaning on the railing again to watch as the carts are towed down the road, pulling down different streets to set up shop and find accommodations. 

Most of the traders look vaguely familiar to you - you see the Robin’s with their cloth cart and Morty with his towering carriage of unusual wares and charms. The Yang twins set off small, popping fireworks from the back of their cart, making the children squeal. 

Something catches your eye. “There are more traders than usual,” you tell Hoseok, frowning as your eyes settle on the large men who walk among the carts, all of whom wear weapons belts and look from side to side as they walk. “I think they’re warriors, Hoseok.”

“Warriors?” he laughs. “Strange.”

“No really, there are several men with blades at the hip and bows on the back. They look… guarded.”

He tilts his head, eyeing where your eyes flit from person to person. “Perhaps the road is as hard as we suspected this year.” 

You hum in agreement, watching as the caravans stop and unload, the muddy streets filling with people and chatter and bubbling with excitement. It feels like the bubble of anxiety looming over the town has popped - at least temporarily - relieving the pressure that had been building with every passing day. 

Leaning against the rail, you’re content to observe. All manner of people and things are pulled from carts. Vendors start setting up right away, people forming lines for ingredients, cloth, and wares. The largest line of all is for weapons and metal tools, Old Man Heo barely has time to park his cart before the men of the village ask how much for iron arrowheads and blades. 

A shiver goes through you as your eyes sweep back toward the town entrance where more people pour in. Fewer caravans come through - now it’s just people with pack mules or bags over their shoulders. 

The hairs on your arm stand up when you see him. Wind lifts the edge of your cloak, making it flutter around you. You watch as he walks down the main street with the other travelers, eyes flicking around as he drinks in the buildings and the crowd of villagers coming to welcome the traders. 

As though he senses your staring, his head snaps to you. You feel frozen to the spot, your fingers tightening on the rail as you meet his eyes. They’re unfathomably dark and yet… a tingle of familiarity slithers up your spine. 

He stares at you in turn. You’re sure he’s looking at you, paused near the cart he stands next to, dark gaze focused on where you stand on the porch. 

You’ve never seen him.  You’re sure of it. You’d remember a handsome face like that anywhere. His long, dark hair is pushed back from his face, revealing a sharp jawline, a strong nose, and intense eyes. His lips are red from the cold - pretty against tan skin.

He’s tall. Taller than most men in the village and broad, with strong shoulders and thick arms, though it’s hard to tell underneath his tunic. Like the other hardy men accompanying traders, he has a weapons belt snug around his waist and the bulk of his frame implies that he knows how to use them. 

The man doesn’t break eye contact. His mouth begins to tilt in what you think might be the start of a smile when Hoseok sits up abruptly, startling you. You break eye contact, looking at Hoseok who bites into an apple, offering you one. 

“You frightened me,” you snap, a little irritated at being distracted. When you glance back up at the man, his attention is elsewhere. 

“What were you staring at anyway?” he asks, crunching bits of apple. 

“Nothing,” you murmur, eyes on the flexing back of the man as he helps unload a wagon near the inn. Something niggles at the back of your mind. I know you. “Nothing at all.” 

“Want to visit the vendors later when they’re all set up? I would love to get some spiced wine and listen to Marla’s stories tonight.”

“Yes,” you answer without hesitation. “Let’s do just that.” 

-

Every minute that passes by feels like an eternity. Incurable energy simmers under the surface as you wait for the day to fade to evening. You clean the entire house, you collect wood from outside, you dress and then change into something else, and you ultimately end up pacing back and forth in your room while you wait for Hoseok to arrive. 

Your thoughts are consumed by the mystery man you had seen earlier. His handsome face swims in your memory. The clear image of his face is accompanied by some feeling you cannot identify, something that almost feels like nostalgia. How can you feel nostalgia for someone you don’t know? 

Hoseok finally arrives, letting himself into your house cheerily. The brief respite from winter is already bleeding away, the wind carrying a painful promise as it lifts your hood outside. The traders, it seems, arrived at the perfect time, the cloudy sky promising snow in the morning once more. 

Energy sizzles in the air. It’s as though the momentary fear of the wolf attacks is momentarily forgotten with the arrival of the vendors and travelers. The noise echoes from every street, torches, and fires lighting up the alleyways and down as people hang lamps in the windows and carts string up tea lights. 

Though you’re nervous, you are temporarily distracted as Hoseok pulls you through a tangle of carts toward Sal’s Sweets. Your stomach grumbles when you catch the scent of melting sugar and sweet confections, joining the line at Hoseok’s side to pick up hot, sticky sweets. 

With hot, sweet rolls drizzled in honey in hand, you and Hoseok explore the vendor carts. It is an explosion of color and lights, glittering jewelry hanging from displays, hot meats sizzling in pants over fires, the flash of powder and light as the Yang twins set off more fireworks, and the smell of spices as you pass by herb carts and tents. 

Everywhere you go, you see the men from before, looming near carts with weapons and steely expressions. But not even the eerie sight of them can bring down the spirits of the villagers, kids running with new kites and jars full of fireflies. 

As you stand in line with Hoseok who wants new inkwells, you listen to passing chatter. From what you gather, it was a hard trip this way on the caravans this year. The winter was just as harsh on the road as it was in the village, and the traders' voices become quiet when they talk about thieves and monsters in the woods.

You exchange a glance with Hoseok and he nods. Wolves. 

Wordlessly, you wait as Hoseok points out the inks that he wants. You begin to crane your neck, looking for the familiar stranger that you had seen before. The square is crowded and packed tight with people, making it nearly impossible to make out much beyond a few feet in front of you.

You spot Dr. Kim walking next to Seokjin, both of their heads bowed as they speak to one another. You narrow your eyes, remembering the way Dr. Kim had silenced you at the Marrow farm. You watch them as they head toward the road that the veterinary practice is on, pausing as a man pushes off the wall to join them.

It’s him you realize. You recognize the broad shoulders and the dark hair as he turns his back to you, walking with the Kims down the road. You don’t even have to think twice.

“Hey,” you tug Hoseok’s sleeve. “I’m going to go see Dr. Kim about something really quick. I’ll meet you at the inn?”

“Sure.” He frowns. “Is it safe to go alone?”

“With all of these people?” You’re already backing away and shrugging. “Definitely.” 

Without waiting for Hoseok to respond, you turn on your heel and rush into the crowd. The bodies of people immediately swallow you. The sound and sights and smells become a blur as you push through the crowd, shouldering people aside. You get some nasty looks from the force at which you move, but they immediately forget you as more people press in.

Less people pass you by as you walk up the street, pulling your cloak in tight. The lights in front of the building are off. You creep up the stairs and try the handle, finding it locked. It doesn’t matter, you sneak around the back of the building to the rear entrance and press your ear to the door. When you hear nothing, you try the handle and it twists.

Victorious, you open the door and slide through. The hallway is narrow with four doors on the right leading to examination rooms and two doors on the left. The first door leads to the kennel area where you hear voices. The second leads to the front lobby and desk.

The front lobby is the safest option, lest you get caught eavesdropping in the hallway when they leave. Carefully, you creep by the door, holding your breath and praying the floor doesn’t creak. Your heart pounds as you inch past the door, hearing deep voices on the other side as you go by. 

Clearing the door, you hurry into the lobby and to the door behind the desk that leads to the kennels. Crouching down low to hide yourself from anyone walking by the windows, you carefully pull the door open, unwilling to open it any further than the width of your index finger. Pressing your ear to the open gap, you listen.

“We talked about discretion,” Dr. Kim says, his voice frustrated. “This isn’t discretion. This is harassment and fear-mongering.”

“I told you,” a deep, smooth voice answers. You assume it must belong to the stranger and you shiver, eyes fluttering as the sound of it washes over you. “It isn’t my decision to make. I do not lead. Yoongi made it very clear how he wishes to proceed.” 

“Yoongi is a lunatic.”

“He’s the alpha.”

You frown. Alpha? You’re familiar with the concept of alphas in packs of dogs and herding animals, but you don’t know what that has to do with people or who Yoongi is. 

“The hunts will begin tomorrow.”

You think Dr. Kim means the hunting for the wolves. It makes sense now that the traders are in town and they can stock up on weapons. 

“As is the way of things,” the stranger answers with a sigh. “You know why Yoongi has chosen this path.”

“Is revenge worth it?”

“Perhaps your kind do not understand.” The stranger’s voice hardens. You wonder what he means by your kind. “You have one foot in the forest, one in the village.” 

“We understand, but we’re also not reckless.” Charged quiet hangs in the air. You hold your breath, your heart thundering in your chest, waiting for the sound of footsteps at the end of a conversation. “Why are you here, Namjoon? You came alone.”

Namjoon. The name washes over you, a warm feeling like the first spray of summer rain. It must be the stranger's name. 

Namjoon answers, “There is… a protected here. But I still fear for them. Yoongi and the others are angry - I wish to further keep them from harm.”

A frown twists your mouth. This Namjoon is here to protect someone from Yoongi. You wonder what this has to do with Dr. Kim. Could… Perhaps someone is using the wolves as tools? You’ve certainly seen a hunter train wolves or wolfhounds before, though it’s a dangerous business. 

Dr. Kim sighs. “That is the only saving grace of you being here, I’m afraid. Seokjin and I cannot help you. Not without exposing ourselves. I’ve already done what I can.”

“You have my greatest thanks for that. You and yours will always be safe. And not just because of your blood.”

Shuffling makes you lean away from the door immediately. You slowly drop it back in place before crawling over to the desk and hiding under it, straining your hearing as the footsteps go into the back hall and out of the back door. You remain there long after you hear the back door shut, waiting just in case they’re still outside.

When you’re sure they’ve gone, you crawl out from underneath the desk and hurry into the hall and out the back door. The alley is empty when you stick your head out, sagging with relief. You hurry out and close the door behind you, spinning around and-

“You know, most people who don’t want to be seen don’t sneak around in a red cloak.”

The man - Namjoon - looms over you, looking down at you with an amused expression. Your scream is cut off when he winces and cups your mouth with his hand. “Well don’t scream! You’ll summon Giho and Seokjin back this way. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

Namjoon waits for a moment, your chest heaving as you nod, signifying that you won’t scream for help. Maybe it’s silly, but you trust him not to hurt you. At the least, he is there to protect someone in the village, so he doesn’t seem like he’s there for nefarious reasons.

When he drops his hands, you press yourself against the door, trying to put a little distance between you. Namjoon’s presence is demanding, a tickle prickling at the base of your spine as you look up at him, mystified. 

He’s so beautiful. Up close, you can make out his features far better than earlier that day. His eyes are dark and framed by beautiful, silken lashes. His nose is broad and his jaw is sharp. A dimple appears when he gives you a lopsided grin, dark eyes sizing you up.

The same sense of familiarity from earlier comes back to you, and though you’ve never seen his face before, you swear you know him. Warmth radiates from him, the delicate smell of pine and bergamot reaching you. He feels like… yours. Like some part of him completes you. It is the strangest feeling. 

“You okay, Red?” he asks, tone earnest. You furrow your brows at the term and he grins - genuine and warm. “Your cloak. It’s a very bright red. Pretty, though.”

“Thank you?”

He raises a brow. “Are you asking me?”

“I’m… you’re awfully close.”

Namjoon takes a few steps back from you. You suddenly regret saying something as his warmth vanishes, replaced by the cool wind. “Sorry,” he says, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. “Didn’t mean to freak you out.”

“Why didn’t you alert Dr. Kim if you knew I was snooping.”

“You don’t seem to be a threat. Plus, he’s a bit of a grouch. It didn’t seem worth it to hear him chastise a pretty girl.”

You flush. “How do you know the Kims?”

“Family friends.” 

“What were you all talking about?”

He cocks his head to the side. “Just because I’m not chastising you for listening to our private conversation doesn’t mean I’m going to divulge the details of said private conversation.”

You divert your gaze, feeling flushed. He has a point, but if he’s put out by your line of questioning or your eavesdropping, he doesn’t show it. “Come on,” Namjoon says. “Let’s go back to the square. I need a drink and it’s dangerous to walk around right now.”

“Because of the wolves?”

He stares at you. “Because it’s dark and there are a bunch of strangers in your town, and you’re a woman alone. In the dark.”

“You’re a stranger in my town.”

His grin spreads and his dimple deepens. Your stomach flutters. You’re not unaffected by him, a little dizzy and nervous when he sticks out a hand. “Namjoon. I’m a part of the Kim family.”

“Like… Dr. Kim?” you ask, reaching out your hand and giving him your name.

“We’re related, in a way. Pretty name. I think I’ll stick with Red, though.”

Namjoon takes off walking. For a second, you just stand and stare at him. He shoves his hands in his pockets and doesn’t look back. You lick your lips, heart pounding. You cannot shake the sense of something peculiar about him, something familiar. He’s a Kim - perhaps you know him.

Determined to find out, you take off after him, scurrying to catch up. You fall into step with him and look up to find him smirking down at you before focusing back on the growing noise and lights of the main square. 

“Have you been here before?” you ask, watching him from the corner of your eye. He shakes his head and you frown. “I feel like I know you.”

“Perhaps I have one of those faces?”

“No, I’d remember a face like yours.”

Namjoon turns to you, arching a brow. “A face like mine, huh?” 

Multiple fire pits dot the streets, groups of people clustered around them to keep warm as the chill seeps back into the village. The inn is bustling with people, the door propped open with a chair as people walk in and out with platters of food and tankards in hand. Multiple villagers have pulled out tables and chairs from their homes, setting them up in the street. 

It feels good. The air hums with euphoria and the promise of better days ahead, like suddenly there are not several families mourning their loved ones. The atmosphere reminds you of a festival, and you suppose it kind of is a festival. 

The smell of burning fat and ale hits your nose as you walk into the inn. Voices roar over one another and the workers are busy behind the bar. A fireplace crackles in the far corner where you spot Hoseok guarding an extra chair. 

“I fear this is where we part ways,” Namjoon announces over the din of voices. “Try not to do any more eavesdropping tonight.” You hesitate, wanting to protest. There are a million burning questions you have for him. He must see it in your face, because he smiles and says, “We’ll run into one another again. Don’t worry.”

“I wasn’t worried.”

You were actually, and you know he knows by his smirk. “Goodnight, Red.”

You watch Namjoon go. He moves toward where the innkeeper stands at a podium looking over reservations, blending into the crowd. Just before he reaches the podium he glances over his shoulder at you, catching you watching. He shoots you a grin and you scowl, pivoting on your heel to charge toward Hoseok. 

Hoseok raises his eyebrows when he sees you storm over to him and yank the chair out from the table, sitting down in a huff. Without a word, you snatch his tankard of ale and take several, cold gulps before setting it on the table, letting it wash through you. 

“Who was that you came in with? And then stormed over here after speaking to?”

“Some relative of the Kims,” you mutter. “I find him very… frustrating.”

“He’s very handsome.”

You glare at Hoseok and see the beginning of a wicked smile. “And frustrating.” 

He lifts his cup, shrugging. “Cheers to being frustrating.”

-

A scream wakes you up in the middle of the night. You lurch up from bed, head spinning as you try to gather your wits about you. Blankets tangle your limbs as you try to peel them from sweaty skin. Another scream makes you stumble out of bed, the world tilting on its axis as your body tries to catch up with your sudden lucidity. 

In the main room of your home, your mother is stumbling through the kitchen too, lighting a candle and grabbing a holder. You feel relief as you realize the screaming isn’t coming from your home, but your neighbor’s.

Together, you and your mother rush out into the cold in nightgowns, not bothering with shoes or coats. The cold is bitter, immediately stinging your skin as the Liang family joins you in running to the Hutch family home where it sounds like Mrs. Hutch is screaming like a wild animal in her house. 

“It’s Leanne,” your mother breathes, words turning to steam in the air. 

“Come on,” you urge, pulling your mother as you go, driven by the shrieks.

The front door hangs open as Mr. Liang enters the home first, an ax in hand. It occurs to you that neither you nor your mother have weapons, but Mrs. Hutch has always been kind to your mother, making the both of you charge into the darkness of her home empty-handed.

A metallic tang hits you immediately. You recoil, recognizing the stench of blood immediately. Villagers spill into the home behind you, alerted to the wailing coming from the bedroom. With torches and candles in hand, you spot the red on the dark wood floor in the hallway. 

Mr. Liang stands in the doorway of the bedroom, staring with a haunted gaze at what he sees there. Your mother pushes through the people in the home to look over his shoulder, her hand flying to her mouth as she gasps. 

“Oh Leanne,” she murmurs in horror, shoving by Mr. Liang.

You don’t go to the room. The smell and the weeping coming from the bedroom give you an inkling of what lay inside. You stand in the living room as people fill the hall, gasping and murmuring. Someone shouts to wake the constable. 

“Why?” Mrs. Hutch screams in her room, the despair in her voice rattling your bones. “Why?”

“His throat has been cut,” someone murmurs from the hall. “Murdered in bed.” 

Murdered? That throws you for a loop. You had assumed somehow it was an animal attack but… you shiver. Murder is different. 

Mr. Liang begins shooing people out of the house. You slink out into the cold and hurry to your own home, bare feet freezing in the cold, wet earth. Your mother stays with Mrs. Hutch, leaving you alone.

The dark presses in on you, every creak of a floorboard making you jump. The shadows seem menacing now and you’re quick to find and light a candle, orange light flooding the home. 

Cloth and candle in hand, you return to your room to wipe the cold mud from your feet, skin still burning from the frigid air. Voices carry in from outside, the entire town waking and gathering as the shock of murder ripples through the streets, a stone in a pond.

With sleep nowhere near possible for the remainder of the night, you get dressed. You pull on thick woolen pants, a tunic, and multiple socks, sticking your feet in your boots. Your cloak goes next, fastening it around your throat as you look out your bedroom window. 

Your home sits at an angle in a row of houses that circle the village like a ring. You can see the wall of the home next to you, and a sliver of the backyard as well. It’s that tiny space in the backyard that catches your eye, watching as someone moves from the edge of the home out of sight. 

Heart in your throat, you grab a candle and run outside. The crowd in front of the Hutch’s has grown, but you ignore them, skirting around your house to the alleyway between you and your neighbor. Nothing catches your eye as you run to the backyard, swiveling as you search in the darkness for the shadow you saw. 

The wind howls, drowning out the voices in the street. The treeline behind the houses is dark. You squint your eyes and lift the candle in your hand, the flame barely flickering as the wind makes the trees sway. There is nothing in the darkness and you begin to turn when you see a shadow in the tree line. 

It’s barely there - perhaps a trick of the light, even. You take a step forward, boots crunching in the snow. A gust of wind makes your cloak snap at your ankles, candle going out and leaving you without a source of light. You had not realized how dark it was without it, the shadow vanishing from your line of sight. 

Fear nestles in the pit of your stomach. Your breath gets stuck in your lungs as your limbs lock, realizing how stupid it was to come outside if there was a killer among the trees. Soft snow crunches somewhere close to you. You squeeze your eyes shut, tucking your chin to your chest as panic makes you shut down, unable to move and-

“Red.”

Namjoon’s voice makes you spin around. He holds a torch level with his head, the flame casting an eerie glow on his face. For a moment, he looks lupine and terrifying, your heart nearly stuttering to a halt. 

Then his face twists in concern. “What are you doing out here alone?”

“What are you doing?”

“Dr. Kim sent me over to check on you. No one answered the door so I came around back.”

“Why?”

Namjoon seems confused. “Why did I come around back or why did he send me?”

“Both.”

“I could see the light of your candle and because a murder has just happened.”

You relax a little at the logic in his answer. Snow begins to fall from the sky. You look up at the moonless black,  thick clouds floating as the bits of snow drift on the breeze. You shiver and look back to the trees, seeing nothing but tightly packed pines. Still, there is an instinctual sense of trepidation that sits heavy in your gut.

“Come on,” Namjoon says gently. “Let’s go inside. I’ll wait with you until your mother comes home.” 

Reluctantly, you follow Namjoon. Eyeing him, you realize he is dressed differently than previously that night. Now, he’s in black breeches and a black linen shirt. The weapons belt is gone and he’s without a coat. 

You frown. “Aren’t you freezing?”

“I run warm.”

It’s the only answer that he gives you as you walk back into the street which is filled with people and torches. In the distance, you hear the baying of hounds. It chills you, goosebumps exploding up and down your arms as you watch a cluster of firelights gather far off down the road. 

“The constable is leading a manhunt. They’ll come to question us too.” 

Wordlessly you gesture for Namjoon to join you inside of your home. He closes the door firmly behind you and strides to the fireplace, using the torch to coax the simmering logs to a full flame. Cedar pops as he adds the torch to the fire, orange embers drifting up the chimney. 

Rubbing your hands together, you offer him tea and he accepts with a soft smile. It doesn’t meet his eyes as he looks around the only place you’ve ever called home. Suddenly shy of your less-than-luxurious surroundings, you clear your throat and gesture to one of the mismatched armchairs by the fire as you grab a kettle.

Namjoon hardly fits in the chair. You press your lips to keep from laughing, which feels inappropriate with a man dead just a few yards away. With careful hands, you hang the kettle next to the fire, the flame close enough to heat the water as you scurry back to the kitchen and fill tea bags with herbs. 

“What kind of tea do you like?”

“Yarrow, if you have it.”

“I do.” You grab the jar, popping the top. “Are you in great pain, Mr. Kim?”

“Call me Namjoon. Mr. Kim feels far too formal.”

“Well, we are strangers, after all.”

Namjoon certainly doesn’t feel like a stranger. You cast him a sidelong glance as you say it, looking for his reaction. He turns his head from the fire, meeting your gaze head-on. His lips curve in a secret smile, making your nerves dance.

“I suppose that’s true.”

Is it? You wonder. You’re not so sure. 

Instead of asking him, you bring the mugs with bags of tea over to where he sits, handing him one. Steam rises from the spout of the teapot. With a thick towel, you lift it off of the hanger. Namjoon holds out his cup and lets you pour carefully into his mug, the smell of yarrow and mint wafting toward you. After pouring your own cup, you set the kettle down and sit across from him.

Your cold hands leech the warmth from the mug. You settle comfortably in the chair, relaxing and inhaling the chamomile in your cup. After a few moments of silence, you realize how comfortable and safe you feel with Namjoon, though you’ve only known him for a few short hours. 

“Why have you come to the village?” 

Namjoon watches the fire as he answers, “You were eavesdropping at the veterinary office. I’m sure you heard me.” You look down at your steaming cup and Namjoon chuckles, raspy and deep. It’s a nice sound.

“You said there was a ‘protected’ here. And something about a Yoongi.”

Namjoon’s face darkens at the mention of Yoongi. You chew on your lip, worried you’ve pushed him too far before you’ve even started to ask him real questions. His jaw works as he contemplates what you’ve said, sipping the tea a little. 

“A protected just means someone under protection by my family,” Namjoon says finally. “My extended family is… large. We are a very close group and we consider those in our community blood.”

“It is… not always like that here.”

“Your mother assists Mrs. Hutch, though. That seems like family, in a way.”

“Mrs. Hutch is kind. Not everyone is.” 

Namjoon nods. “It is not like that where I am from. We bear the sins of our neighbors and we share the responsibility of keeping everyone safe.”

“That must be nice.” You sip your tea and scald your tongue, hissing and setting the cup down. Namjoon leans forward as though to help you, alarm on his face. “Tea is too hot. I don’t know how you drink it.”

He smiles and shrugs. “I run warm.” 

“So you said. How are you related to Dr. Kim?” 

“He’s my uncle. He’s my father’s brother. His wife was best friends with my mom.” 

“Oh.” You blink in surprise. “She passed away when I was very young. She… died the same winter as my father.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Namjoon frowns and cocks his head. “What did your father do?” 

“He was a hunter.”

One of the logs pops in the fireplace, making you flinch. You give a nervous laugh and glance at Namjoon, who has gone stone-still. The firelight dances on his face as he peers at you. Your smile falters a little at the gravity you find there. 

“He only hunted fowl and deer,” you find yourself explaining. You don’t know why you say it, only that suddenly that feels important. “He didn’t like to hunt bigger game or predators. Mother says that he believed they were best left alone and that a true hunter knows his betters when he sees them.”

Namjoon hums. “Smart man.”

“I don’t know. He died in an animal attack when I was very young.” 

“You must resent the woods.”

“Not at all. I think…” You bite your bottom lip, trying to find the right words. “I think that he wouldn’t blame the animals. The woods are their home. My mother says he was always very adamant about that. They don’t usually attack villagers, though.”

“Usually?”

“There are animal attacks happening. I’m sure Dr. Kim told you…?”

“Ah, yes. You think they’re without reason?”

“Perhaps hunger? I don’t know. It does not happen often.” 

“Wolves are not known to hunt people.” Namjoon’s fingers drum against his mug, a steady tap. He seems thoughtful as he regards you. “They’re intelligent creatures and their packs are important to them. They take the threat to their land and their family seriously.” 

“Like your family?”

He laughs. “Like my family.” Namjoon sips his tea again. “This land used to belong to several packs of wolves, you know?”

“Really?”

“Yes, until settlers drove them out. Not that long ago there were hunting parties for sport. They slaughtered entire packs, destroying bloodlines and nearly wiping out the wolves here entirely.”

“I always found that incredibly sad.”

“Why is that?”

“They’re incredibly important to the ecosystem here. And I guess I always agreed with my dad. I don’t remember him much, but I like to remember that he was good at heart.”

Namjoon hums but says nothing else. You sit in silence for a while, enjoying the warmth of the fire. Namjoon’s presence is steady, keeping out the cold and the fear just beyond the door. You wonder how he does that by just sitting in a chair, or how it feels so natural. 

Outside, the world begins to turn gray. You yawn as exhaustion begins to set in and you feel yourself sagging. Eyes burning, you rub them with the back of your hands, blinking a few times to fight the explosion of colors in your vision. 

“You can sleep,” Namjoon says softly from where he sits. You glance at him. “You can trust me.”

A hint of pine and bergamot drift toward you, making you drowsy. Namjoon grabs a blanket from the back of his chair and stands up, bringing it to you. He takes your mug and you watch him with sleepy, round eyes as he places the blanket over you.

“Sleep.” His voice is soft, distant. “I will be here.”

Your eyes flutter shut and you drift to sleep, remembering the warm sound of his voice. It… reminds you of your wolf.

-

Gentle voices pull you from the clutches of sleep. You wake slowly, a cramp in your neck making you reluctant to get up. You smell the fire and the hint of pine and bergamot. You hear a low, raspy voice that you instantly recognize as Namjoon. 

How swiftly I know his voice, you think. 

“You must wake her,” a male voice says. You recognize it as Dr. Kim. “The constable is coming for questioning.”

“She’s already awake,” Namjoon answers, a smile in his voice. Your eyes snap open at being caught, meeting his dark gaze as he smirks from near your door. “See?”

You scowl at him. How did he know that? Sitting up and stretching, you appraise the two men lurking near your door. “Is my mother still with Mrs. Hutch?”

Dr. Kim nods and steps swiftly into the room around Namjoon. Namjoon reaches out a hand, catching Dr. Kim with his arm and stopping him from entering the room properly. You watch in puzzlement as there’s a silent exchange between the two of them, Namjoon’s face dark as Dr. Kim raises a brow. 

Then, Namjoon lets him go. You cock your head to the side, wondering what that’s about. Ignoring Namjoon, Dr. Kim approaches and says, “The constable will be here shortly. Say nothing about the farm.”

The farm. The memory of the wolves brings a chill to your arm, the smell of smoke and burning oil. The confusion and Dr. Kim’s refusal to answer your questions. 

“What is going on?” you demand, eyes flickering from Dr. Kim to Namjoon. “Animal attacks, murders, you covering up something at the barn. I’m being lied to.” 

“Say nothing about the farm,” Dr. Kim says again, voice firm. Namjoon makes a noise that startles you. It’s almost like a growl, your eyes going wide as he glares at Dr. Kim. “I told you this village has a complicated history. I’m looking after your safety.” 

Heavy footsteps sound on the porch. There’s a loud knock on the door, the constable announcing his presence on the other side. Namjoon opens the door for him, standing back to let him in. The constable looks him up and down with confusion before looking at you, a question in his eyes.

“They came to check on me,” you offer. The constable has known you since you were a child, it’s no wonder he’s confused at the presence of a stranger in your home. “How can I help you, constable?”

“I’d like you to answer a few questions about last night. Mr. Liang confirmed you were one of the first people to Hutch’s last night.”

Dr. Kim walks to your kitchen and busies himself making tea. Namjoon moves to sit in the chair across from you, his warm presence from the night before replaced with something mildly threatening. You cut him a look but his dark eyes are focused on the constable as though he’s a threat. 

The questions are easy enough. When did you wake up? Did you notice anyone around your home when you came home? Did you notice anyone outside? When did you come home? 

You leave out running into Namjoon behind your home. You don’t know why, but you feel the need to not draw attention to him. You also leave out the strange incident at the farm, glancing sideways at Dr. Kim when he brings you lemon tea. 

When the constable is finished, he eyes Dr. Kim. “Be at the station at four,” he instructs. “We’re splitting hunting parties. One to look for the culprit, the other to get rid of the damn wolves.” 

“The wolves were there first, you know?” Namjoon speaks up, looking at you and not the constable. “Have you ever tried figuring out what they want?”

“And who the hell are you?”

“Please ignore my nephew, constable. He likes to insert himself in conversations he doesn’t belong in. Come, let’s look over the hounds before you send them out tonight.”

Together, the constable and Dr. Kim shuffle out. Before he shuts the door, Dr. Kim levels the pair of you with a heavy gaze. You don’t know what that gaze means, but you know that something is going on in this village and that he and Namjoon seem to have some idea about it.

As soon as the door shuts, you turn to Namjoon and demand, “What is going on?”

He sighs. “Would you listen if I just said to wait it out?”

“Do you know who murdered Mr. Hatch?” 

Namjoon hesitates and shakes his head. You narrow your eyes, unbelieving. “I really don’t know who did, Red.”

“Why are you really here? Why all the secrets?” 

“I told you, my family protects those who belong to their community.”

“What did you mean about asking what the wolves want?” 

“I told you last night. There were wolves long before this village existed. Seems to me that if the wolves are suddenly killing the townspeople, perhaps it’s because they want their land back. Or maybe they’re angry from years of being hunted.”

That shuts you up. You can’t argue with that, exactly. But… “Are you saying that the wolves are capable of revenge?”

Namjoon stands and gestures to your cloak. “How often do you wear that?”

“Every day. It’s… sentimental to me.”

His eyes lighten and he offers a half smile. “Good. Red is a lucky color.”

“Where are you going?”

He opens the door, cold wind hissing past the opening. “Your mom is coming. I’ll see you later, Red.”

Without another word, Namjoon slips through the door and shuts it firmly behind him. You stare after him, openmouthed and confused. As promised, you hear your mother come up the steps, light feet scuffing before she quickly lets herself in, shutting the door firmly behind her.

You offer to make your mother breakfast, happy to help as she dozes in the chair. It isn’t until later that you wonder how Namjoon had heard her coming at all.

-

Little Lucy Larkin

In a little wood

Little Lucy Larkin

Up to no good

Little Lucy Larkin

In her little hood

Little Lucy Larkin

Ware of the woods!

Little Lucy Larkin

Stole a little bread

Little Lucy Larkin

In the woods of dread

Little Lucy Larkin

Is a little thief

Little Lucy Larkin

Die by wolf’s teeth

A sense of unease slithers up your spine as you pull your cloak closer. The voice of the children playing the Little Lucy Game echoes down the street and you pause to watch as the little boy playing Lucy steals the rock from the middle of the circle and the little boy playing the wolf gets up to chase him. 

The other kids scream and giggle as the boys give chase, the sound of their laughter eerie in the cold gray of twilight. Shaking it off, you turn and duck your head as you walk up the steps to the Tall Tales Inn. 

Warmth and the scent of food greet you. It’s a thinner crowd than the day before but still more people than you’re used to without the traders in town. There is a clear divide in the dining room with traders on one side and townsfolk on the other, the murder quick to make the locals distrust the new people in their streets.

Tense conversations hum in the gold light. You navigate around tables until you find Hoseok sitting with Seokjin. The sight of Seokjin gives you pause. He seems to sense your presence, glancing up and meeting your questioning stare. He gives no reaction, though, turning his attention back to Hoseok who is murmuring quietly.

“I didn’t expect to see you here, Jin,” you say by way of greeting. Hoseok gives you a look at your clipped tone. You ignore it, sitting down and leveling the older man with a stare, his father’s mysteriousness weighing on you. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

He narrows his eyes a fraction. “Just enjoying the company of friends.”

“Shouldn’t you be helping the constable?”

“I’m on the late-night shift.” 

Grinding your teeth, you sit roughly. Hoseok just watches you, brows raised. You say nothing as you order a drink and a meal, picking at the splinters of the tabletop, eyeing Seokjin. If he’s put out by your rudeness he doesn’t show it, drinking heartily from his tankard and watching you with dark, even eyes. 

You know Seokjin knows whatever it is his father and Namjoon have been talking about. You yourself have not been able to work out what’s going on in the village, but you’re sure the Kims know. And if Dr. Kim asked you to lie to the constable… well perhaps Seokjin is leading him astray as well.

Hoseok pipes up, steering the conversation everywhere he can to avoid the tension building between you and Seokjin and the topics of murders. You participate as little as possible, mind trying to put together the puzzle pieces of the blooming mystery in your home. 

An uncomfortable thought starts to take root in your mind. Is it possible that the Kim family is behind the murders? Dr. Kim has plenty of weapons at his disposal, and they had been talking about revenge, and Dr. Kim had covered up what happened at the Marrow’s farm… but what did that have to do with wolves?

You’re not sure. But you do know that the Kims are purposefully hiding things, that there is a murderer somewhere in the town or near it, and that there is a sense of doom that you cannot shake, a dark itch like stinging nettle in your bones. 

Seokjin excuses himself to take an afternoon nap before his hunting party heads out for the evening. Your eyes track him as he goes. Seokjin certainly doesn’t seem evil, but there’s no telling what’s behind his pretty face. 

“What is wrong with you?” Hoseok asks, leaning over the table and whispering harshly. “You’re behaving rather odd.”

“Something is going on.”

“Yes, your attitude.”

You turn and glare at him. “No, Hobi. Something is going on with the Kim family. I don’t know how to explain it.” You grip your cup tighter. “But I intend to figure it out.” 

Hoseok questions you about what that means. You keep your answers vague, not wanting to rope him into your plan. Too often as children did you lure Hoseok into trouble, and with how dangerous night is becoming in your town, you know it’s a bad idea to endanger him too.

T sun sets over the village. You stand at your bedroom window, watching through the frosty window as the sun turns the sky into a smear of blood. The clouds have cleared away just for this sanguine sunset. It makes your stomach turn, a sense of foreboding heavy in the air.

Still, it doesn’t deter you. Red fades to gray-blue and gray-blue fades to black. Wind rattles the glass in the window pane. Turning from the window, you find your thickest pair of pants and fur-lined tunic. The fabric feels scratchy on your skin.

Dressed, you look at your red cloak folded on the bed. Any other night you would take it with you. It has become your safety net, something that keeps you warm and keeps you safe. You cannot recall a day you haven’t worn it since it mysteriously showed up thirteen years ago, but tonight, you need obscurity.

Instead, you reach for an old, thick cloak that used to belong to your father. It's dark brown and worn at the edges, a little too big for you as the hem brushes the ground. It will serve its purpose in keeping you hidden in the dark of the woods, though. 

All you grab is a hunting knife that you don’t know how to use, a wax candle, and a solid piece of flint and sharp rock to light it with. The candle and flint are for emergencies only. You hope it won’t be so dark that you cannot see, but you’re unsure what the clouds are going to do.

Outside, the wind is sharp. Your nostrils burn as you breathe it in and duck away behind your house. No new snow has fallen during the day, which is a good thing. You don’t have to worry about dragging your boots and tiring your calves. It also helps that the sky is clear tonight, the moon a sliver of sharp light. 

Baying hounds echo through the village and the forest as the hunting dogs lead the men into the woods. You’re quick on your feet, dashing into the woods and heading north. You don’t want to run right into the hunting party, but you do want to find their burning torches and keep them in your line of sight.

They are easy to find, hovering like orange fireflies in the distance. Careful to make your way in the dark, you follow them. Your breath mists in front of you, hands shaking more from the adrenaline than the cold. 

The torches spread out. You chew on your lip, unsure which group would belong to Seokjin. You take a gamble, heading after the group closest to you. 

Everything feels too loud. Each snap of a branch under your foot and crunch of dry leaves feels like it’s going to give you away. Still, you’re good at sneaking for the most part, having spent plenty of time skulking through the village to take nightly strolls in the woods.

Voices carry to you. Through a system of running a few steps forward and dodging behind a tree, you manage to follow the men at a distance. You think that you hear the constable’s voice, which is a good sign. If he’s around, perhaps Seokjin is too.

The deeper you go into the forest, the colder it gets. The ground beneath your feet slopes. The evergreens are packed tighter here, needles tickling your hands as you keep your hands held out from your sides as you slide downward.

This is near where I saved that wolf, you think. 

It’s true. You recognize the slope of the land and the general area. You cannot tell if it’s exactly where you met the wolf, but it’s close enough that your senses tingle and your eyes sweep the land, expecting something to happen.

A sense of foreboding trails you as the men move deeper into the wood. You turn around and look for the other torches and see nothing but a dark, compact forest. Your stomach flips uncomfortably but you continue, unsure now if it’s safer to turn back or to keep going. 

Ahead, the group of men decide to take a break. The hounds sniff the area around them, pulling at the leashes as they go. Crouching low, you watch as the hounds go in circles, following the scent of something that seems to confuse them. 

The men take long droughts of water, making you wish you’d thought of that. Mouth dry and hands cold, you huddle against a tree, bark digging into your back. 

A few minutes pace by. You close your eyes, resting your head against the tree, breathing cold air in deeply. You don’t know what you expect the group to lead you to, only that you-

Something snaps behind you. Your eyes fly open and your limbs lock. Heart beating like a steady drum, you hold your breath and strain your eyes. For a moment, there’s nothing but the dim voices of the men taking a break. You think it’s nothing until you hear something again, a gentle susurration of leaves. 

One of the hounds lifts its head, ears twitching. Your eyes scan the surrounding area back and forth, searching for what you know is there. 

It happens so fast that you don’t even see the wolves enter the ring of torchlight until they’re there, snarls rattling the trees. You clamp your hands over your mouth to mute your gasp as the sounds of screams and tearing flesh explode in the night. Hounds screech, their growls savage and choked as the wolves descend. 

You don’t know how many there are. Torch lights go down and drown you in darkness. Squeezing your eyes shut, you curl in on yourself, panting through your hands as the sounds echo in your ears. A new fear has stabbed its way between your ribs, making it hard to breathe. 

Time moves slowly. Or quickly. You cannot tell which. One moment the sounds of a nightmare turned real are just a few hundred yards away. The next, an eerie silence blankets the dark forest. 

You don’t want to open your eyes, but you have to. Very slowly, you crack an eye open. At first, there’s nothing. Your vision swims with flashing colors, your eyes trying to adjust. Then, there is the vague outline of trees. Ahead of you, where the men had been, lay shadowed piles. 

Shaking, you glance around. You see nothing - hear nothing. You stand slowly. Each inch you gain feels like you’re being too loud. Sweat gathers on the back of your neck. The cool air makes it feel like an icy finger brushing down your nape. 

When you’re sure that there’s nothing else around, you take a step toward where the attack happened. Leaves crunch beneath your feet. You stop breathing, waiting for signs of anything. Nothing happens and you let out a trembling breath, taking one more step. Again, you wait to see if your footfalls will trigger something. 

You repeat this to the edge of the slaughter - for that’s what it is. A slaughter. Bile rises in your throat as you reach the first body and stamped-out torch. The constable and his hound lay in tatters, only recognizable by the batch on his cloak. 

It is carnage. You don’t dare breathe through your nose for fear of breathing in the scent of death, circling the scene with weak knees, hand pressed to your mouth to keep in the whimpers. You see the faces of men you’ve known since you were a child. Ripped, bloodied, gored. 

Finally, you lean over and empty the contents of your stomach. It burns on the way up, choking you. Pressing a hand against a tree, you breathe raggedly. The adrenaline coursing through you makes you twitchy and unstable, each nerve feeling like it’s on fire. 

Leaves crunch a few feet away. Your head snaps in and you zero in on the source of the noise, mouth hanging open when you see Seokjin standing amongst the trees. He stares at you, frown on his face. 

“Who are you?” he asks, voice gentle. You realize he can’t see your face under the cowl of your hood and you’re not in your traditional red. He sighs. “Doesn’t matter.” 

You hear shuffling behind him before you see a white wolf. The white wolf from the Marrow farm. There are others, then. You don’t know how you missed them, the darkness of their fur blending in with the darkness around them.

The white one is spotted in red, muzzle matted, teeth slicked. Your stomach lurches. It isn’t hard to guess where it’s from. You take a step back and the wolf growls, lips pulled back. You freeze, looking amongst the pack of wolves that fan out around Seokjin, desperately looking for your wolf with the kind, intelligent eyes. 

You do not find him there. 

With a growl, the white wolf steps forward. Your instincts kick in and you turn and run, letting out a wild shriek as you do so. If Seokjin recognizes your voice when you scream, you cannot tell. The wolves are after you and you’re barreling through the trees with no hope of outrunning them, especially uphill.

A wolf nips at your ankle and you scream, tripping over your feet in your terror and going down hard. You’re jarred as you hit the ground, bones rattling as pain shoots up your limbs from the impact. Before you can scramble, there are teeth around your ankle, not biting down hard enough to snap, but hard enough to drag.

Your scream is wretched even to your ears. It is a curdling, nightmarish sound. You feel the scrape of leaves and sticks against your skin, cloak picking up dirt and twigs as you go. Your nails dig into the ground but the soil is frozen solid, fingers scraping bluntly against it. 

With a surge of self-preservation, you kick your free leg backward as hard as you can. You hit the wolf in the muzzle, making it cry, and let go of your foot. You manage to crawl to your knees, slipping in the foliage as you try to stand before it’s tearing at your cloak, determined to drag you one way or another. 

Sliding again as it drags you by the cloak, you try to undo the ties at your throat with shaking fingers. It comes away and frees you from the hellish drag to your death. This time, you’re faster to your feet, turning and running in the opposite direction. You don’t know where you’re going, just that you want to get away. 

Your foot slides on the incline and with a shout you go down. This time, your head hits the ground hard. Your ears ring and your vision pulses. Blinking, you roll over and stare up at the canopy of dark trees. The world spins dangerously and you feel nausea churn deep in your stomach.

“Yoongi!” you hear the deep voice but it sounds warbled like you’re hearing it through water. Your head lolls to the side, the ringing in your ears still going as you see feet pass you. “Enough!”

Your field of vision narrows to a sharp point, edges pulling with black. You realize you’re about to pass out, oddly just thankful that you’re already on the ground. Just as your world begins to face, the face of the person in front of you appears.

Namjoon. 

-

“Hey,” a gentle voice calls to you. There are soft hands on your head, brushing against your forehead. It smells like pine and bergamot as you snuggle into them. “I hate to wake you, but you need to wake up every few hours.”

The memory of the wolves comes to you. Your eyes snap open and you blink a few times before your vision adjusts to see Namjoon leaning over you. Cringing away from him, you press yourself into a warm, soft mattress that isn’t your own.

“Easy,” he cautions, holding his hands up. “You smacked your head very hard. I think you have a concussion.” 

“Where am I?” 

The room isn’t so much a room as it is a shack. There is a single fireplace in the far corner, a pile of logs, and the bed that you’re in. Despite the tiny space, it looks well-built and it’s warm, your heart slowing down as Namjoon leans to sit further from you and give you your space.

“Random shack in the woods near your village. I think it used to be a hunter’s stead for the winter.” He jerks his thumb toward the fireplace. “Hasn’t been used in a while. The wood has rotted.” 

“Seokjin - you - what is going on?” 

Emotions spill out of you like a broken dam. You don’t know which to acknowledge first: anger, fear, curiosity, gratitude. 

Namjoon’s sigh is heavy. He visibly looks wearing, running a hand through his hair. You wonder how soft his hair is, followed immediately by feeling ridiculous for the timing of said thought. 

“Just…” he winces. “Try to lean back and take it easy, I’m worried about how hard you hit your head. I promise I have no intentions of hurting you or letting anyone hurt me.”

“You called that white wolf Yoongi. Who is Yoongi? Why was Seokjin in the woods - those people - they’re dead.”

He nods slowly. “They are.” 

You lean back carefully. The bed is comfortable and Namjoon keeps his distance, worried eyes on you. “I will try to explain the best I can. It will require a little bit of faith that I’m not lying to you and that I’m not insulting your intelligence by telling you things that will sound insane.” 

“Like what?”

“Like werewolves exist.”

You stare at him. He doesn’t laugh, crack a grin, or do anything to make you believe he’s joking. Your first instinct is to blow him off. Werewolves were a tale for children and a way to help the children of the village cope during periods of wolf violence. 

Thus far, all Namjoon has done is protect you. Strange as it seems, you know that fact to be true. He didn’t tell Dr. Jim you were eavesdropping, he kept you company after Mr. Hatch’s murder, and he stopped the wolves from taking you.

Namjoon is… there is something between you. You know it.

Hesitantly, you say, “Alright. Werewolves exist. Keep going.”

He is visibly relieved that you’re not questioning or berating him. You don’t exactly believe him yet, but you want to hear his story. 

“There were communities of werewolves who lived here long before humans did. When people migrated to this area, they drove them out and forced those communities to become smaller and smaller. When the werewolves asked for their land back or to share resources, they were hunted and slaughtered.” 

Namjoon’s throat bobs and emotions flicker across his face. His features settle on pain, and you stop yourself from reaching out to take his hand. “What you vaguely remember as wolf attacks and wolf hunts as a child was those families being exterminated. There are a few families in the village who remember that werewolves exist. They took it upon themselves to remove the problem forever.”

This village has a complicated history. 

Dr. Kim’s words float through your mind as you chew on what Namjoon has told you. He lets the information settle, giving you a few moments to think. You don’t recall anyone seriously ever talking about werewolves but… 

“They’re angry,” you murmur, remembering how San described the massacre at the Mathesons. “The wolves now - those aren’t wolves. They’re werewolves who are getting revenge. You spoke of revenge with Dr. Kim. Is that why the animal attacks have been happening?”

Namjoon nods grimly. “There is a very small concentration of people in the village who keep the secret about the massacres and the knowledge of werewolves. Those families have been… targeted recently. They still hunt werewolves when they can.”

“Who is Yoongi?”

“Ah,” he lets out a humorless laugh. “He leads the last remaining community of werewolves. His family was murdered by your constable when he was a child.” You blanch. “Yoongi is angry, vengeful, and very influential. When he was voted pack alpha, he decided to eliminate the last remaining threats.” 

“He’s the white wolf.” Namjoon raises his brows but nods. You think that makes sense, remembering the white wolf at the Marrow farm and the one who dragged you in the forest. “Why was Seokjin there? Did he lead the constable to-”

Namjoon hesitates and nods. “The Kim family are wolf friends. It’s largely the reason Dr. Kim is a veterinarian. They’re what we call one foot in the forest. There were two others in your village that were wolf friends. Your neighbor was one.”

You twist your fingers in the blanket. “Did Yoongi-”

“No. I believe he was murdered by one of the men who knows what Yoongi and his people are.” 

“So that’s why Seokjin led them to Yoongi?” Namjoon gives a curt nod. “This is…. A lot to take in.” 

“It is. Sleep a little more and we’ll talk about it more when you wake up. Your head is already swimming enough, yeah?”

Namjoon’s grin is gentle and you shoot one back. “Do you promise to tell me why you’re really here? And why it feels like I know you?”

“Of course. Sleep, Red.”

-

Namjoon wakes you again a few hours later. This time, it’s with water. It’s cool and fresh, soothing your aching head and waking up your sleepy senses. He lets you drain the entire thing, sitting thoughtfully at the end of your bed. 

This time, you feel more alert. Sitting up carefully, you cross your legs and examine him. He’s dressed in simple clothes and a jacket, the fireplace throwing an orange glow on his face. Again, you’re struck with how much you could swear you know him, like his eyes are something you know and love. 

He waits for you to get settled, placing your hands in your lap. You fiddle with the edge of your tunic, drinking him in. Strong shoulders, rough hands, tawny skin. Your heart does a flip before you shove away thoughts of how pretty he is to think about what he’s told you so far.

“I have questions.”

He smiles and it’s as warm as the fire behind him. “Of course you do.”

“Did the werewolves kill my father?”

You get the tough one out of the way first. It was a thought you had just before you slept, wondering if your father had been someone who helped the constable murder Yoongi’s family. Though you have decided to dislike the white wolf very strongly, you can’t help but pity him.

“No,” Namjoon says vehemently. “After you told me about your father, I did some asking around. He was a wolf friend. That’s why he didn’t hunt big game, Red. He knew about us.” 

A tight feeling works its way up your throat. The relief and anger you feel is a double-edged sword, happy that he didn’t contribute to the displacement Namjoon is speaking of and angry that you know with every bone in your body that he was murdered. The instinct speaks to you the same way it tells you that you know Namjoon. 

You look up at him sharply, realizing something. “What do you mean ‘he knew about us’? Us?” 

Namjoon’s eyes are dark. He regards you intensely, making you shiver. Slowly, Namjoon begins to roll one of his sleeves. Your eyes drop to his hand as he does, long fingers meticulous. He bares his skin and holds his hand out to you, displaying the jagged, white scar that lopes around his wrist. 

Without thinking twice, you reach out to him, pulling his hand toward you. His skin is warm, sending a tingle through your fingertips. His palm is large and rough, your fingers delicate as you flip it to face the ceiling, eyes glued to the scarring around his wrist.

You move your fingers over his palm gently, scraping the calluses as you go. He lets you do what you want, touch stopping at his wrist bone before glancing up at him. His eyes are impossibly dark and he nods, urging you forward. 

The scarring is rough. Thick, ropey lines encircle his wrist like his hand was ravished by teeth. It makes you faintly think of Yoongi’s teeth around your ankle or -

“You,” you breathe, eyes meeting his. They are the same warm, intelligent, and welcoming eyes of the wolf you’d saved all those years ago. The wolf who had stood between you and the others at the Marrow farm. The wolf you dream about every night. “I saved you?”

His throat bobs. “You did.”

“I… that’s why it feels like I know you.” Your fingers trace his scar, almost fondly. Namjoon’s eyes flutter. “I do know you. Why didn’t you tell me?” 

He smirks. “‘Hi, my name is Namjoon and I can turn into a wolf whenever I want and you saved me a few years ago and I’ve been thinking about you ever since’ is not exactly a great opening.” 

“Better than ‘you know most people who don’t want to be seen don’t wear a red cloak’.” He scrunches his nose. Cute. “I don’t know what to say.”

“That’s alright. I’ll talk if you’re willing to listen?”

You nod, not letting go of his hand. Now that you know who and what he is, any residual fear is gone. You scoot toward him, wanting to be closer. “I want to know.”

“Giho is my uncle like I said. He’s not a werewolf, though. That trait passed through my mom’s side of the family. Still, he was family and he knew about the werewolves that my father married into. He's a wolf friend and does what he can to help us, including making house calls and stealing us goods in harsh winters.”

“Huh. I always just thought he was a quiet, grumpy vet.”

“He is very much that, but he has also been a lifeline. He helps Yoongi far more than he should. It puts him in danger. His wife was killed for being a wolf friend. Giho was left alone simply because he is useful to the village.” Your fingers squeeze his hand at the hurt in his voice. “That night you found me… I was pretty young then. Fourteen, to be exact. I was nosing around the village that everyone was so afraid of and never saw the trap. I cannot emphasize how much you saved my life.” 

“It seemed like the right thing to do. I was afraid but you were… hurt. And your eyes were so kind. I don’t regret it.”

“What a relief.” You smile, genuinely happy. “I was worried you might after finding out my family were sort of… killing people.”

“When you put it that way,” you wince. “But I do believe you. That humans drove you out. That people are hurting you and your people. You don’t deserve it and I… don’t think I am in a position to offer moral arguments to what you’re doing.”

“I knew I liked you.”

“You barely know me.”

Namjoon turns his hand and catches yours, lacing your fingers. Your heart skitters as he pulls you a little close and leans, eyes narrowed playfully. “Hmm, sorry. I wasn’t really allowed to come hang out around your town, Little Red.” 

“Why did you finally come? Is it to help Yoongi?”

He shakes his head. “I only have one goal.”

“Which is?”

“To keep you safe.” That quiets you. Namjoon doesn’t meet your eyes when he continues, “You showed me such kindness, I just wanted to repay you. I liked to keep an eye on you when I could, always from a safe distance. You might not know me, but I grew up knowing you.”

Your mouth goes dry at his words. For someone who poses such a threat, Namjoon is gentle. Soft. Kind. You swallow past the lump in your throat. “Did you give me the red cloak?” 

“Yeah. It was to mark you as a friend. We give them to those who are under our protection.” He narrows his eyes. “Which is why Yoongi swears he didn’t know it was you in the woods tonight. Seokjin’s eyesight is too piss poor to realize it was you. Idiots.”

“Well if you know about me, tell me about you. What’s your favorite color? What do you like to eat? What's your favorite thing about being a wolf?”

So Namjoon does tell you. You both end up sitting on the bed next to one another, arms touching as he traces the lines on your palm. Your backs are pressed against the wall, feet dangling off the edge of his bed as he tells you about his childhood. 

It is fascinating hearing about the dynamics of his community but it’s also sad. Hearing how they live in fear, hearing how so many of the people he knows are gone. Realizing that the things he tells you match up with things you realize about your own community. 

Sadness sinks to the bottom of your gut like a rock. It isn’t pity that you feel, but something far more profound. It’s regret that you didn’t know any better. Frustration that he has suffered. A radical feeling of anger and desire for justice knowing you lived in comfort while Namjoon and his family suffered. 

There are good parts, too. Namjoon recalls happy moments and blushes when he recalls seeing you a few times. It doesn’t feel weird or strange, knowing someone was looking out for you. It feels comforting, like old friends catching up. 

Namjoon’s eyes sparkle as he tells you about his favorite books. You don’t know when you stop listening to him and start staring, but it’s inevitable. You love the way his eyes crinkle when he smiles, dimple making an appearance as he recalls a story about putting Yoongi in the dirt with his brother, Taehyung’s help. You love the way he gestures wildly with his hands, every word evocative and enthusiastic. 

He’s the kind of person you would have been friends with had he grown up with you. And maybe a little more, you think, watching Namjoon watch you. His gaze is even and heated, making you squirm. His mouth twitches and you’re so sure that he knows he makes you nervous.

“I never thanked you,” you mention. He hums in question, letting you go back to tracing his scare delicately. He twitches and you grin. Good. “For saving me from the jaws of Yoongi.”

“Ah, that. I think he knew it was you. There’s a reason he dragged you instead of killing you on the spot.”

“Huh. Well, that’s very rude.”

“He’s good at that.”

“You sound fond, still.”

He nods. “I love Yoongi. Is my brother, in a way.”

“Well still. Thank you.” 

You look up at Namjoon. You’re sitting so close, shoulders pressed against one another. He smells like pine and bergamot, your favorite scent. It’s heady, awakening a foreign ache in you. Your heart speeds up as you lean into him just a little more, watching him through your lashes.”

“Don’t look at me like that,” he rumbles, voice deep. 

Your toes curl. “Like what?” 

“LIke you wanna do more than just thank me.”

“Maybe I do.”

“I know.” 

Ah. You start to pull away and turn your head, realizing that he’s not interested, but Namjoon catches your chin with his other hand, tilting you back toward him. Your heart stalls when he looks down at your mouth, then back up to your eyes. “I’ve known you for all my life. Not how I wanted, but I’ve known you nonetheless. But you haven’t had the chance to know me.”

“I want to. I feel like I have known you. Like I knew you were always there.”

“Is this what you want?”

This. Namjoon. Whatever is crackling between you. The thing that has sparked since the moment he caught you eavesdropping. It doesn’t matter that it doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t have to make sense. 

Namjoon makes sense though. The way his gaze softens when he sees you. The way he looms on the edge of your life, a silent protector. The way he could do so much damage but is soft instead. The way everything about him feels like the sun on a summer day, like a field of wildflowers in spring.

He must sense you tipping over the edge. His grip on your chin becomes firm and he tilts your face toward him, leaning down to press his warm, full mouth against yours. The effect is instantaneous. You melt into him, sighing as a feeling of belonging slots into place.

The kiss is chaste. Namjoon pulls away and your lashes flutter. You hadn’t even realized your eyes closed. His gaze is dark and half-lidded, his face close enough that you feel his breath. His lips have stoked a fire in you and you want more, you want to spill out the years of longing for something you didn’t know was there, for the sudden confirmation that he’d been there all along.

Surging forward, you press your lips to his again. This time, it’s searing, your mouth fierce as you push up off of the bed. Namjoon falls in your rhythm easily, hand leaving your chin to grab you by the waist and pull you into his lap.

Knees slotted on either side of him, you pour everything you have into the kiss. Your fingers card through his thick hair, silky strands sliding between them like you knew they would. His lips are soft on yours, mouth warm as you break the seal of the kiss with your tongue.

Namjoon lets out deep, throaty sounds. It coaxes the flame inside of you to a roar, tongue tangling with his. It’s wet and messy and a little impractical but you don’t feel embarrassed or nervous. It’s Namjoon. It feels like home. 

Pleasure tingles down your spine. Namjoon grips your hips, fingers digging into your flesh. It feels hot and your skin is burning up, static trapped between your chests where they’re pressed together. Your hips twitch, tentatively seeking friction in his lap. Namjoon responds immediately, pulling your hips toward him and letting you roll. 

Your mouths part but Namjoon doesn’t stop kissing you. You pant while he presses his mouth to your chin and jawline, tongue tough against the softness of your skin. “I’ve wanted you for so long,” he growls. You tilt your head back, letting him pepper your throat. “You have no idea.”

“I always felt like something was missing. I think it was you.”

Namjoon moans at your admission. The heat between your legs is almost painful. One of Namjoon’s hands goes from your waist to between your legs, cupping you. You gasp back bowing as he presses firmly, deft fingers providing mind-numbing pleasure.

“That feels good.” You fist the collar of his shirt and squeeze your eyes. You feel tense, color exploding behind your closed lids. “Don’t stop.”

“Whatever you want,” he whispers. He pulls you in close, fingers curling. Your hips buck and you realize it isn't enough. You need the barrier of clothes gone. You want it more than anything. “You know I’d do anything for you.”

“Yes.”

You do know. It’s second nature. You knew even that day in the street when you’d first seen him. Just like Namjoon knows what you want and need, land leaving the apex of your thighs to help you off his lap and onto the bed under him. 

There’s a confidence in his movements that makes the room spin. Long forgotten are the wolf attacks and Yoongi’s teeth around your ankle. Here, it’s only the rasp of your pants against your skin as Namjoon pulls them down. It’s only the heat of his skis as you yank on his tunic, desperate to feel him.

Namjoon does run hot. His skin is burning up as your hands explore his firm chest. He captures your lips again, sucking your bottom lip in his mouth as he spreads your legs open with a knee. You shake under his touch, equal parts eager and stimulated. 

He’s so, so gentle as he caresses your inner thigh. When he brings his fingers to your sticky center, you let out a pitiful whine. Namjoon pauses, fingers pressed to your swollen kiss as he laughs and breaks the kiss, forehead pressed against yours.

“Don’t laugh at me,” you pout, leaning your head up to bite his chin. “It feels good.”

He gives you a quick kiss. Once. Twice. “Good. I want to make you feel good.” 

Namjoon circles his middle finger lazily around your clit. Your feet press into the bed, hips pulling up off the sheets. It feels amazing, pleasure sparking in your stomach. “That,” you gasp. “I like that.” 

He dips his head down, attaching his mouth to your neck as he teases your cunt. You don’t have to say anything else, Namjoon’s inquisitive fingers learning what makes you squirm and sigh. You’re a mess beneath him, chest heavy, beats of sweat making your shirt cling to you.

You claw at it, pulling it away from you. Namjoon leans up and lets you take it off, eyes dipping as he smiles appreciatively. He combines the efforts of his fingers with his mouth, bending low to catch a pert nipple with his teeth.

“Shit!” you squeak, making him chuckle again.

His fingers circle your clenching hole, pussy leaking onto his fingers. He presses a finger in and you let out a long, quiet whine. The feeling of his finger pressing against your walls is perfect, your cunt clenching as he shallowing thrusts the finger.

Everything he does is perfect. He sucks at your nipple hungrily as he fingers you slowly, making sure to press up inside your cunt in a way that has you seeing stars. Your fingers tangle in his hair, unable to think about anything except his teeth scraping your sensitive bud and your pussy clenching around his finger.

Namjoon is attentive. The heel of his hand presses to your clit and he eases another finger in, slower than the last. He looks up at you, mouth slick with spit to watch your mouth fall open. You nod, urging him further, sound stuck in your throat. 

The wet squelch between your legs as he fucks you with his fingers is obscene. You like it though, driven by the fact that it’s Namjoon doing it. Namjoon who you saved. Namjoon who watched over you. 

You open your eyes and look up at him, cradling his face in your hands. His forehead is damp with sweat from the heat building in the little shack. His skin is flushed and his hair hangs in his face. You pull at his bottom lip with your thumb and he gazes at you, hungry and wild, pupils blown.

Greedy, you pull him to you. The kiss is more teeth than lips, the two of you panting. Your leg hooks around his waist and you nibble his bottom lip, hips rolling to meet his thrusts, an orgasm starting its ascent. 

“I want you,” you breathe against his mouth. Your lips are sore from arduous kissing. “Please.”

He kisses you. “Okay.”

It’s that simple. You ask for it and he gives it to you.

Namjoon retracts his fingers from your cunt. You feel the sudden loss, fidgeting as you wait. He makes quick work of his pants, kneeling on the bed and bringing his hands covered in your juice to pump his cock. You feel your eyes bulge at his thick length. 

He notices and grins, slowing his movements. You watch as his hand smears precum down his shaft, twisting lightly as he gets to the top, his thumb brushing over his dark tip. “You can take it,” he pants, grinning wolfishly. “I know you can.”

Instead of answering, you nod, lifting your hips eagerly. He hums, pleased as he lets go, cock bobbing heavily while he shuffles over and leans over you. He places his hands on either side of your head, arms flexing as he holds his weight to bend down and steal a quick kiss. 

You kiss back feverishly, one hand traveling between your sweaty bodies to grip his length, trying to stroke him the way he did. He sighs, breaking the kiss and dropping his forehead against your chin as a shiver ripples through him. You smile, continuing to pump him.

“Want to be inside,” he mumbles, barely coherent. 

You open yourself up more, gently guiding the blunt crown of his cock toward your trembling entrance. You hold your breath as his hips follow your hand, breaching your ring of tight muscles and pushing in. 

Immediately your muscles spasm and resist, overwhelmed by Namjoon’s girth. You blow out a long breath as he enters you so, so slowly. It’s heaven and it’s hell, it’s pleasure and it’s pain. Namjoon presses his mouth to you, tongue distracting you as he bottoms out, stuffing you full.

Nothing has ever compared to how stretched you are. He doesn’t move, letting your cunt twitch around him. He holds himself up with one hand, the other brushing up and down your side, squeezing bits of flesh comfortingly as you try to still your beating heart under him.

The pain fades. You get greedy, wiggling your hips back and forth experimentally to feel the way Namjoon’s cock rubs against your walls. He blows out air sharply, a half laugh before his hand drops down to your hip, pushing you down into the bed with his weight as he slides backward.

“Ohhhh,” you sigh, head lolling to the side. The pressure of Namjoon pressing you down as he sets a slow pace of fucking into you is just right. You close your eyes, letting him set a slow pace in silence. “Yeah.” 

Namjoon’s breath is unsteady. Every little sound he makes sets you on fire. You’re pliant beneath him as he picks up his speed, properly fucking into you. One of your hands reaches up to grab his bicep, nails digging in, the other shooting to his hand on your hip, squeezing his wrist. 

Everything feels right. Connected. Overheated. The air is so thick you think you might suffocate, sheets sticking to your balmy skin, toes curling as Namjoon’s cock hits that spot inside of you that drives you mad. 

Nothing but this matters. Nothing but knowing your wolf isn’t really a wolf at all, and that he’s been there all along. Just like you’d hoped. 

“Fuck,” Namjoon pants. “I never dreamed I’d have you.”

“I dreamed of you,” you gasp on a particularly hard thrust, your nails dragging down his arm. “I just didn’t know it.”

His mouth crashes to yours. “Mine,” he growls. “My savior, mine to protect.” 

Your orgasm spins like an out-of-control spool of thread, winding tighter and tighter. Namjoon can tell, chasing your orgasm with reckless abandon, throwing his gentle movements out the window and fucking you hard into the bed. 

The sounds and words coming out of your mouth are useless babble, your thoughts turning murky as that spool tightens so much inside of you that it bursts, unspooling and spilling out of you around Namjoon’s cock. 

You can’t even breathe as you come, feet kicking, nails digging into his skin, teeth clenched. Your heart beats in your ears, the only thing you can hear for a few seconds as you spasm, eyes clenched shut. You are vaguely aware of Namjoon coming shortly after you, your name ripping through clenched teeth as he does. 

There are a few minutes of nothing punctuated by your stilted breathing and rapid pulse. Finally, you blink, stars swimming in your eyes as you look at Namjoon, who hangs his head on your chest. You reach a hand up and run your fingers through his sweaty hair.

Your wolf. Somehow you’d always known it. Even when you thought you were crazy. 

Gently, Namjoon pulls out of you, fluid spilling between your legs. You don’t care, limbs too heavy to move. Your skin is still burning up from exertion and you roll your head to the side to watch Namjoon as he lays next to you, pulling you toward him. 

For a little while, it’s quiet. You listen to the beating of his heart, closing your eyes and breathing deeply. You’re content just to lay there feeling whole just for once. 

After a while, Namjoon sighs. “You have to go back eventually.”

“We.”

“Hmm?”

“We have to go back.”

Namjoon pulls away and frowns at your tone, eyes reading your face. Your mouth is set in a firm line and you look at him with all seriousness. “We’re not letting them get away with what the humans did to you and your family.”

“You want to help?”

“Yes.” You pause. “I think it’s what my father would have wanted. It’s what I want. Even if Yoongi bit me.”

“Yoongi will never bite you again,” he vows fiercely. Then, a little more gently, “But he… would be glad to hear your sympathetic stance. I’m glad to hear it, Red.”

“Good.” You snuggle closer. “You’re mine to protect too. And I will make them pay.”

For Namjoon. For your father. You’ll paint the village red. 

[robotslenderman]

Eternal Hearts Liveblog, pt 1

Special thanks to @missn11​, who is probably mortified their name is associated with this travesty of a post, for letting me get my filthy little hands on this piece of embarrassing VTM history.

Okay guys, time to do the thing that’s gonna get me cancelled by fifteen-year-olds in the year 2032:

I’m gonna liveblog Eternal Hearts.

I once promised myself I would never make a rape joke, but today I break that vow because even the rape scenes are (sometimes) just that fucking ridiculous that I had to make fun of them.

This book is just.

Guys.

It’s GLORIOUS.

In the first twenty-four pages alone we have:

A guy is confronted by a locked door, so he whips his dick out. Everyone else acts like this is completely normal.

A guy meeting Final Death because a politician sat on his face. RIP in pieces Noah.

A mortal setting herself on fire, waving her arms around and running at a bunch of vampires yelling “DIE, YOU BASTARDS!”

A guy using his dick as a key ring. (Yeah, it’s the locked door guy.)

Lucita given the Hallowe’en treatment, in that she’s covered with sewage -- but sexy!

Daddy kink on top of the Washington monument.

Only some of the above makes sense in context. Some of it is as baffling in context as it is out of context.

This is the funniest shit I’ve ever read. Nobody told me about this when I went in holy shit.

Time to open this sucker up!

Liveblog under the cut!

DEAD DOVE, DO NOT EAT, THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT ETERNAL HEARTS IS, DO NOT READ THIS LIVEBLOG, HOLY SHIT.

You’re in for a ride, and it’s the edgiest, unsexiest ride ever.

First thing I notice: Eternal Hearts is, in fact, written by a woman. Which may mean that if she wanted to scare the shit out of her female readers, she'd know exactly how to do it.

gulp.

(^ I wrote that back when I thought I was gonna traumatise myself by reading this. OH BOY)

Next bit, the rape book is opened by the following foreword:

What follows is an essay that basically boils down to "no! :D but we wrote it anyway!”

Partway through that is this quote:

We’ll come back to that quote later. Several times, I predict.

Aaaand we open straight into a gang rape scene! Oh joy. And there’s church spires, to make it extra edgy.

Oh but then they give her the Kiss so she enjoys it! Yay!

Oh.

She's a shovelhead.

They never mentioned THIS part of the Sabbat recruitment process.

and now she's underground and buried and being raped again? Somehow. Like somebody’s got their entire goddamn fist in there. While under six feet of dirt. I know someone’s got their entire damn fist in there because the Shovelhead’s thinking about how somebody got their entire goddamn fist in there.

(Yeah this is the bit I had to make jokes about because it was that fucking ridiculous. I started this out trying to be respectful. I failed. Miserably. I just can’t fucking do it this is too -- too -- Eternal Hearts-y.)

Like the author just turned to the other people in the credits page and pitched this idea: “guys. Hear me out. What do you think is scarier than being raped or being buried alive?”

“idk what?”

“being raped after being buried alive!”

“That’s a GREAT idea!”

(”Lucy didn’t even break the rules as much as I was willing to let her” Remember that quote? Thank god for that.)

Jean - for that is our poor Shovelhead's name, RIP - seems only mildly concerned about the rape. and the fact it’s still happening.

Like yeah, serious talk, putting my respectful hat on: to be fair, everyone responds to trauma differently. You know how I respond to trauma? I make jokes about it. Like I’m the kind of person to say “what are you gonna do, STAB ME?” for the lols when a guy is pointing a knife at me.

Okay, respectful hat back off, back to edgy humour.

Anyway she’s being fisted by somebody while also six feet underground, somehow, and daydreaming about the guy she’s stalking and about how she’s in love with him, hmm, maybe he had something to do with it? She’s not entirely sure.

(ETA: So an anonymous Discord friend was reading my liveblog and said this:

and I laughed so hard my dog actually pawed at me because she was worried.

Yeah, I’m going to hell, but at least I know I’m taking you guys with me.)

Anyway she starts digging her way out, and I guess she’s still being fisted while she’s digging her way out???? IDK they didn’t say it stopped??? Like that’s gotta make digging your way out difficult.

And then cut to Lucita!

Walking past a protest outside a sex shop. There’s a bunch of Christian protestors outside because they’re bored or something. We get straight back into rapiness with a Dominate:

Damn Lucita, if jizzing your own brains isn't the hottest image you can give a guy, I don't know how what is.

Lucita decides to snack instead of raping him, but does sexually assault him by taking his dick from his pants and leaving it in his hand when he’s unconscious.

Lucita walks into a meeting at a brothel. There are “slaves”. I’m not sure if they’re sex slaves or if they’re actually ghouls, but then again, this is Eternal Hearts so probably both.

She expects Pieterzoon to be there, but he's not. When the others start talking like he's missing, she is completely unconcerned and immediately starts talking as if she knows he's missing.

They move on. Pieterzoon has paid Lucita to assassinate Marcus Vitel. Good fucking luck with that one. Everyone at the meeting is trying to stop her from doing it. Lucita’s like “tough shit he’s already paid me bitch is gonna die”.

Also the Brujah woman present is apparently this scene’s titillation or something because the author loves to remind us about how tight her clothes are and how she's "seductively cuddling" people.

no fucking kidding

I like how the VTM universe goes out of its way to avoid using the terms “son” and “daughter” to avoid the Unfortunate Implications when people inevitably start fucking their Sires

and the author’s like "nah fuck that let’s daddy kink it up.”

Oh and he does it ON TOP OF THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT!! Like gang rape in a churchyard wasn’t edgy enough I guess.

the author can't go a paragraph without reminding us that sex exists and everyone is utterly sex crazed. The bit I blacked out above? That was Lucita daydreaming about hiring a prostitute. Like that’s not erotica, erotica is arousing, this is just voyeurism.

Lucita apparently hasn't yet noticed she's in a porno.

Somebody makes a joke about the Christian protestors gang raping the prostitutes outside. It’s a Ventrue. Of course it is.

Apparently the slave (I guess the word “ghoul” isn’t sexy enough) in the above screenshot is a fucking senator. Pun not intended. She soothes the cranky Brujah by suggesting they get somebody called Torres deported? I have no idea what that has to do with Lucita assassinating Marcus Vitel, but there's almost certainly going to be fucking involved.

(ETA 23/1/21 -- I regret to inform you all that there wasn’t “fucking” involved so much as gang rape. Never mind.)

Lucita and the Brujah guy almost start stabbing each other (so much for that soothing), but somebody has just set the brothel on fire so they have to GTFO.

The mortal senator can't quite fit inside the escape tunnel because her skirt is huge and keeping it on is apparently more important than not dying of smoke inhalation. But it’s okay, she manages it.

The skirt will be important later, unfortunately.

They come to a locked door in the passage. Oh no, whatever will they do?

Will they take a key out of their pocket and unlock it?

Nah, that’s too fucking sensible.

The Brujah that tried to punch Lucita whips out his dick.

Yes.

He actually fucking does that.

Weird flex, but okay.

(ETA 21/1/21 -- I just realised... what if it’s somebody ELSE’S penis he just whipped out? Like the thing was actually just chilling out and he pulls it out the way somebody else pulls out a cucumber. It’s not attached to his body, it’s just THERE?)

Everyone is completely unfazed by this. Both by the fact he whipped his dick out, and the fact he uses it as a fucking key ring.

Like. Is this a habit of his????? APPARENTLY IT IS.

(ETA: Anonymous Discord friend says:

SDFADLFJASDLFJASDF)

They end up in a sewer.

Garinson keeps a key to a sewer on his dick key ring.

(”Lucy didn’t even break the rules as much as I was willing to let her” yeah I just remembered another place more fitting for a sewer key)

THEN!!!

PLOT TWIST!!

The senator suddenly threatens everyone with a lighter!!

After the kindred are done laughing their ass off, she covers herself in whiskey, sets herself on fire and charges them.

I'm sorry but the way it's worded - pin wheeling, cringing - just makes this the funniest shit. It gets even funnier when you remember they’re knee-deep in water. Ever tried to run in water? It’s. not exactly easy. So presumably she’s tripping and stumbling the entire time and somehow still on fire as she does so.

A kindred tries to escape by clawing his way up the wall. He falls. The senator assassinates him by flinging her skirt over his head and sitting on his face. That part of her is also on fire. The skirt and her thighs are on fire.

And I guess they’re obviously not thigh-deep in water any more ‘cause the poor fuck doesn’t survive this.

what a way to fucking go: death by fire pussy.

Everyone panics, except Lucita, who's like "fuck this", cuts off her head, puts out the corpse, then, uh. uses it as a shield against the remaining flames. as you do.

(Between that and the above screenshot, there’s graphic descriptions of what, exactly, the fire is doing to the senator, and how said senator doesn’t give a flying fuck that fire is kinda hurty because she hates vampires that fucking much.)

Lucita meets a Nosferatu who offers to guide her from the sewers. On the next page, we have an illustration of Lucita, in sewage, looking up at the Nosferatu.

You couldn’t possibly make that picture sexy, could you?

Welp the artist went “Challenge accepted!”

So I wanted to show you guys the picture but I didn’t want to get too banned from Tumblr for an Eternal Hearts liveblog, so I went to my friends for help. One of them, @intimidatethevoid​, answered the call to arms:

Well.

This is awkward.

And so she bestowed upon me this glorious, but also cursed, image:

Yeah.

Her shirt’s somehow come off. And she isn’t wearing any knickers. Hence the Filthy Frank sticker.

And that’s gonna wrap up part 1 of my Eternal Hearts liveblog!

For more, like this post in secret shame so that none of your followers have to see it. To cancel me, send angry anon messages and death threats to my inbox.

[klonoadreams]

So basically everyone in that OT4 will be catching the feels for each other and not just Noa right? Heh. I look forward to reading how it all goes down in Ashen Doe, especially how much of it will probably go over Noa's head lol.

Yuri’s likely the one to be the most straight-forward because for all intents and purposes, he has the least amount of barriers in his way that would keep Noa from acting on her feelings, SHOULD she get wind of them. Of course, she won’t, so, uhh...time skip that shit. LIKE THE REST OF THEM.

Until then, you already have Claude working his moves on Dimitri and he IS trying with Edie, but she’s not playing along.

Yuri, HOWEVER, will get along greatly with Claude, since they’re alike. It’s a matter of the two doing it to each other and just realizing, “oh...I like you too.”

Basically, the feeling’s mutual for these two.

Dimitri is the one likely to go with the flow. He’s already receptive to Claude, so it wouldn’t take much for Yuri. It’s also a matter of Yuri going, “SHIT I’VE CAUGHT TEH FEELS FOR THIS GUY TOO.”

Everyone catching the feels for each other. If Edie wasn’t so caught up with her plan, she’d be catching them too. (she’s trying her hardest not to)

(it’s alright, I’m just over here, crying, because Edie just WANTED TO WALK DOWN THOSE HALLS ONE LAST TIME BEFORE I STRUCK HER DOWN IN MY GOLDEN DEER RUN. DON’T TOUCH ME, I HURTY)

Expect an emotional mess, basically, and come that time skip, the only think keeping Noa from actually LETTING it happen is that War, but let’s see how long THAT lasts, okay?

Like, I spent the last month just spending time with Claude, tea time and sauna stuff. Eating meals with him and Ashe (BACK WHEN I THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA HAVE A SOLO END BEFORE HE DECIDED THAT HE DOES WHAT HE WANTS AND SNAGS CYRIL AWAY FROM LYSITHEA). And some advanced drills. So who knows what could happen.

[tellywoodtrash]

ebss 01 - 03.05.19 lbs

wedding shenanigans all over, 3 tons of makeup and hairspray finally off me, hurty feet soaking in a bucket of hot water, let's finally see what indian tv's most adorable sociopath is up to!

01.05.19

oh right. i forgot papa from hell had collapsed.

janhvi taking charge as usual, while every other idiot just stands around dithering. honestly, i don't blame her one bit for wanting to murder these useless fucks.

kavya be like yaaaaaaaar kahaan phas gayi main???

oh dhruv also got into the ambulance huh.

NO ONE BOTHERED TAKING THE MOM??? MAN, FUCK Y'ALL.

lollllll. janhvi and ishaani are stealthy whatsapping on the go.

UGH THIS FUCKER. I HATE HIM SO MUCH. HE'S SUCH A NASTY PIECE OF WORK, HONESTLY.

GAADI GHUMAAO??? ABBE OH, YEH AMBULANCE HAI, TERE GHAR KI GAADI NAHI.

lol PK calling out for dhruv being the clueless dolt that he is.

ok honestly, fuck these old ppl. he's a kid. a tinyass baby.

lol kabir, you'll wish your dad really had a heart attack in like.... 2 min. just you wait.

yupppppp.

ishaani is me. “scene kya hai????”

kavya [internally]: “vyom's family was probably so much more lowkey.“

lmao what a messy bitch.

i think janhvi genuinely cares for aarush.

yup. she likes the kid. messing with him is the line she won't cross.

how ironic that the only person i've ever seen on tellywood care about a child's mental health is a "villain".

LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. OH JANHVI. BACK IN STONE COLD MODE AGAIN I SEE.

JFC WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THIS FUCKING ASSHOLE!!!!!!!!!!

oh shit dhruv got a whack or two too.

janhvi's flashing back to the crimes against her dad.

aw mannnnnnnnnnn.

kabir's finally had it.

“zabaan ladaata hai apne baap ke saath?????????” god i hate this dumbass argument. he said nothing wrong. fucking get a grip.

this fucker's gonna get a heart attack for real and then no one's gonna believe him. (good.)

janhvi to the rescue. as per usual.

someone put a muzzle on this fucker.

kabir spitting some real truths and calling out his dumbass dad for being the regressive asshat he is. nice. i like him. he's a boringass dude (till now), but he's got his heart in the right place.

LMAO HE ALREADY SAID HE WAS LEAVING, YOU DON'T GET TO PRETEND YOU ARE THE ONE ORDERING HIM OUT. LOSER.

bir be like come on kid, we getting the fuck outta this madhouse. i can't stand it here any more than you can.

big bro trying to persuade, but shivaay singh oberoi lvl of big brother he is not. so lil bro is like fuck offfff.

lo idhar doosra drama. mummy, why don't you just take one of your meds and go the fuck to sleep. honestly.

blah blah blah precap waala drama.

oh ho, sirf mummy nahi, janhvi bhi giri hai.

why does she keep saying she'll die if kabir leaves? like is it just mummy wali hyperbole or a genuine fear for her life???

ishaani is most relatable in this ep. lambasting di for playing the fool and throwing herself down the stairs, and most of all, cussing out PK’s existence.

di is quite nihilistic and dgaf.

lmao “we all have to be forgiving and loving, papa.” hello kettle, this is pot. you're black.

khee khee khee.

02.05.19

time for some awkwardly romantic marham-patti.

lmaooooooo the sax music kicking in right as she says “apna kurta utaaro.” subtle, show. veryyyyyyyy subtle.

ok bish that much haldi doesn't cure anything. come the fuck on.

sexual tension ki hawa chali.

kavya is like time to be dheent as all other tellywood heroines. we shall stay here and tolerate the zillat and zalaalat because Family™.

lol idhar this idiot is clueless and chipper as ever.

and her face says everything that it has to. (“bitch shut up, you know nothing.”)

oh ho, she has very austere eating habits. no doubt from her poverty waala childhood.

she's gonna end up falling in love with this simpleass fool, isn't she? ugh.

UGH. UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

HEIN HEIN HEIN?????????? SORRY??????

we already know what's coming toh ainvayi ka buildup kyun.

her sindoor is so tedha, it's bothering me.

“main un filmon ka villain baap nahi hoon,” says the villain baap of the show.

god can he just hand over the cheque so she can rip him to bits.

yuck he's being super creepy. “fulfill your needs”, ick.

“amount bharne ke liye pen chahiye.” god i wish she'd actually take the money and fucken walk away from this shitshow. par saare heroines ko moral integrity dikhaani hai.

lol. dekha. integrity. pft.

"mujhe bas shagun ke 11 rs chahiye. aur is ghar mein acceptance.” lol didi, woh toh milne se raha 200+ episodes tak.

he told her not to do melodrama of phaadofying cheque and yelling and yeh dekho.

lololololol god i love her.

hein???? is this supposed to be aarush???? it's not the same kid as the last eps, is it???? 

throw hands, kabir. throwwww handssssss. no one talks to your kid like that!

oh how maaji's tune has changed. now she's all KAVYA HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JFC VIDHWA POOJA WHAT THE FUCKEN HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU FREAKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

ofc janhvi ko yaahan bhi mahaan banna hai. why did she have to admit she put the idea into their heads tho???

lord above mummy toh melodrama par utar aayi.

UGH THIS GUY???? WHY'S HE STILL IN THE HOUSE? DOESN'T HE HAVE A PRESSCON TO GO TO??????

new bachcha is a little too precocious. do not like.

thank god at least dadaji and dhruv have some decency left.

god i think i hate him more than tej oberoi. which is not an easy task.

oh shit. kabir's here. DRAAAAAAAAAAMA TIME.

janhvi valiantly trying with her chikni-chupdi baatein, but kabir used logic and rationality! KO!

oooh kabir's gonna do something juicy, i can feel it.

SHRAADH! YIIIIIIIKES.WHOSE THO, PAPA’S OR HIS OWN???

no need for a dna test, kabir is fully his parents' son, proved by his 100% inheritance of the dramatic genes from BOTH sides.

03.05.19

damn ok i really like kabir. for both having the stones to stand up to This Fucker™, as well as making it entertaining as helllllll when he does it.

bg mein iske expressions lajawaab.

go bir! go bir!

(minor question tho, bachche ko wahin poha-jalebi ke thele pe chodh aaya kya???????)

oh shut up dude. he was fully leaving till your dumbass wife begged him not to.

lmaooooooooooo.

bir like bitch i'm bored of your bs. i'm not leaving. imma stay right here and fight your old regressive ass. try me, you old fart. just try me.

lololololol it's amazing how everyyyyyyyyyy single person is overjoyed to hear that This Fucker™ finally has it coming to him via kabir. 

“yeh sab karna mera agenda nahi hai. main toh bas... yoon hi. aise hi.” lol army se lambi chhutti mili hai, bore ho raha hoga.

oh thank god, the kid's at home.

shit, bir and kavya gonna get into a fight now.. ouff yaar, it's not even a real marriage yet, to put up with the garbage bits of it.

“i can explain everything.”

“achcha? toh yeh petrol ke prices kyun badhte jaa rahein hain?”

snort. snarky motherfucker.

ok kabir, i was on your side till now but there's no need to take that tone with her and call her stupid. go yell at your dumbass emotional blackmailing mother.

ofc This Fucker™ has some shady goon-minion.  

wth is "pre-history"???

whooooooooo this and why is janhvi scared of him????

i'm sure they have "pre-history". someone who saved her from the fire or something? in any case, he's someone who knows her story and may or may not be affiliated with her.

WOMEN AND PARTICULARLY WIDOW EMPOWERMENT IS HIS THEME HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

dhruv is like dude you are sooooooo full of shit but i don't have the balls like kabir to call you out, so imma glare at you resentfully.

lololololol everyone got the video of him cussing out kavya at the vidhwa pooja.

MY AVENGING ANGEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but also that burnt structure is still just standing there like 20 years later???? they didn't knock it down? it didn't FALL down???

aise toh yeh ban gaya mayor.

uh girl i don't think you should walk into the building???

yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas. fuck him upppppp ladies.

flashback time.

arre yeh toh pehle waala naitik haina???

oh something nasty is coming.

this isn't their home???? then what random house is this????

oh boy.

sighhhhhhhhhhhh.

oh shit who's knocking???????? bet it's the creepy driver.

tomorrow: PK continues to fly off the handle and be a massive douchecanoe to everyone. kabir continues to throw his body in front of kavya's to protect her. janhvi continues to simper and smirk.