#i call her my guardian angel

[syrips]

tw: child abuse implication but wholesome story

me: how would strahd's beloveds not notice him watching them so much. isnt it like super obvious?

also me in highschool: -befriends a 'transfer student' classmate who is assigned to the literal desk beside me, switching out the current student who occupied the desk- -'transfer student' looks like theyre in their 20s-30s but i shrug it off- -they never turn in any homework or take any notes and the teacher doesnt mind- -they very gently ask me specific questions about my family and looking at my body language and passiveness- -they only seem to take notes several minutes after i answer a question- -they give me a genuine, bittersweet smile days before they randomly 'transfer out'-

me 15+ yrs later: WAIT A MINUTE-

[royalarchivist]

I was watching some old VODs and completely forgot that when JuanaFlippa leapt off the edge of the wall (leaving behind a worried Charlie, who had no paraglider at the time and couldn't follow or revive her if she ran out of stamina and fell), Rubius went after her to make sure she landed safely and wasn't hurt.

Rubius likes to pretend he's ambivalent toward the Eggs, but he was really a secret guardian angel for many of them. He cares :(

[epitomees]

I am so sick over them, I am so emotional about them…

Like even in a moment where her friends NEED HER HELP THEY ARE RELYING ON HER TO PROTECT THEM, SHE FAILS TO DO IT AND ALL SHE CAN THINK OF IN THAT MOMENT IS HIM!!

HER MOST IMPORTANT MISSION!! HER GREATEST FAILURE!

[moonstruckme]

emt!marauders getting called to a halloween party bc your friend got injured in her drunkenness. you’re the one who called and took responsibility in the situation, so when they show up you’re there in like an angel or goddess costume or something ethereal and you’re caring so kindly for your friend and they’re like soooooooo in love. maybe you ride in the ambulance with her bc she doesn’t want to be alone and get to spend even more time with them 🫣🥸🤲

Thanks for requesting!

cw: alcohol, blood, needle, nausea, symptoms of concussion (or I guess those could be interpreted as drunkenness if you like), mention of hospital/stitches

emt!marauders x fem!reader ♡ 1k words

You’ve got both hands on your friend’s head because you don’t trust her to keep up pressure with the towel herself, but you suppose you’re not much better. Your hands are shaking something awful. The blue and yellow lights turning onto your street come as a relief. 

“Look, the ambulance is here,” you tell your friend softly, a poor attempt at reassuring her. 

“Hello.” A dark-haired paramedic flashes a grin at you both as he steps down from the passenger side to meet you at the curb. “So, we have an angel and a…zombie?” 

Your friend makes a rather zombie-like sound of confirmation. 

Another EMT comes up behind the first. “Oh, perfect! So the head wound is just part of it then, I suppose. We can all go home.” He crouches in front of her, smiling as he takes her wrist in his hands and settles two fingers over her pulse. “How are we feeling, babe?”

Your friend swallows thickly. “I need to call my mom.” 

“I’ve already called your mom,” you remind her gently. A third paramedic, this one taller and with a lither build than the others, rounds the ambulance. “She’s on her way.” You ask the paramedics, “Do you know which hospital we’ll be going to? So I can tell her mom.” 

“Most likely the one on Baker,” says the third paramedic. He sets his hand over yours on the towel. “I’ve got this, love.” 

You let go carefully, texting your friend’s mom the hospital before wrapping your arm around her shoulders. Her voice has gone thin and wobbly as the paramedic getting her pulse asks her questions.

“And who’s your friend there?” He points at you with his chin. “Do you know her name?”

Your friend follows his gaze as though she’d forgotten you were there, and you try to give her a smile. She says your name. 

“Nice to meet both of you,” he says cheerily. “I’m James, that’s Sirius and that’s Remus. We’re going to take you to the hospital now, okay? Do you feel like you can walk?”

“Can she come with me?” your friend asks. 

James hesitates. He looks to the other two. 

The tall one—Remus—says tentatively, “We’re really not supposed to. It’d be an awfully tight fit.” 

Your friend’s eyes start to water, and you say quickly, rubbing her arm, “I can stay out of your way. She’s—” you lower your voice “—her mom is hours away, and she’s scared. I don’t want her to be alone.” 

Remus’ eyebrows bend with sympathy. 

“Let’s do it.” Sirius bumps Remus’ hip, a familiar sort of gesture. He sends you a wink. “We can’t part her from her guardian angel.” 

Your face heats, but you smile at him. Give Remus a hopeful look. 

He nods. “Alright,” he says, keeping one hand on your friend’s head and taking her elbow in the other. “Ready to go?” 

“Can my friend come with me?” 

“I’m coming,” you reassure her. You help her stand with an arm under her shoulders, supporting her weight more than necessary in case she falls. 

James and Sirius are waiting in the back of the ambulance to help her up, and while Sirius gets her settled on the gurney James reaches back down for you. 

“Hop on up, angel.” 

You’re not sure if he’s referring to your costume or not, but you think you might be okay with this guy calling you whatever he likes. You take his hand, and have to avert your eyes from the flex of his bicep as he pulls you up. 

“You alright?” Remus asks as you try to find the most out-of-the-way place to sit. 

“Hm?” You look to him. “Yeah, why?” 

He gives you a soft smile. “You’re shaking, love.” He takes your shoulders in his hands, guiding you to a bench in the corner. “Put your back against the wall there. There you are. Say something if you start to feel faint, okay?” 

You hum weakly. You are starting to really tremble, your adrenaline catching up to you now that there are professionals here to take charge of your friend. 

“You’ve got a wicked concussion,” Sirius says to her. “Really top-of-the-line head injury, I’m impressed. Did you pass out at any point?” 

Your friend looks to you, uncertain. 

You take the hand she holds out to you. “Yeah,” you tell Sirius. “Just for a second, though, right after it happened.”

“What did happen?” asks James. 

“She fell and clipped her head on the counter.” You wince at the memory. 

Sirius makes a sympathetic sound. “Bit too much to drink?” 

Your friend makes a rueful, miserable sound. You squeeze her hand. 

“You weren’t so bad,” you tell her kindly. “Just enough to lose your balance. It could’ve happened to anyone.” 

James looks at your joined hands with a faint smile. “You’re a good friend,” he says, “staying with her like this.” 

You shrug. “Couldn’t really leave her alone, could I?” 

“Some people would.” Remus starts putting an IV into your friend’s hand, and you have to look away, your stomach roiling. James chuckles. “Especially considering you look like you might pass out yourself.” 

“I told her to say if she was going to,” says Remus. 

“I’m okay,” you say feebly. 

Sirius tsks, leaving the care of your friend’s wound to James as he comes over to you. “Not a fan of needles?” 

“Or blood,” you admit. “Sorry, I’m fine, just squeamish.” 

“Put your head there, gorgeous.” The compliment doesn’t help with the turmoil in your stomach, nor does the hand he sets on your face, gently directing you to rest your head in the corner. He procures a bottle of water from a drawer. “Sip on this, and please try not to pass out without telling us.” 

“Yeah,” you breathe. “Sorry.” 

“No need to be sorry, angel, you’re doing great. You’re both doing great.” Sirius gives you and your friend’s linked hands a squeeze before rejoining James by her head. “Now, I’m hoping you’re less squeamish than your guardian angel over there, babe. Have you ever had stitches before?”

[heechwe]

higher than heaven | 𝐜𝐬𝐛

୨୧ pairing: choi soobin x fem!reader ୨୧ word count: 10.3k ୨୧ genre: fluff, angst, smut ୨୧ tags: guardian angel!soobin, human!reader, mutual pining, sexual tension, dirty talking, nipple play, chest worship, fingering, unprotected sex ୨୧ synopsis: Soobin, your devoted guardian angel, has one singular purpose in his ethereal existence: to bring your heart's deepest desires to life. Unbeknownst to him, his mere presence fulfills that desire. Yet, the lingering question remains— how can he effectively transform your most intimate dreams into reality? ♬ playlist: iris | nightly, dizzy | yueku, unbreakable | jamie scott, monsters | joan, feel every bit | the ivy, infinitely falling | fly by midnight, kiss my scars | august royals, next to me | peter fenn, hideaway | jacob collier, salvation | gabrielle aplin, magic island | tomorrow x together ⟢ AUTHOR'S NOTE: First fic of 2025! I’d like to thank @lovetaroandtaemin, @chugging-antiseptic-dye, @ylangelegy, @gyubakeries, and @xomakara for beta-reading this fic for me, I know it was a quick journey and I appreciate every one of you who followed the story from the beginning to the end 🤍.

The time fills as plastic shot glasses and empty solo cups discarded into trash bags. Some stragglers of the party lay on the couch or floor, but you pass by them with ease. You sigh before Beomgyu stops you with a sharp tug. "Dude, you don't have to help me. You're supposed to be one of my guests!"

"I'm just avoiding the inevitable tomorrow. And if you come into the shelter late because you procrastinated cleaning your own apartment, I may just kill you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it, boss.” He rolls his eyes and unfurls the empty bag you had between your hands moments before. You giggle in earnest.

“If I get a single text, Gyu–”

“Why don’t you enjoy the early morning hours of New Year's and get out of here?" He shoves you towards the door of his apartment with an "I love you” to follow you out, determined to do what you swear he won't without your help.

Beomgyu may be your childhood friend, but habits hold on tight with him. It’s clear from the three years he’s worked at your animal shelter. Your parents always said he has good intentions, although he’s brash in decision-making. "The kid just asks for forgiveness more than permission most of the time," your dad would joke, and Beomgyu wouldn’t disagree.

Your parents’ words replay in your head on the walk home. You hear every piece of parental advice with each step on the cobblestones, the clack or your heels accompanying every word. It's customary on New Years to feel the ache of their absence so strongly. Your thoughts of them are as vivid as the pain of their loss. It seems to haunt you more with every year that passes.

One day, you had been tagging new intakes and cleaning food bowls like normal. The next you were receiving the call that your parents had been in a fatal car accident. Every space they inhabited, including the shelter, felt colder, quieter, a little less like home. Even your own house twenty minutes from your job barely felt like your own.

Five years of grief made the pain manageable, but on nights like tonight, it doesn’t feel like you’ve made much progress..

The cold of January accompanies the repetitive emotional and mental cycle you're on. The weather bites with a hard set of teeth, almost more brutal than the traces of sadness you feel in your heart.

You don’t realize amid the somber trek home how close the surrounding shadows are, one of a stranger within an arm’s distance.

Your animals greet you at your door with perky barks and whooshing tails. Mina and Minho, your two tabby cats, seem to be delighted that you’re back, but save the ecstatic greetings for their canine siblings. Key, your senior chihuahua, does what he can energy-wise compared to Bori, your labrador mix.

“Bobo, please,” you beg as she jumps up on you when you kneel at her eye-level. It’s all a mess of slobbering tongue and eager pants with her. Once she’s done, you rub Key between the ears to give him some affection.

Even your hedgehog, Rio, taps against the glass of his enclosure to say hello to you. It’s almost like every pair of animal eyes asks you how the party went and why you left them alone for so long.

You can’t supply them with an answer, because you notice the person-shaped figure at your kitchen counter, silent and clouded in darkness. The sight makes you release a decibel-breaking scream.

You grab an umbrella from the iron wrack near your door and charge to the kitchen, expecting Key and Bori to follow you and bark aggressively at the intruder. They don’t, but they do pad behind you in curiosity at your strange actions.

They barely react at all when you turn on the light in the small kitchen. The new illumination reveals the black-haired stranger dressed in white. He says nothing, but holds a smile of mirth on his face at your line of defense. He's neither scrawny nor muscular, but towers over you to a surreal degree. 

You think you can take him if you have the element of surprise, but with the alcohol still buzzing through your veins, you may lack complete hand-eye coordination. It’s anyone’s guess.

“What do you want? If you’re looking for money, you got the wrong house, buddy.” You say with a steady voice, aiming the sharpest point of the umbrella in his direction.

He smiles wide, pearly teeth and a set of dimples almost blinding you. “I’m Soobin.”

His lack of an answer and warm smile throw you off. It’s definitely not the reaction anyone expects from a burglar. Maybe the guy's intoxication is even greater than yours, enabling him to enter someone's home without permission. No matter the reasons, you don’t release your hold on the umbrella. You stare him down hard despite your shaking hands.

“Well…Soobin…I don’t know what you want, but you’re not gonna find it here.”

“I’m in the exact place I need to be.” He says your name with the same level of warmth that remains in his smile, but your blood runs cold at the fact he is aware of who you are. Was he stalking you? Had he stopped by the animal shelter while you were too busy to make a mental note of him? “Put down the umbrella and we–”

“Get the fuck out of my house, you creep!” You raise the umbrella as high as you can before it falls on his head, shoulders, or any location on his body that will stun him. He knows it’s coming, though.

Soobin somehow materializes right in front of you before you can step forward, taking your wrists gently in one hand to stop you. “There’s no need for that. I’m not here to harm you.”

You struggle in his hold, trying your hardest to release yourself from his grip with all of your might. Then, you freeze, unsure of how both his speed and his lack of alarm to your furry animals makes any logical sense.

Soobin senses your lack of effort to go through with your attack and lets go of you, taking a small breath of air. “Will you drop the umbrella?”

“Once you tell me what you are,” you whisper. “My dogs would have ripped off your ankles by now, but they didn’t. Why?”

Soobin chuckles, but you feel anything but humorous. “The why to that question is a bit hard to explain. But I can tell you why I’m here.” He runs a hand through his hair, suddenly bashful. “Let’s just say I have a mission to complete.”

Soobin sits at one end of the couch, hands in his lap, while you sit on the other. Your dogs lay at the edge of the couch, snoring peacefully now that the chaos is over. Your knees sit tight against your chest, still guarding yourself from him or any potential advances he may make.

You may not think he wants to kill or rob you anymore, but that doesn’t mean you’re immediately trusting of the stranger. One that is no doubt breathtaking, but still hiding his intentions.

You size him up, still unsure how or why the guy is familiar with you when you’ve never seen him before. He can barely provide you with an adequate answer for the questions that pop into your head.

Where are you from? How do you know me? Have we ever met before?

He chuckles at each one, continuing on with the same reflexive response. “Proprietary information.”

You roll your eyes. “Every time you say that, you sound like some kind of spy.” You move closer to his spot on the couch, looking at him with more intensity than before. 

The analysis makes him laugh even more, his cheeks turning pink. “I’m not an alien, if that was your second guess.”

“That’s not what I was thinking!”

He quirks an eyebrow at you. “You look like you’re about to cut me open with a scalpel.”

Your lips transform into a firm line. “Should I want to, Soobin? Maybe you’re saying you’re not an alien to throw me off.”

“Trust me, I am not an extraterrestrial. Not cool enough.”

You can’t help but laugh at the ridiculous situation you find yourself in, matching the smile on Soobin’s face with your own. An hour ago, you were about to kill him in self-defense for what you assumed was a classic break-in scenario. Now, you’re laughing with your would-be victim. This has to be the most peculiar first day of the year you’ve ever had.

He claps his hands softly on his white denim jeans. “We should call it a night. You’re probably tired. I can explain more tomorrow, if you’d like.”

You look around your house, unsure where Soobin is planning to stay for the next few hours. The one-bed-and-bath cottage is anything but roomy, most of your space taken up by work supplies or your animals’ stuff.

He senses your trepidation and grins. “Don’t worry, I can come back in the morning.”

You suck in a breath. Most of you feels relief, but there’s a small inkling of sadness that pervades your emotions. You barely know Soobin, but his presence provides a warmth that your home has been missing.

It has to be the last traces of alcohol and the simmering grief still in your system.

“Okay. I have work in the morning, but–”

“I’ll be here before you have to leave,” Soobin cuts you off. He holds his hand out in a goodbye, and you take it. His soft palm meets yours and heats your skin, and you have to cut the parting short to not feel any more flustered.

“See you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, love.” He leaves you with one more grin before he exits, confusing you further. 

The touch of his fingertips on you follows you into sleep, his skin the last coherent sensation you have before it all goes black.

There is a murky quality to the dream you find yourself in. You’re surrounded by grey, the color’s opacity fading only partly as the details become clearer.

The room around you looks more like a cavern than a traditional room. It’s made of stone, cavelike and primitive. The entrance to the area is too vast for a normal door. It’s almost as if you could step out and fall into nothing but clouds. The world outside is a mixture of inky blacks and dark blues, signifying nighttime outside the four rocky walls.

You look back to the inside of the space. It holds a desk covered with paperwork and photographs. You’re alone, standing in the center of it all, but too far away from the papers on the table to see any information.

Before you can step closer, Soobin enters with a blonde man hot on his heels. They both walk right through you, seemingly not noticing your presence at all as they continue their discussion. 

They emit their own light somehow, the room nowhere near as dark as when you were alone inside of it.

“If you fail at this, Yeonjun will demote you and have no qualms about doing it.” The blonde man ruffles his hair in frustration, and inches closer to Soobin. They clearly have a close relationship, from the concern on the stranger’s face to the hand that he rests on Soobin's shoulder. “You’ve worked too hard to lose everything, Soobin.”

“I know, Hyuka,” Soobin says in a somber tone, sorting through the papers on his desk. “But she needs me now more than ever. And I know I can help. And if I succeed, I can actually—“

“I get it. We’re just not supposed to get involved unless we’re certain about it. You know this.”

Soobin sighs. “You didn’t see her, Kai. I have to.”

The man named Kai exhales a deep breath and walks away, his pleas seeming to hit a brick wall. The last thing he says, “I hope you know what you’re risking,” barely makes it to your ears. All you notice before Kai’s departure is the unfurling of wings from his back, the white and gray feathers spouting from the tendons just below his shoulders.

You scream when he drops from the entrance, his wings carrying him away. You don’t care if the sound alerts either of the two men, not after witnessing such an unrealistic moment.

You scream again when you hear the unfurling of Soobin’s wings, the sound almost whipping you onto your back from the gust his wings emit. They’re dark grey, larger than Kai’s are. They create such long-casting shadows that you have no question now what Soobin is or where he comes from.

The word replays in your mind as the surrounding scene dematerializes and you wake up with a rapid heartbeat: an angel.

Soobin waits at your door in the same white button-up and jeans he had on the night prior. You welcome him inside, and he looks more ethereal somehow in daylight. 

The dream hits you again with its full force, the image of his grey wings flashing across your memory.

“So, you’re an angel,” You say, filling the space between you both with a new tension. The anxiety only permeates from you; Soobin exudes an air of calm instead, despite your accusation.

He almost ticks his head down in a nod as he responds with the words, “Proprietary information.”

You nod your head and gulp hard. Somehow, the aura around you and the subtext in his expression tells you what you know to be true.

He showed you all you needed to know last night through your dreams, a miraculous loophole to the restrictions placed upon him.

When you’re finally ready to go to work, the morning chores around the house finished before Soobin even made it to your doorstep, you look over at the man in front of you again with trepidation. The white attire may lead to a multitude of questions that you and Soobin cannot answer.

“What? Is there something on my face?” Soobin asks, confused.

You laugh and shake your head, any residual tension from your realization broken. “You look a bit too…uniform for the shelter.”

“Oh! Well…” He blushes, unsure how to respond.

An idea pops into your head when his words come up short. “I may have some old stuff that’ll fit you.”

“Why is the rando wearing your dad’s windbreaker?” Beomgyu asks while cleaning Jin, the newest adoptee at the shelter. His eyes peer over at Soobin filling some food bowls with kibble. Soobin’s presence fills the space the same way it did in your house.

He wears your dad’s long-sleeve shirt, windbreaker, and khaki pants well. Despite his freakishly tall height, the clothes don’t look small on him, and you’re relieved he’s able to fit in like any normal guy with the change in wardrobe.

You scoff, continuing to fill out the documents for Jin’s tag and vaccinations without looking up at your friend. “Soobin’s new in town and lost everything on the plane ride here. He just needed to borrow some stuff until his luggage gets delivered.”

Beomgyu nods, still concerned. He goes back to scrubbing Jin’s coat with the anti-tick shampoo, and you leave his spot at the cleaning station to stand beside Soobin.

“You do this every day? These bags are heavy, even for me.” Soobin grunts and clips the bag closed.

“I usually make Gyu or another volunteer do it. But you saved me the trouble of asking.” You smirk and take two of the bowls in your hands. “Want to help me feed the dogs?”

Soobin’s eyes light up, and he nods. You wonder as you walk to the cages if he’s ever interacted with animals before he left his home in the skies.

Since you were a kid, the shelter has always been a part of your daily regimen. Once college was out of the way, you had a stable job waiting for you to practice your veterinary degree on. While some could only handle so many cat scratches, dog poops, and absurd origin stories, it made every day worth it in your eyes. And the fact that you had a history with tending to furry friends with your parents only made it more worthwhile to continue doing.

The second you open the cages to let the dogs eat, you recognize how natural Soobin is at the job. He talks to them in a childlike voice and rubs their bellies as they munch on kibble and necessary medicines you give in between feeding. Even the dogs with the rougher backgrounds take to Soobin like a bee to honey, the warmth he naturally exudes relaxing them.

He truly is an angel, you realize, and not just in the literal sense.

You lock up the shelter for the day with a lot less weight on your shoulders thanks to Soobin. “I might as well give you the keys to this place. It suits you well,” you joke.

Soobin tucks his hands into his windbreaker, smiling hard. “It just came easy, I guess. Animals aren’t like people. They don’t have to hide behind words. It’s all about energy.”

You look at him as you walk away from the building together, your face softened from his words. “My mom always used to say stuff like that. To her, animals were the bestest friends you could ever ask for. She’d say it’s like they see into your soul.”

Soobin grins. “She seems lovely.”

You swallow hard, balling your hands into fists inside your jacket. It’s not anger that permeates your body now, not the way it used to. All that exists is the reality that their words are simply memories. “She was. My dad too. That place was their second home.” You wave your arm in the direction of the shelter. The building diminishes from view as you round the corner to head home. “And mine, too.”

“Did you envision this being your life?” Soobin asks, the question taking you by surprise. “I don’t mean to pry.”

“No, it’s okay!” You laugh. “I mean—I love working with the animals every day, and I have great friends. It just can be very routine sometimes, like there’s this gap that I can’t fill.” You hold back the more intimate details of your desires to Soobin, still guarded and uncertain of being so vulnerable so soon.

He steps closer, the walk becoming more intimate with his shoulder almost brushing yours. “You’ve been alone for quite a while. It’s understandable to want to share your life with someone.”

You blush hard, a mixture of the January cold and his correct assumptions building a steady heat on your cheeks. “That’s what most people want, I guess.”

Eyes widening, you realize now why Soobin may be discussing these things with you. Could his super secret mission, which he discussed the night you met, relate to right now?

“No fucking way,” you whisper to yourself, stopping on the stone street. Soobin only gets a few paces farther than you before he stops.

“Is there something wrong?” He asks, his eyebrows drawn up and his mouth in a small O that you would normally giggle at.

Now, you have no time for humor.

“Did you come here because of the stupid wish I made on New Year’s Eve?”

“Taehyun, if you give me another shot, I will throw up!” You exclaim in a fit of giggles, three drinks already in your system over the last hour and a half. His girlfriend, Kazuha, stands by your side as she downs the shot in her hand, her mouth puckering as she swallows it down. “Zu, I thought you were the DD tonight!”

“Fuck it, I’ll call an Uber.” She winks and chases the shot with a sip of beer. Beomgyu wades through the throng of people in his living room to join all of you in the kitchen.

“Taking shots without me? That’s a party foul.”

“Whatever, man. It’s not like we can’t make more.” Taehyun passes him one filled with tequila to catch up, and Beomgyu downs it in the next second. By the time the buzz of the drinks hits your head, Jungwon barrels into the kitchen with his own girlfriend Yeri to tell you all that the ball is dropping.

Everyone crowds around the television to watch the remaining minute of the year play out. The strangers around you scream out the last seconds, others speak in a drunken lilt.

You turn to your friends, somehow the only person without someone attached to their hip. Beomgyu is holding a random girl's shoulder, while your other friends stand closely together in their respective couples, watching the countdown..

“Four, three, two, one! Happy New Year!” Beomgyu says the words into his date’s neck before kissing her roughly on the lips. Your other friends have their own celebratory make-out sessions. You feel like an intruder as they all enjoy the moment in their respective couples.

You’ve never been a grouch about your single status, not once. But it felt like a part of you was missing out with little of a choice in the matter. Whether by the confines of chance or love simply not being meant for you for the past twenty-seven years, you can only be comfortable for so long before the pain of solitude drains you dry.

Was it so awful to want to find someone to share funny videos with? To talk to about days at the shelter when a cute animal comes in and needs a loving home? When days are heavy on your heart and you need the one you love the most to lift you up and make it all evaporate with a simple “I love you”? To make every struggle and hardship, no matter how big or small, worth it?

And so, with only a drunken mind and heart to listen to your deepest whims, you wish for what seems the most out of reach as your eyes line with tears: a soulmate to bridge the gap between your loneliness and true fulfillment.

When the reality of why Soobin’s here hits you, you can’t help but release one of the loudest laughs you’ve ever emitted before.

“You have to be fucking kidding me,” you say with exasperated breaths, all the air in your lungs saved mostly for your laughter. “You came all the way from up there to play matchmaker?”

Soobin chuckles to himself, the sounds that leave his lips a lot quieter than yours. “You make it sound so childish.”

“Can you blame me?” You ask. “I don’t need help in that department!”

Soobin gives you a knowing look, hitting you somewhere deep in the chest. “Then I wouldn’t be here, would I?”

“Okay, don’t speak in riddles to me!”

“I’m just stating facts, love.”

You roll your eyes, and Soobin laughs again. “So you’re magically going to find me the perfect partner after only knowing me for 48 hours?”

“I’ve known you for much longer than that.” He steps even closer to you, your fingers brushing his as he stands a few inches from you. “But again, it’s—“

“Proprietary information, I get it,” you whisper. You cough into your fist and glide past him, the moment broken. “Either way, I am just fine with or without a boyfriend, Soobin.”

He follows behind without a word, but you sense his smile without looking at him. Jerk.

Soobin has helped many people in his immortal life. It’s an existence he couldn’t fill in just one book. He’d have to go back centuries to the very moment he started his work as a guardian. His life began long before that, but his true merits came when he started helping those who needed supernatural guidance.

He’s seen from his eagle’s eye view many heartbreaks, losses, successes, and love stories, but nothing as encapsulating as the story of your life.

You were a vision to see the first time you held an animal in your hands, hands tepid but heart full from the creature giving all of its affection to you for you to reciprocate wholeheartedly. He was in awe of you when you stepped across the stage with your degree, eager to put all the knowledge you gained about medicine to a good use. And his ever-still heart ached with yours the second you got that phone call in November five years ago, wanting nothing more than to catch you before your knees hit the tile below.

You’re the one assignment he’s kept too close an eye on, the others in his caseload not holding his focus so strongly. He succumbed to forbidden desires, wishes he knew were unattainable.

But the second he felt your heart break on the one night he knew he could seize the chance to step over the border between Heaven and Earth, he chose the only option that felt right: he had to leave home and heal what needed to be mended inside of you a long time ago.

He watches you help the teenage girl adopting her first pet with immense adoration. 

You check off the supplies needed for Jin and all the vaccines the dog will need moving forward with clinical focus. It’s admirable how dedicated you are to your work, not caring if it went beyond the bounds of a traditional work-life balance.

And when you wave the teenager and her parents out the door and turn to him with a signature eye-roll, he can’t stop the way his skin heats. Your gaze in his direction screams: How long are you going to keep pestering me?

Forever, he says to himself with a hell of a lot of hope.

When you’re both alone in the shelter, one hour after you’re closed for the day, you sweep the floors in a huff. “I am telling you I do not need you to play matchmaker for me.”

“You keep saying that and yet I’m still here, love,” Soobin tuts, flipping through the magazine on top of your desk. He sits at the chair opposite from the receptionist counter so casually, feet crossed and casual despite his heart yearning to explain everything to you.

I’m here because I can’t take any more of your pain. Because someone deserves to know how special you are. Because I—

“I can find a date without your help. Beomgyu already took up that role a long time ago. He’s been pestering me about going out with his friend Heeseung for months. So there.” You stick your tongue out at him and continue sweeping.

Soobin chuckles to himself and flips to another page of the magazine, but he can’t deny how his focus remains on you, the center of his attention, for longer than he expected.

“Lee Heeseung, twenty-two. Works at the ramen shop downtown. Entirely incompatible with you. Just for your information.”

You stop sweeping and aim an accusatory eye at him. “And that’s not proprietary information how?”

“I’m not looking out for him. And that only took a couple of Google searches to figure out, love.”

By the time you lock up the store, Soobin is in the habit of checking the door behind you to make sure you didn’t miss the back door or forget to close the play-gate on the way out. Two weeks of observing your routine up close has given him incredible intel, and not just into your schedule.

“Let’s walk past downtown,” Soobin suggests, taking your hand and walking through a new pattern of alleyways and cobblestone paths. 

You’re unsure why this route that adds another ten minutes to your walk is worth the trouble, but you take his advice, anyway. He’s your angel for a reason, after all.

“Soobin, unless you suddenly got a hankering for human food, we really should—“

You knock into someone’s shoulders hard; the impact sends you to the gravel. Soobin vanishes from view, his name on your tongue the second you recognize that you’re on the ground.

A pair of hands that aren’t Soobin’s, more calloused and robust, lift you up off the ground.

“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have been standing so close to the alleyway.”

A beautiful pair of brown eyes gaze at yours, and it stops you dead in your tracks. The stranger’s brown hair falls over his face in a mess of free curls, some of them tinged with sweat. He wears a baking apron around his waist; flour and, you presume, icing cover his shirt.

You look at the building next to you, the pastel pink sign reading “Gyu’s Baked Goods” beaming over your head. And you turn back to the man in question, the baker himself as his hands keep you sturdy on your scraped feet.

“It’s totally fine. I’m the one who should be sorry. I mean, I wasn’t looking anyway and I—“

“No, you don’t have to apologize. This is what I get for taking a smoke break when I have cupcakes to make, right?” The baker chuckles and releases you. Your heart thumps at a rapid tempo when he holds his hand out to you. “I’m Mingyu. Sorry I’m built like a mountain.”

You chuckle and take his hand, the handshake gentle for the size of his palm. It reminds you of a sturdy fireplace, strong but tender. “Pleased to meet you. Apologies for having the build of a leaf.”

Soobin looks on with a knot in his stomach from an opposite alleyway. The process has begun, and he cannot halt its progress. No matter if he wants to be the one in the human male’s place.

Soobin watches on as Mingyu stands with you by the kennels, acid simmering on his tongue from watching the two of you in such a chummy position.

He clutches the novel in his hands with intense pressure, on the edge of ripping pages between his fingers. For the past week and a half, you and Mingyu have spent time together as new acquaintances, giving Sobbing time to read mortal literature.

He should be happy for you; his initial plan to find someone who fits your life and wishes so well is going perfectly. Yet why does he wish he could rewind time and take it back?

To your pleasure and Soobin’s secret dismay, Mingyu’s surprise gift of homemade mini animal treats made the day an amazing experience for all three of you.

You pay no mind to Soobin’s sudden and off-putting sulking as you show Mingyu around the animal shelter, your new friend interested in your job as much as you’re intrigued by him.

Beomgyu saunters up to Soobin with a bag of kibble in his hands, clicking his tongue. “It’s tough, isn’t it, man?”

Soobin huffs and looks at the younger man, the aura around your friend similar to his back home. If only Kai could see him now, grumbling and pouting like a kicked puppy. 

“What is?”

“Seeing the girl you like with someone else. I mean, she’s pretty great so I get it.”

Soobin rolls his eyes and goes back to the novel in his hands to distract himself. His jaw ticks when he hears your laughter. The sound creates such a beautiful symphony to his ears, but it’s not reserved for him at the moment, and it makes his stomach turn. “You’re wrong.”

“Okay, dude. I get it. None of my business.” Beomgyu lifts the bag over his shoulder and starts walking, but looks back at Soobin with a smirk. “But maybe it might be mutual if you gave it a shot.”

Soobin scoffs at the kid, and then at himself for the split second he entertains the idiot’s idea. Soobin can pine all he wants, but he knows the boundaries. A multitude of reasons prevent this line from ever being crossed.

He may have incredibly powerful feelings for you, but they’re hidden away and unable to reach the light of day. Not just because he has a strategy for you and Mingyu, but he is not an acceptable suitor because he doesn’t belong here, simply put. Earth is only a temporary stay on his list. And when he goes back and reports to Yeonjun of his success, who knows what will happen?

All he knows is that your paths will cross only once in his and your lifetime, and never again.

Soobin almost remains stuck in his misery until you walk up to him with an orange icing-colored dog bone treat in your hands. You hold it out to him with a shy smile. “For you.”

He smirks, taking the snack from you and rotating it between his fingers. “Isn’t this for the dogs, love?”

And the signature eye roll comes, your bottom lip between your teeth as you do it. “They’re organic. Anyone can eat them.” You look back at him directly, suddenly concerned. “You can eat, right?”

He chuckles. Nodding his head, he looks back at the snack. “Just not sure if I’ll like it.”

You stick your tongue out at him. “Just try it, please?”

Reluctantly, he bites down. Sweet potatoes and carrots, harmoniously blended, flood his mouth. The icing and pinch of cinnamon provides the perfect level of sweetness to round it all out, and Soobin groans. Even the dog treats the guy makes are perfect.

“Okay, it’s pretty great,” Soobin admits, taking another bite. “Even if they’re meant for dogs.”

You laugh and take a tiny corner for yourself. “At least you can say you’ve eaten a dog bone.”

Soobin’s tender smile makes you blush, and it stirs up all the feelings you’ve suppressed when you’re not in his presence. Mingyu’s a welcome distraction from it all. His looks and personality are undeniably attractive, but you always circle back to the angel in your midst.

Who can blame you? He’s ethereal, his magnetism undeniable. But that warmth he’s had from the first day you met is why you can only stay away for so long. He’s a part of your world now, and you can’t imagine that changing in the foreseeable future.

He’s made his place on Earth with you, and you dread the day he has to go back to where he belongs.

The end of January brings the last time for branches to stay vacant of leaves. You notice the small sprouts of leaves amidst the brown limbs as you and Soobin walk back to your house. You bite back a smile, and Soobin comments on it.

It’s like he clenches your heart between his fingers as he says it. “You always hide your excitement like nobody should be watching. Like it’s wrong to be happy about the little things.”

You blush while strolling beside him. “It’s not that I’m hiding it. Maybe I just don’t think anyone will get why I’m happy about certain things.”

Soobin bumps you with his shoulder, a close-mouthed smile on his lips. “Try me.”

You exhale a breath to get your bearings. “Okay, so everyone is always excited about the start of the new year. But then it’s like the excitement dies down and we just go on our merry way until the next holiday comes up. It’s not in the days for me. It’s the environment that always makes me feel the shift, you know?

“Like with animals, almost. The energy is unique, and I feel it when I see the colors and feel the temperature fluctuate.” You shake your head and tuck a stray hair behind your ear. “That may sound stupid, but—“

Soobin stops you on the open sidewalk, taking your hand in his. He looks into your eyes earnestly, wanting you to take his words to heart before he says them. “Nothing you’ve ever said to me is stupid, love. Every thought you have is beautiful because it’s yours.”

Like the town greenery, something shifts inside of you then. Even on the rest of the walk home and the talk over dinner about the day at the shelter, you sense an unfamiliar emotion swirling in the air between you and Soobin. You can’t name it, but it reminds you of the first blooms of spring, brimming with promise.

The first week of February comes in a tidal wave. Many people flood the animal shelter looking for the perfect furry friend to complete their family on the cusp of Valentine’s Day.

All you can hope for is that a majority of them, or at least fifty percent, don’t come back to the shelter after the holiday is over to return the animals looking for forever homes. 

That was the one thing that bugged you the most about this job: biting your tongue at the obvious lack of responsibility people put into owning pets.

It holds more weight than anyone knows, bringing another being in your home to tend to like a child. The only difference is that many of them have histories that deserve more care than normal, and some don’t want to put in the right amount of effort.

You sit on these thoughts as Soobin holds the newest cat to the shelter in his hands. “Have you thought of a name for Mr. Cat yet?” Soobin inspects the spot near the cat’s tail. “Or Missus?”

You giggle and grab the clipboard with the cat’s information on it. “He’s a he, Soob. You can come up with a name.”

He ponders the choices, before his smile grows and he presses his nose to the cat’s. “How about Hyuka?” He rubs the back of the cat’s ears tenderly.

You grin at Soobin and brush your fingers over Hyuka’s fur. “I think it’s a perfect fit.”

Soobin looks over at you with bright eyes, his expression transforming into one that feels like the one you held that day so long ago when he called your thoughts beautiful. A question forms on his tongue, but it flits away the second Mingyu walks through the double doors of the animal shelter with a bouquet of daisies.

At least the jerk knows your favorite flowers, Soobin thinks to himself as he walks with Hyuka back to his block in the back room.

You smile at Mingyu and thank him for the flowers, immediately pressing your nose to them to inhale their smell. “They’re amazing, thank you.”

“My buddy Wonwoo is a florist, so don’t thank me too much. I got a discount even though I should’ve paid full price.”

“Can’t beat a couple bucks off.” You set the bundle down on your desk and cross your arms over the countertop. “I take it you’re not just here to deliver flowers?”

Mingyu chuckles and presses a hand to his neck, his toned biceps stretching out his shirt. “Actually, I was going to ask if you had any plans for Valentine’s.”

You stumble on your explanation, discussing the closure of the shelter for the holiday. “Well,” Mingyu starts, “I was thinking you could come by for dinner. And I promise it won’t just be me making you taste test cupcakes again.”

You laugh, but the sound falls flat. You had always been the one pining, yearning for the boy you liked to like you back. Being on the other side of the coin was not exactly ideal. “Mingyu, you know I appreciate you and I am flattered, but…”

Soobin.

You’re unsure how to continue, but Mingyu holds a hand up in understanding. “I get it. How about I make you a meal, anyway? Consider it a friend treating a friend for all of her hard work.”

You blush and nod. “I’d like that very much.”

You’re washing dried-up wet food from the cat bowls when Soobin walks up to you, his face red. By the time Mingyu left, you expected Soobin to come back to your side so you could wash the dishes together. You did it yourself, seeing as he took forever to come back. Soobin asks with a tone of authority, “What the hell are you thinking?”

You poke your cheek with your tongue, contemplating. “I’m thinking Hyuka’s chances of getting adopted before Valentine’s is about—“

“You know that wasn’t what I meant, love.” He says the pet name with annoyance as he drops one bowl into the sink next to you. His tone catches you off guard, not expecting to see Soobin angry for the first time like this.

“You asked me what I was thinking, and I’m telling you.”

“Why did you say no to the date?” Soobin asks, his eyes blazing with fury. Something without a name sits below though, you can tell.

“I, technically, didn’t say no. It’s just more friendly than romantic.”

“Do you expect me to find you another soulmate like this?” Soobin drops another dirty plate in the sink for you to clean up. You don’t know if the question is exactly for you or for himself.

The tension sits thickly in the air, the running tap the only sound for a good minute or two. “I’m sure you’ll think of something,” you respond, hoping to ease the awkwardness.

Your cheekiness makes Soobin chuckle deeply. You missed his laugh, you realize, not hearing the sound in a while. Not since before Mingyu came around. “What am I gonna do with you, love?”

You shrug and go back to washing the bowls, hiding your smile behind soap suds and dishwater.

Soobin’s leg shakes as he sits on your couch, watching the clock on the spot above your door. 10:49 PM. He’s been waiting for hours to welcome you home from your “friendly” date with Mingyu. Admittedly, he’s been waiting since the second you left, the night of Valentine’s Day on the forefront of his brain since he heard the meathead ask you to have dinner.

Minho and Key keep him company, the older animals in your horde understanding and patient while Soobin mopes around. The angel feels as impatient as Bori can be when she has to wait for dinner.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Soobin says to Key, the chihuahua’s overbite hanging almost like a taunt. “I’m not stewing.”

He’s definitely stewing. The animals must be saying to each other, conspiring about what will occur when their mother finally gets home.

And on the cusp of eleven, you walk into the house and unbuckle your heels. You watch Soobin on the couch, his hands fidgeting on his lap. “Have you been sitting there for three hours?” You ask in a cute tone that drives Soobin nuts.

“No, I made the animals dinner.” You set your bag on the iron wrack where your coats lie, and throw your shoes in some corner of the living room before Soobin continues with, “So, how was the date?”

You stride to the mirror, beginning to unclasp the flashy studs in your ears. “It was fine. Nothing special. Just two friends having dinner.”

“That’s all it was? No candles at the table, no romantic music, nothing?”

“Why are you so concerned, Soobin? I went out, I had fun, now I’m home.” Soobin’s not prepared to hear your voice so clipped and direct. Your frustration is usually a mask of humor or concern. Not genuine anger, like right now. You don’t look at him directly, continuing to remove your jewelry as your ire grows.

You try to de-escalate the argument by retreating to the kitchen, but he only follows you there. And moving back into the living doesn’t help either. “Stop following me, Soobin!”

“Stop running away,” he barks back.

“I will when you stop making a big deal out of this.”

“It is a big deal,” he says with a scoff. “And am I not allowed to worry about you and who you’re with?” He asks with a bite that matches your irritation.

“Why are you so concerned if Mingyu’s the person you wanted to set me up with in the first place?”

“Don’t ask me that question,” he whispers. His jaw tightens and his hands clam up, but you don’t give in. If he wants to finish the discussion, then you’ll continue to press him for an answer.

“Why? What kind of ‘proprietary information’ relates to how you feel about this? What does me going out with Mingyu and you being a complete ass about it have anything to do with top-secret intel?”

“I love you, alright?!” He yells, standing stock still as his veins pulse in his head and neck. His hands go to the messy strands of his hair, almost like he feels himself going crazy at his own confession. “I did not mean to, and it’s awful. I can’t give you the life you deserve. Someone like Mingyu or any other human man would be lucky to have you, yet I can barely stomach the thought of someone else getting to touch you in all the ways I wish I could. And it’s driving me insane.”

The confession knocks something loose inside of you, remaining inhibitions be damned if it means now that the feelings Soobin harbors mirror your own without a doubt. 

You step closer to him, the tension almost too much to bear any longer. You press your hands to his neck, and bring him closer until your lips are a mere inch apart. “Nothing and nobody’s stopping you, Soobin.”

He takes a deep breath to hold himself back,  grounding himself so he doesn’t do something that will upend both of your worlds. “You don’t know that, love.”

You chuckle softly. “Maybe not, but I do know that I love you too.”

When you brush his mouth with your own, every being in the universe, heavenly or not, ceases to exist in your mind. It’s only you and Soobin in your own world. You want to kick yourself for taking so long to seize this moment, this kiss, with him. For all of the reasons Soobin supplies as to why it’s wrong for the two of you to be together, this could not feel more right.

Soobin only gives himself a second of separation from you to catch his breath before he dives back in for one, two, three more kisses. He moans eagerly into your mouth. He tugs on the fabric of your dress to occupy his hands, his body hungry for any contact he can get.

Heavens do be damned, if it means he can keep you between his arms and against his lips. 

Your back hits the bed as Soobin attaches his lips to your neck. The dogs scratch at the locked door of your bedroom, but you know they’ll give up after another minute of waiting for a result that will never come. You have other priorities to tend to.

Soobin’s lips and teeth mark you up as he travels along your skin with his mouth. He removes your dress and his shirt so your skin is in closer contact, the feeling of his every present warmth lighting you from the inside out. Your undergarments are still in the way, but you know they’ll be discarded soon.

“You do not know how many days I wished for this,” he mumbles into the spot between your breasts, his kisses setting you on fire to the point you can barely tell where he’s going next. He unclasps the clips holding your bra together, your top half now bare for his eyes to witness.

He marvels at the fullness of your chest before he takes one of your nipples into his mouth. He licks at the skin as he suckles. The action pulls a moan from your lips, your body thrusting up at nothing but open air.

“You can touch me in other ways, Soobin,” you gasp, taking his hand in yours and intertwining your fingers.

He blushes a deep crimson, releasing your nipple from his lips. “I don’t know how,” he admits.

You take his hand to guide lower to the top of your underwear, urging him to slip his hand inside. He does so, immediately finding the wetness of your folds against his fingertips. “You can move them around—just like that.” 

He takes your advice and expertly finds your clit to take between his thumb and index finger. Your hips buck up into his touch, and he smirks against your lips. He asks, “Is this what you like?”

“Yes, please.” He takes your underwear off to freely glide his fingers in and out of you, three of the digits simultaneously filling you but leaving you aching for more. “Please, Soobin, please,” you beg.

“What do you want, my love? Don’t hold back.”

“I want you inside of me,” you confess. He listens to your request without question. Unbuckling his pants, his cock springs free to make your eyes linger to the bottom half of his body. You don’t guess for long what it feels like, as he immediately sinks into you to make your eyelids flutter.

“Holy shit,” you exclaim, pressing your hands to his lower back, pushing him in deeper until he’s filling you to the hilt.

“You feel amazing.” Soobin says the words against your lips as he thrusts for the first time. He pulls completely before slipping back in, groaning the entire way.

While you appreciate the slow movement of his body against yours, not too eager to rush the experience, you cling to him with eager fingers, hoping the message will come across. “Soobin, go faster.”

You’ve only ever been with two other men in your life, two lackluster experiences in college you wished to forget. All the time between now was just a waiting game, you only willing to go the distance when you felt it was with the right person. And it seems like all the failures in your history have led you to this perfect blip in time.

Like Soobin can read your mind, he slows down just enough so he can whisper to you, “It’s always been you. It’s only ever been you.”

You can’t help the tear that forms in your eye, but it’s quickly kissed away with Soobin’s lips on your cheek and, subsequently, your mouth.

“I’m gonna come, Soobin. Please don’t stop.” His hips work faster, his thumb pressing down and rubbing your clit harder, and you can barely feel your body before it lights up in every area.

Your toes curl, your mouth slacks, and your soul explodes as the pleasure overtakes you. You feel empty yet so full from the endorphins released from your orgasm.

Soobin continues to move his hips against yours. His pace stutters, signaling his own release. He captures his lips with yours as he spills inside of you, your body his to claim completely. Nobody has ever had you in this way—emotionally, mentally, physically.

When you tell Soobin “I love you,” you mean it in every facet of reality, your soul intimately linked with his otherworldly one.

“I love you too, my love.” He smiles like a bashful child, taking you into his arms and pulling you closer as the night continues on outside. When you again, bodies intertwined between your sheets, all that you wish for now is for the moment to last forever.

And when you fall asleep that night in his arms a few hours later, you pray to every god you can name that it never ends.

The expectation of waking up to the warmth of Soobin’s arms and kisses dies when you feel his empty side of the bed. You search the entire house , your dogs padding behind you as you search every corner for him. 

To your terror and slowly breaking heart, he remains to be seen. Soobin is gone like he was never there to begin with, your house flooding with a chill that hits you to the core.

You crawl back into bed, naked and alone, tears streaming down your face. The only time you rise is to let the animals eat and use the bathroom. For the rest of the day, you remain in bed like a phantom. Half out of your body, half inside of it to feel every ounce of pain. Each shred of sadness reminds you that you still exist, and the man—angel—that you love is gone.

Yeonjun has his head in his hand when another pair of associates throw Soobin in front of his desk. Soobin put up an intense fight in the resulting scuffle to bring him back to the office above Earth, but he doesn’t regret it. The only thing he regrets is not leaving you with some sort of explanation, even something as little as a minute to tell you he loves you.

“When I approved your descent, I expected you to help your assignment. Not sleep with her.” Yeonjun sighs and reads over the paperwork at his desk. “The guys above me are gonna love this.”

“Jun, please.” Soobin falls down on his scraped knees and raises his hands in a prayer. “Let me just tell her—”

“What else is there to explain? You’ve clearly done enough.”

“I’m begging you—”

“You think I’m going to let you spend another second with her and make me look like an idiot? No.” He slams his hand on the desk. “If you’re lucky, Soobin, all the archangels will do is send you to the second circle of Hell. I’m surprised they’re not reprimanding me as your superior. You broke our greatest oath.”

Do not consort with humans, Soobin reminds himself as tears stream down his face. “I love her, Yeonjun. And you know she loves me. Didn’t I do my job? I found her a soulmate, just like she wished for.”

Yeonjun shakes his head with a sad smirk. “Don’t think you can get around our rules this time, Soobin. I just called you here to tell you the council will see you in the morning. Be grateful they’re giving you a chance to explain yourself.”

The angels that brought Soobin in drag him away to the lower cells of the building. As he’s pushed and pulled through dark hallways, Soobin has barely enough time to come up with a plan to fix what he’s ruined. Barely.

Your dream is almost the same as the one you envisioned months ago, the dark cavern welcoming you like an old friend. The fog of your transition from sleep to dreaming still pervades your senses. You barely have time to make out the details before Soobin has you wrapped in his arms, holding you so tightly that you feel the air knocked out of your lungs. “Thank God it worked.”

You sob immediately when you recognize Soobin’s voice and his arms around you. It’s like a magnet the way you gravitate to one another, not worrying if the dream will last a second or into eternity. You can barely remember the pain of being without him now that he’s in front of you.

You call his name as he kisses the crown of your hair. He backs you into the desk at the far end of the room, lifting you up by the legs to sit on its marble top. He trails his lips down until they meet your own, and he says so tenderly, “I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there when you woke up.”

Breaking into a fit of sad laughter, you run your hands through the hair at the nape of his neck. “I’m just happy you’re here with me now.” You kiss him again and again, until your lips feel bruised and sore.

Soobin sheds a tear and looks back into the night outside of his office door. “I don’t have long. They’ll bring me back to my cell soon. But I wanted to tell you I love you. And I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

“W-Why are you being punished? You did what you were s-supposed to,” you stutter, a mournful knot building in your throat.

“I fell in love with a human when I shouldn’t have,” he answers, another tear welling in his eye. “But it was worth every rule I broke. How could I regret finding my best friend?” Soobin smiles despite the pain that you two share. 

You hiccup into his neck. “When will I see you again?”

“I-I don't know. But I’ll fix this,” he assures you, a steadfast determination in his expression.

“You don’t know that for sure, though,” you cry, heart ripping deeper at the seams with each word. 

“I don’t, but for now, know that I love you. I love you more than my existence allows.” He kisses you one more time as the edges of your dream blur. “It’s only for now, I promise.”

When you wake tangled in the comforter on your bed, the morning sky bleeding through your window, you begin the torture of waiting for the person you love most in the world to come back to you.

TWO MONTHS LATER

For the past seven Fridays since Soobin left, you’ve stayed in and waited for the phone to ring or the doorbell to sound, any way to signify that he hasn’t broken his promise. You don’t bother going into work, trying to find any excuse to stay in the house.

Beomgyu tries to get you out, go on dates, avoid the aching hole in your chest, but he doesn’t understand. None of your friends do. They think he’s left without an explanation like another random asshole would, but they don’t understand how wrong they are.

They’ll never understand you’re waiting for the one who took your heart between his hands and still holds it to this day, even if you can’t see him for now.

For now. The words play in your mind on a loop, the sound of Soobin’s voice as vivid as the day he said them between kisses in your dream. It’s only for now, I promise.

This Friday, you take his words to heart and decide to go out. You walk Key and Bori, the morning sun turning into an afternoon sky clear of clouds. The warmer weather signals winter is giving way to spring, although you can still feel the chill in your bones.

When you bring the dogs back home, you’re still too restless to stay inside, too many memories in the house haunting you with Soobin’s presence.

You walk around the town streets, the memories of those you love the most filling your heart with a solemn nostalgia that edges out the parts of you that are still miserable. You and Beomgyu learning to ride bikes around the animal shelter. Your parents treating you to your first scoop of mint chocolate ice cream after you won gold at your spelling contest. The kiss you shared with Soobin in your living room, and all the kisses that followed.

Each one contains longing for the past, yet offers some hope for making fresh memories in the same spots. And even locations you haven’t discovered yet.

By the second trip around the blocks you know too well, nighttime rears its head. The city lights mark the street names and numbers with a yellow glow, the heavens above pitch black.

Your legs are sluggish, ankles sore from continuing through the world around you without stopping for rest, but no physical excursion compared to the mental expedition you’ve been on today, a microcosm for all of your tangled emotions for the past two months.

 You almost give into the demands of your body when you hear the faintest sound of your name behind you. Turning on shaking limbs, you see the perfect contours and edges of the man you love in crystal clarity. His shoulders heave as his face remains wet with tears, his body on the verge of convulsing from the travel back to you.

Although every muscle strains and screams inside of you, you run towards him with all of your might and crash into his arms. The water on your cheeks mixes with his when your skin touches. He kisses each tear before he reaches your lips, his mouth tasting of salt and peppermint.

“I’m here. I’m here, my love.” He strokes your hair with his hand and runs the other across your back.

“I didn’t get to say I love you too, last time I saw you,” you say, the words tumbling over one another as you try getting them about. You’re crying and mumbling and it all feels incoherent, but you know every sound you emit is true.

Soobin chuckles, and you’re reminded how beautiful the sound of his laughter is. “You never had to say it back, my love. I already knew.”

Your heartbeat is erratic, but it doesn’t distract you from the fact Soobin’s heart seems to beat as well. A strong, even-tempered rhythm, one you’ve never heard before. You look him deep in the eyes, needing to hear the words on his lips. “Are you—“

His voice is still hoarse and tattered, but his smile is like the salve to all of your wounds. “I told you I would come back to you.”

You whimper, another tear escaping from your eyes. “You gave up everything for me? Your immortality, your friends, your—”

He presses a finger to your lips before running it over your cheek, his expression soft. “I completed my mission. And my everything is right here with me.”

You kiss his lips, all the I love you’s not enough to encapsulate every feeling and gift Soobin’s given you since he came into your life. You both may be on Earth, one old and one new human soul linked as one, but you know this is what it means to be higher than even the immensity of heaven.

@yvnempire @sjylouvre @mini-mews @jayparked @heesuncore @yoursjaeyun @sungbeams @jenoslutie @loserlvrss @pars-ley @lovetaroandtaemin @wonwovy @biteyoubiteme @jjunbug

𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 ౨ৎ˚₊

@kstrucknet @k-films @kvanity-main @lapydiaries @moadiarynet @sweetvenomnet @onedoornet @sayxonet @violetanet @svthub @whipped-kpop-creators

[irishmammonagenda]

MC's magic going wrong 😱😰

or right depending on ur outlook on life ig

warnings: swearing, mentions of death (extremely brief and only notioned towards), physical affection

You hadn´t thought much of it at first when you got back to the human realm. Everything went back to normal. Or as normal as it could be.

Your mother and father sobbed when they saw you, stating how they though´t you were lying in a ditch somewhere in the stretching countryside. You´d lied, told them you were away on a residency based apprenticeship, that you were sorry for worrying them. Your siblings showed signs of worry you never thought they were able to feel for you. Thus you were being babied for a month or so.

That´s when it started.

At first, it was more corvids at the bird feeder in your garden than usual. Then it was stray cats. Then inexplicable black and white feathers dusting your clothing and hair.

Your mother smiled picking out the ivory feather from the confines of your unbrushed hair, "Oh! Your guardian angel´s been watching over you!" she says playfully, an old wives´ tale, nothing too serious.

You tense for a moment, before laughing with her. "Well I´ll take it as a good sign." Stupid old wives being the smartest people.

At first it was easy to brush off.

Then your father started getting lucky, he hadn't been one to gamble persay, putting a few coins in on a bet for the horse racing or the football was a regular occurrence, sometimes he won,sometimes he didn't. The difference of a few silvers, a share bag of sweets basically, made no real strain on your belts. But now, he was winning left right and center. Winning amounts that shouldnt be possible based on the amount he input.

Though, after you woke up to cats and corvids staring at you unblinkingly, in your room, with a few flies and insects on the walls, and your bedsheets covered in feathers and scales of all colours and sizes, enough was enough.

You were going to give those nerds a piece of your mind.

After shooing the animals out, (making sure to pet the cats), you picked up a lipstick, and channeled your pact magic before drawing a circle with various symbols on the floor,

You stilled, "Ah, shit. I dunno how to do this, i mean half of those symbols are angry faces and squiggles...." but ever the theatre nerd, you improved.

"I, MC, call upon the power of my pacts with the Avatars of Hell! and, using their power; a portal to the Devildom shall open for me!"

And a portal did open for you. Unfortunately, not to the best place. As you travelled through the time pocket you ended up stumbling once you made it to the other side, the stumble turnt into a tumble turnt into a fall. Unluckily for you, the thing you fell on was toned flesh and chuckling heartily, you were in Diavolo's lap.

"It's great of you to drop by MC!" He says, his massive hands pulling you further into his frame.

You cover your face with your hands, now noticing the various other nobles in the council room who are staring at their Prince, attempting to mask the fact their jaws are going to hit the floor.

Atleast the Brothers weren't there, but Barbatos' half polite smile half smirk and Diavolo whispering various playful musings of, "Did you miss me that much little human, we missed you too.", and "Summoning a portal illegally into the Demon Lord's castle and onto the Demon Princes lap...tututut." almost made the brothers seem like a mercy....

...almost.

You couldn't tell if this was a win or a lose.

[harunayuuka2060]

WHB Series #2 (Cont.)

Minji: Something capable of warding off an angel???

MC: Yes.

Minji: ...

Minji: Angels are protectors. Why would you want to drive them away?

MC: *serious face* 'Cause I think they're annoying.

Minji: ...

Minji: Is there something you're not telling me?

MC: ...

MC: Okay, I'll be honest. There's this dude who claims he's my guardian angel—

Minji: Does he look like an angel?

MC: He has this weird ass halo.

Minji: Oh. Okay. Continue.

MC: *frowns* Anyway, he wants me to go with him somewhere.

Minji: ...He wants you dead.

MC: Exactly! That's what I'm thinking too!

Minji: ...

Minji: Well, you're in luck. I have something here that can protect you.

MC: Really?

Minji: *shows him a photo card of Leviathan*

MC: ...

MC: What the fuck is that?

Minji: Leviathan — the king of Hades!

MC: ...

MC: Yeah, that looks so fake.

Minji: No, it's not! It's a good luck charm!

MC: *doubtful*

Minji: You should try it for yourself.

MC: *rolls eyes* Give me that. *snatches it from her*

MC: So, I burn it, right?

Minji: *whacks their head* Noo! You talk to it!

MC: ...

MC: *looks at Leviathan's image*

MC: ...

MC: He looks like a masochist.

Minji: MC.

MC: Fine, fine. I'll try it at home.

MC: Ugh. This is stupid.

MC: *recites the spell taught by Minji*

MC: ...

MC: Called it. It's a hoax. *tossed the photo card into the trash can*

MC: *yawns* I feel sleepy...

MC: ...

Leviathan: You're just as rude as your ancestor.

MC: ...

MC: Yeah, I'm waking up.

Leviathan: *shaking his head* What are you doing to do without me?

MC: What—

MC: *wakes up groggily*

MC: Ugh... This is why I hate sleeping in the afternoon.

Raphael: What have you done...

MC: ...

MC: *turns their head and notices both Raphael and Leviathan sitting at the edge of the bed*

MC: ...

Leviathan: How unfortunate for you. It appears that yet another descendant of Solomon is destined to establish a connection with us demons of Hell.

Raphael: This doesn't count.

Leviathan: I disagree. It's as clear as day.

Leviathan: This human has sought my protection.

MC: Uh, no. I don't need it. You two can leave now.

Leviathan: ...

Raphael: ...

Raphael: *chuckles*

[elmushterri]

2K followers on tumblr and 30K subscribers on YouTube! In celebration, here’s my story. Not a rewrite. This is all a work in progress and subject to change.

Being a HEMA fencer, I’ve wanted a story semi-based on actual swordsmanship and actual fencing techniques.. but fantasy.

It’s a story like… Spiderverse meets Steven Universe meets Owl House meets She-Ra.

It’s called

The Knight’s Handbook

——————

It’s modern Earth but there are supernatural people who protect it like guardian angels called Knights: Humans who’ve died via sacrificing themselves for someone else, and have been revived (not by choice). They protect humans from things as small as tripping over to protecting them from demons, dragons and other dangerous entities.

A Knight can pull their weapon from a magical, glowing scar called their Mortal Wound, the injury they acquired and a sign of the end of their mortality, like how SU Gems can pull their weapons from their gems. A Knight’s weapon can be anything including guns and crossbows, but these shoot magic/energy bullets or arrows.

Knights have their own realm to go to just for each other, (Gallantia) but can live on Earth hiding as normal humans if they wish (so long as they hide the magic scar!)

They function a bit like bees in that there is a Queen, chosen instantly when someone dies by sacrifice according to ‘qualifications of their soul’ (So not completely random like other Knights). Of course, this only happens when the former Queen is killed. Never have there been two Queen Knights at once, so written history goes. Like bees, that would create a huge issue!

Here is the main character and the main antagonist. For the first time apparently ever, there are Two Queen Knights. A mistake of nature, perhaps?

Sidra Saiffudeen

Our main enby is Sidra, she/they. A normal teen turned Queen Knight chosen right after her death, impaled through the chest (where you can see her Mortal Wound symbol) by saving her father. Her design is based on a bee! Not all Knights’ designs are, but I thought I’d lean into Queen Bee stuff.

She’s the ‘Acknowledged’ Queen. Most Knights, ones in support of the past Queen who just died (it’s a mournful period), back Sidra, but think she’s a bit immature. Sidra adores her new people though and vows to be a good Queen. Knight Queens don’t just sit back like Earth Royalty, they’re the most powerful and therefore in battle a lot. The past Queens tended to be adults (The Captain of the Royal Guard was in love with the past Queen (sapphics >:) ) and so having Sidra around is painful but they do their best to teach her.

Then there’s Juliana Fontana, always called Jules. She… is also a Queen Knight. You can tell this because a Queen’s mortal wound symbol is always the same as the Knight Symbol, a sword. Some Knights went traitor to back Jules rather than Sidra. Jules is a very very tired and sneaky girl, but more academically intelligent than Sidra. She’d be a very different Queen, and that’s why the Knights that took her side did so! She hasn’t figured out how to access her weapon or knight form.

The twist? They haven’t seen each other for a long long time… but Sidra and Jules know each other.

Info on Weapons, Mortal Wounds and Knight Forms.

Lastly, The Title’s “The Knight’s Handbook”… what are Knight Handbooks?

Well, for Knights, along with a weapon you can pull from your Mortal Wound, you also have your Handbook! Every Knight has a Handbook with their symbol on it. Like I said, Queen Knights don’t get their own unique personalised symbol, rather they get the default symbol representing all Knights as a species (unfortunate!).

Every Handbook is personalised except for the first couple pages and chapters. The first few pages *always* contain The Rules of Knighthood. One of which is that there Cannot Be Two Queens. But… have these Handbooks with their strict rules on who your friends and enemies are and what you can or cannot do always been a part of the Knights? Or did someone *write* these books for their own purposes? Control?

Handbooks also contain info on how to fight/fence, how to defeat certain entities, anatomy, etc (I’ll figure out more). But, Handbooks also serve as phones! You write something in your handbook for someone else and your writings will appear in *their* handbook! Not sure, but I imagine handbooks can also be used as little sketch hologram projectors (you sketch a map for example or a plan and project it into the air using your book.)

Sidra and Jules may have this giant plot going on around them because they happen to be Queens, but that doesn’t mean they’re not teenagers who want to have fun. A lot of Knights are kids and teenagers and still have their senses of fun, much to the dismay of the serious adult Knights. But they’re all immortal so they’ve got plenty of time to grow up before they hit an age to stop. Being a Knight is tough and scary cause you *could* die at any time in a fight, so adult Knights tend to protect the teens from going out before they’ve trained properly. Queens are not afforded such a luxury and besides, a lot of teen Knights are totally reckless regardless of what the adults say!

So yeah!

That’s an intro to The Knight’s Handbook. I’d love for people to join in like they did with GunnTech and make their own Knights for this, if you feel inspired. It’s kinda like a DTIYS but instead of Draw This In Your Style, it’s… Draw Your Sona for this concept? Working title… /j If you wanna do something, I suppose tag it with “The Knight’s Handbook” with the apostrophe and whatnot, but I do not expect anything, you guys already do so so much 🧡.

Any art or ocs of The Knight’s Handbook will definitely be featured on my next YT vid and I’ll be reblogging (Plus I would love to draw you guys’ ocs, and basically consider them canon since there’s an infinite number of Knights in TKH!)

Thank you for all your support, guys!

[hazbinwhoree]

Guardian Angel

Part 1/3 Part 2

A/N: Starting a series where f!reader is the child of a demon and a human and Adam’s been tasked with keeping an eye on her. Please leave requests!

“It has recently come to my attention that a demon and a human have reproduced,” Sera announced. 

Adam cocked an eyebrow. “No shit. For real?”

“The spawn is already grown. So far she hasn’t caused any trouble so I do not see the need for actions further than simply keeping an eye on her.”

“Okay and what does that have to do with me?” Adam asked, taking a long sip from his drink.

“You’re going to watch her.”

Adam spit out his drink. “Sorry, what?”

“You’re going to be her guardian angel,” Sera smirked. Adam’s jaw dropped idignantly. “Do I have to?” He whined.

“Yes.”

That’s how Adam found himself on Earth, stalking some random demon/human hybrid.

Although despite his apathy, she wasn’t just some random, a demon/human hybrid was almost unheard of. She was the third documented instance of that happening.

But as far as he could tell, she led a boring, painfully bleak life. Adam almost felt bad for her. She seemed really depressed. But his job was getting boring. Her routine was always the same. Work, sleep, eat, shower. It seemed that the hybrid was completely unaware of her origin and the powers she possessed. It made Adam’s job easy. Easy and boring.

He started fucking with her, using his ability to be invisible to the human eye in order to fuck with things in her apartment to mess with her head.

One day, while her roommate was out, she stood in the middle of her room, staring at nothing. “Come out you annoying fuck!” She called out. It took Adam by surprise. “I know someone is here,” she hissed. “And you’ve been fucking with me, and it’s pissing me off, and I know you’re here right now, so show yourself!”

Adam debated for a moment. Sera had just said to watch over her, she’d never said it had to be no contact. In fact, Adam was pretty sure Sera would prefer he try to bring the hybrid to the light, but she chose the wrong angel for that task.

Tired of watching her while she was unawares, Adam let himself appear to her. He appeared behind her, just to fuck with her one more time. She turned and jumped, and Adam snickered. To his surprise, she recovered rather quickly.

“What the fuck are you?”

Adam was once again taken aback, and then offended. “I’m an angel, babes, could you not tell by the halo and wings?”

“Well you look like a demon," she replied.

Adam scoffed indignantly. “Fuck you.”

“Fuck you! Who are you and why have you been following me?”

“I’m Adam. Like, first man ever, Adam.”

“Wow, I’m so impressed.”

“And who the fuck are you, bitch?”

“Shouldn’t you know that since you’ve been following me?”

Adam was seething. “Yeah well I didn’t give enough of a shit to remember your name when Sera told me.”

The hybrid narrowed her eyes. Adam narrowed his. The attitude on this bitch! He hadn’t seen such life in her in the weeks he’d been watching her. He definitely didn’t enjoy seeing her come to life like this. Totally not (he did).

“Well you might as well tell me cause you’re stuck with me now that you can see me.” Adam smirked.

She huffed. “(Name). I’m (Name). Why am I stuck with you?”

“Because my job is to follow you, babe, orders from the Seraphim herself.”

“But why?”

Adam thought about fucking with her for a moment, before spitting out the truth. “Because you’re a Cambion, and Cambions are dangerous.”

(Name) blinked at him. “The fuck is a Cambion?”

“A demon/human love child.”

“What, so you’re saying one of my parents is a demon and I’m like, half a demon?”

“Basically.”

They stood in silence for a moment while (Name) processed this information.

“So,” Adam broke the silence. “What’s for dinner?”

[impactrueno]

after seeing so many people bring up Drop Dead Fred in the comments of my bj & lyds comic, i decided to finally watch it last night and oh my god. i get it now. that's literally them, it's crazy???? i mean not 100% but i'm still shocked at how much they reminded me of both beej and lydia in looks, personality and dynamic (i gotta say though, i'm surprised that fred is more chaotic and infuriating than beej lol. fred makes him look tame in comparison)

it's interesting that tim burton was offered to direct this movie. i can definitely see how that would've turned out. the dark humor, the aesthetic of the imaginary friends and the inside of elizabeth's head already felt pretty burtonesque as they were in the movie, so i don't doubt he was a source of inspiration regardless.

fred and elizabeth though...it's crazy how much this feels like a spiritual successor to the beetlejuice cartoon. obviously it has its own identity so it's not like it's a beetlejuice ripoff or anything, especially since elizabeth is an adult dealing with adult problems and fred's existence is kinda vague in the sense that you don't know how much of him is actually imaginary/part of elizabeth's mind, and how much of him is an actual entity separate from elizabeth. i think by the end he struck me as some type of fucked up guardian angel that only manifests to those who need him. his purpose and reason of existence are directly tied to elizabeth (or whoever needs an imaginary friend) due to her needing some sort of coping mechanism to deal with abuse from her mother and her ex-husband. so like...part of her brain (her taking special pills weakens him until he disappears) but also not. he just exists with the sole purpose of helping her get back on her feet.

which is why i'm baffled at this letterboxd review i saw when i logged the movie:

girl what the FUCK are you talking about.

(spoilers: there is one kiss. one very non-sexual non-romantic goodbye kiss between elizabeth and her living coping mechanism/figment of her imagination/guardian angel of sorts after she managed to heal her inner child thanks to him. i am straight up stupefied that someone would interpret this whole thing as grooming. what movie were you watching)

i'm surprised in general at how so many people completely missed the point of the movie. people taking the gross out immature humor at face value as if that's what the movie is about has me worried about people's media literacy for real lol. this perception of the movie made it flop in the US and even had david letterman condescend to rik mayall when he interviewed him back when the movie came out in 1991. man.........don't piss me off lol

anyway. weird but ultimately lovely movie, it makes so much sense that this is a comfort movie for many and now i totally get why my comic reminded people of it. i understood what they were going for and it's tragic that general audiences did not. it's a movie that's hard to market for sure, because it looks like a kids movie at first glance but the themes and humor are very adult; but then an adult might look at this movie and go "why am i watching a movie where an imaginary manchild calls this girl snotface and makes all these crude gross out jokes" so i'm just. pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration at how misunderstood this movie ended up being

so yeah if you like beetlejuice and lydia's friendship in the cartoon, definitely watch this movie. just know what you're in for lol

[burntoutangel]

A guardian angel who’s been with her charge for years. They practically grew up together, and ever since she realized she could see her, they’ve both been there for each other. Keeping her safe from the dark, telling her jokes on boring car rides, supporting her in transition. They’re like best friends or sisters, and even if they Angel isn’t around 24/7(everyone needs privacy now and then. Girls do, and even angels do), she’s only a name away.

And so she’s not entirely surprised when she’s called to chat on her charges smoke break. Manifesting her form in a grimy alley behind the shitty restaurant she’s been working at, calling out a few lines about the virtues of patience and humility, and how she should really quit smoking. What is a surprise is her girl grabbing the back of her neck and muttering “Angel, I need some *real* relief right now. Not just pretty words”. They’ve never touched like this before. And her voice has never been so gravely and full of… want. And so the angels first experience today in the physical world is her bare knees grating against the damp and grimy concrete, hands against the faded concrete, whimpering and grinding her hips as her charge, the girl she’s been with for years, uses the hand not holding a cigarette to fuck her throat until the angels nose is buried in her crotch~ it smells like sweat and precum and grease and smoke, this is far beyond what an angel, especially a *guardian* should do but fuck it just feels so good

The five minute break seems to stretch to eternity until a final shove hilts every inch of tired, underpaid girldick into her angelic throat, and the angel has her first whimpering shuddering pathetic orgasm at the feeling of her humans cum coating her mouth from throat to tongue, dripping the last remnants of it onto her eager lips. “Fuck honey, that was amazing. Look, my shifts about to start again but. You teleport to our place when im done, and I’ll make it up to you ok? Thanks for always being there for me” her girl says with a soft kiss to the cheek before turning quickly into the back door of the building, almost managing to hide her neon blush in the process

It takes a fair few minutes for the angel to collect herself. Dusting off her bruised knees, shyly licking the last of the cum off her lips and hands. Trying to get any remaining ash or dust off her robes. That was definitely more than a guardian was allowed to do. But she hardly cares. All that matters is the thought of her charge coming home and fucking her senseless again ❤️

[valtsv]

sorry if this has been asked before, but are there any pieces of media that have shaped your conception of angels?

a formative one for me was his dark materials, when it described angels as only appearing in the form of winged humanoids because it was what was expected of them, and claimed that their true forms actually resembled architecture/"huge structures composed of intelligence and feeling" - i could never hope to draw the mental images that gave me, but it influenced my comparisons of pylon towers to angels, which are the closest reference i can give to the towering skeletal chain-like structures of light and matter that i imagined angels to be. it was also what first made me question the nature of angels, and begin to see them as something other than simply people with wings and halos who sang and/or fought for god - though i do have a weakness for angels imitating humanity, desiring and envying their free will and the unscripted lives it grants them, and in doing so becoming a little more human and a little less divine themselves, and falling in a metaphorical rather than literal, physical sense (which, to an angel, being an entity made of pure symbolism, is essentially the same thing, and can kill them just as surely as a sword).

kill six billion demons' angels are very inspirational to me; their naming system based on which reincarnation of itself the angel is makes me clap my hands with delight - particularly 6 juggernaut star, whose name belies how long she has endured through endless cycles, unable to break the wheel herself, and become entrenched in her own despair-driven futile rage as a result. and of course i'm a huge fan of 82 white chain's character arc involving an allegory for transition (specifically coming out as transfem) that also actually culminates in her transitioning (again, the symbolic and the literal go hand in hand with angels).

theres also this YA book called 'angel' by cliff mcnish that i read when i was like. eight? nine? i remember very little of it, and don't think it would hold up at all if i reread it now, but i do recall that one of the guardian angels in it died while saving one of their wards in a car wreck. the idea of angels as something that can be hurt and destroyed, that could be created to suffer and die, that could feel pain and experience grief, and potentially be imbued with supressed self-preservation instincts to serve their purpose, really flipped a switch in my brain.

[kzpearce]

A LOST KID CALLED YOUR BOYFRIEND “ DADDY ” !!

ft. k. ayato, alhaitham, tartaglia, heizou, k. kazuha, scaramouche, tighnari, diluc, kaveh.

note. no pronouns mentioned (but quite focused with female reader. worry not, it's not obv tho hopefully). quite suggestive to childe and heizou.

your fav characs might be here in part two!

author's note. i posted this two or three days ago but i got shadow banned for some reason (maybe i had too tags?) i don't know how tumblr algorithm works because i'm quite new here ;( anyway i hope you enjoy this !! additional note; this was inspired from a specific event of tears of themis where this little girl was lost and called the four men their "daddy" !!

— kamisato ayato.

“hi sweetie,” the child opened her arms as she ran towards your boyfriend with a huge smile on her face. ayato hefted her with a sweet smile on his face (you were frowning, but you couldn’t help your stomach explode with butterflies).

“everything makes sense when a ‘single’ man is so hardworking.” you rolled your eyes as you whispered sarcastically (ayato managed to hear you though).

“this is our baby,” he whispered to you with a wink, planting a quick kiss on your cheek.

“are you lost, baby girl?” ayato asked the little girl like he didn’t do anything that made your face turn into a tomato. 

your boyfriend can be a very great father to your future children one day. 

— alhaitham.

both of your eyes widened when you saw the little girl hugging your boyfriend with a smile on her lips. the little girl kissed your boyfriend’s cheek multiple times, she looked very happy to see her dad.

you bit your lower lip, preventing yourself from laughing too hard when you saw alhaitham’s priceless look. however, it was becoming a hard task to do, hence you covered your mouth with your hand. “i’m not informed, alhaitham.”

“i’m not a big fan of kids unless it’s ours,” he remarked. 

you laughed (ignoring the fact he might want to have kids with you), “help the child, haitham!”

— tartaglia.

ajax started hugging the little girl with love too. you rapidly blink at the sight, questioning if he was really the father of the child or someone close..? 

“not mine, baby.” he grinned as if he read the thought running in your mind. “the guardian or parents must be here somewhere.”

you and ajax didn’t really think nor talk about it until the child’s mother was found not too long after. your eyebrows furrowed to childe, waiting for him to answer the questions you wanted to hear. however, he just shrugged yet with a mischievous smirk curved on his lips.

“too bad. it would be hot if you were the one who called me daddy though.”

“archons, ajax!” 

— heizou.

“the kid must have had a traumatic experience, and it seemed like i looked like her father,” heizou thought thoroughly. 

“yeah, yeah, hot detective.” you rolled your eyes with a grin. “what if it was really your child?”

heizou shrugged. “you haven’t even felt how big my-”

“okay, shut up, you dirty ass gross.”

he laughed his ass off.

— kaedehara kazuha.

“who would’ve thought that you’ll have a child, kazu.” you blinked while watching him. the child gave kazuha quite a lot of affection. she must have been missing her father to be this clingy to kazuha.

“impossible. i’ve never been in love before, until you.” kazuha sighed. his eyes stare at the girl who had been resting in his embrace with a smile on her lips. he made sure she’s comfortable, thus kazuha was swaying her gently.

you watched them; the sight of kazuha taking care of a kid made you feel assured. you somehow saw a future with him.

“i’ve also never been jealous of a kid until now.” you rolled your eyes playfully while pouting.

kazuha chuckled, “my sweet dove, take it easy. you’ll be spoiled later with my affection.”

oh, he’s such a sweet angel.

— scaramouche (wanderer).

he rolled his eyes, exhaling through his nose after the kid ran to him with a smile on her face. you wanted to maintain your composure and tried not to laugh when he can’t disregard the poor girl off him.

“can she just get off me?” he whispered like praying to the gods.

“you’ll be a bad father for our future children, kuni.” you smirked.

“is this even our child?” scaramouche barked.

you shrugged, unable to wipe the grin off your face. “maybe?” you teased.

he glared at you. 

“i’m just joking. but treat her like our child.” you winked.

scara had decided to give up with a sigh. he lowered himself until he reached the child’s height. “here,” scara said, handing a candy to her. you could see the happiness in the little girl’s eyes. “we’ll find your brother soon, okay?”

no words can explain how hard you fell in love with him after you saw what you saw.

— tighnari.

“we... don’t have a child, right?” tighnari asked, confused. he carried the child in his arms nonetheless.

you shake your head, “maybe you do have with someone else?”

“i can’t do that to you, (y/n).” he slightly frowned.

you grinned, “let’s help her then,” you kissed tighnari’s cheek. 

“why not on the lips?” he questioned. “are you mad?”

“there’s a kid, tighnari.” 

“kiss me,” he whispered as he covered the little girl’s eyes with his hand.

you obliged with a smile on your lips, pressing your lips on his. 

— diluc. 

“you have a child?” you tilt your head in confusion. “so unlikely of you.”

“i would stop running the dawn winery first before i shoot my sperm in someone else’s womb.” 

your jaw dropped. ignoring his dirty mouth, you focused on his word someone else’s. “so there’s someone else?”

“no,” diluc shook his head, staring at you with a slight grin on his lips. 

“how would i know you’re telling the truth?” you asked, challenging him.

“it’s going to be your choice to believe me or not,” he shrugged. “but just so you know, i would pass the ownership of dawn winery later tonight if you want me to.”

you kissed him, “of course i believe you.”

— kaveh.

“let’s adopt her?” kaveh grinned after he hugged the lost girl.

“you fool, that’s someone else’s child. unless it’s really your child?” you playfully glared at him.

“it’s not mine, but we can make it ours.” he smiled.

“kaveh, she’s lost.” kaveh grabbed her little hand. “would you hold their hand for me too, sweet girl?”

your eyes widened at his request to the little girl. the little girl nodded and held your hand together with his. she was between you and kaveh, holding your hands with hers. the three of you looked like a family.

“are you hesitating now?” kaveh smirked.

i'm sorry if this is quite short to some! i'll still think if i should decided to make another part for the other characters or make a new one!

[spiderfunkz]

HYUN-JU x CLINGY!READER

pairings. cho hyun-ju x f!reader

author's note: i've been superrr busy with school lately, so i'm trying my best to balance my time and so far it's been great! but of course please be patient with your requests hehe🦭🦭 i'm working on a lot right now!

▸ let's start off with love languages. hyun-ju in my opinion is an acts of service angel! she's such a gentlewoman if you will— someone who will do whatever, whenever, if it means good for you. other than that she loves spending time with you, just your presence alone brightens her day.

▸ quality time means you can be as clingy as you want with her. though, she isn't big with public displays of affection or pda, she always has you near her, as long as you're comfortable, she's perfectly okay. sometimes you'd go out, holding each other's pinky while walking, and you'd go back home basically attached to her by the hip.

▸ she doesn't like to admit it verbally or out loud, but she loves when you just lay next to her and start snuggling up to her. especially after a rough day, it makes her feel so much more at ease and calm. again, she just loves spending time with you even if that means the time is comfortable silence as you slowly fall asleep on her shoulder.

▸ she likes to tease you by calling you a koala, as they tend to cling onto their guardians for warmth and protection. it's cute, and if you were being honest, you do seek for her during cold hours.

▸ hyun-ju gets clingy too. but she's just hesitant when acting it out, you're quick to reassure her that it's all okay though. at the end of the day, you two attach yourselves like velcro until you both fall asleep.

▸ the first time you started acting clingy, hyun-ju got really flustered and shy. for example, during a movie night you rested your head on her shoulder. "are you okay, hyun-ju? you've been so still," in reality, she was scared you would move away from her, "no, no, it's alright. please stay," she'll slowly lay her head on yours.

▸ some times she'll just be minding her own business while you try to scare her, but obviously her previous military training skills kick in, "i can sense that you are behind me, love." she'll giggle as you sigh in defeat, "you're no fun, never mind the kiss then!"

▸ but she's just so gentle and kind with you, like she can't stand seeing you sad or pout. "are you okay? do you need anything?" her voice sounded like a soft lullaby, "i just need you. if that's alright," — "it's more than alright. come here, love."

▸ she's protective too. always has a close eye on you in public. she can just be very protective in general. you must not worry, because she's always got your back! she's very reassuring and is very emotionally intelligent.

▸ you love it when she cooks. you tie her apron into the most perfect bow, she'll tie her hair up in the most attractive way, and you love when she cooks mostly because you can peek over her shoulder, wrap your hands around her waist, and see what she's doing.

▸ "smells really good, hyun." you say, kissing her cheek. time passed and you're still stuck onto her, constantly asking silly questions that are quick to make hyun-ju distracted. "you really are glued to me. you're not going anywhere, hm?" she'll smile, "nope. i'm staying right here." — "good, i'll start to miss you too much."

[fioredeciliego]

Sweet like Sin - Kim Minji x Fem!Reader

10k words

Y/N sat at a gleaming desk, absently twirling her quill as Archangel Gabrielle approached with her signature no-nonsense stride. A scroll materialized in her hand, glowing faintly with divine energy.

“Y/N,” Gabrielle began, her tone stern yet warm. “We’ve decided on your next assignment.”

Y/N perked up, brushing an errant strand of her halo-like light back into place. She loved assignments—they were her chance to guide humans toward a brighter path, to be the beacon of hope she was born to be.

Gabrielle placed the scroll on the desk. “You’ve been paired with a demon.”

The quill fell from Y/N’s hand, clattering onto the marble surface. “A demon?!”

Gabrielle nodded, the faintest hint of amusement in her usually impassive face. “Yes. Every demon gets a guardian angel. We believe this one has potential. It’s your job to bring it out.”

“But—but demons are incorrigible! They don’t listen, they don’t care, and they definitely don’t bake cookies for charity!”

Gabrielle raised a brow. “That’s why it’s your assignment, Y/N. You’ve always excelled in... stubborn cases.”

Y/N groaned, dramatically flopping her head onto the desk. “Fine. Who is it?”

Gabrielle unfurled the scroll with a wave of her hand, revealing an elegant name written in celestial script: Kim Minji.

Y/N squinted. “Never heard of her. Is she one of those fire-and-brimstone types? Or a sulky goth type?”

Gabrielle gave her a knowing smile. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

--

Moments later, Y/N stood in the assigned meeting spot, a tranquil meadow just beyond the pearly gates. She fidgeted, wings twitching nervously. In the distance, a faint shimmer appeared, growing closer and more vivid until a figure stepped through.

Y/N stiffened.

The demon wasn’t at all what she expected.

Instead of horns and a tail or a shadowy aura of menace, Minji looked... adorable. She had shoulder-length dark hair that framed her youthful, smiling face, and her black outfit seemed more chic than sinister. She waved enthusiastically as she approached, her grin dazzling and completely disarming.

“Hi there!” Minji chirped, practically bouncing on her heels. “Are you my guardian angel?”

Y/N blinked, unsure how to process the sheer sunshine radiating off this supposed demon. “Uh... yes? I’m Y/N.”

Minji clasped her hands together, eyes wide with delight. “Wow, you’re even prettier than I imagined! I hit the jackpot!”

Y/N felt her cheeks heat, her wings fluffing involuntarily. “Excuse me?”

Minji giggled, clearly enjoying the angel’s flustered reaction. “Oh, nothing. So, what’s the plan? Do we go cloud-hopping? Maybe you show me how to play the harp?”

Y/N shook herself out of her daze, glaring at Minji. “This isn’t a vacation. I’m here to help you grow kinder and—hopefully—redeem yourself.”

Minji tilted her head, looking genuinely intrigued. “Redeem myself? For what? I haven’t done anything bad today. Unless you count stealing Gabriel’s chocolate stash last week. But honestly, he shouldn’t leave it lying around like that.”

“You stole chocolate from an archangel?!”

Minji shrugged, her grin cheeky. “What can I say? It was calling my name.”

Y/N pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering to herself. “This is going to be a long assignment.”

Minji stepped closer, hands clasped behind her back as she peered up at Y/N with an innocent expression. “Don’t worry, angel. I’m sure we’ll get along great. I mean, look at us—we’re a match made in Heaven! Well, and Hell.”

Y/N shot her a pointed glare. “Let’s get one thing straight. I’m not here to be your friend. I’m here to do my job.”

Minji smirked, clearly undeterred. “Sure, sure. But I bet you’ll like me eventually. Everyone does.”

“We’ll see about that.”

As they began walking toward their first session, Y/N tried to shake off the uneasy feeling in her chest. Minji might be a demon, but her smile was far too warm—and far too charming—for Y/N’s peace of mind.

“By the way,” Minji said, glancing at her. “Do guardian angels always look this good, or am I just lucky?”

Y/N groaned. This was definitely going to be a long assignment.

--

Y/N hovered just above the ground, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. She scanned the meadow, her angelic senses on high alert. After the whirlwind that was Minji’s introduction, she’d spent the last few hours mentally preparing for whatever absurd antics the demon might pull next.

“This is fine,” Y/N muttered to herself, pacing in a small circle. “She’s probably plotting something. Maybe she’ll try to tempt me with—”

“Cookies!”

Y/N whirled around, her wings flaring instinctively. Standing behind her was Minji, holding a tray piled high with what appeared to be freshly baked cookies. The demon’s smile was wide and impossibly innocent, and the sunlight bouncing off her dark hair made her look far more angelic than Y/N was comfortable admitting.

“What,” Y/N said flatly, her gaze flicking between Minji and the cookies, “is this?”

Minji lifted the tray slightly, the smell of chocolate and caramel wafting toward Y/N. “Cookies! I baked them just for you.”

Y/N blinked, momentarily speechless. “You... baked cookies?”

Minji nodded enthusiastically, her grin never wavering. “Yep! I figured since it’s our first real meeting, I should make a good impression. I even used organic ingredients! You angels are into that, right?”

Y/N stared, trying to process the scene before her. “This has to be some kind of trick. Did you lace them with... I don’t know, sin or something?”

Minji gasped, clutching the tray dramatically to her chest. “How dare you accuse me of cookie corruption? These are pure, unadulterated baked goods. Scout’s honor!”

“You were never a scout,” Y/N deadpanned.

“Details.” Minji stepped closer, holding out the tray. “Come on, just try one. They’re not poisoned, I swear. Unless you’re allergic to deliciousness.”

Y/N hesitated, eyeing the cookies with suspicion. She wasn’t naïve enough to trust a demon, no matter how sweet they seemed—or smelled. But as Minji’s expectant gaze bore into her, Y/N found herself reaching out despite her better judgment.

She picked up a cookie, examining it like it was a cursed artifact. It looked... perfect. Golden brown, gooey chocolate chips, a sprinkling of sea salt on top. Against her will, her stomach rumbled.

Minji giggled, clearly pleased. “See? Even your celestial stomach knows what’s up.”

“Quiet,” Y/N muttered, breaking off a small piece of the cookie. She sniffed it, half-expecting it to burst into flames. When it didn’t, she cautiously took a bite.

The taste was heavenly.

Y/N froze, her eyes widening. The cookie melted in her mouth, the perfect balance of sweet and salty. It was, without question, the best thing she’d ever tasted.

“So?” Minji asked, leaning in with a hopeful smile. “What do you think?”

Y/N forced herself to swallow, quickly adopting a neutral expression. “It’s... acceptable.”

Minji’s grin grew wider. “Oh, come on! That was a celestial-sized bite of joy, and you know it.”

“It’s a cookie,” Y/N replied, striving for nonchalance. “Nothing more.”

Minji gasped, placing a hand over her heart as if wounded. “How dare you downplay my culinary masterpiece? That cookie could solve wars.”

“Or start them,” Y/N muttered under her breath.

Despite her feigned indifference, Y/N couldn’t stop herself from taking another bite. She hated how good it was—and how much she hated that she didn’t hate Minji for it.

“Alright,” Y/N said after finishing the cookie, brushing crumbs off her pristine robes. “What’s your angle?”

Minji tilted her head, her expression genuinely confused. “Angle? What do you mean?”

“You’re a demon. There’s always an angle. Are you trying to butter me up so I’ll give you a glowing review? Or maybe you think if you act sweet, I’ll just ignore all your past sins.”

Minji’s smile softened, and she set the tray of cookies on a nearby rock. “Y/N, not every demon is out to manipulate you. Some of us just... like making people happy.”

Y/N arched a skeptical brow. “You’re saying you genuinely enjoy baking cookies for other people?”

Minji nodded, her gaze earnest. “Baking makes me feel calm. And seeing someone smile because of something I made? It’s the best feeling.”

For a moment, Y/N was taken aback. Minji’s words didn’t feel like the calculated charm of a manipulative demon. They felt... sincere.

“That doesn’t sound very demonic,” Y/N admitted cautiously.

Minji shrugged, her smile turning sheepish. “Yeah, well... I’m not exactly your textbook demon. I mean, I do my job—I tempt people, cause a little chaos here and there—but it’s not who I am all the time, you know?”

Y/N frowned, trying to reconcile Minji’s words with everything she’d been taught about demons. “If you don’t like being a demon, why not try to change?”

Minji looked away, her playful demeanor dimming slightly. “It’s not that simple. Once you’re marked as a demon, people expect you to act a certain way. Even if I wanted to... be different, it’s not like anyone would believe me. Except maybe you.”

The weight of Minji’s words hung in the air, and for the first time, Y/N felt a pang of sympathy for her assignment.

“Well,” Y/N said after a moment, trying to lighten the mood, “if you’re serious about changing, maybe start by not stealing archangels’ chocolate.”

Minji’s laugh was bright and melodic, a sound that caught Y/N off guard. “Noted. No more chocolate thievery. So... does this mean I passed the first meeting?”

Y/N sighed, glancing at the tray of cookies. “You didn’t set anything on fire or try to sell my soul, so I guess that’s a good start.”

Minji beamed. “I’ll take it!”

--

Y/N stood in front of the ominous-looking black door, wings twitching with unease. “So, this is your lair?” she asked, eyeing the ornate, gothic architecture with suspicion. “Why am I not surprised it screams ‘demonic chic’?”

“Don’t judge a book by its cover, angel,” Minji said, her tone chipper. She leaned against the doorframe, her dark eyes sparkling with amusement. “You might actually like it inside.”

Y/N crossed her arms. “I highly doubt that.”

Minji smirked, reaching for the handle. “Suit yourself. But if you don’t come in, you’ll miss out on my famous hot chocolate.”

“Hot chocolate?” Y/N repeated, her skepticism growing. “What kind of demon has hot chocolate in their lair?”

“The kind who knows how to live!” Minji chirped, pushing the door open with a dramatic flourish.

Y/N braced herself for the worst—screams of the damned, sulfuric smoke, grotesque decor. But as the door swung open, her jaw dropped.

Minji’s lair was... cozy.

The walls were painted a soft pastel pink, adorned with fairy lights and framed posters of serene landscapes. A plush couch sat in the center of the room, surrounded by mismatched but charming furniture. A fluffy white rug sprawled across the floor, and a collection of potted plants thrived in one corner.

“What... is this?” Y/N asked, stepping inside as if she were walking into an alternate reality.

“My humble abode,” Minji said proudly, kicking off her boots and flopping onto the couch. “Make yourself at home. Want a blanket? I have at least ten.”

Y/N blinked, unsure how to process the scene before her. “This doesn’t make any sense. You’re a demon. Where’s the fire? The brimstone? The souls writhing in agony?”

Minji propped her head up on one hand, grinning. “Oh, come on. That’s such a stereotype. Do you really think I’d live somewhere so depressing? I need good vibes to thrive.”

Y/N narrowed her eyes. “You’re telling me the underworld lets you decorate like this?”

“Not exactly,” Minji admitted, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. “Technically, I’m supposed to maintain the whole ‘demonic doom’ aesthetic. But I figured, why not make it my own? Life—or afterlife—is too short to be surrounded by gloom.”

Y/N shook her head, utterly baffled. She wandered further into the lair, eyeing the eclectic decor. A small bookshelf caught her attention, filled with romance novels, cookbooks, and what appeared to be a collection of glitter pens.

“Are those... scented candles?” Y/N asked, pointing to a shelf lined with jars labeled Vanilla Dream, Ocean Breeze, and Pumpkin Spice.

“Of course,” Minji replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “You can’t have a cozy night in without candles.”

Y/N turned to Minji, hands on her hips. “How are you even a demon? You’re more wholesome than most angels I know.”

Minji sat up, crossing her legs beneath her. “Hey, don’t let the decor fool you. I can be very demonic when I need to be.”

“Oh, really?” Y/N challenged, raising an eyebrow. “Like when you bake cookies or steal archangels’ chocolate?”

Minji gasped, placing a hand over her heart. “That was a moment of weakness! Besides, I apologized for the chocolate thing.”

Y/N couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her lips. “You’re impossible.”

“Impossible in a charming way, right?” Minji teased, winking.

Y/N rolled her eyes but didn’t answer, instead continuing her exploration. She stopped in front of a cluster of framed photos on the wall, each showing Minji in various candid moments—laughing with other demons, posing with a giant plate of food, and even petting a golden retriever.

“Who takes these pictures?” Y/N asked, genuinely curious.

Minji hopped off the couch and joined her. “Oh, my friend Yeji. She’s a fellow demon, but she’s also really into photography. She says I’m her favorite subject because I’m so photogenic.”

Y/N studied the photos, noticing how happy Minji looked in every single one. It was hard to reconcile this carefree, radiant girl with the image of a scheming, malevolent demon.

“Do you ever take your job seriously?” Y/N asked, turning to Minji.

Minji tilted her head, her playful smile softening. “Of course I do. But that doesn’t mean I have to let it define me. Just because I’m a demon doesn’t mean I can’t have fun or be kind. I’ve learned to make the most of what I’ve got.”

Y/N was quiet for a moment, taken aback by the sincerity in Minji’s voice. “I guess I never thought about it like that.”

Minji grinned, nudging Y/N’s shoulder. “See? I’m not so bad once you get to know me.”

Y/N gave her a look. “Don’t push it.”

“Too late,” Minji said, grabbing a blanket from a nearby chair and draping it over Y/N’s shoulders. “Now sit down and try my hot chocolate. I guarantee it’ll change your life.”

Y/N hesitated but eventually let Minji guide her to the couch. Minji disappeared into the kitchen, and moments later, she returned with two steaming mugs of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.

“Sprinkles?” Y/N asked, raising an eyebrow as Minji handed her a mug.

“They make everything better,” Minji replied, plopping down beside her.

Y/N took a tentative sip, and to her annoyance, it was delicious. Rich, creamy, and perfectly sweet—just like everything else about Minji’s bizarrely endearing existence.

As they sat in comfortable silence, Y/N found herself relaxing in Minji’s presence. Despite her initial doubts, she couldn’t deny that Minji had a way of making her feel at ease—a rare feat for anyone, let alone a demon.

“You know,” Minji said suddenly, breaking the quiet, “I think we make a pretty good team.”

Y/N snorted. “We’ve known each other for less than a day.”

“Details,” Minji said with a wave of her hand. “I can already tell you’re going to be my favorite guardian angel.”

Y/N shook her head, hiding her small smile behind her mug. “You’re unbelievable.”

“And you’re stuck with me,” Minji said cheerfully, raising her mug in a toast. “Here’s to our weird little partnership.”

Y/N clinked her mug against Minji’s, still unsure what she’d gotten herself into—but for the first time, she didn’t mind so much.

--

Y/N paced in front of the long, gleaming table, her pristine white robes shimmering under the room’s ethereal light. Wings twitching slightly, she tried to focus on the lesson at hand. Across from her, Minji slouched in her chair, her legs casually draped over the side as she twirled a celestial quill between her fingers.

“First rule of angelic virtues,” Y/N began, her voice steady despite her growing frustration, “is selflessness. A true guardian must think of others before themselves.”

“Sounds exhausting,” Minji drawled, inspecting the feathered pen like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.

“It’s not exhausting—it’s fulfilling,” Y/N shot back, her tone clipped. “It’s the foundation of everything we do as angels.”

Minji tilted her head, her lips curling into a playful smile. “Let me guess—you were top of your class in angel academy. The kind who turned in assignments early and reminded the teacher about homework, right?”

Y/N crossed her arms. “And proud of it. Those principles are why I’m here to help you.”

Minji let out a low chuckle, her dark eyes sparkling with mischief. “You’re adorable when you’re annoyed, you know that?”

“I am not—” Y/N started, but Minji raised a hand, cutting her off.

“Relax, angel,” she said, leaning forward with a grin that could melt glaciers. “I’m just saying, maybe you could learn a thing or two from me.”

“From you?” Y/N repeated incredulously, her wings flaring slightly. “Learn what? How to make everything into a joke?”

“Close,” Minji said, tapping her chin as if deep in thought. “How to live a little. Let loose. You angels are so uptight with all your rules and halos.”

“I’m not uptight,” Y/N said defensively.

Minji smirked. “Oh, really? Then prove it.”

Before Y/N could ask what she meant, Minji grabbed a stack of perfectly organized training materials from the table and tossed them into the air. The papers fluttered down like snowflakes, scattering across the room.

“Minji!” Y/N’s voice was sharp, her eyes wide with horror. “What are you doing?!”

“Making things more exciting,” Minji said with an innocent shrug. She picked up one of the papers and held it like a victory flag. “Doesn’t this feel more... free?”

“This is chaos!” Y/N exclaimed, crouching to gather the fallen papers. “And it’s my job to fix it.”

Minji crouched beside her, their shoulders brushing as she reached for a paper. “Maybe that’s your problem, angel. Always trying to fix things. Maybe you should just... let go.”

Y/N paused, her fingers hovering over a page. For a brief moment, the warmth of Minji’s proximity made her thoughts stutter. She glanced sideways and caught Minji watching her with a soft, teasing smile.

“Stop distracting me,” Y/N muttered, looking away quickly.

“Admit it,” Minji said, leaning closer. “You’re having fun.”

“I am not—” Y/N began, but her words faltered as she met Minji’s gaze. There was something disarming about the way Minji looked at her, like she wasn’t just teasing anymore.

“You’ve got that little smile,” Minji pointed out, her own grin widening. “Right there.”

Y/N’s cheeks flushed as she turned her attention back to the papers. “You’re impossible.”

“And yet,” Minji said softly, “you’re still here.”

--

Later, after the mess was cleaned up and Y/N had regained her composure, they moved on to the next lesson.

“Gratitude,” Y/N announced, trying to refocus the session. “It’s about recognizing and appreciating the good in your life.”

“I’m great at that,” Minji said, her grin returning.

Y/N gave her a skeptical look. “Really?”

“Of course.” Minji placed a hand over her heart. “For example, I’m incredibly grateful to have a guardian angel who’s so dedicated. And cute.”

Y/N’s wings twitched. “That’s not—”

“And I’m grateful for this lovely lesson, even if it’s a little... rigid.”

Y/N sighed, rubbing her temples. “Gratitude isn’t about flattery, Minji. It’s about genuine appreciation.”

Minji’s smile softened, and for a moment, the teasing faded. “You mean like appreciating how hard you’re trying, even when I’m being... well, me?”

Y/N blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in Minji’s voice. “I—well, yes. That’s... part of it.”

Minji leaned back in her chair, her gaze lingering on Y/N. “Then I think I’m starting to get it.”

Y/N didn’t know how to respond. The warmth in Minji’s tone left her feeling strangely unsteady, like she was standing on the edge of something she couldn’t quite see.

“Guess you’re not such a bad teacher after all,” Minji added, her grin returning. “But don’t let it go to your halo.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, though the faintest smile tugged at her lips. “You’re unbelievable.”

“And you’re stuck with me,” Minji said, her voice low and teasing.

Despite herself, Y/N felt her heart skip a beat. “Heaven help me.”

--

“Remember, this isn’t a vacation,” Y/N said, glancing over her shoulder at Minji.

Minji twirled in place, arms stretched wide, her dark coat billowing like wings. “It’s not? With scenery like this, it might as well be. You sure we’re not on a date, angel?”

Y/N sighed. “We’re here to help humans, not to fool around.”

Minji stopped spinning and grinned. “I don’t know, Y/N. Humans seem pretty good at fooling around. Maybe I’m just fitting in.”

“Minji,” Y/N warned, her tone heavy with exasperation. “Please focus.”

Minji clapped her hands in mock seriousness. “Yes, ma’am. Focused and ready to spread some good vibes.” She paused, then nudged Y/N. “You know, for someone with wings, you sure are grounded.”

Y/N pinched the bridge of her nose. She needed patience—heavenly patience—to handle this mission.

--

Their first target presented itself in the form of a woman struggling to carry an armful of groceries while chasing after a particularly sprightly toddler.

“That’s perfect,” Y/N said, pointing. “We’ll help her first. It’s straightforward.”

“Straightforward?” Minji echoed, trailing after Y/N. “Helping someone while they’re also managing a tiny human tornado? Sounds like advanced-level heroics to me.”

Y/N ignored her, stepping up to the woman with a polite smile. “Excuse me, ma’am. Would you like some help with those bags?”

The woman turned, her frazzled expression softening. “Oh, thank you. That would be amazing.”

Y/N took two bags with practiced ease. Minji, eager to participate, reached for another but underestimated its weight.

“Whoa—!” Minji yelped as the bag tipped, spilling its contents across the path. Apples rolled into the grass, a loaf of bread landed in a puddle, and a can of soup wobbled precariously near a storm drain.

“Minji!” Y/N hissed, rushing to gather the scattered items.

“Oops,” Minji said, crouching to help. She grabbed an apple and held it up triumphantly. “At least this one didn’t bruise!”

The woman laughed, clearly amused despite the chaos. “You two are so sweet. Thank you for trying.”

As Y/N handed over the recovered groceries, she shot Minji a pointed look. “Maybe let me handle the heavy lifting next time.”

Minji just shrugged, her grin unrepentant. “Hey, at least I made her laugh. That’s helping, right?”

--

Their next stop was an elderly man sitting on a bench, fumbling with his shoelaces.

“I’ll take this one,” Y/N said firmly.

Minji raised her hands in surrender. “Go for it, angel. I’ll stay right here and admire your handiwork.”

Y/N crouched in front of the man, offering him a gentle smile. “Let me help you with that.”

“Why, thank you, young lady,” the man said, his voice warm and kind.

As Y/N tied the laces with efficient care, she glanced up to see Minji digging through her coat pocket.

“Here,” Minji said, holding out a wrapped candy to the man. “A little treat for your walk.”

The man chuckled, taking the candy with a twinkle in his eye. “Well, isn’t that thoughtful? Thank you, miss.”

Y/N stood, brushing her hands off on her coat. She gave Minji a wary look as they walked away.

“Candy?” Y/N asked.

“Hey, it’s the thought that counts,” Minji said, popping another candy into her own mouth. “Besides, he seemed to like it.”

Y/N sighed, but her annoyance was tempered by the warmth spreading in her chest.

--

The final test came when they stumbled upon a group of children gathered around a tree, pointing up at a small, frightened cat perched on a high branch.

“Oh no,” Y/N murmured.

“This is my moment,” Minji declared, already marching toward the tree.

“Minji, wait—”

But Minji didn’t wait. She grabbed the lowest branch and hoisted herself up, her movements surprisingly agile for someone so prone to tripping over her own feet.

“Hey there, kitty,” Minji cooed as she climbed higher. “Don’t worry, I’m here to save you.”

The cat hissed, its ears flattening.

“Be careful!” Y/N called, her wings twitching instinctively under her coat.

Minji waved a hand dismissively. “Relax, I’ve got—”

The branch beneath her foot cracked ominously.

“Minji!” Y/N shouted, her heart leaping into her throat.

“I’m fine!” Minji called back, her voice slightly less confident. She reached for the cat, managing to scoop it into her arms. “See? Easy—”

The cat swiped at her face, yowling loudly. Minji yelped, losing her balance. She slid down the trunk in a flurry of leaves and landed in an ungraceful heap at the base of the tree.

The children gasped. Y/N rushed forward, kneeling beside Minji. “Are you okay?!”

“Ta-da!” Minji said weakly, holding up the now calm cat.

The children cheered, running forward to take the cat from her. “Thank you, lady!”

Y/N stared at Minji, torn between exasperation and something softer, something warmer. “You’re ridiculous,” she muttered, helping Minji to her feet.

“And you love it,” Minji said with a wink, brushing leaves out of her hair.

--

By the time the sun began to set, the park was quiet, and Y/N and Minji found themselves sitting on a bench overlooking a small pond.

“You’re impossible,” Y/N said, though there was no real heat in her voice.

“And yet, here you are,” Minji said, leaning back and stretching her arms over the back of the bench.

Y/N glanced at her, the golden light of the setting sun catching in Minji’s eyes. She looked so out of place, yet somehow perfectly at home.

“Today wasn’t a total disaster,” Y/N admitted.

Minji gasped, clutching her chest dramatically. “Was that... a compliment? From my angelic mentor?”

Y/N rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

“No promises,” Minji said, her grin softening into something genuine. “Thanks for letting me tag along today. I mean it.”

Y/N’s heart did a little flip at the sincerity in Minji’s voice. She looked away, focusing on the rippling water. “You’re welcome. Just... maybe next time, try not to climb any trees.”

Minji laughed, the sound light and carefree. “Deal.”

For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, the world around them bathed in warm hues of orange and pink. Y/N felt something shift—something she wasn’t ready to name yet.

But as Minji leaned closer, nudging her shoulder playfully, Y/N couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, this demon wasn’t so bad after all.

--

Minji’s lair, a surprisingly cozy space lit by warm, flickering candles. Plush cushions and quirky trinkets fill the room, making it feel more like an artist’s studio than a demon’s lair. Y/N sits on a velvety armchair, scribbling notes in her celestial journal. Minji lounges nearby, her legs dangling off the side of a sofa, a mischievous glint in her eye.

“Hey, angel,” Minji said lazily, propping her chin on her hand as she rolled onto her side. “What’s got you so focused over there? Writing a love letter to the Big Guy upstairs?”

Y/N didn’t bother looking up from her journal, her pen scratching purposefully against the page. “I’m writing down all the ways you’ve tested my patience today.”

Minji let out a melodramatic gasp, clutching at her chest. “That many, huh? And here I thought I was being charming.”

“You’re something, alright,” Y/N muttered, glancing up to narrow her eyes at the demon.

Minji grinned, her sharp canines peeking out. “C’mon, Y/N. You’re no fun when you’re all work and no play.” She paused, her eyes glinting with a sudden idea. “Speaking of play... you haven’t noticed anything missing, have you?”

Y/N’s brow furrowed. “Missing?”

“Mm-hmm.” Minji sat up, looking far too pleased with herself.

Y/N hesitated, her hand unconsciously reaching up to the space above her head. Her fingers touched empty air.

Her heart sank.

“Minji,” she said slowly, her tone dangerously low. “Where is my halo?”

Minji’s expression teetered between guilt and amusement. “Oh, that? It’s safe! I promise!”

“Safe?” Y/N’s voice pitched upward as she stood abruptly, her journal falling forgotten onto the chair. “Where is it, Minji?!”

The demon tried to wave her off, but Y/N was already scanning the room, her sharp gaze darting from corner to corner. “I swear, if you’ve done anything to—”

“I hid it,” Minji blurted out, holding up her hands. “But only as a joke!”

“A joke?!” Y/N’s wings flared slightly, their usual ethereal shimmer pulsing with irritation. “Do you even understand how sacred a halo is?”

“I... uh...” Minji rubbed the back of her neck, looking sheepish. “No?”

Y/N groaned, pacing the room. “It’s not just some shiny accessory, Minji! It’s—ugh!” She spun to face the demon, her eyes blazing. “Where. Is. It?”

Minji flinched under the intensity of Y/N’s glare but quickly scrambled to her feet. “Relax, angel. It’s right here!”

She darted over to a cabinet, pulling open a drawer and retrieving the halo. It shimmered faintly in her hands, casting a warm golden glow over her sheepish face.

“See?” Minji said, holding it out like a peace offering. “Perfectly fine. No scratches or anything.”

Y/N snatched the halo from her hands, cradling it protectively. The moment it touched her fingers, she felt its reassuring warmth seep into her skin, calming the storm in her chest.

“You’re impossible,” she muttered, her wings drooping slightly as the adrenaline left her.

“Hey, I said I was sorry,” Minji offered, her voice unusually soft.

Y/N glared at her, but there was less heat in her eyes now. “You don’t get it, do you? This halo isn’t just a symbol. It’s part of me. Tampering with it is like...” She paused, searching for the right analogy. “It’s like me messing with your... your horns or something.”

Minji tilted her head. “I don’t have horns.”

“That’s not the point!”

Minji’s shoulders slumped, her usual confidence dimmed. “I really didn’t mean to upset you, Y/N. I just thought it’d be funny. You know, lighten the mood.”

“Well, it wasn’t,” Y/N said sharply, though her tone softened when she saw the genuine remorse in Minji’s eyes.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The golden light of the halo cast their faces in warm hues, accentuating the raw emotions lingering between them.

Finally, Minji broke the silence. “You’re right,” she said quietly, her gaze fixed on the floor. “I don’t get it. I don’t get a lot of things about you... or this whole guardian angel thing.” She gestured vaguely between them. “But I’m trying. I swear I’m trying.”

Y/N blinked, caught off guard by the vulnerability in Minji’s voice. She watched as the demon ran a hand through her dark hair, her usual mischievous energy replaced by something quieter, more uncertain.

“I’ve spent centuries being good at one thing—causing trouble,” Minji continued, her voice tinged with bitterness. “It’s easy. It’s what I’m supposed to do. But this? Trying to be better? Trying to be someone worthy of a guardian angel?” She shook her head. “It’s terrifying. And I guess... I use jokes to cover that up.”

Y/N felt her heart soften, her earlier anger dissipating like mist in the sunlight. “Minji,” she said gently, stepping closer.

The demon glanced up, her dark eyes filled with an uncertainty Y/N had never seen before.

“You’re not a failure,” Y/N said firmly. “The fact that you care enough to even try says more about you than you realize.”

Minji let out a soft laugh, though it sounded more like a sigh. “You’re way too nice to me, angel.”

“Someone has to be,” Y/N replied, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

They stood there for a moment, the tension in the room shifting into something lighter, warmer.

“You know,” Minji said, her usual playfulness creeping back into her tone, “if you keep looking at me like that, I might start thinking you like me.”

Y/N rolled her eyes but couldn’t suppress the smile that followed. “Don’t push your luck.”

Minji grinned, her confidence returning in full force. “Noted. But I’m still counting this as a win.”

“Of course you are,” Y/N muttered, though her tone was more fond than annoyed.

As Minji flopped back onto the rug with an exaggerated sigh of relief, Y/N couldn’t help but feel a small spark of hope. For all her flaws, Minji was trying—and maybe, just maybe, they were both learning something from each other along the way.

--

Y/N: “Alright, Minji. We’re starting simple. Hand this bread to that old woman. It’s an act of kindness. Easy, right?”

Minji: grinning “Piece of cake!”

Minji confidently strides toward the woman but trips on her own shoelaces. The bread flies out of her hand, soars through the air, and lands directly on a pigeon, sending feathers flying.

Old Woman: shocked “Good heavens!”

Minji: holding up her hands “I-I can explain! It’s… artisanal pigeon bread?”

Y/N: facepalms “We’re off to a great start.”

Minji turns back with a sheepish smile, while the old woman cautiously retrieves the bread and pats the dazed pigeon.

--

The celestial garden was tranquil, a lush expanse of flowers in shades of soft pink, lavender, and white. The air felt like it was laced with magic, as though the very atmosphere itself was imbued with a sense of peace. There were flowers that bloomed with each step, a testament to the care the celestial beings had for this space. Birds with iridescent feathers flitted through the trees, singing melodies that resonated with the purest notes of heaven.

But despite the serene beauty of it all, Minji was nowhere near as calm as the surroundings. Her shoulders were tense, and she had been pacing for the past several minutes, her footsteps light on the soft grass but full of restlessness.

Y/N watched her from a distance, her hands clasped behind her back, her gaze soft but observing. Minji’s usual playful demeanor was absent, replaced with a kind of anxiety that Y/N wasn’t used to seeing.

“Minji,” Y/N called out, her voice carrying through the quiet garden. “Are you alright?”

Minji froze mid-step, glancing over her shoulder to meet Y/N’s eyes. The playful, mischievous spark that usually danced in her gaze was dimmer, replaced by something Y/N couldn’t quite place. She straightened up, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Yeah, of course,” Minji replied, though her voice sounded strained. “Just thinking.”

Y/N frowned, stepping closer. “You’ve been thinking for a while now. What’s going on?”

Minji turned away slightly, looking down at her shoes, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. There was a discomfort in her posture that made Y/N’s heart twinge.

“I… I’ve been thinking about this whole ‘trying to be good’ thing,” Minji admitted, her voice quiet. “I know I’m supposed to be working toward becoming a better demon so I can go to Heaven, but it feels like… like I’m just not good enough. You know?”

Y/N’s heart ached at the sincerity in Minji’s voice. For all the jokes and playful teasing, Minji was still a demon, and demons were supposed to be bad. But Minji wasn’t like that. She was far from it.

“Minji,” Y/N said softly, walking up to her and gently placing a hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to be perfect. You’re already more than enough just as you are.”

Minji blinked at her, the vulnerability in her eyes surprising Y/N. The words seemed to hit her harder than expected, and for a moment, she seemed unsure of how to respond.

“I know I’m not perfect,” Minji said quietly, her voice breaking just slightly. “But sometimes… I just wish I could be more than what I am. More than just a demon.”

Y/N’s chest tightened at the admission. She had known Minji was struggling, but hearing her admit it out loud made it all feel so much more real. The weight of the situation was sinking in, and Y/N wasn’t sure how to ease it.

“You’re already more than a demon, Minji,” Y/N said, her tone gentle but firm. “You’re kind, you’re sweet, and you have so much to offer. You just… you just don’t see it.”

Minji let out a breath, glancing away as she bit her lip. “It’s hard to believe that when all I’ve ever been told is that demons are supposed to be bad. It’s hard to believe that when I can’t even seem to get anything right.”

Y/N frowned, her hand still on Minji’s shoulder. She gently squeezed it, trying to offer comfort. “That’s because you’ve been listening to the wrong people.”

Minji looked up at Y/N, confusion written on her face. “The wrong people?”

Y/N nodded, smiling softly. “You’ve been listening to the voices that tell you you’re not good enough. But the truth is, you’ve always been good enough. You just have to believe it yourself.”

Minji stared at her, blinking slowly as the words sunk in. Her lips parted as if to speak, but no words came out. For a long moment, they just stood there, the weight of their conversation settling over them like a warm, invisible blanket.

Y/N didn’t know what else to say, but she didn’t need to. The silence between them was comforting, as if they both understood without having to explain it all.

Finally, Minji broke the silence, her voice small but sincere. “I’m really trying, Y/N. I want to be better. I want to be… I don’t know… worthy of something.”

Y/N’s heart skipped a beat. She could feel the sincerity in Minji’s words, the vulnerability that Minji rarely showed. It wasn’t easy for her to admit these things, and Y/N felt honored that she had.

“You are worthy, Minji,” Y/N said, her voice soft but steady. “You don’t have to prove anything to anyone. You just need to be you.”

Minji’s eyes softened as she looked at Y/N, her lips curving into a small, genuine smile. “You really think so?”

“I know so,” Y/N replied without hesitation.

Minji’s expression shifted, something warm and tender flickering in her eyes. “You’re the first person who’s ever told me that. Maybe I can believe you, just this once.”

Y/N felt a lump form in her throat at the sincerity in Minji’s voice. She hadn’t realized how much Minji needed someone to see her for who she truly was, not just as a demon or a failure, but as a person.

For a long moment, they simply stared at each other, the air thick with something unspoken. The warmth in Minji’s gaze made Y/N’s chest tighten, and for a fleeting second, she wondered if maybe, just maybe, she was starting to feel something more for this clumsy, sweet demon who had wormed her way so deep into her heart.

Minji’s lips parted as if she were about to say something, but then she hesitated, glancing away nervously. “I, uh… I just… I’m really glad I met you, Y/N.”

Y/N’s breath caught in her throat, her heart thudding in her chest. “I’m glad I met you too.”

There was a moment of silence, and then Minji’s lips quirked into a playful grin. “So, does this mean you’ll finally admit I’m the best demon you’ve ever had?”

Y/N couldn’t help but chuckle at her persistence, the tension between them momentarily lifting. “You’re getting there, Minji. But I’ll need a bit more convincing.”

Minji’s grin grew wider, and Y/N could see that playful spark returning to her eyes. “I can work with that.”

Y/N laughed softly, but the warmth in her heart remained, a quiet reminder that she was beginning to care for this sweet, imperfect demon in ways she hadn’t expected.

And for the first time, she felt a little less like an angel tasked with saving someone and a little more like someone who might just be falling for a demon who was trying to find her way.

--

Y/N: “Alright, Minji, this is simple. We’re just going to help that little kid with his lemonade stand.”

Minji: grinning “Got it. I’m a professional.”

Minji, in her excitement, lunges forward—only to knock over the entire lemonade stand, sending cups and lemons flying everywhere. The kid stares at her, wide-eyed, as Minji awkwardly picks up a cup, trying to salvage the situation.

Minji: blushing “Um, it’s... uh... It's the thought that counts, right?”

Y/N: facepalming “I can’t even. Just, let’s go before we cause a lemonade disaster of biblical proportions.”

--

The human realm’s sky was a canvas of brilliant oranges and pinks, the sun dipping lower with every passing second, casting a warm glow across the meadow. Y/N found herself still standing beside Minji, her gaze lingering on the horizon, lost in the beauty of the scene. It wasn’t often she had the luxury of these quiet moments, especially not with a demon.

Minji, however, seemed more fascinated by the reflections in the sky than the tranquil scene itself. She stood with her arms crossed, her usual playful grin on her face, as though the sunset was just another background for the ongoing banter.

“So,” Minji finally spoke, breaking the silence with a lilt in her voice. “You like sunsets, huh?”

Y/N looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “That’s what you got out of all of this? Not the philosophical contemplation of life or the beauty of nature?”

Minji shrugged, her smile widening. “I’m a simple demon. I see a pretty view, and I think—‘Hey, nice view.’”

Y/N chuckled softly, shaking her head. “That’s one way to put it.” She turned her attention back to the sunset. “I guess I do like sunsets. They remind me that even after the toughest days, the world still turns, and there’s always something beautiful to look forward to.”

Minji turned to her, eyes glinting with mischief. “A little poetic, huh? I didn’t know I was assigned to an angel with such a soft side.”

Y/N felt her cheeks warm slightly, and she shot Minji a glance. “What about you, Minji? What do you think about sunsets?”

Minji leaned back slightly, contemplating the question with a furrowed brow. “Honestly? I think it’s the best time to sneak into a party.”

Y/N blinked, confused. “A party?”

Minji gave a teasing smile. “Duh. The sun’s setting, it’s cooler, and you can sneak in unnoticed. That’s like, demon 101.”

Y/N couldn’t help but laugh at her absurd logic. “I don’t think that’s what sunsets are about, but okay.”

Minji smiled slyly. “Well, I’m all about the chaos, you know? I think life’s more fun when it’s unpredictable. You should try it.”

Y/N shook her head, her eyes narrowing in playful suspicion. “I don’t know if I want to try your version of chaos.”

“Oh, come on. Just a little fun never hurt anyone.” Minji’s voice softened as she looked out at the sky again. “Maybe you could loosen up a bit. Life doesn’t always have to be so serious.”

Y/N crossed her arms. “I’m not that serious.”

Minji raised an eyebrow, the corner of her lips curling upward. “No? I don’t know, you’ve got this whole angel thing going on. It’s kinda hard to imagine you cutting loose.”

Y/N opened her mouth to argue, but before she could, Minji continued with an unexpected sincerity. “But I guess I do get why you like sunsets.”

Y/N paused, looking at Minji. “You do?”

Minji nodded, her eyes flickering over to meet Y/N’s. “Yeah. I think they remind me of... new beginnings, or something. The day ends, and even though it’s kind of sad, you know there’s always tomorrow. It’s like, a reset button.”

Y/N was surprised by how deeply Minji spoke, her usual playful demeanor giving way to something more thoughtful. “That’s... a nice way to think about it.”

Minji shrugged, a small smile playing at her lips. “I’m full of surprises.”

Before Y/N could respond, Minji’s voice lightened again, shifting the mood. “But I’ve gotta admit—if I was assigned an angel like you, I’d be pretty intimidated.”

Y/N tilted her head, curious. “Why?”

Minji grinned. “Well, you’re all virtuous and perfect, and I’m, you know, a mess.” She gestured vaguely to herself, as though the idea of her being a demon was self-evident.

Y/N laughed, unable to suppress it. “You’re not a mess, Minji.”

Minji smiled at her warmly. “You know, you’re probably one of the nicest angels I’ve met. But I think... I think I want to do more than just be nice. I want to be something more, Y/N.”

Y/N blinked, sensing the deeper undercurrent of what Minji was saying. “What do you mean by that?”

Minji hesitated, her voice quieter now. “I guess I want to show you that I can be good. That I’m more than just a demon, that I’m worthy of—” She cut herself off, not finishing the thought.

Y/N felt a tug in her chest at the vulnerability in Minji’s words. She stepped closer, her voice soft but steady. “You don’t have to prove anything to me, Minji. I’m here to help you, no matter what.”

Minji’s eyes met hers, and for a moment, it felt like the world around them stilled. “I know, but... I want to be better for you. And for myself.”

Y/N’s heart raced at the sincerity in Minji’s eyes. She didn’t expect this conversation to take this turn, but there it was—Minji, the demon who had been nothing but playful and mischievous, showing a side of herself that was raw and real.

They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of the words hanging in the air.

Finally, Minji broke the silence with a mischievous smile. “Well, enough of all that deep stuff. I’ve got something to show you.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “What now?”

Minji pointed toward a nearby bench where an elderly woman had just dropped her purse. “Watch this.”

With a dramatic flourish, Minji strutted toward the bench with purpose, ready to help. But as she reached for the purse, her foot caught on the edge of the bench, and she toppled forward, knocking the purse even further away.

Y/N couldn’t help but watch, wide-eyed, as Minji scrambled to pick up the purse, all the while giving Y/N a sheepish smile.

“I swear, I’m getting better at this,” Minji said, grinning from ear to ear.

Y/N crossed her arms, smirking. “If this is your idea of helping, I think we need a new plan.”

Minji stuck out her tongue, playfully unbothered by the failed attempt. “Hey, at least I tried.”

Y/N rolled her eyes, but deep down, she couldn’t deny how endearing Minji’s clumsiness was. There was something about her sincerity, even in the face of failure, that made Y/N’s heart soften.

“Maybe next time, I’ll let you handle the helping part,” Y/N teased, her voice laced with affection.

Minji looked at her with a mischievous grin. “Oh, I’m pretty sure we both know who’s actually in charge here.”

Y/N raised an eyebrow. “You think so?”

Minji winked, stepping closer. “Yeah. But hey, let’s see who can be better at helping next time.”

Y/N shook her head, unable to hide her smile. “You’re impossible.”

Minji’s gaze softened, and she took a small step closer. “But you like it.”

And for the first time, Y/N couldn’t find it in herself to deny it.

--

Y/N: looking exasperated “Okay, Minji. The goal here is simple: just get the coffee order right. We’re helping someone, remember?”

Minji: enthusiastically “Got it. I’m a professional!”

Minji confidently strides over to the counter, only to slip on a spilled coffee bean, sending an entire tray of drinks flying. She spins around, eyes wide in disbelief.

Minji: “Well... uh, I still got the coffee to them, right?”

Y/N: facepalming “Minji, what is happening?!”

Minji: grinning sheepishly “Hey, I’m learning, okay?”

Y/N: laughing despite herself “I think we need a new approach. Fast.”

--

The celestial courtroom shimmered with ethereal light, the walls made of translucent crystal that refracted rainbows across the grand space. Y/N stood beside Minji, her usually composed demeanor fraying at the edges. She clasped her hands tightly, resisting the urge to reach out and give Minji’s arm a reassuring squeeze. After all, this was Minji’s moment to prove herself—not hers.

Minji, on the other hand, looked... well, like Minji. She shifted on her feet, her trademark grin masking the nervous energy practically radiating off her. Her fingers toyed with the hem of her jacket as if she were trying to channel her jitters into motion.

“Kim Minji,” Seraphiel called out, his voice resonating like a choir of bells. The head angel’s towering presence dominated the room, his six majestic wings folded neatly behind him. “You stand before us today to demonstrate what you have learned. Your task is not to impress us but to act with true kindness and compassion. Do you understand the gravity of this moment?”

Minji swallowed audibly, nodding. “Yes, I understand.”

“Good,” Seraphiel said, gesturing with one glowing hand. “Your trial begins now.”

The crystalline floor rippled like water, and the courtroom dissolved into a new scene: a quiet park in the human realm. Birds chirped in the trees, and the scent of blooming flowers hung in the air. On a bench sat an older woman, her posture heavy with sorrow. She clutched a small bouquet of daisies in her hands, her knuckles white against the stems.

Minji glanced at Y/N, her playful bravado slipping as genuine uncertainty crept into her expression. “What do I do?” she whispered.

Y/N tilted her head toward the woman, her tone soft but firm. “You listen. You help her, Minji. And this time, don’t think about how you look or what you’re supposed to say. Just... be there for her.”

Minji nodded, taking a deep breath before approaching the woman. She hesitated for a moment, then lowered herself onto the bench, leaving a respectful amount of space between them.

“Hi,” Minji said, her voice unusually gentle. “Are you okay?”

The woman looked up, startled by the interruption. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her face lined with grief. “Oh,” she murmured, blinking at Minji. “I’m fine, dear. Just... remembering someone.”

Minji’s brow furrowed. She glanced down at the daisies, then back at the woman. “Someone important?”

The woman nodded, her lips trembling. “My son. He... he passed away a few years ago. Today’s his birthday, and I always bring him flowers.”

Minji felt a lump rise in her throat. She looked down at her hands, unsure of what to say. She had faced countless situations in her demonic existence—trickery, chaos, even outright danger—but nothing had prepared her for this.

“I’m sorry,” she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

The woman’s gaze softened, though her sadness remained. “It’s kind of you to say that, but it’s okay. It’s been a while. I just... miss him, you know?”

Minji nodded slowly, her usual wit and humor nowhere to be found. “Yeah. I get it.” She hesitated, then added, “I don’t know what it’s like to lose someone, but I know what it’s like to feel like you’re not enough. Like you’re just... stuck with all these feelings, and you don’t know what to do with them.”

The woman’s eyes widened slightly, her expression shifting from sorrow to understanding. “That’s... that’s exactly it,” she said softly.

Minji bit her lip, her usual confidence completely replaced by vulnerability. She reached out, her hand hovering awkwardly before resting lightly on the woman’s arm. “I know I can’t make it better,” she said, her voice trembling. “But maybe you don’t have to carry it all by yourself. Even if it’s just for a little while, maybe someone else can help.”

The woman’s eyes filled with tears, but this time, they weren’t just tears of grief. She nodded, a faint smile breaking through her sadness. “Thank you, dear. That means more than you know.”

From her vantage point, Y/N felt a surge of pride so intense it made her chest ache. Minji wasn’t just fumbling her way through this trial—she was truly connecting with someone, showing a depth of compassion that even Y/N hadn’t fully expected.

As the scene began to dissolve, returning them to the celestial courtroom, Minji turned to the woman one last time. “Happy birthday to your son,” she said softly.

The woman’s smile widened, and then she was gone, the trial complete.

--

Back in the courtroom, Seraphiel rose from his seat, his expression unreadable. “Minji,” he said, his voice resonating through the space. “You have shown not only kindness but also vulnerability—a willingness to meet someone where they are, even when it is uncomfortable. You have passed this trial.”

Minji blinked, her mouth falling open slightly. “Wait... I did? I passed?”

Y/N laughed softly, stepping forward to stand beside her. “Yes, you passed, you ridiculous demon.”

A grin broke across Minji’s face, the tension in her shoulders melting away. “I knew I could do it,” she said, though the lingering disbelief in her tone betrayed her.

Seraphiel nodded once, his stern expression softening just enough to be noticeable. “You have a long way to go, but this is a promising start. Continue on this path, and you may surprise even yourself.”

As the courtroom dissolved, leaving Minji and Y/N alone in a quiet celestial hallway, Minji turned to her angelic companion, her grin now tinged with something softer.

“You were watching me the whole time,” she said, her tone teasing but her eyes warm.

“Of course I was,” Y/N replied, rolling her eyes. “I’m your guardian angel. It’s literally my job.”

Minji stepped closer, her voice dropping to a playful whisper. “Maybe. Or maybe you just couldn’t look away because you think I’m amazing.”

Y/N’s cheeks flushed, but she refused to give Minji the satisfaction of a flustered reaction. “Don’t push your luck,” she muttered, though her small smile betrayed her.

Minji chuckled, the sound light and carefree. “You like me, admit it.”

Y/N sighed, her smile widening despite herself. “Maybe a little,” she admitted.

Minji’s grin grew, and for a moment, the space between them felt charged with something unspoken. But then Minji pulled back, her expression shifting to something more genuine.

“Thanks, Y/N,” she said softly. “For believing in me.”

Y/N’s heart swelled. “Always, Minji.”

--

Y/N: handing Minji a bag of dog treats “Okay, this one is easy. Just feed the puppies and make them happy. No tricks, no chaos.”

Minji: grinning “Puppies? Piece of cake!”

Minji kneels down and starts handing out treats, but one overly enthusiastic dog jumps on her, sending the bag flying into a nearby fountain. Chaos ensues as dozens of dogs dive into the water, barking and splashing everywhere.

Y/N: facepalming “Minji! How do you even manage this?”

Minji: shrugging sheepishly, now drenched and surrounded by soggy dogs “At least they’re having fun?”

--

The celestial bridge sparkled with an ethereal glow, its silvery surface shimmering as Minji took her first steps onto it. Above her head hovered the faint outline of a glowing halo—a symbol of her achievement and transformation. Around her, angels and celestial beings clapped politely, their approving murmurs echoing through the boundless expanse of stars.

Y/N stood off to the side, her wings glowing faintly with pride and relief. She had watched Minji grow from a bumbling, mischievous demon into someone who had not only embraced kindness but had become an embodiment of it. The sight of Minji, radiant with her new halo, made Y/N’s chest swell with a warmth she couldn’t deny any longer.

As the ceremony concluded, Minji walked over to Y/N, her familiar playful grin firmly in place despite the solemnity of the event. “So,” Minji said, tilting her head up to indicate the halo, “how do I look? Angelic enough for you?”

Y/N snorted softly, shaking her head. “You’re still you, Minji. Halo or not.”

Minji’s grin widened. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Come on,” Y/N said, motioning toward a shimmering portal that led to the Garden of Eden. “There’s something I want to show you.”

Minji followed without hesitation, her wings fluttering slightly with each step. As they passed through the portal, the lush expanse of the Garden came into view. Vibrant flowers bloomed in every imaginable color, their petals shimmering like jewels. A soft, golden light bathed the landscape, and the gentle hum of celestial energy filled the air.

Minji’s eyes widened in wonder. “Wow. It’s beautiful.”

Y/N led her to a quiet corner of the Garden, where a small stream trickled through a bed of glowing moss. They sat down together on a stone bench, the silence between them comfortable but charged with unspoken emotions.

“Minji,” Y/N began, her voice unusually soft. She stared down at her hands, unsure how to begin.

Minji tilted her head, her playful smile fading as she noticed Y/N’s serious expression. “Hey,” she said gently. “What’s on your mind?”

Y/N hesitated, then looked up to meet Minji’s gaze. “You’ve come so far. Watching you grow, seeing the way you’ve embraced kindness—it’s been incredible. But that’s not all.” She took a deep breath, her wings shifting slightly as if to steady herself. “Somewhere along the way, I realized that I... care about you. A lot more than I’m supposed to.”

Minji’s eyes widened slightly, her mouth parting in surprise. “Y/N...”

“I know it’s not exactly in the rulebook,” Y/N continued, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “But I can’t pretend anymore. You mean so much to me, Minji. More than I ever thought possible.”

For a moment, Minji was silent, her expression unreadable. Then, slowly, a smile spread across her face—a smile so warm and genuine that it made Y/N’s heart ache.

“Y/N,” Minji said softly, her voice almost reverent. “I’ve wanted to hear those words since the day we met.”

Y/N blinked, her blush deepening. “Wait, really?”

Minji laughed, the sound bright and melodic. “Of course. Do you know how hard it was not to flirt with you every second of the day? Well, harder than I already did, anyway.”

Y/N let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head. “You’re unbelievable.”

Minji’s smile softened, and she reached out to take Y/N’s hands in her own. “I’ve felt the same way for a long time. You’ve seen the best and worst of me, and you’ve never given up on me. How could I not fall for you?”

Y/N’s heart raced as Minji leaned in closer, her wings unfurling slightly behind her. Their faces were just inches apart, the golden light of the Garden casting a soft glow over their features.

“May I?” Minji asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Y/N nodded, her breath hitching.

Minji closed the distance between them, her lips brushing against Y/N’s in a kiss that was tender and electrifying all at once. Y/N melted into the moment, her wings unfurling fully as a sense of completeness washed over her.

When they finally pulled apart, Minji rested her forehead against Y/N’s, her smile radiant. “So... does this mean I’m officially your favorite assignment?”

Y/N laughed, her eyes sparkling with affection. “Don’t push it.”

--

Minji: holding Y/N’s hands dramatically “Y/N, will you do me the honor of being my one and only angel?”

Y/N: deadpan “Minji, we’ve literally been dating for two minutes.”

Minji: grinning “And they’ve been the best two minutes of my life.”

Y/N: groaning “You’re insufferable.”

Minji: winking “But you love me.”

Y/N: sighing but smiling “Yeah, I do.”

[rafeshit]

babydaddy!rafe x mom!reader

warnings — MDNI kissing, sexual acts, and tensionn :)

summary — you had a bad date and rafe picks you up on his motorcycle and things get tense

—

you sit across from your date, trying to force a smile as he drones on about his job as an accountant. The conversation has been stilted from the start, and you glance at your watch for what feels like the hundredth time. You're desperate to get out of here, but your brother topper is busy at work and you can't call him to rescue you like you normally would and your mother was babysitting baby wren, the child you had 3 months ago.

you have been going out on dates every weekend in hopes of finding a fitting father for wren, but anytime you would bring up your baby girl each guy would make a fatal mistake — they would not even consider or shied away from asking questions about the most important person in your life. Which is this dates mistake, he would only talk about himself and what he’s interested in. you needed to leave.

you quickly dial the number of your brother's best friend and your baby daddy, rafe as your last resort. You've only talked to him a few times since the birth of your baby, and that was much better than the no-contact you had with him during your whole pregnancy. the baby was purely a mistake and after some disagreements you had broken up because of his drug usage.

you were so stubborn with him that he hasn’t met his child since the birth. You knew you were wrong for that but you couldn’t trust him, especially with his drug problem but you would update him about her progress and he would beg to see her — to which you were never ready to do. But nonetheless rafe would prove he was clean by monthly drug tests, and if you were honest with yourself you knew it wasn’t just the drugs that was keeping him from wren. It was because you knew that if you saw your baby in his arms you would want him back.

rafe answers on the first ring, and you pray he can sense the urgency in your voice. "rafe, I need a favor. I'm on a really bad date and I need you to come get me." You try to keep your voice low, because you lied to your date saying you had an urgent call that needed to be answered.

"Yeah, I'm on my way. Where are you?" He quickly says. You tell him the name of the restaurant, trying to keep your eyes from meeting your date's annoyed gaze. You hang up the phone and you can tell your date is getting suspicious, and you don't want to make things worse. You try to make small talk, but it's clear he's not buying it. He's getting angry, and you're getting scared.

You wait, feeling more and more trapped as the minutes tick by. Your date seems to sense your restlessness and starts to get agitated, his voice rising as he complains about how rude you're being. You try to stay calm, but your trapped, and you need Rafe to get here fast. You glance around the restaurant, hoping to see him walk through the door, but he's nowhere to be seen.

Finally, you see Rafe pulling up on his motorcycle through the glass of the restaurant. You breathe a sigh of relief as he walks towards you, his eyes scanning the area searching for you. He's dressed in his usual striped t-shirt and jeans, and he looks like a guardian angel sent to rescue you from this nightmare. He spots you and quickly walks over to you, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" he asks.

You nod quickly, desperate to get out of there. "I'm fine, just want to go." Rafe nods, his eyes never leaving yours as he reaches out to take your arm.

That's when your date decides to intervene. He grabs your shoulder, spinning you around to face him. "Where do you think you're going?" he sneers. You feel a safe as Rafe's nearby, knowing he would protect you.

He shoves the guy off you, his arm coming between you and your date. "Touch her again and I’ll fuck up your face," he spat, getting the guy to back off. You let out a light gasp as Rafe turns to you, he offers a reassuring smile.

"Come on, let's go," he says, his voice softening as he looks at you. You nod as Rafe takes your hand and leads you out of the restaurant. You can hear your date yelling behind you, but you don't look back. You're safe now, thanks to Rafe.

You follow him to the motorcycle and Rafe hands you a helmet, you put it on and climb onto the back of the bike. Rafe gets on in front of you, and you wrap your arms around his waist, feeling the rumble of the engine beneath you.

before you guys speed off rafe utters, “how’s wren while your out here trying to catch some dick she could’ve been with me, learning who her father is.” you sigh, “she’s with her grandma and I was looking for a father not some fix.”

“why look when you have a perfectly good one here.” He says, revving the engine of his motorcycle. As you speed away from the restaurant, you look back and see your date standing alone in the parking lot, his angry face receding into the distance. the wind whipping through your hair and you cling to Rafes chest.

Your hands roam around his torso, feeling the solid muscles beneath his shirt. You're acutely aware of the tension building between you. Rafe's hand brushes against your leg, ever so softly as he used to do when you guys dated. You glance at him, but his eyes are fixed on the road ahead. You can't help but squeeze him tighter, your grip on his chest growing firmer.

The bike turns into a driveway, and you look around, confused. This isn't your place. Rafe kills the engine, and he gets off the bike and approaches you. He takes off his helmet, then reaches out and removes yours, tossing it across the lawn with a carefree grin. he turns to face you. “this isn’t my place, what are you doing?” You asked.

"You can't touch me like that and expect me not to drive to my place," he says, you try to play it cool, but your words come out stuttering. "W-what?" Rafe takes a step closer, "Do you want me?" he asks. You try to say the right thing, but your mind goes blank.

"We shouldn't..." you trail off, knowing it's a weak excuse. Rafe inches closer, "That's not what I asked. Do you want me?" He says again. You try to deny it, to push him away, but your body betrays you. You nod, barely perceptible, and the word escapes your lips in a whisper. "Yes."

he take no time to lean in, his lips claiming yours in a sensual kiss. Your lips do not break apart as you he walks backwards towards the door of his house, fiddling with the doorknob until he manage to open it. He continues backing up, all the way to the couch in the living room. Your kisses are quick and intense as he tosses off his shirt.

He throws you on his lap and starts biting your lip in between kisses in the more pleasant way possible. His hands, roam from your neck to your back and then to your butt, which he squeezes with intensity.

You begin to grind against him, his hard on rubbing against your clit was only making it better. He tosses you onto the plush cushions beside you and slips off the couch angling his face in between your legs, he slides your lace underwear to the side and begins piping his fingers into you, in which you let out soft moans, taking in the feeling.

He uses his free hand to unzip his pants and begin stroking his dick at the same pace he's pumping his fingers into you. He beings to work his fingers faster and his tongue went to your clit, swirling at a prominent pace, matching the speed with how he is stroking his dick.

Your hands clutch his hair, gripping it with vice. His fingers begin to hit your cervix and your one pump away from comeing. Finally you feel the band in your stomach snap and body begins to shake. He gets up, pushing the tip of his dick into your cunt to come, his hands jerking the rest of his dick off as he pumps his warm come into you, painting your walls white.

Finally he comes to a stop and plops down on the couch next to you, zipping up his pants. "God, that felt so good, I’ve missed you so much." He breathes. You're still catching you breath when suddenly the door knob starts to fiddle and rafe quickly throws on his T-shirt and you slip your underwear to its appropriate place. The door opens and in walks your brother, topper. "Oh! Hey sis what are you doing here?" He asks, holding bags of Chinese food.

You stutter, "had a bad date and rafe picked me up." You innocently smile.

"Yeah we were just sitting here, chattin’" Rafe smiles. “I think we’ve came to an agreement that wren will be in my life a lot more.” he says looking to you for approval, you nod, thinking that wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

“im glad you two worked things out.” Topper places the Chinese food on the table and claps his hands together, "well who wants to eat!?" You look to rafe and he nods, and three of you enjoy egg rolls and rice.

this made me hungry ngl 🥲