#i miss him a lot and i hope he and the rest of the boys are doing well
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till you can breathe on your own
rise of the tmnt word count:Â 20k i wrote this fic for the turtle trenches serverâs november gift exchange ! my giftee was @acewithapaintbrush and aceâs prompts were âfound family, leosagi, wholesome disaster twins, and splinter being a good dad to the boys.â instead of being normal and picking one i decided to create an au that included all of those things at once and this is what i came up with. ace i really hope you enjoy it <3 happy turtle day ! title borrowed from keeping your head up by birdy
read on ao3
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When Leonardo was eight years old, he and his best friend survived a house fire.
The blaze was put out thanks to a passing yokai with a magic spell for rain newly purchased that she was happy to use to help, but two of the children attending lessons there came up unaccounted for. Panicked neighbors searched for upwards of an hour only to find the boys fast asleep in a cart of clean linens parked out front of the bath house.Â
There was a faint trace of mystic energy lingering around them but no one came forward as the one it belonged to, and they wouldnât be able to explain what had happened. One minute they were trapped and frightened, and the next everything was blue and they were safe.Â
Ultimately the rescue was credited to a powerful good samaritan who wished to remain anonymous, and the townsfolk collectively decided to be grateful for the miracle without unraveling it any further.
Leonardoâs friend moved away while his house was repaired, and Leonardo was returned to where he belonged at the local orphanage. He smiled when the matron fussed over him, even though he didnât feel like smiling, and continued to pretend like he didnât hear the other kids calling him bad luck. Â
âYouâd think someone would want him,â one of the older kids whispered during lunch. âLast time we had a turtle here they got snatched up in like a week.â
âMiss Toto says that way of thinking is archaic,â a tiny otter yokai piped up with remarkable authority, given that he clearly didnât know the meaning of the word he was repeating. âKameko has as much of a chance as the rest of us do.â
âClearly,â the older kid muttered.Â
Leonardo, who wasnât Leonardo yetâwho was called Kameko by the orphanage matron because she wasnât especially creative, and Lucky by the other kids so they could be mean in a sneaky, underhanded way, and Stripes by his best friend, who mattered more than any of themâspent a lot of time dreaming of having a chance.Â
He had no way of knowing that at the same time, miles away and a city above, an early-middle-aged man run ragged day in and out by three energetic children and sloughing through a persistent sadness was dreaming, too.Â
The man was dreaming of his own childhood; a garden with a pond and lines of laundry drying in the late summer sun, a delicious smell sneaking out the kitchen window where jiji was grilling fish for dinner, his mother lifting her head to grace him with a smile he once took for granted.Â
In the dream, she had to reach up to hold his face, because he was the same age now as she was when she died and several inches taller than her in adulthood. She didnât mind his fur or snout or big rounded ears, and if anything the involuntary twitch of his whiskers only made her smile deepen.Â
âMy sweet boy,â she murmured, âIâm so proud of you.â
âHow?â he choked out. He clung to her arms. He had a thousand things he wanted to tell her. All that came tripping out was, âHow can you be?â
âBecause I know how big your heart is,â she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. âYou love so richly and earnestly. Even after that was taken advantage of and betrayed, you found more room in your heart for your little ones. Your little turtles.â
The thought of his sons pierced through the gloom of self-hatred like an arrow of light, as simple as flipping a switch in a dark room. He wouldnât trade a moment with them for anythingânot even for another moment with his mother. The overwhelming grief and love coexisted as naturally as two little otters holding hands at sea.
âBut donât you know?â she asked. âCanât you feel it? Did it get lost in that big heart of yours? One of your children is waiting for you.â
He jerked as if electrocuted, going stiff and still beneath his motherâs hands, because she couldnât mean to say what it sounded like she was saying.Â
That tiny fourth turtle with the blue-patterned shell and bright gold eyesâthe first one to smile and reach up to be held, the one that had fallen during their frantic escape and was left behind in the crush of the destroyed labâthe one the little shrine in his room belonged to, even though he didnât have a proper photo, or a decent idea of what Blue would have looked like grown into personhoodâthe one that a corner of his heart belonged to, even now, even stillâ
âHeâs alive, my darling,â his mother told him. In the dream, she sounded so certain. The clan symbol on her obi seemed to glow, a warm, shining thing that cast all darkness and doubt aside. âGo and bring my grandbaby home, okay?â
Hamato Yoshi woke up with a gasp, half-blinded by tears.Â
ââ
The boys took the news as well as they possibly could have. It would have felt wrong not to tell themâcruel to keep them in the dark, even if it would shelter them from a hope that might only lead into a dead-end.Â
They already knew of their fourth sibling, having long-since discovered the little shrine in Splinterâs room during a pre-Christmas snooping several years ago, but there hadnât been much that Splinter could offer them when they peppered him for information and eventually those eager questions tapered off. They had only had a few months together in Draxumâs lab before Splinter could stage their escape and bring the facility down behind themâbefore tragedy had carved a hole into their brand-new familyâand that wasnât long enough to have more than a handful of stories to share. To do the babyâs memory anything resembling justice.Â
But since waking up from that dream, Splinter had reached out with his ninpo in the way he hadnât done since he was very young, like stretching out an atrophied limb, and he felt it. A fourth presence in his heart. It was a very faint echo somewhere far away, like an imprint of smoke left in the sky after a firework. Distant now and fading, but once-bright. Once-blue.Â
And he knew. He knew Leonardo was alive.
âRed, you are in charge,â Splinter said, jittery with anticipation. He spared a moment to cup the snapperâs cheek in his palm, brushing his thumb over the rosy-colored diamond pattern there, and added, âAunt Juneâs phone number is on the fridge if anything happensâbut nothing had better happen! April can visit but you are not allowed to leave our home until I return.â
Red nodded several times, twisting his fingers together. He had inherited Splinterâs anxious heart, but he took being the oldest very seriously, and failure more seriously than that, for all that he was only nine.Â
âAre you going to get Leo?â Orange piped up, bouncing in place. He had, in fact, not stopped bouncing since he had gleaned the gist of the conversation that began nearly a full hour ago. âAre you going to bring him home?â
âI am going to try,â Splinter said, kneeling so that he could poke his youngest baby playfully in those ticklish spots on his sides that always elicited a sunny giggle.Â
Orange trilled in glee, and then he pulled his limbs and head into his tiny shell the way he often did when he was overexcited or overwhelmed and continued making turtle noises to himself from inside there.Â
Splinter caught the talkative box shell before it could clatter to the floor and offered it to Red, who held it to his front the way he hugged his stuffies.Â
âOkay my sweet boys,â Splinter said, âstay here and be good and I will see you in a short while.â
Purple trailed him to the front door, or what served as such in their repurposed underground home. After tugging on his coat and boots, Splinter turned to him and crouched down so they were at something approaching eye-level, even if eye contact did not seem to be on the table this morning.Â
âYou said we hatched at the same time,â Purple surprised the hell out of him by saying. His recalcitrant softshell son very rarely spoke aloud unless asked a direct question, and here he was volunteering whole sentences without preamble. âYou said he came out of his egg right after me. He had stripes, and eyes like mine. You called us twins.â
Leonardo was not a forbidden topic in their home, but he was a bit of a sore one. It ached to press on the bruise that was their missing part. Purple in particular had a difficult time making himself understood and being understood in turn. He was also incredibly stubborn, and hard to match wits with.Â
A twin must have sounded like a dream. Splinter wondered when Donatello had first shaped this little wish out of clay, and how often he spent taking it out and admiring it, wearing the rough edges into smoothness, giving it substance and character until all that was missing was the life. The color.Â
âHe was not the same species of turtle as you,â Splinter said. âBut you did hatch together, and you did have the same eyes. Blue would fuss at bedtime until I placed him on your shell. You tried to take chunks out of the alchemistâs fingers whenever he parted the two of you.â For tests, he didnât feel it was necessary to add. He offered his hands, and added, âSo that is what I called you. My twin babies.âÂ
After a moment, Purple took his hands. His mouth was a firm line, golden eyes glued to the floor. There was enough of a wet shine in them that Splinterâs heart strained with the need to right every wrong for him at once.Â
âI will find him, Donatello,â Splinter said. âNow that I know he is out there waiting to be found, there is nothing that can stop me. It might take a long time, but we have waited quite a while already, havenât we?â
Purple nodded, and then stepped forward to bury his snout in the front of Splinterâs coat. It meant that a hug would be not only tolerated but appreciated, and Splinter didnât hesitate to wrap his arms around his little boy.Â
âGo on now,â Splinter said, only when Purple had extracted himself. He turned the child around by the shoulders and propelled him back to where Orange and Red were waiting. âI love you, little monsters,â he called loud enough to be heard by all three of them. âIf the lair is still standing when I get home, you will get ice cream.â
Their noisy cheers followed him down the tunnel, warming him more effectively than direct sunlight ever could. Â
And now Splinter was back in the Hidden City, although he had sworn to himself he would never return.Â
His heart was racing, every nerve a livewire, so prepared he was for danger around each corner. He had hoped that the mad alchemist died in the destruction of the labâhad comforted himself with the fact, even, on those nights he woke up from bad dreamsâbut with Blueâs miraculous survival, Draxum might very well have lived too. Like a cockroach.Â
And so he was hesitant to trace his steps back to the ruins of Draxumâs lab. He was not even sure if he would be able to find it. There was a restless, dislocated thing inside of him that made standing still a painful exercise, he so badly wanted to run and run until he found the little turtle he was looking forâhe just didnât know where to go. Where to start. The Hidden City was larger than he remembered.
âExcuse me,â someone said, startling him. He turned to find a short beetle yokai in a rumpled button down shirt and slacks standing just behind him, mandibles clicking idly. The beetle smiled and said, âIâm sorry, I couldnât help but notice you seemed lost. Can I help in any way?â
It was Splinterâs first instinct to deny the apparent kindness. Lenaâor Big Mama as she was calledâhad carved out the remains of his idealism as deftly as a gardener pulling up the last stubborn weed in a flower bed. People, he had been taught, were rarely kind for no reason.Â
But Aprilâs mother was a force of nature in her own right, and had bullied Splinter into friendship with her within a week of their children meeting. A New Yorker to her core, June OâNeil had only needed a moment to adjust to the sight of a mutant rat and three mutant turtles, at which point any lingering strangeness was overshadowed by the relief of finally having another single parent to commiserate with. She was on-call for every scare, every tantrum that left Splinter feeling out of his depth, every milestone. She refused to allow him to wallow in self-pity while he had three little boys to raise.Â
June was the sole reason that there were a few shoots of hope growing in the ruin Lena left of him, stubborn and resilient and flowering. People were rarely kind for no reason, but rarely did not mean never. There was goodness to be found if one took the time to look for it. The risk did not always pay off, but the reward when it did was worthwhile every time.Â
And so Splinter took his heart in his hands and faced the stranger and said, âYes, please. If youâre able. I need help.â
The beetle yokai, a friendly, down-to-earth character named Cricket, listened to the bare bones of Splinterâs story and immediately began to guide him down the street. It was a street that would not have looked out of place in Osaka in the 80s. There were storefronts with neon signs and restaurants with enticing noren doors and the steady foot traffic of thousands of yokai milling about their day. No one paid a tall rat mutant any mind.Â
âYouâll want the Chamber of Decisions,â Cricket said with a certainty that settled one small inch of the chaos in Splinterâs heart. âThere will be someone there who can help you find your son.â
The beetle yokai took time enough out of his own day to show Splinter all the way through a startlingly mundane municipal building to a floor with a placard on the wall declaring it the Civil Courts. He even waited in line with Splinter, making pleasant conversation, until it was his turn to step forward and address the employee behind the front desk.
âGoodbye,â Cricket said at that point, stepping away. âAnd good luck!â
He was gone before Splinter could thank him, and the gazelle yokai behind the desk repeated, âNext,â in a tone that suggested she would be deeply unhappy to say it a third time.Â
âYes,â Splinter said quickly, âsorry, thatâs me.â
âWhat is your name?â the yokai asked briskly. She had long spiraling horns and a long, narrow face, deceptively delicate. She wore a badge on a lanyard around her neck that read Helena, Court Clerk, and then a mess of characters beneath it that did not look like English or Japanese.Â
âHamato Yoshi,â Splinter replied by rote. When he spoke, a small crystal hovering unobtrusively above the desk glowed a clear spring green. It seemed to indicate his truthfulness, because the yokai didnât request any further proof of identity.Â
âHamato?â the yokai, presumably Helena, said with a spark of interest. She read something from the text that populated on the holographic tablet in front of her and then added, âWe have a backlog of forms here for you. It has been a long time since someone has claimed tenancy of your clanâs branch house in Neo Edo. I assume thatâs why youâre here?â
âUh,â Splinter said intelligently, âno. What?â
âThe Hamato Estate,â Helena said. She seemed less than impressed with him. âThe one that has been sitting in disrepair and bringing property values of the neighborhood down for more than a century. That has nothing to do with your visit today?âÂ
The Chamber of Decisions was very human in structure, and the bureaucracy was completely disarming. Splinter didnât know what he showed up expecting to find here but he sort of felt as though he was walking through a lucid dream.
âSorry, no, IâI was unaware my family had any dealings in the Hidden Cities at all. I was raised in Japan. Inâa human city in Japan. And now my children and I live in New York.âÂ
Helenaâs expression cleared with understanding, her attitude suddenly more helpful as she seemed to realize Splinter was not being willfully obtuse. She opened a drawer of the filing cabinet beside her desk and rifled through it until she came up with form after form that accumulated in an intimidating heap.Â
Splinter bit the inside of his mouth so that he wouldnât say something unfortunate. He was catching up to himself, the surprise and uncertainty of the situation he had found himself in fading into the background, his single-minded focus sharpening into a point once again.Â
Blue had waited long enough to be found. It was deeply unfair to make him wait even a moment more. And unfair to Splinter, too, who just wanted to be given a direction that he could run in until he could scoop his son up and never let him go again.Â
âExcuse me,â Splinter said, wrestling with himself until a semblance of good manners won its cage match with snarling impatience, âbut I am here because I was told you might help me locate a missing child.âÂ
The gazelleâs head jerked up, hooved hands stilling. âWhat missing child?â
For the second time that day, Splinter explained his situation to a stranger. Not the whole thing; not the nature of his or his sonsâ mutations, or the desperate life-or-death struggle that preceded their flight from the destroyed lab into the nearby cityâthis cityâand then ultimately New York. But the gist of it. The fire, and the baby who fell from his arms, and the long years he has spent mourning a son he thought had died. That much he imparted as succinctly as he knew how.Â
Helena punctuated his story with clipped nods, listening intently. She sifted through the stacked bundles of paperwork and withdrew two or three that she placed on the top of the pile.Â
âWe will register you and your children as citizens of the Hidden Cities,â she said firmly when Splinter had finished detailing the dream that led him to believe his son was alive. âYour clan has already been established here for centuries, so this will not take long. As a citizen you will have the full weight and reach of this courtâs resources behind you. We will locate your son.âÂ
If there had been a chair behind him, Splinter would have collapsed into it. As it is, he only swayed on his feet for a moment, before mustering a hoarse, âThank you.â
After the dream of his mother, Splinter had been feeling acutely guilty of the way he had left his family name well behind him, crafting a new identity for a new life in America. Now he was only grateful that Lena and that lunatic Draxum would not think twice about a rat mutant named Hamato Yoshi, or his children.
It felt surreal to write down their namesâRaphael, Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo. For so long, they had been only his precious joys. The human world was not one he could trust to appreciate them. The OâNeils were a shining exception, one in a million. So his little family was kept a well-guarded secret.Â
And now here he was, signing an official document that gave his turtles another place to belong, a place that could not be taken away by a mad alchemist or scheming spider.Â
âIf you come with me, I can take you to the appropriate department,â Helena said, cordial and efficient as she placed the last of the paperwork in a folder that glowed a friendly green before disappearing into fragments of light that spelled out âFILED.â âItâs lucky you came when you did. We have a witch on retainer, and we would have called her in for this, but sheâs already working from the office today.â
âRight,â Splinter said, smoothing down his shirt with nervous fingers.Â
He didnât know what his expression was doing, but it seemed to give the gazelle yokai a sense of urgency. She hustled him down a couple of halls and through more than one doorway that seemed to lead to another building entirely, until he was hopelessly lost somewhere in the depths of the administration.
But the office he finally stepped into was one that wouldnât have looked place in any of the high rise buildings in FiDi, with an executive desk of solid wood, a neat row of filing cabinets, a less neat wall of overflowing shelves, and sparse, impersonal decor. There were a few odditiesâself-watering hanging plants suspended in front of the window, and a glowing crystal levitating above the desk where a computer might have sat otherwiseâbut nothing that made Splinterâs animal hindbrain balk at the door.Â
The young woman sitting behind the desk looked up and smiled, round brown face dimpled and kind. Half of her voluminous braided hair was piled on top of her head in a neat bun, while the rest framed her shoulders in interchanging plaits of black and mint green. Her long, pointed ears were pierced a dozen times each and dripping in tiny precious gemstones.Â
âHello there, Helena and friend,â she greeted. âCan I help you?â
âNimue, this is Hamato-san. He recently had a prophetic dream that a child he lost in infancy is, in fact, alive,â Helena replied promptly. âWeâll need a spell for finding.â
It sounded actually insane when put so plainly, but she spoke in a way that reminded Splinter of his former account manager, no-nonsense and judicious. The young lady behind the desk took them both seriously and stood, brushing her braids back over her shoulder.
âIâll start at once,â Nimue said. âItâll only take a few minutes.âÂ
âSummon me if you need anything else,â Helena said briskly. âIâll be finalizing the documentation up front.âÂ
Both yokai and witch were very perfunctory about the whole thing, as if it was business as usual. It went a long way in disarming that last kernel of doubt that Splinter had harbored every step of the way here.
With the doubt uprooted, there was space at last for painful, smothered hope to burst into full and violent bloom.Â
He was shuffled into the adjoining room and into a squashy loveseat. This area seemed much more like a witchâs workshop; there were tricky, delicate glass instruments whirring away under their own power at a carved wooden table in the corner, and stacks of heavy leather volumes on all the shelves and flat surfaces, interspersed with jars of things like feathers and stones and shiny beetle shells. Dried herbs and flowers dangled in neat bundles from a rack on the ceiling, where motes of something too colorful to be dust floated in wandering circles. There was a small furry animal curled up to sleep on the arm rest of the chair opposite Splinterâs, light brown with a darker brown band across its eyes. When it lifted its head at the sound of the door closing, Splinter realized it was a ferret.Â
âPlease excuse the mess,â Nimue said, âIâm really not here that often so I tend not to prioritize organization. I know itâs a sad excuse.â
âIâm a single father parenting thrâfour boys,â Splinter replied, heart skipping a beat at the self-correction. He would be parenting four. âThe last thing I am qualified to judge anyone on is tidiness.âÂ
Nimue laughed. âIâll take it! Now, I told Helena this would only be a moment, and I meant every word. There are lots of disclaimers and policies I could bog you down with, and probably ought to, but I know theyâll just go in one ear and out the other. Youâre here to find your son, and thatâs what Iâm going to help you do.â
âYes,â Splinter breathed. âPlease.â
âOf course! A spell for finding is one of my favorites, not in the least because itâs super simple.âÂ
Nimue sat across from him, lifted the ferret off the arm of her chair and into her lap, and then held out both her hands. Splinter took them without second-guessing it.Â
âMagic draws so much from nature,â the witch went on. As she spoke, various pieces of glass or crystal in the room began to glow, as if her voice contained a brilliance that could be caught and reflected back. âIn our spells, we use plants, stones, animal shedâthings given by the earthâand sometimes energy generated by a storm or the sea. A friend that I graduated university with channels power from lightning. Very flashy, but very hard to pin down.â
A pool of light formed between them, beneath their joined hands. It was flat and still, like the surface of calm water. Four little jewels in bright candy colors shone throughâred, orange and purple clustered together, and blue clear on the other end. Splinterâs heart ached; he knew them. He knew them.Â
âAt its core, itâs orderly,â Nimue said, her voice calm and smiling. âThe most powerful rituals I know of are tied to star charts or phases of the moon, because even celestial bodies follow a pattern. Magic wants to make right. It wants to return things. And so a spell like this costs absolutely nothing. A lost child belongs with their family; thatâs as fundamental a thing as gravity.â
She let go of Splinterâs hands and turned her own to catch the pool of light in the cup of her palms. She closed her hands together, as if compressing something as tight as possible between them, and then with a sudden jerking motion, flung them up and open.Â
The light spread between them in a translucent, shimmering curtain. It looked like a chart, or a map, though not one Splinter had any hope of reading. Â
Nimue hummed in what could either be surprise or delight, her smile showing teeth.Â
âOh, look at how clear and bright they are,â she cooed, âshining like stars. You must be so proud. And hereâs little boy blue,â she added, pointing out the lonely light living by itself, isolated from the others. âHeâs in Sawara Town, not too far from here.âÂ
Splinterâs heart was a frantic drum inside his chest. He wasnât sure if heâd taken a single full, deep breath since he woke up from that dream that brought him to this moment in the first place. He twitched with the urge to scoop those colorful, twinkling little lights out of the rest and hold them close, hold them safe.Â
âSo what now?â he managed to choke out. âAre you going to teleport me there or something?â
Nimue laughed again, scritching the ferretâs ruff with the tips of her fingers.Â
âTeleport? Iâm good but Iâm not that good! Iâll call you a cab.â
Not even two full hours later, Splinter was walking up the main street of Sawara. It was a bustling rural town with a mighty canal for a heart, filled with wooden fishing boats and framed by thin wisps of willow trees. Machiya-style houses rambled along in tight rows on either side of the waterway, most of them with front doors and shutters slid open to display shop spaces.Â
Splinter stopped at a dry goods store to ask for directions to the orphanage, and the storeowner pointed him toward the sprawling estate at the edge of town, tucked into the natural bend of the river.Â
He was floating in that dream feeling again. Everything was two inches left of reality. He was half-prepared to discover that this day felt impossible because it was impossible and he should have known better than to believe it could be this easy. He was half-prepared for someone to yank the curtain back and reveal the wizard was just some guy running a long con the whole time. Splinter had always, always been the punchline of a bad joke.Â
But he promised the boys he would find their brother. He thought of Purpleâs eyes, wide with hope, and his quiet voice saying, âYou called us twins.â He thought of that sweet baby he had only briefly been anything like a father to, the first of the four to smile at him, the first one to want to be held by him.Â
Resolve filled every chamber of his heart until it overflowed from there and filled the rest of him for good measure. That floating, dreaming feeling scattered into painful cognizance.Â
He was Lou Jitsu. He was Hamato Atsukoâs only son. If life had taught him anything, it was how to take a punch. He would follow this road to wherever it led, and if Blue was not at the end of it, then he would find another road to follow. He would walk forever if he had to. He would let his heart get broken a hundred thousand times.Â
Splinter let himself through the gate and strode up the meandering path toward the front of the house. He wondered if he ought to announce himself, and then discovered a doorbell half-hidden beneath the leaves of a drooping hanging plant. He rang it, and squared his shoulders, and waited.Â
After about a minute, the door slid open to reveal a harried-looking pangolin yokai with a squirming raccoon child in her arms. It was a scene immediately familiar to Splinter as a pre-naptime battle of wills.Â
âOh, hello,â the pangolin said, offering a smile as she managed not to drop the uncooperative toddler with a deftness that spoke of years of experience. âMy name is Tomomi, Iâm the matron here. How can I help you?â
âHello,â Splinter replied, returning her bow automatically. He realized suddenly that he probably should have been practicing what he would say in this moment, because he was coming up blank. âAh, my name is Hamato Yoshi, and IâmâIâm, uhâIâm here for my kid.âÂ
Nailed it.Â
âYou may need to be slightly more specific than that,â the matron said, bemused.Â
âRight,â Splinter said. Specifics. He could do specifics. âI had a dream. And then there was a whole thing with a witch and a finding spell. Uh, I have documentation? That the court clerk sent with me?âÂ
Tomomi maneuvered the child into one arm and reached for the papers Splinter offered with her freed hand, all of them stamped with Helenaâs imposing seal. As she read, her eyebrows made a shocked jump toward her scaly hairline.Â
Splinterâs heart fluttered madly. His chest felt like a cage full of restless birds.Â
âMy son was lost to me when he was a baby, and I believed that he was dead. Something happened recently thatâthat revealed him to me. It showed me that he was still alive. If heâs here, IâI want him. I have always wanted him. He has three brothers who have been missing him, too. He has never,â Splinter faltered, and had to swallow twice before he could go on, âhe has never been unwanted, not even for a single day.â
âOh, my spirits,â Tomomi murmured, crouching to let the little raccoon yokai slide free and then dart victoriously away. She straightened again, a hand pressed flat to her chest as she passed the papers back, perfectly stunned. âIf heâs here, and heâs yours, Iâll help you however I can. What can you tell me about him?â
Splinter said, âHeâsâheâs a little turtle. Eight years old. His shell isâjust, one moment.âÂ
With shaking hands, he crammed the documents into his jacket pocket and withdrew his phone instead. His pictures werenât sorted into albums, because 99.99% of them were all pictures of his children or April, rendering any attempt to sort them entirely redundant. That did mean he had to swipe for a moment before he found a decent photo of Orangeâs carapace, and the warm yellow pattern of his scutes.Â
âHis shell pattern would be very similar to his brotherâs, you see? And his eyes were this color,â Splinter went on, swiping to a picture of Purple glaring resolutely away from the camera, golden eyes distinctive even when narrowed and averted behind thick prescription glasses. âHe wasâhe was very sweet. Very talkative. He wanted to be held all hours of the day. Heââ
âHeâs here, Hamato-san,â Tomomi blurted, eyes huge.Â
âHeâs⌠oh.â Splinter stared back at her, phone still extended dumbly in his hand. He felt frozen in place. A gust of wind would probably have been enough to knock him clear over. âHeâs here?â
The matron seemed to be in disbelief herself, staring at Splinter as though he was a figment of her imagination and if she moved too suddenly he might disappear.Â
âI canât believe it. After all this time.â Then she shook her head, and wrapped professionalism back around her shoulders like a trusty cloak. She said, âPlease come with me to my office, Iâll have Kameko brought to us there.âÂ
Kameko. Turtle child. Splinter didnât know how he felt about that name, but kept it to himself. He was minutesâminutesâ away now. If he absolutely had to go crashing through every single wall in this building one by one to find his child, that was entirely within his power. He would save that as the nuclear option, but not remove it from the table entirely.Â
âHe really is the sweetest thing,â Tomomi said. âNo trouble at all, helpful as can be. Incredibly smart for his ageâheâs leagues ahead of his classmates.âÂ
Like his brothers, Splinter thought, with a sort of dazed, wondering pride. All of them were happy little boys with distinct, dynamic personalities, but Juneâwho had been a parent for one whole year longer than Splinter and had the added experience of helping to keep a dozen nieces and nephews alive, and was therefore the expert between the two of themâhad often expressed surprise at how quickly the turtles tore through their learning material.Â
Donatello was an unstoppable force that had yet to encounter an immovable object, but Raphael and Michelangelo were both well ahead of the curve, too. Splinter wondered, sometimes, if that had been part of Draxumâs design for them.Â
âThe younger kids adore him, though the older ones ostracize him a bit,â Tomomi was saying. âHeâs had a number of failed placements, Iâm afraid. Just bad luck.â She winced, as though the word left a bad taste on her tongue, and hurried to add, âItâs been hard on him since his friend moved away. He really deserves this. Youâll see.â
She was clearly trying to upsell the kid, as if to preemptively change Splinterâs mind about giving him up. As if there was any force in the universe that could even dream of being strong enough to compel him to do that.Â
The orphanage as they walked through it was noisy. Kids in clothes that were second-hand but clean and well-fitting chased each other down hallways and in and out of rooms at speed. The building itself showed the inevitable wear and tear that came of hordes of children putting their marks on the place, but it was not dirty, or drafty, or in any sort of disrepair. No one looked hurt or underfed. There was a comfortable amount of clutter, plush toys and books and electronics scattered about the den they passed by. In all corners of the house there was shrieking and laughter and the thunder of little running feet.Â
Yoshi was feeling a hundred thousand things right now, all of them in immediate conflict with each other and jostling for first place, but relief was chief among them. He had, in a shadowy corner in the back of his mind, feared the worst upon hearing his child was living in an orphanage. At a glance, the bulk of those fears were dispelled. It was good to know that he probably would not have to raze this place to the ground for their poor treatment of Blue. He could not imagine that would endear him to Helena.Â
Tomomi leaned into an open doorway and called out, âRen, please find Kameko and have him meet me in my office, okay? Itâs important that he comes quickly.â
âOkay, Miss Toto!â someone called back, and then a tiny otter yokai went zipping away.
âI donât know all of his hiding spots, Iâm afraid,â the matron murmured, opening another door further down the hall and inviting him inside. âI donât want to take you on a wild goose chase and waste a second more of your time. Youâve waited long enough already.â
âThank you,â Splinter said. He sank into the seat she offered him and twisted his fingers, a nervous tic that his eldest son had inherited from him directly. âYou saidâheâs ostracized by the older kids? Why?â
Tomomi moved around the office, preparing cups of tea with hot water from an electric kettle. She said, âYokai are very superstitious, as you well know.â Splinter did not know, actually, but nodded to maintain the ruse that he had been a rat yokai his entire life. âTurtles are viewed asâwell, lucky. But since every single one of Kamekoâs placements failed for some reason or another, some of the children decided he must be an omen for bad luck instead of good. Itâs silliness, Hamato-san. But as much as he claimed it never bothered him, Iâm sure it must have.â
Splinter had to take a moment to absorb that. Blue was a miracle. The fact that he was alive at allâthe Hamato clan in its entirety must have spent every scrap of its allotted good fortune for the next billion year
Bad luck, he thought with a bewildered scoff. Where?
He held the teacup between his hands but forgot what to do with it. He was doing his best to listen to Tomomi but all of his attention craned toward the door instead. Riveted to each pair of footsteps that thundered past, each bright, energetic voice, each unfamiliar spark of qiâŚÂ
Splinter stopped breathing a second before a knock sounded on the doorframe.Â
âMiss Toto,â a young voice called. âRenren said you wanted to see me?â
Tomomi glanced at Splinter sidelong and then called back, âCome on in, sweetie. Thereâs someone here who wants to meet you.â
He was unaware of moving, but somehow Splinter turned in time to watch the door rattle open, and there he was.Â
In a neat coral pink and cream-colored jinbei, knees dirty from playing outside. Not quite grown into his stripes yet, still huge bright red crescents that took up most of his face. Eyes the same color as Donatelloâs, the same shape as Splinterâs. Alive. Healthy. Small for his age. The brightest thing in this little riverside town.Â
Leonardo. Blue.Â
A painfully dislocated piece of Splinterâs long-broken heart clicked neatly back into place. Â
The boy blinked and then smiled widely. He was all at once perfectly charming, happy to be standing there. Tomomi smiled back at him like a knee-jerk reaction and ushered him inside.Â
âHi!â Blue said brightly. âNice to meet you!âÂ
Splinter could only sit there and take him in. His smile. The sound of his voice. He was so alive.Â
âKameko, this is Hamato Yoshi-san,â Tomomi said, steering the turtle closer to Splinterâs seat. âHeâs come all the way from the human world to find you.âÂ
Blueâs smile faltered for a split-second, giving away his confusion. He had probably been fed a lot of lines from people looking to adopt a lucky turtle into their family over the last eight years, but this one was brand new.Â
It was hard to explain to his little face that he had beenâleft behind. That Splinter had spent the entirety of his life mourning him. That looking at him was like looking at a ghost. Splinter did the best he could, grateful that Tomomi stepped in to pick things up wherever he faltered. With her help, he didnât make an entire mess of the conversation.
âI have brothers?â was the first question Blue asked when they had finished. âI really do?â
âYes, youâhere, you can look,â Splinter said clumsily, offering his phone again. Offering anything.Â
The turtle looked up into his face, and then over at Tomomi, and only took it after their combined reassurances. He was hesitant with the device even then, as though half-expecting Splinter to change his mind and berate him for handling it at all.Â
But when the camera roll came up, Blueâs breath hitched, and all his uncertainty blew clean away. He blew up one of the photos and swiped through them that way, full-screen snapshots of a life he had missed out on. He stared intently at each picture as though doing his best to memorize each one in as much time as he was allowed to look.Â
âWhat,â he started to ask, and then darted a quick glance up at Splinter again. Splinter nodded, heart in his throat, and Blue dared to continue, âWhat are they like?â
Carefully, Splinter shifted closer, until he and his son were side by side. Reaching around him, Splinter said, âRaphael is your biggest brother, and a year older than you. He may appear spiky and imposing, but he is actually very sensitive, and fond of stuffed animals and Barbie movies. I call him Red because of his rosy diamond patterns.âÂ
Blue mouthed âRaphael,â drinking him in.Â
The next few pictures were a blurred mess, Splinterâs attempt at taking photos while managing chaos as his boys helped in the kitchen the morning of Aprilâs tenth birthday. Finally he landed on a clear one of Orange, covered in a dusting of flour, a comically large mixing bowl of funfetti cake batter in his arms that he had insisted he could handle without help.Â
âThis is Michelangelo. He is the youngest, only seven now. He is silly and spirited and will probably take over the world one day. Weâll all be better off with him in charge, I think. He would work all day long to win a single smile from someone he loves. Can you guess what his nickname is?â
Blue traced his little brotherâs sunny spots with his eyes, overwhelmed. Still he guessed correctly, a soft-spoken, âOrange.âÂ
âYes,â Splinter said. âOur crazy Mikan.âÂ
âThen this isââ Blue said, swiping on his own to a picture of the only remaining sibling. âPurple?âÂ
âMm. Donatello. He is about a minute older than you, if that. He is smarter than any one hundred people put together, and creates spectacular things out of scraps and discards. But he struggles to make himself understood, so often opts out of talking at all. It does not mean he does not have anything to say.âÂ
This final photo rattled Blue completely, because there was an obvious likeness there. Donatelloâs striking eyes were a mirror image of Leonardoâs own. There was no argument to be had about itâthey were related.Â
Remembering Purpleâs burdened little hope, Splinter canât help but add, âI once made the comment to him that the two of you could be twins, because you hatched together, and you were inseparable for every moment after. Donatello has latched onto the idea. And because of who he is as a person, Iâm pretty sure he will die on that hill.â
Tomomi looked politely confused by the slang, but Blue huffed out an involuntary laugh, which was Splinterâs goal in the first place.Â
âWhatâs, um,â Blue asked, âmy name? Those onesâthey all match. Theyâre artists. We talked about them in class once. Did Iâdid I match, too?â
âYou did,â Splinter replied at once, trying to sound completely normal about the question. âI named you Leonardo. You were fearless, you wanted to see everything, you wanted to be everyoneâs friend. Nothing could slow you down.â He reached out, telegraphing every inch of the move as he made it, and cradled that precious striped face in one careful hand. âMy little lion. My Baby Blue.â
Leonardo didnât cry, though it looked like he would like to. He reached up and seized Splinterâs wrist in both hands instead, clinging with the disproportionate strength Splinter was used to from raising his brothers. The four turtles were meant to be weapons, genetically altered to that end, but Splinter had taken one look at the freshly mutated babies and instantly resolved that he would secure a normal life for them if it was the last thing he ever did. Â
He felt every inch of that resolve rekindled in this moment. He would do anything. He would topple a hundred laboratories, fight a thousand warrior alchemists, survive a million rounds in the Battle Nexus. If that was what it took to keep his Blue, to bring him home. He would do all of that in a heartbeat.Â
âWell,â Tomomi said, unselfconscious about the tears she was blotting away, âletâs just get a few things signed away, and Kameâah, Leonardo can start the first day of his new life! Sweetie, how about you go and get your things packed? You can say goodbye to your friends, too.âÂ
Blue pressed his cheek more firmly into Splinterâs palm, not wanting to go. Not wanting to test the limits of this strange, perfect dream. Splinter understood completely, and would prefer that his second-youngest child never left his sight again.Â
But he didnât want Blue to be afraid. He didnât want to teach him fear.
So Splinter packed away his own anxieties and said, âWhy donât you hold onto my phone for me? It seems I will have my hands full with paperwork. It would be a lot of help.â
âOkay,â the little turtle said, reluctantly drawing away. He kept the phone in a tight grip. âIâm a good helper. And a quick packer! Iâll be right back!âÂ
âDonât forget to say goodbye!â Tomomi called after him, but she was only talking to an empty doorway, the door itself left open and Leonardoâs running footsteps already halfway down the hall. âI wish I could bottle up some of that energy and keep it for a rainy day,â she said lightheartedly, getting up to close the door herself.
âI know what you mean,â Splinter said, fully sincere. Â
âWe really donât have a lot for you to sign here, since the Chamber has already processed the lionâs share of the paperwork, and heâs rightfully yours to begin with,â Tomomi explained. âI just need you to hear a few things.âÂ
Splinter nodded, giving her his complete, undivided attention for the first time since he arrived. She didnât seem to know what to do with it, flustered as she shuffled through a drawer of file folders.
âKaâLeonardo,â Tomomi corrected herself again ruefully, âhas had a rather hard time. Iâll give you a copy of his file, since heâll pop back in here at any moment, and I hate to discuss it in front of him, but itâs important for you to fully understand. Heâs been handed a lot of disappointments in his life. Please be patient. It might take him a long time to really trust you.â
âThen itâs a good thing we have the rest of our lives,â Splinter said firmly. âBlue could be a crazy man-eating alien for all I careâbut if heâs going to terrorize humans, he can do it at home.â
The pangolin yokai laughed. âIâll quote you on that. I also wanted you to be aware that we had a bit of a scare recently. He used to go into town to practice kendo every evening. A few nights ago, some of the other students decided to run around and cause trouble by the hearth,â her curt tone made it clear what she thought about that, âand started a fire that consumed the house. Leonardo was one of two children trapped inside.âÂ
âA fire?â Splinter parroted, halfway out of his seat in a second. He thought of the densely populated town down the way, the rows of houses he had passed that were all made of wood and straw and rice paper. Houses that would go up like tinder with a single misplaced spark.Â
His baby, in a burning house.Â
âHe was rescued, and only sustained some minor burns and smoke sickness,â Tomomi was quick to reassure. âWe had the boys both seen by a healer first thing. Iâm letting you know because I would want to know, and Leonardo is unlikely to mention it at all.â
For a moment, Splinter could only imagine the horrifying what-if scenario; what if Leonardo hadnât been rescued? What if Splinterâs dream had come a day too late? What if they had discovered Leonardo had been alive and that they had already lost him a second time? What if they had never discovered him at all, and he had died as a child that everyone believed nobody wanted?
Yoshi, he could almost hear his mother scolding him, clear as day, what good does it do you to think about that? It did not happen. Life is happening now. You will miss it if you donât pay attention.Â
âYes,â he said belatedly, bobbing his head. âRight. Anything at all you feel is important, please tell me.â
They only had ten or so minutes to talk before Blue came back at top speed. Along the way he had collected that little otter yokai, as well as a fluffy owl in a pink yukata and a lizard whose green scales shimmered into a dull yellow as Splinter watched.Â
âKokoâs leaving again?â the lizard demanded. âIs Ren gonna get that whole room to himself now? Thatâs not fair.â
âShut up,â the owl said to her sharply, then turned to ask, âIs he really leaving, Miss Toto?â
âIâm afraid so, Susumu,â the matron said. âHave you all said your goodbyes, darlings?â
The question caused the otter child to burst into tears instantly. Leonardo was quick to drop his bag, shove Splinterâs phone into the pocket of his shorts, and scoop his little foster siblingâs face up in his hands.Â
âRenren, donât cry! How am I supposed to be brave if the bravest person I know is crying, huh?â
âIâm not crying,â the otter sobbed miserably, âIâm just, just so happy for you!â
âGreat, I wonât even have to miss you, because Renâs gonna keep repeating every single stupid thing heâs ever heard you say,â the owl complained, but she put her winged arms around them both and squeezed. âBye, Koko. I hope these are your people for real this time.â
âThanks, Suzy,â Blue replied, bonking their heads together lightly. âTake care of yourself or Iâll haunt your dreams!â
âHaunt your dreams,â Ren parroted thickly.Â
âAnd if you see Snowyââ Blue added in a quieter voice.Â
âIâll tell him everything, donât worry,â Susumu said, and hefted Ren away with her when she stepped back into the hall.Â
That left the lizard girl, who looked as though she wanted to shrivel into a tiny bug and disappear through the floorboards with the attention of everyone else focused on her. Shoulders hunched, she whacked Leonardo in the shins with her long tail.Â
âI think you should start biting people,â she announced.
âNiji,â Tomomi said warningly.Â
The lizard lifted her chin, scales shifting from yellow to defiant red. âI mean it. If this new dad is mean just bite the hell out of him. Then heâll send you back here and no one else will want you and we can age out of the system together and go start a gang.â
âNiji!âÂ
âDeal,â Blue said, and they shook on it. It was precious.Â
Later, when all goodbyes had been made and Blue had been cried on by the pangolin matron and it was finally just the two of them making the journey back into town, Blue looked up at Splinter and said, âI wonât really bite you, Hamato-san. I just wanted to make Niji feel better. She tries to sound mean but she worries a lot.âÂ
âYou have my full permission to take a bite out of any grown-up who tries to hurt you in any way,â Splinter said, smiling at him. He was carrying his childâs bag over his shoulder with one hand, the other clutched tight in both of Blueâs. âAnd you can call me whatever makes you comfortable, but Hamato-san is a little stuffy, donât you think? If you donât want to try âdad,â how about Splinter?â
âSplinter?â Leonardo bounced on his feet. âIs that a code-name? Do you have a secret identity?â
The walk was long, but it went by quickly, peppered by question after question once Blue seemed to realize Splinter did not mind answering them.Â
Where do you live? Have you always lived there? Whatâs California like? Whatâs New York City like? Do you know lots of humans? Are they nice? Whoâs April? Will my brothers like me?Â
Splinter answered, and explained, and reassured. Mostly, he listened to Blueâs animated voice that did its best to fill any empty space it found. Blue was not the jaded, angry child that Splinter himself once was, even if he had just as muchâif not moreâreason to be. But he was not a naĂŻve boy, either. Hope had been all but trained out of him by now, the way it had clearly been trained out of Niji back at the orphanage. It was still there, clinging on with the tips of its fingers, but only just.Â
And when Splinter tilted his head back and laughed at the clever joke Blue came up with on the spot, he saw that fragile little hope peeking out at him in the form of a crooked smile, shy and earnest and daring.Â
Afternoon had given way to evening by the time they arrived at the edge of town where the cab was waiting. The driver, a skeleton yokai, was a local, and seemed happy to idle there and let the meter run since it was on the Cityâs dime.Â
He glanced up from his sudoku book when Splinter and Blue approached and belted out, âWell, look who it is! Hey, kiddo!âÂ
âHi Benny!â Blue shouted back. âÂżCĂłmo estĂĄs?â
âEstoy bien, niĂąo. And youâre doing just fine, too, huh? Guess I wonât be giving you many rides anymore. Hopefully this one sticks.â
Despite his flippant tone, the last remark was clearly aimed at Splinter. Splinter, for his part, held his sonâs hand a little tighter and tried not to let the implications sting. Blue was so used to being shuttled back and forth that he was on first-name basis with the guy doing the shuttling. Blue had a reputation in this town as being an unwanted, oft-returned orphan.Â
Splinter was simultaneously offended by anyone who would deem his precious child an unworthy addition, and endlessly grateful he had not been snatched up before his family had a chance to claim him.Â
âThis one,â Splinter said, flinty, âwill stick.â
The driver muttered something in Spanish that made Blue muffle giggles behind his hand, and Splinter magnanimously decided to ignore that. The two grown-ups affected a playful antagonism for the duration of the hour and a half car ride, bantering back and forth, because anything that made Blue forget himself enough to lean forward against his seatbelt and fill the cab with chatter was worth doing.Â
Benny did not let them go after dropping them off until Splinter agreed to bring the children to visit Bennyâs cousinâs restaurant in Neo Edo sometime soon. Only then did he lower a bony hand out the driverâs side window so that Blue could bounce forward and bump their fists together.
âNos vemos, chiquito,â the skeleton cabbie said fondly. âHave a good life, got it? Weâll have problems if you donât.âÂ
He pointed warningly at Splinter, letting him know exactly who the problems would be had with. Â
âSee you, Benny!â Leonardo said. His eyes were wet, but he did not let his bright smile slip an inch. Splinter had worked with professional actors less talented than this nine year old boy. âIâll be good, promise!â
âYou are already good,â Splinter couldnât help but interject, brushing a hand over the crown of the little turtleâs head. âThatâs quite enough of that. Letâs be happy instead.âÂ
ââ
Raphaelâs initial impression of his newest little brother was that he was very brave.Â
He was tiny, not much bigger than Mikey, with bright yellow stripes on his arms and legs, and two big red ones on his face that curved over his cheeks and eyes. Pops carried him into the lair when he first brought Leonardo home, because the tunnels that wound to and around their house were dark and maze-like. Sometimes Raphie got lost in them if he strayed too far and heâd lived there forever.Â
Raph remembered thinking how small Leo was, in a huge, confusing place, surrounded by people he had never met before. It would have been overwhelming for anybody, but he didnât cry at all. He smiled instead, big and silly, like there was nothing in his whole life he needed to be scared of, actually.Â
As Raph got to know him, he realized that Leo very rarely wasnât smiling.Â
He was even smiling a little bit as he poked his head through Raphieâs doorway in the middle of the night. Â
âHi,â Leo whispered, even though he could tell Raph was awake.Â
He was doing that thing he always did, greeting first and then hanging back to make sure he was welcome. He never just walked into a room or jumped into a conversation. Raph probably wouldnât have noticed Leo did that if he hadnât heard Aunt Junie and Pops talking about it a few days ago.Â
Raph wiped his eyes on his blanket quickly and tried to sound like he hadnât been crying.Â
âHi, Leo. Câmere.â
The smaller turtle crossed the room at a run, climbing up into the bed and under the offered comforter. Raph pulled it up over both their heads when he was settled. The dark, warm space beneath the blanket felt the way Raph imagined the inside of his shell would feel if he could hide there. He squeezed Lamby until she glowed from the star on her belly and laid her between them so they had just enough light to see each other by.Â
It was a familiar ritual for Raph. It was what he always did for Mikey and Donnie when they sought him out after bedtime.Â
âAre you okay?â Leo asked in his quietest voice.Â
âIâm okay,â Raph assured him quickly, feeling stupid about the tacky feeling on his cheeks and his puffy eyes. âDonât worry about Raph.â When Leoâs brow wrinkled, not comprehending why he shouldnât worry if he felt like it, Raph quickly said, âWhat about you, buddy? Why are you up?â
He had definitely been asleep when Raph had peeked in on him and Donnie earlier, but that didnât mean a whole lot. Leo only seemed to sleep for a couple hours at a time. He always dragged his feet at bedtime, as though a good nightâs rest was a concept that applied to other turtles, but not to him. If he didnât share a room with his twin, it would probably be impossible to convince him to go to bed at all. Raph wasnât looking forward to the contest of wills theyâd probably have every single evening once Leoâs bedroom was finished. Â
âMiss Toto says Iâm a night owl,â Leo had announced at breakfast during his first week at home when Pops asked him how he slept. âI donât know what kind of turtle that is.âÂ
Mikey giggled, and Donnie said, âItâs not a kind of turtle, itâs an idiom.â
Overly-offended, Leo squawked, âYou canât just call people idioms!â
The conversation got so silly from there that Pops forgot about asking in the first place. Leo was really good at making people forget they asked questions. But that just made Raph hold onto his questions really tight until he got an answer. Even if it didnât really matterâhe didnât want Leo thinking he could get away with sneaking around it when it did matter.Â
His little brotherâs eyes were big and dark in the blanket cave. Sure enough, he didnât try to weasel out of answering.Â
âSometimes I lived in places where I couldnât sleep,â he said. âI got used to it.âÂ
âWhy couldnât you?â Raph asked, frowning.Â
âIn one house it was really noisy,â Leo said easily enough. âThe badger family that lived there was crepuscular. That meant they mostly were awake before the sun came out. Just a little bit of noise is enough to wake me up, so I started being crepuscular , too. Only kendo practice and all of my school classes were in the daytime, so it didnât work out.âÂ
To Raph, that sounded a lot like Leo wasnât able to sleep at night and didnât have time to sleep during the day. He can feel anger stirring deep in his heart, because it wasnât fair. That badger family got to have Raphâs brother when he should have been here, and they didnât even take care of him. How hard could it have been to give one little turtle a quiet place to rest? Pops found a quiet place for four of them in New York City. Â
He reached around Leo to lay a hand flat on his carapace. The scutes there were hard and smooth, unlike Donnieâs spiny, leathery shell and Raphâs rough spiky one. It was slightly flatter than Mikeyâs domed shape, but otherwise entirely familiar. And it was second-nature to rub in slow up-and-down motions, because thatâs just what you did with little turtle shells when the little turtles inside couldnât sleep.Â
Leo blinked a couple times, all fast and surprised, as if heâd never had a shell-rub before in his life. Raph hoped that wasnât true.Â
âWhy are you up?â Leo asked, never one to be waylaid for long.Â
Fair was fair. Raph felt embarrassed about it, but since Leo had answered his question, he said truthfully, âI had a bad dream.â
He was maybe a little bit prepared for Leo to laugh or make fun orâsomething. But Leo said, âSorry, Raphie. Bad dreams are the worst. Do you want to talk about it, or talk about something else?â
It sounded very practiced, like he had either said it a lot or heard it a lot before tonight. But it still loosened a tight little fist deep in Raphâs chest somewhere that was clutching really hard to worry.Â
Carefully, each word picking its tentative way out, Raphie described the dream heâd had the best he could. It had already faded from memory for the most part. The definite edges were gone and all that was left was the nightmare soupâthe dark room and his pounding heart and the loneliness that was big enough to eat him whole if it wanted to.Â
âI dreamed I didnât have anybody,â he mumbled out. âI was all alone. It felt like Iâd be alone forever.â
âI had one like that before,â Leo said quietly. âI ran all the way to Snowyâs house to make sure he was there. He let me in through his window and we had a sleepover. Why didnât you have a sleepover with Donnie or Mikey? You wouldnât even get in trouble for leaving the house like I did since theyâre just right down the hall.âÂ
âIâm the biggest,â Raph said, the truth of his life that had always been and always would be. âIâm responsible for you bozos. I look after you three, not the other way around.âÂ
He made sure Leo knew it wasnât a bad thing, poking him playfully on the end of his beak until he scrunched it up. It wasnât a bad thing. It was the best thing about being Raph.Â
âAll by yourself?â Leo asked. âEverybody needs help. Even Jupiter Jim has a sidekick.â
Ever since his siblings had shown him those movies, Leo was a big fan. And it was hard to argue his logic, because Red Fox was a character they all loved beyond reason, and Raph would never dream of saying Jupiter Jim didnât need her.Â
But it was different.Â
Raph knew that he could be bossy. He didnât mean to be. Sometimes it took Donnie crossing his arms and baring his teeth to make Raph realize heâd been nagging. Sometimes he didnât know until Mikey started shouting that Raph had been talking over him. He really didnât mean to.Â
He just hated not knowing what was going to happen. Every accident and surpriseâDonnie wandering out of his room for bandaids when his latest build managed to cut past his gloves, Mikeyâs experimental stir fry setting off the smoke alarms, Pops juggling too many things at once and dropping something that shattered on the floorâmade Raph feel sick. It made him feel unsafe.Â
âI just want to be careful,â Raph managed to force out. âThatâs all. I donât want anything bad to happen. I donât want it to be my fault. I donât want to mess up and let you guys down. I donât wanna beââ
Alone.Â
Leo nodded solemnly, his cheek pressed against the pillow. Eyes all big and serious and older than the face they peered out of.Â
âYouâre the best big brother Iâve ever met,â he said, sounding so certain that Raph was a second too slow to doubt him. âYou care so much. You care enough for a hundred turtles. I didnât know anybody could have a heart that big.â
Raph blinked, feeling fresh tears sting his eyes and slide down his face. Donnie would have frozen in distress, like the whole world stopped spinning when one of his siblings was hurting and Donnie stopped spinning right along with it. Mikey would have jumped in for a sticky octopus-style hug, because there was nothing broken that he couldnât fix by wrapping his arms around it and holding on tight.Â
Leo didnât freeze and he didnât jump in. He landed somewhere in the middle of those extremes, shuffling closer and putting his problem-solving face on. He tugged on a corner of the sheets beneath them until enough of the blanket came up that he could use it to wipe Raphâs face free of tears. He did everything so earnestly, as if each tiny moment meant the world to him. Â
âBut guess what?â he went on. âEverybody cares about you that much, too. I canât even think of something you could do that would make us not want to see you every single day. If you were ever alone itâd only be âcause you got lost, and then weâd just burn the whole city down to find you again. Weâd never leave you behind.âÂ
Leo smiled, not the big shining one. This one was different, lopsided and sweet. Raph had only seen this smile of Leoâs a handful of times and it was already so important to him.Â
âYou know that in your heart, I think,â Leo said. âYou just get stuck in your head, thatâs all.â
âYeah,â Raph whispered, feeling wobbly and see-through.Â
âItâs okay, Raphie. I can remind you. Just give half of what youâre worried about to me and weâll share it. Iâm on your team! Iâm your sidekick! Nothingâs as scary when you have backup. As long as Iâm here you donât have to be scared of anything.âÂ
Raphâs words got stuck in his throat. He had no idea what he might have said if they hadnât. Instead he pulled Leo in snug against his plastron, safe beneath his arm. Lamby ended up smushed between them and her glow turned off. Leo wasnât afraid of the dark, so it was for Raphieâs sake when he worked the stuffed animal free and squeezed the light in her middle back on.Â
Maybe Raph cared enough for a hundred turtles, but Leo was brave enough for a thousand. He wasnât afraid of anything.Â
âDeal. And as long as Iâm here,â Raph said, âyou can sleep.â
âRaphie, I told you,â Leo complained. âIâm a night-owl-badger-turtle. Can I just play Professor Layton on your DS? Iâll be really quiet.â
But Raph knew all the tricks. He put his hand back on that slim shell and scritched idly along the blue-patterned scutes. Leoâs eyes drooped almost immediately, though his big frown was slower to fade. He was so small and so stubborn and Raphael loved him completely.
âEverything you wanna do tomorrow will still be there when you wake up,â he said, borrowing those words straight from Pops, as well as the fond tone he said them in. His own bad dream was the last thing on his mind. It was easy to smile and add on, âYou can sleep. Raphâs not gonna let anyone bother you. Iâm on your team, too.â
Leo didnât reply right away. He leaned back enough to look up at Raph as though he was waiting for him to take it back. When he didnât, because of course he didnât, Leo curled his arm tighter around Lamby and tucked his head back under Raphâs chin and didnât say anything at all.Â
Raphael imagined what it would have been like to grow up togetherâhaving Leoâs certainty and cleverness in his corner when Raph didnât know what to do, Leoâs courage and silliness when Raph was scared, Leoâs smile that made the darkness shrink no matter how big and impossible it seemed to be at first.Â
Imagining it made Raphâs heart ache. He thought about the future instead, and how theyâd live in it together forever, and keep each other safe and make each other brave.
When Leo finally dozed off, Raph was only a few minutes behind him. He didnât have any more bad dreams.
ââ
Sometimes Mikey felt like he had to shout to be heard.Â
Raph and Donnie were his big brothers, and they were also his best friends and secret-keepers and partners-in-crime, but Mikey was their little brother first. He just wished that wasnât the only thing he was.Â
Donnie liked Mikeyâs company and never kicked him out of his room, but Mikey wasnât allowed to touch anything in there, because Donnie didnât know how to share. Raphie loved to carry Mikey when he got tired or the stormwater runoff in the tunnels was steep, but he didnât seem to understand that sometimes Mikey didnât want to be carried. He could walk just fine on his own! He could outrun all of his siblings, actually, without even breaking a sweat.Â
Michelangelo knew that he was lovedâhe had never wasted a single second wondering about thatâand he loved his family so much that he could fill the sky with it the way the sun filled it with light in the summertime.Â
But he wasnât listened to. It would be nice to just be listened to sometimes.Â
Today Mikey watched avidly as Leo showed off his cool sword. He had been folded into their afternoon martial arts training seamlessly, like heâd always been there. Dad assessed his skill-level and announced that he was not very far behind the rest of them at all, because he had been training in something he called kenjutsu ever since he was little.Â
âYou are little, pipsqueak,â Raphie said playfully.
âEveryoneâs a pipsqueak to you!â Leo retorted.
Splinter smiled proudly and said, âMy Blue. Youâll be unstoppable one day, you know that?â Leo radiated joy at Dadâs approval and threw himself headlong into learning ninjutsu alongside his kendo, eager to do well. So he split his time, and in the last half Leo broke away from his brothers to the other side of the dojo, where he practiced the sword.Â
He hadnât brought much with him when he moved in, but his bokken was his pride and joy. It was made of shiny red wood and the handle was wrapped in bright blue cord and there was a little white rabbit charm dangling from the guard.Â
âLast year Snowyâs big sister snuck up to the human world for a senior trip with her friends, and she brought us both souvenirs when she came back,â Leo had explained the charm happily. âLike hush money, only bunny-shaped! So way better.â
Dad snorted, and Leo seemed to grow two inches taller at having made him laugh.Â
Unlike everything else he owned, Leonardo didnât offer the sword out to be held or touched. It wasnât quite like the way Donnie guarded the things important to him, because Mikey didnât think Leo would hiss at anybody for getting too closeâLeo probably wouldnât even get mad. But at seven whole years old, Mikey knew a thing or two about hurt feelings. If Leo wasnât willing to snap at somebody for taking his stuff, Mikey would just have to do it for him.Â
An hour into training, Mikey was about to snap for a different reason.Â
âMikey, youâre doing it wrong,â Raph said again. âYou keep going too fast.âÂ
âI know, â Mikey said back through his teeth. Heâd done it a billion times, he knew that. Raph didnât need to keep saying it.Â
âIf you know, then do it the right way,â his biggest brother replied, not giving an inch. âI know cartwheels are fun but weâre doing kata now. You can play later.â
Frustration boiled inside him. Mikey knew the right way to do the forms, but he was bored. He wanted to do it faster, he wanted to add a flip or a handstand, something to make it more interesting. He didnât like training at all sometimesâDonnie was quiet and unenthusiastic, and Raphie was bossy and made them start over until they got it right. It was better when April was there, because April could quell the boringest and bossiest of brothers with a single sharp look and then take Mikey out for froyo, but their sister only joined in on the weekends.Â
Leo glanced sidelong at Splinter as he slowly began to lean his bokken up against the wall. When Dad didnât stop him, he put the sword down quicker, then trotted over to fearlessly interject himself into the middle of the brewing storm. Donnie watched him go with round eyes, always one to remain adamantly on the outside of any confrontation. Â
âThat was really cool, Mike,â Leo called out, beaming.Â
Mikey, who had been clenching his fists and preparing himself for another big brother to gang up on him, blinked.Â
âHuh? Really?â
âYeah, really! I can kind of do a handstand, but I canât flip all around like that.â He thumped his knuckles on Raphâs carapace as he passed by, but his shining smile was all for Mikey. âCan you teach me?â
âReally?â Mikey said again, and then excitement swooped in before he could be confused for longer than a second. Bouncing on his toes, he exclaimed, âOf course, Lee! I can teach you right now!â
âI still have to learn this tricky ninja stuff first,â Leo said. âCan we do it after training instead?âÂ
âSure! I can help you with the kata, too, Iâm really good at it,â Mikey said eagerly, falling into line beside him. He demonstrated the proper form carefully, so that his newest big brother could follow along. âLike that, see? Youâll get it! Try with me this time!âÂ
He didnât realize he was mimicking the same thing Raphael told him every time he fumbled in the dojoâhis mind jumped straight to the first helpful thing he could say and that was it. He also didnât catch the wink Leo sent at Raph over his head, or the way Raphâs shoulders loosened from where they had been bunched up by his ears, the way they always bunched up before a disagreement.Â
When Leo first came home, Aunt Junie had said that they all needed to be patient with each other and give Leo time to adjust. Like when Piebaldâs tank water needed to be changed and they had to do it a little bit at a time, because even a whole bunch of good, fresh and clean water would be bad for her all at once.Â
Aunt Junie was right about everything, but maybe she just didnât know Leo well enough yet. Maybe Leo wasnât like Piebald at all, and jumping straight into a brand new tank was actually the best thing for him.Â
Because Leo seemed so happy to be there, always smiling and in a good mood. Teasing Donnie like he knew exactly where to poke to elicit playful snaps instead of vicious onesâtalking Raphâs ear off about the Disney movies their big brother watched with him and singing along once he knew the wordsâforming inside jokes and super-complicated extended handshakes with April within minutes of meeting herâfollowing gamely wherever Mikey tugged him along to like he couldnât wait to be a part of the fun.Â
The immediate problem was that Donnie, Raph and April loved Leo just as much as Mikey did, and they all wanted to spend time with him, too. But they didnât always want to spend that time doing the same things. That afternoon, it became an issue. Â
âMe and Leo always watch a movie after lunch,â Raphie was saying, brow knit stubbornly.Â
âYeah, so let him do something else for a change,â April replied, poking Raph in the shoulder with the corner of her bedazzled phone case. âI told him about Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh and he wanted to read it. I downloaded the audiobook for us to listen to.â
âCanât you do that later?â
âWeâre building something,â Donnie bit out, impatient enough to speak up instead of just slinking away on his own.Â
For his part, Mikey tugged on Leoâs sleeve. âLeeeee, color with meeee.â
Leo didnât say anything to any of them. He seemed to be frozen in place by all their noise.
Once, when Mikey was way littler than he was now, Dad found a baby bird that had been swept through a grate into the tunnel during a heavy rain. He let Mikey hold it after Mikey promised heâd be careful. They emailed a video of the bird to a wildlife rescue person they found online who said that it looked about three weeks old, and had probably only just left the nest when it hurt its wing. It was a quivering palm-sized ball of brown feathers and beady eyes. Mikey could feel its frantic heartbeat in his hands. It didnât look big enough to have left its nest. It was hard to believe anything that small could just be on its own in the world.Â
Right now Leo reminded Mikey of that bird. His smile had faded to almost nothing, eyes round and worried under their bright red stripes. The longer the arguing went on around him the bigger and more worried his eyes got.Â
Then Dad said, â Enough.â
He had his disappointed frown on as he strode in from the kitchen, sleeves still rolled up from washing the dishes in the sink. He didnât miss a beat in lifting Leo up into his arms.
âWhat did your Aunt June tell you all?â Dad said sternly. He included April in his pointed look, even though Aunt Junie was mom to her. âIf the four of you can learn to share pizza and video games without killing each other, surely you can learn to share your brotherâs time.â
They all shuffled, feeling scolded, and April was the one who said, âSorry, Leon.â
âItâs okay!â Leo said immediately, smiling brightly at her. But he was still clutching Dadâs shirt with both hands and wasnât squirming to get down even a little bit. It made Mikey feel bad all the way to the bottom of his stomach.Â
âWhy donât you let Blue decide what he wants to do this afternoon?â Splinter suggested in that tone that made it obvious it wasnât actually a suggestion.Â
âYeah, Leo, you should pick!â Mikey said right away.Â
Leo hummed, looking much more like his normal self than he did a moment ago, but he still had one fist bunched in Splinterâs sleeve. Very, very carefully, like he was afraid it wasnât the right thing to say, Leo offered, âRaphie, you said youâd show me how to skate. Can we?â
âSure, big man, that sounds fun!â Raph said, all fast. He came over and put out his hands, and when Leo reached back, Splinter allowed the snapper to take him. Raph tossed Leo in the air and caught him again, surprising a squeaky noise out of him that became a giggle. The mood in the lair shifted back towards bright, like magic. âYouâre gonna be skating circles around me in no time, Fearless.â
âI wanna watch!â Mikey shouted gleefully. And even though Donnie hated sports, he settled next to Mikey to watch, too, close enough that their shoulders bumped. When Mikey swayed playfully to the side, it made Donnie sway, too.Â
April rolled her eyes, like it was very typical of one of her little brothers to want to waste the afternoon skateboarding, but she insisted upon getting pictures of Leo all kitted out in borrowed helmet and knee- and elbow-pads, in poses that got sillier and sillier by the second. Â
The afternoon raced by like it had somewhere important to be, punctuated by the rolling and click-clacking of skateboard wheels on the wooden ramp. Leo learned to ollie and shuvit, picking up speed and gaining confidence as he went, but he also learned a lesson the rest of his siblings had learned years and years ago.Â
He learned to trust Raphâs hands to catch him. He learned not to be scared of falling because Raph would always catch him.Â
In no time at all, Leoâs laughter was bursting out of him in bright, ringing peals. It was easy to forget, just for a minute, that he hadnât been right there with them all along. Â
Mikey felt like there was a sun inside him, he was so happy. He didnât know what to do with all of it, where he could possibly hold it. So he did what he always did when he felt too much. He popped inside his shell.Â
From outside, there was an instant clatter and a thud, the fast-rolling sound of a loose skateboard shooting away, and April calling out, âWoah, Leo, are youââ
Then Mikey felt the familiar sensation of being picked up. His shell was compact and the perfect size for other little turtles to hold. Mikey felt warm and snug, and loved to be held, so he just curled up happily like a cat in a box.Â
Outside, he heard them talking.
âHe didnât mean to!â Leo said, so fast it was all a jumble of words bumping into themselves.Â
âWho didnâtâMikey?â Raph said. ââCourse he did, he does that all the time.â
âNo, heâheâs good, he doesnâtââ Leo sounded alarmingly like he was going to start cryingâsomething Mikey hadnât even known it was possible for him to do. âPlease donât let him get in trouble, heâs good. Heâll be good.â
âOf course he is good,â Splinter said, his voice coming closer from where he had been keeping an eye on them from the sofa. He sounded the way he did when Mikey or one of his brothers was sick, worry and love all twisted together. âAll of my babies are good. Even when they are dissecting kitchen appliances or flooding the bathroom or sneaking the last donut out of the box that I had been saving, April.â
âI have no idea what you mean,â April said unconvincingly. âWhatâs a donut?â
âMmm-hm. That crazy little citrus fruit you are holding is not in trouble, Baby Blue,â Splinter added.Â
âWhy would he be in trouble?â Raph asked, sounding like something was hurting him.Â
âSorry! I had different rules before,â Leo replied. The arms holding Mikeyâs shell were tight, and he could hear the heart he was being held against racing, quick and frantic thump-thump-thumps. âIâm really sorry!â
âNo one needs to be sorry,â Splinter told him gently. âNo one has done anything wrong. And for future reference, in case you are confused, you will never be punished for hiding inside your shell. You are a turtle, and it is an important part of you. Would you scold a caterpillar for spinning a cocoon?â
âNo,â Leo whispered.Â
âThere you are.â
There was a beat of silence, heavy and thick. Mikey wanted to come out and look around but he thought that if he interrupted the conversation they would start to talk about something else.Â
âIt wasnât that bad,â Leo finally said. âI was only there for a little bit, the house where theyâso it wasnât that bad.â
âIâll be the judge of that,â Donnie said in a loud voice. He said it like âjudgeâ meant âmonster who bites people until they die,â even though Mikey was pretty sure it didnât.
It surprised Mikey at first when Donnie started interjecting loudly at things, because he never used to do that. His jokes were always ones slid in under his breath, and his smile when they made Mikey laugh would be quick and sideways and half-hidden in the collar of his bulky hoodie.Â
Now he didnât hide near as much as he used to, and was a lot less secretive about things he wanted his brothers to hear. Mikey thought that maybe he had wanted to be close to them all along, he just didnât know how to get there. There wasnât a bridge between where they were at and the island he ended up on. Then his twin came along.Â
Aunt Junie called Leo an instigator. She said it laughingly, and told him he was just what this family needed. She was, after all, right about everything.Â
âWeâll discuss it later,â Splinter said. He came closer, and Mikeyâs stomach swooped as he was lifted up higher from the floor than he already wasâDad must have picked Leo up again, and Leo was still holding Mikey. âCome here, my little turtles. Ah-ah, you are not getting out of this, OâNeil. In fact, you must hug twice as hard so that your mother is here in spirit.â
Silliness was the best medicine. No gloomy mood could outlast six people cramming together for a big group hug. Raph tripped on the skateboard and almost toppled everyone over and the sudden lurch made Leo giggle. Mikey came out of his shell to join the embrace, managing to get one arm around Leo and the other around Donnie and squeezing for all he was worth.Â
Mikey and his brothers kept close to each other even after Splinter left to take April home. A pillow fort was constructed in the TV room and they turtle-piled in there with all the best blankets and stuffed animals and snacks. Leo was quieter than usual and sat tucked against Donnieâs side, like he was absorbing his twinâs strength and stubbornness since his own had run out.Â
âHey, Leo?â Mikey asked, when the movie Bolt was over and Raph was snoring and Donnie was a tiny ball tucked under the snapperâs sprawled arm. Mikey knew that Leo would still be awake.
Sure enough, Leo said, âYeah?âÂ
âWhy donât you cry when youâre sad?â
For a little while, the only sound besides Raphâs honking snores was the song playing on TV as the credits rolled. I made a wish upon a star, I turned around, and there you were, the song went.Â
âPeople donât like kids who cry,â Leo finally said. âNo one will want me if I donât behave.â
Mikey blinked, turning his head to find Leoâs face in the dark. His heart was twisting around unhappily in his chest. It hurt.Â
âRaph cries all the time but we still want him,â Mikey said. âHeâs Raph.â
âYeah, of course,â Leo said quickly.
âAnd I cry, too,â Mikey added, the hurt moving up into his throat. âPeople want me.â
âBecause youâre the best, Angie,â Leo told him. âYou guys are the best.â
âWhoever told you that stuff before lied,â Mikey said, clinging to his hand. âThey lied. Youâre my Leo, and you belong here, and we want you. Donât ever leave us no matter what. Okay?â
Leo nodded, short and punchy. He was shivering like he was cold. Mikey scooted over so he could curl into Leoâs side, because he was a lot of things, but he was a little brother first. And sometimesâwhen that meant that he was always welcome, and arms would always open for him, and he could snuggle in and be held tight no matter whatâthat was the best first thing to be.Â
âPromise?â he checked.
Leo turned his face, so he could press his cheek to the top of Mikeyâs head, and whispered, âPromise.â
The thing Mikey remembered the most vividly about that injured bird they once found was how restless it had been. How ready to fly it was. All it needed was room to get better and grow a little more. A safe place to land.Â
âLook at this guy,â Dad had said the morning they released it, smiling at the eager noises happening in the shoebox in his hands, âready to leave us in the dust.âÂ
âWill he come back?â Raphie asked.
âI donât think so, my dear. This isnât his home.â
It was Leoâs home, though. His place to come back to. They just had to keep showing him that theyâd catch him. It wasnât scary to fall down here, because someone would always catch him. Â
ââ
A true photographic memory had never been proven, but Donatello was a scientific marvel in more ways than just the obvious. He remembered everything he had ever seen. The farther back his memories went the less clarity they retained, until they were mostly just emotion given body and movementâbut they still were.
When Donnie, Mikey and Raphie found the shrine in Papaâs room, and Papa sat them all down to explain that they used to have another brother, who couldnât be with them anymore, Donnie suddenly remembered a steady weight on his shell. He remembered not being able to settle for bed unless the weight was there, clicking and purring until they both drifted off to sleep.Â
Oh, he thought, weâre orphans.Â
The thought didnât make sense, because Donnie knew what the definition of orphan was, and their parent hadnât died. He had never abandoned them. He was, at that moment, gently wiping tears off Raphieâs face and trying to come up with answers for Mikeyâs endless questions that didnât all boil down to life is unfair.Â
But it was the only word that felt weighty enough for the truth of it all.Â
Donnie was a brother who had lost a brother. A twin who wasnât a twin anymore. There wasnât a word for that. He looked it up.Â
And then, when Donnie was eight years old, he didnât need a word for it anymore.Â
When he had imagined Leonardo growing up, he imagined someone who was just like him in every way. Someone who understood him effortlessly because they were two halves of a whole. Ten minutes after meeting him again, Donatello felt silly about his initial hypothesis.Â
Of course his twin would be his polar oppositeâthey filled in each otherâs empty spaces. Leonardo, who was friendly and talkative, spoke up when Donnieâs voice failed him; Donatello, who was observant and defiant, had no trouble baring his teeth at every hurt that Leonardo would have let roll off his back.Â
Leonardo lied with every inch of his body and he did it cheerfully; Donnie would always default to the truth even if a lie would have been kinder. Donnie wanted so badly to be close to his brothers but didnât always know how to get there, a closed door standing between them that he didnât have a key to; Leonardo had never met a locked door he couldnât circumvent and pointed out a neat shortcut here, a handy window there.Â
Leo took Donnieâs hand and led the way forward; Donnie held on tight and made sure Leo didnât stumble, since he was always looking up and never down.Â
They found each other in the middle. Maybe if theyâd had that middle place all along, Donnie would be able to communicate better, and Leo wouldnât need to pretend so much. Maybe thatâs still the way things would be one day. Donnie imagined a drawing of them, purple leaking past his lines and blue leaking out of Leo, like Mikeyâs watercolors mixing on the page, spreading until they filled every gap, completing the picture.
All four turtles were in the dojo, doing cool-down stretches. Mikey had skipped the post-exercise routine and moved on to rolling around on his carapace instead, singing Fireflies to himself with twice as much energy as Owl City. Raph just rolled his eyes and made sure to step around and over his littlest brother as he cleaned up.Â
Splinter, who had been checking his phone repeatedly all afternoon, stood up swiftly and said, âYou boys stay here and finish up. I think weâll order in for supper today, so agree on something or I will order the worst soup you can think of. â
Mikey stopped rolling and sat up with a horrified gasp, because he had opinions about soup.Â
âManhattan Clam Chowder!âÂ
Ignoring that, Splinter said, âI will be right back.â
Donnie watched Leo watch him go, and knew that his twinâs mind was racing even though his breezy smile hadnât budged an inch. Leo worried constantly, maybe even more than Raphie did. He was always buzzing with what-ifs, like his brain was a jar filled with angry beesâwhat if he did something wrong? What if he made someone mad? What if he was too noisy, took too much at supper, didnât help enough with chores, what if, what if, what if?Â
Donnie knew, because sometimes Leo told him. After bedtime, when they had to whisper so Splinterâs keen ears wouldnât catch them staying up late, sometimes Leo would ask, âDid I mess up today?âÂ
And Donnie would have to jerk his thoughts onto this new trackâthis crooked, narrow road that Leo was always running on, with its confusing roundabouts and bridges to nowhere and unpayable tolls.Â
He wanted to say that Leo could mess up a billion times and still never reach the end of Donnieâs love. Like how the unobservable universe was so big that light from the Big Bang still hadnât reached Earth from over there. It was as big as that.Â
But Donnie struggled with words even when they werenât monumentally important ones. And Leoâs face would look so afraid in the dim light of the glow-in-the-dark stickers on the ceiling, those constellations in Leoâs new room that matched the ones in Donnieâs down to the last star. He would be convinced that this was the day he did something bad enough that Papa sent him away. It didnât matter that that would never happen, because even impossible things could be scary. Â
So instead of what he wanted to say, Donnie would tell him, âYou were good.âÂ
It would always make his brother smile and sink into the pillow, like all that worry was the only thing propping him up. Then they would talk about a hundred other things until they forgot to whisper, and Papa or Raph inevitably found them out and carted a giggling Leo or an unrepentant Donnie off to his own room.Â
One day, Donnie was determined to make it stick. Even if Leonardo was the worst person in the whole world, he would still be Donatelloâs person. That made him the best. It was unquantifiable. No one was a better subject matter expert than Donnie was. Heâd stake the scientific reputation he didnât have yet on it in a heartbeat.Â
For now, he nudged Leoâs knee with his foot.Â
âHey,â Donnie said, âletâs be ninjas.â
Leoâs smile turned into the grin that Donnie preferred, the crooked laughing one. He only cared about good behavior when he thought he was being graded on it. Otherwise he was the first to encourage sneakiness, because if there was one thing Leonardo believed in, it was having all the information available all the time.Â
Donnie knew that was how Leo kept himself safe in those other places he lived in before he came home, those places he didnât like to talk about. The ones that taught him not to cry when he was sad and not to hide in his shell when he was scared.Â
If there was one thing Donatello believed in, it was that Leo should feel safe, even if that meant breaking a rule or two or a hundred.Â
âWhere do you two think youâre going?â Raphie said suspiciously before theyâd made it more than two steps. âPops said to stay here.â
âOr else weâll get gross soup,â Mikey piped up. âInstead of really good soup, like creamy chicken chili. Or minestrone!â
âAngie, itâs too hot outside for soup,â Leo said patiently, verbally dodge-rolling Raphâs question by humoring Mikey. âIf we ordered a bunch of soup the delivery person would cry. You donât want taco salad in a tortilla bowl? Or an Italian hero with extra pickled cherry peppers?â
Reminded of the whole wide world of food delivery possibilities, Mikey started rattling off all of his favorite meals without pausing for inconsequential things like air. Raph sighed, because it instantly became twenty times harder to agree on supper. Leo beamed up at him, like he didnât just do that on purpose.
Donnie knew an opening when he saw one and slipped out of the dojo first, following the sound of Splinterâs voice to the front of the lair.Â
â...havenât told him you were coming. I did not want to give him a reason to be anxious all day,â Papa was saying, sounding anxious himself. âHeâs so prone to worry, it just eats him up. I thought once you arrived, I would go back in and let him know you were here, and weâdâget it rolling fast, get him all swept up, so he didnât have a chance to be afraid.â
âDad knows best,â an unfamiliar voice said kindly.Â
It made Donnieâs spine go straight, all of his attention sharpening to a point at this sudden proof of a stranger in his home talking about his twin. He inched forward on silent feet to peer around the corner.Â
A big creature stood with Splinter, a few inches taller than him and covered from nose to tail in large overlapping scales. She had a curved spine that created a hunched-forward posture and a long narrow head similar to an anteaterâs. With the big tote bag hanging off her arm and the green sundress she was wearing, she looked like an animal librarian straight out of one of Mikeyâs chapter books.Â
She didnât seem dangerous. But Donatello watched her with narrowed eyes and wished he hadnât left his bo behind in the dojo.Â
âAs for moving,â Splinter was saying, âI am still uncertain. My boys would be able toâto go to school, and make friends, and play in the sun. That would mean the world to me. But the house in Neo Edo needs a lot of work, and the Hidden Cities are dangerous, too. For a multitude of reasons.âÂ
âAnd you have family here in New York, as well,â the stranger said, her tone understanding. âIt is a lot to consider. You havenât brought up the possibility to the children yet?â
âI havenât. Blueâs life has been in upheaval enough as it is. I wanted him to have more of a chance to get settled. Besides, it is not a decision that needs to be made right away. We can discuss it as a family and decide together.â
âOf course, Hamato-san,â the stranger said warmly. âThese follow-up assessments are mandatory, and, Iâll admit, an excuse for me to visit with my little ones again. But there isnât a doubt in my mind that youâre doing right by him.âÂ
Donnie let go of his suspicion just long enough to wonder about the possibility of moving away from New York City. He wouldnât want to be apart from April and Aunt June for any extra amount of time. But it sounded like he would be able to go to school in that Neo Edo place and he would like that a lot.Â
âHere I am,â Leoâs voice said in a whisper as he stepped up beside Donnie. He was holding his bokken across his shoulder, probably because he wouldnât have had a chance to store it properly and come listen in on Papaâs conversation without Raphie catching him again. âWhatâd I miss?â
But he was already looking around the corner for himself, and that smiling expression he was wearing changed in a heartbeat to something pale and shocked. His arms fell to his sides.Â
âMiss Toto? Why is she here?â
His voice was too loud. Both adults glanced over at where Donnie and Leo were standing, and Donnie felt caught. But Leo took a couple quick steps closer, dragging his sword behind him like he didnât care at all that the shiny finish might get scuffed on the concrete.Â
Papa looked pale himself somehow. âBlueââ
âAm I going back?â Leo said, getting louder. âAre you giving me back? Why? What did I do?â
âYou didnât do anything,â the stranger said, hands clutched tight in front of her chest. Her eyes were wide. âItâs okay, sweetheart.âÂ
âNo, you said!â Leo shouted at Splinter. âYou said, you said you wouldnât, you said I could stay, you said I was good! I was good, I was! I did everything Iâm supposed to!âÂ
âBaby, I would never send you away, â Splinter said, arms open to scoop him up, but Leo stumbled backwards out of reach. Leo couldnât hear him or anybody else, heaving in frantic gulping breaths.Â
The sword in his hand started to glow, as if a light had turned on inside it and was shining through patterns carved up and down its length, even though the whole thing was solid wood and didnât have any carvings a light could shine out of. The shine got brighter and bluer until Donnie had to squeeze his eyes closed against the glare.Â
When he opened them again Leo was gone, but the light was left right where heâd been standingâa perfect circle cut out of thin air, the color of the sky in summertime. It was humming, the way things with an electrical charge hummed, and spinning as playfully as a pinwheel.
âOh, my spirits,â Miss Toto breathed.Â
âDid he just,â Splinter croaked out.Â
Of course, Donnie thought, finally solving that big puzzle in the back of his mind. Â
Donatello was the first of Leoâs siblings to notice the healed burns on his hands, if the others had noticed them at all. Faint discolorations, smoother than the rest of his textured skin. They didnât seem to hurt anymore but Donnie worried about them anyway.Â
He had gone straight to Splinter with his observations, hovering at the other side of the kitchen table waiting to be acknowledged; but Splinter had been too engrossed in the contents of a folder to notice the round eyes level with the tabletop staring unblinkingly at him, like a fox stalking a bird.
âPapa,â he said. Splinter jolted in his seat, slopping tea over the rim of his mug. Â
âHolyâPurple! You will give me a heart attack one day, and then who will feed you?â He closed the folder and turned his chair, and Donnie trotted around to his side. âWhatâs up, buttercup?â
âLeo burned his hands,â Donnie said. Â
Splinterâs face did something funny, and he asked quickly, âDid he hurt himself just now?âÂ
âNo. They were there already. How?âÂ
âAh. How did it happen?â he clarified. Donnie nodded, and Splinter weighed his words for a moment before he said, âA few days before he came to live with us, the house where Blue took his kendo lessons caught on fire. But someone rescued himâplucked him and his friend right out of danger and left them safe in a basket of clean blankets. We are all very lucky.âÂ
Donnie had shivered, and bonked his forehead against Splinterâs arm so his father knew to wrap him up in a tight hug until the shivering stopped. He didnât want to think about Leo trapped in a fire, so instead he thought about the person who had rescued him.Â
âWho?â he asked when he could manage it.
âWho saved them? No one seems to know,â Splinter said. âThe boys only remembered a blue light.âÂ
Leo saved himself, Donatello realized now. He always saved himself. It was the only thing that made sense. The proof was right in front of them, burning like a star in the living room.Â
But now the edges of the circle were wobbling, and then compressing, the whole thing beginning to shrink. A door closing, with his twin on the other side.Â
Donatello didnât need to think about it. He heard a cut-off gasp from the scaly anteater, and Papa yelled âPurple!â but he was already running. He ducked his head to clear the top arc and hopped over the bottom, disappearing neatly through the blue seconds before it dwindled into nothing.Â
In just one step, he had gone from the lair under New York to a big open countryside. Heâd never seen so much greenery in his life. It was cooler here, and quieterâeven with the rush of the river nearby, it was easily half the average decibel level of Manhattan. He could smell fish and sesame oil and salt, a hint of smoke, damp woodâtown must have been behind him. Ahead of him, the footpath he was standing on winded away toward the water.
Donnie headed forward. There was a big house up the hill to his left and he could hear other children there. But the door hadnât taken him to the house. It had led him here, trudging through mud and weeds along the bank, until he rounded the bend and found exactly who he was looking for.Â
On the opposite shore, Leo was hiding under a rocky outcrop, where the stones of a towering cliffside formed a secret alcove. Sunken boulders in the water created a natural ford where Donnie could cross and he plunged right in.Â
Leo must have heard him coming, but he stayed curled up small. He was crying so hard his face was red and his eyes were squeezed shut, which made Donnieâs eyes sting, too. He hated when his siblings cried. He hated not knowing how to fix it. One day heâd invent a solution for everything that hurt them.
Until then, heâd crawl into this muddy hole, and scratch his knees and palms on the rocks, and put his arms around his twin. It was the right thing to do because it was what Raphie and Mikey would do. It made Leo cry even harder, and that hurt Donnieâs heart more than anything else in his whole life ever had, but he just held on tight. Heâd be one of those stones that the river crashed against. Nothing would move him until he decided to move.Â
When Leo quieted into hiccups and wet-sounding sniffles, Donnie thought it was safe enough to let go of him with one hand. He used the other to wipe Leoâs puffy face with the balled-up end of his purple sleeve.Â
âDonât leave again,â Donnie said. âYou promised Mikey.â
âI donât want to,â Leo choked out. âBut theyââÂ
âThat anteater wasnât there to take you away,â Donnie told him matter-of-factly. âOtherwise Papa would have caused a scene. She was just there to visit. It sounds like we have a house around here somewhere, and Papa is thinking about moving. But he hasnât decided yet. If we did move, youâd come, too.âÂ
Leo pulled back to stare at him, all dirty and wet and miserable. After a moment, he mumbled, âMiss Toto is a pangolin. Anteaters donât have scales. Youâre dumb.â
âYouâre dumb,â Donnie replied, heart lifting like a balloon at Leo sounding more like Leo. âPapa will never let anyone take you away. You donât have to be good all the time.â His twinâs eyes fell down to look at the muddy stones between them. He didnât say anything, but Donnie could tell he didnât believe it yet. So Donnie presented the facts: âRaph is bossy and acts like heâs right even when heâs wrong. Mikey never does what heâs supposed to and makes huge messes with his paints and cries when he gets in trouble. And Iâm mean. And I bite. But Papa loves us, even when he says we make him want to tear his hair out. And he loves you.â
âHow do you know?â Leo asked, like heâd like to be convinced, but he was still clutching at his old truths instead of this new one.Â
âBecause I know everything,â Donnie told him plainly. âIâm smarter than you and the older twin so you have to listen to me.âÂ
Leo made a quiet noise somewhere between crying and laughing. His eyes were gold like Donnieâs. Would that ever stop being amazing? Probably not. Here was Donnieâs other half, the most important part of his heart, back where he belonged. He really was dumb if he thought Donnie was ever going to lose him again. Â
They walked hand in hand to the house on the hill, which turned out to be the orphanage where Leo used to live. A few of the kids in the yard gave them strange looks, but Leo didnât stop to say hi to any of them, which told Donnie everything he needed to know.Â
A boy with amphibian features stepped right in their way. He had big protruding eyes and webbed hands and a round, flat head. His mouth stretched from ear to ear when he opened it to call out, âBack already, Lucky?âÂ
It caused a twitch to pass through Leoâs whole body, not a flinch but not not a flinch, either. He smiled back automatically, and Donnie knew he was about to play along with whatever mean joke was being played on him, because Leo was smart and always knew what the quickest way out of a bad place was.Â
But Donnie was smart, too. And he didnât care about getting out as much as he cared about getting results.
He stopped in his tracks and twisted his head around on his neck in the way that always freaked April out. She said it made him look like an alien from a horror movie, so naturally Donnie practiced it in the mirror a bunch of times.Â
Heâd never had the chance to use it on anyone else until now. He was pleased with the way it made everyone in the yard stand really still.Â
âYou know turtles eat frogs, right?â Donnie said. âI heard they taste good with ginger and scallions.â
Heard from his baby brother who had an unhealthy obsession with the Food Network, anyway.Â
The frog boy shut right up, his throat ballooning defensivelyâprey instinct to make himself a more difficult meal.Â
âIt was nice to see you guys,â Leo said brightly to the terrorized crowd of his former foster siblings, circling behind Donnie and pushing him bodily into the house. Once the door was closed behind them, he added, âThey all think youâre an oni now! It was just a nickname, Tello.â
âGood,â Donnie said, smug. âAnd itâs not just a nickname if you hate it, Nardo.â
Leo took his hand again and led him down the hall. There was a landline phone in the matronâs office that they could use to call Papa. It seemed like a majority of the kids were out of the house, making the most of the sunny day, because they didnât run into anyone else.
âItâs âcause Iâm bad luck,â Leo said suddenly. âTurtlesâyou know, in the storiesâtheyâre good. Since I kept coming back to the orphanage, the older kids started saying itâs âcause my luck got messed up. Thatâs why they call me that.â
âYouâre not bad luck,â Donnie said, wishing heâd taken a good bite out of that frog kid after all. âYouâre the luckiest thing that ever happened to me and Mikey and Raph and April and Papa and Aunt June. Thatâs a lot of luck for one turtle and you saved all of it for us. But if you donât like that name I wonât let anyone call you that anymore.â
Leo hesitated long enough that Donnie knew he was about to do something very brave, like tell the truth, even though a lie would be safer.Â
Sure enough, he said, âI donât like it.âÂ
Donnie nodded. Heâd make sure their brothers and sister knew, too. Â
The door slammed open again behind them. Donnie turned around, ready to pick another fight with another stupid bully and maybe show off his sharp canines this time, but the kid who appeared in the hallway wasnât one of the ones theyâd passed by in the yard.Â
It was a white rabbit with long ears tied in a topknot. He had a bokken strapped to his back, glossy black where Leoâs was cherry red, handle wrapped in gray cord instead of blue. The rabbit was completely out of breath, bracing himself with a hand against the wall while his shoulders heaved, and he stared straight at Donnieâs brother like Leo would disappear into thin air if he so much as blinked.
âI saw the blue light and ran all the way here,â he huffed. âGive me your hand.â
Donnie bristled at this stranger telling his twin what to do, but Leoâs face was pure sunshine. He shoved his hand out immediately and the rabbit took it, neither of them bothering with so much as a hello. Uncapping a marker with his teeth, the rabbit scrawled something on the inside of Leoâs palm.Â
âThis is my new phone number,â he said, not letting go of Leoâs hand even when he was done writing and the marker was put away. âWhen you didnât call at our usual time, Auntie asked if you even knew her number, and I realized you only had the number for our house that burned down. And when I called here, Miss Toto said Iâd just missed you. And Suzy said you got adopted for real and went to live in New York and werenât coming back.âÂ
His eyes were big and wet and his mouth was wobbling, but he stubbornly wasnât crying. From this close, Donnie could see the charm dangling from the guard of his wooden swordâa little blue turtle.Â
âDonât ever disappear again, Stripes,â the rabbit said. âWe promised to stick together forever.â
âForever, Snowy,â Leo told him, in his voice that meant he meant it. âI always come back.â
It wasnât until Donatello and the rabbit were sitting in the den, watching two tiny sheep yokai kill each other for their turn on an ancient Nintendo 64 while Leo used the corded landline in the office, that introductions were made.Â
âWho are you?â Donnie demanded bluntly. Heâd heard enough about âSnowyâ that he could probably write the guyâs biography if he had to, but somehow Leo had never mentioned his best friendâs actual name.Â
âUsagi Yuichi,â the rabbit replied. He hesitated, sizing Donatello up, then asked, âAre you his family? His actual one?â
âIâm his twin,â Donnie said, feeling prickly and overprotective. Heâd only had Leo for thirty-two days and he would defend his spot in Leoâs life with violence if the situation called for it. âHe has a big brother and a little brother at home, too. He doesnât need any more than that.â So there, he thought.Â
To his credit, Yuichi got the gist of Donnieâs bottom line quickly. Instead of any of the reactions Donnie was waiting for, Yuichi wrinkled his nose.
âYuck, I donât want to be his brother. Iâm going to marry him someday.â
Donnie considered that carefully, and decided it was acceptable. They shook on it then quickly jumped apart when Leo wandered back into the room. He collapsed on the sofa between them with a gusty sigh. Â
âI think weâre grounded,â he said. âBut everyone was shouting too much for me to be sure. Theyâre coming to get us now. Splinter said stay in this exact spot and wait for him or heâll have a conniption. Whatâs a conniption?â
âIt means heâll cry a lot,â Donnie replied.Â
âI donât know how to get to New York,â Yuichi piped up, frowning. âNee-chan says itâs really big, too. How am I supposed to visit?â
Leo slid his bokken from his belt and laid it across his lap. There wasnât a single etching or carving on it anywhere, the glossy lacquered finish completely unbroken. If Donnie hadnât seen those strange glowing runes for himself earlier, heâd have a hard time believing in them now.Â
âWhen I really need to go somewhere, a door opens,â Leo said. âIt happened when your house burned up, Snow. We were trapped inside but I got us out. Iâve never done it on purpose before but I think IÂ could. Maybe.â
âNot by yourself,â Donnie said immediately. He didnât want Leo to get the wrong idea that his family would let him go traipsing off through magic windows all alone. âOr Papa really will have a conniption.â
Leo smiled down at his hands, that crooked, happy smile. He didnât say anything, which Donnie knew meant he still didnât believe it all the way yet, but he would someday. He was too smart not to.Â
When Splinter arrived nearly two hours later, Donnie didnât notice him at first. He and Leo were busy conducting experiments, since they had a magical sword on hand and some time to kill. They had collected a bit of a crowd at that point, Leoâs actual friends clustered around himâincluding a tiny otter who made it abundantly clear why Leo was a professional Mikey-wrangler within seconds of meeting the kidâas he tried to make his bokken glow again.Â
âItâs not gonna work,â Niji said with absolute authority. Her scales were teal for now and she kept hitting Leoâs foot with her tail to be annoying on purpose. âOr it wouldâve worked already.â
âGoogle how many tries it took to invent the lightbulb and get back to me,â Donnie replied without looking up, scribbling notes on the back of an algebra worksheet he stole from a bookbag lying on the floor nearby. The lizard girl hissed at him and he hissed right back.Â
âYour brotherâs mean,â the tiny otter dangling over Leoâs shoulders said with obvious delight. âHe made Midori cry.âÂ
Midori was, of course, the frog yokai that Donnie had threatened to eat. Word got around quickly it seemedâhalf the room was keeping a healthy distance from the turtles. Donnie tried not to look smug about it, but he didnât try very hard.Â
âHeâs nice to me,â Leo said, squinting in concentration. âI think he only makes bullies cry.â
âDoesnât Midori make fun of you, Renren?â Yuichi asked, poking the otterâs diamond-shaped nose.Â
âYup!â Ren wriggled happily, getting in everyoneâs way, obnoxious and noisy and loved for it. âThatâs why Kokoâs brother is mean and cool. Next time Midori tries to call me a name, Iâll show him the picture Suzy took of his face all puffed up like a balloon!â
âI shouldnât encourage this,â the Suzy in question, a fluffy owl named Susumu, said primly. âBut Midori is such a jerk. I made like twenty copies of the photo in case Miss Toto finds out.âÂ
âThen I expect to find twenty copies on my desk before bedtime, young lady,â Miss Toto announced firmly, and a ripple of chaos spread through the room as a dozen kids realized their guardian had come home without warning. Even some of the ones who werenât actually doing something wrong scattered with the ones who should have been working on chores or homework.Â
Thatâs when Donnie realized Splinter was standing in the doorway, looking like heâd just been watching over them for a little while.Â
He waved and said, âHi, Papa. I found Leo.âÂ
âDonât you wave at me,â Splinter snapped. âYou are in so much trouble, mister. Jumping face-first into a portal! Who raised you?â
âIs that a trick question? I donât like those.â
Leo shrugged Ren off his shoulders and stood up fast, shoving both his sword and the otter into Yuichiâs arms. When he faced Splinter, he looked like he wanted to hide inside his shell and live there forever, but he only hunched his shoulders and tucked his chin instead.Â
âIt was my fault,â he managed to say. âI yelled at you and ran away and Iâm sorry. Iâm really sorry. I wonât ever do it again. Iâll beââÂ
But by then, Splinter had crossed the room in a few swift strides, and scooped Leo up into his arms the way heâd wanted to back in the lair, and Leo was too startled to speak.
âYou canât just disappear like that, Blue!â Splinter chided fiercely. âRed and Orange are frantic, June keeps forgetting herself and trying to call the police, April just about stormed the Hidden Cities on her own, and I was ready to sell my soul to the nearest witch for another finding spell! It is a whole mess back home!âÂ
He rubbed his furry cheek on the top of Leoâs head and closed his eyes. It was the closest Donatello had ever seen his father get to tears and it made him feel uneasy. Donnie shoved his notes into Yuichiâs already-full hands and scrambled over to tug at the front of Splinterâs jacket. He was lifted up immediately and Splinter held them both.Â
âYou are my precious treasures, and I had no idea where you were. Do you have any idea how frightened I was?â Splinter said.Â
Donnie watched Leoâs face wobble and scrunch up miserably as he struggled not to cry again. His twin was the only person heâd ever met as stubborn as him. Â
âSorry,â Leo mumbled, âsorry, Iâm sorry.âÂ
Papaâs next breath shuddered out of him. He squeezed them extra tight, and kissed each of their foreheads, and then said, âItâs okay. Itâs okay now. We are all going to go home, and have a long talk after this, but it is okay .â He looked right at Leo until Leo nodded slowly. Then he added, âBut youâre both grounded until youâre at least thirty! You are never leaving my sight again! If you think Iâm joking, you have another thing coming!âÂ
It was his silly-scolding voice, and it soothed the last of Donnieâs worries. Leoâs worries werenât gotten rid of so easily, but somehow he managed to have more hope inside him than fear.Â
So he was brave enough to lay his head on Splinterâs shoulder and say, âOkay, Papa.âÂ
That surprised Papa so much he nearly fell over. The tiny yokai children in his path squawked in alarm, and Donatello laughed because the suddenness of the almost-fall made his stomach swoop.Â
A moment later, just a second behind, Leonardo laughed, too.Â
ââ
When Leonardo was fourteen years old, he split his time between the yokai world and the human world almost evenly.Â
Neo Edo was where their ancestral house was and where they went to school. It was where they had nosey neighbors and block parties and parents night at the junior high, where people recognized Leonardo and his brothers at a glance and collectively referred to them as âYoshiâs boysâ.
But there was a part of Leonardoâs heart that belonged to New York City. His portals to the lair always opened up easily, even eagerly, giving the truth of the thing away to anyone who knew what to look for.Â
It was home. The first one Leonardo had ever had that he could believe was his to keep.Â
âBlue,â Splinter called from the doorway of the living room, pausing on his way through to the kitchen, âwhat are you doing?âÂ
Leo, more out of boredom than anything else, was poking Raph in the face while he tried valiantly to read the last chapter of his book, and then looking innocently away every time his big brother leveled a glare at him.Â
âNothing, daddy,â Leo called back in his sweetest voice.
âOrange, what is Blue doing?â Splinter tried next.Â
âInvoking the Cain Instinct,â Mikey answered without lifting his eyes from his canvas, three days in on his latest painting and fully in that headspace where time and space didnât exist and he would only eat if someone physically put a sandwich or something in his free hand. That didnât stop him from knowing exactly what his brothers were up to at any given point. Â
âFor what purpose?â Splinter asked.
âDee went to pick up April from work and the twins are like ninety percent of each otherâs impulse control,â Mikey said. âAlso Lee is just like that as a person.âÂ
âThatâs true,â Splinter conceded, and stayed to watch the show. Â
When Raph finally slammed his book down it was Leoâs cue to gleefully scramble to his feet and run for his life. He shrieked with laughter when he was caught and scooped right off the floor in seconds.Â
Raphâs act of revenge was aggressively nuzzling the top of Leoâs head with his cheek, rumbling playful turtle sounds at him that wouldnât have convinced a single living person that he was actually angry. Â
Leo could have hidden in his shell if he wanted toâand no one would yell at him for it, or threaten to crack it open to get him back out, or do anything more than carry it as carefully as they carried Mikeyâs until they found a comfy place to put it downâbut he didnât want to.Â
Ever since he was a little kid who first crawled under his big brotherâs blanket after a nightmare, who first learned to skate while holding onto his big brotherâs hands, he knew where he was safe.Â
âIs that the sound of Nardo making someoneâs life more difficult than it needs to be?â Donnieâs voice rolled drolly from the entrance of the lair. âNote my tone of utter disbelief.â
Leo squirmed around in Raphâs arms until he could free one hand and make a grabby motion toward the sound of his twin. Even if he couldnât see him, he could smell him, and Donnie had definitely come home with Starbucks.Â
âIâm rolling my eyes,â Donnie said, but he crossed the room and put an iced coffee in Leoâs waiting hand anyway.Â
âBoys, I got the keys to the roof!â April hollered from the turnstiles. âItâs go-time, baby!â
âWhat roof?â Splinter asked suspiciously.Â
âOne that Iâm definitely allowed to be at and have keys for,â his honorary daughter replied, lifting her chin. Not even the FBI would be able to crack her.Â
Raph set Leo on his feet, then swiped his cup away and took an annoying slurp before Leo managed to snatch it back.Â
âYou donât even like coffee!â he complained.Â
âBig brother tax,â Raph replied unrepentantly, making his way over to begin the perilous undertaking of extracting Mikey from his creative process without losing a finger.Â
âTry not to end up on the news,â Splinter said, knowing when to pick his battles. âApril, you are in charge. Red, you are also in charge. Blue, you are in charge in a third and different way.âÂ
âCan I be in charge of Donnie?â Mikey asked, raising a paint-smeared hand.
âOf course you can, Orange,â their dad said.Â
âIâm running away,â Donnie announced to the lair as a whole.Â
The familiar noise washed over Leo like sunshine. He totally understood why regular turtles could bask in that stuff for hours. He sipped his latte and drew a gleaming silver katana from over his shoulder, an ancient bunny charm dangling from its bright blue guard.Â
Leo smiled up at Splinter as he passed him in the doorway, never missing an opportunity to duck in for a hug. His dad always tucked him under his chin and held him tight, as if he was still that little eight-year-old boy terrified to death of being abandoned.Â
âHave fun, my Baby Blue,â Splinter said. âAnd if you donât come home with a cheesecake for your poor father, donât bother coming home at all.âÂ
Leo snorted and started to laugh, and by then Mikey had had enough lingering around, whining at the top of his lungs, âCome on, Lee, letâs go already! Itâs Cannonball Day!â
âYeah, Fearless, lead the way,â Raph rumbled fondly.
Donnie stood there watching him with steady gold eyes exactly like his own, and said, âWeâre all waiting for you.â
Leo grew up in an orphanage, an unwanted bad omen, and now he had two houses and two hometowns. He was one of four brothers and he loved them with a conviction that he hadnât known existed outside of storybooks when he was a child. He had a shortcut home from anywhere and a family who would fight god to keep him.Â
Hamato Leonardoâwho was called Koko by his old friends, and Stripes by his best friend, and would always be Blue to his dadâwas a very lucky turtle.Â
#rottmnt#rise of the tmnt#disaster twins#hamato leonardo#lou jitsu#hamato donatello#hamato michelangelo#hamato raphael#portal duo#a team#ratdad#my writing#tmnt fic#acewithapaintbrush#orphan leo au
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"to be loved is to be remembered" - a mini series by @cosmicalily. view series masterlist, and outline here
2. semantic memory | yang jeongin x fem!reader
semantic memory: a type of explicit memory that is categorised as general knowledge and information accumulated throughout an individualâs life.
author's note: oh, i missed writing for jeongin!! i was going to revert to my typical best friends to lovers but i decided to change it up (barely) and do roommates instead last minute! thank you for all the love on my seungmin fic, i hope you enjoy this one too!
Yang Jeongin was a good roommate.Â
He was reasonably quiet, but not uncomfortably so. He didnât talk all the time, but he still joked around with you. He was clean and organised, but not meticulous or irritating about it. He did things without you asking; washed the dishes when you were staying up late to work on assignment, ordered you a Caesar salad and fries whenever he got takeout from his favourite Italian place, and always took whatever laundry you had with him when he went to wash his clothes.Â
When you went grocery shopping, you knew his favourite beer and ramyeon, and would always buy them for him. When you watered your plants, youâd always water his too, the ones he kept along the windowsill of his bedroom and on the balcony.Â
And apparently, when the air conditioning in his bedroom broke in the middle of summer, youâd let him temporarily move into your room. Or at least, thatâs what youâd just told him.
âReally? Are you sure?â he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. âYou donât have to. Iâm sure I can find a fan or something.â
You nodded. âYeah, I donât mind. Honestly. I donât do a lot of sleeping during the night anyway.â
âYouâre always studying,â Jeongin rolled his eyes playfully.
âAnd youâre never studying, yet you somehow do so well in your classes. It pisses me off,â you groaned, giving him a light shove. âAnyway, you get the floor. Do you want some help migrating?â
The two of you dragged his mattress into your bedroom, out of breath and panting by the time it had been very unprettily dumped on your floor. He made the bed up with clean sheets, and offered to change yours as well. You thanked him, and told him youâd start making dinner.
When youâd finished, you called him, and he came out of your bedroom, shirt off, hair a little tousled. Your cheeks flushed pink and he raised an eyebrow at you in confusion.
âYou lookâŚnice,â you said awkwardly, handing him a beer.
âThanks?â he chuckled, mouth full of rice.
You sighed dramatically. âMost boys would return the compliment,â you shook your head as you opened your bottle of peach soju.Â
âYou always look nice. I tell you that all the time,â Jeongin replied, fumbling with the remote. âWhat show?â
âBrooklyn 99. And I always think youâre being sarcastic.â
âWe always watch fucking Brooklyn 99. And no, Iâm not. I thought that was obvious.â
âBecause itâs the best show! And itâs not that obvious, not to me!â You protested.
Jeongin put his beer down and turned to you. âIâm so confused, why are we having two conversations at once?â
âYou were the one who asked me two things.â
Jeongin pressed play on the episode. âOne of them was a statement, the other was a question. You do always look nice. Iâm not being sarcastic, Iâm not a dickhead.â
âSome would argue that,â you giggled, and he gave you a gentle shove.
âSome would argue youâre a bitch,â Jeongin sighed. âBut I put up with you.â
âBecause you think Iâm pretty?â you teased.Â
âBecause of the rent,â he corrected. âHow am I supposed to afford my own place in this economy? Although youâre a bonus, I suppose. Even if I have to watch Brooklyn 99 all the time and change your sheets.â
You kicked his shin. âYou offered!âÂ
He grabbed your leg with his hand and shifted it back into place, leaving his hand resting on your thigh. âShut up. Iâm trying to watch.â
âI thought you hated-â you laughed.
âOh for fuckâs sake,â Jeongin groaned, and he pinned you to the floor, tickling you until the two of you collapsed in a laughing heap, the show still running, dinner half eaten, drinks long forgotten.
The one thing youâd failed to mention to Jeongin was your habit of falling off the bed during the night. You were a professional tosser and turner, and that often ended up with you snapping out of your dreams face-down on the wooden floor, bruises littering your hips, knees and any other joint that was lucky enough to be the first to break your fall.
When you woke up, you were mortified to find yourself not on exposed hardwood, but on a mattress. With someone else, who was staring at you curiously.
âFuck!â you groaned, shoving your face into the sheets. âIâm sorry. When did I end up here?â
Jeongin checked his phone. âMaybe 4 am? I donât know, I didnât notice until I rolled over and somebodyâs face was in front of mine.â
âWhatâs the time now?â
âJust past 7.â
You rolled over and stared at the ceiling. âI should get up then.â
âYeah, me too,â Jeongin agreed, but neither of you made any attempt to move.
You looked around your room, interested in your lower perspective. It still looked empty, too similar to when youâd first moved in. Youâd been so caught up in studying and seeing your friends that you had forgotten to properly decorate your room.
âYour roomâs boring,â Jeongin commented, as if reading your mind.
âRude. But youâre right,â you agreed. âMaybe during the summer Iâll decorate it. Buy some posters, maybe find some new furniture on Facebook Marketplace.â
Jeongin nodded in approval. âI can help, if you want.â
âHow can I trust that youâll pick good home decor?â you rolled to face him, squinting.
âI know your taste, Iâve been living with you a year now,â Jeongin replied, scrolling through his phone. âTrust me, I donât think Iâve forgotten a single thing about you.â
You chuckled. âAw, do you have one of those lists with all my favourite things or something?â
âNope. Itâs all in here,â he tapped the side of his head, smiling playfully.
âReally?â
âYeah. Do you want me to prove it?â he asked, turning to face you, eyes serious.
âOkay, then Iâll do the same,â you agreed.
Jeongin ran a hand through his hair and set his phone down. âYour favourite fruits are peaches, but nectarines come a close second. If stone fruits arenât in season, youâll settle for citrus. Youâre prescribed an iron supplement, but you never take it, because you say it tastes like metal. Your favourite colour is pale blue, but it didnât match the personal colour analysis that app gave you and youâve been angry about it ever since. You drink with your friends, but donât like getting drunk while youâre out since you have a fear of being kidnapped. You havenât had a boyfriend since 12th grade, and youâre secretly in love with me,â he finished, eyes sparkling with mischief.
You rolled your eyes at his final statement. âAlright, Yang Jeongin. Youâre the youngest in your friendship group but hate being babied, and you wanted to be a primary school teacher growing up. Your favourite colour is green, and you can fit a whole slice of pizza in your mouth. You can actually sing decently well, but never do, and you actually love Brooklyn 99 more than I do. You love buying clothes, and your favourite place to do so is the vintage shop down the road, where you spend all of your time and all of your money. And, above all, you get no bitches.â
âDonât you classify as a bitch?â He laughed. âYou did well, though. Everything you said was right.â
âYou were right too,â you sighed. âI really thought you were going to say something insanely stupid that I could tease you for.â
Jeongin raised an eyebrow. âDid you forget that last statement?â
You ignored him. âI genuinely canât believe you know that much about me. Fuck, I have to hide more about myself. I hate being perceived.â
Jeongin chuckled in amusement. âI pay attention. Itâs weird hearing everything someone knows about you all at once. What am I supposed to do with that information?â
âI think we have to make out now,â you said casually.
He nodded, unsurprised. âI think we do.â
You shuffled closer, and he moved to lie above you, weight on his elbows. His eyes glittered, and his cheeks were tinged with peach. You smiled up at him, face warm and tingling. He leaned in, pressing his lips against yours softly, and you sighed into his mouth at the feeling. You moved your hands to cup his cheeks, deepening the kiss, pulling apart when you both lost your breath.
âYou were right,â you panted, lips swollen.Â
âAbout?â
âMe being secretly in love with you.â
He smiled. âWell, you were wrong. About me getting no bitches. It wouldnât be presumptuous to assume youâre my bitch, considering the fact that we just kissed?â
âI wonât be for long if you keep calling me that. Itâs girlfriend to you now,â you giggled, and he wrapped an arm around your torso, pulling you tight onto his chest.
#stray kids#kpop#skz#stray kids x reader#skz fic#stray kids fic#stray kids fluff#jeongin x reader#yang jeongin stray kids#skz jeongin x reader#jeongin fic#skz jeongin fic#stray kids jeongin fic#jeongin fluff#jeongin x you#jeongin x y/n#jeongin skz#yang jeongin skz#jeongin fluff fic#bangchan#lee know#changbin#hyunjin#han jisung#felix skz#seungmin#jeongin#jeongin x reader fic#jeongin oneshot#jeongin imagine
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*Our Toy*
Paring: OT8 x Reader (Fem)
Genre: Smut (literally just straight porn no real plot)
Warnings: Multiple orgasms, Multiple partners (basically Polly), Restraints, slight degrading, Lots of pet names, Creampie, unprotected sex, face fucking, Double Penetration, oral (both M/F receiving), tit smacks, overstimulation uhm?? I know I definitely probably missed some
Side note wrote this 2 days apart cause of work and I was half asleep for some of it so I hope it came out not jumbled around like it seems in my head.
Kink(s): Free Use + Sharing is caring lol
Ë ŕźâĄMaster List (Here) for the 1K Event
(The highly requested part two is here!)
-đŠľ
You have basically just become the boysâs fuck toy. What started off as a thought with bangchan ended up with you being free use for the rest of the members. What a good leader right? Letting them have fun with you to ease their stress, i mean in his own words âhow can i keep such a beautiful thing like you only for myself?â Is Chan your boyfriend? Yeah. And the others? They basically are too. Are you complaining though? 8 attractive men horning after you wanting all your attention and love?
ââââââ
You were sprawled out on the couch staring blankly at the tv as Felix laid on the other side of you. He had his arms lazily draped around you half watching the tv half asleep. As his eyes flickered open and close you moved yourself feeling yourself falling off the couch. You pushed your body back into the half awake boy, ass pushing firmly against his pelvis. He left out a soft whimper at the feeling, you not meaning it in anyway besides trying to get situated. He kissed your neck sweetly his arms pulling you into him even more as he slowly started to hump you. âAh- lixâ you said voice almost a whisper.
âIâm sorry do you want me to stop?â He asks his voice hazy. You shook your head no making him sigh out of relief. He placed his hands on your hips pushing his ever growing bulge against your clothed ass. His kisses were becoming sloppier as he started to suck at small spots. Both of you letting out barely audible moans at the friction. âLixâ you whimpered becoming needy. He ran his hands over your body, they caressed your breast playing with your nipples. âHow do you get me so horny so fastâ he whined against your skin.
His words made you giggle a little moving your hips back to meet his movements âsame reason you get me soaked so fastâ your words made his head reel. He pushed down his pants sprinting his cock free as he pulled yours down just enough to push his cock In. It nestled between your folds as he kept rutting into you. Your slick lubing him up as he moved. âShit- thereâs- thereâs no way Iâm lasting long.â He whined out. He gripped you tightly as he moved between your soaked lips.
As he slid in bottoming out you heard a door open, jisung rubbing his eyes as he came out for a drink. Felix didnât stop though he started to move slowly but deeply into you letting out Low groans. Jisung raised an eyebrow, sipping on his drink he made his way to the living room. His eyes lit up seeing the sight below him âshit- you two are hot as fuck.â He smirked. âLixie you sound like youâre bout ready to bustâ he teased the other boy.
âAgh well- yeah sheâs so- fuck- fucking warmâ he said rolling his head back to look at the boy âshe cum yet?â He questioned coming around to the other side. Looking at you both for an answer. âWe just- startedâ you said breathily. Jisung smirk grew âlet me help then. I mean Felix is already so close beautiful let me help you cumâ
Before he even had an answer from either of you he was pulling down your shorts more. Greeted by the sight of how soaked you were, his band mates cock fucking into you so nicely. Fuck. Fuck did you look so good. He attached his lips to your clit quickly like a hungry animal he started to suck. Your head flung back giving Felix a better angle to kiss your neck. As he pumped harshly into you, the man below you eating you like a feral animal your high was approaching fast. âJisung sheâs close- god her pretty pussy is clenching so tightly around me- fucking hell sheâs gonna milk me good.â
Jisung groaned hearing this moving his hand down to pump his own member as he kept giving your clit all the attention it needed. Felix pounding sloppily now into you as his high was close too. The scene unfolding was straight out of some porno. âCu- fuck Iâm cuming!â You practically screamed out cuming all over Felixâs cock as Jisung lapped up as much of your juices as he could. Felix was quick behind you as he reached his high fast feeling your warmth coat his cock as your walls clenched tightly around him. He came deep inside of you his body stuttering.
Jisung continued to suck at your overly sensitive clit before moving himself âwant to stay in with me lix?â He asked the boy who was breathing heavily behind you. âFuck yeahâ he panted. He moved you a bit trying to keep Felix buried deep in you. As he got you positioned he let his cock rub against you spiting on his tip before meeting it at your entrance. Your head was spinning with so much pleasure and of course you werenât gonna protest. He pushed into you slowly all three of you moaning out.
The feeling of Felix still inside of you, him being limp now but the extra girth driving you insane. Jisungs movements were fast and deep pushing around Felixâs cum with every thrust. âYou two are so fucked out itâs so cuteâ he said his voice a bit shaky. âY/n fuck you feel so goodâ he whined out. Felix brought his hand up to play with your clit as jisung leaned down to kiss you sloppily. His tongue instantly darting into your mouth as he sucked your lip between his teeth. Biting it ever so gently. âJisung!â You moaned into his mouth. Your hands flung around him nails digging into his back.
âFeel good?â He said between kissed. You nod yes as he continued âgon cum on my cock next beautiful? Please- let me feel itâ he moaned out letting his body fall to yours as his thrust were becoming erratic. âJi- close ah just like that. Felix donât stopâ you barked out at the feeling. Body shaking intensely as your high crashed over your walls now clenching around both of the men. Jisungs body stuttered at the feeling dumping all his cum deep inside of you. It mixing with Felixâs and your owns.
Felix went to grab a rag to help you get all cleaned up the 3 of you sitting there heads still reeling. âHow about I order some food?â Felix offers. You nod slowly laying your head down on Jisungs shoulder. âFood sounds perfect.â You said eyes half awake.
ââââââ
Sitting in the kitchen arguing back and forth with Minho you rolled your eyes at him. âOh whateverâ you say getting up to walk out before heâs pinning you against the wall. âExcuse me?â He said eyebrows furrowed looking at you. âIs that how you talk to me now hmm? Has it been that long since Iâve punished you?â He spat brining his hand up to your face to make you look at him. You choked out a small âIâ before he was pulling you down to the guest room.
He pushed you to the bed back hitting the soft mattress as he rummaged for something. Your eyes widened as you saw him pulling out the restraints. âMinho- Iâm sorryâ you stutter out âto late kittenâ he said with a smirk âgonna ruin you till you remember who youâre talking tooâ he said restraining your limbs. He pull down your pants, ripping your shirt off before getting on top of you. He had already pulled his pants down you not realizing it until his cock was staring right at you.
âOpen that brat mouth!â He growled making you whimper but quickly doing as he said. He gave you no mercy pushing all his length into you. He roughly fucked your face, his cock hitting the back of your throat. You gagged around his him making him chuckle âyou can take it all I know you can kittenâ he cooâd. He thrusted in and out of your mouth drool falling down your chin. âFuck- thereâs my kittenâ he said in a low groan. His head fell back as he used your mouth mercilessly he could feel his high coming but he didnât wanna cum just yet. Not before he could burry his cock deep into you.
He pulled out of your mouth with a popping sound, positioning himself at your entrance he looked up at you with hooded eyes. Seeing your face covered in drool made him smirk âsuch a messy kitten.â He said wiping it away. As he did so he slid his cock ever so slowly into you, hitting deep. He almost always could find the right angel to hit your G-spot. He started to fuck you sloppily knowing his high was already close. He slapped your breast slightly leaving a nice red print before he moved his hand to your throat.
You moaned at the pain, it feeling so pleasurable to you. Your walls clenched around him making him grunt in response âah kitten gonna cum already?â He teased when you didnât respond he let another smack to your breast. âI asked you a questionâ he growled out âuh fuck- yes mâsorryâ you replied quickly this time. âWho says youâre allowed to?â He grinned that devilish bunny grin before drilling you hard. Your head was so empty at this point âp-leaseâ you cried out feeling yourself reaching your high.
He thrusted in a few more times before spilling his cum deep inside of you. His thrusts almost all but stopped making you whine. âAwe did kitten not get to cum? Maybe next time youâll think twice about picking an argument with me.â He stated as he pulled out of you. The emptiness leaving you a whinny mess âno please-â you cry out a pout plastering your face. âDonât worry someone will come help you.â He said as he snapped a picture of you sending it to the group chat titled: Free Use.
âMaybe Iâll come get you when theyâre doneâ he said as he shut the lights off closing the door behind him. You were so frustrated at this point pulling at the straps. A few minutes had passed before you heard someone enter the room it was hyunjin coming to see you. âHey there my loveâ he hummed looking over your body. âWhatcha do to make Minho do this?â He said teasing you, he quickly leaned down to kiss your soft lips. âHe said I was giving him attitude.âYou pouted.
âHeâs probably right you do, do that a lotâ he chuckled kissing you again âhe didnât let you cum did he?â He asked now making his way to your heated core. You shook your head no looking as the man moved âah want me to help you love?â He said his voice soft. You nod âpleaseâ your voice barely audible at this point. He smiled unzipping his pants he had on, discarding them somewhere in the room. âGonna help me cum too?â He said softly as he ran the cock head up and down your still soaked folds. âY-yesâ you stuttered out.
âThatâs my girlâ he said getting his body underneath of you. He angled himself just right before pushing up into you. His arms wrapped around your body pulling you as close as possible before fucking you like som horny rabbit. âAh hyuneâ you moaned out his body already twitching at the feeling. âShit- the picture he sent out was so fucking hot-â he said pulling you into a sloppy make out session. âI could- could have came just at the sight- fuck y/n youâre so fucking hotâ he moaned out his words running together.
He moved his hands down to your chest playing with your nipples as he sucked one breast. Hyunjin was always so passionate and loving during sex. When situations were like this though? He was extra loving. His goals was always to just please you, make you cum first and then finish himself. Normally when you came is when he was letting himself go.
Hyunjin pulled away from the kiss pulling your bottom lip between his teeth with a soft bite. âGod- y/n I canât get over how perfect you areâ he said through breaths. He ran a hand down to your clit now making perfect circles as he thrusted sloppily into you. He bottomed out hitting your g-spot swiftly. You both let out sinful moans, the sounds of you both filled the room in such harmony. âGon cum on my cock pretty? Gon make a mess?â
You nod yes your mind completely and utterly (and literally) fucked. Your mind was so blank from the pleasure and over stimulation your body shook. âThatâs it my love cum all over me, Iâll fill this cunt in return hm?â He rambled. He leaned back a bit as he watched you take his cock in and out so nicely. His high coming fast as he felt your walls clench around him. âThatâs it- fuck yes- cum for me babyâ he groaned.
Your head flung back finally getting the release you so desperately needed. Gushing around his cock he spilled deep into you filling you with all of his. He wrapped his arms around you kissing you lovingly. âYou ok love?â He asked trying to still catch his breath. âMhmâ you nodded giving his cheek a soft peck. The door cracked open âshe still in there?â A familiar voice asked âI donât know dude go in and check.â Another voice said. Hyunjin chuckled a bit âI think you have some more hungry men coming for you.â
As moved away from you, your head still in the clouds from him he kissed your forehead. âIâll tell them to go easyâ he said sweetly chuckling as he opened the door âbe gentle guysâ he said patting the two younger boys. âI will I donât know about this freak thoughâ Jeongin laughed poking at Seungmin.
âLook at what that bratty little mouth gets you intoâ Seungmin laughed looking down at you. âMaybe this was her plan?â Jeongin added. The other boy shrugged at his words âprobably sheâs a little whoreâ he said leaning down to you. âDidnât ask Minho about the restraints?â He added. Jeongin nodded âyeah, he said to let her off but to make sure sheâs ruined firstâ he grinned.
Jeongin went to untie your legs Seungmin having other ideas first. He dropped his pants straddling your chest like Minho had before. âOpen up pup I got you a boneâ he chuckled at his words. Your mind was still in space your mouth opening out of reflex. âGood girlâ he said pushing the tip into your mouth. âDonât you wanna untie her hands first?â Jeongin asked looking up at the other man. He shook his head quickly âno she can keep her hands tied until I have my funâ
Seungmin was using your mouth, fucking into you not as rough as Minho but just about. He was hitting the back of your throat precum dripping from it. He took your head pushing it roughly as he fucked into you. Jeongin on the other hand was leaving sweet kisses to your thighs as he pulled his own pants down. He grinned his cock up and down your folds âyouâre such a mess baby, youâve taken what 2 loads already? You really are gonna be full.â He said his eyes half open.
âBy the time we are done sheâs gonna be gushing with all of our cum.â He hissed. You moaned against his cock eyes fluttering open and close. The three of you letting out soft moans and grunts. Jeongin started to play with your clit making your back arch and legs shake a bit. You were so overstimulated already you didnât know if you could take it anymore. âFuck youâre taking my cock so well such a good little pup hm?â He said sliding his hand down your neck and back up.
âI canât hold out any longer dudeâ Jeongin said as he pushed himself into you. You let out a muffled moan around seungmins cock making the manâs head fall backwards in pleasure. âFuck-â he spat out. Jeongins movements were fast and sloppy. His thrusts spilling the othersâs cum out of you. The sound of his ball slapping your wet cunt filled the air. You were getting used so well.
âAh fuck baby youâre so fucking wetâ jeongin moaned out. âYeah she likes being out little fuck toy huh? Like us using all your holes like this? Filthy little muttâ Seungmin babble on. You could only reply with a moan in confirmation. When people say your mind goes blank from pleasure this is what they mean. Your head was so empty only thoughts of them. âFuck dude Iâm close, letâs switchâ Seungmin asked pulling out of your mouth. Drool ran down your chin, lips swollen from all the abuse to your mouth.
Jeongin nodded switching spots with the other man. Jeongin wiped the drool from you kissing your forehead softly. He removed your hand restrains letting your them fall to your sides. âWanna open for me baby?â He cooâd. You were about to nod but Seungmin had mercilessly pushed deep into you fast. Bottoming out quick as he hit the back of your walls. Hit cock head hitting your g-spot as he pushed in and out of you. You left out the most desperate whine making jeongin smirk. âGive me your hands baby Iâll keep you here.â
Jeongin interlocked your fingers together as he pushed the tip into your mouth. He let you take your time with him knowing you were already through the wringer today. âMy sweet baby, youâre doing so wellâ he praised you letting go of one of your hands to wipe away a hair.
Seungmin was in his own little world right now as he fucked brain dead into you. He was going stupid, pounding deep into you. âShit- you gonna cum? Youâre clenching so much around me fuck- gonna- agh- not gonna-â seungmins words ran together as his high was at its peak. âYour pussy is sucking me so good. My dirty little pup gonna take all my cum?â He said tongue hanging out. He started to leave circles on your throbbing clit making your body jolt. As it did you took all of jeongin into your mouth deep. âAh- fuck-â he groaned out.
âY/n!â Seungmin almost screamed out as he dumped all his cum inside of you. You could feel his ball releasing all of him inside of you. âShit- Iâm closeâ Jeongin said as he listened to you moaning from the feeling of being stuffed again. âDude I donât think I can moveâ Seungmin said his chest heaving. Jeongin nodded pushing in and out of your mouth a bit rougher now chasing his own high. âFuck- listen keep playing with that perfect clit.â Jeongin demanded which Seungmin happily obliged.
You could feel yourself coming undone and in a matter of seconds your high was crashing around you yet again. This time it was more intense. Your body shook eyes pricked with tears as Jeongin came half way in your mouth the other half on your chest. âShi- Iâm sorryâ he mumbled out. All three of you were panting trying to catch your breath. Minho had come to knock on the door âalright guys let y/n have a breakâ he said softly standing in the doorway now. Jeongin went to grab you a towel as seungmin wrapped his arms around you.
He peppered small kisses to your shoulder âsuch a good girl, youâre such a good girlâ he repeated trying to sooth you from your high. After getting cleaned up and everything the boys laid beside you curled up into their arms. Minho smiled at the scene pulling the covers over you all kissing your head softly. âGet some rest kittenâ
ââââââ
You had surprised Chan at the studio with some of his favorite food. You both sat and chatted while you devoured the delicious food. âChan you still here?â A voice asked as the door opened. âOh hey y/n! Wait! You brought food and didnât ask me to come downâ he whined. Chan and you both chuckled âdonât be silly Binnie I brought you some too!â You said pulling a bag from the side. âI figured you were hereâ you said smiling passing him the bag. The three of you sat and chatted before the two men went about their work.
You sat there on your phone just scrolling until you saw something pop up. You giggled a little sending it to Chan who looked at it right away. He turned around with a shit eating grin âfirst why is this popping up for you and two come take your place princess.â Chan moved his chair back placing one of the hoodies he has draped over the other chair on the floor. Changbin tilted his head âwhat are you doing?â He asked curiously. Chan doesnât say anything just shows him the picture. Itâs a picture of someone on their knees under the desk with a massive cock in their mouth as the man above does work. The caption reads: Two Kinds of work loads.
Changbin shook his head chuckling a bit. âY/n sometimes I think your sex drive can out match all of usâ he laughed harder. You roll your eyes âso youâre saying you donât want me to do it to you too?â You said teasingly. He coughed his words getting stuck in his throat âI- thatâs not what I saidâ Chan laughed this time pointing at the other man âyou got him all flustered y/nâ
You got into position under the desk Chan having his pants down just enough for you to get to his half harden cock. You gulped back saliva your moth watering at the sight. âAll mineâ you said giving his head soft kisses. âAll yours princessâ he cooâd back at you. You slowly started to take his length as he tried to focus on working. Changbin had moved his chair close to you looking down at you with hooded eyes. You smiled letting your free hand lay on his bulge that was growing in his pants.
A few minutes went by Bins aching cock tight in his pants. He moved your hand softly to the side before pulling his joggers down his thick cock sprung out dripping with precum already. You moved from sucking Chan to sucking Bin letting your hand play with Chans long veiny cock. Both of the sexy men above you let out small grunts and groans as you had your fun below the table. A bit into this switching back and forth you were back at Chan. His hands reached down pulling your head fully down his cock, making you gag.
He let out the most sinful noise, your already dripping core clenching around nothing at the sound of him. You looked up at him eyes glassed over. He smiled down at you âcâmere princess let me make you feel good.â He said bringing you up as he cupped your face âlay on the couchâ he said fondly as he stripped you of your bottoms. He licked his lips as he started down at your core dripping with arousal. âShit-â he let out softly before diving into your dripping cunt. He sucked harshly at your clit pushing 2 fingers into you.
He pumped his arm into slowly but deeply, arching his fingers in you hitting all your sweet spots. You left out sweet moans gripping onto his head. You looked over at the other man who was sitting there mouth open as he jerked himself off. âBin- câmereâ you said voice hot. It took him a moment to realize what you had said before quickly getting up. He kneeled beside you âyes bunny?â He asked sweetly. You open your mouth slightly looking up at him with puppy dog eyes âwanna make you feel goodâ
Bin was slowly fucking your mouth, he was so gentle and tender as he did so. While he was doing that Chan was getting pussy drunk. He was devouring every inch of your body trembling under him. You pulled away from bin for only a second âcloseâ you groaned out. Chan picked up his pace fucking his hand into you more as he felt your walls clench around them. You gripped onto bins hands making him melt into you as you came undone.
Bin sat on the couch holding you up as he moved you on top of him. His cock poking at your entrance, Chan also positioned himself about you. âPrincess if you canât take us both you tell me ok?â Chan said softly looking down at you. You nodded yes in agreement, youâve done this before but with a different smaller member. Bin was really girth and putting it together with Chan long cock was, well letâs just say an automatic orgasm.
Bin pushed into you first moving a bit before Chan joined in. Both cocked filled your pussy so full. So so full. âFucking hellâ you moaned out grabbing onto Chan quickly. After they gave you some time to settle that was it. All three of you were so desperate, searching for you won highs as you fucked. The sounds of you pussy being violated like this were hot but not hotter that the sounds of the two men. God. Was it hot. They fucked into you good and deep hitting your g-spot stretching your hole.
You felt your body getting tight again feeling those wires about to snap once more. Your pussy gripped around them so tightly making them moan in response. âY/n ah fuck closeâ bin babbled âgonna fill youâ he said holding onto you tightly. Chan wasnât doing much better every movement brought him closer and closers. His body shaking as he pushed deep into you. âY/n- fuck I love you augh princess I love you so much.â He said with a long groan.
Chan brought down his hand to play with your clit as changbin started to play with your breast. At the stimulation you gasped nails digging into Chans back. Your body shook hard as those wires broke one by one. âCuming!â You almost screamed out creaming around both of their cocks. The feeling making changbin buck his hips one more time before spilling inside you. Chan road out your high as his crashed, his cock twitching as he dumped himself into.
Changbins muscles gave out as you all tumbled to the couch. You all sat there panting, you feeling all the cum drip down your leg. âHere- princessâ Chan breathed out taking tissues to clean you up. âMy pretty bunnyâ bin said kissing your neck. âShe did so well hmm?â He asked looking at Chan âshe did so very wellâ he said kissing you cheek.
đ If youâd like to read more of my stuff you can find it Here: Master List . Thank you for reading and if requests are open or you just wanna talk feel free to send me somethingđŠľ
#stray kids#skz#stray kids scenarios#skz scenarios#stray kids smut#skz smut#bangchan#jeongin#seungmin#changbin#han jisung#hyunjin#Lee know#Lee Felix#Bangchan smut#changbin smut#Lee know smut#hyunjin smut#Han jisung smut#Lee Felix smut#Jeongin smut#seungmin smut#stray kids drabbles#skz drabbles#kpop smut#stray kids fanfic
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On The Mend : ĚĚâ Oscar Piastri
summary: with your lack of presence in the paddock, fans are starting to worry, little do they know that you happen to be a little broken back at home
Ë*â˘ĚŠĚŠÍâŠâ˘ĚŠĚŠÍ*Ëďź
liked by landonorris, danielricciardo and 849,183 others
oscarpiastri: another successful week of racing, super proud of the whole team to get the car all the way to P2 this weekend đđď¸
35,058 comments
username1: congratulations oscar, such an awesome drive!!
username2: just a shame that yn wasnât there to see it once again đ
landonorris: so proud of you osc đđđ
username3: surely they canât still be together, she hasnât shown her face in weeksâŚ
charles_leclerc: mum is very proud that the two of us were on the podium btw
oscarpiastri: @/charles_leclerc it was all thanks to her pep talk ofc
username4: weâll still support you osc even if yn wonât
mclaren: the whole team is so proud of you, congratulations oscar!
username5: enjoy the celebrations, Iâm sure the team will be there for you at least đĽ˛
danielricciardo: congrats brother, always nice to see you repping for down under
username6: either something must be seriously wrong or yn really just doesnât care anymore đ
maxverstappen1: hell of a drive from you, great to see you back where you belong!
Ë*â˘ĚŠĚŠÍâŠâ˘ĚŠĚŠÍ*Ëďź
ynusername posted two private stories
replies
georgerussell63: thanks for reminding everyone I got a penalty yn đđ
oscarpiastri: make sure youâre resting, you donât need to worry about the race sweetheart!!
ynusername: Iâve never missed a race of yours đŠ
danielricciardo: why tf are you in hospital and why didnât you tell me immediately so that I could help!!
nicolepiastri: sending you lots of love sweetheart, sorry we canât be there to help you đ
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oscarpiastri: I promise to sneak you in loads of snacks as soon as Iâm there đ
lilymhe: I miss you so much, hope youâre recovering well girlie
landonorris: heâs on the first flight outta here straight back to you đ§Ą
carmenmmundt: sending you all the healing vibes in the world â¤ď¸
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liked by charles_leclerc, logansargeant and 812,948 others
oscarpiastri: wish me luck on the flight, some weird passenger keeps looking over their shoulder at me đ
36,950 comments
username7: that poor pilot having to drive these two home lmao
danielricciardo: now you get to experience my struggle before you came along đ
oscarpiastri: @/danielricciardo idk how you ever did it đ¤Śđť
username8: at least oscar has lando to celebrate with even though others have abandoned him
alex_albon: why else do you think we offered to take you home on our plane instead?! đ
username9: i wonder if he's going home to yn being there or not
charles_leclerc: you're incredibly brave volunteering to travel home with him đđť
username10: yn should be there with him, i really hope that they're okay
username11: what would we do without these two in our lives!?
maxverstappen1: we tried to talk you out of it but you didn't listen đ¤ˇđť
username 12: i love how all the boys are exposing lando as a terrible travel partner hahah
landonorris: stop trying to make it sound like we're not bffs osc đ
oscarpiastri: @/landonorris that's because we're definitely not best friends
Ë*â˘ĚŠĚŠÍâŠâ˘ĚŠĚŠÍ*Ëďź
liked by landonorris, alex_albon and 793,722 others
oscarpiastri: seeing as some people want to make it their business, we thought weâd share why yn hasnât been around recently. a couple of weeks ago she had a nasty fall at home which resulted in a broken leg. yesterday I finally got to bring her home and begin helping her with recoveryâŚjust call me doctor piastri from now on đ§đťââď¸đ
57,492 comments
username13: i hope all you losers who thought they broke up are proud of yourselves đ
landonorris: you guys know where i am if you need anything!!
georgerussel63: we love you yn, make sure you get plenty of rest â¤ď¸â¤ď¸â¤ď¸
username14: sending you so much love yn, get plenty of rest
ynusername: apologies in advance for the lack of sleep you're about to get because of me đ
oscarpiastri: @/ynusername as long as you're healing idc đĽš
username15: can't believe some of you were so stupid to ever think they'd actually break up
alex_albon: glad to see you're back at home where you belong yn
danielricciardo: do i even want to ask how she managed to break her leg??
oscarpiastri: @/danielricciardo if I told you I don't think you'd believe me đ
username16: poor oscar looks exhausted having to drive and take care of yn too
charles_leclerc: pls tell me I get to sign the cast âď¸
ynusername: @/charles_leclerc i'll save a spot just for you
username17: please make sure you take care of yourself yn and ignore what everyone has to say
carmenmmundt: sending you so many healing vibes yn, we miss you at the paddock
username18: during a time when they need privacy and instead they've been hounded by nosey idiots đ¤Śđť
maxverstappen1: can't wait to see all the doctor piastri content from you! đ
Ë*â˘ĚŠĚŠÍâŠâ˘ĚŠĚŠÍ*Ëďź
liked by georgerussell63, carlossainz55 and 682,058 others
oscarpiastri: the only way to get her out of the house atm is to bribe her with coffee âď¸
63,957 comments
username19: it's adorable how much oscar cares about her đĽ°
lilymhe: tell her im omw with coffee as we speak to get her out again!
username20: it's so good to see yn back up on her feet and moving around again đ¤Š
alex_albon: i actually forgot what yn looked like stood upright for a moment
username21: why does it feel like oscar is one of those partners who is constantly checking on her making sure she's doing her exercises and following every single bit of advice
maxverstappen1: yn's injury is really making you look like the doting boyfriend rn â¤ď¸
danielricciardo: if yn ever gets bored of being entertained on a walk by you, you know where i am!
username22: i bet yn can't wait for race weekend again to get rid of the nagging doctor đ
landonorris: wish you looked after me as well as you look after yn
oscarpiastri: @/landonorris just a shame that we're not dating then really huh?!
username23: anyone else noticed how many drivers have been round this week to take yn out and make sure she's staying active too
username24: @/username23 i think she might just be the most popular wag on the grid
ynusername: i hate you but i love you at the same time these days đ
oscarpiastri: @/ynusername if the doctor says you keep moving, it's my job to make you move đ
Ë*â˘ĚŠĚŠÍâŠâ˘ĚŠĚŠÍ*Ëďź
liked by landonorris, carmenmmundt and 59,491 others
ynusername: I always knew oscar was secretly boyfriend coded but damn having him look after me is making me fancy him all over again đĽ
12,056 comments
username25: i think i might've just fallen in love with him all over again too đ
alexandrasaintmleux: make the most of all of the attention you're getting girl
ynusername: @/alexandrasaintmleux oh I am, he doesn't let me lift a finger đ
username26: soft, doctor boyfriend oscar might just be my new favourite thing
charles_leclerc: if i see many more of these posts from you i might just need a sick bucket đ¤Ž
username27: yn you really are the luckiest having this guy in your life
carlossainz55: i always knew he was a softie deep down đĽş
oscarpiastri: you know i'd do anything as long as it meant getting you better again
ynusername: @/oscarpiastri you're an angel in disguise i swear
username28: i'd break my leg too if it meant oscar piastri was there to look after me đ
username29: it melts my heart to see how caring oscar has been over the past few weeks
danielricciardo: even i found myself getting a bit excited when i saw these photos yn
username30: everyone needs an oscar piastri in their life
Ë*â˘ĚŠĚŠÍâŠâ˘ĚŠĚŠÍ*Ëďź
ynusername posted two stories
replies
landonorris: you're ruining oscar's image with every post you share these days đ
oscarpiastri: there's nowhere else that I'd rather be
ynusername: we'll pretend you didn't complain that it wasn't race weekend first thing this morning shall we???
carmenmmundt: hope it's good news, lemme know how you get on!!
alex_albon: praying for you and hoping that it's the beginning of the end now đ
Ë*â˘ĚŠĚŠÍâŠâ˘ĚŠĚŠÍ*Ëďź
danielricciardo: thinking of you guys, tell the doctor if he doesn't give you good news i'll break his leg đ
ynusername: something tells me you might find a few challenges in doing that hahah
georgerussell63: you're so strong yn, just remember we love you
charles_leclerc: the whole family is hoping for good news for you and oscar â¤ď¸
Ë*â˘ĚŠĚŠÍâŠâ˘ĚŠĚŠÍ*Ëďź
liked by oscarpiastri, landonorris and 70,238 others
ynusername: the moment i've waited for for so long, back in my second home of the garage and back supporting my love during race weekend
14,592 comments
username31: make sure you keep taking care of yourself yn!! đ
oscarpiastri: cannot begin to tell you how happy i am to have you back with me again âşď¸
ynusername: @/oscarpiastri the best feeling in the world being able to cheer you on again
danielricciardo: ik just how much this means to you, welcome back to us yn
username32: it's so good to see you right back where you belong again
username33: it feels like you've never been away, I'm so happy for you guys đĽš
charles_leclerc: on the mend at last, i hope you know just how many people can't wait to welcome you back this weekend
username34: we love our favourite #81 fan đ§Ą
iamrebeccad: i am hurrying over to that mclaren garage as fast as i possibly can rn âźď¸
username35: so happy to see you back on your feet and back with our favourite duo again
username36: this is the content we've been waiting for, it's so good to see you back
landonorris: as much as i hate having to share oscar again, it's a joy to have you back đ
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ËËË đđđđđđđđđđ ! ´ËË
#f1#formula 1#f1 imagine#oscar piastri#oscar piastri imagine#formula 1 x reader#f1 x reader#formula 1 imagine#formula one#formula 1 x you#f1 reaction#formula one imagine#oscar piastri smau#oscar piastri x you#oscar piastri x reader#oscar piastri fluff#formula x reader#formula 1 social media#formula one x reader#formula 1 fic#formula 1 fanfic#formula 1 smau#formula one smau#f1 fluff#f1 fic#f1 fanfic#f1 smau#f1 x you
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https://survive | S.JY
serial killer!jaeyun x fem!reader warnings: please read them and do not engage if you are uncomfy!! smut (mdni), gore, murder, character death, lots of descriptions of saw like traps (mutilation and body gore), blood (ofc), guns, blackmail, unprotected sex, gunplay, petnames (baby), multiple orgasms, weirdly fluffy at the end, anything else lmk bc i guarantee i've missed smthn. w.c: 33.7k synopsis: you're trapped in a room with four other people, and there is only one guarenteed survivor. will it be you? ft. characters: jaehyun (nct), sunoo (en-), heeseung (en-), dayoung (wjsn). a/n: hi! welcome to my halloween fic that i have scrapped and rewritten 4 times lmaoo. please read the warnings and do not engage with this post if any of the above makes you uncomfy, pls put your comfort first!! i hate how this turned out and i love it all the same. it is not my usual style since i write fluffy fanfics about soulmates at least 80% of the time so if it's shit, i am so sorry! please enjoy if you do decide to read, and i hope your fave survives!
Your eyes flutter open slowly and the moment they do, a stabbing pain splits through your skull, sending your senses reeling. The world around you feels heavy, like a storm just crashed through your body and jumbled your insides. Your breath catches in your throat as you feel a strange, warm trickling sensation on your face.
Instinctively, you lift a trembling hand to your forehead, fingers brushing against a slick wetness and the coppery tang of blood hangs in the air. When you pull your hand away, the sight of thick crimson streaks running across your palm makes your stomach churn, but you feel the need to explore the source, touching the tender gash on your scalp.
âHelp! Weâre trapped in here!â A girlâs voice, high-pitched and filled with terror and desperation rings through the chaos. Her words stab through your clouded mind, pushing you to focus and look beyond the pain.
You force yourself to take in your surroundings. The floor beneath you is cold, hard concrete that chills your skin through your clothes. The room is wide, but the walls stretch up tall, covered in grimy, cracked tiles. Red stains mar the surfaces, some splattered haphazardly across the tiles, others pooled and dried in dark streaks. It's everywhere, like the aftermath of something disastrous.
Your gaze lifts, drawn upwards towards the ceiling. Industrial scaffolding crisscrosses high above, its rusted metal beams looming. The sight sparks a flicker of recognition - a warehouse? A factory? The place feels abandoned, yet recent, like itâs still haunted by the last horror that just unfolded.
The girlâs voice echoes again, frantic, tearing your thoughts back to the present.
Blinking hard, you try to clear the dizziness that still lingers, your breath shaky as you sit up, the pounding in your head dulls a little, but the fear remains.Â
Five people, including you, are in the room, all coming to grips with the nightmare youâve all woken up in. Each person reacts differently, the tension thickening with every breath and realisation of the surroundings.
To your right, thereâs a boy who looks barely out of his teens, maybe 20, 21. His blonde hair is tousled, layers falling over a set of delicate, pretty features. His dark eyes are wide as he tries to make sense of it all but failing to grasp the reality of the situation. He wears a bright, eye-catching fit - a pink hoodie with characters on itâŚSanrio maybe? Itâs hard to tell from the glaze in your eye. But either way, he looks so out of place against the grim backdrop. His hands are shaking slightly as they rest on his knees, his innocence clashing with the horror around him.
Opposite him stands another man, older by a few years, maybe mid-twenties, with a hardened expression that tells a different story. His dark eyes are calculating, his face carved with indifference, a nonchalant coldness to his posture. Heâs dressed simply in a faded black shirt and worn jeans, but thereâs something sharp about him, as though heâs accustomed to violence or pain. Unlike the boy, this man seems almost detached, unaffected by it all.Â
WeirdâŚ
On the far side of the room is the girl who brought you to attention, pulling you from your unconscious state. Sheâs banging on the large metal door, her fists bruised and bloodied from her frantic efforts. Her voice trembles as she yells, but now she turns around, her brown eyes wide with fear. Her long, tangled hair hangs around her face, and sheâs covered in dirt and what looks like splashes of dried blood on her clothes - a simple white shirt and jeans that are torn at the knees.
One more boy sits close to you, clearly still feeling the effects of whatever beating he endured. His head is placed firmly in his hands as he tries to bring himself around. From what you can see, heâs around ages with you, youthful and pretty, with a sharp jawline and pretty lips. His clothes are ripped, probably struggling with whoever put him here.
The fifth person is you, but the growing dread makes you feel distant from your own body. You clear your throat, the air dry and sharp, your voice hoarse as it escapes. "W-whatâs going on?" you ask, timidly, the words coming out cracked and raspy.
âWeâre in a death box by the looks of it,â the older man says, his voice calm.Â
âWhat do you mean?â The colourful boy asks, his voice shaky, eyes darting around the room, looking for answers. Heâs so desperate he looks to the older man hoping for an explanation or reassurance, but thereâs none to be found in those dark eyes.
âI mean, look around,â the man continues, standing slowly, unfolding his tall frame. âThereâs blood and piss everywhere. You can literally still smell death in the room.â He says it without flinching, his eyes scanning the bloodstained walls with no reaction, like the gore is no more unsettling than a stain he can easily get out with some Vanish.
âAnd how would you know what death smells like, huh?â the girl snaps, spinning away from the door with her eyes narrowing in suspicion. Sheâs still trembling, but now her fear has turned into a raging accusation, her fists clenched at her sides. âAre you the one that put us here?â
The bright boy, caught between the manâs cold indifference and the girlâs rising panic, shifts uncomfortably, his bright eyes flickering from one person to the next. You can feel his uncertainty, his confusion, and deep down, you share it.
The man, however, remains unbothered. He stares at the girl with a bored expression, clearly not agreeing with her that the accusation requires a response. Thereâs not a lot to read on his face; you canât work out if the girl has clocked him perfectly or if sheâs clutching at straws to find reasoning.
"Answer me!" she demands, her voice trembling with fury. "Are you the one that did this to us?"
âYou think I put us all in here?â he replies, his tone dripping with disinterest, the accusation itself beneath him. âIf I had, do you really think Iâd be stuck in this shithole, bruised and battered, and having to deal with you?â
The girl bristles, taking another step towards him, a vein slowly making its presence known on her forehead. "Youâre too calm-"
"And you're too loud," he cuts her off and his voice is sharp now, clearly over her dramatics. "Screaming at me isnât going to open that fucking door."
Tension rises, the air thick with suspicion and apprehension. The boy with the blonde hair flinches at the harshness in the older man, not accustomed to raised voices. "Stop it," he pleads, his voice soft, wavering, oh so gentle. "We shouldnât fight. We need to figure out whatâs happening..."
"Figure out what?" the girl snaps, turning her frustration toward him. "Weâre trapped in here like animals!"
Before anyone else can respond, a low mechanical hum interrupts the argument. You glance around, searching for the source, and then, without warning, the tile wall opposite you flickers to life. Everyone falls silent, the room filling with the eerie glow of the screen.
The image shows a boy in his early twenties standing before the camera. His face is smooth and untroubled, with dark brown hair, thick-rimmed glasses that frame his face perfectly, and a pretty nose to match. Thereâs no mask, no attempt to hide his identity, and his eyes twinkle with an unsettling glee, a bright grin stretching across his lips, completely at odds with the horror of the room.Â
"Hi!" he chirps, waving at the camera. âYouâre probably a little confused, but you shouldnât be. You all asked to be here." His voice is light and playful. To be fair, it matches his features, but you already know that what he presents isnât the case.
"Asked to be here?" the younger boy mutters in an innocent pout, resembling a cute penguin.
The boy on the screen just continues smiling, oblivious or indifferent to the growing dread in your hearts. "Dayoung, Jaehyun, Sunoo, Heeseung and Y/N," he says, rattling off your names like heâs reading from a class roll, and he lets each name hang in the air for a moment, allowing you all to figure out who is who by the reactions. "You all answered my ad, yâknow, the ones on the dark web?"
The blonde boy - Sunoo - gasps softly, his eyes wide with sudden recognition. The others exchange uneasy glances, knowing they canât deny his claims. The older man - Jaehyun - folds his arms and glares at the screen with narrowed eyes, his expression hard and calculating.
"You all wanted me to save you, to help you out," the boy on the screen continues, waving his hand around as though explaining something trivial, like when you have to explain a new TikTok trend or why Tesco is the best supermarket in the UK. "Or ratherâŚto help me out."
Dayoung - you presume, being the only other girl in the room - asks, her voice low and filled with bitterness. "What the hell is he talking about?"
Your kidnapper leans in closer to the camera, his grin never faltering. âI asked for a helper. Someone who wouldnât mind getting their hands dirty. And you guys were the most promising ones who responded.â
Your stomach drops as the full meaning of his words begins to settle. This isnât a random abduction. You willingly put yourself here.
âI know what youâre thinking,â the boy chuckles softly. âYouâre thinking, âWhat did I get myself into?â Well, let me tell you - youâre in for some fun.â The animation in his body is cartoon-like, soft and playful. Heâs finding pure, unfiltered joy in whatever this is, and you donât know whether he is reading the room wrong or simply fucking psychotic.
"No...I didnât...I never agreed to this..." Sunoo mutters, his voice shaking.
On the other hand, Dayoung is shaking with anger once again, her face turning red. "This is a sick joke!"
But the boy on the screen doesnât seem to care about the protests. He continues on, breezily. âYou see...I have a bit of a hobby.â His grin widens, and thereâs a disturbing glint in his eyes. âI like to murder people. But recently, itâs been getting...a little overwhelming. Too many bodies, too much cleanup. My hands can only do so much, yâknow?â He sighs in inconvenience, clearly all the murdering is taking its toll on the boy.
The brooding older manâs jaw tightens, his eyes dark as the boy continues his twisted monologue - you canât help but eye the man suspiciously, suddenly curious as to why he is here.Â
âI mean, donât get me wrong, itâs fun and all,â the boy says with a shrug, âbut even I canât do it all by myself. So I figured - why not get some help? Thatâs where you come in.â He gestures toward the camera, shooting comical finger guns at you all, but absolutely nothing is funny.
âNoâŚno, this isnât happening,â Dayoung steps back defiantly, her body subconsciously seeking space from the boy despite his absence in the room. You can tell that she never in a million years thought that this was what she was offering help for.Â
In her case, all she wanted was some cash, a new job and get out of her small town. Someone suggested that the dark web is where all the highest-paying jobs are, they arenât pretty jobs, but they are jobs. She just never expected this to happen; call it naivety. Could she clean up the blood and ask no questions? For sure. Can she help a murderer commit the crimes? Not so sure.
The murderer on the screen lets out a soft laugh, mocking. âOh, but it is. You all wanted an escape, right? A way out of whatever hell your life was? Well, this is it. Iâm giving you a purpose. A new path. Youâre here to help me with my work.â
The room is dead silent now, the weight of his words sinking in like a stone. The realisation hits everyone at once: you didnât stumble into this nightmare. You walked right into it.Â
The boy claps his hands together, his grin acting as his most prominent feature, looking like he is about to unlease the punchline to a joke only he finds funny. And to be fair, he is. âAlright, now that weâre all caught up - letâs talk about what happens next.â
You can feel the weight of his words crushing you like a lead blanket. Your heartbeat hammers in your chest, each thud reverberating in your ears as frisson slowly wraps its icy fingers around your throat. The others are still frozen, processing the horrifying reality of the situation. You can see it in their eyes - the slow dawning of horror.
Jaehyun is still standing stoically in the corner, his cold facade cracking ever so slightly. His dark eyes flicker toward the others, calculating, assessing.Â
Sunoo, is shaking, his face drained of colour. Heâs clutching his knees, eyes wide, breath coming in shallow gasps. He looks so young, so fragile; heâs barely holding it together.
Dayoungâs lips tremble, but her eyes burn with an inner fire, a desperation to escape this madness, to fight her way out if she has to. But thereâs a fear in her, too - a deep, raw terror that seeps into the edges of her defiance.
The boy next to you, Heeseung, just has his head down, not looking up to even peep at what his new potential boss could look like. Heâs quiet, distant, and not mentally in the room with you all even if he is physically.Â
âI know, I know,â the kidnapper says, as if reading your thoughts. âYouâre thinking, âThis canât be real, right? Thereâs no way this psycho actually expects us to help him.ââ He chuckles, a soft, almost boyish sound, but thereâs an edge of malice behind it. You wonder how many victims heard that laugh as the last noise before they were brutally murdered. âBut hereâs the thing - itâs very real. And Iâm about to give you the chance of a lifetime.â
Jaehyun narrows his eyes, his arms crossed, watching the boy on the screen with a calculating expression. âWhat kind of chance?â he asks, his voice low and dangerous.
The boyâs smile widens, his eyes gleaming with excitement. âGlad you asked!â He stands up straighter, chest protruding proudly. âSee, youâre all here because you needed a way out of your pathetic lives. Donât try to deny it - you wouldnât have answered my ad if you didnât. Each of you has your own personal hell, something that you want to escape or gain. And thatâs what Iâm offering you - a way out. A new life.â
You swallow hard, the room feeling smaller, the air tighter. His words stir something in you, a dark truth you donât want to acknowledge. You were desperate, looking for somethingâŚthat much is true.
âBut,â the boy continues, his voice dropping to a soft, almost conspiratorial whisper, âI donât just let anyone into my little...operation. No, no. You have to earn your place.â
The atmosphere in the room shifts, a heavy tension filling the space. No one speaks, the silence punctuated only by the sound of your racing hearts and the quiet hum of the projection.
âSo hereâs how it works,â the boy says, pacing in front of the camera, gesturing animatedly with his hands. âThere are a series of tests in place. You can take a turn each, I donât care what order, thatâs up to you guys. You just need to survive. Survive the test, and you win. Fail, andâŚâ he whistles, letting your imaginations run with conclusions of your own, his smile turning into something darker. âWell, you donât want to fail.â
Dayoung steps forward, her face twisted in disbelief. âYou want us to play some sick game for you? Is that it?â Her voice trembles, the earlier bravado she showcased cracking under the weight of the horror sheâs facing. And who can blame her?
The boy tilts his head, a patronising expression plastered on his face. âItâs not a game,â he says softly, almost sweetly. âItâs a job interview. If you pass, you get to work for me. You get to leave behind whatever miserable life you were living before. Isnât that what you want?â
Sunoo shakes his head, his voice weak, barely a whisper. âI didnât want this...I didnât know...â
âOh, but you did know, Sunoo. You knew something dark was waiting on the other side of that ad. But you still clicked, didnât you?â His tone is mocking, almost sing-song. âYou all did. If you guys wanted a normal job, you would have gone on Indeed, not the dark web.â
No one moves, no one breathes. Itâs hard to grasp that the lunatic is actually right, and itâs the bitterest pill to swallow.
âThis is insane,â Dayoung whispers in disbelief. Sunooâs wide eyes fill with tears, his hands shaking uncontrollably. Heeseung, a quiet figure at the back of the room until now, looks away, his face pale, as if retreating inward, trying to block out the horror unfolding around him. Jaehyun stands still, his eyes narrowing as though calculating his next move. But even he, with his calm facade, looks shaken.
The boy on the screen throws his head back and laughs, the sound bright and carefree yet insanely manic. It echoes unnervingly in the cold, bloodstained room, making the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. His smile stretches wider, his eyes twinkling with that same psychotic glee.
"Donât look so dramatic about it!" he says, waving a dismissive hand at the camera. "Itâs fun, I promise." No one dares speak, as if the wrong word will trigger whatever madness this boy has planned for you. The boy in the video sighs. "Now, I would get out of your scared little minds and focus if I were you. Seriously, youâre all acting like this is the worst thing in the world." He tilts his head, his smile softening, though itâs far from comforting. "Itâs not. Iâm giving you a chance. This could be the best thing that ever happens to you."
He pauses, letting the eerie silence settle in. You can hear the sound of your own shallow breaths, the frantic beat of your heart pounding in your ears. His feigned innocent smile never falters even within the quiet.Â
Dayoung steps forward, her voice filled with fury. âYouâre insane. We never wanted this!â One thing youâre learning about Dayoung in this predicament; sheâs loud and unabashedly, stupidly brave
The boy just chuckles again, his laugh light and almost boyish, which only makes it more unnerving. "Oh, youâll see soon enough how much youâll want this. But if I were you, Iâd stop worrying so much about me and focus on yourselves."
The air feels heavier now, as though the walls themselves are caving inward. You feel a growingâŚâsomethingâ in your gut, a sinking realisation that this isnât just a game. This is a dream you might not wake from.Â
Clapping his hands together again, your captor startles you from your thoughts. âNow, letâs get to the fun part!â His energy is high, you can see how his face is lit up with glee, a clear juxtaposition to the rest of you. "The first test is coming up."
Your blood runs cold. "Test?" you murmur under your breath, feeling the weight of the word crash over you like a tidal wave.
The boyâs smile widens as he sees your reaction. âThatâs right. The first of many. But donât worry! Like I said, itâs fun. Just think of it as...an initiation. Survive this, and youâre one step closer to working with me. One step closer to getting out of this room, out of whatever sad little life you were living before.â
Jaehyunâs fists clench at his sides, his knuckles white as the pretty murdererâs words strike a nerve in his chest, but his face remains a mask of control. "Whatâs the test?" he asks through gritted teeth.
 âYouâll find out soon enough.â His eyes gleam with twisted excitement. "Iâm Jaeyun by the way. Itâs nice to properly meet you all! Good luck with the interview; Iâm rooting for you to survive.â
The video flickers and shuts off, the tiled wall goes back to a blank surface and the humming of the projector stops, leaving behind only the sound of your ragged breathing, the quiet gasps of terror from the others.
The shock of Jaeyunâs words hangs in the air, thick and oppressive. Sunoo lets out a shaky sob, covering his face with his hands, his body trembling. Dayoung is pacing now, her eyes darting toward the door, fists still clenched as if ready to punch her way out.
Jaehyun steps forward, his expression hard, a calculating look in his eyes. âHeâs playing with us,â he mutters, his voice low but filled with barely restrained fury. âWe need to be ready.â
âReady for what?â Dayoung snaps, her voice breaking. âWhat the hell are we supposed to do?â
No one has an answer. The silence stretches until you feel like the room is turning into that one hallway in willy wonka. Your heart pounds, fear gnawing at the edges of your sanity. The test is coming. The only question is, will you survive?
_____
Not one of you has uttered a word in the past 30 minutes, each brain focusing on its own fears. The room has fallen into a suffocating silence, the only sound breaking through is Sunoo's quiet, shaky sobs. His soft cries echo in the dim space, bouncing off the walls, making the stillness feel even more unbearable. His breath hitches every now and then, little gasps of panic, his shoulders quivering as he tried, and failed, to keep it together. His bright hoodie, once a symbol of his sunny disposition, now seems like a cruel joke, a beacon of misplaced hope in the grim reality.
You make your way over to him, the concrete floor cold beneath your feet giving you a subtle chill biting at your skin. Kneeling down beside him, you gently place a hand on his back, feeling the tremor of fear that possesses his body. You have no words to offer; nothing you could say would fix this. Instead,you flash him a small, strained smile, trying to convey comfort, even if you donât believe it yourself.Â
With your thumb, you gently wipe away the tears collecting under his eyes but the action feels hollow, not filled with the intent you need it to. You know it wonât stop his panic, but in a place as shit as this, sometimes just knowing someoneâs there is enough.
Sunoo sniffles, looking up at you with wide, terrified eyes. His lips quiver, but he manages a weak nod, the faintest flicker of relief crossing his face. All he needs to feel like he isnât alone in this hell.
Meanwhile, Heeseung is finally up, pacing the room. His eyes dart around, taking in every corner, every inch of the walls, looking for something, anything, that might be an escape. His movements are stiff, purposeful, his mind clearly racing.Â
He didnât think this was real when he applied. Heâs navigated the dark web more times than he could count, seen the fake ads, the scams. Every twisted job post was always a hoax, a trap set by someone looking to get a rise out of thrill-seekers. But thisâŚThis wasnât some elaborate prank. This was real. And as much as he tries to keep a cool head, he isnât truly prepared for any of this. Who actually would be?
Suddenly, a loud metallic creak cuts through the silence, making everyone flinch. You all turn as a hatch in the wall slowly slides open, the rusted metal scraping against the frame causing the irritating grating in your ears. A cardboard box is thrown through the abyss, itâs small but deliberate, a grotesque gift dropped at your feet. Youâve always liked presents, this oneâŚmaybe not so much.
Jaehyun steps forward first, his movements deliberate yet measured, his eyes narrowing as he approaches the suspicious box. With unnerved hands, he opens it despite Dayoungâs cries to leave it alone. Once he rips the flaps open, his face flashes with confusion.Â
âItâs a collar,â he informs, his voice carrying no emotion as he peers inside, leaning over just enough to pull the object out.
âLike a dog collar?â Dayoung asks tentatively. Her earlier fear has settled into cautious curiosity.
âMore like a Battle Royale collar,â you say quietly, stepping up beside Jaehyun. The moment you see it in his hand, your stomach leaps. The worn leather strap is attached to a thick, cold-looking metal device with intricate wiring running along the surface. A faint red light flickers within the contraption. The collar isnât for show and certainly won't appear on the next Prada F/W season - itâs much more dangerous than a fashion statement.
Your mind races back to all the horror movies youâve devoured over the years - Saw, Hostel, Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Even the obscure British slashers which somehow found purchase on Amazon Prime that for some reason feature Danielle Scott. You remember the collar from the Japanese cult classic - the way it sat ominously around the necks of the students, a grim countdown ticking away until their last moments. The sight of it here, in Jaehyunâs hands, sends a shiver down your spine, making the hairs on your arms stand on end, a thrill encroached in your blood.
Sunoo inches closer behind you, his footsteps tentative and quiet, afraid to make a sound. His wide, innocent eyes are filled with disbelief, his lips quivering as he stares at the collar in Jaehyunâs hand. He never planned on this being his fate. His new uni friends had dared him to answer an ad which screamed dodgy, saying he lived too cautiously, that he was too safe, too nice. They had called him boring, the good boy, the one who never stepped out of line. They wanted to see if he could do something reckless for once. So he clicked on the ad. This all started as a stupid fucking dare but now, standing here, heâs regretting every second of that decision.
Jaehyun pulls a small card from the box that had been hidden under the leather. His face hardens as he reads it aloud. âFor your first task, one of you should put on the collar and sit in the iron chair at the back of the room. Strap yourselves in! Itâs quiz night.â He tosses the card to the floor, his lips curling into a sneer and voice losing edge as annoyance seeps in.
The rest of you follow his gaze toward the back of the room, where a chair stands alone, bathed in the bask of an overhead light. Itâs hidden in plain sight, none of you registering its existence or importance until this exact moment, which is crazy considering itâs completely unmissable. As you get closer, the details of the chair come into view. The seat is worn, darkened with age, and thick leather straps hang from the armrests, ready to bind whoever sits there. The straps are cracked and rough, but still functional, their purpose and past crimes clear. But itâs the strange contraption beside the chair that sends a wave of nausea through the room.
A twisted metal device sits on a pedestal to the left of the chair, resembling a skeletal hand. Each finger is a cold, metallic clamp, poised to cause irreversible damage. Youâve seen something like it before, itâs a trap. The kind that springs back when triggered, bending fingers until they break. You swallow hard, anticipation rising in your throat as your mind conjures up the image of bone splintering and flesh tearing.
Suddenly, a deafening screech fills the room, the sound of a tannoy system coming to life. The static drone crackles for a moment before a throat is cleared, and Jaeyunâs voice, upbeat and casual, cuts through the tension like a knife.
âWelcome to your first task, which Iâve cleverly named Quiz and Snap! A little fun game to get all your brains and bones working.âÂ
âI hope his quizzing is better than his naming,â Jaehyun snorts, his face set in a grimace.
âI heard that!â Jaeyunâs voice whines through the speakers, an exaggerated pout in his tone. âAnyway, youâll love this one. For this task, I need one brave volunteer to sit in my lovely antique chair, strap in, and place your hand in that cute little metal skeleton hand over there. See it?â
All eyes are on the device now, the sight of it sending a fresh wave of chills down your spine. Thereâs something wrong about it - something viscerally terrifying.
Jaeyunâs voice drops, the grin in his tone so palpable it makes your skin pop with goosebumps.âOnce youâre all strapped in, Iâll start the quiz. Just five questions. Nothing too hard. Mostly about cleaning up blood, disposing of bodies...you know, simple stuff related to the job youâve applied for. Easy, right?âÂ
The way he says simple implies it will be anything but.
âWhatâs the catch?â Dayoungâs voice cuts through, her earlier anxiety now giving way to an edge of scepticism. âWhy the hand thingy?â
âInquisitive! Extra points for you!â Jaeyun giggles through the speaker, and you catch the faintest flicker of pride on Dayoungâs face despite the situation. You need to watch out for that. âWell, if you get a question wrong,â Jaeyun continues, his voice gleeful, âa little spring will snap, andâŚwell, then so will your finger! Itâll bend it back and back and back until - pop - off it goes! So I wouldnât make a habit of getting answers wrong.â
His grin is so clear in his voice that you can almost see it, hanging in the air like a sickly, invisible presence. You can feel it wrapping around you, tightening its grip on your chest.
Jaehyun lifts the collar, turning it in his hands, his expression a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. âAnd whatâs the collar for?â His voice is steady, but you can sense the tension coiling behind his nonchalance.
âOh, just a little accessory! Something to complete the look. Nothing to worry about, really. What you should be worrying about is which one of you is brave enough to try and pass my first test. And, of course, be in with a chance to become my sidekick. Doesnât that sound exciting?â
Jaehyunâs eyes narrow, and before he can respond, you find yourself speaking, your voice softer than you intended. âWhat if...none of us want to do it?â Itâs the first time youâve spoken directly to Jaeyun, and the moment the words leave your lips, a prickly chill runs down your spine.
Thereâs a beat of silence, followed by a laugh from Jaeyun. âWell, pretty lady,â he says, his tone taking on a flirtatious but mocking tone, âI donât think you want to know the answer to that question. But letâs just say, if none of you want to play, youâll all be sleeping for a very, very long time...â
The threat is suffocating and the atmosphere shifts. The panic that had lay just upon the ocean bed of the situation now feels like a tidal wave, crashing over everyone. The room is thick with unspoken terror, a collective paralysis. Of course, being kidnapped and forced to attend an âinterviewâ doesnât set everyone with great faith, but hearing that your life could end so blasĂŠ-like is what really sets the haunting tone in the space.
Sunooâs sobs have quieted, but his wide, tear-streaked face looks between each of you, desperate for someone to step up and make this nightmare end. Dayoungâs hands twist nervously at the hem of her shirt, her earlier confidence giving way to hesitation. She opens her mouth as if to speak, but no words come out, only a sharp, shaky breath. Even Jaehyun, who had been so calm and composed, is frozen, his eyes darting between the chair and the collar still clutched in his hand.
Heeseungâs jaw is clenched, his fists balled tightly at his sides. Heâs scanning the room again, probably still searching for an escape, but even he knows deep down that thereâs no way out of this - not without playing Jaeyunâs twisted game.
You can almost feel the dread sinking in, seeping into your bones. The low hum of fear vibrates in the air, like a pressure building, ready to snap - no pun intended. No one moves. No one wants to be the first. The weight of the decision is suffocating, and you can see it in everyoneâs faces - the growing realisation that if no one steps forward, the fate Jaeyun promised is waiting for you all.
âIâll give you all two minutes to decide,â Jaeyunâs voice suddenly crackles through the speaker again, almost jovial, relishing in the tension. âBut if none of you are in that seat when I come back...wellâŚnight-night.â He draws out the words, taunting, the sickly-sweet edge to his voice making your skin blister in unease.
The seconds tick by in oppressive silence. Everyone exchanges glances, the fear fairly obvious in the small, cramped space. No one wants to die, but no one wants to be the first to volunteer either. The weight of Jaeyunâs threat makes it insanely hard to breathe. It feels like the room itself is watching, waiting, pressing down on all of you, daring someone to make a move.
But who?
âLook, I-I canât do it,â she says, her hands wringing together. Her face is like a ghost, her eyes wide and pleading as she looks around at each of you. âIâm notâŚIâm not strong enough for this. I barely made it through high school biology without fainting. The second that thing snaps, Iâll probably pass out, Iâll never make it.â
Her words filter through your ears but you find it hard to register them or find sympathy. Arenât most people squeamish with blood? Hardly a solid excuse out of this.
Then again, do you have one better other than the fact that you simply donât want to?
âI donât think I can do it eitherâŚâ Sunoo whispers, his voice trembling. âI-Iâm not brave like the rest of you. I shouldnât even be here. This was all a stupid dare - my friends, theyâŚthey told me to apply as a joke. They said I live too safely, that I never take risks. But this? This isnât what I signed up for. Iâm not cut out for this kind of thingâŚâ
His hands tremble, his fingers twitching nervously as he shifts on his feet. Even the thought of being strapped into that chair terrifies him beyond words. His usual sunny demeanour is completely shattered, replaced with raw panic.
Jaehyun snorts, his arms crossed over his chest. âWell, none of us want to do it, kid. But the fact is, we donât have much of a choice, do we?â His voice is sharp, but thereâs a tinge of bitterness in it. He exhales, running a hand through his hair before looking at the rest of you. âLook, Iâm not putting myself in that chair. Iâll save myself for harder tasks, give you all a chance to do the simpler ones. God knows what this psycho has planned.â
His words are cold, but you can see the fear flickering in his eyes. Heâs not as unaffected as he pretends to be.
âHe is right, we need to be smart about this,â you mutter under your breath. âI get it. No one wants to do this. But if we donâtâŚwe know what happens.â
Heeseung, who had been eerily quiet up until now, suddenly exhales sharply and the sound pulls everyone's attention to him. His arms are crossed and heâs been watching as the conversation spirals. But now itâs his turn to speak up.
âI watched How to Get Away with Murder,â Heeseung says unexpectedly, his tone eerily calm. âI mean, I can deal with a few broken fingers in the worst-case scenario, but that show taught me a lot.â
His tone is calm given the circumstances. He stands upright to fake confidence, his eyes scanning each of you with a sharp, assessing gaze. He can see and feel the apprehension in each of you. A TV show isnât really the best means of knowing how a murderer actually works.
âLook,â he continues, âI donât give a shit about being Jaeyunâs lackey. Fuck, thereâs no way in hell Iâm working for that psycho. But if this is what it takes to get out of here, then fine. Itâs just a couple of fingers, right? I get this over with, I survive, and then Iâll figure out how to end this whole thing. We need everyone to survive each test at a shot of getting out of here. There is strength in numbers.â
Jaehyun glances at Heeseung, his eyes narrowing, though a flicker of respect passes through his gaze. âYouâre serious?â he asks, disbelief threading ever so finely through his voice.
âDead serious,â Heeseung replies, rolling his shoulders back as if shaking off the weight of what heâs about to do. âSomeone has to go first. Might as well be me.â
He knows - he knows - that putting his hand in that device will hurt like hell, but heâs already rationalised it in his head. Broken fingers are temporary; death is permanent. And if this twisted test is the only way to survive long enough to escape, then fine, he'll take the pain. Heeseung's not the kind of guy to back down, not when there's a way forward, however brutal it might be.
You watch him, feeling a strange mixture of admiration and awe. Someone has to make the first move, or youâll all be dead anyway. His determination brings a sliver of clarity, cutting through the terror gripping you.
Dayoung looks away, biting her lip, her eyes filling with guilt. âBut...what if itâs worse than just broken fingers? What if-â
âIâll handle it,â Heeseung cuts in, his voice sharper now, impatient. âWe donât have time for âwhat ifs.ââ He looks toward the chair, and you can see the muscles in his jaw tense, his resolve hardening. âTwo minutes. Thatâs all weâve got. Iâm not waiting around for this asshole to put us all to sleep.â
Without another word, you all watch Heeseung move toward the iron chair, his steps slow but deliberate; heâs walking a path already set in stone. The atmosphere shifts with each step he takes, growing heavier. Itâs as if even the air is afraid to stir, afraid to acknowledge whatâs about to happen.
Heeseung reaches the chair, his expression still calm, but you notice the subtle way his fingers quake as he reaches out to brush the metal skeleton that holds the fate of his fingers as he takes a seat. Â
The strange contraption sits gleaming menacingly under the faint light. It reminds you too much of something straight out of a twisted tale you love, the kind of device youâve seen rip apart flesh and bone on screen. But now, itâs here, in front of you, real and ready to inflict its brutal punishment.
Jaehyun approaches Heeseung, collar still in hand. âYou sure about this, man?â His voice is quieter now, cautious. His eyes flit between the chair and Heeseungâs face, secretly begging the boy to not back out now.
Heeseung turns his head slightly, casting Jaehyun a brief look. âNo,â he says simply, but with a grim smirk. âBut itâs better than sitting around waiting to die.â His voice is calm, like heâs resigned to the pain thatâs about to come. He slides into the chair, exhaling slowly as the cold metal presses against his back.Â
You swallow hard, moving closer alongside Jaehyun and Dayoung, feeling the collective tension in the room ratchet up to a near-breaking point. Thereâs no way to delay this, no way to stop it. Heeseungâs steely determination is infectious, but itâs also terrifying.Â
Watching him buckle the leather straps across his chest and arms is surreal, like watching someone chain themselves to their own doom. Jaehyun reluctantly straps and locks the boys wrists to the armrests, and places the collar on his neck, giving him a knowing but sympathetic look as he tightens it, the leather representing more of a noose than a fashion statement.
This is his death sentence.
Dayoungâs voice cracks as she speaks, her words faltering. âHeeseung, if you...if you canât handle it, weâll -â
âIâll handle it,â Heeseung interrupts, his voice absolute. He gives her a brief, almost reassuring glance before slipping his fingers into the grooves of the trap. The device clicks, locking his hand in place with a chilling finality. He breathes in sharply but stays composed, his eyes narrowing in focus.
The room feels like itâs holding its breath, just waiting to be disrupted like still water. Then, without warning, Jaeyunâs voice echoes through the speaker, loud and bright.
âAh! Looks like weâve got our first interviewee. Atta boy, Heeseung,â he coos mockingly. âNow donât look so grim, everyone. I promise this is going to be fun. Just sit back and enjoy the show. Who knows, you might learn a thing or two about the fine art of murder.â
Jaehyun snorts, though the sound is hollow. âYeah, canât wait for the master class.â
âOh, someoneâs still got jokes! Cute!â Jaeyun chirps, his voice taking on a teasing lilt bit you can sense the threat behind it. âNow, Heeseung, since youâre the brave soul taking a seat, let me remind you how this works. Get the question right, and youâll walk away with your fingers intact. Get it wrong, and...well, I think you get the idea. Snap, crackle, pop!âÂ
A sickening sense of anguish washes over you. You glance at Heeseung, whose face is set like stone, determined, though you can see the slight twitch in his jaw as he braces for the worst.
âLetâs start with something simple, shall we? Question one: What chemical is most commonly used to dissolve organic matter, particularly bone?â
The question hits like a hammer against wood, reverberating through the room. You know the answer - youâve seen enough crime documentaries in your life to know - but the gravity of the situation is causing your brain to short circuit. Finally, you understand contestants on The Chase and seeing them seize up in pressure makes more sense. Maybe you should stop slagging them off and start empathising.Â
Heeseung, however, is unflinching. He knows this.
âHydrochloric acid,â Heeseung answers coolly, eyes fixed on the trap, just in the off chance that itâs going to snap anyway despite his own assurance that heâs correct.Â
For a moment, thereâs nothing but silence. Then, Jaeyunâs voice comes through again, delighted. âDing ding ding! Looks like you have potential. Good for you, Heeseung! But donât get too comfy. The next oneâs gonna be trickier...â
Jaeyunâs voice continues to betray light and bouncy colours, like someone introducing a game show, but thereâs a sinister undercurrent to it - a dissonance that twists your stomach into knots. That contrast of him compared to your surroundings is what makes it so much worse. If he were dark and brooding, if his voice dripped with malice, at least youâd know what to expect.Â
But this? This feels like a mockery of the fear gnawing at within you. The way he speaks - so upbeat, so casual - makes the horror of the situation seem unreal; youâre being taunted for even thinking this could be deadly serious.
âOh! One little thing I forgot to mention, Heeseung, my guy.â Thereâs a pause between Jaeyunâs interuption, the silence stretching out ominously before he continues. âThat collar youâre wearing? Yeah, if you get more questions wrong than right...letâs just say your fingers wonât be the only thing going capute, Iâm afraid.â
The impact of his words hits like a Roman Reignâs Superman Punch. Heeseungâs face tightens, his composure faltering for the first time since this interview task began. The suffocating atmosphere in the room turns colder, sharper.Â
âW-what does he mean?â Sunoo whispers, his voice trembling. His wide eyes dart between the collar around Heeseungâs neck and the rest of you, desperately seeking answers. You notice that about him, how he seeks guidance like a lost lamb.Â
You daren't think how he will cope with his task.
Yet you donât have time to think about Sunooâs own woes as your own heart hammers in your chest, the tension skyrocketing. You try to keep your breathing steady, but Jaeyunâs words tighten around your body like a vice. The room feels impossibly small, the walls closing in, and suddenly, the bloodstains and grime seem more oppressive, more real.
Jaehyunâs brows furrow as he tries to process it all, but his voice comes out strained. âThat thingâŚitâs rigged to kill him if he messes up too much. Fuck, this is insane.â
Heeseungâs gaze remains locked on the finger trap, but his breathing has quickened. His eyes flick briefly to the others, and for a moment, you can see the fear gnawing at him, breaking through that calm facade. But then his jaw sets again, and he straightens his back in the chair, forcing himself to maintain control. Heeseung doesnât speak, but the flicker of doubt in his eyes tells you all that he understands the stakes now. More than just a few broken fingers are on the line - his life is teetering on a razor's edge.
Jaeyunâs voice hums back into the room, sensing the collective panic. âI wouldnât worry too much, though,â he says, his tone still obnoxiously bright. âItâs just a little extra incentive, yâknow? A bit of motivation to make sure youâre paying attention. Besides, Heeseung, youâre a smart guy! You already got the first one right. Piece of cake, really.â
âPiece of cake?â Jaehyun mutters darkly, his hands balled into fists. âThis psychoâs enjoying this.â
âNo shit,â you murmur in reply, yet your eyes locked on Heeseungâs collar. The device looks deceptively simple but now that you know what itâs capable of, it seems like something far worse.Â
Sunoo looks like heâs on the verge of tears again, his hands clasped tightly together, trembling and he holds them to his chest, clearly wishing on a prayer. âHeeseung, you...you canât get any more wrong. You just canât.â
Heeseung glances briefly at Sunoo, then at the rest of you. His voice is calm, but you can hear the strain behind it now. âIâll try not to.â
âTry?â Dayoung echoes, her voice rising with panic. âThis isn��t something you just try at, Heeseung. If you get it wrong...â
Heeseung cuts her off, his tone sharper now, trying to maintain control over the situation. âI know. I know what happens. But freaking out isnât going to help. I just need to focus.â His voice dips lower, almost as if heâs trying to convince himself as much as you, if not more. You can see him getting agitated with Dayoung but you know his attitude isnât directly pointed at her worry for him, but rather the situation he has put himself in.
The rest of you stand frozen, helpless as the seconds tick away. Time feels like itâs slipping through your fingers, and thereâs nothing you can do but watch.
Heeseung's chest rises and falls a little faster now, the weight of the situation pressing down hard on him. His hands flex slightly in the grooves of the device as though testing for a way out, but thereâs no escaping whatâs coming.Â
Jaeyunâs voice returns, gleeful and dismissive of Heeseungâs pain. âAlright, folks, letâs get this party going again. Question two! Should be easy for a sharp guy like you, Heeseung.â He clears his throat, the grit of it grating your ears through the speakers.Â
âWhatâs the best way to get rid of bloodstains on concrete? Think fast!â
Heeseungâs lips press into a thin line, his eyes narrowing as he focuses. You can almost hear the gears turning in his head, calculating the right answer while also bracing for the trap to spring if heâs wrong. The rest of you hang on the edge, nerves frayed, hoping he can pull through. Because who the fuck would know this answer?Â
Swallowing thickly, the trapped boy can feel his adams apple collide with the metal death trap, which does nothing to clear his mind. Think, think, think. His chants of wishes are meaningless, there isnât an episode or crime podcast that is coming to his mind that could save him.
Heâs fucked.
âB-bleach,â Heeseung finally stutters out, unsure and unprepared for what the consequences are.
Thereâs a brief pause although it feels like an eternity, and then Jaeyunâs cheerful voice rings out again. âOhhh, so close! Itâs everyoneâs go-to answer but bleach wonât get blood out of anything. You could have even said cowâs milk, but bleach is a basic bitch answer.â
Everyone stiffens. Heeseungâs jaw tightens in apprehension and his eyes flick nervously to the finger trap. Thereâs a moment where nothing happens, and everyone thinks that this is a hoax, that the psychotic boy is just fucking around with your minds.Â
But then it all happens so quickly.
Heeseungâs breath hitches as the first snap resounds through the room - a brutal, stomach-turning crack. His hand jerks, but itâs locked in place, trapped as the device rips his finger back mercilessly. The bones give way with a sickening crunch, and though Heeseung tries to hold it in and be brave, a guttural scream rips from his throat. The sound is raw, torn from deep within him. You can only akin it to an animal being tortured, and in some way, he is.
His knuckles from his right hand whiten further as it clings to nothing, his other fingers trembling uncontrollably as the trap tightens. You can hear the awful, wet sound of skin stretching, starting to split at the joints. The mechanic isnât just breaking his fingersâŚitâs tearing them off.Â
Blood wells from the tears, trickling down his hand, the droplets splattering softly onto the grimy floor. Heeseungâs entire body trembles as wave after wave of agony courses through him and his breaths come out in ragged gasps, chest heaving violently, but thereâs no escape from the vice-like grip.
Dayoung turns away, shielding her eyes from the gore in front of her. Never has she seen something so brutally evil. The worst thing she has ever witnessed was a Seagul popping under a tyre, and even then it took her 2 months of therapy to even glance at a winged animal ever again.
You can't tear your eyes away though, no matter how much you know you should. For just one finger, thereâs so much blood, trickling relentlessly like a grotesque, mesmerising waterfall onto the floor, forming a pool of dark red. You hear each drip hit the ground, its quiet sound somehow more deafening than the crack of bone that preceded it. You're frozen, trapped with Heeseung in this nightmare.
âThatâs one right and one wrong. Letâs hope for your sake, Heeseung, you get the next questions right. Wouldnât want to see any more fingers out of place, would we?â Jaeyun mocks. Heâs so sarky you wonder how on earth he ended up this way -Â so numb to all of this.
Jaehyun's attention moves down to the collar that is snugly wrapped around Heeseung's neck. His heart clenches as he realises how much worse things may get. Heeseung treated this as a quiz with consequences. However, when Jaehyun watches the blood run freely from the boy's hand, he realises that this game is far crueller than they could have anticipated. His expression remains stoic, however, disguising his terror. Without the tiny wobble of his Adam's apple, no one would have known he was anxious.
Heeseung's breathing is weak and uneven as his body trembles from shock. The acute, burning agony that had previously ripped through him begins to fade slightly, but it stays in deep, throbbing pulses. He grinds his teeth, pulling in air through his nose, attempting to endure the pain, but it's searing up his arm and into his shoulder. Â
Squeezing his eyes shut, he wills himself to breathe through it, to focus on something - anything - other than the pain and his other fingers twitch slightly, instinctively trying to pull away from the trap and escape their possible fate, but it's pointless - theyâre trapped in there like rats on glue.
"Okay, time for the next round, folks! Are you ready, Heeseung? This oneâs a real doozy. Third question!" Jaeyunâs voice is tainted with dark amusement, basking in the misery he is causing. "What's the best way to dispose of a body in under six hours without leaving a trace?"
The room becomes deathly quiet. It's a question no one could know the answer to unless they have done it before. The air feels heavy, as everyone holds their breath, or rather, gifts the air in their bodies to Heeseung. His chest rises and falls fast with your snatched breaths, his mind rushing for anything, any piece of knowledge that may rescue him.
But there's nothing.
"I-" Heeseung stammers, his speech scarcely audible. His throat is dry, his thoughts are confused, and his body is gradually giving up, wracked with distress and anxiety. He tries again, but his words are little more than rasps. "Acid?" It's a crazy and desperate guess, and the moment he says it, his face falls. He knows it's not the right answer.
Jaeyunâs laugh crackles through the speakers, high-pitched and mocking. âOof, sorry, Heeseung, thatâs not quite right. Youâd need a lot more time to do that properlyâŚMan, I should have invested in that buzzer.â
Everyone tenses again. Heeseung doesn't even have time to prepare himself before it happens. The second snap is even louder and quicker than the first: a horrific, gut-wrenching crack. His finger is violently jerked back, the bone splintering due to the pressure. This time, the device doesn't stop with a single snap. The finger bends even farther back at an unnatural angle, causing the broken bones to grind together with a sickening crunch. It makes your teeth grind together for some reason. The skin breaks more, the sharp edges of bone ripping through the flesh, blood coughing out in a fine mist and trickling down his hand in thick rivulets.
Heeseung lets out a strangled shriek, and his body convulses in the chair. His scream is muffled, halfway between a gasp and a sob, as he struggles to breathe through the unbearable pain His non-trapped fingers squeeze into fists, his knuckles becoming white as his body reacts instinctively to the sheer agony he is in. Tears burn his eyes, distorting his vision as the room around him appears to shrink, the anguish overshadowing everything.
âLooks like that oneâs a little worse than the last, huh? Really fun fact for you all, the fingers located near the middle of your hand are actually attached to more nerves and have more bones than the others. So you better hope you get the next few questions right because otherwiseâŚâ
Everyone looks at Heeseungâs severed hand and comes to the same realisation. With his pinky and engagement finger already torn from his hand, his middle finger is up next, which means the most painful of all.Â
The tortured boy finds it hard to concentrate on the madmanâs educational lesson as he sits there, trying to fight the dizziness creeping in from the loss of blood.
"Hey, Heeseung, we've had our ups and downs, right? But I bet you'll appreciate the next one! It's a little challenging, but I believe in you. Fingers crossed!"
Heeseung flinches at the mention of fingers. His entire body is shivering, his muscles taut, and his head is foggy, pain radiates from his hand in unrelenting waves. His pulse thunders in his ears, and the room spins slightly as he struggles to remain aware. Every part of him wants to give up and let the misery engulf him, yet some deep, primordial urge drives him to hold on - to survive.
Jaeyun's voice becomes more serious as he continues the interview. "Okay, listen up. If you wanted to make a murder appear like an accident, how would you shatter the victim's bones in a way that mimicked a fall from a high location without actually dropping them?"
Squeezing his eyes shut, Heeseungâs mind is beginning to race, trying to latch onto something that might help him. Documentaries, tv shows, movies, all play in his head at once like an overstimulating nightmare, and somewhere in that murky chaos, an idea forms.
â...Weights,â Heeseung mutters, his voice hoarse. Itâs a shot in the dark, but itâs all he has and itâs better than no answer at all. âYouâŚuse weightsâŚdrop themâŚto break the bones, then stage the fall.â
The five of you hold your breath as silence falls over. Even Jaeyun appears to linger longer than usual as he considers Heeseung's response. Then, through the crackle of the speakers, Jaeyun lets out a slow, almost begrudging whistle. âWell, colour me impressed, Heeseung. ThatâŚis correct. You actually got it. Who knew you had such a devious mind, eh?â
The shock reverberates through the room because no one, including Heeseung, can believe it. His head lolls forward, and for the first time, he lets out a small, broken chuckle of relief. His chest heaves with a deep, difficult breath, and his ray of hope brightens, even if only slightly.
Sunoo stands next to you, shaking frantically. His gaze darts between Heeseung and the collar placed securely around his neck, his lips twitching with barely restrained terror. Then, unexpectedly, a faint, pathetic sob escapes him. You look at him, experiencing the genuine horror that emanates from his body.Â
Without thinking, you draw him closer, throwing your arm around his shoulders in an attempt to console him. His body is rigid, yet he leans into you and grabs your sleeve like a lifeline. You've only known him for an hour or so, but with these circumstances, you feel compelled to shelter him. You wouldnât say you had maternal instincts, none at all really, but you feel a pull towards the boy; like a planet to the sun. .
âAnd now⌠the fifth and final question.â He lets the words hang as he breaks the tender moment, âYouâve made it this far, Heeseung which is impressive, but you know how this works. This is the decider. Get it right, and you walk out of here with your life. Get it wrongâŚâ
He doesnât finish the sentence, but everyone knows what happens if Heeseung fails. That collar around his neck isnât just for show. It will obliterate his being if he fumbles on this last question.
There is a shared look of sorrow mixed with the tiniest specal of hope that Heeseung can get out of this, that he might have lost two fingers but he will rise from that chair with his life. Itâs all anyone can hope for, particularly the boy himself.Â
"Alright Heeseung, last one, and let's see what you've got. Who was the first person ever murdered?â
The room freezes and you feel Sunooâs breath hitch beside you, his body going rigid in your grasp. A ripple of disbelief washes through everyone because this questionâŚitâs fucking impossible. You exchange a glance with the others, hearts pounding, knowing that the probability of Heeseung guessing this right is closer to zero than ten.Â
Heeseung stares blankly ahead, his thoughts racing. The pain flowing from his wounded hand fades into the background as he realises this is the end. His thoughts race through several clouds of despair, anxiously searching for a solution. However, his thoughts comes up empty. He has no means of answering this. His breathing quickens, his chest rising and falling wildly as the pressure builds, clamping down on him like a vice.
His gaze shifts to his hand, or what's left of it. The gruesome scene of fractured bones, ripped flesh, and pooled blood. His once-strong fingers are now disfigured beyond recognition. It appears alien to him, as if it does not belong to his body anymore, and he certainly doesn't want it to be. The agony that once overwhelmed him has subsided, replaced with a chilly, creeping anticipation of what is to come. He cannot win. He's known it for a while, but this question - this impossible, ludicrous question - solidifies it in his mind.
Heeseungâs heart sinks as the hopelessness floods in, drowning any last flicker of hope. He looks down at the collar around his neck, the cold metal pressing against his skin, and he knows, without a doubt, that itâs going to kill him. His thoughts turn dark, his pulse pounding like a war drum in his ears. The idea of death, once abstract and distant, now feels all too real, looming over him like a shadow.
His mind begins to spiral. He pictures the trap and what on earth it could do to his neck. Would it hurt? Would it be fast? Or would there be a brief moment, just a second, where heâd feel everything before the darkness swallowed him whole?
A bitter taste fills his mouth, the knowledge that heâs going to die here settling like lead in his stomach. Thereâs no way out. No answer that will save him. Heâs done for.
âI⌠I donât know,â Heeseung finally whispers, his voice cracked and hollow. Itâs not a plea for mercy, not an attempt to bargain. Itâs just the truth - cold, hard, and brutal to accept.
Jaeyun's voice, feigning sorrow, returns over the speakers. "That's a shame, Heeseung. According to the Bible, the first murder was committed by Abel. But that doesn't really matter, does it? You got it incorrect.
Sunoo lets out a choked sob, burying his face in your shoulder and shivering vehemently as the reality dawns on everyone.
Heeseung's fate is sealed. He's going to die.Â
The room is a graveyard of mourning, with the weight of what's going to happen crushing down like a thick and choking fog. Heeseung sits there, shaking, just holding on to his last scrap of hope. The pain from his fractured fingers pales in comparison to the nearing horror that looms over him.
The trap releases Heeseung's finger for just a moment before a quick, abrupt force yanks it back violently. The sound is horrible, a harsh snap that echoes across the room. Flesh shreds, tendons and muscle give way to the unrelenting strain of the pull, and the bone shatters into shards. Blood pours like a crimson rainbow, with the droplets catching the light before falling to the floor to meet their already escaped family.Â
His anguish is a living thing, twisting and writhing inside him, growing with each heartbeat. He feels the loss - both physical and metaphysical - as his finger is ripped from him. The pain doesnât just echo in his hand; it reverberates through his soul, a profound reminder that he is about to lose it all. His breath comes in ragged gasps, sharp and shallow, as the world begins to fade at the edges, like a high-opacity vignette.Â
Amidst the hubbub, your eyes suddenly lower, and you notice it; the red light on the collar flickers like a heartbeat in the quiet. It's a warning sign for approaching disaster, a siren song that you can hear all too loudly. Each LED flicker acts as a countdown, catching everyone's attention.
Confusion sweeps across Heeseung's face, his forehead furrowing as he struggles to grasp the unexpected change in the room until he follows each of your gazes down to his fate. He observes the red glow as it pulses, and it is enough to warp the faces in the background.
He shakes his head weakly, as he attempts to wish the light away. "IâŚI don't want to die," he murmurs, each syllable a desperate cry that hovers in the air like a ghost. "I...I'm a good person!"
Dayoungâs heart sinks at the sound, and without a second thought, she rushes towards him, the instinct to save overwhelming any sense of self-preservation. âNo! We have to get this off him!â she shouts, desperation flooding her voice.
But Jaehyun lunges forward, catching her arm before she can reach Heeseung. âDonât! If you try and take it off, youâll die too!â The urgency in his voice is laced with fear; while the boy in the chairâs fate is sealed, the rest of you can still have a chance.
Heeseung's eyes widen with terror and his breath quickens. Desperately, his wrists struggle to escape out of the leather straps, his legs kicking and struggling as he tries to tear himself free with the adrenaline of knowing he is dying in mere minutes, seconds. He opens his mouth, a choking sound emerging as he searches for one last idea, a desperate confession that could rescue him.Â
But time is no longer on his side.
In a single second, the collar explodes with a thunderous sound that resonates across the room. The blast is brutal, sending pieces of metal and flesh flying in all directions. Blood splashes the walls, mimicking a horrific shower, turning the room scarlet and crimson. Heeseung's head vanishes in an instant, skin and bone crushing under the sheer force of the collar's mechanics, spreading fragments of him throughout the universe like grotesque confetti.Â
Some of his skin and blood splatter on the rest of you, Dayoung and Jaehyun getting the brunt of it as they stand too close to the crime. Pieces of the boy now firmly clinging to you, his last remnants of hope in each of the lumps of his flesh, begging you to put him back together.Â
Silence follows, thick and suffocating, leaving everyone in the room trapped in a state of shock, their minds struggling to comprehend the unthinkable. Itâs not every day that you see someone blown to smithereens.
Dayoung remains transfixed, her hands quivering at her sides with specs of Heeseung's blood covering her skin. The warmth seems surreal in juxtaposition to the icy grip of disbelief that has settled in her chest. She feels as if she has been driven into a nightmare that she can't escape, her heart beating in frantic panic as the truth of the situation breaks over her like a tidal wave. Â
Jaehyun's eyes are wide and unblinking, peering into the space where Heeseung formerly sat. The conservatism he wore as armour has crumbled, revealing a raw vulnerability. He feels the weight of guilt crushing down on him, thick and oppressive. He should have done something to stop this madness. But now all that remains is a terrifying quiet, broken only by the gentle patter of blood flowing from the surroundings, as if the room were mourning the loss along with you all.
With his breath hitching in his throat as he grapples with the horror, Sunoo falls to the ground, letting you go, the impact jolting him back to reality. Tears stream down his cheeks, mixing with the blood that clings to his skin. âWhat just happened?â he whispers, his voice breaking, a fragile thread of sound that feels more like a whistle in the wind. No one can hear him, all drowning in your own minds.
You wipe the blood from your face, spitting out little bits of Heeseung's shattered head from your mouth as you gaze at his motionless corpse, shoulders to feet still attached. There is a beautiful quiet in death, both serene and awe-inspiring. Though his screams of dread and anguish echo in your memory, you know he is finally free.
You just need to make sure you avoid the same fate.
_____Â
Hours pass by as the group processes Heeseungâs demise. You try to clear up as much of him as you can, finding an old brush in the corner of the room, and sweeping up his headâs ashes. Itâs surreal to be sweeping up a splattered head with such a commonly used household tool. Once you finish, you see the pile of him smooshing together, you wonder what type of person he was; good or bad, happy or sad, smart or dumb. You never really got to know him in the fleeting hour you spent trapped here together, all you can run off of is your imagination.
That is easier said than done however, especially with your mind caught up in what happened; itâs hard to separate him from the dismembered mess youâre cleaning up so casually. He seemed kind, and strong-willed, though that might be the reason heâs dead right now.Â
Taking the first task was a brave but foolish decision. Is it wrong to be thankful that it wasnât you? Even though you knew the answers, you wonder how your brain would have processed them if you were in the same situation as Heeseung. Like when you watch Catchphrase and get them all perfect, but as soon as you step foot in that studio, your mind blanks out from the pressure.
Sunoo and Dayoung have formed a bond through your time stuck in misery, those two you can read like a book. Both bubbly and bright, well, at least they would be if you met them under different circumstances. Dayoung is a beautiful air hostess who needs a job closer to home now that her mother is sick. When her best friend told her about jobs on the dark web, she applied for a bunch that seemed promising, dirty work that no one else would want to do - cleaning, sex work, drug transportation. She applied for them all. She is far too sweet to be here, and certainly too lovely to be a murderer's assistant.Â
Jaehyun on the other hand, you havenât heard a peep, a few grunts here and there, but never a word. Heâs strange, constantly working something out in his head that you canât quite put your finger on. You think about Dayoungâs accusation again but more in-depth.Â
Clearly, he is not the killer or orchestrator of this entire derangement. But he is hiding something, either about his past or his present; in either case, you need to be wary of him.
"What about you, Y/N," Sunoo says with a sweet grin, "what did you do before this?"
To be honest, you haven't been paying attention to their chat recently, so the question throws you off. "Um, IâŚgo to university."
Dayoungâs eyes light up, a flicker of her usual sunny personality breaking through. âI knew you were about our age! What are you studying?â
Before you can respond, the air crackles to life unexpectedly with the tannoy - it's almost cheery, in sharp contrast to the strain on everyone's faces.
"Sorry, I kept you waiting," Jaeyun's voice echoes uncomfortably light-hearted. "I had some other business to take care of." His voice alone sends shivers down your spine, and the phoney civility makes it much more terrifying. "Isn't it a shame about Heeseung? I was convinced he would make it!"
Your gaze instinctively flickers to where Heeseungâs body lays, and a cold wave of dread washes over you. The atmosphere shifts instantly, becoming even more hostile; Jaeyunâs mere voice is enough to suck the warmth from Sunoo and Dayoung straight out of the room. The others seem equally disturbed - Sunoo pales, and Dayoungâs lips tremble, her hands fidgeting in her lap.
âAre you ready for task two?â Jaeyun continues, never actually expecting an answer, because let's face it, you all donât really have a choice.
âWell, that depends,â Jaehyun mutters under his breath, bitterness tainting his words. âIs it fucking impossible?â
Jaeyun tuts mockingly, âNo task is impossible, Jaehyun.â His tone sharpens, clearly irritated by the defiance. No one really talks back to killers like this, so you can understand the animosity that he holds for the older man. âY/N, angel, could you be a sweetheart and pull that cloth over on the right?â
Your heart skips a beat as he speaks to you directly. You had not seen the big, alarming object wrapped in a thick sheet until now. It lurks in the corner of the room, producing a massive shadow that appears to reach across the ground. With trembling hands, you approach it, the others gazing in tense stillness. The cloth seems heavy in your fingers, and the structure beneath is gradually revealed as you draw it away.Â
It's...horrifying. The tower rises around 8 feet tall and resembles a monstrous crucifix made of cold, glistening metal. At the top, as well as at the ends of the arm and foot sections, are little contraptions linked to a gear system that is too complex for even a YouTube tutorial to describe. The mechanics look meticulously designed for one purpose: pain. Your breath freezes in your throat as you take in the whole thing.
âIsnât it beautiful? I made it myself, believe it or not.â Jaeyunâs voice drips with pride, âSomeone needs to strap themselves in, and the rest of you... well, your job is simple. Find the keys Iâve hidden-â
âNo,â you cut in, your voice surprisingly steady despite the bubbling in your stomach. âTell us what really happens. One of us goes into this trap, and what?â
There is a pause. Then Jaeyun's voice returns, a bit slower and more deliberate. "Well," Jaeyun drawls, delighting in you discomfort. "See those gears? Once you're strapped in, parts of the machine start to spin all the way around. Slowly at first and each limb gets a full twist, one by one. You've got 10 minutes to find all the keys before your neck gets twisted and...you get the jist"
A countdown appears on the wall, and you realise the terrifying truth. The floor drops out from beneath you.Â
"So, who's going in?" Jaeyun taunts.
The four of you exchange glances, each of your eyes betraying the same emotion - terror. None of you need to voice it. After witnessing Heeseungâs brutal demise, it's clear that no one wants to be the next victim. The unspoken tension swallows you whole. Jaeyunâs laughter still echoes faintly in your ears, mocking your helplessness as you stand before the towering metal monstrosity.
Jaehyun breaks the silence first. His hands shoot up, palms forward as though warding off any suggestion that he should take the fall. âNot me.â His voice is firm, adamant that he will not be strapped up and deemed helpless. Maybe itâs the toxic masculinity or something else, either way, you donât really like his mentality.Â
He steps back, glaring at the floor as if searching for answers in the cracks of the concrete. âIâm no good to you in that trap. Iâm...â He hesitates, his brows knitting together as he searches for the right words, contemplating how much he should share. âGood at finding things. Things out of sight.â His lips curl into a faint snarl as his mind thinks in ways you canât decipher from the twitch in his brow.
Sunoo fidgets anxiously before exclaiming, "I'm really good at escape rooms!" His speech resonates with an unexpected surge of confidence, and his eyes are filled with the hope that this will pardon him. "I always find the last clue!" A short smile flashes over his lips, a proud glance that glows behind his sullen demeanour. Escape rooms require cleverness, a knack for finding hidden things, secret compartments, and codes. Heâs putting himself forward as the best option for hunting down the keys. His reasoning is sound, and the relief on his face is almost palpable as he sees the rest of you nod.Â
You just hope he isnât lying.
That leaves just you and Dayoung. You can feel their gaze on you, and the weight of expectation presses across your chest like a weight bar, and you have no one to spot you. The boys have already thrown out their reasons.. Now it's your turn. You open your mouth, but your thoughts are blank. How could you even start arguing your way out of this? There is no legitimate justification that will not come out as cowardly. Fear claws at your insides, and for a brief minute, you envision the machine twisting your limbs one by one, hearing the crunch of bone and muscles shredding, and experiencing the excruciating pain. The image makes you feel like vomiting.Â
Dayoung fidgets next to you, her eyes darting between the rest of you in search of an escape. Her face is pale and fingers tremble as she tugs on the hem of her shirt. You can see her anxiety, a mirror of yours. But underneath that anxiety is truth, and the truth is that someone has to step into the trap - you cannot let that person be you.
The painful instrument dominates your thoughts, its cold, lifeless shape sending shivers down your spine. You can hardly think straight as you look for any excuse or justification to avoid the crucifix-like monster.
"I..." you begin, your voice unsteady and hesitant. "I have quick hands." The lie emerges before you can stop it, a feeble attempt to weasel your way out. âIâm good atâŚopening things. Picking locks, andâŚI can hotwire stuff. If worst comes to worst, maybe I can stop the gears.â
The flimsy excuse hangs in the air, and for a moment, you wonder if theyâll see through it. Sunoo, to your surprise, nods quickly, accepting your words without question. His eyes flicker with a strange sense of determination, as though heâs already decided this task will be his moment to prove something - perhaps even to himself. Itâs not just about who gets into the death trap anymore; itâs about whether or not the others trust you enough to find the keys and save whoever steps into that crucifix-shaped machine.
Dayoung, however, remains frozen, her terror palpable. She looks between you and the machine with a mixture of disbelief and silent pleading, as if sheâs hoping someone - anyone - will speak up and spare her from whatâs coming. The claggy air around you grows thicker and more suffocating. Every breath feels shallow, as though youâre inhaling the very tension that blankets the room.
âDayoung, you get in,â Jaehyun says, his tone flat and absolute. Thereâs no room for argument, and you can see from the set of his jaw that heâs not going to entertain any. His words hang heavy in the silence, a command disguised as a suggestion.
Dayoung snaps out of her haze, eyes widening with horror as she instinctively goes into defence mode. Nothing like someone forcing you to possible death to spring you alert. âHuh? Why me?â Her voice wavers, panic obvious in her words. âI have twenty-twenty vision, and Iâm smaller than all of you! I can squeeze into tight spaces-â
You interrupt, your voice stronger than you feel. âThe three of us all have those skills covered. Iâve got good eyesight, and Sunoo is small, he can wiggle into any space that needs crawling into.â Youâre desperate now, more than youâd like to admit. If they start considering her reasoning, youâll be the one stepping into that machine, and you canât - wonât - let that happen. You donât know these people. You donât trust them. What if they strap you in and fail to find the keys in time? What if theyâre lying about their abilities? What if they leave you to die?
Sunoo, catching onto your momentum, pipes up next. âYeah, and you said you were a cheerleader back in high school,â he says, trying to keep his tone light. âSo that means youâre, like, bendy, right?â
Dayoung glares at him, clearly regretting ever sharing that piece of personal information. âWhat does that have to do with my limbs being twisted off my body?!â she snaps. âFlexible or not, theyâll still be twirled like a fucking pretzel!â
You wince at the harshness of her words, but Jaehyun, standing by the contraption, doesn't seem fazed. Instead, he glances at Dayoung, his expression unreadable as he adds, âIt means you might be able to withstand it more than we will.â
The room falls silent, weighing up the truth of his statement and somehow agreeing with his logic. Dayoung, however, looks at him like heâs lost his mind, her face contorted with disbelief and horror. âOh, and what about my neck, huh?â she snaps, voice rising. âWhat if you losers donât find all the keys and my neck gets snapped? Nobody can âwithstandâ that more.â
Her words echo in the room, and for a brief moment, everyone is stunned into silence. Jaehyun crosses his arms, clearly unmoved by her protests. Heâs decided, and thereâs no changing his mind.Â
"I don't want to die like this," Dayoung says, her voice suddenly low and broken. Her shoulders sag as the gravity of the situation sinks in. Her eyes are glazed over with terror, and you can feel her breaking. All that bravado and bite she had earlier is slowly but surely disappearing.
But Jaehyun's stare is unwavering. He takes a step nearer and rests his hand on the cool metal of the machine, his eyes surveying the intricate gearwork with detached fascination. "We won't let it go that far; just do it," he adds, almost as if he's trying to persuade himself as well as her.
Finally, Dayoung takes a hesitant step forward, her face pale as a ghost. She's resigned, like a prisoner headed to the end of the line. And you can only watch as she climbs onto the platform, her hands shaking as she fumbles with the straps, helping Jaehyun secure her into whatever fate lies ahead.
The sound of the straps and locks clicking into place makes your stomach churn and Dayoungâs breath hitches as the final buckle snaps into position, locking her neck in. You can see the panic rising in her eyes, her chest heaving as the machine stirs to life. Sheâs finding it hard to believe that Heeseung was so calm, and if he wasnât, then how the fuck did he hide it so well.
âExcellent! Well done Dayoung,â Jaeyunâs unsympathetic voice bounces between the speakers and down the walls. âThe countdownâll start as soon as your right arm starts to twist! Good luck and remember, this is a team interview exercise.âÂ
Your legs feel like cement as you wobble forward, your gaze darting over the room, looking for any trace of the missing keys. The others follow suit, but itâs clear that the tension has infected everyoneâs ability to think straight. The sound of the machine's gears creaking fills the room as the clock ticks down, and every second feels like a mallet, battering you deeper into dread.
Dayoung whimpers behind you, the straps tightening as precious time slips by. The air is thick with her shallow breaths, and the hum of the machine grows louder, more menacing. You can hear the faint clicking of gears preparing to turn, and the thought of her limbs being twistedâŚitâs enough to make bile rise in your throat.
You canât think, canât focus.
The countdown is annoyingly bright and menacing in the corner of your eye as Dayoungâs breath comes in sharp, ragged gasps, the crucifixâs gears clanking ominously and telling the tale of what is to come. Her wide eyes dart frantically between the three of you as her right arm jerks in its restraint, slowly being twisted backwards, the pain already creeping up to her shoulder.Â
"Please! Oh my God, hurry!" Dayoung cries, her shrieking voice slicing the quiet like a blade. Her body twitches in pain as the cuff tightens around her wrist, and you watch in horror as the skin on her arm stretches unnaturally, taut like a rubber band about to snap.
The grinding noise grows excruciating as the gears yank harder, and suddenly, you hear it: crack - the first bone in her arm fractures loudly, like dry twigs breaking beneath your feet. Blood vessels begin to creep onto the surface of her skin. Her hand twitches furiously, fingers curving into odd angles as her forearm twists tighter and tighter, bones grinding against muscle.Â
Dayoungâs right arm twists further, the machine now dragging her elbow into an impossible angle. The skin stretches thin, almost translucent, the veins standing out against her flesh. A sickening pop fills the air as her elbow dislocates, and her screams grow louder, more desperate. Blood oozes from her wrist, the pressure of the cuff cutting deep into her skin.
You feel like youâre frozen in place, staring at the horror unfolding in front of you, but Sunoo is sueprisingly the first to break free of the trance. âWe need to find the keys!â he shouts, voice tight with panic, to which you and Jaehyun nod, tearing your eyes away from the sight. You all wasted two precious minutes just staring at her when you could have been looking for the keys that could have been saving her.
You rush into action, your mind racing and your hands shaking violently as you yank every object in the room out of its designated space. As you knock it over, a chair smashes to the ground, tearing up its cushion in a blind quest for the key to stop the madness.
Jaehyun searches through a cabinet, tugging drawers out one by one, the wood splintering as he throws them away. "There must be something! Anything!" His voice shakes and you can see desperation in his eyes.Â
Yanking open a vent in the wall, Sunnoâs hands tremble as he feels around inside, the cold metal and dust bunnies brushing his fingertips. Then, he feels a bump and his digits pinch around it, the jagged edges meaning only one thing. Â
âIâve got one! I found a key!â he cries out, holding the small piece of metal high. You all rush over to Dayoung, hope surging through you like lightning. Maybe this will work, maybe you can stop it.
Sunoo's heart pounds in his chest as he wrestles with the lock on her right arm restraint. His fingers fumble with the key, trying to find the right angle, but it just won't turn, or more to the point, the key isn't fitting. "No, no, no, no!" he mutters, his voice rising in desperation. He tries again, twisting the key with all his might, but it remains stubbornly stuck.Â
Jaehyun takes the key from him and tries another lock on the machine. "What the hell?!" He plugs the key into the contraption's base, but the gears continue to revolve. You can hear Dayoung sobbing; the anguish is too much for her to bear.Â
âWeâre wasting time!â you shout, looking around frantically. "Letâs just collect all the keys first, then weâll figure it out!"
The three of you go back to scrambling around, opening drawers, and checking behind cabinets, Jaehyun even looks around Heeseungâs decapitated body, hoping that one could shine out amongst the blood.Â
Sunoo discovers another key buried in a crack in the wall, near a dusty old picture. "Another one!" he cries, but the desperation in his voice exposes the helplessness that grips all of you. He pockets the key, and the three of you spread out again, tearing through the room with intent.
Jaehyun is ripping apart the shelf with desperate energy, his knuckles white, when the next horrible thud of the machine resonates across the room, sending a chill down your spine. You turn just in time to see Dayoung's right leg furiously writhing in its constraint, the strap pressing further into her skin. The machine moves its brutal focus to her lower body. Your stomach clenches and nausea rises in your throat as you watch the grotesque scene unfold.
The machine's gears moan, and Dayoung's foot begins to twist awkwardly, as the rotation accelerates. Her thigh remains rigid, its muscles straining and bulging under the pressure, like a rope stretched to its breaking point. Her knee tendons swell beneath her skin, huge cables of flesh pulling and stretching in a dance of resistance. Dayoung's scream punctures the air, a primal, guttural sound that stills your blood. Her face is pallid, smeared with tears and sweat, and her eyes are wide with fear as she thrashes helplessly.
"Oh my God! Not my leg! Not my leg!" She screams with an understandable mix of fear and pain. The thin layer of skin around her knee begins to rip, blood pouring through as the strain goes above what human flesh is capable of withstanding. Her muscles twist and sag as the machine's merciless grasp tightens, and suddenly, with a horrible crack, her knee breaks sideays, making a wet, nauseating sound that echoes like thunder.Â
The jagged edge of her femur rips through her skin with a nauseating pop, jutting out in a jagged shard. It weirdly reminds you of Adamantoise from Final Fantasy XV. Flesh hangs in torn, ragged ribbons around the exposed bone, and blood pours in a thick torrent, pooling in a dark stain beneath her mangled limb, much like Heeseungâs fingers did, except this is a lot more blood and a lot more evil to watch.
Jaehyun stumbles backwards, panic in his eyes as he tears open another drawer, frantically pulling out a key hidden behind a false panel. His hands shake as he tries the key in the restraint locking her left leg, just in the off chance. âGoddammit! What are these for?!â His voice cracks, teetering on the edge of despair as the key refuses to budge. His breath comes in ragged gasps, desperation turning his hands into quaking fists.
Your mind is overwhelmed by the image of Dayoung's leg, which is no longer recognisable as a limb but rather a tangle of flesh and bone gushing blood. It looks like raw meat shredded apart by wolves. The room spins around you as you claw at the walls, overturning furniture in a wild frenzy, searching for anything - literally anything - to stop this.
Suddenly, Sunooâs shout pierces the chaos. âIâve got a gold one!â.
He bolts toward Dayoung, holding up another key as if it were salvation itself. He jams it into the restraint around her left leg, but it doesnât turn. The machine chugs and Dayoungâs other leg is pulled taut, the bone twisting under the skin in a gruesome slow-motion torture. The sound of her muscles tearing, that awful wet rip, lodges itself in your ears, and you can't shake it.
Then comes the final, sickening snap. The bone in her shin shatters, tearing through her skin in jagged shards. A spray of blood explodes across the room, splattering onto Sunooâs face, and your legs. It feels warm and sticky against your skin, the coppery scent filling the air and overcoming your senses. Dayoungâs screams have weakened, her voice barely a whisper now, choked with exhaustion and agony, her eyes glazed over in shock, mouth spilling out choked sobs.
Itâs amazing how different the circumstances between Dayoung and Heeseung are, yet their deaths follow a similar parallel. The sprays of blood, the weakened states, the bones crushing. It shows that no matter the reason for death, everyone bleeds and breaks the same.
âWe donât have much time!â Sunoo cries, his hands shaking violently, clutching the remaining keys like theyâre mocking him. His eyes are wild, filled with fear as he glances between Dayoungâs mutilated body and the infernal machine that continues its slow, merciless work. You can feel it, too - the ticking clock of doom, grinding closer and closer to its inevitable, bloody end.Â
Itâs more daunting than the actual clock behind you.
The machine clicks ominously, and the sound alone makes your stomach lurch. Dayoungâs left arm jerks violently as the mechanical cuffs tighten around her wrist, pulling at her arm and beginning itâs torture on the perfectly in-place limb - the only one she has left. The grinding whir of the machine grows louder, almost gleeful, as though itâs savouring the destruction it's about to unleash on her fragile body. You know Jaeyun will surely be enjoying this - like machine, like inventor.
Her arm twists further, the tendons straining beneath the skin like cords ready to snap. Then, with a sickening pop, her shoulder dislocates just like her right, and you watch as the bone and muscle jut unnaturally against the surface of her skin, threatening to rip through. Blood begins to trickle from the edges of her arm, mixing with the thick pool already staining the floor beneath her mangled legs. Her head lolls to the side, her mouth opening in a weak gasp as her eyes roll back, the struggle for consciousness palpable on her ashen face.
Jaehyun is tearing apart the last piece of furniture in the room, his voice raw with frustration. âThere has to be one more key!â He throws the remains of a shattered drawer against the wall, rage flooding his features. Itâs supposed to be five keys for the five locks, and even though the older man knows that the likelihood of the last key working, he needs to find it for principle.
The machine doesnât give you a moment to process that you canât save her as a dark groan comes from behind her head. it locks into its final phase and Dayoungâs body spasms, her neck jerking in the metal collar now tightening around her throat. Her eyes snap open, wide with pure, unadulterated terror as the realisation hits her, the clock from the projector down to its final two minutes. âNo! No, no, no! You said you would save me you fucking assholes.â Her scream is shrill, a piercing wail filled with desperation and horror, the kind that claws at your insides. Her chest heaves as she tries to force air through her constricted throat, her sobs now a mix of strangled cries and gurgling gasps.
The collar tightens further, pressing into her throat like a vice. Rather than spinning her around like it did her arms and legs, this one tightens, squeezing flat against her neck. Her throat bulges unnaturally under the pressure, veins pulsing as the skin stretches to its breaking point. Sheâs barely able to get a breath, her voice reduced to choking whimpers. âPlease, please, stop it!â Dayoung pleads, her wide, panic-stricken eyes darting between you and the others, pleading for mercy, for salvation. âDonât let it kill me! Please!â
Youâre out of time. The keys donât work and the machine has literally no mercy to offer. But Sunoo isn't going to just let someone die; it's not who he is. He begins to shake the device, kicking and clawing at it, desperation as his driving force. He attempts to remove the leather strap from her throat, but it's too tight to fit his fingers beneath.
âY/N, you said you can hot wire! Fucking do something,â he cries out, never taking his eyes off Dayoung. He doesnât know her but even with the dragging hours that have passed, learning about her and forming even a slither of connection, he has to do everything to get her out of this.
In a panic, you rush to the rear of the equipment ripping apart the metal plate concealing its inner workings. Inside, you can see the gears spinning, the chilly, complex system pushing Dayoung's head tighter and tighter, threatening to shatter her neck like a fragile twig.
As your fingers dig into the tangle of cables, the machine roars louder, its gears grinding cruelly, as if mocking your efforts. Sweat pours down your cheeks, and your hands tremble uncontrollably as you grasp at wires, hoping to disconnect something to halt the awful machinery.Â
"Y/N, hurry!" Sunoo's voice breaks with dread, and his eyes widen as he sees Dayoung's body contort even more. Her short, raspy gasps get faster and more frantic as she struggles against the collar's inexorable tightening. She can't even fight with her body, all of her limbs being held together by straggled pieces of muscle and cartilage. If you were to describe it, you would say what should be her arms and legs have turned into those childhood blankets that disintegrate through years of wear and tear. Yet this only happened in a matter of minutes.
Your fingers fumble with the cables, shaking with every quick movement. You cross some over, hoping that by some miracle, your desperate efforts may put an end to the horror unfolding right in front of you. The air is heavy with tension, and each breath is weighed down by fear and powerlessness. But suddenly, amidst the metallic clinks and grinding hum of the machine, you hear it: the unmistakable click.
The machine surges, accelerating with terrifying speedâ
"Y/N! Stop it! Stop it!" Sunooâs voice is raw, squeaking with sheer panic, but the horror is already set in motion. The machine lets out a final, deafening whir, as if announcing its triumph, and then it happens.
The sound is an abomination - a sharp, bone-splitting crunch that reverberates through the room like a gunshot. Itâs not just a snap; itâs a sickening, wet crack and squelch that makes your skin crawl, as though the very marrow inside her bones has been torn apart.Â
Dayoungâs head shifts distortedly as it falls forward, barely hanging on. Her eyes are wide, lifeless - once filled with terror, now emptied of everything. Thereâs no struggle left in her, no more screams, no more gasps. The frantic twitching of her body ceases in an instant, the fight drained from her all at once, leaving only a horrifying stillness. Her limbs hang limp in the restraints, the tendons and bones within mangled beyond recognition.
Blood runs from her neck and down her body, creating a deep, black pool with a sticky surface that gleams in the harsh lights above, almost acting like a mirror. Every morsel of life have been drained from her, oozing into the concrete floor and merging with the carnage that has already taken her legs and arms. The machine comes to a slow, halting end, seemingly content with its work, leaving nothing but shattered quiet in its wake.
The silence that follows is oppressive, an emptiness so profound that it feels as if the room is closing in on the three of you. The weight of the terror bears down on your chest, making it difficult to breathe, and your pulse hammering in your ears as the realisation of what has just happened sets in. As you walk around to see the mess that you helped cause, you place a hand over your mouth, masking your emotions as your eyes trail every piece of her. Dayoungâs mutilated body hangs before you, a disturbing wreckage of blood, bone, and twisted flesh. Her limbs, once full of life and motion, now hang like shattered remnants of a body that once moved, once breathed. The machine has reduced her to ruin, her final scream still echoing faintly in your mind, haunting and relentless.
Sunoo backs up and you catch him before he falls, your left arm scooped around his waist as you hold him steady. You pat his head with your free hand, lulling him to calm down, but no amount of shushing or empathetic words can stop him from shutting down. So, you gently place him down on the ground, facing away from Dayoungâs mangled body.
The clock behind you switches from the dreaded countdown to Jaeyun, his eyes lighting up with joy as he takes in the pretty sight before him.Â
âWow. That was a mess huh?â The pout on his face makes him look young, but no matter how baby his face might look, he is still evil throughout his bones. "That is such a shame, guys. Really, I am so sorry. All you needed was one mor-" he stops suddenly and it's quiet as youâre all left in suspense. He giggles and gasps in mocking shock. "Oh noâŚguys this is all my faultâŚI didn't put in the right keys...my bad"Â
The taunting lilt in Jaeyun's voice makes your skin crawl, the shine of the correct keys in his hands only adding insult to injury. The weight of Dayoung's lifeless body settles heavily on your chest, but Jaeyunâs words rip through that veil of despair like a sharp blade, twisting the knife deeper.
"You sick bastard!" Jaehyun shouts out, veins popping from his forehead. Hearing the murderer through a tannoy is one thing, but for Jaehyun, seeing him is so much worse. The smug grin that never leaves, the sheer enjoyment that vibrates through his body as he talks you through the torment, he canât fucking stand it.
"Even if the correct keys had been in place, Dayoung would still be nothing more than a twisted wreck. This doesnât change anything. Her fate was sealed the moment this game began. You didnât find the last key."
Frustration mounts, fists clenched and knuckles whitening. Thereâs an instinct to lash out, to break something, to do anything to fight the powerlessness suffocating the room. "Youâre lying!" Jaehyun snaps, refusing to believe or accept his own downfall in finding the key. "You hid that last key! There was never a chance to save her!"
The murderer on the screen gives a cold laugh, eyes gleaming with perverse pleasure. "Now, now," comes the taunting coo, "I wouldnât be screaming at your potential future employee, Jaehyun."
A sharp bang fills the space as Jaehyunâs fist slams against the wall, the thud reverberating through the air. "Where is it?" The demand is firm, the need to know outweighing the anger. âTell me where the last key is!â
A soft, condescending sigh follows. "Why do you care, hmm? Dayoung is already dead, her neck squished like a grape. Why does it matter?" The question is laced with cruelty, the words designed to provoke.
Taking a breath, Jaehyun forces the anger down, his voice dropping to a low growl. He needs to remain calm and focused right now. "Call it curiosity."
Silence hangs for a moment before Jaeyun leans forward, his gaze dark with amusement. "Curiosity, huh?" he muses. "I like that in my workers." The pause stretches on as if savouring the tension. Then, his voice takes on a more dramatic tone. "The last keyâŚis in the eye of the beholder."Â
âWhat the fuck does that mean?" The sneer from Jaehyun is filled with disdain as his eyes narrowed in frustration. "Quit with your cryptic bullshit!"
Jaeyunâs grin widens into something grotesque. He doesnât explain, not even a blues clues crayon drawing to help you understand. Instead, he adopts a chirpier demeanour, clapping his hands together and bringing back that game show host vibe he had at the very beginning.Â
"Whoâs ready for round three?" The shift in tone is as jarring as it is maddening, the manâs sadistic pleasure in his own game shining through.
A whisper breaks the silence. "W-what is it?" Sunooâs voice trembles, his body shaking and eyes glistening with tears.
"Glad you asked, Sunoo!" The glee in Jaeyunâs voice is palpable, oozing cruelty. "Round three is a favourite in our household. We like to call it...Key Cutter."
A thrill spikes as you glance toward the screen, dread and curiosity settling deep in your stomach. "What...what does that mean?" you ask, voice tight.
"It begins with a scan," he replies, his tone dropping lower and more sinister. âY/N, why donât you be a doll and grab the brown envelope on the table to your right?â
Swallowing hard, you nod and move stiffly toward the table, legs heavy. The envelope sits there, innocuous in appearance, yet you know that whatever it contains will be anything but ordinary. With trembling hands, you tear it open and pull out the contents. A stack of MRI images stares back at you, cold and clinical. At first, you don't register what you're seeing, but then the truth hits like a sledgehammer.Â
The scan shows a skull, some side view and others straight on, but within it, lodged behind the eye socket, is something metallic.
A keyâŚthe key.
âWhat the hell is this?â Your voice barely escapes your lips as the images tremble in your hands.
Jaeyunâs laughter reverberates through the room. "Oh, itâs actually kinda funny. The fifth key you need? Itâs hidden inside someoneâs skull."
A wave of nausea washes over you as his words sink in. One of you is carrying the key inside your own head.
âHow the hell were we supposed to know that?â Jaehyun barks, snatching the scan from your hands quickly, eyes narrow as he studies the image and muscles tensing with each second that passes. His knuckles turn white, gripping the paper so tightly that it threatens to tear. Thereâs a fire in his eyes - rage, frustration, and helplessness all coiling into a dangerous tornado inside him.
âDidnât you say you were good at finding things? You shouldâve figured that out, Jaehyun.â The taunt from Jaeyun cuts deep, aimed with precision to needle Jaehyun's already strained patience, and clearly itâs working.
Sunoo, wiping his tear-streaked cheeks, takes a trembling step forward. His body is still shaking but thereâs a determination now - a need to understand what the fuck is going on, even as fear gnaws at him.
âI...I want to see it,â Sunoo mumbles softly, his voice cracking as he approaches. His hand reaches out, fingers quivering as they touch the edge of the scan and pull it from the manâs grasp. Sunoo doesnât like anger or confrontation and although he understands Jaehyun and his right to be mad, it doesnât make him any less frightened of him.
His eyes flit across the image, tracing the lines of the skull, the shape of the eye socket, and finally, the small key embedded within. His breath catches in his throat. âWhose... whose eye is it?â he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.
A sinister chuckle echoes through the speakers. âWhy donât you take a closer look, bud?âÂ
Sunooâs fingers tighten around the paper, pulling the image closer to his face and his brows furrowing as he focuses. Thereâs something familiar about the shape, the positioning of the skull. Heâs seen this before...in a different context. His eyes widen suddenly, like a jolt of icy realisation has shot through him, freezing him in place.
âN-no...â he breathes, the colour draining from his face. His lips tremble, and his whole body runs cold, every part of him going rigid as his heart pounds in his chest, desperate to keep his blood pumping. "I-itâs...itâs mine."
Both you and Jaehyun turn toward him, the air in the room thickening with dread. Sunoo stares at the scan, barely able to process what heâs seeing. His hand lifts shakily to his face, fingers hovering near his right eye, as if he could somehow feel the key hidden inside, buried in his skull. "I-I recognise the fracture," he says, voice trembling. "I...I had an accident a few years ago...a fall. They did a scan, and it looks just like this...This is my skull."
A suffocating silence falls over the room as the three of you stare blankly at the scan, any hope that it was a hoax now ripped away from each of you.Â
Sunoo is the one. The key is inside him. And now, the terrible weight of what that means settles over the group like a dark cloud.
Jaeyunâs voice, dripping with delight, breaks the tension. âThatâs right, Sunoo! Youâre the chosen one. Youâve been holding onto the key this whole time. Isnât it funny how life works?â The sound of his laughter twists the knife further into the collective horror.
Sunoo stumbles back, his legs giving way as he crumples to the floor, shaking violently and backing up to the wall. "No...no, no, no...this canât be real!" His hands grasp at his face, desperate and terrified, as if he could pull the key out by sheer will alone. Tears stream freely now, the terror overwhelming him completely. It might be his imagination but as the salty liquid hits his lips once again, thereâs a metallic taste to it, the key dissolving into his tears.
"Hey, hey, it's okay! We donât need the key anymore, Sunoo. Youâre safe,â you rush to comfort him, your voice strained but hoping that somehow your words will break through his panic. After all, Dayoungâs fate was sealed without that final key. What difference would it make now?
But the instant Jaeyunâs voice cuts in, your skin crawls, and you feel a chill deep in your bones. "Weeeelll..." Jaeyun drags out the word, dripping with sinister delight. You freeze. His tone alone tells you that something much worse is coming. You glance at Sunoo, who is still sitting in a broken heap on the floor, and your stomach turns.
"You see," Jaeyun continues, "those keys youâve been gathering? They werenât actually for task two... but you do need them for task three."
The room seems to close in as his words seep into your mind. You can feel Sunoo next to you, his entire body trembling uncontrollably. His eyes glaze over in shock, and he looks like heâs going to be sick - and you wouldnât blame him if he projectiled all over the floor right now.Â
The sharp stench of fear and sweat fills the air. His throat bobs, dry lips parting as if he wants to say something, but nothing comes out because thereâs nothing to say, nothing that can get him out of this. His chest rises and falls rapidly, breaths shallow, and you see the terror completely take over.
"Y-youâre lying...we donât need the key..." Sunoo mumbles, but thereâs no conviction behind his words. His body betrays him, curling in on itself, as though heâs trying to make himself small enough to disappear.
Jaeyun hums thoughtfully, as though considering. "I wouldnât lie to you. I make it habit never to lie to my employees. You see, task three? Itâs a blood sport. Literally."
A low, ominous hum begins to vibrate in the room, coming from somewhere deep in the walls. The tension mounts as Jaeyunâs explanation continues. "Thereâs a box in front of you, you see it? That box needs to be filled with blood. When itâs full, the door to the final interview will open. Easy enough, right?" His voice is light, almost playful. But the implications hang heavy in the air, crushing your hope.
Your eyes dart around, searching the dim room until they land on the glass box that had gone unnoticed until now, nestled against the far wall. It's ominous, with measured lines down the side of it, indicating the measurements of what itâs supposed to hold.
"The catch," Jaeyun goes on, relishing every moment of your growing horror, "is that you need all the keys to unlock the cabinet where some special tools are stored. You canât spill a drop until you have every key in hand because you can only use the tools that I give you! And before you think about it; no, you cannot use Dayoung or Heeseungâs blood, that would be waaay too easy."
Sunoo stifles a sob as he listens, hands clenched at his sides. His breath comes out ragged, and his whole body seems to shake with barely contained hysteria. âN-no...I canât...I canât do this!â His voice wavers as his panic deepens. The vomit threatening in his throat seems to rise, and he swallows it back, his face going pale as his lips tremble.
You kneel down beside him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "Sunoo, listen to me," you whisper, trying to keep your voice steady. "We can figure this out. Just breathe."
Sunoo shakes his head frantically, panic surging through his veins. "I canât...I canât-"
Jaeyun cuts in again, casually flipping the mood. "Of course, you donât have to volunteer yourself, Sunoo. You all make it a team effort. Itâs up to you, Iâm all for teamwork, although, I would like it if my new assistant had most of their body intact." He chuckles darkly, the sound grating in your ears like nails on a chalkboard.
Your heart sinks as you absorb his words. You glance at the others, trying to read their faces, but the reality of whatâs being asked of you makes everything seem surreal.
"Fill the box with blood, and the door opens. Simple as that." Jaeyunâs words echo, cold and final. "If you want a shot at getting out of here, you're going to need that key. So, whatâs it going to be?"
Sunoo squeezes his eyes shut and wraps his arms around himself, trying to keep from falling apart completely. Fresh tears fall down his cheeks and heâs breaking down right in front of you, shaking like a leaf from the wind that Jaeyun has just knocked out of him.
His panic spirals rapidly out of control; breaths come in short, erratic gasps, his chest heaving as if he canât get enough air. His eyes dart around wildly, searching for a way out, but there is none. His entire body trembles violently, and you can see the sweat gathering at his hairline, his skin pale as deathâŚwhich is all his body is gearing him up for.
âI canâtâŚI canâtâŚI canât!â His voice cracks, hysteria rising, tears flowing freely down his cheeks. He starts backing away, his legs stumbling over themselves as he moves like a cornered animal. âDonât make me! Please, I canât do it!â
The desperation in his voice rips through you, and you canât help but feel awful. Every instinct inside you screams to comfort him, to tell him it will be okay. But the truth is, it wonât be. Thereâs no escape from this. Youâve seen it too many times already. If you donât get that key, youâre all going to die.
Your throat is tight, and the words feel like acid on your tongue as you step closer to him, trying to keep your voice steady. âSunooâŚlisten to me. WeâŚwe donât have a choice.â You swallow hard, the weight of what youâre about to say crushing you. âIf we donât get that key, weâre all dead. We need it. You know that. Youâve seen what happens here.â
Sunoo shakes his head furiously, his hands coming up to clutch his head as if trying to block out your words. âNo, no, noâŚPleaseâŚThere has to be another way.â
Jaehyunhis face is twisted in frustration. His fists clench and unclench, but you can see that same terrible understanding in his eyes. He knows there is no other way.
âThereâs no time, Sunoo!â Jaehyun snaps, his voice harsh but cracking with the weight of the situation. âYou heard him! If we donât do this, weâre all going to end up like Dayoung and Heeseung. Do you want that?â
Sunooâs face crumples, his hands dropping from his head as a sob escapes him. He shakes his head weakly, his voice just a titter or a whisper. âI donât want to dieâŚI donât want toâŚâ His wide, tear-filled eyes lock onto yours, pleading for some other solution, for some mercy that clearly no one is willing to give him.
You kneel in front of him, reaching out to gently take his nervous hands in yours. The moment your skin touches his, you feel how ice-cold he is, his body in shock. âI donât want you to die either, Sunoo. None of us want this. But if we do this right, then you wonât. If you lose an eye you can still survive.â
His breath hitches, and you can see the conflict raging inside him. He doesnât want to do it - no one would - but deep down, he knows youâre right. You can see it in his face, the crushing weight of the truth bearing down on him.
âI canât believe this is happeningâŚâ he whispers, his voice fragile, broken.
âIâm sorryâŚâ You choke on the words. âIâm so sorryâŚbut we need that key.â
For a long, horrible moment, the room is silent except for Sunooâs ragged breathing. Heâs staring at you, his eyes wide with disbelief and fear. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, he nods. Itâs the smallest, most reluctant gesture, but itâs enough to get the ball rolling.
Jaehyun, seeing the acceptance wash over Sunoo, lets out a harsh, shaky breath. âOkay. Okay. We can do this. WeâllâŚweâll be quick, alright?â
But you all know thereâs no way this will be quick. Not if you want him to live.
You scour the room, and Jaehyun eventually finds a rusted metal spoon, one he skidded across the floor in the manic panic of the last task. He holds it up, his hand trembling as he looks at it with disgust. The idea of using something so crude for thisâŚitâs unthinkable. But you have no other choice.
Sunoo is seated against the wall, his legs pulled up to his chest, his arms wrapped around them tightly. His breathing is uneven, and the tears have dried on his cheeks but his quivering lips tells you the fear heâs feeling. His eyes are wide, staring off into space as if heâs trying to disassociate, trying to be anywhere but here. He knows whatâs coming, and the terror is palpable and paralysing.
Quickly, Jaehyun places the spoon in your hand, dissolving himself of all responsibility in the matter. You donât argue with him about it though, deciding that at least you can show some compassion in the moment, unlike someoneâŚ
âSunoo, weâre going to do this together, okay? Youâre not alone.â Your voice wavers, barely able to keep steady under the pressure.
He doesnât respond at first, his gaze locked on the floor. But finally, he nods weakly. He looks up at you, eyes glistening with tears. âJustâŚdo it quickly, pleaseâŚâ
You give him a reassuring - if be it fake - nod, but your hands begin to mirror hisnshaking form as you hold the spoon, the weight of what youâre about to do making your entire body feel cold. Jaehyun stands over you, watching intently.
âWe have to be careful,â Jaehyun mutters, his voice strained. âWe canât mess this up.â
Ignoring Jaehyun, you and Sunoo look into one another's souls, knowing that thereâs no careful way to do this. Itâs going to hurt, no matter what.
Taking a deep breath, you steady yourself, and gently place your hand on the side of his head, positioning him. His breath hitches at your touch, and you can feel him trembling beneath your fingers, vibrations trepidation making your hand unsteady. You hate yourself for what youâre about to do to this innocent little lamb, but thereâs no going back.
âIâm sorry,â you whisper, voice cracking, and then you bring the spoon to his eye. âI am so, so sorry, baby.â
The second the cold metal touches his skin, Sunoo jerks instinctively, letting out a strangled whimper. âNo⌠no⌠please-â
âItâll be over soon!â Jaehyun snaps, his voice tight with panic and impatience. He isnât a nurturing person, you can tell that much about the enigmatic man, but you guess he is trying to soothe the boy in his own, fucked up way.
You press the spoon against his lower eyelid, feeling the resistance as it digs into his flesh. Blood wells up immediately, dark and thick, as you force the spoon deeper, pushing it into the socket. Sunooâs screams fill the room, high-pitched and desperate, his body convulsing in pain.
âIâm sorryâŚIâm so sorry! Shhh,â you let a few tears fall, voice jittering as you work, your hands slick with his blood which now drips freely from the socket. The flesh tears as you force the spoon in deeper, scraping against bone and wiggling it around to break the tether, until you feel the pop - the horrifying, wet pop - of his eye dislodging from the socket.
Sunooâs screams reach a fever pitch, his hands clawing at the ground and your chest, his entire body thrashing in agony. Blood pours from his ruined eye, streaming down his face in thick rivulets, soaking his clothes, those cute characters on his hoodie now looking like theyâve failed to survive a Jason Voorhees attack.
You force yourself to keep going, tears blurring your vision, and with a sickening squelch, you pull the eyeball free, catching it in your hand as it flies free from its home. Blood drips from the dangling nerve, pooling on the floor as Sunooâs sobs turn to broken gasps, his body convulsing in shock and pain. The once-beautiful eye now sits useless and mutilated.
âThereâŚthereâŚâ you whisper, voice shaking. But itâs far from over.
With nervous fingers, you reach into the hollow space behind his eye, feeling the sticky, wet mess of blood and tissue. You dig deeper, wincing at the sound of Sunooâs raw, guttural cries, apologising profusely along the way, until your fingers brush against something cold and hard.
The key.
Sunoo's soft, pitiful sobs bounce around the room as you lean closer, brushing your lips against his forehead and trailing down to kiss away the tears that spill from his remaining eye. His whole body trembles beneath you, the shock of the impromptu surgery overwhelming him, and you feel a fierce protectiveness welling up inside you. Heâs like your little brother, fragile and broken, and all you want to do is shield him from the horrors that keep crashing down on him.
You whisper soothing words, your hands gently cradling his head, but it does little to comfort him. His chest rises and falls in shallow breaths, each one laboured as he fights to keep his grip on reality. You stroke his hair, once blonde now dying red with the blood on your hands.
Jaehyun, meanwhile, is moving swiftly. He yanks the other keys from Sunooâs blood-soaked pocket, his face a mask of determination, and then reaches out to take the key youâre still holding, your fingers slick with blood. His hand lingers for just a moment, his eyes locking onto yours as if to say âgood jobâ, but the compliment lacks conviction. He just wants out of here, and granted you do to, but a little sympathy for the boy in your arms wouldnât go amiss.
The metal locks clink against each other as he hurriedly makes his way to the box and tries each key, his hands shaking but focused. He jams the first key into the lock, twists it with a click, and tosses it aside. The second follows suit, then the third, each unlocking with a sharp clank that reverberates through the room. Your heart pounds in your chest with every click, the sound marking your descent deeper into this nightmare.
When he reaches the final key - the one you pulled from behind Sunooâs eye - he hesitates, his thumb brushing over the bloodied surface. He turns to look back at Sunoo, whose broken body is slumped against the wall, pale and drenched in blood. Sunooâs single eye is half-closed as he fights the sleep that pulls him. Jaehyunâs jaw tightens, and then with a final, decisive twist, he unlocks the last lock and throws the box open.
Inside, the contents are far from what any of you expected. A thin, transparent tube lies coiled neatly next to a length of what looks like wire - flimsy, almost like dental floss. Jaehyunâs face contorts in confusion as he pulls them out, holding the tube and wire up to the dim light.
âWhat the fuck? How are we supposed to get blood with this?â he mutters, examining the odd materials in his hands. His voice wavers slightly, betraying the exhaustion and frustration thatâs building beneath the surface.
You tear your gaze away from Sunooâs spent body, trying to focus on what Jaehyun is holding and your mind races, trying to make sense of the strange tools laid out before you. Honestly, you expected a knife or a saw, but not this.
Sunoo, still groggy and weak from the pain, turns his head toward Jaehyun, squinting with his one remaining eye. He looks disoriented, his face pale and drawn, but his voice comes out in a weak rasp. âPut the tubeâŚin my socketâŚâ His words are a breathless whisper, as though each one costs him more strength than he has to give.
âThereâs not enough blood in there, baby,â you say softly, trying to keep your voice calm, though every part of you is screaming. âWe need more than thatâŚâ You pause, staring at the box, dread curling in your stomach. âWhat does it say on the box?â you ask, hoping thereâs some instruction that might make this clearer. âHow deep is it?â
Jaehyun glances down at the lid of the box, his brows furrowing as he reads the small print engraved there. His lips tighten as he processes it. âIt saysâŚthe container can hold 1 litre.â
Your heart sinks at the words. A litre of blood. Thatâs more than any eye socket could ever give, no matter how gruesome the idea. You cast another glance at the tube in Jaehyunâs hand, and that horrible idea solidifies even further in your mind. Youâd need to draw blood directly from someoneâs veins, from their body - slowly, methodically, until the box fills with enough to unlock the next stage.
âJesusâŚâ Jaehyun mutters, running a hand through his hair. His eyes dart back to Sunoo, then to you. âWe need to decide. Thereâs no other way, is there?â
You shake your head, the weight of the situation pressing down on you like a boulder. âNo. There isnât.â
Sunoo turns his head slightly, trying to make sense of what youâre saying, his face drenched with sweat as he goes through a cold flush. Heâs still coming to terms with the loss of his eye, his body limp from the trauma, but he knows thereâs more to this task and he has to push through.
His lips part as if heâs going to say something, but no words come out at first. His breath is ragged, and for a moment, you think he might pass out from the stress. But then, he swallows, his throat bobbing, and he looks at you, resignation written all over his face.
âIâllâŚIâll do it,â he whispers, his voice barely audible. âIf itâsâŚif itâs the only wayâŚâ
âSunoo, no-â You start to protest, but the look he gives you is so filled with sorrow and determination that it makes your heart break all over again.
âI can,â he breathes, shaking his head weakly. âIâm alreadyâŚdead anyway. It might as well be meâŚâ
Jaehyun steps forward, his eyes softening as he kneels beside Sunoo. âWeâre not asking you to die, Sunoo. We just need enough blood to get through this. Weâll stop before itâs too much, alright?â His voice is low, almost gentle, trying to reassure him, but you can see the strain on his face.Â
None of you are sure how far this will go.
Sunoo takes a shuddering breath and closes his eye, giving the faintest of nods. He knows thereâs no escape, no mercy here, and it crushes your soul to see him like this. You can only begin to imagine how vibrant and charismatic he is outwith the circumstances.
You carefully wipe the blood from his cheek and cradle his face in your hands. You can feel his body trembling beneath your fingers, the fear coursing through him and shock from the blood loss overtaking his nerves, but heâs trying to be brave.Â
âIâm sorry,â you whisper again, voice breaking. You wish there were something else you could say, something more you could do to make this easier. But thereâs nothing.
âIf you make it out, can youâŚplease tell my mum I love her?â Itâs a simple last request, but one that tugs at your heartstrings.
Tell my mum I love her. Such a simple, human request - one that breaks you more than any of the blood and horror surrounding you. You press your forehead against his gently, tears brimming in your eyes as you try to find some semblance of strength to give him the answer he needs, even if you are unsure about the fate.
âYouâll tell her yourself, Sunoo,â you whisper back, though the words feel hollow even as you say them. You both know the chances are slim but you cling to the lie because the truth is too unbearable.
His lips quiver, and for a moment, he tries to offer you a smile but it falters before it fully forms. Instead, his eye glimmers with dread and tears, his breath shallow as each exhale hitches painfully in his chest.
âWeâŚwe can do this,â you continue, voice shaking. âWe can cut through your leg with the wire. I saw it in a movie once.â You donât know if the suggestion is even realistic, but the desperation in your voice makes it sound plausible - you suppose anything can be justified if it means surviving this. âThereâs a lot of blood in the legâŚand then we can tourniquet it. We can use Jaehyunâs tie and wrap it around tightly to stop the blood after we fill that stupid box.â
Sunooâs eye widens, the reality of what youâre suggesting setting in. His whole body tenses, his remaining hand clutching weakly at your sleeve, holding onto you for some last semblance of comfort. The fear is obvious in him, but so is his trust in you. Itâs the worst thing - knowing he trusts you to guide him through this but also knowing youâre about to lead him into more pain.
âI know,â you murmur, brushing your thumb against his blood-smeared cheek. âI know it sounds fucking awful and scaryâŚbut I promise Iâll stop the bleeding before anything bad happens, okay? Youâre not alone in this.â
His chest shudders with a sharp, ragged breath, already foreshadowing his fate with a death rattle. Still, he gives a shallow but definitive nod; heâs surrendering to the outcome that has formed in his head, giving up his life for you and Jaehyun, and it breaks something in you.
Jaehyun watches from the side, his face a stony mask, though you can tell heâs struggling, the weight of what youâre about to do hanging over all of you all like a death sentence. He moves closer, his voice low and controlled, though thereâs a slight undercurrent underneath it. âLetâs get it over with. The longer we wait, the harder itâs going to be.â
You nod, trying to swallow down the bile rising in your throat. Jaehyun holds out the thin wire, its appearance belying the horrific task itâs going to perform.
Laying back against the wall, Sunooâs body stiffen, his breaths coming in quick, panicked bursts. His lips are dry and cracked, his whole form trembles as the fear tears him apart from the inside.
âSunoo,â you say softly, âlook at me. Just focus on me, yeah? Weâre going to get through this.â
His eye locks onto yours, wide and full of terror, but he nods weakly, his chest rising and falling erratically. His lips quiver, his breaths shallow and quick, as he braces himself for whatâs coming next.Â
You quickly take off his jeans, discarding them and gently lifting his thigh over the wire, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath your touch. The thought that in a few minutes his leg will be severed and bone sawed makes your hands shake, but you force yourself to keep moving. You canât falter. Not now.
Jaehyun steps in to help, holding Sunooâs ankle firmly and holding his leg in place. He glances at you, his jaw set. âReady?â
You nod, swallowing hard. âYeah. Letâs do this.âÂ
That might be the biggest lie youâve ever saidâŚor one of them at least.
âIâm so sorry, Sunoo,â you whisper, and with a deep breath, you begin to saw.
The wire digs into his flesh, slicing through the skin and muscle like a knife through butter, its flimsy appearance teaching you never to judge a book by its cover.
Sunoo screams - a raw, gritting sound that rips through the room, filling the air with his agony. The sound pierces you to your core, every second of his suffering echoing in your head as the wire cuts deeper, exposing the red tissue beneath the skin.
Blood spills instantly, thick and dark, pouring from the wound and pooling on the floor. Itâs warm, sticky, and the metallic of it all stifles the room, making your stomach churn.
Sunoo thrashes in your grip, his hands clutching at the ground as his scream dissolves into sobs. Heâs in agony and his body convulses as the wire digs deeper into his flesh. His face slick with sweat, his eye squeezed shut as he tries to block out the pain, but itâs useless.Â
You keep pulling the wire back and forth, your hands covered in blood, trembling as the wire grinds through his leg, severing muscle, tendon, and bone. Itâs a gruesome, horrific scene, the wet, squelching sound of flesh being torn apart filling your ears.Â
âHold on, Sunoo,â you whisper for his comfort, though your voice shakes. âJust a little longerâŚâ
His cries are ragged and throat hoarse from screaming, his whole body is shaking violently, his face twisted in pain. You can see the life draining out of him, the blood loss taking its toll, and you know you have to act fast.
With a final, desperate pull, the wire severs through the leg with a sickening slce, and Sunooâs leg comes free. His scream echoes through the room, a sound so full of pain and fright that it feels like itâs tearing your soul apart.Â
Sunoo is barely conscious now, his body limp, his eye fluttering as he teeters on the edge of passing out. His breaths are shallow and rapid, and his face is ashen, the life draining from him with every second.
You drop the wire, horrified by what youâve just done, but thereâs no time to dwell on it because you have to finish this. You have to fill the box or it will all be for nothing.
Jaehyun grabs the tube, plunging it into the open wound, sucking on it to get the flow started, and soon enough the blood begins to flow through it, filling the container. The sight of it makes your chest tighten but you force yourself to watch, to make sure it works. Thick and dark crimson pumps into the small tube youâve inserted.
It starts slowly - drop by drop, the blood pooling in the bottom of the box, each splash of liquid a reminder of the life draining from him. It feels like time is slipping through your fingers, just like the life from Sunooâs body.Â
âStay with me, Sunoo,â you whisper, voice breaking as the tears build in your eyes. You can barely see through them, but you refuse to let them fall. Not now. You reach out, carefully wiping away the blood thats still falling from his socket and smeared over his clammy skin.
Sunooâs one good eye flutters weakly open, overridden with pain, yet still trying to focus on you. The sight of him like this - broken, scared - it tears at your heart in ways you canât describe. âIâm sorry,â you say again, voice cracking under the weight of your guilt. You wish there was something, anything, that could make this easier, but there isnât.
âTell me it will be okay,â he whispers, his voice barely audible, yet the words hit you like a freight train. You swallow hard, a sob rising in your throat, but you push it down. You canât promise him a lie, but you canât vocalise the truth either.
You steal a glance at the box as the blood continues to flow into the container, the level slowly creeping higher. Itâs almost full, almost there but it feels like itâs taking forever. And SunooâŚSunoo is fading faster than you can process.
Jaehyun watches in tense silence, his knuckles white as he grips the tube, his face hard but his eyes betraying the same fear and helplessness you feel. His jaw clenches as he steals a look at Sunoo, then back at the box, calculating the blood flow, his mind racing against the ticking clock that seems to be counting down to Sunooâs last breath.
Finally, the blood reaches the top of the container, the dark liquid filling it to the brim and Jaehyun curses under his breath, his eyes flickering to you, waiting for you to take the next step.
But Sunooâs body has already gone limp. His breathing has slowed to a near stop.
âSunooâŚâ you murmur, panic rising in your chest. You canât lose him. Not after this. Not now.
âQuick!â you blurt, hands fumbling as you reach for the tie around Jaehyunâs neck. You pull it off in one fluid motion, shaking, and wrap it tightly around his leg, above the gaping wound. Youâre gripping it so desperately that you lose sensation in your fingers, but the blood just keeps coming despite your efforts.
âCome on,â you beg, tears streaming freely now, desperate to stop the vicious flow of blood. âPlease. Please just hold on!â
You knot the tie with shaking fingers, doing everything you can to slow the torrent, but itâs already too late. His body is cold beneath your hands and the life that was once in his eyes is slowly fading away.
The blood has poured out too quickly, too much of it lost in too short a time. You glance at the box and see it screaming victory - but at what cost? The success feels hollow, a sick joke in the face of Sunooâs fading life.
âSunoo, pleaseâŚplease stay with me. Youâre going to be okay. You have to beâŚâ
As you mutter the words, you can feel his body grow still, his breath stutters and falters. âIâm sorry,â you whisper, your tears falling onto his cold cheek. You kiss away the blood and tears, desperate to bring him comfort, to let him know that he isnât alone in these final moments.
Sunooâs lips part, a faint sound escaping him, but itâs not a word - itâs just a weak, broken breath. His chest rises one last time, then falls with finality, and you feel the last of his warmth leave him.
âNoâŚâ Your voice is barely a whisper, breaking under the weight of your grief. You canât look away from him, even as the silence fills the room, thick and suffocating.
Jaehyun steps back, his hands falling to his sides as he watches the scene unfold. The tie around Sunooâs leg is soaked with blood, useless now and only acting as a symbol of your failure to save him.Â
The door creaks open, signalling the end of the task, but thereâs no relief, no victory. Only loss. Only the hollow, aching void left behind as Sunooâs body lies motionless before you.
âIâm sorry,â you whisper one last time, though it feels empty now. You hold onto him, even though heâs already gone, the weight of his loss crushing your chest, making it hard to breathe.
_______
The door that you hoped would lead to freedom opens into something far worse. Instead of the grim, blood-soaked chaos youâve become accustomed to, you're met with a blinding light so harsh that it feels like needles piercing your eyes.Â
You squint, trying to adjust, and the scene before you slowly comes into focus. Itâs jarring - the sterile whiteness of the room, the gleaming tiles that cover the walls, floors, and ceiling, all so clean, so pristine, it feels unnatural. There's no trace of death here, no hint of the violence that has marred your every step. The air smells faintly of disinfectant, as though someone had meticulously scrubbed away any sign of life.
Your eyes are drawn to the centre of the room where a steel table sits. Its surface gleams and has two folding chairs on either side. The setting feels clinical, almost surgical, like a place where emotions have no home, and only cold, calculated decisions are made.Â
As your vision clears fully, you notice something on the table. It stands out against the spotless surroundings, its presence contrasting.Â
A gun. Black, sleek, and menacing, it rests atop the table like a predator waiting to strike. It glistens under the fluorescent lights, polished to perfection for this exact moment - a moment you donât know if youâre prepared for.
Without hesitation, Jaehyun is the first to move. His eyes lock onto the weapon, drawn to it like a moth to a flame, his hand reaching out to grab it. His fingers are mere inches away when the room is filled with a slow, deliberate clap, echoing off the walls with a mockery that makes your stomach twist.
Both of you freeze, turning towards the sound, your hearts hammering in sync. There, stepping calmly into the room, is Jaeyun, the man responsible for all this suffering. But this time, heâs different. The game show host energy that once radiated from him has dimmed, replaced with an eerie calm. His movements are fluid and his face wears an expression of utter contentment.Â
âCongratulations on making it this far,â he says smoothly, his voice carrying twisted pride. âIt was a tough interview, huh?â His smirk widens as he speaks, his eyes flicking between you and Jaehyun, watching your reactions like a predator savouring its preyâs final moments.
The words hit Jaehyun like gasoline on fire. He sees red, the pent-up rage, fear, and exhaustion now coming to blow. With a feral growl, he lunges at Jaeyun, fists clenched, ready to pummel him into oblivion. But before he can reach him, Jaehyunâs body jerks violently. His scream of outrage is cut short and replaced with one of agony as he collapses to the ground, muscles spasming uncontrollably.
You stare in horror, your brain struggling to comprehend what the fuck just happened. Jaeyunâs face remains neutral and his expression almost bored as he watches Jaehyun writhe on the floor. He looks at you, shrugging with casual indifference. âYou didnât think Iâd walk in here without some form of protection, did you?â His voice is soft and conversational, like heâs discussing the weather and not the violent collapse of the man before you.
Jaehyunâs body finally stills, but heâs left trembling on the ground. With sheer effort, he manages to push himself up onto his knees, his face contorted in pain and fury.Â
âWhat the fuck was that?â he spits out, his tone raw with rage.
Jaeyun raises an eyebrow, almost amused by Jaehyunâs defiance. âJust a little insurance,â he says with a smirk. âA key in Sunooâs eye wasnât the only action my medical table got.â
You blink in confusion, trying to process his words. Jaeyun, ever the showman, sighs dramatically and points at the back of his neck. âI installed a little chip into each of you, right at the base of your skull. A âzapper,â if you wanna call it that. I didnât think Iâd need to use it, but itâs nice to have, donât you think? Keeps thingsâŚcivilised.â
Digging his fingers into the back of his neck, Jaehyunâs expression twists with shock and anger. âYou chipped us?â The words shake as he spits them out, his eyes wild with disbelief. âYouâve tortured us, and youâve got the nerve to call this civilised?â
Jaeyunâs smirk widens, enjoying Jaehyunâs reaction. âTortured? Naaah, torture is messy. I gave you choices. Every step of the way. This?â He points to Jaehyunâs shaking body. âThis is just an incentive to play by the rules.â
âThis is a fucking game to you,â Jaehyun growls through gritted teeth, his voice low and dangerous. âYou enjoy this, donât you?â
âItâs not a game, Jaehyun. Itâs an interview. And youâve done so well making it to the final round.â He gestures toward the gun resting on the table, its dark presence looming like a shadow over the room. âCall this the work trial.â
The silence that follows is thick, suffocating, as the weight of what comes next begins to sink in. You can feel the tension crackling in the air between the three of you, like a wire pulled too tight, ready to snap at any moment. The gun, once a distant threat, now feels like an inevitability.
Jaeyunâs voice cuts through the tense silence, as smooth as ever. âCan you both take a seat, please?âÂ
You glance at Jaehyun, then at the gun resting ominously on the table, before you both lower yourselves into the cold metal chairs across from one another.
The gun, gleaming under the fluorescent light, is the unwelcomed third party in this macabre meeting. You can feel the weight of it, the way it pulls all the air out of the room, making it difficult to think or breathe. Across from you, Jaehyun is just as tense, his eyes flicking between you and the weapon. Although, while youâre scared of the outcome, Jaehyun looks determined, willing to do anything.
Jaeyun leans casually against the wall, arms crossed, observing the way you both wriggle in discomfort, a fun source of entertainment. âNow, this is the easiest task of all. No wicked schemes or brilliantly designed traps.â His tone is boastful, an artist revelling in his own masterpieces. âAll you have to doâŚis shoot.â
His words hang in the air, heavy and cold like a death sentence. You shift uncomfortably in your seat, your gaze darting from Jaeyun to Jaehyun and back to the gun. Thereâs a pit forming in your stomach, because whatever happens next, you know youâre going to be unprepared every minute of it.
âThe rules are simple,â Jaeyun continues, his voice disturbingly cheerful. âOne of you picks up the gun and shoots the other. I need to make sure youâll kill who I tell you to.â He pauses to gage your reactions, and when he sees your shaking hands and Jaehyunâs mutter of disbelief under his breath, thereâs a mocking lilt to his voice. âCâmon, donât make this harder than it needs to be, guys. I mean, youâve already killed before, right, Jaehyun? Why hesitate now?â
Jaehyun freezes and face hardens as Jaeyunâs words strike a nerve. The shift is subtle, but you notice it - the tension in his jaw, the way his eyes darken with something unreadable. You furrow your brow, confused and suspicious.
âWhat is he talking about?â you ask, your voice barely more than a whisper. Your eyes search Jaehyunâs face, looking for answers, but he avoids your gaze, his shoulders tightening.
âNothing,â Jaehyun mutters with his voice now gruff and defensive.
Jaeyunâs smile spreads wider, almost gleeful. âOh, you wanna keep it a secret? Okay, thatâs fine.â He lifts his hands in mock surrender, but his eyes are gleaming with malice. âBut, Y/N, he has killed someone before. Whatâs to say he wonât do the same to you? You should consider taking the shot. Self-preservation, you know?â
With your mind swirling with doubt, you stare deep into the manâs deadpanned face. The Jaehyun youâve fought beside, suffered with, suddenly seems like a stranger. To be fair, he is a stranger, yoy donât know him from adam.Â
Jaehyunâs fists clench on the table, his knuckles white. âDonât listen to him,â he snaps, his voice tight with barely restrained fury. âHeâs just trying to get inside your head.â
âAm I?â Jaeyunâs tone is laced with cruel taunt now. He takes a step forward, his eyes shining with the pleasure of watching your doubt grow. âOr maybe Iâm just telling the truth. I mean, how well do you know him? Heâs desperate, Y/N. Desperate men will do anything to survive...ainât that right, JaeJae?â
âShut the fuck up!â Jaehyun growls, obviously not content with the nickname nor the underlining accusations.
Jaeyun, of course, is unfazed, his smirk never faltering. âWhatâs wrong, Jaehyun? Canât handle the truth?â He leans in slightly, his eyes gleaming with malice. âFace it - youâll do anything to get ahead. All you have to do is pull that trigger, and you get to live. Easy, right?â
Every part of you wants to scream, to run, to make this nightmare end, but youâre trapped. Trapped between Jaeyunâs manipulations, Jaehyunâs anger, and the gun on the table.
For a moment, everything is still. Then Jaehyun moves.
In a blur of motion, Jaehyunâs hand shoots forward, grabbing the gun with a speed that startles you. He stands, his chair screeching as it scrapes against the floor, and before you can even react, heâs pointing the barrel straight at your head.
âSorry, sweetheart,â he strainly mutters, a hint of regret lacing his tone. âIâm more valuable alive than dead. Iâll make sure this bastard pays, for all of us.â
It doesnât take him two seconds to pull the trigger, and the moment his does, time itself seems to slow. The world around you shrinks to the narrow tunnel of focus between you and the gun, its evil barrel aimed squarely between your eyes.Â
The sterile white walls reverberate the sudden echo of violence, making the shot even louder, more deafening. The bright lights overhead seem to flicker for just a second, casting shadows across Jaehyunâs face as he stares at you, frozen in place. The gun in his hand shakes violently, his knuckles white from how tightly heâs gripping it.Â
For him, the world has gone silent. His ears are ringing, his heart pounding so loudly that he can hear absolutley nothing else.
You, however, remain perfectly still.
The moment stretches on forever. The smell of gunpowder lingers in the air, sharp and bitter, mingling with the sterile scent of the room. You watch Jaehyunâs face twist from anger and sorrow to confusion. His brows furrow and eyes deplete in size as the seconds tick by and the smoke from the gunshot dissipates.Â
He blinks, disbelief spreading across his features. His chest rises and falls as the enormity of what should have just happened sinks in. Key word being should.
But youâre still there. Sitting calmly, untouched. Not a drop of blood, not a flicker of pain or fear on your face. In fact, thereâs something else entirely.
Your lips part in a smile, a soft laugh bubbling up from deep inside you, completely at odds with the life-or-death moment that just unfolded. The sound cuts through the tension like a knife, light and eerie in the quiet aftermath of the shot. Jaehyun flinches at the noise, his eyes darting wildly between you and the weapon in his hand. His pulse quickens, his breath hitching, and you can see the tremor in his hand growing stronger as he tries to make sense of the situation.
He blinks again, harder this time, as if trying to wake himself from a nightmare. But no matter how much he wills it, youâre still sitting there, your expression composed, your eyes gleaming with something - something he can't quite place. Itâs not fear. Itâs not shock. Itâs not even anger.
Itâs amusement.
âWhat the hellâŚâ he breathes, barely above a whisper. His words are broken, disjointed as his mind struggles to form any coherent thought. âI shot you. IâŚI shot you.â
You tilt your head, your smile widening as you lean back in your chair. Thereâs a smugness in your posture, a confidence that sends a chill down Jaehyunâs spine. His heart is racing, his chest tightening with a feeling he canât quite describe. Fear? Confusion? Betrayal? Maybe all three.
âFor a detective,â you murmur, your voice low and mocking, âyou sure miss the mark.â
He stares at you like youâve just spoken in a foreign language. âWhat-what are you talking about?â His voice wavers, the certainty he once had crumbling as the pieces of the puzzle scatter before him.
Your soft giggle echoes in the room again, and you watch as his hands shake, the gun slowly lowering from where it had been aimed at your head. He looks down at it, something he uses almost every day now something he canât understand.Â
âI donât get itâŚâ His voice is weak now, the bravado from moments ago completely gone. The gun in his hand feels heavy, useless almost. âWhy are you - whatâs going on?â
Before he can even gather a clump of understanding, Jaeyunâs lips brush against your head, soft and tender, the casual affection jarring against the brutal backdrop of the room,making Jaehyun wonder if itâs the smoke or the panic of the âwork trialâ thatâs making him see illusions.
"Good job, baby," Jaeyun murmurs, his words oozing with pride.
âBaby?â Jaehyun echoes, his voice strangled with disbelief.
You stand up slowly, brushing off your clothes and shaking off the last remnants of the innocent facade you wore. Now, youâre free to reveal the truth, and the satisfaction rolls off you in waves. You tilt your head, eyes shining as you lock onto his shattered expression. ��What?â you ask, pouting in mockery. âDidnât suspect me? This is why youâre so terrible at your job, Detective Jeong.â
Jaehyunâs face twists in horror as your words settle in. You were in on this. All of it. âWhat sick joke is this?â he growls, desperation creeping into each syllable, thick and bitter.
You giggle at his choice of words, filling the sterile room with an eerie playfulness that makes the bewildered manâs skin crawl. "Sick? I donât know if Iâd call it sick.â You glance over at Jaeyun, whoâs watching with an amused smirk, before turning back to Jaehyun. "It's so fucking funny from where Iâm standing."
Jaehyunâs body jerks as he tries to push himself to his feet, the fire of defiance still burning inside him. But Jaeyun casually pulls out the small remote from his pocket and presses the button without hesitation once again. The sharp, electric snap crackles through the air, and Jaehyun screams just as before, collapsing back into his seat. His muscles lock, spasming as the shock courses through his nervous system.
Keeping his thumb on the button just a fraction longer than necessary, Jaeyun watches with an almost clinical detachment as Jaehyunâs body finally stills. His breath is ragged, and he coughs, choking on the pain. âW-why?â he hisses out, his voice barely more than a rasp, his whole body trembling from the shock.
You casually sit upon the steel table, crossing your legs with the same nonchalance youâd have if you were sitting in a cafĂŠ. Your smile is soft, almost affectionate, as you look down at him. "Well, I hate to pin blame on people, but this is actually your fault."
Jaehyunâs brow knit together, his mind struggling to process everything. "What...what do you mean? How the fuck is it my fault?" His voice is hoarse, broken.
âYou see, we know how long youâve been after Jaeyun. Two years, is it? You've been so relentless, so close, but never quite enough," you give as half an answer and keep your tone light, so scarily similar to Jaeyunâs, yet you sound more evil. Perhaps itâs because Jaehyun not 5 minutes ago had perceived you as a scared girl, trapped in a nightmare.
"My baby has been following you, actually. Quite closely. You spent years interviewing every possible witness, arresting suspects, trying to catch the âMidnight Murdererâ and yet, despite all your efforts, you couldnât quite figure out who or where he was." You pause, watching as Jaehyunâs expression shifts, the pieces clicking together painfully. âThen, you got a tip that he was hiding in the Avenue Garage. You were so desperate for his blood, so eager to finally catch your big break, that you didnât even question it. You just barged in and killed the first guy you saw.â
Jaehyunâs face pales, his breath catching in his throat. His eyes widen with realisation dawning slowly but surely, like a weight sinking into his gut. âNoâŚâ he breathes out, shaking his head, as if denying it could change the truth.
You lean in close, your lips dangerously close to his ear as you whisper, âBut it wasnât him, was it, Jaehyun? You knew it right after you pulled the trigger. The guilt hit you like a freight train, but yet, you still called it in. You claimed your hollow victory and got promoted from Officer to Detective.â
His eyes glaze over with the memory of that night - his hands trembling over the body of the man he killed, the overwhelming rush of panic and regret heâd shoved down deep just to survive the lie. It all happened so quickly, his head not thinking clearly - or practically not at all - just trying to find a means to justify his actions.
âAnd yet," Jaeyun pipes up, picking up the gun from the table and twirling it effortlessly in his fingers, "you couldnât let me go, could you? Youâve been trailing me in secret, obsessed, haunted by the ghost of your mistake.â He chuckles darkly. âThatâs why you answered the ad I so perfectly orchestrated to catch your interest. Cleaning up a âmidnight mess,â right?â
Jaehyun swallows thickly though his mouth is so dry it does nothing for him, his heart thudding in his chest. His worst fear, the nightmare heâs tried to bury is now staring him in the face. His entire career has been twisted into this sick, elaborate game. âSo itâs both of you?â he croaks, voice trembling as he finally connects the dots.
âOh, not me,â you giggle, twirling a lock of your hair with playful ease. âIâm a new-ish addition.â
âThe best addition,â Jaeyun coos, kissing your temple and then your lips so lovingly you almost melt onto the table.
Jaehyunâs face contorts with disgust, his eyes darting between you and Jaeyun, trying to find some sense of logic in this twisted reality. âAnd how did he drag you into this?â he spits out, desperation bleeding through his words as he tries to prolong the conversation, desperately begging his mind for an idea that will help him escape out of this nightmare.
You lean closer, your breath fanning over his face, intimate and unnerving all at once. âOh, it didnât take much convincing,â you whisper, smirking as your eyes dart to Jaeyun. "He has a very persuasive tongue." You wink before sitting back up, taking the gun from Jaeyunâs hand with a playful twirl. âThat, and, well...you killed my brother.â
âWhat? WhenâŚwhen did i-â
You smile sweetly, almost pitying the man before you. âThatâs right, detective. The man you murdered in cold blood - he was my brother.â
The truth hits him like he just got punched by Muhammad Ali, and for the first time, Jaehyun feels truly, utterly defeated. You can see the exact moment Jaehyun breaks. His expression goes blank, his face ghostly pale as the truth settles over him, suffocating and inescapable. He opens his mouth to say anything but no words come. Because what can he say to a bereaved family member of a man whose blood is on his hands?Â
"My brother was innocent, Jaehyun," you continue, and for the first time, your voice trembles, just a little. âHe was in the wrong place at the wrong time. A good man, with a family, with dreams.â You pause, staring at the floor in an attempt to find some strength there. âHe wasnât a criminal, wasnât a part of anything dark or twisted, he didnât even have a fucking parking ticket. But you didnât care. You didnât even stop to think. You were too blinded by your ambition, too eager to make a name for yourself. You saw a body, and you pulled the trigger. â
Jaehyun winces as your words slap him straight across his cheek. His breath quickens, his mind racing back to that night, the moment he saw a shadow move in the dimly lit garage, the way his heart pounded in his ears. He hadnât thought twice before firing. He couldnât afford to. It was best for catching the Midnight Murderer, or so he told himself. But now, staring into your eyes - those eyes filled with fury and loss - he knows thereâs no excuse that can absolve him.
âAnd after you killed him,â you whisper, your voice growing hard, âyou didnât even have the decency to admit your mistake. You lied. You built your career off of that lie. How does it feel, detective? Knowing that every time you got promoted, every time you were praised for your âbrilliant work,â it was all built on the blood of an innocent man? My brother has been painted a murderer all because of you.â
Tears burn at the corners of your eyes, but you blink them back, forcing them down. You wonât cry. Not here. Not for him. Instead, you steel yourself, wrapping your pain in a cocoon of rage.Â
Jaeyun who is standing just behind you, places a hand on your shoulder, squeezing gently as he grounds you and massaging the pain away as best he can. His touch sends a wave of warmth through your body, a reminder that you're not alone in this. You lean into him slightly, drawing strength from his presence.
Jaehyunâs voice finally breaks through the silence, shaky and weak. "So what now?" His voice is hollow, like he already knows the answer, but he asks anyway, clinging to the last shreds of hope. "You gonna kill me?"
You smile, a cold and calculating curve of your lips. âBetter,â you say, that peak of vulnerability you showed now pushed back to make way for your wicked side to take over once again. âYouâre going to kill yourself. And weâre going to watch.â
Jaeyun steps forward as you hop off the table, wrapping his arms around your waist from behind, pulling you close. He presses a tender kiss to your shoulder, his lips lingering on your skin, his breath warm against your neck. âYou did so well, my love,â he murmurs softly, nuzzling into your hair. His voice is sweet, intimate, that side of him reserved only for you.
Jaehyun stares at the two of you, his eyes widening in disbelief. âAnd if I donât?â
Jaeyun chuckles softly against your skin, his lips brushing your ear as he replies, âThen we release all your dirty little cover-ups.â His voice is still blasĂŠ. âBecause, Detective Jeong, thereâs a lot more than just my girlsâ brother.â
Jaehyunâs breath hitches, pinpointing the moment the words sink in - the moment he realises just how deep the hole heâs in really is. His mind races, replaying every cover-up, every questionable decision, every corner he cut to get to where he is. It wasnât just your brother. There were others. He had made too many mistakes, too many wrong choices. And now theyâve all come to bite him in the ass.
"Did you think it was just my brother we knew about?" You ask, your tone deceptively light as you tilt your head and study his expression, watching the colour drain from his face. "No, Jaehyun. Youâve been sloppy. So many good people - innocent people - fell because of you. We have everything. All the proof. Every lie, every falsified report, every life ruined by your hands. And all we have to do is press send."
Jaehyunâs eyes widen in terror. âNo,â he breathes, his voice cracking. He starts to shake his head, as if denying it could somehow make it untrue. "PleaseâŚno."
âYou couldâve stopped after my brother. You couldâve fixed it. But you didnât. You kept going. You chose this.â
Trembling now, the detectiveâs entire body shaking with the weight of his sins. He swallows thickly, mind spinning as he desperately tries to find a way out, but thereâs no escape. Not now. Not anymore. If he refuses, his entire career, his reputation, everything heâs built will go up in flames. And the world will know him for what he truly is - a fraud, a murderer.
âYou never wanted this life, did you, Jaehyun?â you whisper, your voice soft, almost sympathetic. âYou wanted to be a hero. But somewhere along the way, you got lost. You let the pressure, the ambition, the fear of failure consume you. You couldnât afford to make mistakes, right? But the mistakes just kept piling up.â
He squeezes his eyes shut, his hands fisting in his hair, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps. "I didnâtâŚI didnât mean for any of this to happen. I justâŚI couldnât-"
âYou couldnât afford to be wrong,â you finish for him, nodding as if you understand. âBut now, thereâs no way out. You have two choices, Jaehyun. Kill yourself, or we expose you for what you really are. Either way, your life is over.â
Jaeyun moves around you, stepping toward Jaehyun with a cold, predatory smile. He kneels down in front of him, swapping the blanks for real bullets in the magazine of the pistol. âYou see, Detective, youâve already lost. The only decision left is how much pain you want to feel on the way out.
Every instinct in Detective Jeong screams to fight, to resist, but deep down, he knows. He knows thereâs no escaping this. His hands shake violently, the weight of his choices now crushing him.
âYouâre fucking monsters. How dare you lecture me when you kill innocent people all the time! Itâs hypocritical!â
A cold laugh escapes your lips and you step closer, leaning down so youâre eye-level with him, letting your eyes glimmer with a blend of amusement and scorn. âHypocritical? Oh, hun, we kill for fun, we know we are evil. But you act innocent, gain from the lives you steal. Youâve made your entire career on the backs of the dead and innocent. Youâre the real monster.â
Jaehyunâs breath hitches, and for a moment, you think you see regret flicker in his eyes, but itâs quickly swallowed by anger. âI had no choice! I was trying to do my job! You think I wanted this?â His voice rises, the desperation spilling out of him like a dam bursting. âYou think I wanted to become what I am? I didnât know it was him! I didnât-â
âExactly,â you interrupt sharply, straightening up. âYou didnât know because you didnât care enough to find out. You were too busy fucking chasing glory, too focused on your own pathetic ambition to see the truth right in front of you. But now you have a choice to make, and this time, itâs not about your career. Itâs about your life.â
âSo, this is it?â he rasps, his voice cracking under the strain. âYou think you can just toy with me and Iâll roll over?â
âToy with you?â You scoff, placing a hand on Jaeyunâs arm, feeling the heat radiate from his skin. âNo, this is about consequences, Jaehyun. Youâre going to pay for what youâve done, and whether that means taking the easy way out or letting us destroy youâŚwell, thatâs entirely up to you.â
Jaehyunâs hands shake as he grips the gun tighter, his knuckles going white. âI canât-â
âBut you can,â Jaeyun interrupts smoothly, lowering himself closer, the gun now resting against his thigh. âYou can end this, Detective. You can make this your final act of bravery. You can take the burden off your shoulders.â
âAnd leave you both unscathed? You think Iâll just sacrifice myself to protect your twisted little game?â Jaehyun sneers, his voice gaining a hint of strength. But itâs a facade, a last-ditch effort to regain control.
âOh, itâs not about protecting us,â you say, tilting your head slightly, a smirk tugging at your lips. âItâs about protecting yourself. The truth will come out eventually. Your secrets will spill, and trust me, it wonât be pretty. If you have any semblance of dignity left, this is your best option. But if you refuse,â you lean in, lowering your voice conspiratorially, âyouâll find yourself at the center of a scandal bigger than you could ever imagine. Your career will go up in flames, and youâll be left with nothing but the ghosts of those youâve wronged.â
You step back, glancing at Jaeyun, who is watching Jaehyun with a predatory gaze, a hint of excitement dancing in his eyes. âSo, what will it be, Detective?â
You wave the gun in Jaehyunâs face, your movements slow and deliberate, offering him a priceless gift. His eyes follow the barrel intently as it sways in front of him. Shame flickers in his expression, but itâs quickly replaced by something darker - his pride, rising like a beast refusing to be caged.
His mind is a battlefield, caught between the unbearable truth of his crimes and the desperate need to preserve the image heâs built. Hero. Detective. A man untainted by the blood on his hands. Heâd rather die with that lie intact than face the disgrace of being unmasked as a villain.
His shaking hand reaches out, fingers ghosting over the cool metal of the gun youâre dangling before him. He takes it, trembling as though the weight of the weapon is the weight of all his lies finally coming back to take revenge.Â
As he raises the barrel under his chin, pressing it to the fragile skin there, his eyes glisten, but whether itâs from fear or a final surge of regret, you canât tell.
Jaeyun watches him with quiet fascination and joy, his lips curling into a cruel smile. Thereâs no sympathy in the room, only cold satisfaction as Jaehyun contemplates his final act.Â
You and Jaeyun exchange a mocking glance, and then you lift your hands, giving a small, sarcastic wave. âGoodbye, Detective~â you mock in sing song.
Jaehyunâs grip tightens, his knuckles paling. His teeth grit together as his finger hesitates on the trigger, the seconds dragging out like an eternity. His face twists into a mask of anger and despair - remorse simmering just beneath the surface, but drowned out by the relentless need to protect his pride.Â
âI hope you both fucking rot in hell.â
With one last shuddering breath, he pulls the trigger.
The gunshot echoes through the room, deafening in its finality. His body jerks, his head snapping back as blood and bone splatter the walls behind him. He collapses in a lifeless heap, eyes still open, reflecting the briefest remnants of the man he was - or pretended to be.
As the bounce of the gunshot fades into silence, you finally let out a long, shuddering breath. All the tension that had built up over the course of this cat and mouse game unravels, leaving you feeling light, almost weightless. Itâs finally fucking over. You can hardly believe it.Â
Jaeyun spins you around, his hands gentle as they pull you away from the gruesome sight, forcing your gaze away from Jaehyun's crumpled body. His expression softens, a loving twinkle in his eyes. âHow do you feel, baby?âÂ
The sense of victory allows a grin to stretch across your face as you finally allow yourself to revel in it. âFucking fantastic,â you reply, the words leaving your lips in a breathless rush.Â
You canât believe you survived - not just this, but everything that came before. All the games, all the manipulation, all the close calls. Deep down, you know Jaeyun wouldâve never let anything happen to you, not really. Worst-case scenario, heâd have stepped in, come up with some excuse to save you. But now, knowing Jaehyun is gone, and your brotherâs death is finally avenged, you feel truly free.
Jaeyunâs eyes gleam with approval, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. âYou were really good in there,â he murmurs, his hand brushing a stray strand of hair behind your ear. âI almost believed you were scared for your life.â
You chuckle, looping your arms around his neck, leaning in closer. âI really got into the acting,â you admit with a teasing smirk. Then you tilt your head, feigning a pout. âBut did you really have to knock me out, though?â
Your boyfriendâs grin widens as he leans in, stealing a quick kiss that leaves you giddy. Itâs exactly what you needed - this closeness, this moment of calm in his arms. You had missed him, and even though youâd only been apart for two days, it felt like too long.Â
âItâs all part of the experience, baby,â he whispers against your lips, his voice playful. His hands rest at your waist, pulling you close as his warmth melts away the last remnants of tension.
âIt feels so much more vindicating when thereâs a reason behind it,â you murmur slyly, a mischievous glint in your eyes. For months, youâve been trying to shape Jaeyunâs approach to this game. Killing for no reason is great and all, but taking down people who deserve it - those who harass or harm others - thatâs a thrill with purpose.
Jaeyun rolls his eyes, a knowing smirk curling his lips. âAre you telling me that seeing Heeseungâs head explode or Dayoungâs neck snap wasnât entertaining?â His eyebrow arches in challenge, already well aware of how much you enjoyed yourself. No one else in that room had a clue, but Jaeyun knows you too well. He knows the rush you get from this, the thrill of taking control.
When he first met you, he saw it - that sadness buried deep within. He knew how to turn it into something else, something darker but freeing. He twisted your pain into anger, and then into joy, showing you how much fun life could be when you channel your rage outward. Heâs been there with you ever since, your partner in every sick trap.
You canât help but laugh, the memory of the âinterviewâ sending a spark of excitement through you. âOkay, okay,â you admit with a wide grin. âI loved it, especially the crucifix. You didnât tell me you were going to add that!â
Jaeyun chuckles, leaning in to plant soft kisses along your nose, your cheek, and then your lips, each one a tender reminder of his adoration and pride. âThought Iâd surprise my baby since I know itâs your favourite,â he whispers between kisses. âBut seriously, good work on speeding it up, that was clever.â
His praise sends a warm flush to your cheeks, though itâs hidden beneath the dried blood that still clings to your skin. âI remember you teaching me how it works,â you say modestly, still basking in his approval. Then a frown touches your lips, and you pout slightly. âI feel bad for Sunoo though. He was so sweet.â
âYeah, he was cute,â Jaeyun agrees, shrugging slightly, brushing off the death of yet another innocent. He doesnât care about people. Not unless itâs you, you are the only one in this world that gets to feel his heart beating.
He reaches down, casually plucking the gun from Jaehyunâs cold hand, inspecting it for a moment before glancing back at you. âCâmon, we should clean up.â
âOrâŚâ your voice drops into a whisper, playful and suggestive as you jump on the table and spread your legs, giving Jayeun a clear signal.
The change in his demeanour is immediate. His eyes darken, trailing over your body with a hungry intensity that makes your pulse race. His teeth sink into his bottom lip, hard enough to show heâs seriously considering your offer. âI always forget how needy you get after a game,â he teases, his voice low and laced with desire as he steps toward you.
Heâs right, the rush of excitement and adrenaline always does this. You remember the first time you watched him kill, how it awakened something in you, that desperate need to have him right there and then. The blood dripping from his fingers, the splatter across his faceâŚyouâd never seen him look more beautiful.
Thatâs when it hit you. All those dark romances you devoured, Rina Kentâs books that filled your mind with dangerous fantasies, altered your brain chemistry in ways you hadnât expected. Maybe thatâs why it hadnât taken long for Jaeyun to pull you into his wicked world.Â
Or maybe youâre just really fucked in the head.
Jaeyunâs eyes gleam with dark amusement, fully aware of whatâs racing through your mind. His confidence radiates as he steps between your legs, his lips hovering inches above yours. âWhatâs it gonna be, baby?â he whispers, his voice a low, seductive drawl, dripping with intent.
Feigning thoughtfulness, you tilt your head, looking off into the distance as if contemplating his question. But itâs just an act, one he knows too well. You feel the corners of your lips twitch upward before your entire expression shifts. Your eyes lock with his and a smirk etches on your lips as you slowly reach for the gun, your fingers grazing the metal. You bring it to your lips, the weight of it pressing against your mouth.
Jaeyunâs breath hitches and his throat bobs, eyes following your every move with rapt attention. You tilt your head slightly, letting your tongue slip out, brushing over the sleek barrel. The taste of cold steel and blood floods your senses as you drag your tongue teasingly, savouring how his eyes darken with every secondof your display. His gaze is glued to your lips, watching intently as you lick the gun, your lips grazing over the tip, his cock twitching in jealousy.
You open your mouth, taking the barrel between your lips, wrapping them around the gun with a sensual slowness that has Jaeyunâs chest rising and falling faster. The sight of you, so bold, so shameless, has him swallowing hard, his Adamâs apple bobbing visibly as he tries to keep sane and not rip your clothes off right here and now.
His breath becomes ragged, gaze locked on how your lips wrap perfectly around the barrel. You pull back slightly, your tongue flicking over the metal one last time before your lips curl into a wicked smile. âI think Iâve made my choice,â you whisper, voice sultry and teasing.
"Oh yeah? Tell me, baby," Jaeyun murmurs, his smile widening as if he already knows exactly what youâre about to do.Â
Your hands move with purpose, putting the gun in his hands. Slowly, you guide it down your body, the metal pushing past your main organs, sending shivers through you. The exhaustion from the game still clings to your muscles, a dull ache in your bones, but none of that matters. Not now. Not when the thrill of Jaehyunâs death and the freedom it brings pulses through you.
Plus, all you can think about is Jaeyun - his touch, his heat, and the way his eyes devour every movement you make. His hands tighten their grip on your thighs, fingers pressing into your skin as he gets worked up in excitement over what is about to happen.
He is so fucking lucky he found you.
As the gun reaches just above your aching heat, The tension between you intensifies, each breath you take beaming with excitement. The gun is more than a weapon in his hands because right now itâs an extension of the fun youâre both going to have.
His gaze flickers back to you, eyes dark with intent as his fingers hook into the waistband of your pants. Without a word, he pulls them to the side, exposing you to the cool air. A shiver runs through you, but itâs not from the chill - itâs from the way Jaeyun looks at you, relishing in every second, every inch of you.
The barrel of the gun slides between your legs, the surface brushing against your heat. The contrast between your warmth and the icy, hard steel is electrifying, making the moment more intense. A low moan slips from your lips, your thighs instinctively parting wider like a silent prayer for more.
Jaeyun leans in, his breath hot against your neck as he whispers, âYou love this, donât you?â His words are lustful, knowing exactly how much you crave whatâs coming next. His lips graze your earlobe before he pulls back just enough to watch your reaction, the smirk on his face deepening as your chest rises and falls with anticipated breath.
Without another word, he tilts the gun to press gently against your entrance, teasing you. You canât help the way your body reacts - hips lifting, muscles tightening because you want nothing more than to have this gun shoved deep inside of you. Jaeyun holds you steady, fingers digging into your thigh as he slowly pushes the gun into your cunt.
The metal stretches you, the sensation making you gasp and your body instinctively tensing as you adjust to the intrusion.
The feel is foreign, dangerous, and exhilarating all at once. The weight of the gun inside you is unlike anything else, making you feel a twisted pleasure that only Jaeyun can swirl inside of you. The cold metal slides deeper and a tremor of pleasure ripples through your core.
âOh godâŚJaeyunâŚâ you moan out, hips bucking up to let the pistol slip in deeper.
Jaeyun watches you, eyes locked on the way your body responds to his every movement, his lips parting slightly as he savours every moan, every shiverbheâs drawing from your perfect body. His control is maddening, slow and deliberate as he moves the gun in and out of you, pushing just deep enough to make you ache for more but never fully giving in.
âFuck, youâre perfect,â he murmurs, his voice thick with lust. His eyes glint with satisfaction as he watches you fall apart under his touch, his thumb brushing against your clit, adding just enough pressure to make your back arch off the table. âNo one else could handle this. Could handle me.â
Your mind is hazy, overwhelmed by the feeling of the gun filling you, stretching you, while his thumb expertly circles your swollen clit. Every movement sends a wave of pleasure crashing through you, the tension in your body building as Jaeyun continues his torturous pace.
âYouâre mine,â he whispers, his voice dark and possessive. His hand tightens on your thigh, fingers digging into your flesh as he thrusts the gun deeper, the grooves of the gun dragging along your tight walls and you gasp, your body trembling with the intensity of it. The mixture of the gun inside you and his thumb on your clit is almost too much, pushing you closer and closer to the edge. âYouâre always gonna be mine.â
Hiis smirk widens as he watches the way your trying to fuck yourself on the pistol and match his rhythm. âSuch a good girl for me,â he murmurs, his voice thick with pride and desire. âLook at you, falling apart on my gun.â
The click of the safety being pulled off fills the room, adding a harmony to your moans and the thrill of danger just turned up to 100. Thereâs something about being on the end of a fully loaded gun, no safety, and your boyfriendâs finger on the trigger that makes you squeeze and suck in the barrel deeper.
Itâs reckless, scary, and everything you could ever want.
Youâre completely at his mercy now and you wouldnât have it any other way. Your legs begin to rise as you lean back, searching for a deeper angle, which Jaeyun happily gives you, twisting the pistol with each thrust inside of you.
You grip the edge of the table, knuckles white as your body tenses, the heat pooling in your core ready to erupt. Jaeyunâs heart picks up pace as he leans in closer, his lips brushing against yours, barely a whisper of a kiss. âCum for me, baby.â
And you do.
The pleasure surges through you like a tidal wave, crashing over every part of your body, leaving you breathless and gasping for air. The combination of the weapon deep inside you and Jaeyun's thumb working expertly against your clit sends you spiralling into a blissful frenzy. You feel the tension coil tightly in your core, your stomach twitching with each pulse of your orgasm.
âThat's it,â Jaeyun encourages, his words vibrating through you, adding to the delicious intensity of your release. âLet it go, baby. I want to see you shake for me.â
A cry escapes your lips, a mix of pleasure and relief as you lose yourself completely in the moment. You canât hold back, not when heâs watching you so intently, his eyes dark with lust and satisfaction.
Your back arches off the table, and for a brief moment, the world around you fades into nothing but the pure bliss that consumes you. Every inch of your body tingles, pulsing with the aftershocks of your climax, and all you can think about is Jaeyun and the way he makes you feel - like youâre both powerful and utterly vulnerable at the same time.
As your body starts to settle, Jaeyun doesnât stop. He maintains his rhythm, thrusting the gun inside you a little faster, a little deeper, as he prolongs your high, milking every last drop of pleasure from you. âLook at you,â he breathes, his voice thick with lust. âYouâre so fucking beautiful when you come apart like this. Just for me.â
You moan in response, the sound escaping you unbidden as you feel another wave of pleasure cresting, threatening to pull you under once more. Jaeyunâs fingers work tirelessly, teasing your clit, drawing out the remnants of your orgasm as the intensity builds again. The world around you fades further, Jaehyunâs body long forgotten, and itâs just the two of you - lost in your own wicked game.
âGod, youâre perfect,â he murmurs, his voice dripping with admiration and need. âI canât get enough of you.â He leans in closer, his lips finding yours, capturing your mouth in a heated kiss that sends sparks flying through your body. You can taste the lingering traces of adrenaline and excitement on his tongue, and it only deepens your desire.
Your hands find their way to his hair, fingers tangling in the soft strands as you pull him closer, desperate for more of him. The gun, once a symbol of your wild game, fades into the background, eclipsed by an undeniable craving for his body. Each thrust blurs the line between pleasure and pain, sending thrilling sensations coursing through you.
âJaeyun,â you gasp against his lips, your voice barely a whisper, heavy with desperation. âPleaseâŚâ
He pulls back just enough to meet your gaze, his eyes darkened with a mix of passion and mischief. âPlease what?â he teases, a smirk curling his lips that sends a shiver cascading down your spine.
âMore,â you breathe, the word spilling from your lips like a prayer, each syllable thick with longing. âI need more. I want you - your cock, please, give me your cock.â The urgency in your voice is embarrassing as it rises, a fire igniting deep within you. âI need you to fuck me.â
âIs that really how you want it, baby?â His voice is a low growl, sultry and commanding, wrapping around you like a velvet chain, tethering you to him for life. âBeg for it.â
Your breath hitches, excitement flooding your veins as you lock your gaze with his. âJaeyun, please,â you plead, not even wasting a minute. You need his cock and you need it now. âI canât get enough of you. I want you to fill me up, ruin me, do whatever you want with me. Iâll do anything - just donât hold back.â
A wicked grin spreads across his face, and you can see the hunger in his eyes, the way your desperation ignites something primal within him. âThatâs what I like to hear,â he growls, his voice thick with lust and possessiveness. âYouâre so beautiful when youâre begging.â
With that, he pulls back, putting the gun back on safety and tossing it on the table, itâs work done for the day. His hands fumble with his jeans as he pushes them down along with his boxers, both just sitting at his thighs.Â
Gripping your hips as he positions himself at your entrance. âSay it again,â he commands, his tone firm yet teasing. âBeg for me to take you.â
âI need you, Jaeyun, fuck,â you cry out, feeling the heat pool low in your belly. âI need you inside me. Please, donât hold back. I want to feel every inch of you.â
His breath hitches at your words, and with a fierce intensity, he thrusts into you, filling you to the brim, his tip kissing into your cervix straight away. A gasp escapes your lips as you adjust to him, the delicious stretch making your head spin. âGod, yes,â you moan, your body arching toward him, urging him to move faster.Â
Jaeyun grits his teeth, his eyes locked on yours as he begins to thrust, hard and deep. âYou feel so good,â he groans, his voice thick with desire. âYouâre mine, all mine.â Each thrust drives you higher, the heat pooling in your core as he takes you further into ecstasy.
âJaeyun, yes!â you cry out, your body responding eagerly to his every movement. The thrill of his control, the way he possesses you completely, sends waves of pleasure crashing over you, and you canât help but beg for more. âPlease, donât stop!â
He responds with a wicked grin, increasing his pace and angling your hips as he drives deeper into you, each thrust pushing you closer to the edge. âThatâs it, baby. Let go. I want to hear you scream for me.â
With every powerful buck of his hips, the table rattles, mirroring your trembling form. You can feel the pressure building again, the heat pooling in your belly as you lose yourself in the pleasure heâs drawing from you.Â
The gun is great, but your man will always be better.
âCum for me again, babyâ he urges, his voice low and commanding, sending shivers down your spine. âI want to feel you squeeze me.â
With his words echoing in your ears, you surrender completely, spiralling into ecstasy as your body convulses around him. Your scream fills the air, raw and unrestrained, as the world explodes into a kaleidoscope of colours. Heâs the best fuck youâve ever had, and youâre hoping heâll be the only one from now on.
You love him, every disgusting, brutal, tender, imprefect, beautiful piece of him.Â
Jaeyun groans in response, his grip tightening on your hips as he feels you clench around him, lost in the moment. âYes, just like that,â he praises, his voice thick with desire. âYouâre fucking perfect.âÂ
As the aftershocks of your climax ripple through you, he doesnât relent, maintaining his powerful rhythm as he pushes you higher and higher. You can feel yourself teetering on the brink once more, the world fading away as all that matters is the connection between you. His kisses are cleaning up the blood from your face and his hands are massaging your aching bones as he piledrives into you.
He leans down, pressing his lips against your ear, his voice a low growl laced with affection. âYouâre doing so well, baby. Just keep letting go.â His words send shivers down your spine, a mixture of dominance and tenderness that makes your heart race.
âJaeyun,â you moan, overwhelmed by the sensations flooding through you. âIâm yours. I love you so much.â
His grip on your hips becomes almost possessive, yet thereâs a warmth in his hold that reassures you. âThatâs right,â he whispers, a grin tugging at his lips as he drives deeper, his thrusts growing more urgent, more passionate. âYouâre fucking perfect for me. The only one in this world that deserves to live.â
Jaeyun doesnât know if he believes in love, or if heâs even capable of producing that emotion, but he thinks he found it in you. Youâre the only shining light in this shitty world, youâre his everything.
The combination of his strength and the tenderness in his voice makes you feel cherished even as he claims you. You can feel the familiar knot tightening within you, your instincts taking over as you arch your back, pushing against him, begging for everything he has to offer. âPlease, Jaeyun! Donât stop! Iâm so close!â
He rewards your eagerness with a low growl, quickening his pace as he drives deeper into you, each thrust pushing you closer to the edge. âLet go, baby. Youâve earned all of this,â he urges you on.
And then, with one last powerful thrust, the pressure within you snaps, and youâre sent tumbling over the edge, your body clenching around him as you cry out in pure ecstasy. Your senses explode, pleasure radiating through every fibre of your being as you shatter around him, the world fading into nothingness.
âFucking perfect,â Jaeyun breathes, his voice heavy with lust as he follows you into bliss, losing himself in the moment as he releases inside you, filling you up, shots of white rope painting his name all over your cunt. The warmth of him spills, a mark of possession that ignites another spark of ecstasy within you.
As you both ride out the waves of your euphoria, your bodies entwined, you realise this moment is everything - raw, passionate, and undeniably yours.
The intensity of your shared climax begins to fade and you both sink into a comfortable silence, the aftermath of your passionate encounter wrapping around you like a warm blanket. The room, stark and gritty with the remnants of the chaotic scene you just orchestrated, contrasts sharply with the tenderness that unfolds between you and Jaeyun.
He pulls back slightly, his eyes softening as they meet yours. The moment gives way to something sweeter, and his lips curl into a genuine smile. "You okay, baby?" he asks, his voice low and warm, filled with concern even amid the chaos. You know he's asking about more than just the sex.
"I feel perfect. Thank you for letting me do all of this, Jaeyun." You press a soft kiss to his nose, tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear, feeling that familiar surge of affection for him.
His smile widens, and for a moment, it feels like the world has narrowed down to just the two of you. You nuzzle your noses together, sharing a moment of softness that contrasts with the bloody carnage around you. Jaeyunâs fingers brush lightly against your skin, and you lean into his touch instinctively, savouring the warmth before reality creeps back in.
"We really should clean up this mess," he says, his tone suddenly practical as he pulls away, adjusting his clothes. His fingers deftly work the zipper of his pants, yet, his eyes never lose that lingering warmth, the way they stay soft for you, even amid the chaos.
Just as the haze of passion begins to fade, a soft, broken whimper echoes from the other room, making both of you freeze. Your heart jumps as you lock eyes with Jaeyun, confusion flickering between you. Everyone is dead - arenât they? Who could possibly still be alive?
"Stay close," Jaeyun murmurs, his tone low, protective. His fingers find yours, gripping tight as he picks up the gun and leads you toward the source of the sound. You nod, heart pounding as adrenaline floods your veins once again.
As you step into the room, the sight that greets you is almost surreal. Among the wreckage and ruin, you find Sunoo - alive, but barely. His face is smeared with crimson, blood pumping steadily from the empty socket where his eye once was. His leg, grotesquely amputated, drags uselessly behind him as he weakly attempts to pull himself across the floor. Itâs a pitiful sight, one that tugs at something deep inside you.
You werenât lying when you said you felt bad for him. Sunoo didnât deserve any of this. He wasnât like the others - he was sweet, cautious, always thinking before acting. But his so-called friends had dragged him into this nightmare, trying to shame him for his care.
You release Jaeyunâs hand, crouching beside Sunooâs trembling form. His half-conscious eye flickers up toward you, and you canât help but throw a sympathetic pout his way as you brush a lock of blood-matted hair from his face. His body trembles as he coughs, the wet sound grating against the silence. You gently lift him, cradling his fragile body to help him sit up.
Behind you, Jaeyun clicks the safety off hisngun, this time not in the thrill of sex but the anticipation of death. Â
âIâll make it quick,â he says, his tone nonchalant, like this is just another part of the routine. He wasnât fazed by Sunooâs suffering, wasnât trapped in the same space as you, listening to Sunooâs whispered pleas, hearing him beg to tell his mother he loved her before he thought heâd die.
The sound of Jaeyun pulling back the pistolâs slide makes you flinch, and without thinking, you wrap your arms protectively around Sunooâs shaking frame. "No! Donât," you protest, surprising even yourself with the sudden urgency in your voice.
Jaeyun stops, his brow arching in confusion. âWhy not? If we let him live, heâll just run off and tell the first person he sees.â He shrugs, shifting his grip on the gun. His impatience is palpable now like a man denied his final course after a bloody feast.
"We donât have to kill him," you murmur, keeping your voice soft but firm, hoping to reach the part of Jaeyun that always listens to you. "Why donât we keep him?"
Jaeyunâs incredulous chuckle fills the room. "Keep him?" He shakes his head, exasperated. "Heâs not a pet, baby. Heâs a boy, and a weak one at that. Heâs not going to be any use to us."
You feel Sunoo shudder against you, his body convulsing as it fights to stay alive. Heâs terrified, and rightly so, but thereâs something in you that refuses to let go just yet. You rub small circles into his back, hoping to soothe him, even as your gaze locks with Jaeyunâs, pleading silently.
âHe could help us,â you argue, voice soft but insistent. âHeâs not like the others. Heâs...sensitive.â You hesitate, watching Jaeyunâs expression closely. âNo one would ever suspect a sweet boy like him of being involved. He could lure people in for us. Or clean up. He could take care of things while weâre busy.â
Jaeyunâs expression hardens. âY/N, heâs not going to kill people. Heâs not like us. Heâs a liability,â he snaps, voice edged with frustration. Jaeyun gets like this when he canât kill, the same way people do when theyâre hungry. Heâs starving right now despite the murder three-course meal heâs just devoured, and he is not appreciating the hold-up on dessert.
"Maybe not right away," you concede, "but he could be. He just needs time. We could toughen him up...just like you did for me."
The mention of your own transformation makes Jaeyun pause. His gaze softens slightly as the memory of what you once were flickers in his eyes. Heâd seen potential in you, had taken you under his wing when youâd been weak, unsure. You hadnât let him down. Maybe he could do the same with Sunoo.
You watch as Jaeyunâs expression shifts, a battle waging within him. He doesnât like the idea of leaving loose ends, of anyone weak in your little circle. But you can see the doubt forming, the way his eyes linger on Sunooâs frail form.
"Move out of the way," Jaeyun says finally, his voice more tired than angry now.
Sunooâs remaining eye widens as his thin fingers clutch your shirt, his body jerking in fear. He knows whatâs coming, and the thought of dying after surviving this far terrifies him. Tears spill from his eye, the hopelessness so raw it makes your chest tighten.
"No," you whisper, holding Sunoo tighter. Then you look up at Jaeyun with the soft, pleading eyes that have always been his weakness. "Give him a month," you suggest gently. "Letâs see what heâs made of. If heâs no good - if he runs or tries anything - then Iâll kill him myself."
A heavy silence hangs between the three of you, the only sound the soft dripping of blood onto the floor. Finally, Jaeyun lets out a long sigh, his lips twitching into a reluctant smile.
"Okay, baby," he murmurs, lowering the gun. "Anything you want." His tone softens, a warmth slipping back into it. "You know I canât say no to you, especially when you look so pretty all roughed up like this." His eyes sweep over you, lingering on your blood-splattered face, and thereâs something both tender and dangerous in the way he looks at you.
Relief washes over you as Jaeyun finally concedes. He steps forward, his fingers brushing your cheek before he bends down to kiss you, the gesture both possessive and reassuring.
âOne month,â Jaeyun adds, his voice playful but tinged with a dark edge. "But if he screws up, if he even thinks about betraying us - youâll do what you said."
You nod, feeling Sunooâs trembling body slacken slightly in your arms as hope, fragile as it may be, flickers in his eye. For now, at least, heâs safe.
Jaeyun straightens, holstering his gun with ease. âCome on,â he says, tossing a glance at the carnage around you. "Weâve got a lot of cleaning up to do."
_____
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#enhypen smut#enha smut#jake smut#sim jaeyun smut#enhypen x reader#enha x reader#jake x reader#sim jaeyun x reader#aj writes
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đŽđ° đđ˘đ¨đĽđŚ + đŹđ˘đ¨đĽ đĽđđŠđđđĽđŹ đŞđđ§đ đđĄđđĽđŹ đđđĄđđ
pairing: lando norris x fem!reader
word count: 2.9k+
summary: your view of the behind the scenes and video of âi ate and trained like lando norris for 24 hoursâ
warnings: swearing, some pda, sexual innuendos, flirting | hereâs some redemption for lando, this may suck because i need to get better at writing transitions, please watch the video titled in the summary for context đ
You were awoken by the feeling of a finger grazing your hip. You mumbled something incoherent and went to go back to sleep when you felt a kiss on your cheek. âTime to get up.â You heard your boyfriend whisper from behind you. âGo away.â You mumbled, still not fully awake and angry that you had been woken up. âUnless you want to be caught walking around in just a shirt and underwear in front of a camera, you need to get up.â
You let out a groan and rubbed your eyes as you remembered what day it was. Lando was filming a Quadrant video with Ethan and the man who rivalled you in how much you love your boyfriend, Morgan ââ otherwise known as âAngry Gingeâ. You and him had a rivalry, though it was just fun and games, and Lando and Morgan make it known a lot. âFine, fine.â You shooed him away with a movement of your hand and moved to lay on your back as you finally opened your eyes.
When you looked around, you were blessed with the sight of your boyfriends bare back as he changed into a basic hoodie and pants. You let out a wolf whistle and he turned around to face you with a look on his face. âWhat? Canât appreciate my wonderful boyfriend?â He laughed and turned around to continue. âAs long as I can do the same to my girlfriend.â
The two of you fell into a quiet conversation of how the day was going to go as you willed yourself to get up from your extremely comfy bed to get ready. âWhat time is it anyway?â You had a habit of keeping your phone plugged in in the living room because even though your boyfriend was a multimillionaire, the plug in on your side of the bed was shitty and both of you donât bother to get it fixed. You didnât mind it too much though. When Lando wasnât away at races, he was here with you and heâd let you know the time. When he wasnât, youâd use the plug in on his side because you sleep on his side when heâs away anyway.
âAround 7:15. Wanted to give you time to shower and put makeup on if you needed to.â He replied, heading out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. You hummed in acknowledgment even though he couldnât hear you and you finished getting dressed before heading to the bathroom to do your skincare and put makeup on. By the time you were done doing that and made your way into the kitchen it was 7:45. As Lando got prepared for filming, you spent the rest of the time cleaning up things around the house. It wasnât messy, per se, but you wanted the house to look good for the guests and the boys. You know both Morgan and Ethan wouldnât care about some coffee mugs left on the table or some blanket strewn about, but you didnât care.
As you unplugged your phone to check the time and see if you had any missed messages the doorbell rang. You put your phone down as to not be rude. You had met Ethan before, but youâd never met Ginge in person before. You heard the door open and greetings being said before there are footsteps and the four figures come into view. You hug Ethan while telling him you missed him and hoped heâs doing good before making your way over to Ginge. âY/n.â He said as if a brawl is about to start. You play along, âMorgan.â Thereâs silence as the camera films the encounter before you hug and greet each other. âItâs nice to meet you in person.â You tell him as you pull away. âYou two, I guess.â He joked. You roll your eyes.
âWell, welcome in.â Lando interrupted as he gestures to the apartment. You lead the boys through a tour of the house as you point out different rooms ââ and you add on embarrassing stories about Lando that make him blush.
âHe takes up more space with his trophyâs than with you,â Ginge teased as he looked at the trophies on the side table in the living room. Lando opened his mouth to respond but you do it first. âAt least we have trophies to put out? What do you have? The award for most annoying person ever?â Morgan started to rant and you laugh as you lean into Landoâs body. âWe hang photos elsewhere.â You answer seriously this time. âAll the embarrassing ones stay in the camera roll though. I wear a bonnet to bed and Lando thinks itâs hilarious and takes pictures every time. Iâve tried to get him to wear one as itâs good at protecting your hair, but he claimed he couldnât sleep with it.â âI couldnât!â âIâd pay to see that.â
Morgan played with the box and ended up breaking it ââ you know how to fix it, youâre prepared, and you all make conversations as they set up the âinterviewâ spot in the living room and film them. After that, you all make your way to the kitchen. âThat better not be what weâre eatinâ.â Ginge exclaimed as Lando opened the door to the fridge. âThis is your breakfast, my friend.â Lando smiled and pointed to the containers. Morgan turned to you, âare you eating that?â You shook your head and let out a ânoâ. âThatâs for him and you guys, I get my own food.â You tell them. âI want whatever that is because it has to be better than this.â
âThis might be one of the best breakfasts youâll ever have.â Lando told them. âMate, that looks like you ate reakfast and then threw it up.â Ethan joked. âItâs actually not bad,â you interrupted as you started to make your breakfast, âIâve had it before. Itâs quite good, although Iâm not a fan of cinnamon.â âIt has cinnamon in it?â Ginge asked. âApple, cinnamon, and pecan.â Lando answered. They chat about the texture and make fun of it as you finish making your breakfast.
âYou normally up at this time?â Morgan questioned Lando. âYeah.â âWhat about you y/n?â âDepends on the day,â you reply, âIâm normally not up this early but with travelling and work it changes.â âWhat time do you go to bed?â Morgan continued. âDepends.â âOn what?â Ethan raised an eyebrow. âIf theyâre going at it, dirty bastards.â You laugh and Lando blushes at that. âItâs not always nighttime.â You winked at them before heading into the dining room and turning on your computer. You worked from home which made it easier to visit Lando at races. Most of them you went to, but sometimes you had to stay home as you had an important meeting or had to head into your works headquarters. You wanted to take the time you had right now to finish sending some emails and editing work before the day officially started.
There was some more conversation before Lando kissed your head and let you know that they were going to go do some training. A couple minutes passed before you were done replying to emails and things. âY/n?â Lando called out to you from the workout room. âWhat?â You called back as you got up and closed your laptop. âWhere are the workout bands?â âI think theyâre in the bedroom.â You crossed your arms as you made your way into the hallway facing the room. âHow have the workout bands made it to the bedroom?â Ethan asked out loud. âI do yoga in there because I like to watch my show while I do it,â you answered, âalways so dirty minded Ethan.â You shake your head with a smile on your face.
Lando comes back with them and they continue with what they were doing before, obviously with some jokes ââ especially about the mirror you have in there ââ and Ginge âflirtingâ with your boyfriend. You joined in on some things like the planking and the stretches, but you opted out of most of it. Who could blame you? You preferred to ogle your boyfriend. You did the same when they moved on to the cryotherapy. âYou not joininâ us? Coward.â Morgan teased you as you stood behind the camera. âMate, I do not need to be in -110 degrees. I didnât do that full workout.â As they went in, you could hear the jokes and the laughing that was happening in there.
You turned to the camera to speak. âIâve done that before, and letâs just say I never want to do it again. I felt like my tits were going to fall off. Their reactions are valid.â You told the camera as you knew their footage from inside was going in. When the three minutes were up, you let the boys know and they came rushing out as soon as the door was opened. âMate, that was freezing.â Ethan said as he came out. âI felt the cold when the door was opened, I canât imagine how you guys feel,â You laughed, âIf youâre still cold when we get back to the house Iâll give you some blankets.â
The boys and you came home around one pm after the cryotherapy and they sat around the dining table as they get introduced to their lunch. You had leftovers from when you went out for dinner a couple days ago so you were eating that. Since this morning, you could tell that the boys were probably going to hate the menu today. You felt a little bad, but also thought it was funny. It was their video idea. You could hear Morganâs complaining in the kitchen.
âWhatâs this though?â You hear Ginge ask as you enter the dining room. âRadish.â You answer as you take a peice of chicken from Landoâs bowl and put in your mouth. âOh, thatâs disgusting.â Ginge exclaimed once he puts the radish in his mouth. âIâll just eat the mango, Iâm not having anything else.â Ginge said with a furrow in his brow. âNo, eat all of it.â âYou canât force it down my throat. âHere,â you started as you swallowed your bite, âeat what you can and you can have this. Itâs still quite healthy but I assume itâs things you like.â You traded your meal with his. âI like those so Iâll eat them.â The camera panned to Lando and his face of disbelief. âI donât know how you can like that.â Morgan glanced between you and the plate with disgust. You shrugged, âhis nutritionist makes good food.â Ethan made a face that obviously says he disagrees and Lando laughs. âHow often do you have this?â Morgan asked him as he takes a bit of your food. âAbout five times a week.â Lando answered, âthough sometimes Iâll have leftovers like y/n was.â
âDo you ever get bored of this and think âfuck it, Iâll have a pizzaâ?â Lando laughs and then nods. âAll the time.â You revealed to them, âthough heâs usually good at sticking with that.â You point to the bowl in front of him. âDoes y/n eating regular food make you jealous?â Ethan questioned and you laugh at the choice of words. âSometimes, but she eats healthy as well so itâs the same level of nutrition and tastes quite similarly.â Lando explained. âSometimes Iâll sneak him a pizza though.â You reveal as you smirk. âHey, I do that to myself all the time.â Morgan joked.
There was some quiet conversation as the boys started their game of Jenga before Ginge spoke up. âHowâd you two meet?â He asked as Ethan was trying carefully to get a brick out. âI was actually doing a media internship with McLaren in 2021. I have to be honest, I had no idea who Lando was. I had heard of Lewis a couple times but I wasnât a big F1 fan. McLaren was just an opportunity that popped up and I took it.â You explained to everyone. âSo, officially ending the rumours, youâre not a gold digger?â Morgan asked as a joke. You hummed, âI canât say that.â You laugh. âIâm just kidding, no, Iâm not. We made a deal that we half most things but he just gets to the bill before me most of the time. I need to work on being quicker.â The camera panned to Lando as he ate. âI like to spoil her.â âIâd let you spoil me Lando.â Ginge winked as the brunette. You jokingly glare at him. âIâm sorry, he just loves me too much.â He continued to say, âheâs just afraid to admit it.â âOh yeah, Iâm sure.â You nod slowly.
âHow did you ask her out?â Ethan asked Lando. He put a finger to his lips, âitâs a secret.â Because he wouldnât tell everyone looked at you. âHe doesnât want to tell because itâs embarrassing. Iâm not allowed to tell.â You told them the truth. It was. If he just felt it was embarrassing you wouldâve told but it really was embarrassing. He had a whole plan of what he was going to do but when I happened he got nervous and fucked it. The boys begged to hear the story. âThe only thing Iâll say is Iâm surprised I said yes.â
âIt was that bad?â Morgan asked in disbelief. âI mean, I knew you were bad at flirting but I didnât think it was that bad.â Lando blushed and tried it come up with a response. âEven if I knew before he asked me out he was rich, that probably wouldnât change my chances of saying no.â Both Ethan and Ginge grimaced. âDoes Max know?â Ethan then asked. âNope. No one knows except for me and Lando ââ and maybe Daniel who mightâve witnessed it.â Lando then jokingly hit you on the back of the head and you knew it was time to stop. You laughed and stuck your tongue out at him.
The next thing that Lando had planned for them was sim racing. He explained how it works and what circuit it was set on before he got on it to set up a baseline for what time they needed to get. âWho do you thinks going to be the best?â Ethan asked you as Lando was in the chair. âI mean . . . Ethan doesnât even have his license but in that one quadrant video where they tested everyoneâs driving skills he did alright,â you answered, âitâs also happening on a screen. Iâve never seen you drive,â you pointed to Morgan, âbut I donât know if Iâd trust you.â Ethan gave you a fist bump as the ginger put a hand over his heart. âThat wounds me, y/n.â âJust being honest.â You shrugged. âToo honest in my opinion.â
After setting a time and letting Ethan have a practice go, he let the boys know they had to be within 4.5 seconds of his time - having changed it from 10 and then having a mini fight with Ginge. It was Ethanâs turn first at the simulator. He did pretty well in your eyes ââ besides hitting a cone and sliding off the track. Compared to Ginge, he was excellent. You didnât know what was happening with Morgan and what he was doing, but you did know it was incredibly funny . . . And you definitely took videos of him freaking out that totally werenât for blackmail.
After he crashed for the millionth time and you laughing again, he turned his face to you. âDo you want to give it a go then?â He challenge you. âSure.â You replied, sliding into the seat as he got up. Youâd done the sim a few times. Mostly Lando trying to teach you and you not getting it, but other times youâd be bored at the house and try to give it a try. You think you did well with the two times you tried it. You only crashed once and went off a few times, and were only a little better than Ethan. Morgan kept yelling and saying it was clearly rigged and that the software was dogshit.
The day in Monaco ended with going out for dinner and Lando taking the boys out for a helicopter ride. You didnât know this, but in the final video cut thereâd be clips but together of you and Morgan bickering all throughout the video and whenever this would happen, the camera would show either Lando and Ethan with a look on their face. Even though you pretended to not like Morgan, he was a pretty good guy. You had a good time with him and Ethan ââ especially singing karaoke in the car.
And for anyoneâs information, you were definitely forced to get Lightning McQueen crocs against your will.
+ moment featured in morganâs vlog
You stood at the passenger side of the car with your arms crossed and eyebrow raised. âWhat?â Morgan asked you. âWhy you starinâ at me like that?â âThatâs my seat.â You tell him as you make a movement with your head. He makes a face, âyou donât claim seats. And I got here first. In the back you go.â Thatâs when Lando made his war to the car and into the drivers seat. âThatâs her seat, mate.â He told the ginger. He makes the same face as he did before. He shakes his head and gets up, pulling his phone out of his pocket and begins to film. âThis is discrimination against the poor. Iâm suing you.â You smile at him. âToo bad, Iâm his girlfriend, I get the passenger seat.â âYou just wait until he dumps you for me, babe. Then youâll be sorry.â âWhen that day happens, you can get the story of how he asked me out.â
#emma writes#imagine#x reader#x fem!reader#lando norris#ln4#lando norris x reader#lando norris x you#lando norris x y/n#f1#f1 imagine#f1 x you#f1 x reader#f1 x y/n#formula one#formula one imagine#formula one x you#formula one x y/n#formula one x reader#formula 1 x y/n#formula 1 x you#formula 1 x reader#formula 1#formula 1 imagine#quadrant#youtube imagine#formula 1 fanfic#f1 fanfic#f1 fic#formula 1 fic
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â.Ë áĄŁđŠ â â when you aren't dating but aren't just friends either (hyung line)
âş đš . genre: fluff, a little bit of angst and suggestive themes!!
âş đš . warnings: some are talking about sex, alcohol and being intoxicated (not the boys). i think that's all idk. anyways!! if you're under 16 pls don't read this.
âş đš . a/n: 2022 deni kinda ate with these ngl, so of course i had to rewrite it <3 these used to be my favorite hcs i ever wrote, so i truly hope you enjoy <3. happy channie day!! maknae line here!
đৠchan đŕ§
With Christopher here, things are complicated because he avoids labeling what you guys have like the plague. His work always comes first so that makes him shy away from commitment.
That doesnât mean he doesnât care about you. He does, a lot, and that kind of scares him, especially when he randomly starts feeling possessive over you when he knows he has no right to.
No matter how much he tries to deny it, the feelings are there and heâs always reminded of them when he catches himself treating you so much different from the other girls in his life.
You were humming in your seat, head bopping from side to side to the rhythm of the tunes on the radio. A happy bubblegum pop song, one that didnât fail to lift your already high spirits and put you into the right mood for the long trip ahead.
âYou look happy.â
Your head snaps in his direction, a big smile stretching across your face as his melodious laugh fills your ears. Chan wasnât looking at you, giving all of his attention to the road as he drove behind Minhoâs car yet his words made you giddier, just happy to be here in his presence.
âI am!â You nod, still swaying in your seat. âThank you for taking me along, I havenât been to the beach in ages.â
Chan hums with a smile before reaching down and gently grabbing your hand, eyes still focused on the road as he raises it to his to plant multiple, gentle kisses on your skin.
âOf course, baby.â He says, giving a final kiss to your knuckles before resting your hands next to the gear stick. âI wouldnât even have gone on this trip without you.â
The sweet gesture along with his words made your heart skip several beats, fooling your mind into believing he actually felt the same, the scene making you resemble an actual couple. Everybody was convinced you were already dating, since affection and those small touches came so naturally in your relationship, with no awkwardness or second guessing. You and Chan have fallen into this domestic routine where you do almost everything together despite not even being together. Yet, you loved being this close to him, glued at the hip and so enamored with one another but sometimes, you wished things were clearer, to actually know what you were and werenât. How he viewed and felt about this relationship of yours.
âSomething on your mind?â
Blinking your worries away, your heart swelled in your chest when you felt him squeeze your hand lightly, a sign of the silent support and care he never shied away from providing.
Shaking your head, the smile on your face returns, albeit a bit forced. âI was just thinking about how much you must enjoy my company, thatâs all.â
That got a laugh out of him, grinning from ear to ear as he continued to drive with one hand, honey orbs briefly meeting yours in the rearview mirror.
âIs that so? You really think that, huh?â
You nod, intertwining your fingers while keeping your eyes straight ahead, softly caressing his hand. âOf course. What kind of person would miss going on a long-awaited trip with his best friends just for lilâ old me?â
Then, you turn to face him, mustering enough courage to appear confident and charming with your next words.
âYou must really like me, huh, Christopher?â
His hold on you tightened, almost as if he was afraid you were going to disappear if he let go. You saw him nod his head and when the car came to a stop at a red light soon after, he finally took his eyes off the road to face you fully. His gaze was soft as he watched you like you held the sun in your bare hands and for the first time, Chan hesitated for a brief moment before he leaned over the console to press his lips against yours.
The kiss was so unexpected that you gasped at the contact, giving him the perfect opportunity to slip his tongue past your lips and deepen your dance, change it all together, except he didnât. He didnât take things further, hand still holding yours as your lips did all the talking, moving against you in such a soft and tender way it almost brought you to tears, never experiencing such meaningful intimacy with him before.
When he pulled away, his eyes were still serious but slightly blown by your previous actions. In any other circumstances, youâd say it was lust but right now it felt like something more, an emotion that only grew and blossomed the more time you spent together. Something appropriate for your deep connection, beyond carnal desires and sighs of ecstasy. Â
âI really, really do like you, Y/n. Please never forget that.â
đৠminho đŕ§
The jealousy is strong with this one. I mean, thatâs to be expected when your relationship status is so vague and ambiguous that you guys never talk about it.
However, heâs the softest when heâs with you. Itâs like all of his worries and anxieties disappear when youâre by his side.
Secretly a romantic.
âWho is she?â
Minho looks up from his place on the floor at the sound of your voice, one eyebrow rising as a sign for you to go on while he continues to stretch. When you donât, he lets a small sigh escape him before taking matters into his own hands.
âElaborate.â
âWho is she?â you try again, arms crossed over your chest while a frown forms across your features. âThe girl that was just here. The one you were happily laughing along with.â
Oh, that girl. Minho tries to hide his smirk once he hears what you have to say, being able to sense your jealousy without even having to spare you another glance. Truth be told, he knew exactly who you were talking about from the moment you opened your mouth yet, the part of him that wanted to see you get all worked up took over and made him play dumb.
Quickly composing himself before you notice, he shrugs. âJust some girl.â
He could feel you getting annoyed by now, his nonchalance and dismissal almost making your blood boil. âLee Minho â â
âWhy do you care?â
His voice is lower, usual doe and gentle stare narrowing slightly as he looks you dead in the eyes. Abandoning his stretching, Minho then stands up and takes a stance similar to yours, towering over you. He was so close, you could feel his hot breath on your face, his scent and him as a whole not only invading all of your senses but also your personal space. Not that you minded, you never did or ever will.
Not backing down, you took a step forward as well, closing in on him while maintaining eye contact. Eye contact always made Minho weak in the knees so you never wasted any opportunity of making him a little hot under the collar. Just as expected, Minhoâs body reacts almost immediately, big hands settling on your hips before pulling you flush against him. The intimacy and gentleness of the action have your initial anger vanishing, the only thing on your mind now being him and him alone.
Deciding to play along, your arms naturally gravitate around his shoulders. âAm I not allowed to care about the type of people you surround yourself with, darling?â You smile yet he sees right through you, your words filled with sarcasm and something else Minho canât quite put his finger on. Despite your affection, this was still bothering you.
But Minho doesnât comment on it. âLike I said, she isnât anyone important. You shouldnât worry your pretty little head about her.â He breaths out, wet lips hovering over yours as he speaks. And before you know it, heâs kissing you, lips coming together in a passionate kiss only Minho himself can provide.
But even as you stand there, pinned to the cold mirror while he gently nips and sucks at your neck, you canât help but worry about it all. You werenât his girlfriend so you were fully aware that you had no right to question him about who he was or wasnât hanging out with. But the fact that he wasnât willing to tell you, to reassure you like he always did made your heart ache in your chest most painfully.
đৠchangbin đŕ§
Thinks heâs being oh so subtle about what you two have going on. Newsflash, all of the boys already know thereâs more than meets the eye between you.
Very protective but not in an overbearing way.
Actually really likes you but isnât sure if you feel the same so he doesnât act on those feelings.
Changbin was watching you from afar, a smile playing on his lips at the sight of you animatedly talking to some classmates. You havenât noticed him yet and his heart was almost jumping out of his chest waiting for you to do so, trying to play it cool as he leaned against his car with his arms crossed. He mightâve looked calm and composed on the outside but on the inside, he was freaking out.
You two havenât seen each other in a bit because of his busy schedule and now that heâs got some free time, one of the first things on his bucket list was to surprise you by dropping by to your school. Changbin had a whole afternoon planned out just for the two of you, one that involved all of your favorite activities and food. A part of him was really confused by his own behavior, especially since you never had âthe talkâ regarding your relationship but he just couldnât help it. The urge to spoil and shower you with gifts and his undivided attention was stronger than his doubts were, as usual.
He never realized he was a romantic until he met you, and fell head over heels for your charming personality.
Breaking away from your group of friends, your eyes finally met his and immediately widened at the sight of him, just like his smile does. Your face lit up like a Christmas tree and next thing Changbin knew, you broke into a sprint in his direction, your obvious excitement making the man laugh loudly in delight. You looked so adorable running to him like that, he couldnât wait to get you in his arms and never let go.
You were almost there when suddenly some dude decided to stop you right in your tracks, blocking your path to get your undivided attention. You were visibly taken aback as you came to an abrupt stop, your face falling as the person started talking. This made Changbinâs mood do a whole 180, wasting no time in starting to make his way over, keen on giving this dude a piece of his mind. Your smile returned as he approached, looking at him over the manâs shoulder as everything he was saying was completely lost on you, Changbinâs magnetic field pulling you in without fail.
âSorry, uhhâŚâ You paused, trying to recall his name before shaking your head. âMy boyfriend is here so I really have to go.â
At the mention of the word âboyfriendâ, the guy turned around to face Changbin so fast, it had him wondering how he didnât get whiplash. Looking at him, Binnie glared as he tried to look as intimating as possible while the butterflies in his stomach were currently causing a riot over you calling him âyour boyfriendâ. Which wasnât a hard task since he already looked as intimating as they come because of his well-built body, his mere presence causing the other man to hunch slightly.
âOkay, I-I will call you later then, Y/n.â
Changbin raised a single eyebrow, crossing his arms once again. âMe, Y/n's boyfriend, wouldnât like that, so donât you even dare.â He glared menacingly, almost like daring the guy to protest in some way. âNow, scram.â
Thatâs all the warnings the guy needed to flee, leaving without as much of a goodbye while Changbin followed him with his eyes until he was out of sight. Your sweet giggles reached his ears, melting those sharp edges before he felt you throw yourself into his arms, your own going around his neck to pull him even closer. And just like that, the butterflies were back and making him feel like a high schooler around his first ever crush. He returned the hug in an instant, strong arms wrapping around your waist before picking you up and spinning you around, the sound of your delight getting rid of all of his annoyance and stress, the best cure ever invented.
âHello, boyfriend.â You placed several pecks on his lips when the world stopped spinning, lightly kicking your feet that were still off the ground. âI missed you.â
He wasnât your boyfriend yet, but after today, maybe he could finally be.Â
đৠhyunjin đŕ§
The one thatâs truly wrapped around your finger even if he would never admit it out loud. Heâs bewitched, mesmerized by every little thing you do and say, his eyes full of adoration as he follows your every movement, almost like a puppy.
Randomly goes: âyou can sit hereâ and here ends up being between his legs in a room full of 7 other men.
Can never take his eyes off of you.
Everyoneâs laughter was bouncing off the walls as another dare was swung around, one that had someone pull out their phone and booty call a random number while trying but failing miserably to sound sober. Speaking off, everything seemed to be funny for your intoxicated friends at this hour. From knocking over each otherâs drinks to randomly kissing, they were having the time of their lives and that brought the biggest smile to your lips.
âHyunjin.â One of your girlfriends began, getting both yours and the man that was currently sitting behind you on the floorâs attention. She had a mischievous glint in her glassy eyes, one that had you a bit worried.
âWhatâs your type?â she finally asked before taking another sip of her drink, smirk growing bigger by the second as she fluttered her eyelashes innocently, twirling a piece of her hair around a manicured finger. âLike Iâm sure you donât just fuck randos, they all have to fit some type of criteria, donât they?â
âWhat gets Hwang Hyunjin hard?â Another one chimed in, scooting closer in interest.
And there it was. You couldnât help but roll your eyes as all the girls started giggling, clearly very amused and intrigued by the whole situation. Granted they were drunk but since you werenât, it was a bit harder to hide your annoyance. You and Hyunjin werenât a couple, heck you didnât even know what you were but he was latched onto you from behind while you sat in between his legs, strong arms hugging you to his chest. Did they have to ask something like this while you were right here?
Soon, almost all of your friends seemed to be interested in his answer, especially since Hyunjin was known for his notorious reputation with both girls and boys around campus. You finally felt him react when Changbin, who was an even louder drunk, pointed out the look on your face and got everyone staring at you two. His arms tightened slightly around you, pulling your body even closer like he was trying to merge souls while his head came to rest on your shoulder in such a way that prevented the others from seeing his lips moving.
âWhat do you think, baby?â He whispered, hot breath making goosebumps appear all over your skin and awakening something in you. All his attention was on you now, ignoring everything and everyone around him like he wasnât just asked a question. As expected, their interest wasnât piqued for long since Hyunjin didnât react nor answer, talking among themselves once again, with some hollering and wolf whistling when they noticed him gently moving your hair out of the way to start planting wet, open-mouthed kisses on the side of your throat.
Your breath picked up at that, one of your hands moving to rest over his and intertwining your fingers while his free one sneaked under your shirt to caress the bare skin.
With one last kiss on the back of your neck, Hyunjin spoke again, his next words making your head spin and almost whimper. âShould I start telling them about how sweet your voice sounds while moaning my name? To list all of those things you do that drive me insane daily or should I just let this be our little secret?â
#stray kids#skz#skz x reader#stray kids x reader#stray kids headcanons#skz headcanons#stray kids fluff#stray kids imagines#stray kids fanfic#stray kids x you#stray kids angst#skz fluff#skz imagines#bang chan x reader#lee know x reader#changbin x reader#hyunjin x reader#hwang hyunjin x reader#han jisung x reader#lee felix x reader#kim seungmin x reader#seungmin x reader#jeongin x reader
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Falling for the Enemy (M)
Synopsis: Caught in a toxic relationship with a manipulative and cheating boyfriend, you find solace in his enemy, Donghyuck. What starts as a vengeful fling turns into something more, and old feelings start to re-surface.
Genre: enemies with benefits?, childhood friends fallout, slice of life, angst, a lot of fighting, fluffy end, SMUT MDNI!!
Warnings: swearing, haechan getting into a fight, please guys donât fight lol, helping clean up after a fight, jealousy, cunnilingus, blowjob, teasing, ex knowingly watching, no condom mentioned (stay safe yall), the pull out method (pls be safe), use of the words hot seed, cum, cock.
Word Count: 18.5k
A/N: Shout out to my lovely đanon for this one!! After some internet troubles, itâs finally out now :) Please let me know if there is anything funky about this (I write on google doc and copy and paste it on Tumblr and sometimes it fucks up the format or doubles paragraphs)
Marketing would be a fun class if it wasn't for the pain that decided to sit next to you every single class.Â
"Youâre no better than your stupid boyfriend!" Donghyuck's voice cut through the air, his tone filled with disgust.
"Just shut up!" you snapped, feeling your cheeks flush with embarrassment. Why did he have to make things so awkward?
Donghyuck, or Haechan as he insisted on being called now, was someone you hadn't seen in years. You used to be close friends back in middle school, basically best friends. But then life happened, and you had to move away. You two were so young that you couldn't even stay in touch through social media. Only a promise that you two would find each other later on.Â
Now here you two were, reunited in college, but things were different. Haechan was no longer the sweet boy you once knew. He had turned into an arrogant jerk, who wouldnât shut the fuck up.Â
Throughout the class, you couldn't shake off the discomfort of sitting next to Haechan, especially after his rude outburst. But beneath the cocky smirk on his face, you couldn't shake off the feeling that missed your friend that was long gone.Â
You would never tell anyone that you missed your childhood friend. Especially not any of your new friends, who also hate him. Chenle, Jeno, and Jaemin all would jump at the chance to wipe that little smirk off his face.Â
Your best friend Chaeryeong was the only one who knew about your past with him. She's the only person who you could never lie to. She always had your back, so you will always have hers. Even if she hates your boyfriend, Jay.Â
Well, most of your friends hate your boyfriend... Jaemin has even tried to talk you into breaking up with Jay. But âpussied outâ as Chenle would say when he saw you were starting to tear up.
Jay was your first boyfriend. You learned how to deal with all of his flawsâŚEveryone has flaws so why is it so bad for him to have someâŚokay a lot of flaws. But heâs sweet to you!
You sat through the rest of the class with clenched fists, trying to focus on anything but the awkward tension that clung to the air between you and Haechan. His outburst still echoed in your mind, chewing at you. âYouâre no better than your stupid boyfriendâ.Â
Once everyone started to pack their bags, pulling you from your thoughts, you quickly gathered your things, hoping to escape before Haechan could throw another mocking remark your way. But, as expected, he would always be a little shit.
"Running away already?" Haechanâs voice was teasing, but there was something beneath it, something sharp that cut through the cocky tone. "Gonna run back to your little boyfriend."
You spun around, eyes glaring, ready to fire back, but then you caught Haechan's expression. It wasnât that usual smug grin he always wore. Instead, there was a hint of vulnerability that almost made you stop. Almost. But just like that, it disappeared, and he was back to his old self, smirking like nothing had happened. Typical.
"Maybe you should shut up for once, Donghyuck," you shot back, emphasizing his old name, hoping it would sting.Â
His smirk faltered. It was subtle, barely noticeable, but you saw it. Something about calling him âDonghyuckâ felt like a small victory. You were pretty sure the boy you once knew was entirely gone.Â
You turned on your heel and walked out of the classroom, leaving Haechan behind. As you made your way to the dining hall, you spotted Chenle and Jeno lounging on one of the benches, chatting. Seeing them made you feel more at ease. You needed a distraction. Anything to get your mind off that annoying encounter.
"Y/n! Over here!" Chenle called out, waving his arms dramatically. "Where's Jaemin?."
You shrugged, still shaken by your fight with Haechan. "I havenât seen him. Heâs probably sleeping through his class again."
"Or he got into another fight because of your boyfriend," Jeno added, his eyes holding a seriousness that made your stomach twist. You knew your friends didnât like Jay, but you wished they could just let it go.Â
"Can we not do this today," you muttered, dropping your bag next to Chenle and sinking onto the bench. You didnât have the energy to get into another debate about Jay right now.
Chenle nudged you playfully. "Come on, weâre just looking out for you. You deserve someone better than that guy."
"Yeah, someone who's not a total asshole," Jeno chimed in. "Like, seriously, what do you even see in him?"
You didnât answer. You couldnât. Instead, you stared off into the distance, your thoughts spiraling. It wasnât just about Jayâit was everything. The awkwardness with Haechan, the tension with your friends, the pressure to hold everything together when you felt like you were starting to unravel.
âHeâs sweetâŚâ You trailed off, your words sounding weak even to yourself. Was Jay sweet? Or was that just the version of him you had convinced yourself to see?
Chenle raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Sweet? Youâre joking, right? The same guy that has to approve your outfits when you go out."
You shot him a look, but he continued, persistent. "Iâm serious, Y/n. Thereâs âsweetâ and then thereâs whatever Jayâs doing to you. You deserve better."
Jeno, who had been scrolling through his phone, suddenly locked eyes with you. âYou think this is what loveâs supposed to feel like? Constant stress? Us having to break up fights Jaemin gets into because of Jay? You donât look happy.â
That last comment stung more than you expected like an arrow hitting its mark. Were you happy? Or had you just grown used to the chaos?
Your silence was telling, and your friends exchanged worried glances. Chenle let out a dramatic sigh and pulled out his phone, probably ready to change the topic, when you heard the sound of footsteps approaching. You didnât need to look up to know who it was.
âHey, whatâs up, guys?â Jaemin's voice was casual, but when he turned to you, his expression hardened a little bit. âJayâs looking for you again, Y/n. Heâs upset about something."
You felt your stomach drop. Of course, he was upset about something. Jay was always upset about something. And it was always your job to fix it, to calm him down, to make everything right.
Chenle clicked his tongue in disapproval. âSee? You canât even breathe without that guy hovering around. Heâs suffocating you.â
Jaemin sat down next to you, his tone softer now. âWeâre not trying to gang up on you, Y/n. But this⌠this isnât normal. Itâs not okay.â
You clenched your fists, feeling the weight of their words pressing down on you. You wanted to defend Jay, to tell them they didnât understand him the way you did. But deep down, you couldnât deny the truth of what they were saying.
âIâll talk to him,â you muttered, standing up. You didnât wait for their response as you walked away, feeling their eyes on your back. You knew they were worried, and maybe they had every right to be. But you couldnât just walk away from Jay. You didnât know how.
As you made your way toward the campus courtyard, your mind wandered back to the class with Haechan. You couldnât shake the image of his face when you called him Donghyuck. But you couldn't let it affect you. He probably did it on purpose so you would overthink and feel bad. Â
Lost in thought, you almost didnât notice when Jay appeared in front of you, his face twisted in frustration.
âWhere the hell have you been?â he snapped, his voice low but harsh. âIâve been calling you.â
Your stomach turned, and you immediately braced yourself for whatever fight was coming next. "I was in class. Whatâs wrong?"
Jay let out a sharp breath, running a hand through his hair. "You didnât tell me you were sitting next to him again." He spoke with clear disapproval, his gaze burning into yours.
âHim?â It took a moment before you realized he meant Haechan. âJay, itâs just class. The professor didnât let us pick where we could sit.â
âThatâs not the point, Y/n.â He stepped closer, his expression darkening. âI donât trust that guy, and I donât like you being around him.â
âJay, itâs not like thatââ
âIt better not be,â he cut you off, his voice laced with an edge that made your skin crawl. âHeâs a shitty person, heâs just trying to get to me.â
The words hung in the air. You knew Jay had a jealous streak, but this felt differentâdarker, more possessive. And for the first time, you felt a tinge of fear.
"IâI have to go," you said quickly, your heart pounding as you stepped back. You didnât wait for Jay to respond. You couldnât. Your feet moved on autopilot, moving away from him.Â
But as you hurried through the campus, a sinking feeling settled in your chest. You didnât know where you were running toâonly that you had to get away from yet another fight.Â
Choosing to buy some coffee, you push open the local cafĂŠ on campus. The familiar chime of the cafĂŠ door was a welcome sound, cutting through the fog of your jumbled thoughts. The smell of roasted coffee beans and fresh pastries welcomed you as you stepped inside. You spotted an empty table in the corner and made a beeline for it, craving to be away from everything. You ordered a simple iced latte, hoping the cool drink might calm you down.Â
As you waited for your coffee, you buried your face in your hands. Why did it always have to feel like this with Jay? Why did every conversation leave you feeling smaller, and more insecure about yourself? Your friends were right but you didnât know what to do.Â
But what could you do? You couldnât just walk away. You loved him⌠didnât you?
Before you could spiral any further, the barista called your name, pulling you from your thoughts. You grabbed your coffee and took a seat, letting the ice clink against the cup as you swirled it absently.Â
The door to the cafĂŠ swung open again, noticing it was Haechan you hid your face with your hands. Not wanting to deal with him again.Â
He walked in, his eyes scanning the room before they landed on you. For a moment, he hesitated, then made his way over to your table.
âYouâre in my spotâ he stated, his tone sharp. You stared at him, unsure of what to say.
You hesitated for a moment, did you really want to start a fight right now? âI donât see your name on it.â
Haechan slid into the seat across from you, leaning back in his chair as if trying to gauge your mood.
âIâve never seen you here,â he started, running a hand through his hair. âWhatâs wrong?â
You blinked, caught off guard. This wasnât the Haechan you were used toâthe cocky, arrogant guy who seemed to enjoy making your life miserable. Where is the teasing?
âNone of your business,â you muttered, staring into your coffee cup, avoiding his gaze. The last thing you wanted was to bare your soul to Haechan of all people. You didnât need his pity, and you certainly didnât need him to insert himself into your problems. He would use any information to torment Jay, which would just start an even bigger fight between you two.Â
But Haechan wasnât easily deterred. âYou donât have to tell me, but Iâm not an idiot. You look like a kicked puppy.â
There he goes, mocking you even at your worst. But he caught you off guard by how well he could read you. To most people, you probably look like a tired college student, normal. But for some reason, Haechan could tell there was something wrong.Â
You shook your head. âWhy do you care, Haechan?â
He rolled his eyes, leaning forward on the table. âMaybe because itâs not fun to tease you when youâre already miserable.â
You flinched. His words struck deeper than you expected. Did it show that much? Did everyone see itâhow exhausted you felt, how tightly you were hurt from trying to keep everything together? You opened your mouth to retort, but no words came out.
Haechan sighed, looking away for a moment before meeting your eyes again.Â
âHaechan.â The barista called out.Â
Haechan got up and grabbed his drink before asking something you couldnât make out. You watched him as he left, not sparing you another glance.Â
You sighed out, of course, he doesn't care. Heâs probably high on seeing you this miserable.Â
But before you could throw yourself another pity party, the cafe doors slam open and a concerned-looking Chaeryeong comes rushing in. Â
âY/n!â Chaeryeongâs voice cut through the noise of the cafĂŠ as she rushed over to your table, her face a mix of concern and urgency. You barely had time to brace yourself before she slid into the chair across from you, eyes scanning your face for answers.
âWhatâs going on? Haechan just said you needed me.â Her tone was low but insistent, probably thinking this was a plan made up by Haechan, trying to get under your skin again.Â
You exhaled slowly, trying to gather your thoughts. âItâs⌠nothing. Just another argument with Jay.âÂ
Chaeryeong frowned, her brows knitting together. "Another argument? Y/n, youâve been having a lot of those lately."
You shook your head, trying to dismiss her concern. "Itâs just a misunderstanding. He got upset about me sitting next to Haechan again. He thinks itâs some big deal, but itâs not."
"Jay seriously has issues if heâs getting worked up over something like that." Chaeryeongâs voice was firm, but there was a softness in her eyes like she was trying to tread carefully. "You know this isnât normal, right?"
You looked down at your iced latte, feeling the familiar swirl of guilt and confusion rise. You loved Jayâat least, you thought you did. But lately, everything felt like a battle, and you were always on the losing side.
 "Itâs fine," you said weakly, though the words felt like they were collapsing in on themselves. "Heâs just... protective."
Chaeryeong let out a sigh, her frustration barely concealed. "Y/n, thereâs a difference between being protective and being controlling. I hate seeing you like this. Itâs like youâre always walking on eggshells with him."
You didnât respond, unable to meet her gaze. The weight of the conversation was suffocating, but you couldnât deny the truth in her words. Jayâs jealousy had started to bleed into every part of your life, and it was exhausting.
After a moment of silence, Chaeryeong leaned forward, her voice softer. "You donât have to keep defending him. I know you care about him, but... is he making you happy?"
That question lingered in the air. Was Jay making you happy? Or were you just holding on to the idea of what you thought love should be?
Before you could answer, Chaeryeong reached out and squeezed your hand. "You deserve better than this, Y/n. You deserve to be with someone who makes you feel safe, not stressed out all the time."
You swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. "Can we switch the topic, I donât want to talk about this right now," you whispered.Â
Chaeryeongâs grip tightened on your hand. "You donât have to figure it all out right now. Just know that youâre not alone, okay? Iâm here for you."
You nodded, grateful for her support, but still feeling lost in the mess of your emotions. The tall barista came up to your table with a plate of red velvet cookies.Â
âUm, here you goâŚ.â He sat them down on the table in front of you.
âWait! I didnât pay for this.âÂ
The barista gave you a small, almost shy smile. "Don't worry about it. They're already paid for." Before you could ask any more questions, he walked away, leaving you and Chaeryeong to exchange confused glances.
Chaeryeong raised an eyebrow, leaning closer to examine the cookies. "Who do you think...?"
You didnât have to guess for long. So thatâs what he was asking the barista. You blinked, processing the moment.
Chaeryeong noticed too, her eyes narrowing. "Did Haechan just... buy you cookies?"
You shrugged, feeling more confused than anything. "I guess?"
Chaeryeong leaned back, a mixture of amusement and suspicion crossing her face. "Weird, right? I thought he was a jerk."
"Yeah... he is," you muttered, still trying to piece together Haechan's sudden act of kindness. It didnât fit with the person youâd been dealing with all semester.Â
But for right now, you werenât going to overanalyze it. You had enough on your plate with Jay and the constant pressure you were under. Haechan's behavior would have to wait.
You broke the cookie in half and offered a piece to Chaeryeong, hoping to shift the focus back to something lighter. "Want some? Might as well not let them go to waste.
She accepted the piece with a small smile, though her gaze remained thoughtful.Â
"You know, maybe heâs not as bad as we thought. Or maybe he's just a confusing guy."Â
You let out a soft laugh, nodding in agreement. "Thatâs putting it lightly."Â
But as the sweetness of the cookie melted in your mouth, the door to the cafĂŠ swung open again, and for a moment, your heart jumped, fearing it might be Jay.
But instead, it was Chenle and Jaemin, both of them scanning the room until they spotted you and Chaeryeong.
"Hey, there you are," Chenle said, sliding into a seat next to Chaeryeong. Jaemin followed sitting in the seat next to you, giving you a concerned look. "Everything okay?"
You forced a smile, trying to shake off the heaviness of the conversation. "Yeah, Iâm fine. Just... needed some space."
Chenle raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced, but he didnât push. Instead, he gave a playful nudge. "Well, weâre here now, so no more pity parties. Letâs get you out of this mess.â
Jaemin studied you for a moment before speaking. "Weâre here for you, Y/n. Whatever you need." You nodded, feeling a small sense of relief.Â
âOoo cookies!â Chenle grabbed one without asking.Â
âYou even ordered yourself some of your favorite cookiesâŚoh no this is badâ Jaemin continued, shaking his head with exaggerated seriousness. "Cookies are your comfort food."
Chenle, mid-bite, paused and raised his eyebrows.
"Wait, did something happen with Jay again?" His usual playful tone shifted slightly, concern creeping in as he glanced between you and Chaeryoung.
You sighed, feeling the weight of their questions. "It's nothing. Just... the usual stuff. He got upset about me sitting next to Haechan in class again."
Jaeminâs face hardened. "Y/n, thatâs not nothing. Heâs been doing this for a while now. Getting jealous and picking fights. Itâs not normal."
Chenle, despite the cookie in his mouth, nodded vigorously. "Exactly! Why does it even matter where you sit in class? Youâre not his property."
You glanced away, not wanting to meet their eyes. The conversation was heading in the same direction as before, and you felt that familiar knot of guilt tightening in your chest.Â
After a moment of silence, Chaeryoung spoke up, âShe didnât even buy these cookiesâŚguess who did.â
Chenle blinked, pausing mid-chew as he looked between you and Chaeryoung.Â
"Wait, are you bragging about buying cookies for a heartbroken girl?" His voice was laced with teasing. She shook her head ânoâ and Jaeminâs eyes narrowed in curiosity.
You hesitated, feeling a twinge of discomfort as you answered quietly, "Haechan."
Jaemin leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Haechan? He bought you cookies?" His tone was a mix of disbelief and a little bit of protectiveness.
Chenle stared at the cookie in his hand, then at you, then back at the cookie. "So, youâre telling me Iâm eating Haechanâs cookies? Theyâre probably poisoned!"
"Itâs not like I asked him to," you muttered, feeling the tension rising again. "He just⌠did."
Chaeryeong raised an eyebrow, a knowing look in her eyes. "He didnât say much when he saw me outside of the cafe, just told me that Y/n needed me."
Jaeminâs frown deepened. "Thatâs weird. Since when does Haechan care about anyone but himself?"
You shrugged, still unsure of what to make of the gesture. "I donât know. Maybe heâs just messing with me, trying to get under my skin."
Chaeryeong smirked. "Or maybe heâs trying to get you under him!"
You rolled your eyes. "Yeah right. Heâs just... being Haechan, weird."
Chaeryeongâs energy shifted immediately, her smirk softening into a more playful grin as she leaned forward, practically buzzing with excitement. "Alright, enough of this! We need to get you out of here. Youâve been drowning in all this drama for too long.â
Chenleâs eyes lit up at the suggestion, already nodding in agreement. "Yes! A night out is exactly what you need. No Jay, no Haechanâjust us having fun. There is a party at Markâs place tomorrow night." He winked, clearly trying to lighten the mood.
Jaemin, though quieter, gave a nod of approval. "It could be good for you, Y/n. A break from everything."
You hesitated, a part of you wanted to curl up at home and avoid the world, but another part knew that maybe they were right. You needed a break from all the chaos.
"Alright, fine," you sighed, feeling the weight on your chest lighten just a little. "Iâll go to Markâs party tomorrow."
Chaeryeong clapped her hands together, practically glowing with excitement. "Yes! Itâs going to be so much fun, I promise! Just good vibes, and youâll finally get a chance to relax."
Chenle grinned, "Thatâs the spirit! Plus, you know, itâs always a good time at Markâs. Who knows, maybe youâll meet someone newâŚ"
Jaemin shot Chenle a look, silently warning him to tone it down, but Chenle just winked at you, clearly trying to keep things light.
You chuckled, feeling a small flicker of relief. "Iâm not going to a party to meet someone, Chenle."
"Maybe not," Jaemin said with a small smile, "but at least youâll be there with your friends, and thatâs what matters."
The next evening, the air was buzzing with excitement as you stood in front of the mirror, eyeing the mixture of outfits Chaeryeong had scattered across your bed. She was currently looking through your closet, tossing out options as if she were styling a fashion shoot instead of just picking something for a party.Â
âYou need something bold but effortless,â Chaeryeong declared, holding up a black, form-fitting dress before shaking her head and discarding it. âSomething that says, âIâm here to have fun, not to impress.â But, you know, still impressive.â
You laughed, sitting on the edge of your bed as you watched her being dramatic. "Chaeryeong, itâs just a party. Iâm not trying to walk a runway."
Chenle, lounging in the corner of your room, raised an eyebrow. "No, but youâre going to Markâs, and thereâs a difference. Youâve gotta show up looking good.â
You groaned as Chaeryeong shot you a knowing look. âYou donât want to walk in looking anything less than your best. Trust me, itâll help you feel more in control." She pulled out a green silk dress from your closet, holding it up against you. "This. Itâs perfect."
You looked at the dress, hesitant. It was beautiful. "I donât know⌠itâs kind of a lot."
"Exactly," Chaeryeong said with a grin. "You need a lot. Letâs remind everyoneâincluding youâthat youâre the main character tonight."
Chenle laughed, getting up from his spot. "You heard her. Tonight is your night to shine, Y/n."
Sighing, you finally stood up and took the dress from Chaeryeongâs hands. "Fine. Letâs do it."
An hour later, you were slipping on the last of your jewelry as you stared at your reflection in the mirror. The green dress hugged your curves in all the right ways, and the satin shimmered under the soft lighting of your room. Chaeryeong had helped style your hair, soft waves falling over your shoulders, and Chenle, surprisingly, had given his input on your makeup. A bold lip to contrast the simplicity of the rest of your look.
"Wow," you whispered, half in disbelief at how different you looked.
Chaeryeong stood beside you, grinning from ear to ear.Â
"Told you. You look amazing."
Chenle nodded, leaning in the doorway. "Everyone is gonna wish they were with you."
You rolled your eyes, but deep down, a part of you couldnât help but wonder. Would they? Would Jay? Or would you finally not care?
With a final glance in the mirror, you grabbed your bag, feeling a rush of determination. Tonight was about you.
As you made your way downstairs, the sound of music and distant chatter already filled the air. Chenle and Chaeryeong followed close behind.
Chaeryeong linked her arm with yours as you stepped outside, the cool night air brushing against your skin. âDonât let it get to you, Y/n. Just have fun tonight. Remember, weâre here to enjoy ourselves.â
You nodded, trying to push aside the lingering thoughts of Jay and Haechan, and all the drama that seemed to follow them like a shadow. Tonight wasnât about themâit was about you.
The drive to Markâs place was filled with lighthearted chatter, Chenle and Chaeryeong alternating between playful bickering and hyping you up for the night ahead. But the closer you got to the party, the more you felt the familiar nerves creeping in.
âWeâre here!â Chaeryeongâs voice cut through your spiraling thoughts, and you blinked as the car pulled up to Markâs house. Music thumped from inside, and the soft glow of lights poured from the windows, illuminating the big crowd already gathered outside.
You took a deep breath as the three of you stepped out of the car, Chenle offering you a quick thumbs-up for encouragement. âRemember, main character energy. Letâs go.â
As you approached the front door, Mark himself appeared, grinning as he waved you inside. âY/n! You made it!â
 He gave you a quick, welcoming hug before greeting Chaeryeong and Chenle. âThe partyâs just getting started. Drinks are in the kitchen, and the backyard is open if you want to chill.â
You thanked him and followed the crowd into the house, trying to shake off the remaining nerves. The music, laughter, and the buzz of conversation washed over you, helping to melt away some of your worries. Chaeryeong handed you a drink, her eyes already sparkling.
âLetâs go find somewhere to sit!â she said over the music, pulling you toward the living room, where a few familiar faces were already lounging.
But before you could get comfortable, your eyes caught a familiar figure leaning against the wall near the kitchenâHaechan.
 He was chatting with someone, but his gaze shifted just as you entered the room. For a split second, your eyes locked, and there was a flicker of something in his expression, though you couldnât quite read it.
âFocus on having fun,â Chaeryeong whispered in your ear, snapping you out of your daze.
You smiled at her, grateful for the reminder, and nodded. Tonight was about fun. About letting go.
Jaemin and Jeno moved to form a spot where you could sit between them. You settled down, feeling a wave of relief as the two of them immediately began chatting, creating a comfortable bubble around you. Jeno handed you a drink with a reassuring smile.
 "Looking good, Y/n."
Jeno, always the more laid-back one, nudged your shoulder. "Weâll make sure you have a good time. No drama, no distractions."
You took a sip of your drink, nodding. Their presence was calming, a much-needed escape from the whirlwind of emotions youâd been feeling lately.
Chaeryeong and Chenle were already engrossed in a conversation across from you, laughing about something Chenle said, and for a brief moment, you allowed yourself to feel at ease.
Jaemin leaned in slightly, his voice low so only you could hear. "You look amazing tonight, by the way." He smiled.
You felt a warmth spread across your cheeks, and before you could respond, Jeno chimed in, as if reading the moment. "Jaeminâs right. That green dress is doing wonders."
You laughed, grateful for their compliments but not wanting to dwell on it too much. "Thanks, guys. I needed this.â You took a chug from your drink.Â
Jaemin smiled softly. "Weâre always here for you, Y/n."
You nodded, then stood up, smoothing down the hem of your dress as you glanced around the room. The music thumped louder as more people began to fill the space, and for a moment, you just stood there, letting the beat pulse through you.Â
"Then letâs dance," you said, gesturing toward the group of people already dancing.
Jaemin grinned, standing up and offering you his hand. "Thought youâd never ask."
Jeno followed close behind, already moving to the rhythm of the music as you all made your way to the center of the room. The bass of the music vibrated through the floor, the lights flashing in time with the beat, casting colorful patterns on the crowd around you.
As soon as you hit the dance floor, the energy shifted. The three of you fell into the rhythm easily, laughing and letting the music take over. You spun around, arms raised, carefree.
"Now this is what I like to see from you," Jaemin said, leaning close so you could hear him over the music. You laughed, spinning around again, letting the moment take over.Â
Your heart skipped a beat when your gaze locked with Haechan from across the room. He stood near the edge of the dance floor, leaning against the wall with his usual confident smirk. His eyes were focused intently on you, watching your every move. For a moment, everything else fadedâthe music, the crowd, even Jaemin and Jenoâs presenceÂ
Haechan didnât look away. Instead, his smirk deepened, almost like he knew something you didnât, a silent challenge hanging between you.
Jaemin nudged your arm, breaking your concentration. "Hey, you good?"
You blinked, forcing a smile and nodding. "Yeah, Iâm good!âÂ
The spot where Haechan had been standing was now empty, leaving you momentarily confused.
Jaemin noticed your brief flicker of confusion. âLooking for someone?â he asked, raising an eyebrow.
You shook your head quickly. "No, just... thought I saw something."Â
Before Jaemin could say more, Chenle swooped in, pulling you by the wrist and pulling you towards him and Chaeryeong. âCome on! No more standing around, letâs get moving!âÂ
You let yourself be pulled into the crowd, trying to shake the image of Haechan from your mind.
Feeling a bit drained, you excused yourself from your friends and made your way to the kitchen in search of another drink. The party was packed, and the energy was starting to get overwhelming.
After a few moments of being bumped and nudged, you decided it was best to escape the chaos. With a sigh of relief, you slipped out to the backyard, hoping for a moment of peace away from the noise and crowd.
The cool night air greeted you as you stepped outside, the sounds of laughter and music fading into the background. The backyard was a welcome contrast to the chaotic energy inside. Strings of fairy lights hung above, casting a soft glow over the space and illuminating a few scattered chairs around a fire pit.Â
You walked toward the edge of the patio, leaning against the railing and taking a deep breath, letting the fresh air fill your lungs. The stars twinkled above like tiny diamonds, and for a moment, you lost yourself in their beauty, feeling a sense of calm wash over you.
As you took a sip of your drink, you heard the door open and someone rushed out. Turning you saw Haechan. He was searching the backyard until his eyes met yours and he sighed, walking over to you.
âWhat do you want?â You rolled your eyes, already knowing he wasnât the best company.Â
âI know you donât exactly like meâ You scoffed as he put his hands up, telling you to wait, âBut I hate cheaters, so I needed to tell you.â
You raised an eyebrow, skepticism written across your face. âTell me what, exactly?â
Haechan leaned against the railing beside you, his expression serious, a stark contrast to the usual playful demeanor. âNo, seriously. I just saw Jay go into a room with another girl.â
Your heart sank, the weight of his words crashing down. You took a moment to process what he was saying, anger and disbelief swirling within you.
 âAre you sure? That sounds like something you would say to mess with me.â
âI get why youâd think that, but I wouldnât lie about something like this,â Haechan replied, frustration creeping into his tone.
 âI may not be your favorite person, but I wouldnât do that. You deserve to know the truth.â
You swallowed hard, your grip tightening around your drink. The reality of the situation settled over you, and you could feel your heart racing.
 âWhich room?â
Haechan hesitated for a moment, his gaze steady. âI donât think you want to go in there.â
A bitter laugh escaped your lips, the kind that felt hollow. âJust tell me which room.â
Haechan glanced at you, a flicker of empathy crossing his features. âUpstairs, the second one on the right.â
You put your cup down and started to make your way back into the party in search of the stairs.Â
âAre you sure about this?â Haechan, who you didnât even notice was following, asked you.Â
You nodded and moved quickly, your heart racing as you made your way through the crowd. The lively music and laughter faded into the background, drowned out by the storm of thoughts in your head. The dim lights seemed to press in, making your thoughts feel even more stressed.
As you reached the stairs, you hesitated for a brief moment, the weight of what you were about to confront hitting you like a ton of bricks. But the image of Jay with another girl flashed in your mind, fueling your determination. You needed answers. You needed to reclaim your dignity.
Going up the stairs, you felt your breath quicken. Each step seemed to echo with the anxiety of what lay ahead. Reaching the second door on the right, you paused, taking a deep breath to steady yourself. You could hear muffled voices from inside, giggling mingling with the soft kissing.Â
Throwing open the door you felt the air leave your lungs in a rush, your heart dropping as the scene unfolded before you. Jay was on top of another woman, his hands tangled in her hair, their lips inches apart.
Time seemed to freeze as Jayâs eyes shot wide open, and the laughter from the girl faltered into a shocked silence.Â
âY/n! Iââ Jay stammered, scrambling to sit up, the realization of your presence crashing over him like a wave.Â
You didnât let him finish. âWhat the hell is this?â Your voice trembled, a mix of anger and disbelief swirling within you. The hurt was too much, twisting your stomach into knots.
The girl, wide-eyed and uncomfortable, quickly shuffled away from Jay, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson. âI didnât knowââ she started, but you cut her off.
âSave it,â you said, directing your fury back at Jay.
âAfter everything Iâve done for you.â
Jay stood up fully now, his expression shifting from shock to guilt. âI didnât mean for you to find out like this,â he began his voice low, almost pleading.Â
You turned your back towards him and rushed down the stairs. You could hear him following you. So you looked for any of your friends but couldnât find them. Instead, your eyes connect with Haechans near the bottom of the stairs.Â
Rushing over to him you pull him down by his shirt and whisper âsorryâ before pulling him into a heated kiss.Â
Haechanâs eyes widened in surprise, but he didnât pull away. Instead, he responded, his hands finding your waist as he kissed you back with an urgency that matched your own. The chaos of the party faded into the background, the pounding music replaced by the sound of your racing heart.
But before it could get any farther, you were ripped away from Haechan by the sudden appearance of a familiar voice.Â
âWhat the hell are you doing?â Jayâs voice cut through the moment, sharp and accusatory. You turned to see him standing there, his expression a mix of disbelief and anger.
Haechan stepped back, his demeanor shifting instantly from passionate to defensive.Â
âJust what you were doing with that other girl,â he replied, his tone challenging. âMaybe you should have thought about that before youââ
âDonât!â Jay interrupted, stepping toward you both.
âYou have no right to act like the hero here. You donât know whatâs going on.â
âI know exactly whatâs going on, so if you donât mind we were kind of doing somethingâ, Haechan shot back, his eyes narrowing as he stepped slightly in front of you, shielding you from Jay.
You could feel the tension in the air thickening. âHaechan, stop,â you said, placing a hand on his arm. You could see the fire in his eyes, but you didnât want this to escalate any further.
Jayâs expression twisted with frustration. âYou think you can just come in and play the knight in shining armor? Sheâs my fucking girlfriend!â
âAnd you think I care?â Haechan replied, crossing his arms defiantly. âYou had your chance to treat her right, and you blew it.â
Jay shook his head, thinking about what to say next, but Jay was never good with his words so he stepped forward and swung.
Haechan barely had time to react. The punch landed squarely on his jaw, sending him stumbling back. You gasped, instinctively stepping between them, your heart racing at the sudden escalation.
âJay, what the hell?!â you shouted, adrenaline rushing through you. âThis is not how you handle things!â
Jayâs face was flushed with anger, his fists clenched at his sides. âHeâs a fucking piece of shit!â he snapped, breathing heavily.Â
Haechan regained his composure and moved around you, delivering a swift punch to Jay's jaw. The impact echoed, and Jay staggered back, eyes wide with surprise.Â
As they started to throw punches back and forth, you didnât know what to do. A group of people gathered around them.Â
You saw Jaemin and Jeno pushing through the crowd, their expressions a mix of alarm and confusion. âWhat the hell is going on?â Jaemin shouted, his voice rising above the commotion.
âY/n, get out of the way!â Jeno called out as he reached for your arm, pulling you back. You didnât want to move, didnât want to feel powerless while the two of them fought over you like you were some trophy for their ego.
âStop it!â you shouted again, trying to push through the gathering crowd, but your voice was drowned out by the sound of fists connecting and the murmurs of onlookers.Â
Jaemin managed to get closer, stepping between Jay and Haechan. As Jeno grabbed Jay from behind to stop him from throwing any more punches.Â
âBoth of you, enough! This isnât the way to handle it!âÂ
Haechan, breathing heavily, stepped back, his fists still clenched. âHe deserves this, Jaemin! He cheated on her!â
Jay looked furious, âThis is all his fucking fault!â He spat at Haechan.Â
You could see his expression begin to harden again, that familiar mask of arrogance threatening to resurface. Without thinking, you reached for his hand, gripping it tightly as you attempted to pull him away from the chaos of the crowd.Â
Haechan looked momentarily shocked, his eyes widening at your sudden gesture, but he didnât resist as you led him out into the cool evening air, away from the noise. As you stepped into the front yard, you pulled out your phone and ordered an Uber.Â
âWhat are you doing?â Haechan asked, his voice low, and filled with confusion. His hand was still in yours, but he made no move to pull away, his gaze locked on your face.
You hesitated, the words caught in your throat as the reality of the moment started to sink in. What were you doing?
âI needed to get out of there,â you admitted quietly, your grip loosening slightly, but you didnât let go.
His eyes softened, just a little, the hardness from earlier fading as he studied you.Â
"Okay."Â
Haechan sat down on the curb of the road and gestured for you to sit down next to him.Â
You hesitated for a moment, then quietly sat beside him on the curb, the cool pavement grounding you.Â
âSo, how are we going to get back at him?â you asked, your voice low but edged with determination.Â
Haechan turned toward you, eyes narrowing in surprise. âWhat?â
You met his gaze, a fire igniting within you. "Jay. How are we going to make him regret everything?"Â
Haechan blinked, momentarily caught off guard. He studied your face for a long second as if trying to gauge whether you were serious. Then, a slow, knowing smirk curled on his lips.Â
âAre you sure youâre ready to play that game?â he asked, voice dripping with amusement.
You held his gaze, feeling the weight of his question sink in. Was this really what you wanted? A part of you knew it was reckless, that using Haechan to get back at Jay could only make things worse.Â
âI need to hurt him,â you replied, your voice steadier than you felt. âIf he wants to treat me like Iâm nothing, then maybe itâs time I show him I donât need him.â
Haechan's smirk deepened, a glint of something dangerous flickering in his eyes. âAlright, then. Letâs make this interesting.â
Before the two of you could come up with an actual plan, the Uber showed up. You exchanged a quick look with Haechan before giving the driver your address.Â
The ride was quiet, you could feel Haechanâs gaze lingering on you but you didnât want to say anything so you settled for looking out the window.Â
When the car finally pulled up in front of your apartment, you stepped out, turning back to wait for him. Haechan, still sitting in the backseat, raised an eyebrow.
âWhat?â he asked, his voice casual, but his eyes searched yours.
You gestured for him to follow. âCome on.â
For a moment, he hesitated, as if weighing his options. Then, with a slight shrug, he climbed out of the car, closing the door behind him.
âIs there a reason youâre taking me back to your house?â Haechan teased, his tone playful as always, though his eyes held a hint of curiosity.
You shot him a glance, rolling your eyes. âLook at you. You look awful, and I know youâre not smart enough to clean an open wound.â
Haechan smirked, following you toward your apartment door. âI didnât realize I was so lucky to have a personal nurse.â
You ignored his sarcasm, unlocking the door and stepping inside. âJust sit down and let me handle it before you get an infection.â
As he walked in, his usual cocky demeanor softened slightly. He never thought you two would be talking again. Not after he was such a huge jerk to you.
He sank onto the couch, watching you as you moved through the small space, grabbing your first aid kit from under the sink. There was an awkward quiet that hung between you two, but you didnât want to acknowledge it.
Returning to the living room, you set the kit on the coffee table and crouched in front of him, carefully opening it up.
âYou know, I can do this myself,â Haechan said, but his voice lacked its usual teasing bite.
âYeah, sure,â you muttered, reaching for the antiseptic.
âLike I trust you not to make it worse.â
He chuckled, though there was an unspoken tension behind it. As you gently cleaned the small cuts and scrapes, you couldnât help but notice how quiet he had become, his gaze occasionally flickering to your face.
âWhy are you doing this?â he asked after a moment, his voice softer than you expected. "I didnât punch him because of you, I did it because heâs a jerk."
You paused for a second, looking up at him, your hands still resting on him. âItâs the least I can do,â you admitted honestly. âSince you told me.âÂ
Haechan sighed, his eyes drifting around your living room. His gaze lingered on the little detailsâpictures on the wall, the books stacked messily on the coffee tableâbefore he turned back to you, something softer in his expression.
"Done," you said, pulling your hands away after finishing with his wounds.
He flexed his hand, testing the bandages, and gave you a small, almost appreciative nod. "Thanks..." His voice was low, the teasing gone entirely.
You just shrugged, trying to brush off the weight of the moment. "Donât get used to it," you said with a small smile, but there was no real bite to your words.Â
Haechan met your eyes, something unreadable passing between you before he looked away again. "I owe you."
âI will remember that!â you laughed, getting up from the floor and brushing off your pants. âIâm tired, you can sleep on the couch. Iâll bring you some pillows.â
Haechan watched you with an amused expression, his eyes glinting. âI appreciate the offer, but I donât want to crash on your couch.â
âToo bad,â you shot back playfully, heading toward the closet. âYou look like you need the rest after everything. Plus, I don't want to be responsible for you bleeding out.â
âFair point,â he conceded, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.Â
You returned with a couple of pillows and a blanket, handing them to him. âHere you go.â
âWow, you are going all out,â he teased, settling into the couch, clearly enjoying this.Â
âDo I get breakfast too, or is that pushing it?â
âDonât push your luck,â you replied with a mock glare.
âYou can make yourself breakfast. Just donât burn the place down.â
Haechan quietly laughed before getting comfortable on the couch, sinking into the pillows you had brought him. His relaxed posture seemed to shift the atmosphere in the room, making it feel more relaxed.Â
âJust so you know,â he said, propping himself up on one elbow, âthis isnât going to become a regular thing. I have a reputation to uphold.â
âRight, the infamous Haechan, the bad boy who no one can take seriously.â you teased, rolling your eyes as you left to go to your room.
As you closed the door to your room, you leaned against it for a moment, allowing yourself to breathe.
You tossed your phone onto the bed and plopped down beside it. After a moment, you set a timer for the morning, letting exhaustion pull you into sleep.
Morning light filtered through your curtains, you stirred as your alarm beeped. Blinking sleep from your eyes, you stretched and glanced at the clock. You had meant to wake up early, but the memories of last night lingered in your mind, making it hard to move.
You climbed out of bed, the floor cool against your feet, and made your way to the bathroom. After quickly brushing your teeth and throwing on some comfortable clothes, you headed toward the kitchen, the smell of coffee filling the room.
You found the blanket neatly folded on the couch and the pillows stacked up next to it, but no sign of Haechan. A small frown formed on your face. But what did you expect? You werenât friends just because he fought your ex. He said it himself that it wasnât for you. He just wanted an excuse to hit Jay.
Pushing the thought aside, you took a deep breath and focused on getting ready for class. You stepped into your bathroom, splashing your face with cold water to shake off the remnants of sleep. After putting on some makeup and brushing your hair, you throw on a comfortable pair of jeans and an oversized sweater.
As you walked back into your bedroom, you noticed your phone lighting up with a message. You grabbed it, and messages from your friends filled your phone.Â
Chenle: THAT WAS CRAZY!! ARE YOU OKAY??Â
Jaemin: Hey, let me know when youâre home!! <3
Jaemin: You probably fell asleep, let me know when you are awake <3
Jeno: Are you okay? Jaemin and I took care of the problem (⪰â⪯ďź
Chaeryeong: I saw you leave with Haehcan!! GURRL YOU NEED TO TELL ME EVERYTHING!!
After a moment, you replied to everyone letting them know you were okay.
With your bag slung over your shoulder. You walked towards campus, your mind still racing with thoughts about Haechan.Â
When you arrived, you navigated through the crowd of students, your mind drifting between the classes you had lined up for the day.Â
As you made your way to your first lecture, you spotted a familiar face across the quad. It was your friend, Chaeryeong, waving enthusiastically. You quickened your pace to meet her.
âY/n! There you are!â she exclaimed, pulling you into a quick hug. âI was starting to think you werenât coming to class!â
âYou know I canât afford to miss a class,â you laugh.
âOkay, Iâve waited enough! Tell me everything!â she said, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as you both walked towards the lecture hall.
You hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. âWell, Haechan stayed over last night after everything that happened with Jay.â
Chaeryeong raised her eyebrows, a teasing grin spreading across her face. âOh? Look at you getting cozy with the enemy!â
You rolled your eyes, but couldnât hide your smile. âItâs not like that. I felt bad, dragging him into all of this.â
âHe was always in this,â she said, nudging your shoulder playfully.
You nodded, the weight of her words settling in your mind. âI know, but this doesnât mean we are friends.â
Chaeryeong shook her head, and the two of you entered the lecture hall, finding your seats. As the professor began speaking, you turned to whisper to Chaeryoung, leaning in slightly to keep your conversation discreet.Â
âLetâs not tell the guys about me going home with Haechan... I donât want them to get the wrong idea.â
Chaeryoung nodded and turned back to focus on the lecture.Â
âIâm going to go eat something, I didnât get to have breakfast,â you said, rubbing your stomach lightly to emphasize your point.Â
âYouâre so lucky to have a break between classesâ Chaeryoung groaned, âI have two more classes before I can even get food.âÂ
âYouâre the one that wanted all morning classesâÂ
âYeah because the night is for parting not for studying.â Chaeryoung rolled her eyes.Â
You shoved her playfully before splitting up and heading towards the cafĂŠ and sitting in the same spot you did last time.Â
âOkay, you have to stop stealing my spot,â an annoyingly familiar voice said, breaking your focus from the menu. You looked up to find Haechan standing there, an amused smile on his face.
You raised an eyebrow, faking annoyance. âStill doesnât have your name on it. This is a public cafĂŠ.â
âSure, but you know itâs my favorite spot,â he retorted, sliding into the seat next to you. âI always sit here to people-watch between classes.ââ
You couldnât help but laugh at his mock-serious expression. âI donât care right now, Iâm starving.âÂ
He chuckled, glancing at the menu before leaning back in his chair. âWhat are you getting?.â
âI was thinking about a bagel and some coffee,â you replied, glancing over the options again.
âBoring,â he declared dramatically, shaking his head. âGet the avocado toast. Itâs amazing here.â
You rolled your eyes. âSo you can steal it? Youâre not even hiding your motives.â
He shrugged, an innocent look plastered on his face. âWhat can I say? I have exquisite taste.â
âExquisite taste?â you repeated, unable to suppress a laugh. âThatâs a big word for you.â
âYouâre supposed to be nicer to me now!â he pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. âI did rescue you from that jerk, remember?â
âRescue is a strong word,â you countered, trying to keep a straight face. âYou threw a punchâŚ.and then I had to pull you away.â
âDetails, details,â he said, waving a hand dismissively.
You leaned back in your chair, pretending to consider. âIâll get an order for two avocado toasts.â
âReally?!â he exclaimed, eyes lighting up with excitement.
You gestured for him to get up so you could slide out of the booth. âYeah, but only because youâre annoying and I donât want to hear you complain. But youâre coming with me to order it.â
âYay!â Haechan stood up and followed you to the counter, the playful banter continuing as you both approached the register.
As you placed the order, he leaned against the counter, watching you with a teasing smile. âWhat if I said I wanted extra everything? Youâre still paying?â
You laughed, shaking your head as the barista rang up your order. âIs that all?â
You nodded your head, âYep, thatâs all.â You reached into your pocket for your card, but before you could find it, Haechan pulled out his and handed it to the barista.
âHey, what are you doing?â you protested.
âJust treating you to breakfast,â he said nonchalantly, leaning against the counter as if it was no big deal.Â
âWhy?â You raised an eyebrow, crossing your arms. âFor what? You were the one who punched my ex, remember?â
âExactly,â he replied with a smirk. âIâve been wanting to mess up his face for a while!â
The barista handed Haechan back his card, and he turned to you with a victorious grin.
You rolled your eyes. âFine, Iâll let you have this one. But only because Iâm starving.â
As you both moved to the side to wait for your order, the door to the cafĂŠ bell rang. You looked to the side and saw it was Jay and his friends.
âShit!â you mumbled under your breath, your stomach sinking as you tried to think of an escape plan.Â
You took a deep breath, trying to steady your nerves as Jayâs laughter echoed through the cafĂŠ. He spotted you almost immediately, his expression turning sour.
You could see him making his way to you, so you did the only thing that felt like it would hurt him.Â
You grabbed Haechanâs shirt, pulling him closer to you as you leaned in, pressing your lips against his in a quick, aggressive kiss.
Haechan froze for a moment, clearly taken aback. But he quickly recovered, wrapping an arm around your waist and kissing you back.Â
The reaction was immediate. Jayâs expression shifted from confusion to fury, his friends exchanging glances as the tension in the room skyrocketed. You could feel Haechan smirking against your lips, clearly enjoying the situation.
As you pulled away, Haechanâs eyes sparkled with mischief. âDidnât know paying for your lunch would make you want to kiss me,â he asked, while a grin tugged at his lips.
âJay is here,â you whispered, low enough so no one else could hear you.Â
Jayâs glare burned into you, and he scoffed, crossing his arms. âYou think thatâs going to make me jealous? Youâre pathetic.â
You felt a rush of boldness. âIf youâre so over it, why do you care?â you shot back, feeling bold because of Haechanâs presence.
Jay opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything further, Haechan stepped in front of you, his posture protective. âYou really should find a new hobby, Jay. This isnât working for you,â he said, his tone calm yet firm.
Jayâs face turned a shade redder, his boldness faltering. âWhatever. I donât need this.â He turned on his heel, storming out with his friends trailing behind, their laughter fading as they exited the cafĂŠ.
You let out a breath you didnât realize you were holding, glancing up at Haechan. âHe was so mad.â
Haechan chuckled, his eyes still sparkling with amusement. âI have a plan!â
You raised an eyebrow, skeptical but curious. âOh no, should I be worried?â
âNot at all,â Haechan replied, that mischievous grin still playing on his lips. âBut if you want to make him furious, weâre going to have to turn it up a notch.â
âWhat exactly do you mean by that?â you asked cautiously, folding your arms.Â
âSimple,â he said, leaning in conspiratorially. âWe pretend that we are hooking up. Just for a little while. You know how much itâll eat at him.â
Your eyes widened. âYou canât be serious.â
âWhy not?â Haechan shrugged, clearly enjoying the drama of it all.Â
âItâll be fun. And the look on his face when he realizes youâve completely moved on? Priceless.â
You paused, considering it for a moment. As ridiculous as it sounded, the idea had some appeal. Jay seeing you with someone else, especially Haechan, would drive him nuts. And the more you thought about it, the more tempting it became.
âOkay, letâs say I go along with this,â you began slowly. âWhatâs in it for you?â
Haechanâs grin widened. âI get to have the time of my life watching Jay go insane.â
You rolled your eyes but couldnât help the small smile that crept onto your face. âI donât knowâŚâ
âCome on, itâs genius,â Haechan said, leaning back against the counter with a self-satisfied smirk. â
Weâll be the hottest âcoupleâ in the room, and Jay wonât know what hit him.â
You bit your lip, still hesitant but intrigued by the idea. âFine,â you finally said. âBut donât get any ideas. This is strictly for show.â
Haechan held up his hands in mock surrender. âOf course. Strictly business. But trust me, this is going to be fun.â
After finishing lunch with Haechan, you went through the rest of your dayâattending lectures, trying to focus, but your mind kept drifting back to the cafĂŠ incident.Â
Haechanâs ridiculous plan echoed in your head, and you couldn't help but replay Jay's angry expression over and over again.
By the time your classes were over, you were mentally exhausted. Having dinner with your friends sounded like a nice break after a hectic day. As you approached the dining hall, you spotted Chaeryeong waving you over to the usual table where the others were already gatheredâJaemin, Jeno, and Chenle.
You slid into the seat next to Chaeryeong, who immediately gave you a curious glance. âSo, how was the rest of your day?â
âEventful,â you said with a sigh.
Jaemin perked up, overhearing the exchange. âEventful?â
You hesitated, not sure how much to share. âJust... ran into Jay and his friends at lunch.â
The table went quiet for a second before Chenle raised an eyebrow. âAnd?â
âAnd... Haechan was there,â you added, not wanting to dive into all the details.
Chenle laughed, breaking the tension. âOh man, I bet that was awkward.â
âYou have no idea,â you muttered, exchanging a glance with Chaeryeong, who seemed to already know there was more to the story.
Jeno, who had been quiet, finally spoke up. âWhat did Haechan do?â
You opened your mouth to respond, but before you could say anything, Jaemin cut in.Â
âWait, waitâare you guys friends now?â
You paused, unsure how to answer that question, especially with Haechanâs ridiculous plan in the back of your mind. âNot... exactly,â you said vaguely.
Jeno looked confused. âWhat does that even mean?â
Chaeryeong, always the perceptive one, smirked slightly but stayed quiet, watching the situation unfold.
You shrugged. âIt just means things are complicated. Letâs just eat.â
But you could tell from the looks on your friends' faces that this wasnât the last youâd hear about Haechan and Jay.
Your phone rang, and you glanced down, spotting Haechanâs name on the screen. You sighed, already bracing yourself for whatever chaos he was about to bring into your life.
âWhat do you want?â you asked as you answered, your voice laced with mock annoyance.
âParty this weekend,â Haechan's voice was full of excitement. âWe need to go! Everyoneâs going to be there.â
You rolled your eyes, even though he couldnât see it. âAnd why, exactly, do I need to go to this party?â
âWhat, you donât want to kiss me again,â he said with a teasing tone. âPlus, everyone is going to be there so itâs perfect.â
You could already imagine him grinning on the other end of the line, fully expecting you to give in. âHaechan, Iâm not exactly in the mood for another party.â
âCome on,â he whined. âItâs not just any party. Jayâs gonna be there.â
âFine, okay,â you finally said, giving in with a sigh. You could practically hear the grin in Haechan's voice.
âPerfect! Iâll pick you up at eight on Friday. Youâre not going to regret it, trust me.â
âIâm already regretting this,â you muttered, but a small part of you was excited. Maybe it wouldnât be so badâif nothing else, youâd get a chance to make Jay uncomfortable, and that was starting to sound more appealing.
âJust make sure youâre ready,â Haechan added. âAnd wear something⌠you know, sexy.â
âSexy?â you repeated skeptically.
âYouâll figure it out,â he said, his tone light and teasing. âSee you then!â
As the call ended, you couldnât help but feel a mix of excitement and unease. This party could either be a disaster or the perfect chance to move on from Jay and get a little revenge. Either way, things were about to get interesting.
The week flew by in a blur of classes, assignments, and quick meals with friends. Before you knew it, Friday had arrived, and you found yourself staring at your closet, trying to figure out what Haechan meant by "something sexy."Â
You groaned, pulling out outfit after outfit, none of them feeling right. Tonight wasnât just any night. If Jay was going to be at this party, you wanted to make him regret cheating on you.
You gave up, settling on a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt. As you finished getting ready, you glanced at the time. Almost eight.Â
Just as you applied the finishing touches to your makeup, you heard a knock on your door. Taking one last look in the mirror, you grabbed your jacket and opened the door.
âTook you long enough!â Haechan teased, eyeing your outfit with a dramatic shake of his head.Â
âWhat?â you asked, already sensing the criticism coming.
âThis wonât do,â he said with exaggerated disappointment. Before you could protest, he sighed and gently pushed you back into the house. âWhereâs your closet?â
âHaechan, Iâm not changing!â you called after him as he made a beeline for your bedroom.
âYou are if you want to make everyone jealous,â he insisted, already rummaging through your clothes as if he owned the place. âJeans and a black T-shirt? Come on, Y/n, weâre supposed to be putting on a show.â
You rolled your eyes, half-amused, half-annoyed. âMy outfit doesn't matter.â
He grinned, pulling out a sleek black dress you had tucked away. âThis is perfect.âÂ
You hesitated for a second, glancing at the dress. It was short, definitely not what you had planned, but you had to admit, Haechan had a point.
You sighed, eyeing the dress Haechan held up. âYou canât be serious.â
âOh, Iâm dead serious,â he replied, his grin widening as he shoved the dress into your hands. âCome on, Y/n. You want to show Jay what heâs missing, right?â
You hesitated for a moment longer, looking between Haechan and the dress. You wouldnât ever wear that if you were just going out with your friends. You didnât have the confidence, but Haechan somehow gave you confidence.Â
âFine,â you muttered, rolling your eyes as you snatched the dress from him. âBut if this goes wrong, Iâm blaming you.â
âDeal,â Haechan smirked, plopping down on your bed and crossing his arms. âIâll take full responsibility.â
You disappeared into the bathroom, slipping into the dress and staring at yourself in the mirror. It was outside your usual comfort zone, you couldnât deny you looked good.
Stepping out, you found Haechan waiting, his eyes widening slightly. For a moment, there was no teasing grin, just a flicker of surprise before he quickly masked it.
âSee? Now this is how you get everyoneâs attention,â he said, standing up. âJayâs gonna be so jealous.â
His eyes lingered on you a little too long, and the sudden intenseness made you feel exposed. Instinctively, you wrapped your arms around yourself, trying to shield the self-consciousness creeping up.Â
Haechan reached out gently, his fingers brushing against your wrists as he pulled your arms away from your body.
âHey, none of that,â he said softly, his voice surprisingly tender. âYou look amazing. Own it.â
You blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his tone. His usual playful arrogance was replaced with something⌠different, almost like he wanted you to feel confident tonight. The teasing smirk was still there, but his eyes held something deeper.
âYou think this is gonna work?â you asked, trying to ignore the flutter in your chest.
Haechan grinned, his usual swagger returning as he let go of your arms. âOh, itâs definitely going to work. Jayâs not going to know what hit him. And more importantly, youâre going to have the best time.â
You took a deep breath, trying to match Haechanâs confidence. âOkay, letâs go before I change my mind.â
âRelax, weâre gonna have fun.â Haechan shot you a wink before opening the door.Â
âTrust me.âÂ
And for some reason, in that moment, you kind of did.Â
The party was in full swing by the time you and Haechan arrived. The music was loud, the lights were flashing, and the air was thick.Â
âHold on for a moment, I need to find Mark really quickâ Haechan immediately disappeared into the crowd, leaving you on your own. You should have known you two wouldnât have stayed together the whole night.Â
You made your way to the kitchen, needing a moment to collect yourself before facing Jay. As you poured yourself a drink, a familiar voice interrupted your thoughts.
âWell, well, well, look who it is.â
You turned to see Jay leaning against the counter, a smug smile on his face. You resisted the urge to roll your eyes.
âSurprised to see me?â you shot back, taking a sip of your drink.
âNot at all,â Jay replied, his eyes trailing over your figure. âAlthough I must say, this wasnât exactly what I expected.â
âYou donât get to have any expectations,â You snapped, trying to sound confident despite not feeling it. âI wear what I want.âÂ
Jay chuckled, leaning in closer. âYou never wore that when I was with you.â
âPast tense,â you emphasized, setting your drink down with more force than necessary. âThings change, Jay. Clearly.â
His smile paused for a moment before he masked it with a shrug. âFinally got bored of that douchebag.â
âYeah, but I guess he hasnât taken the hint since heâs right here, talking to me.â
Jay's smug expression deepened, but you met his gaze head-on, refusing to back down.Â
âY/N?â His tone was dripping with arrogance. âDo you think Haechan is any better than me? Heâs just having fun with you until he gets bored.â
You felt the sting of his words, but you werenât going to let him get to you. You leaned in slightly, your voice steady.Â
âMaybe. But at least heâs better in bed.â
Jay's jaw tightened, clearly not expecting that response. He opened his mouth to say something, but a voice cut through the tension.
âThis is just sad,â Haechan's voice rang out as he walked over, a cool smirk playing on his lips. âShe already found someone better.â
Jay straightened up, glaring at Haechan, but didnât say anything. The silence between the three of you was heavy, but you could sense that Jay was weighing his options. After a beat, he scoffed and stepped back.
âYouâre not worth my time,â Jay muttered, giving you one last look before turning on his heel and storming out of the kitchen.
As soon as he was gone, you let out a breath you didnât realize you were holding. Haechan gave you a sideways glance, his smirk softening into something almost... concerned.Â
âYou alright?â he asked, leaning casually against the counter as if nothing had happened.
You nodded, still feeling the adrenaline from the confrontation. âYeah, Iâm fine. Thanks.â
Haechan raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. âGood. Because I have a better idea for the rest of the night. Letâs make him regret ever speaking to you.â
You blinked at him, intrigued. âWhat are you planning now?â
Haechan grinned, eyes gleaming with mischief. âYouâll see. But first, we need more drinks to loosen up.â
Haechanâs grin widened as he grabbed two cups from the counter, handing one to you. You hesitated, still feeling the lingering tension from your run-in with Jay, but something about the way Haechan looked at you made it impossible to say no.Â
âLetâs party,â he said, raising his cup.
You clinked your cup against him, taking a sip before following him back into the crowded living room. The music pulsed through the space, people dancing and talking in tight clusters. Haechan was already scanning the room, clearly looking for the next move.
âWhat exactly is this plan of yours?â you asked, trying to read his expression.
He shot you a playful look. âOh, itâs simple. We just need to make it look like weâre having the best time everâtogether. You know, give Jay a little show.â He winked, clearly enjoying himself.
You couldnât help but laugh. âSo, you plan to make Jay jealous again?â
âExactly,â Haechan said, pulling you closer to him as a new song began to play. âLetâs see how he likes watching us have all the fun.â
Before you could protest, Haechan spun you around, guiding you into the makeshift dance floor. The bass vibrated under your feet as he moved effortlessly, a confident smirk still plastered on his face. Despite yourself, you found yourself laughing, his energy contagious. You couldnât deny how easy it was to get swept up in the moment with him.
As the two of you danced, you noticed Jay standing across the room, watching with a clenched jaw. It was clear that Haechanâs plan was working. You caught Jayâs eye for a split second before deliberately looking away, focusing entirely on Haechan. The warmth of his hand on your waist and the way he smiled at you as if no one else mattered, made you forget about everything for a moment.
âSee?â Haechan said, leaning close to your ear, his voice barely audible over the music. âTold you it would work.â
You glanced over your shoulder, seeing Jay pushing his friends away and keeping his eyes on you two, clearly frustrated. You grinned. âMaybe youâre right. But donât let it go to your head.â
Haechan chuckled, spinning you again before pulling you close. âToo late for that.â
Haechan leaned down to whisper in your ear, âAre you ready for the real show?â You nodded as Haechan started to lead you out of the crowd.Â
As Haechan started to lead you up the stairs, your heart was pounding. The noise from the party below faded slightly with each step, leaving just the two of you in a quiet bubble. His hand remained firmly on your hips, his grip surprisingly reassuring despite the teasing smirk still playing on his lips.
âHeâs following us.â Haechan whispered as he led you into a room, purposely leaving the door slightly open.Â
Your heart skipped a beat as Haechan whispered those words, confirming what you had suspected. Jay was trailing behind, just as Haechan had expected.Â
Once inside the dimly lit room, Haechan stood in front of you, his eyes never leaving yours. He motioned for you to stand near the bed, his smirk fading into something more serious, though his playfulness never completely disappeared.
âWe're putting on a show, right?â he murmured, keeping his voice low. "Might as well give him something to really lose his mind over."
Your breath caught in your throat as you processed his words. This whole thing was a gameâone meant to drive Jay crazyâbut there was something in the way Haechan was looking at you now that made it feel a little too real.
The faint sound of footsteps approaching the door pulled you out of your thoughts. Jay was getting closer, tension growing thicker with each passing second.
Without thinking, you took a step toward Haechan. He raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting to see what you would do next.
You reached up, touching the side of his face, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath your fingertips. His eyes locked with yours, full of unspoken words. At that moment, you knew this was more than just a plan to him.
"You're right," you whispered, your voice barely above a murmur. "It's time for the real show."
Haechan's eyes widened slightly at your words, his breath hitching in anticipation. Without another word, you took a step closer and then another, until you were just inches apart. You could feel the heat radiating from his body, and it was intoxicating.
As Jay reached the door and saw the two of you so close together, he froze, unable to look away from the scene unfolding before him. It was clear that he had never expected things to go this far.
You felt a surge of adrenaline as you leaned in, closing the gap between you and Haechan. His lips met yours in a rush of heat and urgency.
You felt Haechanâs hands grip your waist and pull you into him even closer, deepening the kiss even more.Â
As your lips moved together, you could sense Haechan's eagerness, his fingers trailing along your skin as if trying to memorize every inch of you.Â
You felt Haechanâs hands grip your waist a little harder than before as he pushed you softly onto the bed.Â
The room seemed to spin around you as Haechan hovered over you, his gaze intense and filled with a raw hunger that sent shivers down your spine. Jay's shocked silence from the doorway only added to the adrenaline.
Haechan's lips trailed down your neck, leaving a trail of kisses as he peppered more along your collarbone.Â
A soft gasp escaped your lips as Haechan's hands roamed over your body.Â
Haechan pulled away slightly to look into your eyes. Once he saw that you werenât uncomfortable, he grabbed the bottom of your dress and moved it up slightly to expose more skin.Â
Haehcan groaned slightly as he saw your panties were starting to get wet.Â
âMmm all for me?â He traced his fingers along the edge of your lace underwear before looking back up at you with a teasing smile that made your heart race even faster than it already was.Â
You nodded slightly in response and bit your lower lip nervously.
âUse your words, princess. Haechan murmured, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.
"Yes," you whispered, your voice barely audible above a murmur. "All for you."
The words sent a wave of pleasure through Haechan's body as he leaned down, his lips just brushing against your neck, sending more chills down your spine.Â
"Youâre such a good girl for me," Haechan growled, his voice low with lust.
Before you could respond, he pulled your dress up further, exposing even more of your body completely to him. His eyes lingered on your panties for a moment before he pulled them aside, gently tracing the outer edges of your folds with his finger.Â
A soft moan escaped your lips as Haechanâs finger brushed against your sensitive skin.Â
âFuck, Haechan,â you whispered, your voice shaky.
Haechan smirked, his eyes never leaving yours.
He leaned down, slowly tracing his tongue along the outline of your panties before pulling them off completely.Â
You shivered as he gently blew on your heated skin.
âYou ready?â Haechan murmured, his voice low and seductive.
You couldnât speak, could barely breathe, but you nodded quickly, desperate for more of his touch.
Haechan gently pushed your legs apart, revealing yourself to him completely. He stared at you for a moment, taking in every detail of your aroused body before leaning down to kiss your inner thigh.
His lips were warm and soft, sending shivers through you with every touch. As he trailed kisses higher and higher, your breath hitched.
A soft moan escaped from between your lips as Haechan's tongue flicked against the sensitive lips. He continued to tease you, his touch never quite reaching the place you desperately wanted him to be.
You squirmed beneath him, desperate for his touch, but he refused to give in. The teasing was almost unbearable. Your heart raced as you felt him moving closer, but still, he denied you.
Finally, just when you thought you couldn't take it any longer, Haechan pushed your legs further apart and dove between them without holding back. His tongue danced across your heated skin as he explored every inch of you.
Your back arched off the bed as you felt him start to get hard on your leg. You threw your head back, gasping for air as a wave of pleasure hit you.
Haechan continued, his tongue never faltering in its job to bring you to a place of pleasure. You felt amazing.Â
It wasn't long before the pleasure became too much to bear. A strong climax exploded through you.Â
You moaned his name, the sound echoing through the room as you came apart in his arms, your entire body shaking uncontrollably.
Once your body has relaxed, your breaths came in ragged gasps as you tried to catch your breath.Â
Haechan laid beside you, his eyes locked on your face as he continued to pant softly.
As you came back down to earth you got up from the bed, making Haechan sit up to watch what you were doing.Â
You got onto your knees right in front of him.
"Now itâs your turn," you said softly, your eyes meeting his. You could see the hunger in Haechan's eyes, causing you to squeeze your thighs together.
Haechan raised an eyebrow, a hint of mischief lurking in his expression.Â
As he sat there, his gaze locked on yours, he slowly undid his jeans, letting them fall to the floor.Â
You couldn't help but gaze at him as he stood there before you, every inch of him screaming for your touch.Â
Your heart raced as you reached out to touch him, your fingers tracing a path down his chest and onto his stomach.
He shivered as your touch reached his stomach, but he didn't stop you. You continued to explore every inch of him, your fingers tracing the definition of his muscles, feeling the heat radiating from his skin.
As you reached the waistband of his boxers, you hesitated for a moment, uncertainty playing in your mind. But Haechan's eyes never left yours, urging you on.
With a deep breath, your hand dipped beneath the waistband, your fingers brushing against him. A soft moan escaped his lips, his eyes flickering shut for a moment before he opened them again, meeting yours once more.
You wrapped your hand around him gently, feeling him grow harder in your grasp. The warmth from him was intoxicating.Â
As you began to stroke him slowly, his eyes searched yours.Â
With a soft nod, you conveyed your permission through your eyes. And Haechan's gaze darkened, and his hunger became more pronounced. He reached out and slid your dress up and off, his fingers tracing down your arms as he removed it.
As the garment fell away, Haechan pulled you closer and gently moved your hair away from his face.Â
You moved closer to him as you licked the tip of his length.Â
Haechan let out a soft groan as your tongue flicked against him. You took him into your mouth slowly, savoring the taste of him. Haechan's eyes fluttered shut as you moved your tongue.Â
Haechan let out a small gasp as he hit the back of your throat, enjoying every second of it. You swirl your tongue around him.
He watched you intently, his eyes drinking at the sight of you on your knees before him, your hair falling down your back.
You lapped at him gently, your tongue tracing circles around his head. Haechan's hands gripped your hair tight, his knuckles turning white as he tried to hold onto something in this moment.
As you felt him start to thrust into your mouth, you took him deeper, your throat contracting around him as he began to lose control.
Haechan groaned loudly, his hands gripping your hair tighter, pulling you deeper into himself. His hips bucked uncontrollably, every muscle in his body tense as he was looking for his release.
You could feel his arousal growing more intense within your grasp. The sight of Haechan losing control above you sent shivers down your spine.
Finally, with a loud groan, Haechan thrust deep into your throat, a wave of pleasure washing over him as he came.Â
You felt his hot seed fill your throat, and the sensation was overwhelming.
Your body shook as Haechan's release flooded your senses, and you savored every moment of it. As he began to soften, you gently withdrew from him, the evidence of what happened dripping from your lips.
Haechan's eyes fluttered open, and he pulled you into his arms, his mind blurred with pleasure. He kissed you deeply, his tongue tracing the contours of your mouth, tasting himself on you.
As the two of you pulled away from each other you looked at the door and noticed Jay was gone. Not even noticing that he left.
You exchanged a knowing look with Haechan, both of you smiling. It seemed like the plan worked.Â
As you disentangled yourselves from each other, Haechan glanced down at your still-dripping lips. "We should probably clean up," he said, his voice low and husky.
You nodded, feeling heat in your cheeks as you headed back to the bathroom that was connected to the room.
As you cleaned up, you couldn't help but start to feel a little embarrassed. But Haechan's gentle touch and reassuring words made you feel at ease once again. He helped you clean up, his hands moving gently over your body as he wiped away the evidence of what just happened.
As the water ran into the sink, the two of you stood close, your eyes meeting in the mirror above.Â
When you were finished cleaning up, Haechan led you back to the bed, making sure to shut the door this time before making himself comfortable in bed. He wrapped his arms around you and pulled you close. You could feel his heart beating against your back, his breath warm on your neck.
"Get some sleep," he whispered, his voice barely a murmur.
âWe canât stay here.â You whispered back, your voice laced with a hint of anxiety.
Haechan's arms tightened around you, his grip comforting and reassuring. âItâs Markâs room, I already asked if we could use it.â
You sighed, feeling a wave of relief wash over you. It wasn't the most ideal situation, but it was better than going home this tired.
As you snuggled closer to Haechan, you felt a sense of peace wash over you.
"Thank you," you hum.
Haechan whispered back, âShhh donât thank me."
Soon after, the two of you fell into a deep sleep, wrapped up in each other's arms and drifting off to the sound of each other's breathing. And as you slept, the two of you knew that whatever was going on between you just got a lot more serious.
As you slumped into your seat at the dining hall, Chenle grinned at you from across the table. âWhy do you look like you just went through hell?â
You glared at him. âThanks, Chenle. Needed that today.â
Before you could respond, Jaemin chimed in with a smug look. âShe went to Markâs party last night.â
Your eyes widened, taken aback by how he knew. âWait, how did youâ?â
âLife360,â Jaemin said, cutting you off with a proud grin. âI check everyoneâs location before I go to sleep.â
You groaned, rubbing your temples. âOf course you do.â
Chaeryeong, who had been quietly listening, suddenly leaned forward, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. âHold upâŚare we just going to ignore the fact that you went to Markâs party without us?â
You sighed, already sensing the upcoming interrogation. âGuys, itâs not a big dealââ
âPlease tell me you didnât go with Jay!â Jaemin interjected, shaking his head like he couldnât even believe it.
âNo!â you snapped back, fed up with hearing his name.
âThen who?â Jeno asked, leaning in with curiosity.
You hesitated, looking around the table before mumbling, âHaechanâŚâ
The silence that followed was loud. Chaeryeongâs jaw dropped while Chenle and Jeno exchanged glances. Jaemin was the first to break the silence, raising an eyebrow.
 âHaechan? Seriously?â
The table went silent again, all eyes turning to you as your last word hung in the air.
âHaechan?â Chaeryeong echoed, leaning forward with a mischievous grin. âYou went to a party with Haechan and didnât tell us?â
You groaned, running a hand over your face. âIt wasnât like that.â
Chenle smirked, clearly entertained. âI donât know⌠going to a party together, leaving us out of the loopâseems kinda suspicious.â
You groaned again, feeling their eyes on you like a shot light.Â
âItâs not what you think!â
âThen you better start explaining,â Chaeryeong said, crossing her arms. âBecause we all know how this sounds.â
âI didnât even plan to go! He convinced me at the last minute,â you defended yourself, glancing around the table. âAnd then Jay showed up, so Haechan⌠helped me avoid him.â
Jeno let out a small laugh. âSo Haechan was your knight in shining armor, again?â
âOh, please.â You rolled your eyes. âHe just wanted to mess with Jay. It wasnât about me.â
âStill,â Chaeryeong leaned in, lowering her voice dramatically, âDid you spend the night with him?â
Instead of responding, you groaned and buried your face in your hands, too exhausted to deal with the flood of questions.
Chaeryeong gasped dramatically. âOh my God! You did sleep with him, didnât you?!â
Your head snapped up, eyes wide. âI promise it was all part of a plan!â
Jaemin raised an eyebrow, skeptical. âA plan? What kind of plan involves you sleeping with Haechan?â
Chenle leaned forward, clearly intrigued. âYeah, Iâm dying to hear this one.â
You sighed, rubbing your temples. âWe knew Jay would hate it, okay? It wasnât supposed to mean anything.â
Chaeryeongâs eyes widened even more. âWaitâSo how did Jay know you two slept together?!â
âWellâ um, he was right outside the doorâŚâÂ
Chaeryeongâs jaw practically dropped to the floor. âWait. Wait. Jay heard you two through the door?!â
You squirmed in your seat, feeling the weight of everyoneâs stares. âNot just heard us...â
Jaemin sighed, running a hand through his hair. âHe watched you two have sex?!â
Chenle, grinning like a Cheshire cat. âI didnât know you were into that,â
âIâm not!â You tried to defend yourself, âand it wasnât even full-on sex!âÂ
Chenle let out a high-pitched laugh, and Jeno shook his head, âLet me get this straightâŚYou gave Haechan a blowjob while Jay was watchingâŚâÂ
âI mean if you put it like that it sounds weirdâŚâÂ
Chaeryeong gasped dramatically, covering her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide with shock and amusement. âOh my God, Y/n!â
You groaned, burying your face in your hands again. âIt wasnât like that!â you tried to explain, your voice muffled by your hands. âIt just⌠happened!â
Chenle was practically doubled over with laughter, wiping a tear from his eye. âHonestly, this is the best thing Iâve heard all week.â
Jeno sighed, trying to hold back his grin. âOkay, but seriously, what are you going to do now? You canât just pretend nothing happened.â
You nodded, biting your lip. âI know.â
Jaemin looked at you sympathetically, his voice softer now. âDo you like him?â
You took a deep breath and didnât answer.Â
The table fell silent, everyone waiting for your response. You could feel their eyes on you, especially Jaemin, as he leaned in slightly, waiting for you to speak.
Finally, you exhaled, avoiding their gazes. âI donât know,â you admitted, your voice quieter than usual.
 âItâs all so confusing. I didnât expect any of this to happen, and now⌠I donât know how I feel.â
Chaeryeong, always the first to jump in, sighed dramatically. âWell, if you donât know, thatâs already saying something. Maybe thereâs more to this than you think.â
Chenle, now composed from his earlier laughing fit, added, âHonestly if it was just to get back at Jay, you wouldnât be this torn up about it.â
Jeno nodded in agreement. âHeâs right. Youâve got to figure out if this was just a one-time thing or if thereâs something between you and Haechan.â
Jaemin stayed quiet, his eyes searching for yours. âItâs okay to not have all the answers yet,â he said gently. âBut donât ignore how youâre feeling just because itâs complicated.â
You groaned, âIâm just going to pretend like nothing happened and avoid him.âÂ
The group groaned in unison, making you roll your eyes.
âThatâs what we said not to do, Y/n,â Jeno said, shaking his head. âYou canât just avoid the guy forever.â
Chaeryeong crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair. âAnd you know Haechan. Heâs not exactly the type to let things go.â
Chenle leaned forward, grinning mischievously. âPlus, avoiding him will just make him chase you even more.â You sighed, slumping in your chair.
Jaemin gave you a soft smile, his eyes kind. âWhatever you decide, weâre here for you. Just⌠donât run away from it. If you need time, take it, but donât bury your feelings.â
You nodded, feeling the weight of their advice. âOkay, fine. Iâll talk to him⌠eventually.â
The group exchanged knowing looks, but no one pushed you further. At least, not yet.
Itâs settled, you're going to avoid him. But of course, that didnât go as smoothly as you hoped. Every time you tried to slip past him, he somehow spotted you first. It became a game of cat and mouse.
The awkwardness grew with each interaction, especially when youâd catch his eyes from across a room and immediately turn to flee. And as if that werenât bad enough, your phone wouldnât stop buzzing. Texts, missed calls, even voice messages. Haechan was relentless.
âY/n, can we talk? This is ridiculous.â
âAvoiding me isnât gonna make this disappear.â
âAt least hear me out before running.â
You groaned every time your phone lit up with his name. The tension built up so much that even your friends were getting fed up with your avoidance tactic.
âI told you he wouldnât just drop it,â Chenle teased, scrolling through his phone as you sat together in the library.
Jaemin, who was sitting next to you, gave a gentle nudge. âYou canât keep this up forever, Y/n.â
You knew they were right, but the idea of actually facing Haechanâafter everythingâfelt overwhelming. What would you even say? What did he want to say? The questions kept swirling in your mind, making it harder to act.
A small cough interrupted your thoughts, snapping you back to the present. You glanced up to see Haechan standing a few feet away, his arms crossed over his chest and a determined look on his face. The library was quiet, and it felt like the world had paused at that moment.Â
âHow?â You looked back at your two friends who tried not to make eye contact with you.
âTraitorsâŚâ You mumbled.
âCan we talk?â he asked, his voice steady but it was laced with a hint of vulnerability.
You felt your heart race, the urge to run was almost overwhelming. âNot here,â you managed to reply, glancing nervously at your friends who were pretending to be absorbed in their work.
Haechan stepped closer, lowering his voice. âIâm not trying to make this awkward, but avoiding me isnât helping either. Can we go outside? Just for a minute?â
You hesitated, torn between wanting to confront your feelings and wanting to run away. The library felt suffocating, and with each passing moment, it seemed you had no choice but to face the situation head-on.
âFine,â you said, the word slipping out before you could second-guess yourself. You stood up, feeling your friendsâ eyes on you as you walked past Haechan and out of the library.
Once outside, the crisp air hit you, momentarily clearing your head. Haechan followed closely, and you turned to face him, arms crossed defensively.
âWhat do you want?â you asked, trying to sound braver than you felt.
âI want to explain,â he said, his expression earnest.
âWhat happened that night⌠it wasnât just a plan to get back at your ex for me.â
You swallowed hard, caught off guard by the intensity of his gaze. âThen what was it?â you challenged, unwilling to let him off the hook so easily.
âIt was confusing. Youâre confusing,â he replied, running a hand through his hair in frustration. âBut I canât stop thinking about you. I miss youâŚâ
His words hung in the air between you, heavy. You felt your heart flutter despite your better judgment. âOne chance,â you said finally, your voice steady but low.Â
âYou get one chance.â
Haechanâs eyes widened slightly, surprise flickering across his features. âOne chance? Thatâs it?â he asked, his tone a mix of disbelief and hope.
âYeah,â you nodded, crossing your arms defiantly.Â
He took a step closer, âAll I need is one date, and you will be hooked,â he stated, a confident smirk playing on his lips.
You raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. âIs that so? You think itâll be that easy to impress me?â
He leaned in slightly, a teasing glint in his eyes. âI know it will be.â
You couldnât help but feel a spark of curiosity at his challenge. âAnd what if you canât?â
âI will,â he replied, his tone turning serious, âMeet me at my apartment tonight around seven.â
âTonight?â you echoed.
âI canât wait any longer,â Haechan responded, determination clear on his face.
âWhat do you have planned?â you asked, trying to mask your excitement with nonchalance.
Haechan smirked, a spark of mischief dancing in his eyes. âYouâll just have to trust me. I promise itâll be fun.â
âFun? Sounds like youâre setting the bar pretty high,â you challenged, trying to maintain your composure.
âTrust me,â he repeated, his voice low and enticing. âIâll make it unforgettable.â
You bit your lip, fighting the urge to smile. âFine, But if this goes bad, Iâm blaming you.â
âDeal,â he said, his grin widening. âJust be ready at seven. Iâll pick you up.â
âThought I was supposed to meet you there,â you teased, raising an eyebrow.
âYeah, but Iâm a gentleman,â he replied, his voice smooth and confident, a playful twinkle in his eyes.
You rolled your eyes, unable to hide your smile. âA gentleman, huh? I didnât know you had it in you.â
âOnly for you,â he shot back, leaning in a little closer.
âOkay, Mr. Gentleman. Just remember, Iâm expecting something impressive,â you challenged, crossing your arms.
âTrust me, you wonât be disappointed,â he promised, his tone sincere.
Haechan stepped back, breaking the moment slightly.Â
âJust focus on being ready. Iâll take care of the rest.â
âFine. Seven it is,â you agreed, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves racing through you.
âPerfect,â he said, a playful spark in his eyes. âIâll see you then.â
As the hours went by, you kept yourself busy getting ready. You were excited, yet you still felt a little sick from your anxiety. You didnât know what to expect.Â
By seven oâclock, you stood in front of the mirror, nerves filling your stomach. After applying the final touches of makeup, you gave yourself one last look.
A knock on the door startled you from your thoughts. Taking a deep breath before opening the door.
Haechan stood there, looking effortlessly handsome in a fitted shirt and jeans. âWow, you look incredible,â he said, his eyes full of aweÂ
âThanks,â you replied, feeling your cheeks warm under his gaze. âSo, whatâs the plan?â
âTaking you back to my place,â he said with a playful smirk, extending his hand to you. âLetâs go.â
âAs you walked together, the playful banter made it feel comfortable, just like it had before everything changed.â
Once you reached Haechanâs apartment, two guys walked out, exchanging casual greetings with him as they passed.
âWho were they?â you asked, curiosity growing.
âJust my roommates,â Haechan replied, âThe tall one is Jisung, and the short one is Renjun.â
You nodded, glancing at the duo. Jisung gave you a friendly wave while Renjun shot you a playful grin before they disappeared down the hall and leaving you two alone.
âCome on in,â Haechan said, leading you inside. The apartment was cozy, decorated with posters and fairy lights that created a warm atmosphere. In the middle of the living room stood a makeshift pillow fort, complete with blankets draped over furniture and twinkling lights strung inside.
âNo way, You remembered?â you asked, a laugh escaping your lips as you took in the sight.
Haechan shrugged, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. âOf course, we used to always make pillow forts as a kid.â
You couldnât help but smile at the nostalgic sight. âI canât believe you went through the trouble of making a pillow fort just for me,â you said, stepping further inside.
Haechan grinned. âI thought it would be fun. Plus, who doesnât love a good pillow fort?â
âTrue,â you replied, chuckling. âIâm already impressed.â
He led you inside the fort, where soft cushions and blankets awaited. The twinkling lights added a magical touch, casting a warm glow around the space. Haechan settled down next to you, leaning back against the pillows.
âSo, whatâs the plan?â you asked, eager to know what he had in store for the evening.
âWell,â he began, leaning in closer, âI thought we could watch some movies, eat snacks, and just relax. But first, I have a little surprise for you.â
You raised an eyebrow, intrigued. âA surprise?â
He reached into a nearby bag and pulled out a couple of your favorite snacks. âI know how much you love these!â he said, grinning as he held them up.
Your heart swelled at the thoughtful gesture. âYou went all out, didnât you?â
Haechan shrugged. âI try. Now, letâs pick a movie. Any preferences?â
You glanced at the selection he had lined up on his laptop. âHow about a rom-com?â you suggested, feeling playful.
âPerfect choice,â he said, clicking on a title that caught your eye. As the opening credits rolled, you both settled in, the cozy atmosphere making you feel at ease.
Throughout the movie, you find yourself laughing and stealing glances at Haechan. He seemed so relaxed and in his element, and you couldnât help but feel a warmth growing between you.
As the film reached an over the top romantic scene, you felt your heart race. Haechan turned to you, his gaze searching yours.Â
âWhat do you think?â
âItâs cute,â you replied, trying to hide your flustered state. âBut a little unrealistic.â
He chuckled softly. âYeah, like how they always seem to have the perfect timing for their big moments.â
âExactly! Who gets interrupted right before a kiss?â you joked, shaking your head.
âMaybe we should test it,â he suggested, his voice dropping to a softer tone.
You looked at him, your breath hitching slightly. âWhat do you mean?â
Instead of answering, Haechan leaned in closer, the distance between you closing. Your heart raced as he brushed his thumb across your cheek, his eyes locking onto yours.
âCan I?â he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Your stomach flipped, and you nodded, unsure if you could speak.
Haechan closed the gap, pressing his lips against yours softly. The kiss was gentle at first, but as you melted into the moment, it deepened.
When he pulled back, a playful smile danced on his lips.Â
âSee, no one interrupted us.â
You couldnât help but grin back, feeling giddy. âYou just interrupted your own kissââ
"I guess I did," Haechan replied.
"So much for perfect timing." You teased.Â
Haechan's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Maybe we need more practice," he suggested, his tone light but laced with his usual teasing.
You felt your cheeks warm, torn between giving in to the moment and addressing the elephant in the room.
"Haechan," you started, your voice soft but serious,
"What are we doing here? Is this just... fun for you?"
His expression sobered, and he took your hand in his, his thumb tracing gentle circles on your skin. "It's not just fun," he said, his gaze intense. "I meant what I said earlier. I can't stop thinking about you, Y/n. This... us... it means something to me."
Your heart raced at his words, but doubt still lingered. "But what about before? The plan, getting back at my ex..."
Haechan sighed, running his free hand through his hair. "I know how it looked. At first, maybe it was about that. But somewhere along the way, it became real for me. You became real for me."
You searched his face, looking for any sign of insincerity. "And now?"
"Now," he said, leaning closer, "I want to see where this goes. For real this time. No games, no plans. Just us."
The sincerity in his voice made your breath hitch. You found yourself leaning in. "Just us," you echoed, your lips mere inches from his.
Haechan closed the distance, capturing your lips in a kiss that was deeper, more passionate than the first. You melted into it, your hand finding its way to the nape of his neck, fingers tangling in his hair.
When you finally broke apart, both slightly breathless, Haechan rested his forehead against yours. "So," he murmured, a smile playing on his lips, "Am I living up to my promise of an unforgettable night?"
You couldn't help but laugh, the tension from earlier dissolving into a warm, giddy feeling. "It's a good start," you teased, your fingers tracing patterns on the back of his neck. "But you still have a lot of work to do."
Haechan grinned, pulling back slightly to meet your gaze.
"Challenge accepted," he said with a smirk.
You watched as he leaned in, his lips brushing against your ear, sending shivers down your spine.
Your heart pounded in your chest, wondering what surprise he had in mind next. "What are you doing?â
"You'll have to wait and see," Haechan replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes that had you both anxious and excited to find out.
As Haechan's whispers trailed off, you couldn't help but feel excited. Your heart raced in your chest, and you knew that whatever he had in mind, it was sure to be unforgettable.
He began trailing kisses down your neck, his fingers playing with the hem of your shirt, pulling it off and over your head. The sensation sent a shiver through your body, leaving you breathless and wanting more.
Your hands found their way to his back, drawing him closer as his lips continued their trail down your body.
His fingers grazed the delicate skin of your stomach, making you shiver beneath his touch. He pulled back slightly, his gaze locked with yours, and you knew he was contemplating your next move. You saw the desire in his eyes, and you couldn't help but feel aroused and eager to continue.
His hands drifted downwards, tracing the curve of your hips before gently tugging at your pants. He looked up at you again, seeking permission with his eyes. You nodded, giving him the green light to continue.
As Haechan's fingers danced beneath the waistband of your pants, you couldnât help but let out a small whine. This was real.
His hands slid beneath your waistband, pulling your pants down slowly, revealing more and more of your skin to him. He kissed his way down your body, his mouth leave a trail of wet kisses.
His fingers trailed along the sensitive skin of your inner thighs, and you could feel your heart pounding in your chest.
He leaned in to kiss you again, his lips soft and demanding, and you responded him with equal passion. You could feel him get harder through the fabric of his clothes, and it made you even wetter.
You pawed at his clothes, silently telling him to take them off.Â
Haechan followed your cues, his movements quick as he tugged off his shirt, revealing the toned muscles of his chest and stomach. You couldn't help but moan at the sight. He then unbuckled his belt, unzipped his pants, and let them slide down his legs, stepping out of them.
You stared at him in awe, your eyes locked onto him. His eyes caught yours and a smirk formed on his face. "Miss seeing me like this?" he asked teasingly.
"Mmmh," you replied breathlessly, your gaze traveling from his perfectly toned chest to the definition of his stomach, and finally to the hard bulge in his boxers.
Haechan chuckled and stepped out of the rest of his clothing, standing before you completely naked.
Without another word, he pulled you close to him, his erection pressing against your thigh. You could feel the heat radiating from him, the desire that kept growing with each passing second. It was intoxicating, and you felt yourself getting lost in it.
Haechan's hands found their way to your waist, pulling you even closer as he began to grind against you. The sensation was so good, and you could feel your body responding to his touch.
His lips found yours once again, slipping his tounge in your mouth.Â
His hands moved lower, his fingers finding their way between your legs, teasing your already wet folds. You gasped into his kiss, your body arching towards him.
His fingers explored deeper inside you. You could feel his erection pressing against you, begging to be inside you.
"Are you ready for me?" he groaned, his breath warm against your skin.Â
"Yes," you breathed, your voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm ready."
Without another moment of hesitation, Haechan positioned himself at your entrance, the head of his cock rubbing against your sensitive skin. You let out a moan as he teased you.Â
He slowly pressed inside you, every inch of him filling you up. His eyes never leaving yours. You could feel the tip of his cock stretching you open, a feeling of fullness.
"Are you alright?" he asked, concern lacing each word.
"Perfect," you gasped, wrapping your arms around him and pulling him closer.
Haechan began to move, his hips thrusting into you with a rhythm that matched your own breathing.
Your hands clawed at his back, holding him close as he moved within you. The sound of his name falling from your lips was like music to his ears- a sound he never wanted to end.
Sweat began to trickle down Haechan's forehead, and the muscles in his arms tensed as he held you close to him.Â
As he thrust deeper into you, the walls of your body clenched around him, pulling him closer. His breath grew heavier, and he grabbed your face to look at him.Â
Your moans grew louder. The sounds of wet flesh meeting flesh filled the air, joining together with the hurried gasps and heavy breathing.
Your hips met his, matching his rhythm. You could feel your climax building.Â
"Donghyuck," you whimpered, your voice barely above a whisper. "I'm so close."
The use of his real name felt different, he felt almost primal as he growled in your ear. "That's it. Come for me baby."
As your body began to tremble, an intense wave of pleasure washing over you, Haechan thrust into you with a faster pace. His eyes locked on yours, he groaned, his jaw clenching as he fought to hold back his own release.
"I'mâI'm close too," he gasped, his eyes almost black from the pleasure.
The sound of your name falling from his lips made you feel like you were on the edge of the world. Your body shook as your climax hit its peak.
Just the sight of you orgasming sent Haechan over the edge. With a final thrust, he pulled out and came all over your stomach, painting you with his cum.
Breathless and panting, you watched as he collapsed beside you, his breathing ragged and uneven. You could feel the slickness of your arousal, mixed with his cum, coating your skin
âLetâs get you all cleaned up.â Haechan pulled away and planted a kiss on your forehead.
After cleaning up, you and Haechan settled back into the cozy pillow fort. The twinkling lights cast a warm glow as you cuddled close, wrapped in soft blankets. A comfortable silence fell between you.
Haechan gently took your hand, intertwining his fingers with yours. His eyes met yours, filled with warmth and a hint of nervousness.
"Y/N," he began softly, "tonight has been amazing. Being with you like this, it just feels right. I know we started this in an unconventional way, but my feelings for you are real."
Your heart fluttered as he continued, his thumb tracing circles on the back of your hand.
"I don't want this to be just one night. I want to build something real with you, to see where this could go." He paused, taking a deep breath. "Would you be my girlfriend?"
A smile spread across your face, warmth blooming in your chest. "Yes," you replied, squeezing his hand. "I'd love to be your girlfriend."
Haechan's face lit up with joy. He pulled you closer, placing a soft kiss on your forehead. "Round two?" he murmured, holding in his laugh as you slapped his chest.Â
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I can't feel my face when I'm with you But I love it, but I love it, oh. (the weeknd - can't feel my face)
ᨠălee heeseung x fem reader ę°đęąďšpure smut with little plot ďštbc
contains: mean dom!heeseung, sexting (brief moment and a mention of it later, reader is in bold and Heeseung in italic), oral (both), p in v sex (reader is on the pill but wrap it before you tap it), use of sexual toys (anal butt plug, dildo and vibrator), anal, squirting (Hee just loves it), lots ass spanking, multiple orgasms, petnames (cockslut, bitch, cumslut and more), choking, deepthroath, dick slapping, cum eating, voice audio recording, double penetration, daddy kink and let me know if I missed anything. âââ
synopsis: Heeseung just wanted to get his face numb between your thights and show you some manners after sending him a picture of what he will get when he arrives to your place.
Today marked a significant milestone for you, six other guys, and millions of fans. Heeseung was turning the so afraid 23 years old, and everyone was planning something for your boyfriend, including you. You'd helped the staff set up his Weverse live, and a small after-party would follow at the building afterward.
But you had your own surprise waiting at home. After six long months apart, not seeing or touching each other had been pure torture. The moment Heeseung landed back in Korea, all you wanted was to run into his arms, but the staff had kept you apart, saving the reunion for later. It was hellâa living one.
Still, that didn't stop you from teasing him.
You took advantage of him not seeing you at all while helping the staff, sneaking around corners and staying hidden as he tried to find you. After everything was ready, you quickly left, thanking the staff and leaving a small gift with a note saying it was from you, but the packaging of it was screaming it was you in a subtle way you and him knew.
You arrived home, letting yourself relax before decorating your bedroom. You had everything planned, and it had to be perfect, from start to finish. Your phone vibrated three times, pulling you from your thoughts. A smile spread across your lips when Heeseungâs name lit up your screen.
"I saw what you did to the office and the lobby, Iâm so lucky to be yours."
"I love you, baby, thank you."
"Iâm going to start my live, I missed you so much. Hope you can watch it, love."
With a smirk, you turned on your tablet and went straight to the app, catching the live just as it started. There he was, looking as handsome as ever, greeting his fans with that soft voice youâd missed so much. It was the time to start the plan, and you knew you would get in trouble, but everything had a purpose, and it was a small payback of what he used to do when you were at your university having classes. Your playful side was screaming. You had been apart for too long, and now it was time to make things interesting.
Leaning back on your couch, you slowly took off your shirt, leaving yourself in just your black bra. You snapped a picture of yourself lounging, the tablet resting on your chest like you were hugging him.
"Anything for my birthday boy. Looking good, baby."
Without giving yourself time to second-guess it, you hit send, your heart racing. Sure, you have taken suggestive pictures of yourself, but it was your first time sending a nude to your boyfriend. You watched the live as the message appeared on his phone. His eyes widened for a split second, a slight pause in his speech before a smirk curled on his lips.
âWow, ENGENE are arriving fast to the live. Weâll start in a few minutes,â he said, glancing down at the cake in front of him as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
Your phone buzzed again, and you already knew who it was.
"Honey, what the fuck are you doing?"
"Giving you small preview of my birthday surprise."
"Angel, don't do it."
"I will, baby. P.S: Hope you like my gift (say it comes from one of the members.)"
You saw the screen where the live can be watched, and you saw how he moved in his chair.
âOkay, okay, letâs get started,â he said, his voice smooth as he addressed the fans. âWeâve got a lot planned for today, so thank you for tuning in." then the live continued smoothly; you even saw yourself being captivated by how he interacted with fans. You decide to let him breathe for a moment to continue with the decoration. Rose petals were laying on the bed and floor. You positioned some unlit candles around the room, and now you were looking for your Victoria Secret robe, on that Heeseung bought for your birthday with some lingerie.
"Now, I would like to open the gifts from my members,"Â you could hear in the distance, and you left everything to go watch again. He was opening all the boxes until he came to yours, a big box wrapped with golden paper that had a sign that said "careful.". "This is from Jake."
Heeseungâs eyes widened in genuine surprise as he pulled the new gaming equipment from the box, his fingers tracing the edges of the gear heâd been wanting for months. He chuckled softly, looking down at the hidden post-it note that only he could see. His heart swelled with warmth, knowing just how much thought and effort youâd put into this gift. It wasnât just the equipment itself but the fact that you understood him, knew exactly what he wanted, and worked so hard to get it for him.
âThis is amazing, Jake,â he said, laughing as he played along with the cover story. âYou really outdid yourself. Iâm going to use this every chance I get.â He flashed his signature playful grin toward the camera, but his thoughts were elsewhere. He was thinking about youâthe person behind the gift, the person who always knew how to make him feel special.
Your heart is fluttering at his reaction. You knew Heeseung well enough to catch the subtle emotions behind all of his smiles. He was touched, and even though he couldnât say it out loud during the live, you felt the connection between you two stronger than ever.
"You liked it, baby?"
Heeseungâs phone buzzed again, and though he was still live, he discreetly glanced at it while the camera focused on the other gifts. He quickly grabbed his phone, excusing himself to the viewers, saying it was his brother texting him while being live.
"I love it. But I love you more."
Your heart skipped a beat as you read his message. Heeseung will always find a way to make you feel like you were the only one who mattered. You smirked, fingers moving fast on the keyboard.
"You better. Thereâs more where that came from, but itâs waiting for you here."
"I canât wait, angel. What else do you have planned?"
You then decided to be a little more suggestive; you ran to your closet, a hidden box you had for your little toys that you used when Heeseung was gone. You put the dildo in the middle of your breasts, still covered with the bra, and your tongue sticks out in an action to lick the tip of it. You snapped a picture and pressed "Send" after checking it.
"What do you think? Everything for my birthday boy."
You looked back to the screen, and you let out a chuckle. This time, his eyes went wide; he was trying so hard to not send everything to hell and ran to fuck the living hell out of you; you just knew it. He suspended his phone and saw the staff's hand being extended, giving his phone to the staff, but Heeseung looked at the camera, his eyes looking deeply at the camera and keeping up with the live.
The moment the staff took his phone, you grinned to yourself. Heeseung couldnât respond, but you didnât need his words to know what was going through his mind. Youâd pushed him to the edge, and now all that was left was to wait for him to come to you.
Your heart raced as you watched Heeseung struggle to maintain his composure. He was barely holding it together, and you knew that once he was free from the live and the afterparty, heâd be all yours.
You returned to your preparations, adding the final touches to your room. The soft flicker of candlelight cast a warm glow over the rose petals that trailed from the doorway to the bed. You adjusted the sheer Victoriaâs Secret robe on your body that Heeseung had bought you, making sure it hung perfectly over your shoulders, revealing just enough of the navy blue lace lingerie underneath. Your body hummed with excitement, counting every minute that passed by.
Your phone buzzed again, but this time it wasnât a messageâit was a notification that Heeseung had wrapped up his life. You smiled, knowing that meant heâd be heading to the afterparty soon.
"Have fun at the afterparty, baby. Donât keep me waiting too long."
Heeseung didnât have his phone, so you didnât expect a response, but you knew the moment he was able to check his messages, heâd see it. You paced around your room; you wanted everything to be perfect, despite the fact that you two will forget everything after falling into the bed sheets.
Minutes felt like hours as you waited, your heart pounding louder with each passing moment, and, you had to admit, your mind was creating several scenarios, making your entrance wet. You could feel how your pants were sticking and how your body temperature got higher, like you were having a fever.
Your fingers barely grazed your entrance, but the heat radiating from your core made your knees weak. The moan that slipped from your lips was soft at first, but the sensation was too overwhelming to contain. You bit your lip, eyes fluttering shut as you pressed your fingers harder against the soaked fabric of your pants, trying to relieve some of the pressure building inside you.
You couldnât help but picture Heeseungâs hands on you instead, his lips trailing over your skin as he took control of your body, just like he always did. The mere thought of it was enough for you to make you smile in delight. Your breathing became shallow as you pushed your pants aside, your fingers slipping easily through your wet folds. The friction sent a jolt of pleasure up your spine, and another moan escaped you, louder this time.
Your head fell back as you teased yourself, your mind lost in fantasies of what Heeseung would do when he finally got his hands on you. Your hips bucked against your fingers, desperate for more, but no matter how much you tried, it wasnât enough. Only Heeseung could make you feel the way you needed.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, you heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching the door of your apartment. Your breath caught in your throat, and you straightened up, adjusting your robe and pants one last time as the doorknob turned.
The door creaked open slowly, revealing Heeseung standing in the doorway, his sharp features illuminated by the soft candlelight. As you got closer, you could see his eyes with a layer of desire, locking onto you immediately. He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him with a controlled force that made your heart race. His posture was tense, his jaw clenched, and there was something dangerous in his gazeâand you were so ready for it, for him.
"Angel," he muttered, his voice low and dripping with authority as he took a step toward you, removing his coat in the process. His eyes roamed over your figure, taking in every inch of your exposed skin under the lace lingerie and sheer robe. "Fuck, you look like a dream."
Heeseung's intense gaze never left you as he stepped closer, tossing his coat onto a chair without a second thought. His presence was overwhelming to the point that you could even feel it a mile away. Your heart was pounding in your chest as his eyes devoured you, lingering on your barely concealed skin.
His hand wrapped tightly around your waist as he yanked you close, making you gasp and your tremble a little with your balance, which made you put your hands on his shoulders. His lips curled into a wicked smirk as he leaned down, his breath hot against your ear.
"You almost get me in trouble," he whispered, his voice dark and commanding. "Sending me those pictures while I was in front of millions⌠What was your intention on it?"
His hand moved up to your chin, forcing you to look directly into his eyes. You could feel the power he held over you in that moment, and that made you smile.
âI hope youâre ready to pay for that,â he murmured, his tone darkening as his grip tightened. âThink you can play games with me? Let's see if you can handle the consequences.â
Before you could even react, Heeseungâs lips collided with yours in a heated, bruising kiss that made your knees weak. His grip on your thighs tightened as he hoisted you up, your legs instinctively wrapping around his waist as he pressed you against the wall. Your head was spinning, and you could feel your body buzzing with his touch.
His tongue dominated yours, the kiss desperate and filled with the frustration of the time you had spent apart. His hands gripped your ass tightly as he carried you effortlessly into the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him. He separated from the kiss and saw all the decoration that was happening in the bedroom.
Heeseungâs eyes flickered as he took in the soft glow of the candles and the delicate trail of rose petals leading to the bed and some other things you put. His grip on your waist tightened, his chest rising and falling with his heavy breaths as he looked around the room and then back at you.
"You went all out for me, didnât you?" His voice was low and teasing, sending shivers down your spine. "Thought you could butter me up after teasing me all day?"
His eyes darkened with lust as he leaned down, brushing his lips against the shell of your ear. "Too bad it wonât save you from whatâs coming, baby."
Before you could respond, he spun you around, pressing you against the wall once again. His body pressed against yours, his lips grazing the back of your neck as he whispered, "You want to know if I like it? I love it. But that doesnât mean Iâm going to take it easy on you."
He pushed you back against the bed, his hand gripping your wrist as he held you down, his other hand sliding the sheer robe off your shoulders, exposing the delicate lingerie underneath. He hovered above you, his gaze burning with intensity.
"So pretty for me," he growled, his fingers tracing along the lace, teasingly close but never touching you where you needed him most. "And so needy, did you really miss me that much?."
His grip tightened on your wrist as his other hand finally slipped beneath the lace, his fingers brushing against your heated skin. But instead of giving you what you wanted, he pulled back, making you whimper in frustration. Heeseung smirked, clearly enjoying how worked up you were already.
"Heeseung, please." You plead, and he just smiled.
"You donât get to make demands, angel. Not after what you pulled today," he said, his voice dripping with authority. "Youâre going to take what I give you. Do you understand?"
You nodded, your body trembling and your entrance getting wetter by the second, but that wasnât enough for him. His hand tightened around your wrist as he leaned down, his lips brushing against your ear. "Use your words."
"Yes," you stammered, barely able to breathe under the weight of his dominance.
"Good girl." Heeseungâs smirk widened as he released your wrist, trailing his hand down your body, making you shiver under his touch. "Now, letâs see how well you behave when Iâm done with you."
What followed was a blur of sensationsâhis hands on your body, his lips claiming yours, and the overwhelming intensity of his dominanceâthat dominance you missed so badly.
His lips and yours collided in a passionate dance, humming at the sensation of finally, after months, being this close was like touching heaven yourself. With his hands, he ripped the clothing you had, more specifically, your pants, making you gasp as his hot breath made contact with your cunt.
Heeseung barely gave you a moment to catch your breath before diving back in, his tongue lapping at your soaked folds as if he couldnât get enough of you. Your thighs shook uncontrollably because of the sudden movement; your body was already overwhelmed, but he showed no signs of stopping. Heeseung groaned into you, the wet, obscene sounds filling the room as he worked you over with relentless precision.
Heeseung was out of his mind; he missed you so bad that he wouldn't mind not feeling his face afterwards if the reason behind it were your sweet thighs on each side of his face suffocating him and shaking with the beautiful background music of your loud moans asking for mercy, but he loves it.
âFuck, Heeseung, please,â you gasped, your voice already hoarse from screaming his name. You tugged at his hair, desperate for a break, but he only grinned against your core, his eyes flicking up to meet yours.
He sucked hard on your swollen clit, his tongue swirling and flicking with expert skill as he knew your body completely; your whole body convulsed in response. You were shaking, crying out his name over and over as pleasure rippled through you in waves, each one more intense than the last. Your vision blurred, the world spinning as you lost yourself completely to the sensations he was pulling from your body.
âHeeseung, Iâfuck!â Your words broke off in a scream as another orgasm tore through you, your body arching off the bed as you gripped the sheets like a lifeline. You were so sorry for the neighbors, but God, he was doing such a good job. Heeseung groaned in satisfaction, his tongue working you through it as you trembled and bucked uncontrollably, the tip of his nose sometimes touching your swollen clit.
âThatâs it,â he murmured, his voice thick with lust. âScream for me, baby. Let them hear how good I make you feel.â
You were barely coherent, your body reduced to a quivering, overstimulated mess beneath him. Heeseungâs fingers dug into your thighs, keeping you exactly where he wanted as he devoured you like a man starved. The pressure was too much, the pleasure too intense, but all you could do was moan and beg, your voice cracking with each desperate plea.
âHeeseung, please,â you cried out, feeling yourself teetering on the edge of another release. âI canâtâI canât take it.â
Heeseung pulled back just enough to flash you a wicked grin while his fingers started to go inside you, his lips glistening with your arousal as he moved his fingers fast, touching your sweet spots that made you roll your eyes. âOh, youâll take it, angel. Youâll take everything I give you.â
Before you could protest, he dove back in, his tongue fucking you relentlessly as his thumb pressed against your clit, sending a fresh wave of pleasure crashing over you. You screamed his name louder than ever before, your body convulsing as yet another orgasm ripped through you, leaving you breathless and shaking.
Heeseung finally pulled away, his face drenched, but his smirk was pure satisfaction. âThatâs my good girl,â he murmured, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he watched you struggle to catch your breath. He took the back of your head to kiss you again, rough and passionate; you were so into the kiss that you didn't feel his hand going back to your entrance, making you cry.
He began to enter his fingers inside you, a particular motion making you shut your eyes and legs, but Heeseung wasn't about to let you close yourself off from him. With a low chuckle, he used his free hand to pry your thighs back open, his eyes dark and filled with pure, unrelenting desire.
"Donât hide from me, angel. I want to see every reaction I pull out of you," he whispered against your lips. His voice had authority in it that was very clear, and it was your first time hearing this voice in him. He moved his fingers with a torturous rhythm, curling and pressing exactly where he knew it would drive you over the edge again, for the third time.
Your body responded helplessly, hips bucking as his fingers plunged deeper, reaching that sensitive spot that left you seeing stars. You gasped, clinging to him as the pressure built unbearably, your body tensing with the inevitable release he was forcing from you.
âHeeâHeeseung, please,â you begged, your voice choked with pleasure, your hands grasping at his shoulders, nails digging in as you felt yourself unraveling, but he didnât let up. He drove his fingers faster, his thumb finding your swollen, sensitive clit again, rubbing with expert precision that had your thighs trembling.
His eyes were locked on you, watching the way your face contorted in pleasure and the way your body arched and quivered beneath him.
You shattered, your body convulsing around his fingers as a wave of intense pleasure overtook you, leaving you completely undone. Your release spilled over as Heeseung coaxed every last tremor from you, his hands still working you through it; half of his still-dressed arm was wet with your squirt. He once again put his mouth on your clit, and that when you lose it.
Heeseung moaned against you, his deep, satisfied groan vibrating through your core as he eagerly lapped up every bit of your release. His mouth never stopped moving, his tongue swirling and flicking over your overly sensitive clit, creating another wave of pleasure out of you even as your body trembled and twitched from the intensity.
Your breaths came out in ragged pants as you lay there, boneless and thoroughly spent, Heeseungâs satisfied grin hovering above you, his fingers going to your mouth.
Heeseungâs eyes darkened as you parted your lips, welcoming his fingers into your mouth. He pressed them gently onto your tongue, a soft, possessive smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he watched you. "Taste yourself for me, angel," he murmured, each word dripping with satisfaction and a hint of pride.
You closed your lips around his fingers, tasting your own sweetness, the heat in his gaze intensifying as you obediently sucked, swirling your tongue over his fingertips. His free hand caressed your cheek, his thumb tracing gentle circles, contrasting the intensity of everything that had just happened.
"Thatâs my girl," he murmured. You lost count of how many orgasms your boyfriend gave you with his mouth only, but you honestly didn't care. He unbuttoned his pants to take his dick out of his underwear. You licked your lips, seeing how his dick stood tall and proud, leaking cum only to the sight of you at his mercy was making you feel everything despite getting "punished.".
Heeseung let out a low chuckle as he noticed the way your eyes trailed his whole length. âGo to the floor, baby,â he murmured, his voice thick with desire. âReturn the favor.â
You did as he said, legs shaking, but your will to give him was bigger. His fingers trailed down to your chin once on the floor, lifting your gaze to meet hisâthat familiar spark of challenge in his eyes. He leaned back, positioning himself as he stroked his length, waiting for you to take him in. You crawled forward, feeling the anticipation build as he held himself steady, guiding you closer. With his dick, he slapped your cheeks and mouth, making you open it again.
Slowly, you wrapped your lips around him, savoring the taste of him as you took him deeper, inch by inch, until his tip hit the back of your throat. He let out a sharp groan, his hand weaving into your hair to gently guide your movements, his hips subtly rocking in time with your rhythm.
âLook at you, angel,â he breathed out, his voice filled with admiration and heat. âTaking me so well. You have no idea how good you look like this.â He tightened his grip on your hair, encouraging you to go deeper, his breath hitching every time you swallowed around him.
Your view started to get glossy; you weren't holding back the moans each time he thrust into your mouth; your hands went to his teeth to keep your balance, but he separated them out, making you whine.
âMissed your pretty mouth; always do wonders,â he groaned, his head tilting back as you moved in perfect rhythm, pulling every reaction from him that you could.
As you worked him, his hips started to rock a little harder, his groans turning into soft, filthy praises. âThatâs it, baby. Take all of meâlet me feel that pretty throat,â he rasped, gripping your hair tighter as he lost himself in the sensation. "Hands behind your back."
You did as he told you, hands behind you like you were cuffed, his palm firm at the back of your head, starting a slow pace. You could see how his legs got slightly shaky, but he was holding it; he was trying to prolongue as much as possible to cum right there.
Heeseungâs breathing grew ragged, his gaze darkening as he watched you obediently with your hands behind your back, looking up at him with those pleading eyes. âJust like that,â he murmured, his voice dripping with desire as he thrust deeper, testing your limits. His hands gripped your hair even tighter, keeping you in place as he began to lose his restraint, his control slipping.
âGod, youâre perfect,â he groaned, his eyes rolling back momentarily. âYouâre taking it so well, baby. Can feel you fighting to keep that throat open for me,â he continued, a wicked smile appearing on his lips as he watched you try to keep your composure. âMessy for me⌠so eager.â
Heeseungâs hips snapped forward harder, filling your throat as he watched you struggle to take him fully. His hand tightened in your hair, pulling your head back slightly before driving himself deeper, testing just how much you could take.
âCome on, choke on me, drool, make a mess of that pretty mouth.â The thrill in his tone sent a shiver down your spine as you felt yourself giving in, the sounds coming from you louder, wetter. Every time he hit the back of your throat, a needy, guttural whimper escaped, pushing him even closer to the edge due to the vibrations your moans were giving to all of his dick.
âGod, you look wrecked,â he groaned, his voice thick with satisfaction as he thrust even harder, holding you in place. âExactly how I like you. Youâre taking all of me so perfectly. Such a good fucking whore.â
You had tears running down to your face; he let your mouth free, making you gasp for air. Your sore throat was worth it seeing your boyfriend sitting in bed due to his weak legs, pumping his length so fast with his eyes fully shut in pleasure.
You got near him, your mouth open and eyes shut, knowing what's about to come. You felt cum shots splashing on your face and tongue.
He groaned, the sounds rough and guttural as he emptied himself over your lips, cheeks, and tongue, each pulse driving him deeper into his heart. Your face was a mess, and you didnât even careâevery drop felt like a victory, a sign of how completely youâd unraveled him.
âGod, what a view,â he panted, chest heaving as he took in the sight of you covered in him, lips parted, breath coming in shallow gasps.
You slowly wiped a finger across your cheek, gathering some of his release before slipping it between your lips, never breaking eye contact. The heat in his gaze reignited, and he reached for you, pulling you onto his lap, his fingers tangling into your hair as he leaned in close.
âIâm not done with you yet,â he murmured, his voice dark and dripping with lust. His mouth claimed yours hungrily, tasting the remnants of himself on your lips, his hands sliding possessively down your back as he guided you into his lap, feeling you warm and ready against him.
âThink you can handle more?â You nodded eagerly. He already made you see the stars with his mouth and fingers, but his dick was the one you were waiting for. You needed him.
He left you laid on the bed covered in a few rose petals as he went to the box he loved to open every once in a while in your closet. He went again to the bed, opening the box and surprising himself with something in it, taking it in his hands with some ideas running through his mind.
"Mind you to tell me what's this?" He held up the object, and you smiled.
"I decided to be lazy for Halloween and be the female version of that character," you answered, and he dropped it to the bed. He started to strip all of his clothes on. Eyes on you as usual, but you can see something in his eyes, mischieve. "Why the question?"
"Because you won't need it anymore," he said, finally revealing all his naked body, his length slowly getting worked up again as you opened your legs, your inner thoughts sticky.
"Why?"
"Because I'm using it to fuck you." Your mouth left a moan as he put on the ghostface mask, his hand gripping his length, pumping it once again. He looked at the box, looking for something specific. He showed it up to youâthe pink anal plug.
Your cheeks flushed as he held the plug between his fingers, eyes gleaming darkly from behind the mask. He looked every bit the sinful predator he was tonight, and you felt a rush of excitement course through you at the thought of him taking control so completely.
âOn your knees,â he ordered, his voice muffled by the mask, but the command in his tone was unmistakable. You complied, heart racing as you turned and positioned yourself, head down, hips raised, feeling the cool air against your skin. The anticipation was electric, each second stretching longer as you heard him move behind you, the rustle of the rose petals intensifying your awareness.
He leaned down, his breath hot against your neck even through the mask, and you felt his hands glide down your body, his fingers brushing over every curve as he spread your cheeks, admiring the sight. He teased you, letting the blunt end of the plug trace along your sensitive skin, a reminder of what he had planned.
"Such a good girl," he murmured. You felt him spitting into your hole and later adding a decent amount of lube to it.
You shivered at the feel of the cool lube and the heat of his breath as he worked his fingers around the sensitive ring of muscle, loosening you slowly with practiced ease. Each press, each teasing circle, sent a shiver up your spine as he prepared you, letting his fingers slide in just enough to make you gasp and arch back, craving more.
âFuck, you're so tight,â he growled, his voice dripping with satisfaction as he watched you squirm under his touch. âSo tight I'm going crazy."
With his other hand, he rubbed the head of his cock along your slick folds, collecting your wetness. He pressed in just slightly, just enough to make you whimper, before he pulled back, laughing lowly as he saw the desperate look in your eyes. Then, with one hand still gripping the plug, he pushed it in slowly, inch by inch, his other hand splaying across your back to hold you down firmly.
You moaned, feeling the stretch as he settled the plug deep inside you, leaving you open, vulnerable, and aching for him. The fullness was dizzying, and your hips bucked involuntarily, seeking more friction and making you clench around nothing.
âStay still,â he ordered, voice harsh through the mask as he smacked your ass hard, the sting only adding to your arousal. He took a moment to admire his handiwork before diving again to the box. He smiled behind the mask when he found that pink, lush, remote-controlled vibrator.
He stood up to take both your and his phone. With your phone, he quickly set up the vibrator, and with his, he opened his voice note app, hitting record and putting it right next to you.
He gave more spanks to your ass, which let your moans out and shut your eyes in delight.
"Baby, do you want to remind yourself what have you done?" The mask made his voice sound haunting, sending a thrill through you down your spine.
"I sexted you while you were on a Weverse live today." Heeseung started to align the vibrator, the tip of it pressing firmly against your second entrance.
âYou don't even deserve to be like this, but I love how you're so obedient.â His voice was almost a growl as he began to slide it inside, filling you completely. You gasped when you felt his hand going around your neck, putting a slight preassure on it, lifting you to only be on your knees. You could only see his mask, but you didn't have to know the face he had, a pure bliss one.
"Are you going to be good for me?" you nodded.
"YesâŚ"
"Yes, what?" You smirked a little at the question.
"Yes, daddy." The vibrator inside you started abruptly, and you went back to your initial position, sitting on your pillow with the phone next to you and your ass all up for him to see your wet entrance.
A low chuckle escaped him as he watched your body react to the sudden vibrations, hips grinding involuntarily as the toy buzzed deep inside you. He tightened his grip on your waist, steadying you, enjoying how you squirmed under his touch.
âLook at you, baby,â he murmured, his voice dripping with amusement and lust. âYouâre already shaking, and Iâve barely started.â
He leaned down, his gloved hands sliding up your sides as he brought his mouth close to your ear. âYou really think you deserve my cock after teasing me like that?â His fingers grazed along your neck, applying just enough pressure to send a shiver through you, his grip both possessive and thrilling.
You gasped, the vibrations intensifying inside you, making you clench and arch back against him, desperate for more of his touch. His free hand moved down to stroke his length slowly, making sure you could hear every sound of him.
He eased the vibrator up to its highest setting, chuckling darkly as your moans filled the room. With his other hand still recording, he whispered, âKeep making those sounds, baby. I want a reminder of how needy you get for me.â His fingers traced along your jaw, forcing you to look forward as he positioned himself right behind you, letting the head of his cock press teasingly at your entrance, brushing back and forth.
âAre you ready to be filled completely?â he asked, his voice a seductive growl, every word dripping with the promise of complete control.
âYes! Daddy, please,â you whimpered, barely able to hold yourself steady.
Without another word, he took the vibrator and pushed himself into you, the stretch overwhelming as he filled you inch by inch.
With a final thrust, he filled you completely, making you cry out as he began to move, each thrust driving you higher, deeper, until your moans filled the room and he was lost in the feeling of you clenched tight around him.
âThatâs it, baby. Take everything. You wanted this,â he groaned, his voice heavy and possessive, each word sending another surge of desire through you as he claimed you completely, the mask hiding his face but not the intensity behind every movement.
His fingers grazed along your neck, tightening it on your neck, pulling you back just enough so he could whisper in your ear, âYou wanted to act up, didnât you, baby? Teasing me like that in front of everyone, knowing Iâd have to punish you.â
Your breath hitched, his words sending a thrill through you. âIâm sorry, Daddy,â you whimpered, though you could barely hold back a smirk, loving the way he was taking control.
âSorry doesnât cut it, princess,â he growled, his grip firm as he forced your hips down onto him with each deep thrust, his cock filling you completely. âYouâre going to remember tonight every time you sit down. Got it?â
âYes, Daddy,â you moaned, the words slipping from your lips as his hand slid down your body, gripping your waist firmly, holding you in place as he drove into you mercilessly. All of you were on fire, overwhelmed with sensation.
âSuch a cockslut,â he continued as he picked up the pace. âSuch a needy little thing, so desperate for Daddyâs cock, arenât you?â
âYes! Yes, I need it,â you gasped, unable to contain the need in your voice as he filled you over and over, your body melting under his rough touch. His fingers dug into your hips, holding you exactly where he wanted, and you loved every second of it.
âGood girl,â he praised, his voice softer but no less intense as he watched you. âDaddy loves seeing you like this, all spread out and taking me so well.â
You could only moan in response, the words driving you closer to the edge. He pulled back briefly, watching you tremble, and then slapped your ass hard, making you gasp as the sting mixed deliciously with the pleasure.
âI want to hear you beg for it,â he commanded, his voice a dangerous whisper. He took the plug and exchanged it with the vibrator, turning it up even higher, the relentless buzzing driving you wild to the point you were seeing stars. âBeg Daddy to fill you up.â
âPlease, Daddy,â you moaned, every nerve alight as you pressed back against him, desperate for more. âPlease, I need you to fill me up. I need you to own this pussy.â
A wicked grin spread across his face as he heard your desperate pleas. âThatâs my cumslut,â he said, finally slamming into you with full force, his rhythm relentless as he gave you everything youâd been begging for.
And as his thrusts grew rougher, your body trembling under him, his grip on your hips tightened even further, his voice a low, satisfied growl. âThis is what you get when you tease Daddy, baby. Donât ever forget it.â
"Fuck, yes! Harder, Mr. Ghostface."
The sound of your new nickname for him seemed to ignite something even darker in Heeseung. His grip on your hips tightened as he slammed into you with renewed intensity, each thrust harder and deeper, his breaths ragged behind the mask.
âOh, you like calling me that, huh?â he growled. âCalling for Mr. Ghostface to ruin you.â He punctuated his words with a sharp slap to your ass, making you gasp and arch back against him, your skin tingling from the sting.
He slid his hand down, gripping your throat as he held you still, his other hand pressing the vibrator firmly into you.
âYouâre Daddyâs little slut, arenât you?â He murmured, his voice laced with approval and lust as he kept up his punishing rhythm. âAnswer, princess.â
âYes, Daddy, Iâm yours,â you whimpered, the words tumbling from your lips as he drove you higher, your body at his mercy. He stopped for a second to look for a particular diddle.
Knowing what's about to happen, you fully lay on the bed. You extend your arm to catch the forgotten lube and put it again all over your entrance and on Heeseung's length. He slowly took out the vibrator from there to enter his dick, a groan leaving your mouth in a cry as he touched your sweet spot again.
He gave you the dildo, "Fuck yourself with it."
You put the dildo where his dick was before, and it slipped so easily, yet you were tight looking at the mask. But even when his whole face was covered, the piercing stare could be felt miles away.
Heeseungâs eyes darkened as he watched you obey through the mask, his breaths heavy and controlled, each one fueling the intensity between you. "Such a good little slut for Daddy," he rasped, his voice muffled but dripping with authority as his gaze raked over you. The way you filled yourself with the dildo had him throbbing, barely holding back as he watched you move it in and out, slick and needy under his command.
He reached down, his hands caressing your thighs before gripping them firmly, his fingers digging into your skin as he positioned himself at your entrance again, the dildo still moving inside you. He leaned close, his masked face inches from yours as he spoke, his voice a low, dangerous whisper. âKeep going, baby. Show Mr. Ghostface just how desperate you are.â
With each thrust of both, the dildo on your cunt and his dick on your other hole, you whimpered, your body arching into him, lost in the pleasure of following his every instruction.
"Fuck! Daddy!" you screamed, tears slipping again to your cheeks bc of the pleasure, you could feel yourself drooling as you were getting fucked numb.
âThatâs it, princess,â he murmured, voice full of pride and possessiveness. âTake it nice and deep. Show Daddy just how much you can handle.â
Your pace quickened, moans spilling from your lips as you met each thrust with the toy, the fullness of it making you feel more needy, the stretch and rhythm heightening every nerve in your body. The feeling of him filling you completely and the toy thrusting within you was overwhelming, and you were losing yourself in the pleasure of it all.
He leaned in close, pressing his lips to your ear, his voice dark and possessive. âSuch a good little bitch, taking it so well,â he growled, each word sending shivers down your spine. âYou love being Daddyâs toy, donât you?â
âYes, Daddy,â you managed to breathe out, your words laced with need as you moved in perfect rhythm, every thrust driving you closer to the edge. âI love it... I love being yours.â
âGood girl,â he praised, tightening his grip just enough to make your heart race. âNow, keep going. I want you to cum with me inside you, and I want you to feel every single second of it.â
The intensity of his words drove you wild that you felt yourself spiraling over the edge, your entire body trembling as you squirt, his name spilling from your lips in a broken cry. Heeseung followed soon after, his grip tightening as he buried himself deep, his groans blending with your own sounds of pleasure.
When he finally released his hold on you, he leaned back, admiring the sight of youâbreathless, trembling, and entirely his as he was entirely yours.
He took the mask off still burried inside you, his hair got messed up, his eyes were so glossy of lust and his face was red, he threw away the mask, starting a new slow pace. He took both of your legs to put them over his shoulders, both of your moans combining at the feeling of overstimulation.
"Open that pretty mouth for me." you did as he said, his spit landing on your tongue as you swallow it, "You're the best gift I've ever had, God."
"Happy birthday, Daddy." your back arched as his pace got faster and it didn't take long to give him another squirt, this time bigger as your throat hurting from how much you let him know how good he made you feel. He left your inside to have his face between your legs once again, taking again all of the squirt mixed with his cum, hugging your legs in the process to not make you move anywhere.
Both decided to end the night when he let his face burry in between your breasts, catching his breathe along with you. One of your hands went straight to his hair to brush some strings of hair that were attached to his forehead due to the sweat and the other stop the voice note.
"Did you like your birthday night?" you said, and Heeseung laughed, knowing how both of you wouldn't be able to even wake up for the next day.
"It was perfect," he replied, his voice still a bit husky from the nightâs activities. He left your body to lie next to you, both of you facing each other. "We should clean the bed and sleep on the inflatable bed you have; weâve definitely⌠uh, made a bit of a mess."
"We must, but... fuck, we just had sex like bunnies," you panted, and he laughed once again, this time, you joined in.
Heeseungâs laughter was infectious, filling the room with warmth and lightness âAt least weâre not the only ones who are tired,â he said, glancing at the crumpled sheets. âThis bed is definitely in need of some TLC.â
"Get lost Heeseung." you said, unable to stop your laugh, he quickly gave you a kiss, smilling at how suddenly you got quiet and your cheeks got red.
"I'm so grateful for this 23rd birthday. Thank you for making it so⌠unforgettable. And I'm so sorry for all the months I left you alone, I'll make it up for you." you kissed him after he finished it.
"Honey, you're a singer, and when we got into the relationship, we knew it was going to be hard," you replied softly, your fingers tracing the outline of his jaw. âBut I wouldnât change a thing. Moments like this make it all worth it.â
Heeseung smiled, his eyes warm and sincere. âYou really mean that?â
âOf course I do,â you said, your heart swelling with affection. âIâve always believed in us, and I know we can get through anything together.â
He nodded, pulling you closer as if to emphasize your bond. âYouâre my everything, you know? I donât want to take you for granted again.â
You looked into his eyes, seeing the sincerity and promise reflected back at you. âAnd I donât want you to feel guilty for the past."
"I will never stop loving you, baby."
"Me neither"
PERMANENT TAGLIST: @kwiwin @hees-love @taeghi @glitterjay @caratstick @hvseung @hxxsxxng @jungwonmeover @awqken @021894s @intromortal @heeslomll @rikiluvbot @alvojake @ja3yun @jakeflvrz (adding some of my moots, but lmk if you want to be removed or add to the permanent taglist âĄ)
⡠đđđđđ˘'đ note: Happy belate birthday to my boy Heeseung and happy late halloween for all of you too, slowly making a comeback! SCREAM fans don't come after me pls, this is different :3 (leaving this quick edit i did of Heeseung Ghostface as a peace offering) đŚ
#đľđźđšđšđŚđđđđđ ! ৠËâ
#âđđđđŚ'đ đđđđđ
áśť đ đ° .á#enhypen#heeseung#lee heeseung#enhypen smut#heeseung smut#lee heeseung smut#heeseung x reader
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CEILINGS ËË ěľě°ě¤Í â¸Â  đđžđşđ˝ đđşđđ đđđ đđžđđž: đś đđŽđťđťđŽ đŻđ˛ đđźđđżđ
youâre both from two seperate worlds, but in the four corners of your bedroom the two of you can be together. even if your latest confession means it could be for the last time.
pairing ââ¸â¸â¸ choi yeonjun x fem!reader đľ iΡcâudἹs đ none!
genreďšđďšâ¸â¸â¸ angst, smut, secret friends with benefits to ???, secret relationship, punk!yeonjun, nerd!reader, reader wears glasses, punk x nerd trope, some bad boy x good girl trope
warnings ââ¸â¸â¸ unprotected sex, soft dom!yeonjun, kinda service top!yeonjun, pussy drunk!yeonjun, clit stimulation, slight overstimulation, heavy praise kink, marking, slight bulge kink?, petnames (baby, sweetheart, good girl, babygirl), creampie, riding, cowgirl, depictions of heartbreak, a lot of desperation lmao
kipoâs note ââ¸â¸â¸ happy birthday yeonjun my love!!! ⥠⥠⥠and happy early ggum release!!! this is inspired by the songs ceilings by lizzy mcalpine and in my room by julia wolf! havenât wrote angsty smut in so long, i missed it hehe! wrote this while i was suffering from a migraine (> <ă) the love and deepspace brainrot has been strong so if you see familiar dialogue⌠Ę
ďźâžâĄâďźĘ i hope you enjoy!! Í ÍÍ Í ÍÍ Í Í Í ÍÍ Í Í ÍÍ Í Í ď¸ľÍĄ đđĄđĄ đđđđđđđđ đđŁđ đ§đđđĄđ¤đđ¨ đđ§đ đŹđđĄđđ¤đ˘đ (ââżâ)âĄ
âż [ 4k ] â [ continue on to . . . masterlist ]
if you tried really hard you could imagine that the four corners of your room was something elseâsomewhere else. somewhere other than your room. like, perhaps, a nice restaurant where the lights are warm and youâre sitting in the cozy back corner. or maybe a park on a day where itâs not too hot and not too cold. that perfect temperature where you can wear lighter clothing if you wanted, but that also gave you the opportunity to ask a lover for their sweater.
tonight, as you stared up at your ceiling, you pictured that your room was a cute little picnic date. you pictured that you and yeonjun ate cute little sandwiches together as you both watched various strangers pass by. you pictured that you and his relationship was ultimately more than it was.
yeonjun: your windowâs still open, right?
the buzzing of your phone at such a late hour didnât surprise you as much as it did before. you didnât even have to check the contact name as you responded and tossed your phone back onto your nightstand, the device clanging against your stacked textbooks from your study session earlier. a sigh pushed through you.
you had been so hopelessly in love with yeonjun since you first laid eyes on him on campusânonchalant attitude paired with his alternative clothing and headphones resting against his head that seeped out the rock music he was always listening to as he strode across the pavement. when his eyes met yours that day for the briefest of moments, you had to get to know him somehow.
you: you know it always is.
unfortunately for you, your social circles didnât overlap in the slightest. yours consisted of studious students who were the top of their classes and who made sure that their assignments got turned in early. nerds, others would say, or perhaps geeks.
yeonjunâs on the other handâhis consisted of various alternative people. some in bold black and white makeup and black, frilly victorian style dresses, while others in tight, dark clothing and hair in their eyes that sported dyed colored stripes. all of them clad in black eyeliner that darkened their already tired looking eyes and listening to the same rock music he did.
he was rebellious and liked to break the rules while you abided by them. the hammering of loud drums and guitars soothed him while it was something you absolutely couldnât stand. he was vulgar and spoke the first thing that came to his mind while you constantly overthought the polite answer you would give. yeonjun was night while you were day.
the two of you couldnât have been more different.
but still, that didnât stop you from being drawn to him. and that fateful day where you happened to run into him and drop all of your textbooks changed your relationship forever. never did you think your wide eyes and bumbling apologies would lead to you under him as your nails dug into the skin of his shoulders as your shared moans bounced off the walls of your room.
never did you expect him to ask you to keep it all a secret because he didnât want his friends to know he was fucking the resident nerd.
you hear the familiar creaking of your window as yeonjun begins to open it and reach for your glasses in the mess on your nightstand. the blurriness of your room comes into focus right as yeonjun pokes his head through the window, effectively killing the daydream you were in. he pushes his bright orange hair off of his forehead as he steps through, finger tangling in the light blonde streaks within it.
âhey, babe,â yeonjun said as he swung his other leg over the ledge of the window. his black boots crumpled one of the discarded papers on your floor but he didnât seem to notice as he shut the window behind him, locking the cold air out.
yeonjun turned towards you, already stripping out of his faded flannel. âthat math test is already a bust. i literally couldnât understand any of that shit. i donât even know how i made the class⌠shocked that the professor hasnât said anything to me about it yet.â
his cheeks were flushed from the cold and his dark brown eyeliner was smudged around his eyes as he stared down at your lying form. you pushed up on your elbows as you watched him take off the band t-shirt he was wearing. you stared at his bare upper-body with wide eyes and the corner of his mouth lifted as he kept talking.
you hated the way your heart fluttered and raced, hated the effect he had on you. you hated the way he smirked at you like he knew he had you wrapped around his pretty little finger. it was embarrassing.
you gulped as his eyes remained on yours as he slowed his fingers down to unbuckle the belt he was wearing. âyou seem distractedâŚâ yeonjun said, his voice mixed with amusement and slight teasing, âdonât tell me it was that hard! if you canât do it, then thereâs no way in hell iâm gonna.â
he kicked off his boots and moved closer to where you were on the bed. your tongue felt heavy in your mouth as you stuttered out a response, ây-yeonjun⌠itâs late and we both have classes tomorrow⌠what are you doing here?â
in one swift motion he climbed over you, trapping your body underneath his. the tips of his dyed hair tickled your cheeks and the cold metal of his belt buckle against your lower stomach made you shiver. his mouth was at the shell of your ear as his whispered, âyou know why iâm here.â
yeonjun pressed kisses down the side of your neck and along your jaw, stopping just before he reached your mouth. âbesides, i wanted to see you.â
his hands trailed up your sides and under the thin fabric of the tank top you were wearing. before you knew it, it was over your head and you bare breasts were exposed fully for him. âi wanted to see the pretty flustered faces you make when iâm inside of you.â
cold fingers hooked onto the hem of your shorts, tugging down slowly. âand the way you try and avoid my eyes but canât help but stare. canât help but let those pretty moans escape your mouth,â yeonjun continued as his lips brushed against yours. he pulled your shorts and panties down until you were completely naked under him.
âyouâve been avoiding me.â
he pulled away completely and stood from your bed, his words hanging in the air. his eyes never left yours as he tugged his black jeans down.
your chest rose and fell heavily as your eyes trailed down to the obvious bulge in his boxers, the dim light of your bedside lamp making it more apparent. you shook your head as your eyes met his gaze once more, âi havenât.â
you have been avoiding him. not purposely, but you guessed that it was to the extent that he noticed. when he would walk in your direction on campus you would go a different way to your class. youâd force yourself to not let your eyes linger on his retreating frame and instead focused on what the task was at hand.
it shocked you that he noticed, since he usually ignored your existence outside of these four walls. âit just⌠wouldnât workâŚâ he had told you once as you stayed curled up against his naked body one night. âweâre like two puzzle pieces from two seperate boards.â
âyou have,â yeonjun stated, pulling down his boxers so he too was completely naked, spare the small skull necklace you had gifted him a couple months back. his large cock hit against his lower stomach, the precum dripping from the slit glittering in the dim lighting.
he returned back to his hovering position over you, heavy cock brushing against you and causing your legs to tighten slightly around his waist as arousal pooled at the pit of your stomach. the small skull necklace dangled above your face as his head tilted to the side and plump lips formed a tiny pout. âwhy?â yeonjun asked, voice lowered.
the tips of his fingers grazed along your hips and left goosebumps in itâs wake as he waited for your answer. your breath hitched in response. âi-itâsâschoolâs just been hecticâŚâ you trailed. âfinals are coming up.â
yeonjunâs head dipped to the crook of your neck. he hummed against the skin, causing you to shiver again. he dragged his nose up your jawline until his lips brushed against yours once more. âliar,â he whispered and then lowered his lips onto yours fully.
he kissed you slowly, yet his lips pressed onto yours roughly. yeonjunâs hands inched up your sides and stopped just below your breasts. he then pulled away just before the two of you struggled for air.
your glasses fell down your nose bridge and he adjusted them for you. âiâll just have to fuck the answer out of you,â he concluded, his voice louder. his other hand dipping between your legs to collect the slick that formed at your core.
yeonjun spread the slickness all through your folds and throbbing clit, making your back arch off the mattress slightly as a small moan pushed between your lips. âor you could just tell me the truthâŚâ he spoke, thumb rubbing your clit and sending waves of pleasure up your body.
your eyes squeezed shut, âthat is t-the truth.â
âcome on, baby. you donât even believe that,â yeonjun responded, incredulous. he hummed again and grabbed his cock with the hand that was circling your clit, rubbing the reddened tip up and down your arousal. he used his other hand to hold down the lower half of your body.
how could you tell him the truth? it was clear that he wasnât looking for a relationship with you that wasnât purely physicalâand a secret at that. even now, his words rang through your head: âweâre like two puzzle pieces from two seperate boards.â
the two of you didnât even fit together.
you couldnât possibly say that you were hopelessly in love with him. that you daydreamed scenarios where the two of you were together, really together. scenarios where you held his hand in public and where he wasnât afraid to kiss you in front of his friends and anyone else who may be watching.
it was a pipe dream, and you knew it. you knew he knew it, too. and yetâŚ
yet, you wished that maybe your thoughts would be proven wrong. maybe he would smile and say that he loved you too, that he wanted to be with you too. publically.
breath hitching, you said in a low whine, âiâve been stressed.â
it wasnât technically a lie, but it was still far from the truth. you just really didnât want to ruin what the two of you already had going on. it would absolutely crush you, and you already looked at yeonjun like he hung the stars in the sky himself.
your hips rolled up towards his on their own and you dug your head into the pillow underneath you. âiâve been avoiding everyone, not just you,â you continued.
yeonjun hummed again and you could tell that he still didnât believe you, but would drop it for the time being. âthen iâll make you feel better.â his lips were on yours again, rough and full of desperate need just as he pushed himself inside you fully.
you broke away from him suddenly, crying out in a loud moan that yeonjun then cut off with his lips. his hand still pressed down on you as he thrusted into you again. he brought his free hand up to cup your face gently, all while you moaned into his mouth.
his pretty lips sucked dark marks onto your neck, claiming you as his as they trailed down to your breasts. the obscene sounds the two of you made together bounced off the walls and you were lucky that you lived alone in this small apartment.
âfuck, youâre so wet. does my cock in you feel good, sweetheart?â yeonjun asked and all you could do was nod as he fucked into you deeper. he nodded along with you, âyeah? you want more? youâre still stressed?â
whimpers fell from your lips as he kissed the love bites he just left. âw-want⌠more. please,â you begged.
yeonjun chuckled, pretty smile lighting up his features. he then moved the two of you so you were now straddling him as he laid on your bed. your eyes widened in shock. usually he had you pinned under him as he fucked you. never have he let you ride him before.
âride me, baby?â yeonjun asked. âtake all of your stress out on me.â
you inhaled sharply as you looked down at him, looked down at his length laying on his lower abdomen and wet with your arousal. you shook your head. there was no way you were gonna be able to ride himâat least not on your own.
he mustâve sensed your hesitance because he cupped your face and rubbed his thumb along your cheek. âyou can do it. youâve taken all of me before. donât worry, iâll help you.â yeonjunâs voice was low with reassurance and you swallowed the lump in your throat and nodded.
âokay,â you shakily muttered.
yeonjun nodded again with you, âlet me help you feel better.â his hands found your waist and pulled you towards him as he kissed you, melting your worries.
he pulled away and looked down between the both of you as he sat up more. he guided your hips up and reached down to prop his cock up for you. âsit on it,â yeonjun said.
your hands found his biceps and grabbed onto them tightly as you aligned yourself. slowly, your pussy sunk down on him inch by inch, wrapping around his length and filling you up so much that you felt like you could feel him in your chest. yeonjun let out a guttural moan as he fell back against your headboard. âgoodâŚâ he whimpered out, trying his hardest to steady his breathing. his hands on your waist moved down to your hips as they tightened.
âgood girl, just like that. see? i told you you could do it. fuckââ yeonjun suddenly thrusted up into you, eyes rolling back slightly. âfuck, baby you feel so good,â he breathed out through a moan, âgod, you drive me crazy.â
the corners of your mouth rose as you watched his reaction. you never gotten this clear of a view of his face and you were enjoying every moment of it. experimentally, you rolled your hips forward and immediately let out a loud moan. yeonjunâs fingers dug into your hips hard, âs-shit, keep doing that. gonna make me cum if you keep moving those pretty hips like that.â
he moved your hips for you as he stared at you through hooded lids, mouth open as more moans passed his lips. you bet your expression mirrored his as you moved your hips more, brows furrowing as shock waves of pleasure shot up through you.
you placed your hands flat on his bare chest as your hips moved faster. your head flew back as yeonjun kneaded your bouncing tits, thumbs rubbing over your perked nipples. âkeep going,â he whined through labored breaths, thrusting his hips up against yours as you moved.
âjjunie, iâm gonnaââ you could barely finish your words as he thrusted up towards you and the rope in your stomach completely snapped. you fell backwards onto your hands, giving him a full view of your shaking body, glistening in the dim lamp light with a layer of sweat.
you tried to catch your breath as best you could as pleasure rippled throughout you and made your limbs feel like jelly. you wanted to help him too, so in a weak motion you used your hands behind your back to roll your hips again, using the last bit of strength to raise your hips as well as you dropped them back down on his throbbing cock.
the sound the two of your bodies made was completely lewd. cum dripped from out of you and around his cock and down his thick length. yeonjun watched the whole thing and you swear you saw the last resolve in him break as his mind completely fogged over. âmy fucking god,â he half moaned, half muttered as he sat up completely. in one swift movement his tight grip held your hips and he fucked into you so deep and unrelenting that you saw new galaxies.
all you had was the weakening strength of your arms behind you to keep you afloat, and the more he fucked you, the more it wavered. âyou drive me fucking crazy, you know that?â yeonjun sputtered between moans. âyou and this pretty fucking pussy of yours, devouring my cock whole. all i can fucking think about these days.â
you barely heard anything yeonjun was saying with the ringing in your ears, you think that he barely heard himself, honestly. his mouth was stringing together incoherent words and praises between various curses as he fucked you deeper and deeper. your arms shook and so did your body not just from your rapidly numbing body, but also from the sheer force of his thrustsâso desperate and so sloppy as he chased his incoming release.
ât-too⌠m-much!â you cried, trying to catch his gaze through the tears forming in your eyes and your tits bouncing in your face. âcanât take a-anymore!â
yeonjun shushed you softly as his hands moved to your waist, his frenzied pace not stopping. he pressed you up against his chest and slammed his lips onto yours. ârelax,â he whispered breathlessly between kisses as his body moved in sync with yours, âyou can take it.â
he pulled away and rested his forehead on yours, moans falling from his parted lips as he released inside of you and filled you up impossibly more. your head fell to the crook of yeonjunâs neck as the two of you caught your breath in comfortable silence. after a couple minutes, yeonjun broke it and breathed, âgood job, babygirl.â
yeonjun moved you onto your back, still deep inside of you. he pulled out slowly, the base of his cock covered in a white ring of cum as more of it poured out of you and down the curve of your ass. he watched it all with eager, hungry eyes.
âfuck⌠look at that,â yeonjun mumbled under his breath. he dragged his thumb along your cum covered folds, pushing some of it back inside you just to watch it pour out of you again. you jerked as your breath hitched and you tried to close your legs but yeonjun used his thighs and free hand to keep them open. âso pretty, makes me want to pump your pussy full of more of my cum,â he continued, louder this time.
he leaned down to greet your lips in a slow kiss, hands touching any part of your body that he could access. the two of you stayed like that for a while as you came down from your sex high, lips locked together. your hands were in his dyed hair, pulling at the tips as you whimpered softly. your core throbbed and you were filled with need once again.
yeonjun smiled against your lips. you had to give it to him, he knew your body well. a low hum came from the back of his throat and he pulled away. âitâs late,â he muttered before kissing your lips again and pulling away fully.
he disappeared for a moment and came back with a warm, wet towel to clean the two of you up. after he turned to pull his boxers back on as you laid under the covers naked. you watched as he started to pull on his black jeans, your heart racing with every tug. all you could think about was how you didnât want him to go. how you didnât want to go back to practically being strangers again.
suddenly the words are tumbling out of your mouth before you could stop them, your head too clouded to think properly about the consequences your words may have. âlisten⌠iââ
âdonât tell me youâre in love with me,â yeonjun joked in a teasing voice as he buckled his belt. your mouth clamped shut and heavy silence filled the room as yeonjun put his shirt and flannel back on. he paused once you didnât say anything, turning to look at you from your window.
he hesitated before sighing and reaching down to put his boots back on. you tried to not let the tears fill your eyes in front of him as thick tension filled the air, opting to tug the blanket tighter around your body. âletâs not ruin a good thing, okay?â yeonjun said, lowly, avoiding your eyes.
yeonjun opened your window and the cold night air hit you full force, causing goosebumps to form along the parts of your skin that were exposed. the moonlight made the skull necklace around his neck sparkle. âiâll see you tomorrow?â he asked as he turned to face you.
you hid your face from his view as you looked to the side just as the tear rolled down your cheek. you nodded, it was a solemn nod that you tried to mask. you moved your hand to fix your hair in a discreet way to wipe the tear away and looked at him with the biggest smile you could muster. it didnât reach your eyes.
you could tell he didnât buy it and that he wanted to say something about it, but you laid down before he could and focused your eyes on your ceiling. you heard his soft sigh and the window close after he stepped through it, effectively cutting off the cold air blowing into your room.
all at once it felt like the stars had come crashing down around you. no matter how hard you tried, it felt like you couldnât get oxygen to your lungs and hot, blistering tears fell from your eyes. you heaved in breaths of air that did absolutely nothing.
sobs wracked your body that were so loud you were sure that yeonjun could hear them outside. they hit you like a tidal wave and the pressure of it all was making you drown. you clutched at your chest as you laid in a ball beneath the covers, gasping for air as you cried harder and harder.
how could you be so stupid? you knew the riskâknew that he didnât feel that way about you and still you opened your big mouth. and for what? you wouldnât be shocked if your relationship ended here. if you never saw yeonjun again and the two of you went back to being actual strangers, someone who you stared at from a distance.
youâd never see his face again. youâd never see his band tees and smudged eyeliner, never hear his loud rock music that gave you a headache, never feel his skin against yoursâagain. it was completely and utterly over, and it was all your fault. you felt sick to your stomach.
like a zombie, you rose from the grave that was your bed and numbly put your pajamas back on, feeling disgusted with yourself. you stripped your bed of the old sheets and covers and replaced them with new, clean ones. you shut off your bedside lamp as you fell apart in the darkness, more pained sobs forcing its way through your mouth.
youâd never see yeonjun againânot in the same dim light you once saw him in before.
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real talk
đ starring. Mark Lee x afab!Reader
đŽ preview.âYouâre Jenoâs roommate, Jenoâs my friend- I know weâve just met, but I know things about you.â Hyuck explains. âWhen you were with your last girl, Jeno used to come to the bar and bitch about you never coming out- heâs been wanting you to meet the rest of the boys for a while, but never wanted to invite us over cuz your last girlfriend had some supernatural cootchie-grip hold on you or something- point is, I know youâre a serial monogamist. Two long-term girlfriends. You like the domestic shit, and I get that- but if you want domestic, itâs not our little Miss Sunshine expo girl. She canât even sleep next to guys sheâs fucked- wakes up at five am, and dips out without a word. Trust me on this, dude, you wanna stay far away from that man-eater.â
tw/cw. Unprotected sex, multiple sex scenes, reader has a hard time cumming, oral (f/m receiving), Mark is a MUNCH, deep throating, fingering, masturbation, use of toys/vibrator, dirty talk, praise, Mark is a simp, sex realism, overthinking during sex, mentions of sexual favours in return for affection, a string of bad ex-lovers, breast worship, creampies, aftercare, finger sucking, drunkenness, etc⌠I pet names: (hers) sunshine. (his) puppy boy.
đš rating.18+ explicit I wc. 19.4k
đ aus. Restaurant au, line chef!Mark, slow burn, coworkers to lovers, fuck girl who looks like sunshine meets a serial monogamist who looks like a fuckboy, etcâŚ
âď¸ mlist + an. I wanted to touch on some realism to kick off the year. Not everything is as easy during sex as it appears in fanfic/p*rn, so I wanted to make something that might be more true to the real experience of afabs who overthink and need extra help to cum- I hope maybe this fic can normalize girls who need some extra machine power to get off ;)
One:
Mark has only been working at his new restaurant for two weeks, but heâs already fallen in love with the place. Morning shifts have been good for him. With the help of his favorite expo girl - who always takes the time to explain small details and things heâs been messing up on - heâs already gotten used to the menu. Every day feels better and better.
âThis tuna is looking so good, Mark,â you grin, inspecting the plate.Â
When heâd first been hired, the fish heâd cut had come out mangled, but after talking him through it, youâd both realized it had been a knife issue. Sharpening his blade had led to Mark perfecting his slices, and now, he eagerly awaits your praises when he puts his food up in the expo window.Â
Markâs eyes follow you as you dart off toward the bar, the plate of tuna balanced perfectly in your hand. The new chef canât help the smile that works its way onto his lips, and he leans forward, hand flat on the cutting board station in front of him.
âThis tuna is looking so good, Mark,â Hyuckâs annoying voice snaps him out of his trance, and Mark turns to look at the man next to him. âGod, can you two make it any more obvious that youâre into each other?â
âSheâs just doing her job,â Mark assures the other line chef, but he can feel his skin heating at the idea.
âSure she is. But she doesnât compliment my cooking as much as she does yours.â Hyuck crosses his arms over his chest, letting out a sigh as his gaze shifts to the view through the expo line. Youâre at the bar now, chatting with the man who youâve just served. However, youâre taking longer than normal, and youâre smiling a lot too.
âNo fucking way,â Hyuck breathes, leaning forward and narrowing his eyes. âThat guy is hitting on her.â
âIs he?â Mark also dips his head toward the expo window, eager for a look.
âYeah, mans just slipped her his number,â Hyuck laughs. âThatâs our little Sunshine though, isnât it? This restaurant is her playground.â
âWhat do you mean?â Mark asks.
âJust that sheâs quite popular,â Hyuck brushes it off as you approach the expo line again. âDid you get a number, sweet thing?â
âWhy, you jealous?â You grin, holding up the slip of paper with digits on it.Â
âYou wish,â Hyuck scoffs, but Mark gets the feeling thereâs something else going on between the two of you, something unspoken. Heâs still getting used to the dynamic of the restaurant, and in work spaces like this, relationships arenât uncommon. He wonders what history you have with Hyuck, wonders what chance he has with you- wonders if itâs even a good idea.
Two
âLuna never runs her own food,â Sumi notes, standing with you by the entrance to the restaurant while you watch the tall waitress lean against the expo window. âI know that our new chef is cute, but, damn.â
âShe can do what she wants,â you laugh, wiping down menus. âMakes my job easier.â
âYou know, itâs kind of felt like you and Mark have some sort of understanding,â Sumi grins, moving close enough that your hips touch by the host station. âHe watches you a lot.â
âDoes he?â Your gaze moves back to the expo line.
âUh huh, almost as much as Hyuck does- which, by the way, you sure did a number on him.â
âHyuck will get over it, heâs a fuck boy,â you wave your hand. âIâm great at attracting that kind of guy.â
âDo you get fuck boy vibes from Mark?â Sumi wonders, tapping her pen against the top of her Ipad thoughtfully.
âHeâs definitely cute enough to be a womanizer, donât you think?â
âKey word being cute,â Sumi points out. âI donât know, he doesn't give me fuck boy vibes like the other line chefs do.â
âWell, heâs roommates with Jeno, isnât he?â Your eyes move to the bar. Jenoâs a night bartender, but his close friend, Renjun is working today. âJenoâs a fuck boy, he got Hyuck and Jaemin jobs here. Theyâre both fuck boys. It would make sense if Mark was that kind of guy too.â
âIâm still not convinced,â Sumi states, crossing an arm over her chest. âSpeaking of men though- whatever happened to that guy who gave you his number the other day? Are you actually considering a date with him?â
âI already had a date with him,â you admit.Â
âYikes, from the way you havenât mentioned it at all, Iâd guess it didnât go so well?â
âMeh,â you shrug your shoulders. âHe wonât be getting a second date.â
âHow many first dates have you been on this year?â Sumi asks. âDidnât you say it was like⌠a lot?â
âToo many to count,â you giggle.Â
âSo whatâs the deal with that? Like- whatâs your type? I know you were seeing Hyuck for a little while, how come that didnât work?â
âIt just didnât,â you say, looking down at the menus youâve wiped clean. âI try not to think about my failures too much.â
âReally? But you could learn so much from them,â Sumi frowns. âI mean- look at me and Doyoung. I was never into the more serious types, always went for fuck boys and younger guys- but after some soul searching, I realized I needed someone older who had their shit together.â
âYou also have a thing for guys in powerful positions, and Doyoung is literally one of our managers,â you point out.
âWell, Iâm still a work in progress,â Sumi winks. âAnyways- think about it. If you look at your dating patterns, you might be surprised by what you find.â
Three
Thereâs nothing like the air outside after being in a hot kitchen for a few hours. The lunch rush is finally over, and after having a 20 top that ordered an insane amount of food with an even crazier amount of modifications and allergies, Mark is ready to take a massive puff from his vape pen.
He stands by the back exit to the restaurant, looking out at the cars on the street as he takes a long drag. As he inhales, the door behind Mark opens, and he turns to come face-to-face with you.
The shock of seeing you makes him choke a little, and he begins to cough out a large puff of smoke. Markâs lungs burn, and his skin feels even hotter, enflamed by the embarrassment of you seeing him take a crappy hit when in reality, heâs a vaping veteran.Â
âYou good?â you ask, reaching out and gently rubbing his back as you step past him.
âYeah, I, uh-â Markâs entire body tingles at the physical contact. âSorry, you just surprised me.â
âDidnât mean to scare you,â you grin, stopping in front of him. He notices the way your eyes go to his vape pen, and he immediately holds it out to you.
âWant some?â
âI mean, if youâre offering.â You reach out and accept the sleek black vape. âWhatâs the flavor?â
âUh⌠cotton candy?â God, Mark feels like a fool, especially when you raise a brow at him. âI have a bit of a sweet tooth.â
âDidnât peg you as a sweet tooth type,â you grin, bringing the refillable device to your lips. Mark watches you take a drag, focusing on your mouth and the way you look sucking on something- he starts to imagine what youâd look like sucking on something else, something substantially bigger.Â
As you exhale, you cough a little, and Mark wonders if youâre doing that to make him feel better about his screw-up a moment ago- or maybe you simply donât vape often, heâs not too sure.Â
âThanks,â you say, still coughing as you hand the vape back to Mark. Your fingers brush gently as he accepts it from you, and as Mark brings the device to his mouth, heâs extremely aware of the fact that your lips had just been where his now are.Â
He wonders if it means anything that youâd be so willing to swap spit like this, even on something as innocent as a vape pen.Â
âHow long are you here till?â you ask, breaking him from his daze.Â
âStarted at seven am, eight-hour shift, should be off around three when the night cross-over guys come in,â Mark explains.Â
âAny fun plans for tonight?â you continue to press. âIt is a Friday after all.â
âNo plans, will probably just go home, make some food, and watch Netflix all night⌠what about you?â
You sigh. âNo hot dates, unfortunately. Will probably do the same as you. Do you have any good show recommendations? Iâve been looking for something new.â
âI mean, it depends, what are you into?â Mark asks, eager to hear more about your tastes, your likes and dislikes- he knows so little about you, mostly things related to work. Heâs curious about what you do in your downtime, and heâs grateful he has an opportunity like this to get to know you even a little bit better.
As you part your lips to respond, the back door swings open, and Hyuck steps out, already mid-puff of his neon orange vape.Â
âOh,â the line chef grins, exhaling through his nose and flashing a grin, âAm I interrupting something?â
âNo,â you respond quickly, and Mark notes the shift in your energy, âI was just leaving actually.â
âSee you later,â Mark offers, watching you hurry off.Â
âClassic her,â Hyuck sighs, coming to stand next to Mark.
âWhat do you mean?â
âSheâs a runner, that one,â Hyuck takes another puff from his vape.
âSo you two definitely used to date,â Mark states. The interaction heâs just witnessed verifies his suspicion, and since theyâre technically outside of work/the kitchen, Mark feels able to actually discuss this now.
âI donât know if Iâd call it dating,â Hyuck cocks his head to the side, eyes still fixed on you where youâre crossing the street a couple hundred feet away. âLook, do you want real talk? You wanna know about your favorite expo girl?â
âYeah, I wanna know.â Mark lifts his vape to his lips, readying himself for whatever is about to come out of Hyuckâs mouth.
âI know she looks like sugar and sunshine, but I hate to burst your bubble Mark- sheâs a bit of a fuck girl, that one.âÂ
âIt takes one to know one,â Mark points out.
âTouche, but to be fair, I never claimed to be anything other than a guy who likes pussy, and little miss sunshine knew that when we started hooking up a few months ago.â Hyuck lets out another large puff of smoke into the air. âLook, I said Iâd give you real talk so here it is. Sheâs got a lot of expectations. Girl reads those horny romance books-â
âErotica.â
âYeah, thatâs it, erotica.â Hyuck nods to himself. âWell, she reads erotica, and her ideas about fucking are kind of hard to make real. Sheâs too in her head all of the time. Apparently - and donât repeat this anywhere - but apparently no guy sheâs fucked has ever made her actually cum. She has this thing where someone told her that if a guy doesnât make you cum, he doesnât add to your body count, so allegedly her body count is zero and sheâs a virgin, but we both know itâs a lot higher than that.âÂ
âThe whole body count thing doesnât phase me,â Mark says quietly, although the wheels in his head are spinning.
âSure it doesnât,â Hyuck scoffs. âJust listen, if youâre into her, itâs not going to work out. Sheâs not for beginners like you.â
âBeginners like me?â Mark side eyes the line chef.
âYouâre Jenoâs roommate, Jenoâs my friend- I know weâve just met, but I know things about you.â Hyuck explains. âWhen you were with your last girl, Jeno used to come to the bar and bitch about you never coming out- heâs been wanting you to meet the rest of the boys for a while, but never wanted to invite us over cuz your last girlfriend had some supernatural cootchie-grip hold on you or something- point is, I know youâre a serial monogamist. Two long-term girlfriends. You like the domestic shit, and I get that- but if you want domestic, itâs not our little Miss Sunshine expo girl. She canât even sleep next to guys sheâs fucked- wakes up at five am, and dips out without a word. Trust me on this, dude, you wanna stay far away from that man-eater.â
Four
âMark?â you ask, looking at the takeout bowl in front of you.
âYeah?â he leans forward, lips parting as he waits for your judgment.
âDidnât they order the spicy yogurt on the side?â You push the rice bowl forward, pointing at the lines of orange tinted cream that cover the veggies.Â
âShit,â Mark cusses, grabbing the chit-paper receipt and scanning it. âThere were like, three other modifications, I didnât even see the yogurt on the side.â
âItâs okay,â you assure him. âItâs takeout, and thereâs pretty much no one in the restaurant, so you have time to make another⌠besides, Iâll just take this one as my lunch.â
One of the perks of the job is getting to take home the food thatâs not correct. Youâd been dreading going to the grocery store, your fridge empty of easy meals, but now you donât have to make the trek, and youâre more than happy about it.
âYou know, Mark, youâre my favorite new chef.â Heâs also the only new chef, and youâve been reaping the rewards of minor fuck ups the past two weeks.Â
Mark, however, doesnât seem to note your teasing, and he offers you a genuine smile. âYouâre my favorite expo girl.â
âYeah?â you grin. âAnd whyâs that?â
âYouâre really nice about things I mess up,â Markâs eyes shift to the dragon bowl youâre packing up. âLike, you point things out, and you turn them good. As you said, itâs an easy fix, I have the time, and now you get to eat that.âÂ
âItâs a mutually beneficial arrangement, thatâs for sure,â you laugh.Â
âYouâre also pretty happy most days, always makes me happy to come in and see our Little Miss Sunshine.âÂ
âJeeze, not you calling me that pet-name too,â you roll your eyes. Hyuck had taken to calling you that a few months ago, and somehow the title had stuck. Mark was the only chef using your real name, but it looks like those days might already be behind you.
âIt fits,â Mark assures you. âI think itâs cute.â
âDoes it fit because Iâm cute?âÂ
You notice the way Mark immediately swallows thickly, his skin turning a pretty shade of pink. âUh- I mean, yeah,â his voice cracks, and he fiddles with his sleeves, pushing them up to his elbows, âyouâre cute-â
âOh my God-â you stare at his forearms, which are usually covered by his chef coat. âHave you always had all those tattoos?!â
âDid you really never notice these?â Mark looks down at his arms, lifting them so you can see the details.
âI have never noticed them,â you confirm, leaning forward. âDamn, how many tattoos do you have?!â
âA lot?â Markâs tattoos are patchwork style, all black. They litter his forearms, and you wonder how high up the markings go- you wonder if his chest is covered, or his back- what about his legs?
âI need a tattoo tour,â you insist.
âI mean⌠I canât show you all of them-â Mark says sheepishly.Â
âStart with that one,â you point at a tattoo of three letters near his inner elbow, âWhatâs SSG mean?â
âSo uh- the first restaurant I worked in, a few of us dishwashers worked our way into the kitchen with no formal training or anything- just started at the bottom, and went up from there. One of us came up with the idea of being the Soapy Suds Gang, like- dishwashers to chefs. Was at that restaurant from the age of fifteen to twenty, and when it closed down cuz the owners just didnât wanna be in the business anymore, me and all the others got the matching SSG tattoo.â
Mark is adorable. Like, shockingly so. Itâs such a stupid yet endearing story- and for some reason, it feels so on-brand for Mark.Â
He begins to tell you about a few other tattoos. Thereâs a shotgun to commemorate his years playing Call of Duty online with friends. A cartoon puppy because apparently his mom never let him get a dog - something about him not being able to handle it if the dog ever died - so when he turned eighteen, he got a dog that could never bite the bullet, etched into his skin with black ink.Â
All the marks have meaning, stories that make up the groundwork of Markâs life.Â
âWhat about that one?â you ask, noting a King of Hearts tattoo that heâd skipped over.
âOh, uhâŚâ Mark rubs the back of his neck shyly. âMy ex-girlfriend wanted a Queen of Hearts tattoo, so I got this one, and⌠I mean, I donât regret it, I was with the girl for three years- but, itâs not a tattoo I talk about too often.â
âThree years?â you ask in shock. âYou were with your last girlfriend for three years?â
âWhy do you sound so shocked?â
âItâs just- I mean,â you lick your lips, leaning in so Markâs the only one who can hear you, âI hate to say it, Mark, but you look like a total fuck boy.â
âIâm really not,â Mark admits.Â
âEven before your last ex?â
âEven before,â the line chef confirms. âIâve got two ex-girlfriends. The last one ended about a year ago, dated her from age twenty-two to twenty-five. Had a girlfriend from when I was sixteen to twenty-one-â
âSo a three-year relationship and a five-year relationship?âÂ
This gossip keeps getting juicier and juicier.Â
âYeah. The first one moved to another country to teach English, and Iâve never been that into long distance. We tried to make it work, but we agreed the best thing was to let each other go. Then the last girl decided she wanted more from life than some line chef soâŚâ Mark trails off and you feel your heart hurt for him. âAnyways, what about you? How many relationships have you had?â
âA lot more than you,â you answer quickly, although, thatâs only if you count one-night stands, flings, and situationships, but you wonât go into those details with Mark right now. âI mean⌠are you looking for anything right now?â
âWhat do you mean?â Mark cocks his head to the side.
âYou didnât hear it from me, but⌠a few of the waitresses are into you,â you whisper.
âReally?â he looks past you at the restaurant, and you see him trail Luna with his eyes. âThatâs nice and everything, but waitresses really arenât my type.â
âThen whatâs your type?â
âExpo girls.âÂ
His words hit you in your chest, and you can feel your pulse quicken immediately.
âI mean-â Markâs skin has returned to that pretty pink colour. âMy first girlfriend- the five-year one, she was the expo girl when I met her- we got close cuz we spent so much time together. I didnât mean you- I wasnât trying to hit on you or anything- not that I donât think youâre cute, cuz youâre definitely cute- fuck.â
You watch him, smiling and completely amused. It appears youâd read the new line chef all wrong. Heâs not a fuck boy, heâs a lover boy, and you kind of adore that about him.
âI should uh- I need to remake this dragon bowl-â Mark turns away from you, and you watch him scurry off to the fridge to grab vegetables.Â
Youâre kind of hoping to tease him so more when he returns, but before he does, Doyoung appears from the back, and he waves you over. âItâs been dead for half an hour,â your manager notes, âyouâre cut. Head home, Iâll see you tomorrow.â
Five
Mark hasnât been able to stop thinking about your conversation. All night, heâd had you on his mind- and heâd kind of been hoping to get to talk to you today, but you have the day shift and this is one of his first nights scheduled.
Even so, Mark arrives to work thirty minutes early just on the off chance heâll catch you, and as heâs waiting outside the backdoor, hitting his vape, his hopes come true.
You step out of the back of the restaurant, looking down at your phone. The jacket youâre wearing today is vibrant in contrast to your all-black uniform, and the comfy sneakers you always put on after your shift in flats are beginning to look a little worn out now that winter is almost over.Â
âHi,â Mark says, drawing your attention.
âOh,â you put your phone into your pocket, offering him a smile. âHey- you just starting?â
âIn ten minutes or so,â the line chef nods. âI uh- I wanted to apologize for yesterday.â
âApologize for what?â You cock your head to the side.Â
âAll of it?â Mark suggests.
You laugh, and the sound does things to Mark that heâll never be able to express. âSeriously, weâre all good,â you assure him. âI think youâre pretty cute too, so, donât worry about any of it.â
Markâs mouth feels dry, and itâs not just from the vaping. He fiddles with the device in his hand, working up the courage to say whatâs on his mind. âI was wondering- I mean, it sounds like youâre still on the market and all- so I was thinking, maybe, if youâd like- maybe we can go out sometime, or something- but no pressure.â
Your smile widens, and you step closer to him. âWhat would going out with you look like?â
âHonestlyâŚâ Mark swallows thickly, âit would look more like staying in. Since we both work in a restaurant- or maybe itâs just a âme thingâ, but Iâm not super into drinks as a first date, or even food- Iâm a bit of a homebody. Iâd love for you to just come over, watch some netflix, talk- that sort of shit.â
You look him up and down, and Markâs body tenses as he waits for your response.
âThat actually sounds pretty nice,â you admit. âHere, give me your hand.â
Mark holds out his palm, watching you pull out a Sharpie from your pocket. You write your phone number across his skin. âCareful,â you say, as you draw the last digit, âDonât wash this off or anything.â
âI wonât,â he assures you, already planning on taking a picture of it with his phone just in case.Â
âI should get going, but yeah- text me when your shift is over and we can figure something out.âÂ
âYou got it,â Mark grins, unable to hold in his excitement any longer. âHave a good night.â
âYou too.âÂ
With one final exchange of eye contact that makes Markâs heart lurch in his chest, you walk off, the line chefâs eyes following you all the way out of sight.Â
As he turns to head inside, Mark bumps into Hyuck. âDonât go in just yet,â Hyuck insists, âstay out here and vape with me for a minute.â
Itâs hard for Mark to focus on anything Hyuck is saying about the afternoon rush, but he manages to nod and make sounds of affirmation while his coworker rants about some party of fifteen that walked in and only ordered appetizers.Â
âMark, youâre not paying attention,â Hyuck sighs.
âSorry, Iâm just kind of-â Mark swallows the lump in his throat, âyeah, Iâm distracted.â
âGot a hot date?â
âWhat?â Mark looks up.
âSomeone wrote their digits on your hand,â Hyuck grabs at Markâs wrist, âletâs see-â
Mark tries his best to pull away, but Hyuckâs already assessing the phone number. After a moment, the younger man lets go, his mouth forming a firm line. âI warned you about her.â
Markâs surprised that Hyuck - who has the memory of a goldfish most days - clearly recognizes your phone number.Â
âI told you sheâs not for beginners.âÂ
âYeah, well, I donât have to listen to you,â Mark insists. âAnd not everything is about fucking. Sheâs gonna come over, weâre gonna watch movies- nothing has to happen. I just want to know her better.â
âLover boy,â Hyuck scoffs, âsheâs going to eat you up, and spit you back out.â
âAnd if she does, then thatâs my choice,â Mark says firmly. âI know she fucked you over or whatever, but that doesnât mean anything to me, Hyuck. Iâm sorry, but I really donât care about what happened between the two of you.â
âOuch, dude.â
âIf sheâs as bad as you say, then you can say you told me so when this is all over. Deal?â
âDeal.â
Six
âSo this is Jenoâs famous fuck pad,â you tease, stepping into Markâs apartment and looking around.Â
âUh, he doesnât actually bring girls here that often,â Mark says, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. âHe likes to go to their place, makes it easier to run than kicking a girl out the next morning, you know?â
âI suppose that makes sense,â you nod⌠you usually fuck guys in their homes for the same reason. âItâs a nice place.â
âThanks, my ex had a lot to do with the decor and shit.â Now that Mark mentions it, the vibe definitely doesnât scream âboyâ, and it especially doesn't scream âhome of a line chef and bartender.âÂ
The cream-colored couch in the living room has pretty sage pillows, thereâs a tasteful rug under a circular coffee table. On the table are three candles varying in size, as well as a design book that youâd bet has never been opened or looked at in detail by the men who live here.
Itâs a comfortable home, but you wonder what it feels like for Mark to live in a space that constantly reminds him of an ex who ditched him for not having his own shit together.
âI didnât realize Jeno was a tidy guy,â you note, thinking back to the line of dirty cups he always allows to build up in the bar dish area.Â
âHeâs not, but I am.â Mark enters the living room, and he takes a seat on the couch, kicking his legs up onto a small puff stool next to the coffee table. âI guess when you work on the line, youâre used to doing little clean-up jobs to keep everything smooth. I donât mind moving two or three beer cans to the sink every day if it means there arenât any piles building.âÂ
So heâs a sexy line chef, with tattoos, who likes long-term relationships, and also cleans up his home? Mark really is a catch amongst flounders.
âAre you going to come sit?â Mark asks, noting the way you stand at the edge of the room. âOr, shit, should I offer you a drink first? Weâve got beer, or I could make you a cocktail or something-â
âIâm good, just⌠getting used to this.âÂ
It feels kind of odd to be with Mark in a casual setting. Youâve only ever seen him in a professional manner, with an expo station between you both- now, Mark is right in front of you, and as you sit on the couch next to him, youâre hyper-aware of the way your thighs almost touch.
âSo⌠Netflix?â you ask.
âYeah,â Mark grabs the remote, the sleeve of his hoodie pushed up so you can see his forearms.Â
âYou still havenât given me a full tattoo tour,â you tease, reaching out to gently trace the puppy etched against his skin.
âMaybe thatâs a date number two sort of thing,â Mark suggests, tugging the fabric down to cover his skin.
Your grin widens. âDo I make you nervous, puppy boy?âÂ
âDefinitely,â he lets out a shy laugh, and you watch his Adamâs apple bob with the effort of swallowing. âSo uh⌠what do you wanna watch?â
You let out a sigh, relaxing back against the couch. âSurprise me.â
âWell, thereâs this anime Iâve been wanting to get into-â Mark finds the show in his âto watchâ list.
âLet's do it.â
âReally? Youâre down?â
âUh huh, Iâm not that picky,â you nod, offering him a smile.
âIt can beâŚâ he starts the first episode, âlike- if you wanna keep doing this sort of thing, it could be our show.â
âThat actually sounds nice,â you admit. You suppose it shouldnât be a shock that Mark is thinking long term- you do work together after all, but when youâd been seeing Hyuck, every day was a question of longevity. Would he call? Would he not call?
Hyuck never talked in definitives. He never made promises. The only true thing you could count on was seeing him at work three of five days of the week when your schedules aligned, and he never locked himself in for any more than that.Â
âShould I-â Mark licks his lips, âI mean, finding a show was way easier than I thought it would be. Do you want a drink? Iâve got chips?â
âIâm okay, but if you want something, you should grab it.â
âIâm good if youâre good,â Mark mutters, leaning back against the couch. Your shoulders are touching, and youâre already finding it difficult to focus on the tv screen as the anime begins to play.
Youâre aware of each breath, each slight shift of Markâs body. âAre you comfortable?â he asks after a short while.
âI mean, we could probably find a more comfortable position than this one,â you note.Â
âLike⌠do you wanna cuddle?â
âIf you want to, Iâd be up for that.â
âOkay, one sec,â Mark turns, grabbing at the back cushion of the couch. He tosses it to the side. âI can big spoon you.â
In under a minute, Mark is settling behind you, pillows are adjusted, and a gentle hand finds your hip. You wiggle slightly, trying to get snug against the line chefâs chest.Â
âIs this good?â he asks, his breath ghosting by your ear.
âItâs nice, but let me justâŚâ you grab his hand, threading your fingers and bringing it up to your chest, so youâre truly wrapped in his embrace. You can feel his heart against your spine, and you can hear the way his breath catches. âThatâs better,â you let out a sigh of relief.Â
The anime is fun, but youâre much too focused on Mark. Something tells you heâs quite focused on you as well, and finally, your patience snaps. You roll onto your back, looking up at him.
âYou good?â he prompts.
âUh huh. Just thinking.â
âAbout?â
You shrug. âI guess maybe Iâm just wondering what work is going to be like tomorrow.â
âHopefully busy.â
You laugh at how innocent Mark can be. âI mean in terms of cuddling with you tonight, then working together in the morning.â
âI mean⌠how was it with Hyuck when you two were seeing each other?âÂ
Your heart clenches. âOh⌠he uh⌠he told you about that, huh?â
âMentioned it once or twice.â
âAll good things, I hope?â
âFor the most part,â Mark nods. âBut just so you know- I donât take everything Hyuck says seriously. You two had something going on, but every relationship is different. Iâm sure you have your own side to the story. I know youâre a good person - thatâs what my heart tells me at least - so thatâs what Iâm going off of.â
You stare up at the line chef. The man youâd pegged as a fuck boy, who is turning out to be the farthest thing from a womanizer that youâve ever met.
You canât help but reach up and cup his face. There arenât words that come to mind, but you hope your expression shows your gratitude for his kindness.
Markâs gaze dips to your mouth, and you watch the way he sucks his bottom lip between his teeth, gnawing on his slightly. âSo no pressure or anything,â he says, voice cracking, âbut uh⌠can I kiss you?â
âYou can kiss me,â you confirm, staying still and waiting for the precious man to make his move. Part of you is scared to take control- youâre worried about scaring Mark off, like youâd scare off a wild bird with one wrong muscle twitch.Â
Youâre still cupping his face, and Mark mirrors the act, gently cupping your cheek. He looks down at you, searching your eyes for a moment. You wonder if heâs looking for any hesitation, any sign that you regret your affirmative answer. Then he looks at your lips, and you can see some of the tension leave his body.
In fact, you see the exact moment Mark decides to give in to his desires. His lips part ever so slightly, his brown eyes shyly meeting your own as he begins to move in closer-
As his mouth presses to your own, you realize this might be the softest kiss a man has ever bestowed upon you. Heâs not trying to shove his tongue down your throat- not biting at your lip and asking for entrance. Itâs a simple brush of lips on lips, and it leaves you wanting more.
Your hand finds the back of his neck, and you drag him closer, letting out a small mewl. You capture his bottom lip between your own, suckling on it gently-
Mark pulls away, and your eyes open. Youâre disappointed, but when you notice Mark breathing heavily, your annoyance dissipates.
âWas that okay?â you ask, worrying that maybe youâd been going too fast for the soft man.
âYeah- better than okay,â he assures you.Â
âCan we⌠can you kiss me again?â
âUh huh,â he nods, leaning back down to press his lips against your own. His hand finds your hip, and you play with the hair at the nape of his neck. The kiss is just as gentle as the first, but the passion begins to burn brighter with each passing second.
No one has ever kissed you like this.
You canât explain it- but in a matter of moments, your attraction to Mark has grown tenfold.Â
When he breaks away from you for a second time, youâre both breathing heavily. You open your eyes to stare up at the pretty line chef, watching him swallow thickly.
 âShould we uh⌠should we keep paying attention to the show?â he asks.
âYeah,â you say after a momentâs hesitation. âYeah, we should.â You roll onto your side again, and Mark settles against your back. He tucks you closer, his fingers threading through yours.Â
Itâs impossible to focus now, and you begin to wiggle slightly, pressing your ass back against the front of his jeans.
âAre you uncomfortable?â Mark asks, letting go of your hand to grab your hip, steadying you.
âIâm fine- Iâm justâŚâ - unbelievably horny - âyouâre a good kisser.â
He lets out a small laugh. âThanks. I liked kissing you too.â
âSoâŚâ you look over your shoulder at him, âwanna kiss me again?â
Mark grins, leaning forward to press a chaste kiss to your lips.
As with the first two times, Mark pulls away much too fast for your liking.
Your head is spinning. Youâve never experienced a situation like this. Mark is being respectful- heâs keeping his hands in PG locations, and the kisses have involved zero tongue- does he not like you as much as you like him?
How much do you like this line chef?
Do you like him because heâs not completely fawning over you like youâre used to?
What is going on?!
âI just want you to know,â Mark says, âit sounds like youâre used to fuck boys and shit, and I uh- well, Iâm not like them. Thereâs no pressure to get naked or anything today-â his voice hitches, âin fact, Jeno will be home soonish so itâs better if we donât-â
âYou donât want to fuck me?â
Mark tenses behind you. âThatâs not what Iâm saying.â
âIf we move to your room, Jeno wonât walk in on us.â
âItâs not about that,â Mark assures you. âLook, I want to take my time with you. This is our first date. I want things to feel right. I want to do this right. Can you understand that?â
You think maybe youâre too horny to want to understand it.Â
You want to tear Markâs clothes off. You want to push him down and ride him until heâs gasping your name and filling you with his cum. You want to feel him still dripping out of you when you go into work tomorrow morning-Â
No one has ever made you wait. Youâre much too impatient for playing around- and your past lovers have been the same way.Â
Even so, you respect the boundary Mark has just expressed. âNo fucking tonight,â you agree, âI get that. Itâs for the better.â
However, itâs not for the better of your throbbing pussy.Â
Seven
God, Mark canât take his eyes off of you. Itâs been two hours since you arrived on shift, and Mark has been distracted for all of it.
You look adorable today. Your black outfit hugs your body just right, and Markâs mind is consistently wandering to last night, when his hands had traced your hips before lacing your fingers-
When you speak, he finds his focus shifting to your lips- those pretty lips heâd kissed. The lips that had left him wanting more- the lips heâd thought about for hours after youâd gone home. Heâd dreamt of kissing you, but it had fallen quite short to the real thing.
Youâd sounded hurt when Mark had said you shouldnât fuck last night, and part of Mark regrets drawing the line in the sand. But on the other hand, Mark had meant it when he said it wasnât the right time.Â
He doesnât want to bed you after watching a few episodes of anime. You deserve so much more than that.Â
Besides, if he had fucked you last night, Mark might have needed to take a sick day just to calm down. Even now, knowing heâs tasted your lips has his skin heating every time he looks at you.Â
God, youâve got him practically bewitched.
As the lunch rush comes to an end, Mark finds time to go outside and vape. He watches the cars pass while he puffs on his device, closing his eyes and imagining your lips.
As his little break is coming to an end, the door hinges squeak behind him, and Mark turns to find you standing there.Â
âOh, hi,â you grin.Â
âHey.â He looks you up and down. âYou leaving?â
âDoyoung cut me again, itâs been slow this week,â you nod.Â
Mark swallows thickly. He canât help the way his gaze dips to your lips again.
You step forward, smiling. âYou wanna kiss me again, donât cha, Mark?â
He doesnât even bother responding. He slips his vape into his pocket, grabbing your hips to tug you closer. As he brings his mouth down to yours, he pauses for a second, meeting your gaze. If you want to pull away, he gives you ample time, but instead, you wrap your arms around the back of his neck, closing the distance between your lips.
You take more control today than last night. You lick at his lower lip, not doing too much tongue, but providing just enough that it has Markâs skin tingling with need. His fingers dig against your hips, pulling you tighter.Â
The kiss deepens, and Markâs entire heart lurches in his chest when you let out a pleased mewling sound.
Fuck, he loves your sounds already- you sound so fucking pretty-
âJesus.â Head Chef Johnâs voice makes Mark practically jump, and he tears his lips away from your own, eyes immediately finding his boss, whoâs standing by the exit door. âDamn, newbie, you work fast, donât you?â
Markâs skin feels like itâs on fire, and heâs quick to let go of your hips, stepping away and running an awkward hand through his hair, âChef-â
âDonât tease him, Johnny,â you sigh. âYou nearly gave Mark a heart attack sneaking up on us like that.â
âIâm shocked neither of you heard the door.â
âWe were busy!â you insist, raising your voice in jest at the head chef.
Mark is shocked at the way you talk so easily with his boss. But he supposes youâve been at the restaurant for over a year- maybe youâre closer with the tall head chef than Mark realized.
âLook, Iâll say what I said when Hyuck was trying to get with you, sunshine,â Johnny grins, reaching into his pocket to pull out a jacked-up vape pen. âAs long as you use protection weâre good, I canât have my line chefs becoming fathers and taking time off.â
âAnd Iâll say what I said last time you told me to wrap it: never gonna happen.âÂ
âIUDâs arenât a hundred percent viable,â Johnny points out, making Mark nearly choke on air.
âMine has been so far, so stick it old man.â You turn to Mark, âDonât mind him, heâs protective.â
âI was protective with Hyuck, because heâs a douchebag, but Mark seems okay,â Johnny laughs.Â
âThanks?â Mark canât believe what heâs hearing.Â
âListen, Iâll text you okay?â You grab the front of Markâs apron, pulling him in so you can press a chaste kiss to his cheek. âHave a good rest of your shift.â
Mark watches you dart off. Heâs tongue-tied, skin still flaring, heart racing in his chest.
âSheâs a good one,â Johnny muses. âBest expo girl we have. Donât fuck it up, Mark, Iâll fire you before we get rid of her.â
âTrust me,â Mark coughs, âI wasnât planning on fucking things up any time soon.â
Eight
In the year youâve had your solo apartment, youâve not had any guys over. Your MO is to go to the manâs place so you can dip out whenever you get anxious or tired. Inviting a man over to your safe space woman sanctuary is new. The nervousness is manifesting physically; youâre fussing over the overswept floor and the frill on your couch blanket when Mark texts you that heâs arrived.Â
With one final breath, you head down to the lobby to let Mark in.
Heâs in blue jeans and a black hoodie that sets off the blonde tone of his hair. Youâve been meaning to ask him about who does his bleach out, but you know men can be touchy about their physical appearance and certain body modifications, so youâve been holding yourself back.
He looks good. Thatâs all that really matters.Â
âHey,â Mark grins as you open the door, pulling you into a hug.Â
âHey, yourself,â you smile back, pulling away from the embrace to lead Mark to the elevator. You can hear the line chef following you, and you suddenly feel self-conscious about your building.Â
âItâs a nice place,â Mark notes, as if he can read your mind. âNew build?â
âI think itâs been here like three or four years? I moved in last winter.â
âRight,â he nods, coming to a stop next to you as you hit the button to call the elevator.Â
You can feel him staring at you, and itâs making you even more nervous. âWhat?â you ask, letting out a short laugh.
âNothing, you just uh⌠you look cute.âÂ
âIâm literally in PJâs.â Your gaze dips to your simple fuzzy purple shorts, and the tank top youâre wearing.
âBut theyâre nice. Iâve only ever seen you in work outfits, and when you came over last time you were in jeans. You look cute dressed down like this.â
Youâd been worried about being so casual with Mark- dressing for comfort instead of the need to impress, but it seems youâve succeeded in both comfortability and making a good impression.Â
âThank you,â you smile, your insides practically glowing from the compliment. No other man has seen you this way and called you cute- itâs one of the reasons you usually dip out from a man after sex. Thereâs no comfort or getting comfortable- your other relationships have always been rigid, a push pull and need to be perfect at all times in order to be deserving of attention.
You make it up to your floor, and another wave of anxiety washes over you as you let Mark into your small apartment. âItâs not much,â you sigh, âbut itâs home.â
Mark slips off his sneakers by your door, looking around. âNo, I like it,â he assures you. âNo roommates kicking around- I bet living alone is pretty relaxing.â
âIt can be, but itâs also lonely at times,â you admit.
âWell, if you get lonely here, you can always call me and I can come entertain you.â
Markâs words give an air of longevity. He sounds certain about this, as if itâs a given that heâs part of your life now, as if heâs not going anywhere.Â
Youâre not sure what to make of Mark. Youâve never really had steady consistency from a man- but he seems so sincere, it makes you want to be hopeful, and hope can be a dangerous thing for a girl like you.
âSo uh⌠can I get you something to drink?â you ask. âWeâre just watching anime right?â
âIâm good. If I get thirsty, Iâll let you know,â Mark assures you, taking a seat on the couch in your living room. âShould we uh⌠should I move some of these pillows so we can cuddle again?â
You grin, pouring yourself a cup of water. âIf you want to cuddle, we can cuddle.â
âI want to cuddle,â Mark states, immediately grabbing at the cushions and rearranging your space to allow for you both to lie down.Â
Heâs adorable. Laying down in front of him already feels kind of natural. The way he grabs your hip and tugs you close to his chest has your heart singing, and his breath against the back of your neck is as familiar as anything.
Not much needs to be said as you start your anime. Youâre simply enjoying the comfortability of companionship- companionship lacking any pressures or timeframes. Youâre two souls sharing your moments together.
Itâs a different feeling for your mind to go blank while youâre with Mark. Youâre shocked by how safe you feel in his embrace.Â
You talk here and there, the two of you discussing moments in the anime, but conversation doesnât get much deeper than that. You actually kind of enjoy not having to use your brain, and youâre definitely enjoying the warmth of the man behind you.
âIâm uh, gonna take my hoodie off,â Mark tells you, shifting slightly.Â
âOkay.â You give him space, turning to look over your shoulder as he lifts the fabric off his body, revealing the white tshirt below. âWait, can you give me a deeper tattoo tour now?â
âUhâŚâ
âYou said youâd give me a proper tour on the second date,â you tease, hooking your finger in the neck of his shirt and gently pulling, giving yourself a tiny peak of marked skin along his collarbones.
âI guess I did say that, didnât I?â Mark laughs sheepishly. âOkay,â he takes a deep breath, sitting up again and grabbing the hem of his shirt.
As Mark reveals his chest to you, youâre a little taken aback by what you see.
Generally, youâre pretty good at guessing a manâs build under his clothing, but Mark is much more toned than you thought he would be. Itâs clear he works out, and the muscles you see are amplified by tasteful placement of tattoos littering his torso.
âWhere do I even start?â Mark asks, looking down at himself.
âWherever you want to.â You turn to face him, anime forgotten in the background.
He brushes his own fingers across one of the ferns decorating his collarbones. âThese are my momâs favourite plant.â
âHer favourite plant?â you grin.
âYeah, I know, most moms have a favourite flower, but my mom kind of really likes ferns.â
âSounds like youâre close with her,â you note.
âIâm a complete mamaâs boy,â Mark admits with a laugh, which is when your gaze lands on a heart with the word âMomâ tattooed on his ribs.
âI see that.â You reach out and gently brush the mark.
The line chef shivers under your touch, the muscles in his abdomen jumping deliciously. You wonder how ticklish he is.Â
âThen this one,â Mark touches the moth blooming out from his sternum, âwas just really cool and the artist needed someone to practice on, so I said, letâs do it, fuck me up.â
You grin at his choice of words. Mark can be kind of reserved at work, itâs interesting to hear his dirty mouth now that youâre alone.Â
You kind of love listening to him as he continues with the tour, tracing the lined patch work. Each mark is another story or detail about the line chef youâre starting to fall for, and you commit his words to memory.Â
Heâs done the tour of his tattoos much too fast for your liking. You trace the last of the marks, a dagger on his bicep.Â
Laying on your back with Mark on his side next to you, things feel very intimate, especially now that his focus has shifted away from his tattoos and is solidly fixed on you.
His hand finds your abdomen, and he gently lines the curve of your hip with his fingers.
Neither of you say anything, caught in the peaceful quiet and moments of mutual discovery.Â
His fingers brush by your rib cage, and youâre struck by the need for more. Gently placing your hand over his, you prompt him up higher, until his palm is placed over your breast. You sneak a glance at Mark, noticing the way he swallows thickly.
âAre you a boobs man, Mark?â
âI mean⌠who isnât?â
You grin at his answer. âShould I take my shirt off? Itâs only fair, right? Yours is off.â
âYou donât have to do anything you donât want to do,â he assures you.
âI want to take my shirt off.â
âThen take your shirt off,â he says quietly.
You sit up, quickly discarding the fabric before laying back down again. Now youâre just in a bra and PJ shorts. Mark sucks in a breath, his hand finding your bare hip. Once again, you have to guide his touch up to your breast. This time, when he squeezes you, his thumb rubs over the swell of plump flesh.
You can feel your nipple hardening with interest, pressing against the cup of your bra. âWe should take this off next,â you suggest, grabbing at your strap.
âYeah?â Markâs eyes widen as he looks at you, his lips parting as he breathes heavier.
âI mean, unless you want me to keep it on?â
âLike I said,â the line chef brushes his thumb over your skin again, âdo whatever makes you most comfortable.âÂ
You sit up again, reaching behind your back to undo the clasp. For a moment, you pause. This is a line you won't be able to uncross. Youâre about to show your coworker your boobs. Your sweet, honest, adorable, line chef coworker, who gazes at you with stars in his eyes- your fuck boy look alike secret softie-
You undo your bra, throwing it off the couch before laying flat again. This time, you donât have to prompt Markâs hand, he gently traces his fingers up your ribs until heâs cupping your breast. He watches you tentatively, sucking his lower lip into his mouth as his thumb brushes over your hardened nipple.
âYouâre so pretty,â he whispers.
âYou think so?â
âI know so,â Mark says, firmly this time.
âCome here,â you reach up to cup the back of his neck, drawing his lips to yours. He kisses you like heâs afraid you might break, but when you whimper, he responds with a groan, deepening the passion as his tongue glides against your own.
His hand kneads your breast, making you moan again, pushing up toward his palm. You can feel the desire growing between your legs as he kisses you, and you reach out to trace his chest. Your touch begins to lower, fingers grazing over his abdomen-
Mark breaks the kiss, nuzzling against your jaw to prompt your face to the side so he can access your throat. He peppers your skin in soft kisses, slowly descending until he reaches your collar bones-
You realize what heâs about to do and tangle your fingers through his soft blonde hair, pushing your chest up in silent affirmation. âMark-â you whimper, rewarded when his wet lips wrap around your nipple.
Fuck, he feels so good-
Has anyone ever felt this good?
Maybe itâs the waiting- the going slow, or maybe itâs just the fact that Mark makes you feel safe, but regardless, each touch, each brush of his lips and tongue, has you mewling. Youâre pretty sure youâve soaked through your panties at this point, your pussy practically throbbing with each flick of his wet muscle against your pebbled nipple.
âMark?â you whisper, tightening your grip in his hair. âAre youâŚâ you swallow thickly. âAre you going to fuck me?â
The line chef pulls away from your breast, looking up at you with dark chocolate eyes. âWe donât have to do anything you donât want to do-â
âWhat if I want this?â
âI usually donât sleep with girls on the second date-â
âMake an exception?â you plead.Â
You havenât been fucked in a few weeks, and youâre feeling desperate. You want to connect with Mark on that physical level, and sex is always the way you do that with men. You want him to feel good, to give him a reason to stick around like he says he will.
âBut wait-â you feel your skin heat, âI have something I should tell you first.â
Mark cocks his head to the side, waiting for you to continue.
âI uh⌠Iâm going to be super real with you right now.â You take a deep breath. âLook, I read a lot of smut? Thatâs like- I read a lot of erotica, written porn, I guess- and, in smut, and porn especially, girls always just cum so easily- and I wish I was that type of person, but Iâm not. No guy has ever⌠you know, gotten me there. What Iâm trying to say is, I can have fun even without cumming. So if I canât get there with you, itâs not you, itâs literally me-â
âHey,â Mark reaches up to cup your cheek, cutting off your rambling. âThanks for telling me, but thereâs no pressure. Whatever happens, happens. For some girls, you have to get more comfortable. My first girlfriend was like that too, and thereâs never any judgement from me. Iâm willing to wait for you to feel safe enough that your body relaxes.â
âYou are?â
âIâm not going anywhere,â he assures you. âI mean, I canât promise that Iâll be as good as the guys in your books or in porn. Dirty talk is something I have to get used to using too, but, if we give it time, Iâm sure weâll figure each other out.â
You search his eyes, processing what heâs just said. Then you give him a small nod. âThat sounds good to me.â
âGood.â He leans forward, pressing his lips to yours. âBut, if weâre going to do this, Iâd like for us to go to your bedroom, if thatâs okay.â
âYeah, of course.â You sit up, getting off the couch quickly while Mark follows. As you get to the door of your bedroom, you look over your shoulder, snaking your fingers into your shorts and pulling them down.
âFuck-â Mark groans, eyes taking in your body.
You can see a half chub pressing against the denim of his blue jeans, and your pussy throbs again. âCome on, puppy boy,â you tease.Â
Heâs quick to catch you, wrapping his arms around you and pressing his chest to your back. His lips find your neck and you giggle, moving toward your bed while dragging the line chef with you.
âYouâre so pretty,â Mark groans, tracing your curves with one hand while the other reaches to grab your breast.
Turning in his arms, you press your lips to his, enjoying the way each kiss gets deeper. Heâs relaxing against you, his tongue exploring you more and more.Â
When you make it to the bed, he gently prompts you to sit down. You look up at Mark, watching him take in your form. âHow did I get this lucky?â he asks.
âYou asked me out,â you remind him. âSo you did this all yourself, Mark.â
âDid I?â he grins, sinking to the floor.
Youâre surprised by the new position, surprised by the way he gently parts your knees, his gaze finding your hot core.Â
âCan I take these off?â he questions, gently tugging at your panties.
âYeah-â you whisper.
Most guys donât eat you out as an appetizer. In fact, you have to ask most men to go down on you- but hereâs Mark, doing it all of his own accord. And he looks so needy- in the best possible way.
Mark slips your panties down your legs, and then his lips find your calf. He begins kissing up your skin, spreading your thighs to accommodate him.Â
âYou donât have to-â Your words are lost when he presses a kiss to your clit.
âDonât have to what?â Mark asks, looking up at you.
âDonât have to eat me out-â
âI want to eat you out,â he confirms. âIâll eat you out for as long as you want me to- but, when you need more, just say something, and Iâll give you anything you want.â
âReally?â
âUh huh,â Mark hums, immediately pressing his mouth against your core again. He licks a wet stripe of your pussy, and it makes your legs twitch on his shoulders.
You relax against the mattress, closing your eyes and focusing on the feeling of Mark pleasuring you. Your fingers tangle in his hair, keeping him where you need him. He focuses on your clit, circling it and toying with it.
It feels amazing- it does, but thereâs some sort of mental block in your brain. You wish you could just cum from this, but the more you think about that, the more you distract yourself from Mark. God, you almost feel bad making him eat you out like this- heâs not getting anything-
The overthinking is something youâre used to, and try as you might to talk yourself down from the ledge of sexual issues, you canât relax. You canât focus on Mark, and it frustrates you to no end.
Finally, after what feels like hours of him eating you out - although it must only be a few minutes - you gently tug his hair. âWant your cock now,â you tell him.
âYeah?â Mark wipes his hand across his mouth, looking up at you with pupils blown from lust.
âPlease,â you nod.Â
âShould I uh- should I grab a condom?â
Youâre quick to shake your head. âWeâre both clean right?â
âYeah-â
âI have an IUD, remember? I want you to cum inside of me.â
Mark draws in a shaky breath. You watch him swallow thickly, then he stands up, undoing his blue jeans. When he pushes down his pants, he moves his underwear too, and just like that, your favourite line chef is standing naked in front of you.
Heâs got a pretty cock. Itâs girthy, cut, and must be around seven or so inches. The tip is curved slightly to his left, and itâs leaking precum even though youâve hardly touched him.
Did Mark really get that turned on just from eating you out?
âCome here,â you offer him a small smile, shifting up your bed until your head reaches the pillows. You open your arms for Mark, watching him press a knee onto the mattress and approach you. Your legs wrap around his hips, and you drag him into a kiss.
The kiss is passionate, but thereâs a tentative energy to it as Markâs cock presses between your pussy lips, collecting the juice and saliva thatâs congregated there.Â
âAre you sure about this?â Mark asks, panting against your mouth.Â
You open your eyes to look up at him, nodding.
âI uh⌠I need to hear you say yes.â
âYes, Mark, Iâm sure about this,â you say, trailing your fingers through his hair. âPlease, I want you.â
He searches your eyes, then, with a final nod, he kisses you again. One of his hands slides between your bodies, and you feel him line his cock up with your core. Your legs tighten around his hips, and itâs something like a united effort when his length sinks into your pussy.
You both groan against each otherâs lips. The kissing stops, but you remain close enough that your noses are touching. His breath is hot against your skin, and he begins to fuck you slowly, his cock filling you perfectly.
âYou feel so good,â Mark groans.Â
All you can do is moan in response, drawing his lips back to yours while he fucks you.
You get lost in the feeling of him, and the kissing does aid in calming down your tumultuous thoughts. You can focus on the pleasure that thrums through you with each thrust, the way his cock glides against your inner walls and stretches you out.
Mark grabs your hand, interlocking your fingers and pressing you against the bed, his hips working faster. His tongue is eager against your own, and he eats up your soft whimpers. His groans and grunts of effort make your soul sing, your heart beating quickly in your breast.
âShit,â Mark pulls away from the kiss, looking down at you. âItâs been a minute since Iâve- since Iâve slept with anyone,â he admits. âIâm uh⌠pretty close.â
âWant you to cum,â you tell him.
âYeah?â
âPlease- want you to fill me up-â
Mark groans, pressing his lips against your own. You kiss him desperately, tightening your legs around his hips. He squeezes your hand, his groans muffled by your mouth.
His hips work faster and faster- then, all at once, he kind of just stops. You can feel his cock throbbing inside of you, and his grip on your hand is tight as he coats your insides with his cum.
You hold him through his high, your free hand petting his hair while he brings his lips to your neck, panting desperately and kissing your skin.Â
He lets out a sigh of relief as he finishes. Mark pulls away from your throat, looking down at you. You can tell thereâs something he wants to say, but itâs clear that heâs not able to find the right words. âI, uhâŚâ he licks his lips. âShould I grab you a tissue or something?â
âYes, please,â you laugh, letting go of him so he can get off the bed. You watch him look around your room, finding your tissues on the nightstand.Â
His legs are as covered in patchwork tattoos as the rest of him, and youâre pleased that the tour will continue another day. He hands you the tissue. âDo you want to use the bathroom first?â
âYou can go for it, I just need a second,â you tell him.
Mark nods, pressing one last kiss to your lips before he leaves your bedroom.
You lay there in bed, holding the tissue between your legs to capture any of the cum beginning to leak out of you.Â
Youâre glad Mark got to cum. Youâre not surprised you hadnât. You just hope maybe one day you will get there, and for some reason, you have a hunch Mark will be the one to achieve an orgasm for you. Or at least, you hope he will.Â
Nine
âSo did you do it?âÂ
âHmm?â Mark looks up from the chicken heâs cutting.
âYou had your second date with Sunshine last night, right?â Hyuck presses. âSoâŚ. did you do it? Did you make her cum, or what?â
âWhy are you so obsessed with this?â Mark sighs, looking at the other side of the kitchen where John is working. âWe shouldnât be talking about this here.â
âNah, this is the perfect place to talk about it,â Hyuck leans against the work station, his back to the head chef. âSo Iâm guessing you didnât make her cum.â
âIs that all you were thinking about every time you fucked her?â Mark asks.
âDuh.â
âDid you ever stop to think that maybe thatâs the kind of mentality that would make a girl overthink the situation?â Mark shakes his head. âI bet you would watch her super intently and then just ask her to cum.â
âThatâs a move, Mark, itâs called having rizz.â
âBut it never worked, so was it really rizz, or were you just fucking yourself over?â
Hyuck narrows his eyes. âSo now youâre the expert on making girls cum?â
Over Hyuckâs shoulder, John stops what heâs doing and turns to stare at the line chefs. Mark can feel his skin heating, and he opens his mouth to rectify the situation, but Hyuckâs already speaking again.Â
âI bet you a hundred bucks you wonât be able to make her cum.â
âFuck you, Iâm not betting money on this shit,â Mark hisses.Â
âSounds like something a pussy would say.â
âA pussy with a knife in his hand,â the line chef notes, his grip tightening on the handle. âLook, when I do make her cum, you have to stop bashing her like itâs her fault that you wouldnât take the time to make her comfortable.âÂ
âAnd when you donât make her cum?â
âItâs not going to happen.â Markâs not sure where his confidence is coming from, but something in his heart tells him to be firm about this. Heâs going to get you there. It might take a few weeks, hell, it might take over a month- but heâs going to get you to the point where you relax enough to cum for him, or so help him God-
Ten
Mark had cum inside of you three times since arriving at seven, and at two am he had finally broached the idea of heading home. âI should probably go,â the line chef had sighed, holding you closer to his chest.
âI mean⌠you could always just stay over?â youâd suggested.
âYeah?â
âItâs our third date, why not?â youâd shrugged, cuddling tighter against him.Â
You hadnât planned this, it had just sort of happened, and thatâs how Mark had ended up sleeping at your place for the first time.Â
Heâd woken up half way through the night, voice raspy, hands grabby, moaning about how lucky he was to be here with you. Falling asleep again after heâd railed you had been as easy as breathing, and now, in the morning hours, youâre in the shower to wash off all the cum heâd left on and inside of you.Â
Neither of you have to be at work till the afternoon, and you kind of like the idea of lazing around with Mark, whoâs still passed out in your bed.Â
You take your time with your skin care and hair, and when you finally enter your room, youâre intrigued to find the line chef still asleep. Heâs quite handsome like this, all bundled up in your white duvet, blonde hair shining around him like a halo.
You try to be careful as you crawl onto the mattress next to him, but Mark immediately rolls over to pull you tight to his chest. He lets out a soft groan, pressing a kiss to your forehead.
God, why are things so domestic with this boy already?
His hands trail up and down your back, fingers stroking your skin. Youâd put on his shirt, but other than that, youâre naked, and it doesnât take long for Mark to realize that fact. His touch moves down to your hip, sliding under the shirt. His thumb draws circles against your bare skin, and he lets out another moan.Â
âMorning, puppy boy,â you laugh.
âHungry,â Mark whispers.Â
âHmm?â
âI said,â he leans down, pressing kisses to your throat, his lips brushing by your ear when he repeats himself; âHungry.â
âI can make you breakfast,â you assure him.
âDonât want food,â Mark says. âWant you.â
In one quick motion he pushes you onto your back, getting on top of you. His breath is hot against your neck, and he tugs on your shirt, pulling it up to reveal your breasts. His mouth wraps around your nipple, and he sucks on it gently, releasing sounds of pleasure.Â
You thread your fingers through his hair, letting out a sigh of relief. âFeels good,â you tell him.
One of his hands slips between your legs, his digits teasing your slit. âAlways so wet for me,â he groans, releasing your nipple with a pop. âCan I taste?â
Mark is definitely getting more bold with you, but thatâs what happens when youâve fucked a handful of times, had three dates, and one sleep over.Â
âYou can do anything you want to me,â you tell him.
The line chef kisses down your abdomen, pushing your legs open as he settles between them. You thread your fingers through his hair as he brings his mouth to your core, licking at your pussy lips.Â
Mark is really good at oral. This is the fourth time heâs eaten you out. With each time he presses his mouth to your pussy, part of you gets more and more convinced that youâll cum this way. When he adds two fingers into your aching core, youâre pretty much sure that it will happen-
It feels so good, and the moans that escape you reflect that. Your hips buck toward his face, prompting Mark to press a palm to your lower abdomen, keeping you pinned.
But every time you think youâre close - every time youâre about to announce it to him - the feeling dissipates.Â
You can feel yourself getting more and more irritated with your body, and soon, you give up entirely. âMark?â
âHmm?â The vibrations against your clit have your thighs shaking.
âCan I just- can we just fuck? Please? I want you inside of me.â
Mark pulls away from your pussy, his fingers continuing in your hole. âAre you sure? You know I enjoy playing with you like this.â
âI know- but, I just- Iâm in my head again. Want your cock in my pussy.â
Mark takes his fingers out of your core, bringing them to his lips to lick clean. Then he crawls up your body, kissing you so you can taste yourself on his tongue.Â
âIâll fuck you,â he says, âbut donât ever think I donât enjoy being between your thighs like that, okay? You donât have to cum, I know from the sounds that you make that you enjoy it, and thatâs enough for me until you get there, yeah?â
You swallow thickly, nodding. âIâm still in my head.â
âI get that, Sunshine,â he kisses you gently, cupping your cheek as he lines his cock up with your wet hole. âIf thereâs anything I can do to stop the overthinking-â
âJust fuck me,â you insist, wrapping your legs around his hips.
Mark laughs. âYou got it.â
Eleven
âDude, is that a hickey on your neck?â Hyuckâs annoying voice makes Mark flinch, and his hand immediately flies to slap against the side of his throat.
âWhat? No.âÂ
âIt totally is,â Hyuck laughs. âDamn, you two must really be going at it a lot.â
âWeâre having fun.â
âFun like two times? Three?â
âFun like five times in the past twenty four hours.â
âJesus Christ.â Hyuckâs eyes practically bulge out of his head. âAre you serious?â
âI donât know what you were talking about with her not being able to sleep next to you. She passed out just fine with me last night.â
Hyuck lets out a deep breath. âFucking Hell. Maybe I underestimated you. So⌠did she cum?âÂ
Mark sighs. He hates to be talking about this while at work. Youâre running food, but you could be back at any second, and Mark doesnât want you to get the wrong idea about all of this. Hyuck is the instigator of these sexual talks, and Mark doesnât know how much to keep to himself.
âSo thatâs a no,â Hyuck deduces. âBig ouch.â
âI feel like we shouldnât talk about this anymore,â Mark says finally.
âWhy? Is your pride hurt?âÂ
Mark lets out another annoyed breath. âI just think itâs disrespectful. Youâre an ex fling of hers, you donât deserve to know everything about her personal life.â
âI don't want to know about her personal life,â Hyuck rolls his eyes. âI want to know about her sex life, thereâs a difference.âÂ
âIâm done talking to you about this,â Mark insists.
âDamn, someone is starting to sound like a protective boyfriend. Jeeze, calm down.â
Mark hates that thereâs some truth in what Hyuck is saying. He already feels quite protective of you. Heâs got dates planned, things that can make you smile. He pays close attention to you when you speak, looking for your likes and dislikes.Â
Mark is falling for you faster than heâd ever care to admit, especially not to Hyuck of all people.Â
Twelve
âWho does a staff Christmas party in January?â Jungwoo asks as a bunch of you take the big table after the restaurant has closed.
âWe were all too busy at Chirstmas time, remember?â Jaehyun says, looking at his waiter friend. âAnd then there was New Years, and we closed early.â
âI agree with you Woo, a mid January Christmas party feels weird,â you grin, leaning against your favourite server.Â
In all honesty, it feels like your managers Taeil and Doyoung just wanted to give you all some time to relax and celebrate. January can be a slow month in the restaurant business, and youâd heard Jeno mention yesterday that there are four or five bottles of wine that no one has been ordering that have to be used up.Â
As you begin to drink the wine, the mid January Christmas party makes more and more sense. The chefs have finished their closing tasks, with John joining you first, followed by Hyuck, and finally Mark.
With Jaehyun across from you, Jungwoo on one side, and John on the other, youâre surrounded. Mark sits at the other end of the table, offering you a small smile. You give him a gentle wave in response, giggling to yourself over the rim of your wine glass.
âGosh, Sunshine,â Jungwoo slides closer to you. âAre you drunk already?â
âYouâve been refilling my glass,â you point out, pouting a little.
âBecause youâre a cute drunk,â he grins.Â
âA very cute drunk,â Jaehyun agrees, eyeing you from across the table.Â
The thing about dating a coworker and it being new means you canât talk about it. Until thereâs a label with you and Mark, youâre keeping your lips shut. As far as Jungwoo or Jaehyun know, youâre single, and the latter of the two has been hitting on you for months.
It feels odd to have Jaehyun calling you cute while Mark is just a few seats down. Your stomach twists into drunken knots, and you wish you could move to be closer to your new secret Boo-
In the periphery of your vision, you note Mark stand up and begin to head to the bar. It feels like the perfect excuse to get some time alone with him, so you hop off of your chair.Â
Markâs grabbed a glass and is beginning to pour himself a beer from the tap by the time you reach him. âHi, puppy boy,â you grin.
âHey, Sunshine,â he laughs, looking you up and down. âJungwooâs been feeding you the wine, huh?â
âJust like⌠a normal amount.â God, you canât help but smile constantly at the boy who has your heart twisting into love sick knots.Â
âAre you tipsy?â Mark cocks his head to the side as he finishes pouring his drink.
âMaybeâŚâ
âCan I get you some water?â he suggests.
You lean forward over the bar top, lowering your voice so only Mark can hear you. âIâm thirsty, but not for water or wine.â
It takes Mark a moment to read the innuendo of your words, but then he laughs. âI should get you some water.â
âWhat if I donât drink it?â
âWhat if I ask you to please drink it?â he counters, already filling a cup for you.Â
âOkay, fine. Just for you, though.âÂ
Mark grins as he hands you the glass.
âWhy do you take care of me so much?â you ask, as the two of you head back to the table.
âBecause,â Mark pulls your chair out for you, âyouâre my favourite expo girl.â
âI better be,â you say, teasingly narrowing your eyes at Mark before he walks back to his own seat down the long table.
You begin to nurse your water. Markâs right about you needing it. The tipsyness has somehow intensified- probably because Jungwoo had insisted you finish your wine glass. You feel blurry as you sit there and listen to your coworkers chat.
âI just donât like saying chicken breast,â Jungwoo states.
âBut thatâs what they are!â Yuta, one of the night line chefs, insists. âTheyâre breasts!â
âI just tell customers that the alfredo comes with chicken, they donât need to hear me say breast!â Jungwoo fights back. âJaehyun agrees with me, right Jae?â
âYeah, I just say chicken,â the man across from you nods.
âTaeyong also just says chicken,â Jungwoo continues. âSo right now itâs three to one.â
âHyuck,â Yuta calls across the table, gaining the attention of the men at the other end. âDo you call it chicken breast, or just chicken?â
âNeither,â Hyuck says confidently. âThems some chicken boobies.â
You canât believe the conversation youâre hearing. âI think itâs time for me to leave,â you decide.Â
âWhat? Why?â Jungwoo whines.
âI canât be here for a discussion about chicken.â
Jungwoo slams his hand on the table. âSee, she said just chicken too!âÂ
Yuta points his finger at you like youâre on a game show. âIs that your final answer?âÂ
You lean forward, pretending his hand is a microphone. âChicken titties.â
âYeah, weâre cutting you off,â Jungwoo decides. âYou need to go home and sleep.â
âSomeone should make sure you get back to your place okay,â Jaehyun notes, standing from his chair.
âIâll take care of her,â comes Markâs voice from the other end of the table.
Jaehyun turns to stare at the line chef, who also stands up.Â
John is next to you, and you watch a knowing expression appear on his features, grinning as he sips his beer.Â
âYou still have half your drink left,â Jaehyun insists, âAnd, Iâve known our little miss Sunshine for much longer than you have. Iâm sure sheâs probably more comfortable with me taking her home.â
A muscle in Markâs jaw feathers. You watch him reach down and grab his beer, downing the whole thing in three large gulps before wiping the back of his hand across his mouth.
Fuck, the motion reminds you of what he does whenever he eats you out, and you feel almost dizzy thinking about it.
âWhoâs it gonna be, Sunshine?â Hyuck grins. âJaehyun, or Marky boy?â
âLetâs go, Mark,â you say, offering Jaehyun a small smile. âWeâll see all you guys tomorrow.â
Jaehyun looks pretty defeated, but you canât even bring yourself to care as Mark comes around the table to offer you his arm. At first, you think you donât his help, but when you stumble after one step, you latch onto his bicep.
âI was hoping youâd go home with me tonight,â you whisper as the two of you exit to the parking lot, where Markâs truck is waiting. He helps you climb inside, smiling and shaking his head.
âSunshine, if you ever want me to go home with you, you donât have to get drunk, just ask.â
Thirteen
âIâm really not that drunk,â you insist, making your way over to the liquor cabinet again.
Mark sighs. Youâre a grown adult, he canât keep directing you away from the booze. âOkay, I believe you. What do you want? Let me make it for you.â
âI wantâŚâ you think about it for a moment. âAn espresso martini.â
âItâs late, wonât the espresso make it hard for you to sleep?â Youâre definitely drunk and you both know it.
âI donât care. Want espresso martini.â
âOkay, Sunshine, you got it.â Mark moves through your kitchen, finding the espresso machine there. He slips a pod into the device, setting up a cup.Â
âCan you add honey?â you ask, already moving to the cabinet to grab a bottle. Mark takes it from you, squeezing some of the honey into the bottom of the cup as hot coffee begins to pour over it. âI also want Baileys.â
Mark laughs a little, shaking his head as you stumble to grab the large Irish Cream bottle from your cupboard.
âAnd also ice,â you declare. âFrothed.â
âThis is a whole thing, huh?â Mark watches you fill the frother with Baileys.Â
âI like what I like,â you insist. âWeâre gonna triple froth this.â
âYouâre the boss.â Mark reaches into his pocket, pulling out his vape. Youâve been letting him smoke in here, and he appreciates the reprieve as the two of you make this very complicated espresso martini.Â
By the time youâre done with it, Markâs not even sure you could call it an espresso martini. With the amount of frothed foam on top, this drink is something else entirely.Â
He watches you lift the cup to your lips, immediately getting foam on your face. You simply giggle and wipe it off, licking your finger clean. Then you dip your digit into the froth, scooping it up and popping it in your mouth.
Mark swallows thickly while watching you do this.
âPuppy,â you groan, âthis is so good.â You offer him your finger. âTry it.â
Mark canât say no to you, so he allows you to dip your finger into his mouth. He licks you clean, watching the way your breath catches. You bite on your bottom lip, swaying a little on your feet.
âYour turn,â you say quietly, holding out the cup.
âMy turn?â
âI wanna suck on your fingers.â
Mark knows you're drunk. He knows this probably isnât the best idea for either of you, but he simply canât say no to you. Not now, not ever.Â
He dips his pointer into the foam, then presents it to you.Â
You grab his wrist, keeping him still while you move forward to suck on his finger, releasing a small groan. Mark can already feel the blood rushing to his cock, but he ignores it as he goes for another scoop of froth.Â
âTastes better on you,â you tell him, licking his digit clean again. âMore. Please.âÂ
The way you look at him each time you suck his finger tells Mark that youâre as horny as he is. When he scoops with two digits, you practically mewl as you lick.
âI wanna suck on something bigger,â you state.
âSunshine,â Mark sighs, âI really donât want to take advantage-âÂ
âYouâre not. Mark, youâve eaten me out so many times, please let me return the favour?â Youâre already sinking to your knees on the kitchen floor, and the sight of you makes Markâs cock throb in his jeans. âPlease, I just wanna suck you off.â
âYou know I can never say no to you.â
As the words leave him your hands find his belt. In moments, youâre pushing his pants down, your grip wrapping around the base of his cock. He watches you lick your lips, your gaze meeting his as you lean forward to take him into your mouth.
Mark immediately lets out a groan. âYou feel so good, sunshine.â
You whimper around his length, and the vibration has Markâs fingers twitching. He reaches for your head, cupping your face while you suck him off. His other hand places your drink on the kitchen counter before falling to his side. The line chefâs head falls back, his eyes closing as he eats up the feeling of you.
âThatâs it,â he sighs, loving the way you twirl your tongue around his shaft.
You take as much of him past your lips as possible, the tip of his cock hitting the back of your throat. You gag around him, causing Markâs eyes to fly open. He looks down at you with concern, but you keep sucking him.
âYou donât have to deep throat me,â Mark assures you, pushing some hair away from your face.
You let out a whine, sinking onto him again, only for your throat to constrict tight around his tip.Â
Mark groans. âFuck, Sunshine, Iâm serious.â
The line chef could never do what youâre doing right now. Not because heâs not into cock, but because he has the worst gag reflex ever. He knows what itâs like to choke, and he doesnât want you sputtering on his cock in the name of pleasuring him.Â
When you try to deep throat him a third time, Mark simply pulls you off of him. Heâs struck by the view of a string of saliva keeping you connected to his cock, and the way you look up at him in a confused daze has his heart thundering in his chest.
âEnough of that,â Mark says softly. âLet me take care of you.â
He reaches down, gently taking your hands so he can help you to your feet.Â
âBedroom?â he suggests.
You nod, swallowing thickly and wiping at your mouth, then you dart off. Youâre awfully agile for a drunk girl, and Mark smiles to himself before following you. By the time heâs made it to the bedroom, youâve already stripped.
Youâre sitting on the bed, grinning at him with a hint of mischief in your eye.
âTake advantage of me, Mark,â you say as he pulls off his shirt.
âJesus,â Mark whispers. âI hate to say it, but that line is not enticing at all.â
Heâs still kind of questioning if this is a good idea, but at the same time, youâve already fucked on multiple occasions. He knows you want him sober, and especially - it appears - while drunk.Â
âCome on, please?â You pout out your lower lip.
Mark slips out of his jeans, joining you on the bed. You wrap your arms around the back of his neck, pulling him in for a kiss while your legs encircle his hips.
As his cock slips past your core, Mark is shocked at how wet you already are. Booze has really done a number on you, but neither of you are complaining.
âYou sure you want this?â he asks.
âDonât make me beg,â you laugh, âCuz I will.â
âNo, itâs okay,â Mark swallows the lump in his throat. âJust checking.â
Before he can reach for his cock, you beat him to it, grabbing the base and lining his tip up with your entrance. âFuck me, Mark, Iâm begging for it.â
He presses his lips hard against your own as he pushes into your wet hole, both of you groaning loudly at the feeling.Â
âShit,â you whimper, breaking the kiss to look up at him, âIâm so sensitive today-â
âAlcohol does that sometimes,â Mark notes, bringing up a hand to cup your breast. When his fingers pinch your nipple, you let out a high pitched squeal, pushing your chest up toward his palm.Â
âFuck, Mark-â Your pussy clenches tight around him, and the feeling makes Mark dizzy.Â
âYou sound so good, Sunshine, and youâre gripping me so fucking hard-â Mark begins to fuck into you. Your nails claw at his arms, your head thrown back, eyes closed.
Mark reaches down to rub your clit. You shudder below him, legs tightening around his hips. âFuck, fuck, fuck-â you moan loudly. âJust like that-â
He applies more pressure to your sensitive bud, making your hips buck toward him, your core clenching him in a death grip.Â
âIf you keep squeezing me like this, Iâm not going to last long-â he warns you, tension building in the base of his cock.
âI want you to cum,â you insist, opening your eyes to look at him.
âDonât you want to try and get there too?â he asks.Â
âI donât-â you swallow thickly, âI donât think Iâll be able to.â
âLet me fuck you a little longer, yeah?â Mark prompts. âI can wait a bit. Actually, we should switch positions.â
âTo what?â
âCan you get on your knees for me?â he asks.
âYeah,â you nod quickly. As soon as Mark pulls away, youâre flipping over, pushing your ass into the air for him.
âFuck, what a view,â he breathes, hands smoothing across your bum.Â
You whimper, and the sound encourages Mark to slip himself into you again. The sigh of relief that leaves you has Markâs skin tingling, his grip finding your hips.Â
âItâs so deep,â you groan, tangling your fingers in the sheets.
Youâre right about that- your wet pussy is taking every inch Mark has, and each smack of his hips against your ass has you getting even wetter. Heâs pretty sure youâre dripping down your thighs at this point, and his fingers dig into your skin even harder.
The sounds you���re making are like music to his ears. Your grip on his cock is insane. Markâs pretty sure tonight is going to be the night that you cum- but as he continues fucking you, it becomes more and more clear that only one of you is going to get there- and fast.Â
âFuck,â Mark grunts, his heart racing in his chest as he picks up the pace of his thrusts.Â
âCum in me,â you insist, reaching behind yourself.
Mark grabs your hand, lacing your fingers and holding you against the small of your back.
âYou really want me to cum?â he asks, breathless.
âPlease,â you nod, squeezing his hand. âWanna be full.â
Again, Mark canât say no to you.
âOkay, fuck, Iâm gonna cum,â he whispers, fucking you even harder. âShit-âÂ
His orgasm hits straight on, tingling through his entire body like an electric jolt. He pushes his cock into you as deep as it can go, feeling it throb as he coats your walls in cum. Mark throws his head back, eyes closed, overcome by the pleasure that courses through him.
Heâs not the type that can fuck someone through his high. When he cums, he has to stop, has to experience the feeling in full. His mind goes completely blankâŚ
But his first thought when the words come back is that he should tell you he loves you.
Fuck. This is becoming a problem.Â
Every time he cums deep inside of you, his feelings grow. Heâs overwhelmed with this sense that youâre meant to be, that he should just lock you down and let you know how much you mean to him.
But as always, that logical side rears its head, reminding Mark that itâs only been a few weeks of seeing each other. He needs to take things slow- for your sake. He doesnât want to scare you away. Being a safe space for you includes watching his tongue, it means not putting pressure on you like this-Â
If thereâs one thing that will pressure you, itâs the admittance that heâs kind of in love with you.
Instead of saying whatâs on the tip of his tongue, Mark pulls out of you. He gets you a tissue for the cum that begins to drip out of your pussy, and a cup of water to make sure youâre hydrated. Once youâve both cleaned up in the bathroom, he cuddles you close to his chest, stroking your back and listening to you breathe.
To Markâs complete shock, you fall asleep on him within minutes.Â
Itâs a sign that youâre truly feeling safe with him, and Mark thinks he must be going in the right direction. Heâs careful not to wake you up, he simply enjoys the feeling of holding you close while you rest.
Fourteen
You wake up slowly, cuddling closer to the warmth next to you. It takes you a moment to realize that the heat is coming from Mark, and you open your eyes to stare at him.
âMorning,â Mark grins, putting down his phone to watch you. âSleep well?â
âShockingly well,â you grin, snuggling closer. âYou?â
âI like sleeping next to you,â Mark muses, wrapping his arms around you. âYou know, I was thinking I could make you breakfast or something. Neither of us have work today.â
âBreakfast?â You perk up.
âYeah, I can cook most breakfast or brunch foods, but uh⌠donât ask me to make eggs.â
âEggs?â You raise your brows, looking at him with a laugh.
âI know, itâs stupid cuz Iâm literally a line chef, but I never went to school for it, remember?â Mark grins, stroking your skin. âJohn tried to teach me during brunch last week but I just- donât have the patience for eggs.â
âPoor John, hired a chef who canât cook eggs,â you tease. âAre you sure you donât want something else for breakfast?â
âLike what?â
âLike⌠me?âÂ
Mark laughs. âAs much as Iâd love to fuck you today, I feel like- maybe it would be nice to not sleep together this morning... You know this isnât just sex for me, right?â
âYeah, but⌠sex is nice, isnât it?â
Mark strokes your cheek, meeting your eyes. âSex with you is always nice, but I think I kind of want to be domestic with you today instead, if thatâs okay.â
Your heart clenches in your chest at his words. You canât help but lean forward and kiss him gently. âThatâs okay with me.â
âGood,â Mark grins. âLet's cuddle some more, and when you get hungry, Iâll take care of the food.â
As you slowly wake up next to Mark, youâre struck by how comfortable you are. Being with him like this feels natural. Thereâs no pressure to fuck, no need to suck dick in order to earn affection- Mark simply cares about you, and itâs clear in the way he holds you.
If youâre not careful, you could get used to this.
Fifteen
Since the âChristmasâ party, Markâs been wanting to broach the subject of Jaehyun with you, but in the handful of times heâs slept over with you since then, itâs just never come up.
Today, watching Jaehyun talk with you by the bar, the question is fresh on Markâs mind, and he only has one person he can justifiably ask about it.
âSo⌠how close are Jae and y/n?â
âHmm?â Hyuck looks up from the burger heâs stacking. âOh, those two? Pretty close.â
Mark groans at the lack of detail. âDid they ever date?â
âI think sheâs definitely his work crush. Pretty sure heâs asked her out a few times, but I donât know if she realized it was a date sort of thing.â Hyuck laughs to himself. âI actually walked in on him asking her out around Halloween, but I think she thought it was a group idea. She rejected him though.â
âLooks like he hasnât taken the hint,â Mark says, mouth forming a firm line.
âNah, Jae has a pretty big ego. I mean, youâve seen his face. Heâs not used to rejection, it doesnât compute for him.â
Mark doesnât say anything, he simply goes back to the alfredo heâs cooking. But it becomes clear that Hyuck doesnât want to let this go.
âYouâre jealous, arenât you, Marky boy?â
âNo.â
âYes, you totally are,â Hyuck grins. âHow long have you and Sunshine been seeing each other now?â
âLike⌠three weeks? A month almost?â
âHave you talked about being exclusive or anything?â
âNot really.â
Hyuck rolls his eyes. âItâs a yes or a no, Mark. Thereâs no ânot really,â when it comes to âthe talk.ââ
âNo, we havenât talked about it,â Mark admits with a sigh.
âSounds like something you want though, right?â Hyuck presses.
âI thought I said I wasnât going to talk to you about this anymore.â
âYouâre the one who brought up Jae,â Hyuck points out, raising his hands in mock defense.Â
Mark supposes Hyuck is right about that. Heâs been considering defining the relationship recently- thinking about how a label could offer you safety, stability, things that are needed to help you relax.Â
But now, the label transcends the use for comfortability and cumming, it almost feels needed.
Youâre hot. Mark knows that. He sees the way people hit on you every day while youâre working. At first, heâd been okay with it- but now, he thinks maybe he needs something more. Maybe he needs the comfort of knowing that youâre taken, by him.Â
Heâs not the type to feel insecure, and heâs not even sure that insecurity is the right word for what heâs feeling.
All Mark knows, is that he wants to get to the next level with you, and heâs going to pull up his big boy pants to finally do it.
Sixteen
Youâve been at home for a few hours, having been cut from work early since it was a slow day, and youâre a little surprised when Mark calls you around dinner time.
âHey you,â you grin, collapsing onto your bed to give Mark your full focus.
âWhatcha doin?â he asks.
âJust sitting here, was thinking of watching a movie. How about you? Just got off work?â
âYeah, in a minute, just taking a vape break first. I was thinking maybe youâd let me see you when Iâm off?â
âDefinitely, you know my door is always open for you. But I should warn you, I have literally nothing in my fridge.â
âThatâs okay, Iâll make your favourite and bring takeout,â Mark assures you. âSee you in like⌠half an hour?â
Thatâs how Mark shows up on your home a short while later. You look him up and down, taking in his work outfit. âDidnât wanna change after shift?â you grin, holding your door open for him.
âI uh, wanted to see you. Need a shower, so I figured Iâd put on my fresh clothes after that.â
âSounds good, you know that my home is your home. Go shower, Iâll put our food in bowls.â You accept the takeout from Mark, intent on turning to head to the kitchen- only for him to pull you back into an embrace.
âHi,â he mumbles, kissing the side of your head and nuzzling against your hair.
âHi,â you grin, turning in his arms to press your lips to his. âGo shower.â
âYou got it.â
Mark goes into your bathroom, and a moment later you hear the water begin to run. You take your time in the kitchen. Mark has made himself alfredo, and heâs cooked your favourite rice bowl for you. You smile to yourself while plating the food, loving how domestic things have gotten with Mark.
Part of you is tempted to join Mark in the shower, but youâre not sure if youâre there yet, so you wait patiently for him to finish. This isnât the first time heâs showered at your place, and you trust heâll see his designated towel hanging on the hook behind your door.Â
You kind of enjoy that heâs gotten so comfortable at your home. Youâve been spending so much time with him here and at work that it feels kind of odd when heâs not around.Â
Soon, Mark is coming out of the bathroom. Heâs in sweatpants and a tank top that shows off his tattoos. You have to actively stop yourself from drooling as you move to sit at the dinner table.
âSo⌠did you need to talk to me about something?â
âHmm?â Mark sits across from you.
âWe didnât have plans, you called and wanted to come over, I guess Iâm just wondering if you had a specific reason.â
âCanât I just miss you?â he grins.
Despite his words, itâs clear that thereâs more to it, however you drop the issue. When Mark is ready to be real with you, he will be. You have time until then.
Mark begins to talk about work, how it had gotten busy after youâd left. You listen, happy to chat with him while you eat.Â
After food, the two of you move to the couch, cuddling up while Netflix starts.
Youâre two seasons into your anime already, itâs funny how time flies. You can turn your brain off when Mark spoons you, his lips pressing soft kisses to your shoulder every now and again.
One episode in, Mark reaches over you for the remote, pausing your show.Â
âI guess there is a reason I wanted to come over,â he admits finally.
âYeah?â You turn onto your back, looking up at him.Â
âI hate to say that Iâve been jealous, but uh⌠since the Christmas party, Iâve been a little jealous about you and Jaehyun.â Mark wonât meet your eyes, and you give him the space to continue. âI just⌠people are always hitting on you, and I donât know, I think⌠I mean, Iâm a serial monogamist according to Hyuck, and I know we havenât been seeing each other for that long, but I only see you, in all ways, and I just⌠I donât want to lock you down if youâre not looking for something serious, but I guess I wanted to know how you feel about exclusivity and that sort of thing.â
âWith you? Mark⌠Iâd love to be exclusive.â You let out a small laugh. âDonât you realize that I have to watch girls flirt with you too? Maybe weâve both been jealous. I think⌠locking each other down would be good for us.â
âYeah?â Markâs beaming now.
âYouâre special,â you confess. âIâve never been able to sleep next to a guy Iâve slept with, which feels like such a contradiction- but sleep has always come easy with you. Iâve never felt such a lack of pressure- such acceptance, for all of me, the good and the bad. I like you a lot Mark, and Iâm sorry if I didnât make that clear.â
âItâs not that it wasnât clear,â Mark assures you, cupping your face, his thumb stroking your cheek. âI just⌠I know you have that wild side, which is totally valid, I just wasnât sure you were a settling down type.â
âI wasnât so sure I was either, and then I met you.â
Mark kisses you instead of responding, but you can feel the emotion in the press of his lips against yours. Heâs elated by what youâve just said, and youâre close to floating to cloud nine too.Â
Even so, thereâs something else. You can feel it in the slight tension of his shoulders when your fingers brush over his skin.
âMark?â you break the kiss, blinking at him. âIs there something else on your mind?â
âItâs just⌠I know I said thereâs no pressure, but I really wanna help you cum. And Iâve been thinking maybe⌠maybe we could use some of your toys.â
âMy toys?â
âLike⌠some girls cum better with a vibrator, and if you have one, Iâd love to use it on you.â
âReally?â Youâre shocked. Lots of men think their dick is good enough, they feel emasculated to bring sex toys into the mix- but hereâs Mark, being as contrarian as ever.Â
âEven if it doesnât help you cum, I still think it would be fun. Iâm not trying to pressure you-â
âWe can use my vibrator,â you assure him, heart thundering in your rib cage at the mere thought of it.Â
No man has ever used a sex toy on you- itâs probably one of the reasons youâve never cum with a lover before.
âCome on,â you sit up, heading to your bedroom while Mark follows. âI keep my toys in the closet,â you explain, bending down to find the shoe box that stores your vibrator. You pull the device out, showing it to Mark. âIs this going to work?â
âYeah, it will work.â Mark watches you stand up, and he holds out his hand for you to pass the toy to him. âIâm uh⌠Iâm gonna put this down so I can get you naked.â
âOkay,â you grin.
He sets the vibrator on your bed gently, turning to you. Mark grabs your face first, pulling you in for a kiss. Heâs gentler than you thought he would be, but you donât mind it. You like getting lost in the feeling of Mark, allowing him to guide you toward the bed.
When you reach your mattress, his hands slip down to the hem of your shirt. He carefully removes it, and you lift your arms to help him with the task. Mark doesnât immediately go for your pants next, he kisses you again instead, cupping your cheek with one hand while the other grabs the small of your back.
His touch is so gentle, smoothing across your skin. Itâs making you even more eager, and you find yourself removing his shirt before he begins to work on your sleep shorts. Soon, youâre just in a bra and panties, but even those get taken off.Â
When youâre completely bare, Mark gently pushes you down onto your bed, eyes taking in your body.
âYouâre so fucking pretty,â he muses.
Your skin heats at the praise, and you begin to close your thighs, only for Mark to gently prompt them open.Â
âDonât hide from me, please,â Mark says softly, getting onto his knees at the foot of your bed. He leans forward, pressing a kiss to your clit before he pushes his tongue into your wet hole.
You breathe a sigh of relief, threading your fingers through his hair. You adjust your thighs on his shoulders, trailing your toes against his well-defined back.Â
He eats you out for a little while, groaning as he goes. Itâs clear to you now that Mark enjoys getting his fill of you, and it makes the experience ten times more enjoyable for you. Youâve been getting better at slowing your mind while Mark licks at your clit, better at focusing on him and not all the worrying thoughts that generally buzz around you.
You feel the bed shift, and you open your eyes to see Mark has reached for the vibrator. He turns it on, assessing the way the toy shakes on the lowest setting. âDo you wanna show me where to use this, sunshine?â he asks, holding it out to you.
With a deep breath, you nod, accepting the toy and bringing it to your clit. âI like⌠a good amount of pressure,â you tell him, showing him exactly where you like the vibrator to be held.
It feels kind of odd to be pleasuring yourself like this in front of Mark, but from the way his pupils are blown, eyes fixed completely on your core, you can tell that heâs enjoying the view. It makes you feel more confident, as you begin to drag the vibrator side to side, teasing yourself.Â
âThis sort of movement is good too,â you tell him.
âCan I take over now?â he asks.
You nod, allowing him to grab the handle of the toy.Â
Now that youâre not the one holding it, you can focus completely on the feeling of your clit being vibrated. It feels amazing, your toes curling at the stimulus.
Markâs free hand is on your inner thigh, smoothing against your skin, but soon, it joins the vibrator. He teases two fingers along your folds before pushing them into you, crooking them up to find the spongey spot that has you crying out.
âYou make such pretty sounds,â Mark tells you, applying more pressure to your clit with the vibe. âFuck, I could watch you like this all night.â
âPuppy-â you whimper, skin tingling at his words.
âYou have no idea how good you look,â he continues. âI swear- I want you to cum, but even if you donât, Iâm not going to be able to forget about this. This view is- fuck, itâs the best view in the world. Weâre going to be at work and this is all Iâll be thinking about. I wonât be able to get you out of my head.â
With each admittance, each uttered word of praise, you can feel the tension building in the pit of your stomach.
âCan you grind on this a little, sunshine? Grind on my fingers and your toy?â
âYeah-â you whimper, hips moving as you try to follow with his prompt.Â
âThatâs it-â Mark groans. âFuck, youâre so perfect.â
His fingers work harder inside of you, and the added pressure makes you squeal. You canât help the way one of your arms comes up to cover your face, muffling your sounds as your body moves on itâs own accord now. Youâre grinding against his hand, grinding against the vibrator that sends tremors of pleasure through your entire form.
âIâm so fucking lucky,â Mark tells you. âSo lucky that youâre mine- I could watch you like this for hours and not get bored.â
âMark-â you groan. Usually, when you acknowledge an orgasm building, it dissipates, like some cruel trick of fate, a complete defiance of the laws of physics- but this time, when you whimper âIâm closeâ the feeling doesn't fade, it only builds.
âYeah?â Mark sounds shocked. âAll it took was a vibe, huh?â
âAnd⌠and your praise-â
âYou like when I talk dirty to you, sunshine?â Mark asks. âLike it when I tell you how perfect and pretty you are?â
âYes-â
âAre you going to be a good girl and cum for me? Or should I finger fuck this cute little pussy even harder?â
âOh my God-â you whimper. Mark has truly gotten comfortable with you now- heâs not holding back with his sinful words, and they make your stomach pull into a tight knot. âPlease, harder-â
Mark presses the vibrator against your clit, turning up the vibration with his thumb while his fingers continue their brutal pace inside your core.
You find yourself gasping, unable to speak as he works you closer and closer-
âCumming-â you whisper, your orgasm slamming into you like a train.Â
Your breath catches, waves of pleasure surging through you. Your fists grip the sheets, your back arches, your thighs quaking around Mark. Whimpers and moans fill the room, your core pulsating around Markâs fingers while he works you through your high.
âThatâs it,â Mark groans. âThatâs my good girl.â
âPuppy-â you breathe, the feeling almost becoming too much for you.
âWhat do you need, sunshine?â
âYour cock,â you blurt out.Â
âYeah?â Markâs fingers slow inside your pussy.Â
âPlease, wanna cum on your cock-â
Mark lets out a breath. âHoly fuck.â He turns the vibrator off, taking his digits from your core. Mark licks them clean before he stands up, pushing down his sweatpants. âMove up the bed for me?â he suggests.
You wiggle up to the pillows, watching Mark get onto the mattress. He allows you to lock your legs around his hips, pulling him close while he crashes his lips to yours.
You tangle your fingers in his hair, kissing him deeply. He ruts his hips, allowing you to feel his cock dragging against your core.
Patience is a virtue, but you donât have any left. You reach between your bodies, grabbing his hard length to line it up with your pussy.Â
Mark slides into you, and you let out an immediate sigh of relief. His fingers had been nice, but his cock is even better. It stretches you open, you can feel him deeper than ever. You gasp against his mouth, dragging him closer as he begins to thrust into you.Â
âYou feel so good, sunshine,â Mark groans, breaking the kiss so he can press his lips to your throat.Â
âPuppy-â you whimper, arching your neck so he has better access to find your sweet spot.
Mark captures your hands, lacing your fingers and pressing you into the bed while he fucks you.Â
You can feel him everywhere. Youâre completely bewitched by Mark Lee. Your core is practically dripping, each thrust made easy by the wet that exudes out of you.Â
Then Mark is reaching for your vibrator. He sits up slightly, looking down at you. âMissionary? Or maybe doggy would be better?â
âI wanna see you when I cum again,â you tell him, accepting the vibrator he holds out to you. âWant you to see me cum with your cock in my pussy.â
Mark lets out a low groan, pressing his lips to yours as you turn on the toy, adjusting it onto your clit.
âIf you canât cum, thatâs okay-â
âI think Iâll cum,â you assure him. âJust fuck me hard, and Iâll get there.â
âI can do that,â Mark grins, immediately picking up his pace and adding more power to his thrusts.
âAnd⌠tell me Iâm pretty again?â
âFuck, youâre so pretty,â Mark groans. âIâm so fucking lucky- how did I ever get this lucky?â
âPuppy-â
âYou have no idea how into you I am- I love your sounds, love your voice- love the face you make when you feel good- love your smile-â
Each admittance has your heart buzzing in your chest. Itâs crazy how easy it is for him to praise you- it almost feels like all these things were built up inside, like heâs a dam thatâs just been released, and God, you love the flood.
You press the vibrator harder against your clit, entire body surging with energy.Â
âYouâre squeezing me so well, baby,â Mark groans, and the sound has your pussy throbbing. âWant you to cum with me so bad, do you think you can cum with me?â
âYeah, just- kiss me?â you suggest.
Mark presses his lips to yours immediately, cupping your face with one hand. His tongue glides against your own. You eat up each other's sounds, getting completely lost in each other.
In no time at all, another orgasm is building in the pit of your stomach.Â
âIâm gonna-â you whimper against his lips.
Mark fucks you even harder in response, and the motion is dizzying.Â
âPlease, sunshine, cum with me- fuck, I canât hold it, cum with me-â
His words are your last straw as you explode on his cock. Your core clamps down hard, gasps of extacy escaping you.
To Markâs credit, he holds off his own high long enough to fuck you through yours, and the moment you begin to be oversitmulated, he cums too. You can feel his cock throbbing in your pussy, his load spilling along your insides and coating your walls.
You kiss him deeply, enjoying his whimpers of pleasure.
Youâve never cum with someone balls deep inside of you before, and thereâs a voice in the back of your mind itching for you to tell Mark that you love him- but you bite your tongue. You simply kiss him, holding him close while he finishes.
Finally, Mark lets out a small gasp, pulling away from your lips. His forehead presses against yours, and youâre both breathing heavily.
Youâve never felt this connected to someone in your entire life.
âAre you going to get us tissues?â you ask after a moment, letting out a small laugh.
Mark chuckles, pressing his lips against yours in a chaste kiss. âI just wanna enjoy you a second longer.â
âPuppy, you have literally all the time in the world.â
âď¸Â mlist + an. Thank you so much for reading! I really wanted to kick the year off with something more realistic. I wanted to write about a reader who over thinks, who doesnât cum super easily like we usually see in fanfic. I wanted to touch on the realism of relationships, the use of sex toys, things discussed in the bonus like whiskey dick, domestic showers together and troubles sleeping next to someone new- I really hope you guys liked this even though itâs not as classic fanfic as I usually write :)Â
đ support me by. sending a tip here or here - or become a patron to access monthly bonus content and extensions for fics like this one :) find the Patreon teaser below!Â
đŽ preview. âI drank too much,â Mark admits. âHyuck kept egging me on- Iâm pretty sure he wanted to get me blackout so I couldnât fuck you tonight- But I swear- whisky dick wonât last all night,â Mark tells you. âAnd, I mean, you know I love using your toys so it doesnât even matter.â Heâs adorable. Of course Hyuck wouldnât take into account that sometimes Mark is perfectly happy making you cum with your toys and not fucking you at all. Mark truly is a man built for your pleasure, and youâre not surprised that âwhiskey dickâ hasnât phased him.
cw/ tw. drunk!Mark, shower shenanigans, fingering, pussy eating, use of toys/g spot stimulator, Mark has âwhiskey dickâ and canât get hard at first, unprotected sex, praise, dirty talk, munch!Mark, creampie/fullness kink, etcâŚÂ I petnames. (hers) sunshine. (his) puppy.
đšÂ rating. 18+ explicit I wc. 2.3k I teaser wc. 250
đ starring. Mark x afab!Reader
bonus
âPuppy?â You sit up in bed, holding your phone close. Markâs at some boys night thing, and you really hadnât expected to hear from him, but here he is, calling you at midnight.
âHi, Sunshine.âÂ
âHi Sunshine!â Someone else screams in the background.
âOh my god, fuck off, Hyuck!â Mark yells back. âNot you, baby, Iâm talking to Hyuck.â
âYeah,â you laughed, âI gathered that.â
Youâve also gathered that your boyfriend is drunk. You can hear it in his voice, and when he begins to hiccup, itâs even more evident.
âSo uh, I wanna see you.â
âYou can see me tomorrow, we have dinner plans, right?â
âNo, I wanna see you tonight and tomorrow,â Mark insists.Â
âYou do, huh?â God, heâs adorable.
âYes, please.â
âDonât you want to finish boys night?â you prompt, not wanting to get in the way of his time with friends. You know Jeno would get mad about Mark spending time with his ex instead of his boys, and you donât want to be that girlfriend who restricts her lover from his bros.
âNah, fuck this,â Mark says. âJeno went home with a girl, itâs just me and Hyuck and Renjun and Chenle and Jaemin and Jisung-â Sweet Jesus, heâs listing half of your work staff. âBut I wanna be with you. I can call a cab and be at your place in like, fifteen minutes?â
âWhatever you want, puppy,â you grin. âIâll be here.â
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hi victoria!!! i love ur pogue!sweetheart!reader and i was wondering if u could do a lil hurt/comfort thing where one of rafes friends tells reader she talks too much/is too loud and she gets super upset? iâm a super big crybaby and i talk a LOT and iâd love to see how you write how rafey defends n comforts her :,)
warnings: protective!rafe, topper and kelce are pretty mean in this one >:(, rafe defends you <3, sight angst, fluff, rafe being the king of reassurance
a/n: i have personal beef with anyone who tells ppl to quiet down when theyâre excited for something, or just naturally outgoing. also idk how to play poker so excuse the way i explained it if itâs incorrect lol
before you, friday nights were always reserved for rafe and his friends, the group of them either going out for a beer or staying in and betting money on card games. but now? rafe spent his friday nights buried inside of you, both of you laughing and kissing each other in the dark until one of you fell asleep first. and rafe wouldnât have it any other way. his friends however, werenât very fond of your boyfriend choosing you over them.
which would explain their impromptu visit while you two were mid-makeout session. âso this is why she has you locked away, huh?â you jumped, rafe covering you with a throw blanket as he slipped his shirt on. âwhat the fuck, guys?!â rafe glared at kelce and topper, your skin hot with embarrassment. âyou left the door unlocked, playboy.â topper pushed a twelve pack of beers into rafeâs chest, the pair of friends walking to the kitchen.
âare you okay, baby?â rafe leaned down, wanting nothing more than to sucker punch his idiot friends for making you feel mortified. âiâm in my bra and panties!â you whispered, scrambling up from the couch and running up the stairs to rafeâs bedroom. rafe pinched the bridge of his nose, cursing under his breath before meeting topper and kelce in the kitchen. âyâall shouldâve called me or something.â his tone was harsh, kelce holding his hands up defensively.
âshe has you so pussy whipped bro, would you have even answered?â no, the answer was no. âit doesnât matter, you two shouldnât have walked in like that.â topper scoffed, popping open a can of beer. âchill, man, we just came to see our boy,â kelce slapped rafeâs shoulder, âand beat your ass at poker.â he added. rafe laughed, muttering a ânot a chance.â before going upstairs to check on you. ây/n?â you were fixing your disheveled hair, your lips still swollen from your previous activities.
âhey..â you turned, rafe pulling you in for a hug. âwhy donât you come downstairs? be my lucky charm for the game weâre gonna play.â you shook your head, recalling topperâs words from earlier; âso this is why she has you locked away, huh?â locked away? really? âi better not, you should go have your âbroâ time, i know itâs been awhile..â you smiled, hoping he didnât catch the way your gaze faltered. he did. âi want you with me.â he pecked the tip of your nose, your eyes shutting momentarily.
âwhat if they donât, though?â rafe was already dressing you, waving off your words. âwell then they can leave.â he shrugged. you sighed, letting him walk you downstairs where topper and kelce had the game set up on the table. âthe girl scout is joining us?â you didnât miss the way topper exchanged looks with the boy on his right. âyes, she is. is there a problem?â kelce mumbled a âno.â, followed by an awkward clearing of his throat.
rafe pulled you onto his lap, the guys starting the game as you rested your head against his chest. you didnât know a thing about poker, your lips quirking every time your boyfriend shouted excitedly. âthereâs no way!â topper slammed his losing cards on the table, âi have nothing!â kelce was getting frustrated, the chances of him winning decreasing with each turn. âif i flip this card and itâs right, i take all of this.â the guys had already put in well over four hundred dollars, the tension in the room incredibly thick.
âwith this money weâll get you that mixer you been wanting, how does that sound?â you nodded, both you and rafe leaning forward in anticipation. as soon as rafe turned his last card over, you screamed, jumping up as topper and kelce heads fell down in defeat. it was the first time you had even opened your mouth tonight, and kelce wasted no time in shutting you down. âcalm down, do you really have to be so loud?â your smile dropped, along with rafeâs. âforreal.â topper glared at you before pushing the money in your direction.
âwhatâs up yâallâs asses? sheâs just cheering,â rafe pulled you to his side, âjust a reminder that you two came here on your own accord and interrupted us, not the other way around.â in that moment you felt like a little girl again, always having someone to tell you to quiet down and suppress your excitement. you couldnât help the tears from welling in your eyes, their judgmental looks making you want to disappear. prior to you and rafe being together, topper and kelce had always been nice to you, but all of that seemed to go out the door when your boyfriend stopped participating in their little get togethers.
âwe hardly see you anymore, bro, we just donât understand why she canât lay off sometimes.â topper looked over at you, his jaw ticking as rafe laughed bitterly. you couldnât believe your ears. if only they knew how much you encouraged rafe to hang out with them. âhas it ever occurred to you that maybe i rather spend my time with my girlfriend than hanging out with you two? get the fuck out of my house.â topper and kelce looked like they were at a loss for words, both of them apologizing to you under their breath.
âand not that it matters anymore, âcause you two are so convinced that she has me trapped in her evil lair somewhere, but she encouraged me to come down here by myself before i dragged her along with me. you donât even know what youâre talking about.â rafe basically pushed them out before shouting, âand iâm keeping the beers assholes!â
rafe shut the front door, making sure to lock it this time before he scooped you up in his arms. âdonât cry, sweetheart, theyâre both idiots.â you sniffled, laughing softly. rafe smiled at the fact that he knew how to make you feel better. âtalk my ear off while i order that mixer, i love hearing your voice.â
#â¤ď¸â âš works#âËâšâĄ pogue!sweetheart!reader#outer banks#outer banks fanfiction#outer banks smut#outer banks imagine#rafe outer banks#obx#obx rafe#obx smut#obx fanfiction#obx imagine#rafe cameron#rafe cameron smut#rafe cameron fanfiction#rafe cameron x reader#rafe cameron blurb#rafe cameron prompt#rafe cameron x y/n#rafe cameron fic#rafe cameron imagine#rafe cameron x you#rafe fluff#rafe x you#rafe fanfiction#rafe smut#rafe x reader#rafe imagine#rafe fic#drew starkey
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HIII, I wanted to know if I could request a poly marauders x festy slytherin reader.Something of how they started or whatever you have inspiration for.I would love another part of that, if you feel up to it. Hope you are taking care of yourself <3
feisty/slytherin reader x poly!marauders is actually my favourite thing to write (followed closely by any ship with whimsical reader) so I was more than happy to whip this up for you! Thanks for requesting! đŤś
poly!marauders x feisty, fem, Slytherin!reader
p1 // p2 // p3
CW: werewolf prejudice, making fun of possible birth defects due to Pureblood's being terribly inbred, swearing
Remus felt that generally, he was a very understanding person. And not just in a compassionate way, but also in a sense that he just understands a lot of things.
He understands Siriusâ need to defy his family whilst simultaneously looking after his brother as if his life depended on it.
He understands Jamesâ need to make sure everyone around him feels as loved as humanly possible, even if itâs at his own expense.Â
He understands that Gryffindorâs hate Slytherinâs, but he also understands that not all Slytherinâs are horrible, prejudiced racists.
He understands everyone makes fun of Hufflepuffs for being soft and emotional, but he also understands that Hufflepuffs can be some of the most heartless, ruthless friends you can have.
What Remus has had a hard time understanding, however, was his boyfriendsâ sudden interest in you.
Remus could admit that you were quite attractive, but you were also sort ofâŚterrifying?
âWhat have you boys done?â Lily murmured in quiet horror (quiet awe if you asked James).
âWe pranked Slytherin!â Sirius said jovially, as if Lily had somehow missed that key piece of information.Â
âI can see that, Sirius.â She said like one might speak to a small child who was quite dumb. âBut on portrait day?â
Sirius smiled smugly as he watched Slytherinâs enter the Great Hall for their school portraits. As they passed through the door, they were unknowingly walking under a charmed mistletoe (which was very difficult to find this time of year, thanks James very much) which turned their green and silver robes and ties to a beautiful red and gold.Â
The best part is some students still hadnât noticed yet, and another amazing part was that those who had noticed couldnât figure out how to turn it back.
âMr. Black, Mr. Potter, Mr. Pettigrew, and Mr. Lupin. I suppose the four of you have no idea who may be behind this prank?â Professor McGonagall challenged as she looked down her nose at them sitting at the Gryffindor table.
Sirius smirked as he responded âWhy, not a clue Minnie. But Iâll keep my eye out and let you know if I see any mischief makers.â
McGonagall let out a long suffering sigh as she took five points from Gryffindor for improper address of a professor.Â
âYou rotten dugbogs.â Remus heard you screech before he saw you. He had the good sense to cringe as you stormed up to their table whilst Sirius and James grinned enthusiastically.Â
âWhy hello Y/N, my beautiful angel.â James greeted as Sirius let out a sultry âDonât you just look smashing in red.â Accompanied by a wink.
âI donât know what you sods have done, and quite frankly, I donât care about the rest of them; but you will fix this.â You spat angrily gesturing to your faux Gryffindor uniform.
âBut that would be such a crime, dollface.â Sirius lamented.
âYou canât expect us to mess with perfection.â James added.
You shot your hand out and grabbed Jamesâ collar, pulling his face to yours until your noses were nearly touching.Â
âI swear to Salazar himself, Potter, if you do not change my robes back, I will cut your dick off and charm it to your forehead so you walk around looking like a limp-dick unicorn. Change. It. Back.â
Your voice was low and threatening, and Peter actually gulped as he hid behind Remus. But looking at Jamesâ face pressed up to yours, you would have thought you had just serenaded him with the greatest love song known to man.
âYou have such beautiful eyes.â He murmured in awe. Remus was certain he could see steam forming behind said beautiful eyes, but before it could shoot out of your ears, Sirius came to your rescue.
âVery right, Prongs. She does have beautiful eyes. Unfortunately, I believe her usual green does compliment them better than the red.â Sirius said lasciviously as he cast the counter charm to return your robes to their rightful colour.
You looked down at your form before looking back at the boys skeptically. You seemed only then to realize you were still holding onto Jamesâ collar like a vice and dropped it. Remus almost chuckled at the look of loss that crossed Jamesâ face.
âRight.â You said and cleared your throat, backing away from them as if you weren't fully trusting what just happened. âThank you.â
Siriusâ head actually reared back in surprise at your thanks and James beamed.
âAnytime angel, truly.âÂ
Jamesâ pet name seemed to snap you out of whatever trance youâd been in as you narrowed your eyes at him. âDonât call me that.â
âTerribly sorry, my love.â He relented.
You groaned in exasperation and carried on towards the Slytherin table.
âIsnât she lovely?â James whispered in awe, eyes still glued to your form as you bodily shoved Evan Rosier out of what Remus could only assume you had dubbed as your seat at the Slytherin table and sat down.Â
âTry bloody terrifying.â Peter shivered in horror as he finally extricated himself from behind Remus.Â
âOi! Donât talk about our future missus that way, Wormy.â Sirius squawked and swatted at the poor sod with his copy of the Daily Prophet.
âIs he wrong, though?â Remus asked as he let out his own breath of relief.
âDon ât worry moons,â James murmured into Remusâ cheek as he pressed his nose into the werewolfâs hair line. âSheâll win you over soon.â
Remus wasnât so sure.
You were the only Slytherin photographed in proper uniform that day.Â
A few weeks later found Remus sitting horrifyingly uncomfortable in Defense Against the Dark Arts as they moved on to the unit featuring Werewolves.
James sat on his right, and though the shaking of his knee under the table gave away his nerves, he spent the entire class rubbing soothing circles along the back of Remusâ hand with his thumb.
Sirius, sitting on Remusâ left, was incredibly stiff and clearly poised to fight if given the chance which did nothing to ease Remusâ discomfort. It also didnât help that they shared this period with the 6th and 7th year Slytherinâs.
He just wanted this day to be over.
âWhy are we even talking about this?â Mulciber sneered, interrupting the professor as they discussed elements of the Wolfsbane potion.Â
âWhat is your question, Mr. Mulciber?â The professor drawled out in a bored tone.
âWhy bother discussing werewolves? The lot of them should be culled anyway; euthanize them on site for all I care.â He spat, earning snickers from Avery, Goyle, and Snape.Â
Sirius sucked in a breath in preparation of a verbal (and possibly physical, should he be so lucky) spar when Remus dug his nails into Siriusâ thigh. âPlease, Pads.â He begged quietly; voice taught with emotions.
Sirius let out a pained sigh and leaned back further into his chair.
âFunny, Mulciber.â A bored tone commented, âI was just thinking the same about you and your lot.â
Remus, James, and Sirius all turned to see the majority of the eyes in the room already on you, though you never bothered lifting your head from your textbook.
âCare to repeat that, L/N?â Mulciber sneered, sitting up in his chair as if ready to lunge at you if necessary.
You lifted your bored gaze from your book and stared at him head on. âDo I need to repeat myself, Mulciber? Mummy and daddy kept it too close in the family tree, huh?â You murmured in faux sympathy. âI was just thinking, most of the Sacred Twenty-Eight ought to be culled. That would save the wizarding world a whole lot of trouble.â
âHow dare you compare me to some filthy half-breed. My family is royalty compared to those disgusting creatures.â Avery shouted.
âThe only one acting like a disgusting creature here is the likes of you tossers.â You shouted back.
âAlright.â The professor tried (not very hard, albeit) to quell the quickly spiralling discussion.
âI could hardly look at myself in a mirror if Iâd been tainted with a curse like lycanthropy.â Snape sneered, pointedly facing the Marauders across the room. Sirius burned with shame and protectiveness, being the reason Snape knew Remusâ secret and the overwhelming need to defend his lover. Remus took that moment to dig his nails into Sirius' thigh again, pinning him to his seat.
âAre you sure, Snape? Are you sure you wouldnât rather live a life with lycanthropy than have to look at that mug of yours in the mirror every day.â You drawled.
âYou insolent little bitch.â
âHey!â James finally shouted from across the room, far more stern than Remus can ever remember seeing the boy. But you carried on, completely undeterred.Â
âIâd bet ten thousand galleons that not one werewolf ever asked to be a werewolf, yet you wake up each and every morning actively choosing to be the ugliest, most hateful, vile, disgusting beasts known to mankind. That is what is despicable. That is what should be euthanized on site.â Your voice grew louder and louder with each word until you were standing behind your desk and punctuating each word with a slam of your fist against the table in front of you.Â
âAlright, thatâs enough.â The professor finally called; tone booming across the lecture hall intoning no nonsense.Â
âMr. Mulciber, Mr. Snape, and Miss. L/N. Detention with me this evening.â
The Slytherin boys all scoffed and cursed under their breath whilst you offered a bored shrug of your shoulders, returning to your textbook as though this was just a run of the mill day for you.
The boys had been absolutely right; you just won over the affections of one Remus John Lupin. Â
#ask elle#marauders au#marauders fanfiction#marauders era#reader insert#self insert#sirius black#james potter#remus lupin#poly!marauders x reader#poly!marauders x you#poly marauders x you#poly marauders x reader#poly marauders#poly!marauders#remus lupin x reader#remus lupin x you#sirius black x reader#sirius black x you#james potter x reader#james potter x you#slytherin!reader#ellecdc fics
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i'll love you forever
pairing: park sunghoon x fem!reader
summary: you were sunghoon's first everything; first friend, first love, and first heartbreak. after years of quietly crushing on you, he was finally ready to confess. so ready to confess, that he told his parents the two of you were already dating! it was an easy enough lie to keep up and he kept it up for months, what could possibly go wrong? he thought. little did he know, you would have a falling out and stop talking for months.. and then, you'd both get invited to spend a week at home with his parents, who still believe you're his girlfriend.
genre: smut, fluff, angst, college au, childhood best friends to lovers, fake dating
warnings: minors dni, fake dating is pretty mild (sorry), she kinda doesnât rate him at the start, these two kind of exist in a vacuum a little bit idk i had a self-enforced word count to stick to and broke it.. (im within the 10% allowance !), sunghoon in a vest, sunghoon arms, sunghoon
word count: 21,858
playlist: click here.. (for my non-spotify babes, the main song is light by wave to earth (which for some reason i put last.. whatever))
author's note: for silly @asahicore. happy birthday pooks i hope it's amazing and that u enjoy reading this when u have the time !!! LOL (lots of love) also im never writing without telling you things again this was so absurd.
to everyone else.. ok happy reading also emma did not beta read this so im sure it's missing its charm .. anyway it's for emma not you đ anyway i hope u enjoy regardless and lmk ur thoughts! omg this is the first fic im nervous about posting.......... please enjoy or else.
In the three years since Park Sunghoon moved away for university, heâd been doing a pretty good job of going home to see his parents. Theyâd welcome their baby back to the nest with open arms and wide grins. With a rehearsed level of indifference, his younger sister, Yeji, would say, âOh, I didnât know you were coming home this weekend.â when she saw him at the dinner table. Sunghoon pretended to only be marginally hurt by this.Â
In the last three months, he hasnât so much as sent a text to his parents.Â
Or to you.Â
Ignoring texts from his mother is devastating. Between classes, he watches as, âHi, sweetie, I love you đ,â turns into, âMissing you, honey, know you must be busy but spare some time for your old mummy, no?â which turns into, âGetting really worried now, are you doing okay? Has something happened with YN? Talk to me, I love you, my baby boy!âÂ
Ignoring texts from you is easy because texts from you never come.Â
Sitting at the end of his bed, Sunghoon rereads a text his mother sent a few minutes ago: Please talk to me, son. Really worried and YN isnât answering calls either. Whatâs going on with you two?
When he leaves his room, he finds Jake lying on the couch, and with his keys in hand, Sunghoon says, âIâm going home.âÂ
And the drive is great! At least, he tells his mum it is. In truth, the drive home without you was nearly impossible. Your ever-expanding home time playlist buzzed through the speakers in his car, but without you there to screech along to the songs, it wasnât the same. He felt your absence the most when he stopped to get petrol and you werenât there behind him struggling to carry enough snacks to feed a small family without offering to pay.Â
The look of worry on his mumâs face stirs a pit in his stomach. âWhy are you so quiet these days? God, you look so tired,â she says, frowning. âIs it school? Or something with YN? Itâs not like her not to text back.â Her brows crease as she whispers the word unless. She pulls him into a hug, her chin resting perfectly on his shoulder, and her comforting hand strokes the hair on the back of his head. âBreakups are never easy, honey. Iâm so sorry, I know how much you love her.âÂ
Breakups are never easy. The sentence hangs heavy over his head.Â
Whether she knows it or not, sheâs handed him a get-out-of-jail-free card, the opportunity to set things straight, to end this mess once and for all. No further questions, and most importantly, no more lies.Â
For the first time since he left your flat three months ago, Sunghoon lets himself cry. Heâd imagined this moment countless times, his first cry since you ended things. In his mind, it was always intense. Today, as it happens, only a few salty tears leak from his eyes, spilling onto the cuff of his sleeve, darkening the blue cotton in tiny indigo splotches.Â
âWe didnât break up,â he says in a small voiceâfor some reason. âIâm just having a hard time.â Neither statement is technically untrue, but the words taste rotten in his mouth.
The tightening grip of his mumâs arms around his body is what brings on the harsh, shoulder-racking sobs heâd been anticipating. For a while, they stand like this, Sunghoon weeping into his mumâs cardigan until she sends him upstairs to lie down, promising a cup of tea that never comes.Â
His childhood bedroom is chilly, so he changes into clothes he left behind and climbs into bed, pulling his duvet up to his chin. He turns his head to look at the walls and the room around him, everything is exactly where he left it in the summer. It should be comforting, but itâs weird to be home without you.Â
There are photos of you and him everywhere, growing up and around each other through different stages of life. The two of you together during the summer your family moved in next door, you wore glasses back then and were the first friend heâd made in his life. Sunbathing and sharing earphones at the beach, listening to music together on your iPod classic. Sunghoon in thick glasses with a stiff smile and your arm around him on the first day of high school. Wide grins at the start of this summer, the last time things were okay between you.Â
Overwhelmed, he stares up at the ceiling, only realising heâs crying when a hot tear slips from his eyes to tickle his ear. Because Sunghoon likes to upset himself, he screws his eyes shut and thinks about the night before you stopped talking.Â
Though he didnât know it at the time, youâd left Yeonjunâs place to sit with him in a tiny restaurant on campus, the one youâd only visit to toast to each otherâs heartbreaks. It had become a ritual â ever since your first year boyfriend dumped you after two weeks â to cry as much as you wanted and drink as much soju as your bodies could handle before stumbling back to your apartments.Â
Having spent years suffering from an unrequited crush on his best friend, Sunghoon was always the one to comfort you. But that night was different; you were there to comfort him. It was easy enough to play the part of âboy whose crush likes someone elseâ because he spent your entire friendship in that role. Heâd had no problem accepting his fate, but his composure started to slip when you met Yeonjun. It was the first time youâd dated someone who Sunghoon had reason to be jealous of. In every way, Yeonjun was better than himâtaller, funnier, hotter. Sunghoon knew he didnât stand a chance. He took it personally, you liking Yeonjun instead of him, and let his jealousy consume him from the inside out.Â
This jealousy led him to start telling you about Minjeongâlying to you about Minjeong, and his feelings for her. She was a girl from a college out of town that he saw on his Instagram Explore page. He followed her by accident, and by some stroke of luck, she followed back. Sunghoon didnât really have feelings for her â he didnât even know her â but she was a girl that you didnât know, so you wouldnât be able to meddle.Â
It only took a few weeks for Sunghoon to become so upset about your relationship that he couldnât hide his emotions anymore. So, in a fit of tears, he told you over the phone that things ended badly with Minjeong, and he was in urgent need of a soju ceremony.Â
But the night was missing its usual comforts.
It was strange to be the one crying, to see you looking put together and ordering the food. To see you pouring the drinks and raising your glass to propose a toast to âHoonieâs first heartbreakâ. You were driving that night, so you only had a tiny sip of soju and let him drink as much as he needed, the way he always did for you, at the same table, in the same restaurant for years.Â
Hours later, in your car, you entertained his drunken rambles, though he remembers how your lips were set into a frown that he wanted to kiss away while you gripped the steering wheel like you thought it would run from you. Sunghoon was more drunk than heâd been in a while, drunk enough to let you sling his arm over your shoulders and keep him upright until you reached his flat.Â
The voices coming from Yejiâs room disrupt the memory. Heâs thankful.
âYour brotherâs going through something, so be nice to him this weekend.â His motherâs voice is her version of hushedâa loud whisper.Â
Yejiâs response is harder to make out, but he doesnât miss the way their mum says, âI mean it, missy.âÂ
A dramatic sigh rumbles through Yeji as she barges into his room without knocking. Sunghoon sits up, feeling an ache in his back and crossing his legs.Â
âMum told me to lay off you today, which is fine, but before I do, I need to tell you something.âÂ
Yeji pushes the door shut behind her, and the open window makes it slam, both of them flinching from the sudden noise. She pulls her hair out of a silk scrunchie and throws herself on the floor. A pang of irritation forms in his chest, knowing that he could immediately find the empty hanger in his wardrobe where the shirt sheâs wearing used to live.Â
âI hate you and your perfect golden boy image, Hoon. Would it kill you to fail a class for once? I donât know how Iâm supposed to carry on your legacy.â Sheâs looking up at him, her chin in her hands and irritation written in the crease between her thick brows.Â
Itâs impossible to know if itâs because of Yejiâs complete lack of boundaries or the fact that her âperfect, golden boyâ big brother is on track to fail three out of three classes and get cut from the hockey team, but Sunghoon immediately bursts into tears.Â
âOh, uh.. Iâm sorry?â Yeji offers. âI was kidding if that helps.âÂ
âIâm alright, itâs okay.â The tears donât stop stinging his eyes. âWhy do you want me to change everything about myself?âÂ
With a frown, Yeji pours out her frustration and mild resentment. She doesnât understand how Sunghoon effortlessly conquers every aspect of life while she struggles. Neither do their parents, who had been baffled by her plummeting grades since she moved to boarding school, especially when Sunghoonâs academic performance has only soared since he left for university. The weight of this perceived injustice pulls Sunghoonâs shoulders down with guilt as she talks about the expectations he has inadvertently set for her.Â
âBut other than that, Iâm good.â She shrugs, sitting with her legs out, and leaning back on her palms. âHowâs YN?â she asks. Itâs clear from the brightness in her voice that she thinks sheâs helping.Â
Sunghoon cries again.Â
Back on campus, heâs trying to scrape together whatâs left of his academic career with the help of two of the smartest guys he knows, and their friend Jay. Though the word âfriendâ feels a little strong at the moment given the way Jayâs goading him.Â
Sunghoon rolls his eyes, sitting back in his seat. âThereâs nothing you can do that I canât,â he says, meaning every word.Â
Jay scoffs, shrugging and raising his brow in a way that, over the years, Sunghoon knows to interpret as his âabout to say something ridiculousâ look. âPretty sure I could call YN right now, and sheâd answer.âÂ
Thereâs a pit in Sunghoonâs stomach as Heeseung turns his head in the other direction like heâs been slapped, trembling with stifled laughter. At least Jake doesnât hide his amusement, throwing his head back in a fit of giggles that draw nasty looks from the other students in the library. Sunghoon doesnât waste his energy trying to argue because Jayâs right.
Now composed, Heeseung turns back to the table, flipping through some of Sunghoonâs course materials to find whatever his class was doing in class that week. The English Literature class heâs taking â The Modernist Movement: Joyce, Woolf, and Hemingway â is the same class he had to send a million emails over the summer to get enrolled in, but itâs the same one Heeseung aced two years ago. Lucky for him none of the boys seem to be in the mood to make fun of him for trying so hard to have a class in common with you, and then practically failing out of it before the term had started properly.
âThis class is, like, beyond easy, dude.â Heeseung pauses to sniffle and twist the stud in his ear. âEveryone in my class aced it. How are you doing so badly already?âÂ
âI only took it because YN thought itâd be fun if we had a class together, but.. I kind of havenât been going since we stopped talking.â Sunghoon shrugs, pretending to be unaffected.Â
As if the mere mention of your name has some sort of summoning power, like saying Biggie Smalls in the mirror three times, you appear in his eye line, rounding the corner with a furious stride. Your demeanour crumbles when Jay waves at you, and you grin, waving back, but as soon as you look Sunghoon in the eye again, the rage comes back, and you smack a hand on the table when you reach it, leaning over to him.Â
âSunghoon, a word?â you ask.
He thinks youâre asking, but itâs hard to tell with the way you set your jaw afterwards, and the way the warmth of your signature vanilla scent hits him hard. Dazed, Sunghoon lifts a hand, pointing at himself. âMe?âÂ
âDoes anyone else at the table answer to Sunghoon?âÂ
âOkay,â he says, somewhat pathetically, nudging Jay for laughing at him.Â
As slowly as possible, Sunghoon pushes his chair from the table and stands up, following you to the corner of the references section where only anthropology students in scratchy thrift store knits, and Jay, come to check out encyclopaedias by volume. You look good, save for the rage written all over your faceâwhich, honestly, Sunghoon thinks he likes.
Sunghoon isnât sure what to expect, so he says, âHey.â Heâs being cautious, waiting a moment to gauge your reaction. âWhatâs gooooood?â His cheeks burn as soon as he closes his mouth around the vowel, but you laugh. You laugh, and itâs beautiful and happy, and youâre laughing because of himâor at him, but heâs glad either way.Â
Annoyance quickly clears all traces of amusement on your face. âWere you ever going to tell me weâre spending next week at Mum and Dadâs?â you ask.Â
Sunghoon gasps dramatically, clicking his fingers. âI knew there was something Iâve been meaning to do.âÂ
His attempt at lightening the mood falls flat, and you only nudge his shoulder gently, sighing. âCan you be serious? For once in your life, even for a second, can you please think about how the things you say affect me?â Youâre frowning, crossing your arms over your chest and looking at your feet. âItâs not fair, Sunghoon. For you to keep saying thingsâmaking plans involving me and then acting like Iâm the bad guy when I turn you down.âÂ
âI donât think youâre the bad guy at all,â Sunghoon admits. âIf anyone is in the wrong, itâs me, I guess.â
You scoff, looking at him like you hate him. âYou guess? Are you serious?â You look furious, but you sound hurt and Sunghoon hates it. Hates himself. âI canât have this conversation with you right now. Tell mum Iâm sick, and itâs contagious.â You roll your eyes and walk away, leaving Sunghoon alone with his thoughts and judgemental stares from students in crochet scarves so long they graze the floor.Â
He sighs, slumping against the wall. How does he keep getting it wrong with you?Â
Back at the table, Sunghoon manages to act like heâs not falling apart and makes some serious headway on his missing assignments with Heeseungâs help before they call it a day as the sun starts to set.Â
When he gets home, he lies down on his bedroom floor, spending hours poring over the conversation you had. Over the minute changes in your facial expression, the tone of your voice, and the endless list of things he should have done, rather than watch you walk away.Â
The moment feels familiar, both identical to and worlds apart from what happened after you left three months ago. When he managed to scrape the last shreds of his dignity from the kitchen table, he dragged his feet to his room and lay down like he is now, face to the rug. That day, he left his door open and lay so still that Jake thought he was dead. Sunghoon remembers wishing he had been.Â
For once in your life, even for a second, can you please think about how the things you say affect me? The words run on a loop in his mind, over and over, until he canât remember the order of the sentence or where you put emphasis. Theyâre cutting all the same.Â
Sunghoon sighs into the itchy fibres of his black rug before rolling onto his back. In the diminishing purple light of the setting sun. he looks at the walls of his room. At the Fleetwood Mac poster, he stole from Jay when they moved out of their first year dorm, that curls away from the wall towards the ceilingâa diagonal strip of shiny tape being the only indication of the otherwise invisible tear through the face of Stevie Nicks.Â
Heâs glad when his phone rings, cutting through the quiet, though the sight of your name and the anatomical heart emoji next to it only dampens his spirit. Reluctantly, Sunghoon answers the phone, holding it to his ear.Â
âI just got off the phone with Dad..â You trail off. Tangible silence follows, so thick it weighs on his chest. âIâll go home with you.âÂ
âYou will?âÂ
âYes. Goodbye.âÂ
Sunghoon reaches your flat at five in the evening. You donât smile when you open the door for him, nor do you invite him in. Instead, you dump your bag at your feet and he cringes, looking from the floor to you. Youâre aggressively beautiful and cosy-looking as you pull a jacket over the sweater you wore that night. Sunghoonâs heart aches in his chest and he wonders if you even realise. Suddenly, the memory of the last thing you said the morning after hits him like a truck: Then letâs not be friends at all.Â
A familiar weight lands on his shoulderâyour hand. Concern lines your eyes as you ask if heâs okay.Â
With a lump in his throat, Sunghoon nods.Â
In the discomfort of his car, the two of you sit in silence while he starts the drive home.Â
âHowâs Yeonjun,â he asks, eyes flicking towards you but regretting it immediately when he sees how you clench your jaw.Â
âNo,â you say simply, shaking your head. âYou donât get to ask me about him.âÂ
These are the only words you exchange until Sunghoon stops for petrol. He has enough fuel for the rest of the journey, but he feels like dying and thinks the fresh air might quell his thoughts of running his car off the road. Like always, the two of you get out and head into the kiosk, where he follows you wordlessly through the aisles, watching you debate on snack choices before settling on the same things you always get. Sunghoon pays for your snacks and you roll your eyes but donât protest, mumbling thanks as you take them into your arms, leading the way back outside.
He knows he needs to tell you before you reach the house, but heâs not entirely sure how to say itâso he just does. âMy, uh.. my parents think weâre dating.â
You stop so suddenly in front of him that he almost bumps into you. Stepping around you, Sunghoon keeps walking.Â
Over the top of his car, he watches your face cycle through all five stages of grief until anger comes back around in the loop as you scoff. âWhy do they think that?â Your face is devoid of expression now, the blankness over your features dragging a sharp chill over his spine.Â
He stares blankly at you, processing. âBecause I told them weâre dating,â he mumbles.Â
âWhy did you.. do that?â You tilt your head, eyes pressing shut in a long blink. âWhat are you even talking about? Why did you.. What?âÂ
A thin layer of sweat coats his palms despite the cold. Why did he do that? âWe can stage a breakup during the trip or say we broke up right now,â Sunghoon offers. âJust one night, YN, please.âÂ
The wind whistles by, ruffling your hair and jacket that you hug tightly to your chest. Behind you, Sunghoon takes note of the group of girls standing by the pumps, all five of them jerking their heads abruptly when they notice him watching, suddenly finding interest in the scattered litter and flickering halogen bulbs in the steel canopy over their heads.Â
Youâre staring when he looks back at you, nostrils twitching with a sniffle before you sigh. âOr we could say that youâre a liar and end things there,â you say. âOr better yet, you go down there on your own and tell them the truth.â
Sunghoonâs gaze drops, his thoughts racing in his mind. He knows youâre right. At some point, his parents will have to find out, and itâd be better for them to find out now. Sunghoon sighs, nodding. âAlright,â he concedes. âIâll take you back.â
An angry laugh comes out of you as you shake your head. âNo need, Iâll walk.âÂ
The station youâre at is neatly nestled in the middle of nowhere, on a road so narrow heâs not even sure it has a pavement. Youâre halfway through the three-hour drive, so thereâs no telling how long the walk would be, never mind the fact that the sun is already setting and itâs deep enough into October for the wind to sting.Â
âFrom here?â he asks, incredulous.Â
âYes, open the boot so I can get my bag.âÂ
Sunghoon can only bring himself to say your name, a desperate whisper.Â
âOpen the boot.â
He repeats your name as if itâll make a difference, heâs pleading with you, beggingâthough he doesnât know for what.Â
You go to the back of his car where Sunghoon joins you, a pit in his stomach when you step away. With misty eyes, you look up at him and his heart breaks. âPlease.â
Sunghoon knows you well enough to know that youâre not actually going to attempt the walk home but also knows that you wonât back down if he keeps challenging you. He nods, opening the boot for you and getting into the driverâs seatâyour move.Â
You stand there, unmoving, and long enough passes that he thinks youâll actually leave. The boot closes softly and you join him in the passenger seat. You sigh, buckling your seatbelt. âLetâs just get this over with.âÂ
For the rest of the journey, you sit in silence as Sunghoon briefs you on the relationship, fighting a smile as he thinks about being your boyfriendâeven if only for a night. You scoff when he âremindsâ you that youâve been together for four months now and the only reason you havenât been able to come home recently is that your schedules donât match up very well anymoreâwhich couldnât be further from the truth as, before term started, you went out to celebrate the fact that your class schedules couldnât be more suited for seeing each other.Â
Finally, at Sunghoonâs childhood home, the two of you smile and laugh for his parents before going to bed. Your relationship has only made his mother more averse to the idea of you sharing a room under her roof than she had been when you were younger. Heâs relieved about this, and in the solitude of his bedroom, he lies on the duvet of his twin bed, staring up at the ceiling and thinking about the last few hours.Â
With his parents, youâd sat up in the living room watching TV. They sat on the couch together, his mum nestled in his dadâs side, while you two sat on the couch opposite, mirroring their position. If your complete stiffness was anything to go by, you were less than comfortable with his arm around you and Sunghoon felt terrible for begging you to go along with this. It was after midnight when you all went upstairs and you let him kiss your forehead before all but slamming the door to the guest room in his face. His heart twirled and his mum beamed at him before saying goodnight again.Â
Now, at 3 a.m. he canât sleep. Flinching at the knock on his door, he furrows his brows and goes to open it. Itâs you. Standing there with your hair scraped away from your face in one of his t-shirts. Your eyes are red, brimmed with tears as you step into his room and sit on his bed.Â
He closes the door softly, heart aching at the sight of you so upset, and when he sits next to you, his heart tears apart because you move over, putting a distance between you. It falls out of his chest onto the floor when he realises youâre not wearing your necklace.Â
Sunghoon suspected you might have stopped wearing it, it only made sense that if you didnât want him, you wouldnât want the necklace he bought for you either, but at least earlier, your sweatshirt sat so high he couldnât see if you had it on or not.Â
It was a gift for your sixteenth birthday, after your first heartbreak. He was so upset and angry that you let some loser hurt you that way, upset and angry that someone could be loved by you and fuck it up. Sunghoon was inspired by Jay, whoâd gotten a pretty necklace for his girlfriend, and talked about her cute reaction for weeks, how happy she was to have a piece of him with her all the time. It was a locket, with a picture of Jay in one side and a picture of her in the other so the pictures would kiss when she wore it.Â
While at the jewellers with Jake, Sunghoon thought something like that might be a bit much for the two of you and eventually picked out an equally pretty piece with his first initial on it. He wrote a corny note to put in the box, something about how âboys come and go but Sunghoon is foreverâ and gave it to you with trembling hands a few nights laterâit was the first time he ever made you cry. Immediately, he thought heâd done something wrong and was ready to snatch the box and run back to the jewellers (even though he trashed the receipt). You hugged him and told him you loved him. Sunghoonâs been riding that high ever since.Â
Until tonight at least.Â
âAre you okay?â he whispers.Â
âIâll do it, Hoon.â Your eyes lift from the floor to meet his gaze. âFor as long as you need me to, Iâll pretend.â
As soon as the words leave your mouth, Sunghoon feels lighter, an unbearable weight slipping from his shoulders. You havenât called him âHoonâ in ages, and he canât tell if youâve said it out of vulnerability, or even noticed that youâve said it at all, but it warms his heart nonetheless. However, heâs not fully at ease, still curious about your sudden change of heart and why youâre crying.Â
âWhat happened?â
You pull him into a hug, and his eyes bulge out of his head. âIt doesnât matter,â you say, the words muffled by the skin at the base of his neck.Â
For as long as heâs known you, youâve smelled like vanilla, a sweet warmth that grounds him. Yet itâs only after these months apart that heâs able to put a name to the sensation: home. The realisation of how much heâs missed this feeling, missed you, floods him with a rush of emotion so overwhelming he canât find the words to press the issue. A moment passes before he remembers to hug you back, his arms finally wrapping around you, pulling you close, and you sink into his hold. Months ago, he would have kissed the top of your head and mumbled reassurance into your hair, but tonight, Sunghoon settles for stroking the back of your head and hopes itâs enough.Â
âYou can talk to me, you know? You can always talk to me.â
A heavy silence follows, sharp as a daggerâscraping his skin, making the hair on the back of his neck stand on edge and lodging itself between his shoulder blades. Sunghoonâs breath hitches in his throat when you cling onto him even tighter, shifting so close youâve had to settle in his lap. His heart races in his chest, pounding a rhythm so loud it fills the room.Â
Finally, you speak, assuring him that you know and that youâre okay. At this, Sunghoon holds you as tight as he can, and neither of you speaks for the rest of the night. You fall asleep like this, in his arms, so deeply that you donât even stir when he lies down.Â
Rubbing your back, he watches the clock on his nightstand, the piercing green LED digits cycling through two whole hours right before his stinging eyes until you wake up. Sunghoon presses his eyes shut, pretending to be asleep when you kiss his cheek and leave his room.Â
For the entire morning, you stay in your room, and although Sunghoon is concerned, he decides not to bother you. In the afternoon, he sits at the dining table with his mum, listening as she talks about work. When she asks him, he gets up to make a cup of tea for her. Itâs at that moment when you finally come downstairs, looking so effortlessly pretty. Your hair is still damp from the shower, and youâre bundled up in one of his old sweatshirts. Thereâs a bright grin on your face that leaves his heart thudding.Â
âBaby!â you squeal when you see him, charging towards him and wrapping your arms around him from behind. âGood morning.â Your words are muffled against the back of his t-shirt, and the four-letter word, and the sugar coating it, make his cheeks burn.Â
âItâs great to see you too, YN,â his mum says with a smile. âMy night was amazing; I slept very well and had no dreams.âÂ
You let go of Sunghoon and walk over to the table, kissing his mum on the cheek and wishing her a good morning as well. âSorry, mum, how are you?âÂ
His mother doesnât seem to have the heart to correct you either, allowing your 3 p.m. âgood morningâ to go unnoticed.Â
Sunghoon carefully fills both mugs to the brim and, with extra caution, carries them to the table. He places a steaming cup of peppermint tea in front of his mum and a milky coffee in front of you. A warm smile spreads across your face as you mouth a âthank youâ, and his knees turn to jelly.Â
The next day, after eating an early dinner with his parents at the table, the four of you go out on a walk along the bike path you used to take for school. His parents have gone ahead, not intentionally, but because Sunghoon canât stop you from dragging your feet.Â
As with most things in the town where you grew up, nothing about the trail has changed. The leaves are yellowing in standard form for the season, and crunching under his feet with each step he takes. The only foreign experience is the silence that youâre determined to uphold. Everything Sunghoon says to you is met with either a hum, a nod, or no acknowledgement at all. At this point, he feels like he could drop dead at your side and the most youâd do is step over his body like a fallen branch.Â
After letting you go ahead, the weathered slats of the wooden footbridge sag in the middle under his tread. Itâs been like this for as long as he can remember and he wonders how nothing has been done about it. The stream rushes under it, loud and unruly, the smell of wet grass both comforting and suffocating as you look over the railing. Itâs like something from a postcard, the low-hanging branches sweeping back and forth under the breeze, the grass lush and green around the path, murky water thrashing against the mud and rocks underneath with you in the middle of the frame, peering over the edge.
You keep walking when Sunghoon approaches, leaving him alone on the creaky bridge with nothing but the ache in his chest. He looks up, staring at the grey clouds in the sky through the gaps in the leaves, and sighs.Â
Eventually, he catches up with you, grabbing your hand and locking his fingers with yours when his parents slow down. You stiffen, looking up at him with cut eyes and a creased brow. âWhat are you doing?â
Sunghoon matches your clipped tone. âHolding my girlfriendâs hand.âÂ
âNo oneâs looking, boyfriend.â
âYou think my parents arenât going to wonder why weâre lagging behind?âÂ
A scoffâyour fingers remain defiantly stiff. âDo you think your parents are going to care whether or not weâre holding hands?âÂ
âMy mum might after the show you put on yesterday afternoon, baby.â Bitterness covers the word like a blanket, a stark departure from how you said it.Â
A long sigh rumbles its way out of you before you fix your lips into a strained grin. âSorry, sweetheart, this is my first time pretending to be in love.âÂ
As your words hang in the air, Sunghoonâs emotions brew like a storm within him. Frustration gnaws at his patience. All hopes for a smooth week are dashed, though determination simmers in his chest with a strong resolve to make this work, to fix your relationship. It doesnât stop the sharp pang of hurt piercing his stomachâhe knows you donât feel the same way, he knows youâre faking, but the word âpretendingâ hits him like a truck anyway.Â
âWe held hands all the time when we were friends,â he points out.
Your smile drops immediately, hurt flashing behind your eyes. âYeah, and now weâre not.âÂ
If there was a competition for who could hurt Sunghoonâs feelings the most, youâd be a shoo-in for first place. With distinction.Â
âExactly!â he says, feeling the sting of his own words. âBecause now weâre dating.â
At the sight of his mum turning around, you switch up in an instant. Lock your fingers with his, wrapping an arm around his bicep, leaning into him, giggling. Itâs forced but his parents are far enough away that all that matters is the curve of your lips.
âYou two okay back there?â she asks.Â
âPerfect! I feel like a kid again!â you call back, beaming up at Sunghoon in a way that makes his stomach flutter even though it doesnât meet your eyes.Â
The two of you donât talk at all when you get home, with you hugging his parents goodnight and running up the stairs.Â
âSheâs not feeling too well,â he explains, nodding when his dad tells him to make you some tea.Â
His parents spend the whole day at work, and you spend the whole day following him around like a shadow until the evening when they return. He doesnât pretend not to like it.
Sunghoon helps you make dinner, turning leftover rice into fried rice with the help of some eggs and vegetables. Itâs nice moving around the kitchen with you, watching you scramble eggs in his t-shirt and bump his hip with a playful frown when he eats some of the peppers youâre chopping.Â
His parents watch from the table, cooing over the two of you and he does his best to fight the blush forming on his cheeks and neck. Embarrassed, he hugs you from behind, hiding his face in your neckâthe scent of your coconut conditioner mixing with your vanilla perfume doesnât do anything to stop the flush.Â
Over a bottle of wine, the four of you eat together at the table, swapping stories about your days. Sunghoon tries to hide his surprise as you lie about the time you spent at the play park by your primary school, competing for height on the swings and spinning on the roundabout until you couldnât stand up. You grin at him, and it meets your eyes as you hold his hand under the table, and kiss his cheek.
After eating, his parents head upstairs, leaving to clean up together. You hum a song heâs never heard as you load the dishwasher, carefully placing the plates and cutlery in the rack, shaking your head when he hands you the glasses youâd used.Â
âLeave ours,â you say. âIf you want.âÂ
Sunghoon nods, putting them back on the table, where you sit in the seat across from the one he was sitting in. He sits too, staying quiet rather than saying the wrong thing. You donât speak either. Itâs reminiscent of the pastâthe hours youâd spend in the same room, only speaking to share a funny post youâd come across or to ask if you were hungry.Â
His eyes track your movementsâreaching for the half-empty bottle on the table to pour yourself another glass, filling it to the brim. Before putting it down, you offer him some, filling his glass too when he nods. The three glasses of wine heâs already had must be the reason he wants to reach across the table and hold your hand, run his thumb over the soft skin on the back of it.Â
Sunghoon doesnât know why youâve been so nice to him all day or why it makes his chest hurt.Â
âYou know you donât have to be nice to me when weâre alone, right?â The words come out before he can stop them.
Over the top of your glass, your brows knit together. A sound of confusion, a low hum, comes from your throat as you try to finish your sip. âWhat?â you ask finally.Â
âI only asked you to do this because of my parents, you know? You donât have to sit or talk with me when theyâre not around.âÂ
Sunghoonâs known you long enough to recognise the look that flashes across your face. The way your eyes narrow and your brows tug together, the little pout that sets on your lips before you speak; youâre hurt.
âWhy canât I just be nice to you because itâs the right thing to do?âÂ
Because it hurts, is what he wants to say. He wants to cry, to beg you to forget everything he said that day. âBecause I donât want to make you any more uncomfortable than I already have.â Is what he settles for.Â
Your face softens. âI donât feel uncomfortable around you, Hoon. We were best friends for ages, I donât think you could ever make me uncomfortable.â You pause to take a gulp of wine. âWhy canât I just want to be nice to you?âÂ
Sunghoon has to chew on his cheek to distract himself from how much your word choice stings. The implications of were and all of your past tense. âIâm sorry,â he says.Â
âWhat for?âÂ
âEverything.âÂ
Thereâs a sadness in the way you run your fingers on the base of your glass. The way you chew on your lip, how your hair falls when you tilt your head and how it moves when you shake it. âItâs not your fault,â you say. âI donât know anyone who would choose to have unrequited feelings for their best friend.âÂ
Wow, he thinks. Youâre on a roll. Sunghoon wonders if youâre meticulously choosing your phrasing to upset him. Wonders why you feel the need to remind him that his feelings arenât reciprocated as if he didnât live through and spend hours reliving the day he confessed.Â
âBut I didnât have to tell you about it. It was unfair of me to spring that on you when I knew about Yeonjun.âÂ
âDid you.. did you think I was going to leave him for you?âÂ
âMaybe?â Sunghoon chews on his lipâhe has no idea what he thought would happen. âI think I thought I loved you enough for both of us, that you might play the part for fun or out of curiosity, and.. I donât know, just learn to love me.â
âHoon,â you whisper, frowning. âHow could you even think about settling for something like that?âÂ
Sunghoon shrugs. âItâs not settling if itâs you.âÂ
Silence takes a seat at the table after he speaks, interrupted only by the ticking clock on the wallâa glittery mess of scrapbooking paper and washi tape layered over each other that Yeji had decorated at summer camp years ago. Youâre picking at your fingernails, letting flecks of black polish fall to the table, stark against the varnished oak.Â
âI know itâs not my place to ask,â Sunghoon starts after a while, hesitant and only continuing when you nod. âBut what did Yeonjun say when you told him? About.. everything?âÂ
You take a long sip from your glass and sit quietly for so long that he thinks youâre not going to answer himâhe doesnât blame you.Â
âI didnât.âÂ
He waits for you to elaborate. You donât.Â
Sunghoon nods slowly, deciding not to ask any follow-up questions. Instead, he takes another drink, scrunching his nose at the bitter taste. âHe didnât ask why we stopped hanging out?â he blurts out.
âI told him we fell out but I didnât say why.â You shrug, but your posture is stiff.Â
âWhere did you tell him you were going to be this week?â He knows itâs not his business at all, that heâs pushing your boundaries, but he canât help his curiosity.
âNowhere.âÂ
âYou told him you were staying on campus?âÂ
âI didnât tell him anything.â Your gaze shifts, avoiding his as you toy with the stem of your glass. You drum your nails against it, letting the dull clink ring out.Â
âSo you just left?âÂ
âDoes it make a difference to you?âÂ
Sunghoon nods.
For a while, you tug at the drawstrings on your hoodie, pursing your lips to the side, considering this. âYeonjun and I arenât together anymore.â Your admission is so shocking that Sunghoonâs jaw drops. He tries to cover his surprise by coughing, his tongue sticking out like a small child. âI didn���t want to say anything because I didnât want you to think it was because of you.âÂ
Sunghoonâs thoughts move at lightspeed, too fast for him to catch onto any of them and process this information. His emotions compete with each otherâdisbelief, guilt, and a painful glimmer of hope he hadnât dared to acknowledge until now all at the forefront.Â
âWas it?â he asks. âBecause of me?âÂ
You scoffâan incredulous sound that doesnât match the sad look on your face. âI donât know, Sunghoon. Do you think my boyfriend used me to make his ex jealous because of you?â
Heâs not sure what he expected you to say, but this is.. Complete disbelief eclipses him as his heart sinks in his chest, shock, and guilt bubbling in his stomach.Â
âIâm sorry,â he says after too long. âThat I wasnât there. That I havenât been there.âÂ
âYou didnât know,â you say, gaze softening as you look up at him.Â
âBut I made you feel like you couldnât talk to me about it.âÂ
You shake your head. âI made me feel like I couldnât talk to you about it. All you did was change the friendship, Iâm the one who ended it.â
âI still shouldâve been there.âÂ
âYouâre here now, right?âÂ
Sunghoon nods, earnestly. âAlways.âÂ
Only one thing comes to mind when you repeat the word âalwaysâ before taking a sip from your glass, downing its contents. Sunghoon gets up and crosses the room with wobbly steps to open the fridge, where he pulls out as many bottles of soju as he can hold in his hands and puts them down on the table. He goes back to collect some glasses from the cabinet, puts some of the leftover fried rice from dinner into the microwave, and brings it all over when itâs done, with bowls and utensils. You watch him with a fond smile as he opens a bottle and he hopes you think the flush on his cheeks is from all the drinking youâve been doing.Â
âIs it bad that Iâve missed doing this?â Youâre grinning now.
Sunghoon shakes his head, raising his glass. âTo YNâs fifteenth heartbreak.âÂ
You grin, clinking the rim of your glass against his. âTo YNâs fifteenth heartbreak,â you repeat.Â
Both of you down the glasses, and Sunghoon refills them, pouring the soju with an oddly steady hand. As you eat spoonfuls of rice and sip your drinks, silence settles over the room. The soft glow of the kitchen lights forms a warm ambience, a cosy familiarity that brings up simple memoriesâdoing homework together at the table while gossiping about your classmates, the first New Year after you were both eighteen and had your first drink with his parents.Â
For at least an hour, the only sounds are the occasional clinks of forks against bowls, glasses hitting the table, the faint hum of the refrigerator and the steady tick of Yejiâs clock. Sunghoonâs eyes meet yours, and he canât help but notice the slight change in your expression when they do.Â
You clear your throat, running a hand through your hair. âThis is my sixteenth, actually.âÂ
âWhat?âÂ
You take a small sip of soju, staring down at the table. âMy fifteenth heartbreak was losing you. Yeonjun is my sixteenth.â
In the two days since your soju ceremony, Sunghoon finds himself sinking into the role of your boyfriend like a hot bath. But thereâs no use pretending it doesnât hurt. Pretending it doesnât hurt when you kiss his cheek before bed, or when you reach out to push the hair out of his face or snuggle into his side on the couch; because it does hurtâa lot. It hurts to think that in three days when you put your bags in the boot of his car, youâll sit in silence all the way home. When he drops you off at your flat, youâll close the door in his face and stop talking to him again. These realisations are harder to confront when heâs alone in his room, like now.Â
About an hour ago, you asked if you could borrow his car, saying there was something you needed to do on your own. It seemed important, so he handed over his keys with no question. Sighing, Sunghoon gets up from his bed and heads to the shower, where he jerks off to clear his mind. On his way back to his room, he notices the light leaking from the open kitchen door that illuminates the landing.Â
He hears the lock on the front door clicking, and stands at the top of the stairs, dripping water onto the carpet while listening attentively. His ears perk up when he hears a gaspâhis mother.Â
âWhatâs this for?â she asks.Â
âI just..â You trail off. âI know itâs not much, but I wanted to thank you both for always looking after me.â You pause, and Sunghoon holds his breath, waiting. Your voice trembles as you continue. âItâs been hard since my parents went back home, and I guess it was still hard when they were here, but you both supported me. I donât think I couldâve managed without you guys. I want to make you guys proud, you know? And Iâm trying, really, so this is me saying thank you. Iâm sorry it took me so long.âÂ
He grips the railing by the landing, digging his nails into the wood until they start hurtingâan ache in his fingertips that makes him wince.Â
An odd feeling settles in his stomach, a bittersweetness tinged in his fondness for you, and the gentle shock of realising how much his parents have done for you. Growing up, you became an honorary member of Sunghoonâs family. His parents showered you with gifts during holidays and birthdays, which you often celebrated with them rather than your own family.Â
The memory of your parentsâ sudden decision to move across the country still lingers, and Sunghoon vividly recalls the tearful conversation he overheard at the top of the stairs. Your parents understood the enormity of their request but had earnestly asked if Sunghoonâs parents could continue looking after you.Â
His chest tightens when you start crying.Â
âYou donât have to thank us for anything, sweetie. Just you being here and taking care of our boy is more than enough thanks. You never forget our birthdays, and you always come and visit when you can. Youâre doing a great job, and you should give yourself some credit,â his dad says, a little choked up. âWeâve always been proud of you.âÂ
Sunghoonâs eyes sting with tears and his skin gets dry in the spots where the water from the shower is evaporating. He presses his fingers to his closed eyes, forcing a few tears to fall and walks the rest of the way to his room with his eyes shut. He canât hear anything through his closed bedroom door, which he decides is a good thing as he coats himself in moisturiser and swipes deodorant under his arms with intention to spend the whole night alone. Once heâs dressed, he gets into bed and pretends not to be bothered by the way his wet hair dampens his pillow. Under the duvet, he tosses and turns before sighing and heading to Yejiâs room.
In her absence, the roomâs subtle transformation is stark. The sage green-painted walls, once a backdrop to the A3 faces of Wave to Earth and Beabadoobee, now bear the faint imprints of those missing posters. Tiny, shadowy rectangles are the only remnants of the 6x4-sized pictures of her and her friends, of her and Sunghoon, that she took away with her to school.
Her hairdryer is still on her desk where sheâd left it for him to use and he sits in her stiff wooden chair, plugging it in. The airflow starts immediately, hot and loud, humming throughout the space as he runs his fingers through his wet hair, feeling cosy under the heat. His shampoo is fresh and soapy scented under his nose, and his reflection watches him in Yejiâs mirror, eyes red and concerned while his hair blows around his head. Sunghoon closes his eyes and finishes his hair, sighing as he lets his worries slip under the whir of the fan.Â
Finished, he shuts off the dryer and opens his eyes, flinching at your reflection in the doorway behind him with a soft smile on your face. âMum and Dad are going to open a bottle of wine if you want to join,â you say, meeting his eyes in the mirror.Â
Sunghoon canât find it in himself to speak, only nodding in response. You smile wider but donât move. He unplugs the hairdryer and leaves it on the desk where he found it before crossing the room. Without giving himself a chance to think about it, he pulls you into a hug and kisses the top of your head, smiling into your hair when you wrap your arms around his waist, holding him closer.Â
Youâre sitting on the edge of the bathtub, mumbling sleepily that youâre never going to drink again, and Sunghoon leans over the sink brushing his teeth, heâs glad you have the decency to cover your mouth as you speak.Â
âBrush your teeth and go back to sleep then,â he mumbles around his toothbrush.Â
You donât respond.Â
Sunghoon sighs through his nose, spitting foamy toothpaste into the sink, leaving bubbly, blue splatters on the porcelain. âAnd quit staring at me, I can feel your beady little eyes on the back of my neck and itâs freaking me out.âÂ
âBut youâre so pretty,â you coo.Â
Thereâs a flutter in his stomach and he rinses off the sink and his mouth, buying himself some time. With a hand on the Listerine, he lifts his gaze to meet yours in the mirror and stops short. Youâre still staring at him, features soft and glowing under the afternoon light. You look like an angel; a gentle smile spreading over your lips, and a sleepy glint sparkling in your eyes, wide and gorgeous as you watch him. Sunghoon gulps, mumbling his thanks and looking back at himself. He hopes you canât see the flush on his cheeks.Â
âGo back to sleep,â he says.Â
âWill you come and lie down with me if I do?â Your voice is a sleepy drawl, coming out in a slow, high-pitched slur, and your eyes are closing on themselves.Â
Lying down doesnât sound like a terrible idea, especially not if itâs with you, so he nods. âIf you brush your teeth, then yeah, baby, Iâll lie down with you.âÂ
You chuckle softly at Sunghoonâs agreement, the sound carrying a mix of exhaustion and genuine amusement, showing no repulsion to him calling you the B-word. He didnât mean to, itâs been a confusing few days. You nod, saluting to him and getting up to join him by the sink, using your hip to bump him out of the way, but he feels like heâs glued to the spot.Â
âMove, baby,â you mumble sleepily, reaching for your toothbrush. âWe can cuddle in my bed,â you suggest, to which Sunghoon only nods, taking your words as a cue to unstick his feet from the floor and go to your room, playing the word âbabyâ on a loop in his head.Â
He stands in the doorway staring at your bed, the duvet is all crumpled in the middle, and the pillows are in an L shape at the top corner. He sighs, he canât go on like this, canât stand around hoping even a tiny part of you called him âbabyâ and it meant something for you as it did for him. Itâs not fair for him to project his feelings on you like this, but he canât help it. Youâre already pretending for his parents, so would it be so bad to pretend for his sake as well? Even if only until the day after tomorrow when you leave?��
The sound of the bathroom door shutting behind you snaps him out of his thoughts, your bright smile making his heart race when you tug him by the sleeve to your bed where the mattress dips underneath you as you curl into his form, resting your head on his chest and falling asleep. Youâve shared the bed before, countless times, but he knows youâve only asked him because youâre tired. Because your brain is foggy with drowsiness that clouds your judgement, not because you want him there, not because you miss him when heâs two doors down the hall, tossing and turning at night thinking about you. He wonders absently if you can feel his aching heart beating through his chest, a painful, yet all too familiar rhythm that pulls his own eyes shut, plunging him into a deep sleep too.
Itâs dark in the room when he wakes up, the sun already down behind the curtains and the soft yellow of the bedside lamp casting a glow around the space. Youâre staring up at him, smiling and you donât look away when he catches you. âWhat is it?â he asks, voice thick with sleep.Â
âNothing,â you mumble. âI just missed you.â Sunghoon has no time to respond or even register what you said before you clear your throat, speaking again. âCome on, dadâs cooking tonight, heâll need help.âÂ
Helping Sunghoonâs dad with dinner always looks an awful lot like Sunghoon eating snacks on the kitchen counter and staring at you as you help his dad cook. Tonight is no exception, heâs sitting on the island, and his snack of choice is a family pack of Chilli Heatwave Doritos his mum bought for Yeji. Heâll have to remember to replace them before leaving seeing as heâs reaching the halfway point.Â
You go back and forth with his dad about measurements, with you rummaging through the drawers for measuring cups while his dad says itâs best to trust your gut. Reluctantly, you nod, chewing the inside of your cheek as you watch him eyeball the seasoning.Â
The gas stove turns the kitchen into an oven, and you complain about it while opening a window, pulling your hoodie over your head and leaving it in Sunghoonâs lap. Time stops when you grin at him, the light from the stove hood illuminating the necklace youâre wearing, his initial resting on your chest and glowing under the light. He chokes around a crisp when he sees it, catching your attention with his coughing.Â
âYouâll spoil your dinner, snacking like that, baby,â you scold, using a hand to push his knee. âWeâre almost done, I swear.âÂ
All he can do is nod, cheeks burning as he folds the crisp packet over before putting it back in the bread bin where he found it.Â
âWow,â his dad says, resting his hands on his hips and shaking his head in amusement. âBeing in love looks good on him, heâd never have listened if I said that.âÂ
Itâs already your last day when Sunghoon picks up Yeji from school. She grumbles for the entire half-hour drive and all the way to the front door about why the two of you couldnât have started the trip today instead of ending it, but all of her irritation dissolves when she sees you in the hallway, leaving the front door wide open to fling her arms around you. You and Yeji exchange compliments for a while â You look so pretty. No, you look so pretty. I love your hair. I love your hair. â as Sunghoon locks the door and watches with a smile.
âGod.â Yeji sighs, holding you by the waist and craning her neck up to look at you, as you push some of her hair from her face, pinning back her wispy bangs with the palm of your hand. Yeji giggles. âIâm so happy you two are together, even though I have no idea what a girl like you sees in my loser brother.âÂ
Sunghoon rolls his eyes, leaning back against the wall. Despite his mild irritation at Yejiâs words, he finds the sight of you with her so adorable his stomach flutters. Over the top of Yejiâs head, you look at him with a fond smile. âHeâs not so bad.âÂ
It doesnât sound like a compliment, but Sunghoon takes it to heart.Â
Like always, Yeji manages to capture your undivided attention and the two of you giggle and whisper with each other all afternoon while Sunghoon watches, too enamoured by the sight to care about being left out. An hour or so passes like this, until his parents get home from work, excited to see Yeji after a few weeks, and you leave her side, coming to cuddle with Sunghoon instead.Â
Itâs nice being home with everyone, laughing and sharing a meal before his family walks the two of you to his car with at least a monthâs worth of cooked food for you to share at university. Yeji makes you pinky promise that she can visit you and waves with a pout on her face until the car is out of view.
Contrary to what heâd been expecting, the drive back is nice. Your playlist is on, and youâre telling him about all the new songs you added, catching him up on things with Chaewon and Yunjin, and all the things you got up to in the time you spent apart. You tell him about a new cafĂŠ that opened up near your place and how youâll have to go together when he has the time, and Sunghoon bites his tongue before telling you that he always has time for you. The first half of the trip goes on like this but you start dozing off around the halfway mark, your sentences becoming few and far between, eventually turning into half-mumbled thoughts that end prematurely.Â
Youâre still asleep when he reaches your flat, head propped up against the window with your soft lips parted, looking too pretty and cosy to wake up. Instead, he drives in circles around your block, deciding to wait for you to wake up on your own. It only takes a half-hour but you blink your eyes open, stretching your neck before looking around and out the car window, recognising the street. You donât say anything, only smiling when you look at him, a small curve of your lips that makes his heart race.
He gets out of the car with you, opening the boot to get your bag before pulling you into his chest for a hug, liking the way your arms settle around his waist. âThank you,â he mumbles into your hair.Â
Sunghoon doesnât follow you when you take your bag from him, only watching from the back of his car. You donât notice until you reach the main door, looking over your shoulder and frowning at him. âArenât you going to walk me up?âÂ
The two of you walk in silence up four flights of stairs as the lift in your building is out of order. Your bag feels much heavier in his hand now than it did outside. At your door, he watches you dig around for your keys, sighing with relief when you find them.Â
âDo you want to come in?â you ask from your open doorway.
âIâuhâI have training in the morning and Iâm already pretty tired, so..â He trails off.
Unfazed, you nod. âRight, of course. I had fun this week.âÂ
âYeah, me too.âÂ
You smile at him, sweet and sincere. âText me when you get home, yeah?âÂ
Sunghoon nods, saying goodbye. Out of habit, he doesnât leave your doorstep until he hears the lock click shut, and walks back to his car with his head down.Â
True to his word, he sends you a text to let you know he got back to his place safely and you read it immediately but donât reply. Itâs empty in the apartment, Jake is out with his football team and the space is larger than usual in his absence. Far too tired to even consider going out and joining him, Sunghoon goes through his night routine, putting his phone on the charger and stepping into the shower where he spends entirely too long wishing he could live in this week forever as he scrubs his body. With brushed teeth and damp hair, he goes back into his room where his phone lights up with a notification; a text, from you.
YNđŤ: iâm glad you got home okay, i just got into bed :) i donât want to make you uncomfortable or overstep or anything and you can say no (obviously).. iâve been missing you so much and didnât know how to reach out or if you wanted me to but i had soooo much fun this week and spending time with you again made me happy, so iâd like it if we could keep hanging out, like before yk? ik itâs a long shot ahahaha but just say youâll think about it?Â
hoonie: Youâre not overstepping at all, Iâve missed you too, so bad. I had soooo much fun this week as well and Iâd like it a lot if we kept hanging out, thank you for agreeing and coming along đ If youâre free after Lit tmrw you could come over? Or we could go out and do something, whatever you prefer
hoonie: I missed you so much..Â
hoonie: đ¤
The texts greet you as the first rays of Monday morning light filter into your room, instantly lifting your mood. Your bright smile doesnât escape Chaewonâs notice as you find her in the kitchen, bathed in the soft light seeping through the sheer curtains. The kettle is boiling with a loud rumble that fills the whole room and leaves her yelling as she speaks to you.Â
âGood trip?â she asks, coming over and hugging you. âNever leave me for that long again,â she mumbles into your shirt.Â
âIt was a week, Wonie,â you say, rolling your eyes even though you missed her too.Â
She leans away, looking at you with knitted brows. âIt was nine days.âÂ
âThe longest of my life.âÂ
Chaewon pulls air through her teeth, tilting her head and releasing you. âThat bad, huh?â she asks, walking back to her seat at your tiny square table and shooting you a look that tells you to join her.Â
During your trip, you gave her nightly updates over text, so you know she knows how much you enjoyed yourself, but you elaborate anyway, sitting across from her.Â
âNo, not at all,â you say, shaking your head and trying to fight a smile. âI had fun.â As soon as the words leave your mouth, you have to bite your bottom lip to stop the grin curving them; it doesnât work.Â
Chaewon raises a suggestive brow, crossing her arms over her chest. âHow much fun?âÂ
âYouâre disgusting.âÂ
âI didnât even say anything!â she defends, holding her hands up. âI made an implication. It was only a matter of time, you two have that whole.. lifelong best friends to lifelong lovers thing going on, and itâs hot.âÂ
âShut up.âÂ
âYouâre telling me, you spent nine days playing lovers with Sunghoon and you still donât want him? Youâre a lost cause, people would kill for that chance,â she says, tilting her head. âI think I would kill for that chance.âÂ
âDonât touch him.â
âOh?âÂ
âJesus, Chaewon, itâs not like that. Hoonâs too sensitive for your roster.âÂ
âI never said it was like anything, youâre the one whoâs dangling me over the ledge for saying I want to fuck your hot best friend.âÂ
âSunghoon isnât hot; heâs..â You find yourself at a loss for words, unsure how to continue your lie. Of course, Sunghoon is hot, youâve known since you were seventeen and spent the summer at your grandparentsâ house, only to come back to find your previously scrawny best friend having ditched his LEGOs for dumbbells. You sigh. âJust leave him alone.â
Chaewon grins, eyes sparkling as she leaves the table. âOkay,â she says in a singsong voice, leaving you and the irritation in your stomach alone in the kitchen.
You sigh, pressing your eyes shut and trying to will away your discomfort. Itâs not like Chaewon would actually try anything with Sunghoon. Right? Even if she did, it wouldnât bother you, nor would it be any of your business. Theyâre grownups and reserve the right to explore their options. Still, thereâs a nagging feeling you canât shake, an uninvited guest in the back of your mind.Â
When you check your phone, you realise you have half an hour before you need to head to campus, so you leave to get ready and text Sunghoon back on the way to your room.
you: sounds good, see u later đ¤
After showering, you stand in front of your wardrobe, towel hanging from your body as you pick an outfit. For some reason, you feel under pressure, picking a pair of jeans that do the most for your ass and a low-cut top that Sunghoon once â drunkenly â said he loved on you.
You have the residual sting of mouthwash on your tongue, and one foot out the door when your phone vibrates in your hand.Â
hoonie: Do you want to head to class together?Â
you: sure! iâm omw out, where should i get you?Â
hoonie: .. Iâm outside your building :DÂ
Breathing a laugh through your nose, you donât fight the giddy smile on your face as you make your way downstairs to meet Sunghoon. Through the glass in the main door, heâs standing at the edge of the pavement and kicking a stone between his feet. The top of his puffer jacket covers the bottom half of his face, and the draught nips your skin when the door opens. Two girls you vaguely recognise stumble in with smudged makeup and heels in their hands, smiling at you while holding the door to let you out.
âHey!â you call out, jogging over to him.Â
Sunghoon turns around, his head poking out of his jacket to grin at you, holding a travel cup and an abundance of tinfoil in your direction.Â
âI wasnât sure if youâd have eaten anything yet, you donât normally in the morning,â he says, a sheepish smile spreading over his lips when you take it. âMatcha. Ham and cheese toastie.âÂ
âDid you make these?â you ask, inspecting the familiar cup and appreciating the warmth it provides.Â
He hums, nodding his head.
You ignore the heat spreading over your cheeks and thank him with a hug, grinning when he offers to hold your drink while you eat on the walk. The toastie is still hot, the cheese coming close to burning your tongue as you chew, but you appreciate it wholeheartedly, humming contently with each bite. When youâre done, you shove the foil into your pocket, taking your drink from him and smiling around the sweet taste of a matcha latte as he tells you about his schedule for the day.Â
âIâm meeting with Coach after class to talk about my grades, but Iâm all yours after that.âÂ
âTalk about your grades? Whatâs wrong with your grades?âÂ
Sunghoon groans, head falling back and highlighting the bump of his Adamâs apple. âMy grades are.. I failed my coursework this month, so I have resubmissions during finals, and I think heâll bench me if I fail again.âÂ
He sounds like heâs being serious, and if the look on his face is anything to go by, he is. The news creases your brows because for as long as you remember, Sunghoonâs grades were your parentsâ favourite point of comparison.
âReally?â you ask. He nods. âWhatâs up? Is something the matter?âÂ
A humourless laugh slips out of him before he pulls air through his teeth. âYeah, my best friend didnât talk to me for three months.âÂ
âOh..â Guilt stirs your stomach as you look up at him. âIâm sorry.â
âIâm not blaming you, itâs not like I was trying to talk and you ignored me.â He nudges your arm with his elbow, giving you a warm smile. âBut if you feel as guilty about it as you look, you can tutor me for Lit.âÂ
âDeal.âÂ
Sunghoon grins, wrapping his arm over your shoulders and holding you close; the action itself isnât unusual, but the increased heart rate it brings about is. âYouâre too good to me,â he says, holding onto you for the rest of the walk to class.
At his request, you sit with Sunghoon in the back row, watching as the lecture hall gradually fills up in front of you. He seems well-prepared, with his laptop and a small notepad and pen neatly arranged on the desk in front of him.
Throughout the class, your eyes inadvertently track his every move. He diligently types up colour-coded notes, occasionally pausing to write things in his notepad before continuing to type or stopping entirely to listen. Thereâs something melodic about his actions and the way his fingers run over the keyboard.Â
During a five-minute break, you glance at his screen. What you find is more than just lecture content; itâs a document adorned with Sunghoonâs own musings about Hemingwayâs style and carefully analysed quotations that go beyond the class discussion.
âHow are your notes so good?âÂ
âI picked up the book over the summer when you mentioned it,â Sunghoon replies with a shrug, a shy smile playing on his lips as he leans back in his seat. âI liked it.âÂ
A slow nod is your response, though your thoughts swirl like autumn leaves in a breeze. The last time Sunghoon read for leisure, you were in primary school, buddy reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid. But thisâthis is different. You canât help but stare at him, awestruck as you take him in. His eyes are wide, shining amber in the sunlight as he pushes some of his hair from his face, frowning when it falls back where it was.Â
âDonât look at me like that,â he mumbles.Â
Sunghoon takes a new line in his document and points at the screen where you watch the cursor move through the words heâs typing: I wouldâve read and annotated the Bible if you wanted me to..
Thereâs no time to digest what he wrote or the funny feeling in your chest as you reread it before he deletes the whole sentence, pressing his lips together and looking out the window. Speechless, you stare at his side profile, willing your heart rate to slip back to normal. Steep-sloping nose, plump lips flattened into a line, two points of the triangular mole constellation on his face. Analysis worsens your condition, breath hitching in your throat before stopping entirely. Warmth and trepidation blend within you, fuzzy enough at the edges to seem like one thingâa single force that makes your palm itch with desire, desperation, to reach out and run a finger over his features, feel the bump of the mole on his nose â the most prominent â against your skin.Â
You remain this way â silent, watching â even when your lecturer resumes the lesson, and Sunghoon starts typing, writing, and listening again. Polite enough to pretend he doesnât notice your gaze searing into his face.
After class, and his meeting with Coach, you let Sunghoon lead the conversation and the way to your flat, where you find Chaewon and Yunjin sitting on the couch, whispering to themselves while the two of you study at the coffee table. Itâs uncomfortable, an awkward height, too high for the way youâre sitting but you feel calm under the supervision of Chaewon and Yunjinâyou wonât do anything to merit teasing in front of them, no matter how badly you want to feel Sunghoonâs face in your hands or stroke his cheekbones with your thumbs.Â
To the best of your ability, you answer the questions he has for youâheâd written a ton in his tiny notepad during class, his own concerns clear with each neatly-penned iteration of: How to see actions/dialogue for what they are and not what I want them to be? written in the margins and you try not to feel heartbroken for him.
Three hours have passed by when you walk him to the door, the two of you wrapped up in a bubble so secure youâre surprised to find Chaewon and Yunjin still sitting on the couch. They donât say anything about Sunghoon in his absence, or the fact heâd given you his sweater when he noticed you were cold. Youâre not sure why their silence disappoints you.
Instead, Yunjin asks you about trivial things like dinner while Chaewon sits in silence.Â
âWhat flavour for ice cream?â Yunjin asks, rolling her eyes when you tug on the blanket but not complaining. âAnd donât say something ridiculous like mint chocolate, YN.âÂ
âThat happened once! And it was three years ago.. How was I supposed to know you hate fun?âÂ
Chaewon leans into you, letting you curl your limbs around her from behind as you rest your chin on her shoulder, liking the way her clean scent tickles your nose.Â
âMint-cho isnât that bad,â she starts. âItâs a little jarring, sure, but itâs kind of sweet. Like watching people come to terms with their feelings for each other.âÂ
You nod your head, humming in understanding and furrowing your brows when Yunjin scoffs, staring straight at you. Her tone is equal parts cutting and loving, so you know sheâs not trying to insult you, but donât know what she means when she says, âIt must be so nice to be as oblivious as you.âÂ
Yunjin never elaborates, and you never ask, actually feeling the statementâs journey in through one of your ears and out the other when dinner arrives. The three of you share pizza, ice cream, and secrets â the three pillars of 20-something-teenage-girlhood â at the kitchen table, with Chaewon sitting in your lap and picking pepperoni from your slices.Â
Itâs only hours after Yunijnâs gone home, that her words circle back to you, the statement and all of its weight perching on your chest with all the debilitation and persistence of a sleep paralysis demon.
âI think Iâm getting sick,â you say as soon as she opens her door. âItâs been coming on for a while now, at least a week, maybe more.âÂ
Unimpressed and exhausted, Yunjin looks down at you through half-closed eyes. âDo you..â She pinches the bridge of her nose, sighing. âDo you have any idea what time it is right now?âÂ
âYes. Itâs three a.m.âÂ
âExactly. See a doctor if youâre sick, Iâm going back to sleep.â
âThis is an emergenââ Yunjin cuts you off by pinching your lips together. âItâs three in the morning,â she reminds you. âYou canât yell like that in my hallway, come in.âÂ
You nod, crossing the threshold and taking off your shoes next to hers. âSorry,â you whisper when the door is closed.Â
Using her hand, Yunjin lifts your chin, squinting as her eyes adjust to the light when she flips the switch to inspect your face. âYou donât look or sound sick,â she mutters, flicking the light back off and going to her room. âWhat are your symptoms? And why did you come here?âÂ
You donât have an answer for her last question so you ignore it, following her and tripping over a pair of her shoes in the process. âMy cheeks start burning like crazy and my heart races, sometimes it gets hard to breathe.â
âYou seem fine to me.âÂ
A shoulder-slumping sigh slips from your lips. âThatâs the thing. Iâll be fine and then Sunghoon shows up with his pretty smile and perfect hair and I feel like Iâve run a marathon.â You know how it sounds, choosing your wording meticulously to let Yunjin be the one to say the words out loud instead of youâitâll be easier to confront that way.Â
From the doorway, you watch as she arches a brow, her interest piqued. âOh?âÂ
âI know.â You nod, head bobbing rapidly in furious agreement. âItâs only a matter of time before I cough up a lung and die in his bedroom.â
At your words, Yunjin doesn't reply, only lifting her duvet and getting cosy underneath. You feel like youâre glued to the spot, waiting for her to say something, anything, but nothing comes. All she does is pat the empty spot in her bed.Â
âWhat are you smirking for?â you ask, entering the room properly and closing the door.Â
Her response only comes after youâve taken your jacket and hoodie off, sitting next to her under the covers. âItâs nothing,â she says, laughing.Â
âTell me.âÂ
Yunjin sighs, resting a hand gently on your shoulder. You think itâs meant to be comforting but itâs the opposite. âYouâll be fine, I promise. Lovesickness isnât deadly.âÂ
Feeling the weight of her reassurance, you settle down properly and sigh when your head hits the pillow. Lovesickness. Hmm.Â
Closing your eyes, you try to sleep but canât help tossing and turning as Yunjin snores behind you. You pat blindly around the end table for your phone, grabbing it and wincing at the brightness of your screen. Chewing on your lip, you open Google, looking up âlovesicknessâ and frowning immediately at the results. Endless negativity fills the screen, terrifying words like âunrequited loveâ forming a pit in your stomach. Thereâs nothing negative about what you feel for Sunghoon, nothing unrequitedâyou think.Â
It was obvious during the trip, painfully so. In the way heâd tuck your hair behind your ear when his parents werenât there to see, or how he slipped up and called you âbabyâ in the bathroom, blushing when you said it back. You canât fake something like that.. Can you?
Yeonjun did.
Shaking your head, you open Instagram to distract yourself. Jakeâs story comes up first; heâs at a party where Jay is losing a game of beer pong, and at the other end of the table is Sunghoon grinning with a bright red lipstick kiss on his cheek. You lock your phone, using your hands to press on your belly to stop the stirring.Â
Oh, you think. Lovesickness.Â
When you wake up, the first thing you do is check Jakeâs story again. The video is still there and that terrible stir in your stomach churns on, burrowing deeply into a pit of canyon-like proportionâso vast thereâs a safety railing lining its edges.Â
You eat breakfast in silence with Yunjin, zoning out mid-chew to figure out the origin of these feelings and how to handle them. Suddenly, the moment hits you clear as day, vivid like youâre watching it on a screenâit was your third night at his parentsâ house, after your walk.Â
You felt bad about how you acted, and what you said, so went straight up to your room. With nothing but the bedside lamp turned on, it was dimly lit, shadows cast on the walls as you sulked, replaying everything in your head. Guilt wrapped its long arms around your body, making you feel sick as you thought about it all. About the hurt etched over his face with every word you said, and the frown that stuck around for the rest of the walk as his hand clung limply to yours.Â
There was a knock at the door, so gentle you almost missed it, and Sunghoon was standing there when you pulled it open, chewing on his lip with a mug in his hand. Steam skated over the opening, a rich chocolatey smell hitting your nose but the real kicker was the mug itself. In its place on Jake and Sunghoonâs mug tree, it was unassuming, a regular white mug, but upon meeting hot water, the face of young Sunghoon appeared, grinning with his tiny glasses on. It was a gift from one of his old coaches and though he never used it, it was your absolute favourite cup in the world.Â
You felt soft around the edges when you looked up at him, his eyes wide and unsure as you met his gazeâhe brought that mug three hours across the country so you could use it again. The thought shifted your heart into a comfortable position, settling in your chest with overwhelming warmth and an increased rate.Â
âHi,â you said, clearing your throat.Â
âHi,â he repeated, holding the mug out for you to take. âItâs still hot so be careful.âÂ
Nodding, you covered your hands with your sleeves, taking the cup from him and asking if he wanted to come in. Sunghoon nodded, shutting the door behind him and standing by the bed, watching you set the hot chocolate on the bedside table as you sat down. The two of you stayed like that for a while, with him only moving when you patted the spot next to you on the duvet. Your train of thought escaped you as soon as he sat down, the warmth of his familiar fresh, citrusy scent taking over and becoming the only thing you could register. The smell of summers with him, long days at the beach and short nights spent on the couch at random parties, cuddled into his side with his arm over your shoulders. The smell youâd come to associate with comfort and homeâwith Sunghoon.Â
âItâs not fair for me to treat you like shit just because Iâm annoyed, I shouldnât have spoken to you like that earlier. Iâm sorry.âÂ
A crease ran over Sunghoonâs thick brows as they tugged together, he shook his head. âYou donât have to apologise. I roped you into this whole thing and didnât even try to think about how you would feel. Iâm sorry.â His eyes carried a mix of regret and sincerity, mirroring the weight of his words.
âAnyway, I only came to bring you that,â he said, pointing at the cup. âAnd to check up on you, Iâll get out of your hair for tonight.â Sunghoon wiped his palms on his pants before standing up, reaching behind him to pick up the cloth he brought. For a moment, he stood there, staring down at it in his hand while you thought about telling him to stay, telling him that you wanted him in your hairâwhatever that meant. But he spoke before you had the chance. âYou left this, at mine, after.. well, you know. Iâm sure you left it intentionally, I mean it was folded up perfectly on the end of my bed, so I know you did, but it didnât feel right keeping it, you always wore it more than me.âÂ
Sunghoon extended his hand, holding it out to you and you knew exactly what it was as soon as the fabric touched your skin after so long. It was the shirt Jay bought him for Christmas in first yearâthey were roommates still trying to get a feel for each other. For a few weeks, Sunghoon had been pestering you about what he should get for Jay, saying it didnât feel right not to get him anything, and you suggested a targeted t-shirt, one youâd been laughing at all day after seeing an ad for it on your timeline. Sunghoon was sceptical, but bought the red shirt anyway, hoping Jay would find BEING DAD IS AN HONOUR, BEING PAPA IS PRICELESS funny. He did. And Jay bought Sunghoon a targeted shirt too, your favourite. It was black and two sizes too big, with I NEVER DREAMED IâD BE A SEXY FIGURE SKATER BUT HERE I AM KILLING IT written over the chest.Â
âGoodnight, YN,â Sunghoon said, crossing the room to leave but hesitating before closing the door. He poked his head through the opening and sighed. âI really am sorry.â
That night, you fell asleep in the shirt, the thinning, yet cosy, fabric wrapped around you like a hug as your heart started to beat a new rhythm, one that eerily echoed the five-foot-eleven figure skater who you let break it.Â
This morning, Yunjin claps her hands in your face, seeming irritated when you look over at her. âYou have class in an hour, what are you doing?â Before you have the chance to speak, realisation covers her face. âOh, the feelings.âÂ
You nod solemnly, too caught up in the butterflies raiding your stomach to come up with something to say.Â
At lightspeed, you scarf down the rest of your food, apologising for showing up so late as you head out the door. When you get home, you take the fastest shower of your life and feel grateful Chaewon isnât around to tease you about the smile you canât wipe from your face thinking about Sunghoonâyouâll text her later.
You run to campus, feeling the brisk autumn wind beating against your face while the rest of your body overheats under your jacket, hoodie and long sleeve. Despite the discomfort and ache in your lungs, you donât stop until you reach the door of your lecture hall, huffing and puffing into the faces of classmates who donât take any notice. Of course, in a stroke of pure luck, your lecturer is late, and you realise bitterly, that all of your huffing and puffing was in vainâyou would have gotten to class with time to spare even if you walked.
Itâs not a total waste though; you use the time to update Chaewon.Â
you: i have news wonie.. i like sunghoon
wonie: âŚâŚâŚâŚâŚ.. fork in the kitchen yn whatâs the news?Â
wonie: OHHHH news to YOU.. can i call?Â
She calls you immediately. You answer without thinking because your lecturer still hasnât arrived, and thereâs no one sitting close enough to hear or notice you taking a call.Â
âAre you going to tell him?!â Chaewonâs voice is so loud you wince, pulling the phone away from your ear.Â
âI donât know.â You shrug even though she canât see you, still holding the device at a distance just in case. âI donât have any confirmation that he still.. likes me. Itâs been a while, and I was pretty mean that day.Â
Chaewon groans and you can picture her throwing herself onto her bed, exasperated. The rustling that comes through the receiver only frames the image, hanging it up. âDid you have to tell him to get a grip?âÂ
âYou know..â You trail off, chewing on your bottom lip. âIn hindsight, probably not.âÂ
A beat passes, sheâs thinking. âDonât worry,â she says. âIâll help you.âÂ
âI.. have never been so worried in my life.â You sigh, picking at your freshly painted nails. âBut I know youâll do something no matter what I say, so do what you want, Wonie, but please be subtle about it.âÂ
Chaewon squeals down the phone. âI love youuuuu!â And itâs the last thing she says before kissing the mic a few times and hanging up.Â
Slumping in your seat, you donât have any time to stress about Chaewonâs plans because your lecturer walks in, with a travel cup in her hand and a paperback tucked under her arm.Â
She apologises for being late, running a hand through her hair as she announces that youâll be watching a film, an adaptation of a book you read at the start of termâIan McEwanâs Atonement. You spend the first hour of the movie falling in and out of sleep until a text comes through from Sunghoon, and sheer excitement keeps you up.
hoonie: Wanna study together after class?Â
you: of course!!!!!!Â
hoonie: đ¤
The rest of the movie goes by in a drag, and you come away from it with a mild irritation towards Saoirse Ronan.
you: class just finished, heading to lib rnÂ
hoonie: Shit, still in the locker room, sorry !!! Omw, can you get a table?Â
you: iâll try..
It takes a while but you find an empty booth on the second floor, and set your bag on the plush green seat to take pictures of your surroundings to send to Sunghoon. You sit on the side facing the stairs so he can see you when he arrives. The thought of seeing him makes your heart race and you try out a few natural-seeming poses for when heâs here, cycling between resting your palm under your chin and sitting with your arms crossed a few times until the top of his head comes into view.Â
Seeing him knocks the wind out of you as he approaches the staircase, taking them two at a time with his damp hair clinging to his forehead and neck. It doesnât help that heâs wearing a tight black vest, and his sweats are hanging low on his hips. A breath you didnât realise you were holding slips out when he lifts his head, spotting you immediately as a grin spreads over his lips and he raises his arm to wave, the veins in his forearm peeking out to say hi too. You canât tell if itâs his lack of winter wardrobe or your newfound appreciation for him thatâs making his biceps look so huge but itâs hard to look away, even when he reaches the table.Â
âAre you hot?â you blurt out.Â
Sunghoon laughs, raising a brow and something about the way heâs looking down at you makes your cheeks burn. âDepends whoâs asking.â He takes his backpack off, leaving it on the table as he sits down, dumping his jacket and hoodie in a pile beside him.
âIâm asking,â you mumble.Â
âThen, yeah, Iâd hope so.âÂ
Is he flirting? It sounds like heâs flirting. Flirt back! âNice arms.âÂ
He looks down at his biceps for a beat before looking at you warily. âAre you flirting with me?â He canât fight the smile twitching at the corners of his lips but he tries his best, pressing them into a straight line.
âA little. They are nice though,â you admit.
Sunghoon grins. âThanks, Iâve had them for a while now.â
You canât come up with anything to say, too distracted by the way his smile reaches his eyes, lighting up his whole face and forcing a flustered heat to spread over your cheeks and neck. Itâs only when you look away from him that you remember what youâre here for. Itâs a study date, not a study dateâthereâs a difference.Â
You hand Sunghoon the material youâd printed for him over the weekend, excerpts from texts youâd studied in class, so he can practise close reading and proper citation. As he makes his way through them, you canât help stealing glances, smiling at the way his tongue sticks out a little while he focuses, or how he twirls his pen in his fingers while heâs thinking. You arenât making the best use of your time together, copying out the slides from class yesterday, but you canât help noticing the way he watches you when he thinks you canât see. The small smile on his face while he does so only flusters you, an odd weakness settling in your knees as your cheeks heat up.Â
After a while, Sunghoon sighs, running a hand through his hair. âCould you stop watching me?â
âIf you noticed me watching, that means youâre watching me.âÂ
He shrugs, chewing on his lip. âWell, yeah. Iâm always watching you,â he says like itâs a given. âBut you donât normally watch back, itâs distracting.âÂ
âYouâre distracting.â
A playful smile curves his lips as he arches a brow, smugness painting his face. âAm I?âÂ
Too scared to verbalise your response, you nod slowly, hoping you donât look as wound up as you feel.Â
Sunghoonâs eyes flick over your face, flashing with something you donât recognise. At least not from him. He sits back in his seat, assessing you and eventually shaking his head.Â
âYou know,â he says, eyes glowing with something you do recognise: cockiness. âIf my sexy arms are getting to you that much, I can always put my hoodie back on. Wouldnât want my little tutor getting distracted, would I?âÂ
Oh.Â
Your stomach turns with want, mind reeling from his tone and the way his gaze lands on your lips. Sighing, you roll your eyes and try to seem unaffected. âSunghoon, I never said your arms were sexy.âÂ
His phone starts to go off, buzzing against the table and he turns it over immediately, screen down on the surface as he shifts his focus back to his work. He chews on his lip while he does, eyes flicking back and forth between his phone and the words on the page. Curious, you lean over the table, elbows propped up as you rest your chin in your hands. He doesnât spare you or his phone, which vibrates another four times, a glance.
âAre you going to get that?âÂ
Sunghoon shakes his head. âItâs nothing.âÂ
You hum, letting just enough curiosity seep into the sound that heâll elaborate without being asked to. It doesnât take long for him to deliver.
âItâs just Chaewon,â he says, running his hand through his hair and lifting his head. Sunghoon smiles. âWeâve been texting a lot these days.âÂ
âCool.â You nod a few times, aiming for nonchalance but hitting bobblehead as you wait for him to continue. He doesnât, only humming in response, nodding too.Â
After a beat, he picks up his phone, angling it just high enough that you canât see the screen. He reads the messages, an exhaled laugh coming from his nose as the tips of his ears reddenâFuck. This is worse than you thought.Â
Chaewonâs commitment to girl code runs deepâsheâs been rebuffing Jake since first year when she overheard a girl sheâd never seen before telling her friends she thought he was cute. So you know without having to read the texts that nothing sheâs saying is even remotely flirty, you can smell the auto-caps and use of the word âbuddyâ from across the table.Â
What you hadnât counted on, however, was the potential for Sunghoonâs feelings to shift. If they really have been texting more, can you rule out the possibility that he might like.. her? Chaewon is a catch, beyond a catch, and youâd already turned Sunghoon down. Brutally. Of course, heâd move on, he has moved on.Â
The rest of the study session is spent manifesting, writing Park Sunghoon over and over in the back of your notebook. You fill three pages while brainstorming ways to snatch a lock of his hair until he suggests that the two of you call it a day. He walks you home, telling you about how Jakeâs been bribing him with food to get a ride to the LEGO store across town for the new Marvel set.Â
âWith or without the meals, I wouldâve taken him, but his ramen is my favourite, so..â Sunghoon says, climbing the last step of your building and holding the door open for you. âHe even brought a slice of tiramisu to the rink for me after practice.âÂ
âYouâre terrible,â you say, frowning up at him as you search for your keys. âDo you want to come in?âÂ
Sunghoon chuckles, shaking his head. âI have a meeting with one of my lecturers soon, Iâd have to leave inââ He pauses, rolling up the sleeve of his jacket to check the time. ââeight minutes.âÂ
âIâm cool with that if you are,â you mumble, suddenly shy.Â
A bright smile spreads over his lips and he nods, following you in.Â
Chilled by the harsh wind, the only thing on your mind is a hot drink as you lead Sunghoon to the kitchen. He shakes his head when you offer him one, sitting on the countertop and exhaling into his palms before rubbing them together. You canât help but frown at the sight, feeling guilty that you canât change the weather to suit him. At your thought process, your brows raise. Wow, you think. Is this who you are?Â
You busy yourself with the selection of hot drinks you and Chaewon have accumulated, eyeing each container from top to bottom. A purple tub of Cadburyâs hot chocolate that youâre sure is on the brink of expiration, coffeeâsachets of the instant stuff youâve grown to like since leaving home, Earl grey from one of many brands, or the fancy silk tea bags Chaewonâs mum brought home from a tripârooibos or plum-apple-cinnamon.Â
Craving something sweet, you settle for hot chocolate, pulling the heavy container from the cupboard next to Sunghoonâs head and setting it beside your cup. Heâs on his phone, scrolling too fast to take in anything heâs seeing and he shakes his head when you ask if he wants something to drink.Â
On the dish rack, Chaewonâs mug catches your eye, so you pick it up to dry it off and put it down next to yours. âIâm going to check if Wonie wants any,â you say, wiping imaginary crumbs from the counter onto the floor.Â
Sunghoon only clears his throat, shaking his head. âSheâs not home, one of her acrylics popped off so sheâs at the shop waiting for a cancellation.âÂ
The information itself isnât jarring but hearing it from Sunghoon is. You put on what you hope is a neutral smile and nod, taking milk from the fridge and assembling your drink on autopilot while thinking of ways to redirect the conversation.Â
âIf you knew youâd have to go back to campus so soon, whyâd you walk me home?â you ask, watching your cup spin in the microwave. âI couldâve walked on my own.âÂ
Sunghoon is already looking at you when you turn your head, his cheeks puffed out with air as he blinks slowly. Because I love you, is what you hope heâll say. You think you need him to say it.Â
âBecause you donât have to do anything on your own when you have me,â he says instead, and itâs infinitely better.Â
The words seep through your every fibre, his intonation and lucid affection making a home for themselves in your heart, spreading warmth from head to toe. Your smile becomes a radiant grin, only brightening when he shakes his head, smiling down at his feet.Â
Sunghoon hugs you in the kitchen when itâs time for him to leave, his arms holding you tight to his chest as he rocks you back and forth. You inhale his scent, all warm citrus under freshly washed cotton and something exclusive to him.
Wiping the smile from your face feels impossible. You donât let go when he does, and a sweet laugh â a giggle, you think â tumbles out of him as he mumbles that he really has to go. Still, you cling onto him, taking clumsy steps backwards, with your arms locked around his waist, to your front door, smiling as you watch him put his shoes on.Â
âYou donât have to walk me downstairs, honestly,â he says, looking down at you in the doorway.
âI want to.âÂ
His lips quirk up at the corners, a full smile breaking through and causing your stomach to flutter with so much force youâre sure itâs visible through your shirt. His eyes fall to your lips, lingering, before he clears his throat, looking away.Â
âIâll text you when I get to the door, promise.âÂ
You lock your pinky with his. âSend a selfie, just so I know itâs you and not someone else using your phone.âÂ
Sunghoonâs head falls back in a laugh. âShould I just call you? That way you can make sure I get back to uni in one piece.âÂ
You nod.
âThat wasnât anything with Chaewon earlier, I just needed advice on some girl stuff..â He trails off, searching your eyes. Itâs obvious that heâs telling the truth, that he wants you to believe him. You do. âI wasnât sure if that was something I could talk about with you.âÂ
Girl stuff. Hmm. You try not to read too much into it and look at the bigger picture insteadâyour best friend is going through something and doesnât feel like he can come to you about it.. You squeeze his pinky reassuringly, a flutter in your stomach when he smiles.Â
âYou can talk to me about anything,â you say, meaning it.Â
Sunghoon presses his lips together, humming and unlinking your fingers. âNext time,â he says after a beat, waving at you.Â
You shut the door, locking it while watching through the peephole, he leaves as soon as the lock clicks shut. In the kitchen, your hot chocolate is cooling down, and your phone rings in your back pocket. Sunghoonâs calling.Â
Hanging out with Sunghoon. Making sure he sticks to the time-blocked schedule you made for him. Quizzing him on biology terms until he gets restless. If the last two weeks were an episode of Family Feud, those would be the top three answers to the question: Name something YN is doing right now.
Thankfully tonight, itâs the first one.Â
Youâve been sitting on the couch for so long, Jake has both left for football practice and arrived from football practice. Conversation ebbs and flowsâan hour or so of nonstop talking, followed by another hour or so of comfortable near silence.Â
Itâs during a quiet hour that Sunghoon sits up straight, clearing his throat before saying, âLet me ask you something. He retreats to the other side of the couch, turning to face you with his whole body. âI donât want things to be weird after I ask, so no matter what your answer is, I wonât bring it up or ask again.â
Arching a curious brow, you nod. âYou can ask me anything,â you say, meaning it.
Sunghoonâs face is impressively blankâminus the motion of sharp teeth worrying plush lip, thereâs absolutely nothing behind his eyes that seem to stare right through you.Â
Eventually, he asks, âCan I kiss you?â He says more. Big, scary words like for closure and moving on, but they donât register. They donât matter.Â
Your heart pounds at the base of your throat as you find interest in your hands that sit in your lap. Even without looking at him, you canât get over the slight crease he had in his brow and the slight tremor in his hands.Â
âFor closure,â you repeat, though your voice doesnât sound like itâs coming from you, muffled under the thump of your heart.Â
Sunghoon nods. âFor closure.âÂ
A humourless laugh sneaks past your throat as you look at him. You shouldnât have. In the lamplight, Sunghoon is golden and glorious. Warm light casts one side of his face, diffusing gently over the steep slope of his nose, highlighting his moles and the look in his eyes, gentle and curious all at once. Unwillingly, your gaze falls to his lips, parted, tempting.Â
One firm nod of your head brings Sunghoonâs hand to your face, his palm cupping your cheek with soft skin as his thumb traces your cheekbone. You grow anxious under his stare, under the drag of his eyes over your features, taking them one at a time like heâs committing them to memory.
Leaning in, your eyes flutter shut as your lips meet his and he freezes, mouth completely still on yours. Delicately, your tongue traces the seam of his lips, soft and plump, until they part for you, moving with yours. Sunghoonâs kiss is unpolished when it reaches you. Itâs hesitant but tender, clumsy but sweet, heâs trying and heâs perfect; your favourite.Â
The kiss is.. itâs everything. Itâs the racing of your heart, the thudding, the vibrant buzz you can hear, feel humming against your ears. Itâs a rush of blood to the head, a lightness all over that pulls you out of your body. Itâs Sunghoonâs soft lips curving into a smile against yours, his gentle hold on your face never letting up as he holds you as close as he can manage, and itâs every bit as lovely as the rest of him.
Palpable is the heartbeat of your friendship, beating to a lull under the surface of the kiss, fizzling out into nothing, a steady silence, flatlining to give way to something more, something bigger.Â
Every brush of your lips against his is a revelation, a confession. Youâre all Iâve ever wanted, you tell him with your kiss. Youâre everything I need. His free hand finds yours, locking your fingers and squeezing, the action timed well enough to make you think he hears you, to make you think heâs saying, weâll be okay, I still love you.Â
With that, he pulls away, a delicate tension piercing the air. Blown eyes and laboured breathingâheâs beautiful, fuzzy around the edges with warm orange and all of the love in your heart. Breathless, you chew on your lip, cognisant of Sunghoonâs hand in yours and the sparkle in his eyes as he looks at you.Â
Belatedly, you squeeze his hand back, smiling. âWas it everything you ever dreamed of?â you whisper, part teasing, all curious.
Abruptly, Sunghoon stands up, letting go of you in the process. âI have to go.âÂ
You want to stop him, you think youâre supposed to. To grab him by the arm and kiss him again, to yell in his face that you love him until he understands. But you donât. Instead, you stay seated, staring at Sunghoonâs back and following him with your eyes out of the room and down the hall until heâs out of sight.Â
Itâs your first time being so upset after a kiss, and you canât tell if itâs his leaving or the mention of him moving on thatâs tripping you up so much. Thatâs causing melancholy to crawl from the shadows, sinking its jagged nails into your skin to pull you under.Â
You love him. Heâs gone.Â
Eyes stuck on the doorway, time stretches over the room around you, thick and malleable, wet and cloyingâclay stuck under your nails for days as the fire in the kiln rages on.Â
Sighing, you get up and wait at his door. You ball your hand into a limp fist, knocking weakly. Sunghoon doesnât reply. You try again, harder. Still nothing.Â
Barging into the room, you find him sitting on the end of his bed with his face in his hands.Â
âDonât move on.â The words come out before you realise and Sunghoon lifts his head, squinting at you.Â
âHuh?â He tilts his head, watching closely as you approach him, tipping it back enough to meet your eyes when you stand over him.Â
You take a breath, holding it until your head starts to spin. âI donât want you to love someone else, Sunghoon. Please donât move on.âÂ
The stillness that follows is disconcerting, a long quiet you can feel on your skin, amplifying the blank stare on his face as he looks up at you. His eyes flash, a spark of hope behind them so bright it stings to look at.
âDo you..â He trails off, his lips moving to form the next word though stopping short.
âI do,â you whisper, nodding. âIâm sorry for taking so long.â
An exhaled laugh comes from his nose as he grins, shaking his head. âYou like me?â he asks, excitement and disbelief fighting for authority over his voice, his hands holding your waist and pulling you down into his lap.
âI love you,â you admit, settling on his thighs.Â
âYou do?â His eyes are wide and gleaming, searching every feature on your face before settling on your own.
You nod. âSo much.âÂ
Sunghoonâs chin tips up, his lips pressing against yours, excited pecks that canât turn into much more for the smiles on your faces. You rest your arms on his shoulders, hands clasping behind his head, nervous fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.Â
âSo.. will you be my boyfriend? For real?âÂ
Tilting his head, he tries and fails to fight a smile. âI will. Iâm a little bummed though.âÂ
âWhy?â You raise a brow, and the word tips up at the end with it.Â
âI wanted to be the one to ask you.â Sunghoonâs honesty warms the room, endearing you completely.Â
You grin, loving the heat spreading over your cheeks. âAsk me anyway.âÂ
âPlease can I be your boyfriend?âÂ
In the weeks that followed, it became immediately clear that boyfriend Sunghoon operated on a pendulum swinging between sexual ferality and terror. Heâd get distracted during study sessions at home, finding more interest in biting at your neck than stream-of-consciousness prose, but closed his eyes if a sex scene came on TV. Heâd buck his hips against yours while making out but flinch at the sight of condoms in the store.
He wasnât ready to have sex and didnât know how to tell you, so you took matters into your own hands, asking if you could wait until after his results for resubmission came in, saying you didnât want the distraction for either of you. Sunghoon agreed, pecking your cheek and holding you tight to his chest.Â
The only thing was that your lecturer hadnât given him an exact date, so every morning, you held your phone in a vice grip waiting for Sunghoon to update you, and every morning, you got the same text: Nothing today, baby âšď¸Â
This morning, youâre brushing your teeth when he texts you, in all caps: NO FUCKING WAY I GOT A 98 !!! LOOK !!!
When the picture comes through, itâs of him in the mirror and you choke on mouthwash at the sight. Heâs smiling, bright and beautiful, in a black vest that heâs holding up a little to show his stomach, though his palm is in the way of his toned abs, and it cuts off right at the top of his grey sweatpants.Â
Your mouth goes dry as you click on it, fixating on every little detail you can find: the thickness of his fingers against his phone, the dip in his collarbones, the breadth of his shoulders and the cinch of his waist. In a fit of desperation, you try swiping at the bottom of your screen, willing the picture to magically extend. It doesnât.Â
hoonie: Finger slipped.. You like?
you: mm..Â
you: 98??? HOLY SHIT, LOOK AT YOU!!!
hoonie: All you.. do you like the picture?
you: i love itâŚâŚâŚâŚ.
hoonie: My girl đ¤
Another picture comes in, and sure enough, through the glare of his laptop screen, you see: Course name: The Modernist Movement: Joyce, Woolf, and Hemingway. Marks Awarded: 98.0.
you: well done baby !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hoonie: Thx đ
hoonie: Can I have my prize now ha ha .. haha đ
you: just for that emoji, no you absolutely cannot.
Your resolve isnât strong enough when it comes to Sunghoon, because purple devil emoji and all, you show up at his door with condoms in your bag and a bouquet of lilies behind your back.Â
The door creaks open and Sunghoon greets you with a grin. âHey, gorgeous. You proud of me?âÂ
You beam at him, holding out the flowers. âIâm very proud, Hoon, well done.âÂ
âI donât want to ruin the moment,â he starts, taking the bouquet from your hands and sniffing the flowers with an approving smile. âBut hearing you say youâre proud of me is awakening something I didnât know existed.â
âA good something?âÂ
âMm,â he hums, arms finding your waist before he pecks your lips. âA very good something.âÂ
Sunghoonâs words hit your lips and your core, a desperate heat flooding your stomach as he kisses you deeply, his body pressed tightly against yours while he pulls you into his apartment. He kicks the door shut with his foot, slipping his hand under your jacket to settle in your back pocket, not quite squeezing but holding your ass as gently as he can manage.Â
He breaks away from you, love in his eyes as he stares down into yours, catching his breath. âI donât think we own a vase.âÂ
In his kitchen, you rifle through cupboards to find something to hold the flowers, eventually finding a whiskey decanter in the cupboard under the sink, and holding it up for Sunghoon to see.
âOh, yeah,â he says. âItâs Jayâs. Itâll work right?âÂ
You nod, taking it to the sink to rinse it. Sunghoon wraps his arms around you from behind, resting his chin on your shoulder watching you fill the decanter with water and flower food before grabbing the bouquet. He presses open-mouthed kisses to your neck and you struggle to stay focused as you cut down the stems on the flowers, arranging them neatly.Â
âCan I take a photo?â he asks when youâre done.Â
Heâs smiling when you turn around to look at him, a soft curve of his lips that makes your heart race, a deep tenderness in his eyes when you meet them. You smile too.Â
âTheyâre yours, baby, do whatever you want.âÂ
âA photo of you with the flowers,â he clarifies.Â
Warmth settles in your chest, a grin spreading over your lips from ear to ear. You nod, taking the decanter in your hands when he lets go of you, holding the flowers up beside your face and smiling for his camera. As his phone shutter clicks away, you steal glances at his face behind it. Heâs watching the screen with a smile, telling you how beautiful you are.
âI want pictures of you too,â you say, handing the flowers over.Â
âIâm yours, baby, do whatever you want.âÂ
Sunghoon poses for your photos, smiling sweetly in some and sniffing the bouquet appreciatively with closed eyes for others. Heâs glowing and heâs beautiful and your heart triples in size while taking picture after picture until your phone tells you it has ten percent.Â
âThank you, YN,â he says. âIâve never gotten flowers before, I love them.â His arms settle around your waist, lips pressing against yours before you have the chance to respond.Â
You try anyway, mumbling against his lips that you love him. In response, Sunghoon grins, but the feeling of his cock growing hard against you is distracting, a lust-coated thorn in the side of the butterflies fluttering in your stomach. With locked lips and uncertain steps, the two of you bump into corners and trip over your own feet, stumbling to his room and parting only to tear his hoodie over his head.
Breathless, you pull away, eyes trailing over him and picking up on everything, from the tremble in his hands to the lust-addled worry in his eyes. Heâs nervous, you thinkâthough it escapes you, the last word coming out like a question.
Sunghoon scoffs, his hands resting on your waist under your shirt, skin clammy against yours. âOf course, Iâm nervous.âÂ
âYou donât have to be.â
âI just want to be good for you.âÂ
âDonât worry about that, let me take care of you, Hoon.â Your palms drag up his torso â firm abs through soft cotton, defined chest over racing heart â to rest on his shoulders. âSit,â you say when he nods.Â
He gulps, taking a seat on the end of his bed under your gentle push, eyes widening when you sink to your knees between his legs and reach for his drawstring, pulling the ends to untie the knot.Â
âWait,â Sunghoon says, breathless, scrunching up his face and dropping his head. âLet me calm down, baby. At this rate, Iâll come just seeing your hand on it.âÂ
You giggle, resting your head on his thigh and wrapping the drawstring around your finger.
âIâm serious, YN,â he mumbles, laughing as he takes his vest off. âI need a minute.âÂ
Sunghoonâs eyes are pressed shut as he tries to collect himself, lips pouty and kiss-bitten, slightly parted with ragged breaths slipping out. You wait patiently for him. Heâs so pretty like this, with the crease in his brow and the pretty pink flush dusting his cheeks as his chest rises and falls. You canât help but smile, leaning into his touch when his hand rests on top of your head, his blunt nails grazing your scalp. After a while, he seems more at ease, his eyes finding yours and he smiles shyly, telling you heâs ready now and lifting his hips from the bed to let you pull his sweats and underwear down.Â
Free from the constraints of fabric, his cock slaps his stomach with a wet sound as the tip meets his skin, leaving a pearlescent streak over his abs. The sight makes your mouth water and you canât look away. âPretty,â you whisper.
Wrapping a hand under his tip, you swipe it with your thumb, taking time to memorise the flutter of his eyelids, the bobbing of his Adamâs apple, and the soft sigh he lets out. You stroke him slowly, liking the way his breath picks up as his brows knit together before you take him in your mouth. Itâs a tight fit but you do your best, spurred on by the way he tugs at your hair and stutters through a holy fuck as you take as much of him as you can.Â
Sunghoon goes silent, only squirming when you use your hand to stroke him near his base. Self-conscious about his lack of vocal affirmation, you look up at him through your lashes, and the pure bliss on his face is unbearably attractive. His eyes are rolled back under furrowed brows, his mouth hanging open as he throws his head back.
âAm I doing okay?â you ask, using the moment to catch your breath.
He nods, inhaling shakily and screwing his eyes shut while his hips buck up into your fist. âIâm.. Youâre doing such a good job, baby, so good.â
Satisfaction courses through you from the praise, a high that dulls the ache in your jaw. Still watching him, you massage his balls in your palm, pressing open-mouthed kisses to his tip when he whines. You tongue at his slit until he thrusts back into your mouth, tip hitting your throat, and he gasps when you gag, his arm coming up to cover his eyes. A belated apology slips from his lips, mumbled as he strokes your hair with a shaking hand and goes quiet again. When you speed up, his breath stutters, the muscles in his thighs contracting around your head as you suck and lick and drool on his cock.Â
A moan of your name, and his hand holding your hand down, are the only warnings you get before Sunghoon comes, spilling his load right down your throat. Whining, his hips buck up against your face, pushing further and further until he falls back onto the mattress.
Your throat is hoarse and aches while you use the back of your hand to wipe at your lips, enjoying whatâs left of his taste on your tongue. Deep red tints his neck and chest, a pretty flush gleaming under the sheen of sweat on his skin. Heâs mesmerising, as he tries for air through swollen lips and looks up at you through squinted eyes. He reaches for you, cute grabby hands tugging your shirt and pulling you down so youâre lying next to him with your head on his chest.Â
âYouâre amazing, baby, so good for me,â Sunghoon whispers, eyes fluttering shut as you drag your nails over his torso, feeling the subtle heave of the slick, sculpted muscle over his stomach and chest.Â
Pride heats your chest, satisfaction rolling over you like a wave. âReally?â
He hums in affirmation, nodding his head.Â
âYou were so quiet, I couldnât really tell,â you add, hungry for more praise.Â
âThe walls are so thin in here, I just got used to being quiet,â Sunghoon says, frowning. Hand meeting your chin, he tips your head up towards him, pressing a soft kiss to your lips and mumbling, âIâm sorry. You were perfect, I swear.âÂ
Itâs a sweet kiss. Until lips move harder and hands get lower, desperate as he thumbs the top of your leggings, palm unmoving but a dangerous heat blooms in your stomach anyway.
âCan I..â Sunghoon pinches you softly through the material, unsure eyes boring deep into yours.Â
You nod. âYou can.âÂ
Slipping under your waistband, his fingers skate across your skin dipping between your thighs. He grazes your slit, satisfaction clear in the groan he lets out as he feels the wetness there, pulling it over the length of your slit to cover your clit. Your breath hitches, a strangled gasp, pleasure and surprise meeting in your throat under the pressure of his thumb on your clit, the gentle sting of his finger pushing into you.Â
What Sunghoon lacks in experience, he makes up for with the sheer length and thickness of his fingers. Itâs almost jarring, itâs enough to force your eyes closed and bring a sigh rumbling out of you, ache and relief settling between your legs, where he curls a finger against your walls and drags slow circles over your clit.Â
âCan you take these off, baby?â he asks, hand away to touch your leggings.Â
You donât waste a second, sitting up to pull them off, throwing them and your underwear across the room. Sunghoon licks his lips, tugging at the hem of your shirt.Â
âAnd this? If you want..âÂ
You nod, pulling it off immediately to let it join the rest of your clothes in a heap on the floor. The way he gulps is a confidence boost, his dilated pupils taking in every inch of your body, though his gaze always pulls back to your braâwhite and lacy, thin enough for your nipples to push through the fabric and Sunghoon canât seem to get enough, though he waits until youâre lying down again to touch you.Â
Sunghoon props himself up on his elbow, leaning over you. âYouâre beautiful,â he whispers, dragging a finger over the lace at the top of your bra, toying with the material and the little bow sitting between your breasts. His eyes flick up to meet yours. âSo beautiful,â he repeats.Â
Hiding your face in his chest, you mumble, âThank you,â into his skin while trying to ignore the heat spreading over your body wherever he touches you. His hand trails from your arm to your waist, resting on your hips to slip over your ass for a beat, where he grabs and squeezes the flesh there before coming back around to slot between your legsâyou lift one of them, resting it over his body, and heâs smiling sweetly when you look up at him.
Sunghoonâs movements are unchanging, though the sensation is heightened by the unbridled desire in his lidded eyes that urges white heat to lick over every inch of your skinâthis time he pushes two fingers into you.
It doesnât get better than this, you think. But it does, quickly.Â
Leaning over you, his eyes flick across your face, one feature at a time as he chews on his lip. Reaching up, you push some of his hair from his face, holding it back and saying, âRelax, baby.âÂ
âDonât want to hurt you.â
Moving your hand, you blink when his hair flops back over his forehead, tickling your eyelashes. His eyes are focused now, staring straight down into yours, want and worry flashing behind them.Â
âYou wonât, I promise,â you say, locking your pinky with his, feeling relieved when he smiles.
Sunghoon pushes in slowly, his name slipping from your lips when he exhales shakily, head falling forward. The sting, the pleasure, make it hard to breathe, molten desire taking hold of your lungs as he carves out a place for himself as far as youâll take him, all the way to the hilt as slow as he can manage.Â
A moan tears out of him, lewd and whiny as his hair tickles your collarbone, head falling into the crook of your neck. His skin is hot and damp against yours, his breath burning your shoulder as he tries to calm down. Itâs difficult to register much else, tethered only by the sound of his voice when he asks, âAm I hurting you?âÂ
âHoon,â you whisper.Â
âCan you look at me, baby?â He lifts his head, resting a hand on your cheek. You blink your eyes open, gaze locking with his, where concern pushes through his desire. âAm I hurting you?â he asks again. âAre you okay?âÂ
You nod. âIâm okay, just..â You sigh. âFull. Need a minute.âÂ
Sunghoon kisses you, lips moving gently with yours, passing breathy whines between your mouths until you feel yourself relaxing. Pulling his plush bottom lip between yours, you suck on it, nodding. âWant you to move, baby,â you mumble.Â
He scans your face, eyes meeting yours as he pulls his hips back. Heâs slow, so slow with his thrusts that your belly turns with want, your fingernails sink into the taut skin of his back, and jagged sobs fall out of you with each drag of his cock along your walls.Â
Everywhere his skin touches yours is set ablaze with scorching heat, goosebumps pushing past the surface as his breath fans your neck and his sharp teeth graze your skin. He bites hard enough to sting, and you wince as his tongue flicks over your bitten flesh to soothe you.
You were so worked up earlier, writhing against the sheets and coming undone in his palm, so bliss quickly pushes through the ache between your legs. âGood, Hoon, feels so good,â you manage, struggling to convey how perfect it is.
âJust want to make you feel good.â His words melt into each other, vowels soft and elongated as they curl around each other. Heâs working up a steady rhythm, his tip consistently nudging you where you need itâthe spot that makes the room blur around you. âThatâs all I want.âÂ
Before long, the knot in your stomach pulls you up from the mattress, arching your back towards the ceiling. Mouth to mouth, chest to chestâitâs the closest youâve ever felt to someone else, the closest youâve ever been. The thought alone knocks the wind out of you, and his persistent whining does nothing to help.
Your want and adoration for Sunghoon run bone-deep, inching up your spine and creeping over your shoulders, intertwined with an all-consuming pleasure that turns the heat in your stomach molten as a shudder zips through you. Even though you canât find the words to let him know, he lifts your hips from the bed to fuck you deeper, harder, into the mattress until shaky orgasms pull both of you under.Â
You let him fall into you, fingers curling around his hair, whispering I love you into the skin of his neck as he comes, most of his weight on top of you while you catch your breath, relishing in the fullness you feel as the last waves of your high pull back. You stay like this for as long as he needs, his head coming up from the crook of your neck to smile at you before pressing his lips to yours. A sleepy haze fills the room around you, tongue swiping tongue as you giggle happily into his mouth.Â
After a while, he gets up, tying the condom to throw it away and comes back with his shirt. He uses it to clean upâgentle between your legs, pressing kisses to your calves while he does. Sunghoonâs tenderness wraps around your heart, and love clouds your vision, forming a blurry trail that follows all of his movements, glowing like something from a dream, ethereal, an apparition.Â
The bed dips beside you, his arms around you, pulling you in so his chin rests on your head. You push your cheek into his chest, hoping the two of you will meld into oneâthe thought makes you warm all over, a fuzziness that reaches every part of your body while he presses kisses into your hair, rubbing your back.Â
âI love you,â he says, voice as soft as the rest of him. âIâm glad I exist.â
mama park: Hi lovely đ missing you lots, wondering when youâll be home for XmasâŚâŚâŚ..love ma
Sunghoon stirs, nose scrunching as he snores softly into the quiet of a winter morning. His chest rises and falls steadily under your head and he doesnât move when you sit up. The lamp on his desk is still on â neither of you could be bothered getting up to turn it off last night â and under its dim glow, you admire him. Perfect lips gently curvedâlong lashes kissing the skin under his eyes.Â
Love hits you from all angles, warmth all over from head to toe despite the chill in Sunghoonâs room. You canât help but grin, leaning up to nose along the underside of his chin, his natural scent so soft yet dizzying as you nuzzle into him. He stirs again, turning his head this way and that before resting, you feel a bit bad, deciding to leave him be and text his mum back.Â
you: hi mum !!! missing you sooooooo much :((( will be home asap
mama park: BTW Sunghoon told me everything. I raised such good actors LOL make sure he looks after you and keeps you happy!
you: iâm so sorry we lied to you..
you: but iâm really happy with him and he loves me a lot
you: i love him so much .. never been so sure of anyone in my life
Š zreamy (2023), all rights reserved. do not repost, translate, or plagiarise my work. do let my know your thoughts !
permanent taglist: @asahicore
#sunghoon smut#enhypen smut#enha smut#enhypen scenarios#sunghoon scenarios#sunghoon x reader#park sunghoon smut#park sunghoon x reader#enhypen imagines#enhypen oneshots#sunghoon oneshots#sunghoon imagines#enhypen hard hours#fic.sunghoon
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Gwayne Hightower x Targaryen reader where she is Rhaenyraâs sister and daughter of Viserys and Aemma, she is pregnant when they visit Kingâs Landing and she has the baby so Alicent calls her as she does with Rhaenyra and Gwayne gets furious about it even more when Alicent insinuates that their son is not Targaryen so from then on he is team black.
Devotion
Gwayne Hightower X female reader Targaryen
A/N: I hope its okay that I use an original female character and i don't if i understand your request right but yeah here it is I hope you enjoy. Happy reading mwa!
Disclaimer: grammatical/typographical errors ahead, englisn is not my first language.
Warning: mention of blood, child birth, cursing, and no use of Y/N. Please tell me if I miss anything.
//
The married couple returned in Kings Landing from Oldtown for the King's funeral, the second born princess Targaryen along side her husband and her growing belly arrived at King's Landing, the princess was expecting to see her elder sister Rhaenyra only to hear that she had already departed with her family to Dragonstone.
"Your sister s-she is rather not very pleased to be here" the Queen explained of her sister's departure with her new husband Daemon.
"How is your pregnancy daughter?" Alicent asked, changing the topic.
The princess rub her belly as she smiled "It is great though a bit struggle happens"
Gwayne her husband held her hand that was caressing her stomach, as he joined their conversation "My wife pregnancy is very delicate, it is her first pregnancy and the maesters said her body needs a lot of rest"
Otto nodded in acknowledgement "I am happy for the both of you, you seem to grow fond of each other"
The couple smiled, they did indeed. "We truly did and Daeron in Oldtown is one of our witnesses" Gwayne chuckles, the poor boy was tired seeing the two couple always on each other like what a newlywed partners would do.
Alicent sighs at the mention of her youngest son "and how is he? Daeron?"
"He is doing good, a boy full of wit, a good sword fighter" the princess explained ".....he is very kind your grace, a soft hearted child, his heart has a space for animals" she added, her youngest half brother was a great boy, far away from them. He is a chivalrous boy.
"I should talk to the both of you outside, may I?" Alicent turned to them, the couple simply nodded as all of them walked outside the chamber.
"I wish for your wife to give birth here in Red Keep" Alicent said, the princess frowned but before she could give reaction her husband spoke first.
"I wish my child to be born in Oldtown, why you must decision for that?"
Alicent looks resigned to her brother's fire backs.
"It is an order from your Queen" was all the Queen say before she entered the room, shutting the door before them.
Gwayne's clenched fist softened as she caress it. "We shall give it to them for now Gwayne, there's nothing we could lose for giving them a small favor"
Gwayne rolled his eyes "Oh please that is my sister, and I am a Hightower I know how one thinks"
Gwayne was never unknown to the small resentment his sister Queen had for his wife, even before Alicent was a young lady she had always envied the younger princess, the princess was smarter, kind, beautiful, she was like a glowing light walking through the halls of the Keep, everyone pleased her, and when she was on the right age for marriage she was married to him, the heir to Oldtown and a knight. She had the life his sister was deprived of.
And he knew Alicent has some plans behind this little show of hers.
And he was not wrong.
His wife give her the favor, she gave birth between the walls of Red Keep, her screams and groaned echoed all over the Keep, they can hear her dragon Silverwing roaring for her rider.
"Lord Gwayne you shall not enter, you should be somewhere else or perhaps on the training grou-" the servants shuts when his collar was tigtly gripped.
His wife birth was no jest, the Maesters had informed them before her birth that her body was weak, and she might be carrying a boy for having such a hard labor.
"Don't you understand my wife's condition? She needs me, let me in" Gwayne scowled but his request was denied as the servants pulled him away from the room.
One of the Maesters came out, his face full of worry "My Lord, the princess"
"How is my wife?"
"The princess...she is trying her best my Lord but I must be honest with you, I have both a good and bad message to deliver" the Maester exhales before he continued. "The good one is that the princess is able to push half of the babe's body"
Gwayne wanted to smile, he will finally have an heir and child that he had hope would taken the look after his beautiful wife but knowing that the news has a bad new to come, he can't help but worry for his princess.
"And what is the other one?"
"The babe was rather in an unfortunate position, in birth the head of the babe should be the first thing to come out but in her condition it is unfortunately the other way around"
"You mean my baby's head is still stuck inside of her?"
The Maester nodded "and it is quite dangerous my Lord, we might lose the babe"
Gwayne nodded but frustration covered his face, what would happen to his wife and child?
"Unless my Lord you wish to cut open the princess to save-" the Maester wasn't able to finish his words as he stumble on the ground from Gwayne's singld punch.
"You will do no such thing, what you will do is save my wife from that horrible state whatever it takes, my wife shall come out of that room fine and alive, you hear me?" He command, his knuckled has some blood stained from punching the man.
The Maester nodded and walked back inside the room, Gwayne sat on the cold floor, they will have to save his wife one way or another.
"Your father wish to see you Ser Gwayne" one of the guard approached him and spoke.
"I do not wish to leave my wif-"
"The Lord Hand wants me to tell you it is urgent" the guard continued, Gwayne groaned out of frustration, slowly standing up and walked to his father's office.
On the other hand the princess was lie down on the bed, blood was everywhere.
"Your grace, another push please you are doing well" one of the midwives encourage. Another scream filled the room, stained tears on her cheeks.
The nursemaid and midwives encourage her more, as she continued pushing out the babe inside her, her situation was hard to watch, as they looked at her filled with concern for the princess, she looked tired and breathless. Some of her handmaidens that was present was tearing seeing their princess crying out from pain.
Another scream filled the room once again.
"It is a boy!" The Maester finally announced. Holding a baby boy on its hands, the room filled with cheer as they ran to the princess, immediately handing her help, some wash their sweat, some clean her up.
She smiled as she saw her son being washed and wrapped, she was still shaking but she insisted to hold her child. A boy...an heir for her husband.
The cheering stop as they all looked at the door opening revealing a concerned servant "M-my princess...the Queen s-she uh"
"What of the Queen? Speak clearly"
"She said that she wish to see her grandchild, and you aswell, she wish for you to deliver her grandchild to her" the servants finished, murmurs, shock gaps and whispers filled the room, looking concerned for the princess.
The princess sigh, so this why she wants her to stay here? To have something to play with?
She stood up, legs shaking, her whole was is shaking rather, the nursemaids guide her to carry her newborn son.
"Princess....you're body is still trembling, you shall not walked around the castle or els-"
"Who are we to deprive the Queen a sight of her grandchild" she smiled weakly, as she embrace her son and start walking through the Halls, her whole full of sweat and blood still dripping on her legs.
The news arrived Gwayne's ear, one of his men bargen inside his father's office sending the news of his wife's succesful delivery, Gwayne stood up and left the room fast, his knight walk fast closely to him.
"But my Lord the princess has already left her delivery room, the servants said she immediately left as soon as she gave birth" his man informed.
Gwayne stopped his footsteps.
"They said her Grace had asked for your wife's immediate presence after her birth"
That mad woman. Gwayne was so done of his sister, she is nothing but a horrible Queen, he let her and their father do whatever they have wanted in this castle, corrupting the King, ruining the life of his wife's older sister but he would not let him take advantage of his wife's kind nature.
Gwayne ran as soon as he saw her walking through the halls, his mouth opened but no words came out as he saw her state. Trembling, body covered of sweats and bloodstains, her dress was not very appropriate to see, and his fist clenched as he saw the path of blood dropping from her legs as she walk. Was this is the sigh his Queen sister wish to see?
She wasn't suppose to even raise a finger after her horrifying birth but now she is walking around carrying their babe. He ran to them and cautiously held her back.
"My wife, where are you going?" He tried to sound calm to not show any hint of frustration and anger on his voice.
"Oh ask your dear sister, my love s-she wish to see our child" her voice was hoarse it sounded to frail almost like a whisper from all the screaming she made.
His jaw clenched, he looked at his men and ordered him to bring a nursemaid as soon as the nurse came he told her to carry their child inside the room.
"Gwayne but the Queen-"
"I would have the talk with her, you shall not worry she will be able to see our child when the right time has come, and that right time is when you finally have a rest and sleep" his voice was soft but full of authority, he slowly lower himself to carry her in bridal style.
His eyes cannot lie and his wife can see it, she see right through him. The anger she can almost see what she is plotting inside his head.
The princess lean on his chest. "Do not let anger took over you Gwayne, talk to her nicely"
Oh he would definitely do have a nice talk with his cunt sister.
"Please Gwayne, I would not wish you to be in trouble"
"She took advantage of you darling, how do you wish me to react when I see you trembling as blood drip from your legs walking through this long fucking halls of castle nothing but fragile? Do you wish for me to celebrate?" Gwayne sarcastically spoke, he hated her wife for being a too much proper but he also loved her the same way.
"I kinda wish you do, I gave you a boy. An heir" she smiled, her eyes sparkles as she look over the maid who was carrying their child, Gwayne smiled looking over the babe.
"I am happy more than happy actually, but I would not want to put you in that situation again"
"It is normal state they said"
"Still I would not want to risk you again, I am happy with you no matter with heir or none but now I have a young version of you, I would have more very reason to go home and wake up everyday"
She was his life, she made him whole, losing her would be a big tragedy to him, the day he vowed to her that he will love her with all he can offer, he did not just love her, he stayed and place his faithfulness to her.
As he slowly placed his wife om their chamber, he send her handmaidens and Maester to look after her, clean her and check if she need something to be mend.
He barged inside the council room knowing they will be their, the members looked at him, Otto spoke first breaking the silence.
"My son, as far as I remember you do not have a seat in this room to attend to"
Gwayne scoffs, as he eyed for his sister. "Is this your plan? Why you wanted my wife to give birth here? To make her suffer?"
"It is the King's dying wish"
"Oh I believe is it? Just like how his dying wish is to fucking crown Aegon as his heir, despite your son being brainless smug"
"To say that such thing to the prince is treason, what is it that makes you so angry Gwayne?" Otto tap his son shoulder but he immediately pull back.
"Your Queen, made my wife walk through the halls right after she gave birth to our child, have I not told you that her pregnancy is risky? Yet you made her walk instead of giving her the time to regain her energy"
Alicent snapped a look at him, the two children of Otto Hightower faced each other. "I wish to not harm her, I simply wish to see her and my grandchil-"
"Is that really it? Or perhaps you are so envious of seeing my wife live the life you wished you had?"
A deafening silence filled them, the members each switch looks between the Queen and Gwayne Hightower.
"You shall not touch my wife anymore and so is our child, we will leave here as soon as she recover" Gwayne discussed. Otto approached his son.
"What about your army? we need them incase Rhaenyra declares war after we declare Aegon as King" Otto explained.
Gwayne chuckles, the audacity of his father to think that he will give him his army.
He did not answer them instead walked out the room, he will make sure what they did to the princess will be delivered to the future Queen Rhaenyra.
//
She arrived at the chamber, she was welcomed by the sight of his beautiful wife holding their child, he slowly walked to them sitting on the edge of bed beside his wife.
"We will leave here tomorrow, I can and will not go another days with those cunts around you and our son" Gwayne spoke, caressing his wife's silver white hair, he sighed as he continued to reveal another thing.
"They plan to make Aegon King"
The princess turned her face to him, her face was confused hoping she heard him wrong.
"They know Rhaenyra is the heir, the future Queen of the realm our father made it known before he died, he declared her as his heir" she explained, she and Gwayne were both there as she was declared the rightful heir to the throne.
"I know but those two said it was the dying King's wish, I do not believe."
"We shall go to Dragonstone and send words to Rhaenyra..." She trailed, something in her was nervous what if Gwayne would not side with her?
"Yes we must, as soon as possible my love and make it clear to your sister that we bend our knee for her" Gwayne leaned his forehead to hers, his gaze moves to their son.
The boy had her eyes, lilac gaze, he had his nose and lips.
This is all what Gwayne had asked and wished when he married his wife, a whole family but with the upcoming war he knows they will have to be extra careful.
He will bent the knee for Rhaenyra but his wife and son's safety would remain a top of his list.
#hotd fanfic#house of the dragon#daemon targeryan#gwayne hightower x reader#gwayne higtower x you#gwayne hightower fanfic#gwayne hightower
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Secret relationship and they find out you're being transferred to a different team.
Anon...how DARE you. But really, the angst that this prompt is giving is everything. I want to warn readers now that I was not nice with this one. There is a lot of angst happening here. There is nothing spicy about it. It's all pain with a little comfort sprinkled in for a few of our boys.
(Sorry not sorry)
These are presented in four individual double drabbles.
Content & Warnings: angst, mild emotional hurt/comfort, secret relationships, yearning, heartbreak, 141!reader
ao3 // taglist // main masterlist // imagines & what if masterlist
John "Soap" MacTavish
âWeâve got two weeks!â
âSoap.â
âCan you believe that?â
âJohnny.â
Soapâs smile remains but melts slightly. âWhat?â
âIâm leaving.â
He chuckles. âWe both are.â
You shake your head. âNo. Iâm leaving the team.â
Soap frowns slightly. âRetirement?â He shrugs. âSeem a bit young.â That smile returns and he saunters forward, his large hands grasping your hips. âMeans we can go public.â
He leans in for a kiss, but your heart isnât in it. Soap realizes the reluctance the moment your lips meet. âItâs something else,â he says.
You nod because that is all you can manage. Originally, Captain Price said he wanted to tell the team together, but he doesnât know about you and Johnny. Soap needs to know first before the rest. If not, itâll come as a blow and a betrayal. You canât do that to him no matter what Captain Price says.
âIâm being transferred,â you murmur, voice breaking slightly.
Soap does not retreat. He rests his forehead against your own, eyes closing as he inhales. His arms slide from your hips to your back, drawing you against him.
âIâm sorry,â you whisper.
âWeâll figure it out,â he says rubbing your back. âWeâll figure it out together.â
Kyle "Gaz" Garrick
Kyle enters the meeting room. Itâs the last one before everyone breaks for a month.
But there is someone missing.
Laswell and Captain Price talk quietly, their heads bent in conversation. Soap is showing something to Ghost on his phone.
You are not among them. You are not in your usual spot.
Laswell glances up and Price clears his throat. âWe can start.â
âHold up, Captain. Weâre missing one.â
Kyle gestures toward the chair you usually sit in and Price frowns.
âTransferred on another mission,â interrupts Laswell.
Kyle says nothing, sinking into his chair. He listens but most of it slips right out of his head. The only thing he can think about is that youâre not here and you didnât say anything.
When Laswell and Price are finished, and everyone begins to exit, Kyle lingers, intent on talking to Price.
âNot gonna talk about our missing team member?â
âNothing to say,â shrugs Price. âTransferred this morning.â
Kyle swallows down the emotion rising in his throat. No one knows about the two of you, and if he pushes too much, he might reveal something he shouldnât.
âComing back?â asks Kyle.
âEventually,â answers Price. âNot sure when.â
Eventually. Thereâs hope then.
Simon "Ghost" Riley
âYouâre leaving.â
âSimon.â
âDid you plan on telling me?â You remain silent and Simon shakes his head. âWaiting for Price to do it?â
âThatâs not true.â
Simon takes a step forward, entering your space. âI saw the transfer on his desk. I saw the date. How long have you known?â
âDoes that matter?â you ask.
âOf course it does,â he snaps.
Simon is never angry, not with you. His anger is subtle which makes it more terrifying. This is something else. Simon is hurt, and youâre the cause of it.
âIâm sorry you found out like this. I planned on telling you.â
âWhen?â Heâs closer now, towering over you.
âWhen I had more information.â
âMore information?â
âI donât know where Iâm going or with who,â you add.
âMight not tell you until you get there. Happens all the time.â
You understand his meaning and know that Simon is right. Would you have left without telling him anything, only saying something once youâd left?
No. This thing between you might be tangled but he is the only one you want.
âAre you upset?â you ask.
Simon deflates. âNot with you.â He tugs you against him, creating a cocoon of warmth. âNever.â
John Price
The transfer papers mockingly stare at Price.
All this time, he believed he could have you without repercussion. Didnât matter that you were another member of the team and his subordinate. You were his, and Price could protect you.
But these papers came from someone above him, and he cannot refuse them. No matter how much he wants to.
And no one knows what the two of you do when there isnât anyone looking. But now, thatâs shattered. Broken. And Price must grieve for your departure in silence. Price has already raged. He punched the wall until his knuckles bled.
After that, he walked until he came to terms with it.
You donât know yet. You have no idea. Telling you will be the hardest part. What will happen? How will the two of you move forward? Can the secrets remain, or will it all need to be out in the open?
Price sighs and runs his hands over his face.
This is a punishment. Must be. Why else is it happening?
There is a loud knock at the door. Again, Price sighs, knowing that he has to face the reality of the situation.
You are on the other side.
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