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pirateprincessblog · 4 months ago

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cosmos

18+ nsfw content ahead, approach with caution. if a minor, I ask you to not interact.

🌌𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫.: centuries ago, humans detected a signal from an asteroid with a collision probability of 1-in-1,200. unwilling to gamble with humanity's future, they decided to evacuate. thus, kang yeosang finds himself aboard a spaceship, nestled in a sleeping pod among thousands of other slumbering passengers. the destination appears distant, and everyone remains asleep. just why is the young man awake then? ☄️𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: kang yeosang x f!reader ☄️𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 17.7k ☄️𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: angst, fluff, smut, slowburn, space travelers, space themes, plot twist, smut with plot ☄️𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: masturbation, voyeurism, praise kink, hair pulling, multiple orgasms, unprotected sex, fingering, choking, hair pulling, oral (both receiving), multiple orgasms, biting, marking ☄️𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭: Interstellar Main Theme (extended version)

🌠𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: swearing, light violence, existential crisis (me lol), depressing themes, mentions of death, slight blo0d (like two drops), mentions of substances 🌠𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: inspired by passengers (2016), i absolutely adore space, i am so in love with it, to the point it scares me how beautiful, enormous and unpredictable it is. i gave my all to this fic, kinda put myself in it, so please do not hesitate to leave a feedback <3 each word means the world to me!

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫: 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲.

"calculating remaining travel time... xjlsdja23ky324xii... updated."

"come on, you piece of shit."

"updated estimated time to reach proxima centauri b is nine hundred and twenty eight years, six days and seven minutes."

"fuck!" the man hits the screen with his fist, but the numbers don't budge. "what the fuck?!"

if the man's relatives and friends were awake around him at this moment, they would've been shocked. kang yeosang never swore, nor did he ever strike anyone or anything. him losing his temper is something that only ever happened once, at the entrance of the very ship he stands in. the captain wanted to separate his mother from his family, claiming there is no space for her and that they have reached the traveler limit. she is the last to board, they said, you'll wait for the next one. yeosang stepped down, letting his mother take his space, and said his tearful goodbyes before clearing the way for the captain and the stewards to close the doors.

however, they did not. instead, they waved their hand towards a group of people, keeping the door open for them. yeosang watched with his jaw dropped as a family of five rushed to the doors, dragging their designer luggage, wheels scratching the uneven concrete floor and making the man's ears bleed. blood boils inside his body, and his mother noticed the popped vein on his forehead from the window. before she can make it to the door to stop him, yeosang throws himself at the captain, hate, cussing and violence taking over his body.

once the stewards separated them and his mother's face appeared in front of him, he realized his mistake. the older man seized the woman by her elbow, then shoves her down the silver stairs. the sound of groans and thumps still echo in yeosang's ears, accompanied by the distant rumble of the luggage wheels that had triggered his reaction.

"you want to get on the ship so bad? go!"

he is forced inside the ship, and moved away from the doors so they can close them. through the window, he looks at his tearful and hurt mother through his own blurry eyes, heart ripping apart at the sight. i'll be fine, she keeps mouthing, forcing a smile.

they say the next ship will be ready soon, but after this, how can he trust anyone? besides, the ship could be ready next week, or next year. the danger is inching closer with each day that passes, increasing in speed and destroying everything in its path, until it eventually collides with the green planet, destroying both in the process. if they survive the impact, they will die of starvation. yeosang's heart clenches at the thought. he didn't want his mother to await certain death on this planet. he didn't want her to eat dust and dig for food in the ashes of those who stayed, willingly or forcefully.

but that might just be the price for his actions. yeosang sobs against the window, clawing at it. his lungs hurt, a new realization hitting him with each second that passes and sending him into another fit of wailing. a soft smile on her face is the last thing the man sees before he is pulled away from the window. he recognizes his sister's voice comforting him, even though she is in as much pain as him.

now, yeosang stands before the screen, its numbers blurred by fresh tears of sadness and anger. he walks over to his sleeping pod, eyes examining it and brain struggling to understand what went wrong. he lays inside once again, then closes the glass door. the white sheets are still warm and as uncomfortable as the first time he laid there. nothing changes, no sound is heard, no matter how long he lays there. he isn't stupid, he knows that the buttons on the outer shell need to be pressed in order for him to go into hibernation again. but maybe, just maybe, a miracle happens.

an hour, a nap, and no miracles later, yeosang is awake again. he sighs, chest swelling with sadness and pain once more. not only did he abandon his mother, but he is going to face his end alone too. the blonde man glances at the nearby pods; his sister, grandfather, and a few family friends all peacefully awaiting the end of the long voyage. hundreds of pods are lined up in the room, each person inside it dressed the same, stripped of any makeup, piercings, and earthly clothes, instead dressed in simple white silk sleepwear. from the richest to the poorest, they all share the same fate now; a plain sleeping pod, with no designer marks or gold pleating, barefoot, barefaced, and a desire to keep living. he is so close to them, yet so far. surrounded, but isolated.

until he hears a crash outside the hibernation room.

his bare feet tap against the cold white tiles as he follows the echo of the noise, heart thumping with fear and hope. is he not alone?

yeosang finally exits the hibernation room, eyes failing to catch an empty pod near the exit. he finds himself standing in the middle of what looked like a lobby. the pale colour of the walls hurt his eyes, along with a big number of white led lights scattered on the ceiling. on the first glance, it looked simple. once yeosang's eyes got used to the light, he noticed a great willow tree in the middle of the room. it is surrounded by a few wooden benches, all facing it. a long table follows the curved walls, decorated with plants of all sorts, protected by glass.

he does not speak just yet, instead he further examines the room. all the windows are shut, and yeosang doesn't think to approach one and remove the shade. he continues the path through the door closest to the one of the hibernation room, not knowing what to hope for. is he alone, or is he not? both possibilities are equally terrifying. if yes, what was the noise? if not, what could he expect from the person that was also awake for some reason?

yeosang seems to have entered a tube that served as a hallway, the walls curved and decorated with thin led stripes. yeosang's eyes shine under the lights, like a baby's on their first christmas. the hallway leads him into a somewhat warmer decorated room, soft yellow lights a contrast to the previous strong white ones. he raises an eyebrow as he takes in the space. it looks like a restaurant, with a bar fully stocked. there aren't many tables, all of them made to fit up to four people.

they are simply decorated, with a single electric candle in the middle. the chairs are all neatly tucked in, except one. the man carefully approaches the table, fingers hesitantly grazing the plush backrest. it is a deep green colour, the velvet material soft under yeosang's fingertips. the seat itself has an imprint, and yeosang's heart seems to stop for a moment. he raises his head abruptly, and his eyes lock with another pair.

he steps back, breath caught in his throat. the figure gasps too, eyes widening, before her legs carry her outside the restaurant and into another room. the man stays still, unsure if he should follow. what if it is a trap? for his misbehaviour? what should he do anyway? hide around the ship until the end of his life? could be tricky, but the ship is enormous. with an equally enormous luck, he might just make it.

his eyes catch a few items on the table; an opened book, a marker, cup of brown liquid and a broken necklace. on the floor is a shattered glass, probably the crash he heard. he takes the book in his hands, making sure to remember the page before closing it to view the title. it looks like a steamy romance, and when he goes through a few pages, he has to set it down before his attention shifts to something else.

"good evening, sir. ready to order?"

yeosang jumps, dropping the just acquired blue marker on the table. the voice is robotic, yet the face is human. it is an older man, with wheels instead of feet. his hands look human too, holding a tray with a single glass of water on it. it is when yeosang takes a sip that he realizes just how parched he was. he downs the glass, a few drops escaping and rolling down his chin and neck.

"what are you?" he finally speaks.

"i am a human made robot, created to be at your service during your stay at the ship. would you like to sit and take a look at the menu?"

yeosang sits down on the other chair, curiosity taking over him. shortly after, a thin menu is handed to him. it has a few usual choices, and a few more fancy ones. his stomach grumbles as he reads the ingredients of a certain dish, mouth almost watering when he sees the picture of it on the next page. but he has other things to worry about.

"made for our service, right?"

"indeed, sir."

"then, can you activate my pod again?"

"oh, sorry sir. that is beyond my program."

the blonde haired man sighs, dropping the menu on the table. he intertwines his fingers and rests his elbows on the edge of the table, his chin on top of his hands. he looks at the robot's smiley face, and then scoffs.

"it's just a few buttons."

"i'm sorry sir, but-"

"you're programmed to make dozens of cocktails, but not to press a few buttons?" he raises his voice, annoyed with the situation.

"it is dangerous, sir. i cannot just press any buttons, there is a whole procedure. your pod might implode, and you might endanger other pods, even the ship itself."

"bullshit."

"perhaps the young lady can help."

yeosang follows the robot's gaze, and his eyes lock with those from moments ago again. a female figure stands at the doors where she once disappeared, with no emotion on her face. at first, yeosang thinks that it is another robot. but all of her seems human enough.

"i'll be at the bar if you need me." with that, the robot slides behind the bar, busying himself with cleaning.

the girl approaches, carefully. when she reaches her once abandoned table, she slowly smiles. the look on the man's face makes her smile fade quickly, pure anger written all over his features.

"you." he says through gritted teeth.

"uh... hi. my name is-" she holds her hand out as a greeting, ignoring the sudden hostile demeanor.

"i don't want to know your fucking name."

"w-what?"

yeosang replays the image of the captain pushing him out of the way, only to invite a whole family inside after he said there is no more space left. he saw you, carrying that foolish designer bag over your shoulder, the weight of it pulling your body to the side. he remembers locking eyes with you for a split second, just before he went berserk on the captain. you looked like you hadn't worked a single day in your life, and like your world was only flowers and waterfalls.

"you're holding me accountable for your mom, aren't you?"

"do not talk about my mother."

"you know, before assuming something, you should try thinking a bit harder. how do you-"

"i don't have to- no, i don't want to think harder. you rich bastards waltz in here like it's nothing while us poor people have to scrape every corner of our house for the last penny to get a chance for a ticket." he stands from the chair abruptly, making it fall on the floor and you flinch.

tears gather in your eyes, and you feel frustrated that you cannot control it. why do you always have to cry, no matter the emotion? who cries from anger, for god's sake?

"oh, no no. you do not get to cry. that is my mother that stayed down there, and-"

"you think i just waltzed in here? just like that? you think i didn't pay for my own goddamn ticket? you think they let us in just because of our status and wealth?"

"you paid for your ticket? who told you that, your daddy?"

you stay silent for a moment, before confirming. yeosang laughs sarcastically, offending you even more.

"right." he scoffs.

"you think he would lie to me?"

"did you see the tickets? do you know what they look like? how much they cost? where they're taking us? do you even know where you are going? tell me any of these things, and i'll believe you."

you sit down, staring at the broken necklace. you did not know any of those things. you did ask your father to show you the tickets multiple times, you were excited. but he delayed it, even at the entrance, he didn't have to show it to the captain.

"that's what i thought."

"but... why would they let us board?"

"because your daddy is an important minister. you should try thinking a bit harder." he repeats your sentence from earlier.

you sit still, anger stirring inside of you. anger no longer directed at the gorgeous man, but at your family. your father specifically. the stranger picks up the chair, then sits on it. he sighs, shoving his face in his hands.

"what happened to your pod?" he asks, not yet looking at you.

"i don't know. i suddenly woke up, couldn't breathe, and had to break the glass to get out. next thing i know, it had smoke coming out of it so i pressed a bunch of buttons until the thing shut down completely. what about yours?"

yeosang removed his hands from his face, finally looking at you properly. he feels his ears and cheeks warm up, noticing just how beautiful you are. he looks at your book instead, unable to maintain eye-contact.

"no difficulty with breathing as far as i remember. i woke up like i did on earth every day, and it felt natural too. the lid was open, no smoke or cracks. the digital board seemed normal, the vitals still showing up until i had to rip the cables from my wrists." yeosang looks down on his hands, remembering how gently he yanked those tubes from his flesh. "then i was confused as to why i was the only one awake. i went to the main screen in the hibernation room, might've hit it, and then heard a crash. you, assuming?"

"yeah. i knocked it over while trying to fix the stupid necklace."

yeosang nods, eyeing the necklace that now rests in your fingers. it has a simple butterfly pendant, and yeosang fights the urge to ask if it holds any meaning.

"how long have you been awake?"

"about three weeks."

"it doesn't sound like a lot, but when you're alone, assuming it feels like three months?"

you laugh, "more like three years."

"have you tried sending a message back to earth?"

you frown, remembering all the video and voice messages you have sent the first day you woke up and met your new fate. you abused the poor system, sending a tearful plea for help almost every hour.

"i have."

"and?"

"it takes approximately nineteen years for them to receive it, and more than nineteen for me to receive the reply, depends on the speed we are moving at. in that time, the asteroid is expected to strike. they'll have it worse than i do, so i am at least grateful that i get to live to an old age. hopefully."

silence envelops both of you for a while. he seems to be thinking, eyes squinted and nose scrunched cutely.

"do you think... you can try activating my pod again?"

he sees your smile fade. must be horrible to be all alone, especially knowing that you won't reach the set destination. nine hundred years is a long time after all. barely any human lives past a hundred.

"i can try."

yeosang beams, excitedly standing up. he misses the way your eyes become glossy again, tears threatening to spill any moment. you trail behind him, using the chance to examine him. he is taller than you, with soft blonde hair that falls over his almond eyes, and bright skin. he looks like a prince, more beautiful than any man you've been with or had a crush on. he looks over his shoulder, checking to see if you're following him. his eyes are a warm chestnut brown, and his lips a pretty pink shade. you're jealous of his cheekbones and lashes.

soon enough you stand in front of his hibernation pod, the lid opened and the sheets inviting, no matter how uncomfortable.

"right, then. lay down." you say with a heavy heart.

he wastes no time, laying in the pod with his eyes closed and rolling up his sleeves. you take the discarded tubes, poking the tiny needles back below his wounded flesh and taping them back together. he closes his eyes, and his lips twitch in a smile. you bite the inside of your cheek, wishing for nothing more than for all of this to fail.

you're horrible, yes. but if you have to spend another day alone here, you might just toss yourself out in space without a suit on and die. robots are a good company only for a limited amount of time, before their answers start becoming repetitive and predictable.

"you never told me your name." you mumble, getting ready to close the clear lid.

"yeosang." he says, opening one eye to look at you. "yours?"

"y/n."

"beautiful." he compliments.

"bye, yeosang. i hope a better life awaits you." you say before your voice starts cracking, and a tear escapes your eye.

"bye, y/n." the man says his final words before closing his eyes again and relaxing.

you close the lid, then make sure his vitals are showing on the tiny screen. once everything seems ready, you follow the steps on the screen, pushing the buttons in the right order, until it asks for an authorization code.

"shit."

he seems to hear it, because he opens his eyes to look at you with his eyebrow raised. "what?"

"uh, i'll be right back. i just need the authorization code."

"oh. alright, i hope you find it."

"it should be on the main screen."

after a long time of fooling around on the screen, you do not find the code. if you were to start guessing, you wouldn't know where to start. the keypad offers both numbers and letters, and it could be any combination.

"yeosang?"

"yes?"

"i'm so sorry, but... i couldn't find the code."

yeosang's world shatters once again. it seemed way too easy anyway.

"help me out."

a week later, you still find the man in the same spot. he sleeps in his hibernation pod, and when he doesn't, he sits on the floor beside it and stares at the ceiling. the glass of water you had brought him last night, just like every other night, was empty beside it. it makes you feel relieved that he drank. you don't want him to die like this. you aren't sure how you would handle that, both emotionally and physically.

"yeosang?"

you call, hoping to convince him to come outside today.

"want a tour of the ship? you haven't seen anything yet. besides, don't you have to piss from all this water?"

"thanks for reminding me. my kidneys will kill me." he groans. "which way?"

you lead him out the hibernation room and into the lobby again, only this time you take a different path. there is a door near the restaurant hallway, and you playfully open it up for him.

"my lord."

he rolls his eyes, not yet in the mood for jokes. you lean your head against the locked door, hearing a soft sniff from inside.

"the sooner you accept it, the better it will be for you. i promise."

"you say it like it's easy."

"it's not. i still cry myself to sleep. but i like to pretend that i own the ship, and that all of those people in those pods are my peasants who are coming to serve me on my new planet."

you hear a faint chuckle, and your heart feels lighter.

"besides, once i show you everything, you'll see just how irrelevant our lives are compared to the whole universe. it's beautiful, yeosang."

"you can see outside?"

"yes. i'll take you to the cockpit, if you promise to have a proper breakfast."

you hear water running, and you assume he is washing his hands. "how do you know it's morning? isn't it always dark out there?"

"funnily enough, my digital watch still works. the battery did not run out yet. currently, it is ten in the morning on earth. i even let you sleep in! how generous of me."

he opens the door, causing you to stumble forward into him. he catches you before your head can hit his chest, and it is then that you realize just how big his hands are. you smile awkwardly, stepping back.

"let's go."

yeosang chooses a simple breakfast; cereal and a banana. you order your usual, the blueberry muffin and chocolate milk having you in a chokehold since the first day you woke up. you feel like a peasant who was allowed into his lord's house, eating like a starved farmer while yeosang eats like a sophisticated prince. he taps the napkin on the corners of his mouth every few moments, doesn't graze the spoon against the bowl and doesn't slurp the milk. you, on the other hand, have made a mess not only on the table, but on your lap and floor as well.

"so, uh..." he trails, moving the emptied bowl aside and reaching for the yellow fruit, "what's the plan?"

"are we talking short term or long term?" you also finish the muffin and set the paper wrap aside.

"let's stick to short for now."

"i thought i'd give you a tour of the ship. find you a room, spare clothes and such. the ship is like a city floating through space. my childhood town didn't have this many things to do."

the man laughs lightly, fidgeting with the banana. he doesn't peel it yet, his thoughts so intense they're almost audible. you call his name, once, twice. he doesn't respond. hesitantly, you reach over to put your hand over his. he ceases his fidgeting, his gaze locking with yours. the whites of his eyes are red and glossy again, and being the sensitive person you are, your eyes start burning too. you let out a shaky sigh, trying your hardest not to break down in front of him. he avoids your gaze again, seeing what he did to you.

"i'm going to sound mean and horrible. i know you might have a spark of hope left, and i want to tell you that you should get rid of it right away. hope will only worsen your pain. there is nothing we can do, yeosang. we can't turn the ship around, we are already years away. we will make it just in time for us to die of old age. we can't wake up any of the crew or loved ones, who would put them to sleep again? one of us would have to stay back again. and if you're thinking of the worst... well, i can't stop you there. i'll try, but the ship is huge. i won't be able to keep up with you if you do decide to take that step."

the blonde man sniffles, wiping his cheeks with the back of his free hand. his other one still subconsciously holds onto yours, thumb lightly caressing your skin and comforting you.

"if you, however, do decide... please let me know. so i can prepare to be alone again." your voice trembles, and tears finally set themselves free.

yeosang squeezes your hand, then put his other one over it and keeping it warm. he just now realizes how hard you also have it. he feels selfish, dumping all his sadness on you and not thinking about your feelings at all. you are a stranger, but if you are going to live on the ship with him, might as well try and make friends with you. otherwise, it would be awkward to coexist together.

"so, the cockpit?"

"woah, take me to dinner first."

as you help ryan, the robot you both named, clean up the table, yeosang takes the time to examine the bar.

"so he makes all the food too?"

"there's a couple machines back there, not humanoid though. enough to know a medium rare steak and fries. you'll need all the protein you can get."

he hums, then gets out of the way so that ryan can get the dishes cleaned. you wait near the table, not rushing him yet. he needs time, as much as you still need it. but one of you needs to be the tough one, or you won't last. as soon as he makes his overthinking face, you are quick to grab his elbow and drag him with you.

"there's more to the ship than the bar and the lobby."

when back in the said lobby, you release his elbow and continue down a different path. the short, tube-like hallway is the same as the one before, this time leading into a different room.

"this is the storage. spare clothes, towels, hygiene supplies and such can be found here. further down, see that door? those are the showers. but there is a shower in each of the vip rooms. you can pick whichever room you want when we get there."

"sounds nice."

you show him the gym and the small terrarium, before continuing through the main door of the lobby. yeosang watches in awe as you take out a silver card from the pocket of your sleepwear top and scan it.

"where did you get that?"

"found it in the hibernation room when i woke up. it was locked in a little glass box, it said something like break in case of emergency. seemed emergency enough for me. sadly, it did not have any codes to operate the pods."

the circular door opens smoothly in a spiral, opening a whole new hallway. this one isn't like the previous ones. it is wide, and it rotates around its axis. and it doesn't have a floor. it is simply a tube. the door closes behind you when you step over threshold, and yeosang flinches.

"uh..."

"trust me. take my hand."

everything yeosang does recently is with hesitation. and you understand him, truly. but at least he has someone to guide him. you had nobody. once his hand slides into yours, you don't give him time to ask anything before jumping inside the tube. his heavy body floats in the air, following after you. you can't help the smile that spreads on your lips when yeosang looks up. his jaw is dropped, and his eyes shine orange under the sunlight.

he is speechless, face pressed against the rotating glass like a child against a store window. you swim over to him, also pressing your nose against the cold glass. he is witnessing the first sunset on a different planet, and his heart flutters at the sight.

"it is..." he starts, but doesn't finish.

"i know. there's no word for it, is there?"

"not really, no. beautiful? glorious? breathtaking? none of it seems enough to describe it. it is... strange. different. scary."

you hum, looking down at the dense clouds of the yellow planet. "our earth is so much more beautiful, though. couldn't live on such a dull planet."

"do you think anyone lives down there?"

you shrug, not having thought about it.

"do you think anyone lives on the planet where we are headed? just how advanced is our science and astronomy? for all we know, we could get crushed by a single step from some giant as soon as we land. then all of this was for nothing."

it is the first time you hear him talk more, and you don't dare interrupt him. he has a lovely voice, a deep tone with a soft lisp. you smile to yourself, wondering if anyone pointed that cute trait out to him.

"i guess it doesn't matter for the two of us anyway. not like we are going to live to see it."

"such a ray of sunshine, aren't you?"

he chuckles, sparing you a single glance before flying off to the other side. the planet is enormous, even with the distance the ship keeps with it. their home star seems tiny, but you know that it is just very far away. it might be stronger and way bigger than the sun you know.

"how fun would it be if a fleet came rushing to the ship and they imprisoned us? made us work for them and all?"

"yeosang!"

almost half an hour later, you had to peel yeosang from the windows that were now full of face and finger prints. he whines, but doesn't have much power over his body like you do. you learned to navigate the zero gravity spaces, while he is just getting used to them. you effortlessly pull him through the tube, taking one last glance at the yellow giant below the ship before landing on a floor again. he doesn't succeed, instead landing on his hands and almost his face. the door closes behind you, and smoke fills the small hallway.

"pressure stabilized. you may proceed."

"thank you!" you yell, skipping towards the new doors.

"they can... hear you?"

"huh? oh, no they can't. that's just the automatic system. but it is a habit of mine, to talk to these machines. i had to speak somehow, or to something, otherwise i would've lost it."

"understandable."

using the card, you open another door. each time you do, you are amazed at the mechanics. everything is very futuristic, and no door opens with a doorknob. they are either sensor or card activated, and they always open unusually. from those that spirally open, to those that slide up or down. you love the noises they make when they do so.

"these are the vip rooms. we still have to figure out how we will use the card, since there is only one and you need it to move around. i can unlock the room you want so you don't have to look for me every time you want to go to your room, but that's all the card can unlock. i'll check with ryan if we can duplicate it for other doors."

"he was incapable of pushing a few buttons, think he can replicate a whole card?"

"doesn't hurt to try. anyway, pick a room!" you hand him the card, motioning to the sensors near the doors. "feel free to check out each one of them."

he wants to take the first one, without exploring the rest. but you pressure him into seeing others, claiming there might be better ones. truth is, you've claimed the best one for yourself. but he doesn't need to know that.

"oh, wow." he breathes out, entering the last room at the far end.

it has a simple white bed, already made with pillows and sheets, a desk and a few shelves above it. it has a door that leads to his own bathroom, and a small dresser. a circular window just above the bed takes yeosang's attention again. he smiles, then turns towards you.

"this one."

"you sure?"

"positive. i'd love to wake up to that view every morning."

"then, it is settled. you have your own bathroom and shower, so you won't have to go out all the way back to the lobby. there's also a minibar, it gets restocked once every two weeks for now. but i found a way to change it. it's just a few drinks and snacks."

he nods, still taking in the room.

"anyways, i'd like to call it a day. the cockpit will have to wait. you should refresh yourself, there is towels in the drawers under the bed and spare clothes in the dresser. it's only sleepwear, but fresh. the dirty clothes go in that bin by the door, it gets automatically dumped in the washing machine in the storage room every morning."

"wow, you've really done some exploring."

"guess i have. have fun. i'll unlock the room, then i'll be right across the hall if you need me."

"thank you, y/n."

a few days later, a knock wakes you up. you glance at the watch, and seeing that it is three in the morning, you groan.

"yes?"

"are you awake?"

"now i am."

"sorry."

you stay silent, waiting for him to continue. but he doesn't. you hear shuffling outside the door, then footsteps. you roll your eyes before dragging your body out of the comfortable bed. you open the door, only to find him very much awake and dressed in fresh clothes, on his way back to his room.

"what is it?"

"what's the time?" he turns around at your voice.

"three in the morning."

"oh."

you stare at each other in silence for a few moments. you raise an eyebrow, amused with his behaviour. "well?"

"right. i was bored. i don't know what to do. i can't sleep."

"then... go to the gym?"

"i forgot how to get there. is there anything else to do? where did you get that book you were reading?"

"ah, the library"

"there's a library?!"

"um, yes. not many books, though. mostly classics, only a small young adult and fantasy section. a few comics here and there. it is on the other side of the ship, though. want to borrow mine until tomorrow?"

his cheeks flush at the sight of the book, remembering the themes of it. a little reading can't hurt. besides, he hasn't had any activity in a while. not with himself either.

"sure."

"want to hang here while you read? if you start feeling sleepy you can just sleep in that other bed." you offer, gesturing towards the bed across the one you have occupied.

"sure, if you don't mind."

"make yourself comfy. the minibar is still stocked, feel free to take anything."

it doesn't take long for you to jump back into bed, warming it up and scrunching the pillow beneath your head. it is just not high enough. with your head turned towards the window, you can see yeosang's reflection. he sits cutely on the bed, back pressed against the slightly curved wall and knees pressed to his chest. his blonde locks fall over his eyes, and he blows upwards every now and then to remove them. you smile to yourself before dozing off.

the second time you are woken up, it is by soft whimpers coming from behind you. a wave of heat washes over your body, seeing the reflection in the window. yeosang lays on the bed, the book halfway finished but discarded on the floor next to the bed. he bucks his hips into his hand, which is wrapped around his pretty pink cock. the veins on his hands are bulging, like the ones on his cock, and you have to fight every urge in you to not jump on him.

you shiver at his moans, getting louder and more... pathetic. carefully, your hand slides from under the pillow and under the blanket, reaching the heat between your legs. he chokes on his own moans, gasping and whining more as he works his way to an orgasm. your other hand sits on your mouth, stopping any noise from escaping. you don't tease yourself, there is no need. you are wet enough for your fingers to slide inside of you easily, and you immediately start pumping.

light squelching is heard in the small room, and you are not sure if it is him or you. either way, the noises are driving you insane, and you hate that you cannot quicken your pace.

yeosang is a gorgeous man, and you found yourself having a crush on him the moment you saw him. but you never thought of him this way. he was just too sweet and innocent looking. now? seeing his veiny hands work on himself, pretty lips creating noises you didn't know men could make, cheeks flushed and hair sticking to his face and neck, you might just be in trouble.

"fuck-" he whispers, hips becoming sloppier with each thrust.

you use the last few moments of his lack of attention before his orgasm to speed up your fingers, inching yourself closer and closer, until a wave of pleasure washes over you and blurs your vision for a moment. you bite into your hand, legs squeezing shut from the intense pleasure. you did touch yourself occasionally during these few weeks, but nothing was as strong and intense as this. and none of it was because of yeosang.

you realize you missed his orgasm, and can't help but frown. you would've loved to see it. his pretty eyes rolling back, and his breathing getting shallow as he loses himself to pleasure. he has already composed himself while you were still getting down from your high. he stands up, puts the book on the nightstand near your bed, then makes his way back to your bathroom.

by the time he comes back, you are already asleep from exhaustion.

"tell me about yourself." he says the next morning.

"ask away." you respond, already out of breath.

the treadmill was never your friend. yeosang had joined you right after you warmed up, and you were the one blushing this time. every time you look at him, you see his sweaty face from last night. not a sight to complain about, but you could've done without it.

"i don't know. favorite colour? movie? song? are there such things on the ship?"

"there is a selection of songs. a couple from each period, as samples to show if there is anyone where we are going. well, they. and a few movies, i think. also some popular ones from each period. they have game of thrones, too."

"ah, i never watched it."

"really? i started it on the ship. didn't know what else to do. i am not watching the godfather or star wars again. so far it seems good. jon snow is to die for."

yeosang looks at you, confused. "i don't know who that is."

"if you want to watch with me, i'll show you. i haven't shown you the theater yet anyway."

you stop the treadmill, jumping off it and sitting on the floor for a moment. your legs burn, but it is satisfying discomfort. you wait for yeosang to dismount the stationery bicycle, not looking at his bottom whatsoever. not fair how it is better shaped than yours. he is speaking to you, but you are busy admiring his body. he always hides under the loose sleepwear, this is the first time you see him properly. he wears a tight athletic fit, showing off his broad shoulders and thin waist.

"is that okay?"

"what?" you accidentally yell, then slap your hand over your mouth.

he laughs, running his fingers through his damp hair and glancing at you over his shoulder. "i asked if you want to have dinner? i know we usually skip it from lack of moving during the day, but i am going to be here for a while. i'm going to need some food before bed."

"of course. i was thinking the same. any dress code?" you joke.

"i mean, you can dress fancy. why not? who's stopping us?"

"what, are you going to wear, like, a tuxedo or something?"

"i'll figure something out." he gets off the bicycle, sending you a playful wink.

you find yourself blushing under his gaze, but you do not look away. he is just too mesmerizing to look at. where has this man been hiding down on earth?

"need help getting up?"

"uh, i think i might skip the bike. my legs are too shaky. i'll stay on the floor for a while."

"you'll catch a cold. come here."

without a warning, his hands position themselves on your waist, and so effortlessly pick your aching body up. you hold onto his shoulders, flabbergasted. there is no motive, other than being helpful, but you can't help the sudden rush you feel between your legs. imagining him manhandling you, throwing you around as he likes, wrapping his hand around your neck as you struggle to breathe and beg him for more.

"i'll help you." he sets you down on the yoga mat, then gently pushes you to lay down. "you have to warm up more and stretch yourself."

"if i start warming myself up more, i won't have the energy for a proper exercise."

"come on, don't be dramatic. i'll show you now, alright?"

"fine."

you lay back, eyes looking up at the open ceiling. millions of white and yellow dots glimmer all across the dark void. yeosang's hands slide from your waist to your leg, gently rubbing the thigh. he puts light pressure on it, and it only increases the muscle pain. but you trust him, so you let him continue. he does the same to your other thigh, and repeats the process with your calves. he then sets his hands on your ankles, slowly pushing your feet across the mat until your knees are propped up. he doesn't stop there, picking your ankles off the floor and slowly pressing your knees to your chest.

"oh, fuck me." you gasp in pain, shutting your eyes and reaching for something to hold onto.

your fingers can't grasp the tight fabric of the athletic shirt, so you resort for digging your nails into his shoulders. he holds you in that position for a few moments, then slowly releases and straightens your legs out again. then again, and again, until you are sweating with pain.

"you're doing good," he hushes, "just a bit more. you can handle it for me, can't you?"

"i guess, yeah."

"good girl."

before you can respond with anything other than a grunt, yeosang presses your knees against your chest one more time, this time leaning his body against you. his body is firm, and big. he hovers over you, his crotch dangerously close to yours. if you moved just a few inches, you'd be grinding on him. he stays still for a moment, not breaking eye contact as he causes delicious pain, and you can't help but think about other ways he could stretch you.

"does it hurt?" he whispers.

"a little." you respond with an equal quiet voice.

"i'll get you used to it, don't worry."

it doesn't feel like he is talking about the warmup anymore. but you decide not to risk it. he could really mean it in an innocent and helpful manner, and you would be the lust driven fool who has ruined the only friendship you are going to have in your life. you remove your hands from his shoulders, then gently press them against his chest to push him away. he doesn't budge, but takes the message and moves himself. he is so much stronger than he looks, and it drives you crazy. such an angelic face, with such a sculpted body.

"i think i'll finish early today. if i continue, i won't have the strength to even dress for the dinner, let alone reach the restaurant."

"alright, then. eight tonight?"

"sounds good. got your card?"

he retrieves the shiny item from his back pocket and flashes it your way. "right here."

"great. i'll see you tonight, then. with my fancy clothes." you laugh, picking up the items you have scattered around the gym.

"ditto."

you raid the storage room, looking for anything that is not gym clothes or sleepwear. roaming around the ship, you find the luggage room. hundreds of bags, all full to the brim. you're sure they won't mind if you borrow something. not your fault your father made you pack simple childish clothes and only a handful of makeup.

eight o'clock rolls around quickly, and you may or may not be running late. your room is a mess, makeup scattered all over the desk and nightstand, and clothes piling up on the bed. you do not know what you've pulled from what bag. it's not like you'll be alive to hear them confront you anyway. you had heard yeosang's door shut ten minutes ago, and no matter how much you rush, it seems that everything is working against you. your hair was frizzier than ever, and you hated having it any other way than down. tonight, however, you do not wish to look like you just woke up and forgot about the dinner. you resort for a simple hairclip, pulling out a few strands of hair to frame your face. finally, you feel decent enough to leave the room.

yeosang hears the clicking of shoes, then stands up. his jaw drops at the sight, and he almost forgets to talk. he hasn't seen you with your hair up, ever, not in the gym either. you had some sort of a loose braid, but loose and messy enough to look how you normally do your hair. your face is exposed completely, along with your neck. yeosang was never one to gawk at a woman, but the way the deep red colour of the evening gown complimented your skin and the fabric hugged your curves had him stuttering. your lips had a red tint, with a hint of glitter, both matching the dress. the dress sparkles under the lights as you walk over to him, like the stars yeosang looks at all day and night.

"don't you look handsome." you smile.

he wears a loose, slightly see through black shirt, with nothing underneath. your mouth waters at the sight of the outline of his chest and abs. you so desperately want to run your nails down his torso. he also wears black slacks, and polished black shoes. his hair is tamed, falling in soft blonde locks around his face and showing his eyes properly.

"you look... uh-" his gaze roams your body, up and down multiple times. it lingers on your lace up heels, and if you looked at him for just a bit longer, you would see the way he gulped and licked his lips. "you look dashing."

"thank you, yeosang. you're very sweet."

he pulls out the chair for you, and that simple act already gives you butterflies. as you sit and look at the menu, as if it's your first time seeing it, you can't help but think whether this is a date. you fear to ask. two people looking good and sitting down for dinner doesn't always mean a date, right? even when they keep blushing at each other every few moments?

"are those your clothes?" you ask, chewing on the appetizer.

"no, actually. borrowed them from some guy named seonghwa, i think it said on the bag. he has good taste. i might borrow more things from him once in a while. what about you? that dress has to be yours, it looks like it was made for you."

"i borrowed it from some lady. seems that she only took evening gowns with her. from all of this, only the hair clip is mine."

yeosang nods, shoving a bruschetta in his mouth. "you look pweffy wif your hair up."

"what?" you laugh, taking the last appetizer from the sharing plate.

"i said..." he swallows, "you look pretty with your hair up. you should wear it like that more often."

"will do, sir."

two hours of eating, conversing and laughing later, you drag yeosang from his seat to dance. it has to be the prosecco speaking, because you would never ask him such a thing sober. especially because you can't dance.

"there is no music," he stands in front of you, hands resting on your waist.

he is slightly tipsy, but the sober one between the two of you. you wrap your hands around his neck, and call ryan.

"yes, miss?"

"put on some music, please."

"right away, miss. do you wish for anything specific?"

"play something by elvis."

even though you claim you can't dance, your body moves itself to the soft rhythm of the music. you sway your hips and move your feet to match the blonde man. both of you still have hands firmly planted on the others body, and eyes locked with each other. this time, neither of you look away. something about this moment is so beautiful, and so sad. you have each other, but are alone. you try to make the best out of the situation, but both of you are terrified. you have only learned to mask it well so you can keep each other strong.

but tonight, neither of you holds back tears. you let them freely spill, feeling vulnerable in each others arms. you tremble under his touch, afraid to let go. his thumb grazes your cheek, wiping the new tears away and caressing your skin in the process. this time, it is his turn to comfort you. he wraps his arms around you and pulls you into a hug while still swaying to the rhythm of the music. his head rests in the crook of your neck, nose nuzzling against your exposed skin. you have your head buried into his chest, while your hands rest on his back and fingers scrunch the light material of the shirt.

"you smell nice." he compliments softly.

you scoff through tears. "it's a new shampoo."

"macadamia?"

"yeah. was feeling like autumn today."

"i like it. better than my old spice supply."

it feels comforting to silently cry into his chest. after being the one comforting him and staying strong for a long time, it is his turn to cheer you up. he holds your face in his hands, thumbs relentlessly wiping tears away.

"as beautiful as you look even when you cry, i'll have to interrupt with a fun discovery i've made a few days ago."

your cheeks heat up at the compliment. nobody has ever told you anything like that. even at your lowest, he makes you feel pretty.

"a discovery?"

"yeah. i saved it for tonight. come with me." the brown eyed man smiles at you before offering his hand for you to take.

"but slow down, these heels are quite uncomfortable." you accept his warm hand, taking it like you were made for it.

he stays still for a few moments, gaze locked on the black platform heels. a squeal leaves your lips when yeosang takes your body in his hands, carrying you bridal style. you hold onto his neck, and press your head against his shoulder for support.

"wait, the card! i left it on the table."

yeosang makes his way back to the table, then lowers you enough for you to grab the card. you playfully put it between your teeth, then wrap your arms around his neck again. as he walks, you nearly drift off on his shoulder. the soft clicking of his shoes against the floor, his scent, and his occasional humming gives you a sense of serenity. he smells of vanilla and bourbon, and it is a big refreshment from all the ocean breezes and sport rushes. seeing him order the glass of bourbon made your stomach flutter, as you were used to men only ordering beer or a rum-coke. he took small sips of it, a complete opposite to you who finished two glasses before getting to desert. the third one we shall not mention.

you feel him stop, and you open your eyes. you look at a door you've never seen before. looking around, you notice lockers lined up on the wall and a screen hanging in the middle of the room.

"i'll put you down now."

he sits you on the bench under the screen, then crouches in front of you and reaches for the card still nestled between your teeth. you move your head away, sitting on your hands. he scoffs, then reaches again. but you are stubborn. you move your head away once again, causing him to sigh and rest his hands on your knees for support.

"can i have the card please?"

you finally lean in, getting to his eye level. his eyes watch your lips sparkle, just like the card that is stuck between them. the tips of his ears become hot again, and he is glad that his hair is covering them today.

finally getting the hint, the man sighs, playing annoyed. he leans in, hands squeezing your knees, before he takes the other end of the card in his teeth. you almost giggle out loud, not actually expecting him to do that. he takes his sweet time retrieving it, slowly pulling it from your mouth and keeping his gaze locked with yours. you finally let go, accidentally leaving a red lip stain on your side of it.

he then transfers it to his hand, while using his other one to poke your forehead. "you really are something."

"that's right, poke the weak."

"you're going to have to take your heels off for this."

you groan, throwing your head back dramatically. "do i have to?"

"why, too lazy?"

"maybe."

yeosang rolls his eyes, then takes your leg and places it over his lap. his fingers place the card back between his teeth, this time the side with your lipstick on it. something about the whole situation is insanely intimate, and you might beg him to just chain you up on the side of the ship so you don't do anything. he begins untying the laces of the heel, making sure to graze your skin accidentally with his knuckles. you feel his warm breath on your skin, and can't help but squeeze your thighs together. it is only then you realize that he can see up your dress. but he chooses not to.

"you do it so naturally. do you usually take girl's heels off?"

a pinch to your thigh causes you to jump and yelp, and you use your other leg to gently bump his shoulder with the tip of the heel. he doesn't react, only smirking to himself while still looking down and working on the halfway undone lace. you repeat the action, feeling mischievous and set on seeing what he'll do. on the third bump, yeosang grabs your ankle, yanking it forward along with your body and looks up at you.

your legs are now slightly spread, and he can easily look if he wanted to. but he still doesn't. his eyes stay locked with yours, no longer a playful glint in them. his pupils are dilated, causing his eyes to appear darker than usual. a gulp goes down your throat painfully slow, realization hitting you. he might not like this type of teasing and joking, and you might've pushed it too far. after all, he is trying to do a nice thing for you here. he is crouching on the ground for you, for god's sake.

"stay still." he almost growls, voice low and stern.

you nod, your eyes falling down on the leg in his lap. then, you notice the bulge in his pants. he might not be as angry as you thought after all. you stifle a smirk and decide to sit still and make it easier for him.

the man finally takes off one of your heels, and when you want to set your bare foot on the floor, he keeps it still in his lap. the tiles are cold, he says. he works on the other one, taking his sweet time while you admire the room.

you wonder what it is, and where he is taking you. the room gently sways in your eyes, or it might just be you. whatever it is, you trust him.

"feeling better?" he rubs your red and bruised soles. as comforting as it feels, you have to remove them before you drip through your dress and on the bench.

no man was ever this gentle and caring with you. yeosang doesn't even have that kind of relationship with you, and he is already way ahead of all the men you've ever been with. you might've just hit the jackpot with him. spending your life on this ship alone with him doesn't seem like the worst way to live.

"yes, better. thank you, yeosang. you're very sweet. who taught you how to be a gentleman?"

"my sister. that dumbass." he scoffs.

he then proceeds describing how he learned from her horrible boyfriends. they were always selfish, and she always felt alone even when she was in a relationship. she mostly felt used, ignored, and a second choice. yeosang would witness them coming home, doing the deed, then leaving because they had plans with the boys. she cried often, and even though she always slammed the door in yeosang's face whenever he wanted to comfort her, she was grateful that he won't grow up to be like them.

"your sister sounds nice. i've only had asshole brothers."

"well, none of them are in our way now. my sister won't suffer for another nine hundred years, and you won't see your asshole brothers for the rest of your life."

you continue rambling about how strict your father always was, how your mother only listened and rarely ever defended you against his accusations and your brothers' bullying, and how you had to hide every relationship and never got to enjoy them properly. although, now that you think about it, you had the same experience as his sister. you are glad not to be stuck with someone like them.

"now, wear this for me. there's a changing room right there. and don't ask. i promise, it will be worth it."

you feel like a child after coming out of the dressing room, standing up when he tells you, turning around and facing a certain direction. you both wear tight black clothes, and he checks the screen every now and then. once he makes sure that you are wearing the clothes properly, he opens one of the lockers.

"no." your jaw drops in disbelief.

"yes." he says, happily pulling out an astronaut suit.

"yeosang, that- is that safe? i mean, you're not thinking about leaving the ship, are you? this is just dress up, isn't it?" you ramble.

"it is perfectly safe. you told me once to trust you. now, it's your turn to trust me. why do you get to show me the cool stuff around here, but i don't get to do that for you?"

"yes, but... this is outside the ship. it's open space!"

yeosang helps you put the suit on, despite your ranting. you hold onto his shoulders while you put your legs in the boot part of the suit, then your arms until yeosang zips it up. it feels like you already have dozens of layers on you. he stifles a chuckle, and you squint at him.

"what is it?"

"you look like a penguin."

"yeah, well, so do you."

"i know. you just look cute."

he turns around to grab the gloves and helmet, leaving you to blush by yourself while he finishes zipping himself up. he brought back the fear you had forgotten about; fear of the unknown and stranded. at least if something happens, you are not alone.

"head up." you do so, and he connects an oxygen and communication system to the suit, then rolls up the collar of the undersuit so that it protects your neck and head, leaving only your face visible. "good girl."

"you need to stop saying that." you blurt out.

"and you need to stop teasing me every few minutes. there is only so much i can take."

"you're the one to talk! you always-"

"hey." his hand grabs your jaw, turning your head to look at him and stopping your complaining. "behave. or else."

"or else...?" you whisper, the prosecco still pulling the worst in you.

he leans in, noses almost touching and lips close enough to feel his warmth on yours. he looks into your eyes, then down at your lips, still holding your jaw in his hand. "or else i might just have to tame you somehow."

you gulp audibly. he smirks at that, then lets go of you and proceeds to put your helmet on. you feel frustrated. he is playing your game, and he is winning. you are supposed to make him blush and stutter, not the other way around.

"there, all fixed. can you breathe?"

"yes."

"can you hear me?"

"duh."

"through the system, dummy." he laughs, tapping on the wire that connects inside the suit.

"ah, yes. i can."

"good. i hope you don't have to pee."

"don't remind me of that! i had half a bottle of prosecco and am wearing like a hundred layers."

"good. no more pee talk. let's do this."

yeosang slides the card on the door, and enters the small space. when it closes, the space fills with smoke and lots of lights start going off and on.

"pressure stabilized."

"thank you!" he yells, playful smile dancing on his lips.

with a frown, you hit his arm for mocking you. he gently nudges you, as if pushing you away. you both know that if he wanted to, he could've pushed you way harder. and it makes you a little horny.

just in time, yeosang slides the card near the other door, then puts the card safely in the suit pocket and zips it. the round door opens, sliding up and revealing the dark void. instinctively, you grab his hand with two of yours. clinging to him like a sloth, you stand on the edge of the spaceship and look down. it strange that when you step over the threshold, no gravity will pull you down.

"wait!" you stop him before he steps over. "have you done this already?"

"uh... yes? i mean, i didn't go far or stay long. i think i hung for a few seconds from that handle and rushed back in. was scared shitless, honestly."

"you fool!" you hit him again, multiple times.

"ow! hey, what, what?!"

"you went to test it alone? you could've- you could've injured yourself! or worse! something could've gone wrong, and i would be all alone again!"

"you didn't think i'd bring you here before seeing if it's safe, did you? what if only one of us survived, the other would have to live with that guilt until the end of their life." he explains, holding you by your shoulders and gently shaking you as he speaks. "i know we've known each other only for a little over a month now, but i'd never do that to you. we only have each other, and i'd never do anything to leave you alone on this thing. i promise."

"promise?" your bottom lip quivers.

he sighs, closing his eyes and leaning his helmet against yours, as if leaning his forehead. "i promise."

"i believe you."

"good. otherwise, this would be a very bad idea."

with that, he pulls you over the edge, holding onto the handle on the outer surface of the ship. you squeal, legs wiggling in the unknown and arms firmly wrapped around his free one. he holds you close, not yet moving until he is sure that everything looks fine.

"i'll let go now, alright?"

"what if we drift away?"

"we won't, i tied us up to the ship. we can get back whenever we want."

you give yeosang only a few minutes of silence, before bombarding him with questions again. he answers every single one he knows, assuring you that he has everything under control. using the moment when you are focused on something on your space suit, he slowly lets go of the handle. as soon as you feel yourself drifting away, you glue yourself to his side, even going so far to wrap your legs around his.

"y/n, you'll have to let me go. i can't move like this."

"i'm scared."

"you want to go back?"

"no."

"then," he peels you away from himself, instead holding your hand properly in his. "let go."

you now float in the void, holding his hand and admiring the ship from the outside.

"you're looking the wrong way, doll. turn around."

due to the strange and spine-chilling situation you are in, you miss his little nickname directed at you. with his help, you slowly turn your back to the ship, and focus on the newfound space.

"look, down there." he points to the side.

"oh my god!" you exclaim, fear and excitement mixing inside of you. "what is that?!"

it is a bright, giant cloud of shiny dust. it has a light pink hue and a faded purple in the center.

"it's a nebula." he simply says.

"aren't they more colorful? i mean... that's just looks like a space cloud. it's nothing like the photos they send to us."

"ah, those images are taken with long exposure to capture all the lights, and edited later. our eyes cannot process all of those colours, so they sometimes add them on later."

"oh. well, nevertheless, it is stunning. it looks so glorious. i want to touch it."

"no, y/n, you can't touch the remains of a dead star."

"but why not?" you play along, acting like the spoiled child.

both of you laugh, holding onto each other and staring at the beauty of this frightening place.

"how did they calculate the trajectory? what if they missed some asteroid or something?"

"please don't talk about asteroids while we pathetically hang from a space ship in the void. i beg."

"sorry," you smile sheepishly.

"had enough? want to go back?" he asks, checking on your suit.

"not yet."

"want to go a bit furth-"

a snap interrupts him, coming from the ship. before you can look that way, yeosang pushes you away from him just in time, and you scream. a white object passes between the two of you, close enough to hit you. another snap is heard, then another. you finally look at the ship, right before more objects start flying at you. one of the smaller debris hits you, right in the helmet, sending your body further away. a few moments of silence pass, both you and yeosang going through shock. until you hear slight wheezing, and feel cool air on your face.

one of the boards on the surface on the ship must've come loose and broke into pieces. you gasp, body and soul reaching for the man now far away from you.

"i'm coming!" he man yells, panicked. but the communication starts glitching. it cuts off his words, and soon enough, you can't hear him anymore.

the air becomes harder to breathe, and lack of oxygen could kill you, if fear doesn't do it first. your vision becomes spotty, and yeosang's figure slowly starts blending in with the nebula behind him. you try covering the crack with your hand, and it helps for a short amount of time. you accidentally apply more pressure on it, causing the helmet to further break and wheezing intensify. the system begins to go crazy, sending you signals and urging you to get back on the ship. dozens of beeping noises, red lights and whatnot going off in your suit, yet all you can focus on is yeosang's failed attempts to reach you.

"yeosang..." you call, hoping he might answer.

but he doesn't, instead working with his arms and legs to get to you.

"keep... eyes... open... please..." his voice echoes inside the helmet, broken and mixed with robotic sounds. "take... hand... try... reach..."

"i can't," you breathe out, eyes closing. it is the last thing he hears from you.

"no!"

your vision blackens, and you stop the squirming, instead letting your body in the control of the cosmos. maybe that's how it was supposed to be from the beginning. no escaping doomsday, no ships, no wandering in the void, no claiming other planets. maybe humans were supposed to be the ones with limited knowledge. they weren't meant to go this far. or maybe the human race is simply that insignificant, compared to everything else. just a small, useless percent among the stars. the universe will stand, and continue being terrifyingly beautiful and endless, with or without us.

it feels like the right way to go. a punishment, for escaping your fate and leaving others to die a terrible death.

"i'm sorry, i'm so sorry, god i'm so sorry."

you couldn't have known, yeosang.

"i should've known, i should've stayed inside."

there was no way for you to know, yeosang.

"i should've died the first time i went, so you know not to do that."

don't speak such things, yeosang. maybe it was meant to be this way from the beginning.

"you don't deserve this, i do."

if you knew what i did, you would know that nobody deserves this like i do.

"please don't die on me, please. what do i do without you?"

you'll make it. you'll just have to do what i did. but you'll hate yourself for the rest of your life.

"none of it makes sense without you."

you'll hate yourself every time you look at their face. like i hate myself when i look at you.

"i- i think i love you. i don't think i'll make it without you."

i wish i could say it back without the guilt eating up my heart. i wish i could say all of this out loud to you, and not in my head. and yes, you will make it, yeosang.

kang yeosang hasn't eaten in days. the restaurant remains empty, as does the gym, and the discovered library, although with a few empty shelves. he sits on the cold floor of the emergency room, books scattered around him and one nestled in his hand.

"it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. however little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters." he reads, voice raspy and tired.

there is a pile to his right, and a smaller one to his left. he reads from morning to night, even though the stars and moons do not show it. he sits there, reading page after page, all to you who lay on the bed in the middle. he lowers the book after a while, glancing at your sleeping body.

"you know, if you've already read pride & prejudice, i can skip it. now that i think of it, you might've already read everything i read to you these days. sorry. must be torture."

already used to not getting replies from you, he sets the book down with a sigh. he folds the corner of the page, marking where he stopped reading. if you were awake, a poke to his forehead would be guaranteed, if not worse. he laughs, remembering the first time you discovered he did that.

"i'm sorry, are you ill? what the hell are you doing to my books?!"

"first of all, they're not yours. second, it's just a book. and third, to answer your question: i'm folding the corner."

"my lord, i have just lost all my respect for you. please exit my chambers."

"gosh, stop reading game of thrones already. if i get called lord one more time, i'm jumping into the nearest black hole."

"i am the queen of the ship, i do as i wish."

"and what does that make me?"

"you can be my queen hand."

"not your king consort?"

"ha! you wish. your house and blood is no match for mine, yeosang of house kang."

"whatever you say, your grace."

yeosang had forgotten about his own room. he hung out with you all day, and slept in the bed opposite to yours. for the first time in a while, he didn't think about what's outside, and what fate awaits him. he enjoyed the moment, enjoyed making you laugh and pissed. he loved how you could switch from giggly to angry in a split second, only from him tickling you too much.

now? he can tickle you as much as he wants, but you won't budge. you breathe, but you don't show any other signs of consciousness. he has raided every room there is, looking for any medical help in any form. he asked ryan, though he should've known better than that. i am not programmed for that kind of procedure, sir. yeosang already knew that sentence before it was said. it took everything in him to not smack the robot, but he heard your voice in the back of his head, defending the soulless thing.

he stands up, setting the book aside on the pile that is waiting to be read. he approaches the circular table, where he has laid you, stripped you of the heavy spacesuit and only left the first layer of tight clothes, then covered you with a light blanket. he managed to connect a few tubes to your body, following the instructions on the screen above the table. he can now see your vitals, he just doesn't know what to do with it. he relies on the ai, hoping it is right.

"if you do not wake up soon, my queen, i will take your throne," he jokes, tapping a damp cloth on your forehead. "then what will you do?"

he unbuttons his silk sleep shirt and stays in his white tank top, suddenly feeling hot inside the room. he folds it on the table next to your head, and pushes the hair out of your face. the system beeps above his head, showing increased heartrate. he looks down at you, searching for any sign of consciousness other than breathing.

"can you hear me?"

your heartrate goes back to normal, dimming yeosang's hope. he finishes wiping the sweat off your forehead and neck, then gently squeezes your hand before sitting back on the floor and resuming his reading.

when he wakes up, he finds himself in his own room. how he got there, he could not recall. but he left your side, after he promised himself to not do that ever again. almost jumping out of bed, the man dashes down the halls, the shiny card in his hand still holding your lipstick stain as he presses it against the various door sensors. he reaches the emergency room in record time, and his heart almost stops. you aren't there.

the tubes once attached to your body now lie on the floor, and the blanket is neatly folded on the table. his sleep shirt is gone, along with the book he wasn't done reading to you. hands hurriedly rubbing his eyes, yeosang fails to process what happened. he rushes through the rest of the ship, searching every nook and cranny in hopes of seeing your face. even going to the place he has been avoiding for the past few days. the spacesuits and helmets still lay on the floor, forgotten. the cracked one delivers a pang to the blonde man's heart, a painful reminder of his careless acts and their consequences.

hopeless, he reaches one final spot. the cockpit.

he had promised you not to go there without you, and the other way around. both of you were waiting for a perfect opportunity, when both of you are sober and wide awake. that never happened.

yeosang breaks his promise, holding the card to the sensor. the doors slide open, revealing the long awaited cockpit. two tall chairs stand side by side, separated by a narrow control panel. in front of the chairs is a wider and more detailed control panel. and above it all, a panoramic window. the ship is flying through a nebula, its vivid colours taking yeosang aback. bright shades of orange, yellow and blue envelop the ship, reflecting in yeosang's wide eyes.

"you said that the colours are edited on photos. how dare you lie to your queen?"

the man steps back, recognizing your voice.

"y/n?"

"yes?" one of the chairs turns around, and you sit in it. with a smile on your lips, the lost book in your hand, and his sleep shirt hanging from your body. but all he sees is your face.

he exhales, relief washing over his body like never before. not able to control himself, he rushes towards you, picking you up from the chair and enveloping you in his arms. the book falls to the floor, your arms flying to return the hug. it never felt as right as now.

"gosh, how did you get here by yourself? are you hurt?" he sets you on the floor, cupping your face in his big palms. "are you alright?"

"i'm fine. a little dizzy."

"i thought i lost you."

not able to stop himself, yeosang presses his lips against your forehead. he stays there, inhaling your scent and listening to your breathing. your hands slide down from his neck and find their place on his chest, feeling his heartbeat under your palm. it beats fast, almost matching yours. he pulls away, resting his forehead against yours properly this time, not through a helmet.

"how dare you leave me alone?"

"is that a way to speak to your queen?"

he chuckles at your jokes, even in such moments. he should get used to it by now. his thumbs rub your cheekbones, soothing you and making whatever worry you had left perish. you can't help the tears that prickle your eyes when you look at him. his are as red and glossy, and it takes you over the edge.

you climb on your toes, properly reaching his face. his heart beats faster under your palm, as if threatening to jump out. slowly, and with a bit of hesitation, you press your lips against his. it is a mere two second kiss, before you pull away. you search his face for any emotions; disapproval, disgust, discomfort. yet none of those are present.

he has his eyes shut, still taking in the kiss. you want to pull away, to give him space. but his hands slide down to your waist, pressing your body against his. he leans in again, capturing your lips with his. his kiss is an opposite to yours: confident and sure. he pecks your lips once, twice, again and again, until you finally relax in his arms and let your hands roam his body. fingers finding comfort in his blonde locks, and body pressed firmly against his, you kiss him like it's your last.

his grip intensifies, his fingers buried into your sides as yours gently pull on his hair. he picks you up, only to set you back into the chair you've been sitting in all this time. he easily finds the button to lower the backrest and turn it into a temporary bed, then climbs on it with you. his lips are hungry for yours, and even though you could use a moment of breathing, you do not stop him. allowing yourself another moment of bravery, you gently lick his bottom lip, asking to deepen the kiss. and the man listens. he opens his lips, tongue in search for yours while your hands play with the collar of his tank top on his back. you slide one hand underneath, feeling his hot skin on yours.

gently, yeosang grazes your tongue with his, and you taste salty liquid on his lips. tears fall down both your faces, drops rolling down your cheeks and mixing in your mouths with the kiss. it is emotional, passionate, and intimate in every way. he pulls away for a split second, only to take a breath and look at you.

his chest rises and falls heavily, and his lips are plump and a deep pink. his hair is ruffled, your doing. he already looks breathtaking.

"is that... my sleep shirt?" he finally notices.

"oh, yeah. i was feeling a bit chilly, i borrowed it. want it back?"

"no, you can- oh."

you sit up, enough to let the white silk material slide off your skin and pool on the chair. you had stripped yourself from the tight undergarments yeosang had left you in, instead wearing a white bralette and matching lace panties. from the size of his sleep shirt, he didn't even notice that you weren't wearing the short bottoms you usually do.

the white has never complimented your skin as beautifully as today, right in this moment. yeosang can't help but remove your hair from your chest and neck, letting it fall back and exposing your body to him. you let him, taking your time in examining him as well. he runs his knuckles down your wet cheek, wiping the tears that decorate your face, and continues down your neck. his forefinger takes the lead, caressing your collarbones and making a path between your breasts.

you take his hand, guiding it to the outline of your panties. his breath seems to stop for a moment, but a gentle smile on your lips assures him that everything is alright. he groans, slamming his lips back on yours, this time sloppier and rougher. noses brushing against each other, teeth clashing, and hands hurriedly getting rid of clothes, it is all you've needed all this time.

him, all of him.

a thin layer of sweat coats his body, making his pale skin shine under the lights of the nebula. he peppers kisses along your jawline, down your neck, and settles on your collarbones.

"my queen," he whispers, then runs his tongue along your collarbone.

your fingers play with his damp locks, gently pushing his head towards you and inhaling his scent. he seems to have a fixation on the certain part of your body, because he can't help but mark it with purple spots. you hiss at the sweet pain, and yeosang is quick to lick your fresh wounds, as if apologizing for what he did.

he lingers around the area a bit more, switching between the crook of your neck and the collarbones, until he finally dips his head down to your breasts. a shiver runs down your spine when he cups them, giving them a gentle squeeze before kissing all over them. you tremble under his touch, hips desperately searching his for friction. but he lowers your body back on the chair, limiting your moves.

you forget just how strong he is, and him holding your body in place with a single hand reminds you how much he works on himself, even when his life has completely changed. a gasp escapes your lips as you feel the tip of his hot tongue circling your tense nipple. he catches it between his lips, gently sucking it while his other hand travels down your body. his short nails graze your skin, and you've never felt this sensitive in your life.

he pays attention to every inch of your body, showering it with love and passion, marking your skin as he goes and making you his in every way.

"yeosang-" you choke out, feeling him bite your lower stomach.

"yes?"

"please," you beg, running your nails down his bulk arms and shoulders.

"patience, love. you'll get where you want to. what's the rush? we have our own eternity."

the way he speaks in a hoarse voice has you seeing imaginary stars beside the real ones out the window. he pulls away from your body, just enough to plant a kiss on your damp forehead. he pulls you in for a kiss again, sighs of pleasure leaving both your mouths as you kiss and feel each other. his bare body finally leans against yours completely, and you instinctively spread your legs. his arm hooks under your knee, bending it over and caressing your thigh in the process.

"you're everything i've ever wished for." he whispers between kisses. "i just failed to see it. it took me losing you to understand that."

"yeosang..." his name rolls of your lips so sweetly in a light moan.

"i'm so sorry for what i did."

"don't apologize."

"i will. you almost died because of me."

"don't speak of that now," you hush him with another kiss.

he listens, putting his other hand on your other leg and gently spreading them. he falls to his knees, hands still firmly planted on your thighs. you try pushing them together, instinctively, but you should've known better than that. they stay in place under his grip, exposing your glistening core to his hungry eyes. it's almost like he can see the colorful dust cloud down there, the layer of arousal mimicking his sweat and reflecting the blue of the sky.

yeosang isn't in a rush, unlike you. your hand pathetically grips his hair, pushing his head towards your pulsating and burning core. he chuckles between your legs, cool air hitting your clit from the proximity.

"please?"

"what do you beg for, pretty?"

"don't tease me, i've waited long enough. please, yeosang."

"oh, but i've waited long too. and now that i am here, i want to take my sweet time. i want to devour you, feel all of you, to mould you so that you fit perfectly in my hands. i want to make love to you among the stars, and i want to make you feel like a real queen of the skies."

it's like he fell out of a book. he knows all the right words, all the right gestures, and all the right touches. his tongue dips between your folds, plush lips following and lazily caressing your clit. your fingers tighten their grip in his hair, and your other hand digs its nails into his shoulder for support. settling for soft and gentle licks, yeosang truly takes his time with you. he makes out with your folds, as if they're your real lips, sucking on them, grazing them with his teeth and kissing along your clit. you squirm under his painfully slow moves, grinding your hips on his face in hopes of getting more friction.

tired of your disobedience and impatience, yeosang places your legs over his shoulders, burying his head further into your core and switching to rougher moves. lewd noises escape your lips, and you do not try to conceal them. he should know what effect he has on you.

he slurps up your nectar, coating his lips in shiny fluid and enjoys your core essence. he eats you like a starved man, not bothering to take a proper breath. he sucks harshly on your clit, drawing moans and gasps from you. when he pulls away, his cheeks are flushed, and his lips plump and glistening with your arousal. a thin string of saliva connects his mouth to your core, and you almost black out at the sight. you pull him by his hair, crashing your lips on his again. you taste yourself on his tongue, and even though you never liked reading about it or seeing it, it is something that you were truly missing out on.

you nudge him, asking him to switch positions. he smiles into the kiss, but turns you over so effortlessly. he is now the one laying down, and you are the one to break the kiss and get on your knees. you see him clearly for the first time. you decide to give him a taste of his own medicine, by taking it slow and teasing him. you kiss his thighs, ignore his aching area, and continue kissing his lower stomach. he can't help but reach for your hair, softly caressing it as you try your hardest to hold back, but seeing that he doesn't mind the delay, but rather enjoys it, you stop the teasing.

your tongue doesn't hesitate to lick a stripe up his hardened cock, circling around his tip and collecting the precum. he hums with pleasure, but doesn't close his eyes. he wouldn't miss this for anything. you take his red tip between your lips, slowly pushing until you almost touch his stomach. he twitches inside your hot mouth, the tip caressing the back of your throat and making your eyes tear up. finally, crying for a different reason.

unlike you, he doesn't buck his hips to speed up your moves. he is perfectly obedient, petting your head and muttering words of praise.

"that's a good girl," he whispers.

you bob your head up and down, testing the waters. he only sighs and hums, not yet moaning. your impatience wins again, your body eager to extract more dramatic sounds from him. you pull away from him, but not without a teasing kiss to his tip, before climbing into his lap.

"how do you want it, my queen?" he cups your face, and you're quick to nuzzle your cheek against his warm palm.

"i want it just like this. me on top."

"oh? didn't take you for one to be on top."

"i'll surprise you with so many things, kang yeosang. you just wait."

"that's my girl."

driven by pure lust and euphoria, you do not care about protection, or the aftermath. you simply raise your hips and align his cock with your clenching hole, then slide down on it. he slides in, inch by inch, deliciously stretching you and filling you to the brim. when you finally sit on it, both of you moan out, hands reaching for each other. his hands help you roll your hips, while your hands feel his torso and chest. you move, slowly, just the way he likes it.

the moans and sighs leaving his lips are the prettiest sounds you've ever heard. you stay silent, wanting to hear more of him. his eyes are fixed at the point where both of you are connected, pupils dilated as he watches your wet hole swallow him whole. the room is filled with squelching noises, the creaking of the chair, passionate kissing here and there, and neverending exclamations of pleasure.

you find yourself whining for release pretty quickly, the buildup already more intense than any of your previous orgasms. yeosang seems to be reaching his end as well, seeing his head hanging from the chair and exposing his pretty neck to you. you can't help but snake your hands up his torso, fingers finding the key pressure on his neck and gently pressing. he chokes out with surprise, sending you a single glance of pure ecstasy before letting his head fall back again.

the dried tears on his glowing face look majestic, along with his eyes rolled back and his hair a mess. he looks glorious under you, especially as his moans get more high pitched and needy. you feel yourself becoming tired, but you love the position too much to change.

"come on, love. fuck yourself dumb on my cock."

such vulgar words from such an angelic face make your insides quiver. it gives you a boost of energy, and you quicken your pace and bounce just like he told you to. he doesn't break eye contact with you, nor does he let you do all the work. his hips meet yours, reaching deeper inside and making you finally moan out loud. he sits up straight, pulling you close to him and holding your body in place so he can collide his hips with yours quicker and with more accuracy. you are a drooling mess, forehead pressed against his as you shamelessly moan into his lips.

"come on, angel. milk me dry like the good girl you are."

your walls squeeze around him, moans becoming whines and mewls.

"fuck, love- i'm going to fill you up-" he grunts, lips desperately chasing yours.

but both of you are too lust driven to kiss properly, so you settle for moaning into each others mouth and bite each others lips, all while chasing the sweet pleasure.

"my love..." he moans.

"yes-" you choke out, feeling the buildup getting ready to errupt.

"my fate..." he grabs your face, forcing you to look into his eyes.

"yeosang-" you sob, pathetically grinding your hips on his.

"my queen of cosmos."

the orgasm tears through you, erupting in your lower stomach and spreading to the edges of your body. warm liquid shoots inside you, and yeosang keeps rocking his hips to the point where he has your eyes rolled back and jaw dropped, no sound exiting your mouth. your nails leave marks on his back, shoulder and neck, just like your lips do on his. you bite down on his bottom lip, accidentally making it bleed. he hisses at the pain, but doesn't forget to help you ride out your orgasm. your moans bounce off the walls of the cockpit, filling yeosang's ears like heavenly music.

the man doesn't seem to get enough of you, because he lays you on your back and slides back inside you. you don't protest, instead relaxing your body and throwing you head back, much like he did. you let him praise you, use you, worship you. you could never handle more than one orgasm, yet kang yeosang has you moaning on the third one already. by the fourth one, you feel like you're drunk or on some kind of substances.

the vivid colours of the nebula never stop, dancing with each other and illuminating your bodies. yeosang kisses you, over and over, whispering sweet things into your ear and asking if you're good. you don't reply with words, but with a kiss to his forehead, nose, lips, whatever you could.

yeosang makes love to you until the ship swims out of the dust cloud, revealing the void littered with millions of glimmering dots once again. you've stopped counting after five, and let yourself go in his arms. maybe this was your fate after all.

or maybe you were kept alive just to confess to your wrongdoings to the man that has proclaimed his love to you. maybe your punishment is his kindness towards you, when you know you don't deserve it.

"i love you."

"i love you too, yeosang." you say it back, guilt still eating up your heart like the first time he said it, unaware that you could hear him.

the blonde haired man didn't have to try hard to get used to waking up beside you. it was his favorite part of the day for months now: waking up to your kisses, or the other way around. having breakfast together, going to the gym, then showering together. perhaps it was repetitive, but to yeosang, it was everything.

today, however, he woke up way before you. he has raided the luggage room, and created a mess until he found what he was looking for. you did your usual routines alone today, with yeosang busying himself with something else all day.

"i'd like to finish that book today, if you don't mind? i'll see you for dinner tonight."

"alright then. i'll miss you." you pout.

"i'll see you in a few hours, darling. fancy dress code?"

"sure! we haven't done that in a while. i can't wait."

and that's how yeosang found himself in the restaurant, spending two hours decorating the place with ryan's help.

"is the rose too much, ryan?"

"depends on the occasion, sir."

"let's say... proposal."

"i believe it is too little, sir."

"yeah, well, unless you can shit out a rose right here, i don't have much choice. i stole this one from the little terrarium in the lobby."

ryan doesn't respond, in his true robot style. yeosang sighs, lighting the candle on the table. you should be here any minute now.

"maybe i should've done it in the big terrarium." he overthinks.

"if i may, sir, the hibernation room would also be a meaningful place."

yeosang raises an eyebrow, amused. "hibernation room?"

"it's what started your new fate."

"ah, the broken pods. i guess i have to visit the engineers on board once, to thank them for that malfunction."

"oh, no need sir. you can thank miss y/n."

yeosang stops arranging the cutlery, looking at the humanoid robot. "what do you mean?"

"well, she is the one behind the malfunction. at least behind yours. so she is the one to thank."

"what?"

"oh, i thought you knew. apologies sir-"

"explain." he walks towards ryan, brows furrowed and hand fidgeting with the jewelry box in his pocket.

"i really shouldn't, sir. apologies, i-"

"you'll tell me," yeosang reaches for a glass of water, ready to pour it over the machine, "right. fucking. now."

"her pod was the only one that malfunctioned. yours was perfectly fine, sir. miss was lonely, and sad. she spent a whole week looking for a perfect match, and found you. she opened your lid, and rushed back to her room."

a crash, similar to the one on the very first day he woke up, echoes through the restaurant. yeosang turns around, finding your startled face looking at him and a broken bottle of wine by your feet.

you don't dare move, afraid of what he'll do. you have no excuse. and no shame.

he slowly steps towards you, causing you to step back. unlike the first day, his face doesn't give away anger. he is calm, and it scares you more. you wish he'd yell, push, throw. yet he doesn't, simply walking into your direction and stopping right in front of you, separated by a broken bottle. he steps in dark red liquid, the ruined shoes being the last thing on his mind.

"yeosang-" you whimper, his still face torturing you.

"don't."

"b-but-"

"do. not."

"you have to understand- i- i was just-"

his hand wraps around your neck, putting light pressure on it. "you took everything from me."

"yeosang, please."

"you do not get to cry. you do not get to feel my pity. you do not get to feel my mercy."

"please, understand me!"

"no!" he drops you on the floor. "i won't fucking understand you! i'd never do such a cruel thing to someone! have you felt no shame every time you looked at me? kissed me? comforted me when i cried about it?!"

pieces of glass tear your palms as you try to stand up, but fail. you sob on the floor, chest hurting from intensity. the glass shards dig into your thighs, and your dress soaks up the wine. you wipe your cheeks with your bloodied hand, accidentally smearing a few red drops on your face.

"here." he throws something in front of you before storming off.

you wail on the floor for what seems like hours. with your knees pressed to your chest, and your head resting on top of your knees, you cry. your dress is soaked with alcohol, tears and snot. you have no dignity left at this point. once you finally start calming down, you notice the plush box that lays discarded on the floor.

it reveals a stunning ring, with a simple stone in the middle. it looks like it was overgrown by vines, and is a rose gold colour. guess you can add it to the box with the broken necklace now. another relationship broken because of you.

days are longer than ever, with you waking up alone and eating alone. that is all you do, besides an occasional visit to the terrarium. when you hear his doors open, you do not dare exit your room until you hear them close. with each day you wake up, you love him more. your body aches for his, and soul yearns for his. maybe if you told him right away in the beginning, this wouldn't have happened. maybe he would've accepted it, he would have more time to understand.

you're a crying mess, from morning to night, until you pass out of exhaustion.

today, you woke up with a hoarse voice and painful chest. you desperately needed to get out the room, no matter if you heard yeosang's door or not. you might faint if you don't leave.

you limp through the hallways, holding onto the walls. you make it all the way until the rotating tube. why was there no other way to get to the other side?

you sit at the edge, head leaning against the stationary wall and legs hanging above the space. you watch the tube rotate, not brave enough to jump in today. but if you don't make it to the terrarium, you might stay here forever.

the doors open behind you, the familiar voice of the system echoing through the tube. you gulp, his scent enveloping you. you expect him to walk away, or simply jump in the zero gravity space and continue his path. but he holds out his hand for you to take.

you look up at him, eyes tired and bloodshot red. he spares you a single glance, before furrowing his eyebrows and looking away. your hand slides into his, as if made with his measurements in mind. he pulls you up slowly, then presses your body close to his. it is as if you were never separated. his vanilla scent fills up your nostrils, and soft breathing soothes you. you hold onto him, like you did when he took you space walking.

he moves through the tube effortlessly, stopping for a while to gaze at the planets below. they are as breathtaking as the previous ones, and the ones to come. yeosang never ceases to be amazed by the beauty of the universe.

upon reaching the other side, you clutch onto him, knowing that this is going to be a rare occasion now. maybe it was just you, but his breath hitches, as if he wants to say something. no sound leaves his pretty lips, not even when you land in the hallway and he helps you find your balance.

"thank you." you whisper.

he stays by your side, eyeing you up and down. "are you alright?"

"uh, yeah. aside from... you know."

he presses the back of his head against your forehead to feel your temperature. "you're a little hot."

a smile creeps on your lips, and you are desperate to make a joke. typical you, making jokes in situations that are serious.

"go on, say it." he sighs, his lips curving up as well.

"no, the moment is gone now."

"want me to repeat it?"

you roll your eyes, then become serious again. he stares at you, an unexplainable emotion on his face. disgust? maybe.

"where are you headed? you should lay down if you're feeling sick."

"terrarium. i need... fresh air."

"i was headed there too."

"oh. sorry, i'll just go somewhere else." you start turning around, and he grabs you by your elbow.

"you don't have to. come here."

before you can protest, yeosang picks you up in his arms, carrying you bridal style once again. while he is focused on the path, you take the time to admire him. he is beautiful. his eyes also seem to be a reddish pink shade, and he has slight bags under his eyes. but before a hope sparks inside your heart, you remind yourself that he does not weep after you. he does it after his family, and after his changed fate.

after the life you stole from him.

"i can hear you thinking."

"sorry."

"stop apologizing."

"okay, sorry."

he looks down at you, amused. "you haven't changed a bit."

"uh... sorry?"

for his own sake, he decides to ignore you. when reaching the terrarium, he sets you down on one of the swings. your head feels lighter already, but your voice stays the same. you aren't used to being this silent, despite being alone for almost a month. you steady yourself, holding onto the chains that hold the plank you call a swing. yeosang stands behind it, putting his hands over yours and gently beginning to push it.

"i understand." he starts.

"you don't have to-"

"no, let me." and you do let him. he lightly pushes you on the swing, taking his time to form sentences. "while you were passed out... i wished for nothing more than for you to wake up. if you didn't, i'd probably do as you did. humans aren't made to live alone, and i never believed it. until i got in this situation. thus, i understand. what i did not understand though, why me? hundreds of men and women in those pods, and you chose me. what made me stick out? what made you come over and open the lid? it's not like there are any personality traits written anywhere. i could've been a douchebag, and you wouldn't have known. then what? would you have gotten rid of me? locked me somewhere?"

"you were simply... angelic." you don't have to think long to give him an answer. you did the thinking before opening his pod.

"angelic?"

"you had this beautiful face, serenity painted on it. true, i did not know anything about you. you could've been short tempered, violent, or worse. after all, i'm a girl. alone, with no protection. yet i took my chances. and you turned out to be perfect. i fell in love with every part of you; with your soul, brain, body. you were my dream partner."

he is speechless. for the first time ever you speak openly about it, and you do not stutter.

"and i wanted to be your dream partner. i tried my hardest to be perfect, but my previous doings kept coming back and haunting me. that night... i wanted to tell you. i truly did. but that stupid robot beat me to it. i mean, seriously, he can't push a few buttons but he can gossip?"

yeosang snorts, then nods in agreement.

"i'm sorry."

"what?" you whip your head around to look at him. "no, i'm the one who should be apologizing. you did nothing wrong!"

"i've been thinking. i apologize for what happened on the space walk. and i apologize for getting violent with you. i just felt... cheated. and stolen from. i felt betrayed. and all that by the person i love with all my being."

"but, yeosang-"

"look, y/n." he walks around the swing and crouches in front of you, stopping your swinging. his hands rest on your knees, thumbs absentmindedly rubbing your skin. "for all we know, they could all be headed to a different type of destruction. maybe they miscalculated. maybe the planet already has life on it, and they see humans as threat. they won't hesitate to exterminate them in order to protect their planet. or maybe it is a higher, more advanced civilization. i don't know about you, but i'd rather live my life on a sized down earth than live to see my own species die out or become slaves to someone else. so, in a way, thank you. for saving me."

"oh, yeosang." you exhale, falling on your knees and into his arms. "i love you. i love you so much."

"i love you too, princess. say..."

"yes?" you pull away, wiping your upcoming tears so they don't fall.

"can you give me my ring back so i can propose? but please act surprised."

you laugh, and he laughs with you. you pull it out from your pocket, and he looks at you with a wider smile.

"i can't believe you had it right here."

"had what?" you shove it into his hand.

"what do you mean? the ri- oh. right." he catches on.

you stand up, pretending to look at the plants while he shuffles behind you. he clears his throat after a while, making you turn around. you fake a shocked expression, putting your hand over your open mouth after seeing him on his knee. the box is opened, and the ring is as beautiful as the first time you saw it.

"will you marry me, my queen of cosmos? and rule the cosmos with me by your side?"

"i will, my queen hand."

🌠 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: first of all, omg a happy ending?? is this a first for barbz? i hope you enjoyed reading this as much as i enjoyed writing it :)

🌠 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 (𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐥/𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐬)

@kodzukein @woomyteez @mulletdaddyjayjo @bae4choi @haatohwa @marvelahsobx @jxhnnyfav @angellluh @jjaemasung @oddracha @devastateed

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richeeduvie · 4 months ago

Text

Birds of a Feather - PART ONE?

Darkish!Aaron Hotchner x Reader Sorry Lalo and Roman girlies I was on an Criminal Minds binge and I had to...and I also want to write more idkidk

It's moments he's remembering, from when you joined the team to when Aaron realized there was feelings in him for you. It all comes down to use for the justification of things he's done. He will do.

The person he's become for you. For you. That three letter word is easier on the tongue than the word because. It's less of an excuse that way.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.

WARNING: Mentions of death, violence, things of a graphic nature. Criminal minds stuff. Jealous, possessive Hotchner. Entitled behavior. Toxic behavior and relationships. OC!Hotch sorta cause I don't think he'd turn into this crazy of a person, but reader's just that hot lol. More tags to come maybe cause Hotch is only going to get worse.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.

Aaron never thought that the person that would change him would be the woman who smiled too much. He never thought this change would come harshly - all for you, the one who joined the BAU's team 6 months ago.

The one who currently has the whole team looking for their retainer case, including him.

He's almost silent when his head hits the bottom of the jet table. But Aaron hears your giggle and he's sure he hears Rossi's smile.

"I don't think it's right for you to have the leader of this team on the floor to help you and then for you to laugh at him."

"Oh, lighten up on the kid, Hotch."

Aaron stays under the table, Rossi's not able to catch the stern, even sterner way he looks there at the older man's words.

"And I'm not understanding why you - on how we have let Rossi off the hook when it comes to finding your retainer case."

Aaron's voice stays leveled talking to you, never rising in tone or going low. It's him as he always is, but under the table with you. It's not different.

It's not different. The way the blood in his cheeks come warm, it's not different. And it has to be that way for a multitude of reasons.

"We've silently agreed it's because he's old. Or, that's what I assume. And I assume I'm right."

It's Spencer coming out from the bathroom, his voice dragging out the word 'old' factually, casual. Not unkind, just the way Spencer is - and it makes the team smile and scoff. Or both. Unless you're the team's leader, then Spencer's words only bring a simple, slight curve to the corners of his mouth.

And what was barely there in humor drops at the sight of you smiling at Spencer. Spencer's words. Not at Spencer. It's all innocent.

What it is shouldn't matter anyway.

It drops, Aaron ignores the uneven, heavy feeling around his chest to the point he doesn't know why it's there when he can't anymore.

You smile too much.

"I'm old, and when you're old, you'll take the word as an insult when it is, and you'll use your age as an advantage when it benefits you. I think if my bad knees were going to ever be beneficial, it'd be now."

"I'll take your word for it, Dave."

"I think it's a great show of a leader to do this for one of their members of the team. To put in the work to find something very valuable to me."

"...It's a retainer case."

You smile at Aaron. He doesn't blink, but his eyes are never wide. There's nothing to smile about.

"And it wasn't in the bathroom."

"I don't think it's anywhere on this plane, my love."

Derek sits back in his seat, almost slumped when he does. "I know this seems dorkish, I think Reid being my plane seat partner recently has been affecting me, but I'm in the mood for a board game. Sorry, Reid."

You can see Reid turn to Derek Morgan to J.J across from them, then back to Reid.

"What's so dorkish about board games?"

"Come on, man. When you hear the word board games, do you think of the word cool, do you imagine a cool person who constantly plays board games?"

"I think of them as a way to cheaply and effectively spend time with loved ones and friends while igniting competition and entertainment. My favorite is Clue if we're going for a more simple conversation, but there are many, especially more modern ones that require more strategy, have deeper narratives, or are particularly just beautiful in design. I'd have to see a list."

Derek smiles with teeth at J.J. She leans her head back and smiles without.

"I feel like the point I was trying to make was proven there."

"What point?"

Your smile never lets up. It doesn't make Hotch smile, but it makes him unable to turn away.

With you, he's beginning to have moments where he doesn't understand why he does the things that he does. It goes against everything he's ever learned. But, he's not about to profile himself to see if he can fix that. Not yet, anyway.

Maybe he'll be able to look away, and you'll stop being someone whose smile and eyes and tilt of the head makes him warm and nearly angry. You don't deserve that anger even if you don't know it's there.

"I think going up against Spencer in a boardgame is a losing game. But I kinda want to, now."

"...Let's get up."

You listen to him, taking his hand when he helps you rise on your feet.

"I think I'll take to the corner, do a cognitive interview on myself to see if I can remember where I put the fuc...damn thing."

"I've told you to watch your language."

You have a problem with swearing. You have the skill of making it sound bright, charming. It's unprofessional. Hotch doesn't know or care to see the way his group softens their banter to look at you and him.

"I just did, I feel proud of myself. But sorry."

He doesn't say anything, but he watches your throat bob.

"And it may be a retainer case with my retainer, but not just just, Mr. Hotchner. Mr. Hotchner, Sir. Mr-"

"Don't hurt yourself, kid."

Your smile turns to Rossi, Hotch tilts his head - moves his body into your line of sight a bit more.

You're talking to him right now, it's unprofessional to suddenly shift the conversation, especially when it's one you were having with your boss. An explanation, but you don't have to smile at him the way you do. Aaron will take what he can get.

"But it'll probably be less than a week and a half before my teeth start to shift. That's thousands of dollars down the drain, all those wire tightening appointments poor seven year old me had to go through will have been in vain."

"She's right. No matter how rigorous the medical process is to literally break the gums so your teeth can shift into a more aesthetically pleasing position, it's almost as if your mouth has memory to shift them back-"

"No need for the ortho lesson, Spence." Emily takes a sip of her coffee, it clearing down her throat. "I can say with experience and visual evidence that if you don't wear those little plastic molds of your teeth for the rest of your life, they'll punish you by moving back."

The black-haired agent bares her bottom teeth and its slight crookedness. J.J leans in, Spencer tilts his head.

"It looks nice, still."

"Did you start to wear them after you noticed them shifting?"

Emily takes another sip. "Hell no."

You and Hotch turn away from that conversation as you sit in your corner. Settling. He watches you settle.

"Or I could just get braces again. I don't know how many people would take a twenty-six year old with braces seriously in this field but...we'll see."

The silence settles with you for a bit, no one expects Hotch to say anything. Hotch doesn't expect himself to say anything.

"I've been thinking about getting Jack braces."

They certainly don't expect it's something so personal. Personal for him, suddenly personal. And they - Reid, Morgan, J.J, Prentiss, Rossi, they've seen how the stern, small-eyed stare of Aaron Hotchner gets even more...silently harsh at the sight of you. Garcia would agree if she was here. So for that personal comment to be brought upon you, the charming, all-too-bright newbie? They can't help but stare.

But Rossi, Dave - he's a step ahead, he could question a thing or two about what it could mean.

You look at Aaron. He doesn't look away. He can't. He wants to.

He wants to look away. He doesn't know if he does.

"Oh. Well, tell the little man it's worth it in the end...and that the ortho-guy is lying, you can eat as many chips and nuts as you want."

Aaron doesn't nod, but his eyes are enough. "I'll be sure to tell him."

He turns to go back to seat before he can catch another smile, not yours, anyway.

"What?"

Rossi takes to looking out the window, Aaron looks at...files, he'll focus on the lines and catch-up work. There's nothing to turn away from when you're behind him.

"I think she did really well on this case."

"You'd be right." There's a pause. "Is there anything else?"

"I think that'd be you to decide."

His eyes flicker up to the older man. It's that type of comment, that insinuation that would get anyone else reprimanded, whether or not they're in front of the rest of the team. But David Rossi is David Rossi, there's a reason why he's so bold now, fixing that reason is not anywhere near Hotch's list of priorities. He's too tired now, at least.

And yet, he's always the last to fall asleep on the plane ride home. He turns behind him just to check. In your time here, they've learned you're second to last.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. .・。.

Out of the line-up to pick someone new, readily skilled and able to fit in with the BAU, Aaron knew it would be you. From a completely platonic and professional perspective, you were it. You had to be, it's something he can admit. Your name didn't reach him by a resume or interview, but the moment he met you, Aaron knew you would be an asset to the team.

And maybe, from a more personalized perspective, he thought Reid would do well with someone younger with them for the work.

But to be twenty-six, that's three years between now and your graduation with a public college in New York - and in those three years, you did quite a lot. Impressive work for someone so young. Nothing of titles or accreditation, but when his team is called out to find the killer of three women and your profile is at the center of it, it calls into question as to whether or not Aaron should make use of your talents, to let that go unappreciated would've been a mistake. He remembers how the team agreed.

Girl Sherlock. Silly. Silly girl. He doesn't care when anyone is named, killer or hero - but you deserve a better one.

It was a killer with no name in Virginia, so they didn't have to go far for the investigation, but you did. You came in the day they did, papers and files in your hand. A coat too big for you to wear. You look like you couldn't handle the cold, even though he wouldn't agree that it was cold at all that day.

"H-hi. Hello. I never thought I would have the chance to bother the FBI, but I...fuck."

He remembers Morgan's brow rising, his was already raised.

"Sorry, I didn't think this would be nerve-wracki...."

You trailed off when your eyes caught Aaron. A nervous, young woman who obviously wasn't from Virginia. Someone who possibly has a problem with authority, you wouldn't have stuttered and stumbled as much as you did around him if that was the case.

Though, you've built familiarity between the both of you. He's allowed you to. So, if he looks back on it, not someone who has fear of authority, you wouldn't be so open to asking him to get on the floor of a jet if that was the case. You were just nervous the first time.

"I have reason to believe that whoever took the lives of these women in the past week is the Northwind Killer. And the Wyoming Skinner. And the Akron Phantom."

You, this nervous, young woman with scrambles of writings, news clippings. At first, you appeared like an obsessive fan of true crime, someone they would turn away with pity and second-hand embarrassment. But then, the way you spoke, the way you profiled. It was professional, investigative. You knew what you were doing and you've been doing it for a while.

It didn't help that you were beautiful. But he doesn't remember thinking that the first time he met you. Aaron thinks he's only realized it over time, or...now it's personalized - the way you look on his chest, it's no longer just a fact of your face.

It didn't help that the coat looked too big on you.

"You're Girl Sherlock."

Aaron saw the way you cringed at Reid's reveal.

"I never not feel like I'm twelve years old when someone calls me that. I've just turned twenty-six. But yeah, that's me."

Prentiss’s head leaned up, then she nodded with her mouth parted.

“Well, nice to meet you, Girl Sherlock. But considering that makes me feel like I’m twelve, I assume you want to be called your actual name? I’m Emily Prentiss. This is Spencer Reid, don’t be surprised he somehow knows you.”

You smiled before you gave your name.

He doesn’t know what to think of how much he likes your name, he would’ve named Jack that if he was born a girl.

But, maybe Aaron never thought that, maybe he’s making himself into a fool. Aaron wouldn’t know why he’d do that when he doesn’t want anything to do with you outside of a professional matter. Where he can care for you professionally, maybe even to the point where you become close to him on the team, as he is with everyone else.

Not someone to resent when he dreams about you instead of Haley at night. You wouldn’t deserve that, but Aaron Hotchner would hope he’s done some good enough in his life where you could leave him alone in his own head, where there would be a part of him that doesn’t allow this to turn into anything.

But he should know by now, what he’s seen in his line of work - the dangers of what happens when you keep yourself convinced. But this wouldn’t be dangerous, it’d be right. This isn’t an unsub convincing himself that thoughts, fantasies of murder and wrongdoing are justified or something he’s entitled to, this is him convincing himself and rightly so that there’s nothing different about you. There is no bodily or mental reaction when it comes to you. Not then, not now.

Aaron tilted his head at the smile growing brighter. The smile was warranted then. He couldn’t profile just how much you think it’s needed to smile and make others smile then. Aaron was too busy with the fact three women were dead and you were there to turn the case upside down.

That and your four-pointed star earrings. Gold, old. Your neck held no jewelry.

“How do you know her?”

“She’s a private investigator. She’s made a name for herself internet wise, although her work in criminal investigation is just…I think this is one of those moments where I am self-aware enough to stop myself from making a socially-inept mistake. It would be an odd experience for you if a stranger began to delineate your life story and career progression, wouldn’t it?”

“On the nose, Spencer. But thanks for the introduction.”

There was silence between you all until Rossi chimed in, because of course he would. “Well, Girl Sherlock?”

There was no trailing off at the sight of Rossi, no. It was eyes widened. Hotch shared a look with Morgan, then Prentiss.

“You’re David Rossi.”

“You know me?”

“It’s a fan club.”

It’s something he almost whispered, nothing sarcastic or demeaning in voice, but it was a quip at the fact this was happening during a case. A bit humorous, because Aaron can admit it was, but mostly and barely frustrated. You were interesting, he wouldn’t blame the team for their attention shifting onto you.

“And you’re Aaron Hotchner.”

He blinked at that, he rolls his shoulders leaning forward remembering the way you said his name.

“I’ve read a few articles about you.”

Your mouth parted and Aaron knew what would’ve come out.

I’m sorry about your wife.

It wasn’t any question of what articles you read and it wasn’t any question that the team knew what they were too. The most recent ones would be the obvious answer. Haley, George Foyet. SSA Widower Aaron Hotchner, a man who was already closed off trying to break the walls down, for the sake of his team. His friendships - his son.

“Yeah, hi. Again,” And again, you said your name. “I’m twenty-six. I live and work out of San Diego usually. I used to work at a private investigation agency, it was mostly figuring out if someone’s husband or wife was fuc…fooling around on them and I wanted more so I marketed myself…more. It got me more work, robberies with leads that went cold, missing persons - which were usually twenty-somethings running away from their families. But one day, almost three years ago, the mother of a boy who went missing seven years ago paid me money I did not deserve to help her. I tried my best.”

“You found a boy who was missing for nearly a decade in a week, I would say your best is more than subpar.”

The team looked from Reid to you. Aaron couldn’t believe it.

He didn’t want to be cruel, to say it was luck - and he didn’t, which was good. He was proven wrong nearly after.

“Did she choose you for a specific reason?”

J.J crossed her arms. You shook your head. “She was a mother looking for anyone to help her when everyone else turned her away. I was there. After that, I got more cases. More serious cases. I almost went on Alprazolam which is so…not like me, I think? Sorry, but yeah. Murder cases, most of them older and unsolved ones.”

“And most you solved.”

You looked to the floor. “It was usually just things the police overlooked, missteps I could go back over. I don’t want to give myself credit where it’s not due but…yeah, I did nicely for a bit and that got around - got around enough to get some news articles thrown on me and the name Girl Sherlock.”

“It was the New Yorker who honored her with that one. I would agree, there’s a better name somewhere.”

“The New Yorker?”

Emily’s brows curved.

“It’s recent, for the most part. I was building rapport and promotion and it was alright until people were bringing me recent cases. These were family members and loved ones of victims or missing persons who were not waiting for the police to do their jobs, cases rejected by the FBI…sorry.”

“I don’t think there’s any offense taken.”

Morgan took a seat, crossed his arms too. You smiled at him, at Reid, Prentiss - J.J, you went down the line.

All for your mouth and eyes to soften at him when you reach him.

“There were these murders in Montana, which I’m sure Boy Wiki could tell you about.”

Morgan nearly snorted, as well as Rossi. Reid blinked, head pulled back. There was that natural banter you had with them already, good-natured raillery that he accepts now. Aaron accepts it. He doesn’t resent the way you laugh with them. He doesn’t, because that'd make you different.

That would mean he’s becoming worse of a person because of it.

Maybe it’d be easier to accept what’s happening to him if what was happening to him at the sight and sound of you were things that were more conventional. Nothing like what he feels when he takes listening in on Reid or Morgan when he swears he can hear you laughing all the way outside of his office. Nothing like him wanting you to stay behind on every other case because it means you’d have to do your job like the rest of them, putting yourself in danger.

Nothing like him thinking the person he hired only six months ago is incapable of doing this job, because then it means you’re helpless. You’re safe, as small as you are in a winter coat worn in the fall.

It’s all happening too fast, and it needs to stop quickly.

“Two pairs of parents from the same killer, that wasn’t my conclusion. Police knew it had to be the same man. I was investigating and another murder came, then another. They named him the Northwind Killer. This was a year ago. I was on it and then they stopped. Out of nowhere, I was trying to stay on it. Most of the murders I solved weren’t serial. I was lucky to get hired by someone whose daughter was the victim of the Wyoming Skinner.” You turned, Hotch watched the grip on your bag. “I shouldn’t say lucky, but it was in the sense that I knew this man was the same guy who committed the Northwind killings.”

“Each victim had their back skinned. Not post-mortem.”

“He didn’t do that in Montana, but I knew it was him.”

“How so?”

“I came in on the third victim each time, just like now. But I think it’s five. It’s always five victims in the end before he moves off to another state. Almost always, I may have not been FBI or of no legal authority but my presence in Wyoming brought enough attention that I think he was scared. Also…the police were doing their job well enough. He stopped at the fourth and didn’t kill for two months. On the dot, same in Montana. He started up again in Akron, Ohio. All of these are brunette women who end up lying face down, he kills five and moves on to a Northern state within two months. I know the signature is different every time, but I think that’s the point with him. Each state, he gets to try something new. Wyoming was skinning, Akron was decapitation. I just don’t know what it means.”

You put your bag down.

“Nobody called me for the Akron Phantom, I forced my way in. Same with here, but I think there are things with what I found in the other states that could help you here, maybe before they give him another stupid-ass name too.”

“It’s not money you’re looking for? Cause we don’t have it.”

It was the Police Chief you shook your head at. “No, Sir. Honestly? I’m too deep into this now. I know I have no legal jurisdiction or right to this case, I didn’t with Akron. I barely have time when people pay me, but I know I can help. I know this will help the families who’ve put their trust in me.”

Aaron knew to say yes. There was nothing but things to benefit from if he said yes. You were legitimate according to the words of Reid. You sounded genuine. There was no reason to turn you away.

“You’ll give a run-down on what you have for each killer?”

“Yes, Sir. Mr. Hotchner. I can get everything laid out. It’ll take a second, I think I lost my hair clip on my way in. I don’t know how that happened.”

Aaron’s decided not to realize he wouldn’t have turned you away if there was every reason to.

#hc's #drabble #aaron hotchner #aaron hotch x reader #aaron hotchner fanfiction #criminal minds #criminal minds x reader #aaron hotch hotchner #aaron hotchner imagine #hotch x you #BOAF!AU #birds of a feather #criminal minds fanfiction #criminal minds fic #bau team #spencer reid #yandere #yandere x reader

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loviatarsluv-old · 9 months ago

Text

The Last Vampire Spawn

inspired by this post by @fangsandfeels as well as this gorgeous art by @ria-neearts above that may or may not have made me sob at work when I saw it :)

also inspired by my dire need to hug this poor baby in this scene in particular and give him literally any sort of comfort because god knows he needs it 😭

Astarion x gn!tav / Astarion x gn!reader

SPOILER WARNING! act 3 and the climax of Astarion’s quest line!

CW: violence, death, anguish, angst, blood, gore

rating: sfw (still mature for the listed content above)

in summary: Astarion finally kills cazador and bro needs a hug and a therapist fr

this one is very short I don’t even know the word count lol

Astarion’s guttural and enraged wails echo against the stone walls of the crypt, nearly drowning the sounds of Cazador’s failed attempts at gurgled shrieks as the dagger pierced his body over, and over, and over.

You stand at the bottom of the stairs and watch, gripping onto Halsin as he wraps a comforting arm around your shoulders as the three of you watch in horror while Astarion lets out two hundred years worth of pain, and agony, and hatred into every single thrust of the blade through his old master’s body. Hot tears sting your face as you watch on, tension filling the gaps of silence between your companions.

The vampire lord’s body falls limp before Astarion, bloodied and covered in viscera, lifeless. He takes a deep breath, falling back on his feet as his knees dig into the bloody marble floor. Sobs wrack through his body as he looks down with disdain at the corpse before him.

You exchange a glance with Halsin, a deeply unsettled and concerned face set into his features that wasn’t typical for his usually calm and collected persona. He looks between you and Astarion, and with just a glance, you realize what he’s thinking.

Before you can stop yourself, you run to Astarion, kneeling beside him. He’s too distraught to notice your presence beside him, so you place a gentle hand on his shoulder. He jolts slightly at your touch, then turns his face - his bloody, tear stained, and ever beautiful face to you, crimson eyes filled with a million emotions you couldn’t even begin to comprehend.

“I’m here, my love. It’s over. You did it,” you whisper, voice trembling and breaking.

His eyes scan your face frantically, chest rising and falling rapidly and anxiously, his breathing ragged and uneven - he looks at you, and you look back at him, as you try to force a reassuring smile through your own tears.

His face twists into an even deeper scowl as his eyes dart between you and the ruined corpse crumpled on the floor next to you.

“His death isn’t enough. It’ll never be enough.” He growls, his fists clenching onto the fabric of his breeches.

You stare at him, speechless. You know that no words could suffice or possibly begin to dull the pain that was evident in his face.

“I suffered through two hundred years of pain and starvation and torture… and all I’ve gotten from it all was being the one to see the light leave that monster’s eyes,” he whispers angrily, tears still rapidly streaming down his blood covered cheeks. “It isn’t fair.”

You tentatively move your face so that your eyes meet his once again, nearly afraid of what you’ll see when you do.

His eyes scan your face for a moment, and he presses his lips into a thin line.

“And where were you twenty years ago? A hundred? Where were you when I was new? When I was one of those innocent young men you’d come to the rescue for?” He barks, his voice booming and bouncing off of the stone walls and into your ears making your head pound.

“Astarion—“

“How dare you! How dare you come to me now… when I’m this!” He wails, his voice cracking on the last word, his shoulders slumping.

Hot tears return to your waterline and pour over your lashes as you wrap your arms around him, pulling him into your chest and cradling his head.

He presses his face into your chest, eventually wrapping his arms around your waist and melting into you, causing you to fall backwards slightly as he practically lays on your body, sobbing into your gear. He grips the back of your shirt as if his life depended on it, even though for the first time in what felt like a while, perhaps it didn’t.

Because despite the roiling dread in his gut - he was free. At long last.

You tangle your fingers into his hair, gently rubbing circles into his bare back as you let him cry. Sob. Scream. For as long as he needs.

The others slowly migrate closer, but not too close, not wanting to interrupt or intrude, just silently exchanging sympathetic glances, and a flash of pride across Karlach’s face as she looks on.

After what felt like hours, Astarion goes quiet, his breath slowly evening out. He sniffles, then slowly lifts his head so his eyes meet yours.

You place a hand on his cheek, wiping a tear away with your thumb. He closes his eyes, savoring your touch, and sighs.

“He’s gone,” he whispers, almost too quietly for you to hear. As if he were mostly whispering it to himself. “He’s really gone…”

You nod, rubbing small circles on his cheek with your thumb. “I am so, so proud of you.”

He offers you a small, weak smile, that you return in kind. You place a kiss to the spot between his furrowed brows, his tense body relaxing only slightly into your touch. He still feels coiled up like a serpent ready to strike, still heavily on guard despite Cazador and his minions being long gone. You presume it will be a long while before he truly relaxes, but you feel more than willing and ready to be there every step of the way.

#this one had a lil kick to it!#idk why im just very emo about him lately #astarion #astarion ancunin #astarion x reader #astarion x tav #astarion fic #astarion fanfic #astarion fanfiction #bg3 #bg3 fic #bg3 fanfic #baldur's gate iii #baldur's gate 3 #my fics #one shot #short fic

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peppertoastuniverse · 2 months ago

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more than a late night snack – gojo satoru chapter 5: mandarin

contents: gojo Satoru x reader, FLUFF , satoru being a little shit, 2 idiots summary: when you consistently ignore gojo’s frequent texts to hang out, he takes matters into his own hands wc: 3.2k

“whoa, didn’t expect you to fall for me like this,” he says, feeling his laughter through his chest, breathing life into the dark corners of your cavity. it was too much. he was always too much. regaining your senses, you squawk out of embarrassment, concrete realization of where you were in the form of his thumb moving back and forth on your side, a half hearted attempt to soothe you. self consciousness fuelling your uncoordinated limbs you scramble to separate yourself from him.

previous chapter ll master list ll next chapter

ding. ding. it only took two impatient sounds to disturb your peace. slightly groaning as you hear the echoing source of your current pain: your phone. ever since gojo got a hold of your number it like was like his grating voice was constantly in your head. he constantly texted you, blowing up your phone about anything and everything. from what he swore was the best daifuku in Tokyo he discovered last week, or complaining about how unfair it was that ieri kicked him out of her room again or sending you photos of him post mission, peace signs prominent with a cheery grin while geto was in the background back turned, hunched over presumably throwing up from a particular nasty curse he had to ingest - gojo never failed to message you.

for the most part you didn’t respond to gojo’s constant messages, but that didn’t deter him, if anything it prompted him to text you even more. in your eyes, it was only a matter of time before he would get tired of you - you were just waiting for him to realise what you knew was going to happen. it was a reason why you kept your walls so high, you enjoyed the safety and predictability of the darkness and satoru gojo was too bright.

turning back to your desk you pick up your discarded pen, twirling it in your hands absentmindedly. how long have you been at this? probably 3 hours at least. you quickly skim through his messages while you regather your papers together.

gojo: hehe look at this (2:13pm) [image] (2:13pm)

you open the attachment begrudgingly, the unopened image taunting you, peaking your curiosity. it was a blurry photo of an annoyed geto, mouth open probably cussing gojo out, violet eyes flashing in warning looking beyond the camera with his arms attempting to grab the phone from him. his dark bangs frame his face as usual but the rest of his dark hair was pulled into two high messy pigtails. snorting in amusement, you download the image - ah a new treasure. sometimes gojo could be useful. you return to the message thread, seeing a flow of multiple messages.

gojo: bbbbbb <3 (4:03pm) im booooored booooooooooored lets hangggg (6:04pm) lets do something rn (6:10pm) omg when r u gna stop ignoring me lol (6:20pm) (◞‸◟；) stoppp (6:21pm) how come u never answer me "( – ⌓ – ) (6:22pm) not cool b (6:25pm)

you easily silence your phone before hastily typing in a message to appease him.

you: busy (6:40pm)

gojo: (ᴗ_ ᴗ。) busy??? the whole day?! (6:40pm) busy with what (6:41pm) with whaaaat bbb ( ｡ •̀ ᴖ •́ ｡) (6:43pm)

you don’t bother answering him, instead choosing to ignore him for what seemed to be the millionth time . you really had to get this done – not that you wanted to hang out with gojo anyway. discarding your phone on your bedside table, you groan when you make your return to your desk. this was the worst part about being a sorcerer : the paperwork. you’ve put off the reports for the last 4 missions that you went on, plus you had to do the rest of your homework. you palm your temple with a sigh of anticipation in what surely was going to be a long night.

and then you hear it; a whine of your name beyond your door paired knocking on your door to an uneven rhythm. ughh. you could just imagine the overly dramatic pout on his face.

as to appease the assault that your door was taking, you opened the opposing barrier with a scowl on your face.

“how come you don’t answer my messages?” gojo immediately whines the minute he sees you.

“I told you, I’m busy!”

“but we’re friends! you answer suguru and shoko!”

“yeah because they don’t message me every 2 seconds – my phone is usually on silent anyway, so I forget to check.”

“ughhh… sooooo, can we hang out now?” he gripes, lowering his dark glasses, showing the crocodile tears dancing on his waterline.

“...i have all this paperwork to do, gojo.” you say opening your door wider, gesturing to your messy desk.

he sighs exasperate throwing his hands in the air. “…fine.” pout on full view he turns his firm back, not sparing you a second glance retreating into his room next to yours.

huh. that was easy. part of you felt validated in his easy retreat, it was something that you were used to, something expected – even from the strongest.

you settle back in to your desk, cursing your past self for putting this off for so long.

okay, okay, where were you? concentrate. ughhhh … what happened in nagasaki again? oh right it was that stupid scissor curse that cut you up pretty badly – not your best moment. geto really saved your ass back there with rainbow dragon. he ended up swallowing the curse later and annoyingly scolded you. but he also complained -

“babe!! i'm hooooomeeee!” the door handle rustles before abruptly opening, a mop of tousled white hair, barges into your room with no warning. your wide eyes narrow at the annoyance. waltzing in with a pep in his step, obnoxiously swinging a plastic bag filled to the brim of multiple cakes, sweets and sugary drinks was gojo with an aggravating smirk. you stare at him, hoping your heated glance would melt his grinning face off.

“don't give me that face, grumpy! i got ya some concentration snackies - aren't you glad i thought of you, huh? im such a good friend.” poking your shoulder in greeting ignoring your exasperated pout.

“no one appreciates me here! i'm more than just a pretty face, y'know.” gojo responds to your silence with a dramatic sigh. he settles the bulging bag on the floor he tosses his too long body onto your bed, jostling the soft pillows. you tsk in disapproval.

cooing as he spots Bun Bun peacefully resting on the middle of your bed, you watch as gojo's long limbs dramatically flail to pick up the pink bunny stuffie. “hey, lil’ guy,” he whispers, his slender nose nuzzling Bun Bun's plush cheeks, “i know, I know, babe’s not being fun again. yeah i know, i told her don't worry.” turning his head to meet your incredulous glare. your eye begins to twitch in annoyance, "that's not what he's saying!"

“uh huh, you're just jealous of our bond." he scrunches up his nose at you, " y’knowww you’re gonna get wrinkles early if you keep frowning so much!” gojo practically sings from your bed, infinity easily going up as you launch an eraser at him angrily. he snickers before settling on his side, moving Bun Bun lovingly to share the same pillow as him.

ignoring gojo was no easy feat, but luckily you were very experienced in that field. returning to your work on your desk, you bite your tongue with the urge to cuss him out. you wheel your chair around to fully ignore his distracting presence.

he always took up too much space, his very energy making it hard to focus.

resting your head on your palm, you prop your head up attempting get back into the zone of concentration.

alright, nagasaki. you smirk as you remember how geto complained how terrible it tasted and how amazing that ramen was that you and geto had after. he was worried about your shallow wounds despite your constant reassurance that you were fine, ugh suguru was way too considerate. you pretty much had to beg him to go get some food, you remember how you grinned self righteously as you watched his hesitation disappear the minute he tasted the broth. you had a suspicion it was partly because the curse tasted so bad. but that didn't stop geto from carrying you back on rainbow dragon despite your fear of heights. you wince as you remember ieri smacking you and geto when you got back because she was so pissed when you didn't return straight away with all of those cuts –

“whatcha doing?” you feel gojo's warm breath in your ear, the action making you shudder at the intrusion.

abruptly you turn your head to see gojo’s face right next to yours over your shoulder, nose daring to brushing his smooth cheek.

yelping loudly, you jerk to the side causing you to fall off your chair in a fright. you hear gojo’s amused snort as you close your eyes waiting to hit the ground but … it never came.

warm arms lightly grip your abdomen preventing you from hitting the ground, you feel gojo’s firm chest behind your back as you sit clumsily in his lap, legs swung over to his left side. his skin was warm and soft, invading your senses with his familiar scent. the weight of his body against yours felt foreignly comforting. engulfing your already panicked state in a new level of unease, you weren't completely sure if you enjoyed his warmth or resented him for making you question it. you unconsciously settle your hand on his forearm against your stomach finding an overwhelming needing to ground yourself. you hoped that he couldn’t feel your loudly beating heart through your chest, or that his six eyes couldn't see the deeply buried holes in your heart. “whoa, didn’t expect you to fall for me like this,” he says, feeling his laughter through his chest, breathing life into the dark corners of your cavity.

it was too much. he was always too much.

regaining your senses, you squawk out of embarrassment, concrete realization of where you were in the form of his thumb moving back and forth on your side, a half hearted attempt to soothe you. self consciousness fuelling your uncoordinated limbs you scramble to separate yourself from him.

“ompff – uhh – careful where you're – ompff – stepping, babe!” he stutters quickly, worry and slight panic tinging his voice. his body attempting to shift with your fussing to neutralize your erratic momovements, “look, I don’t give a fuck – oh geez – but the clan still wants an heir so – please be careful“ a large hand goes to still your shin.

an heir? does he mean – oh. OH. in a panic you finally manage to slide down onto to the floor legs still draped over his thighs.

“d-don’t you have anything better to do?!” you deflect refusing to look him. crossing your arms across your chest, trying to distract yourself form thinking about gojo in that way.

gojo’s eyes widen. whoa, what's with that expression? this was ... new. he couldn’t help but notice how your face flushed, the heat gradually spreading to the tips of your ears, down your the column of your pretty throat...

“you would know if you checked your messages!” he huffs ignoring the way his ears turn pink, “we’re gonna hang out when you're done.”

when did you agree to this?

"who decided that?" you said fighting the blush you knew decorated your face, face full of defiance.

he whines your name, “c'mon!!”

“ugh, I still have to do the stupid paperwork! i’ve put it off too long.” you groan flopping on the ground, using your hands to rub your eyes. truth be told, gojo being in your room felt almost suffocating. the air felt too stifling, like you were backed into a corner forced to always playing defence with the strongest. and you didn't want to play his stupid games.

breathing softly you watch as the growing shadows on the your ceiling frame your nagging restlessness to get work done. gojo’s face popping into your view.

“why don’t you take a break? you’ve been working hard for hours – let’s have some snacks!” he adds, attempting to sweeten the deal. you shrug noncommittally, you just wanted to be free of that stupid paperwork. you hear the rustling of a plastic bag, as he digs through his haul, mumbling to himself, "not this.. ugh not this one either, hmm, that's definitely mine .. oh fuck i forgot i bought this heh.. where is it? i just..."

“m’ not in the mood for sweets, go–“

“i got you – I knew you’d want something boring!” you hear him rustling deeper into the plastic bag. you smell a burst of citrus. his grin comes into view again while he roughly shoves a few segments of a mandarin into your mouth, forcing the rest of the peeled fruit into your hand.

“mph! dude– “ you quickly chew the segment in surprise, mouth bursting with the refreshing juice, the orange’s soft flesh tangy and slightly sweet. “… huh. thanks.”

gojo hums victoriously, falling on his back beside you, legs bent, foot tapping out a rhythm.

you split your remaining mandarin in half, feeling for the larger portion and passing it in gojo’s surprised hands. slender fingers briefly mingling with each other, electricity brewing between them. you retreat your hands quickly, purposely ignoring his lingering fingers.

if he notices, gojo makes no mention of it, popping the whole mandarin in his mouth.

“so, why was suguru’s hair in pigtails?” you ask, amused smile growing on your face from the memory of geto’s disturbed expression. chewing on another segment, you could easily imagine geto's loud grumble and exasperation that you frequently heard when gojo was around him.

gojo barks out a laugh, half chewed mandarin still in his mouth. “idiot fell asleep in the common room and y’know… anything is fair game there,” he says shifting slightly to look at you.

“oh god. pff, yeah honestly he had it coming. poor suguru though, he’s been so busy lately, must've been exhausted… i’m surprised he didn’t murder you.”

“oh he tried, he summoned 3 curses,” gojo snickers, pushing his dark glasses up.

“… next time we should do space buns,” you grin mischievously.

“oh fuck that’s a great idea!” he shouts, repeatedly tapping the ground in excitement, matching grin on his face. gojo was practically vibrating with mischief, inching closer to you on the ground.

you couldn't help but chuckle at his enthusiasm. often times gojo reminded you of an overly excitable puppy, constantly wagging his tail, begging for attention. usually you'd get the puppy who would become your shadow, whining constantly for a walk and would harness their chaotic energy to trash a room just because. there's a reason why you were a cat person.

“but oh my goddd, have you touched his hair, babe? it’s so fucking soft? i don’t understand what he does but -" you watched gojo talk animatedly. his mouth dressed up in a boyish gin, pearly teeth on full display, emphasizing the dimple on his left side, embellishing the joy he was radiating. it was times like these where you were strangely more aware that satoru gojo was handsome. the soft slope of his cupid’s bow that lead to delicate lips, the slant of his slender nose, his soft cheeks -

you shake your head. god, he was so distracting. he was so annoying.

“ - hey? did ya hear me?” gojo asks, poking your cheek. you share back at him blindly, hoping he didn’t catch you staring. "huh?" stretching slightly you shift on to your side, curling your knees together so they almost touch his thighs. "what were you saying?"

“I said, I got you something!” not even bothering to hid his annoyed glare. he props himself up with his hand supporting his head, turning fully to you, mirroring your body. reaching into his back pocket, he takes out a silver phone charm. delicate and elegant, the neat row of varying silver and black beads strung on a intricate chain complimented the silver star at the end.

you blink at him. “wait- for me?” your eyes dart between the phone charm and his expectant smile.

“duh! it’s for your phone! so whenever you see it, it’ll remind you to answer my messages.” he jingles the keychain, waiting for you to take it.

you stare at him, a hidden expression on your face that he couldn’t decipher.

“man, I gotta do everything here, eh?” gojo pouts, rolling his eyes. he gracefully rolls over to reach for your phone on your bed side table with a sigh. plopping back down on his side, he loops the charm on to your phone grinning triumphantly.

“hehe, look, babe – now we have matching ones!!” he takes out his own phone to show you the same silver keychain on his phone. gojo hands you your phone back, immediately you admire the way the way the keychain captures the dim light of your bedside table. pretty. although gojo’s antics were dramatic and sometimes downright irritating, his constant effort to get to know you despite your adamant refusal was … endearing. you noticed that he was generous, not only constantly buying you, ieri and geto snacks or meals without prompting but generous in his time, annoyingly checking up on you when he didn't see you for a few hours. you had to admit that he did put up a good fight to your frank rebuffs. he noticed a lot more than you gave him credit for, he cared for his friends in his own way but fierce so. despite his arrogant and brash behaviour maybe, just maybe, he could be someone you could talk to once in a while, someone you could let in just a little bit. it wouldnt hurt to be on friendlier terms, right?

“… thanks gojo.” you say smiling in realization as you fiddle with the star of the keychain, unable to look at him.

something in gojo’s stomach flutters, not expecting your bashful demeanour. if you smiled at him like that, he think might collapse. he wasn’t even really sure what he did that granted him the privilege to see your smile, a genuine one - it was just a little trinket, an inexpensive thing he picked up because he was tired of radio silence from you. he smiled thinking about your reaction of something else, perhaps if he got you those specific chips that he noticed that you liked that were notorious for being be sold out at the convenience store or maybe a scarf since you always seemed to be cold or, or maybe even a necklace with his initials -

“… hey? gojo?" you ask softly.

"yes, my grumpy lil prince–" "shut up, before i take back what i'm going to say, idiot." you scoff, your dead pan glare, effectively doing the impossible in shutting up gojo. you sigh. god, were you going to regret this decision? "... if you give me like 2 hours in silence.." you palm your forehead, wondering if you've gone absolutely insane.

".... maybe we could watch a movie or something after?” you force out softly.

gojo smiles widely, almost bouncing up and down as he gets up from the floor, offering you a hand to help you up. you stare at his out stretched hand suspiciously.

“well, the sooner you get started the sooner we can watch!!”

hesitantly you accept his hand and his help. it was a strange feeling, one that you weren’t sure yet that you liked yet. you quickly sever the contact, dropping his hand immediately, not wanting to get used to this new sensation. you huff , moving towards your desk, reshuffling the papers with renewed energy.

turning around to face him, voice authoritative with warning, you meet his covered eyes “when I mean silence though gojo, I mean absolute silence.” he nods, looking back at you, he uses his slender pointer finger and thumb to zip his mouth, and toss away the key behind him, a promise in his bright eyes behind his dark glasses.

gojo resettles on your bed, with a triumphant sigh. he makes a point to grab Bun Bun to lay on his chest as he takes out his phone to play some games, his silver phone charm dancing in the light. you turn around, hands itching to finally get some work done, concentrating on summarizing the straight forward mission in hamura. an unusual silence aids the scratching of your pen on paper, propelling your rapid thoughts. but after 20 minutes of working, you hesitantly clear your throat, turning back to take a peek at gojo, his eyebrow quirked.

“… so, uh what movies are playing right now?”

you can hear the joy in his voice when he starts to weigh your options, even asking Bun Bun for his opinions and occasionally spoiling the plots for other options. With a soft grin, you found that this time you didn’t mind the chatter... or the company.

a/n: he just wants to spend time with you ( ｡ •̀ ᴖ •́ ｡) --

head image credit: Itadakimasu dividers from: @/adornedwithlight

#gojo satoru x reader #gojo x reader #gojo satoru #satoru gojo #dividers by adornedwithlight #gojou satoru x reader #jujutsu kaisen #satoru gojo x reader #jjk #satoru gojou x reader #gojo satoru imagine #jujutsu kaisen satoru #satoru x reader #gojo jjk #gojo satoru fluff #gojo satoru fanfic #satoru gojo x you

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pussymasterdooku · 1 year ago

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insane that my bridge turns ten years old on monday!!! also insane that i broke it in late 2015 ie TWO YEARS IN and then the repair broke in mid-2017 and for six of its ten years it’s just been fucked up but not enough of an actual problem to justify the expense of replacing it but i finally am pulling the trigger! next friday they’re gonna start the process!!!

MY SHINY TEETH AND ME

#me when i realized that it actually does bother me that it’s sooooo uneven and in my uneven face which i love but AM self conscious abt #and like i don’t mind the scar from the stupid scooter heels ice alcohol incident that it broke in #but i hate that i fucked it up at 21 and have just been kind of stuck with it because it’s technically just vanity or whatever #but :( i don’t wike it!!!!!#also bc right under it is where my bottom teeth are most crooked LOL like i don’t REALLY care about that but i don’t like how it combines #i don’t like what it does to my open mouth grin #also i’ve been taking really good care of my teeth for like two and a half years now #which i hadn’t historically done i really struggled w nighttime brushing for a long time let alone flossing #but now i take such good care of them and this is just inescapable. also floss catches on the repair and i hate that!#so. very exciting!!!!!!! yahoo!!!!!#face: the final frontier

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stinmybubs · 7 months ago

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"I Want you Pt.2" NSFW

AN: Hi hi!! Thank you all so so much for the love on my last post, this one was planned out a tiny bit more but tbh I just want to skip to the sex at one point sooo Teehee. (I also decided to spell his name with the gou lol.)

18+!! Please Minors DNI! Please and thank you! I’m not too good at drawing sex scenes tbh! So I hope this’ll be okay I’ll practice more!

AFAB! Reader x Bakugou Katsuki

Warnings!!: Degrading!! LONGER THAN PT.1

Pt. 1 here!

Bakugou was livid. Not only was every other boy in the class able to get a peek at your ass, but you keep purposely putting yourself out there for everyone to see. Of course he didn’t want anyone to look at what he wanted. What was his. But of course, you weren’t his yet though.

Bakugou found the best way to punish you, to tease back. Maybe leave some soft touches on your body here and there, getting you to want him, crave him, and only think of him.

So, as the time passed in the gym he plotted how he was going to go about this without being caught by everyone else. But seems fate had something in store for the two of you, because you could have perfect timing.

“Fuck I need more water…” you groaned, begging for time to go faster. As you grabbed your water bottle your good friend Uraraka waved to you, quickly walking over to you with her beautiful smile on her face.

“Where ya goin? We have like 20 more minutes.” The wide eyed girl asked, curiously looking at you.

“Well, I need more water if I’m gonna survive anymore of this…or I’ll pass the fuck out.” You say, wiping your forehead with your towel as the girl chatted it up with you before letting you go refill your water.

As you make your way out the hall and to the water fountain, you can’t help but think about how sexy Bakugou looked working out. His skin glistening perfectly on his muscles, oh and the way his pecs just looked so perfect, the way he would lift up his shirt from time to time to reveal his abs. Oh god. He was so hot.

You thought about how his rough hands would feel on your body. How’s he would grab you by the waist, he honestly could easily pick you up without and issue. You gulp as you put the water bottle underneath the faucet of the water fountain. Not realizing how you were rubbing your thighs together and your breathing became uneven.

“Whatcha’ thinkin’ of? Hm?”

The voice made your heart sink. Feeling a sudden weight behind you, his hands grabbing the water fountain to trap you in front of him.

“N-nothing… I’m just thinking how long the workout out is!” You pant, your heart racing as he pressed against your back.

“Really? That’s all? Cuz yer sure was showin off a ton back there..” he leaned in to your ear, the feeling of his breath on your neck and ears made you shudder.

“I-…I don’t know what you mean Bakugou.” You try your best to keep yourself together. Oh how you wanted to just melt underneath him and let him take you right then and there.

“Hm…you think I don’t notice? Yer’ little stares? Ya’ pathetic attempts at teasing me?” He puts the thin skin of the tip of your ear between his teeth, nibbling it slightly. You let out a small whimper, omg. It’s finally happening! You shut your eyes prepared anticipating his next move.

Nothing. As hot as his pressure was, you didn’t realize he was gone. What the fuck? Was I imagining or was that real? Am I going crazy over this man? You panic internally realizing how hot your body was. Fuck, i gotta go home. With that you did not care if you all had 20 minutes left on the clock, you were all hot and bothered and needed some relief.

“Fuck…” you quickly fidget with your keys, trying to get your room door open. “Why isn’t it working?” You hiss, taking the keys out to examen them. Wrong key. You accidentally grabbed the nearest key next to your water bottle instead of your own. The worst part is. It was Bakugou’s keys.

“Oh my god, you got to be kidding me…” your heart began to race, thinking of your last interaction with the guy.

“Oi. You got something that’s mine.” The familiar voice seen shivers up your spine, your heart dropping as you turned around to look at the blonde. “Haha…seems I do” you awkwardly laugh, watching him walk over to you, he had a towel wrapped around his neck with one hand holding one side and behold his other hand. A key.

“And I’m guessing that’s my key?” You point to the key in his hand. He nods, a small smirk entering I face. Oh how handsome he was up close. You couldn’t help but stare at his face, it’s like you were entranced for a moment, watching a bead of sweat drip down his face and off his chin. Oh how you saw his grin grow wider.

“Quite ya’ starin.” He uses his free hand that was once holding his towel to flick your forehead.

“Ow, sorry! Sorry…may I have my key back?” You looked back him, making eye contact for a split second before he made a ‘hm’ noise. His body shifted closer to you, pressing your back against your dorm door. The dangled the key over your head as he leaned one arm against the door.

“Come earn ya’ keys back pretty.” He once again flicked your forehead, grabbing his own keys out your loose hands and walked away.

You were freaking I out. What did he mean? Why did he do that? What the FUCK is going on? So many question filled your flustered head. Omg, omg omg, omg!! Your face burning red.

Katsuki waited patiently in his room, leaning against his own bed, staring at the keys he had in front of him. You were taking fucking forever, all that teasing and no guts to back it up made him snicker.

Knock knock

Finally. Opening the door to see you standing there, your face all flushed red. Cute. He thought, letting you into his dorm, grabbing your keys and throwing them somewhere.

“What took ya’ so long? Fucking thought you pussied out of wanting me.” He grabbed your face, making you look into his eyes. “I uh…was nervous?” You questioningly stated. Your heart racing. His room smelt so good.

"So uh...how do I earn my keys back Bakugou?" You nervously asked as he let your face go, blushing at how big his hands were. The boy hadn't answered you yet, but oh you got your answer when he grabbed your wrist and pulled you close to him.

"B...Bakugou? Why-" you were cut off by Bakugou pressing his lips onto yours, moving the hand that was on your wrist to your waste to pull your body closer to him and the other pressing your head deeper into the kiss.

You were in shock, your eyes wide making eye contact with katsuki. Soon you melted into the kiss, wrapping your arms around his neck. Fuck. You never knew kissing could feel so good, it got hot so fast it felt like the room was on fire. Your kiss with bakugou soon became sloppy as he effortlessly picked you up by the waist, your legs immediately wrapping around his waist as he moved you over to his bed.

Katsuki released himself from the kiss, you let out a small whine because the kiss felt so fucking good you never wanted it to stop. questingly looking up at him, you noticed that devilish smirk on his face. "Wha-AT" You squealed as he tossed you onto his bed.

"What the fuck Bakugou!?" You shout, super confused on what's going on. Trying to sit up you feel your legs being grabbed and pried open by his hands. "W-Wait!" You shout, trying to stop him from removing your shorts.

"I-...I haven't showered yet I might stink." You shyly try to close your legs back up but he was just too strong, keeping them open. "I don't care. And stop calling me Bakugou...ya' know what we're about to do and ya' still keep saying the wrong name. It's Katsuki." He gently slapped your hand away from you trying to remove his hands.

You gulp, completely surrendering yourself to his will, watching as he slowly removed your shorts. you could already feel how wet you were through your own panties and were extremely embarrassed because you knew he was gonna tease you about this.

"Wow...this we for me? Or was it when ya' decided to give the whole class a show hm..? " The feeling of of one of his fingers pressing against your soaked panties, at this point the panties didn't even matter, you felt how he rubbed his fingers against you fold causing you to let out a small moan.

Katsuki couldn't wait any longer, all the teasing and the thoughts he had of you all building up to this moment. Fuck you looked so hot laying on his bed, face all flushed and completely surrendered to him.

Katsuki removed you panties effortlessly, tossing them aside not caring where they landed, fuck. This is really happening. You felt Katsuki’s fingers slowly slip into you, your slick already making wet noises which made you really embarrassed.

Katsuki watched you, he watched as your body convulsed and your face contort as his fingers moved in and out of your pussy.

“K-…Katsu please.” You look at him with pleading eyes, his fingers felt so good, but of course you wanted more. And you knew he wanted more too. “Ya’ want me that bad huh?” He chuckled leaning himself further between your legs, his fingers still doing their job as his face got closer to yours.

“Why should I give a slut like you my dick?” He questioned, you barley able to answer him over the feeling of his thick, touch fingers pounding into your pussy. “C-cuz…please?” You beg, your eyes slightly welling up with tears of desperation. You’ve never felt so hot and needy in your life.

Katsuki hummed at your expression, he could feel his cock throbbing in his pants, his mind being clouded with lust. Finally having you laying in his bed, it felt like a dream.

Katsuki removed his sweatpants and boxers swiftly, ready to feel you. Of course he couldn’t think properly, not even caring to get a condom…not like he had one in the first place, him being a virgin. He was simply acting on instinct and desire.

You try your best to brace yourself, trying to get a peak at his dick. You couldn’t really due to his tank top dropping a bit far where you could only make out a bit of it, and boy was he bigger than you thought he would be.

His dick wasn’t huge, it was the perfect size about 6.5-7 inches and hell was he pretty girthy. This made your anxiety peak a little. Will that hurt? Well the only thing that’s been inside your body until this moment has been your fingers. So yeah pretty sure it’s gonna hurt.

“Look at me.” You heard the blonde boy growl, one of his free hands forcing you to look up at him, making eye contact the whole time he slowly put in his dick.

“Ah..! Katsu-…it hurts!” You hiss in pain, feeling his dick stretch out your walls. He simply groaned, stopping a little bit to make sure you adjust to him. “Fuck.” Katsuki leaned in to kiss you, trying to help distract you from the pain as he slid the rest of his dick inside you.

You moan into his mouth, deepening the kiss as you felt even more pain writhe throughout your body. Soon the pain easing into a more pleasurable feeling. Oh you felt so full.

“Kats..!” You separate the kiss, leaving a string of saliva from one another’s lips. “You can…you can move” you struggle to say. Katsuki didn’t waste anytime, slowly he started moving his hips. He was trying his best to hold himself back, but you were so fucking tight and he just wanted to ravage you.

Slowly his thrusts became faster, leaving you a moaning mess as your vision became a bit blurred. Oh how you didn’t regret teasing Katsuki at all if it all means he wanted you this badly as well.

“Fuck!” Katsuki exclaimed looking back into your blurred eyes, loving how pathetic you looked underneath him. “Ya’ look like a whore.” Katsuki’s comment made you feel something, you never thought you’d like anything like that but his comment turned you on even more.

“Ya’ like that huh? Like being called a fucking whore and slut.” You gulp, nodding your head profusely as he kept fucking your pussy.

“Katsu…please! More!” You beg, you couldn’t help but give up your own will because you just felt so good. “Beggin like a fucking whore…ya’ so fuckin perfect for me.” Bakugou kissed you, a rough and sloppy kiss.

You felt like a fucking pornstar as you stared at the ceiling when he kissed you, feeling closer and closer towards your climax. Fuck…thought I’d last longer. You admitted to yourself.

Immediately you remove yourself from the kiss, letting out pathetic moans, “gonna…cum!~” you shout, wrapping your legs around his waist trying to trap his dick inside you.

“Fuckin cum ya’ slut.” Throwing your head back in pleasure, you could feel your legs violently shake as you finally came. Katsuki stopped, looking at your pathetic state and with a lick of his lips he lifted one of your legs over his shoulders.

“Wh…what…?” You question, barley able lift your head to see what he’s doing.

“I haven’t cum yet…” he gave you his signature smirk.

Oh fuck. You were in for a long night.

AN: This took me a lot longer to complete than I liked it to. I got stuck at the sex scene because I just forgot how to write it. So I’m trying to practice on smut again! I hope you all enjoyed it I am sick rn so I will proof read this later! Thank you so much for all the love!! Xoxo Stinmybubs.

#bakugo katsuki #katsuki bakugo x reader #mha bakugou #bakugou x reader #bakugou smut #mha x reader #bakugou headcanons #bnha bakugo katsuki #katsuki x y/n #bakugou katsuki

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spacecatchako · 2 years ago

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Kissing Lessons- Tenya Iida x Reader

Pairing: Tenya Iida x Gen! Reader Genre: Fluff Content Warnings: Suggestive fluff, Tenya and reader are third years here, marking (reader is okay with it lol), no actual sex or smut, making out, praise, neck kissing Word count: 1.2k words Tenya has never had his first kiss before. You offer to teach him how.

When Tenya Iida, class 3-As representative, declared that he had never kissed anyone before, you almost did a spit take.

It was understandable; an uptight guy focused on hero work probably didn't make much time for romance. But at the same time, it was almost unbelievable. Tenya Iida was beyond handsome, if not the most handsome guy in 3-A. You can't say you hadn't fantasized about making a move on him in your three years at U.A. together.

So that's how the two of you got here, sitting across from one another on your dorm bed. Tenya sits cross-legged in front of you.

When you realized the blue-haired boy had never been kissed before, he confided in you that he'd wanted his first time to be perfect. So you offered to teach him. It's what friends are for, after all.

"So just to be clear you haven't kissed anyone before? Not even a peck?" you verify, gentle and unjudging.

Tenya blushes and shakes his head from side to side.

"Not even a little."

You offer him a small smile.

"That's okay. We'll start small. Here."

You wait for his slight nod and straddle his lap, arms wrapped around his neck. Tenya is leaning against the wall by your bed, and your faces are close.

You can feel his breathing this close, the glisten of chapstick against his lips. His face is so close to yours. Cupping his face with one hand, you close the gap between your lips.

He grunts a little but eventually kisses back. After a few lingering moments of sweetness- chaste, nothing probing- you pull away, hand still cupping his square jaw. You can feel his stubble against your palm.

"See Tenya? That wasn't so hard."

He gasps a little, and his hands find your waist. During the entire kiss, he didn't know what to do with his hands.

His glasses are askew, and a light blush is dusting his face. His blue eyes are wide with shock and wonder.

"H-how. How did you do that so confidently?" He wonders aloud.

You smirk and tuck a lock of his well-kept blue hair behind his ear.

"Practice. Just act like you know what you’re doing and gauge the other persons reactions. That way you can figure out what they like. And ask for consent before doing something huge, obviously. Ask for consent before kissing them. It isn't too awkward if you're upfront and honest about it, I promise." You advise.

Tenya is still flustered, the collar of his blue shirt slightly uneven.

"If you want, you can try initiating. Go ahead." You say, leaning away from his grasp a little. "I'm all yours."

Tenya is hesitant when he leans forward to close the gap between the two of you, but when he does, it feels heavenly. Awkward and a little rough, his top lip bumping into yours, but your hands find purchase in his hair and adjust him to your liking. His lips are plush and soft. His breath is minty- he probably prepared for this- and hot against your mouth. He moans a little bit when you tug at his undercut and bring him closer.

His hands press into your lower back, pushing your lower body flush with his. His hands are so big and robust, capable of maneuvering you however he wishes. Your eyes flutter, taking in the senses. You moan softly, and he follows suit. You pull away briefly to switch angles and let your tongue lap out to meet his a little. Tenya's eyes widen slightly at the intrusion, but you smile reassuringly against his mouth. “This is okay.” You seem to tell him. “I want this,” you hope to convey.

His hands move from your waist to your upper back, under your shirt, trying to feel any expanse of skin he can reach. There's nothing but the sound of your breathing and the smack of your lips as you bring one another closer, closer, wanting never to let go.

You pull away for air, and Tenya follows your lips, desperate for more. You sigh and give him a chaste peck back.

"You seemed to like that, pretty boy. Want to try more?"

"I- yes, if you so wish to."

You hum, scooting against the pillows on your bed.

"Then take me."

Tenya presses you back into the pillows of your bed, pinning you down with his body weight. He is arguably the most muscular of class 3A, exceeding even Bakugo. He has so much strength and could crush you right now, but he chooses to use it gently, pinning you where he wants you, kissing you like you're the air he needs to breathe. You claw at his back, wrapping your legs around his waist to pull your bodies flush together. You're surprised when he pulls away from your lips, kisses your cheek, and then moves to your neck.

"Can I?" he murmurs, a low voice asking politely. He is ready for the possibility of you saying "No. This is too much. I want to stop here." He is prepared to be rejected and return to the quiet of his room to contemplate this last lesson. If that were the case, he wouldn’t feel hurt or entitled at all. Just grateful that he got to have you, like this, in any capacity. Grateful for your expertise and understanding, grateful for your touch and compassion.

So it's to his surprise when you whisper "yes," scritching at the base of his well-kempt undercut.

He hums and dives in, licking and sucking at your throat. You moan at the sensation, back arching into his touch, hugging him closer. Tenya braces himself against your bed and almost growls. It happened instantaneously and without you registering it, but your crotches are grinding together, all heat and light and comfort and carnal.

Who knew your formerly uptight, type-A class rep could be so gentle yet sensual and strong?

Tenya pulls away, and his eyes widen at the mark he left.

"I- shoot, I am so sorry," he panics at the mark left. He fusses over your bruised neck before you cut him off.

"Don't be, Tenya. I wanted it. I liked it a lot, you made me feel really good." you praise. Tenya adjusts his glasses, which are fogging up slightly due to his heavy breathing. His cheeks warm with the praise, and his heartbeat speeds up.

You guide him into another kiss, reassuring him that he did well. After plenty of time in class together, you know how Tenya reacts to praise. He thrives for it, chest throbbing. You nuzzle his cheek and jaw, giving him gentle pecks across his sharp jawline. Eventually you pull away, hands cupping his face, eyes meeting his. He seems so gentle here, nothing like the brazen boy or the confident leader that you’ve gotten to know.

"I'm going to ask you again because I care about you and I don't want to put too much on you. Do you want to go further or stop here?"

Tenya looks up at you, blue eyes shining in adoration.

"More. Please don't stop here, I want more of you." He pleads.

You give in his body against yours, hearts beating in tandem. You give him all you're willing to, and he gives you all of him too. He's such a good, strong boy, and you're more than happy to be his friend– or more. Whatever he wants to be, whatever he wants, he's yours.

Maybe he didn’t need kissing lessons after all.

#boku no hero academia #boku no hero academia fluff #tenya iida #Tenya Iida x reader #suggestive fluff #bnha #bnha fandom #f/o x s/i #iida tenya x reader #tenya x reader #bnha x reader #drabbles #my writing #consent is given and asked for freely #we love consent #I also crossposted this to my ao3

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meowzfordayz · 2 years ago

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when your anxiety spikes — inosuke, genya, sanemi

Author’s Note: just a lil fluff to end my evening (#writer is TIRED lol). ☺️😴

when your anxiety spikes — inosuke, genya, sanemi

Hashibira Inosuke x Reader, Shinazugawa Genya x Reader, Shinazugawa Sanemi x Reader

Word Count: ~800

CW: anxiety/panic disorder, death content

Emergency Request Fulfilled: This is going to be such a strange emergency request so feel free to ignore 😭 all day I’ve been smelling blood like an iron smell and it’s making me so unsettled😭 idk if it’s a nosebleed that won’t come out or if I’m Tanjiro now but I’m so unnerved by this

If you could write a little preference of sanemi Inosuke and genya calming down an anxious reader I’d appreciate it because I’m convinced I’m dying 😭

~faqs~

“Why’re you all jittery?” Inosuke mutters, placing a firm palm on your knee, “I’m hungry too y’know.”

Swallowing a wry chuckle, you rest your hand on top of his, reveling in his steadiness, “I’m not jittery because I’m hungry.”

“Then why’re you all wiggly?” he asks again, scowling with confusion, “You’re not usually this wiggly!”

“Only you would call feeling anxious wiggly,” you snort, amusement softening your gaze as his eyes widen in realization.

“Well why didn’t you say so?!”

Promptly shoving aside the imminent prospect of dinner, Inosuke’s full attention radiates intense and warm on your clammy, tired skin.

“Surprisingly, when I’m feeling anxious, I don’t feel like announcing that I’m feeling anxious,” you mutter quietly.

“But you still manage to be as sarcastic as ever,” he huffs, “What’s going on?”

“I’ve been smelling blood all day.”

“Blood?!” he nearly growls, “Are you injured?! ARE YOU OKAY?!”

“Inosuke,” an alarmed giggle forces itself through your nose, exasperated appreciation for his concern tamping down your still stirring anxiety, “You’re not helping.”

“Oh,” he immediately switches gears, suddenly so serious that your giggling continues, “I’m sure you’re fine. Stop overreacting.”

Silence fills the dining room as you slowly raise an eyebrow, goosebumps raising on his arms… 1… 2… 3…

“I’M SORRY, I DON’T KNOW HOW TO HELP.”

You burst out laughing at the gruff anguish in his voice, quickly pecking his cheek to soothe his own panic, “That’s quite alright, Inosuke. It’s the thought that counts. Thank you for caring.”

“Of course I’m going to care! I love you!” he declares loudly, clearly disgruntled toward himself.

“I know, I know,” you shake your head fondly, nodding toward the entrance as the door slides open, and the aroma of dinner seeps into the space, “And I love you. You’re probably right, I’m probably fine,” winking boldly, “And I know you’ll be here for me if I’m not.”

Aaand now Inosuke’s torn between scarfing down dinner or carrying you to his room for a cuddlefest.

SHINAZUGAWA GENYA

Genya’s composure cracks when your anxiety spikes — in a very soft, delicate, really-unlike-him manner. As soon as your breathing becomes uneven: his eyes narrow, he immediately mutters Bye to whoever he’s talking to (literally mid sentence too), and stalks over to your side. To anyone else, he likely appears pissed off, but the gentle way he covers your hand with his, guiding you away from the crowd (while glaring at anyone who seems even slightly curious about whatever’s occurring) — he’s the opposite of pissed off.

He’s quiet as he asks, “What can I do for you?”

He’s warm as he brushes your hip with his thumb, reassuring you of his physical presence, “Do I need to get someone?” Teach someone a lesson?

And devoted as he nods once, “We can go home. I was bored before we arrived anyway, everyone else sucks.”

And even though you’ll admonish him Genya, they’re our friends! They do not all suck, he’s more than content to play up his own disdain for social events and overwhelming spaces if it means getting to see your frazzled stare melt back to its usual sharpness — a tiny sliver pulsing with adoration whenever you decide to look at him.

“I smell blood all the damn time,” Sanemi grunts, “So what?”

“It’s not about the blood,” you sigh, arms crossed.

“Then what’s it about?” he sighs louder, “I don’t understand.”

“It’s about how the blood makes me feel.”

You feel a little silly attempting to explain your anxiety to him, but you know he means well… and you also know he really won’t understand unless you’re patient with him.

“I just feel anxious smelling it. Like, is there something wrong with me-”

“-no,” he can’t help interrupting, his affection for you slipping through.

You smile despite yourself, nudging his shoulder with a satisfied sound—he’s absolutely not blushing thank you very much he totally is—before continuing, “Am I imagining it? Is it something simple that will go away? Am I dy-”

“You’re not dying,” he interrupts again, this time with an eye roll, “I’d know if you were.”

The sincerity, the darkness, of his tone freezes you, somehow reassuring even as it seizes you.

“Not to be weird,” he grimaces, backtracking quickly as dread threatens to cloud your gaze, “I just- … you mean a lot to me, so I’d know if you weren’t okay. Physically. I’d tell you to report to Shinobu.”

“Tell me?” you ask lightly.

“Carry you there myself,” he smirks, confidence overcoming the heat in his face, “Because you mean a lot to me.”

“Ah.”

“Does that help?” he murmurs softly.

You gulp, calloused fingers squeezing your wrists as he guides you closer.

“Knowing that you mean a lot to me? Knowing that I’m looking out for you?”

You nod, smiling now as you meet his earnest stare, thrilled by his unexpected gift of vulnerability and sincerity — by his revelation of tender intent.

“You help,” you whisper, shyly kissing his chin.

“Good,” he whispers, kissing your forehead in return, “I’m trying my best.”

#preferences #kimetsu no yaiba #demon slayer #hashibira inosuke #inosuke x reader #shinazugawa genya #genya x reader #shinazugawa sanemi #sanemi x reader

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snek-panini · 7 months ago

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Got a bit of a different bookbinding post today. @renegadeguild got an ask from a new binder saying they were intimidated by everyone's gorgeous binds (me too, actually, some of you guys are scary good), and so they've asked people to share their first binds. And I realized I'd never even taken photos of my first one, so here it is, warts and all:

This is E.M. Forster's The Machine Stops, a public domain scifi short story that you can read for free at the link. The first reason I chose it was that it's an interesting story, and I'd bought a print-on-demand copy a few years previously that was just terrible. Baffling cover choices, basic errors in the typeset (like quotes that face the wrong way), weird size that didn't fit on my shelf; just not a good product. I couldn't do it with more indifference than the PoD people. The second reason was that I was too intimidated by the thought of asking a fic writer if I could bind their story and then producing something with a thousand sloppy beginner mistakes, and then they'd want to see photos and I'd have to show them this and it would have been mortifying, but Forster has been dead since 1970 so I could not disappoint him. It was very freeing. I bound it in 2021 as an experiment, to see if I liked this hobby enough to stick to it. The cover is green cardstock and faux leather scrapbook paper that I bought at... probably Hobby Lobby. I added the title later, as a practice project when I first got my Cricut; for the first two years of its existence it had a blank cover.

There are more photos under the cut!

In this photo we can see:

--Too much glue when attaching the leather-print paper, so it oozed out onto the cover.

--Cricut font too thin and too much heat/too long of a press, so the letters have gaps and the glue also oozed out here. It's a continuing theme with this bind.

--I tried to use a bone folder to give it a sharper hinge crease and accidentally pressed too hard and tore a hole in the paper; you can see this in the little white vertical line near the top of the hinge

The fore edge is not square. I actually don't remember why this happened. I may have eyeballed the board position when I made the case, or the paper may have slipped while the glue was wet, or I cut it crooked and didn't notice till later. Either way it's bad enough that the book doesn't stand on its own. There was a crooked man/who walked a crooked mile/and found a crooked sixpence/against a crooked stile./He bought a crooked cat/which caught a crooked mouse/and they all loved together in a little crooked house, and I bet they read this little crooked book from their little crooked library.

Top view, you can see that the case is too big and the text block doesn't sit straight in it. It has no endbands or bookmark, and it's hard to see in this photo but there's glue on the top of it, at the spine. This still happens to me but I know how to trim books now so this bit gets cut off. You can also see that the scrapbook paper has some cracks where its white core is visible. This is why I do cloth or actual faux leather on the spines now. Endpaper shows uneven trim (did I not use a ruler for this??), too much glue causing major seepage, and it doesn't sit evenly in the case. I'm not sure if this is because of the case itself being crooked, a badly-trimmed endpaper, or if the text block is also crooked. Or it may be a combination of all these factors. Unclear.

Typeset photos! Here we see:

--Title page has a page number on it. This is a pet peeve of mine and I fixed it after this book.

--There is no half title, summary, or metadata. All my later binds have these things.

--It's typeset in Times New Roman. Unlike many I don't actually hate this font but reading it reminds me of being in high school so this is the only book I used it for. Baskerville is my beloved now. The font is also much bigger than it should be. It's not huge but it's like a large print book so it feels weird for me to read it.

--Lol what are margins

--Lol what are page headers

--Actually I think I left the headers out so it wouldn't have a header on the first page of each chapter, because I knew about page breaks but not section breaks at this time.

--It's on regular-ass lightweight printer paper. There's nothing wrong with this but I switched to heavier weight paper shortly after to help with bleed-through and the light stuff feels so flimsy now.

--I didn't understand how Word's book fold worked at this time, so when I had to set the sheets per booklet and it had an option for 4, I chose that thinking it would give me 4 sheets of paper (16 numbered pages) per sig. It did not do this. It gave me 4 numbered pages per sig. So every signature is 1 sheet of paper. Every page is its own signature. I am still mad about this but it sure drove home how the setting works and also how to make kettle stitches since you make one after every sig. A book of 48 pages has 12 signatures which is just ludicrous.

--There's no photo of this but it has a piece of printer paper on the spine because I didn't have mull. I did use PVA though. Lots and lots of PVA.

--It's stitched with regular sewing thread, which means it doesn't have much swell for a book with that many sigs, but it's less sturdy and more likely to tear the paper.

And that's that! It probably sounds a bit like I was tearing it to shreds but I actually love this book quite a lot. I learned so many things that I applied to my next binds, it was an invaluable experience. It let me fall in love with the hobby so I could make the awesome things I make now. I've got those all posted on my main blog under the tag #snek makes books, or you can see them all on my side blog @papersnakepress. For a first book it's functional and readable, and still better than the PoD copy I had before. I've been thinking of doing a rebind as a sort of progress gauge, actually. Maybe next year.

#bookbinding #snek makes books #the machine stops #it's not winning any beauty contests #or technical skill contests either #but it's mine and i love it #first bind

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justbelievinginmagic · 6 months ago

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ariadne's thread ⎯ pt. 7: the wild hunt.

pairing(s): hyunjin x fem!reader, felix x seungmin x minho if you squint, felix x fem!reader, seungmin & fem!reader, minho & fem!reader, bang chan & fem!reader, jisung & fem!reader series summary: when tempted by an intoxicating offer by hyunjin the goblin king of the underground, you fight against him to find your own sense of self once more while in his labyrinth. glimpse: Tumbling far into the Direwoods, you cant help but feel like something or someone is watching you, hunting you, in the never-ending darkness of the forest. will you be caught in their claws or will you survive the Wild Hunt? warnings/tags: inspired by the 1986' movie Labyrinth, follows majority of the movie's plot points with lore divergence, 3rd person POV, use of Y/N, no hyunjin appearance this chapter fyi, faerie lore, wild hunt!, world-building, pain, injuries, blood, bruises, cuts, canon typical violence, pg13 language, fear, anxiety, danger, invading personal space (like a lot), one-sided affection, kisses, licking, suggestive content, uneven power dynamics, magical choking. animalistic minseunglix, felix is down bad for y/n, clingy felix, tatted mINHOOOOO. listen, these boys are feral. eldritch horror felix, eldritch horror seungmin too tbh, werewolfy eldritch horror minho lol., let me know if there needs to be more tags! word count: 11.4k previous chapter <- -> next chapter series masterlist

The Runner’s fall was great.

Unlike falling to the oubliette, she was tumbling and rolling down the hillside violently. Her ribs and back thudded against wet earth and rocks over and over until she came to a rolling stop at the bottom of the gorge. Pain radiated through her body. Crackling dead leaves crunched beneath her as she tried to sit up. Her arms, bruised and scratched, trembled as she struggled to push herself up before, finally, she just flopped back on her back.

“Dammit,” she groaned, her head plopping against the mossy ground.

Her back ached, streaks of blood coated her body from scratches and knicks. Leaves littered her hair. Her ribs heaved as she took a deep breath. She let out a cough, a hand going to press against her stomach as a pain radiated there. Just a bruise but damn.

Everything felt like so much. Each turn of the Labyrinth proved she was alone and each time she was left crawling for her life. The oubliette, the cleaners, this. She was frustrated and in pain. Her arms rose up to cover her face as she took a trembling breath.

“Y/N!” she heard an echo of her name far above her.

Looking upwards, she couldn’t make out anything. It was like all the light from that grand rotunda had been sucked away. There was a strange cloak-like barrier between the woods and the Gardens high above. A darkness that clung like a fog to the tops of the trees, consuming them in a shadowy haze that ungulated like a wave over the branches and foliage. While the Underground was dark before, the Runner hadn’t realized how many false lights there had been. This place felt truly dark. So dark, she couldn’t see the form of Chris as he called down.

“Are you okay?” she heard Chris faintly. It was like the darkness truly was a barrier; even sound was muffled.

“I’m fine!” she yelled back.

There was silence for a moment, overshadowed by the hum of bugs and shuffling of flora. Then, she heard him reply, but it was so distant, so so far away.

“What?” she called again.

There was a noise from Chris that sounded like confirmation. Before… it was quiet.

And that was it. She was alone again with only herself and the murmur of bug-life and creatures of the darkness. She felt hopeless. The feeling clung to her chest like a parasite sucking out any hope as she shut her eyes once more. Wounded hands rose to scrub at her eyes, eyes that burned and a nose that grew heavy in her skull.

Crying won’t do anything except make her feel exhausted. Even more exhausted than she already felt in her bones. She breathed out, her nose burning hot and stuffy-feeling. She can cry later. She can cry later she reassured herself again and again as she bit back the feeling of cotton in her throat. But, God, did she want to cry now.

The Runner pushed herself up, sitting up with moss and mulch clinging to her clothes, and she took in her newest challenge.

The woods were thick and plentiful around her; large oversized plant-life grew here but, unlike the Gardens, they didn’t seem to be infused with magic. They were over-grown and lush – like it hadn’t been touched in millennia. If it wasn’t so cold, she’d think it was a rainforest. But it wasn’t humid here. There was a chill that clung to her and soaked into her dirt-damp clothes. The tall trees around her seemed to sway with their blue-shadowed trunks and twisting branches. It was so dark it was hard to really judge anything beyond a few feet.

Sighing out, she rose to her feet. Luckily, she hadn’t twisted anything falling down to the bottom of the woods. Her body simply ached like she had worked out the day before or… fell down a large hill. After trying to scale her way up the hillside she had fallen from, her shoes slipping through the too-soft dirt and mulch, she huffed out a sigh and began her trek through the woods. There had to be a way out of this forest. The Runner couldn’t just give up. Not after all this.

Continuing onwards, she carefully walked around plants, climbed over twisting tree roots, and scaled rocks in her way. Footsteps squelching in icy mud. Bird-like creatures whistling over one another in the foliage. Heavy-wings flapped overhead but she could barely make out a blur of a form flying high in the darkness. Deeper and deeper into the woods, she continued on.

The darkness was eerie. The gentle sounds of creatures didn’t reassure her any. Cricket-like scratches of bug legs. Hoots of owl-like birds. An odd humming sound hovering around her. All almost familiar yet decidedly not. Like, they were from another time, their crows sounded deeper, more Jurassic and less modern.

Animals were around her, hidden and ancient. It made her feel gooseflesh climb up her spine. Maybe there were beings like that crimson creature and being of light that had attacked her and Chris here. Fierce and calculated.

She walked quicker.

There could even be people in the darkness, watching her. Was she even in the jurisdiction of the Labyrinth here? Was Hyunjin watching after her (and why in this forest was that almost reassuring?) It made her skin crawl and her thoughts spiral. Ideas twisted with fear in her head. Like a child afraid of the dark believing monsters lived under the bed, she began to see things in the dark. Shadowed figures with swaying limbs. Bulging eyes on her. Flickering of somethings in the corner of her peripheral. Tricks of the eyes making her look behind her every moment now. She paused in her walking and glanced around, holding onto a nearby trunk.

A bug scampered over her hand and she jumped away with a yelp. She tried to see what it was; all she had felt were thousands of little legs. But even with her face to the tree she couldn’t see. There wasn’t anything she could truly see around her. The darkness was too thick. Her mind imagined false forms and ever-watching eyes as if this was a haunted house attraction but… all she saw was dark. It made her shudder out a breath. Hands dragging over her face in frustration. She felt wound up like a toy doll, waiting for something to spring. Either her own self or something around her.

There was a flash of light to her left and she yelped, jumping into the tree. Her shoulders brushed into a fern; its sharpened leaves caressing her arm like talons. She shuddered and scurried faster away from whatever that was. Hoisting herself up another rock in her path, there was a flicker of something in corner of her eyes. Like a lightning flash, a light leak from a camera. She froze and waited, watching to see if it’d appear again. Another flashed by, rushing towards a tree she had touched.

(She couldn’t see in the darkness but it could. Her hand that had touched the twisting tree left a remnant of her. Of rubied blood, staining the deep-blue of the tree bark. Marked. Throughout the entire forest, she had left her trail in the form of iron-blood – powerful and tempting. And it had caught the attention of whatever crept forwards in the shadows of the dark.)

“What’s going on?” she cried out finally as she saw another flash of technicolor-light, closer now to the rock she had just scaled and crouched upon. “What do you want?”

The creature from before – the being of light – was following her. She reached for a nearby stone, nails digging into the rock. She tried to predict where itd be, holding her rock steady in between her fingers. Another flash to her left. The Runner threw the rock into the darkness.

It hovered mid-air, caught as if by a ghost. A whimper left the Runner’s throat as her eyes widened in shock.

“You really are a human?” the voice was unlike anything she ever heard before. Deep as the sea. Deep yet angelic and soft.

He shimmered into existence from the shadows, a whirl of prism light and sparkling magic. Golden tanned skin, constellations of honeyed freckles across his nose and cheeks, and fair blonde hair. For a moment, she swore it was the King, but his face wavered and formed a more heart-shape, softer jaw, a more petite nose upturned. His eyes were so so soft with brown orbs that seemed to swirl a pinkish glow. His smile was bright and made his cheeks glow. He tossed the rock up before catching it again, coyly.

Tendrils of bright blonde hair framed his face, dancing in a non-existent wind that made her look around him for the source. His inhuman light illuminated the darkness and she could see the forest just a smidge clearer. Creatures scurried away under blue-green foliage. The tree beside him crawled with moss and millions of multi-colored bugs. All these things lingering around her unknown, brought to light by the angel of a man in front of her. He looked like an angel, aglow in the darkness. A star of light as he smiled at her from ten feet away.

She couldn’t help but awe, even as her eyes flew to the corners of the forest she could see. He couldn’t catch her attention even while being the brightest thing in this place. He cleared his throat, bashful sounding as he drew her eyes to him finally again.

His smile grew and his chin tilted, pleased. God, he was a beautiful thing and she felt a pull towards him, like a twist in her stomach. Like there was a leash around her lungs pulling taut, urging her to move towards him.

But he beat her to it, eagerly. He crept closer. Lunging forwards with long limbs that if she looked at him from the corner of her eye seemed to elongate and shift. He sniffed deep through his nose, his chocolate-strawberry eyes rolled back. His body shifted with rolling and cracking motions; his back arching and displaying his lean abs as his woven shirt rose up. He sighed out before leaning onto the rock she was perched upon. Arms folded over one another as he looked up at her with an awe in his eyes. He looked enamored with her.

“You are a human - and a woman,” his voice deepened - if that was even possible. “Hello sweet thing.”

His fingers crept forward onto the rock, playful in nature as they crawled towards her ankle before he tried to swipe at her ankle like an animal jumping upon a prey. He jolted forward, hand reaching out so fast that she flinched and pushed back off the rock. Stumbling to her feet, she put the large rock in between them, only able to see his face and him hers.

He giggled out, the sound higher than his voice, almost hyena-like. There was a fizzle of magic and he was beside her once more. She shrieked and jumped aside to put him in front of her rather to her side.

“So jumpy; I don’t bite, sweet heart,” he hummed. “Unless… you like that?” He flashed his teeth, nothing monstrous about them. In fact, they looked pearly white and straight. Perfect. Everything about him seemed to scream perfection, angelic. Like he was the epitome of beauty – the male version of Venus.

“No.” she replied bluntly.

He pouted a bit before smelling deeply again. He huffed out; eyes bright and rosy.

“Oh, you’ve got magic around you, ancient type – like me,” he giggled almost childlike as he bounced on his feet, teleporting here and there before he was in front of her again with his angelic light.

“I’m not of magic,” she bit out, defensive against him.

He felt wild as he giggled again, moving closer and closer. His billowy white shirt seemed to spill open as he shimmered closer. Magic drifted off him like he was a flower and pollen drifted off him in sparkling dust. His smile was sweet as he leaned in as if he telling a secret. Y/N leaned back faintly. His breath was cold as the night around them, coming out in a puff of condensation.

“You’re a Runner, right?” he queried, his eyes flashed as he raised his eyebrows teasingly. “You’re protected by magic, sunshine. Goddess forbid if you were tainted by little old me while on your quest.”

His hand rose and he brushed a stray hair aside from her cheek, gentle and soft. Fingertips softly caressing her skin as he tilted her chin his way. He waited and she simply stared at him blankly. Brows crinkling after a moment longer. His smile was like sunlight before he cackled, the sound lower than the hyena-esque laugh before.

His visage flickered in and out of existence as he danced away from her. He was excitedly bumbling about. It was like he was a trick of the light as he flickered in between the tall dark trees. His form becoming blurry-like, like a light leak in real-life, before his form rematerialized again and again. He looked like he was made of sweet nightmares with how he frolicked, the only light in the darkness yet his giggles felt foreboding. With how he had prowled after her, she knew he was trouble.

“I am a Runner,” she nodded tentatively. Swallowing, she tried to phrase her sentence how Han had taught. Direct. Ask the right thing. “I need to make it to the Castle. Do you know a way?” That was fine, right?

The fae paused in his celebrations, looking over his shoulder at her. He smiled, all fangs this time, and excited eyes. “Oh, sweet heart,” he beamed as he whooshed to be in front of her. “I know a way.”

His hand reached out to grasp her wrist. He shivered at her bare skin under his hand, and there was a moment of pause as his fingers seemed to caress her skin with wonder. His breath was shaky, eyelashes fluttering. He looked up to meet her eyes again and he saw how she simply stared; a brow raised.

“You are protected; this is so much fun.” The blonde looked electrified.

He dragged her along, his gait fast and animalistic. If she had to think of a comparison, she thought he moved like a deer, swift and erratic at times. He darted this way and that; sharp branches biting into her skin. She let out screeches every now and then as the wood cut into her arms and face. All he did was giggle. He swung her about, waltzing in the dark like it was a dance floor and not a forest. He managed to avoid large bushes and tree stumps, his arms swooping her up and pulling her close to his lean chest.

“I haven’t heard a woman’s shrieks in ages,” he commented, his voice light and airy.

The world down here was dark, full of sharpened branches and tall inky dark trees. It felt like she was in Snow White’s Forest, frightening figures and darkened tendrils reaching out for her. Swirling and whirling in the dark. The fae man didn’t let her get caught, for she was already his prey in his grasp, dragging her along in a wild waltz with a snarl of a grin on his face.

He let a whistle out, high pitch and sharp, as he slowed and placed her on her feet once more. His hair was windswept, fingers grazing over her waist as he slid his hand down to her hand. Fingers intertwining with hers.

“C’mon, a chuisle.”

They were in front of a maw of a cave (not a path, not the Labyrinth she noted bitterly). Fire-smoke tumbled out in big plumes, turning the world hazy. He led her, tugging her inside. The Runner was slow, carefully. The fae man kept glancing back, a smile that felt less reassuring and more tempting engulfing his face.

Inside the warmed cave, there was a living space made of naturalistic materials all around a firepit, lit with an unnatural blue flame. The light painted the cave in long casted shadows. A table of stone with four chairs; a collection of coins, bread, a steaming piece of meat, and dried flowers rested on what looked like an altar in front of the fire. A pile of pelts was layered up in a corner, making up what looked like a large bed-pallet. Crude drawings were on a wall above the mussed bed.

“I really need to get back on the path,” she insisted to the other.

“Sweet thing, you’re a proper Little Red Riding Hood,” he teased, playing with her fingers. “Minus the red hood.”

The look she leveled him was unamused. He smirked, tugging her by her hand. She stumbled forward, her other hand going to press against his chest to keep her balance. His form was lean and firm. His lips pressed against her knuckles; his lips cool as ice.

It was strange how she didn’t feel… pulled in by him. He was attractive like Hyunjin… she had swooned before Hyunjin upon first meeting. But this fae… despite his prettied façade and his pretty gestures, she couldn’t let herself be swept up. She didn’t have the time. She couldn’t.

His lips trailed to the other side of her hand as he hovered over her veins, button-nose pressing against the inside of her wrist.

“Because I’m with the wolf?” she retorted dryl, her words not light and airy like his. “You said you’d help – you know a way to the Castle; I need to get there.”

“Because you were getting distracted,” he replied, nodding towards where she was looking. “Our altar of offerings. I like the flowers the most. My hyung loves meat – but usually something, well, more fresh.”

The meat there looked fresh – freshly-cooked that is.

“Not reassuring.” She said evenly.

“Not trying to be, sweet heart.”

He was still close as he invaded her space, her fingers still held reverently in his grasp. His eyes were locked on her hand in his. Fingertips grazing over her skin slowly. His lips pressing butterfly light across her skin as he trailed up her arm to look at her with those chocolate-dipped strawberry eyes of his.

She was not wooed and it made his neck creak, looking at her like a puppy.

“What’s the way to the Castle?” she said simply. “You’re getting distracted.”

He chuckled lowly. His breath fanned over her cheeks in a whirl of rosewater, coriander, and something sweet and musky. “Distractions aren’t always bad.” He whispered, eyes flickering to the Runner’s lips.

“Please,” her eyes rolled, frustration building in her.

He grinned wolfishly, his other hand going to press at the small of her back. Dragging her closer until his firm body was pressed against hers.

“I like you begging.” He rumbled, eyes dilating like a cat’s. An inhuman pink glow in their pupils caught her attention before she focused back on his sharp smile, pearly white and sweet. No fangs once more. He kept changing.

“I’ll play nice,” he conceded. “I promise to help you; just let’s-”

There was a rustling of the brush, her head swinging to look towards the mouth of the cave. A creature was prowling closer with reflective blue eyes. He looked like a beast out of nightmares, and there was a frightening thought that maybe these were the faeries that made up bad dreams. The faeries that had centuries of folklore written about to warn silly girls and boys from making wishes, from wandering in woods, from playing in faerie rings.

“What have you brought to our den, Felix?” the creature spoke with gnashing, glowing white teeth. Snarling electric-blue spit foamed and dripped into the mud as it prowled inside.

Like Felix, there was more that met the eye with this monster. The creature seemed to grow and morph until it was bipedal, until it was standing upright, draped in furs rather than being a fur-covered beast. He wore dark linens, blending in with the darkness of the forest easily but, within the blue light of the fire, she could see his features more and more clearly. He had dark-brown hair that fell across his brow, shadowed by the hood of what looked like a bear fur resting atop of his head. Purpled scars of claw scrapes and cuts decorated his handsome face, a long cut on his cheek bone only emphasized his strikingly blue eyes, shadowed by his furrowed brows. His lips were dry of the slobber of the creature he was before and instead revealed a scowled lip, firm and strong, as he stared her and the fae named Felix down.

He was defensive, the epitome of a predator.

Felix, whom still had her in his embrace, let go of her suddenly to reveal the red-blood on his palm. Blood. Her blood. When had he—She looked over her body trying to find where he’d press his palm against her to come away with a palm coated in red? A scrape down her arm had his fingers imprinted in a bloody scrawl.

His face seemed so innocent as he approached the fur-clad man. His blue eyes seemed to glow brighter at the sight of the red on Felix’s palm. A growl grew in his chest as he grabbed Felix’s wrist to pull it closer to his nose. That was when she saw the dark inky tattoos that decorated the new fae’s skin. Creatures of all sorts – some real and others mythical-looking - crawled up his arm in ink. A wolf’s visage was painted on the back of his hand in elaborate, delicate lines. The wolf’s eye seemed to gleam blue just as the fae’s did.

He took a deep breath against the palm of Felix’s hand.

“A human.” he growled out.

“A breathing human,” the voice that interrupted was smooth and crisp like a cold wind as another fae joined them from the shadows.

This time instead of being a beast he simply melted into existence from the dark. But unlike Felix, who danced between a technicolor-blurred form and a human-form, the fae had shadows clinging to his form like a cloak of never-ending night. She couldn’t see his feet like he was nothing more than a ghost. His hair was pitch-black and curled over his forehead, hiding his brows. His black eyes shone like the stars in the middle of the cold desert. His shirt tunic was made of the night sky, black shadows draping over his shoulders in a transparent-like cloth. His bared chest revealed with the sharp v of his blouse. He sparkled in the dark like his body was made of monochrome diamonds.

He waved with a curl of his fingers.

Her heart raced as his words processed. A breathing human. She needed to get out of here, she decided. This wasn’t good. This wasn’t good. None of the other fae she had met had threatened her so openly.

A shushing. Shh, shh, shh. It was Felix’s voice, her eyes flashing to where he stood only to watch as he warped back to her side in a flurry of multi-color light. His hands cupped her cheeks fondly, blocking her view of the other fae for a moment. Her own blood was slick against her cheek, sticky between her skin and his palm.

“He’s teasing, little sweet heart.” Felix reassured before turning to scowl at the dark fae who grinned wolfishly as he passed by them.

“I’m not.” he deadpanned.

She couldn’t help but shiver as he passed; it felt like he carried a chill of night with him. Even the nearby fire flickered, its blue flames shuddering in a technicolor whirl of sparks before they settled once more.

“Seungmin, that’s not very nice,” Felix chided as he shifted her in his arms protectively. His arms felt cold, a freezing thing despite the warmth of the fire nearby. His sharp chin pressing into a shoulder as he eyed his Sluagh, as if pleading with him to scold the dark-fae.

His voice vibrated against the column of her neck: “He scared her; I feel her heart jumping. Its dancing.”

There was an annoyed grumble that came from Seungmin as he crept into the living space of the den. He didn’t sit. He stood beside the altar, eying the contents.

“Don’t play with your food, Yongbokie,” the beast-like fae scolded the blonde. Yongbok – or Felix.

She wondered if this was like Han’s name situation. Which was Felix’s Jisung? Which was his true name? Was he truly Yongbok or was he truly Felix?

“No, no, I’m not – look at her,” Yongbok chittered in her ear. “Look at her eyes, hyung.”

The creature-esque man prowled forward to look. He hadn’t lost his predator appearance. His eyes looked dangerous as they gleamed an electric blue. His hand reached out to grasp her chin, his fingers curling over his jaw as he tilted her head this way and that. Claws dug into her cheeks. The motion made her throat bare itself to the fae, overstretched and tense.

The Runner was getting tired of being man-handled, moving to shove her chin out of his grasp, and even struggling against Yongbok’s tight embrace. He complied with a giggle and only for a moment before his arms instead went to her waist rather than around her shoulders. He couldn’t keep his hands off her, loving the curves of a woman once more. She felt his hands caress her hips, sluggishly slow dragging over her form before tightening his arms around her middle. He buried his face into her neck, breathing in deep.

“See, Minho.” His voice was a gravelly low whisper. “She’s not enraptured by me. She’s not lovesick. She has ancient magic on her.” His voice was buried in her hair. She could feel his lips grazing the sensitive skin of her neck, all wet tongue and grazing sharp teeth.

“I do see.” Minho breathed, eyes sparkling as his clawed hand caught her chin in his grasp again. His snarl-grimace curled into a smirk. Almost pleased. The planes of his face turned sharp with the change, and Y/N felt her heart race at the sight.

“I’m trying to reach the Castle. I was in the Labyrinth before I fell here.” She spoke up. It felt like she had somehow been caught when Yongbok, or Felix, had promised aid. Rather than being helped, she was stuck. A fluttering bird in a cage, pawed at by cats.

The Runner didn’t see the wild grin Felix buried into her hair. Minho leaned in, sniffing the other side of her face that Felix wasn’t buried in. Picking at a tendril of hair, bringing it to his nose, he smelled deeply.

“You’re a Runner then. I haven’t seen a human in these parts in—” there was another deep breath and she swore she heard a rumble in his chest like he was purring. His eyes gleamed in the light of the fires beside them.

“A long time,” The one called Seungmin finished for him from his spot behind them.

She moved to push Felix’s arms away, the way they tightened around her waist reminding her of chains. Minho’s hand left her chin but not before he leaned in and licked her bloodied cheek with a roughened tongue. It made her squirm and jolt in their grasp. In a moment she feared he’d bite a chunk out of her. A squeal was on the tip of her tongue as she squirmed.

The laughter was low in the smokey air as Minho moved away.

“Let her breathe, Yongbokie,” Minho chuckled as he moved away for the Runner, and approached the table. “She’s the King’s; I’m sure he’s unhappy to see her curled up with us fair-folk.”

He grabbed a slice of bread she saw sitting on the altar, sneering at the cooked meat, and turned to watch the others. His leg propped up on a chair as he sat upon the edge of the stone table. He was always in a posture that made it seem like he was one moment away from lunging at her. Perhaps it was his unfeeling blue eyes, even as he smirked at her.

Felix grinned as he swayed her in his arms, “Even more reason to hold her close then.”

“Spoken like a true Gancanagh.” Seungmin’s voice commented. She couldn’t see him in the shadows, but the moving chill of air reminded her he was there.

Felix hummed pleasantly in agreement as he wrapped his arms tight around her waist, turning her around in his grasp. He leaned forward to press a kiss to her once-bloodied, now-saliva-sticky cheek, delicately sweet. She flinched back at the motion, squirming in his grasp as she fought his embrace again.

For a moment, Y/N swore he looked like Hyunjin. The slope of his nose fading into a different shape; his bottom lip plumping. In a blink, Felix was himself once more. He smiled at her sweetly.

“I’m not the King’s,” she retorted. “Let me go.”

“Jumpy heart,” he murmured, his lips against her jaw. “You can be mine.”

His closeness felt suffocating and she squirmed in his grasp, trying to move away. His eyes gleamed in disappointment, fire building in his chest. She rejected him over and over and Felix wasn’t used to it from mortals. She pushed at his arms, firmly.

“Let me go, please,” she insisted, shoving him away and stepping away with a huff.

“You are a brave soul,” Seungmin commented, walking up to the altar with a trail of shadows slinking off him. The dried flowers there wilted in his presence. She turned her head to look at the shadowed fae.

She swore she saw a shadow tendril, curl over Seungmin’s shoulders as if someone was hugging him or clinging to him. But the shadows that seemed to encompass him in a halo of darkness was always shifting, pulsating behind him like a living thing. His eyes hadn’t left her form since he arrived, staring at her with such intensity.

“Or dumb,” Seungmin added after a moment. He smiled; his mouth curled into a humored laugh.

Felix was back upon her with his affections, a hand moving her hair aside to rest his chin on her shoulder and stare up at her. His gaze burned her cheek like fire.

“Please, stay for a while?” he whispered.

Felix’s voice was so soft and gentle. Luring. It reminded her of Yeonjun – except Yeonjun hadn’t felt the need to wrap about her like a snake (but he had wrapped himself around Soobin.) While he was handsome, she had bigger things to focus on than a touchy faerie.

“I need to make it to the Castle,” she argued, moving to push Felix’s arms away from her waist. She felt nails dig into her skin as she pulled away from him.

Turning to meet his eyes, she saw Felix’s form shiver and shatter as his face revealed despair. His face merged and flickered; he looked not like himself suddenly. His features shifted and shimmered as they seemed to roll through different faces until they landed back on the freckled-soft features that she had met Felix with. His hair, however, darkened to an oil-slick blue-black, shrinking to a shorter cut, as if his displeasure showed through his appearance like a chameleon. He snarled a bit as he pushed past her to Minho’s side.

“He’s not used to his charms not working,” Seungmin crowed out, his laugh sounding like a black raven’s as he faded into the shadows behind him, tumbling back in giggles.

Minho’s arm slung around Felix’s shoulders as the once-blonde let out a whine deep in his throat. At the other’s touch, it seemed as if Felix calmed slightly, his pink-honeyed eyes that blazed with rejection rose to meet his elder’s. Minho’s lips curled in a smirk, reassuring the blonde silently as they settled their gaze on the Runner once more. Minho brought a piece of bread to his lips, crunching into it.

“I can’t stay,” Y/N reaffirmed steadily.

“How many hours do you have left?” Minho queried casually. “It’s been a long time since there was a Challenge. I remember only one other reaching these parts – and she was the last Champion.”

Now, that flooded her with optimism making her perk up. That was reassuring! She was on the right path somehow and if this other Runner made it, maybe she can too.

Felix buried his face into Minho’s shoulder. The older patted Felix’s bum, reassuringly. His eyes remained on hers.

“A few more hours are on my side,” she replied. “Did you help the other Runner then?”

He smiled with a laugh, the sound huffing out of him like a dog’s bark.

“No. We didn’t. There were others that wanted her though. Fire-creatures.” He commented. “A few hours left, and you ended up here. . . poor human.”

“I’ll only steal 30 minutes,” Felix promised from Minho’s side, eyes flickering with the firelight. “I can make it feel like hours, a chuisle.”

“He’d steal far more than that,” Seungmin’s voice was damp on her ear. She jolted away, pushing away at his chest (despite the fact he was still half-submerged in darkness beside her). He laughed as he tugged playfully at her ear making it tingle with the feeling of maggots and soil burying into her ear canal.

“You are a cute one,” Seungmin commented, his tone cool and offhandedly before he faded into darkness again.

Felix’s irises were crawling up and down her form as she rubbed at her ear. Minho’s gaze flickered to the darkness and then to Felix beside him.

“I think we should play,” Seungmin whispered in the darkness.

“Can we?” he whispered to Minho. “Hyung, please. She won’t break.”

The shadows climbed over Minho’s shoulder; Seungmin materializing from the darkness to stand beside the fur-clad man. Felix eagerly looked back and forth from his hyung to her in a way that made her feel like prey.

She was prey here, stuck in the wolf’s den.

It was quiet except for the crackling of the blue flames on the floor. Minho’s gaze was steady on hers, like a wolf’s on a rabbit in the brush. He finished his slice of bread, wiping crumbs from his fur and tunic. Large hands went to remove his hood from his head, each move of his was deliberate. He watched as the Runner’s eyes flickered from one action to the next, to him and then to Felix, then to Seungmin, finally back to him.

She didn’t let him speak first. When she spoke again, she was careful with her words.

“Yongbokie,” she began, hoping she used his true name. “Promised he was going to help me.”

Minho’s neck creaked with a violent crack as he looked over at the once-blonde who now edged away from his Sluagh’s embrace and towards Seungmin’s side.

The head of the trio cackled, echoing in the air and vibrating in the darkness.

“Did he?” Minho hummed.

“Yongbok promised.” She insisted.

Felix grimaced at her from beside Seungmin who grinned at his brother.

“I like her,” Minho growled out.

“Clever wean.” Seungmin muttered.

“I need to get to the Castle; if you don’t know the way, let me leave. That’d be help enough,” she reiterated. Her heart thudded in her veins as she looked between the three men. “Promise fulfilled.”

Minho’s cool blue gaze didn’t flicker from her. Seungmin’s stoic expression grazing the once-blonde with disapproval. And Felix who both seemed to be smiling and scowling at once. Impressed but angered.

Felix murmured: “I promised I knew a way. I didn’t say it’d be easy or free.”

“You promised to help me.” She said firmly. “I know what was said and who said.”

He turned away, scowling. Curses were muttered under his breath in a language she didn’t know.

“Play a game with us and we will help. Easy trade.” Seungmin retorted glancing at her. “It’s like hide and seek.”

Minho’s lips twitched towards a smirk.

“You run; we seek,” Felix continued.

“How is that helping me?” she retorted firmly, trying to clamp down the fear that was pounding in her chest like a drum. She had to hold onto what the fae promised.

“Help is subjective, isn’t it?” Minho commented, his voice sounding awfully condescending. “Help could be us keeping you here as your hours of mortality trickle away. Help could be us leading to the path to the Castle. Help could be us summoning the King for your capture. Or – “

“You play with us; we help how you want us to,” Felix chimed, brightening at his Sluagh’s words.

There was a reason they followed after the Sluagh. He was cleverness and instinct all wrapped up. Powerful both in strength and mind, he was ruler here and this was the reason.

“We haven’t had a Wild Hunt in some time, Minho,” Seungmin commented.

“Call it, call it, call it,” Felix chanted, almost demonically.

“How do I win this game?” she asked. “Hide and seek usually ends when the person is found.”

“Should we tell you?” Felix countered, pouting. “You’ve been so mean to me.”

“Yongbok,” he scolded firmly, making Felix’s mouth shut. Seungmin chuckled lowly.

Minho approached her, steps reminiscent of a wolf stalking forward. She stayed still, breath low as she tried to figure out a way out of this. His stare felt powerful and mythical. Like he was more than himself for a moment. There was a shuddering in the air, magic whirling in the air as the camp fire flickered violently. Embers surrounding Minho in a whirl of electric-blue light. He looked like a demon, like a mythical beast as magic flurried around him

Felix grinned and faded into the shimmering-flashy prism of light he could be. Seungmin faded into the darkness.

“Make it to the end of our borders and you win.” Minho instructed. “You’ll know the moment you see it, mortal.”

“And if I don’t make it,” she breathed out.

His lips twitched into a smile. He leaned forward so their eyes met at one another’s level. Blue magic swarmed his eyes until they were fully glowing, making them look as if they were fiery blue coals.

“Depends on who captures you.” He admitted. “Regardless, we will see how powerful that ancient ward is, human.”

Death wouldn’t let her escape the King. She knew that. But she didn’t want to die. She didn’t want to be hurt. He could smell her fear and it made his mouth salivate.

“Run, Runner.” He whispered, a low chuckle bubbled up in his throat. “I’ll even give you a head start – out of helpfulness.”

“10, 9, 8-“

She didn’t linger longer to hear anything further.

The Runner ran.

Scrambling out of the warm cave towards the break in the trees, she ran. There were hoots and hollers that were loud in the darkness. Spooking animals and creatures of all sorts. Rustling and croaks and crinkles of wild life echoed around her as she sprinted.

A piercing howl broke through the noise. Her heart sped up and she pushed herself over a rock, faster.

The Runner ran and ran.

Her legs ached already. Her feet hurt from the hours of walking the Labyrinth but still she kept sprinting. The soil beneath her feet was slick and deep. Sinking into the grime as she rounded a tree. Her fingers brushing past the wood as she tried to listen for Minho’s voice. Or was that howl him? Was her extra time up? Where were they? Where was she? She didn’t pause as she continued onwards.

The Runner ran and ran and ran.

There were no hints for a way to go. She was scared this forest was tricked like the Labyrinth was. Was she just going in circles? No, no, she had to hope not. Sweat dripped down her forehead as she hopped over a fallen log.

There were no sounds now – no hooting, no hollering, no yells. She slowed for a moment, panting too loud. Her heart thudded deep in her chest as she bent over as she caught her breath. Her eyes, blurred at the edges with white, from her exhaustion and lack of air. She looked this way and that way, hands on her knees as she breathed in.

There was no hint of a path this deep into the forest. No whisper of living beings. It was quiet.

So quiet except for her panting in lungfuls of air. No birds. No rustling. Too quiet.

She paused. Holding her breath. Listening closely.

A body slammed into hers violently, thrusting her into the ground with a scream. His body writhed against hers for a moment as she struggled against ferns and clovers and dirt. He pulled away as he crouched over her, feet on either side of her body.

“I could track you without shifting,” he commented, squatting over her. Minho’s lips curled up with pride. “Iron-blood is so strong once you catch its trail.”

With flailing limbs and knocked wind, she pushed herself through the dirt and mulch – until her back hit a tree. It didn’t budge against her weight, scratching at her elbows as she tried to use it to hoist herself up. But the creature-esque fae was upon her with a pounce. He smelt of wild grass, rotting animals in the heat, and rain-watered mud.

Minho’s grin was feral. His nose brushed over her cheek as he breathed in. His own breath was ragged, hot like an animal’s against her sweatied face.

“For a Runner,” he murmured lowly, a corner of his lip rising into a smirk. “You aren’t very fast.”

His claws tightened against her shoulder as he pinned her into the oak tree behind her. He had his prey and like a big cat he took pleasure in playing with his mouse. His eyes flashed blue as he raised his other hand up; the darkened claw-like nails glowed an unnatural blue. His thumb dragged over her throat delicately, slowly. Almost playfully. Scratching back and forth but not tearing into her skin.

“Clever but not fast,” he whispered. “Hm?”

He had arrogance in his tone as he tilted his head at her, faux pout on his lips. She struggled against his grasp again, dirt kicking up.

“Let me go,” she whispered back.

Their words felt loud in the eerie quiet of the woods.

“Humans have always been fair game in a Wild Hunt, written with our blood upon the ancient ruins,” he whispered as if telling her a secret. His eyes were steady on hers. “I wonder if ancient law overrules ancient magic. You’re the first human hunted in so many decades – and here you are cowering.”

His claw dug into her throat and she let out a cry, pushing herself away from him as far as she could. Blood dripped from the fine cut. It wasn’t deep (Minho was holding back, toying with her) but it still ached.

“Your immunity is the only intriguing thing about you. I wonder if you could survive my jaws,” he crooned, his hand rose from her shoulder. His fingers were gentle as they combed through her mussed hair.

His other hand that had clawed at her neck grabbed her by the collar of her shirt, a screech tumbling from her throat now. His teeth bore into many many rows of sharpened teeth.

There was a blur in her vision and she felt the weight of Minho get shoved off her with ferocious power. A body of light tumbled with the half-transformed Minho. An unearthly groan of anger grumbled from the tumbling forms.

“Yongbok!” she could hear the beastly growl that was Minho.

“I want first bite, hyung,”

Felix’s deep rumbling voice was almost poutful. But Y/N didn’t focus on that for long. No, she hoisted herself up and bolted in the opposite direction of the two fighting fae.

Around tree stumps, dark rocks, and hillsides, avoiding anything that would slow her down. Her feet splashed through a puddle of water, making her body jolt with adrenaline. Keep going, keep running. Where was she? She was running so quick there was no way she kept track of what tree or rock she had passed. Was she going in circles? Looking back, she saw no followers. Perhaps they were still caught up in one another.

There were tall trees ahead, made of pine rather than the twisting mulberry trees. She didn’t want to stop, her lungs ached but she feared that the moment she froze that theyd find her again. Turning to follow the path of pine trees, she wove between the large trunks. Stumbling over pinecones she hissed out as she stumbled into the brush.

“Fuck.” She cursed out.

Scraped knees and all, she stumbled to her feet and edged away from the pine needled cover floor. Looking around, the darkness felt like it was creeping into her. Tunnel visioning her. She could hear water, rushing water. It sounded close. She turned towards it and started to run, only for a grand flame of blue fire to burst forth in front of her, blocking her.

“Where are you going, chreiche?” it was growled out in the shadows.

She stumbled back, eyes wide. Her sweat gleamed in the blue light; hair wild as she looked around to find the voice. Her breath escaped in rough puffs as she moved away from the flames that licked at the pine needles and forced her away.

There was no Minho, no Felix. She swallowed, the taste of iron in the back of her throat and the smell of smoke in her lungs. She tried to gather her bearings. Maybe she was on the right path when the fire combusted in front of her. Was she close to their land’s boundary? She didn’t know. It wasn’t like she could win this game – she just had to escape.

There’s a howl in the darkness. She froze. It had to be Minho. She just knew it. Like an instinct hidden deep in her. She ran again, moving away from the flames in front of her. Feet moving before she could even think. Away from the blue flames that seemed to grow, following her to keep her within imaginary boundaries.

Rounding a corner, she stumbled as she came upon a large cliffside, blocking the path. It looked tall, creeping into the dark fog that clung low to the woods.

“No,” she cried out, kicking at the dirt before turning away from the dead-end. She had to keep going even as her lungs argued. She wheezed as she took a step forward. But she couldn’t breathe in.

Her breath was stolen, gone from her throat. Her lungs ached and she tried to suck in air, but she couldn’t breathe. Why couldn’t she breathe? Her hands rose to grasp her throat; it was damp with blood – the scratch from Minho painting her hands red. She felt her own throat muscles contract. A rasped gasp cracking through her mouth. But that didn’t help. Hunching over, she gasped and gasped. Coughing at air as if it was water.

Until she felt a tug on her ear, pulling her up from her squat to press against a firm chest.

An arm wrapped around her waist, a large hand pressing against trembling lungs. He pressed at them firmly.

“Do you wish to breathe?” Seungmin’s cold voice queried.

She nodded, frantically. And like that, the weight on her chest lifted and she took in the deepest breath she could. Sagging against him completely as her face faded from its reddish hue as she sucked in lungfuls of air. Shadowed limbs curled around her, caressing her cheeks, poking at her wounds with curious phalanges.

The shadow-fae hummed lowly, almost disinterestedly as he shifted her in his grasp as he took her weight onto his chest. His skin was icy cold against hers and it felt good similar to the way gasoline smelled good. The shadows licked at her skin, pressing kisses to the wounds. Her heart slowed, thudding steadily as she gasped and gulped air.

“Humans are simple,” Seungmin commented after a moment. Dead man’s lips cold to her ear. “Your fates so easy to manipulate and snap.”

His hands rose into her view, and yet she still felt phantom arms around her, holding her in place with their cold embrace. She felt his smile against her ear as his hands rose to her eye-level. With a twist of his wrists, a fine thin black string materialized tangled about his fingers, pulled taut between his hands. It thrummed and quivered and she couldn’t help but feel her own heart shudder with its vibrations.

“This is you,” he whispered. “Y/N.”

She hadn’t said her name to them and yet he knew. It made a whimper climb up her throat. She tried to move but she couldn’t. Entrapped in his tendrils. Seungmin breathed out a laugh as he thumbed at her fate-string. She felt it. Felt her chest shudder like a guitar’s string.

“Its strong. Even stronger with the ancient magic protecting you from us.”

The thing glowed faintly, shimmering in the nonexistent light.

“I can’t snap it like others, but I can do this.”

He pulled the string taut, and her heart ached. She pitched forwards, the air pushed from her lungs unpleasantly. He giggled.

“Stop.” She wheezed.

“Intriguing, huh?” he commented almost analytically. “How long can it go before it snaps on its own? Can it?”

There was a growl from the brush. Seungmin’s eyes flashed up from the string to the foliage. He looked at the shadowed animal with excitement flickering in his eyes like fruit flies around a rot.

“Hyung,” he chimed, sounding brighter than she had heard him yet. “I caught her.”

There was a growl, a sound in between a bear’s rumble and a wolf’s growl. It was harsh.

Seungmin sighed out. Disappointedly.

“Threads were fair game before!” he complained.

A bark of a snarl echoed out as the creature known as Minho crept forward. Her thread disappeared into the shadows once more as Seungmin’s hands went to grasp her shoulders.

“I found her,” he argued. “I win. Don’t change the rules, Minho.”

The snarl was vicious this time, a thing she imagined only monsters containing the strength of bursting forth from his chest. She could see him now. Minho was a beast larger than the wolf’s façade he wore before. No, he was something that towered high above the overgrown flora and fauna. Raggedy battle-torn fur and large scapulas making his large head fall lower on his body. He looked like a creature torn between the agility of a wolf with the form of a bison. His feet were paws not hooves as he approached with a bellowing growl.

“Sore loser,” Seungmin egged on, like a child.

Were all fae so obsessed with winning? With being the best? These three seemed to want and want and want. Yet humans were the ones who were greedy – ridiculed for wishing and then placed in a challenge? The trio had turned their backs on one another over and over for her. Selfish creatures. Childish.

Minho’s footfalls became faster and faster. He charged at them. Seungmin’s hands rest back on her shoulders, squeezing tight. Waiting until Minho pounced, Seungmin disappeared from behind her and Y/N dodged to the side.

The beast slid in the soft soil, mud matting in his fur before in a blink, the beast was replaced by the humanoid figure of Minho, kneeling and ready to pounce. Not at her but at the shadowed fae who was being tugged into the darkness once more.

“No threads, Seungmin,” Minho growled out, blue eyes flashing at the shadows. “Cheater.”

The shadows shifted and moved like an ocean’s waves. Wiggling annoyed.

“Loser,” Seungmin countered. Minho lunged for the other with a growl aching in his mouth, needing to put the death-fae into his place below him.

Breathing in deep, she watched as their attention focused on themselves, ignoring her as she clung to the thick trunk of a pine. Slowly creeping away, she tried to keep herself small and unseen as she escaped the bickering two.

As soon as she was far enough away, she broke into another sprint. The forest wasn’t as dark now with magical flames of blue licking at the far distance of the woods. Blocking her way out. Water trickled nearby and she turned to follow it. It didn’t sound like a rushing river but more like a small creek. Maybe she’d find a path out of here if she followed it?

She ran and could hear the rustling of Minho and Seungmin’s tussle in the distance. Growls and grunts that she tried to avoid heading anywhere near. Rounding a corner, the pines had melted into large weeping willows with leaves of curtains engulfing her every step. Moving through them, she ducked and brushed through the flora with harsh hands until she was near tangled up in the tree’s long curtains. Pausing to untangle herself, she huffed and puffed. As she turned to continue onwards, she jumped back at Felix in front of her.

A maniacal grin glowed on his lips as he swung from a branch like a tempting serpent.

“Hi, little sweet heart,” he chimed, voice soft. He hung down from the tree, upside-down face to right-sideup face with her. “You’ve been doing so well.”

Empty praise given like whispered sweet nothings.

She glared and he smiled brighter.

“I should’ve kept you my secret,” he admitted as he let go of the branch with one hand, swinging like a sloth as he eyed her. His head tilted.

“Sharing a human isn’t my strong-suit and neither is it my brothers.”

Their bickering made her feel like a piece of meat between animals, being tugged this way and that as she is torn apart for their selfish hearts.

“You were going to keep me until my hours were up,” Y/N confirmed as she moved to run the opposite direction.

There was a fizzle of magic, a flash of light as Felix blocked her way with his lean-form. “No, no,” he pleaded with a gentle tone. His eyes were puppy-dog sweet as he reached out to her. “I was going to save you.” Empty promises, Y/N. “C’mon, come with me, and I promise you’ll be safe in my arms. Hmm?” he tempted, his words gentle and soft.

His voice was even a different tone, becoming something less deep and more warm. Sickly sweet, sticky. She glared at the oil-slick hair that seemed to glimmer in between dark and blonde in the shimmering light that consumed Felix. He wasn’t truthful. He had lied before. Promised before. And now, here she could see he was nothing but a snake. A chameleon reptile trying to eat her like a bug. Chew her up and toss her aside.

“I’ll take my chances alone,” she muttered as she dodged his needful arms and ran through the brush. Tangling vines, scratching palm leaves, and twisting roots stumbled and pried at her but she continued onwards. There were no forwards, backwards, sideways, or other ways in the woods. It was an abyss, endless except for when flames consumed her path.

Trapping her in this mess of a game board.

A shadowed figure rush towards her.

“Nothing escapes me!” Seungmin’s shadow hands grazed her waist like the fingers of a dead man – damp and clammy.

A screech left her as she stumbled away, dodging towards another path through briared rose bushes. Thorns scratched and clung to her pants but she pushed through. Flames erupted in her way, blue and whirling up with wild magic.

“I found her first, she’s mine! I want to play; I never get to play with humans fairly!” Felix’s voice sounded like glass as it shattered into a deep monstrous thing. He dove to grab her. His face distorted in the blue light and she realized he didn’t look like himself at all. Too many eyes, too many mouths.

She shrieked and dove to the side, evading his inhuman leap. Flames were hot against her sweatied form, making her arms feel like they were sweltering with the change in temperature. Icy hot to boiling cold. She kept running. The world around her melted from the unending darkness of the woods to this blue-casted jungle. Bright from licking electric flames consuming it all. She slid down a small incline, grunting as she did so.

“I hunted her down,” Minho countered, nearly inhuman in its growled words. There were loud footsteps, his paws thudding against the dirt with bellowing strides. She didn’t look back as she dodged another flicker of flame bursting forth from her right. “She’s mine.”

“No!” It sounded like it was all three of them crying out, different voices mingling into a cacophony of a growled inhuman gurgle. Greedy and selfish, they were still fighting with one another, arguing about rules of a Wild Hunt over the beating of her human heart and lungs aching for more than a second of air.

She splashed through a creek, ankles rolling as she dashed over algae-slippery rocks. The Runner didn’t stop even as she heard a howl, loud and angered. She didn’t stop as she heard the calls of Felix. “Swet heart, stop!” She didn’t stop when she felt the delicate fingers of Seungmin’s play with her heart, making it feel as if it was pulling and pulling and pulling in her chest.

“You’ve won, little mouse,” she heard a yell of a growl from Minho. “Return. Return.”

“Come back, human!” Seungmin’s voice pleaded.

“Leave me alone!” she cried out.

Return? He was crazy. They all were. She turned back from her spot high on a hillside; she saw them prowling at the small bubbling brook. Minho pacing, Seungmin’s shadows stopping at an invisible barrier, Felix… sobbing into his knees. She was free of them; they couldn’t cross the rushing water. She won. But she wouldn’t go back. No. That was a fool’s errand.

“Don��t leave,” Felix cried out, monstrously so.

He sounded unrecognizable other than the deep accent that he had. She swallowed before turning her back on them and continuing her climb. The trees were less overwhelming as she climbed, thin and branchy. Nothing was blooming and there were more half-alive things than alive here. The hill came face to face with a cliffside. Dead-end. It towered high above her with rough terrain, rocks jutting out this way and that and magic flowing through the cracks of dirt. High above, she could make out the beginning of the familiar brickwork of the Labyrinth’s walls as it was engulfed by the dark layer of shadows.

She was so close, but now there was this cliff. She looked back to hear Minho’s call. Taunting. “She doesn’t know the way. She needs us.”

It made her chest burn. Burn with anger. She didn’t need them, she didn’t need anyone. As soon as she thought that, something magical happened. A rope fell down to her from high above in the foggy darkness. Looking up, there were no signs of who threw it but she needed to get back to the Labyrinth. So, she climbed and climbed. Until a hand wrapped around hers and tugged.

“Y/N?” the voice was familiar and she thought maybe it was a trick of a fae, and it made her want to sob.

“Y/N, that’s you?” he queried again, heaving her out by her arm. She crawled onto the cobblestone path, fingers digging into the stone as she curled her feet away from the ladder. The darkness of the woods didn’t touch her here and she swore she heard Felix crow out, “You’re welcome, sweet heart!”, as the darkness engulfed their voices.

She peered up at her rescuer and her eyes widened.

A familiar face was staring at her with concern in his jewel-toned eyes. He was kneeling beside her, a hand on her shoulder. He wasn’t a trick. No, it was him.

“Han!” she fell into his arms, hugging him close.

She did it. She really did it. She was away from the dangers of those woods. Away from the shadows, flames, and embraces. No, she felt sturdy as she grasped onto the lesser-fae, burying her cheek into the worn vest of his.

“Y/N.” he breathed as he held her close for a moment. She was sturdy, unharmed. Salt-sweat on her brow, hair tousled, warm blood on her skin and through her veins.

Safe nonetheless.

When he had heard her shrieks and tracked her to the edge of the Direwoods, he had feared the worse. He knew the Direwood inhabitants were rowdy folk. Creatures of myth and legend live there. Hyunjin had hated dealing with them – even if Minho was a reasonable leader of his lands. How’d she end up in their borders? It looked clearly dangerous. Why would she go there?

“Why were you in the Direwoods?” he scolded, pulling back to look her in the eye. “Are you stupid?”

“I didn’t—I fell after something attacked us,” she argued back. “I didn’t know it was going to be like that.” She shivered. She didn’t know how to explain Felix, Minho, and Seungmin. She felt like they were true fae – which was funny considering she was amongst fae folk everywhere here. But Han didn’t feel dangerous like they had. Chris didn’t.

It felt like the stories of dangerous fae were written after those in the Direwoods, unlike the dreamy stories told of the Goblin King.

“Those woods are full of shifters and death fae,” he filled in the blanks, his hand going to push her hair away from her neck. Oh god, her neck was bloodied-red. He swallowed at the sight. Poor human. “Minho and his little clan of spitfires.” He spat.

Her ears burned. She had truly ran into the most well-known of all in the Direwoods.

“Y/N,” her name was spoken like a warning. “Did you meet Minho?”

She smiled bashfully up at Jisung. It did little to calm him especially with the half-there blood drawn over her cheek in a rune of old that read ‘mine’, and her body bloodied and bruised. His eyes only filled with horror. His breaths escalated as he went to grasp her jaw in his hands. Examining her eyes this way and that. Thumbs brushed over her cheeks, rubbing away the rune as they searched for a temperature. A fever of lust.

“Who. Did. You. Meet?” he held her head in between his hands still as he demanded.

“Minho, yeah, uh, Felix, and Seungmin,” she listed off.

“Did Felix touch you?” His voice was sharply concerned as he looked in her eyes carefully. “Y/N, you have to think carefully.”

She had yet to see Jisung this fearful – even when he was confronted by Hyunjin, there was never this tremble to his eyes as they took in her state of being.

“He’s a Gancanagh,” he worried. “One touch and you’ll be addicted to him.”

She didn’t seem addicted. He’s seen humans fall head over heels for Gancanaghs, destroyed and driven mad when the fae left. She seemed normal. She wasn’t crawling her way back to the Direwoods, instead her hand rose to cup the back of his own hand softly.

“He couldn’t keep his hands off me actually,” she admitted. “But it seemed like it was only because he said I was protected by magic?” she offered. “I don’t feel any different. Just scared.”

Jisung’s eyes that had danced over her cheeks, worriedly wondering if her flushed cheeks meant a fever, flashed to her eyes at that. She’s scared. What if he could’ve prevented this? The peach in his satchel was heavy as he leaned away. He swallowed softly; fingers gentle on her skin as he pulled away.

“Okay.” he conceded. “Makes sense – Hyunjin wouldn’t want his Runners becoming addicted to another. Okay.”

There’s a moment as he looked over her form. God, she reeked of iron-blood, her skin cut up from branches and claws; her poor throat bore a scratch; there were greenish bruises forming on her as well.

“You’re all beat up,” he murmured, frowning. “Goddess below, why’d you run into those three?”

“Yeah, but hey,” she shifted to show the collection of jewels – his jewels – tied to the belt loop around her waist, safe and sound. “These are still safe!”

“I don’t care about those right now,” he huffed, rolling his eyes as he tore at the fabric of his shirt, the hemming and more tearing away. His toned stomach was revealed, sparkling remnants of magic highlighting his abs. He then tore his hemming into strips of cloth that he soon began to wrap around her wounds. “You’re hurt, stupid.”

His tone didn’t sound harsh as he continued to care for her injuries.

“Where were you?” she queried.

“Trying to find you after you ran towards danger – again. You really need to be more careful!” he scolded her as he shifted her hair to one side.

He went to his belt and pulled a flask made of gator-looking hide. Han poured the contents over a rag before wiping away her bloodied neck before wrapping it in a bandage carefully.

“You’re the one that refused to help someone in danger and ran away from me.”

“If they’re in danger of their own making, it’s their problem – not ours right now,” he countered, leaning back on his heels. His arms rested on his knees as he looked over her form. She looked beat up still. He brushed the dirt, mulch and leaves off her back. Picking leaves and pine-needles from her hair.

“That’s the same thing you said about me,” she said.

“And look where helping you got me,” he huffed.

His hair fell in his eyes and he blew air to push it out of the way as he tied a makeshift bandage on her arm.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” she admitted softly as he tied a bandage around her palm. “Friend.”

His fingers slipped against the fabric of the bandage as he spluttered a bit. It made her laugh, leaning forward to rest her forehead against his shoulder.

“I—I,” he bumbled out. “I’m glad you’re okay, too.”

“Y/N!”

A familiar voice cried out in the distance.

“Chris?” she popped up onto her feet, leaving Jisung on his knees.

“Chris?” he repeated after her, clambering to his feet beside her as he watched a hulking force of nature barrel through the woods towards them. Jisung’s eyes widened as he moved to stand in front of Y/N.

“Y/N, you’re okay!” The voice was joyful as Chris, shirtless still, appeared from the brush. The smile on her face was bright as she shifted from behind Jisung to meet Chris half-way. His smile was bright as he wrapped her up in a bear hug. Her feet left the dirt ground as he hugged her close.

A laugh tumbled from her as he squeezed her close, laughing in turn.

“You’re okay, too!” she exclaimed as she was placed back on her feet. Released from his hug, she could see his bared chest, the injuries from before had formed a shiny-matte-like appearance, healing into the beginning of scabs while they were parted.

“None of these are new, right?

He shook his head, his brown hair flopping about wildly before he hugged her again, burying his face in her shoulder.

“I’m so happy I found you – I can’t believe we got separated.”

“Its okay. I ran into some, uh, some trouble, so it’s probably good you weren’t there. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Jisung couldn’t help but let the shock cross over his face. Him, getting hurt. Compared to her? He didn’t get it. Y/N was clearly the more vulnerable, the one who needed to be protected here. Yet here she was babying this mountain of a man (despite their heights being comparable if Jisung ever wanted to point out.)

He cleared his throat after the hug continued for a moment too long in his opinion. The pair separated, one with a grin and the other with a cautious look beneath a furrowed brow.

“So, this is your new friend, Runner?” Jisung queried, flicking dirt from under his finger nails. He looked ‘Chris’ up and down. “Hello Chan.”

“Hello, Lord Han,” Chris murmured carefully, bowing his head.

“Lord Han!?” Y/N exclaimed, her mouth falling open in shock.

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