#no wonder jinwoo calls them his children

[nyashykyunnie]

you can have Jinwoo and i can keep the shadows as long as i don't get banned from trying to smooch em

i wanna give them all of my affection and spoil them

i love them sm

look at them !!

skrunkly lil qties and chaotic bbs.

OMG A TINY WOOWOO WAHHH MY BABY!!!

[sylusjinwoon]

{ 183 }

slow it down.

academy arc

jinwoo sung x fem.reader

{ ain't it funny how it changes? | how the future rearranges | i get nervous, oh, i'm anxious | maybe loving you is dangerous. }

you lived in a relatively safe neighborhood, spending most of your childhood years in the same area. your parents had a good relationship with the other families, yet you didn't find many teens close to your age.

any children that lived close by tended to be in their elementary or middle school years. at times, you were hired to babysit them for a couple of hours when needed, and other than that, you had little to no interaction with the neighborhood kids.

it wasn't until you began your second year of high school that a brand new family moved into the neighborhood.

they were settled in the house to the right of your own home, and their move was quite the event for your tight-knit cul-de-sac. as you watched the large moving truck and the men that carried the heavy furniture within their new home, you couldn't help but wonder if they had any kids.

as you observe the scene from the safety of your window, you suddenly saw a tall boy stepping out into the yard. the mere sight of him was enough to make you straighten in response. with your lips parted, you felt as though your breath was stolen from you at the mere sight of him.

he was dressed casually in a simple shirt and jeans. he had perfectly styled ebony locks of hair with strands that fell across his forehead, coupled along with stormy grey eyes. the perfect clarity of such eyes was what kept you mesmerized as you watched him, noticing the way his full lips were tilted up in a half smile.

as if sensing your gaze, the boy suddenly turns his head, seeing your curious gaze from behind your glass window. a sudden heat was felt creeping up your skin, pure embarrassment at being caught staring at him. like you were a deer caught in the headlights, you were frozen, unable to look away from him or step away from the window, being completely and utterly rooted to the spot.

but he doesn't show you an expression of disgust or disdain when meeting your gaze-

instead, he smiles at you sweetly, lifting up a hand to give you a wave before turning away from you, as if hearing someone calling out his name.

"oppa! mom says she needs your help!" a cute girl looking to be around 9 or 10 years old with light brown hair and matching eyes starts pulling on his hand, making him chuckle before he disappears back into the house, leaving your heart a pounding mess.

that was the first time you had ever seen sung jinwoo, the boy who had become your new neighbor. he appeared to be close to your age, and you briefly wondered if he would attend the same high school as you.

your suspicions were confirmed when you saw him just a week later, donning the male version of your school's uniform. he was walking several feet in front of you, yet you kept a safe distance away from him. despite how much you longed to talk to him, your lack of confidence prevented you from doing so.

when their move was complete, your parents went over to introduce themselves to the family with some gifted pastries in hand. it was through them that you realized that they were known as the sung family, with their oldest son, jinwoo, being the same age as you. you were shy even then, unable to bring yourself to meet the new neighbors as you made up an excuse about needing to complete some homework.

after all, you still felt so awkward at being caught staring at him so blatantly when he first moved here.

but now that jinwoo was heading to the same school as you, you knew you were running out of excuses to avoid him.

so, you kept trying to keep a fair distance between you and him. however, luck didn't seem to be on your side when jinwoo physically stops, glancing behind him to see you walking the exact same path as him.

even when he was further away from you, you could have sworn you saw his eyes glow momentarily when he takes casual strides back to you. his hands were kept hidden within the pockets of his jacket when he greets you, "morning neighbor."

"h-hey, good morning." you tried to hide how flustered you felt, brushing back your hair while simply looking ahead. jinwoo ends up walking beside you, silently bringing you closer against the safety of the sidewalk whilst he took the side that was close to the open road. his quiet kindness fills your heart with warmth, and your ears perk when he introduces himself.

"i'm sung jinwoo."

you tell him your own name, and he repeats it with the same lazy smile he had given you that first day you had seen him. "what homeroom are you in?"

"ah, i'm in class 2-b."

jinwoo clicks his tongue in response. "that's disappointing. i'm in 2-c."

you pursed your lips, unsure as to why he felt disappointed to begin with. you continue walking in silence beside jinwoo, arriving at your school as several girls begin giggling at the sight of him.

"oh, who's that?"

"i heard that's the new transfer student."

"he is so cute. i'm going to talk to him later."

your eyes go wide, hearing everyone's whispers, but jinwoo seemed unfazed. he simply ignores them all, placing a hand behind your back while walking you to your class. once class 2-b was in sight, he removes his hand from you and gives you another smile, "have a nice day, and wait for me. i'll walk home with you when classes end."

and when jinwoo leaves you all alone, heading to his own class, you felt your heart performing somersaults from within your chest.

he truly was the perfect, boy-next-door type.

soft,

achingly handsome,

kind-

it came as no surprise that he had you so captivated in such a short amount of time.

{ ... }

ever since jinwoo and his family moved into your neighborhood, both of your families developed a deep friendship. your parents would invite the sungs over for dinner, while they would do the same.

and each time, jinwoo would always be there, wishing to sit next to you as his little sister, jinah, would sit across from him, teasing him throughout the night like little sisters would do to their older brothers.

yet it felt like as you and jinwoo got to know each other better, he would start steadily begin displaying his interests and affections toward you.

when he came over for dinner, he would purposely sit across the table from you, and you swore you could feel his legs gently intertwining with yours while giving you a soft smile. such intimate touches were enough to make your head spin, and you admittedly struggled to keep a straight face while making casual conversation with everyone at dinner.

you walked to school together every morning, and when jinwoo had track practice, you would end up waiting for him, simply working on your homework while seated on the metal benches. once he completed practice, he would come to you, dressed in his track clothes with his duffel bag in hand, ready to walk home with you.

it was a routine you had gotten used to, yet you wondered what type of relationship you had with jinwoo.

at the moment, it seemed too easy to simply refer to jinwoo as your best friend. oh no, the way he treated you teetered on the edge of being far too intimate-

far more romantic, in a sense.

but he never put a label on how he felt about you, and you never asked.

as you were caught up in your reveries, you were simply reading by the light of your nightlight, not really taking in the paragraphs or what was going on within the plot of the novel. when you found yourself re-reading a certain phrase over and over again, you gave up reading and slammed your book shut.

that was when you heard it-

several tiny taps felt against your window.

with a frown, you place your book on your bed and go to your window, eyes going wide when you see jinwoo on the ground with a handful of pebbles in hand. opening your window, you called out to him in hushed tones, not wishing to awaken your parents.

"jinwoo! what are you doing here?"

he gives you a smile, "it's the weekend, come on and take a walk with me."

you look around your house and bite down at your bottom lip. "i can't... my parents will kill me if they see me gone."

"don't worry about it... it's late and they're in a deep sleep. come on, climb out your window, and i'll catch you."

you could feel your heart skipping its beats at the sight of jinwoo with his arms outstretched, ready to catch you as his eyes were once more glowing purple with mirth.

a part of you didn't want to face your parent's wrath for sneaking out so late at night-

yet the stronger, more irrational part of you wanted to be with jinwoo and spend some time with him.

letting out a sigh, you climb out your window with your eyes clenched shut, taking a plunge when you allowed your body to fall directly into jinwoo's arms.

he captures and holds you with ease, letting out a hum of your name before proceeding to carry you out of the parameters of your home. feeling his grip on you tighten makes your face heat up, and you weakly tell him how you could walk-

but jinwoo simply shakes his head, "i don't mind holding you like this, sarang."

your heartbeat became erratic at the sound of that term of endearment, making your mouth go dry when he continues to carry you to a nearby park illuminated with a few streetlights. he keeps walking with you in his arms, not stopping until he reaches a hilltop. with his destination achieved, he sets you down on the grass before sitting next to you.

feeling jinwoo's warmth radiating off of him, you tried to ignore staring at him as you honed in your gaze at the night sky, admiring its beauty as you could see the crescent moon illuminating the night sky as the stars twinkled in response.

"i thought i had plans of meeting someone i once loved and admired."

jinwoo's sudden words and confession makes your heart twist a bit painfully in response. you end up facing him with a questioning glance and a tilt of your head, "is that so?"

he doesn't meet your gaze, simply continuing to look up at the skies. "yeah, i know that she's a star athlete... with track being her strong suit. i joined our school's track team in hopes of meeting her in a competition someday..."

"oh..." you prayed that your voice didn't show just how disappointed and hurt you felt, yet all feelings of pain disappears into thin air with jinwoo's next words.

"but ever since my dad had a promotion, and we moved here, such a change brought me to you instead."

you felt his hand reaching out to you, gently taking a hold of your chin with his gloved hand as you were forced to meet his gaze. his eyes were still glowing a vibrant, violet hue, yet this time, you could see the affection and adoration in his gaze.

"and i found myself not caring about that other girl anymore... i found myself not caring about anyone that wasn't you."

jinwoo lets out a rich chuckle upon seeing your wide-eyed, yet hopeful expression, resting his forehead against yours. "you're so damn cute. i love how i'm able to live so close to you. i get to see you every morning, and walk home with you every evening. you mean everything to me... and i can't help but wonder if me being here with you was simply fate."

your heart was practically skipping beats now, feeling warm and soft all over when he leans in closer to press a kiss against your forehead. upon feeling such a gentle sensation did you finally find your voice as you spoke, "is this really happening... jinwoo... i... i've had the biggest crush on you. e-ever since i first laid eyes on you, i was so mesmerized by you."

you felt his smile against your skin, feeling him kiss your forehead one more time before meeting your gaze again, "i could say the same to you... ever since i saw your cute face watching me from your window, i was hooked."

"so let me put us both out of our miseries and do this..." jinwoo trails off before leaning in closer to you to perfectly slot his lips against yours in a sweet kiss, making you let out a dreamy sigh in response as you carefully kissed him back, basking in the softness and first blossoms of true love while in his embrace.

{ so slow it down, take a moment now | we're too young to drown deep in dirty waters | full of hopeless doubt, let me pull you out | let me hold you now, let me slow it down. }

a.n. - i had another fluffy and soft jinwoo brainrot.... i was thinking about boy-next-door jinwoo and felt my heart melt at the thought.... hhh i needed to get this fluffy story out of my system; please do enjoy (/ω＼) ♡ this is currently unedited bc im lazy and exhausted lmaoooo

all stories are written by rei; reposts, translations, and plagiarism are not allowed.

[thepenguinweeb]

hi! Uh I saw your requests are open, could I request something for Solo Leveling?

Jinwoo × gn! timid childhood friend, who's a healer. Like they always heal him after a raid and will scold him when he's being stupid and neglecting himself, even though they also neglect themselves secretly (think soft and sweet yet actually depressed as hell)

Then as Jinwoo gets stronger, reader begins to let themselves slowly drift away from Jinwoo since "he's better off without them (aka reader)". When Jinwoo finally finds them again, he realizes how truely delicate reader is, how soft and cozy and cute they are. EVEN WORSE if he finds out readers mental health was just as bad as his when he was E-Rank, even in a worst state from past experiences. (Think constantly buzzing like a bee and 4 seconds from a breakdown)

(Reader is essencially "soft,sleepy and delicate, despite witnessing and enduring horrors beyond anyone's comprehension.)

(Bonus if it makes Jinwoo go MUST PROTECT AT ALL COSTS)

((I hope this is okay. Thank you if you decide to do the request. If not, it's okay,,))

`` You shouldn't just heal others. Take care of yourself, too. ``

[ ♡ Jinwoo x gn!timid!healer!reader ]

[ ♡ You've known Jinwoo ever since you were both small children. You promised that no matter what, you'd always protect each other. But after an incident at one of the dungeons he was sent to, you think it's best if you don't stand in his way. ]

[ Requested by : @shiromay <3 ]

[ Notes : I know it's a crime but I haven't read the Solo Leveling novel yet ;-; I'm planning to real soon!! But if I get anything wrong uhh sorry :( ]

[ TRIGGER WARNING : multiple mentions of self-harm ]

"Catch it, Jinwoo!"

Your small voice called out to the boy as you threw a ball at him. It was always your favourite game to play with him, even if he wasn't great at it.

..As if to prove that point, the ball hit him right in the head and he stumbled to the ground easily.

You hurried over with a worried expression. You could see a few tears in his eyes, then you noticed the bleeding cuts on his knee.

"I.. I'm sorry, I didn't.. mean to.." you mumbled an apology, and to your surprise, he responded with a giggle.

"It's okay. I should have caught it."

He tried to get up, but you stopped him before he could. As he looked at you trough a confused expression, you pulled out a few bandaids from your pockets.

Soon, his knees were covered with pretty pink bandaids which definitely didn't suit him, but you both seemed to think it was amazing.

"Thanks, [Y/N], you're amazing," he complimented, which earned an awkward smile from you.

"When we grow up, I'll protect you from all the monsters," he went on, his eyes shining with wonder. "I'll be the strongest person you've ever seen!"

You giggled and nodded eagerly. "I'll protect you, too! I'll put bandaids on all your wounds and always make sure you're alright!"

You looked each other in the eyes, then said at once,

"I promise!"

You tapped your foot impatiently against the ground as you waited for Jinwoo and his party to finish their raid. You were gonna pick him up - despite him insisting you didn't need to - and, of course, heal him. It would be a miracle if you didn't need to.

With every passing moment, your anxiety became worse. What if Jinwoo didn't come back? What if he died during the raid? What if you could never see him again?

Finally, after what felt like hours, the party appeared with big smiles on every member's face. You scanned the crowd and a relieved sigh escaped your lips when you saw Jinwoo behind them.

Then you sighed again at how battered up he looked. Multiple scratches on his face, bleeding wounds on his leg, one of his arms, a few big bruises and a claw mark on his chest, where his shirt had been torn. Did they not have a proper healer?

"Jinwoo!" You called out. The man noticed you immediately and ran toward you with a smile.

"Hi, [Y/N]," He greeted you in an innocent tone, as if unaware of the frown deepening on your face with every second you spent staring at his wounds.

You shook your head and signaled for him to sit down so you could examine him more. After you finished with that, you hovered your hands over his wounds and used your healing.

"You should be more careful.." you mumbled softly. "This isn't good for you."

"I know, I'm sorry," Jinwoo said while scratching the back of his head. You simply sighed and continued to do your work until you were done, and he was fully healed.

The man stood up with a smile and gave you an appreciative nod. "Thank you, [Y/N]," he said. "You're amazing."

Your expression softened at his compliment. You looked down at the ground and muttered out a 'no problem'.

"I'll take you home.." you said, turning and beginning to walk away. Jinwoo soon followed you too.

Since Jinwoo was released from the hospital, you'd been seeing him a lot less. You visited him fairly frequently while he was recovering, but during those visits you noticed how much he'd changed. You could tell he was becoming stronger, and so, you decided it would be best if you didn't stand in the way of his plans.

You only went to raids which you knew he wouldn't be apart of. You rarely responded to his text messages or calls. But with this, your mental health had started worsening too.

It was a challenge to wake up and get out of bed every day. In all the raids you went to, you did your best to heal everyone, but you could care less about your own health. Who would care if I died, anyway?

You started wearing hoodies and more covering clothing to hide the self-inflicted wounds on you. You could have healed them, but you didn't think you were deserving of it.

The hunters who knew you most noticed this too.

"You okay, [Y/N]? You're usually not this gloomy."

But others just shook it off, since you were always the quiet type.

Today's raid, however, came with an unexpected surprise.

"Jinwoo?" Your eyes widened upon seeing the man in front of you. Not only for how much he'd changed, but just his mere presence.

He nodded, a small smile on his face. "I didn't expect to see you here. It's been a while. How have you been?"

You looked down at the ground, wondering what to say. You quickly decided to just.. lie.

"Fine," you muttered. "But really, what are you doing in a raid for an E-rank dungeon? I thought you moved on to better ones.."

He shrugged. "Just felt like it," he responded, but you could tell he wasn't telling the full truth. Nevertheless, you didn't want to question him about it.

"We're going in, come on, you two!"

The raid proved to be very successful. You could now see with your own eyes how much Jinwoo had improved, and you were amazed. He was so much stronger, and, most importantly, you didn't even need to heal him at all.

"That was nice," he said after you'd come out. "I missed doing raids with you."

You forced a smile on your face and nodded. "Y-Yeah.. it was nice to see you again."

Silence lingered between the two of you for a bit, before Jinwoo decided to break it.

"I'll walk you home," he told you. Despite it sounding like an offer, it was more of a statement. After a few moments of thinking, you reluctantly agreed.

The whole walk was pretty calm. You caught up with each other trough some small talk, but most of the time was spent in silence, the two of you observing the city.

Thankfully, it didn't take long to arrive at your house.

"Thanks for coming with me, Jinwoo," you thanked him with a soft smile. "I'll be out of your way now. See you-"

"Wait."

Before you could turn and get inside, he grabbed your wrist to stop you. His grip wasn't hard, but it was still painful to the fresh cuts on them.

Jinwoo could tell something was off when you hissed in pain at his touch.

"Are you alright, [Y/N]?" He asked, his voice softer than usual. "You've been acting weird this whole time. Is there something wrong?"

You looked down at the ground, desperately trying to come up with excuses. You felt him putting a comforting hand on your shoulder, and you froze up.

"You're not okay," he pointed out. "Please, you don't have to talk about it, but just tell me.. did you do that to yourself?"

He nodded at your wrists, which left you wondering how he knew. Maybe you weren't that good at hiding it, after all.

Too shaken to say anything, you just gave him a weak nod. You could see a frown form on his face.

"This isn't right. You shouldn't do this to yourself." He sighed. "You shouldn't just heal others. Take care of yourself, too. Please."

Tears formed in your eyes upon hearing his words. "I..." you tried to form a sentence through the choked sobs. "I'll try.. it's just so... hard..."

"I know," he said, pulling you in for a hug. "But I'll be there with you. Like we promised each other.."

A/N : oh my GOD did this turn out longer than I expected. Sorry lol I don't usually write so much but I wanted to do as much as I could! This is my first request, so yippee! And I have 2 more in my inbox left, so I appreciate yall sharing your wonderful ideas with me to satiate my hunger for inspiration :3

Dividers by @/rookthorneartistry, ty!!

[jiminniethemarshmallow]

Thank You For Your Service IV (M)

Thank you @7stars-aligned13 for the beautiful mood board!!  Pairing: Jimin x Reader Genre: smut, angst, fluff Warnings: mentions of trouble conceiving, lots of time skips, squirting, face fucking, dom!Jimin, slight role play, impreg kink, dirty talk, fingering, cream pie Word Count: 24,500

Part 1~ Part 2~ Part 3~ Part 4

You hiccup, already crying fat tears before you’ve even heard the news. You fear those words, feel the emptiness, and it hurts your soul. The straight faced doctor takes her time coming into your room, letting out a sigh once she sees your face. It’s from exasperation, but you would like to interpret it as sympathy. She stands at the foot of your bed, waiting until you calm your breathing enough to hear her.

“As I am sure you have guessed, you are not with child.” Those words break your heart for the sixth time and you break down into sobs, hiding your face in Jimin’s pillows.

Six months. It has been six long months since you were wed and you still are not pregnant. Even after all those late nights, early mornings when you’d send the servants away before your schedules began, the remedies and special foods, the slightly uncomfortable positions and pillow mountains, you still are not yet carrying your husband’s child. And it crushes you.

Yes, you know having children is not all you are good for, but it is one of your duties as a Queen. Having heirs is something that only you can do and the entire kingdom awaits expectantly for the news of an incoming prince or princess that they can idolize and adore, so you feel the pressure at all times of day— as well as guilt in regards to your barren womb. You should be fertile at this youthful time in your life. Both you and Jimin have passed every physical examination and remain in excellent health, which is why it is so perplexing to you that you are having trouble conceiving. Rosé, Queen of the kingdom just north of yours, is already pregnant and she was wed to her husband an entire month after you. Twins, you hear she’s having. You’d hate to fall behind her kingdom in any aspect, even in such a trivial competition as having children. She has nothing to do with your family, and yet, you still feel so inferior because you do not yet have one.

“To put it bluntly,” Your doctor begins, looking down at the paper she’s holding, scribbled with notes. “I believe the cause of your current condition— or lack thereof— is due to the poisoning you endured several months ago. It is possible that the potion affected your reproductive organs in some imperceptible way; your kidneys exhibited symptoms of its effects for nearly a month after your recovery, so we cannot completely rule out this possibility. But, Your Highness, the only way I would be able to test this hypothesis is through surgery to visually inspect your organs.”

You shudder at the thought of being cut open, shaking your head animatedly. Maybe you would consider this “inspection” after a year of effort and failure, but you would not take such drastic measures this early. No matter how much the constant failure hurt.

“If my infertility is due to the poison-“ You swallow thickly when your voice comes out as a mere whimper.

“Let us not be so hasty in calling it infertility, Your Majesty.” She interrupts, stare lightening just slightly. She’s learned the tiniest bit of respect since working under Jimin, his low tolerance for rudeness and spiny disposition during medical examinations slowly beginning to unnerve her cold discourse. Many a time has he reprimanded her for speaking to you informally or for her lack of sympathy, and you are finally starting to see a change, though she still interrupts you to interject.

“If my current inability to conceive is because of the poison,” You try again, “Are there any elixirs or pills I could take to lessen its effects? There must be something!”

“Because we do not know entirely if this is due to the poison, I am hesitant to give you treatment— sometimes getting pregnant is difficult for some people and there is nothing medically wrong with them. For now I can only give you advice on conception: try to lower your stress levels, eat more fruits and vegetables for vitamins, and do not over exert yourself. That is all for today, I will be back in a month for your regular check up unless I am needed sooner.” With that she turns and leaves, not waiting to be dismissed and leaving you alone in your room.

It is the middle of winter and the bone-chilling winds whip against your windows. The palace is heated by fire, but you refuse to light your fireplace, choosing to sit and suffer in the cold alone as you wallow in your gloom. Jimin has been busy all day with kingdom affairs, out and about performing duties that not even your father cared enough to get done. The people love him, love how involved he is and how much he cares, and they never hesitate to alert him to any problems they might have that Jimin could take care of. Of course he doesn’t mind, you knew he would never be able to stay inside these sheltered walls for long when he was so used to the excitement of training and battle, but you wished he would spare a little time to cater to your issues. His absence during your monthly checkups is not unusual. For the first three he held your hand and sat with you, on the fourth he left in the middle due to an urgent matter, and these last two he has been out of the castle altogether. Since your third appointment, when your hopes of being pregnant were at its highest, he seemed to have a very negative attitude toward your checkups. He told you he did not intentionally avoid these meetings, and you think that is partly true, but you know that he must hate the constant rejection and is deliberately making himself unavailable when he thinks you will be rejected again. He would much rather hear the bad news from you instead of your cold doctor.

When you asked your father to accompany you, he sort of grimaced and then politely declined. You understand, the thought of addressing the fact that your daughter has not only been deflowered, but is being repeatedly taken in the efforts of bearing fruit is sickening to you, too. Also, he is not very adept at comforting you when you break down like this, face buried in your husband’s pillows and shoulders shaking with sobs.

Telling by the ache in your skull and the completely soaked through cushion beneath your head, a long time has passed by the time you finally raise your face at the sound of Jimin shuffling into your bedroom. He shivers once the door is closed again, expecting warmth but being met with bitterness.

“It is freezing in here.” He rasps beneath his breath, ignoring you momentarily to light the fireplace, moving to shed the outer layers of his clothing once the fire is of decent size. The single glance he took at you upon entering is all he needed to know what has transpired, and he is in no rush to hear the devastating words. It’s only until he is in comfortable attire that he turns to face you, easing your head onto his chest with a curled bottom lip before he’s even settled properly on the mattress. “My love...”

Your tears flow freely onto his chest and he says nothing, sighing into your hair because by now this has become a common occurrence.

“She said it might be,” You snivel, “because of the poison.” He closes his eyes, having suspected the same thing but praying that it was not true. He wondered if the poison would have any long lasting effects on you, or on your future offspring, but dismissed the thought immediately. Although he knows nothing of what the doctor has said, he feels discouraged nonetheless. His past failure to protect you continues to circle around his head like a vulture, tormenting him to no end and making its appearance to pick at his wounds whenever he starts to move on from it. Six months feels like a long time, but it is apparent that his emotional scars need far longer to fully heal. And for that he owes to Jinwoo.

“I am s-sorry for being s-so weak.” You wipe your nose, face red and puffy from both tears and embarrassment. “Half a year ago you had not yet seen me shed tears, and now...” Almost as if the word itself had summoned them, fresh droplets fall from your eyes, looking pitifully up at the man who had stolen your heart. Only, he must have given it back to you at some point because you feel too much these days and you are tired of hurting like this. God, you probably look so ugly right now, you can feel how swollen and red your eyes and cheeks are, your self confidence plummeting to an all-time low.

“You are beautiful and strong, (Y/n), do not ever think less of yourself. You have good reason to feel the way you do, please do not think that you have to be stoic in front of me.” Like always, Jimin says exactly the right thing to ease your mind, using his hand to wipe your wet face and burrowing into the sheets with you attached to his side, his heat warming the icy sheets that drowned you when you had been alone.

You retired to bed early last night, which is why you can afford to wake up with the sun this morning. Jimin sleeps soundly behind you, but his presence is felt stiffly on your ass between the thin layers of clothing. Snow twinkles on your windowsill, probably the last snow of the season, but you find the sun beaming as brightly as ever to illuminate the room. With the weather beginning to warm in preparation for spring, you’ve grown accustomed to the gentle sound of melting snow dripping outside your window. Mornings like these are scarce and you plan to make the most of it.

You attempt to turn and face your beloved, but his arms tighten around your waist, locking you in your position. A sleepy groan tickles your ear, the vibrations of his voice sending a shiver through you.

“You’re up early.” Jimin mumbles, pressing a kiss to your shoulder. His voice is always so deep and raspy in the mornings, his dialect coming forth with a yawn. You could listen to him speak like that forever, but all you can think about at the moment is how good his moans would sound with the added rumble of bass that comes from sleep.

“So are you.” You snort with a sly wiggle of your hips. The twitch of his length against you sends a flash of exhilaration through your system— time has been short lately and it has been far too long since you’ve last felt him. Apparently he feels the same way, his hand effortlessly gliding up your rib cage to palm at your clothed breast with a deep sigh. You can tell his eyes are still closed due to the laziness of his movements, but it doesn’t matter when his tender touches set your body on fire like this.

His lips find their way to your neck as he shifts closer, kissing and sucking gently enough not to leave marks but to get your heart racing with need. “Take this off.” You follow his instructions and promptly shed the nightgown from your body, leaving you nude against him as he presses himself to you once again, this time slipping a hand between your legs. Your nipples harden from the brief chill of the room before you adjust the covers over your shoulder again, and Jimin takes advantage of this with two fingers, twisting the bud between them to send a spike of pleasure down your spine.

You muffle a groan once his fingers begin to tease at your lower lips, spreading them and toying with the outer skin just to build your anticipation. He wants you to drip before he’s even touched you properly, to whimper into the sheets until you can’t take it anymore and call out his name in frustration. Your clit gets pinched between his fingers when he squeezes them closed, trapping the bud as he continues to rub you up and down, and you find yourself panting in a matter of seconds. Soon, his fingers start to get coated in the essence that seeps from you. It’s so sexy that he can barely stand it. Jimin loves to feel your warm juices trickling out of you, working you up almost feels better than tending to himself, and his breathing hitches too when you begin to wiggle in his grasp.

“Look at my gorgeous Queen, getting soaking wet from just a few light touches. So cock hungry this early in the morning.” His words make you quiver and whine, the teasing quality of his voice right up against the shell of your ear driving you absolutely insane. “I’ll give you what you want if you tell me~” You hadn’t expected him to be so playful after just waking up, but it’s a pleasant surprise.

“I want you to make me cum,” You breathe out between pants. “Then I want you to pump me full of your seed. Please, My King.” Your words have their own special effect on him, evident by the lustful groan he releases into your hair and how his hips subtly shift behind you. Immediately, his fingers move to your clit to lightly graze over the hood until you buck into him, only then does he add pressure. Your back arches into his palm as he continues to play with your nipple, having turned his attention to the other in order to provide the same treatment, pulling and tweaking at it, working the nerves until they’re raw and sensitive enough to have you gasping with every flick.

Jimin doesn’t need to be able to see you in your entirety to know how you look right now. You’re completely helpless to his touch, he can feel you writhing against him and heating up the space between the sheets as your temperature rises. He can feel your heart beating hard against your chest— and he wonders if you can feel his from his position pressed against your back. It has been a while since he’s allowed himself to indulge in these fantasies. He’s pleased to know that he still has every inch of you committed to memory and is able to so easily have you at his fingertips, quite literally. These past months, your focus has been solely on procreating in the bedroom and rarely for the fun of it, so this is refreshing. But he still asks anyway.

“You want me to spill my seed into you, hm? Are you fertile right now?” His words slip past your ears as you lose yourself to the circles he draws into your bud, but somehow you manage to catch them at the last second.

“It does not matter, I want you anyway.” The answer is no, you aren’t at your most fertile at the moment, but this isn’t about that. Regardless of if anything will come of it or not, you want to feel Jimin paint your walls white with his love, something you think you’ve become addicted to. You bask in the feeling of having him throb and twitch and lose control while at the mercy of your tight walls, even when he’s pounding your weak frame into whatever surface he’s decided to take you on, and the thought has you galloping toward your peak faster than expected.

His leg slips between yours to prop them open, two of his fingers dancing their way into your clenching entrance, the intrusion pulling a loud moan from your lips. They glide and twirl within you much to your delight, but before you can enjoy it fully, they pop out and slither back up to your clit with a thick coating of your own slick. It doesn’t bother you, you could cum like this easily, but what really makes you gape is the feeling of Jimin’s hard member grinding against your ass. You can feel that his briefs are now damp with a mixture of precum and your wetness as you continue to drip down your thighs and make a mess of yourself, and you can’t help but rock your hips into his motion. You grind into each other with sensual synchronization and soon he’s panting along with you, the swollen head of his cock peeking out from his briefs to wet your cheek, teasing you endlessly.

“Jimin,” You whine, praying that he’ll let you cum quickly this morning despite his teasing mood. Every buck into his fingers shoots jolts of pleasure through you and every press against his hot cock has you throbbing at your emptiness. It’s a never-ending loop that has both of you moaning in no time, and it isn’t long before the coil in your stomach tightens to its peak. “Fuck, I’m cumming.” You whisper quietly, your breath being stolen away by the feeling of your orgasm. Your husband groans behind you, forcing his own hips to jerk to a stop as you roll against him to ride out the waves. He can feel you pulsing against his fingers and suddenly craves to feel you around his member, removing his hand from between your legs to push away his bottoms.

“Are you ready for me, darling?” He whispers with soft kisses to your shoulder as you begin to relax again. His tip glides effortlessly against your drenched lips and the fire inside you reignites instantly.

“I am always ready for you, my love.” Turning your head, you find his lips and savor the passionate kiss you share, a warmth blooming in your chest that saves you from the cold of the bedroom. Ever so slowly he pushes inside you, bringing a hand up to hold your face to his as his tongue slips between your lips. Vibrations mingle throughout your bodies as you both moan, the insertion tight as he stretches you open in the early morning light, his morning wood always so sensitive especially with your recent bout of abstinence. On the first thrust his fingers intertwine with yours, and this is the most intimate moment you’ve had with him in a long while. It feels like ages have passed since you’ve indulged each other in slow sex and you are starting to realize just how much you’ve craved it. “I missed you.” You mumble against his lips, barely wanting to pull away to look at him.

“I’ve missed you, too.” Jimin smiles, his eyes still closed but hand still caressing your face. He uses it to skim down your figure, hooking under your leg to lift it over his own and allow him deeper into your cavern, angling himself until you squeeze his hand with a shaky moan.

He honestly thinks he could stay like this forever: wrapped up in your warmth, surrounded by blankets, giving you all the love and pleasure he can provide. Things have been so hectic these last few months, an odd tension growing between you two that he can always feel but can’t quite put his finger on, but in these calm moments before the chaos of the day, he feels completely safe and at ease. Being King is no easy task, this he expected, but this is the only time he gets to shed the expectations, the pretenses, the pressure and just be your lover. Just like at the beginning of your relationship— and how things were 8 months ago, when the Crown was first placed in his hands.

You feel almost like a rag doll in his arms as he snaps his hips into you, allowing him to take you and guide you to bliss. Your hips rock back into him subtly, inner muscles squeezing around his shaft and gripping onto him, begging him to stay buried inside to occupy your lonely walls and empty womb. Pressure builds in your lower abdomen again, accompanied by a flush that takes over your body and warms you uncomfortably under the sheets. Jimin tosses the coverings aside when it gets too much, sweat slicking where your bodies connect. Your nails dig into the flesh of his ass when you reach a hand back to rest on the muscle, groaning at how you can feel every movement whenever his hips surge forward, his strength jolting you with his slow, powerful strokes. His length curves perfectly inside you, touching all your favorite spots and it becomes increasingly apparent that you won’t last long like this. He encourages you with gentle sweet nothings tickled against your ear.

“My lovely wife, always so good to me.” Jimin nuzzles his face in your hair, pulling you impossibly closer as his hand returns to your breast. “Always so soft and wet around my cock, darling. Are you getting close again, my love?” You whimper loudly and nod, not trusting your voice entirely when you’re feeling so breathless. “You sound so sweet moaning for me like that. Shall we let the entire castle know what a splendid morning we’re having together? Let them hear how well your King takes care of you.”

“Jimin~” You croon as he picks up pace, hips slapping against your backside and filling the air alongside your heavy breathing. Removing his bottom hand from yours, he props himself up on his elbow to look down over you, opening his legs wider to gain as much leverage as possible to fuck into you. The speed and power he achieves like this has you crying out into the open air, uncaring of who hears how wrecked you sound. You’re certain that the guards keeping watch at your door are uncomfortable by the display of lust, but who are they to judge when Jimin touches just the right places within you to have your body coming apart at the seams?

“Cum for me, my love,” Your husband’s voice feels distant as your thoughts float away. You are not aware enough to marvel at the sheer strength and endurance of his hips, his pace not faltering even once. Crumpling the sheets beneath you, you turn your face into the pillow as your body starts to quiver, a warm hand gripping onto your hip to keep you in place against the onslaught of pleasure. “There you go, milk me of my seed.”

Just the simple thought he plants in your mind’s eye is enough to send you into heaven, your walls clamping down around him with a scream of bliss, just as he requested. Feeling him so deeply makes your eyes roll, every stroke kissing the entrance of your womb and you pray he gives you every last drop he has. With only a few more pushes of his hips, you feel his body tense behind you and shiver, an overwhelmingly sexy groan breathed right into your ear.

It takes several moments of gentle thrusting before he’s satisfied, your body sufficiently full of his sperm and skin tingling with the aftermath of a beautiful orgasm you happily shared. Jimin kisses his way down from the side of your cheeks and neck to your shoulder and arm, ignoring the thin layer of perspiration that dries quickly in the brisk morning air. Though soft, he remains inside of you as he settles himself back against the mattress and holds your body to his, lifting the sheets to cover you before the chill returns. You feel safe. Completely and utterly safe and comfortable in your lover’s arms as you drift back to sleep.

But the peace is short lived because just as you begin to dream again, you feel Jimin pull out of you and shift away, attempting to be as stealthy as possible as he slips from bed. He winces when you turn to your other side to face him, sleepy eyes watching as he pulls on his underwear again. You are unable to return the sweet smile he offers you, already missing the way his skin felt against yours.

“Will you not stay to cuddle me?” You ask quietly, unable to understand why he must leave so soon. The smile on his face turns sad, eyes flickering to the door as several consecutive knocks sing on the wood.

“I have many duties to fulfill today, my love.”

‘And no time for me...’ You think with a poorly concealed frown, burrowing deeper into the bedspread when he opens the door for your servants, who get to work on preparing him for the day immediately. Deep down you know you likely will not interact with him until nightfall as he scrambles around the castle and kingdom serving his duties, but you try not to feel the distasteful irritation in your chest and send him off with a kiss when he makes his exit. Sometimes, though, you cannot help but think he was more eager to be with you when he was merely a soldier.

Jimin sits at a round table meeting with his advisors to discuss the affairs of the kingdom, in which there is not much to report. This is a mandatory meeting they must have weekly and they rarely last long. Most of the time, the conversations divulge into unrelated, off topic subjects just to pass the time, and Jimin has no problem with this on most days. He has a good relationship with his advisors and there is almost never any need for him to use his status as King during their discussions. Today, however, his fuse is a little short. It may be because of the all too frequent restless nights he has been experiencing, or from the lack of quality time he has spent with you, but he is far more irritable than usual. All he can think about is how disappointed you looked when he left and how much he’d rather be cuddled up back in bed with you instead of sitting in front of this counsel.  

“Do not worry, the Queen has already taken care of it.” Someone says, he does not know who said it because he is barely paying attention.

“Pardon my coarseness, Your Highness, but it is my understanding that Her Majesty has not yet conceived.” The man presents this in a questioning manner, but Jimin can hear the underlying condescension.

“You are correct.” He replies in a low voice.

“It has been 9 months since your matrimony. She should bear your heirs with haste.” The room swells with voices as his advisors begin to talk about you, each taking their turn to put in their opinions and criticism. He can hardly believe what he is hearing. They speak as though it is your fault that you are not pregnant, as if you are being defiant by not bearing him children, like it is a choice that you have made consciously. Anger bubbles in his chest, blood boiling as they continue ranting about you right in front of him as though they were not saying terrible things about his wife. He stands abruptly upon hearing someone tell a story about how his wife refused to birth him any more children because he “was acting like one” himself. Jimin interrupts just as the man is about to make a comment about stubborn wives, his voice billowing from his throat like heavy plumes of smoke that quickly engulf the room.

“How dare you speak of my wife— your Queen— in such a disrespectful manner! Do you accuse her of treachery against me? Against this nation? You have the gall to insult her efforts on something she cannot control, to doubt her intentions and loyalty to this kingdom and her own family? I should have you all removed from this castle permanently for suggesting such a thing, what do you have to say about that?!” He looks around the silent room at each of their faces, all of them looking utterly shocked by his outburst. Jimin has never needed to assert his authority over them like this, but they have gone too far today. Though he is the youngest in the room, he is easily the most intimidating when angry, regardless of if he were the King or not. Drawing in a deep breath, he tries to calm himself, running a hand through his hair as he takes his seat once more. “It is my fault anyway, not hers. It is my duty as well.”

It is quiet for a long while, the men around the table hesitate to speak again until one man builds up the courage to break the stillness.

“Do not despair, Your Highness, you are both still young, there is plenty of time to have children.” He reassures, followed by similar comforting phrases from the others. Jimin does not respond as he stares out of the window, a solemn look overtaking his face in place of the relaxed and neutral expression he normally wears. He wonders if you face this criticism regularly wherever you go, if people who are supposed to be your supporters are slowly losing hope in you. You already beat yourself up about not being pregnant, he fears what would happen if those thoughts were validated by others. Something must be done about this immediately.

It is silent for another long pause. “You are all dismissed.” He says with a flick of his hand.

*** *** ***

Your servants follow you around quite stubbornly, attempting (and failing) to be as unnoticeable as possible, but their presence is the only thing you can focus on. If you sigh too heavily they all come scurrying over, asking what was the matter, offering to take care of whatever task you had set out to complete. Yes, it was your mother’s dying wish for you to accept your loyal attendants, and it was your father’s order for them to look after you, but you cannot help but feel that this treatment is a bit excessive. It is almost laughable when you reflect on it: how just a year prior you were known largely for your independence, and now you could hardly find a moment to yourself. The only times you can get away with having minimal supervision is when you go out into town, where you may request only one or two guards or servants to accompany you.

Since becoming the official Queen of this nation, you have taken it upon yourself to care for the nuances of your society, to help individuals and keep a close relationship with the people. Jimin was focused on many of the larger issues that affected groups of citizens, like rebuilding one of the marketplaces that suffered damages in a fire last week, as well as handling international business with neighboring kingdoms. Naturally, everyone took a great liking to him and his policies and the people offered him immense support, but your job as Queen was to support the people. So, every week you go into town and buy a book from a novice writer, read it, then publish an unofficial review for the stories you enjoy. Not only does this boost the writer’s credibility, popularity, and sales, it also allows you to communicate with your people. Your presence in town never goes unnoticed, and often times people give you great recommendations on stories you should interest yourself with. It is the highlight of your week since all you can do is read in the quiet moments within the castle.

It is now early spring, trees budding with sweet smelling blossoms and the beginnings of greenery, displaying their proud potency in brilliant hues that bleach you into the gray of a dead willow. Still, your spirits are beginning to lift the farther you distance yourself from the castle. Walking through town, you breathe in all of the scents around you. Street vendors sell an array of foods that you do not see within the castle often and your mouth waters as you step up to one, picking out a pastry covered in sugar, something that you can easily pull apart with your fingers without the need of utensils. Before you can lift it to your mouth, the guard beside you stops you, plucking a small piece for himself to taste for poison. As a royal, you always thought this job was unnecessary and ridiculous before, but after the catastrophe at your wedding, you now understand it’s significance. That does not stop you from pouting, however, as you are forced to wait at least 5 minutes before the stiff guard allows you to dig into your snack.

You continue through the market, admiring crafts from artisans with masterful handiwork and struggle to keep your hand out of your purse whenever something catches your eye. This market is not the closest to the palace, in fact, it is quite far from it, but you have found that the most valuable work comes from the honest workers that live in smaller homes and lead honest lives, not from the traders and merchants who buy their goods from others and claim them as their own in the wealthy districts. The people who live on the outskirts work harder, and they are the ones you need to support the most.

“This would look beautiful hanging from the palace walls, don’t you think?” You turn toward Lilian as she browses the collection of jewelry that sits beside the tapestry you are holding, her eyes inspecting it briefly.

“I think it would look lovely in one of the sitting rooms.” She grins. Lilian always accompanies you on these types of trips. You value her opinion and reason and sympathize with her lack of outside interaction. Both of you are in the palace at almost all times and you are sure you both would go crazy if not for these couple hours outside those claustrophobic walls.

“I think so, too!” You agree, turning to the guard who continues to survey the area. “What do you think, Kyungsoo?”

He looks at it for a while, then at the others around it, finally bringing his eyes back to yours. “Whatever you desire, Your Majesty. My opinion is insignificant.” His answer causes your face to fall, rolling your eyes at him because he always says that. This is another reason why you bring Lilian along.

Sauntering into your favorite bookstore, you cheerfully greet the clerk and begin browsing for newly released books. Not long after, two women approach you, one of which you recognize to be the bookkeeper’s daughter and a new friend of yours. She always comes to talk to you about the store’s newest additions, and it gives others around her the confidence to speak to you as well. Today she is with a slightly older woman who she introduces as a rising author.

“I believe I have read one of your books before; remind me, which ones have you written?” You prompt, making the woman blush and brighten.

“Snowflower is my most popular work. It is all thanks to your review that I was finally able to get noticed in the writing community!” She beams, sparking conversation with you and Lilian about the book that the two of you enjoyed so much. It must be more than 15 minutes later that you finally decide on what to purchase, you have been listening closely to all that the ladies have to say about each author and the summaries of each story. There were multiple that piqued your interest and you could not decide so you ended up with 3 books in hand as your friend walked you to the register. One of them happens to be a story following the trials and struggles of a mother who becomes pregnant during a war. Of course you hadn’t picked this book for its theme of motherhood. It promised to be a good read— though you had overlooked it many times before today— and you certainly did not choose it because it was the closest thing to a lesson on pregnancy you could get without purchasing the entire series of “Preparing for Parenthood”, perched on a shelf that you found yourself eying the majority of your stay in the store.

Your friend talks mindlessly as she rings you up for your books, inspecting your odd selection. “So tell me, Your Majesty, are you with ch- ow!” The woman beside her pinches her arm just out of your sight, offering up a tight lipped smile when she turns to pout at her. A short flash of realization crosses her face before she returns her attention to you.

“Am I with whom?” You ask, confused.

“Are you with t-the children! Have you- have you come to see the preschoolers perform today?” She covers quickly with a nervous smile. Lilian glares at her when you are facing the other way.

“Oh! I recall hearing that they will be performing a play today, I nearly forgot!” The people around you sigh in relief at your obliviousness, resuming conversation as though nothing had happened. They give you instructions to the school and you rush there, Lilian carrying your books and Kyungsoo leading the way.

When you arrive, there are only parents and family members filling the auditorium, signifying that the play has not yet started. They chat amongst themselves in a rumble of murmurs, but the noise quiets quickly once you are noticed by a teacher that stands near the stage area.

“Her Majesty!” She gasps. “Welcome, welcome!” She practically runs to you, approaching clumsily while Kyungsoo moves to shield you with his body, stopping the woman before she can get too close. You gently move him aside to allow the woman to see and speak directly to you. “I had no idea that the Queen would be visiting today! To what do I owe you the pleasure?”

“I have come to see the children perform. It is imperative of me as Queen to support our kingdom’s youth.” You smile, noticing a weird look that crosses her face for a moment before smoothing out. Lilian has a tight smile spread across her lips just out of your peripheral.

“Of course! Well, you are just in time, the show is about to begin.” She tries to clear the front row of parents for you, but you insist that the parents of the children should get the best seats, settling for the chairs she pulls up for you at the sides of the small theater.

The moment the toddlers waddle onto stage in their costumes, your heart liquifies. They are the cutest things you have ever seen. Some of them look confused, some are pouting, but most of them are excitedly waving at their parents in the crowd, nearly tripping over each other from not looking at what’s happening in front of them. Even more heartwarming is the reactions of the parents, each and every one of them sitting up straighter and beaming with joy at the sight of their offspring, even the parents who had previously looked bored. Your attention is split between what is happening onstage and in the crowd throughout the entire play, watching the silent interactions between child and parent. You could always tell which tot belonged to which parent because of their reactions. Every child had their own lines, and whenever one stepped up to speak, the parents would lean in closer to the stage or straighten up to send a thumbs up to the wide eyes that stare back at them.

At some point, you had begun to imagine what it would be like if your own child were up there. You scan the faces of the toddlers, determining that a shy little girl bears the closest resemblance to your future baby, and you watch her the entire rest of the play. Her finger reaches into her nose several times during the performance, something your toddler would be forced to learn not to do, and she appears to be quite hesitant to say her lines. You and Jimin would act just as her parents are now, waving at her and mouthing words of encouragement when it seems like she will not speak at all, smiling proudly after she executes her parts flawlessly. Jimin would probably hold your hand as you watch her and you would be able to feel the sweat on his palms from how much he would worry for her, whispering to you how he hopes she will not cry because of how shy and quiet she tends to be. And you would whisper back that your baby is talented and will do great because she is very mature for her age, being a Princess and all.

Your eyes do not leave the girl for a minute and you are so caught up in your fantasy that you almost miss when everyone stands to clap at the end of the show. You rise slowly and offer your applause, cheeks hurting from smiling too much, but you cannot ignore the bittersweet feeling in your chest that comes when all of the children disperse and run into the arms of their waiting parents. And you are forced to remember your situation. The teacher begs you to make closing remarks and you take your place on the empty stage to address your people. Unable to focus properly, you barely know what you are saying; you thank the students and teachers for a great show, repeat a total of 4 times how adorable the children were, speak at length about how much you enjoyed everything, and once you notice that you’re rambling, you conclude quickly and move from the spotlight awkwardly. The families don’t seem to notice as they return their attention to gushing over their babies.

Just as you are about to make your exit, someone runs up to you and stops at your feet, her hair barely reaching the bottoms of your knees as she looks up at you. It is the girl you had been watching, and her arms reach up to be held once you make eye contact with her. At the approval of her parents, you lift her light body and rest her on your hip, the position comfortable and natural despite you having held a child only a few times in your life. You congratulate her and she smiles at you, turning to look at her parents as you try not to marvel at how perfectly innocent and sweet her face is.

“Your Majesty,” Her mother greets with a bow. “I was very surprised to see you here today. I had heard that you often come to these parts of town, but I would have never expected you to grace us with your presence on an occasion like this.” She is very polite, noting how the little girl has taken a liking to you already.

“I believe it is important to keep in touch with my people, and what better way is there to connect with you all than to attend a performance of my kingdom’s children?” You grin.

“I heard rumors that lately you had been feeling quite under the weather.” At this you quirk an eyebrow. She continues. “Many had assumed you were pregnant, so word spread that the King would not allow you out of the palace and that is why you had been absent for the past few weeks.” As if Jimin could tell you what to do. Yes, it is true that you had not gone outside of the palace in about 3 weeks, but that was of your own accord.

Jimin’s mother had taken a short vacation to your home upon your request after you detailed to her your troubles with conceiving in a lengthy letter, and she spent those three weeks improving your physical health with things like yoga and kegal exercises, as well as offering you very blunt and personal advice that you were almost too embarrassed to put into practice. Jimin warned you of how she was unafraid to talk about intimate topics, recalling a specific conversation she had with him in his teenage years, but you were still unprepared for the sheer amount of information she gave you during that time. You simply did not have time to go on your weekly shopping trips.

“That is... not the case.” You reply, adjusting the girl on your hip.

“Oh, then you are not pregnant?” The woman seems surprised and Lilian seems almost outraged, cutting in when you open and close your mouth with no other response.

“We have not been to this part of your town yet, are there any places you suggest we visit?” Lilian’s voice sounds through her teeth, swiftly changing the subject. You didn’t think you would have trouble talking about this, but here you stand, blinking away tears at her question. The girl’s mother seems to realize her mistake when she takes in your watery eyes that you try to hide with a fake smile. You let Lilian continue her conversation as you wander away a few steps, pretending to inspect your surroundings as you gather yourself, until a nearby newspaper catches your eye. On the cover are the words “KING’S NEW ORDERS! PROTECT THE QUEEN” and your heart jumps at the suddenness. You bend carefully to turn the page and read the article, a mix of emotions rushing through your body that almost makes you lose grip on the child in your arms when you understand their significance. You quickly return her to her parents, excusing yourself from them on the pretense that you had to be back at the palace for important business, and you instruct Kyungsoo to guide you back to the carriage to head home.

Upon entering your bedroom, Jimin finds a note on the bed in your writing, reading it with curiosity. It leads him to a familiar place and he hurries there with mild concern, mind rushing with thoughts of what your note could have meant.

Curled up in your favorite chair, he finds you reclining with a new book in hand as you look through the window of your Secret Library. Your servants know nothing of this place, you and Jimin have made certain that it’s location remains hidden, so this is the only place you can truly be alone. To his knowledge, you only come here when something is troubling you or when you need to think, and his mind jumps to all of the worst case scenarios of what could have happened.

“My love, you wished to speak with me?” He asks, approaching urgently as according to your urgent letter. But you remain relaxed and unresponsive as you continue to flip through the pages of your novel. He looks down to inspect your choice reading, taking note that it speaks of a woman who, in this current scene, is just learning that she is pregnant. You take your time reading it, only turning to him after the chapter is finished. When you turn to him your eyes are blank and unreadable.

“Why have you placed a censorship on our people, My King?” You ask suddenly, and it takes him aback.

“A c-censorship?” He stutters out.

“Yes, you recently placed a censorship on the people of this kingdom, have you not?” You look him in the eyes and find that he can barely hold eye contact, his entire body tense. It is difficult for him to respond, especially since you were not supposed to know about this, at least not this soon.

“It is not a censorship.” He evades.

“Really? So you have not ordered our people to be silent about anything pertaining to pregnancy and children around me?” He fidgets under your piercing tongue, unsure of how to respond. “That sounds quite close to censorship to me.”

“It is only to protect you, My Queen,” He relents, stepping closer to you as you snap your book closed. “People can be very insensitive and I did not want you to be hurt by their words.”

“Hurt by their words? What words would they have said to me? I am not a child, Jimin, you need not protect me from words!” Your volume rises along with the redness of your face. “Are the people criticizing me in some way? What have they said? What have you heard to make you so wary of words?”

“Their words hurt me, (Y/n).” He says quietly as he lowers himself to his knees and takes hold of your hands when he sees the worry in your eyes. “What I heard hurt me, and I could not bear the thought that you may hear such things too. I did not do this because I think you are not strong enough to endure it, I did it because you do not deserve to hear such negativity.”

“Even so, how dare you make such a rash decision without consulting me.” You remove your hands from his and he does not reach for them again. “You saw me directly after your council meeting last week and mentioned not a word of this to me. If you had asked, I would have told you that none of this is necessary, that I can handle whatever my people have to say about me because I am the Queen!” Your voice cracks annoyingly as you fight back hot tears. “I should be able to answer them when they ask me questions. And maybe I should hear what they say about me. Because they are correct, I am not pregnant and I do not know if I can ever become pregnant and maybe they should be worried. My sensitivity should not warrant their silence.”

“You are not sensitive, my love, you have every right to feel the way that you do.” You ignore him.

“But what troubles me the most is how you so easily excluded me. You acted without my consent and planned to keep this from me indefinitely— you even made sure Lilian was the first to know so that she could keep watch over me today! What happened to our communication, Jimin? We should be able to talk to each other about anything and everything, but instead you felt the need to keep something so important a secret from me. You could have simply talked to me and told me how you feel. It feels as though we have not spoken in days, it is almost like you aren’t trying anymore. It feels like you have given up.”

The fire in your tone dies down until all that is left is pain, and Jimin realizes that it is he who has hurt you the most.

Lilian told him about where you went today and how you acted. She told him of the lost and pained look in your eyes as you watched the children, even though you were smiling. Most importantly, she relayed your exact reaction when that woman asked if you were pregnant. It was just as he had feared. Putting these pieces of information together with the book you had been reading, Jimin knows that this argument is about more than what you’d like him to believe.

“This is no longer about the censorship, is it?” He asks cautiously, guilt leaking onto his features. You appear shocked at first, not having realized your own subliminal shift from the topic, but then your face twists with emotion and you bite your lip and turn your head from him in an effort to hold yourself together. You are tired of crying in front of him.

“You-“ Sniffling, you try to control the shakiness of your voice. “You do not talk to me anymore. I never know how you are feeling these days because you have been avoiding me.”

“I do not try to avoid you, my love.” He frowns, moving his hand to rest on your knee.

“It feels like you are. You do not come to my health examinations anymore, you can never seem to make time for them.” He opens his mouth to speak, but you don’t let him. “I am always forced to go through them alone and I sit there the entire time wishing that you were there to hold me or reassure me, but I’m always alone. And it may be easier for you to hear the bad news from my mouth, but it hurts me more every time I am forced to tell you that I have failed once again. And we haven’t tried in a long while, I am beginning to fear that you no longer want to touch me.” Your eyes convey a deeper pain than your words can communicate, and the earnestness in them when you look at him breaks his heart. He didn’t mean to make you feel this way, it‘s the last thing he would want.

“I still very much want you, My Queen, I always will. I have been hesitant to initiate anything with you as of late because you seemed so disheartened and dejected and I did not want to further upset you with inappropriate timing. I have also been struggling to keep my optimism, forgive me for my misjudgment.”

“That is another problem,” You sigh, knitting your eyebrows. “I have no idea what you are thinking or feeling. You always comfort me and tell me that I can be open with my emotions with you, yet you do not listen to your own advice and tend to lock up around me. It will not lessen my sadness, but to know that you are just as affected by this as I am and that I am not overreacting would give me the tiniest bit of comfort. But when you force yourself to appear unaffected, it feels as though I am the only one who cares.”

“But I am the King,” Jimin starts, conflicted. “I cannot afford to show weakness or lament in our misfortunes. I must be strong for the people.”

“Strength is not the only trait of value!” You hiss, irritated that he has this perception that is so inaccurate. “Emotion does not always entail vulnerability and the people will see that. They adore how much you care about them, how you grieve with them when you learn of their losses, so why would it be inappropriate for you to care about me? Do not forget that you are also my husband. That is what you signed up for on our wedding day; you married me and the kingdom followed. Why is it that I am never your priority?!”

Sadness transforming into boiling rage, you stand and push past him toward the exit. This is your first real argument with him and it seems that everything that has been bothering you for the past few months is now exploding out of your mouth. You did not mean for your words to be so harsh, yet you could not control them and figured that you should let everything out while you had the chance. Much of your frustration is about your own incompetence, but you redirect it toward him because you cannot handle anymore mental self-abuse. A tiny part of you wants him to yell back at you and affirm everything you already thought about the direction of your relationship just so you could be right about something for once. Most of you, however, wants him to run after you, take you into his arms, look you in the eye and dispel all of your worries by pouring out his heart to you.

And that is exactly what he does.

“My love, do not run away.” He says gently, grabbing your hand before you can even make it 3 steps past him. He moves to the front of you, taking your face in his palms so he can stare into your eyes, hoping they can fill in the blanks between his words. “You are always my priority and you always will be. I-“ He sighs, looking away for a second before returning to you. “I do not always make the best choices, and for that I apologize. Being your husband and a King is far different than being a military general, and it is taking longer to adjust than I anticipated. I love you so much, to the point where I am afraid of making mistakes and losing your heart somehow, so I try too hard to be perfect. I take care of your kingdom because it was yours before it was mine and I know how dearly you hold it’s people. I try to be as tough as possible for you because I thought you would expect it of me when you were feeling weak.” His hands fall to your shoulders. “As a General, I learned that the only way to gain respect and love was to work hard and solve all issues, but it appears that I will need a different mindset in this situation. Because it seems I have become too consumed with work and too busy to show my love for you, and I know I will need to change that if I want to be a good father to our children.”

“You do not need to change at all, Jimin. Who you are trying so hard to be is not the same man you were when I met you. Yes, you were strong in front of others, but you never closed yourself to me. I do not want you to change or pretend to be tough, I want you to be you, because that is who I married.” This causes him to think back to how he has behaved in recent months. Maybe he was avoiding your appointments purposely so he wouldn’t have the chance to break down in front of the doctor or Lilian. And maybe he had been ignoring you so he wouldn’t have to face his own pain that you reflected. He’s been treating you unfairly in an effort to play a role that doesn’t exist, and he welcomes the guilt that slaps him in the face at the realization. He hates that he ended up like this even after all that you went through in the aftermath of your wedding. It is like he had forgotten all that he promised you.

“I apologize for everything, My Queen. I will remove the censorship immediately.” His head bows with heaviness. “I do still want a family with you, but maybe we should take a break from trying, just for a little while. Maybe this building friction between us and the stress it caused has been affecting our fertility. Maybe we are trying too hard and should take your advice to just be ourselves. A baby should be made from love, not by expectation. I do not want-“ He thinks about his next sentence carefully. “I want to improve our relationship first, before our attention is shifted to other matters. We are young and have not yet been married a year, my love, we will have plenty of time to conceive. Let me make up for the neglect you have suffered these past months. Let us take it one day at a time.”

He’s right, your relationship has been strained, and it is not only from the fact that you are not pregnant. The discord between you two has taken a toll on your body: you are constantly exhausted, your head pounds with headaches most days, and the loneliness has changed your positive attitude into one of sulking and disdain. It has changed you. So how could you think of bringing a child into this world when you are at this level of dysfunction? Things needed to be resolved first, and here he is, willing to work everything out with you after accepting his faults. You couldn’t possibly reject him.

It’s been nearly a month since your argument, and things have taken a turn for the better. You helped Jimin realize something he didn’t quite understand before: that as King, anything he says goes, so he has been taking frequent days off to spend time with you. He’s taken you on many dates around the kingdom, showing you his favorite places to go when he was a child, exploring different towns you hadn’t gotten a chance to see yet, he even accompanied you on your shopping day to meet some of the friends you’d made. Being able to spend time with him like this reminds you of what it felt like in the beginning of your relationship. The novelty of seeing him and the excitement you’d feel in the pit of your stomach. Except this excitement is now from your curiosity of what activities you’ll do with him that day and not from the thrill of possibly being caught together by servants.

You’ve kept things fairly innocent these past few weeks, focusing on rebuilding your emotional connection instead of being physical. You’d lost a lot of weight during the months you were at odds with Jimin, but you’re happy to say that you’re gaining it back now that you’re paying more attention to your health and happiness and not the crazy diets and detoxes that people recommended to you to help with conception. What’s more, you’ve been keeping busy by accompanying Jimin on his political duties instead of remaining put away in the palace. He didn’t want to involve you in political affairs to keep your stress levels low, but you remind him that you’ve been involved in things like that since you where a young princess, so this is the norm. So now you happily travel with him out of the kingdom to attend meetings with neighboring rulers and assure them of your health.

This is the first trip you’ve taken, and it feels absolutely liberating. Seokjin insisted that you and your husband stay in his family’s vacation home located in the area— one of many acquired throughout his travels as a collector and salesman— and it is arguably nicer than the one offered by the royals of this kingdom. Perhaps not as luxurious (though very close to it) but certainly more private. You’d take any opportunity to escape any hovering servants. Your eyes sparkle as you walk through the doors, taking in the modern furniture, high ceilings, and breathtaking view of the green valley and hills surrounding you. The altitude is quite a bit higher than you’re used to, the kingdom poised along a mountainside and sourcing its water from the river that flows through the valley below.

You blame this altitude for the sick feeling in your stomach and the lightness of your head, trying your hardest to keep your etiquette and not plop face first onto the huge mattress. You sit gingerly on the edge, aided by Jimin, who kept hold of your arm ever since he saw you swaying when you stepped out of the carriage. He fusses over you, letting out a disgruntled grumble when you remind him that you saw the doctor before your departure and she found no troubling conditions within you— not even pregnancy, which you were disappointed to hear, but not surprised. The symptoms come and go and you assure him that all you need is some rest and you’ll be back on your feet, and he leaves you under the watch of Lilian and Kyungsoo (who accompany you everywhere) while he travels to the castle to greet the King and assure him of your safe arrival. You nap while he’s away and awake just in time for dinner, feeling refreshed and symptom free, much to his relief.

Being away from the palace and kingdom is sure to do wonders for your physical and mental health. Just being here with the people you love is a breath of fresh air, and you can’t wipe the smile off your face. Seated at the table accompanied by Jimin, Lilian, and Kyungsoo, you feel this is the closest thing you’ll have to a family dinner for a long while. As your servant, Lilian never eats with you at the same time, let alone at the same table, but you begged her to join you and fill the evening air with casual chatter. Kyungsoo is your favorite guard and you’ve always wanted to get to know him, but he remains relatively quiet throughout the meal and never lets his guard down, taking the farthest seat from his monarchs to silently observe. Typical. With your energy levels still quite low, Jimin and Lilian do their best to raise your spirits by showing off their goofy sides, telling stories and making you laugh almost nonstop. But just seeing them bond so well is enough to make your heart swell. You wonder if Jimin will have this type of relationship with your children, one where they can joke freely and build trust with each other without being hindered by the forced power dynamic. You hope their relationship will be better than the somewhat estranged one you have with your father.

“Are you comfortable, my love?” Jimin asks as you settle in for bed. This mattress seems to be made from the clouds of the heavens, you’ve never felt relaxation like this. You’ll have to purchase one for your own bedroom.

“Yes, My King.” You return, grinning at the way his cheeks lift. He climbs in behind you after blowing out the lanterns, the scent of smoke wafting gently through the room.

“How are you feeling? Better?” He sounds tired and you have no desire to keep him awake with your troubles, so you nod.

“Yes, after my nap and dinner, I feel just fine.” You don’t mention your growing headache because you’re certain a good night’s sleep will resolve it. You’re feeling uncharacteristically tired, exhausted even, and it’s most likely from the long journey here. Hopefully, you’ll wake up refreshed and energized in the morning.

“Alright. Let me know if you need anything tonight.” He whispers, already starting to drift off.

“I won’t trouble you.” You assure him, sinking into slumber.

“Are you sure you are well enough to go out today?” Lilian sifts through your clothing, trying to decide what to dress you in for today’s events, accounting for the warm mid-spring weather. She is alone in the bedroom with you, Jimin having stepped out to give you privacy while getting ready.

“Yes, I am feeling much better.” This isn’t a lie. Although you felt extremely sluggish upon first waking up, you now feel great. Jimin had asked you about a thousand questions before leaving bed this morning and at breakfast, and you dispelled each one of his worries with confidence.

“I am glad to hear that, but please do pay attention to your condition, Your Highness.” She says this as she holds up a pristine gown for your approval, handing it to you when you nod both at her words and fashion choice.

She doesn’t need to vocalize what’s on her mind, you know what she’s thinking, and frankly, you’ve been having the same thoughts. But your doctor was very clear that you are not pregnant when you saw her before the trip. Also, you bleed 2 weeks ago, and though it was short-lived, it was accompanied by cramps and headaches, dutifully reminding you of your empty womb. So you ignore Lilian’s concerns and move about your day like normal, smothering the tiny bud of hope that tries to bloom in your chest.

“Are you excited for today’s meeting?” Moving away from the topic, she smiles at you through the mirror at the way your face lights up, beginning her work on your hair.

“This is the most excited I have felt in a long while! It will be my first diplomatic duty as Queen.” Finally, you feel useful.

“Would you like me to accompany you?” What she means is ‘would you like me to keep an eye on you to make sure you are feeling okay/ nothing bad happens’ but you pretend not to notice.

“No, Lilian, I want you to treat this as a vacation of sorts. You work so hard my humble, loyal friend. Go and explore the towns, have fun while we’re away from the kingdom.”

“I do not want a vacation, I want to make sure you are alright.” She responds quietly, blushing. You hum.

“Respectfully, I do not need to be looked after like a child.” You chuckle. “I can do well on my own. Besides, Jimin and Kyungsoo will be there if anything happens.”

“Then I will take my leave tomorrow after I make sure you are alright today.” She says stubbornly, not meeting your eyes in the mirror. “I cannot relax in good conscience without being assured of your safety.” Nodding, you accept her terms with a smirk.

“Always a pleasure to see you, Queen (Y/n).” King Jackson smiles at you, bowing his head in greeting. You grin widely as you sit across from him and his wife at the large conference table, Jimin placed closely at your side.

“You as well, Jackson.” Last you saw him, he was a prince. In fact, he submitted the first marriage proposal you’d ever received, asking your father for your hand in marriage as soon as he heard you were of age. He is a little less than 4 years older than you, handsome, bubbly personality, likable and charming on all fronts, and you had no qualms with marrying him, but you also had no desire to leave your kingdom to rule another. As King, he would have you move into his castle and be at his service where you would likely not hold any power or say in most matters involving the people, something that deeply displeased you, so you turned him down. Now he has a wife and several small children, as well as the throne and an entire kingdom to lead. And as of your coronation, he is your kingdom’s closest ally.

“No need to be so formal, Queen.” He jokes, immediately setting a relaxed atmosphere. You are meeting to discuss and update the terms of a treaty between your allied nations, one that your fathers had written and agreed upon many years ago, but legally needs to be reviewed thanks to the recent shift in power. Your father is quite close with Jackson’s own, therefore you have a good relationship with the young King from years of getting acquainted during your childhood. Jimin, however, has no such history with the man and seems rather tense around the lighthearted playful. “I was disappointed when you refused by marriage proposal, but it seems that you have chosen a handsome and competent spouse in my place, just as I have.” He grins, winking at his wife, Lena.

“It was never ‘your place’, do not be so big headed,” You roll your eyes but he ignores your quip, eyes trained on Jimin.

“We spoke yesterday evening, but I am intrigued to get to know more of you, King Park. May I call you Jimin?” Jackson barely waits for a reply before continuing. “I must know more of the man whom I am to be allied with, and the man who married the ever-so-independent princess.”

“I must admit, I am curious about you, too. But if my beloved trusts and acknowledges you, then I will do the same.” Reaching under the table, Jimin’s hand finds yours and you smirk, pleased that he won’t let the other King intimidate him.

“Regarding the treaty;” Jackson pulls out a long document, skimming over the lengthy script that you are both irritatingly familiar with. “Will our kingdom’s continue to remain allied during times of war, help financially and provide resources in times of natural disaster, respect the borders set by each nation without the intention of gaining territory, and continue to keep trade borders open?” He reads off the major points of the list, you and Jimin answering with a ‘yes’ to each. “Is there anything else you would like to add?”

“Not that I can think of.” You respond, Jimin saying the same. Feeling satisfied by your responses, Jackson signs his name under the print of your fathers, passing the document to you for your signature. But you slide the paper to your husband, whose name appears in ink now instead of yours. Surprised by this, you can see the unfiltered comment bubbling out from the brazen King’s dome.

“I would not have expected, (Y/n), that you would submit the powers of your status to a man.” It is obvious that he has already assumed that your action means that you no longer hold the highest authority in your own land, but you are both quick to correct him.

“You are mistaken.” Your voices harmonize into one as you say this, Jimin continuing on to explain. “My Queen has not yielded even an inch of power to me. As I am sure you know, she is fully capable of handling affairs such as these, any responsibility she has shifted to me has been due to her own discretion.” Though his tongue is quick, Jimin is sure to keep a light, non-malicious tone so as not to offend your friend. You’d much rather focus on internal public affairs, leaving international and business related issues to your husband. But it seems others have the wrong idea about you.

The man across from you blinks at this, raising his eyebrows, and you know Jimin has just gained a large amount of respect in his eyes. You find it quite flattering to see him so defensive of you and you give an approving squeeze of his hand.

“As expected,” Jackson hums with a grin, receiving the document as Jimin passes it back to him. “Well, it seems that our business here is complete! Shall we have champagne to celebrate this swift agreement?” He doesn’t realize his error until his wife nudges him in the ribs and he looks up to see your faces pulled into wide-eyed frowns. “Ah, yes— my apologies,” He scratches his neck bashfully. “Then, may I interest you in some exercise?” Eyes boring straight into Jimin’s, he asks this as the men share a look.

“Oh, this is so exciting!” Lena beams, nearly bouncing in her seat as you both observe from a bench on the side of the field. Somehow you hadn’t expected this when Jackson offered his proposal. Your husbands are standing in a marked area with protective gear covering their bodies and gleaming swords, preparing for a sparring match in the warm weather. The sun beats down on you as you squint at them, using your hand to shade your eyes before Lilian appears with a parasol to place over your head. “Have you ever seen your husband fight before?” She asks, staring at your side profile.

“Never.” You respond. “This should be interesting.” Admittedly, you tend to shy away from violence, resenting the thought of people battling each other for bloody glory. Though you are in charge of the military, you never ask for too many details, and skillfully avoid any training grounds near the castle. It may be ironic, then, that you married a General who has seen more battles than he’s cared to mention and carries more scars than he’d care to explain. But you must admit that you’re intrigued by the spectacle he’s sure to put on for you, comforted by the fact that this is completely safe.

“Jackson has been training sword for most of his life, but has never seen an actual battle. I wonder how their skills will compare.” Lena states proudly, sipping from the drink one of her servants comes to offer, dismissed when you decline.

“I hear that you were a General, King Park.” Jackson checks the cap at the tip of his sword, nodding to the instructor that stands at his side.

“I’d like to think that I still am one.” Jimin responds as he stretches out his stiff muscles.

“Even after being promoted to Commander in Chief?”

“I’ve done nothing to earn that title but get married.” The man before him hums.

“I assume you are quite skilled with a sword then, have you practiced fencing before?”

“Of course, it is taught as the basics of sword fighting. Though, I would not say I am a master.” Humbly, your husband lowers his head to inspect his blade, shaking his head at Jackson’s outcry.

“Nonsense! Any man who has done battle for his life is surely a master. Though, I do ask that you do not hold back on me here; I certainly will not do the same for you.” A wolfish grin creeps up onto both Kings faces, mirroring each other as they pull down the hoods of their face guards.

“You’ve said nothing of your own skill thus far, I will not make the mistake of underestimating you.” The match starts swiftly after they take position, Jackson lunging forward and barely missing Jimin’s side as he dodges out of the way.

Your mouth falls open as they move, each motion calculated and precise. You know nothing about fencing, but it is clear that they are both highly skilled. You’ve never seen your lover move this way before, so dynamic and captivating as though he were performing a dance. Powerful and graceful in every step taken toward his opponent, wielding his blade as though it were an extension of himself. He is beautiful to watch, your heartbeat speeding up in your chest as you are enraptured by the display. Both King’s are even in size and capability, but you can see the ease of movement Jimin possesses compared to Jackson’s deliberate strokes, almost as if he were teasing him. Lena cheers from beside you, but you can’t make a sound. Seeing him like this— completely in his element and moving so gracefully— has your body heating for another reason unrelated to the unrelenting sun. You’ve married an amazing man.

“You’re quick.”

“That is a great compliment, coming from you,” Jackson grunts, keeping Jimin on the defensive with his bold attacks. “But I can tell you are merely playing with me.”

“Not playing.” Waiting. One thing Jimin is an expert at is waiting. Patience is his strength, in fighting and in his daily life. He was patient when it came to you, taking his time with each step of your relationship until he was entirely sure that you were ready, that you wanted him. He was patient with each of his military promotions, climbing up the ranks with hard work and diligence until he was recognized. And he will continue to be patient with the next stage of his life, trying his best not to lose hope that you will become pregnant one day, so he will deal with the disappointment and trials with you for as long as it takes.

As soon as Jackson falters he takes his shot, attacking with swift consecutive swings until his opponent is pushed far back on his side of the space and leaves an opening, one decisive lunge ending the match. They both pant as Jimin’s sword makes contact with the center of the other King’s chest, the cap pressed into the padding protecting his flesh. There’s silence for a beat before they both drop their guard, retuning to the start position. Jimin turns his head to make sure you were watching, lifting his mask to wink at you and smirking salaciously when you blush.  

“Well done.” Jackson nods. “But I won’t let you get the better of me next time!”

“Your husband is a bit intense, no?” You ask Lena as she giggles, humming in agreement.

“And it seems your husband is a bit competitive.” You also nod, the heat drying your mouth as you watch her sip her drink again. She calls over her servant when she catches your stare and they hand you a glass— Kyungsoo swooping in annoyingly to try it first before you can taste the sweet liquid. “He seems very fit and possesses a beautiful physique, I’m astounded that you have the willpower to leave bed with a man like that, especially as newlyweds.”

You choke on your drink mid-swallow, nearly spitting it out because of her words. Jackson has a notoriously dirty mind, it is no surprise to you that his wife shares that quality— she’d have to, in order to tolerate him. She laughs as Lilian takes the drink from you as you wipe your mouth, turning the comment back on her.

“I could say the same to you, Jackson is just as built.”

“Oh, trust that he kept me in bed for months after our wedding date. It is no coincidence that I have this many children now.” Her eyes shift back to the men on the field, seemingly satisfied with the rosiness of your cheeks. Recovering, you address her once more.

“Speaking of, may I meet them?”

“I’ve known (Y/n) for most of my life,” Jackson speaks up during their final round. “Though I submitted a proposal, she’s grown to be like a sister to me over the years.”

“Is that so?” Jimin grunts, their swords clashing loudly.

“I was skeptical of what kind of man she had chosen when word spread of your betrothal. Wondered if you would be able to protect her as she tends to venture out and do things on her own; sometimes-” He jumps back as Jimin closes in. “-befriending the wrong people. I worried when I heard of the catastrophe at your wedding ceremony.” The cap of Jimin’s sword touches to his opponent’s chest once again, ending the sparring match. They both remove their helmets and masks, breathing heavily as they look at each other. “I truly empathize with what you were forced to experience. I could not imagine being in that situation with my wife.” Both men turn to look at you and Lena, their 4 children surrounding you as you hold the youngest in your lap. It is a sight that simultaneously melts and breaks your husband’s heart. “Nonetheless, after meeting you, I am confident that she is in good hands. I like you a lot, Jimin, and though my approval may mean nothing, I think you are an excellent match for her.”

You look up to see them shaking hands, both of them walking over to you with content looks on their faces. The child in your lap looks up as his father approaches, making grabby hands at your friend until he reaches down and lifts him from you. You watch with starry eyes as Jackson props the child up on his hip, kissing over his chubby cheeks and forehead, but then your attention is pulled away when Jimin stops to stand in front of you.

“Did you win?” You ask, already knowing the answer.

“Yes, My Queen,” He bows dutifully, running a hand through his sweaty hair. It should be offensive how sexy he looks right now, standing in the sun with his wet hair, skin shining with hard work and eyes landing lazily on your figure with a lazy smirk. Your heart jumps and you have to look away before your mind slips even further away. “Do I get a victory kiss?” He bends down toward you, puckering his lips, and you push lightly at his chest with a laugh.

“But you’re all sweaty!” Your nose wrinkles at him but your eyes still lock onto his lips, even as you continue to swat at him.

“No kiss for your King?” Jackson quips, turning to his own wife who is already shaking her head in disgust. “Lena~ Don’t I get a reassurance kiss after my defeat?” The same look Jimin has on his face is contagious to the other King, who grins at Lena as she shields her face with another one of their giggling children, peeking out from over her shoulder. Both men approach with puckered lips, causing their Queens to squeal at their playfulness— you even hop up from the bench to avoid him, taunting him as Jimin chases you around the field. It’s rather immature, but you feel no need to pretend here or uphold appearances in front of your hosts. Lilian and Kyungsoo look on fondly, never having seen you so carefree.

“You never minded my sweat before, my love.” Jimin whispers to you when you finally allow him to give you a peck on the lips, his arms wrapped loosely around your waist. You don’t respond, rolling your eyes at him with a barely hidden smile.

“You seem to be getting along nicely with Jackson.” You comment as you rummage through your luggage, searching for one specific item. Jimin replies from behind the partition of the bathroom, bathing away the grime of the day in preparation for the night. You had both sent Lilian away when she offered to help and she took off to explore the nighttime activities of the kingdom, one of Jackson’s male servants offering to be her guide. You’ll be sure to ask her for details in the morning.

“Yes, he is quite an interesting character. He gave me his official approval to marry you, which I suppose I am grateful for.” Hearing the smile in his voice, you giggle, silencing the gasp that leaves your chest when you pull out the delicate lace garments, your heart rate speeding up. You aren’t sure why you feel so anxious about this. It’s not like you to get nervous about being intimate with Jimin, but you’ve never done anything like this before. Maybe it’s because it’s been a while since you last had him, the recent abstinence keeping your body on edge. Or maybe you are worried about what he will say when he sees you. Embarrassment colors your face as you quickly slip on the set, covering yourself with a robe when you are finished.

“He gave you his blessing to marry me?” You chuckle.

Stepping onto the tile of the partitioned washroom, you stand before the full length mirror to inspect yourself before tying it closed. The robe covers you from Jimin’s viewpoint behind you as he finishes washing up, and you try to appear productive as you move to moisturize yourself. When he is finished, your husband approaches from behind, a towel hung low on his waist as he comes to wrap his arms around your midsection. You can feel his sturdy body pressing into you as he pulls you closer, his eyes staring into yours through the glass when he rests his chin on your shoulder.

“His ego hasn’t shrunk an inch since I last saw him.” You sigh, letting your eyes flutter shut as the two of you sway gently together.

“Well, he is a King.” Jimin reasons in a whisper.

“But so are you.” His arms loosen around you when he feels you start to turn, both of your eyes open now as you peer up at him with glittering eyes, gingerly locking your fingers behind his neck. Your heart kicks up as you watch the easy grin on his lips, the absolute and unwavering adoration he holds for you so evident in his gaze. It reminds you of earlier times, his expression the exact same as when he first confessed that he was in love with you and you reciprocated, kissing him so certainly. Now, you kiss him with practiced ease and press ever closer into his warm body. Jimin’s tongue dances with yours, both of you getting lost in the moment until you are forced to pull away for air. “You were amazing today, General Park.”

The use of his former title makes his eyebrows shoot up in surprise. It isn’t like he doesn’t like the name, it is simply that he never expected to hear it come from you again.

“I did not realize that you were so agile and powerful, I was very impressed with what I saw.” One of your fingers trails down his chest, playing in the dip of his v-line before coyly tracing back upwards with each slow word you speak. “That is not to say that I was unaware of your capabilities, you have found great success in protecting me and my kingdom, but watching you was eye opening... and quite arousing.” His breath hitches in a way that gives you more confidence, courage swelling in your chest that helps you ignore the redness of your cheeks.

“Is that so?” Jimin swallows, curiosity lighting his gaze.

You hum in affirmation. “You must work extremely hard to become that skilled, so I thought it appropriate to give you a gift to show my appreciation for all that you do.” Taking a step back, you play with the ribbon of your robe, amused by the sudden change in Jimin’s expression. He watches you like a predator stalking it’s pray, detailing every movement of your nimble fingers with a heaving chest as you move at a snail’s pace to untie your robe. You decide to tease further once the ribbon is finally untied, only revealing the tops of your shoulders from the silk, holding yourself in modesty until it looks like he’s going to go insane before you open the from to reveal yourself.

Jimin feels like he could faint from what he sees when the robe drops. You are decorated in a lacy white lingerie set that is quite transparent, your nipples visible through the designs of the fabric. The bra of the set extends downwards under your cleavage and he feels his hands lifting to rest on your ribs to touch the material, following it delicately until he cups your breasts with his palms. Maybe it is due to the design of this expensive undergarment, but you fill out the bra much more than either of you would have expected, your breasts round and pushing at it in all the right spots. This is the lingerie set that Jin had hidden behind your commissioned painting as part of your wedding gift, and Jimin had completely forgotten that it was in your possession. He chooses not to question how Seokjin knows your body measurements in order to purchase the present. Eyes trailing down, Jimin takes in the equally scandalous panties that adorn your hips, all parts solid white except for the crotch that remains lacy and see-through giving him a view that makes his mouth water.

You look absolutely stunning, and he tells you in as many words as possible.

“Your gift is not yet complete, General.” The look on his face is everything that you had hoped for, and you wish to shock him even further with your next move. Hooking your fingers into the towel at his waist, you unravel it and expose his growing length, sinking down in front of him.

Quickly, he grabs your arm once he realizes what you are doing, preventing you from going lower. You pout up at him. “My Queen, a woman of your status should never kneel on the ground for any man. You must remain dignified.”

“My dignity,” You half scoff at the notion, rising to look him in his beautiful brown eyes. “I have neither dignity nor pride. You have it all, my love; I have given myself to you completely.” You allow yourself to break from your role play just this once, he needs to know that your words are true. If there is anything he should know by now, it is that you hold no reservations toward him. With him, you are equal and you trust him completely. It is not like you have never serviced him before, but he has never seen you on your knees below him due to his own beliefs and you would like to change that tonight. “I want to do this for you.”

This time when you lower yourself, he allows you to drop until your knees rest on the ground. The view he has is undeniably sinful. You can tell how much he enjoys it by how rapidly he hardens in front of your face. But when you look up from your own spot on the floor, you find that your view is equally as jaw dropping. Jimin looks down at you from over his nose, the damp hair on his head sticking to his forehead and dangling over his eyes, shadowing his features into sharp lines. Every inch of his body is chiseled to perfection, displaying the hours of training he has undergone over the years to get to the level of skill you witnessed today, and if it were not for you already kneeling on the marble, your knees would have buckled right from under you. He is like a statue carved by the gods. And he is all yours.

“If a Queen wants her soldiers to keep performing for her she must reward them, and you are the very best, so I will be sure to give you special treatment.” Lightly grasping his member, you take the time to feel how he grows in your grip. Just the feeling of you running your fingers over his plush balls has him almost fully erect, the muscles of his abdominals tensing as you lean forward to slide him into your mouth, caressing the underside of his cock with your tongue without closing your lips just yet. You’ll work him up slowly, you decide, wanting him to savor this rare occasion in hopes that he will allow you to do it again sometime. Your palm smears your saliva around his shaft and starts to steadily pump him up and down, the simple action causing a groan to tear from your lover’s throat.

Jimin does not know where to look in this moment. Should he focus on your hands as the diligently work to pleasure him? Your tongue when it peeks out from your lips to tease at his slit? The dip of your cleavage that lie in his direct line of sight, framed so perfectly by the underwear you don? Or perhaps those smoldering eyes you stare up at him with, those plotting, gorgeous eyes that call to his deepest desires? You look as if you would do anything for him at this moment— you have intentionally put yourself at his feet to show how vulnerable you are willing to be with him, that you trust him to the utmost degree and you would sink this low, literally, to demonstrate that.

“Shit,” Jimin curses, eyes trained on the way your lips wrap around his reddening tip. You sense his hands fidgeting at his sides, so you take them to place on top of your head, nodding encouragingly until he weaves his fingers into your hair. He throbs in your mouth and you fight back a smirk.

Working meticulously, you take the time to circle your tongue around every sensitive place at his cockhead, licking slowly over his frenulum and flicking over his slit as it starts to leak. The flavor is slightly salty and entirely him, and it makes your legs press together from where your knees dig into the polished marble. Your lips and tongue play at his upper half for a while, one of your hands rubbing whimsical patterns along his tensing thigh while the other tends to his aching base, pumping in time with your mouth with a slight twist to your wrist that has his fingers tightening against your scalp.

“Are you enjoying your gift?” You break away to speak, twirling your tongue around the line of saliva that connects you to his tip in the most lewd way possible.

“Yes,” Jimin pants, clearing his throat when his voice comes out raspy. But the sound makes you drip into your designer panties, the flimsy material doing little against your increasing wetness. “How did you become so skilled at this, My Queen? You are such an angel but possess devilish talent with that pretty mouth of yours.”

“I had an excellent teacher.” You wink up at him, hoping he was imaging all the times he guided you when you wished to taste him, becoming more confident as time passed and you no longer feared your gag reflex. You figure now is a good time to demonstrate just how well you absorbed those lessons, you finally sink further down on him until he touches the back of your mouth, collecting your spit to slick him before pushing him deeper and into your throat. Your stomach quivers as you hold back the urge to gag, but he sees none of that because when you look up his head is tossed back in ecstasy and concentration. He must focus so he doesn’t cum so soon.

“Just like that.” Biting into the plush of his bottom lip, Jimin falls into the trance of your movements, bobbing up and down on him with his tip lodged in your throat. The first moan he lets out has a shiver crawling up your spine, deep and loud so it echoes against every surface of the room. Drool slides out of your mouth as you continue to suck him but you pay no mind to it, only focused on the way your lover’s body reacts to you. His chest heaves for breath and you can see perspiration beginning to coat his chest and neck, Adam’s apple bobbing every time he swallows. The hand that was previously occupied with the rest of his length moves to his balls, kneading and massaging the sack gently as more moans pour from his mouth. Your clit throbs the longer you suck on him, his cock now at full length and hardness and feeling so thick and heavy on your jaw that you can’t help but fantasize about feeling it inside you again.

His hips eventually begin to twitch and rock into each of your movements, but you can tell he is restraining himself from bucking into you fully. When his eyes connect with yours again, you nod as best you can, pulling off slightly to take a few deep breaths and kiss along his silky skin. Once you have your breathing back to normal, you poise yourself with your mouth open wide and tongue poking out, the sight of you inviting him into your warmth while dressed so scantly and looking up at him with such confidence making it incredibly difficult for him to keep his composure. Here you are, his Queen, the ruler of an entire kingdom by birth right who possesses such elegance and high esteem, sitting below him and offering your throat for his pleasure. This is something that no one else in the entire world will ever see and he feels something similar to pride swelling in his chest at that fact. He knows what you are silently asking him to do, so he does not keep you waiting a second longer before inserting himself back into your mouth and easing his way in until your nose is nestled in the trimmed hair above his pubic bone.

Curses leave him in a continuous string as he takes time to adjust to the sensation, a lightness filling your head that makes you feel like you are floating through the clouds. And that feeling only increases when he starts to move, pulling his hips back for you to take in air through your nose before thrusting in again. Jimin fucks your mouth slowly at first, warming you up to it before he starts to get a bit rougher and visibly more eager, his lips sucked into his mouth as he glares down at you. In any other context, you would think him angry if he ever peered at anyone this intensely, but now you only feel the pool of arousal that builds in your core and gushes out of you at the intimidating glower. Still, his muscles are rigid with hesitance.

“May I go faster?” He breathes, never pulling out to free your mouth to respond. You moan out an answer as best you can, running your tongue against him in approval until he finally releases his tension and follows the urges of his body. He doesn’t aim deep into you, but his pace is quick, surely bruising your esophagus, yet you cannot bring yourself to be bothered. The sensation is indescribable, his hands cupping the back of your head and the sheer heat of his body almost overrides the lack of oxygen in your lungs— and simply imagining the pleasure he is feeling because of you has electricity shooting down to your core. Jimin has his eyes glued to the sight of his cock disappearing into your mouth, but they quickly shift when your hands find their way to your chest to pull down the bra just enough so your nipples poke out, both hands pushing your breasts together to give him a sight that almost causes him to lose his load right then and there. His hips lose control, stuttering and twitching as his eyes widen comically at the dream-like image of you, and he is forced to pull away after little over a minute of fucking your face. “Fuck-!”

“Is something the matter?” You ask innocently, knees screaming out from your sustained position. The veins in your husband’s hand bulge as he grips himself so tightly his knuckles turn white, his length jumping every time he opens his eyes to look at you. His use of hard profanity is enough to tell you how much you have unraveled him and you revel in the accomplishment.

“Get up here.” He pants, taking your arm in his free hand and helping you to your feet. You hear him click his tongue at the redness of your knees, but don’t have much time to dismiss it before his lips are on yours. Jimin kisses you deeply as if your face is not sloppy with saliva and his precum. He kisses you like it could save lives. And above every filthy thing you have done with him, this kiss is what makes you feel a bashful heat color your cheeks when he pulls you closer.

“Am I to assume I performed well?” You mumble against his lips, eyes crossing slightly to see his smile.

“You were outstanding. So much so that I nearly came down your pretty throat.” Smugly, Jimin unclips your bra, parting from your lips after several minutes of kissing to trace his tongue down your neck until he reaches your chest, forgoing all teasing to wrap his lips around a pert nipple.

“Oh-“ A surprised yelp leaves you and he has to use his strength to keep you from falling over, your legs suddenly feeling like jelly. Your fingers card through his drying hair, tugging at the unbothered man as he has his fun marking and sucking at you. As always, his mouth works miracles, but you have never felt anything like this before. Each swipe of his tongue around your nub has you moaning out his name, when he twists at the other nipple your head falls back in absolute bliss. He’s not doing anything extraordinarily notable, but it is like your body has reached a sensitivity that is completely new to you both. Jimin certainly is enjoying it immensely. His eyes are closed but you can see how they crinkle gleefully at the sides, his cheekbones high almost as if trying to conceal his amusement at your reactions. With puckered lips, he suctions one of your nipples before pulling back to speak.

“I can’t wait,” He grazes his teeth over your other tit before continuing. “-until these fill up with milk for our baby. I’m sure you will look incredible carrying our child inside you— even more amazing than you already look, my love. So round and plump... your cute little womb filled to the brim with my cum and baby.” Your eyes roll when one of his hands slips down your panties to tease at your lips. A growl resonates in his chest at the feel of your wetness. “You like the sound of that, don’t you? What would the people say if they found out that their elegant Queen got soaking wet just from sucking cock and thinking of getting her pussy stuffed full of cum? Hmm? Surely they will know how filthy you are once they see you swollen with my child, walking around the kingdom so shamelessly after getting marked by my seed. They’ll know just how good you’ve been for me, darling.”

“I want them to know I’m yours; I want to be pregnant with your baby so badly!” You sob, hips bucking into his hand as soon as he makes contact with your clit.

He soothes you with soft kisses along your face, ending with a lick to the corner of your mouth as you pant out loud moans for him. “I know, love. The time will come soon enough.”

Once again his lips return to your chest, and the combination of his mouth and fingers has your walls fluttering and clenching around nothing. Even after he removes his hand from your panties to hold you closer to him, you feel the building of an orgasm. Your body is completely taken by his tongue and teeth as they suckle cherry blossoms into your skin. And when his wet fingers travel up to twist at your unattended nipple, you feel your body careening off the edge unexpectedly.

“J-Jimin, I-“ Your sentence is cut short by a long whimper, mind going blank at the pleasure. You are able to feel how your walls snap open and closed, each pulse growing more intense as the high drags on for what seems like an eternity to you. Jimin groans at the sounds you make and he looks on in awe from where he still laves at your breast as you bite down on your lower lip to ground yourself. He doesn’t mind the way you tug at his roots in your bliss. The pain only adds to the throbbing of his cock.

“So sexy,” He murmurs as you regain your senses. You seem embarrassed, unable to meet his eyes, and he questions it.

“I have never-“ Averting your eyes to the ground, you look for words in your scrambled mind.

“You’ve never cum like that before?” For some reason you find it slightly humiliating and you have no idea why. Were you really that sensitive from not having sex with him for a few weeks? Your nipples were never that receptive before. Nodding in agreement, you hide your face until Jimin lifts your chin with his finger. “Do not shy away from me, My Queen. You look gorgeous when you cum.” Before you can process it, his hands are yanking down your ruined panties, drenched all the way through and dripping. Your back connects with the wall next to the mirror as you are pinned against the surface with his weight. His fingers slide over your clit and you jolt, attempting to close your legs, but he is faster and jams his thigh between yours to hold you open. “In fact, you look so good that I want to see you do it again.”

Without warning, he plunges 2 fingers knuckle deep into you, searching with little trouble for that spongey area inside you. You are wet enough to lubricate his fingers until he drips down his hand, the slick part of his palm beginning to rub harshly against your clit when his fingers curl upwards.

“Oh fuck,” You gasp brokenly when he reaches your spot. Feeling you clench, Jimin hums and goes to work massaging the area with the pads of his fingers, pressing his other hand to your lower stomach to increase the pressure. Since the first time you squirted he has been almost obsessed with the sight, working diligently to figure out how to make you do it again. There have been many nights dedicated solely to that cause— nights that you endured with bright red cheeks each time he made fun of your fucked out expression and hoarse voice— it is to the point where he now knows your every weakness and can manipulate your body with mastery. He knows exactly how much pressure you like when his fingers are deep inside you. He knows just the right way to massage that sensitive area to get you to fall apart again even if you feel overstimulated. He knows how to move his entire arm to hit that spot each time without fail, his technique flawless as he moves rapidly inside your clenching heat. Almost like a balloon filling with water, you feel another high building up in your core frighteningly fast and the lewd squelch coming from between your legs soon becomes the loudest noise in the room.

“Let go for me,” Jimin encourages into your skin, burying his face in the crook of your neck and panting hot breaths. It is easy to tell how easily he gets himself worked up when pleasuring you. His hard, wet cock twitches incessantly against your thigh, teasingly close to where you want him, and the feeling alone has you galloping closer to your second release. “You look so beautiful like this, pushed against a wall and taking my fingers. I bet you are just starving for my cock, aren’t you, My Queen? I’ll give it to you right after you cum for me. I want you to show me how badly you want it by soaking my arm with your sweet juices.”

The filthy words he feeds you only add to the hunger you feel for him. One of your legs lifts to wrap around his waist, pulling him closer as the balloon in your core continues to grow. Your heart is in your ears, beating rapidly, and you have no other choice but to listen to him and release your pleasure. With one synchronized prod of his fingers and circle around your clit, you descend into depraved ecstasy and let the balloon pop. You black out slightly, ears ringing and body numb to the world except for everywhere that your husband touches you, but you are aware of the satisfied moan he gives at your obedience. Whispers of delicate praises tickle your chest as he rests his forehead on your collarbone to watch you soil the floors and his lower half with your clear cum. The sound of it splashing and splattering against each nearby surface is quite embarrassing but you can’t bring yourself to think of it when your legs are shaking this hard and your body is tingling with joy.

“Good girl,” You hear Jimin groan, pulling his fingers from you to wrap his arms around your waist so you don’t topple over on your wobbly leg. He figures it may just be easier to keep you up if both of your legs are off the wet floor, so he moves your other leg to wind around his waist before carrying you out of the room and away from the mess to the bed.

Your glazed eyes take him in as he stands above you, a hand running through his disheveled hair as he studies you as well. His face is flushed and sweaty and his chest rises and falls quickly, but you’re sure that is only partly due to the effort he has just put in. There are claw marks on his shoulders and you gasp. You hadn’t realized you were gripping him so tightly, but he doesn’t seem to mind the marks at all, focused entirely on the throbbing member between his legs. Your eyes drop down his toned body to where his hand leisurely strokes up and down his shaft, purposely avoiding the tip to keep himself on the edge. It is almost purple with built up pressure, likely painful by this point, and you will yourself to move your weak limbs to reach out for him, pulling him closer to invite him between your open legs.

He takes his place at your center, one hand pressing into the soft mattress beside your head as he leans over you. You want him to kiss you so badly, but you want him inside you even more. He acquiescences this by sliding into you smoothly before swooping down for your lips.

“Mm~ Jimin!” The thick girth of his shaft stretches you perfectly, ignorant of your ticklish sensitivity as it searches for the deepest spot within you. In no time at all Jimin’s hips are flush with your ass, lips and tongue swallowing your moans into his own mouth.

“(Y/n)-“ He moans in response. Eyes squeezed tight, he forces himself to remain still. “I lose my breath every time I take this dripping pussy of yours. I’ll never get used to it.” Flattered, you hide your face with his by pulling him in for another kiss. The two of you stay like this for a long while, adjusting to each other’s bodies and basking in the intimacy of the moment.

“My love, please move.” You whine when the stillness becomes unbearable, yet you grieve at the loss of his heat when he leans away to pull you closer to the edge of the bed.

The first thrust of his hips already has you squirming. Your slick makes it so easy for him to pump into you that he barely has to put in any effort at all, his hips snapping sharply into you from the beginning. You let your legs fall farther apart at his sides and bite your lip when Jimin’s eyes land between your thighs, staring intently at the place where your bodies connect. You’re sure he can see everything, from the way your lips spread open around his wide member, to the shiny streaks of your arousal that quickly slick the inside of your thighs. It’s like you can feel his gaze caressing you, your body feeling sensitive everywhere he studies. You moan unabashedly at the sensation.

“Do you like it, My Queen? Does this feel good?” He prompts, eager for your praise.

“Y-yes, I-“ It has been so long without his cock inside you that you can’t think clearly. All you can do is shout his name and cling to the bedsheets as he wraps his arms around your thighs and holds them flush against his front. The angle makes you stutter, his tip touching somewhere sensitive that has your thighs squeezing closed. “P-please, harder. Use me.”

“Keep these fucking legs open.” Jimin growls, thrusting more harshly now. You attempt to follow his command and unclench your thighs, but they shake violently as soon as they part and it takes immense focus for you to hold them there. Looking up at your lover, you see the dark look that overtakes his features, dominance radiating off of him as he gets lost in you. You haven’t seen this look on him in a long while, but you’d be lying if you said it wasn’t sexy. He looks like he wants to eat you alive, devour you whole and leave not a morsel of you left until he’s had his fill.

Watching Jimin gain so much pleasure from you takes you to another level of bliss. His fingers dig into your thighs as he pounds his cock within your depths, determined to pull more desperate sounds from your throat, and his teeth bite down on his plush bottom lip in concentration. Sweat now trickles down his brow from the humid heat of the room, undoing the bath he took prior and replacing the soap with the scent of sex that leaks from his pores. This man is undeniably the hottest person you have ever laid eyes on and you can’t help but clench around him at the visuals he’s giving you.

Feeling you clench, Jimin moans, dragging his eyes up your figure until they land on your breasts. They jolt with every harsh thrust he gives you and dance flirtatiously in front of him— he can’t look away. Suddenly, he leans down and snatches up your hands, pinning them above your head with his fingers intertwined with yours, nearly drooling at how delectable you look under him. Your breasts certainly look different, the shape has become rounder and they jiggle slightly more than he can remember, but Jimin doesn’t think much of this as he focuses on delivering hard strokes. You shiver when his tongue licks a stripe up your damp neck, sucking a spot just below your ear before nibbling the lobe. He knows this is a weak spot for you, and just as he expected, your walls tighten around him once more. You push against him, trying to free your hands, but he has them locked sturdily in his grasp, silently forcing you to submit to him. You probably want to wind your fingers in his hair or grip onto his biceps, but he won’t give up an ounce of power at the moment. Not while he is ravaging you like this. So you settle for squeezing his hands and soaking in their warmth, gasping breathlessly as he takes you. You are entirely at his mercy and you absolutely love it.

One of his hands moves down to grip your thigh and push it open, unlocking you from where you have been clenched around his hips. Both of your wrists now held in one hand and still pinned against the sheets. The bed frame creaks noisily as he changes pace, abandoning his hard and fast thrusts for a slow and deep grind that has your eyes rolling to the back of your head. Something feels different about you, about the way you feel around him as the head of his cock licks at your cervix. It’s softer than usual and open for him, almost begging for his sperm, and he thinks this is the perfect time to get you pregnant. He aims to stay deep inside you. Each powerful movement is purposeful, everything down to the slight arch of his back that allows his pubic bone to grind into your clit, and you feel like you’re going crazy.

“Oh fuck, Jimin! I’m close again!” Your voice is strained in your throat and he smirks at the sound. He can feel it, the swell of your walls around him as you near your third high, and he swears it’s tighter than usual. Your muscles begin to tense up and push against him, preparing for your inevitable release. And just because you feel like pushing his buttons today, you allow your thighs to attempt to squeeze closed again.

“What did I say?!” The depth of his voice shocks you briefly and your eyes snap open to look at him. His jaw is tight as his stare bores into you with deadly intensity. “Keep your fucking legs open. Or do I have to hold them for you?” You let out a whimper, not daring to move your hands from their raised position when he drops your wrists to push open your other thigh, leaving you dripping and exposed in front of him. Your skin dimples where his fingertips dig into you— though he is careful not to bruise you— and he seems to hit even deeper like this. “You used to be so well behaved, My Queen. Are you acting out just to get a rise out of me?”

You dodge the question. “Please, Jimin, please make me cum again.” You can hardly hear anything aside from the slap of his balls against your ass and the squelch of his cock pushing through your warm walls.

“You think you deserve to cum? What will you do for it?” A dark chuckle leaves his throat when he sees you genuinely thinking of a response, biting so hard on your lip that he fears it might bleed.

“Anything.” You breathe. You’re unsure of how long you can hold back your orgasm, he feels so good fucking you like this, pushing his whole length into you without mercy.

“Anything, darling?” A lecherous grin plasters itself onto his mouth at your expression. “Hm, are you just saying that because you’re desperate? I can tell it feels good, you’re leaking all over me. Do you like it when I go deep like this?” You nod with a whine, eyelids pressed closed to hold back from cumming. “Open your eyes. Look at how deep I am inside you.” Peeling your eyes open, you peer down at yourself upon his command and see where his own eyes are glued. A small bulge presses against your lower abdomen every time he pushes in, disappearing when he pulls out only to reappear with the next thrust. Neither of you can take your eyes off of the sight, absolutely mesmerized by it.

“Please, I’m so close!” You groan loudly.

“You say you’ll do anything, my love?”

“Yes!”

“Will you be a good girl and let me put my baby in you? Let me cum right here against this fertile womb and get you pregnant with my baby?” The effect of his dirty talk is immediate and you clamp down on him, barely holding back as his hand rests over the bulge in your tummy, adding the tiniest amount of pressure to it.

“I will! Please!” Tears wet your doe eyes as you look up at him, digging your nails into the soft sheets above your head to keep from moving your arms from their position. He notes this with a hum, speeding up his hips in reward for your obedience.

“I know you will. Now cum.” On command, your body lets go of all the pent up pressure in your core, gripping onto his length with unbearable strength. Your walls pulsate with so much force that you nearly push him out, and when he finally pulls out of you, you squirt once again over the ledge of the bed. His hands on your legs do nothing to quell the wild tremors that overtake you and the streams of tears that flow over the apples of your cheeks. You are truly a sight to see, flushed red and glowing with the aftermath of yet another ferocious orgasm. Your sensitivity once again shocks him into silence. He didn’t even need to touch your clit for you to climax.

His stiff member bobs like a flagpole in the wind as he takes you in. It’s so hard that it stands straight up against his abdomen, jumping with its own pulse. When you open your eyes it is the first thing you see, and your body heats up again.

“Can you take any more, my love?” Jimin questions with concern, tracing his hands up your waist soothingly.

“Always. I can always take more of you.” Despite the screaming in your limbs, you sit up abruptly and pull him down to the bed, rolling the two of you over as you lock lips. Jimin seems surprised but not opposed to the shift in power dynamics, sensing that you want to take the reins for now. Your fingers wrap around his base and line him up with your slit, showing not even a moment’s hesitation before dropping down and knocking the wind out of both of you.

“You do not have to-“

“No, Jimin, I want to. I am supposed to be treating you after all, let me make you feel good.”

Fuck, you’re hot. Not only do you look amazing on top of him, but your pussy feels much hotter than usual. And it’s so tight, as if it’s greedy for every inch of him and eager to suck out his release. He won’t last long like this, that is for certain. His hands support you as you shift into a squat above him— and maybe it’s the novelty of the position, but he swears it’s never felt this good before.

“I imagined this so many times, but I never thought I’d actually get to see you riding me like this.” He confesses in a strained breath. You press your palms into his chest to lift yourself up, lowering yourself experimentally before repeating the action with less restraint.

“Am I living up to your expectations?” It could just be the angle, but his cock feels unbelievably deep inside you, and you half expect it to hurt yet you feel no pain. There is not even the slightest bit of discomfort as he nudges at your womb and you attribute this to the three incredible orgasms you have already reached tonight.

“God, yes.” He can’t look away from where you impale yourself on him, your shaky legs spread wide to let him see every second of the erotic display. From the way you grip him every time you lift up, to the strings of your arousal and cum that weave a sticky web between your ass and his pelvis, and even to the way your clit swallows in delight, he almost goes lightheaded as he takes it all in. His throat bobs as he gulps, back arching off the sheets under your warm hands.

“Faster?”

You don’t wait for a response before you start speeding up. He’s close, you can feel it in the way he swells against your walls and see it in the way his neck and chest color that pretty pink color you adore so much. Your limbs are aching for relief and it takes all of your remaining energy to keep up your efforts, but you wouldn’t dream of stopping. No, you are determined to bring Jimin to his end no matter what. The high pitched moans he lets out for your ears only are more than enough motivation to keep going, but you are working for a prize much more valuable that the lovely sounds he makes for you. You want his cum. You want it so badly that it is the only thing you can think of, so despite the pain in your fragile legs as you bounce yourself as hard and fast as you can, you continue for him. You’ve never been afraid to put in a little effort, and this is something you are willing to work for.

“(Y/n), I’m gonna cum!” Jimin’s dialect shines through strongly as he grits his teeth through the pleasure you bombard him with. You know it must feel different for him, the pleasure is always so much more intense when you aren’t the one doing all the work, and this is the first time you’ve pinned him down like this. It’s the first time you’ve dropped yourself down to clamp your knees on either side of him and wrap yourself around his upper body as you pant into his neck, leaving sloppy kisses and coaxing him toward his high with whispered words. Now that the roles are reversed, you can see just how wrecked he is for you— the usually composed king now lies spread in a heap of matted hair, sweaty skin, and bitten lips, completely speechless and grasping onto your thighs in a desperate bid to hold onto his sanity. “Please, I- I-“

“Cum for me, My King,” You are sure your body has just about reached its limit, but you feel no pain or fatigue when you look into your lover’s eyes and find an unraveled man. “I promised I would take your cum and let you get me pregnant. Give it all to me, my love, I want it. Cum inside me, Jimin.”

Bucking his hips, Jimin loses all control and throws his head back in anticipation as he aids your movements with his strong arms. When he feels your lips on his chin, he leans forward and allows you to swallow his groans of pleasure, both of you starved for breath but unwilling to pull away from the kiss. Everything you have done for him tonight— wearing sexy lingerie, getting on your knees to please him, squirting not once but twice— culminates into this one moment and he doesn’t think he can take take it. It’s all too much. With three sharp thrusts from both of you, he climaxes with a shout, lifting you up along with him as his hips rise off the bed.

“Oh fuck!” Maybe you shouldn’t feel this way, but you giggle giddily at the state of rapture he’s in because of you. The veins in his neck pop out of his skin as he dumps spurt after spurt of his semen into you, and you think this is the biggest load he’s ever given you. It takes a long time for him to come down from his high and for a moment you wonder if he will be okay with the way he twitches and shivers as your hips roll to a stop.

He doesn’t seem to mind your weight resting on top of him, nor does he react to the light kisses you press to his drenched skin. He does, however, wrap his arms securely around you when you shift to roll off of him, holding you on top of his body until you both have caught your breath and can open your heavy eyelids enough to look at each other with tired smiles.

“I love you.” You grin, running your digits through his disheveled mop of hair.

“I love you more, My Queen.” He pulls you down for another kiss to silence whatever rebuttal you surely have prepared at the tip of your tongue because he knows what you will say. And the thought makes his heart swell.

It seems like hours pass before both of you can work up the strength to part from each other. You have to be carried to the bathroom because your limbs feel far too weak and Jimin is not yet willing to let you go from his embrace. He is mindful of the puddle that you left on the floor as he carries you to the bath, and both of you sink into the depths together to wash away all your sins. You stay like that until your toes are pruned and the water is slightly cooler than lukewarm, the time flying by as you talk freely about everything you can think of: your hopes for your future family, your day with Jackson and Lena, gossip about Lilian and her whereabouts— she has not yet returned to the lodge even at this late hour and you hope that she is safe, but more importantly, you hope that her night with that handsome male servant ends similarly to yours. She could afford to take tonight and tomorrow off to unwind a bit, you feel a tad guilty that her needs may be neglected in the kingdom as she tends to you nonstop in the castle. Sleep finds you both easily and you cannot drop the smile from your cheeks as you cuddle up with the man you love.

This afternoon would have been perfect if not for the way you were feeling. Sparse clouds float through the sunny blue sky, the mountains surrounding you blossoming with vibrancy, but the beautiful scenery is dulled in your bleary eyesight. The lightheadedness you’d felt upon arrival two days ago has returned, along with a pounding headache that dampens your mood.

Jimin and Jackson walk ahead of their queens, talking casually as though they had been friends for years. The sight makes your heart grow warm and you use it to distract you from your discomfort as you walk along the outside pathways to a different section of the enormous castle. Lena notices the shift in your demeanor fairly quickly, commenting that you look less energized than yesterday.

“Did you not sleep well last night?” She implores, her brow creased with worry.

“I had a very restful sleep last night, but it feels like my body is dragging behind.” You try to keep yourself from rubbing at your face. Royals are not supposed to show weakness and vulnerability in public, and even though you are only surrounded by Kyungsoo and a few of Lena’s servants, you wish to uphold your appearances. “I do not feel sick, however, so I do not think it is caused by illness.”

“Would there be any other reason for you to feel fatigued? We did spend quite a considerable amount of time in the heat yesterday.”

“Well,” The guards and servants lag behind you far enough for them not to hear your conversation, but you still lower your voice in modesty. “Jimin and I were intimate late into the evening...” You figure your late night activities are also the reason for the tenderness you feel in your breasts, your tight undergarments causing slight pain as they bind your chest.

“Ah, I see!” She beams back at you, giggling. “You were not used to such strenuous exercise. I have experience with that— one time Jackson kept me in bed for so long that I nearly fainted from dehydration! Jimin seems like he would have a lot of stamina, be careful with that one.” The wiggle of her eyebrows lifts your spirits a bit. Speaking of such lewd subjects is seen as unladylike, especially for royalty, but you find yourself uncaring of that when you are with Lena. You have never had a woman of your same age and status to converse with before, no one could ever relate or felt comfortable enough to speak freely with you. This closeness you have with her is a novel feeling— and it is likely that Jimin feels the same with Jackson.

“I’ll be sure to be mindful of that.” You smile, staring at the back of his head. Your husband turns to look at you when he feels your eyes as he passively listens to the other King recall a story, sending a wink your way before returning his attention to the man beside him.

“Is there any other possible explanation for your symptoms?” Redirecting your gaze to Lena, you catch how her eyes flicker down to your stomach, a small smile on her lips. As soon as you realize her meaning, you stiffen, legs nearly bringing you to a halt.

“No,” Your eyes fall to the ground. “I... do not think it is pregnancy. Before I departed from home I was examined by my doctor and she-“ You sigh. “I am not pregnant.”

“Hmm. Well, I have been pregnant 4 times and have experienced many symptoms with each of my children. What you described to me sounds familiar. Do not dismiss the idea just yet, (Y/n).”

Before you can even open your mouth to form a reply, you are hit with a wave of dizziness that makes the world spin. Kyungsoo is by your side in an instant, stabilizing you as someone asks if you are alright. You are led to a nearby bench where all of the servants crowd around you, Jimin rushing over when he hears the commotion.

“(Y/n)?! What’s the matter?” The world spins a little less when your eyes are closed, so you do not look up at him, but you can imagine the almost sickly worry covering his lovely face. You know he has been especially traumatized by the events of your wedding and you never want to put him in a situation like that again, but you can’t help the way your body feels. Distantly, you hear Jackson order a servant to get the doctor, footsteps skittering away as he comes to squat down in front of you.

“Are you ill?” Jackson’s voice calms the anxiety you weren’t aware you were feeling. It is frightening not knowing what’s going on with your own body. Lena’s words ring in your mind.

“N-no, it is just the altitude. I just need to rest for a minute.” Your excuse is almost convincing, but no one moves— except for Jimin, who moves closer to you on the bench to support your back. After a few minutes, your head begins to clear, though your vision remains blurry. Eyes silently peer at you from all sides and you can feel them hot on your skin, embarrassment now the prominent emotion you feel. “Please do not worry about me, I am fine, really.”

“Are you certain? We can rest here for a little while longer.” Jimin suggests gently, but for some reason this irritates you.

“I said I’m fine.” You snap, earning an even more concerned look from him. Just then, the doctor approaches, slightly out of breath and sweating. “I don’t need a doctor! I’m feeling better already. Look.” You no longer feel dizzy anymore so you attempt to stand, rising quickly from the seat to come face to face with Jackson as he rises as well. Jimin still has his arm around you, both men watching you closely. “See?” But as soon as you’re stable on your feet, the spinning returns as if on cue and you come toppling forward into Jackson’s arms, everything going black.

“You don’t need to do this, Jackson, I told you I feel okay now.” You grumble as he carries you to the infirmary inside the castle. He took you into his arms without hesitation when you fell, offering to carry you because Jimin was rapidly descending into distress. While you were only out for about 2 minutes before you regained consciousness, everyone had reacted as if you were dying.

Looking at your husband now, you can see how unnerved he has become. Because he is a General who has seen many battles, he has trained himself not to react emotionally in stressful situations— but you can read the look in his eyes as clear as day as he walks alongside you, watching you more closely than what is in front of him.

“That is what you said earlier, and then you fainted immediately afterwards. Do not worry, I don’t mind carrying you. I needed a little exercise today anyway.” Always a jokester, you crack a smile at his comment, rolling your eyes as the doctor leads him into a room to rest you on the bed. The doctor works quickly, taking a blood sample from you and leaving for the lab, having already taken your vitals when you initially passed out. “We’ll be waiting outside.” With that, Jackson takes Lena’s shaky hand and exits the room, leaving you in bed and Jimin hovering over you awkwardly.

“Please sit down, you are making me nervous.” You breathe. He blinks and nods absently, perching himself on the edge of the bed next to you. “Are you okay?”

“I should be asking you that.” He laughs dryly. Jimin bites his lip when you give him a sympathetic gaze and take his hand. Your words from the argument you had nearly a month ago echo in his head. This is a chance for him to open up to you about his emotions and seek your comfort, your expression shows that you are expecting it of him, so he takes a deep breath. There’s no use hiding his emotions from you. “Truth be told, I am a wreck. You fainting brought back some rather unpleasant memories.” He confesses.

“I’m sorry.” You really are apologetic, stressing him out is the last thing you ever wanted to do.

“It is not your fault. I just worry about you so much. I cannot bear to lose you, my love, and I feel so helpless when things like this happen, it feels like I always have to wait for others to come to rescue you.”

“Would you like to become a doctor so you are more prepared, then?” He wasn’t expecting that response and snaps his head up to look at you when you laugh. “You cannot control everything that happens to me, Jimin. It is okay to let others help. All I need is for you to stay by my side, your presence is more than enough.” He nods at this, accepting the kiss you plant on his cheek and squeezing your hands.

Long seconds of silence pass as you wait for the doctor to return. Then, a sudden thought pops into your mind that makes you groan aloud.

“Lilian is going to be pissed at me.” You can’t help but chuckle at the circumstances.

“Why is that?”

“I told her to take off today and enjoy her time here, but she was worried about me so she initially refused. I assured her of my health this morning before we left. I can only imagine to look on her face once she finds out what happened.” You do feel a bit bad, Lilian knows you better than anyone and it is clear that she could tell something was off, but you convinced her that her instincts were wrong and now you find yourself in the infirmary. She will surely put herself down over this incident because of her absence when you most needed her.

“You can worry about her after we confirm that you are okay. For now, let us focus on this.” Just then, the doctor enters the room again, coming to stand at the bottom of the bed as you and Jimin look up at them with expectant eyes. Your heart pounds in your chest. You’ve become so used to hearing bad news from doctors, you are almost conditioned to be nervous and guarded around them.

“(Y/n), I have determined the cause of your sudden collapse.” Jimin squeezes your hand tighter and you can feel the sweat on his fingertips. “It appears that you are pregnant! Congratulations! The blood tests showed high levels of-“

“Pardon?” You interject with a raspy voice. Your brain is having a hard time processing the words and you blink slowly for a few seconds, unaware of Jimin’s shell shocked expression. “I- H-how can this be? My physician tested me right before I left and she said I was not pregnant.”

“Well, it is entirely possible to get false negative results, especially when it is early in the pregnancy. I don’t think it reflects poorly on your physician, these things just happen sometimes and are completely out of our control. But looking at my test results and the symptoms you have been experiencing, I am certain that you are about 6 weeks pregnant.”

“B-but I bled last month.”

“For how many days?”

“One or two...”

“Then that was likely implantation bleeding, which is to be expected. Dizziness and even fainting are also fairly common symptoms, so there is no particular need to worry about today’s incident— though I recommend that you make sure to get adequate rest and nutrition to avoid complications in the future. Once again, congratulations.”

Finally, you drag your gaze over to your husband who has been silent since the doctor appeared, and his eyes are filled to the brim with tears when they connect with yours.

“You- (Y/n), you’re finally pregnant!” He whispers, and the way his voice cracks causes the dam to break within yourself and all of your emotions come flooding out. Before you know it you’re wrapped in his embrace, both of you simultaneously sobbing and laughing into each other’s necks from pure joy and surprise as the doctor excuses themselves from the room. It is like all of the building frustration from the past several months has been crushing you slowly and now that weight has been lifted, allowing you to breathe freely for the first time. Jimin feels similarly. He has been holding back so many of his emotions since you first started trying to get pregnant and that has taken a tremendous toll on his mind and body, but for the first time, he can finally release those emotions and let himself feel the heaviness of it all. He is crying harder than you are, soaking the top of your dress as you cradle his head to you and hold him there. His hands ghost over your waist and lower abdomen so delicately, as if protecting the growing life inside of you.

When you’ve both gotten yourselves together enough to allow Jackson and Lena to visit, they rush in without hesitation.

“Is everything okay?” Lena is by your side first, immediately noticing your red and puffy eyes. You’re a little bit hesitant to tell her because you know she’ll gloat about her “sixth sense”.

“Yes, I’m alright. We just found out that I am pregnant.” The room erupts into noise, the two of them sounding like an entire circus as Jackson nearly jumps on Jimin in a bear hug and Lena squeals excitedly beside you.

“I knew it! You dismissed me so offhandedly and it turns out that I was right! I have a sixth sense for these things, you know; you should trust me more often.” Just as expected.

“And here you were, just telling me how worried you were about not yet yielding an heir to the throne,” Jackson throws a heavy arm over Jimin’s shoulder. “I suppose we should celebrate before you depart in the morning. I will throw a lovely ball tonight in your honor!”

“Oh, I must oversee the preparations then! Get some rest, (Y/n), and congratulations again!” And just like that, the couple is gone, rushing back out of the room and leaving you and your husband giggling.

“I am sorry, Lilian.” You apologize for what feels like the thousandth time. She continues to pout as she helps load your belongings into the carriage, barely sparing you a glance.

“I knew I should have stayed; I had a feeling something would happen.” She turns to scowl, not necessarily at you but it is in your direction. “I cannot believe I missed such a huge announcement as well! Both Jackson and Lena found out before me, this is so unfair.”

“You sound like a child,” You snicker, taking Kyungsoo’s hand as he helps you into the carriage behind Jimin.

“Yes, well I think I am allowed to throw a tantrum just this once.” You catch Kyungsoo crack a grin at her, the first time you’ve seen any emotion from him, and it brings a smile to your own face.

“If it makes you feel any better, Kyungsoo found out after Jackson and Lena, too.” Jimin comments, taking your hand and pulling you into his side.

“It does not make me feel better because he still found out before me!”

The sun is still low in the sky but slowly rises as you depart from the kingdom. Once you return to the castle, there are many duties that you must take care of, and many traditional processes you will have to go through now that you are pregnant— you are carrying a possible future heir to the throne after all. But you have never been happier. For now it still feels surreal, even though you have waited nearly a year for this moment, but as soon as the people of your kingdom come to greet you and celebrate the news of your conception, the reality of the situation will hit and you are sure you will be overwhelmed with new challenges. Pregnancy is not an easy thing, but at least you will have Jimin with you to help you through it all, just as he has always done. You rest your head on his shoulder with a mischievous grin.

“So Lilian, how was your date the other night? You seemed rather cozy with that young man at the ball yesterday evening.”

“It was not a date!”

[minseologs]

children of the wicked

trigger warnings// heavy violence

Jeju

If my son lived today, I wonder what kind of man he turned out to be. I was told I had my father’s brazen tactics with my mother’s gentle intimidation.

“I told you to fix this mess before it gets to me, did I not?”

Her hands struggles with the leather gloves as she was briefed with the situation that had happened with in Jeju. It was abrupt and an emergency, because there were too many witnesses. The breeze of the night calms her on the inside as it was her first problem as the head of their underground line. A beaten car waits for her and her inner circle, along with the local gang who had worked for her to keep things away from local enforcement. Clicks of heels match along with hers as she got closer. There were bullet holes in one area of the car, blood-stained glass as it’s shards had rained on the ground. There was scuff marks on the docks that lead out, and one can notice it wasn’t just a single car that was there. A few guards meet her, obvious hesitance in doing their next move. It looked like they knew something she did not. Apologetic heads downed, already refused to meet hers.

“Open the door.”

“Miss Choi—“

“—The door.”

~

“How old are you?” Minseo’s voice was gentle, smiling at the boy who was clutching a similar doll Jinwoo had liked years before.

The child only raises five fingers, shyly retracts them after doing so.

“My son is your hyung,” she comments. Her eyes proceed to meet the boy’s father. “Your appa and I are gonna go for a quick talk, we’ll be back, okay?”

The boy nods, still ignoring her face. The said man follows suit.

Located in a remote area just outskirts of the Incheon docks, the Choi underground’s secondary headquarters sit. Gwangju is the first, and Jeju sits third in Korea. It was a building disguised as a small office where all of the employees work for her under the radar. All sorts of people work for her, but really, the ones in the outer circle usually cause the ruckus. Those are the ones who reign the streets outside, and more. Minseo receives a call about one of her men going rogue, which can cause problems with in her link. She can’t trust anyone, after all.

“You never told me you had a child,” eyes stern on the man years older than her.

“Forgive me, Miss Choi,” he responds nervously. “I… had to keep him a secret.”

“What were you doing in Jeju? The money disappeared in your watch.” She wastes no time asking about an export that had went missing. The man visibly became distressed. “You have to tell me the truth or else your wife will be collateral.” She had another thought in her head, but she didn’t dare speak it out loud.

“My wife… out of desperation— she took it.” The man confesses, his head hung low and his palms sweaty from the confrontation. “A local gang had threatened us and we had no choice—“

“There’s always a choice.” She interrupts rather quickly. “Tell us everything you know.”

~

“Have you lost your mind!!! That’s the Choi’s money?! Why didn’t you call me immediately!”

“And you want our child to get hurt?! This is your fucking problem for working for them! No one told you to switch sides!!”

The boy cries in fear, watching his parents get in an intense argument.

“You have to tell them.”

“Do you know what can happen?!”

The woman points at their only child. Shakily, with a broken heart

“Bring our son. You told me she had a soft spot for children, right…?”

~

Would he have turned out like me? Filled with spite and grief to situations I had no control over? I still remember the way he looked at me when I killed a man to protect him.

Minseo’s glint fuels anger after hearing his story, aside from her problem with the others. “Smart Lady.” she comments, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. “We will send help in Jeju. Until then, to pay for your mistakes, I’m letting you off easy. Fix your problem with the men going in Jeju before it reaches me. I want you to keep clear of your recent transactions until we get the money back,” The man bows furiously, thanking her for her kindness. But she wanted nothing to here about it. She was more forgiving than her father. “This is your debt. I never want to see your child around here again, you understand?”

“Yes— Miss Choi— thank you—“

Stepping out of the room, the child still didn’t want to look at Minseo while he fumbled with a pink doll that was on the ground— he froze on the spot seeing her. So she crouches, but not forcing him to look. She hands the doll on his lap, and walks away, her smile fading along.

~

“Sweetheart, It looks like he tried to deal with it on his own…”

The door was opened slowly, and the horrific view of a bloody body of a woman and a child greets them. She protected him, but it looks like the multiple bullet wounds went through her shoulder and one into the child’s neck. The boy’s arm falls limp and the same pink doll was stained red. As it rolls out on the ground— they proceed to hear grunting in the front seat. Her men’s guns raise to initiate protection but her brows furrow despite the shock that had run through her body. It was the man she had spoken to days ago, who was also shot in his arm but has survived. Barely. He held a gun close as he falls out of the vehicle. Minseo was emotionless.

“You and I are the same. Seems like luck is on our side when it comes to having multiple revives, doesn’t it?” her voice was annoyed. she crouches on his eye level, taking his gun while he leaned on his car with fear. “What did I say?”

The man tried to beg but it was clear this had to end because it’s not her problem from this point on. She takes aim, the cries got louder.

“Please— PLEASE— Miss Ch—“

BANG

The noise echoed but was drowned by the shores. Minseo fires point black, the bullet between his eyes ends it once. She proceeds to then drag the child out. Her dead gaze was in heartache as she puts him on the ground next to his doll.

“Take the bodies and burn them. Crush the car and send it to the next recycling export ship. Bury the child in a cemetery as soon as you can.”

She leaves the premises, taking off the gloves and tosses it in the car where the woman was, along with the gun. The team scrambles to follow her instructions as she watches the boy being taken away.

~

Seoul

Sometimes, I always wonder what the children think of when they find out their parents are bad people. When I was young, I thought it was because to prepare us for the world.

“Take me to Jinwoo,” a brief request, the driver immediately changes route to accommodate her request. The drive was silent, coming straight from the island with exhausted eyes.

The driver waits around in a distance and she lays down on the tiles of his new resting place. He was the only one, but Minseo had built a separate mausoleum away from her family for Jinwoo. It’s was white with wooden accents, typically unheard of around there.

Most of the people who worked for the inner circle started out like that. Because of their connection, they tell the children to be wary of their surroundings. Children started to step in slowly. But some were pushed in the life of the underground. I tried my best to keep my own son out.

“Mommy’s grown incredibly busy, again, but I guess your aunts and uncles are keeping me company too.” she speaks, as if he was really there. “I couldn’t bring your kimbap, I’m sorry.” She pauses, thinking it would give him time to answer. “Jinwoo, what do I do?”

There was always collateral. One of greatest value in the game is a child. No one could ever hurt a child intentionally. They were like settlements for peace. 

Minseo looks at his name on the urn, “Would you have liked how I turned out now, my son?” one last look before leaving the premises. It wasn’t sadness she carried, but lately, she didn’t know what she was feeling. Still, she thought he would respond.

We were all like children, before we experienced something so wicked and vile. If we were lucky to survive, we get to experience life with multiple chances. I can’t tell though. I was just a child, too.

[l000ey]

all he do is lie → z.j

pairing; kim jongin x zhou jia x jennie kim (ft. kim jiwon, kim hanbin, kim jinwoo, lee seunghoon and mentions of lalisa manoban)

summary; skyler discovers that her boyfriend cheats on her with one of her best friends

warnings; skyler being hurt (#skylerdeservesbetter), cheating and fake friends

note; I know I said that skyler punched jennie but, honestly, I don't see sky punching someone, that's something more red or storm but not sky so we stay with that attack of anger

2019

The tears did not stop falling down her cheeks as if from a waterfall it glided nonstop through the rocky wall of a mountain, her face was red as were her eyes and the tip of her nose. The tear-covered screen had caused the pain that had implanted in her chest. Jia wished she hadn't got up that day.

Her gaze was fixed on the screen already turned off by the loss of physical contact, although Jia was not there. Her mind was lost a few minutes ago.

Why?

The girl believed that when her heart was broken she would always have thousands of questions in her head but no, the only one who wanted to escape from her lips was that. The already familiar feeling of choking began to burn her chest until it reached her throat releasing a sob. They say that crying takes away the pain, so why was it still there?.

It hurts. so much.

Everything was going well. She was happy. She had woken up feeling that at last her life made sense and she was safe, at last, but it all went away. She had got up ready to go to the studio and create new songs for the next IKON album or maybe her, had eaten with Bobby and then recorded a song, had talked to him for the date they had tonight, had been daydreaming with time to go see him.

But apparently she had been daydreaming all this time and that article confirmed it. Why? She wondered again. Why had her friends cheated on her like this? Why had he made her go through this knowing how difficult it was for her to love after Hanbin's? Why didn't Lisa tell her?.

The typical sound of iPhone made her come back to reality. A message, from Hanbin.

kim hanbin

I have seen the article

Where are you? I'm coming for you

With an empty look, she released the phone on the sofa, wiped her tears in a sudden movement, hurting herself by rubbing the hard leather sleeve against her cheek and rose from the chair to leave the room.

"Sky, where are you going?" Bobby's face appeared behind the door when she opened it, a bag of food and a few cans of Coca Cola in his arms indicated that he had received the order they had made an hour ago. He frowned when he recognized the redness of her eyes and nose. His eyes softened with concern "What happened?".

But she ignored him, walking determinedly to the elevators. She ignored the calls of her groupmate and the look Jinu gave her when he saw her enter the same elevator as him while she furiously pressed her fingers against the screen. The tears shed on the screen, rubbing with every letter she touched.

me

can i go to see you?

jenns 🖤💗

I'm busy

What if we meet up with the girls this afternoon and watch a movie?

me

oh, sure

Suspicion. That feeling was added to anger, sadness, anger, outrage and pain. That list of feelings that Zhou Jia had memorized from the first letter to the last and something in her heart told her that it was not going to be the only feeling that was added to the list today.

She raised her head and laid her eyes on the boy who looked at her curious and worried "Do you know where Jennie is now?".

Jinwoo's eyes widened as his back pressed against the wall, surprised by the tone the young woman used “I-in practice room three. Hoon wanted to use it for today's practice but Blackpink already had it reserved”.

"Thank you, oppa" And with the same cold tone as ice, which was unusual for the girl, she answered before the doors opened, letting her out in a hurry.

Skyler did not run but her steps were quick and determined until she heard laughter too familiar to her. A masculine laugh that she had become accustomed to hearing for almost a year and a half. Her body froze in place, stopping her walk in the middle of the hall.

The urge to vomit came when she heard some female laughs also known to her and followed by them, kissing sounds. Her gaze fell to the ground, she felt her eyes flood rapidly but swallowed it. She refused to be seen crying, she didn't want to cry again, she didn't want to cry anymore for any man, she didn't want to be hurt anymore.

She didn't want it to hurt.

In a few seconds, without even thinking about it, she was in the room catching one of her closest friends sitting on her boyfriend's lap while he ran his fingertips down the skin of her back that the tiny top she was wearing left him.

He did that to her. He also stroked her hair as he was doing to Jennie, looked at her as he was looking at Jennie at that moment and smiled at her as he was smiling at Jennie now.

At Jennie, not at her.

She smiled when they saw her. She heard the gasps of surprise and saw how they separated as if the simple touch of their bodies burned them. Without realizing the tears fell but the smile did not erase from her lips.

"Skyler" The girl tried to approach her. Her voice wasted guilt but she knew better. Fake, everything was fake. Jennie was never her friend.

"I didn't want to believe it but I guess it's true” She looked them up and down, finding hickeys in Jongin's neck that she hadn't done last night, so they had to be recent. From now "Why?".

Jongin's honey eyes frowned in a sad look and his thick, beautiful lips pouted “No, I didn't want to but… it was a mistake and then it went to more. I'm sorry, I didn't want to, I'm sorry. Please, I love you and—”.

"No" She raised her hand along with her voice, looking at him with hate. At that moment hse felt the purest hatred for Kim Jongin and Jennie Kim. She looked at him with disgust and revulsion making him feel like a little boy who needed his mother's arms to protect him from the monster “Don't say you love me if you don't feel it because you clearly don't. Neither of you does it” She looked at the one she once called a friend. Oh, how she regret “I don't understand why you did this to me, after you've seen me because of what I've been through. You—“ She pointed to the boy “You have excited me and filled with dreams and then go and fuck one of my friends”.

She let out a laugh that, honestly, scared them because they had never seen Skyler like this. Zhou Jia was a peaceful, loving and affectionate girl that illuminated your days like the brightest sun but now she only looked like a broken glass with which you can cut yourself and leave a deep wound on your skin.

"Do you know that yesterday he was talking about getting married, having children and going to live together?" The other girl looked at the man with dull eyes, her heart also breaking "He told me that he loved me and to expected a ring shortly. I suppose that he will also have said something like that to you, he will have excited you convincing you that he was going to leave me and take your hand telling the world that you are now his, but, you know what? He lied to you!” She shouted still with that sarcastic smile on her face.

Behind her appeared Hanbin, Bobby, Hoony and Jinwoo. The Ikon leader who led them froze at the door watching the girl let off steam. He looked among the lovers with his eyebrows furrowed.

“All men do is lie!” She shouted and Hanbin knew that he was one of the reasons why she had said that “They delude you and then leave you. They make you love them, trust them and let your guard down so they will then stab you. But for me it has been worse because not only has a man stabbed me but a friend has also stabbed me. And, honestly, I don't know what is worse” With a look of disappointment, she turned around, astonished to see the boys but she struggled not to express any emotion. She stood next to her leader and without looking at him said "I hope you are happy."

But he was not happy.

[xxprincessjewelsxx]

Aces Over Eights (Chanyeol Mafia!au Fic) Chapter 14 - Family

Ch. 1, Ch. 2, Ch. 3, Ch. 4, Ch. 5, Ch. 6, Ch. 7, Ch. 8, Ch. 9, Ch. 10, Ch. 11, Ch. 12, Ch. 13, Ch. 14, Ch. 15

Warnings: None except Y/N has a bit of a pity pot moment.

It was after that day that I spent the next few weeks under close supervision from EXO. Though in all honesty they had no more reason to keep an eye on me since I wasn’t their “property” I think they realized that they couldn’t just throw me to the wolves after all that happened and the way that Chanyeol acted when one of them suggested using me as bait or to just let me go...I don’t think he would have let them.

And so, I turned back to cleaning the penthouses to keep myself occupied. Working and keeping my hands moving was really the only way to keep from not worrying about what was going on.

“Junmyeon!” I heard a female voice call as the elevator door open.

Drying off my hands I walked towards the sound of the new voice and saw Suho greeting a beautiful young woman with two children with her; a young boy maybe about five and a girl maybe a year old. I couldn’t help but smile at the interaction between Suho and the two children. The hardass mafia boss that I knew was gone and he was a big sucker.

I let out small chuckle and the young woman noticed me and I tried to cover my smile with my hand.

“Is this her?” she questioned.

“Yeah,” Suho replied, “That’s the girl Chanyeol got us all tied up with.”

“Stop it...she saved the guys’ lives,” she said as she handed the little girl to him and walked over to me and gave a small bow, “My name is Lina...please don’t mind Junmyeon, it takes a while for him to warm up to people.”

I gave a small bow back. “My name is Y/N and it’s okay….I have caused a lot of trouble lately…”

“Junmyeon...why don’t you take the kids to your office to play for a little while so I can talk to Y/N,” Lina said with a smile, “Might be nice for her to get a reprieve from the sausage fest she’s surrounded by every day.”

“Sausage fest??” Suho questioned looking slightly insulted.

“Yes...I assume you’ve met the other men you associate with...now scoot,” she said, shooing him away and down the hall, “Now….let’s talk.”

~A Few Minutes Later~

“And that’s how I ended up here,” I said as Lina handed me a cup of coffee as she sat down on the couch next to me and turned towards me.

“And I thought my father was a despicable man,” she said shaking her head in disbelief, “Looking back I could take all the abuse from him...but having parents that stole from you and ruined your future…”

“You’re married to Suho...I mean...was it a choice to-”

She let out a laugh. “Oh absolutely not...but...Junmyeon….I fell in love with him. He’s not as bad as you think he is. He can be an ass and an overbearing jerk but being with him is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“So even with him being in the mafia...it works for you two?” I questioned.

“Well I can’t say it’s always been easy and I can’t say I didn’t have much insight to some things cause my father was a mobster but….yeah it works,” she replied taking a sip of her coffee and then stopping to look at me over the rim of her cup before bringing it away from her lips, “Why?”

“No real reason….I was just wondering,” I replied.

“For scientific reasons?” she questioned.

“Yep, writing a paper….”

“Tell me how that goes.”

“Will do.”

There was silence for a moment before we both let out small snorted chuckles.

“What is it that you want to know? Something about Chanyeol?” she questioned.

“What?” I questioned feeling puzzled, “Why would I-”

“This whole thing revolves you and Chanyeol basically...something is bound to...or has already happened,” she said.

‘Crap she’s good,’ I thought.

“Do you like him?” she questioned, “And by like I don’t mean ‘like’ as in you would ‘like’ to see him around the office or see as a neighbor cause he’s a good guy. I mean do you liiiiike him.”

“Does wanted to do him sober instead of drunk count?” I questioned.

Her mouth dropped open and her eyebrow raised. “I um….”

“Hey babe did you bring….is everything okay?” Suho questioned, now standing in the doorway with the baby in one arm and a bottle in the other.

“Yeah...just getting juicier answers than I expected...formula is in the right hand side of the bag,” Lina managed to say.

“I’m not even going to ask,” he said before turning and leaving.

“So you two have already had sex?” she questioned, leaning in.

“Yeah...but if you want details I don’t remember much,” I said.

“No...no…” she said looking like she was thinking, “Baekhyun was telling the truth.”

“What?” I questioned.

“Baekhyun gossips to me, keeps me entertained and updated on what goes on here since I don’t live in the penthouse anymore,” she stated, “Would you go mini golfing in the dark with him.”

“Baekhyun?”

“No...Chanyeol,” she said, “Your trust level, would you go mini golfing in the dark level.”

“I didn’t realize that was a level of trust but….sure,” I said, “I trust him with my life...do you trust Suho enough to go mini golfing in the dark with him.”

“You can call him Junmyeon when you’re in the penthouse….and of course....I’d just wear a bullet proof vest cause their would have to be a very good reason why we were going mini golfing in the dark,” she said.

“Glow in the dark mini golfing?” I questioned.

“He says he hates mini golf cause it messes with his real golf swing...I think he just hated losing to me….” she said.

“Right….”

“Are you in love with him?” she questioned.

“What?????”

“Are you in love with Chanyeol?” she asked again, “It’s a loaded question, yes but…”

“I…” I stopped when the elevator doors opened and Chanyeol stepped out.

“Hey Lina!” he said walking over and giving her and small hug over the back of the couch, “You bring the kids with you?”

“Of course!” she replied with a smile, “Jinwoo will be happy to see his jungle gym.”

“Jungle gym?” I questioned.

Chanyeol scratched the back of his head, a slight red tint coming to his ears. “The kid likes the fact that I’m tall and he like getting shoulder rides from me.”

“He really is a big teddy bear,” Lina stated leaning towards me.

“I am not,” he argued.

“Don’t fight me on this, I know you better,” she said looking his dead in the eyes leading to a sibling like bickering between the two.

I couldn’t help but smile at the interaction and as more of the guys slowly entered the penthouse it was clear that EXO was more than just a bunch of guys that came together for a common cause of money and power...it was a family. And thinking about all the things that had transpired the last couple of months, though we had gone back and forward saving each other...and no matter how much I may (or may not) have feelings for Chanyeol I would never have a place among them.

‘Who am I kidding?’ I thought watching as Junmyeon brought the kids out to the living room, ‘I’ve never belonged any where...why would this be any different?’

Quietly getting up from the couch I went back to the kitchen and continued the cleaning that I had previously working on before Lina had arrived. The sound of their laughter and the kids playing drifted into the kitchen and it was hard not to wish that I belonged out there. Sure I could hold a conversation with one of the guys for a little while and Lina seemed nice, but that was different from actually belonging.

Footsteps soon entered the kitchen and I looked over my shoulder to see Chanyeol standing there, his face scrunch up into a confused expression. “What are you doing in here?”

“Finishing my chores,” I replied.

“Everybody is-”

“Which is why I came back in here...it was nice talking to Lina. It’s been a while since I had another woman that I could just chat with but the family was back together and I didn’t want to get in the middle of it,” I said, cutting him off completely.

“No one asked you to leave the room,” he stated, “If we wanted you to leave we would...are you even listening to me.”

I hadn’t relized it but as he was talking I had completely shut down, his words beginning to get lost to me and as much as I wanted to believe him, as much as my heart ached to believe that I was wanted another part of me could only think about how I was only in that penthouse because of the events that happened over the last couple of months and as soon as everything was squared away I would be out of there and back where I started.

“I have a lot of work to get done,” I said, turning back to the counter.

“Right...you know...after the talk we had, I thought you would have gotten that you weren’t just a throw away. I wouldn’t have opened up to you unless you were welcomed and wanted here, but you know what Y/N...if this is what you want. Stick to your chores, it’s none of my business.”

As he left the room I didn’t bother looking at him. He had opened up to me and had trusted me with a personal story and yet I still felt like I was nothing more than someone who would be thrown out at the end of the day.

‘What the hell is wrong with me?’

TO BE CONTINUED...

[santoteez]

In The Bronx - Hongjoong (5)

Part: 5 of (?)

Masterlist to other parts/fics: Here

Genre: Drugdealer!Hongjoong, Drugdealer! SeonghwaAU, Angst, Eventual Fluff

Word Count:  2.2k

Requested: no

Warnings: MC is a black female, mentions of drugs, mentions of child neglect & abandonment, swearing, Hongjoong’s brother is inspired by Mingi

NOTE: This fic does NOT, in any way, shape, or form, portray the way I view any member of Ateez nor does it depict their true personalities or actions. This AU is just that. An AU.

Hongjoong smiled bittersweetly as he watched Santana and Minjoon lined up to leave the facility.

“Arms out.” The guard said, approaching him once again with the handcuffs. Once he was chained up, he was escorted back to his cell awaiting the public defender he was appointed when he arrived. He was unchained in front of his cell, rubbing his wrists once they were free and walking in.

“I don’t know what you’re here for, kid,” the guard said, closing the cell back. “but you’re probably the most well-behaved inmate I’ve ever escorted. Didn’t fight. Your visitors seem like nice people. I’m guessing the boy is your brother, looks just like you. The girl that was with him, that your lady?” Hongjoong nodded. “If you get outta here, do me a favor. Whatever you did that got you here, cut it out. It’s not every day you see loving people come visit. 90% of those visitors are gang members coming to brief their leaders on the latest. Do right by them.”

Hongjoong nodded. “Thank you, sir.” He walked over to his bed, laying down.

“Your first visit. How was it?” His cellmate asked.

Hongjoong didn’t know much about him. Hell, he had yet to even see his face. Since last night, the man sat in his bed, facing the wall. He didn’t even leave the room to eat. His food was brought to the cell while Hongjoong was escorted to the cafeteria that morning. Hongjoong wondered if he ever used the bathroom.

“It was fine, thanks.” He answered, retrieving the pencil and paper he had convinced the guard to get him.

“What about that girl you were up all night drawing a picture of? Was she there?”

Hongjoong looked up at him, putting away his drawing of Santana. “Nah, it’s just a character. Not a real person.”

“I’ve been here a long time, kid. No one gets locked up and starts drawing cartoons. I bet that’s the girl the guard was talking about.”

Hongjoong sighed. “Maybe. You ever get any visitors?”

“Nah, no one wants anything to do with me. They hate me.”

“Why? What you in for?”

“Murder.”

“I see.” Hongjoong continued his drawing.

“What you in here for, kid?”

“A whole lot of bullshit. I don’t regret it though.”

“Why’s that?”

“I did it all for my brother.”

“You must love him.”

“With all I’ve got. It’s just us.”

“And your parents?”

“I don’t remember much of my father. He never came around the house. I probably saw him briefly when my mom was pregnant with my brother. As for my mother, I haven’t seen her since I was five.”

“Are you from The Bronx?”

“Yep.”

“Is your name Joongie by any chance? Your brother is Minjoon?”

Hongjoong nearly dropped his pencil. He hadn’t heard that nickname in years. Only his mother ever called him that. It’s why he insisted on going by HJ. “How do you know that? Who told you that shit?”

“Your mother was Jinwoo. And the last time you saw her, the man she left with had a scar on his face.” For the first time, the man turned around to fully face Hongjoong. “A scar exactly like this one.”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Hongjoong muttered as he observed the scar that ran from the man’s eye down to his chin.

Kim Hongjoong, good afternoon.” A tall blond approached the cell. “I’m Sarah Fawcett, your public defender. I’m going to go get the guard to take you out so we can talk for a bit, okay?”

Hongjoong nodded as she walked off, getting up to wait by the gate.

“Joongie-”

“Don’t call me that. That person doesn’t exist. When I come back, just face the wall. I don’t want to talk to you.” Hongjoong said as the gate opened.

He followed the public defender to a small interrogation room. It was empty except for a stainless-steel table and two matching chairs.

“Hongjoong, have a seat, please. I see here you’re facing a life sentence for the attempted murder Timothy and Clarence Claremont. I spoke to the arresting officer as well as the attorney for the Claremonts. We’ve all discussed a plea deal. They’ll reduce your sentence if you plead guilty for this case…as well as the Paredes case.”

“Woah, wait. Paredes? You mean Lil Victor that got caught in a drive-by up the block?”

“That is correct.”

“I had nothing to do with that! I was nowhere near there at that time!”

“Do you have an alibi?”

“I was home all day that day.”

“Can anyone attest for that? Anyone else there with you?”

“No, It’s only me and my teenage brother. He was at school. But I was home. I was-” Hongjoong paused, remembering what he was truly doing that afternoon. “sleeping. I woke up around 2:50 to go pick up Minjoon at 3:30. That’s the truth.”

“It may be the truth, but it will barely hold up in court.”

“Why am I even being tried for this? Where did this come from? You haven’t even asked me anything about the Coca Twins.”

“Well, did you do that?”

“No.”

“Ahh, so you expect me to believe you’re just this impeccable citizen from The Bronx that’s done no wrong?”

“I don’t know, why don’t we ask my clean record?”

“Okay, how about this,” she folded her hands on the table. “You plead guilty, and I issue an insanity plea. Say that you did it in a frenzy.”

Hongjoong shook his head. “Nah man, I ain’t crazy. You want me to admit that I killed someone, AND almost killed two other people? In the same day? That literally makes no sense. And all for what? To reduce my sentence to 80 years? 60 maybe? I’m not going down like that. No way.”

Sarah sighed, visibly upset. “Look, kid, you don’t have much of a chance here. If this goes to trial, there’s a 90% chance you’re convicted. Just take the deal.”

Hongjoong leaned in, resting his arms on the table. “Fuck you.” He smiled.

“Okay, you know what? I think we’re done here.”

“I think so, too.” Hongjoong nodded.

“Guard! You can take him back.” Sarah pinched the bridge of her nose.

Hongjoong ran his hand through his hair as he walked back into his cell. He laid down, staring at the ceiling.

“I’m guessing that didn’t go well.”

“Shut up.” Hongjoong closed his eyes. “Please, for the love of God, shut the fuck up.”

“You wanna know why you don’t remember your father? I spent most of my time in and out of this hellhole.”

“What? Now that I don’t wanna talk to you, you expect me to believe you’re my dad? Cut the crap.” Hongjoong laid on his side, away from the man.

“When you were three, you burned yourself on a hot spoon. Your mom was using it for heroin. You had a burn mark on your wrist for almost a week, and your mom beat you for touching it. Those marks took even longer to heal.”

“Anyone with eyes could see that my mother beat me. Plus, we lived in a building full of druggies. Anyone could’ve told you that.”

“When Minjoon was born, it was in the bathroom of a diner. You were the one that called 911 when the workers freaked out when they didn’t know what to do. You were the one that talked them through the whole thing. You took responsibility from a young age.”

“That was a public space. Lots of people found out about that.”

The man sighed. “Okay. How bout this: There’s a birthmark on your inner thigh. In the shape of a heart. You used to always say that you had two hearts because you loved your mom times two.”

Hongjoong turned to face the man. “I only ever told my mom that.” Finally getting a good look at the man, it was insane how much he looked like him, sans the scar. He may have had a couple wrinkles here and there, but it was like looking into a mirror.

The man nodded. “It’s nice to see you, son.”

Hongjoong chuckled. “Wow. I have a dad. Hooray. Two parents that left me for dead.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“Then how was it? Huh? You thought the other drug addicts would just pick me and Minjoon up and take us into their needle-poked arms to raise us as theirs?”

“When the police pulled up to the house, it was your mom that called them. She gave an anonymous tip-off that two children were left stranded on a stoop and the older one was crying.”

“That makes no sense. Why would she do that?”

“Your mom was young, dumb, and a feen. She did a lot of things that make no sense. The biggest one being following me. That day, I told her you would be better off without her. To just leave you at the hands of the state.”

“Why the FUCK would you do that?”

“I was just as dumb as she was. I was a kingpin for the Barbosa Cartel. She refused to live with me after you were born. She said you’d be safer living far from me. I was crazy about your mother, but as long as you and your brother were in the picture, she wanted nothing to do with me. So, I came up with the knucklehead idea to separate you from her. No kids, no problem. I threatened to kill you if she didn’t abandon you. She preferred you alive, so she obliged. I came for her that afternoon, she left you on the steps. Once we turned the corner, she reported the sighting. She moved in with me, changed her name. She never forgot about you, though. She always went snooping around, seeing how many foster homes you been to, where you were going to school. She saw how Minjoon excelled, and she saw when you dropped out. She was distraught. Said it was all her fault. She wanted nothing more than to run back to you. So, one day I told her she could. I told her to go to you.”

“I don’t remember ever seeing my mom again, so that’s a lie.”

The man shook his head. “She never got the chance to. On her way to your neighborhood, she ran into a man she owed money to years ago. I kept her sheltered all that time so no one knew where she was. She was gunned down on the spot. When word got back to me, I was furious. He killed the person that mattered to me the most. I hunted the man down and strangled him with my bare hands. That’s why I’m here.”

“Barbosa? So you’re the man they call King.” King nodded. Tears streamed down Hongjoong’s face. “You’re so full of shit. Do you realize what the fuck I went through? Countless nights crying for my mother, wondering where she went. I never focused in school, never warmed up to foster parents who did a shit ton more for me than either of you, all because I was scared to love anyone who might leave! I’ve been so scared of being abandoned that I did a whole lotta shit just to make sure I got legal guardianship of Minjoon, and it’s because of that shit that I’m in here, stuck with your bitch ass!” Hongjoong got up, pacing the room back and forth. “You said you were a kingpin, right? Well, I guess history repeats.” He shook his head. “Nah, I gotta get out of here. Get out, go back to school, leave this life behind. I gotta be somebody because the LAST person I wanna be is you. I refuse to end up like this. Because that girl in the drawing? She’s my world. The one that’s responsible for my smile and the one that takes away all my worries. I’m so in love with her, and I would NEVER, in a million fucking years on this earth, do to her what you did to my mother. To my FAMILY. You’re fucking despicable. I could’ve lived my whole fucking life without meeting you and died a happy death.”

“Wanna know something?”

“No, but I’m sure you’re gonna tell me anyway. Your meathead ass is dead from the neck up.”

King ignored the insult. “That officer that brought you in. He’s filthy. Always convicting people of shit they didn’t do. Adding charges from nowhere. He and that public defender are one and the same. You find a way to prove that, you’ll be out in no time.”

Hongjoong shrugged. “Why are you telling me all this? Why do you suddenly care?”

“Because I may be related to you, but you’re nothing like me. And honestly, I don’t wanna see you in here either. You should be out there, going to school, chilling with your brother, loving your lady. The world owes you that much.”

Hongjoong grabbed his metal cup from his bedside, banging it against the metal bars of the cell. “Yo guard! Let me out, I gotta make a phone call! Don’t forget you still owe me for not letting me make one last night!”

If Hongjoong didn’t see a way out before, he definitely did now.

[pumpkinmutual]

Siren Song [Siren!au][2]

The sea is beautiful.

Water sparkles for miles ahead and miles behind, a vast depth of deep blue that whips the smell of sea salt into the air and calls to the hearts of every traveler. The sea, in her infinite and eternal presence, is where adventure begins -- and often ends.

The sea is beautiful, but she is also cruel.

Captain Jinwoo -- affectionately nicknamed “Jinjin” by his crew -- knows this, perhaps better than anyone else aboard the Aroha. He knows how gentle waves can turn harsh in an instant and how the friendliest skies can hide the biggest dangers.

He knows the seas better than he knows anything else and if anyone’s noticed his unnatural knack for keeping them clear of storms and other ships, they chock it up to the stories he tells during meals, jokes sprinkled in to get the crew laughing and keep spirits high. He is, after all, just past the youth of a child and whatever vibe of a seasoned sailor he gives off is purely by chance.

Jinwoo calls himself a pirate, but he is not the kind that nearly everyone knows of. He is not obsessed with gold or treasure maps, or even dealings in stolen goods. The Aroha and her crew have a purpose -- a job, a job that they do well if the fact that they’re still among the living is any indicator.

They go after siren hunters.

Sirens, the elusive creatures, had once been thought to be purely myth, creatures made up to decorate the bedtime tales of small children and warn them of the dangers of deep water. No one is entirely certain how exactly they were discovered to be more than just a myth, to be something real -- but nearly everyone knows just how valuable they are.

Their bones are ground into a fine powder and made into healing ointments and tinctures, the healing properties of those beautiful creatures offering a speedy recovery from even the more severe of injuries. Their scales, shimmering, beautiful disks of every color are made into jewelry often seen around the necks of noble women who coo and fawn over each other’s trinkets as if they aren’t made from the bodies of living creatures.

Jinwoo isn’t one for the politics of people, but they make him sick. Sick enough to gather together a crew willing to help him track down hunting ships and at the very least damage the ships enough to make it impossible to continue hunting sirens. With every ship they leave behind with broken harpoons, canons and terrified crew, Jinwoo feels a little bit better.

If the crew also notices how he seems to take each ship as a personal affront or how fixated he is on making sure none of the sirens are injured, they say nothing. He is their captain after all, and for all his lightheartedness, they know there’s an edge to him, lying beneath the surface like a razor blade.

And sometimes, it’s better to not ask questions.

“We’ve been gone longer than we should have been.”

Sanha stares at Moonbin’s back and feels guilt coiling in his stomach as he watches his friend’s tail slice through the water. “If we get caught, tell Eunwoo it was my fault.”

“I chose to come with you, Sanha.” Moonbin slows and turns, offering him a smile. “We’ll get in trouble together, I’m not going to leave you to shoulder all of it.”

Sanha smiles back, though it falters as Moonbin’s expression shifts to wide-eyed fear before he lurches forward and slams into Sanha, making the younger boy yelp as they tumble clumsily through the water. “Moonbin what--”

“That,” Moonbin says breathlessly as he pulls away and gestures, and Sanha catches sight of a sleek pole tipped with a silver blade sinking deeper into the water. He knows what it is, and icy fear trickles into his limbs.

“A harpoon? Where--”

And then he sees the boat. It’s narrower than what he’s used to, cutting through the water almost as silently as they do. He glances at Moonbin who’s just a few feet from him, taking in the grim look on his face before he mouths a single word.

Go.

The net comes out of nowhere. Thick rope is coiling across his tail before Sanha can react, heavy, refusing to give way even when he starts thrashing, fingers hooking into the rope and trying to pull it off of him.

“Sanha!” Moonbin is beside him in an instant, tearing at the rope and cursing when it only pulls tighter, tugging Sanha towards the ship.

“Moonbin, get out of here or you’ll get caught too!”

“Are you stupid?” Moonbin snaps and Sanha stares at him. “I’m not leaving you to face humans on your own. We’re not going down without a fight, right?”

Sanha’s heart hammers in his chest. He’s terrified, but he can tell Moonbin is just as much as him, and that scares him even more. But he swallows hard and nods. “Right.”

They’re nearing the surface now, and what had once felt so temptingly freeing close to the shore now feels like he’s staring death in the face -- because he can hear voices now, men yelling at each other, the creak of wood and grunts of effort as they’re pulled ever closer.

Eunwoo was right, Sanha thinks, humans are dangerous. I shouldn’t want to be around them when they’ve killed so many of us. If we make it back, I’ll tell him he was absolutely right.

If. He wants to think when, but he can’t. They’re seconds from breaking the surface. He wants to tell Moonbin to let go of the net, to run because at least one of them will make it out of this. But he doesn’t.

Instead, he works his fingers through the net to grip Moonbin’s fingers, feeling the older boy grip them back just as tight.

We go together.

Sanha wonders if Eunwoo has noticed they’re missing yet.

They break the surface.

[katthetaipeicat]

Week 23 (2/4~2/10): Lunar New Year and Love in South Korea

Hey everyone! Be prepared for a long post, as this week was particularly special to me. I’m writing this in the plane on my notes app as I reminisce and try not to cry. Despite having the time of my life abroad, it sometimes hits me hard that I truly miss home and my loved ones. And while I wasn’t back in the States, Korea is still home to me in a different way. So I hope this post is a good read for you, as it means a ton to me. 

My lovely family

Time to introduce my wonderful family!!

So the adults pictured here, from left to right, are my aunt (mom’s older sis), her elder son, his wife, and his younger brother. Younger cousin’s wife took the photo. My cousins are much much older than me, they’re already in their late 30′s/early 40′s and have kids!!

Speaking of the kids, here are the loves of my life!!!!!

My older cousin’s kids: Yerin 예린 (big sister, 9) & Junseo 준서 (little brother, 4)

My younger cousin’s kids: Soyoon 소윤 (eldest sister, 4), Sodam 소담 (middle child, 2), and Yoohyun 유현 (baby brother, 4 months)

As you can imagine, having five children in one house for the holiday is an absolute ruckus (and I apologize in advance for my baby voice):

There are other relatives that I really want to introduce you to: 

My grandpa (mom’s dad) & aunt (mom’s sister-in-law). Gramps is turning 100!!! And he’s so strong and healthy still. 

My grandma (mom’s mom) with her youngest great-grandchild Yoohyun (and my cousin who apparently thinks he’s cute):

Lunar New Year

So the reason I came to Korea in the first place was because Taiwan, Korea, and many other Asian countries celebrate Lunar New Year. I’ve celebrated LNY countless times with my family in the states, but this being my first LNY in Korea, I of course wanted to observe how people in my motherland celebrate this holiday. 

Here’s the offering table: 

Everyone bows to the ancestors in a ceremony called “seh-beh” 세배 (look at Sodam doing a fantastic job in her little blue dress lol):

And here’s Junseo showing off his cute hanbok: 

Excursion to Seoul! Hi Lauren, Peter & 1million!

As much as I love my family, it’s tough being essentially a full-time volunteer babysitter. So when the kids went back to school, I took two days away from Busan to go up to Seoul!

Bless my dear friend Lauren for hosting me for a night and just being an awesome friend/tour guide! She def knows Seoul better than me now; she’s also a postgrad Light Fellow, learning Korean in Seogang University. I missed her so much, and it was so nice to see her again! 

I also got to hang out with Peter, another postgrad Light Fellow. And we all got fried chicken and beer, which is such a beloved combo that Koreans call it chimak 치맥. 

Another thing I got to do besides hanging out with friends was going to 1Million Dance Studio!! I took classes with choreographers Jinwoo Yoon & Hyojin Choi. These two people are my role models and inspirations, so to see them in person and learn their choreography was mindblowing (you can watch my attempts at following their choreo on instagram, dm me haha):

My time in Seoul was short but sweet!

All the little things

In the end, however, what made this trip most memorable was not the LNY ceremony or the adrenaline of 1million. It’s all the little moments spent with my loved ones that made me cherish my time here so much. Little moments such as: 

Going to Gijang 기장 for their famous seafood: 

Rollerskating for the first time: 

Ditching the kids for 4 hours to binge watch Kingdom (which btw is an AMAZING kdrama on netflix, if you like GoT + zombies + korean period dramas then watch it NOW):

Going down the slide together:

And doing something as simple as eating breakfast together:

Farewell & Reflection

Not gonna lie, it was rough saying goodbye. When my nieces and nephew asked when they’d see me again, that was already a really hard question to answer. But when my grandfather complained that I was leaving too soon, when he asked me whether he will get to see my mother again, it took soooo much effort to not sob in front of him. I ended up promising I’ll come back this summer, and I’ll try my hardest to convince my mom to come. So it’s only a temporary farewell. 

Yet, it still stings so much. After dealing with a week of my family teasing me for forgetting basic Korean words and speaking with a weird accent (this is what happens when you speak Mandarin almost exclusively for 5 months), I finally got used to speaking my mother tongue again, except I’m already on my way back to Taiwan. Despite me looking forward to seeing my friends and teachers in Taiwan again, I can’t help but feel like my time back in Korea was all too short. I started crying in the airport when I read this card that Yerin wrote me: 

But, life goes on. And I will be back home. Thank you to my lovely family and friends for hosting me and giving me the most memorable LNY ever. 

[starry-kfics]

fall activities [drabble preference]

day 2 of mel’s aroha sweet 16! enjoy this fall pref since it’s officially october!

myungjun

“MJ, we’re going to get lost.” You declared as your boyfriend was leading you towards the corn maze at a fall festival. “I’ll have you know, I have a superb sense of direction.” He scoffed as you two crossed the threshold into the maze. “You can barely go from your room to the kitchen without making a wrong turn.” “I’ll get us out of here!” And so you wandered around the maze with MJ for almost twenty minutes, finding countless dead ends. You swore that if you saw another piece of corn again in your life, it would be too soon. “Jagi, we’re lost.” You commented, and he let go of your hand to give you a disapproving look. “No we’re not.” He looked around, and pointed to a gap in the corn. “Look, there’s the exit!” Myungjun laced his fingers through yours again before racing toward it. You followed him, holding your laughter in at his excitement. He suddenly stopped as you were able to see what was outside the maze. The friendly man who had waved you into the maze half an hour ago. “We’re at the entrance again, jagi.” You tried to stifle your laughter. “Why am I so bad at things?” MJ groaned, and you took his hand in yours again to walk away from the maze. “You’re not bad at a lot of things, just finding your way out of a corn maze.” You assured him, leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek.

jinwoo “Ooooh, haunted house!” You squealed, pointing to it from across the field. “Jinwoo, can we go in it?” A nearby high school was having a Halloween festival, and you managed to find a time that Jinwoo could go with you. He side-eyed it, looking a little unsure. “Right now?” “Yeah, there’s no line!” You eagerly dragged him over to it, and he warily followed. “I don’t think-” “Oh come on, it’s made by a bunch of teenagers at an underfunded public high school, it’s not going to be that bad.” “Fine.” And so you entered the haunted house, which was apparently their gymnasium. Cobwebs were strewn about, with a sign saying ‘KEEP OUT’, written in red paint to look like blood. “Oh, this isn’t that bad.” Jinwoo said, but you felt his grip on your hand tighten as you went further into the haunted house. Just as you turned a corner, someone leapt out, dressed up as a zombie. They even had a fake hand that flew off, right at Jinwoo. He instinctually jumped in front of you, but the hand holding yours was shaking as he did so. You went to stand beside him, linking your arm with his. “Woah, that’s some good makeup.” You complimented the student. “Oh, thank you!” They replied cheerily, and Jinwoo relaxed as the horrors facade was broken. “Ah shit, I mean- wait, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to say- just keep going, please.” With a small laugh, you did so, and through the rest of the house, Jinwoo was tense, but never left your side. At any sign of danger, even if you could tell he was terrified, he would still go to protect you first. After you finally left the house, you stopped to take in a deep breath of fall air. Jinwoo still seemed stressed, eyes wide and flitting around constantly. You wrapped your arms around him tightly, feeling his heartbeat against your chest. “My brave little puppy.” You murmured, kissing his cheek. “I’m sorry for making you go in there.” “It’s okay, I wasn’t that scared.” He replied, but his voice was still wavering. Pulling back, you planted your lips firmly on his this time, and he melted into the kiss, “Okay, maybe I was a little scared.”

dongmin You were wrapped up in many blankets, a bowl of candy corn in your lap as you sat on the couch in ASTRO’s dorm. Dongmin had invited you over for your normal movie night, but seeing as tomorrow was Halloween, he had chosen a few scary movies to watch. Dongmin was snuggled in behind you, arms wrapped around your waist to hold you as close to him as he could. Not much had happened yet, just your standard possessed doll. But that doesn’t mean you were enjoying it. You hated scary movies, especially ones with jumpscares, but your boyfriend really wanted to watch some. After all, it was only one movie might out of dozens you’ve had, you could survive it. You were about to say something to Dongmin when the doll’s face was suddenly on the screen, accompanied by a blood curdling scream from the main character. An inhuman noise of surprise and terror escaped your mouth as you pressed further back into Dongmin, hiding your face in your hands. You could feel him laughing against you, and shook your head, turning around to see his smiling face. “You’re enjoying my terror?” You narrowed your eyes, and he quickly went to deny it. “No, no, I’m not.” He tried to assuage you, but was still chuckling. Rolling your eyes, you shoved a bunch of candy corn in his mouth to shut him up before hesitantly looking back to the TV. At the next jumpscare, you quickly burrowed your face into Dongmin’s neck. “I hate you, I hate this movie, and I refuse to watch any more of it.” You mumbled into his skin, and he rubbed your back, still holding in laughter. “I’m sorry you don’t like it, jagi.” Dongmin held you, resting his cheek against your head, pressing a kiss to your hair. “If your whole plan was for us to cuddle, you could’ve just asked, asshole.” “Yeah, but this was much more fun.” You whined, reaching up to flick his head. “I hate you.” “I love you, Y/N.” “Whatever.”

bin

“Aren’t we a little old to go trick-or-treating?” You asked your boyfriend inquisitively as he held a costume out to you. “We’re not going trick-or-treating, we’re handing out candy.” Bin replied with a 'duh’ tone, dressed in his own vampire costume. “Oh alright.” You accepted the costume from him, and retreated into your bedroom to get changed. He had chosen just a simple witch costume for you, which you couldn’t complain about. Walking out of the bedroom, you spotted him pouring bags of candy into a bowl. “Oooh, Twix.” You went to reach into the bowl, but he slapped your hand away. “We’ll have plenty of leftovers after we give them to children.” He chastised you, and you raised an eyebrow. “Never thought I’d see a day where Moon Bin didn’t want to eat.” “There’s a first time for everything.” Sitting on some chairs outside your home, you smiled at all the little kids that came up to you. There were a few families you knew, and they stopped to chat amicably with you. “Oh, my sister’s wondering if we want to take Donghun trick-or-treating.” You said as you checked your phone. “Sure, we can put a 'take one’ sign on the bucket.” Bin suggested. “Some kid is going to take half the bowl but okay.” And so you ended up walking around the neighborhood with your little nephew, who was dressed up as Thor. Donghun dragged the two of you everywhere, and your feet were starting to get tired. Not as tired as the boy’s, apparently, because he was soon asking to be picked up. You decided to hold his bucket of candy while Bin held the three year old on his hip. Soon, Donghun was fast asleep against your boyfriend as the two of you walked back towards your house, where your sister had taken over giving out candy. Looking into Donghun’s bucket, you spotted a Twix, and eagerly took it out to start unwrapping it. “Stealing candy from a baby, Y/N? Who knew you would stoop so low.” Bin jokingly shook his head in disappointment as you stuck the chocolate in your mouth. “He has KitKats, too.” You pulled one out, teasing your boyfriend. “The kid can’t count, anyway, he won’t miss one KitKat.” He quickly changed his mind, and with a grin, you took the wrapper off to hold it out to the man.

He leaned over to grab it with his mouth, still carrying Donghun. “Thanks, jagi.”

Donghun started at the sounds of you two talking, sleepily rubbing his eyes. “Uncle Bin? Are you eating my candy.”

You slapped a hand over your mouth to stifle your laughter as Bin desperately tried to persuade Donghun that he wasn’t eating his candy, even though the KitKat was still partially chewed in his mouth.

minhyuk

“Let’s get a big pumpkin!” Minhyuk declared as the two of you browsed around a pumpkin patch.

“I wanted a small pumpkin, though.” You frowned, bending down to pick up one that wasn’t any bigger than your hand. “Look, Min, it’s so cute!”

He still didn’t seem sold, so you held it up next to your face and tried your best pout with puppy dog eyes. “Just like me!”

With a sigh, your boyfriend relented. “Alright, we’ll get you a small pumpkin.”

“Yay! I love you, Min!” You gave him a kiss on the cheek before practically skipping over to the person you were to pay.

Minhyuk had ended up getting himself a medium sized pumpkin as well. Now you were both back home, in your kitchen, trying to figure out how to carve these things. You were using a small knife to cut the bottom and gut it while your boyfriend had a bigger one and was attempting the same thing. As you started spooning out the seeds and putting them on a separate plate, you wrinkled your nose against the smell, but nonetheless continued.

Finally, you could start carving the face. “I’m going to make you, Min!” You said, starting on his eyes.

“Why?”

“To make a pumpkMINHYUK.”

“Oh my god, Y/N.”

Minhyuk’s pumpkin didn’t turn out any better than yours, yours didn’t look remotely like him, or even human. But you still put them out in front of the house, a candle underneath them.

“They are absolutely horrible.” Minhyuk had an arm around your waist as the two of you admired your handiwork.

“Yep.”

sanha Eyes sparkling, you laid out the ingredients you had just gotten back from the store with. Apples, popsicle sticks, and caramel. “Sanha! Come here!” You called out to your boyfriend, and immediately heard his feet as he dashed into the kitchen. His face lit up when he saw the counter. “Are we making caramel apples?” “Yep! Now, let’s unwrap these caramels.” It didn’t take long for Sanha to start making a mess. Not like you expected anything less, but the caramel hadn’t even been melted yet. And somehow he still managed to get some in your hair. “Sanha.” You groaned, leaning over the sink as you tried washing it out. “I’m sorry, jagi!” Sanha apologized, and you shook your head, deciding to just pull your hair into a ponytail. “It’s fine, let’s keep going.” A few minutes later, the caramel was melted, and you had the job of dipping the apples while Sanha decorated them with sprinkles, frosting, chocolate drizzle, and nuts. “Oooh, that one looks good.” You pointed to one that especially had a lot of chocolate and sprinkles on it. “That one’s yours!” He proudly proclaimed, and you looked to him with a grin. “Thanks, jagi.” Turning back to the apples, you dipped another one before handing it to Sanha. “Hey, Y/N.” Sanha said when you were refocused on your task, and you looked up to him curiously. “Yes, Sanha?” “You’ve got something right-” He cut himself off, quickly bending down to kiss your nose. You blinked in surprise, a grin on your face from his cute action. “Did you get it?” “Nope, still there.” Sanha kissed your nose again, then your forehead and your cheeks. “Do I really have caramel everywhere?” You giggled as he kissed your forehead again. “I missed a spot, hold on.” And his lips connected with yours in a gentle and sweet kiss, one that had you melting more than the caramel.

[kngminho]

     mermaid!au: two different worlds .｡*ﾟ4

“why are you just standing there?” minho asked with an amused smile as he stood behind the boy who seemed to always be peeking by the kitchen door to take a look at the girl working inside. the boy, nick, jumped with surprise, immediately standing straight with the utmost respect he could show. it made minho laugh a little. 

“i-i’m sorry, your m-majesty... i- i wasn’t getting distracted o-on duty, i-... uh, i-i’m on a break...” the boy trailed off, and minho chuckled, casually patting his shoulder. 

“dude, i meant why aren’t you going in there and talking to her?” the way nick looked at him would’ve made him laugh more if he wasn’t feeling so bad for him. he knew that he was new to working in the palace, and wasn’t used to him being so casual with the staff. 

“i-... i don’t mean no offense, your majesty, but... don’t do me like this.” nick answered, looking truly petrified. that actually made minho laugh loudly this time. 

“nick, i’m serious. just talk to her.” he glanced into the kitchen where choonhee seemed to be cleaning up after finishing up work. 

nick glanced into the kitchen too, then back at minho. “what if...” 

“trust me, choon is the sweetest, purest person. nothing will go wrong.” he encouraged. “go on and make her day.”

“h-how... how do you know if it’ll make her day?” 

“i’ve heard things here and there. now come on, you can’t waste your chance. she’s on break too.” minho kept encouraging as he started to walk away. “and quit it with the formalities and saying ‘your majesty’. we’re all friends here.” 

he knew he’ll later have to ask choonhee what happened between them. he knew the girl had a crush on the new boy working in the palace recently. 

"I got this for you!” jinwoo giggled excited, setting down the three-armed candelabrum he brought with him. it was gold, a little bent and not in a good shape. for some reason, there were two small candles still on it. 

minho simply stared at it in confusion, wondering why the heck jinwoo would bring him something like that. “a...” 

“i actually don’t know what it is...” the merman tilted his head slightly, which minho found extremely cute paired with his thinking face. 

“it’s called a candelabrum. we have similar ones in the palace, but...” he saw the little frown on jinwoo’s face. “this- this is a pretty one, uh... thank you, jinwoo!” he immediately said. 

“you’re welcome, minmin!” his wide, excited smile returned. “i found it on a shipwreck! you could find all sorts of exciting things there!” 

“oh, that’s really cool. you must find the nicest things all the time.” minho nodded with a little smile, then tilted his head curiously. “do you know how this works?” 

“no...” the lost expression on jinwoo’s face returned yet again, and minho had to hold himself back from squishing his cheeks. “it’s gold, so it’s fancy... right?! is it-” he suddenly gasped. “is it a weapon?! oh no-”

“no, no! it’s not a weapon! calm down.” minho laughed yet again. he didn’t think he will ever get over jinwoo’s reaction to insignificant, regular human things. “it’s... gosh, how do i explain this. it’s kind of like... a stand to hold candles. these are candles, by the way,” he gestured to the remaining to small candles. “they’d usually be this tall, and you can light them up to see in the dark or... i don’t know, have them there during dinner?” 

“you... you can eat them?”

“eat- oh, goodness, jinwoo. no.” minho shook his head, giggling. “i meant like... light them up and have them at the center of the table like... like a center piece. i don’t know.” he shrugged, feeling like he was the worst at explaining. “do you want to see it lit up?” 

jinwoo watched the prince as he rummaged through his backpack to pull out a napkin and a small rectangular thing that he couldn’t recognize. he used the napkin to dry the candelabrum, along with the tips of the tiny candles. “uh... y-yes... please...” he stammered, not knowing what he meant by lighting them up. 

“don’t be scared, it’s fine.” minho reassured, smiling softly at jinwoo. once he was sure it was dry enough, he lit up the lighter and brought it closer to the candles to light them up as well. and just as he did so, he saw jinwoo backing away with wide eyes. 

“what is that?!” he asked in a panicked tone, pointing at the small flames, water splashing from his hand as he did so.

“you’ve never seen fire?” minho asked stupidly, before realizing what he’d said. “shi- of course. you live underwater... right.” he facepalmed himself, then looked at the merman again. “jinwoo, it’s not gonna hurt you, trust me. it’s a tiny fire. this is... this is how candles are lit up.” he tried to explain, trying to be reassuring. “it’s not a big fire, so it’s not gonna hurt you, see?” he blew them off. “gone!” 

“that... that was really cool.” jinwoo clapped his hands, coming closer to take a look at how the tips of the candles were just smoking by now. “can i do that?!” he asked excitedly.

“do... what?” 

“the thing you just did! the- like...” he tried to imitate minho, trying to show him what he meant. 

“oh! blowing on them?” 

“yes!” 

“oh my god, you’re such a baby.” minho shook his head, laughing yet again as he lit up the candles yet again. “there you go. go off.” 

jinwoo excitedly came closer again, and blew on the small fire yet again, really looking like a small child as he did so. minho was reminded of little children who got excited at the concept of blowing a candle over and over again. jinwoo was excitedly clapping yet again, seeming happy with himself. minho clapped with him too. “yay, great job.” he laughed. 

jinwoo was now sat beside minho yet again, munching happily on cookies that the prince had brought with him, and of course letting him know that they were the best thing he’s ever tasted. secretly thinking they might be that great because minho himself made them.

minho, with his shoes and socks next to him, had his bare feet in the water, lightly moving in the water beside the other boy’s fin. he genuinely found it so calming to sit here beside him and just talk and learn more about each other. 

“there’s this thing that happens once a year, i think... it’s always around the same time anyway. but i always secretly come up to the surface to watch it.” jinwoo spoke up, swallowing the mouthful of cookie he’s had. minho tilted his head curiously, asking him what it was. “they’re like... these stars in the sky. special stars! you know... the ones that explode.” 

“... huh?” minho simply stared at him in confusion, trying to understand what he meant. 

there was a childish glint in jinwoo’s eyes as he tried to explain. “they’re always near the palace, and they... they always sh-shoot up and explode really loudly, but- but they’re so p-pretty and colorful! they’re special s-stars, minho!” he started to stammer through his excitement, and minho really didn’t understand how someone could contain that much cuteness in their body. but as he explained further, minho was suddenly realizing what he was talking about. 

“special stars...? oh! the fireworks!” he exclaimed. 

“is that what they’re called?” 

“i’m pretty sure that’s what you’re referring to?” minho thought further, not thinking he could come up with anything else with the same description. “you said it happened once a year... i’m pretty sure you’re talking about the fireworks for my birthday.” 

“the special stars were for you?” jinwoo perked up in his spot from excitement, smiling widely at minho. the glint in his eyes was still there. 

minho smiled softly at him. “yes, they are, sweet angel.” he chuckled. “they’re... hmm, how do i explain this one...” he muttered to himself, genuinely not wanting to ruin the innocence the boy had. “they’re... human made. they’re these little tubes that you stick in the ground and light up... remember the fire i showed you? like that. except when you light them up, they shoot up and explode like stars.” 

jinwoo kept nodding as he listened, looking excited to know and learn something new from minho. “humans make them? that’s amazing! isn’t that so amazing?!” 

in that moment, minho realized the amount of things he takes for granted. sure, he was a humble prince. someone who knew where his priorities laid. but he never realized that as humans, there are a lot of things they were so used to and weren’t actively thankful for. so to see jinwoo getting constantly excited about little things he told him about, it was refreshing and mind-opening at the same time. “it’s definitely amazing.” he agreed, smiling widely at him. “maybe one day we could watch them together.” he said, although he questioned how that would even happen when he was always supposed to be there for his birthday celebration, and jinwoo cannot be seen by humans. 

that was another moment where he realized that they wouldn’t be able to share many other things. that thought really put him down... yet he tried not to show it. he didn’t want to dampen the mood. he didn’t want to ruin jinwoo’s excitement and innocence. 

[archivesdiveronarpg]

IN FAIR VERONA, OUR TALE BEGINS WITH ALVA GWON, WHO IS TWENTY-ONE YEARS OLD. THEY ARE OFTEN CALLED ARIEL BY THE SPADES AND WORK AS THEIR EMISSARY.

Sometimes the birth of gentle, agrestal beings who seemed as if they were brought into the world by the meeting of meadow, grove, and streams, is cruelly marked not by the soft crooning of babes and sparrows, as it was meant to be, but by the men’s delineation in army red, generals who fancied themselves captains and masters of the land around them and those who occupy it.  Alva’s father, a revered military general, would have imagined himself as the latter, though neither him nor his peers would have expected his only child to be so far off from what he’d hoped. Alva was gentle where he was cutting, sweet where he was bitter, a slight, ethereal thing that moved like wisps of fog and spoke like an aria when he moved like a man meant to conquer, who spoke like thunder and rain and hell. Alva tried to please him, denying themself afternoons spent somewhere singing along with the birds among blades of grass and river streams to read their father’s military books, and even enlisting into the army with the Marines the minute they turned eighteen. It was as futile as attempting to placate Mars with sacrifices of peonies and poems.

The grey, cold metal of the  military was no home for Alva, but they went through the motions, hoping to please, to emerge as something worthwhile to a man who demanded too much. And while it was impossible to transfigure one who was born with morning dew and honeysuckle nectar for blood into a child a war, they still found a way to weave iron in between their wreath of vines and poppies. Perhaps the one and only thing they excelled at in the army was sharpshooting, even going so far as standing out as one of the best snipers in their division. The gods reveled in the irony, it seemed, having a slight, sprite-like dreamer shine in the art of cutting short a life with one fatal swoop. Their father was, miraculously, quick to recognize the achievement, raining down praise and parading them in front of their colleagues like a trophy. The fleeting moment of giddiness wouldn’t last long, however, and as a show of trust that was surely meant to be seen as a reward, that they were finally worth being privy to their family’s dealings, their father showed them just how far from the light of the halo placed over their heads by the public their family really was. With deep ties to the mob, he supplied them with munitions for a cut of their profits, dipped his hands in lacquered gold at the risk of his livelihood and good name should anyone realize how deep his corruption ran.

And a weapon for an offspring only sweetened the deal. Their father had plans to offer Alva’s services to the mob after they finished with their military service - a show of goodwill and servitude to the mob and one of ownership over Alva. Their freedom and liberty wasn’t so much as disregarded or neglected as it was assumed to have never existed at all; a born servant, a weapon to be sheathed and unsheathed at another’s will, it seemed as if their path had been carved long before they’d been born. They were numb as strangers bartered their future, never once thinking to object as they were groomed and polished into an armament from all sides. There was no use weeping when there was nowhere to run and no one to receive them. But just as they were finishing up their service and settling into their new cage, the public had just started to unearth their father’s dirty secrets. With their father’s name disgraced and under extreme scrutiny and a pending trial, Alva’s new employers took their first chance to flee and relocate in Russia, packing Alva up with the rest of their ‘assets’ to operate in a foreign land. The organization was smaller than most in Russia, but the most efficient in St. Petersburg. They had no other choice but to kill, to destroy when all they wanted was to start anew, to ensure they’d have a roof and a livelihood. They killed whenever their boss willed it, took down rivaling gangster in the time it took them to blink, killed children like them, scared and imprisoned and weary. They did not cry - how could they mourn a freedom they never had? How could they pray when the gods only gave them iron and blood and poison when they only asked for green and love and liberty? But fortune, as it always was, was fickle. Salvation arrived in the form of a new puppetmaster, another mob boss to whom their boss owed money. “I want your sniper.” “Good sir, I have the money you need, you don’t need anything else.” “You do not. Not the the amount I would take in your sniper’s stead.” They were still, blank, as they’d been taught to be while their was being debated by others, and silent as they walked out with their new employer. But this time was different. Perhaps it was because they knew their worth by now, even if it their worth was something they hated. “I don’t want to kill for your mob. I want to kill for you alone. Please, please let me do anything else and  will. I will always do what your will permits, but grant me this one thing.”

When their lips open, all of Verona stops to listen, heaven-crafted dirges and requiems floating out of Hotel Emelia and coiling around broken buildings and bruised souls as if to heal - or lay to rest. With dancing poetry for words and a birdsong for a voice, they’ve found a home in the shadowiest bits of the city, a vision and the embodiment of seraphic empathy juxtaposed against open wounds and the grit and rust of a heightening war. But feather-light smiles and riddling words and a body rooted on earth but a heart high up in the heavens belie the bedlam of a soul scarred by debt from one master to another, by terror and resignation, but also lifted by an unlikely rescue, by loyalty, by love. They sing and everyone listens and sighs (“Cosa un bellissimo angelo”), but they fight, and they fight for their freedom above all else - whatever the battle may entail.

Faron Vasiliev: Employer. Their eyes first met when Alva shot the cigarette tucked behind Faron’s ear off without grazing a strand of hair, at the request of their previous boss as a show of power. Not a minute later they were walking out with a new boss, though they knew from the start he was atypical in his treatment of them. Strange and aloof as he was, he still allowed Alva their dignity and choice, raising them up as a glorified weapon to an emissary in his employ, even allowing them to pursue singing as a daytime job, on the condition that they remain his personal sniper. Their loyalty, genuine, heart-wracking loyalty, is the first they’ve ever known of it, and while they fight for a day where they make walk free, unimpeded by the guilt of all those they’d robbed and would continue to rob of their lives, they are more than happy to serve Faron in the meantime. Their feelings run deeper than they could ever admit, and while they are brave enough to prove it if they were ever asked, they are too frightened he never would. And so, they bite their tongue, as they always have.

Boris Kovrov: Curiosity. They know his history, they know what they’re capable of, and they insist on treating him the same as any other member in the mob loyal to Faron while keeping one eye on him while his back is turned. Of course, they would be remiss if they didn’t admit their presence strikes them more curious than the rest, but more than that they wonder what it is about him that has earned Faron’s trust despite his past sins. As of late, it’s almost as if the underboss has taken an interest in them - his face a regular fixture in the crowds at Hotel Emelia and at the shooting range where they practice, expression fixed and somewhere between intrigued and bemused. He promises support, guidance, kindness, protection in whatever form they desire but refuses to say for what in exchange. “Angels need all the help they can get in Verona, Alva. I would know.”

Pavel Lam: Annoyance. Why the assassin is so hell-bent on challenging them to some ridiculous competition to satisfy their fragile self-esteem, Alva will never comprehend. For someone who hates to kill, their sharpshooting skills have never been a particular point of pride for them and they would prefer not to flex them unless Faron requested it, but Pavel is incorrigibly insistent. Alva is more than satisfied with the new start Faron has granted them and finds little with which to be unhappy and insists on treating all kindly when their job is to cut humanity down, but Pavel is a loud, obnoxious stain on the proverbial tapestry.

ALVA IS PORTRAYED BY KIM JINWOO. THEY ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED.

[xxprincessjewelsxx]

A Dangerous Game (Suho Mafia!au fic) Chapter 21 - What Do You Want From Me?

Warnings: Violence

Ch. 1, Ch. 2, Ch. 3, Ch. 4, Ch. 5, Ch. 6, Ch. 7, Ch. 8, Ch. 9, Ch. 10, Ch. 11, Ch. 12, Ch. 13, Ch. 14, Ch. 15(M), Ch. 16, Ch. 17(M), Ch. 18, Ch. 19, Ch. 20 Ch. 21, Ch. 22, Bonus Chapter

“She’s been taken...”

~Minseok~

As everyone practically tumbled into the penthouse behind a calm looking Minseok. He walked over to Suho who was still trying to calm the sobbing Jinwoo.

“What did you mean by ‘she’s been taken’?” he questioned.

Junmyeon looked at him worry written all over his friend’s face. “When I got back to the building there were those pizza boxes on the ground in the lobby along with her wallet and when I got up here Jinwoo was crying and said that Y/N went to go pay for the food and never came back around the time that his cartoons started...which is around four.”

“She’s been gone for three hours?” Jongdae questioned.

“Apparently...” Junmyeon said.

“Have any ideas who might have done this?” Chanyeol questioned, already popping his knuckles in anticipation of hearing the man he was going to be beating the ever loving shit out of.

“I have a feeling I know who did this...and I also think I know someone who might come in handy when trying to get Y/N back...”

~Y/N~

Who took me?

What did they want?

When would they let me go (if they did)?

Where am I?  

Why did they take me?

Those were all questions that I had swirling around in my head as I hung by my wrists, feet barely touching the ground, with a blindfold over my eyes. I could just make out voices as they whispered around the room I was in; there were at least three men there, maybe four.

One of the voices I recognized right away. He could try and whisper as quietly as he wanted, but he was a dirty and despicable man with a voice that was all to familiar to me...

Kim Kitae...

He was my father’s right hand man. Looking at him from afar you would thing he was a suave older business man who probably went to work and then went home to a wife and probably had a couple of grown children. This was not the case if you knew him. He was a brutal man; man, woman, child he didn’t care who you were if you got in his way he would get you out of his way.

Not to mention this is the man that is the cause of me being used as a pawn. It’s not a big secret what happened, my father had a fling with my mother, she got pregnant, he wanted nothing to do with me, she was dying and when I was born she left me on his door step and even though my father wanted to get rid of me, Kitae knew I could be used as a pawn.

And here I am...

The blindfold was pulled from my face and I was face to face with that despicable man. It took me every ounce of self-control that I had not to spit in his face.

“It’s lovely to see you again little Y/N...” he said with a smirk.

‘Little Y/N’ He always called me that, even in my teens and into adulthood, and it wasn’t in an endearing way like some people might call a child. He called me that because he saw me as weak and pathetic.

“I’m sure you’re wondering why I invited you here today...” he said.

“You use the term ‘invite’ very loosely,” I deadpanned.

Smack

Did I mention he was just as much of an abusive bastard as my father was?

“I will not tolerate any attitude from you!” he snapped.

And easy to anger...the man was a ticking time bomb. I always wondered if there would be a day when his head actually exploded. But I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at him; of course I was scared of the situation I was in, I mean I did want to live and I had responsibilities as moth...as a guardian of a small child who I...

My heart suddenly dropped to the pit of my stomach; just earlier I had promised Jinwoo that I wouldn’t leave him and then I go and disappear. Was Junmyeon back at the penthouse yet? Was anyone?

Now...now I was scared. But it made me even more determined to get out of this situation alive; maybe Junmyeon was right. Maternal instincts do kick in when a small child is near.

“What do you want from me?” I questioned.

“From you? Nothing...the only thing you have been and ever will be good for is as proof of a territory deal between the Lee Mafia and another. Not only that the only thing women are ever good for are sex and having children.”

You see why he’s despicable? He’s rotten to the core like a bad apple except he’s a whole barrel of rotten apples so you just have to throw them in the trash before they stink up the place and-

“I was hoping that your father would choose my son Hanbin, him and his boys are slowly making a name for themselves in the underworld and I would’ve hoped he’d want to keep things in the family...so to speak,” he said.

“Soooo you’re upset that he made a contract with Suho instead of your son?” I questioned, “This is your drastic way of saying ‘I object’?”

“Your father was drunk when he made that decision, but he’s a man of his word and decided that it would be a good business move,” he said with a scoff, “The leader of EXO and his members are nothing but-oomph.”

Before I could stop myself I kicked him in the stomach. “Don’t you dare insult them!”

“You miserable little bitch!” he snapped before punching me in the stomach, “I will insult whoever the hell I want, including those no good, lowly sewer rats of EXO!”

“So much anger...I guess you really are angry that my father married me off to Suho instead of your son...” I said, my stomach aching, “But I still don’t get what you want.”

“I was Suho dead...once he’s dead the deal will be off and-”

“Are you sure?” I questioned.

“What?” he asked.

“Are you sure...the deal will be off?” I asked.

“You two aren’t married so-”

“Did you see the contract?”

He went silent at the mention of this.

“I’ll take that as a no...”

~Junmyeon~

“You owe me after this,” Leo said through his mic.

“I didn’t figure I would be getting out of this with just us shaking hands and going our separate ways...” Junmyeon remarked, “Where are you anywhere.”

“Where I can see you but you can’t see me,” Leo stated, “And where I can see into the warehouse....there’s four inside but there’s two at the door.”

“Can you see her?” Junmyeon questioned.

There was silence and Junmyeon heard Leo gulp before he answered. “Yes.��

~Y/N~

“I will not tolerate your lies!” Kitae yelled as he punched me over and over. I gave him information that was, in fact a lie, but I was hoping that he would leave to go see if the information was correct or not. Fifty/fifty chance that failed and that consciousness that I had regained was slowly going away. “Did you really think that I was stupid enough to grab you without doing my homework?!”

“Well...you’re not the smartest man I’ve ever met,” I quipped, resulting in a knee to the gut.

“Once Suho is dead then the territory in back in Lee Mafia hands...and...you aren’t married, which means via the contract you are back in the hands of the Lee Mafia as well...and I you can be married off to my son...” he stated.

“And what does my father have to say about your little plan? Does he even know how much you object to this?” I questioned.

“Oh he knew how much I objected to you getting married to Suho...and no he doesn’t know about my plan, and he never will. Because your father is dead...”

My eyes widened in shock at this. “Dead?”

“I always thought it would be his liver that finally took him, turns out his heart decided to go out first,” he said.

Trying to process this information I finally figured out what was going on and why he was so determined to kill Suho. “This isn’t about the contract...this isn’t even about the territory...right now you’re the temporary head of the Lee Mafia...but if Suho and I get married...”

The look on Kitae’s face was one of disgust, he knew what I was about to say and he didn’t even want to hear those words.

“He’d become the knew head of the Lee Mafia...”

To Be Continued...