#now i have to listen to angels and airwaves

[excitementshewrote]

We need a distraction!

And I'll be your distraction ... with a new poll! The "Best Business Name" poll.

Everyone get ready to laugh at these gems for the next few days. I hope you'll enjoy it :^)

[eggcats]

Radiodust/Radiohuskerdust fic where Alastor has the ability to know and remember ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that's been played on any radio in hell, since he's arrived

(He also has the ability to control what people listen to, but forcing people to listen to his radio show is uncouth and Vox levels of desperation, so he doesn't. However, he DOES prevent anyone else from using his airwaves during his scheduled showtime, because it's rude otherwise.)

Angel discovers this one day when he's lamenting about some song being stuck in his head that he heard on the radio, like 2 weeks ago, and after he hums part of the melody Alastor just starts playing it for him. And Angel is like "?????? what???" While Alastor is just like "My dear, I know everything that broadcasts over my airwaves, this is child's play."

Angel is suspicious, his entire mood is

And so, a game begins where Angel will hear a song he's POSITIVE Alastor would have never listened to, and then he quizzes Alastor later to see if he can still guess the song. So far, Alastor has never not played the correct song Angel is thinking about. (Angel could always lie, but that's outside the spirit of the game, so he never does.)

Eventually it develops into Alastor immediately guessing which song Angel will ask him about, leading to confusing most other members of the hotel when as SOON as Angel walks into a room Alastor is in, he will play some music and Angel will yell "goDAMMIT SMILES GIVE ME A FUCKIN' SECOND FIRST!"

The only time Alastor starts getting the songs wrong is when Angel, seemingly out of the blue, starts only listening to love songs. He's unsure what changed, but it seems like Angel is determined to only make Alastor play love songs for him now.

Therefore, Alastor becomes convinced that Angel is trying to figure out how to confess to Husk his feelings. And despite not being good with those feelings himself, he offers to assist in his endeavor since he's known Husker for a great deal of time. (If the idea makes Alastor kind of uncomfortable and sick, it's simply because soft emotions do so, and NOTHING about Angel no longer giving him any attention. Clearly.)

(You can choose your own adventure, but I like to go with the radiohuskerdust angle personally.)

So, with the radiohuskerdust angle, it's funnier if, by this point, Angel and Husk are already dating. And so now Angel has to deal with the guy he likes trying to set him up with his boyfriend. Husk is absolutely no help, he finds it hilarious. (This is all the more exasperated by Alastor seeing Angel complain to Husk about this situation, and try to ask for advice on how to tell Alastor that the love songs are for HIM, and Alastor assuming his advice is working.)

[hypequeenves]

ALASTOR RADIO SHOW

So this has been sitting in my brain for a really long time. I've made about a 50 minute video on what Alastor's Radio Show might sound like. Because I am who I am I've also put some references to Vesper in there, because of course I did. The full video is will be up on YouTube https://youtu.be/zWNpshsogiQ?si=0Ct8ygRoAYF1-f4u , but it’s quite long so here is some of my favourite clips and also the ones pertaining to Vesper's story!

INTRO:

SUBTITLES: Ah, good evening, my devilish comrades! It's been an eternity since I last graced the airwaves! What with those celestial attacks and constructing a spiffy new studio, I've been positively swamped. So, do pardon my absence from our nightly rendezvous. But fear not, for I've returned with a vengeance, ready to regale you with tales that'll send shivers down your spine! But before we delve into the depths of the night, let's ponder a question that's been buzzing in the back of our minds: Is VoxTek Angelic Security as impenetrable as it claims? Or are we merely being hoodwinked by the corporate demons? Fear not, my friends, for we shall uncover the truth. But first, let's kick off this evening with a toe-tapping tune, "Let the Good Times Roll" by the incomparable Louis Jordan. So, let's not waste a moment more, shall we? Or as they say: Laissez le bon temps rouler!

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YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO BE ON THE SHOW? TW: Screaming, Crying, Someone is in PAIN BEWARE! (Also, I can't tell if its cringe or not)

SUBTITLES: The song slowly comes to an end, when the mic goes hot again you can hear someones panicked breathing along with Alastor humming. There is the sound of a knife hitting the table and then a scream. ALASTOR: Quiet now dear - You’re ON AIR. Can you be quiet for me now? VICTIM: mhm... ALASTOR: Yes? VICTIM: Yes. ALASTOR: Good. While I finish up with our distinguished guest here, let me deliver you a delightful ditty, that is just the perfect amount of ironic considering our current company. Here is "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" by the sensational Bessie Smith. The breathing gets more intense until they scream, but their scream is cut short as the mic goes cold again.

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AIRWAVE ALERTS w ALASTOR!

SUBTITLES: Wasn't that just the most delectable interruption. Well as promised: Here is Airwave Alerts with Alastor. There seems to be a string of murders in the Mafia and Weapons District of Pentagram city! You heard me right, murders! It seems that the perpetrator is using angelic bullets to take out their targets. And although I would like to stake a claim on these murders, I cannot take credit for another's work. While the culprit remains a mystery, where they seemed to have acquired the weaponry is not. Unusually Carmilla Carmine has seen fit to stay silent on the topic. One would hope that she would be able to make a public statement soon.  Ah, while you mull over that jaw-dropper, let me serenade your senses with a tune that'll have you tappin' your toes and hittin' the road in style! It's none other than "Route 66" by the legendary Nat King Cole. So sit back, relax, and let the smooth sounds of this classic take you on a ride down that ol' highway of dreams!

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UPDATE ABOUT CHARLIE:

SUBTITLES: Ah, listen up, denizens of the infernal realm! It's time for a little update from the Princess of Hell itself. Seems our friend Charlie Morningstar has taken matters into her own hands, bless her devilish heart. She's put forth a petition for those brave souls willing to stand tall in the face of the next extermination - should it come to that, of course. Now, I hate to rain on anyone's parade, but our heavenly counterparts up above have been keeping mum on the matter. And let me tell you, my dear fiends, that's not exactly music to our ears! But fear not, for there's a glimmer of hope yet! If you're ready to lay down your very essence to defend our infernal home from these angelic invaders, then you best hotfoot it over to the Notice Board smack dab in the centre of cannibal town. Sign your name with pride, for in unity lies our strength! (slightly less enthusiastic) Or something along those lines. With that obligatory bit of unpleasantness addressed, my dear listeners, it's time to lighten the mood and spread some cheer! This next tune is dedicated to none other than our beloved Charlie Morningstar, the beacon of hope in this dark and dreary place. So kick back, relax, and let the melodies of "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" by Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin wash over you. Remember, my dear souls, even in the depths of Hell, a smile can work wonders!

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GOSSIP ABOUT VESPER:

SUBTITLES: Well, well, well, my curious listeners, have I got a spicy tidbit for you! It seems our resident pop sensation, the one and only Vanessa LaBlanc better known by her stage name Vesper, has been spotted gallivanting around town in the company of none other than Asmodeus, the King of Lust himself! Now, isn’t that a twist? It's been a hot minute since the Cardinal Sin of Lust graced the Pride Ring with his presence. So, what devilish plans could he be concocting with our delightful Vanessa? Ah, my dear sinners, the plot thickens! But fear not, for yours truly will be keeping a close eye on this tantalizing tale. So stay tuned, my friends, for the juiciest gossip this side of Hell. Up next the weather! But before we delve into the forecast, let's soar among the stars with the timeless crooner himself, Frank Sinatra! It's time to let the velvety voice of Ol' Blue Eyes serenade us with "Fly Me to the Moon." So close your eyes, let the music carry you away, and dream of celestial delights as we prepare for the weather—though, as I suspect, the forecast may indeed call for a storm of scandal!

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If you made it this far - if no one has told you today, you're amazing!

[the-chaotic-scilla-aster]

I got tagged by @cranetreegang and thought, why not?!

Wallpaper:

The artist is Qinniart, I found her a long time ago, and she's been in my heart ever since.

The last song you listened to:

Merry go round - Smash into Pieces

Favorite Five Songs:

Love me Hate me - 7 days in Alaska

Hurts Sometimes - Slander w/ Johnathan Mendelsohn

Stay & decay - Unlike Pluto

Tunnels - Angels & Airwaves (prefer a cover version of this song actually)

Forgive me friend - Smith & Thell

Currently reading:

When I'm not writing, I've been slowly reading Three Dead Queens

Last Movie:

Mario (loved it could have used a few things but hilarious imo)

Last show:

I think it was a rewatch of That time I got reincarnated as a slime

Craving:

Home-cooked BBQ and blueberry muffins

What are you wearing right now:

A oversized shirt and woxers

How tall are you:

5'5" or 165cm

Piercings:

Ears

Nipples

Tattoos:

None yet, looking for a trusted artist

Glassed? Contacts?:

None, but I'm sure I'll need glasses soon

Last drink:

Horchata

Last thing you eat:

Spicy chicken tacos

Favorite color:

Dark moody colors

Dark blues

Dark greens

Current obsession:

My OC couple

My original wip book

Ominis Gaunt

I'm tagging @legacyshenanigans and @awkwardauthorwrites

love you, darlings, but I'm not letting you guys get by so easily.

[sarah-dipitous]

Hellsite Nostalgia Tour 2023 Day 148

The Reichenbach Fall

“The Reichenbach Fall”

Plot Description: Moriarty hatches a mad scheme to turn the whole city against Sherlock.

Oh, Jawnnnnnnnn. Glad you went back to therapy over it though

Ok yes. He’s been ungrateful with his other tokens of gratitude, but to humiliate the man by making him wear the deer stalker cap after he’s just brought you interpol’s most wanted? Come on…

It’s an EAR hat, Jawn

The “confirmed bachelor” lines were no accident and just blatant queer baiting.

Jimmmmm!! Jim my love

I…made this scene a VERY large part of my personality for TOO LONG. Now I’m just gonna sit back and enjoy watching this man bring a country to its knees (this part of The Thieving Magpie was my alarm for years, and I maintain that I was correct to have it. It’s way better than what I have now)

Who’s doing it like him, I ask you

Wiggling, squirming. Oh man. I had THIS on playlists too (the song right before Jim’s trial…when I say my WHOLE PERSONALITY…stayin alive was also my ringtone. Would you believe I’m divulging this lore SOBER?? Because I am)

Do not be yourself in this trial, Sherls, omg…

There’s a weird nostalgic pang of “god I wish that was me” when he asks the one courtroom worker (truly, I don’t know her job title) to slip her hand into his pocket. Maybe it’s just the Irish accent. It’s just for gum but he’s so slutty about it

I can’t look at this actress without thinking of her as Jen from the IT Crowd. She can’t be anything else in my mind. She’s forever Jen doing a bit in a costume in different places (this is going to take forever to watch if i keep pausing like this)

The Sheriarty is jumping out right now. You don’t describe someone you know is definitely listening and watching you as “a spider, a spider at the center of a web. A criminal web with a thousand threads, and he knows precisely how each and every single one of them dances.” YOU ARE LOOKING INTO HIS EYES AT HIS TRIAL AS YOU SAY THAT ABOUT HIM. Were I a consulting criminal, I would be so flattered by that description

Oh god…don’t make the jury hate you. Yeah. Of course he finds it impossible to not show off

This tea scene omgggg when he…is it really breaking into 221b if Sherlock is expecting him??

Every once in a while, I do get the glimpses of how these three shows got lumped together. Jim telling Sherlock he’s boring because he’s on the side of the angels is definitely one of those things

He’s got the best little speeches “no such thing as a private bank account now, they’re all mine. No such thing as secrecy, I OWN secrecy. Nuclear codes? I could blow up nato in alphabetical order. In a world of locked rooms, the man with the key is king, and honey, you should seeee meeee in a crown” (did I do an embarrassing amount of that from memory? maybe so)

Oh shit…i forgot the fairy tale stuff Moriarty puts them through…I mean, you gotta fill 90 minutes somehow (I want to sleep so badly…but I’m not even half way done)

I fucking hate how he treats Molly. She deserves better than him and this show. God…she thinks she doesn’t count…fuck. I hate it

Riiiight. He made it seem like the kidnapping was Sherlock’s doing so he could then solve it and he the hero. Just planting the seeds of doubt

Oh the Tale of Sir Boast-a-lot

When villains hijack the airwaves>>>>>> (my taste has not changed a bit in 10 years lmaooooo) I know in this case, he’s actually the cab driver, but he’ll do it later in the series. For now, we’ll just enjoy this nice little story Jim’s telling

You can’t outrun………oh, that was one of the assassins that moved onto baker street

It’s so weird that he’s doing exactly what Jim wants him to do…..

He’s unbelievably precious as Richard Brook. Insisting he’s a children’s storyteller, he’s on tv. It’s on dvd. You do almost forget that he’s a criminal mastermind for a second, except for that one moment when Kitty can’t see him and he has that look on his face as he glances at Sherlock

John and Mycroft have such a good dynamic. No matter if they’re on the same side, on opposing sides…it’s always a good scene when it’s just them

Uuuuggggghhhhhhhh, we’re starting with the roof of St Bart’s scene…will it be as good and heartbreaking as I remember?

Reader, it is. Jim’s lament about how easy it was to beat Sherlock, his best distraction for the monotony of staying alive. Oh, bby. Andrew Scott is such a good actor.

The fact that there was no code, that it was always a few of those threads that Jim made dance to send the world crashing down around them.

(I’m currently living in a world where his character didn’t get absolutely fucked over by the last episode of the series…………….so far(?))

I do like that Jim underestimates the importance of Molly. She still deserves better from everyone around her, but it’s nice that she’ll get SOME recognition in season 3

Pausing because I know what comes next and I don’t want it to…

Can we not just stay like this??? (Not if I want to make it a true full rewatch…)

I STAY a “here’s how [villain] can still live/be alive” girlie. I DO NOT CHANGE LMAO

Oh the phone call… “nobody could be that clever” “you could” I hate everything

Mycroffffffffft. Jawwwwwwwwn.

John at Sherlock’s grave is just…heart wrenching. Always and forever.

This is the best and highest rated episode of this show for GOOD REASON

[plenilune]

was tagged by @sandovers to do this meme; when u get this u have to put 5 songs 🎵 u actually listen to, publicly. then, send this to 10 of your favorite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool) ✨ LIKE JACQUI I am baffled by the wording of the meme -- are you trying to suss out Musik Sekrits and not the cool stuff everyone says they listen to all the time? alas, I am always happy to prove I'm the living fulfillment of the old don't-hand-the-trans-folk-the-aux-under-any-circumstances stereotype. anyway here's five songs I've been listening to a lot lately, some new to me, some old.

"So Pale It Shone In The Night" - The Stranger. this is from his album Watching Dead Empires in Decay which I see as a sort of urban mirror to the unsettling rural soundscapes of prior album Bleaklow. you may also know the Stranger from his work as the Caretaker, where he plays a lot with memory and sense of place. I've been cycling around on a lot of half-formed thoughts about dying empires (huh, wonder why) and industry towns after the industry's left and cities and memory lately and this track sounds like -- waking up, or trying to fall asleep, in a thin-walled apartment in a massive apartment block, and the sounds of furnaces, of neighbours moving about, doing dishes, putting the kettle on, radio static, the traffic and the trains outside, all these sounds blur together, the sounds of life, but weary and a little melancholy. anyway I'm obsessed with this entire album but this vivid and tactile little soundscape is one of my chief delights at the moment.

"Are You Going to Leave Me?" - Isobel Campbell. old favourite song from an old favourite album, this arrangement of a traditional ballad that's zigzagged back and forth from the UK to Appalachia for centuries builds layer upon layer, verse after verse, in a way that's incredibly driving and haunting.

"gec 2 Ü" - 100 gecs. feels like every six months a different 100 gecs song I hadn't paid individual attention to before completely takes over my psyche and I listen to it on repeat for hours. love the way this plays with melodramatic glittery early 2000s style ballad format, like Angels and Airwaves crossed with a 90s chanteuse, similar to "xXXi_wud_nvrstøp_ÜXXx" but less eerie, warping and toying with the sound, just detached enough to be a little arch and playful, and then breaks into one of the most wrenchingly sincere and tender refrains I've ever heard. "you're sitting all alone / and you call me on the phone / and you say, I need love / can you get to me now?" I get shivers and my chest aches. yeah. that's what it's like.

"Walk Like A Motherfucker" - Ghost Funk Orchestra. I listen to this a lot on the walk to work, even though it is about being a sleazy con man who is maybe beginning to weary of the grift, and all I do is sell groceries for Jeff Be-- WAIT A MINUTE. anyway, Ghost Funk Orchestra is one of my favourite recent discoveries -- for one, they actually deliver on the vibes promise inherent in the name, and I've been burned by so many bands with cool names promising a specific weird and chewy atmosphere they don't bother to actually create. absolutely great spectral, jammable funk. also while the band is not local, their record label is run out of an old favourite record shop in Loveland, Ohio, whose catalogue Corey and I have been plumbing excitedly since we found out about them last month.

"Myth" - Julie Feeney. I rediscovered this album I used to listen to a lot in 2011 last year when I was going through my old last.fm stats (YEAH BABY) trying to find a couple of obscure lost favourites. it is! so infectious! anyway this song came up on shuffle recently and reminded me about Julie Feeney once again and now I keep returning to it. this feels like watching a creek bubble up, wildly playful and inventive, skipping stones, spinning dizzily, whispering secrets.

[ieatsurveys]

100

What’s the most worthwhile thing you’ve done in the last year?I quit working and healed.

What foods make you want to gag?Peas.

Do you consider yourself to be organized?Not at all.

Have you ever made out with someone?Plenty of times.

What time do you get sleepy?Depends. Like, last night, not until 2am.

What music do you listen to?Worship music, heavy metal, R&B, lofi.

How old were you when you started to walk?I have no idea.

Which member of your family do you get along with the best?Plenty.

What cheers you up when you’re sad?Being with friends.

What do you sleep in?Sweatpants and t-shirt, or an oversized t-shirt, or naked. Haha. There’s really no predicitng what I’m feeling that day.

Have you ever tanned topless?Nope.

Wear jewelry?I do not.

What’s something you’ve been told you’re good at?Writing.

How much can you eat?A lot, haha.

What’s the furthest away you’ve ever traveled?Xi’an, China.

Are you a cat or dog person?I love cats <3 

Have you ever done drugs?Just weed.

What does your room look like?A little bit disheveled. Not too bad, though.

Recommend a really amazing book.I’m reading “The Teacher” by Freida McFadden and I’m obsessed.

Recommend a really amazing song.Litost by X Ambassadors. 

Recommend a really amazing movie.The first one that popped in my head was The Sound of Music, heh.

Who’s your favorite actor/actress?Anne Hathaway, Julia Roberts, Will Smith.

Have you ever run away from home?Yes.

Do you exercise ever? Not anymore.

Do you like your hair, the way it is and the color?Not anymore.

Do you have any friends named Baloo? Or is he just in the Junglebook?I do not.

Are you a Disney movie fan?I have Disney+, but if I’m not feeling nostalgic, I won’t watch it.

Do you eat seafood?I love seafood.

When was the last time you cried?Two days ago.

Do you have good working habits?I used to :( 

So where the hell do you want to go in life?Work with Deaf children.

What are your boundaries?I have a lot. 

What are some of the funniest things you can think of?Hm.

What are two quirky little things about you?

I hate the word quirky. Save that for the millennials. That said, if I'm alone eating potato chips, I first lick the spices off the chips and then eat them. Also, I talk a lot in my sleep. → Yikes. I am a millenial, so I’ll answer ;) My whole personality is dork, so who knows.

Are you claustrophobic?Yes.

Do you like getting wasted?

I like the social-tipsy phase the most, but not wasted.--> Yep.

List three things that you look for in a friend.Loyalty, authenticity, kind.

Do you prefer Angels and Airwaves or Rihanna?Angels and Airwaves.

What religion are you, if any?I’m a Christian.

If your house was on fire (and your family escaped), what would you save?I live by myself in an apartment, so….me. I have no pets or roommates.

Do you have any sash belts?I do not.

What do you have on right now? Include everything, nail polish, makeup, etc. An oversized t-shirt and underwear. I don’t have anything else. Does caffeine make you hyper? It does not.

[nostalgiaispeace]

2384.

What’s the most worthwhile thing you’ve done in the last year? go to school.

What foods make you want to gag? meat.

Do you consider yourself to be organized? yes

Have you ever made out with someone? Yes

What time do you get sleepy? i'm literally ALWAYS sleep

What music do you listen to? mostly metal

How old were you when you started to walk? 13 months i think

Which member of your family do you get along with the best? my mom

What cheers you up when you’re sad? my daughter

What do you sleep in? shorts and a tshirt

Have you ever tanned topless? No

Wear jewelry? Yes

What’s something you’ve been told you’re good at? writing

How much can you eat? a fuck ton

What’s the furthest away you’ve ever traveled? New York

Are you a cat or dog person? cat

Have you ever done drugs? nothing crazy

What does your room look like? it just looks like a room lol

Recommend a really amazing book. The Nightengale

Recommend a really amazing song.

limosine by bmth

Recommend a really amazing movie. titanic

Who’s your favorite actor/actress? Emma Watson

Have you ever run away from home? no

Do you exercise ever? everyday

Do you like your hair, the way it is and the colour? yes

Do you have any friends named Baloo? Or is he just in the Junglebook? no

Are you a Disney movie fan? not really

Do you eat seafood? Noooo.

When was the last time you cried? today

Do you have good working habits? yes

So where the hell do you want to go in life? I just want to succeed

What are your boundaries? i'm not explaining this lol

What are some of the funniest things you can think of? nothing rn

What are two quirky little things about you? i can't think of anything

Are you claustrophobic? i'm not sure. probably

Do you like getting wasted? no

List three things that you look for in a friend. loyalty, fun, good influence

Do you prefer Angels and Airwaves or Rhianna? who

What religion are you, if any? atheist

If your house was on fire (and your family escaped), what would you save? my frog

Do you have any sash belts? no

What do you have on right now? Include everything, nail polish, makeup, etc tshirt and shorts and a hoodie.

Does caffeine make you hyper? No

[suckitsurveys]

What’s the most worthwhile thing you’ve done in the last year? I went to a bunch of comedy shows and concerts last year and honestly had one of the best summers I’ve had in a while.

What foods make you want to gag? Nothing, really. There’s a few things I don’t like but it doesn’t make me gag.

Do you consider yourself to be organized? Yes, I do.

Have you ever made out with someone? Yes.

What time do you get sleepy? Always.

What music do you listen to? A buncha different stuff.

How old were you when you started to walk? A little before 1yr.

Which member of your family do you get along with the best? My dad.

What cheers you up when you’re sad? Kitties, watching TV, my husband, food.

What do you sleep in? Tshirt and undies usually.

Have you ever tanned topless? Nope.

Wear jewelry? Yeah, earrings and my nose ring mostly. Sometimes chokers and necklaces and bracelets.

What’s something you’ve been told you’re good at? Planning stuff.

How much can you eat? A lot.

What’s the furthest away you’ve ever traveled? SLC I think?.

Are you a cat or dog person? Cat.

Have you ever done drugs? Just weed.

What does your room look like? It’s cozy and taken over by cat trees lol.

Recommend a really amazing book. Nah.

Recommend a really amazing song. I’m really into Olivia Rodrigo right now so anything by her.

Recommend a really amazing movie. Wet Hot American Summer.

Who’s your favorite actor/actress? Paul Rudd, Aubrey Plaza, Will Arnett.

Have you ever run away from home? No.

Do you exercise ever? I do. I’ve been going to the gym every day except Wednesdays when I do an in home work out.

Do you like your hair, the way it is and the colour? It needs to be dyed again already. I wanna do something dark again before I go to NYC.

Do you have any friends named Baloo? Or is he just in the Junglebook? I don’t know anyone named Baloo.

Are you a Disney movie fan? Sure, I have ones I like.

Do you eat seafood? Yes. I LOVE seafood.

When was the last time you cried? I think I got teary eyed over a tik tok the other day.

Do you have good working habits? Hahahahahah I’m literally doing this survey while I’m at work. And the other day I almost missed my time to clock out because I was talking to someone.

So where the hell do you want to go in life? I don’t know.

What are your boundaries? I have different ones for different situations/people.

What are some of the funniest things you can think of? certain SNL sketches or stand up comedian bits.

What are two quirky little things about you? I hate self-describing things as quirky.

Are you claustrophobic? Not really.

Do you like getting wasted? Not so much anymore.

List three things that you look for in a friend. Good sense of humor, similar values, ability to put up with my hyper-fixations hahahaha

Do you prefer Angels and Airwaves or Rhianna? Eh.

What religion are you, if any? I’m not.

If your house was on fire (and your family escaped), what would you save? My kitties, hands down.

Do you have any sash belts? No.

What do you have on right now? Include everything, nail polish, makeup, etc I don’t feel like listing everything.

Does caffeine make you hyper? I don’t think it does jack shit for me.

[independentartistbuzz]

JVKE RELEASES NEW REMIX OF GLOBAL HIT SINGLE “GOLDEN HOUR” WITH SB19

Today, multi-talented viral artist, songwriter, and GRAMMY®-nominated producer JVKE celebrates hitting 1 billion streams for the all-conquering global hit "golden hour" with a brand-new remix featuring the multi award-winning P-Pop boy group SB19, out now via AWAL.

Stream/download JVKE “golden hour (SB19 Remix)” HERE

Produced by JVKE, “golden hour” is a classic love song that highlights his ability to articulate the feelings of romance and beauty through his lyrics. The vivid imagery is backed by a complex instrumental arrangement of a piano and strings that builds throughout the track. The remix of "golden hour" combines SB19’s incredible vocal harmonies with JVKE's trademark production style, creating a stunning new bi-lingual version in Filipino and English.

On the release of “golden hour”, JVKE shared “This might just be my favourite song I’ve ever written. It feels like a pause in time, with all your attention on that special someone. the sun is shining... it’s your golden hour. I wanted to capture the emotion that you feel when you see something beautiful. That feeling is ‘golden hour’.”

Speaking on the remix SB19 noted, "It’s always fun collaborating with another artist - just like how it is when we, as members of a group, collaborate with each other. But it’s something else when there’s a collaboration of two cultures, which is what happened when we collaborated with JVKE. It’s really special how the embedded culture in each of us affects how we write songs and how we portray our experiences in a song, and we’re glad that we’re able to include some parts of our Filipino culture in this song.

We’re always listening to JVKE’s songs and we’re very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him.”

JVKE added, “SB19 are crazy talented. As an artist, when I open my art to others so they can add their own interpretation, I never know how I’m going to feel about what they contribute. With SB19, I was just blown away. I hope this isn’t that last time we work together.”

The original “golden hour” is already a smash hit single worldwide having amassed over 1 billion streams along with over 3 billion views across YouTube, TikTok & Instagram, a #1 spot on the Global Spotify viral chart and hit Top 20 on the Billboard Global chart. The track has also been flying high on radio airwaves around the globe including Top 10 on the U.S. Top 40 radio airplay chart. “golden hour” also hit Top 50 on the global Shazam chart, alongside official single charts in U.S., U.K., Germany, Norway, Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand, while also hitting #1 on both Shazam and Spotify charts in Malaysia and Singapore. “golden hour” is now certified Platinum in the US, Double Platinum in Australia, Gold in New Zealand and Silver in the U.K.

Cumulatively, JVKE has amassed over 2 billion career streams, an awe-inspiring 35 billion views of his music across social media along with an ever-growing global audience of over 23 million followers. JVKE’s 2020 breakthrough smash “Upside Down” generated over 200 million streams to date and 15 million TikTok video creations and spawned a Charlie Puth remix. His 2021 follow up track “this is what falling in love feels like” launched his career into the stratosphere, amassing over 390 million streams and 45 million views and reaching #33 U.S. Top 40 Radio. Last year JVKE recently released his stunning debut album, “this is what ____ feels like (Vol. 1-4)”,  a collection of songs written, produced, engineered, and recorded by JVKE and his brother ZVC that experiments with production, time signatures, tuning and style to create a truly unique listening experience.

JVKE also currently features on the international hit single “Angel” from the Fast X soundtrack alongside Charlie Puth, Jimin from BTS, Muni Long, Kodak Black and NLE Choppa.

JVKE has also featured as MTV PUSH global artist and appears prominently in the trending VOX documentary “We tracked what happens after TikTok songs go viral”. In addition to what the piece portrays, JVKE has been able to stand out amongst his peers and cut through the virality to establish himself as a true multifaceted artist on the rise.

SB19 is a multi-awarded five-member group from the Philippines composed of Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin. The “SB” in SB19 stands for “Sound Break,” which represents their aspirations of disrupting the music scene and bringing Filipino music and culture onto the international stage.

SB19 broke into the global spotlight as the first Southeast Asian and Filipino act

to be nominated in the Billboard Music Awards as Top Social Artist in 2021.

They are also the first Filipino act to land on the international Billboard Social 50, Next Big Sound Charts, and also remarkably hit #1 on the Billboard Hot Trending Songs with “Bazinga”. The band debuted in October 2018 with their single “Tilaluh”’ and quickly gained popularity with their second single “Go Up”. Since their debut, SB19 has amassed fans across the globe - known as A’TIN - and were recognised by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts as Philippines’ Youth Ambassadors.

SB19’s latest release “GENTO” debuted at #8 on the Billboard World Digital Sales Charts, ahead of the release of their new EP, “PAGTATAG!” in June this year.

[newmusicradionetwork]

TJ Doyle “Meant To Be Together”

TJ Doyle, is an American artist with a world view, a love of Earth and a feel for what it takes to care for the planet we are on. He also takes a song, wraps it in melodic yet compelling music and delivers it with a sense of fun, responsibility and subtle but strong Americana sensibilities. The result is amazing success on the world’s stage including entering 2018 in the #1 position on the Radio Indie Top 40 Charts with 2 new releases from his 2nd album “Everything” and “Living In Our Dream”. Sitting at or near the top of the charts is not new for TJ Doyle. During the year 2017 he was in the Top 5 of the Indie Top 40 from late summer with his song “Anonymous” followed by “Unconditional”, and now “Living In Our Dream”. TJ was nominated for the prestigious Round Glass Award in the Rock Song category with “Anonymous”. The Award is designed to reward musicians who create socially responsible music for Wellness, Environmental Consciousness and Peace. TJ says, “Even to be nominated makes me feel honored, humbled and “Anonymous” is a tribute to anyone who has felt marginalized”, says Doyle. As TJ’s lyrics say, “Don’t you know that you are golden, Don’t believe you’re anonymous”. TJ has been lauded by critics for having his own musical and vocal styles, although he admits to his strong vocals being reminiscent of Neil Young . “That’s the way I sing. Can’t help it”. Raised in 5 Eastern cities by the age of 10, TJ now lives in a community on the edge of the Angeles National Forest above LA where he writes songs that transmit an authenticity harking back to the 60s. Does “harking back” mean he lives in the past? Not at all. “That era of music was when artists were writing about the challenges of a generation instead of the more personal and relationship-oriented pop and rock that currently dominates the airwaves.” He goes after that vision delivering his passion for the environment. “Nature is free from the human condition that afflicts humanity, and is an inspiration that can help us all. By observing nature we can learn more about our own true natures.” Musically TJ, who has a touring history covering the northern American Midwest and Southern California, surrounds himself with some of the top musician’s musicians to be found today on his recordings like Rock Deadrick, Drums & Percussion (Tracy Chapman) David Sutton, Bass (Tracy Chapman) Matt Laug, Drums (Slash’s Snakepit), Lance Morrison, Bass, (Don Henley) Tim Pierce, Guitar (Crowded House, Dave Matthews) or in his live performances like Phil Parlapiano, Keyboards, (Lowen & Navarro), and Hank Van Sickle, Bass, (John Mayall). Legendary venues such as The Whiskey and The Roxy have hosted his band, “but it’s time to expand on that. The plan is to get out into the rest of the world,” fostered recently by extensive airplay in Europe, from his most recent album “On The Horizon”. The TJ brand of music is also picking up steam in Australia, New Zealand and, of course, across North America. At a time when divisions seem to be so loud in people’s minds, TJ Doyle feels music can bring calm, so he presents ideas that help dissuade the internal discourse that is prevalent in our society today. In “Anonymous” particularly, the singer/songwriter says, ” It is my hope the listener can take away the thought they have something very special in them, and start to fan the flames of this ‘self’, so they can ‘spread their wings and FLY’!” Doyle, describes his music in general as a vehicle to “help people make sense of themselves and the world. That is my prime directive with my music and lyrics.” “Anonymous”, produced by David Z Rivkin (Prince, Fine Young Cannibals) is part of a planned EP, “or maybe an album. “It doesn’t matter anymore. People can now enjoy music from an artist one song at a time. The album will arrive when it’s the ‘right time Incendiary American: “As TJ Doyle Music releases albums and singles, you can hear that he’s more than just a songwriter. He’s a visionary whose work calls for the collaborative effort of musicians who are determined to see it through. Once the textures and dynamics in the music are appropriately executed, Doyle’s unique voice makes that vision complete.” Additional Artist/Song Information: Artist Name: TJ Doyle Song Title: Meant To Be Together Publishing: TJ Doyle Music Publishing Affiliation: BMI Album Title: Meant To Be Together Record Label: Totem Artists Radio Promotion: Loggins Promotion Paul Loggins 310-325-2800 Contact LP Publicity/PR: Loggins Promotion Paul Loggins 310-325-2800 Contact LP Read the full article

[mxrobinhearts]

I haven't been tagged in this for a long time and a lot has changed so this could be fun :D

Relationship status: As of today, I've been with my girlfriend for 6 months

Favourite colour: Very hard to pick just one, and it's highly contextual for me. I tend towards highly saturated, bright colours, and I like strong contrasts and iridescence. Some specifics: the bi colours, IKB, phthalo green, hot pink

Three favourite foods: Nachos, spicy noodles, mozzarella salad

Song stuck in my head: Kiss & Tell by Angels & Airwaves

Last song I listened to: After Destruction by Descartes A Kant

Last thing I googled: "how to see if hdd is ssd"

Time: 11:59

Dream trip: I've never really been on a trip with friends, so that's something I'd love to do. I love the idea of renting a house together and having a nice time, pretty much anywhere.

Anything I want right now: To not be feeling under the weather, to have my girlfriend with me, to have more energy to do some creative writing, and a burrito.

No obligation tagging: @jonbutter @skullcapforager @somebody-called-me-sebastienne @despairlost @40doodles @anleva @dapling @digitanuki @dumpressa @marvellyous @jsands84 @eldritchzoe

Rules: Tag (10) people who you want to get to know better.

Thank you for tagging me @firstruleofmethclub!

Relationship Status: polyamorous and comically prone to long-distance crushes. I apologise to, like, half of my mutuals in advance

Favorite Colour: iridesecne, but I usually say green cos it's easier to spell. 🤦🏼

Three Favorite Foods: tamales, saag paneer/palak paneer, and a good healthy hunk of cornbread with some jam and honey on it.

Song Stuck in my Head: unexpectedly, Black Velvet by Alannah Myles

Last Song I Listened to: My Favourite Chords by The Weakerthans

Last Thing I Googled: "as the crow flies distance calculator".

Time: at the moment of answering this question, 7:39am

Dream Trip: I don't really dream of travel in the way thst I did before the COVID pandemic started. These days I mostly just wish it was easier and safer to go to the people I love

Anything I Really Want Right Now: too many Big Concept answers competing to be said, so I'm going to ignore them all and instead admit that it'd be nice to have a really good apple turnover about now, or possibly a bear claw.

Obligation-free tagging: @belovedgoofball, @saint-batrick, @lesbianbajoran, @horce-divorce, @taran-wanderer, @vaguelyethereal, @jensteed, @jennhoney, @femgineerasolution, @vinegartree and shadow tagging literally everyone else who sees this and wants an excuse to play. <3

[sparkkeyper]

For @racketghost 's 13 Days of Halloween day 11: Haunt

***

Crowley isn't even aware of moving when it happens.

It's a month after the failed apocalypse and he's lounging in the front of the bookshop, scrolling through his phone. Aziraphale putters around nearby, reorganizing books and humming along to the radio. It's tuned to a classical station today, and Crowley moves his head just a little in time to the music. It's a slow day, lazy. Maybe if the weather holds they can go for a walk later in the afternoon. He reaches over and bumps up the volume slightly as the piece comes to a close, still scrolling one-handed through Twitter.

"If you're just tuning in, that was The Rite of Spring by the incomparable Igor Stravinsky. We'll have more classics from Russia in just a bit but first we'll make a brief stop in Germany with some Wagner, as requested by...

Anthony."

Every vein turns to ice and the next thing Crowley knows, his fist is through the radio.

The crash of splintering wood hits him almost belatedly, and then everything is still. The only sound in the silence is his own breathing, and as he realizes what he has done, it seems deafening.

Anthony. The word rings in his head, spoken too sharply, too accusingly. A bark. A command. A torrent of information and threats injected straight into his brain, leaving him blind and deaf and senseless until they see fit to release him -

He stares at his fist, embedded in the set-top. He doesn't even remember turning around.

Aziraphale is staring at him and what's left of his stomach drops through the floor. He wants to say something but he can't move.

His breath is too loud.

"Crowley? Are you...?"

"Fine," he manages, and it might be convincing except for the fact that his hand is still in the radio. "Everything's fine, why wouldn't it be? Just...just marvelous."

It can happen at any moment, of course it can, voices from Hell out of stolen throats barging into his life with no regard for privacy. It's just the same, he thinks hysterically. How had he ever been stupid enough to think that things would change at all? But even worse is the impulse to respond, an instinct so ingrained in him that there's a 'yes my lord' sitting low in his throat even now and it hurts behind his ribcage, and if he doesn't end the communication asap it might just break loose and he can't go back to that, he can't -

Aziraphale steps over and carefully works his fist free from the wooden splinters.

Crowley lets him.

He comes back to the bookshop like stepping out of a dream, and it's all the worse because he doesn't remember leaving.

It can't have been them, he realizes, humiliation flooding through him. Just a human DJ talking about a human listener. Some other Anthony.

"Shit," he breathes as the scrapes on his knuckles heal up. "I'm sorry, angel. I'll fix it. I...shit."

"I don't care about the radio, my dear." Aziraphale is rubbing his hands gently, as though to work heat back into them. Crowley realizes they've gone cold.

"It sounded like-"

"I know what it sounded like."

They stand there for a few minutes as Crowley tries to pull his brain back together. The voice he thought he'd heard keeps echoing in his head.

"It's too quiet in here," he says, almost to himself.

"We can talk, if you like." Aziraphale looks in no hurry to get back to his books. "Or I can put the gramophone on if music is still all right?"

"Music. Sure." Crowley swallows. Swallows again. "Gramophone is all right, yeah. Self-contained. Nothing with airwaves or a network." Nothing they can reach through.

"Of course." Aziraphale doesn't even let go of his hands as the gramophone begins to play. It's Handel's Water Music. A subtle reminder that it's over, that they've left the threats behind.

Crowley tries to shake off the chill but it does not go easily.

[yeojaa]

ANGELS & AIRWAVES (w. jjk)

He's never met you but you know how he sounds when he wakes up from a nap and his greatest fears.  You know the way he sings after a shower and that he could be mistaken for a dying seal when he's laughing too hard.  The best part?  You don't judge him for any of it - including the fact he's a filthy Widow main.  He might just love you.

alt summary.  Jeon Jungkook has a big fat crush on a girl he's never met.

pairing.  jeon jungkook

genre + rating.  fluffy crack.  general, for now.

warning / tags.  long-distance relationship, crushes, canon compliant (ish),  eventual happy ending, gaming, gamer!jungkook, strangers to lovers, friends to lovers, overwatch.  tags are hard.  :( 

reading.   n/a.  a three part one-shot.

word count.  ~2750

part ii.

JUNGKOOK’S ROOM Sunday, 15 March, 2020.  2:01 AM.   

He falls for you in between the tireless teasing, the laughter that sinks into his ears and replays like a highlight reel.  It happens when he leasts expects it, when he's got his face pressed into the velvet of Yeontan's fur and you're cooing over voice chat, whispering sweet nothings to the manic panic pup.  It comes in the moments he's not expecting it to, when he's frustrated and unbearable and you're as sunny as always, spilling yellow paint across the doors he tries to keep shut.  

Bit by bit, day by day, he finds himself thinking of you more. 

First, it's wondering what you're doing while he's half-asleep and on his way to the studio.  Do you look as tired as you sound?  What colour is your hair and how does it stick up when you've just rolled out of bed?  When you yawn, do you stretch like a cat?  He thinks you do, if the sounds you make are any indication.

Then it's asking himself whether you might like the same things he does, from horror movies to carnival rides.  Would you hold his hand as you made the drop, stomachs leaping into your throats?  Would you scream?  Would it sound anything like that terrified pterodactyl noise you make when you're spawn camped by a Roadhog?  He doesn't consider the fact that he doesn't even know if you're in the same city and you'll likely never meet - bound to the servers of Overwatch only.  

He thinks about all the things he'd like to do with you.  Video game nights filled with butter-tipped fingers and spilled popcorn.  Walks with your family dog - Natto - you'd told him about, all fluffy white fur and dark teddy bear eyes.  Sunrises on the rooftop of his building, because you had the worst insomnia he'd ever seen and what better way to spend your endless waking hours than with him.  

Jeon Jungkook knows he'll probably never get any of these things, but he lets himself daydream anyway. 

Like now, for instance, as the two of you sit in another queue at 2 AM.  You just woke up and you've got that tell-tale rattle in your lungs, words sluggish and lacking any real intent.  He imagines you look the way you sound - tired and a little out of it, with barely opened eyes and sleep-loosened limbs.  

"How'd you sleep?"  He asks softly, crossing his legs beneath him and raising his arms high above his head in the same instance.  The bones of his body realign, ridges of his spine clicking into place when he knots his fingers together and pulls taut.  

"You know - the usual,"  you muse, apathetic.  It's always the same.  

He doesn't question it any further.  He had once or twice, when you'd first started talking and he'd noticed the way you were always up at inhuman times.  One grumbling response had told him enough - your schedule was what it was and no amount of remedying could fix it.  

There's a beat of silence before he hears rustling and then the loud, inescapable sound of an electric toothbrush.  You don't bother to mute your microphone, not that he minds.  He simply sits quietly, scrolling through his phone as you go about your "morning" routine.  

"How was your day?"  You're settled back at your computer, he thinks.  The acoustics sound far less like that of a bathroom.  

"I had the day off, actually."  He'd used it to edit some footage and record a cover.  He hasn't posted it to Twitter yet - there were certain times he was supposed to, to maximize visibility - but he's excited for when he does.  It's a song that's been stuck in his head for weeks, all thanks to you.

"Woah - you didn't work today?"  There's genuine surprise in your question, rounded syllables that pop off your tongue in an explosion of shock.

“Right?”  He laughs a little, short and sweet.

Despite his carefully crafted facade, there were certain plot points that just stuck, intrinsically weaved into his day-to-day whether he liked it or not.

His jam packed schedule, for instance. 

To you, it’s the result of stretching himself too thin between teaching at his friend’s dance studio (where he also apparently moonlights as a personal trainer) and working as a videographer for his media-involved friends.  Not that you know any of them.  No, no.  All the work he does is for the little guys - none of those big companies like BigHit or JYP.  Jungkook’s just your average Joe behind the camera.

“What did you do all day then?”  You’re still in awe, little flecks of wonder threaded throughout like glittering gold yarn.  

“Hung out.  Did some editing.  I’m kind of behind.”  That was an understatement.  He’s working on footage from six months ago, trying to get it out before they head on tour and he won’t have the kind of time he has now.  

“Probably spending too much time gaming.”  

“Yeah, probably.”  Not that he minds, or that he’d change it.  He savours the time you spend together, even if it has kind of messed up his sleep schedule.  

“Sorry not sorry,”  you quip, seemingly reading his mind.  

“You should be,”  he retorts with laughter that builds in his stomach and echoes out of his chest.  “I don’t think I’ve had a good night's sleep in weeks.”

If you hadn’t had this conversation a handful of times before, he thinks you might be offended.  Instead, he can practically hear you roll your eyes - imagines your optic nerve nearly severs with the intensity of it - and grins.

“Don’t kid yourself - you know I’m the best thing about your nights!”

You’re not wrong.  “You’ve been lied to.”

“I’m suing!”

“I’ll have my lawyer contact your lawyer.”

“Wait, what?” 

The two of you have done what you always do - talked yourself into a tizzy that has you both laughing, sound crackling across the airwaves.  It’s nonsensical and silly but it feels good.  Your bond shines with it, glitters prettily between you.

Thank god for Overwatch.

You return the conversation to a semblance of normalcy first.  “Did you listen to that song I sent?”

“Yeah.”  The briefest pause.  “It was terrible.  Hated it.”

“Oh, shut up!” 

“I’m kidding.  It was really good.”  Jungkook doesn’t tell you that he’s had it on repeat for the past few days, saved to the private playlist that’s filled with the rest of your song recommendations.  

“I know!”  You’re preening as if he’d just complimented you, clearly pleased by the praise.  He supposes it’s a pretty good endorsement regardless. 

“Got any more for me?” 

“I should just make you a playlist.”

He ignores the way his heart skips a very real beat, mimics the erratic rhythm of his fingers on his keyboard.  Because he’d absolutely love that.

“You should.”

“Really?”  You sound uncertain but maybe - just maybe - a little hopeful.  He might also just be imagining things, as he so often does with you. 

“Yeah.  Why not?”  It comes nonchalantly despite the rushing in his ears, the wave that threatens to drown him.  He can feel emotion in his chest - winged and distracting.  A kaleidoscope of butterflies fluttering away. 

You’re quiet for another second.  It feels like an eon.  “Okay, yeah.  I’ll start one and we can just add to it together.”

BIG HIT ENTERTAINMENT’S GYM Thursday, 26 March, 2020.  6:30 PM.   

“You sound like a meathead,”  you say, off-hand and disinterested.  

He loathes the grunt that squeaks past his teeth as he gently returns the dumbbells to the floor. Cue a generous chug of water and a near death experience when the liquid goes down the wrong pipe. 

Loud coughing crackles through his airpods before he’s addressing you.  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re grunting like a caveman.”

If your first comment hadn’t offended him, this one does.  Jungkook scoffs, tonguing the interior of his cheek as his brow furrows.  Weights are returned to his hands, rotated above each shoulder as he resumes another set of presses. 

“Do you even workout anything other than your fingers?”  He’s making a conscious effort not to make a sound, breath exhaled sharply through his nose.  It’s harder than he cares to admit but he’s also not about to give you an excuse to tease him further.  You already had way too much material.

“Don’t shame me!”  You really don’t sound that indignant.

“So, I’m right?  You’re a big couch potato who’s just jealous of my hot body?”

Now you’re incredulous.  It’s one of his favourite sounds because it comes draped in laughter, dancing around his head in the form of cartoon hearts. 

“Did you just say ‘hot body’, Jay?”

“Maybe I did.  What of it?”  He sniffs - he’s picked it up from you over the months - and your amusement doubles, giggles crashing into each other in their haste.  

“You are so, so weird.”  There’s a tenderness in your voice that he’d like to live in.  It wraps him up like a hug, tugging at his feeble little heartstrings. 

“Weird and hot.”

“You can’t just say that!”

“Why not?”  If anything, you’re the one person he can say it to.  With you, it’s the funniest joke he’s ever made.  It’s playful and silly, with no rhyme or reason.  He doesn’t have to worry about it being misconstrued or held against him. 

“You just can’t!  Only other people can say it.”  You sigh dramatically, from your chest.  “Do I have to teach you everything?”

“Everything but being healthy, probably.” 

“Har har har.”  

He can tell by how the words roll off your tongue, muffled and lacking clarity, that you’re eating.  He wonders if you’ve made pancakes - you’d been complaining about craving them just two days ago.  There are no tell-tale crunching or slurping, so he knows it isn’t your usual double whammy combo of ramyeon and Choco Boys.  

“I’ll have you know I used to run.”  Something about the way you say it makes him believe you, even though he wants to mock you a little more.  

“In gym class doesn’t count.”

“I used to run with Natto, you ass!”  Okay - so that actually sounded legitimate.

“Why don’t you still then?”

“There was an incident once.”  You’re sipping on something - likely coffee with oat milk and two pumps of hazelnut syrup.  It doesn’t matter that it’s dinner time and most people would be winding down for the evening.  “Because of my insomnia, I’d run at odd hours.  One day, some weirdo stopped me while I was running along the river.  He didn’t hurt me or anything—”  A part of him thinks you’re downplaying it but he says nothing, only waiting for you to continue.  “—but he followed me home.  I made the mistake of telling my parents and they freaked out so…” 

“So no more running by yourself.” 

“Yeah, exactly.”

“I’d run with you.”  It doesn’t mean much, but it’s the thought that counts.  

“Thanks, Jay.”  

Not for the first time, he wishes he could hear his name - his real name.  Just once.

“JUNGKOOOOOOOOOOK.”  It eats up every ounce of space of the gym, filling the room with the resounding boom of it.  How it manages to be so loud, he’s not sure.  He wishes it weren’t.  There’s no way you haven’t heard it.  

Especially not when it comes again, deafening even to his occupied ears. 

“JUNGKOOOOK-AH!”  Namjoon now, right as the double doors fly open.

Jimin’s barreling toward the alarmed maknae as he shouts.  “WE’RE DOING A VLIVE!”

Jungkook feels like his insides are melting  - his internal temperature spiking with embarrassment and worry and something that chants oh no! over and over in his head.  The tops of his ears are burning, as is the column of his throat.  A quick glance in the mirror confirms his suspicion that he is, indeed, bright tomato red.

“Jay?”  You repeat once, twice, when he doesn’t immediately answer.  “Everything okay?”

He moves with a speed he doesn’t expect, weights unceremoniously dropped on either side of him before he’s tearing his AirPods out.  “I’ve got to go. Sorry!”

He doesn’t end the Discord call a moment too soon, Jimin upon him in the next instant.  The smaller dancer is draping himself across Jungkook’s shoulders, the widest shit-eating grin on his pretty face.

“Want to join us for a VLive?”  

“No.  I’m busy.”  

“Busy with your girlfriend?”  Jimin’s wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.  He only stops when Jungkook shifts aggressively, tearing himself out from underneath the other.  

“Not my girlfriend!”  

“But you wish she was!”  

He can’t deny that, so he doesn’t bother, instead seizing his discarded weights with an embarrassed scowl permanently etched into the planes of his face.  He’s reracking them - because god, he’s not an animal - when he notices Jimin making his departure, that teasing smile replaced with something soft and edging on concern.

“What’re you going to do when we’re on tour?”

Jungkook blanches then.  You’d become such an undeniable part of his everyday life that he hadn’t even considered what it’d mean when he was busier than now, unable to spend late nights gaming with you. 

But Jimn’s already gone, leaving him and his thoughts alone.

JUNGKOOK’S ROOM Friday, 27 March, 2020.  12:05 AM. 

It’s close to midnight by the team he logs on.  Realistically, he should go to sleep.  He’s clean and worn out and his bed is calling to him like a siren at sea.  But you’re sitting alone in the channel, streaming Overwatch for no one to see, and he can’t just leave it at that.

He needs to say goodnight, like he always does. 

“Coming for my title as Headshot God?”   The quip’s off his tongue before you have a chance to acknowledge him, your laughter the first thing he hears once he’s connected.

“I’ve been waiting in this queue for seven minutes.  Seven!”  

It’s really not that bad.  The rare times you’d both queue for DPS were nearly double that.  

“Patience is key,”  he teases, slumping into his chair as he watches you click through your Hero Gallery.  You’re cruising seemingly aimlessly, roving through the different skins for your mains (Mercy, Ana, Genji, Ashe).  The silence between you is comfortable, interspersed only by the occasional munching he can only assume comes from the carrots you seem to inhale.

For all the junk you ate, you were somehow also weirdly into vegetables.  

“Patience sucks,”  you retort, matter-of-fact. 

“You know what else sucks?”  

It’s a rhetorical question and he knows you know, but because you’re you, you start listing things off just to get under his skin.  “Spiders?  Undercooked samgyupsal?  Not having coffee?  Your jokes?”

If he weren’t laughing so hard, he might’ve given you shit for making fun of his comedic genius.  He really doesn’t understand how you think he’s the unfunny one when all you do is crack puns.  

“I was actually going to say me,”  he finally manages in between those high pitched cackles of his.  

“Wait, why?”  You’re used to him having witty comebacks.

Edge of enamel worries his bottom lip and Jungkook can taste cherry Chapstick and what would be bashfulness, if it had a flavour.  “For earlier.”

You scoff, your own tinkling laughter tearing him out from inside his own head.

“It’s okay, goofball.”

He appreciates how laidback you are, never holding anything against him.  Not even when he hangs up on you or accidentally spams you with memes when you’re trying (and failing) to sleep.  “No.  I’m sorry.”  He says it earnestly, with all the meaning he can muster.  

MATCH FOUND flickers across his and your screen and you’re loading into hero selection.  He knows you’ll be too distracted once the game starts, so he’s grateful when you laugh again, sweet as summer.  

“Nothing to be sorry about.  Just tell me everything’s okay and we’re even.”  

Inhale, exhale.  Try not to tell her you have the biggest, stupidest crush on her,  he tells himself. 

“Everything’s okay.”  And he means it when he says it, though they aren’t the words he wishes he could say.  

“Good.”  

You’ve chosen Genji,  He smiles to himself when you join voice chat and the rest follow, greetings filtering in from your team members.  

“Good luck.”  You don’t need it.  He still likes to say it.

“You have an early day tomorrow, right?”  Leave it to you to remember his schedule even when he doesn’t.  

“Yeah, pretty early.”  

“Then go to bed!  I’ll still be awake when you’re up.”  

He lingers on that fact - holds it tightly in his hands so it can’t slip away.  You’d be there in the morning, just like you always were.  Knowing that stirs those same butterflies in his chest, words stolen by the overzealous beating of their wings.

You read his silence like they’re your own thoughts,  “I’m always here for you, Jay.”  

“Goodnight.”

"Sleep sweet."

notes.  this chapter is set four-ish months following the first, in case that’s not clear.  :) 

tag list.  @teawithbucky​ 

[steveyockey]

it was earlier than he usually woke up but dean didn’t mind. after years of shitty motel mattresses and nights barely sleeping, ready to pull his gun at a moment’s notice for whoever came knocking, he cherished the luxury of blinking slowly as awareness returned to his body, taking in the man beside him who still had a hand snaked around his waist just as when they had fallen asleep, whispering until neither could keep his eyes open (“say it to me” “you’ve had me say it a dozen times now, dean” “so one more can’t hurt” “I love you” “you are never leaving my sight again”). dean brought his own hand to cas’s face, a motion both instinctive and new, at least outside the few times he hadn’t been able to help himself. he could feel cas take in a breath at the touch, hovering just on the edge of consciousness, pulling dean closer, humming lightly. dean watched him as he stirred, watched the lines that had set around his eyes and on his forehead deepen for a moment and then relax. he traced his fingers up to cas’s temple where he could see shades of grey mixed in with the black. cas opened his eyes as dean carded his hand down behind his ear.

“you’re getting grey, old man.”

“that… shouldn’t be possible.”

“well, angels aren’t really supposed to sleep either, last I checked.”

“never was very good at being an angel.”

“worked out all right for us. besides, I think it makes you look handsome.” he pressed forward to lay a kiss on cas’s forehead, holding his lips there for a beat. 

“I can still hear your prayers.”

he met cas’s gaze with narrowed eyes.

“I haven’t prayed since we got you back.”

“I know, it’s... I can hear the feeling, just before you say my name or when you’re looking for me. I…” cas glanced down into the small space between them, “I could always hear something. I just didn’t know what it was — I knew what I wanted it to be, but I couldn’t let myself believe it.” and with that dean pulled cas on top of him, cradling his head to his chest and twining the fingers of his other hand with the one cas had been using to hold them together.

“sorry for clogging up the airwaves.”

“I like having you there. I hope it stays like that. it used to make it hard, at least when I meant to be listening for other things. I could tune it out but I never did.” he turned his neck to look up at dean. “I don’t mind getting old. I just want to still be able to hear you. even when you can’t say it.”

“I will, cas. I still need —”

“I know. we have time, dean. and I believe it now.”

[velvetsehun]

Born to Die| OSH | 07

pairing: Oh Sehun x Reader genre: Mafia!Sehun rating: 18+ warnings: violence, gun use, mature language, smut (in future chapters), slow burn. words: 14k summary: a collusions of worlds is supposed to kill, but what if it can do something else? A/N: omg chapter 7? we’ve made it this far? I’m so proud we’re on this journey together! I don’t have much to stay other than, thank you for sticking around and that i hope you enjoy the chapter, remember feedback is important so drop into my askbox once you’re done, lets chat ;)

TW// Warning this part contains some material that might be sensitive to readers as it depicts scenes of blood, mentions of medical procedures and violence, readers discretion is advised.

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The night was a swirling mixture of crisp air and the sharpness that came with living in the city; the residue of the day's smog coating the sky to the point the stars were blocked of their life and you were left with a fuzz of light on the horizon; buildings too far away to think about casting their lights onto the blank polluted canvas but regardless, he found himself standing there, shadowed by the darkness and the distance, watching the scene in front of him unfold. The scene of a tragic love story, the story of an ill-matched pair trying to survive in the grasp of the times.  

“If you want to get him shouldn’t you do it now?” One of his men behind him probed, watching his breath curl in the air next to his head, “I mean he’s right there…” And he was right, Sehun was right there, in the sleek car that was highly out of place with its surroundings.

“Where is the fun in that?” The silver-haired man asked amused, the soft wind fluttering his bangs across his forehead; he probably looked like an angel in the night to the right person but right now, he was only shrouded by the darkness, “All the cards aren’t in my hands yet,” He hummed.

“But boss…” The man in question merely raised his hand shushing his counterpart, their eyes watching the girl exit the car; eyes intently staring at the vehicle that began is descent from her.

“Speak when spoken to.” The silver-haired man snapped softly, passing a look over his shoulder to his comrade, “And remember your place.”

His eyes were intense like he was trying to rip you apart with his pupils, a small part of him smirked as he watched your feeble form stumble further into the empty parking lot; walking closer to him like you were drawn to whatever was lurking. It was like watching a deer in a headlight he mused to himself as your eyes flickered around the area, your eyes meeting his in the darkness for a second unknowingly.

“Hello…” Your voice softly fluttered through the empty lot, “Is anyone there?” He could feel a smirk crawl upon his mouth; his teeth making their appearance as he watched you jump at the ring of your phone screeching into the empty lot with you, filling the space he could have used to answer your call.

“O, little dove, I’m right here…”

“Don’t worry Yoora, I’ll be okay…”

A confused grunt passed your lips as Chanyeol’s full weight collapsed onto you, your body struggling to hold the man up from slipping off the counter as you smacked his arm. The fluttering of his breath hitting your neck and the situation causing shivers to slither down your spine. You had no time to think about whoever he was talking about at that moment, your heart clenching slightly as you tried to talk to the man.

“Chanyeol,” You snapped, eyebrows furrow as you heard no response from the man, “For god’s sake, Chanyeol!” You snapped louder, your voice cracking with the intensity of your words.

Silence.

“No no no no…” You panicked slightly before using your full strength to heave him back against the mirror at sat on the wall behind him; his body slamming against it with a dull thud. “Chanyeol come on…” Your voice cracked again, your hand vibrating softly as that reached for his neck, your other hand smacking his cheek slightly.

He looked abysmal, his normally soft tanned skin had blanched itself out into a sickly grey that was stained with the deep red of his blood and littered with already purpling bruises; his breathing shallow and the stab wound on his stomach trickling out said blood steadily. He looked completely worse for wear, and you felt the depth of the situation settle into your bones as your fingers connected with his neck, the slow thud of his pulse quivering against your fingers.

“What the fuck do I do.” You spoke to yourself, pressing the rag from before onto his stomach to try and clot his wound; your stomach turning slightly at the blood staining your hands. “Chanyeol.” You used your free hand to shake him again, in a last-ditch effort that he might respond.

“Fuck…” You breathed at his unyielding silence, your free hand dropping onto the counter to try and steady yourself as your put your best pressure wound; his pockets looked empty so your chance of being able to call one of his brothers was slim to none.

Looking at his face, your remembered Chanyeol’s past haste at being introduced to someone he didn’t know; the vision of him speeding out of your apartment last time filing your head, but as he bled out on your counter you found no choice in the matter, your free hand already fumbling to get your phone before shakily clicking onto your contacts; the tinny ring thrumming in your ear not too long after.

“Come on…” You whispered into the receiver, “Please pick up…” You begged to no one.

“Hello…” The person on the other end started but you quickly cut them off.

“Jeonghan!” You cried softly, your voice crackling with emotion, “Please tell me you’re not working.” You begged softly.

“No, I’m not working,” He sounded concerned, immediately jumping into that tone he used to use with you all the time, “Why is everything okay?” He added quickly, the sound of his mouth pulling down nearly hearable in the receiver.

“Listen Hannie…” Your voice was shaky as you breathed deeply looking at Chanyeol, “I need you to my place immediately, bring your medkit, and tell no one you’re coming” You whispered like someone who might be listening in could hear you.

“What’s going on? Are you alright?” He stuttered softly but you quickly cut him off again.

“Jeonghan, please.” You snapped at the man, your temper wearing thin, “Just do it.”

“Okay,” He shushed you softly in his usual tone of voice; trying to calm you down, “I’ll be there as soon as I can, okay?” You felt tears splinter your eyes at his words, you nose sniffling slightly.

“Please just hurry…”

With an aching body and a pounding headache, Baekhyun found himself stumbling through the dense heat of an old building, flames licking the walls as his jacket covered his mouth to filter some smoke out; the heaving of his lungs telling him that this was a mission gone wrong. At first, it seemed like a simple recon mission, a small tip-off that Jongin had got earlier in the week about a potential lead in their current predicament; a quick job like they were used to. But to Baekhyun and Chanyeol, the desolate old building held nothing more than empty rooms and dust, or so it seemed, about an hour into the search it all went wrong. Baekhyun was trying to catch his bearings, the smoke flowing through his airwaves and causing a haziness to blur out his vision.

They had agreed to split up the building’s 8 floors, Baekhyun top four and Chanyeol bottom four; the objective was to see what was lurking around and recon back in the foyer before they checked the basement, due to the ominous nature to Jongin’s tip-off they weren’t exactly sure what they were looking for but remembers Jongin’s words had another fire burning with  Baekhyun, beside the one he was already in.

“What the…” Baekhyun frowned slightly, while pushing open one of the ajar doors on the 6th floor, there as the briefest once of light filtering through the bottom of the old wood, the only sign so far that someone other than himself and Chanyeol was here.

The room was a ruin of what was probably once a nice apartment, the dense smell of mildew and rot in the air as Baekhyun took in the scenery; tattered furniture littered the room, the last tenants clearly in a rush to leave. It wasn’t much, an old couch in the centre of the decaying floor and an old dining table tucked in the corner; but what interested him was the blinking red light fluttering from under the couch, a small pain in his chest at what it could be. Baekhyun was still stationed at the door with a frown etched on his face when he decided to crouch on one knee to try to get a better look at what he was looking at, but when the light was just out of eye-line, Baekhyun decided to walk further into the apartment.

His gun was warm in his hand and tucked slightly down to allow him room to use his flashlight as he moved further into the apartment, his boots disrupting the dust that sheeted itself on the floor with each clicking step; he had to admit the place was unnerving, deathly silence coated every inch of the place and the idea of checking out the light wasn’t helping either.

Squaring his shoulder slightly, Baekhyun’s fluttered around the main room of the apartment one last time before he began to crouch again; the gentle thud of him placing down his flashlight on the ground filling his ears and one of his hands braced him to further lower himself down. The dust was a weird texture under his slightly clammy palms, his nose turning up already at the sticking sensation, but he shook himself out of it, opting to angle the flashlight on the floor under the couch instead.

It was still a bit hard to see under the couch but with a squint of his eyes, Baekhyun managed to see what was causing the soft red light; he eyes narrowing into slits before the dilated in size in shock.

The soft red light? Was the countdown on a small explosive, one which only had 3:40 left on the clock.

“Fuck.” Baekhyun swore loudly, pushing himself up quickly to get his phone out his pocket but he froze again when something thudded at the back of his head.

“Stay down.” A warped voice filled Baekhyun’s ears, the cold barrel of a gun pressing into his head, keeping him down. “Or I’ll shoot.” Baekhyun’s teeth ground together; he didn’t have time for this.

“Why don’t you face me then,” Baekhyun ground out, “We can settle this like adults.”

“Stay down.” The voice reiterated.

“Who are you.” Baekhyun tensed out.

“I think you know, don’t you Mr Byun?” Baekhyun frowned at that, the warped voice sounding like it was smirking, “Or can I call you Baekhyun.”

“I’ll ask you again.” Baekhyun spat softly, “Why don’t you face me.” The voice scoffed.

“Because I don’t have a death wish,” They answered.

“I think you do,” Baekhyun tutted softly, his grip tightening on his gun.

Baekhyun didn’t give the voice time to respond before he spun around, avoiding the gun pressed to his head and shoving the assailants hand up to the air; the boom of his shot going off, embedding itself in the ceiling. If felt like there wasn’t even time to take a breath in to react before Baekhyun was standing again; the sole of his boot planting in the stomach of what he could now see was a masked figure – watching them tumble to the ground winded.

He never stopped to survey the room as the beeping from the couch got louder – his hand instantly working to fire his shot off at another man he’d barely seen who was poised at the other end of the room. That didn’t stop anyone though, while the second man was recovering from the shot to his shoulder, the first one who was on the floor jumped up; barrelling towards Baekhyun at an impressive speed. Baekhyun had just enough time to dodge before a punch tumbled into his face; one of his arms coming up in defence to try to knock the man back quickly. The one he shot in the shoulder didn’t stay down too long either and before he knew it, he was fending off a barrage of attacks; the black blurs of their clothing moving with him.

They were sloppy fighters, but they did manage to land a few hits on Baekhyun; the butt of one of their gun’s slamming into his cheek painfully – normally Baekhyun would shoot them down but the way they were piling on him left his trigger hand unavailable to shoot; he spent most of the time deflecting their attacks. When he saw the glint of a blade, that’s when Baekhyun decided enough was enough – the explosive wasn’t going to hold off for him to finish up.

With a yell, Baekhyun managed to get the two men a far distance from him; getting a proper look at them while he did. They both wore black masks on the bottom halves of their face, a small decide attached that was modulating their voices, and what looked like a sheer scarf covering their eyes; this was a planned attack.

Baekhyun, as always, felt no remorse as he pulled his trigger; a violent hum pumping through his veins as he watched the head of the first man ricochet back with a sickening crack, splattering his partner with his brain matter in the process. The second shot was as swiftly as the first, no sarcastic remarks on Baekhyun’s end, just sheer violence as a small grin crept up his face at his carnage. There were no thoughts in Baekhyun’s head, other than a small sense of satisfaction over the killing of those two lackeys.

He couldn’t even find it in himself to ponder over the blood on his hands again, something most of his brothers did after the deed; the beeping in the room increasing with each breath. Taking off into a sprint, Baekhyun only managed to make it past the threshold before a circle of hell decided to open itself up in the place; his body getting flung like a rag doll into the wall opposite the door and with a disgusting thud - Baekhyun it the wall.  

The ringing in his ears didn’t privy him to not hearing the 7 other bang’s that resonated throughout the old building, but the aching of his body and the pounding of his head stopped his instinctual movement. He laid on a heap on the floor, the minutes feeling like hours and before he knew it the building around him was up in flames, only the brief mention of his partner's name gracing his lips and he tried to find himself again.

“Maybe we should have listened,” Baekhyun grunted softly to himself while stumbling down one of the higher floors of the building, everything was a mess; most of the floor was missing as it was and the constant fire that kissed the walls and his skin with the sheer heat of it all didn’t exactly help the situation, he needed to find Chanyeol and get out; fast.

It was an old apartment building tucked away near the docks, empty and unused since the inside had rotted beyond repair and teeming with hidden life. If Chanyeol and Baekhyun had been easy to scare, the sheer fact there were various messages written across the walls telling anyone who dare enter to run would have sent them with their tails between their legs, but they weren’t easy to scare, and the look that crossed Baekhyun’s face as he shone his flashlight on the writing was proof. Baekhyun wasn’t quite sure how this all started truthfully, both himself and Chanyeol had no issue getting into the building; the door practically falling off its hinges with rust, and from the get-go, it did seem like the building was truly empty.

Even though he was in imminent danger of the building collapsing in on himself and anyone that was left at any second, Baekhyun still found the energy to yell in a last attempt to find his comrade.

“CHANYEOL,” Baekhyun found himself screaming down one of the empty hallways, his words dissolving into a cough at the smoke that tickled his lungs, spluttering violently into the fabric of his jacket to hack it back up. “COME ON MAN, WHERE ARE YOU?” He hacked again.

The fire was louder than any life in the building, the crackling and whipping sounds of its destruction filling Baekhyun’s ears like hellish white noise, but not even the sound of a response cut through it; it was silence on Chanyeol’s end.

Beads of sweat from the heat hastily dripped down Baekhyun’s face soot and blood-covered face; stinging the cuts that were left on his face from his earlier scrummage. The need to take his jacket off growing more and more with every second he spent in the belly of this beast, but he kept going on, even if the smoke was kicking in, his legs barely stumbling to down the hall to one of the last places Chanyeol could have been.

“Nostromo apartments?” Baekhyun scrunched his nose up at the man standing at Sehun’s desk, “You want me to scope out that shithole? Why?”

“Because of this,” Jongin sighed, plucking a piece of paper from his pocket while their boss looked tensely at his computer screen, “One of our men was slipped it at Yixing’s casino,”

“And what does it say?” Baekhyun pressed with a slight glare, “And better yet, why am I going.”

“It’s just an address,” Jongin shrugged, “Nothing else, just an address.”

“You’re going because it’s your job,” Sehun cut in but not bothering to glance at the man while he typed, “And because nearly everyone else is busy.”

“But-,” Baekhyun began childishly, a scowl on his face.

“No buts.” Sehun refrained from snapping, “And Jesus, take Chanyeol with you, I’m tired of him moping around the damn place.” Sehun bothered to look at him this time, a glare etched into his eyes.

Baekhyun now wished that he’d argued for Sehun to let him go alone, his body barely able to stay upright as he stumbled down the hall to the main stairwell; his face pulling taught as the peaked down, the flames consuming most of the bottom floors and stairs, meaning the only way was up.

“CHANYEOL,” Baekhyun tried yelling again, but he felt his face harden when he was met with more silence; a dark look passing by his face as he remembered one of Sehun’s rules.

“You get separated?” Sehun stated, pointing at his men, “You leave them behind, two of you is more valuable than one to someone else, we can’t have that.”

He wanted to directly oppose Sehun’s rule at that moment, but with the smoke-belching into his lungs, Baekhyun was finding it harder and harder to breathe; his heart gripped in a way he wasn’t comfortable as he moved away from the stairs that led down, his eyes burning with more than the smoke as he stumbled to the stairs that lead up. Moments were blurring together as the smoke inhalation started playing with Baekhyun’s brain, his lungs burning with such an intensity that he thought that maybe he was gonna die on the stairs to the roof, the colours of the fire and the walls melding together, he had finally found himself in hell.

By the time he’d made it to the last stairway up, Baekhyun was grabbing his throat like he was ready to strangle himself – the fire in the building had him breathing in all sorts of nasty chemicals and the blow had knocked another concussion into his fragile skull, he was a mess and a bigger mess at the thought that he’d let one of his best friends go. When Baekhyun found himself shouldering open the roof door with the last of his energy, he wasn’t sure what to do; the soft caresses of clean air feeling like heaven on his heavy chest to the point he felt content with just laying there and waiting for the building to fully collapse, but he knew deep down that it wasn’t an option.

His dirty hands wiped the moisture and soot from his eyes as Baekhyun finally staggered to full height; the burning in his torso a distant thought as he looked around at what he could do. Limping towards the edge of the building, he grimaced slightly, he could make the jump to the next roof but probably barely, the building next to him was slightly smaller and a tad out of reach. But as the building gave a horrific grumble, it prompted Baekhyun to make up his mind quickly; the distant sounds of police and firemen on their way not helping either.

Stumbling back a few paces, Baekhyun tenses his shoulders slightly before he took off into a sprint towards the edge of the building; his boot planting firmly on the ledge to boost himself up before he was lifted up and over the side of the building – the world rushing past him in a haze, his body tipping forward slightly as he saw the other building nearing closer and closer. Baekhyun barely managed to roll to catch himself before he found himself sprawled out starfish on the ground, a wheeze pushing itself out his lungs at the impact of landing on the roof, his head still up in the clouds.

“I knew this was a bad idea.”

With every second that passed, you felt like your heart was about to burst out of your chest; Chanyeol’s body slumped against you was going a horrible cold temperature, your hands were stained with so much blood that you felt gagging in your throat that reminded you too much of your excursion to the compound to feel comfortable, and the fate of the man in your arms depended on if your ex-boyfriend could get here quick enough. A cardiac arrest might have sounded closer to how you were feeling right now.

At first, you had stood with your hands holding the rag to Chanyeol’s wound as tight as you could muster, but as the blood flow slowed down one of your hands strayed; that hand was tangled softly in Chanyeol’s vibrant red locks, your voice trying its best to stay calm as you tried to keep speaking to him softly in the hopes that he might wake up. It was an odd situation but you felt like you owed it to him, regardless of how the two of you met, Chanyeol had treated you fairly in a situation that called for him to be; he worth at least this amount of kindness, even if he wasn’t regarded as a saint.

The apartment was so quiet, the only thing filling your ears being Chanyeol’s gentle breath, that when you heard the sound of your front door being busted down, you almost felt yourself drop the man in your arms; the image of Jeonghan’s shocked face filling the doorway a few seconds later in what you could only describe as sheer horror.

“Y/n…” Jeonghan started confusedly, but you quickly interrupted him.

“He’s been stabbed, Jeonghan, can we save the questions for when he isn’t bleeding out over me?” You quickly snipped at him.

It was magical to watch Jeonghan’s switch from a normal person to a doctor, his face hardening slightly as he dropped the kit he was holding to rush over; His hand pushing Chanyeol back onto the counter and off you in seconds. It was like watching a wizard work and he produced a small flashlight from his pocket and quickly pried Chanyeol’s eyes open.

“How long has he been out,” Jeonghan asked quickly in a resilient voice, flicking the small light in and out of his eyes before pocketing it again, quickly checking his pulse.

“About 15 minutes,” You stuttered softly, “He was just out when I called, you were the only person I thought could-,” This time it was Jeonghan cutting you off.

“He’s not in shock, not yet anyway,” Jeonghan quickly said, rushing over to his kit to grab a pair of gloves, “We’ll discuss this after I do this okay?” His eyes quickly fluttered to you before he was back to work. With a meek nod, you watched him go.

It seemed all the years of schooling paid off for him, your eyes watching in slight amazement as Jeonghan jumped between jobs; after doing a check for breaks on his ribcage and checking his heart/breathing, the tended to the wound that was glaringly obvious on the bottom of his torso, his fingers gentle as he pried it open to get a proper look.

“Whoever did this wasn’t intending to kill,” Jeonghan mumbled, quickly grabbing a cotton pad stack and rubbing alcohol, “It’s deep not it’s not surgery deep, but he’s lost a lot of blood”

“But no signs of hypovolemic shock,” He hummed much to your confusion, “He’s lost enough to pass out but not enough to kill him,” He explained to you in simpler terms.

“Will he be okay?” You felt a small resemblance of relief.

“I’ll need to stitch his wound,” Jeonghan stated trying to clean as much of the blood up as he could, “You’re typically not supposed to take a knife out of a stab wound, that’s how you bleed out, but you did the right thing clotting the wound,” He glanced at you with a softness in his eyes, some wisps of his blond hair falling into his face from where it was tied back.

“Right now, we need to make sure he doesn’t go into shock, okay?” Jeonghan said gently to you, “That mean’s I need to suture his wound as fast as possible and you’re gonna have to help me move him so I can, can you do that?”

It was then you realised that Jeonghan was talking softer to you because he could see how tense you were and as a way not to freak you out, your heart-melting slightly at his attitude.

“I can try,” You nodded, “But he’s heavy.” Jeonghan hummed.

“Built like that you would be,” He nodded to the fact that Chanyeol was all smooth skin and hard muscle.

“On the count of three okay?” Jeonghan explained, “We’ll move him to the couch, I need him reclined to do his stitches.”

The two of you only glanced at each other once before you both grabbed one of Chanyeol’s arms; fitting them around both of your shoulders and with a deep breath you nodded again, even though he couldn’t see you. Jeonghan wasted no time in counted and before you knew it, the two of you were grunting as you lifted the man that was taller than the two of you.

The walk to your couch felt like a marathon as the two of you barely made it in time to drop the man on the sofa cushions of your couch; Jeonghan instantly taking over the work to lay his patient, lifting his legs onto the couch before making sure his head was properly supported on the other end. Jeonghan didn’t even need to ask before you were scuttling to the bathroom to grab his kit again, making sure you had everything before you ran and passed it to him; watching the doctor in training change his gloves and quickly sanitise his hands for the new pair.

“I need you to get some blankets and a hot water bottle,” He wasted no time in quickly set everything up to stitch the wound close, “His internal body tempt is down due to blood loss so we need to sustain it before his body starts panicking.” You were about to open your mouth to argue with him about something before he passed you a look that would make even a parent scared.

“You don’t need to watch me suture him, don’t do that to yourself; get the stuff please.” He asked you again, “He’s going to be okay.” You merely shook your head before you darted off to the kitchen, boiling the kettle quicker than light.

You felt like a terrified mother as you made haste around the kitchen and apartment, trying to avoid looking at Jeonghan working; the man only carrying a calm look, this was a normal part of his job. The respect you held for him was always unimaginable but at that moment you felt something akin to pride as you peaked at him working, the grace he held as a doctor proved to you that everything that had happened between the two of you might have been worth it to him. This was truly his calling.

Soon enough you were dumping the stuff he requested down next to him; your nose turning up as he finished bandaging around his wound, the smell of antibiotic cream hitting your senses unpleasantly.

“You owe me a lot of answers,” Jeonghan was tense as his eyes skirted to you, watching you gnaw on your anxiously, “So get talking.”

“Jeonghan…” You said softly while tucking the hot water bottle under one of Chanyeol’s arms, trying to avoid it for as long as possible, “Please, can’t it wait till morning.”

“No.” Jeonghan snapped at you, a first for him in a while, “It can’t wait till morning.” He stood up as you placed the blankets over Chanyeol, waiting for you before he grabbed your arm and dragged you back into the bathroom; away from the sleeping man.

The bathroom still had streaks of blood over the counter, with the rag you used thrown in the sink to be out of sight – there was a vague metallic smell in the place as well that was being fought by your air freshener; it looked like a crime scene in here, and maybe there was some truth in that. Mentally you acknowledged that you were observing the room to avoid talking to Jeonghan, but you couldn’t help yourself, the door clicked softly behind you reminding you of that.

“I don’t ask for much,” Jeonghan started with a puff of his chest, looking around the bathroom at the butchery as well, “But I at least ask for the barest amount of honesty from you.” His eyes were drilling into you as you refused to meet them.

“Listen Jeonghan, he’s…” You were slightly at a loss of words on what to call the man on your couch; was he a friend? Was he a foe? He hadn’t done more than lie to you, you knew that much, “He needed help.” You affirmed instead, glancing at him briefly.

“I could see that,” Jeonghan said sarcastically, “But explain to me why he didn’t go to, you know, a hospital?” He did say it so simply, that if you didn’t know Chanyeol like that you would have asked the same thing. “He couldn’t,” You tried to reason with him, but he cut you off.

“He couldn’t? You couldn’t call or?” Jeonghan was aggravated, his complexion had a ting of red to coat it.

“He just couldn’t,” You snapped back, your lip wobbling slightly, “He’s not like you or me,” Your voice took a juxtaposition, as you spoke quietly.

Upon seeing you were getting upset, Jeonghan placed his hands on your shoulders, looking you dead in the eyes with a soft look – one of his hands coming up to touch your face slightly with concern.

“Hey, it’s okay…” He frowned, swiping a small tear away from your face, “What’s going on…”

Pouting your mouth softly, your mind ran through the last week and a half; from the shooting to the compound and everything that following that – your life had been tipped upside down in unimaginable ways and it was no secret that you were keeping a tight lid on how you felt about things. No one sprung to mind when it came to talking about the things that you had seen and witnessed, your jaw starting to tremble as you remembered the start of it all – watching someone that in some way you could call a friend lying next to you on the ground, the only sign that he was there were his pooling blood and dead eyes. It had a snowball effect on you more than you realised; from the constant threats against your life, the guns, the warehouse, the fact that these men had swept into your life and taken over aspects of it like nothing was wrong.

It’s not that you weren’t fond of the Chanyeol, or at times even that slimy guy that Baekhyun could be, but the issue was it that you weren’t supposed to be even remotely fond of any of them. The two of them having a hand in the way that you can’t sleep well at night anymore, or why you constantly had to check behind you in the small case that someone was following – you were adapting to the life they had placed you in, but you knew that at the heart of it all, this was just another day on the job for them.

Standing in front of Jeonghan now, felt like a twisted reminder of what life was supposed to be like – you were supposed to feel angry at the fact that a known criminal had welcomed himself into your house with his destruction without a thought of the person on the other end, you were supposed to question things. But as of lately, you’ve been accepting everything that was handed to you.

“Comply, comply, comply…” You remember Chanyeol saying to you, a distant enough memory now.

Had you found comfort in compliancy? Were you no better than the men that Sehun commanded around? An ashen taste filling your mouth at the fact you worked at one of his clubs now.

“Were you as bad as them?” You thought, they were criminals after all, and you knew this… Glancing back at Jeonghan you registered the worry on his face, his eyes flickering around your face like the ever-concerned human he was.

Your companion jumped slightly when you flung yourself at him, wrapping around him desperately; he was a semblance of normality and how you craved that at that moment, he wasted no time wrapping his arms around you too, listening as you quietly sniffled at him

“I have so much I need to tell you about…”

Midnight; tucked away down a side-ally and hidden to the naked eye, dubbed to some as the pinnacle of indulgence and dulce company, but to most, it was known for its exotic nightlife and less than saintly company or at least that’s what Yixing thought as his feline eyes fluttered around the establishment. Yixing knew the owners spared on cost on the place, the modern take on baroque lining every part of the room; gold accents replaced silver and delicate beige and cream licked the walls in their demure but tasteful way. He was no inexpensive man, none of his brothers were, but even Yixing knew that most of the time he carried himself with a certain grace that made getting through crowds a lot easier; a modern Moses if the biblical man carried a loaded gun and a silver tongue.

Yixing wouldn’t have come here if it wasn’t of importance to himself or his brothers, with the gaudy smell of burning incense was enough reason to drive him home, but as he casually strolled through the place; he soon caught wind of the only reason he was there. Nestled at the grand bar, tucked away under the droplets of crystal that hung from above; Park Jeonghwa.

“Miss Park,” Yixing was ever the gentleman, approaching the bar with grace next to her, “Long time no see.” But the woman in question didn’t look to have the same energy for him.

While Yixing was a few years older than her, he’d known her (like Sehun), for as long as he could remember; and to the trained eye there would be nothing wrong with the young woman, but Yixing – he could see the fraying of her character with one glance. There was an edge to her eye’s that wasn’t here before their last meeting.

“Yixing.” Jeonghwa grumbled back too occupied playing with the olive of her martini to give any energy back, “What brings you here.” She sighed slightly, glancing at him.

Jeonghwa always was the picture of perfection; right down to the last atom. She held a grace that most women could only dream of having, while at the same time having a mouth that could talk her way out of anything – she was all bark and no bite, but her skills did lie elsewhere.

“Felt like gambling my life away,” Yixing’s mouth tilted softly in a rare smirk, “Where better to do it then as the ever so grand Midnight Casino and Bar.” A playful tone edging into his voice, but regardless at his small form of a joke; the every stony Jeonghwa did not crack.

“Yes, well enjoy,” She scoffed softly, reaching to down her drink in one as Yixing’s brow raised.

“You’re a hard woman to track, you know?” He spoke carefully, watching closely at her reactions, her tired eyes flicking to his at his statement.

“Tell your boss, I don’t want to be found.” Her eye’s hardened slightly as she forwent mentioning his name.

“So, Sehun’s the one that rattled your cage,” He noted softly, watching a small village ending fire dance in her eyes, “I should have guessed as much.”

“I hate him, Yixing.” She mumbled almost childishly, turning back away from him, “I hate everything about that man, he’s decayed right down to his pathetic little core.”

“No, you don’t,” Yixing tsk-ed softly, “If you felt that way, you wouldn’t have such impassioned words to say about him.” She merely huffed.

“Did he send you here,” She changed the subject quickly.

“No,” Yixing hummed, tapping his fingers on the bar softly, “I’m here on my own accord,” Her eyes flicked to him in a glare.

“Don’t lie to me.” She snapped slightly, “I’m not in the mood.”

“Junmyeon called, you didn’t pick up and so I’m here,” Yixing explained, trying to keep her temper at bay, but Jeonghwa only shook her head with an eye-roll.

“Whatever he wants, you can tell him that I don’t care,” She scoffed, flagging down the bartender for another drink, “I’m tired of everyone in that stupid place,” Yixing looked at the woman before sighing internally, letting the bartender tend to her before he tried talking anymore.

“I’m not aware of what happened between you and Sehun,” Yixing said honestly, “But whatever is it, I can clearly see it’s affecting you.”

“Ever the observant,” Jeonghwa mumbled back, “Yes, I am upset and rightly so.” Yixing raised his brow at her.

“I always keep his best interests at heart, even if it doesn’t seem like it,” She griped, a distant look in her eye, “All I asked in return is that he considered one thing and he couldn’t even grant me that, Yixing,” She looked at him with pain in her eyes.

“I feel used, and I have done for a while.” Jeonghwa spat as her mouth pursed; Yixing held for a second before he decided to speak.

“I think we’re all aware of yours and Sehun’s relationship,” Yixing cleared his throat softly, “And I think you’re more aware of the truth behind it than you left on…” His brow raised softly, watching the women tense up.

“You can’t tie him down, Jeonghwa,” Yixing stated softly, “No one can.”

“I can try,” Jeonghwa said softly in a rare sign of vulnerability.

“Forcing him into marrying you won’t make him love you, Jeonghwa” Yixing told her gently.

She looked like she was having an inner battle with herself before she grumbled again, tensing back up into her shell before Yixing could fully pry it open.

“He could learn.” She huffed again, looking at bitter as before. Yixing knew that Sehun probably could learn how to love someone, but that someone wasn’t her.

“Is that why you agreed to help him,” Yixing asked plainly, “To soften him up?” But when Yixing was met with silence, he raised his brow.

“Jeonghwa,” Yixing demanded slightly, but the woman refused to face him.

“I told him what I knew, that was it.” She snapped softly, choosing to stare at her glass.

Pursing his lips slightly, Yixing knew he had to tread carefully – opting to reach into his jacket pocket instead of answering straight away. His fingers brushed a soft cream envelope, pulling it out gently to hold in front of Jeonghwa – the latter’s eyes glancing curiously at it.  

“What’s that?” She asked, confused at why he was holding it out to her – her perfectly manicured hand reaching out for it, but she jumped slightly with it was moved slightly out of reach, Yixing a lot closer than he was before.

“You know I will find out,” He said quietly while staring her down, “I’ll give you one shot to be truthful, Jeonghwa, it doesn’t have to be right now – but whatever you’re hiding, I will know.”

“You should save your interrogation skills for the real felons,” Her eyebrow raised slightly, “I’ve said it to your boss, and I’ll say it to you – I told you what I know, that’s it.”

“Jeonghwa,” Yixing’s voice was dangerous quietly, “This isn’t a game, you’re going to win – there’s no prize.”

“Bold of you to assume I’m playing any game,” Jeonghwa scoffed back, tilted her head ever so slightly to stare Yixing down.

Yixing merely hummed, his eyes flickering over her face for second before he presented the envelope to her again.

“Next Friday; 8:30pm, tell no one,” He explained quietly under his breath, “A party for members, assure you and your father turn up.” Jeonghwa stanched the paper out of his hands before he could retract it again.

“Haven’t been to one of these in a while,” She mused, “The occasion?”

“Something you’ll find out when you’re there,” Yixing kept a stony face, “You’re expected to be there, don’t let pettiness ruin that – we’re all on thin ice.”

“You could have delivered this to my father,” Jeonghwa noted with a raised brow.

“I could have,” Yixing admitted, “But I don’t think it would have the same effect.” He glanced at her with a look that she couldn’t read properly.

“Dress sharply Jeonghwa, Sehun will want to see you.”

There was an awful lurch in Chanyeol’s stomach as he started to come back to life, the acid gripping his oesophagus in a chokehold causing his throat to constrict was enough to stir him from his slumber, but barely. He had no recollection of where he was, the only feeling in his body aside the overwhelming want to vomit was the softness under his spine and a warm coating his body. It was concerning; not even the bed’s in the medical bay of the compound felt like welcoming. Chanyeol could feel the dryness coating his mouth and lips like someone had sucked any life that was left in him out, his lids like sandpaper across the skin; he hadn’t felt this rough in a while.

Chanyeol wanted to fully wake up, to sit up and wonder where the hell he was, but the best he could manage was the slow blinking of his eyes opening; the early morning hues of the day settling into a place that looked vaguely familiar to him.

“He was in an apartment,” He thought dully, his head giving a painful throb at the changing of lights – It was still winter in the city, so the streaking orange that covered the ceiling at least told the aching man that it was around 8am. He couldn’t place where he’d seen this place before, his blurry eyes racking around everywhere he could look to try and get a recollection, but it wasn’t coming to him instantly.

“I see you’re awake,” A voice sounded out to his left. If Chanyeol had the energy to be scared by him he was sure he would be, but he barely had the energy to turn his head the fraction it needs to see who it was.

Standing in the door of the kitchen was a blonde man, his body leaning against the door with a cup of what looked like coffee; he’d seen this man before in Y/N’s apartment, his mind suddenly clicking where he was. He hadn’t looked at the place much during his last visit.

“Any pain’s?” The man hummed as he walked into the living space, making his way to the armchair not far from Chanyeol. He barely had the energy to follow him with his eyes, but he managed, keeping an eye on his closely, he didn’t trust him.

Chanyeol couldn’t see he came into much contact with “normal people”, his job didn’t really require it; but looking at the blonde man who looked beyond tired irked him, something didn’t settle well with him. “Nothing to say?” The blonde raised an eyebrow while perched in his chair, “Shame, here was me thinking that you’d tell me more about yourself, Chanyeol…” There was a vague sense of amusement dancing in his eyes as Chanyeol’s widened slightly.

He remembered telling you not to tell the man in front of him his name; the words of the persons barely on his tongue as he tried to remember it.

“Don’t fret,” He smirked, “I’m no danger to you,” At that Chanyeol tried to sit up, but yelped slightly as he felt a slight pulling at the bottom of his stomach.

“Who are you,” Chanyeol finally managed to grit out, registering that he was bundled in blankets, but the man in question merely laughed.

“I was that forgettable, huh?” He laughed but it was with amusement, “If you must know, I’m Jeonghan, the man that helped stopped you from bleeding out.” That left a bad taste in Chanyeol’s mouth.

“What, do you want my thanks?” He lay back down with a grunt, his head starting to throb painfully.

“You’re up a lot earlier than I expected you to be,” Jeonghan ignored him, placing his coffee on a side table to stand up, he rather slender body making his way over to him.

But Chanyeol felt like biting the man when he grabbed his head, tilting it towards him to shine a light into his pupils; the sharpness of the white light burning his retina as it flicked in and out of them

“No concussion,” Jeonghan hummed furrowing his brow at the man, “Temperature seems fine.”

“Get away from me,” Chanyeol growled slightly, trying to push the man away but the aching in his body stopped him from moving, “What did you do to me?” He growled again.

“You were stabbed,” Jeonghan rolled his eyes, swatting the hand that attempted to move him, “I stitched you back up, are you following?” Jeonghan’s sarcasm had Chanyeol edging to hit him, more so than just being in his presence wanted that.

“You’ve got a sprained arm and swelling around the stomach as well,” He noted off, still looking down at him, “I suspect a cracked rib but only barely and some swelling around the jaw and neck – you did get yourself in quite the scuffle didn’t you?”

“Where’s Baekhyun?” Chanyeol opted to ignore him this time, gruntled softly as he rubbed a hand down his face, the exhaustion heavy in his body.

“Not here,” Jeonghan spoke to him plainly, “You came alone, and I’m hoping you could tell me how,” Chanyeol merely grumbled shutting his eyes so he didn’t have to look at him.

“What are you a cop or something,” He hissed softly trying to move again on the couch.

“A doctor,” Jeonghan corrected and frowned watching the man move, “A training one at least.”

“Will you stop that,” Jeonghan proceeded to snap at his patient, forcing his shoulder down back on the couch “Keep moving and you’re gonna tear your stitches, and I don’t feel as welcoming to stitch you back up this time.” He jeered at the man.

Opening his eyes back up to stare down the man, Chanyeol started taking a profile of him; he wasn’t a natural blonde, the small amount of brown peeking out of his skull telling him that, he was also a bit on the thinner side, Chanyeol having no doubt he could take the man even in his state. But there was a tiny bit of muscle to his form, probably from his line of work, the slight definition in his arms and shoulders told Chanyeol that he could probably throw a punch.

“It’s cute you’re trying to scare me,” Chanyeol said, “But it won’t work.” Jeonghan merely smiled at that.

“Scare you?” He repeated, “I have no reason to do that,” Chanyeol gave him a curious look.

“But I will tell you one thing,” His voice dropped as he crouched down to be closer to Chanyeol, “I may be a doctor, but I’m not a forgiving man.” Chanyeol frowned at that.

“She told me everything,” Jeonghan smirked slightly, “And you are very lucky she waited till after I fixed you up, because otherwise…” He said darkly

“I don’t think I would have bothered,” Chanyeol’s eyes hardened at that, but the doctor didn���t stop.

“You’re on thin ice with both me and her,” Jeonghan glowered at him, “Even a finger out of line and you’ll regret it, do I make myself clear?” Chanyeol scoffed at him.

“Am I supposed to be scared?” He spat out, but the man merely leered in response.

“I don’t think you have an idea of what I can do,” Jeonghan said simply standing back up as Chanyeol’s eyes trailed him.

The blonde merely took his seat back on the armchair, picking up a discarded book that was near his coffee while Chanyeol stared at him. Jeonghan played him no mind anymore, not even bothered to glance at him as he spoke.

“Get some more rest, Chanyeol – you’re going to need it.”

Going to bed was supposed to be the place you felt most comfortable, bathed in warm and welcoming – but for some reason, sleep had been evading you much like you had been evading the reason that was causing it. The process of coming to terms with things was never simple, you knew that; you had come to terms with many things in your short life, all them carrying their pain but how do you come to terms with things that were still going on? Can you move past the present? These were all thoughts that plagued your mind, more so after the night that you had.

After the fiasco in the bathroom, Jeonghan had gently coerced you into laying in your room; away from the problem on the couch and into something that you could find comfort in, or what you were supposed to find comfort in. With him being ever the gentleman as he made himself accustomed to your space and going out of his way to clean you up, he tried to make it as nice as an environment as possible so that when you did unleash the skeletons in your closet, you weren’t alone.

Jeonghan wasn’t a cruel guy, more often than not he was the loveliest person you’d meet; being a doctor bought out all the caring qualities in him, and while he never lost that sarcastic edge, he never used it in a way to hurt anyone – or more specifically, you. So, to see the way his face darkened as you told him everything that had happened had broken you slightly, he was someone you never wanted to see upset; and the way his body language changed was scary. You had spent what felt like hours explaining everything to him, his hesitance to the man on the couch outside the door growing with each word, to the point that you had to stop him several times from going out there. The two of you talked until you felt the exhaustion kissing your lids like a lover, your grasp on reality shrinking – you had assumed that Jeonghan would stay with you, but you couldn’t even fight him as he gave you a brief kiss on the forehead, telling you he’d watch over the guest while you slept, his mind too chaotic to do anything else.

It was hours later that you eventually found yourself in the most uncomfortable setting in your life; after starting your morning far earlier than you had hoped to, you hadn’t expected both Jeonghan and Chanyeol to be in the living room when you eventually decided to go out. The latter of which, still asleep on the couch – his face riddled with cuts and bruises.

“He’s got no phone on him,” Jeonghan whispered as he led you to the kitchen, “Checked his pockets, just a weapon and blood-stained keys.” You frowned softly.

“We’re gonna have to drive him back,” You whispered back, “I don’t have any way to contact them, but I have a rough idea of where they stay…”

“Are you crazy?” Jeonghan’s eyes were wide, “You want to go back there?”

“What choice do we have?” You quizzed back, “He can’t drive, and he can’t exactly get a cab back, can he?” You watched as Jeonghan’s chest expanded in stress.

“I’m not driving him back, no I refuse to go near that place,” Jeonghan’s eyes were hard, but you gave him a stressed look.

“Then give me your keys,” You held your hand out to him, “I’ll drive him.” His eye’s widening.

“You’re not going yourself,” He snapped softly, but you only made a frustrated noise at him.

“He can’t stay here, Jeonghan” You raised your voice an octave, “His boss is going to be looking for him.”

“Listen,” You tried to reason with him as a look crossed his face, “We take him back, we give him to Baekhyun or whoever and we leave – it’ll take 20 minutes tops, whatever he’s involved in has nothing to do with us.”

“I swear to god if he-,” Jeonghan started but was cut off when another voice cut into the conversation.

“He can hear you,” Chanyeol had managed to pull himself up and was now leaning against the door on the kitchen; grabbing his bare torso in pain, the blankets long forgotten, “The two of you need to work on whispering.”

“Chanyeol!” You yelped, as he winced, your voice too loud for his head, “You’re alive, thank god” You tried to smile but his eyes settled on you, it became strained.

“No thanks to you,” He hummed, limping further into the kitchen to sit at the table, his face pulling taught as he eased himself into a sitting position.

Jeonghan was glowering next you as the two of you looked at the man, he looked worse for wear, but he at least looked better than he did last night.

“You shouldn’t be up,” Jeonghan told him, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed, the two men staring each other down.

“I’ll survive, doc,” Chanyeol told him sarcastically, but his face softened up when you placed a glass of water in front of him – you hand warm, as it placed on the skin of his shoulder.

“Chanyeol, what happened?” Your face was pinched with worry, but he merely sighed – moving away from your warmth and taking a sip of his water.

“Nothing to worry yourself about,” He grumbled, shaking his head but you weren’t having that.

“You came to my home bleeding and disorientated, I think you owe me some explanation.” Your voice was hard, and the surprise at this registered on his face.  

“Mission went wrong,” He said simply, “That’s all you need to know and that’s all I can tell you.” You vaguely heard Jeonghan scoff from behind you.

“Chanyeol.” You warned, giving him a hard look.

“I don’t fancy getting shot,” Chanyeol snapped, staring you dead in the eye, “There are some things that you don’t need to know, even if you’re pushy about it.” You flinched slightly at that but took a step back with a look.

“Whatever,” You shook your head at him, jaw set, “We’re taking you home.” His brow furrowed.

“I’ll make my own way home, thanks.” He stated, not bothering to look at you.

This time Jeonghan cut into the conversation, and he didn’t look happy.

“Listen, take the help,” His voice was hard, “You’re in no fit condition to drive and wherever you and your “brothers” reside isn’t walking distance, so suck it up.” You flinched slightly at him.

“Jeonghan,” You warned but Chanyeol cut in.

“Get your boytoy on a leash,” Chanyeol retorted, sitting a bit straighter “I never asked for his help.”

“The two of you please,” You begged slightly, looking between the two of them before directing yourself at Chanyeol.

“You’re getting a shirt on and you’re getting in that car, Chanyeol.” You snapped softly giving him a tense look, “I don’t care if you don’t want the help, you’re stranded here otherwise.” His jaw was set into a hard line.

“I said…” Chanyeol tried to reason with you but you weren’t having it.

“I don’t give a shit what you said.” You raised your voice, he had a vague amount of surprise in his eyes, “You’ll do it and that’s final.”

Glaring at him one last time, you moved to get out of the kitchen, the stress and hurt radiating off you in waves at the situation but you tried to suck it up, tossing over your shoulder as you got out the room.

“Get ready to leave.”  

If you had to talk to someone about the world’s most horrific road trip, you imagined the look on someone’s face as you talked about the time you were stuck in a car with a trainee doctor and a wanted gang member; the spectacle on their face as their heard about how awkward the silence was and how badly you wished to throw yourself out the car door.

As much as you wanted someone to listen to you complain, you were far too busy living the awkward road trip, the three of you a sight for sore eyes as you sped down the highway. Chanyeol had been relegated to the back of Jeonghan’s car out of fear for the man’s safety and for the fact he could keep laying down on the seats – but it was a bit funny it to watch his long-form struggle to fit.

The trip to the compound was brief, Jeonghan basically speeding there and yourself too busy looking out the window to fully pay attention to what was going on; no one bothered to speak other than the brief directions you’d give every so often and the occasional grunt from Chanyeol as the car hurdled over a speed bump. It wasn’t peaceful in the slightest, you wanted nothing more to be at home since you were working tonight but you still found yourself there, a thread filling your stomach as the city melded from buildings to vast expanses of trees, you could practically taste the fear the closer you got.

Even though you had offered to drive, you don’t think you could have had the nerve to pull up to the massive house like Jeonghan did – speeding through the gates and into the courtyard that you hadn’t seen properly since that night.

You weren’t sure what reaction you expected pulling up through the open gates, but the three seconds it took for gunmen to fill the space had Jeonghan stopping the car with a screech; Chanyeol yelping as he was flung forward from where he was laying down. Vaguely you could see some familiar faces among the barrels of guns pointed towards you but a loud voice cutting through had the two of your tumbling out the car like you were on fire, someone appearing on your side of the car to tap on the window.

“Get out, hands where we can see them.” A face you didn’t recognise demanded, not seeing Chanyeol in the back, but you meekly nodded.

Glancing at Jeonghan the two of you nodded at each other before stepping out the car, a chill running through you as numerous guns clocked in case you tried to pull something.

“What’s your business here,” The man in front of you stated, his eyes hard as he looked you up and down; Jeonghan on the other side no doubt getting the same treatment.

“Well…” You stuttered, surprised no one recognised you but that didn’t last long, the car door beside the two-tumbling open as your third passenger tumbled to his feet with a grunt, surprising everyone in the area.

“Put the damn guns down, idiot,” Chanyeol swore at them as he stood to his full height, pushing the man in front of you out the way as you stared at him in shock.

“Chanyeol,” It was the man’s turn to stutter, jumping to help him as he limped away from the car to pass a glance at you, “We thought-,”

“Well you thought wrong,” He didn’t give him a chance to explain before he interrupted, looking around at the underlings holding guns up to the car before he focused on someone standing behind at the foot of the house, not that you bothered to turn around, “Do you mind calling them off, Jongin?” A chuckle met your ears faintly from the man in question.

“Only the warmest of welcomes for you, Yeol…” Jongin spoke, as Chanyeol began to limp around the car and away from you, their voices fading out; and your body deflating slightly, he was partly being carried by the man that tapped on your window, not that you bothered.

Glancing around to fully look, you noted how one of the men still stood next to Jeonghan – a hard look passing over his face as he stared at him but you merely caught Jeonghan’s slightly annoyed eyes with a soft smile, making your way over much to the digression of the man with him.  The two of you shared a look before something settled on Jeonghan’s face, a hand touching your shoulder a few seconds had you looking around; a familiar face filling your vision.

“Y/N, was it?” The man you registered as Minseok touched your shoulder with a slight smile as you meekly nodded in response, “Fantastic, do the two of you want to come with me?” You were about to answer when Jeonghan cut in.

“We have somewhere to be,” Jeonghan stated, giving Minseok a look which didn’t sit well with him, “We’re just ready to leave.”

“As nice as that is,” Minseok smiled tightly, “I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist, my boss would like to see the two of you.”

“That won’t be needed-,” Jeonghan tried to talk about you cut him off with a look, knowing the last thing to do was offended someone that could have you shot before you could blink.

“Ignore him,” You smiled apprehensively, “Lead the way,” You gestured for him to walk in front of you.

The two of you probably looked vaguely like show ponies as you were led in front of the large group and into the house; everyone’s eyes staring at you like you could revolt at any moment and decide to attack – a far cry from what it was like last time you were here. The compound was still the same as before, the winter morning giving it a glint that almost made the place look friendly but as you were led up the stairs to the familiar foyer; your heart dropped out of your ass as the prospect of where you were going. The two of you were only one step into the place before you heard a voice off the side make a side comment.

“We’ll you look terrible,” A sarcastic voice that held no bite sounded off, your eyes flicking to a familiar face.

Baekhyun.

“You’re one to talk,” You said softly, wincing slightly as you took him in – he was much in the same condition as Chanyeol if only a fraction better; his face cut and bruised, but he still looked good, “You look like you’ve seen better days.” He laughed at that, wincing softly as he walked closer.

“I suppose I owe you thanks,” He said honestly much to your surprise; his eyes flicking from you to Jeonghan who was posed slightly behind you, “The two of you.” “What for…” You frowned; a bit confused.  

“Well, he’s not going to say it is he,” Baekhyun rolled his eyes, “Whatever you did for Chanyeol, thank you – honestly.” He looked you in the eyes; a rare moment from the man that he looked someway normal.

“It’s okay…” You said softly, “Jeonghan did most of the work.” You nodded with a small smile.

“Regardless,” Baekhyun waved his hand, shooing the thought off, “I owe you my thanks, I’m not mentally prepared for a new partner just yet” He winked at you as Minseok scoffed.

“You’re keeping the boss waiting, Baekhyun.” He rolled his eyes, but there was no bite in the words.

“Merely giving my thanks, Min,” Baekhyun smirked, before he gestured to the stairs, “Be on your way.”

Baekhyun blended back into his place as Minseok continued to lead you both up the stairs in silence; only the sound of yours and Jeonghan’s breathing was heard as the stairs became less and less before your eyes. Jeonghan was staring at you intently, his eyes asking if you were okay but you merely shook your head; the last time you had seen the man in the office, the two of you shared a normal moment in his car as he drove you home, but now it seemed like that was a distant memory that wasn’t to be thought of again.

The double cream doors opened on-demand as the three of you neared, opening to show you the horror inside, sat at his desk casually with a raised eyebrow was the man of the hour: Sehun.

“If I knew you’d be back so soon I’d have thrown together a better welcome party,” Sehun wasted no time in making a sardonic remark, “But I see you brought a friend this time,” He noted as the two of you were led to stand in front of his desk so he could get a better look at you.

Every time you saw the man you were constantly annoyed at how put together he looked in every situation – this time his long hair was loosely slicked back from his face to reveal the smooth skin of his unmarred face, his all-black suit doing the most of giving off the appearance that he was, in fact, the powerful man he believed himself to be.

“Nothing to say?” His mouth jilted slightly, he was in a surprisingly good mood for someone who had a man MIA for nearly a day, “That’s a first.” You merely just turned your head away from him.

“Sehun,” You said quietly in a greeting - nodding at him, “Lovely to see you again,” He hummed at that, casting his eyes from you to Jeonghan as you winced, you could imagine his face.

“Problem?” Sehun’s voice lost its amusing edge at he spoke to the man, “Or would you like to introduce yourself?” When Jeonghan was silent at that, you elbowed him.

“Jeonghan.” The man in question said briefly, not paying him the reaction Sehun wanted from him.

“Jeonghan,” Sehun mused to himself, leaning back in his chair casually – one leg lifted gracefully over the over, “I suppose I owe the two of you thanks,” He hummed softly.

“I’m not sure what trouble Chanyeol found himself in, but I give my thanks that you at least returned him somewhat intact,” He continued with a fraction of amusement, “I’m not typically a man to repay kindness with anything other than that, but seeing the job you’ve done on him I suppose I can give you something.”

You imagined Sehun was a great actor when he wanted to be but now wasn’t the time, he was acting uncharacteristically childish – a far cry from the man you’d seen before.  

“A favour,” Sehun said plainly, “For saving one of my men, I’ll grant the two of you a favour.”

“A favour.” Jeonghan reiterated plainly, “You’ll owe us a favour?”

“Issue?” Sehun’s eyes glinted slightly, the deep pools flicking to the only person that had a problem with him.

“Yes, there’s an issue,” Jeonghan snapped.

“Jeonghan,” You sounded shocked at the voice that came from him, realising the danger he could put himself in but you watched in bigger horror as a dark look fluttered over Sehun’s face, taking that mask he had on with it. There’s were a few tense seconds of silence before Sehun stood up from his desk.

Sehun squared his shoulder as he rounded his desk, the tick in his jaw twitching with his displeasure; a dark looking coloured his igneous eyes, a dark look directed at the two of you. There was a thick silence in the room as Sehun walked up to the two of you, dismissing you in the conversation completely to talk to Jeonghan, the latter of which being equally as ticked off as the perilous man he was confined in a room with.

“You should keep in mind who you’re speaking to.” Sehun tutted sarcastically, his eyes filtering down to his opponent; whom of which was a decent amount shorter than him not that the latter cared, “Better yet, you should keep in mind where you are.” You practically sweat dropped next to the two of them.

“And if I don’t?” Jeonghan challenged back, the testosterone practically suffocating in the room; but Sehun merely smirked, looking him up and down.

“I don’t think you want to be in a position to find out what happens,” Sehun hummed as you caught sight of one of the smaller members of the gang from your peripheral touching the gun on his waist, “Not many have lived to tell the experience.”

Putting your hand between them, you eyed Jeonghan as you gave Sehun a small shove away; a very bold move on your part, but it didn’t stop their staredown.

“Stop it.” You hissed slightly at Jeonghan, eye’s hardening before you turned to the head man himself, “Stop it, we’ll take the favour.”

“Y/N” Jeonghan hissed, placing a hand on your arm to draw you back, but you merely pulled out of it; still facing Sehun, who only wore a smirk on his face.

“Enough,” You snapped softly as Sehun cut in.

“You heard the lady,” Sehun gestured to you, a darker amusement dancing in his eyes, “A favour for your good deeds.”

“A favour, I saved your-,” Jeonghan began before you snapped at him.

“Jeonghan, enough.” You tensed your jaw at him.

“Don’t be mistaken, kid” Sehun hummed, retreating to lean against the front of his desk, away from the brewing storm, “A favour is no easy way out, dare I say – even hard to come across”

“What do you mean,” Jeonghan frowned, the sound of a quiet sigh from Junmyeon the corner telling you that this probably wasn’t going to end well.

“You saved one of my men,” Sehun shrugged, “I owe you something, both of you” He glanced at the two of you.

“Such as…” Jeonghan glowered, not seeing the value in what he was offering; this time it was your turn to quietly sigh before you decided to answer.

“Probably whatever we want…” You grimaced slightly, the idea of asking them for anything tasting like ashes in your mouth.

“Within reason,” Sehun corrected with a chuckle, his arms very much crossed over his chest in a casual stance, as much as he enjoyed riling up Jeonghan; even knew that he was no threat.

“If I may,” Junmyeon piped up from his stance at the back of the room, “Sehun is right, a favour from us is nothing to be taken lightly…”

“It’s a tradition amongst us,” Junmyeon, ever the peacemaker continued, “One we normally reserve for our families but one we can pass on in moments of great exception.” Sehun rolled his eyes softly, your eyes catching his for a brief few seconds while Jeonghan locked with Junmyeon. “It’s a way of saying that we at Exodus are grateful for your efforts,” Sehun pipped in, looking slightly annoyed, “And in turn, we are indebted to you, the two of you.”

“You can bring it in yourself to be indebted to someone,” Jeonghan snapped slightly.

“Don’t push it,” Sehun snapped back, “I can easily decide to revoke it if you keep this up,”

“I’m not one of your men,” Jeonghan glared as you practically melted from stress beside them.

“If you were you would know to watch your tongue,” Sehun sneered in such a way, filled with such hate and authority, that you felt a chill run down your spine; even Jeonghan stopping to be quiet for a second, “Do not take my kindness for weakness, kid – If I wanted I could shoot you where you stand and no one would come looking.”

“Sehun,” Junmyeon warned, but he was ignored.

“You’re testing my composure,” Sehun spoke plainly as his eyes hardened, “And you are in no position to do so, so a word of advice? Bite your tongue before I decide that you don’t need it anymore.” Sehun’s words resonated a silence in the room that felt like winter had gotten through the front door.

Jeonghan was left a deadly look on his normally calm face, staring down the man who didn’t bother to look at him anymore; Sehun’s eyes set firmly on your form as he decided to speak again.

“Thank you,” He spoke honestly, “I’m aware you were in no position to help but myself and my men are glad you did” You merely just nodded at him, registering your thanks before you meekly smiled.

Glancing at the two of you again Sehun waved his hand, “Take your leave.”

His name died on your tongue slightly as you went to say something else, but you knew this wasn’t the time or place to ask anything – not with the ticking time bomb next to you. The two of you merely nodded as you turned around, Jeonghan wasting no effort to get out the room in a fuming mess, your own body trailing before him a few paces, Junmyeon at the door giving you a look as he spoke quietly.

“You have our thanks…”

This time he wasn’t cooped up in the compound, he was in the only place that he could feel at home – hundreds of floors above the world and nestled in the apartment than no one knew he owned. But regardless of this being home, Sehun found himself staring out the window of the apartment with an ache in his chest that didn’t feel like it belonged there – a dull throb in his chest as he looked out at the glinting lights, a reminder of all the things he owned in life.

He wasn’t a sentimental man, he nothing to be sentimental over; his life didn’t call for that, but as he sat on his floor staring out the window, he found himself reminded of his own loneliness. Sehun had so many secrets in life and no one to share that burden with, even now as he uncharacteristically sat on his floor; he longed for someone to share the moments of weakness he did feel with. It had been a messy week for him, from a botched mission that resulted in one of his best men being put out of commission to another break-in at his weapons depo; Sehun had a thoroughly terrible week. His life was still on the line wherever he seemed to go, mumblings of the new gang getting louder with each passing day to the point he knew his men would start questioning him soon; he was looking weak in their eyes, fragments of his business caving in on him and he was doing nothing to stop it – not like he could do much at the moment.

Sehun and his family were terrible people, everyone knew this, it was part of the job of being in the Oh family; to be a terrible person. And while he knew that some people would be rejoicing at the fact Exodus was taking an ego hit, Sehun could only feel the burdens of his failure and confusion.

“Father had it easy huh,” He spoke softly to himself, eyes glancing over to the small pooch that decided to join him, Vivi’s fur glowing in the nightlife as he nestled himself into Sehun’s outreached hand, “Where am I going wrong…”

Vivi only gave a small dog cry at his owner's apparent sadness, nuzzling into him to make it all go away but as cute as Sehun found the act; he was sobered by the fact that he could get no answers from the small dog.

“Junmyeon thinks I’m being reckless,” He spoke to Vivi, “Throwing a party while there’s a target on my life, but he’s missing the point.” He sighed softly.

“I can’t bring them out of their hole, so I have to bring them to me…” Sehun said quietly, “Even if it kills me, I can’t let what’s been built crumble to the ground, even if I don’t want it anymore.”

“I think that’s why I’ve connected with her,” Sehun screwed his face up, “That girl that Baekhyun as roped in.” Vivi tilted his head at that.

“I’ve always gone to people for escapes,” Sehun sighed, “Not to get help but to ignore the world for a while,” He wasn’t speaking to anyone at this point.

“First it was Jeonghwa, she’s been there for so long that she’s lost sight of what I was doing,” Sehun noted, “Now I’m being present with this new person, someone that hates me to my very core and I can’t help but feel like I want to chase her down.” Vivi let out a noise like he was trying to talk back.

“Goodnight Sehun…”

Sehun still felt his skin prickle at the thought of his name dropping from her lips days even after it happened; it had been a while since someone had so softly said his name – no ill intent or lust coating the words, just pure unaltered thanks coating the words like some sickly-sweet honey. He’d never admit he thought about her in a way that brought warmth to his chest, that he found the fondness she carried in her eyes tempting to him.

“It’s not about feelings,” Sehun tutted snapping himself out of it, “I don’t want that from her, I want an escape – someone who can remind me that my life isn’t all this.”

“I’m a selfish man,” Sehun frowned but it wasn’t a dig at himself, in his eyes; if he accepted it then it wasn’t a flaw.

“Should I feel this amused at the idea of using something up until there’s nothing left?” He asked nobody, “Should I find a pastime in turning people into nothing?”

“I am a horrible man,” Sehun sighed as he let silence envelope himself again.

His apartment was still, the only occupants were sat on the floor wondering why life had led them here, but Sehun could still find it in himself at least find amusement in his situation – life be dammed or not.

“Maybe I’ll do something I’ll regret, but maybe it might mean something more…”

No one was home when the envelope was slid carefully under her door, the off cream paper skidding across the wooden floor like butter and not even she had expected to see something so formal sitting at her feet when she returned home from work that night; a frown lacing onto her face as she plucked the thing from the ground like a flower.

With intricate handwriting and a wax seal, she found herself curious at who would leave her something to beautiful to read but as she opened what she thought was going to be a letter; her face paled slightly at the card instead.

“You are warmly invited to a night of festivities, courtesy of Exodus…”