#showki fanfiction

[floofsta-x]

19 + 79 with showki!

Showki | “Yeah, you’re right. You don’t need me.” “You make me feel like I’m not good enough.”

With You at Last [M]

genre;; realistic, idol life, ot7 are my lifeeee

warnings;; angst in the beginning, but eventually too much cute, fluff, and smut.

words;; 5608

author’s notes;; I really haven’t been doing much fic writing lately, so I apologize if this is a step back from my other stuff. Anyways so this takes place between Jealousy and Shootout era, right before Shownu appeared on Knowing Bros. I hope you enjoy! and thanks for requesting, Glitchy ❤︎ (wherever you are now). I’m always down for writing Showki ❤︎

“Food’s ready! Come and get it,” Kihyun called as he set the pot of Yukgaejang down on the table next to the rice and seaweed. With that final touch, the picture-perfect table setting was complete. Seven bowls and pairs of chopsticks rested on the table, laid out in a perfect formation, still and serene. It was nice, neat, and satisfying to look at, indeed, and brought Kihyun, group “mom”, much satisfaction. However, that wasn’t what brought the smile onto his face.

No, that was because soon, it would be all messed up.

Monsta X was enjoying a much-needed day off. Everyone had chosen to stay in the dorms for once, which didn’t happen very often anymore. It was a chance to hang out together, and honestly, Kihyun missed that. Just being able to lay around and do whatever in the presence of his six best friends was revitalizing. Though being able to make music, practice dance, and promote was exciting and thrilling, it was easy to lose oneself in it. As the group’s popularity grew, there was a constant push to do more, go farther, spend more time out in the public eye. Their schedule was fully booked, and everyone felt stretched thin, on the edge of exhaustion. Getting to relax for even twenty-four hours was a welcome respite.

In the first two years after debut, part of their downtime had become Kihyun’s cooking. He always made supper for the boys who remained in the dorm, a duty that he performed with pride and care. Sure, he wasn’t the best cook out there or even the best in the group–Hyunwoo made super good meals too (at the thought, some shy heat rose to his cheeks)–but he did his best, and everyone seemed to like his dishes.

A short ten seconds or so after Kihyun’s announcement, Jooheon and Minhyuk slid into the room in their socks, laughing and shoving each other. “I totally beat you that time,” the older laughed, reeling sideways from a push from Jooheon. “I get to serve myself first.”

“You cheated though! I would have won if you hadn’t pulled that at the last second!”

“If you two can’t get along, I’ll have to dish you up myself,” Kihyun broke in then, and got a collective groan in response. The casual observer might have thought he was serious, but he really wasn’t. It was just that if he didn’t say something, the two would bicker (albeit playfully) until their bellies were full. The supper table at the Monsta X dorms had always been a peaceful place, and Kihyun intended to keep it that way.

Right behind the two first comers was Changkyun. He was barefoot, wearing sweats and a tee shirt, and his gaze half veiled by droopy eyelids. He’d spent the majority of his day lost in the words of a novel. Kihyun had sat next to him on the couch for part of it, working on various odds and ends–some lyrics and a letter home to his family, among other things–and wondered if the maknae had even noticed. Even now, he looked so out of it. Kihyun smiled at him, and a little bit of joy bubbled up in his heart at the small grin he got back.

The three boys plopped down at the table, and almost as soon as they got settled, Wonho wandered in. As expected, he was coming from the direction of the home gym. His arms still bulged, veins prominent under the skin, and he was in post-workout clothes. His eyes and smile brightened when he saw the stew. “Mm, it smells so good, Kihyun-ah.” A smattering of agreement went around the table as he took his usual seat beside Minhyuk.

“Thank you.” Though Kihyun was used to hearing his friends’ praise, it never failed to make him happy. He hummed a little as he started ladling the stew into their bowls.

Just then, Hyungwon, looking disheveled but cute with pajamas and messy hair, came around the corner and took his seat, too. That only left one place empty, one member absent from the little family gathering.

“Where’s Hyunwoo-hyung?” Jooheon was the first to voice his concern for their oldest.

Hyungwon nodded as if he wanted to speak. It took a few seconds and a yawn on his part, but he eventually managed to form an answer. “He said he’d be here in a minute.”

Sure enough, just as Kihyun had finished serving everyone, Shownu softly padded in and joined them. The glasses settled on the bridge of his nose and his own faraway look revealed that he’d been reading, too. Kihyun knew his hyung very well; he preferred to work out in the morning, and relax in the afternoons, or work on dance. Lately, he’d been perfecting some moves for a variety show he was due to appear on soon. Some esteemed sunbaenims were going to be on it as well, and he was sampling their most iconic choreographies. Hyunwoo was nervous, but Kihyun was certain that he’d do wonderfully, as always.

As soon as everyone had gotten comfortable, it was time to dig in. Kihyun bowed his head and said a quick and silent prayer for the food before picking up his chopsticks and reaching out for some rice.

As they sat and ate, the members of Monsta X chatted excitedly among themselves, as always. Every once in a while, Kihyun would jump in somewhere, but he preferred to sit and listen, taking bites of his stew. It was chaotic, but a beloved and familiar chaos. Topics of conversation included games, their schedules, things that had happened recently, and upcoming events. Hyunwoo and Changkyun talked about the book they were both reading. Apparently, they had picked the same one by accident, and after realizing, had decided to team up and do a buddy read.

Speaking of their oldest and leader, something slowly started to creep in on the edges of Kihyun’s consciousness–a realization. Hyunwoo was acting different, weird almost. At first, he seemed to be his usual smiley and talkative self. However, it quickly became clear that he wasn’t eating much if at all, and gave every bite away. Kihyun noticed him slip food onto Hyungwon and Changkyun’s plates. Minhyuk was even stealing from his bowl outright, and it was clear that Hyunwoo didn’t care that much. At first, Kihyun wondered what was going on in his hyung’s head. Then, he thought back to the times they had eaten together recently. Just a few nights ago, they had gone to a Thai restaurant, and Hyunwoo had eaten his fair share of the food there. He was always talking about being hungry, too, so that couldn’t be the problem. So…did he not like the meal? Kihyun looked down into his bowl of stew and sighed a little. If that was the case, Kihyun would understand, but he’d prefer to have it brought right out and said to his face. Hyunwoo didn’t have to pretend to eat to avoid hurting feelings. Kihyun was almost tempted to speak up and ask, but decided against it. Still, his beloved friend was worrying him. With every minute that passed, he was getting antsier.

Before long, everyone was helping themselves to seconds. Hyunwoo’s bowl was empty, but he wasn’t making any move to refill it. As soon as Kihyun realized this, he stood up and grabbed the ladle, then reached out across the table to give him more.

Hyunwoo had his head turned and was chatting with Wonho when he noticed what was about to happen. His eyes widened, and with one smooth motion, he flipped over his bowl. The movement was so quick and sudden, it made Kihyun jerk back a little. Broth spilled from the ladle, sloshing on the tablecloth. “No thank you, Kihyunnie. I’m full.”

“B–but you’ve barely eaten anything!” Kihyun burst out, admittedly louder than he wanted. Shock coursed through him. He hadn’t expected that reaction; it gave him a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. “You keep putting the stew in others’ bowls…”

Now everyone had their eyes fixed on either Kihyun and Shownu. Some had realization on their faces, and others a mixture of what appeared to be sadness and pity. After a moment of long, tense silence, in which Hyunwoo fought for words, he finally got out, “Kihyun, I can explain.”

“You should have told me if you didn’t like the stew. I realize that I don’t cook as well as a five-star restaurant.”

“No, it’s delicious. I just–”

“Yeah, you’re right. You don’t need me. That’s it, huh? Rather be eating your own cooking?”

“That’s not what I was going to say.” Hyunwoo looked stricken and almost afraid, but gathered himself together and swallowed hard. Everyone thought that he’d go on, but whatever he saw when he glanced around must have dissuaded him. Pushing back his chair, he stood up quickly and in seconds was gone, disappearing back around the corner to the bedrooms.

Giving a sigh, Kihyun dropped the ladle back in the pot with a clang and took his seat again, burying his face in his hands.

What seemed to be an eternity of silence passed. Then, from Kihyun’s left side, Wonho spoke up. “Kihyun-ah, I promise that Hyunwoo-hyung not wanting to eat has nothing to do with you or your cooking.”

“Yeah, I realize that now.“ The terrified gaze Hyunwoo had given him right before he’d left had brought it all crashing in. Kihyun wondered why he had been so quick to say his fears out loud. They were selfish, pretentious, and totally unfounded. He should have kept them to himself. “I’m sorry.”

To this, Hoseok nodded and reached over to rub Kihyun’s back comfortingly. “While I’m glad you are, we aren’t the ones you should apologize to.”

The lead vocalist nodded and rose from his seat, stuffing his hands in his pockets. As he walked around the table, Jooheon, with soft eyes, took hold of his arm. “Please be gentle, Kihyun. Hyunwoo-hyung is having it rough right now. I know he will listen to you though, because he–”

Jooheon never finished, though; Changkyun tugged on his sleeve and gave him a look that possibly was in warning. Turning pink, the older rapper chose not to finish.

If Kihyun noticed the odd exchange, it was only in the back of his mind. He was too lost in his own thoughts, and so the words went in one ear and out the other. He only stopped to squeeze Jooheon’s hand and give everyone another smile before making a beeline toward the room Hyunwoo shared with Hoseok and Hyungwon. The door was shut, so he knocked; almost immediately, a rough, familiar voice called out to come in. So Kihyun turned the knob and leaned into the door, pushing it open cautiously.

Hyunwoo’s bed was a bottom bunk, and he sat on the edge of it, feet flat on the floor. Bent at the waist, he had his chin in his hand and his elbows on his knees. He glanced up as the younger man stepped inside and sat down next to him. His eyes looked wet and red around the edges, but Kihyun didn’t think he’d been crying. There were no tear tracks down his face. Besides, his hyung didn’t often cry.

“I’m sorry,” Kihyun began, focused momentarily on playing with his fingers in his lap. “I know you’ve been under a lot of pressure lately. I shouldn’t have been so quick to judge.”

“It’s alright, Kihyun-ah. You were just worried about me, and I understand that.” The low, soft voice filled Kihyun’s chest with warmth, though the words were slow and cautious.

“Also, when you eat at restaurants but not here at the dorms, you make me feel like I’m not good enough.” It felt ridiculous to admit it at first. However, Kihyun managed to put away his pride, and found that it felt good to get this off his chest. “I tried to prepare a delicious meal, so my thoughts went wild, wondering if I messed it up and nobody told me? Or maybe you didn’t like it.”

“I promise, my mouth started watering before I even walked into the kitchen.” Hyunwoo gave a soft smile and set his hand on Kihyun’s knee reassuringly. “It’s just that…as you’ve probably noticed, I’ve been gaining weight, and it couldn’t be happening at a worse time. I eat when we go out to keep up appearances, but I’m trying to cut back in general.”

Kihyun nodded. In this business–the popular music business, that was–everyone was self-conscious to some degree. Hyunwoo was often portrayed as a robot, a firm and consistent leader who was tough to faze. That was the furthest thing from the truth, though.

Hyunwoo went on, “I’m worried that I won’t slim down before our next comeback. I want it to be the best yet, and I hate the thought of Monbebes’ disappointment if I have extra weight. That I’m going to be on Knowing Bros next week makes thinking about it even worse.”

For a moment, Kihyun got caught in a flashback. Only a couple weeks prior, Monsta X had a meeting with Starship and their stylists to discuss the aesthetics for the next title track, Shoot Out. As it always was, the debut stage outfit concept had been the first thing shown to them. Just from that alone, it became clear what kind of comeback this would be: a sexy one. Though they all were to be wearing bodysuits with varying degrees of exposure, Shownu’s jumper was going to be completely open down the front. Kihyun had to sneak away from the others and be alone for a while after that. The image of Hyunwoo with his sweaty, bare chest on display was too dangerous; it made his heart flutter. Even now, thinking of his hyung in that outfit, rounded face, soft belly and all, his cheeks turned pink. Not to mention, he was admittedly turned on a little, too. He forced it down, though; after having to hide his feelings for so long, he was a pro at quashing them. Besides, reassurance was more important than his lust right now. “I understand, hyung, but you shouldn’t starve yourself. It’s not healthy, and you could get sick and injured.”

“I know, but it feels like I can’t do much else…I just want it gone.”

“I can help you,” Kihyun piped up hopefully, “If that would be okay. I’d be glad to hold you accountable with portions and encourage you to drink water. Also, I’ll make meals like Yukgaejang, with lots of meat, eggs, and vegetables, and less rice and noodles. It works for Hoseok. I have no doubt it would for you, too.”

“Really?” Hyunwoo asked, glancing at Kihyun with wide eyes. When the younger nodded and smiled, it seemed that his mind was instantly made up. “Yes, I think I’d like that very much… thank you.”

“It’d be my pleasure.” Kihyun would do anything to see his friend, hyung, and beloved happy and healthy. “Besides, you shouldn’t worry about Monbebes. They love you for who you are, no matter what your weight is.”

“But they always talk about how Hoseok’s getting too bulky–”

“People who say that are not really Monbebes, Hyung.” Two fans had spoken those words on a video recently, and Kihyun agreed wholeheartedly. Though he often worried about Hoseok and how much sleep he sacrificed in favor of working out, his body was perfect the way it was. So was Hyunwoo’s, even with its softer edges. Kihyun thought that it was just as alluring and beautiful as the man himself.

Maybe it was this thought that prompted his sudden boldness. What he said next was something he never thought would slip past his lips. “But even if we lose everything we have, including those who love us, there will still be one person who’s your fan for life.”

“And who would that be?” Hyunwoo glanced over at him in pure curiosity. Kihyun was so whipped for that gaze and weakened for a second time because of it. He only had to lean up a little bit to leave a small, chaste kiss on his hyung’s lips. Butterflies went wild in his stomach. He’d wanted to do that for so long and fantasized about it way too much. It was far better than he’d ever expected–

Unfortunately, then his sense returned, and his eyes widened in pure terror. What had he done? He’d probably just ruined the friendship they’d worked so hard to build. It had taken them a good long while to gain confidence in each other’s presence, and now it was gone again. Fears filled Kihyun’s head, shame filled his heart, and tears filled his eyes. Turning away, he hugged himself and tried not to cry. He wanted to apologize, beg for forgiveness, but didn’t have the bravery.

There was a sigh at his side. “Oh, Kihyunnie.” Kihyun shivered more, expecting a rejection, disappointment, outrage, or worse. However, instead, a gentle hand gripped his shoulder. “Hey…look at me.”

When he finally did, long seconds later, there was something in Hyunwoo’s eyes that made him stop. Then, slowly, the older leaned in, and their mouths connected again. Shock and surprise sucked the air from Kihyun’s lungs, but he reciprocated by instinct. For a moment he became afraid that he’d somehow wake up prematurely from this beautiful dream. The sensation of soft, dry lips pressed to his was all too real, though. Then, Hyunwoo added his tongue into the mix, and Kihyun met it shyly. Strong arms wrapped around his waist and reeled him into the open and waiting lap. So, there they remained for a blissful few minutes, kissing slowly on the edge of the bed. At last, they broke apart, and Kihyun beamed, pressing their foreheads together. Love and joy overwhelmed his whole being.

Hyunwoo had been one of the first fellow trainees Kihyun had met upon coming to train at Starship. Kihyun never imagined that he’d fall so fast for anyone, but he had for Shownu. The oldest of them all, he was a tall, gentle, and muscular man who had once been a backup dancer for Lee Hyori. Hearing his hyung’s smooth, rich voice always gave Kihyun goosebumps. Not to mention, he was so, so handsome. Hyunwoo’s leadership qualities were plain right away. He was steady and reliable, quiet and thoughtful, and everyone went to him when they needed an older brother figure.

Back then, Kihyun was terrible at hiding his obvious admiration. That was the real reason why things were so awkward between them at first. He tended to avoid Hyunwoo and always made a fool of himself in front of him. It was all so long ago now, but he still remembered how, when the powers that be on No.Mercy told them that they were to do a team mission together, Kihyun had panicked high-key. He spent most of the “rehearsals” trying not to stare and not focusing so much on his part. As a result, they’d utterly butchered the performance. That whole mess made Kihyun realize that he needed to ignore the desires of his heart. If he wanted his hyung and himself to debut, it would be critical.

So, he first tried to get his crush to go away. It didn’t take long to realize that there was a problem with this, though: it was impossible. With every day that Kihyun spent getting to know Hyunwoo, he fell more in love. Thus, he reassessed his plan. This time he focused on internalizing his affectionate urges, and was largely successful. By the time they became core members of Monsta X, he was good at acting like he didn’t have feelings for Hyunwoo. There had been a couple of times he let it slip a little in the last couple of years, but it mostly seemed to go unnoticed. Only one other person knew about Kihyun’s adoration for their leader: Changkyun, ever sensitive and observant. As for the rest of the members, Kihyun was careful to keep his secret from them, the object of his admiration most of all.

However, now, in a single moment, it had changed. He wouldn’t have to worry about hiding anymore, at least from his hyung. Kihyun was over the moon. That they shared each other’s feelings was almost beyond belief. “I love you,” he sighed, caressing Hyunwoo’s face with his fingertips.

“I love you too.” Kihyun got a gentle smile in return and the older man leaned in to steal another soft kiss. “I have for a while, but I was so scared to say anything.”

“How long?” Kihyun blurted out. He wanted to know so badly. However, his brain almost immediately checked him again. “O–of course, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to…”

“This is one of the reasons I came to like you. You’re so cute,” Hyunwoo affirmed quietly, making the younger man flush pink. “And I started to really adore you during promotions for Hero, but looking back, my feelings were there before. Even as far back as pre-debut.”

“I’ve had a major crush on you since the beginning.” More heat rose to the lead vocalist’s face. “I couldn’t focus well during our duo mission on No.Mercy, and I knew that I was the reason we pretty much failed it. So ever since, I hid everything away for the sake of the team.”

“I wish I would have known.” Their gazes met again; his hyung’s eyes were so sad. The arm around Kihyun’s waist curled a little tighter. “We would’ve been happy together so much earlier.”

“Don’t focus on the what ifs, hyung. Being here with you now is what matters to me.” Kihyun nuzzled into Hyunwoo’s chest and breathed his scent in deeply. “I’m glad you love me back. I’ve always thought you were the most wonderful person, strong, handsome, caring, and–” here he hesitated briefly before letting the final word slip past his lips “–sexy.”

“Really?” The older sounded incredulous, making Kihyun wonder why. Surely, he should know that he was the embodiment of everything good in a man.

“Yes. I hide my face when I watch you dance on variety shows because otherwise, everyone would see my love for you.” Of course, inevitably, he was getting more embarrassed with every confession. However, another flash of boldness swept through, and it prompted him to reach for Hyunwoo’s waist. He pulled his shirt up just a little, allowing him a peek of bare abdomen underneath. Though it wasn’t as solid or toned as it would be during peak comeback time, Kihyun still couldn’t resist running his hands over it, admiring every soft inch of skin. “You’re gorgeous, you know that right?”

The older man didn’t answer, but made a low sound of need deep in his throat and leaned in for another kiss. Gently, he took hold of the hands on his body and moved them up his front. From the look in his eyes, this was exactly what he wanted–for Kihyun to expose and explore the full expanse of his abs and chest. The younger man’s heart raced, and Hyunwoo’s beat strong and quick as well. “Just gorgeous,” Kihyun echoed, murmuring against his hyung’s lips.

Before he knew it, their clothes were off, save their briefs. At some point, the two of them had moved to cuddle on the bed, which in turn had given way to passionate making out. Then, they’d began rutting against each other, and Kihyun sighed into the kisses. Searing heat consumed his entire body. This was escalating quickly, and he had no desire to stop it.

Gaze dark, the older man broke away. “You are the one who’s truly gorgeous, Kihyunnie. Always so lively and radiant and perfect.” Reaching up, he gently brushed a stray lock of hair away from his face. “I’ve wanted you for so long. It’s a dream to finally have you in my arms.”

At this praise, Kihyun whimpered a bit and gazed up at his beloved with soft eyes. “I…I want you, too. Please, I am yours. Take me.”

Hyunwoo didn’t need any more encouragement. Within seconds, the last scraps of cloth on their bodies were gone. Once again, Kihyun felt himself pulled into warm, strong arms. The feeling of his hyung’s big, thick cock sitting heavy next to his own was intoxicating. He didn’t need to see its size to know it would fill him up so perfectly.

Then, deft, strong hands rolled him over onto his back. Hyunwoo placed soft kisses down his legs–inner thighs, calves and even on his ankles–as he also folded them back. In all of this, Kihyun barely noticed the finger positioned at his needy hole. Well, that was, until it was pushing its way inside. The sensation took him by complete surprise, and before he could stop it, a moan fell from his lips.

“Shh, baby, we don’t want the others to hear.”

Hyunwoo was right. If the boys a couple of rooms over knew that this was happening, they would probably never hear the end of it. So, despite his desire to let the world know how much he loved this, and also loved the pet name baby, Kihyun cupped a hand over his mouth.

“One of these days, I’ll be able to savor your beautiful noises,” the older promised. At the same time, he leaned over to place a kiss on the shaft of Kihyun’s leaking erection. If the younger wasn’t completely melted before, now he felt something akin to existing in a state of pure plasma. He almost came when Hyunwoo added another finger, scissoring him open. He also continued to give small affections to every piece of skin he could reach. Somehow, Kihyun managed to hold himself in check; he couldn’t give in so early. There was so much else he wanted.

By the time a third finger was inside, Kihyun was struggling to keep himself from crying out in ecstasy. He relished in the feeling of Hyunwoo prepping him. Every shallow thrust of the older man’s middle three digits produced shocks of pleasure. Yet, at the same time, he was also wanted to beg for Hyunwoo’s cock from behind the barrier of his palm. He needed it, to feel its warmth deep inside him. Most importantly, though, he needed the connection, to be intimate with the one he loved in the most wonderful way. “Please…Hyunwoo, please.”

“Patience. I’m right here. I’ve got you.”

The older placed kisses on Kihyun’s inner thigh. Then, another long minute–or maybe only a second–later, Hyunwoo finally removed his fingers. Wrapping his hand around his length instead, he stroked himself a few times. The beginnings of a deep moan broke from his throat, but he stifled it by biting his lip. In a trance, Kihyun watched lustfully. Fuck, this was something straight out of his wet dreams. He never thought they would become real like this.

“Just a little bit longer, baby.” Reaching over and up, Hyunwoo slipped his hand underneath the mattress above them–Wonho’s. After feeling around, he produced a condom and a small bottle of lube. For a moment, Kihyun wondered why those sorts of things would even be in Hoseok’s bunk. However, that question was promptly forgotten about as Hyunwoo tore open the condom wrapper and rolled the latex sheath inside on himself. Then, he popped open the cap on the lubricant, beaded some on his fingers, and smeared it on the rim of Kihyun’s asshole. The cold gel made the lead vocalist gasp and clench a bit in anticipation. Then Hyunwoo crawled back between Kihyun’s legs. “Okay, I’m ready…are you?”

“Yes, hyung.” Kihyun smiled softly and leaned up for a brief kiss. “Readier than I’ve been for anything in a long time.”

Hyunwoo gave a small nod. Then he lined himself up with Kihyun’s hole and pushed in slowly. The younger man keened, wrapping his arms around his lover’s middle and burying his face in his chest. “Are you alright?” Hyunwoo asked softly, once he was in deep.

“Mmhm,” Kihyun murmured. Summing up the entirety of what he was feeling right now in a single phrase was impossible. Many emotions and sensations swirled through him. However, he felt he came close simply by saying that he loved being completely surrounded and filled by the man he adored. Hyunwoo touched places in him that had never been touched before, and it was the greatest bliss. “I love you…”

“I love you too, baby.”

As Hyunwoo began to move in short, firm strokes, they captured each other’s lips again. Kihyun knew that this moment would remain in his memory forever. Hopefully, there would be many like it to come, too. Cupping the side of Hyunwoo’s neck, he whispered sweet nothings between kisses, something the older man enjoyed. Even as he grunted with effort and glistened with sweat, he was glowing, smiling radiantly.

Soon enough, the pleasure had Kihyun at the edge, the coil in his belly winding to a critical tightness. Not too long after, Hyunwoo’s thrusts grew firmer and more unsteady. “I’m close, Kihyunnie,” he breathed.

“Me too…any time now.” Kihyun’s air was coming in heavy gasps. He reached down, between his body and his beloved’s, to stroke himself. “Let me feel it when you come, please?”

Hyunwoo nodded, and in another few seconds yet, his orgasm overtook him. He hammered all the way inside Kihyun one last time as he came into the condom. That last wave of stimulation was exactly what the younger needed to find his own release. Accompanied by a muffled cry, hot, viscous cum spilled over his hand and pooled on his belly.

A moment of silence and stillness passed; Kihyun and Hyunwoo basked in each other’s love. Though their highs were fading, the bliss of being together did not. Eventually, however, they knew that they needed to clean up. Kihyun reached for tissues from a box on the bedstand while Hyunwoo pulled out of him. It took some fumbling fingers, but he managed to deal with the used condom and tossed it in a convenient nearby trash can. Then they fell into each other’s arms again, pressed chest-to-chest on top of the sheets. This had to be heaven, Kihyun thought. He wanted to stay forever, with Hyunwoo’s warm, muscular body pressed to his. Gentle fingers combed lazily through his hair, and his hyung’s scent relaxed him too. “See? Just gorgeous,” he murmured and chuckled. His eyes fluttered shut as exhaustion overtook him.

Then, unexpectedly, the door to the room opened. Both of them whipped around to see who was there, Kihyun peeking over Hyunwoo’s shoulder. Lo and behold, it was Changkyun, standing there in the hallway, book in hand. The maknae must have almost instantly realized what was going on, because his demeanor changed fast. His face had a look that seemed to be something between shocked, horrified, and…relieved? “Oh, shit, sorry hyungs,” he swore and quickly closed the door again.

Jolted back to wakefulness by I.M’s intrusion, Kihyun and Hyunwoo broke into soft chuckles and nuzzled closer to each other. Oh, well, they would have some explaining to do later. Considering that the youngest already knew how much they liked each other, though? It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to him.

Unfortunately, along with that thought came a somber realization: they’d have to leave the safety of each other’s arms sooner or later. “I should probably go do dishes and stuff,” Kihyun sighed and groaned. Otherwise, they wouldn’t get done, and the stew would go bad, left out on the table to rot.

The older man seemed reluctant to let go, but slowly nodded. “Alright.”

“Can I snuggle with you afterward?”

“Yes, of course.” He bent to peck Kihyun on the forehead, and the lead vocalist beamed, thoroughly happy. Only after taking a last deep breath to preserve Hyunwoo’s musky scent in his nostrils did he make a move to get up. As he pushed himself to the edge of the bed, he scanned the floor for his clothes. They had somehow gotten scattered around, probably in the heat of the moment earlier. He could feel Hyunwoo’s eyes on him as he picked them up and shimmied back into them. Finally, he was about to the door, and was about to look over his shoulder one more time.

Suddenly, from behind him, there was a soft word, ‘wait,’ and arms engulfed him again.

“Yes, hyung?” Kihyun turned in Hyunwoo’s hold to set a hand on his shoulder. There was a hopeful, bright look in the older man’s eyes. The soft-spoken question that followed revealed why.

“Would you like to be my boyfriend?”

There was a lot of risk hiding behind the pure intentions of the question. It would have to be a secret relationship, of course, hidden from everyone. They’d even have to try to keep it from their own members for as long as possible. Public displays of affection might have terrible repercussions. So, they couldn’t kiss or embrace whenever they wanted, like other couples, and would have to be very careful when and where they did.

However, Kihyun knew that there was nothing he wanted more. “Yes, definitely.” He broke into a blinding grin and reached up for another brief kiss. “I would love that.”

[fy-kpopfanfiction]

Sweeter than Ice Cream - Showki

Pairing: Showki (Shownu/Kihyun)

Rating: G

Ao3 Link (Leave kudos and comments! :))

Or read under the cut~

Messages, likes, comments, and kudos are appreciated!

“I know you’re miserable.”

Shownu turned to look at Kihyun who had just walked up to stand beside him. Shownu was hiding out by the bar, watching everyone chat and dance. He was probably meant to be doing the same, showing off his leadership skills for the company guys, the other Starship groups.

That’s what this Christmas party was really meant to be. The company held it under the guise of a celebratory get together for their acts, a relaxing time to enjoy the season.

Shownu despised every second of it.

He hated parties, hated being forced into socializing with people that he had never met, and would likely never see again.

“I’m fine,” he told Kihyun, despite the younger man being completely accurate in his assessment.

“Liar.” Kihyun chuckled, and Shownu tried not to stare at the dimples that formed under his eyes, or the way said eyes sparkled when a smile lingered after the chuckling sound was gone.

“You certainly didn’t look miserable out there,” Shownu told him. He had been watching Kihyun all night. The younger man was a born schmoozer. He would laugh and talk with anyone from company big wigs to fans to a random street vendor. He was so good at the talking, working the crowds, and the company. Shownu often wondered why Kihyun wasn’t chosen as leader. His age, he assumed, was the only thing that won him the position.

“Eh,” Kihyun mumbled, turning to the bar. The hired bartenders were at the far end chatting amongst themselves. Kihyun swiped a bottle of water, and quickly twisted the cap. The room was packed with people, all huddled together, many of them dancing. It made for a steamy room. He chugged down half of the bottle, and then offered it to Shownu.

Shownu lifted one of his hands from where his arms were crossed over his chest, and waved him off. “I had a bottle of my own a bit ago.”

Kihyun nodde, and took another swig before twisting the cap back onto the bottle. “Honestly,” he said, in response to Shownu’s previous comment. “I’m not really having a good time.”

“I saw you laughing and talking to everyone.”

Kihyun laughed loudly, making Shownu jump slightly. He glanced at him, chuckled a little, and stared down at the floor.

“Were you stalking me, leader hyung?”

“No!” Shownu insisted too quickly.

That only made Kihyun laugh louder. This time, he punctuated his laughter by slapping Shownu’s arm. “Lighten up, hyung.”

The comment, physical contact, and Kihyun’s raucous laughter had the opposite effect on Shownu. His arms tightened over his chest, shoulders tensed.

Kihyun nudged his arm, and then busied himself with another drink. His bottle was almost empty. He hadn’t realized how thirst he was. “Honestly, I’m not really having a good time,” he told Shownu again.

“How do you look like you are then?”

“Ah, I know when to put on a smile, and laugh.” Kihyun polished off his bottle of water, and tossed it into the bin behind the bar. “Let’s get out of here.”

“What?” Shownu turned to him, brow furrowed.

“Let’s leave. There are so many people here that no one will notice. Everyone has had quite a bit of Soju at this point anyway. They won’t notice or care.”

“Where will we go? To the dorm?”

Kihyun made a face. “You think I’m going to escape this party just to go back to the dorm?”

Shownu blushed, feeling foolish.

“Let’s go get some ice cream or something.”

Shownu started to protest, but Kihyun’s slender fingers wrapped around his wrist before he could even open his mouth, and he was being tugged out of the room.

“It’s freezing,” Kihyun said, blowing on his hands as the duo walked down the sidewalk, side by side.

“Why aren’t you wearing gloves?” Shownu asked, looking over at the smaller man beside him.

Kihyun bounced as he walked to warm himself. “Forgot them,” he said, rubbing his hands together.

Shownu stripped his fingerless glove/mittens off his hands, and handed them to Kihyun. “Wear these.”

“Ah, hyung, now your hands will freeze.”

Shownu shook his head. “I’m always warm.”

Kihyun pulled the gloves on, feeling the remaining heat from Shownu’s hands. “Wah! You are warm! These are like little ovens on my hands! I feel like I’m baking my hands for dinner!”

Shownu chuckled. What a silly thing to say, but somehow so Kihyun.

Kihyun’s stomach rumbled at the mention of dinner. “Yah! Did you hear that? My stomach wants food, I think!”

“Are you sure that you want to go for ice cream in this cold weather? Should we get something to eat, food?”

“I want ice cream,” Kihyun said, looking up with a pout on his perfect lips.

Shownu nodded, and looked away from him.

“Unless you really want food,” Kihyun said. “We can get dinner instead, if you really want it.”

“Ice cream is fine. I haven’t had an ice cream since the last time I went out with Jooheon.”

“You spoil him,” Kihyun said with a laugh. “He told me that you get an ice cream every time you go out. He tried to guilt me, because I wouldn’t buy him an ice cream.”

Shownu laughed. “I guess that’s what appa is for.”

Kihyun grinned, and shook his head. “And umma is made to be the bad guy. Oh, great.”

“It depends on the kid you ask. Changkyun would never say you’re the bad guy.”

“You think I spoil him?”

“No, but you spend the most time with him.”

“Ah, it’s like we have favorite children.”

Shownu blushed. He loved thinking of them as the parents to the kids, a family. It helped him when he missed his own family. Or at least that’s what he told himself when it was late, and his mind started to wonder if he didn’t like to think of himself as Kihyun’s partner for other reasons.

“What about here?” Kihyun grabbed Shownu’s arm to stop him walking, and gestured to a little café on the corner. “I bet they have ice cream, and food. We can both have what we want.”

“I’ll have ice cream,” Shownu said as Kihyun dragged him into café.

“Are you really going to be able to finish all of that?” Shownu asked, staring down the giant soft ice cream cone that Kihyun had in his hand as they sat at a table in the far back corner of the deserted café.

“It’s delicious!” Kihyun said, closing his mouth over the first few inches of the massive chocolate and vanilla ice cream tower. “Want to try some?” he asked, offering the cone to Shownu.

“No. I’m fine with this.” He raised his ice cream bar on a stick. Chocolate ice cream covered in a thin hard chocolate layer, toffee bits, and sweet little crunchy bits.

“That’s a boring ice cream,” Kihyun teased as he wolfed his down.

“You’re going to get a brain freeze,” Shownu warned.

Kihyun shook his head. “I have never gotten a brain freeze once in my life.”

“Hyuuung,” Kihyun whined when he’d finished his cone five minutes later. Shownu was only halfway through his ice cream, taking his time with it to savor the flavor. He loved ice cream.

“I warned you,” Shownu said.

“It’s not brain freeze,” Kihyun moaned. “My chest hurts.”

“That’s like brain freeze only in your chest instead of your head. You ate too fast. Not even the kids are like this.”

“Don’t tease me. I’m dying.” Kihyun laid over in the booth, clutching his chest. “These might be my last minutes on Earth, and you’re thinking of the children.”

“Well, if their mother is dying, I probably should be thinking of them.”

“You’re still teasing!” Kihyun kicked him under the table.

Shownu laughed, but rubbed his aching knee. “You’re not dying. You’ll be fine in a couple of minutes.” Shownu licked at his melting ice cream, held together only by its chocolate coating.

A moment later, Kihyun sat up again. “It hurts less,” he said, rubbing his chest just below his collarbone.

Shownu watched him. When he rubbed his chest, his dress shirt – the first two buttons undone – shifted, revealing his collarbone. Shownu gulped, and shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“Don’t stare at me like that!” Kihyun snapped.

“Huh? Like what?” Shownu jumped, his cheeks as red as the cherry on top of the sundae in the painting on the wall beside them.

“Like you’re judging me for being an idiot who ate his ice cream too fast.”

“I… Oh, I wasn’t.”

“Liar.”

Shownu stared at his ice cream as he quickly finished the remaining few bites. He disposed of the stick in a tiny little trash bin on the far edge of their table near the window that was meant for such things.

“You have ice cream around your mouth,” Kihyun commented when he looked back at him.

“What?”

“You have ice cream and chocolate by your lip.”

Shownu wiped a finger over the left side of his mouth where he could feel something sticky and cold.

“You didn’t get it all.”

“Oh.” He swiped the same spot again, and a little further down. “Did I get it?”

“No. It’s…”

Shownu tried again, only to fail.

Kihyun huffed, and stood up a little. He leaned across the table, and swiped a finger over the top of Shownu’s upper lip, near the corner of his mouth.

Shownu watched as he sat down, and proceeded to stick the tip of his index finger into his mouth to suck the chocolate off.

Shownu crossed his legs under the table, and shifted again.

“Mmm, that’s good. I want one of those,” Kihyun said, making a spectacle of licking his finger that was surely clean of any chocolate by that point.

“Do you…” Shownu’s voice broke, and he cleared his throat. “Do you think you need it?”

“Who really needs ice cream? Of course, I don’t need it. I want it. Do you want another? I’m gonna get one. It’s a nice to be decadent, I think.”

“Ki, I don’t think.”

“Come on, hyung. Live a little!”

Shownu blushed at the pout on Kihyun’s face. Finally, he nodded. Kihyun could probably convince him to rob the president of South Korea, if he put his mind to it. “Just a small scoop of chocolate this time though.”

Kihyun laughed and clapped his hands together. “I knew I could get you to join me!”

Kihyun ran off to get the ice cream, and returned with a grin, and one hand behind his back.

Shownu looked up at him. “What have you done?” he asked when he saw only the ice cream Kihyun ordered in his left hand, and no chocolate for him.

Kihyun whipped his hand around in a flourish. “I got a cherry on top for you! Isn’t it cute?!”

Shownu’s cheeks blushed redder than the little cherry as Kihyun placed the small cup of ice cream in front of him. “You like cherries, right, hyung?”

Shownu stared at the ice cream, and then glanced up at Kihyun, nodding quickly.

“Well, eat it then, hyung.” Kihyun reached over, and plucked the cherry from the top of Shownu’s chocolate ice cream. “Don’t you want to?” he asked, dangling the cherry in front of Kihyun’s face. “Ooh, it’s dripping ice cream.” Kihyun leaned forward and swiped his tongue over the bottom of the cherry to remove the melted chocolate ice cream from it.

“Ah, that’s tasty!” Here. Eat your cherry, hyung!” Kihyun held the cherry stem closer to the fruit, so it would stop swinging, and held it to Shownu’s mouth.

Shownu did as he was told, just as he always did when Kihyun was the one doing the telling. When his mouth closed around the plump red cherry, his lips brushed the tips of Kihyun’s fingers.

Kihyun’s eyes widened slightly, and said, “Hyung…”

Shownu pulled away as Kihyun lowered his hand. “Sorry…”

Kihyun just laughed, and set about eating his ice cream bar.

Shownu watched him intently as he wolfed down the ice cream as quickly as he had the previous cone.

When Kihyun spotted him staring, he narrowed his eyes and lowered his ice cream. “Don’t judge me. It’s too good to eat slowly!”

“You’re going to get a freeze again, and tell me you’re dying.”

“Won’t you save me, hyung?” Kihyun asked, batting his eyelashes at the leader.

Shownu bit his bottom lip.

“Ah, you wouldn’t save me.” Kihyun pouted and took the last large piece of his ice cream bar from stick into his mouth.

Shownu smiled at him. “Now, you have ice cream on your mouth,” he told him.

“These are messy,” Kihyun said, licking his lips.

“You didn’t get it.”

“Well, you get it! I can’t see it.”

“It’s right on the corner.”

Kihyun flicked his tongue over the opposite corner.

“The other one…”

“Hyuuung,” Kihyun whined.

Shownu signed, and leaned forward to wipe the chocolate away from the corner of Kihyun’s mouth with a napkin.

Kihyun frowned. “Hyung is no fun,” he muttered, leaning up to drop the stick from his ice cream bar into the little bin.

Shownu arched his brow, wondering what that was supposed to mean. Deciding not to dwell on it, he looked down at his ice cream, prepared to take a bite. “What am I supposed to eat this with?” he asked, looking back up at Kihyun. “There’s no spoon.”

“Eat it with your hands.”

“You can’t eat ice cream like this with your hands,” Shownu protested.

“Like this.” Kihyun picked up Shownu’s small bowl, and shoved it toward his face.

Shownu sputtered, and jerked backward. His lips and nose were spotted with cold, chocolate ice cream. Kihyun wailed with laughter at the look on his leader’s face.

“Kihyun!”

Kihyun continued to laugh. “Oh, hyung. You look ridiculous.”

“This is not funny! Why would you?”

“Oh, because you’re being so serious and uptight all the time.” Kihyun frowned and placed the ice cream back onto the table. Then, he stood, and walked over to sit beside Shownu in his booth.

“What are you doing now?” Shownu asked, reaching for a napkin to wipe his face.

“I came to help,” Kihyun said snatching the paper towel from Shownu’s hand.

“You haven’t done much to help so far.”

“Shush, hyung.” Kihyun used the napkin to wipe Shownu’s nose, and then swiped his finger over the chocolate covering Shownu’s top lip. “Shame to waste it,” he said, staring into the older man’s eyes.

Shownu gulped. He had been too bothered to realize how closely to him Kihyun was now seated.

“You want it… hyung?” Kihyun blinked slowly, staring intently at Shownu as he pressed the tip of his finger to Shownu’s lips.

Shownu’s eyes shot wide open, and he leaned back a little. “Uh, no, no,” he sputtered.

Was Kihyun really suggesting that he lick ice cream from his finger?!

Kihyun frowned, and stuck his finger into his own mouth. “Fine,” he said with a pout.

Shownu quickly licked his lips to avoid any further… whatever it was that was going on between the two of them.

“Hyung…” Kihyun crossed his arms over his chest.

“What?”

“Why are you acting like this?” Kihyun asked softly.

“Acting like what? You’re the one that smashed ice cream on my face!”

“Because you’re acting stupid with me.”

“Stupid?!”

“Yes!” Kihyun turned toward him, pulling his right leg up between them in the booth. “I see the way you look at me, Hyunwoo! You think I don’t notice the way your eyes follow me everywhere, and the way you stare when my chest is exposed. I see all of that! And then when I try to give you opportunities to make a move on me, you just sit there, and wipe your mouth!”

Shownu’s jaw drops. He can barely think straight, let alone speak to reply.

“And now you’ll just sit there with your stupid mouth hanging open!”

“Kihyun… I…”

“I thought maybe finally if I dragged you away from everyone, sat you in the back corner of this empty place so close to Christmas! I thought maybe you’d finally…”

Shownu leaned forward, and covered Kihyun’s lips with his, more to shut him up than anything. He pulled away after just a few seconds.

Kihyun was stunned for a moment, but then a grin spread over his face, and he stared down at his lap. “I knew you wanted to kiss me.”

“I didn’t know that you wanted to kiss me,” Shownu admitted quietly.

“I didn’t. I just wanted to prove to everyone that you wanted to kiss me. Now I can tell Hoseok. I won the bet.”

Shownu’s stomach churned, and her head jerked toward Kihyun. “What?”

Kihyun looked up at him, laughing loudly. “Oh, hyung! You’re too gullible.” He laughed loudly, slapping his leg.

Shownu shoved his knee away fron him. “Don’t joke. That’s not funny. You’re not funny, Kihyun. I can’t believe...”

Kihyun stole the chance to silence Shownu with a kiss. “Shush, hyung…” he whispered against his lips.

Shownu pressed his forehead to Kihyun’s, but Kihyun pulled away after only another moment. “Let’s get out of here,” Shownu said, taking him by the hand. “Someone might see us.”

“There’s no one here.”

“There are employees.”

“The old man and old lady?”

“Let’s go back to the dorm…”

“Alright. But what about your ice cream?”

“I didn’t really want it to begin with. You forced it on me.”

“I’ll eat it.”

“Kihyun, you’re going to explode if you eat another bite.”

“We can’t waste it.”

Shownu dropped his hand, and grabbed the small cup. The ice cream had melted nearly entire. He drank it down like a thick chocolate milk. “There. Gone. Let’s go.”

“Hyung… You’re not trying to get me alone and take advantage of me, are you? I’m a very innocent young man.” Kihyun batted his eyelashes at him again.

“Yeah, right. Licking your fingers all night. You’re so innocent.”

Kihyun howled with laughter as he stood up from the booth.

Shownu put his paper cup into the little bin, and followed him out of the booth seat. “I can’t believe you,” he muttered, shaking his head at Kihyun.

“Ah, you loved every second of it, you pervert.”

Blushing, Shownu shushed him. “I am not!”

Kihyun looped his arm with his and said, “We’ll see about that…”

[uh0paque]

Opie’s Fic Rec List

(All on Ao3!)

people might talk | bluemoonrabbit | Wonho/Changkyun, Shownu/Kihyun, Hyungwon/Minhyuk/Jooheon | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

Two Feet On The Ground | gidgetxzim | Wonho/Changkyun/Hyungwon | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

Songs of Innocence | banamas | Wonho/Changkyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

once we were dreamers (you and i) | Alielle | Wonho/Kihyun, Hyungwon/Changkyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

Kingdom Come | shinsxoh | Wonho/Changkyun, Hyungwon/Minhyuk | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

loverboy | bluemoonrabbit | Wonho/Changkyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

Heart of Courage | lostnthedream | Shownu/Kihyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

The Curious Case of the Man in the Trunk | The_Clamp | Shownu/Kihyun, Wonho/Hyungwon, Jooheon/Changkyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

Freedom of the Wind | YoungSoon | Wonho/Changkyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

free (heart) property | indemnis | Shownu/Kihyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

The Trials and Tribulations of a Dumbass | heonniebread | Changkyun/Kihyun, Minhyuk/Jooheon/Shownu, Wonho/Hyungwon | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

To Be Loved | heonniebread | Changkyun/Kihyun, Minhyuk/Shownu, Wonho/Hyungwon | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

All Yours | DoctorFatCat | Shownu/Kihyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ 

kismet | chatsdelune | Wonho/Changkyun, Kihyun/Minhyuk | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ 

i want your dreary mondays | chatsdelune | Kihyun/Minhyuk, Wonho/Changkyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ 

don’t want no other shade of blue but you | silver | Kihyun/Minhyuk, Jooheon/Changkyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

sweater vest blues | lordbirthdayxv | Changkyun/Kihyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

O’ Holy Night | shinsxoh | Wonho/Changkyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

try to fake it (i can take it) | rudelove | Kihyun/Minhyuk | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

From Zero to Sixty | ScarlettSiren | Wonho/Hyungwon, Shownu/Kihyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

From Zero | pumpkin_latte | Wonho/Changkyun, Shownu/Kihyun, Minhyuk/Jooheon | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

coming at you live | magicsoul | Changkyun/Kihyun, Minhyuk/Hyungwon | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

This Place Is Mine | LikeSatellites | Wonho/Changkyun/Kihyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

Be My Desire | LikeSatellites | Changkyun/Kihyun, Wonho/Changkyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

The Long Way Back | LikeSatellites | Changkyun/Kihyun, Jooheon/Minhyuk | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

no grave can hold my body down (i’ll crawl home to her) | lordbirthdayxv | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

Beta | yoobles | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

how to play a dating game: a guide for dummies | geniewish | Changkyun/Hyungwon | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

In Need | saturnalyia | Wonho/Changkyun | ✰ ✰ ✰

all those roads led to you | kihyuks | Changkyun/Kihyun/Minhyuk | ✰ ✰ ✰

Three is a Magic Number | Ayanami84 | Wonho/Changkyun/Kihyun | ✰ ✰ ✰

this black sun revolved around you | jaekyu | Shownu/Kihyun | ✰ ✰ ✰

Bloodthirsty | saturnalyia | Wonho/Changkyun | ✰ ✰ ✰

Music Box | jamjoon | Wonho/Changkyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

you’re the kind of song i only like after the third listen | geniewish | Hyungwon/Kihyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

at last | lovesaudade | Hyungwon/Minhyuk | ✰ ✰ ✰

Two Night Stand | merryofsoul | Wonho/Changkyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰  

Rosy Maple Moths Are Very Punk Rock | tattadpoles | Hyungwon/Kihyun | ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

teeth | vampirekisser | ✰ ✰ ✰

If there are mistakes in links, please let me know kindly!

[druekee]

Merry Christmas! 

Even though I am not actively writing fanfic anymore, I wanted to make a little post with all of my fics that are perfect for the Holiday season for easy access!

Falling in Love Again with Ropes and Whips

18k - Minhyuk/Jooheon/Changkyun OT3 - Smut

Minhyuk, Jooheon, and Changkyun are in a happy polyamorous relationship together. There’s just one thing… the sex has been getting kinda routine lately. Minhyuk suggests they try BDSM, and it only gets more extreme and sexier from there.

A story of how this OT3 learns the art of BDSM and maybe even fall in love again along the way~

Seriously (Un)Interested

17k - Changki - AU - Smut

Kihyun thought this school trip in late December to spend 3 days in a rustic, classic-style cabin in the mountains was going to be, well, lame. It only gets worse when he finds out that he’s roomed with the most annoying guy in school. This was supposed to be a chill, fun vacation during Christmas- why did this little brat have to go and ruin that?

A Kiss in the Break Room

800 words - Showki - AU - Fluff

Being caught under the mistletoe at the office meant a kiss was mandatory for work... right?

Charming the Ice Prince

1.2k - Changki - AU - Fluff

Kihyun tries to figure out a way to confess to his stoic friend, but is worried that he might've missed his opportunity...

The Snowball Effect

1.9k -  Changhyuk - AU - Winter Vibes - Smut

Changkyun starts a snowball war with Minhyuk and he finishes it, too. In Minhyuk's mouth.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

1.2k - Joohyung - AU - Winter Vibes - Smut

Hyungwon gets inspired by the blankets of white snow all around them.

Yes, My Lord?

2.5k - Showho - AU - Winter Vibes - Smut

Even princes fall on their face in piles of snow sometimes. Shin Hoseok is no exception, but luckily for him, his trusted servant Hyunwoo is there to pick him up and warm him where he needs it the most~

The Hot December Night

3.2k - Hyungwon/Hyunwoo/Jooheon OT3 - Winter Vibes - Fluff

The heater is malfunctioning at the dorm, making it extremely hot one December night. For the others, this means stripping and naked shenanigans because it's way too hot for clothes. For Hyungwon, this only leads to self-consciousness about his body.

Luckily, Hyunwoo and Jooheon are there to reassure him that his body is nothing less than perfection.

Resolutions

3.5k - Joohyuk - AU - New Years! - Fluff

"So, what's your resolution for 2018 again, Minhyuk-ah?" Kihyun asked, taking a sip of his fancy rose champagne, eyebrow quirking up in a knowing stare. Minhyuk licked his lip, his eyes staring hotly at the mystery man across the room.

"Not to be a slut, but fuck it"

[w0onderalice]

me picking up the smuttiest fic on ao3 while in class

[mizz-apple2016]

Titled: Fuck Me by Chang Yeom

Trans: mizz_apple

link: https://www.wattpad.com/859794477-fuck-me-trans-ch-1

https://archiveofourown.org/works/16064891/chapters/37509191

[mx-requests-forum]

Happy Holidays!

from the Mods at the MX Fanfic Request Forum :)

To celebrate the season, the Mods have compiled together all of our fulfilled seasonal requests for your reading pleasure! Enjoy~!

Seriously (Un)Interested

17k - Changki - AU - Smut

Kihyun thought this school trip in late December to spend 3 days in a rustic, classic-style cabin in the mountains was going to be, well, lame. It only gets worse when he finds out that he’s roomed with the most annoying guy in school. This was supposed to be a chill, fun vacation during Christmas- why did this little brat have to go and ruin that?

A Promise Of Love That Will Never Grow Old

13k - Changki - AU - Smut

“Im Changkyun! Come here and fucking bring back that cute little package of yours, or I swear to god I’ll cut your balls and use them to decorate my Christmas tree!”

Changkyun’s head peeks from the doorframe, a little pout in his lips and those puppy eyes Kihyun doesn’t admit he’s weak about – “I do not have a ‘cute little package’ Kihyun, You’re really offending me now.”

Kihyun smirks mockingly, letting his devil side out to this cute alpha – “So, what don’t you come here and show me.”

Left Alone

1.7k - Changhyuk - Fluff

When the other members leave the dorm to go home for the holidays, Minhyuk and Changkyun are left alone to their own devices, and Changkyun thinks this is the perfect opportunity to bring to light a certain crush he's been hiding...

It Just Slipped Out

1.2k - Chaekkung/Changwon - AU - Fluff

When Hyungwon accidentally confesses to Changkyun onstage during a Christmas fanmeet, they all play it off as a joke... But, backstage, Hyungwon takes the opportunity to settle things once and for all.

Charming the Ice Prince

1.2k - Changki - AU - Fluff Kihyun tries to figure out a way to confess to his stoic friend, but is worried that he might’ve missed his opportunity…

Who Do You Think You’re Fooling?

800 words - Hyungwonho - AU - Fluff

After Hyungwon loses control of himself onstage and blows his and Hoseok’s cover, they’ll have to deal with the repercussions…

A Kiss in the Break Room

800 words - Showki - AU - Fluff

Being caught under the mistletoe at the office meant a kiss was mandatory for work… right?

The Little Gift

800 words - Changki - Fluff

Changkyun has been waiting all month to pop that special question to his most treasured hyung, and when Christmas comes, he knows this is the perfect opportunity.

[peachesandsodas]

hold me tight, hold me close | SHOWKI

Battle of Hogwarts!AU {inspired from @aisyah_tsu fanart } | words : 25,554 holy shiet | Shownu x Kihyun | THE BATTLE

freaking hell i am devastated while writing this, my showki heart shattered but hey i’ll be writing the epilogue to recover from this intense angst I PROMISE IT’LL BE FILLED WITH LOTS OF FLUFF AND JOY-- dearest ai, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR ART I LOVE IT FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART’S BOTTOM. Keep on drawing, keep on creating happiness and joy. (much love jou aka peachesandsodas)

Ever since Professor Snape took over the headmaster position, things starts to falter in the school compounds. Shownu paid more attention to the surrounding, with Death Eaters are now enforcing in the school grounds, curriculum revised by the Dark Lord himself, it felt gloom and dark. Silence filled the halls even during break times between classes. He saw Jooheon crying his eyes out, sitting on the bench with Minhyuk holding him close trying to calm the younger one down. Shownu approached both of them, a concerned look painted on his eyes. “What happened?” With a concerned tone, Minhyuk looked up to Shownu, “He was late for class and he had to go to the detention— they— they gave him a Cruciatus curse.” Minhyuk’s voice barely heard on the last sentence. “I had to be the one who take Jooheon out from the detention room, they made us, Syltherin students do the job. I’m disgusted.” Minhyuk hissed as he wrapped Jooheon tightly with his arms. “Where’s Hyungwon?” Shownu kneeled down to look at Jooheon’s face clearly, trying to find any signs of wounds. “Hyungwon is with Madam Pomfrey to get some potions to heal any internal injuries for Jooheon.” Minhyuk explained, yet his eyes wanders to those who are watching them interact. The conflict between Slytherin and the other Houses thickened as soon Death Eaters took charge and ordered the Slytherins students to obey under the enforcements, but not Minhyuk and Hyungwon. 

Shownu placed his hand on Jooheon’s knee, squeezing it softly to get Jooheon’s attention. “Stick together with us okay? Everything will be fine soon. Minhyuk, you know where to go, bring him there and wait for my instruction.” He assured the younger, slipping a small note onto Jooheon’s hand, letting him know where to hide at this current moment of time, before stood up on his feet again to search for Kihyun. He knew the latter would probably hiding in the library with Changkyun or the Astronomy Towers. His first instinct is to find him at the library, and his eyes immediately landed on two figures at the end corner of the library, drowned in stack of books as both of them focused on finding something. With long strides, Shownu approached both Kihyun and Changkyun before taking a seat behind them. “Have you found out anything about Harry’s whereabouts?” Shownu sighed deeply, his fingers brushing his messy hair. Kihyun sighed, turning his chair to face Shownu, shaking his head as a sign of no. “We’ve been hiding for the past two weeks, and there’s no contact or whatsoever, Shownu.” Kihyun looked at Changkyun who’s deep in thoughts, the year 1 probably still have no idea about what’s going on except that Hogwarts changing into a dull, dark place, not much as lively when Professor Dumbledore is still around. As the sun is setting, the orange hue peeking through the windows of the library, Shownu tapped Kihyun’s shoulder, “Come on, it’s getting late and I don’t want those Death Eaters to take chances on both of you. Let’s go back.” Shownu grabbed his bag followed by Kihyun and Changkyun, “To the dorms?” Changkyun asked, tugging Kihyun’s robe. “No, Changkyunnie, we’re going to stay at another place for awhile. Shownu found a safe space for you to study.” Kihyun smiled warmly, wrapping his arm onto Changkyun’s shoulder in a protective manner, following Shownu who’s leading the way out from library. 

As they walk through the halls, all the Death Eaters are roaming around the school, making sure every students doesn’t make any rash actions despite all of them silently protesting about this inhuman authority and puzzling situation. Shownu walked behind Kihyun and Changkyun, making sure he protect the younger from any Death Eaters who want to mess with them. “Kihyun, make sure Changkyun is well rested, we never know what will happen today, okay?” Shownu said, after they made a turn at the corner, the hidden access to the D.A hideout. “Wait, you’re not coming with us?” Kihyun asked, after letting Changkyun to enter the hideout before him. “I need to find Wonho and Professor McGonagall about our whereabouts, especially the D.A.” Shownu smiled warmly to Kihyun, placing his hand on Kihyun’s shoulder, squeezing it softly to let him know that he’ll be alright. “I’m coming with you.” Kihyun grabbed Shownu’s arm, stopping him from wander off alone. 

“Kihyun, it’s too dangerous—“  

“Not if you’re with someone who’s more advanced in hexes and jinxes, right? In case, those pesky Death Eaters trying to mess with you.”

“But still—“

“I told you, Shownu, I’ll accompany you. Whether you like it or not.”

Shownu’s smile grew wider as he nodded softly, allowing Kihyun to accompany him in search of Wonho around the school premises. His heart warmed up knowing that Kihyun is right by his side, despite how dangerous the situation is. Since his involvement during the Triwizard Tournament, Shownu found himself in search of solace and content in Kihyun’s presence, and he finally realises that he really do need Kihyun by his side. Both of them quickened their paces as soon the sun sets into a dark night sky, not wanting the Death Eaters to caught them red-handed for wandering after curfew. Shownu grabbed Kihyun’s hand to match with his fast pace (especially with his long strides), moving to Professor McGonagall’s office. 

“Professor? It’s me.” Shownu knocked on the door before opening Professor McGonagall’s office softly, poking his head inside to meet with Wonho’s and Professor’s presence themselves. “Shownu!” Wonho exclaimed, his lips tugged into a relieved smile. “Hey, Ki! Decided to tag along?” Wonho smiled as he ruffle’s the younger’s hair. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, gaining their attentions back. “Wonho already told me about this whole— Dumbledore Army.” Professor McGonagall’s eyes looked stern, “As long as all of you are safe and together, I’ll try to make sure that all of you are protected under my watch. Do you understand?” With that, all three of them nodded, feeling relieved that Professor McGonagall is backing the Dumbledore Army. “Now off you three go, back to where the place you’ve been telling me— before things got out of hand from my sight—“ Professor McGonagall’s sentence stopped in the middle as soon as she saw someone barges into her office, Kihyun jumped in shock, and Shownu quickly hid the younger behind him, alongside with Wonho, they dealt their wands pointing towards the door. “Professor! We need to go to the Great Hall, like, now!” One of the younger student said, with terror apparent on her face as she tried to catch her breath. Perhaps, she’s been running from their hideout. “Potter’s here, Professor.” With that sentence, all of them rushes to the Great Hall, greeted by students already gathered there and silence fills the cold air in the Great Hall. 

That’s when nightmare turned into reality; Harry Potter is back and Voldemort’s Army is right outside, ready to destroy everything that stopping him from getting Potter’s blood on his hand. The battle is coming and Shownu could feel the tension rising and thickening in the air that filled Great Hall. Professor McGonagall ensured that the younger students will be evacuated, and it broke Shownu’s heart when Changkyun was arguing with the older Ravenclaw students for wanting to stay, eager to help Shownu and others in the battle. Only Kihyun could reassure and change Changkyun’s mind, he treated Changkyun like his own little brother, or almost, son-like relationship. Kihyun pulled Changkyun into a tight hug, then pulled away to wipe off the younger’s streaming tears off from his flushed face. “Changkyun-ah, hey, look at me.” Kihyun softly said, cupping Changkyun’s cheeks with his palms and Kihyun’s thumbs caressing the younger softly. “I will be fine. You have to take cover as Professor McGonagall said, I— me and Shownu don’t want you to get hurt.” Kihyun reasoned to Changkyun, only earning a groan, still hard-headed to stay with them. “No! I want to stay! I don’t want to leave!” Changkyun argued back, already a crying mess and it literally broke Kihyun’s heart to watch him. Shownu sighed deeply, placing his hand onto Changkyun’s shoulder, squeezing it softly. “Changkyun, I promise you I’ll watch over Kihyun, then we’ll go get you, okay?” Shownu looked at Kihyun then Changkyun, the youngest looked at Shownu with tears already pooling once more on his eyes. “B-But.” His voice came out like a whimper, not wanting to leave the Great Hall even though most of the younger students already evacuated. “Go, Changkyun. We’ll find you later.” Shownu pushed Changkyun towards the group of students, led by Madam Pomfrey and Mr. Filch to a secret passage that leads to Hog’s Head Inn. Not being able to argue with Shownu and Kihyun, Changkyun’s shoulders dropped as he followed the group, but then, right before the Great Hall’s door closed, he quickly turned around and slipped pass through the gap, leaving the evacuation group to stay back in the battle, making sure that the others doesn’t see him around. 

“Older students who decided to stay and fight, please follow me. I need Kihyun and Minhyuk together with me!” Professor McGonagall asked, walking towards the Viaduct Courtyard, followed by several students and other Professors. Before Kihyun followed suit, Shownu quickly grabbed Kihyun’s arm, pulling him close, “Please, be safe. Be careful.” He said, eyes painted in concern and fear of losing him, yet Kihyun replied with a reassuring smile that made Shownu’s heart skips a beat. Kihyun’s hand reached for Shownu’s that held his arm, squeezing it softly. “I will, I know you got my back. And you got mine. You too, be careful.” Kihyun replied, slipping away from Shownu’s grip to follow Professor McGonagall to set up a protective barrier around Hogwarts. At that second, Shownu felt empty as he watch Kihyun dashes outside with Minhyuk, his heart strings tugged and worry could not left him alone. Before he lost sight of Kihyun, he saw the younger turned around with a grin plastered on his face, “And don’t die!” Kihyun pointed his wand towards Shownu, earning a soft chuckle that escaped from Shownu’s lips, “I won’t, I promise!” 

Minhyuk already with the group in the gardens, pointing his wand as a layer of barrier encapsulates the whole school’s compound. Kihyun followed suit, chanting a spell and a string of bright light shots from the tip of his wand, pointing upwards to the sky. “Took you long enough, Ki.” Minhyuk said, still looking upwards to the sky, mesmerised by how beautiful and bright the barrier is. “Had to make sure Changkyun is safe first.” He replied, sighing faintly as he watches the barriers starting to fill up the dark night. 

Shownu took a final glance at Hyungwon and Jooheon, who are busy preparing with the medic staffs, gathering potions and making sure that the Great Hall is safe enough for students or teachers who are wounded then he followed Wonho towards Wooden Bridge that connected to Clock Tower Gardens. They are the first line of defence for the ground combat later on, with Neville right on front of them. “Are you guys nervous?” Neville asked, his hand gripping tightly onto his wand, occasionally changing his grip. Wonho chuckled, wand already pointed up front, “Yeah, but thrilled.” Wonho glanced at Shownu, which the oldest replied with a small smirk, wand ready. “Well, we won’t do this twice anyway, so make it count.” Shownu replied, earning a small chuckle that escapes from Neville himself. “I really like you guys, we should hang out after this.”

Back in where Kihyun stood tall, his eyes caught a figure that made his heart dropped an instant. Changkyun did not follow the evacuated students. He quickly rushes to the younger, grabbing his Ravenclaw robe, turning him around to face Kihyun. “What are you doing?! I told you to not stay here, Changkyun!” Kihyun’s eyes widened in shock, “Ki—Kihyun!” Minhyuk called from afar, pointing towards the sky and the sight gave them goosebumps. Light bolts starting to shower on top of the barrier, breaking the protection layer. “Oh my God..” Kihyun voice came out like a whisper, “H-hyung.. What’s going on..” Changkyun’s eyes widened at the sight as well, but he quickly pulled by Kihyun towards the Great Hall. He rushes together with Changkyun, leaving Minhyuk and the other students and teachers to stand on guard. He can hear the howling noises, the battle cries, the sounds of people running towards them. It will soon to be chaos, and Kihyun couldn’t let anyone lay fingers on the young Ravenclaw. He saw fear evident on Changkyun’s eyes, glistening with tears that starting to form. Kihyun grabbed Changkyun’s shoulder firmly, looking straight into his eyes.

“Changkyun! Listen. Stay with Hyungwon and Jooheon inside—“

“But I want to help!”

“Listen!”

Kihyun raised his voice before taking a quick glance at the group of people at the Courtyard already on their feet for the battle coming up in seconds. 

“Changkyun, if you want to help then stay inside the Great Hall, help Hyungwon and Jooheon tending the wounded. They will keep you safe, and please,” Kihyun took a deep breath before letting out a heavy sigh. “Please, be careful.” He pushes Changkyun towards the Great Hall. Hyungwon and Jooheon’s eyes widened in surprise to see Changkyun didn’t left with the younger students. Hyungwon quickly rushes towards Changkyun, already knew what to do by looking into Kihyun’s eyes. “Keep him safe.” With that, Kihyun rushes towards the Viaduct Courtyard to join Minhyuk and the others to fight. 

As soon as the protective barrier is broken, it was hell on earth. The school’s suits of armour that enchanted by Professor McGonagall made their first defence as soon as Death Eaters and giants flung themselves, breaking and crashing each of the stone suits of armours. All of them are taken aback at the sudden and intenseness of the first wave of attack. “Get inside! Take cover! Take cover!” Professor McGonagall shouted, and Death Eaters starts to flock on Viaduct Courtyard, coming with a black smoke and the surroundings went under fire with explosions because of the curses thrown towards the students and teachers. Kihyun managed to jinx a few Death Eaters that flew towards him, Minhyuk on the other hand almost got crashed by one of the giant’s foot. Minhyuk was running towards the Entrance Hall and got halted by two Death Eaters in front of him, before Minhyuk could even cast a spell, Kihyun saw the rubbles of stones next to the Death Eaters, he pointed his wand towards the rubble and casted a spell, “Oppugno!” The rubbles flew to the Death Eaters, knocking them down and giving both Minhyuk and Kihyun enough time to run into different direction. “We need to find Shownu and Wonho.” Kihyun grabbed Minhyuk by his robe, pulling him towards the Clock Tower Courtyard. 

When the protective barrier broke down, Neville’s eyes widen in surprise when he heard sounds of footsteps coming quickly towards them. Scabior and the Snatchers are already running to where Neville, Shownu, and Wonho stood. They flew jinxes towards the chasing group, as they run away as fast as they could to Clock Tower Courtyard. Shownu ducked his head when a jinx almost blew his head off, Wonho’s jinxes threw a few Snatchers a few metres behind, giving enough time for the three of them to widen their gap. “Oh my God oh my God oh my—“ Neville threw in a few jinxes but not daring to look back. “Keep running guys!” Shownu shouted, taking a glance as he threw a spell to Scabior, but the latter managed to dodge it. They could feel their muscles start to tightened, yet they keep on running, pushing their limits to save and risking their lives at the same time. Shownu pointed his wand towards the wooden plank behind him, casting a spell that creates a huge explosion on the bridge. The wooden planks starts to crumble and the Snatchers including Scabior fell to their deaths. Little did he knew, the wooden plank kept on falling, Shownu and Wonho are leading in front, yet Neville struggles to keep up with the two. “Guys!—“ Neville’s legs wasn’t fast enough with the crumble of the planks, the sight made Shownu and Wonho stopped at their tracks as the wooden plank also stopped crumbling behind them, “Neville!” Wonho shouted, within a few seconds, he saw a hand gripping tightly onto the remaining plank, “Guys! I need a lift!” Neville survived the fall in matter of seconds, Shownu and Wonho quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him up. “That was close.” Shownu sighed in relief as the three of them survived the bridge attack. But when the sound of explosion was heard, Shownu quickly get back on his feet and dashes towards the Clock Tower Courtyard. “We have to find Kihyun and the others.” Shownu said with an agitated tone, Wonho followed suit as he blocked a few Death Eaters’ attacks on them. Shownu jinxed and hexed a few of them, but his tracks were stopped when a swarm of Acromantulas. He saw Hagrid tried to reason with the swarm of spiders yet the creatures didn’t listen. Both Shownu and Wonho casted a combined spell that sent the Acromantulas back a few metres away from them, they keep on fighting in the battle of the Clock Tower Courtyard, not realising Dementors are slipping into the premises. As they dashed to the halls, every corner already filled with broken walls, rubbles, students and teachers grouped together to fend off the Death Eaters, flames engulfing different parts of the castle and it clearly shown what it feels like when hell broke loose; but all he could think is to find Kihyun and protect him at all cost. 

The Great Hall is already filled with medic nurses busying themselves to help tending the wounded, with help from Hyungwon and Jooheon, the only hall is well-protected despite sounds of explosions and ground-shattering earthquakes made the space shook. Changkyun couldn’t hold himself for standing there in the Great Hall, so he quickly dashed towards the Great Hall door and slipped out from Hyungwon’s and Jooheon’s watch because the Great Hall was too crowded and busy at that point, they didn’t realise that Changkyun is missing. Jooheon about to call Changkyun to grab more potions that are nestled safely in the corner, but when he realised that Changkyun is nowhere to be found, he rushes to Hyungwon, “Changkyun’s not here.” Jooheon immediately rushes out from the Great Hall, followed suit by Hyungwon. Panic flooded their mind, in hopes that the youngest is still safe and alive at this point of time. 

Changkyun quickly ran from the Great Hall, only greeted by the chaotic battle. Equipped only with limited spells inside his mind, he marches forward to group with other students. Even though he is still young, but he has larger wit and bravery like any other older students. With his deep knowledge of usable jinxes, he managed to knock a few Death Eaters from attacking other students. Changkyun’s eyes landed on two familiar figures, he runs towards them as he casted jinxes here and there to block attacks, “Hyung!” He shouted to get Kihyun’s attention. Kihyun heard the familiar voice and he snapped his head towards the voice. “Changkyun!” Kihyun’s eyes widened in horror, when his eyes landed on the young Ravenclaw. He saw a glimpse of dark figure behind Changkyun, a Dementor to be exact. It sucked Changkyun’s happiness from behind, making the younger fell on his knees as it sucked in every oxygen from his lungs. He gasped for air as his hands snaked to his throat, tears rolled down onto his cheeks as he tried to shout for help. Kihyun let out his Patronus spell, chasing away the Dementor behind Changkyun. Kihyun quickly grabbed Changkyun and lifted him up, “How many times I have to tell you?!” Kihyun hugged the younger, then turned around to call Minhyuk. “H-Hyung I want to help..” Changkyun voice came out soft, gasping for breath after the Dementor’s Kiss. “Minhyuk, make sure he’s on your sight.” Kihyun ordered, before leaving Changkyun with Minhyuk. “I have to find Shownu. I’ll come back to you.” Kihyun reassured before he runs back to his pathway. 

The battle doesn’t seem to end soon even when the sun already rises into a chilly morning, Kihyun’s legs already about to gave up on him, and the only thing that kept him alive is his determination to find Shownu and to protect him. His wand tightly gripped on his hand, flinging jinxes and hexes towards Death Eaters as he rushes through the halls, trying to find that tall and built figure that always running inside his mind. And right at that second, his eyes met Shownu’s. The sudden wave of comfort, relief, and joy rushes inside him. He could feel his tears are forming on his eyes, his breath hitched when Shownu ran towards him. Shownu felt the same way as soon as he saw Kihyun on another side of the halls. The fear of losing him at that second washed away when Kihyun ran towards him, the fear of being all alone in this madness dissipates. Shownu wrapped his arms tight around Kihyun’s small figure, a sigh of relief escaped from his plump lips. “Thank God— Thank God you’re okay.” he whispered softly to Kihyun, heart’s beating fast as if it’s about to burst. Kihyun automatically wrapped his arms around Shownu’s waist, silent tears rolled down onto his cheeks, he was afraid, scared, terrified— but now, with Shownu right next to him, it feels like he could take down the world. “You kept your promise.” He chuckled softly to relieve any tension around the area. Shownu pulled away from the hug and wiped Kihyun’s tears from his cheeks, smiling warmly at him. “You’re hurt..” Kihyun brought his hand to Shownu’s temple, blood already dried on the side of his face, dirt and dust moulded into his shirt and robe, but Kihyun had to admit, Shownu looks way attractive at this state. “I just exploded the Wooden Bridge with Neville, sounds not too bad, right?” Shownu chuckled, Kihyun slapped Shownu’s arm lightly, in disbelief at this point of time, Shownu could joke a little. “You could’ve got hurt, you know?!—“ Kihyun’s eyes widened, realising that Changkyun is probably still around the battle. “We got to find Changkyun.” Kihyun quickly pulled Shownu towards the path to Great Hall. “Changkyun’s here?!” Shownu stated in shock, occasionally jinxing the Death Eaters when they ran in the halls. “He— he got his own mind. Let’s just make sure he’s—“ 

That second, the world felt like slowing down in front of Shownu’s eyes, not until he’s able to comprehend what just happened in that split second.

Not until Shownu saw a Death Eater pointed his wand towards Kihyun from the side, 

Not until he shouted Kihyun’s name to warn the danger,

Not until Kihyun stopped on his tracks to met the Death Eater’s gaze,

Not until an explosion blasted on the stone walls caused by the Death Eater, right next to Kihyun and it made him flew to the side, his unconscious body rolled on the cold ground after the sudden impact, blood started to flow out from his mouth,

Not until Shownu’s heart shattered in pieces to watch the scene in front of his eyes, and blood boils in anger as he threw a curse spell to the Death Eater, exploding the opponent into dust. 

And all of the sudden, everything stops, the battle, the cries, the explosions, the chaos— everything stopped at that second.

Shownu ran to Kihyun’s unconscious state, quickly wrapping his arm to prop Kihyun’s body onto his chest. Holding him tight, holding him close to his heart. He dropped his wand, before holding Kihyun with both of his hands, “Ki—“ Tears started to blur his vision, he blinked fast, letting the tears dropped to Kihyun’s cheek. “Kihyun.” He calmly called, but there is no respond from Kihyun. “Ki, please, please wake up.” 

Fear of losing him starts to encapsulate Shownu, he realises how precious Kihyun to him, how grateful and blessed he is to have Kihyun by his side.

He remembers the moments Kihyun helped him out in classes,

He remembers how Kihyun always tend his wounds after Quidditch matches,

He remembers the time Kihyun accepted Shownu’s decision to be involved in Triwizard Tournament,

He remembers when Kihyun asked him to accompany him stargazing at the Astronomy Tower,

He remembers Kihyun always passes the roasted chicken to Shownu’s plate whenever he’s still hungry,

He remembers that his love for Kihyun, is real.

Those small little moments flashes quickly in his thought as his hands still holding Kihyun. He could hear faint breathing escaped from Kihyun, and that’s when he broke down completely. He almost lost someone who’s precious to his dear life. He almost lost Kihyun. He couldn’t forgive himself for not being able to protect Kihyun at that moment, but also he is grateful that Kihyun is still alive.

The rest of the boys found Shownu in the middle of piling fallen bricks and stones, holding Kihyun tightly as silent tears fall from Shownu’s eyes. Hyungwon quickly hide Changkyun away from the heart breaking view with his taller built, Jooheon gripped onto Minhyuk’s robe tightly, speechless and it felt like there’s a lump in his throat, making both of them unable to speak any words. Wonho approaches Shownu, lowered himself to check on Kihyun’s state. Shownu didn’t say any words as he grabbed his wand on the ground, his other hand still holding Kihyun firmly, “Vulnera Sanentur.” Shownu whispered softly onto Kihyun’s ear with his wand pointing towards the body. Slowly the deep gashes start to close up and Shownu could hear Kihyun’s breathing much more clearer. He lifted Kihyun softly, still holding him tight and close, as if his body is fragile as a porcelain doll.

“The battle is over,”

[hatununtillahi]

Me when i just finished a good fanfiction about my otp

[kaisoopuppy]

Showki + AF = holy water

[floofsta-x]

Les Feuilles Mortes ✿ [M]

genre;; realistic fantasy (yes, I know that’s a contradiction). Plant spirit!Kihyun, plant dad!Hyunwoo

pairing;; Son Hyunwoo / Shownu x Yoo Kihyun [Showki], Mentions of side Hyungkyun

plot ;;

The sight of the three tiny, wilted sprouts in the window of the antique store pricked at Son Hyunwoo's heart. Little did he know that this dying plant was much more than it seemed...

⚠️ warnings;; be prepared for a feels trip y’all--this has one-sided pining, some cute fluffy/slightly smutty moments, heartbreak, and ultimately major character death

words;; 15,385 (15k)

author’s notes;; soooooooo yes. This fic was a feels trip for me to write. It was the second of @shinigamibutterfly’s three prompts for the @mxficx Spring Fling Fantasy fic exchange. (I think I’ve tagged the right person...if I haven’t let me know. ://) I absolutely fell in love with this idea! I hope you enjoy!

“Wait. Say that again. You want...what?”

“One of the plants in the front window.”

Though he chuckled good-naturedly, the man behind the old, scratched countertop was clearly confused and in disbelief. His eyebrows rose, and he shook his head. “Sir...I’m sorry, but they’re display pieces, there for atmosphere, you know? I’m not sure if I can give them to you.”

It was a chilly autumn afternoon. Though the wind outside was frigid, the sun kept everything inside the small, shoddy antique mall warm. There weren’t many shoppers wandering around today. Those who passed wrapped themselves tighter and spared no second glance. So, understandably, it had been slow and boring. Well, up until now.

“Please? I’ll pay,” the customer pleaded and proceeded to name off a price that was a tad high for a potted plant. Truly struck dumb this time, the employee, a veteran manager of the store named Seungho, shook his head a bit. Also, he took the opportunity to glance the man across the counter over again. He was young and strong, with a handsome face and lithe body. From the way he carried himself and the circumference of his biceps, it was clear he took pride in himself and his fitness. So, why had a few leaves and some dirt piqued his interest? Others of his age and type would be out doing more masculine things, and not appraising decorative flora in store windows. That was something reserved for old ladies and other crazy people. Tree-huggers, maybe. However, he was here asking, and it was clear that he meant it; the only way to describe the look in his eyes was plaintive.

Of course, Seungho’s first instinct was to say no, but something stopped him. Hesitating, he sighed. In all reality, it didn’t matter. Money was money, and who was he to deny such a fervent plea? If the boss really wanted to, he could just buy another plant with the funds from selling this one. “Alright, alright.” Grabbing the keys to the display case from their peg, he led the customer back up to the front and unlocked the enclosure that looked out onto the street. After stepping around some of the displays, knick-knacks clustered around, he made for a large, healthy Peperomia near the middle.

Just as he was reaching for the gold foil pot that contained its roots, however--a tapping from behind him made him stop. When he turned, Seungho met the eyes of his customer, who frowned a bit and shook his head. “No?” After a few more attempts at picking up different plants resulted in the same thing, the manager resorted to pointing. A cast iron plant? Dieffenbachia? Philodendron? Anthurium? Each time, the customer frowned a bit and scrunched his eyebrows together.

Finally, it seemed that he had enough, and he poked his head into the space. “No, no, I mean the small one...on the end.”

Somehow, Seungho instantly knew the very thing he was talking about. That plant? Surely, this was all a joke. He made his feet move, walking over to where the row ended. There, behind a big lamb’s ear, was a tiny pot and plant, no bigger than the palm of his hand. The poor thing was dying, if not already completely dead, its thin shoots tan, and brittle leaves drooping sadly. He picked it up and gestured in the customer’s direction. “You’re offering almost forty thousand won...for this?”

A laugh flew from the customer’s mouth, and his face lit up. “Yep, that one. No tricks, I promise.” Without a moment of hesitation, he reached into the back pocket of his jeans and drew out a leather wallet.

The employee’s eyes grew wide. “W--wait. No, it’s okay. I--I’ll let you have it for free.” He sighed, and made his way out, handing over the little pot. “The boss was telling me I should get rid of it. Honestly, I don’t see what you’d do with a dead plant.”

“Oh, no, it’s still alive,” the younger replied confidently. It fit into his large, gentle hands almost perfectly. He gave a handsome grin and brushed one of the stems with a finger. “Just needs some care, that’s all.”

By this point, the shopkeeper believed that this guy was simply crazy. He shook his head and gave a small sigh. “Even if you’re right, you’d have to be a miracle worker to get it to grow. Probably be better off planting something else in there, like a cactus.”

“I have a way with houseplants. Maybe I am what this little guy needs.” The man chuckled. “Are you sure you don’t want the money? I’d gladly pay--”

“No, don’t bother. It was bound for the trash, anyway.”

“Thank you so much, sir.”

“My pleasure. Enjoy the rest of your day, and feel free to come back if something else interests you.” As the customer turned, the employee gazed at his wide back and thick arms. They were a direct contrast to how he was handling the plant. He was gazing down at it almost reverently, and he shifted it to one palm, moving to cup the top with the other.

What a strange young man.

Son Hyunwoo leaned into the glass of the door, pushing it open with his shoulder. The bell overhead gave a merry ding, but the fierce fall wind overpowered it in a second. Boy, the gale was quite strong today; it could carry a smaller person away. Days like this made the young man grateful for his broad frame. Sheer force pushed him along. Heaven forbid, it might also cause him to lose his precious cargo. Tenderly, he cradled the small terracotta pot in his hands, holding it close to his chest. Every once in a while, he took a glance down at it. Three slender, brown stems poked up from the dry dirt. The tiny shoots looked like they could break at the slightest touch.

If he was to be completely honest, he couldn’t even explain to himself why he’d picked up this plant. Maybe it was how small and sad it looked, or how it was so different from the other, healthier potted greenery in the shop window. If he’d tried harder, he might have resisted the urge to save it, but that apparently wasn’t what the fates had in mind. After staring for a bit too long, he'd stepped inside and approached the man at the desk. Perhaps it was force of habit.

Yeah, yeah, Hyunwoo knew he didn’t look the type. He was twenty-four, a freshly-graduated university student, and finishing up an internship at a marketing company. In his free time, he liked to jog, though he didn’t have quite as much stamina as he used to, when he played on a city championship-winning club football team. Every day at six am, he hit the gym, pumping iron for an hour before going to work. Though he was proud of his strength, most of the routine was solely to keep up old habits and cherished friendships (He quite enjoyed the company of Lee Hoseok, his friend from high school and fellow gymaholic). When Hyunwoo was home alone and didn’t have responsibilities to attend to, he read, danced, and sang. Most considered these things to be feminine or weak. He reveled in them, though, and could care less what other people thought of his hobbies.

As it turned out, another thing he loved was taking care of plants. This wasn't the first time he had brought a particularly neglected specimen home with him. Hyunwoo had a collection of greenery rescued from doorsteps, living rooms, shop windows, and even a bar or two. Ever since he was a kid and helped his grandma keep an indoor garden, he had a soft spot for anything that grew out of the dirt. She passed away during his second year of university, and soon after, he'd obtained his first brown-spotted cast iron plant at a friend's party. Everyone thought he was drunk when he asked if he could take it home, but that wasn’t it; he hadn't even had a beer yet. The owner of the place gave him permission, and after that, he’d wanted to get out of there straight away. Hyunwoo carried it back to his house, watered it faithfully, and pruned the most wilted leaves. Within a month, it was flourishing proudly in his entryway. There was something about tending to plant “friends” that put him at ease. Also, this was his own way of remembering his sweet Nana.

The longer he stayed on the street, the more the itch to get off of it intensified. Glancing both directions, Hyunwoo broke into a half-jog and hurried across the asphalt to his car, parked nearby. As he reached into his jacket pocket for his keys and popped the door of the sedan open, he had to fight the draft. It caught and tugged on everything--the car door, his jacket, even his nose and eyes. Hyunwoo was sure that his hair would be messed up majorly after this, but that didn’t really matter, as long as the plant was ok.

It felt like an eternity passed, but at long last, he was able to duck in and pull the door closed. Leaning his head back and closing his eyes, Hyunwoo sighed in relief. Though the wind still battered the sides of the car, he and his new acquisition were safe from it. A small smile graced his lips when he peeked between his fingers once more and saw that none of the stems had broken. In fact, maybe it was his imagination, but they seemed to have perked up a little. Like he had back in the shop, Hyunwoo brushed the top of one with a finger. “Hey, buddy...I’ve got you. It’ll be alright.” Anyone who caught him talking to his new plant would probably think he was downright insane, but he didn’t care. Besides, Nana had sworn that if you spoke lovingly to still-life things, they’d be healthier and last longer. “I’m gonna take you home, okay? I’ll get you some water and nutrients, and set you in a nice, safe spot. You’ll even be able to make some new friends, how does that sound, huh?” Giving the little flora one last smile, Hyunwoo gingerly set it next to him, in a shallow dip between the front two seats.

It only took a moment to find his key, and then, with a flick of the wrist, the car purred to life. Pulling carefully out of his parking spot, Hyunwoo immediately made for home. He was on his way out, anyway, having been to an eleven o’clock dentist’s appointment. Once he was comfortable with his route and how he was driving, he reached down once more and cradled the pot in his hand again. Maybe he was crazy, after all, but he felt fondness toward the tiny seedlings inside. Every thought was gone from his mind, except for one--he had to take care of them. What might they do if given a second chance?

 Well, as it turned out, a lot, apparently.

Hyunwoo kept his promises to the little wilting plant faithfully. As soon as he got home, he made room on his windowsill, alongside his greenery collection. There was slight shade there, and that would be better on the fragile seedlings than the straight sunshine they had been getting before. Then he mixed up a small batch of lukewarm water and liquid ez-grow, and carefully poured some into the bowl he’d set the pot in to act as a saucer. For extra measure, he got the dirt inside wet, as well. The three little plants looked even better than they had in the car, if it was even possible. If nothing else, they definitely seemed straighter than they were in the shop window. Proud of his new addition to the collection, Hyunwoo snapped a pic of it with his phone. He did this at regular intervals with all his houseplants--he took joy in seeing how they all fared over time.

Six hours later, he returned to find that the water had seemingly vanished into the pot. What was even more surprising, though, was that the three seedlings were green and reaching proudly for the sun. Hyunwoo couldn’t help but think that this was strange, but he poured in some more water-and-nutrients concoction anyway, took another snapshot, and left it to its magic.

The next time he came back, right before he was about to go to bed, about the same interval of time had passed. Again, the dirt was almost dry, and each stem was about an inch taller than before and a darker, richer shade of emerald. This flabbergasted Hyunwoo. How in the heck could something recover so fast? Of course, he knew bamboo grew up to thirty-five inches a day, but this was not bamboo. The leaf shape was all wrong. Abruptly, he remembered the pictures and pulled them up. It was nice to have confirmation that he wasn’t dreaming, and earlier that day the thriving flora was brown and dying. There wasn’t much he could do other than water it yet again, though (actually, he made sure to overdo it a little), and document its progress.

His foresight turned out to be wise. When he checked in the morning, right before his nine-to-five shift, the sprouts had once again taken all the water from their potting soil. Each stood as long and thick as his pointer finger. That meant they had, what--tripled in size overnight? Hyunwoo shook his head in disbelief and confirmed his suspicions with the photos he had taken. Again, he watered them, but he couldn’t also help but wonder and worry. Would he need to run a slow tap into the pot? If the plant was growing at this rate, naturally it would need more water. What was it, anyway? He had never heard of anything that grew this fast from a seedling and had leaves in the shape of a ㄱ. The question ate at him all through his shift. At break time, he did a Google search, scouring a couple dozen pages of results. It seemed that nobody, plant aficionado or botanist, discussed anything that fit the specifications of his new plant, and soon, he had to go back to work, so he gave up.

His mind settled a little on the drive home, only to stoke again when he encountered another surprise. Though the plant hadn't gotten any thicker around, it put on another four inches in height. Only about twenty-four hours had passed since he had purchased it, but anyone who didn’t know that might believe more time had elapsed between the first and last photo saved on his phone. Maybe, up to three or four weeks. It was crazy. To make matters even more intriguing, there were still no answers as to what the sprouts were. Hyunwoo tried every variation of Google search he could think of. He even went pages deep into the results, but still, nothing jumped out at him. Once, he thought he found something promising. The descriptions matched up, at least, and it was describing a fast-growing plant. However, then he’d read further in and discovered that he’d stumbled upon a cryptids website. It was discussing fairy plants--flora that housed nature spirits and other types of fae. He immediately clicked back. Whoever wrote that had to be crazy, right? Things like that didn’t exist.

So, Hyunwoo doubled down on tending to the little plant. He decided that evening that if the seedlings grew any more, he would move them. Indeed, they did, putting on some more height. Luckily, he had a spare pot lying around. It was about fifteen inches in diameter and had once belonged to a jade plant that had died of old age. In this new “home”, his mysterious new acquisition would definitely thrive for a while to come.

He performed the actual transfer the next afternoon, which really wasn't complicated. The only thing he had to do in prep was make a trip to the store beforehand to buy a fresh bag of potting soil. When he'd returned, he got to his knees on the hardwood floor by the window. His hands (and, by accident, the floor) had just gotten dirty and he was all poised to shift pots when the front door opened. It took but a second for Hyunwoo to realize who had let themselves in. Their footsteps were distinctive. “Hey,” he called out, leaning back so he could see better.

Sure enough, Chae Hyungwon, his best friend from University, came around the corner from the entryway. The tall, slender stockbroker had clearly just gotten off work. He was looking sharp in a suit and had his hands stuck in his pants pockets. Upon seeing his friend on the floor, he stopped in his tracks. “Of course. I come over after a long day, expecting to goad you into going to the bar with me tonight, and you’re sitting here playing with your plants.”

Per normal, Hyungwon’s tone was sarcastic and joking. He could be extremely sassy if he wanted to be, and that fact never failed to make Hyunwoo smile. “Well, you're probably used to it by now,” he shot back, “and I’m not playing with them. I’m saving this one’s life.”

A beat of silence passed before the punchline came. Whether it was intentional or not, the younger man had perfect comedic timing. “Shit, you’re right. That’s scary as hell.”

Hyunwoo began to chuckle before breaking out into a loud laugh. “Okay, alright, you win.”

“Better believe it.” Hyungwon fell silent after that, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. He seemed attentive and patient, so the older man took this as his cue to continue.

Digging his fingers into the soil surrounding his little stems, Hyunwoo lifted everything up and out. He couldn’t help but note that the roots had started growing down the sides of the pot. Relief flooded his conscience, making him sigh. If he would have waited any longer, it might have been too late. Hyunwoo grasped the bottom of the dirt clod, broke it apart gently, and held it over the new pot for a minute. A gentle rain of loose soil fell from between his hands. Only after it had slowed did he let it down and nestle the seedlings in their new home, packing the dirt around them to make a reservoir he could use for watering. “There,” he said at long last, standing up and brushing his hands off on his jeans. “Perfect.”

“So, that one finally needed a new home, huh?”

“Finally? If only you knew.” Well, that came out more biting than he intended. Hyunwoo let it go, though, for the moment. Once he had set the plant back on the windowsill, he turned and made his way to the kitchen, beckoning for his friend to follow. “I got that plant two days ago. When I first laid eyes on it, I could barely tell that it wasn’t dead, and now it’s put on a half foot.” Washing his hands in the sink, he prepped another batch of water and nutrient tonic.

From behind him, there came a scoff. “You’re kidding me, right? I don’t have a green thumb like you do, but that’s completely ludicrous.”

“Nah, man, I’m not. Here, I even have proof.” Hyunwoo pulled his phone out of his back pocket, and going to this photos, flicked through the ones he had taken recently. It didn't take long to find what he needed; he'd saved them in an album by the name of ‘기’ (Ki), after the little plant’s foliage shape. Then he held it out for Hyungwon to see.

The handsome stockbroker took it and scrolled sideways through snapshots. Once he figured out what he was looking at, he seemed confused; his brows furrowed, then peaked. Each photo got special attention. After a minute, he went back to the beginning and through them again. Hyungwon tapped the screen a few times, checking each time stamp for inconsistencies and/or mistakes. Honestly, Hyunwoo didn't blame him. Finally, he relinquished the phone, holding his hands up in surrender. “That’s freaky, man.”

“Right?” They went back out into the living room, where Hyunwoo slowly poured a big dose of water into the seedlings’ new pot. “It's already made this much progress, and I have no clue how much more it has to go.”

“I thought you always looked up how to care for your plants on Google?”

“I can't find anything on this one. It's like I have a designer plant or something. The leaves are a weird shape, and nothing except maybe bamboo grows this fast after being brown and brittle.”

“Huh.” Hyungwon came over to Hyunwoo’s side and rubbed a leaf between his fingers. It might have been a trick of the sunlight, but the seedlings had seemingly straightened up even more. “Well, I imagine the only thing you can do now is continue to take care of it.”

“Yeah,” Hyunwoo sighed. “I’ll do my best. We'll see where it goes.” All at once, he perked up. “--Or, rather, where it grows.”

“I swear to God, Son Hyunwoo, that is the worst pun you've ever said to my face, and you are already the king of bad wordplay.”

“Sorry,” the older replied, shrugging and smiling sheepishly.

In little more than four weeks, Hyunwoo had to move the little plant from the windowsill to the floor. He couldn't call it small anymore, either. Now the stems were almost four feet tall, and each about as thick around as his wrist. However, it was hard to determine an exact height, because at some point they had started to lean. Their growth pattern continued in that way until they had formed a circle, layering on top of each other to create a round, trunk-like structure. After settling, they turned a curious shade of dark brownish-gray, and in some cases sprouted smaller branches with leaves. When touched, they also felt wooden. Hyunwoo watched this transformation with interest. It was almost like a vine-based plant was becoming a tree.

He was still watering it up to ten times a day. The bigger it got, the thirstier it seemed to become. To fill the need, Hyunwoo figured out a way to have a direct water line from the kitchen sink to the pot. All it took was a small section of garden hose. If he left the faucet on and let it slowly drip while he was at work, he didn't have to worry about the soil drying out. Once or twice, he thought about the fact that the plant was consuming water like a human would, and greedily. That was impossible, too, though, and he pushed it out of his mind.

Maybe it didn't make a difference, but he also continued to encourage it with kindness. The plant had made so much progress, and though it gave him stress sometimes, he was also proud. It gave him hope that he was doing the right thing. Like his Nana would have wanted, he shared that emotion with what caused it. Thus, he had a chance to release those feelings in a healthy way. Besides, it only seemed appropriate. Every time Hyunwoo passed the pot and greenery, he took a moment to smile and rub a ㄱ shaped leaf or two. Sometimes, he also had words of love. He considered himself to be a caretaker and guardian to all his precious flora, after all. Some people even jokingly referred to him as ‘plant dad’.

Given such a steady supply of nourishment, it wasn't long before the flora surpassed the height of his tallest cast iron specimen. Even as it continued to put on inches, it also thickened, and soon threatened to spill over the sides of the pot. This put Hyunwoo in a unique predicament. If the plant wasn't already root bound, it was going to be soon. That meant he either had to perform another transplant or let it take outside in his already-tiny yard. The latter, he didn't want to do. Its behavior so far had convinced Hyunwoo that it was strictly a household plant, no matter how big it got. So, he began to call every place in the phonebook that labeled themselves ‘Greenhouse’ or ‘Garden Center’. He needed to find the biggest size of flower pot he could. Few words were needed to get his point across. It was as simple as introducing himself and then asking the question. Some places only sold smaller planters, not much bigger than the one currently home to the strange greenery, but others seemed promising. Some carried thirty inch-diameter pots; others said thirty-six inches was their biggest. Most of those upper-end planters were about that deep as well.

He struck true gold on one of his last phone calls, though. A lady with a peppy voice answered the phone, and as usual, Hyunwoo said his spiel. “Well sir,” she replied, “You're in luck. One of our regular customers ordered a jumbo size flower pot that's forty-eight inches in diameter, and perhaps a little deeper than its width. We got a set of four, but he only wanted three, so we've been trying to get rid of the extra for a while now. I'll cut the price for you if you're interested.”

“Oh, really?” Hyunwoo leaned back and brushed the hair back from his brow. “Yeah, sure, that would be nice, actually. When could I come pick it up?”

“Whenever you want. I'll be here until five.”

Fifteen minutes later, he was at the store. As she’d promised, the employee let him have the pot for seventy-five percent off. He had a feeling that his attractiveness level had something to do with that number. Price, though, he quickly came to find out, was nothing compared to how awkward carrying the thing was. It even made him question his own sanity a couple times. In the end, it barely fit in the backseat of the car. There almost wasn’t enough room for his other purchases: a couple big bags of soil and some more nutrients, as he was running low.

Hyunwoo tried to be as gentle as he could. He drove carefully, not taking turns too fast. On his way inside the house, he also made sure to hold on to the pot with two hands. Something close to exhaustion set in once the task was complete. Still, he wasn't done yet. The thought of trying to clear a space for the ginormous terracotta pot was honestly torture. He chose the first alternative he saw: a sunny place just beyond the entryway, next to the kitchen and visible from the living room. He set everything down there, dumped soil in, and did the transplant. The size of his plant’s new home relative to the old one was about the same as the first time. Hyunwoo prayed with all his might that he wouldn’t have to repeat that again.

Another month passed. Two. Three. Before he knew it, Hyunwoo had a plant standing in his entryway that touched the eight-foot ceiling. It was also once again close to the edges of the pot, and that made him worry. Weren't the roots restricted? Surely, they didn’t have room to spread and continue to support the tree. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to take the plant out to the yard. The hunt to find a bigger container would probably be fruitless, too. So, Hyunwoo waited for the inevitable death of the plant--but it defied expectations. Given that he fed it a steady stream of water, and also nutrients on occasion, it seemed to flourish.

Fearing that it might try to grow too tall, Hyunwoo invested in some clippers. However, it turned out that he didn’t need those, either. Oddly, the plant seemed to know its limits. When it hit the top, it thinned and started spreading out. New, slender green vines clung to the ceiling and pushed forward, making their way through the house. They mostly concentrated in the living room, but a few also inhabited the kitchen, laundry room, and spare bedroom. He clipped any that tried to breach the doorway to his bedroom, and the bathroom, though. For some odd reason, allowing that felt like an invasion of his personal space. Besides, then the doors wouldn't be able to close.

One day, Hyunwoo noticed a small green teardrop forming near the main trunk of the tree. It wasn't a new leaf; he knew what those looked like, and this was completely different. More of these new buds appeared in the next twenty-four hours. It didn't take long to realize what was going on, and luckily, Hyunwoo was there to see what happened next.

It seemed like for a while, the plant held its breath. Then, in the span of only a few minutes, everything bloomed.

Pretty, reddish-orange flowers with six petals and a chocolate brown center covered the ceiling wherever vines grew. They were tiny (not even as big as a one-won coin), delicate, and filled the house with a subtle, pleasant scent. To Hyunwoo, it was something like a mix between baby powder and peaches. If he was being honest, he was in awe. How was it that this little plant from an antique store had ended up being such a treasure? It filled his home with beauty, and in such a short time, had become as big a part of his life as the house itself. Now he couldn't pass it in the entryway without taking a moment to touch and whisper to it.

Hyungwon, too, gawked the first time he saw this lovely display. He had been over a few more times since the first, so he was aware of the plant’s progress, but still, the flowers were something he hadn't expected at all. The moment he walked in, he was staring up. His jaw only dropped open wider at the fact that the branches had spread through the entire house. For the first time, perhaps ever, Hyunwoo saw him at a loss for words.

Not long after that, the plant decreased its water intake dramatically. One morning, the dirt in the pot was over-saturated, and the entryway flooded. Hyunwoo cleaned up the best he could and backed off the water from the sink. Even then, it threatened to spill over again. It forced him to re-establish a watering routine, and so he dousing the soil with water every few hours. It seemed that now, the unusual flora was only taking in enough nourishment to support its flowers. All growth halted, and the remaining green vines turned woody and gray, like the trunk. Hyunwoo didn’t mind, really; leaving the sink on all the time had earned him a huge water bill the month before.

For some reason or other, this turn of events filled Hyunwoo with a sense of contentment. He still wanted to see the plant through the rest of its life. Admittedly, he’d grown more attached to it than his other greenery.

Little did he know that things were about to get even more interesting.

Hyunwoo walked in his front door one evening, and got the shock of his life.

Work had been stressful, but fulfilling. He’d fidgeted all day after the morning brought an impromptu visit from his immediate supervisor, Mr. Lee Seyoung. He asked if Hyunwoo would be willing to stay for a few minutes after his shift. This was quite odd, since overtime was rarely granted, and it was rare that anyone broke the rules, anyway. The whole thing put a weird feeling in Hyunwoo’s stomach, for some reason, but he agreed. Nothing was on his agenda for that evening, so a little bit of time was something he could spare.

Well, it turned out that his boss had set up a meeting with Mr. Kang, the CEO. Apparently, Seyoung really liked Hyunwoo and believed him to be an asset the company should not let go of. To support that opinion, he produced documents showing that their department’s productivity had gone up by eleven percent since Hyunwoo had started his internship. “He’s become a member of my team, and contributes valuable ideas and input weekly, if not daily. I have never seen or heard of a more capable and dedicated intern in my years with this company.” The boss finished up with the fact that Hyunwoo’s first partnership, with the owner of a small frozen yogurt shop, had been a stellar success. One location had grown by leaps and bounds, and now there were several spread across Seoul. The advertising campaign the intern had helped organize was a big part of the reason.

When Mr. Lee finished with all he had to say, Mr. Kang excused him, then turned his attention to Hyunwoo. After a couple questions about whether he’d enjoyed his experience under Seyoung and at the company in general (yes, very much), and if there were already other plans for employment lined up (no), the question came out:

“If I was to offer you a position today, which I am fully prepared to do, would you take it?”

Hyunwoo nearly fainted with excitement and happiness and accepted on the spot. Did Mr. Kang know exactly how much of a weight off his back this was? It meant that now, he didn't have to worry about hunting for a job. That was a major stressor, eliminated. Truly, he had loved working for the company; at every turn, he’d met people he admired and respected. A future with them was one of the best outcomes he could ask for. Suddenly, the days ahead were full of possibility.

Happy songs were playing on the radio all the way home, and Hyunwoo couldn’t help but smile and sing along with the ones he knew. He even threw in a couple upper body dance moves while he was stuck in traffic. His heart was so light, and he felt like smiling until his cheeks hurt. Today can’t get any better, he thought absentmindedly. I’ll call Hyungwon and tell him the good news, and we can go bar hopping or something to celebrate.

Dusk had already fallen when he pulled into his driveway. Hyunwoo whistled to himself as he parked, turned off the car, and made his way up the sidewalk and front steps. He grasped the knob on his front door with one hand, while the other slid his key in the deadbolt lock. After that, it only took a simultaneous turn of his wrist and shoulder to the wood to get into the house. Hyunwoo waltzed in, setting his keys and bag down on a nearby table, and made for the kitchen. As he passed his plant, he reached out and was about to give it a pat--

A sudden, strange sound made him stop abruptly. It would have been easy to brush it off as something shifting, or a sound from next door, but this was different for some reason. Hyunwoo went dead quiet, and in moments, came to realize that yes, he wasn’t hearing things. There was a faint breathing coming from the living room. He couldn’t see anything out of place, though, and a shiver ran down his spine. Cautiously, he crept forward and peeked over the top of the sofa, glancing down to an unexpected sight. As the truth settled in, his eyes widened, and recoiling, he gave a short cry of terror.

There was someone sleeping there, lying stretched out across the couch cushions, on their side. The rise and fall of their chest was barely visible in the growing darkness. It was a man, by the looks of it, and buck naked. Hyunwoo’s mind raced. What was he doing here? How had he gotten inside in the first place? Was it under the influence of drugs or with bad intentions? In any case, seeing the complete stranger zonked out on the sofa sent Hyunwoo into panic mode. He bolted for the kitchen, pulling a sushi knife from a drawer and fishing for his cell phone in his back pocket. As soon as he had it out, his trembling hand flicked to the emergency call screen, and he dialed 119.

In what seemed like only a flash, he was back in his living room again, standing over the sleeper. His finger hovered over the call button; he knew that he should go ahead and press it. Then, he’d make a run for the front door again, so he wouldn’t wake this guy before the police arrived. Yet, once again, something stopped him.

Perhaps it was that he got a better look. Hyunwoo’s tight throat and chest wouldn’t allow him to breathe, so he sat there for a minute, heaving for air. That forced him to take another glance, and suddenly, Hyunwoo couldn't stop staring.

The mysterious man was fairly small, only about 160 centimeters in comparison to Hyunwoo’s 181. Medium-long, orange hair (the shade of which was almost irritatingly familiar) fell across his forehead, swept behind his ear, and framed his face. He had a strong jaw and a handsome, pointed nose, though his long eyelashes and plump lips gave him a delicate look. Next to Hyunwoo’s dark golden skin tone, he was a little lighter, but really not by much. Last, but not least, his complexion was pristine and clean, almost like a baby’s. There was no blemish or spot anywhere on his body. Though he was no Adonis (it was very hard to beat Hoseok’s toned, chiseled figure in that regard) he was still well-formed, and a dazzling sight--pure, innocent almost.

How could someone this--adorable have just turned up here? Nothing seemed to be off or wrong, and there was no evidence to suggest a break-in. The longer the taller man stayed, the more the alarm system in his head faded into the background. Yes, this was an intruder, but he was just lying there, sleeping.

In the end, Hyunwoo never dialed the emergency number and switched off the screen. He still shook a little but managed to calm down enough to go put the knife away. Maybe that was a stupid move, yeah; any other rational person would definitely have treated this as a home invasion. Something deep down inside told him that it was alright, though. This would all work out. When he came back around toward the couch, protective instinct kicked in. It consumed every other feeling he had and took him completely over. Maybe this guy was confused and unfortunate, and needed a ride home or to the hospital. Or, perhaps they’d met at the bar one night, and Hyunwoo just didn’t remember.

Shifting slightly in his sleep, the orange-haired beauty curled up further and shivered. Without a second thought, Hyunwoo pulled a quilt from the back of a nearby chair, the warmest he had. Trying to be as quiet as possible, he stepped over and gently draped the blanket on top of his guest.

All was well at first; the man hummed and smiled, snuggling deeper into the couch. However, the change in weight must have disturbed his slumber, because in the next moment, he was blinking back to consciousness. He lifted a hand to his eyes and rubbed them drowsily as they fluttered open. “Mm--Hyunwoo-hyung?” were the first, quiet words out of his mouth.

Another chill wracked Hyunwoo's body, and he froze. Swallowing his growing apprehension, he glanced down to the sight of the stranger's gaze trained reverently on him. Questions multiplied in his head. Wait--what? This stranger knew his name and was addressing him like an old, beloved friend. That was impossible, right?

“Hyung! Finally, you're home!” Suddenly, with a burst of energy, said individual jumped up from the couch, then launched himself into the taller’s arms. Taken completely by surprise, Hyunwoo scrambled to adjust, and managed to regain his balance, saving both of them from ending up on the floor. When the confusion settled, the man had latched on like a baby sloth. He'd wrapped his legs around Hyunwoo's waist, and was clearly trying to cuddle as close as possible, too.

Hyunwoo couldn't move, petrified with shock and trapped in a moment of awkwardness. Even his vocal cords felt frozen. He’d somehow managed to hook a supportive arm around the man’s small waist, and now couldn’t let go. To save the last shred of sanity he had, he also purposely tried not to think about the genitalia pressed against his belly.

“Oh, I thought you’d never come back! Today, of all days.” A few warm, gentle teardrops dripped down onto Hyunwoo’s shoulder. “I've been waiting so long.”

Swallowing hard, Hyunwoo made his voice obey him this time. It came out a little broken, but he managed to control things somewhat. “Sir, I’m really sorry, but I have no clue what you’re talking about. I don’t recall ever having met you in my life. So, um, would you please stop calling me hyung? It makes me uncomfortable.”

Slowly, the smaller man glanced up, and his smile dropped. The cutest look of confusion came across his features; his mouth hung open, and his eyebrows scrunched together. “W--wait, what? You don’t--”

“Who are you anyway? What are you doing in my house?”

“Oh...you really don’t recognize me.” All the strength seemed to leave the visitor’s body, and now he looked sad. Tears filled his eyes, and his lips began to tremble. “But how? You’re the one who brought me here, and you’ve been taking care of me. I--I’ve lived with you for months now.”

"Are you sure you have the right place--?” Terror washed over Hyunwoo in a new wave. If this man had been living with him, where had he been hiding all this time? He considered going back into the kitchen and grabbing the sushi knife again. However, the sobs that broke from the smaller's throat stopped that train of thought in its tracks.

“Yes!” The stranger buried his face back into Hyunwoo’s shoulder. “I haven’t been outside…not since the day you rescued me from death. You’re my savior, and I want to repay you for that! Why don’t you recognize me…?”

Something clicked in the taller man’s head. Carefully, he turned around and came to a revelation. The words reminded him of the little plant he adopted, and sure enough, something had split its trunk wide open. There was a hollow in the center big enough for a man this size to fit tightly. “H--hold on. Are you saying that you came from the tree in the entryway?”

A little bit of hope returned to the orange-haired man's face. Light danced in his eyes, and he nodded. “Yeah, close. See, I am the plant--or rather, its guardian.” When Hyunwoo’s confused and distraught remained, though, he shrank back again. “Are you gonna throw me out?” He asked, weakly.

"What? No, no, I could never." That would be nothing but cruel. Sure, this--nature spirit? had little understanding of the concepts of privacy and security, and also thought, erroneously, that they had met before. He probably figured that since Hyunwoo talked to him on a consistent basis, they were already acquainted. All this at once made the taller man's head spin. Still, his protective instinct was strong. Now that he knew that this man meant no harm, he was put a lot more at ease. Hyunwoo felt a deep, pervasive desire to nurture him like he had with the mother plant. Instinctively, he rocked a bit and hummed softly in an attempt to calm the tears splashing onto his shirt. "Hey, um, let's get you some clothes, and we can talk after that. Ok?"

His human (or, Hyunwoo supposed, fairy) koala nodded slightly, making an obvious effort to calm his heaving sobs. He climbed down, and together, they made their way to the bedroom.

"I-it's Kihyun. If that matters to you."

"What's Kihyun? Your name?"

"Yeah." The shorter man looked so small, kind of like a kid, as he hung his head and nervously fidgeted with his fingers.

"It's nice to meet you, Kihyun." In hopes of easing his worry, Hyunwoo gave him a big smile. "Your leaves are shaped like that, aren't they?"

If he hadn't turned to push the door open at that very moment, he might have seen the red that rose to his guest’s cheeks.

Once inside his own room, Hyunwoo headed straight for the closet. On the top shelf, there was a box of things his mother had insisted he take with him when he moved out of the house to go to college. It was mostly junk from his middle school days, so he didn't quite see her point, but acquiesced anyway. There were a few nifty toys that might be of interest to any grandsons that might come along, and some other things that carried memories, such as an empty, crudely-painted flower pot and some old, ripped play money. Also in the box happened to be Hyunwoo's lucky checkered boxers. They were too small for him now, but he was sure they'd fit his guest perfectly. It only took a moment of digging around before he found them. In handing them to Kihyun, he stretched the waistband to show what side was up. "Put these on your legs, like my pants are on mine."

The smaller man nodded and stepped in, pulling them up. Meanwhile, Hyunwoo dug around in the back of his closet until he came across a tee shirt that had shrunk in the wash. Also, he found the smallest pair of sweats he owned. Kihyun got dressed in those, too, and Hyunwoo laughed at how oversized on him they were. The fairy was practically drowning in cloth. It made him look even smaller than he was. Hyunwoo had to fight back a sudden urge to cuddle him.

 So, that was how Son Hyunwoo came to have a nymph living with him literally full-time. Kihyun never left the house after the first time they went somewhere together. Things spiraled out of control, and could have ended badly if it wasn’t for some quick thinking.

In short, Hyunwoo took Kihyun shopping one day, about a week after their meeting. The latter had never been on a big excursion like this, and they both soon came to find out that any prolonged separation from his mother plant could be fatal. Only about thirty minutes after they’d gotten to the department store, Kihyun was looking very pale. He started to shake like a leaf in the wind, but insisted he was fine; that is, until he gave out completely. Hyunwoo dropped everything to run over and catch him. After asking Kihyun what was wrong, to uncertain responses, he carried the smaller man to a nearby bench.

A few minutes passed, and the little fae was looking worse and worse. It was to the point he couldn’t even vocalize anymore. Hyunwoo was considering rushing home, when he had a sudden thought. Faintly, he remembered seeing some water bottles for sale in a cooler on the way in. Maybe that would provide Kihyun the sustenance he needed until they could do what they needed to. This on the forefront of his mind, Hyunwoo promised that he’d only be gone a few minutes, and ran off.

When he returned, Kihyun looked too close to dead for comfort. Hyunwoo’s hands shook as he scrambled to get the cap off the bottle. Carefully, he tipped the nymph’s head back and poured liquid down his throat. It took a couple more times before this actually started to work, but it did nonetheless. Soon, Kihyun had regained enough strength to hold the bottle in his hand and drink mouthfuls from it himself. He didn’t quite get back to his peppy, smiley self until they were home again, but it at least saved his life. They were also able to finish getting basic necessities and clothes that fit.

This wasn’t all they had to learn; really, there was a lot on both ends. For instance, it was a while before Hyunwoo discovered Kihyun’s surname: Yoo. The reason that the nymph’s hair color was so familiar was because it was the same as the petals from the flowers off his tree. His eyes, too, were the chocolate brown of their centers. Most interestingly of all, he didn’t need any food, just water. That made sense, though, considering that if he ate anything, it would be cannibalism. (Yes, even meat. All of it was plant-fed.)

Something else that Kihyun revealed was that long ago, he had been a free-spirited, mischievous woodland guardian. A witch caught him in her garden one day and bound his existence to the plant. Her curse was that he'd wait in obscurity for a thousand lifetimes, and only when a special individual nurtured him to full growth would he appear in physical form again. Hyunwoo didn’t doubt a word of the account. He was already past the point where things sounded crazy to him. As he listened and nursed a cup of coffee, pride grew in his breast. He must have done a good job of raising the mother plant, because all things considered, its fae was strong and healthy. In light of this, he loved praising the smaller man all the more.

“Hey, have I ever told you how proud of you I am?”

“I’m so glad I found you in the window that day.”

“You make me happy.”

Before the plant had made its switch from foliage to person, Hyunwoo had also gotten in the habit of saying I love you. Now, that felt wrong, though. His relationship to Kihyun wasn't, and would never be, romantic. Someday, he might admit that he had love in his heart for the nymph, like a father loves his son, but not yet. He was just caring for him like he would for any one of his other greeneries, and that was that.

Little did Hyunwoo know, however, that his conception of the dynamic was completely different from Kihyun’s.

The faerie’s consciousness had existed in his plant, even from the beginning. Hearing Hyunwoo’s voice for the first time, in the antique shop, had jerked him out of restless slumber. For the first time since the cursing, someone was showing Kihyun true attention and love. Thus, he quickly came to realize that this was the special one the witch had talked about all those years ago. The tiny nymph-in-a-pot dared to hope that things would work out in the end, despite the fate that awaited him--a cruel and painful death. (Of course, he’d never tell Hyunwoo that part of the story.)

It was just--why did his human caretaker have to be so beautiful? Kihyun knew he was a goner from the moment he was first nestled in those big, rough hands. Even having frolicked among dozens of gorgeous deities, and also lived among humans for such a long time, he could still swear that Hyunwoo was the most handsome man he had ever seen. As the days passed, his attraction only got stronger. It was the small things that did him in. Kihyun fell for Hyunwoo’s kind and easygoing ways, how he danced and sang when he thought no one was watching, and last but not least, his delightful laugh and smile. There was no denying that Kihyun was totally and hopelessly in love.

Now that the fae was in a physical form, it was like a dream come true. Kihyun tried to be close to the human as much as he could. He wanted to spend every moment with Hyunwoo, so it hurt to see him leave in the morning. Kihyun could understood sleep, of course; he, too, needed to rest. Burning nine to ten hours of daylight without his favorite person, though, was torture. The amount of time that this thing called ‘work’ demanded was ridiculous. Why did Hyunwoo continue to go day after day, with only the occasional day off? Was it really necessary? Kihyun asked about what it entailed, even, and things didn't get any clearer. Hyunwoo said that in short, his job involved performing a lot of different tasks to make others happy. That sounded incredibly boring, but Kihyun didn't question it or prod further.

A couple times, Kihyun tried to keep Hyunwoo back from it by begging, pleading, and restraining him. Finally, Hyunwoo sat him down and treated him to one of his gentle explanations. Apparently, the human world ran on things called won, or money (they were the same). If Hyunwoo didn’t go to work, he would have no won, and thus also no place to live or water to drink. The idea was strange and foreign, but Kihyun did his best to understand. He was sure that his caretaker would never lie to him.

Though he wasn’t sure if he’d ever understand, Kihyun got used to it eventually. At least, he learned that he could always count on Hyunwoo to return around the same time every evening. There was an occasional exception, though, like the day that Kihyun had chosen to emerge. If that happened, he tried desperately to keep himself calm, and usually within a half hour, Hyunwoo was home.

However, in the meantime, Kihyun had free rein of the house. Usually, he read a book, tended to his tree, or slept. However, then, one weekend, Hyunwoo showed him the internet: more specifically, a few sites with games on them. Kihyun was in awe of how a flat piece of metal could do so much and quickly got addicted. It made the hours until his caretaker came home fly by.

There was a dark side to technology, though. Kihyun found that out the day he stumbled upon something strange in Hyunwoo’s browser history: porn. Of course, because of his never-ending curiosity, he clicked it. What he saw shocked him. It was like...procreation. Kihyun’s parents had taught him that it was necessary, but a taboo topic. Two faes only had sex when they loved each other very much. From the videos he watched, though, it seemed that some humans didn't care. Some even recorded themselves doing it or had others record them doing it. They engaged in other intimate acts, too, like kissing, touching, and biting.

Sometimes, Kihyun would imagine that the couple in the video was himself and Hyunwoo. Within seconds, he’d be trembling as a strange feeling took him over. He would grow hard in his underwear, and every fiber of him begged for touch. When he wrapped a hand around his dick, clear, slick fluid leaked out. Moving up and down the shaft sent indescribable feelings through Kihyun’s body. Before he could process it, he had instinctively buried two fingers in his asshole. The thought of Hyunwoo’s husky voice asking him to come was what undid the little nymph.

After that discovery, Kihyun cautiously started getting more handsy. Hugging and snuggling with Hyunwoo was already the best feeling in the world, but now he wanted more. He expressed his love for the human all the time, and for the most part, received it back. Of course, It disappointed Kihyun that Hyunwoo didn’t say the l-word anymore, but that didn’t matter. He was always the type that let his actions speak louder than words. Why couldn’t they go further than “safe” touch, though?

Unfortunately, nothing Kihyun tried worked, short of an outright makeout session (and he wasn’t near bold enough to attempt that yet). He touched and nuzzled every sensitive spot he knew, but Hyunwoo only smiled softly and cuddled back in return. It was frustrating, but the nymph waited patiently for his chance. He was sure that one would come eventually, and it did.

Though it definitely didn't have the outcome he'd hoped.

It had been about four months since Kihyun came into Hyunwoo’s life, and they’d fallen into a comfortable routine. Mornings started early, around five am or so. Hyunwoo would rise first, shower, and make a small breakfast for himself, or toss together some cereal and milk. Inevitably, Kihyun would not be too far behind. He didn’t eat, but always chose to nurse a glass of water and hang out at the table. Before letting Hyunwoo go, the nymph gave his caretaker a hug and perhaps a little kiss on the jaw.

The gym and work never changed, though the tasks and routines changed day-to-day. Hyunwoo still hung out with Hoseok at the weight rack and bench press, and his new job was satisfying. Occasionally, a tough day would come around, and that was particularly true one balmy Thursday in April. Calls kept flooding in right after another. Hyunwoo did his best to handle everything he could at once, but it was not always enough. Those kinds of shifts were draining, so understandably, he came home that evening exhausted.

Kihyun greeted him at the door as always, with a bright smile that lit up even the human’s worst of times. Hyunwoo accepted a welcome home hug and mussed the nymph’s hair fondly. Today, more than usual, he was aware of Kihyun’s hand in the small of his back, rubbing slowly. Determined to put that out of his mind, he chalked it up to stress.

Not that Hyunwoo hadn’t noticed the fae’s growing insistence on intimate touch. Honestly, it was hard to miss. At first, the contact was fleeting and occasional, but now, when they cuddled on the couch (often while watching a movie), Kihyun let his hands roam more. He’d drag his fingertips down Hyunwoo’s forearm, or draw patterns onto his inner thigh. Did that mean he was becoming more comfortable?

It never crossed the human's mind that Kihyun might be head over heels in love. Admittedly, he had always been a little slow to see things. Maybe if he’d noticed one more of Kihyun’s stares or blushes, he might have realized the truth earlier. Unfortunately, he didn’t and remained oblivious to the nymph’s feelings.

The rest of the night passed quickly. Hyunwoo had brought some work home with him, and that was a time eater. When that option presented itself, he always took it, however. It was nice to sprawl out on the couch in his pajamas and take his time finishing an email or brainstorming things for clients. His own home was a whole lot quieter than the constant bustle of the company offices. Potential distractions were fewer in number, too. Not to mention, there was also the fact that this was a perfect opportunity to let Kihyun snuggle him.

Around nine pm, the nymph started to yawn. His eyes would droop shut before abruptly, he’d jerk awake again. Hyunwoo gave a low chuckle at how adorable he was. “Looks like it’s bedtime for you, huh, little guy?”

Reluctant to leave his warm, comfy “pillow”, Kihyun grumbled and complained some, but didn’t argue. Setting down Hyunwoo’s cell phone (he often asked to use it when things were slow), he peeled himself away. From where Hyunwoo was sitting, he could see the entrance to what was formerly the guest bedroom, now Kihyun’s. The little plant spirit disappeared inside. There was the characteristic sound of fabric rustling as he changed into pajamas. Every once in a while, the human checked over his shoulder to see whether the light had turned off yet.

Soon, accompanied by a soft padding of footsteps, it did. That was the cue for him to lay aside his computer and the documents he had in his hand, take off his glasses, and make his way there. Kihyun was just settling down, burying his face in the pillow as always. He'd bunched the blankets up near his shoulders, which was also a normal occurrence. Carefully, Hyunwoo crept over and sat down on the side of the bed. “Goodnight, Kihyun-ah.”

“Goodnight, hyung.” The bright, sweet smile Hyunwoo got in return was everything. Kihyun looked so tiny as he snuggled in deeper. The human at his side seemed to be the object of his admiration. Reached out for his caretaker’s hand, he held it gently as his eyes fluttered shut. After only a few minutes, his breathing leveled out. No doubt, he was fast asleep and dreaming of whatever nymphs dreamed about. Once he also started to snore a little, Hyunwoo left as quietly as he could, shutting the door behind him.

Walking out of that room was the equivalent of being thrust into the fire after living in a haven, especially tonight. Giving a groan, he plopped down on the couch and settled his glasses on the bridge of his nose. He had to push rogue thoughts out of his head before diving right back in with fervor. If he didn’t, he might give in to the unwanted desire to go cuddle with Kihyun.

Time plodded on, or, rather, kept flying. A couple more correspondences and good thousand words of a report later, Hyunwoo glanced at the time and realized it was almost twelve-thirty in the morning. Eyes widening in surprise, he sat up straighter and flexed his aching shoulders. Better stop now, or else he might get reprimanded for working overtime. He was already pushing it this week, even having taken tomorrow off.

So, Hyunwoo logged out of the program keeping track of his hours and shut his work computer. As darkness engulfed him, he pondered going to bed, but in the end, decided against it. He wanted to watch a couple more episodes of a drama he’d been working through lately. Might as well, considering that he had nothing to do in the morning other than eventually meet Hoseok at the gym. They’d set a time for eight-thirty on their days off. The remote slid almost effortlessly into his hand. Flipping the television on, Hyunwoo clicked through a couple screens to get to his drama subscription service. So what if he was a sucker for sappy romance plots? If others weren’t, they wouldn’t exist. The volume was a little loud at first, so he turned it down and laid back. What would the couple on screen be up to this time around?

One episode had already come and gone, and another was only about ten minutes in when something not quite usual happened. A small sniffle came from behind, and Hyunwoo turned to see Kihyun standing there in the hallway. The little nymph was carrying a big, fuzzy blanket and wiping his eyes. Fresh tear tracks streaked down his face. A sleepy droop to his eyelids revealed that he was only half-awake.

“Kihyunnie? What’s wrong?” “Hadda bad nightmare,” the nymph sighed in reply, running one small hand through his hair. “Can I stay out here with you?”

Hyunwoo’s heart softened. “Alright,” he relented and patted the spot beside him, where Kihyun had been earlier. It seemed that the little plant spirit had other ideas, though. He broke into a tired smile and headed for the couch. However, instead of settling down in the expected place, he climbed up onto his caretaker’s open lap instead. Caught off-guard, Hyunwoo gave a tentative oh, but didn’t protest. Memories and sensations from their initial encounter instantly began flooding in. Kihyun’s knees squeezed the human's hips firmly but gently, and he nuzzled into a spot between Hyunwoo's neck and shoulder. This pressed their bodies flush; the two of them fit together so perfectly, it was almost criminal.

Sighing in contentment, Hyunwoo wrapped an arm around Kihyun’s waist. A gentle, melodic hum flowed forth from his lips, and before he knew it, he was combing his fingers through orange locks. The attentions seemed to work like a magical 'soothe Kihyun' charm. He began to calm down, hiccups growing less frequent and further apart.

The drama kept playing. Hyunwoo tried to pay attention but found it impossible with a small, cute boy drifting off in his arms. He managed to get most of the important plot points, however, even while his brain was overtaken by other things--mostly, how Kihyunnie was just as adorable as the day they had met. The nymph’s face wasn’t visible, but it was obvious that a peaceful smile was on his lips. Hyunwoo could feel their upward curve as they pressed into his neck. Gentle breaths tickled the sensitive skin there.

Then, all too soon, the credits were rolling. Subtle noises from Hyunwoo's shoulder revealed that Kihyun was fast asleep. Not wanting to wake him, the human tried to be as careful as he could, and reached out to press the power button on the TV remote. Darkness engulfed the room, and the only light left was from the streetlamps outside. Moving up to the front edge of the couch, Hyunwoo held the nymph tightly to himself and thought things through best he could in his exhausted state. Despite the fact that Kihyun was out cold, his grip hadn’t relaxed any at all; if anything, it had grown more secure. Hyunwoo doubted that he’d be able to loosen it without waking him up.

That was what, in the end, led to the decision to just take them both to the master bedroom. The extra presence wouldn’t keep Hyunwoo from falling asleep, after all. More importantly, though, it might mean that Kihyunnie wouldn't have more nightmares. If he did, knowing his caretaker was nearby might comfort him, too.

So, Hyunwoo got up slowly, trying to be as quiet and steady as he could. The weight of his passenger felt like nothing, and it wasn't long before he settled himself down on the edge of his bed. Not for the first time, the human found himself glad that he was already in pajamas. Changing would be next to impossible at this point, and Hyunwoo hated sleeping in his clothes. Pulling back the covers, he turned and laid down as carefully as possible. It took a few moments and readjustments, but soon he found a comfortable position, and only then did he finally allow himself to relax.

Then, all at once, Kihyun pervaded Hyunwoo's mind. The nymph’s orange hair fanned out perfectly across the pillow. He seemed as serene and happy as he had been in the living room. The gentle moonlight that filtered in through the sheer white curtains seemed to touch him fondly. His sharp jaw, long, delicate eyelashes, and pronounced cupid’s bow should be familiar, but Hyunwoo could swear that he was seeing them for the first time in this moment. He looks so beautiful, flashed through the human’s head before he could stop it. Maybe it was only how a result of how tired he was or a trick of the night’s strange magic, but he found himself unable to stop himself from reaching up to softly brush the smooth skin of Kihyun’s cheek. In response, the nymph stirred, gave a tiny, adorable yawn, and, if it was even possible, snuggled closer.

The added body heat was making it hard for Hyunwoo to keep his eyes open, which was frustrating because he wanted to watch Kihyun more. Yet, he knew that if he did, it might lead his already-dangerous wandering mind into territory he didn’t want to go.

So, taking one last moment to rub Kihyun’s shoulder blade in small circles, he allowed sleep to claim him at last.

The next morning, Hyunwoo awoke to an unfamiliar sensation--something ghosting across his face. It took him a moment to realize what it was, but the instant it hit, the gears of his mind ground to a halt.

What the hell? Someone was kissing him. Not deeply or sloppily; just fleetingly, brief presses of soft lips to his. Some were slower and longer than others. It crossed his mind that this was a wet dream; however, that was quickly proven incorrect. When his eyelids fluttered open, Kihyun was lying there next to him, inches away. Memories slowly but surely returned of the late night before. Fleetingly, Hyunwoo also remembered the pangs of...whatever that emotion had been, the one that had struck him as he'd watched the little nymph sleep. Now, it seemed that it was Kihyun's turn to admire him. The other's gaze was so tender and fond. He wore a radiant smile, and red blush tinged his cheeks. He combed his small fingers through the human’s hair, too.

“Good morning, my handsome Hyunwoo,” Kihyun murmured softly before his smile faltered. Awe replaced some of the joy in his eyes. “I--I can’t believe--oh, this is so much better than I ever dreamed it would be.”

Hyunwoo gave half-awake groan in response and rolled over onto his back. Judging from the light in the room, it was--what, seven? In any case, also far too early in the morning to be conscious. “Huh--ugh, what’re you talking about, Kihyun?”

“Waking up next to you.” The grip on Hyunwoo’s waist tightened a bit, and the nymph moved closer again, nuzzling into his caretaker’s side. “I’ve dreamed about this for so long, you have no idea.”

Then and there, in that moment, it all made sense. The realization of what every one of Kihyun's gestures, words, and touches truly meant became clear. Hyunwoo felt like a freight train had rammed into him at full speed. He froze and glanced down at the orange-haired nymph, but suddenly couldn’t get words out.

Grinning and giggling a bit at Hyunwoo’s struck expression, Kihyun pushed himself up, then over, and straddled his hyung’s hips. “I guess what I really wanna say is that I love you so much, it hurts sometimes. I’ve been waiting so long for this opportunity to tell you.”

Hyunwoo couldn't breathe; the air was gone from his lungs. “Wait, what?”

“Was that not plain enough?” Now it was Kihyun who sounded surprised. “I...I didn’t think I could be any clearer. Hyunwoo-hyung, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You’re sweet and kind and funny, and when you smile, my heart beats out of my chest.”

“Kihyun--I...I don’t know what to say--”

“You don’t have to because I know. That’s what I love about you--that you care so much, and always have. You nurtured me and made sure my needs were met. Now, let me return the favor.” Leaning down, Kihyun left a trail of kisses across Hyunwoo’s jaw, then down his neck, and nipped gently at an exposed collarbone. Meanwhile, his soft, small hands started unbuttoning the human’s pajama top, too.

The attention sent a full-bodied shiver straight through Hyunwoo. “N--no, no. Stop. Please.” With more strength than he’d intended, he shoved the nymph off and sat up. His head spun with the sudden movement, but he didn’t want to take his eyes off of Kihyun. “I’m really sorry, but I--I can’t. Look, I can’t deny that I care for you, but not...like that, ok? I have no intentions of cultivating anything romantic.”

Kihyun landed unhurt on the other side of the bed, but his eyes betrayed that he had a new wound on his heart. An utterly broken expression crossed his face as his eyes filled with tears. It could crush the toughest of men. ”What, no! You’re messing with me. Please tell me you are! I was so sure--so sure that you liked me. Are you saying that you--you don’t...?”

Hyunwoo’s eyes widened, and he reached out to set a comforting hand on the nymph’s shoulder. “I do! I really do. I really enjoy your company and I’m so proud of how much you’ve grown. I tell you that every chance I get, don’t I? It’s just--you want a relationship, but if we had one, I couldn't return your feelings. That’s really unfair, ya know?”

“But--but I love you. This is all I’ve ever wanted, to make you happy, to start every morning with you and give you the kisses and affection you deserve. To welcome you home with more when you get back from work.” Tears started to slide down Kihyun’s face, and he wiped them away with the hem of the oversized tee he was wearing. As he went on, his voice got quieter, and his gaze lingered on Hyunwoo’s partially-exposed chest and body. “I adore every single inch of you, and I want to let you know that. You deserve to feel good, like in those videos you watch. I watch them, too, and I always imagine it’s me and you. I wanna give you all of me. My entire heart, body, and soul.” Then, dropping his gaze to his fidgeting hands, almost so quietly it was inaudible, he added, “I...I want the privilege of carrying your children.”

“What the?” Now Hyunwoo was just confused and in shock. “Literally…?” Kihyun gave a tiny nod. “...How?”

“You needed a companion, so I presented as a male, but truthfully, I don��t have a specific gender. I can get pregnant.”

“Whoa.”

“So...you...really don’t react to me?” Crawling up into Hyunwoo’s lap again, Kihyun leaned forward to gently peck his caretaker’s forehead. “Not that?”

“No, Kihyun, I don’t.”

Then plump, red lips were on his again, and the nymph left a long, sweet kiss. He even was brave enough to let his tongue shyly test the waters, brushing against the bottom of Hyunwoo’s pout. The hope in his expression when he pulled away was almost saddening. “Yes? No?”

“I’m sorry, Kihyun, but no.”

Next, he tried suckling at a sensitive spot on Hyunwoo’s neck, and pushing up the human’s pajama shirt a little, gently took hold of his love handles. “Not even that?”

“No.”

Kihyun bit his lip, frustrated, and collapsed inward on himself just a tiny bit. The light in his eyes revealed that he had resigned himself to something. Then, the nymph sighed and slid down his caretaker’s body. It was immediately clear where he was intending to go, and it made Hyunwoo shiver. “Well, then...how about this?” Gently, Kihyun placed a kiss on his crotch.

The tired, rogue mind that had plagued Hyunwoo the night before returned. For a moment, it sent him images of them pressed together without clothes in the way. Kihyun was on top, riding his cock, so close to falling apart; eyes full of lust and adoration, whimpers falling from his lips. The thought of the little nymph so beautiful and blissed-out sent an unexpected jolt of electricity right to Hyunwoo’s dick, and it twitched in response.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Kihyun’s face was glowing again. Carefully, he stroked the hardening member through the cotton fabric. “Please, let me help you. Can I?”

Shaking with confusion and conviction, Hyunwoo reached forward to grab Kihyun’s wrists. “For the last time, no. Any touch down there is gonna make me react that way. Yeah, we could have sex, but again, if my heart’s not in it, that’s unfair to you. You’re like…a son to me, alright? And it’s wrong and unhealthy for a father and his child to be together like that.”

Yet, a whisper tickled at the back of his brain. Stop making excuses, you fucking idiot! That’s all this is. You know better than to lie to him about how you really feel--

He ignored it. “I--I’ve gotta go get ready to go to the gym.” he took a quick glance over, and regretted that decision instantly. Kihyun had curled into himself, and though he was trying to hide, it was obvious that he was bawling. Tiny hiccups and sobs gave it away. Sighing, Hyunwoo reached out again to put a hand on the nymph's knee. “Look, let me think things through, and we can talk about this later, ok? We’ll figure something out. I...don’t love you the way you love me, but...I probably could. It just will take more time.”

Kihyun didn’t say anything in response, not even raising a finger in acknowledgment, but Hyunwoo assumed he had heard. The human climbed out of bed, stretching side to side a bit before heading off to the bathroom to take a long, cold shower.

He needed it very badly.

Later, when Hyunwoo got back from the gym, Kihyun was gone. However, the plant’s trunk had closed up, and that was a major clue. The nymph had once mentioned that if he was to be badly hurt, he’d return to that solitude, so that’s where he had to be. Guilt pricked at the human’s heart that the morning’s events had caused this. All he could do, though, was resume his routine of touching the gray bark. When before, he just wanted to express his gratitude and appreciation to the flora he had raised, now he was begging the small, cute being inside for forgiveness.

Hyunwoo was struggling with the toughest internal dilemma of his life, and it was on his mind constantly that day. The more he tried to get it out, the more he confronted the small voice he had silenced. For the most part, it always led him to one question and one question only:

“How do you know when you love someone?”

Glancing up from his cocktail, Chae Hyungwon raised an eyebrow and quipped, “I wondered if there was something on your mind.”

“And what might have given you that idea?”“You’ve been quiet. Even more than normal for you, the most stoic man I know.”

Sighing, Hyunwoo put his beer up to his lips and took a swig. Yeah, now that he thought about it, the conversation had been slow tonight. Honestly, though, he’d been so distracted, it was a miracle he’d even been able to hold one in the first place. Now the real reason he had called Hyungwon earlier to ask about a night out was in the open, and he couldn’t take it back. “Really, though, how do you know for sure when you love someone? I--I ask because I know that you and Changkyun are pretty established. When I think of couples in love, you guys are it.”

The younger man’s gaze had gone to his drink and how he lazily swirled it around with his stirrer. Finally, after a beat of silence, a grin spread across his face. Seconds later, he was chuckling, then laughing hard, crackling snickers that he covered up with the palm of his hand. His cheeks pushed cutely up into his eyes.

“...What?”

“Is this related to how you won’t let me in your house anymore?”

“Um--No?”

“Does Son Hyunwoo have a secret mistress?” The tall, slender stockbroker wiggled his eyebrows and gave him a coy smile. When Hyunwoo just stared back in annoyance, he stuck up a hand. “Hey, or boy toy, I’m the last person who should be judging--”

“I’m--I’m not seeing anyone, Hyungwon, I just--ugh, someone was curious.” Internally, Hyunwoo cringed at the bad (and probably obvious) lie. He should have just said it outright: I might be considering it, though. “Asking for a friend.”

“Huh, yeah, right.” Hyungwon rolled his eyes but it was clear that he’d relented. He turned more toward Hyunwoo, his long legs allowing him to easily swivel on the barstool. “How do you know if you’re in love? Well, it’s...kinda hard to explain, I guess? You have to experience it yourself to really know since it’s different for everyone. But I can kind of tell how it is for me, and maybe, your person can pick out--common elements? Anyways.” Hyungwon waved a hand and took a short sip of his drink. “Changkyun is everything to me. It’s the best feeling in the world to know that he’s mine. After a long day of work, even if I have nobody, I have him. No matter how tired he is, he’s waiting for me with a smile and a kiss and a ‘what do we want for dinner tonight?’. He makes our house a home. It just feels so right, and I never want to let him go.

“There’s no one else for me on the entire planet, you know? The thought of him seeing another person is painful. Call me selfish, but I don’t regret it in the least. If I’m planning on going out somewhere, like with you tonight, he fusses over me, making sure I’m fed before I go to the bar, that I have a ride home, that I’m dressed well. I care for him so much, I know that I’d do the same thing if he ever went out with his friends, but he’s an introvert loser.” Hyungwon laughed again, and a sly smile slipped onto his face. “At the same time, perhaps it’s good that he doesn’t. The last time he tried--that’s just it. He tried, and never made it to the door because he looked so damn beautiful, and I couldn’t help myself. We ended up fucking on the couch, and again in the shower, and--”

“--Hyungwon--”

“--right, that was too much information. But I know we have a love thing and not a lust thing because more often than not, I just want to cuddle twenty-four seven. We snuggle a lot, and it fills me to the brim with warmth when I’m spooning him and he slowly traces the veins in my arm.

“Leaving our bed in the mornings is so hard. He goes to work half an hour after I do, but you know me. He’s usually already up and around by the time I drag myself out. The best days, though, are the ones when neither of us has anywhere to be, and he wakes me up with kisses and a hand in my hair. I live for those little moments. It’s not like he doesn’t always show me that he loves me, but it’s when I least expect the affection that it makes the most difference. I could go on, but does that answer your question, Hyunwoo-hyung?”

“Y--yeah. It does. Thanks.” Hyunwoo’s cheeks burned as it became clear that he’d been fooling himself. Everything Hyungwon had said resounded in his head and heart. Especially, the line about how Changkyun made a house into a home. That was exactly what Kihyunnie had come to mean to him. No wonder Hyunwoo always was so eager to get home after work, knowing the nymph was there waiting, felt willing to tell him anything and everything, and cared for any needs his guest might have. All the random urges to initiate snuggling, cuddling, and spooning, as well as that morning’s sexual fantasy, weren't just perverted thoughts. No, they were so much more. Before, he didn’t want to believe it. Hell, how had he been so blind?

Thankfully, Hyungwon didn’t seem to notice the sudden shift in mood and tipped his head back to finish the bit of cocktail left in his glass. Hyunwoo glanced down into his bottle, almost by instinct; but he had hit the bottom long ago. The younger must have noticed because he nodded toward where it was sitting on the counter. “How about another round, huh?”

Hyunwoo was about to say yes; he would have, gladly. However, a strange feeling crept into his gut, one he had never experienced before. Gloom and dread descended on his conscience, and everything in him screamed that something was very wrong. He suddenly needed to be out of here, on his way back to Kihyun as fast as possible--

“No, thanks. Actually, I better go, I still have some at-home work to do and an early morning tomorrow.”

“Oh, yeah, of course.” Hyungwon grinned, turning to the bartender and paying both of their tabs. Though Hyunwoo had protested this little routine at first, the younger man always brushed it off as nothing. I’m a stockbroker, for heaven’s sake. Let me splurge sometimes, huh? “Take care, hyung. Also, I hope that whoever needed that advice finds what they’re looking for.”

It took a Herculean effort for Hyunwoo to swallow the bullfrog stuck in his throat.

He practically ran home, and the terrible feeling grew with every step. It felt like an eternity, but probably was closer to five minutes, before he was crashing through the door of his house and desperately calling, “Kihyunnie, Kihyunnie, where are you--”

No sooner had he said the nymph’s name that his gaze came to rest on a terrible sight. There on the floor of the entryway, in a pile of dirt, red terracotta, and fading green leaves was his Kihyunnie, motionless and unresponsive. In only a few more seconds, Hyunwoo realized what had happened.

See, in the nymph’s hand was a sharp sushi knife--the very same one Hyunwoo had almost used in self-defense the night they’d met. Also nearby, on its side, was Kihyun’s plant. There were huge gashes in the wood, and for every one of those, a bleeding cut existed on its guardian’s body. “Hurt the tree, hurt me,” Kihyun had once said. Now, he’d used that knowledge against himself, practically to commit suicide.

Hyunwoo heard himself screaming, but he wasn’t sure if it was real or not; everything was too much for him to handle. He ran to Kihyun’s side and fell to his knees, his pant legs and shoes getting soaked with sticky red blood in the process. Carefully, but with trembling hands, he lifted the nymph’s limp body into his arms and brushed his orange locks out of his eyes.

“H--Hyunwoo…”

“Ssh, ssh, I’m here.” Tears flowed unfettered down Hyunwoo’s face. “Oh my God, Kihyun, oh my fucking--God--why? Why'd you--?”

“I--I’m sorry. I was--ugh, so, so angry…” The nymph broke into a sad smile, but it only lasted a moment; he coughed and cried out in pain. “I wasn’t in my right mind, shoulda realized sooner that anything with you, reciprocated or not, is better than this.”

“No, I’m gonna help you. I’m gonna fix this, I’ve gotta fix this--”

A familiar hand caressed the human's cheek, and Kihyun pulled Hyunwoo’s gaze back to him. It was clear that the little nymph was fading fast. His skin was turning rapidly grayer, and his eyes drooped shut. He kept steady for as long as it could, but his strength didn’t last much longer. “Stop, don’t bother, hyung. There’s no hope for me. I’m s--sorry, this is my--my fault.”

“P--please, stay with me...Kihyun-ah...I--”

Hyunwoo never got to finish; it was too late. There, in his arms, the little plant spirit passed away. Though he didn’t want to believe it at first, some part of him realized that truth, and his heart shattered irreparably.

“--I love you…”

Despite his deep and utter grief, Hyunwoo made himself do what was necessary. He chopped the sprawling limbs off of Kihyun’s plant and wrapped his body in the hollow trunk. The corpse’s skin had turned to bark, so it probably would decompose in the same way as its vessel. Then, he buried everything in a shallow grave in the backyard. Hyunwoo wished he could do better; however, he didn’t have a clue how. Laying the little plant spirit to rest and letting nature take its course was all he had. Somehow, it seemed fitting. Kihyun had come from the Earth, and he seemed destined to return.

Hoping to return to some semblance of normal, Hyunwoo went to work the next day. Even there, he felt sullen and unmotivated, though. Necessary tasks got done, but when he’d try to do anything else, it felt slow and meaningless. Still, he didn’t realize exactly how bad it was until Seyoung summoned him to his office and urged the younger man to go home. He even granted him permission to take the rest of the week off. Hyunwoo was too sad and defeated to argue, so he gave in and did.

The hours he spent alone and away from the marketing company dragged, and yet passed too quickly. He didn’t feel any better afterward, but still threw himself back into the responsibilities his employment brought.

It would turn out that the phrase ‘time heals all wounds’ was somewhat true, but moving on was harder than waiting for the pain to pass. Hyunwoo missed his Kihyunnie. Everything in his house reminded him of the nymph, so coming home after a nine to five was torture. He could barely sit on the couch and watch television without feeling a ghost of a small body snuggled into his side. His bed was lonely and cold, and there were some nights he couldn’t even sleep because his heart physically hurt. Last, but definitely not least, the whole house felt empty without the plant’s vines spread throughout and the subtle, pleasant scent of its little flowers. So extensive and devastating was his sadness that he even stopped taking care of his other rescued plants. Slowly, they began to turn brown and brittle.

Seasons passed, and Hyunwoo still felt like a dead man walking. Sometimes, he wondered if he’d ever be able to get back to normal. There were whispers that he’d lost his passion, and Hyungwon was even worried sick, as Hyunwoo never wanted to go out anymore or see anyone. The older man isolated himself from the world. Everywhere he turned, the world looked bleak. His life meant nothing without Kihyun by his side.

Finally, when the last snows melted away and the first baby birds of Spring hatched out of their eggs, Hyunwoo decided that it was about time to stop moping and get his life together again. That would require him to do hard things, but he was ready. Starting with the mess that had accumulated around the house over the past few months, he cleaned everything and anything that was dirty. Every spot of dust he wiped away made him feel better. Every once in a while, it'd become hard for a while when he’d find a withered flower petal or leaf.

The singular thing he dreaded the most was the windowsill and what was once his collection of flora. Every single one of them was dead, as his neglect starved them for water. It was tough, but that didn’t stop him from facing the task, though. Hyunwoo had no choice but to get rid of them as well.

Disturbing the spot where Kihyun lay was unthinkable. So, Hyunwoo cleared a patch of earth on the other side of the sidewalk, dug a few holes, and dumped the plants there, potting soil and all, one by one. Hyunwoo was physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted from the work, and also the pain of his swirling thoughts, by the time it was over. As unwelcoming as the couch still was, a nap on it sounded fantastic.

However, then, for some unknown reason, Hyunwoo glanced toward the side of the yard he had been trying to avoid. Perhaps it was coincidence, perhaps fate, because one tiny, almost unnoticeable detail drew his eye.

Amongst the green grass that was sprouting in the area was a familiar sight: three tiny, slender shoots, arranged in a triangle and each topped with a ㄱ leaf.

The realization stopped him his tracks, and his vision became blurry as his eyes filled with tears. Was it true, or was he just seeing things? His shovel clattered to the sidewalk, and he ran over, dropping to his knees next to the small plant. Pushing away the grass around it, he touched one stem with his finger and sucked in a stunned breath. No, this wasn’t a dream. Kihyun’s plant was once again growing out of the soil.

Hyunwoo’s mind whirled as he went inside to grab a tiny terracotta pot and its makeshift saucer. What did this mean? Could Kihyun live again? Even if not, Hyunwoo would try with all his might to make it so. The thought lifted a burden from his heart, even if he took the possibility that Kihyun might be dead and gone into consideration.

For the first time since losing the one he loved, Hyunwoo had hope again.

He prayed that this was his second chance.

[fy-kpopfanfiction]

The Perfect Valentine - Showki/Hyungwonho

Pairings - Showki (Shownu/Kihyun)/Hyungwonho (Wonho/Hyungwon)

Rating: G

Word Count: 3754

Ao3 Link (Leave kudos and comments! :))

Or read below the cut~

(Comments, kudos, likes, and messages are much appreciated!)

“Oh! Hyung! Hey!” Hyungwon ran toward Kihyun when he spotted him in the kitchen.

Kihyun stood at the stove preparing the meat that he would cook tomorrow for Valentine’s Day dinner with Hyunwoo. He looked over at Hyungwon. “What?”

“I have a problem, hyung.”

“What kind of problem?”

“A Valentine’s Day problem.”

“You have a date. What’s the problem?”

“I forgot to get him a gift!” Hyungwon hissed. “We’ve been so busy getting ready for the comeback that I forgot!”

“I’ve been busy too, but I remembered to get a gift and a meal for Hyunwoo hyung.”

Hyungwon frowned. “I’m the worst boyfriend.”

“Kind of,” Kihyun said teasingly.

“Hyung!”

“You better run out and get something. I’m pretty sure Hoseok hyung has something great planned for you.”

Hyungwon bit his bottom lip. “I’ll go out right now. Where’s Jooheon? I’ll take him with me. He’s great at gifts.”

“He’s in his room with Minhyuk and Changkyun. I think they’re starting Valentine’s Day early. I would knock before entering.”

“Hyung, don’t be gross,” Hyungwon said with blushed cheeks.

Kihyun smirked. “I’m just being honest. Take Hyunwoo with you. Hint around at chocolate for me. He’s probably forgotten as well.”

Hyungwon nodded, and started off. He turned back when he realized that he didn’t know where Hyunwoo was either.

“Living room,” Kihyun said as if he could read Hyungwon’s mind.

Hyungwon trailed off to the living room to see if his hyung would go to the store with him for last minute gifts.

Just shy of two minutes after Hyungwon left the kitchen, Hoseok walked into it. “Kihyun,” he whispered.

Kihyun was placing his marinated meat into bags to go into the refrigerator. “Hyung?” he said, glancing over.

“I need your help,” Hoseok hissed.

“With what?”

“Valentine’s Day!”

“You have a date. What more do you need?”

“A GIFT!” Hoseok whispered loudly.

Kihyun feigned surprise. “You forgot a gift for Hyungwon?!”

“Shh! Don’t be so loud about it. He’s in the living room! He might hear you.”

“Sorry,” Kihyun whispered as he moved to wash his hands.

“What am I going to do? I’ve been so busy that I completely forgot about Valentine’s Day!”

“I have been busy too. I didn’t forget. This meat is for my dinner with Hyunwoo tomorrow.”

“Kihyun, don’t make your hyung feel bad.”

“I’m only saying…”

“I have to get him something, don’t I? Or is my love enough?”

“Oh, well, your love should be enough…” Kihyun pretended to be busy with his meat, sealing it and putting it safely into the refrigerator. “If Hyungwon hadn’t planned something so romantic and all…”

“What? He did.”

Kihyun shrugged. “That’s what I heard…”

“Oh, no. If Hyungwon is being romantic, I have to do something!!”

“I’ll say.” Kihyun nodded solemnly. On the inside, he was grinning mischievously.

“Will you come with me? Will you help me pick something out?”

“Oh, I couldn’t.”

“Couldn’t?!”

“No, hyung. I still have to prep the vegetables for my dinner tomorrow.”

“I can’t go alone.”

“Sure you can.” Kihyun almost suggested that he as Hyunwoo to accompany him, but that would just be too naughty.

Hoseok frowned. “I guess so. Do you have any ideas at least?”

“Hyung, it’s your boyfriend.”

“Right, right. I’ll figure something out.”

Kihyun nodded, and went back to his food preparation.

After Hyungwon explained his plight to his leader, Hyunwoo quickly agreed to accompany him. He needed something for Kihyun as well. Their destination was the little shop on the corner. Earlier in the week, Hyungwon had spotted the most beautiful bouquets, chocolate boxes, and trinkets in the shop window. He should have gotten something for Hoseok then, but he had been on his way to a meeting with the managers. He was sure he would find something perfect now.

"Where is everything?" Hyungwon exclaimed when they walked into the shop to find the Valentine's display bare.

"Maybe they moved it. Let's look around."

A thorough search of the small shop yielded nothing but three fake red roses, tiny boxes of chocolates meant for children with sayings like "Arrren't you happy to be my Valentine" with cartoonish images of pirates, and some questionable hard candies stuffed into a tiny mug with a garish floral design on the side.

"Hyung, I can't give him this."

"It's better than nothing," Hyunwoo said with a shrug. He was fine with giving Kihyun the pirate chocolates. His love should be enough anyway, right?

"But Hoseok hyung has something amazing planned for me! I can't do this."

"He'll like anything from you," Hyunwoo said. "I wouldn't worry."

Hyungwon frowned. "Three fake roses, kid's chocolate, and this ugly mug?"

"You love him, don't you?"

"Of course, I do," Hyungwon replied.

"That's what Valentine's Day is supposed to be about."

"Maybe we should go to a different shop."

"We could try, but it's getting late. They'll be closed soon, and they are probably in the same state as this one."

"I'll just buy him all this stuff then."

"With the exception of one of the chocolates. I need that for Kihyun."

Hyungwon passed over a box of the pirate chocolates with a heavy sigh. They paid for the sad collection of goodies, and left the store.

Fifteen minutes later, Hoseok walked into the same store. He had gone to another shop first, but it had been completely devoid of anything decent. Like Hyungwon would want a box of chocolates shaped like a football that said, "I scored a great Valentine!"

"Where is everything?" Hoseok asked the shop owner when he noticed the bare window display.

"Two guys just came in and bought the last of it," the man replied. "You should have shopped earlier for your girlfriend!"

Hoseok nodded, choosing not to address the annoying heteronormative statement, and walked back out. The shops were closing soon. He had no idea what to do for Hyungwon! He stood outside the shop for a moment, pondering his possibilities.

He could cook dinner like Kihyun. No. There were two problems with that idea. 1. Kihyun was already using the kitchen. 2. He couldn't cook.

He could make something. No. He had no talent for crafting.

It was the football chocolates or nothing. He ran back to the other shop, bought the football chocolates and their last haggard looking bouquet – two daisies and a dying red rose. What a great display of his love.

Hyungwon was seated in the living room with Hyunwoo when Hoseok returned. He had already hidden the things he bought under their bunk bed. Hoseok rushed in to hide his things under his bed. He was afraid of what that might do for the flowers, but then figured they couldn't get any worse.

The next day, the dorm was buzzing with excitement with Hyungwon finally hauled himself out of bed. Kihyun had made breakfast for everyone, but a little something special for Hyunwoo – heart-shaped chocolate chip pancakes.

Changkyun, Minhyuk, and Jooheon were even more lovey dovey than usual. Hyungwon could barely keep his breakfast down with them making eyes at each other and playing footsie under the table. Thankfully after breakfast, they left the dorm to see a movie before their dinner reservations – plans that Changkyun had finalized well over a month ago. Hyungwon could really learn something from the maknae.

"You're leaving too, right?" Kihyun asked Hyungwon as they cleaned up the dishes. He'd drawn the short straw, so to speak, being the youngest left after the maknae line fled with Minhyuk.

"What?"

"You're leaving the dorm, so Hyunwoo and I can have it to ourselves, right?"

Kihyun said that in a way that made it clear to Hyungwon that there was only one right answer.

"Yeah, I guess I am."

"Don't you have some kind of plan?"

"No. I told you last night that I had nothing!"

"You said you didn't have a gift. I didn't think that also meant you were too dopey to make plans for dinner or a movie or a stroll in the park!"

"We can go to the park. It's cold though." He bit his lip. "We can do that though."

"I don't care what you do," Kihyun said, shooing him out of the kitchen. "As long as you don't do it here. I have plans with Hyunwoo, and they do not include the two of you being here."

"Gross," Hyungwon muttered as he left the kitchen to look for Hoseok.

He found him in their room, seated on the bed.

"Hyung..."

Hoseok looked up. "Hey." He smiled warmly.

"Do you want to go out?"

"Oh, yes. Just let me grab some things."

"Sure, yeah, I need to grab some things too." He fidgeted in the doorway. "I'll wait for you."

Hyungwon ran back to the kitchen. "Hyung."

"I thought you left."

"We're going to! I need a bag."

"A bag?"

"Yes! I didn't get a red bag or whatever. I just have the bag the stuff came in."

"Do I look like a stationery shop?"

"Hyung. Don't you have something? Where's the bag you bought for Hyunwoo hyung?"

"In my room. With Hyunwoo's gift inside. There are actually three bags, because I am a good boyfriend who shopped early and bought three things."

"Can't they share a bag then?!"

Kihyung groaned. "I suppose I could put his cologne with his watch." He fluttered away and returned with a white bag with red hearts exploding from a vase on the front of it. The sides were red, and the back had the same design. "Here," he said, shoving the bag toward Hyungwon.

"Thanks, hyung. You're saving a life."

"Yeah, yeah. Get out."

Hyungwon disappeared, and Kihyun went back to fluttering about the kitchen.

A moment later, he felt a presence in the kitchen with him. Without turning away from the counter he was wiping down, he said, "Hyungwon, just leave already."

"Uh, Kihyun..."

Kihyun turned around at the sound of Hoseok's voice. "Oh, hyung... I thought you were Hyungwon."

"No... I'm here for him though, sort of. I bought him some chocolates and I need..."

"Let me guess... You need a bag to put them in?"

"Yeah. Kihyun, you don't get it. There was nothing left when I went to buy stuff."

"Maybe you should have shopped earlier and at better shops."

"Well, we can't all be the perfect boyfriend like you. Do you have anything?"

"Do I have a tattoo on my forehead that says I'm a stationery shop?"

"Why are you being a jerk?"

"You want to be nicer to me, hyung? I'm about to do you a favor."

"Yes, okay, sorry. Please just do this for me."

"I'll be right back." Kihyun walked to his room to combine Hyunwoo's chocolates with his other gifts, and returned with a red glitter bag for Hoseok's gift.

"That's perfect, Kihyun. Thanks!" He shoved the chocolates into the bag unceremoniously and started out of the kitchen.

"You're welcome, hyung. Now, take Hyungwon and get out of the dorm. Hyunwoo and I need some alone time."

"Gross," Hoseok muttered as he left the kitchen with the bag dangling from his right hand.

"Is that my gift?" Hyungwon asked, grinning as he and Hoseok met up at the door to leave the dorm.

"It is," Hoseok said, forcing a smile. He had never felt so ashamed of a gift. "Is that mine?" He pointed to the adorable bag in Hyungwon's hand, sure that it held something much more impressive than his bag.

"It is," Hyungwon said with a smile. He could only hope Hoseok didn't dump him after this crappy Valentine's Day. It was only their second together, and the first had been awkward and sweet. They had only been dating two months and were in the middle of a tour. Their gifting consisted of sharing food from catering and exchanging sweets they had been given by fans. It had seemed kind of lame to everyone at the time, but Hyungwon had loved it, and he couldn't help feeling that it was so much better than this year.

"Why don't we take a walk to the park?" Hoseok suggested. "We can exchange gifts in that little building where they do parties in the summertime. You know what I'm talking about?"

Hyungwon liked that they had the same idea. Maybe going to the park was the big, romantic gesture that Hoseok had planned. They had gone for a picnic there last spring, but it ended abruptly when fans found them. "It's pretty cold, so we should be all alone there, don't you think?"

Hoseok nodded. He didn't add the thought that the other couples who had their shit together would be out doing exciting, romantic things that they planned rather than walking through parks with the lamest gift in the universe stuffed into a borrowed bag.

“This is nice, hyung,” Hyungwon said after they’d been walking a while through the park. They were nearly to the little pavilion where they would sit to exchange gifts. He wondered what Hoseok had planned, if there was a meal or more gifts awaiting them in the building.

“Do you think so?” he asked, smiling over at him.

“Of course, hyung. I always enjoy spending time with you. You know that, right?”

“Of course, I do,” Hoseok said, hoping that spending time with him would be enough to make up for the lame gift. He really hoped that whatever big plans Kihyun seemed to know about weren’t too extravagant. If Hyungwon had gone all out on a gift or date, he would feel even worse. There might be a romantic picnic awaiting him in the pavilion up ahead.

When they reached the door to the pavilion, Hyungwon waited for Hoseok to open it. Hoseok assumed this was because he wanted him to witness the surprise first. He felt a rush of excitement course through him that nearly overshadowed the guilt.

He pulled open the door and the grin on his face fell. The pavilion was dark and empty, dusty even, like no one had been there in months. He flipped on the light switch and found nothing, but a room empty save for a few picnic tables.

Hyungwon glanced around the room, sure he was missing something. When he saw nothing that looked romantic in the slightest, he assumed the big surprise must be somewhere else.

“It’s a bit dusty,” Hoseok commented after they’d shut the door and walked further inside. He had discerned that there couldn’t possibly be any romantic surprise here, so he didn’t think it would do any harm to voice his distaste.

“Yeah… I guess no one uses it in the winter. It’s still really cold in here. All it protects you from is rain or snow.”

Hoseok nodded. What an awful place to bring Hyungwon. He was competing for worst boyfriend of the year.

“Still, it’s nice to be alone with you,” Hyungwon said, taking him by the hand.

Hoseok had to smile at that. “We should have thrown Kihyun out of the dorm,” he said with a laugh.

Hyungwon giggled. “Hyung had a romantic dinner planned at home. We couldn’t have ruined that.” He wondered why Hoseok would joke about that when he had something planned that obviously didn’t involve the dorm.

“Yeah, Kihyun and his grand romantic gestures.” He rolled his eyes. Kihyun was such a little shit sometimes, but he would do anything for Hyunwoo. He truly loved him.

Hyungwon’s brow furrowed. Was he really trying to downplay his own romantic gesture? “Hyung… Should we exchange gifts?”

“Oh, sure…” He was reluctant to hand his off. It couldn’t possibly be as good as the gift that Hyungwon had purchased for him.

“Just, don’t judge me by the gift, hyung.”

Hoseok’s brow furrowed as they passed their bags off. Did he not want him to expect something this big all the time? He opened the bag, and peered inside. His expectations came crashing down around him. Fake flowers, and tiny boxes of chocolate? Oh, and a mug… He pulled the things out, looking them over.

“Is this a joke?” he asked, glancing over at his boyfriend who had just taken his chocolates out. He regarded the football-shaped box with confusion.

“Is this?” Hyungwon held up the box of chocolates.

“I’m confused,” Hoseok muttered. “I thought you had some big romantic gift for me.”

“I thought you had some big romantic gift for me!”

“But… Why would you think that?”

“Kihyun hyung told me you did!”

“But he told me that…” Hoseok trailed off. “That jerk.”

“Why would he…?”

“To make us both feel bad for being inferior boyfriends.” He rolled his eyes.

“I’m sorry, hyung. I forgot and when I went to shop yesterday, this was all they had left in the store.”

“Me too,” he said, gesturing to the box of chocolates on Hyungwon’s lap.

“I’m terrible at Valentine’s Day. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry! We both dropped the ball this year.”

Hyungwon was silent for a few moments, and then, “Hyung… I love you. Is that enough?”

Hoseok shoved his gifts into the bag, and turned toward his boyfriend. A smile had replaced the confused grimace on his face. “Of course it is.” He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “We can make this day great just by being with each other. Valentine’s Day or any day that we’re together shouldn’t be about gifts or things we buy each other. It should be about how much we love each other.”

Hyungwon grinned, cheeks blushed. “Hyung, that was kind of romantic.” He chuckled.

“Your hyung is very romantic.”

“Oh, yeah.” Hyungwon laughed.

“Hey, I might not be as romantic as Kihyun with his dinner, but I will make sure you have a great Valentine's Day."

Hoseok made good on his promise, finding a restaurant that had an open table in the back – a reservation canceled at the last minute. They enjoyed a delicious, private meal after which they snuck into a theater – Hoseok buying tickets with his hood pulled down over his face – and enjoyed a sappy romance movie (more making out in the back row than watching).

When they returned home, they were on Cloud 9 – giggling and clinging to each other as they poured in through the front door of the dorm.

Hyungwon extricated himself from Hoseok's arms first, and groaned, "Ack! What is that smell?"

Hoseok squeezed his nose. "Smells like burnt meat," he said in a squeaky voice, thanks to the fingers pinched tightly over his nose.

"Burnt meat?" Hyungwon repeated, his face twisting like he might be sick. "Why?!"

They ventured further into the dorm, surveying the rooms like two men that had just landed on another planet.

They found Kihyun and Hyunwoo seated in the living room. Kihyun's arms were crossed tightly over his chest.

"It's freezing in here!" Hyungwon wailed, noting the open windows.

"Shut up!" Kihyun barked.

"What is going on?" Hoseok asked, crossing the room to shut the windows.

"Leave it!" Hyunwoo shouted, waving his hands in front of him.

Hoseok's brow furrowed, but he stopped in his tracks. "Hyung?"

"I know that you can smell that," Kihyun said, his jaws clinched.

"What happened?" Hyungwon asked.

"I burned our dinner, Hyungwon. Get away from me."

"You burned dinner?!"

Kihyun launched a throw pillow at the younger man's face.

It hit him  and bounced off, but didn't deter the tall boy. "Your romantic dinner?"

"Hyungwon, please," Hyunwoo said. "It's nothing." He sneezed loudly, startling Hyungwon and Hoseok.

"Hyung, you look kinda weird and puffy," Hoseok said, moving closer to Hyunwoo.

Hyunwoo sneezed again, and held his head. "I'm fine," he groaned.

"He's not fine," Kihyun growled. "He had an allergic reaction to the cologne I bought him."

Hyungwon gasped and clapped a hand over his mouth. "You did?!"

Kihyun stood up and stomped off to the kitchen to make another feeble attempt to clean the scorched pan that once had their dinner in it.

"What happened?" Hoseok whispered, stifling a giggle.

"It was a disaster," Hyunwoo admitted, covering his face when he sneezed again. "I had an allergic reaction to the cologne and my face swelled up. So we spent two hours at the clinic. This is nothing compared to what my face did look like. We forgot the food when we raced off to the clinic, so the meat was literally on fire when we returned."

The giggle he had been holding back burst forth from Hoseok's mouth.

Hyunwoo grimaced.

Hoseok apologized, clamping his hands over his mouth. Giggles still escaped.

"It serves Kihyun right," Hyungwon said. "I'm sorry you suffered though, hyung."

Hyunwoo sneezed. "What do you mean?"

"Kihyun lied to us and set us up," Hyungwon explained. "I'm not sorry that his stupid dinner got ruined. I am sorry that you got sick though."

"That's not very nice, Hyungwon." Hyunwoo wiped his nose with a tissue and tossed in the already overflowing bin in front of him.

"I'm sorry, but hyung wasn’t very nice. He made fun of me for shopping late, and he told me Hoseok hyung had some big thing planned, and he told hyung the same thing about me. We had a great day though. And Kihyun planned all this stuff and it was ruined. So, so, I just think it serves him right."

"You're so mean, Hyungwon," Kihyun said, reentering the room. His hands were hidden inside pink rubber gloves and he clutched the unrecognizable pan in his hands. "I'm throwing this out," he said, his voice defeated.

Hoseok laughed again. "Kihyun, why did you ever try to clean that? It doesn't even look like a dish anymore!"

Kihyun threw the misshapen, charred black pan at Hoseok. "You throw it away, you jerk! You're all jerks! I'm going to bed!"

He threw his pink gloves at Hyungwon and stomped out of the room.

Hyunwoo scrambled off the couch. "You guys," he groaned, snatching his tissue box before he ran off to find Kihyun.

Hyungwon and Hoseok walked the gloves and dish out to the trash bin on the corner in front of their building.

"Hyung..." Hyungwon looked to Hoseok after he dropped the gloves on top of the unrecognizable pan.

"Hmm?"

"Can we make a pact?"

"About what?"

"A pact to never plan any grand romantic gestures for Valentine's Day."

Hoseok laughed. "Agreed. We'll never be romantic on Valentine's Day."

"We wouldn't want to end like the hyungs," Hyungwon added with a nod.

"True, true... But we might do better than pirate and football chocolates..."

[uh0paque]

Hi everyone!!

I’m Opie. I write fanfic. Eventually I’ll write other stuff but for now I gotta stick with writing The Gay Shit. If you’re a Monsta X fic reader, you might recognize me as the writer of The Songbird of Hound and Honey, Flicker, or Blood Runs Cold! Who knows. Maybe I’m flattering myself.

Anyways, I wanna make some more monbebe friends, especially if they’re also fic writers or just adore the boys (ot7, ofc). Chat w me if you’d like, I promise I don’t bite!

(uh0paque on TikTok and Wattpad, 0paque on Ao3)

[w0onderalice]

me: *posts a new chapter of my story*

me: please leave a comment if you like it or not! it would mean so much!✨😌❤️

comments: *silence*

me:

[mizz-apple2016]

“I will have my vengeance on you! You’ll see!”

[ Anomaly : Ch. 4 - Cruelty ]

[mx-requests-forum]

[Fulfilled] Return to Sender

Prompt: Being one of the best surgeon in the town, Kihyun is often called by the higher ups to treat their private investigator/professional hitman/personal assassins. He usually treat the patient without looking at the patient's face for confidential reason. But he noticed he has been treating the same hitman (Shownu) who works for multiple people. He thinks that the man is not loyal but is more worried about the man's health and take a risk to get closer to him

Fulfilled by cupofgenmaicha on AO3 - thank you!

Words: 2978

Warnings: Mature rating, referenced violence/murder

AO3 Link