#this is interpreting the AU loosely at best but i hope you guys enjoy!

[lucanogis]

fanfic: knives, arguments and strawberry ice cream

Title: knives, arguments and strawberry ice cream Fandom: Gakuen Alice Pairing: Natsume Hyuuga x Mikan Sakura Length: 3.9k Summary: After a mission gone wrong, Mikan finds herself in an argument with the Black Cat that might just be about more than just their respective jobs. / GA-crew! AU, written for @ga-party‘s writing challenge, “ice cream parlor AU”

{ao3} , {ffn}

There's fire surrounding Mikan.

Now, if this were only a metaphor, it would be a good thing - This is Mikan Sakura: An agent extraordinaire, who fights with such passion that the air around her seems to burn with the ferocity of it. Unfortunately, Mikan's current fighting style can best be described as 'one legged lioness that just got run over by a truck' and the fire is, well, actual fire. She clutches her wounded leg and tries to make out shapes in the roaring flames. "Black Cat?!," she screams. "Black Cat, where are you?" There's no answer. Her current mission seems simple enough on paper. After she blew her cover, not in small part due to the Black Cat himself, her gang began assigning her covert operations. This is a retrieval one: Break in, grab some documents, destroy a hard drive and get out. Apparently, Natsume's gang had gotten a similar job because she'd run into him just a few minutes after breaking into the steel and glass skyscraper. They passed each other in the hallway and the carefully stoic expression she usually maintains during missions had given way to a smile. His face never changed but somewhere deep inside her, Mikan knew that he was happy to see her, too. Something had been born, between the Black Cat and her, during the time they spent together finishing the ice cream parlor job.

That something is new and precious and frightening and Hotaru Imai, her unmovable best friend, calls it "sexual tension". Mikan refuses to use that particular name but Natsume refuses to stop being a protagonist in her more R Rated dreams, so there's that. In hindsight though, Mikan can't say she's happy she crossed paths with Natsume that particular night. He is a pyromaniac, the kind of guy who uses explosives for just about anything, and just as she was about to finish up her own mission, the building had been rocked by an enormous blast centered two storeys above her. She'd told herself to leave, to simply allow Natsume to do his job, but when scores of guards ran past her, her body acted on its own. In less than a minute she was at the site of the explosion, fighting off guards with practiced efficiency. One stabbed her leg, a sharp, cold sort of pain she barely reacted to and as the smoke grew thicker, Mikan dispatched them all, ducking and whirling and kicking until her instincts told her there was no one else left to fight. Now she is alone in a flame-filled hallway, and there is still no sight of Natsume, the man she came to save. Still, she knows he's around, has seen guards she missed by an inch fall to an unseen opponent and flames part as a fighter moved through them with unimaginable ease. The Black Cat is here, that much is certain, but is he safe? She shakes her head, dispelling mental images of him choking to death on black smoke. Although "no casualties unless necessary" isn't a rule in her crew (not for lack of lobbying on her part), Mikan starts grabbing the guards she knocked unconscious, pulling them towards the building's staircase, where the smoke hasn't reached yet. It's arduous work and in her daze it takes her a few moments before she realizes that she isn't the only person pulling bodies to safety. The Black Cat is there, his dark clothes blending in with the smoke, and he’s working alongside her, rescuer now instead of opponent. Once they're done, a hand closes around her upper hand, squeezing tight before slipping down to grab her gloved hand. "This way," Natsume says, more command than request, and with her lungs beginning to burn, Mikan allows him to pull her towards safety.

They slip out of the building into a back alley, where he lets go immediately and whirls to face her.

"What," Natsume says through gritted teeth, "was that?" "That up there?," Mikan asks, leaning against a building wall to avoid putting any weight on her leg. "I have no idea. You were the one blowing up an entire floor and sicking the guards onto us." "Us?," Netsuke repeats in disbelief. His voice is hard, reminiscent of when he told her to leave all those months ago, after getting into a fight outside the ice cream parlor. "I wasn't sicking the guards onto us because there is no us. I was executing a plan that was going to drive security personnel towards me, so that some of my crew members could finish their work downstairs. Besides, what if you’d gotten knocked out or -" He stops himself and for a few seconds there is tense silence between them. Then, fast approaching sirens jolt both of them out of their argument. "This can wait," Natsume hisses with a quick glance towards her still bleeding leg. "I know a safe place close by. Come on." For the second time that night, Mikan follows him without argument.

They go from exchanging blows with enemies to exchanging blows with each other. She shouldn't have intervened. He should have signaled for her to stop. She should have left once she realized he was handling things. He should have told her he was planning to set off an explosion. She should have known he was going to blow something up. He should have - It goes on like this for a while. Mikan is loathe to admit that the pain in her leg is making her head spin and she can't help but meet his anger with her own. She would like to tell herself that they're just two agents frustrated that someone messed with their operations, but it's more than that. After all, she knows herself well enough to realize that she would not have run upstairs to help a stranger or even a casual acquaintance. But it's difficult to admit her own clouded judgment with him making her feel like little more than a child. Eventually, Mikan snaps. "Look, I get it. I messed up your operation, I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I just had to make sure..." She trails off.

If you've got nothing else, go with the truth, she thinks to herself before continuing. "There was fire everywhere. You could have been hurt, or worse. And I thought of losing you and it was...I was scared, because see even though I hate you, I really do, I also care about you, I...like you. Like like you. If that makes sense. I mean, it makes no sense to me but it's...that's how it is." Natsume's face stays carefully blank but Mikan sees a swirl of tumultuous emotion within the deep red of his eyes. Perhaps he'll understand, she thinks. Perhaps this attraction between them exists for him, too, perhaps this desire to protectholdlove is reciprocated. But Natsume's eyes narrow. "What right do you have," he asks, with a deadly kind of softness, "to mess with my job just because you can't be bothered to control whatever feelings you think you have? If you can't be a professional, fine, but at least screw up somewhere else. I don't need some fangirl tripping all over me." She blinks, for a second too stunned to answer. He looks at her, coolly. Right then, with her wearing the torn remains of her mission garb, looking ragged and beaten, she feels like there is a giant chasm between them, threatening to swallow up whatever feelings she has. Or, according to him, thinks she has. "I'm sorry," Mikan says. "I truly am. I'm sorry I messed up your plan and potentially risked your entire op. I'm sorry for how I helped you. But I'm not going to apologize for helping in the first place or for caring. If that makes me a fangirl, then fine. Call me that." She turns around, heading towards the exit. Natsume stays silent. Strange, how him not doing anything to stop her from leaving feels so monumentally, utterly wrong. "Thank you for letting me hide here, Black Cat," Mikan says as the door falls shut behind her. "I'll stay out of your way from now on."

This is Mikan Sakura: A passionate girl with a luminous smile. The kind of person who scoops up bugs to keep people from stepping on them, who tears up whenever cherry tree blossoms dance in the wind like rose colored rain. A person for whom kindness is an instinct, not just a characteristic.

This is also Mikan Sakura: A trained operative, who knows how to kill, maim and survive in more ways than she can count. A woman who doesn’t trust the lovely old lady in the apartment next to her, because every person can - and will be - a threat. A person who makes money stealing, observing and hurting others.

As she sits in front of the ice cream parlor where she first met Natsume, in a vague attempt to lead any potential pursuers away from her crew, Mikan realizes that around him, she let that first self overpower the second one. Kindness is as simple as breathing but what good did it do today? What form did it take? She wants to strangle herself for her foolishness and part of the reason why she hasn’t gone back to the apartment she shares with Hotaru is that she knows her best friend would chew her out, and for good reason.

Mikan sighs and hugs her legs with her arms, trying to keep herself warm. Her wound still hurts but she’s not worried about any lasting damage. She’ll bounce back from this physical injury. The emotional one, though… Above her, the stars are struggling to pierce through the constant clouds above Tokyo. If she closes her eyes, she can dream them up one by one, a hundred, a thousand lights watching over her.

There it is again, the foolishness, the naivete. The stars aren’t watching, they’re just balls of gas. She isn’t a girl sitting with her back to a wall, resting after a long day. She is an operative, exhausted from being chased by police sirens. But then, that’s not quite right either, is it? Because of course, she is both.

And she wants to be both, too, wants to carry her experiences behind her teeth like weapons and her softness in her face like an embrace for anyone who might need it. Perhaps there are even crews where both is possible, but hers sure isn’t one of them, never has been, never will be. But leaving Z isn’t an option either, because this horrible, bloody job is the one thing she knows how to do. This is her life.

And this crew is where Hotaru is, her best friend. They are together, side by side in every story, and she won’t change that just because meeting Natsume has made her want to indulge in her softer side even more than usual. Or, to be more truthful: He simply makes that softer side come out. It’s entirely beyond her control. When he teases her, pulls her proverbial pigtails, brings her popsicles while fighting at her side, he makes her feel....He makes her feel the kind of feelings that make her head spin.

The kind of feelings that now make her heart hurt, too.

His words were harsh and they stung, undeniably. To hear that the object of her unwilling affection doesn’t care about her isn’t exactly uplifting. To hear all that after running from a burning building is decidedly one of the worst evenings Mikan has ever had.

Knives can be knives, her first teacher had once taught her. Never more. She feels the truth of it now, with every stab of pain in her leg and every pulse of sorrow in her heart.

Sun chases away the darkness eventually. Mikan thinks she must make a peculiar picture, a lone brunette in torn clothing sitting on the ground in front of the ice cream parlor. At this point, she’s just inviting any crew who has a problem with Z to show up and start shooting. She tried her best to hide, scooted over until she was half covered by trash cans. Still, sometimes hiding isn’t enough.

This time however, it seems to be, because the first person who recognizes her isn’t an operative with a sniper rifle, isn’t even her former coworker from the ice cream parlor.

The first person who steps behind the trash can, huddling down to sit next to her, is Natsume.

“So,” he says levely. “You messed that fight up. Just making that clear, the whole not trusting me to do my job thing? Bad.”

Mikan nods mutely. Natsume sighs and scratches his dark head.

“But... I messed that argument up.”

The surprise must be evident on her face because Natsume turns away, seemingly...embarrassed?

“You’re not the only person who can apologize when they’re wrong,” he says gruffly. “I shouldn’t have called you a fangirl. I shouldn’t have criticised the fact that you care, like that’s not the greatest sign of strength a person in our business can show.”

“I… accept your apology,” Mikan says slowly. She turns to face him. He looks tired, like he hasn’t slept any more than she has. Still looks handsome though. Damn.

Natsume gazes back and forth between her and the trash.

“So…,” he says. “This your hideout? I mean, I’d heard about things at Z going downhill, but I didn’t think you’d have to sleep next to the ice cream parlor and a bunch of trash cans.”

“We had a wonderful place once,” Mikan says wistfully. “A whole floor dedicated to snacks, couches and video game consoles. But alas, the economy hit the crime business hard. You know how it is.”

“Maybe your gang just sucks,” Natsume says. “Or maybe, and this is another guess of mine, you decided to stay away from your hideout because bringing the police there would cause more trouble than bringing them here.”

Mikan blinks. He’s right, which means he not only guessed where she would be, he also guessed why she’d be there in the first place.

“Am I really that much of an open book?,” she ponders out loud.

The Black Cat shrugs. “Yeah, pretty much.”

Mikan sighs, and with a glance at her, he continues: “But it’s also easy for me to figure out where you might be, because…I’ve been thinking about you a lot these past weeks. Or months.”

“Oh?,” Mikan asks, confused. “What kind of thinking?”

“The kind of thinking where you imagine yourself kissing someone because to you, they’re the most beautiful thing you’ve seen in years.”

Mikan’s brain is busy trying to do the emotional equivalent of quantum physics to understand whether or not Natsume is saying what she thinks he’s saying. But before she has time to solve this particular equation, he continues, dispelling her rattling thoughts with his words.

“I’m not great at caring about things,” Natsume says. “Which isn’t to say that I don’t care. It just means that whenever I do, I overthink things. Like, ‘is this person who they say they are’ or ‘will they be a threat’ or ‘will they be in danger’ or-“

He shakes his head.

“That kind of stuff. But with you, I knew from the start. Yes, you are who you say you are. No, you won’t be a threat. And I used to think that you wouldn’t be in danger either, that you’d just kick danger’s ass. Tonight though…Tonight you risked yourself to help me and it was terrifying. Not just because it almost cost both of us our mission, simply because…”

For a while he pauses and Mikan looks at him, only looks at him, watches as the façade of the fighter in front of her is slowly stripped away.

“…Because it almost cost you me, right?,” she completes his sentence. Natsume nods tightly. His eyes meet hers, red and fierce and unyielding.

“Subterfuge is familiar,” Natsume says. “Lying is what we do. But I met you and I thought that you were like sunlight, the thing that dispels all shadows, and I wanted you to have the truth, all the truth I have to offer. You and your apron and those stupid ice cream cones – you have no idea how often I’ve dreamed up that image. Dreamed up you.”

Natsume swallows. Mikan, for her part, doesn’t dare breathe.

“I called your feelings imaginary not because I thought they were but because I feared they would be. But if they’re not, if you meant them, than I couldn’t just pretend that I’m not in love with you. Because it would have been a lie, and I told you, right? I wanted you to have the truth. So this is my truth: I’m in love with you. And I’m tired of pretending otherwise. ”

The truth. Funny, how a word can be so small yet fill her with so much happiness.

She’d felt so ridiculous after telling him about her feelings, like the worst agent in the world. Mikan knows she is skilled, her aim with a knife is unparalleled, even Hotaru says so. But her heart has control over everything she does. People have shunned her for that, criticized her for her refusal, or inability, to change. After his previous reaction, she expected Natsume to share their opinion. She certainly didn’t expect him to show her that he, too, lets his heart control his action from time to time.

Here he is, telling her that he shares her feelings, bearing his heart. And here she is, looking at him with no censure in her eyes.

Across the street, a runner passes them, her feet a pit-pat on the ground. Leaves rustle in the wind. The whole world is waking up and something within her, something she forcefully tried to bury just a few hours ago, is waking up along with it.

Mikan laughs. “You absolute idiot,” she says, “I mean honestly, you ass.”

It’s Natsume’s turn to look stunned. “I…-,” he starts. She cuts him off.

“There I was, stammering something about liking you, sounding like a preschooler confessing to her crush and you just go and have a whole speech with big words and metaphors and grand gestures and ohmygod, I’m not the fangirl.” Her delight is so overpowering it makes her giggle. “You’re the fangirl.”

And then she rushes forward, as if carried by the invisible wave of all she is feeling, and she’s kissing him, his lips scorching under hers.

He makes a startled sound, somewhere between surprise and groan, and his hands come up to rest on her hips. Natsume pushes her back, until she’s nestled snugly between him and the trash can behind her. She bites his bottom lip, playful yet demanding, and he opens his mouth to hers, lets her taste him, lets her breathe his breath.

Mikan reaches up, tangling her hands in his dark hair, feeling the hint of sweat at his temple. He smells like wildfire and sugar and they kiss again and again, his lips only ever leaving hers to brush against her cheek, her temple, and further down. When Natsume trails open-mouthed kisses down her neck, she can’t help but jerk back, barely suppressing a gasp.

He stops immediately, pulling away.

“Are you…Do you want me to stop?”

His earnest question makes Mikan smile.

“Can you keep a secret?,” she asks him teasingly. His hands on her hips tighten, pulling her closer until their foreheads are touching.

“I’ll take your secrets to the grave,” he promises.

She was joking but right then, there is no humor in his voice. Mikan lets her hand fall from his hair, trails it down his ear to rest it on the curve of his cheek. There’s the softest hint of stubble under her fingertips, almost as though between fighting in the skyscraper and coming for her, he hasn’t found the time to shave.

“It’s my tactical weakness: I’m ticklish.” Mikan tells him. “My enemies could use it against me.”

Natsume cracks a grin.

“As if you’d let them. Though, speaking for myself, I know I’ll certainly try.”

“Probably,” Mikan sighs, before admitting: “But then, we’re not enemies. Although we are from rival crews,” she reminds him.

“True,” Natsume says, scooting back slightly so he can look at her more clearly. “But we don’t have to be.”

Mikan’s eyes widen.

“Do you mean…”

“There’s a spot with Nova waiting for you,” Natsume says softly. “If you want it.”

Nova. The crew Natsume built himself, the crew who operates under the sigil of a single star, much like the Academy, their sworn enemy. There isn’t much information on them available, at least not in spaces Mikan has access to. Everyone knows the Black Cat is their leader. Everyone knows they’re efficient, secretive and choosy about the jobs they accept. Looking at Natsume and knowing what she knows about the way he works, Mikan also understands that they’re the tiniest bit flashy and, as strange as it is to use that word to describe a criminal organization, kind.

But Nova lacks one thing Mikan doesn’t want to lose: Hotaru.

On top of that, there’s doubt gnawing at her, a tiny voice whispering that he is asking her out of affection, not respect.

“I don’t want you to feel like you need to allow me into your crew just because you…like me, just because I like you,” Mikan says.

“I wanted to ask you before all this happened,” Natsume says without hesitation. “I wanted to ask you when we first met, after you fought alongside me right in front of this ice cream parlor. And it wasn’t because you were hot as hell, although, I will admit that you were. It was because you were damn good at what you do. Still are. A bit of a tactical klutz maybe but,” he winks. “We all have our weaknesses. Aside from me of course.”

She punches him in the shoulder for that.

“I have friends within Z,” Mikan says. “I can’t abandon them.”

“I’m not asking you to,” Natsume assures her. “All I’m saying is…” He nods towards the ice cream parlor. “This old place isn’t going to open anytime soon, and I’m sort of hungry. We have an ice cream machine at our hideout. You have ice cream making skills. It’s a match made in heaven.”

“Ha!,” Mikan says triumphantly. “I knew it! You only want me for my ice cream after all.”

Natsume smirks. “Well,” he drawls. “If we’re using ice cream as a clever metaphor for se-“

She punches him in the shoulder again, just for good measure, and he snickers.

So Natsume wants to take her to Nova’s hideout. He wants to bring an outsider into his crew’s space. They both know the amount of trust he’s putting into her, and she’s ridiculously touched that he’s offering this to her even after the messed up operation of the night before. Of course, Nova’s hideout is, in a way, enemy territory and if it were another agent offering to take her there, she would say no. Hell, she wouldn’t say anything, she would simply leave.

But the person looking at her is no other agent, it’s the Black Cat, it’s Natsume.

So Mikan just smiles.

“Let’s go,” she says, and offers him her hand.

[mint-yooxgi]

Inseparable - Slight Yandere!Haechan X Reader

Slight Yandere!AU

Genre: Horror, Angst, Mature

Pairing: Donghyuck X Reader

Words: 4,763

Warnings: I switch between Haechan and Donghyuck too often in this scenario lol. Also, based loosely on a dream I had so some parts may not make sense, whoops. This is a Yandere story, it will contain themes such as stalking, violence, obsession, possessive natures, and just general overall creepiness and swearing. You have been warned.

A/n: This is dedicated to a close friend of mine who actually appeared in this dream of mine as the OC!! Hehehe, so I wrote this with her in mind. You'll probably be able to tell which character is based off of me when you read, too. Also, for those wondering why I label this 'slight' yandere even though it is full on yandere: it's because it's not as long as my usual yandere fics, so since it doesn't have the same plot development, I call it 'slight' lol. I do not believe Haechan would ever act like this, this is just my interpretation of the archetype. Anyways, I do hope you enjoy this little fic! As always, feedback is greatly appreciated!!

There will not be a part two to this.

There’s something off about Haechan.

Normally, Donghyuck is a pretty outgoing guy: loud, borderline obnoxious, and always (well, maybe not always) whining for your attention. Only, he’s been quiet lately. Too quiet.

And you’re not the only one who’s noticed.

This trip was supposed to be fun, a chance for you and a few of your friends to get away for a few weeks and just relax. Forgetting about your stresses called life was going to be easy, or at least, that’s what you had all thought. It was, for a time, but everything changed in the blink of an eye.

Really, you had seen this coming, as had Jeno and Chaesun, both of whom noticed Donghyuck’s odd behaviour towards you lately. Of course, you wouldn’t really consider you and Haechan to be close friends, not like Chaesun and Jeno are, but you’d still consider him someone whom you could easily hang out with and talk to.

In fact, this trip was originally meant to be just you and Chaesun, but somehow both Jeno and Haechan tagged along with you two. Now, you’re starting to think it was Donghyuck’s idea, especially with how he’s been acting.

Autumn is beautiful in the midwest this time of year, and there’s a special harvest festival happening in the area you chose to stay in. Seeing as this event only takes place once a year, you decided it would be a great activity for the four of you to partake in, even if where you really want to go is about a fifteen hour drive away by car. Perhaps next time you’ll be able to go.

When you had first suggested the festival, Haechan had been a little too eager to agree. Honestly, it was the first time on this trip you had seen him look enthusiastic about something, shocking all three of you.

For someone who had been so adamant to tag along, he sure wasn’t acting like he was having a good time. At least, that’s what you had overheard Jeno telling Chaesun.

Of course Haechan would want to go with you, he’d follow you anywhere. Hopefully, he’d even get some alone time with you and actually do what he came here to do.

When he had first heard you mention this trip, the four of you had all been hanging out at Jeno’s place. Seeing as how both him and Chaesun are really close, he had invited the both of you over since he wanted to get to know her best friend better. Haechan, being Jeno’s best friend, practically invited himself over after learning you were going to be at Jeno’s place.

If Haechan’s being honest with himself, he’s never really liked Chaesun. Ever since he realized that you’re perfect for him, and that the two of you are meant to be together, he’s hated her guts. She takes your attention away from him, and he can’t stand how close the two of you are.

That should be him.

Soon, it became a regular thing for the four of you to hang out together, since wherever Jeno went, Haechan was sure to follow since he knew you would always be around Chaesun. It was a win-lose situation for him, though, but seeing you always makes up for being in Chaesun’s presence.

At least he didn’t have to worry about Jeno taking you away from him and all that crap. Which is exactly why he intends to keep it that way.

The next time you had mentioned the trip, you had all been at your shared apartment with Chaesun. Jeno had been sitting on one of the side chairs while both you and Chaesun shared the one end of the couch.

Haechan nearly had a conniption when he walked in with Jeno to see you leaning against Chaesun’s side reading a book. It bothered him even more when you barely spared him a glance when he came in and sat on your opposite side, too enraptured in your book to greet him properly.

For a brief second, his lips had tightened into a thin line before he was able to plaster on a fake smile and greet the two of you. Obviously, his greeting to you was a lot more warmer that his not so friendly greeting towards Chaesun, but no one seemed to notice. Well, except for her.

Haechan had been smooth, angling himself towards you with his arm rested on the back of the couch. Having his legs stretched out in front of him, he could easily lean back and observe the room, keeping an eye on you the whole time while remaining inconspicuous. Every expression you make while reading, every small furrow of your brows, has him captivated; he could watch you for hours.

Which is what he practically does every time you’re in the same room together, only, he makes sure to remain subtle. Last thing he wants to do is creep you out from staring for too long.

It had happened so naturally. Chaesun had to get up to use the bathroom, so you had reluctantly sat up, letting out a small grunt in the process due to your slight annoyance at having to move. Except, what Haechan wasn’t expecting for you to do was spin around slightly and begin to lean the opposite way on the couch now. Which meant you were doing exactly what he had originally wanted.

As soon as your back had hit him, you had jumped slightly. Only, your momentum prevented you from recoiling from him fast enough to sit back up, giving him ample time to slide his arm from the back of the couch and onto your shoulder, wrapping his arm around you and holding you securely to him.

Finally, you had put your book down for the moment and paused your reading.

“Sorry if I startled you,” you say, squirming slightly at the position you now find yourself in, catching Jeno’s mildly amused gaze from across the room. “I forgot you were there.”

“No worries,” Haechan chuckles, hoping you cannot feel the way his heart is absolutely pounding in his chest. “I don’t mind at all.”

“Good,” you stop moving, settling into his side comfortably, almost like you’re made for each other, “cause I wasn’t planning on moving anytime soon.”

Donghyuck wouldn’t have let you, anyways, but he’s just glad you stayed of your own choice. He smirks. He’s making progress with you, and soon, you’ll be inseparable.

As soon as Chaesun had come back into the room, you had closed your book, reaching over to slide it onto the coffee table beside you. The best thing, though? You immediately settled back into Haechan’s side afterwards.

Oh, how smug Haechan felt at seeing the questioning look Chaesun had sent you at your new position on the couch. Finally, he felt like he had something over your best friend. You.

Sitting back down on the couch, you and Chaesun had begun talking about your upcoming trip, what you had planned and what you still needed to do in preparation for it. Luckily, the two of you didn’t seem to notice Haechan’s sudden interest in all the little details as he, along with Jeno, asked you both some questions about the trip. He’s just glad Jeno’s own curiosity was seemingly able to cover up his not so pure intentions behind his own questioning.

It was Haechan that had suggested the idea of them tagging along with you to Jeno after they had left that afternoon, practically begging him to ask if the guys could go with you. Not that Jeno needed much convincing, anyways.

“It’ll be fun!” Donghyuck had said. “A good way to bond with them, if you know what I mean.”

Of course the other knew all about their own crush on each of the respective friends, being supportive in any and every way they could. If only Jeno realized then and there just how deep Haechan’s obsession went for you.

Two weeks later and the two boys were all set to tag along on your little adventure, much to your surprise. Even after talking it out with Chaesun, you were still a little shocked to learn that both Jeno and Haechan wanted to come along, considering she’s told you Jeno doesn’t really like the midwest all that much. All that dry air, or something like that. Either way, having the two guys come meant splitting most of your costs in half for food and the rentals, so you weren’t going to complain.

You don’t know how it happened, but you managed to be sitting next to Haechan for the entire flight there instead of with Chaesun. Funny, you could have sworn you bought the tickets for your seats right next to each other so that the two boys could also sit together. Perhaps she just wanted to sit next to Jeno, but the least she could have done is tell you. Or asked.

The whole flight, Haechan had talked your ear off, much to your distress. All you wanted to do with your twelve hours stuck on the plane was read, maybe listen to some music, and then nap for the majority of it, but you couldn’t. No, you’re too nice to ignore the way Donghyuck is passionately talking about his favourite video games, or ignore the way he asks about your favourite books in return. He’s really not that bad of a guy, once you get to know him, and he’s managed to make you laugh a few times, so maybe you should just let him ramble and them catch some ‘you’ time once you make it to the rental house. You’re sure you’ll have plenty of time to do the things you’ve planned to do once you’re there.

Well, you had been half right.

Between Chaesun pulling you out of the house for a few ‘best friends only’ outings, and Haechan seemingly always wanting to be near you, you could barely find a moment to yourself. Having to share a room with your best friend didn’t help, either, for every time you wanted to hide away in the secluded recluse of the bedroom, she’d pull you back out again to hang out with her or with the two guys. Luckily, you managed to score a few peaceful moments to yourself for a few days near the beginning of the second week there.

On the other hand, Haechan was beyond frustrated. Every time he wanted to plan something with you, Chaesun would beat him to it. That, or the four of you would all go out together.

So badly did he want to have some alone time with you, that Donghyuck could feel himself going crazy. Of fucking course Chaesun would be getting in his way, stealing all of your attention away from him when that’s all he wants most. Then, the few times that her and Jeno went out on their own, when he finally had the house to himself with you, you wanted space.

Reluctantly, he gave it to you, but every time you retreated into yourself, it felt like you pushing him away. Haechan thrives off of attention, and when he’s not getting yours, he feels like he might just die.

No matter, the two of you will be together soon enough. Then, you’ll be inseparable.

So he got quiet. Maybe this way, you’ll realize what your missing when his attention isn’t fully on you. You’ll be running into his arms soon enough, he’s sure of it. Besides, he needs to plan for the festival anyways. What better time to make his move than when both Jeno and Chaesun will be distracted the whole day?

Preparing for this day took a lot out of him, especially the not talking to you part, though his jealousy helped with that. If you could be so comfortable around Chaesun, then you obviously could be that comfortable around him. You just needed time.

The day of the festival, both Jeno and Haechan decided to surprise you both by renting two motorcycles. The weather was just warm enough for a final ride in the autumn air, and what better way to be close to each other than you gripping onto his back as he shows you just how badass he can be. Besides, he’s never lost a girl he was trying to charm as soon as he brought out a motorbike. Even if the idea originally took Jeno some convincing, he eventually agreed to it, and so the four of you were off, making your way towards the festival with the wind nipping at your skin.

When you all arrived, you managed to park a little ways down the road in an empty cornfield which had been plowed for the occasion, a corn maze in the process of being made sitting off to your right. There weren’t many cars in this makeshift parking lot, and you didn’t have to pay for a spot, so you considered yourselves lucky.

Hopping off the back of his bike, Haechan nearly lets out a huff of annoyance at no longer feeling your touch on him. Oh, how he revelled in the fact that every time he sped up a little bit you seemingly clung tighter onto his back, only making him more excited for what is to come. You’ll be his, soon enough.

Walking around the place for a bit, the four of you explore some of the stands, grabbing some food and simply enjoying your time out in the countryside. There’s lots of different little activities for you to do, so by the late afternoon, you’ve pretty much seen all there is at the festival. Except, there’s a few things that both you and Chaesun still want to do, but each stall is at the opposite end of the festival.

“How about this?” Jeno suggests. “We can always split up and then meet back here in an hour or something. Just in time for the fireworks.”

“What a great idea!” Haechan’s entire face lights up, eager to finally get you alone after such a long day. Leave it to Jeno to unknowingly set his plan in motion.

“Sure,” you agree with a nod, and Donghyuck’s heart warms. Do you want to be alone with him as badly as he does with you? “Whoever gets back to this area first rents the picnic blanket and buys the snacks.”

“Sounds good.” Chaesun nods, and with one final wave to each other, you’re all heading off in different directions, Jeno following close behind her while Haechan is not too far behind you.

Surprisingly, he remains silent as he walks beside you, the sun slowly creeping downwards in the sky as you make your way to that little stand you saw all those antique books at when you first entered the grounds. If you remember correctly, there’s a little barn not too far away, too.

Making it to the little stall, you greet the kind old woman sitting behind it, carts of books scattered all around for you to peruse at your own leisure. Haechan makes sure to stay close by you the whole time, fiddling with the keys to the motorbike in his pocket the whole time.

To say he’s anxious would be an understatement. There’s no guarantee his plan will work, or that you’ll even agree to come along with him. He just hopes his failsafe comes through. After all, he’s doing this for you.

Thirty minutes later and you’ve just finished purchasing two books from the kind lady who’s managed to chat your ear off about classic literature for the last twenty minutes or so. How unaware she is of the glare Donghyuck sends her way as he leads you away from the stall with a hand placed on the small of your back. The fact that you even let him do this warms his heart. He’s making even more progress with you than he thought, and maybe, he could suggest you reading while leaning against his chest again. Besides, he wouldn’t mind that at all, especially if it meant getting to wrap you in his arms and getting to place kisses along your neck the whole time.

“Haechan, where are you leading me?” Your voice manages to just pull him out of his thoughts as he realizes the direction you’re heading in.

“Oh, I wanted to show you something cool I saw earlier when we first got here.” He replies, seemingly nonchalant despite the way his fingers tense against your lower back.

You notice.

Furrowing your brow slightly, you see the small barn getting closer with each step you take. From the looks of things, the place looks abandoned, run down even. “Is everything okay?”

“Of course,” a singular nod as he spares you a glance form the corner of his eyes. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

Pursing your lips slightly, you shrug, “I don’t know, you’ve just seemed off lately.”

“Have I?” He hums.

So you have noticed his change in behaviour. Leave it to you to be this observant of him. He knew you cared.

Your only response is to quirk a brow at him as he leads you inside the old barn. The only light you’re offered is the last golden rays of the setting sun, casting a warm, yet eerie glow through the spaces between the wooden boards of the barn.

He slides the door shut, the sound echoing around the place as your brow furrows even more.

“Finally, we’re alone.” It almost sounds as if he breathes a sigh of relief.

“Haechan, what’s the meaning of this?” You clutch your two books tighter to your chest.

“You know, I didn’t realize how impossible it would be to separate the two of you.” he begins. “You and I aren’t going back to them though. You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not. I’m sick and tired of waiting. I want you, and I’m going to have you. So, we’re getting out of here. Tonight.”

“Excuse me?” Your mouth practically falls open. “Look, I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I’m not going anywhere with you. You’re freaking me out.”

Unfortunately for you, he’s blocking the only exit in or out of this place, and at the shaking of his head, you know he’s not moving any time soon.

“That’s what you’re not understanding,” he chuckles, “you’re not going anywhere without me.”

“Donghyuck, this is ridiculous,” you let out a huff. “Just let me through.”

He shakes his head, hand still fiddling with the keys in his pocket. “Not until you agree to come with me.”

You pause. “And if I don’t.”

“You won’t like the answer.”

“I think I’ll take my chances,” you go to brush past him, shooting him a pointed look, “thanks.”

Only, before you can take a single step to open the door, Donghyuck has spun you both around, causing you to drop your books as he suddenly presses a small blade to your throat. Your eyes go wide at the crazed look he now gives you.

“No.” His voice is firm. “You’re not leaving me, and that’s final.”

“Donghyuck-“

“You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not.” He continues, cutting you off as he presses closer into you against the side of the barn, his one hand coming up to cover your mouth. “Don’t even try to scream, just follow my commands, and we’ll both be happy. Okay?”

You nod, your heart racing in your chest as you wait for the opportune moment to escape.

Slowly, he removes his hand from your mouth once he’s sure you won’t scream.

“I’ve wanted you for a long time now,” he sighs, free hand caressing the side of your face. “You seriously don’t know how long I’ve waited for this moment.”

“Where are we going to go now?” Choosing your words carefully, you might as well play along to whatever game he’s started for the moment. Better to lure him into a false sense of security than get yourself killed.

“Well, a little birdie told me you wanted to drive to someplace fifteen hours away from here.” He smirks. “Finally, our first trip as a couple without any annoying disturbances in our way.”

“You’re planning to drive all night? On a bike?” Your fake concern is enough to convince him.

“Don’t worry baby, I planned ahead.” Grinning, he takes a step away from you, convinced you’re going to come willingly with him.

Oh, how wrong he is.

The first chance you get, you’re kicking the knife out of his hand, managing to catch him off guard. Quickly, you land a punch to his gut, grateful for all those kick boxing classes you take on the weekends. In thirty seconds, Donghyuck is on his back, nothing but the cold, hard ground offering him comfort as the heel of your foot digs into his gut in order to pin him down as you reach into his jacket’s pocket to pull out his keys.

“You fucking psycho, of course I’m not going anywhere with you!” You hiss, giving his stomach another good stomp to keep him down.

Turning as quickly as you can, you push open the door to the barn, sprinting out in the next second. You need to find Jeno and Chaesun, and fast.

Sure enough, you find them sitting together on a picnic blanket already surrounded by snacks as they wait for both you and Donghyuck to show up to watch the fireworks. You manage to gather some strange looks as you run up to them, stopping just short of the edge of the blanket as you hunch over, hands on your knees as you attempt to catch your breath.

“Oh my god, what happened?” Immediately, Chaesun is on her feet, worry creasing her brow as she looks you over.

“It’s Donghyuck,” you manage to get out between breaths. “He’s gone crazy.”

At this, Jeno stands to his feet, “did he hurt you?”

“Not yet,” you shake your head, “but he tried.”

“Let’s get you out of here,” Chaesun is already leading you back to the field where you parked the motorbikes, Jeno following close behind.

“What happened?” Jeno makes sure to stand on your opposite side, keeping you in between both him and Chaesun for your protection.

Quickly, you explain to them everything that’s happened since the time you parted ways. As soon as you’re done, they both share a look, the field just in view.

“I knew he’d been acting strange lately,” Jeno frowns, scanning the area to see if Haechan had already made it back. “I still see his bike, so I don’t think he’s here.”

“It’s not like he could go anywhere even if he tried,” you laugh breathlessly, pulling out his keys to show the both of them.

“Damn,” Chaesun grins, “look at you! Badass!”

The two of you share a smug look at each other as a wind blows over the field, sending the remaining stalks of corn swaying in the first rays of the moon. A moment passes by before you see the first signs of the fireworks display starting, the loud booms resounding in your ears in the next moment.

“We should be careful, it’s getting harder to see,” Jeno says above the noise.

“Yeah, he could have already made it back here and could be hiding in the maze.” Chaesun nods as there’s a break in the fireworks, her own eyes scanning the stalks for any sign of movement that’s not from the wind.

“You’d be right about that.” Crunching can be heard from the corner of the field as Haechan steps out from the maze, eyes trained directly on the three of you. “Now, give her back to me and we’ll all be on our merry way.”

Cautiously, Chaesun pushes you behind her, standing in front of you protectively as more colours light up the night sky.

Haechan scowls, “you’ve always been a pain in my ass.”

“What else is new?” She scoffs, motioning for Jeno to make his way over to his bike so that he can make a quick escape with you following closely behind.

Slowly, Donghyuck begins stalking towards you, closing the gap little by little. That is, until he breaks out into a sprint, lunging at Chaesun since she’s the closest.

“You won’t keep me away from her anymore!” He hisses, pulling out his knife once more and pushing it towards her throat.

You gasp as he manages to nick the side of her face just as she manages to throw him off of her. Only, before she can stand back up, he grabs her by the hair, pulling her head back so he can place the blade at her neck.

Jeno, who had been prioritizing leading you to the bikes which now stand mere feet away from you, freezes. He meets Chaesun’s gaze, and you know she’s telling him to prioritize saving you first, and not her. Normally, you wouldn’t worry about her handling herself since you both take the same kickboxing classes, but it’s a lot different when you’re forced to your knees with a blade pressed against your throat from an attacker behind you.

Haechan smirks. He’s got them.

“You,” he motions to Jeno with his head, “back away from my bike slowly unless you want this one-“ he tightens his grip in Chaesun’s hair, causing her to wince, “to get a slit throat.” Immediately, Jeno does exactly what he’s told. “And you, baby,” you nearly cringe at the term of endearment he calls you, “get on my bike, start the engine and walk it over to me.”

Hesitating for only a moment, you meet Chaesun’s eyes. You’d know that look anywhere. The look that tells you that she has a plan, and to trust whatever that is about to happen. So, you do exactly as Donghyuck says, making sure to walk over to him extra slowly once you’ve started the engine.

Pulling up just beside him, you watch as he stands both himself and Chaesun up, quickly shoving her away as he swings onto the back of the bike behind you. With his arms encasing you, you have nowhere to run, him caging you in one either side.

However, what he doesn’t expect is for Chaesun to pop up right in front of the both of you before he can kick off and leave. In an instant, you make eye contact with her, and you turn the ignition off, pulling the key out as she grips Donghyuck’s wrists. Immediately, you flatten yourself to the bike as much as you can while maintaining your balance, sliding out from under Donghyuck’s right arm once you feel Chaesun lift it ever so slightly.

Hitting the ground and managing to drop the keys in your hands, you hear Jeno’s own bike slide up beside you as both Haechan and Chaesun go crashing to the ground in the opposite direction.

Again, you hesitate, looking back to see Chaesun wrestling with Donghyuck in the dirt, him trying to get to you before you even so much as get on the bike with Jeno.

Seeing your hesitance, Chaesun meets your gaze, “go with Jeno!”

Not having to be told twice, you slide onto the back of Jeno’s bike, wrapping your arms around him as he kick off from the ground, riding off into the night.

Sparing one final glance back over your shoulder, you just manage to see Chaesun holding off Donghyuck by pinning him to the ground, hearing him let out a feral cry as you disappear from his sight.

Stopping only momentarily once you’re about seven minutes down the road, Jeno finally hands you a helmet that he’d kept dangling from his wrist this whole time. Thanking him softly, your slip it on, finally able to catch your breath after the events of this evening.

“I hope Chaesun is alright,” you murmur, hearing the click of the buckle snap into place as you settle behind Jeno once more.

“I’m sure she will be,” you hear Jeno mutter, kicking back off the road and continuing on your way once more.

You tilt your head back, looking up at the night sky, the stars twinkling aimlessly as the moon glows above. You sigh, finally allowing your shoulders to relax.

For the moment, you’re safe. “What a crazy day.”

“Yeah,” Jeno hums. “Crazy.”

Little do you know of the smirk that begins to tug at the corner of his lips.

[nlghtshade]

♡ april 2022 favorites

sorry this is late 😭 this weekend was a busy end to a busy month but i was still able to squeeze in time to indulge in some fandom goodies 😍 i hope you guys enjoy these as much as i did !!! there was so much amazing art and i discovered so many good fics through the self rec lists everyone has been doing which have been so fun !! i haven’t been able to read much but my reading list has gotten that much longer haha - anyway happy appreciating ♡

I’m Still Pretending (2020, 1.6k) by @justthingsfromsarah

Draco barked out a bitter laugh, “Potter, I never hated you.” It took a moment for Harry to realize the answering scoff had been his, but honestly, how was he supposed to believe that? Draco refused to meet his eyes, focusing instead on the coffee beans he was grinding by hand. “I didn’t know it was ok to feel like I this, so I pretended I hated you. I teased you, pulling pigtails mother used to call it. 

Always Pray Before You Eat :) by @night-iwan-light

Soft kisses and tender touches and scars by @reebeex

Palm kiss (2022, T, 959 words) by @softlystarstruck

enjoy some best friends to ??? to LOVERS >:) rated t | send me a kiss prompt

AU gryffindor!draco by @nedjemmm-art & @danasauurrr

You’ve Got My Number (2022, 200 words) by @drarrily-we-row-along

200 words written for @drarrymicrofic ‘You’ve got my number’ (a loose interpretation 😂)

Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright) (2020, E, 9.1k) by @pineau-noir with art by @pan-da-hero commissioned by @cibeewastaken

Sex is hard to come by when you're 40 and have kids. Or: Five times Harry and Draco tried and failed to have sex and one time they were successful.

The Letter. by @katie-huon

Wolfstar raises Harry fanart from last december by @satzzzart

ace (T, 2022, 350 words) by @thebooktopus

@drarrymicrofic for the prompt “ace” - happy belated internatonal asexuality day! (350 words, T) CW for internalized acephobia. thanks to @crazybutgood for the beta - remaining errors are my own.

Harry and Draco with cats by @egonorainu

Draco discovers he’s literally the most talented person, 1984 & Summer Before Sixth Year by @short666bread

“gryffindor still won” “shut up” by @schnellertod

“Bad” Hair Day by @lilbeanz

Home County (2017, Gen, 10.7k) by orphan_account

Harry is an architect and the reluctant part-owner of his own firm. Malfoy works at The Ministry but doesn’t actually have a proper job title even though what he does sounds as though it’s pretty important. It would probably be harder not to become friends, when they have to sit through endless, dull meetings with each other, and skirt around some truly terrible weather, and deal with Harry’s irrational hatred of his assistant, and build thirty whole houses from the ground up in a wet field outside of London.

Sad boi Draco Malfoy by @luendland

Fic Binding of @sweet-s0rr0w’s Nor All That Glisters by @a-gay-old-time (including art by @fantalf and @deancebra)

“I was always flirting with you.” (1.6k) by @lou-isfake

“I was always flirting with you.” “What? When did that ever happen?” “I mean, I looked at you… And sometimes you looked back.”

eye of the storm by @the-starryknight

Touch my mouth (and hold my tongue) (2019, Explicit, 13.1k) by Etalice

This is the part of the story where everything turns into a disaster. This is the part where the world turns on its head and everything spins out of control. This is the part where you come violently against Malfoy in a dingy back alley, with quicksilver in your veins, ashes on your tongue and eyes shut so tight your entire vision turns to white. Harry doesn't know what exactly he’s doing with Draco, he doesn't know how their unspoken agreement even started, and doesn't know where it will end. The only thing he knows is: they can't ever tell anyone about it. Or I'll never be your chosen one from Harry's point of view

Operation Dragon’s Shenanigans (2022, Explicit, 14k) by @nv-md

Harry's in love with Draco, but it's complicated. Even more complicated than 'I'm in love with my ex-archnemesis and I get dizzy every time I see him smile'. No matter that Harry's an Auror, and always loved a good mystery, he's still having trouble figuring Draco out. And he's the only one who can see that Draco isn't a regular human. So, as he's done every year since he was eleven, Harry sets out to solve the mystery of 'Why is This Shit Happening to Me?'.

♡ january ♡ february ♡ march

[latetaektalk]

how to love | lmk, wyh [1]

“being born without a soulmate doesn’t mean you can’t fall in love. it just means that nobody is going to fall in love with you. and so, you have made your peace with the fact that your best friend, mark, is never going to love you the way you want him to. but when you are forced to go to a support group for people without soulmates and a certain wong yukhei, your support group partner or what you prefer to call him your sponsor, stumbles into your life, your whole world is turned upside down.” 

genre: soulmate!au, love triangle! au, support group! au, unrequited feelings! au, in love with your best friend! au, fluff, angst

pairing: mark x reader, yukhei x reader

word count: 9.863

warnings: cursing,

playlist: falling in love at a coffee shop - landon pigg, sunkissed - khai dreams, a soulmate who wasn’t meant to be - jess benko

a/n: this took too long to finish, but the first chapter is finally here! this chapter kinda feels more like a prologue in my opinion, but at the same time, it’s not one? anyway, i hope you guys enjoy it as much as i enjoyed working on this and writing it.

You heard Mark before you saw him. He had always walked a little too loudly, had always stepped with a little more weight than necessary. It was one of the little things about him that had never changed over the years, had never changed over your nine year old friendship, and you didn’t want it to. By now, you were used to it, in fact, you were so used to hearing his heavy steps that you could identify him simply by the way he walked.

So, when you heard the heavy steps from outside, you turned around and looked out of the big window. Your eyes followed Mark as he walked up that little path to your house. You watched him climb up the handful of stars to your front door with his hand running through his hair.

And as much as you didn’t want it to, your heart skipped a beat, skipped a beat not only because Mark looked absolutely beautiful, but also because he was here, for some reason. You hadn’t made any plans, but here he was, about to show up unannounced at your doorstep.

This wasn’t new. Both of you had done this more times than you should have, had dropped by out of the blue before, but it had been a while since you two had last done it.

So, yes, you did get a little too excited when you heard his heavy steps, did snap your head around a little faster than usual, did feel your heart thump in your chest a little harder.

And you wanted to roll your eyes at yourself because you had seen Mark this morning, had sat next to and talked to him in class a couple of hours ago, but this was different. You just couldn’t help and interpret a little more into this, into this visit. 

You knew you shouldn’t, knew you shouldn’t because not only was Mark your best friend but also because unlike you, there was a little bit of black covering his wrist. 

Unlike you, he had a soulmate, waiting for him.

And just as Mark was about to ring the bell, his gaze wandered, and before you could look away, his eyes had landed on you. Both of you stared at each other through the window, grinning. His arm returned to his side again and immediately, you knew what that meant.

You shoved your phone back into your pocket, and stood up from your couch to shuffle out of your living room. When you opened your front door, both of you just looked at each other again, silently and with grins adorning your lips.

In those seconds of silence, it felt like it was just you and him in this world, felt like everything revolved around you two and you two only. It was one of those moments you two would share every now and then, one of those moments that had your heart beating a little too quickly and the butterflies spread their wings in hope, one of those precious moments that you wished for to go on forever and ever, one of those moments that belonged to you two, was for you two and you two only.

One of your moments.

“Are you going out, honey?” 

Your grin disappeared when you heard her voice,  and you turned around to look at your mother. She still had the apron tied around her waist and a ladle in her hand. It was obvious that she had rushed out of the kitchen when she had heard the front door click open.

“Mum,” you sighed.

“Yeah, we’re going out.”

“Oh, I didn’t see you there, Mark,” your mother said and a smile tugged on the corners of her lips when her eyes landed on him.

“We are?” you asked and turned back around. Mark smiled at you and nodded at your question, eliciting only a frown from you. “I don’t remember agreeing to that.”

“Well,” Mark hummed, pausing for a second, “you wanna go out then?” 

You opened your mouth to decline because now, you had to, but Mark was quick to cut in again.

“I found a venue.”

Your eyes grew big and you needed a second to process his words, register them.

“Wait, seriously?”

Mark grinned at your words, and you forgot all about how you had to decline his offer to go out. A smile started to tug on your lips and it grew a little more when he nodded at you. 

“Where-”

“A venue?”

You pressed your lips into a thin line and swallowed the rest of your sentence.

“Why do you two need-”

“It’s nothing,” you said and turned to your mother just in time to see her whole face fall a little. Your heart ached and cracked in your chest a little bit when you saw it. A part of you wanted to explain yourself, tell her why you needed a venue, but another part very much didn’t want to do that.

“We’re throwing Jaemin a surprise birthday party,” Mark explained, and you looked back at him, miffed just the tiniest bit, but he didn’t acknowledge you at all. 

“I didn’t know that,” your mother said and Mark and you locked eyes now. He gave you a look, a look  you had been on the receiving end of for some time now. You should be used to it by now and to a certain extent you were, but at the same time, you were very much not. It still bothered you, still had your teeth grinding. 

“When did you two start to plan-”

“I’ll tell you all about it later, yeah, mum?” you asked and tried your hardest to keep your tone levelled and neutral. You turned your head to your mother again. She looked at you before her gaze wandered to Mark for a few seconds and ultimately, back to you.

“Yeah, that sounds great. Over dinner, maybe? Your father’s getting off work early today,” your mother smiled with a tilt of her head, and you knew exactly what she was thinking right now, hoping for.

If you were completely honest, you wanted to say no, wanted to say no because having dinner meant everything was normal when it was not, when it hadn’t been for too long now.

“Yeah, sounds-” you sighed a little, “good.”

Your mother beamed at your answer, and you pressed your lips into a thin line, eyes finding the floor.

“Promise me?”

You could feel a lump grow in your throat and Mark staring holes into you right, ready to jump in if you were to say the wrong thing. 

“Yeah, sure,” you mumbled, but your mother heard it.

“Great,” she said with the biggest grin, and your heart tightened in your chest. “I’m gonna go back into the kitchen again. You two be careful, yeah?”

“Yeah, of course. There’s no need to worry,” Mark called out as your mother made her way to the kitchen again, steps quiet and delicate.

Your eyes locked with Mark’s and you raised your brows at him, a tiny smile pulling on the corners of your lips.

“‘Yeah, of course. There’s no need to worry.’,” you teased with a slight scoff and earned yourself an eye roll from Mark, but you could see the smile tugging on the corners of his lips too. 

“Just shut up.”

You didn’t bother to say anything more, and yanked on your cardigan that you had always hanging next to the front door. You slipped into it and your loosely tied sneaker before grabbing your keys from their hook and letting them slide into your pocket.

You looked around one more time, thinking for a moment if you needed anything else. When you thought you were ready to go, you clapped your hands together.

“Let’s go,” you said and you were about to push past Mark, but he stopped you and held you back. 

“Are you sure you wanna go out like that?” he asked with a slight edge swinging in his voice, and you raised your brows at him before looking down at yourself.

You were wearing an old T-shirt you had stolen from your father a long time ago. There used to be a very obvious stain of ketchup in the middle of it, but after many rounds of laundry it had grown so washed out that it wasn't noticeable anymore. Black shorts served as your bottoms and unlike your T-shirt, you had only bought them last summer. If anything, they were boring. 

Did you look glamorous? No, by no means. In fact, you looked a little messy and maybe too comfortable, but you didn’t see a problem with it. Mark was as dressed up (or, well, not) as you. 

“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?” you asked and looked back up at Mark. He stammered a little, and you only raised your brows more at his silence, waiting for an answer.

“I-” Mark didn’t finish his sentence which was for the best because slowly you were getting offended. He was quick to pick up on that, and closed his mouth before shaking his head and offering you a smile. “Nothing. It’s completely fine. Let’s just go.”

For a short moment, you contemplated confronting Mark on it, contemplated asking him why he cared about the way you dressed all of a sudden when he had never before, but you decided against it and shrugged it all off.

“Going out. Bye,” you called out over your shoulder, but you didn’t wait for a response nor did you want one. The front door fell shut behind you, and when you pushed past Mark this time, he allowed you. 

Your eyes landed on his old and cheap black car he had bought from his parents last summer. He had parked it across the street, and without needing to be told to, you walked over to it. It was then—now that you were outside of the comfort of your home—that you noticed how bright the sun was shining today.

You squinted as you crossed the street and heavy steps echoed behind you. Mark’s car sputtered to life when he unlocked it, and you were about to grab the door, but Mark was a little quicker than you and held it open for you.

“What a gentleman,” you grinned and this time Mark couldn’t hide his smile and let it spill free, but he still rolled his eyes at you. Both of you chuckled a little bit, sharing a look for a moment. When you bent down to crawl inside the car, Mark made sure to put his hand over your head, stopping you from hitting it on the roof of his old car. 

Even though you were convinced that he only did it because he didn’t want you to dent his car, your heart still began racing. You wanted for it to stop, stop being so ridiculous, but you had lost control over your heart a long time ago.

Mark closed the door, and walked around his car. In those few seconds of silence (well, as silent as it could get with Mark’s heavy steps outside), you could feel your heart grow a little more frantic, could feel your cheeks warm up a little too much, could feel your hands start to quiver a little more.

Even though you were used to it by now, used to the effect Mark had on you, you did feel yourself panic a little, panic at the warmth and love blooming in your chest for your best friend, for someone who was never going to feel the same way.

When Mark opened the door and slid into his seat with a heavy sigh, you busied yourself by fiddling with the seatbelt, strapping it across your body.

“Where are we going? Where’s that venue?” you asked in an attempt to forget all about it, in an attempt to calm yourself down and think about something else. The words came out pitchy, pitchier than you liked, but once more, Mark didn’t notice.

“Oh,” he hummed before buckling up as well and putting the keys into the ignition. He chuckled a little to himself before glancing your way for a second. 

“Uh, that’s gonna be a surprise.”

You contorted your face at his words because if you were honest, you didn’t like the idea of a surprise. You liked to know what was happening, liked to be able to be in control of any situation. And right now, that control was slipping further and further out of reach.

“Why?” you asked and your voice was still pitchy, too pitchy. A frown etched into your features and you watched Mark press his lips into a thin line. 

“Why not?” he said and shrugged a little before pulling out of the curb. “Not like you would know where it is anyway. Your navigational skills still suck.”

You scoffed at Mark’s words and lightly hit him, not appreciating his words at all even if they were true.

“That’s a rude thing to-”

“It’s true, Y/N,” Mark laughed before giving you a look. “You know it is.”

You stared at him, and you wanted to retort, wanted to tell him that he was wrong and that your navigational skills were better than any GPS, but you couldn’t bring yourself to say that, couldn’t bring yourself to lie like that. 

“Whatever.”

Mark laughed.

Even though Mark was clearly laughing at you, you could only focus on how beautiful his laugh was, focus on the way his eyes creased into half-moons, focus on his shaking shoulders as the laugh rippled through his entire chest.

A smile pulled on the corners of your lips and your whole gaze softened as you watched him continue laughing. You didn’t care that it was at your expense, didn’t care that you were the butt of the joke. You were gladly the butt of the joke as long as it meant that you could hear Mark laugh forever.

And, of course, your heart quickened in your chest. It quickened so suddenly that you forgot about your conversation with Mark, forgot to press on and demand for answers. Instead, you started to fiddle with the AC because your cheeks were heating up, heating up too much.

Maybe it was because it was summer and you had always had a tendency to overheat or maybe it was because you were wearing a cardigan on seemingly the hottest day of the year or maybe it was because your heart was racing in your chest like it was going to pierce through your chest, but whatever it was, it was getting too hot for you in here.

And, again, maybe it was your thumping heart or maybe it was something else, but you were struggling with the AC, and as much as you tried to hide it, you couldn’t. Mark’s laugh died down and he glanced your way instead. You hated it, hated that he was looking at you because it only made you fiddle more with it, made your heart beat even quicker and your palms sweatier.

“Do you need-”

“I can do it,” you pressed through gritted teeth and leaned forward. It was stupid, stupid that you were struggling with the AC when you had never before, when you had turned it on and off hundreds of times before, but right now, it seemed impossible.

When you finally managed to get it together and get the AC going, you leaned back into your seat. Your hands gripped around your seatbelt like your life depended on it, like if you didn’t, you would fly out of Mark's car. 

The cold air hit you in the face, but it didn’t do anything to cool you down, at least you didn’t feel like it did anything. Your cheeks were still as hot, still burning and Mark was to blame, again.

Silence settled between you two for a little, and you were already counting down the seconds until Mark was going to make fun of you because he was never going to pass up on this chance. And you were right, of course.

“That took incredibly long.” 

Mark bit on his bottom lip to hide away the smile, but he ultimately failed, and you had a suspicion he hadn’t tried very hard.

You rolled your eyes at him, and twisted yourself away from him, not wanting to see that stupid grin plastered on his face. You knew if the roles were reversed, you would do the exact same thing, would tease him as well, but it didn’t mean that it was any less embarrassing and annoying when Mark did it to you.

“I mean, Y/N, seriously. I’m worried. If it takes you this long to figure out an AC, what are you gonna do when we graduate?”

“Like you’re gonna graduate. No way you’re not gonna flunk English,” you scoffed and Mark gasped next to you before shoving you a little, and now you giggled, proud of yourself that you had managed to retort this quickly.

“I’ve been studying,” Mark defended himself, but you were quick to scoff again and shake your head at him.

“Definitely not enough,” you said and Mark gasped once more before tucking his lip between his teeth and gnawing on it as he tried to think of something to say.

“I’m trying,” he mumbled like a small child and you put your hand on his shoulder, squeezing it as you started laughing uncontrollably.

Your laugh filled up the whole air, filled up the car and you could see Mark try to act offended by your words, but he couldn't bite away the laugh for long.

You weren’t sure if he was laughing because he could see the humour of the whole situation or because your laugh was contagious, but it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was the fact that he was laughing with you, that he was filling up the air with laughter with you.

Mark had always laughed easily. Laughing was his forte, a speciality of his, one of his many strengths. Something about his laugh, about the genuineness and authenticity of it, about the way he laughed, was mesmerising, addicting.

So, seeing and hearing him laugh right now had warmth spreading through your chest and your heart hammering.

You loved Mark’s laugh, almost more than you loved him.

“Okay, wait, what do you think of this one?”

You pressed play, and after a few seconds, you were met with a disapproving groan and a scoff.

“Nana is going to straight-up murder you if you put on One Direction on his birthday party,” Mark said as he waited for the traffic light to turn green. 

“‘What Makes You Beautiful’ transcends One Direction. Everybody loves it,” you argued, but Mark scoffed once more before hitting the gas pedal again as the traffic light turned green.

“Okay, go ahead, Y/N. Play One Direction on Nana’s birthday and let’s see if he’ll kill you or not,” Mark challenged and glanced at you before turning the corner. 

“I’m literally throwing him a surprise birthday party. He’s not gonna kill me,” you said and increased the volume of your phone, mouthing along because that song slapped like no other.

“We.”

You looked at Mark and lowered the volume a little to hear him better.

“We are throwing him a surprise birthday party,” he corrected and you rolled your eyes before stopping the song and typing in a new one.

“Yeah, that’s what I said,” you mumbled and pressed play again before Mark could correct you once more. “How about this song? If you don’t like this, we shouldn’t do this at all anymore. Probably should stop being friends altogether then.”

‘I Want It That Way’ by the Backstreet Boys started blasting and immediately, you could see Mark frown and shake his head at your choice. 

“You're kidding, right?”

“It’s old, Y/N,” Mark argued and you furrowed your brows at him, scoffing.

“It’s not that old and why does it matter anyway?” you said and Mark kept shaking his head at you, but as he was about to continue, the chorus hit and you had to do what everybody had to do if the chorus of ‘I Want It That Way’ by the Backstreet Boys hit.

“Tell me why. Ain't nothin' but a heartache. Tell me why. Ain't nothin' but a mistake,” you sang in your best voice, and Mark could only stare at you, smiling at you the tiniest bit as you put on a whole show for him.

“Am I on fire? Your one desire. Yes I know, it's too- wait, when did we park?” you interrupted yourself as you noticed Mark just sitting there, staring at you. You stopped the song and looked out the window to realise that you were parked.

“A little while now. Also, it’s ‘Am I your fire?’ not ‘Am I on fire?’,” Mark said and your face contorted in confusion.

“Wait, I thought the song was old. Why do you know the lyrics then? And how did I not notice earlier?” you asked and looked around, but you didn’t recognise anything, Mark was right (for once), your navigational skills were as bad, as bad as his English skills one might say.

“My mother. She’s a Backstreet Boy-er or whatever you call their fans. She used to blast their music when I was young,” Mark explained with a slight shrug and red cheeks. “And we’ve been parked for a little while now. Guess you were too busy screeching to-”

You hit Mark again, harder this time, but it did nothing because he could only smirk at you and chuckle to himself.

“You’re mean,” you hissed before looking around again like you would recognise any of the buildings now, but, of course, you didn’t. “Where are we? And where’s the venue?”

You twisted around to find the venue Mark had told you about, but instead of finding a venue, your eyes landed on a church, a church you had seen before. A pit formed inside your gut at the sight of it, and you knew right away that something was off, but you weren’t sure what exactly was off.

When you snapped your head around, Mark’s smirk was gone and he started shifting away from you. Without needing him to say it, you knew Mark had lied to you, knew he hadn’t taken you out to inspect a venue for Jaemin’s birthday party. 

It took you rather long to realise where you were, but when you realised it,  when it registered in your mind where you were, your reaction was immediate. 

“You’re fucking kidding me, right?”

It was now that you spotted the bench you had stared at three weeks ago, had stared at before you had gotten so sick of your mother talking that you had walked into that church right behind you and attended your first support group meeting.

“Mark, you better say sike right fucking now,” you demanded and glared at him, but he just stared at his hands and pressed his lips into a thin line. You waited, waited for him to start laughing at you and tell you that this was all a bad joke, yell ‘sike’ into your face, but when he didn’t, it dawned on you that this was real.

Your back hit your seat with a little too much force, but you didn’t notice or care. Anger bubbled up inside you, and you huffed and puffed before you stared at the bench like you had done so three weeks ago. You needed something else to look at because glancing at Mark alone had the blood in your veins cooking.

Mark gave you a moment to process everything, but he couldn’t help himself but look over to you and eye you from head to toe. You were staring out of the window with your arms locked in front of your chest and your knee bobbing up and down like a yoyo. You were like a ticking time bomb, about to blow up into Mark's face.

“So, you didn’t find a venue then?” you spat out before finally turning your gaze to Mark and fixing him with a glare that had him swallowing heavily.

“No, I did find, uh, a venue,” Mark mumbled. “I just lied about, you know, taking you there.”

You let out a long breath through your nose and shook your head at Mark’s words. The anger evaporated in your veins into something else, into something worse, into something indescribable. 

“I can’t fucking believe you, Mark,” you grunted and Mark looked at his hands as he tried to find the words to explain himself, but you didn’t give him a chance to speak. “You’re fucking kidding me, right? That’s- Do you-”

You pressed your lips together as you tried to figure out what exactly you wanted to say, but you were having a hard time with your heart beating out of your chest and your blood boiling in your veins.

“Why would you do something like that?” you asked through gritted teeth. “My mother asked you to do this, didn’t she? Take me here and convince me to go, right? I fucking knew that she wouldn’t give up this easily.”

You shook your head at the thought of it, of your mother going to Mark and asking him to take you here, take you to the support group she had signed you up for a couple of weeks ago without telling you. Your mother was very insistent, you knew that by experience, but you really didn’t think she would ever dare to drag Mark into all of this mess—not to mention that he would not only allow himself to be dragged into it and also take her side on top of that.

“Is it so hard to respect my decision not to go? I don’t need- I hate this.”

A heavy sigh slipped past your lips, and you finally tore your gaze away from Mark. You let it travel as the anger continued to cook inside you like an overflowing pot of pasta, hot and without care.

“Whose side are you on?” you asked and snapped your eyes back to Mark. He looked at you with his mouth slightly open, ready to cut in, but you didn’t want to hear it right now. “I thought we are friends- best friends. I thought you’re on my side with this. I thought I could trust you-

“And you can and we-”

“You know how much I fucking hate this-”

“I know-”

“No, obviously you don’t and obviously I can’t,” you spat out before fully turning your body to Mark. “Because if you did, if you did know how much I fucking hate this and if I could trust you, we wouldn’t be here right now. You wouldn’t even have done this,” you pointed all around you, “in the first place. We wouldn’t be here at all.”

Your back hit your seat again and for a while, you were silent, but it was not even close to enough time for Mark to process your words. So, when you started again, he was still very overwhelmed, almost too overwhelmed to listen.

“I- I don’t want this and you know that. You know that very well, but that doesn’t matter to you, right? It doesn’t matter what I want or what I don’t want because as long as you- you get to do your shit and as long as you’re happy or whatever. It doesn’t matter whether I am happy or-”

“Stop.”

The rest of your sentence died on the tip of your tongue when Mark suddenly took hold of your shoulders and gave you a look that had your lips pressing together. 

“Y/N, just listen,” Mark said and eyed you like he was ready for you to swat his hands away and keep cursing at him until you run out of breath. After a while, certain that you weren’t going to do that, Mark sighed once more and licked his lips, preparing himself to speak.

“You’re upset and you’ve got every right to be,” Mark started, fingers squeezing your shoulders a little more as he searched for the right words. “I lied to you and- I’m sorry for that.”

Mark licked his lips again, and his gaze danced all over your face, never meeting your eyes though.

“And please- don’t take this the wrong way. The lying, I mean. And, of course, it does matter what you want. Your feelings matter. You matter.”

A heavy sigh fell from Mark’s lips and he was wrecking his brain right now. Mark was balancing a very thin line right now, and he had to find the right words because if he didn’t, you would shut down, turn your back to him and not talk to him anymore, not to mention listen to a single word of his.

“I realise that you don’t want to be here, and I know how much you hated going the first time,” Mark started and you contorted your face when he reminded you of the first and only time you had gone to that shitty support group.

“I- I get it. I get why you’re so upset.”

Mark licked his lips, thinking hard as to how to word this.

“I get how you must  feel like without a-”

“Do you, though?” you asked with squinted eyes and a huff. You swept Mark’s hands off of your shoulder and the words spilled out of you without a second thought.

“Do you really get what it’s like to have your mother constantly try to ‘fix you’ and sign you up for shit you don’t want to go to all your life because you don’t have a soulmate? Do you really get what it’s like to constantly do whatever your parents, your friends, fucking everybody wants from you to please them? Even though you’re unhappy doing it? Do you really get what it’s like to have to tell others- strangers that you don’t have a soulmate and be met with this stupid look? With this weird and awful smile? Do you really get what it’s like to see everybody around you find their soulmates?

“Do you really get what it’s like to not have a soulmate and to know that you’re destined to be alone forever?”

Mark couldn’t meet your gaze and his fingers knotted together into a mess. You could feel your anger ease away and turn into something bitter, into pain and agony, into something much more tortured.

Your eyes landed on Mark’s left wrist, and tears blurred your vision when you stared at that little bit of black covering it, at Mark’s soulmate tattoo. Almost automatically your gaze shifted to your own wrist, and you could feel your heart clench in your chest upon seeing it.

Because it was supposed to be covered in a little bit of black too, have one too, a soulmate tattoo. 

But it didn’t, it was empty, naked and that was your bitter reality, your bitter truth. 

By now you could draw Mark’s soulmate tattoo with your eyes closed, could draw it in your sleep if you had to. And you had, had drawn it on yourself without a second thought before, had drawn it on yourself more times than you liked to admit, more times than you should have.

The black ink wrapped around almost Mark’s entire wrist and highlighted his sunkissed skin in a way you never thought black could. Never had black looked better, prettier. Nothing could compare to the black, not even the golden flush it was going to take up once Mark found the one for him, his other half, his soulmate.

There were no edges or harsh lines, nothing but corners and soft strokes. The tattoo lay in an almost effortless fashion on his skin. It was almost like it was made for him and him only, and it was. Destiny had picked it out for him, but hadn’t picked out one for you, not to mention the one matching Mark’s. It was the only soulmate tattoo you wouldn’t mind having, the only one you desired to have, the only one you truly dreaded to see flush golden one day.

“Do you really get what it’s like to know that no one will ever love you back in the way you want them to?”

The question came out in a broken whisper, quiet. It was almost like you didn’t want Mark to hear it, and a part of you didn’t, didn’t want him to hear it and see you staring at his soulmate tattoo, but Mark, once again, didn’t notice. He was never one to notice anything. He had never noticed your staring before, never noticed your beating heart for him, never noticed your feelings.

You shook your head and blinked away the tears. You swallowed the confession that had been sitting on the tip of your tongue ever since you two had been only eight, ever since you had first realised what your thumping heart and your quivering knees meant, ever since you had first laid eyes on Mark.

There was this gnawing silence, this moment where Mark stared at his hands while you grappled for air, grappled for your heart back, back from Mark’s suffocating clutch.

“Look, Y/N,” Mark started and his voice matched yours, weak and quiet. “I- You’re right. I do not get it and quite frankly, I never will. And I’m sorry that I said I did.”

Slowly Mark’s gaze travelled into your direction, but he still didn’t dare to raise his head and lock eyes with you.

“But,” you watched Mark swallow and pause as he tried to figure out the best way to word all of this, not wanting to mess this up once more, “your mother, she- she just wants you to be happy.”

“And I know that,” you said,and all of the bite and anger was now gone from your voice. With delicate fingers, you tucked a strand behind your ear, and with your heels you tried to dig yourself a hole into the floor, hoping it would swallow you. “But it’s the fact that she assumes that I am unhappy because I don’t have a soulmate that makes me unhappy.”

“Well, I mean,” Mark sighed and you watched the sweat collect on the nape of his neck, the harsh afternoon sun burning down on him, and you even with the AC blasting. “Can you blame her though? You’ve been spending all your days in your bedroom, lying in bed and doing essentially nothing-”

“I hang out with you and the others,” you corrected and for the first time in a while, Mark met your gaze and when he did, he had this look on his face that had you almost rolling your eyes.

“Do you?” Mark questioned and you opened your mouth to retort, but he was quick to continue. “First of all, you only ever hang out with the others at school. I’m the only one you spend your time outside of school. Second of all, we hang out a lot less than we used to and third of all, we rarely do anything. Remember how we used to, like, go out when we met up? Now we spend all day in your room and do nothing-”

“You act like you don’t enjoy it,” you scoffed and annoyance swung in your voice, but it didn’t even come close to matching the annoyance you had felt minutes before. “And it’s not my fault that my mother doesn’t know that I hang out with the others too.”

“That’s not what I’m trying to say,” Mark said and held up his hand between you, almost like he was scared you were going to blow up again. “I know it’s not your fault and you know I enjoy doing nothing with you, but your mother- she doesn’t see it that way. All she sees is you holing yourself up in your room and whenever I—seemingly the only person you ever hang out with—come around, you hole yourself up with me.”

You stared at Mark and you didn’t want to admit it, but you had lost this battle. You had nothing more to say and he knew it, but even so, you tried to figure out something to say, racked your brain like maybe if you dug deep enough, you could find a clever retort.

“I mean when was the last time you went outside?”

Just as you were about to reply, Mark shoved his finger into your face.

“And going to school doesn’t count.”

You closed your mouth and let out a grumble, and before you could say something, he spoke up again,

“Neither does this.”

You sighed and tore your gaze away, and with that Mark knew you were admitting defeat to him. But instead of letting a satisfied and smug grin spread across his lips, he placed his hand on yours and tugged on it.

Mark was completely unaware of the fact that this simple gesture had your heart stopping in your chest in the most painful way, and you wanted to tell him to stop, wanted to rip your hand away, but you were too weak to. All you could do was hope and pray that your reddening cheeks were going to be hidden by the afternoon heat.

“She is worried about you, Y/N,” Mark said and his fingers curled around yours, tightening as he continued, and you could barely hear him over your thumping heart.

“It’s why I agreed to do this. She’s incredibly worried about you and sure, she has always been, but lately—and with that I mean the past few years—things have been different. You have to admit that your relationship with your parents, especially with your mother, isn’t what it used to be. And, yes, I know you’ve got very valid reasons for that, but you should have been there when she pulled me aside and asked me to take you here. It’s, like- I can’t even describe it, Y/N.”

You knew Mark wasn’t doing it on purpose, wasn’t deliberately guilt-tripping you or anything, but the pit in your stomach doubled in size. Guil started to gnaw and tug on your heart in the most sickening ways, and you grimaced as you let the words run through your mind. Maybe you had been a little hard on your parents, especially your mother, but it wasn't like you didn't have your reasons.

When Mark squeezed your hand tighter, you tore your gaze away and looked out the window, staring at the bench like you had done so three weeks ago before speaking up again.

“I don’t wanna-”

“Why not?”

You sighed and leaned back, pulling your hand from Mark. You crossed your arms in front of your chest and kept your gaze fixed on the bench.

“Because I already have. I have tried going once already and- I hated it. It’s awful, the worst,” you explained and shook your head. “It’s a support group, but it feels more like a circle jerk than anything else.”

You stayed silent for a little before continuing again, 

“The shit they say is so incredibly sappy and depressing and you know exactly that this is why I-”

“It’s why you don’t watch films or TV,” Mark completed your sentence, and you hummed, nodding, but he could only roll his eyes at you. “Look, yeah, maybe it’s a circle jerk, but, like, just go.”

Mark grimaced at his own words and he knew that they were not convincing at all, but it was difficult to come up with another reason. 

“Your mother, she- do it for her,” Mark elaborated and took hold of your hand again, squeezing it. “She’s so worried about you and I know you don’t wanna do it, but do you seriously think that she’s going to let this go if you don’t go? If you don’t go after I took you here?”

You pressed your lips into a thin line and you had to stop yourself from rolling your eyes and groaning. Because Mark was right, unfortunately. Your mother wasn’t going to let this go because she rarely ever let something slide, let something slide concerning you.

“I’m not saying you definitely have to go or anything, but if you don’t, your mother is only gonna get more worried and who knows what she’ll do next. Maybe she’ll take you to therapy the next time,” Mark said and you groaned.

You let the words sink in and pursed your lips as you thought about them, as you let them run through your mind over and over again. They played over and over again, and you wished they wouldn’t because the longer you listened to them, the longer you thought about them, you started to seriously think about them, which made dismissing them harder.

“Just, I don’t know, go at least ten times-”

“Ten times?” you blurted out and pulled your hand away, but Mark was quick to tighten his grasp.

“Yes, ten times-”

“Five.”

“Seven.”

You glared at Mark and you had to bite your tongue to stop the curses from spilling. To your surprise and dismay, he didn’t give up. Usually, Mark always gave in, always let you have your way, but today was different, today he was different, today he was more determined than you had ever seen him before.

“Seven times and then you can call it quits, can tell your mother that you tried this again, but it doesn’t suit you or help you or whatever bullshit excuse you can think of.” 

Maybe it was because you wanted to escape the harsh afternoon sun or maybe it was because you always felt this urge to please everyone even if it made you unhappy or maybe it was because Mark was asking you to go and sending your heart in a frenzy by holding and squeezing your hand like that, but you let out a sigh.

“You are gonna drive and pick me up every single time.”

Mark smiled at you.

You tried your best to be quiet when you stepped inside, not wanting to draw too much attention to yourself, but you couldn’t stop the heavy sigh from escaping you. Your arms tightened around your chest, and you puckered your forehead when you realised that nothing had changed over the past three weeks.

The room was still too big for this. It was mostly empty except for the people seated in a circle in the middle of it and the two wooden tables pushed into the right corner of it. Dixie cups and day-old snacks were arranged on them, untouched, and you didn't want to think about how stale they had to be by now. And for some reason, the room still felt gloomy and dark even with the big windows.

“Yeah, that’s a good-”

The heavy door clicked shut behind you, alerting everybody of your presence. The sound echoed on the walls and bounced around like a siren. Everybody turned their head to you, and you could feel your cheeks flush red.

“Sorry,” you mumbled and lowered your gaze, your legs coming to a still. 

“Y/N, what a nice surprise,” Eunjung, the support group leader, called out with a warm smile. 

“I missed my bus,” you offered up as an excuse even and shrugged. Your arms tightened around your chest like you were scared that if you didn’t, your heart was going to leap out and tell everybody that you were lying.

“Don’t worry about it. We’re just glad you’re here.”

We.

“We were actually going to take a break in five. How about we take it now? Fifteen minutes,” Eunjung said, and before you could comprehend what was happening, everybody was getting up and either walking out or switching places to talk to each other.

You stood frozen as pairs of people shuffled past you and you were left staring ahead of you as Eunjung approached you with her warm and big smile. And you almost told her not to, not to smile at you like that because it was awful, too warm and too big.

“Hey, Y/N.”

You weren’t sure if she did it on purpose or not, but Eunjung spoke in this terrible tone. Every word of hers was just laced with it. You couldn’t quite describe it, but it left a bitter taste on your tongue. It was almost like she was patronising you.

Her hands landed on your wrists, and before you could protest and rip your hands away, she had uncrossed your arms. You cringed a little when you heard her cheap metal bracelets rattle as she took your hands into hers.

“I just wanted to tell you that we are genuinely happy that you’re here.”

We.

“We missed you.”

We.

“It’s really nice to see you again. We thought we weren’t gonna anymore.”

We.

God, you hated that ‘we’ talk. It had your eyes rolling and the corners of your lips turning inwards. It was infuriating, only for show anyway.

Why did people talk like that, talk like they knew you, talk like you were friends or even family?

“Please, see this here as a safe space, a safe haven. You can share any of your concerns and worries here without any judgement whatsoever. There’s really-”

“Hey, Eunjung, I think someone needs you over there.”

Your eyes landed on Yukhei when he spoke up, but he wasn’t looking at you. He was looking at Eunjung and giving her a smile as he pointed into the hallway.

“I heard someone call for you.”

“Oh,” Eunjung said before turning her gaze to you and squeezing your hands. “I’m gonna go and check this out, but, again, Y/N, I want you to know that we are happy that you’re here again and that you’re very much welcomed here.”

We.

Again.

You knew you should smile back, knew it was the right and polite thing to do, but you didn’t care about that, didn’t care about being polite anymore. You didn’t want to smile at Eunjung, so you didn’t even as she flashed you one of her warm and big ones.

She left a second later, bracelets rattling as she walked past you, and you could feel your shoulders sink and your whole body relax the moment she was gone. But a second later, he spoke up again and had the hair at the back of your neck raising again.

“You missed your bus?” 

You turned around at his question and crossed your arms in front of your chest again. Yukhei stood there with his hands shoved in his hoodie, and you frowned, not understanding how he could walk around in a hoodie on this day when the sun was shining so bright.

“Yeah,” you breathed out even though you had a hunch that Yukhei knew you were lying.

“I saw you sitting in the car.”

You rolled your eyes at him and slightly turned away from him because, of course, he had seen you. A part of you had known that his question was a trap, but you had thought that it might be wrong.

“Okay, great. What do you want from me now? Do you want me to get you a cookie for catching me in a lie?” you said and Yukhei grinned in a way that had your blood boiling. His grin wasn’t filled with any smugness or arrogance, no, it was warm and big and friendly, but just something about it, about him, rubbed you the wrong way, had your gut twisting into a knot.

“No, I don’t want anything,” Yukhei said and shook his head.

“Why did you ask then?” you grumbled with a slight scoff and let your gaze travel to the side.

“I just wanted to see if you were going to lie to me or not,” he explained with a shrug and you frowned at his words. “You know, just how you lied to me about your number.”

You scoffed and nodded to yourself. Of course, that was what this was about. If you were completely honest, you had forgotten that you had given him a fake number, had erased that from your memory, repressed it.

“Oh, okay, I get it now,” you said and tightened your arms around your chest, hugging yourself a little more. “This is about me giving you a fake number.”

“Yes, of course, this is about you giving me a fake number,” Yukhei almost laughed, clearly amused with this whole situation and slid his hands out of his hoodie to point at himself.

“You’re supposed to communicate with me. Have you forgotten that I’m your support group partner?”

“Sponsor,” you corrected and raised your finger. “And like I’ve told you three weeks ago, I don’t need that. I’m fine by myself.”

“She says and doesn’t come to any meetings for three weeks,” Yukhei smiled and you furrowed your brows at him, annoyance building up inside you.

“Me not coming to any meetings has nothing to do with me needing a sponsor, but has everything to do with me not wanting to come. Talking to you or whatever wouldn’t change anything about that,” you said with a frown and you expected him to be annoyed with you, expected him to be just a little bit irritated by your behaviour and words, but, Yukhei let out a chuckle at your words.

“What’s so funny?” you asked and your frown deepened. Your annoyance turned into irritation as Yukhei gave you one of his half smiles, one of his infuriating half smiles.

“Because it’s obvious that you don’t get it,” he explained and you blinked at him. “It’s obvious that you do, in fact, need a support group par-”

“Sponsor.”

“I’m never calling myself your ‘sponsor’, Y/N,” Yukhei retorted with his awful half smile and you wanted to tell him to stop smiling at you. “I’m not your ‘sponsor’, but your-”

“You’ve been attending this support group longer than I have, are the person I should turn to whenever I have any problems concerning all of this and are the person that’s supposed to hold me accountable, right?” you asked with a head tilt.

“Yes, but-”

“So, you’re my sponsor,” you concluded and Yukhei stared at you before shaking his head at you.

“Y/N, this isn’t an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting-”

“Why does this feel like an AA meeting then?” you asked and Yukhei laughed at your words, shaking his head again before meeting your gaze.

“That sounds more like a you kind of problem,” he said with a slight squint of his eyes and a slight upward quirk of his lips. A small scoff slipped past your lips and your hands tightened into fists. 

You knew that, knew that this was more of a you kind of problem and, sure, you might have been well aware of that problem and acknowledged it already, but that didn’t mean that you were fine with Yukhei telling you that. 

A part of you wanted to ask Yukhei if he thrived off of annoying you, if he enjoyed it, but you realised that he did when you saw the glint in his eyes and smile. 

This was amusing to him, very much so even. 

With that fact in mind, and because you didn’t want to entertain this conversation or him any longer,—definitely not because you couldn’t think of anything smart to say anymore—you turned on your heel.

For a second, you were hesitant before you walked up to one of the chairs, deciding to sit down would be the best thing to do now. You wanted to snap your head around when you heard Yukhei chuckle a little more, but you just hurried your steps. To your dismay, Yukhei managed to keep up, easily at that.

You were about to sit down when-

“Jisoo sits there.”

Your eyes locked with his and your jaw locked up when you saw him grinning at you. For a moment, you contemplated sitting down anyway and not letting Yukhei tell you anything, but then you realised that your bad moon didn’t justify taking someone else’s, well, Jisoo’s  seat away.

“Fine,” you pressed through gritted teeth and walked up to the next available chair, but once again, Yukhei stopped you.

“Sicheng.”

You groaned and glared at Yukhei, but he kept grinning at you. You could feel other people glancing your direction and if you weren’t so angry, you would be embarrassed, but right now, you could only focus on Yukhei and his stupid face.

“Where can I sit then? Is there a chair for me or not?” you asked with an eye roll and Yukhei’s grin widened at your words before he pointed at a chair across the room. Without another word, you stomped your way to that chair and let yourself fall into it, arms and legs crossed.

Yukhei strode towards you, and you didn’t miss the fact that he never took his eyes off of you, but you acted like you did, like you couldn’t feel his gaze digging into your face. You knew the second you looked at him, you would be met with his stupid grin and you were certain if you saw it one more time, you were going to snap.

When he sat down next to you, you could feel your whole body stiffen. Your nails dug into your palms as you tried to keep your face neutral and the scowl off of it. You didn’t want Yukhei to see how angry he got you, what an effect he had on you, but deep down, you knew you were failing, miserably.

“Isn’t somebody sitting there already?” you spat out, but you didn’t spare him a glance, eyes fixed in front of you.

“Don’t you worry about it,” Yukhei said and you could practically hear his stupid grin.

Your teeth sank into your tongue as you silenced the words that wanted to slip. You wanted to let them out, but you knew better than that, knew that if you said something, this would go on forever and end up with you up the wall.

And for a few seconds, there was silence, but Yukhei, again, never looked away, never took his eyes off of you, and you wished he would, wished he would not only because it was getting weird, but because his staring was getting to you in ways you would never admit out loud.

“You know, people tend to start liking me more after a while.”

You scoffed, but it didn’t discourage Yukhei at all. Of course, it didn’t. Someone like Yukhei could never be discouraged by anything, not even by repeated rejection and failure. You had to admit it was admirable, impressive even, but you wouldn’t tell him that even if there was a gun pointed to your head.

“People say that I’m quite charming.”

“I’m sure people also tell you you’re a very special boy and that there is no one like you out there, too,” you quipped in an attempt to get him to shut up, but to your dismay, Yukhei just laughed at your words.

You watched him laugh before nodding to himself and leaning back to take you all in, get a better view of you. And you rolled your eyes at Yukhei because, god, he was annoying, especially with that grin cemented on his face, that grin that was just as infuriating as his frequent half smiles.

“I like you, Y/N.”

You were rarely ever stunned or speechless not to mention both, but right now, you were just that. The confession was sudden, out of nowhere and while there was a certain sincerity swinging with it, you couldn’t take it seriously.

How could you with Yukhei grinning at you like that?

You were caught off guard. With your mouth agape, you blinked at Yukhei like he had grown a second head. Yukhei’s cheeks didn’t flush red at his own confessions and instead, he looked at you with his head tilted to the side and his lips pulled up into another half smile.

“Okay, break’s over.”

And for the first time, Yukhei took his eyes off of you to look at Eunjung. You expected for Yukhei to get up and go back to his seat as people filtered in and found their respective seats, but he didn’t move a centimetre.

When the last person had sat down, it dawned on you. You wanted to scoff and curse at him, but all you could do was stare at Yukhei.

“You’re fucking kidding me.”

Yukhei turned his head to you and now flashed you the brightest and most infuriating smirk.

“Is that your-”

“Yes.”

You scoffed and didn't even register people glancing your way. Your eyes stayed locked with Yukhei’s as you stared him down like he would drop dead if you just looked at him long enough. But your glare seemed to do nothing because he kept looking at you like you weren’t glaring at him, like you weren’t wishing for his death with your eyes.

“Hey, Y/N and Yukhei, please stop flirting. Break’s over,” Eunjung said and you could feel the blood rush into your cheeks in an instant.

You had never been called out by anyone before, never by your teachers and definitely never for ‘flirting’, but here you were, sitting in this stupid circle with your face flushing hot after being called out on just that, flirting.

And you knew who was to blame, knew exactly who had done this to you. Because you hadn’t changed, hadn’t picked up ‘flirting’ in the past fifteen minutes. No, it wasn’t you who had ‘flirted’, it had been someone else.

Yukhei.

You tore your gaze away, sticking it to the floor as heat crawled up your neck and your heart thumped louder and louder in your chest. And, of course, Yukhei could only grin..

“Sorry, Eunjung.”

You wanted to say something too, wanted to say that you weren’t flirting with Yukhei and definitely glaring at him instead, but the words wouldn’t slip off your tongue, and you knew that even if they had, they would come out in between coughs and in the form of a whisper.

Your arms tightened in front of your chest, and you watched Eunjung open her mouth and say something, but your mind was too clouded with anger and frustration for you to properly listen to her. Your tumbling heart didn’t make it any easier for you to listen. You couldn't concentrate, not to mention on Eunjung or her words. It was like you were stuck in a silent film, watching people speak to one another, but you couldn't hear a single thing.

But, of course, you still picked up his words, still picked up his words as he leaned into you and whispered them into your ear.

“Is that a ketchup stain on your shirt?”

Wong Yukhei could go eat it.

→  links don’t work, but don’t forget to message me with any thoughts/feedback! i’d love to hear it!

[laprincesaelena]

EOA Discord Server Ship Appreciation Week Day 2: Cooling Off

a/n: hi everyone! to all that left some feedback on day 1’s fic, thank you so much!! i’m so happy to know that people are enjoying my fics, i’m really excited to finally be sharing some with you guys! sorry today’s fic is a bit late, i of course put it off lol, and i intended to have a lot more time to write today, but i ended up having a lot less than i thought. but, regardless, i spent the rest of my night writing this so i could post this as close to on time as possible!

this fic is basically the beach day the four amigos deserved to have in the show, but of course, with some cute gabelena moments scattered in there :) fun fact, the beach they visit is inspired by my local beach, one that i also have many childhood memories of, and still visit every summer! not me projecting my childhood onto elena, what no 😗✌🏻

anyways, a couple quick notes! i chose the name moteada for the horse elena rides, since it was the closest spanish translation i could find to “spotted” (or spotty, as little me would say). if any spanish speakers know of a word that is closer to that (as in spotted in appearance), please let me know! also this could technically be a modern au?? not sure how much of what’s featured in this would exist in avalor, so interpret it as you’d like.

once again, another thank you to @procrastinateland for the absolutely adorable art to go along with the fic!! elena’s smile is just so cute, isn’t it? 🥺

okay, enough of my notes lol, on with the fic! hope you all enjoy! :)

After quite a few of their planned beach days had gotten rained out, Elena, Gabe, Mateo, and Naomi felt like they'd never get a fun and relaxing day together. But, one warm summer day, the sun would be bright and shining all day long, and the four amigos knew they had to take advantage of it.

The four of them met up at the palace that morning, and made sure they were all ready to go. After packing the carriage with all the necessities, they headed off to Avalor City's most popular beach, Playa de la Marea.

Elena smiled as they approached the beach, and took a deep breath, taking in the salty sea air. Playa de la Marea was a nostalgic location for her, as her and her family visited the beach each summer when she was a kid. Some of her happiest memories took place here, and she couldn't wait to create new memories here with her friends.

As the carriage drove them down the avenue, the four of them took in the sights. To their right, was the beautiful Playa de la Marea, which stretched down the coast for about five miles. A concrete wall lifted the road slightly above sea level, but beside it was plenty of space for walking along the ocean, as well as a couple of places to eat. To their left was a boardwalk of sorts, which included plenty of fun things to do. Restaurants, shops, an arcade, mini golf, carousel, ice cream shop, anything to add a bit more fun to a summer day.

The carriage pulled over for the four of them to step out and finally begin their day at the beach. Elena stepped out first, and took a look around. Things had certainly changed around here in the past four decades.

"Where's the amusement park?" Elena asked, as if it had somehow suddenly disappeared. "It used to be right behind those buildings!" she added, pointing over across the street.

"Amusement park?" Gabe asked as he began to unpack the back of the carriage. "What are you talking about?"

"Gabe, she missed out on like, half a century. Who knows what this place looked like when she was a kid?" Naomi said, leaning over the back of the carriage.

"She's right, there was one here. Parque de la Perfección was right where this boardwalk is today." Mateo explained. "My mamá used to visit as a child all the time, it closed about thirty years ago, so I'm sure Elena remembers it just as well. There's only one attraction from it left, maybe we could ride that today."

Elena's eyes lit up as she turned to the group. "Can we?" she asked.

"Uh, can we at least go to the beach first?" Naomi replied with a soft laugh. "We've only been waiting forever for a perfect day like this, let's go!"

With that, Naomi hopped out of the carriage, and each of the amigos grabbed a bag or two to carry down to the beach. After a few minutes of searching for the perfect spot, each of them laid down a blanket, as well as setting up a couple of chairs and an umbrella. Naomi stepped back for a moment, and made a frame with her fingers, before giving the group a thumbs up.

"Looks great, guys!" she said. "Now c'mon! The sea's a'waitin!" She was just about to run off towards the ocean, before a voice stopped her.

"Hang on!" Mateo said, and grabbed a bag from beside him. He emptied the contents of it onto one of their towels, and about all there was to see was every type of sunscreen imaginable.

“Looks like somebody came prepared!" Elena joked with a small laugh.

"My mother came prepared." Mateo responded. "She couldn't have her 'precious baby boy' come home with a sunburn, or any sort of tan, apparently.." he said, before placing the bag aside, having completely emptied it. "So, I've got lotion, spray, a stick, whatever you prefer!"

"I'll take the spray, thanks." Elena answered, and Mateo threw a can over to her.

"I should probably cover myself in this.." Mateo said, taking a bottle of the lotion equivalent. "I'd be afraid to see my mother's reaction if I came home with even the slightest bit of redness." he added with a slight laugh.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm heading into the water, I'll be fine." Naomi commented.

"But Naomi, you're the palest of all of us!" Mateo replied. "You'll be bright red!"

Naomi rolled her eyes, but smiled, knowing her friend was just looking out for her. "Alright, fine." she said. "Elena, hit me up with some of the spray."

Elena managed to spray on just enough to cover Naomi's body, before she was headed off to the water. She smiled and laughed a bit, before taking off her beach cover-up, and spraying some onto herself as well.

A moment later, the rest of the friends were ready to join Naomi in the water. The waves were just right that day, rough enough to play around in, but calm enough to simply enjoy the shallower end. The water was on the chillier side, but on a hot summer day like this one, it felt quite refreshing.

Elena took Gabe's hand in hers as they reached the water, he could barely keep up with her in that moment! Once the water came to about her waist, she dived right into a wave. A second later, her head popped up from under the water with a big smile, and Gabe couldn't help but smile as well. He loved seeing Elena in rare moments like this one, where she could truly sit back, relax, and let loose. After all she had been through and all she'd done for the kingdom so far, she very much deserved it.

Naomi was still multiple feet out from them, the water had to be much over her head. But being practically raised on a ship, the water was certainly her element. Once she noticed her friends, she waved to them, and began to swim a bit closer to the group.

"Water's perfect today, isn't it?" she asked them. "Got some decent sized waves to jump into as well! I'm not the only one who's always liked to do that, right?"

"Uh, absolutely not!" Elena replied. "I'm in!"

Gabe looked out onto the horizon, and noted the size of some of the waves. A few of them were a bit too rough for his liking, especially for someone like Elena, who was much shorter than he was. What if she got knocked under and never came back up? What if she lost her footing and got sucked into a current? There were too many possibilities of what could go wrong, and even though this was technically an off day for him, his protective royal guard side couldn't help but come out.

"Elena, I don't know.." he said, protectively wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "What if one of them knocks you under and you don't come up? I can't let anything happen to you."

Elena rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Oh, come on Gabe, loosen up a little! I'll be fine, I can swim. Besides, it's an off day for us all, let's just have some fun! You can join us, if you'd like." she offered.

Gabe sighed, he knew that he did have to learn to trust Elena on her own more often, she didn't need to be protected. "Alright, fine, I'll come too." he said. "How about you just don't go any further than you can reach, okay?"

Elena nodded, that was reasonable enough. "Will do!" she said, and took his hand in hers once more. "Now let's go!"

The next few minutes were spent jumping over the waves, diving into them, or even getting knocked down a few times! Elena just couldn't help but smile and laugh each time this happened, especially with Gabe rushing to fix his hair before the next wave came along to mess it up again.

When a break between waves came along, Elena wrapped her arms around Gabe's neck with a smile, and leaned up to kiss him. Gabe wrapped his arms around Elena's waist and pulled her in closer, kissing her right back. Elena couldn't picture a more perfect day, she just wanted this sweet little moment to last forever.

Naomi turned to say something to her best friend, only to see the couple wrapped up in this embrace. She rolled her eyes but laughed to herself, and jokingly called, "Get a room!"

When Naomi turned back towards the sea, she was faced with one of the biggest waves she had seen that day. She dived right into it, and found herself about six feet under the water. Once she reached the surface, the wave hadn't reached her friends yet, but it was pretty close to them. Of course, Gabe and Elena were oblivious to what was heading their way, so Naomi called out to warn them. When not even that broke the couple apart, Naomi knew they'd be finding out on their own soon enough.

Elena could've sworn she had heard a voice a moment earlier, but she didn't think it was directed towards her or Gabe. But, when she heard the roaring of a wave, she opened her eyes for a moment, and pulled away. When he felt Elena shift, Gabe pulled back and looked down at her, concerned. When he turned his head in the same direction as she did, the pair gasped. Before they could do much else, the two found themselves knocked under the water. For a few seconds, they were completely submerged, before they managed to find their footing and push back up to the surface.

Gabe just so happened to reach the surface first, so when Elena was no where to be found, he instinctively feared the worst. Just as he was about to dive back into the water, Elena reached the surface to catch her breath. Before Gabe could quickly wrap his arms around her to make sure she was okay, she started to laugh. Gabe couldn’t believe her, she had practically just drowned, how could she be laughing at a time like this? Unfortunately for Gabe, though, Elena's laugh was quite infectious. If she was laughing, she had to be okay. So, Gabe started to laugh a bit himself.

"I think that's enough ocean for us today." he said through his laughs.

"Maybe so!" Elena agreed with a laugh as well. "How about we head a bit closer to shore?"

"Now that sounds a bit safer, I'm not almost losing you to a wave again!" Gabe joked.

For the next couple of hours, the four amigos had a wonderful time at the beach. They spent plenty of time on the water, had a quick lunch on the shore, bathed in the sun (or under the umbrella, in Mateo's case), and just spent a bit of time talking to one another, about things that didn't have to do with their usual tasks. They were able to spend the day as just a regular group of friends, not a crown princess, royal wizard or guard, and grand councilwoman. The group began to pack up as it began to reach high tide, but their day wasn't over just yet.

The amigos left most of their things back in the carriage before heading across the street to the boardwalk. There was certainly plenty to do, it'd be practically impossible to do it all in one day! But, they decided on the arcade for their first stop, and something immediately caught Elena's eye as they walked in.

"Awww, how cute is this?" she asked the group, pointing up to a yellow and pink jaquin plush hanging on the wall, amongst other prizes to win. "It's just so soft and cuddly..I've got to take that thing home!"

Gabe was not going to let his girlfriend go home without this jaquin, he was determined that he was going to win it for her. It cost a decent amount of tickets, but if he timed it right, it was achievable.

Naomi had already headed over to an air hockey table, and was standing at the ready. "Alright, who wants to try and best me?" she asked. "You know, when I was eight, I beat my whole crew at an arcade in Corinthia."

Gabe raised an eyebrow at her, a spark of determination in his eye. "You're on, Miss Turner." he said.

Determined to bring Elena home a little jaquin, when Naomi won the first match 7-5, Gabe wasn't giving up that easily. Best two out of three soon turned into three out of five, and while Gabe did manage to win a game or two, Naomi came out as the victor, and with a good sum of tickets to show for it. Knowing he probably didn't stand a chance against her, he moved onto another game.

Meanwhile, Elena had been trying out a variety of different games, some she was pretty good at, others she could barely get through a round without getting frustrated at. As much as she really wanted the adorable jaquin plush, all she really wanted was to have fun with her friends. If she left the arcade with a tiny little prize, so be it. She then got herself dragged into a game of air hockey with Naomi, which grew just as competitive as her previous matches with Gabe.

After spending a good hour or two at the arcade, the amigos were in need of a change of scenery. Competition certainly got tiring after a while! But, before they moved on, they had to pick out their prizes! Gabe sighed as he received his final number of tickets, he was only twenty short of Elena's beloved jaquin. He didn't even want to think of her disappointed face when she learned of this. He looked around, was there anything else she might love just as much? But, before he could make a decision, he noticed Elena approaching him.

"Elena, I-" he began to say, ready to apologize for not being able to win her the jaquin. But before he could, Elena pulled something out from behind her back. It was a small plastic sword, similar to one a royal guard might carry, only on a smaller scale.

"This is for you!" she said, holding it out to him with a smile. "Now you can protect me for the rest of the day with this!" she joked.

Gabe couldn't help but smile and laugh, he certainly appreciated the thought. He looked over the sword as she passed it over to him, and then began to try out a couple of moves with it.

"Wow, I've got to say, this is better than my captain's sword back at the palace!" he joked. "I think we should replace our standard issue swords with these ones!"

Elena smiled and laughed as well as Gabe 'tried out' his new sword. "I agree, the ones we have now are just too big and bulky, don't you think?" she joked.

"Oh, absolutely." Gabe agreed with a laugh. "Or maybe, I'll pull this out at our next fencing practice, you won't be able to beat me then!"

"Unfortunately, these swords here are quite pricey, I only had enough tickets for one!" Elena replied. "Well, enough for one and a handful of candy." she added, showing him a couple of pieces of candy she had received as well.

The thought of tickets reminded Gabe of what Elena truly wanted, the jaquin plush. He knew that even though she was excited with her purchase for him, she'd definitely notice the jaquin on their way out, and she'd be so disappointed to be leaving without it. So, he knew he just had to be honest with her.

"Speaking of that, I tried to win you that jaquin, since I knew you really wanted it.." he explained. "But unfortunately, I came a few tickets short of being able to win it for you, I'm sorry."

Before Elena could tell Gabe that it was alright, she was cut off by a female voice.

"One adorable jaquin plush for my beloved princess!" Naomi said, jokingly bowing to Elena, with the prized pink and yellow jaquin in her arms.

Elena gasped with delight, and held the plushie tight once Naomi handed it over to her. It was even softer, and cuddlier, and more adorable in person! Her day was already great as it was, but this just made it that much better! She wrapped Naomi in a hug and thanked her, she was just so excited to have it.

Gabe couldn't help but sigh when he realized that he wasn't the one to win Elena the jaquin, but those feelings quickly faded when he saw how Elena's face just lit up at the sight of it. He tried his best to make this day great for her, but hey, she still got that jaquin! Besides, he knew how she smiled as she took in the sights of the beach, how she laughed as they were both knocked down by a wave, Elena was having a great day for herself no matter what, jaquin or not. And that's what mattered most.

Their next stop was the carousel, the final remaining attraction of Parque de la Perfección. Elena was also looking forward to this, since she had so many memories of riding this very carousel as a child. She remembered her parents mentioning how once they got her on, it was hard to get her off! She especially used to love when Isabel would ride on the horse beside her, and her father would stand between the two, closely watching to see which one of his daughters would ‘win the race’. Elena smiled remembering her parents, she did miss them very much. Though she missed those days, now she was here to make new memories with her best friends, and she couldn’t wait.

As the four of them stepped onto the ride, Elena immediately went searching for a very specific horse. She quickly walked through the rows and rows of them, until finally, she came across the one she was looking for.

“Moteada!” she exclaimed, and hopped onto a small black and white spotted horse.

“Mote-huh?” Naomi asked.

“Moteada!” Elena repeated. “This was the horse I rode on almost every single time I visited as a kid, she was my favorite for some reason! I called her Moteada due to her spots.” she explained.

“That’s cute, I’m glad you could ride her again today!” Naomi replied with a smile, before setting her sights on a large, chestnut brown horse in the same row. “I call the big one!” she called, hopping aboard it.

Elena laughed softly as Naomi grabbed onto the leather ‘reins’ on the horse, sitting up straight and tall. She jokingly waved around, as if she were the most important being on the biggest horse. Mateo was seated atop a grey horse beside Naomi, all four amigos seated right in the same row.

Of course, Gabe was going to be right next to his Elena, so he hopped onto a beige horse beside her. He smiled as Elena took her new jaquin friend and placed it right in front of her, as if they were going for a ride too.

When a bell sounded to signal that their ride was about to begin, Elena felt like she was a child again. It were almost as if she was back here for a beach day with her family, racing to sit atop Moteada before anyone else reached her, giggling with her sister as they each neared ‘the finish line’, and waving to her mother, it felt like nothing had changed.

Gabe knew they’d have to plan beach days like this more often, since this was the happiest he’d seen Elena in a while. Not that Elena wasn’t an overall happy person, you’d always come across her walking down the hall with a smile. But something about today was different, maybe due to the nostalgia this day brought her. Regardless, Gabe couldn’t get enough of seeing Elena’s beautiful face light up with a smile, he couldn’t help but smile as well glancing over at her.

When Elena turned her head to the side for a moment, she noticed Gabe smiling over at her. So, she reached over towards him and pulled him in for a kiss. She pulled back a moment later with a soft laugh, giving him a look of so much love. There wasn’t anyone else she’d rather be sharing these moments with, and she couldn’t wait to create many more memories just like this with him in the future.

A couple of minutes later, their ride was gradually slowing down. Once it had come to a complete stop, Elena’s horse just so happened to have stopped at the highest height possible. She looked down and laughed to herself, even though she was that many years older and that much taller than she was on her last ride, it was still quite a ways down for her!

“Well, this’ll be quite the fall!” she joked to herself, as she began to swing one leg over to hop down.

But, before she could let go of the pole, she felt a pair of hands around her waist, which lifted her up, and placed her softly onto the ground. Elena turned around to see that it was none other than Gabe who softened her landing. She smiled and pulled him in for a quick thank you kiss, before following Naomi and Mateo off of the ride.

To end their day, the four amigos sat along the sea wall with an ice cream, admiring the view as they enjoyed a refreshing treat. Gabe wrapped his arm around Elena and held her close, as she rested her head on his shoulder. Their conversation was filled with their favorite parts of the day, which would continue on as they walked back towards the carriage. Elena loved each aspect of their day, but she had to admit, what she loved the most was her adorable new jaquin plushie. Oh, and being able to spend a fun and relaxing day with her closest friends, and of course, her Gabe, was pretty nice too.

[alpxcamin]

District 9

Requested?: Nope

Words: 9.3k

Group: Stray Kids

Member(s): All members, but mostly Chan (feat. Bambam)

A/N: I’m so sorry this is so late, but in honors of our boys finally debuting, here’s your classic dystopian/post-apocalyptic AU :’) I imagined it as sort of a crossover of Attack on Titan and The Maze Runner? I wrote this as completely platonic relationships, but feel free to interpret it however you’d like lol. Yeah...I hope you enjoy~ Also, since this one is a long one, I’ll put it under the cut ^^

“Chan! Open up!” you pound on the door, kicking away overgrowth.

A muffled ‘coming!’ can be heard from inside. You smile at the sight of Chan’s smiling face as he peeks out the door. He opens the door fully open and lets you in. He gives you a tight hug before ushering you in and calling for the others.

“Hey, we were starting to get worried about you, y/n,” Chan gives you a light pat on the back.

“You don’t have to worry about me...you know I have my ways,” you grin, setting your backpack down by the table.

Soon, the eight other boys come rushing out of their rooms, all running towards you. Before you can duck away from their attack, they all hop onto you, causing you to fall over, bringing them down with you. You screech as they take turns flattening themselves on you and basically squeezing the life out of you with their hugs.

“Y/n, you’re back!” Jisung giggles, finally helping you up.

“We missed you so much~” Jeongin grins, spreading his arms wide open, showing you just how much they had missed you.

“Haha, I missed you guys too. Now I’m back and I’m here to stay!” you smile, clasping your hands together.

The guys let out a cheer and wrap you into a giant bear hug. You stay in the midst of their arms, embracing the moment, basking in the warmth of the body heat. You think back to the day you had first met them and you are glad that you had stuck around.

Flashback

You had just run away from home after failing a test. This is the first time that has ever happened and you are scared. Not many people in this society have ever failed, much less get a bad score. You have heard of stories about the people who didn't do well. They were all cast out and sent to die outside of the protective walls. So far, you have heard that only a few people have been cast out. Everyone calls them Stray Kids because they are all left to become strays outside the walls.

Now, it was more normal for younger children to get scores a little less than perfect. Your parents reassured you, but you still weren’t sure. As people grow older, they are expected to become perfect. You didn’t like the word since your parents constantly lecture you about being the best that you can. As a ten-year-old, there really is nothing to worry about since it is usually at the age of thirteen is when people are expected to become perfect. However, being the stubborn ten-year-old you are, you decide to run away. You never liked the idea of fitting in. You wanted to be rebellious without getting into too much trouble. You just wanted to be free.

Unfortunately for you, in this society, even young children are being taught to be their best. It is becoming more and more common for even younger children to receive all perfect scores. You have received countless of bad scores and you can’t take it anymore.

As soon as you got out of school, you decided not to go home. Your rebellious side begins to show up, making you more and more curious about what is outside the walls, much less your district. There are a total of 8 districts and you lived in the last one. You mindlessly wander about, no particular destination in mind. You sigh, kicking around loose pebbles as you take your time, strolling around. You adjust your backpack once in a while.

As time passes, you stray further and further away from home and you begin to feel afraid. The sky begins darkening and you shiver at the wind. You finally turn back, taking a peek at how far you have gone. You find yourself lost in the forest, barely able to see the lights coming from the houses.

Tears begin pricking your eyes and you quickly wipe them away before they can begin falling. Suddenly, you hear a rustle from behind you and you let out a small scream. You finally begin sobbing out loud, afraid of what may happen.

You feel an arm grab you and you try to squirm away, but the arm holds tight. You hear a soft quiet voice telling you to calm down. The voice is actually quite soothing which lulls you into doing what it is saying. You stop struggling and turn around to face your captor.

Your eyes meet someone’s chest and your eyes slowly trail up the body. Soon, you find yourself looking at a bright, cheery face. The boy seemed about three or four years older than you. Feeling a little shy, you look down again.

“Hey, my name’s Chan. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you before,” the boy, Chan, apologizes in a soft tone.

“O-oh, it’s okay,” you mumble, a little surprised to hear an accent.

Kids grew up having perfect speech and those who ended up developing an accent had to go through extensive training and fixing to get rid of them. Luckily for you, your speech is perfectly clear. You fidget a bit under Chan’s gaze.

“Are you lost?” Chan asks.

“Yeah, I’ve never been to this part of the district before,” you nod.

“Oh, are you from District 8?” Chan cocks his head to the side.

“Uh-huh. Are you also from there? I’ve never seen you before,” you begin wondering what Chan is doing in the forest.

“Me? Uh, yeah...I used to be from there,” Chan’s voice trails off, “Here, I’ll take you back, but you can’t tell anyone that you saw me, okay?”

“Okay. Thank you,” you cheer, deciding not to question his odd request.

The two of you take your time to make your way back. On the way, you ask Chan many questions, but he always seemed to avoid them when possible. However, you were just glad to meet someone else who was like you, a little more rebellious and free. Finally, you reach the outskirts of District 8 and Chan stops walking.

“Goodbye, y/n. I can’t go any further than here, but if you just follow the path, you’ll find your way back,” Chan waves.

“Goodbye, Chan. Will I ever see you again?” you ask, already missing your new friend.

“Hmm, maybe,” Chan gives you one last smile before he shooes you off.

You pout but follow his instructions. You turn back one more time to see if Chan is still there, but he was gone already. There is no trace of the boy, no leaves rustling, no footsteps. You shiver a little before rushing back home, groaning at the thought of getting a beating for getting home so late.

---

The next few weeks, you keep running back to the forest to try to find Chan, but he is nowhere to be seen. Soon, you just give up, but spend time in the forest by yourself as a little free time. However, the more time you spend alone amongst the trees, the more out of place you feel. Everyone else seems so mechanical and robotic.

Soon, a couple of months have passed and many tests have been taken. You find yourself not caring as much as your grades begin to decline. You know your parents will find out soon and you can tell your teacher is disappointed in you, but you just don’t seem to care enough to fix the problem. In fact, you feel as if you can’t do any better and you’re already doing the best you can.

“Y/n, I need to speak with your parents. Please call them,” your teacher comes up to you after the bell has rung, handing you a phone.

You swallow harshly, taking the phone out of your teacher’s cold hands. Your hands tremble as you punch in your mother’s cell. After a couple of rings, she picks up and you let out a meek ‘hello’ before handing the phone back to your teacher who seems to be glaring at you.

“Mrs. l/n, please come to the school with your husband immediately. Y/n will be sent home,” your teacher says with a harsh tone before hanging up.

The teacher gives you a look before you scurry away, not planning to go home. Instead, you head straight to the forest, as it has become a habit of yours. Tears begin to flow down your face as you break into a run. Soon, you find a random tree and dump your backpack before sitting at the trunk and cry.

“Y/n?” a familiar, accented voice calls out. You gasp and look up.

“Chan!” a huge smile makes its way onto your face.

You leap up and you attach yourself to him, giving the boy a tight hug. He chuckles a little before returning the hug, patting you on the back a couple of times. You pull away and Chan wipes away the stray tears on your face. You notice that his hair is no longer black, but a grayish color.

“You okay?” Chan asks, stroking your hair.

“Now that you’re here, I am!” you beam, “Nice hair, by the way.”

“Oh, thanks! I was never allowed before so I thought, why not now?” Chan giggles.

“Oh yeah, we aren’t allowed to dye our hair. How did you get the hair dye? Did your parents let you get it?” you ask, your little ten-year-old mind full of curiosity.

“I suppose--” Chan is cut off by another voice calling for him.

“Chan-hyung! Oh, hello,” a boy around the same age as you waddles over, carrying a basket full of random plants.

“Hi,” you hide behind Chan.

“Ah, Jisung, this is y/n. I met her a few months ago here. Y/n, this is Jisung. He’s my good friend,” Chan introduces the two of you.

Jisung sets his basket down and extends his hand for you to shake. You hesitantly reach out and as soon as your hands make contact, Jisung’s smile widens and he shakes your hand vigorously. Chan giggles at the sight, watching Jisung spew out small compliments.

“Alright, Jisung. Y/n’s a little shy,” Chan laughs, separating the two of you.

“Oh wait, are you from District 8, y/n?” Jisung suddenly asks.

“Yeah...what about you? I haven’t seen you around either,” you shrug.

Jisung gives a quick glance to Chan who shakes his head ever so slightly. You hadn’t noticed and wait for Jisung to answer. He stutters a little before shaking his head.

“Uh, I came from District 3 actually,” Jisung picks up his basket again, scratching his head.

“Oh, I heard it’s pretty nice there,” you nod.

The three of you chat away, completely forgetting about the time. You have never felt this happy and you wish to stay with them forever. You also find out that Jisung is, in fact, the same age as you and Chan is three years older. Soon, the sky begins to darken, but this time, you aren’t worried.

“Oh, I think we should head back. Can you make your way back by yourself, y/n? We might not be able to take you back tonight,” Chan asks with a worried tone.

“It’s okay. I’ve memorized the path by now. I’ve been coming here every day,” you assure him proudly.

“That’s good,” Chan smiles, “Goodbye again. Maybe see you later.”

“Goodbye, y/n! Hopefully, we can meet again,” Jisung gives you one last hug.

“Yeah, I hope so,” you hug the both of them again, “Goodbye.”

You turn and begin walking home, adjusting your backpack straps. You turn back again and surely, they have already left. There is no rustling or footsteps to be heard. You quickly make your way back home, pausing a little before stepping into your own house.

Just as you had guessed, you had received your very first lecture about your grades. To be honest, the lecture was expected so it didn’t bother you much. However, it was how emotionless your parents were that gave you shivers. It seemed as if they are brainwashed and have just given up on you. However, you have decided to put more effort into your studies to avoid another lecture. To your surprise, your grades begin rising again.

As the rest of the year passes, you begin meeting more and more of Chan and Jisung’s friends. Luckily, you got along well with all of them. You learned many things about them and you told them everything about yourself in return.

Finally, winter break arrives and you find yourself standing in front of your parents, asking them for you to leave the house over break. Chan had asked you to come with them for break. He said they had something important to show you. Besides, you really wanted to spend break with them anyway.

“Please? I promise I won’t get into any trouble,” you beg.

“As long as you keep your tracker on at all times,” your mother shrugs, not paying any attention to you.

“Have fun,” your father replies in a monotonous tone.

You silently cheered, avoiding showing too many emotions in front of your parents. You find that they keep becoming more and more like the other people, unsympathetic and emotionless. Trying to fit in, you hide your emotions as much as possible.

Quickly, you rush to pack a small backpack as Chan had instructed. You stuff in a few outfits and necessities. You leave the house, skipping on your way to the forest. You spot Chan’s light hair and wave. You see Chan wave back and you jog your way over.

“Hey y/n! You ready?” Chan asks.

“Oh yeah, of course! My mom told me to keep on my tracker at all times though,” you mention about the tracker.

“Ah, we can’t have that though,” Chan sighs, his brain racking for ideas on how to get rid of it.

“How come?” your curious eleven-year-old-self asks.

“You see, where we’re going is...um...a secret?” Chan takes your wrist and slips the tracker off.

“Oh~ Fun,” you giggle, watching Chan disassemble the watch-like tracker.

Chan laughs and nods while fiddling with your tracker. He takes things out and rearranges them, using a mini-screwdriver from his pocket knife to tighten things. He checks the tracker one more time before strapping it back onto your wrist.

“What’d you do to it?” you bring your wrist up to your face to examine your tracker.

“I just adjusted it so that it’ll give a fake location. I think we should be alright now,” Chan smiles.

“Wow, I wanna learn to do that,” you bounce up and down excitedly.

“Haha, maybe I can teach you one day,” Chan grabs your hand, “Alright shall we go? The others are waiting.”

You nod and happily trail alongside Chan, never letting go of his hand. The two of you chatted and you lost track of where you are. However, you notice that you are nearing the wall and you begin getting a little nervous. You quiet down, a little frightened. Chan seems to notice and stops walking. He places his hands on your shoulders and pulls you into a tight hug.

“Y/n, don’t worry, okay? I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. Just trust me,” Chan pats your head.

You gulp before nodding and cling to Chan’s arm. Finally, the two of you reach the wall and you gasp at the sight. You look up at the tall, gray wall, amazed at the sight. You look up at Chan and see him tapping the wall lightly with his fingers in a pattern.

Suddenly, the wall begins to rumble and you jump backward, hiding behind Chan. He simply chuckles as a small part of the wall begins thinning, leaving only a transparent, jelly-like barrier. You watch in slight horror as Chan easily walks through the barrier. You shuffle closer to the barrier and you can vaguely see Chan on the other side, a bright smile on his face.

You begin worrying about getting caught, your heart begins to beat faster and faster. You panic a little but calm down when you see Chan’s hand reaching out to you through the thin barrier. You take hold of his hand and close your eyes, walking through the barrier.

“You did it, you can open your eyes now,” Chan’s voice calms you down.

Opening your eyes, you rub it a few times to adjust to the significantly brighter scenery. Your jaw drops at the beauty. You find yourself standing in a beautiful field, tall grass flowing in the direction of the breezy wind. You gasp at the sight, trying to take in the beauty. Everything is much more colorful than inside the dull, gray walls.

“It’s cool, isn’t it? This is what the outside of the walls look like,” Chan laughs.

“Wow…” you blink a couple of times.

Since you are buried chest-deep in the grass you look down a little and notice that the grass seems different from the plastic ones inside the walls. The only living thing inside the walls are the people. They removed all others living things to prevent allergies. Your nose begins to get a little itchy and you sniffle, unsure what is happening to your body. Chan notices your watering eyes and digs around in his bag for something. He hands you a small, purple pill.

“Here, eat this. Everything out here is REAL, not plastic. The pill will help with your allergies,” Chan nods, “It’s okay, I took some time to adjust to this stuff too.”

You obediently swallow the pill, already feeling immediate relief. Chan smiles in delight and takes your hand and begins leading you somewhere.. You forget about everything else and the only thing on your mind is finally being able to spend time with your friends without having to worry about being caught.

“So y/n, I know you’re very interested about being outside the walls. When we go inside the house, the boys and I have something very important to tell you about why we know about this place,” Chan stops in front of a little house, covered with overgrowth.

You nod at Chan’s serious tone, your own face becoming more serious. Chan laughs a little before taking out a key and unlocking the door. He allows you in first and closes the door behind the two of you.

The inside of the house is cozy and almost every piece of furniture seems to be handmade. You let out a small ‘wow’ before stepping in a little more, wanting to venture around. Chan chuckles at your excited expression. As you peek around a little more, someone’s voice calls your name.

“Y/n?” Jisung’s head pokes out from the hallway.

“Jisung!” you spin around, leaping towards him for a hug. You tackle him to the floor and the two of you laugh, still hugging.

“Y/n, you’re here!” another familiar accented voice practically yells.

You look up to see Felix, a huge smile adorning his freckled face. You pull him down to the floor and wrap your arm around him, also giving him a hug. Soon, shouts of your name surround the little house and all of you are in a giant group hug.

Finally breaking apart, Woojin coughs, “Oh yeah, we have something to tell you, y/n.”

Seungmin looks a little worried, “Please don’t hate us.”

“How can I ever hate you guys?” you ask, curious about what they have to tell you.

“We’re all outcasts,” Hyunjin frowns.

You are a little stunned and speechless. However, you had your suspicions since they would never really tell you where they lived. You simply give them a hug, assuring them that you would never hate them for that reason.

“You know, you’re the most mature and understanding eleven-year-old I know,” Minho chuckles.

“Hey! What about me,” Jisung whines.

“No, you’re annoying,” Hyunjin snickers.

Jisung simply groans and you laugh, used to the bickering. Changbin simply rolls his eyes and grab Felix. The two of them lead you to a smaller room at the end of the hall. You shuffle behind them, excited.

“We cleaned out this room so you can stay here!” Felix opens the door.

“Hey, thanks for understanding everything,” Changbin gives you a hug.

“You guys are still human after all...if the people in the walls are even human in the first place,” you mutter the last part.

“Well, Minho-hyung will be cooking dinner with Chan-hyung tonight. Why don’t we show you around in the meantime?” Felix suggests.

You nod and let the two give you a mini-tour. The rest of the night, you spend in bliss, enjoying your time with the boys. You wish that you can spend every single day with them. Alas, your break has ended and you have to go back. You spend the few hours before leaving reluctantly sulking in your room.

“Y/n, we’ll see each other again,” Chan enters the room, sitting next to you on the bed.

“I know, but I wish I could just stay here,” you sigh.

“We’re glitches in the system. You’re not...it would still be safer for you to go back home,” Chan wraps an arm around you.

“I know…” you whine, clinging onto Chan.

“Hey, remember, you’re only eleven, you don’t know what your future holds for you,” Chan chuckles.

“You make it sound like you’re fifty,” you snort.

Chan rolls his eyes. He helps you out the bed and you grab your backpack. You take one last look at the house as Chan leads you back to the walls. Once again, Chan lightly taps the wall in a pattern and the thin barrier appears again.

“See you soon, y/n,” Chan gives you one last hug.

“Yeah...I’ll miss you guys,” you begin sniffling.

“Just...here,” Chan sticks his hand inside his pocket and pulls out a small braided bracelet.

“Oh, pretty~” you admire the thin beaded braid as Chan ties it on your wrist.

“The boys and I took a while to figure out how to make it, but I hope you like it,” Chan retracts his hand and rubs the back of his neck shyly.

“Aww, thanks, Chan. I love it...tell them I love it, okay?” you give Chan another hug.

“See ya,” Chan waves as you disappear into the walls.

---

You take a deep breath, looking down nervously. It has been four years since your first time out the wall. In the years between, you have met with Stray Kids often and spend most of your breaks with them.

However, they seem to have influenced you quite a bit...in a negative way. Your grades slowly begin declining again and you become more and more rebellious. Your parents have given up and left you completely in charge of yourself. As a fifteen-year-old, you begin feeling lost and out of place. The only time you felt like you fit in was when you were with Chan and the others.

“Minho, I don’t think I can do this anymore...can’t I just leave with you?” you sigh, sitting next to Minho in the forest.

“Y/n, I really wish you can, but I know you can make it,” Minho reassures you with a light pat on the back.

The two of you sit in comfortable silence, enjoying each other’s presence. You lean your head onto Minho’s shoulder, pouting at the situation you are in. You desperately just want to go with Minho outside the walls. However, you still have many things you have to finish.

“Oh, I think we should get going,” Minho suddenly speaks up.

You look up at the darkening sky and sigh, “Yeah, I suppose so.”

“See you soon, y/n,” Minho helps you up with a small smile.

“Yeah, see ya,” you give Minho a tight hug.

With that, the two of you go your separate ways. You look back as usual and Minho had already left with no trace. It has just become a habit of yours to look back even if you know they aren’t there. You trudge your way back home silently, mumbling to yourself.

Finally reaching home, you close your eyes and your hand rests on the handle, not wanting to enter. You know for a fact that your parents are either gone or they will just ignore you. Shaking it off, you finally open the door and step in. However, to your surprise, you see your teacher talking to your parents at your dinner table.

You let out a loud gasp, causing the three heads at the table to turn around and look at you. You gulp as you see your mother motion for you to come over. You slowly shuffle your way there and pull out a chair to sit in.

“Y/n,” your teacher greets you.

“Miss,” you bow slightly.

“I have come to discuss some serious matters with your parents. I’m sure you’re well aware of what is going on,” your teacher cocks a brow at you.

You look down, a little embarrassed. You know exactly what she is talking about and you nod slightly, feeling your face reddening already. Swallowing harshly, you take a deep breath to try to calm yourself down.

“Yes, ma’am,” you avoid eye contact with anyone.

“Well, since you understand this situation, I must ask why. You are fifteen, an age far too unacceptable for you to be acting this way,” your teacher tells you sternly.

“I apologize, ma’am,” is all you can let out.

“Usually, we would have kicked you out already, but because your parents are of higher ranking, they have been able to beg the authorities to keep you,” your teacher chuckles dryly, shaking her head slightly.

You gasp a little, eyeing your parents. It seems that they have been paying attention to you after all. You tear up a little, disappointed in yourself for disregarding the seriousness of your situation. You bow slightly towards your parents as a thank you. They simply look away, a bit of hurt evident in their eyes.

“Now, y/n, if you do not raise your grades and mature soon, your parents will no longer be able to help you. We are all trying our best to make you into the best version of you. We are trying to help you become perfect,” you teacher sighs.

You cringe a little at the word, internally rolling your eyes. Nodding your head, you look down once again. Chan and the others immediately flow into your thoughts. They always tell you that you are already perfect to them, but you understand that you would still have to change to truly fit into the society.

“I understand, miss. I will try my best to improve by myself,” you apologize half-heartedly.

“Good, I shall take my leave now. Thank you for taking the time to do this, Mr. and Mrs. L/n. See you in class tomorrow, y/n,” your teacher stands up, shaking hands with you and your parents.

As your teacher leaves, you sigh, looking up to your parents who have their backs turned against you. Reaching out, you try to pull them into a hug. However, they turn around and look back at you, betrayal in their expressions.

“Y/n, we have tried everything,” your father sighs.

“Dad, please…” you beg, “I just need a little more time. I-I’m just a late bloomer!”

“Honey, your father and I have decided to put you into the ‘special needs’ program. We just want the best for you,” your mother sadly replies.

“What? You can’t send me there! I don’t have any special needs, I’m completely normal!” anger begins to bubble up inside of you.

“Y/n, it’s for the best!” your mother raises her voice slightly.

“No! I promise, I’ll change!” you yell, your bubbled up anger finally exploding after all these years, “I got it! I can handle myself. I know what’s best for me, not you!”

“Y/n!” your father growls, silencing you immediately.

“Please,” you whisper, tears rolling down your face.

“Go pack your bags now. You will be leaving tomorrow,” your father shakes his head, turning away.

You let out a cry as your parent head up to their own rooms, leaving you once again. You try to wipe your tears away as you slowly make your way to your own room. The tears keep coming and you back your bags with bleary eyes.

---

“Welcome, y/n right?” the woman at the front desk asks, face clear of any emotions.

“Yes,” you barely let out a whisper.

“Alright, here are the keys to your room. Simply follow the glowing line to find your room,” the woman points to the ground after handing you the keys.

You bow to her in thanks and sigh before rolling your luggage behind you as you follow the glowing light as instructed. Your eyes begin wandering, looking up and down the halls. You had not expected it to look so much like a hotel. You try to convince yourself that it was a vacation. Soon, you reach your room, but you hesitate before opening the door.

“Hello?” you peek in, your voice barely above whispering level.

The room is dark and empty. It seems that you wouldn’t be sharing rooms after all. You let out a sigh of relief before closing the door and slumping onto the bed. Your eyes slowly travel towards the curtains. You get up from the bed and pull them apart. To your surprise, you are directly facing the wall.

“I wonder…” you whisper to yourself.

You wonder if that means that you would be able to see Stray Kids more often since you are right by the wall and don’t have to sneak out. You smile slightly to yourself. They always brought your sanity back, they are your cornerstone.

“What would I do without you guys?” you chuckle to yourself, playing with the bracelet they had given you years ago.

You look down, admiring their handiwork. Although the braids are a little messy and the beads seem out of place, you still cherish it as it is priceless. You are brought out of your train of thoughts by a knock on the door. You quickly close the curtains again and rush to the door, opening it a bit and peek out of the crack.

“Y/n, am I right?” the man in front of you asks.

“Uh...yes,” you reply.

“There will be an introduction and welcoming for newcomers in ten minutes. You are expected to be there,” the man says, his glare unwavering.

“Alright. Thank you,” you gulp, shying away from his harsh gaze.

The man simply nods his head before heading off mechanically. You close the door and slide down it, plopping onto the floor. Everything is so in place and neat, it freaked you out a little, to be honest. You take a deep breath before deciding to head out to the so-called conference.

---

Looking around, there aren’t that many people anyway and you relax a little. It has been a few months since you have been here. Unfortunately, you haven’t found the time to go to the forest and meet up with Chan. However, you do find it slightly pleasant that you have found people more like-minded...even if some of them did want to change for the better.

Looking around, you spot a familiar mop of red hair. It has to be Bambam, a friend you have recently made. He has already been in this place for a couple of years, refusing to conform to society’s standards. You admired him for it.

“Hey, Bambam,” you greet your new friend.

“Oh, y/n! Hey~” Bambam pulls you into a hug.

You had found out that he actually knew Chan and they were extremely close. The two of you bonded over the fact that both of you know Chan. The only difference is that you know Chan is still alive, but Bambam doesn’t.

“Hey, I know this sounds crazy,” you begin, leading Bambam to a room with fewer people.

“Well, we’re supposed to be the ‘crazy’ people here so, I suppose it’ll be normal,” Bambam laughs.

“Yeah, but this is crazy and you might not even believe me,” you lower your voice to a whisper.

“Oh? Now I’m interested,” Bambam lowers his own voice to match yours.

“Okay, don’t freak out and do not start yelling,” you warn.

“Got it,” Bambam simply nods.

“So, I actually met up Chan right before I came here and--” you are cut off by Bambam’s dramatic gasp.

You growl and shove your hands in his face to close his mouth. You roll your eyes as Bambam covers his mouth with his own hands. He motions for you to continue and you shake your head lightly.

“He’s doing quite well and I’ve actually…” you pause a little, “been outside the walls.”

Bambam’s eyes widen and you swear his eyeballs are going to fall out of their sockets. His mouth drops wide open and his hands curled into fists. Confusion, unbelief, and relief are clear in his expression. You understand why he is feeling that way. To hear that your “dead” best friend is still alive and doing well is truly a shock. Also, the fact that one of your friends have been outside the walls is nearly unbelievable.

You watch as Bambam slam his hands on the table, cringing at the sudden attention the both of you are getting. He ignores it and snatches your wrist, dragging you back to his room. Bambam locks his doors, closes his curtains, and sits you on the bed.

“Bam…” you begin.

“Chris...he’s still alive? You’ve been outside the walls? How? When? What?” Bambam attacks you with a series of questions.

“Yes, he’s still alive. In fact, he was the one that brought me out of the walls. I met him in the forest of my district four years ago,” you nod.

“Wow, hold on. This is a lot to take in,” Bambam holds up a hand.

“I know, but...maybe...if you help me find a way to sneak out, maybe you can see Chan again,” you propose.

“Y/n, that’s dangerous,” Bambam looks at you, “I love danger.”

You let out a small smirk, “Wonderful. Shall we begin then?”

---

“Bam, shut up for a second, will ya?” you whisper harshly.

Currently, the two of you are in Bambam’s room, watching for anyone coming by. Your windows are locked since you had only come recently, but Bambam has already been here for a while so the staff has unlocked his windows. However, Bambam’s room isn’t facing the wall, but the entrance of the whole building.

“Sorry, sorry,” Bambam half-heartedly apologizes.

You stick your head out a little, peeking out the open window. Luckily, no one is out at the moment and you give Bambam a thumbs up before hopping out the window. Bambam follows suit and the two of you make a run for it.

Finally seeing the familiar path and trees of the forest, you begin to relax. You slow down into a jog and luckily, Bambam is still right behind you. Giggling a little, you give Bambam a high five. Just as you turn around to head towards the wall, a voice yells out, startling the two of you.

“Hey, stop! You must come back to the center at once or actions will be taken,” a man yells out into the forest.

You gulp, beginning to panic slightly. Luckily, it was too dark for the officer to see who the two of you were and you look over to Bambam who has a worried expression on his face. You hold up your hand, waiting for the right moment to run.

As soon as the officer begins closing into the two of you, you motion for Bambam to start running. You hear the officer yell, but the sound of rustling leaves and your own heartbeat soon block him out. You look back once in a while, making sure Bambam is still following.

Finally, you near the wall. Unfortunately, you don’t know the code, but as you get closer and closer, you see the wall opening and you see someone’s foot coming through the barrier. You yell for Bambam to just jump through the barrier before lunging for the person.

Unfortunately, the man catches Bambam before he could make it. You pause for a second but here Bambam yell for you to keep going.

“Tell him I said hi!” Bambam yells.

You hear the officers scoff ‘crazy’ as he shoves Bambam to the ground and put handcuffs on him, dragging him back to the center. You close your eyes, hoping for the best for Bambam. You make it through the barrier right on time, slamming into the person trying to get in.  The sky is dark, but you can vaguely make out who is underneath you.

“Binnie!” you squeal, flopping down on the poor boy.

“Ugh, what was that?” Changbin groans, trying to sit up.

You hop off of Changbin and help him up, apologizing. You give Changbin another hug, wrapping his arms around you. He chuckles a little before pulling away to look at you, shaking his head lightly.

“We thought we would never see you again, y/n,” Changbin pouts.

“You see, my parents put me in the ‘special needs’ program,” you tell Changin, rolling your eyes, “Everyone there is so robotic. It’s creepy.”

“Yeah, my parents put me there before they kicked me out too,” Changbin pats your back sympathetically.

“Anyway, how did you get out?” Changbin asks.

“I snuck out,” you chuckle, “Actually, I was supposed to be here with someone who knew Chan before, but he got caught.”

“Oh, I’m sorry...at least you made it,” Changbin laughs, ruffling your hair.

“Wait, then why are you out? Collecting something again?” you ask.

“You see, after we haven’t seen you for the first month, we knew something was wrong. We came out every night, but you never showed up...we were worried,” Changbin looks down, seeming a little shy.

“You guys don’t have to worry about me. I can take care of myself,” you give Changbin a tight hug.

“I know, but you’re only fifteen, you’re still a small child,” Changbin hugs back.

“Uh, Jeongin is fourteen...he’s the small child,” you snort, “Besides, you’re only a year older.”

“Shut up, I was trying to be soft, okay?” Changbin groans.

“Whatever, let’s go?” you hook your arm with Changbin’s.

“Of course, the others are waiting,” Changbin smirks.

Wadding your way through the tall grass, you finally reach the familiar house. You bounce excitedly, causing Changbin to laugh. He knocks a few times before the door opens, the light from inside brightening the outside.

“Y/n?!” you hear Woojin’s gasps from behind the door and look up.

“Woojin!” you attack him with a hug.

“Wow, you’ve grown so much within this half year,” Woojin wipes away a fake tear.

“Ugh, I missed you guys so much,” you pout.

“We were really worried about you,” Seungmin shyly pops out from behind Woojin.

“You guys really don’t have to worry,” you give Seungmin a hug.

Soon, all the others had come and gather around you, welcoming you back. Chan finally came down the stairs and when he saw you, his eyes widened. He pushed everyone aside and gave you the tightest hug you have ever felt.

“Y/n! My child,” Chan nearly cries.

“Ah, Chan!” you giggle, a little breathless from his hug.

“Wait, why were you gone for so long?” Chan pulls away, a worried expression crossing his face.

“My parents put me in the ‘special needs’ program. Um, Chan...I met Bambam,” you say softly.

“Bam…” Chan smiles a little.

“Yeah, he says hi,” you giggle.

You see behind Chan the boys are all fake tearing up. You giggle at them, but you know that it really does touch them inside. Suddenly, Chan shakes you and you jump a little.

“Wait, did you sneak out?! That’s so dangerous, what are you thinking?” Chan screeches.

“Chan, calm down. It’s okay...I’ll just sneak back in?” your sentence comes out more like a question.

“Y/n, they’ll figure out it’s you soon,” Chan panics.

“Chan, we can figure this out together,” Woojin places a hand on Chan’s shoulder.

Chan releases you and nods slowly. You gulp nervously, shuffling a bit under all of the boys’ gazes.

“Wait, since they might search the forest, why don’t we just have y/n stay the night?” Hyunjin suggests.

“Oh, yeah. Then, we can just get her back at dawn,” Felix nods.

“Aren’t her windows locked? I remember when I was there, they kept it locked for the first year,” Changbin rubs his chin.

“Ah, yeah...my windows are locked. They probably locked Bambam’s too now,” you say guiltily.

“It’s okay, we can figure it out! Maybe we just need some sleep,” Jeongin cheers, causing the mood to be a little lighter.

“Jeongin is right. We all need some sleep,” Minho nods.

“Thank you guys so much,” you look down, a little embarrassed to cause them so much trouble.

“It’s okay. We’re family, right? We gotta help each other out,” Chan smiles, wrapping an arm around you.

“Right…” you grin, following the boys to your usual room.

You fall into deep, peaceful sleep. You haven’t slept this well since a long time ago. You dream of all the possibilities of living out the walls, knowing that there is no danger at all, unlike the stories told back in the walls.

“Y/n...wake up!” someone shakes you awake.

You squint and look up. Jisung’s bright smile appears in front of you, causing you to smile too. You mumble a ‘good morning’ before sliding out, stretching a little. Soon, Chan comes into the room and you get out of the bed.

“It’s four in the morning right now, but you have to go,” Chan says sadly.

“Alright,” you sigh, brushing your hair a little with your hands.

Chan and Jisung go over the plan while you get ready to leave. When you reach the living room, all the boys are standing around, sleepily. You giggle at the sight and give each of them a hug before leaving with Chan. You grab onto Chan’s hand like you had the first time he led you out the walls. Chan smiles at you and the two of you quickly make your way back to the wall.

“Hey, now we know what happened to you. We can come visit now, maybe,” Chan chuckles.

“Yeah, I hope to see you guys soon,” you sigh, tearing up a little.

“Aww, don’t cry. You’re going to make me cry,” Chan sniffles, giving you a hug.

“Okay, I won’t,” you laugh, “By the way, are you ever going to tell me the code to open the wall?”

“Ah, look,” Chan grabs your wrist gently and points to the bracelet, “the beads is the pattern.”

Your eyes widen a little and Chan motions for you to try. You tap on the wall lightly according to the beads on your bracelet. As Chan says, the wall begins thinning into the thin barrier. Your mouth drops a little and you give Chan a big hug.

“Go on now, I’ll see you soon,” Chan nudges you towards the barrier.

“Goodbye,” you wave as you step through.

You watch as Chan fades behind the barrier and once the wall is completely closed, all your tears spill out. You quickly follow the plan and make your way safely back to the center. Luckily, no one has caught you and you sneak into the dining room, right on time for breakfast.

You quickly spot Bambam’s bright red hair and plop into the chair next to him. He looks tired and beat up, but immediately brightens up when he realizes it is you who is sitting next to him. He gives you a quick hug before the food is served to the both of you.

“I’m so sorry,” you sigh, picking at the scrambled eggs.

“It’s fine, really. I’ve snuck out before actually and so they just kind of gave up on me,” Bambam shakes his head, chuckling a bit.

“Really now? By the way, Chan says he’s glad you’re alright...and he might visit soon,” you cock an eyebrow, stuffing a sausage into your mouth.

“Really?” Bambam asks a little too loudly.

You shush him before nodding, “I’ll call you when he does since my room is facing the wall. If they haven’t caught me yet, I think they might unlock my window.”

“You got lucky, they’re suspecting it was someone else,” Bambam nods.

“Good, just let them keep thinking that,” you snicker.

---

A whole year is apparently what it takes for you to master your acting. The authorities had apparently thought that you had spent enough time in the center and decided to send you back to see if you really have changed.

Throughout the past year, Chan and the others have visited often and Bambam reunited with Chan. You also learned to act like everyone else, helping you fit in better even though you really haven’t changed much; your acting just improved.

“Goodbye, Bambam...though I might come back again,” you joke.

“Hey, take care and don’t worry about me. I prefer it here,” Bambam gives you a hug.

“Alright. You take care too and tell Chan to visit you more often,” you giggle.

Bambam laughs and he waves as you leave the center, bags trailing behind. You are picked up by a bus and you silently stare at the passing landscape as the bus went on. You close your eyes and rest your head against the window. The view of the outside pops into your head. You smile at the colorful image and imagine yourself running along the tall grass with the boys.

Finally, the bus stopped at the stop nearest to your house. The sky has already darkened since the ride was long. You hesitate to open the door to your home, wondering what has changed. You gulp and knock a few times.

Your parents open the door. You expected them to at least be a little happier, but something was off. Both of them looked like they haven’t slept in years, their faces sunken and their hair had turned all white.

“Mom, dad?” you gulp.

“Welcome back,” they both say simultaneously, sounding exactly like robots.

You gulp, slowly entering the house. You feel like a foreigner inside your own home, you parents eyeing you like hawks. An eerie feeling washes over you and you take one last look at your parents. They look like they have been tortured. The old them was gone, the ones who loved you and cared for you.

You feel a tear fall and you quickly wipe it away before escaping to your room. It is the only room in the entire house that hasn’t changed. You curl up in your bed and wish for everything to end.

---

Struggling, you kick about, trying to get out of the officer’s grip. The officers simply grunt before kicking you, quieting you down immediately. You give up struggling and let them drag you back. Over the past year, the officers and authorities have figured out that you haven’t changed at all. Every time you would try to escape, they would catch you and drag you back. Except, they didn’t take you back to the “special needs” center. They too you directly to prison.

You sulk and kick the dirt around in the cell. You had just gone against your teacher’s instructions by inputting the wrong codes. You were supposed to type in jobs that you felt you were most suitable for, but you simply kept typing “I am not”.

A bitter smirk makes its way to your face. You wonder why they haven’t just dumped you out yet. You shake your head, thinking about your actions. To the outside, it would be completely normal, but of course, you seemed crazy to the people inside the walls.

Coming up with another plan, you easily escape the cell again. It was almost like a routine now. Sometimes you stayed obediently, but more than often than not, you would find a way to escape.

You snicker as you run to the forest. Finding a suitable tree, you climb up and sit on one of the sturdier branches. You simply close your eyes and smile. You are sure they will find you soon, but you enjoyed the adrenaline rush and the sense of rebellion. It excites you.

As expected, an officer soon finds you and wrestled you down the tree. You chuckle lightly as he handcuffs you. He roughly spins you back around and your smile immediately disappears.

“Y/n l/n,” the leader of District 8 smiles.

“M-miss…” you stutter.

Out of all the times you have run away, this is the first time she has shown up. She takes you out of the arms of the officer and you shudder at her touch. Her hands are icy cold, matching the sickening smile she is giving you.

“Interesting,” she mumbles, her eyes scanning you up and down, “take her straight to my office and lock her there.”

“What? No!” you cry out.

Her office is somewhere you cannot escape from. There are no doors or windows. The only way to enter is with her fingerprint and just like the walls, a thin barrier will appear. There are security cameras everywhere. You know this because you have seen it with your own eyes through the security cameras when you escaped one time.

You kick and tug at the officers, trying to fight your way out. You know there is no escape once you get in there. An officer turns to you and his hand smashes down at your head, knocking you out in one punch.

Click. Clack. Click. Clack

The sound of heels harshly clicking on the floor wakes you up. You groan and try to get up, feeling sore. You wince a little, rubbing your head.

“Finally awake, y/n?” a chilling voice asks.

You gasp and look up. You try to stand to back away, but you immediately fall back down. You look at your feet and see that your ankles have been strapped down to the floor. Looking around, you find yourself in a small cage. Beginning to feel a little claustrophobic, you begin to panic and cry.

“Rebellious, obnoxious, and dangerous is what you are,” your district leader chuckles and shakes her head, circling around your cage.

“Then why...why haven’t you just sent me out?” you ask, voice trembling, finally finding a little courage.

“Just let you out? Hah! What a joke,” she snickers, “don’t you want to fit in? You’ll be dead.”

“I’d rather be dead than be in this society,” you sneer.

“Really? Well, it’s not that easy,” she growls back, crouching down.

She runs her long, pointy, well-manicured nail across your jawline, cutting it a little. You hiss at the pain and she smirks. She reaches for your hair and balls it up into a fist. She yanks your head towards her, causing you to hit your head on the cold cage bars.

You let out a whimper, making her laugh. She lets go of your hair and harshly shoved you backward. You feel tears pricking your eyes, but refuse to cry.

Your district leader suddenly stands up and paces around the cafe again. She would occasionally kick the cage, causing you to shake. Then, to your surprise, she leaves without a word.

For the next week or so, you can’t tell, your district leader often comes back only to torture you. You are often unconscious or you fake it to avoid more torturing.

A bright light is suddenly shined in your eyes and you open your eyes to see where the source is from. You hear a snicker and feel a slap.

“I’ll give you one last chance,” your district leader’s whispers into your ear.

“Never,” you groan, almost out of energy to complain.

“WHY WON’T YOU JUST FOLLOW THE RULES, DAMN IT!” she screeches, causing you to wince at the loudness.

“You can’t control me! I refuse to follow the rules!” you yell back, straining your voice to make it louder.

“NO! YOU HAVE TO! IT’S NOT A CHOICE!” she screams, tugging at her hair.

“No, I’ve figured it out. You’re just tricking everyone into the same system so you can stay in ultimate power,” you pant, running out of energy.

She stops pacing around and looks down at you. Her glare is harsh, but she doesn’t say anything. There is a pause before she begins laughing maniacally and kicks the cage so that you are flipped over.

You groan, the pain spreading all over. She harshly slams the cage back upright and you finally cry out. She simply snickers.

“Fine. I’ll let you out. I’m done,” she sighs, dialing someone.

You let out a sigh of relief as she leaves. You smile to yourself knowing that everything will be over soon. You close your eyes and rest a while.

“Chan, you guys, wait for me,” you whisper to yourself.

—-

The officer harshly shoves you towards the wall. They have let you recover for a day before sending you out. They bust a hole in the wall before shoving you out.

You give your district leader your most genuine smile as the close up the hole. You stand in silence for a few minutes before skipping around, laughing.

You’re finally free.

You take your time to make your way to the familiar house you have been to countless of times. Finally reaching the door, you knock excitedly.

“Y/n!” Chan gasps as he sees you behind the door.

He ushers you in, tearing up already. Soon, all the boys are surrounding you and you hug them all, appreciating everything they have done for you.

You finally feel like you fit in. You feel safe and loved. It finally feels like home. You finally feel like you belong.

“Welcome home, y/n. Welcome to District 9.”

~Admin Liz ♡

[anon-drabble]

ALL RIGHT BUCKLE UP.

egg’s exclusive author notes! *oohs and ahhs in the distance* thar be spoilers for the fic below. don’t read this first, lol.

so! this all started from that picture of v from @just-mysme-headshots and the idea of an apocalypse au. i originally started this as another short little drabble because i’d immediately had the idea of what if v started this zombie apocalypse and he used everyone’s trust of him to tear the rfa apart? so i started writing. i got excited, and decided it’d be something just for me and boss to enjoy. we both enjoy the horror aspects, though it is an extremely uncommon genre with mysme in general. so i kind of KNOW that this won’t be as popular as i would like it to be.

but this quickly became very important to me, the more i wrote. this was HARD and i struggled a lot. i’ve never written ANYTHING like this before though i have written very short sort-of-horror fics. but certain passages came out and really shone, i felt, so i couldn’t just speed-write through this one. i took my time, obviously. it went through multiple edits. it had at least 3 completely different endings. originally, it was intended to be a v/mc fic then no romance, then a seven/mc fic. as it sits, i left it mostly ambiguous but i feel it’s seven with feelings for mc but she is actually developing feelings for ray. but that’s open for interpretation. this is definitely probably the most work i’ve put in any writing. which makes me sound bad but it’s actually a big turning point. i read this writing over and over in edits and just to remind myself every week. i am actually very proud of this. it’s not the best fic ever. it’s probably honestly not even MY best fic ever but it’s progress for me. it’s something i am so proud of, proud to stamp my name on. i like it, too. this fic helped me to grow and i already feel like a stronger writer because of it.

v’s whole role ended up being the part that always held me up. ALMOST EVERYTHING HE SAYS has a double-meaning. i wrote every one of his lines carefully, as i knew who he was the whole time. but obviously i wanted the twist at the end. it’s also always a fun challenge for me, i love innuendos and just twisting words for riddles and such.

originally, i meant to have jumin involved too. but i felt that he (and the rest of the rfa) would be a very good prompt for any future works, either by me or someone else. where are they? what were they doing? did seven tell them anything?

you can ask if you want to know what i specifically had in mind about ALL of the ambiguous parts of the fic but i purposely left a lot of loose ends to explore. because boss and i agreed, wouldn’t it be cool if this prompted others to add on?

where is saeran? is he safe? did he get turned? did seven find him as he was leaving?

was v the first or was he just the one to spread this zombie plague? or maybe another believer got to v first but v was the one with the brains to orchestrate this whole thing

what was jumin doing? v gone, seven leaving suddenly? did seven ask for his help?

for that matter, who was seven calling at the end? it wasn’t v, but who was it?

and of course: what happens next? what happens when seven comes back?

i really, really hope you guys enjoy this. i loved writing it and i want to share it. please reblog, tell me what you think, send asks. send hate if you hate it, even. just please, give me some sign of a reaction.

all those hearts lay open; that must sting...

here we go! i’ll be reblogging this shortly with a bit more of an in-depth author’s notes so i do hope you read those as well!

this was originally inspired by the apocalypse au that @just-mysme-headshots​ did. please see the initial post that started this here as well as the tag “apocalypse au” on their blog for the other pieces.  and check out the other aus there and just support boss all around.

warnings: not messing around here, guys. this is a horror fic. it’s gory. hopefully scary in some places. don’t read if written gore and bodily harm disturb you.

that being said, i do hope you give it a chance. this has truly been a passion project of mine and i can’t express how much it means to me now. but i’ll talk more about that when i reblog with my commentary.

also: this was written to hopefully inspire further works. sequels. other drawings. you guys can populate this au, take this idea and run with it. mine serves as a prequel of sorts. i encourage you all to finish it. or expand upon it.

words: 5256

ao3 | ko-fi | twitter | masterpost

preview:

He should have known. Should have, should have, should have. One more regret. One more stacked on that teetering tower in his mind, always threatening to fall but still standing. Reminding him of every failure.

Keep reading

[lenucciagreco]

carry the zero (1/??)

so um I thought I’d throw something together for s4 premiere just for funsies, but instead of that I ended up with This Fuck Thing. 

context: I’d been courting the idea of a Robot Jared AU story for a while, but I got bored with the way I found it playing out so I decided to turn around and have Richard be the prerequisite rogue Hooli bot instead. uh anyway this is kind of a far cry from the tone of the show and more like my own thing based on interpretations of the characters, but i also tried to keep some of the humor in there so... enjoy i guess?

word count: 2.4k (more soon....)

themes: richard/jared (i mean, conceptually), robot AU, vaguely authoritarian cyberpunk state AU??

The rumors were true—the courier had come in and left something at the workstation overnight. Jared was first in as usual, and looked in the duffel bag quickly, guilty he hadn’t waited for everyone else. He wanted to confirm the inkling of a guess he’d put together from cafeteria gossip; that they’d thrown out the final prototype for the Mark 3 android line, maybe decommissioned the entire project for good. What he sees inside isn’t far off the mark. Same waxy face and empty features as the earlier models, muslin clothes tailored to be as nondescript as possible. Barcode printed on the wrist. It still takes his breath away the first time he looks at it—he’d waited for ages to even hear about these things.   His coworkers’ reaction was considerably more lukewarm. Gilfoyle unzips the bag in a fluid yank and stands back, arms folded cautiously. “Of course they dumped it with us,” he says. “If we fuck up and it kills us all, we’re easily replaced.” “Have you seen the tape? He hid himself in a laundry cart and then punched the janitor out. That’s some kind of—berserk escape instinct. Crazy for sure.” “Not crazy,” Jared says. “Resourceful.” Dinesh seems like he’s about to agree, but just shakes his head and turns back to Gilfoyle, who’s popped open the barcode plate on the android’s wrist and started looking inside. Jared notices some of the bits look manually yanked out, torn cords stuffed back into place. “You heard the work order. We’re supposed to scrap it for parts and forget it ever existed.” “Come on,” Jared blurts. “We can’t just take it apart. This could be the last Hooli-engineered android in existence.” Gilfoyle looks tempted. “If admin finds out we held onto and modified Hooli IP for our own purposes…” “Gavin turns the firing squad on us,” Dinesh concludes, only half-kidding. “So it’s settled.” He snaps the plate back into place and puts the android’s arm back inside. “I—“ Jared sucks in a deep breath and steps between them, hands clasped. “It looks so human, you two. So human I feel weird calling it it. Have you ever seen facial prosthetics this realistic? Think of how helpful it could be to, I don’t know, burn victims, or—“ “Jared.” “And we haven’t even looked inside it yet! Don’t you at least want to see what the best engineers in the country came up with? Where is your curiosity?” Gilfoyle rolls his eyes, turns around, and calls to the back office:  “Erlich!” “What?” “Jared wants to keep the robot.” “What?” Erlich sticks his head out of the door, intricate glass bubbler in hand. “Of course we’re keeping the robot.” The knot in Jared’s stomach unties in one fluid movement. “Erlich, thank you—“ “But it’s your responsibility, Jared, and I will not fill out any forms with the words ‘android stabbing’ in them.” He pauses, then adds: “Also, I get a credit for any research you collect as your department head. Naturally.” “I can’t thank you enough, again, sir—“ “Don’t be weird about it. Just take him into the back room and don’t let any of the mugs see.” He shuts the door behind him. Jared clutches the straps of the bag and looks between the engineers with a nervous grin. “Gentlemen,” he says, “we’re about to put Repairs and Disassembly on the map.” “Yeah, booting that thing up is going to be boring.” Dinesh flips open his computer display and opens up a word game in the browser. “Let me know if you get it to talk or something.” He takes the bag into the back room, a modified closet with a worktable. When he turns around, Gilfoyle’s standing by the door, waiting, words obviously already prepared. “Jared.” “Yes?” “If you think you’re going to befriend—or even understand—this thing, you’re dumber than I thought.” “Yeah, well,” he mumbles, “never say never.”

Jared is certain he never wants to read anything about the functionalities of the HooliBot 1, 2, or 3.0 ever again. He works for so long that he barely notices Jian Yang clocking out at nine o’clock. Over his dinner break, he takes the bus back to his cramped apartment and digs up his notes from his third-year robotics class. He gets a contact for his old professor too, although he doubts he’ll even remember him. So he offers to pay him under the table for any information he has, with a fraction of his already tiny bank account. He just hopes it gets his attention. The android itself is far beyond his level of understanding. Still, it’s a marvel to look at — he can’t help but notice how lifelike the skin textures are, how seamlessly the machinery integrates with the flesh. Actually, it makes him a little queasy. It takes eight hours of reading to even lay a hand on him, beginning the tedious process of rewiring the damaged bits, essentially laying down an electric nervous system. The tiny light by the barcode, embedded beneath the skin, starts to blink. He’s getting closer. He solders the last wire to the skin and feels something move beneath his hands. He doesn’t know what to expect when it wakes up, so to speak, maybe a hum of electricity or an automated voice starting up — the last thing he anticipates is a frantic breath of air. “Fuck,” it gasps, jumping to life on the table, “fuck!” “Your left leg’s detached, don’t try to stand up—“ Jared anchors one flailing arm to the table, finding it much more difficult to wrangle a simulated human adult body into place than he thought. His hand wraps around its wrist and he feels, disconcertingly, a pulse. “Whoa,” he gasps. “Stop touching me. Jesus Christ.” “Promise to stay still?” Jared asks, for fear of ending up like the jumpsuit on the videotape. “Yes—who the fuck are you, anyway?” “You’re a lot more articulate than I expected,” he says, letting go of him to reach for his equipment. “I mean—I’m Jared. Don’t worry, I’m not—“ “How did I get here?” “What do you last remember?” “I don’t know. Were you the one with the cart?” “No. Security shut you down after you ran for it. You only made it about a hundred feet out of the gate.” “Where am I now?” “Repairs and Disassembly.” Jared points to the workstation outside, where Dinesh and Gilfoyle had spent most of the day taking apart a massive desktop. “South campus.” “So—you’re here to kill me.” “What?” Jared laughs, immediately feeling insensitive for it. “No, of course not. I mean—yes, they brought you here to be scrapped, but of course I’m not going to—“ “Really, honestly, you’d be better off killing me at this point,” he says, without a trace of humor. “Gavin would do this, just hand me off to some IT guys for their pet project. Do not even try fucking with my system, okay? They spent four days straight reverse-engineering my word association program and it’s — not flawless, but you don’t have to know that.” “Wait — you were — sorry, what was that about Gavin?” He’s not listening. “Help me get my leg back on. I need to get out of here.” “This is clearly a lot for you,” he says, snapping the prosthesis back into place. “Can I get you something? Like a water or a sedative?” “No, just help me down,” he says, not needing help — he slides down off the table and is pacing around the room in seconds flat. Jared can’t help but lean back and examine the spot-on body language, all slumped shoulders and fidgeting hands. He follows him to the front room, where he examines his neck in a mirror, then flips over the barcode plate, testing some kind of sensor. “You rewired everything,” he says, flatly. “We can put it back.” “Sorry — wow. We’re not doing anything. I’m patching myself up and then you are getting me out of here.” “I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Jared interjects, stepping in front of the set of the tools the android’s eyeing. “See, administration thinks you’re supposed to be dead by now, and we haven’t worked out all the kinks in your system yet—“ “Tell me now if you’re helping me or not.” “I just think you should listen—“ Jared is certain he sees his eyes switch from flight to fight in an instant, and so he only reacts with dim surprise when he reaches for a folding a chair and hurls it at his head — it misses and clatters to his feet. “Wait,” he cries pathetically, “we’re not the bad people—“ — then suddenly Erlich is standing behind him with the fire extinguisher, pulling him back from the blast by his arm. “What are you doing?” he shouts. “Go turn it off!” “Don’t you fucking dare—“ the android splutters, shielding his face. Jared’s legs move before his brain can, and suddenly he’s standing there with the loose wiring in his hand and a body on the floor. Same glassy eyes. His face is caught in a half-shout, then goes lax, almost as if he’s asleep. They both stand there, catching their breath, and then share a moment of horrified laughter. Then, as they both realize, they have no choice but to move the body back to the closet. “Go home, Jared,” Erlich finally says, pointing to the clock. It’s half past one. “I need you back in the morning.” “Of course. Um—“ he stares at the table for a moment, then gathers up his bag. “What are you doing here this late?” “I sleep here.” Erlich cracks open the door to the back office, revealing a foldout couch by his computer, a case of beer beneath the desk. Jared wonders how he never thought to ask. He wishes him a good night and excuses himself, then catches the last bus back to his apartment. He is the only passenger, the streets suspiciously quiet. When he gets back, even his neighbor’s light is out. He showers and tries to sleep, but finds it impossible to do anything but think about what he’d just seen. The events play again and again, like the first reel of a bad B-movie, until he buries his head in the pillow and forces himself to get the little sleep that he can. 

Five hours later he’s back at work. Dinesh crowds into the closet when he gets there, where Jared’s taken up residence — he’s assembled all his notes across the desk, and set up an extra monitor to scroll through the same tutorial a billion more times. “So have you woken it up?” “Not yet.” Jared’s too embarrassed to recount last night. Not to mention he sees Erlich in the corner of his eye, chatting up a janitor at the door. When Dinesh leaves, he opens up the wrist port and looks at the chip inside. The only purpose it seems to have is to pull up a Hooli ID card — Richard Hendricks, it reads, with the same confused-looking face in the photo. The only employee descriptor on the card is the infuriatingly vague Programmer, with no information about his assignment block or orientation group. Even more improbable is the date he supposedly joined the team: December 9, 21XX. Then he finds the console and gets caught up scrolling through the settings. He decides to ramp down the only categories he understands, Aggression and Anxiety, from a 10 to a 5. It seems like a decent compromise between dangerous autonomy and nothing at all. When he starts him up again, he wakes up less violently — just with a shudder. “Richard?” he asks, tentatively, shutting the door behind him. “Are you doing okay?” He lifts his head and turns it to look at him. “You have to promise to never shut me off again. For any reason.” “Okay.” “Promise.” “I promise.” “What did you do to my settings?” Richard asks, sitting up. “I feel like I took like three Xanax.” “I halved your aggression and anxiety. You can adjust it back to whatever you want. I just didn’t want you to throw anything else at my head.” “Oh,” he says, looking as if he forgot. “Sorry about that.” “You’re fine.” "Listen—I don't need a lot of help getting out of here, honestly. And the sooner I do, the safer everyone is.” He lifts himself off the table again, standing up a little more sluggishly. “Believe me when I say, you really don’t want to get involved with these people.” “I feel like I’m already a little involved, aren’t I?” Jared asks, rushing to help him. Once he’s about to reach for his arm, he stops himself. Too patronizing. “Further involved. You don’t want to get further involved.” Richard’s about to open the door when he stops him. “Just—show me the way out and I’ll be out of your hair, honest.” “Hold on.” Jared grabs onto his arm—he’s obviously uncomfortable, so he lets go, clasping his hands together anxiously. “You can’t leave right now. You have no ID, no cash, no civilian clothes. Where are you even going to go? Not to mention your system is—” “You’re not helping,” Richard says, and pushes past him, into the middle of the break room. Jared prays he can collect him before anyone sees, but it’s too late—Dinesh is already sitting there, in the middle of stirring his coffee. He looks between the two of them, dumbfounded. “So you got him up and running,” he says. Down the hall, he sees Gilfoyle turn around, brow furrowed. “Who are these people?” Richard asks. “Am I supposed to know them?” “He comes on a little strong, huh?” Jared laughs uncomfortably, trying to lighten the mood the only way he knows how. “Richard, these are my coworkers—“ Erlich bursts in from the back office, pointing straight at him. “You’ve told him, haven’t you? We can’t get him out of here now. We have to wait.” Richard looks at him, startled. “Why?” Erlich reaches over to the window and pulls the shades down, just in case. “They came looking for you, earlier this morning. I lied about it, of course, but they’ll see through it next time.” Jared stops him. “What were they asking about?" “They apparently had requested some — specific disassembly methods. I said we’d misunderstood them. You know I stuck my neck out for you two—“ “—and we’re grateful, Erlich, really, we are.” Jared takes a sheaf of papers from him, complete with blacked-out text and cryptic directions containing words like uninstall autonomy core and vocal processing hardware. He tucks it under his arm and grips it unsteadily. His head feels lighter. The whole room is looking at him. “We can figure this out, I’m sure of it. We just need to figure out our next move.” “Yes, I’m curious,” Gilfoyle says, after a long stretch of silence. “What is your next move?”

[mint-yooxgi]

False Alarm - Yandere!Ten X Reader X Yandere!Taemin

Yandere!AU & Bodyguard!AU - based off of these teaser photos and loosely inspired by False Alarm by The Weeknd

Genre: Mature, Horror, Angst, Smut (Not a threesome, but someone gets pinned to a wall 👀)

Pairing: Taemin X Reader X Ten

Words: 28,650

Warnings: This is a Yandere story, it will contain themes such as stalking, violence, obsession, possessive natures, and just general overall creepiness and swearing. You have been warned.

A/n: On the fifth day of ficmas, Jackie gave to me~ It’s here~ Three months in counting holy shit. This is now the longest one shot I have ever written in my life, so I do really hope you all like it. I’m very proud of it! Here I was, thinking this would be maybe 10k at the most, but nope, lmaoo. Don’t mind any spelling mistakes that have made it past countless rounds of editing please, or any grammar mistakes lol. As always, I do not believe Taemin, nor Ten, would act like this, this is just my interpretation of the archetype. Please do let me know what you all think about this one, and as always, feedback is greatly appreciated. Enjoy!

It shouldn’t surprise you anymore; by now, you should be used to it. Being the president’s daughter and all. Assassination attempts that is. However, you still cannot help the chill in your veins when certain incidents take place.

Surprisingly, there haven’t been too many attempts on your father’s life, but more recently, they have been increasing, becoming more dangerous each time. It started getting more serious when they started coming after your mother. Now, they’re even coming after you.

You have a feeling they have something to do with the new law your father is trying to implement on taxing the rich, as well as establishing a tighter hold on the underground markets. He wants to strengthen gun control, and create a more peaceful nation, but unfortunately, there are always those that oppose such ideals.

It’s early in the afternoon when your father calls you downstairs and into the first floor study. 

The first thing you notice as soon as you reach the main floor, is the amount of security now in your house. You’re glad that you have the added protection, but you hope your privacy won’t be affected too much.

Entering the study after knocking gently, your gaze is immediately drawn to the two unfamiliar men standing on either side of your father, who is currently sitting behind his antique desk. You see Siwon, your father’s personal guard, standing off to the side. Sending a nod his way, you see him nod back before you move your gaze to your father, locking eyes with him in the next second. Understanding crosses your features.

“Given the recent events, I can gather from your expression that you’ve already put together what I’m about to say,” your father begins, letting out a sigh as you stand before him, the two unfamiliar men staring you down.

“I can only assume until you tell me the truth,” you reply, quirking your brow at your father.

“You certainly got your mother’s wit, that’s for sure,” he chuckles, looking at you with amusement clear in his eyes.

“Damn, I could have sworn I got it from you,” you tease, a smirk pulling at your lips.

“Anyways,” your father clears his throat, becoming serious once more, “(Y/n), I’d like you to meet your two new bodyguards, Taemin,” he motions to the blond man standing at attention to his left, “and Ten.” He motions to the black haired man standing off to his right. “They will be accompanying you everywhere starting today, for your protection.”

“Understood,” you nod at your father, shifting your attention to each men standing to either side of him as you bow your head slightly. “It’s nice to meet the both of you, thank you for agreeing to be my personal bodyguards.”

They nod back to you, remaining silent as your father continues to talk, “their first priority is keeping you safe, no matter what the cost. Do you understand?”

“Yes, father,” you respond, bowing in respect towards him.

“Good,” he nods, watching as you stand back up. “That is all I wanted to talk to you about, so you’re free to go now.”

With a final nod towards your father, and a brief nod towards Siwon once more, you’re exiting the room, the two new men following you closely. Nothing is said between the three of you as you lead them through your house and to your bedroom. After all, you still have some studying to do for your classes tomorrow.

Once you reach your room, you leave the door open for them to follow you in, noticing how the door falls shut behind Ten after he enters the room. You walk back to your desk where your laptop rests, with a few notebooks and textbooks scattered around it. Waking it from sleep, you sit back down in your chair, wanting to focus back in on this assignment that’s driving you up the wall.

Ten minutes pass by, and you can feel their gazes locked on your back. You know they haven’t stopped staring at you since you left your father’s study, and it’s irritating you. You find it hard to focus when you can feel someone watching you; feeling as if they’re breathing down your neck.

Letting out a sigh, you turn around in your chair to face the two men standing guard by your door.

“Are you guys just going to stand there and stare at my back the whole time?” You question, clear irritation in your voice as your brow quirks.

“It’s what we’ve been instructed to do,” Taemin replies, expression blank as he continues to stare at you.

“That’s cool and all, but you’re making me slightly uncomfortable in my own room,” you sigh once more. “At least sit down and make yourselves at home. Knowing my dad, you’re probably going to be living with us from now on, or at least on certain days. Besides, if you’re going to be with me from now on, practically twenty-four seven, the least you can do for yourselves is get comfortable.”

They say nothing at first, instead looking at each other briefly from the corner of their eyes, having a silent exchange between one another before coming to a silent agreement. Taking your advice, they both move to the little sitting area you have in your room, Ten sitting on the couch while resting his one leg over the cushions and his one arm off the back of the couch, while Taemin chooses to sit in one of the armchairs. 

You turn back around, and even though you can tell they’re still keeping their eyes on you, their gazes aren’t as intense as before. The air in the room feels slightly less tense now, and you find you can now concentrate better on your assignment.

About an hour passes by, and you’re able to finish your assignment. Letting out a relieved sigh, you close your laptop after hitting submit, gathering all your books together to stack them neatly on your desk. Once you’re done, you swivel around in your chair to face them, eyes shining in curiosity. You wait for one of them to say something, but after about two minutes of silence, you realize you’re going to have to be the one to break it.

“Damn, if I wanted it to be this quiet I would have gone to the library,” you joke, noticing how one of Ten’s eyebrows twitch in slight amusement.

“We just wanted to make sure you had peace and quiet while you worked,” he replies, rolling his neck slowly with his eyes closed.

“That’s all fine and dandy, but I’m done now,” you smile, attempting to ease some of the silent tension that still permeates the air, “and considering we’re going to be spending an awful amount of time with each other, why don’t you guys tell me about yourselves. What’s your favourite colour? Animal? Food? What do each of you specialize in? Have you two worked together before?”

“You certainly ask a lot of questions, don’t you?” Taemin replies, slight amusement in his tone as his eyes trail over your body, analyzing you carefully.

“Questions are the curiosities of the mind,” you quip, meeting his eyes and challenging his stare.

You hear Ten let out a laugh, shifting his position to sit forward on the couch, resting his elbows on his knees, “and we’ll answer all of your curiosities to the best of our abilities.”

You shoot him a friendly smile, to which he smirks back at you.

“Well, to start off, we’re brothers,” Ten continues, noticing how your eyes widen slightly.

“Adoptive brothers,” Taemin adds. “So, we’ve pretty much spent every case that we can working together.”

“He’s an expert marksman,” Ten motions to Taemin with his head. “I’ve never seen him miss once.”

“That’s because I don’t,” Taemin remarks smugly. “He’s a master at close quarters combat, no one has ever been able to pin him.”

“Give me a blade and it’s game over,” Ten replies, smirk still evident on his features as he leans back into the couch.

“Noted,” you nod, clearly impressed with what they’ve told you so far. “Remind me to never challenge you in a game of darts,” you joke, locking eyes with Taemin briefly before turning your gaze over to Ten, “and remind me not to challenge you to an arm wrestling match.”

At your words, both of them let out small chuckles.

“So, if you were worried we weren’t qualified to protect you, you don’t need to be troubled about it any longer,” Ten grins, and you roll your eyes playfully.

“As if,” you huff. “The aura the two of you give off when you’re together, not to mention individually, is very intimidating. I never once doubted your capabilities. Besides, I know my dad, and he’d only hire the best people that he believes are capable of protecting us.”

You see them both nod their heads slightly in understanding, noticing how as you’ve been talking, they’ve both seemed to relax a bit more.

For the next hour and a half, the three of you continue getting to know each other. The both of them are impressed with you, their original ideas of you being stuck up and full of yourself since you’re the president’s daughter, now being thrown out the window.

Before they met you, they were both a little hesitant to take this job. The risks aren’t what bothers them, no, it’s the fact that they’d have to spend almost twenty-four hours with you, seven days a week. They were expecting you to be completely different, but from what they’ve gathered, you’re a sassy, kind, intelligent woman who is very aware of her surroundings. Now, they’re both glad they’ve taken this job, for they both cannot wait to spend more time with you, and get to know you even better. Besides, it pays well, too.

Soon enough, you’re being called downstairs for dinner, the two of them following behind you silently. Once you reach the dining room, you take your seat and wait for dinner to be served. You make light conversation over dinner with your parents, fully enjoying this time with them for you all rarely sit down together anymore for a meal like this, given how busy they both are. It warms your heart.

“Don’t forget we have that lecture event at your university in two days’ time,” your mother reminds you.

“I know, mom,” you reply, taking a sip of your drink.

“I can’t wait to embarrass you in front of your entire school,” your dad teases, a light chuckle escaping his lips.

“Dad,” you whine, playing along, “please don’t do anything to ruin my reputation.”

“What reputation?” He jokes, wiggling his eyebrows at you, making you scoff in mock offence.

“Don’t worry dear, I’ll just make sure to give a ten minute rant on how awful your snoring is,” your mother interjects, causing both you and Siwon, who is standing off to the side with Taemin and Ten, to snicker. Even Natasha, your mother’s personal bodyguard lets out a few chuckles of her own.

“Betrayed by my own wife,” your father shakes his head, letting out a few more chuckles of his own.

“Don’t worry, sweetie,” your mom winks at you, “I got your back.”

“Thanks, mom,” you giggle, finishing the remnants of your drink.

Gathering your now empty dishes, you stand up, excusing yourself from the table and thanking your parents for the meal. Moving off to the kitchen, you place your dishes in the sink, and head back to your room for the evening, noticing your two bodyguards following your every movement once more.

Before you reenter your room for the evening, you turn to the two men standing behind you.

“The two of you should eat something,” you say, noticing how Taemin’s brow twitches slightly at your words. “Don’t even think about arguing, you both need to eat. I’ll be fine in my room for the evening, so get some rest afterwards.”

You can see Ten about to protest before Taemin cuts him off, “as you wish.”

With a slight bow of their heads, they’re moving off back down the hall to grab something for dinner.

Opening the door to your room, a small sigh escapes your lips. Closing the door behind you, you rest against it, thoughts swirling through your mind.

Those two can be really intimidating at times, and you get the sense they were very hesitant about you at first. You know it’s their job to protect you, but you’re slightly worried they might not follow their duties fully if they don’t like you very much.

You shake your head to clear your thoughts. Your father would only choose the best people he thought appropriate to protect you, and you trust his judgement. From what you’ve gathered, these two men take their jobs very seriously. You just hope you can get them to open up a bit more, and not be so intimidating, at least, towards you. After all, you want to be able to befriend them. Who knows how long you’ll need them for.

Meanwhile, the two of them move around each of their new respective rooms, unpacking. They share a joint bathroom, of which the doors rest open, so the two of them can converse with one another.

“She seems nice,” Ten comments, hearing Taemin hum from the other room.

“Definitely not what I was expecting,” comes Taemin’s reply.

“One of our better clients, wouldn’t you say?”

“Better than the last one, at least,” Taemin rolls his eyes, slamming the drawer to his dresser shut. “That one was a real piece of work.”

“You can say that again,” Ten huffs, shutting the door to his closet once he’s finished hanging some shirts.

“Still, this one…” Taemin trails off, seemingly looking for the right word as Ten walks into his room, “she’s almost endearing in a way.”

“Her mannerisms are cute, yes,” Ten nods, leaning against the desk in Taemin’s room as Taemin sits on the edge of his bed, the both of them now finished unpacking.

“Nothing like anything we’ve seen before,” Taemin hums, a grin pulling on his lips.

“Don’t tell me you’re interested in our new client,” Ten teases, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“No, no,” Taemin replies, eyes darting over to look at his brother. “Not at all.”

“Good, cause we both know how that turned out the last time,” Ten shakes his head.

The last time either one of them got involved with a client in that way, it ended with the other one of them almost dying. Since then, they’ve agreed not to get too attached to their clients. Hence their cold and intimidating nature. Well, those aspects also come along with the discipline, but even more so now.

Bidding each other a final good night, Ten retreats back into his own room for the evening. Tomorrow is a new day, and they have to be well rested if they’re going to protect you to the best of their abilities.

The next morning, you wake up early to get ready for your classes. Luckily, you only have two, so you should be home some time in the early afternoon.

Once you’ve finished getting ready for the morning, you make your way downstairs. As soon as you open your bedroom door, you see both Ten and Taemin standing guard on the opposite side of your door, startling you slightly.

“Holy- how long have you guys been standing there?” You ask, shutting the door behind you as you pull your bag over your shoulder.

“Not long,” Ten assures you.

“An hour,” Taemin says at the same time, making you blink.

Shaking your head to clear your thoughts, you continue your trek downstairs, the two of them now following you closely from behind. 

Walking into the kitchen, you see your mother making something for breakfast before she leaves with your father for the day. Sending you a smile, she plates the food before placing it in front of you.

“Thanks, mom,” you say, sending a smile back at her as she places the dishes in the sink before giving you a quick kiss on the forehead and leaving the room, Natasha following behind her silently after sending you a small smile.

Eating silently, you scroll through your phone, checking what you’ve missed since last night. You love your friends, but having some in different timezones can make the group chat read like the morning paper at times. 

Noticing the time, your eyes widen slightly as you realize that if you don’t leave soon, you might be late for your first class. Shoving the last remnants of food into your mouth, you quickly stand up, placing your dishes in the sink while grabbing your bag which you had placed beside you on the other chair.

Heading to the garage, you grab your keys, ready to unlock your car and get into the driver’s seat. However, before you can open the car door, a hand quickly snatches your keys out of your hand.

“Hey!” You complain, frowning as you see Taemin now holding your keys.

“Get in,” he motions to the back, where on the other side, Ten already waits to get in with you. “We’ll be driving you to and from school from now on, and attending all of your classes.”

“Well damn, thanks for the warning,” you huff, taking a step back from the driver’s side in order to get into the back of the vehicle.

He says nothing in response, only choosing to open the driver’s side door and get in, a slight raise to his lips.

The whole ride over to your university is silent, Taemin pulling into the first free parking space when you arrive. The whole time, you’ve been texting your two friends in your first class to meet you just outside the lecture hall, to which they agree.

Getting out of the car, Taemin cuts the engine. You can feel the other student’s eyes on you as you walk towards Building C, flanked by your two new bodyguards. You can hear the whispers of the others as you walk past, but you don’t let it bother you; you’re used to it by now, being the president’s daughter and all.

Entering the building, you see your two friends anxiously waiting for you near the entrance of the lecture hall.

“There you are! Hurry up, the lecture is about to start!” Jongin complains, opening the door to the lecture hall and tugging Ayla along with him, you following close behind.

Checking the time, you roll your eyes slightly, “relax, we still have ten minutes.”

“Yeah, Jongin, relax,” Ayla huffs, amusedly. “We’ve got time. I’d just be worried about not finding good seats.”

“Oh, boo hoo,” you tease, “just because we won’t be able to sit in the front doesn’t mean we won’t get good seats.”

Walking into the main section of the lecture hall, you spot some seats in the second row of the back section, leading the way as the four of them follow you. You’ve noticed that since you’ve entered the lecture hall, most people’s conversations have halted, especially since two new males have walked in with you.

“Who are those two new guys with her?” You overhear someone whisper.

“Damn, I guess being the president’s daughter means you can get whatever guys you want nowadays,” another whispers as you all make it to your seats. Taemin and Ten share a look, sitting to your right.

“Isn’t she with Damien?” Someone else adds.

“What a fucking slut,” you overhear from a few rows over, the harshness in their voice making you suck in a breath.

“That’s it,” Ayla growls, slamming her palms on the table in front of her and preparing to stand up.

“Relax, it’s fine,” you say, gripping her arm to make sure she stays seated and doesn’t do anything drastic.

“No. It’s not,” she counters, Jongin nodding his agreement from beside her. “One of these days those fuckers are going to catch these hands.”

“Thanks, boo,” you send her a small smile.

“Besides, anyone with a brain knows you’re literally the best,” Jongin adds, to which you smile at him.

“Thanks guys,” you say, turning your attention to the front of the room after pulling out your supplies, seeing as how the professor is about to start the lecture.

For the first half of the lecture, you can feel both Ten’s and Taemin’s eyes on you, before shifting their gazes around the room, carefully observing everyone and everything. You fail to notice the slight furrow in their brows the whole time, confused, and slightly concerned, about you.

At the end of your first class, you’re bidding farewell to Jongin and Ayla, who walk away hand in hand after waving goodbye to you. A slight smile is on your face, sorrowful in a way, as you watch them walk away. You could not be more happy for them being together, but it just reminds you of your nonexistent love life. Being the president’s daughter can have its downsides.

Sighing, you begin moving off to your second, and final, class for the day, located in Building A. You walk in silence, the two men following behind you and serving to intimidate anyone who walks in your path.

Checking your phone just before entering the building, a small smile lights up your face. Damien’s already in class waiting for you, and he’s saved you a seat.

Entering the class, you see an excited Damien waving at you enthusiastically. Waving back, you make your way over to the seat he’s saved for you, noticing that Ten and Taemin will have to sit directly behind you if they want to stay close to you. For that, you’re kind of grateful. Having them next to you in your first class was kind of distracting, especially since they were staring at you for half of it. Luckily, this class is much smaller than your first, so they won’t be able to draw too much attention to themselves. However, it still doesn’t stop the whispers from forming at the mouths of the other students, which you choose to ignore for the time being.

“Hey,” Damien greets as you take the seat next to him. “Ayla’s already told me about what happened early. You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m used to it by now,” you shrug, pulling out your supplies for the class.

“You shouldn’t have to be,” he mutters, frown evident on his face before his expression is lightening up in the next moment. “Anyways, what’s with the posse?” He motions to the two men sitting behind you with his head. “They your new bodyguards or something?”

“Actually, yes,” you nod, noticing how Damien’s jaw drops.

“Damn, that’s hot,” he wiggles his brows at you. “Are either of them single?”

“I don’t know, why don’t you ask them,” you quirk a brow, ready to turn around before he stops you.

“Don’t embarrass me in front of them, I’m pretty sure they can hear me,” he whines.

Sneaking a glance over your shoulder, you see both of their amused faces, causing you to laugh, “for sure they can.”

“Oh god,” he groans, face planting onto the desk. “I’m going to make myself feel better and just believe they can’t date on the job.”

“I don’t even know if they’re single,” you reply, a slight teasing tone in your voice.

“Whatever, I still have you, don’t I?” He grins, turning his head to look at you from his position on the desk.

“Of course,” you grin back. “Still down to get married if we’re both still single at thirty-five?”

“Damn right I am,” he sits back up, smiling along with you. “Who else could put up with you?”

“Excuse me! I’m a delight to be around,” you scoff.

“Oh, yeah? Says who?” He smirks.

“My elementary and high school teachers,” you reply, sticking your tongue out at him as the two of you laugh. You can faintly hear a few chuckles coming from behind you, but you brush them off.

“I don’t think being ‘a pleasure to have in class’ counts,” Damien teases, nudging your arm slightly.

“You’re just jealous that all of our teachers liked me better,” you jokingly huff, nudging his arm back.

“Yeah, yeah,” he chuckles a few times, “whatever you say.”

“Anyways, did you manage to finish the assignment for today?” You ask him, taking out your laptop.

“Fuck, just barely,” he sighs dramatically, “I was up all night finishing it before class today. What about you?”

“Finished it yesterday,” you hum, setting up a fresh document for taking notes.

“Of course, I should have known,” he grins. “I don’t even need to ask anymore, you’re usually done assignments a day before they’re due anyways.”

“Procrastination is a hard habit to shake,” you mutter.

“You call that procrastinating!” Damien half-yells, eyes wide as you hear a huff of amusement come from behind you.

“Shut up, class is about to start,” you can’t fight the grin of amusement that pulls at your lips as you both turn to face front, looking at the professor as they begin the lecture for the day.

Again, the whole time you’re taking notes, you can feel Ten’s and Taemin’s gazes on your back. So much so, that halfway through class you type out a ‘stop staring at my back’ into your notes, bold it, and make it a bigger font for them to see as you subtly lean to the side so they can read it. They seem to take the hint and for the rest of the class, you barely feel their eyes on you, but you can tell Damien is feeling a bit uncomfortable. They must have shifted their gazes from you to him.

Eventually, class ends, and you agree to hang out with Damien for the next hour before his next class begins. Even though you’re done for the day, you enjoy spending time with your best friend.

Walking to the building where his next class is, you all grab food, sitting at a table just across from the lecture hall. You and Damien continue to converse as you eat, while the two other men eat in silence, continuing to observe the area, and more particularly, you.

“Wait, is that Minhyuk?” Damien says, squinting his eyes slightly at a figure across the way.

Your eyes follow his gaze as both Ten and Taemin turn around to look at the now approaching male. Minhyuk’s eyes lock with yours, a smile pulling at his lips, only causing you to groan in response.

“Why can’t he just leave me alone?” You groan, placing your head in your hands, only to look up in the next moment with a brilliant fake smile plastered on your face as Minhyuk reaches your table.

Ten and Taemin share a look.

“Hey, (Y/n), how are you today?” He leans his one hand on the table, completely ignoring the three other males that are with you.

“Well, my day was going great until you showed up,” you chirp, causing Taemin and Ten to look at you in slight confusion.

“Oh, baby, you hurt me so,” he mocks offence, placing a hand over his heart as if he’s actually been hurt by your words. “Anyways, I saw you sitting here and I couldn’t help myself but to come over and see if-“

“No,” you immediately cut him off, expression morphing into one of disinterest, no longer being bothered to act cheerful anymore.

“But you haven’t even heard what I was going to ask-“

“I said no,” you lock eyes with him. “It was a no last time. It’s a no this time, and it will always be a no.”

Ten and Taemin observe the situation, waiting to intervene at a moments notice, though they’re a bit confused, and curious, as to what this whole situation is about. Damien sips on his drink in amusement, watching the entire situation play out before his eyes as he leans back in his chair.

“Come on, babe, we both know I’ll be worth your while,” Minhyuk smirks, only serving to irritate you further. His eyes flick to the two unfamiliar males sitting with you as he goes on to say, “we both know I’m the only one who can really make you scream.”

“In frustration, yeah,” you reply, quirking a brow. “And don’t flatter yourself, I’ve had better orgasms from my own hand than what your two-inch dick can offer me.”

At your words, Damien nearly chokes on his drink from laughing so hard. You notice the two men sharing another glance between each other across from you.

Minhyuk simply sputters before you, face turning red. You can tell he’s fuming.

“Yeah, well, you’re just a bitch who sleeps with the first guy that gives you any attention,” Minhyuk seethes, only getting more angry the more unbothered by his words you look. “Fucking slut, who wants to be with you anyways. You good for nothing, stupid, waste of space-“

Before any one of them can react, you’ve stood up, causing your chair to screech across the floor and draw even more attention to yourself as you land a solid blow to his left cheek, sending him stumbling back a few paces. Damien watches on with wide eyes as you notice your two bodyguards stand up out of the corner of your eyes.

“You fucking bitch!” Minhyuk sneers, winding up to hit you back.

However, before his fist can make contact, you manage to catch it mid-air, surprising the two males once more, and only serving to make Damien’s eyes widen even more as he sips his drink. Your nails dig into Minhyuk’s skin, and you can see him struggling to pull his fist out of your grip as a crowd begins to form around the five of you.

“If I’m what you say I am, why do you always keep trying to get into my pants? We both know I’m not interested in you, so why waste your time on me? Leave me the fuck alone,” you spit, pushing him away from you as you let go of his fist.

He says nothing, only choosing to glare at you as he rubs at his closed fist, indents from your nails evident in his skin. You notice a few people in the crowd filming the situation, and with a sigh, you grab your things quickly, pushing past people to exit the building. Damien rushes after you once he grabs his things, Ten and Taemin sharing a final look before following as well.

“(Y/n), fuck, that was amazing!” Damien cheers once he catches up to you just outside the building. 

“Are you okay?” It’s Ten’s amused voice that manages to grab your attention.

“Never better,” you reply, exhaling a significant amount of air, noticing how he stands with his arms crossed as Taemin leans on the side of the building.

“He never knows when to quit, does he?” Damien sighs, shaking his head in mock disbelief.

“Does he always bother you?” Taemin asks, intrigued. Neither of them thought you were capable of something like that, and they’re both greatly amused by this newfound side to you.

“You could say that,” Damien replies for you, and you roll your eyes.

“You drunkenly hook up with a guy one time in first year, and he never lets it go,” you huff. “All he wants is another round to say that he’s slept with the presidents’ daughter more than once. I can’t stand him.”

“He’s an asshole,” Damien confirms with a nod while patting your shoulder comfortingly.

“Sorry to make a scene before your class,” you apologize to him, only for him to smile at you.

“Are you kidding? That was literally the highlight of my day,” he grins, causing you to send him a weak smile back. “Now, go home and get some rest. Maybe curl up with a blanket and watch a movie, that always seems to cheer you up.”

“Yeah, if I don’t have to listen to my dad practice his speech for tomorrow,” you sigh, running a hand through your hair. “Plus, I’ve got readings.”

“Fuck the readings,” Damien immediately replies, causing you to let out a breath in amusement.

“I’ll see you later, okay?” You hug him, feeling a sense of relief wash over you as you feel him hug you back. “Have fun in class.”

“Two hours of physics with the most boring professor ever? Woo,” he says, unenthusiastically, causing you to let out a small laugh.

“Good luck, then,” you wave him off, sending him a small wink.

“Thanks, I’ll need it,” he waves back with a laugh, heading back inside before his class starts.

A sigh escapes your lips as you watch Damien disappear from your sight, grip tightening on your bag. You can feel the stares of the two men on you once more as you begin walking back to the car, them falling into step beside you soon after, with one on either side of you. They say nothing at first, a sort of tense silence falling over the three of you as you walk across campus. Ten is the first to break it.

“Didn’t know you had that in you,” he hums, amusement still clear in his voice.

“There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me,” you sigh, seeing your car come into view.

“You have some pretty sharp reflexes,” Taemin comments, looking at you from the corner of his eyes with a smirk present on his lips.

“Thanks,” you reply shortly, putting your hand on the handle of the back door once you reach your car.

Once unlocked, you’re pulling the door open and sliding into the back. You fail to notice the amused twitches of their lips as they follow suit.

Again, a small silence settles over the three of you while in the car as Taemin pulls onto the main road after leaving the campus. You look out the window, watching as the scenery moves by in a blur, not really focusing on anything but using it as a means to distract yourself. You’re tired from the day you’ve had, and you just want to get home and relax.

“So, you and Damien,” Ten’s voice manages to pull you out of your thoughts.

Turning your head, you lock eyes with him, “what about him?”

“You two seem, close,” Taemin cuts in, making you turn your gaze to catch his own in the rearview mirror.

“He’s been my best friend since preschool,” you reply, shrugging your shoulders slightly. “Nothing more to it.”

You hear Ten hum in acknowledgement at your statement, and sensing the end to the short conversation, you go back to absentmindedly looking out the window.

Arriving home, you hop out of the car, quickly making your way back inside your house with the two men following in pursuit. Before you can make it two steps, your father is calling you into his study. You sigh, already knowing what this is going to be about.

“(Y/n), although I’m happy you stood up for yourself, violence is never the answer,” your father reprimands you once you’re in his office.

“Yes, father,” you sigh, head down out of respect.

“In all fairness, sir, if she hadn’t acted beforehand, I was going to clock him myself,” Ten chimes in. “He was being a complete, and pardon my French, asshole.”

“Regardless of that fact or not, she should know better than to act out like that,” he frowns. “We’re lucky the news outlets won’t get wind of this. How would people react if they saw you, the presidents’ daughter, punching someone in the face? How do you think the public would perceive me as your father for ‘influencing’ you to act that way? What does that say about me as a parent? We have to be careful with our images. You know this. Otherwise, people will create these false presumptions about us. Now go, I have work to do.”

With a nod of your head, you turn around and exit the study, making your way to your room. You don’t have to look to know that your two bodyguards are already following you.

“Whether they see it or not, people are already going to have their false presumptions about us,” you mutter under your breath, releasing another sigh as you open the door to your room.

The two of them say nothing as they follow you into your room, closing the door behind them. They watch as you toss your bag onto your desk before moving over and flopping face first onto your bed, releasing a groan in the process.

Both of them are greatly amused by your actions today, not to mention impressed. Never would they have thought you would have had it in you to do what you did. Neither will admit it to the other, but they enjoyed this side of you, both intrigued by you and who you’re turning out to be. They can’t help but want to see more.

Moving over to sit on your couch, they allow themselves to relax slightly. Nothing unusual came up at your university, but they remain on high alert, as tomorrow would be a prime opportunity for something to happen given the events that will be taking place. They just know that whatever does happen, they’ll make sure to keep you safe. Not only is it their job, but after the events of today, you’ve sparked something within them, something that they haven’t felt in a long time. Something, that if given the chance, they want to feel again.

Eventually, the next day rolls around, and you manage to pull yourself out of your sour mood from the previous day. You’re currently sitting front row before the small stage they’ve set up outside for your father to give his speech on. People from all over campus, and the city for that matter, file in and take their seats, wanting to catch a glimpse of the president at this presidential event.

“Hey stranger,” Damien greets, nudging you gently as he takes the open seat beside you to your left. “How’re you feeling today?

“Could be better, could be worse,” you shrug, turning your head to look at him. “How about you?”

“Heard Minhyuk complaining about his face about an hour ago,” he replies with a hum. “You really got him good, dude’s sporting a nice shiner.”

“Serves him right,” a voice cuts in, shadows falling over both you and Damien.

Looking up reveals your two bodyguards now standing in front of you. You can tell Ten was the one to say that, for he wears a smug grin on his face as Taemin scans over the crowd.

“We’ll be positioned at the front of the stage during the speech, so if you need one of us, just wave us over,” Taemin informs you, to which you nod at.

You notice the earpieces they’re wearing, taking in their entire black ensembles. You lick your lips before taking a deep breath, turning back to face Damien in the next moment as the two men walk over to stand at the bottom of the front of the stage.

“Those two men are such fine, cool glasses of water, and I’m parched,” Damien says, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at you, only causing you to burst out laughing.

“Well, they’re all yours, boo,” you grin back, shooting him a wink. “Drink up.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” he hums, turning his gaze to the front where Ten and Taemin are standing at attention.

The two of you continue on your conversation for a short amount of time, seeing as the event will be starting soon. You’ve noticed how the crowd has really filled out, a small smile resting on your lips as you feel pride for your father swell in your chest. He can be a bit difficult at times, but you love him, and you hope beyond anything that nothing goes wrong today.

Soon enough, the crowd has settled down and the dean of your university introduces your father who receives a tremendous amount of applause in response. You take this time to look around at all the media sources broadcasting this event today. News outlets, magazines, even those filming on their phones for their own social media accounts.

Figuring you should get comfortable in your seat for your father’s speech, you lean back in your chair, crossing your left leg over the other, and your arms over your chest. You notice Damien lean back in his seat also, choosing to rest his hands in his lap as he gets comfortable. 

A gentle breeze drifts through the campus, the sky dotted with clouds as the sun peeks out from behind one. You can see your mother smiling in her seat behind your father as he begins his speech, the dean nodding along enthusiastically. All of your private bodyguards line the front of the stage on either side. Taemin and Ten standing closest to you, while Siwon and Natasha stand on the opposite side.

Just as your father takes a slight pause in his speech, the first shot is fired.

A scream sounds from the crowd somewhere behind you as the bullet makes contact with the ground just before your feet. You recoil in shock, nearly falling backwards in your chair. The next moment, chaos ensues as another bullet whizzes right past your head and hits the person sitting behind you. 

People begin panicking, getting up and running in multiple directions while screaming in fear for their lives. You see both Taemin and Ten rushing towards you, but they’re two seconds too late.

The sound of a bullet making contact with flesh makes you flinch and squeeze your eyes shut. Your whole body tenses as you wait for pain to overtake you in the next moment. Except, it doesn’t come.

Opening your eyes, you look to your left where you see Damien on the ground, clutching his right shoulder as blood begins to flow from his fresh bullet wound. You barely register Ten grabbing your arm to lead you away from the scene.

Quickly regaining your senses, you rip your arm out of his grasp, a firm ‘no’ passing your lips as you drop to your knees beside Damien. Taking off the sweater you’re wearing, you immediately press it to his wound, keeping the pressure until medical help can arrive.

“Come on, we need to get you out of here,” Taemin says, going to grab for you himself this time.

“I’m not leaving him,” you state, staring into Damien’s eyes as tears gather at the corners of his as the pain washes over him.

“Our number one priority is keeping you safe,” Ten responds, looking around the crowd as both he and Taemin draw their guns. “No matter the cost.”

“I’ll be fine,” Damien assures you through gritted teeth. “It’s only a flesh wound.”

“Flesh wound my ass,” you mutter.

The commotion around you prevents you from seeing if your parents got away safely, but you’re hoping that they did. No more shots have been fired since Ten and Taemin have reached you, so you’re hoping the shooter has moved on and is in the process of being chased.

Another bullet whizzing past your arm is all the answer you need, your heart beating erratically in your chest as you’re overcome with fear. No matter how badly your mind is screaming for your body to run, you won’t leave your best friend here to die like this.

“I can’t leave him!” You shout over the commotion.

“Shit,” you hear Taemin cuss as he turns towards the direction the bullets have been coming from in hopes of getting a glimpse of the shooter. However, at this distance, his handgun is not going to have much of an effect on a long range shooter.

“Can you stand?” Ten asks you, to which you simply nod your head. “Good, get up.”

“I told you, I’m not leaving him to die!” At your words Damien lets out a pain filled groan.

“Go, get out of here,” he manages to get out. “Your life is more important than mine, anyways.”

“What the fuck are you saying? Of course it’s not!” You yell, tears blurring your vision as you feel the amount of blood on your hands despite your best efforts of putting pressure on the wound. “You can’t say things like that, I don’t know who I’d be without you. Come on, you’re going to get through this, stay with me.”

Before you can register what’s happening, you feel yourself being pulled up and off of the ground. You begin to protest as Taemin drags you away from Damien, struggling in his grip as he leads you away from the scene of the crime for your protection, gun raised the whole time. 

Pulling you behind a building and out of view from the sniper’s range, Taemin pushes you against the wall, scanning the area to make sure it’s safe before turning to lock eyes with you.

“Relax, Ten’s got him,” he says, motioning with his head to his brother who has now caught up to you and is carrying Damien over his shoulder.

You manage to breathe a sigh of slight relief, your blood still rushing through your veins due to the adrenaline. You’re not safe yet, but at least you know Damien won’t just be left out there to bleed to death.

“You know, when I imagined getting carried away by prince charming, this is not what I had in mind,” Damien pipes up, causing you to let out a laugh in disbelief as Ten places him back on his own feet.

Pushing past Taemin, you manage to catch Damien as he stumbles slightly, wincing as his wound throbs in pain.

“You idiot,” you laugh, a single tear escaping your eye as you throw his arm over your shoulder. “This is seriously not the time for joking around.”

“You’re right-“

“(Y/n)!”

“Get behind us!”

“No!” A shriek escapes your lips as you hear a gunshot fire from in front of you, a masked figure now standing mere metres away from you. 

It all happens within the blink of an eye, yet everything still seems to happen in slow motion.

You watch as the bullet inches closer to your chest, Ten and Taemin rushing in front of you to try and protect you, but they’re going to be too late. Your eyes widen as you register Damien pushing you out of the way just in time to take the bullet for you. Stumbling slightly, you can only watch on in horror as his now lifeless body falls to the ground in front of you. You’re ears are ringing, and you barely register Taemin firing his own gun, killing the assailant instantly.

Taemin and Ten begin to scan the area, guards high incase another attacker is to make themselves known. They stand guard on either side of you as the swat teams arrive, only now noticing how you’ve dropped to your knees with silent tears streaming down your face as you stare at Damien’s still frame, bleeding out on the concrete in front of you.

“D-Damien,” your voice comes out as a broken whisper, barely having the strength to crawl over to him, but you manage, choking on a sob along the way. 

You manage to turn him over, wiping the hair out of his face as you come to rest his head in your lap, just like how you would sit when you were kids. A tear falls on his cheek, and you can’t help but think he looks almost peaceful like this; as if he’s only sleeping.

“You idiot,” you choke out, cupping his face gently in your hands and ignoring all those around you for the moment. “That bullet wasn’t meant for you.” Another tear lands on his cheek. “You weren’t meant to die for me. How am I supposed to go on without my best friend?”

Tears continue to flow down your cheeks as you sob for the loss of your closest friend. How cruel of fate to take him away from you so soon, that he should die while you continue to live on. Why would he do that for you?

All these thoughts, and more, race through your mind, and you can come up with the answer yourself, which only makes you sob harder. The love you have for your best friend is also shared by him. He did this because he wanted to, because he loves you. If the roles would have been reversed, you would have done the exact same thing for him.

A comforting hand is placed gently onto your back, startling you out of your thoughts. Letting your eyes refocus, you notice you’ve been subconsciously brushing Damien’s hair out of his face this whole time, only serving to streak it red with his blood that still rests on your hands.

“I’m so sorry,” you whisper, completely ignoring whoever it is that’s come to comfort you at this time in favour of gently placing Damien’s head on the ground. You back up slightly in order to give yourself enough room to lean down to place one final kiss to his forehead while whispering a small thank you. “I love you. You will always be my best friend.”

Letting out a shaky sigh, you sit back up. Looking to your left, you see Taemin standing there with a hand placed comfortingly on your shoulder. He looks at you with slightly sorrowful eyes as you stand up, stumbling slightly on your feet. Luckily, Taemin is there to support you.

“Take me home,” your voice is barely above a whisper as you find yourself leaning into his side. He doesn’t need to see your eyes to know the sadness that reflects in them, for he can hear it clearly in your voice.

By now, the reporters have made a reappearance as special ops forces take care of the scene. They throw questions your way while shoving microphones in your face as you walk past. Taemin does his best to push them out of your way, but in the end, some of the swat team has to step in to control them in order to get them to leave you alone. 

Ten is currently busy filling in the superiors on what events have just taken place. He watches as Taemin leads you away, an arm wrapped securely around your figure. He bites his lip. That should be him. He knows what it’s like to lose someone close to you, someone you love. He should be the one comforting you in this time, not Taemin.

The whole time shots were being fired, Ten’s heart was racing in his chest. Normally, he loves the thrill of adrenaline that rushes through his veins during times like these, but today, he couldn’t help but worry. He worried for your safety, and yes, even though you are his client and he should regularly worry about your safety, this time was different. No matter what happens, he doesn’t want to see you get hurt. Or worse.

It stuck with him, how attached you seemed to be to Damien, and how you refused to leave his side, even in the face of danger. He finds your loyalty admirable, and genuinely enjoys your caring nature. He doesn’t want to admit it to himself yet, but it pained him to see the horrified, heartbroken look on your face when Damien was killed. If he can help it, he never wants to see you hurt or in pain again, and he’ll start by doing his job right. His number one priority now, is protecting you at all costs, even if it means giving up his own life.

Meanwhile, you rest your head on the cool window of your car as Taemin drives you home. Nothing is said between the two of you, and you’re grateful for the silence. Closing your eyes, you attempt to get some rest while on your way home, but every time you close your eyes, all you can see is Damien’s dead body bleeding out on the ground.

You don’t even notice you’ve started crying again until you feel a gentle hand on your cheek, wiping away your tears. Your eyes flutter open to see you’re back home already, the car now parked in the garage.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” he says softly, eyes full of sorrow as he retracts his hand from your cheek slowly.

You don’t say anything in response, not trusting your voice to not crack if you were to speak. Instead, you find yourself nodding once at him, swallowing briefly. 

Never have you seen Taemin show this much emotion in front of you, but you appreciate it none-the-less. You’re also grateful he doesn’t push you to talk, opting to get out of the car and help you walk into the main part of the house in the next moment.

He can feel his heart clench slightly in his chest, seeing you so upset and hurt by the events of today. He won’t easily admit it, but the whole time shots were being fired, he was scared he wouldn’t be able to protect you. He’s intrigued by you, and ever since yesterday, he’s wanted to get to know you better. Sure he acts a bit cold and distant, but he knows he’s starting to warm up to you.

You have this effect on him which sets his heart racing, and knowing how much you care for your best friend just made his interest in you spike. He admires the loyalty and dedication you’ve shown so far, selfishly wanting that for himself in the future. You’ve definitely caught his eye, and once he sets his sights on something, he never lets go of his target.

He only wishes he could have been able to comfort you better in the car before the two of you went inside.

As soon as your mother sees you enter the house, she rushes over to you, “(Y/n), oh my god. Thank goodness you’re alright! We were so worried about you, are you hurt?”

“No, mom, I’m fine,” you reply, brushing her off in favour of wanting to retreat to your room for the rest of the evening. You just want to be alone right now, or at least away from your parents and their questioning gazes.

“You don’t look fine,” your dad comments, worry evident on his features as he frowns. “You have blood on your hands.”

“There’s blood on your hands?” You mother panics, immediately grabbing your hands in hers and looking them over worriedly as she takes in the sight of the now dried blood covering your hands.

“It’s fine, it’s-“ you hesitate, closing your eyes briefly as you swallow your emotions for the time being, “it’s not mine.”

“Then who’s-“ both your mother and father’s brows furrow as they fully look at your red eyes and tear stained face.

“It’s-“ you choke on a breath, your emotions overcoming your weak walls that you’ve put up for the time being as you feel the weight of the events from today come crashing down on you. “Damien’s”

“Is he alright?” Your mother asks, squeezing your hands gently in comfort as she looks at your face in worry.

You shake your head, refusing to meet her eyes as you hear her gasp.

“He sacrificed himself for me,” you let out a shaky breath, only now being able to look up into your mother’s eyes, and you can see the sorrow reflected in her own as she wraps you in her arms.

“Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry,” she says, gently stroking your hair as you sob into her shoulder. You can feel your father come over to place a comforting hand onto your back, gently rubbing soothing circles the whole time. 

You all stay like this for a few minutes, your parents comforting you as you sob in the main hallway of your house. After a little while longer, you manage to get your emotions back under control, enough to pull away from your mom as she wipes your tears away.

“Why don’t you go and get some rest, honey, we’re well protected here at home,” she suggests, to which you nod in response.

You don’t say anything as you walk past them and to the stairs, slowly trudging up them and to your room. Closing the door gently behind you, you feel as if you’re untuned to your surroundings, moving around your room slowly as if in a daze.

Grabbing a fresh pair of pyjamas to change into consisting of an oversized t-shirt and sleep shorts, you make your way to your bathroom in order to wash off the events of the day. You find that the hot water helps clear your mind slightly, serving to wash away the dirt and grim that’s stuck onto you. It takes you several minutes just to wash the blood off of your hands, it now being caked into your nails. The sight alone makes your eyes sting with unshed tears.

You end up taking longer than you thought you would to get ready for bed, seeing as how your movements are sluggish at the moment. Once you deem your hair dry enough, you throw it in a bun on the top of your head, exiting the bathroom and coming back out into your main room.

Just as you groggily start to make your way over to your bed, you hear a faint knock coming from your bedroom door. Releasing a small sigh, you head over to see who it could be.

Opening the door reveals Taemin standing there. You notice his eyes roam over your figure briefly, taking in your appearance, before looking back up to meet your gaze.

“Your parents wanted me to check up on you after debriefing them,” he says, not wanting you to know that he was also concerned about how you may be fairing after the events of today.

“I’m just going to try and get some sleep,” you reply, bringing a hand up to rub at your eyes.

“Well, if you need anything, let me know,” with a final nod, he goes to turn away.

“Wait,” your voice halts him in his tracks.

“Yes?” He turns his head to look at you from over his shoulder.

“I know that this isn’t really a part of your job description, but I don’t really want to be alone right now,” you say, looking down at your feet somewhat nervously. “Do you mind staying with me for a while? At least until I fall asleep? I’d feel safer knowing you were with me, watching over me.”

Given the circumstances, he knows his heart shouldn’t be skipping a beat at your words, but it does anyways. It takes him a moment to think of a response, but you take his silence as a denial to your request.

“It’s okay if you don’t want to, I can always ask Ten when he gets back-“

“No, no,” he cuts you off before you can finish. There’s no way he’s letting his brother take this opportunity away from him. “It’s fine. Just let me shower first, then I’ll be right with you.”

“Oh, yeah, of course!” You say, your eyes flitting upwards only to look down again in the next second. “Do whatever you have to do first. I’ll be here.”

With a final nod from him, he’s moving quickly down the hall and to his room. He doesn’t want to keep you waiting for long, but he does want to wash off the events of the day before keeping you company. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt for him to freshen up a little bit for you.

Not even fifteen minutes later, you hear another soft knock coming from your bedroom door. Getting up off of your bed, you go over to let Taemin into your room, closing your door gently behind him.

“Thank you, by the way,” your voice is small as you move past him to sit on the side of your bed. “You didn’t have to agree to this.”

“Don’t mention it,” he replies, moving to sit on your couch that faces your bed, serving to give you space, but also letting you know that he’s still there for you incase you should need him.

Crawling underneath your covers, you attempt to get comfortable. You’re able to relax slightly better knowing Taemin is in your room to protect and watch over you for the time being. However, the more you allow yourself to relax, the more your body begins to shake. Your mind now has time to think about all the events that have taken place today, and thanks to your adrenaline wearing off, all of your emotions are coming crashing back to you. Fear, grief, anger, shock, and sadness all flood your senses as you attempt to lull yourself to sleep.

Every time you close your eyes, you see glimpses of the horrific scenes that played out in front of you during the day, but none of them are as prominent as watching your best friend get shot over and over again; you can still hear the gunshots ringing in your ears.

A small whimper escapes your lips as tears threaten to fall from your eyes once more.

Squeezing your eyes shut tightly, you curse yourself. Yes, it’s good to have emotions, but your father has always told you not to let them get the best of you. You can’t help but just feel so weak after the events of today. Never before have you been so scared for your life, and never before have you had to face this kind of terror head on. Never has it affected you this horribly before.

You nearly jump out of your skin when you feel a gentle hand place itself onto your back, successfully serving to pull you out of your thoughts. 

Turning to look over your shoulder, you stare at Taemin with slightly wide, tear-filled eyes, and he can feel his heart clench in sorrow for you.

“Are you okay?” His voice is gentle, concern clear on his features.

You sit up in bed, turning to face him fully as you choke back a sob, “no.”

Moving quickly, he sits on the edge of your bed, wrapping you in his arms. He gently rubs his one hand along your back as you come to rest your head in the side of his neck, letting all of your emotions out that you’ve so desperately kept in since retreating to your room for the evening.

He lets you cry into him for as long as you need, comforting you in any way he can. He wants you to know that he’s here for you, in more ways than just being your bodyguard. It pains him to see you this upset, but he’s glad that he’s the one able to be with you in your time of need.

Eventually, your sobbing begins to die down, with you only shaking slightly from your emotions now as you begin to calm yourself down. He refuses to let you go just yet, wanting to make sure you’re okay before having you pull away. He wants you to be the first to pull away, so as to not deny you of his comfort when you need it most. Besides, he’s enjoying the fact that he get’s to hold you in his arms, though he wishes it was under better circumstances.

“Thank you,” you whisper in his ear, nearly causing a shiver to run down his spine.

All too soon, you’re pulling away from him to look into his eyes while wiping away your remaining tears. You send him a weak smile, one that still manages to pull at his heartstrings as he sends you a small one back. This surprises you slightly as you don’t believe you’ve seen him smile at all until now.

“Don’t mention it,” he replies lowly, slowly going to stand up before your hand on his wrist stops him.

“Do you-“ you pause, biting your lip slightly as you avoid his gaze, “can you-“

He can see your eyes flicker briefly to him before flicking to beside you on the bed, the hesitant yet hopeful look shining in your eyes only serving to make his heart race faintly in his chest.

He nods his head slightly, “of course.”

The breath you let out in relief is followed by a small smile which overtakes your features. You both know that this isn’t in his job description, but you’d feel better having him stay with you for the night.

Making room for him, he crawls under your covers with you. You can tell he doesn’t want to overstep his boundaries, but you feel better when his arms are around you. Especially in this moment, you need the comfort only he can provide for you.

Letting out another small sigh, you turn to face him, noticing he’s already staring at you. The two of you continue to stare at each other for about a minute, a small silence settling around the both of you. You shuffle closer, averting your gaze in the next moment.

“Taemin?” Your voice is barely above a whisper, but he still manages to hear you.

“Yes?” He hums.

“Hold me,” it’s not a question, yet not a demand either, but it feels as if the world has stopped for a brief moment as he takes in your request.

He doesn’t say anything in response, and you’re worried you might have gone too far, but once you feel his arms loop around your figure and pull you close to him, you’re breathing another sigh of relief.

He’s sure you can hear the way his heart skips a beat as you bury yourself into his chest, wrapping your own arms around his waist as you seek comfort in his embrace. He knows he shouldn’t read too much into this, you’re only asking him to do this to comfort you in your time of need, but it’s the fact that you’re asking him to do this for you that sets his heart racing.

He hasn’t felt this way in a long time, and even though he wishes the events leading up to this moment were different, he’s just glad he gets to experience holding you in his arms for the night. Whatever you need, he’ll give to you.

As he watches you sleep in his arms, he makes a promise to himself that night. No matter what happens, he’ll always be there for you. To protect you, and if you’ll let him, to love, and cherish you for as long as you both shall live.

Waking up the next morning, you hear faint breathing coming from beside you. Furrowing your brow slightly in confusion, you go to sit up, only to find a pair of arms resting around your waist. Glancing over your shoulder, you see Taemin’s sleeping face; everything from the previous night coming back to you now.

Managing to wiggle out of his grasp, you sit on the edge of your bed, warmth rushing up your neck as you realize he slept with you the entire night. The more you think about it though, the calmer you feel, for he did comfort you the entire time he’s been with you. You don’t think you would have been able to sleep at all if he didn’t stay.

“Good morning,” you hear him say from behind you, voice still groggy from sleep. You can feel the bed shift as he sits up. “How are you feeling?”

“Better, thank you,” you reply briefly from over your shoulder. “I’m sorry I made you stay with me last night.”

“Don’t be,” he replies, shifting slightly so he can rest a hand on your back. “I’m glad I could help. Besides, you needed it.”

You say nothing in return, choosing to nod slightly instead. 

Standing up from your bed, you move over to your bathroom to get ready for the day. Once by the sink, you splash some cool water onto your face to wake yourself up. Looking into your reflection in the mirror reveals how red and swollen your eyes are from crying last night. You let out a sigh.

Today isn’t going to be any easier. You know you’re going to have to have a meeting with your parents to fully discuss what happened yesterday, as well as possibly make arrangements for Damien’s funeral with his family. To say you’re not looking forward to any of that would be an understatement.

Once you’re finished in the bathroom, moving back into the main section of your bedroom reveals that Taemin has already left. You figure he’s probably gone to get ready for the day himself, seeing as he’s back on formal duty now.

Moving over to your closet, you mindlessly shift through your clothes, not feeling up to changing at the moment. You just want to lay in bed and rest, but unfortunately, your life has to go on. Such is the pain of being apart of such an important family.

Deciding you should at least put on some proper pants, you change swiftly, trudging downstairs slowly afterwards, and bracing yourself for the day you have in front of you.

Meanwhile, Taemin changes quickly in his room. His skin is still warm from where you had been touching him before you had moved, and he misses the comforting feeling of you being in his arms. His only wish was that it could have lasted for even just a little while longer.

While washing his face, the door attached to Ten’s room opens, revealing him now casually leaning on the doorframe and staring at his brother expectantly.

“You weren’t in your room when I got back last night,” Ten states, a small inquisitive quirk to his eyebrow.

“I was with (Y/n) last night,” Taemin replies casually, noticing the way his brother’s eye twitches at the mention of your name.

“Sleeping with the clientele, are we?” Ten muses, shaking his head in mock disappointment. He always thought better of his brother to not intrude on personal space, especially not after a day like yesterday.

“Relax, it wasn’t like that,” Taemin rolls his eyes slightly, turning to face his brother while leaning casually on the bathroom counter. “She asked me to stay with her for comfort. She said I make her feel safe.”

Though he looks visibly unaffected, Ten’s jaw can’t help but twitch in clear annoyance. Again, he should have been the one to comfort you in your time of need, not Taemin. He only wishes he could have been given that opportunity to make sure you were alright last night. He wants an opportunity to get closer to you, and learn more about you, just like his brother did. Or so he believes.

“We should get going, they’re expecting us downstairs,” Taemin’s voice manages to pull Ten out of his thoughts.

Ten finds he can only nod his head once in response. Pushing himself off the frame of the door, he retreats back into his room before making his way downstairs. They both make sure to check your room first though, just to make sure you’ve already made your way to the main floor of the house.

Sitting at one end of the dining room table, you watch as your two guards enter the room, moving to stand on either side of you once in position. Now, you’re just waiting for your father to arrive. He had to leave early this morning for a press statement, or so your mother tells you.

You let out a small breath, fiddling with your phone in front of you as you receive a barrage of messages from both Ayla and Jongin, as well as your other friends around the globe who’ve heard of the news. Most of them have heard about what happened yesterday, and want to make sure you’re okay. They also know about what happened to Damien, so they send you their deepest condolences, of which you’re grateful for. You don’t know what you’d do without them still in your life.

Soon enough, your father is arriving home and you all begin your discussions around what the next week will look like. Your university will remained closed until further notice while the investigation is underway, as well as to honour Damien’s memory. They’re going to hold a public wake at the school in about a week’s time, after his main funeral takes place. His main funeral will be in three day’s time for only close friends and family. You make a note to let Ayla and Jongin know about that as soon as you can.

You are to be on lockdown in the house for the next little bit to make sure that no one else will come after you in public. The only exceptions to this rule are the day of Damien’s funeral, as well as the wake if you choose to go.

Your parents will be busy doing press interviews for the next little bit, as the special ops forces work to catch whoever is behind these assassination attempts. They also want you to pick back up on your old self defence training, and they’ve assigned your bodyguards to help train you.

Not only do your parents want you to brush up on your hand-to-hand combat skills, but they also want you to learn how to properly shoot a gun. They tell you that it’s for your own protection, and also in case of emergencies, which you simply nod your head along to whatever they say.

At this point, your mind is on information overload, and you just want to retreat back to your room, curl up in bed or on the couch, and watch a movie to take your mind off of things. At least you have the next little bit off of school, though you just wish it was for better reasons than this. You sigh.

An hour and a half later, you’re all finished talking, all updated on the most recent of events. Your parents each have something they need to do, and you’re glad that they’re allowing you time to yourself to do whatever you need to. Whether it be grieve, scream, or lay in a silent emotional void for a bit, you’re unsure. What you do know, is that as soon as they dismiss you, you’re standing up from your seat and practically rushing back to your room.

Reaching the safe confines of your room, you grab your comforter off of your bed, and move over to your one couch facing your television. Taemin and Ten follow your every movement, watching as you toss the blanket over the couch while moving over to grab your laptop in the next second. Setting up the screen, you plug in your laptop adapter to reflect your screen on the television, deciding that you’re going to watch your favourite movie to take your mind off of things.

Sitting down on a corner of your couch once you’ve set everything up, you wrap the comforter around yourself. Looking over your shoulder, you see both Ten and Taemin standing a little ways away from you, eyes shining with curiosity. You can also see the concern reflected in their eyes still, a fact that makes you sigh.

“The two of you might want to get comfortable and join me, I’m probably going to be here for a while,” you say, turning your attention back to your screen as the opening of your favourite movie begins to play.

They say nothing as they move over to join you. Ten takes the opposite end of the couch you’re on, while Taemin takes the chair directly beside you. Both of them spare a glance towards you before locking eyes with each other. They’re both surprised with how calm you seem at the moment. Honestly, they’d say you appear more tired than anything.

About halfway through the movie, Ten looks over to see that you’ve fallen asleep. Your head rests slightly on the back of the couch, but the angle you’re sitting in looks fairly uncomfortable.

His eyes briefly flick over to Taemin before letting out a small breath, noticing how his brother is focussed on the screen.

Shifting slightly, he moves closer to you, gently pulling you down on the couch so your don’t wake up with a sore neck. However, what he doesn’t expect is for you to sigh and lean into him.

His heart races in his chest as you manage to push him back on the couch slightly, hand resting on his chest as his one arm naturally wraps around your shoulders, allowing you to comfortably rest your head on him. He looks down at you with slightly stunned features, noticing how a little bit of your hair has fallen over your face. He goes to brush it away.

“What are you doing?” Taemin’s voice manages to halt any movements Ten is about to make.

Looking up, he meets the hard gaze of his brother, a smug expression on his face as he sees Taemin’s eyes failing to hide the slight jealousy in them.

“Getting comfortable,” Ten responds, gently brushing the hair out of your face all the while maintaining eye contact with Taemin.

You simply hum at Ten’s touch, shifting slightly to bury yourself deeper into his warm embrace subconsciously. You remain asleep as the two brothers stare each other down, Taemin’s jaw clenching as the corner of Ten’s lips turn up slightly. Now, it’s his turn to hold you.

Reluctantly, Taemin tears his gaze away from you being held in Ten’s arms. His jaw remains set in a firm line as his emotions begin to take over his thoughts. He knows he got to hold you last night, and that it didn’t mean anything, but he can’t help but think that it meant something. You went to him for comfort. You asked him to stay with you last night, and now, seeing you curled up in Ten’s arms sets his blood boiling. He doesn’t care that Ten’s his brother, he’s the one that’s going to protect you, the one that will keep you safe. He’s the better option for you, not Ten.

Meanwhile, Ten basks in the glory that is you curled up, sleeping in his arms. You look so peaceful like this, as if the events of the previous day haven’t had the chance to affect you yet. He takes this time to admire your features, memorizing every detail and falling deeper into the feelings only you seem to be able to stir within his chest. It only makes him prouder that you’ve leant into him considering he didn’t get to comfort you, or hold you at all, last night like he so badly wanted to do. Now, he gets you all to himself in a way, and he couldn’t be more content. Knowing his brother is fuming only makes this feeling that much more sweeter. After all, he’s the one who’ll make sure nothing bad ever happens to you again. He’s what you deserve.

You manage to sleep for the next hour or so, the movie long over by the time you wake up. Noticing the position you’re in, heat rises up your neck as you sit up from Ten’s hold, retracting back to the opposite side of the couch while muttering a small sorry, and avoiding his eyes. He simple smiles warmly at you in response, thinking about how cute you look avoiding his gaze. All the while, Taemin stares at him with narrowed eyes.

The three of you remain in your room for the rest of the day, them keeping you company as you watch movies to pass the time and take your mind off of things. The only time you leave your room is to grab food and drinks, opting to skip a major meal for dinner that night, thinking you won’t be able to stomach it due to the fact that you’ve barely had a large appetite since the incident.

“Your parents want you to start your self-defence training as soon as possible,” Taemin’s voice manages to pull you out of your thoughts after a while. “Do you think you’ll be willing to start tomorrow?”

It takes you a moment to think over his words, letting out a small sigh as you answer him, “the sooner, the better, right?”

“As long as you’re feeling up to it,” Ten adds, shooting you a soft look, eyes reflecting his concern for you. “It would probably be for the best.”

“Then tomorrow it is,” you nod, closing your eyes briefly as you take a deep breath.

“You should get some rest,” Taemin says, standing up from his chair and stretching slightly.

You simply nod in response, watching as Ten stands up as well.

“Are you going to be okay for the evening?” Ten asks, looking down at you, who has tucked the blanket all the way up to your chin.

“I think so,” you nod, shifting your gaze upwards to lock eyes with him, and noticing something flash behind his own, but it’s gone just as quickly as it came.

“If you need us, don’t be afraid to come get one of us,” Taemin tells you, already moving over to your door to retreat to his room for the evening.

“Thank you,” comes your simple response, sending one final nod your way as they both exit your room for the evening, leaving you alone with your thoughts.

A sigh escapes Ten’s lips as he shuts your door behind him, noticing Taemin already making his way down the hall and to his own room. He had hoped you’d ask for him to stay with you for the night, just like you had done the previous night with his brother. Holding you in his arms today has only made him realize that he wants to be able to do so more often, but without the added company next time.

As soon as he had asked that question, Taemin caught on to what his brother was doing. He couldn’t help but smirk slightly at your denial of his hidden advances, although, he would have preferred if you had asked for him to stay with you for another night. Seeing you wrapped up in his brother’s arms just made him want to show his brother that you don’t belong to him. After all, he shouldn’t touch what isn’t his.

The next day, the three of you make your way to the sub-basement, where a designated training area has been set up for times like these. As you step into the large room, filled with sparring mats, amongst other things, your eyes widen. It still amazes you how they can fit a small shooting range down here, kind of like your own personalized bat cave, only significantly smaller and less cool.

“What did you want to start with first?” Ten asks as you turn your attention towards him.

“Maybe shooting? Seeing as sparring might take more of my energy later,” you say, failing to notice the subtle smirk that pulls at Taemin’s lips at your words. “I’d rather be able to lift my arm without it shaking from exhaustion.”

“Fair enough,” Ten nods, eye twitching slightly as he sees his brother’s smug look. He has to keep telling himself it doesn’t mean anything that you chose Taemin over him to start. After all, this is just training. Even so, he can’t help but frown as he turns away, noticing how you walk closer to Taemin, and away from him.

Pulling out his gun, Taemin leads you over to a side table. Once there, he swiftly pulls apart the pistol, placing each component carefully on the table in front of you.

“First things first, if you want to shoot a gun, you should learn exactly how each piece fits together with the other,” he says, looking over at you and watching your eyes flick over the separate pieces of his most prized possession. “If you want to know how to shoot a gun, you need to learn to assemble it first.”

Grabbing each piece he needs, he slowly begins piecing each part back together, you watching him closely the whole time. You listen intently to everything he says, eyes hardly ever leaving his hands as they assemble the gun into one solid piece.

Ten watches all of this with a slight scowl on his face. He doesn’t appreciate how close his brother is standing to you. There’s no reason your arms should be almost touching as Taemin explains the mechanics of the gun to you. 

He knows exactly what his brother is doing to him, and he hates it, for he knows that Taemin is doing this on purpose, just to torment him. It’s been a long time since either one of them has wanted the same thing this badly, and neither are going to give up easily until they obtain their goal.

Another thing that bothers Ten is that he knows Taemin is using his favourite gun for this training exercise. Taemin rarely ever lets anyone touch, let alone assemble his favourite gun. Hell, Ten’s only used it twice before in his life, and he got scolded both times, even if they were both in critical life or death situations. This just makes Ten’s brow furrow further in discontent, knowing that his brother is this serious about you to let you train with his prized pistol.

This fact only makes him more antsy for his own turn to train with you. Then, he might be able to turn this on his brother, for he’ll be able to keep you close to him for nearly the entire time. After all, sparring is a contact sport.

Soon, Taemin is disassembling his gun once more in order for you to reassemble it this time. He places each component back on the table, turning his gaze to lock eyes with you.

“Got it?” He quirks a brow, and he sees you smile softly.

“I think so,” you nod once, and the corners of his mouth twitch up slightly.

Reaching out your hand, you grab the first piece, slowly assembling the gun just as Taemin had done previously. He watches you carefully the whole time, noticing how you bite your lip slightly in concentration as you put the pieces of the weapon together again. He can feel his heart racing slightly in his chest, not only from having you so near to him again, but also from seeing you holding his favourite gun. The way you hold it, so gently, carefully putting the pieces back together, makes his mind wander. 

Is this how delicately you would treat your lover? Holding them as if they’re the most precious thing in the world? Or maybe the way you would care for a child, gently caressing them as you cradled them to your chest. These thoughts, and more, race through his mind, serving to distract him.

“Done!” Your proud voice manages to pull him out of his thoughts.

Looking down at the gun now placed on the table, he admires how quickly you’ve picked this skill up. A small smile pulls at the corner of his lips as he glances to you fondly, pride swelling in his chest at how well you’ve handled his prized possession. He knew you wouldn’t disappoint him.

“Good,” he nods, taking the weapon once more into his hands and disassembling it agains. “Now do it once more.”

He sees determination shine in your eyes as you nod your head at him. Your movements are much quicker this time as you’re more sure in your actions. He watches you with a content look on his face, amusement and pride swirling behind his eyes.

“By the way, this is a really nice pistol,” you comment, putting the last of the pieces together. “Is it custom?”

Once whole, you run your thumb over the engravings of the vines on the side of the barrel, staring down at the weapon with wonder shining in your eyes. You notice the small L.T.M carved into the side of the gun, just above the handle, as you flip it around in your hand to pass it back to him.

“It is,” he confirms, smirking down at the object now placed back in his own hand. He surprised you noticed, but the fact that you have just makes you appear more endearing to him. A fact that makes him confident that he’s made the right decision in wanting to pursue these emotions you stir within him. “It’s my favourite gun in my entire collection. I always carry it with me.”

“I see,” you respond, taken slightly aback by his words. You’re surprised he’s letting you use his favourite gun for training. “Thank you for trusting me enough to use it.”

“Of course,” comes his blunt reply, turning away from you so you can’t see the smug smile that wants to break out on his face, but Ten does. “Come on, let’s check your aim.”

Moving over to the small shooting range that has been set up, Taemin grabs two pairs of protective earmuffs, and eyewear for you. Handing you one of them, he briefly explains how to go about aiming the gun, and the kickback. You nod along to everything he’s saying, listening intently and taking in every detail you can in order to help you with your shooting.

“Those are the basics, so let’s see what you can do,” he says, handing over his precious pistol to you once more, after checking to make sure that it’s loaded.

“Right,” you respond, taking the gun once more into your hands after putting the protective gear on your head.

Raising the gun with both hands, you take aim, feeling the solid weight of the item in your grasp. You let out a small breath as you fire your first shot, slightly caught off guard at the kickback of the weapon, despite Taemin’s previous warning. You notice him chuckle beside you as you readjust your stance, taking aim once more and firing off a few more shots.

In total, you’ve fired six shots out of twelve, and only four of them have made contact with the target. A small pout resides on your lips as you notice the shots that did hit the target are way off their mark. Adjusting your earmuffs, you pull one off on one side, resting it just beside your ear enough so that you can better hear the world around you, noticing Taemin doing the same.

“This is harder than I thought,” you grumble, only causing Taemin to chuckle once more.

“It takes a lot of skill to handle a gun, especially for the first time,” he says, grin never leaving his lips as he takes a step towards you. “Still, I’m impressed. Most people miss the target the first time.”

“Why do I feel like you’re only saying that to make me feel better,” you huff, looking at him from the corner of your eyes.

“He’s not,” Ten’s voice cuts in, making you blink in surprise. You had almost forgotten he’s still in the room with you guys, given how quiet he’s been. “You should be grateful, he rarely praises anybody.”

Noticing the look his brother is giving him, Taemin smirks. He can practically feel the jealous eyes of his brother on him the whole time, only serving to make Taemin more smug about this whole situation. In fact, he’s even going to take this a step further, and show Ten just how close he can get to you.

“Here, adjust your grip and hold it like this,” moving closer to you, Taemin takes your hands into his own, guiding your hands over the gun as he leaves his overtop of yours. Stepping behind you, he fixes your stance to better accommodate your aim. His arms encase you between them, guiding you, and showing you how to shoot properly.

The whole time, he whispers the instructions into your ear, sending a slight shiver down your spine. A fact which doesn’t go unnoticed by him, making him smirk. He can practically feel the burning gaze of his brother on his back as he holds you in his arms, taking aim and telling you to shoot once more.

Ten bites his lip as he watches Taemin do all of this with you right in front of his eyes. It wasn’t enough for his brother to just stand close to you, but now he has the audacity to flaunt being able to touch you like this right in front of him. He clenches his jaw as your next six shots are right on target, never missing once.

Thank goodness the two of you are almost done for the day, and his turn is next. He’ll make sure to show his brother exactly where he stands with you, and put him in his place. If Ten has to suffer through watching you being held and touched by Taemin, he’ll make sure to show him exactly how it felt. Except, he’ll make sure to make it much worse for him. No one, not even his brother, gets away with touching you like that. No one.

Shifting your gaze to look at Taemin, a large grin spreads across your features. He stares back, a satisfied grin on his own face as he reluctantly releases you from his hold and takes a step back.

“Well done,” he praises, only serving to make your smile widen.

“That was amazing, oh my god,” your words come out in a slight jumble as they spill out of your mouth, handing him his gun back as you remove the protective gear and place it to the side. “I can’t believe we just did that.”

“Neither can I,” Ten grumbles under his breath, yet Taemin still manages to hear.

Shooting his brother a victorious smirk, Taemin turns his full attention back to you. “Why don’t you take a small break before you begin sparring practice. You’ve earned it.”

The smile never leaves your face as you reply to him, “good idea.”

Walking over to where his brother is now standing with crossed arms, Taemin smirks, “what’s wrong, brother? Is something the matter?”

“You know exactly what’s bothering me, don’t act so coy,” Ten replies, meeting Taemin’s intense gaze with his own deadly stare.

“I didn’t realize how attached you would get,” Taemin replies, mirroring Ten’s stance and crossing his own arms over his chest.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, brother,” Ten hisses, eyes narrowing as he watches Taemin laugh lowly.

“Do you really think you can win against me?” Taemin quirks a brow, daring Ten to challenge him. “I always get what I want, and I don’t intend to lose.”

“Well, you better be prepared for what’s to come then, brother,” Ten states, confidence high as he raises his head slightly in order to intimidate Taemin, “because I intend to win.”

Meanwhile, you move over to the side, grabbing the water bottle that you’ve brought with you for this occasion. Taking a drink, you let out a small content sigh once you’ve had your fill. Wiping at your forehead with the back of your hand, you take in a deep breath. If only Damien could see you now.

He was always fascinated with this sort of thing. Well, at least in video games. You know he would have loved every second of this, and you just wish he could have been here to experience it with you.

Another sigh escapes passed your lips, this once more sorrowful than the last. Closing your eyes briefly, you hope that wherever he is, that he’s in a better place now. At least that’s what you’d like to think.

Opening your eyes back up, you place your water bottle back down. Stretching briefly, you raise your arms above your head, tilting it from side to side and hearing a few satisfying pops sound from your spine. Dropping your hands back to your side, you begin to make your way back over to your two guards, who have both seemingly moved over to where the sparring mats have been set up.

Catching Ten’s gaze, a small smile takes over his features as you move towards them, one which you return.

“Ready to begin?” He asks once you’ve gotten close enough to them.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” you joke, attempting to lighten the tense atmosphere you’ve just walked into.

“Good,” he nods, moving over to one side of the mat. “Then let’s begin.”

With a nod, you step onto the sparring mats, Ten standing directly across from you. After a few quick stretches to make sure you won’t pull anything, you’re ready to begin combat training.

“Alright,” Ten says, moving into a fighting stance, “show me what you’ve got.”

Jumping into action, you manage to catch him slightly off-guard, for he’s not expecting you to move right away. You manage to throw a punch at him, only for him to dodge your fist and have you pinned to the mat in the next second.

Your eyes are wide as you stare into his own, him wearing a slight smirk on his face. Your reflexes may be fast, but his are faster.

“That was good,” he comments. “You seem to have good speed, but you don’t know how to read your opponent properly yet.”

In the blink of an eye, you flip him over, pinning him to the mats beneath you.

Now it’s his turn to look at you with wide eyes. No one has ever been able to pin him before. He can hear Taemin laughing in disbelief off to the side, only causing him to grit his teeth in response.

“First rule they teach you in any sort of combat training,” you grin, leaning in closer to his face, “never underestimate your opponent.”

“You got me,” he chuckles, already missing the feel of you on top of him as you move to stand up.

You offer him your hand, to which he takes, as you help him get back onto his feet. Your grin only seems to widen as the two of you get back into your starting positions.

A few moments pass by, the both of you now taking your time to size each other up. This time, you don’t want to be the one to make the first move.

“Don’t hold back,” Ten tells you.

“I wasn’t planning to,” you reply smugly, causing his heart to skip a beat. Your determination is admirable, a fact that he likes about you.

In the blink of an eye, Ten jumps into action. You barely have time to register his attack, but your body seems to move on its own accord, narrowly dodging the hit he sends your way.

He continues throwing hit after hit your way, a few landing as you attempt to keep your defences up. His speed is incredible, though, and you struggle to keep up.

Gritting your teeth in frustration, you wait for an opportune opening to counter. However, it doesn’t look like you’re going to be getting one any time soon. He really knows how to cover his own ass.

The whole time, Taemin watches on in amusement. Never has anyone been able to keep up with Ten like this for their first time. To say he’s impressed would be an understatement. You just keep surprising the both of them today, and they couldn’t be happier.

Ducking underneath a kick Ten sends your way, you manage to lose your footing. A small ‘shit’ leaves your mouth as you land on your back, Ten taking the opportunity to pin you down in the next moment. This time, he makes sure to lock your body beneath his, so you can’t flip him again.

Holding your arms down beside your head, Ten leans down towards your face. Both of you are breathing heavily, attempting to catch your breaths as you stare at one another intently.

“You are very surprising,” he manages to say between breaths, making you smile.

“So I’ve been told,” you giggle, struggling slightly to get out of his grip.

Feeling your attempts to get free only causes him to smirk. He loves the feeling of you pinned beneath him, the sight being an incredible one to behold. Now, if only the two of you were alone, then maybe he would just be able to lean down and attach his lips to yours. Maybe he still might, just to prove to his brother that only he can have you.

“Ten?” Your voice pulls him out of his thoughts, his eyes focussing back in on your face which is reflecting slight discomfort at the position you’re being held in. “Do you mind getting off of me now?”

“Right, sorry,” moving swiftly, he hops back onto his feet, helping you to stand up in the next moment. He would have preferred staying in that position for longer, but he doesn’t want to push you, or make you uncomfortable around him. “Here, why don’t we test the strength in your kicks and punches now, seeing as you haven’t been able to land a single hit. There’s more to sparring than just evasion.”

“Sounds good to me,” with a quick nod from you, the two of you are moving over to the punching bag set up in the corner of the room.

“First things first, we need to wrap your hands,” grabbing a fresh roll of tape, Ten gently takes your hands into his own.

As Ten wraps your hands for you, he can’t help but note how perfectly they seem to fit into his own. He makes sure to hold you as gently as he can, showing you how careful and delicate he can be with you. After all, you deserve nothing but the best.

“There, that should be good enough,” Ten says after a few minutes.

Ever so slowly, he removes his hands from yours, his fingertips tingling from where he had just been touching you. He already misses the feeling of your skin beneath his fingertips, and he only hopes he can feel it again soon, but next time, he wants to feel more.

Shooting a glance over at Taemin, Ten notices how his jaw seems to be clenched, only causing him to smirk in response. Now his brother knows how it feels, and it’s only going to get worse from here.

Looking down at your now taped hands, you flex them a few times. They feel slightly foreign to you now, as you’ve never had them taped like this before, and each time you flex them, you can feel the tape around your skin, pulling slightly. You smirk.

Shifting your gaze up, you see Ten already standing behind the punching bag, staring at you with a soft expression on his face, but it’s gone almost as quickly as it came. You quirk a brow, moving over to stand in front of him.

“Judging from the way you clocked Minhyuk the other day, I’m assuming you already know how to hit properly,” he says, watching as you nod at him in response. “Good. Now, let’s see what you’re got.”

With another nod from you, you’re getting into a fighting stance, preparing for what you’re about to do. As soon as Ten gives you the okay to start, you begin to hit the punching bag with all you’ve got. Each hit of your fist against the material makes a small sound on impact, and you can see Ten adjust his stance to accommodate for your hits as he holds onto the punching bag.

As you continue to strike the bag, Ten gives you tips to adjust your stance to make your hits more powerful. You listen intently, immediately implicating his advice and seeing the power behind your punches, as well as your stability, increase.

The whole while, Taemin watches on with fondness shining in his eyes. He could care less about his brother being as close to you as he is, but seeing you working hard, and enjoying what you’re doing make his heart warm. You really are something else.

You start to add a few kicks into the mix, but you’re not quite used to them yet. You’ve never really needed to kick anything or anyone before, so the first time you nearly lose your balance. Luckily, you’re able to catch yourself before you fall.

Chuckling slightly, Ten move beside you, allowing for you to catch your breath for a minute as he give you tips on how to land a solid kick. You listen closely, nodding your head along to every word. Once he demonstrates though, your eyes are widening in awe.

“Wow,” you can’t help but mutter, causing a smug look to cross his features as he spares a glance towards a fuming Taemin.

“Now you try,” he says, seeing you nod, and getting into position.

Your foot makes a solid impact with the bag, causing it to sway slightly as Ten hadn’t been holding it in place that time. A large smile rests on your features as you take in your efforts.

“That was really good,” Ten praises, only serving to make your smile widen. “Ready to try sparring one more time?”

“Sure!” You confirm, heading back over to the sparring mats while Ten follows closely behind.

“Okay, whenever you’re ready,” he says, the both of you now back in position.

You waste no time in attacking him now, but he easily avoids you. This time, as he moves to counter you, you observe him carefully, getting a sense of his attack pattern. 

About half way through your sparring match, neither of you has managed to take the other down yet, and you notice something akin to surprise and fondness shining in Ten’s eyes. A fact which you’ll use to your advantage.

Letting him get in a hit on your side, you react accordingly. Hissing slightly, you stumble back, noticing out of the corner of your eyes how Taemin takes a worried step forward, anger shining in his eyes as he stares his brother down. You nearly furrow your brow in confusion, but you have a plan to stick to.

“Shit,” you hear Ten curse, not realizing how powerful he made that hit, and thinking it’s worse than it is.

You take this opportunity as he moves in with a lowered guard to swipe his feet from under him, landing him on his back. Moving quickly, you pin him down, smirking victoriously.

“You shouldn’t let your opponent distract you,” you tease, a smirk pulling at your features as he looks up at you in shock. “Second rule they teach you in combat training.”

You let out a small giggle, staring into Ten’s eyes as his expression morphs into one of awe. He still can’t believe you’ve been able to pin him. Not just once, but twice.

All too soon, you’re standing up off of him, and helping him to his feet. Again, he misses the feeling of you touching him, whether it be above or beneath him.

“Well, I think I’ve had enough training for one day,” you yawn, stretching your hands once more above your head. Your shirt manages to ride up slightly this time, exposing a sliver of skin on your stomach, and driving the two men wild. Taemin licks his lips while Ten swallows slightly.

“You’ve done well today,” Taemin comments, coming over to hand you your water bottle, of which you thank him.

“Yeah, you’re already further along than we both could have expected,” Ten adds, making you look down in slight embarrassment.

“Oh, you guys are just saying that,” you chuckle, feeling your face heat up in the next moment.

“No,” Ten shakes his head.

“We’re not,” Taemin finishes.

Their words only serve to make you more bashful, turning away slightly as you take a drink of water. You fail to see the both of them staring at you fondly before turning to narrow their eyes at each other.

Letting out a small sigh, you place your water bottle on one of the tables off to the side. Just as you’re about to unwrap your hands, a gentle touch stops you. Looking up reveals Ten smiling softly at you.

“Here,” he says, beginning to undo the tape, “let me.”

You don’t say anything in response, opting to nod your head slowly instead. Silently, you watch Ten work, eyes following his every movement as he slowly and carefully removes the tape from around your hands. 

His touch is so gentle, so soft, that it warms your heart. His touch makes you feel as if he’s treating you as if you’re a delicate glass object, but you know he doesn’t think that. A fact which only causes a small smile to grace your lips.

It’s as if the two of you are in your own world once he finishes taking the tape off of your hands. The two of you unaware of your surroundings for a moment as you stare into each other’s eyes. You can hear your heartbeat ringing in your ears as you see him glance at your lips.

A clearing of someone’s throat manages to break the two of you out of your silent bubble. Ten forces himself to tear his gaze away from you, looking over to see Taemin standing there with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

“Come on,” he says, turning away from you in the next moment. “Let’s go.”

Without another word, Taemin grabs his things and heads out of the room towards the stairs, the two of you following close behind. 

Ten can feel his heart racing in his chest, thinking back to only moments ago. It felt as if it was only you and him. He knows the two of you just shared an intimate moment together, and he could not be happier. It would have been better only if Taemin didn’t interrupt. He sighs, already planning his next move carefully. He knows he has to get you alone. Then, and only then, will he be able to make you his, once and for all.

The next few weeks seem to pass by in a blur for you. Between Damien’s funeral, his wake at your university, not having to go to class or worry about assignments, and also training practice, you’ve been fairly busy. Luckily, you’ve had a good support system consisting of your family, friends, and even your two bodyguards.

Over the past few weeks, the three of you have grown closer to one another. So much so, you gladly consider them your friends, rather than two men hired to protect you. You wouldn’t trade them for anything, and you’re glad you have them with you. However, you’ve noticed that their behaviour has been a little off the past few days.

As for Ten and Taemin, their mock rivalry has become even more intense between them since that first day of training. Their competition over who will have you, and win your heart, is at the forefront of their minds. Well, besides looking after you, of course, but that’s just second nature to them by now.

If one gets an opportunity to spend alone time with you one day, the other gets an equal opportunity the next. Neither of them have gained an upper hand yet, for you don’t seem to favour one over the other, a fact that bothers both of them. Each of them believe they’re better for you, they just need to get you to see that before it’s too late.

Currently, you’re sitting at the dinner table for the evening with your parents, discussing what the upcoming week is going to look like. You let out a sigh as you pick at your food, each of your guards respectfully stationed around the room.

“We’ll be hosting a charity event in a few days’ time at our home here,” your father explains, and you nod absentmindedly. “I expect you to be on your best behaviour, and for you to dress appropriately.”

“What’s that supposed to mean,” you quirk a brow, looking up from your plate to meet your father’s gaze.

“You have to wear a dress this time, (Y/n),” your mother chimes in, taking a sip of her drink.

“Excuse me?” You state in disbelief. “I can wear a dress if the occasion calls for it.”

“We know, sweetie. It’s just that it’s not your usual style,” your mother adds.

“Just because I don’t particularly like wearing fancy dresses doesn’t mean I can’t,” you sigh.

“Alright,” your mother chuckles. “Maybe you can go out tomorrow to look for a dress with Ayla or someone.”

“I actually think I already have a dress I can wear,” you reply, taking a sip of your own drink.

“I think I know the one you’re talking about,” your father nods. “That will be acceptable.”

“Thanks dad,” you shoot him a small smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

Standing up, you clear your dishes from the table, bringing them to the kitchen to place them in the sink soon after. You let out a sigh as you begin to make your way to your room for the evening shortly afterwards. You don’t even have to look to know that Taemin and Ten are following close behind.

Stopping just in front of your door, you turn to them.

“I think I’m just going to head to bed early tonight, so you guys are free to do whatever,” you shrug, entering your room in the next moment and closing the door before they can respond.

You’ve been noticing that they’ve both started to stand closer to you than usual lately, going the extra mile to make sure you’re safe. You almost feel suffocated, but you know they mean well. You just need an evening to yourself for once.

The two of them share a look before heading down the hall to their own rooms for the evening, silence hanging thickly in the air. Neither say anything as they enter their respective rooms, both thinking about what dress you could have possibly been talking about. Either way, they both cannot wait to see what you decide to wear when the time comes. Even they get to dress up for the occasion, and both of them cannot wait to show you just how good they can look, especially for you.

Eventually, the day of the event comes and you’re currently in your room getting ready for the evening. You can faintly hear people moving about throughout your house in preparation for the evening, and you begin to wonder why the event is being hosted at your own house. Considering your family is still under threat, having this event at your own house seems a bit counter productive. You just hope there’s a bigger plan in action tonight in case anything goes south.

Letting out a small sigh, you lay the dress you’re going to be wearing this evening on your bed. Luckily, you’re able to get ready by yourself, seeing as your two guards also have to prepare for the evening. 

Moving over to your bathroom, you turn on your shower, making sure the temperature of the water is just right before stepping in. Taking your time, you make sure to scrub your entire body clean. After all, there will be a lot of press coverage of the event tonight, and you want to make sure you’re looking, and feeling, your best.

Stepping out of the shower once you’re done, you dry yourself off slowly. Throwing on your robe, you work on doing your hair and make up before changing into your dress for the evening. The last thing you want is to ruin your dress.

About an hour and a half later, you’re finally done your hair and makeup. Checking your phone for the time, you inhale sharply. You didn’t realize how late it got, and guest should start arriving any minute now.

Sure enough, you can hear cars starting to pull up your driveway in the next minute. So much for being ready on time.

Sighing, you move out of your bathroom and back into the main area of your bedroom. You decide to take your time change into your dress for the evening, seeing as you’re already running a little behind on time. If you’re going to be late, might as well make a stunning entrance.

Twenty minutes later, you’ve finished pulling on your outfit for the evening, making sure everything is in place and that you haven’t ruined your hair or your makeup. Looking over yourself one final time in your mirror, you smile at yourself. You’re happy with how you look for the evening, your entire look suiting your figure perfectly.

Slipping on your heels, you smooth out your dress one final time before heading out of your room for the evening, moving to join the guests downstairs.

Making it to the top of the stairs, you find yourself halting. Your eyes scan the crowd of people, all dressed up for this occasion and conversing amongst themselves. You can faintly hear the soft music of the string quartet playing in the background, creating a nice ambiance for the event at hand. 

No one has noticed you yet, you just silently watching from your location. All except two men who stand just below you.

“Wow,” Ten breaths out as he watches your form descend on the staircase slowly. 

Taemin is able to maintain his composure slightly better than his brother, but that doesn’t stop his eyes from widening slightly as he takes in your full appearance. He can hear his heartbeat ringing in his ears as you make your way towards the two of them, an air of confidence surrounding you like never before.

To say you look stunning would be an understatement. The way your golden gown wraps around your figure makes it look like you’re wearing liquid gold, giving you an almost ethereal glow; makeup and hair done to perfection.

As you walk over to them, you take this time to fully take in their appearances for the evening. Taemin is wearing a dark pinstripe suit with a black and white striped dress shirt underneath, completed with a silk tie tied loosely around his neck with a black and white polkadot pattern scattered upon it. Ten is wearing a simple black suit and tie, but with a red dress shirt tucked underneath. To say they look good would be an understatement.

Reaching the two men, you send them a small smile, causing their hearts to race in their chests.

“Wow,” Ten repeats, eyes continuing to drink in your figure. He can never seem to get enough.

“You look-“ Taemin continues before being cut off by Ten.

“Breathtaking,” Ten finishes with an exhale.

Taemin briefly shoots him a hard look, mad at his brother for taking the words right out of his mouth. He wanted to compliment you before his brother got a chance to.

“Thanks,” you grin, somewhat shyly.

Noticing the way a few men begin to stare at you, Taemin scowls, “that’s not what I was going to say.”

“Than what were you going to say, exactly?” Ten quirks a brow, a silent challenge for his brother.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Taemin narrows his eyes slightly at Ten, on edge already from the continued looks you’re receiving from the males from around the room, as well as from his brother. “Maybe, overdressed.”

His comment catches you off-guard, and you find yourself taken aback slightly. You could have sworn that he looked like he liked what you were wearing.

“Wow, tell me how you really feel,” you grumble, expression falling slightly. This is why you don’t like getting dressed up. Every time you think you look nice, someone always seems to slap you with a backhanded compliment.

“Don’t listen to him, sweetheart,” Ten says, shooting a look towards Taemin before turning to look at you with a soft gaze. “I think you look stunning. Care to dance?”

At this, he offers you his hand, a small smile resting on his features as he watches you carefully. His eyes light up as he sees you smile slightly, gently placing your hand in his as he guides you to the open space of the dance floor.

Placing one hand gently on your waist as the other holds yours in his own, he pulls you closer to himself. As soon as the waltz starts, the two of you are moving across the room, captivating those surrounding you.

Meanwhile, Taemin stands off to the side with a scowl on his face. He knows he did this to himself, but he didn’t mean for his words to come out the way they did. He let his creeping jealousy control his mouth for a moment, and it cost him.

Now, instead of dancing with him, you’re being held in his brother’s arms as you move gracefully around the room. He finds himself biting the inside of his cheek as he stares on, wanting nothing more than to share this moment with you himself.

The whole time, Ten can feel his heart pounding in his chest. He can sense more and more people’s eyes on the two of you as you move around the room, and he couldn’t be happier. He can’t help but to think that now everyone can see that you belong with him. After all, thanks to the whispers from the crowd, he’s confirmed that the two of you are perfect for each other.

Once the music ends, the two of you stand momentarily in the centre of the room once more, just staring into each others eyes. Faint sounds of people conversing with each other as well as the quartet starting up another song can be heard in the background, but you don’t really pay much mind to them. All you can focus on right now is Ten, and the way he’s making you feel.

Staring into his eyes, you can see a certain type of fondness reflecting in them, causing your mouth to go dry. No one has ever looked at you like that, like you’re the greatest thing in the entire world; a gift to be treasured and valued.

“What an entrance!” Your father’s voice manages to pull you out of your little bubble, practically jumping out of Ten’s hold in the next second to stand tall and face your father. “I’ve been overhearing nothing but good things about you since you walked down those stairs.”

“Thanks, dad,” you mutter, a small heat creeping up your neck.

“You look beautiful, dear,” your mother smiles at you, causing you to mirror her smile.

“Thank you,” you subconsciously smooth your dress out once more. “As do you.”

“The charity auction should begin in a few minutes,” your father informs you, to which you nod your head, noticing how both Ten and Taemin have come to stand beside you now. “I expect you to continue to be on your best behaviour.”

“Yes, father,” you sigh, having to keep yourself from rolling your eyes at him.

Your mother simply sends you a wink as they walk away arm in arm. You let out another sigh, shaking your head slightly.

“Just for one fucking event, I don’t want to have to be ‘prim and proper’ like this,” you mutter under your breath, low enough so no one can hear you, yet your two guards manage to do so.

At your words, they share a brief glance between each other, their brows quirking slightly as they follow you to the side of the room.

The next ten minutes or so pass by fairly slowly for you, having to converse with some of the upper elites, and those your parents work with. Many of them either rub you the wrong way, or treat you as if you’re incapable of having a coherent thought, which just irks you to no end. Yet another reason why you dislike getting dressed up like this, many people just equate you to simply another pretty face, basing your worth in how you look, rather than your intelligence.

You hear the sounds of the quartet slowly coming to a close as the tapping of a microphone draws people’s attention to the front of the room. You’re grateful for the interruption, considering you don’t think you could have lasted much longer listening to this senator talk about how much times have changed.

“Good evening to all, and thank you all for coming,” your father begins to speak as people shift towards where he and your mother are standing. “I would like to take the time now to-“

You zone out slightly to what he’s saying, no longer that interested in what’s going on. You just want this event to be over so you can put your feet up and rest for the evening, and you haven’t even been socializing for more than a few hours. Shifting from foot to foot, you attempt to get comfortable on your feet, which are beginning to ache from standing for this amount of time in your heels.

Taemin stands to your right while Ten stands off to your left, both of them glancing to you out of the corner of their eyes every now and then. They can see your disinterest in this whole ordeal, even though you hide it well.

Taemin takes this time to look around the room too, scanning for any potential threats that may be lurking around if they’ve managed to slip through the tight security at your home. 

Ten, on the other hand, chooses to observe you more closely. He notices how you keep shifting from side to side like you’re uncomfortable, and he realizes that your shoes must be making standing like this quite difficult. He has to resist the urge to wrap his arm around you and tell you to lean on him for support, or better yet, take you into his arms so he can hold you, letting you relax while also showing you how he can care for you. However, he doesn’t want to cause a scene.

Letting out a long breath, you allow your eyes to wander around the area as the auction begins. Your eyes catch movement off to the side, thinking it unusual for someone to be ducking low through the crowd, almost as if they do not wish to be seen.

Your eyes widen slightly as you see the figure draw a small metallic object from their side. Without waiting, you nudge Ten beside you, motioning to the figure off to the side with your head, soon doing the same with Taemin who already seems to have his gaze locked on the mysterious figure.

Moving swiftly, they both stand to guard you, Taemin taking the front while Ten takes the rear. Just in time, too, for in the next moment, a scream is heard from the side of the room, the crowd parting to reveal a security guard on the floor with a knife sticking out of his neck. 

The stranger soon moves quickly towards the front of the room where your parents are. The figure draws a gun, but before he can raise it in the air, he’s gunned down by Siwon.

A moment of silence passes over the room, and you’re just about to breathe a sigh of relief when all hell breaks loose.

Many people standing in the crowd pull weapons from their clothing, turning either against your parents, or coming to surround you. Many of the others simply attempt to run out of the house in fear, scrambling as people push over each other to escape harms way.

“Why does this not surprise me,” Taemin huffs, hearing Ten grunt in response as they both pull out their respective weapons.

Three men and three women begin to close in on the three of you, setting your heart racing in your chest. You can see both Natasha and Siwon already in combat with a few others, doing what they can to protect your parents as separate guards lead them away to safety. You hope they get out okay.

Taemin is quick to make the first move, firing his gun and managing to kill the man in front of him. The others spring into action immediately following, and you stand tense in between it all.

You have no weapon on you, nor means of escape at the moment. You’re just lucky someone hasn’t shot you yet, but you suppose you have Ten and Taemin to thank for that. They’ve managed to get the group of six down to two, facing off the last one’s still standing.

Bodies surround you, and you can feel yourself becoming lightheaded. You need to get out of here, just as your parents have managed to do.

“Step aside, you’re not the one who has to die,” the female in front of Taemin says, holding her gun pointing at his head as he does the same to her.

“But you do,” he replies, a slight crazed look in his eyes as he fires a quick shot into her skull.

No one threatens you and gets to live. No one.

He turns to check on you in the next second, making sure you’re not hurt, and still breathing. His hands come to rest on your shoulders as he looks you over briefly, noticing how Ten is still locked in combat with his final opponent.

Your eyes catch movement on the balcony above you, noticing a sniper taking aim at where you’re standing. Your eyes widen significantly.

“Taemin, look out!” You manage to push the two of you down just in time to avoid the first shot.

“Fuck,” he manages to get out through grit teeth, rolling the two of you over so his body now covers yours since you landed on top of him when you pushed the two of you down.

He manages to jump up in time to take aim and kill the sniper, but not before being grazed by the second bullet.

At this point, Ten has finished off the final attacker and moved over to the two of you. Taemin grasps his side as Ten helps you off of the floor.

“Shit, are you okay?” You worriedly look over Taemin, noticing the blood starting to seep from between his fingers from where he holds his hand over his wound.

“It’s only a scratch,” he assures you, managing to hide his wince in pain. “Trust me, I’ve had worse.”

“We need to get her out of here,” Ten says, the two of them locking eyes and nodding their heads briefly at one another. If there’s one thing they can agree upon, it’s your safety.

Without another word, they begin to guide you over to the exit in which your parents have taken which is hidden behind the staircase. However, before you can enter, a bullet whizzes past your head, making impact with the wall.

Glancing over your shoulder reveals four new figures approaching the three of you, guns raised and ready to shoot.

“Get her out of here, I’ll catch up with you guys,” Taemin says, pushing you behind his back to cover you.

“Right,” Ten nods, grabbing your arm and practically dragging you to the hidden exit.

“But you’re injured!” You see Taemin briefly glance at you from over his shoulder. His heart warms knowing you care about him.

“I’ll be fine,” he assures you, a subtle grin pulling at the corner of his lips as he hears the worry in your voice. “Now go! I’ll be right behind you.”

Without waiting for you to respond, Ten drags you down the hallway of the exit, grabbing your hand in his as he runs down the hall. Your shoes manage to get kicked off, for which you’re grateful for as you continue to run down the passage which leads to the secret garage.

Bursting through the door, Ten immediately leads you over to one of the cars. Opening the back door for you, he motions for you to get in quickly. You shoot him a worried look, glancing back to the now closed door which you’ve just come through.

“He’ll be fine,” he reassures you. “Now, let’s go, we need to get you out of here.”

You simply nod your head in response, shuffling into the back seat. Once you’re seated inside the car, Ten quickly closes the back door in order to jump into the drivers seat in the next moment.

Flipping down the visor, the keys fall into his lap. Moving quickly, he puts the keys into the ignition, starts the engine, and practically tears out of the garage. You grip the seat anxiously, feeling as if your heart is about to burst through your chest at any moment given how hard it’s beating.

After a few minutes of driving in silence, you manage to calm yourself down enough to speak.

“Where are you taking me?” You ask, and you can see his eyes glance at your figure from the rearview mirror.

“To a safe house,” he replies, eyes flicking back to the empty road in front of him.

“What about my parents? And Taemin?” You shift slightly, brow creasing in worry.

“They’ll be fine. Your parents have their own agreed upon safe house, and you have your own. Taemin will contact me when he can, and so will either Siwon or Natasha,” he explains, and you find yourself only relaxing slightly. You can tell that you’re still very on edge, Ten’s words not comforting you as much as you want them to.

“What is this safe house, and how come I’ve never been told of it before?” You look up to meet his gaze in the rearview mirror for a moment before he’s shifting his gaze back on the road once more.

“It’s mine and Taemin’s old house which we agreed upon to use with your parents when we were first hired, if a situation like this ever arose,” Ten goes on to say, and you nod your head slightly, moving to rest your forehead against the cool glass of the window.

“I just hope they’re all okay,” you mumble, fiddling with your hands in your lap.

His heart pangs in his chest, hearing how small your voice sounds at the moment. “They will be. I’m sure of it.”

Nothing else is spoken between the two of you for the rest of the car ride, and before you know it, Ten cuts the engine. It feels like you’ve been driving for hours, but you’re pretty sure that’s only because of how wound up you currently are, and Ten making sure the two of you aren’t being followed.

Stepping out of the car, you wince slightly. Looking down reveals a gravel driveway, the small rocks digging into the skin of your bare feet.

Ten follows your gaze, noticing how you’ve lost your shoes. The corner of his lips twitch as he moves beside you, helping to support you weight as the two of you walk to the door.

Unlocking the front door, Ten is the first to enter, flicking on the lights as you shuffle in behind him. Once you’re inside, he closes the door behind you, locking it as soon as it shuts.

Taking this time now, you look around the entranceway of the house. A small smile pulls at your features as you take in small photos lining the walls, and little trinkets on the hallway table. It’s simple, but nice.

The house is located surrounded by a few hills, a forest to the front while a cliff dropping off to the ocean resides at the back. It’s a simple one story house, but it’s bigger than it looks. One thing that’s most surprising though, is how clean everything looks.

“Nice place you have here,” you comment, moving slowly through the hallway as you take in everything around you.

“Thanks,” Ten hums, slipping off his shoes and following you down the hall.

“I’m honestly shocked at how clean it is,” you say, and you can hear him chuckle.

“We have an old friend of ours look after out place while we’re gone,” he tells you, leaning on the side of the wall as he watches you now stare out the back windows. “He’s the only one we trust to do so.”

“That’s nice,” you shoot him a small, forced smile over your shoulder, and he can feel his lips tug downwards. 

He can tell you’re still very worried about everything that has happened tonight, and whether or not your parents are okay. In the back of his mind, he hopes that worry doesn’t extend too much to his brother.

“Here, I’ll see if I can find something for you to change into,” he says, pushing himself off of the wall and heading towards his bedroom.

From the soft footfalls of your feet behind him, he can tell you’re following him. Your arms are crossed in front of your chest as you nervously chew on your bottom lip, worry clouding your mind.

Entering his room, you immediately sit on his bed, eyes following his movements without fully registering his presence. It’s only when you feel the bed dip beside you, as well as a gentle hand being placed upon your shoulder, do you jolt, startled out of your thoughts by the sudden touch.

“Are you going to be okay?” He asks, concern evident on his features.

“I will be once I have some answers,” you sigh, rubbing the side of your head.

“I’ve laid out some clothes for you,” he says, motioning beside him on the bed with his head where an old pair of sweatpants and t-shirt lay. “Let me know if there’s anything else you need.”

He shoots you one final look before standing up, and going to leave you alone in his room. You notice him grabbing a separate change of clothes before he slips out the door, closing it softly behind him. Once he’s gone, you let out a breath you hadn’t realized you’ve been holding.

Looking down at your hands in your lap, you curl and uncurl your fingers a few times to calm yourself. Standing up, you think over the events of the night once more, anxiety eating away at your nerves.

For starters, you do not have your phone on you, so you have no way of checking social media or news outlets, nor do you have a way of contacting anybody. You’re now in an unfamiliar area, despite it being a safe house for you in times like these. Taemin has been shot, and you don’t know if he’s actually gotten out alive. Not to mention the fact that you don’t even know if your parents have gotten out alive.

At this point, all you can do is wait for an answer, and hope for the best.

Releasing another breath, you move over to the dresser, deciding it would be a good idea to let your hair down for starters. Taking a look at your reflection, you notice your makeup slightly smudged from the events of the night.

Moving over to the bed, you grab the change of clothes left for you, soon moving over to the adjacent bathroom attached to Ten’s room. He won’t mind you having a quick shower, hopefully. Besides, you want to wash your makeup off. You’re just hoping you don’t turn into a raccoon from your mascara.

Fifteen minutes later, you’re stepping out of the shower. The warm water helped to relax your muscles slightly, and wash away some of the worry on your mind. Changing quickly, you decide you’re too warm for pants at the moment. Luckily, the shirt he’s given you is quite large, managing to cover all the important bits.

Folding your dress nicely, you place it on the dresser once you’re finished. The last thing you want is for it to wrinkle considering how nice the material is. 

You spare a glance at yourself in the mirror one final time, grateful that you’ve managed to avoid looking like a racoon after washing off your makeup. Taking a deep breath, you exit the room.

Making your way back to the living room, you hear the faint sounds of the television drifting down the hall. From the sounds of it, you can tell Ten is watching the news as the anchor reports on the turn of events this evening at your parent’s charity auction.

Hearing movement, Ten glances over to the entrance of the living room, his breath catching in his throat as he takes in your appearance. Shamelessly, he allows his gaze to trail your body, taking in the sight of your bare legs as you stand in nothing but his shirt. His whole body feels like an electrical current is running through him at the moment, feeling himself become warm.

Noticing his gaze, you shuffle on your feet briefly before moving to sit beside him on the couch. “I hope you don’t mind that I took a shower.”

“No,” he takes a deep breath in, and fuck, you smell like him now. He clears his throat, “not at all.”

“Any updates?” You ask, curling your legs beside you on the couch as you focus your attention on the screen in front of you. Ten has yet to stop staring at you.

“Yeah, Siwon called about ten minutes ago. Your parents are both fine,” he sees you visually relax, shoulders dropping in relief as you let out a sigh of relief. “Looks like the special ops forces were able to make it in time to catch the leader behind the attacks as well.”

“Who was it?” You eyebrow quirks, now turning your full attention to him.

“Just some underground, rich, drug lord,” Ten shrugs casually. “I think his name was Donnie Yu.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” you smile weakly. You have a feeling your troubles have only just begun.

“Yeah, you might not need me anymore after tonight,” Ten jokes, attempting to lighten the mood, but you can sense the hint of seriousness in his voice. He almost sounds disappointed.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” you shoot him a smirk, nudging him playfully on his thigh with one of your feet, allowing your leg to rest over his soon after. From the way he drapes his arm over your skin, you know he doesn’t mind. “Speaking of, how’s Taemin? Any news on him?”

You feel him tense slightly beneath you, looking at you from the corner of his eyes as his expression drops slightly.

“He’s fine,” comes his short reply, only continuing after the look you send his way. “He called shortly after Siwon did. Said he’s at the hospital getting his wound sorted out, though he said he wanted to get here as soon as he can.”

“He should rest,” you answer, running a hand through your damp locks slightly.

“That’s what I told him, too,” Ten huffs, nearly rolling his eyes as he recalls his brother’s words. “He told me he was worried about you.”

“That’s… sweet of him,” the corner of your lips twitch upwards.

“He said the hospital wants to keep him overnight for observation, so he should be here sometime within the morning,” he replies, doing his best to ignore the fact that even when he’s not here, Taemin still has some sort of effect on you.

You simply nod your head in response, moving to rest your chin in the palm of your hand in the next moment while leaning your elbow on the arm of the couch. The two of you sit in silence for a few minutes, and you notice how Ten begins to rub his thumb gently against the skin of your leg, sending a small shiver up your spine. He smiles slightly.

As the news continues to cover the events of the night, Ten notices you shifting slightly in discomfort beside him. Grabbing the remote, he opts to change the channel. Anything to get your mind off of things.

“Thanks,” he hears you mumble after a moment, causing him to hum. “I don’t know if I could handle reliving that again.”

“I understand,” he squeezes your leg softly. “Those kinds of moments can be difficult to process, and considering what you’ve already been through, you’re taking things surprisingly very well.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” You lock gazes with him, eyebrow quirked in question.

“What I mean is, you’re stronger than you think you are, and I admire you for that,” he admits, another small smile gracing his features. “You’re not all you appear to be.”

“Oh,” you breathe, looking down at the floor in slight embarrassment. You’re not expecting this to come from him, but it warms your heart nonetheless. “Thanks.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” his face becomes serious in the next moment, taking you slightly aback. “You don’t know how scared I was tonight.”

“Scared?” Your brow furrows.

“I thought I was going to lose you,” looking into his eyes, your own widen slightly seeing the serious look in them.

“You can’t get rid of me that easily,” you tease, attempting to lighten the atmosphere.

“Who says I want to?” He smirks, but the sincerity in his voice makes your heart skip a beat.

Nothing is spoken between the two of you for a moment. Instead, the two of you opt to stare into each other’s eyes. You can sense the mood between the two of you has shifted, the noise from the television becoming drowned out in the background.

At this point, the two of you have sat up slightly, subconsciously shifting closer to each other. Ten has yet to move his touch from your leg, his hand itching to feel more of your skin beneath him. You look so beautiful like this, and now there’s no one here to interrupt you.

Your lips part slightly, and you notice his gaze flicker down to them. His tongue darts out to wet his lips, heart racing in his chest as his thoughts run wild. He knows he shouldn’t be doing this, especially not after the evening you’ve had, but he wants you. He needs you.

Just as he begins to lean in, you manage to blink a few times, clearing your head and pulling away slightly. You want this too, but you don’t know if you’re making the right choice. 

You’ve been getting the impression that Ten cares for you, in more than a client sort of way, but you don’t want to get your hopes up. If this truly is the end, and you don’t need him anymore for your protection, does he view taking you to bed as a reward for his service? You don’t know, and you don’t really want to suffer through that heartache. You’ve already lost enough as it is.

You clear your throat, successfully pulling him out of his trance and causing him to look at you with mild concern on his features. Is he reading the situation wrong?

“I think I’m going to go to bed now,” your voice comes out as a whisper, but he still manages to hear.

“You can take my room, I’ll sleep on the couch,” he almost sighs, heart clenching in his chest as he leans back slightly. He’s so close to having you all to himself. So close.

You don’t respond, simply opting to nod your head instead. You need to get out of there before you do something you’ll regret.

Sliding your one leg off of his lap, you stand from the couch. Moving slowly, you exit the living room, eyes holding a specific type of sorrow for not being able to take what you want. You don’t want your status to be used as another notch on somebody’s belt.

The whole time, Ten follows your movements with his gaze until he can no longer see you. His breathing begins to deepen as he catches a glance at the sorrow in your eyes as you turned to leave the room. He knows what you’re thinking, and like hell is he going to let you slip through his fingertips like this. Not when he has you all to himself, and most certainly not when you want him just as badly and he wants you.

Pushing himself off of the couch, his thoughts begin to swirl with desire and desperation for you, and only you. He cares too much for you to not show you exactly how he feels, and how well you deserve to be treated. Determination flashes in his eyes, along with something else, but it disappears as quickly as it comes.

You make it about halfway down the hall when you feel yourself get grabbed by your shoulder, and pushed into the wall. Your eyes widen as you see the dark look in Ten’s eyes; the lust that swirls deep in his irises.

“Ten, what are you-“

You don’t even get the chance to finish your sentence before he’s smashing his lips to yours, hands coming up to cup the sides of your face as he presses himself into you. Your breath gets caught in your throat momentarily, hands frozen at your sides as he pulls away briefly to stare into your eyes once more.

“Like I said,” he says, his voice a few tones deeper than before, “I’m not letting you go so easily.”

With that, he reattaches his lips to yours briefly before trailing his lips along the side of your jaw, nipping at your skin. A gasp escapes your lips as you feel him bite down lightly on your neck, your eyes falling shut in bliss.

“Just tell me to stop and I will,” he mumbles against your skin. “Tell me you don’t want this, and I’ll leave you be.”

“Ten,” the way you nearly whimper his name sends a shiver up his spine, feeling you wrap your arms around him to tangle your fingers in his hair. “I do want this, fuck, I really do, but-“

“But nothing, darling,” he cuts you off, leaning his forehead against your own. “Those others before me, they never deserved you. I want you. Not the president’s daughter. Not anyone else. Just you.”

His words cause you to inhale a sharply. Your heart flutters in your chest at how sincere he sounds, him being able to sooth your worries with every word that is spoken. 

“Even if it’s just for one night, please,” he nearly begs, “let me have you. Let me worship you the way you deserve.”

His hands now drop to your sides as he falls to his knees before you, looking up at you with such admiration and want. Your head begins to spin as you barely manage to nod your consent, one hand coming to tangle itself in his hair as he smirks up at you.

“You don’t know how happy you’ve just made me, baby girl,” he hums, pressing his face into your stomach as his hands begin to run up the sides of your thighs. “I’m going to make you feel so good.”

“Then what are you waiting for,” you smirk down at him, your persona immediately flipping, only serving to turn him on further as his eyes darken even more.

“Nothing,” he hums, pushing your thighs apart slightly as you lean back into the wall.

Bringing his hands up, he allows them to slip underneath the material of your shirt, feeling your skin beneath them and biting his lip as he feels you shiver beneath his touch. He takes this opportunity to trail his lips over every inch of your skin bared to him, leaving small nips here and there on the insides of your thighs.

He takes his time, hooking his fingers in the waistband of your panties as he drags them down your legs, tossing them to the side once he’s gotten them off of you. He locks eyes with you, placing your one leg over his shoulder as he breathes in your scent deeply. He can’t help but let his eyes fall shut in bliss as he turns his head to bite a mark into your thigh. You smell amazing, and all his.

Feeling you fingers tighten their hold in his hair, he smirks. Deciding to give you what you want, he turns back to face your aching entrance, seeing your lips twitch in anticipation. Flicking his tongue out, he gently grazes your clit, making sure to keep eye contact with you, and not wanting to miss a single reaction you give him.

The gasp you offer him is like music to his ears, and he can hardly wait to elicit more sounds from those gorgeous lips of yours tonight. He’ll take everything you have to offer him, and more.

Diving back in, he licks a strip from your entrance all the way to your clit, sucking it gently into his mouth as he watches you throw your head back in bliss. His hands tighten their hold on your thighs as he circles his tongue over your clit, bringing it back down to collect the sweet nectar that drips from your core.

He can’t help but hum at the taste of you on his lips, allowing his eyes to fall shut once more. This all he’s ever dreamed of, and more. He could never get tired of this, of you.

“Fuck, darling, you taste so good,” he hums against your core, causing a moan to escape your lips, grinding down slightly on his face.

Bringing his tongue back to your entrance, he begins to thrust it into you, feeling your walls clench around him. He feels you starting to move rhythmically against his tongue as he circles your clit once more, loving how you begin to fuck yourself on his face.

By now, your juices are running down his chin, his hands pulling you as close to him as possible. Unfiltered moans of his name slip past your lips, and he swears something within him has finally snapped. Seeing you like this, and hearing you call out for no one but him drives him insane.

Picking up the pace, he can tell you’re getting closer to the edge. He continues to eat you out like you’re his last meal, wanting to see you fall apart for him, and only him.

With a loud cry of his name, your back is arching off the wall, legs trembling as you come. He swears there’s no sight more beautiful, nor sound as sweet, and he wants to experience this again, and again, and again.

He’s so glad that he gets to experience you like this, that he nearly growls at the thought of his brother having gotten to you before he could, and in that moment, he makes a vow to himself. You’re his, not his brother’s. His brother will never have the joy of knowing what you look like when you come for him, of having you sigh his name in pleasure. No, Ten won’t allow it. After tonight, he’ll never let another have you like this, ever again.

Pulling away from you, he licks his lips. Your chest rises and falls with every breath you take, and he smirks to himself seeing how your legs still shake slightly as he sets you back on your own two feet. 

Slowly standing back up, he’s painfully aware of how hard he’s become, feeling himself strain against the material of his pants. He takes a moment to take in the sight of you, still in his shirt, a panting mess from the orgasm he’s just given you. He swears you’ve never looked more perfect than in this moment.

He feels your hands sneak beneath the material of his shirt, taking the hint and removing it in the next second. This time, a shiver runs down his spine at the feeling of your hands trailing over his skin. He attaches his lips to yours once more, thumbs gently brushing over your erect nipples through his shirt.

A small moan escapes past your lips as you feel him grind himself into you, feeling how hard he’s become. Your arms sneak around his back, pulling him even closer as he deepens the kiss, a low groan sounding in his chest.

Breaking away from his lips, you allow your own to travel down his neck, sucking marks of your own into his skin, and eliciting small whines from his lips. He tilts his head back in bliss as he feels you bite down on a particularly sensitive spot on his neck, pride filling his chest as you mark him as yours.

Feeling his hands trail underneath your shirt, you move to take it off, but he stops you.

“No, leave it on,” he growls, nails biting into the skin of your hips. Seeing you in his own shirt ignites a possessive spark in him, loving the fact that you’re covered in nothing but him tonight.

He bites his lip as he sees you nod out of the corner of his eyes, feeling your hands beginning to fiddle with the waistline of his pants. Your fingers hook at the top, sliding the material down his legs until he can kick it off and to the side. A low groan escapes his lips as he feels you wrap your hand around his cock, pumping him a few times before lining his tip up with your entrance.

Through his haze of lust, he manages to remember something, grabbing your wrist to halt your movements.

“Wha-“ he cuts you off with a brief kiss to your lips, moving to pull away from you in the next second, but you stop him, seemingly reading his thoughts. “It’s fine, I’m on the pill.”

“Shit,” he barely gets out through gritted teeth as you reposition him at your entrance.

Ever so slowly, he begins to enter you. He can hear his heartbeat racing in his ears and his eyes nearly roll into the back of his head at the feeling of you fully wrapped around him. Nothing could have ever prepared him for the feeling of your warm walls pulsing around him, fitting him so perfectly. Almost as if you’re made for him.

Resting his arms beside you on the wall, he buried his face into the side of your neck. He needs to take a moment to catch his breath, and once he’s calmed down enough, he feels your own arms wrap around his back, nails biting into the skin of his shoulders.

Testing the waters, he give a shallow roll of his hips into yours, loving the way your head tilts back, allowing him better access to your neck. You seem to read his mind, for in the next moment, your one leg comes to wrap around his waist as his hand grips the skin of your thigh tightly. He pulls you closer as he pushes you harder into the wall, wanting to feel all of you pressed up against him.

He sets a slow pace to start, making sure to hit deep with every thrust. Your sounds serve to edge him on, small growls of your own name slipping past his lips as he succumbs to the feeling of all of you pressed against him.

“Fuck,” he moans, hearing your breath hitch as he hits a certain spot within you. “You take my cock so well, baby girl.”

A low groan of his name is all he receives in response from you, smirk pulling at his lips as he begins to pick up the pace, feeling you tighten your hold around him. He loves the effect he’s having on you, and knowing that he’s the only one able to do this sets his head spinning.

“Right there, fuck,” you whimper right in his ear, and he can feel his cock twitch in excitement.

He can feel you getting closer to the edge for the second time that night as he starts to pound into you. The way your walls are squeezing him so tightly has another moan of your name slipping past his lips. He never wants this moment to end.

Your whimpers of his name are starting to become more frequent, feeling the coil in your stomach tightening once more as you near your peak. You nearly scream once you feel his free hand reach in between your bodies to flick at your clit.

He locks gazes with you, and the almost primal look in his eyes is the final push that sends you tumbling over the edge and into your second orgasm of the night. Your scream gets lodged in your throat as you lean forward, biting into the skin of his shoulder as pleasure shoots through every nerve of your body.

“That’s it, baby, let go,” he praises, feeling himself following you over the edge as he comes within you, burying himself as deep as he possibly can, “just like that, fuck.”

Nothing is heard besides the sounds of your panting, breaths mingling together as you both come down from your highs. You release the hold your teeth have on his shoulder, legs shaking as he sets you back onto your own two feet. 

Resting his forehead against yours once more, he looks deep into your eyes, “you’re amazing.”

His words have a small heat rising to your cheeks as you shoot a small grin his way. You allow yourself to relax as he pulls out of you, feeling his seed spill out of you and begin to drip down your thighs.

“So much for my shower,” you giggle, and he smiles at you, feeling his stomach flip at the sound of your laughter.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up,” he says, taking your hand and leading you to his room.

After a warm bath together, the two of you head to bed, with you falling asleep wrapped in Ten’s arms. He smiles down at you, gently brushing your hair back from your face before leaning down and placing a soft kiss onto your forehead.

His heart swell in his chest, one constant thought repeating itself over and over in his head until he’s able to drift off to sleep. Mine.

Ten wakes up the next morning earlier than you, but he doesn’t mind. Sunlight streams through the window, casting a warm glow over your skin and making him smile. You look so peaceful like this, and he couldn’t be happier. He can still hardly believe the events of last night.

Reluctantly, he gets out of bed, deciding to make you both something for breakfast. He runs a hand through his hair, searching around his room quietly for a pair of sweatpants to slip on. Once he find them, he slips out of his room, gently closing the door halfway so as not to disturb you.

Walking down the hall, he notices both of your discarded clothes from last night. Smirking to himself, he decides to clean those up later. After all, it’s just proof that what you did last night actually happened, and wasn’t some made up fantasy his mind conjured up.

Making it to the kitchen, he begins to hum a small tune to himself as he prepares the food. Nothing could make him happier than he is in this moment in time, knowing that you’re his now, and he’s yours.

Meanwhile, the sound of an engine cutting out comes from outside. In the next moment, Taemin steps out of the car, letting out a sigh as he sees his familiar home. All he wants to do is get inside, check on you to make sure you’re okay, and then maybe sleep for a few hours. He’s been on edge ever since last night, and he needs to see your comforting face in order to know everything will be alright.

Stepping through the door, Taemin tosses his jacket to the side, sliding off his shoes in the next moment. Making his way towards the kitchen, he can smell the faint aroma of food cooking. In the back of his mind, he hopes it’s you that’s cooking for him, something he would have no problem getting used to.

Instead, he’s greeted by the sight of his shirtless brother, standing in front of the stove as he cooks something, you nowhere in sight. Narrowing his eyes slightly, Taemin focusses on the red scratch marks lining his brother’s back, and his jaw clenches. Looking to his side, and down the hall, confirms his suspicions, seeing his brother’s clothes scattered on the floor, as well as a pair of panties laying close by. Through the crack in Ten’s door, Taemin spots you curled up in his bed, blissfully unaware to the storm brewing just outside.

Taemin’s anger flares. “What did you do?”

Ten turns around, and it’s at this point that Taemin spots the bright red bite mark displayed proudly on his brother’s shoulder, setting his own blood boiling. That should be him covered in your marks, not Ten.

“Oh, hello there, brother,” Ten smirks, turning off the stove and turning around to see Taemin standing tense in the entranceway to the kitchen.

“How dare you,” Taemin seethes, eyes narrowing as he takes a threatening step towards Ten.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ten feigns innocence, knowing that this will only serve to make his brother even more furious than he already is.

“How dare you touch her,” Taemin’s voice is low, dripping with venom as he feels white hot fury coursing through his veins.

“Well, you weren’t here,” Ten smirks, staring his brother down with a malicious look in his eyes, “and considering how things went, she couldn’t get enough.”

Taemin can feel something within himself snap. He’s supposed to have you, not Ten. You’re his, and if he can’t have you, no one can.

Pulling out his gun, Taemin aims right at Ten’s head, “give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you right now for touching what’s mine.”

“Now, now, brother,” Ten’s grin only widens as he shifts slightly, hand resting on the counter behind him as he feels the handle of the knife against his fingertips. “There’s no need for violence. Haven’t we seen enough?”

“After all this death, what’s one more life?” Taemin tilts his head slightly, almost mockingly.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Ten replies, voice full of malice as he grips the handle of the knife firmly in his hands.

In the next moment, the two of them spring into action, Ten whipping the knife at Taemin, causing him to move out of the way just in time as the knife gets imbedded in the wall. Ten uses this opportunity as Taemin’s gun is lowered to rush over, kicking the gun out of his brother’s hand.

Taemin manages to land a hit against Ten’s side, only to receive a kick to the leg in return. The two men are now caught in a battle back and forth for a good minute before Ten sees an opening, going to attack Taemin’s injury.

Striking quickly, Ten hits Taemin’s bullet wound, causing him to cry out in pain. Using the opening that this has created for him, Ten grabs Taemin, flipping him over and slamming him into the kitchen table.

The loud sound of something breaking jolts you out of your sleep. Rubbing your eyes slightly, you hear the faint sounds of grunts coming from the direction of the kitchen. Furrowing your brow slightly in confusion, you toss the covers off of your body, and begin making your way cautiously out of the bedroom and to the kitchen.

The sight that greets you has your eyes widening in shock. A knife is embedded in the wall near you, while the kitchen table is smashed to pieces. However, that’s not what’s most surprising.

Taemin has Ten pinned against the opposite wall, gun poised right at his head as both their chests heave. You faintly notice a dark red stain slowly spreading on the side of Taemin’s shirt that he must have gotten from the hospital last night, meaning his wound has been reopened.

“You’ve forsaken me for the last time, brother,” Taemin spits, and you take this time to shake your head, pulling yourself out of your temporary frozen state.

“What, the ever-loving fuck, is going on?” You nearly screech, eyes wide as you stare at the two men before you.

“Don’t worry, love, I’ll make sure he’ll never be able to touch you again,” Taemin says from over his shoulder, and due to the angle you’re standing at, you fail to miss the crazed look in his eyes.

“Excuse me?” Your voice holds nothing but pure disbelief.

“How can you be so sure she even wants you?” Ten says, calm despite the situation he’s in at the moment.

“How can you?” Taemin counters, jaw setting in a firm line.

“I think the events of last night are pretty self explanatory, don’t you?” Ten quirks a brow, almost mockingly. “Can I just say, she tastes divine.”

Taemin cocks his gun, moving to press the barrel right against Ten’s forehead, eyes vicious. “Give me one good reason why I should let you live.”

Even though you know Ten’s words are only to provoke Taemin, you can’t keep your eyes from widening. This is all too sudden for you, especially after the events of last night. You thought you were finally safe. You thought you were free.

“What the fuck is going on here?” You repeat your question, locking eyes with Ten as he simply smirks.

“You see, darling,” the gun is pressed harder into his head, “we seem to have both taken a particular interest in you, and now we both want you to ourselves. In our line of work, sharing isn’t really apart of our vocabulary when we want something, and what we want, is you.”

“Do you really think you’re the better option for her?” Taemin growls out. “I can give her everything she’s ever wanted, and so much more. Protect her. Cherish her. Love her.”

“Is that so?” Ten shifts his gaze over to his brother, a mischievous smirk dancing on his lips. “Then why don’t we let her choose.”

“What?” Once again, you’re taken aback by his words.

Taking a step back, Taemin relaxes his shoulders slightly, while Ten lets out a small breath in relief. Both of them are confident you’ll pick them in the end, knowing that whoever you choose, the other will kill in an instant. They’ll make sure they’re the only ones that can have you.

“Go ahead,” Ten locks eyes with you once more, “choose.”

“What are you talking about, you can’t make me choose-“

“You can, and you will,” Ten’s hard voice cuts you off, continuing to stare you down as a chill runs down your spine.

“So who’s it going to be, Princess? Him,” Taemin nods his head briefly in his brother’s direction, narrowing his eyes as they lock with yours, “or me?”