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luna-writes-stuff · 1 year

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Day 15: Cornelia Street, Sam Winchester

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Fanfic, fem!reader

Follows pilot episode, fluff, slight angst

Word count: 4177

Tw: mentions of alcohol/being drunk, slight pilot divergence. Azazel is a little bitch. Mention/description of violence and blood, but nothing too severe. Stanford!Sam my darling <3

Summary: In which you buy your first house with Sam. However, domestic bliss seems to fade quickly when his brother shows up in your home one night, ranting about their father missing.

s1 sam has my heart pls bring him back

“We were in the backseat Drunk on something stronger than the drinks in the bar.”

The best feeling after a long night of partying and drinking, was the drunken serenity that was the backseat of a cab. All noise of the night simply faded away. It was peaceful; quiet. Something so beautiful about it.

Beside you, Sam was giggling to himself, clinging to your hand constantly. He hadn’t heard you utter an address to the cab driver, nor had he picked up on your tiny grin. He was lost in his own world. You smiled at him, holding his hand up and placing a kiss on it to draw his attention. A happy grin was thrown your way as Sam shuffled on the backseat, seating himself closer to you as he rested his head on your shoulder.

“‘M proud of you, baby.” You whispered, referring to his earlier test results, and his talk with a law firm.

Sam mumbled something under his breath. Something that you could decipher as “You’re beautiful.” Yes, he was completely gone. You knew that fourth drink hadn’t been a smart decision for him.

Houses flew past you as the car moved through streets and roads, the lights of street lanterns illuminating your face occasionally. Sam’s eyes stared out the window, silent realization dawning upon him.

“This isn’t the way home.”

“"I rent a place on Cornelia Street" I say casually in the car.”

You smiled at him, stroking his hair gently. You grabbed a key from your jacket's pocket, placing it on his lap slowly. In his drunken state, he was still able to pick up on the gesture. Toying with the key, his fingers fell over the keychain.

“I bought a place for us,” You spoke up. “We have been talking about it for ages, and we won’t get anywhere with our tacky apartment.”

It was true; You and Sam had been living together for a couple of months now, but everything in your apartment seemed to degrade with time. First, it was the lights, then it was the heating, and now you kept receiving brown water. You both knew buying a new place would be cheaper than fixing your current one.

A look of disbelief crossed over Sam’s features as he stared at you. His eyebrows furrowed together, his eyes squinted, his hair unkempt, a sliver of a smile on his lips. Despite the awful smell of alcohol on his breath, he looked adorable.

“What?” He mustered out.

“It was supposed to be a gift for tonight, but I kind of forgot after all the drinking.” You explained, grinning sheepishly. “Suprise…”

“We were a fresh page on the desk Filling in the blanks as we go As if the street lights pointed in an arrowhead Leading us home.”

After that, the house became a home soon enough. Before the first month was even over, the entirety of the living room and kitchen had been decorated. Even your bedroom has been done. Little boxes were still stacked in the hall, but none that were terribly in the way.

Sam had been clingier than you were used to. Ever since the move, he had been following you around like a lost puppy, helping you with the littlest things, such as giving the toothbrushes a place. The first week the only breakfast you had was in bed, and nearly every night, a warm bathtub was ready for you.

Sam had insisted on paying back half of the home, but you refused, claiming it had been a gift for him. Perhaps that had been why he was following you around constantly. It was his way of returning the favor.

The place was in a calm neighborhood, granting Sam the peace he needed to study. Sunny days were spent in the garden. During the rainy hours, you were snuggled up on the couch together. His nose in a book as your head lay in his lap, aimlessly zapping through tv stations.

It was something so domestic, you hadn’t expected to share it with Sam that soon. But you were glad you did.

“And I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends I'd never walk Cornelia Street again That's the kind of heartbreak time could never mend I'd never walk Cornelia Street again.”

But the honeymoon avenue faded quickly. Too quick for your liking.

You had lain in bed peacefully, your back against Sam’s chest as he clung to your waist. His hands occasionally tugged on your stomach as he dreamt, his head in the crook of your neck. His breath tickling your neck could lull you to sleep at any time. But something was wrong this time. You knew it.

A loud thump was heard from downstairs. Your initial thought was that one of the boxes had fallen over. They tended to do that often. But when a silent sling of curses followed it, you were positive someone was downstairs.

Immediately turning in Sam’s arm, you whispered his name urgently. But he remained asleep.

“Sam,” You repeated, now poking his cheek. That seemed to wake him up.

“Mmh?” Came his groggy response. You had almost felt guilty for waking him. But when another thud echoed through the house, anxiety settled back in. Sam heard it too.

From his nightstand, he grabbed a gun. How that had gotten there, you would have to ask him later. Now, you were simply grateful he had it. Standing up swiftly, Sam neared the door, his footsteps near silent. You immediately followed him.

“And baby, I get mystified by how this city screams your name And baby, I'm so terrified of if you ever walk away I'd never walk Cornelia Street again.”

“Fucking boxes everywhere,” Another curse came as the door opened. Sam held his hand out to you, pushing you back slightly, keeping you out of sight from the hall. Your phone clung in your hand, ready to call 911 would the situation arise.

Sam got the gun off of safety, aiming it slowly as he stepped forward. Anxiously, you patted behind him, keeping your footsteps as silent as possible. As your boyfriend turned the corner, something jumped him. The gun fell out of his hold, a panicked shriek escaping your mouth almost instantly.

Idiotically enough, your first thought was not to call. It was to grab the vase next to you and knock it against the attacker. As the pair struggled on the floor, you raised the object, before colliding it with the back of the attacker’s head. It didn’t break as you had hoped, but it seemed to do the trick.

“Get back!” Sam warned, urging you to run into the bathroom. You obeyed him immediately, locking the door behind you. From the window above the door, you could see the light turn on. Silence filled the air, and for a second you were worried something happened to Sam. That is when his voice sounded.

“Dean?”

“I'd never walk Cornelia Street again.”

Now, that was a name you knew. You never met Dean, but you knew it was Sam’s brother. He talked about him often enough.

Slowly unlocking the door, you peeked out, your phone now opened at the emergency number. One click on the button and you could call. But when Sam did not seem to reach for the gun on the floor, you figured you were safe.

“Hey, Sammy.” Came Dean’s voice, his body now rising from the floor, his hand shooting to the back of his head. His eyes met yours, and in response, you walked closer to Sam, the hold on your phone now tight enough to smother it.

“What are you doing here? Why didn’t you knock?”

“I wanted to see if you still had it,” The older Winchester objected, hissing as he withdrew his hands. “Do you have a towel for me?”

You merely pointed towards the bathroom, letting him find it on its own. He seemed to understand you, and wandered to the room you had hidden in only seconds prior.

“How did you even find me? I moved here three weeks ago.”

“I searched Sam Winchester in the phone book after I noticed you weren’t in your old apartment.” He meekly pointed out, grabbing a white towel to hold to his head. If you had known him better, you would have scolded him for not using the black one. But you were still in too much of a shock.

“Windows swung right open, autumn air Jacket 'round my shoulders is yours.”

“That’s your girlfriend?” He mused, pointing to you. Sam squeezed his eyes together at his brother’s statement, and placed himself in front of you slightly.

“What are you doing here?”

Dean’s eyes shifted from yours to Sam’s, sighing deeply. “I think it’d be better to discuss it amongst four eyes.”

You couldn’t have agreed more. You had already taken a step from Sam when he grabbed your arm gently, halting you.

“No,” He rejected. “Whatever you can say to me, you can say to her.”

Dean remained silent for a moment, visibly contemplating his words. But as his eyes fell back on yours, he exhaled, throwing his head back.

“Dad’s on a hunt. And he hasn’t been home in a couple of days.”

No visible sign of distress seemed to wash over Sam’s face, and you were nearly confused. Dean continued to talk as you slowly kneeled to the floor, grabbing the gun that had still been laying there, safety off. Carefully, you clicked it back on, placing it on top of the tiny desk beside you.

The longer they talked, the more desperate Dean became. And the more you knew, you were going to lose Sam.

“We bless the rains on Cornelia Street Memorize the creaks in the floor.”

That same night he had his bag packed. His brother was waiting in the car outside. It had all happened so fast. You weren’t even sure how to respond anymore. Sure, you were concerned for his father, but from what you heard from Sam, he hadn’t been the best guy.

“I will call you when I get into a motel, okay?” Sam spoke softly, wrapping his arms around you as he pulled you into his frame. His head bowed down as he placed a kiss on top of your head.

Your hands found the back of his shirt, tugging on it gently. “Come back Monday?” You whispered into his chest.

“Promise,” He agreed, parting from you slightly, placing his lips against yours in a loving manner.

You kissed him back with equal fervor. Your arms wrapped around his neck as you pulled him closer, your hands finding the ends of his hair, tugging on them lightly. His hands settled on your hips, pulling you flush against him again, his kisses becoming more urgent.

Before you got carried away, you broke from him, showing him a fake, but believable smile.

“I’ll miss you,” You mumbled, grabbing his hands.

“I’ll be back before you know it.”

A final kiss was placed on your lips, before he walked out of the door, offering you a final wave. You had stood in that doorway minutes after the car left, secretly hoping Sam would make up his mind.

But he didn’t. He would stay away for the next couple of days.

“Back when we were card sharks, playing games I thought you were leading me on I packed my bags, left Cornelia Street Before you even knew I was gone.”

After the call from the motel, you barely heard anything from him. No text, no note, no letter. It was as if he had completely forgotten you. You had never doubted your relationship with Sam, but he seemed to go with his brother too easily. You hadn’t even met the guy once, and you knew Sam for at least two years now. Perhaps all he needed was that little nudge to his family.

And that wasn’t bad. Not at all. If anything, you had encouraged him to get in contact with his father again. But you figured you could have at least left with them. Or perhaps get more than a wave and a goodbye. But as the minutes turned into hours, insecurities began to bubble up, and the urge to call him every second became unbearable.

You had spent your nights downstairs on the couch, hoping to hear him the second he got back home. He promised to be back by Monday. It was Sunday night, and he had yet to call. He should have been back by now, right?

“But then you called, showed your hand I turned around before I hit the tunnel Sat on the roof, you and I.”

You had skipped school that Monday, staying home in case Sam would show up. Now, worry began to settle in your stomach. Perhaps something had happened? A car crash? Maybe they found his father and the worst-case scenario happened. And you were worrying about him not loving you? Guilt seeped through your veins at that thought.

It was 9 PM. You had yet to eat dinner. You had ordered fries, but they were turning cold on the coffee table in front of you. The news on the tv filled the room, but you weren’t paying attention. Your eyes were on your phone the entire time. Hoping for some kind of light. Anything, at this point.

Outside, you could hear the rumbling of a car slowing down, before coming to a halt in front of your door.

You shot up immediately, wrapping your cardigan around you tighter, before running up to the door. Through the tiny window, you were able to make out his frame. A sudden jump in your heart occurred, and you found yourself inhaling sharply upon the feeling. You had missed him more than you care to admit.

“I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends I'd never walk Cornelia Street again That's the kind of heartbreak time could never mend I'd never walk Cornelia Street again.”

Before he could even find the key in his pocket, the door opened before him. Your hair disheveled, your posture tired. But you smiled immediately upon seeing him.

“Baby,” He sighed relieved, the events of the past couple of days finally fleeting his memory. His bag dropped to the floor as he walked up to you, wrapping two arms around you tightly, squeezing you lovingly.

Your hands fell upon his chest, clinging to the material of his shirt, as you so often did with his hugs. The scent of his cologne had faded significantly, but it was still there. Hidden, but not faded. Upon the realization, you took a step back, taking in his full figure. A cut was sitting on his left eyebrow, and a bruise began to form below it.

“What happened?” You whispered, already reaching up to touch it gently. “Are you okay?”

“I am now,” Sam reassured, reaching down to grab his bag again. “It’s cold.”

Nodding in agreement, you stepped back, giving Sam room to walk. He looked behind him shortly, sending a wave towards his brother, who took off driving.

“And baby, I get mystified by how this city screams your name And baby, I'm so terrified of if you ever walk away I'd never walk Cornelia Street again.”

The pillows and blankets covering the couch were the first things Sam noticed as he walked into the living room. As he walked closer to it, he found your phone sitting on its charger on top of the biggest pillow. It did not take long for him to connect the dots.

“Did you sleep here?”

You stared at the makeshift bed, shaking your head lightly. “Not yet.”

“Not yet?” His figure walked up behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist as his head rested on your shoulders. Almost melting in his hold, your hand found his, resting them on your stomach as your head leaned against his.

“It was getting late, but you’d promised to be home today.” You eventually confessed.

“I'd never walk Cornelia Street again.”

His head rose from your shoulder at those words, his eyes glued to the couch. “You were going to sleep on there?”

He turned you around in his arms, staring down at you with sympathy and remorse. “Baby, you knew I’d always come home, right?”

Forming your lips in a thin line, you nodded at him. Of course, you knew he’d come home. You weren’t stupid. Yes, you had held your insecurities and hesitations, but regardless of Sam’s heart and decisions, you knew he’d show up at your doorstep again. But having him leave for three full days after seeing him every day was something you had wished you were more prepared for.

But you were not going to tell him all of that. Instead, you spoke: “I knew you’d let me sleep if I was upstairs.”

A tiny smile appeared on your boyfriend’s face, his eyes crinkling slightly.

“You know me too well.” He mumbled, pressing his lips against yours as his hands slowly raised to the small of your back. You reciprocated the quick kiss, your hands grasping his biceps to remain your balance.

“‘M glad you’re home,” You muttered against his lips, a smile finally growing on your face.

“I love you.”

“You hold my hand on the street Walk me back to that apartment Years ago, we were just inside.”

That was the last peaceful moment you’d remember for a long time. That same night, you had moved your stuff back to the bedroom. Sam had been unpacking his own stuff there, occasionally helping you with the sheets and pillows.

You were standing in the bathroom, brushing your teeth, when you noticed something strange behind you through the mirror. Spitting out the toothpaste, you adjusted your toothbrush in your hand. Everything hurts if you poke someone in the eye. And ever since Dean had shown up, you became paranoid at night, frightened someone might be watching you, standing elsewhere in your house.

As you turned around, you came face to face with an older man, his eyes glowing yellow. Letting out a panicked yelp, you dropped the toothbrush. The thought of stabbing someone was entertaining; not so much the practice of it.

“Sam!” You shouted, already running into the bedroom. Your boyfriend shot up from his place on the floor, grabbing your shoulders to steady you, his eyes staring intently into yours.

“What’s wro-”

“There’s a man in our bathroom!”

Alarms seemed to immediately ring in his head. Before you could even ask him where he had grabbed it from so quickly, Sam drew his gun, pulling the safety off, and standing in front of you.

“Hiya, Sammy.”

“Barefoot in the kitchen Sacred new beginnings That became my religion, listen.”

The man from the bathroom grinned, an eerie ambiance filling the room all of a sudden. “My, have you grown.”

“Get out of my house.” The Winchester warned, his gun still drawn. The man’s smile fell, his face morphing into a sneer, his eyes now set on you. As he had done with Dean, the boy reached behind him, forcing you behind him completely.

“What a beautiful distraction you have there,” The man went on, though no longer friendly. Without a second of hesitation, Sam shot the man in the leg. But he didn’t budge. He didn’t even seem to be bothered by it. He simply chuckled.

“We cannot allow for distractions to happen.”

Suddenly, your feet were lifted off the floor. One last hopeless look was thrown Sam’s way as your body flew through the hall, colliding with the wall harshly before falling down the stairs. A sharp pain climbed up your spine upon the impact.

“I hope I never lose you I'd never walk Cornelia Street again Oh, never again.”

Jolting awake, you reached for the knife under your pillow, holding it up towards the place the man had stood. But he was gone. And the lights weren’t on either. You weren’t in the hall.

Your heart beat rapidly, your breathing labored as something - or someone - stirred beside you. Slowly, you had begun to realize it had been a dream. A nasty memory. The man you now knew to be the demon Azazel. The house you had left the day after that, leaving with Dean and Sam. It was the only safe solution.

Now, you found yourself in your bedroom in the bunker. It was dark, but a slight luminescence fell from under the door; you were able to make out certain shapes.

“Baby?” A tired mumble came from beside you, an arm lazily landing on top of your lap, as if to test if you were still there.

“Sorry,” You muttered, lowering the knife, but still staring around the room in distrust. “Bad dream.”

Subconsciously, your free hand reached toward your lower back, your fingers brushing the faded scar; still visible, but no longer red, as it used to be for months. A sharp pain shot up through your spine, your shoulder blades reaching back to get rid of it.

A second one brushed over yours, reaching the scar. It was bigger, more calloused, but soothing. “Your back?”

You hummed in response, letting Sam grab the knife from your hand and place it on his nightstand. Carefully, he wrapped a second arm around your waist, leaving his hand to reach the back of your head. Then, he lowered you back into bed, rubbing your back soothingly.

“It’s not as bad now,” You tried to justify, but your efforts seemed in vain.

“And baby, I get mystified by how this city screams your name And baby, I'm so terrified of if you ever walk away I'd never walk Cornelia Street again.”

It was a miracle you were still able to walk after the incident, let alone still feel your legs. Psychogenic pains still happened from time to time, but they could only be described as a sore back these days. None as extreme as the pain used to be.

You were grateful for it, but after nights like these, you wished all the pains would just leave permanently.

Sam’s hand resumed to massage your lower back, pushing your shirt up slightly. His other hand rested against your stomach, pulling you closer to him. Sighing in exhaustion, you leaned into his touch, letting your head fall back against his chest.

Looking up slightly, you smiled at him. And even through dimmed lights, Sam could see. That same goofy grin appeared on his face as he leaned down, placing a sweet kiss on your lips.

“I'd never walk Cornelia Street again.”

“Go back to sleep, sweetheart.” He mused, resting his chin on top of your head.

The movements on your back did not cease, and in all honesty; you did not wish for them to stop. They were too soothing for that. Yet, you could not find peace easily. As you closed your eyes, those same haunting yellow eyes flew in front of you.

It was not that you were terrified of Azazel. Perhaps you once had been. The first year you left with the Winchesters. But the more demons you encountered throughout your life, the less frightened you grew of them. And the more you realized that that was all Azazel has ever been: A demon.

But the last memories you held in that house you grew to adore in such a short time were all bad. From Sam leaving to Azazel showing up. You wished you had parted on better terms. Secretly, you wished you had never left that house. But you wouldn’t tell Sam that. He seemed happy with his brother. And you grew to love his brother as well.

“I don't wanna lose you, hope it never ends I'd never walk Cornelia Street again I don't wanna lose you.”

Swallowing harshly, you grabbed Sam’s hand, squeezing it once. At least you still had him.

“I love you,” You whispered through the calm air. A soft chuckle was heard from behind you, the rumbling of Sam’s chest carrying itself through your body.

“I love you too.”

Silence. Again. You were tired, but could not bring yourself to sleep. It happened often after those dreams. You knew it would take some time, but you’d eventually be able to close your eyes. But for now, the question lay heavier on your tongue than ever.

“Will we ever have our own place again?” You asked hesitantly.

Sam’s hands halted momentarily, visibly pondering over his answers. If you had asked him if he wanted to, he would have said yes in a heartbeat. But with your lives now, everyone and everything hunting you: It seemed too difficult. You knew this, yet always held hope.

“We will,” He ultimately concluded. “One day, there will be a period of peace again, and we will find that house.”

His lips pressed against the top of your head, kissing it lovingly.

“Promise.”

“"I rent a place on Cornelia Street" I say casually in the car.”

#november writings 2022 #sam winchester #supernatural #spn #jared padalecki #sam winchester x reader #supernatural x reader

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marshmallow-phd · 5 years

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Innocent Intentions

Part of The Untamed - EXO Wolf Universe

Genre: Supernatural, Wolf Au

Pairing: Tao x Reader

Summary: There was one thing you couldn’t stand in all your years at college: playboys. And the campus was riddled with them. So when Tao - a player with a particularly well-known reputation - inserts himself into your life, you come up with a plan to get rid of him, whether he makes your heart race or not. But the more he’s the around, the more you just might find there’s a hidden layer underneath all the rumors, including a secret you never could have guessed….

Part: 1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5 I 6 I 7 I 8 I 9 I 10 I 11 I 12 I 13 I 14 I Final

“You want me to do what now?”

All week, you’d been looking forward to tonight. Not that you hadn't also had casual lunch dates and a spare five minutes here and there to spend with Tao over the past few days when you weren’t in class or working. But you’d worked yourself up into this mindset that Tao was over the top with all his more official dates and you couldn’t wait to see what he had up his sleeve for you next. Would it be just as romantic and intimate? Or would it be something thrilling and adventurous? Or maybe something more simple, yet just as memorable. Whatever it was, you were getting to spend uninterrupted time with Tao and that was going to be the best element of your evening.

However, your assumption that the date would be happening after school seemed perfectly reasonable. Not during the time you were supposed to be in class. But there was Tao, standing in front of you in the courtyard, trying to convince you to skip your last few classes of the day.

He gave you a look that read as playfully contentious. “It’s not a big deal, (y/n). It’s just starting the weekend a little early.”

“But it’s class,” you argued. “You know, the thing you pay to attend.”

“You’ve really never skipped?” he laughed.

You clamped your jaw shut before mumbling, “No.” It didn’t seem very logical to you to not go to class unless you were sick. Even that had been a struggle to stay home.

“Then your first time will be with me.” A large grin spread across his lips, giving you an uneasy feeling in your stomach. What did he have planned for you?

Grabbing your hand, Tao pulled you away from the buildings you were supposed to be entering for class and headed straight for the parking lot. You weren’t really fighting his grip, a sense of thrill drowning out the anxiety.

As he zoomed out of the parking lot and into the street, you didn’t bother to ask where you were headed. He wouldn’t tell you anyway. you still clung your backpack that was resting in your lap as if you were being tracked by the dean, like Ferris Bueller. Granted, you were an adult and could choose not to attend class if you wanted to. It wasn’t like they took attendance or anything.

The upside, at least, was that you didn’t have any tests or major assignments due today. To be honest, though, you had a feeling Tao would still be able to talk you into not going if you did. With him, the tiny, shriveled up rebellious part of you started peeking out from the covers it usually hid under.

When Tao parked the car in one of the designated spots off the main street, you were more confused than ever. This was the shopping district, mixed with unique shops and high end stores. You went through different scenarios as to why you were here, but came up empty on a good explanation.

“What are we doing?” you asked as you got out of the car.

“I need a new jacket,” was his answer.

What?

Tao took your bag and threw it in his trunk for safekeeping before leading you into one of the expensive stores you usually avoided. The associates on duty greeted the two of you, giving the typical “let me know if you need anything” spiel before wandering off. You stood there awkwardly while Tao searched through the coats, occasionally pulling one out, inspecting it, and shaking his head as he put it back.

After ten minutes or so, he turned to you. “Aren’t you going to look?”

You raised an eyebrow at him. “Why would I?”

“I want you to like it, too,” he replied.

Seriously? “Why does it matter if I like your jacket or not?” From what you could tell of his past outfits, the two of you had different tastes in the way of clothing items. “It’s your clothes. My opinion isn’t that important.”

He went back to looking through the jackets. “Because I’ll get you one, too. Whatever I get, you’ll get one, too.”

You snorted. “Like… matching jackets?”

Glancing at you, Tao actually looked a little offended. He huffed, stepping away from the rack, and put his hands on his hips as as he stared at you. “Is there something wrong with that? Showing you off? Shouldn’t everyone know that you’re my girlfriend?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Girlfriend?” You were completely stunned. This felt… fast. Very fast. “When did we have that conversation?”

“I didn’t realize that was a conversation we had to have,” he replied a little arrogantly. “Do you not want to be in a relationship with me?”

“W-well, it-it’s not that,” you stammered. This was such an inappropriate place to have a conversation like this. “I thought… you know… that we’d go on a few more dates before labelling us like that. Shouldn’t you make sure that you actually want to be stuck with me?”

Tao apparently didn’t like your argument. Closing the gap between you, he took your hand, maintaining eye contact with you. It was amazing how quickly his sharp eyes could turn soft. “I already know that I want to be with you. But if you need more time, I understand. I’ll… try to be patient.”

Damn it. Why did he have to be so smooth? You were such a sucker for this boy. All it took were a few slick words, a soft touch of his hand, and suddenly you were puddy. Besides, you knew where you wanted to go with this. Was a label that big of a deal?

You sighed, staring at the racks of overpriced polyester before looking back up at him. “Does it have to be something as obvious as jackets?”

The smile that flashed on his face outshined the sun.

“Come on.” He nearly tore your arm out of it’s socket when he dragged you out of the store. Finally coming to a stop about a block away, he nodded towards a little knick knack store. “This better?”

You nodded happily as he led the way in.

Funny keychains and cellphone cases and other bobbles decorated the walls. The cashier behind the register looked up from his phone just long enough to wave at the two of you before going back to whatever was entertaining him before you showed up.

Immediately, you headed for the animal themed hats, taking one off the rack that looked like a koala and putting it on your head. You looked in the mirror as you pulled on the braided strings. Sure, it was a little childish, but this store was much more your speed. And everyone was allowed a little immaturity every now and again.

“Is that what you want instead?”

You laughed when you turned to answer Tao. He’d put on the panda-themed hat on, taking his look down from runway model to little kid. The giggles coming out of you were nonstop. “You look so cute.”

Playing the part to a “T”, Tao held up a peace sign and posed in a cute fashion that fit him all too well. That just made you laugh even harder until tears started to form.

Just then, his phone rang. Tao held up a finger asking you to wait for a second. “Hello?” For a minute, he didn’t say anything as he listened to whoever was on the other end of the phone. The cheerful features on his face slowly dissolved into shock and horror. “I’ll be right there.” In one swift motion, he pulled off the hat and tossed it back onto the rack before running out of the store.

“Tao! Wait!” You took off your own hat and followed out after him, barely catching him by the sleeve of his jacket before he could get in the car. “What’s going on? What happened?”

He ripped out of your grasp. “Nothing! I just have to go!”

Something bad happened, that much was obvious. “Can I help-”

“No! Just leave me alone!”

Shocked at his sudden change and harshness, you stepped back and watched with a hanging mouth as he sped away, tires squealing against the asphalt, leaving their mark as he disappeared down the street.

Tao could barely see as he broke several laws getting back to the farmhouse. It seemed like every few seconds he was wiping away tears with a swipe of his sleeve just so he wouldn’t accidentally run off the road. He slammed on the breaks just outside of the house, tearing up the grass in the process. He just left the keys after turning off the engine and ran the up the porch stairs. Shoving the door open, he tore through the house until he found a majority of the pack standing in the kitchen.

No one was talking. They were just scattered around the room, staring at nothing, arms folded across their chests. Junmyeon was sitting at the table, leafing through his old family book while Minseok groaned in pain. The injured wolf was lying on the dining table face down, Jongdae holding on his hand with an unstable stoic face. A deep gash ran diagonally across his back, the blood so dark, it was almost black.

“What happened?” Tao growled.

“The hunter,” Kris replied in an equally menacing voice. “They shot at Minseok while he was out running with Luhan, Kyungsoo, and Sehun. Something was on the arrowhead that’s infected the wound. We’re trying to figure out what it was.”

Scanning the room, Tao only counted eleven wolves, including himself. “Where is Luhan?”

“We’re not entirely sure,” Yixing sighed. He looked stressed, even more so than Junmyeon and Kris. He was always the one who’d patch them up, who took pride in his work. Not being able to help Minseok heal was obviously messing with his head. “He ran out of here before everyone else came back. We haven’t heard from him in a few hours.”

“Why hasn’t anyone gone to look for him?” If anything happened to Luhan… Tao needed to keep his cool before he started shaking. He wasn’t as good at keep his emotions in check and stopping himself from shifting when he got too upset.

“We don’t need anyone else disappearing,” Junmyeon sighed. “There didn’t seem to be any clothing scattered in the area, so we think he’s at least stayed in human form. If we don’t hear from him in another hour so, then we’ll go look for him.”

Tao hated that answer, but he figured the alpha was right. Looking for Luhan while they were all on edge wouldn’t do any good.

Evie and Ming were the only mates that were currently around. They were whispering amongst themselves, occasionally glancing at the table. Ji Yeon wasn’t around, which could only mean she didn’t know yet. There was going to be hell to pay once she did.

Unable to take the tension in the room anymore, Tao stormed out through the back door. He sat in the grass, arms folded on his knees as he tried to fight back the tears. Guilt was building inside him from leaving you behind with no explanation. It was a major fault of his, this one track mind. When Sehun called and told him that Minseok was injured and it wasn’t healing like it was supposed to, all he could think about was getting back here. And in the process, had abandoned you in downtown.

Shit.

He still had your bag. You had to be pissed. Hopefully you’d understand, once Tao explained - in vague details since you didn’t know the whole truth yet. This was all too much at once and Tao felt like a giant foot was stamping down on him.

The grass next to him rustled. Tao barely glanced at Kyungsoo. The normally introverted member patted Tao’s back in an attempt to comfort him.

“He’ll be okay,” Kyungsoo said.

“I should have been there,” Tao declared through gritted teeth. Maybe he would have seen the arrow, pushed Minseok out of the way, and taken it himself.

“There’s nothing you could have done.”

Kyungsoo’s reply was straightforward and to the point. He wasn’t trying to sooth Tao’s pain or coddle him, simply telling him the truth. It didn’t really help Tao in the moment, but maybe he’d look back and appreciate it farther down the road.

“Tao? Kyungsoo?”

Both of them turned to see Jongdae standing just outside the door. “Junmyeon found the cure. But it’s going to take a while.”

“What do you mean it’ll take a while?” Tao asked.

“From what the book said, it looked like it’ll be a process to clean the poison out. Over a day or so.” He swallowed thickly. “Yixing thinks it won’t be pleasant, either.”

Minseok had to go through pain again? He had to be tortured again?

Jumping up to his feet, Tao hurried away. Away from the situation, away from the pain, away from reality.

“Tao!” Jongdae came jogging up just before he could hop back in his car. “Where are you going? We’re already missing Luhan.”

Tao shook his head. “I can't stay here, Jongdae. I need her right now. I need her.”

More than understanding of what he meant, Jongdae nodded. “I’ll let the others know. Just keep us updated, please? And if you see Luhan, tell him to call. Okay?”

“I will. I promise.”

You were damn lucky that Tao had only put your school back in his trunk and not your purse as well. That at least left you with your keys and wallet. Still left with exactly zero answers as to why you were suddenly stranded outside a shop in the middle of the city, you checked the bus schedule and waited forty-five minutes for the bus to arrive so you could get back to the university. And you still had enough time to attend your last two classes for the day, even if you didn’t have any of your materials with you, it was still better than not attending at all.

Your sour mood didn’t relent even by an inch as you drove home. Walking into the empty house, you just went into automatica mode, heading straight into the kitchen to raid the fridge. After three rounds of going back and forth from fridge to panty and back to the fridge, you settled on just making yourself a sandwich and calling it good. Until a hankering for ice cream came over you. You figured given the events of the day, you’d earned a bowl. A large one, at that.

The sun was setting by the time you’d finished and cleaned up and you decided that maybe you should just go to bed for the night. Tomorrow, though, you’d be thinking of what to do the next time you saw Tao. Throwing something at him while demanded an explanation seemed like a good idea.

Now showered and in your sleepwear, you shuffled back to your bedroom, more than ready to crawl in between your covers. Before you could, however, a series of taps knocked against your window, jump starting your heart and pulling a yelp out of you.

Slowly, each step taking you ten seconds or so to take, you made your way over to the window and pushed the curtain out of the way just enough to see out of it.

“Tao?”

For a moment you just stood there, staring at the boy who had ditched you earlier and was now crouched down on the roof of your house just outside your bedroom window like this was some teen rom com. His eyes were rimmed red and there was no hint of his usual smile, cocky or otherwise. He motioned for you to open the window. You were tempted to just let the curtain fall back into place, but his eyes were what stopped you.

Throwing the window open, you stepped back and watched him climb into your room.

“Is the door broken?” you asked with a bite.

“I knocked,” he said simply. “I don’t think you heard me since you were in the shower.”

“How-” Oh, right. Your hair was wet. Crossing your arms, you went in the obvious direction for the conversation. “What are you doing here?”

“I-” Tao choked up, unable to give you the explanation you were wanting. Fresh tears spilled over his eyes and he fell to his knees, unable to hold back the sobs he must have been pushing back for a while.

You stepped up to him, unsure of what to do. You’d been there for Kendall plenty of times when she cried, but this was a new experience. As soon as you were within arms reach, Tao wrapped his arms around you, pressing his face into your stomach, soaking your shirt in seconds. Instinct told you to run your fingers through his hair. It was how you could let him know that - whatever it was that was going on - you were here for him.

A few strokes seemed to help, to give him the comfort he was seeking. Tao straightened up enough for you to see his face. “I’m sorry. For leaving you.”

Your earlier anger was - not gone - but certain dissipated. “Just tell me what’s going on. Why did you leave so suddenly?”

“Minseok-” he sniffed. You knew that name. One of Tao’s “brothers” that he’d told you about. If you remembered correctly, he was one of the oldest ones. “He was hurt. Badly. They didn’t know if he would make it.”

“Oh, my god. I’m so sorry.” You pulled Tao back into a hug.

Pushing himself up to his feet, Tao sighed. “They said he’ll be okay. I hope they’re right. I just-” He stopped, shaking his head frantically as he squeezed his eyes shut. Something was tearing him apart. Was Minseok worse off than he was letting on? If the doctors said he was going to be okay, should he trust that?

You frowned. “You just what? You’re worried they’re wrong?”

Tao shook his head. “I just needed to see you.”

That line did you in. You buried your face in his chest, forgetting all the snarky lines you’d been coltimating all afternoon.

“Can I stay with you tonight?”

You nodded, the motion moving his shirt up and down. In a swift move, he picked you up and carried you over to the bed. He laid you down gently, kicked off his shoes, and held you close once he was settled on the bed as well.

Careful fingers brushed down your face as his breath tickled your nose. “Thank you,” he whispered. “And I’m sorry about earlier.”

“You were upset.” You gave him a slight smile. “Next time, though, instead of rushing off and yelling at me, maybe try and tell me what’s going on. I won’t be mad. I’ll understand.”

He nodded. “I promise.”

“Good.”

Humming in content, you shuffled in a little closer until there was basically no space between you. Tao was so warm that you were already drifting off. He was like a living heated blanket on a cold winter’s night. You hadn’t really been able to sleep with other people in the same bed in the past - is always made you anxious and hyper aware of their existence - but right now sleep was overtaking you easily.

You weren’t sure if it was your imagination, but just before you completely went under, you could have sworn you heard Tao softly singing to the tune of the song he’d played for you earlier in the week. Hopefully in the morning, you’d remember to ask him, because you wanted to hear the words he was trying to convey to you. Perhaps, something that he hadn’t been able to say directly to you yet. Whatever it was, it could wait. Right now, you were basking in being in his arms. It might not have been the Friday night you’d been imagining, but if you could be the one to comfort Tao in his time of need, it was worth it.

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