#ateez non idol au

[yang2sfishkeeper]

ateez as vampires (hyung line)

side note: this is not a sexy-blood dripping down chin interpretation (as much as I wish it was) might do the maknae line if i dont forget this acc exists

HONGJOONG:

The kind that has tried every lasting occupation known to man. He was probably an oil paint portrait artist whenever those were a thing, a philosopher and then a nursery daycare teacher all in the span of fifty years. Any form of vampirism takes a backseat to his colourful portfolio, and I firmly believe he is currently a haute couture designer for vintage pieces; and only drinks the blood of people who refuse to ethically source their leather and furs. The image of him living in some apartment in Paris smoking a cigarette (that has a hole in it because of his fangs) is perfect to me.

SEONGHWA:

The brooding, edward cullen type. I’m talking; hand perpetually covering ¾ of his face, avoiding sunlight at all costs, falls in love with some pale girl kind of edward cullen. He has to move every ten years because all the women feel like cougars when they go after him despite him being at least double their age. He lives in some dusty cob-webbed mansion in the forest during the weekends but his real house is a small flat and he’s best friends with his elder neighbour who he has dinner with sometimes. Wears contacts to cover his eye colour but it's not strong enough so people think he’s always wearing red Halloween contacts.

YUNHO :

Newly turned vampire who just wants to go back to his normal life. Has trouble controlling his cravings and tries to drink a gallon of tomato juice because that's what google told him to do. He got violently sick and now just sticks to blood bags. Doesn’t understand why he’s always surrounded by crows and black cats (he is a dog person) but is very thankful to have so many furry friends. Definitely the type to accidentally show his strength by breaking the football goal net, or accidentally shaking someone’s hand very tightly because he was excited. People thought he was a werewolf, honestly.

YEOSANG:

Sitting on a chaise lounge, monotonously sipping on a glass of blood while wearing eyeliner. That’s sort of the image I get when thinking of him. Something very high class and untouchable that demands respect from his peers. But at the same time he’s only pretending to read The Art of War, and is using it to cover his copy of some trashy romance novel he’s actually reading. Secretly really wants the modern human experience, but is too attached to the concept of velvet couches to really let go. I can see him pointing towards any form of fast food and saying “What... desperate concoction is that?” While grimacing (he really wants to try it)

#ateez #ateez vampire au #vampire ateez #hongjoong #seonghwa #yeosang #yunho #ateez imagines #kpopfic #ateez non idol au #i havent posted here in almsot a year hahaha

[kuromiiy]

so far away.

.pairing. nonidol!yunho x reader

.synopsis. long distance relationship between you and yunho but with a happy twist.

.warnings. none except grammar

.tags. fluff, slight angst

being in a long distance relationship wasn’t originally what you planned, but after meeting yunho your whole life seemed to change.

you never were much of a social butterfly, frankly you hated going out and into places with lots of people. you loved being a homebody, enjoying calmness and quiet but even when that was your life, one you were pretty content with…there still was something missing, or rather someone.

so you went out of your way and downloaded an app, hoping to meeting you someone special and that you did.

it didn’t take long for you to fall in love with yunho, his charm and humor was something he pulled you in with.

everyday you woke up to good morning, baby! did you dream sweet? and everyday you fell asleep to good night, my love. i love you.

you even met his best friend, his other half mingi, which you quickly became best friends with too. he often messaged you, sending you silly pictures of your boyfriend or letting you know what he’s up to if yunho’s too busy to do so himself and for that you were truly thankful.

because lately yunho has been quiet, he barely text’s you, always busy with dancing class, well, thats what he says and of course you believe him! he’s an active person so it’s not abnormal but it does hurt a little bit, you miss him a lot.

you miss him, you want to be part of his daily life but you can’t, not fully at least. but mingi sent you a pic of yunho one night, fast asleep on his desk, looking like he worked on something for some time. you can’t really tell on what though, it’s blurred. mingi wrote underneath “he’s been stressing about this for so long, he even forgets to eat and drink. don’t worry tho! i’m reminding him (:”

you didn’t exactly understand what he was referring to but it must be very important. with that knowledge you could calm down and sleep better but also worry a bit about your yunho, as he clearly overworks himself..

after two weeks you suspected that he might be working on your birthday present, your birthday that was just around the corner, especially because he was pretty secretive about it too and even after bothering mingi, who also acts kinda suspicious you let it drop.

two days before your special day yunho calls you, smiling so bright you could swear he’s brighter than the sun. he tells you “babe, are you excited for your present?” of course you were, he treated it like a government secret after all. “you know i am but i’ll be patient, promise.” after that his smile seemed to grow even more and he tells you, how the wait is gonna pay off.

you wondered what he made you and if it will arrive on your birthday or a few days after.

so imagine the surprise when your present ringed your bell, standing only one feet away from you with a box and spread arms, waiting for you to jump into.

and that you did, with tears streaming down your face.

“happy birthday my love, may all your wishes come true” he whispered. and god, they truly did.

#ateez imagines #ateez drabbles #ateez headcanons #ateez scenarios #ateez x reader #yunho x reader #jeong yunho #hongjoong x reader #seonghwa x reader #san x reader #wooyoung x reader #mingi x reader #yeosang x reader #jongho x reader #long distance relationship #non idol au #nonidol!yunho #boyfriend!yunho #gender neutral reader #kuros work

[potatomountain]

“That’s My Spot”

Nonidol!Yunho x reader (afab) nsfw

Synopsis: A double date with your best friend Yunho leads to something more.

genre: Best friend to lovers, smut, slight angst

Word Count: 5.3k

Warnings: possessiveness/jealousy, smut of the penetrative kind. no condoms were used- don't be silly wrap your willy. Creampie, oral(receiving), fingering- some manhandling, and a bit rough. everything is consensual cuz consent is king.

[The below picture(s) inspired this as well as my moot @hwaightme ] also- HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! posting this early as a treat for you all <3

. Taglist: @candypop1611 @hwaightme-recs @layzfeelit

Also reminder I don't edit my works ^^' and they do not represent ateez in any way, shape or form. Just delulu fics <3

.

After your last relationship you were pretty terrified to get back into the dating scene, but over two years single and one night stands weren’t cutting it, even if it was every few months at least. That’s why you had accepted your latest offer of a date, from the barista at one of your favorite cafe’s, but not without a catch: you asked for a double date.

Really you were just too scared to go on said date alone and had begged your best friend to accept the offer and go with you, which your date was okay with. Even found had a friend who was willing to join in the blind date. The whole situation was awkward, but the simple fact Yunho was going to be there made it a whole lot less awkward for you.

It was a dinner, Yunho having picked you up from your apartment so that you would actually be on time to the restaurant. It was nicer than the ones you would normally go to, so you opted for a dress while Yunho even wore a grey suit jacket over a white button up- you opted for not looking at his pants, just noting they were slacks, as something about him being all dressed up had your stomach tightening anxiously.

You didn’t know it was worse for Yunho. More often than not the two of you were more like bros, wearing casual clothes, sweats, or even pajamas in each other’s presence; so seeing you dolled up and in a dress that rode up mid thigh, your fingers playing with the hem in his passenger seat, had drove him crazy. But not as much as the fact that despite you looking so beautiful, sexy even, in his car, it wasn’t for him.

His silence for the car ride hadn’t helped your nerves and your constant fidgeting hadn’t helped his, so by the time you arrived at the restaurant and met your respective dates, both of you were on high alert with anxiety. Yunho was the tallest of the four of you, even your date had to tilt his head back just a bit to look up at him during introductions. He wasn’t unattractive, neither was the friend he brought, but Yunho thought you put her to shame. She had recently bleached hair, and wearing a black dress cut too low for his liking unlike yours that gave a modest peak but was still enough.

He figured she would at least be a good fuck, so he wasn’t coming out of this empty handed, but he found out rather quickly he didn’t give two shits about sleeping with her, in fact he already forgot her name by the time the four of you were seated. Your date, Taehyung, had his attention more.

All because he sat to your left, which had always- always - been Yunho’s spot since the two of you met back in grade school. He always sat to your left, but somehow he was across the table from you, the blonde sitting to his right and paying him no mind.

By the time food actually got there, you seemed to be the only one paying any attention to him at all, playing matchmaker with him and the blonde while you would go red at Taehyung’s shy flirtations. Yunho opted to stay quiet, noting the way the blonde next to him was clearly interested in your date but he wasn’t giving her as much attention as he was you. Really, he should be glad a guy was interested in you and making you gush like a preteen school girl in a way he hadn’t seen since, well, school- but the fact of the matter was, he wasn’t.

He had to accept the truth that he wanted to be the one making you flustered and hide behind your water; that he wanted to be the one you were on a date with, that you dressed up for... he wanted to be yours. Yunho was ready to call it a 

night, because while he wanted that, he was your best friend first, and while that didn’t curb his anger, he could get it out in other ways.

He turned to the blonde, drinking his coke slowly as he had caught her sneering at you, both you and your date oblivious. Now that- that he wasn’t going to tolerate, and perhaps he should’ve. “I don’t appreciate you glaring at my friend; I’m your date, not him.” He also could’ve said it better, but too late now.

His jab had gotten your attention and in turn Taehyung. Both of you looked to the blonde in confusion while Yunho put his glass down. Blondie’s cheeks were bright red, glaring at him now. Taehyung called out to her, asking for an explanation in a far more gentle tone than Yunho would have used.

“She’s just not even that pretty! Giggling like a damn idiot over every little thing you say.” Instead of dropping it, the blonde just seemed to dig her grave further.

Yunho wasn’t about to let some strange bimbo insult you and dictate who you were good enough for, so he stood slowly, pulling his wallet out and placing enough cash on the table to cover yours and his meal plus some. “We’re leaving, you two have some talking to do.”

“We? Yunho?” You looked up at him, eyes wide and teeth gnawing on your bottom lip. It was a nervous habit of yours he knew well, but currently he couldn’t be bothered to try and ease your discomfort. “Why?”

“I just said why. This chick clearly wishes she was in your spot right now-” look who is talking, hypocritically of you huh? He mentally chastised himself, motioning between the two and taking note of how Taehyung had softened towards the blonde at his words. “I’m not going to stick around and watch, so either we can leave now or you can meet me in the car when you’re done.” He fixed you with a look that seemed rather impassive or void of emotion as he gripped the table and leaned forward a bit.

You had never seen him fix you with a look like that before, but your body reacted immediately, stomach twisting and thighs pressing together. He had been watching you most of the night, which you had been aware of, and truthfully it had been his eyes on you that had you flustered most of the night. Taehyung was nice, sweet and charming even, but you had noticed he seemed to be trying to hard. Now that he was practically staring at the blonde with doe eyes you realized he had been trying to do the same thing you had been doing: trying not to get flustered over someone who wasn’t your date. 

Neither the blonde or Taehyung protested as Yunho urged once more with a lift of his brow. “Are you coming?”

“Yes sir.” You squeaked out, quickly rising to your feet as embarrassment flooded you; where had the ‘Sir’ come from? Well, you didn’t seem to care where it did, only that it made Yunho’s gaze darken and burn on you even more before he was walking pass you, grabbing your left wrist and tugging you along. He was a bit rough, and it was a struggle to keep up with his long strides, but you didn’t protest.

You had never seen Yunho like this, worked up in some way, but it was hot.

By the time you were sitting in the passenger seat again, your brain finally caught up with the realization that your underwear wasn’t dry any more, and it had nothing to do with the man you left in the restaurant.

And everything to do with the man sitting on the other side of the car, gripping the steering wheel, but not starting the car. “Yunho?” Slowly you turned to him, biting down once more on your lip when you noticed veins in his hands practically bulging from his grip on the wheel, his jaw clenched tightly and his eyes on the dash. “Yunho say something... you’re worrying me.”

It occured to you he was angry, but at what you had no idea. Or well, you didn’t have the brain capacity to try and figure it out as it was still trying to process that from the moment you saw Yunho at your front door you had wanted him to be your date, and not just because you wanted him sexually, which was a whole lot to process there. You knew he was attractive, liked the fact his size made you feel safe and secure like a giant teddy bear, but now you couldn’t stop thinking about what else he could do with that size- and what else was big.

Funny how now that the figurative dam of your emotions broke, your incessant need for him was at the forefront, dominating every part of you. At least until your stomach began to twist with a growing fear that is. Yunho had finally started the car, driving a bit quicker than he normally would and he was already a somewhat scary driver. 

You were tense in the passenger seat, fidgeting with the hem of your dress and shifting your legs often, making it harder for yunho to find the right words to speak. Every time he thought he could speak up and apologize or something, you were shift in his peripheral and all thoughts would be gone aside from ones he definitely should not be having of his best friend. How would your thighs look slightly bruised from his hands? Or better yet wrapped around his face, or around his waist. 

Every time your tongue would slip out to ease your swollen lip after biting on it, he would wonder how it would look running up his cock. He gripped the wheel tighter the whole way to your apartment, pulling up and parking after a silent drive. He had been too wrapped up in his thoughts not to notice the way your eyes shone with unshed tears. 

He just needed to look in your direction, which he wouldn’t, not until you were leaning over the center console and tugging on his jacket, too anxious to leave the car without a response from him. Now that you realized your feelings you hope you didn’t just ruin your friendship as well. “Please don’t be mad at me Yunho, I’m really sorry this was a shitty date- I shouldn’t have asked you to come.”

You would have continued to apologize if he didn’t grit out your name through clenched teeth. “I’m not mad- just go inside.” It took everything in Yunho to say those words, silently cursing himself knowing that he definitely did sound angry. He wasn’t, fuck he wasn’t, he just couldn’t look at you without having the urge to do something stupid. You had wanted to date that guy tonight, Yunho wasn’t even an option on your radar and yet you were now the only option for him.

“Liar! Yunho-” You whined, tugging on his jacket more until he pulled away. You were fighting off tears, and the underlying voice in your mind that was admiring how attractive he was with a clenched jaw and a death grip on the steering wheel. Even though you were parked and the car was off, he didn’t move an inch from his spot, as if ready to drive off the moment you stepped out; so you refused to leave the car. “What was it? Was it the blonde? Or Taehyung? Are you upset that I’m a big idiot for going on such a date ‘cause I am-” You started to ramble out apologies, each one ticking off Yunho even more.

When you sat back, once more playing with the hem of your dress even more panicked then before, he snapped. Quickly he got out of the car, slamming the door before quickly striding around to your door. You visibly sank further into the seat when he pulled the door open, a whimper leaving your lips as he grabbed your wrist and pulled you up and out with a gentleness Yunho was surprised he could even manage right now.

The second he saw tears running down your face, another apology spilling from your reddened lips, he boxed you in against the frame of the car, unable to stay quiet for much longer. “He was in my spot-” Before you could even process what the words met, his lips were on yours, a pleased groan rumbling the back of his throat as he finally got a taste of you.

He had every intention of pulling away, of apologizing for his lack of control, but you kissed him back- and all reason left him. He pressed closer, large hands moving to your waist to hold you still as he pinned you with his body, allowing you to feel the strain in his pants that had been a constant problem the entire ride from the restaurant. He loved how small you were beneath him like this, the feel of your hands gripping at his jacket to pull him closer despite how close he already was, his knee pushing your thighs apart and riding up until he could feel your heat on the fabric of his thigh.

He cursed, pulling his lips from yours with a heavy pant as they moved along your jawline. “Tell me to stop- fuck, tell me no. I have been trying to tell myself the whole ride- no since I first saw you in this fucking dress- so tell me no so I can stop.” His words were low, guttural, ending as heated pants against your earlobe.

Your hands lifted up to wrap around his neck, your hips moving to grind yourself against his thigh, effectively wetting the fabric with the wet lace of your own underwear. The second his lips had been on yours all of your anxiety and worry had melted away, the need for this man resurfacing with a vengeance once more. “What if I don’t want you to stop Yuyu?” Definitely not when the simple touches, his body pressed against yours like this, made you feel so good you didn't want to stop any time soon- or ever.

He groaned from the use of your nickname for him, his grip tightening for just a moment, pulling you along his thigh to give you the friction your body seemed to be craving. He bit down just under your ear, pleased with the soft moan that spilled from your swollen lips. “I’m claiming my spot then-”

Again, before you could ask, he was picking you up in his arms, making your straddle  his waist as he shut the car door, locking it with the fob before he headed to your apartment, your small purse in his free hand while the other held your rear and kept your dangerously close against him.

With every step the bulge in his pants moved against your clothed core, teasing the both of you incessantly. Unfortunately for you, the elevator ride  held a couple of other tenants coming home from work, so you buried your head in shame into the crook of Yunho’s neck and hoped the other tenants wouldnt ask.

When they looked a few too many times, Yunho however gave them an answer that had you fidgeting against him, warmth pooling in your belly. “My girlfriend had too much to drink is all.”

His girlfriend.

Yunho liked saying it as much as you liked hearing it, and after what he was going to do to you he would make it very clear that is what you are now. No other person to take on dates or dress up for other than him. 

The two of you got off before the last tenant, and he found his familiar way to your apartment door, only then setting you down. Your legs were shaky, and there were bite marks on Yunho’s nape now from where you had to bite back moans whenever he would rub against you just right that the urge to buck your own hips was unbearable. However you managed to make it to your apartment without dry humping him was lost on you.

Of course, the moment your feet were on the ground, your need for him had you rushing your actions, getting the keys out of your bag and fiddling with the door as Yunho held your waist from behind, kissing along your neck and leaving matching marks. He guided you inside quickly, kicking your door shut and reveling in the immediate moan you let out when he ground his hips into your ass.

“Yunho~”

“Yes baby?” His voice was deep, raspy against your flesh as his hands were already at work, tugging your skirt up.

“What did you mean by your spot?” You were ready to kick yourself for asking such a question when in reality all you wanted was him to fuck you senseless. You could hardly believe this was the same Jeong Yunho that you had known since grade school, the same big lovable dork and teddy bear, that seemed to always be happy and loving- yet right now you wanted nothing more than for him to manhandle and use your body for his own desires.

He chuckled, kicking his shoes off as you did the same just before he turned you in his arms and once again picked you up, bucking his hips up into your core. “I couldn’t stand it, watching him fawn over you. All I could think about was that you should be looking at me like that.”

“You didn’t feel this way when I was dating-”

“Don’t bother with him.” Yunho growled out, crashing his lips to yours as he moved through your darkened apartment to your bedroom. “Don’t ask when, or how, I just do, and it was evident tonight. I always sit to your left. I should be the one you wear pretty dresses for. I mean I know it isn’t a matter of should... but I wanted to be.” He breathed against your lips before laying you on your bed, pushing your dress up further.

You realized that he had discovered his feelings for you tonight just as you had: two oblivious idiots now struggling with an ocean of emotions for each other and only one outcome you both wanted.

You blinked up at him when he pulled his lips away, moving back just enough to pull the fabric up and off, tossing it somewhere in your room to be immediately forgotten. His eyes flitted down your body, taking in the matching lacy bra and underwear with wonder at first before his upper lip pulled back a bit.

“Did you wear these for him?” There was a bit of a growl to his words, his thumbs dipping under the waistband of your underwear and pulling them away before letting the elastic snap back to your skin a bit harshly.

You could lie, save yourself from the wrath brimming under the surface of his dark expression, but the thought of him unleashing it onto you was far too exciting to do so. Plus- you always wanted to be honest with Yunho, you always had been. “I did but-”

He didn’t let you finish, pulling the flimsy fabric down so harshly several holes formed in the lace and you knew they were ruined now. You clenched around nothing, gasping as he pushed your legs open and the cold air hitting your folds dripping with your arousal. He already had you so turned on, your brain already practically mush at the way he look at your core, licking his lips slowly as he leaned down.

He ran his thumb over your folds, groaning at the way your body reacted to the light touch, hips lifting to chase his touch. “Look at you, so wet for me and I haven’t even touched you yet.” He murmured approvingly, voice thick with his own need. His eyes moved up the length of you to meet your gaze, his tongue darting out once more. “I’ve been thinking about how good your thighs would look with my head in between them since you first sat in my car tonight in that fucking dress. Do you know how hard it was not to reach over and slip my hand between these plump thighs of yours?” Bit by bit the words were more guttural, one of his digits slowly pushing into you, stilling as you clenched around the appendage. “So fucking tight- all for me?”

“Mhmm-” You whined, lifting your hips as much as you could before his free hand gripped your upper thigh and pushed you back down on the bed to still you. “Yunho please-”

He had been inching closer and closer to your heated core, eyes on yours, only to pause as you whined. “Please what?” You could barely make out his smirk over your own body he was that close to where you so desperately needed some friction- for him to touch. “Use  your words baby.” To taunt you, he curled his finger, pleased with the way your breath hitched.

Yunho had no idea how he was able to stop himself from already diving into your sweet inviting cunt, so desperate for a taste of you, for how wet he made you. It seemed only a thin string of morality and control was holding him back, as if he needed to hear your consent one last time before giving into the desires that had been pumping through his blood all night.

“Please eat me out- or finger me or- I don't care how just fuck me Yunho! I want you so bad, please please ple-” Your pleas turned into moans as he obliged, two fingers pumping into you and curling as his lips happily suckled on your bundle of nerves. Your hands moved from gripping the sheets to gripping his hair, holding him impossibly closer to you as your hips lifted to the rhythm he quickly set, your climax his clear goal.

You could hardly think about anything other than him and the pleasure he was giving you, a shiver running up your spine when he moaned against your nerves, switching between his lips sucking and his tongue applying pressure while his long fingers worked to find that one spot; when he did, he quickly pushed in a third, spreading them out and curling just right, your gut twisting with familiar coils as your high built.

Despite how good it was, how close you were, it wasn’t until he spoke against your clit the muffled words “Cum for me” for you to clench around his digits and soak his hand and mouth with your release. You cried out his name as he he fucked you through your high, mouth pulled away as not to over stimulate your sensitive bud, only pulling his fingers out when you begged him to.

He sat back on his knees, bringing his fingers to his lips to lick them clean, moaning at the taste of you. “Fuck how are you so sweet? I already want more, I could eat you out every day cupcake.”

You blushed at the new pet name, but you didn’t dislike it, a small smile playing on your lips as you looked down at him through hooded eyes. “Yuyu-” You whined, lifting your weak arms to make grabby hands at him, spreading your legs further. “Want you- feel you inside me please.”

Yunho was in awe at the sight of you, fucked out expression, your slick dripping from your still twitching cunt that you kept on display for him with perhaps the sweetest smile he had ever seen on your features, grabbing at him and whining for him to fuck you. It was more than his deepest fantasies that he had never allowed himself to have about you, but clearly still had in the back of his mind. “Fuck-”

He discarded his clothes quickly, tossing them every which way until he was naked at the end of the bed, cock throbbing against his stomach, already leaking precum. He didn’t give you time to appreciate the sight, moving over you and hooking his hands under your knees before pushing them up. He huffed as he realized you were still wearing your bra, and after hooking your legs in the crook of his elbows he lifted you up to undo the clasp and removed the article with much more care than he had your underwear.

For a moment he paused to appreciate your freed breasts, once more licking his lips as he rutted the length of his cock against your folds, covering it with your slick. “Look at you, so fucking perfect- I’m an idiot for not realizing sooner.” He crashed his lips to yours with a newfound need, emotions pouring into your mouth with each brush of his lips and pant into your mouth once he pushed his tongue in to mingle with yours. It was if he couldn’t get enough of you, breaking away only to lay you back down.

He moved his hands back to the back of your thighs, pushing them up and wide until your knees were pressed against your arms. You gripped your calves, staring up at him as he directed his attention down, freeing on hand to guide the head of his cock into you. Your head fell back as he pushed in, stretching you out with more girth- and with each inch pushed in- more length than you were used to. 

He bottomed out, groaning as your walls clenched around him, trying to get used to his size, but Yunho had little patience left after that dinner, little control over the enormous amount of emotions that had overwhelmed him since you first opened your apartment door to him tonight. “This- this is my spot, buried deep in your cunt, far deeper than any one else could ever touch-”

The little green monster reared it’s head once more as he pulled out, eyes fixated where you were joined while your own head was lolled back and panting. “Fuck- even your cunt knows who it belongs to, sucking me back in, aching at my absence. Does it feel that good baby?” He slammed his full length back in, eyes flitted to your face as you cried out, nodding in answer. “Too fucked out to speak already? But I just started laying my claim- come on, let me hear that sweet voice of yours cupcake.”

“It feels so good Yuyu! PLease dont stop!” You cried out, hips lifting to chase his as he began to pull out once more. Your head already felt as if it was full of cotton, but it wasn’t overwhelming in the slightest. 

Pleased, he slammed his hips back into yours, letting out a soft groan. “Tell me cupcake, who does this cunt belong to?” Throwing caution to the wind, and liking the way his words made you clench around him, Yunho buried himself into you over and over, letting the little green monster have control over the reigns. Normally he would never be so rough with you, and with this being the first time you took his cock he knew he would regret it later- but you just looked so good bouncing beneath him like this. 

His hands held your legs in place, your own having moved to grip his wrists and dig your nails down into his flesh as if to try and pull him closer, which resulted in just enough of a shift for him to hit and rub against your g-spot with every harsh thrust. “Y-you! It belongs to you!” You cried out, feeling your high quickly approaching as he continued with reckless abandon. “Yu-yu I’m-! I’m gunna-! so close-”

“Come for me. Come on my cock baby.” His thrusts became more erratic, sweat beading his brow and breath heavy as he leaned down, capturing one of your bouncing tits in his mouth, hooking your ankles behind his neck and groaning as your hands flung to dig your nails into his back. He felt deeper in you at this angle, two more thrusts until you were clenching so tightly around him that even he thought he felt stars, his own climax pulled out of him as he moaned against your flesh, the sound drowned out by your own cry of pleasure.

When you began to shake beneath him his hips stopped, pumping the last of his cum deep into you and laying claim in the most primal way. Pride filled him as he knew no other would be able to fill you so deeply, nor would he let anyone ever get the chance. He kissed up your chest to your neck and then up over your jaw before peppering your lips with sweet chaste kisses as you both worked on catching your breath. Slowly he pulled your legs out from under him, situating them down flat on the bed on either side of him as you giggled under his lips.

The little green monster was long gone, and all that was left was his overwhelming love for you that he just needed to expression in every way he could. “I love you cupcake. So so much, I’m an idiot for not realizing it sooner.”

You were elated, legs and arms jelly but you still wrapped your arms around his neck, giggling against his lips only to whine when he finally pulled out of you. You felt his cum and your own gush out of your folds and pool beneath your bum. “You are a big idiot-”

“Hey-”

“But so am I.” You interrupted his protest, placing a kiss to his sweaty forehead. “I should've realized I loved you sooner as well. Then we could have both been spared that awkward date.”:

He captured your lips in his once more, pulling away only when you were both breathless and giddy. “Let’s agree to never mention that dinner again.” 

You nodded. “Agreed.”

“And also that I always sit to your left, no matter what.” He pointed out as he leaned away from you, maneuvering to slip off your bed and head to the bathroom, the light from the city had illuminated your bedroom enough through the one window, but the little night light you kept in the bathroom also helped you watch his rear as he walked towards said room. 

“Does it matter that much Yuyu?” You whined, rolling onto your side so you could keep watching him.

He glanced back over his shoulder as he flicked the bathroom light on, a soft pout on his features. “Of course it matters- That’s been my spot since the day I met you. I get the left side of the bed too!” He called back in a singsong voice.

You could only laugh, recalling the day in grade school you two had met: new seating arrangements and you sat in a seat to your left so you could sit by the window to daydream, only for Yunho to come up and proudly proclaim “That’s my spot. You sit there.” He had pointed to the seat next to it, no hints of malice or anger when he spoke, just kindly correcting you. You had apologized, moved, and he took his seat.

And somehow ever since, he had always been on your left. Every class, every lunch, when you two went on walks, and now as he curled into your freshly made bed, he laid to your left and pulled you against his chest. You curled against him happily, sighing at how right it felt. “This is my spot.” You used his words against him, placing a kiss to his bare chest just over his heart.

He hummed in agreement, and like that, it was just another way to say “I love you” between the two of you.

#ateez #ateez fanfic #ateez x reader #ateez ot8 #ateez yunho #yunho x reader #yunho #jeong yunho #yunho brainrot is real #yunho smut #non idol au #possessive yunho #baistander #doomies #one shot

[seventhcallisto]

A PROMISE IS A SWEAR ! giom — chpt. 1

Synopsis. Matz gains a new district and a new member. The same member who trails a bunny to the den and introduces the beginning of obsession for the leaders.

Warnings. Violence. Physical harm. Und3rag3 tattooing. Teenagers(that needs it's own tw). Gang symbols. cigarett3 b3rn. Harm. And emotional harm and arguing. Please read giom masterlist before continuing.

Tuesday.

Positively, you were furious. After a not so nice call from a local man you know —your neighbor to be exact— you were mumbling up a storm. Excusing yourself through the last hour of your job just so you could catch a certain someone in the act.

With your work uniform on and a scowl on your face. Hiking up a hill through a run-down alleyway full of creeps and illegal activities. You finally caught sight of the person you'd been there to catch.

"Get off of me!" You snatched the teenager up by his arm, pinching him through his hoodie. "Jihoon, if you don't walk your skinny ass legs down this hill, I'll drag you," you stomped your heel clad foot, whisper yelling at the young man.

Jihoon was always causing problems, so threatening him like this was most likely not going to get him to listen. His face shriveled up. "You're not my mom!" He hissed back, equally furious - most likely due to the fact you had just pulled him from his group of boyfriends. Right in the middle of selling a pair of off branded shoes- and as soon as they saw you - pretended nothing was going on.

Irritation, through a false guise of shock, littered their faces as you tore and prodded the younger man away from his group of mis fit friends.

"Lee Jihoon," you whisper yelled to him this time, turning his body towards you. You take on the anger in his eyes with a frustrated scowl to clash. "Go and tell your friends you'll see them later, We're going home."

His face was turning red from embarrassment. But he knew you wouldn't back down, especially how stubborn he knows you to be. He smacked your palm off his jacket, huffing out a breath of air and turning towards the group he's with.

Within a few more seconds, he was storming past you. Hunched and full of anger as he made his way out of the entrance of the alleyway.

"Do you understand what you're doing, jihoon? It's illegal!" His footsteps rang loud on the wood of the apartment, ignoring your words- hardly bothering to take off his shoes at the entrance.

Before you could get out another frantic sentence out, he was turning his entire body your way, a snarl to his lips that resembled a dog. "What does it matter!? You're never home anyway! The cops can't pin shit on me-"

"Watch your mouth!" You yelled back, eyes widening. "I'm never home cause I am working! Don't you get that? These nice things you have- the school you go to! I have to pay for all of it somehow!" You gestured to his bedroom, posters and nick nacks littered about. "If I don't work, you can't have these things," your eyebrows furrowed. It was always so frustrating talking to him- with the exact copy of his mother's attitude.

He scoffed, "Whatever" he walked away from you, closing his door with a harsh slam.

These little outbursts would burn and simmer, like the crust on a volcano.

You stepped outside- to have a moment to yourself. Calming down from such a heightened situation- it wasn't good for you to let it bubble. But with jihoon- raising him, it was hard.

The silence of the evening gave you some peace of mind. And despite the situation of your day. You were beginning to feel relaxed, listening to the crickets and the distant sound of cars- cats- and the occasional dog barking.

"Tough day?" Changbin beckoned your attention, his large arms crossed over the balcony, you glanced to your door, having realized he heard everything.

"Yes- well, tough to my standards anyway." You laughed lightly, sighing. Changbin tilted his head at you, taking a long drag of his cigarette. "If it helps.. I know a lot of guys who went through this rebellious phase." he gestured to your apartment door, seemingly talking about jihoon. "They usually outgrow it, yknow, teenagers always act out. I know, I sure did."

You chortle at that. Palming your head as you looked out over the city, finally, you turned to meet changbins eyes, his presence having grown closer, right next to you on the railing. Comfortably, you sat with him for a second longer. "You? Rebellious?" You grinned. The fun- gentle man next to you, the one you've known for at least four years. And still have yet to properly get to know each other.

He laughed, his face scrunching. "What? Do I not seem rebellious enough?" He nudged your shoulder with his elbow, pouting. You laughed again. "No, no, I just wasn't expecting that, considering you're a -" You stopped short, remembering what jihoon had said earlier, you cleared your throat in the silence. He finished for you, glancing out to the city as well. "A cop?"

He leaned back over the railing with a sigh, nodding his head. "I heard that too. He's a bit cocky, considering he lives next to one." Changbin murmured. You shook your head, embarrassed on behalf of the teenager under your care. "I'm sorry-" "don't be. I gave my mom a hard time, too. He'll learn." The man shrugged off your apology, another drag of his cigarette, before he dabbed it out, fiddling with the end.

"But I'm not his mom. He has a reason to give me a hard time." You sighed heavily, letting the words flow before you cut them off, biting your lip. Changbin noticed, he's a keen man, a detailed man, it was a part of his job. He shook his head, twisting his body towards you.

Before he could come up with a sentence, you smiled gently. "Thanks for calling me, I hate when he does that" you groaned, remembering how upsetting it was to witness the young man attempt to brute force his way into getting another schoolmate to buy the pair of shoes they laid out.

Whatever jihoon had been doing wasn't legal. And you knew- you know. So, of course, changbin would know too - he was a cop after all, a detective to be exact, it was his job to notice these things. "Maybe a little juvie would do him some good," you sighed, a poor attempt at a joke- yet changbin still laughed heartily.

"If you need someone to scare the piss outta him, let me know, I've got a few people in mind." Changbin pocketed the end of his cigarette, bumping your elbow with his just as he left.

Wednesday. Always full of woe.

The downpour of rain filtered out the chatter of the company hongjoong was kept in. Barked laughter and forced smiles as the people around him conversed. The only person to take any interest in it was on his right. Seonghwa could make up excuses for the lack of attention his partner was providing. But the grin on the peak of hongjoongs cupids bow was driving Hwa wild with curiosity.

"What has you so happy?" The taller of the two murmured under his breath, his companion heard it - and with a clear of his throat, peaked over his glasses to the dark-haired man. "I'll tell you later"

Seonghwa sighed, bringing his glass of champagne to his lips. "Later couldn't come sooner," he replied with a sigh.

Hongjoong was in a better mood than he had been any other time of the week, with the stress that comes with a business- especially as big as this one- he could finally catch a breath of fresh air.

With one long sigh, the car door finally snapped shut, with seonghwa sitting right beside him.

"Where to?" Jongho, the leaders trusted men (and occasional driver) asked as he glanced through the rear view mirror, his brown hair framing his eyes. Hongjoongs smile perked up, seonghwa had noticed. "You know where jongho" hongjoong waved his question off with a smile, shrugging into his large fur coat.

Seonghwas attention turned back to the blonde seated next to him. "So? Where to?" Seonghwa copied jongho, questioning the shorter- yet beaming man. Hongjoong shifted in his seat, his grin faltering when his tongue poked his cheek. "You'll see." hongjoong kept the secret, seonghwa could argue– but it was typical of the younger to be so secretive sometimes.

Once the sleek black car had rolled to a stop. The evening had set, and finally, the moon was beginning to cast its beams across the streets. Seonghwa took notice of the passing buildings. Unease, unsure of the surroundings- matz hadn't stepped this far out of their comfort zone in a while unless there was a meeting. So the rural area, compared to the city, was a stark contrast to his scenery setting.

Practically bouncing out of his seat, hongjoong ushered seonghwa out of his own as soon as the fur covered man swung open his door. Of course- he was happy about something. And seonghwa was beginning to have a clue.

His eyebrow tilted up at the bubbly, shade wearing man- contrasting against seonghwa who was dressed in the best suit for the earlier occasion. He pocketed his hands, watching hongjoong with curious eyes.

In his right, hongjoong spun with the proudest grin on his face. Gesturing to the open area, a park, where seonghwa had recalled only ever passing by once- back when they were meeting with another acquaintance. Hongjoong beckoned the older man over, lacing his hands over a railing, with one other foot on the steps. He stood proudly over the peering hill, a grin still prominent on his face.

Ah. That's what it was. "You could have just told me," seonghwa mentioned with a sigh, running his hand over his hair and fixing any loose threads. Joong chuckled, "it wouldn't be special that way" he sighed, leaning on the railing- childishly, unable to sit still. Seonghwa laughed airily. "I suppose so, considering it's a wide district." Seonghwa murmured, taking his spot next to the blonde.

Hongjoong shifted his body towards the taller, still looking out over the railing at the quiet below. "It's ours now." Hongjoong whispered, almost unable to believe it himself- crime wasn't easy in this area, the cops were strict, which ended up with tight attitudes and unwilling participants.

But finally, hongjoong found a willing distributor, and he seemed permanent for the time being- until he could be replaced.

"I've got a few of them out here already, watching." Hongjoong gestures to four distinct areas, seonghwa perched his arms on the rail. Glittery lights catching every which way. He turned his attention back to the ecstatic man. "And who's watching them?" He hummed.

There was hardly any trust for the underlings, not to say they weren't loyal to the cause, just that they were easily swayed and amateurs, so of course, seonghwa had to ask.

"Mingi"

Seonghwa took in a hiss of breath, the most loyal of all- a little clumsy though. Hongjoong could sense seonghwas thought. "This one is his. He practically begged for it." Joong sniffled a laugh, recalling the plead of the other member. "He said he could take care of it."

There was a silence for a moment before seonghwa spoke up.

"Do you trust him?" He asked. Hongjoong tilted his head, sliding his glasses to lay on the top of his head. He turned his face towards seonghwa for the first time during their conversation, and nodded.

"I trust you, don't I?" Hongjoong answered.

Thursday.

The following day was just as bad as you thought. Things may seem easier the next morning. But jihoon had still ignored you, even as you prepared him a breakfast along with his fresh uniform. A scowl on his pouty- still childish face. It made you want to turn in and wave the white flag.

So, when you sit at the empty kitchen table, staring at the packaged food –that had been coldly left behind– and reminiscing on how you could hardly get the same treatment from your parents growing up, do you begin to feel the ache of missing your best friend.

You couldn't dwell on it. Not when you had work.

Jihoon is as difficult as his mother. Purgatory thoughts playing in your mind over and over. Although your best friend Lia wasn't shy from being mean - borderline - a bully, she was still loyal and caring, and she loved jihoon. She would have had the best lines to say and tell; to convince him to get his act straight. But she wasn't here. And as his godmother, you had the responsibility to play mommy.

You really wished she was here. She'd know how to take care of these things. You've always been the softer one in the duo.

It's past 12, and you have an early shift tomorrow. You sit at the kitchen table, dazed and daydreaming as you wait. When you think over what could be happening, bile rises in your stomach. Jihoon hasn't returned home, and his phone is apparently off. He has been gone for hours. More so than usual.

What can you even do?

The front door is quietly unlocked in the silence.

You spring from the kitchen chair, watching the door be pushed in, followed by a hooded figure who doesn't bother to flicker on any of the lights.

Your hands are spinning him around the next second, although jihoon is taller than you- the veracity of your movement tugs him to face you.

You pull the hood down next, glaring his bruised face in-between broken orbs and clenched teeth, looking at the fresh cuts along his lip and nose. "Where have you been?" You say, as calmly as you can muster. Jihoons shoulders fall. "Out," he mustered, shrugging his shoulder past you to pull off his jacket.

You pull him back by his upper arm before he can go any farther. He winces but makes no move to push you off. His head is tilted towards the floor, and his breathing is labored - tired from whatever activity he had just gotten up to.

"Jihoon, your mom wouldn't want this -" his hand snakes out of your grasp as if you burnt him. "What did you just say?" He scoffs, clicking his tongue. You don't falter. "Yo-" "No, no, you don't get to do that. You don't get to use that against me cause I don't even know what she was like." You go to cut him off. "You know that's not true-"

His foot meets the stool as he kicks it frustrated, a silent curse coming from his mouth.

"I don't know if anything you say is true, I don't even know if you're really someone she'd leave me with to take care of. It's all just bullshit anyway, right?" His snarky tone wavers, his throat pinching close the longer he stays on this subject.

"I'm going to bed" he brushes you off once more when you attempt to reach out.

And you have the same lump in your throat. You don't know what to say yourself. You don't know how to fix this. You don't know what you're doing.

Friday.

Halfway through your shift, do you get another dreadful call- voice-mail this time, since you can't answer your phone during school hours. On the other end is changbin- but this time, he's just dropping information off for you.

"Hey y/n, I'm sorry to be telling you this, but -" he takes a heavy sigh, "one of my colleagues told me about seeing a kid similar to jihoon.. coming from this new operation we're in the middle of. It's a big nightclub - full of colors - hell, you can see it from a mile away, so just ask around. It just got up and running, we - don't tell anyone I said this - but we're looking at charges if he happens to be caught in there. It's not safe for him. that's all. Call me when you get this- we can go together. Do not go on your own. I'll talk to you later."

The end of Friday is full of dread. The streets are full of characters for the night. Fools and drunks and corner girls and the occasional normal group of friends, no matter who it is- you ask.

"The club full of bright lights?"

A man finally repeats your question. He's not entirely sober, nor is he blackout either. He points over his shoulder, giving lazy directions. But as you go, you thank him. Changbin was right. You couldn't miss it from a mile now that you were in a neighboring alleyway- heaving from having run everywhere to find this place.

The front is guarded with men in jackets, smoking cigarettes, and scaring the stragglers who stare a little longer than they should.

You power through, attempting to blend in with a crowd of rowdy girls who are easily let in- You're stopped by the collar of your shirt, pulled out of it and faced to face with a scarred man, eyeing you up and down.

"Are you trying to sneak in? Hey, why didn't you just ask to be let in? What kind of shit are ya trying to pull?" His heavy palm smacks your cheek, pat pat, your skin reverbs from the tiny hits- its a slap to your pride in a way. You scowl at the stranger.

"Theres someone in there I need to get" you defend yourself, pushing the man off your collar. His snarky grin drops into a scowl, the cigarette dangling from the corner of his lip dangerously. "I'm not buying that princess." The man flicks the ash your way, glancing to the other man on the door.

Your appearance is a contrast to everyone else. Your in your best dress for parent-teacher day, having cut it short to find jihoon. You stick out like a sore thumb. Fuck. You're really not getting past this guy.

You had to do something.

"He's underage! He's a kid, a kid shouldnt be in there- If I can't go in and get him- I'm gonna call the cops!" You're making a scene now- you're panicking, you have no idea if jihoon is okay, no idea whether or not he's doing drugs or getting himself hurt.

You're scared for him. But the glance in both of the men's eyes is your top worry. Threats about the cops coming around seems to gather attention, onlookers glancing your way and beginning to crowd the front door. "Cops?" The first man laughs, snatching your arm up with an icy grip that has you hissing in pain. "Are you threatening us? Ma'am, that's not proper. We're running a business here." His tone is attempting to be lighthearted, but the danger behind his grip and smile is driving the breath out of your lungs.

You're dragged inside by the same guy, the lights, the music- everything screams danger with this situation, not only that but the faces- the troubled people around here is nothing safe. You catch glimpses of people snorting different color substances off each table, tiny shiny and distinct pills littered around. Smoke and the burning smell of cigarettes- and something else, something heavy and damp, funky smelling. Earthy. You body makes contact with the door to a room and you're pushed into it abruptly.

Your feet stumble forward towards the middle of the room, where you finally find your balance. Cards are placed on a wide and round glass table and this place smells the worse of the earthy smoke, it clings to every surface, making you cough. When you do, the man in the center of the red velvet couch in front of you peaks up over his glasses.

His hair is white- silver almost, long enough to tuck behind his ears. He gestures with a ringed finger to the man with you to speak.

"She's threatening to talk to the cops."

"She a regular?"

"No, never seen her around here before"

The silver haired man takes a heavy sigh,, he parts from the woman and men around him to meet you face to face. He's tall- intimidating. His height is no joke. He scans you up and down with dark eyes. Emotions you can't grasp on his features.

Whoever the people are, they aren't bothering to look your way, quiet and head down. Sheep's amongst a wolf. He's obviously in charge here. "Look- I don't know who you are but you have kids in here- this isn't a place they should be-"

The flicker of a lighter sounds through the quiet room. The sound of music muffled behind the door gaurded by the man and another. You watch the silver haired stranger take a drag of a cigarette after flipping his lighter closed, the red pulse of light igniting in front of you, it silences you quickly.

"Listen." He starts with a hum, nodding his head as the smoke hits your face, he takes your hand in his, gently patting his large, calloused fingers over yours. You hesitate to let him have it, unsure of his motive. "I understand your concern, but we don't have kids here sweetheart, we don't allow that. Youth is important to our future, right? Isn't that what everyone thinks?" He glances around shortly, switching out the hand holding the cigarette to cage your palm in-between. You can feel the heat of it, see the ash starting to form at the top.

"That's not true." You whisper. His eyes squint. "You calling me a liar?" He murmurs, stepping closer.

"I'm calling bullshit" you hold your head high.

It's silent. Air so tense and thick, you can't tell if it's the smoke or the feeling lingering in your chest. But this man, he's not safe. None of this is. And you're really testing your luck here. "I need-" you start again. But the sudden burn of specks on the back of your hand makes you whimper in pain, attempting to draw back your limb from the man.

He holds it tightly in his, flicking ash onto the back of it, the sting makes you hiss, before he brings the cigarette back to his full lips, your fingers pale from the force.

He takes a drag, blowing it in your face once again.

"I don't like being called a liar." He pouts into his words, dusting the ash across your skin with his thumb, a warning at most. But it stings slightly when he flips your palm over to examine the lines.

"You come in here and threaten my place, I've only been nice to you this entire time." He holds his free hand over his heart. "What do you want exactly, sweetheart?" He squints down at you. The nickname makes your stomach lurch uncomfortably.

"I told the guy at the front. There's someone in here i need-" "and who is that someone?" You go quiet, squinting up your nose at him. He stares back for the next seconds. One.. two.. three-

There's the stinging burn to your palm, it aches and you screech in pain. Attempting to bring your hand back from the heat. A cigarette that is searing into the soft skin in the middle of your palm. You wail at it, a pain so uncomfortable you forgot it even felt real. The ash darkens when he puts it out. Smearing it across your palm. His eyes are unlike what you've seen, no remorse or mercy, just evil.

"I'm not going to ask again. Giving me attitude when I've been sweet-" "i-im not please-" you beg, anything to stop the pain and sting on your palm, to get the man before you to stop before he does something else, something worse. "Shh, quiet, I'm talking." he pats his palm over the open wound. You whimper once more, tears welling in your eyes. It hurts.

Before his lips fall open again. The door behind you swings open.

It's the other man from the front door. Followed by.. a few individuals, you can hardly see with the blur in your eyes.

"Raeun?" The second man to walk through questions. He's taller- his body adorned in what seems to be the closest thing to a suit. A pair of glasses and short- almost buzzcut black and blonde hair. Raeun- the man who grips your palm looses his grip, and you pull it as quickly as you can to your chest.

"Mingi" he huffs. "Come to join so soon?" He laughs, glancing to you. The man, from towards the entrance does the same. "Yeah, Came as soon as I got the go ahead" mingi replies plainly, walking further into the room. "Leave" he gestures to the people across the couch.

An array of limbs and people pass you, but- when you turn to leave, you're stopped by him. "You, stay." Mingi swings his finger out to call you over to him. Gesturing to the couch.

You really don't know what's going on. But mingi is gentle as he grabs your palm, glancing for approval- you don't respond.

"Seonghwa said no more burns, whats this then?" Mingi tilts the wound towards raeun. The same man scoffs. "She said she was gonna call the cops." "And you think this was gonna stop her?" Mingi groans, letting your hand go. You cradle it back to your chest, watching the tall man step up to raeun.

"Get your shit and go, you're out" mingi turns on his heel, stepping back out of the silver man's way to let him leave. Raeun scoffs loudly, "you can't kick me out of here, I made this place what it is-"

"Yeah and where did that lead you?" Mingi waves his hand out to the club. Raeuns face drops even further into anger. "Fuck- is this about her? We can just pay the bitch off-"

"Raeun" mingi hisses his name. The tension could be cut with a knife and you try everything to make yourself smaller in it. "Get. Out." Mingi points to the door.

Raeuns fit seems to cease, a smile creeping up his skinny features. "Oh, you got the position didn't you? The captain finally gave you something huh?" Raeun laughs loudly, holding his stomach that pokes out of a silky cheetah print shirt.

"Which means you're out." Mingi confirms. "Go." He says once more, it's a threat, the tone speaks for itself. Raeun doesn't bother once more, kicking the door open on his way out.

Your heart drops when the door slams shut behind him. Your labored breath calming to accommodate the quiet in the room. Mingi heaves a heavy sigh, taking a seat on the far side of the couch. His hand rakes through his messy hair, parting the spikes to docile them down. With a single hand in his hair and another reaching out for a glass- presumably full of whiskey, mingi finally glances your way.

You're a shaking aching mess, it doesn't take a genius to notice you're not for this lifestyle. You're dressed like a librarian in the midst of a nightclub for fuck's sake. Your palm is clutched tightly, as if you're attempting to squeeze the pain away. Your eyebrows are knitted and you're curled into yourself. Lost in thought.

"What are you doing here?" Mingi breaks the silence. You jump, turning your head his way.

"I'm looking for someone." You quietly answer. Mingi nods, lifting the whiskey to his lips. "Who?" He asks before he takes a gulp of the alcohol. "A boy, his- he goes by jihoon, he's five-eight- probably taller now- i - we haven't checked in a bit, he's got messy an-and curly black hair- it, well.. he hasn't let me trim it in a while and-" your rambles encourages a bubble in your throat, a sob beginning to form.

You could have gotten hurt worse, you still can, you could die here, you could be trafficked, mingi seems capable of it if he was able to test someone like raeun. And now the only thoughts in your mind are how you wish jihoon hadn't been mad, how you wish he could know you love him- in case you do happen to die, or end up missing. How the last thing you did with him was argue.

Your throat closes in when an image of the younger version of the boy shows up in your minds eye. The sob breaks out "he's just a kid, he's all i got- I'm all he's got, I don't want him here, please" you beg, for his sake, more than yours- mingi is so quiet, his aura is scary, he's not like anyone you've ever met before.

"Hey," he calls softly, your face twisting to see his. His eyes have caved, soft and understanding, his eyebrows furrowing. "I'm going to go get your boy, and you're not coming back. You hear me?"

Mingi makes his statement clear just as he gets up to leave.

The breath lodged in your throat exits as you nod. The dull ache of your hand plays at the back of your mind - finally, you'll be able to see jihoon, and you'll both leave.

You'll leave. Together.

There's no windows in this room. There is no light besides the TV in the corner. It flickers with a show you don't know, a familiar actor beating down on multiple men. Your eyes are blurry - and you wonder if you happen to have a first aid kit at home, possibly - if you haven't used all of the content on jihoon from his many fights and bruises. It feels like an eternity while you wait, hoping for light in the darkness.

You hope jihoons okay.

Your hope is answered when the door once again swings open. Mingi is holding jihoon by the scruff of his neck, pushing him into the room, but he sidesteps out of the way to let someone else in.

The cast of the club lights create a halo around the man, the beads of the entrance jingle when he steps inside, like crystals, the light bounces off every inch of the glass beads, illuminating the man in the fur coat from behind.

His hair is a vibrant blue, His nose has a define point, his lips are naturally plump- He's pretty. Which is a surprise. And you thought Raeun was the boss. No.. it's this man. With his cream colored fur coat and his tight leather jeans, a buckle with a silver star to top it off and a sheer black and white top. His shoes are leather, reptilian in design. A pair of dark glasses slotted against his forehead when he pushed them up. Your eyes meet.

It's dangerous. He's dangerous. Everything screaming. This is the type of man you'd see on TV, draped in luxurious brands and with a snarky attitude to come with it, a past- and scars along his figure, fuck- this guy is no good. He's a snake in man's skin. A wolf in sheep's clothing. And you can tell.

"Mingi" his eyes never stray from yours, as if stalking prey, his voice is light and inviting. Mingi glances his way, then yours with a silent response to the man "captain." He pushes jihoon forward and drags the hilt of his shirt up. You stand- to protest, to tell them don't touch him.

But the ink along jihoons skin is a sign of surprise. Of fear to your racing heart.

"Your boy here," the captain pats the young boy on his shoulder, jihoon grimaces, head down turned. "Has our symbol, he has the mark of ateez, and that means he won't be leaving anytime soon."

The lines of an 'A' are sharp, a circle to encase it, it spans almost the entirety of jihoons left pec. It's fresh ink. your stomach churns and twists. You think you're going to be sick.

"Jihoon is one of ours now." He finishes, clicking his tongue.

"Jihoon?" You quietly call. For him to say it's a joke, a sick one- but his face remains the same. Furrowed and ashamed.

Tears well up in your eyes once again. You've failed - failed as a guardian and failed your best friend. You failed the little boy you were given, and you've failed his father and future.

"Please. Please- okay- he's a child- he's only fourteen!" You plead with the man, slipping to your knees, desperate as you are- you're willing to do anything to prevent jihoon from throwing away his future.

The captains' fingers hold a coin- something you haven't seen before then. The men peer back at you in the dark of the room. "I-" "the ink is already there." He nudges jihoons left side, the boy groans in pain, most definitely sore.

"There's no changing that," he nods towards you, flicking the younger boy's cheek. His eyes are demeaning when he stares down at your figure. This all seems like a joke to him. With one final glance to your shaking body, the vibrant haired man turns away towards the door.

"Please. I'll do anything." You beg.

His steps falter. The coin makes contact with the metal of his rings as he plays with it. It dings every so often, like a clock in the silence over and over.

Clink, clink, clink, clink- ...

"Don't make promises you can't keep." You can hear the perk to the man's voice, a smile through his tone. "I can keep it." You confirm without another beat, gulping back your tongue.

"I can keep my promises."

"I swear on my heart."

#ateez fanfic #yandere ateez x reader #x reader #hongjoong x reader x seonghwa #hongjoong x reader #yandere hongjoong #yandere seongwa #yandere fic #yandere ateez #matz x reader #yandere matz #yandere matz x reader #tw!!! #seonghwa x reader #mafia ateez #mafia matz #non idol au #yandere #read at your own risk #ft. mingi

[lazystar]

The Long Way Home

Choi San x Fem!Reader

WC: ~ 6.5K

Warnings/Content Notes: 18+ !!! MDNI!!! SMUT, BDSM Dynamics, Dom!San, Sub!Reader, BFFS -> FWB -> Lovers. ANGST! Cursing, Alcohol Consumption, Jungkook at the scene of the crime, Jokes about divorce. Smut warnings after the cut.

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A/N if you enjoy reading this please consider reblogging and leaving a comment ty it genuinely means a lot to me to see y’all’s reactions to my work :)

SMUT Warnings: BDSM Dynamic, Dacryphilia, Impact Play, Bondage, Choking, PIV Sex (no mention of protection remember to wrap it up y’all), Fingering (F Rec), Degradation.

The Long Way Home

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Tequila was the worst invention known to man. Your pounding head and naked body declared this thought as you gazed over to the man in the bed beside you. Some jock you couldn’t even recall the name of. He was some fucking guy, maybe his name was something basic like Matthew? If he asked you his name you would’ve blanked and probably said some random name like John. His snores made your head sting with a headache as you tried to recall how you ended up nude and having to do yet another walk of shame.

The memory hit you as you shrugged on one of your one night stand’s hoodies and your jeans. The walk of shame uniform, some random guy’s clothes paired with your own you sighed to yourself.

The bright lights, booming bass, jungle juice, and losing your best friend in the crowd as you both flirted with the many attractive people at the party. It was just a local affair. Crawling with the washed up twenty somethings that all resided in rather small city you called home. All of them regularly relived the glory days of raucous partying and drinking away the stressors of everyday life, you and your best friend and roommate wee no exception to this.

It was cheaper than a bar and honestly more fun. Mr. Anonymous was one of the hosts and putting on his best Flynn Rider-esque smolder as you batted your false lashes and giggled like a fool. You were about to “oh my god you’re so funny” your way into some good sex. Or so you thought, except you recalled on your walk to your apartment that the guy didn’t even last five minutes and you didn’t even cum. It wasn’t even hook up yelp review worthy.

You barged into you and your best friend San’s shared apartment with a loud huff slamming your keys onto the entryway table. Not even looking up from his phone San let out a laugh, “Who the fuck pissed in your cheerios bun?” Bun had been your long time nickname from San due to your shorter stature and constant habit of twitching your nose when annoyed.

“Well Mr. Mountain Flynn Rider guy didn’t even last ten minutes and I was left disappointed AGAIN!!!” You wailed as you flopped beside him onto your lumpy couch. “Like I get it, I take a while to finish but he couldn’t at least help me?! Where is the fucking decorum in hookups these days.” He lets out a loud laugh at your rant and then suddenly stopped, he looked over at you like he just discovered the secret to time travel. Eyes wide and brows raised, his mouth was agape with a smile.

“I just got the best idea! Why don’t we just start hooking up. We talk enough about our sex lives since we’re so close, we know what the other likes. Why not just fuck?” He says his grin now a smirk, he waggled his brows and nudged you with his elbow.

“Did you smoke something? Are you high? Are you unwell? That’s a fucking terrible idea! Like holy shit that’s an insanely bad idea! One of us could catch feelings, someone could get hurt, it would be a mess. Have you seen any movies where that works out?” You exclaim. Your hands were thrown in the air and you began to consider smacking San upside the head in hopes you could help him create some new braincells for some cognizant thoughts. He just shrugged your way and continued on with his master plan.

“Bun, honey. Think about how much easier and safer it would be. No walks of shame, we’d get tested first obviously, I wouldn’t fuck anyone else so we both stay safe, and come on. I know how you like it.” His voice grew almost husky as he looked deep into your eyes. The change in his energy made you squirm and you couldn’t help but think how hot he looked. You had eyes, you knew your best friend of over ten years was hot with his dark eyes and muscles that practically bulged out of his tight shirts.

“Fuck it. Show me what you got.” And with that his lips crashed onto yours, his hand laced into your hair tugging on the roots just hard enough to make you whine into the kiss.

“Oh Bunny I’m gonna ruin you.”

“I’d like to see you try Sannie.” He quickly knocked the smirk off your face with his hand wrapping around your neck, he squeezed a bit and gave you a glare.

“You shouldn’t have said that.” Your underwear was soaked as you gazed at him with wide eyes and a moan fell from your lips as he chuckled darkly. He quickly tugged the hoodie off of you and smirked down at you, noticing your lack of a bra. “Fuck your tits are so gorgeous, look at you. You look pathetic all needy for me.”

“ ‘M not pathetic.” You whined. His hand that was around your throat previously gripped your jaw squeezing your cheeks.

“Yes you are, I bet you’re all soaked and your little pussy is begging for me to fuck you. But sweetheart, you didn’t earn it did you? Back talking, sassing me, telling me that fucking me was a horrible idea. Such a dumb little bunny under me. I should just leave you right here all worked up.” You felt out of control as you shook your head no, ten minutes ago you would have never thought of yourself having any sexual relationship with San. But here you were silently pleading for him to fuck you stupid. He watched with glee as your eyes began to water and you began to beg for him to touch you, for him to play with you like a doll. He had you where he wanted you, needy, lust filled, and wanting only him.

“Sannie please! I want you! I need you! I’m gonna fucking lose it if you don’t do something.” Your voice was whiny and you sounded on the verge of tears as your roommate simply smirked at you.

“You have ten seconds to strip and get on my bed, You know how I’ll wanna see you waiting for me.” You bolted, shoving your jeans down and kicking them off, then your panties as you scurried to his room. You practically leapt onto his bed and got right into his favorite position; kneeling on his bed, hands on your knees, head held high, not moving a muscle.

San during your rendezvous rundowns had divulged his preference for BDSM encounters rather than vanilla ones. His stories had you internally squirming when you two discussed your sexual encounters. You hadn’t really had experience with kinky sex like San did. He’d visit BDSM clubs, done his online research, met up with some subs once or twice as he learned more about his dominant side. He told you about how he loved when some of his submissive partners would cry as he would play with them, using impact toys, vibrators, ball gags, collars. He was a rigger, he explained one time, loving using intricate knots and ties with rope to create, as he put it, “the perfect present for myself”. He loved seeing how his other partners would plead to touch him as he fucked them into delirium.

Now here you were, about to get fucked into that same delirious state. San strolled into the room and leaned against the doorway as you kept your pose. He loved seeing you following his unspoken orders. But he knew as a good dominant he had to make sure you were comfortable with him. “Y/N before I do anything I want to know your limits, what are you comfortable with? I know you like choking and hair pulling, some spanking, some spit play. But is there anything you don’t want me to do to you?” You blushed at his consideration, you knew he was going to do this but seeing his concerned eyes and soft smile your way had you feeling butterflies in your stomach.

“Ummm, no face slapping, just hands being tied or bound is okay, I wanna be able to see you, and um, just don’t go too crazy. Oh and don’t call me a bitch I’ll kick you.” You nodded, your last sentence elicited a chuckle from San as he shook his head walking over to you.

“So you’re okay if I for example say, hmmmm. Y/N you’re being such a good little whore for me. Getting right how I wanted you and answering my questions like an obedient little slut.” His brow quirked and he tilted his head. He didn’t show it but he was reeling watching the shy flush on your cheeks and how you tried to rub your thighs together to feel some friction.

“Yes Sir, that's okay with me.” You nodded, quietly appraising his reaction to the title. A growl erupted from him as he manhandled you onto your back and spread your legs wide.

“Oh Bunny, Sir’s gonna make you fucking scream.” With that promise he pulled you into a searing kiss as he began to push his fingers inside you and quickly locate the spot that made you cry out in pleasure. He watched as you threw your head back and moaned, his fingers grew faster as you began to squirm. He wasn’t even fingering you for that long, maybe a few minutes but he had you on the brink of your first orgasm. “Aww is Bunny gonna cum already? Uh uh, not yet baby, you gotta beg for it.” You cried out in frustration as he pulled his fingers out and slowly began to circle your sensitive clit.

“Please sir, please let me cum. I fucking need it. I’ll be so good, I’ll do anything. Please let me cum and make a mess for you.” Tears cascaded down your cheeks as you begged for him to let you cum. You felt like you were going to squirt all over the sheets as he toyed with you. He smirked and roughly shoved two of his fingers back in you and jackhammered them right at your g-spot. The slick sounds of how wet you were along with your moans and panting breaths were all San heard. He bent down and kissed at your neck has he slowed his fingers down for a moment and made a come hither motion with them, the attention on your g-spot had you falling into a state of euphoric delirium, you couldn’t even think a coherent thought as you moaned out his title over and over again.

“Fucking cum for me Bunny. I wanna see what a messy little slut you are for me.” He whispered into your ear, the kiss on your lips that followed sent you over the edge, his fingers quickened as he leaned back up to watch your orgasm splash against his palm and your body thrash about, he watches as your eyes rolled back into your head and your back arched as he continued the onslaught on your overly sensitive pussy. Your cries of relief and his name had him on cloud nine, this is what he had wished for. He had wanted you in his bed more than anything when he would hear your hookup stories. He wanted to make you cum over and over again, to hear you moan his name has he pounded into your wet cunt. Now here you were coming undone all over his sheets and whining as he overstimulated you.

“Sannie I cant take any more too sensitive.” You whined and he stopped immediately. He laid beside you and pulled you into his arms, rubbing yours and whispering praises into your sweat soaked hairline. Your head lulled onto his shoulder and you snuggled into his body heat feeling safe and relaxed as you synced your breathing with his.

“You were so good for me Bunny, you did so good. How do you feel? Do you need me to clean you up and get you some water?” You nodded and he went into the bathroom and grabbed a damp washcloth and gently cleaned up the mess between your legs. After, he grabbed you a glass of water and helped you drink as he kept on praising how well you took your first time with him. “So what do you say? Want to keep doing this?” You nodded aggressively and he let out a light laugh as he kissed your forehead. “Only time we’ll have rules is in the bedroom okay, no need for those dumb ass contracts or whatever shit they do in those girly movies you like. It’s still us being us except I eat you out and boss you around in bed.” You let out your own laugh and statement of agreement. He made it all so casual and comfortable. Any worries you had fell to the wayside as you found yourself under him once again, his hands in your hair and yours cupping his cheeks as giggles made their home in between each kiss.

You fell into an easy routine that was just you two being Mountain and Bun, except now you often are sleeping beside one another sticky from sweat and he’s made you cum several times. It felt right, like you two had been destined for something more than friends.

Soon enough the kisses and physical affection transferred from the walls of your apartment to out in public. Your friends noticed the possessive hand around your waist and glares San would give at any man who would look for a tad too long at you on nights out at the bars and clubs in the city. But when asked if something was going on between you two, San would lead the way with denying anything more than friendship. This lead to a routine of you both denying anything serious was going on, much to everyone’s disbelief as it was clear as day you two were more than friends.

It was an unspoken rule to deny a connection between you two when asked, but a spoken one to only sleep with one another. You two were just friends, friends who kissed, cuddled, and slept together. Friends with benefits, nothing beyond that. Right?

But, something beyond San tying you up and regularly making you cum up to ten times a scene was going on. Stolen kisses, cuddles under the glow of the tv, and nights ending in romantic passionate sex were growing more and more common. Mornings where you would find yourself wrapped around him as he cooked you breakfast, lazy days spent in his favorite hoodies, nights where you laid by his side and played with his fingers as you compared the size of his hands to yours. It was more than just lust.

You knew you were down bad, but you had no one to explain it to. There was no rule against being open about sleeping together but you both seemed to agree silently on keeping it just between you two. The pair of you seemed to just keep it under wraps to avoid your friend’s questions or comments. But avoiding it all was becoming too much, it was driving you insane. It was making you feel used and discarded even if he was treating you so well, you just wanted him to say something so you knew he wasn’t just using you.

Fall came, leaves crashed against the sidewalks and your feelings began to chill like the air outside. It was another night out for you, San, and your seven other friends, this time in a crowded club with booming bass, sultry air, and many other drunk people looking for a good time. You and San were dancing on one another with him subtly peppering kisses on your neck as your hips swayed against his. After a while you pulled away shouting you were grabbing another drink.

At the bar a tall, tattooed man saddled up beside you. His eyes danced along your figure admiring the short dress adorning your frame. His lip rings emphasized his sultry smirk as he offered to buy you a drink. “The name’s Jungkook. I’ll buy you a drink, but in exchange grant me once dance.” You were charmed by his attitude and agreed. Your hands soon found their way around his neck as his grip met your waist. The heavy beat of the R&B of the club and the lust filled air around you two pushed San from your mind as the tall man had stolen your attention.

“Gorgeous I don’t think your boyfriend is too happy you’re dancing on me like this.” The raven haired male said into your ear as you both swayed to the beat. His strong grip on your waist was anchoring you to the moment. The liquor swirled your brain as all of your inhibitions began to throw themselves aside. Your attention was brought back to San, you could feel his angry laser like stare on your back as you danced with Jungkook. Why was he mad? It’s not like he would openly say anything about you being off limits anyways.

“He’s not my boyfriend, just my roommate. We hook up but it’s nothing serious.” You reply back loud enough to be heard over the music.

“So he won’t keep staring at me like he wants to murder me if I kiss you?”

“He can be mad he doesn’t get a say in who I kiss.” You snark back and Jungkook pulls you into a kiss, his hands snaking down to grab your ass over your short skirt and your hands reaching into his flowing locks. Before things could get too heated you felt a hand grabbing your arm and pulling you away. “WHAT THE FUCK LET ME GO!” Your disagreement went unanswered as San dragged into a hallway away from prying eyes.

“Y/N what the actual fuck was that? Were you trying to make me jealous?! Well congratulations it fucking worked. You’re mine, nobody else’s. I thought you knew that.” His voice was filled with anger and his tone was almost like a snarl. You shivered and felt the familiar feeling of your head beginning to float at his authoritative behavior.

“Sannie, you never said we were anything more than friends with benefits. How was I supposed to know I wasn’t supposed to kiss other boys, I wouldn’t fuck them but I can’t kiss em?” Your tone was playful but also clearly annoyed at his power play when he wasn’t your boyfriend. He was the guy you lived with and fucked, not the guy telling you he loves you and wants to spend his life with you.

He had no power over you when it came to expanding your horizons while being single.

“No Y/N you’re mine.” San’s glare began to anger you. He can’t say shit like that then not say you two were a couple.

“No San. I’m not fucking yours, matter of fact I’m never going to be ‘yours’. You can have someone else in your bed, sharing a place with you, and being your plaything. I’m done with the games and the back and forth on what I am to you. I’m so done with you. If you have any once of respect for me you’ll do me a favor leave me the fuck alone.” You stormed away before he could even make a move to try and save the shreds of your relationship. You walked as fast as you could to find your friend group. With your head hung low and as quiet of a voice as you could muster in the loud club you told your friends, Hongjoong, Yunho, Minho, Seonghwa, Jongho, Yeosang, and Wooyong that you were not going to be able to go participate in your regular hang out nights anymore, your only explanation being you and San weren’t on good terms and you didn’t know if your friendship would be good again.

The guys didn’t see or hear the exchange but they saw the angry tears running down your cheeks that you had been trying to hide and knew that the situation was not good in the slightest. They watched you angrily wipe at your mascara stained cheeks and march off. They were worried for you. They saw San off in the hallway he had pulled you to, his head was pressed to the wall as sobs wracked his body. His fist was hammering the wall as he appeared to be cursing himself for what went down. The boys felt like children caught in the middle of their parents fighting and it had them all feeling a major sense of unease.

You spilled the beans a few days later to Yeosang, Wooyong, and Seonghwa when they came to check on you while you were staying on your friend Winter’s couch. She was helping you navigate moving out and moving on from the boy you had been hurt by. She knew the whole story and comforted you as you told the three boys about everything, well not all the sexual things after you got into a little bit about it and they looked ready to send you off to a convent. The boys were angry for you they understood that you felt played and that your feelings seemed to be disregarded, but they also understood that San was not the best when it came to emotional vulnerability or communication. They wanted you to open the door to him to try and repair things. But you were insistent on never speaking to San again due to how hurt you were. You couldn’t bear looking him in the eyes knowing you had been a toy to him. That he wanted to have all the aspects of dating you, but wouldn’t even admit he was sleeping with you. Was he embarrassed with you? Were you not enough? Your mind would spiral every night as you laid on Winter’s couch questioning your value to San, your friendship as a whole, your own sense of self. You picked yourself apart to the atom, finding more and more reasons to wonder what it was that made San begin the denial of your relationship when asked about you.

They helped you pack your things when San was at work and within the hours of his shift any trace of you was gone. Your new apartment was only a few blocks away with San none the wiser. When he came home to see every trace of the years you’d shared by his side gone, his heart was crushed like a hammer was hitting him square in the chest. The end of September was now San’s least favorite time of year, because it’ll forever mark when he lost to you due to his own stupidity.

Days without either of you speaking turned into weeks, then months. The cold gray winter had come in to chill your bones and steal your breath. It turned your cold heart to ice as you began to move on from the beautiful boy you had fallen for. It was as if the past few years never existed. Like the way you slept for months in his bed was an illusion. It was a fog, always a fog. Until those cold nights called for another body to join you in bed. Nobody else was good enough, it had to be him. The man who had you Pavloved into orgasming to the sound of his voice, the man who made your mind melt. San, Choi San was the only one for you.

San was no better off, cold nights yearning for your touch. Your voice haunting every time he had to rub one out. “Please Sir, please let Bunny cum! I-I’ve been so fucking good for you please!” one of his favorite memories. He could always remember every aspect of that night. He had been practicing some new Shibari tie methods and had you bound into the perfect present, intricate knots holding your breasts in place, your pussy exposed with your hands bound to your legs so you were immobile. You looked delectable with those pleading yet wild eyes, drool leaking from your mouth, and makeup running down your face. You looked practically angelic to him as he watched your eyes roll back into your head as he bullied his cock into you over and over, he recalled how with a whispered “such a good girl for me, yes you can cum.” the scream that flew from your lips as your eyes rolled back, the gush of your orgasm around him and how your pussy milked him dry. He remembered how you looked at him with such loving eyes as he took care of you and how you would let him lay on your bust as you kissed his forehead and assured him he wasn’t too rough with you. He remembered that while you slept he uttered “I love you” while he looked at you.

But he couldn’t get to make memories like that again, not until you’d let him speak to you, not until he could fucking find you that is. And most definitely, not if you have a new boyfriend or someone he can’t compete with for your heart.

While the two of you were pining for the other like a high school production of Romeo and Juliet the rest of the friends you and San shared were extremely annoyed by the way you two were acting like a divorced couple.

“I’m team Mom aka Y/N here but I don’t wanna deal with who has custody of us at Christmas being an issue. They need to kiss and make up” Yeosang declared while sitting with the others at lunch. They had planned a lunch to plan the intervention because as much as they didn’t want to admit it they would rather be annoyed by you two being romantic or possibly walk in on you two, than have to deal with the split custody issue. Thus the “Stop the Divorce” squad was put into action. They wanted you both happy and most importantly back together.

Soon enough their plan to get you two to hash shit out was put into action, Hongjoong the unofficial leader of the group sent San and you separate texts asking to meet up at his recording studio space to hang out. You arrived first, you had made yourself at home on the sofa and then about five minutes later San was walking into the room. “Oh fuck no, I’m not doing this.” You exclaim, grab your things, and make your way to the door to leave. It’s San who surprisingly makes the move to block your way out. Hongjoong and the others maneuvered to exit and lock the door as you and San stared down one another with laser like focus.

“Sit. The. Fuck. Down. Y/N.” He hisses through his teeth, using the tone of voice he reserved for those occasions you would have tested his patience when your dynamic was in place.

“You’re not the fucking boss of me anymore Choi San. Just fucking UGH!! Let me go!” You bark back.

“I’m not going to lose you now when I finally have you back in my life, I won’t make that same mistake again.” His voice sounded as if he was about to cry, it was broken. San’s voice carried his emotions after not seeing you for months,he sounded lost, hurt, terrified, and so, so sad.

“You won’t lose me Sannie, you never did. I went overboard leaving like I did, I was just so… so fucking scared. I was with you every day. I slept in your bed, woke up to you, brushed my teeth while you showered, held you when you cooked. It was becoming so real, so domestic, it felt too coupley when you wouldn’t even claim me as someone you had even been fucking! I couldn’t take it anymore, it was too painful.” Your voice broke as you crumpled to pieces before your former lover. His own eyes filled with unshed tears as he looked at you. Your hair hung in your eyes as you stared at your shoes. Your arms were wrapped around your body like a protective shield as you rocked back and forth avoiding him as your confession hung in the air like a thick fog.

“Oh bun. Shit, baby. I— fuck it. I love you Y/N I have loved you for years. I think it was sophomore year of college when I realized how I’d fallen for you. It was when you were there for me when Mina broke up with me, you didn’t even do anything but sit and listen as I cried. You told me something that day, do you remember?” You shook your head as you looked up at him with wide eyes at his confession. Your heart was thumping, head reeling at the words he’d just blurted out. “You held me and said ‘San, any chance to love you is a chance worth having. You love so greatly, so wonderfully, so wholeheartedly. Love from you in any capacity is love worth lifetimes of happiness that anyone would be blessed to have.’” You began to cry as you realized he was telling you the truth, he remembered verbatim the words you told him that day. He remembered the veiled confession you made.

“San, I love you too.” You whispered, almost incomprehensibly.

“Say it again, please”

“Choi San, I Y/N Y/L/N am undeniably in love with you.” You said louder, now smiling at him with tears cascading down your cheeks. His own tears falling from his eyes as your lips crashed onto his. The kiss tasted like salt from your mingling tears. He smelled like his cologne mixed with his own natural scent that was something so addictive. He felt like home. The warmth of his hands felt like forever.

You moved back in shortly after San confessed, loving him felt like walking on air; light, freeing, and gentle. The domestic routine was something you loved, a good morning kiss, another kiss as you both left for work, a welcome home kiss from him as he cooked dinner to reward you as you came back from a longer day at the office, so many kisses just because. He spoiled you in affection and words of his adoration for you, he made you feel so at home.

It was game night at your home with San, your friends all lounged on your couches as you curled into the worn leather loveseat nestled into the crook of San’s arm. Your head was resting on his chest as your sock covered toes poked at the arm of the small sofa, his laughter lightly shook you as a fond smile crept to your face as Seonghwa was forced into telling another embarrassing tale of his college dating woes. “So she walks into my dorm, I’m thinking ‘hell yeah I’m about to lose my v-card and BAM! The lego collection scared her away like DAMN can’t a man get laid and like legos?” He laments and the snort that left you at his story has the whole group laughing. “Okay just for that miss piggy, your turn, truth or drink?”

“For the sake of my liver, truth.”

“What’s the wildest thing San and you have done while fucking?” The sip of your single glass of wine for the night nearly launches from your nose as the boldness of Seongwha’s question sets in.

“What defines wild to you?”

“Nah sister, just answer the question.”

“Well there was this one time he had me collared with a leash but also tied up in this crazy position, like my ankles and wrists bound together so I was practically immobile. He fucked me so hard I blacked out, we’re okay with like him still going even when I’m not all there in the head. We’ve talked boundaries about that stuff so don’t keep looking at him like he’s a psycho. And yeah, or would you rather hear about how he had to punish me for being such a brat, he went so hard on me that day I had to call off work for three days so the bruises on my ass could heal and I could sit down properly?” You smirked and looked up at San, his eyes were burning onto you as his own smirk settled onto his face. He bent his head down and uttered one small phrase that had you shifting in anticipation.

“Strike one bun, you know I don’t like the idea of them imagining you all exposed and slutty for me.” His voice practically sounded like a purring lion. The shiver that went down your spine was visible to anyone looking your way.

“Well damn. Don’t go having war flashbacks over there Mr. and Mrs. Pornhub.” Yunho prompted as he cleared his throat. You shrugged and the game kept going. The questions only seemed to grow bolder as time passed and soon enough you all grew progressively drunker.

“Y/N truth or drink but if you drink it’s 3 shots this time!” Wooyoung drunkenly declares.

“That’s so foul, okay lay it on me.”

“Who in this room would you tell San you’d be cool to have a threesome with?” San’s grip on your thigh grew harsh in a warning. You promptly took the shots and groans of disappointment rang out as your friends still asked you to answer.

“Fuck it, ummmm Joong I guess.” You say not thinking as the alcohol muffled your mind of any proper filter.

“Strike two.” San’s voice rings in your ear. Like baseball, one more and you’re out of luck. So, you turn on the brat mode.

“I mean come on we all have eyes, Joong is cute and I’m not saying I would do it but hey who knows.” You shrug and you feel San’s eyes burning into your skull as Hongjoong blushes wildly and murmurs a question filled “thank you?”.

The third strike warning never comes as San finds an excuse for the party to end and within the hour you find yourself bent over his lap. The loud thwack! of the shiny leather paddle reserved for only the harshest of your punishments against your ass rings out as he orders you to count. “One! Thank you sir.” THWACK! “T-two! Thank you sir.” and so on until you hit fifteen. Your ass is ringing with pain as he manhandles you silently onto your back with your head hanging over the edge of the bed. You didn’t even have a moment to process before your ankles are on his shoulders and his cock is being pounded into your sopping cunt, tears leaked from your eyes and were hitting your hairline as cries of pained pleasure were ripped from your throat.

“Shut the fuck up and take it like the greedy whore you are.” His warm palm encased your throat as he squeezed it, choked gasp filled moans fell from your lips as the familiar feeling of floating euphoria filled your mind. The blood rushing to your head combined with the sensation of his hand around your throat squeezing your airway made each thrust hit that much more intensely. Your mind was going blank and you dropped into the headspace that made you lose all sense of thought and control. Your mind was solely consumed by San, only San.

“Sir, gonna cum!” You cried as that knot in your stomach grew tighter and tighter. He shook his head and pulled out, he pulled his hand away and maneuvered so he stood at the side of the bed near your face.

“Only good girls get to cum, you know that. Or are you too stupid to remember Bunny?”

“‘m a dumb bunny and forgot sorry sir! Please let me cum!” The tears fell harder toward your hairline as you gazed at him with pleading eyes.

“Suck Sir off and I’ll maybe let you cum.” He asserted and he began to thrust his cock down your throat as soon as your mouth opened. His cock bullied the back of your throat, spit trailed from your lips to your cheeks and hair as you gagged and moaned around his throbbing hard length. You could barely take half of him, but you wanted to please him so badly you relaxed you gag reflex and watched his face screw up in pleasure as he watched his length create a bulge in your throat as you worked to deep throat the entirety of his pulsating cock. It felt like hours of him thrusting in and out of your mouth, your mind was numb and you were still yearning for orgasm. After a few choked “Good girl bunny.”’s you felt his cum shoot down your throat. He pulled out and let the last few ropes of cum shoot over your face moaning as you tried to swallow more of his load.

“Oh Bunny you did so well for me, let Sir make you cum all over for him okay? Want me to eat that pretty little pussy and make you squirt for Sir?” A dumb nod in response was all it took for him to begin lapping at your sopping hole, moans and growls rumbled against your aching clit as he suckled on it like he was having his last meal. His tongue was expertly thrusting in and out of your pussy and his nose brushed your clit as he moved his head to lick you from your asshole to your clit a few times. Your head was reeling as silent screams left your lips, your eyes rolled back into your head as he gently nibbled at your clit. You couldn’t even give San a warning as with one last thrust of his tongue the wire in your core snapped and you felt that jolt of pleasure spread from your head to your extremities. Your legs shook as your fingers dug into his scalp and you held his head to your pussy. Gush after gush of your orgasm flooded from you as he continued to lick and suck at your core. You couldn’t even declare it being too much before another white hot orgasm hit you. You continued to whine and squeal as you soaked the sheets. He pulled away and watched as the lady sprays of your orgasm fled your body. “That’a girl, you there for me baby?” You nodded tiredly as he maneuvered you so your head was resting on a pillow. He had prepared prior to starting the scene having some water, baby wipes, and some pain cream for your ass for aftercare. He whispered soft praises as he moved you once again to massage your aching ass cheeks with the cream and to clean the sticky mess between your thighs with the baby wipes. His gentle touch was so comforting as he made sure you were comfortable after the intense scene was done. Once he was done cleaning you up and making sure you were alright he began to help you sip some water and he whispered more praises to you as you came down to earth from your headspace. Your heart was so full of love and warmth as you took in his gentle hands rubbing your arms and his honeyed voice cooing how proud he was of you, how good you were, and how in love with you he was. He held you close, his chest pressed firmly against your back as you began to be lulled to sleep by his steady heartbeat and the encompassing warmth radiating from his body.

“Sannie?” You whispered hoarsely, looking over your shoulder at him with shining eyes full of happy tears. He smiled and moved to rub them away with his free hand, he peppered kisses on your forehead as he did so.

“Yes my love?”

“I’m so glad the guys made us talk, I can’t imagine not having you in my life. I love you so much.” His own eyes began to fill with tears as he moved so he could kiss you deeply. He didn’t need to respond, his kiss conveyed his feelings. His kiss was warm, filled with the years of adoration he held for you. His arms were safe, protecting you from ever being harmed by the world outside your bedroom. His heartbeat was the metronome by which the melody of your happiness kept time. San was home, he was your forever.

To San, your soft skin was his oasis in a desert. The warmth of your skin on his was his security. Your hands held his heart. Your voice was what he imagined Heaven to sound like. You were his forever. You were his home. You were his peace when the world was too great to bear.

Mr. Mountain and his Bun, could anything be more wonderful? In your eyes, nothing could be better than that. Nothing could be better than loving Choi San. And to him, nothing could be more perfect than loving you with every fiber of his being.

———————————————————————

Taglist: @stolasisyourparent

1 October 2023:

Thank you for reading this far! If you like it please consider reblogging it helps a LOT! Please remember that this is a work of fiction and all of the idols mentioned are used as face claims for characters I’ve come up with. None of their actions or behaviors are indicative of who they maybe be IRL :)

#ateez x female reader #ateez san #ateez choi san #san x reader #ateez smut #kpop x reader #roommates to lovers #best friends to lovers #fwb to lovers #jungkook at the scene of the crime #lazystarwrites #ateez fanfic #non idol au

[jnginlov]

to love you

when you ask him to be your fake fling he’s not prepared for the way it will make his unaddressed feelings for you grow

⇀ pairing wooyoung x gn!reader (references to yunho x gn!reader)

⇀ genre fluff, angst, fake dating au, unspecified nonidol au, f2l, one sided pining

⇀ style one shot

⇀ word count 10.4k

⇀ warnings jealousy, talks of hooking up, talks of vomit, crying, yelling at reader, yelling at wooyoung, just like a lot of general yelling, something that could be interpreted as a panic attack (no specific descriptions), allusions to violence (in a non-serious sense), cursing, food, alcohol consumption (assumed all characters are of age), parties, multiple kisses, pet names (love, babe), skinship (head on a shoulder, holding hands, holding faces), let me know if i missed anything

you and wooyoung certainly weren’t best friends but that’s not to say you two were enemies either. you’d met each other through a friend of a friend just over a year ago and even though you both felt an instant connection, it was nothing that had either of you suddenly intertwining your lives. wooyoung would consider you a casual friend and if he asked he’s about 89% sure you would say the same, 1% of the other 11 was reserved for what his best friend yeosang liked to call his “simp brain” that wanted to imagine you’d call him something along the lines of a crush, but disregarding the tiny baby so minor and minuscule romantic interest wooyoung had in you, you both were casual friends, “i’m already in the neighborhood, do you want to grab coffee” friends, “i was supposed to have a date but they bailed and i’m already dressed up, do you want to get drinks” friends. you both were certainly not “can you be my fake boyfriend?” friends.

“i’m sorry, what?” wooyoung is lucky he swallowed the last sip of his coffee or it would likely be all over his open laptop.

“you know that guy yunho?” you supply, quite unhelpfully in wooyoung’s opinion.

and yeah of course he knows yunho, he’s yeosang’s roommate, and the guy you haven’t been able to shut up about for the past month. “what does he have to do with anything?” he asks, trying to keep any of the jealousy he felt bubbling in his stomach at the mention of yunho’s name from showing on his face.

you roll your eyes like the answer is obvious as you reply, “well i was talking with mingi the other day,” mingi being the friend you had met wooyoung through in the first place, “and he said i should try making yunho jealous, because he’s pretty sure yunho is actually interested in me but just, like, needs that push.”

wooyoung nods slowly as he continues to listen to you rant, trying to understand where in your mind you think taking mingi’s advice, especially when it came to your love life, would be a good idea. wooyoung loved mingi but the man hadn’t had a date in more than six months and he’s not even sure when the last time his roommate had any romantic interest in anyone was.

“-and so i figured the best way to make someone jealous is basically seem interested in someone else,” you conclude as the man sat across from you tunes back in, trying to look like he’d been listening the whole time instead of wondering how he’d found himself in this situation. he was definitely going to have to talk to mingi once he got back home.

“and you thought i was the best choice for that?” wooyoung raises a brow as you sip your drink.

you nod quickly as you swallow. “well i’m pretty sure he knows hongjoong and seonghwa are dating, jongho is very clearly not my type, i’m not close enough with san, and i doubt he would believe yeo and i were a thing considering they live together,” you explain, listing off all the men in your close circle of friends, except for him, yunho, and mingi, and for a second he considers trying to twist mingi’s intentions by suggesting that maybe the tall blonde is the one who likes you and is looking for an excuse to get close to you but he can still recall the look of sadness on the gentle giant’s face the last time wooyoung threw him under the bus. the look of determination on your face makes it seem like you’d been thinking about this for more than a day, hell maybe even more than a week, but wooyoung can’t tell if your resolve should be alarming in any way because he’s much too worried about the prospect of what pretending to be in a relationship with you might do to his heart.

in a last ditch effort he asks, “isn’t this what, like, tinder is for?” and the way you sigh cues him in to know that you’ve definitely considered that avenue already.

“i don’t want to lead on some poor guy for my own gain like that.”

of course you don’t, you’re too nice, and if you knew that wooyoung would agree in a heartbeat, if it weren’t for his microscopic eensy-weensy romantic interest in you, he’s sure you wouldn’t be asking him for the exact same reason, but wooyoung has been set to keep his feelings to himself since he realized they existed at all and so he can only blame himself for the current situation. well maybe he can blame mingi too but, again, that’s a conversation for later.

wooyoung sighs. “i need to know your plan before i’ll agree to anything,” he says but he knows he’ll end up saying yes no matter what when he sees the way your face immediately lights up at the prospect of your plan working successfully.

“okay,” you place your hands against the table excitedly, causing both of your drinks to wobble slightly, “i was thinking it could be more of a casual thing instead of a full blown relationship so that it would be more believable when we break it off.” you explain and wooyoung can feel that he’s not going to get any work done today, closing his laptop in defeat as he rests his chin on top of his hand, his elbow now placed on the table.

after you’d explained the details of your idea, and your fake situationship, you and wooyoung both left the cafe with a plan for the next couple weeks, leading up to a big party yunho and yeosang were hosting in which you’d explain to yunho that your thing with wooyoung was over and you’d get together and it would all work out.

he had to give it to you, wooyoung had doubted how much rational thought you’d actually put into your idea when you first asked but after hearing you out he was almost convinced himself that it might work. secretly wooyoung was hoping for the romcom ending in which you would realize he was the one that was interested in you, but that was just a itty-bitty thought in the back of his mind, totally not a thought swirling around his head and making his heart thump his entire journey home after you’d parted ways.

“hey, how was your day?” mingi is quick to greet his roommate with a large smile as wooyoung takes off his shoes in the entryway.

“hm yeah it was fine,” wooyoung starts with sarcasm dripping from his voice, “except for the part where you convinced my friend to ask me for a fake relationship!” his words had progressively gotten louder as he approached the taller man, now looking like a kicked puppy and cowering on the couch.

“what’s going on?” seonghwa, who had been trying to pay attention to the television is now alerted to the conflict between his friends when mingi almost sat right on him.

“mingi convinced (y/n) that they just need to make yunho jealous in order to get him to make a move,” wooyoung plops down next to seonghwa, arms crossed in front of his chest and pout set on his face.

“and that’s your problem because,” seonghwa trials off, gesturing for wooyoung to supply the rest of the sentence before placing a comforting hand on mingi’s arm.

“because,” wooyoung sighs, taking a deep breath before he finishes his sentence, “they asked me to be their fake situationship.”

mingi pops up off the couch suddenly at wooyoung’s statement, looking just as surprised as wooyoung is sure he was in the cafe with you less than an hour earlier.

“i did NOT suggest they fake date one of our friends,” mingi explains, scrambling through the living room in search of, well, wooyoung’s not sure. “my suggestion was to just get a little comfy with someone at a party or something,” he explains, pulling the pillow off from where he’d been sat and sighing in relief as he takes his phone into his hands, fingers flying across the screen in a panic.

“i don’t see the issue,” seonghwa interjects, “it’s not like you’re actually dating and it’s not even like you’re fake dating if you’re not calling it official,” the oldest of the group shrugs, opening one of the boxes of pizza on the coffee table and pulling out a slice for himself. “plus it’s not like you’re interested in them or anything.”

mingi freezes at this, his behavior a complete 180 from only a few seconds ago as his gaze slowly drifts up from his phone to wooyoung who has stiffened next to seonghwa. the two youngest both let out audibly pained chuckles and seonghwa drops his plate dramatically back down onto the table.

“don’t tell me.”

wooyoung clears his throat loudly. “so i may have, like, the tiniest most insignificant crush on them,” he practically whispers, face feeling slightly warmer at the prospect of the situation he’s in, and certainly not his feelings for you.

seonghwa narrows his eyes at the youngest, a question on the tip of his tongue before mingi decides to supply the answer anyway.

“you’ve been in love with them for months, we all know.”

“i am not in love with them,” wooyoung shouts back, anger reignited as he focused back on the true root of the issue, mingi and his bright ideas. “yes i might think they’re attractive, and yes i would like to date them for real, and maybe, just maybe, i do get a little jealous when they talk about yunho, but that doesn’t mean i like them that much.”

wooyoung feels the energy fizzling out and his words get weaker as he observed the looks on his roommates’ faces. mingi seems almost smug, like he’s been proven right, while seonghwa wears an amused grin, eyebrows raised slightly in satisfaction.

“you’re sure about that?”

the next week, as he’s laying sprawled out on his best friend’s bed, yeosang busy putting away his freshly cleaned laundry, he sighs for what feels like the millionth time and the dark haired man at the closet has had enough.

“either say something or stop sighing,” yeosang grunts, placing the last hanging item in the closet. as he moves to sit at his desk, wooyoung flips onto his stomach quickly, causing the bed to creek and him to bounce slightly.

“i just don’t get it,” wooyoung says and yeosang resists the urge to groan. this is the same conversation the two had been having since wooyoung found out about your interest in yeosang’s roommate.

woo complains that he doesn’t understand why you think yunho is so great and then yeo has to bring his friend back to reality by reminding him that yunho is actually a pretty great guy and that woo is the one who could change his own fate, if he just had the balls to admit he was interested in you. but of course wooyoung always manages to weasel out of the truth, claiming that he doesn’t like you that much, or that you don’t like him, which yeo thinks is shit considering the amount of times you started ditching him for his own best friend but he’s not a snitch.

it’s yeosang’s turn to sigh. “i’m not doing this again,” he mutters. “yunho is not a bad guy, in fact he’s a great guy, all of his previous relationships ended amicably, he’s not unattractive according to the people that have asked me to give him their number, and as far as i know he and (y/n) actually have quite a bit in common.” yeosang turns to wooyoung quickly, finding the younger man with a small pout gracing his features.

as wooyoung opens his mouth to possibly argue against one of the points his friend had raised, both men hear the familiar sound of the front door opening and yunho’s usual greeting rings through the apartment. both boys suddenly feel like they’ve been caught, wooyoung’s eyes going wide for a moment as yeosang turns back to busy himself with the unfolded clothes on his desk.

“hey,” yunho says, poking his head through yeosang’s open door a few moments later. “they were out of those macarons you like at the cafe so i got you a maple cinnamon roll instead, y/n suggested it.”

at the mention of your name wooyoung perks up, trying not to seem too eager at the mere thought of you.

“sorry woo, i didn’t know you were over until after i’d ordered or i would have gotten you something,” yunho apologizes and wooyoung hates that he can tell it’s sincere.

wooyoung thinks it would be a lot easier to hate his best friend’s roommate if he was not actually such a nice guy. but he just can’t hate him, he might dislike him a bit for being such a great guy and being the one to hold your attention, but honestly feeling anything but amicable toward the man just makes him feel guilty. it’s not yunho’s fault you find him attractive and it’s certainly not yunho’s fault that wooyoung can’t just admit his feelings.

“you ran into y/n?” yeosang asks, honestly not trying too hard to hide the glance he throws wooyoung’s direction.

yunho nods as he moves to fully lean against yeosang’s doorframe. “they said they were stopping by the cafe before they were supposed to meet a friend.”

yeosang and wooyoung both nod in response, wooyoung’s a little more engaged while yeosang keeps looking between his two best friends.

“they actually asked if you were over,” yunho continues, gesturing to wooyoung with a quick tick of his chin.

the younger man’s expression quickly shifts to confusion before he’s remembering your idea he’d been telling yeosang about only half an hour before. he tries to tone down the shock of hearing you ask about him as he asks, “really?”

“yeah,” yunho chuckles slightly. “they said you weren’t answering any of their texts and that only happens when you’re with yeosang.”

before yunho is even done with his explanation wooyoung is digging through the slightly askew comforter he’d unceremoniously dropped himself and his phone onto once he’d arrived an hour ago. he’s not sure if you just made up the statement to prove to yunho that you two were close, as you truly didn’t text each other much outside of making plans, but no matter if you were just trying to provoke yunho you had spoken the truth. just about every time you texted wooyoung he would drop everything to respond. mingi would call it being “down bad”, and maybe wooyoung was learning to accept that fact about himself.

as wooyoung scrolled through the texts you’d sent him, a little update about how you think the plan is working and a picture of a cute dog that you said looked a little like him, which totally didn’t make him blush, he hears yunho clear his throat.

“are you two,” yunho pauses as wooyoung glances up at him, finding the conversation to feel a bit stiff and uncomfortable. “are you two like a thing?” yunho finally asks, finding the setup of yeosang’s room to be more interesting as his friend watches a blush creep onto the tips of his ears.

it’s wooyoung’s turn to find the decor around him interesting as he replies, trying to remember everything you’d talked about, “i wouldn’t call it a thing.” wooyoung shrugs trying to seem cool as he feels his heart beat creeping up into his throat.

he hadn’t anticipated it being this hard. the man hadn’t even lied about anything yet and he could still feel the guilt settling into the back of his throat, flavoring his words with a bitterness that held a strange mix of satisfaction, for getting to even pretend to know you in a more intimate way than his current competition, and regret, for agreeing to be apart of a plan that might cause one of his friends any distress.

“they’ve just been talking about you a lot,” yunho adds and if wooyoung had a little less self control he’d probably have fallen right off yeosang’s bed. he’s too focused on the thought of you purposely mentioning him in conversation to others to think about how yunho would know, the older man probably having seen you more times than wooyoung had in the past week.

“i think they’re in what you might call a situationship,” yeosang supplies when wooyoung doesn’t respond, shrugging as if he has no interest in the information he’d just shared.

wooyoung bites his tongue as he takes a deep breath, mentally preparing to tell the biggest lie he’s probably told in his whole life, just as you’d agreed to. “you remember that party their friend, whatever-her-name-was, had a few weeks ago?”

yunho nods gently, now able to look at wooyoung again after having determined that the conversation maybe wasn’t that uncomfortable.

“well we kinda,” wooyoung pauses, knowing it’s his last chance to back out before everything changes, and so he pushes forward with a sigh, “we hooked up that night and we’ve gotten together a few times since then.”

for wooyoung, it felt weird to say, the statement now just sitting in the air as he sees yunho trying to digest the information. he thought it might make him feel some way but instead he just feels empty, knowing that it’s entirely untrue. sure you’d left that party together, a fact that you had remembered and wanted to use in order to make your little fib realistic, but you’d both simply had enough of partying that night and gone for food at the convenience store on the corner before he walked you home. as far as wooyoung was aware, and he was pretty sure you didn’t go anywhere after he left your doorstep, you’d both gone to bed alone that night. and yet wooyoung didn’t feel like he could let himself daydream even the thought of you both actually doing anything then, the idea much too dangerous for the way he’d slowly started accepting what all his friends had been telling him about his affections recently. and even though he might be able to admit that he does have a crush on you, he certainly wasn’t expecting to hear the question falling from yunho’s lips.

“do you love them?”

wooyoung could feel his stomach jump right into his throat, his heart plummeting at the same time and causing nausea to replace the guilt he’d been wadding in just moments earlier.

“uh i think love is maybe a strong term,” he tries to chuckle lightly but he can hear the awkwardness permeating the laugh. “but i do like them.”

it’s the first time he’s admitted it without a caveat, and just like with the lie before, he feels the emptiness returning except instead of sitting deep into his stomach it fills his entire chest cavity, only stirring the nausea and making him feel like he’d much rather sink into the covers of his best friend’s bed than continue this conversation. he’s just not sure how much more he can say before he might actually vomit.

yunho nods slowly, a thoughtful look on his face, before he says, “i think you two would be good together.”

wooyoung is much too focused on staying grounded and not revealing the sickness that he feels to analyze whether yunho is telling the truth, a slight burn building in his chest of what he can only assume is bile, and at this point he’s not sure he wants to know what yunho thinks anymore. why did he agree to this?

“well, that roll is on the counter whenever you want it yeo,” yunho continues, oblivious to the turmoil brewing in wooyoung’s mind and body. “see you later woo.”

with that the man is gone, disappearing into his bedroom down the hall.

yeosang turns to his best friend quickly, ready to supposedly recap the conversation but stops in his tracks when he sees the look of pain on wooyoung’s face.

“how am i gonna make it through this?”

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

the next week or so is filled with moments similar to this, where he has to look at yunho and lie straight to his face, straight to his own heart. and although yeosang assured that it would have to get easier at some point, wooyoung can feel he’s reaching his own breaking point.

throughout the process, as you execute your plan, you actually try to spend more time with wooyoung, starting with simple little outings that weren’t too different from things you might do usually. at some point these outings morphed into full fledged dates, and every time wooyoung felt himself sinking into the idea that he might be able to just enjoy this for what it was, you were quick to mention the plan and pop the bubble that wooyoung had found solace in. although he feels something unfamiliar burning lightly in his chest he can’t even fathom to be mad at you, too unbelievably happy in those moments where he could forget that you were faking it all.

“i’m not sure this is good for you anymore,” seonghwa had said one day after wooyoung had come home from a day out with you, plopping himself down onto the couch with an exhausted heart from the emotional roller coaster you were unknowingly taking him on.

wooyoung only let out a grunt, the sound muffled by the cushion his face was squished against, and seonghwa sighed in response.

“you’re tearing yourself apart for them,” seonghwa tried to reason, his quest of stopping this little escapade you’d set yourself on as futile as always.

wooyoung was sure he was delirious at this point, fatigue settled deep into his body from the way he felt he was chasing every moment with you, and so the next words that slipped off his tongue were completely unvetted by his mind and entirely from the heart.

“how else would i be able to love them?”

if seonghwa is surprised by the statement he doesn’t show it, his face neutral as wooyoung turns to look at him, the older man now crouched next to where wooyoung lies. he’s not sure what reaction he expected, and he knows that he asked an unanswerable question, but somehow wooyoung’s not surprised when seonghwa reaches out to run a gentle hand up and down the younger’s back.

the next words wooyoung speaks come out watery as he feels tears pricking at the back of his eyes and that unfamiliar burn returns to his chest, “they’ll always love someone else.”

as much as seonghwa wants to argue, to point out that you shouldn’t think in forevers and absolutes, right now he knows that his friend just needs comfort. so he moves to pull wooyoung so that he’s sitting, seonghwa moving into the space he’s created on the couch and taking his younger friend into his arms, letting him sob gently against his shoulder.

as if he couldn’t feel bad enough about this entire situation, wooyoung wakes the next morning to a text from you. normally he might feel a bit giddy to hear from you but the message is nothing like any of the ones you’d recently started sending, casual conversations about your days and cute pictures of things that reminded you of him. it was cold, with a finite energy and wooyoung could feel it like a punch to the chest.

y/n: let’s break it off

wooyoung can barely perceive himself moving to message you back, feeling like he’s gone into autopilot. he’s tried to be prepared for this but with the way he’s allowed himself to feel with you for the past few weeks it’s almost as devastating as knowing that he’s been making himself comfortable inside of a lie. as he turns over to try to return to sleep he feels that same something unfamiliar burn in his chest.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

“you should go anyway,” yeosang says, looking down at wooyoung from his place on the couch.

wooyoung has taken to wallowing in self pity on the floor of his living room, mingi having forcefully pulled him out of the pitiful nest he had created of his bed a few hours ago upon seonghwa’s request.

“and see yunho all over them, no thank you,” wooyoung pouts.

the two of them had been talking about the party at yeosang’s, and by extension yunho’s, place since yeosang had arrived just over an hour ago. the party was supposed to be the final phase of the plan, when you would confront yunho, with the help of the alcohol that would surely be in your system, and wooyoung was obviously less than enthusiastic to see you complete the last stage of the plan. his best friend had been arguing that he could reasonably avoid you the entire night and be able to have fun anyway, but wooyoung wasn’t in the mood to have fun in the first place.

“if you just stay by the beer pong table the whole night i’m sure you’ll be able to avoid them,” mingi supplies helpfully, to which wooyoung whines in response.

“and have a perfect view of the rest of the room, where everyone else will be having the time of their lives, yeah great, very cool,” wooyoung spits sarcastically, limbs flailing about around him as he tries to push away the mental images of all of his friends getting to have a great night while he tries to keep from silently crying into his cup in a corner.

“so you’re just never going to go to another party?” seonghwa asks, stepping over his roommate as he goes about tidying the living room, setting things that had migrated amongst the room back where they belong.

wooyoung stops at this, turning over quickly so he can toss seonghwa, who spares no glance to him, a questioning look. “what do you mean?”

seonghwa just shrugs, dusting an empty shelf before he reorganizes the knick-knacks that would sit on it. “well, if you’re avoiding this party because you don’t want to see them together, then you’re going to have to avoid every party where you know they’ll be, which will likely be every party you’re invited to,” seonghwa explains, enunciating slowly as though wooyoung is only a child.

“and if you’re just avoiding anything they’ll be at together are you going to stop coming to group hangouts, or anything either one of them is at in fear that the other person will show up,” seonghwa continues, oblivious to the way wooyoung seems to be melting into the floor as he realizes how crazy his logic from earlier sounds now that the eldest is breaking it down like this. “so are you just going to stop being friends with both of them?”

wooyoung lets out something akin to a growl as he flops once more onto his back, his legs kicking in the air as he knows that he’s been cornered. “i get it,” he whines, hands smacking gently against his face in defeat.

“if you just rip the bandaid off now it’ll be so much easier,” yeosang adds, “you won’t have built it up more than you have already.”

“i hate when you’re all right.”

so, with the caveat that he can hang onto one of his roommates the whole night for emotional support, wooyoung finally agrees to attend the party.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

“have you been avoiding me?”

wooyoung knew it was a bad idea to come to this cafe, the same one he had made that stupid agreement with you at, the one where you might be found more often than not, your favorite cafe. and if any of his friends were here with him they might just call him an absolute idiot, yeosang might even call it masochistic, to think that he could avoid you in the one spot you were sure to be.

“avoiding you?” wooyoung hears himself speak before he is even able to process what he should say, his nerves too frazzled by your proximity, standing closer than he thinks you ever have before. it certainly doesn’t help that with the warmer weather lately you’ve taken to start cycling your summer clothes into your wardrobe, your outfit today including one of your favorite tank tops, showing off the soft skin of your collarbone and shoulders. wooyoung has to use all of his self control to not reach out and brush his fingertips against you, tracing shapes into your skin and feeling you shudder beneath his gentle touches.

he’s snapped suddenly out of the trance he had been sinking into when you speak again, “you haven’t been answering any of my messages.”

at this wooyoung moves his gaze to your face and although he can see the teasing smile that graces your lips he can still spot a bit of disappointment swimming in your eyes.

“i’m sorry,” he replies, sounding much too genuine for the way you had seemed to be trying to hide your true disappointment in the playfulness of your usual cadence you adopted around him, and he feels the familiar pool of guilt start to fill the void that he’d been keeping in the pit of his stomach since you’d broken things off.

as you stand before him, forcing him into your personal space and looking at him expectantly, he thinks back to his decision to turn off notifications from your number, one that all of his friends had already torn him to shreds for. at the time he had reasoned that it was to protect himself from the repeated heartbreak he would suffer every time he might interact with you. unfortunately, in making this decision he hadn’t thought about what his seemingly sudden disappearance from your life might do to you, he hadn’t considered that he might be hurting you, and the guilt only grows.

you seem to be slightly taken back by his apology, likely not expecting him to reply in earnest, taking a moment to collect yourself before you state, “so you admit it, you were avoiding me,” although it comes out as more of a question, your head tilting gently as you seem to be inspecting the man before you, and wooyoung hates that he feels so exposed.

you aren’t even aware of the way you hold wooyoung’s heart in your hands but the longer you stand dissecting his expression the more he feels like your grip on it is too tight. he can’t tell whether you want him to answer honestly, or if you even care if he does, his mind is far too clouded by the scent of your shampoo along with the hurt he can see you trying to hide behind the confusion in your eyes, and he feels the familiar prickle of tears forming in his own.

he watches as you own features turn to concern, but before either of you can move to speak again, you’re both thrust out of the moment as someone behind you asks, “are you two going to move? you’re holding up the line.”

and suddenly wooyoung feels like the entire world can see him, pathetically crying over a person stood directly in front of him, and he needs to get out.

he’s not sure how he manages to make it out of the cafe with his vision as watery as it is, tears now fully rolling down his cheeks, but he assumes muscle memory simply kicked in as he finds himself briskly walking in the direction of his apartment.

“wooyoung!” he hears you call behind him and for a moment he considers stopping but then he feels that familiar burn in his chest, the same one he felt when you’d broken things off, and in a moment of clarity, as his feet carry him further from the agreement you’d both made, he realizes what it is, anger. although he’s never felt anger like this before, anger that roots itself into that guilt he’d been building for the entire time you’d pretended to be something. so it’s not an anger he can quickly pick apart and resolve, no, it’s an anger that feels like it feeds off of everything he’s been through for the past month. he’s angry at himself, for being so stubborn for so long, at his friends, for pushing for him to reanalyze his feelings, at the situation, for being so complicated, at yunho, for being the one you want, at the plan, for making everything worse, and most importantly at you.

his feet suddenly come to a halt, and you must have been closer behind than he thought because just a moment later he feels you running right into his back, not having expected him to actually stop.

“what do you want from me?” he spits, whipping around and causing you to jump in surprise.

“wooyoung,“ you begin softly, feeling his gaze sharp and strong, “what’s wrong?”

“you want to know what’s wrong?” he laughs, the sound void of any real humor. “you’re what’s wrong.”

you try not to react, knowing that he probably doesn’t mean what he’s saying, but he can see the way your hands, that had been hesitantly reaching toward him, suddenly drop to your sides.

“you and your goddamn plan,” he starts. “why couldn’t you have just fucking talked to yunho yourself instead of dragging me along for your own fun? you’re so goddamn selfish it doesn’t even cross your mind that other people might get hurt by the shit you think up. but it doesn’t matter to you does it? no one else’s feelings and emotions really matter as long as you can get what you want in the end. how long are you gonna string along yunho before you have to tell him you’re a liar and break his heart too? how many other guys are you going to hurt and then manipulate into feeling guilty for protecting themselves from you, huh?”

by the end of his rant he’s shouting, surely attracting attention from anyone else just trying to go about their lives that might happen to pass you both on the sidewalk, but wooyoung couldn’t care less, each word cooling the burn in his chest and laced with the anger that he can no longer stand to house inside of himself.

“wooyoung, please-“ you try to start, but he must miss the watery way you speak and how your own tears now threaten to join his on the sidewalk as he interrupts you.

“i wish i could just stop loving you,” and with his final peace spoken he turns and begins, once again, the trek home, an inexplicable exhaustion weighing down his steps.

he barely even registers that you don’t follow.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

“JUNG WOOYOUNG WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?”

when he had returned home to an empty apartment, he felt like it was the only good thing that had happened to him in the last month, but then, as he sat in silence, calming his nerves and slowing his racing heart, his actions from the last half hour began to sink into his conscious. he knew his friends would find out what he had done sooner or later, but he certainly didn’t expect to find four of them bursting through his front door in a fury only minutes after he’d arrived.

hongjoong, always the voice of reason, had been the one to shout and announce their presence, his boyfriend, and wooyoung’s roommate, in tow. both men were visibly upset, although reasonably so, and if mingi didn’t have a gentle hold on seonghwa’s wrist wooyoung is sure the eldest would have tackled him to the ground by now.

“i knew you were an idiot but man,” yeosang says, bringing up the rear.

“so,” wooyoung tries, looking anywhere but his friends, “how was lunch?”

hongjoong takes a breath, likely trying to calm himself as he replies, “great, we even ran into a friend,” sarcasm heavy on each syllable.

“oh really?” wooyoung asks just above a whisper.

“yeah,” hongjoong nods harshly with an angry smile, “we would’ve invited them to join us had they not been FUCKING SOBBING,” he ends shouting.

“ah,” wooyoung tries, wishing the couch might just swallow him whole. “so you ran into y/n i’m guessing.” wooyoung lets out an awkward cough, releasing a humorless chuckle as he finally glanced back up at his friends.

“i’m going to ask this again,” hongjoong starts once more, taking several large breaths with his eyes closed to presumably calm himself. “what is wrong with you?”

“what did you do?” mingi takes a turn to speak up, releasing his hold on seonghwa who moves to run a soothing hand along his boyfriend’s back.

wooyoung can’t find the energy to recount the details of your entire encounter, and he also doesn’t feel like being berated for every little misstep he’d taken throughout your interaction, so he resolves to try summarizing the last half hour for the four men that are giving him some of the most expectant looks he’s probably ever seen. “we-uh,” he starts, as eloquently as usual, “we ran into each other and i may have cried and then i may have gotten angry and then i may have, uhm, madethemcry.” his last three words come out as one as he tries to get them out as quickly as possible, hating the way they taste rolling off his tongue.

and now, as the four men that had been listening so closely are thrown into a flurry once more by his statement, he begins to digest his own statement. he made you cry, and he’s sure if the room wasn’t filled with the voices of four of his friends arguing, the crack he feels in his heart would echo against the walls around him.

“i also told them i loved them,” wooyoung says again, barely above a whisper and yeosang is quick to shush the other three.

“you what?”

“i told them i loved them,” he repeats before quickly clarifying, “well it was more like i told them i wished i didn’t.”

and that set them all off again, each of his friends shouting over each other, and wooyoung just sunk into himself, the image of your tear stained cheeks at the front and center of his mind.

after what wooyoung might consider a pretty reasonable 15 minutes of being reminded how he has fucked up in pretty much every way possible, mingi was the first to calm down, always the one to move through his emotions quickly, and yeosang was soon to follow. seonghwa was the next to cool off, half way through a shouted sentence remembering the moment just a week ago in which he’d comforted wooyoung on the same couch he stood in front of now. hongjoong didn’t get the chance to simmer down, seonghwa pushing him to go home before he could pop a blood vessel.

“what are you thinking about?” yeosang asks, sitting himself next to wooyoung on the couch.

“how stupid i am,” wooyoung sighs, staring up at the ceiling.

yeosang sighs, placing a tentative but comforting hand on wooyoung’s bicep. “you’re not stupid,” yeosang says, “you’re just in love.”

wooyoung lolls his head to the side, getting a good view of his friend to see if he was joking, but all he found was sincerity, and a little pity, in the gentle smile on yeosang’s face.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

saturday

y/n: let’s break it off

woo: sure

sunday

y/n: hey, i just told yunho

y/n: just figured you should know

tuesday

y/n: can we talk?

wednesday

y/n: everything okay?

today

y/n: i really need to tell you something

that night wooyoung opens your chat and feels even worse about everything that happened today, but before he can tumble into a cycle of self pity once again, he feels his phone vibrate in his hand.

y/n: are you still going to the party tomorrow?

wooyoung practically tosses his phone in the air with the way he jumps up in surprise, fingers flying across the keyboard to respond. he types out and deletes his message at least five times before he hits send, debating if he should take this moment to apologize in fear that he won’t ever get the chance again. in the end he decides to just answer your question, straight and simple, not wanting to fuck up anything else.

woo: yeah

and in the minute he waits for a response he feels like his nerves are on fire, mentally berating himself for his answer. he should have apologized, or said something else, anything else. you probably wanted him to do more, address what happened earlier in the day, but of course he couldn’t even do that right. so wooyoung starts that spiral again, sinking into the depths of his own mind, until he feels his phone vibrate.

y/n: cool

y/n: i’ll see you there

wooyoung can barely sleep that night, either replaying his mistakes from the day or rehearsing the apology he had to give you at the party.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

yeosang had managed to rope wooyoung into helping with the set up at his and yunho’s apartment for the party, claiming it would help him to get his mind off of things, but as wooyoung knocks on his best friends door, he can feel the anxiety creeping up as he tries to think of a plan for if yunho were to open the door instead of yeosang. wooyoung is so lost in his nerves he doesn’t realize that yeosang has answered until the older man speaks.

“why are you shaking?” yeosang asks, confusion clear on his face as he opens the door wider for the quaking man in question to enter.

“uh, yunho,” is all wooyoung says, as he inspects the state of the apartment.

streamers and other miscellaneous decorations are thrown about the entrance area and living room, the beer pong table already set up in the corner farthest away from the hall to yeosang and yunho’s bedrooms, giving it the best view of the open concept living room and kitchen, and wooyoung tosses around the idea of mingi’s suggestion. he would certainly be able to see when you arrive so he can catch you before you lose yourself in the party tonight.

“oh, he and mingi went to pick up the stuff for drinks,” yeosang shrugs, “i thought mingi would have told you.”

wooyoung just shakes his head before yeosang starts instructing him on what he needs to do, placing the younger in charge of setting up the kitchen while yeosang gets everything hung up in the entrance and living areas.

for the first half hour, wooyoung does have to admit that he is more focused on decorating and organizing the snacks, making sure to leave room for drinks, than the apology he has perfected that had been swirling through his mind all day. he busies himself with which color balloon should be where and whether he should put the salty and sweet together or mix them up a bit so one side doesn’t get more crowded than the other, of which he decides to mix them together, instead of how he should open the conversation he’s dreading. of course as he finally starts managing to sink himself into his task all the way he hears a throat clear behind him.

expecting it to be yeosang who has some little complaint about the way wooyoung hung the streamers or how he should at least put the cookies all together he just says, “i don’t want to hear it.”

instead of one of yeosang’s usual quips wooyoung is surprised to hear a much deeper voice, laced with confusion. “what?”

wooyoung is quick to whip around, ending up face to face with, a slightly amused but mostly puzzled looking, yunho who has a bottle of tequila in one hand and some sort of mixer in the other, a few bags scattered on the floor near his feet.

“sorry,” wooyoung is quick to move, gesturing to the empty space on the counter. “thought you were yeosang,” wooyoung explains, stepping as far out of yunho’s way as he can.

yunho just chuckles lightly, as he sets the two bottles down, turning to wooyoung, “i figured.”

to wooyoung’s surprise yunho doesn’t move to unpack any more of the bags, instead leaning up against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest.

“he went out to grab another cord for the speakers,” yunho explains, “we always manage to loose one.”

wooyoung just nods slowly, his gaze flickering between the decorations still left to be used and the bags that still need to be unpacked, and just as wooyoung is about to move back to do one of those tasks, yunho speaks up again.

“y/n told me,” he says and wooyoung freezes completely, feeling his heart plummet into his feet. he prepares himself for any of the rage that yunho might be about to throw his way, even trying to mentally steel himself for the way yunho will surely laugh at him for telling you that he loved you. how could his love compare to that which is reciprocated by someone you actually wanted.

“i still mean what i said,” yunho continues and wooyoung dares to glance at his friend. “i think you two would be good together.”

now it’s wooyoung’s turn to be puzzled. for a moment he wonders if yunho is sick at all because he certainly wouldn’t tell another guy, especially one that made his crush cry, that they would be good together but with the way yunho doesn’t react to wooyoung’s confusion wooyoung fears that maybe the sleep deprivation has finally caught up to him.

“i know that it was supposed to be all pretend but i don’t think you were lying when i asked you if you loved them,” yunho continues and wooyoung shakes his head like it will clear out his thoughts. “you’re a pretty open book.”

wooyoung decides he might as well bite the bullet and asks, “what did they tell you?”

“that it was fake,” yunho replies easily, “the situationship.”

wooyoung wishes that his answer cleared anything up but instead it only leaves him feeling more lost. does yunho like you? does he know about yesterday? do you still like yunho? wasn’t the end of the plan the party? that had to mean that you ended the plan early, did it not work out?

“i hope it works out for you,” yunho concludes, leaving wooyoung to stand mindlessly in the middle of the kitchen as the older man goes about setting up the drinks.

“thanks,” is all wooyoung can say in response and suddenly the party can’t start soon enough.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

when it’s half an hour past go time and you still haven’t arrived, he’s tempted to text you but he decides against it when he realizes he’s not sure what he would even say. mingi had been reassuring him that it was fine, turning to say so every time he would score in the game of beer pong he and a friend of a friend were playing, he thinks she introduced herself as yuri or yeji or something that started with a y but it’s hard for him to remember when his mind has been stuck on you for the last hour now.

“i told you they were pregaming at san’s so you know it’s gonna take them forever,” mingi says before downing the cup in his hand, the girl across the table high-fiving her friend excitedly. “plus i’m pretty sure they were going to wait for jongho to get off work and swing by his place to grab him.”

wooyoung just nods quickly, feeling more uncomfortable by the second. he had decided to forgo drinking until you arrived, wanting to be sober when he talked to you but the longer he waited the more he was regretting that decision, the soda he’d been nursing for the last half hour going flat as it swished around his cup.

before he can start to overthink it, he leans in next to mingi’s ear, not wanting to yell over the music. “i’m gonna grab a drink,” he says, not waiting for his friend’s response before he’s pushing through the crowd of people dancing, making his way to the kitchen.

“they here yet?” yeosang asks as soon as he spots wooyoung entering the kitchen, simultaneously handing an obviously tipsy seonghwa another drink.

“no,” wooyoung responds quickly, tossing the liquid in his cup into the sink before reaching for one of the bottles of soju on the counter.

seonghwa lets out a high pitched giggle, not hiding that it’s at wooyoung’s expense as the younger whips his head to stare daggers at his senior. “don’t you have a hongjoong to be hanging off of?” wooyoung spits and the phrase receives the reaction he’d intended, seonghwa quick to let out a squeaky “joongie!” before making his way back into the clump of bodies wooyoung had just emerged from.

as he watches his oldest friend disappear into the crowd, yeosang following suit, wooyoung catches mingi’s gaze, eyes wide as he ticks his chin in the direction of the front door, and he knows what it means immediately.

you’re here.

he can see the top of your head slowly moving into the center of the crowd, presumably being pulled by none other than choi san, who wooyoung can see is already flushed when the crowd moves and he can catch glimpses of you both dancing together, a bright smile displayed on your face as you laugh at san. he wants to go to you but he feels like his feet are suddenly too heavy, unable to do anything but watch from a distance.

“just the man i was looking for,” jongho says, clapping wooyoung on the back harshly, and successfully pulling him out of the trance you’d put him in.

“why?” wooyoung whines before he turns to jongho, seeing the smile that only his younger friend could lace with a scary sort of anger and wooyoung’s blood runs cold.

“y/n was just telling me about the interesting conversation you two had yesterday,” jongho says, his hand moving from wooyoung’s back up to his shoulder and squeezing harshly. wooyoung resists the urge to yell and instead tries to push the younger’s hand away, ducking under his arm to try and escape.

“i’m going to apologize,” wooyoung is quick to explain, now facing jongho head on in hopes to stop any more of his friend’s attacks.

jongho just drops his smile, muttering a quick, “i hope so,” before he moves past wooyoung and toward the drinks.

once wooyoung is sure he’s no longer in danger of being on the wrong side of jongho’s anger he quickly turns back to the crowd, scanning quickly for you or san. he spots san easy enough, having moved his dancing from the floor up onto the couch that had been pushed up against one of the walls. unfortunately you’re no longer with him and so wooyoung continues his search once more, although it’s starting to prove difficult as he realizes that more people must have arrived during his quick exchange with jongho, the living room packed almost wall to wall.

“who are we looking for?”

wooyoung almost jumps three feet in the air as your voice registers so clearly, your mouth centimeters away from his ear so that you can speak without straining over the music. he places a hand firmly against his chest as he tries to calm his racing heart but when he turns to you he knows the attempt is futile.

“can we talk?” wooyoung eventually manages out between staggered breaths, yelling over the music instead of opting to get closer to you, fearing that he might overstep some sort of boundary if he were to be inside of your personal space.

you only nod in response before you grab his wrist, and wooyoung barely registers where you’re pulling him off to as he focuses on the way your fingertips press into his skin. only once you’ve closed the door behind you two, successfully muffling the music and voices enough to converse without shouting, do you release his arm and he recognizes the room as his best friend’s.

you make no effort to move away from wooyoung once you’ve succeeded in locking the door behind him, ignoring the many extra feet of space that you could place between you both, and wooyoung isn’t sure if he’s overthinking but he would like to assume it’s a good sign.

“i was looking for you,” wooyoung answers your question from earlier, feeling like his mouth is much too dry before he remembers he’s been holding a cup in his hand since you’d arrived and takes the smallest swig of the liquid inside. he notices you aren’t holding a drink and debates about offering a sip of his own to you before ultimately deciding to just set it down on yeosang’s desk, leaning awkwardly to the side in order to reach.

“why?” you ask and wooyoung loses his balance for a moment, falling into you slowly before his feet find better support. if he hadn’t felt hot enough with embarrassment just from starting to fall in front of you, he’s now overheating when he realizes you’d placed a hand on his chest to keep him from completely falling onto you, your palm feeling as though it might burn a hole through his shirt.

he clears his throat nervously as you retract your hand and he misses the searing heat of your skin almost immediately, itching to just grab your wrist and place your hand back. but he doesn’t, because he respects you too much. he loves you too much.

“to apologize,” he finally admits, feeling the heat you’d gifted him moving up from his chest to his cheeks. “i-“ he tries to breath, to remember the apology he’d been practicing in his mind, but it’s so much harder when you’re actually in front of him. your eyes, just as they had in the cafe before his outburst, make him feel exposed, sensitive. “i’m sorry for getting mad at you, i shouldn’t have said what i did,” he’s able to continue, trying hard to return your gaze so that you may be able to spot the sincerity in this apology just as you had his last. “i didn’t mean those things. i was,” he pauses, knowing this is the point in which he could still turn around, pretend that he wasn’t upset for the reasons he was, and so he pushes through anyway. “i was angry at myself and you were just who i could take it out on. you didn’t deserve that, i’m sorry.”

he searches your face for any change, desperate to see your usual expression replace the frown you sported and smooth out the current crease between your brows, and when your face doesn’t change he’s once again tempted to reach out to you. he wants to just take your face into his hands, to gently message the tension from your temples and to place a gentle peck to the tip of your nose in hopes that he might get to see your smile up close once more before you might just vanish from his life forever.

but instead he keeps his hands firmly at his sides and says, “i wish i could take it all back.”

“all of it?” you ask quickly, your voice practically overlapping his own, and your expression does shift but wooyoung can’t make out the difference.

neither of you speak then for what feels like an hour, your eyes determinedly set on his while you let wooyoung’s gaze flit along your face, trying to find his answer amongst your features, before he closes his eyes with a wobbly sigh.

“i don’t want to stop loving you,” he says, eyes still closed, “but i have to.”

he can feel his chest caving in, the emptiness he’d started calling home consuming him from the inside out as he finally says what he’d been teetering on the edge of admitting for the last month.

“who told you that?” you question and if wooyoung could bare to open his eyes and actually look at you instead of finding cowardly safety behind his eyelids he is sure you would be wearing the same look of frustration he’s seen directed at him so many times before. although now he knows that it doesn’t carry the same playfulness that usually makes him so endeared, the sparkle in your eye that encourages him to bring out that same look more and more.

wooyoung lets out a humorless chuckle, shoulders dropping heavily as he becomes hyper aware of the way he’s been tensing his entire body. “no one,” he says before scrunching up his face in hopes that it will quiet the urge for him to open his eyes and see your face once more. “everyone.”

he hears you let out a huff before you comment, almost indignantly, “well i didn’t get a say.”

wooyoung can’t recall a time he’s opened his eyes faster, tenderness quickly replacing the shock he’d felt when he sees you once more, your gaze now firmly set on the cup wooyoung had placed on yeosang’s desk and arms crossed over your chest, a pout on your lips. he feels the corners of his own lips ticking up in a fond smile.

“so,” he begins to ask, a hint of playfulness coloring his tone as he feels hope build inside of him, “what do you think i should do?”

he’s not sure if you were expecting his eyes to still be closed but as you bring your gaze back to wooyoung’s face he feels like he can easily spot a hint of nervousness beneath your determined expression. you both find yourself in silence once more, this time he’s the one to hold firm, your gaze now traveling along his skin.

“i love you.”

he’s sure if he was any farther from you that he wouldn’t have been able to hear it, the words flowing along an exhale.

“what was that?” he asks, unable to contain the smile that overtakes his features, and he half expects for you to take it back playfully, to mess around with him, but then he watches as a determined smirk creeps onto your face.

“i said,” you start, leaning impossibly closer and placing your hand onto the same spot on his chest as you had earlier. “i love you.”

your lips are on his in an instant, almost imperceptible, the gentlest brush of skin, but wooyoung can feel it.

“i love you too,” he whispers against your lips before one of his hands moves to the back of your neck, the other wrapping around your wrist as he pulls you back into him.

of all the times he’d imagined kissing you, it was nothing like he expected, your lips remaining gentle against his no matter how passionate he became, and wooyoung knew instantly that he was already addicted. he was so utterly consumed by you, and he wouldn’t have if any other way.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

“your drink, my love,” wooyoung says, placing a cup down on the table as he takes the seat next to you, his own coffee in his hands, while he places a gentle kiss against your temple.

“gross,” yeosang comments, watching you both from across the table before taking another bite of his macaron.

“yeah,” hongjoong agrees from his seat on your other side. “i didn’t realize that you two getting together meant we would have to watch you both all over each other all the damn time,” he complains as his boyfriend rolls his eyes on the other side of the table.

wooyoung ignores his older friends in favor of grabbing one of the legs of your chair, pulling you toward him so that he can more easily rest his head against your shoulder. he smirks against your skin as he feels a shudder run down your spine when he turns his head to press his lips into the crook of your neck.

you and wooyoung are gathered with a few of your friends in the same cafe that set everything into motion, your favorite place, enjoying your first quiet afternoon as an official couple.

“come on, i think they’re cute,” mingi says, looking between yeosang and hongjoong, who both exchange disgusted looks.

you chuckle, the sound light and airy, making wooyoung’s heart float as he feels the vibrations through his own chest.

“thank you mingi,” you say with a hint of finality, ready for the attention to be away from you two.

you’re thankful that the conversation drifts into a new direction, yeosang mentioning something about the latest star wars movie and sending seonghwa into a spiral about his thoughts and opinions.

“thank you,” wooyoung whispers, lifting his head from your shoulder before resting it on his hand, his elbow propped on the table in front of you.

you send him a confused look, tilting your head gently, but with the way he stares at you, overwhelmed with devotion, you can’t keep a tender smile from gracing your features. “for what?”

“forgiving me,” he elaborates, taking your hand in his.

for a minute you simply bask in the genuine warmth of the moment, watching the way his gaze shifts to your hand as he starts to play with your fingers gently. you’re tempted to bring his own hand up to your lips and let the whole situation stay genuine, but you just can’t keep from teasing.

“who says i forgave you?”

wooyoung is quick to look back up at your face, eyes wide with worry as he lifts his head from his hand, now using both of his hands to hold one of yours. you watch the worry melt away as a pout takes over his features, seeing the playful smirk on your own.

you can hear the whine building in his throat before he even opens his mouth, your gentle giggles matching his volume. “babe,” he groans, dropping his shoulders as he pulls your hand against his chest.

once you’ve calmed down enough from your giggle fit, you reach the hand he’s not holding up to hold his face, watching with adoration as he turns his head to press his lips into your palm before he leans fully into your touch.

as you both sit, just savoring the moment, wooyoung can’t help but reflect on how you both ended up here. so, as he falls deeper into his romantic haze, he can’t help but let you know, “i love to love you.”

↼ ateez masterlist

note so hi, i’m alive. this was just something i wrote for fun recently and now i guess i write for ateez. anyway, hope you enjoyed

let me know what you think?

#wooyoung x y/n #wooyoung x you #wooyoung x reader #ateez x gender neutral reader #ateez x y/n #ateez x reader #ateez x you #ateez x gn reader #wooyoung x gn reader #gender neutral reader #gn reader #fake dating #non idol au #f2l #wooyoung fanfic #wooyoung fic #ateez fanfic #ateez fic #one sided pining #fluff #angst #wooyoung fluff #ateez fluff #wooyoung angst #ateez angst

[n0v4t33z]

The Syndicate - Chapter 1: Misfortune of a Prodigy

Pairings: Choi San X Female Reader, Park Seonghwa X Female Reader, Ateez X Female Reader, Bangchan X Female Reader

Summary: Y/N is a Detective with a promising future in the police department until she's kidnapped by the infamous mafia boss Choi San and from him, she learns the dark secrets her superior has been hiding the whole time so she teams up with him in order to put a stop to it.

Genre: Lots of angst, Romance, Crime Fiction, Psychological Drama

Word Count: 2.9k

Tags/Warnings: For Mature Audiences, Language, Graphic Violence, Mentions of Illegal activities (i.e Kidnapping, extortion, assassination etc.), y/n gets roughed up by Wooyoung in the beginning , Slow Burn, Fluff sometimes, Work In Progress, Non-Idol AU, Mafia AU, Very suggestive at times, y/n cries alot, y/n having inner turmoil, Ateez being bad boys, Wooyoung and Yeosang are a little mean in this story tbh, Guns, Gunshot wounds, Assassination attempt(s)

I'll update tags as the story progresses

MINORS DO NOT INTERACT!!

Spotify Playlist🎵 | Series Masterlist 📝

Author's Note: Hi guys! This is the very first story that I grew courage to post on here, so please be kind! I would also like to just kind of let you know that this is a work in progress so updates may not be as quick and they will be pretty slow as I am quite busy with work although I'm quite a bit ahead in the story writing wise so in the mean time I have enough chapters to be able to post. I really hope you guys enjoy the story! 💜

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After being called into a crime scene, I finally arrive to my destination and notice a couple of bystanders and a few journalists outside the hotel, I show my police shield to the officer guarding the crime scene and I head inside. I look around and notice the beautiful crystal chandelier on the ceiling and the beautiful marble floor of the lobby. I’m assuming it’s another one of Aurora Syndicate’s rival gang member’s death. I head over to the presidential suite of the hotel and there he was, a man who was around his 50’s bludgeoned to death, judging by his clothes he had a lot of money too. While my mind was focused on the crime scene I feel a hand on my shoulder interrupt my thoughts then I turn and realize it’s my partner Detective Christopher Bang “ Hey, I genuinely thought you weren’t going to come since it’s past the time you get off” He gives me a smug smirk judging from the tone of his voice. I shrug keeping my eyes focused on the victim’s position.

“Well, duty calls. Besides it has to do with AS so you know I’m up for this. So, whose this guy? He looks like he’s loaded" Chris takes out his notepad and hands it to me for me to read “Well, the guy’s name is Shiro Ito judging from his bank cards and identification used to get this room. He was allegedly involved in laundering money for The Aurora Syndicate, my guess he might have been stealing or giving out information which is why they probably killed him.” I slowly nod then I hand Chris his notepad back “Makes sense why they would have killed him, were his records clean?” He nods “Yep, clean as a whistle. The receptionist downstairs told me he was the owner of a few clothing stores which makes sense and is probably how he was able to launder money for so long without being questioned.” I get a little closer to the body and I look at the impact wounds. The wounds looked very deep, something very personal was the reason this man was killed. The suspect is definitely not a female, judging by the severity of the wounds it was definitely a male. I shift my gaze over to the man’s hands whom was holding on to something tightly.

With my gloved hands I pry open the victim’s right hand to reveal a cuff link with a beautiful iridescent stone. My face instantly lights up and I put it in an evidence bag. “Chris, this was not a woman who killed him. Look, a cufflink with an Aurora Borealis stone and it doesn't belong to Mr. Ito, he took it off of the attacker while he was trying to fight him off. If we find who this cufflink belongs to we've got our guy.” Chris’ eyebrows slightly raise while crossing his arms in front of him “Narrowing it down won’t be too hard, I’m positive it’s someone in the AS’ inner circle hence the name of the stone.” I turn and hand it over to a crime scene technician “Put this in evidence please this one is very important.” the technician nods and marks the evidence, I look back over to my partner who was engrossed looking at his notebook and I let out a small yawn “I’m heading home now, I’m exhausted. You mind finishing up here? I'm also almost finished with the police report from the last case so I'll turn it in first thing tomorrow cool?” He nods while he puts away his notepad in his back pocket and looks to me with a small smile “Yeah for sure, see you tomorrow.” I wave goodbye and I head back to my car and drive home for the night.

While I driving home I begin to think about that cuff link. Whose is it? And why was Mr. Ito killed? Hopefully we’re able to get the suspect’s print off of the cuff link but I highly doubt that since it’s probably covered in Mr. Ito’s prints.

When I arrive at my apartment complex, the lights to the parking lot are busted so it was kind of dark but not enough to where I couldn’t make things out. While I carefully get out of my car and I start to walk to my apartment. While I look through my purse to find my house keys I hear the cocking of a gun behind me “Take one more step In that direction and I will kill you.” I jump up and I turn around dropping my purse on the ground. I focus on both figures both dressed in black one was average height with jet black hair framing his face, and a tall one with blonde-brown hair. I raise my hands slightly to show I have nothing in my hand then the tall one removes my gun from my holster. The guy with the black hair grumbles “Mingi hurry up, I have a feeling someone saw us.” The dark haired male grabs me and points a gun to my lower back while his hand covers my mouth and nose with a cloth “If you scream things will get much worse from here, you wanted to be the hero so now’s your chance to take the fall.” Mingi the tall one, walks up to me and injects something into my neck, zip ties my hands and slings me over his shoulders like a rag doll. I have to fight to stay awake. I have to at least see the vehicle. I force my eyes open trying to stay awake whilst trying to free myself from Mingi's strong grip but my eyelids become unbearably heavy and I fall unconscious before I’m able to see the vehicle.

A few hours later, I wake up in a lowly lit room and quickly realize I'm tied up to a chair. Slightly groggy, I look around and see no one was in here. This empty room, is practically a near empty room with a crudely made empty bookcase behind me which looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years along with a mix of bunch of random debris on the ground and dried blood. I sigh then I yell out “Hello?! Let me out of here please!?” After yelling for what seemed like a little while I hear footsteps fast approaching, and soon the door clicks open. It was the dark haired guy who abducted me again. “So you finally woke up, it took you long enough.” He stands in front of me and stares me down all while I look up at him trying to show him I wasn’t scared of him which was an obvious lie considering how I was manhandled earlier so easily. “Why am I here? Who are you?” Completely ignoring my question he reaches over and squeezes my cheeks really hard to the point where I jerk my head back in pain unable to escape his grip “You know, I hate cops. I hate how they try to dig up your business.” I glare at him “Well, maybe you shouldn’t be getting rich off of illegal businesses and death. ” He lets out a mocking laugh and lets go of my cheeks slightly throwing my head back with force that was pretty aggressive “Wow, Detective you’re funny. You know not everyone grew up with the same stupid sense of right and wrong as you right? We do what we can to survive.” I shake my head “No, you and your stupid mafia sheep are just a bunch of idiots who will eventually fall victim to natural selection.” He grabs a fistful of my hair “Oh, we’ll see about that.” He leans in close to my face “I need the rest of the names of the cops who are working on the Ito case, you pigs have something that belongs to San.”

Oh god, is he talking about Choi San? So it was his cufflink, I should have known. I shake my head “No, I won’t tell you anything...” He mutters under his breath “You little- I seriously don’t have patience for you...” he grabs me by the collar of my shirt and punches me in the jaw. A sharp pain shoots through my jaw and the taste of blood fills my mouth, for a few seconds I look at him slightly dazed while I mumble “I’m not telling you.” He shakes me violently pulling me from the rope I'm tied to “Talk! I need those names now!” he pushes me back and I fall on my back and on my arms letting out a pained cry “No! I’m not going to tell you anything!” The male walks over to me and kicks me several times in the stomach causing me to let out pained screams and cough up blood. Slowly I start feeling like I was losing my consciousness again but before it happens he grabs me by the rope I was tied up with again and pulls the chair back up “Hey, are you passing out? Come on, tell me names and It’ll all stop. I promise.” He spits out mockingly. I shake my head while I look at the floor trying to dissociate myself from the situation I’m in. Blood profusely drips from my mouth onto my white collared shirt soaking through the shirt and feeling the dull drops of blood fall onto the fabric. One, two, three..

The dark haired man walks over to the corner of the room and grabs a crop whip and hits me so hard I could hear the whip crack. I let out a cry of pain and suddenly a thin, tall, dark haired man dressed all in black wearing a leather jacket comes in and grabs his shoulder “I think she’s had enough. You can stop hitting her now Wooyoung, she’s not going to talk.” Right after he comes in another man enters the room, he wore a wine colored dress shirt and some fitted dress pants with his dark hair slicked back and black rimmed glasses. It’s Choi San, the current leader of Aurora Syndicate. He looks exactly the way people described him to be. Handsome, cat like eyes with a jawline sharp enough to cut diamonds, and a very intimidating prescence. Wooyoung, slighty nervous knowing he messed up looks over at both guys and says “Seonghwa, San, I tried being nice but she was being so rude I didn’t have a choice.” San looks over at Wooyoung quite irritated and says “Can’t you ever follow orders? We need her alive. I never asked you to do this.” Wooyoung raises both of his hands and nods “Alright, alright fine. I’m sorry. I just thought that because you usually-” San turns to Seonghwa and cuts him off “ Seonghwa, please take her to the infirmary and ask Jongho to clean up Wooyoung’s stupid mess” San then makes his way over to me and kneels down, looks at me for a few seconds and lifts my chin up with his finger to meet his gaze all while wiping the blood off my chin with his thumb “I’ll talk to you later Detective, we have some things I wan to discuss.” he gets up and wipes the blood he wiped off of my chin onto Wooyoung's shirt. Slightly annoyed by this action, Wooyoung scrunches up his face in distaste and follows behind him leaving me alone with Seonghwa.

The man quietly walks over to me and uncuffs me from the chair. “That’s a lot of blood, I hope Wooyoung didn’t do too much damage.” His soft voice had some calming effect to where I was slowly coming back from my dissociation and felt a bit more grounded. He kneels next to me and for a few seconds he lets me recollect myself “Let’s go to the infirmary, hopefully you can get rest there.” Slowly tears well up in my eyes making my vision blurry. He lets out a soft sigh and gently pats my back “It’s okay, don’t cry. I can’t guarantee that nothing will happen to you but I suggest you just listen and answer the questions you’re asked.” I shake my head “No, I’d rather die than throw my whole squad under the bus.” He fixes my disheveled hair and says “I know, but trust me the faster you fess up the faster you’ll be able to leave. Just think about it, please.” He slowly helps me up and picks me bridal style in his arms.

While we head over towards the infirmary I break the silence by saying “Why are you being so nice?” For a few seconds he stays quiet until he finally responds “Well, I believe in treating people with kindness despite whether or not I dislike something about them. For instance, I don’t like the feds but that won’t stop me from being a decent human being.” I look up at him in sheer confusion “But you’re a literal criminal. You steal and kill people for a living.” A small smile appears on his face and he says “Criminal or not i’m still human. Remember, we all have reasons as to why we do things even if sometimes those things aren’t good.” He’s right, even the people on the other side of justice have their reasons for being criminals. Not everyone decides to do it because they want to be evil, most of the time it’s the lack of money, or a cry for help. Everyone is different.

When we finally enter the infirmary it smelled exactly like a hospital, intoxicatingly sterile. Jongho was at his desk on the computer but as soon as he sees me in Seonghwa’s arms he quickly gets up and walks over to us. Seonghwa gently sets me down on the examining table. Jongho looks at me for a brief second in horror then looks over at Seonghwa “What the hell happened? Why does she look like this?” Seonghwa looks at Jongho and says “It was Wooyoung, San got pretty upset about it too.” Jongho looks over at me and glances at the police badge around my neck making a very uncomfortable face and huffs under his breath “That bastard..” He uncomfortably smiles “ Seonghwa, I’ll take it from here thank you.” He nods and walks out the door closing the door behind him. Leaving Jongho and I alone.

Jongho puts on some latex gloves and he grabs his stethoscope from a drawer near his desk. He gently places the chest piece on my chest and does a whole routine check up listening to my breathing and what not, shortly after he finishes he puts his stethoscope around his neck and clears his throat “I listened to your organs and everything sounds fine, no broken ribs which is good. I see that your arms are quite red, so you might get bruises but no broken bones which is good news too. I also see that you coughed up blood but you’ll be okay you’ll just be sore for a couple of days the internal bleeding will heal on its own as it's not severe. I'm going to give you some pain killers, they’ll help for a couple of hours.”

After taking the medicine he proceeds to clean my busted lip “Thank you, but I have a question.” His eyebrows slightly raise “Oh, sure what is it?” I give him a pleading look and I say “Why am I here?” his face grows a little serious and he goes back to cleaning my wound “Oh, well you’re here because San Is looking for a family Heirloom he lost... That heirloom is so important to him because it was a gift from his father and to get it back he decided he was going to hold you for ransom until the police hands it over.” I sit there trying to process everything for a few moments then I respond “Isn’t that a little overboard for a cufflink?” Jongho shrugs “It is, but knowing how San is since he really treasures everything his father gave him. I’m sure he really doesn’t want to replace it and it’s understandable.”

San’s father, Junseo “The Phantom” Choi. He was killed in a shootout last winter at a restaurant he frequented. I look down at my police badge then I look over at Jongho “San could have just asked me to give it to him. It's really that simple.” Jongho shakes his head “I wish it was that easy but it’s complicated, let’s just say that your Captain and San’s family aren’t on great terms so in a way this is payback .This is as much as I can tell you because to begin with I wasn’t even supposed to tell you any of this so please just act like it’s the first time you’ve heard about it when San questions you.” I nod “Of course no worries. By the way thank you for not trying to kill me.” Jongho’s small smile comes back and he says “Of course, none of this is your fault to begin with.” Suddenly a guy with light grey hair that almost looks white comes in and says “Hey, I’m taking her from you San wants to talk to her. Is she clear for interrogation?” I give Jongho a worried look and he gives me a small reassuring smile, helps me get off the examining table and walks me over to the guy at the doorway “Yes Hongjoong, she's clear.”

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Tag list: @cromerteez @thanxx1117

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#ateez series #ateez fic #ateez fanfiction #choi san x reader #song mingi x reader #jung wooyoung x reader #park seonghwa x reader #kim hongjoong x reader #jeong yunho x reader #kang yeosang x reader #choi jongho x reader #ateez x reader #ateez imagine #ateez angst #ateez fanfic #ateez fluff #ateez imagines #mafia au #non idol au #slow burn #Fic: The Syndicate

[mirisss]

The Art of You

Model Seonghwa x photographer afab! reader

Requested by: @shinestarhwaa​ “Anything with Seonghwa, maybe with another job than idol”

Summary: 

Park Seonghwa works as a model, and he is well-known in the industry for two reasons: 

He’s incredibly good-looking. 

He’s extremely tough to work with. 

His agency is close to firing Seonghwa because of all the trouble he creates, but they decide to give him one more chance by pairing him up with one of their newer photographers who, just like Seonghwa, doesn’t have the best reputation. (Y/n) (L/n) is well-known to be a great photographer, however, she is troublesome to work with as she never seems satisfied with the photos which irritate most people she works with. The agency decides that hopefully the two young and talented people would find some balance by working together, if not maybe letting them go would be better for the agency. 

Wordcount ≈ 4k

Warnings: cursing, mentions of bullying, some offensive comments (About someone’s work and talent), insecurities about one's own looks, Seonghwa being a bit arrogant and at times described as lazy, let me know if I have missed anything. 

Please reblog and like!

This isn’t my best work but I hope you still like it!

Third person POV

A busy buzzing was occupying a large office, phone calls, conversations, clicking of the keys on a keyboard, faded music from a screen or two, and of course, the signature sign of this office - the clicking of a camera snapping a photo. This is KQ Agency, the number one agency to be at if you want to be a model or professional photographer. If someone needs a model or photographer the first place they call is KQ.  

In a far-off corner, you will find the boss of this operation, Mr. Choi, who wasn’t having a very good day. Lately, he has gotten nothing but complaints regarding one of his models and one of his photographers. Both also happen to be the best in their own line of work. 

*Knock knock*

“Come in,” Mr. Choi was sitting at his desk looking over several papers when a firm knock was planted on his door. The person who stepped inside was the head manager of the entire agency, the right-hand man of Mr. Choi, Mr. Kim. The two were also great friends, having spent a lot of time working together and going on way too many after-works together to not be friends both inside and outside the office. “Hey man, what’s up? Haven’t seen you all day,” Mr. Choi, moved his attention from the papers toward his friend who had an exhausted look. “We got yet another complaint regarding Park Seonghwa today, it’s the third one from today. It’s ridiculous,” Mr. Kim sat down on the little couch in the room and let out an exasperated sigh after delivering the news to his boss and friend. Mr. Choi too let out a sigh. “What was it this time?” “First it was his attitude, apparently he was complaining about the lighting not being good enough, then it was laziness, he wouldn’t leave his make-up chair until he ‘felt like it’, then lastly, once again. His attitude, he wasn’t happy with how the photographer was taking the photos so, Mr. Park told the photographer that he was ‘a useless amateur who could be replaced by the wall because it has more talent and knowledge than him…’ At this rate, it isn’t even worth keeping Park Seonghwa at the agency, we have tried pairing him up with almost every photographer at our agency and others… How can we keep a model that no photographer wants to work with?” Mr. Choi let out another heavy sigh. He liked Seonghwa, he did, because Seonghwa has talent, he was almost an expert without any training when he first came to the agency, however, Mr. Choi quickly realized that the young man had a lot of opinions and he was too stubborn to let anyone else have their way. “Also, we have another problem,” “Let me guess, Miss (Y/n) (L/n). Our famous photographer,” “You are right my friend, the client complained that Miss (L/n) was impossible to work with as she was never satisfied with the set, the lighting, the poses, the pictures, nothing. So eventually the client walked away without finishing the shoot,” The two men sighed once again, their two most talented employees were also, unfortunately, their two most troublesome employees. “So, what do we do my friend?” Mr. Choi was troubled, he genuinely believed that the two youngsters were the most talented people in the industry but unless they stopped being such perfectionists they won’t find any work. “We’re at the end of the road here, but perhaps their final chance can be with each other. Considering their personalities when it comes to work, they might actually be a good pair. And if they can prove that they can work together, then we might be able to keep them here,” Mr. Kim said as he stood up from his seat on the couch. “Perhaps you are right my friend. Did we have anything upcoming for either of them?” “No, as of today neither of them has any planned schedules for another month or so. Miss (l/n) has the cherry blossom shoot at the end of March but until then she is free. Mr. Park is free until the beginning of April for his birthday shoot,” “That’s great, now don’t you think we need some new pictures to represent the company? And who better to model for them than our most popular model? And who better to take the pictures than our best photographer?” “That’s a great idea, boss. I will let the two know of their new schedules,” The two men finally smiled and hoped that their plan would work.

That very night (Y/n) and Seonghwa received an email announcing their assigned project as well as a paragraph explaining that the two must prove themselves to stay with the agency. While they felt a bit annoyed at the situation itself neither one could deny the fact that they looked forward to working with the other. Maybe this time they could work with someone who understands the art of photography and perfection. 

The next morning at the office

At exactly 7:55 AM (Y/n) walked into the office, the photographer always arrived at this exact time, never a minute earlier or later.  (Y/n) was walking with confident steps to her office room as she always does, however, on the inside, she was a nervous mess. Of course, she had heard about the Park Seonghwa. He was probably the hottest man on earth, at least in (Y/n)’s eyes. He carries himself with such grace and one could believe he is a god because of his beauty. Although, (Y/n) had also heard that he, just like her, could be quite the pain to work with so this could become quite interesting to see if they will clash or be able to work in harmony. The young woman sat down in her chair after walking inside her room and shutting the door. She had a meeting booked with Seonghwa at 8.30 so until then she would prepare some examples of concepts for the project, as they are supposed to represent the company they need a couple of different sets. (Y/n) found some inspo pics to show her ideas.

At 8:05 AM, Park Seonghwa calmly walked into the office. Unless he had a meeting at 8 or there was a photoshoot, you wouldn’t catch him coming to work on time. He always thought “What’s the use of being here at 8 AM sharp if I don’t have anything to do?” And in a way he is right, his job isn’t to come up with the concepts - no, his job is to look hot and pose for the photos. His first stop was the coffee machine to grab a cup of coffee before he would go and sit down in the room where he would meet (Y/n). Seonghwa had heard of the photographer, how could he not? Almost every single person he has ever worked for has asked him if he knows her and if he could introduce them to her. Even though she wasn’t the person in front of the camera, she seemed more famous than any female model he knew. Of course, he knew that the photographer was talented, he had seen some of her work. He was always fascinated with her ideas, the way she could make even the most boring product seem incredible with the way she posed it, and just how amazing she was at her job. Seonghwa had seen her around the office a couple of times too, though he didn’t know it, he always thought that someone that beautiful must be a model. 

At 8.30 sharp, a woman opened the door to the meeting room and Seonghwa opened his resting eyes and turned toward the door to greet his new partner. The model was shocked to find the beautiful woman he sometimes saw walking around in the office walking inside the room, holding a bunch of papers in her hands and a big bag, a camera bag. This, this was (Y/n) (L/n). Holy hell. I’m gonna be working with her? Seonghwa thought as he looked her up and down before clearing his throat and standing up. (Y/n), too was a bit stunned as she opened the door to the room, she had heard from multiple people that Seonghwa wasn’t the best at being on time hence she expected him to be late. So, she was shocked to find him inside the room, meaning he was early, and based on the fact that he seemed to have made himself comfortable on the chair and even had a coffee mug on the table, he had been there for at least 5 minutes. As he stood up, (Y/n) almost swooned at his lean build and handsome face, though she did not miss the way he looked her up and down in what seemed to be awe. “Hello, I’m Park Seonghwa. Nice to meet you,” He extended his hand toward (Y/n) though she awkwardly looked up at him before they both looked down at her hands which were full of papers and the camera bag. Seonghwa chuckled a little. “Oh, sorry. haha. Come on in, sit down,” “Haha, thank you. Nice to meet you too. I’m (Y/n) (L/n),” She walked inside and put down all her things on the table. Once that was done, she extended her hand toward the model while also giving him a smile. “There, now I can shake your hand” Seonghwa involuntarily began smiling because of how cute she seemed. Hwa extended his hand once again and carefully took (Y/n)’s smaller hand into his before lightly shaking it. “Well, now we can officially begin this partnership as we have done the mandatory handshake,” They both laughed at Seonghwa’s comment before sitting down and discussing the project. 

The discussion went quite smoothly, Seonghwa was satisfied with the way she had multiple examples of each concept and how she took into account how well he would fit them. An example is, one concept needs to be a cuter and lighter vibe however with his looks that doesn’t really make sense but (Y/n) had an idea of making it a concept of him with a sibling to give it a cuter and lighter feeling without disrupting his usual manner. (Y/n) was happy with the response she was receiving from Seonghwa and how well their teamwork seemed to go. Weird, from what I have heard he’s usually not this easy to get started with… And so the meeting ended without any arguments or problems, to everyone’s surprise. As (Y/n) was beginning to pack up the papers, ready to go back to her room so she could book some venues for the photoshoots, Seonghwa asked her a question that she had never imagined he would, to anyone. “Hey, (Y/n). How come you’re not a model? I mean you’re so pretty, you would be even more popular than I am,” The photographer turned her eyes away from him and back to her papers. “I have my reasons, thank you for calling me pretty but I would much rather stand behind the camera than stand before it,” Hwa seemed a bit disappointed with her answer but he understood. 2 hours ago they had never spoken a word to each other and suddenly he’s asking her a very private question, of course, she wouldn’t answer it. “Would you ever tell me those reasons?” “Maybe someday, if we end up becoming close friends, maybe then” And with that (Y/n) walked out of the room, leaving Seonghwa behind. 

A few days later the partners were meeting up at a park at 5 am to have an outdoor workout photoshoot. The two showed up at 4:55 AM even though they came by separate means they ended up arriving at the same time. “Good morning, I have your outfit here in this bag and while you get changed I’ll set up the equipment,” (Y/n) said with a little yawn. “Good morning, okay sounds good but don’t you have a team to help you set up?” Seonghwa said as he also gave (Y/n) a little wave. “Nah, when possible I usually don’t bring a team because it just takes longer with them because I have to explain how I want things multiple times and then I end up doing it on my own either way,” “Ah, I see. Well, I’ll get changed so you can set up in peace,” And so the partners were left with their own chores for a few minutes. (Y/n) had just finished her setup when Seonghwa came back to the location dressed in a tank top that showed off his tan, well-sculpted arms, and a pair of sweatpants, his hair was styled to look a bit messy - as if he had been running his hands through it a couple of times but he still looked incredibly sexy. “Okay, let’s get this over with,” (Y/n) admired how well Hwa posed and especially how good he looked. Damn, I have never wanted to kiss a man more than now…  “Okay, let’s do some more over here of you jogging around, If you could I’d like to overemphasize the movement so that it comes out clearer in the pictures. And I want you to first run away from me and then turn around and run back. Got it?” Seonghwa admired how (Y/n) described her vision so well and never before had he been so satisfied with a photographer. “Yes, if I do this is it good or do you want more or less?” Hwa demonstrated an example of how he would jog. “Mm, the movement is perfect in size however I would like to change your form, it might feel a little awkward but try to move a little stiffer and don’t look at the camera, I want the photo to seem like I found a random person jogging in the park and not a model,” “Alright, so more like this?” “Yes, perfect! Alright let’s get going, this is the last set of pics, we should be done in maybe 15 minutes,” Seonghwa gave a thumbs up before drinking some water and then he moved over to start jogging. And so after 20 minutes, the two had packed up their things and began their separate journeys to the company. 

(Y/n) immediately went to her office to sit down and work on editing the photos she took this morning. After choosing the best ones and touching up the lighting she was satisfied, they didn’t need much fixing because Seonghwa was perfection in human form. (Y/n) sent a message to Seonghwa asking him to come by her office, to which he responded ‘on my way’. Minutes later Hwa was knocking on her door. “Come on in partner,” “Good afternoon, I brought you a cola,” “Thank you! Come, sit down here beside me. I wanna show you the photos from today,” Seonghwa walked over and sat down on the chair beside (Y/n), they sat so close to each other that their arms were touching. Seonghwa couldn’t help but admire how pretty (Y/n) looked with her hair thrown into a messy ponytail and the way she was so focused on the computer in front of her. “Okay, so here are my favorites, we need to choose just 3 of them and I have about 15 favorites so I need your help to narrow them down,” “Am I that good-looking?” “Nope, most of my favorites are pictures of you making weird faces.” “haha, you liar. I always look good no matter what,” While (Y/n) couldn’t help but think that it was true, she just shoved him playfully before they began looking at the photos. 

And so their partnership continued and after 2 weeks, the two had become quite good friends. Finding companionship in each other’s perfectionism and personality. While the two also began harboring romantic feelings for one another, neither wanted to say anything, afraid of being rejected and saying something too early. Seonghwa still wondered what reasons (Y/n) had to stay behind the camera, in his eyes the photographer was insanely pretty and beautiful so he couldn’t understand why she wasn’t a model or an actress or something like that. 

One night after a long photoshoot at a street market, their last photoshoot for the project. Seonghwa and (Y/n) decided to have a little dinner party in Seonghwa’s apartment. The party consisted of just the two of them, some pizza, some snacks, and soda - not even alcohol, but they were happy with this.

“Okay, did you know that Jung Wooyoung is number 2 on the list, just after you, of models you kind of don’t want to work with?” “What? No, I didn’t. Woo’s actually a friend of mine, I get why people don’t like me because I’m such a perfectionist and so but why don’t they like him?” “It’s not that they don’t like him, he’s very likable and sociable but that’s one of the problems. He’s so energetic and he’s not a master of concentration so he has a tendency to distract the set workers and himself. So, when working with him, the only way for it to work is if you’re doing a one-on-one shoot or Kim Hongjoong is there. Hongjoong seems to be the only one that can keep Wooyoung in check,” “Yeah, that does sound like Wooyoung. You should see him when he’s with Choi San. They’re a nightmare when together, not even Hongjoong can contain them then,” “Mm, I can imagine that. I’ve done one shoot with Wooyoung before but fortunately, I did a double of him and Hongjoong so I didn’t have that many problems. I think that was one of the few shoots I didn’t receive any complaints about,” “Yeah, it was the one featuring the new make-up line of (insert makeup brand), right?” “Exactly, Hongjoong’s an ambassador for it, and Wooyoung just happened to be picked for the pairing,” And so they continued talking about their different experiences at work and some funny stories of their private lives. 

“Hey, (Y/n)?” “Hm, yeah what is it?” “You don’t have to answer but how come you never seem to take any photos of yourself? I mean, your insta is full of pictures of your friends and place but not a single one of you” (Y/n) looked away from Seonghwa and down at the floor. Seonghwa feared that he had ruined their comfortable atmosphere with his question. “It’s because, from a young age, I always found that my photos turned out way better if I took a picture of something or someone I loved. And during my childhood, I struggled a lot with loving myself and whenever I took a picture of myself, I couldn’t see anything good with it so I stopped taking photos of myself. I know it sounds stupid, but while I can find beauty in most things, I can’t find it in myself. So, yeah. I only photograph what I love. That’s why I’m so obsessed with having my sets be perfect,” Seonghwa had a hard time believing that someone as beautiful as (Y/n), struggled with her own looks because, in his eyes, no one could compare to her. However, he also knows that you can’t decide for someone else whether they love something or not, even if that thing is themselves. “I understand that it can be challenging to find yourself beautiful, I struggle with it too. I actually never thought I could be a model, nonetheless be so popular, but now, I love it. It took quite some time for me to fall in love with the art that is me. So, maybe it is the same way for you. In my eyes, you’re the prettiest, most beautiful person I have ever seen. I have fallen in love with the art of you,” As soon as Seonghwa said it, he realized the words that had fallen from his mouth. (Y/n) too realized what the model had actually said. He’s in love with me? (Y/n) finally looked up at Seonghwa again, finding sincerity and fear in his eyes. Seonghwa found confusion and sadness swirling around in (Y/n)’s eyes. “You’re in love with me?” Seonghwa blushed as he was a little embarrassed, this was not how he was planning on telling her. “Yes. How could I not be? We’re like a match made in heaven, we complement each other so well and you’re such a beautiful person inside and out,” (Y/n) began blushing now, no one had ever spoken to her like this. No one had ever made her feel so special before. “I like you too. I can’t say I love you just yet but I know that I really like you, Seonghwa. Working with you for the past month has been amazing and the way you talk about me, is, is so new. Maybe with your help, I can finally fall in love with the art that is me,” Seonghwa gave (Y/n) a warm smile in return for her confession before he enveloped her in his arms to give her a long hug. After hugging for a couple of minutes, Seonghwa gently released his hold on the photographer to look at her face. “Be my girlfriend?” (Y/n) couldn’t help but laugh at the childish grin on his face and the way his eyes seemed so lovestruck. “Yeah, I’ll be your girlfriend,” As soon as the words had left her mouth, Seonghwa once again leaned forward and gave (Y/n) a sweet kiss on her lips before pulling away and smiling at her again. (Y/n) picked up her phone from the coffee table in front of them and opened the camera, before turning around so that her back was against Hwa’s chest, Hwa quickly opened his arms to pull her closer. (Y/n) carefully snapped a photo of the two of them, while she was looking at the camera, Seonghwa was looking down at her with a silly smile on his lips and happiness in his eyes. Although (Y/n) had half a mind to delete the picture because she thought she looked bad, she didn’t. She kept it. Because even if she couldn’t find beauty in herself just yet, she didn’t have heart enough to delete the picture when Seonghwa looked so good in it. “You know what?” “What?” “You gave me a really good idea for the name of the project. I struggled with finding a good name for it considering the fact that there are many different concepts and we’re representing the company as a whole… but, thanks to you I know just what to call it,” 

And so, a few days later. The KQ agency launched their new representative photos taken by (Y/n) of model Park Seonghwa under the project name “The Art of You” a collection of photos that show different sides of a person both in casual and professional settings. The project was highly praised by the entire industry and especially by the company representatives who had assigned it to this particular pair. And with that, the new couple became permanent partners for the majority of their future work under KQ Agency. 

With Seonghwa’s help, (Y/n) began finding beauty in herself, especially whenever she was photographed together with her beloved boyfriend. 

Please reblog! 

#ateez x reader #ateez seonghwa #park seonghwa #park seonghwa x reader #ateez x female reader #ateez x f! reader #seonghwa x reader #ateez fluff #ateez non-idol #non-idol au #ateez scenario #ateez scenarios #ateez imagines #ateez fics #park seonghwa model au #model au #mirisss #mirisss.writings #mirisss.stories #mirisss.writing #atz #atz x reader #atz seonghwa #atz park seonghwa #ateez park seonghwa

[yessa-vie]

03 || HEART STRING OF GOLD || OT8! ATEEZ.

FOX || HEART STRING OF GOLD || OT8! ATEEZ.

→ PARING. OT8 (wooyoung & seonghwa focus) x fem!reader.

→ GENDER. heavy angst (!!!). enemies to lovers. soulmate au (sort of). ateez lore au.

→ WC. 31,810 (i apologize, but i promised i tried to keep it short).

→ RATING. R (mdni!).

→ IMPORTANT. heavy angst (i'm sorry). mentions of death. sugegstive. sex talk. implied sex as a coping mechanism. manipulation (by the reader). possessiveness (mostly one sided). insecurities. flashbacks (sort of). violence. fighting. blood. choking. death threats. torture (knife use, cold water, whip, salted water, weights and hanging from the wrists). forced proximity (kinda?). wooyoung is a little shit (and i love him). explosions. fire. gunwound.

→ NETWORKS.  @cromernet @pirateeznet @atzhouse @newworldnet

⇦ || hsog || taglist || masterlist || ⇨

             Your mind was still processing what had been said by your superiors.

  In all truth, it should come as no surprise, considering how you joined the Black Pirates' Search & Capture Team. Videos of the supervised interactions between you and Angel circulated freely within the Command Center and Guardian's Island. The videos combined with the way you managed to get Angel to spill some information in the presence of your superiors, already made you join the squad. The events of your last encounter with them a month and a half ago helped you get to the position you were in, the way you handled the ambush, how you, Chan and Jeongin handled both the fight and what was apprehended after the revolt was controlled, which they managed to discover thanks to the fact that you and the other two agreed on the idea of looking at the points that had been discovered as possible cells of the Black Pirates, made all eyes turn to you.

             Despite that, no one knew about the warehouse, you and Minho had made a promise to each other to keep it a secret, especially after the perimeter investigation when you found out what had happened. Mentally thanking the smoke caused by the explosion of the vehicle that managed to hide them both as they fled the scene. Fortunately, the fire was far enough away to not reach the warehouses, but elaborate enough to cause the smoke caused by the explosion to occupy virtually all of the warehouse space.

             “Finally,” one of the last slides appeared in front of everyone, two cars parked in a spot not too far from where the warehouses would be located, the date on the satellite photo capturing your attention, but you had, fortunately, managed to disguise it, “two stolen cars were found in a location near the warehouses the same night we left the location.”

             “Why wasn’t this revealed to us before?”

             Park Jinyoung was one of the most eager generals in capturing the Black Pirates, making him also one of the most annoying to be around when something was discovered, hence the reason for all the irritable sighs you were able to catch after that line, including of Eden by your side.

             “We were investigating the perimeter, trying to discover both the path taken by the cars and check those inside them.”

             "And?"

             Even though Jinyoung was considerably irritating, everyone remained silent, waiting for what Namjoom would say regarding that information. Your eyes met Jungkook's which were already on you, a movement that was not ignored by Eden who discreetly touched the pen to your leg, making you both look forward while Namjoom nodded, changing the slide.

             Ten people got out of their cars and entered another location, looking from above it looked like another warehouse, but far enough away from the previous ones that it was necessary to use cars. Photos of tire tracks that were connected with the warehouse. They had fled in a car, the explosion had been planned, they would never let you catch them. Serpent had already told you, this was a test, they wanted to know how capable you were, how sagacious you were, what you would be able to risk to meet them.

             Nausea washed over you as the latest events started to make sense. The power they had, the knowledge, not just over the government, but over you. The fact that Angel arranged for you to find the writing, for you to go meet Serpent at the warehouse, to meet them.

             “Someone from the Black Pirates used the location that night, we got satellite photos of a person entering the warehouse at around eight,” another photo was seen and you found yourself from above, you swallow hard watching the photo, so there was a way to see it, even in the dark, “just before the explosion, we were able to define the silhouette of another person approaching, but we were unable to get details of what happened after it thanks to the smoke, apart from the tire tracks of the two stolen cars.”

             “Do we have anything on these two people who entered the place?”

             Yang Hyunsuk's voice made you stare at Namjoom with your lips in a thin line, trying to control the trembling of your body. They had been seen, there was a way to see – even in the dark – any movement made outside the warehouses, but they hadn't captured anything, no movement of people, so how had they managed to go unnoticed? It was then that you cursed at yourself, sawing your fists on the table, they used the Cromer. Hatred rose in you for not realizing until that moment, how only tire tracks were seen, how no people or footprints could be found beyond the warehouses.

             “Unfortunately no, General,” everyone cursed quietly and you sighed, lowering your head, but Eden noticed the difference in your sigh, it wasn’t one of irritation, “we can only say that the explosion was not planned, considering that not long after the last person ran to warehouse six, but we have no notification of anyone leaving, leading us to believe that everyone left when the smoke was high enough to cover the path they were traveling.”

             For a moment you thanked Mars and the others, beating yourself up for being so stupid and irresponsible. You getting caught was one thing, Minho being dragged along with you because of your idiocy was another thing entirely. Only then did you notice Eden's eyes fixed on you, analyzing you, making you just nod before going back to focusing on the slides.  Two cars indicated that the others were there too, that they probably heard your argument with Mars, Logan, Serpent, and Angel. A small smile of satisfaction threatened to take shape on your face that you hid by faking a cough.

             “Any images of the place where they stopped and the ten people got out?”

             “Negative, sir,” Namjoom went to the next slide and a video from one of the BTS members’ bodycam played, showing the place completely empty, no signs of recent use.  “Not even fingerprints were found, nor were we able to find out how exactly they left without leaving a trace.”

             Because they used the Cromer.

             “Cromer,” the voice came from Eden drawing all attention to him, including yours, his eyebrows slightly arched when his eyes fell on you briefly, “we already know that they use it in events like these, we never knew how these events happened, but I think we can believe that they are using the Cromer whenever they can, to stay under the radar.”

             Everyone nodded and you just stared at your hands in your lap, fingers playing with each other. If they were using Cromer whenever they could, why risk discovery in that empty space? What was special about it? Your eyes focused on the images still shown on the slide. It was a warehouse, several things scattered in the corners, but they seemed untouched. Another long-forgotten spot in Strickland, so what was so important about it?

             The subject was quickly changed to the revolts that were taking place on the limits of Strickland, as they had considerably increased since the problem that you, your team and the XKRS encountered when you were going to investigate the possible Black Pirates cell that was located at the school that you, Chan and Jeongin insisted on being investigated, getting some important data and capturing some other members before more could be found.

             Fortunately, Eden was responsible for defining which teams would be part of the contingency plan for the revolts spread across the country. Your mind is still processing the last details, trying to connect the dots, the importance of the last, remote warehouse, the reason it was used. It was clear that it was abandoned, several pieces of furniture could be seen scattered around, it was a long-forgotten place of rubble.

             “Gather your team and the XKRS and meet me in my office in thirty minutes.”

             Was all Eden said after the end of the meeting, making a frown appear on your face, receiving only a smart look from Eden as he walked through the corridors with a folder under his arm. What the hell could he want with both teams? It was true that you were the only team completely made up of people without blockers, but the XKRS were a newly formed team and were not selected for the Black Pirates Search & Capture Team which, now, was the only thing your team was allowed to do, considering the success of recent operations.

             “Tough day?”

             The only reaction you had was a slight shiver on the back of your neck. You already expected Jungkook to find you after the session, you just didn't expect him to be so close considering the location you were in. Fingers firmly on your arm indicating for you to follow him, stopping in the middle of an empty room. His eyes met yours, confused and tired, making you sigh as he continued to watch you curiously and worriedly. 

             “I’m fine Kookie, just a lot going on,” you sat down at one of the tables in the place, sighing and running your hands over your face, the sound of Jungkook’s boots on the floor being the only indication that he was getting closer. “You, Chan, Mingyu and Moonbin’s team with that damn promise you made to my brother is annoying sometimes, you know?” 

  Both laughter filled the space when Jungkook intertwined their fingers. His eyes analyzing every detail of your tired face. A simple kiss being placed on your cheek made your entire body want to burn, but only a small heat could be found within you, but no movement was made, and he didn't move away much after the kiss, his eyes roaming your face, you could see some confusion in them. When Jungkook's hand went to his face, you pulled away. 

             "What happened?" 

             “Nothing happened,” in a way, it wasn't a lie, nothing had happened. The truth is that you always felt something for your brother's friends, you weren't blind, they were extremely beautiful, nice and polite, but they never looked at you as anything other than a younger sister, at least not until you were abandoned by your eight friends that occupied your mind. “I’m just tired, Kookie, no big deal.”

             “Chan said you were more airy than usual, more in your head,” you closed your eyes, already knowing what was coming next, “you do remember the last time this happened.” 

             Yes, you remembered it clearly, because it was when your brother died and your best friends and the first men you loved romantically abandoned you. It was also the same time you started getting involved with your team, expanding this for your brother's friends, starting with Chan and ending with Jungkook. When you did everything to feel something, even if it was momentary. 

             “If that were to happen, we wouldn't be talking right now, but probably on top of this table,” your voice was sharp, earning a doubtful look in your direction. “Why exactly did you bring me here, Kookie?” 

             “That’s you in the satellite photos taken that night, isn’t it?” His eyes never left yours, but your silence was enough for him to sigh, taking a step to get between your legs. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that could be?” 

             “I saw a clue and I wanted to follow that clue, what’s wrong with that?”

             Jungkook opened his mouth a few times before sighing, closing his eyes. 

             “Who is the second person? Was it anyone there?” You finally put your head down, you wouldn't tell about Minho, no matter how much you trusted the man in front of you, if this got out, you deserved all the blame, no one else. “(y/n)?” 

             “There was no one,” your eyes still didn't look up, your fingers gently caressing Junkook's hand, noticing his muscles soften, “the other person went there to meet me at my request, but I'm not going to tell you who it was.” 

             “You know I can find out, right?”

             “Leave it alone Kookie, for me,” your voice was a plea, your eyes then met his. The truth is, they've all always had a soft spot for you, which was only made worse when you started sleeping with them, when you convinced them to sleep with you. When Jungkook's eyes dropped to your lips you knew he would do whatever you asked, so you moistened them before pulling your hands back, placing his hands on your hips while yours went to his shoulders. “Please, Kookie, what do I need to do to get you to leave this alone?” 

             Your fingers played with his hair, foreheads touching lightly. His eyes finding your lips whenever they could and you knew what he wanted, even though you didn't want it and he felt it, that's why he still hadn't done what he wanted so badly. Your head moved forward, both breaths mixing, your lips passing delicately across his, feeling his fingers dig into your hip, thanking it for the clothes or else the crescent moon marks of his nails would be present on your skin. 

             Please, Kookie, was all you wanted to say in that simple act, a sincere request before a small touch of mouths and his arms finally wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer to the edge of the table, your legs wrapping around his as your fingers messed around his hair. His tongue invaded yours allowing a small moan to come out. Jungkook was one of your favorite kisses, but something was wrong. Only your body reacted normally, the electric current was no longer present, the heat was different, it wasn't all over the body, just on one point, your heart no longer palpitated.

             Jungkook was right, something had happened, that thing was currently ten, but two of the ten seemed to affect you more than the others. Angel and Serpent. Anyone who asks, you would lie, but the truth is that none of them left your mind for long. The way they acted in the warehouse was set in stone in your mind. Mars and the others still had considerable space, but your mind couldn't help but allow itself to wander and recall the moments shared with the two ATEEZ members.

             Remembering how Angel's touch was always discreet but firm, his skin warm against yours, the grip firm but delicate, his concern for your injury, but at no point did he change the way he treated you because of that injury, the way how his hand always seemed to find your knee and wrist always could, especially when you were alone, how his eyes always looked for you in the crowd, always tortuous, but when they found you it seemed like a calm could be seen.

             Angel was your biggest puzzle and you wanted to figure out every single piece.

             Then came Serpent, grip as strong as Angel's, features as if they had been sculpted with the greatest of care, but his eyes were predatory, he drank in you every time his eyes met yours, the smirk always present just like the damn tongue. Something in you said that he would be one of the best kisses you could receive in your life, the paths that his tongue could follow while his firm hands explored your body -

             “Are you fucking serious?” Jeongin's voice brought you back to reality, to the fact that you were with Jungkook, but with full awareness that the heat radiating through your body wasn't because of what you were both doing. Although the kiss was cut off, Jungkook's hands didn't leave your body, neither making any move until Jeongin entered the room, closing the door behind him. “Eden is paging us, he said to find you, couldn’t that wait?”

             Your eyes fell on the space between your body and Jungkook, aware of his hands on your thigh and lower back. With a simple exchange of glances, he nodded, moving away from you, hands on your waist as you got down from the table, Jeongin's eyes were almost cynical when they fell on you, but you could see a small glint of jealousy and a smirk appeared in your lips, noticing how your third in command's eyes fell on them, probably swollen and red.

             “We were just sorting something out, don't worry Innie,” your hand found Jeongin's cheek making him finally take his eyes off Jungkook who was fixing his pants, again you could see the sparkle in Jeongin's eyes and you smiled at that. “Hey, everything is fine, okay? Let's go, yeah?"

             Jeongin looked one last time at Jungkook who was already approaching you, feeling his hand on your lower back and his voice low in your ear, but not enough for Jeongin not to hear.

             “Be more careful next time.”

             A simple kiss was placed on your temple before he left the room, leaving you and Jeongin alone. His eyes darting to the table you were at before falling back on you.

             “Why were you here?”

             “Jeongin, c’mon, we were really just talking, but it just escalated, that’s all,” your hand dropped from his face making him march over to the table you were at with Jungkook a short time ago, sitting on the edge of the table, legs spread wide, curious eyes on you. “Innie, what happened?”

             “What did he mean by ‘be more careful next time’?” You sighed, walking towards him, positioning yourself between his legs, your fingers touching his knees lightly, but you saw his gaze fall on that spot. “If someone catches you with him -”

             “If someone catches me with one of you it’s going to be a lot worse and you know it,” your voice was quick but not rude, just presenting the fact that you all already knew. Jeongin's fingers found yours, intertwining them before bringing your hand to his mouth, lips touching your knuckles lightly, eyes fixed on you. “Innie, please.” 

             “Don't look anywhere else,” was the only thing he said before pulling you close, his right arm wrapping around your waist while his left hand still held yours before bringing it to his shoulder, making his left hand find your right side before wrapping his arms around your waist, holding you in place. “We don’t like to share.” 

             You could feel your whole body burn from the way Jeongin was looking at you, holding you. Your hands found the back of his head, playing with his hair just in time to cut it while a smirk grew on your lips. 

             “I thought we agreed, no strings attached.” 

             “It wouldn’t be the first rule we broke,” the smirk that appeared on Jeongin’s lips made you lightly pull his hair, eliciting a groan from him, before hungry, predatory eyes appeared, but not predatory enough, not like the ones of Serpent, but you decided to bury that observation far away in your mind. “Eden is waiting for us.”

             “Chan?” You connected Jeongin's comm point, since communication points were prohibited in team meetings, the third leader's small wave made you move even closer to Jeongin's face, feeling his fingers tighten around your waist even more. “I need you to find XKRS and the rest of our team, then meet me and Jeongin on Eden's office floor,” another pause, your lips brushing against Jeongin's, a subtle nod was enough, “if anyone asks, make up an excuse.”

              No one waited for Chan's response, so Jeongin finally found your lips before moving away from the table, continuing the kiss before holding you and placing you on the table just like you were previously. Unlike the kiss with Jungkook, Jeongin still had a certain effect on you, probably because he was the first one for whom you allowed yourself to feel something similar to what you felt for the eight after your fifteenth birthday, or perhaps, it was because he was your first.

                “Is that all you found?”

                Yeji's eyes scanned the documents Eden had made available to them one last time. Chan was still looking at the aerial photograph of the site. Jeongin explained some situations to Minjae, the rest of the XKRS boys watching everything from afar, some taking notes, others with their eyes attentive.

                “That we managed to recover, yes,” the older man sighed before refocusing on the aerial map that Chan was analyzing, your eyes following every movement of the man you considered your teacher, knowing something was wrong, “but I called you here because I believe that the inspection was not done properly, probably because none of you,” eyes fell on Chan who lowered his head, his mouth in a thin line, “were allowed to enter, supervising only from the area considered safe.”

                “Not even after?”

                Your question made all eyes direct to you. That day, both you and Ryujin were escorted back to the Command Center to report on the situation that had taken shape, leaving both Chan and Jeongin in charge of the situation, but you already knew that some superiors wouldn't like the idea of either of them being in charge of an operation like that, not when it was discovered in the middle of everything, that everyone was close to one of the Black Pirates' active cells.

                “They said we had already done enough and that the fact that some of us were injured could make us easy targets and they couldn’t take any chances.”

                You could feel the venom dripping from Chan's speech, accompanied by a scoff, repeated by some of his team members, making you understand the urgency of getting you out of the place, as you would ignore that order, but your team wouldn't, as they knew that this would result in direct consequences for you, something they agreed never to do, even if you had given them permission to do whatever they thought was right.

                “It wouldn’t make much of a difference, (y/n),” Eden’s voice was quick, as he understood both sides, he had participated in the punishment you had suffered years before due to your team acting against direct orders when you weren’t present, even if you had said it was for them to do it, being correct in your position. “There wasn’t much to do, but I believe there is now,” Eden’s eyes met yours, all 22 eyes in the room watching him walk back and forth pointing to the board with the satellite photos, “it looks like they are promoting movements to return to the site in small quantities so as not to attract attention.”

                “Did Jungkook take the photos?” From your peripheral vision, you noticed Jeongin change his posture when he heard the name come out of your mouth, you held back a laugh, receiving a small nod from Eden. “Were you able to define when they happened?”

                “Sporadic schedules, varied groups, there is no consistency in activities.”

              Seungmin read the report, looking quickly between you and Eden, noticing the silent conversation that was happening, everyone silently waiting for what would be said.

                “How sure are you that they will authorize it?”

                “I have my contacts,” Eden smiled smartly after answering your question, earning a sigh when your eyes found the school surrounded by a black circle. “I'm still organizing the proposal, but as soon as the council accepts it, and they will,” your doubtful eyes met Eden's who just continued with that gleam of someone who knew more than they would say, “my nomination will be made, probably accepted not more than two business days later.”

                “How are you going to get them to be part of it?”

                Your head indicated the XKRS who remained quiet, just listening carefully.

                “Technically this isn’t direct interaction with the Black Pirates and you need someone who knows the area to help you when you enter the school.”

                “We are ready,” Minjae's voice broke the silence that fell in the room after Eden's speech, who knew that you were afraid to add another team, especially a newly formed team that had no connection with what you all already knew. Everyone's eyes fell on the leader of the XKRS who looked at you with determination, “we are ready, let us prove it, we are capable of helping.”

                “It’s not that I think you’re incapable Minjae, it’s just…”

                Your voice stopped for a moment, mouth creating a thin line, holding it in so that your eyes wouldn't meet Minho's, the reminder that other people could get hurt because of your problem with the Black Pirates. The idea of anyone present suffering the consequences of what could happen makes you stop for a moment, controlling you, your actions and thoughts.

                “We don't know how many people are there,” Chan began to speak, your eyes met his and he gave a weak smile in your direction before focusing on Minjae, “we don't know about the situation of the surrounding buildings, much less the current situation of the school , things could get ugly, both for us and for you.”

                “We can propose an inspection of one of the buildings as a stakeout before we investigate the perimeter and you enter the school, this way we reduce the chances of ambushes like last time, right?”

                Hyunwoo commented, exchanging glances with everyone, finding a small smile on your lips before exchanging glances with Eden and Yeji who were already getting up to face the photos.

                “How long do we have between you finalizing the proposal, it being accepted, you nominating us and the mission happening?”

                You could see the gears turning in Yeji's head as she walked towards the board with the pictures, Eden smiled pointing at the calendar and turning the page before pointing to the number ten. One month. You would have a month to get everything working perfectly.

                “Yeji and Hyunwoo work together on this part, Chaeryeong, Changbin, Felix, Yechan, Yujun, Seeun and Junghoon work together so that we have everything we might need, I want you to cover all the possibilities,” everyone nodded with each direction you made, feeling Eden's eyes on you, despite the XKRS being slightly wary of completely following your orders, a simple look at Eden and they knew he was in agreement, “Hunter, Seungmin, Jinsik, Jisung Sumin and Minho, I need you to check who participated in the inspection operation, select who will participate in this one that we will do before we enter and watch all the videos relating to that day, both the interviews with those who participated and those who were captured.”

                “Minjae and Junmin, I need you to talk to Chan and Jeongin about combining both ways of acting, take the Shadows along, everyone needs to be aware of how each other does things,” everyone nodded, watching Eden point to you, “you stay, I need to talk to you.”

                With that simple phrase, everyone quickly left Eden's room, the atmosphere becoming considerably more tense. The few times Eden called you to talk alone, were times when he would ask you to do something that would be considered irresponsible and even illegal in the council's view, but both knew it was necessary and that you had the ability to do it. But now, the tension went beyond that, as your mind remembered the way Eden watched you during the meeting earlier.

                “Can they know?”

                “Only if you need any of them during the mission,” you nodded and approached the table furthest from Eden, it was one of the few interactive tables, only a select number of people had them, your team was one of them. “There is a more hidden part of the school, it is in the parking lot, I need you to go there and check the place for me.”

                “Why didn’t anyone investigate last time?”

                “They investigated,” he said simply, opening a password-protected file. As soon as the digits were placed, the folder was opened and several photos were presented to you, making you swallow hard as your eyes went over the amount of fallen bodies, “most of the rebels were in the parking lot burning files while the people inside the school diverted attention and the room they were using was sealed.”

                “Who took care of this?”

                “Kai went there alone while everyone was leaving and took these photos for me,” you nodded touching some of the photos to expand them, Eden’s eyes focused on you, “we managed to capture an informant, Kai, Moonbin and JK took care of him, making us understand some of the data we found.”

                “What exactly do you want me to do, Eden?”

                Eyes still fixed on you, he pressed a key and three photos appeared, three different locations, but only one thing in common, making your breath hitch, your head spinning. You would recognize that drawing anywhere. Your blood boiled at the idea that it was being used, after everything that happened, you didn't expect them to actually use that drawing to communicate in some way, or maybe it was just because they knew you would find them. An ironic way to get your attention.

                A drawing of a blue bird adorned those three photos like a beacon, your eyes unable to see anything other than the outline of the bird's drawing, a small branch being held in its beak. Your mouth formed a thin line that you tried to hide when you noticed Eden moving next to you. Despite knowing that your brother was also a protégé of Eden, knowing that the mission he was doing when he was killed was organized and supervised by Eden, the probability of him knowing the meaning of that drawing was almost impossible, only a certain number of people knew, one of them dead and the other eight wanted by the State.

                “It’s not the first time this drawing has been found in an active cell of the Black Pirates,” you couldn’t control your shock, your bulging eyes meeting Eden’s curious ones, making you curse in your mind, before noticing another page being opened and another password being entered, “I need you to find out what this bird means.”

                “Isn’t it easier to get one of them to talk?”

                “None of those we captured could say,” the lines were simple, but something in Eden’s gaze said that wasn’t everything he wanted to say, making you hold your gaze on his. “Your brother was a good drawer,” despite your features remaining neutral, your body completely stiffened, “I remember he had a nickname for you, but he never explained to me why, but I never pressed him either, but he said the drawing he was doing was for you. He carried it to remember you.”

                “What are you suggesting, Eden?”

                “I had seen this drawing before your brother disappeared, in the last video call we made, this drawing was on the bedroom wall, along with the nickname he had for you,” the photos of the bunker came back to your mind, but no drawing like that came to mind. “The drawing wasn't there when we went to find out why he wasn't responding anymore, the drawing wasn't found with his body either, which makes me wonder -”

                “What could the Black Pirates do with a drawing of a bird, Eden?”

                “I think it’s a signal to indicate that they should leave the place they are in.”

                Eden's eyes were focused on your reaction, making you close your eyes to control your breathing, staring at the photos he was showing, knowing that it would make sense to think that way. The drawing seemed to mock you in every photo.

                “Maybe so, but if you already have a theory -”

                “You don’t think the theory is right,” you threatened to say something, but Eden moved away from the table and faced you head on, “I like to think I know you well enough, so please...”

                You sighed thinking about how to tell the truth without saying that you knew the leaders of the Black Pirates.

                “I think it’s some kind of message, but it may not necessarily be to let them know to leave, but rather something else.”

                “So you need to find out what this is,” with that you nodded and started to walk away before receiving a paper from Eden, the code to access the files handed to you, “be careful where you open this file.”

                “Yes, sir,” your mind was still processing what was happening, the way Eden was looking at you said he knew something. “Will you allow me access to my brother’s last video?”

                Eden lowered his head, pursing his lips, which was enough of an answer, making you nod and head out of the room.

                “Most of your brother's files were destroyed,” you stopped instantly, but didn't dare turn around, your vision already blurred, “the little I got is in a file shared by him to save important things, but he never gave me the password. To access what I have, enter the sequence of the investigation file and when it comes up to enter a code, enter your brother's name, one of the files is the data I have, the other is the things your brother kept, but I don’t have the password.”

                That was an apology, you knew that, even though you didn't know why he was apologizing, maybe because of the way he looked at you, with suspicion perhaps? But he wasn't wrong in thinking that way, you were betraying everything you believed in by not saying that you knew the leaders, by having protected not only the eight of them, but also Angel.

                “Thank you, Eden.”

                “Not for this, (y/n).”

                To anyone looking from the outside, the scene looked like a fighting ring, except for the mat at the feet of the sixteen men who were fighting and screaming. Left Eye was the only spectator of what the sixteen were doing, a small smile on his wrinkled face, unable to deny that he was happy to see them act like the boys they were for the first time in a long time, even though he knew it was all a competition and Wooyoung only needed to win once.

                All the ATEEZ boys could now distinguish between each of the people present. Wooyoung gave a small smirk watching Howl's movements, losing track of the training number they had been doing for over a month so he was prepared for you. Not that Seonghwa wasn't, but everyone admitted that he should have expected the kick you delivered to his midriff after he blocked your first kick.

                Considering that none of the sixteen had many things to do, a small competition was created, even curiously encouraged and partially organized by Nightingale so that Wooyoung and the others could be able to fight against you. Hence Howl was who Wooyoung fought, because it was the one that most resembled your fighting style, light, fast and precise, interestingly, not very different from San's style, perhaps another joke of fate as they learned to play along.

                The challenge consisted of a single task. If Wooyoung managed to defeat Howl, ATEEZ would have their own office in the bunker. As the Mirrors had been cleaning the place over the past few weeks, everyone knew that they supported the idea that Wooyoung could beat Howl, that he could beat you, if necessary.

                In a quick movement, Wooyoung managed to dodge a punch thrown by Howl, receiving shouts of enthusiasm and provocations, making the two in the center of the circle laugh before Wooyoung ducked and tried to trip Howl, who managed to dodge and move away, avoiding a Wooyoung's punch. With an amused smile, the Mirror beckoned him with its fingers to come closer.

                That was the end of the training, so they were all sweaty and exhausted, but that didn't stop any of them from doing that 'extra training' that had become almost routine in the last two weeks, always changing who was fighting who, except for Wooyoung and Howl until the first managed to win.

                Wooyoung felt the cut on his eyebrow, present from training with Lucky earlier, burn thanks to the sweat that dripped from his forehead, his eyes observing Howl as a whole, already managing to identify some of the movements that could come from the Mirror. He approached with cautious steps, eyes scanning all of Howl's features, resting briefly on his wrists and feet, the smirk always present, at least until he felt like he was losing it, which wasn't happening yet.

                Howl threw a quick punch, making Wooyoung duck, moving away to avoid the knee that was already aimed at his face, turning quickly, extending one of his arms to hit the back of Howl's head, who also easily blocked the action, raising his eyebrows to Wooyoung shook his head with a convinced smile before turning on its own axis again, throwing punches and kicks, barely giving Howl enough time to react, until the Mirror turned to the side, bringing a smile to Wooyoung's face. He threw a kick that hit Howl's side, causing him to stagger, giving Wooyoung enough time to spin and throw a high kick to Howl's face, catching the Mirror's temple before turning again, wrapping him in an armbar, pulling Howl towards him until the two were falling back on the mat, Wooyoung's legs immobilizing Howl as best he could.

                Which, fortunately, was successful when Howl raised one of his hands while the other lightly slapped Wooyoung's arm, making everyone scream in celebration, going to join the two on the mat who were already hugging each other with a smile, proud of what had just happened. Yunho and Iyaah quickly caught Wooyoung lifting him, while Uno and Mingi did the same with Howl, who exchanged another happy hi5 with Wooyoung while Mars followed Hongjoong out of the improvised training space in the bunker.

                “Only we will have access to the office?” Hongjoong asked one last time, receiving a smile and wave from Mars as they headed to the place that would be ATEEZ's office. “Will we have access to everything you have?”

                “Yes, Hongjoong,” Mars commented, laughing, looking at the youngest who had an excited sparkle in his eyes, “you will also have a direct connection with Nightingale, so you will have messages only directed to you.”

                “Like the messages referring to her?” Mars nodded, a glimpse of sadness passing through his eyes, making Hongjoong look away out of respect, something he found himself doing constantly since the night Seonghwa and Yeosang accompanied the Mirrors to meet you at the warehouse. “How would you feel if you had to interact with her again?”

                Their eyes met and Mars just pursed his lips, closing his eyes.

                “It doesn't matter, if you guys need us to be in the same space as her, we'll do it,” from the corner of his eye Mars noticed Hongjoong try to orchestrate a few words before stopping and turning to the ATEEZ leader with a sad smile. “This is bigger than her, this is something only you can do, the most we can do is help you reach our ultimate goal, even if it comes at a cost to us, a cost we chose to pay a long time ago.”

                “Even so, we cannot ask that -”

                “Joong,” the youngest stopped when he heard the nickname, making a smile appear on Mars' lips, “we'll do whatever needs to be done, she's made her feelings for us clear, and we're all okay with that -”

                “Are you guys okay with the girl you love hating you?”

                The others quickly joined the conversation that the two leaders of each group were having, hovering around the two with curious and worried looks. Mars was calm, but Hongjoong had that look of curiosity and concern, making the others automatically worry, even though they didn't see anger on the ATEEZ captain's face.

                “If she hates us, you will be able to do what needs to be done better than if we are insignificant to her,” Mars' eyes fell on Yeosang and Seonghwa who were swallowing hard, “after all, isn't that what you wanted? That she could differentiate each one of us?”

                “Do you think it’s a bad strategy?”

                Mars shook his head no to Jongho's question.

                “When she sees us, she acts with emotion, making her hate us even more, but with you, she acts with reason, even if she has a little emotion behind her behavior.”

                “Does that mean you’re going to tell us about what really happened between you?”

              Yunho's question made all the Mirrors sigh, exchanging glances, nodding slightly with each glance they met with Mars.

                “When you become familiar with the files we will talk about all the details, but we want you to analyze everything with a clear head, drawing your own conclusions, see her for who she is now and know the best way to act, because despite her still be a memory of everything we’ve experienced, she’s not our (y/n) anymore, she hasn’t been for a while.”

                “And you still love her, even after everything?”

                All the Mirrors smiled at San's question, nodding weakly.

                “We love her soul, even though it is now protected by stone walls, mostly built by us, but there is still something of the girl we knew, who wanted to explore the world, who smiled listening to the noise of the forest, who ran to the lake, played with the animals and always had a smile on her face, she looked at everything with an enchanted look and we will fight so that this (y/n) can emerge again without guilt, even if she hates us in the process, we just want to see that (y/n) one last time.”

                Howl and San were definitely the romantics of the group, that was clear, hell, they all realized how similar they all were, their personalities weren't that different if they were honest, but ATEEZ had more scars, thicker skin, that was the difference, that was what would make the plan work. Hongjoong's eyes fell on each of the fifteen men and friends who were in that circle, a small idea appearing in his mind. 

                “How do you think she would react to having all of you in one space?” Everyone's eyes fell on him, curious to understand what he meant with that question. “Think about the answer while we check the office, I will test the direct connection with Nightingale in the meantime.”

                Hongjoong winked at the Mirrors before calling the other ATEEZ boys towards the open door not far from them. Shinwoo and Lucky approach Mars with an amused smile on their lips. Wooyeon was the first to break the silence, letting out a small laugh, pointing to the door that Mingi had just closed.

                “He’ll definitely make an impression on them,” all the other seven nodded, “fuck how I wish I could see her face when she meets Hongjoong!”

                “Do you think Nightingale tells us anything about their vision of Hongjoong?”

                Logan asked curiously, crossing his arms in front of him and joining Wooyeon's side, who was also looking at Mars curiously.

                “None of our Nightingales will do that, at least not openly.”

                “But it’s worth a try, right?”

                Iyaah asked with a mischievous smile being joined by the others, even Shinwoo joined the plan, the six of them focusing on Mars and Lucky who sighed. Lucky being the first to speak.

                “I’ll get the drink, you take care of Nightingale while we create scenarios of how she will react to each of them.”

                While the Mirrors turned their backs to the room that had the door completely closed, ATEEZ decided to explore the place, observing if there were any plugs, or anything that indicated that they would not be alone in that space, but after a thorough search, nothing was found, making them scatter around the place, Hongjoong sitting in the swivel armchair he had pulled in front of the mahogany table. The other seven watched him curiously.

                “We need her team's files, both teams,” Mingi and Yunho nodded, already starting to look for the physical file while Yeosang and Jongho worked on the interactive table, connecting it to the network, “we need the recent videos of the interactions, since you say she changes behavior depending on who she’s talking, we need to understand how it all works, how it’s triggered.”

                “At least the initial idea is working as expected,” Hongjoong's eyes fell on Seonghwa who was looking for something in his pockets until he took them out in a sequence of numbers and letters placing them on Hongjoong's desk, bringing a frown to the other’s face before continuing, “we need to find out about this file too, Mars locked it in a drawer in his office, but I think we have access to the digital, even if minimal.”

                “What do you think it is?”

                "Honestly?" Seonghwa's eyes fell on San with the question, even though he knew that everyone was waiting for the answer with ragged breaths. “I think it involves her and her brother who apparently no one wants to talk about.”

                “Except her,” Yeosang commented, seeing the light from the screen shine in front of him, Jongho quickly entering the data that the Mirrors had passed to them not long ago. “We need to focus on the brother, I think he is the key.”

                “I thought he died?”

                Seonghwa nodded, making Hongjoong continue to look at him with a look of doubt.

                “The brother is a sensitive topic for her and them, we need to figure out the connection.”

                “It seems like her anger is also directly linked to the way they treat the idea of her brother,” Yeosang completed Seonghwa’s train of thought, watching the gears turn in Hongjoong’s head. “Whenever she can, the topic of her brother is brought up, whether it’s when she was with me on Guardian’s Island or in the warehouse with Seonghwa, Mars and Logan.”

                “We also need to understand about the necklace.”

                Seonghwa comments quickly, everyone gathering around him, but he ignores it, watching Yeosang's eyes scan the older man's face looking for the answer, nodding when he seems to finally understand, heading towards the interactive table looking for the warehouse file.

                “What necklace?”

                Wooyoung's question hung in the air as Seonghwa joined Yeosang watching the warehouse's night camera, pausing the four cameras at the exact moment you pull the drawstring out of your blouse. Your features were pained, almost desperate, while Logan and Mars' were pained, longing and slightly shocked. If your words were considered at that moment it was clear that none of the Mirrors expected you to still carry the 'gift' that you put on display for anyone who wanted to see, venom and pain pouring from your lips.

                “They gave it to her before they disappeared after her fifteenth birthday.”

                Yeosang clarified by zooming in on the four camera images. Hongjoong's eyes scanning every detail of the frames, fixated more on your expressions, he could feel the hatred. His fingers were quick to capture each frame it followed, finally finding one in which your eyes fell on Yeosang and Seonghwa, the hatred softening, but determination hardening, almost like a wall being erected.

                Mars was right. As long as they managed to make your feelings speak louder than reason, they would have a chance, they needed to use the hatred you had for the Mirrors in their favor, to get closer to the final goal. The captain could not take his eyes off the image of yourself in each frame that was shown. He had to admit, you were attractive, your posture exuded a call for a challenge that Hongjoong wanted to defeat.

                The screen was quickly turned off and replaced with the image of a blue bird, making all eight of them hold their breath, eyes falling on Hongjoong who had his lips in a thin line as the gears of his mind could clearly be seen working as he squeezed so that Nightingale's message was opened.

                “Hello, captain, I hope you are already adapting. We had news that a mission is being created so that in almost a month, the school will be invaded again by the Government. I need you to plan two different plans, one in case (y/n)'s team is selected and the other, for the case another team is chosen. As a warning, I need to inform you that Yang's team is a strong competitor for the choice to be in his favor, but we are creating enough situations for the Council to understand that there is the possibility of your presence, authorizing (y/n)’s team in participating, promoting the meeting with Wooyoung. Left Eye will leave something he needs to deliver to her, I don't care how they do it. The piece is important to get into her mind, when I have more information I will get in touch.”

                With that, Hongjoong was sure of two things: they needed to be able to separate you and your team; then he needed to be in the same space as you, understand your feelings, which he couldn't do despite Seonghwa and Yeosang's attempts. And he knew exactly how to do all these things when his eyes met the frozen image on the interactive screen.

                One week.

                A week in, and your mind didn't think about anything other than the interaction with Eden.

                He knew about your nickname, about the drawing, about what it meant, even if he didn't understand the nickname. As if that wasn't enough, fate seemed to laugh at you when your team was selected to guard Guardian's Island for a week, the exact week that Eden would send the request to revisit the school. Fortunately, something good could end up coming from this, as you would not only have access to Guardian's Island data, but also access to your and your brother's old room, being able to open the folders that Eden had indicated to you days ago.

                The surprise on everyone's faces when you informed them that you were going to the part of the dorms that was designated for your parents, was enough to know that you would have to be careful, as you say. Not only had Eden built an entire apartment in her head with the lines about the drawing, but he had also done the same by wanting to talk to you alone, neither of you letting anyone know what the conversation had been about or why you had left considerably upset from Eden's office.

                You noticed Chan and Jeongin's eyes following you with considerable concern, being the two who knew the most what that place meant to you, including your brother's influence and how you refused to stay in that space when he himself stopped using it. The truth is that you just took advantage of the fact that your brother left the island because of what he was doing, as well as the chance for you to live at Prestige Academy thanks to the level you were in Class 5. Mostly, you wanted to forget about everything that could remind you about the eight guys who had started to break your heart back then, leaving everything of them behind in that room, knowing that your parents – at the very least – respected your and your brother's individual space.

                The place wasn't much different from years before, but the parents' reaction when you entered with the code allowing entry was enough to make you rethink what you were about to do. They had actually taken out the blockers. The smile and red eyes of both when they saw you was enough to confirm it, but you could still see the madness in their eyes, the madness that you had started to see in Jungkook before you convinced him to stop using the blockers.

                Their arms wrapped around you, but only despair took over, despair and anger. That should have happened when your brother died, you needed them at that time, but instead they used the blockers, not only blocking both of their emotions, but also any kind of interaction with you, still having the capacity to say that it was better to use blockers, but you had made a promise to your brother before he went undercover, a promise you refused to break. The only one you refused to break.

                The words that came out of your parents’ mouth never being processed by your mind, just wanting to finally create space between you. Your father's eyes were the first ones you saw, the glow of madness not as present as in your mother's, but you chose not to think too much about why. On the other hand, your mother refused to let go of you, hands always on your arm or back, guiding you around the house as if you didn't know the place that was still intact even five years later.

                “You must be hungry -”

                “My team and I ate earlier,” their eyes met yours and you felt the need to explain, “before the shift change, me, Chan and Jeongin always sit down to talk about how it's going to go, including who's going to being responsible for the watch of that shift, so we took the opportunity to eat something.”

                “You could have told us; we could have brought you and your friends something to eat.”

                “No need,” your words were quick as you tried to control your voice, your parents had never worried about your friends before, nor about you until that moment. “My team and I have our routine and we already know what we need, Yongbok and Changbin organized the food, there’s no need to worry.”

                It was only after your response that your father noticed how you were behaving, a shadow of sadness took over his face, while you held back from showing satisfaction and slight irritation with everything. Your mother, on the other hand, just seemed to be happy to have you there, not leaving her side at any time.

                “When we found out you were staying here, we bought some things,” the quick movement of your mother moving some things in the kitchen made you look at your father who lowered his head before joining his wife in the kitchen, “I hope you still like -”

                “She’s tired, darling,” your father’s hand rested on your mother’s shoulders making her stop instantly, eyes falling on you, softening enough to make you want to vomit. Now they were worrying about you?. “Let’s let her rest, let’s go to the room, we have a meeting tomorrow.”

                “Yes, of course,” the weak voice hid a cry for help from her husband, almost as if asking him to help bring you back. “It’s your house, (y/n), please make yourself comfortable.”

                At no point did your face show any emotion as your parents headed towards the room. When the click of the door was finally heard, your eyes found the things your parents had bought on the kitchen counter, eyes closing as you sighed trying to keep everything under control. When your eyes opened again, finding the food you and your brother ate before everything happened, a lump formed in your throat, your eyes began to burn, leaving your vision blurred before you left everything behind, heading to where your room would be.

                As soon as the door opened, it was like you went back to five years ago. The room exactly as you had left it, it was as if every corner brought back to you the memories buried deep in your mind, in your heart. Every corner you looked, it was as if the nine of them materialized in front of you and you could see them all helping to organize your room the way you always wanted.

                You could see Howl, Wooyeon and Logan placing fairy lights around the bed while Iyaah and Uno placed them on the walls and ceiling. Mars and his brother organizing the photos you took, spreading them across the walls, just like organizing the desk exactly how you wanted, the photos and little reminders of their size always present.

                Shinwoo organizing the gift they had given you, the record player along with some vinyl records, positioned perfectly in the corner along with the guitar he had given you, after teaching you how to play, the keyboard leaning against the wall, the image of Shinwoo with the guitar, Lucky on the keyboard and everyone around singing and laughing came like a longing and painful slap. It was then that your eyes fell on the separated clothes in the corner.

                The denim jacket Lucky had painted seemed to scream for you to pick it up and wear it again. The jumpers and hoodies on all of them just below the jacket didn't help on the matter, if you rummaged through the small pile of clothes, you'd certainly find the boys' sweatshirts and sweatpants too. Before you could focus on it any longer, your eyes found the drawing that had been haunting you for a week. The bird drawing your brother had done all those years ago hung on the bulletin board, surrounded by polaroid photos of you with each of the nine who had your whole heart.

                Quick steps guided you to the bedroom's bathroom, making you close the door behind you before turning on the tap and splashing water on your face and the back of your neck. Your face was red and already wet from tears that you didn't even realize had fallen as you took in everything that was present in the room. It was then that your eyes looked up at your own reflection in the mirror. Eyes red and swollen, your lower lip between your teeth trying to stop the tremor that always came when everything got too much, before tears started to fall again, your legs gave out and your back met the cold tiles of the bathroom before her body slid down to the floor.

                You didn't care who heard it, even if you knew that only your parents would hear it – if they really wanted to – considering that the place you were in was soundproof, so no one would know what was going on. Then you screamed as you cried holding your own body. The memories of everything that had happened in that room invading your mind, the memories of the last time everyone was there making you dig your nails into your arm trying to get you back to reality.

                You cursed Eden for showing you the drawing.

                Cursed your brother for dying.

                Cursed the eight for abandoning you after promising to stay with you.

                Cursed Angel and Serpent for coming into your life.

                Cursed your parents for abandoning you after all.

                Cursed your team for always supporting you regardless.

                Cursed yourself for still feeling those feelings for the eight of them.

                And you cursed one last time as Angel and Serpent appeared in your mind.

                You didn't know how long you stood still on the bathroom floor, but it was long enough for your entire body to shiver from the cold, even though your face was still hot and wet, finally deciding to turn on the shower and let the warm water fall on you, clearing any and all memories that had arisen at that time. Even though you knew the guilt would never be completely washed away.

                Guilt not only about your relationship with your team and the others who didn't have blockers, but mainly guilt about Mars, Lucky, Uno, Logan, Howl, Iyaah, Wooyeon and Shinwoo. Guilt for not being able to hate them as much as you hated yourself for what you felt for them, for what they felt for you.

                The glass and gold pendant was caressed by your wet fingers, the drops from the shower decorating the eight pieces of glass. Howl and Serpent's words echoing in your mind. They loved you, but they still abandoned you. Howl's writing along with Mars' speech when he visited your apartment months ago made you close your eyes tightly.

                The noise of the shower taking you to the noise of the waterfall that you and the others always went to, when visiting the other dimension. If you really tried, you could smell the air with the smells of the forest around you, you could feel the grass under your feet, you could hear the laughter of each of your nine boys. You could feel Shinwoo carrying you to where the others were, you could see most of the shirtless boys entering the lake and throwing water at each other.

                You could see Wooyeon and your brother hiding in the corner while you pretended not to know that they got a cake to celebrate your fifteenth birthday. Shinwoo stopped on the side with you in his arms, holding the boy's neck as if your life depended on it. If he threw you, he would go with. Uno quickly removed your shoes, placing them with the other shoes before Shinwoo placed you on the floor, taking off his own shirt and shoes, following the path Uno had taken previously. Lucky quickly by your side with his hand behind you, the other boys already in the lake watch you curiously.

                There had been enough time for you to have become aware of your body and theirs, of how their skin felt, of the suggestions they played next to your ear bringing shivers down your spine. That would be the first time you were conscious of it all, and in just your bathing suit in front of them. The wet earth being what made you most focused on everything that was happening, trying to ignore the presence of all eight boys that occupied your mind recently, the fact that they were shirtless not helping your process of maintaining some sanity in their presence.

                Mars was the first to break you out of your trance, his fingers cold from the lake water finding your elbow, making you startle and elicit a small laugh from all the boys, Shinwoo and Uno quickly joining the others in the lake. Mars and Lucky's eyes asked if everything was okay and you just nodded before taking a few steps back, arms wrapping around your waist as you heard the laughter of the boys behind you. The thoughts about how they would feel about your body made you even more aware and stopped you from taking off the shorts and blouse you had stolen from your brother.

                Memories of talking about you getting involved with any of his friends coming back to mind. Even though you knew he talked more about people at Prestige Academy, all the other eight were also his friends, which meant you shouldn't feel the things you felt about them. But, in all honesty, your mind and heart don't care about this detail, not even when your brother appeared at your side, taking off his own shirt and putting it on with his shoes down in line.

                With a simple kiss on the top of your head and a '*we're waiting for you at the lake*', he turned away and you could hear the splash as his body came in contact with the water. Hands grabbing the hem of your blouse, aware of the girls you had seen in this dimension and in your own, how they looked at the boys, how they looked at those girls, the way you wanted them to look at you.

                "Is everything okay?" Wooyeon was quickly beside your, worried eyes found the arms wrapped around your waist, fingers tightening on your shirt. “Are you in pain?” When you just kept your head down, Wooyeon cursed under his breath looking at the group of friends. “He said you wouldn’t be –”

                He cut off his own speech and you found yourself laughing at the memory, even though your face burned at the time when you saw what he wanted to say, quickly shaking your hands and head high, making Wooyeon sigh, his fingers quickly finding your arms, his eyes soft and slightly worried.

                “It's been a while since we've been to the lake, that's all,” your fingers quickly removed the shorts, your brother's loose shirt doesn't make much of a difference considering it covered half of your thighs, but you see Wooyeon's eyes finding your legs before he looked away with a shy smile, making your face burn even more. “It’s been a while since… well, we haven’t…”

                “You can come in with your shirt on if you want,” your heart ached as you remembered that memory, how sweet Wooyeon was, the way his eyes fell on your body and went up to your eyes, making you curse for how naive you were, for not having noticed how his gaze was on you. “It’s okay if you don’t want to take your shirt off, today is your day, you can do whatever you want and the last thing we want is to make you uncomfortable.”

                A tear joined the water drops from the shower, a sad smile on your lips at the memory.

                “You could never make me uncomfortable Yeonie,” your voice was weak, shy, as it always was when you were with them, your heart feeling like it would come out of your mouth at any moment. The giggle that came out of Wooyeon's mouth took you by surprise before he stopped behind you, making you highly aware of the small distance when you felt the warm air of his breath against your ear. "What...?"

                “Do you trust us?”

                “Completely,” and back then you really trusted them blindly. Your heart clenched in your chest as your hand tightened on the pendant and your face lowered to meet your knees, the water from the shower hitting directly on your neck and back, squeezing the pendant tighter as you remembered Wooyeon placing it around your neck. "What -"

                “Our gift to you,” your hands rested on his shoulder after closing the necklace at the back of your neck, his fingers brushing lightly against your skin, making the area burn and the butterflies in your stomach wake up, “do you know what it means?”

                You didn't dare turn back, knowing he was closer than he had ever been, and you didn't trust your own body's reactions at that moment. The eyes and fingers quickly passing over the pendant. A gold thread wrapped around eight broken but mended pieces of glass, the thread forming the design of a heart while the eight pieces of glass met in the middle, meeting another dot of gold, a delicate heart design in gold.

                “It’s pretty, but...,” Wooyeon’s fingers found yours on the pendant and your breathing stopped for a minute, “Wooyeon, you guys don’t -”

                “The outer heart of gold is your brother, for he arranged everything for us to meet, the eight pieces of glass are each of us, for your brother also held us together before you arrived and brought us together completely, so that you are the heart in the middle, at the center of the pendant, connecting everything within you, because you were the missing piece, you are our heart, (y/n).”

                Your fingers rested on the middle heart, your eyes still closed, the water from the shower running along with the last tears you allowed to fall for Wooyeon and the others. Finally remembering how Wooyeon kissed your cheek after that speech, how he carried you towards the lake, how each of the boys took care of you, how your brother's shirt wrapped around your body until you finally decided to take it off, feeling the eight of their hands on your waist and back, trying to ignore the effect it had on you, trying not to think too much about all the times they pulled you close, holding you against their body, how their lips burned into your skin every time they found some place that day – cheek, shoulder, temple, top of the head, hand, wrist, it didn't matter the place, it always burned.

                It was the vibration of your cell phone that made you wake up to reality. How many times it had vibrated, you couldn't say, but considering the state of your skin, you had spent a considerable amount of time in the shower. Quickly washing your hair, you let your phone ring a few more times, three to be specific – one from Chan, one from Jeongin and one from Minho. When you finally got out of the shower, your cell phone rang a fourth time – which you managed to see who the call was from –, finding Jisung's name on the screen, sighing, you answered it and put it on speaker.

                “I was taking a shower, did something happen?”

                Silence quickly took over the other line before everyone started talking at once, making a smile appear on your lips.

                “Do you have any idea how long you’ve been in the bathroom?”

                Seungmin's voice made you stop for a minute checking the time on your phone, your silence being enough for them to know that you had no idea.

                "Did something happen?"

                “How do you know how long I’ve been in the bathroom?”

                You can hear Yeji, Ryujin and Chaeryeong laughing, making you sigh, slightly irritated, but not at all surprised, ignoring Chan's question again before opening the door, wrapping your body in a towel, your eyes passing through every corner of the room before finding the hidden camera near the shelf next to the guitar and keyboard, giving it the middle finger, your team's laughter making you laugh along before going back to get your phone.

                “We just wanted to know how you were doing.”

                Yongbok's voice was worried, and you just pursed your lips looking at your reflection in the mirror, knowing that from that angle, they couldn't see you, giving you one last moment of calm.

                “I'm fine, but if I find out that you boys hacked the cameras here without telling me, again, so you could spy on me, I'll make sure you never have heirs.”

                “Why do you think it was our idea?”

                Changbin exclaimed almost painfully at your realization, making you sigh before picking up your cell phone and returning to the room, eyes focused on the camera in front of you.

                “Because none of the girls would do that, they know that when I need time it also involves being fully alone!”

                “Is that why you always ask them to come with you to keep watch?”

                You allowed yourself to laugh, noticing the sadness in Jisung's voice.

                “You are very desperate when I don't respond, they know how to act more with their heads, don't take it personally,” some complaints were heard before light slaps made you laugh on the other end of the line. “Minho, stop watching me, I’m fine, but I need some time alone.”

                “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

                “Don’t worry, the list is almost zero, so there aren’t many things I can do.”

                Before you could hear anything else, the call ended and you made sure to remove the camera, hiding it among the pile of plushies that Howl, Wooyeon, Shinwoo, Iyaah and Uno had gotten for you years before. Did they already love you from that time? The memories played around appearing in your mind, today you could say that the answer was probably correct, they always loved you, even before everything happened, so why had they done everything they did? Why abandon you? Why kill your brother?

                Your brother's file.

                You quickly searched on some clothes, eyes going to the pile of clothes in the corner, their pile of clothes. Maybe you allowed yourself while you were there, that last moment to happen, as you were already digging the hole again. They were back, they were already fucking with your mind, why not surrender once and for all and wear their clothes? A pair of sweatpants – according to the size, they were from Iyaah or Uno – and a hoodie – they were gray and with the words: UNALLOYED, making you smile knowing that they were from Howl.

                You quickly grabbed your computer, opening it and connecting to Strickland's system. Your data quickly placed so you could access the files made available by Eden. The school’s blueprint could be seen, but also another one with drawings within the blueprint that you believed had been made by Kai and Niki, after reading some of the notes that Eden made about the day, writing down in your mind from talking to both of them before entering the school, noticing that there were areas that were not in the original plan making you curse under your breath.

                The photos of the event were considerable, both of the bodies as of the walls painted red with some bullet holes. So many people dead on both sides. Your heart sank, knowing that this was one of the reasons you didn't want to stay in Class 5, because these moments hit you, they made you question things you shouldn't, hell, they even made you agree with the things the Black Pirates stood for, even though you knew it was wrong.

            Your eyes went through the list of names that they had managed to identify from the Black Pirates, but what surprised you was the number of unidentified people, some with justification, but most didn't have any, making you pay even more attention to the photos and feel the bile in your mouth. How bad had that encounter been and what could be so important that the members would protect at all costs?

            When you arrived at the last file, your fingers went quickly to the paper that Eden had given you, the password being typed quickly as you memorized it before burning it and throwing it in the metal trash in the room that still had some ashes from five years ago. Your parents had never touched the room, was it because they didn't care enough, or completely the opposite? But you didn't see any signs of dust, they probably just cleaned it superficially, but never for long enough. It was then that a noise came and your eyes quickly fell to a corner in the room, one hand closing the computer while the other went under the pillow, realizing that they hadn't really touched your room, when your fingers found the dagger, but you laughed to yourself when you noticed the vacuum cleaner running inside your room, explaining the lack of dust.

            Your eyes finally returned to the computer screen, several extra files being found, but you chose to focus on the videos, quickly opening the first one, finding the image of Niki, Minhyuk and, consequently, Kai who had the bodycam. You could see each of the rooms, the aftermath of the events, the fallen bodies, red bathing the walls and floor, papers scattered, places torn apart, you could only imagine the work that had gone into collecting all the evidence, identifying the people lying in the ground, your heart squeezed for those who could not be recognized.

            Regardless, you organized a cursory plan for your team, also considering the best locations for Minjae's team to stay and oversee the space for you guys. Fortunately, most of the places Eden had required your attention were on the same floor, but you needed to go down three floors to get to the room he had said was sealed, making a note to talk to Jihyo, Changbin, Chaeryeong and Yujun, knowing that all help was welcome.

            It was almost midnight when you finally finished the outline of the plan, leaving it in a protected folder on your computer, remembering what Eden had said about what happened to your brother, about the secret file he had. Your eyes fell on the camera you had lowered, knowing it had been placed by your brother and being thankful that it didn't take up the entire room, especially not the part where Mars and the others were appearing.

            With a sigh, you opened the network search, checking if the VPN was still on and restarting it just in case before sighing, fingers nimbly placing the sequence of numbers and letters you knew so well: 8B92QMO. You saw the screen open blank, a few quick clicks and the part to enter a password was released, opening the folder that Eden had commented on. Your eyes were already burning looking at the dates, knowing that it would soon be three years since your brother's death.

            Your trembling fingers guided the cursor to the last date that was the last video he had shared, clicking softly, the image of your brother opening on the screen and a sob leaving your throat, one of your hands quickly going to your mouth trying to stifle the sound. His hair was disheveled, he had some dark circles under his eyes, but nothing too serious, his hair was longer than usual, his skin was also more tanned due to his undercover work. Despite everything, what really caught your attention was the damn drawing that Eden had commented on.

            Like a beacon, your eyes quickly found the drawing of the bird hanging on the note board behind your brother, along with a photo of you and him on his graduation day from Prestige Academy. The lump in your throat increased, making you close your eyes and take a deep breath, calming your nerves, adjusting your headphones before opening your eyes finding the image of your brother looking down, you could see the tiredness, deciding that later you would going through all the files that Eden had gotten, hoping to find something new, something that explained why.

            “Update on the case,” your breath caught when you heard your brother's voice after everything that had happened, his eyes meeting yours on the computer screen, “I still haven't been able to know exactly where everything will happen, but I believe I managed to make contact for the first time after…,” his voice trailed off followed by a sigh, “well…, it doesn’t matter, but I need to do this, I need to do this for her.” Your heart tightened in your chest, tears began to fall from your eyes. “She deserves answers, I just hope I get them and -” then the speech was cut off by a noise and your brother took out his cell phone, the glow hitting his face before a small smile appeared on his lips making you smile along with him, after a few moments and text exchanges later, his eyes found the camera again, “tomorrow, (y/n). If you watch this video, I'll get some answers for you tomorrow, okay? Wait for me, I’ll be home soon.”

            Then the video was cut.

            Along with that, a muffled scream from you broke the silence of your room.

            He was doing all this for you.

            They were doing all that for you.

            All you wanted was the nine with you and not this fucked up situation you found yourself in.

            Wiping away some of the tears, you quickly moved the cursor through the folders that Eden owned, but unfortunately, the only new thing was your brother's videos. As expected, sporadic and with little indication of what was happening, just routine videos to show that everything was still fine, no safe words were used, his eyes showed no fear, everything seemed fine, so what the hell happened that you disappeared and turned up dead a month later?, that was all that was going through your head with every video you saw.

            Then the last file appeared, also password protected.

            The file that Eden said belonged to your brother, that only he had access to.

            Both you and Eden knew the password could be anything and you wished he had passed on the passwords he had tried. With a sigh, your fingers were quick trying to somehow find the possible password for that folder, but the only information that was offered was the number of files and the date of the last modification, curiously, it was the date following his last video.

            Once again opening all the files that Eden had made available, ending with the last video posted, eyes and ears looking for any clue that your brother could give about the folder's password.

            I need to do this for her.

            She deserves answers.

            You knew your brother well enough to know that him saying those words and then saying your name meant something, but you didn't know how many attempts Eden had made, you also knew your brother well enough to know that when the limit was reached, all files would be automatically deleted from the archive.

            Your eyes scanned the video looking for any hint as to what the password could be. He had to have placed it somewhere so you could identify it. That video was for you. There was a reason he did it. The drawing caught your attention again, the conversation with Eden coming back to you and you cursed under your breath at how stupid you were being. His voice could be heard next to you mocking how clueless you had been about it all.

            With a sigh and a plea, your fingers typed in the only password you could think of. Fingers trembling searching for each key, it was almost as if you were typing, each keystroke a silent prayer that you were right. Erasing the password twice and entering a third, paying attention to each key, you closed your eyes one last time, a silent request followed by a sigh.

            Eleven letters.

            One word.

            One meaning.

            Lots of memories.

            The dots representing each of the typed letters.

            Your eyes rested again on the image of the drawing his brother had made that was in his room.  A silent plea that you were right.

            Tremblingly, your index finger found the enter key, closing your eyes at the same second, waiting for any noise that would indicate an error or a file destruction sequence, but nothing came, making you open your eyes, finding all the files exposed in front of you. A simple image of your brother was present, probably a video taken right after the one he had sent to Eden. The outfit was the same, the position was the same, everything was the same, even your brother's small smile.

            You had done it.

            Unfortunately, you couldn't do anything until you watched the video that was displayed for you, making you sigh and calm down. Knowing that this was probably the real last video of your brother before his death. Again you braced yourself for the video, even though you knew it would probably be in vain, considering what he had done to contain those files.

            “Of all the people who could find these files, I hope it's you on the other side of the screen, (y/n),” the mischievous smile was present, it was almost as if you could talk to him, as if nothing had happened so many years ago. “I know a lot has happened and I believe if this video reached you, something happened to me and I'm sorry for that.” The space button was quickly pressed and you found yourself sobbing as you held your face in your hands, tears falling onto your hot face. Everyone knew how complicated working undercover was, but no one ever expected death to happen, at least not in the way it happened. The space key was pressed again and your brother's voice flooded your ears. “I need you to know that I love you, to promise me again that you will never use the blockers and to know who to trust,” a sigh and you noticed him shifting in the chair, his back straight. “There are monsters under the bed, yes, but never forget that the real monsters can be on your side helping you kill the so-called ‘monsters hiding under the bed’, okay?”

            His gaze had become hard and you stopped the video again. Something had happened after the video he had shared with Eden, something involving the messages exchanged.

            "What do you want to tell me? What really happened?"

            Your eyes scanned the video frame again, everything was exactly the same as before, the only difference was your brother's posture, all this after the messages he had received. What the hell had happened the next day? Sighing, you pressed play again, hearing your brother's sigh on the other side.

            “If the worst happens, know that I won't be upset if you get hold of my video games, but be careful with my computer, be careful with the pages you open, the last thing we need is a virus getting in there,” you they both laughed, but the raising of eyebrows had been different, his laugh had been different, there was something on his computer, but how did he gain access to the computer while undercover? “Mom and Dad’s house has more things than mine, just be careful, many things there are valuable and I spent a lot of money!” His spine became more erect, your eyes falling on the clock. Almost two in the morning, your parents must have already been in their twentieth sleep. “One more thing, I love you (y/n), nothing in the world will change that. Be aware, not everything is as it seems, there are wolves in sheep's clothing in every flock. I love you, my nightingale.”

           As soon as the video was finished, you spent a while just observing the image of your brother, his weak but affectionate smile; his eyes tired, but with a sparkle in them. How you wished you could have him close one last time, hug your brother, hear his laugh, train with him... All you wanted was your brother back. The cursor went through all the files, you already knew you wouldn't sleep, but unfortunately, you couldn't find much beyond what Eden already knew, except some encoded files that you would need time, knowing you couldn't ask any of the people who were with you, that was something you needed to do alone.

           Your eyes fell back to the computer, cursing under your breath thinking about how long you had until the sun started to rise and your parents woke up. With light and quick steps, you left your room and entered your brother's. Releasing the breath you were holding, your eyes turned to the room, untouched just like yours. You froze in place for a moment, closing your eyes and taking a deep breath, still finding your brother's scent in the room, it was faint but it was there. Your whole body shook before you opened your eyes, finding the bed, your brother's words coming back to you, just like your eyes falling on your desktop computer.

           Before you could think much, your feet were already guiding you to the bed, knees and cheek finding the floor while one hand lifted the duvet, looking for anything under the bed, cursing under your breath when you couldn't find anything, eyes finding the desktop computer. Taking care not to make any noise, you moved the swivel chair away, pressing all the necessary buttons to turn on the computer, your leg shaking nervously as your mind went over every piece of information you had gathered.

           That had all reignited the fire that burned inside you.

           Maybe now you would finally have answers.

           Unlike what you expected, you were met by a black screen with blue bold letters, a rectangle waiting for a password to be entered and you sighed, re-entering the password that you hoped was correct. The letters shining with each key pressed.

           NIGHTINGALE.

           Then the entire computer went black before a string of words appeared, such as various file names and registrations, recognizing some as those of your team and your brother's friends. They all had the date of last access, making your mouth form an 'o' when looking at the names of the last accesses, but not necessarily for the reason you would expect. The scare didn't come from the fact that the names of your team and your brother's friends were some of the last to be viewed, but rather the fact of when they were viewed.

           Most importantly, the fact that your own file had been opened five minutes ago.

           Your breathing stopped for a moment watching the computer screen. The well-known names were displayed on the computer's black screen, the dates of interaction were recent, but then everything stopped when a new name appeared at the top, your brother's file had just been opened. Your hand quickly found the mouse, the cursor heading to the well-known name, but which had been deleted from Strickland's files.

           "What the hell is happening?"

           Your voice was weak, less than a whisper, almost a breath when the click on your brother's name made the entire screen fill with data. There was information from when he was at Prestige Academy, when you were just a child who didn't know anything about life. Various and various files were present on the screen, some you knew, others you never saw anything about in your entire training period or after your graduation.

           C2REKL3 – your brother's first mission after he graduated at sixteen. The boys had stayed with you throughout the period, as the fear of the possibility of losing your brother consumed you completely.

           GBQJ9DU – the first mission he participated in when he was still fifteen, you still remembered how he, Chan, Mingyu and Jungkook were stressed about what was going to happen, even though you knew that BTB would be there to protect them if necessary.

           7KC93ZZ – his first mission (still supervised) after being selected for the ASTRO team, not long after the success of the GBQJ9DU mission, which was the first time he had needed to kill someone. Until today you could see the emptiness on his face and how much he took himself whenever he could, trying to get rid of the invisible blood that stained his hand.

           FI2U9KY – your first mission with him when you were thirteen.

           ZVYQ8H7 – his last mission with ASTRO before Eden's recruitment so he could carry out the undercover work that would cause him to lose his life in the badlands of Strickland.

           On the other hand, your fingers quickly searched for your cellphone to write down some of the sequences: 0JIL63EJ, XWET73T, NAXZMG0, KN3JA0J... How many missions had your brother been part of that you had never imagined? Finally, your eyes focused on the last mission he participated in (but not the last folder that had been changed). Seven months. He had been undercover for seven months, which explains his tan and long hair. Your fingers quickly went to the first file shown, your blood running cold with every word you read from the document.

           He had been selected to check the movements of a possible opposition group that seemed to already be causing problems even after having been there for a short time. According to the reports, they were a group of eight people, there were no records of them at Strickland, they were complete ghosts, with considerable knowledge of how the system worked. It didn't take much for you to know that your brother had been chosen to study and capture Mars and the others, you knew he had picked it up on that easily too.

           A video appeared in front of you, the first video of the mission, making you hold back your tears, the image exactly as you remembered it. The video was merely introductory, explaining who he was, his role in the team and the ultimate objective, some information about what had happened. You could hear and see other trusted people in the video, Eden was considerably specific in who and which groups participated in the missions he commanded, especially those that required stealth.

           The next video was accompanied by a report. Maddox. That was the first word that appeared in the document followed by numbers and coordinates, the last word you could see in the document was a simple: CONTACT. Then the entire screen went black and you cursed under your breath before a blue glow appeared on the screen. A simple 'hello', the user written was Maddox, but you had never met a Maddox and, curiously, the conversation had only started after you opened the file that had that name as the first word.

  MADDOX: (y/n), I know you are there, please respond.

           Your fingers were still on the keyboard, the tips lightly touching the keys. It couldn't be, he wouldn't do that to you.

  MADDOX: Eunwoo is dead, this is Maddox, now answer.   NIGHTINGALE: how do you know my name?   MADDOX: you really thought it would be this easy to enter your brother’s things and no one would know?   NIGHTINGALE: who are you?   MADDOX: Maddox.   NIGHTINGALE: no shit, now answer the question.   MADDOX: let’s say I’m the Lee Minho to your brother, but better.

           A scoff left your lips as your back met the back of the swivel chair. You needed to find out who Maddox was and what he wanted.

  MADDOX: your brother gave me access and control over his data, who do you think created all of this and made sure his registration was not canceled?

           With that your back quickly became straight, your eyes determined and angry.

  MADDOX: I knew this would get your attention.   NIGHTINGALE: what do you want from me?   MADDOX: I can help you if you want.   NIGHTINGALE: why is that my name?   MADDOX: should we use your real name when involving high treason documents?   Your breathing stopped for a minute.   MADDOX: I can help you get justice for your brother.   MADDOX: I can tell you who wanted him dead, but I still don't know who was successful.   NIGHTINGALE: The Black Pirates killed my brother.   MADDOX: he said you were smarter and thought for yourself, shame.   NIGHTINGALE: he was after them, how come they weren't the ones who killed him?   MADDOX: If they really wanted to, even you would be dead, child.

            So he was older, but how much older?

  MADDOX: you two have the same face when you're thinking.   NIGHTINGALE: since when have you been watching me?   MADDOX: since you entered that password in Eden's data.

           Your entire body froze.

           Maddox had access to Strickland's system, but whose side was he on?

  MADDOX: I have to admit that I thought I would have to watch you look for the password, but you surprised me by not taking long to find it, both then and now.   MADDOX: Maybe the rumors about you are real.   NIGHTINGALE: and what could these rumors be?   MADDOX: too many for the little time we have.   NIGHTINGALE: So how do you expect to contact me after this?   MADDOX: If you had looked more meticulously under your brother's bed, you would have found the flash drive that gives you access to everything you were so focused on discovering.

           You quickly got up, bending down again, turning on the light on your cell phone, going through the entire underside without finding anything, grunting quietly and rolling your eyes before finding a small reflection in the wooden part of the bed. The light quickly directed there, a flash drive was taped to the wood of the bed, reaching out to pick it up trying to make as little noise as possible, knowing that it was close to the time for your parents to wake up.

           Your eyes fell to the computer screen, Maddox had sent a few more messages, so you quickly headed to the chair, flash drive carefully in hand.

  MADDOX: Eunwoo made several requests to me before everything happened, I know a lot more things than most superiors.   MADDOX: I know you don't have much to believe in me, but I believe that when you see all the data we have in the system, maybe you will use your big brain and help get justice for your brother.   MADDOX: by the end of the week a brand new computer will be in your room at Strickland, use this computer to communicate with me and open the files, if you don't do so, using your computer or importing the files with the programs created by Minho in the new one, I'm going to do something about it and you don't want to know what I can do.   MADDOX: Your brother risked everything and more, you don't have to trust me, but at least do this for him, so that what he fought for was not in vain.   NIGHTINGALE: you talk too much for someone who hides behind a computer.   MADDOX: you're not far away, little bird.   MADDOX: you're considerably more intimidating in person than on a computer screen.

           Your eyes widened, but before you could type anything Maddox had beaten you to it.

  MADDOX: yes, Eunwoo recruited me, saw potential in me, Eden too and yes, we have already met in person.   MADDOX: I was part of the team that was undercover with him, but my work was more at the base and at the Command Center, which was where I was when the place was invaded.   MADDOX: don't do anything stupid, we all have skeletons in our closet and yours isn't the emptiest one.   NIGHTINGALE: I wonder what my brother would do knowing you're threatening me.   MADDOX: unlike him, my reason for protecting you is nothing more than strategic, it is to him that I swore loyalty, not to you.   MADDOX: if anyone on your team knows, know that there are advantages to having access to the Strickland Security Network, little bird.

           You let out a small scoff, but the smirk on your lips gave you away. You had liked Maddox, you could understand why your brother had taken him close.

  MADDOX: your parents will wake up in an hour and a half, I suggest you get some sleep and wait for the computer to use the flash drive, unless you want your own to self-destruct.   NIGHTINGALE: I want the new computer tomorrow.   MADDOX: earn it then.

           The screen went completely black, you couldn't connect with Maddox in any way, until the screen turned on again, your brother's computer screen from the last time you shared that house was present. You wouldn't be able to contact Maddox, whoever he was.  His words replayed in your mind. Mars and the others had abandoned you to organize the Black Pirates. Your brother was assigned to handle the situation they were trying to create. But as Maddox noted, they had several chances to cause your death if they really wanted it. Serpent also made it clear that one of the reasons – if not the only reason – that they hadn't completed the revolution was because of you, because they were in love with you, because they had already destroyed so much of what you loved and believed they couldn't finish the only thing they knew you held on to with all your might.

            You were already waiting for that to happen.

            Your entire team was already waiting, you knew that some members of your team had also passed on the information to the XKRS, so it was no surprise to anyone when punches were heard at the door of the room designated for you and your team. The eyes of the XKRS boys fell on you with concern, those of your team on the other hand, were determined. They had been waiting to have a talk with Yang ever since you told Hyunjin what had happened for your stitches to open.

            Jeongin was the first to move towards the door, being stopped when you raised your hand before sighing and heading towards the repeated knocks and Yang's screams demanding to speak to you. When Eden said that the team that would be responsible for the second sweep of the school would be published that day, you wanted to make it clear that you would be in your office, as you knew that Yang would come after you, this time you were prepared for whatever he wanted. would do.

            Maddox had also made it clear that he would arrange for your team to be selected and that he would help you with the door sealed in the school parking lot. You would need to use a communication point with him, which made you put Chan and Minho in charge of communicating with the XKRS. The justification was simple, Chan hadn't yet worked directly with other teams below you and Minho could help Sunmin with any issue he might need with the network, as you needed all the eyes possible to complete the mission effectively.

            The punches on the door became more constant, Yang's muffled voice also became more present. With a simple look back, your team understood that they should stay quiet and let Yang be dealt with, even if all the eleven wanted at that moment was to annihilate the oldest. You made a point of making noise by pulling on the handle – which you knew wouldn't open, as you all always locked the door – and then, unlocking the door before sighing and opening it a small crack, just enough for Yang to see your face.

            In a quick movement, he pushed the door away, his other hand finding your neck and you allowed it, holding back your laughter as you felt him pinning you against the wall, just like before, just as you expected him to do. In your peripheral vision, you could see the XKRS mobilizing to head towards you, only for your team to deny the advance and place their index finger against their lips.  This was supposed to be resolved between you and Yang and just you two.

            You allowed yourself to smile when you realized that he was so upset that he didn't notice the presence of the others in the room, his eyes angry and fixed on you. The fingers pressing against your neck enough to make you struggle slightly, he pressed you against the wall again, his free hand finding your left, pinning it firmly against the wall. Your right hand going for Yang's forearm, applying enough pressure to make him imagine the situation was repeating itself.

            “I told you to stay the fuck away,” his face getting closer to yours, his fingers squeezing your neck, cutting off the air making you open your mouth, creating half moons on the skin of Yang's forearm, “you have so much desire to be the same as that grub of a brother, that you want to end up like him?”

            Air finally returned to your lungs as he released his neck, holding both hands on top of your head, his other hand at the top of your thigh already anticipating a possible knee to his side. Your eyes met his with arched eyebrows. 

            “It feels like someone has been studying,” the air was inviting and painful in your throat, but you did your best to maintain your posture, you had been through worse, “does this mean that the great Yang is afraid of me?”

            The cynical laugh that left your lips brought a slight grimace to Yang's face that squeezed your hips and wrists. Giving him a small smile, you leaned your head against the wall.

            “You really want to end up like your brother, don’t you? Who knows, maybe something won't happen in the next mission, hun? We’ve already lost a lot of agents in the field, one more won’t be a problem, right?” Your face hardened, the memories of the data you had access to thanks to Maddox still fresh in your mind, could Yang be one of those possibly responsible? Considering the hatred he possessed for your brother, being driven by you after bringing Jeongin to your team, it was to be expected. “A bullet to the skull, the skin devoured by animals, passing for nothing more than a piece of meat thrown in the middle of the desert -”

            Before any of the others could do anything, you threw your head forward, your forehead meeting Yang's nose and making him stumble back, giving you enough space to untangle yourself from him and the wall, grabbing his dominant arm, forcing it behind his back before pressing him with his chest against the wall, pulling his arm up listening to his complaint, the blood that came from the nose staining Yang's mouth and chin, consequently, also staining the wall that you had pressed it.

            “You just threatened another government official, you know the consequences that brings, don’t you?”

            “It’s your word against mine, princess,” God how you hated that nickname, especially when said like that. “You may be who you are, but I spent time creating my reputation.” 

            “I should have spent more time in strategy classes.”

            Quickly, you pulled Yang's body, so that his chest was now against one of the nearby tables, trying to hold him as best as possible, trying to remember what Changbin had been through to you so many times. Only when he turned his face meeting Jeongin and Chan's gaze did he stop fidgeting, you could see he had realized how screwed he was.

            “You dumb bitch, I'm gonna fucking kill you.”

            “Oh, you still won’t shut up?”

            In a quick movement, Yang managed to free himself from you, just as you expected and wrapped his arm around your neck, trapping you in a headlock, making everyone move towards you before you hissed a ‘no’, making everyone stop, but you could see both Changbin and Yongbok moving around the corners, Chan, Jeongin, Hyunjin, Ryujin and Minjae taking slow steps towards you. Yang's ragged breathing could be heard in your ear, but you made no mention of it.

            “Are you really going to keep betraying your family for pussy?” Everyone knew that the words were directed at Jeongin, who seemed unaffected. Yang continued taking a few steps back, your eyes meeting Yongbok and Changbin's who were just waiting for your signal. “As if all your brother’s friends weren’t enough, you also have to fuck your team and my brother?”

            “Are you mad because I’m fucking them all, or because I’m not fucking you?”

            Yang's arm tightened around your neck making you gasp, everyone else becoming highly alert, but only the XKRS reacted more openly to what was happening. Yongbok and Changbin were still far away, making you think of something to help distract Yang as they got closer.

            “A whore's word doesn't mean anything, you should know that,” his lips pressed against your ear and you had to hold yourself back from moving away, “or do you think no one ever knew what you and my brother were doing back home? Or at the Prestige Academy?”

            “It’s not like it was a crime what we were doing.”

            “But the feelings you have for each other is.”

            “So is the feeling you feel right now,” he paused for a moment and you found yourself smiling, “and that’s why you’re not as good as you believe yourself to be, Yang.”

            Your elbow quickly met his side while your heel met his toes, causing him to move away enough for another elbow to find his diaphragm followed by a headbutt to Yang's – already broken – nose. Yongbok quickly pushed Changbin and Yang out of your way, Changbin pinning Yang against the wall, Yongbok being your support as you recovered, one of your hands finding your neck which was quickly inspected by him.

            Jeongin quickly getting between you and his older brother, still being pressed by Changbin, Chan quickly joins in to hold Yang if necessary. The younger Yang's eyes fell on you for a minute, more specifically on the mark on your neck, making him purse his lips before focusing again on Yang who was watching everything, still slightly aghast at what you had done. You could see the gears in Jeongin’s mind working.

            “I think you spent enough time free for what you did,” there were very few times when you felt afraid of Jeongin or any of your team, but hearing the icy voice of your third-in-command made your entire body shiver, remembering one of the reasons you chose him as your other right hand in command, the reason why many were afraid of him. If Yang could be cruel, Jeongin could be the incarnation of Satan if he needed to. “Take him to the room.”

            Changbin and Chan didn't even look their way before punching Yang unconscious, dragging his body to the room in question. Initially created for moments when someone was frustrated, angry or simply wanted to speak out loud without the fear of someone overhearing. As your team grew, there were times when it was necessary for some mechanisms to be used, even by you and Jisung – no matter how much you were against such mechanisms. This means that the soundproofing room could also become a torture room on specific occasions, even if rarely used for that purpose.

            “Innie,” the nickname seemed to soften Jeongin’s gaze before falling back on you in concern, a small pain forming in your chest. He would torture his own brother for you, what situation had you all gotten yourself into? “Innie, there’s no need -”

            “He threatened you,” the words were simple, harsh and had consequences that you knew went beyond a mere settling a score for what Yang had done to you months ago, “we have the recordings of everything, what he did has consequences and you know that -”

            “You don’t have to be the one to do it.”

            The dimples appeared, making your heart weight heavier on your chest.

            Yang was right, in the end. You loved them and they loved you.

            Even though deep down, you knew it wasn't the same love you once felt for Mars and the others, that you believed you would never feel again, because in the end, the higher-ups were right, Henry Jo was right, the Sciensalvar were right, Z was right. Feelings were the worst evil that could exist and the universe seemed to prove this to you with each event.

            “You are my boss, my leader, my friend, my -” he stopped for a moment and you found yourself holding the air you breathed, Yongbok's fingers on your back serving as a way to keep you centered in the midst of what was happening. Jeongin's sigh was enough to make you release the breath you were holding before his eyes met yours, stopping momentarily on your neck. “He is my brother, if anyone, other than you, has the right to do something, it is me.”

            “How will this affect your family?”

            “You and the others have been my family for a while now,” the smile was weak but truthful, you knew he believed every one of those words and the tightness in your chest seemed to ease a little at that, but only a little. “Go over the plan with the XKRS boys, we’ll be waiting in the room.”

            It was only then that you realized you had been left alone in the office with the XKRS boys. Their worried eyes on you as they watched Yongbok make sure you were okay enough for him to follow behind the others, which he did once you gave a slight nod. Your mind was a mess, not only with what had just happened, but also considering the information you had seen in your brother and Maddox's files.

            With a sigh, a mental note came up to check Yang's name and registration in the records. You always knew there was more to the whole situation between the two of you, you knew it went beyond your relationship with Jeongin. Your fingers found the bridge of your nose before you sighed one last time and met the curious and worried eyes of the new Strickland unit.

            “You have three seconds to put on a poker face, otherwise you will be demoted to insider work for a month,” all ten straightened their posture, faces becoming closed, but you could still tell by the look what was going on. “ You also need to work on your eyes, but this is better than expected.”

            “Erm,” you didn’t look up, preferring to re expose the photos and blueprints of the school and nearby buildings, but you had noticed the exchange of looks between the ten, “if you need some time, we -”

            Everyone was cut off by the muffled scream that came out of the room, shocks ran through your body as you swallowed hard and closed your eyes trying to focus on the plan, instead of imagining what everyone was doing in the room. The XKRS's eyes quickly fell in the direction of the scream and you held back a laugh, as you saw yourself in those boys in front of you, remembering what it was like when the others removed the blockers, how you and Chan helped the others adapt, until Jeongin arrives and takes care of this issue.

            “Chan has already requested three helicopters to take us to school,” despite the shouting, your voice didn't change its tone, making the other ten begin to understand how things worked. Even though they had some missions, some things only really happened after graduation. “I’ll leave the organization of the buildings to you,” your eyes and pointed fingers found Minjae and Junmin who nodded, making you hand over the blueprint photos of the buildings to them. “After we enter, Minho will try to connect with the network, which will give you an inside look and you will be able to help us when we need it.”

            “Are we going to have a communication point with all of you?”

            You denied Hyunwoo's question, approaching the table that you had organized in relation to the school locations, both those that had the most deaths, those that had the most information, and those that had both. Everything is divided by area and floor. A smirk formed on your lips when you noticed how none of the boys in front of you squirmed because of the photos.

            “Only Chan and Minho will communicate with you, Chan needs more training helping teams below ours and, as we don't know what will happen, I'm going to start putting him and Jeongin in charge of this issue on certain missions,” the others nodded carefully, as they knew that that piece of information was important, that if they did well, they would possibly be called to work on missions related to the Black Pirates again. “Minho knows practically everything about all existing systems so he will be able to help Sunmin with whatever is needed, I also need Seeun to have a direct connection, photographic memory can help us more than the cameras itselves.”

            "What is the problem?"

            You smiled brightly at Jinsik's question, knowing that Jisung had spent enough time with the youngest and explained the little details that would help him see beyond the words. Honestly, you just hoped that what Eden had asked you to do wouldn't affect your performance as much as you believed it might, not as much as your brother's drawing already had in some ways.

            “There is only one part that does not have a camera and is not present in the blueprint,” your fingers indicated a point below everything, making all ten eyes become confused for a moment, “that is the parking lot, but it does not have cameras and the space is not the same as what is specified here.”

            You let out a small sigh when you noticed the eyes of the ten in the photos and files of the place. As soon as you headed directly to the parking lot after passing the three rooms that Eden had indicated had the drawing, you knew they would talk to Chan and Minho.

            “What can we do to help?”

            “Making my team complete this mission smoothly,” before anyone could say anything, you placed a paper on top of where the parking lot would be, “none of them are supposed to go to the parking lot, in case something happens, I want them out of that building, I don’t care if I’m still there, understood?”

            "But -"

            “The question is of ‘yes or no’ nature,” your voice was hard, you knew there was something in that room that could change the situation for better or worse and you were okay with whatever came, but that was your choice. There was a reason it was sealed, a reason so many died in the parking lot, and you would do anything to make sure your team didn't suffer from whatever came from that room specifically. “The priority is my team, if you have to lie, I want you all to lie, I don’t care, I deal with everything if necessary afterwards, but they are the priority, understand?”

            All ten were silent for a moment, your eyes met Minjae's and you knew he understood what you wanted to say, perhaps better than anyone present. He knew you wouldn't say why you alone had to go to the parking lot or why it was relevant, but he knew you had a plan and if they did anything to hurt that plan, you would finish them off without having to lay a finger on any of them.

            "Yes ma'am."

            Despite the small fright and confusion that appeared in the eyes of others, they quickly followed what Minjae had said. A simple wave was all you made available to them before pointing to the board behind you with all the information they could need. Your feet went to the room the others were in, Yang's screams and curses could be heard, even if muffled.

            “If you want,” your feet took root on the floor, not needing to look back to know that you had all the ten complete attention, “you can leave the office, I can ask Minho to share the necessary files with you, you don't need to be here in case it’s still too early.”

            Silence once again took over the room, murmurs began to appear little by little. Everyone knew that you wouldn't go towards the room where the muffled screams were coming out, not until you heard back from them. They didn't know, probably neither did your team, but your mind kept replaying the information gathered over the last few days, what had just happened only helping your mind create scenarios of what could have happened.

            "We’ll stay."

            A sigh left your mouth before your feet walked back towards the room where your team had taken Yang. As soon as the door opened, a scream came out of Yang's mouth and you knew the other ten behind you were startled, but you were on a mission, you would have your answer, even if you only analyzed it later.

            The door closed with a click making Yang's eyes find your figure. Jeongin was crouched not far from his older brother, Chan and Changbin on each side of the chair, Chaeryeong was holding one of the electrical cable connections, Yang already had the copper crown on his head. You could see each of your team with injured knuckles, Jeongin, Chan, Hyunjin, Ryujin, Yeji, Changbin and Yongbok's were the most injured ones.

            Blood dripped from some of the cuts that were already present on Yang's face, his nose even more crooked than when you had seen it previously. The restraints on the wrists and ankles already red. With a simple shake of your head you caused the copper crown to be removed from Yang's head, the two points that connected the electricity to his temples also being removed. A small sigh of relief was heard from him, but when dark laughter from all of your team members were heard, fear flashed across Yang's face.

            Despite being known for being a great interrogator, which you were, and knowing that you preferred methods that didn't involve torture, few knew how well you could torture someone. You didn't do it very often, but when you did, everyone broke down under your hand. Maybe you should thank your brother’s death for that, because you wanted answers and you were willing to go to the ends of the earth to get them.

            “The situation is simple, Yang,” your steps were calculated, everyone had opened a corridor for you to find him, the smell of blood was already strong, “you just need to tell the truth and you can walk out of here.”

            “You can’t do this to me,” despite the attempt, you managed to see the tremor in his words, making you smile cynically, “I’m an officer just like you, this can’t happen.”

            “But weren’t you the one who threatened to kill me a short while ago?”

            You walked away swinging your hands up, having Changbin and Chan release Yang's wrists while Yongbok and Hyunjin released his ankles. Yeji handed you one of the daggers that were hanging on one of the walls, making you turn the handle, the tip of your index finger finding the tip of the dagger. Yang's eyes widened slightly at that, he had heard about your torture sessions then.

            “Wrists or ankles?”

            "Wrists," your response was simple, your voice soft, unbothered, which made only terror run across Yang's face, "take off his shirt."

            “His record has already been changed,” Minho’s voice caught your attention, even though your eyes remained on Yang, Changbin ripping off his shirt, leaving his torso exposed to you, “two weeks away due to injury during an unsuccessful mission.”

            “You guys can't do this -”

            “You couldn't threaten me either, but you did it anyway,” the threat wasn't the problem for you, everyone there knew, except Yang who tried to justify it, but you silenced him by touching the tip of the knife to the exact spot where his jugular pulse was. “Do you really think this is happening because of a simple threat?” You laughed, lowering the knife to Yang's left collarbone, the tip entering his skin as you brought it down towards his sternum, you could hear the grunts as he tried to squirm away from it. “For someone who claims to be so excellent, your brain is very underdeveloped to analyze the situation.”

            “You want me to beg, is that it?!”

            “No,” the knife found the sternum and ended the contact of the metal with the hot skin of the older man who sighed, “I want you to say if you gave my brother a chance.”

            "What you -"

            A quick and deep enough cut was made on Yang's right side, in the same location and size as yours that he had opened the stitches months ago. The scream echoed through your head and you ignored it, watching Yang's expression.

            “Let's say I discovered something interesting in the report on the invasion of my brother's bunker,” you noticed everyone looking at you curiously, some eyes falling on Minho who seemed equally lost, but no one dared to say a word, “some passwords were used to enter the location, but interestingly, the person to whom that password belongs was on a mission, there is evidence of this person carrying out the mission at the time of the invasion.”

            The silence was heavy and everyone saw how Yang went into a slight panic as your words were processed in his head. Some still exchanged confused looks. What you were indicating was a plot to get another officer killed, tantamount to high treason.

            "I do not know what you're talking about."

            “So there won’t be any problem telling me where you were when my brother disappeared, right?” 

            “Eunwoo disappeared, no one knows what happened until he turns up dead in the desert.”

            “Are any of you comfortable enough to grab the belt?” Everyone knew what that meant, you noticed Yang's fingers wrapped around the iron chain, your eyes meeting Jisung who watched everything curiously. “Ji, can you go further up, please?”

            “How much on the feet?”

            No one dared question you, everyone knew how much you hated torture, that it was always your last choice. If your allegations are right, which everyone also knew you wouldn't make without having considered all the possibilities, Yang had committed the worst of crimes within their area. That's why when Jisung agreed without much reservation, Yang knew he was fucked. His eyes met Jeongin's in pleading, only receiving a cold look in response.

            “Fifty,” the answer came from Jeongin who positioned himself behind you, his fingers finding your lower back, a silent answer to the question you were asking all of them with that request, if they were on your side and that you wouldn’t be hurt or hold grudges if someone decided to turn their back on the situation, “let's increase 10kg every five minutes and move up the chain when the weights are lower to the ground.”

            “Jeongin,” Yang’s voice was a plea, “I’m your brother -”

            “My brother is Chan, Minho, Changbin, Hyunjin, Jisung, Yongbok and Seungmin, you are not my brother.”

            “Are you going to leave this -”

            The sound of the belt was heard, just like the sound of the buckle meeting Yang's exposed skin, Chan and Changbin were behind him, taking turns so that neither of them got tired. Chaeryeong and Ryujin threw salt water at Yang, making a scream reverberate throughout the room, but no one dared to move. Hyunjin and Seungmin tied the weights to Yang's ankles. Minho's computer keyboard was clicking every second, you already knew what he was looking for.

            “Where were you the day my brother disappeared?”

            “You fucking lunatic bitch, are you -”

            Five times the buckle found Yang's skin, but only on the fifth did he release some kind of reaction, making you raise your eyebrows in acceptance of the challenge.

           “We know you weren't alone,” the tip of the dagger went through every area of Yang's abdomen and you laughed, seeing the muscle contract, digging the tip even deeper into the skin, leaving a red line wherever it passed, “if you say the names, I’ll go easier on you.”

            “Go to hell, you fucking slu-”

            Your knife stuck in Yang's thigh at the same moment the buckle found the already red skin again. You and him knew the knife was close to the bone but hadn't caught the artery, but he wasn't completely free to do as he pleased. The growl that left his mouth was more from the knife than from the five times the buckle met his back.

            “You have two weeks off, there are too many things I can still do with you to justify those two weeks, are you sure you want me to do them all?”

            It was then that Yang saw, finally saw, Strickland's weapon.

            And you smiled as you saw terror meet their eyes, for in that moment, you were the monster they had created.

            Your eyes passed one last time over the notes of the stakeouts that took place on site. Your intuition told you there was something you weren't seeing, but no matter how much you analyzed it, something still didn't seem to add up. Your fingers quickly found the files from the day of the school invasion that were with Jeongin and Chan, your eyes trying to find what was making you uncomfortable about everything. Something was out of place, you just couldn't visualize what.

            “Sunmin just confirmed the scan from the latest scanner,” Minho’s voice made you look up from the pages, his fingers quick against the keyboard before turning the screen to you, Jeongin and Chan. His eyes quickly met yours, followed by the other two, making you sigh. “What do you want to do, boss?”

            One of your gloved hands found your face, resting your chin in your hand, eyes observing the images that Sunmin made available to you. There were many more people than expected. That place had seen a lot of death, but there was only so much that could be prevented.

            “Tranquilizers,” your hands quickly went to the second gun that was hanging on your body reaching the amount you had, “since most of them are at the top, we need to get through there without being noticed or everything will go down the drain.”

            “How do you want to organize the descent?”

            Chan's eyes searched yours waiting for orders, Jeongin's fingers checking the other three weapons before handing them to Minho, Chan and taking the last one. Your eyes quickly passed through the thermal vision of the school building, you needed to contain your tranquilizer darts for when you arrived in the parking lot. 

            Despite wanting to be first, you cursed under your breath knowing you should be last.

            “Chan goes first, I go last, I don't care who is in the middle,” a small sigh before the pilot's voice indicated that they were already above the school and the descent would begin. “Let's all stay on the emergency stairs, let's follow the sequence of whoever comes down.”

            “Ryujin and Jeongin will bring up the rear with you.”

            Chan commented quickly before the pilot allowed the exit and you were the first to get out of the helicopter, pulling the mask from your clothes to your face, the protective glasses being quickly pulled down. The place was as deserted as it had been when you and the others had been there weeks ago. Boots thumped against the concrete of the roof and you quickly ran to the door that connected the building to the roof, noticing Jeongin right behind you.

            You pulled the door open revealing the freed up space, much to the delight of your team. Quickly each of the twelve members of SKZY entered the building, Chan and Minho exchanging glances checking the communication point with XKRS before heading downstairs. Jeongin and Ryujin's eyes met yours before they followed behind everyone. If everything went well, you would find out what Eden wanted and you would get out of there without much trouble.

            Small noises could be heard with each step that your team took deeper and deeper into the school. Quickly the first floor had been cleared for your team to check, your steps leading to the first room Eden had shown you, one of the separate rooms used by the school's vice principal. Most of the notes that had previously been torn out had been replaced, the television playing the video of the warehouse that made you meet Serpent weeks ago.

            The drawing of the blue bird screamed just like the first time you saw it in the photo that Eden had given you, the difference was that now it was in front of you. Your fingers passed over the blue line of the drawing and your heart sank for a moment before you sighed and focused on the papers pinned to the bulletin board, searching for any kind of new information, but nothing but the same seemed present.

            With a low curse, your hands rested on the table, the image on the television capturing your attention momentarily. Despite everything Maddox had shown you, something still told you that Mars and the others were involved in some way with what had happened to your brother, maybe not with the bunker raid, but something had happened between the raid and your brother's body turning up in the desert, something you felt only the eight of them could answer.

            With a sigh you looked away, your hand balling into fists before your eyes focused on one of the papers that were laid out on the table. ‘Hourly update: stable. Requirement: list present in the dark room - hand it over to one of the ATEEZ’. Your fingers quickly grabbed the sheet, placing it between the pockets of your clothes, the static in your ear indicating it was time to move to the next floor.

            More and more bodies fell around you, some with tranquilizer darts, others clearly using force to knock them out. Your mind returned to the words on the paper in your pocket, the dark room could only be the place that had been sealed when the invasion happened weeks ago. A moment of calm passed through your body, knowing that the probability of self-destruction of the place would decrease considerably, because if something needed to be removed, it meant that it was only present in that place.

            Another important detail was the possible presence of ATEEZ on site. Angel and Serpent's faces appearing on your mind quickly, you felt anxious at the thought of meeting them again. The last thing you needed was to find them together with your team, even though you remembered Angel's behavior back at Guardian's Island, you couldn't contain the thoughts of someone discovering your relationship with them.

            “(y/n) we need you up front,” the tension in Changbin’s voice made you freeze for a moment, four floors still had to be overcome for you to reach your goal. Everyone made room for you to find Changbin in one of the curves that gave access to the floor below. He and Chan signaled to each other, a silent conversation about how to proceed, until they nodded beyond the curve of the wall, “how do you want to proceed with the plan?”

            The whisper was almost inaudible at your point of communication and you mentally cursed when you noticed the number of rebels that were between that floor and the one below, you couldn't use up all the darts, not yet. The largest quantity was three floors down, you needed the darts for the library floor. Your eyes went over the weapons in the hands of the rebels, only a few had them, but you could see hidden knives, as well as some pistols.

            You needed to attract some to be able to move forward. Your eyes met Yeji's, calling her and pointing to the same place Changbin had pointed out. You could see the gears of her mind turning as you headed to meet Chaeryeong, rummaging through the bag the girl was carrying. A light bomb and a gas bomb, that would have to be enough to deal with those who weren't attracted to whatever Yeji was planning.

            You, Chaeryeong, Yongbok, Yeji, Minho and Changbin headed to one of the nearby rooms, the blueprint of the space being opened up on one of the tables. Your eyes and ears just watched as your team organized the best method to move forward. Yongbok and Changbin would try to get close enough to contain those who haven’t caught the bait, Minho confirmed the number with the XKRS, such as their presence being mostly on the stairs. The only thing missing was the distraction to reduce the number of people they would have to pass.

            Despite everyone thinking in different ways, you knew it needed to be something considerable to make them leave their posts, something that only Mars and the others would use, something that you knew that if it was seen, it would not be questioned at any time by the rebels in the stairs, but would draw enough attention to make them leave their posts.

            Drones.

            With quick steps, you went searching through the rooms before signaling what the others should look for. Drones were one of Logan's passions, he was also present a few weeks ago, guiding you to where Howl was in one of the buildings to the east. It was a long shot, but you didn't have much to go beyond that, at least it would give you enough time to get through the stairs.

            Jisung quickly found a drone and its controller, handing them to Chaeryeong who handed the drone to Minho while she fiddled with the controller. The drone had a camera, which could help them further. While Minho, Chaeryeong and Yeji worked on how to proceed with the drone, you, Yongbok and Changbin went to a further part.

            “We need to consider that at least one of them has a communicator, be it a cellphone or a walkie-talkie,” your voice was low enough to make them both approach you, “Yongbok is more agile, I need you to arrive as quickly as possible to beyond the stairs and catch anyone who tries to escape, in the meantime,” your eyes turned to Changbin, “I need you to do your best to keep the others unconscious, but use the darts as little as possible, we need them for the library floor.”

            “How can we get close to them? As much as the drone helps, it can only do so much,” your backpack was pulled forward, the gas and light grenade being handed to the two, Changbin carefully taking it in his hands with a smile. “Regular gas?”

            “We don't have a mask, we can't risk it,” your smile was a mirror of his, Yongbok's eyes fell to the corridor they would just pass. “I know we agreed on no deaths until we get to the library, but don’t hesitate.”

            The simple wave was enough for you to hand over one of the daggers that was attached to your vest, small enough to go unnoticed, sharp enough to cause damage.

            “Is there a reason why you shouldn’t be at the front?”

            Even though you expected it, that wasn't the moment you imagined happening.

            “We need to get to the library, there is something we need to find and I believe it is there, but I also need Chan and Jeongin to be more present in the events, in the decision-making, not just them but the entire team.”

            “Do you think what happened to Yang will have repercussions?”

            Until that moment, that hypothesis had not even crossed your mind. Despite all the evidence you and your team gathered, you, Jeongin and Chan knew how influential Yang could be, despite being weak compared to others, the few allies he had were strong enough to pull the council to disapprove of your actions and attitudes, however justified they may be.

            Your silence was enough of an answer for the two who nodded, making you grateful for that without having to invent a half-truth to justify the choices that were being made that day. When Chaeryeong's voice appeared at everyone's communication point, you sighed in relief, the sooner you finished that mission, the sooner things could be resolved.

            As expected, you stayed behind, Chan taking Jeongin's place since his tranquilizer darts had run out. You could see the smoke, hear the grunts and quick footsteps against the wood, you also heard a body hit the ground hard and you just prayed that Yongbok was okay.

            As soon as your team passed the stairs, you found Yongbok, Jeongin and Hyunjin holding the rebel, your third in command holding the walkie-talkie while Yongbok pinned the rebel in front of him who, even with a gun to his head, seemed to just stop fidgeting as Jeongin handed the walkie-talkie to you. Your fingers quickly moved to find any frequency that was being used.

            “Helicopter spotted three minutes ago, everyone stay away from the windows.”

            Despite trying to appear calm, the tension in your body upon hearing the unknown voice seemed to increase as you knew that five helicopters would pass by the place as you had planned, which could also indicate that they knew that you had entered the school.

            “Movement spotted in building 3, request for inspection team.”

            “Await further information while we verify the order.”

            A sigh seemed to come out of everyone around you, knowing that they possibly hadn't been found yet, but an even bigger sigh seemed to come out of you considering you hadn't identified anyone's voice in any of the sentences said. Maybe the ATEEZ boys wouldn't be in school, maybe not even your boys are.

            With a simple wave, Yongbok made the rebel unconscious, letting his body fall delicately to the ground, the walkie-talkie going to your vest as you indicated them to follow, Changbin still leading everyone, you following only when you heard his voice in your point of communication. Your feet were quick to the second room you knew the drawing was in.

            For a moment, your feet took root, observing the place in front of you. Blocks of soundproofing material, instruments scattered around the place, an old but apparently comfortable sofa, vinyl records and radios with CDs were arranged on the walls, but only when your eyes came across a blue bird graffiti in one of the spots that the soundproofing material was non-existent, that your feet began to walk into the room.

            Fingers gently touching the keyboard, the guitar neck, the drums, the electric guitar, even vinyl records. That damn room just reminded you of Lucky's room in their dimension. Finally, your fingers found the blue paint on the wall, your fingertips passing over the entire line of the drawing before turning them towards you, why were you sad that the paint didn't stain your fingers? With a simple shake of your head, you turned your back to the drawing, only to find a sheet of music open on one of the farthest keyboards, the bird drawing was also present.

            The score was not complete, but the lyrics that accompanied it were, along with the respective letters of the respective guitar notes for the song to be sung and played. Star 1117. The small drawing of the bird being seen next to the title, the lyrics a mix of Lucky and Iyaah. Your eyes burning with each word read of what was written. If they weren't there at that moment, they had been at the school for the last few weeks, they had been in that specific room, creating another song that you would never hear.

            “We need to move forward, there is no one on the stairs.”

            Quickly, the letter had the same ending as the paper you had found in the first room. Quick steps against the wood made you find most of the team gathering at the beginning of the stairs, Yongbok and Chan being the last to join before everyone nodded, following the drone that Chaeryeong was using, Minho's eyes focusing on the screen of the tablet, eyes focused on the movements of his hands.

            Just one more floor and you would be at the library, the last mandatory stop until you could head to the parking lot. Your body was shaking, not only from the stress of the situation, but also from what you could find in the other two places considering what you had found in the other two rooms.

            Fortunately, the next floor was relatively empty, but still, you had to use three darts when you noticed movement occurring near one of the rooms, while the walkie-talkie screeched with interference, but nothing had been said, and was quickly ignored, making your team breathe for a moment before getting together to evaluate the best route to take to get to the library and having few deaths considering that half had already used all the tranquilizer darts.

            “Request for inspection of building 3, are you listening?”

            Everyone stopped breathing for a moment, completely forgetting that one of the unconscious people could have been the one who made the request. Chan quickly making everyone move as silence formed. Chaeryeong quickly connected with the drone, everyone's eyes on the tablet that showed the images of the staircase that connected to the library floor, the murmurs could be heard, confirming the number of people.

            “We believe that five people will be more than enough for the inspection.”

            The drone stopped at the same moment the voice was heard, causing Chaeryeong to bring the device back to them. Your ears were focused on the walkie-talkie as you pointed to Minho's tablet, which he quickly handed over to your side, Chan and Yeji moving away to go over the rest of the plan.

You needed to find out which building was categorized as three.

            “Checking candidates, please wait for the next information.”

            “Movement was also spotted in building eight.”

            “Leaders have already been contacted, please wait. Let’s check the cameras in the meantime.”

            With a simple exchange of glances, Minho walked away, contacting Sunmin through the communication point while you went towards Chan and Yeji, making all eyes fall on you.

            “We need to go now,” that wasn't a request, much less a suggestion, it was an order and everyone nodded. “I'll go ahead with Ryujin, based on the number of people we managed to find out, it'll be every man for himself, we'll meet at the designated building, be careful.”

            Despite saying this looking at Chan and Yeji, you had connected your communication point, not only with your team, but also with Maddox. The interference and keyboard noise on your left spot being the only indication that he had heard you. When you get to the parking lot you wouldn't have much time to open the sealed door, you knew that Maddox's distance wouldn't help either, but there wasn't much you could do, not without being discovered by both the rebels and your team.

            “Have the XKRS been warned yet?”

            A simple nod was enough for Jisung as a respond as he placed himself right behind you, as he was one of those who had darts still available. Seungmin quickly found himself next to him, determined eyes with an amused smile on his lips made you smile in response.

            "Everyone ready?" You knew your entire team and Maddox were listening, you needed to tell him what was going to happen so he would be ready when you reached the parking lot. “The library is large enough for us to have visibility of the targets, but it also has several corridors that lead to separate rooms. Be careful. We will meet at the designated building, keep each other informed of your positions and when you leave the school.”

            “Good luck.”

            Was all Maddox said before you disconnected the communication point with him, being able to hear the others on the team confirming. Even though Ryujin was your shadow, your feet were the first to find the stairs that would take you all to the library. Your boots firmly on the concrete, you can hear the sound of the rest of your team's feet following behind you. Your breathing was controlled, even though you could hear the blood pulsing in your ear.

            With each step you took towards the door that led to the stairs, the more you could hear the movement of people, noticing that they were reconstructing the place, the information. With a simple signal, you noticed everyone on your team stopping, a few more steps were taken by you, helping with the visibility of the location.

            You would never be able to enter that place without being seen. As soon as you entered you would be spot on, it was necessary to change the strategy, only starting everything after you were already among everyone and, unlike the upper floors, most had weapons, which in itself was a sign that things would not be well received. You needed another plan.

            Your fingers quickly removed your goggles, ignoring your team's protests, shutting them up with a simple look. With a simple nod, Jeongin, Yeji and Chan were by your side going through the same process as you and quickly understanding your point, imitating some of your movements, Chan and Jeongin going further and also pulling the sleeves of their clothes to their elbows, Yeji untied her hair, pulling the mask down, but stopping you before your movements could happen. Her voice was low enough that only the four of you could discern what was being said.

            “They don't know who we are, but you're the face of the team, if they know you're here...”

            With a nod you agreed with Yeji's concern, indicating with your head for everyone to also do what they were doing, the only change you had made was removing your glasses. As the three went towards the others helping with small adjustments, your eyes once again faced the visible space of the library, some rebels also had masks, making it not at all strange if you entered the place.

            “Let's go in separately, I'll go first, but we can't communicate,” everyone nodded, even though they didn't completely agree with the idea of leaving you alone in a space where they knew you were a person of interest to the leaders of the movement, “we need position ourselves in various locations so that we can pass through this space and escape unharmed, but if we are discovered, we need to know somehow.”

            “This is the last point of important information that can be collected, after that it is mostly resting places for the rebels, including surveillance through the documents that Eden gave us.”

            “With that,” Jeongin continued Yeji’s speech, “take what you can get, any possible piece of information could be important.”

            “And try not to get caught until the last possible minute,” everyone nodded at Chan's speech, who turned his gaze to you, softening considerably as his hands cupped your face, your foreheads touching for a minute making you both close your eyes. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

            “You know I can’t promise anything.”

            “At least promise you’ll come back in one piece.”

            A weak nod and Chan released your face, making your eyes meet everyone else's before your feet guided you past the staircase door, a long sigh leaving your mouth, ending only when you found yourself surrounded by people and light. The eyes finding the main source of natural light. Even though the sun was partially covered by the accumulation of clouds that enveloped the place, the rays still struggled to pass through them.

            Perhaps symbolism about the Black Pirates and Strickland's government.

            A small smile appeared beneath the mask, a few people walked past you, some waving their hands or heads, others walking past looking at documents, carrying boxes, or simply talking about something you couldn't discern. It was almost comical how easily you and your team had infiltrated the Black Pirates cell, maybe you could even brag about it to some of the boys if you found them.

            Your eyes quickly found a shelf full of books, not just one, but at least three, with two ladders that allowed you to reach the top if necessary. Your heart sank knowing that this would be one of your brother's favorite thing about that entire mission. You could even see him carefully picking up some of those books, not at all surprised when your feet guided you to the base of the bookshelf. Titles written on the spines of books that you knew were banned at Strickland, that you yourself had read or heard about thanks to the boys.

            Before your fingers could touch any of the books, you could see a chair next to the window, sheet music open in front of the chair and a violin resting on top of it all. The image of Logan playing the violin came back in full force, of how you had helped him when he had a performance all those years ago, how nervous he was, the fear of making mistakes, the way he had asked you to be present at the performance, because if you were there he would be able to do everything without missing a single chord.

            “If you had gotten here sooner, you would have seen him play,” an unknown voice brought you to reality, turning your face and finding a girl smiling openly at you, she was pretty, delicate, the kind of girl you introduce to the family, she shouldn't be in that place. “Logan doesn’t play much, but whenever we’re here, for some reason, he plays the violin for us.”

            Logan was here, not just ATEEZ.

            With that piece of information you smiled, knowing that the girl in front of you noticed despite the mask.

            “Is he still here?” You tried to sound casual, hoping the girl wouldn't notice how hard your heart was beating against your chest. “I need to talk to him about a document we received a request about and -”

            "ATTENTION!" Everyone's gaze fell on the base of a staircase that you beat yourself up for not noticing before. An officer stood still, fingers on the trigger of the gun he held against his body. “Movements were detected in buildings three and eight, through the cameras we were able to identify some people who should not have been there. The leaders decided to promote two inspections, members will be contacted by radio -”

            Everything seemed to get muffled when you found Logan coming down the stairs, in an avid conversation with another officer. He was playing the violin, he looked fine, so the one who was hurt wasn't him. The sigh you let out was quickly suppressed by yourself, especially when it didn't go unnoticed by the girl next to you.

            “He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” Her eyes met yours and a simple nod was enough for the girl to sigh and her eyes fell on Logan again. “How can a man as handsome as this be real?”

            You allowed yourself to laugh, being imitated by the girl next to you. You understood her point. Despite everything that happened and your history with Logan, there was no denying that he was handsome, his ethereal beauty always leaving you slightly airy, but what made you stop laughing was the memory of Angel during those two weeks. If she found Logan handsome, Angel managed to be even more intriguing in his beauty and way of carrying himself.

            “Lim Nayong?” The shock that ran down your spine made your eyes widen quickly, but no movement was made. His voice could be recognized anywhere, your eyes finding his feet not far from you. “You are Lim Nayong, correct?”

            “Y-yes, sir.”

            The girl next to you, Nayong, responded quickly, but you could notice her body's reaction to Logan being so close. He was one of the few who could recognize you, you needed to get out of there.

            “And who is your friend?” Mother fucker, you cursed him in your mind, before your eyes lifted and met Logan's – no, that wasn't Logan. Your mind thanked Yeji for stopping you from removing the mask, not only because you would be easily recognized, but for the hiss of curses you let out when you noticed Angel's eyes pass over your entire body before returning to your eyes, the well-known smile present along with the shrewd, stormy eyes. “Sorry, but can I pick up Nayong? We need her for a mission, if you don’t mind.”

            Your negative shake of the head made Angel smile widely before his eyes fell on Nayong and indicated for her to follow some of the officers who were nearby. Angel's eyes still observed every detail of your face, but you didn't look away, only to find the birthmark covered again with makeup, your fingers itching to tear off that foundation and leave the pink skin exposed for anyone who wanted to see.

            He took another step forward, you could feel several eyes on the two of you, including that of your team, wherever they were. Angel's scent intoxicated your lungs and all you wanted most was to be able to push him away, as far away from you as possible. A smirk appeared along with a small guttural 'hm' that made you feel heat throughout your body. Logan wouldn't say you were there, but Angel? Angel was an unknown puzzle in every possible way, you didn't know what to expect from him.

            As quickly as he approached, the warmth of his presence receded. You noticed his eyes darting quickly towards the stairs he had recently descended, but subtle enough to appear as if he was just looking for one of the officers, who quickly appeared at his side, interestingly enough, the same officer who had descended the stairs along with him before that scene.

            Your eyes followed Angel as people went back to their tasks, but you managed to find the eyes of some of your team members fixed on Angel's silhouette. Whether he noticed was never clear. With a quick glance in Chan's direction, you can see Changbin clenching his fists.

            “Chan, 60 degrees to your left,” casually Chan turned around finding Chagbin with his eyes fixed on Angel, being quickly blocked by Chan receiving a simple eye roll before you saw the two bickering before they both headed to the opposite side of where Angel was following. “I need to get into the room he was in, if anything, find a way to let me know.”

            A small thank you for no one being near you was said before you walked to the side of the windows. The street space was equally empty, your eyes falling on the buildings you knew the XKRS boys would be in, wishing they weren't the respective buildings three and eight.

            “I thought he was going to select you too,” another strange voice appeared next to you, this time it was a man, his eyes fell on you and a small smile was present on his lips. “Although we don’t know what was going on most of the time in their minds, I believe we all thought you would be called.”

            "And you are?"

            “Yuri,” he said quickly, “Park Yuri, I don’t think we’ve ever met before.”

            His outstretched hand was cautiously embraced by yours, but you didn't give him your name.

            “I was just transferred to this area, it would be unlikely that he would call me,” was the only thing you offered, your eyes falling back on the buildings. “What are buildings three and eight? The only information they gave me was about the school.”

            With quick fingers, Yuri pointed out two buildings, none of them the ones you had agreed with the XKRS, which made you hold back a sigh of relief. A small smile of gratitude formed on your face and you hoped it could be seen in your eyes as well. Not only was it important that your team to be safe after completing the mission, the safety and well-being of the XKRS could be considered even more important, not just for you but for the other members of your team.

            “So, what is your current job? If you want, you can -”

            “I need to check some documents in Logan's office, one of the leaders requested it, so…” Yuri quickly nodded, moving away from you and indicating the stairs that Logan had just come down, confirming your suspicions. With light and quick steps, you climbed the stairs, the fact that you didn't know exactly when Angel would be back made your heart feel in your throat. “Please let it be empty, please let it be empty.”

            As soon as your body turned at the top of the stairs, a drawing met you.

            The damn bluebird drawing.

            Your hand wrapped around the doorknob, ignoring the bird drawing on the door, breathing a sigh of relief when you noticed the empty room. The click of the door behind you made you pull your mask down, finally able to breathe fresh air as your eyes roamed the entire space of the room. Papers and more papers covered the table, a blank board with a drawing of the space they were in, the school and the buildings around it, arrows and notes.

            Your eyes turned to the table, the bold letters and censored parts seemed to scream for your attention. One of the folders that was on top of the others was related to the invasion that you and your team had carried out weeks ago. Again, your eyes found the whiteboard, some dots marked the locations where you, your team and the XKRS stayed during the uprising created by the Black Pirates.

            A date was written in the top corner, making you approach the board, each step making your mind work faster. The date was today. The words ‘moving day’ written on the front. They would reactivate that cell, even though they knew it had already been exposed. However, as Angel had seen, your superiors weren't the smartest, considering the work Eden had to go through to simply get them to think about authorizing this second inspection. Perhaps reusing an already known space would be more advantageous than abandoning it completely.

            “Hello, princess.”

            The click of the door along with the breathing on your neck made you highly alert. Your right arm quickly moved so that your elbow hit the torso of the person, who was faster than you, grabbing your arm and pulling it close to his firm and slim body before pressing you against the wall, allowing you to feel every part of his body against yours, his hand holding your hip after joining your two wrists above your head, his feet spacing yours, allowing him to stand exactly in front of you, just like he had done in the warehouse.

            “So you’re here too,” Serpent’s smirk made you laugh derisively. “Did he say I was here?”

            “Our mutual friend?”

            “Are you now impersonating them?” The question came out almost painfully, as it was an admission that you could differentiate between them, better than even the followers themselves. Serpent's smile confirmed to you that he also captured it that way. “He pretends to be Logan, you pretend to be Mars and how long will this continue?”

            “Now princess, I told you that back in the warehouse,” the pressure of Serpent’s fingers wrapping around your wrist as you tried to free yourself from him made you let out an angry growl before throwing your head back, eyes finding your wrists above your head, giving Serpent the chance to bring his face closer to your neck, “we will do whatever it takes to see your government fall,” your face lowered, the distance between you two mere centimeters making you swallow hard, “the fact that just you being able to differentiate us is just an advantage for us.”

            “How far do you think your followers are willing to go?”

            “How far do you believe your team can go to protect and defend you?”

            Silence fell in the room, the answers were clear in each of your eyes. As soon as you felt Serpent's hand leave your hip, you dared to move it, being met with his right hand firmly on your waist, making you move away reflexively, the cut, despite being healed, was still hypersensitive to pressure, the shadow of genuine concern flashed through Serpent's eyes, turning them almost into the boba you and some of the other team members loved to buy it.

            Before you could say anything, Serpent's hands went down on your hips, his fingers digging into the material of the clothing, even though the clothing prevented marks from being made, you knew the likelihood of seeing the red marks from his fingers when you took it off the clothes.

            “Let go of me,” you said seriously, ignoring how your body burned under Serpent’s presence. “As much as I believe you’re loving the current situation, I imagine some people wouldn’t be so happy with it.”

            “Is this about your team, Mars and the others, or yourself?”

            Your head went forward at the same moment, but Serpent was quicker to dodge, but gave you enough space to free yourself from the wall, throwing your body forward, making him lose balance. Allowing you to grab your gun and point it at Serpent who looked up, you could see the fright and slight fear in his eyes, something you hadn't seen in Mars or the others.

            “I think you’re projecting, right?”

            “There are other ways to hear someone praise you other than pointing a gun at them, don’t you think, princess,” just like when Yang had used the nickname days ago, hearing Serpent call you that way made your body burn, but for a reason completely different from Yang's. “Time is passing, moving day is upon us.”

            Your eyes fell back to the whiteboard.

            The photos and documents scattered around, like the documents you had looked for in all the rooms being the same, the boxes that were carried, like most of them didn't use weapons. They weren't moving into the school, that was just a distraction, that's why you had managed to get in so easily. Serpent pushed your weapon away pushing your body against the wall, his body on your back, one hand being held behind your back while the other was between you and the wall.

            “Where are Mars and Logan?”

            “A little surprise information for you, princess,” Serpent's free hand brushed your hair off your shoulder, making it easier for his eyes to meet yours, his predatory eyes finding every detail of your face before you felt his breath on your ear, “it's we who are in charge now, get used to seeing us more often.”

            When the heat of Serpent's body moved away from you, it was a mixture of relief and irritation, more specifically because of how aware your body and mind were of how perfectly his body fit into yours. He's not Mars, that's what you repeated whenever something like this happened. Those weren't your boys, you didn't know who those men were, regardless of how physically similar they might be, they weren't the same people and your head should start to get used to that idea.

            “What is moving day?”

            “Exactly what it appears to be,” his eyes turned predatory again, making you notice when his hands found the door handle, opening it with his eyes still fixed on you. “Use your head, princess, the answers are all here, you just need to see them.”

            The click of the door behind him made you release a breath you didn't know you were holding.

            He had left you alone in that room, meaning that maybe there was nothing important or relevant, or the complete opposite and you were being blind. Your eyes returned to the whiteboard, to the notes made, the arrows being pulled from each point, until you found an 'x' in the part close to the sports court that was behind the school, where the parking lot was.

            With a quick movement, you pulled the mask to cover your own face, quick steps followed you all the way to the end of the stairs, your eyes met Jisung and Seungmin's before you continued down the stairs, you needed to get to the parking lot as soon as possible. Whatever 'moving day' meant, it involved the damn sealed room in the parking lot.

            Deftly you reached the weapon, checking not only the number of darts you still had, but also the cartridges in your pockets and the hidden knives. The reason for Serpent to inform you about the 'moving day' was still unknown in your mind, but also, everything involving the ATEEZ boys was unknown, probably why you couldn't get them out of your mind. Not being able to see their movements was something that bothered you, especially when they were so physically similar to your boys.

            With quick steps you made your way up the stairs, five darts being thrown in the process. Unlike other times, you hid the bodies. Any chance to avoid being discovered and delay the start of whatever ‘moving day’ meant, you would use. Panting by the fast and constant movements, you finally arrived at the top floor that connected to the parking lot. Only two more darts were available and you were grateful when you noticed only two members guarding the door.

            Your eyes fell to the stairs above, wishing that both Angel and Serpent would remain silent, focusing again on the two rebels in front of the parking lot door, noticing the shift in weight between the feet of the one closest to the stairs. A dart was thrown at the exact moment his weight was thrown onto his left leg, causing him to fall on top of the other rebel, a smile took over your lips before the last tranquilizer came out of your weapon, making the last of the rebels fall hard on the floor.

            Almost immediately, gunshots and screams could be heard from the floors above, making you curse and quicken your step towards the parking lot. You didn't know what the moving day involved, but judging by the talking you could hear at your communication point, your team was already trying to control the situation. The gun cartridge being quickly engaged while you checked the situation, everyone's screams could be heard along with the gunshots, but so far, nothing problematic enough to make you turn your back and head to where everyone was.

            With a sigh, you jerked the door open, holding it with your leg as you scanned the room. A single bed was placed in the middle of the deserted parking lot. The friction between your boots and the concrete was the only noise you could hear, the sealed door could be seen from the other side of the parking lot, for the same reason that made you curse every other time: the damn blue bird.

            “Took you long enough,” your gun had been taken away from you before you could even react properly, noticing Wooyeon in front of you throwing the gun away, “I was imagining I would never meet you, princess.”

            “You’re not Wooyeon,” your speech was harsh, observing the sly man in front of you, his eyes were curious, his movements were fluid, they were both predatory and playful, “but it seems like you all agreed on a damn nickname for me, does it not?"

            “Oh, but the news that has been passed on to me is that you don’t mind us calling you princess, princess.”

            And honestly, you didn't really care, maybe that was what made you most uneasy with Angel, Serpent and now Wooyeon's copy. His movements were agile, but cautious, his smart eyes seemed to analyze every little detail you allowed yourself to release, but his smirk was always present, if not an open smile with a touch of mischief. He looked like a fox, patient but agile, cute but sly.

            “And what should I call you then?”

            “Amuse me, princess,” he laughed at your scoff, making you fight a smile that threatened to emerge, but he managed to catch the twitch at the corners of your mouth. “Oh, don’t be shy, we are all friends here, are we not?” 

            Your eyes fell again on the drawing of the blue bird on the other side of the parking lot, but the raise of eyebrows followed by Fox's smile made you focus on him again. A small lift of the corner of your mouth was allowed by you, receiving another as his tongue appeared between his teeth.

            “What’s the big point in you being here then?”

            “Aren’t you going to share with me the name you’re going to use for me?” Your tongue could bleed as you bit it strongly so as not to react in any way to the pout that Fox was throwing at you. “Okay, you have time to choose, but how about telling me about the others?”

            Angel. Serpent. Fox.

            Each one invading your mind with the simple existence and momentary exchange of words. Fox was definitely the most different from the others, from ATEEZ, the most similar to what you know Wooyeon – and consequently, your other boys – is like, but with the je ne sais quoi that all ATEEZ members – so far – possessed. His steps were determined, but slightly playful, despite your eyes trying to focus on him, the way his body moved was like a dance, a dangerous dance and you were the prey.

            And you hated that feeling whenever you were with one of the ATEEZ.

            Fox surrounded you, you could feel his presence and perfume completely intoxicate you, making you close your eyes and a smirk appearing on your mouth as you listened to Fox suggest names for him and the others, with each step and word, you felt him get even closer to you.

            “I have a question,” your eyes remained closed, but you could identify that he was somewhere behind you allowing you to open your eyes and find the drawing of your brother in blue in the distance, “what does that damn bluebird mean?”

            “And why would I tell you that?”

            Despite being prepared for whatever Fox would do, you felt your entire body burn and the hair stand on end, as well as an discomfort in the abdomen area that you refused to consider for a long time. He was much closer than you expected, his breath lightly brushing your ear, his hands close but never close enough to touch you.

            “Are you saying that because you don’t know?”

            Your face turned as your speech was completed, allowing you to notice how close Fox really was. Fuck!, how they were similar to the others, you cursed as your eyes lingered on his face. The mole just below his eye being the first thing you noticed before your eyes fell on Fox's lips, meeting the mole you had only heard others talk about over the years, the damn mole on his lower lip.

            “See something you like, princess?”

            Your eyes quickly noticed the light smile on Fox's lips before going up and finding his on yours before going down to your mask, his hand removing it causing his eyes to fall on your lips, making you wet them with your tongue, smiling when you notice his gaze completely on your lips.

            “My eyes are up here, do you know?”

            “Oh, I know, but I needed to admire the lips I heard so much about,” an electric current passed through your body, burning completely when you felt Fox's hand on your lower back, his face mere millimeters from yours. “I have to say, you really are something else, princess.”

            “The drawing,” despite the fear of your voice breaking, you managed to say without moving a muscle away from Fox, a fact noticed by him who returned with a smile on his lips, “tell me about the drawing.”

            “I'm afraid you'll have to ask one of the others,” your eyes closed once more to try to ignore the lack of Fox's warmth and presence than actually the idea that you would have to talk to Mars and the others to get the answer, “the only thing we know is that it represents something, or someone," your eyes quickly fell on Fox who, even from afar, you could see the smile growing on his mouth for having captured your attention, "ah!, it looks like you know what the drawing means."

            “If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking, right?” Fox nodded and giggled as he headed for the door that had your brother's drawing on it, the mischievous look returning to his eyes with every step you took getting closer to where he was. “Can you tell me the next one of you I’ll have the pleasure to meet?”

            His laugh was genuine when you emphasized the 'pleasure' word, making you hide a smile, thanking him for ignoring your failed attempt to contain the smile that formed on your face.

            “And what would be the fun in that, princess?” With that, the door was opened, genuine surprise showing on your face, making Fox smile and approach you, his left hand lightly pressing your lower back indicating that you entered the completely dark room, not a light or indicator of one in sight, his breath in your ear. “That’s why you came, isn’t it?”

   ��        “Why are you doing this?”

            “Call it a peace offering of such.”

            “Why are you doing this?”

            “Time is running out, princess, moving day is upon us.”

            Your eyes met his one last time, predatory, analytical. 

            His hand on your waist, burning the area even though it was covered by your clothes.

            “What does ‘moving day’ mean?”

            “Exactly what it sounds like, except we are rebel revolutionaries just as your government categorizes us,” his lips lightly touched your ear, an electric current ran through your entire body, “we need to move in style, don’t we?”

            “You gonna burn down the building or something?”

         The smirk returned to Fox's face, the only response you would have. When your movements went to the parking lot door, Fox trapped you between his arm and the dark room door, his face serious, his eyes determined.

            “Your team will be safe if they don’t do anything stupid,” a step forward, but you didn’t dare move, your eyes tracking to the weapon that was relatively close at that moment, mind going to the hidden places in your clothing, “That includes you, not doing something stupid, princess.”

            With a quick movement, Fox managed to trip you before one of his hands found your waist, pushing you into the room and the door closed shortly afterwards. Curses leaving your mouth freely as you punched and kicked the door, only stopping when you heard a noise on the other side.

            “Why the fuck are you doing this? Get me the fuck out!”

            “Don't worry, princess, I'm sure you can get yourself out,” the playful tone in Fox's voice made your blood run cold, “you and your team have thirty minutes, check the desk, there's a present there for you.”

            As silence reigned both inside the room and outside, you tried to calm your breathing, the dark room quickly lighting up with blue emergency lights. Cautiously, you turned your body, believing you weren't alone in the space, but there was no one but you, there was nothing but photos of you, the team Eden had created with you and the others, photos from the warehouse day of you talking with Jungkook and Moonbin, photos of you entering the warehouse late at night.

            Your eyes continued to roam the space, photos of you in the refugee camp, even of the cut you had received there were photos, however, they were not from the middle of the revolt, no, you were in the hospital bed on Guardian's Island, Hyunjin, Minho , Changbin, Chan and Jeongin by your side. The photos were from Angel's first day on the island. Did they have someone inside the complex? Your mind went on and on as you looked at each of the photos meticulously placed on the walls and in lines throughout the room, before landing on some of the papers.

            Not only were the profiles of each person in the photos, but also of other people, even the XKRS were present in photos and documents. Your feet dug into the floor as you turned to the table, finding not only a huge drawing of the bird with a branch made by your brother, but a circular metal object exactly in the middle of the drawing. You would recognize those two things anywhere.

            Your fingers went to find the bracelet, fingers finding the cold metal before wrapping it around and bringing it close to your face, the words still present, screaming at you: 'be free ♡'. Your fingers follow the outline of the words and the heart. Your own heart clenching momentarily with the memory of the last time that bracelet had been seen by you, the last person who wore it. Your eyes resting one last time on the space around you, on each of the photos, on each of the people you know, the way and place they were taken.

            The Black Pirates were much better than you, they were way ahead of all of you.

            Your superiors had no chance, if the strategy didn't change, they would never be caught, that damn room confirmed your suspicions. That's why they came back, that's why they were organizing to leave. No one in the government could know how much they knew, but they insisted on showing you more and more, they didn't care if you knew about their plans or not.

            “(y/n)?” Ignoring the shock of hearing Maddox's voice in your ear, you composed yourself, automatically placing the bracelet on your wrist, hiding it with your sleeve. “You there? What the fuck is happening at the school?” 

            “I’m here, what do you mean?”

            “The helicopters that just came back said they saw spots of light and the sounds of gunfire, but no one is responding,” It was only then that you noticed how quiet your communication point with your team was. "How are you?"

            “I have no communication with them,” the words came out quickly along with the realization that the Black Pirates had managed to interfere with your communication points again, you were alone. “Can you hear me well?”

            “It’s not quite ideal, but I can, yes. Where are you? Did you manage to get to the parking lot?”

            The sigh that left your mouth made Maddox ask again how you were, your footsteps against the floor was all he could hear until you arrived at the door again. It was locked, sealed again, how did Fox expect you to come out?

            “I managed to get into the dark room, but I'm trapped inside. Do you think you can help me get out?”

            “What’s in the dark room?”

            “I guess I’d better tell you after I get out of here,” a sarcastic sigh left your lips, “unless you’re not as badass as you say you are.”

            “Give me a minute child and answer all the questions I have for you.”

            A simple smile formed on your face as you could hear Maddox's fingers on the keyboard, worry growing by the second, your team was somewhere in that school, Fox had said you only had thirty minutes, now they should have cut it down to twenty.

            “If you can do everything in less than twenty minutes that would be ideal,” his fingers stopped and you sighed. “They are going to destroy the school, I need to get out of here before that happens.”

            “Tell me what you see.”

            A smile appeared on your face, Maddox was cunning enough to try to circumvent your words and get what he was looking for, but you were the offspring of Strickland, of powerful people in the government, you knew the game of words well, what people wanted, except when the subject was Angel, Serpent and Fox. Shaking your head, your eyes focused on the door and what could be seen around it, your fingers passing along the wall, pushing documents nailed to them, photos falling to the floor, you knew that none of that mattered, you wouldn't be able to leave there with everything or anything at all, maybe you wouldn't even be able to leave that room.

            “Maddox, everything that could exist here, I gave you, can you or can’t you get me out of this fucking room?”

            “Do you still have that object I gave you?”

            Your feet took root in the ground, your hands finding the computer mouse-like object you were meticulously keeping in one of your pockets. Maddox's words came back to you as you questioned him about what that was.

            “I thought you said it would do more harm than good if I used it.”

            “This might also be the only way you can get through that door before the school blows up in three minutes.”

            “How can you be sure?”

            Despite it being a simple question, they both knew that it had three hidden questions.

            How can you be sure it will work?

            How can you be sure I won't die in the process?

            How can you be sure that the device will activate properly?

            Because this was another detail of the object, if it was activated incorrectly, it could explode not only the person but anyone within a kilometer radius.

            “I have trust in both our abilities, do you?”

            “What do I have to do?”

            You knew you didn't have enough time to question or play any kind of joke. Meticulously, your fingers followed Maddox's instructions, the reaction was almost mechanical as your mind wondered about his life story and how your brother found him. What you had in your hands was a small bomb, a bomb with an extremely high mortality rate for its size.

            “Now place it right in between the door and the frame, it has to be precisely in the middle,” you nodded, even though you knew he wouldn't see, barely daring to say or breathe, “now click on the bottom left so the bomb attaches itself to the surface,” at the same instant, a countdown began, Maddox’s voice was fast, you could feel the worry in his voice, “now hide!”

            Skillfully, you turned the aluminum table that was in the center of the place, the papers falling to the floor, the only thing present on it being your brother's drawing mere millimeters from your face, almost like a bad joke. A noise was heard and you felt the whole room shake, dust and debris falling on your head. It hadn't worked, Maddox's bomb hadn't worked.

            Before you could get up, the entire space in the room was filled with heat and noise forcing you to bend down covering your ears, the table ricocheted and hit you with full force causing you to fall to the floor before another noise began to be heard. Rain and gunshots. Your eyes opened slowly, the photos and papers burned around you, the table was hot against your boots. Maddox's bomb had exploded

            With wobbly legs you stood up, the door to the dark room was wide open, a hole where the handle was. Despite the table being hot, you pushed it away with the sole of your boot, looking one last time at the place, at the information that Fox had let you have, for whatever reason.

            Your eyes fell one last time on the drawing of the blue bird.

            ATEEZ didn't know the reason for using the drawing, Eden said that it had already been seen in other active cells of the Black Pirates, maybe that was the boys' way of saying that they never forgot you? As Howl and Mars had said the times you met them? But there was something different about the drawings you had seen that day with the others from Eden's archives, but one thing was certain, the drawing was a message to you, even if you couldn't read it yet.

            With one last breath you ran out of the room, eyes looking for the gun thrown in the same place as before, cursing when you didn't find it, Fox nowhere to be seen. It was then that you noticed the bed, not far in front, your gun rested there, with a paper on top, the handwriting was Fox's, considering it was identical to Wooyeon's.

            ‘Looking forward to seeing you again, princess, hopefully sooner rather than later.’

            The eye rolling was interrupted by the noise of the parking door being forced open, making you find a chain passed through the handles, Fox had done that?, but what was the point? In a quick movement, you put away Fox's note, grabbing your gun just as the door opened enough for an arm and a leg to get through, then a face met you just as a noise was heard from outside, lighting up the parking lot a little – an explosion – allowing you to see another door, responsible for the entry and exit of cars, which you believed would be blocked.

            “You really are the most intriguing of all, Fox.” Another noise that made the entire structure shake, followed by a scream from one of the rebels trying to open the door made you curse softly and try to communicate with your team by pressing the communication point. “If someone can hear me, I’m in the parking lot, going towards the court, I repeat going towards the court!”

            With quick steps, you finally left the parking lot, the sports court was still burning with the fire from the explosion, but that wasn't what made you stop with your feet planted on the ground. No, a small explosion wouldn't be enough to make your heart stop beating for a second, it wouldn't be able to make your knees weaken, much less it would bring about the tightness in your chest that you were feeling at that moment.

            Your fingers wrapped around the gun that was lying next to you, making no move to use it. Even though he was physically Shinwoo, something in the way he carried himself and the look he gave you said he was one of ATEEZ, Shinwoo's copy from another dimension. The eyes were hard, analyzing you as if you had three heads. The fire surrounded him, your eyes quickly falling on the burning basketball not far from the stranger.

            When your feet finally started to move, a car approached you. The back door opening, revealing Yongbok waiting for you with worried eyes, Hyunjin in the passenger seat and Minho driving the car. Your eyes followed one last time to the figure in the flames, but he was already turning his back on you and heading through the flames, one last noise being heard from the school and the metal door being opened revealing some of the rebels, weapons drawn in your direction.

            Shots rang out and you knew they were coming from the car, causing the rebels to quickly take cover as your feet hit the ground, the rainwater spraying both around you and onto your pants. The exchange of shots began and you felt the bullet in your right arm before it hit the car, another one grazing your thigh, burying itself in the leather of the car.

            With a jump you finally got in, but with the jolt of the acceleration, your hip hit the metal part, just like the car door slamming against your leg before Yongbok pulled you inside, Hyunjin pushing the door next to you from outside so that you wouldn't be hit by a bullet again.

            "Where are the others?" The words were finally able to come out of your mouth, even if between grunts considering the pain that reverberated through your body with each movement that Yongbok made to wrap the wound on your arm trying to stop the blood pouring from the bullet wound. Blood also stained the leather of the back seat and you cursed the shooter and Hyunjin when he pressed the graze wound – which apparently wasn't that graze after all – with a piece of fabric. When the silence continued, your voice gained an authoritative tone, knowing something was wrong. "What happened?"

            “They caught the XKRS members.”

03: fox.

heart string of gold || OT8! ateez || lore au

They had abandoned you, all nine people you cared about most had completely abandoned you. In the end, you were just like your parents and superiors said you would be if you continued to allow feelings to be felt. You then became Strickland's weapon and the Black Pirates, like their leaders, were your ultimate target.

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[naesarangyunho]

Make Up Sex- Jeong Yunho

[I don't own these images credits to the original owners]

NSFW- MINORS DNI

Synopsis: Yunho goes out drinking with San and Mingi and returns home incredibly intoxicated and says something horrible to his wife without thinking. He makes it up to her the next morning though. Contains: Husband! Yunho, Non-Idol au, Some brief angst, Yunho is an ass briefly, fingering, penetrative sex, creampie, some domestic fluff at the end

[Word count: 3k]

He wasn't sure why he said it, but he regretted the words the instant that they fell from his tongue.

"For fucks sake, shut the fuck up! My head is killing me and you're making it worse with all your bitching."

He couldn't believe himself and neither could she, judging from the way her brows raised and her eyes widened before her face crumbled.

Never had he ever spoken to her that way and never had he wanted to speak to her that way.

"Fuck, I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean it, I swear." He tried to reach out for her but she moved out of his reach, tears collecting in her lashes.

"What's come over you, Yunho?"

He reached for her again, "I drank too much, I'm so sorry. Love, I really didn't mean it."

She took a step back, "Don't touch me."

He retracted his hand, "I'm sorry."

She shook her head, "You should have thought about that before you lashed out at me. I only said you should have called me if you were going to stay out so late. Am I not allowed to be concerned about my husband?"

"You're allowed to be concerned. I said I'm sorry, Y/N." He gave her a heartbroken look, one that annoyed her right now because his big puppy eyes always made her feel guilty, regardless of whether she was supposed to or not.

"Don't do that."

His brows furrowed, "Do what?"

She just shook her head, "You know what, nevermind. You're sleeping on the couch tonight."

She walked off in the direction of their room before she could see the way his heart dropped and the look in his eyes that accompanied it. She was angry and hurt and didn't want to see his face and have her resolve crumble.

"Y/N, wait!" He called out but she kept her eyes forward, entered their room, and slammed the door.

"I said I was sorry." He mumbled to himself as he stared at the closed door.

He made his way into the living room, stumbling slightly, his bare feet dragging along the polished wooden floors.

He stripped to his t-shirt and boxers and fell forward onto the couch, face buried in a throw pillow. God, he was such an idiot. He couldn't believe the way he had yelled at his wife like that.

He knew for a fact that he was in the wrong. He had said he was just going for a quick drink with Mingi and San and would be home before eight. He'd still promised to pick up dinner so she wouldn't have to cook. Instead, he had drunk so much with his friends that he got so completely caught up in alcohol and conversation that the thought to call his wife didn't even pass through his mind and he ended up staggering home at two o'clock in the morning instead.

She had waited up for him, genuine concern on her face as he opened the door and tripped into the house, grabbing the doorframe just in time to avoid falling face-first into the floor.

He hadn't answered his phone and since San and Mingi were just as occupied as him, they didn't answer theirs either. She had been really worried about him but her concern was instantly laced with anger as she realised how intoxicated he was.

His head was aching and she had been asking questions- in retrospect, questions that were appropriate for the situation and not just her nagging him- and he'd snapped at her.

He groaned as he turned onto his side on the couch, pulling his feet up from where they were hanging over the edge.

He really had to make it up to her somehow. But that would have to wait, he thought. She was probably still hurt and livid and he knew it was best to give her space and let her cool down rather than prod further.

He didn't even have a blanket. He wasn't about to go and get one from the room though, so he just curled up and pulled a throw pillow under his head. He deserved this, no disputing that.

Eventually, he fell asleep.

***

When Yunho cracked his eyes open the next morning, the light shining through the living room curtains hitting him in the face, he groaned.

His back ached, his head ached, his mouth was dry and he was getting hot.

Hot?

He looked down at his body- there was a fluffy blanket covering him. He smiled slightly; she didn't hate him completely.

He sat up, yawned, stretched and stood up to make his way to the kitchen.

It was only seven o'clock and being a Saturday, his wife was probably sleeping in.

He made quick work of gulping down some headache tablets and water before leaning back against the counter. He'd been such an ass last night.

He wasn't an overly clingy person but missed his wife and waking up next to her. He felt horribly guilty about last night and really wanted to make it up to her.

Yunho left the kitchen and made his way down the passage to their bedroom and gently pushed the closed door open.

She was still fast asleep. Her face was slightly more puffy than usual and it looked like she had cried herself to sleep. He felt so guilty. They never fought and he couldn't even remember the last time he'd made her cry from anything but pleasure. It hurt.

He crept into bed alongside her and gently wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his chest. She stirred as she felt him press a tender kiss to her shoulder.

He pressed another soft kiss to her neck and she moved her head instinctively to let him nuzzle his face into her neck, her body accustomed to this even though she was still half asleep.

"Yunho?" She murmured and he hummed, kissing her neck again.

She cuddled back into his chest, letting him spoon her but her body stiffened as she woke up properly and remembered the previous night's events.

She struggled weakly in his arms but he held her tight against his chest.

"Let me go, Yunho."

"I really am sorry, sweetheart. Please forgive me?"

She stopped squirming and turned in his arms to face him, "Are you really?"

He nodded, "I am. I was very wrong for what I did. I am really sorry and feel horrible about it. I don't like hurting you."

"You really did though, Yunho. I know it sounds stupid because it was just some words but-"

He kissed her softly, "It's not stupid, my love. I was nasty and I hurt you. You didn't deserve such unkind words when all you were was worried about me."

She reached a hand up to stroke his sleep-mussed hair, "I can't stay mad at you and those puppy eyes of yours for long. I forgive you but don't yell at me like that again, okay? I highly doubt the couch is comfortable."

He let out a small laugh, "It is not."

He pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her mouth, "I'm sorry. Let me make it up to you?"

She smiled and cupped his jaw in her hand, "Oh? How are you intending to do that?"

He gave her a mischievous grin before leaning in to kiss her properly and pull her tighter against his body. She smiled against his mouth before returning the kiss, her hand resting on the nape of his neck.

It didn't take long for the slow, lazy make out session to turn into heated kisses and tongues meeting.

His hands slid down her body to cup her backside and push her hips against his. He was hardening against her and she couldn't help but press herself against him, heat pooling in her stomach and her body seeking friction as her arousal blossomed within her.

He rolled his hips into hers and she gasped into his mouth, a hand shooting down to grip his hip and hold him against her as she pressed herself hard against him, grinding against his hard dick in lazy circles.

He bit her lip, a large hand sliding into her panties to grip her bare ass.

Her hand slid up from his hip and under his shirt, brushing over his stomach to rest on his chest, just above his heart.

She found comfort in the way she could feel it beat beneath her palm. She was being honest when she said she couldn't stay mad at him- she loved him too much. She had loved him for so long and with each passing wedding anniversary, she found herself loving him impossibly more. Her heart was so full of affection for this man.

"What's up?" He questioned, pulling back a little to look at her.

She just shook her head with a small smile, "Nothing. I'm just thinking about how terribly in love I am with you,"

He slid his hand up under her shirt and placed it down over her heart between the valley of her breasts, mirroring her actions, "That should be my line, sweetheart."

He gave her a small smile before closing his eyes and pressing his lips to hers again. The hand resting above her heart moved over to cup one of her breasts instead and she gasped as he lightly kneaded the soft flesh.

His mouth moved to her jaw and neck, tracing the column of her throat with his kisses. He rolled his hips into hers again and she couldn't help the small moan that escaped her.

The sound spurred him on, hand moving from her breast to slide slowly over her stomach and into her panties.

She pushed against his hand involuntarily, her body seeking even the smallest amount of friction.

Undiluted desire coursed through his body as he slid his fingers up through her wetness to her clit and could feel it practically pulsing beneath his fingertips.

His dick was painfully hard at this point and aching to be buried inside his wife.

He lazily circled her clit with a finger before pushing two fingers into her. She took them well, whimpering as they stroked along her walls. His long, pretty fingers have always been so good at reaching places she couldn't by herself and conjured up new heights of pleasure in her.

He kissed her neck and moved his mouth to the shell of her ear, "Do you want my fingers or my dick?"

She pushed down against his hand, "Can't I have both?"

He chuckled and kissed her, "Of course you can, sweetheart. Anything for you."

He picked up the pace of his fingers a little, curling them so they brushed along her g-spot perfectly with each stroke.

"Oh, Yunnie," She sighed and he caught her lips in a tender kiss.

There was no rush, he moved his fingers at a leisurely pace, not too fast and not too slow. Just at the right pace to prolong her pleasure as long as he could.

She moved her hips, urging his fingers deeper inside of her but she didn't rush him. She enjoyed it like this occasionally, enjoyed him making love to her instead of fucking her.

He sped up a little more as he felt her breathing become very laboured and felt her walls clench around his fingers.

"Yunho," She moaned and with a few more strokes of Yunho's fingers, she fell apart, her hands scrambling to grip onto whatever part of him she could.

He kissed her neck softly, nibbling at the skin as he let her ride out her orgasm before removing his fingers.

He wiped his hand on the bed sheet and despite still being fuzzy from her orgasm, she poked him.

"How many times have I told you not to do that? You're not the one who has to do the laundry."

He chuckled and kissed her, "Sorry, ma'am."

"Hmm. Make it up to me. Go ahead and do what you promised to do."

He laughed again, tugged her panties down and kicked off his boxers before turning her over on her side so that he was spooning her.

"What are you doing?"

"Shhh."

Still on his side he lifted her top leg and pushed forward and let his dick slide through her folds, brushing her clit briefly.

"Help me a little, sweetheart."

She reached back under her leg and gripped him and guided him inside of her.

He inhaled sharply at the sensation of gliding into her in this position, her previous orgasm making it easier. While this position didn't provide a lot of leverage to thrust up into her, it did provide a new angle that allowed him to push into her sensitive spot with each thrust and it also made her squeeze tighter around him.

He thrusted up slowly, pushing against her g-spot almost perfectly and she gasped out a moan, her hand shooting down to cover the one he had holding her thigh up.

He pushed his face into her neck, leaving warm, open-mouthed kisses on her skin and the sensation only added further tension to the knot steadily tightening in her belly with each leisurely thrust of Yunho's dick.

Yunho groaned against her neck, "You feel so good, love. So tight for me."

She just whimpered, unable to formulate a response as she grew closer and closer to her orgasm.

He picked up the pace as much as this position would allow him to and she squeezed her walls around his dick, helping him chase after his own orgasm.

He moaned against her neck and bit her lightly. She moaned at the feeling of his teeth on her skin and started to meet his thrusts as best she could.

Eventually, Yunho pulled out very briefly and quickly turned her onto her back before driving back into her with a renewed fervour.

"Oh, fuck, Yunho."

Yunho kissed her, groaning against his lips as his orgasm began to approach him very swiftly. He tried to tide it back a little longer. This was meant to be about his wife and making her feel good, he didn't want to cum first.

"Sweetheart, I need you to cum for me." He pleaded breathlessly, fingers moving between their bodies to find her clit.

She reached up to grip his shoulders, her nails scratching at his skin as he pushed her closer and closer to the edge.

"Come on, my love. Cum for me, sweetheart."

All it took was those words and one more perfectly angled thrust and then she was coming apart beneath him with a choked cry of his name.

A few more thrusts and he followed after her, spilling himself inside of her. She whimpered and wrapped her legs around his to hold him there for just a little longer.

He kissed her gently before pulling out and rolling off of her to lay next to her and catch his breath.

Neither of them said anything for a while, just basking in the afterglow of their orgasms for a moment.

Yunho turned on his side, holding himself up by his elbow and resting his head in his hand as he reached his other hand out to cup her face, his thumb stroking along the skin of her cheek.

"Am I forgiven now?"

She poked his stomach playfully, "I already said you were. But you've definitely made it up to me."

He smiled and kissed her.

"Okay, let's clean up and then I'll make you breakfast," Yunho said, sitting up and scooting over to the edge of the bed.

She sat up quickly, "Absolutely not."

"What?"

"You're not cooking. Last time you tried, you burnt the food so badly I couldn't save it."

He gasped indignantly and pointed an accusatory finger at her, "Hey, that was your fault! You were the one that initiated the make out session that distracted me!"

She blushed lightly but remained resolute, "Be that as it may, you're not going near the stove again."

He gave her puppy eyes, this time on purpose, and she huffed dramatically.

"Damn you. Fine, you handle the toast and I'll handle the eggs and bacon. Does that make you feel better?"

"A little."

She laughed and crawled over to him on the bed to kiss him.

"Distracting me again?"

"Maybe."

She kissed him again, longer this time.

"Love, I know what you're trying to do. I'm hungry though and not just for you. Breakfast first and then maybe we can find another use for the countertop after."

She bit his lip, "Promise?"

He kissed her again before standing up and walking to their en suite bathroom, "Promise!"

She jumped out of bed and ran up to him, slapping his ass with a giggle.

"Hey!"

She stuck her tongue out at him before hopping in the shower ahead of him.

He watched her for a second. God, he loved that woman so much.

"Keep standing there like that and I'll use all the hot water."

"No, you will not. I'm coming."

And then he was in the shower with her, and more giggles filled the room as they messed around and teased each other further.

It was good to have things back to the way they were before. As fun as make up sex had been, he planned on never having a reason to do it again. No more fighting.

A/N: Reminder that requests are open♡

#kpop #y/n #kpop fanfic #ateez #jeong yunho #kpop smut #smut #ateez yunho #non idol au #Husband yunho #established relationship #ateez x reader #yunho x reader #make up sex #yunho fluff #ateez fluff #domestic fluff #Spotify

[spicyseonghwas]

blackbird - choi san

pairings :: choi san x jung wooyoung guest appearances :: son seongjun (castle j; mcnd) genres/au's :: angst, fantasy, pining best friend!san, best friend!wooyoung, lowkey sorta yandere!san in one section viewer rating :: 13+ content warnings :: cursing, blood, knives, name calling, mentions of hurting a close friend word count :: network tags :: @preciousillusions-net @k-labels @cacaokpop-fics @timenote-library song :: blackbird; black veil brides a/n :: i was too lazy to edit the title & idol out of the header this is one of my first fics i ever wrote SHUT UP OKEH!! and also the second section was originally san x bf!hongjoong, but ive been obsessing over woosan lately and its more canon and makes more sense so i went ahead and changed it to pining!san x bestfriend!wooyoung

(reposted from old acc)

living near and endless night / you'll always be the ghost in these halls i run from...

the voice behind him, the voice of the boy chasing him, cackled with insanity and immeasurable lust for blood... san couldn't get away.

he just fucking couldn't.

so san stopped. he skidded to a stop in the middle of the hallway and turned around, bristling himself. he closed his eyes tight and bowed his head, breathing heavily, ready for the feeling of the knife in seongjun's hand to pierce through his chest.

but when the pain never came, san looked up from the puddle of blood he was standing in. seongjun was standing there a few feet away, an uncertain grin on his face.

he was just...

standing there.

"just kill me already." san spat. "you've killed all my friends, the only people i care about. you've taken everything i love away from me, what more could you want? i have nothing else to give you! you know you want to, you disgusting, blood-starved little psycho."

"i..."

"what?"

"i can't, man..."

it took a moment for san to get over the initial shock of what the other boy had just said. but once the shock faded, san sighed heavily. a song came into his head- one that the crazy little monster in front of him had sang to himself so many times...

"you'll always be the ghost in these halls i run from..."

hold on to hope / take back your soul

wooyoung let loose a broken, tired sigh that unintentionally came out as a sort of half-whimper, half-groan.

"why, san..."

"i didn't mean for any of this to happen, joong, i mean it... seriously, i love you..." san whimpered, "you're my best friend, i love you..."

"if i was your best friend, then none of this would have happened."

san had unknowinglly hurt his best friend.

again.

wooyoung had come home to san crying in a ball on the couch, and being the soft-ass caring little shit he'd always been, wooyoung immediately went to comfort him. they'd sat in silence for a while, san with his head nuzzled into joong's chest, before joong got up the courage to ask what was wrong.

when san confessed to what he'd done, he hadn't planned out how he was going to deal with the backlash...

and now he had to dea with the extra consequences.

san wanted to move over to sit next to his friend, hold him close to his chest...

maybe forget any of this ever happened...?

but he could see that joong didn't want that right now.

so san had nothing else to do but work it out. he had to hold on to that little bit of hope, keep his eyes on what he had left...he had to fight for the man he loved. san had never known someone who was as loving, understanding, and caring as wooyoung, and he wasn't about to let go of him just because of a silly, stupid, idiotic mistake.

"woo... please..."

"san, what else do you want from me?? you've done this two times before, i... i just can't..."

"i can't do this anymore, san..."

~+~

so just look into the sky and you’ll become the blackbird...

san's heart skipped a beat as the lyric entered his head.

he could simply...

run away.

it wasn't as if his mother was abusing him or anything, but she wasn't exactly being very much of a mother, either. she hadn't been for just about the last three years now.

they'd never find him. san was a master of hide and seek, he'd gotten it from his childhood. his father had hated him with a passion, and frequently come after him in a blind rage over his own miserable life, up until his mother came home and caught him red-handed one day.

no one had dared fuck with choi san ever since.

san held onto hope, clung onto that one shining thought: he would be eighteen soon. in less than an hour.

the second he turned eighteen, he could join the ravens and soar away in the currents of the wind.

when that split moment came, san all but ran from the house, a maniacal grin smearing his handsome, chiseled features during every second. he'd packed away everything he'd need days before, his possessions were already with mingi and jongho. san's mother had just walked in the door when san woke up; she seemed to know exactly why he was so excited...

she didn't even say goodbye.

but it wasn't like san cared.

san stood in the gravel driveway of his house, the brightest smile on his face that had ever been. he thought gleefully of maybe taking a last look at the place he'd been forced before to call his home, but his face wouldn't move toward the wreck of a house that was no longer his home.

it still wasn't like san cared.

san looked happily into the bright, blue sky and willed his invisible wings to come out of hiding. he let them fly open and grinned once more, the smile on his face and the freedom still shining in his dark, warm, chocolate-brown eyes as he spread his wings, shifting into a blackbird and soaring away into the golden morning twilight.

© seonghwas-lighter 2023-2024.

#chase.exe 🌑 #cacaokpop #k labels #ateez #san #choi san #woosan #ateez angst #ateez yandere au #ateez fantasy au #best friends to lovers #choi san fantasy au #ateez shapeshifter au #ateez ships #kpop scenarios #ateez scenarios #reaaaaally not sure how to tag this... #pretty sure this is the first non idol x reader or idol x oc fic ive written

[potatomountain]

"First Date"- San

♦️Pairing: Gym bro San x reader ♦️genre/au: fluff/comfort/smut? ♦️Word Count: 4.8k ♦️Warnings: if you ignore the smut part at the end its a totally non-gendered first date with San. Otherwise, just a bit of oral at the end enjoy MINORS DNI ♦️AN: what happens when you have San brain rot and someone mentions a prompt- prompt being first date? This. This is what happens ♦️Network: @pirateeznet

Going to the gym on a regular basis hadn’t been something you thought you would do, and yet here you were, sometimes four or 5 times a week. The kicker? You kept coming back because of the sweet gym bro that had quickly become your gym partner: Choi San.

It started out when you were struggling with one of the machines and he had offered to help you. You had expected him to be crude or touchy like most of the other fellows that had tried to help you at gyms before- and thus the reason this was your third gym membership in 2 months- but he was anything but. Respectful, kept his distance, was actually informative about what you wanted to know and how you wanted to work out as opposed to the way others thought you should.

Since then, your eyes always found him at the gym, even if he was on the other side working on a machine or with weights you didn’t care for. You made a point not to prioritize your little growing crush over what you were really here at the gym for, so you didn’t approach him or make an effort to work out nearby. More often than not you would chastise yourself just for admiring his body and muscles as he worked out, scolding yourself for being a creep.

The relief when he was the first to make a move, asked to exchange numbers so the two of you could meet up at the gym from time to time since he ‘always saw you around and struggling a bit’. You couldn’t admit the reason you struggled was because of him and his pretty dimpled smile and prettier muscles.

It was easy to fall into a friendship with him, into a routine, that your initial crush got buried under genuine respect and fondness of the man. A few months past and you were content with your relationship; at least until he dropped a figurative bomb.

He asked you out on a date.

It had been after one of your gym sessions and the two of you had made small talk about movies, which both of you mentioned excitement for a new one in theaters. You had thought nothing of it, the subject changing into favorite movie types and then other favorites. But before the two of you parted ways to the showers, he had asked. “Tomorrow, do you want to go see that movie together? On a date?”

Of course he had to add the date part, bringing heat to your cheeks as you agreed.

The two of you bickered over text the entirety of the day before your date; he would insist on being a gentleman and pick you up or pay for the whole thing, and you would reject each idea. You were flattered, and you liked that he was sweet like that, but it was your first date and you were adamant about pitching in somewhere.

He relented, agreeing to meet you at the movie theater at five. After the movie was a plan to get something quick to eat and go from there. You were fine with that, insisting you needed to be home by 10 for no reason other than rules you had placed on yourself for the date. Not because you didn’t trust him, but because you didn’t trust yourself. If he gave you an inch, you were sure you would push for a mile, your crush returning with a vengeance.

Months of exercising with him and seeing him at the gym hadn’t prepared you for the sight that greeted you when you walked up to the theater ten till five. You had seen him in shorts, spandex, sweats- all sort of clothes fit for exercising- but the white button up and washed out jeans with his hair combed back? You had to take a moment to admire him all over. 

Smoothing out your own attire, which was also different from your usual workout clothes, you made your way over with a small little wave. His eyes widened when he saw you, heat flooding his cheeks as he looked you over slowly, taking in every aspect of your fit (and you swore your body) before meeting your eyes with an appreciative grin.

“You look beautiful.” San said breathlessly.

Flustered at his compliment you motioned to his own outfit, making a point to look him over just as he had you despite having already done so. “And you look amazing. Attractive. Handsome- all that and more.” 

It was his turn to get flustered, holding out his arm. “Let’s get some snacks for the movie?”

“Just something to drink, theater food is so expensive.” You took his arm with a small thanks, fighting off the heat in your cheeks.

He scoffed, leading you inside. “I can pay.” “And we agree that since you got the tickets, I can pay for my own concession stuff.”

“Hmph, so stubborn, I was hoping you’d let up.”

You smiled up at him, noting the hint of amusement in his features. “Uh-huh, I think you like it when I fight you on things like this.”

He chuckled, leaning closer to you. “How can I not like it when you are feisty?”

San had been respectful at the gym, friendly, and not once actively flirted with you that you knew of- but he most definitely was flirting with you now. 

You couldn’t deny that you loved it, even as you gently pushed him away, both of you grinning. “Catch me sparring with you next time we’re in the gym then.”

“You really want to put yourself in a position where I can pin you down?” Not only was he flirting, but he was bold about it. When you sputtered out no coherent answer, he laughed, walking with you up to the counter. He took advantage of your flustered state to order drinks and popcorn for you both, getting just what you liked and handing over his card.

You were trying, with much difficulty, to erase the image of San pinning you down from your mind, so you had noticed too late what he had done. With a pout you smacked his arm without much force. “I said I could.”

“I know, but consider it an apology.” He handed you your drink, the grin he wore was not at all apologetic and instead had your stomach filled with butterflies.

Your instinct told you not to ask, but curiosity got the better of you. “Apology for what?”

“For the amount of times I’m going to steal your breath away tonight.”

You wished he had been joking yet he was true to his word. You saw a new side to San, subtle flirting mixed with cute habits that had you laughing when you weren’t stuttering for a reply to his bold words. While he made it clear he did want you, that he liked you, not once had it made you uncomfortable or was it disrespectful.

Of course when the movie had started the flirting came to a standstill; both of you sitting somewhere in the middle, huddled together as you ran by theories of the story or made a joke low enough not to bother the other people in the theater. No, he didn’t need to say anything for you to get flustered, close enough to smell the different smells from his hair gel to the little bit of cologne he wore. You could smell the popcorn on his breath whenever he would lean in a bit closer to point out a scene he thought was really cool, eyes wide with enthusiasm as you turned to giggle at just how cute he was.

Despite the growing rage of the butterflies in your stomach, and lower, San was still so easy to talk to, to be close to. You had a good time, even a bit disappointed when the movie came to an end and the theater lights turned back on.

By the absolutely adorable pout on San’s face, he was just as disappointed. You stood up and held out your hand to him, smiling as he looked up. “Can’t expect some shared popcorn to fill me up, so let’s get dinner?” 

With newfound enthusiasm he took your hand and stood up, the small alley leaving very little room between you two. “That’s right, the date isn't over yet.”

You were the first to put some distance between you two, clearing your throat and grabbing your empty soda cup, turning to head out the aisle. “Where do you want to go?”

“There’s a park nearby that has some food trucks usually posted up?”

“You’re not going to try and pay again are you?” You looked back over your shoulder to fix him with a glare which he returned with an innocent smile.

“I have no idea what you mean? Paying for your food? On the date I asked you on? What kind of man does that?” The both of you threw away your garbage on the way out, only then did you pull your hand from his- which you hadn’t realized you still had a hold on to.

Rolling your eyes you clasped your hands behind you to keep them busy, his own hands pushing into his pockets. “And I agreed to the date so it’s a shared effort. Why do you insist on paying for everything San?”

He shrugged, moving ahead to open the door for you. “Because I like you a lot and want to do anything I can for you.” The simple confession had the space between you blazing with tension as you had to stop and simply stare. The longer you did, the more flustered and nervous he became by the second. “Forget I said anything.” He rushed off ahead, head down and clearly sulking as you were still trying to wrap your head around the bursting of emotions in your chest.

“San-” As if a switch flipped in your brain you called out, rushing to catch up. “Wait-” You reached out, grabbing his arm and pulling him to a stop. Fuck he looked so cute pouting like this, like a dejected puppy(or kitty), which made it harder to put up a fight. “I-I suppose you can pay, this time. But I get the next date.”

The way he perked up had your heart fluttering, falling for these adorable habits of his as much as all the other sides you’ve seen. He smiled much like a boy, grabbing your hand from his arm and situating his fingers into the slots. “So there’s a next date?”

You groaned, flustered more than anything as your gaze fell to the concrete beneath your feet. “We have to get through this one first, San.”

With a perk in his step and giddy laughter he gently pulled you along, teasing you for ‘how cute you were being’ which only flustered you more. The flirting was back and your admission seemed to make him even more bold.

The park wasn’t far at all, but it was late and cloudy, the park lights seemed almost eerie in some spots so you opted to make the walk short. The two of you stuck to the main paths, coming across a food truck you liked after about thirty minutes of walking. Just as you promised, you let him pay, but you still grumbled about it. 

He didn’t mind at all, commenting that nothing could ruin his happy mood now. You were tempted to try to, but one look at his bright eyes and you couldn’t gather up the courage to do so. The two of you talked about anything, San finding no end of topics to bring up and indulge in, at times seeming content just walking and holding your hand while you two ate. 

It wasn’t until you both were throwing away your wrappers that his shoulders drooped- the same shoulders you had been eyeing on and off all evening. Despite not wearing a muscle shirt as he often did at the gym, the white button up accentuated them perfectly, his forearms also exposed as he had the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. He was definitely what your friends would call a ‘himbo’ but you decided you loved that.

Just as you had come to expect, San’s pout was in full view, staring down at your joined hands as he gently swung them. “Do you want to keep walking?” Neither of you wanted the date to end, and truthfully you had an hour left to kill before you should head home for your self-imposed deadline.

Yet you didn’t have a chance to answer, the first raindrop hitting your shoulder an indicator that the park was about to be the last place to continue the date. And while playing in the rain could be a fun date, you weren’t dressed for that and neither was that. “Let’s find shelter first?”

“My place isn’t far, you can wait out the rain there?” He offered, hopeful.

You were about to suggest a cafe or something else, something public, when the light sprinkling turned into a soaking downpour. Both of you cursed under your breath, running along the pavement looking for cover. Being in the middle of the park, that didn’t leave many options, taking several minutes until you two ducked under the awning of another food truck. There were other couples and people that had the same idea, leaving barely any room for you and San.

He pulled you under, standing just under the awning, facing you and attempting to cover you from the rain despite getting soaked in the process. The people behind you tried to make room, but San instead let others under the shelter. What you were hoping would be a short burst of rain instead was lasting, leaving you shivering as your wet clothes stuck to you, the wind that occasionally blew the rain under the awning just making things worse. Despite your own cold, San seemed to be bearing the rain and cold unshakably.

Instinctively you pressed close, seeking warmth, which he welcomed by wrapping an arm around you to protect you as much as he could from the rain. “I got you, Jagiya.” His words had heat rushing through you, momentarily forgetting the rain soaked clothes sticking to you as a second skin and the cold they brought with it.

Despite the eternity that it felt like, the rain only lasted a few more moments, dying back down to another sprinkle, but you both were cold and San was even more soaked than you were. You wanted to laugh about the experience, but as you pulled away you got a good view of how his clothes stuck to him- as did he. 

There was nothing humorous in the way his jaw clenched, or the arm he wrapped around you to pull you close. “We’ll go to my place so I can dry your clothes before sending you home.” It wasn’t a request this time, or offer, but a demand- on you saw no reason to dispute. You could see every outline of his torso under his shirt, that alone had your brain in overdrive, but the way his jeans were now sticking to him? Soaked and making noise with every step he took to usher you out of the park?

You couldn’t speak up because if you did, you might comment about the way his jeans specifically stuck to the front of his pelvis and that you were reacting in some type of way. The kind of way you were trying not to act on a first date. So you kept quiet, letting the tension fester between the two of you as he rushed you out of the park.

Another burst of rain had the two of you ducking under another store awning, this time no where near as crowded but he still had you back against the wall, shielding you from the trickles of rain that would whoosh under by the wind with his back. You had put your hands on his chest to keep some distance as his arms caged you in, breathing heavily from what you assumed was because of the rain. One look at his eyes on you though and you knew it was because of you.

You were affecting him as much as he was you, the revelation both freeing and worrying. Freeing to know you weren’t alone in this struggle; yet worrying because if he acted on it, you knew you wouldn’t say no. No, you would welcome it.

And yet here you were, pinned against a random wall as it rained, on the way to his apartment to dry your wet clothes. Such a genius idea for a first date huh? This bout of rain ended quickly, San once again leading you down the street. He was right, his place wasn’t far, as the two of you made it into the building right as the next bout started.

“Well that was an experience.” You tried to break the tension, turning to him with a dry chuckle.

“I should’ve checked the weather- I’m sorry.” San put some distance between you two, keeping his eyes forward as he led you to the elevator, water dripping off both of you and making a decent trail of puddles.

You shook your head, fighting back the chill running through you in the air conditioned building. “I could’ve too, it’s fine San. I had fun.”

He shook his head again, running his hand through his wet hair to get the water to stop dripping into his face. “I uh- you don’t have a cat allergy right?”

The question was sudden, but it was a welcome change of topic to keep your mind off the way the fabric moved sticking to him like this. “No allergy, I adore cats. Unfortunately my building doesn’t allow them so I am cat free. Such a sad existence, truly.” He chuckled, nodding in agreement. “I have a cat, Byeol, she’ll probably be nosey and I will try to keep any and all cat hair off your clothes.” “Really I don’t mind San. I hope she likes me, actually.”

He grinned. “Oh I know she’ll love you.”

The elevator stopped, doors opened and you followed San down the hall a bit more at ease- which definitely had to do with the excitement to see his cat.

His apartment felt very much fitting for him, but you barely noticed as your attention had landed on the car right off the bat. She demanded his attention first, but as he left to grab you some clothes, Byeol turned her attention to you. Despite being wet, she rubbed up against your leg, purring.

San came back with shorts and a hoodie. “You can change in the bathroom, there is a small dryer in there you can just throw your clothes into.” 

You took them, following his finger towards the correct door after pulling off your soaking shoes. Alone in his bathroom the tension was back in your chest, staring down at the hoodie that very clearly smelled like him. Peeling your clothes off you realized just how cold you were, even once your clothes were thrown in the little dryer and you were enveloped in his scent and clothes you were still shivering.

Stepping out with your arms wrapped around yourself, you called out for him. “San?”

He looked up from the couch, freshly changed into gray sweats and a loose fitting tank top, Byeol on his lap purring away. “They fit okay?” Considering how broad his shoulders were, the sweater hung quite a bit but it was comfortable.

“Yeah. How long will that take?” You motioned back to the bathroom as you made your way over to the couch. 

He shrugged, leaning back into the couch and leisurely petting the cat. “About half an hour? Once it’s dry I’ll take you home.”

You shook your head, sitting on the opposite end of the couch. “No, that's okay, I’ll get an uber. You’re already home; I don't want to make you go back out.”

“I’m offering.” He moved Byeol aside who whined in protest as he got up, heading towards what you assumed was his bedroom. “Plus I’ll know you got home safely.” He disappeared into the room.

“I can text you-”

“Nope, I’m driving.” He broke off your protest, bringing a blanket over to you. “I don’t want to think about you leaving me just yet, especially when you look so fucking cute in my hoodie.” Flustered you didn’t fight him on it any more, instead watching with confusion as he literally tucked the blanket around you quite snuggly. “In fact- I’m tempted to have you take it.”

“But it’s yours-” You pulled the blanket up to your chin, meeting his eyes as he had yet to pull away, hands on the back of the couch on either side of you. “San?”

His eyes flickered down to your lips, darkening with thoughts that were reflected in your own mind. “May I kiss you?”

You nodded, his lips pressing against yours before you could vocalize the answer. With your arms tucked under the blanket you could only kiss him back, tilting your head into the kiss that he deepened after the first few strokes.

All your sexual tension from the date, from the whole time you had known him, came crashing into you like a gut punch. San seemed to sense it, or perhaps he was just as frustrated, leaning into you more as his hands found your sides.

Quickly the kiss was getting out of hand, your mouth opening for his tongue the second he asked for entrance, a groan leaving him and hitting you right in the core. Reluctantly, and with much difficulty, you pulled away panting. “San I- I really really like you.”

“Mmm I like you too. A lot, yet I hear a but?” He pressed his forehead against yours, eyes shut as he just seemed to be soaking up your presence.

“I uh- I don’t want to go too far, not on the first date. Not before we-”

He just nodded, pulling away after pressing a kiss to your cheek. “I understand, you have a way you like to do things, especially new things. I won’t do anything you won’t want, and not without asking permission first.” He stood up, turning to look for the remote. “How about you pick something to watch and I grab you something to drink?”

Moments later there was some random show on the tv you had put on to fill the silence that you were trying to focus on: trying because San’s focus was you.

He was more and more obvious about it as time went on, taking in the sight of you huddled in his hoodie and blanket on his couch, petting his cat- it was heartachingly domestic. You were so aware of his eyes on you it was hard to relax, in fact it sizzled the already heavy sexual tension between the two of you even more. 

So when he called out your name, you snapped back a ‘what?’

“I want to be your official boyfriend. Please?”

You paused the show, turning to him slowly as you tried to process his words. “Now is a weird time to ask, don't you think?”

“Maybe, but with the things in my head that I want to do with you, to you, I can’t unless you’re officially mine. So-?” He leaned forward, a devilish yet somehow innocent look on his face.

“I- well I want you to be my boyfriend too but I-”

“Great, it's settled!” He surged forward, pulling you closer at the same time he tossed the blanket aside. “I want to kiss you more.”

“San-” Reluctantly you placed your hands on his shoulders, only for him to pout.

“Please? I wanted to kiss you the whole date- no, even before then. I have a lot of time to make up for, you know.” “But you said you wanted to do a lot of things- how do I know you won’t get carried away huh?” Despite your protests you knew your resolve was weakening, really wanting to give in.

He knew it too, turning his head to place a kiss to the back of your hand. “Then we’ll set some rules. Only until your clothes are done do I get to annnd, hm, I only get to use my mouth to touch you?”

You hesitated, glancing at your phone charging on the end table to see the time. It was only nine, the dryer had maybe ten more minutes or so, just how much can he do with his mouth in that short amount of time?

Moments after agreeing, you realized he could do a lot in ten minutes. It was still a haze how you had gone from just kissing him to his head now between your bare legs, eating you out with enough vigor that you swore this was his favorite meal. Hand’s in his hair, you were torn between pushing him away and pulling him close, each flick of his tongue sending jolts up your spine.

He looked as his lips attached around your nub, sucking enough to pull a whine out of you. You were holding back and had a sneaking suspicion he knew that. Pulling away just enough, he licked a fat stripe over your lips, getting a good taste of your slick. “Come on Baby, no need to be shy now, I’m just using my mouth.”

You whined, your whole body warm from the different sensations he made you feel. “Not only do you have a cute side but a demon side too? Fuck I definitely didn’t know what I was signing up for.” He chuckled, breath hot against your core. “That’s true, I’ve barely shown you what I can do, you're in for so many surprises.” The idea of it excited you, made you even more eager for this relationship and where it would take- and not just because his tongue felt fucking amazing on you.

Still, you were battling with yourself about this whole thing on the first date, only to squeak out when you were pulled suddenly to the edge of the couch, your legs hooked over his broad shoulders as he buried himself deeper into you. He wasn’t just using his mouth now, his nose brushing against your nub while this tongue worked furiously, hands on your hips to hold you in place. 

You weren’t sure what did it, his nose, tongue, or just the sight of him moaning against your cunt, but your climax hit unexpectedly.

That should been enough, just one time, but San took to his word and he kept going until you were moaning and whimpering and fucking yourself on his tongue as much as he was fucking you with it. He let you ride out not just that first orgasm, but two more until your legs were shaking and half his face was soaked with your cum. 

It wasn’t until you pushed at his head, over stimmed and legs shaking, did he pull away. Licking his lips he looked up at you with nothing but desire and affection. “Well I guess I broke the rules.”

Panting you stared bewildered as he sat back on the floor, trying to bring your brain back from mush. “You did?”

“Mhmm. I used my nose, and held you down. Plus the dryer buzzed during the second time you came so- ow! I’m sorry.” He whined, rubbing his shoulder where you had kicked him. “When I finally got you moaning I really did get carried away.” “I told you that you would!” Huffing, you pushed yourself up, still quite flustered. You weren’t at all upset he kept going, nor that it had escalated as it did.

San stood up to help you, an obvious wet spot in his sweats that only flustered you more. “Did you… did you cum? Untouched?”

Now he was flustered, looking away sheepishly. “Yeah, I did.”

Byeol’s soft meow from the other end of the couch pulled you both the rest of the way out of your bubble, jolting San into action. There wasn’t really any more tension as he cleaned you up and let you go change, your clothes still a bit damp but enough to get you home. San insisted you wear his hoodie, pulling it back on you after he had changed and grabbed his keys.

He was an attentive driver, taking your directions to your place and parking as close as he could to the building. He offered to walk you to your door but you insisted on at least doing that. So instead he stole a kiss, smiling over at you before you left the car. “The second date, I’ll only use my hands.” 

Flustered, you huffed and grumbled out before making your way to the door. Looking back, he was still waiting for you, rolling the window down, you managed to see his wink before you disappeared into your apartment complex.

You were definitely looking forward to the second date.

Taglist: @justhere4kpop  /  @candypop1611  /  @spooo00oky @sanniessnails / @gugggu6gvai / @starillusion13 / @tunaasan /

#ateez #ateez fanfic #ateez x reader #san x reader #choi san x reader #san smut #choi san #san #ateez san #choi san smut #san ateez #san scenarios #san fluff #nonidol san #non idol au #almost genderless fic #gym bro san #pirateteeznet

[deja-vux]

Forbidden Fruit~The Princess and the Scholar

Word Count: 2.0k+ Warnings: adultery, mentions of death, mentions of suicide, murder, beheading A/N:Gettinng closer and closer to ending this series as there are only to more left. I know I’ve been gone for awhile so hopefully my writing skills aren’t to rusty. Hope you guys enjoy :) Reincarnate Masterlist KPOP Masterlist

79 AD

         The princess ran through the palace halls out to the courtyard and towards the garden as the servants attempted to chase after her. As they neared her she ducked under the bridge using a tree as her shield placing a hand over her mouth to keep quiet. She couldn’t help but bite her lip stifling a giggle as she heard their voices grow silent the farther they ran. As soon as they were gone she immediately got back up only to collide with someone's chest. Slightly dazed and confused, she looked up to find one of the scholar's interns in front of her. Her eyes widened as they made eye contact before she pretended to be in pain holding the side of her head accompanied by multiple “ows”. The young man couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as she peeked back up at him to see if he reacted. Afraid he might rat her out she excused herself before turning to leave only to slip on the mud of the river bend. Just as she began to fall she felt a hand wrap around her forearm pulling her back. She looked up at his nonchalant expression, her heart racing as she realized the proximity between them. She cleared her throat, pulled her arm from his grasp, and dusted herself off. “Thank you for saving but I’m afraid I'll have to cut our interaction short,” she said before running off as the servant's voice began to return. The young man made his way back to the path as they approached looking tired and out of breath. The leader of the pack turned to him panting as he asked for the princess’s whereabouts he simply shook his head causing them to groan as they continued their chase. The young man couldn’t help but smirk.

        In the following weeks as he continued his studies around the palace he watched the mischievous princess and her antics from freeing a chicken claiming to want to feed it, stealing a bow and arrows from the arsenal to practice shooting, solving the scholars’ punishment riddles for the interns, and stealing a horse to ride into the village for the lunar new year celebration sending everyone into a panic. Curious to see how the last would play out he followed her into the village wondering what had gotten the princess so worked up. He unmounted his horse before walking into the streets that were bursting with life. Having spent his entire life either on the road or inside palace walls he too was amazed by the scenery unfolding before him, that was until he felt someone collide with him. He looked down to find the princess dressed as a commoner, the pair gazing into the eyes of the other until palace guards could be heard nearby causing her to panic. Swiftly he pulled them into a small alleyway covering her with his body and her mouth with his hand using his other hand to hold a finger to his lips. As the voices faded he slowly pulled his hand away looking behind him. As he turned back he realized their current position was pulling away as he felt a sudden bashfulness but didn't show it. The princess on the other hand felt her stomach do flips as she attempted to steady her breathing and calm the rising blush on her cheeks. Just as he was about to walk away he felt her gentle and shy touch against the tip of his fingers. “You’ve saved me from trouble twice now and I don’t even know your name to thank you formally,” she requested.

“It’s Song Mingi, your majesty and there is no need to. Just try not to get caught next time,” he replied, nervous to turn back.

“Well Song Mingi now that you’re my accomplice would you care to join me? I promise not to tell,” she smiled at him cheekily.

        Unable to deny her, he agreed, immediately getting pulled towards the center of the celebration where the smell of food and the sound of music was accompanied by people dancing and paper lanterns filled the sky with warmth as night approached. The pair laughed and danced hopping from different merchant tents to enjoy the games and food. Eventually, as it became dark  Mingi led the princess outside the village to a nearby hill. The two sat under the cherry blossom as Mingi handed her a wrapped dessert. She thanked him, unwrapping the small cake delicately before taking a bite. Just as she was about to finish the first firework could be heard in the distance. She was startled at first but once she saw the vibrant colors lit up the sky she quickly climbed the tree to get a better view. Mingi couldn’t help but be mesmerized by her free spirit. As she tried to get back down she slipped. As the princess braced for the impact she soon found herself in the arms of the young scholar who could only manage a soft chuckle. “I’m starting to think that saving you isn’t by coincidence anymore,” he joked as he set her down gently. She simply blushed. The two returned to the palace with Mingi helping her sneak back in. Just as she was about to slide her door closed Mingi stopped her. He cupped her face gently moving her bangs to the side with his thumb making her timidly look toward the ground. “I hope to spend more moments like this with you,” he confessed.

“I hope to as well,” she smiled warmly.

        Mingi closed the gap between their lips and pressed against one another in a gentle kiss. As he pulled away he smiled warmly gently holding her chin. “Let that be a mark of my word till next time, your majesty,” he smiled warmly before placing a soft peck on her lips then her forehead and heading back to his quarters. The princess slid her door closed before faintly touching her lips. As the days went by she focused on her studies as Mingi had taken the helm of teaching her lessons. The king was ecstatic that his wild daughter’s spirit had been tamed little did he know it was stronger than ever as the scholar and princess fell deeper and deeper for one another as the weeks went on. Years passed and the princess now turned queen gave birth to a beautiful son. Even as the cherry blossoms continued their ever-going cycle so did the queen’s meeting with the right hand of the head scholar. As the New Year festivities commenced the queen snuck off as usual this time unaware of the shadow lurking behind her. Right on schedule, she met Mingi on the bridge of their first encounter with her son before they snuck out to enjoy the celebration like they did every year. As they disappeared in the distance the king turned to his servant. “Follow them and tell me everything. Something leads me to believe my wife is nothing but a wench and that the crowned prince’s blood is tainted with that of a trashy commoner,” he states coldly.

        Per usual they enjoyed their time in the village ending with watching the fireworks near the palace on the same hill she and Mingi did years ago. As they finished Soweon gave a small yawn curling up in his father’s arms as his mother gently brushed the hair from his face. “We should head back,” Mingi suggested, “before they suspect anything. That and I must leave early today for Seongju.”

“How long will you be gone this time?” she asks.

“7 Days and I’ll return. I promise,” he brushed the hair from her face kissing her forehead.

“We’ll miss you,” she smiled as his lips pressed against her skin.

“As will I but I promise one day we’ll run away as we planned. There are just some final touches I need to finish,” he explained as she hummed in response.

        Mingi left not long after dropping them off, a day later the queen was summoned. As she reached the throne room she was shoved to the ground by one of the guards causing Soweon to run towards his mother only for a blade to be held against him causing him to halt. Despite the panic settling in her heart, the queen kept her composure as she quelled her son’s growing fear. Just as his tears became silent the king walked out followed by his vice premier staring at the queen coldly before striking her across the face. “How dare you deceive me for so long you wench. What would your father say if he saw you now?” The queen remained silent ignoring his antagonizing comments only returning his cold gaze. “Silence won’t save you anymore. Both you and the bastard will die and I’ll make sure your lover boy won’t be able to save you either,” he grinned maliciously. Fear filled the queen’s veins and she turned towards her boy. As the two locked eyes mouthed the word “Run” as she attacked the guard stealing his sword and holding it to the king. She kept them distracted as the boy snuck past the palace walls and made his way toward Seongju. As soon as she knew her son had made it out she dropped her weapon knowing it was pointless to continue.

        No time was wasted as she was knocked to the ground as shackles were added to her wrist and ankles. As the days passed by the queen was tortured by flogging, starvation, and more each punishment rendering her more and more helpless not to mention weaker by the minute. By then words of the prince’s disappearance had spread making its way to the counties all around the kingdom. As soon as Mingi received the news he quickly made his way back toward the palace despite the rain and not knowing what awaited him. As he stormed to the palace he was shocked by the greeting on display. The queen dressed in what was once a pure white hanbok was now stained with blood sweat and tears. She stood still as the light in her eyes faded. Mingi called out to her as he brought his horse to a halt quickly dismounting it. She looked up at him as the fire began to rekindle but just as she was in his reach she fell limply into the arms of her savior. Tears threatened to spill as he attempted to awaken her. As he shook her and patted her face sobbing her name a vile fell from her hands rolling off until hitting the foot of the king as he clicked his tongue in disappointment. “Taking the coward’s way out now, she'll never be able to join the ancestors in the afterlife. What a shame,” he shook his head.

“What did you do?” Mingi seethed through gritted teeth as rage fueled him .

“What did I do? No it’s what you did,” the king scoffed, “You tainted her mind then her just to gain something you will never have.”

“You’re a monster, how could you do this to your wife let alone the mother of your child,” he exclaimed.

“We all know he isn’t mine. Don’t worry your son will soon join her,”he chuckled.

“No, leave the boy alone please he’s innocent take me instead,” Mingi pleaded.

“Why not just have all 3 of you,” he smirked.

2021

        “The king’s guard cut off the scholar’s head with his sword and the crowned prince was never to be seen again, presumed dead. Rumor states though the son continued his life as a commoner telling the tale of his parent’s love story across the villages. Nowadays the story has many diffe-,”  Y/N read silently until she bumped into someone turning the corner of the aisle in the library. She peeked up at the man with doe eyes before dropping her book to hold her head, “Oww,” she dragged out rubbing her head as the man chuckled. She watched as he picked it up and handed it to her.

“You better watch where you're going, you might hurt yourself next time. Are you okay?” he jokes.

“I think so but I’ll have to wait and see. I think it’s bruising,” she says.

“Well if you want me to save you instead of accidentally hurting you my name is Song Mingi,” he says, holding out his hand.

“L/N Y/N, nice to meet you,'' she smiled, shaking his hand gently.

Taglist: @a-soft-hornytiny​ @little-precious-baby​ @hyunsuksmygod​ @seojonneh​ @perfectlysane24​ @nymeriaaa​ @junglewoos​ @voidcupidz​ @anistarr

#mingi imagines #song mingi imagines #mingi x reader #mingi x y/n #song mingi x reader #song mingi x y/n #ateez imagine #ateez au #ateez x reader #ateez x y/n #kpop imagines #non idol au #royalty au #Reincarnation AU #kpop headcanons #+xDeja Vux+ #Deja-Vux

[wasteitonserendipity]

Sleeping In (Jeong Yunho)

Pairing: Yunho x gn reader

Genre: just fluff , established relationship, non idol AU

Warnings: mentions of food, other than that none that i can think of

a/n: I feel like I've been neglecting my Atiny-ness lately so here's some Yunho fluff because omg I love this man. This is based on the song "Sleeping In" by All Time Low. As always, feedback is welcome and encourage and my inbox is always open!

You woke up to the sound of Yunho’s alarm blaring for the fourth time this morning, snooze being the default every time the sound would scream through the tiny speakers. You sighed to yourself before rolling over to nudge the sleeping man next to you, who was dead to the world. As expected, he didn’t budge… not even an inch.

This was the problem that the two of you always ran into, you were both such sleepyheads. Most days one of you would rally in order to get the other up and moving but on the days where you both were having none of it with the world?  Well, your bed would be winning that fight, at least for a little bit. 

“Babeeee,” you groaned as you nudged his shoulder just a little bit harder, “you need to get up, you’re gonna be late.”

“Mrphherepsh,” he grumbled into his pillow.

“I caught absolutely none of that my dear,” you laughed as you rolled him onto his back so that you could now perch yourself on his waist.

“It’s time to greet the day my love,” you smiled, leaving a few light kisses on his puffy cheeks.

“What day is it?” he yawned and stretched. He let his hands rest lightly on your hips and you pondered the question.

“It’s Tuesday,” you mused down at him

He took a big breath, closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. He grabbed his phone, turning off the alarm before opening it to make a call.

“Sounds like a Friday night to me,” he winked before his voice changed into the good office worker he was.

“Good morning sir,” he began, “Unfortunately, i don’t think i’ll be making it today, seems i’ve got a touch of the stomach flu, ”

Your eyes went wide in panic. He never called out and when he did it was only for big emergencies. You tried to take the phone from him but he swatted your hand away quickly before wagging a finger at you. 

“Of course sir, I’ll see you thursday then. Have a great day.” 

“Uhhhh,” you quirked, “what was that?”

“Me taking the day off to have a lazy day with my love, that’s what,” he chuckled, now flipping you so that you were trapped under him, “we haven’t had ‘just a day together’ in so long and I miss you. Plus, I’ve gotta burn through some of the paid time off before the end of the year anyways.” 

He smiled that smile that you could never say no to before placing a sweet kiss to your forehead. 

“Now, what kind of food should we order?” He asked excitedly, “maybe we could get some pork belly and cold noodles from that place up the street that you like so much?”

You nodded fondly knowing that he wouldn’t take no for an answer. When you and Yunho spent a rare day together, he made it a point to absolutely spoil you. You both worked pretty demanding jobs but he always noticed how you were always worried about taking care of everyone else but yourself. And while he tried to pay that back on a daily basis, if there was a time where he could just take care of you for the day, he would. 

#yunho fluff #jeong yunho #ateez fluff #ateez writing #yunho ateez #idk how to tag still #non idol au

[mollyhw14]

🌻 My Favourite Part 🌻 pt 2

Ateez San Au: idol x reader

Warning ❗️ explicit language, mentions of sex

I had never bolted out of an airport as quick in my life. I had made sure to grab my bags from luggage claim in hurry and get the fuck out of there before I ran into anymore Ateez members. I couldn't stop replaying in my head what San had said to me, god I must've looked like an idiot. Of course he knew that was my favourite part, I was probably drooling when he asked me the question earlier on, just thinking about that fucking clip I'd seen on twitter. God I was fucked. Fucked for Choi San that was sure.

It didn't take me long to find Yeji's dark green Hyundai parked up, and I ran to swing the passenger seat door open.

"Oh my god Yeji, I have so much to tell you, I've just made a complete and utter fool out of my self!' I screamed at her, bringing her in for a hug.

"... And hello to you too my dear friend." She laughed whilst responding to my hug. God I'd missed her. Yeji was my best friend before she left and we used to do everything together, we were inseparable. My dad always used to say we were like two peas in a pod, wherever one was, the other one wasn't too far behind.

"Oh my, Ivy why are you tearing up, did you fuck up that bad?" She was stroking my hair, concern shown in her eyes.

" No I just really missed you. But yeh I did fuck up bad." She chuckled bringing me in for another hug.

" Well lets get you home, you can tell me everything." Patting me on the back, like a big sister would do to comfort her younger sister, she put the car in the drive and we set off out of the airport.

-

-

-

We pulled up into the car park of Yeji's apartment complex and the excitement of my trip came back to me. I had just finished telling her about the plane incident and a certain man name Choi San and she couldn't stop gushing over it.

" You really are a fucking idiot Ivy, that was your perfect opportunity to flirt back with THE fucking Choi San, and what did you do? You got embarrassed. You could have flirted back!! He was clearly trying to flirt with you! No man- especially Choi San- says he'll make sure he performs the most sexiest part of a dance- his part may I remind you- extra special just for you and it not be a sign that he's into you." She ranted on at me and I could only groan at how true her words were.

"Well I didn't know what to do Ye, I can't flirt for shit you know that! It was San for gods sake, I couldn't openly say 'I think you're hot as fuck' without it coming across as delulu." By this point I was flailing my arms around like a weirdo in the middle of the carpark whilst Yeji was grabbing my suitcase.

With a shake of her head she sighed.

"Well if he notices you at the concert, you need to be confident, make a move or play hard to get. Just do something that isn't going to embarrass yourself." She pulled me towards the door, putting in the PIN code to enter the apartment complex.

"Come on Ye, like he's even going to remember me. I'm just an ordinary girl that he met on a plane."

In return she only shook her head and dragged me up to the apartment.

-

-

-

It had been two days since I had landed in Seoul. Yeji had give me a tour of the city and her apartment was beautiful. It was modern, with loads of famous art work which I admired every time I walked from my guest room to the kitchen area. We were currently getting ready in her room. It was the day of the concert, and I was a nervous wreck. I wanted to make sure I made an impression, and in Yeji's words "You need to look hot as fuck, you need to make it so that he can't keep his eyes off you." She referring to San, but I doubt that would even happen. Even if we do have floor seats, there will be thousands of people in that stadium, not just us.

Yeji had finished before me, going out the room to grab all her belongings to put in her bag. I wasn't far behind just finishing my makeup before going out and meeting her in the living room.

"Hot damn Ivy, you look hot as shit. Even I can't take my eyes off you." She oogled my outfit, and I beamed at her complimenting her outfit too. I had decided to curl my long dark hair into waves, paying extra attention to the two bleached parts which framed my face. My outfit was a two piece, corseted crop top and skirt which showed off the small tattoos I had littered on my arms and my rib cage. The colours matched the ombre Ateez 'Fever' albums, starting with purple at the top, and finishing with green at the bottom of my skirt. Black combat boots were on my feet which matched the black bomber jacket which was hung on my shoulders. My eye makeup matched the colours of my outfit, and I paired it with a nude lip, wanting my eye to pop and not my lips. I definitely screamed 'look at me' and I definitely didn't give a shit, because that what I was aiming for.

-

-

-

After getting dropped off in our Uber, we flashed our concert tickets to security and was escorted through to where the floor seating was. Finding our spots, I realised Yeji was a gift sent from heaven, as the seats she'd picked was directly in front of the side of the stage. We'll be definitely get a clear view of all their beautiful faces from here- we were close enough to be able to touch them if we tried. We'd both had many compliments from the surrounding fans, and I felt buzzed off the attention- even if I really shouldn't be doing. Yeji grabbed me in for a selfie just before the lights went out signalling the members where about to come on to the stage. The crowd went silent, before it erupted into the screams when 8 figures appeared to be walking forward from the back of the stage. I clutched the sign I had made in my hand, getting ready to hold it up whenever a certain someone would walk past. Yeji had insisted that we made signs to bring, and I decided to write "San, what's my favourite part?" Yeji thought it would be a great idea to see if he actually knew and remembered me, but I very much doubted it.

-

-

-

Ateez had just finished singing Bouncy, and the members where making their way round the stage singing Django. Wooyoung had walked past us, singing his lines whilst giving a quick wink in Yeji's direction which nearly had her passing out.

"Ivy did you see that? did he just wink at me? oh my god, Sans coming this way hold up your bloody sign." She was pulling on my arm and I looked up to see the man himself. He looked amazing. A black tank top covered his chest, showing off his wide shoulders and muscular arms. Tight jeans hung off his legs, wrapped holes at the knees and you could just make out the written tattoo he had above his knee. He looked to be scanning the crowd- searching for someone maybe? His eyes slowly drifted towards where we were standing at the front. Clutching my phone for dear life- which I had used to record some of the songs- I held up the sign I had made. I saw his eyes registering Yeji and then me, and he smiled, recognition shown in his eyes like I was the one he was trying to find. I could see him visibly reading the sign in my hands, a smirk coming across his gorgeous face as he pointed at me before literally sending me to my death. He did the move. He did his famous 'I'm the one' move, and I felt like passing out right there. It was hot as fuck, but Yeji's words kept replaying in my head- act confident. So in return, I raised my eyebrow, nodding my head and smirked at him- as sign of my approval- in which he chuckled at and ran off to the other side of the stage.

"Ivy what the fuck, he knew! He remembered you!" Yeji once again was clinging from my arms, and I tried to hide away from the obvious stares I was getting from the surrounding people.

"Ye I know, now hush, people are staring." I playfully smacked her arm, and we looked back towards the stage.

From that one interaction, San wouldn't stop coming over to our side of the side of stage. Every. single. time. He looked me straight in the eye and it felt like he was singing directly at me. At one point he even reached out to take my phone, singing into the camera. I noticed he ran in Wooyoung's direction at the back of the stage, and I assumed that they were still singing into the phone, before he ran back and handed me the phone back. As he handed me it back, our hands touched and I shit you not, it felt as though my hand was burning from the single touch, a blush making it's way to my already flustered face. He sent me a wink, before sauntering away to the other side of the stage, once again, never taking his eyes off me.

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The concert had finally ended, and with all the screaming we had made, Yeji and I had both agreed that our voices were fucked. Instead of going straight home, we had decided to go to a local, small coffee shop that was near the stadium- using coffee to drown our throats in hope they would feel better. Whilst waiting for my order, I opened up my phone, going to swipe off the camera app that was still opened. However, upon swiping off, I noticed that my notes app was open, leaving me confused as I hadn't been on my notes. Opening up the app, I saw a new note which had been made one hour ago. How strange. Clicking on it, I saw there was a couple sentences that had been written:

I hope you enjoyed the show, you looked amazing. You were my favourite part ;) ~ San xoxo

The realisation dawned on me, thats what he was doing with my phone when he went to the back of the stage with Wooyoung. That cheeky son of a bitch. I couldn't stop reading the note, he actually went out of his way to find my notes app so he could leave a note for me, how cute. With a smile, I went and grabbed my drinks order, as I noticed my name had been called and went towards the back where Yeji was sat beaming at videos from the concert.

"Oh my god Ye, look at this." I was about to show her the note San had left me, when a bell chimed to indicate someone had walked in. Glancing quickly towards the door and back to Yeji, I did a double take. It wasn't just one person that had walked in. It was 8 familiar looking tall men. All of them heading for the table right near ours. Shit.

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