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sorryimananti-romantic · 4 months

Text

Siren

siren!yeosang x sirenhunter!reader

enemies to lovers au but with crack

genres and warnings: fluff, angst, violence warning, sorcerer san and sirenhunter jongho as side characters

word count: 27.8k (idky im still incapable of making shorter fics)

synopsis: yeosang is a siren and you're a siren-hunter. he may have lost his voice and you may be immune to a siren's call, but he has you bewitched anyway. on your journey together to find the sirens who killed your parents and took his voice, you make new friends, find yourself cursed and turning into a siren, and fall for yeosang. he proves time and time again that he's not the monster you thought all sirens to be as he helps you come to terms with yourself and find the person who cursed you.

manager-nim: @eightmakesonebraincell (we fought over who writes a sea au first. now i'm traumatised and she learnt her lesson) (also firing you bc you 🔫 didn't proofread this)

You couldn’t help but wonder just what was different about this part of the ocean because the sound of the waves crashing loudly was strangely calming. Maybe it was the lack of travellers or sailors here- after all, this area was considered remote. Maybe the humans had not polluted this part yet. Humans always left a trail behind them, and you couldn’t really spot any traces here.

Or maybe a kind soul was taking care of this place. As you walked with bare feet on the sand, long having ditched your sandals, the waves occasionally flowing to wash your feet, you noticed a few cabins and cottages in the distance-- someone must be living here. Maybe they knew how to treasure the land they dwelled on, the sea that they sailed in. You smiled to yourself, looking up at the sky, a lot clearer here than where you were coming from. The stars were more visible too, almost looking as if they were near- like all you had to do was jump to grab them. Even the wind smelt cleaner, containing traces of salt and mud, and-

Food. Your stomach rumbled at the thought and you rubbed it as if that would provide it any comfort. You haven't had a nice meal for a while now. You held the strap of your bag tighter in an attempt to distract yourself, glancing at your right and noticing a person walking along the shore lazily as if they had no worry in the world. You reckoned the person must be a resident here and decided to approach them, hoping to find a room for the night and a hot meal if you were lucky.

You jogged towards the person and when he turned, you said hi. “I was wondering if there are rooms available for the night? I’m leaving at the crack of dawn- I need to catch the first boat.”

“The first boat won’t leave until mid-afternoon,” he said and you involuntarily raised a brow at how different his voice sounded from his appearance- it was too much to process immediately. “As for a room… you can usually find them in town, but it’s far too late, isn’t it? And you look tired enough.”

You scanned him and you couldn’t help but notice just how beautiful he looked. There was no other way to explain his appearance- it was like he was crafted with special care. You frowned a bit, not detecting anything odd about him- was he human then? “Mid-afternoon, huh?” You looked around. “Might put a tent somewhere here then-”

“I can offer you a meal and a room… if you’d like,” he sounded cautious, scanning you again. “You shouldn’t be out alone at this hour-”

“I can take care of myself, thank you for the offer-”

“No, you really shouldn’t be out alone- not here,” he glanced at the sea and you understood. “You never know what creatures prowl in the dark.”

You realised he was right- a lack of humans meant more room for other creatures. Your stomach growled again at the thought of a meal and he looked pointedly at you. “You can find a room in town too after you eat something because I can hear your stomach loud and clear-”

“Alright,” you laughed awkwardly. “Thank you. Please, after you.”

He passed a warm smile and you followed him, glancing at the cottage he pointed to- it looked quite homey. You reckoned that if he didn’t find anything odd about the bow and arrows hanging at your back, he didn’t really have any qualms about inviting you to his cottage. You commented on how pretty it was and he thanked you, guiding you inside the warm living room and asking you to wait while he heated up the cinnamon rolls he had baked earlier. You dropped your stuff in a corner and looked around.

“Are you a sailor too?” You asked, noticing the compasses and scrolls on the fireplace mantel.

“Not my occupation but I do travel around,” he said. “You don’t mind fish stew, do you?”

“Nope,” you observed the strange wall hangings- you had travelled around the continent for years but you had never seen such ornaments- beads, pearls, shells and plants intertwined in an intricate pattern. “Where did you get these?”

“I made them,” he started setting the table, motioning for you to join him. “I learned from an elder a while ago.”

You made an impressed face and sat across from him, taking in his otherworldly features again now that you could actually see him clearly. He had highlights in his hair, perhaps from the sun, and you noticed a red mark on his temple. You thanked him for the meal before digging in.

“So what’s your name?” You asked.

“Yeosang,” he said. “And you are?”

You told him your name. “Do you travel around a lot?”

He nodded. “I have, uh… relatives who are scattered across the sea. I sometimes go to visit them. What brought you here, though? We don’t get a lot of visitors here.”

“I have someone I need to find too.”

“Family?”

“Nah, they’re long gone,” you told him. “Just… some people I’ve been trying to find for a while. They know about my family. Must be on one of the islands around somewhere.”

“I hope you find them,” he pursed his lips. “It must be lonely travelling alone all the time.”

“Yeah, but I make friends everywhere,” you chuckled. “Going back to them is nice.”

“Do you know anyone around here then? Propus is a small town.”

“Not really,” you told him, finishing eating and he poured you water. “I just arrived here an hour ago and walked around trying to find a room, but…”

“My offer stands,” he passed you the cinnamon rolls. You narrowed your eyes.

“Feels like you’re bribing me- is there anything you’d like in return?”

He laughed out loud and you couldn’t help but smile at how beautiful he sounded- he seemed less and less human with every passing second, even though you couldn’t find any characteristic feature that could indicate he might be someone else- a merman, perhaps? But they didn’t live on land- he looked human. A sorcerer then? “Nothing. I might put a board outside and call it an inn now. I just like having visitors- they always leave something behind, don’t they?”

“Like what?”

“A memory, a lesson,” he shrugged.

“You’re strange,” you told him. “Well, I think your business might run well. You make excellent food.”

He smiled shyly at that. You sighed deeply. “And I’m far too tired so a room sounds nice. I’ll pay you in the morning, though.”

“No, it’s okay-”

“Please, I wouldn’t want to be a burden,” you got up, gathering the dishes. “Consider me the first guest of your business.”

He grinned at that, turning to place the dishes in the sink and you noticed a strange glow on his temple, right where the red mark was. “Is that… a birthmark?”

“Ah, this?” He pointed at his temple. “Yeah, I guess. I’ve always had it.”

“It’s pretty,” you told him, gathering your stuff and he guided you upstairs to an empty room with a bed and a dresser.

“You can relax and get some sleep- the boats start sailing in the afternoon.”

“Got you,” you said. “I’ll wait for you- I hope you won’t mind guiding me to the nearest weapons shop in the morning? I need to restock the arrows.”

“Of course,” he glanced at the weapons by your bedside. “You’re not a pirate, are you?”

You laughed. “Just a lone traveller- I should protect myself.”

“Good,” he gave you a thumbs-up, saying goodnight before closing the door behind him and leaving. You relaxed, glad that you found a welcoming person tonight. Years of travelling made you good at finding such people.

You quickly washed up and prepared to sleep, stuffing your old clothes in the bag and wondering if you should do some laundry while you were here. You opened the window, the waves and air producing an odd harmony as they clashed-

No.

It wasn’t the sound of the air or the melody of the ocean. It sounded like the call of a siren.

But a siren so close to land? It wasn’t possible.

You took a deep breath, your instincts taking the better of you as you grabbed your bow and quiver, opening the door and halting again- it had to be the song of a siren, but it was being hummed very lightly, and…

It didn’t sound like it was coming from outside.

Not trusting your own senses, you went back inside your room towards the window, peeking out and finding no one in the vicinity. You couldn't locate the source or the distance, so you decided to go downstairs after hiding one of your daggers in your sleeves. You treaded lightly down the stairs, pausing when you found the front door open-

And Yeosang outside, looking absolutely ethereal while he hummed that song.

The song of the sirens.

It didn’t make any sense- sirens couldn’t leave the sea. Sirens had evolved over the years, appearing almost human-like, yes, but… Yeosang wasn’t a siren, was he? He didn’t look anything like a siren. He didn’t sound like a siren- yes, he was singing the song of the sirens that you recognised but it wasn’t luring you. You were immune to the songs but even then, being in the vicinity of sirens would always cloud your mind, but this time…

You were very well in your own senses.

You gripped the dagger tighter, watching Yeosang hum the song as he knitted, his fingers working with expertise. You stepped closer, not daring to breathe any louder, but his shoulders suddenly stiffened as he paused.

“For someone who hunts… your stealth could improve.”

You remained where you were. “What are you?”

He continued knitting and you watched him break the thread with his teeth before he turned to face you, not even flinching at the sight of your dagger. “What are you? Why are you going around the sea with only bows and arrows? Humans belong on the land, not the sea.”

“How do you know the call of the sirens?”

“And how would you know what the call of the siren sounds like?” He narrowed his eyes and now that the moonlight hit the side of his face, the red ‘birthmark’ glowed- no, reflected the moonlight like scales-

The scales- the skin of a siren.

Before you knew it, your dagger was flying out of your hand, aimed for this forehead. He dodged it as if he had seen it coming, the dagger landing on the floor with a clang and he glared at you. “I will pretend that didn’t just happen.”

You were already aiming your arrow at him. “You’re a siren.”

“Come on,” he raised his hands in the air. “Do I really look like one? Or sound like one?”

You didn’t respond, waiting for him to make one wrong move, positive he couldn’t deflect these enchanted arrows that would always meet their target. He turned back, gathering his stuff as if an arrow pointed towards his heart didn’t bother him at all. “You’re not singing anymore.”

“If I was really a siren, my song would have lured you. You wouldn’t be standing here with an arrow aimed at me, miss. You must know that- you seem to know a lot about sirens.”

“Of course I know. I’m a siren-hunter, after all.”

This time, he froze for a good few seconds and you expected to see surprise on his face but instead, when he turned, his eyes were filled with curiosity. “Siren-hunter, you said? You’re not the infamous reaper, are you? You must be the marauder”

“And?”

He smirked dangerously. “There is a way you can pay me back for letting you stay the night here- and ignoring that disrespect,” he told you. “You see, I need to hunt some sirens too.”

“But you’re a siren-”

“And? Can’t a siren hunt another siren?”

You finally lowered your bow. “Are you really a siren?”

“I was, once,” his eyes glinted. “I’m more human now. They took my voice.”

You gulped. “They took your voice? How can they do that? Is that even possible?”

“It is, apparently,” he sank down in his chair as if disappointed. “I’ve been outcasted.”

“But why would they do that to their own kind?” You scoffed. “Aren’t you sirens a very tight-knit community or something?”

“They are, until one of them does something they weren’t supposed to do,” he sounded grim. “Not all sirens wish to eat humans, you see? Maybe I like chicken better.”

You groaned out loud. “You’re not making any sense- ” you took a seat in front of him, the arrow still lodged in the bow. “Just answer me- you’re a siren but you’re…”

“I am a siren, but I cannot lure humans anymore,” he admitted. “I never wanted to do that anyway. They took my voice because I didn’t act like a ‘normal’ siren.”

“Damn,” you muttered. “And you want to hunt some sirens? The ones that took your voice?”

“Yes,” he nodded firmly. “I could have gone on my own, but I had a feeling… that I should wait. Wait for someone like you to come.”

“How did you know I was a siren-hunter?”

“I wasn’t sure at first- I thought you were a fanatic or something, until I sang and you came armed to the teeth,” he tsk-ed. “Is that how you treat someone who gives you shelter?”

You ignored that, scanning him once again- there was a reason why he looked too beautiful to be a human after all. “What do I get out of our deal?”

“You mentioned something about finding someone, didn’t you?” Yeosang hooked one leg over the other, appearing extremely interested in your story. “There’s no relatives out there, isn’t that so? You must be hunting the sirens who killed someone you loved.”

“It’s obvious, huh?” You looked away from his tantalising gaze. “You’ll help me locate those sirens and in return, you want me to help you hunt your sirens. How do I know you won’t turn on me?”

“How do I know you won’t kill me?” He looked pointedly at your bow. “I can fight just as good as you. I cannot lure you, I cannot eat you- but to be fair, I wouldn’t have eaten you even if I was a siren. You don’t look appetising.”

You gaped at the siren- the man in front of you. Unbelievable.

“Just because I agree and we might strike a deal,” you said and got up, lowering your bow and he got up as well, waiting to hear the rest, “doesn’t mean I trust you, okay?”

“Likewise, human,” he said and you almost felt as if he were looking down on you. You glared at him for a few moments, wondering what to do.

“You’re still taking me to the weapons shop tomorrow, by the way. As a siren, you must know which arrows hurt the most.”

Yeosang smirked. “You should get something for close combat too. You never know when you might find a siren in your proximity,” he stepped closer and you tightened the grip on your bow. “The call of sirens might not work on you but you never know when your incantations slip.”

You raised a brow in question but he simply passed you, purposely bumping his shoulder with yours and you watched him disappear in his room before going up with heavy steps to your own room, wondering if you had really made the right decision. Could you trust a siren?

Just what had you signed up for?

—------------------------------

“You know, for a siren, you’re awfully unaware of your surroundings,” you commented as you watched Yeosang trip on a rock for the second time on your way to the weapons shop in the town. Yeosang glared at you.

“If you can’t tell already, sirens aren’t meant for the land.”

“You seemed to be doing awfully well though,” you muttered. “Almost believed you were just a loner with a cottage on the beach with a thing for baking.”

“Gotta lure the humans somehow-”

Before you knew it, you were clutching his collar and the tip of your dagger was digging into the crook of his neck. Yeosang laughed loudly, making the passersby frown at your exchange. “Relax. I haven’t eaten a human in decades.”

“Not helping,” you practically growled, pushing him away before continuing walking. Yeosang didn’t seem offended- his cocky smile only grew wider as he tried to match his pace with yours. You narrowed his eyes at him- what he said sounded like the truth, but just what exactly did he do for the sirens to take his voice and make him turn to the land and live as a human, among humans? Why did the townspeople greet him with smiles and offer him their food? Had he somehow charmed them?

Yeosang spotted you standing awkwardly by the pillar of the shop in the corner while he helped an old woman carry some bags into her shop. The woman patted his arm and Yeosang bowed, politely refusing the fruits she offered as a token of gratitude. Yeosang jogged back to you and pointed towards the north where the weapons shop was located.

“What are you, some philanthropist?” You scoffed. “Charmed your way into the town, haven’t you?”

“No one can resist my charms even when I’m human,” he simply said. “Admit it. You were bewitched into staying the night too. No amount of incantations and spells could have made you resist my natural- “

“Okay, that’s enough,” you warned, wondering if that was the truth and then scolding yourself internally for doubting yourself- you only accepted his offer because he seemed like an okay person. You trusted your gut-

How did your gut not warn you of his nature?

“Are you like… a human now?” You asked him. “I mean… you don’t look like a siren even in your appearance.”

“The longer I live without activating my siren powers, the more human I will become,” he said. “And it’s not just my appearance. I will eventually lose my powers too.”

“Just how long have you been living as a human then?”

“Long enough to age,” he muttered, walking ahead of you and asking you to wait while he checked if the weapons shop was open. “Come inside- and please be civil. I have a reputation to maintain.”

You made a face, the question you had been wanting to ask at the tip of your tongue. You swallowed it though and entered with a smile, greeting the owner with a bow.

“Young miss, what are you looking for?”

You extracted an arrow from the quiver- the one you had gotten from the person who put the spell on you and made you immune to the sirens’ song. The man examined the carving on the arrow and made an impressed face. “This is a rare one. Where did you get that?”

“It was a gift,” you told him and Yeosang looked suspiciously at you. “An arrow like this is very hard to find on this continent, isn’t that so?”

“The ebony wood used to make this arrow is very rare,” the man returned your arrow. “And unfortunately, that tree does not grow in this continent. You will have better luck finding objects made of this wood at the place where its trees grow.”

“But it’s very difficult to cross the sea,” you looked pointedly at Yeosang who pretended to be interested in the ceiling.

“You seem like a person who could cross the sea,” the man smiled knowingly. “Anything else you might need?”

“Well, Yeosang? What weapon do you suggest I should get for close combat?”

Yeosang coughed a bit before glaring at you and asking the owner, “Can we have a look at the longswords?”

About an hour later, with a surprisingly cooperative yet still cocky Yeosang, you were having lunch at a pub in the heart of the town. The atmosphere was lively with sailors eating their fill before they prepared to take off and Yeosang ordered a bunch of food-

“Don’t think I’m doing you a favour here. I want to eat. You can have a little if you want to.”

You rolled your eyes- you still weren’t sure what Yeosang’s approach towards you was supposed to be- did he hate you or did he simply not care, purposely riling you up whenever he could? You glanced at the longsword now resting next to the wall- Yeosang and the owner had helped you find the perfect weight you could carry and the blade was sleek, the hilt firm in your grip. It was perfect for you.

“I wonder if your blood will be the first to taint my sword.”

Yeosang almost choked on his soup. “All my help for nothing, huh?”

“Why would you even help a siren-hunter find the perfect weapon to kill sirens?” You asked. “Do you really hate them that much?”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong- we’re only hunting a selective few,” he reminded you of your deal. “You’ll help me find the ones who took my voice, and I’ll help you find the ones you’re after. We’re not going on a killing spree. Besides, the existence of sirens is essential for natural selection and maintaining a balance in the ecosystem-”

“Stop quoting school books to me,” you scoffed. “What if some random siren comes after me?”

“I’ll protect you,” he said, “so you don’t need to worry about that. Remember- we accomplish our goal first before you resume your stupid siren-hunter job-”

Your heart may have fluttered for a second but he continued, “-which, I must point out, makes no sense. Why would you go around targeting all of the siren community? Why did you become a siren-hunter?”

“Why do you sirens go around hunting humans then?” You countered. “Humans only wish to sail the sea freely.”

“And sirens only wish to live without their homes being polluted. So do the merpeople. You don’t seem to hold a grudge against them. Aren’t they more frequently killing humans than sirens?”

“Everyone is killing everyone,” you sighed deeply. “I don’t go around killing sirens just because I’m immune to the call of the sirens now. I only protect myself while I try to find the ones who… the ones who killed my family.”

Yeosang didn’t respond to that, putting some kimchi on your rice bowl and you chuckled lightly at that. “An eye for an eye, huh?”

“Why do you want to kill the sirens who took your voice?”

“Because even if I do not wish to use it, they stole a part of me.”

“Do you wish to become a siren again?” You wondered out loud. “Getting your voice back will make you a siren, won’t it?”

“I am a siren, sweetheart. I still am. And you should be glad you’re immune to the song of the sirens because if you weren’t and you heard me humming last night? I’m not sure we would be here right now.”

You gulped at his confession. “So you can still lure humans?”

“I haven’t tested it, but one time, someone accidentally heard me hum a song- after I lost my voice,” he admitted. “I thought it didn’t affect them. They appeared normal enough to me. But the next day… I learned that they drowned themself. I stopped singing after that.”

“If you knew that… why did you sing last night, knowing I could hear you?”

“Because I recognised that arrow,” he pointed at your quiver, the arrow you had shown the owner at the weapons shop. “The ebony wood is fatal to sirens. I knew who you were instantly, I was just praying you weren’t the sadistic siren-hunter of the two.”

You scoffed in disbelief. “Do you realise what would have happened if I turned out to be the ‘sadistic’ siren-hunter- the reaper- who I’m sure every siren has heard of? Who has terrorised every creature in the sea, not just sirens?”

“Well… I didn’t think that far,” Yeosang shrugged. “And I don’t think planning that far would have mattered anyway-”

“You’re kidding,” you laughed in disbelief. “You risked your life and hummed like an idiot hoping I would be the nicer siren-hunter of the two?”

“Honestly, you don’t look like a siren-hunter at all,” Yeosang pointed out. “So of course I took my chance.”

You shook your head in disbelief, finishing your food and splitting the bill because you told him you did not want him to have any more ideas about you- you also told him you were debating calling off the deal because you weren’t sure you could ever find your sirens when he was this reckless. He only laughed it off and you both went back to his cottage, packing your bags and preparing to leave.

“What weapons do you possess to guard yourself?” You asked Yeosang, noticing a lack of weapons on him. “Did you hide your daggers in your bag or something? Because you won’t have time to get anything out of the bag if you come across the better siren-hunter out of us two- or what if I decide to attack you in the middle of the night, huh? Are you taking me easy-”

“Stop rambling,” Yeosang scolded, waving at a man standing near a ship by the docks. “It’s only going to be the two of us, right? No sailor?”

“I’m sure we both can manage,” you said and he nodded, asking you to wait while he went to talk to the sailor. He returned with a smug face, pointing at a-

“There’s no way I’m sailing in that piece of trash-”

“How dare you call my boat a piece of trash-”

“It’ll attract too much attention!” You almost shouted. “And honestly? It looks like it will fall apart at any moment.”

You weren’t wrong. The boat had odd planks nailed to it at multiple spots and the reason you realised it was Yeosang’s personal boat was because of the familiar hangings on the boat. It was spacious enough for only the two of you and you weren’t sure it could withstand a still sea let alone crashing waves. You turned towards Yeosang, “Listen to me. We’re travelling in the sea, okay? You might be able to breathe underwater and swim like a fish but I’m human.”

“Alright,” Yeosang groaned. “I hear you. Let’s just begin on this boat- we’re travelling along the continent for now, yeah? The moment we feel this boat is about to give in, we can dock wherever we are and find someone to travel with.”

“Or we could ask someone here-”

“I said it before- I have a reputation and a life here and I will not let you tarnish it.”

“Whatever,” you rolled your eyes. “I will use you as a boat if your boat decides to dismantle in the middle of the sea.”

Yeosang muttered something under his breath that you chose to ignore and you hopped on the boat after him, fearing this would be your last trip in the sea- you probably wouldn’t even make it very far. With a groan, you grabbed one of the oars and the two of you started rowing your boat away from the docks and you both made a bet on how far you could make it.

You only made it to the neighbouring city of Alhena which you would be bordering as you sailed further around the continent. For now, the two of you needed a place to stay after having rowed and complained incessantly for more than half a day. Yeosang asked if you had ever been to Alhena and you told him you had been everywhere, which was true.

“How come you never found your sirens then?” He asked when you settled down at an inn for dinner, having dumped your bags in your separate rooms. “Where did you lose your family?”

You rested your elbows on the table, sighing deeply. “Near Mesarthim Island. We were on the way there from Denebola.”

“Ah, the island,” Yeosang stuffed his mouth with chicken, lost in thought. “I used to live there once.”

You narrowed your eyes at him. “As a siren?”

“In the sea, yes,” Yeosang nodded, raising his brows as he looked at the chicken on his plate. “You should try this- it’s amazing.”

You obeyed, nodding along as you ate the chicken, wondering what it meant if Yeosang used to live near Mesarthim too- you had been siren hunting for four years now and you knew that there was only one spot around Mesarthim that hosted sirens- unless something had changed very recently. But if Yeosang was one of the sirens there…

That could only mean he was somehow involved in that attack that killed your parents, or he was related to the sirens that did.

And him helping you find those sirens… this could be a trap.

You finished your food quietly, nodding along to whatever Yeosang had to say before going to your room and counting your arrows. You pursed your lips- you had to get more ebony arrows before you would finally go to kill those sirens.

But for now, you had one, and if Yeosang dared to try anything…

Would you kill him and risk losing the arrow? Risk losing perhaps your only tool of revenge?

If Yeosang noticed the change in your demeanour the next morning, he didn’t comment on it, which made you even more suspicious. You told him you were going to the docks to find someone with a better boat and he said he would join you soon- he had some business in the market. You debated following him and keeping an eye on him but you figured you should solve the bigger problem first.

The docks in Alhena were much livelier than the docks in Mebsuta- a variety of boats, yachts and ships were lined across the docks and the harbour in the distance. You decided a sturdy boat would do- a small but enchanted boat would be your best find. Something that could withstand the storm and the harsh waves…

You spotted a man not far from you dragging some ropes, his get-up screaming sailor, yet there was something different about him. As if having sensed someone staring at him, he turned and passed you a smile. “Looking for a ride?”

You noticed the ink on his neck hidden by the scarf wound around it. “Where are you sailing to?”

“Wherever the waves take me,” he threw the ropes on his boat- the boat looked okay too. “Where are you headed to?”

“Sheratan,” you told him- the city closest to Mesarthim Island.

“You’re travelling a long way,” he scanned you. “Are you alone?”

“I have someone with me,” you said and he considered. While you negotiated the price, you scanned his broad figure and recognised the mark on his neck as the one that sorcerers wore and wondered if it was a good idea to bring a sorcerer into the equation- you were already dealing with a siren-

“Yes, I’m a sorcerer,” he laughed when he noticed your gaze stuck on his neck. “Does that bother you?”

“Not at all,” you assured him. “My experience with sorcerers has been… good.”

“Glad to hear,” he offered his hand and you shook it, calling it a deal. “My name is San. Our stop is Sheratan, but if you’d like to travel after, I can offer you my boat. My life is on the sea.”

“I like that,” you grinned. “I’m y/n. And…” you noticed the familiar figure approaching you. “That’s Yeosang. Don’t mind him, he’s a bit… odd.”

“Ah…” San frowned as Yeosang drew nearer. “He’s not human.”

“Believe it or not, that’s not what makes him odd,” you told him and he shrugged, hopping on the boat and telling you he was ready whenever you were.

“That’s a… good ride you got,” Yeosang said, hands on his hips as he took in the boat- spacious enough for three with a cabin.

“Admit it, it’s better than yours. Far better,” you scoffed.

“Mine was prettier,” he muttered, raising the bags in his hands. “I got us some food.”

“That’s a lot of food,” you took in the sheer number of bags in his hands. “I thought you were going to uh… catch fish on our way there? You can fish, right? Don’t you sirens have claws or something?”

Yeosang glared at you. “If I grow some back when we’re in the middle of the sea… you’ll know.”

You pretended to be scared before jumping on the boat and taking the bags from him, storing them in the cabin. Yeosang went to talk to the sorcerer and you noticed them discussing sailing strategies. You figured as a siren, he probably knew more about the sea than any sailor out there, though it must have been a while since he last navigated the seas. You wondered if he would start to look more like a siren as you stayed longer in the sea-

Could you stomach the sight of him as a siren? Sirens were, after all, the product of your nightmares.

“We’re steering west to avoid the Mesarthim coast,” Yeosang let you know, tossing an apple which you caught, lying back on the bags you had shaped as a couch. “It shouldn’t take too long given the weather remains clear.”

“And what exactly can we expect while on our journey?” You asked. You had sailed around your continent by yourself, yes, but you had never travelled across the ocean.

“Sirens, of course, and then the merpeople… water dragons if we’re unlucky. Pirates maybe. You’ll be surprised to hear that sirens aren’t the worst of these.”

You reluctantly agreed- the pirates were the ones you should avoid at all costs. You thought that it was ironic that you had to worry more about humans than the other sea creatures. San appeared out of the cockpit and said, “Our journey begins now. It shouldn’t take us more than four days to cross the ocean given that we don’t encounter, uh, any unexpected guests,” he looked pointedly at Yeosang who you were sure didn’t get the message. “Shall we begin?”

“Aye, Captain,” you saluted and San chuckled at that, disappearing back inside. Yeosang began to set up his space at the bow of the boat, arranging bags as pillows to rest against. You opted to watch the sorcerer instead, who was currently muttering something under his breath as he ran two fingers along the wheel, probably an incantation for the boat to stay on track. You had seen that before so satisfied, you began setting up your own corner, not much you could use to set camp unlike a certain someone-

“It’s only four days,” you couldn’t hold back. Yeosang looked like he had brought everything of importance from home, which was a bit too much.

“Yes, but I’m finally home,” Yeosang replied, his skin glowing at the temple with an almost blue sheen. “You won’t understand.”

You didn’t want to, so you only shrugged and let him do his thing. The sea… was it your home? For about a decade now, ever since your parent’s deaths, you practically lived on the sea. Sure, the land was where your ‘home’ was but you had always preferred the sea, even before the creatures of the sea stole a part of you.

You shut your eyes though you knew you couldn’t sleep right now. You simply let the sound of the waves and the gentle rocking lull you into a different headspace where there were no worries. Perhaps, that was what you liked so much about the sea- here, without anything holding you back, you could dream of what could have been or what could be. At this moment, you had no concerns, no worries, no expectations until you would reach land. Right now… you were free.

The sound of shuffling made you open one eye and you were a bit surprised to see it was almost dark. San looked at you for permission before sitting next to you.

“So… is our siren going to catch dinner for us or what?”

“I can hear you,” Yeosang mumbled and you snorted- was he trying to sleep or was he just pretending, like you?

“This siren is a good-for-nothing,” you whispered, making the sailor smile. “But it looks like he looted the market before settling here, so shall we prepare dinner?”

San agreed and the two of you went to search through the shopping bags, finding an odd variety of ingredients but still managing to make a decent meal of bread, fruits and nuts, and soup from the inn that San helped heat up. Yeosang looked proudly at the spread and you scoffed.

“You look pleased,” you commented. “Must thank you for the dinner. I thought I was going to get to eat some seafood thanks to you, but… I guess I’ll have to wait until I reach land.”

“I don’t think I’ll have to wait until land to eat some humans though,” Yeosang’s eyes glinted and San coughed to interrupt.

“So, how did a… siren? And a human? End up together in my boat?” San sounded unsure of what you two were, and for right reasons. “I kind of doubt you’re human.”

You frowned. “I am. I’m the marauder. You must have heard about me if you travel a lot.”

“The siren-hunter on an endless journey. I suspected,” he nodded. “I’m just wondering why a human would travel with a siren willingly. If… Yeosang really is a siren, though he doesn’t look or sound like one.”

“He's a siren,” you confirmed, glancing at Yeosang. “He just… got used to pretending that he’s human.”

“For your information,” Yeosang began. “I’ve always been like this. You think what sirens do all day is wait by the rocks for a human and sing?”

“That’s unfortunately what we’ve heard,” San looked amused, “but I’m willing to learn more.”

Yeosang looked disappointed. “You’re humans. You can never know the extent of what the ocean contains. The sirens are devoted to exploring more of the ocean and clearing it of potential threats-” Yeosang looked pointedly at you. “You humans think you’re the only one who does the work around here.”

“Yes, we’ve heard all about the ‘ecosystem’ too,” you retorted. “If the sirens and merpeople could leave the humans alone, maybe we wouldn’t think we’re the only ones doing the work around here. Sirens don’t have to eat humans to live.”

Yeosang smirked faintly and you wondered what he was hiding- or if he was doing that on purpose. He turned his attention to San. “It’s been a while that I’ve been on sea, so what can we expect on our way to Sheratan?”

“I’ll try to steer us as further away from the Mesarthim territory as I can, because that’s the problematic area,” San began and you nodded- you had heard enough tales about the abundance of wild sea creatures there who left no chance to hunt humans. “If you’re a siren, you can probably sense the presence of a threat better than the two of us, so I’ll have to depend on you a little.”

“And if he doesn’t warn us, we’ll just throw him into the sea. He can swim to Sheratan then,” you concluded and San stifled his smile as Yeosang rolled his eyes.

“And if you don’t behave, I’ll gladly hand you over to the pirates because I have a feeling that we will encounter them. Can you believe it?” Yeosang pointed at you as he looked at San. “I offered her shelter in my house and this is how she treats me.”

“His kind killed my family,” you told San.

“Humans are after sorcerers all the time, but we don’t hold grudges,” San shrugged and Yeosang clapped in approval. “But how did you survive if sirens attacked your family?”

“I don’t really remember,” you admitted. You knew you chose to forget some parts of it- it wasn’t the best memory after all. Sometimes, you tried to recall the events of that night but you could never see past the way one of the sirens locked eyes with you as it sank its teeth into your mother’s neck-

“That’s okay,” San started clearing the table, noticing how you zoned out for a moment. “If you’re only targeting the sirens who killed your family, that’s fine. But don’t be surprised if the siren community decides to target you.”

“I’m already targeted. They remember me,” you told them and even Yeosang looked surprised. “The last thing I remember from that night is one of the sirens telling me that they would wait for me. That they would never forget me. There’s a reason I couldn’t let it go and live like a normal human,” you got up, brushing your clothes. “If they’re after me… I can return the favour.”

You took the dishes from San and went towards the kitchen, leaving Yeosang staring at your figure, a faint realisation scratching at his brain, dots starting to connect.

It was too much of a coincidence, he thought. The last words that you heard from that siren…

He remembered them.

—-----------------------------

Yeosang was realising that there was far more to your story than you were letting them know. He was confused after your statement from a couple nights ago when you said the sirens were already targeting you, and he wondered if you believed that because it was the last words you heard from the siren or if they were actually after you, because if that was the case…

That meant trouble. If a siren spotted him with a human, much less a siren-hunter? Yeosang already had a bad reputation among the sirens.

And then there was the matter of you and Yeosang unintentionally, coincidentally targeting the same sirens. He thought about it all night and he was almost sure it had been his family who killed yours. Because he had been there. He had witnessed all of it.

And he couldn’t let you know.

It was good- you were going to kill two birds with one stone. He just hoped you wouldn’t have to find out about him being one of the sirens present when your parents were killed. Those very sirens had taken his voice too. If you were out to kill them, so be it. He would help you, but he would have to stay lowkey. If they found out Yeosang himself was helping the infamous siren-hunter…

He shivered at the thought, prompting you to stop your longsword practice and glance at him. “Feeling cold already? We’re miles away from Sheratan.”

It was usually snowing in Sheratan, but that wouldn’t affect him too much. “If sirens felt cold, they wouldn’t be spending their whole lives on the sea.”

“True,” you nodded, swinging your sword once again, testing its weight. “But aren’t you… a little human now?”

“Is cold the only reason humans shiver?” Yeosang wondered. “Maybe I sensed something strange- ah. I did.”

You turned your attention towards him, taking a look around. “What is it?”

“Humans,” Yeosang dropped the ball of yarn he had been playing with, shifting so he could stare into the distance. As if on cue, San popped out of the helm and found you looking through the lens of your telescope.

“Pirates,” you tsk-ed. “Two days and we’re already in trouble.”

“I’ll speed the boat away as much as I can,” San announced. “Pirates usually have a few sorcerers on board too so I don’t think we can really avoid an encounter at this point… we might have to negotiate.”

“Can we offer him in case they want something?” You pointed at Yeosang who looked amused.

“Good luck finding your sirens after I’m gone,” he simply said and you made a face, knowing it was the truth.

“Shit, I gotta protect you then,” you muttered. “The pirates will think you’re the treasure if they find a siren without its voice.”

“Ah, how the tables have turned,” Yeosang got up to join you, taking the telescope and trying to get an idea of how much time he had to plan something. “Well, lucky for you, I can still breathe underwater. As soon as they’re in your vision, let me know and I’ll just dive into the sea. You both can negotiate on your own then.”

“And if we find ourselves in trouble?”

“Then you know that I haven’t lost my voice completely,” he leaned in to whisper in your ear, making you shiver this time. “Cold?”

You pushed Yeosang away, wondering how immune you really were to the song of the sirens if his normal voice was making you react this much. Yeosang laughed to himself as he went to hide his belongings in the secret compartment of the boat. You stationed yourself at the bow, waiting for the pirate ship to become visible through the fog. The boat sped and started sailing further north-east but the ship was becoming more visible with each passing second and Yeosang started taking off the layers of clothing-

“Woah, woah,” you fanned yourself, unable to hide the heat creeping up your cheeks as you got a peek at his sculpted body- there was no way you were going to drool for a siren. “A little shame would do you no harm.”

Yeosang tsk-ed. “I would like to come back to dry clothes, thank you very much,” he bundled his clothes, thankfully keeping the pants on, tossing them to you with a wink. “Be back soon.”

With that, he dived into the sea and you watched him disappear into the dark depths of the ocean. When your heart rate steadied a bit (you made a mental note to think about why your heart couldn’t handle a half-naked siren), you stuffed his clothes in your bag and went inside the cockpit, taking control of the boat while San went outside to deal with the pirates who were now in your vision.

You could hear the low rumbling of their laughter as a few of them jumped on your boat, passing you sleazy looks. You ignored them, slowing the boat as instructed by San.

“Fancy seeing you here, Choi San,” one of them said. You wondered if he was an acquaintance but San didn’t look too pleased to see them. Maybe they had met in a similar encounter before. “You’ve got a guest, it seems. Only one?”

“Only her,” San said. “We’re going to Sheratan. What about you?”

“Sailing around the continent,” the man adjusted his sword hanging by his side. “Anything of interest you heard or seen lately?”

“Nothing much,” San took a deep breath, appearing very casual. “Just got some food and found someone who needed to travel.”

“I see,” he walked around slowly, observing his surroundings while what you assumed were his lackeys snickered, stealing some apples from the basket in the corner. “We have someone on board who needs to go to Sheratan too. Perhaps… you could do us a favour and rid us off him. We’re getting tired of his lamenting.”

“Oh?” San looked as surprised as he sounded. “That’s new. Don’t you kill anyone who annoys you?”

You wondered who the man was- he sent a dark glare in San’s direction and he tensed. “This one we can’t kill. Man’s the siren-hunter we’ve heard so much about. I bet he could give the sirens a run for their money with his songs.”

Your heart sank to your feet and as if on cue, you spotted the familiar figure of the only other siren-hunter alive, dangling by the edge. The man didn’t ask for permission- he shouted at the siren-hunter to get his stuff and get his ass down on your boat. You looked at San helplessly but his face gave away nothing, even though he appeared tense.

When you heard a low thud, you finally stepped out of the helm and nodded at the man you assumed must be the captain or the mate, catching the attention of the siren-hunter-

“Oh, y/n. What a coincidence. She’s the siren-hunter I told you about- the marauder. Really skilled- could shoot you all dead by the next second.”

“Jongho,” you greeted. Choi Jongho, the one siren-hunter that every sea creature feared- siren or not. The reaper who spared none. “You’re exaggerating.”

Jongho only grinned. “I hope you don’t mind my company- I really need to get to Sheratan. Urgent business- I was lucky to have found someone going in that direction,” he pointed towards the man who looked surprised to find himself in the company of not one but two siren-hunters. “And it seems I’m luckier to have found you.”

“Of course,” you smiled, the approval tasting bitter in your tongue. There was no way he would let Yeosang live. You contemplated proving Jongho’s point and killing everyone in your vicinity including him. “We should reach our destination in two days.”

“Perfect,” Jongho clapped, tossing his bag elsewhere and shaking hands with the man. “It’s been a pleasure, Captain. I hope we can cross paths again on the sea.”

He passed a weak smile, obviously not having found Jongho’s company as pleasing, and after thanking San telling him he owed him one, he went back to his ship and steered it away from your boat. San whistled. “The Captain is in my debt. Never in my lifetime have I thought I would see this day.”

“You’ll have to thank me,” Jongho said, laughing. “I gave him a hard time. He wanted to get rid of me so bad. The only thing keeping him from throwing me off board was the fact that I just saved them from a group of sirens.”

“Really?” You frowned. ��Not around Mesarthim, were they?”

“No, why?”

“Because they’re mine to kill,” you muttered. “Remember?”

“Ah, yes,” Jongho nodded enthusiastically. “My offer is still on the table. You can ask me if you want some help.”

You bit your lips, looking at San and silently holding a conversation with him. San shrugged as if to say that there was no other choice.

And there was no other choice, really. You would have to tell Jongho about Yeosang.

But the thing about Jongho was… he hated sirens. He himself had survived the sirens by singing back to them and driving them crazy, was what you had heard though you never asked him if that was true. And then he had made it his life’s mission to hunt sirens- he learned to be immune. He was the ultimate weapon against sirens.

Why would he ever spare Yeosang? He would kill him first and think later. He would tell you you didn’t need Yeosang- yes, Jongho was kind and a good friend, but he was also scary and powerful-

You heard the splash of waves around your boat and you shut your eyes, bracing yourself for-

“Oh… we have company.”

Jongho turned towards the source, frowning when he saw Yeosang, his wet hair thankfully hiding the mark on his temple that would have given his identity away instantly. “And who are you?”

“San, can you tell him to disappear for a few minutes?” You finally sighed and San nodded eagerly, filling him in and putting his hand on his head, practically dunking him back in the sea while a confused Jongho watched the scene unfold in front of his eyes.

“Is he trying to kill him or what?” Jongho turned to you.

You scanned him once- he was wearing a jacket which meant he must be hiding daggers on his upper body. There were no visible weapons otherwise. “I have a favour to ask.”

“Shoot.”

You took a deep breath again, deeming Yeosang safe. “That man… he is um… a siren but a human, if you will-

And immediately, Jongho was reaching for his inside pocket and you grabbed his arm- “No, listen! Please hear me out first before you decide to kill him.”

Jongho wasn’t having any of it. “You had a siren on board? You’re supposed to be a siren-hunter, y/n.”

“I still am,” you glared at him. “That man- Yeosang- he is a siren, yes, but he no longer has his voice. Do you understand what that means?”

That finally made Jongho take his hand out of his pocket, clutching a dagger. “No.”

“Apparently he lost his voice a few years ago, which means he’s not a siren anymore. Oh, and he lives on land now. He’s practically human. He wasn’t a normal siren anyway- he prefers chicken over humans-”

“I’ll do the explaining,” Yeosang peeked out from the other edge of the boat, dodging the dagger Jongho aimed at his head with ease. He appeared out of the water, soaking wet, and proceeded to enter the boat and search through his bags-

Only to take out a towel and rub it over his head.

You groaned loudly- you wondered sometimes if Yeosang had a death wish. He was far too reckless to be normal. Jongho looked confused as well and you took the chance to steer him to the nearest chair, making him sit and then ordering Yeosang to sit in front of him.

“We talk like civil human beings-”

“He’s a siren, though,” Jongho finally noticed Yeosang’s scaly skin on his temple. “I’m not having a conversation with a siren.”

You turned to San for help who looked like he was enjoying this way too much. You stepped between the two glaring at each other with folded arms. “This is my mission, and I am not going to let a stupid, sorry excuse of a siren and a thick-headed siren-hunter ruining it, is that clear?”

Jongho scoffed but nodded. “Let’s hear you then.”

“Yeosang,” you said, going to stand behind him, putting your hands on his bare shoulders for emphasis and finding them surprisingly warm. “Is a harmless siren. He is… a vegetarian in terms of sirens, if you may.”

Yeosang snorted at that but you slapped his shoulder and continued. “He is going to help me pinpoint the specific group of sirens that I need to hunt. Only he can do that. You don’t have to kill him, Jongho. He is on his way to become a siren-hunter too.”

Jongho looked impressed. “What grudge do you hold?”

“They took my voice, and it does not belong to them. It is mine, even if I choose not to use it,” Yeosang said and you felt satisfied to hear his stern tone. “I can still sing, but it’s not the same. Also, she’s right. I don’t enjoy humans too much. Never did.”

“Now, Jongho,” you went to stand behind him, threateningly rubbing his shoulders. “You are not going to kill my guest. I will kill him myself if such a need arises. You can either join me on my mission or we can drop you off at Sheratan on the condition that you don’t tell a soul about Yeosang.”

“I would join you, though I wouldn’t have told anyone anyway,” he looked pointedly at Yeosang. “But I do not like being in the company of a siren.”

“Neither do I,” you told him. “But let’s tolerate him until our mission is over, please? You can kill him later.”

Yeosang tsk-ed. “So much for helping you. Humans,” he spat, picking his towel and spreading it on the clothesline, wearing his shirt back.

“Are you sure he’s a siren?” Jongho asked as he watched him set his little camp back. “I would believe you if you tell me he’s just a human.”

You finally relaxed, smiling. “I don’t know what his deal is, but… he’s an odd one, for sure. Don’t kill him, okay?”

“Okay,” Jongho shrugged. “Don’t expect us to get along though.”

—-----------------------------

You weren’t sure how, within a day, it came to the scene unfolding in front of your eyes, but Jongho was choking Yeosang as he threatened to throw him into the sea. For a split second, you wondered if you needed to remind Jongho that being in the sea would only help Yeosang, but then… Jongho probably knew.

“Say sorry,” Jongho’s voice was dangerously low. You scanned your surroundings, finding nothing odd except for San simply watching the two without doing anything about it. It hadn’t been too long with San but you found that he was someone who enjoyed chaos unfolding in front of him. He wouldn’t be one to step in and stop them, so you decided to do the deed.

“Not one moment of peace,” you muttered, starting towards them, Yeosang struggling to laugh. You scoffed to yourself- you needed to scold Yeosang for the lack of regard for his own life. Jongho repeated his order to Yeosang before you could reach them and do something about it, and Yeosang tapped Jongho’s shoulder.

“...Okay, I’m sorry!” Yeosang struggled to breathe and you paused- you weren’t sure if Yeosang’s lack of breath was due to Jongho restricting his air intake or because he couldn’t stop laughing.

Jongho let him go and Yeosang almost fell face-first into the sea. He laughed to himself while Jongho brushed his clothes, smirking. You put your hands over your hips, shooting a glare in the siren-hunter’s direction.

“What the hell was that?” You asked.

Before Jongho could answer, Yeosang called, “I was wrong, I admit it.”

Your brows rose in surprise- Yeosang admitting his mistake? Was it a good decision to bring Jongho on board after all-

“I was wrong,” Yeosang scoffed. “You’re not cute, Jongho. You’re very cute, actually-”

Jongho whipped around to throw a dagger in his direction and Yeosang nearly got struck, too busy laughing to properly avoid his death. San pumped the siren further, urging him to run for his life if he wanted to see tomorrow and you, arms limp by your sides and jaw hanging open, watched the siren-hunter chase the siren like a cat would chase a mouse.

It wasn’t until San put a finger below your chin and shut your mouth that you realised you had been zoning out. You looked at San in disbelief. “Tell me I’m dreaming.”

San stifled a grin. “Unfortunately… you’re not.”

“When did they get so… chummy?” You watched Jongho intently listen to Yeosang explain why he thought Jongho was cute and you wondered if Yeosang had sung and bewitched Jongho somehow.

“I have no idea,” San finally laughed, finding the situation both hilarious and unbelievable. “But far better than having them at each other’s throats, right?”

San was right and you suddenly saw Yeosang in a newfound light- or perhaps you had been ignoring this fact on purpose. The fact that Yeosang didn’t have to use his voice to captivate people- there was just something about him, and heck, he wasn’t even fully siren. He was very human but he was unconsciously drawing people to him. Jongho was not the kind of person you could crack and yet here he was, the reaper now laughing with a siren over something they found funny.

“I distinctly remember you insisting you would never get along with a siren,” you joined the two in Yeosang’s little corner, slumping down in front of them. “I’m really confused right now.”

“It was only a matter of time,” Yeosang said cheekily and Jongho rolled his eyes in response, though he couldn’t stifle his smile. He was kind of bad at hiding his feelings.

“I figured I’d get to know the enemy better by getting close,” he shrugged and you scoffed.

“And? Have you learned something?”

“He’s an odd one,” Jongho turned towards you, finally finding the opportunity to talk about that fact out loud, waiting for San to settle down too before he continued. “Sure, he doesn’t like to eat humans, which is strange enough for a siren, but… look at this?”

San chuckled at the way Jongho pointed at all the crocheting Yeosang had been doing ever since getting on the boat. “Apparently sirens have hobbies too, Jongho. You find that strange?”

“A siren’s gotta do something to pass his time,” Yeosang pouted, shoving the in-progress crochet out of Jongho’s probing gaze. “I was making hats for you all. Should I not?”

You put a hand on your heart, touched. “You were?”

“Not for you,” Yeosang stuck his tongue out. “For San. He’s been kind to me. And for Jongho because I don’t want him to kill me yet.”

San bowed in thanks and you made a sour face. “Why not for me? I like hats too.”

“You’re just using me to kill me later,” Yeosang sighed dramatically.

“I might change my mind if you make me one,” you offered but Yeosang wasn’t buying it and you looked to San for help who waved a hand at Yeosang.

“You shouldn’t leave someone out. We’re in this together.”

“Yes, and I saved you last night,” you pointed out. “If those pirates saw you or if I didn’t negotiate with Jongho, you would have been long dead.”

Yeosang locked eyes with you. “You sure about that?”

You leaned in, “I’m sure. And this tactic doesn’t work on me, Yeosang. I see right through you. You can act tough all you want.”

Yeosang whistled in approval. “No hats for you.”

You told him that he could keep his damned hats for himself. And to prove his point further, as soon as you reached the shore of Sheratan the next day, you spotted an old lady selling knitted clothes and you took the chance to buy a black hat for yourself- even though it was expensive. You told yourself it wasn’t just out of spite but also because it was extremely windy and cold here.

Yeosang was quite amused at the sight of you and couldn’t help but comment on it. “Jealous?”

“Please, if you were human, you’d know it’s a necessity at this point,” you clenched your jaw to prevent the chattering of your teeth. “Quite rude of you to not make me one.”

“I got something better for you, but you weren’t nice enough to ask for it,” Yeosang tsk-ed and you frowned, turning to him. He unzipped the bag hanging by his shoulder and produced a black muffler just like the one he was wearing and to your surprise, proceeded to wrap it around your neck.

“I don’t hate you, y/n,” he tucked the ends under your jacket and you thought you could hear familiar snickers from behind you but you were too busy gaping at the siren to care. “Even though you hunt my people… I don’t hate you. I understand your reasons. I just hope you understand mine,” he said, taking a step back to admire how his creation looked on you.

“...Thank you, Yeosang,” you finally glanced down, admiring the muffler. “And you must understand that I have a hard time being around you. I may warm up to you but at the end of the day, I can’t deny who you really are.”

“And that’s okay,” he nodded. “You look stupid in that hat by the way.”

“Yeah?” You scoffed immediately in response, glad he wasn’t making it awkward. “You’re just mad it’s not your hat I’m wearing.”

“You’re making it sound like I wanted you to wear something I made,” Yeosang pretended to throw up. “I only gave you that muffler because I couldn’t tolerate the sound of your teeth chattering. And because I don’t want you to freeze to death before you get me my voice back.”

“Whatever you say, pretty boy,” you teased, having picked that name from Jongho. Coming from Jongho, Yeosang didn’t seem to care but now he looked almost offended. Before he could retort, San finally decided to remind you all why you were here.

“Are we having lunch first or do we get straight to business?”

After a majority vote for lunch first, you dined at a local restaurant that had some amazing side dishes. San knew the area quite well and he told you that to find your ebony arrows, you would need to travel deeper into the town and get to the other side where there was a specific area designated for the growth of rare plants maintained by sorcerers.

“So these ebony trees, why are they so scarce around the world?” Jongho asked.

“They didn’t use to be,” San told him as if letting him in on a secret. “Sorcerers are to blame. They had to make a living somehow, so they went around destroying some of the rarest plants around the world just to build a greenhouse here and become the only providers.”

“I did not know that,” you frowned.

“It happened about a century ago, and you won’t find this in the books,” San winked. “I saw your arrows earlier, by the way. The ebony one seems to have some sort of a spell on it?”

“A single graze and the siren dies,” you told him and he whistled. “I had a sorcerer help me with that.”

“That’s a strange spell,” San shook his head in thought. “Are you sure that’s the spell on it?”

“I have no reason to doubt it,” you shrugged. “I’ve heard about similar spells so this must be it.”

“It just feels strange, but maybe it’s because of the medium- the ebony…” San decided to let it go. “Shall we get the horses now?”

—------------------------

“I don’t know, y/n,” San told you, shaking his head in denial. “It just doesn’t feel right. Why can’t you use the arrows we got from Sheratan? I’m pretty sure your aim is good enough.”

“I only have one shot at this, quite literally, San,” you told him, referring to your old ebony arrow. You had three more from your visit to Sheratan. “I can’t risk losing the other arrows too.”

“Maybe you should.” Yeosang butted in, and you rolled your eyes. “What if you miss and kill someone you’re not meant to kill?”

“One less siren to worry about then,” you muttered.

“What if you accidentally graze yourself?”

“If I was that clumsy, I would have died three years ago, Yeosang,” you laughed a little. “Thanks for worrying about my wellbeing.”

“I’m not worrying about your wellbeing,” Yeosang began but when your smirk grew, he simply waved his hands in defeat and sank down in his corner.

You turned to San once again. “You’re a sorcerer, and I trust you, San. What feels so weird about that arrow?”

“The magic has a dark element about it, and I can’t tell if that’s all there is or if it’s the surface of something deeper,” San sighed deeply. “What I mean is that it could have been tampered with or it isn’t what the sorcerer told you it is. There’s no way I can test it either. Maybe just avoid the arrow if you can?”

“Alright,” you nodded. “Maybe I should have listened to you and got the arrow cross-examined when you insisted back in Sheratan.”

“That’s okay, just use the simple arrows,” San felt relieved and you smiled at him, watching him join Jongho.

San had first brought this up when you showed the arrows to the sorcerers in the greenhouse in Sheratan. They had confirmed that the arrow was of the ebony wood that grew right there, and had inquired about the spell on it. You had told them about the sorcerer who went by the name of the Wanderer. The sorcerers looked at each other after hearing that and upon asking, they told you that your sorcerer didn’t have a good reputation around here. You figured if a sorcerer was indirectly targeting sirens through you, he definitely wouldn’t have the best reputation. But after leaving, San had asked about the details of how you met him.

“I met him three years ago while going through a tough spot sailing on my own,” you told him. “I almost drowned but he spotted me and helped me. When he learned who I was, he was very intrigued and offered me the arrow.”

“Just like that?” San found it strange.

“He had a grudge with some sirens too, but he thought he could never get revenge so he decided to forget or something. And I was not going to miss the opportunity when there was a free ebony arrow right in front of me.”

You could tell why San felt conflicted so you picked that arrow out of the quiver and gave it to San. “Keep it safe.”

San smiled and went inside the cockpit and you felt the burning gaze of a certain someone. “What?”

“I can’t believe you’re giving up the arrow now that we’re so close to Mesarthim,” Yeosang said and you turned to him.

“Ebony arrows are fatal to sirens, and I have three of them. Three are enough,” you said. “Besides, if I need to kill you, I’ll still have that arrow, damned be the consequences.”

Yeosang scoffed in amusement. “You think those sirens will let you be after you kill them? You think there will only be a few of them?”

You narrowed your eyes at him. “You said you lived there, but you’ve been suspiciously quiet since letting out that information. And now you’re warning me? When we’re right around the corner?” You pointed towards the ominous dark cloud in the sky- the telltale signs of a storm that seemed to be a constant surrounding Mesarthim Island. Jongho, who had been sitting on the edge with his legs dangling, raised a brow at you both.

“I don’t think you need my warning,” Yeosang folded his arms. “You know what it’s like there. You’ve hunted sirens. I haven’t been to that area in about a decade. But if you think you’ll just go trespassing in and killing a few of them and return? You’re wrong.”

“And that’s what he’s here for,” you pointed at Jongho. “And aren’t these the very sirens you want to hunt as well?”

Jongho muttered something like ‘interesting’ while Yeosang gaped at you. “How did you figure it out?”

“Like I said, you’ve been awfully quiet, which must mean the sirens who took your voice are also there. I don’t know how many sirens live there or if we’re hunting the same ones, but first, you’re helping me kill my sirens, and then we help you. I hope you haven’t forgotten the deal.”

“I haven’t,” Yeosang’s voice was low. “You might not have to help me at all.”

Before you could ask what he meant by that, a loud thunder sounded making you jump a little. Tiny droplets started to fall as the boat rocked unevenly with the rough waves and you began wrapping a scarf around your head so your hair wouldn’t get in the way. Jongho checked the weapons he had docked up on again and you peeked inside to see San struggling to steer the ship. You turned to Yeosang. “I think it’s about time you hide. And remember to wear earplugs unless you want to get killed by Jongho.”

“I’m kind of loud,” Jongho grinned. “So I can’t guarantee you won’t get bewitched by me.”

“I still don’t get why everyone thinks it’s totally normal that a human can bewitch sirens,” Yeosang muttered under his breath as he started covering his head and face- he couldn’t be spotted by the sirens here. “Remember to signal me if you need me.”

“Got it,” Jongho said and Yeosang went towards the other corner. You walked to stand next to Jongho, now spotting the faint outskirts of the island through the fog.

“I think there’s something Yeosang is not telling me, and it might be related to my parent’s death,” you whispered and Jongho looked at you in surprise. “Either he knows something about it or…”

“I don’t know, y/n,” he pursed his lips. “Why would he bring you here willingly then? Ulterior motive?”

“He does need his voice back. This could be a trap.”

“Good thing you have me then, eh?” Jongho smirked and you rolled your eyes but you knew that was true. “I won’t butt in until you tell me to, so stay safe, okay? No hasty moves.”

“No hasty moves,” you confirmed and stationed yourself on the edge of the boat, waiting.

The fog only grew thicker and though you had better hearing now, you were wondering if you would ever hear the sirens since the waves were too loud- along with the beating of your heart.

You were finally here. After eleven years, you were here to avenge your parents. Everything about this moment was familiar and nostalgic in an upsetting way. It had been stormy just like today. You had huddled next to your parents who looked worried along with the few other people on the boat. The sailor had been having a hard time steering it away from the red zone.

You shivered when you recalled the moment everyone fell silent and started listening to the sirens. That was your last intact memory before everything got muddled. You took a deep breath, fisting the daggers that hung by your hips, the longsword and quiver hanging on your back, bow on your shoulder. San started steering towards the red zone with his ears safely plugged despite the spell he had put on himself to not get lured by the sirens.

This had to end well.

Right then, you heard the faint humming of a siren and you looked through your binoculars, clicking your tongue in disappointment- the fog was far too thick today and the rain was only getting worse. You reminded Jongho to stay alert and only kill if necessary and then you loaded one of the ebony arrows, waiting to spot the faces of the sirens that had been the product of your nightmares.

You could hear the low humming but this one was different- they were not trying to lure you. You looked at Jongho for confirmation and he nodded. You glanced at Yeosang who was huddled in the corner, looking surprised. You inched closer to him, asking him what was up with the sirens.

“They’re not luring you,” he whispered. “They’re sending a warning call and alerting the others. They recognise us.”

“What do you reckon we should do?”

“I think it’s better if I stop hiding once they confirm they know I’m here, and then I can help you out.”

“I don’t trust you though,” you told him.

“I don’t trust you to hand me over to the sirens who will gladly kill me, but here we are,” he locked eyes with you and for a moment, your heart twitched in sympathy. The humming started to grow louder and harmonious.

“You still haven’t told me why they want to kill you,” you loaded your arrow back, aiming in the direction of the humming.

And just like that, the humming stopped entirely, an eerie silence taking over. You looked through your binoculars and found the faint figures standing still on the numerous rocks bordering the island until one of them spoke.

“One who betrays his blood has no right to return, much less with the enemy. How dare you?”

For a second, you wondered if all your spells had worn off in that moment- the sharp voice sounded inside you. It shook you to your core, and you realised then that Yeosang was right- he really had lost his voice.

Yeosang looked at you as if to say his point was proven, and then he removed the scarf from his face. “You could say I brought a gift… dear old sister.”

You almost lost your footing when you heard that and as the boat drew closer to the rocks, you finally saw a glimpse of the owner of that voice. Your limbs felt limp as recognition settled in and you struggled to breathe-

The face of the siren who killed your mother.

“Shoot, y/n.”

You slowly turned to Yeosang who was now beside you, glaring at who he had called his sister. There was no way… right? There was no way-

You let out a whimper and hastily covered your ears as the siren screamed- perhaps, you should have used those earplugs too. Yeosang tsk-ed painfully and yelled at San to stick to the current route, extracting a dagger from your belt and throwing it with full force at the siren, effectively silencing her as she dodged it and snarled at him, whistling loudly and alerting the other sirens.

“Get a grip, y/n. It’s gonna get messier than I thought,” Yeosang muttered, helping you up and brushing away the stray hair from your face, cupping it for good measure. “This is it, okay? You and I have the same enemy- I’ll explain later, but for now, let’s get rid of them. Okay?”

You nodded, unable to answer verbally and he went to the cockpit to borrow some weapons. You looked at Jongho who was clutching his daggers, waiting for your signal to sing, but he would have to wait a bit more.

You had some unfinished business with a few sirens.

“Yeosang,” you called when he came out with his own bow and arrows. “That siren is the one I’m after- but that’s not the only one. There were more.”

“I understand,” Yeosang aimed an arrow at his sister. “They’ll be right behind her. I’ll take the left and you take the right.”

Thus, the battle began. You kept the simple wooden arrows for the other sirens, the two of you shooting in succession. Jongho kept your backs safe as San dived right into the siren territory and it looked like the sirens had figured out that none of you would give in to their songs- you were spotting glints of silver from the corner of your eyes so you started scanning the crowd of sirens until you spotted another familiar face.

“I’ve found him,” you told Yeosang, motioning towards the male siren with its familiar long blonde hair. “That one killed my father.”

“He has a thing for men,” Yeosang rolled his eyes. “Sorry to tell you that he’s my cousin, of sorts.”

“I’ll deal with you later,” you muttered angrily, extracting one of the three ebony arrows. “I’m going for him.”

You aimed for the siren’s chest and just as the siren met eyes with you having swum from the island to the rocks, you shut your eyes for a second, saying a silent prayer, ignoring the harsh wind and rain, and dismissing the wailing of the sirens.

For you, dad.

You let the arrow loose and when it hit home, you let yourself rejoice for only a second. And then the siren fell on its knees and the other sirens dived into the sea, swimming towards your boat.

“Fuck,” you called Jongho to get back to the centre of the boat. “Yeosang! We’re covering Jongho until we cannot take it anymore.”

“Got it!” He yelled over the storm, getting closer and stealing a few arrows from your quiver. “I’m taking this ebony arrow.”

“Be my guest,” you couldn’t help but share a grin with him. The boat rocked dangerously and San appeared out of the cockpit, his eyes almost glowing.

“The boat will remain as stable as it can, I’ll make sure the sirens don’t mess with my property.”

You made an impressed face and then you heard a splash, a siren climbing on the boat. You immediately sent an arrow for its head which it dodged but Yeosang was quick to redeem you. Two other sirens started climbing from opposite ends and while you shot at them, a few others appeared until it became a cycle of shooting at them while they tried to get nearer. San had some sort of spell going on where phantom hands were throwing the sirens away from the cockpit and Jongho sent dagger after dagger with impeccable aim.

“Y/n, you need to know when to stop, okay? I’m not going to wait for your signal if I think we’re in danger,” Jongho reminded you.

“That one,” you pointed at Yeosang’s sister, still on the rocks watching with an evil smirk on her face, “That one I’ll kill with my own hands, and then we can do whatever.”

The siren seemed to get that message and it dived into the sea. You loaded the last ebony arrow, waiting to spot her but-

Yeosang hissed in pain as a siren raked its nails across his chest and you jerked in surprise- when did the sirens get this close? You instinctively let the arrow loose and killed that siren, turning to assess the damage. Yeosang seemed pale but he shook it off.

“Where’s your ebony arrow?”

“One of the sirens almost killed you with your own arrow,” he explained. “I got to her first.”

You shook your head. “I’ll take care of the rest, get back. Your sister might kill you before I get the chance.”

“No, they’re too much,” he shot an arrow at another siren who got too close. You unsheathed the longsword.

“It’s about time I put this to practice,” you told him and taking a deep breath, you started going after the sirens one by one. They were quick to match your pace with their long and sharp nails which were weapons enough. You slashed their scaly skins, glad it wasn’t sunny here because their glow would have blinded your naked eyes. You managed to get a few of them with only a few scratches and when you took a break, you spotted your target about to take out San who was now in the cockpit steering the boat away from the island-

“Jongho, get her!” You shouted and Jongho sent two daggers for the siren who dodged them, disappearing from your sight. You circled around that enclosed space with your bloody sword stretched out, hearing your own heartbeat in your ears-

And your heart sank in the worst way when you spotted your target with one of your ebony arrows going after Yeosang. You sent a dagger for her which wedged in her shoulder and she let out a cry of pain, alerting Yeosang but she didn’t let it hold her back- she almost jumped on top of Yeosang and they clawed at each other until she overpowered him, seizing him with the tip of the arrow resting on his chest, ready to be lodged in his heart if any of you made the wrong move. You paused in your tracks as she looked at you threateningly, assessing the damage.

“So many of us killed by your hands, brother dearest,” her melodic voice rang. “What would mother think?”

“Bet she would love this sight,” Yeosang was still in her grasp.

“And what would your mother think?” The siren asked you and your blood ran cold. “What would she think when she learns you’re lowering your weapons to save a siren?”

You looked at Jongho who shook his head- you were compromised. If he started singing now, Yeosang could get hurt. You turned to look at San who was glaring at the siren. He met your eyes and signalled at his side-

The ebony arrow you received from the sorcerer. You still had that.

You tried not to let it show as you looked back at the siren- she must be thinking you were defenceless now. “Let him go and we can have a fair fight,” you tried.

“I don’t want to,” she shook her head, her black locks flowing behind her. Everything about her was as beautiful as Yeosang, if not more, but Yeosang didn’t share the horridness a siren had. “And you,” she looked at her brother. “Did you know that killing me means you might not get your voice back?”

“I’d kill you anyway, I’m very tempted to,” Yeosang muttered and she scoffed, digging the arrow into his chest until he winced in pain. You bit your lip, sheathing your sword and clutching your bow.

“Let him go,” Jongho tried. “I could make all of you go mad right now. You might have heard of me- the reaper, your kind calls me.”

“Oh, I’ve heard all about you. Didn’t expect you to look so… human,” she scanned him. “But you should know that your singing won’t work on me. I possess more than one voice, after all.”

You knew then- Yeosang's sister must have been one of the people who took his voice, which meant she was dangerous. Killing her meant that there was a chance Yeosang wouldn’t get his voice back, but…

You had to save Yeosang. There was no other option.

As if Yeosang could hear you, he nodded subtly. He could probably see San slowly creeping near you. While Jongho distracted the siren, San threw the arrow towards you and you caught it, immediately loading it in your bow and aiming it for the siren’s head- and all hell broke loose.

The sirens who had been waiting for orders went after you and Jongho. San used his phantom hands to keep them away and while Yeosang’s sister watched in surprise, you let the arrow loose before she could hurt him.

One graze, and the siren would be dead. All you needed was for the arrow to graze the siren. Yeosang pushed his sister with all his might so she would stay in place and between her attempts to dodge it, the arrow grazed her cheekbone, drawing blood and clattering loudly on the ground- you wondered if the clatter was louder than the thunder booming in the sky. Before you could react further, Yeosang snatched the arrow from her hand and stabbed her heart.

“This is for taking what does not belong to you,” he practically growled, watching his sister fall on her knees, blood spilling from her mouth so dark that it looked black.

“You… you’re killing your own?”

“You almost killed me- a decade ago and today,” Yeosang pulled the arrow out of her body, making her fall on the ground. The other sirens stood watching, unsure how to respond especially after Jongho revealed his identity. “My voice belongs to me, even if I never use it. Even if I never kill a human with it. You all,” Yeosang locked eyes with every siren on the boat. “Take her back. Let her rest with our parents. And let this be a reminder to all of you to not mess with one of your own.”

The sirens looked scared of Yeosang and you wondered who he really was. Why were they obeying him and not killing him? You and San stood side by side, watching the sirens help each other and hiss at you both for hurting them, none of them daring to sing or attack you. Yeosang sat beside his sister with both the arrows, waiting for her suffering to stop and when her body fell limp, he shut her eyes and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He took off her necklace and pocketed it before asking the sirens to take her.

Even the storm seemed to have calmed a bit as the sirens left, silence filling the boat until Jongho looked at Yeosang. “You… you need to answer a lot of questions.”

Yeosang nodded slowly, turning to face you and stumbling in the process. You shook your head, going to him and helping him stay upright. “You’re hurt, you fool. You need to sit down and let me see it.”

He nodded, letting you help him to his corner and you sat him down, looking behind you to see Jongho collecting the weapons and San steering the boat away from the wretched island. You took a deep breath, turning back to Yeosang who was staring at you intently, making you blink in surprise.

“I’m going to, uh, unbutton your shirt- it’s already tattered anyway,” you swallowed the lump in your throat. “Stop staring at me while I do my work.”

“Not how I imagined you would undress me,” Yeosang said in a low voice so only you would hear. “That’s all I’ll say.”

You shut your eyes in mild annoyance. “Not the time to make jokes, siren. You’re hurt quite badly,” you assessed the several claw marks on his chest. “Don’t you have healing powers or something?”

“They’re quite slow now since I stopped acting like a siren,” he admitted. “But I’ll heal- just get me the potion in my bag, there,” he pointed at his bag and you nodded, opening the zip and finding several vials.

“Which one exactly?” You frowned. “Did you bring the whole cabinet with you or something?”

“The one with the purple cap,” Yeosang groaned in pain as he shifted. You tossed the bottle to him, going to your own bag to get your first aid kit and flipping Jongho who wiggled his brows at your concerned face. You settled down next to him and took out a bottle of alcohol.

“I don’t know how your body heals, but I’ll do it the traditional way. Don’t want you getting infected now that you finally got your voice back, do we?” You looked at him. “How would you know you got it back?”

“When her spirit leaves her entirely, that’s when the magic will work,” he told you. You started cleaning his wounds and he clenched his jaw in pain.

“Did you know all this time that it was your family that killed mine?”

“Are you really going to get answers like this?” Yeosang hissed in pain when you pressed purposefully on his wound.

“I think now’s a good time, Yeosang,” you tried not to sound amused. “On a serious note… did you know?”

“I didn’t connect the dots until you told me what my sister said to you right before sparing you,” he admitted. “My sister has always been rogue. We were not raised like this- yes, we hunted humans but she broke a lot of rules,” he took a breather while you continued cleaning his wounds. “And she broke a big rule when she decided to declare me an outcast and took my voice. I would have hunted her down one day. People like her really shouldn’t be in charge of the community.”

“Can’t say I feel sorry for her,” you muttered, starting to bandage the slashes on his chest. “Now, when are you going to tell me where you were when they killed my parents?”

Yeosang fell silent and he waited until you finished bandaging him. “When you overcome the trauma and your memories return to you… you’ll know where I was.”

“Do you have to do this?” you asked him, defeated. “Do you have to make me confused? You’re literally related by blood to the sirens who killed my family, and then you take me to them so I can kill them, save my life multiple times-”

“You saved mine too-”

“And won’t tell me what your role was in the attack a decade ago?” You let out an exasperated sigh. “I really start seeing you as a human sometimes. I really think you’re better than the sirens who are monsters in every sense. I don’t think you are a monster, Yeosang, but if you continue to play with my head-”

A sharp ache, almost like a stab, spread through your chest, making you double up and cough loudly while Yeosang’s breath got caught and he struggled to breathe, falling on his side. You could hear the faint sounds of Jongho and San rushing to the two of you and patting your cheek to make you come back to your senses but you gave in to the pull of the pain as everything went black.

—----------------------

“Too strange to be a coincidence.”

“The timing is very off- and the arrow, I swear it glowed for a second. And then she faints just like Yeosang? Yeosang’s getting his voice back, but what is her reason?”

You groaned loudly, stretching your limbs and making them crack in the process, your mouth curving in pain- it felt like every muscle in your body was cramped. Everything started to feel too much as you regained consciousness and you shut your eyes-

The light was too bright. Their whispering was too loud. Their cautious touches on your body were too much.

“Stop,” your cracked voice sounded and you felt a cold hand tap your cheek.

“Open your eyes, y/n. Look at me.”

“Not now,” you tried wiggling away from Yeosang but he put a hand on your shoulder, preventing you from rolling away and after taking a few deep breaths having curled into yourself miserably, you finally opened your eyes.

“Oh dear,” Yeosang looked at Jongho and San who were equally shocked. “You seeing this?”

“What?” You croaked again, getting up with immense effort and motioning at Jongho to pass you the water bottle near him which you gulped hungrily. “What happened? I fainted?”

“Not just fainted,” San began but paused, wondering how to word it. “How are you feeling right now?”

“Honestly? In pain,” you admitted, looking at Yeosang. “What happened to you? Why did you faint- why did we faint together?” You frowned deeply. “Did you do something?”

“Did I look like I could do anything?” He reminded you of the wounds across his chest. “Just to let you know what's going on, your eyes are, uh… glowing. Like a siren’s.”

You scoffed in amusement. “Just tell me I have pretty eyes, Yeosang.”

Jongho snorted and San looked up at the skies for help while Yeosang tried his best not to pass a stinging remark- you were not going to take it well. “Yeah? Don’t believe me? Go look in the mirror.”

“I don’t need to,” you started getting up, almost losing your footing. “How long was I out again?”

“A few hours,” San said, watching you cautiously.

“Must be the relief catching up or something,” you muttered, going towards the edge to look at the fading remnants of the island.

“Jongho, do something,” Yeosang pleaded and Jongho hugged himself.

“I’m scared of her,” he pouted.

“Okay, that’s enough,” you turned, bringing the stool in front of the three and sitting on it, peering down at them. “Tell me what’s going on. San first.”

“When you fainted, the arrow glowed for a moment,” he pursed his lips. “And then you just shivered uncontrollably for the three hours you were out.”

“Must be the spell, right?” You thought. “A single graze killed that siren, it must have something about it that it takes away from the user. Now, Jongho… what is it about my eyes glowing?”

“They just seem… glossier than usual. Like Yeosang’s.”

“So you all are tired too, I get it,” you shook your head. “Or this is an awful, awful prank-”

Yeosang dug a mirror out of his bag and held it in front of you, and your glowing eyes were not the first thing you noticed.

It was the faint purple mark on your temple. You leaned closer to examine it, noticing it looked a lot like scales-

It couldn’t be.

You turned your face and on the other temple- no, wherever the sun hit, your skin reflected an iridescent purple sheen, not too noticeable but there alright. You unwrapped the scarf from around your neck and shifted towards the sun, and sure enough, it was there as well. As a matter of fact, it was everywhere.

Suddenly it was too silent and too loud all at once. This was not the temporary better hearing spell you had, no. This was you hearing the low gurgles of something deep in the ocean. This was you seeing the very distant island and still being able to count the rocks around it- something you couldn’t even have seen with your binoculars. This was you hearing the breath- heartbeats of those on the boat. This was you smelling their anxiety. This was you feeling the hair on your body rise-

You rushed for the edge of the boat and gasped for air, choking on nothing. You could hear the shuffling of your companions but they didn’t come near- they let you have a moment until familiar light steps drew closer.

Yeosang touched your shoulder cautiously. “You’re still burning up- you need to let us do something about it.”

“What is happening to me?” You searched his eyes for answers but found none. “It’s too much, Yeosang, it’s too much-”

“It will be okay,” Yeosang squeezed your arm assuringly. “I think it’s some side effect of the arrow you used- the arrow from the sorcerer. If it doesn’t fade soon… we’ll do something about it, okay? We’ll figure it out-”

Yeosang couldn’t finish his sentence as your eyes rolled back in your head and you fell unconscious, him holding you in his arms just in time to save you from falling painfully down. He looked at the others helplessly- he had never seen something like this happen before. But you…

You, a human, were turning into a siren.

—----------------------

You didn’t know how long you kept lying on your back, watching the starry night sky and blocking the whispers of your companions on the boat. You were too busy replaying everything that had happened in the past few days in your head and you kept coming to the same conclusion.

The arrow. That darned arrow.

Did the Wanderer really take advantage of your vulnerability? Did he see what he needed in you- someone who would hunt a siren for him- and give you that arrow? Did he know about the spell as a sorcerer or did he give it to you because he was too scared to use it himself and find out what it would do to him? And if he knew that using that arrow would somehow turn the user into a siren…

Why would he want you, a siren-hunter, to turn into a siren? Did he have a personal grudge against you? He couldn’t, he had never met you before, had he? Or did he want you to turn into a siren just because he was someone sadistic? But it still made no sense- if he hated sirens like he had claimed he did, he wouldn’t have wanted you to turn into a siren, would he?

You finally got up, looking around- everything was starting to feel different, more heightened. You wondered for a moment if this was what was normal to Yeosang, but you were a human. You couldn’t be a siren. You hunted sirens for a living, for crying out loud. You walked around the boat until you spotted the three huddled in front of the fire, heating themselves up-

And you realised you did not feel cold either. You scoffed internally- you finally got all your questions about sirens answered. The questions you had been asking Yeosang all this time.

Yeosang was the first one to hear you walking towards them and he actually looked worried as he scanned you. “How are you feeling?”

“Angry,” you settled down in front of them. “And hungry.”

“Hangry…” Jongho acknowledged. “Any unusual craving for humans yet?”

“Jongho,” San warned though he was trying to stifle his smile.

“You’ll be the first to know if I do, human,” you muttered and Yeosang looked awfully proud to hear that.

“Really hope you don’t turn into a siren though,” Jongho casually cleaned his dagger, looking at his reflection on the blade. “Otherwise I’d have to kill two of you.”

“I thought we were friends,” Yeosang put his hand on his heart, disappointed.

“I’m not turning into a siren,” you glared at Jongho and Yeosang and they immediately shut up- you were pretty sure you had never been this angry before in front of them. You turned to San. “Where are we going?”

“I’ve steered the boat away from Mesarthim, so we’ll be bordering Sheratan in a few hours.”

“Good, keep it in that direction,” you nodded. “I need answers from a certain sorcerer.”

“I don’t think it’s safe to go alone, especially in this condition,” San scooted closer to get a good look at you. “You were burning up while you were unconscious and I had to use a spell to bring your fever down. There’s no guarantee when it will come back.”

“Thank you, but I will take care of myself,” you smiled reassuringly at him. “You’ve been a lot of help, San, but I think this is where we should part ways.”

“Nope,” San shook his head. “If you’re dealing with a sorcerer, I need to be there. There’s no telling what he will do to you- he probably planned this. This arrow- it has to be a curse.”

Your heart sank. “A curse?”

“No spell can change the nature of who you are- whether human, sorcerer or siren,” he explained. “It would have taken a curse to do that- and if that is the case… you don’t have to be a sorcerer to put a curse on something or someone, right?”

“You mean…” Jongho shifted uncomfortably, “This sorcerer might not have been a sorcerer at all?”

“That is a possibility, because to put a curse, you simply have to have a deep grudge against something or someone. For the curse to be effective, it takes a lot of negative energy. If the Wanderer placed a curse on that arrow himself and gave it to you…”

“That would make another person with a deep personal grudge against sirens,” Yeosang looked at you. “He wouldn’t have been on the boat with you and your parents a decade ago, would he?”

“No,” you said. “I’m sure he was not.”

“There’s a lot to consider here,” Yeosang rubbed his hands as if he finally felt cold. “Whether he had a grudge against the sirens we just killed or a grudge against siren-hunters, which means it could easily have been Jongho who wielded that arrow.”

Jongho grimaced at the possibility. “He must have purposefully searched for us then but found y/n first…”

You shook your head in disappointment. You definitely should not have trusted that sorcerer- or anyone, for that matter. You should have double-checked the spell on the arrow with other sorcerers. You should have trusted San and not used that arrow at all-

“I’m sorry for tossing you that arrow even though I told you not to use it,” San sighed deeply. “It’s my fault.”

“No, it’s not,” you patted his shoulder awkwardly. “I would have done that anyway.”

And only after saying that did you realise that yes. You would have done that anyway, all to save a siren.

All to save Yeosang, who was currently watching you intently and making your heart flutter, something unspoken passing between you two. The whole ordeal had really been a test for you both and you saved each other’s lives without hesitation again and again.

Before Yeosang could say something or Jongho could pass a comment with that devilish smirk on his face, you got up and went to the other end of the boat, sitting on the deck and taking a few deep breaths.

Everything you had planned had come to ruins. You killed the sirens, yes, but at what cost? You were turning into something you hated. And at the same time, you were so confused about Yeosang and his involvement in everything.

While you were unconscious, you had… dreams. You weren’t sure if they were flashbacks of your deeply buried memories or just a figment of your wild imagination, but you were back at Mesarthim, clutching your ears and sobbing while your parents' blood spilled in front of you as the sirens sank their teeth into their bodies. You were screaming as another siren made its way to you, and your scream got louder when a now familiar face stood between you and the monster.

“Not the kids. That is enough already.”

And then your saviour was thrown away with a harsh push and you scrambled to hide yourself amidst the panic, but the sirens could smell your fear. Soon, the boxes you hid behind went flying away and you brought your knees closer to your chest, eyes widening as the siren made one of its own kneel in front of you, face a bloody mess.

“Kill this child, siren. It is who we are.”

You were pretty sure it was Yeosang, and if this was a memory that finally made its way back…

Had it been Yeosang who saved your life that day?

“Stop staring holes into the poor sea,” Yeosang settled down next to you. You glared at him for good measure, taking that chance to scan his face again- he looked very different in that dream/memory but it had to be him. “And stop glaring at me every chance you get.”

“I’m still waiting for your answer,” you told him, looking back at the sea and swinging your legs a little. “

“I think we have more pressing concerns right now,” he scanned your face. “Can you tell me exactly how you feel? Do you feel any… physiological changes?”

“Well, I can hear your heartbeat, for starters, and that is the most unnerving thing,” you finally laughed a little, making him relax as well.

“We learn to ignore it until it becomes the background,” he smiled. “What can you hear?”

You took a deep breath. “Everything. I can hear them talking if I focus, I can hear the creatures in the sea… I could sense your presence, Yeosang. Is this how it feels to be a siren?”

“You’re not a siren yet, don’t worry,” Yeosang patted your back. “But do let me know if you get intense cravings.”

“I can’t tell if this is a joke or not.”

“I won’t tell,” he smiled cheekily. “Well, excellent night vision?”

“Yep,” you confirmed.

“If you’re up for it, we could test some other things, see how far it has progressed. I could tell you how to deal with it-”

“I don’t need to learn how to be a siren, Yeosang,” you raised a brow. “I’m a human. I will remain human, and I will undo whatever has happened.”

“Yes, you're still a siren-hunter,” Yeosang rolled his eyes. “But sweetheart, if you need to hunt that sorcerer, you need to learn how to live with this body and make the best use of it. It’s probably going to benefit you. And once you find him and we break the curse, you can go back to being a human if you hate it so much.”

“I will go back to being a human,” you said. “But… you’re right. I should learn how to stop stumbling every two steps.”

“Did the siren thing make your perspectives broaden as well?” Yeosang wandered out loud and you smacked his arm. “We’ll take it slow, don’t worry.”

“You’re quite pleased that I’m turning into a siren, aren’t you?” Your voice shook and his smirk fell. “You could leave me be. You could watch me suffer, but why are you offering to help me? What do you want from me?”

“I thought it was clear by now that I want nothing from you,” he looked a bit hurt and that made your heart ache as well. “I only want to thank you for helping me out and saving my life today. I want to thank you for helping me get my voice back, and I want to apologise for the unfortunate consequences of it.”

You looked down, trying to sort your thoughts out. “You’re… too human to be a siren.”

“And that is why I was outcasted by my own family,” he said. “Sirens don’t go around saving humans, y/n.”

“It was you that day, wasn’t it?” You finally looked at him, a clear memory back in your head. “I don’t know why I suddenly remember, but it was you. They made you kneel in front of me, ready to kill you if you didn’t kill me.”

“And you saved my life that day,” Yeosang smiled.

You realised you had. Not only today, but about a decade ago too. When he was struggling to breathe and being forced to kill you, you waited for the other sirens to get distracted before passing him the dagger you had been hiding behind you all this time. He had thanked you silently before he told you to close your eyes.

“I killed my people that day,” Yeosang continued. “And I’m glad you managed to escape that day, y/n, or it would have been all for nothing.”

“But they took your voice,” you whispered. “Because of me.”

“And then you found me,” he looked down at your hands which were almost brushing. “You found me…” he dared to brush his fingers against yours and when you didn’t pull your hand away, he intertwined them. “And you saved me again. It took me a while to remember you, but it looked like you had forgotten me, which is why I decided not to tell you again. It’s not the best memory, after all.”

“Well, I still hate you and you’re a siren,” you said though your smile betrayed you.

“And you still reek of human,” Yeosang retorted, his confession oddly comforting. “But I like you anyway.”

You couldn’t meet his gaze anymore so you looked away but you could tell that he was smiling. You simply squeezed his hand in response, which was enough for now. He continued to play with your fingers as he asked, “If things hadn’t gone wrong today, what would you have done? Where would you have gone?”

“I don’t know,” you admitted. “I never thought I’d make it out alive. I owe you all for that.”

“I never thought I’d make it out alive either,” Yeosang stared into the distance. “It was more like a suicide mission because let’s face it- how could I have made it out alive? We barely escaped this time. I just wanted to get back at my sister for a number of things. You won’t believe it, but I’m not the only odd siren out there. There are others who practise restraint simply because once you give in to your carnal desires, siren or human, you turn into a monster.”

“Wow,” you breathed. “So we’ve just been unfortunate this whole time? Coming across sirens that are monsters?”

“Kind of,” Yeosang smiled dejectedly. “The normal ones won’t really be sitting and waiting for humans, would they?”

“Okay, you’ve got a point,” you said. “So were you the odd one out in your community?”

“More like most of us gave in to peer pressure and had no other choice. And if you rebelled… you end up like me.”

“Not a bad place to end up though?”

“It wasn’t always so easy,” Yeosang shivered involuntarily. “Especially when they took your voice. The first few years were miserable but then I learned to live with it. I pass as a human now, don’t I?”

“Hate to admit but you do,” you tsk-ed. “So what next for you?”

Yeosang looked at your joined hands and you suddenly felt conscious. “I think I’ll stick around. At least until we find the person who did this to you, and then I will make them suffer. After that…” he brought your hand to his lips to plant a soft kiss on your knuckles, making your heart somersault. “I’ll see where this road takes me.”

You heard it- the silent promise to help you out and go wherever you want to go. To be with you. You wondered how he, as a siren, was so… beautiful. Not just from the outside, but from within. How he gave and gave without really asking anything in return. How he was still willing to hunt for you even when you had, till now, clearly reminded him again and again that he was a siren but you hated his kind.

He was a siren, but… he was more human than you could ever be.

—-------------------------

“There is no way I’m learning how to breathe underwater,” you insisted for the umpteenth time. “I have experienced breathing underwater. When the water gets into your lungs…”

“That shit hurts,” Jongho agreed, for once siding with you and you silently thanked him.

“Yes, but that’s when you’re human,” Yeosang was losing his calm now. “You need to learn how to breathe underwater so if that damned sorcerer tries drowning you, you won’t kill yourself.”

“I don’t think he’ll get to that,” you scoffed.

“Then you think too highly of yourself,” Yeosang said. “Do not underestimate someone who has the power to turn a human into a siren.”

“And the sorcerer is travelling around, so chances are we catch him while sailing or we find him at some shore,” San quipped. “He’ll definitely try to kill you- because you’re going to try to kill him too.”

You poked your tongue in your cheek, hands on your hips as you thought about it. Truth be told, you may be travelling the oceans most of the time but you were pretty scared of diving into it, especially when you almost drowned a few times in the past too.

A few days ago, when you finally completed your life’s mission and found everything going wrong, you reached Sheratan’s shore and inquired about the Wanderer. Everyone scattered around town, San tagging with you and after a few hours of asking around and a hearty dinner to celebrate making it out alive on that deadly mission, you got on the boat again to border around Sheratan in hopes of finding a lead.

While you travelled, San practised his spells, trying to either recreate something like your curse only in hopes of finding how to undo it in the process, or actually just get to breaking it himself, but so far, all his efforts had been in vain and a few times even backfired at him. He almost got hurt and you had to put Jongho on duty to make sure San wouldn’t end up hurting himself. So he started focusing on location spells and defensive shields.

Jongho could have gotten off at Sheratan since he had intended to go there anyway, but for some reason he decided to tag along until you got back to normal, and you were pretty sure the reason was not only that he was worried about you and wanted you to turn back to human, or because he wanted to kill Yeosang- which was an inside joke now. If you thought about it, he had become so used to travelling alone that perhaps, he was finding a home and a family within your odd group. You were sure about that because when you tried to tease him about it, he threatened to drown you, which made you snicker to yourself. But you had to admit you found the young siren-hunter endearing especially when he forgot who Yeosang was and just listened to his stories and let him tease him with a stifled smile. There was something about Yeosang that no one here could resist.

And that included you. These past few days, he had been making sure you felt okay and helped you live with yourself not only physically but mentally too, because if you looked past your anger, you knew that there was no telling how long you would have to live as a siren or if you could ever go back to being human. He was helping you come to terms with yourself and you were grateful for that, because if you had been alone, you weren’t sure what you would have done to yourself. Now that you knew so much about sirens and started seeing them as people just like you with emotions and feelings and dreams and wishes instead of bloodthirsty monsters… you were okay.

You were okay with Yeosang- you had been for quite a while though. He had never felt like a siren- even now, when he was fully siren, he was the same. He tried singing once when you were in the middle of the ocean- you all were immune anyway. Despite that, when he sang, you thought it was the most beautiful thing you had ever heard. It wasn’t hauntingly beautiful like a usual siren’s call, but it was almost dreamy. Even Jongho was in awe as Yeosang sang his heart out after what had to be a decade and your face was wet with tears by the time he ended.

He asked you last night if you felt like singing. You told him you didn’t know the answer to that, because currently you were busy repressing every emotion you felt and focusing solely on the anger you felt towards the sorcerer for violating your entire being. But ever since he asked you that, you couldn’t help thinking about it. So you asked him in the morning.

“Why do sirens sing?”

You knew that the sole purpose of singing wasn’t to lure humans, so you were curious why Yeosang wanted to sing so badly even though he didn’t intend to lure humans.

“So we don’t forget who we are.”

Though it was an ambiguous answer, as you narrowed your eyes at Yeosang who was waiting for you to make a decision, you wondered if he was enjoying your misery-

“No, I’m not enjoying your misery,” Yeosang chuckled. “Please, get in the water.”

“How do you even breathe underwater?” You almost cried. “Do you have some gills that I can’t see? Did I grow gills-”

San and Jongho burst out laughing in the corner and Yeosang put his head in his hands. “I’m not a fish, y/n. You just breathe through your nose- the water won’t get in. Come on,” he outstretched his hands and when you still kept giving him the side-eye, he raised a brow.

“Don’t you trust me?”

You took a deep breath, raising your hands and pausing. “I trust you. But I’m scared.”

“You’ll be okay,” Yeosang gently locked your hands with his and tugged you closer, taking off your cardigan and scarf and throwing them on the deck. “No need for these extra layers. Feeling okay?”

“Yeah,” you breathed, left in a plain black shirt and pants, similar to his. “At my pace, okay?”

“Of course,” he nodded, stepping into the water first and waiting for you. You glared at him one last time before following-

And clutching onto his arms for support.

“Just so you know, I suck at swimming,” you told him and he laughed.

“We’ll change that- for sirens, swimming is second nature to them,” he told you, trying to unwrap your grip around his arms. “Now, let go of me and you’ll find yourself floating-”

“No-” you drew closer, clutching onto his shoulders, your eyes widening as you looked down. “Can you always see that deep into the sea?”

When Yeosang didn’t answer, you looked at him, blinking in surprise when you realised how close you were, practically hugging him. But you couldn’t care right now- you were far too scared to let go. “Bear with me, please.”

“Okay,” Yeosang nodded. “Now, if you’re feeling a little better, you can let go of me and we can go underwater, okay? There’s nothing to be scared of- I’m with you.”

“Alright, I hold my breath when I go down?”

“If you want to,” he squeezed your waist assuringly, only then realising he was holding you there. Good lord, he thought. “It doesn’t matter, but when you open your eyes and get your bearings, allow yourself to breathe- through your nose, okay?”

“Okay,” your voice sounded small. “Let’s try this?”

Yeosang smiled. “Hold on to the boat and watch me.”

You did as he instructed, staying upright and you watched him dive inside the sea and swim around, all the while breathing through his nose. He waved at you and you laughed at the sight, feeling a bit relaxed.

You could do this.

You let go of the boat and held your breath, diving into the sea and opening your eyes, surprised at how everything was visible. You could see Yeosang waving at you and when you looked down, you could see the fish and other creatures. You smiled and swam closer to him and he put his hands on your shoulders-

“Breathe through your nose.”

You almost inhaled water when you heard his voice inside your head and he smiled cheekily, putting his hands on your shoulders again.

“You really are turning into a siren. Sirens can communicate through touch while underwater. Takes a little practice though. Now, inhale.”

You shook your head, swimming away from him- somehow, you could hold your breath longer now. You saw a few fishes circle around you both and while you were momentarily surprised, you had an awful realisation and you looked up-

You were far too deep in the sea. You felt short of breath and you made the mistake of opening your mouth as if to call Yeosang which just made you panic and you shook frantically, Yeosang quick to reach you and wrap his hands around your waist-

“What’s the matter? Breathe through your nose, quick!”

You shook your head, looking up again, silently communicating that you needed air and you opened your mouth again, panicking- you couldn’t hold on much longer and you were going to drown to death-

“It’s quicker to inhale than to go up for air, please, inhale, y/n! Trust me-”

You smacked his chest as if to curse him for doing this to you but he remained close. When you almost gave up, your human instincts overriding your system, Yeosang decided to help you a little-

He pressed his mouth against yours, transferring his breath to you. Your eyes widened in shock for a few moments until he drew back, equally shocked and slightly amused.

“You’re breathing.”

You shook your head in denial- yes, you breathed for a second there and the water didn’t pass through your nose and burn your lungs, but your fear made you lock that again. Yeosang brought his hands to your face, cupping them and looking at you almost lovingly.

“Just relax, y/n.”

You didn’t know which one of you made the next move but you were pressing your lips against each other again and this time, he wasn’t simply transferring air to you. This time, he was kissing you. You were breathing through your nose and you were kissing him back, your hands fisting his shirt and keeping him close, and you could make the excuse that you couldn’t breathe, but both of you knew this was different. He relaxed himself when he realised you weren’t stopping him and then he let one of his hands cup your jaw and angle you better, the other stopping at the exposed skin below your shirt. Despite wanting to continue kissing you for as long as he could, he slowly started swimming upwards and when you finally ascended up and the cold air hit your face, you broke away from him, breathless.

And for once, he was the same.

You took him in, his dark hair matted all over his face, your bodies still so close to each other, his eyes still glued to your lips. You took in your fill and then you cleared your throat. “Uh… I think I’ll try that another time.”

“Try what?” Yeosang asked and you frowned.

“Breathing underwater, you idiot,” you smacked his shoulder, drawing away from him and when he started laughing, you couldn’t help but join awkwardly. “I panicked, okay?”

“I could tell,” he teased and you splashed water on his face, feeling his gaze as you climbed up the boat, San and Jongho waiting.

“How were your adventures underwater-”

“Shut up,” you muttered, going for a towel, positive your cheeks were flushed. Yeosang followed and you avoided his gaze, going towards where your bag was.

“Are you sure you were only panicking?” Yeosang said in a low voice so only you could hear. You clenched your jaw, glaring at him.

“We’ll talk about this later,” you muttered, throwing your towel at him and going inside the cockpit, shutting the door so you could sort your thoughts out by yourself-

You weren’t sure what was worse for you as a siren-hunter. The fact that you were turning into a siren, or the fact that you kissed a siren.

Or the undeniable reality that you had been falling for him for quite a while now.

It was stupid, you thought, to fall in love with a siren. It could never end well. The stories you had heard about sirens and humans falling in love always ended ill-fatedly. You recalled hearing one from an old sorcerer you met in your hometown when you first began your siren-hunting.

“There was once a siren who fell in love with a human.”

“How could a siren love a human?” You asked.

“That’s not what matters, because they have a heart too, they find it when they fall in love,” he said. “What matters is that when a siren loves a human, it gives up everything. It gives up its own life. It forgets who it is but a siren shouldn’t love a human because eventually, a siren will sing. And when it sings, the human gives up everything for it.”

“So did that siren end up singing?”

“That’s what we’ve heard, but we never found out if that’s true,” the sorcerer sighed. “That siren loved his human so very much, but it forgot that sirens are not the only monsters out there. Humans are as monstrous themselves. So when everyone found their secret, what did they do?”

“What?” Your heart sank.

“The humans killed their own while the siren watched,” the sorcerer patted your back. “And the siren lost a part of itself. You are a human, dear. Remember not to become the monster that you hunt.”

You shivered as you recalled the story. You wondered if some part of it was true. And then you wondered if Yeosang felt the same.

Truth be told, you could blame him for being too kind to you, for protecting you, for making your heart flutter with his little actions that he didn’t even give a second thought to. You wondered why he continued to kiss you underwater- did he like you now that you were a siren? Did he like you when you were a human? Or was he simply too touch-starved all these years? Were you starving for love?

How could you fall for a siren-

You heard a knock and you thought it was San but Jongho peeked inside instead. “May I come in?”

“Why are you suddenly asking for permission,” you pouted and he grinned, settling in front of you. “If you’re here to tease me about something, please leave-”

“I wanted to ask you why Yeosang keeps grinning like an idiot. What did you both do underwater?”

You frowned, looking outside from the window and sure enough, Yeosang stood in a corner playing with his ball of yarn and smiling to himself. He almost looked like a kid at that moment and you shook your head. “He might be giggling over how I panicked underwater. I couldn’t really breathe like he thought I would.”

“Really?” Jongho frowned. “Because you were down there for quite a while.”

You could feel the heat creeping up your neck now. “Sirens must have good lung capacity or something.”

Jongho narrowed his eyes. “You like him, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Who am I talking about?”

“Jongho,” you looked at him. “I know you’re talking about Yeosang. And yes, I don’t want to kill him anymore, but neither do you. We grew on each other, that’s it.”

“Yeah, but you two can’t stop staring at each other whenever you think nobody’s looking,” he grinned. “Look, my thoughts about sirens have changed too ever since I met Yeosang, and now that you’re turning into a siren and might stay that way… you know I won’t hurt you, right?”

“I know,” you smiled.

“We’re closer to finding that sorcerer,” Jongho said. “And it’s going to be dangerous. What I mean is… you can’t be distracted or let the sorcerer get inside your head, okay? You understand what I’m saying, right?”

“Yep,” you nodded. “Thanks. I’ll sort myself out. No more tantrums.”

“Nah, you can continue having these tantrums,” Jongho laughed. “That’s not what I mean. I know I would have holed myself in a corner and cried 24/7 if I was turning into a siren. But you need to understand that we barely escaped last time and this sorcerer is powerful enough to do that to you. In case something happens to one of us…”

“We’ll be fine,” you insisted. “We’ll make it out alive, all of us.”

“I sure hope so, but I’d rather be prepared if I don’t make it out alive, which is why I’m here right now, actually,” Jongho said. “What do you think would be your biggest regret if you don’t make it out alive?”

“I… haven’t thought about that,” you admitted. “What would be yours?”

“Well,” Jongho slumped back. “I think it would be that I wasted all these years continuing hunting sirens, even when I got the ones who killed my family. You’ve just completed your life’s mission too. I think if I make it out alive, I’d like to quit hunting and do something else.”

“Oh,” you grinned at him. “Someone’s matured.”

“Right,” he scratched the back of his neck. “Do you think you’ll quit hunting as well?”

You found yourself looking out of the window at Yeosang who was now talking to San about something. “I think I might. I don’t know.”

Jongho smiled knowingly. “What do you say? The four of us continue conquering the sea and helping people get past evil sea creatures or humans?”

“Doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” you laughed. “We’d be called pirates at this rate.”

“Yeah, our reputation already sucks anyway,” Jongho laughed as well. “But I think we make a really good team.”

You nodded, smiling at the sight of the sorcerer and siren clapping at something they found funny. You really did make a good team, and perhaps, you’d like to continue being that way. “We could find some unexplored island and make it our home. I don’t want to go back to my hometown.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Jongho said. “But first… let’s all make it out alive, okay? Let’s stay strong.”

—-------------------------

“What if we get caught trespassing on someone’s private property?” Jongho sounded concerned as he jumped over the wall to get inside the house you had travelled miles to get to.

“I think it’s justifiable considering what the sorcerer did to me,” you said, letting San help you climb up and then you jumped down, Jongho catching you. “I could burn down his whole property.”

“I won’t be surprised if that makes the sorcerer curse you again,” San said as he jumped down effortlessly, dusting his hands off. “I can undo spells like those put around this property, but I can’t undo another curse.”

“Are you sure there’s no alarm here to detect sirens?” Yeosang asked before he jumped down. “Pretty sure he would set one up considering how much he hates sirens.”

“None of you are siren enough to activate one anyway,” San scoffed. “But no. There’s none. I don’t think he ever thought a siren would come parading in his house.”

“Trespassing,” Jongho corrected.

“If you’re so worried about the law, Jongho, maybe you should retire after this mission. We could get you some place by the sea,” you teased. “You could catch fish for a living.”

“Jokes later, we don’t have much time,” San took the lead, unlocking the main door with a swipe of his hands. “Remember not to leave any sort of trace. And try not to make it look obvious that we’re searching his house, will you?”

“Got it,” you all muttered before entering the Wanderer’s house.

While on your journey around Sheratan, you came across the same pirates who had dropped Jongho off and since they were in his debt, they gave you all the information about the Wanderer which was not much but was enough. You had the location of one of his many properties across the continent and you all thought it would be a good idea to search his house for any clues about his real identity or the curse, which was how you ended up here.

“Stick next to me- if any spells have to detect a siren, I’d rather it be me,” Yeosang pushed you behind him, taking the lead. You felt touched and you were just staring at him in disbelief and adoration when he continued, “You can’t even handle one curse. I don’t know how you’ll handle another-”

“Thank you, but I’m good,” you tried overtaking him but he grabbed your arm and locked eyes with you.

“Please. I’d rather it be me.”

You narrowed your eyes. “I can’t tell if you’re genuinely worried or if you’re making fun of me.”

“Can’t it be both?” He grinned and you made a face at him, none of you breaking physical contact.

Somehow, you were getting used to Yeosang’s physical touch. Ever since that day when you both kissed underwater, he had been somehow more gentle with you yet he was still the same. You were too afraid to ask what exactly was your relationship with him now, but it definitely had surpassed the boundaries of ‘just friends’ and you hadn’t even acknowledged him as a friend verbally.

He did talk to you about what happened that day. For two days, you did your best to avoid him though you couldn’t do much, being stuck in the same boat as him. On the second night though, he joined you by the deck and asked how you were doing, making small talk until he finally said-

“Are we going to talk about the kiss or are we going to pretend it never happened?”

You pursed your lips and when you didn’t answer for a few moments, your mind racing with too many thoughts, he gently took your hand in his, caressing it.

“I know what I want,” he said. “Do you?”

His gaze was too much. It was overwhelming, but at the same time… you wished he would keep looking at you that way forever. You met his eyes- they were so warm. So full of affection and love.

“Why, Yeosang?”

“Do I need a reason to want you?” He wondered. “Maybe I just like you, y/n. Maybe I just like who you are.”

You scoffed. “I haven’t given you anything. This isn’t me- you can’t possibly like this version of me.”

“Isn’t this you?” He intertwined your hands, holding them up in front of the full moon. “Isn’t it you, afraid to admit you want a siren, just like I was afraid to admit that I want a human?” He shut one eye as if studying the way the moonlight passed through the gaps between your fingers. “Was that not you who spent all her life searching for the sirens who killed her parents to avenge them?” He put your hands down, still staring at the way they fit with each other. “Was that not you who has a heart of gold- who, even when at her worst, saw the human in me and helped me?”

“Stop,” you almost cried, wanting nothing more than to let him hold you. You didn’t look his way again but he kept playing with your hands and waited for you to continue.

“What are you so afraid of, y/n?” He whispered.

“There’s way too much to be afraid of,” you finally lost your patience and looked at him. “Firstly… I’m a human and you’re a siren- and it can’t end well. I don’t know how this could work- but from what I’ve heard, it can’t work-”

“So you do want me,” Yeosang was grinning now and you shook your head in disbelief. Had he not heard a word you said?

“Do you like me more now that I’m almost a siren?” You locked eyes with him and when you saw his smile fall, you knew you had asked the wrong question.

“If that’s what you think, I’m willing to wait for you until you’re human,” he managed to say though he felt his heart had been ripped. “Though, I thought it was obvious even when you were human.”

“No, I’m sorry I asked that,” you admitted. “It’s just… I’m not certain about the future right now. I don’t want to make a promise to you that I cannot keep- not when I’m in this state. I may have gotten used to it thanks to your help but that does not mean I like it.”

“But… you do like me?” Yeosang asked and in that moment, he looked so vulnerable that something in you broke. All the walls you had built to guard your hesitation, fear, and the stupid second thoughts came crashing down and you almost whimpered with the sheer ache in your heart as you slid closer to him, cupping his face in your hands.

“I want you,” you told him, watching the uncertainty on his face fade away. “I don’t know what song you’ve sung but despite you not having your siren voice and despite my immunity to a siren’s song… I’m bewitched and I want you so bad.”

That was all Yeosang needed and he put one arm around your waist to tug you closer until you were flush against him. You joined your foreheads, simply breathing in the proximity and getting used to it, the brushing of your noses driving you absolutely insane. When your lips brushed, it took everything in you to draw away and look at him, his eyes fluttering open.

“Let me just get that damned sorcerer first,” you said, pecking his lips for good measure and surprising him. “Let me just sort my mess out, and then…”

“And then…” Yeosang smirked, pecking your lips and looking at you- if he meant to drive you insane, it worked because you were kissing him back as if you were on stolen time, trying to draw him closer than ever, his hands every fucking where. This time, he broke away and finished with peppering kisses all over your face.

“You don’t have to be afraid of what’s next, okay?” He said, kissing your cheek. “I’m with you. We’re all with you. You’ll be okay, love.”

You snuggled into his neck and he held you for the rest of the night. And now, here you were, back to being whatever you were. Yeosang led you inside the house and you noticed that there wasn’t much dust inside.

“He’s been here recently,” you commented. “Are we splitting up?”

“Definitely,” Jongho said. “Me and San can cover upstairs.”

“Okay,” you nodded. “Yeosang, you should start with the rooms, I’ll do the living room and kitchen.”

Though reluctant to let you go, Yeosang did, understanding the shortage of time. You had your eyes on the shelves where several books, candles, inkpots and other objects were placed. You skimmed through the titles- they were mostly history and fictional. You made a face- perhaps he was a reader. You found it odd, though, that there were no books on spells or magic like a sorcerer should have. The objects there were mostly stationery and you checked a few letters but found nothing strange. Disappointed, you searched the kitchen and the hallways, finding Yeosang there who was also looking lost.

“Found anything?”

“Seems like a normal person so far,” you sighed. “I hope Jongho or San find something. Found any signs of another person living here?”

“None- he seems to be alone. There’s a locked cabinet in there that San should check, though.”

Right then, you heard the two coming downstairs, empty-handed and perhaps as disappointed at you. San said, “For a sorcerer, he sure hates spell books. There’s a library up there but no books on spells or magic.”

“Isn’t that odd?” You asked. “What does a sorcerer usually have in his possession? At least a spell book or some magical items, right?”

“Nothing like that here,” he said.

“There’s a locked cabinet in there- you should check that,” Yeosang led San inside what looked like the master bedroom and San assessed the cabinet.

“There’s no spell on it,” he said, opening it with ease. “And there’s nothing inside. Must be for whenever he actually stops by.”

“I told you it would be a waste,” Jongho looked happy to have proven his point and you glared at him.

“It won’t be a waste,” San assured. “We know that he stopped by here only a few days ago thanks to the mailbox. I checked his study and found that one of his properties is located in the neighbouring town which means if he’s not sailing right now, he must be there. I tried a location spell but I got nothing.”

“Wow, are you a part-time detective or something?” Jongho looked impressed.

“Just observant,” San scoffed. “Unlike you lot.”

Which sparked a heated debate and while you all argued as you exited the room, Yeosang noticed a peculiar painting hanging in the hallway and he paused to examine it. San asked if something about the painting was familiar. You looked at it- it was a gloomy painting of a lone man sitting on a rock with waves crashing around him.

“I’ve seen this place,” Yeosang sounded sure.

“And?” Jongho asked, waiting.

“I’m pretty sure the place in the painting is the caves where the sirens dwell near Fomalhaut. You see the ashen mountains? The only volcanoes on this planet are near Fomalhaut and near Regulus. I’ve been here.”

“And what’s so special about this location?” San asked.

“The most monstrous sirens dwell there- the elders, we call them,” Yeosang looked at San.

“Interesting,” you contemplated his revelation. “But… what’s the problem with this painting specifically?”

“No one who’s human has ever made it out alive after crossing that place, so… how could someone have painted it so accurately? Down to the specific details about the place?”

“What are you saying?” Jongho asked. “Someone told a painter in great detail or…”

“Or someone painted it themselves,” Yeosang touched the painting. “Did any of you see any painting supplies?”

“In the study upstairs, yes,” San said and Yeosang pursed his lips.

“A lack of spells or sorcerer-related items and this painting… why do I have a feeling our sorcerer isn’t a sorcerer at all?”

You felt your heart sink. “What is he then? Human? But you said no human made it out alive-”

“What if he’s a siren, just like me?” Yeosang looked at you, eyes a little wide. “Pretending to be human- if he hasn’t used his voice in a while, he could pass as a normal human. He pretends to be a sorcerer and wanders around- the Wanderer.”

While you stood having major flashbacks about all your meetings with the Wanderer, San asked Yeosang if he was sure but even San felt like it was more plausible than anything so far. Jongho put a hand on your back, rubbing it. “It doesn’t matter if he’s a siren or a sorcerer or whatever. We’ll get him, okay?”

“I know we will,” you smiled weakly. “I just… if he’s a siren, why?”

That was an answer you’d get soon.

—--------------------------

If you were expecting to find the sorcerer in another mansion like the one he owned in the town you came from, you couldn’t have been far from wrong. You didn’t know what exactly you thought you’d find in this town, but…

The sorcerer sitting on the porch of an old hut by the beach was just not it.

You stood looking at him from a distance, the rest looking as confused as you for their own reasons. You, for one, hadn’t expected him to look so ragged.

“That is not a sorcerer,” San shook his head. “He has some incantations done on him, but he is not a sorcerer.”

“You’re right,” Yeosang looked the most surprised out of you all and he met your eyes before he said, “That’s a siren, not a sorcerer.”

“A siren?” Jongho frowned. “Can you sense him, y/n?”

You couldn’t. You asked Yeosang, “How do you know?”

“Because I’ve seen him before, when he was a siren,” Yeosang held your wrist. “I don’t think this is a good time to confront him- we need to strategise-”

The sorcerer- or whoever he was supposed to be- looked right at the group of you with a faint smile on his face as if he had been expecting you. He got up and brushed his clothes before treading almost inhumanely towards you.

“What a sight,” the Wanderer clapped. “I was expecting you, huntress.”

Yeosang pushed you behind him protectively and finally, the Wanderer looked at someone else other than you and something in his face changed- he looked highly amused. “Oh, look who we have here. A siren protecting a human!”

“Who’s turning into a siren herself thanks to you,” Yeosang’s voice sounded so different from anything that you had ever heard and you looked at him in surprise. “What’s the reason behind this curse?”

“A curse, you call,” the Wanderer scanned San. “As a sorcerer, you must know what drives a person to curse someone.”

“Was it something I did?” You finally asked. “Why me? Why am I turning into a siren, of all the things?”

“I just knew there was something about you when I saw you, and I was right!” He looked up at the sky as he laughed, the black strands of his hair falling back, and you resisted the urge to claw at him. “You, a siren-hunter, have a siren wrapped all around your fingers! Now that’s one variable I didn’t predict.”

You scoffed. “That would be an overstatement-”

“You’re him, aren’t you?” Yeosang began, sneering at him. “The siren we’ve heard so much about. The bedtime story of what would happen if you fall in love with a human.”

“Someone clearly didn’t learn,” the Wanderer looked at Yeosang. “And look at what happened. She’s now turning into a siren. Would you still love her if she becomes the monster that you swore not to be?”

That was it. You unsheathed the longsword and pointed at him, its tip almost meeting with the Wanderer’s chin. He glared at you in response. “I’ve had enough of your rambling. I don’t care what happened to you or who you are. You gave me an arrow that saved lives, cursed as it was. Undo it, now. That’s an order.”

His gaze darkened. “Do you really think it’s that easy to reverse a curse that was born after decades of grief? Grief longer than perhaps this siren’s life?” He pointed at Yeosang. “Your best bet is obviously killing me, but I have unfinished business, human. It’s better if you give in to the instinct clawing at your heart. Don’t you think so, siren? You wouldn’t have to worry about the other sirens hunting you down for loving a human like they did to me.”

“You know, for a siren who claims to be harbouring this grudge for what? Decades? Almost a century?” Jongho began and you met eyes with San- Jongho was definitely going to infuriate the siren so you had to act quick. “You sure have been slacking. Perhaps, you do not possess what it takes to get revenge like these two here. Are you sure you’ve got your revenge story right?”

And though the siren may have long given up on who he was, he sure had a few tricks up his sleeve. In a blink, he had produced a dagger and sent it for Jongho who narrowly dodged it and San immediately drew a shield around all of you. However, having pretended to be a sorcerer for so many years, the Wanderer was prepared. His next dagger went right through San’s shield, grazing his shoulder in the process.

“All of you, stay back,” you muttered, fuming with anger. “I’ll deal with him on my own.”

Yeosang wasn’t having any of that though. He loaded an arrow at the siren and let it loose, hitting him in the calf and the Wanderer sent a wave of air in your direction, throwing you both back a good distance, groaning in pain.

“It doesn’t have to end this way, huntress,” he called, tearing a piece from his clothes and quickly wrapping his wound while you recovered. “You can embrace being a siren. Being a human won’t do you any good in the long run.”

“And what would you know about being human,” you spat. “Why target a siren-hunter like this, huh?” You walked away from where Jongho and San were- it looked like the Wanderer hadn’t recognised Jongho yet and that was good. “You could have manifested whatever grudge you had into cursing the sirens who actually wronged you-”

“You don’t understand,” the Wanderer shook his head. “Sirens… They’re not the real monsters. We have laws and I broke one- I deserved my punishment, but humans?”

He looked so broken in that moment that you finally understood. You recalled the story you had heard about the siren who fell in love with a human and realised with a sinking heart that his grudge against humans was well warranted.

“You humans,” he started nearing the shore and Yeosang muttered a curse, dragging San and Jongho behind him as well. “You are the real monsters. And I’ve thought long and good about how I could avenge humans- I can’t just kill them all, can I? You prowl like ants on the land, there’s too many of you. But… you hunt sirens. You hunt us as if we’re the real monsters- you’re the perfect candidate.”

As soon as the Wanderer’s feet touched the waves, he raised his hands and you gaped at the sight of the waves growing louder, reaching new heights- did he intend to drown all of you? “When you become a siren- which you will, make no mistake- you’ll be hunting your own kind- humans.”

As twisted as it was, it made sense but at the same time… “You’re really going to do this?” You asked, while the boys muttered plans to each other. You could stall. “What have I done? I’m not the human who killed the person you loved. You know sirens killed my family too- how is this justifiable?”

“It doesn’t have to be,” the Wanderer smirked dangerously, raising his hand up and making a huge wave stand still in the air, making all of you take a few steps back and gasp. “I will kill your little group and make you watch, just like your kind did to me. And when you’re about to drown to death, you will give in to your siren instincts.”

Before you could retort, head spinning because there was no way this was happening, the Wanderer sent the wave crashing down on all of you and you lost your footing, almost getting carried away into the sea but Jongho was quick to grab you.

Jongho helped you up while San sent another magical wave for the siren which turned out to be ineffective. Yeosang slicked his hair back, angry. “It’s not going to work- he’s a centuries-old siren. Our powers might be useless against him.”

“What then?” You asked, shooting arrows after arrows for the siren. “We let him kill us? We run?”

“I could try singing- he doesn’t know who I am yet,” Jongho quipped. “I don’t know if it would work against a centuries-old siren, but…”

“But it’s our best bet,” you nodded. “I wish I had an ebony arrow right now.”

“Uh, I may have something better,” Yeosang patted his chest. “I’m wearing my sister’s necklace made of a water dragon’s tooth- it’s fatal to sirens.”

“Why do you even own it,” you muttered, grateful there was at least something.

“She killed sirens with these- those who went rogue. Almost got killed too,” Yeosang grinned. “We gotta get close to him though-”

The Wanderer sent another wave, this time shaped as pointed arrows and you gawked at it, San grabbing all of you and trying to get you to hide behind the boards or anything. “You guys are not helping me at all, find cover immediately!”

You dragged Yeosang behind a shed- he was too in awe at the siren’s powers to react quicker. San stood his ground though, waving his hands and muttering a spell, this time a visible shield in front of you all and when the siren sent those arrows at you, his shield managed to hold it.

“I’m going inside the hut and I’m going to sing,” Jongho announced. “When I give a cue, you better cover your ears, Yeosang.”

“Got it,” he said. “If the singing works, y/n, I’ll go stab him with the tooth- hey!”

You had snatched the necklace from him and you wound it around your arm. You looked at San. “Please make sure Yeosang covers his ears properly. I can’t risk him trying to cover his ears and stabbing the siren at the same time when he’s a siren himself.”

“No,” Yeosang tried grabbing your arm but you stepped back and hurt flashed his eyes. “There’s no guarantee this tooth won’t be fatal to you too- and there’s no telling if you’re immune to Jongho’s song anymore.”

“There’s not, but I’ll take the chance,” you smiled at him, hiding behind San. “Please restrain him, will you?”

“I could do it for you,” San said while grabbing Yeosang who was currently trying to snatch the necklace from you. “I should do this.”

“But you’re hurt,” you said, looking at the hut- Jongho seemed to be preparing. The Wanderer was currently going deeper in the waves, finally having gotten a break from you trying to shoot at him. “I should be the one to do this.”

“Y/n,” Yeosang shook his head, trying to break free from San’s grasp who understood that it couldn’t be Yeosang, at least, out of all of you. “You could get hurt-”

“I’ll be fine,” you assured him though you knew he was right- there was no telling how it was going to go for you. “I’ve got my earplugs so don’t you go shouting for me when I attack him, okay?”

San chuckled at that and Yeosang finally stopped fighting back. “I’ve got earplugs too.”

“Doesn’t matter,” you noticed Jongho’s signal. “You’re staying here.”

Before he could stop you, you walked to Yeosang and asked him to show you his earplugs. When he fished them out, you took them and switched them with yours. “Mine are better- they’ll keep you safe, okay?” You proceeded to put one of them in his ear, and when he held your wrist, pleading with his eyes to let you come along with him, you kissed his cheek. “Thank you for everything. I’ll be back, okay? As a human. I’ve got to do this myself.”

Yeosang understood- perhaps, the person cursed had to do the deed themselves to break the curse. You put in the other earplug and asked San to stay safe. And then you put in Yeosang’s earplugs, unsheathed your sword and marched towards the Wanderer. The vengeful siren sent wave after wave of pointed arrows at you but you fought back, gritting your teeth. You noticed the siren mouthing something but you really couldn’t care less- it was enough. You did not spend all those years siren-hunting only to become a siren yourself.

So you raised the sword and pointed it at Jongho, all the while maintaining eye contact with the siren. “Your mistake was thinking that you were not at fault. Because when a siren loves a human, yes, they give it their all, but do you know what happens when a human loves a siren?”

The Wanderer paused, arrows hovering in the air waiting for his command.

“When a human loves a siren… they forget they are mortal. It consumes them. They knowingly risk their short lives to protect that one brief moment of love they shared and they can die happy if they get that one moment,” you breathed, glancing back at Yeosang who was still struggling to break free from San’s grasp- San seemed to have obeyed when you told him a few days ago to magically restrain Yeosang if it came down to that. “Yes, humans wronged you. You should have dealt with those who wronged you instead of targeting another human who fell in love with a siren- just like your human. You really thought repeating history was the best idea?”

The Wanderer reconsidered for the briefest moment but as soon as you saw his gaze turn dark, you knew he was no longer the siren he once was. He had given in to his monstrous instincts and was too far gone. You raised the sword up and you heard the faint but sharp voice of the reaper pierce through the air. It sounded just like a siren’s call but somehow worse, if that was possible. You had heard it once before but this time, you had to actively resist it and it sent a burning sensation through your entire body.

You looked back at Yeosang who seemed okay but started struggling again when he spotted your pained expressions. You shook your head at him and gathered all your strength, you looked up to see the Wanderer entranced by the song.

It was working.

But he was too far away- even the distance of a few feet was seeming overwhelming when you couldn’t even take a single step. You ditched your sword and clutched your ears, taking one step and then another, practically crawling towards the siren-

And he finally reacted- he looked at you but his eyes were glossy. You clutched the tooth in your fist and he shook his head furiously, clutching at his ears but thankfully, Jongho was overpowering him. Once you reached him, you stabbed him in the chest-

Just as he took out his dagger and stabbed you.

You clutched at your own chest- he missed your heart by only a few inches. Now that you weren’t clutching your ears, you fell on your knees, the siren falling on his side as well, the waves washing over you two. He writhed in pain and you took out your earplugs, hearing the hauntingly beautiful call of the siren-hunter. You shut your eyes for a few moments until the siren fell silent and then you welcomed the darkness.

Jongho stopped singing as soon as he saw you both unmoving and he sprinted out of the hut, Yeosang and San following close. San made sure the siren was dead before extracting the tooth that was half-lodged in his chest, and Yeosang held your unmoving figure in your arms.

“She’ll be okay, let’s get her away from the sea,” Jongho said and Yeosang nodded, jaw clenched in anger and relief as he picked you up, moving away from the waves and laying you down on the sand. San followed soon after, assessing the damage.

“I have a healing potion- do you think I should get it?” Yeosang asked worriedly and San shook his head.

“Let’s not mess with her when she’s trapped in a curse- let me get this out first,” he said, extracting the dagger from your chest while Jongho put pressure on your wound. “Let’s hope the curse breaks after helping her heal a little.”

“I should have done something, anything,” Yeosang rubbed his face. “I should have-”

“No, you definitely should not have,” San reprimanded and Jongho agreed. “She’ll be okay even if she remains a siren. You would not have been okay. She protected you, okay? She asked me to protect you.”

“But-”

“Do you know what’s the last thing she said to that siren?” San was smiling. “She told him it was a mistake to target a human who fell in love with a siren.”

“But she-” Yeosang paused, raising his brows, wondering if he heard that right. “She said that?”

“Yes, you fool,” Jongho smacked Yeosang’s arm. “Give her a little credit. She’s not used to sirens being willing to protect her, okay?”

“Might be, a little,” you muttered, wondering if you were dreaming- everything felt cloudy. “He’s protected me far too many times for my own good.”

And when you heard the loud chorus of the boys asking if you were okay, you decided to go back to being unconscious for a little while longer.

—--------------------------

It was finally a sunny day at the sea after days of gloominess.

You took off your jacket, letting the heat soak through your shirt and spread throughout your body like a warm hug. You shut your eyes, smiling to yourself. Everything felt peaceful-

“Oh, so you can break an apple in half with your bare hands and you think you’re strong?” Yeosang scoffed. “I once cracked a siren in half-”

“Well, obviously the parameter is different,” Jongho pointed out. “You’re a siren.”

“I’ve lost most of my siren strength though. Maybe I should try cracking you in half-”

“Oh, try it on San,” Jongho pointed at the sorcerer. “He seems like he would be easy to crack.”

“Hey!” San scooted away. “You’re not doing that to me- hey!”

Yeosang had picked San up in his arms, quite effortlessly, while Jongho stood giggling at the way San tried to squirm out of the siren’s grasp. You would have tried to ignore them were it not for San having finally escaped and the three now running around you as they tried to catch each other. Yeosang almost bumped into you but with a quick apology, he was back to chasing him. You took a deep breath, willing yourself to let it go but when Yeosang tackled San and the two fell with a thud making the boat shake dangerously, you shouted at them.

“Not one moment of peace!” You glared at the three who straightened. “Yeosang, why would you want to crack San in half?”

“Yes, tell him!” San looked down at the siren-

“He’s obviously the easier prey out of the two and we need the sorcerer. I would be going after Jongho- he’s pretty useless save for his singing-”

“You traitor!” Jongho yelled at you and you grinned as Yeosang went after Jongho. San shook his head in amusement, settling down next to you.

“Enjoying the sun?”

“Very much,” you grinned. “What’s our bearings?”

“On track like we’re supposed to,” San exhaled. “I hope we don’t run into trouble again. The last island was enough.”

Now that the four of you were a team, you were travelling the seas in search of a secluded island you could inhabit and call home- it didn’t have to be secluded. The last two islands you chanced upon were unwelcoming to your group and for all the right reasons.

Your group attracted too much attention and nobody liked that.

“Perhaps we’re meant to live on the sea after all,” you sighed wistfully. “Sailing endlessly, a home with each other, one siren, one sorcerer and two hunters. We should search for more crew members then, what say you?”

“It’ll happen if it has to,” San said. “We didn’t search for each other, did we? It just happened.”

“Well, we’re lacking a pirate and mer- wait, is that a boat?”

You calling it a boat was an overstatement- it was more like a raft with a lone man travelling on it. You looked at San, wondering if you had really manifested something. San asked, “Should I check? Seems like a good time to offer our services in exchange for some money.”

“Sure,” you laughed. “Let’s offer the poor guy a ride anyway- I don’t know how he made it this far in the middle of the ocean on a raft- I’m curious.”

“You’ll stay here- San and Jongho can do the talking,” Yeosang slumped next to you now that San and Jongho were steering the boat in the raft’s direction. “We don’t want a replay of how you handled a potential customer last time.”

“Come on,” you turned to him, scratching below his chin. “Just because I offered him our pretty siren in exchange for his longsword which was way prettier than mine, doesn’t mean I would have actually traded you. You know that, right?”

Yeosang narrowed his eyes. “Do I? Somehow I still suspect you would have gladly traded me for an object.”

You grinned, kissing his lips for a good moment. “Of course not. I don’t think I can part ways with my longsword.”

“But you will part ways with me, after everything we’ve been through-”

“And I can’t make out with a sword, can I?” You winked at him, watching the siren flush a million shades of red. He pursed his lips, flustered, suddenly finding the ends of your sleeves interesting. You enjoyed passing flirting remarks like that so much- Yeosang was experiencing love for the first time in his long life, though he claimed he wasn’t ‘inexperienced’. You made it your life’s mission to give him a love worthy of legends- something that would overwrite the tragic love story of a siren and a human which was all people knew for centuries now.

“Y/n, Yeosang!” Jongho called. “Our guest claims to have escaped a pirate ship.”

“On a raft? Impressive,” you got up, shaking the man’s hand and assessing his appearance- his red hair looked like it was different shades in the sun. His skin was a little tan and he was wearing a lot of jewellery. “Where do you come from?”

“You might have heard of the White Mask? The pirate crew? I was their firstmate but things happened. I no longer wish to be a part of them so I escaped with what I could.”

“Wow,” you breathed- you were in the company of the legendary firstmate of the White Mask. You had heard a lot about those pirates whom even other pirates feared but you never expected their First Mate to look so… normal. “How can we be of service?”

“I wouldn’t have bothered you all- I can make it to the continent on my own, but when I sensed who you were, I couldn’t resist joining.”

“Sensed?” You frowned. “What are you then?”

“Half mer,” he grinned. “Nice to meet you, I’m Hongjoong. I heard you were looking for more crew members?”

You looked at the others who looked slightly amused, a bit shocked, but willing to see if you could have the legend of a pirate joining your crew.

“Well, I sure hope we get along,” you smiled.

#kang yeosang #yeosang #yeosang x reader #yeosang ff #ateez x reader #ateez scenarios #ateez imagines #ateez fluff #ateez angst #ateez au #yeosang fluff #yeosang angst #kang yeosang x reader #yeosang imagines #yeosang scenarios #ateez fanfic #atz

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pixlpxie · 6 days

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When life imitates art

#ateez #yeosang #yeosang smut #yeosang angst #ateez yeosang #hongjoong #seonghwa #yunho #san #mingi #wooyoung #jongho #kang yeosang

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seonghwaddict · 5 months

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stupefied — kang yeosang

in which a small accident leads to something more.

prince!kang yeosang x fem!reader. genre. fluff, domestic fluff, slight crack. warnings. they're super awkward, description and mentions of wounds, a tiny bit of blood, they're super cute. wc. 5.8k.

lilo's notes. hi i'm back :3

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There was nothing that could explain why Prince Kang Yeosang was roaming the woods, other than the fact that he desired a break. He told his servants not to go looking for him because he was on a personal mission, but in reality, he wanted to mindlessly wander around in a disguise that would not attract attention. He set off in his worst garments and a hood above his head. The brief vacation was only supposed to last for a day, but it did not go as he had anticipated.

After winding his way through snow and wood for so long, he fell into a rhythm. His defences were down and his thoughts were building themselves into other things until he heard singing. It was an enchanting melody, but that did not keep him from being wary. Once he brought more focus to his path, he realised that the part of the forest he was in felt unfamiliar. He told himself he was too competent to fall into such a generic trap, so he got off his horse and secured him to a tree. After asking his companion not to make a sound—as if the animal would understand him—he moved further with much caution and hands raised. His fingers twitched as the voice grew louder and his boots pushed quietly onto the earth.

Up ahead, you hummed a sweet melody. However, you faltered for a second when you heard the snap of a twig. It was easy to believe that it was likely one of the many harmless animals that liked to roam about the area in the afternoon, so you continued. Your confidence began to diminish once the sounds of birds twittering faded into silence. It did not look like a storm was coming, so the safest conclusion was already thrown aside along with your composure. By all accounts, if you were so nervous, why did you continue singing?

As Yeosang passed a shrub, he saw you by several bushes filled with various berries. His first thought was not him questioning why a young woman would be by herself in this secluded part of the forest. Instead, he thought of how carefully your fingers skimmed across each fruit to study them. He was close enough to see the way the sun caused a glimmer that beamed off your shoulders and brought a shine to the locks of your hair. If he was closer, he would have seen that your rosy lips were the result of you biting them to strengthen your concentration on berry picking. To his hidden delight, those same lips did not stop singing as minutes passed. The sight before him eased his suspicions significantly, but he was still hesitant about making his presence known. The Prince had planned to turn on his heels and try to forget what he saw, but once he put his guard down, his vigilance followed suit. A larger branch whimpered as it cracked from the weight of his body, and the next thing he could properly process was the girl’s frightened eyes meeting him.

From your perspective, it was after you had noticed that the birds were completely silent that you heard the branch break. You glanced at your surroundings briefly, picking up the largest rock you spotted. Just in case. You were on edge more than usual, so you whipped around to see why the sound was coming from behind you, and what had been causing it. Any other creature was what you expected, but when you saw a man crouched behind a shrub, you instinctively screamed and threw the rock right at him, hitting his head. The basket of freshly picked berries was knocked over as you tried to gather the fabric of your dress. Your shoes carried you to the nearest tree and you hid behind it and held your breath. The anticipation grew up your spine as the silence persisted. Minutes passed without any response from the mysterious man so she peeked. You could see the man’s wavy black hair still peeking out of what he previously hid behind.

You had concluded that ten minutes was not the normal amount of time that someone would pretend to be unconscious, so you approached his still body with your hands stretched out, ready to defend your own life. His face was the first thing she noticed about him. His features were so striking that you felt that if you reached out with your hands, your fingers would have bled. His physical appearance did not match the frayed clothing that he was wearing. Every strand of his hair fell into perfect position even though he had been knocked down on the ground. He was well-groomed in every sense of the word. It was odd. From your speed search, there did not seem to be any weapons on him, which made the situation even stranger.

“Oh, no.” You sank to the ground in shame.

Your fingers warily made their way to his wrist to check for a pulse, then his neck. He was so cold that without the hammering beating of his heart, she would have assumed that he was already dead. The growing red colour on his arm and the thin cut on his temple made the situation even more critical. You needed to get him to your home, but you did not know how to. You scrambled to pick up the man, but the weight you felt when you attempted to lift him by his shoulders was enough to convince you that dragging him back home would not work. Everything seemed pointless until you heard the heavy breaths and cries of a horse not too far from where you were. You thought that if it was not this strange man’s horse, then who else would be around to tie a horse to a tree? After practically begging the horse to lie down, you were finally able to drag the man onto it. That’s when you definitely knew you made the right decision. The majestic, pitch-black creature seemed so comfortable with the heavy man thrown over it like a towel.

“Come along now, sweetie.” You took the horse’s reins and walked it to your cottage.

When Prince Yeosang woke up, the first thing he saw was a cat. It was perched on his chest with no thought about the consent of the stranger. Its mismatched green and blue eyes almost distracted Yeosang from the fact that he was in a room that he was unfamiliar with. Not only that, but he felt something wrapped tightly around his arm and something else sticking against his temple. Before he could panic, he heard someone coming into the room.

“Laura!” You came rushing in. The cat was quickly removed from the prince’s chest, and he felt like he was left completely thoughtless. You tried to cradle Laura, but the cat leapt from your hands and out of the room. “I’m so sorry,” oyu said. The man stayed completely still, as the emotion on his face still remained ambiguous. You took that as your cue to introduce yourself with your first name. You waited to see if he would introduce himself too. When he didn’t, you continued. “You fell on a rock and were out cold when I checked you. Um,” you quickly pointed to the window on your right, “your horse is outside. I fed him… he’s really pretty.”

“Thank you,” he said. At any other time, the prince would be ready to fight his way out of a situation, but he was more focused on the light from the candles in the room gently contouring your face. Your beauty was painfully enchanting. It was a surprise how your features stupefied him the moment you stumbled through the door.

“Your food.” You dashed out of the small room as quickly as you came in. Your dress moved like billowing clouds as you made haste to retrieve his food, your quick footsteps giving the illusion that you were floating. Yeosang felt like he was looking at a person from the very fairy tales he heard as a child.

You came back in carrying a tray with a bowl and utensils in the centre. “Would you like it?”

“Like what?”

“Some food,” you nervously stated. Your idea of bringing the man back to your cabin was as awkward as you expected it to be, you were starting to regret your plan.

“Oh…” he nodded, “yes, please.” It should not have been that easy for a stranger to convince him to ingest anything, but he already had the silverware in his mouth before he was mentally chastising himself for being so easily charmed.

“I’m sorry for the confusion. I think you got cut on a sharp rock because your arm was bleeding really bad,” you said. That is when Yeosang finally stopped eating and looked at his left arm. It was utterly embarrassing that he did not notice it was entirely bandaged until now. He did not want to admit how bad it looked from the few discoloured parts of flesh peeking through. “And… you must’ve hit your head on something. I put some plasters on the little bit, but I think it should be fine by now.”

“Still, I would hate for you to continue your journey with an injured arm,” you added. You kept your attention on his wounded limb, it was jarring to see how dark his eyes were. They intimidated you into looking anywhere but at him and attempting bad conversation. “You can stay here until you feel well enough to return to what you were doing if that’s what she would like.”

“Thank you so much for your kindness.” Yeosang was no longer going to lie to himself. He knew he would rather spend days with the bewitching woman who saved his life than return to his very own prison. He would just hope that you didn’t have any ill intentions because it would be a shame if he would have to take you out himself.

“So,” you got up to mindlessly shuffle some stuff in the room. “What’s your name?” you grinned.

“Yeosang,” he replied without much thought. He wanted to take it back, but it was too late. No one really called him that anymore—but if you didn’t recognise him as the prince of this nation, he would try his best to keep it that way even if he could only experience a form of normality for a few days.

“That’s a lovely name… May I ask where you’re from? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around the nearest town…” You trailed off at the end in hesitation.

He thought for a moment before he said, “Gyeongju.”

“Oh, my—What’s it like? I’ve never been to the capital.” You could not stop your true reaction from escaping.

“It’s…” he let out a sigh, “pleasant.” The conversation died for a moment so you focused on Laura making it to the top of your dresser. It was your excuse for still not looking at him. “Where are you from, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I was raised here” you replied as you stroked Laura. He nodded. The conservation did not go any further until you chimed in again, “Well, it’s late. It’s such a shame that you just woke up.”

“I’m sure I’ll sleep,” he voiced politely.

“Okay.” You smiled and began to snuff out the candles around the room. “The door’ll be open so if you have any problems, you can just ask.”

The prince mindlessly nodded to your instruction. It would have been easy to ask where you would be if he was not so uncharacteristically timid. Yeosang refused to try to sleep. There was still some hesitance that made him cautious of sinking into the bed with a weak arm. It grew stiffer as the night continued, so he distracted himself with a book that was left on the wooden dresser.

The feeling of a weight on the Prince’s chest woke him up. When his eyes snapped open, they were looking at the sharp eyes of a feline which brought back memories of the afternoon before. His consciousness did not scare away the cat—as he had desired—but he knew picking up Laura would surely bring unpredictable pain. So, he stayed in an undisclosed staring match with her even as he heard small movements outside the room. After a short period, his focus broke once he heard distant calls for the cat. The young Prince looked back at the cat, which was now preparing to fall asleep on his lap until it met his eyes again. Laura stood right back up—he almost expected her to groan—and hopped off of the bed and out of the room. He followed suit, careful not to strain his injuries, and got out of bed. His body ached more than he was used to. It hurt all over, but there was a more pronounced pain in his forehead. Unfortunately, there was not much to do but follow the path Laura had shown to the kitchen.

“Laura—” The cat quickly interrupted you by hopping into your arms as you crouched. “Where did you go?” you petted her. Yeosang walked into the kitchen, but his steps in his shoes were very quiet. You didn’t notice him until Laura turned from staring at absolutely nothing to the towering wounded man. “Did you wake him?” You whispered to her. Laura continued to stare at the towering, pale man. “I apologise,” you muttered. He nodded with the faintest, courteous smile. You took the trace of emotion that you were given and pulled out a dining chair as you gestured him over. His long legs took him over to the dining table without much effort.

“Thank you.” He completed a small bow, and he sat. Instead of going into his meal, he looked around as you were occupied with trying to get Laura to eat. His brief scanning of the house had him see his horse through the window to the right of him.

“He was fed this morning,” you reassured him.

“Thank you.” He felt like an echo in a cave. He still had not said anything besides constantly thanking you for your hospitality. “He appears to be doing much better than I am.” He was satisfied to see how easily you let out a small chuckle.

After making sure Laura had finished eating, you rose and grabbed the handles of a woven picnic basket. “I’ll be back in a few minutes,” you told him as you looked at his nose instead of his eyes because it was easier that way. You turned to Laura and whispered to her ears, “Please, behave, and don’t embarrass me.” As if she would listen if she could. As you went through the door, you looked back for a brief moment. You saw the man’s head whip back to attentively look at the cat on the dining chair. You closed the door and sent a small prayer that if the man tried to take anything or cause any trouble, then your cat would at least try to put up a fight.

Once the door had completely closed and your gentle footsteps grew quieter, he waited three minutes while eating and carrying on the staring match he had with the tabby cat, then got up and let his legs lead him throughout the house. Different varieties of dried flowers spun into circles were gently laid into a bowl. Next to it was the basket of berries he believed he saw yesterday. Plates were lazily leaning against the wall on a shelf while mugs were hanging from hooks. A sweet smell lingered in the kitchen, even though it looked recently cleaned. He couldn’t exactly name the scent but it resembled a mixture of vanilla and something fruity. He did not lose interest in the kitchen but knew his nosy lingering may take longer if he stayed. Yeosang walked to the living room to see two small armchairs next to a well-maintained fireplace. The abundance of shelves on the wall were filled with many books of varying sizes and colours. There was a knitted blanket haphazardly tossed over the chair facing his room.

He continued scanning the room and saw a closed door he never noticed; he had no time to think about the chairs any further. Had he been a guest anywhere else, he would have honoured privacy, but he considered this a unique circumstance. His fingers enveloped the handle and the door whined as he slowly pushed it open. All he did was poke his head in and was met with a clean and very simple room. It was a lot like the one he slept in, except there were different items decorating the tiny dresser.

Ultimately, Yeosang felt pleased enough with what he glimpsed that he took his snooping to the front door. He held the door latch, peered through the window next to it, and opened the door.

The sun hit his cheeks in small ruptures as its rays tried to twist through the thick trees that blanketed and guarded the cottage. His horse stood without any sign of distress. Yeosang petted the horse while simultaneously giving him some of the berries that Yeosang took off of his plate.

The Prince looked around the exterior of the cottage as his companion leisurely absorbed the sun. The house almost appeared swallowed by bushes, shrubs, flowers, and a few potted plants. His slightly tattered shoes led him around the house. There was a small garden of salad leaves in their pots. With one of his hands brought behind his back, he leaned in to look further at the vegetation.

“You found dinner.”

Your small voice only tapped his ears, but it startled him into losing his balance. He would have caught himself if she had not assumed he would crush the leaves and attempt to catch him. Your hasty moves caused your steps to be misplaced and she crashed into his hard, warm back. You expected to take him down with you, but he did not budge. Once you realized your face was not meeting the dirt, but rather remained on his back, you erected your spine back up and tried to ignore the wave of embarrassment.

“I’m sorry!” You frantically tried to smoothen the wrinkles on his clothes while avoiding his eyes.

You thought you heard a chuckle come from him. It would have been hard to miss it if his shoulders did not shake when he laughed. “I should be apologizing,” he briefly looks at the plants before switching to look you in the eyes, “I’ve been exploring.”

“That’s fine,” you assured. As he watched you pick up your basket, Yeosang wondered how he got so occupied that he did not notice your return. You walked back to the front of the cottage and inside without checking to see if he was following you. Laura poked her head up upon the opening of the door and right back down when she saw it was you.

“May I?” you heard him say. You turned and saw him, gesturing toward the rows of books you had on display.

“Go ahead,” you said, “there’s not a lot for you to do around here, unfortunately.”

“It’s quite alright, this is enough entertainment.”

“Well, that’s good to hear.” You went back to rummaging through a cabinet for the items you needed to tend to the plants outside.

For Yeosang, the morning went by as quickly as the last chapter of the book had arrived. He noticed that you had gone outside, but not that the sun had already made it to its highest point by the time he closed the story and set it aside. He made an effort to inconspicuously look outside the window leading outside to the front of the house to see if he could spot you and not just a tall black horse. His effort was a failure, but his pride found another alternative. The Prince rose from the chair and walked outside.

As he pretended to walk closer to his companion, he got a much better view of you. Your hands were occupied with tending to the pieces of each plant as your eyes followed them with deep concentration. He saw strands of your hair spilling out of a patterned headscarf you used to protect yourself from the sun. From those same strands came a single bead of sweat that started from your head, down the side of your face, and past your jaw. It continued down your neck and that’s when he refused to keep looking further.

“How was the book?” You looked at him for a moment to see him looking at his horse with too much focus.

He looked over and tried to pretend to have just noticed you. “Good,” he replied. He watched you get up from the ground.

You removed your gloves and walked closer to him. “Could I– um–” She pointed to his bandaged arm.

“Of course,” he replied.

As soon as you were given permission, you took his hand with one hand and lifted his arm with the other. You inched closer in hopes of seeing more without having to move the arm any more than needed. During your inspection, from his height, he was able to see the natural curl of your lashes. The fragments of the sun made the warm glow of your skin more apparent. When you took his hands, it was a moment of cold clarity. He could not remember the last time he was so aware that he was touching another person as it was happening.

“Yeosang?” you looked up at him and were surprised by the lack of space you were giving him. It was easier to pretend that you did not notice.

He hummed in response

“I asked you ‘how much does it hurt?’”

“It aches, not as painful as yesterday, though.”

You nodded, gently placing his hand back down. “And your head?” You gestured at your temple.

“Feels fine to me.”

“Wonderful.”

The rest of the afternoon flew by thanks to the chores she tended to outside and inside, with Yeosang lingering behind you every step of the way. He offered help many times, but you denied his offers and told him not to put stress on his arm. Not wanting to be completely useless, he held a short conversation. It was when dinner was ready and Laura was eating out her plate that you both fell back onto the topic of where he was from.

“Forgive me for asking, but what’s the Palace like?” you asked. He mentioned working there during one of your short conversations.

“Um,” he thought for a moment as he chewed, “clean, I suppose?” You finally heard the sound of laughter not just from yourself, but from him as well as he shrugged. It was nice, and it filled up the house with warmth. “I’ve never had the chance to observe it all,” he said.

“Were you busy?”

“Many duties,” he claimed.

His responses were as short as the time you had known him, but they were getting longer, much to your delight. You wanted to ask him what his job was, but you were not sure if you would be poking too much into his personal business. However, your curiosity about the outside world fueled you to keep going. “Are those duties being neglected right now?”

“Possibly.”

“I’ll try my best to help speed up your recovery,” you pushed around a piece of asparagus on your plate.

“Much appreciated, but I’m sure they don’t miss me too much.” He quietly appreciated your questions, because as he answered them, the excitement in your eyes never dimmed.

You nodded in response and continued to eat. You pretended not to look at him as he ate, but even in the evening, the dim lighting of the candles scattered around the house made his face look even more enticing. You saw him glance over to check on his horse outside.

“Your horse should be fine outside. Nothing ever comes by here,” you assured.

“It is quite an isolated home,” he realised.

“Yes,” you agreed.

It was quiet for a few more moments until he asked a question of his own. “Have you always lived here?”

“Yes. Can’t really remember living anywhere else.” You tried to pet Laura as she wrapped herself around your foot, but she then began avoiding your hand before skittering under the table to settle at his feet.

“Really? I’ve never come across here,” he said as his brows furrowed, but he nodded before going back to his meal.

The rest of the evening was spent cleaning up the events of the day that passed. The current occupants of the house finished the day with reading. Once it was time to retreat into sleep, you were already fast asleep on the chair with your quilt and a book trapped under it with you.

Yeosang saw how shallow your breaths became and how supple your cheeks were when they were pressed against your shoulder that you used as a pillow. He took it as his cue to go to the bed he was given. He went around and snuffed out each flame in every candle with the tips of his fingers. He pretended to ignore the cat as she followed him into the room and slept beside him. He made the effort to try to rest by telling himself that this would probably be the only real rest he would get for the next decade.

The sun brought in the next day and he never remembered falling asleep or waking up. The stiffness in his back made it clear that he did both of those things. He wished that he was not a little disappointed that Laura did not greet him with her morning stare, but he did not take it personally. He simply put on the same shoes and hoped that he would find someone in the kitchen even though there was no noise coming from any part of the house. He made it into the living room and was met with complete stillness and silence. From the window, he could see his horse grazing. Once he made it outside, the sun was shining much brighter than he expected. He had slept longer than he had intended.

It was relieving to see Laura preoccupied with attacking insects, but one more person was missing. Amid his deep thoughts, he petted his horse and scanned around the house for any sign of you getting a task done.

“I suppose you don’t know where she is,” the Prince playfully said to the cat.

Later, a certain beauty walked back to her cottage with a picnic basket of her clothes in one hand and a large bucket of water in the other. You bid good morning to your cat and his horse on your path back inside the house. It was almost as quiet as you left it, but you did hear some movement coming from inside your old room.

He could already tell it was you who came back just by the gentleness of the sound of the footsteps that came inside. The prince already had a book in his hand, trying not to look flush when he saw your head poke into the room.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hello,” he made the effort to remember to smile instead of just staring.

“I’m here to change your bandage.” You came in with a new set of clothes in your hand and the other necessary items to clean up a wound. The various plasters you stuck onto his right temple were already removed the day before, nothing but a faint bruise was left behind. His arm, however, would take a bit longer to heal. As you took off his bandage, you forced your hands to not tremble, repeatedly reminding yourself to only touch where it was necessary despite how tempting the muscles of his arm looked. Once the fabric was completely off, he got to see the injury that was his excuse to extend his vacation. The deep cut started halfway up his forearm and to his upper arm. It was like a dark red serpent permanently etched on his skin. I suppose that does seem pretty bad…

“I think it might scar,” you said as you gently tried to wipe off areas of dried blood.

“I wouldn’t worry,” you heard him say, “… a scar isn’t too hard to get rid of.”

You nodded in hesitation and pretended you could not feel his deep brown eyes staring at you as you worked. “I brought you some water from the stream so you can bathe. You can wear that shirt over there while I clean this one.”

“Thank you, but I’ll heal just the same without you inconveniencing yourself.” His comment was genuine but had a mixture of disappointment.

“Well, it is my responsibility.” You tried not to seem entranced by his starless eyes as you both stopped for a moment to look at each other.

“Why?” he asked. You shrugged your shoulders in response, ignoring the unspoken truth marinating on your tongue. It’s my fault you got hurt.

The afternoon with him in the cottage was slightly more talkative than the days before. He attempted to play with Laura as he pretended to read, skimming the same line over and over and over again. In the moments when he was not too distracted, he watched you complete some more chores around the property with the occasional insistence to help. You begged him to remain rested and even threatened him to sell his horse if he tried to help, but in exchange he let you continue to ask about the capital. His description of the palace brought shame to the books describing the same place. He was surprised at how willing he was to recount the layout of the place he had come to know well. By then, speaking more openly to you was much less difficult than he had expected it to be.

By the time the sunlight took over the country, he was intrigued by how quickly the days were being eaten by the cooperation of the moon and the sun. On his way to return the books that he took, he watched you begin to blow out each candle until the darkness flooded the cottage. Yeosang took the opportunity to retreat into his temporary room, in which Laura was already sleeping at the foot of the bed.

“Yeosang,” you spoke into the darkness. He turned around. You noticed how well his figure fit into the darkness. His ink hair almost blended into the surrounding shadows. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” he smiled.

It was a good night. He allowed his bed to swallow him much easier than the nights before, but you took longer to fall asleep.

The very late afternoon the next day was the perfect time to go searching for food in the forest. It was initially meant to be a solo trip, but the not-so-unfamiliar stranger refused to hear your request to rest his arm, tagged along, and promised to only watch. The walk throughout the woods was filled with the sound of shoes crushing leaves and branches accompanied by a pleasant chat. It was a few minutes into your search that she found what they were looking for.

“They’re beautiful!” You smiled and looked back at the tall man to see if he was just as happy as you were. He returned your smile with his own since he was amused by your child-like giddiness.

Without paying caution, she enthusiastically reached for the berries. He reached for your wrist to stop you from hurting yourself, but it was too late. A particular thorn right above the fruit sliced through your flesh much deeper than it would have if she had noticed it. As the thorn ran through your hand, parting skin from one another like a boulder spilling crashing waves in the ocean, blood began rushing out of her open wound. She knew better than to pull back her hand recklessly, knowing it might make the situation worse. He did it for her instead. He carefully took her hand and tried to cover the wound.

The wound wasn’t terrible or serious in any way, but neither of you acknowledged that as he cradled your hands a mere five minutes later, the two of you sat on the sofa. His hands, though large and masculine, felt surprisingly soft. He wiped the spilt blood clean and carefully placed a plaster over it. Even after successfully treating your small wound, he kept your hand in both of his, looking down at them and absentmindedly brushing his thumb over your knuckles. You didn’t mind one bit. In fact, you’d been yearning to feel his touch more and more as the days passed.

A comfortable silence passed over the two of you, but minutes later a conversation came by naturally. If someone asked you what this conversation was about, you wouldn’t have been able to answer, for you were so comfortable speaking to him that you let down your guard, words flowing freely without a second thought. At some point, the two of you had moved closer. So close that you had lain down while he stayed sat, your legs thrown over his at some point as his hands tapped and caressed your knees.

You talked well into the night. Naturally, you grew tired, your eyelids drooping as you looked up at him, trying your best not to fall asleep. He caught on quickly, a chuckle escaping him as he gave your knee a brief squeeze.

“You’re tired,” he pointed out, “you should sleep.”

In response, you pouted and shook your head. “No, no. I’m fine. Keep talking to me, please.”

His smile softened at your words and did as you asked. The low baritone of his voice did nothing to keep you awake, soothing you further asleep. Minutes later, he thought you’d agree to go to your bed and sleep, but you only whined in your half-asleep state and pulled him down with you, clutching onto his sleeve but still careful not to hurt him.

And so he found himself laying with you on the couch, the two of you squished together on the narrow furniture yet it was still comfortable. You fell asleep much quicker than he did, already prancing around in dreamland by the time he finished manoeuvring the two of you to lay comfortably. Eventually, your gentle breaths against his neck and soft hand on his arm lulled him into a deep sleep.

networks. @cromernet @blankjournal

taglist. @ad0rechuu @sankatchu @mlink64 @yeosangsbb

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byeolbeloved · 26 days

Text

Letters to Cupid -Kang Yeosang

Pairings> soldier!yeosang x typist!reader

Genre> childhood friends to strangers to lovers, angst, fluff, use of flashbacks, slightly suggestive, setting takes place around 18th century

Summary> for centuries, women named cupids worked as typists to write letters on behalf of senders who couldn't write themselves. You were always the writer but never the receiver for a love letter, yearning to be picked up by a knight. What you didn't expect was for this knight to have a familiar set of eyes, only this time lost from the innocence they once had.

Words from pupa : This fic is inspired by the anime Violet Evergarden! Also note that the writings in small italics are meant to be flashbacks. I had so much fun writing this so I really hope you enjoy it <3 The picture is also fanart I made myself hehe so I hope you like that too ^^

The typewriter clicked away, following a warm melody of the woman reminiscing her adventures with the other piece of her that is now battling the screams and horror of man. The warm scenery of her words contrasted the thunderous roars outside. The weather had no mercy on lovers under the moonlight.

"Please tell him I love him and I'll always be waiting for him" the woman said glass eyed.

She's a gorgeous woman, with light make up and well done hair, although judging from the purple under her eyes you can tell she's had restless nights, tearful even, by her pink nose that was already prominent as she walked through the door.

You always thought about how hard it must be to have your lover be in the military. You've seen many cases of these couples working as a typist. You had at least 10 letters a day of women writing to their husbands on how badly they miss them, some not knowing their ashes have become part of the land they fight to protect.

"He will appreciate this letter dearly, Elenor. I will make sure to send it out by Friday" you say with a smile embossing a wax seal on the letter.

"Oh thank you Cupid. I was never good at using the typewriter so when an old friend told me about you I practically came here as fast as I could. It's been a month since he's been away, we've never been separated for this long.."

"It must be so hard for you both. He'll be just fine El... I see the love in your eyes, he'll come back to them"

Education was a privilege, hence the reason why so many people were illiterate. For centuries women named "Cupids" wrote letters on behalf of senders who weren't able to write to their loved ones themselves or simply didn't know how to express their emotions on paper. It started from a voluntary organisation but has now turned into a whole company, well known throughout the land.

You were born into the world of literature. Your father was a writer and your mother was a book illustrator. Work being the opening chapter for their own love story. From the moment you were born, books heavily dominated your life. Literally. Because even from the scene of your birth, where your mother delivered you unexpectedly at the house you grew up in, you were wrapped in ripped pages from books- that being the first thing they could grab instead of a blanket at such a chaotic scene of panic.

You grew up with your mother reading you books and you accompanied your father while he wrote. Although you loved literature, writing your own book wasn't something you saw yourself doing. You much preferred experiencing a realistic event rather than coming up with a story, which is why you fell in love with this job.

You get to write true emotion while hearing another person's story and relationships. And you were clearly good at portraying what people wanted to express as you had tons of people personally asking for you to write for them.

Love; a topic you could rant on and on about. You dreamt about being picked up by a knight, running away from reality just to intertwine in each other's soul.

However, you weren't such a hopeless romantic as you were very selective with the guys you talked to, let alone dated. No one has ever made you feel like a princess getting saved by the prince. Maybe reality isn't like the books, however, you felt that there must be someone in this lifetime who could make you feel like that.

The night was dark. Dark as the swelling wave of the ocean before the rising winds, when it bends its head near the coast. Rain fell hard against the concrete floor and the wind was so sharp it could cut you.

The girl shut her eyes, trying to count sheep to calm her heartbeat but the sound of the rain only pictured her sheep drowning in the night alongside her.

"The rain won't get us here" spoke the boy, flashing her a smile that emphasized the pink red mark by his left eye. The red mark he told her was from a kiss from cupid after she pointed out how it looked like a heart. They were under the awning of a closed store.

"The rain is scary Yeosang" she frowned.

"It's only water" he held his hand out to the rain and let it get wet "see? I'm fine"

"I know but I don't like the noises"

"Then don't listen to the noises. You can just listen to me" he wiped his wet hand on the side of his pants and grabbed onto hers.

"I will protect you from the rain. I promise I will always hold your hand when it rains Y/N"

“Sorry I’m late, I just finished up with my last client for the day. Did I miss anything?” you place down your coat on the chair back.

“Only Jia swooning over mailman Tony again” Sakura chuckled while sipping her coffee.

“Seriously, when are you going to make a move? He might be single” Maya continued mouthful with a sandwich.

“Oh shush there shall be no romance at work. We have a business relationship and that’s how it’s going to stay. Now let’s get started with the meeting so we can head home before the weather gets worse.” Jia snaps and everyone hides their smiles at her shyness.

“Okay, this meeting is to just remind everyone about plans for next week. We will be accompanying commander Chan- everyone remembers him right? From last year. We will be writing letters for his unit, he has a different unit now. Make sure to pack warm clothes sinc-”

“Since there will be lower temperature in the North” Sakura and Maya said together in a monotone voice. “We’ve done this before Jia we knowww~” Sakura whines.

“Just relax and look out for the hot single soldiers” Maya giggles to Sakura who is now poking at Jia’s side.

“Business! This is business guys! We're going there for work. Plus, these hot guys are depending on us to bring back their messages to their families. No fooling around” Jia makes clear.

Once a year your team will visit military camps to write for soldiers. You’re usually there for 3 days excluding travel. Apart from some of the men being touch starved and looking as if they’ve never seen a woman in their life- most of them are really nice. Last time they even set out a mini farewell and thank you party before your departure.

The crisp sound of snow beneath your feet and cold sensation on your nose definitely woke you up from your nap on the way here. It actually felt quite nice, your surroundings bright from the white snow despite the sun not yet risen and the cold air felt like a splash of water to your face in the early morning. All nice except for the sound of Sakura and Maya’s whines from how their boots weren’t fit for the snow. This is exactly why Jia spent so much time whining about clothing.

The soldiers shared cabins or tents. You girls too got your own cabin to share- unfortunately quite small so you’ll have to put up with Maya’s snores throughout the night, however big enough for the 4 of you. The main area had its own cabin. That’s where the soldiers mostly hang out and eat.

As you girls made your way to the main area, commander Chan introduced you to everyone. There seemed to be at least 40 men in there, thankfully all divided into units so it was easier to organise when you’ll be working with who.

Everyone gave you a warm welcome. You girls spent the first hour chatting with some of them, or you could say flirting for Maya and Sakura, before going into your cabin and unpacking your stuff.

Everyone was really sweet. Two soldiers, a long haired guy with a mole under his eye and another slightly taller than him with a dorito-like physique showed you around the area and let you know the schedule for breakfast, training and lunch. The area was quite open, you could see yourself getting comfortable here as it was very quiet. However, during all this you felt a pair of eyes on you. Though looking around you never saw anyone who could be staring.

“Slow down Yeo! It’s really rocky here” the little girl pants, trying to keep up with the energetic boy in front of her. He’s practically waddling like an excited maltese dog that’s about to get a treat.

“Just a little more, come on!” he grabs onto her hand speeding up her steps, now reaching his pace.

The two youngsters reach the top of the hill, overlooking the dazzling sight of flowers in different shapes and colours spread out across the field.

The girl lets out a gasp eyes sparkling “This is… what you wanted to show me?”

“What do you think?”

“Yeo this is…. Beautiful” her eyes scan across the field, completely forgetting the distant yelling from her mom she was worrying about 15 minutes ago from why she took so long to get back home after school.

“It’s gorgeous” says the boy, but he’s not looking at the scenery of flowers. He’s looking directly at her. Swimming in the ocean of her sparkling eyes reflecting the warm colours from the sunset.

You are gorgeous he thought to himself.

The day was busy. Each unit who was on their breaks got their letters done and even though it was only day one, you managed to get lots done already. It was already pitch black outside and everyone was already tucked into their cabins.

Maybe you were still in work-mode but your body had no intentions to rest as you couldn’t stop tossing and turning in your bunk bed so you decided to take a step outside. You walked over to a corner with bright pink flowers contrasting the white snow, standing tall and so youthful.

“So beautiful…” you whispered, crouching to touch the soft pedals. They look like they have just bloomed.

“Cyclamen” a deep voice from behind you startles you, letting out a light yelp from you as you turn around quickly. Your yelp almost turns into a loud gasp as you quickly identify the figure owning that deep voice.

His hair is a light chocolate brown, long enough to be tucked behind his ears but not in a I haven’t thought about cutting my hair type of way- it was well maintained. He was taller than you but not enough so that you’re practically looking up. His body was clearly fit, arm muscles very prominent even from his camo print thick jacket. His skin was pale. So pale it looked like milk. So pale it emphasized the pink mark by his left eye.

Kang Yeosang.

You had no doubt this was the same boy who used to have thick pitch black hair, sometimes patchy bangs from the self haircut his sister used to give him. The same boy who looked at everyone with sparkly eyes and clapped his hands together when he laughed.

This was your Kang Yeosang.

“Those flowers are Cyclamen” he said expressionless, hands in his pockets.

You don’t know if it's the cold air drying your eyes or your overwhelming emotion but you start to feel tears forming, so hot and full of sentiment they almost burn your skin. “Yeosang…?” you whisper but it comes out shaky.

“They mostly bloom in cold weather” he says, still in the same stance.

“Are there any more flowers around here?” you sniffle out tilting your head.

“I’ve seen snow roses around here before. Would you like to see them with me someday?”

“I’d love to” you said with a smile, now earning a smile from him.

He takes his hands out of his pockets and steps closer to you, pulling you into a hug which you gracefully accept, your arms latching around his neck almost a bit too tight.

“Hello Y/N” and that's your breaking point. You start sobbing into his chest muffling out I miss yous to which he responds with a hand on your head, caressing it gently.

“I’m here”

The walk was quiet and heavy. Each step representing minutes lost from each other.

The girl is the first to break the icy silence “can’t you wait at least till next year? We just graduated”

“Y/N this isn’t my choice to make, I don’t have any other choice. It’s what I’m supposed to do” the boy says against his wishes.

“When will I be able to see you again?” the girl now looks at him glass eyed.

“I don’t know” he lowers his head but quickly looks at her holding her hand. “Hey, no matter how long it will take, I will always be here, yea? I promise Y/N”

“Please don’t break that promise Yeo..”

The following days you and Yeosang were practically glued together when you had the time. You caught up on each other's life events and even reminisced about your childhood together. It was almost like you were kids again, except you noticed how serious Yeosang is now.

You don’t expect him to have that same innocence as he had when you were younger. He’s a grown man now and also a soldier. Not a particularly happy go lucky type of job. However, apart from teeth smiles while covering his mouth with his hand, you haven’t heard him laugh yet. You missed it. You missed the days when you both ran around giggling at any little thing. Is that boy you loved, lost?

“But yea, let’s just say leaving a half opened can of soup in a tent for 2 weeks isn’t a great idea” he scratched his head and lightly chuckled.

You laughed at his stories with his cabinmates. So far he has only told you about silly fun stories with his friends, apart from him explaining the basic routine of what they do in training. You were glad he was able to make fond memories as a soldier, especially since you knew how nervous he was joining the military.

But something about you knew that wasn’t all. Has he really been doing well? What about the times he's been in battle? Has he been greatly injured before? Broken a bone maybe? Does he miss his family?

Did he ever think about you?

“Yeo…” you placed your spoon down. The main cabin was far too loud for both of you to have a conversation so you and him chose to stay in his tent for breakfast and dinners. His cabinmates barely stayed there unless it was for sleep so you had all the privacy you wanted.

“How are you? Really”

“I’m doing well”

“No Yeo, I mean about everything. Do you like it here? Don’t you miss home?”

“Home? Well… Mom occasionally sends letters, I’ve visited sometimes but travel is so long I’d only have a day with them till I have to come back so… I’ve stopped visiting.” How long has it been since he’s had a home cooked meal?

“This definitely isn’t luxury heh, but I’m used to it Y/N. Don’t worry about me, I know what I’m doing here”

“Do you ever think about… me? Us?” immediately his gaze softens to your words. This is probably the first time you’ve seen a genuine expression on his face since being here. His hand is gently placed on your thigh and he brings his face closer to you.

“Of course Y/N, I told you I’ll always be here. I promised” his eyes burn into your soul and your gaze meets his birthmark. Your finger moves by itself and goes to gently touch it.

“I don’t see you anymore Yeosang… everything is so different”

“I know. It’s hard. This is all very hard but we are going to work this out Y/N”

Your faces are so close together you can practically taste his breath. His eyes land to your lips and for a second you could see the pupils of his eyes grow. He slowly breaks the space between you and you close your eyes, expecting to feel a touch on your lips until he breaks off the moment with a whisper “I want to write a letter.”

“I don’t understand thissssss~ let’s just take a break”

“We’ve already taken 2 breaks. Here, I started the first step for you, now remember what we did for question 6, it’s basically the same thing” the boy hands her the sheet of paper.

“Yeo I appreciate your help but maybe this is a sign from god that I should just give up on Math” the girl slouches on her seat kicking her feet.

“Math isn’t that hard, you just need to focus. Now come on we still have 5 pages left.”

“5 PAGES!? I might as well throw myself off the window”

“If you finish this in the next hour” he leans in close to her ear “I might give you a kiss” he leans back to his chair with a smug look on his face.

You’d think the girl wore face paint on her face from the deep red that was now formed. Without a word she picks up a pencil and writes away on her paper.

“Damn you Yeosang”

Some people get frustrated with slow walkers in front of them, slow drivers or even someone talking way too calmly, but the way Yeosang is working the typewriter makes you want to snatch it from him and do the job yourself.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to write the letter for you?”

“It’s fine I got this” he continues on with his slow pace.

“Who are you writing that letter to anyway?”

“Just someone”

“Who is just someone?”

“A person I know”

“Who is this person you know?”

“You don’t know them”

“Pleaseee Yeooo~” you lean in closer to him “I’ll give you a kiss if you tell me who” you giggle remembering his little tactic he used to use on you in school.

“Mmmm I’ll think about it” you huff in frustration and he laughs.

He laughs.

Your worries of losing the boy you loved dearly completely vanished as you finally see that innocent boy back. His laugh sounded like the doorbell of a childhood house, where kids would run to see if daddy is home. The last bell ring at school, when kids ran home to show mommy what they drew. The sound of the ice cream truck song amplifying as it rolled up from down the street. The clicking sound of riding your first bike, parents cheering in the background for balancing without training wheels.

He sounded like childhood and you felt like a child again.

In what felt like forever, Yeosang finished his letter. Sealing the paper into an envelope ready to be read by this mystery person you so badly wanted to know.

“Okay I’ll take it and make sure to send it out. Make sure to write the address.” you reach your hand out but he doesn't move.

“Oh no I want to keep it”

“What?”

“I want to keep the letter.”

“What do you mean? Don’t you want to send it to that person?”

“Not yet.”

“We can withhold it and send it at any given time you want”

“It’s fine, I’ll send it myself”

Him protecting this letter made you even more curious as to who it was for. Surely he didn’t just write something for fun. Who was this friend? Was it a girl? Or possibly a lover? Surely not. Especially not when he almost just kissed you a while ago.

He promised. You’re just overthinking. Right?

It was your last day with the soldiers. You only had a couple of letters to finish and by nightfall you and the girls were set off to travel back home. Absolute no bone in your body wanted to go back home. This meant being separated from Yeosang again and you weren’t ready to let him go yet, you only just reunited with him.

“Y/N, you have a visitor waiting” Maya points to the door, only to see Yeosang waiting for you.

“I have a few more letters to write th-” you’re shushed by Maya when she lightly shoves you out of the room “Don’t worry, we got this, you go enjoy your last moments with lover boy” she whispers the last part although Yeosang surely heard judging by the way he looked away.

“Ooo he’s a shy lover boy too” Maya says before closing the door, you can still hear her giggles through the wall as you’re now left alone with Yeosang.

“Shall we go?” he quietly says.

“Yeah, where are we going?”

“You’ll see”

The two of you slowly walk side by side, occasionally bumping the sides of your arms. There isn’t much talking but the silence is comfortable. Almost too comfortable that you forget this is the last time you get to examine his features before the final goodbye for god knows how long it will be again.

You’re snapped out of your thoughts when Yeosang hands you a big white flower, a snow rose. “This is the snow rose I told you about” he said with a smile gently handing it over to you.

“Yeos-”

“Marry me Y/N”

What.

Time stops for a second. A long second. Even the birds stop chirping and the wind halts. You aren’t sure what just happened but your heart knows for sure that it’s a big deal as it beats so hard, destined to break out of you and reach his own, intertwining with his and merging into one.

“What did you say?” you mutter quietly.

In contrast with your tone, Yeosang is confident. His chin is up high, shoulders back and there's a look in his eyes that show no sign of hesitation.

“I want you to marry me Y/N” he takes a step closer, and another, and another, till you’re now backed up into the rough surface of a tree.

“I’m going to make this work, I’ll find a way to leave this place if I have to but Y/N, I can’t let you go again.” he cups your face gently and swipes his thumb across your cheek “I’m done keeping promises and making you wait, I want to be with you Y/N, only you” he rests his forehead against yours.

“Come home to me Yeosang” you breathe onto his lips before locking them together.

Your lips dance together so full of passion and need it almost feels as if your bodies are intertwining into one. You feel his small smile through the kiss as you deepen it, locking your hands in his hair while his explores the sides of your body.

Cold air hits your belly as he lifts up your shirt to slide his hand against your skin, caressing your chest. If you weren’t so lost in the kiss you would have noticed that he was practically spelling his name across your chest with his hand movements.

Remembering that you both need to breathe, he’s the first to break the kiss. You’re both a panting mess but he manages you let out a chuckle “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Yes in every language Yeosang. I will marry you” you smile out taking in his lips once again.

You asked for a rose, but Yeosang gave you a whole garden.

Two years later

“Tell me Cupid, what should I tell her? I’m so scared. What if she’s waiting for another man?” the man from across you says, blowing his nose into his now 8th tissue in the past 10 minutes.

“Sir Walker, you clearly love her right?”

“Yes! Oh heavens more than anything, I-I’d kill for her, I’d crawl on my knees for he-” he sighs taking a breath “I don’t imagine a life without her”

“Then fight for her” you say softly.

“She’s lands away from me Cupid! How will I be a man to her if I cant even reach for her?”

“Make that happen. You said you would kill and crawl for her. Put actions to your words Sir Walker and show her you love her. You are living in the same lifetime, right here, right now, don’t regret your choices and lose her. She needs to see you fight for her”

The man breaks down but looks up at you again, composing himself before saying “Have you experienced love Cupid?”

“Everyone experiences love. If not now, one day, just as you wait for love, there is another person waiting for the same. Everyone has someone awaiting them” you softly smile.

“I’ll do it. Tell her I’m coming to get her. I’m not sure when but from today onwards, she will be my focus” the man lets out a broken smile. Broken yet mendable.

“She will be waiting for you Sir Walker” you say before typing away, a paragraph that awaits a new chapter for the couple.

Your night ends with that heartfelt love story. You hope the best for the couple and your heart nearly breaks with his as you also can’t help but think about your person you are waiting for.

The weather outside is mean. Almost in hopes of drowning man in its rage. The thunder roars and you’re left counting sheep in your head- something you’ve been doing ever since you were a kid to calm down.

As you’re walking out of the building Jia calls you from behind “Y/N you have a letter!”

She runs up to you and hands you the letter. “Who is this from?” you ask as you’ve never received a letter before.

“Hm not sure” she looks into a room, clearly distracted by something, or someone as you look at the direction only to see the famous mailman who has been working here years before you joined the company- Tony.

“Um yea I’ll see you tomorrow Y/N I gotta go, bye! Let me know who that letter is from!” she says from a distance practically skipping her way to Tony,

You don't get the chance to even reply to her before she's gone. You look at the letter and there is no address to indicate where it was sent from, which could only mean this letter must have been dropped off by the sender here at the company.

You walk out the building, still sheltered from the awning covering you. Your steps are heavy, unable to move.

It's fine Y/N let's take this slow you thought to yourself deciding to just stand there for a while before making your way home.

You curiously open the letter and start reading it;

Dear Y/N,

How are you? I am writing this letter to you while you are right next to me. I hope you’re not mad about almost kissing you and asking to write a letter instead. It’s just that I wanted to capture my feelings towards you at this given moment, so we can hopefully both look back at this letter.

You asked me if I liked it here. I don’t. I hate the feeling of knowing every movement I make can be my last, and that I won’t be able to say my final goodbye to you. I hate that I go to sleep at night, responsible for another lost man from his lover. I wish I could be able to come home from work and tell you about my day. But what can I tell you? About how many screams I heard? How bloody my hands are after every battle?

You asked me if I think about you. My answer is yes. Painfully yes. I always think about what you could be doing at any time. If you found yourself love. I worry everytime it rains, do you have anyone to hold your hand during thunderstorms? I force myself to repeat your voice in my head because I’m so afraid of forgetting what you sound like. I always remember about the day I took you to the flower field. You looked so beautiful in that moment. So everytime I find a flower, I make sure to stop and admire it, pretending it’s you. Because to me, you are far more beautiful than any flower out there.

I will come home to you Y/N. I promised I would be there. I promised to hold your hand. And I will fulfil my promises, even if it means fighting for my life.

Wait for me my love.

Love,

Yeosang.

“Damn you Yeosang” you chuckled out, a crack in your voice causing tears to slip out. You look up to the sight of the man in reason for these tears. He’s still wearing his uniform, hat covering half his face. He seems to have gotten bigger in physique too. He drops his hat and you smile widely at the sight of his birthmark, now holding smiling eyes.

“It’s raining” he said, reaching out a hand “I’m here to hold your hand.”

You completely ignore the extended hand and crash your body into his for a tight hug. An embrace with no chance of him slipping out.

“You came home” you said into his chest.

“I came to stay”

“And to hold my hand”

“And to hold your hand” he laughs out.

Yeosang was your childhood. Yeosang is your home.

147 notes · View notes

i-luvsang · 4 months

Text

boyfriend headcanons — kang yeosang

pairing : yeosang x gn!reader ➖⟢ genres : fluff!!!➖⟢ cw : unedited, food mentions, you can tell he's my ult heh ➖⟢ wc : 0.5K

⟢ he’s a quiet lover, in the sense that he just slips his hand into yours without a word, a small smile on his face when you turn your head to look at him

⟢ he tries to let his actions speak for the way his heart feels, though he still does his best to voice his love for you, even when it makes him shy on occasion

⟢ and in his quietness, he pays so much attention

⟢ he knows exactly what you need, be it a few sweet words or a kiss to your cheek that makes him smile to himself and blush at the same time

⟢ he knows when you need a cup of water or a drink from one of your favorite cafes, and exactly which drink you want from each place

⟢ he figures out what you want for you birthday just through quiet observations, and he often writes things down in his notes because he can be forgetful sometimes

⟢ yeosang, in his quiet love, makes you feel so seen

⟢ the way his eyes light up when he sees you after a long day or when he places the call for takeout food because he can tell that a phone call would make you more anxious than normal that day

⟢ it’s true that he’s shy sometimes, particularly at the beginning of a relationship, but over time, he becomes very comfortable with you, especially in private

⟢ that’s when he allows himself to get a bit sappy, pouting if you don’t sit close enough on the couch or whispering that he loves you when you carry out a simple habit he finds cute

⟢ so, he does love to have dates in your home, ordering in food or botching up simple recipes in the kitchen (or both when the latter fails)

⟢ he loves to do little crafts with you, giggling about silly mistakes or misshapen products

⟢ he loves this at home of course, but would certainly love going to craft cafes too; he loves having physical things that represent memories with you

⟢ yeosang also loves being in a relationship where you’re both consciously taking care of each other

⟢ he likes to feel like he’s succeeding at caring for and protecting someone else, and he definitely wants to feel like that person is doing that for him too

⟢ so while he’s quiet as a lover, sometimes even subtle, so that people who aren’t close to you two can misunderstand him to be cold, he’s very purposeful, and very earnest

⟢ to him, it’s very important that he understands you as fully and deeply as he can, and that you do the same for him

⟢ even if he’s shy, he cares about you a lot and is very intent on doing everything he can to have a healthy and incredibly loving relationship

296 notes · View notes

bro-atz · 2 months

Text

miscommunication [trope — yeosang]

inspired by: friends — sitcom

word count: 2.1k

content: angst, smut, miscommunication, bedroom sex, (unintentional) infidelity, unprotected sex (pls remember to wrap up irl!), completely consensual (sex)!

trope masterlist

You were waiting for Yeosang at the restaurant. You both agreed on the time and the place earlier in the week, and yet, he was still late. He was always late. The only time you ever saw him on time was the very first date you went on with him, and he was early for that because he was nervous. Now? Now he was late.

If it was only by ten or fifteen minutes, you would’ve been okay with it. However, it was never just ten or fifteen minutes. It was hours. Once, he kept you waiting at home with a home-cooked meal you put your back into for three hours. The worst part was that he always had an excuse, and his excuses were legitimate. Honestly, you wondered why you were still torturing yourself with the guy, but then the second you saw his face, the second he showed you the love that you oh so desired, you forgave him. Just like that.

This time, however, you were not going to do that. You were going to let him have it, and you were going to end it.

“Yeosang… You did it again," you uttered the second Yeosang arrived wheezing and panting.

“I’m sorry, baby. I really am,” Yeosang apologized earnestly. “I just forgot that we switched the location, and then time got away from me—”

“How many times will you use that excuse?! This is the third time this month! And I even texted you this morning to confirm, and you replied saying that you got it, so what the fuck?!”

You slammed your hand down on the table and got up. Yeosang grabbed your arm, but you snatched it away immediately and stormed out of the restaurant. He followed behind you shortly, and he walked behind you as you continued to walk away. Unfortunately for you, the light turned red, and you were stuck at the intersection, allowing him to catch up and pull you into a tight hug.

“Yeosang, let go of me,” you said as you fought to get out of his ridiculously strong arms.

“No, I’m not going to,” Yeosang responded, his embrace tightening. “Baby, I’m seriously sorry. You know I’m just really bad with these things—”

“You say that all the time, and nothing’s ever changed!”

“Let me make it up to you.”

“How are you going to do that this time?”

“Move in with me.”

Your eyes widened. You leaned away from him and looked into his eyes, yours darting back and forth as you tried to make sense of the situation. He seemed to be very serious about his proposition, and the thought of moving in with a boyfriend, not going to lie, scared the complete shit out of you.

“Or, if that’s too daunting,” Yeosang quickly added. “I want you to have a key to my place, and you can stay whenever, sleepover whenever— I just want you to know how serious I am about you. Please, baby.”

“Yeosang, one of these days, you either need to get it together, or this isn’t going to last,” you warned him.

“I know. I will. I’m sorry. Please.”

You knew that it wasn’t going to be so simple, that Kang Yeosang was incapable of changing so easily, but you loved him. You were going to make it work, right?

“Alright.”

The two of you went back to his place so he could give you the set of spare keys, but that never happened. Instead, the second you got there, Yeosang pinned you against the front door and kissed you passionately. Both of his hands cupped your cheeks, his palms resting on your cheeks while his fingers supported your neck. He was kissing you earnestly, as if he was trying to prove his love.

His hands worked on getting your clothes off as the two of you remained in the foyer, his impatience getting the better of him. He traced his hands over your bare shoulders and down your arms, the feeling of his hands alone enough to cover your entire body in goosebumps, the sound of your mingled gasps and breaths adding to the effect.

You were completely stripped down to nothing when Yeosang turned you around and pressed you against the door, his hand tracing the curve of your waist before grabbing your ass cheek tightly and pulling up on it, the intensity turning you on quickly. He continued to grope your ass and used his other hand to play with your breast while his mouth planted on your neck and left little pink marks scattered along the side of your neck and on your shoulder.

When he turned your face, he kissed you passionately again, completely distracting you as he, too, stripped down. He slipped his hand down to your neck, and his other hand began stroking your cunt, the tips of his fingers teasing you by scratching in lightly. You shared soft, breathless moans that melted into your endless kisses, the sound enough to turn you on so much that the second Yeosang’s finger brushed past your clit, you felt your insides clench, your eyes rolling to the back of your head as you came.

Without giving you so much as a moment to prepare, Yeosang slid his cock into you, making you moan so loudly that it echoed in the foyer hall, overpowering the loud smack of his waist against your ass.

“Yeo—” you calling his name got cut short when he rutted into you suddenly, his thrusts short and sporadic. “Yeosang… N-Not here…”

You were honestly waiting for a verbal confirmation from the man. Instead, he quietly pulled out and turned you so that your back was pressing against the door. He stuffed you full with his cock again, a muffled cry leaving your pressed lips. You were honestly so worried that he was going to fuck you into the door, letting his neighbors hear every single thing the two of you were doing, but instead, he cupped the underside of your thighs and lifted you.

Your legs were wrapped tightly around his waist as he walked you into his bedroom, his cock still deep inside you. He brought his head up and connected your lips with his again, his tongue teasing yours. When he got to his room, you thought he was going to drop you on the bed. Instead, he remained carrying you, his ridiculously strong arms lifting you and dropping you quickly on his cock, the sheer speed and impact making stars appear in your eyes.

“Ah— Yeosang! P-Please don’t drop me,” you begged as you clung to him tightly, your nails digging into his back muscles as you pressed your head into the his collarbone.

“Don’t worry, baby. I’ve got you,” Yeosang uttered, his lips by your ear.

You continued to moan as Yeosang moved you even more forcefully, the slapping of his waist to your ass reverberating in the room. You felt like you were starting to slip, making you hug the man tighter. Not only did your arms get tighter, but so did your walls, his dick feeling the intensity of your clench. Yeosang’s breathing hitched, and he let out a low groan as he came. He held you in place and let his cock twitch inside you, his cum just filling up to the point where it was leaking out of your cunt and onto the area rug in his room.

After he had cum completely and started going soft in you, Yeosang moved you to the bed. He pinned you down and gazed at your face with love and affection as you blinked the tears away from your eyes. He tucked a stray piece of your hair behind your ear and kissed your temple softly, his eyelashes fluttering against your skin and tickling you.

“I promise, baby,” he whispered, his low voice making your knees tremble. “I’m going to make it up to you all night tonight.

“I cannot fucking believe this, Kang Yeosang!”

You were screaming at the top of your lungs as you stormed around your apartment, your boyfriend’s eyes following your every movement.

“Y/N, I said I was sorry—”

“You keep fucking saying you’re sorry, and I keep fucking falling for it! Just stop apologizing, and just say that you don’t love me anymore, Yeosang!”

“You know that’s not it—”

“No, but it is because you do this to me every single time without fail!” You slammed your hands down on the kitchen countertop and kept your head down, tears threatening to slip out of your eyes. You sniffled and wiped your tears before yelling with a wavering voice, “How can you fucking forget Valentine’s Day of all days?!”

“It just… It just slipped my mind.”

“Right. Because the day that is literally the national sex day is something that can slip out of your goddamn head.”

“Well, yeah!”

“Yeosang, there are hearts and flowers and reds and pinks in every single fucking store, every single street and alley, and I even asked you about it yesterday!”

“Y/N, I’m sorry, okay! But what should I do about it now? Also,” Yeosang shoved his arm forward, revealing the big bouquet of flowers he got you for the holiday. “I did get you flowers! All I did was forget to book a table at the restaurant, and I definitely did not forget that it’s Valentine’s Day— I’m saying that the reservation slipped my mind!”

“I asked you about it yesterday. You didn’t think to tell me yester-fucking-day?!”

“I am sorry! What more do you want from me! I can’t undo the entire day and restart! We’ll just do it properly next year!”

“Next year?” your heart sank, and your tone dropped. “You seriously… You seriously think there will be a next year, Yeosang?”

Yeosang’s mouth was open, but not a sound came out. He wanted to say something. He really wanted to say yes, that there would be a next year, but based off the way you said it, he wasn’t sure.

“I think… We need a break.”

“A… Break?”

“Let’s take a break,” you said. Let’s take a break— as if you were Ross and Rachel. “Let’s take a break.”

How long are breaks supposed to last, anyway? It had been weeks since you spoke to him. You wondered if he expected you to reach to him, but there was no way you were going to because it was his fault. He should apologize to you and come crawling back to you, right?

So then why the fuck was he sitting in a café across from another girl who was clearly laughing and flirting with him? What was supposed to be a detoxing shopping trip quickly turned into high anxiety and stress the second you saw him sitting there, the biggest smile on his face as he let that girl touch him so familiarly, and it took everything in you to keep from storming in and grabbing that bitch by her hair.

Well, you stormed in, but you didn’t grab her by her hair. Instead, you stood right before him, your eyebrows knitted together as you stared at the situation in complete confusion.

“Y/N?” Yeosang sounded surprised to see you— not shocked or worried; simply surprised.

“What the fuck is this?”

“What do you mean?”

“This!” you pointed at the girl. “Who the fuck is this?!”

“A girl I’ve been seeing—”

“What do you mean a girl you’ve been seeing?! Why have you been seeing someone?! What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

Patrons of the café were definitely staring, and while you would’ve been embarrassed normally, you were too fucking pissed to give a shit about who saw your dirty laundry.

“What do you mean?” Yeosang stood up, the two of you locking eyes. Without so much as even a stutter, Yeosang continued, “Because we broke up, remember?!”

“What the fuck?! I said let’s take a break, Yeosang! I just needed time for myself!” You were damn near tears and were barely able to choke out, “I never wanted to break up with you!”

That was the thing. You never wanted to break up with him; but, seeing him in the café with another girl just a mere couple of weeks after declaring you needed a break, seeing him move on so fast without even bothering to check on you, without even thinking he should clarify what the status of your relationship with him was, was enough to show you how he really cared. You weren’t going to fight for him, you weren’t going to beg for him to come back, and you certainly were not going to just let him be without a final confirmation. You grabbed one of the drinks from his table and poured it on his head, the man gasping and hunching his shoulders in shock as the coffee trickled down his face and absorbed into his clothes.

“Consider yourself dumped, Kang Yeosang,” you bit out. “We’re definitely broken up now.”

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kwanisms · 10 months

Text

The Library of Illusion — The Woodland Guard

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➮ elven guard!Yeosang × fem!Reader wc: 6.9k summary: Of all the places the fantasy section could have taken her, Y/N ends up deep in a dense woodland. While traversing through the trees, she sets off a silent alarm and alerts the Woodland Guard who take her back to their tree house village where she learns they are in the midst of a week-long celebration. Though she's not allowed to join in the festivities, she finds her own fun when an elven guard named Yeosang takes over guarding her cell. genres/themes/au: angst, slight fluff, smut; fantasy, high fantasy; non idol au, elven au warnings: adult dialogue, female reader, sexual content (18+ mdni), see smut warnings under the cut!

permanent taglist: @yoonguurt @wonderfulshinee @candidupped @dejavernon @violagoth @tigermoonbiss @katsukis1wife @luvsooby @thesolarplanetarysystem @salty-for-suga @devilsmatches @dmnspiit @simeonswhore @yangracha @seonghwalover @atinypurr @aikyubi @labyrinthonmymind @bintificreads @toxic-babexe

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special tags: @thelargefrye @hwasangelbaby join my taglists! Strikethrough means I cannot tag you. MINORS WILL BE BLACKLISTED & BLOCKED.

a/n: sorry for this being late, I took an impromptu trip out of town and wasn't really able to focus on writing but I'm back hoke and ready to write again! I really like how this turned out. Initially, I hadn't planned on putting Y/N in a cell. She was originally going to join thr party but I like this direction better. Thank you so much for reading and as always, this is a work of fiction and all characters are not reflective of their respective irl counterparts. for entertainment purposes only. Header and banners made by me. Content and reblog banners made by my with a template made by @cafekitsune. I do not allow reposts, translations, or continuations of my works. All my writings are ©️ kwanisms.

smut warnings: fingering (f receiving), edging (f receiving), rough sex, unprotected sex (wrap it), use of pet names (baby, angel, sweetheart, princess, etc), unrealistic sex (multiple rounds, multiple f orgasms), dirty talk, dacryphilia, overstimulation, cumplay (Yeosang cums on her pussy & pushes some of it inside), and I believe that's all of them! Let me know if I missed anything.

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“You have to hurry.”

You pushed yourself up off the desk. “What are you talking about?” You asked softly, watching the way Seonghwa hesitated before turning to look at you.

“There isn’t much time left,” Seonghwa said again. “Not much time left for what?” you asked. “I didn’t think you’d take this long to get through the guardians,” Seonghwa started to explain. “You only have a small window to escape this place,” he added.

“A small window? What does that mean?” you asked again.

Seonghwa sighed, shaking his head. “From the moment you step foot into the Library, you’ve had exactly three days to get out,” Seonghwa continued, holding a hand up when he noticed you opening your mouth. “It’s been just over a day and a half since you entered this place,” he added.

‘A day and a half?’ you asked yourself. ‘How could it have been only a day and a half?’

“How?” you whispered. “How has it been only a day and a half?”

Seonghwa must have been waiting for this question.

“Time moves slowly once you enter the sections,” he explained. “Time in there progresses as normal but out here, it slows down. Almost to a crawl.”

You tried to wrap your brain around what he was saying.

“Like… a time vortex?”

Seonghwa nodded. “Exactly,” he replied. “Like a time vortex. You enter a section and time out here almost freezes until you return,” he added.

You looked around as you absorbed his words before an idea popped into your head.

“What about you?”

Seonghwa, who had turned away, turned back to look at you. “What about me?”

You gestured to him. “When time slows down here,” you started. “Does that mean you slow down too?”

A small smirk spread across Seonghwa’s face. ‘Uh-oh.’

“No,” he answered plainly. “I’m not a mortal. I’m not bound to your mortal time constraints. I can move about as freely as if time hadn't slowed down.”

You nodded quickly. “Right,” you answered. “I keep forgetting you aren’t human.”

The smirk on Seonghwa’s face spread. “If you keep forgetting, you’ll come to regret it.”

You looked up quickly to meet his gaze, his eyes flashing the same red color as they had before. There was something inherently dangerous about him but you couldn’t quite put your finger on it.

“We’re wasting time,” Seonghwa said suddenly, turning away from you. “You have two doors left to choose from,” he explained. “Fantasy and adventure,” he continued before turning to look at you over his shoulder.

“Which do you want to visit first?”

Pondering on it for a brief moment, you settled on visiting the fantasy section first, looking up at the glowing purple sign above the door as Seonghwa moved to unlock it.

Turning the knob, Seonghwa opened the door for you. “Fantasy isn’t all fairytales and happy endings,” he started to say as you walked past him, stopping when he reached out to grab your arm.

You looked up to meet his gaze once more, the red gone and replaced with the usual blackness of his eyes you’d grown accustomed to.

“Fantasy is sometimes just as dark, if not more, dark than horror.”

His words were meant to be a warning but you couldn’t help smiling at him.

“I’ve faced aliens, spider monsters, bloodthirsty advisors, and criminals,” you explained. “I think I can handle what’s in here.”

Seonghwa hesitantly let go of your arm. “Just take care and tread with caution.”

You nodded and continued into the hall, not bothering to turn back as you heard the soft click of the door shutting behind you.

The dark and dusty aisle was lined with the usual wooden shelves full of books and papers as you walked, pulling your flashlight out to turn it on. The light barely illuminated the path before you but as you walked, you noticed the moment the wood started to disappear into damp soil.

‘Another cave?’

Continuing on, you noticed how the shape of the hall had become circular, the walls now packed soil as you kept walking, kicking small rocks and bits of dirt.

You noticed that the floor started sloping upwards and soon, you could see light filtering in where the tunnel seemed to turn upwards, almost like a—

“Is this a burrow?” you asked no one in particular. It seemed to fit the criteria and you suddenly were afraid of what kind of animal lived in this burrow.

Upon reaching the end of the tunnel, you glanced up and noticed the light peeking in from what you could only assume was the opening of the tunnel. You started to climb, grabbing onto roots sticking out of the dirt.

Climbing and clawing your way up the side of the tunnel, you got closer and closer to the opening until you finally pulled yourself out of the opening, blinking in the bright light of the sun filtering through the tops of the trees.

As your eyes adjusted to the light, you looked around, noticing that you were in some sort of forest.

Unlike the dense jungle of the Science Fiction section, this was an ancient forest with twisted trees, thick brush that sprung up out of the leaf littered ground. The trees were old with many roots that dug into the ground and disappeared.

Getting up, you glanced back and saw you had crawled out of a gap between the roots at the base of a massive tree with a gnarled and bent trunk. The tree extended up into the sky above you, the branches spreading out to cover the area with a massive canopy of leaves.

Sunlight filtered through the canopy as a breeze caused the leaves to sway and dance. Tearing your gaze away from the treetops, you peered around the area once more, wondering which way you should go.

Deciding it would be best to start forward, you did just that, scrambling over roots, broken branches, and half buried boulders as you looked for any sign of life or the key.

Continuing on your way, you came across a deep cut in the forest floor where a river raged a good 20 feet below. Glancing back and forth, you noticed a massive fallen log serving as a natural bridge and made your way over to it. The center of the log had been hollowed out, creating almost a covered bridge.

Each step took you further and further from the rabbit hole you’d emerged from and deeper into the thick forest.

As you walked, you could hear the sound of nature all around you. Bird song and the sound of bugs. Even the deep croak of frogs could be heard as you stumbled along. As you looked around instead of ahead, the toe of your boot caught on a stone and you tripped, stumbling into a tree trunk which you used to steady yourself and find your footing again.

“Way to go, grace,” you mumbled to yourself. “Walk much?”

Looking down, you noticed your clothes were covered in dirt, no doubt from the climb up the tunnel and you quickly brushed yourself off.

Once you were satisfied you’d knocked most of the dirt loose, you continued down an unmarked path, a strong breeze blowing overhead, the branches swaying and creaking above you as you stopped to look up.

The air seemed to change and even some of the sounds of the forest ceased. ‘Oh god,’ you said to yourself. ‘Not again.’

As you came to a halt, you listened closely for the sound of anything you hadn’t heard before. Hearing nothing, you decided to continue on but stopped once again when you heard a loud snap followed by a light thundering sound.

Looking up, you jumped back just in time as a dark shape dropped from a tree above you, landing on the ground before you and standing straight up. Your eyes widened as you looked at the figure, which was joined by two more, surrounding you on three sides, trapping you.

Your heart hammered as you looked around at them, taking in their features. Stoic expressions, unparalleled beauty and… wait, are those pointed ears?

‘Are they… elves?’

Your question was answered when one of the figures turned his head to speak to the person next to him, showcasing his pointed ears. ‘Yep. That’s an elf alright.’

You watched as they spoke amongst themselves in a language you couldn’t pick up. It was unlike anything you’d heard but at the same time, it sounded very familiar. ‘Is that elvish?’

You watched in awe as they spoke with one another before one of the elves turned to look at you. The elves before you were all beautiful of course, but there was something about this elf in particular that seemed to take your breath away.

He was more beautiful than the others. He had silky black hair that fell in soft waves, barely reaching his shoulders. His eyes were dark brown and despite the piercing stare he gave you, his eyes were soft.

“Who are you?” A different elf, one with blond locks, asked suddenly. You were surprised as you shifted your attention to look at him. “I’m just passing through,” you answered. “I got lost in this forest.”

One of the elves, a brunet with long straight hair, exchanged glances with the blond but the one with black hair kept his eyes on you. “We should just get rid of her,” the blond said softly but still loud enough for you to hear.

‘Get rid of me?’

The brunet shook his head. “Can we even do that without orders?” The blond shrugged his shoulders. “Who cares? She’s just a dumb mortal.”

The raven haired elf finally spoke up and you could have sworn you died and went to heaven. He sounded like an angel.

“No,” he replied softly. “We must take her back.”

The blond groaned, clearly annoyed. “You’re such a killjoy, Yeosang.”

You watched as the whispered amongst themselves before finally turning to look at you. “Can you walk?” the one named Yeosang asked. You nodded silently. “Oh great, she’s mute,” the blond said, rolling his eyes. You furrowed your brow.

“I am not mute,” you snapped back, surprising both the blond and brunet elves.

Yeosang smiled. “That will teach you to rush to conclusions Paeral,” he said, a hint of amusement to his voice. The blond looked annoyed but said nothing. “Since you insist we must take her back, we better get going.”

Yeosang nodded as the other two elves started walking ahead. Yeosang escorted you as more elves brought up the rear. “What is your name?” Yeosang asked as you were led to a stone pathway.

“Y/N,” you replied, scrambling over a massive root and following the path behind the brunet elf. “It’s nice to meet you, Y/N,” Yeosang said as he followed closely behind you. “I am Yeosang.”

The walk to the elves home didn’t take long and you were surprised by how close to their kingdom you had been before. Yeosang stayed behind you the entire time, more than once reaching out to steady you as you lost your footing on the uneven path.

“You are not the most graceful,” he noted with a chuckle as he helped you stand once more after you tripped over a stone path piece. You shook your head. “Normally I’m not this clumsy,” you replied. “I swear.”

The walk led you to a large wall made of trees and thick shrubs, standing at least 10 feet tall. A gateway in the trees opened up and you were escorted inside, your head turning every which way to try and see everything you could.

The gates were closed behind and you were suddenly left feeling nervous about your surroundings. You’d been brought to a man of power before though that had been a lord and not a king.

The blond and brunet elves led the way to the base of a thick tree where a spiral staircase began, winding around the trunk of the tree and climbing up. You followed them up, Yeosang bringing up the rear as you climbed higher and higher into the treetops.

The stairs finally stopped, a wooden landing that connected to a wooden rope bridge and led to another walkway. You looked around as you walked, noticing how there was an entire community of wooden walkways and what looked to be treehouses in the canopy.

You continued on, walking from walkway to walkway until you were being led to the largest treehouse, looking up at it with a mixture of apprehension and fear. Inside, you barely had time to adjust to the low lighting and register the interior before you were being led to a pair of elves who sat in ornately carved wooden chairs which you correctly assumed were thrones.

The King and Queen watched you with mild curiosity as the elves leading you knelt down, showing their respect. Feeling like you were sticking out, you bowed quickly, not entirely sure how you were supposed to act.

The bow must have been well received because the king began asking you all sorts of questions, ranging from asking your name and where you came from to how you found yourself in the forest.

You tried to explain everything to the best of your ability without sounding completely insane, opting to leave out the Library of Illusion altogether. Whether or not the King and Queen bought your story was another thing entirely.

“It’s an incredible story to be certain,” the King said, turning his head to look at his Queen who said nothing, merely nodding her head. “Incredible indeed,” she added. “And I don’t believe she is a spy.”

You relaxed slightly, glad they didn’t see you as a spy or a threat. “Still, to be safe, she will be imprisoned for the time being.”

‘Well shit.’

True to their word, the King and Queen had you imprisoned in one of the many treehouse cells. The brunet elf, who you learned was named Falenas, was assigned to keep watch over your cell.

After being led from the King and Queen’s treehouse, you noticed that far below you in the lower treehouses, as well as on the forest floor, a party seemed to be taking place. It took some convincing but finally, you got it out of Falenas.

You sat on the edge of the bed, head in your hands when you heard a voice and looked up.

Through the bars of your cell, which was really just a single room treehouse far from the others, you could see Yeosang speaking to Falenas. After speaking for a small moment, the brunet looked back at you through the bars before turning back to Yeosang and nodded.

You watched as he took off and disappeared while Yeosang take his place.

‘What is happening?’

You got up slowly and walked over to the door. Taking the wooden bars in your hands you leaned against the door and peered out to see Yeosang now sitting in the seat previously occupied by Falenas.

You let out a heavy sigh, drawing his attention. “What are you doing here?” you asked softly, looking at him. “I let him go join the feast,” Yeosang answered softly, turning back to what he was working on when you interrupted him.

“Don’t you want to join the festivities?”

You heard him scoff. “No,” he answered. “I don’t really care for parties.”

You watched him as he stood still, looking away from your door. “Parties aren’t that bad,” you murmured. Yeosang glanced back at you. “I find them dull,” he explained. “An excuse to get drunk and make a fool of oneself.”

You snorted, shaking your head.

Yeosang turned to look back at you. “What’s so funny?”

You looked up, meeting his gaze. “Have you ever been to a party?”

He nodded, looking mildly confused. “You must just be boring,” you said with a shrug. Yeosang scowled. “I am not boring,” he answered. You raised a brow at him. “Not boring, huh?” you asked, leaning against the door, pressing your chest against the bars.

You noticed the way Yeosang’s eyes darted down to look at your chest before back up to your eyes. Had you blinked, you would have missed it.

But you didn’t. ‘Interesting.’

“Can you prove it?”

Your question must have caught him off guard because he blinked at you expressionlessly. “Prove what?” he asked. You rolled your eyes. “Prove you aren’t boring,” you replied. “Pay attention, Yeosang,” you added playfully.

His cheeks turned a soft pink and he turned to look away again. “I have no reason to prove anything to you.”

You sighed heavily. “See? Booorrring~,” you retorted, pretending to yawn. Yeosang looked back at you. “How am I supposed to prove I’m not boring?” he asked, turning to face you, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the outside of your cell.

“Do something unexpected,” you answered. “Something you’d never normally do.” Yeosang watched you, eyes narrowing as he contemplated his options.

He was right, he really had no reason to prove anything to you. He didn’t know you and you didn’t know him. He could just ignore you until the end of time.

Then why did he feel so compelled to prove you wrong? Why did he feel the need to show you he wasn’t boring in the slightest. ‘I can have fun if I want,’ he thought to himself. Eyeing you, Yeosang sighed, pushing himself up from the wall of the cell and pulled the keys from his pocket.

“Get back,” he ordered, taking enjoyment in the shocked look on your face at the sudden gruffness of his voice. “Yes, sir,” you said softly, stepping back a few paces and watching as he unlocked the door and pushed it open.

“Uh, I don’t think you’re supposed to be in here,” you said, fighting the urge to smirk as Yeosang looked at you. “They won’t care,” he answered, shutting the door and hanging the keys by the door. “Just don’t make a dash for the door. I’m putting a lot of trust in you right now.”

Sitting down, you leaned back against the mattress as he walked over. “Wouldn’t dream of it,” you whispered as the raven-haired elf slowly climbed onto the bed, hovering over you. “I sense you’re being sarcastic,” he said softly. You shook your head.

“No,” you replied. “I’m really not.” Not giving him a chance to reply, you reached up, grabbing the back of his neck and pulled him down, pressing your lips against his. Almost as soon as his lips met yours, his hands were on your body, pulling at your clothes gently.

Your back hit the mattress as he kneeled between your thighs.

“What is this?” he asked, inspecting your shorts. You propped yourself up on your elbows. He was running his thumb over the metal of your zipper. “It’s a zipper,” you explained, causing him to look up at you. “A what?”

“A zipper,” you repeated. “We call it that ‘cause it makes a sound like ‘zip’ when you tug the little pull up or down,” you explained, showing him the little metal zipper pull.

Yeosang leaned over you, forcing you back as his hands made quick work of your shorts, undoing the button and zipper. “For never having seen a zipper before,” you said breathlessly as his lips moved down the side of your neck. “You sure seem to know how they work.”

Yeosang snorted but continued to kiss and nip at the skin of your throat.

His hands pushed your shorts down, groaning when he saw you weren’t wearing anything underneath. “Is it customary for your people to not wear undergarments?” he asked, one hand moving up the inside of your thigh.

“I just forgot them,” you breathed. “Normally I wear them though.”

Yeosang smiled as he moved back to kiss you, lips hovering inches from yours.

“Lucky me,” he murmured before taking you in a messy, rough kiss.

You let out a whimper as you felt his fingers find your clit with expert precision, drawing slow but hard circles against the nub. “Spread your legs,” he mumbled against your lips.

You did as he instructed, spreading your thighs further apart. “And keep them there,” he added in a deep, gruff voice, fingers moving down to tease your entrance. Your hips chased his fingers as he pulled them away.

“Patience,” he muttered when you whined in protest. His fingers were back on your clit, dragging out slow, torturous motions as he watched your face, brow furrowing and your bottom lip being pulled between your teeth.

“There’s no one around us,” he whispered, tips of his fingers dancing back down to your entrance, spreading your wetness. “Let me hear you,” he added.

You let out a long sigh as his fingers sank into your aching core, exploring your velvety walls and curling against the soft gummy spot that had your back arching with each pull.

“That’s it,” he murmured when you let out a moan. “Let me hear how good I’m making you feel.”

Another curl of his fingers had you moaning wantonly, desperate for him to move faster. The slow curling and rubbing was driving you insane. “Faster,” you begged, one hand moving down to grab his hand, your fingers encasing his wrist. “Please move faster.”

Yeosang chuckled in your ear. “Faster? You’re so impatient,” he mumbled, lips brushing against the lobe of your ear. “You want me to draw this out or stop?”

Your eyes shot open. “No, don’t stop!” you protested. Yeosang smirked at your reaction. “Then don’t rush me, Y/N.”

He continued to tease you with torturously slow drags inside your walls, curling his fingers slowly just to watch the way your lips parted as you begged him for more. “The more I tease you,” he said in a husky voice. “The wetter you get.”

“Yeosang, please,” you whimpered, unshed tears sparkling in your eyes.

“It hurts.”

His fingers stilled inside you. “It hurts?” he asked. “I’ve hurt you?”

You shook your head. “No,” you whimpered. “I just need to cum. The pressure,” you explained. “S’too much.”

Without warning, Yeosang’s fingers moved inside you, curling against that same gummy spot with a renewed vigor. The overwhelming intensity of the change in pace caused the previously unshed tears to spill, rolling down your temples.

“Fuck!” you gasped, grabbing his wrist as his fingers worked your cunt open with ferocity. “Since you’re so impatient,” he chuckled, stopping to scissor his fingers inside your wet walls. “I’ll just have to skip oral. When you whine about not getting any, remember that you asked for this.”

You didn’t care at this point. You just wanted his cock inside you. You wanted the tension to snap and for release. You’d been begging for it and he was finally going to give in to your pleas.

Yeosang was quick to rid you of the rest of your clothes, undoing the buttons of your blouse and pushing it off you and throwing it to the ground. “Take this off,” he ordered, tugging on the strap of your bra.

You were quick to do so as he pulled on the fastenings of his own clothes, shrugging off the jacket he wore and causing you to freeze. Whatever you had expected under his clothes was certainly not this.

The guy looked like he was very slender and maybe slightly toned under his clothes but what sat before you now was an extremely toned body, throwing your completely off guard as Yeosang's hands moved to undo the ties of his pants.

He looked up, noticing your frozen posture and glanced down before looking back up. “What?” he asked. “Something wrong?”

You shook your head and quickly rid yourself of your bra as he finally undid the last fastening of his pants and let them drop to the floor. Your eyes wandered of their own accord, taking in his physique. He looked incredible before the clothes came off but afterwards, you couldn’t stop yourself from reaching out, your fingers brushing against his toned stomach.

“You…” you trailed off, missing the amused smile on his face. “You’re like… jacked, holy shit,” you whispered. Yeosang tilted his head curiously. “What’s jacked?” You glanced up from your position to meet his gaze.

“It’s like saying someone is ripped,” you explained. You watched as his head tilted in the opposite direction, almost like a puppy which would have been humorous had you not been aching to have his cock inside you.

“Muscular,” you finally answered, eyes glancing down to his cock. You had to resist the urge to groan from the sight alone. It wasn’t the largest you’d taken but it was still an impressive size and girth. Your hand moved from his stomach, fingers wrapping around the shaft carefully.

Yeosang’s eyes fluttered shut, lips parting in a soft gasp as you started working your hand along his length. You pulled your hand back before spitting into it and resuming the same stroking motions, watching his face.

“What’s wrong?” you murmured, a smirk forming on your face. “You were so eager to have your cock inside me before,” you continued, slowing your hand and watching the way his chest heaved with each labored breath.

“What happened?”

Something snapped inside Yeosang. One second he was completely at your mercy the next he had you on your back, thighs spread as he kneeled between them, taking his cock in his hand and guiding the tip to your waiting core.

“I’ll make you regret those words,” he said in a low voice, looking up from where your bodies were about to meet to lock you in a heated gaze. “We’ll see,” you retorted, a smirk still on your face.

Yeosang held your gaze as he slowly sank his cock into your wet cunt. You broke first, eyes rolling back as he sank his entire length into you, your walls fluttering as they hugged him in.

“Holy shit,” you gasped, feeling his cock deep inside.

“You should probably hold on,” Yeosang said, his voice slightly strained. You opened your eyes to look up at him. “Why?” His expression morphed into a smirk.

“Once I start,” he began, pulling back to give you a shallow thrust. The feeling of his cock dragging against your walls slowly had your toes curling. “I won’t stop until we’ve both cum.”

Without another word or warning, Yeosang pushed your thighs against your stomach, rolling his hips and setting a heavy, relentless pace. Each thrust had his cock brushing against your sweet spot, the same spot he’d mercilessly teased earlier while fingering you.

It was clear he knew what he was doing, angling his thrusts for that spot specifically. “Holy shit, Yeosang!” you moaned, back arching as your first orgasm approached. The tension that had been building up to this moment finally came crashing down as you came with a loud moan, walls fluttering around the elf’s cock. He simply smirked down at you as he fucked you through your high.

You finally opened your eyes, breath shuddering as you made eye contact.

“I told you to hold on, Y/N,” he said. “You’re in for a long night.”

He somehow managed to pull more orgasms out of you, leaving you breathless and weak as he rolled you onto your back. “I’m so tired,” you whimpered. Yeosang leaned over your back, pressing soft kisses to your cheek. “Do you want to stop, love?”

You shook your head. “You haven’t cum yet,” you answered. Yeosang chuckled lightly, pressing a couple more kisses to your cheek before moving to kneel between your spread thighs.

“Lift your hips for me, angel,” he said softly. You shakily pushed yourself up enough for Yeosang to shove something soft under your stomach and prop your ass up. “This should be more comfortable,” he murmured as he scooted closer.

“You don’t have to do anything,” he added as he ran his hands over your ass and up to grab your hips. “Okay,” you breathed as you felt the head of his cock push into you, making you groan. “Just lie still for me, princess,” he murmured, taking your hips in his hands.

He resumed the same relentless and unforgiving pace from before, making you wonder where his stamina and self control came from. From behind, his cock dove even deeper than before. Your fingers curled into the sheets, burying your face in the linens as Yeosang pounded into you from behind.

Your moans and whimpers were muffled, allowing you to hear Yeosang’s groans and grunts. “Feels so good,” you heard him groan. “I could fuck you all night.”

You cried out as he thrusted a little harder. “Let me hear you, sweetheart,” he chuckled. “There’s no one around us.” You raised your head slightly, moans slipping out with each thrust, the sound of skin hitting skin filling the hut.

Your walls clenched around him as you came again with a keen, toes curling and fingers digging into the sheets. He didn’t stop, continuing to fuck you through it. “Y-Yeosang,” you sobbed, tears starting to spill from your eyes.

“Does it feel good?” Yeosang asked, voice breathless as he slowed his thrusts to rolls. You nodded, whimpering with each roll. “S-so good!” you moaned. “You gonna cum for me again?” Yeosang asked as you tried to shy away from his strokes, overstimulation taking a hold.

“I c-can’t Y-Yeosang,” you whined. “S’too much.”

Yeosang let out a little huff. “Do you want to stop?”

You shook your head again. “Don’t stop!”

Taking your confirmation, Yeosang resumed thrusting hard and fast, making you gasp and cry out. Your moans turned into screams of pleasure, tears still falling down your face. “Fuck, shit, oh god,” you cursed as another orgasm crashed over you, your thighs shaking as your walls squeezed and hugged Yeosang’s cock.

“That’s it,” you heard him grunt. “Keep doing that, baby.”

If you had been counting, you would have realized you reached a threshold of orgasms. Yeosang had given you sixteen orgasms, which was more than the previous guardians combined.

It wasn’t until you were crying, tears streaming down your face and screaming that he delivered your final orgasm before finally giving in to his own pleasure and chasing his high, cumming on your swollen pussy.

You whimpered as he used two fingers to push some of his cum inside your walls ‘for safe keeping’ he jokingly said. You tried to move but found your legs wouldn’t respond. Yeosang noticed and immediately reached around to lift your hips and pull the cushion out from under you, tossing it aside and lowering you to the bed.

You whined, wanting to roll onto your back but found you had no strength.

Yeosang heard your whines and chuckled softly. “Here,” he whispered. “Let me help.”

He rolled you carefully onto your back. “You need to sleep,” he whispered, leaning over to press a soft kiss to your forehead. “I can’t sleep,” you murmured. “Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?” Yeosang contemplated for a moment before giving in.

“I will stay.”

You passed out not long after and woke up to find you weren’t the only one asleep. Sometime after you passed out, Yeosang had cleaned you up and put your clothes back on and had also managed to dress himself.

You looked around, eyes landing on his ring of keys hanging by the door. ‘Perfect,’ you thought to yourself as you carefully got up, glancing back to make sure Yeosang was still asleep. He was fast asleep, looking so peaceful and serene that you almost felt bad for leaving.

Almost.

Tiptoeing over, you took the keys off the wall as quietly as you could. Your eyes caught a glimpse of something that stood out on the ring and you smiled, realizing that Yeosang was indeed the Guardian as he carried the special key with an insignia for the fantasy section.

You removed the key and used the cell key to let yourself out. Closing the door, you reached in between the bars to hang it back up, glancing back to make sure the coast was clear.

Before you could withdraw your hand, a set of fingers closed around your wrist, making you jump and turn back to the door. Yeosang had a hold of your wrist, glaring at you. “What are you doing?” he hissed as you tried to pull free.

“I have to get back to my world,” you whispered. “I came for this,” you added, holding up the key. Yeosang’s eyes narrowed upon looking at the key in your hands. “That’s why you seduced me?” You looked up at him.

“I did not seduce you,” you replied. “You flirted with me and came into my cell. Just because I wanted it doesn’t mean I seduced you,” you added.

“If anything, you seduced me.”

Yeosang opened his mouth to retort but froze, realization dawning on his face.

“You’re right,” he finally said. He slowly let go of your wrist. “If you’re going to get out of here,” he added. “I’ll take you.” You nodded, watching as he pulled the keys down and let himself out.

“Where do you need to go?”

You wracked your brain before remembering the tunnel. “Do you know the giant tree with the burrow in the base?”

Yeosang nodded. “We call that Wyrm Burrow,” he explained. “That’s where you need to go?” You nodded. “That’s where I came from,” you answered.

The look on Yeosang’s face was a mixture of confusion and curiosity. “If I had more time, I’d explain,” you said, taking his hand. “But I really don’t have the time. If I don’t get back to my own world, I may never get home.”

Yeosang nodded, taking a firm hold on your hand and dragged you away from the hut, taking a different path than the one you were led in. “There’s a back way out of the village,” he explained as you peered over the railing to the forest floor where the celebration you’d heard earlier was raging on.

Yeosang led you to a set of stairs that spiraled down a tree, keeping a firm hold on your hand as you reached the base of the steps. You watched as he looked around before hurrying to hide behind a tree, dragging you with him.

You made your way from tree to tree until you reached the back wall separating the village from the forest around it. Yeosang pulled back a hidden door, pushing you towards it.

“Follow this path. When you reach the fork, go right. Then when you see the deer statue, turn left off the path and walk straight back. You’ll find the Burrow,” he whispered. “I cannot come with you. I have to cover for you.”

You took his hand as he looked away before looking back to meet your gaze.

“Thank you,” you whispered. “You have no idea what this means to me.”

Yeosang grabbed the back of your neck, pulling you into a passionate kiss.

“If I had my way, I’d never let you leave,” he said after pulling back, handing you a small light. “Now go!”

He gave you a little shove before the hidden door fell into place, leaving you standing in the dark forest.

Despite the feeling in your stomach, you forced yourself to follow his directions, taking the path and keeping to the walkway until you finally reached the fork in the path like he said. Taking the right path, you continued, keeping your eye out for the statue he mentioned.

It took several minutes but you finally spotted it and turned to the left. The wood was dark, a light mist settling over the ground. ‘No turning back now.’

You started into the thicket, climbing over fallen trees and thick roots that twisted like snakes and disappeared into the dirt.

Leaves and twigs crunched under your feet as you walked, following the straight path you’d set on until the big tree finally came into view. “Finally,” you wheezed as you sped up, clambering over the logs and stones until you reached the base of the thick, gnarled trunk.

The hole at the base was dark and uninviting as you peered in, using the light to look around. As carefully as you could, you lowered yourself into it and slid to the bottom of the tunnel with a mild scream.

Once at the bottom, you got up, dusting yourself off and started the long trek back to the door. As you walked, you could hear a ringing in the distance and turned around to look behind you. As far as you could see, the tunnel was empty but the light only allowed you to look back so far.

You continued on, pressing forward and ignoring the piercing ringing in your ears.

‘Probably just the silence,’ you figured.

At least until you heard the rumbling shift and the ground beneath your feet shook. You tried to keep your balance as a mini quake shook the tunnel, dirt falling from the ceiling. “Okay,” you murmured as the quake subsided and you steadied yourself.

“Time to go!”

You hurried as fast as you could, not wanting to run and risk a cave in. As you walked, the soft thump of your feet on the dirt turned into a thud as you stepped into the wooden floor and you breathed a sigh of relief.

It only took a couple more minutes to reach the door and before you could open it, it opened before you. Seonghwa pulled you through the door, dragging you out of the tunnel and pushing you aside before slamming the door.

When he dragged you into the room, you’d lost your balance and fallen to your knees, the key falling from your hand and clattering across the stone floor.

“What is your problem!?” you shouted as you looked up at him. Seonghwa turned to look down at you, mildly surprised you were shouting at him.

“What’s my problem?” he asked. “Did you not see that thing following you?”

He held up a hand to silence you before you could speak. “No, don’t answer that,” he said suddenly. “Obviously you didn’t see it,” he continued, stepping over you and kneeling down to pick up the key. “If you had, I wouldn’t have needed to rescue you.”

You glanced over your shoulder at the door, the illuminated sign now off. You looked back to Seonghwa as he inspected the key before turning to look at you. He stood up straight and walked over, stopping just before you.

“Here,” he said softly, offering his hand. You looked up at him before taking it. He pulled you to your feet easily. “Are you alright?”

You nodded silently. “Good,” Seonghwa said, turning away and climbing the steps up to the desk where he placed the key next to the others, leaving one empty space.

You turned your head to look at the last Guardian door before you could finally access the restricted section and be free from the Library.

“I think I don’t need to ask where you want to go next,” Seonghwa said as he watched you walk over to the door.

You turned back as he walked over, pulling out the keys and unlocking the door.

“The final Guardian,” he said, hesitating. “Are you sure about this?”

You nodded, looking up to meet his gaze.

“Just open the door.”

#cultofdionysusnet #ateez scenarios #ateez imagines #ateez fanfiction #ateez fanfic #ateez angst #ateez smut #ateez x reader #yeosang scenarios #yeosang imagines #yeosang fanfic #yeosang angst #yeosang smut #yeosang x reader #series: library of illusion

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miaatiny · 4 months

Text

Moonlight: Part One-K.YS (18+)

You would do anything for your packs alpha. After having a one night stand with him, you think you’ve found your mate until he chooses a stronger omega over you. You soon realize you’re carrying a big secret and you have to find a way to hide it from him.

Warnings: smut, angst. Omegaverse. A/B/O dynamics. Inexperienced reader, Yeo knows what he’s doing lollol, knotting, pups, slight breeding kink, Yeosang becomes an ass, MDNI!

Part 1|Part 2|Part 3

You were the kindest omega in the pack. You cared for everyone. You helped the elders in the garden, you helped the betas in the infirmary, you helped take care of pups in the nursery. But most of all, you took care of your pack’s Alpha. Everyone adored Yeosang. He was always looking over the pack. His house overlooked the pack’s village, where he could see everything. He would be able to tell if an intruder was coming. He always knew he was destined to be pack leader. After his father died, it was only natural for him to take over. He was quiet and never said much, but he loved his pack. More importantly, he loved you. From a young age, you caught his eye. First as playmates, then as a potential life long mates when you began to show your designation as an omega. Him being a few years older than you, he allowed you all the space you needed. He protected you and he vowed he wouldn’t mate with you until you turned 20, giving you all the time you needed to discover who you were. During your heats, he made sure to stay away. He had you sent to a secluded cabin of his in the woods with betas to take care of your every need. When you returned, he would drown you in his love, a side of him no one else saw but you. When you weren’t in heat, you never could stay away from him. You would sneak out of your cabin at night and run to his. You would lay in his bed by the fire, sharing kisses and touches until you fell asleep in his strong arms. Your life was absolutely perfect in every way. You couldn’t ask for anything more.

It was another normal day in the village. You were helping the elders in the garden before sunset. You looked to the sky and seen clouds rolling in. All wolves in your pack had gifts. Your’s was the weather. You could sense when it would rain or snow. When it was going to be a hot sunny day, with no clouds in the sly. Today, you sensed a storm was coming, and this one would be big. You and the elders hurriedly gathered your vegetables and hurried to your designated cabins. You stepped into your kitchen, getting ready to prepare dinner when you saw a note on your table.

Meet me at my place in 15. YS

You knew the reason for this and you didn’t waste any time, you showered and changed clothes and headed to his cabin on the hill. You knocked on the door and it opened. Yeosang stood with his hair mostly slicked back, with two little pieces hanging in the front. He wore a ivory sweater with his usual black jeans. He had a soft smile on his face as he invited you in. You took a deep breath. You loved the smell of his cabin. It smelled exactly like him. A woody amber scent that you could drown in. Yeosang wrapped his arms around you from behind and pushed his nose into your gland on your neck, scenting you. You moved your head to give him more room.

“Y/n, I missed you.” His deep voice sounded soothing in your ear.

“I was only gone for a few hours.” You giggled at you turned around and cupped his cheeks.

“A few hours too long.” He turned you around in his hold and captured your lips with his. You let out a deep sigh and wrapped your arms around his neck.

“I can’t wait until your mine, y/n.” He said, breathlessly.

“Soon, my love.” You kissed him again.

——————————————————————————

You both ate dinner and laid in his bed, listening to the howling wind outside. His fireplace crackled as it provided the only light in the room. His strong arms were wrapped around you from the back as you stared at the red blazes. Your body was beginning to ache as your heat approached. Tomorrow would be your 20th birthday, the day he made you his and you made him yours. You turned to look at him and he gave you a soft smile. You were nervous, as this would be your first heat with an alpha. Your first time being knotted. Yeosang was experienced. He had helped several omegas through their heats before. He was usually their first choice of aloha, hoping he would mate them. That was until you caught his eye a few years back as you began to mature. Yeosang rubbed his hand up and down your arm for comfort. He could sense your body getting warmer with heat. Soon, you would start producing slick. Yeosang more than likely go into his rut during your heat. He had already prepared for another alpha to take charge temporarily until your heat is over. He won’t dare leave your side.

“Yeosang, I’m scared.”

“For what, my love?” He looked at you with a gentle smile.

“Everything. My heat, the future, all of it.”

He put his forehead on yours. “Y/n, I promise you I’ll take care of you. I’ve never wanted anything more than for you to be my mate. I’ve always wanted you, and nothing will change my mind, y/n. It just going to be us for the rest of our lives,” he gives you a smirk, “at least until I give you pups.”

You smack him on the arm and giggle. “Not anytime soon, though.” You pull him down for a loving kiss before drifting off to sleep.

Somewhere in the middle of the night you wake up, drenched in sweat and aching all over. The fire has went out and Yeosang lays asleep beside you. His sweater on your body becomes too much for you and you take it off, throwing it somewhere in the room. The material rubbed against your nipples, making you more sensitive, causing you to moan. There’s slick between your legs, making you uncomfortable. You look over at Yeosang, whose still very much asleep. You take your hands and feel his abs underneath his shirt. This causes him to stir. He opens his eyes, looking at you groggily.

“Are you okay, beautiful?”

You shake your head and he sits up, pulling you into his lap. He could smell your arousal the moment he woke up. He takes a few moments to comfort you. You shake in his arms as you look up at him, scared. He knows your nervous and he can’t help but feel bad.

“Its going to be ok. I’m going to take care of you.” He kisses you softly as you pull him closer to you. His body rubs against your exposed nipples, causing more slick between your legs. He grabs ahold of your breast and runs his thumb against your nipple, causing you to throw your head back, moaning. Yeosang reaches forward, attaching his lips to your neck, sucking on it. Your nails are digging into where they rest on his shoulder, undoubtedly causing marks. He pulls off your neck and lays you down on the bed.

“I’m right here, omega. Your alpha is going to take care of you.” He grabs the waistband on your underwear, pulling them off slowly. His mouth waters at how much slick is pouring out of your pussy. Your legs open up for him instinctively, making him grin. He tosses your underwear to the side and he settles between your legs. He starts off giving kitten licks to your clit, admiring the taste. You throw your head back against the pillows, moaning.

“Alpha, more, please.”

“As you wish, baby.” His tongue licks up and down your folds, taking in as much of your slick as he can before inserting it inside your gushing pussy. You can feel your orgasm already approaching fast. You grip the sheets below you and begin rubbing yourself against his face, adding friction. Yeosang never stops his administrations on your pussy. After a few more plunges of his tongue in your cunt, you’re seeing stars as your orgasm hits you hard. Yeosang moves up to you on the bed and kisses you deep, allowing you to taste yourself. You can feel his clothed cock hard and heavy against your bare pussy.

“Do you want me to mate you now?” He asks into your ear.

“I’ve been waiting so long, Yeosang. Please, mate me, make me yours, alpha.” You whine as you grind against his cock. Yeosang sits back on his heels, removing his shirt. Its not the first time seeing his abs, but seeing them while you’re in heat is a whole lot better. You run your hand along the little patch of hair below his navel, knowing exactly where it leads, making you clench your pussy in anticipation. He pulls down on the waistband of his boxers and his cock slaps against his stomach. He’s a lot bigger than you thought. His tip puffy and red, already leaking pre cum.

Yeosang grabs ahold of your hips and flips you over. He pushes your upper body down onto the bed and pulls your hips up so your pussy is in view. You arch your back, whining.

“Look at you, presenting for your alpha.” He rubs your hips softly, giving a kiss to the middle of your back.

“I’m going to mate you now. When my knot starts swelling, I’m going to mark your neck. Its going to hurt but it won’t for long.” He reaches up, turning your head so he can kiss you. The kiss is passionate and loving. He grabs your hips as he begins to push into you with a strangled moan. You grip the pillow in front of you as you widen your legs to allow more room for his cock. He bottoms out inside of you quickly and begins thrusting. With every thrust he moves you further up on the bed. He moves his hands over your body wherever he can reach. Eventually, his large hands land on your breasts. You both have been waiting for this for so long. His cock fits in your pussy perfectly. Your mind is hazy with heat and you can’t think of anything but him.

“Knot me, please Alpha. I want your pups.” Tears start running down your face as he continues thrusting inside you.

“I’ll give you my pups, omega. We’ll have such pretty pups, just like you.” He says, grunting through his thrusts. You throw your head back, your second orgasm not far off. He squeezes your breasts tightly “Just think, one day your breasts will be full of milk to feed our pups. You’re going to be so pretty when you’re pregnant.” You moan hearing his words. He reaches down to rub your clit to match his thrusts. His knot begins to swell inside you and he leans down to your neck. You begin to tense up under his hold and he takes notice.

“Don’t tense up, y/n. It will only make it hurt worse.” You whine as you feel your orgasm growing closer and closer. He bites down on your neck, causing you to let out a strangled cry. It burns. Tears begin to form in your eyes as he marks you as his. It hurts like he said it would. You try to remain calm as his knot continues to swell. Pulling could cause him to accidentally hurt you so you remain still under your alpha’s hold. He lets go and begins licking the wound softly. Your orgasm hit you hard once again, as his knot locks the two of you together indefinitely. You can feel the warmth of his cum inside you. You both are panting as he rubs your hips softly.

“I’m going to move us so we can be more comfortable.” Gently, he wraps his arms around your midsection as he rolls over so you are both laying on your side. He moves his head into the juncture of your neck. Yeosang looks over at the clock as it reads 12:00 am. He looks at you smiling.

“Happy Birthday, baby.” You smile back at him and reach up to kiss him. Kissing him is the best feeling in the world, especially now that’s he’s your mate. You take a minute to look down at where you are both connected. You reach your hand to feel around down there. He’s balls deep inside of you, some cum leaking out around the area.

“Wow,” you say breathlessly, “I didn’t expect it to be like this.”

Yeosang chuckles behind you. “It’s a good thing you have an experienced alpha.” He says as he kisses the side of your head.

The two of you lay there for some time until you feel his knot going down. He slowly pulls out of you, and it makes a small popping noise.

Yeosang gets up and runs to his bathroom to start a warm bath. Soon he emerges and lifts you out of bed.

"You realize I can walk right?" You ask, laughing.

"Yes, but you aren't on my watch," He says and he leans down to kiss you.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Days have gone by, and your heat has ended. Yeosang has returned to his normal alpha duties. You were sitting on the swing on the porch reading when you heard a commotion in the village. Quickly, you stood up to administer what was happening. Now, as the Luna, it was your responsibility to take care of the pack when your mate was away. You ran down the path just in time to see Yeosang and his morning patrol come through. Quickly, you noticed a female in the arms of one of your pack mates. She was bigger than you and more muscular. You walked up to Yeosang with a smile that quickly faded when he walked right past you, not even acknowledging you. Your heart sunk and you returned home with your head low.

Yeosang returned home while you were preparing dinner. He headed straight for the bedroom and shut the door. You walked over and knocked quietly.

"Yeosang, dinners done. Can I come in?" When you heard no response, you opened the door to see him sitting on the bed. He looked up at you with no emotion in his eyes.

"Baby, what-"

"Stop."

You halted your words as your throat bobbed.

"You need to leave, y/n" You couldn't believe what you were hearing. You were his mate... and he was telling you to leave?

"Why?" You asked with tears in your eyes.

Yeosang walked up to you and put his hands on your shoulders.

"Because I made a mistake in thinking you were my mate. I found my true mate today."

So many emotions were going through you at this moment. You were angry, hurt, confused. "But my heat. You said-"

"What don't you understand?" Yeosang was yelling now. "I want you out of my house! Get your shit and get out!" You began cowering at his words and his eyes showed no remorse. You ran to the closet and began packing your things. At least he had some decency to leave you alone to pack. You were sobbing, trying to find your stuff through tears. He promised you forever. Suddenly, the mark he left on your neck ached, when once it filled you with so much joy. You walked out of the bedroom with your stuff just as Yeosang stood in the living room with the she-wolf he had found. She was curling into him, smiling and blushing. She turned to look at you with a scowl on her face. Yeosang looked at you with cold eyes. "I've arranged for a patrol to take you off the land. They'll take you to the border and then you're on your own." Hearing this broke your heart even more. He was deserting you, too. Kicking you out of your home. One of Yeosang's betas grabbed your arm and led you out of the house. Soon, four male betas were leading you into the woods towards the border.

You had walked for a half an hour when they had stopped. You noticed the scent markers clearly. They were Yeosang's, his familiar scent of wood and amber. The smell made your eyes sting. Just as you wre about to walk across, one of the betas grabbed your arm. You turned around and seen Wooyoung, one of Yeosang's childhood friends looking at you with sympathy. "Good luck, y/n." He said and he let go of your arm.

You walked for hours. Night fall was approaching, and you had found a small town. You managed to check yourself into an inn for the night. The receptionist had been very kind to give you a discount. He seemed to sense you were in distress. He had beta scent, so it was no wonder. Betas were always more sympathetic. You sat on the bed of the inn. It was so different, giving what you were used to. You had always had a home. Now, you were alone, by yourself, and vulnerable. Yeosang's scent would wear off and any unmated alpha would see you as a target.

You tossed and turned all night. The best bet for you would be to find another pack, you knew that. The closest pack to yours belonged to Park Seonghwa. He was ruthless and unkind, but his mate was the exact opposite. Maybe she would show sympathy towards you. Tomorrow morning, you would set out for Seonghwa's pack, hoping for a new start.

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Omg, I can't believe the first chapter is done! I've had Moonlight planned for so long. It's my first fic with chapters and I hope you all enjoy it!

Please do not copy or repost without my permission.

@miaatiny 2023

#ateez #ateez yeosang #kang yeosang #ateez smut #ateez imagines #ateez x reader #atz fanfic #yeosang smut #yeosang angst #yeosang fluff #yeosang fanfic #yeosang smau

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tainsan · 9 months

Text

misfits VII

⇥ pairing: ot8 ateez x fem! reader

⇥ warnings: anxiety, swearing, shit gets revealed :O

⇥ word count: 7.5k

⇥ a/n: this is a crazy chapter buckle up your seatbelts, pookies.

⇢ masterlist ⇠

previous chapter ⇠ ⇢ next chapter

--- THIS IS AN 18+ FANFICTION MINORS DO NOT INTERACT ---

“I’ve actually never been to a furniture store before,” you admit, smiling towards Yunho who is driving the car towards your destination.

When you emerged from your bedroom earlier, you could almost feel the tension in the air, you attempted to go back into your room, yet Jongho saw you and beckoned you over. Just like that, they all dispersed, going their own separate ways. You tried to read the room, seeing as they all seemed to have heavy hearts and sorrowful looks plastered on their features. Yet, they disappeared far too quickly for you to read further or even get a question out, leaving Hongjoong and Yunho in the kitchen. You were amiably surprised when Yunho said he was tagging along, claiming he needed a new set of drawers.

“We have been way too many times,” Yunho admits, his eyes not leaving the road.

“When we first moved to the house there was no furniture at all, so we had to go out and get it all. Plus, we only have one car, so many trips were necessary.” Hongjoong adds, sitting in the back seat, looking at you through the rear-view mirror.

Turning backwards to look at him, you have a baffled look on your expression, causing Hongjoong to give you a questioning stare.

“You know you can deliver the furniture, right?” You ask him, wondering if he actually didn’t know that the company delivers, to make things easier for the customers.

“I know that silly.” Hongjoong pokes your forehead softly with his index finger, “It takes two to three days to deliver, we didn’t want to sleep on the floor for three days.” He explains, an amused grin covering his features.

“Plus, we got to see it looked like, beds sofas and stuff. It was nice to try it out before buying it.” Yunho adds on, informing you further why they didn’t order what they needed online.

Realising their point, you recline back into your chair, feeling slightly bashful that you were wrong about something so confidently.

Glancing to your left, your gaze naturally falls upon Yunho, He is wearing a white button-up shirt tucked in light-washed denim pants. It’s such a simple outfit yet for some reason he just looks so good. He has his sleeves pulled up, revealing the tantalizing glimpse of his strong forearms, tense and defined. Tracing your gaze down his arms all the way to his hands, your mind gets even wilder as you notice the silver rings adorning his long slender fingers, veins flowing from his hands and up his strong arms. The sunlight cascades through the window, casting a warm glow upon his features, accentuating the chiselled lines of his jaw and the gentle curve of his lips. Your eyes scan the contours of his face, captivated by the subtle play of shadows and the spark of determination that shines in his eyes as he steers the vehicle.

A rush of warmth floods your chest, causing your heart to flutter as you realize that your feelings for Yunho may extend beyond friendship. At this moment, every feature seems to come alive, every detail etched in your mind. You can't help but be drawn to the confident yet gentle way he holds the steering wheel, and the subtle movements of his hands as they navigate the road ahead. There's an undeniable magnetism about him, an intoxicating blend of strength and tenderness that stirs something deep within you.

You catch yourself stealing glances, unable to tear your eyes away, as if you are glimpsing at a masterpiece that the world is yet to fully appreciate.

Attempting to calm your beating heart and mute the heat covering your cheeks, you take a deep, silent breath. It’s when you look up into the rear-view mirror and notice Hongjoong’s sharp, sultry eyes already staring deep into your eyes, the sudden eye contact making you feel weak at the knees, and you are suddenly thankful that you are sitting down, knowing you would have likely fallen over otherwise. Hongjoong is staring back at you with mischievous eyes and a playful smirk dancing on his lips. In that fleeting moment, his actions become laden with a teasing flirtatiousness that catches you off guard, sending a jolt of excitement through your veins. He smirks at you, accompanied by a subtle raise of his eyebrow, and playfully runs a hand through his hair. The air inside the car crackles with a newfound tension, and a rush of warmth flushes to your cheeks as you become flustered by his unexpected display. The flicker of attraction between you becomes palpable in this shared moment of connection.

Holding the stare with Hongjoong, you observe as he leans back in the seat he is residing in, his legs relaxing slightly as his body relaxes against the back of the leather chair, bringing his arms up to cross over his chest, his eyes not leaving yours for a second. The smirk is still on his features, and you just know it’s there because he saw you checking out his friend. However, wanting the attention on him, Hongjoong spreads his legs a little further, cocking an eyebrow in your direction he teases you gently, almost as if he is asking, ‘Like what you see?’

You hate the way his small actions have such a large impact on you, suddenly realising that you are in a car with truly gorgeous men. Amidst the hustle and bustle of your own world in recent times, you suddenly find yourself grappling with the realization that you haven't truly taken the time to appreciate just how exceptionally good-looking each member of Ateez is. A wave of awe washes over you as you stand in their presence, feeling remarkably small and insignificant, wondering how on earth you could ever be fortunate enough to be in their company. The sheer handsomeness of each member seems to magnify with every beat of your racing heart, leaving you helplessly captivated.

It's as though a curtain has been lifted, allowing you to truly see and appreciate their stunning features. The realization dawns on you that you had only scratched the surface of their attractiveness until now. The more you've gotten to know them, the more their genuine sweetness and caring nature have illuminated their physical appeal. It's as if their inner beauty has enhanced their external allure, rendering them even more striking and enchanting.

Even Yunho, who perhaps hadn't initially caught your eye as much, now seems to possess a charm that surpasses your earlier perception. The subtle nuances in his expressions, the way his eyes sparkle with mischief or soften with empathy, all contribute to an undeniable attraction that you hadn't fully recognized before. As you find yourself drawn to his presence, you can't help but acknowledge the growing appreciation you hold for his unique and appealing attractiveness.

Lost in this newfound realization, you contemplate how lucky you are to have crossed paths with these remarkable individuals. The depth of their beauty, both inside and out, fills you with a profound sense of gratitude and wonder.

In the past few days, a heightened awareness of your roommates has settled within you, penetrating your thoughts and emotions in complicated ways. Each interaction now leaves a lasting impression on your mind, causing your cheeks to flush and your heart to flutter. Despite the inner chaos and uncharted territory of these recent feelings, you dare not admit or even contemplate the idea of being attracted to all eight of your roommates.

It has been a slow process, this changing perspective that has even redefined your perception of Yunho. That fateful night spent together, retrieving your moisturizer, somehow acted as a spark, unveiling a side of him that you had never fully recognized before. In the aftermath of that unexpected encounter, Yunho's sweetness towards you has only intensified, further clouding your thoughts, and stirring unfamiliar emotions. And it's not just him; all your roommates have shown remarkable kindness towards you, further complicating your feelings.

In the depths of your mind, you fight with the realization that it may be wrong to feel your roommates as something more than friends. You understand that their actions are simply from their naturally kind-hearted nature, not from any romantic intention. Yet, despite this rational understanding, you find it challenging to control the growing attraction you feel towards them. After all, it is only human to be drawn to people who exhibit such genuine warmth and charm.

However, the situation becomes more complex when you consider the details of your daily life. These are the people you see day in and day out, your cohabitants in the place you call home. The very fact that there are eight of them amplifies the difficulty of your feelings. How could you possibly navigate these uncharted waters, let alone muster the courage to confide in Jisung, knowing that his reaction would likely be one of shock and disbelief?

You reassure yourself that it is not a mere crush that you are experiencing. It's merely an appreciation for the captivating charm that each of your roommates possesses. It's a recognition of their magnetic qualities, their ability to make your heart skip a beat with a simple gesture or genuine smile. That's all it is. It's nothing more than finding them inherently and irresistibly charming. Or so you tell yourself, as you grapple with the swirling complexity of emotions that have taken root within your heart.

“Earth to ___?” Yunho breaks you from your thoughts by waving his hand in front of your face, when you zone back into reality, Yunho lets out a chuckle, “There you are.”

As your gaze shifts towards the window, a sudden realization dawns upon you — you find yourself parked in an indoor parking lot, the likely underground expanse hidden from view. Puzzled, you wrack your brain, unable to recall the exact moment when you entered this parking space. A flicker of concern arises within you as you silently hope that your momentary delay of attention while gazing at Hongjoong did not lead to you staring longingly at the man.

Looking back at said man residing in the back seat, you realise he is no longer in the car.

“Where did Hongjoong go?” You question, climbing out of the car, Yunho also departing the vehicle and closing the door behind him.

“Went to get a parking ticket,” Yunho explains, pondering what you were so intensely thinking about for the past few minutes.

Realization prompts a nod from you, and you carefully shut the car door behind you. Swiftly gathering your belongings from the trunk, you hasten your steps to catch up with Yunho, who is already striding purposefully towards what appears to be the entrance of the expansive store. As you approach, Hongjoong appears near the entrance, his expression adorned with a gentle smile that adds a touch of warmth to the scene.

“So, what exactly do you need?” Hongjoong questions as the three of you walk towards the large entrance of the store.

“I originally needed a bed, wardrobe, and a desk but luckily for me, I already have that. So, I’m just looking for some decorations for my room, it is a little plain. No offence” You joke, smiling at the man walking next to you, knowing the room used to be his.

Hongjoong chuckles before answering, “I moved all my stuff from the room into the room upstairs, it looks better than you’d think.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

As you step foot into the furniture shop for the very first time, a spark of excitement dances in your eyes, and a contagious enthusiasm radiates from your every pore. The vast expanse of elegant sofas, beautifully crafted tables, and stylish decor unfolds before you. Weaving through the aisles, your fingers gently brushing against the soft fabrics, eyes tracing the intricate details of each piece. The shop becomes a playground of inspiration, where you start to envision the perfect blend of comfort and style for your own living space.

Yunho and Hongjoong, watch from a distance, unable to tear their gazes away. As they observe you, they can't help but be captivated by your genuine excitement. Their hearts swell with an inexplicable warmth, witnessing the unfiltered joy that illuminates your face. At this moment, they are reminded of what you bring to their lives, and their own feelings for you start intensifying, more than they thought was even possible.

Yunho and Hongjoong, their hearts heavy with the weight of unspoken words, find relief in simply witnessing your happiness. Longing to be the source of that joy, to be the ones who can make you smile with such genuine delight.

As the three of you drift through the shop, your excitement only intensifies, the two men accompanying you exchange glances, a silent understanding passing between them. They share a mutual desire to preserve your pleasure, even if it means tucking away their own desires for now.

As you walk past the plant section, your attention is immediately grasped by a beautiful bonsai tree. Your gaze fixates on the enchanting tree displayed in the shop, a glint of delight lights up your eyes. Its delicate branches and intricate foliage captivate you. Always having a liking towards bonsai trees, you long to possess this miniature masterpiece, immediately imagining the beauty it would bring to your desk. However, as you glance at the price tag dangling from its pot, a wave of sadness washes over you. The realization that you cannot afford such a cherished treasure weighs heavily on your heart, wishing it wasn’t so expensive.

“Whatever,” you grumble placing the plant back where you found it, reluctantly walking away. Hongjoong and Yunho notice the sudden change in your demeanour, confusion etching across their faces as they wonder why you don’t simply buy the bonsai that has captured your affection.

“Why don’t you get it?” Hongjoong questions as he makes his way next to you.

“It’s too expensive,” you grumble, starting to peer at other plants that are more in your price range.

“I’ll get it for you,” Hongjoong casually says as if it’s nothing.

Looking over at the man, you give him an incredulous look, not quite believing he would spend such money on you.

“What? It’s a nice plant it’ll fit your room perfectly.” He continues, slightly amused by the expression on your face. “Has no one ever bought you something nice before?” He says as a joke, yet when he sees the saddened gaze cover your eyes, his smile immediately wipes away.

“Not really.” You respond, slightly embarrassed.

“I’m getting it.” Yunho immediately says, walking back to where you left the tree, Hongjoong hastily joining him in his steps

“Yunho? Hongjoong stop, it’s too expensive.” You exclaim as you follow on their heels.

“___, just let us. You deserve it.” Yunho says, a blush creeping up his neck as he sees the wide eyed, adorable look present on your face.

“What do you mean? Put it back guys.” You desperately attempt to halt them spending their money on you.

“You deserve nice things,” Hongjoong says, looking you in the eyes, “you deserve even more than this,”

“Just let us buy it, please?” Yunho adds.

The confessions of your roommates catch you completely off guard, leaving you in a state of shock and disbelief. Your heart seems to race at an almost impossible speed, thumping loudly in your chest as their words sink in, the sudden surge of emotion causing your cheeks to feel fiery.

Their heartfelt admission has an astonishing effect on you, intensifying the emotions you've been trying to navigate. The mixture of shock and warmth that courses through you in response to their words only serves to strengthen the feelings you hold deep within your heart. It's a moment you hadn't anticipated, yet you know it will leave an indelible mark on your memory.

“Okay, fine.” Is all you manage to say.

——

“So, is that all you need?” Yunho questions, as the three of you reach the end of the store, near the cashiers. Looking down at the basket Hongjoong is holding, it is nearly full to the brim with small decorations you found cute or fitting for your new bedroom.

Smiling up at the tall man, you nod shortly, excited to get home and arrange all the objects around. Yunho chuckles at the childish grin plastered on your face, not exactly understanding why it is that you’re so thrilled. Nonetheless, the beam on your face is far too infectious, and even he has a hard time masking the smile that is twitching at the corners of his lips.

“Okay, I will pay for my things quickly and I’ll meet you by the car?” You ask, beginning to stand in line to pay.

“We will help you carry the things,” Hongjoong replies, not moving from his spot, wanting an excuse to stay with you for as long as he can, never really having the chance when you are home.

“Please, it’s okay. I will meet you there,” you reply, when you see Yunho opening his mouth to retort, you stick your finger at the both of them, “I’m not taking no for an answer.”

They both chuckle at your adorable antics before unwillingly heading towards the car park, where they will wait for you patiently.

Waving at them as they walk away, you turn your attention back to the line that you are standing in, the basket of ornaments held by your hands. Realizing the line isn’t too big, you feel yourself being relieved, not wanting to make Yunho and Hongjoong wait for too long.

Approaching the cashier, ready to pay for your items, your anticipation mixes with a sense of accomplishment. With each item scanned and placed in a bag, you relish the satisfaction of transforming your vision into actual pieces for your room.

Lost in your thoughts, you suddenly feel a jolt as a man dressed in black carelessly bumps into you, causing your grip to loosen. The item you were holding slips from your hand, a momentary panic gripping your heart. Thankfully, it lands on the ground without breaking, but you can't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at the man's lack of consideration.

Looking up, you somewhat expect to see him swiftly approaching with an apology, but to your surprise, he continues on his way, heading towards the exit, leaving you with a mix of confusion and lingering irritation. Scoffing, you look back at your items and continue putting them into the bag.

Walking back to the car, you try to remember where exactly the car was parked. You didn’t even know they had a car until this morning, so you still aren’t completely familiar with the model or size of the car, only remembering it is white. Maybe a Ford, maybe a Toyota? You can’t remember. At least you remembered what level of the car park you were at, and that it was next to a green wall.

Scanning for the green wall, you are delighted when you find it, next to it a white Mercedes. Your guesses were close enough. Happily making your way to it, you are stopped in your tracks when you see the very person who had bumped into you, standing near the car, causing you momentarily stop walking towards the vehicle, knowing hundreds of stories about people being kidnapped next to their cars. When the person notices you, they immediately start strolling towards you, and for some reason, you thought you would be feeling afraid, yet for some reason, the man in front of you looks extremely familiar, way too familiar. It only clicks in your head when the man is about seven feet from you.

“Danny? What are you doing here?” You question, recognising the man from one of your classes in high school. The suspicion and fright leave your body instantly as you realise who the man is, knowing him as one of the kinder people from your high school. After all the mess had happened, he was one of the only people who still talked to you. He wasn’t particularly one of your friends, but he definitely wasn’t someone you would hate to see again.

“___, I was wondering if that was you.” He exclaims as he reaches you, a smile on his face.

“How did you even recognise me,” you joke, knowing your looks from a few years ago are drastically different from what they are now.

“I am very good at remembering people’s faces, sorry for bumping into you, I was too busy on my phone,” Danny explains, his hand going up to scratch the back of his neck, a light blush on his cheeks, feeling embarrassed for potentially hurting you.

“Don’t worry about it,” you reply as you start to walk towards the car, not having to worry about being kidnapped anymore. Trying to open the trunk, you’re surprised when it doesn’t budge, and you realise that Yunho and Hongjoong haven’t reached the vehicle yet, making you worry ever so slightly.

“So, what are you doing in this city?” Danny asks, curious as to why you are here.

“I’m actually going to college here at the moment,” You smile, answering his question.

Danny has a shocked look on his face, “that’s crazy. You were always smart, but I never thought you were this smart. Isn’t this city's college super hard to get into?”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, and yes it was very difficult, but I made it.” You beam at the man, glad that it isn’t awkward to see him again. “What are you doing here by the way?” You question, realising you don’t know the reason for his random appearance.

“Oh, me and my girlfriend are visiting, I have some distant relatives here who she hasn’t met yet. I wanted to come to this shop because my aunt needed some screws for a broken bed,"

"Are you waiting on your girlfriend now?"

"No she hates furniture stores, so I decided to come quickly seeing as she’s busy.”

“I’m happy for you, Danny! How long have you guys been together?”

“Thank you, ___. Just a little after we graduated high school, she went to the high school near ours.”

“I see, that’s great!”

“Yeah, i guess so,” Danny says, with a sorrowful smile on his face.

“Kind of? What’s up, having some relationship troubles?” You question, reassuringly placing your hand on his shoulder, letting him know he is able to confide in you.

Danny sighs before answering, “I don’t know, recently she’s been acting strange, a few nights ago when she found out some of my relatives were living here, she demanded to go and meet them. It just doesn’t seem like her, she has never really been interested in meeting my family. Plus, when I woke up today, she wasn’t even in the hotel room, all she left was a note saying she was out doing something important. I don’t know what it means or what’s happening or if she is cheating, but it’s very confusing. I’m so sorry for ranting oh my God.” Danny exclaims, covering his face with his hands, embarrassed for suddenly loading a bunch of information on you, but it’s not like you care at all.

“Don’t worry, I really don’t mind. It sounds like she’s got some things going on in her head, my advice to for you to just sit down with her and ask her. If she’s cheating, it is definitely her loss, trust me.” You reassure the man, offering him a gentle comforting smile. It looks as if he really needed to talk to someone and you can only hope in this moment that his girlfriend isn’t out being unfaithful, knowing how much of a sweetheart Danny is.

It’s when you hear Hongjoong’s voice that you’re brought back to reality, “Sorry, ___, the ticket machine wasn’t accepting my card for some reason,” Hongjoong appears from your left, Yunho next to him and you are pleased they are back, wanting some much-needed time to sit down after being on your feet for so long.

“I was wondering where you two were,” you say, looking up at your roommates who have completely stopped and have bewildered looks on their faces, spiking your interest. They don’t look shocked or confused, but fearful and irritated.

Hongjoong and Yunho were discreetly observing from a distance, their hearts skipping a beat as they notice you engaged in conversation with a random man. Concern flickers in their eyes, a protective instinct taking hold. The gentle furrow of their brows reveals their shared worry, their minds racing with the possibilities of what might be happening. From their place, they cannot hear the words exchanged, leaving them with a sense of uncertainty. Are you in trouble? The tension hangs thick in the air as they remain on high alert as they make their way towards you, almost sprinting. However, when they recognise the man who you are so happily chatting to, their hearts almost stop in their chests. All they can do is act normal and pretend they have no idea who the man is, in hopes that, just like you, he won’t be able to identify them.

“Oh, this is Danny, we used to go to high school together,” you explain, knowing that Yunho and Hongjoong would likely be confused as to why you are nattering with a random stranger. Instantly, Hongjoong and Yunho regain their composure, acting as if they were never taken aback. The change in their behaviour was minuscule, yet you somehow managed to notice it and you hope there is nothing wrong. Just like that, their cold exterior is back up, as if it never left.

“Hi,” Hongjoong says bluntly, not even bothering to look Danny in the eyes, simply walking past him and unlocking the car, opening the trunk, and taking the bag from your hands. Silently thanking him, he looks up at you and gives a brief smile.

You expect Danny to bid his goodbyes, yet for some reason, he is staring at Yunho and Hongjoong, with a puzzled look on his features.

“What’s up?” You question, wondering what has Danny’s attention so deeply, it looks as if he is analysing the two of them very thoroughly.

He stays silent for only a few seconds, yet for some reason it feels like an eternity, when he decides to speak it catches you off guard, “Of all the people I was expecting to meet, Kim Hongjoong and Jeong Yunho were definitely not on that list.” Danny’s words are fast, but they feel extremely lengthy, he continues speaking, “Well it does make sense you’re hanging around the group, ___. You were always with Seonghwa.”

Hongjoong and Yunho feel their breaths catch in their throat, their world feels like it's crashing down on them, unable to carry the weight. They look at you, hoping that you do not understand and brush it off, but they know you well enough to not let it slide.

“What do you mean?” You ask, looking at Yunho and Hongjoong with a confused expression, before glancing back at Danny, “you know them?” You ask him, extremely baffled as to why Danny of all people would know about Ateez, thinking only people in your college would be accustomed to the group.

“Yes? Why do you sound so confused? Everyone thought you guys died.” Danny points his statement towards the two males, who are looking incredibly uncomfortable.

“Let’s go, ___.” Yunho demands, his voice the same tone as how you heard it when you first met, venomous, yet this time it isn’t pointed at you. The two want to, need to get out of here before Danny says anything further, uncovering more information for you.

“Yunho, wait. Danny what are you talking about, what group? How do you know Seonghwa?” you inquire, desperate for answers and fast.

Hongjoong calls your name, his voice desperately wanting you to get in the car and get away from the situation before Danny can answer your questions. Looking, at Hongjoong, you see the desperate look in his eyes, and it confuses you further. Why won’t they let you hear the answer, and why are they so agitated by the man in front of you?

“KQ Fellaz? That group you were always with.”

Hongjoong and Yunho curse, Hongjoong letting out a loud exhale and Yunho immediately grabbing your arm, softly pulling you towards the vehicle, begging you to get in.

“KQ? What do they have to do with…” Your voice trails off, your mind starts to unconsciously piece together all the parts, the memories, words, actions, everything starting to fit into place, and you suddenly feel incredibly brainless for not doing it earlier. No wonder they all felt so familiar, memories of the few weeks during the final year of high school come flooding back and you rapidly recognise why you were so gravitated to the group you live with now.

They are KQ Fellaz. Ateez were KQ Fellaz. The outcasted boys you had spent countless days and nights with. It has been almost four years, which explains why they look severely different, but of course, their eyes stayed the same, and that’s exactly why you were drawn into the naturalness of each of their gazes. That explains why the group you have come to know recently, have been so kind, despite their reputation.

As the truth unravels before you, your world shatters into a million pieces, leaving you feeling utterly betrayed by the eight boys who have seemingly re-entered your life. In the depths of your distress, you suddenly realize that they had known all along. The weight of their deception presses upon your heart, suffocating you with a mix of anger, hurt, and a profound sense of betrayal that resonates to the core of your being.

Memories flood her mind, moments spent together, laughter shared, secrets whispered. The realization that they were aware of the cherished moments while you remained ignorant, cuts through your soul like a knife. The questions multiply, tormenting you with the relentless demand for answers. Why had they chosen to keep this truth from you? What were their motives? And perhaps most agonizingly, how have you been so blind to their hidden knowledge, their shared past?

The emotions burst open, unleashing a torrent of pain and confusion. The sorrow swells within you, an overwhelming wave crashing against your heart. The trust you thought you were building with your roommates, now crumbles beneath your feet. Struggling with a deep sense of disappointment, questioning not only the intentions of your ‘friends’ but also your own ability to determine true friendship.

“I see.” You barely manage to get out. “It was nice to see you, Danny.” The meek smile on your face is clearly forced and Danny feels extremely guilty realising he said information that was unknown to you. All he can do is nod and give you a supportive smile, before heading in his own direction.

Slipping into the car, a wave of discomfort washes over you, prompting you to take a seat in the back, intentionally creating a physical distance between yourself, Yunho, and Hongjoong. As the door slams shut, you hastily retrieve your phone from your back pocket, your fingers typing out a message to Jisung. The urgency in your text is palpable as you request that you can stay at his place tonight, recalling that many of his roommates are currently away.

Outside the car, Hongjoong and Yunho stand frozen, their hearts pounding in their chests like a relentless drumbeat. The weight of the situation presses heavily upon them, and when their eyes meet, within that brief exchange, they can see the storm of emotions raging within each other. It's as if a mirror reflects their own turbulence, a shared understanding of the pain and anguish they both feel.

Taking his place in the passenger seat, Hongjoong turns his gaze back towards you, his expression filled with a mixture of sorrow and desperation. Your hunched form, wounded and distant, tugs at his heartstrings, causing his own heart to plummet to depths he didn't think were possible. Though he has endured his fair share of hardships, the sight of betrayal and resentment etched across your face pierces him in a way he has never experienced before.

Yunho joins Hongjoong in the front of the car, his body swivelling to face you, his eyes filled with an agonizing mixture of remorse and yearning. Hongjoong gently calls out your name, his voice a fragile plea to offer an explanation, to bridge the divide that has grown between you. However, before he can utter a single word, you cut him off, your voice brimming with a mixture of anger and hurt.

“Drive.” Your voice is the most, hatred filled, venomous and hurt they have ever heard, you don’t even bother to look at them as you speak, afraid if you look in their eyes one more time, you would be destroyed. Inhaling heavily, they both turn around to face the front of the car. Pausing a moment, before deciding they will talk as soon as you get home and give you all the responses you wish to hear.

The car ride home is a stark contrast to the cheerful journey that brought you here earlier. Laughter and light-hearted banter have been replaced by a suffocating silence, heavy with unspoken words and unresolved tension. The atmosphere inside the car is so thick that it hangs in the air, weighing down on everyone's shoulders like an oppressive burden. Even the most cutting-edge tool would struggle to slice through the palpable tension that fills the vehicle.

In a fleeting moment, your eyes meet Hongjoong's reflection in the rear-view mirror. Within those brief seconds, you catch a glimpse of the profound sorrow and longing that lingers in his gaze. It strikes a chord deep within your heart, causing it to fracture a little more. Unbeknownst to you, Hongjoong's mind is a whirlwind of thoughts, spinning in a storm of overthinking that he has never experienced to this extent before.

On the left side of the car, Yunho mirrors Hongjoong's internal struggle. His hands tightly grip the steering wheel, his chest constricting with every passing second as if he might collapse from the overwhelming weight of guilt that courses through his veins. He keeps his focus on the road ahead, his jaw clenched, tears welling in his eyes, desperately fighting to regain control over the torrent of emotions that threaten to eat him alive.

As the car pulls into the garage of the once-familiar house, a sense of unease washes over you. The once-welcoming ambience has transformed into something cold, foreign, and unrecognizable. Your chest tightens, and the overwhelming sense of utter disloyalty becomes almost too much to bear. You storm into the house, racing ahead of Hongjoong and Yunho who trail closely behind, their footsteps quick and urgent as they frantically try to reach you before you disappear into the solace of your room.

“__, please stop. Talk to us.” Hongjoong’s voice is desperate as he tries to persuade you to halt your movements. You aren’t sure if it is luck or misfortune as you make your way to the kitchen and see every one of your roommates sitting around the island, chatting, and eating their lunch. Forgetting it is their free day, you curse internally, feeling tears already prick at your eyes when the everyday faces you look at become distorted, your vision only being able to see the men who left you four years ago.

As they catch sight of you, the men approach with warm smiles, their hearts lifted at your early return. They had been looking forward to chatting and sharing a meal together, eager to enjoy each other's company. However, their joy quickly dissipates as they take in the contorted, disgusted expression etched across your face. In an instant, worry floods their beings, their thoughts immediately drawn to the earlier conversation about Ryu that still lingers in their minds. The atmosphere shifts, tension intertwining with their concern, creating an uncomfortable heaviness in the room.

Seonghwa rises from his chair, his brows furrowing with concern as he strides towards you, a mix of worry and determination carved into his face. He watches as you storm past him, the force of your collision causing him to stagger slightly. A sharp pang shoots through his chest, not just from the physical impact, but also from the emotional weight behind your actions. It feels as though his heart has been squeezed tightly, aching with the pain of seeing you so distraught.

At the island, the other five men rise from their seats, their eyes following the unfolding scene with a mixture of confusion, alarm, and growing concern. Their gazes shift from you to Yunho and Hongjoong, who swiftly give chase, their expressions reflecting a desperate need to stop you in your tracks and understand what has caused such distress. Seonghwa's initial suspicion that Yunho may have been involved in triggering your reaction dissipates, replaced by a deepening worry for your well-being.

The room is filled with an air of tension and unease as the members of the group stand, their bodies poised in a mixture of anticipation and confusion. Each of them yearns to uncover the hidden emotions behind your furious actions, their senses heightened as they try to decipher the commotion that has enveloped the room.

“__, stop, now.” Hongjoong’s voice booms around the kitchen, echoing with authority and you once again, realise why he is the leader of the group.

Coming to a sudden stop, you pivot on your heels, your body facing the kitchen once more. A fusion of determination and vulnerability flickers in your eyes as you lock gazes with the eight men in the room. Their varied expressions mix puzzlement, concern, and a tinge of guilt.

You take a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment settle upon your shoulders. This is the opportunity to confront them all, to lay bare the swirling emotions and shattered trust that now consumes your heart. These were the friends you once believed in with unwavering loyalty, the ones you thought you could confide in and rely on with your whole being. It's a bittersweet realization, knowing that the ones you held closest have become the source of your pain and confusion. Yet, you cannot turn away from the truth. You need to face the situation head-on and seek the answers and resolution you so desperately need.

“No, Hongjoong, why don’t you stop.” Your voice matches his tone and for a second you can see him flinch at the harshness of your expression, never having heard or seen you this serious or mad before, your voice never having reached above a shout before. Looking around at the men who all have dreading expressions plastered on their faces, you feel even more angry at how they could hide something so large, so personal, so utterly heartbreaking from you.

“When were you planning on telling me?” you speak again, the anger evident in your voice, yet by the way the tears are forming in your eyes, they can tell you aren’t just mad, but betrayed. The tone in your voice is broken and hurt.

“We were going to tell you,” Yunho explains, his voice quiet, feeling incredibly guilty that the way you had to find out was through someone else, not them.

“I’m sorry what is happening?” Jongho inquires, asking the question that all five of the men who were previously sat down, were wanting to ask. Yet, for some reason they have a good guess at what the answer might be, dread filling their hearts, causing an impending sense of doom to fill their gut. Silence falls upon the room, the tension thickening as each second passes that you don’t answer.

“Answer.” You say, your voice gentle, prompting either Hongjoong or Yunho to reply, explaining what dreadful occurrence has just happened. When neither of them speaks, only looking at you with begging eyes, you raise your voice once again, “Answer it.” You yell, causing all eight men to recoil.

Yunho decides to speak, looking towards his friends who are extremely on edge, dreading the words coming from his shaking lips, “We ran into someone…”

Yeosang slams his hand onto the island, rage encasing his entire being. Thinking it was Ryu they ran into, his heart stops in his chest and he sees red.

“It was Danny,” Hongjoong says instantly, recognising why everyone suddenly tensed up even further.

“What else? Hongjoong.” You spit, the emotions of fury overwhelming all the others.

The way you boom his name pierces through his heart, his breath catching in his throat, tears almost threatening to fall from his eyes, his beautiful eyes. Fuck.

“He recognised us.” This is all Hongjoong says before the tears fall freely from his eyes, the sight breaking you in half, muting your anger slightly, it being replaced by all the desolation and gloom you have in your body.

As the weight of the truth settles in the room, a collective realization sweeps through the eight men. Their expressions shift, revealing a mixture of guilt, anguish, and remorse. The air becomes thick with tension as San and Mingi, overcome with their own instability, resort to desperate gestures; running their hands agitatedly through their dishevelled hair, unable to meet your gaze. Jongho, his face hidden behind trembling hands, struggles to process the gravity of the situation, his breaths coming in deep and uneven. Yeosang averts his eyes, unable to witness the devastating impact of your shattered trust, tears brimming in his own.

However, amidst the chaos, Seonghwa remains fixated on you, his gaze unyielding despite the cracks forming in his own heart. As your eyes meet him, a flood of memories rushes back to you, an overwhelming explosion of anguish and despair from the darkest night of your life. It dawns on you with a haunting clarity that he must have been the one you encountered on that rooftop, the boy whose vulnerability and brokenness mirrored your own. The weight of that realization hits you with an intensity that sends waves of anxiety coursing through your body, a painful reminder of the shared pain and scars etched deep within your souls.

As the weight of the truth crashes down upon you, your body trembles uncontrollably, the ground beneath your feet becoming unsteady. Your legs give way, collapsing beneath you, and you crumple to the floor in a heap of despair. Sobs wrack your body, each one an emotional release of the pain and agony that fills your shattered heart. Your mind becomes a swirling vortex of torment, entangled with thoughts that are both haunting and devastating—a torment that incorporates the present, the past, and an uncertain future.

In an instant, Seonghwa and Yunho rush to your side, their presence a lifeline in the midst of your despair. They kneel down beside you, their arms reaching out to provide comfort and support, their faces etched with concern and helplessness. The remaining members of the group converge around you. Their eyes are filled with a mixture of compassion and desperation, yearning to alleviate your pain, to ease the torment that grips your mind. Together, they form a protective circle around you, their collective presence a symbol of unwavering support.

“Don’t touch me, get the fuck away from me.” You almost scream, feeling their hands on your arms, their bodies close to you, the words crushing their hearts. Needing to get as far away from here as possible, you attempt to stand, but your legs give up again, the panic getting too much for you to handle.

“Tiny, let us help.” Yunho’s voice is the softest you have ever heard, making you break even more.

“Don’t you dare call me that? I trusted you most, Yunho.” Your voice is raw and hoarse, the emotions spilling through, the sound of your feelings pinching the hearts of the men around you.

With Seonghwa's gentle assistance, you manage to regain your footing, though you push him away immediately, needing a moment of independence amidst the whirlwind of emotions. The room falls into an eerie stillness, the air heavy with anticipation, as the gaze of eight pairs of eyes remains fixed upon you. Their hearts pound in their chests, bracing themselves for the impact of your words, fearing the repercussions of what you might reveal next.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, you steady yourself, mustering the strength to voice the thoughts that have haunted your mind for years. The weight of your words hangs palpably in the air, a thick fog of vulnerability and revelation enveloping the room. Each member of the group feels their heart clench in anticipation, their breathing hitching as they prepare themselves for the final straw, the crushing blow to their already battered souls.

And then, the words spill forth from your trembling lips, carrying with them the raw essence of your pain, your betrayal, and your deepest fears. The room becomes a tempest of emotions, a storm unleashed by your words. Shock, disbelief, and anguish etch themselves onto the faces of the eight men, their expressions frozen in a tableau of shattered trust and shattered dreams. The impact of your confession reverberates through the room, each word a dagger that pierces their hearts with unrelenting force.

“They told me you died; I spent months convincing myself it wasn’t true.”

Yunho's voice quivers with desperation as he urgently calls out your name, the cracks in his tone baring the weight of his emotions that rock on the edge of spilling forth in a stream of tears. The eight men surrounding you, bound by an overwhelming bond, collectively hold their breaths, their very souls entwined in this dreadful moment. Each of them, their hearts heavy with empathy and love, feels their spirits fracture at the mere thought of you bearing the burden of their deaths with no one to fall to.

In the gloomy silence that follows, a distressing realization hangs in the air, intertwining the threads of their unbreakable connection. It is a bittersweet recognition that while their lives are intrinsically entangled with yours, they are also painfully aware of the toll it takes on your spirit. Their hearts ache, fuelled by a profound sense of protectiveness and a desperate desire to shield you from any pain or hardship that may lie ahead.

“I needed you, all of you.”

------

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nebulousbrainsoup · 4 months

Text

Insurrection

Chapter 1: Catalyst

⛧ SUMMARY: One choice, made to fan the flames of love, may be the spark to start a war. ⛧PAIRING: vampire!kang yeosang x hunter!reader ⛧GENRE: fantasy, angst (so much angst), smut ⛧AU/TROPE INFO: fantasy au, vampire au, forbidden lovers, hurt no comfort ⛧WORD COUNT: 4.8k ⛧TAGS/WARNINGS: major character death (i'm so sorry), blood, violence, lots of emotion, mental breakdowns, pet names ([my] love, darling, love, Sangie), protective!yunho and protective!yeosang, treating vampires as unseelie fae, not beta'd ⛧RATING: mature ⛧A/N: for @a1sh1teruu; happy christmas from your secret santa! very sorry i'm a few days late; life has been interesting lately and this baby got away from me! i hope i didn't go too hard on the angst you asked for, but i did ask for your hard limits and, uh... i'm an angst writer first and foremost. (if i did go overboard, please please let me know, and i will whip you up something warmer and fluffier.) this did begin as a standalone, but the lovely @kwanisms convinced me to make it a series, so here we are! there will be a few more installments; a prologue and at least one sequel. even if no one else does, zerda, i hope you enjoy this. much love, orion <3 ⛧ smut tags under the cut ; banner by momther ki (kwanisms) ⛧masterlist | join my taglist | buy me a coffee?

⛧ SMUT TAGS/WARNINGS: sex as a distraction/coping mechanism, yeo has vampire speed and strength (don't look too close i didn't logic), sensitive pointy ears, oral (f receiving), fingering, unprotected sex (boo), multiple orgasms (fem), pet names (Yeosangie, Sangie, baby, darling, love, my pretty girl ), mentions of exhibitionism & sharing if you squint, lack of aftercare bc they're both exhausted

In hindsight, perhaps you should have seen the signs. You had never seen Yeosang eat, no matter how many cafés you frequented together. He had been known throughout the village for his strange attire, the reverse of the seasons; he was covered from chin to fingertip to toe in the summers, while the dark winters found him showing a bit more skin. His pale complexion or the way he could throw you around in the bedroom without breaking a sweat may have given him away to you if you had paid closer attention. You hadn’t, though, and now you paid the price.

Your elders stood in a semicircle in front of you, stony faced, and your blood ran cold. Gideon glowered at you over the top of his steepled fingers, jaw tight.

“Kill or be killed, Y/N,” he spat, “the decision is yours. Kang Yeosang will not be able to protect you from us.”

It took every fiber of your being to hold back the shiver that threatened to tear down your spine. Your mind swirled as you bowed your head respectfully, hands clasped tightly in front of you. Something churned in your gut as you met his eye; whether or not his words would ring true was still to be determined, but you knew he and the rest of the council would try their absolute hardest.

“I understand, Elder Lewis. I will begin my preparations immediately,” you agreed, turning on your heel to see yourself out of the room. Three of the five sat straighter at your promise, one smiling proudly. You sighed in relief; so long as most of them believed you, you would survive the night. You could warn him and, if you were lucky, run.

For most, Yeosang and the rest of his coven were nearly impossible to find; he had told you some story ages ago, but now the secrecy made sense. Few were trusted with a map to their home, and you were thankful tonight to be one of those elites. Strategically placed vines guided you through the trees like flags, their leaves blending into the color of the evergreens’ needles to the untrained eye. Tears brimmed in your eyes as you hurried through the snow, fists clenched at your sides. The path was familiar and though time seemed to drag on in a blur, it felt like you arrived in seconds. The trees parted to a familiar, comforting sight; three cabins and a grand hall circled around a small clearing, and you beelined for Yeosang’s front door.

It was his roommate, Yunho, who opened the door and tried to greet you but you pushed past him, body and mind set on your comfort. You practically collapsed into Yeosang’s arms, a small, pained sound leaving you as he bundled you into his embrace. His quiet questions and murmured comforts were lost on you. Your mind was running at a thousand miles a minute, a million questions running through your mind.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were vampires?” The first inquiry fell from your lips thoughtlessly, and you felt the air disappear from the room. Yunho’s footsteps halted where they were parting to allow you privacy, and you could feel the tension spike. The silence rang louder than any scream. “And don’t try to deny it; I’ve seen the evidence.”

“Who… how did you find this out, sweetheart?”

You scoffed, shoving him away from you and taking a step back. Behind you, you heard Yunho shift to his friend’s defense, but a sharp glare from Yeosang seemed to halt him. “I’m a hunter, Yeosang. You’ve known this; don’t play dumb. My elders showed me your files today,” you paused, turning over your shoulder to glance at Yunho. “All of ATEEZ’s files.”

You watched as the elder coiled like a spring, ready to strike, still pinned in place only by your boyfriend’s scathing stare. Silence once again stretched for what seemed like an eternity, heavy across your shoulders. Finally, Yeosang broke it.

“Leave us, Yunho.”

“Absolutely not.” The reply was immediate, the taller boy standing straighter, his chin high. “I’m not leaving you alone with a hunter.”

You scowled, hearing your boyfriend growl a warning. You knew his expression must match your own. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to speak with my girlfriend alone.”

Yunho opened his mouth to speak again but this time, you were the one to silence him. “I understand your worry and I appreciate your drive to protect your coven. I am not here to hurt Yeosang; I am here to… to ask for help,” you admitted, turning back to glance at your lover. “I forgot to even grab my knife before I left, if I’m being honest.” Yeosang let out a strangled noise of protest, worry painting his face, and you held up a hand to keep him quiet. “The elders… Gideon gave me a choice today. Kill or be killed. And I… I don’t want to do either.”

You could see Yeosang’s heart breaking, the corner of his lips curling down and his brow furrowing. “Yunho, please,” he murmured, “let us figure this out.” He gave no response, but a moment later, you heard the front door click shut, and Yeosang was bundling you back up into his arms.

The moment you were alone, you shattered into pieces. You grasped his shirt in fists as tears flowed like waterfalls down your cheeks, his grip around you tightening like a vice. Sobs wracked your body violently, and you thanked the gods for Yeosang’s strength as, despite your knees buckling under you, you remained upright. He muttered quiet reassurances into your hair, hands running soothingly up and down your back.

When you calmed, he gently guided you back, eyes soft and open as he cupped your cheeks and wiped the tears from them. You screwed your eyes shut and gripped onto his wrists like a lifeline, willing a fresh wave of emotion back.

“It will be alright, my love,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. “We’ll figure it out together. You can stay here for as long as you like, and we’ll protect you like our own.”

You whined in protest, eyes blinking open slowly. Sniffling, you shook your head. “I can’t ask that of you. If I’m tracked down, they’ll kill you all too. Hongjoong wouldn’t be willing to take that risk for a simple little mortal, much less one who has trained her entire life to hunt and kill him. He would be crazy.”

Yeosang giggled quietly, smiling gently. “I think you’ll find he is a little crazy when the situation calls for it. He trusts you like one of us already; he allowed me to show you the path here. You will be welcome.”

Hesitantly, you nodded, resigned to accepting your lover’s offer. There was little else you could do. “I will need a few things from the stronghold. I can go back to gather them tonight, and return tomorrow.”

Peeking over your head and out the window, Yeosang frowned. It had been nearing nightfall when you had arrived, and the thought of you unarmed and stumbling through the dark forest unnerved him. He pulled you against his chest, carding a hand into your hair to scratch at your scalp.

“Stay with me tonight, love. Let this be the first night of our new lives together. Let me protect you.” You felt your shoulders relax with every word he spoke, a soft smile playing at your lips. He had already convinced you but he continued, eyes flickering down to your lips. “Let me distract you.”

You let your tongue flick out over your lips, drawing his attention back to them as you grinned. Hands slipping up his chest, you pressed closer to him. “What better way to spend our first night together?”

Yeosang grinned, tugging you in to crash your lips together. You hummed happily as you melted against him, one arm draping over his shoulder while the other carded into the hair at his nape. He held you to him tightly still, sighing against your mouth as you melted against him.

“Take me to bed, Yeosangie,” you muttered when you parted for breath, and he was more than happy to oblige. Strong arms braced under your thighs and lifted you in one fluid motion. Before you had time to think, you were in his room with your back pressed to the mattress, and you let out a squeak of surprise. Your lover was grinning at you when you pulled away. “Now that the cat’s out of the bag, I assume you’ll be using all of your fancy vampire powers at every turn, hm?”

“Maybe not all of them,” he teased, pressing kisses up your jaw. “I’ll only bite if you ask nicely,” he purred into your ear, his silky baritone sending a shudder down your spine.

You whined, tugging him back up by his hair to lock your lips, legs wrapping around his middle to pull him impossibly closer. He groaned, low and broken, as you ground against him, losing himself for a moment before he pinned your hips down to the bed.

“Tonight is all about you, my love,” he hummed, hands running down your thighs as he sat back on his knees. You pouted up at him and he couldn’t help but grin, kneading at the soft flesh under his fingers. “I’m going to take my time with you and savor this. No more quick nights at the tavern, hm?”

You shuddered under his touch, eyes flickering to the door. “What about Yunho?”

The grin on Yeosang’s face was purely wicked and heat ran through your body. “Don’t worry, darling. I’ll make sure the whole coven can hear you.”

Despite his promise to take his time, Yeosang stripped you down quickly, tugging your shirt off and trousers down to leave you in only your undergarments. The moment he could, he leaned down, nipping at your inner thigh and grinning triumphantly at the sound it pulled from you. His lips quickly found their way to your throat as he let your legs fall in favor of slotting himself between them, lips attaching themselves to your throat. The drag of his teeth over your pulse had you whining into his ear, breath ghosting over the subtly pointed tip. It was Yeosang’s turn to shudder, all of his blood rushing south at the feeling. He sighed, burying his head against your shoulder as he gathered himself.

Or tried to, because a moment later, you were tucking his hair behind his ear, fingers ghosting over the sensitive skin, and he was choking back a moan. “C-Careful,” he muttered, reaching up to grab your wrist and halt you. “They’re sensitive.”

“I don’t see the issue,” you hummed, drawing his gaze back up. You were grinning down at him and it was a pretty sight, but the mischief twinkling in your eyes had Yeosang wanting to wipe it from your face.

Pinning your wrist to the bed, he slipped down your body at lightning speed, face level with your clothed core. In an instant, his tongue was pressed against you, and you let out a choked shout at the wet warmth that joined your own arousal. Yeosang grinned proudly once more, letting his teeth graze lightly over your heat as he sat back. That particular friction was foreign but pleasant, pulling a pretty little whimper from you.

“Do you still not see the issue with playing with sensitive areas, love, or shall I continue?”

Not one to be upstaged, you huffed a sigh, the corner of your mouth ticking up in a grin. “I don’t think I quite get it.”

Yeosang chuckled, leaning back to lap a stripe up your thigh. Nipping at your hip, he slowly began a path up your body, leaving wet kisses in his wake. You sighed, the sound like music to his ears as you turned to putty beneath his hands.

Your bra was the next garment to leave your body, tossed carelessly to the side as his mouth descended on your chest, lips quickly closing around your peaked nipple. One hand bracing himself, the other lit a contrastingly cool trail down your torso, coming to rest over your underwear. A quiet squeak left you and you squirmed under him, his icy fingers bringing a delicious new sensation to your warm arousal while his lips worked over your other breast.

“Sangie,” you gasped out, one hand tangling into his hair and tugging encouragingly. “More, please.”

Chuckling lowly against your skin, he obliged, pushing the fabric of your panties to the side to slide his fingers through your wetness. You whined and writhed under him, hips seeking further stimulation—this wasn’t enough. The pad of his finger circled your clit and you jolted, a pitched whine leaving you that had Yeosang’s control snapping in an instant.

He needed more, and he needed it now. More of you, more of your lovely little sounds, more of your warm body pressed against his cold one.

Pulling back from your chest with a wet noise, he sat back on his heels, tugging his shirt off and tossing it away from him. Your remaining undergarment was pulled off and discarded as he stood, quickly ridding himself of his final layers, too. He drank you in with a gaze that made you feel like prey, delicate and helpless underneath the ancient power that coursed through his veins. Pride swelled in his chest as he took in your open-mouthed, hungry stare. He chuckled to himself and ran a hand across his broad chest, letting you drink in the sight of him. His grin only spread as he watched you turn away from him, shy.

“My pretty girl,” he hummed, running his fingers up the insides of your thighs as he settled between them again.

Your pretty little whine had him preening as he lowered himself to your core, grinning up at you. Tossing your legs over his shoulders, he held eye contact and sighed against you as you shuddered, before his tongue flicked out to tease at your slit. He delighted in the way your hands flew to his hair, tangling in the soft strands as you urged him closer. His sharp, calculated gaze remained on you as he flattened his tongue against you, humming happily at the taste of you. His eyes rolled back in his head, finally slipping shut as he began to lose himself in the ecstasy that was your essence.

Your sounds only grew as he began to eat you out in earnest and they went straight to his cock; Yeosang found himself rutting into the mattress within minutes, desperate to find any amount of friction. His pride fell to the wayside as he gripped your thighs hard enough to bruise, fucking his tongue into you with fervor. He barely came up for air as he buried his face in your pussy, pleasured moans leaving him as he chased both of your peaks. Your tugging on his hair was what brought him back into his mind and, though he shot you a glare, his fingers quickly replaced his mouth.

You were gasping for breath as he sat upright, grinning proudly while your legs dropped to rest over his elbows. “What’s the matter, love?”

“C-Can’t, g’nna cum,” you gasped, hands coming to rest over his biceps as you melted back into the mattress.

“Oh, well if that’s all,” he hummed, slowly lowering himself back down. You whimpered, hands tangling back into his hair at the warmth of his tongue and the chill of his fingers, but gave no further sounds of protest as he dove back into you. Within seconds, your legs were clamping down around his ears and he was opening his eyes, drinking in the sight of your ecstasy as he worked you over the edge. With one final suck to your clit, he sat back on his heels and drank in the whine that left you, sighing happily.

“Gods above, you taste good,” he murmured, licking his lips hungrily.

“Yeosang,” you whined, hands clawing up his arms to pull him close, “need you baby, please.”

“Need what?” He grinned, shifting up to cage you in completely, his cockhead teasing at your folds. You whine, shifting lower, and he clicked his tongue as one hand came to rest over your throat, stilling your movements.

You whined, blinking up at him with wide, doe eyes, and he had to bite back a growl. “Your cock, Sangie, please.”

He grinned down at you devilishly as he pressed into you, drinking down every whine and moan that spilled from your mouth as he sealed his lips with your own. When he was finally sheathed within your warmth, he sighed happily and buried his face into the crook of your neck. You wrapped your arms around his and he felt secure, safe, as he began a slow and deliberate pace.

“So long as you’re mine,” he whispered against your skin, his speed building. “I will protect you. What is mine is the coven’s and what is the coven’s is mine.” You clenched around him, and he groaned lowly, his eyes squeezing shut. “We keep our own safe.”

You clung to him like a lifeline, the air crackling electric between you as you climbed to your second peak at record speed. The way his speed built in tandem with the passion of his words had you squirming, clawing for him. He shuddered, too, as your walls spasmed around him, his own orgasm catching him by surprise. He sat up straight and sheathed himself in you fully as you both rode out the waves of pleasure, his hips rolling in tiny circles to prolong it.

With one last kiss to your forehead, he pulled himself from you and collapsed to your side. He gave himself to the count of ten to bask in the warmth as he felt himself quickly falling into the meditative state he considered “sleep,” emerging from the brink of it to clean you. You sighed, basking in the attention, and Yeosang’s heart skipped a beat as he crawled back into bed with you—tired, cuddly, smiling, perfect you. He prayed you were asleep as he whispered into your hair.

“I love you, Y/N.”

You hid your grin in his chest and fell asleep in his arms.

When you awoke in a bed that was not your own, the curtains around you pulled shut, you startled. Yeosang was laid next to you reading, and as you stirred, he glanced up from his page. “Good morning, darling.”

You smiled, turning over to press a kiss to his cheek, grinning when he flushed and turned back to his book. “Good morning, Sangie. What time is it?”

“Just after sunrise.”

Huffing, you pushed yourself up from the bed. “You shouldn’t have let me sleep so late. I’ll have to hope no one has a route in this direction today,” you muttered as you went about gathering your clothes, strewn about the room. “And that no one decided to hang around near my room.”

Yeosang set his book aside, frowning. “I’ll come with you.”

“You will do no such thing, Kang Yeosang,” you protested, continuing on before he could speak. “The moment you are within firing distance of the castle, the elders will see you taken out. Stay here and speak to Hongjoong; I’ll only be gone a few hours.” He frowned deeply, eyes tracking your movements carefully as you tugged back the curtains an inch. “It’s bright out today, anyway. You wouldn’t be very comfortable past the treeline.”

The fight was over before it had really started, logic winning out over Yeosang’s protective nature. You were right; in the full sun of the day, with the snow reflecting it back up at him, he would be weak. Not only would protecting you be a challenge, his presence might hinder the speed of your mission.

“Alright. I’ll speak with Hongjoong. I’ll give you until noon to be back before I start looking for you.” Grinning, you bounced back across the room, leaning down to press a kiss to Yeosang’s lips. He hummed happily as he carded a hand into your hair, gently tugging you back for more.

With a hand on his shoulder, you kept him at bay, chuckling quietly to yourself. “You had enough of me last night, love. You can have more tonight, but you have to let me go get my belongings.”

The sigh that left him was half-hearted at best, and you huffed another breath of laughter. “Fine. Be safe and hurry back.”

“I will.”

As the door shut behind you, something unsettling stirred in his gut. For inexplicable reasons, he felt as though you were lying.

“Yunho, you met this girl. Can we trust her?” Hongjoong questioned, folding his hands neatly in his lap as he leaned back in his chair. He looked relaxed, at ease in the safety of his own chambers, only the twitching of his jaw giving away his current inner turmoil.

The man in question thought for a moment, shrugging and giving a small nod. “I think Yeosang coming back in one piece today is a pretty good sign.”

He nodded slowly, mulling the request over. It was a great risk for the coven to take in a mortal, both to the mortal and the coven. Word had spread on one occasion they did such a thing, and they had been forced to move rather abruptly. Y/N’s upbringing as a monster hunter added another convoluted layer to the whole ordeal; she could be playing them to spy for her order or, if they truly were on the hunt for her, she could end up getting them all killed. But no matter how stoic and strict he may look to outsiders, Hongjoong had an undeniable soft spot for his coven. So, as Yeosang stood there, a determined and pleading look on his face, the elder vampire caved.

“Fine. But let her know that she will be expected to pull her weight. She can stay with you and Yunho until we figure out other living arrangements,” he conceded, huffing an annoyed sigh that held little weight. “Now go tell the others.”

Yeosang beamed, practically bouncing toward the door and flinging it open. Wooyoung, who had just started up the front porch steps, startled and fell back against San.

“Y/N is coming to live with us!” He blurted out, and the pair shared a confused look. “It’s a whole long story. Speaking of, have either of you seen her? I can’t wait to tell her.”

Wooyoung recovered before San did, blinking back into himself and sharing a bright smile with his friend. “That’s great! I can’t wait for her to meet everyone else. Sannie, I think you’ll really like her. I haven’t seen her around today; is she here?”

“She went to gather her things from the hunters’ stronghold. She should be back any minute.” Something unpleasant coiled in Yeosang’s gut, and he frowned. “You didn’t happen to see any hunters on your way back in, did you?”

San and Wooyoung shared a look that had Yeosang’s blood running cold. “We did,” San confirmed. “They were headed away from here, though. We didn’t bother with them.”

Behind him, someone stirred, and Yeosang spun on his heel, eyes pleading with Hongjoong as he approached. “She said she’d be in danger if she ran into other hunters. We have to look for her.”

Resolutely, Hongjoong nodded, turning back over his shoulder. “Yunho, get Jongho. San, Wooyoung, go get Seonghwa and Mingi. We’ll head toward their stronghold and work outward—stay in pairs, stay out of sight, and do not eng—”

Before the leader could finish his sentence, a sharp scream echoed through the forest, and Yeosang’s eyes widened. He went rigid for a moment, keen ears twitching as they scanned the forest, tracking the echoes until he could pinpoint a near exact location of origin. He was moving before he could think, dashing down the path and into the treeline. Dodging trees and leaping over fallen branches as he tore through the brush, the warning shouts of his coven fell on deaf ears. They would follow, he knew. He only slowed for a moment when he caught the scent of your blood in the air, tripping over his own feet before pushing forward with even more purpose.

In hindsight, he should have realized that your familiar yell was not one of fear, as he had been so worried about. He should have taken even a moment to breathe.

You were still upright when he barreled into the clearing, wrestling with another hunter for what looked to be a blade. Your face was twisted in a grimace, desperation and anger marring the features he was so used to seeing alight with joy. He called your name and you turned, the panic-stricken look you sent him sending confusion and hurt lancing through him. He was here to help; shouldn’t you be happy to see him?

In hindsight, he should have realized why your cry was so familiar to his ears. Maybe he would have registered that it had been full of pure, white-hot rage; the same rage you directed at him during your first meeting.

Time slowed, and with the snap of a wire, Yeosang understood.

The bolt burned as it pierced through his ribs, and his vision went white with the pain as he toppled forward, falling to his hands and knees with a shout of his own. This time, there was pain in your exclamation; he couldn’t quite make out the words, but he heard the break in your voice that he knew, all too well, meant tears were brimming. He tasted iron as he coughed, distantly registering the shadow of black that splattered the snow in front of him.

It had been a while since he’d seen his own blood.

More shouts echoed as he fell to his knees, vision going black for a moment. When his sight returned, you were in front of him, and Yeosang’s brow furrowed. Humans like you, as far as he knew, couldn’t move that fast. He glanced over your shoulder, gasping—when had the coven gotten here?

Another blink, and he was on his back, staring up at your distressingly heartbroken expression. Your hands cupped his cheeks for a beat, and he melted into the fleeting feeling, grumbling in disapproval as they streaked down his neck to his sides. About halfway to his hips, they stopped, and the pain that sparked through him had him coming back to his senses, a shout choked behind his teeth.

“Leave it,” he hissed, and you made a pained noise. The iron crossbow bolt had embedded itself firmly and, despite his protests, you gave it another tug. This time, Yeosang shouted, bolting upright and batting your hand away from him. “Barbed,” he croaked, falling back to his hands and knees. “You’ll rip me up if you take it out.”

“And it’ll poison you slowly if I don’t,” you urged, reaching for him. “You can heal the injuries, please.”

Yeosang frowned deeply, eyes squeezing shut as he took stock of his body. “Not… quickly enough.”

“Please let me try,” you begged, hand settling below his wound. “Please give yourself a chance. Let me give you a chance, Yeosang, please.”

Oh, how weak he was for you.

Swallowing thickly, he screwed his eyes shut and nodded, rolling once more onto his back with a wince. “If it pleases you.”

“None of this pleases me,” you shot back, choking on a sob around your words. Your grip solid around the arrow’s shaft, you gave a strong tug, and Yeosang shouted through gritted teeth as it came free. “I’m sorry, love, I’m sorry,” you breathed, cupping his face.

“No more… apologies. This is not your fault,” he muttered between coughs. His mouth felt wetter than usual and he turned, dizzy as he watched more black mar the white ground. “Oh.”

“Stay still, Sangie, please, let your magic work. Don’t make things worse. Just… stay here. It’ll be okay.”

You didn’t sound sure. Yeosang huffed a laugh, coughed. “I won’t heal… fast enough,” he muttered, rolling once more onto his back. “H’ngjoong s-said… You can stay with us. Make sure he keeps… ‘s word.”

His eyes fluttered shut. He was so tired all of a sudden. Distantly, he could hear you calling to him, could feel your hands on his cheeks. He smiled, leaning into the warmth of your palms, a stark contrast to the chill surrounding him. The world was turning to white noise; Yeosang sighed.

One voice, familiar and filled with venom, cut through the roar. He was just used to listening for his Captain, after all, and he heard him clear as day now.

“You have just declared a war.”

Everything went quiet.

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#cromernet #cultofdionysusnet #k-vanity #mfu-net #wonderlandnet #yeosang x reader #yeosang imagines #yeosang scenarios #yeosang smut #yeosang angst #ateez smut #ateez x reader #ateez imagines #ateez scenarios #ateez angst #neb.atz #neb.insurrection #nebulous writes

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bvidzsoo · 6 months

Text

Salty tears, agog whispers

Author: bvidzsoo

Warnings: suicidal thoughts, mentions of death, injuries, wounds, blood, manhandling, mentions of sex worker, human trafficking, swearing, ptsd

Pairing: Kang Yeosang x female reader

Word count: 19,9k

Summary: Kang Yeosang was forced to flee from his once very familiar life as he killed his father. He didn't mean to do it, but he harmed his mother and Yeosang just couldn't sit and watch anymore. You have never had an easy life. You were sold off at a young age, then bought, then sold, then bought again and sold again. It was a neverending cycle. You were just a toy for men to use and then disregard of; you wanted to disappear. And one man almost granted your wish, he killed you, or so he thought...and so did you. But an angel, a kind-hearted man, saved you from your terrible fate. You found a family, just like he did so many years ago. Yeosang was your angel. (Reader is called Jung Hana in the following oneshots.)

A/N: I'm baack!! *sighs* this part is a harsh one imo, nothing is very detailed but it's heavily packed with emotions; I hope I covered everything in the warnings. For better understatement, once again, I heavily advise you read San's part (why is it always about him haha) and the other parts too ofc because everything is tightly woven together and you'll have a better understanding of the whole story and world building!!! If you want to be tagged just let me know and share your thoughts! Happy reading!

Taglist: @pingyu-in-wonderland @marievllr-abg @lelaleleb @loveforred @horanghae8 @jeonghanscarat7 @orshii @mundayoonimnida @m3tavita @silentcry329 @icarusignite @cooljuni

Series Masterlist ↭ Previous Part

Everything was cold. Painfully cold. The heavy wind and salty water were freezing, numbing, as the sea pulled me further away from the cliff. From the shore. Away from the atrocious monsters called humans. A painful cough tore through my lungs as a wave crashed into my body, sending me down under, before I was pulled back to the surface by the same wave, nose and throat stinging from the salt. I wanted to scream. The pain was unbearable, but my throat was sore and my eyes so swelled up that I couldn’t see anymore. What would I scream for? For help? To be back between the evil claws of men? Then, I would rather accept my fate and succumb to the darkness. At least it was quiet there, safe, and finally…I’d have solitude. Nobody would touch me, nobody would degrade me, nobody would violate me anymore. That brought serenity upon my spasming muscles as they finally relaxed, finally giving in to the cold. There was no use in fighting against it. If the Gods didn’t find my life entertaining enough anymore, then they probably wanted to get rid of me right now. And that would mean a certain death. Lost in the sea, sinking down under as wave after wave washed me away. The thought didn’t seem too scary, nor sad, and I found myself smiling. For the first time in ages, I was smiling as another wave crashed into my body, whipping me around and around, nose and mouth filled with water. It didn’t hurt anymore as my brain seemed to shut down, the clatter of my teeth barely there. I wanted to see the sky for one last time before the darkness would take its claim on me, saving me from my misery. But when I opened my eyes, I couldn’t see much other than darkness. Everywhere. Above and around. Have I died, then? Did the Gods drag me to hell finally? Why was it still so painful then? So cold and terrifying? What if the man hasn’t had enough with me and came to fish me out the sea? What if terror would follow me even after my demise? What if I wasn’t allowed to ever rest? To ever be happy? What if the Gods hated me and were punishing me for all the wrongdoings I have done? Which weren’t many, but they hated sinners. Everyone said that. Everyone knew that. Did Heaven exist? What if they didn’t want me there? I would’ve chuckled if I could’ve, but my body wasn’t working anymore, it was dead weight. I couldn’t fight back anymore; I couldn’t hold on anymore. So, I closed my eyes and let a long breath out, emptying my lungs, not wanting to make the process longer than necessary. As if the Gods succumbed to my final cry of pity, a harsh wave sent my body underwater, cold tentacles wrapping around my body, pulling me even further under. It felt like I was wrapped up in an icy cocoon, void of air as my lungs started quickly screaming for oxygen. I didn’t feel the need to fight back, to try and swim up to the surface, to save myself. What was the point of living if life was so miserable?

If I was being used day and night to others pleasure, my wants and needs completely disregarded? What was the point of trying to save myself when I’ve been desperately wishing to die already, to just drop dead in the middle of the day or night, to be free of so much horror this awful life has put me through? If I would’ve had any tears left, I would’ve been sobbing by now, shouting in agony and asking ‘Why me?’. But I just smiled, choking on nothing but pure salt and water, body convulsing in awful ways despite my serene thoughts. There was no need to do this, to try and fight back, even if it was a normal human reaction. I welcomed it with open arms, content with the sudden turn of my fate. If the Gods wanted to drag me to hell, I wanted it too. If they wanted to do it right now, I thanked them for it. And it did feel like someone’s grip was around my wrist, strong and burning, as it pulled me towards themselves, but it didn’t feel like I was sinking anymore. It didn’t feel like I was being dragged towards Hell anymore, it felt like I was getting closer to the surface with each passing second and if my body wouldn’t have been on the verge of blacking out, on the verge of dying, I would’ve kicked and scratched, fighting the saving grip off myself. But my vision blackened and my lungs burned, skin like ice, as everything faded around me. Sounds muted, senses vaned and darkness engulfed my whole being, body going limp. Finally, I have let go.

I imagined this is what it felt like resurfacing from underwater once your lungs were left with no oxygen, gasping loudly and frantically for air as my eyes opened and I shot up in a sitting position. My heart was beating fast and my lungs burning as I took quick breaths, body panicked and on high-alert as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. It was so dark in here, not even the small window provided enough light for me to see my surroundings. My body was tense, muscles sore and screaming in pain as tears filled my eyes, realizing I was in a bed. A bed which had soft blankets and a pillow which smelled like flowers. I was back in the hands of my tormentors, but then why was this place rocking from left to right? Why did I hear waves crashing against the house? Why was the wind howling so loudly, sending chills down my back? As if reminded about my back, my body finally caught up with my brain and the pain finally seeped through my veins, to every inch of my abused body. It felt like my skin was being ripped open once again, cut with the sharp blade of the knife, abused and abused relentlessly. I couldn’t help the despaired cry which left my lips, clutching the blankets tightly in my balled-up fists as I bit my lower lip harshly, on the verge of crying out again from the aching of my whole being. It was so strong that my head started pulsing, making me light headed as I was about to fall backwards, but the only room to the door was quickly opened. My eyes had adjusted to the darkness by now, but the little light was welcomed as a figure walked inside the room, their actions rushed as they quickly closed the door behind them. I frowned, whimpering from the pain again, as I tried to make out who the person inside the room was, only to gasp when they stepped further inside, candlelight illuminating their face. It was a man. His features were very soft, almost as if he was carefully drawn and then painted by the Gods before he was brought to life. Perhaps in a different setting and in an earlier stage of life, this man wouldn’t have seemed like a threat. I have met too many angelic faced men with cruel intentions to not recoil from this one’s touch as his hand reached out, freezing midair as I scooted backwards. The man seemed shocked and sad at the same time, eyebrows lightly furrowing before he lowered his arm.

“My name is Kang Yeosang,” The man suddenly spoke up quietly, almost in a whisper, and his deep voice did not match his angelic features, “I’m somewhat of a doctor, I know how to heal certain sicknesses and how to patch people up, you don’t have to be scared of me. I’m just here to heal your wounds, but before I do that, I need to see if you have a fever.”

His words carried through the room, slowly reaching my brain just as Yeosang raised an inquiring eyebrow. How could I believe him? What if he was just lying for me to trust him and give in to him easier, allow him to touch me? I quickly shook my head and scooted further up on the bed, back colliding with the harsh wooden wall, a yelp leaving my lips at the throbbing ache which traveled through my spine at the contact. Tears sprung into my eyes instantly and I held a hand over my mouth, lips trembling in fear and pain.

“I’m sorry, I—” Yeosang seemed to be at a loss of words as he gazed at me with so much sadness on his face, “Your back is—very bruised, I know it hurts a lot. Your body has been through a lot, so just…please, let me heal you. I will only touch your forehead to see if you have a fever, I promise.”

Everything in my body screamed to scamper off the bed and run away, but where to? Where even was I? The candlelight wasn’t strong enough to light up the room, but it was enough to see how small it was and how little furniture was inside it. And the constant rocking wasn’t normal either. I dared to look up into the eyes of the angelic man and I found no malice in them. Could he be genuine? Or was he just a very talented actor? Before I could doubt him more, another painful throb racked my whole body and I whined, shutting my eyes tightly closed, head lightly falling forward. Yeosang didn’t reach out to me, but he tensed as he slightly moved closer to the bed. I waited a second for the pain to dissipate, but nothing happened, so I raised my head and looked at Yeosang, who was waiting patiently and keeping his distance. Did I have much of a choice? When was I even allowed to choose something? So, with a shuddering breath, I nodded slowly and Yeosang’s face instantly relaxed, seemingly glad that I allowed him to inspect my temperature. His hand reached out again and my muscles tensed as I brought my legs to my chest, body screaming at me to stop moving, but I felt exposed as he leaned closer. A small smile, which looked comforting, appeared on his lips as his fingers lightly brushed against my forehead, making me shudder, before his warm palm was pressed firmly against my skin. I stopped breathing as my lips trembled and gazed into the beautiful man’s eyes as his eyebrows furrowed, eyes slightly closing. I wasn’t cold anymore, but his palm was a lot warmer than I was and the press of his hand made my headache slightly disappear. But then, his hand was gone as soon as it came, and I looked at him surprised, not expecting him to keep his words. His eyebrows furrowed as he shook his head, mumbling something to himself as he suddenly started walking towards the door.

“I’ll be right back, don’t be scared.” He said softly and I just looked away, hoping he wouldn’t see the tears in my eyes. It wasn’t that easy to not be scared. So far, he seemed to be honest and do as he said, but I couldn’t trust him. Not yet, not when I was so vulnerable and he might be acting just for me to start trusting him. I couldn’t fall in his trap. Men were sly and they used anything they could against you, I wasn’t in the physical state to fight back if he tried to harm me more, not that I usually could. As I sniffed, wiping a few tears off my cheeks, the door opened again and I looked up alarmed, watching as Yeosang walked in with two different cups in his hands, shutting the door quietly behind himself. He paused for a second, his eyes running over my face before he quietly sighed, licking his lips as he spoke up, “I brought you two different herbal teas. One is to boost your immune system and help your wounds heal faster, and the other is to lessen your pain and allow your muscles to build themselves back up faster.”

I gulped once he finished explaining and my eyes looked between the two ceramic cups, gulping thirstily. It only occurred to me now how thirsty I was and how sore my throat felt. Even if I wanted to speak, I probably wouldn’t have been able to. I looked back at Yeosang, who was watching me expectantly but very patiently, slightly extending his hands towards me to take the two cups. What if he tried to poison me? To kill me? Wouldn’t then my wish become reality? I’d be finally free. The thought of that and the constant aching of my back and muscles made me take a rash decision as I blindly trusted this angel faced stranger and took the cup in his left hand, an encouraging smile appearing on Yeosang’s lips as I brought the cup to my lips. It was still steaming, the cup warm to my touch, and I smelled it first, only to be met with a pleasant flower like scent. It was sweet and I allowed the warm liquid to pour down my throat, almost crying at the soothing feeling, thankful to have something finally hydrate my wrecked body. The taste was velvety and sweet, like I had expected, for a herbal tea it didn’t taste too bad. Yeosang’s smile seemed to widen as he watched my reaction and then eagerly handed me the other cup, taking the empty one as I quickly drank the contents of this cup too, desperate for something which would relieve me of the pain. This one’s taste was bitter and sour at the same time, it made me gag a little bit as I shuddered, squeezing my eyes shut tightly. I heard a chuckle and as I opened my eyes, Yeosang had an embarrassed look on his face. He took the empty cup as I handed it to him and cleared his throat.

“Sorry, this one tastes a bit awful; I know, I haven’t found the matching ingredient for it yet to sweeten it.” I nodded upon Yeosang’s explanation and watched him for a second longer, taking in his features. He seemed tall, at least taller than me, and his frame was well-built but his muscles weren’t bulging uglily. His black hair was longer and beside the few strands which framed his chiseled face, the rest was pushed behind his ears. His round eyes watched me softly and his pink lips were pulled in a comforting smile, he looked like he was pitying me. I watched the discoloration next to his left eye and cheekbone, wondering what caused the redness of his flawlessly frail skin. He was tanner than me, but then again, I was as white as a wall. I averted my eyes, realizing that I was staring and he could see it and noticed how drowsy I started becoming. My headache became dull and I noticed how the aching of my body didn’t seem so unbearable anymore as I lay on my side, feeling Yeosang’s watchful eyes on me. He didn’t move and I didn’t have the energy to stay alert as my body succumbed to fatigue. My eyelids fluttered shut and I sighed loudly, feeling the weight of the warm blanket fall over my petite form. Darkness abducted me for a second time tonight, but this time it didn’t feel so menacing, so final.

Normally, I would have never slept through the night without waking up shaking in fear, having to wipe my tears away as my mind was plagued with nightmares. Normally, I wasn’t even allowed to sleep throughout the whole night as men came and went whenever they wanted to, no such thing as rest was allowed at the brothel. Or the torture house, as I had started referring to it years ago. But something in the teas Yeosang offered to me must’ve had some anesthetics as I hadn’t even woken up to the thunderstorm ripping through the place currently. There was something very comforting about storms, but I could never truly sleep during one, the thunder oddly reminded me of screaming men who berated you and then punished you for not listening to them. I only woke up when the faint clanking of porcelain registered not far from my head, which was still pounding, but not as painfully as last night. My eyebrows furrowed as I shoved my face further into the flower-scented pillow, until the aching of my back caught up with my brain and I realized where I was. Eyes flew open and I shot up, scrambling back into the wooden wall when I realized how close the angelic faced man was standing to me. Yeosang, was his name, I remembered. He looked just as startled as me as he stared back wide eyed, hands hovering in the air above the tray he was holding seconds ago. My heart was beating fast as I stared at him, biting my bottom lip as the entirety of my back was pulsing, thighs sore and right ankle throbbing.

“Oh,” Yeosang mumbled, looking lost as he looked between himself and the bed, he was standing by the bedside table, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you awake.”

I remained silent as I watched the man fumble around for a second until he stepped back, scratching the back of his head, “You really shouldn’t press your back against anything right now, Miss.”

He said he was a doctor; his constant attention to my actions was probably because he knew better what was wrong or right for my body, but I couldn’t move. I was scared to. What if he really was just acting to gain my trust and then use me like so many others have before him? My brain was screaming at me to move away from the wall, the pain was becoming too much, but then I would get closer to him, making it easier for him to reach out for me. I couldn’t do that.

“Alright,” Yeosang mumbled a little defeated when he realized I wouldn’t move and he looked around at a loss before his eyes fell back on the tray, “I brought your breakfast. We don’t have much food on the ship right now, but I saved some rice for you.”

Ship? For the first time, I allowed my eyes to look around the room, to take in my surroundings. Everything was made out of dark, sturdy wood. The room was relatively small, but still bigger than the room I was allowed to inhabit back at the brothel. It had the necessities only, the bed I was sitting on, a nightstand with a vase and a white lily in it, a desk which was full of chests of different sizes, a chair next to it, and a wardrobe. The house was still rocking from left to right, albeit a bit harsher compared to last night. But I wasn’t in a house, I wasn’t on land anymore. I was on a ship, trapped here even if I wished to run away. The thought sent panic through my veins and my breathing accelerated, but as I looked at Yeosang, the helplessness in his eyes somehow calmed me down. He really didn’t seem harmful, but I could never be too sure. He looked like he didn’t know what to do as he stared at me and I looked away, embarrassed. My eyes fell back on the nightstand and suddenly, my stomach rumbled loudly. I bit my lower lip and refused to look at Yeosang as my cheeks flushed. I haven’t even realized up until now how hungry I was.

“It’s simple rice and a boiled egg, you really should eat, Miss, your body is too weak. It won’t recover if you don’t feed it.” His voice sounded desperate as he spoke up and I nodded wordlessly, reluctantly reaching for the tray. But it pulled a muscle in my back and I hissed as a strong pang of pain traveled from my shoulders to the center of my back, making Yeosang slightly step towards me, but when my wide eyes looked up at him, he froze. He bowed his head and took a step back, a good four steps away from the bed now. He was standing in the middle of the room, hands clasped in front of him and head bowed. For a second, the image of him almost covering in front of me made me feel bad, but it didn’t last for long as I realized it could be an act. I reached for the bowl of food and fork, quickly pressing back against the wall, ignoring the pain, inhaling the food in mere minutes. Yeosang remained quiet as he watched me eat, I couldn’t care less what I looked like since I hadn’t had a meal in three days. Despite the rice being simple it tasted amazing, and it wasn’t because I was so famished, it was because the cook did a very good job. I ate the egg too, licking the fork clean once I was finished with my breakfast, looking back up at Yeosang with grateful eyes. I was still a bit hungry, but it was nothing I couldn’t deal with, I was used to it. A big smile appeared on Yeosang’s face and he nodded happily, reaching out to take the bowl, but I quickly placed it on the edge of the bed, scared of any contact. His smile slightly fell, but he quickly fixed his expression and took the bowl, placing it back onto the tray, and cleared his throat.

“Wooyoung is quite the cook, isn’t he?” I glanced at him but said nothing, and after waiting for a few seconds, he continued awkwardly, “Yeah, uh, I brought some more medicine. It’s the same from last night, but I added a little ginger into the sour one so it won’t taste good still, sorry. But it’s important for your immune system, anyways, it will make you sleepy but it’s good if you sleep, you heal faster, did you know that?”

Yeosang’s eyebrows raised in question and I shook my head no, the information new to me. Yeosang grinned and extended the two little cups towards me, which I took cautiously, making sure our fingers didn’t touch by accident. I drank the contents of it, cringing more from the taste of ginger, making Yeosang chuckle as he took the cups back once I placed them on the edge of the bed.

“I know not everyone likes ginger, it once made Mingi throw up when he was sick and I prepared a tea for him, but I personally really like it. It’s a bit spicy, but very tasty, and—” Yeosang sucked in a deep breath as I stared at him wide eyed, taken aback by his chatty personality, “Sorry, I ramble a lot. I figure you might not be used to that, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable by any means.”

I fought the muscles of my face as they threatened to pull up into a smile and instead lowered my head before I nodded, uncomfortable silence engulfing us. Yeosang hesitated for a few seconds before he cleared his throat, “You should lay down, take pressure off your back. I’m going to leave you alone until lunch. Nobody will bother you; do you want me to lock the door?”

If he locked the door, did it mean nobody but him could enter? He would also trap me in here, defenseless, but once again, we were on a ship. It’s not like I could run away. The most I could do was jump into the sea and die. The thought of dying, all of a sudden, didn’t sound as comforting as last night. It was foreign. Peeking up at Yeosang through my lashes, I nodded to let him know that I wanted him to lock the door. Yeosang humped and grabbed the tray off the nightstand, eyes falling on me when I moved to lay on my back, wincing and gasping at the pain, tears springing into my eyes. The headache was still dull, but it couldn’t be compared to the ache of the rest of my body, I could only hope the medicine would make its effects quickly, lulling me to sleep where I wouldn’t feel anything. I could only hope to have a dreamless rest, my body probably wouldn’t be able to cope with torment even in my dreams. I let out a shaky breath as I tried to relax against the sheets, but my back was burning, and a few tears started rolling down my cheeks.

“Stop laying on your back.” Yeosang’s soft voice suddenly turned stern and my eyes snapped up to look at him, his eyebrows were furrowed and he looked distressed. He also looked angry. I have misbehaved. Punishment would follow. My lips started trembling at the thought, knowing very well my body wasn’t able to take any more abuse, and all I could do was start crying harder, shaking my head no and looking at Yeosang pleadingly. His anger dissipated instantly and his eyes widened as he took a step towards me, but I whimpered and he froze again, looking confused and guilty at the same time, “I’m sorry, I didn’t—I didn’t mean to—please don’t be scared of me.”

His voice was pleading and his lips were downturned as his eyebrows furrowed, looking at me with sadness written all over his face, “I won’t harm you; I just don’t want your wounds to worsen. You should stop laying on your back and pressing it against the wall until it’s somewhat healed, please. Sleep on your front, if you can, or turn to the side—nothing will happen to you while you’re here, alright?”

His words did no good as my mind was ready for anything, ready to take the blows and the screams. I couldn’t help but cry more as I struggled to turn onto my stomach, muscles screaming in pain and body trembling. Yeosang watched me speechless, grip tightening around the tray. His words were my command, there were few things I wouldn’t do if he asked me. I buried my face in the pillow, my tears wetting it as I felt movement next to me and before I could turn and look, the door to the room opened and closed, a key locking it before I could hear Yeosang’s footsteps walking away hurriedly. He was the first man who didn’t yell at me for not listening to him. He was the first man who walked away instead of antagonizing me.

The day passed by in a blur, Yeosang was back when it was lunchtime but he didn’t stay for long and he didn’t say much. I took the medicine, a different kind of tea this time, and went back to sleep as the rocking of the ship was making me feel nauseous. Besides, I had nothing else to do and the dull ache of my body exhausted me beyond like anything else, even if all I did was lay in bed all day. But I woke up a few hours after lunch and found myself wide awake for the first time. The wounds decorating my back were pulsing, but it wasn’t as unbearable as the sharp pangs of pain which seemed to plague my system before the medicine I took during lunch. My head stopped thumping and for the first time it felt like it was truly above the surface. My thighs were sore and despite me trying to massage them nothing much happened. I also noticed for the first time the bandages wrapped around my ankle and around the few cuts on my biceps. I finally felt the soft cloth pressed against my back, and I realized Yeosang had bandaged me up the second he found me. My heart warmed at the thought, but I couldn’t trust him just yet. He could be acting. He could be playing me. He could be helping me just to sell me off once again once I get better. Men weren’t trustworthy, I have learned that a long time ago.

Having turned onto my side, I was facing the little circle window of the room and I could see the cloudy sky and the sea when a wave crashed against the ship. I was curious as to where we were, whether we were close to the shore or far away; I have never been on a ship before. I had no idea what the sea looked like once you were sailing it. I never had the luxuries of trying out such mundane things as travelling. It was truly depressing. Feeling curious and courageous, I pushed myself up into a sitting position and allowed my feet to dangle off the bed. My pink dress was dirty and torn, I hadn’t even thought about that until now. But I had no spare dresses, so I couldn’t change into anything else. I looked down at myself and noticed the fabric was ripped around my breasts, the outer layer missing, a sheer cloth the only thing hiding my body from view. I was used to being naked, it meant nothing to me, it brought no feeling of shame anymore. I took a deep breath and looked towards the window once again, dusk and the stormy clouds casted a gloomy veil over the room. It wouldn’t hurt anyone if I looked out the window, so I scooted lower on the bed until my feet touched the wooden floor. It was cold at first and I hissed as I stood, suddenly remembering all the shards I ran over when I was trying to get away from that monster. My feet were cut up. It made me wonder if there was at least one little nook on my body which was healthy, untouched currently. Probably not. I bit my lower lip as I slowly took off towards the window, it felt like I was walking on shards all over again, yet there were none here. I barely got to the desk, when I heard the door being unlocked and it swiftly opened behind me. My body went rigid, goosebumps erupting on my skin as someone walked inside, slamming the door shut behind them.

“Miss! You can’t do that!” The deep voice whisper-shouted at me and my hands curled up into fists, body starting to tremble as panic and annoyance oozed from Yeosang’s voice, “Your feet are all cut up!”

I heard him shuffling behind me, but I couldn’t move. I was frozen to my spot, closing my eyes and awaiting the repercussions of my mistakes. After all those years, I really should have known better. You never disobey your master. You never step out of line and you never do anything by yourself, unless you were previously told to. If a beating followed, I would truly deserve it. Yeosang never said I couldn’t walk around before, but he also never said I could. So I took a deep breath and braced myself for the blows as I heard him place the tray on the nightstand forcefully, footsteps storming towards me. My body couldn’t take much, perhaps, I would die tonight at the hands of the doctor. But the expected pain never came as suddenly I felt an arm bending my knees from behind meanwhile another arm went around my shoulders. I was hoisted up into the air before pulled against a firm chest, strong arms holding me snugly against his body as if I weighted nothing. I didn’t think my body could tense even more, but my muscles were screaming at me from how tense I was, it felt like my wounds were opening up once again. My whole body trembled as Yeosang’s warmth seeped into my cold skin, his flowery scent dominant now that I was so close to him. He seemed tense too as he hurried us over to the bed and I closed my eyes when I felt myself being moved again, and I still didn’t open them when I was sat on the edge of the bed, Yeosang’s breathing loud as he stood close. Too close. My body shivered at the loss of warmth and suddenly, the flowery scent was gone and so was the nerve-wrecking proximity of Yeosang. But his gaze was still on me, I could feel it, it was burning into the top of my head as it was lowered. My lips trembled as I fumbled with my fingers in my lap and as the silence was even more prolonged, I couldn’t take it anymore.

“I’m—I’m sorry—” My voice sounded hollow, croaked as I hadn’t spoken in two days. It seems like my throat was still healing from the gut wrenching screams I let out just days ago, “I didn’t—I didn’t know I wasn’t—”

“Miss.” Yeosang’s deep voice was soft and coated with anguish as he cut me off, “Don’t apologize. I didn’t tell you that you shouldn’t walk for now, I am the one sorry. I shouldn’t have frightened you like that nor carried you—I’m sorry, I just panicked. Your wounds are fragile and they can open up anytime, especially the ones on your feet.”

My skin tingled and didn’t feel as cold as before, but I didn’t dare look up at Yeosang. He exuded no negative feelings, but I didn’t want to test my luck. Eye contact could be a show of defiance, of provoking, and I hoped to avoid both.

“I brought you dinner and medicine.” Yeosang mumbled quietly and I nodded as I looked towards the tray on the nightstand. Indeed, there was some rice and stew in a bowl. I reached for it and the fork and quickly dug into it, eyes filling with tears. I sniffed a few times as I devoured my dinner, so thankful to have three meals a day after so many years. My tummy hurt from so much food, but I refused to let even a drop of rice go to waste. Food was precious and I wasn’t going to act ungrateful even if my body refused to intake anymore. When I finished my dinner I dared to look up at Yeosang, and surprisingly he was smiling as he grabbed the two cups of tea. I quickly placed the bowl back on the tray and took the cups from him, hurriedly chugging them down. I noticed another jug in plus and figured it was just water as Yeosang went to place it on the nightstand instead of the tray. My eyes widened once I realized there was no sour taste this time and Yeosang smiled sheepishly, taking the cups from me and placing them back on the tray.

“I finally found the combination,” He said with a chuckle, grinning, “It’s unfortunate that it’s because of your injuries, but it’s also good because from now on it’ll taste good.”

I nodded once and watched Yeosang as he slightly blushed before turning around and grabbing something off the wooden chair. They were clothes. He turned back to face me and took a step towards me. My body tensed, but I didn’t scramble away like before. Yeosang seemed hesitant to take another step, but as I watched him wide eyed, he did, and then extended his hand. I looked at the clothes before back at him, confused.

“I figured you’d like some fresh clothes, yours are…quite damaged.” Damaged was a nice way of saying it, I took the clothes from him with a nod of gratitude, “There are two girls on the ship, so the undergarments and the pants are from them, I figured those would fit you better than mine. I also brought a clean shirt of mine, you can feel free to wear it, I have many more of those.”

Two other girls on the ship? What kind of ship was I on if only two other girls were here besides me? Perhaps I didn’t want to know the answer to that. I bowed my head at Yeosang once again and he smiled, pausing for a second. I placed the clothes next to me on the bed and gripped the front of my damaged dress, tearing the fabric apart, not that it mattered much. That dress was worth nothing at this point. I wore nothing underneath it and goosebumps erupted on my skin as the cool air hit my exposed chest. A gasp left Yeosang’s lips and as I looked up, his face was red and he whirled around rigidly, body tense. My eyebrows furrowed as I paused, looking at him confused. What happened? Did I do something wrong? Did he…not like my body?

“Why…” My voice faltered as I stared at the back of Yeosang’s head, “Why did you turn around?”

“Why—” Yeosang almost exclaimed, voice alarmed, “Because it’s inappropriate for me to watch a woman undress! You’re naked, I—I need to offer you privacy.”

My eyes remained on his strong back, mouth slightly opening in amazement. I watched as the back of his neck flamed, ears turning red too. This man had turned around because I was undressing. Because I was exposing myself to him. Because he was offering me privacy? My lips started trembling and I took in a shaky breath, about to speak up, but Yeosang beat me to it, “I will see you in the morning, Miss, sleep well.”

Sleep well? Since when was the last time anyone wished me that? My eyes were glued to Yeosang as he stormed out of the room, not even once trying to peek at me, he even brought his left hand up to shield his eyes from my naked torso. As soon as the door was locked, I broke down, tears falling freely as my body rocked with sobs, hands working gently to undress myself, having to stand for a little while to wear the undergarments and the pants. I have never been offered privacy before. Not by men, not by women. I couldn’t help but allow my heart to warm a little, silencing the voices in my head. If he truly was just acting, why would he show respect? Men never did that, not even when they were acting. As I buttoned up Yeosang’s clean shirt, I realized that too smelled like flowers. As I got under the thick covers, I couldn’t help but cry myself to sleep as my body has never felt so warm and comfortable before. The alarm bells silent in my mind for the first time.

It was my second day on the ship, and despite the freshness of my wounds, they didn’t hurt as much as I was expecting them to. Yeosang truly was a doctor, his teas were already making their effect. I still couldn’t trust him, but the way the burning of my back would fade into a rhythmic pulsing after each time I drank the medicine was confirmation enough that he wasn’t lying about his identity. I felt grateful, but I couldn’t trust him just yet. It was too soon. I was laying on my side, gazing out the window, thoughts wrapped up in a fantasy world where I was on a boat, out on the sea fishing, on a blazing hot summer day. I haven’t been to my home Kingdom in ages, I wondered if my parents were still alive, if they even remembered me. I couldn’t remember them much, but I could recount the path to our house, and I still remembered the days when my father would take me fishing with himself. These were the only memories of my childhood; these were the only escape my mind could grab onto when things became too hard to cope with. I slightly tensed when I heard knocking on the door, wondering who it could be since Yeosang never knocked before unlocking the door. It also couldn’t have been lunch time, he usually brought food later in the afternoon. I grimaced as I quickly sat up when the door was unlocked and watched with wide eyes as Yeosang slipped inside the room, peeking out cautiously before he closed the door softly and locked it again. Whenever he brought food he didn’t lock the door. My heartbeat picked up as I stared at him, taking in his attire. He wore black leather pants with a black sleeveless t-shirt tucked inside them, a brown leather belt snug around his waist. His black hair was pushed behind his ears and I just noticed two bobby pins securing them. My eyes fell onto the tray he was carrying and my heartbeat picked up even more as there was a big bowl of water and a few rags next to it. What did he plan on doing to me?

“It’s not yet lunchtime.” Yeosang spoke up, seemingly frozen in front of the door, “But I have to change your bandages so that your wounds don’t get infected. It’s the only free time I have from my duties, I hope I’m not intruding.”

Intruding on what? I almost chuckled, but instead just lowered my gaze to the bed and shook my head no, making Yeosang nod to himself. He walked further inside the room and placed the tray down on the nightstand. It looked heavy, the muscles of his biceps were bulging until he placed the tray down. Wasn’t he doing too much for me? At the brothel no one would even check up on me, let alone try and change my bandages. I pushed the warm blanket off my body and sat up fully, scooting towards the edge of the bed, not quite knowing how Yeosang wanted to proceed with this. I watched as he walked up to the desk and opened the largest chest, which was full of gauze. He took one roll into his hand before closing it, then opened the one to its left, slightly smaller than the previous chest. This one was filled with vials and different little metallic containers. Yeosang’s lips pursed as his eyes ran over the different contents, until they stopped on a black tin can. He hummed and took that one out, closing the chest and opening the smaller one in front of it, swiftly grabbing a lidded tube which contained a yellowish liquid. Yeosang turned to face me and froze for a second, seemingly taken aback by me watching him and waiting for him at the edge of the bed. My face remained expressionless as he blushed, even though I was trying very hard not to smile. He seemed cute for a second, until my brain decided to remind me that he was just acting. Trying to gain my trust.

“So, uhm, I will start by patching up your feet,” He mumbled as he came closer, making my body slightly tense at the proximity. He gently placed down every item in his hands on the floor before grabbing the bowl and rags and doing the same. I watched with furrowed eyebrows as he sat on the floor, right where my legs were dangling. Why was he sitting there? Shouldn’t he have gotten on the bed instead?

“Is it fine if I touch your feet?” My eyebrows furrowed as Yeosang looked up at me expectantly, and I nodded dumbly, trying to asses the situation. Why was he even asking for permission? He was only touching my feet, “Alright, I will clean your feet with water first and then apply a minty ointment on them, it might sting at first, but it’s very good for inflammation. It kills anything which isn’t supposed to be inside your wounds.”

The last bit sounded disgusting and my face scrunched up involuntarily, making Yeosang chuckle. He scooted a bit closer and then looked up in my eyes, gaze soft, “Ready?”

“Ready.” I found myself whispering back, enticed by his gaze and his deep voice, making Yeosang’s eyes widen at the sound of my voice. He smiled to himself before he quickly looked down and tentatively touched my left foot, his hands slightly colder than my own skin. I flinched a bit and Yeosang muttered a quiet sorry, before he grasped my foot firmly, raising it so he could inspect it. His eyebrows slightly furrowed and then he dipped the rag into the water and quickly got to work, cleaning my foot.

“They look a lot better compared to when I found you, Miss.” His voice sounded happy as he informed me, gently pressing against my skin here and there with the rag. The water was warm, and it felt actually nice to have my feet cleaned, after walking on it, I’m sure I had drawn a little blood. Yeosang’s calloused hands were soft and very careful as he slightly massaged my ankles once he disregarded the rag and then grabbed the tin can, opening it with one hand. He scooped out a copious amount of white ointment and then gently started rubbing it against the cut wounds. My eyebrows furrowed and I hissed as I went to yank my feet away, but Yeosang was faster and caught my ankles, keeping me in place. It did sting, a lot, actually, but as soon as it came it was already gone, leaving me flabbergasted.

“It’s an uncomfortable feeling, I know. I’ve had my fair share of this ointment as well,” Yeosang explained as he applied some more, this time the sting less intense, “But trust me when I say this…it does wonders, your feet will be healed in no time!”

Yeosang’s little exclamation made my eyebrows raise in surprise and he blushed again as he looked up at me, averting his eyes quickly as I tried to fight the smile off my lips. How was it possible that he could make me smile so easily? Why did my body feel like it was buzzing with life in the mere presence of him? He was a man I couldn’t trust yet, but his demeanor made that rather hard to accomplish. However, the walls built around my heart and mind were stronger than this, they wouldn’t allow me to slip and blindly offer my trust to him. I just couldn’t.

“Your feet are all done.” Yeosang said with a smile and scooted back, looking up at me, “How are your thighs? Still bruised, right?”

I nodded wordlessly and lowered my head, hiding my embarrassment as Yeosang just hummed and got up from the floor, walking to the desk. I peeked at him and watched as he opened the drawer of the desk and grabbed a black tube before he walked back to me. My body tensed at the proximity again; I couldn’t help it; it was a subconscious answer at this point. If Yeosang noticed, he said nothing about it, just placed the tube on the nightstand and pointed at it, “You should smear this over the bruises—after I have left, of course!”

He was quick to add that in, eyes widened, probably remembering how quick and unashamed I was to undress in front of him. I couldn’t help but grin and as Yeosang blushed, again, I bit my lower lip and averted my eyes, waiting for what he wished to do next. Yeosang cleared his throat and pushed the stray hair strands out of his face as he leaned down to grab the wet rag and the vial of yellowish liquid, “I’m sorry, but I have to clean your back too. You—you have to take off your shirt for that…”

Yeosang and I looked into each other’s eyes as his words seemed to hang in the air between us, filled with tension. I had no problem with taking off my shirt, but he seemed uncomfortable. It was very strange, uncommon. Yeosang’s eyebrows were furrowed as I went to unbutton the shirt and he quickly looked away, “I normally wouldn’t ask such thing of you, Miss, but there’s no other way to treat the wounds on your back. You can lay down on your front or stay sitting and hold the shirt to your chest, whichever makes you less uncomfortable.”

“I don’t have a problem with you seeing me naked.” I couldn’t help but let the words slip out as I stared at Yeosang’s profile. He sucked in a harsh breath and shook his head, eyebrows furrowing.

“That’s—that’s not how you’re supposed to think, Miss.” Yeosang mumbled and my own eyebrows furrowed, “It’s your body. Nobody should be able to see you so vulnerable unless you want them to. Everyone needs to be respected, you included.”

I stood staring at him, mouth slightly falling open as his words whirled around in my head, something deep in my chest breaking. Respect? I can’t remember a time when anyone respected me. The tears in my eyes were quick to surface, but I managed to keep them from falling, managed to gulp and suppress the urge of wanting to sob into his chest. He was being so nice. He was treating me like a human being, not like an item.

“I’m making you feel uncomfortable.” I suddenly realized, “I keep acting like a harlot.”

“Miss, don’t say that!” Yeosang was quick to interject, eyes widening as he finally looked at me. There was a fire in his eyes, so strong and burning, that for a second I was left breathless. He looked angry, sad, and determined at the same time as he shook his head, “Don’t ever say that about yourself! Don’t let anyone make you feel something you’re not. And don’t degrade yourself.”

The intensity in his eyes made me nod without much thought, drinking in his words. Even if I wanted to contradict him, I wouldn’t have been able to. He seemed to firmly believe his words, and I couldn’t help but believe him. I settled for a simple question, instead, “Do you mind if I don’t lay down?”

It brought back unpleasant memories and I couldn’t do it right now, not when my mind felt like a mess. When my heart couldn’t decide what to stand for. Would a man who was acting be so sincere and fired about what a woman calls herself?

“Of course not, as long as it makes you comfortable, I am comfortable too.” Tears sprung to my eyes again and I nodded, biting my lower lip and averting my gaze from him. My fingers went to grip the buttons of my shirt again, but this time I paused, and cleared my throat quietly.

“Then, I’m going to take off my shirt.” Yeosang said nothing as he turned around, his back facing me. I stared at him for a few seconds before undoing the buttons, fingers lightly shaking from the flood of emotions I was experiencing after such long time of feeling nothing but numbness. These were positive feelings; I couldn’t even decide whether to cry or laugh. Instead, I settled on chewing my lower lip nervously, fighting those tears from falling. My chest felt heavy, but I ignored it as I turned to the side, facing the wall, and pressed the shirt to my chest to make Yeosang feel comfortable, concealing my naked chest, “I’m ready.”

“Good, I will sit behind you then.” Yeosang informed and turned to the left without looking at me, keeping his eyes fixed to the floor. I watched him closely, the red spots on his temple and cheek catching my eyes again. I wondered what those were. I have never seen anything like it on anyone else. I turned my head towards the wall when I couldn’t watch Yeosang anymore and I felt the bed dip behind me, flowery scent invading my nostrils as my body tensed up once again. My arms were covered in goosebumps and I took in a shaky breath when Yeosang shifted closer, his knee lightly grazing against my waist. I knew he had to get close in order to change the bandages, but it still felt nerve-wracking.

“May I touch you? Are you alright?” A stray tear rolled down my cheek and I nodded wordlessly, knowing that my voice would betray me right now. His attentive behavior and constant asking for consent was becoming too much. I felt Yeosang sighing behind me, his hot breath hitting my left shoulder, before careful fingers started peeling the gauze off my back. I shuddered at the feeling, despite it not being painful, my skin burned as the protective layer disappeared. I felt exposed and I couldn’t help but sniff loudly when the gauze was fully off my back. Yeosang paused, “Are you okay?”

“Yes, continue.” I whispered, clutching the shirt tightly in my hands as I felt Yeosang moving behind me. The dirty gauze was dropped to the floor and I dared take a glance at it, it was almost fully covered in blood. The sight made me nauseous. I should’ve listened to Yeosang, he was probably trying to avoid this from happening, but I couldn’t help how my body reacted when it thought it was in danger.

“I’m going to clean your back now, may I?” I nodded and felt the press of the rag against my raw skin, hissing as even the warm water made it sting. My back was burning as Yeosang carefully washed it clean, having to scrub gently in some places, but I could take it. My body has been through so much worse. He was doing this to help me too, I would never complain.

“I know it hurts, I’m sorry, but I have to thoroughly clean it otherwise it will get infected and then I can’t help you anymore, Miss.” Yeosang explained and I nodded in understatement, realizing I have never told him my name. That’s why he kept calling me Miss. I knew his, meanwhile he didn’t know mine, yet he never asked nor demanded for it.

“I’m going to pour some oil like serum on your back now, it won’t sting like the minty one.” I heard him open the vial, it made a quiet sound when it was popped open, “It has aloe vera in it, so it’s supposed to calm the burning feeling and it’s also an amazing antioxidant for open wounds. Your wounds aren’t deep enough to be stitched up, that’s why we have to take close care of them, Miss.”

“Alright, thank you for telling me.” I voiced my gratitude for the first time and Yeosang hummed lowly, a sound which tinged my cheeks red. His voice could get incredibly deep, it was quite unexpected.

“May I proceed then?” Yeosang inquired quietly and I nodded, biting my lower lip as he poured the serum over my wounds, fingers carefully massaging it into the skin. It slightly stung, but I was surprised at the warm feeling which engulfed my whole back as Yeosang kept rubbing it deeper into the wounds. It felt so good, the pain finally subsided for even a little bit and I could feel my body relaxing, muscles finally crying out in relief as I let out a shaky breath. My head hung low and more tears started falling down my cheeks. It felt so warm and relieving, I wanted to thank Yeosang a million times, but instead, I asked the question which was burned to the forefront of my mind.

“Why do you keep asking for consent when you want to touch me?” Yeosang’s fingers froze mid massage and I tensed slightly, wondering if I pissed him off this time, if he would break and show his true intentions. But nothing happened, he resumed his ministrations and then sighed long and deeply.

“Because I keep touching you.” His words held a finality to them, they were hard but not harsh, “Because if you told me to stop, I would. Because I would never touch you inappropriately or against your will. I’m a doctor and my duty is to heal you, Miss, not damage you more. And even still…I would never lay a finger on you…I just—I couldn’t hurt you—or anyone. No human being is capable of doing such horrible things like what was done to you, I—I’m sorry. I promise to heal you and then let you go, Miss, once we hit land you’ll be free.”

His words sounded too good to be true. As if I was in a dream. As if he was a prince talking to his princess. And he sounded so genuine. I couldn’t find anything but sincerity in his voice and that just made my lungs feel even more restricted, brought more tears into my eyes. People like him existed? They were real? Could he be not acting? As his fingers disappeared I knew he was done massaging the serum into my skin and Yeosang leaned down to grab the fresh gauze.

“I’ll wrap this around you and you’re good to go.” He said and I couldn’t help but start crying, trying to keep quiet, but I couldn’t when hiccups started leaving my mouth. Yeosang seemed alarmed, thinking he had hurt me, but I just muttered for him to continue and ignore me, too overwhelmed by my own feelings. He worked quickly, probably scared that he was the cause of my breakdown, and while he indeed was, it wasn’t from any ill-intention. It was because for the first time in my life I felt like I was being treated like a human being. Like I was being respected and given a choice.

“My—my name is—” I spoke up between sobs, wiping the tears off my cheeks only for new ones to roll down, “It’s—Y/N.”

Yeosang sucked in a harsh breath of air before humming, careful to not touch my skin as he wrapped the gauze around my torso. I allowed the shirt to fall to my lap, he couldn’t see me from behind, it was fine, “Glad to meet you, Y/N.”

His voice was sweet as he said my name and I could hear the smile in it, making me sniff even more and cry harder, “You too, Yeosang.”

When he was done with the gauze, he tied it tightly against my back, patting his hands down to make sure it fit correctly against my small form. I felt him moving behind me and his warmth and flower like scent disappeared as he got off the bed, but didn’t move. He was waiting for me to dress myself. I bit my lower lip and tried to stop crying, but it was hard, as I wore his shirt and did the buttons with a shaky hand.

“I’m from the Sun Set Kingdom.” I muttered as I did the last button, Yeosang moved to place the items he used before back to their place. He made a surprised sound and then looked at me with a smile, ignoring how pathetic I looked right now, tears still flowing down my cheeks.

“Me too!” He seemed happy as he closed his chests filled with medicine, “We’re both far away from home, then.”

I nodded and watched as Yeosang gathered the dirty rugs and bowl of water, placed them back on the tray and stood up straight, walking to the door. He unlocked it and before he opened it, he peeked back at me over his shoulder, “Don’t forget about the ointment for your thighs.”

“I won’t.” I nodded as he slipped out the door, locking it behind him before he walked away. I face planted into the pillow and allowed the sobs to wreck my body, for my heart to ache just like the rest of my body.

My body felt exhausted for the rest of the day after Yeosang placed on the new bandages, my mind wrapped up with thoughts and heart clenching with unwanted feelings. I didn’t know how to feel anymore. I knew I couldn’t trust Yeosang so quickly, but he sounded genuine. His eyes reflected nothing but honesty and purity. Would he treat me so gently if he was just acting? Would he get mad or tense even at the little implications of why I was in such state? Would he respect me so much if he truly was just acting? I couldn’t tell what was real or not anymore. I have never been shown so much care and respect before, my body and mind yearned for it. It screamed out for Yeosang’s tenderness and warmth. He radiated calmness and safety. I have barely known him for three days, yet I wanted nothing more but ask him to protect me from the horrors of the world. Would he do that? Could he do that? Everything hurt as I tossed around sleepless, eyebrows furrowed and lips parted in constant huffs as my mind kept racing with questions. Dinner was hours ago; the medicine has made its effect and the pain felt dull. The rocking of the ship wasn’t as bothersome as up until now, it didn’t make me feel nauseous anymore. Perhaps I was getting used to it. Or perhaps the waters have calmed down, the storm passing by us. I yearned for fresh air, but I was scared of what the men on this ship would do to me. Or was everyone like Yeosang? My ears perked up when I heard shuffling just outside the door, body tensing when I heard a faint knock. It was quiet, barely there, and I gripped the blanket and pulled it up to my nose, curling up in a ball despite Yeosang’s warnings not to do so. I could only hope the wounds wouldn’t bleed. My heart started thumping wildly as the key was inserted into the keyhole, slowly, carefully turning without making any sound. Yeosang never bothered me after dinner. Did someone else take the key? Did he give it to someone else? Of course, I have started trusting him too fast and now I was about to get treated like on the mainland. My breath stuttered and I tried to make myself even smaller as the door cracked open just a little, dim light flooding inside the room. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and stopped breathing altogether. If I made no sound, perhaps they would think I wasn’t here.

“Y/N,” The deep voice was familiar, “It’s Yeosang.”

I released a deep breath and opened my eyes, peeking at him as he swiftly entered the room and quickly locked the door. He stood frozen in front of it as we stared at each other, both of our eyes wide, “You shouldn’t curl up like that…”

He whispered, eyebrows furrowed, breaking the tense atmosphere. I nodded and straightened my body, laying on my side, heart still beating fast. Yeosang scratched the back of his head and took a step further inside the room, seeming very hesitant and nervous. It was rubbing off on me as I waited tensely for him to say anything else.

“I’m sorry, I know this is unexpected, but—” Yeosang cleared his throat before continuing in a whisper, “Nobody besides myself and the two other women know about your presence on the ship. If I keep sleeping in Jongho’s room they will come and inspect mine, thinking something was wrong. The other pirates started getting suspicious already, I can’t—I have to sleep in here, Y/N. It’s my room, you know.”

My brain seemed to be hung up on one thing only, “Pi—pirates?”

I’ve only heard about them when the other ladies at the brothel would whisper about them, dreading their time with them. They sounded ruthless and aggressive, had little care for anyone else besides themselves. I exhaled shakily as Yeosang approached the bed, but stood at the end of it.

“Yes, we’re Ateez.” Yeosang answered and watched me expectantly, as if I was supposed to know what that meant. But I have never heard of that name before, so I just raised my eyebrows, lowering the blanket from my nose. There was no need to hide myself anymore.

“Do you not know Ateez?” Yeosang asked when I stared wordlessly and I quickly shook my head no, “Oh, well then, uhm, yeah. We’re like…well-known for the things we do, you know? On the sea, we’re—quite famous? I mean, people tend to stay away from us because we’ve created a reputation for ourselves and our Captain is quite fearless. He’s a well-respected man amongst pirates.”

I nodded and chewed on my bottom lip, taking in his words, “Are you dangerous? Do you hurt people?”

My voice sounded too small, but I couldn’t help the shudder which followed. I knew Yeosang saw it as he rubbed his chin, trying to smile, “We never hurt innocent people—we don’t hurt women.”

I averted my eyes when his stare felt too much, eyes boring into mine. I understood what he was saying. He wouldn’t hurt me, but I couldn’t be so sure of that just yet. I nodded without looking at him and he walked further inside his room, headed towards the wardrobe.

“I will sleep on the floor, don’t worry—”

“I can’t let you do that, it’s your own room.” I quickly interjected, sitting up quickly, wincing at the burn of my muscles. I should be more careful; my wounds weren’t even half healed.

“I’d rather you feel comfortable, Y/N, sleeping on the floor is nothing I can’t handle.” Yeosang’s lips pulled into a reassuring smile and I gulped, looking down at the bed. His eyes were soft. And once again, he was putting me before himself. Wanting me to feel comfortable. He was caring about how I felt, instead of how he would feel.

“Please,” I said quietly, looking up into his eyes, “I would feel horrible if you slept on the floor. It’s—it’s the least I can do to show gratitude for everything you’ve done for me.”

“I haven’t even done anything, Y/N, I’m just healing you.” Yeosang’s eyebrows furrowed and he shook his head, “It’s my duty as a doctor.”

“I know,” I pressed, biting my lower lip, “But I—please, just let me do this. I have no money to pay you.”

“I don’t need money.” Yeosang muttered, eyes lit up with a fire I couldn’t recognize, “I just want to see you healthy and walking away from here.”

I said nothing as my heart clenched and I licked my lips, staring into Yeosang’s eyes pleadingly. I really had nothing with what I could pay him back, this was the least I could do. It was his room after all. I didn’t want to deny comfort from him, he wouldn’t deserve it. In this moment, I decided to blindly trust him. Yeosang seemed to be fighting with himself, eyebrows furrowed as he ran his fingers through his hair, which was framing his face without the bobby pins. He glanced back at me and then suddenly sighed, shaking his head, “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” My voice sounded firm for the first time as I nodded and Yeosang nodded back, slowly approaching the bed. I scooted closer to the wall and laid on my back, making space for him. The bed wasn’t big, but I was small and so Yeosang had enough space. I closed my eyes as I felt the bed dip and then the blanket was slightly lifted as Yeosang sat on the edge of the bed. He shuffled around for a bit and then his body was laying next to mine, mirroring my stance, blanket pulled over his body too. I tensed without meaning too, breath catching in my throat for a second, used to this, yet the feeling so unfamiliar. His warmth seemed to quickly envelope mine and I found myself breathing in his familiar flower scent. Yeosang didn’t seem to be tense, he was staring up at the wooden ceiling, jaw clenching and unclenching. I turned my head and allowed myself to stare at his profile in the darkness, hoping he wouldn’t notice. Despite the bed being small and Yeosang a buffer man, his body never touched mine. Not even his hands as they were intertwined and placed on his stomach. He seemed to be deep in thought and my eyes traced the outline of his sharp nose, eyes having long adjusted to the dark. His lips were slightly parted and as he blinked, he suddenly turned his head and looked at me. I jumped and quickly turned my head away, towards the wall, embarrassed. Yeosang made no sound and didn’t move as he continued looking at me. My cheeks were burning and I cleared my throat, fingers flexing and unflexing as I turned my head to stare at the ceiling. Yeosang didn’t look away and I took a shaky breath, so many feelings stirring inside my heart. Any other men would’ve been on top of me by now. They wouldn’t even bothered asking before they got in the same bed with me. Yeosang didn’t even ask, he offered to sleep on the cold, hard floor. My eyebrows furrowed at the thought and I couldn’t help the words which bubbled out.

“I was kidnapped by a man at a young age and was soon sold off to a family.” My voice sounded too loud in the quiet room, but it was barely above a whisper, “The family wasn’t too bad, until the father started becoming handsy. I ran away, and the man who kidnapped me found me somehow and took me with himself once again. But this time he sold me off to an old man, who was—not a good person. I lived with him for two years, until he died. Until I—I—killed him.”

My hands started shaking as all the repressed memories were resurfacing. Yeosang sucked in a sharp breath next to me, but I continued, a newfound braveness seeping through my veins, “His son found me and well—I survived. Barely, but I did. I was forced to be his maid for too long, and when he got bored he made me work at an Inn. I don’t know how it happened, fate was probably laughing in my face, but the man who kidnapped me showed up again at the Inn—years after, he recognized me. I felt so helpless as he took me with himself and sold me off again. To a brothel this time, and I’ve been working there up until three days ago. My last client—he wanted me to go to his house. I’ve always been afraid of him; he’s always been so scary and just—not sane. I didn’t do anything, but he just—started to take his anger out on me. Promised I’d never see the daylight ever again. I don’t know how I did it, but I managed to fight him off and run away, but he found me at the cliff. He didn’t even think twice before pushing me down. I think he once said I resembled his late wife whom he hated, it was a long time ago, I don’t quite remember. I was sure I was going to die in the sea that night, you know? And when I felt someone pulling me to the surface—I wanted nothing more than for the sea to swallow me up, to save me from humans. But I don’t know anymore how to feel. What to think. You’re—not like them. You’re gentle and you respect me. Want to heal me, help me. I want to trust you, Yeosang, but the voices in my head keep whispering that you’re just acting to earn my trust, I can’t help it.”

I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, biting my lower lip as I didn’t dare move. Yeosang seemed stiff next to me, I couldn’t hear him breathing anymore. I was afraid to look at him, so I didn’t, I just stared up at the ceiling and blinked rapidly, the tears in my eyes sudden. I didn’t want to cry, but my chest felt heavier the longer the silence stretched between us. And then, finally, Yeosang sighed. Deep and long. I heard the movement before I felt a warm hand grabbing mine underneath the blanket. My body felt too exhausted to react, I couldn’t help but cling onto Yeosang’s warm hand, fingers intertwining with his. Nobody has held me like that before. So firmly yet tenderly.

“We all make mistakes, you had to kill that man because he gave you no other choice.” His words surprised me and a few tears were quick to roll down my cheeks. I had always felt so horrible about what I had done. I wasn’t a murderer, yet I took a life. I wasn’t a God, yet I was playing God. I wished for forgiveness every day after that, but I never got an answer. I have sinned so severely that not even the Gods wanted to give me another chance. I was doomed a long time ago, yet I could never truly accept my fate. Yeosang’s words carried weight, almost as if he understood the feeling, “Sometimes we’re pushed to do things we never knew we were capable of doing. My mother placed me on this ship and paid a lot of money for the Captain to take me in after I’ve done something horrible—after I—I killed my father.”

My heart stuttered for a second and I felt my grip tighten around Yeosang’s fingers, lips parting in surprise.

“If he wasn’t abusive I would’ve never hurt him, but he almost killed my mother. He beat me up too and I just—snapped. It was my mother’s way of saving me by sending me here. I was lucky enough to find a family here within the nine pirates.” I quickly wiped my tears with my free hand and turned my head, to look at Yeosang. He turned his head too, eyes glistening with unshed tears. My breath caught in my throat for a moment, he looked so soft. So warm and gentle, “When you’re all healed up and healthy, Y/N, you are free to go. To get off this ship on a land where nobody knows you, where you can start again. New. Build a life for yourself. Somewhere you’ll be safe.”

“Thank you.” I whispered and Yeosang nodded, determination coating his eyes as he squeezed my hand, before turning his head away and slowly retracting his hand from mine.

“You shouldn’t sleep on your back, Y/N.” He muttered as he turned onto his right side, back facing me. I couldn’t help but smile as I turned onto my left side, facing the wooden wall. Despite being underneath the same blanket, Yeosang’s presence didn’t feel threatening.

“I know.” I whispered back before closing my eyes and allowing the gentle rocking of the ship to lull me into a deep sleep.

Things seemed to change after Yeosang and I started sleeping in the same bed. I wasn’t so tense around him anymore and my body stopped reacting to him as if he brought danger with himself. Yeosang always remained respectful and careful. He never stepped out of line and never touched me unless it was necessary, and even still, he always asked for consent. A week has passed since he found me and saved me and my wounds were healing just fine. My feet felt as good as new, nothing but little scars decorating them. The ointment was like magic and the bruises have been gone from my thighs in just a few days. However, my back was still in the healing process, three wounds still not having fully healed, but I was doing better. The pain had turned into discomfort and the wound would only burn when the aloe vera serum was massaged into it. My muscles have finally eased up and I could move my body freely. I could barely recognize my body, and my mind as well. I was still alert when I heard movement outside the door, but I didn’t flinch nor tense anymore when Yeosang would come close. I stopped questioning his genuineness and allowed my heart to trust him. He would constantly reassure me that he had no malicious intentions and I believed him. I hoped the safe haven he had created would never break, that he truly was the man who he seemed to be. I knew I wouldn’t survive it if he was lying, but I have also decided that if Yeosang wasn’t the man he preached himself to be, then I would just end it here on the ship. At least the sea would take me away quickly, would allow me to go peacefully, to float away into nothingness. Yeosang had told me that nobody on the ship except for Taeri and Ara knew about my existence, so that’s why I had to stay in his room. After I was allowed to walk it wasn’t even too depressing, I could lean against the wall and stare out the window all day long, taking in the beauty of the sea, watching as the waves crashed against the ship, as the sun shone high up in the sky. Despite yearning to feel the warmth of the sun, Yeosang’s room brought comfort and safety and made me never want to leave the ship. Despite usually being a quiet person, Yeosang brought out a side of me I didn’t even know I had, and we were often giggling about peculiar stories we shared with each other during lunch and dinner, sharing the lives we had before we became the way we are.

When Yeosang found out I couldn’t read he made it his personal mission to teach me and the next morning he came to our room with two different books, one thin and the other very thick. They were tale books from the North, talking about folklore and creatures which only existed in fairytales. They were interesting and my curiosity fueled the want to know more, to learn more. Reading proved to be difficult, I wasn’t too good with memorizing things, but Yeosang was patient and calm. He never raised his voice; he never made fun of me or made me feel stupid if he had to help me out with a certain letter. He just explained calmy, patted my shoulder reassuringly, and then allowed me to read. I stuttered quiet often and after whispering how cute I was, he walked off with a blush on his cheeks, excusing himself as he had a lot of work to do, but encouraged me to read the chapter on my own and narrate it to him in the evening. It was the same evening my curiosity got the best of me and as Yeosang and I were sat on the bed, knees touching as our bodies huddled together, book between our laps, I blurted out the question I tried to keep to myself.

“What’s that?” I wondered loudly as I poked his temple carefully, Yeosang’s eyes widening as he turned his head to look at me.

“What is what?” He asked confused and as his eyebrows furrowed, I couldn’t help but think how cute he looked.

“The red mark on your temple and cheekbone.” I explained and cleared my throat, realizing I might’ve been rude for asking such a thing. Perhaps it was something he was uncomfortable with, I didn’t know how he got it after all, “I’m sorry if that was rude—”

“It wasn’t.” Yeosang quickly shook his head with a smile, “The redness is called a birthmark. I was born with it.”

My eyes widened and my lips formed an o shape, never having heard of such a thing before. It was my first time seeing it too on anyone. Yeosang watch my reaction and chuckled to himself with a grin before he turned his head, looking down at the book again. He took it in his hands and hummed, fingers brushing against the last sentence I have read, “Do you believe in it?”

My mind was still stuck on the new information as my eyes bore into the side of Yeosang’s face, eyes glued to the red birthmark. It was special, just like Yeosang. When Yeosang suddenly faced me again, I jumped, realizing he had asked me something. I quickly looked down at the book and re-read the last sentence I have read minutes ago and hummed. The tale was talking about a red string which was similar to fate, but talked about binding two people together. Two people who were supposed to find each other in every lifetime they shared. A bond which could never be broken,

“I’ve never really believed in anything like folklore and tales, but—perhaps if there are Gods then this is real too.” I voiced my thoughts freely, having realized that Yeosang was always curious of what I was thinking, quite often asking for my opinion. Nobody has been interested to hear what I had to say, nor would listen as intently as Yeosang.

“I believe in it.” Yeosang muttered quietly, his deep voice making goosebumps erupt on my skin, “I always thought we had a purpose in life and that the people we come across aren’t coincidental.”

His words carried a nuance I couldn’t quite understand, but couldn’t help but agree with. If Yeosang never came into my life I would be long gone, dead, forgotten.

“You’re the best part of my life, Yeosang.” I found the confession tumbling through my lips, eyes slightly widening when I realized I had said aloud what I was thinking. Yeosang’s lips pulled into a wide smile as we made eye contact and he nodded his head, looking humble and grateful.

“I hope you find more people like me one day, then.”

“I don’t think I will.”

The silence was heavy as we stared into each other’s eyes, mesmerized by Yeosang’s stare. It was soft and warm, filled with gratitude and happiness. I didn’t know what made me do it, but my body yearned for the familiarity of his warmth and I reached out hesitantly, slowly reaching for his hand. Yeosang glanced down when I gently poked my fingers against his hand and a shy smile stretched onto his lips as he opened his palm, facing up. I pressed mine down against his and our fingers intertwined as my face suddenly flushed red, becoming embarrassed. Perhaps it was a normal reaction for your body to yearn for something as simple as holding a hand, but the feeling was foreign and I couldn’t decide whether it was normal or not for Yeosang. His smile got even wider and he hung his head low, the flush on his cheeks matching the redness of his birthmark.

“I have never asked, I just realized this,” He spoke up after he seemed to collect his thoughts, still hiding his face from me, “But did you have anything you enjoyed doing before—before I found you?”

When I was still living in the brothel. And even before that. But Yeosang didn’t have to say that for me to understand, “I love to draw, actually. The brothel paid enough that I could afford some parchment and cheap pencils. It used to help me take my mind off things.”

Yeosang’s fingers twitched slightly and his thumb started rubbing my knuckle, making my heart almost jump through my chest. What was this feeling? Was it normal? Was I about to die?

“I’ll see what I can do about that.” Was all Yeosang said before he picked up the book and continued reading the story about the red string, his thumb stroking my knuckle in an even rhythm, my heartbeat frantic until it finally calmed down to an even beat, the only evidence of feeling flustered the flush on my cheeks.

And this is how I found myself a day later sitting at Yeosang’s desk with a fresh piece of parchment and five pencils. He even had something I could erase the lines with, something I have never even heard of before. I was shocked as he walked in with all the items and made place for them on his packed desk, placing two chests down onto the floor, next to his desk. He led me to the chair and asked me to sit, undoing the bindings around the surprise he had for me. I gasped and thanked him a million times as I opened the parchment and grabbed a pencil, feeling it between my fingers before I started drawing fine lines. Yeosang watched for a little before he excused himself, saying he was needed on deck by his Captain and that he would stop by with lunch. I was taken by the new activity I enjoyed dearly and only hummed at Yeosang as he left the room, leaving it unlocked. He stopped locking the door after I told him I trusted him and felt comfortable with an unlocked door, having realized that nobody other than Yeosang ever came to his room. He seemed reluctant at first, but obliged after a while, telling me that if this is what my wish was, he would respect it. But perhaps I had been too naïve and trusting, because the safe haven Yeosang and I have created in his room, came crashing down as I heard a manly voice echoing down the hallway.

“Kang Yeosang!” The man shouted and I tensed, barely able to react as the door to our shared room was thrown open. I froze for a second and all I could hear was my own breathing as my body tensed, pencil clutched tightly in my hand. The other man said nothing as he took a few steps inside the room. He seemed to forget to close the door, it brought little consolidation to my racing heart.

“Oh,” The voice sounded taunting, “You’re not Yeosang, are you?”

I pushed the chair back and stood up; hands turned into fists as my body lightly shook. This stranger could be just like Yeosang. I shouldn’t be so quick to judge, but I couldn’t help myself. Perhaps the pencil clutched in my hand could be used as a weapon if the man turned out to be another monster from the mainland. I swiftly turned around, trying to ease a smile onto my face and ready to speak up, but I paused. I froze as I stared at the man standing a few steps into the room, one eyebrow raised. His sharp eyes were quick to run over my body and I couldn’t help the instant reaction of my body as it tried to make itself small, shielding my face with my hair as I lowered my head. My body was visibly trembling as my brain quickly placed a name to the face of the man and all the history between the two of us. I suddenly couldn’t breathe as he took more steps further inside the room, feeling like the wooden structure of the room was closing in on me, ready to swallow me up whole.

“Don’t you have a mouth you can use?” The tone of the man was sharp and words harsh as I felt his intimidating glare bore into my head. I bit my lower lip, trying to find courage and speak up. But nothing came out as my lips opened, breathing through my mouth loudly. I was terrified. Perhaps if he didn’t see my face he wouldn’t recognize me.

“I’m looking for my little doctor friend, Yeosang, where is he, don’t you know little mouse?” I cringed at the nickname and closed my eyes harshly when his boots came into view, body freezing at the proximity between the two of us. I stopped breathing as I heard shuffling and suddenly, a harsh hand gripped my chin and raised my head up. I gasped loudly and started hyperventilating as the man shook my head by the grip he had on my chin.

“Open your eyes, little mouse.” My lips trembled as I opened them, but I looked anywhere but at the man’s face. I couldn’t. My body was full on trembling, mind screaming at me to run away. To get away. My grip tightened impossibly more on the pencil, mind racing with thoughts. Could I stab him in the neck if he tried to do anything to me? The atmosphere was tense as neither I nor the man spoke, up until his grip started tightening, making me wince in pain, “Little mouse—or shall I call you Y/N?”

My eyes widened as they snapped back onto the man’s face, terror written all over my face. I could see the same smirk in each one of my nightmares as the man’s lips were stretched into a sneer, looking incredulous but livid at the same time, “Aren’t you a bit far from your little brothel, Y/N? Walked into my little cage willingly, little mouse?”

I shook my head no as tears fell down my cheeks, trying to breathe properly, but I couldn’t anymore, “I—I didn’t know—please, I’m sorry. I—I will go back, just don’t hurt me again—please, San.”

“Weren’t you paid enough at the brothel, is that why you’re here?” San quirked an eyebrow and I quickly shook my head, but he didn’t let me speak, “Or did you come willingly to me, Y/N? Have you finally decided to work for me and only me?”

“No—I—” San chuckled and yanked me forward, faces mere inches away, making me choke on my terribly stuttered words.

“Wrong choice, little mouse.” I let out a sob as San’s wide smile looked sinister, and I knew it only promised more anguish to come, “I know just the perfect client for you. And he’ll pay me lots of money since you’re still good to be used—”

“Let her go!” A deep voice cut off San’s words and my eyes were instantly drawn to Yeosang. He stood in the doorway, chest rising and falling quickly as if he had been running, hair disheveled, and for the first time Yeosang looked scary as his lips were pulled into a scowl and his eyes held sharpness as he glared at the back of San’s head, “Let her go, San, I’m not going to ask again.”

San’s eyebrows were pulled up and he looked at me with amusement written all over his face as he tilted his head slightly at me, a question swimming in his eyes. I shook my head barely, but I knew San caught it as he glanced back at Yeosang with the same amused expression. It made Yeosang livid as he stormed inside the room and grabbed San’s bicep hard and yanked him away, San’s firm grip from my chin disappearing. I gasped as I fell back into the desk, holding tightly against it as my heart raced and I struggled to breathe.

“What the fuck do you want?” I have never heard Yeosang swear. The sweet Yeosang I knew was gone and was replaced by someone I couldn’t recognize. He looked dangerous in his all-black attire, veins on his arms bulging visible as he wore another tank top. His hair fell into his eyes and hid his glare, making him look even more menacing.

“I came to find you, mate, because thanks to Taeri, Ara has managed to actually injure me.” San hissed out, jaw clenched as he gripped the top of Yeosang’s tank top, “And what do I find instead of you? A whore sitting at your desk and drawing.”

It happened barely in a few seconds and I gasped loudly as Yeosang’s punch threw San off balance, head whipping to the side, and if Yeosang wasn’t still holding him, San would’ve stumbled to the floor. My hands flew to my mouth as I watched San raise his head back up slowly, getting all up in Yeosang’s face, “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Talk like that ever again about Y/N and I will kill you with my own hands—” The cackle San let out was shrill and it made Yeosang’s head thump as he sucked in a harsh breath, “Touch her again, and it will be Hongjoong who kills you, not me, San.”

“Hongjoong doesn’t give a shit about a whore, Yeosang—”

“Shut the fuck up!” Yeosang screamed, making me flinch, “I thought you learned your lesson with Taeri and Yunho, but it seems like you haven’t.”

“I own that whore!” San screamed back, pointing his finger in my direction, making me sob as Yeosang looked at me, he was breathing harder and harder, “She’s mine, Yeosang, and when we hit land I’m going to sell her off like the good little whore she is—”

“Get the fuck out right now, San.” Yeosang suddenly sounded too calm, face void of any emotion. It even threw San off guard as he stared at him, stumbling forward as Yeosang released him while hauling him forward. San didn’t cast a second glance our way as walked out the room as if nothing had happened. When he was gone, Yeosang finally looked at me, and I couldn’t help but break down in front of him, fall to the floor as I started sobbing loudly, clutching the pencil to my chest as if my life depended on it. Yeosang was frozen until he slowly approached me and crouched down in front of me, his own eyes filled with tears. I was heaving and my body was shaking badly, but his flowery scent was able to clear my mind, to silence the fear inside my brain as I looked up at him. He looked just as broken as I felt. It made me hate myself. Everything was so perfect. And now it was all ruined by San.

“I’m sorry, I should’ve—”

“Stay quiet, Y/N.” Yeosang’s voice was hard and it made me flinch, “What are you apologizing for? That you’re on the same ship as your tormentor? The one who continuously sold you off? That you’re here because of me? Because I am in the same crew as San? Because I’m a horrible person?!”

I shook my head quickly and reached out to hold Yeosang’s face, action foreign, “You’re not a horrible person, Yeosang. You’re anything but that, please—you couldn’t have known that San—You saved me, Yeosang. I’m alive because of you.”

Yeosang’s lower lip trembled as he lowered his face and placed his warm hand over mine, letting out a shuddering breath, “We’ll get to land in a week. Then you’ll be free. And San will never again find you or touch you again, I swear.”

I nodded my head furiously, sniffing as Yeosang suddenly pulled away and stood, storming out the room. I was left alone, trembling and gasping for air as repressed memories of San came back like a violent blow.

Another week passed by like nothing, the days seemed to blur together here on the ship. After what happened with San, Yeosang barely left my side and would lock the door even if he was inside in the room with me. He seemed to be always on high alert and tense if someone walked by his room. It took me a few days until I let Yeosang in again, having seen San and realizing we were on the same ship has messed up my mind. I couldn’t feel as safe as before, but with Yeosang by my side, I knew nothing would happen to me. He stopped San the last time. I knew he’d do it again. Yesterday night when Yeosang came to bed he had told me that we have finally reached land and that while the others would be out tomorrow he’d like to take me to the market himself. The idea sounded exciting and I barely got a wink of sleep all night, tossing and turning freely as my back was all healed up now, scars the only reminder of what was once done to me. The clothes Yeosang brought for me to wear in the morning were a bit foreign and I didn’t know how to feel about them, but I thanked him and wore them nonetheless, almost daring to think that I looked like a real pirate in them. The leather pants I wore were slightly longer than my legs but I managed to tuck them into the worn-out boots Yeosang found for me, they were my size thankfully. The black shirt I wore was silky against my skin and I gaped at it when I pulled it on, feeling the fabric with my fingers in awe. The corset I had a little difficulty with wearing it, foreign and uncomfortable, but I didn’t want to seem ungrateful to Yeosang so I quickly put it on and laced it up myself, leaving it looser since it felt like a reminder of the wounds littered around my torso, a reminder of the suffocating pain they have once caused. When I was done dressing I knocked on the door and Yeosang opened it, a wide smile on his face. His eyes quickly ran over my outfit and he grinned happily, complementing me. I blushed furiously and looked away, having noticed that he also wore all black, our outfits matching in color. It seemed like black tank tops were his favorite as he wore one again, this time a black ribbon tied around his neck. He styled his hair in a way to cover his birthmark and a very obvious sword sat secured around his hips.

“Shall we go then?” Yeosang’s soft voice brought me back from my thoughts and I looked at him and nodded quickly, excited to get off the ship. Excited to see an unknown world. Excited to breathe in some fresh air finally. Yeosang led the way as I kept close behind him, fingers itching to hold onto the back of his tank top, but I stopped myself and just followed close, his bigger frame hiding me from anyone’s view. The corridor we walked down was narrow and long, doors leading to rooms on both sides until we reached wooden stairs leading upstairs. I sucked in a harsh breath when the sound of the waves crashing became louder and the salty air hit my nose, the light almost blinding as I padded after Yeosang. The moment we got on deck I paused, looking around with big eyes, taking in the place I’ve been living in for the past three weeks. The ship was huge. If you were to run around the deck you’d get tired. Yeosang started moving and I followed after him, turning around noticing some more stairs which lead to the quarterdeck, a round wheel sitting highly on top of it. I smiled as the sun shone down upon us, closing my eyes and throwing my head back as I stopped walking, basking in the warm sunlight. Seagulls screamed above us and I chuckled, thankful that I tied my hair in a low ponytail as the wind was strong up here. I felt like I was alive once again as I realized how much I have missed fresh air. It was nice to be out of Yeosang’s room. As I opened my eyes Yeosang was watching me silently, having stopped as well to wait for me. I grinned at him and ran up to him, allowing him to lead the way. We were the only people on deck, I found that weird since this ship was so huge, but I figured Yeosang might’ve arranged it to be this way.

After getting down and in the boat, Yeosang paddled towards the shore and I leaned over and dipped my hand in the sea, yelping at how cold it was. It made Yeosang chuckle before he focused on paddling and once we got to the shore he tied the boat securely and then helped me out of it. The water felt cold against my boots and it made me run quickly towards the sand, away from the water. Yeosang shook his head at me and then caught up, watching me as I twirled around with a smile on my face. Before either one of us could say anything, Yeosang led the way again as I stuck close to him, walking further and further away from the beach until we reached cobblestone covered streets. Little cottages started showing up too and I took in the beauty and simplicity of them, different from the houses I was used to seeing in the nasty city I was forced to live in while working at the brothel. Everyone was dressed in bright colors here and despite being strangers, people greeted us with a smile on their faces. There were a few people who recognized Yeosang, but we never stopped to talk with anyone. Everyone seemed too busy with whatever they had going on. As we neared the heart of the city, the streets became crowded as people roamed around, not quite paying attention to us anymore. It was a little stressful as I had to pay extra attention to not lose sight of Yeosang, but he slowed down his steps and paid attention for me to be always by his side. I almost got lost at one point so I gripped the back of Yeosang’s tank top and he sent a smile my way before walking with purpose, headed towards a boutique.

“What are we doing here?” I asked curiously as he pushed the door open for me, then followed me inside. The place was nicely decorated and many pretty dresses were placed on display. An older lady greeted us with a big smile, eyes fixated onto Yeosang as if she knew him.

“We’re here to buy you some new clothes,” Yeosang explained before he turned his attention onto the shopkeeper, “Hello, Mrs. Yang.”

“Long time no see, my boy, how have you been?” The lady asked with a fond smile and Yeosang shrugged nonchalantly.

“Just the usual, busier than before.” The lady hummed and then turned her attention onto me, eyes twinkling.

“What a beautiful girl, finally someone has charmed Yeosang.” I blushed at the lady’s words once I realized what she was implying, but before she could say more, Yeosang cleared his throat.

“Do you have dresses in her size?” He asked with a smile.

“Of course, follow me, my dear.” She extended her hand and I hesitantly placed mine in hers, glancing back at Yeosang to see if he was still here. But he just gave me a reassuring nod and followed after us, the lady showing a multitude of dresses, making it hard to choose. At last, I settled on a lavender breezy dress, perfect for a warm day. A white floral dress and a soft pink silk like dress. However, as she stated the prices of the three dresses I realized I had no money, yet Yeosang was quick to open his pouch and offer the lady the pennies she asked for. I looked at him surprised as the lady quickly packed the dresses into a big wrapping paper, biding it together by a rope. Yeosang took the package from her and carried it for me, ushering me outside the boutique as the lady opened her mouth to say something. Once we were out he shook his head.

“She’s a very nosy person, I don’t like discussing my affairs with her.” Yeosang explained and I nodded, pointing towards a little shop I had just noticed.

“Is that a bakery?” I asked in awe and Yeosang hummed, motioning for me to lead the way. I bounced towards the bakery in excitement, having not been to one in ages. The food was extremely good on the ship, but I missed the taste of pastry. It smelled heavenly as Yeosang and I walked through the opened door, another lady greeted us with a friendly smile. She stood behind a long desk, pastries displayed on it.

“Welcome, would you like some?” She motioned towards the yummy looking food and I nodded eagerly, eyes running over the pastries.

“Do you have anything vanilla flavored?” I asked and the lady nodded, pointing at a heart shaped pastry. I gave her a smile and she motioned for me to take it, which I did, and quickly turned to face Yeosang.

“I love anything vanilla flavored!” I beamed up at him and he chuckled, looking at the lady.

“May I have then one too?” The lady nodded her head and Yeosang quickly took one too, dropping four pennies on the table for the lady. She wished us a good day and we exited the shop, standing a little to the side as I took a big bite of the pastry. The rich taste of vanilla exploded in my mouth and I hummed contently, closing my eyes as I savored the delicacy. I haven’t had something this good in ages.

“You like it?” Yeosang asked as I opened my eyes and nodded at him eagerly, happy to be eating the pastry. He took his first bite and his eyebrows raised as he looked down at his own delicacy, finishing it in mere seconds. I started laughing loudly as Yeosang’s cheeks were stuffed with the vanilla pastry, cheeks hurting from how widely I was smiling once I have calmed down. Yeosang’s cheeks flushed and he rubbed the back of his head as he chewed the food with difficulty, eyes widening when he realized it might’ve been a mistake eating it all at once.

“Have you never eaten something like this?” I asked as I took some more bites of my own pastry and Yeosang shook his head no as he wasn’t able to speak just yet. I chuckled and quietly munched on the food, waiting for Yeosang to finally speak up.

“This was my first time,” He admitted with a chuckle as he had successfully gulped down all the food he had in his mouth, “and it was amazing, thank you for recommending it. Now come, I have a surprise for you.”

“Really?” I asked wide eyed and he nodded, gently grabbing my free hand and interlacing our fingers as he started pulling me further down the market. My cheeks were burning as I lowered my eyes and stared at the cobblestones, making sure I wouldn’t trip, but also to hide my own blush. Yeosang’s steps were quick and I realized he was eager as he was grinning from ear to ear, quickly stopping when we reached our destination. I almost ran into him, but managed to stop last minute. I looked at the boutique we have stopped in front of and my eyes widened as I looked back at Yeosang in shock.

“After you, Y/N.” He didn’t have to repeat himself as I basically tumbled inside, scaring the poor man sitting in the corner on a chair. He jumped up to his feet and relaxed once he realized it were just two regular customers, but didn’t smile nor speak to us as I took in the place, mouth hanging open. It was a crafts boutique. It was littered with blank canvas and pencils and so many colors. This was a painters dream. I went and touched a canvas as I heard Yeosang approaching, stopping next to me.

“You can buy anything you want, don’t worry about the price.” I looked at Yeosang with big eyes and bowed my head slightly in gratitude before picking up the canvas and clutching it to my chest. It has always been my dream to own enough utensils to be able to make paintings. But I never thought one day that dream would become reality. I was overwhelmed by many feelings as I picked up a few colored pencils, you didn’t have a big variety to choose from, but it was more than I have ever owned. My hands weren’t big enough to hold onto so many items at once, but I refused to let Yeosang help as I showed the men what I have chosen to take back to the ship. He seemed to count in his head before he asked for ten pennies and Yeosang handed it to him without many words, nodding at him as we left the boutique. I realized I could store the pencils in the pockets of my pants and quickly stuffed them inside, hugging the blank canvas to my chest. Yeosang hid his smile as there was a bounce in my step as I followed after him, allowing him to take me wherever he wanted to. Surprisingly we stopped by a flower stand and Yeosang greeted the seller with a smile before he leaned down and picked up a freesia and brought it up to his nose, inhaling its fragrance. He handed the seller two pennies before turning towards me and handing me the flower. My eyes widened and I blushed as I quickly took it from him, thanking him shyly. Yeosang grinned as I smelled the flower, eyes widening at the familiarity of it. As our eyes connected, Yeosang had a fond look on his face.

“They are my favorite flowers.” He explained and I nodded, realizing that this whole time Yeosang smelled like freesias. A tiny voice in my head whispered that they had become my favorite flowers too, the fragrance bringing comfort and safety as it calmed my nerves and racing mind. They felt like home. Yeosang and I stared at each other for another moment before he cleared his throat and went to lead the way again, but had to pull me back, into himself, as a man raced down the street, crashing into people. Three more people chased after him and I realized they were the constable’s men. Yeosang’s face was suddenly lowered and his breath hit my neck as he hid his face, suddenly the smell of freesia stronger with Yeosang so close. For a moment I was confused, until I realized why Yeosang had done that. He was a pirate. And constables didn’t like them. He was trying to hide his identity. But when nobody seemed to notice him, he straightened up once again and mumbled an apology, asking me to follow him as he led us away from the busy street.

My day spent with Yeosang has been magical. We spent it wandering around the little city, which I learned was a village by the sea on one of the South Kingdom’s islands, close to the Irenic Sea. It was completely on the other side of where Yeosang had found me. It was a comforting thought that I was far away from where once I have lived through torture and hell. Yeosang and I bought some more pastries and then we sat down by a cliff, looking over the sea and talking about our day together. Yeosang seemed to be content, serene even, as he had laid down in the grass, staring up at the blue sky. I mirrored his actions and started seeing shapes in the clouds, pointing them out to him and giggling when he wouldn’t see what I could. We talked about anything that came into our minds and Yeosang shared stories about all the times he was clumsy when making his medicine, making me laugh when he retold failed experiments. All the worries I previously seemed to have disappeared the longer I was with Yeosang. I seemed to find nothing too worrying in his presence. He placed a blanket of safety over me and I couldn’t help but want to snuggle closer to him. He suddenly sat up and then grabbed something from his pouch, it was the book we were currently reading. I continued laying on the grass as Yeosang started reading, his deep voice warm and lively as he read a conversation out loud. I closed my eyes and allowed his voice to take me to a land I’ve never been to, finding myself smiling.

But when you are enjoying yourself, it always feels like time flies by. It was the first time I have experienced the saying. I truly wished for the day to be longer, but as the breeze calmed and the sun slowly started setting over the horizon, I knew it was time to head back. We were walking down a dirt covered path, at a crossroads towards the beach and some homey looking cottages, when Yeosang suddenly stopped as I went to walk towards the beach.

“I hope today was as beautiful as I planned it to be.” He said with a smile and I turned to look at Yeosang with a chuckle.

“Of course, it was, Yeosang. I couldn’t have asked for anything better!” I beamed up at him and he nodded happily, running his fingers through his hair.

“Good, I’m glad to hear, I also had an amazing time with you today, Y/N.” I looked away shyly.

“We should head back now.” I said quietly, avoiding Yeosang’s eyes, but his next words made me pause.

“I am heading back, you are not.” I looked at him alarmed, eyes wide as he grabbed his pouch and undid it from his belt, “There’s enough gold in here to last you for three months, Y/N. That’s enough time to find a nice house to live in and a job which pays well. You could even work at the bakery or perhaps sell flowers.”

I gulped as I looked at Yeosang, eyes falling on the pouch, “Are you saying…that I’m staying here? And you’re leaving with…Ateez?”

Yeosang nodded wordlessly and suddenly my mouth went dry as I reluctantly took the pouch when he nudged it towards me. I watched as he fidgeted with his fingers for a bit before he pulled a ring off his finger. I have noticed it a long time ago, but never gave it much attention. Yeosang stared at it longingly before handing it over to me, my palm closing around it tightly, “Keep that ring on you at all times. Wear it as a necklace so that everybody can see it. It will keep you safe, I promise.”

“A ring will keep me safe?” I mumbled as I opened my palm and looked at the ring closely. The letter A was craved inside it. Perhaps from Ateez? How could a ring keep me safe?

“It will, trust me, everyone knows about the meaning of this ring. So it will keep you away from unwanted people.” Yeosang explained further when he noticed my hesitancy.

“I don’t—I don’t want your ring, Yeosang.” I whispered as I looked at him pleadingly, “Don’t leave me behind. I—I can’t be on my own. You can keep me safe, not this ring—”

“No, trust me, it will!” Yeosang quickly exclaimed as his eyebrows furrowed, “I would never lie to you. This place is safe and pirates rarely come here. I suggested sailing here specifically to drop you off here. Y/N, please. I promise nobody will find you here. You can start your new life right here. People are welcoming and friendly. You will be safe. And you will find happiness.”

My eyebrows furrowed at Yeosang’s words and I quickly shook my head, walking up to him, feeling dread pool in my stomach. I wasn’t safe anywhere. San will always find me. Men will always be around me. They will use me. They will sell me. Yeosang was the only safe person. He was the only genuine man I have ever known.

“That’s not true, I don’t want to stay here, Yeosang.” I couldn’t even continue my argument because Yeosang sighed and started talking again.

“Just listen to me one last time, Y/N. You have to stay here—”

“No, because I—I feel like I’m about to die if you leave me alone here!” I exclaimed and my eyes widened at the confession, but my heart was racing and my mind was a mess again, “I’m scared of people if you’re not with me, Yeosang. I can’t trust anyone, no matter how hard I try. I just—my mind is full of these thoughts that are only silenced if I’m around you, Yeosang. Please don’t push me away. Don’t leave me here. I can’t—I can’t live without you. I really mean that. If you go, I might just—”

“Don’t finish that sentence.” Yeosang gasped out as a hand was placed on the side of my neck, holding me gently. I gulped and felt my eyes fill with tears as Yeosang looked at me alarmed, eyebrows furrowed as we gazed into each other’s eyes, “You won’t be safe on a pirate ship. You will be a wanted criminal by association. You will witness gory fights and heavily injured people often. You might become friends with someone who you might lose the next day. The life of a pirate isn’t easy, Y/N, it’s demanding. Both physically and mentally. There will be days when I won’t be able to look at you or even talk to you. I shut down sometimes, when I can’t save someone, I want to die with them. I have outbursts and sometimes struggle to remain calm. I’m not always so gentle and I can’t lose an argument, I—I can hurt you. And that’s the last thing I want to do. I could lose you and then I—”

“Don’t finish that sentence.” A tear rolled down my cheek, “I will stand by your side, no matter what, Yeosang. Always. I will wait for you patiently when you need time. I hate arguing so you won’t have to win that from me. I will try and be strong, I will learn how to fight, and how to help you with healing others. I won’t allow you to spiral into guilt and self-hatred. We’ll work through everything, together.”

Yeosang sucked in a deep breath, his grip tightening on my neck. I offered him an encouraging smile and he shook his head, almost disappointed at himself, “You really want to come with me? San will be always there.”

My jaw clenched at the mention of that terrible man’s name, but I shook my head, “I don’t care where San is as long as I’m by your side, Yeosang. You’re my home now. You make me feel safe and appreciated. You listen to me and care about me. You showed me respect when nobody else did, you—you treated me like a human being when nobody else has.”

Yeosang let out a shuddered breath, sniffing as he nodded slowly, eyes boring into mine. They were filled with warmth and determination. His eyes were twinkling with a newfound purpose and I felt a smile creep up onto my lips, “Let’s go home, Y/N.”

“Let’s go home, Yeosang.” I whispered with a big smile on my face and allowed myself to act without second guessing everything as I leaned up and pressed a kiss against Yeosang’s birthmark. Both of our faces were red when I pulled away and I couldn’t help but giggle shyly as I stepped back from Yeosang’s reach and raced down towards the beach, a newfound freedom lacing through every inch of my skin.

A new chapter of my life has just begun. I was Jung Y/N, a woman who’d start the journey of her life starting from…right now.

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