#yeosang headcanons | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

starrysvn · 4 months

Text

puppy love | kang yeosang

pairing: kang yeosang x gn!reader

genre: headcanon; e2l (i TRIED); co-workers au, volunteering at an animal shelter; fluff; angst if you really, really squint, crack (i’m nOT funny)

word count: 3.1k

rating: pg-13

warnings: none; one smooch, mayhaps a couple swear words (lowercase intended)

networks: @cromernet

author’s note: happy belated christmas from your secret santa, @armysantiny !! i really hope you’ll enjoy this and i sincerely hoped you spent warm holidays surrounded by people you loved! <3 i’ve tried my very best with the e2l but mAN writing it is so much less fun than reading it. big, huge, thanks to @hwaightme for giving me wonderful ideas to use and delulus to ponder so i could write this down. ilysm <333

kang yeosang is one infuriating individual. for one, there is no way anyone can be so praised and well-liked by literally everyone. not a day goes by where you don’t wonder how his small smiles and quiet attitude could bewitch every last person he talked to. not when he would not bother to say hi in passing to you specifically, or resolve to small nods and monosyllables when talking. to you.

it seems that you are the problem.

you and him work volunteer shifts at the same shelter. only, he deals with cats while you deal with dogs so it wasn’t like you’d see each other that often, but it was often enough to know he doesn’t like you.

not enough to say hi, engage in any sort of coversation or, least of all, help out if needed.

until christmas.

the shelter was decked out, you spent a whole afternoon helping out with decorations, along with yunho and yena, two other volunteers.

and yeosang.

the man almost laughed his ass off watching you balance on a ladder in the most uncoordinated way possible to avoid falling. arms flailing around and everything.

he just stood there, an ornament in his hands, with his stupidly cute smile and watched.

you sigh, scratching behind the ear of the latest rescue dog that was brought in. you like baxter, he is chill and his black, shiny fur does not show signs of him having had to live out in the streets all on his own for weeks anymore. you like him best because it looks like he is listening when you ramble on, in disbelief of the rudeness showcased, about yeosang.

just then, a call of your name sounds in the air, the voice coming from the front desk of the shelter.

“see you later,” you leave behind baxter’s toy, leaving him with one last pat on the head, and make your way to the front where hongjoong had called for you.

you smile upon entering the reception area as it had been a joint decorating effort between you, yunho and yena. the result was looking very much like an elementary school christmas project, but you enjoy the general vibe. the senior rescuer currently behind the counter, looking rather preoccupied with a few papers, however, had just shook his head dejectedly upon seeing the final result.

“i’m sorry to be doing this, but could you take the christmas day shift?” he looks apologetic as he asks, rushing to explain. “it’d only be a half day, I promise that by one you can leave, we’ve got the staff taking care of the other shifts and the morning one’s the only one left uncovered-”

“no worries,” you interrupt his rambling. “i’ll be there.”

hongjoong smiles, looking relieved only for a second, before his face betrays further worrying.

“what is it?”

“nothing, i,” he sighs, shoulders sagging upon seeing the inquisitive look on your face. “yeosang will be working the same shift.”

defeat. dejection. betrayed trust. you groan dramatically, barely hearing hongjoong say that you’d already agreed and it would not be that bad.

surely it’d make for an interesting christmas.

when you arrive on christmas morning, the night shift staff gives you a tired nod and you offer him a smile in return, quickly wishing him happy holidays.

you waste no time in doing the rounds, giving all the cute doggos their breakfast.

while going over the duty checklist left from the night shift staff you hear the bell jingle in the front and roll your eyes.

when you finally decide to go up front it takes a couple of minutes before yeosang finally comes into view.

decked out in his funniest ugly sweater it reads “here comes santa paws” and has a cat wearing a christmas hat on it and with his long hair tucked behind his ears, he’s coming up to you with an awkward air about him.

you squint your eyes in suspicion.

“merry christmas,”

you’re floored, shocked, gaping like a fish looking up at your co-worker who for the first time ever has spoken to you first.

“cookie?” he produces a tupperware from behind his back, carefully removing the lid to reveal the most crooked, ill-decorated christmas cookies you’ve ever seen. some look slightly burned. a gingerbread man has three eyes.

you’re still gaping, not in the slightest understanding how it's possible that he’s spoken to you first, and also not noticing how ever so slowly a blush starts to creep up on his cheeks.

maybe you’re hallucinating, but it snaps you out of your trance.

you quickly reach for the gingerbread man with three eyes.

“thanks,” you mumble, giving him a small smile. “merry christmas.”

yeosang nods, closing the tupperware and disappearing without a word.

so you’re left there, cookie in hand, not knowing what to do with this.

you stay put, eating your cookie, until you hear a loud bang.

you rush to the source of it, finding a very flustered yeosang surrounded by cat litter. at least it’s clean.

you hold in your laughter, seeing him stand there, look around and try to come up with a plan.

“a little help?” you pretend to wipe away tears, facing his deadpan expression.

“you would’ve let me fall from a ladder,”

“you would’ve survived,”

you scoff, turning around to grab the broom and toss it his way. Yeosang catches it, just barely.

“really?”

“you scared my dogs.”

with that, you leave him to his mess, going to comfort and play a little bit with the shaken up puppies.

it’s not until a little later that you show up at the front desk again, noticing yeosang is already sitting there, typing away on the computer.

he’s also got the phone pressed to his ear, helping out someone on the line with cat duties, speaking with his honey voice and a small smile on his face.

it’s almost mesmerizing seeing him wear an expression that’s not his usual blank stare he holds up around you.

“if you’re done staring, we’ve got hongjoong’s checklist to go through,”

just like that, you feel like a deer caught in headlights, heat pervading your face.

“sure,” you shrug, going over to him to take a look at it, trying not to stare at his smug pout.

deep down, very deep down, you think about kissing it away.

if he weren’t so unbearable. but he is. so.

the checklist read “lobby Ikea chairs”

you both looked at each other, confused, until you noticed the boxes hidden behind the counter.

there was a post-it on it that read: “good luck! -HJ”

simply infuriating. you’d lost count of all the times you had to resist the urge to roll your eyes or drop everything and go back to your dogs.

there was no trace of the cold, odd yeosang you were used to.

he’d casually sat down on the spot where you were assembling the Ikea chairs, picked up the instruction manual and waited for you to hand him the screwdriver. bewildered, you had.

that was about two hours ago, before trying to follow instructions had gone to your heads, when it was only extremely awkward and quiet while he read the manual and you tried your best to sneak glances at him. to figure out what possibly could have been going through his head, of course.

now you were busy trying to one up each other in an undeclared war of who is the best handyman, clearly having lost the main aim: building the damned chairs.

“you were supposed to put in the screw first and then the little wooden thingy.”

“does it matter?”

“does your chair look structurally sound?”

“listen, if we start over-” pinching the bridge of his nose and scrunching his eyes closed with a sigh, you stop him before he could finish his sentence.

“like hell we are, it took us two hours just to get to this.”

“exactly,” his deadpan tone leaves you no choice but to sigh.

“fine,” you give in.

you were going to kill hongjoong.

because it took you only two hours to realize all it took for yeosang to distract you were his hands working on assembling furniture, his voice asking you to pass him stuff and his silence.

if you hated it before, now you appreciated the quiet moments where all you could hear was the faint music coming from the radio and the occasional bark or meow that prompted one of you to stand up and go check on your animals.

of course it was because you didn’t have to hear his disdainful reprimanding, not at all because it gave you the chance to throw glances at him and how a few strands of hair escaped the clips pinning it back and framing his face very nicely. no, not at all. you still couldn’t stand him. mhmh.

once you finally finish building the chairs, he helps you set them up in exchange for the older ones, now piled up in the storage room.

it’s almost second nature for you to hold up your fist for him to bump.

it’s just a thing you do all the time with your friends but now you’re standing there awkwardly, fist mid air, yeosang staring at you very lost, eyes going back and forth from your face to your hand and of course now he’s not going to want to see your face ever again and you feel embarrassment slowly and steadily creeping in the more you stand there until

he fist-bumps back

a little puzzled, seemingly asking if he’s done the right thing with one look, before dropping his hand and clearing his voice

you do the same

“gotta go see the dogs,”

“yeah, no, me too… i mean, the cats, yeah, so-”

he turns around and speeds away.

you follow him.

“so how’re the cats?”

yeosang jumps on his spot, almost dropping the little mouse toy he was about to throw for a kitty to catch.

“sleeping, mostly,” he shrugs. “how’re the dogs?”

you motion for him to follow and, surprisingly, he does.

immediately, he greets the ones that are up or go up to him with a smile on his face that you’ve never seen.

it shines brighter than the sun and you find yourself smiling as well, seeing him crouch down and pat dogs left and right.

then you get a grip, not for long

it leaves you pleasantly surprised how he follows while you introduce him to every dog, how he listens while you explain why they’re there, their stories, their backgrounds

but then, while you try to get some of the dogs to play with you so he could finish the round of greetings, he reaches the puppies’ enclosure and enters it to sit among them

and while he tries to play catch with a couple, one makes his way into his arms

and when he looks down at the pup, he’s wearing the most adoring expression

like a kid seeing snow for the first time

it’s wondrous and starry and happy

and you’re staring as he softly pats the puppy’s head and coos at it

“what’s his name?”

you almost don’t answer, too focused on the scene unfolding and having trouble locating the information he’s asked for in your brain

“i don’t think he has one,” you mumble, patting baxter’s head

“sleepy,” he looks down at the puppy. “cause he’s asleep while everyone wants to play, you know?”

you just nod with a smile, or at least you hope it is because what the fuck

why are you losing your mind over yeosang cradling a sleeping puppy?

why is your brain recognizing just now that your stomach’s doing cartwheels? why do you want to look away but also keep staring?

“what’s this?” you think he’s speaking to himself, but you still catch the words leaving his mouth as he enquires the toy another puppy has just brought him

then yeosang looks up at you, eyes wide as saucers, and your heart drops for being caught staring

he doesn’t say a thing, but looks down prompting you to do the same

it’s the mistletoe chew toy

yunho’s brilliant idea of getting the dogs christmas themed toys

yeosang looks away throwing it

“yunho,” you start, catching your coworker’s attention. “yunho’s idea, to get them those.”

you offer him a pained smile as he nods, scratching his head.

“seonghwa too, for the cats…”

“ah, really?”

“yeah…”

you want to bash your head into the wall

but the phone saves you, so you dash to the front, escaping the burning flames of awkwardness

it turns out to be a family wanting to adopt as a christmas present for their kids

so you say that yes, you’re open and yes they can come in whenever

when they do, yeosang has re-emerged and stands beside you, silent like always

this time around, though, you fear he’ll hear your heart beating out of your chest at the proximity

why’s he so close?

you almost jump to greet the happy family of four when they walk in to the sound of let it snow coming from the radio

“we were afraid it wasn’t going to stop!” the dad says, brushing off some snow from his hat

turns out they’d like to adopt a dog

it surprises you that yeosang follows when you lead the family in but you try to pay him no mind

the kids seem to be enamored with every dog they see, their parents giving them free reign

they’re still very polite and don’t cause much ruckus or yell too loud, which you’re grateful for

“could you tell us more about him?”

you’re about to turn to answer the question, if it weren’t that yeosang’s already at it

he’s introducing the kids to baxter

“he’s been here for a while, he’s very fond of our y/n and his favorite snack is carrots. he doesn’t like loud noises all that much. his past owners left him here because they could no longer take care of him, but he’s looking to find a new home,” he speaks as if he’s always been taking care of him, like he hadn’t just learned all that stuff half an hour ago

and he has his smile on, the one who could charm and warm up even the coldest of hearts

except one detail

you didn’t notice the little girl facing the puppies enclosure

until you hear her go “that one’s sleeping!”

but you can’t tear your eyes away from yeosang and his can’t help but hear his soft giggle as he says “his name’s sleepy”

yeah you want to punch a wall just about now

though you have to snap out of it quick

because you’re now letting this nice family adopt baxter and can’t fuck up the procedure or hongjoong will have your head

“how’d you know?” you ask, a little melancholic but over the moon to finally see your baxter go to a family worthy of him, as you both watch the car pull out of the parking lot.

“know what?” when yeosang turns to look at you, it’s with a shadow of a smile and curious eyes, an expression you’ve rarely ever seen directed your way

you swallow hard before speaking next

“that baxter’s fond of me”

his eyes light up in recognition

yeosang swore no soul shall ever know of this

but now he feels his resolution coming apart under your waiting eyes

because truth is, he’s noticed

he notices everything about you

from how you walk in dragging your feet when you have an early morning shift, relying on your cup of coffee, to how you laugh loudly at yunho’s jokes, always get your favorite snack from the vending machines at just about the same time he goes to get his melon pan he does wait for you to be done before going up to the machines himself

and how deeply you care for the dogs and how you seem to have a soft spot for baxter

maybe he’s even heard you once or twice rambling on and on to him about how you don’t get why he doesn’t like you

truth is, he sees you, and he likes you

so much

too much

he’s afraid of doing the wrong thing, say the wrong thing and make you hate him

but apparently his plan had backfired immensely

that’s why he insisted hongjoong gave him and not seonghwa the christmas shift

he even baked stupid cookies to give you

“ah, well…” yeosang has no idea how to get out of this one. “you just seemed to like him a lot from the way you spoke about him”

you hum, not really convinced

yeosang notices though, just as he notices the car of the afternoon staff pull in under the snowfall to free you of your volunteering duties

it’s not long before the shift’s over and he’s not going to see you until after the holidays

so, as you part ways to say goodbye to the pets and grab your coats, he musters up some courage

under the snowfall, he calls your name

when you turn around his dark hair is lightly dusted with snowflakes, only making him look more ethereal, and his eyes are determined

you don’t know what’s up with you today and why suddenly he’s making you feel like a teenager dealing with their first crush under his gaze

“yes?”

he comes closer, much more than he’s ever been, so close that you’re frozen on the spot

“just wanted to let you know that you can redeem your mistletoe kiss whenever you want to”

there’s a smugness in his voice, in his pouty smirk and a sense of accomplishment shining clear in his honey eyes

have they always been this mesmerizing?

his words and his warmth leave you breathless for just a beat too long, until your eyes fall on his lips

when you look back into his eyes, his are already looking at you, waiting

“alright,” you mutter lowly, pecking his lips once, testing the waters

he places another peck on your lips and, before you know, you’re kissing him

it feels exhilarating, and soft, so soft, just like his lips. just like the hand that’s come up to cup your cheek, bringing you closer, deepening the kiss.

when you come up for air you giggle, yeosang following suit

“may i also interest you in a coffee?” he asks, hand still on your cheek, gently brushing away snowflakes before they melt. you smile.

“i thought you hated me,” it almost sounds like a question and your brow furrows when he clicks his tongue.

“have you ever heard about the concept of quiet, introverted people who feel highly intimidated by awesome, funny, pretty people?”

you laugh, finally presented with the answer to the question that most replayed in your head

“take me on a date, hilarious, quiet, handsome guy”

he blushes and you know he’ll blame it on the cold, but only brushes his nose against yours

and to think you thought he couldn’t stand you mere hours ago

now he’s here, making your heart melt like snow upon touching his perfect skin

219 notes · View notes

hoshalicious · 11 months

Text

ateez bf headcanons hyung line

a/n: this was requested like two years ago and i’m working on the maknae line now and it should be out soon :p enjoy!

content + trigger warnings : seonghwa, yunho, and yeosang have food mentions, otherwise everything should be okay. please send an ask if i missed something! -daisy

• seonghwa would be the sweetest boyfriend ever i just know it

• he’d call you so many pet names like babe, baby, sunshine, etc

• if you were working late he’d have a full meal cooked for you even if he worked that day and was tired because making sure you have eaten is way more important to him

• you definitely have him wrapped around your finger

• like all you need to do is pout and he will do like whatever you want

• would tease you all the time because he loves seeing you blush

• would coo at you calling you his pretty baby while pinching your cheeks to see you blush

• would ask you to build legos with him, would ask you every once in a while if your future home could be built of legos

• he says he is joking but you aren’t too sure

• cuddles and kisses all the time, he’d definitely let you know how much he loves you every chance he gets

hongjoong

• hongjoong would be a relaxed boyfriend

• he would do things with you, but definitely would rather be at home with you

• hongjoong to me seems to be a really domestic person when it comes to a relationship

• since you know he likes to work a lot you spend most of your time just being around him while he works

• whether he is at the studio or at home he would always be inviting you to stay with him whether you sit in his lap while he works or watch a show on the couch

• although if you needed hongjoong to not work and to spend time with you outside of the usual quality time he would definitely not hesitate

• although hongjoong doesn’t tend to be the touchy-feely but he would always hold you to sleep

• whether you fall asleep in his lap while he is working or he spoons you in the bed, if he’s home he’s holding you to sleep

• would definitely fall asleep with you on the phone while he’s on tour if the timezone permits it, and will always find the time to call you when he’s away on tour

yunho

• yunho boyfriend is the best boyfriend

• he would do anything you wanted because he wants you happy

• always touching you

• so you would never be in need of backhugs, regular hugs, kisses, cuddles

• can’t cook but he’d learn how for you

• matching outfits, jewellery, etc. wants people to know you’re his partner

• if anyone would be the jealous type it would be this man right here

• he does not want anyone to even THINK about being with you because you’re his partner

• would always have his hand on the small of your back in public

• he’s gonna be goofy with you because your laugh is his favourite sound

• very protective over you because he doesn’t want you to get hurt

• communication is key to him so he’d always be asking your feelings about things

• would try his best to never hurt your feelings

• you could ask him to try soup and put salt in the spoon and cover it with soup and he’d taste it and tell you it was the best soup he’s ever had

• loves you so much and will always make sure you know

yeosang

• yeosang would be your clingy bf

• he would always be around you

• “yeosang you do not need to come to the bathroom with me”

• would make sure you are fed!! orders you takeout from wherever you want

• wants to watch tv with you in a pillow fort

• wants to hold you all the time

• doesn’t want to leave where you both live because he can’t hold you outside of your home

• will pout at you when you have to leave

• in public i feel like he’d walk behind you instead of the side because he can see you better

• would always protect you like if you were walking by a group of people who made you visibly uncomfortable he would be either behind or to the side of you

• his love languages with his partner would be physical touch and acts of sevice

• will do anything for you if it meant that your life would be easier

• bestest boy ever

#kpop scenarios #ateez fluff #yeosang fluff #yeosang scenarios #yeosang headcanons #ateez scenarios #ateez headcanons #hongjoong fluff #hongjoong scenarios #hongjoong headcanons #yunho fluff #yunho headcanons #yunho scenarios #seonghwa fluff #seonghwa scenarios #seonghwa headcanons

469 notes · View notes

hee0soo · 4 months

Text

Match with you!

Pairing — Kang YeosangxTattooArtist!gnreader

Summary — You didn´t know what you expected to happen but this was definitly not it...

Genre — Idol! AU, TattooArtist! AU

Warnings — toothrotting fluff and feels

WORD COUNT — 1.9k

Note — This is my Secret Santa gift for @i-luvsang

I hope you like what your christmas fairy came up with...✨

Disclaimer: this fic is written and copyrighted by ©hee0soo on tumblr. do not rewrite or repost on any other plattforms without my permission.

In between recording songs, vocal and dance practice or filming content, it was rare that Yeosang had time to meet up with any friends he had! The fact that most of his friends were also idols who had their own schedules definitely did not help with that in the slightest!

The only person he did have time for no matter how busy his day was, was you!

You who he met during his early trainee days. You who managed to keep his best friend in check with a simple glance in his direction. You who always listened to his worries no matter how early in the morning it was. You who had the Idol wrapped around your pinky finger just by being yourself!

When he had first met you, Yeosang had not approached you for months and neither had you what reason did you have? To you, he was just another classmate of yours!

Only when you were partnered up for a project did you get closer. At first you were apprehensive which he could understand. All of his fellow students knew that he was a trainee under BigHit and While he did his best to stay on top of his classes he could see why you were hesitant to work with him, fearing that he would be to busy to contribute to the project and that you were going to be stuck working on it alone.

He had quickly proven you wrong and with every little snack he brought you l the boy with the heart of gold managed to worm himself into your heart.

From there on the two of you met up regularly to walk home together. Or well, you went home and Yeosang went to the company. It even went so far that you would purposely sit together in class.

That's also how he found out how well you could draw and sketch. Watching you doodle on the side of your note pad while the teacher went on with speech was the highlight of his school day!

"How can you draw so well?" he had asked in awe the first time he admired the motives on your paper.

You had only shrugged back then, not really knowing what to answer to that.

"I don't know."

And with that you had turned back to the little dragon flying around your notes, ignoring the feeling of Yeosang watching closely over your shoulder.

Time flew by and the two of you grew older. While Yeosang had continued training, meeting Wooyoung and eventually debut under a different label, you had stuck to drawing, starting an internship at an Tattoo parlor...

Fast forward to 2023, your skin was now covered in tattoos and you had a loyal clientele that visited the shop you worked at regularly to add to the collections on their skin!

The hobby you had as a student turned into a job and even when your parents had frowned at you and threatened to disown you, Yeosang had always been supportive! Never once doubting you!

It got so far that even Hongjoong, San and Wooyoung had been on the other side of your tattooing gun once or twice. The iconic soulmate tattoo on WooSan's knees being one of your pieces...

"y/nnn?" the deep drawl of Yeosang's voice broke through the trance you had found yourself in while drawing a commission request from a client. The outline of a snake wrapping its body around a bunch of roses appearing on the paper in front of you.

"Hmmm?" you hummed, not taking your eyes away from the paper as you hunched over it on practice room floor at the company building.

"y/nnn?!" he tried again as he lounged on his back, head resting against the armrest of the couch standing right behind you and more then unsatisfied that you had yet to react to his plea for attention.

Letting out a playfully suffering sigh as you turned your head towards the currently blond man, you shot him an amused scolding glare, finding yourself face to face with your best friends sparkly brown eyes.

"Yes Sangie?"

A pout formed on his lips. In the few hours he had been busy going over some of the groups old choreos, wanting to freshen up his memory a little before the stress of preparing for the next comeback could hit him in full. But as soon as you had wandered in, decked out in bags of snacks, drinks and drawing supplies, all plans of practicing had flown right out of the window and now, an hour later, he found himself in his current predicament.

Bored and unsatisfied as you ignored the puppy eyes he stared at the back of your head with!

Your mouth curved up into a teasing smile when you saw the soft glare that resembled a Maltese more then the Doberman he always tried to be for his fans!

"You're ignoring me!" he stated, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"I'm working." you huffed and turned back to your drawing.

Yeosang grumbled, unhappy about having lost your attention again.

It fell silent again as you returned to focusing on your commission. Your best friend let out a suffering sigh as his eyes followed the movements of the pencil in-between your fingers, glide smoothly over the paper. He trailed is eyes up to admire the profile of your face over the slope of your nose down to your mouth, where your teeth were gently nibbling on your lower lip in concentration.

How your eyes lit up at the prospect of finishing your sketch, how they just seemed to shine brighter doing something you loved...

Oh how Yeosang whished you would look at him like that at least once!

The snakes face grew in depth as you worked on it's slitted eyes and the vocalist was once again stunned by your ability to breath life into something as simple as a drawing.

"Would you give me one?"

*What?*

Whipping your head around to look at his handsome face. You weren't blind! Of course you knew that he was handsome, ethereally beautiful even, always had been even as a young boy! He was, after all, an Idol known for his deep voice, dance ability and statue like beauty!

Still, that had never been the reason why you were so whipped for this man! It was the kindness he radiated that had drawn you to him in the first place. If you had to describe Yeosang in words, they would by kind, hard working, gentle, funny, intelligent and so many more...

The aloof demeanor he put on only being a facade to hide from prying eyes, hiding a man only few got the privilege to see...

His deep brown orbs were starring right back at you as you gaped at him like fish on land, waiting for an answer from you.

"You want a tattoo?"

Yeosang hummed in agreement, his baritone voice sending the butterflies in your stomach flying.

"Have you, uhm, talked to your manager about it? Like-"

"Not really but I trust you."

The statement meant more to you then you would like to admit. The words had left him as easily as breathing.

"I don't want to get you in trouble Sang-ah..."

Yeosang carefully studied your face. Worry for him was written all over your face.

He thought for a moment, remembering the contents of your bag like the back of his hand.

"What about a non-permanent one for now? With body markers?"

You put down your pencil, pushed everything to the side and turned your body to face him entirely.

"Did you have something in mind? Or do you want me to choose?"

"I want to match with you!"

His eyes wandered over your collarbone, down to your arms, littered with ink until he stopped at the small picture of a paw print. It was by far not your biggest or most astonishing tattoo but the one that meant the most to you. The one that was meant to represent the paw of a puppy. The one that was meant to represent him and the one you refused to tell him if it was supposed to be a Maltese or Doberman.

Yeosang sat up on the couch.

"You want a paw print too?" you asked confused.

He shook his head, bright blonde hair falling gently into his face.

"I want to have a kitten, so you have the puppy paw for me and I have the cat for you..."

His ears turned red at the admission and your best friend hid behind his hand, an awkward laugh ringing through the practice room.

"Sorry, it was just an idea and-"

"I'll do it!" you cut him off, giddy to start already. You patted the empty space next to you, urging him to sit there before reaching for the pencil case in your bag where you kept the markers.

"Come here and give me your hand!"

Yeosang did as he was told dutifully. He gingerly put his hand in yours and drew the outline of a tiny cat.

It was only a small drawing so you were quick to finish and looked up only to stare directly into the eyes of your best friend. Just inches away from your face!

Your eyes widened in surprise and his close proximity caused your heart flutter.

*When did he get so close?*

"Uhm? Yeo you-?"

Cut of by his lips softly pressing against your own, dropped the marker still sitting in your hand.

The touch was light like a feather and over again before you could react to his ministrations.

"I'm sorry y/n, I just..." Yeosang murmured as he pulled away, gazing at you with a dazed expression. The man didn't know what to say and neither did you.

Only then did you notice his hand still holding yours while his thumb was gently brushing over your skin there. He tried pulling his hand away but you didn't let him, instead you laced your fingers with his.

"Please don't be sorry!" you croaked, voice almost to quiet for him to hear.

"No y/n, please can we just forget this happened?"

Suddenly much less euphoric then before, you pulled away. His words hurt and suddenly you wanted to disappear. Did he, really think kissing you was a mistake?

"What if I don't want to forget it tho?"

Pain was evident with the way your voice wavered.

Yeosang didn't look away from you for even a second and he swore that he could hear something shatter inside of him. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt you in any way but it seemed that he had managed to do exactly that.

The kiss wasn't a mistake in his eyes and while he wished it didn't happen like this, he didn't regret it at all!

"You don't?"

He was unsure if he had heard you correctly but a tiny part of him felt hope clawing, trying to be set free.

You shook your head. Instead of answering you leaned forward to catch his lips with yours. This time it was Yeosang who looked surprised.

"Does this answer your question?" you exhaled, tone breaking at the end.

Your best friend looked completely baffled by the kiss you had initiated and all he could do was nod while a dazed smile appeared on his lips.

"Yes, it does...”

Taglist: @marirose25

#cromernet #ateez #ateez fanfic #ateez x you #ateez x reader #ateez scenarios #ateez drabble #kang yeosang #kang yeosang x reader #yeosang x reader #kang yeosang x you #yeosang x you #yeosang headcanons #yeosang imagines #yeosang drabble #ateez fluff #yeosang fluff #divider by cafekitsune

149 notes · View notes

minkoongi · 1 year

Text

say my name - kang yeosang

yeosang x y/n x mingi

word count: 3790+

synopsis: you and yeosang have been friends for years. lately, things have been getting rather tense between you two but neither want to confront anything in fear of ruining your friendship. after yeosang invites you to his concert, all bets are off when he acts like you don't exist the entire time. will you finally have the courage to face your fears and tell him how you feel? or will you get yourself into a situation you may not be able to handle?

warnings: smut (18+ minors dni), explicit language, implied consent, dom yeosang and Mingi, sub reader, threesome, hand jobs, oral sex (male and female receiving), dirty talk, cum eating, mild bisexual behavior, creampie, crying, slight breeding kink if you squint, aftercare, lil tiny bit of fluff at the end.

a/n: im seeing ateez in a few weeks and the photos/vids of them on this US tour are driving me insane. so this is the result of that???? idk i did this mainly for sommer and spooks so i hope you like it

You watched with wild eyes as your best friend stood on stage with sweat dripping down his body. Yeosang invited you to his concert weeks ago but you didn't actually say yes until the last minute. It’s not that you didn’t want to go. Of course you wanted to support Yeosang and the rest of Ateez but things were growing more complicated between you two recently. What started as a few innocent glances here and there, have turned into eye fucking each other every chance you had. He acted oblivious to his actions the one night you felt enough courage to ask him about it but deep down you knew he wasn't stupid.

Now you stood in your own vip suite in the arena they were playing at, watching him smile at the crowd of adoring fans. Your eyes couldn't help wonder across his toned body. He wore a black leather vest with large buckles on the straps and fitted dress pants. The outfit highlighted his rather small waist and muscular biceps. You weren’t sure if maybe it were the bright stage lights shining down on him or the angle in which your seat provided but he looked like a god. His black hair was slicked back and sweat glistened off his neck as he spoke to the crowd with beaming joy.

The concert went by in a blur. Before you knew it, you were being escorted backstage by their staff to the waiting room. You could hear their loud voices booming off the walls of the hallway as you prepared yourself to enter the room. Quickly smoothing down your dress, you give a slight nod to the staff member in front of you. They opened the door for you as you took your first steps in to greet the memebers. You didn't get very far before Wooyoung ran up to you with the happiest look on his face.

“y/n! You made it!”

He engulfed your small frame into a big hug.

“Of course I did. I’d never miss a chance to see my favourite boys!”

You chirped happily.

Your eyes quickly fell to Yeosang sitting quietly in the far corner of the room. His intense eyes were glued to his phone. Something about the lack of response to your arrival caused an ache in your chest. You pushed the feeling aside and took a seat next to Yunho and Mingi. Everyone asked you about your thoughts on the concert and what your favourite parts were. You kept the conversation going while sneaking small glances at Yeosang who continued to act as though you weren’t even there.

Eventually, one by one the boys excused themselves to go clean up before heading to the hotel. After chatting for a while the only people left in the waiting room were Mingi, Yeosang, and you. Both the boys were still wearing their stage clothes, at some point during your chat Mingi removed his hoodie he had on, leaving him in a loose fitting white tank top. You couldn’t help noticing the small things he was doing to draw your attention to his body. Whether it be fidgeting with the rings on his long fingers or adjusting the tank top ever so slightly so you can get a quick glimpse of this toned torso. You weren’t the only one who noticed what he was doing, Yeosang sat across from you with a look of jealousy plastered across his face. A part of you wanted to see how far you could take this situation before he admitted something was different between you two lately. You’d never imagine Yeosang actually acting upon anything so it was worth a shot.

Keeping up the causal conversation, you moved your body closer to Mingi. To the untrained eye, it would have looked like you simply shifted in your seat to get more comfortable but you knew exactly what you were doing. The movement caused your dress to ride up on your thighs ever so slightly. You could feel Mingi’s eyes scanning down your legs before making eye contact with you. When Yeosang first introduced you to his member, you’d be lying if you said you didn’t find Mingi attractive. As you became closer to everyone, Yeosang noticed something was going on between you and Mingi but when he asked you about it, you simply brushed it off. After that Yeosang never brought it up again. Mingi has kept his distance from you ever since that day. A part of you feels like Yeosang said something to him about it but you never had the courage to ask.

In this moment, you could feel the tension beaming off of Mingi. You knew he’d never do anything with Yeosang there so naturally you fixed your dress and flashed some puppy dog eyes towards him. After a minute or so, Yeosang looked up from his phone and narrowed his eye at you.

“What do you want?”

He said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“Can you get me a bottle of water please”

Flashing a smile at him as he groaned.

“Now is that any way to treat your best friend who came all this way just to see you perform?”

You said lightly. You knew Yeosang better than most people. He would also grab himself a bottle of water and most likely drink it before heading back with yours. It would give you a few moments to push things a little further with Mingi. Nothing too scandalous but maybe just enough to make Yeosang more jealous than before. You knew it was wrong but at this point, if this was the only way you’d be able to get him to admit something more was going on, you were willing to risk it. Like clockwork, he excused himself from the room. shutting the door with a loud bang.

“You know he sees what you're doing right?”

Mingi said with a devilish grin.

“I have no idea what you're going on about, Ming”

You sighed.

“Righhht. You definitely didn't push your dress a bit just then to make Yeosang jealous”

You couldn’t help feeling your cheeks heat up at his comment. He noticed your reaction, leaning in closer to whisper in your ear.

“You know pushing his buttons may result in something you may not be able to handle, princess.”

His hand lightly brushed up against your exposed thigh causing you to shiver. Everything in your brain was telling you to abort and go find Yeosang to apologise but your body remained still. Before you could muster up a response, the door opened and Yeosang returned with a bottle of water for you. Mingi reluctantly removed his hand from your thigh and stood up from his seat. Nodded slightly to Yeosang and gave you a quick wink before closing the door behind him.

Yeosang didn’t speak to you the entire way to the hotel. You could tell he was fuming by the way his jaw ticked as he watched the building pass by. You were too nervous to say anything to him because you didn’t want to make him more upset. So you stayed silent until you reached your hotel room. Before entering the room, you took your chance to say something to break the tension.

“Yeosang I-”

You were cut off by his lips smashing into yours. His hands immediately grabbed onto your neck as he pulled you close to him. Your back fell against the door as you pressed yourself into him. Breaking the kiss as a small gasp left your mouth when he gripped your waist roughly. You don’t remember when or how the door opened but before you realised, you were making your way into the hotel room. His lips never leave your as you find your way to the bed. Yeosang gently pushes you onto the bed. His eyes were full of lust as he took in the sight before him. You paused to catch your breath for a moment, you wish you could pinch yourself to be sure this wasn't a dream. Youe attention snapped back into focus as his deep voice rang through the room.

“y/n, stand up and strip for me. I will be right back”

He said.

You shot him a confused look before rising from the bed. He could sense you were hesitant so he leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on your forehead.

“Trust me”

Was all he said before turning on his heel and leaving the room. Your body shook with anticipation as you removed your clothing piece by piece until you were in nothing but your thin panties. You decided to keep a small part of your dignity by not removing them just yet. The door opened quickly as you turned to see Yeosang standing in the entryway to the room. The expression on his face almost looked much darker and devious. Something about this situation seemed a little odd as he continued to stand there with the door open. Without thinking you covered yourself, never removing your eyes from his.

“Would you look at that, she’s hiding herself from us”

Yeosang said in a low tone. Your heart dropped to your stomach. Us?

“Now, there’s no reason to be embarrassed. It’s just us, princess.”

Mingi’s tall frame stood behind him in the doorway. They closed the door before slowly walking towards where you stood. They’re eyes never leaving your body. You felt dizzy with confusion as they closed in on you. You couldn’t help the wetness pooling between your thighs as they stared at you like you were their last meal. Yeosang was the first to make contact with you. Snaking his hands around your waist, you leaned into his warm body. He spun you around on your feet so your back was flush against his chest. His hands continued to explore across your body leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.

“You wanted my attention so badly earlier you were willing to act like a little slut with Mingi when you know you're mine.”

Yeosang’s voice vibrated against your neck as he pulled you in closer to him.

“You’ve never claimed me as yours. I can do whatever I want-”

Your words fell short as his hands made their way to your throat causing you to gasp at the new sensation.

“You’re right, I haven't claimed you because you’ve always been a good girl. That was until you tried to use Mingi to make me jealous.”

Your face burned with embarrassment but also excitement. Yeosang has always been so sweet to you, this was a side of him you’ve never seen before. It turned you on more than anything.

“Now we’re going to punish you for being such a naughty girl. Do you understand, y/n?”

Mingi growled as he stepped towards you. Yeosang continued to roam his hands freely over your body as Mingi placed a finger under your chin, raising your head so you could look at him.

“He asked you a question. Be a good girl and answer him”

Yeosang suddenly slapped your ass, making you cry out in pain. You nodded your head eagerly. Mingi moved his hands up to your face to pull you into a deep kiss. It was much different than the kiss you shared with Yeosang. Mingi’s was more eager when Yeosang was passionate. Yeosang let out a low moan as he felt your body reacting to Mingi’s touch. Your brain felt fuzzy as you tried to keep up with what was going on. They’re hands found their way to your breasts, teasing them roughly as you let out a small moan.

“Fuck”

You moaned.

Mingi’s hand worked its way down your body and found your clothed core. He drew small circles over your clit causing your back to arch onto Yeosang chest. You could feel his hard cock pressed against your ass as you leaned on his. He let out a groan as you moved yourself against him. Mingi broke away from your body for a moment to lead you towards the bed. The sudden loss of body heat made you shiver. They guided you to lay on the bed as they began removing their clothes. Your fingers moved lightly over your core making you gasp and moan at how wet you were. Yeosang and Mingi stared at your with wide eyes as you continued to touch yourself for them. Bucking your hips and whining at the desperate feeling.

“Touch me please. I need you.”

You whined.

“Begging already, princess? You’ll have to try harder than that to get what you want.”

Mingi teased.

“After what you pulled tonight, you need to prove to us you deserve our attention.”

Yeosang said while removing the rest of his clothes. You pulled your hands away from your heat and crawled towards the end of the bed. Once you were seated between the two men, you started rubbing their clothed erections through their underwear. They both felt impressive in size. Mingi wasted no time freeing his painfully hard cock from the confines of his underwear. You didn't wait for any direction from him as you began pumping his cock at a slow but steady pace. Yeosang took his time taking in the sight before freeing himself as well. Watching his best friend, the girl he’s wanted more than anyone else, jerk off one of his members. Yeosang shouldn’t be are turned on as he is but the sight in front of his was too erotic not to be aroused.

Reaching your hand out for Yeosang, you begin pumping him at the same pace. Mingi was definitely longer than Yeosang by an inch or so but he made up for what he lacked in length with how wide his cock was. Both men let out soft moans as you continued working their cocks. You turned towards Yeosang, attaching your wet mouth to the tip of his cock, tasting the sweet precum that was leaking out of it. You couldn't help moan as you pulled him deeper into your mouth until you began to gag slightly. This earned a loud moan from both men as Mingi weaved his hands into your hair, controlling to the pace of you sucking Yeosang’s cock.

“Mmmmm just like that. What a good slut”

Mingi moaned. He was enjoying watching Yeosang fall apart as you worked your tongue on the underside of his cock. Pulling away to gasp for air, your mouth was quickly filled when Mingi turned your head towards him and shoved himself down your throat. Setting a rough pace, he practically fucked your face as you rubbed your thighs together. Feeling your wetness dripping down your thighs. Coming up for air, strings of spit hung off Mingi’s cock from your mouth. Turning your attention back to Yeosang, your hands came up to lightly cup his balls as you continued taking his deeper into your throat.

“Fuck, y/n. You’re gonna make me cum if you keep doing that.”

You looked up at him as he dropped his head back in bliss. Mingi grabbed your hair once again and held you down on Yeosang’s cock. Both men moaned as you did your best not to gag all over him. Reaching next to you, you pumped Mingi’s cock at a rough pace. He released his grip on your head allowing you a moment to breathe. It only took a minute or so more before Yeosang was bucking his hips and coming down your throat. You gladly swallowed every drop before you were pulled to your feet and placed onto the bed.

Mingi came to your side, attaching his mouth to your nipple. Sucking and pulling lightly with his teeth, making you cry out in pain and pleasure. Your head spun as Yeosang left wet kisses up your legs towards your soaking cunt. In one swift motion your panties were removed, Yeosang’s mouth replaced where the thin fabric once sat. Your back arched off the bed as you threw your head back. Your hands found his hair, lightly tugging at his scalp as you bucked your hips, chasing your high.

“Please please please need to cum”

You practically screamed. Gripping on to Mingi’s hands as he held on to your throat cutting off your air flow. You were gasping for air until he released the grip on your neck. Oxygen didn’t have the chance to fill your lungs when your body was overtook by your orgasm washing over you.

“Hyung, let me taste her”

Mingi said in a husky voice. Yeosang pulled himself away from your dripping pussy and made his way up to where you laid. Without giving you a second to process what was going on as you came down from your high, Yeosang attached his mouth to Mingi’s in a deep kiss. You grew wet again and reached your fingers down to your sensitive clit as you watched the two men share your release on their lips.

“So sweet”

Yeosang hummed again Mingi’s lips. You couldn’t help moaning their names as they brought their attention back to you.

“It seems our baby girl isn't satisfied yet?”

Mingi hummed.

“Do you need to be filled up, princess?”

You nodded feverishly in response. Mingi made his way between your legs, pulling you closer until the tip of his cock ever so slightly penetrated your tight hole, sending waves of pleasure through your body. Slowly he pushed his way into you. Yeosang assumed the position behind you so your head was resting gently against his stomach. Mingi didn’t give you a chance to adjust to his size before pulling almost completely out then slamming back into you. Your tits bounced as he pounded into you.

“Look how well she’s taking my cock, hyung. Such a good girl for us.”

Mingi moaned. Yeosang hummed his approval as he brushed some pieces of hair from your forehead.

“My sweet y/n. Taking his cock like that. Are you enjoying yourself?”

Yeosang waited a moment for a response before reaching down and slapping your clit lightly causing you to scream.

“y/n use your words”

He said sternly.

“Yes yes yes feels so good”

You screamed. The pleasure was almost too much to bear as Mingi drilled into you. His thrusts became sloppy as high was approaching. You whined and whimpered about needing to cum and it being too much for you to take. Without warning, Mingi withdrew from you and let out hot robes on cum all over your stomach and cunt.

“Look at the mess you made, Min. Don't you think we should clean you up?”

Yeosang and Mingi dropped their heads down between your thighs and onto your stomach, licking up every drop of cum off of you. You were so fucked out you barely even noticed each of them shoving their fingers into your mouth so you can get a taste. The small licks against your overly sensitive bundle of nerves was enough to send you over the edge once again. You hadn’t even come down from your high before feeling Yeosang pushing his cock against your entrance. Unlike Mingi, Yeosang took his sweet time working himself into you.

“God, you feel like heaven. I’ve waited so long for this”

Yeosang moaned loudly as he pumped into your throbbing hole. Mingi laid next to you, drawing lazy circled on your clit as Yeosang fucked into you sweetly. He was nowhere near as rough as Mingi was but was still hitting so deep inside you, your legs shook.. Your body felt like it was on fire in the most marvellous way.

After a few minutes, his thrusts changed from slow and steady to fast and deep. Even in your fucked out state, you somehow managed to still moan his name as he drilled into your abused hole.

“Take this cock baby. This pussy belongs to me. All fucking mine.” Once again you were nodding like an idiot until Mingi placed his hands back on your throat and squeezed, earning a gasp from you.

“Use your words like a good girl, y/n”

He removed his hands from your throat allowing you to suck in a deep breath before responding.

“Yes, it belongs to you and only you. Fuck Yeosang dont stop!”

You screamed. Hearing his name was all the encouragement he needed to pick up the pace. He fucked into you harshly, your back arched so high you thought it might break if you took any more. Both of your orgasms were approaching as the entire room filled with the three of you moaning. Mingi pumped his cock in his fist at a steady speed while watching Yeosang slam himself into you.

“Please cum for me. Make me yours”

You cried. Tears spilled from your eyes as you clawed at his skin and held on to Mingi’s thigh as your third and final orgasm ripped through your body. Both men let out heavenly sounds as you came all over Yeosang’s cock. That was all he needed to push him over the edge as his thrust became sloppy.

“I’m gonna fuck every last drop of my cum into you”

Yeosang thrusted into you one last time before painting your walls with his seed. Mingi came within a second, spilling himself all over his hand and stomach.

The three of you laid in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before Yeosang got up and walked to the bathroom. He returned a moment later with a warm towel and some water. Carefully they both cleaned you up and helped you to the bathroom. After you were done, Yeosang picked you up gently and brought you back to the bed. Tucking you into the soft blankets. You weren’t entirely sure when Mingi left but quietly Yeosang sank into bed next to you and pulled you close to him.

“Yeosang, I’m sorry for making you jealous-” He cut you off with a tender kiss before you could continue.

“Y/n, it’s okay. Honestly I wasn’t jealous. I asked Mingi to help me finally tell you how I felt because I didn’t know what to say. Of course, in typical Ming fashion, he came up with a better idea”

You couldn’t help but chuckle at his words.

“Oh so that was all his idea then?”

You questioned playfully.

“Shhh don’t ruin the moment”

Yeosang closed his eyes and pulled you closer to his chest. He had a grin that made your heart melt written all over his face.

“Fine I’ll let it slide as long as I have you all to myself next time”

You said quietly.

“Whatever you want, princess. You’ll have to tell Mingi yourself though”

#ateez #ateez smut #yeosang #yeosang smut #mingi imagines #mingi smut #yeosang imagines #ateez imagines #ateez hard hours #ateez hard thoughts #yeosang headcanons #18+#smut #kpop smut #kpop imagines #kpop hard thoughts #kpop hard hours #ateez atiny

826 notes · View notes

whatsk-poppinhomies · 1 year

Text

Pairing : Kang Yeosang x F!Reader TW : mainly fluff ; just a little bit of angst ; long distance relationship ; pregnancy ; children ; Word Count : 9.3k A/N : First Ateez related fic!! Woooo!! Let me know what you think, if you like it, reblog it, comment, ya know. If you want to read more Ateez content from me, request something, anything.

Yeosang wasn’t lonely in the way that most would think when the word was said. He always had people around, he was surrounded by the other members and staff, he was surrounded by fans that doted upon every single thing that he did. It was nice, but it wasn’t everything. Outwardly, he wasn’t lonely at all, it probably seemed like he had everything a person could ever need. Inside though, he was as lonely as anyone could be. He had people in his life, sure… But he didn’t have someone in his life. Someone that would chase away that lonely feeling, make him feel loved like no one else ever could. He needed it, he craved it, he longed to share his life with someone that would support him and be there for him.

It was a tour stop, and at this point in the lineup, he couldn’t even remember where the plane had landed. He was tired, his body was exhausted, and the only thing keeping him going was the thought of how upset the fans would be if he didn’t make it to one of the concerts. Of course, mental and physical health were far more important, but there were only a couple more stops after this one and then he’d be able to go home.

There was a fan meet after this particular concert, something that he wasn’t really used to doing, but he didn’t have a problem with it. He’d be able to sit down for a bit and talk to the people that loved him and adored him, the people that made his life what it was now.

He was a mess, sweaty and still slightly breathless from being on stage just a couple minutes ago before being rushed into a small room off to the side to start the fan meet. Only a few fans got in, something that upset him considering he’d love to meet every single one of the ATINYs that had been out in the crowd today, but he didn’t have any say in it, he essentially just went along with whatever the managers said.

Now, this is where the story gets a little crazy, and he’s sure that most people would just assume that he had met a fan, someone that caught his eye in the lineup of ATINYs that had gotten the meet and greet pass. Sure, any connection would be special, but this one just felt different, and it had started just as differently as it felt.

There was a clock that hung above the exit door that had been propped open, and he had taken a split second to look at the clock, wondering when he’d be able to go back to his hotel and get some rest. That’s when he saw you, and it felt like fate that he had looked at the clock exactly then. You just so happened to be walking by, taking a moment to stop and look into the room, and his eyes instantly locked with yours. There was an immediate connection, he knew that, he could feel it in his bones.

You smiled shyly at him, giving him a quick wave of your fingers before starting to walk off again. That couldn’t be it, no, there had to be more. He pushed himself away from the table, politely excusing himself and apologizing to the fans that had been lined up to meet him so that he could rush out the exit door, much to the surprise of the managers and the other members.

“Ah… w-wait!” He called out, his eyes drawn to the back of your head, immediately spotting you just by your hair, the color of it already memorized by him. You stopped in the middle of the parking lot, the wind whipping your hair around your face as you turned to face him, shock overtaking your features when you realized that you had been called out to by him. “Sorry… I just… Hi.”

He felt so shy, it was like meeting up with someone that he had been waiting to see for forever, and now you were finally in front of him, his nerves causing his stomach to churn. You giggled lightly, the sound beautiful when mingled with the wind that rustled the tree leaves and whistled through the air. “Hi…” You sheepishly responded, your hand moving up to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear as you shyly smiled back to him.

You were so beautiful, and even more so up close. He was absolutely tongue tied, it was like every single word that he had ever learned to say left his mind, he didn’t know how to speak, he didn’t know how to form even one word, all he could manage was opening and closing his mouth as he continued to look at you.

“Did… Did I forget something? I didn’t think they’d send you out to give it back…” You said, eyes wavering to break the slightly uncomfortable eye contact that was held the entirety of his silence, but your words had him quickly shaking his head. He remembered why he was there, he was there because he wanted to talk to you, he needed to talk to you, he needed to make sure that what he felt back in that room wasn’t just a fluke in his emotions.

“I wanted to see you.” He responded and your eyes widened as they finally landed on him once more. You pointed at yourself, silently questioning if he was serious, and he excitedly nodded his head yes. His feelings were right, everything that he felt when he first looked at you were valid, he still felt them now. You were the one, and fate had in fact set everything up for this moment to happen. “Is that okay?” He questioned your silence, and just as he had, your head motioned just as quickly as he had that it was okay.

It’s crazy to think that two people could hit it off so quickly, it was almost like you had never been strangers at any point, like he had known you his entire life. He was thankful that this stop lasted a couple days, it meant more time with you, and he tried not to dwell on the fact that he’d have to leave. Countless hours were spent together, and most of the time you’d go to his hotel room, talking about everything and anything either of you could think of. Your laughter had filled the room and his ears so many times that even when you left, it was like he could still hear it, resonating off the walls and twinkling in the air around him. It made him feel like you were still there, and that comforted him.

You showed him around your city, taking him to some of your favorite places, your favorite restaurants, little spots that most people in the city didn’t know about but you did, and you’d call it your secret spot where you’d hide away to try to escape the stresses and mundaneness that regular life brought with it. “One day, I’ll show you around my city.” He said as he walked with you down the sidewalk, thankful that he wasn’t recognized by anyone that walked by. He was able to be normal, something that he was beyond grateful that he got to experience with you.

“Yeah?” You mused, your clasped hands swinging back and forth as you both walked aimlessly, simply enjoying the limited time that you had together. The both of you knew that it would come to an end soon, so you tried to make the most of it. “I’d like that a bunch, Yeosang.” You murmured, but he watched your face fall as you said it, your eyes falling to the ground.

“What is it?” He asked, stopping completely to turn in your direction, his attention entirely on you and he wanted you to know that. “You think I won’t, that I don’t actually want to?” He posed, throwing out the questions but hoping that you wouldn’t agree to any of them. He had hoped that he had proven to you that you were far more than just a fan or some random girl that he wanted to hook up with during the tour. You were so much more than that to him, that’s why the thought of leaving you would have him up for hours at night once he laid in bed, tears stinging his eyes at the thought of the loneliness he’d feel once he was away from you.

Your head nodded, the mere motion of it screaming your sadness. That was the saddest part of it, the fact that your face was still wearing the same beautiful smile that it had on earlier, but you were radiating a sorrow that had Yeosangs heart aching. “It’s not like… I’ll be able to go with you… and you won’t be coming back here any time soon.” You said dejectedly, your bottom lip beginning to tremble and you quickly pulled it between your teeth to stop it. His mouth opened to speak, but you shook your head quickly. “And you can say one day, give me a little bit of hope that this is more than what it really is… But one day is nothing more than a vague timeframe that’s easier to give because all of this is nothing more than a fling.”

“That’s not true…” He murmured, his hand holding yours tightly, scared that you’d try to pull away from him. His thumb brushed over your knuckles to try to soothe your ever wandering mind, to let you know that he’s there, that he’d always be there. “This is more than that… this is way more than that… You mean more than that to me. I don’t want to go home, I wish that I didn’t have to, I wish that I could take you with me.”

“That’s crazy… This whole thing is crazy…” You murmured, your eyes still downcast as you sniffled softly.

“I know it is.” He whispered, his hand coming up under your chin, tilting your head up to look at him. “That’s why I know it’s right. Everything is going to work, I know it will. Believe me… Believe in us. We’ll be fine.” He leaned in to press a kiss to your forehead, the corners of his lips turning up when he saw your eyes close and your cheeks pull up, creasing your eyes in the corners.

Us. He loved that word, it meant the two of you together, he believed that the two of you would be together as long as you both wanted it to work, and god, he wanted it to work, he needed it to work. Every single moment with you was like a breath of fresh air, you brought a feeling to him that he could only describe as feeling complete. There was no amount of distance in the world that would ruin that or take that feeling away from him either. In the deepest part of himself, he knew that you were the one for him, you were his soulmate, he believed in that wholeheartedly, and with that belief, he knew that he could make it work no matter the distance that would be put between the two of you once he left.

The three days that he got to spend with you felt like both a lifetime, and far too short. No amount of time with you would ever be enough unless he was able to be beside you forever, but you both understood that he had a career, he had fans, he had a home that he had to go back to. That home would feel a little less like a home though once he got back, you wouldn’t be there, and it’s not like you had ever been in his home before, but he found in you a home that he longed to live in, you just carried that feeling in you.

“You have everything you need?” You asked, your tone bittersweet as you stood off to the side as he made his way through the TSA line. You were trying to hold back your tears, and for a while it was working well, you were doing a great job at it, but when he looked into your eyes you couldn’t help but choke back a small sob. He had given you a lifetime of memories in three short days, and while he promised that he’d keep in touch, a small part of you wondered if he truly meant it, or if he’d land in Korea and forget about you once he was there.

“No…” He murmured, his tone matching your own as he reached out to grab your hand. “I don’t have you… I won’t have you when I land.” His lips pulled down into a frown, and you wanted nothing more than to kiss him, to let him know that he’d always have you, but there were so many people around, you were already risking enough standing so close to him for so long.

“You can call me, or text me… I don’t care what time it is… I want to know you made it home safely.” He nodded his head, his own eyes becoming glossy as he drew closer to the TSA agent, the both of you knowing that once he made it there, you wouldn’t be beside him anymore. He didn’t know if his heart would be able to handle it, but he tried to stay strong, knowing that if he started crying it would only make things harder for you. “Promise you’ll text me when you land…” You rushed out the whispered words, struggling to hold his hand just a little longer the closer he got, but your time was running out, you only had a couple seconds left.

“I promise… I promise I’ll text you, I’ll call you every single day… I promise.” He said just as fast, holding up the line as he refused to let you go. “I’ll come back soon… Don’t worry… Okay? I will…” He whispered urgently, visibly swallowing back the lump in his throat as one of the men in his security team reluctantly pushed him towards the agent who was impatiently waiting for him, his hand falling limp once it was out of yours. Would his promise really hold up, or was he just saying it to make you happy one last time? You stuck around a little longer, watching as he walked through the gate, his head constantly turning back to look at you, a sad smile playing on his lips as he waved goodbye before turning the corner and going out of view.

“You’re up really late, love.” Yeosangs voice came through your headphones as you laid in bed, staring up at your ceiling, unable to stop smiling as you listened to him speak. “Honey, did you fall asleep?” He asked, and you quickly made a sound of disagreement, rolling over to your side to tap your phone screen, your heart fluttering at the picture that adorned your lock screen of him and you together.

“I’m still awake, was just listening.” You murmured, feeling a little shy at admitting to it, but it’s not like you hadn’t told him the same thing multiple times before. “Are you busy? Do you have to go back to work?” You asked, propping your head up on your hand to try to keep yourself from succumbing to your tiredness and stifling the yawn that threatened to escape.

“No, I just know that you have to work tomorrow, and if you don’t get enough sleep you might hurt yourself and I’ll feel guilty for keeping you up all night.” He mused, and you could hear through your headphones the sound of him shifting around and then people talking in the background. “Maybe I should end the call now, so you can rest. You can call me when you wake up.”

“W-Wait…” You stammered out, taking a deep breath as you sat up in your bed. “I have to tell you something.” Now those words shouldn’t have produced a reaction such as the one that Yeosang had, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as his heart raced, his mouth going dry and his stomach sinking. He was thankful that he wasn’t video calling you, but he wondered if you could hear his breaths get more raspy and heavier with each second of silence that passed. “Do you uhm… remember… that one night that we… you know…” You stammered, and his stomach was filled with butterflies as he replayed the memory in his mind, a memory that he was constantly thinking back on, dreaming about the day he’d get to recreate it with you.

“Yeah… I remember…” He whispered bashfully, glad that the guys weren’t around to watch his cheeks glow red as images replayed in his mind of that night. “Wh-What about it? Is everything okay?” Had you come to regret it, maybe thinking too much about it and what people would think if they found out? Or maybe you had missed the feeling of being intimate with someone like you had been with him that night, maybe you had gone to someone else to get what he couldn’t give you from miles away.

You were silent for far too long, and his heart was both sinking and speeding up at the same time, and it had him feeling nauseous and lightheaded. If you could just say something, anything that would be able to stop the feeling that he had right now. “Yeosang, I’m pregnant.” Anything but that. It’s not that he didn’t want a family, the idea of having one one day had crossed his mind many times, but not right now, not at the peak of his career.

He didn’t know what to say, but he knew that if he was silent for too long you’d assume the worst, and although his mind was working overtime to make sense of what he had just heard, he had to pause for a moment and actually talk to you. “How uhm… How far… Are you?” He stumbled over his words, unable to sound calm in any way, but he hoped that you’d be able to understand why. “16 weeks…” You whispered, and it was like a gut punch. “16 weeks?! That’s… That’s like… Like 4 months already, Y/N!”

All attempts at even trying to be calm had been thrown to the wind at this point. The math added up, unless you had managed to find the time to be with someone else when he wasn’t with you, but he was with you so much when he was there, and the two of you were always on the phone once he had gotten back to Korea, it seemed impossible for something like that, for someone else to be the father. “I didn’t even know until a day ago… It’s not like I was hiding it from you!” You practically shouted back, but he could hear you sniffling and he was hit with immediate regret for snapping at you. “I didn’t think that it was possible… I mean, we were only together like that once when you were here and… I thought I was just stressed lately about my new job and that’s why I wasn’t getting my period… But then I started getting sick and I went to the doctors and they took blood work and… Here she is..”

“She?” He softly repeated the single word, his eyes brimming with tears as he thought about it. He had a daughter, not entirely, she wasn’t truly here yet, but she was, and she was his. He had so much to think about now. He loved his job, he loved the guys, he loved his fans… But he loved you, and his heart had already seemed to grow twice in size just to make room for his little girl. “Don’t worry, I’m gonna figure out what to do. Everything will be okay, I promise. I love you, you won’t be alone… I swear.”

It took a while, countless hours of meetings with managers who felt the need to drag the other guys into it as well. He didn’t want to tell them yet, and he surely didn’t want to tell them while surrounded by the people that could potentially put a pause to the group and everything they did. A part of him felt guilty, the possibility of the group being forced to disband by the managers if he did decide to leave loomed over his head.

The guys didn’t even know that he and you were together, and that you had been together for 4 months even, so the news of a child was shocking to them, almost as shocking as it had been to him. The assumptions flew around, something that Yeosang had expected, but it still hurt to think that the guys thought he was capable of doing some of the things they assumed.

Once he started explaining though, everyone seemed to calm down, although they were still shocked that he had made a mistake like this, an accusation that he quickly shut down. His daughter was in no way a mistake, she simply came a little early, and that’s what he had told everyone that was sitting at the table, including the managers. “I’m going. I need to be there for her… I’m not leaving the group, but I’d much rather be put on a personal hiatus maybe… You can tell the fans that I just need time for personal health. I don’t want them to know about her yet…”

In the end, it was agreed upon that he would fly to you and stay with you, an agreement that had him able to relax just a little. He’d still have his career, and when the announcement was made to the public they were more than supportive even though they didn’t really know what was going on, all of the fans were patiently awaiting his return. Now he could focus solely on you and his daughter, something that was both nerve wracking and exciting to him.

He had been so nervous on the plane, fidgeting in his seat, unable to even rest for a moment no matter how long the flight was. He was anxious, his heart was racing, and the little screen on the back of the seat that showed the flight path had his stomach twisting into even tighter knots the closer the small plane animation got to where you were.

Things would be completely different now, he would live like a normal person, he would be able to spend every single day with you, he’d be able to go to the grocery store or the corner shops to get you what you needed. He’d be able to go shopping with you for everything that the two of you might need. It would all feel so new to him, but there was an excitement underlying, and as nervous as he was, he couldn’t help but smile as he thought about what it would be like to live with you this way.

Any little bit of fear that he had regarding what would come washed away as soon as he stepped off the plane and walked through the gates. His eyes landed on you immediately, it was like you were glowing, and he had read somewhere online during one of his late night research adventures that women would get a glow, but you were absolutely radiating such a brilliant light around you. It was like he could finally breathe again, and he realized now that the tightness that he had felt in his chest when he was back in Korea was simply a side effect of not being near you.

His feet carried him through crowds of people, people that didn’t recognize him, or they just didn’t seem like they cared enough to try to recognize him if he looked even slightly familiar. That was the best part about being normal. He could run to you, he could sweep you up into his arms and hug you tightly, finally mending that ache that had settled in his heart when he had left. “You look lovely…” He whispered when he set you down, stepping back to look you over, and even under his mask, you could see that he was smiling, his eyes creasing in the corners.

“I missed you.” Your voice was almost unheard over the noise that surrounded the two of you in the airport, but he heard you, your voice seeming to break through the droning loudness that encircled you both. “You look so tired… Did you sleep at all during your flight?” You questioned, brushing his hair away from his face to see the dark circles under his eyes. “Let’s get back to the house and you can rest for a while, you need to sleep.”

The idea of sleep seemed far-fetched, and while he had been exhausted the entire flight, now that he was there with you, he felt fully energized. He wanted to know everything about how you were feeling, about your doctor's visits that you had gone to when he was still in Korea. He wanted to talk to you, he wanted to just be close to you again. It felt like it had been forever since he got to hold you, hug you, kiss you or touch you. He didn’t want to sleep away his entire first day back with you.

Why did he feel so shy right now? Obviously he had been with you in ways that had the two of you closer than holding hands on the way out of the airport, but it was like being with you again had him clamming up, unable to even speak. “You uhm… You got big…” He mused, and you looked up at him, blinking your eyes a few times before dropping your head back down, staring at the ground as you wrapped your free arm around your stomach. “I… I didn’t mean it in a bad way…” He quickly blurted out, his head shaking fast as he squeezed your hand. “I mean… She’s… She’s bigger… I just didn’t really see in the video calls… You’re beautiful.”

He was rambling, but he didn’t want you to take offense, he truly thought that you were the most gorgeous girl in the whole world, and nothing would ever change that. “Right… yeah… Sorry…” You murmured, awkwardly giggling as you leaned against his arm. “I just… We haven’t seen each other in so long… I didn’t know what you’d think when you saw me now and…” He quickly shushed you, moving to stand in front of you so he could look directly at you.

“The way I feel now is… It’s no different from the way that I felt when I first saw you. I want to be with you, and now I’m able to. I love you, and that’s never going to change.” He reassured you, pulling down his mask enough to press a kiss to your forehead. “I can’t wait to finally be home with you.”

And he truly couldn’t, he was practically bouncing where he stood while waiting for the Uber to come, giddy about the thought of just being with you. He had promised you before he left that you’d be together, and while a child was unexpected, she had been the reason he had gotten to be with you now. The hiatus couldn’t last forever though, he wanted to spend as much time with you as possible, but he knew that even when he went back to working, he’d do everything he could, he’d find any way possible to be able to be with you and his daughter as much as possible. Right now though, he was all yours, and you were all his, and for at least the next 5 months he’d be able to just be with you.

Each and every day was spent waking up beside you and it would end with you falling asleep in his arms. It was like a dream come true for him, to see your face every single day and actually be able to touch you and kiss you, to not have to long for those things through his phone screen whenever you called him. He got to just live with you, and while it was a drastic change from what he was used to back in Korea, it was welcomed, he loved it.

He got to go to your doctor's appointments with you, and there was something so mesmerizing, so amazing about being able to actually be there for the scans, to watch his daughter move on the screen, to watch your stomach continue to grow while she was inside of you. It only made you even more astounding to him, and his love for you grew more than he ever thought it would.

He helped set up the nursery with you, and he helped you shop for her clothes and everything that you’d need. He loved every second of it, and he questioned why he was so scared in the first place. Everything seemed to be falling into place just right. There were no problems, the public had yet to find out about your relationship, let alone the fact that in a few short months he’d be a father. You were able to have a normal pregnancy, and he was able to be there for you like a regular boyfriend would be.

As you grew larger though and the due date moved closer, a new sadness took over. Soon he’d have to go back, he’d have to leave all of this behind, he’d have to leave not only you, but his newborn child behind to go back to work. How was he supposed to do that? How was he supposed to just casually walk out of your front door, not even knowing when he’d be able to come back? He loved his job, of course he did, he loved his fans who had given him the opportunity to meet you, but those two things also meant that he’d have to leave you to go back to them, and that thought had his heart aching.

The worst part is that the more he thought about it, the faster time seemed to go. Before he knew it, you were a week before your due date, your stomach swollen and covered in stretch marks that he’d rub cocoa butter over every night and every morning. Your back was constantly aching, and your ankles had grown double their original size, and even though he had been begging since the beginning of your 7th month to let him do things for you, you were hell bent on doing things on your own still. This part of you made him love you and adore you, admire you more than he already had.

Time continued to speed by, and in what felt like the blink of an eye, he was in the hospital with you watching his daughter be born. It was the most mesmerizing, terrifying thing he had ever experienced in his life. The pain that you went through, god, you truly were amazing. You had done it all on your own, for he couldn’t take away that pain, he couldn’t do this for you, all he could do was stand at your bedside and support you through every labored breath as you pushed, your fingers squeezing his hand so tightly it felt like his fingers would break. He never complained though, he couldn’t seem to find any words to say other than encouragement and praise for how strong you were.

It was crazy how time worked in moments like this, everything moved so fast yet so slow. One moment he was helping the midwife hold your legs while you pushed, and the next, his daughter was screaming in a small cot across the room as the nurses cleaned her up. She was finally here, and it felt like a fresh breath of life washed over him, like his entire life had new meaning. Everything he did would be for her, for you, it was like the exact moment she took her first breath, his world shifted and began to revolve around you and his daughter.

He thought that time would slow down once she was here, that he’d be able to spend it all with you and his new baby girl, but he had been sorely mistaken. The extra month that he had gotten to “help” you get accustomed to your new life as a mother was spent mostly on calls with management and the other members to fill him in on everything that had gone on while he was away. It was irritating to say the least, that they couldn’t even wait until he was back at home, especially when they knew that this would be the only time he’d get to spend with his new family for who knows how long.

Even still, he did his best, and for that you were greatly appreciative. When it was time for your daughter to eat, he’d quickly make a bottle for her, his phone between his shoulder and his ear as he mumbled out noises of understanding to show that he was still listening. Shockingly to him, being a father came easy, all he wanted was for his daughter to be loved and cared for, something that he promised to always do no matter what happened.

His favorite thing to do though, what he loved the most, were those late nights when his phone would finally stop ringing, and he’d get to lay in bed beside you for however long he could until his daughter woke up. You’d shuffle around a little bit, your eyes still closed as you tried to kick the blankets off, and he’d stop you, pressing a kiss to your forehead before telling you to lay back down so he could get his little girl.

That to him, was the craziest part, thinking about how many arguments started between parents over who got the baby at night, how many parents were miserable because their child didn’t sleep through the night. Of course, his joy at being able to spend those couple minutes to an hour with her only stemmed from the fact that he knew he didn’t have much longer. He’d much rather be beyond exhausted once he got back to Korea than to think that he missed something.

“Yeosang…” You murmured one morning, waking up to see him propped up on his elbow, his other hand gently stroking the cheek of your sleeping daughter as he stared down at her adoringly. Underneath his eyes were so dark, it was worrisome, but even with the obvious lack of sleep, his eyes seemed to twinkle whenever he looked at her. “You need to let me get her… At least enough for you to get some sleep. This isn’t good for you.”

He glanced up at you before dropping his gaze back down to her face, a small pout forming on his lips. “You’ll be able to spend every single night with her once I leave… I just want her to remember me, even a little bit. I want her to know that I love her.” He whispered, his fingers pausing against her cheek when she stirred at the sound of his voice. “I don’t know when I’ll be back…” He trailed off, clenching his teeth to bite back the shakiness that he knew was coming.

Your hand reached out to touch his cheek, your palm warm against his skin, more comforting than you probably knew. “She’ll remember you, I’ll make sure that she does.” You whispered, your voice low so as to not wake her up. “It’s not like you’re leaving forever, and even though you’ll be gone, we’re not leaving you. I’ll call you whenever I can, I’ll video call you so you can see her.”

He sighed softly, his head dropping down against the pillow but his gaze still lovingly, yet bittersweetly focused on his daughter who had captured his heart entirely the moment she took her first breath. “It won’t be the same…” He momentarily looked at you, a sad glimmer in his eyes. “I can’t hold you through the phone, I can’t kiss you… It’s gonna be awful…”

You tsked your tongue, trying to be as optimistic as possible even though your heart was breaking just as much at the thought of him not being there. “You say that now, but once you get back there and into the groove of things you’ll be a-okay.” He rolled his eyes at you, but you saw the corner of his lips twitch up. “And I’m sure you miss the guys, right? I know they miss you, I hear them talking whenever they call you.”

His head nodded as he rolled over onto his back, his hand running through his hair as a heavy sigh billowed through his parted lips. “I miss them, but my heart isn’t attached to them like it is to you and her. I don’t want to miss anything, I’m… I don’t want to be a bad dad.” Your mouth fell open, and you took a deep breath, about to speak, but he gave you a side eye that quickly had your lips pursing shut. “You’re gonna tell me I’m not a bad dad, that I’d never be a bad dad for doing my job. I know you, Y/N…” He was right, and he usually was. “That doesn’t change the fact that I’ll feel like one though.”

Chewing on your bottom lip, you thought of what to say. It was so hard to ease his mind right now, and you completely understood. You’d hate to be in his position, to have to choose between your job and being able to be with your daughter and him. The choice was beyond difficult, and you were thankful that you weren’t the one having to make it, but your heart broke for him knowing just how hard it was. “But I know you’ll do everything you can to see her, to see us whenever you can. Remember when we first got together, and I was so scared that I’d lose you…” His head nodded slowly, and you reached over your daughter to comb your fingers through his hair, trying your best to not only soothe him, but to reassure him. “You said that everything would be okay, that everything would work out. You just have to believe in those words, even now… I still believe them… I know this will work.”

When he had gotten back to work, the fans had gone crazy with support for him, and while many of them questioned his hiatus, a majority were respectful of his privacy. The both of you knew how crazy some fans could get, so you both worked to keep not only your relationship, but your daughter a secret from the public. It was better for the three of you, especially when he was so far away. Even with the distance, he was an active part in your daughter's life, sometimes staying up until 3 in the morning just to facetime you and her, making sure to call at a good hour for you, not wanting to wake her up in the middle of the night.

There were nights when he’d cry over the phone, choked up just at the sight of the daughter that he adored so much, but he couldn’t be with her, he couldn’t hold her or tell her that he loved her while she was in his arms. It was a lot on him emotionally, but he did his best, turning those emotions into works of lyrical art, songs that were written while looking at photos or videos of his little girl that you’d send him throughout the day. He wrote songs for you, filled with love and devotion, songs for his family that he missed so dearly.

Whenever he and the guys would go on tour, he’d make sure that management would set up dates, asking them to schedule at least 2 concerts in your city so he could spend more time with you. The most heart tugging times were when the tours were over though. He loved his career, that was undoubtable. He’d miss the energy in the venues while performing for ATINY, he’d miss the love that he could feel just radiating from the fans in front of him, he’d miss it a lot, but he knew that at the end of each tour came a small break, and those breaks were spent with you and his daughter. He’d spend weeks leading up to the break planning out what he could do with his girls, places he could take the both of you, trying to make the most of the short amount of time that he had. It was becoming harder though, the more famous that his group became, the more difficult it was to take you out, to try to get through the airport unnoticed.

Yeosang loved you, he loved being a father to his daughter, he cherished every single moment that he got to spend with the two of you. That’s why he had to make the choice, and it was hard, it was stressful. There was a lot on the line no matter what the decision was, but there was only 1 right choice in the matter, and he made sure to talk to you about it first, making sure that you were okay with it first. It was hard on him to have to watch his daughter grow up through a phone screen, and while you always managed to catch important milestones in her life with your camera, it just wasn’t the same as being there to see them himself. He needed to be with you always, he needed to have his family with him, close to him, and there was only one way to do that safely for all of you.

“It’s alright, love…” He whispered, rubbing small circles against your back as you sat beside him. You were breathing quite heavily, holding your now 1 year old daughter on your lap, bouncing her on your knee to keep her from trying to wiggle out of your arms. “You don’t have to do this right now if you don’t want to.” He assured you, and it’s not like he was completely calm about this either. His heart was racing, banging against his ribs so hard he felt like it’d break through. This was the first live that he’d do without one of the staff members sitting with him, although he knew that they’d be monitoring it from back at home.

You shook your head, trying to calm your heavy breaths as you smiled at him. “I’m fine… We need to do this…” And by this, you meant showing the world, introducing both yourself and your daughter to the fans that still had no idea that the two of you existed. There had been a lot of speculation recently about why he was constantly away, the meaning behind all of the songs that he had written, and you both just wanted to finally come clean with the fans. It would be better than being caught, and while you both knew that there came risks with coming out, the amount of stress that would be removed from the two of you completely outweighed whatever came next. There was nothing that the two of you couldn’t handle together.

“They’re going to love her, they’ll love you. She might even get her own fan base.” He teased, and you snorted softly as you looked down at your daughter who had been keeping herself occupied with one of the many toys that Yeosang had gotten her. “The live is ready to start as soon as you are, love. Just let me know…”

You swallowed thickly, closing your eyes for a moment and giving yourself one final second to think about this, to really think things through. “I’m ready…” You whispered, and then with the click of a button, the light on the webcam lit up. You saw yourself on the screen, but it was hard to really pay attention to the image of yourself sitting beside him when you saw just how quickly the viewers came in.

Comments rolled up the screen, your eyes unable to even keep up with whatever was being said, and while you saw Yeosang attempt to read them all, you were too scared to try. “Hey!” He greeted them enthusiastically, keeping one hand on your lap, giving light squeezes when he felt you tense up a little too much. “I’m trying to read all the comments, I really am, but… I’m sure most of them are questioning these two beautiful girls beside me…” At this point you were focusing on only him on the screen, the way his cheeks turned a light shade of pink after he had said that. “This is Y/N, my girlfriend of a year and a half now… And this little girl…” He reached over to grab your daughter from off your lap, placing her on his own with a proud smile. “This is my daughter, Yeori.”

Your heart seemed to stop as the comment section exploded, moving faster than any of you even bothered to try to read, you could only hope that whatever they were saying wasn’t anything awful or hateful. “Should I… Should I say something?” You whispered, leaning as close to Yeosang as possible, not wanting the mic to pick up what you were saying. He nodded his head swiftly, smiling to you, his eyes twinkling with the pride that he felt being able to not only sit next to his family during this, but to finally be able to introduce you both to the fans that he loved. “Hi, everyone…” You voiced shakily, eyes wavering between the image of Yeosang playing with your daughter to the comment section. “I’m really happy to be here… To be able to… Talk to you all…”

Yeosang nodded along with your words, your biggest supporter right now. What you didn’t know at the moment was how immensely proud of you he was, how strong he thought you were. It was no secret that fans were ruthlessly mean sometimes, especially when it came to the idol that they loved being in a relationship. He knew that you were worried, but you believed in him, you trusted him to protect not only you, but Yeori too, and he always would protect you. His job was important, but his family was his top priority, and it always would be.

After the live was over, it felt like you could finally breathe properly again. Your mind was filled with thoughts of what could happen, if people would be able to trace the location of the live, what the fans would do now. The both of you avoided getting online for the rest of the day, opting to remove yourself from the rest of the stress by just spending time together and being with your daughter. When the 3 of you were together like that, it was easier to forget that there was now a bunch of people that knew about you, that knew about Yeori.

“I was right…” Yeosang said over the breakfast table the next day, his phone in his hand and a wide smile spread across his face as he scrolled through whatever he was looking at. You hummed questioningly, grabbing yourself a cup of water before sitting next to him to see that he was looking through Twitter. “Everyone loves her, they love you. They think you’re both adorable…” Of course, you knew that he was only picking out the good comments, and you weren’t foolish enough to believe that every single fan had taken a liking to you. You had practically stolen away someone that they thought they owned or had a chance with. “Yeori has a bunch of fans already, they want to see her more…”

He chuckled softly, laying his phone down on the table before pulling you closer to him, pressing a kiss to your temple. “She won’t be there for all of your streams… You have to go back to Korea soon.” It was always the saddest thing that you had to admit to both yourself and to him. It was hard not to cry when he left, and it was even harder to try to explain to your daughter why she could only talk to her father on the phone for a vast majority of the year. “And I can’t do the streams by myself… I don’t want to… Not without you.”

Another kiss landed on your cheek now, and then his finger slipped under your chin to turn your head to look at him as his lips pressed against your own. “I know…” He mused, but usually there would be a sadness in his voice once that realization set in, this time there was a hint of giddiness, playfulness. “That’s why I just have to take you both with me.” You almost choked on the water that you had been sipping on.

It’s not like the idea hadn’t come up multiple times. It would be easier for the both of you if you just lived together, but at the time you were worried about the fans or reporters that might see the 3 of you walking through the airport together. Not just that, but Yeori had been too young to handle a plane ride of that duration, and you didn’t want to have to deal with the looks of annoyed fliers around you. “Yeosang…” You whispered his name, and while it sounded so amazing, being able to just be with him, to not have to wait for him to get time off to see you, it was hard for you to fathom how it would be possible. “There’s nothing ready for us to be there with you… She doesn’t have a room there… Not in the dorms, I don’t want the guys to feel intruded on or-”

He pressed his lips against yours once more to put a halt to your pessimistic talk. “That’s why everything is already set up. It’s been set up for a while now, I’ve just been waiting for the right time, and it’s the right time now.” Your eyes widened as his lit up. This was everything that he had wanted, everything that he had been waiting for. He’d no longer have to count down the days before finally being able to be with his family once more, he’d simply get to wake up every morning and you’d both be there. “She has a room in my own apartment. I’ve even been learning how to drive so that we don’t have to depend on the staff or anyone else to get us around. I hate leaving you, I hate leaving her… I can’t keep doing it to the both of you… I need my family with me, I want us to be together, always.” His hands cupped your cheeks as he looked you in the eyes, a hopeful smile on his face. There was a lot that you’d be leaving behind if you agreed to go with him, but he loved you, he loved his daughter, and he didn’t want to have to leave the both of you behind anymore. “I already have the tickets for all of us to go… I love you, I love you more than anything in the world… I need you and Yeori with me, close to me… I can’t leave you anymore. I’m not walking out that door and hopping on another plane unless the 2 of you are coming with me.”

4 Years Later

You sat on the floor, your back pressed against the wall as you watched your daughter run around the room. “Yeori, don’t run honey…” You called out, about to get up from your seat on the floor until you watched a set of arms scoop her up. “Sorry… She wanted to come today and-”

Yeosang walked over to you, Yeori playfully dangling over his shoulder as she giggled lightly, poking against his back to try to get him to start walking once he had stopped in front of you. “Don’t apologize, I love having you both here, you know that.” He reassured you, gently setting her down next to you. “How are you feeling? Hungry? Thirsty? Does your back hurt?” He questioned, kneeling down to check you over. “You feeling sick again?” He quizzed, and you quickly shook your head, leaning into his hand that had been pressed against your cheek.

“I’m alright…” You hummed, turning to kiss his palm before letting out a small giggle. “Just don’t want her to get in the way of you and the guys while you’re practicing. I can’t chase her around like I used to.” You sighed softly, and as if on queue, you both simultaneously looked down at your stomach that had just started to swell once again.

“You don’t have to chase her, that’s why I’m here.” He teased, kissing his hand before pressing it against your stomach. “I want you to be comfortable. You could have stayed home and rested, I would have brought her in with me.” You rolled your eyes, not because you doubted him, you just knew that him and the others had a comeback to prepare for and you didn’t want her to mess them up. Even if she did though, none of them would admit it. The guys adored her and spoiled her, sometimes more than Yeosang did. “Please let me know if you need anything, I’ll have Jongho get it for you.”

You scoffed loudly, lightly pushing against his shoulder as your scoff turned to laughter. “Go practice, I can wait until your lunch break. Plus, she’s finally sitting still, now’s your time to actually practice.” You both glanced over at your daughter who had occupied herself for the time being on your phone. “Plus, you know I love watching you dance…”

He hummed softly as he got to his feet, taking a moment to look between his daughter and you, who was now in the process of growing his second daughter, another addition to the family that he loved and cherished with his entire being. “You can stop me if you need to… I love you…” He cooed the last words, earning himself a bunch of teasingly disgusted groans from the guys behind him.

It had been scary to leave your home, the only home that you had ever known to come with him to Korea, but it had been the greatest choice you could have ever made. Yeosang didn’t have to choose between his family or his career, and you didn’t have to sadden yourself with thoughts of when you’d get to see him again. You were always together, and you would always be together, he promised that to you every single day. The 3, soon to be 4 of you were finally able to be a real family, and while it was tough at times, seeing the smile on Yeosangs face, the pride in his eyes whenever he looked at you or Yeori, whenever he talked about the little family that he had created… It had made all of it, the wait, the stress, the heartache, the tears… All of it had been worth it because it all led to this moment, sitting against the wall of the practice room with your daughter beside you, and your husband in front of you, doing what he loved while surrounded with the people that he loved.

361 notes · View notes

stayteezdreams · 11 months

Text

First Dates with Ateez (Hyung Line)

Headcanons: First dates with Ateez (Hyung Line)

(Maknae Line Version)

Pairings: Kim Hongjoong x Reader; Park Seonghwa x Reader; Jeong Yunho x Reader; Kang Yeosang x Reader - all Gn!Reader

Warnings: Brief mentions of a kiss (in Hongjoong's and Yunhos)

A/n: Yeosangs came out a lot longer than I intended but whatever lol.

Hongjoong (day at the beach)

Hongjoong wanted to take you somewhere you hadn't been before.

So after he kidnapped you picked you up for your date (you didn't know this was happening, he just decided the wanted to take you on a date)

You drove for a while, you weren't quite sure how long, as the conversation (and karaoke) kept you preoccupied.

Finally, you saw the ocean come into view and you beamed in excitement.

This made Hongjoong even more glad he decided to do this, and it was hard for him to keep his eyes on the road when you looked so happy.

When you got to the beach, you watched Hongjoong pull out a blanket, umbrella, and bag of food from the car.

He grinned at you and you felt yourself swoon, and beam with excitement.

As you walked to find a spot on the beach, he pulled you along by your arm, and you had butterflies.

He seemed so proud of his surprise date, you couldn't feel angry that he had sidelined your day even if you tried.

After finding a nice spot to sit, Hongjoong set up the umbrella and blanket before patting the spot beside him.

Between eating, talking, playing card games and a surprisingly competitive game of catch, you and Honjoong had spent the whole day on the beach.

As the sun began to set, you and Hongjoong took a walk along the beach after packing everything up.

You took photos together, and a cute older couple asked if they could take some of the two of you.

When they made a comment about how cute of a couple you two made, you and Honjoong gave each other shy smiles and he couldn't stop giggling.

When continuing on your walk, Hongjoong was walking close enough that your arms were touching. Eventually his hand slipped into yours.

You glanced at him and saw a cute smile on his face, which caused you to break out into your own.

He brought up the older couple, and asked how you would feel about actually being a couple with him.

You were of course very accepting of the idea, which only made Honjoong more giddy.

After the drive home, he walked you to your door, and asked if he could kiss you goodnight.

You said yes, and he kissed you softly, yet quickly, with a promise of taking you on another planned date soon.

Seonghwa (garden cafe date)

Seonghwa knew you loved cafes, and wanted to take you to one for your first date.

But he didn't want to take you to any ordinary cafe.

So, after doing some research, he found a garden cafe, and decided it was perfect.

When you arrived, you were shocked you had never known it existed.

After exploring briefly and checking out the beautiful scenery, and taking some photos, you sat down and went over the menu.

Neither of you could decide what to get, and one of the servers, seeing this, told you that you can take unfinished food home with you.

So you and Seonghwa then decided to order probably way too much food. (The others were happy though as they had their own tasting party after Seonghwa brought back the left overs.)

The cafe was surprisingly not crowded, so you and Seonghwa had your own private little corner. It felt much more romantic than Seonghwa expected, but he had no complaints about this.

Seonghwa couldn't keep his eyes off you the whole date. Every time you got excited about a new drink, food or dessert he couldn't help but stare at you with his adoring sparkly eyes.

Slowly he inched closer to you, wanting to be right beside. You noticed this, and smiled, butterflies heavy in your stomach.

You can't tell me wouldn't try to feed you either. He'd think it was cute how you'd get kind of embarrassed by it, but that would only want to make him do it more.

Then you'd retaliate by doing it to him and he'd crumble into giggles.

When you finally left the cafe, Seonghwa rested his hand on your back, and kept you close to him.

This was not the last time you came to the cafe, and you ended up being regulars to the point where you befriended the staff.

Yunho (Exploring)

Yunho couldn't decide where to take you on your first date, so he decided why not everywhere?

You were relatively new to the city so he took you around, showing you a bunch of unique places

You walked around a shopping center and markets, you even stopped and did karaoke for a while, before going to a nearby arcade.

At the arcade, Yunho won you a giant teddy bear.

Afterwards he dragged you into a photo-booth, and the two of you ended up with half a dozen sets of pictures.

After walking around a bit more, the two of you found a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, where you got some of the best food you'd ever had.

Eventually the two of you ended up in a park after the sun had begun to set.

Seeing Yunho, the giant golden retriever trying to slide down a children's slide, definitely became a core memory for you.

And yes you got a photo of the exact moment when he got stuck.

You swung on the swings, with Yunho pushing you, up until he pushed you too hard you thought you were going to fly off.

Once the sun had set, the two of you laid on a nearby picnic table and looked up at the sky.

Looking over at Yunho at one point, your breath hitch when you found him already staring at you.

You smiled bashfully and looked away, only making him grin.

Suddenly, he took your hand and sat up "Wanna go get ice cream?"

You giggled and nodded, before yelping as he dragged you off the table, as you quickly made your way own the road.

Yunho didn't let go of your hand the rest of the date, until he finally had to when he walked you to your door.

You thanked him for the amazing date and kissed him on the cheek. He pouted and teased you.

"Was it only worth a kiss on the cheek?"

"What were you expecting?" You asked back, your heart pounding.

He smirked before he suddenly kissed you on the lips.

When he pulled away, your eyes were wide in shock and he chuckled, a smile broke out on your face as you smacked him playfully.

Going out on these little adventure dates became a regular thing for you two.

Yeosang (Nami Island)

Yeosang didn't want your first date to be just an ordinary date.

So when he recalled that you had talked about wanting to visit Nami island, he thought this might be the perfect opportunity.

He kept what you were doing to himself, but told you it required a journey.

You were nervous yet excited, you trusted Yeosang, so you went along for the ride.

You tried to guess a few times, but he simply put his finger against his lips and smiled.

You soon figured it out soon enough when you heard the train announcement about your destination being Nami Island.

When you heard this you looked over at Yeosang with wide eyes and he chuckled.

You got so excited you did a little dace, and he smiled adoringly at you, already knowing this was the best idea.

You had left fairly early in the morning, so you had all day to explore the island, which is exactly what you did.

You took photos in the famous maple lane, you had lunch together after exploring the riverside, you walked along the glass sequoia bridge.

Yeosang's favorite moment was the face you made when he said he was taking you to zip-line.

You were nervous, yet determined to do it. Yeosang was proud of you, and your anxiety made him feel a bit braver about his own.

Even if you did yell out in surprise at the beginning of the zipline, you quickly got used to the feeling as you soared through the air.

Looking to your left, you spotted Yeosang who had a wide smile on his face.

You made eye contact as you both laughed.

As fun as the zip-line turned out to be, your favorite moment though was when you explored Dodamsambong Garden.

As you made your way through the garden, Yeosang took the moment to slip his hand into yours.

When you looked over at him, he avoided eye contact, trying to act casual, but you saw a shy smile tug at his lips.

You smiled to yourself as you continued down the path, your heart beating heavily.

Yeosang loved the way your face lit up as you admired all of the beautiful flowers and plants.

Pointing at one, you grinned "It's so beautiful!"

"You're more beautiful"

You looked over at Yeosang whose face had gone blank as you realized he hadn't meant to say that out loud.

You giggled and wrapped your arm through his as you tugged him along, allowing him to suffer through the embarrassment without adding more on top of it.

After you ate once more, you made the long train journey back.

During the ride you talked about all the things you had done, before you relaxed in silence, resting your head on Yeosang's shoulder.

At one point, you felt Yeosang rest his chin gently on your head and you smiled.

When you finally got home, you parted ways with Yeosang after giving him a kiss on the cheek, and leaving him grinning at you as you said goodbye.

245 notes · View notes

mingiswow · 1 year

Text

Lion Heart | Yeosang

Pairing: Prisioner!Yeosang x afab!servant!reader

Genre: Dystopian!Ateez, smut

Word Count: +5.1k (oopsie?)

Content Warning: mentions of poverty, mentions of alcohol and food, brief mentions of canibalism (the poor people pick up the pieces of the dead to have something to eat), mention of animal and human deaths, matriarchy (is that really a warning?), English is not my first language, if I forgot anything lmk

Smut warning: just pure filth omg, reader has a vagina and boobs, oral (reader recieciving), piv, multiple orgasms, overstimulation, fingering, kinda rough sex?, reader has their hands tied, dirty talking, Yeosang call reader servant and baby several times, unprotected sex (don’t be stupid, stds exist), cumshot, slightly cum eating and sharing (I said it was filthy)

a/n: another part of the Halazia series that you guys voted for me to keep writing (with the amazing 88,8% answering yes). Since the first time I saw the mv Yeosang reminded me of a gladiator so I had to make this scenario mixing the idea of gladiators and dystopia. It was really fun to make and I hope you guys enjoy it ^^

The loud cheers from the crowd announced that another one of the prisoners was killed. You winced at the thought of the man’s body torn apart, pieces scattered around the arena for the lion to eat. You always hated those battles, never understanding the need for that. How the world, which was in constant expansion, evolution, and technology evolving to the point of having automatic cars and smart houses, turned into this mess that could only be compared to the ancient times.

The part of the Earth in which you lived was responsible for the meat, the fields that once were full of life were now dry and full of malnourished animals that only the richest could afford to buy, the other people would have to pick up the pieces of the prisoners to eat, not caring that once that was another human being, the hunger bigger than that.

“Yn, can you please bring another cup of mead?” The daughter of the state chief, and your mistress, asked while not taking her eyes off the arena in front of her. You nodded and headed to the small makeshift kitchen to grab her drink.

Not everyone had the luck you had, most people from where you came would be down in the crowd or probably dead like your parents. But destiny was good to you and put you on the same path and the same time and day that your mistress was, saving her from being killed by some of the government objectors. The chief and her husband were so thankful that they gave you a job as her servant and promised to take care of your family when you have one. You were both kids when that happened, so you grew up by her side, accompanying her in every step, even allowing you to study with her.

It was during one of your study sessions that you learned that in ancient times they used to have something similar to what you had now, panem et circenses, a way of distracting the population from the real problems, keeping them entertained with the battles. It worked back then and it worked now.

You gave the young woman her drink before going back inside the tent where the chief’s family stood to see the fights. “You really don’t like these, do you?” Her father, a middle-aged short man with a mustache and brows that resembled fluffy caterpillars, asked coming from the other end of the tent, the one where it led to the tunnel that connected the arena to the fort you lived.

“Violence is not my forte” you replied, handing him a jug of mead. “Never really understood how people could enjoy seeing others being torn apart like rag dolls”

“Me neither, but they seem to enjoy it,” you nodded. “Why don’t you go home?”

“Oh no, sir, I must wait for mistress and the chief, it’s my duty”

“Oh don’t worry dear, I can take c-“

“YN! DAD! COME SEE THIS!” You stood by the girl’s side and looked over the arena. “He’s winning the lion”. Down on the sandy ground, you could see a man fighting against the lion, he outsmarted the feline, making it hit its head on the concrete wall several times. You could see the animal was dizzy and probably not seeing its target properly. The fighter grabbed one of the chains that were attached to his body - to make it heavier and harder to run or fight - and threw it at the lion, hitting his sides, the action making the animal roar and try to grab the man, that used the movement as his advantage and jumped on top of the lion’s back and swung another chain around the neck and squeezed tightly. The animal tried to fight but he ended up lying dead on the ground.

Your mistress raised from her seat and clapped excitedly, joining the screams of the crowd, that cheered the man’s deed. “Bring the man to have dinner with us tonight” the chief said, leaving her chair and going back to the fort, her men following suit, as well as her husband.

“Don’t you think he was amazing, yn? Killing that lion so cleverly” the girl asked while going back to the fort. “How old do you think he is? He didn’t seem old. Probably my age? Do you think he’d sleep with me?” you chuckled at her words, she was always finding new men to sleep with, her mom’s bodyguard not being enough anymore. “What about you, yn? I’ve never seen you interested in anyone” she looked at you, genuinely curious. You’ve been together forever now, she considered you her best friend, and so could you consider the same.

“I don’t have time for that, miss Solbin, I have to take care of you” you said, her eyes rolling at your excuses. “Besides, it’s not like I haven’t had my adventures but no one ever caught my attention in that department” you confessed. The chief’s men weren’t your cup of tea, nor you were theirs, which was good to keep your relationship completely professional. And besides them, you barely interacted with anyone else, the ones you did were merely one-night stands.

“So you are open to a relationship?”

“I didn’t say that” she giggled excitedly, as if she was planning something. And knowing Solbin she was.

After safely arriving at the fort and being greeted by the guards, you ran to prepare the woman’s bath for the dinner, grabbing the warm sun water and putting it in the tub, filling it enough for her body to be under the bubbles. Sometimes - most of the times - you thought of how unfair it was for the richest to have warm water, bubble baths, soft pillows, warm clothes, and delicious food, all while more than 90% of the world barely had enough food to survive. All of their riches came from the exploitation of these people. And you, being their employee, enjoyed at least part of it.

The giggles of the woman shook your thoughts away before leaving the bathroom so she could take her bath alone. When you entered the room she was already missing some pieces of clothing, one of the new guards looking like a lovesick cartoon from the doorframe. “Oh, yn, didn’t see you there” she grabbed the man, pulling him inside.

“I’m leaving now, miss Solbin. The bath is ready, if you need anything else let me know” you said trying to ignore the fact that the man was almost eating her neck.

“Before I forget, mommy asked you to take some clothes to the prisoner and lead him to the service bathroom” you nodded before leaving, her excited giggles getting trapped behind the giant wooden door.

You walked past the corridor until you arrived at the central hall, where the chief’s husband was helping the employees to arrange everything for the dinner.

“It’s an important day, no fighter has won the lion for the past twenty years” as if he was reading your mind, the man told you. “Hyebin wants everything perfect” you nodded. “Dear, take those clothes to the man, please. And take him to the service bathroom, it must be empty by now” you nodded again and dismissed yourself, going to the cells under the fort.

Those cells haven’t been used for centuries, since it was too dangerous to keep the prisoners in the same place as the chief. The fort was an old castle built centuries ago, you always joked that it was when dragons used to exist of how old it was. But it was still some of the most protected and secure places to keep someone like the chief herself and her family. You walked past the only guard that was looking after the prisoner, that, now, wasn’t a prisoner anymore since he won the battle. So why keep him down here?

As you got closer to his cell, you heard some of the most beautiful songs you’ve ever heard, the voice singing it soft, velvety, deep. The lyrics were about this world that once existed, where animals walked free and people were happy, with no worries in their minds, only spending time with their loved ones while baking delicious food. The closer you got, the clearer you could hear how beautiful the voice was and how it felt like you were laying in a soft bed with hundred of soft blankets wrapping around your body.

“Are you enjoying the show?” you snapped out of the trance when you realized you were already in front of his cell, staring at him while you listened to his beautiful voice. He smirked at you and you felt weak on the knees. You have never seen such a beautiful man in front of you. He had a built physique, not like the guards, but his arms were strong and his shoulders wide, giving him this almost superior look. Even all dirty in mud, sand and dry blood he still looked like the most beautiful creature you’ve laid your eyes on. “Are you the chief’s servant?” he asked, leaving the bed and coming closer to you and you noticed how tall he was.

“Yes, I mean, I’m her daughter’s servant” you bit your tongue at how stupid you sounded stuttering to him. “I’m here to take you to take a bath and get ready for the dinner.”

“Are you going to help me bathe?” the mischievous grin he held as he walked closer to you was your end, making you wet for no reason. You felt so stupid, he said a couple of words and had a smirk and you were already wet.

“No, sir, I am going to show you the bathroom” you gave him the neatly folded clothes you held. “Here are the clothes the chief gave you to wear” he grabbed the pile, hand caressing yours in the process, smirk still on his lips. “If you’re ready, please follow me” you turned around and started to walk outside the dungeon, him following suit.

You could feel your back burning from his stare and unconsciously you started to sway your hips more, as if you were trying to allure him to do something to you. You felt pathetic really, wanting this unknown man to fuck you senseless until you had nothing in your brain besides that beautiful voice of his. And you couldn’t help but wonder how his moans sounded, making you bite your lower lip at the thought.

“What's your name, sweetie?” if it was anyone else, you’d cringe at the nickname, but it sounded so good coming from his lips.

“Yn” you answered, finally arriving at the bathroom and opening the door for you two to enter.

“Mine’s Yeosang if you’re interested” he walked past you, leaving the pile of clothes in a dry corner near where the bath was already prepared for him.

“I’ll leave you be, mister Yeosang, the guards will be waiting outside for you to get ready. Don’t get too long with the bath, the dinner is almost ready and you wouldn’t want to leave Ms. Hyebin and her family waiting” you closed the door behind you and let out a deep sigh.

“He’s that hot?” Yohan, one of the guards, asked you with a playful smile on his lips.

“Fuck off and do your job” you left the place to go back to the hall, your head spinning in millions different directions. How could someone be this hot and alluring? What was his trick?

You kept your way to Solbin’s room, hoping she had sent the guard she was fucking back to his job, you didn’t want to see anyone having sex. Not in the bothered state you were.

For your enjoyment, the man was already gone and the woman was almost ready for the dinner, her beautiful delicate face adorned with a pink blush that gave her even more of a youthful look than she already had. You two had almost the same age, you being two years older than her, yet, you looked more aged than her, probably from work and sun damage. “Oh, you’re there, yn. I thought you wouldn’t come back” she smiled at you through the mirror. “Aren’t you going to bathe? The dinner is almost ready and I bet the man is almost done with his hygiene as well” you nodded.

“I was just making sure you were on time, miss Solbin” you answered, helping her to put one of her hair pieces. “I was worried you’d be late again” she giggled.

“Oh you know… these men never take too long” she lifted herself from the chair and went to the full-body mirror, admiring her outfit. “Now go, yn. You don’t want to leave mother waiting”

“Yes, miss” you left her room and went to yours, which was next door. You sighed as you looked at yourself in the mirror, face wet in sweat, hair disheveled and clothes dirty.

You took your clothes off and threw the dirty pile in a corner, you’d deal with them later, and decide on a quick shower, not wanting to take too long. The cold water hit your warm skin, making the body hair bristle and the pores shiver. You started to hum the same song Yeosang was singing earlier and your mind wandered back to him, to his voice, his smirk, his voice. You kept imagining how he’d look under the bubbly water, his body in all its glory. How his muscles must be hard and defined, his legs just as strong as his arms. Maybe his little friend was as pretty as him. Without even thinking your hand went south, touching your body through the way down before finding its way in between your legs, playing with the folds of your vulva, the tip of your index and middle finger starting to slowly circle your clit. You threw your head back, mouth agape but no sound left, you got used to being quiet so no one would listen to you. You kept your assault on your clit, going faster with each passing second until you reached your orgasm. When you came back to your senses and you realized what you did, you felt dirty, almost disgusting, for masturbating to a man you didn’t even know.

You quickly came out of the shower, putting on the only clothes you had for occasions like that. You looked yourself over in the mirror, the dress pants hugging your hips and thighs just right, enhancing every curve you had, the matching vest and beige button up shirt looked gorgeous on you, you had to admit that. Even though it was the only outfit you had, it still made you feel pretty confident in your body. You put on your black boots and went to the hall where Solbin and Yeosang were already there, happily talking. The guards and maids watched their interaction in their spot.

You greeted the fellow staff and got to your position behind Solbin, a few steps back. The woman didn’t even realize you arrived, completely lost in her flirting game with the man in front of her, the two whispering things to each other and talking I. Each others’ ears. In the corner of your eye, you could see the guard she had previously fucked throwing daggers with his eyes at Yeosang. She only acknowledged your presence when the man in front of her smirked looking at you. She turned around and smiled at you.

“Yn, come sit with us at the table” she motioned her hand for you to join them but you refused.

“It’s okay, miss Solbin, I’ll stay with the staff”

“Oh come on, yn~” she extended your name, pouting at you. “I thought we were best friends” you chuckled at her, always trying to get you with her cuteness.

“That doesn’t mean I’m not part of the staff, I’m still your servant” she rolled her eyes and when she was about to debate, her mother and father appeared.

“Solbin is right, yn, you may be staff but you are almost part of the family” the woman spoke as she walked across the wooden floor, her steps echoing every time the heels met the floor. “Sit with us, I insist” she motioned to the chair next to Yeosang and you bowed, accepting the offer.

You awkwardly sat by his side, still a little uncomfortable. Not only with the fact that you were having privileges over the other employees, which you always hated but also because you could feel your face heating with the thought that you just masturbated thinking about the man on your side.

The maids brought over the tray carts filled with food and put the plates in front of you. You knew they had made Ms. Hyebin’s favorite, roast lamb with mint sauce. You noticed how Yeosang’s eyes shined looking at the food and wondered how much he starved.

Everyone waited for the chief to take the first bite before starting to eat as well.

“So, Yeosang, right? How did you become a prisoner?” The woman asked, eyes never leaving the man.

“I lost my job as a fisherman and couldn’t buy my sister’s medicine anymore, so when she died I got angry and drunk more than I should have and ended up breaking the pharmacy” he simply said, almost as if didn’t affect him, but you could see his left leg bouncing under the table and instinctively you put your hand on top of it to hold it down.

“What did she have?”

"Leukemia. The medicine didn’t cure but it retarded the effects” she nodded to him once again.

“I’m sorry that you had to go through that. I wish we could do more for the population but as you know, the main government doesn’t allow us to do anything without prior approval” it was Yeosang's turn to nod. “I assume I am really privileged to come from the family I came from and have the opportunities I had but not even 10% of the population worldwide have this chance” she sighed looking at her plate, defeated for being part of this system.

“So… you were a fisherman?” It was her husband’s turn to talk, trying to lift up the mood and change subjects. Which worked.

The dinner was nice, even the other staff joined after a while. Hyebin, a bit drunk and overwhelmed with her own feelings, invited them to be part of the celebration as well. It was past 2 am when the chief and her husband decided to go to bed, mostly him making her go due to her wasted state. You were the next one to excuse yourself, not wanting to cock-block Yeosang and Solbin, that seemed to get along pretty well.

You arrived at your room, taking the clothes off and folding them neatly, and storing them away before putting on your nightgown and going to bed. You were almost asleep when you heard a knock on your door. Groaning a little from being interrupted, you left your bed and opened the door, a smirking Yeosang behind it. “Hi, sweetie” his voice a little bit lower and hoarse from the alcohol.

“Can I help you?” You asked, a bit self conscious with the transparency of your camisole.

“Yes, you can” he pushed himself inside your room and closed the door behind him. “You see, there’s this servant that I can’t stop thinking about, the way their hands were warm holding my leg still under the table” he started to take steps towards you, and you took steps back until the back of your knees hit your bed, making you fall sitting on it. He stopped in front of you and got on his knees. And you couldn’t deny that that was one of the hottest images you’ve seen. “The way the curve of their breasts kept getting my eye and all I thought was that I wanted to put my face between them while fucking them in front of everyone” you gulped at his words. The man grabbed one of your hands and put on top of his pants, you could feel his member hard under the fabric. “Can you help me with my problem?” You looked over his dark eyes and nodded, breath getting stuck in your throat when he pulled you closer to him by your waist and attacked your lips.

And dear god you don’t even remember the last time you kissed someone so good. His lips were rough on you, moving with hunger, kissing you like your lives depended on it. His hands were everywhere, all over your body, giving special attention to your thighs that were right in front of him. You never felt so turned on by something, by someone, you didn’t know if it was his body, his voice, his smile, how his throat would do low rumbles every time he’d lower his kisses to your throat and collarbones. He stopped his ministrations so he could take off your nightgown, revealing your uncovered breasts and the thin material of your underwear, which he could see that it had a damp spot on it. His lips were instantly on one of your breasts, sucking the hardened nipple and soft flesh, all while his hand played with the other, pinching the soft bud in between his fingers, earning a soft moan coming from your mouth.

“Yeosang…” you mewled under his ministrations, aching more. “Please, I need more” he chuckled at your neediness but deep inside he was just like you. So his lips left your tit, to go down to your core, hands expertly taking your underwear off, the fabric sticking to your wetness. Yeosang didn’t waisted his time, mouth going straight to your cunt, licking a stripe from bottom to top so he could taste you.

“God, you taste so good, yn” he kept licking your slit, gathering all the taste he could, growls leaving from his throat. You were merciless, really, mind already empty, not a single thought just the way he was eating you out, making your hole pulse against nothing.

His mouth attacked your clit, sucking the bud and making you moan louder than you expected. The long period without having sex made you more sensitive to anything he’d do to your body. You kept moaning as he kept sucking on your clit, your right hand holding his locks and keeping him close to your pussy, not that he planned on leaving soon. His assault on your engorged bud now getting rougher, the tip of his tongue dancing against it, going in circles.

When you were getting closer to your orgasm, he stopped what he was doing, edging you and making you squirm on top of the bed, whining and pleading him for your release. “Impatient, aren’t we?” he chuckled at you before getting on his feet and grabbing your camisole. “I want you to be a good servant for me, okay?” you nodded, eyes watery from having your orgasm taken away. He manhandled your body with ease on top of the bed, making you lay right in the middle, head on your pillows. He grabbed both your hands and put them on top of your head, using your camisole to tie your wrists against the metal frame of the bed. “Are you gonna be a good servant for me and let me use you?” you nodded, almost cumming from the way he looked at you, from how merciless you were once again, you could be in danger, he could do anything he wanted to you, yet the situation only excited you more. “I want words, baby”

“Yes, use me, Yeosang. Please” you squirmed your hips, knots on your wrist tightening as you pulled them.

“So good for me, baby” he licked your lips. “I gonna use you and make both of us feel good, ‘k?” you nodded again, yesses leaving your mouth like a vice.

Before you could even register, he took off all of his clothes, discarding them on the floor, his dick finally free from the pants and your mouth watered at the sight, the tip already leaking pre cum and angry red, his shaft completely hard, tilting slightly upwards. He smirked at your reaction, getting between your legs again, but still not giving what you wanted, he inserted two fingers inside you, a loud and elongated moan leaving your lips at the sudden yet delicious intrusion. Yeosang didn’t give you time to adjust to his fingers or anything and started to pump his digits inside and out of you, disappearing completely inside of you before coming out and repeating the process at an excruciating speed yet so delicious. He added his thumb on your clit, now both of his hands working fast on you, orgasm approaching each second it passed and he could feel by the way your walls started to grip his fingers.

With a few more circles on your clit you came undone for the first time, exploding into his hands, lewd sounds coming from down under where your wetness increased even more. The man didn’t stop his ministrations, using your orgasm to enter a third finger easily, now his mouth going down to suck and lick your clit once in a while, overstimulation making your legs shake.

“Go on, give me another one” he said, face millimeters away from your pussy, his hot breath fanning over your sensitive nub. He increased speed on your hole even more, your walls eating his three fingers as his thumb rubbed circles again on your clit. Before you could even register what was happening, vision going black and mind going blank you came again, your juices squirting all over him as you moaned so loud from the feeling. “Gosh you’re so hot, yn. I didn’t know you could do that” he licked your folds, cleaning a bit of the mess before licking his fingers and whipping the salty liquid from his face.

“Neither… Neither did I” you confessed, it was indeed your first time coming like that, and if you weren’t so fucked out already, you’d be proud of yourself. You locked your legs around his legs, moaning as a way to say you wanted his cock. He chuckled at your state, already completely gone.

“Are you sure you can take my dick, babe? Don’t you wanna rest a little?” you denied with your head.

“Fuck me, please, I need it so bad” you pleaded, hips squirming.

“Just because you were such a good little servant for me and let me use you” you nodded and hissed at the feeling of the tip of his dick touching your abused hole. “God, you’re such a slut, huh? Can’t be one second without being stuffed” you nodded desperately, begging him to fill you up, not a care in the world, not a single thought on your head besides Yeosang fucking you.

Before he entered you, he untied your wrists, letting your weak wobbly arms free to touch him. Finally. And then with a sharp and precise thrust, he entered you, filling you up to the brim, the tip of his long dick touching just the right spot. “Fuck, babe, your walls hug me so well. So warm” he started to move, taking almost all of his member out before slamming back in, a guttural moan leaving your lips each time, his speed increasing with each movement. Your arms finally regained some strength and you circled around his neck, pushing your chests together, your lips going to the junction of his neck and shoulder, leaving bites on the sun-kissed skin, and earning growls and moans from him as well.

You could feel his high approaching because his movements started to become more erratic, the pace slowing. “Cum for me Yeosang, I can feel you getting close. Don’t you?” he moaned at your sweet fucked out voice in his ear. You pressed your fingernails on his back, the pain making him even closer.

“I want you to cum first” he managed to say. His right hand sneaking between your bodies and started to draw circles on your clit.

You didn’t know who was more fucked out, you or him, but either way, he managed to make you cum around him once again, body leaving his and going limp against the bed, eyes closed and arms spread out as he kept riding your orgasm before he reached his, taking his member off of you and cumming all over your belly and chest, some of his load falling right on top of your nipple and he couldn’t hold himself, licking his own cum out of your still hardened nub, his salty taste being welcomed in his tongue.

You pulled his face and kissed him, his cum falling to your mouth as you hummed at the feeling and taste. The filthy act almost feeling like a bonding moment between you two.

You let your drowsiness get the best of you and fell asleep, all sweaty and covered and cum.

When you woke up, already the next morning, the sun rays leaking through a few holes in the curtain and birds chirping happily outside, you were already cleaned up, camisole back on your body, and no sight of Yeosang whatsoever. You moved, body still aching from the night before, a smile growing on your lips as flashes from the sex started to replay in your brain.

Just as you were about to take a shower you found a piece of paper with messy handwriting and a tiny doodle in the corner.

“Sorry I couldn’t stay the night with you, baby, I had to go back to get my freedom. If you want to repeat the dose you can find me at the hostel next to the sea. I’ll be waiting. Ps.: I took a little souvenir from you with me. I hope you don’t mind ;) Yeosang”

You just then realized you were not wearing any underwear. That little pervert. Still, you smiled stupidly, thinking about looking for him as soon as your body recovered.

“I can see the night was enjoyable” you looked over the door, a smirking Solbin leaned against the frame, arms crossed on top of his chest as if she was scolding you.

“Was I too loud?” you asked and she just entered the room, closing the door behind her and sitting by your side on the bed.

“These rooms are soundproof, darling, you're safe. We actually saw him leave this noon” she smiled and held your hands. “Now tell me everything. I want to know” she giggled like an excited little girl getting a new toy.

“It was mindblowingly great” she squealed and you smiled, starting to tell her about your night.

Send a request or any feedback really | Masterlist

#kpop #kpop x reader #kpop scenarios #kpop reactions #kpop headcanons #kpop smut #ateez #ateez x reader #ateez scenarios #ateez smut #ateez headcanons #ateez reactions #yeosang #yeosang x reader #yeosang smut #yeosang scenarios #yeosang headcanons

260 notes · View notes

fxckteez · 6 months

Text

・❥・ YEOSANG AS BOYFRIEND

° Appreciates a good sense of humor. Sarcastic and inside jokes would be a thing between you two.

° Enjoys watching movies with you, but nothing scary ok? He's an angel.

° And talking about being an angel, he always would ask you how are you, if you need something... always making sure he's there for you if you need him.

° He's a very curious person, so he's always asking you about everything.

° He's like your best friend! You feel comfortable enough to always telling him the deepest secrets about you.

° Gets shy easily when you're saying lovely words to him.

° A patience baby :( if you're late or something, he would never complain. He can get upset, but you would never know.

° He's so gentle. The kind of son-in-law your parents asked for in their prayers.

#yeosang x reader #yeosang as boyfriend #ateez scenarios #ateez #ateez x reader #ateez au #ateez headcanon #kpop #kpop au #kpop headcanons #yeosang #yeosang scenarios #yeosang headcanons #ateez as boyfriends

81 notes · View notes

seonghwaddict · 5 months

Text

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

　　　　　　　　　main masterlist

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

356 notes · View notes

i-luvsang · 7 months

Text

like a dream — kang yeosang

pairing : dryad!yeosang x gn!reader ➖⟢ genres : fluff, angst, fantasy, strangers to lovers ➖⟢ cw : mythological inaccuracies, food mentions, borderline controlling parents, scary encounter with dark fae, kissing, pet names ➖⟢ wc : 13.3K ➖⟢ for : the stuck in summer collab held by @a1sh1teruu ➖⟢ special thanks : to @yuyusuyu for beta reading !! <33

bonus : inspo pinterest board & playlist

about dryads : in this fic, dryads retain their core attribute of being nymphs/spirits of trees, their life force being connected to the tree they reside in. they differ from traditional greek mythology here, in that they can be in the image of any gender (not just women), and are considered to be a type of fae.

it all felt like a dream, like magic. the summer haze that fell over the quiet countryside, the trees rustling softly with the gentle wind as twilight fell. the cool water of the lake in your hair, fresh strawberries from the farm just a short walk away, and more than anything at all, him. his smile, the twinkle in his eyes, and, like a miracle, his hand in yours.

admittedly, it didn’t feel that way in the beginning. to be whisked away to your practically estranged grandmother’s home in the middle of nowhere was never what you imagined for the summer between high school and the start of your college journey. you left the day after graduation, still vividly angry with your parents as they shooed you onto the train.

“i swear i’ll be fine on my own! mingi’s parents offered to help if i need anything while you’re gone,” you protested, trying not to let them hand you your already packed bags.

“your grandmother has already prepared to have you. you are getting on that train. we paid for the ticket, you’re all packed, and we are not letting you stay home alone for two and a half months,” they refuted. you had wanted to argue more, maybe bring up a new point, but by then, you had said it all, and despite your recent entry into legal adulthood, your parents still held far too much sway over you.

the train ride is long, dreadfully so. despite the glory of the city fading and gradually being replaced by tumbling hills, trees, and fields, you cannot help but curse it all in your head, too wrapped up in self-pity to love the sights in the way that you normally would.

a woman that you barely recognize from your childhood greets you at the bus stop as the sun begins to dip low in the sky. she’s sweet to you, but not overbearingly so. during the ride from the station to her home in her small, run down car, you do your best not to act coldy to her, trying to remind yourself it’s not her fault that your parents dumped you into her care for two and a half months.

by the time you arrive, the sun has set, and she has grown on you more than you would like to admit for how adamant you’ve been in hating everything about your current situation. she understands that spending the summer with her is not your ideal by any stretch, and she promises she’ll do her best to make you comfortable in any way she can. the way she says it all is kind and genuine, and you’re grateful to see that she’s far more understanding than your parents have been all month leading up to this.

she allows you to settle in for the first few days, showing you around the need-to-know basics of the sweet cottage she lives in. she’s seemingly unbothered by the way you spend most of your time in your room on your phone, bemoaning your unfortunate state to your friends over text or the phone.

but it only takes her five days to have you falling in love with the place around you. the first two are for your sulking, the third for getting you to come out of the house and take a look at her gardens. the fourth day is for a walk to a nearby farm to purchase fresh produce (the strawberries being your favorite), and the fifth is for the sunset.

it’s glorious, and you have no choice but to admit it. after a freshly cooked meal, eaten on her porch as the heat of the day finally begins to subside, she asks you to stay and watch the sunset with her. you agree, even if the sun won’t set for another hour, now aware that you don’t mind spending time with her at all. you talk as you have been for the past few days, the conversation easy and never forced. when a breeze cool enough to feel like an early manifestation of the night rustles the leaves on the trees and the clothes on your body alike, you wonder why your parents ever distanced you from her at all.

she doesn’t let the conversation die out even as the sun truly begins to set, and you like it that way. it feels natural and gentle to have the colors become brilliant in the sky as you learn to accept and love the place you have been plopped into for the summer.

it’s not half as bad as you imagined. though you still feel bouts of jealousy for the adventures your friends are having without you and bitterness aimed at your parents for not allowing you to experience this summer the way you wanted, you try to heed the silent advice from your grandmother to make the best of your situation. she never says that out loud, of course, knowing you’d hate to hear it, but she gives you ways to do so each time she shows you a new beautiful thing.

in the second week, you muster up the courage to ask her over dinner if you’re allowed to go into the forest behind her house by yourself. the day before you went on a short walk into it together, and you felt as though you’d fallen in love with it. she does nothing to hide her smile at the question.

“of course!” she delights. “it’s very safe, it’s quite hard to get lost so long as you don’t stray too far and stay on the paths. almost all of them lead back here or to the main road. i’ll show you tomorrow.”

she sticks to her word, as always, and takes the whole day to show you around the closest areas of the woods. from that day forward, the forest becomes yours. while your grandmother loves it, some stretches are more difficult for her to navigate in her older age, so most days you explore it on your own.

when you’re in the forest, the adventurous side of you comes out. of course, you’re still full of caution, but you are not immune to the allure of a bit of well-calculated risk taking for the sake of tree climbing and wandering off the path just a little bit.

the things that pull you off the path are simple; flowers, mushrooms, long stretches of moss, and the likes. usually it’s something you’d like to capture with the digital camera your grandma has lent you for the summer.

this time, it’s where the furthest navigable path begins to change direction to lead you back home. right where your grandmother told you it’s best not to stray any further. but it’s not far from the path at all, just a small patch of mushrooms that you’ve missed up until now. you make your way over without a second thought, pulling out your camera and snapping a quick picture.

when you stand back up and look out over the small downward slope just a few feet away from you, something else far more special catches your eye. you hesitate this time, knowing that you won’t be able to see the path if you climb your way below it to examine the white flower that you see on the edge of your vision. but you can’t resist the allure, too curious about the single, out of place bloom. so, taking note of your spot at the top of the slope to make your way back to it easily, you carefully make your way down and across the stretch of your vision to confirm your suspicions about the flower. up close, you take in its appearance, and while you’re not an expert, you know enough to tell that it’s a dahlia.

it’s curious, to say the least, to see the white flower fully blossomed when your grandmother had shown you the short dahlia stems in her garden, telling you that you’d be lucky to see them bloom before you left. in response to the phenomenon, you take your time to snap a few photos to show your grandma the early bloom.

once satisfied, you stand from your bent over position and grin when you see a butterfly fluttering deeper into the forest. you take a few steps towards it, trying to get close enough to identify it, when a deep voice interrupts you.

“i wouldn’t recommend going much further from the trail.” the voice is gentle, but it still startles you into whipping around in surprise. you take in the figure standing a few feet away from you. the first thing you notice is that he’s absolutely gorgeous, features soft and beautiful enough to rival the looks of the fairies in the set of paintings hung up in your grandma’s hallway. but that does nothing to aid your surprise. he is, after all, a stranger in the middle of the forest who has somehow approached you in complete silence.

“who–,” you choke the word out, nervous and not even sure what you want to say.

the soft smile on his face shifts into a look of light regret. “sorry. i didn’t mean to startle you. i live close by,” he explains.

“oh.” this doesn’t explain why you couldn’t hear him approach, but you let it slide by chalking it up to the fact that you weren’t paying much attention to anything but the flower and the butterfly. “my grandmother never mentioned you.”

“was she supposed to have mentioned me?” he asks, the hint of a teasing lilt in his voice.

you clear your throat a bit awkwardly. “well, no? i mean, maybe. she told me about everyone else who lives in the area,” you tell him. you’re a bit offended she never mentioned a boy so strikingly handsome.

he hums in acknowledgment. “i don’t go out much,” is all he offers in information. you look him up and down, growing a little suspicious under his gaze with all of these vague answers. he looks perfectly normal, dark brown, almost black hair that falls down to his cheeks in the front and wearing simple clothes. he sports a mossy green t-shirt and dark wash jeans that make him look like he belongs in the forest. he looks confident and comfortable where he stands, as if he knows every inch of this place. maybe he does, granted his claim that he lives close by.

“i mean it, though,” he interrupts your train of thought. “it can be hard to find your way back to the trail if you go any further than this.”

“ah. right,” you nod. “i was just looking at this flower. i thought dahlia’s didn’t bloom until august.”

his reaction to your words is odd when it looks like an expression of nervousness flashes across his face. but it disappears so fast you take the time to wonder if you’d just imagined it.

“usually,” he confirms, “but sometimes they bloom early here.”

“interesting,” you muse, curious again what could be the difference between the forest and your grandmother’s garden. a moment of silence passes between the two of you, and it seems there’s nothing left to say. plus, you’ve got to get home sooner than later to be in time for dinner.

“i guess i’ll get going then.” you point vaguely in the direction you came from.

“right.” there’s silence only interrupted by the sounds of your foot falls as you begin walking away, already thinking of the many things you’ll have to tell your grandma over dinner. the early blooming flower, the somewhat strange boy. he pulls you right out of your thoughts once again with his melodic voice. “i’m yeosang, by the way.”

you turn around to face him, surprised when you’re met with what you could only describe as a bashful expression on his face.

“oh!” you give him your name, not even having realized the two of you never really introduced yourselves to one another. “i’m staying with my grandma for the summer.”

“well,” he echoes your name, and the way it rolls off his tongue in that deep voice of his has your heart jumping in a way you hadn’t expected at all, “see you around.”

“mhmm,” you agree, suddenly eager to meet this stranger again. “see you!”

with that, you turn and make your way back up to the trail, and when you glance back around to seek out his pretty face one more time, he’s nowhere to be seen.

—

when you arrive back at the cottage, it’s just in time for you to help your grandmother set the table for dinner. the food is aromatic and fresh as always, but even the watering in your mouth at the sight of it isn’t enough to distract you fully from your odd encounter in the woods. it’s hard to hold back from telling her all about it the second you got home.

but, you don’t have to wait for long. once you’re both settled at the table with food served and a few bites eaten she asks you how your outing went today.

“actually,” you begin eagerly, “it was quite eventful. and before i say anything else, i promise i stayed within sight of the trail.” she raises an eyebrow at that, but you can see the smile tugging at her lips that tells you to go on. “i saw a dahlia off the path. it was white and in full bloom. i have pictures to show you after dinner! do you think there’s a difference between your garden and the forest?”

“really? that’s fascinating,” she ponders, “i’m not sure if there’s any difference besides maybe the soil, but that’s still unusually early for wild dahlias.”

“that’s what i thought,” you agree. “but grandma! i met some guy while i was looking at it. do you know someone named yeosang who lives around here? he didn’t seem much older than me.”

“ah!” she claps her hands in recognition. “i’m surprised you met him. i’ve never met him myself. i’ve heard he lives in a small cottage in the forest. according to anyone who’s seen him, he's quite a recluse, but still kind.”

“he was a little bit odd. but nice, he seemed to mean well,” you pause a moment before deciding to go on, “but grandma!” you let out a light laugh, “he was… he was really cute.” you’re downplaying the extent of his beauty, but you’re not really one to call a man you just met “gorgeous” in front of your grandma, no matter how fitting the word truly is.

“well, well, well,” she laughs, “have we found you a summer crush?” she teases.

“that’s not what i’m saying,” you refute. “i’m just saying he’s good-looking. maybe he comes across nice but has a rotten personality!”

“i hope that’s not the case!” she lets out another laugh. “maybe you can get him to get out of his shell and get to know the people he lives around. he’s so young, it must be hard for him to live alone.”

“he’s alone?” suddenly a new wave of curiosity and even concern crashes over you.

“well, as far as we all know. i feel so sorry to say it, but he’s so rarely sighted and even less talked to that i think many of us forget about him. i’m sure he’s a kind boy and could use a friend like you.”

you hum absentmindedly at that, already wondering if you’ll run into him again.

but it’s not until the next morning, once again making your way to the deepest point in the forest you’re allowed, that you realize you’re starting to hope to see him again. you find yourself far too curious about him, wanting to know more, looking for his fairy-like features every corner you round.

you reach the spot where you stepped off the trail yesterday, pausing to wonder if he’s more likely to show up here since it’s where you saw him first. it feels a bit silly when you shuffle to the edge and bring your foot over into the vegetation right off the path.

“you don’t have to leave the path for me to show up.”

you can barely process that the tone of his voice is genuine, not teasing like the words themselves might suggest, as you nearly trip over nothing when you’re startled into spinning around too quickly.

his smile is sheepish and apologetic when you lay your eyes on his face. “sorry.” the boy—yeosang, you remind yourself—doesn’t have to explain what for; you recall his apology last time for surprising you like this.

“how are you so quiet?” you wonder aloud, voice curious and void of any accusatory tones, not bothering to keep the question silent this time. you hope it’s not rude to ask, but he just shrugs.

“i’m just used to moving like that, living out here.”

it’s not a very clear or enlightening explanation, but you brush it off regardless. there’s a moment of silence as the two of you just peer upon the other, a hint of curiosity in his eyes that mirrors your own features.

“so…,” you begin, hoping he doesn’t mind if you ask more questions, “you seem to be quite at home here … how long have you been living here?”

“my whole life,” yeosang must sense your surprise at that answer, so he continues speaking to explain, “my parents were, well, recluses, and since they moved out a few years ago, i seem to be following in their footsteps. that’s why most people around here—like your grandmother—don’t know much about me.”

suddenly, you decide you don’t want this to be a short lived conversation. as you ask a new question, you take just a few short steps to sit on a flat rock at the edge of the trail. he follows in suit, taking his place right on the forest floor, leaning his back against a tree directly across from you.

“do you prefer it that way, then?”

he pauses, as if he doesn’t have an answer prepared for that. “i guess,” he shrugs. “i’m used to it.”

“so you don’t get lonely? yknow, living alone now?” you’re surprised by the questions that spill out of your mouth as if without permission. they’re not the kind of thing you normally ask pretty boys you’ve just met. but, more than that, you’re curious about the way the features of his face reflect the internal debate he must be having as he tries to come up with an answer to your question. it’s either as if no one’s ever asked these sorts of questions, nor has he thought about the subject at hand at all. or maybe there’s an answer he could give, but would rather not. you suppose it’s the former option, if he’s really been so secluded from all the people around him for his whole life.

“sometimes,” is the cryptic, too-simple answer yeosang decides to give. but, as seems normal with him, his voice and the look in his eyes are laden with much more. you feel crazy for thinking it, but it feels like he’s saying, “sometimes i’m lonely, but most of the time i’m alright. either way, it’d certainly be nice to have someone else around. you, maybe.” you hope that’s what his eyes are telling you, but you could just be pushing your own feelings onto him because you don’t want to be the only one who feels that way. you love your grandmother’s company, but these days you’ve been missing in-person interaction with friends your age.

“sometimes,” you nod, mumbling the word under your breath. for a moment, you let the air fill with bird calls and the rustle of leaves in the breeze. “so, mr. yeosang,” you speak louder, weaving a bit of playfulness into your voice, “since you’ve been living here your whole life, is there any chance you’d be able to show me around the forest. you know, off the trails.” you watch as a soft, almost hesitant smile makes its way onto his lips.

“sure,” he replies, his answer short as always and turned into something meaningful by the borderline innocent, and certainly sweet look on his face. yeosang’s glad you asked, he just doesn’t say it out loud.

“cool,” you grin. eyes drifting down to examine the plants beside your feet, you wonder what you’re supposed to say next. but that’s no longer a worry when he speaks up first.

“we can start tomorrow,” he proposes. he rushes to follow up, with a kind, “if that’s alright with you, of course.”

your smile grows at his consideration, the light worry in his voice that he hasn’t been perfectly kind to you. in your eyes, he certainly has.

“that’s perfect,” you assure him, “i’ve got practically nothing to do all summer long, anyways.”

“great.” he sends you a smile that catches you completely off guard. or rather, it’s your own reaction that surprises you. the way the curve of his lips and the sparkle in his eyes sends your heart racing. on second thought, maybe hanging out with the prettiest person you’ve ever laid eyes upon isn’t the best idea you’ve had. of course, that thought is completely wiped from your mind when his melodic voice meets your eager ears again. “you know the giant rock at the fork between painter’s path and luna moth trail?” you nod quickly at his question. “we can meet there, then.”

“sounds good!” you chirp, then glance up to the sky between the treetops to check if the afternoon sun has begun dipping low enough to force you back on the trail homewards. sighing, because you’re just a little bit disappointed your time with him can’t last any longer today, you tell him it’s about time for you to head back and bid him goodbye.

“see you tomorrow,” he calls softly after you. his words send a rush of excitement in the form of flitting butterflies to your stomach, so you rush off, wondering what’s gotten into you. butterflies? already?

—

the next morning, you wake with yeosang already on your mind. the first thing that you realize is that you never set an actual time to meet with him. it was just “tomorrow.” you let that slip up worry you for a measly thirty seconds as you pull the cream colored sheets away from your body. but the way that the morning sunlight sneaks into your room through the white curtains and illuminates the framed artworks above your dresser steals that prick of worry away, replacing it with something akin to whimsy. somehow, you’re sure he’ll know when to meet you. and if not, by some chance, you wouldn’t mind waiting for him one bit.

after a quick breakfast and a hasty goodbye to your grandma, you grab your bag, already packed with your usual supplies of water, lunch, and your camera, and rush out the back door. by now, most paths are familiar, and you easily make your way to your designated meeting spot. that boulder is clear in your memory, as well as the pictures of it captured by your camera. you adore the way that the moss grows on the intimidatingly large stone and the view of the forest floor from the top when you managed to climb it last week.

it’s a delight to find him already there, perched up high at the exact spot you ate your lunch last thursday. it takes up all of your willpower to keep from pulling out your camera and capturing the image of his practically divine figure, soaking up both the sunlight that filters in through the leaves and the dappled shade that the trees provide. once again, you’re struck with just how much he appears to belong in this forest, as if you couldn’t imagine him anywhere else but here.

he’s already looking in your direction when he comes into your line of sight, and you’re reminded of how you don’t have his talent of traveling through the brush in complete silence. the subtle wave and soft smile that he gives you sends a rush through your body. you return the wave, now more eager than ever to explore the forest with him as your guide. he tells you to wait at the path for him, disappearing for only a moment before reemerging from the side of the boulder in mere seconds. you’re not sure you’ll ever be able to look at him without his beauty throwing you off momentarily like a breeze that rustles your clothing out of place just enough that you have to stop a second to collect yourself.

“you ready?” he asks, the tone of his voice not helping you to respond normally. you clear your throat unnecessarily before answering.

“mhmm!” you nod your head enthusiastically. “where to?”

the light smile on his face quirks up so that it’s almost mischievous. “a surprise?” he says the words like a question, both to sound extra teasing but to also leave you room to protest if you really want.

your grin grows. “if you insist.”

he smiles wider too. you get the inclination that his smile will be the death of you someday.

it surprises you just how easy it is to talk with yeosang considering how flustered his presence makes you sometimes. but you don’t complain at all; instead, you soak it all up the same way you do with the new scenery that comes when you part from the path. he’s a wonderful listener, clearly content to hear anything and everything about you with the way he asks actually interesting questions and retains every detail that you provide him. of course, you hate to be the only one talking, and you hate not to hear more of his voice, so you’re sure to engage him to talk about himself. he’s intelligent with his words, reserved with how much he says, but speaking volumes in just a sentence or two. the simple things are nice too. you get to learn the way he pronounces words like lychee, syrup, and caramel and he gets to learn how much you love fresh fruits for dessert and that you hate frosting unless it’s homemade and not too sweet.

you’re about to ask him if he likes rainy weather when he tells you to wait for just a moment. you nod, and he pulls himself up to the top of the shallow ravine you’ve been walking through. it’s taller than the both of you, and the grace in which he climbs to the top is impressive. he crouches at the edge and extends his hand out to you. you flush when you realize you’re supposed to hold his hand. trying not to think too much about it, you reach up to place your hand in his. it’s alright for a split second, but when his deep voice meets your ears as you keep your eyes level with the vegetation in front of you, your heart begins to hammer in your chest. you almost don’t catch what he says.

“if you put your left foot on that rock by your knee, i can pull you the rest of the way up,” he advises. you hope he doesn’t notice the slight buffer in between his words and when you actually follow his instruction. but he’s right, it’s easier that way and you’re standing at the edge of the small cliff seconds later, just far too close to him for your heart to come back to its normal resting rate.

“thanks,” you breathe out, voice quieter than you expected it to be. but he hears you easily with your body pressed against his and only the rustle of leaves sounding through the forest.

“of course.” you feel a bit better knowing that his voice has come out almost as hushed as yours, as if there’s something special about being this close to one another. as if this is something you both would rather not brush off as nothing. instead, being close to him is something, it means something. what it means, you’re not sure, but you do know that despite the nervous fluttering of your heart, being near him is safe and filled with peace.

you try not to hate it when he pulls away because you feel strange that you’re so attracted to him barely three days into having met him. yet, you question the harm of it. who’s to say you can’t have a summer love under the leaves, with a quiet, gorgeous boy who seems to have taken a liking to you too? certainly not you.

when you turn to face the direction he’s looking in, a different type of excitement takes over your mind. there’s still a bit of a ways left, but there’s no doubt that what you see in the distance is the sight of sunlight catching on water.

you spin your head to face him again. “there’s a lake?”

he lets out a light laugh at the clear excitement in your voice. “i think i’d classify it as a pond, but yes. we’re close to my favorite part on the shore.”

“perfect,” you grin. you let him continue to lead the way, reminding yourself not to get ahead of yourself in the case of unexpected landmarks like the kind he’s been steering you clear of the whole way here. he seems to know every little thing about the forest, easily guiding you away from roots, rocks, and the likes that you would probably trip over were you alone. that’s just a small reason you’re so glad to be with him.

when the trees break and you’re met with a small patch of land between the trees and water, you pull in a gasp of awe. the following breath comes out as a contented sigh. he’s right; the body of water isn’t nearly big enough to be classified as a lake. but that doesn’t take away any of its glory. the lily pads are blooming and the trees lining the edge are beautiful in contrast to the water. and you could fall in love with sunlight reflecting off of any water every time you see it, and this time is no exception. it’s just that maybe you’ve fallen in love a bit more than you normally do, knowing that this place is tucked away, almost a secret. knowing that you’re discovering this place with him, and knowing that there’s more. suddenly you’re curious.

“have you ever shown this place to anyone else?”

the question seems to catch him off guard, and you instantly wish you’d bitten your tongue before letting it slip from your mouth. you wish you’d just told him that it’s beautiful, that you love it, that you’re grateful he’s shown it to you regardless if you’re the only one or not. but then there’s a light smile on his face.

“no,” he answers, “there are people that know about it, of course, but i’ve never shown it to someone.”

you nod, thankful he’s not upset that you asked, but instead seemingly glad to answer instead. as if he’d like you to know you’re the only one, but he’s too shy to bring it up himself. as if he’s glad that you’re asking because it means that you want to be the only one.

“well, thank you for showing me. i love it.” you let that hang in the air and hold back the questions that you still have because you want him to know that you mean it.

“i’m glad you love it,” he says, voice sincere as always. and the silence isn’t the kind that you hate, it’s the kind where you both know that the quiet is right because you’re both basking in the beauty of what’s before you, you’re basking in the fact that it feels like the person beside you is willing to understand you and if feels like they’ll continue to do so. you’re basking in the silence because all of it feels right, feels like a fairytale, like a dream. because how the hell do you meet someone twice for so short of a time and then talk for hours when you see them next? how could silence already be comfortable? turns out it just is.

for you, it turns out the quiet boy is always kind, is always willing to listen, and always willing to answer. it turns out that he never tires of showing you new places like the bubbling creek and he doesn’t mind that you love catching frogs and salamanders just to hold them for a moment. he must think it’s cute that you find them cute every single time. he tells you about the types of moss and lichen that cover the boulder over twice the size of the one you meet at nearly every morning. he obliges when you want to go back to the pond to wade in the water and look for tadpoles in the shallows. he knows that you’ll love that one clearing in the middle of the deep trees that always filters in the rays of the sun just right so that it always appears to be straight out of a fantasy movie. and he loves to take you to the willow tree.

the moment you told him it was your favorite spot, yeosang thought he’d kiss you right then and there. but he knew it was too soon. before then, you’d only held hands, first as you ran through the forest to his small, bare cabin to escape the rain, then shyly a few times more just because it felt nice.

you’re holding hands now as you near the willow for the millionth time in the last month since you’d met. it’s a normal occasion by now, as you claim to only be grabbing his hand because it can get cold in the forest, but the two of you know it’s because neither of you can get enough of it. you’re just too shy to admit anything like that.

it doesn’t take long for you to settle at the trunk of the tree; the routine of sitting side by side in the grass with lunch splayed out in front of you is easy and natural now. once the food’s all gone, you’ll sit and talk for hours until you have no choice but to head home. today is no different, the same motions are there, along with the butterflies in your stomach that always come from sitting so close to him, his voice practically right in your ear as he goes on about something that you love to hear. but today he seems quiet, pensive. it’s almost as if you can feel the way that thoughts swirl around in his mind, like you can see it in his eyes as he silently eats the sandwich in his hand. he’s a bit far away, in a way that’s not quite bad, but not good either. you wish he’d tell you what’s on his mind.

you let it sit for a while, understanding of the want to just be. to let oneself be quiet without the pressure to hold a conversation. but you also want to help. you don’t want him to feel like he has to hold in whatever he’s thinking of if he doesn’t want to.

“what’s up?” you ask, voice light and airy as if to show him that you’re giving him space to do as he wishes.

“do you believe in magic?” the question slips out of his mouth as if he hadn’t meant to say it out loud. yeosang’s gaze avoids yours, staring straight forward as you peer at him. you take in his features the same you that you always love to. the lines of his profile perfectly catch the light of the sun that streams through the delicate leaves of the willow. your gaze drifts from his ridiculously dainty eyelashes to the unique curve of his nose and finally to the lips you haven’t been able to get out of your mind since the time you named this place as your favorite.

when you said that two weeks ago, you’d been sitting like you were now, shoulders and thighs brushing together. he didn’t say a word, but he turned his head to meet your eyes and suddenly he was leaning close, closer than he’d ever been. but a far away look flashed through his eyes, one that mirrored his gaze now, and he let his lips curve into a sad smile that you still don’t understand. then he moved away, and said, “i’m glad,” and you knew he meant it.

suddenly, you realize you’ve let his question hang in the air for too long, lost like always in thoughts of him. you pause a moment longer, wanting to answer truthfully and thoughtfully.

“i want to believe in magic,” you admit. “though i guess it could depend on how you define magic. like actual fairies and spells and storybook tales that aren’t real—or that we don’t know if they’re real—or things like this. to me, this is magic. the sun lighting up the leaves and the side of your face, and the beauty of this tree. to me, magic can be the way someone makes you feel. but if we’re talking about the other kind … i want to believe in it. i wish it were real but it’s kind of hard to believe in it when i’ve never seen that kind of magic. i’m a hopeless romantic in some ways. i’ll still imagine that fairytales could be real, that if i hope hard enough i’d see a fairy living in a toadstool fairyhouse. but i still like proof, so i settle with that hope.” once you let out your long-winded answer, you realize you’d probably never say that to anyone else. that happens a lot when he asks you questions.

something in yeosang’s gaze changes and he’s not so far away anymore. if anything, there’s that last word you spoke reflected in his expression. hope. like that’s the perfect answer for you to have given him.

“i like that way of thinking,” he says, voice soft and honest. you want to ask him if he believes in magic, but for once the question stays stuck in the back of your throat. it doesn’t feel like he’s ready to give his answer and you’re a bit bewildered as to why, but you let him be. you always let him be when that far away look interrupts his smile.

exhaling lightly, you let your head tilt to the side until it’s fallen onto yeosang’s broad shoulder.

“it’s nice to hope,” you say, wondering if his heart could be beating as fast as yours is.

“it is.” then his head is resting on yours and you wish that summer would never end. you don’t know it, but he wishes the same in a far more desperate and bittersweet way.

—

today, you’re meeting him at the willow rather than the normal spot at the boulder. you readily agreed when he asked if that would be alright with you, confident in finding the way on your own. the confidence was warranted, as you’ve walked there many times and the journey has been smooth from the beginning. you know you’re almost there when you pass the bend in the creek with the young maple tree hanging its branches over the water. it’s only a few steps later that something catches your eye.

instantly you’re reminded of the first time that you met yeosang, a fully bloomed dahlia coming into view. this time it’s dark in color, the deep red-ish undertones of the petals visible even from your vantage point. without a second thought, you pull out your camera and clamber your way over to the regal flower, surprised you’ve never noticed it before. now that august is right around the corner, it’s far less odd to see a dahlia bloom, but now that they remind you of yeosang you can’t help but want to capture the pretty sight in your camera.

as you focus your gaze into the viewing piece of the camera, you frown at the dark lighting that you can tell will be reflected into the image. there was plenty of sunlight filtering through the leaves just moments ago. you pull the camera away from your face to reevaluate your surroundings, confused.

without warning, everything begins to grow dark, like the once artful shadows of the forest are multiplying and expanding right in front of your eyes. it’s like when a storm approaches and the sun is swallowed up by thick clouds, but it’s not a darkening of the sky that swallows you up, but rather the shadows themselves.

fear hits you like a truck, and your heart hammers in your chest because you know instinctively that none of this is right. i need to get to the willow, is all you can think, and yet the moment you resolve to run, it’s as if you can’t tear your eyes away from the flower in front you.

you wonder if this is what it feels like to be under a spell, a real one, a dark one. nothing like the spell of falling in love, nothing like the feeling of being stunned into silence from one glance at those glorious eyes of his.

“you’re a lovely little creature, aren’t you?” a horrified chill runs up your spine when the dark, thin voice permeates through the air just like the unnatural shadows. you dare not look up to where the voice came from, though you’re not even sure you could look away from the dahlia. sharp, shallow breaths escape your mouth as you panic. it feels like you’ve been thrown straight into a nightmare. you shut your eyes tight and beg in your head to please wake up, please wake up, i have to wake up.

your eyes almost snap open when the voice speaks again, sinister and demanding. “don’t be so afraid. look at me.” but you realize that with your eyes closed, you’re no longer being pulled towards the flower by your transfixed gaze.

so you turn and run.

opening your eyes doesn’t do much to help you, the darkness that’s wrapped around the trees is not too different from the dead of night. you trip over roots and get whacked in the face by low hanging branches, stumbling along in the direction you can only pray is back to the safety of the willow. you’re not even sure why you’re so convinced that the tree can save you, but you have to run somewhere.

it feels like a miracle when you see the shadows begin to thin in the near distance. the promise of daylight prompts you to push yourself to run faster. and you think it’s working because you haven’t heard anything but your own rapid footfalls and heavy breathing. the light is getting closer.

but something as firm as metal shackles latches itself around your upper arm and you can’t control the scream that rips from your throat as you’re yanked into darkness again. this time the darkness is solid, wrapped around you like spindly, immovable arms. then the darkness speaks and you realize you really are being held by something.

“you’ve wandered too far for me to just let you go like that. humans.” the last word is spit out like something disgusting and covetable all at once. then you realize the last word makes it sound like whatever freakishly tall and strong thing holding you captive is not human. that would make sense if there were other things in this world that could talk but aren’t human. but that’s not real and this has to be a horrifyingly realistic nightmare.

you struggle in the grip he has you in, desperate to get away. “let me go!” you scream. he just clicks his tongue.

but then he does. his arms release you and you almost crumple to the ground with how weak your knees are with fear. you try to run, but suddenly he has his hand on your chin, forcing you to look up at him and you can no longer move of your own free will.

his face is striking, beautiful even. his black eyes are so empty it feels like they’re burning holes straight through your soul. he looks human. almost. but he's at least 7 feet tall and his face is framed with shadows rather than locks of hair. his robes seem to be shifting and swirling like black smoke. he himself seems to be shadow. and those eyes are certainly not human. just like he’s the black dahlia, you can’t look away.

“that little dryad thought he'd scored himself a sweet prize, didn’t he?” he tilts his head as he asks the rhetorical question, one that makes absolutely no sense to you. “a shame you wandered too far from his tree. i can’t believe he let you walk alone so close to the border. getting you to cross it was far too easy,” he croons. the first tree that comes to your mind is the willow and you have to shut out the wild thought that this monster is talking about yeosang. yeosang who loves the willow tree, yeosang who asked you to meet him there, leaving you to walk the whole way on your own. yeosang who you first met at a white dahlia bloom.

thoughts of him crowd your mind, pushing out the darkness bit by bit. so you concentrate on everything here that’s felt opposite to this nightmare; everything dreamlike. in your mind there are rainstorms watched from the safety of your grandmother’s porch, frogs from the creek in your hand, and sunlight dappling the forest floor. there’s the shining pond, fresh strawberries, and priceless sunsets. there’s his hand in yours, his breath on your cheek, and the branches of the willow tree swaying in the breeze. and then there’s nothing tying you to the darkness, so in desperation, you bolt, praying that this time you’ll be fast enough.

the light approaches faster and there are tears on your cheeks. letting out a cry, you see a figure running towards you, backlit from the sunlight that was always supposed to be there, and you know it signals safety before you can see his face.

yeosang gets closer and closer, and suddenly his hand is wrapped around your wrist and he’s tugging you along behind him, towards the light. you hear nothing behind you, but you know the shadowy figure is there, his dark smoke nipping at your feet, trying and succeeding in catching up.

but yeosang runs far faster than you thought he could and at any other time you’d question how you’re able to keep up at all. now you can see it. the blurry border where you can somehow see the light and dark balance perfectly. and you know you need to get past it where the light overpowers dark, where it is natural and shadows only exist because there is sun.

you let out a cry of surprise when you feel a sting at your lower calves and look down to see the smoky shadows climb higher, biting at the back of your legs and climbing up to your knees and lower thighs as your captor comes closer to keeping you in his cold grasp.

“keep going,” yeosang urges, and you resist the urge to let out a loud sob at the sound of his voice. you want to scream at him and ask what the hell is going on. instead, you follow his lead and push yourself even harder than you thought possible, and suddenly you’re sprawling forward, straight into the ground as your hand slips out of yeosang’s grip.

the fear clenching your heart squeezes hard, but nothing else snatches you up, no shadowy, steel-like hands, no cold voice in your ear. just him at your side in milliseconds, voice asking if you’re okay and hands pulling you up from the ground. you don’t say a word as he hoists you to your feet, telling you that you’re safe for now, but should get farther from the border as fast as possible. you just let him hold you close as he guides your tired and wobbly legs away until you’re under the leaves of the most familiar tree in the whole forest. only then do you let your knees buckle and a fresh wave of tears escape from your eyes. he keeps you steady so you don’t fall, gently lowering you to the ground and into his arms.

he holds you like that for god knows how long, rubbing your back in an attempt to sooth your shaking, and whispering a mix of broken apologies and comforting words to calm your crying.

“i’m so, so sorry, sweetheart. i’m sorry,” he calls you by a mix of sweet things and your name said like something holy. “i never meant for anything like this to happen, i’m sorry. please, please tell me you’re alright,” he begs. you hate how sad and guilty he sounds, but you can’t say a word, completely unable to process anything that’s happened. you just lay in his hold like it’ll keep any threat in the world away from you.

eventually you’re still and quiet in his arms save for your shaky breathing. his shirt is wet under your head. he’s mostly quiet now, still whispering out apologies here and there. it takes a moment for you to speak.

“is this a dream?” you whisper, tilting your head up to look at his very real, heartbroken face.

“i’m sorry,” he answers, voice guilt-ridden. that means no. your head drops back down to his shoulder and you sigh.

“i’m… i’m scared to ask, yeosang,” you begin, voice soft and still a little shaky, “i’m scared to ask what the hell that was and why the hell you seem to know exactly what’s going on.” your tone isn’t accusing, just tired and confused. once you start talking, it’s hard for you to stop, even when the words make little sense. “that– that can’t have been real, i swear. how the hell could that be real? he was– there’s no way that he was… human. he didn’t look, well, possible. and it was like i couldn’t move sometimes and god! i must have been hallucinating.” your voice drops off into silence with a thud. he doesn’t say a word. there’s a stretch of silence, and it feels like the only moving thing is his hand on your back, still rubbing back and forth in comfort. your voice is even smaller than before when you speak again. “and he… he said things and i think he was talking about you. why was he talking about you? why… why aren’t you telling me none of this is real?”

the pain in his voice is enough to tell you without looking that his lips are drawn tight in a frown and his eyebrows are furrowed with something almost as intense as sorrow.

“i’m sorry,” when he speaks his voice is small too. “i wish i could tell you it wasn’t real. and i’m sorry because i never meant for anything like this to happen, i never meant for you to find out like this, and i never should have let you walk out here alone. i wanted to tell you that the magic you let yourself hope for is real, it almost slipped out of my mouth a million times… but i didn’t know how. i didn’t know if there was a right time, or if i’d scare you away, and that’s the last thing i could ever want. i didn’t want anything to change. so i’m sorry i kept you in the dark like this and i’m sorry this happened. please, please, please tell me how i can fix it.” the words tumble out of his mouth like a waterfall, unfiltered and uncontrolled and so clearly true. it’s so different from the way he normally talks. he’s always truthful, but he picks and chooses his words both precisely and scarcely. here, it’s clear that he’s let it all come falling out, too guilty and upset for your sake to filter through the mess of his mind right now.

“and that’s why you asked me if i believed in magic a few days ago?” as you say this, you try to understand, finally pushing yourself up. you stay in his hold, still tucked into his wide frame, but now more level with him to better engage in a real conversation. it hurts a little to see the pain on his face, but it’s hard not to look at him either way.

he nods at your question, not even caring for now that you haven’t directly addressed his previous plea. “and so i decided to tell you. for a while i wondered if it would be better if you never knew at all. but i didn’t want to hide things from you and your answer was… it was… i was going to tell you today. i was going to surprise you with something small, right here.” his hand reluctantly leaves you to dig into his pocket. when he opens his fist to show you, it’s a tiny set of clothes, like the kind you’d find for small dolls. “these are my friend’s. he’s a pixie.” your silence makes him realize you must still be completely overwhelmed. quickly, he shoves the clothes back away and looks at you apologetically. “i’m sorry. this is too much, isn’t it?”

“i– so,” you struggle to find your words, “you’re telling me that magic is real? like the storybook kind? and you’re friends with pixies and there are horrifying shadow-men that try to capture you if you stray too far in the forest?” he cringes at that, and you want to apologize because you didn’t mean it like that. it’s just that you can’t seem to wrap your mind around this at all.

“well… yes.”

“oh.” you blink, once, twice, three times over. you try to let it sink in and he doesn’t say a word because he’s afraid of scaring you further. there’s silence for a long moment. “and… you. you’re magic too?”

he lets out a sharp exhale. “yes. i’m a dryad, a type of fae. a light fae. the shadowy man is a dark fae.”

you surprise yourself when you start to feel a hesitant smile try to find a way to your face. “and this is your tree?” you look up at the grand branches of the rustling willow.

he can’t hide the small smile of pride when he answers. “this is my tree.”

“it’s beautiful,” you marvel, as if you haven’t said so a million times before. but this time, the meaning is new, and once again, yeosang is dying to kiss you.

“thank you,” he breathes out, hopeful you’ll be alright, and hopeful that you won’t shut him out for hiding a whole entire world from you. there’s another pause for silence as you take in the tree with a new set of eyes, and he knows he’s in love with you when he sees the sparkle in your eyes. he feels like he’s ruined any chance with you after putting you in so much danger and throwing you into a world of the unknown and utter confusion. and here you are, staring at his tree with a wonder so pure in your eyes, as if he’s shown you the most beautiful thing in the world.

to you, that’s what it feels like, though. your brain may be running a million miles an hour and your heart may still be beating in fear, but magic is real. for you magic is real in so many ways, because to you, his dreamlike smile is a magic of it’s own, and now he’s really, actually magic. he is one with nature, in a way you can only begin to understand now, and even more deeply, he is one with the most majestic tree you have ever laid your eyes upon. everything about him is beautiful in ways you didn’t even know, but that you feel blessed to have been shown now.

and you struggle to even think that he’s to blame for not telling you yet. it’s true, you’d much rather not have found out the way you did, but how could anyone dismiss his hesitance? no one, when you belong to a species so destructive, especially to mother nature. not when it was because he was afraid of scaring you away. not when he didn’t know until just days ago if you would even be willing to believe in anything near fantastical. you’re honored to know he did intend on telling you, because you believe him wholeheartedly in everything he’s told you.

but a sudden series of doubts cross your mind. what if he’s been playing me this entire time? what if he’s not who he claims to be? what if he’s using magic to make me trust him… to love him, even?

but he interrupts those thoughts with his soft, careful voice. “you broke his spells, you know? those moments when you couldn’t move, you were under the influence of his magic. his kind is far stronger than mine. my magic is connected only to nature. i’d have a completely hellish time trying to break that kind of spell with my magic,” he admits before continuing, “and without any magic? well, it’s nearly impossible. but you did it. your mind is incredibly strong and full of light. of course, i’ve known that for a long time now, but you’ve just proven it to one of the strongest faeries in this forest. you’re practically magical too,” he muses, and every doubt is wiped from your mind.

“i thought of you,” you admit quietly, “and other things that i love.” the confession is subtle, but yeosang doesn’t miss it.

his voice is begging and oh so gentle when he asks. “can i kiss you?”

“please,” you breathe out. then he’s tilting his head closer and closer to yours, just like before, but this time he doesn’t get the faraway look, and this time his lips finally meet yours.

—

you thought that the faraway look would be gone forever once you found out about the world of magic. but it’s come back now that your days with him dwindle. it’s not that you’ve even addressed the end of the summer approaching, and therefore, your time with him too. but it isn’t hard to guess that he’s thinking about the fact that you’re leaving, and he’s not. what you can’t understand is the extra layer of sadness and regret. you can’t figure out what it means because somehow you know it’s not just the fact that you’ll be apart—though that part is plenty distressing to you.

you already knew that the end of the summer would bring a difficult goodbye, but now that he tucks his head into your neck when he’s shy and makes white dahlias bloom for you in seconds, you’re not sure how the hell you’ll be able to part with him. now that you see the way he glows when he channels magic from his tree and shows you fairy houses built into toadstools that are no longer lived in, you can’t fathom that you’ll have to go back to a life where he and his magic are practically a entire world away. now that he kisses your knuckles when he thinks you’ve fallen asleep under the willow with your head on his shoulder, you know that you’ll miss him in a way you’ve never missed anyone before. and now that there’s no doubt in your mind that you love him, you wish he’d tell you the things he keeps hidden behind that unreadable look on his face.

you interrupt the sound of the breeze dancing through the leaves. “it’ll be alright,” you say, voice almost hushed since you’re still a bit afraid to talk about it. but the way you catch him looking at you sometimes has you desperate to comfort him.

“i know.” but his smile is anything but convincing.

“i mean it,” your voice comes out strong this time. “i’ll come back during all my school breaks and i’ll get you a phone so that we can talk while we’re apart. we’ll be alright, we’ll make it work.” you believe in your own words wholeheartedly, but you’re begging for him to do the same.

your voice comes out of his mouth almost at a whisper. “i– that’s what i want. i wish you’d never have go at all, but–”

“but what? there doesn’t have to be a ‘but,’ yeosang,” you argue without even hearing what he has to say. he sighs in defeat.

“you shouldn’t limit yourself.”

“sangie,” you plead, “don’t say that. i’d be limiting myself if i didn’t let myself have you. i’m coming back to you. just because i’m going to meet new people and have new experiences doesn’t mean i’m going to forget about you. yeosang, you’re unforgettable.”

“i–,” suddenly he looks away, avoiding your earnest gaze. the moment of silence that follows stretches out like an eternity, and you begin to fear if he really means it when he wishes you’d never go. “i’ll be waiting for you.” he says it like it’s a wish placed on a shooting star that you can’t see, like there’s still something being left unsaid. but the look in his eyes tells you that he means it, so you lace your fingers through his and bring his hand up to press a kiss to it like a promise.

you curse the early setting sun of the winter. by the time your parent’s car pulls into your grandmother’s driveway, the sky is as dark as it’ll get. you know that, realistically, you wouldn’t have been able to see him today, regardless of the color of the sky. but you can’t hold back just a bit of disappointment.

you let the feeling fall away, though, when your grandma welcomes you back to her home for winter break with open arms and a hug that’s probably warmer than the fire raging in her hearth. even now, you’re still struggling to understand why your parents never let the two of you get close until this past summer.

settling back into your summer room is easy and satisfying, pine cones and fairy clothes you couldn’t take back, gifted by him, still decorating the dresser. of course, this time it’s colder than you’re used to, but the extra blankets and knowledge that yeosang and his willow are right there lull you to sleep quickly.

when the morning sun chases you awake, you’re up with a grin, more glad than ever to get ready for the day and disappear into the forest. you can’t escape breakfast, but you can’t complain about it either, more than happy to taste your grandmother’s food and speak with her more again. and of course, your parents implore you to stick around to spend some time with family. you slip out the back door within minutes of that suggestion.

the snow coated trees are like a foreign home, undeniably familiar, yet different in a way you’ve never seen before. it excites you to realize that you’ll be able to learn about this version of the forest. the branches hang heavier, adorned with the snow that glitters in the cold winter sun. it seems that no matter what season, the forest sparkles in the light of the sun—and magic—to make it feel more like a dream than anything else.

you’re impressed by yourself when you’re able to still find the way to your summer meeting place, the boulder newly majestic with it’s blanket of whiteness. the whole journey is almost as wondrous as discovering magic; experiencing the forest in its snowy glory distracts you for a moment from the fact that the boulder stands tall … and alone. you’ve never seen the boulder this way. empty. there’s not a single time where he wasn’t there, waiting for you.

you try not to let your heart sink heavily into the pit in your stomach, but you can’t shake the way that it feels all wrong. it’s easy to tell yourself that there’s no way he would know you were here to look for. but you then remember what he told you, sitting up on that rock together, soaking up what sun you could. that he’s always there, waiting for you because he can feel it. he can feel you when you enter the forest. so why isn’t he here now? he promised he’d be waiting for you.

maybe it’s the snow, you consider. somehow even that feels like a silly excuse. but you don’t turn around, back in the direction of home. you search the paths that you can see in the midst of the snow, softly calling his name in hopes that it will be carried to him somehow. through the wind, the leaves, or the word of a fairy that you can’t see. you trudge along until you grow too cold and the hot chocolate in your thermos runs out.

—

two more days of searching through the snow, and your parents are beginning to question your daily outings into the forest that only result in a few pictures on your digital camera and a moody quiet from you.

your grandmother comes to your aid, serving you more soup for dinner and telling your parents about how much you adored the forest all summer long. this is the part where you think she’ll out you, tell them that you fell in love with a boy in the forest even when you made her promise not to say a word about it.

but she says nothing. even worse, does nothing. there’s no teasing smile or subtle wink from your end like you would have expected from her, the kind of reaction she always gave you when you talked to her about him. you tread forward with caution, as if testing new waters.

“so grandma, have you seen yeosang lately at all? how’s he doing?”

her response is strange enough to scare you.

“yeosang? you mean the young man who lives in the forest?” she relays this information back at you as if he’s some distant figure, someone you’ve rarely talked about at all.

“yeah,” you confirm, trying to hide any bewildered questions from rising hot into your throat and out of your mouth.

“why, i haven’t heard about him in a long while. i’d forgotten you met him over the summer. it seems i’m really getting old, aren’t i?” she chuckles, as if this is the most normal thing to say regarding the boy her grandchild gushed to her about for months. “but i do hope he’s holding up alright in this cold. we’ve gotten quite a bit of snow this year!” and with that, she starts going on to tell your parents about the snow from this year and last, and probably the year before that too.

you spend the rest of the meal in silence, quick to disappear to your room once your dishes are cleared from the table and washed. you find it difficult to wrap your mind around what happened at dinner tonight, wondering and wondering why the hell your grandma could seem to remember close to nothing about the boy you told her you love. for a minute you’re afraid that she’s getting sick, and that her age truly is what’s affecting her memory. but you think back to the first time you mentioned him to her and can’t help but feel an unsettling sense of deja vu.

missing him worse by the minute and growing increasingly worried for him and maybe even yourself—because what if you’ve made everything up in your head, what if it really was all the dream that it felt like it was—you resolve to finally attempt to make your way to his willow. the past three days, you’ve avoided the journey, afraid of traveling in that direction alone once again after what happened last time. but you know that if you’re to find him anywhere, it’ll be his home.

—

“sweetheart, you probably should stay inside today,” your grandmother advises over a hot breakfast. “there’s supposed to be a snow storm today, i’d hate for you to get caught up in it!”

“thanks, grandma.” you smile softly, trying to make her feel like you’ll heed her directions to lessen the worried crease of her brow. it makes you feel a little bit guilty when you know that you have no intent whatsoever to skip your outing in the forest today.

the moment you’re given the chance, you slip out the back door like you’ve done every other day, this time leaving a note in the living room for your grandma not to worry too much.

the forest is less glittery today, with the grey clouds stretching out to cover the vastness of the unseen blue sky. you set out in the direction that your heart knows better than your mind, trying to drown out the fear hanging in the back of your mind and the ache in your joints that comes from the hard work of trudging through thick snow.

when the snow begins to fall, you pay it no mind, solely intent on finding yeosang and unworried by the slow drifting down of the tiny flakes. but with each passing minute, the snow in the sky grows thicker and falls with determination rather than passivity. then, when you can barely see a few feet in front of you and it feels like your toes, fingers, and nose will fall off from the cold, you finally begin to wish that you had listened to your grandma.

what scares you even more is that, with the landscape so obscured, you’re not quite sure where you are anymore. a moment of panic overtakes you, and without thinking, you cry out his name into the silent air. it feels almost like that’s the only thing that could save you from the storm; if he finds you.

but that panic subsides into a more manageable pit of anxiety in your stomach when you try to push yourself back to rationality. you seek out your own footprints before they’re completely covered by the new snow and follow their faint outlines until they fade away. you don’t get too far, but you pray it’s enough to point you in the right direction. yet, your hope wanes as your exhaustion grows along with the hot pit in your stomach that you wish could warm your shaking limbs.

“yeosang?” you call out, quieter this time. “why can’t i find you?” you choke out, and suddenly you feel a lump in your throat and a burn in your eyes. but the last thing you want to do out here is cry and have your own tears freeze to your lashes and cheeks. “you said you’d wait for me…”

you hang your head as a feeling of defeat washes over you. you curse under your breath and force yourself to lift your head and keep going, intent on saving yourself. but as your gaze goes back to the white streaked landscape, the image of the dark trees and bright snow is interrupted with something moving towards you, quickly and silently. for a moment, you’re scared, but in the next you’re heaving a sigh of relief that comes out sounding much more like a sob.

you’ve barely taken a step forward before his arms are wrapped around you. his heavy breathing is loud in your ear and the brush of his cheek against yours as he pulls you into him is like a piece of heaven.

“yeosang,” you gasp out as your gloved hands clench the plush of his thick coat. he doesn’t speak for a long moment, just holds you as if he thought he’d never see you again.

“you’re shaking,” he whispers, pulling away from you to properly look at you.

you nod. “it’s cold,” you offer as a lame explanation while taking in the image that you’ve missed so much. “you’re so beautiful.” whether the flush in his cheeks is from the cold or your words, you’re not sure, but god are you happy to see it again.

his face becomes serious in a split second when he remembers that you’re shivering. your face had him distracted for a moment. “it’s far too cold for you to be out here right now, lovely.”

“i just wanted to find you,” you let your reason slip. now he’ll feel sorry about it.

and as you knew it would, his face falls even further, but the love in his eyes still grows. but he doesn’t scold you softly in the way you thought he would. he doesn’t tell you that you shouldn’t have been that reckless for him. not because he doesn’t care, just because he’s so relieved to see you. at least you’re safe now.

“let’s get you warm,” is all he says, pulling you into his side and guiding you to the closest shelter he knows of. he’s glad you wandered in this direction, easily taking you to the cabin he told you he lived in before telling you the truth about his magic. you lean into him heavily, letting him do most of the work in getting you there.

“thank god,” he mumbles to himself when he finds the cabin stocked with wood and matches. he sits you down in a chair by the fireplace and wraps you in the few blankets he can find before starting a fire. he tries to keep you talking as he removes your boots and damp socks, redressing your feet with his own pair. then there’s a pot full of water hanging above the fire that’s already starting to bubble with heat. he’s sitting at your feet on the rug, hands holding yours through a blanket to try and transfer some of his body heat to you.

“i missed you,” you mumble as you finally settle down, comforted by the heat of the fire that burns so bright in the hearth that it’s almost raging.

“i missed you, too.” his voice is hushed. it’s earnest, but he says it like it’s something he’s never supposed to be able to tell you. like he can’t believe he’s got you again.

“i meant it when i promised i’d come back for you,” you whisper, fighting the urge to fall asleep.

“i know,” he assures, “and i meant it when i promised i’d wait. i have waited and there’s not a day that went by where i wasn’t thinking of you.”

“so why didn’t you come to me when i first started looking for you?” you beg for him to answer in truth.

“my love,” he starts, cautious and afraid to say it out loud, as if he’ll jinx himself and unravel it all by admitting it, “you weren’t supposed to be looking for me. you weren’t supposed to remember me, at least not the way that we were. you weren’t supposed to remember loving me.”

you squeeze his hand and furrow your eyebrows in confusion. “what do you mean? how could i ever forget loving you?”

“magic,” he says simply, dropping the word heavily. “it makes humans forget, at least for the most part, about meeting creatures from our world to protect us. sometimes they’ll remember those of us like me, the ones that look like humans, but never more than a vague idea. it’s like a dream. so vivid when it happens, but quick to disappear from your mind once you’re awake and out of that world. so…you’re not supposed to remember anything much about…us.”

it all feels like a tall wave of stinging water, salty like the tears threatening to spill, surging over you and knocking you right off of your feet.

“why–,” your voice cracks, “why didn’t you tell me?”

“i didn’t want to hurt you,” he says, voice pleading. “if you knew, it would have been looming over your head like a ticking clock. i wanted you to be able to just be happy while we were together, i didn’t want you to worry about it. about me.”

“but it was looming over your head,” you cry, “you were hurting all alone, convinced i’d forget that i love you, and what? you’d have to love without me to love you back?”

he nods, and a tear slips down his cheek. “i loved you– still love you so much that i couldn’t push you away. as long as i could love you while you remembered me, i was alright with loving you when you forgot. i’m sorry for hiding more from you, i swear i am, but it was worth it to me. to let you leave me with hope rather than a final goodbye… i wasn’t ready to say goodbye.” the last sentence is whispered, as if it’s something he’s realized just now, that he didn’t say a word just as much for you as for himself. it breaks your heart to see tears flow from his apologetic eyes so freely.

“but i do remember you. and god, do i remember loving you. i’ve remembered you and the way you make me feel every day since i told you that you were unforgettable.” he looks up at you like you’re the most heavenly thing he’s ever set his eyes upon.

“thank you,” yeosang whispers through his tears, voice thick with emotion, “thank you for remembering. i don’t even know how it’s possible, but i thought i’d go crazy without you. i thought it would be fine, but it took everything in me not to go right to you when you got here. i knew i wouldn’t be able to act as if i didn’t love you more than anything else. i’m sorry i’m late.”

“quit apologizing and just kiss me, will you?”

his expression is relieved as he scrambles to his knees and leans in close to you. you lean forward, letting the blankets fall from your hands in favor of placing them on his cheeks and pressing your lips to his. you almost break the kiss when you feel a fresh wave of tears fall from his eyes, but you wipe them away gently with your thumbs, kissing him harder to prove to him that you’re really there. then his hands are on your waist, holding you tight and pulling you closer. the movement of his lips is practically desperate, and he wants to kiss you with all the gentleness that he can muster, but he just can’t help it when you’re right here in front of him.

“i love you,” he mumbles against your lips and cuts off your reply as he goes back to kissing you hard. he’s trying to get so close that he pulls you right off the chair and onto the floor, into his lap. “i need you,” he whispers with the softness he wants you to feel from him. your arms wrap around his neck and you think his kisses must have magic in them too when his lips are on yours again. it’s safe to say that you’ve warmed up by now. to catch your breath, you pull back and brush your nose against his with all the affection in the world. “yeosang, you are like a dream. just the kind that’s so beautiful and loved that i could never, never forget you.”

171 notes · View notes

yeosbbm · 8 months

Text

Preview of my next smut fic ^^🤭

hey guys thanks for the luvv on my first wooyoung smut I posted yesterday <3. I was sure it would only get like 10 notes LMFAOO,, but guys despite the enjoyment you possibly gotten im very unhappy with it there were too many inconsistencies and it was very rushed. and that’s why I’m very keen on doing my best with this yeosang fic and I’m releasing it tomorrow WAAAAAAA hope you guys enjoy when I do post it

Update: It’s officially POSTED !!

51 notes · View notes

joongsmassiveship · 9 months

Text

Ateez Headcanons

Yeosang and physical affection with his s/o

With Yeosang, all forms of affection are about respect above all else

Especially the physical ones

He respects your boundaries and he expects his to be respected as well

Which is why I have no doubt in my mind that when things are getting serious enough between you two that he feels comfortable, he will want to sit down with you and discuss boundaries

He will leave no room for lack of communication about this because he has very specific boundaries and he knows they can make affection a bit difficult

He is willing to push those boundaries a little if you need him to

But he won't let you disregard them all together

First, there will always be a prompt for consent before any closer, intimate touching

This is ranging from cuddling all the way to sex

Even just to hold on to his arm, he'd like to be asked first

And he of course will show you the same respect

Smaller things like hand holding and quick kisses are different though

He doesn't mind a little spontaneity there

But the ways he initiates physical affection are sweet and cute

Small grazes of his fingers along the small of your back as he passes behind you

Quick cheek kisses when he knows you're busy but he wants to remind you he's there with you

The ocassional gentle butt slap, because let's be real all the boys smack asses

Of course all of this is in the comfort and privacy of your own home

When you're out with him it's completely different

If the setting is a personal outing just the two of you like a date or shopping, he's content with you holding his arm while to two walk and giving him quick, sweet kisses if he's in a good enough mood

Hand holding is definitely encouraged

But if it's a more professional setting, like backstage or behind the scenes of a photo shoot or something, he's way more reserved

This is definitely when he's the most reserved, in fact

Especially if there are cameras on him

No kisses, no clinging

He might let you hold his hand if your relationship is known publicly

But honestly there's a pretty decent chance he specifically tells you he'd prefer not to be touched at all in these settings

Because those things are personal to him and he'd like to keep them away from his idol life as much as possible

Both for his comfort but also for his career and your safety's sake

But if you were with him for support at any of these, which would be often because he'd ask you to be a lot, and you were aching too badly for his touch and you tell him

He will take a few minutes to whisk you off somewhere more private so he can give you some of the attention you need

Kisses and closer intimacy while hiding in a dressing room or even a closet if he must

Nothing too intense

He's not about to get down and dirty with you in the closet on set

But he won't leave you wanting for affection if the lack of it is having an emotional affect on you

He cares about you far too much for that

#kang yeosang #yeosang #ateez yeosang #Ateez #ateez headcanons #yeosang headcanons #ateez fluff #yeosang fluff

30 notes · View notes

the7thcrow · 2 years

Text

ideal woman | k.ys

pairing: yeosang x (fem) reader.

………

wc: 10.5k

genre: romance. suggestive. angst. a tad bit of fluff if you squint. gang au. basically a romp between inherent enemies.

summary: at the only bar in town where the lines drawn between different gangs becomes blurry, you spot your intellectual rival involved in one of the biggest underground organizations the city has to offer. responsible for the recent heist on your warehouse, as well as the death of multiple of your gang’s own members, he’s understandably considered someone that you should not be talking to. you buy him a drink.

warnings: non-graphic talk of violence and death, mention of drugs, alcohol, smoking cigars, suggestive content.

a/n: look who’s finally gotten around to starting these (go me). requested by @joontied for my 1 year anniversary event. inspired by the song ideal woman by celeste.

UPDATE: currently dealing with formatting issues because tumblr sucks. if you have repeating paragraphs, feel free to read here on ao3 instead. thanks so much.

…

...

Duke’s is muddy territory.

A term for where the line’s between different gang’s and operation’s blur, the dingy old bar is a neutral breeding ground of sorts, a place where enemy’s under any other circumstances can drink alone together. That is to say at their own seat at the bar with their own drink and company, but at the same time, two feet away sits another member doing the exact same thing. Sharing a moment together in loneliness, but then again, it’s ultimately better than drinking alone.

Yet, for the amount of steady business the bar always seems to receive, Duke’s remains a bit of a dump. The lamp-post outside having been burnt out for months, which may now be years under consideration, the owner - Duke - put’s little care in keeping the establishment together. Prone to bar-fights due to the nature of the facility, as tension is ultimately unavoidable in some circumstances when a member of one gang as had a few too many drinks, and it’s the man who shot his buddy last night sitting just a few tables away, the furniture remains constantly scratched and worn from being flipped over. Glass typically coats the streets outside as nobody cares to sweep it up, and plenty of lamps hanging down from the ceiling have been cracked and shattered, and will most likely never be replaced until the bar is one day shrouded in complete darkness.

To be frank, it’s a shithole. But that’s exactly what you like about it.

Nursing a gin and tonic at the front end of the bar, you do your best to ignore the constant buzzing in your pocket, as your phone begs for attention. You don’t have to check who it is, Hongjoong is always like this in the days leading up to and of a big operation. Always asking whether that particular part of his plan is fool-proof, or whether this piece of the puzzle needs some work. It’s all underground politics, manipulation, and holding your hand close to your chest. All things that although he won’t admit it aloud, he knows you’re far better at than him.

And while you should be flattered to know that the leader of KQ values your intelligence, it would be nice for him to not endlessly bother you on what was supposed to be your night off.

Digging into your purse, you pull out your phone, screen already set alight from his latest message.

Without bothering to read it, you turn your phone on silent and stuff it back into your bag. If he doesn’t understand where to draw the line, then you’ll just have to do it for him. You don’t need his constant supervision.

Forgoing your straw, you bring the rim of the glass up to your lips, tipping your head back as you let the rest of the liquid pour down your throat. A pleasant sort of burn, one you’ve grown to appreciate after years of drinks at this very bar-stool, you flash Duke a smile and a small wave.

As the burly man - with a bushy red beard and healthy beer-gut beneath his dirtied apron - makes his way over to you, your attention is quickly pulled away as you catch sight of a man over his shoulder.

Blonde hair that hangs long in the back - although parted neatly in the front in order to frame his face - he sits with his chin cupped in his palm. Clearly lost in thought, his gaze is trained mindlessly on the display of spirits behind the bar. Sporting a white button up that is slightly too large, draping over his figure and allowing his collarbone to peek through, he almost shines like a beacon of light amidst the dreariness of the facility.

Kang Yeosang. You recognize him.

A sort of mirrored image of your own role in KQ, Yeosang is the leader of SMY’s right hand man. The intelligence behind the operation, the brains behind the brawn. He was the mind responsible for SMY's surprise heist on one of your own warehouses a few weeks ago, that left you down a dozen men, as well as the pots in your meth lab empty.

He’s dangerous. Not your typical sort, no immediate danger in sight as the two of you sit merely ten feet apart. You aren’t sure of his skill with weaponry, but you’re fairly certain the most he has on him is a knife, and is likely not an expert in using it.

When Duke takes your drink order, you ask him for another gin and tonic, as well as a glass of whatever Yeosang is currently sipping to send his way.

Duke raises a brow, the request certainly out of the ordinary in a room full of inherent enemies, but he fetches a glass nonetheless. After completing your gin and tonic, he pours an accompanying glass of whisky out in front of you - Glen Mckenna, as you can now recognize it to be - before taking it in hand as he makes his way over to Yeosang.

Setting it down in front of him, the blonde blinks out of his daze before his gaze falls down to the drink before him. Eyes fluttering upward, he casts Duke a confused - as well as slightly suspicious - glance.

Duke simply shrugs, pointing over his shoulder over to where you are sitting. Following his finger, Yeosang's eyes slowly drift over to meet yours. At first his expression is blank, but after a moment his eyes widen with a sense of familiarity. Lips parted in a small “o” shape, he seems unsure of what to make of it.

You simply smile, lifting your glass up and tilting the rim towards him in a sort of long distance “cheers”, before taking a sip yourself.

He pauses for a moment, before a small smile begins to creep onto his lips. Whether a manifestation of surprise, or simply genuine gratitude for the drink, you aren’t sure. Either way, he takes a sip of his whisky, eyes not leaving yours as he does so.

A moment passes by where neither of the two of you move, and it serves as a sort of cross-roads for the evening ahead of you. On the one hand, you could retract your gaze right now, leave the drink as simply a nice gesture and nothing more. Nurse your gin and tonic for a few more minutes, then grab your bag and leave the bar. Head home to your apartment on the other end of town before sifting through and responding to Hongjoong’s texts for the next couple hours until sleep inevitably takes you.

Or, on the other hand, you could push a little further. Smile back at him, maybe let him return the favour. Chat. Whatever normal people do on a night out in town.

You slip out of your chair and onto your feet.

Drink in hand, you walk over to meet him at his spot at the other end of the bar. Another look of surprise flashing over his features, you note how he slips his own phone off the counter and into his pocket. Out of sight.

“Hello,” you say, a simple enough opening as you slide into the chair beside him.

He raises an eyebrow, corner of his lip drawn up into a smirk. “Well, isn’t this a surprise.”

It’s not in reference to you being at Duke’s. After all, this is not the first time the two of you have seen each other here, on multiple occasions having granted eachother a small nod in greeting. Or well, perhaps greeting is a bit of a strong term, recognition more accurate. A nod that says: I know you and you know me. I know just what terrible things you’re capable of, and I have accomplished just the same.

And yet, here we both are. Drinking alone to forget another day.

Safe to say, the two of you don’t really chat beyond meetings between the higher-ups. You know his voice, you know he’s witty and a little risky with his level of sarcasm at times, but you don’t really know him.

And maybe you’re curious what lies beneath those layers.

“Long day?” You ask, taking the lime from the corner of your glass and squeezing it into your drink.

Yeosang chuckles. “Aren’t they all long days?”

“I don’t know,” you reply, a smile creeping itself along your own lips. When you speak, it’s after another sip. “I would expect it to be a real celebration for you over there, what with your recent success and all.”

At the reference to the ambush he’d orchestrated on your warehouse, Yeosang freezes. Hand stilling on his drink, he swallows, eyes quickly shifting from relaxed to poised. Analytical.

You simply chuckle, stirring your straw around in your drink. “Relax,” you say easily, lip curving upwards into a smirk. “I’m not here to jeer you about it.”

He seems to let his guard back down at this, although with a tad bit of hesitancy. His posture softens, but not so much so as to lean back in his chair. Not on guard, but ready to be should the coming minutes permit it. It’s the wise thing to do, and surely how you would be likely to respond as well.

“Hm,” he hums, taking a sip of his own drink, the fingers on his other hand tapping mindlessly against the counter. “Then why are you here?”

You know he doesn’t mean in reference to Duke’s, but you decide to play coy nonetheless. “Can’t a woman simply enjoy a good drink?”

“You know that’s not what I meant,” he replies just as quickly, tilting his head to the side as his eyes flicker up and down, observing you closely. “Why are you talking to me? We both know it’s unprecedented, even around here.”

You tilt your own head to the side, mocking the gesture. “Tired of my own company I suppose.”

Eyes narrowing - although a smile remains on his lips - he doesn’t seem to buy it.

You figure you can grant him some honesty, at least a fraction of it, anyway. “Hongjoong’s getting on my nerves,” you reply with a sigh, flickering your gaze down at the table as to not meet his own. “Guess I want a bit of my own insurgence.”

Yeosang lets out a small laugh at this, merely a light puff of air from his nose. “Well,” he begins, gaze flickering to the side as he chews on the corner of his lip. Perhaps deciding what he dares to say next, if he wants to play into the hand you’ve dealt him.

In the end, it appears that he does.

“Maybe you aren’t the only one in that boat.” He says softly, and you nod, a faint smile on your lips.

“Fine then,” you say, lifting your glass off of the counter and holding out before him. Your eyes meet his own above the rim. “Cheers to a bit of defiance.”

For a second, his gaze flickers from your offered glass, to his own sitting on the countertop. He’s hesitant, at his own crossroads it seems, just as you were earlier. A toast to a night with company that SMY’s leader would never approve of, one that he can either accept or turn away, head back home towards his own gang’s district and comradery.

He lifts up his glass, and the two knock together with a quiet “clink”.

“Cheers,” he replies softly, and you can’t help but smile.

~~~~

Over the last two hours of talking, as well as three drinks that accompanied it, you have learned your fair amount about Kang Yeosang.

Firstly, that he is just as witty as you may have expected, sarcasm a rather active aspect of both his vocabulary and humour. Whether you are discussing your gang or his own, or any of the other smaller crews amidst the city, he always has something clever to say. With a sharp tongue and a tendency to be a tad critical, you find there isn’t a dull moment to be found in conversation.

You suppose this adds to your second point of interest, this being that the man is far more amusing than you’d anticipated. Along with that wit comes a rather dry sense of humour. Not in the sense that he is boring, but rather much of what he says is delivered with such a comedical level of seriousness that you can’t help but laugh along.

But finally, and what intrigues you the most about the man in question, is that he seems to hate SMY. Perhaps not near as much as your gang does, but enough to discuss his distaste openly, with a member of what is supposed to be his enemy number one, at that.

Interesting.

“What would you do?” He asks, the two of you having forgone all formalities. His cheek rests in his palm, his other brought up to sit on the table, fingers tapping against the cool metal. You’d originally pegged it to be a nervous tick, but perhaps it is simply a habit.

“What would I do if…?” You ask, tone slightly teasing as you are unsure of what he’s getting at.

“If it weren’t for all of this,” he says, lifting his hand from the counter to motion around him. “If it weren’t for Duke’s, for SMY and KQ, what would you do?”

You don’t even consider the question before answering. “I don’t see much of a point in imagining that. There is no life without them, we’re too wrapped up.”

Yeosang sighs, narrowing his eyes. “Come on,” he says gently, the corner of his lips tilting up into a soft smile. “There must be something.”

He leans in a little closer, and for the first time you feel nervous. Not from the close proximity, but from the question itself.

What would you do if it weren’t for all this?

A simple question, but so much more complicated than he may even realize. It’s a question you’ve never let yourself dwell on, never given much thought other than the late nights spent tossing and turning under your sheets. Where Hongjoong would be off at a late night meeting - or far more likely, with some other girl uptown - unavailable for your occasional inappropriate blur of the lines between colleague and something more… intimate.

Those nights, the one where your studio apartment in KQ’s district feels a bit more like a prison cell than a home, those are the one’s that question enters your mind.

Where would you be, if not here? Who would you be upset over, if not him? What would you do with your life, if not this?

You’ve never come up with an answer, always veering your brain in a different direction when your conscience comes too close. But as the blonde watches you intently, awaiting your answer, you feel the strange urge to muster one.

And yet, you can’t. Not just yet, anyway. The vulnerability of it all is too much for you to offer up first. Better to make it like a business transaction, something you’re more familiar with. I will only offer something to you if you grant it to me prior.

“What would you do?” You ask him, voice barely above a whisper. You almost expect him to deflect the question, to say that he asked you first, and thus should receive an answer before he gives his own..

Instead, he sighs. Eyes drifting upwards, and focusing on the dim hanging lantern above you, he seems to consider it for a moment. “I would go to the mountains,” he says finally, and you can’t help the surprised laugh you let out.

“The mountains?” You ask, and his gaze falls back down to yours, eyes wide with surprise at your laughter.

“Yes?” He says, and when you continue to laugh he smiles, tone a tad affronted. “Why is that so funny?”

“I’m sorry,” you say genuinely, feeling a little bad due to the affronted look on his face. Motioning outwards with your hand, you gesture up and down, in reference to his head to toe appearance. His designer loafers, pristine white button up. Custom-tailor fitted pants and bleached blonde hair that you're certain he gets done at least every few weeks to remain so flawless. “I just never would have guessed.”

He sighs at this, rolling his eyes, albeit playfully. The smile remains on his lips as he speaks, but you can’t help but notice his drop in tone, words holding a tad more somber of an edge than previously.

“I know it’s a bit strange,” he says, voice lowered as he leans in a little closer. Maybe he just doesn’t want anyone else to hear, but the proximity undeniably makes the moment feel more intimate. “But I just think it’s the exact opposite of this city.”

“Is that what you would want?” You ask, curious. “The exact opposite?”

Yeosang pauses a moment before answering. “I would want somewhere quiet. With no violence or underground politics. Where I can walk wherever I want at night without the risk of getting mugged or kidnapped for ransome or murdered. Where I could have someone over to my place without it being seen as taboo, but also secluded enough to not have everyone involved in my business.”

“And the air doesn’t smell like shit,” you add, and he chuckles.

“That too,” he says. As the laughter between the two of you dies out, he speaks again. “So yeah, the exact opposite.”

“Still, I think you could find somewhere better than the mountains,” you add, doing your best to keep the lightness to the conversation alive, not wanting to know where it might go if you let the heaviness dwell too long.

“Oh, really?” He laughs, taking the bait with ease. Perhaps heaviness isn’t something he desires either. “And where would you go?”

You know it’s another attempt at breaking down the wall you’ve put up, another shot at hearing your answer.

However, he gave his own, and perhaps you owe him that much.

“A beach,” you say softly, and the answer comes as a surprise even to yourself. You’ve never dreamed of a beach, even within the brief fantasies you’ve never permitted yourself to have. But as you say the words, they feel right.

“A beach?” He says, eyebrows raising his surprise, as well as delight. “Why?”

“I don’t know,” you rush out quickly, feeling flustered all of a sudden, embarrassed. “Sand, warm weather, ocean breeze. It might be nice.”

You feel stupid for admitting it, telling this man who’s practically a stranger - or better, an enemy - an unspoken weakness. After all, it’s a vulnerable piece of information that a higher up within one of the major gang’s within the city dreams of being someplace else.

But Yeosang doesn’t seem to treat it as such. Instead, he smiles.

“It does sound nice,” he offers gently, and his hand falls onto yours on the table. Maybe it’s the alcohol buzzing around your system, but the action sends an unexpected jolt through you, a rush of warmth to your cheeks. He laughs quietly. “Better than the mountains, anyway.”

You chuckle, agreeing with the sentiment, although you can’t help the strange feeling that passes through you, almost like a tingle beneath your skin. An itch of sorts, one that tells you that this is wrong. You shouldn’t be discussing these sorts of things with him, it’s too dangerous. Not only that, but too vulnerable.

You should change the subject.

Fortunately, this comes almost naturally, as a loud clunking noise echoes from the other side of the bar. Craning your neck around, you watch as a burly man - one from a lesser gang you assume, based on how you don’t recognize him in the slightest - stands up from his chair. A puddle of beer coats the table in front of him, dripping down the rim of his glass, and you assume the noise had been him smashing it down on the table top.

While you don’t know why he’s angry, you can at least tell who his outburst is being directed at. A short stout man, with ginger hair and a scar that runs along his eyes sits in the chair before him. If he feels any sense of fear or intimidation he doesn’t show it, leaning back into his chair with his arms crossed and a bored expression across his face.

The lackadaisical attitude only seems to agitate the burly man further, and as he begins to shout something about a bet and how the man owes him his due, you know that Dukes’ weekly brawl is most likely about to commence.

Yeosang appears to recognize this as well, as he rolls his eyes. Letting out a deep sigh, his hand finally drifts away from your own, and the absence of it feels cool over your knuckles.

He most likely thinks that the night is over, neither of you are the type to participate in needless and mindless violence, at least not on the brawn side of things.

Besides, beyond Duke’s there’s really nowhere for the two of you to go. At least nowhere safe, where the ground remains neutral. For the night to go any further, one of you would have to take a rather significant risk, walking onto enemy turf with no defence nor back-up waiting for you.

Which is perhaps why Yeosang is so surprised by what you say next.

“So,” you start, eyes wandering from the escalating situation, over to meet his own. Your hand drifts to rest on top of his knuckles, mirroring his own boldness earlier. A small grin laces your lips as you manage to catch how his eyes widen slightly with surprise, although he does well to hide it.

“Your place?” You ask, and this time he doesn’t do well to hide it at all.

Mouth parting open slightly, his gaze darts from your face to the door, eyebrows furrowing. “Are you…okay with that?” He settles on finally, tone laced with genuine concern. By the sounds of it, it’s a risk he wouldn’t take himself if the offer had been reversed.

But you’ve always been a little more daring in your plans. Willing to play a tad more dirty, with a level of risk that some would cower at.

Now is no different.

“Of course,” you reply with a level of nonchalance, slipping off your chair and pulling your purse back up and over your shoulder. Heels clicking beneath you as you make a few steps towards the door, you glance over your shoulder to find he’s already watching you intently.

You nod towards the jacket covering the back of his chair. “Grab your coat,” you say. With a grin, he follows.

~~~~

The walk to Yeosang’s apartment didn’t feel near as dangerous as it may have been in reality. Wearing a simple black mask in order to cover your face and preserve your identity, it almost didn’t feel needed, the two of you only passing by a fellow or two along the way. Making quiet conversation the entire length of the walk, the journey was practically over before you’d even processed that it had started.

Now you are in his apartment. His home.

He lives here, and you aren’t quite sure why, but the thought jares you.

“Feel free to make yourself comfortable” Yeosang says, neatly hanging up his jacket on the coat rack by the door before taking yours in turn.

The first thing you notice about his apartment is that it’s much cleaner than your own. With a minimalistic style, the counters and tables seem almost barren. Everything a classic black and white hugh, it casts a refined atmosphere over the entire apartment, classy. The only real decorations being a few dark paintings that hang on the walls - an abstract sort of style so that you can’t pick out what exactly they are - and an empty vase sitting on the coffee table in his living room.

Feeling a little shy all of a sudden, you take a slow walk around to simply observe. It feels weird to see his place, all of his belongings. Intimate almost, as it’s where he cooks and eats and watches tv, such mundane tasks you rarely imagine a person doing until you get to know them better.

“Can I get you something to drink? Or eat, if you’re hungry?” He asks, moving past you in order to open the fridge.

Taking a seat at his kitchen island, you lay your hands atop the marble counter, not quite sure of what to do with yourself. “A drink will be fine.”

“What would you like?” He asks, closing the refrigerator and moving towards a cupboard, where you assume he keeps his alcohol. “Someone recently gifted me a bottle of bourbon. It’s a bit of a fancy one, if that’s up your alley.”

You wonder if it’s a gift from someone in SMY, perhaps for the success of the heist he planned.

“Bourbon is good with me.”

After pouring two glasses, he slides one across the counter and over to you. Raising it to your lips and taking a sip, he does the same.

It’s so… quiet. The bustle of Duke’s no longer there to provide an ambiance of busy background noise, the entire atmosphere has changed. When you place your glass back down at the counter, it practically rings throughout the entire apartment. Like a drop rippling through still water, it breaks the silence.

You’re far more nervous than you expected yourself to be, and you have yet to decide whether or not that’s a good thing.

“So,” you start after swallowing, taking another moment to glance around. “You live here.”

He chuckles. “I do,” he offers, a small smile painting his lips. When he speaks again, his voice is quiet, and you wonder if he feels the shift in mood as well. “Do you like it?”

“It’s very clean,” you offer, and after realizing that might come off a bit backhanded, you amend: “Classy. Much nicer than my place.”

“I think it’s boring,” he says, walking over from his place across the counter, and sitting at the stool right beside your own. It’s practically the exact same position the two of you had shared at Duke’s, but as he sits down, it feels so utterly different. So much closer, and when his hand falls on top of yours just as it had before, you feel your breath catch in your throat.

He doesn’t seem to notice, but you certainly do. Why are you so nervous? You’ve been at death's door multiple times, had meetings with men who would have you killed in an instant if they had the chance, lied to an entire breakroom of criminals without breaking a sweat.

And yet this - no, he - is the thing that seema to have you losing your cool? Under different circumstances, you’d laugh at the irony.

But for now you just look upwards, gently meeting his dark eyes. “Why not change it then?”

He sighs. “I don’t know,” he starts, but the way his voice trails tells you that he does. “Maybe it’s just that if I really put my heart into the place, it’ll start feeling like a home.”

It’s a strange answer, and the look on your face must make that apparent, as he elaborates.

“If this place starts feeling like a home, I’ll feel even more trapped here than I already do,” he murmurs. His gaze falls, and the mindless tapping of his fingers fills the silence of the apartment, as you struggle to think of what to say in return.

It’s one of the many times tonight that Yeosang has mentioned his discontent. Having stated that you weren’t the only one craving rebellion as well as having it planned where he might be if it weren’t for SMY, it’s interesting. As well as serious.

You also have had your struggles with KQ. With Hongjoong. With this life and routine and the way it all weighs down on your shoulders.

Yet, you have never discussed such things, and you aren’t sure if that’s because you don’t believe them as strongly as Yeosang seems to, or if you are simply too terrified to try. Perhaps a fair mixture of both.

“You’re awfully quiet all of a sudden,” he whispers, breaking you from your thoughts. Running his fingers along your knuckles, they just barely graze your skin. His tone is gentle, but also a tad playful. “Too heavy?”

“No,” you say, extending a hand forward to smooth out the fabric on the shoulder of his button up. You wonder if the light touch affects him the same way it has you. “I’m used to it. But I also wouldn’t mind something a little lighter.”

“Hm,” he hums, the corner of his lip curving upwards. “Have something in mind?”

Gaze drifting across the room, you notice a set of curtains at the end of the living room. Long and draping, as well as covering most of the wall, it’s an odd placement. “Do you have a balcony?”

“I do,” he replies, that little curve to his lips growing far wider. “I also have some Cuban’s, if you’re interested?”

“Speaking my language, I see” you say, leaving your purse on the counter as you make a move to get up. Yeosang follows suit, although instead of following you into the living room, he opens one of the drawers within the kitchen. After sifting through some papers, from beneath them he pulls out a box - more precisely a humidor - setting it down on the counter as he pulls out two cigars.

Pulling back the curtain, followed by the sliding door, the night air feels cool against your skin. The breeze that blows by is especially strong due to your sheer height above the ground, Yeosang’s apartment located near the top floor of one of the tallest sky-scrapers in the city.

Stepping out to place your hands on the metal railing in front of you, you grip it tightly as you lean forward in order to get a better look at the city below. The few people out and about at this hour are like little ants making their way through tunnels rather than street’s, the once towering lamp posts now reduced to mini beads of light, equal distance apart as if strung about on a wire.

You hear the door slide closed behind you, Yeosang following suit by your side. Handing one of the cigars over to you, you slip it between his lips, and he does the service of lighting it.

The smoke is almost dizzying, the pleasant aroma of the Cuban’s hanging potent in the air even with the blowing wind. The rich scent of spices and leather fill your nose, a brilliant concoction of tobacco and plenty else, somehow smelling purely of the earth and the city all at once.

Both of you twisting to face outwards to view the city rather than each other, you blow another puff of smoke into the air before speaking once more. “I’ve never seen the city like this before.”

“Don’t live in the sky?” He asks, and you shake your head, lip curling upwards.

“I don’t, but that’s not what I meant,” you say, gaze fluttering across the quiet streets. The different shops you can just barely make out down below, the other towering apartment buildings with only a few windows still glowing, letting you know you aren’t the only other people with waking lives. “I’ve never been to this side of town. Maybe for a couple meetings, but I’ve never really looked at it, you know?”

Yeosang considers this for a moment. “And how does it compare?”

“It’s…” you start, mulling over the question. In the end, only one answer comes to mind. The truth. “It’s exactly the same.”

He pulls the cigar from his lips before raising an eyebrow, beckoning you to elaborate.

“Same tall skyscrapers with little to differentiate them. Same narrow streets and accompanying lamp posts. Same taxis, same dingy corner stores, same cool wind and foul smell in the air. It’s just all the same,” you say, eyebrows furrowed as you try to wrap your mind around it.

You sigh, and while you know you shouldn’t say the next few words, they tumble from your lips all the same. “Makes you wonder why we all fight so hard for more of it, when it’s all the same shit anyway.”

Yeosang doesn’t say anything to this, but you can hear as his head turns away from the city skyline in order to face you. And yet, you hold yourself back from doing the same, and you aren’t quite sure why. Scared to see his expression, perhaps. What might his eyes say to the briefest vulnerability you’ve granted him? Will they gleam with more than you’re willing to grant?

His free hand drifts to rest on top of yours along the barrier of the balcony, and beckons for you to look at him. With a steadying breath, you do, and he smiles. The look in his eyes is warm - genuine - and you try to match it, although your chest feels tight.

You might be taking this too far, you shouldn’t be talking about this with him. Let him display his own weak discontent, sure, but your own cracks are something you should never let shine through. Not to him, not to Hongjoong, not to any of these men who are far more dangerous than they often appear to be.

Because Yeosang does not appear to be dangerous, especially now, with his expression so soft. Eyes tender and thumb dragging back and forth over your knuckles.

“I think we fight because that’s what we’ve always done,” Yeosang says, tone somber as a quiet sadness creeps its way across his face, settling into a sad sort of smile. “Maybe years ago there was a reason, but now it’s just what we do. Hatred bred and born rather than earned.”

He’s right, and you wonder what Hongjoong might think if you told him that. If you told him your rivalry is pointless, that everything you all do is unjustified. Who cares about power, about warehouses and blood-feuds and meth-labs when it’s a never-ending game? KQ will never win, just as SMY never will. Like a hamster-wheel constantly turning, you chase after a dream that’s impossible to reach. A journey with no end.

It’s a depressing thought, as well as one that surprises you. It’s not the first time such syncism has touched your conscience, but it’s certainly the first time you haven’t brushed it away. Haven’t shoved it down, put a cork in it and bottled it away.

It scares you.

Taking one last drag of your cigar, you let the smoke hang in the back of your throat for a moment, before stubbing it out on the ashtray embedded in the wall next to you.

“Had enough?” Yeosang asks, and you shake your head, blowing out the smoke.

“Not quite,” you reply, trying to bring some lightness back into the conversation, although the weight doesn’t lift completely from your shoulders. “I just can’t finish a full one. I’ll share yours.”

Granting a nod in response, he takes a drag himself before handing it over to you in turn. It’s not as quiet as it was back within his apartment, the background noise of the city far more similar to how it had been in Duke’s. The horns of taxis still blaring even within the quiet of the night, traffic never fully stopping, the city never truly asleep. The wind whistles throughout the tall buildings, and within the distance you can hear laughter of a drunk and wild sort, from a girl you're certain is having more fun than the rest of the town combined.

When was the last time you laughed like that? You aren’t certain you ever have.

Yet, you can’t deny it grants you a bit of comfort. To be accompanied by not only Yeosang, but the city itself. Something unfamiliar, settled by another in which you’re entirely comfortable. A perfect balance.

The smoke in the air is slowly becoming dizzying, the scent incredibly potent, and as he blows out another puff you take in a deep breath. The two of you are close, perhaps even more so now than before as you pass the cigar between you.

“Have you ever thought about this?” He asks suddenly, reaching past you to place the bud of the cigar down on the ashtray.

“Me and you?” You ask, the corner of your lip curved upwards. “No.”

He chuckles at the bluntness of your words, teeth now visible as his grin widens. “Me neither,” he replies, tone drifting towards soft. “Strange, isn’t it?”

“Which part?”

“How neither of us ever even considered it a possibility,” he begins, eyes flickering away from yours and back towards the skyline, almost shy. “We’ve seen each other at meetings countless times, and plotted against one another twice as many.”

He taps his fingers along the railing.

“And yet, now you’re here on my balcony, sharing a drink and a cigar, and it’s like it doesn’t matter. I don’t hate you, not how SMY wants me to. Not the way I pretend to, as if it’s just a part of the job description.”

The statement sends a jolt of surprise that rattles through you, causing you to still.

You don’t hate him, and frankly, you’ve never hated him. But it’s not this fact that surprises you, but rather in trying to recall anyone in SMY that you despise, you seem to draw a blank.

You plot against them not because of passion, but because it’s your role. You hijack their transport routes and send scouts towards their warehouses not because you want nothing more than to see SMY burn, but because it’s just that: your job.

Hongjoong hates SMY. He spends nights laying awake dreaming of his next move. Harbouring resentment over people lost, over past failures and battles. It’s war for him, nestled deep within his soul.

What’s animosity for Hongjoong is mere duty for you, and it’s not until Yeosang points this out that you realize how divisive that is.

What you’re doing right now, a casual drink with a sworn enemy that doesn’t feel like so, Hongjoong could never. Does that make you worse than him? Better? Does it matter at all? Or is it just part of the never-ending cycle, the hamster wheel turning and turning with no end. Wherever your motives fall, you run it all the same, just as you all die equals.

Yeosang doesn’t seem to notice the weight his words have on you. Or if he does, he refrains from acknowledging it. Instead he continues to move his thumb back and forth, palm of his hand moving upwards to more fully rest atop your own.

“But I’ve enjoyed our little insurgence,” he says, giving your hand a soft squeeze. “Haven’t you?”

“More than I could have ever expected to,” is the first thing that comes to mind, but it feels a little too much, so instead you simply say: “I have.”

Eyes igniting with what appears to be confidence, he moves in a little closer, faces still remaining a few inches apart, although the new proximity is daunting. His breath blows against your face, the scent a mixture between the leather and tobacco of the cigars and the bourbon from earlier. It’s a rich combination, warm against your skin in contrast to the cool night air.

His eyes flicker down to your lips, gaze lingering there in a way you know he doesn’t wish to go unseen. He seeks permission, a sign of acceptance before going any further.

As you lean in, it’s slow. His breath grows warmer, and your heart beats within your chest a little faster. His sunken eyes fall shut, and it’s only once your lips connect with his own that you let your own follow suit.

The kiss is melancholic, lazy. Lips dragging slowly against his own, there is no rush as your hand drifts to rest upon his shoulder. His own hand - the one that is not placed against your own on the balcony railing - settles onto your waist. Grip gentle, he pulls you in a little tighter, closing the remaining space between the two of you.

For the first time, it crosses your mind that someone may see you. There are building’s equally as high, the two of you not out of sight from plenty surrounding apartments. You’re in SMY territory, scouts surely something they have strone about the streets, just as you have set up for KQ.

What might SMY’s leader think, if he were to see the two of you now? And why does that prospect excite you more than it scares you?

Other hand finally drifting away from Yeosang’s own, it settles along his jawline, cupping his face as you pull him further into you. He lets you, hand sliding back along the railing as he is pulled closer.

He lets out a groan as your teeth nip at his lower lip, hand gripping your waist a little tighter. The smell of cigar smoke fading as the wind continues to blow it away, the bourbon becomes even more pronounced on his tongue. Flooding your senses, it’s sickeningly sweet, like vanilla and caramel.

Mouth pulling away for a moment, his gaze darts from your own to the skyline, then to the door. “Should we take this inside?” He asks, and you almost want to say no.

“Let them see,” your mind whispers. “It doesn’t matter anyway.”

Perhaps Yeosang’s own cynicism really is rubbing off on you.

Instead, you nod. “Yes,” you murmur, accompanied by a smile that matches his own as his grip remains on your waist, pulling you beside him as you head over towards the door.

Sliding it backwards, it’s only a moment after you hear it click shut behind you that you feel him spin you around towards him, lips crashing back into your own.

What was once lazy becomes messy, as the two of you tumble your way through the narrow hallway. Not bothering to break apart, the two of you become one shared force, a tangled mess of ragged breath and loose limbs that makes its way to what you assume to be his bedroom. It's fortunate now that Yeosang’s apartment is lacking in decorations, as you’d surely be breaking a few of them.

However, despite the lack of decoration, upon entering his bedroom you still manage to crash into something. Knee striking into an object next to the door, it falls heavily as it tumbles to the ground with a loud bang.

Pulling away from him briefly, your gaze scans the floor to see what may have fallen. His grip on your waist remains tight, as he attempts to lean in and kiss you once more, but you don’t let him. When you see what lays on the floor, you pull away entirely.

A suitcase.

But not just the one suitcase that has burst open onto the floor, packed almost entirely full with a mountain of clothes that have begun to spill out upon the hardwood. But rather four suitcases, the other three sitting next to the doorframe, all equally as large. Stuffed to the brim, the zippers appear almost ready to burst.

“Yeosang…” You trail off, gaze narrowing as you stare at the surplus of luggage. You’re certain that those four bags contain more supplies and accessories than his entire apartment. “Are you going somewhere?”

When the only answer you’re met with is his silence, you twist your neck around to face him. You can’t make out his expression, as the room is far too dark and the only light source remains down the hallway, the hanging lamp from within the kitchen. However, you can tell that he’s moved backwards, now a solid few feet away from you, face downcast as his own gaze remains fixated on the floor. He says nothing.

But the silence is more of an answer than any words.

“Are you…” You begin, tone remaining accusatory, even if you try your hardest to keep it soft. “Are you running away?”

Over the course of the night, you have taken Yeosang for many things: A good man discontent with the hand he’s been dealt, someone in need of a change of pace, as well as a new outlook.

But even as all those things, you never took him to be a deserter.

Few who are a part of this life are in love with it. It’s difficult, messy. Full of greed, hurt, and so, so much worse.

But you never, ever leave. It’s not an option, and only a fool would consider it to be.

You never considered Yeosang to be a fool, either.

Once again, you are greeted with silence. Yeosang takes another step back, and as his head shifts upwards, you can tell his gaze has shifted to the suitcases, both hands coming up to run through his long hair. He seems stressed, nervous. Panicked and afraid.

And yet, amongst all that fear, he also seems tired. Defeated, as he lets out a long sigh.

Then he finally speaks.

It’s nothing more than a mumble, and you take a step closer. “What?” You ask, and he finally turns to face you, eyes meeting yours even within the bedroom’s darkness.

“Come with me,” he states, and you choke on nothing but the air in your throat.

“What?” You ask, this time with far more incredulity in your tone, not even attempting to mask the utter shock at the suggestion, or better, plea.

“We’ll go to the mountains,” he says, moving closer to you, and this time it is you who takes a step back. He doesn’t seem to notice, as he instead begins to ramble. “Or the beach. Hell, I’m sure there’s a place with both. We’ll find it, and we’ll go there.”

There’s a desperation to his voice, one that you do not recognize. Never before seen in previous meetings, nor throughout the night, it’s as if you managed to flip some sort of switch. Like a dam breaking, the walls he put up have suddenly come crashing down, and now the flood has come rushing through. All the harboured discontent you’ve noticed far deeper than you ever could have realized.

“Are you crazy?” You ask, and if he takes any offence to the statement, he doesn’t show it. Instead he groans in frustration, turning away from you and walking further into the room. Once again raising his hands to his head, this time he pulls at his hair instead of running them through it.

“No,” he whispers as you move over to his nightstand, switching on the lamp in order to cast even the slightest hint of light into the room. However, now that you’re able to see his expression, you almost wish you hadn’t switched on the light at all, as he just appears so… broken.

Eyes dull, he simply stares at you, shaking his head. “No, I’m not crazy,” he whispers, and although it’s in response to your question, it seems to be more of a reassurance to himself. “I’m not crazy for wanting out, and I’m tired of people acting like I am.”

“Yeosang-” You start, wanting to stop this before it even truly begins, but he interrupts you before you get the chance. His hands loosen their grip on his scalp, and with one of his hands he reaches out, pointing towards you. When he speaks his voice is surprisingly firm.

“You feel the same way I do, don’t lie,” he says, accusatory. “The shit about the city all being the same, fighting being pointless, wanting a bit of insurgence? The beach?”

You shake your head, denying the statement, but he presses further. “That was all you, not me.”

You open your mouth to say something, but no words come out. Not because you are interrupted, but simply because you don’t know what to say.

Because really, he’s right.

Caught up in the moment, his own vigilance and outspoken behaviour seemed to rub off on your own conscience, because those were your ideas. And as much as you want to, you can’t blame them fully on him.

And yet, it doesn’t matter. You will never desert. This is your life, even if there’s a little part of you that wishes it wasn’t. It’s like you told him from the very beginning, there is no point in imagining a life without this - without Duke’s, KQ or SMY - you are simply too wrapped up. He is also too wrapped up, even he’s pretending that he isn’t.

“They’ll find you Yeosang,” you say quietly, shaking your head. “You know that.”

“And so what if they do?” He says, although the anger is slowly dissipating from his voice, as if he’s remembering it’s not you he’s upset with. “At least then I’ll die knowing that I tried.”

A moment of silence passes, and he let’s out a sigh. Shoulder’s sagging slightly, it’s as if you can see the defeat in his posture. His mouth drawn into a thin line, he takes a few steps towards you, hesitant. This time, when he reaches out for your hand, you don’t pull away.

“Come with me,” he asks again, although this time it is not as desperate, as he already knows the answer. “We’re smart, we could make it.”

But you both know that you couldn’t.

Maybe that is why his packed bags have been sitting by his bedroom door for what you imagine have been weeks, the dust collecting beneath them now visible in the lamp-light.

Maybe that is why he let you approach him at Duke’s, brought you here tonight. Knowing he couldn’t stew in this alone, hoping to find someone who shared in his own struggles. Desperate to not be lonesome in this feeling any longer.

But the woman he searches for is not you. He is willing to abandon it all, a brave enough coward. You are neither of those things.

“No,” you say softly, giving his hand a soft squeeze. His lips purse together, clearly disappointed, but he nods in acceptance all the same.

“I’m not the person you want me to be,” you say, looking up to meet his eyes. “I’m not your ideal woman who’s going to come save you from all your discontent. That’s just not me.”

He swallows at this, beginning to pull his hand away, when you stop him. “But,” you begin, your free hand reaching up from your side and settling on the collar of his shirt, fingers resting upon the first button. He stiffens at this. “If you’re looking to lose yourself in something…”

You pull the button through it’s loop, allowing the shirt to fall open slightly, so that the bare of his chest is visible. “Even if only for one night,” you continue, leaning in closer so that you’re only a few inches apart now. His gaze falls down to your lips, and even though he doesn’t move closer, his own fall open in turn.

You let your hand trail down to the next button. You can feel his breath on your face, and it still smells of the cigar smoke. Of the bourbon, of the whisky from back at Duke’s, of the series of poor decisions that brought the two of you to where you are now.

“I can do that for you,” you murmur, voice just barely audible.

Instead of speaking, he leans forward, connecting his lips with your own. And that is answer enough.

It is not slow this time, nor is it not lazy. It’s passionate, furious. He lips seeking yours with a sense of vengeance, a desire to forget himself. Forget KQ and SMY, live a life where they don’t matter.

And for tonight, you can pretend the same.

Hand gripping around the small of your back, he pulls you with him as he makes his way backwards, towards the bed that lays behind him.

He moves to turn the two of you around, so that he can lay you down under him, but you don’t give him the chance. Instead, you take the opportunity to push him backwards, so that it is his own back that presses against the mattress.

Elbows still holding him upwards, his eyes widen in surprise, mouth parting open although no words come out. Seating yourself over top of him, you let you lips drift to his jawbone, sucking gently on the skin. Mouth slowly drifting closed, he let’s out a sharp inhale of air.

He swallows, hard.

You feel as his own hand drifts to slide up beneath your shirt, reaching backwards as to fiddle with the back of your bra strip.

It strikes you now just how wrong this is, how fundamentally taboo it is for you - a higher of KQ - to be fooling around with someone equally as important under SMY. It’s truly unheard of, mostly due to the fact nobody would ever dare to try it.

Yet, here you are, daring.

But right now, you don’t feel daring. You feel tired, frustrated, and desperate. Tired of having these thoughts plague your mind. Frustrated with yourself for letting Yeosang’s own discontent rouse the harboured resentment within you. Desperate to lose yourself in something.

For all of your talk of it being Yeosang who wishes to pretend that reality doesn’t exist for a moment, with the way you press yourself against him with such fervour, it may truly be you who desires to forget it all for one night.

A bit of insurgence.

Closing your eyes, desire burns hotly from within your core. Like smoke from a burning wildfire, it spreads quickly as a haze over your mind, and it’s exactly what you’ve wanted.

And for one night, the two of you pretend.

~~~~

When you wake up, it’s in darkness.

Sweat beeding against your forehead, you blink a few times, eyelids sticky as you attempt to remember where you are. Shifting upwards, you realize that an arm hangs over the back of your figure, fingertips brushing against your naked stomach.

Right.

Yeosang’s chest is pressed up against your back, breathing slow and melodic as he sleeps soundly. Lips brushing against you shoulder, the contact makes you still, as if the weight of what you’ve just done finally settles into reality.

You don’t regret it, the night truly being everything you needed, but an inkling of guilt creeps into your mind all the same. Chewing on the bottom of your lip, you slide one of your ankles out from beneath the sheets, and are immediately shocked by the coolness of the bedroom air.

Slipping it back under, you give yourself a moment to prepare. Yeosang is warm, the bed cozy, and you know you’d be far more comfortable letting yourself fall back into sleep.

But that was never the plan.

Gently pulling his hand from it’s place over your waist, you are careful not to rouse him awake as you slide out from beside him. Shivering slightly, you search around the room for your top, your eyes not having adjusted to the dim light.

You find it, along with your jeans, on Yeosang’s side of the bed. Slipping them on as quietly as possible, before tiptoeing your way out of the bedroom, you do not allow yourself a spare glance backwards.

Making your way down the hallway and into the kitchen, you make quick work as you immediately head towards the drawer where he’d kept his cigars. Or more specifically in your interest, was stuffed full of documents.

Sifting through them, your eyes scan over the headlines. There are orders describing the details of past and future shipments, profile’s for different SMY members, printed out emails that surely may hold a level of importance.

But they aren’t what you came here for tonight.

You find it near the very bottom, sliding it out from it’s place beneath the pile and holding it before you. The document reads: “Northern Warehouse: Floorplan and Security”.

Jackpot.

It’s what you need for retaliation. SMY took out one of your warehouses, so the only appropriate response would be to take down one of their own, specifically the one known to have the most prevalent meth lab inside, as well as most populated security.

Fight fire with fire, as Hongjoong had put it. If they bring you a battle, counter them with a war.

Taking the document, you fold it in half before reaching for your purse that still sits on the kitchen countertop, slipping it inside. Your phone screen is already alight from within the pocket you’d stuffed it in, buzzing only slightly since you’d left it on silent mode.

Pulling it out, you finally check the notifications you’d purposely ignored, and the screen is flooded with messages from Hongjoong.

Hongjoong (9:24pm): You at Duke’s yet?

Missed call from Hongjoong.

Hongjoong (9:48pm): Hello?

Hongjoong (10:10pm): Fine. Just let me know when you’re on your way to his place.

Hongjoong (12:13am): You on your way there?

Hongjoong (12:28am): Listen, I know you were iffy on this. Be mad at me, whatever. But don’t leave me in the dark.

You roll your eyes.

Hongjoong (12:56am): I’m assuming you found it?

Hongjoong (1:15am): Is he out?

At this your hand mindlessly drifts into your bag, settling on a small linear bottle hidden within one of the side-pockets. Pulling it out, you twist the bottle within your hand, the white powder within falling from side to side as you do so, like sand within an hour glass.

This had been the original plan for when you got to his place. Slip it in his drink, knock him out, find the papers and leave.

But you knew you were never going to do that from the minute you sat down next at him at Duke’s

Hongjoong (2:13am): You’re starting to worry me, this is seriously fucking petty.

Hongjoong (2:45am): You got an hour to text me back or I’m sending someone out there.

However, what starts as a worried concern quickly shifts, and you can’t help but snort.

Hongjoong (3:17am): You’re fucking him, aren’t you?

It’s almost humorous. He speaks with anger, as if you owe him any sort of loyalty. He slept with a waitress at Duke’s just last week, and a girl from your Southern District a month earlier. You don’t really remember the one before that, but you’re pretty sure she had a tattoo of a crane on the back of her shoulder, at least that’s what you saw when she was leaving his office.

The two of you aren’t together, so if he wants to be mad at you for fucking someone else, he needs to reflect on his own history first.

And maybe he is starting to, as he seems to think better of it.

Hongjoong (3:22am): Don’t answer that.

Missed Call from Hongjoong.

Hongjoong (3:26am): Please call me back. I just need to know you’re alive.

Letting out a sigh, you know you can’t keep him in radio silence any longer. You can tell that even with his jealousy, he’s genuinely worried, and if the roles were reversed you would want a response just the same.

You (3:36am): I got it. On my way back.

You’re about to leave, slipping your jacket on and heading towards the door, when something stops you. You sigh, knowing it’s stupid, but you find yourself lightly tredding back down the hallway, towards Yeosang’s bedroom.

Peaking inside, you hang in the doorframe for a moment. Feeling a ghost of the person you were just a few hours ago, you can’t bring yourself to leave, like an apparition tied to the room.

Despite yourself, his offers hangs within your mind.

“Come with me,” he asks again, although this time it is not as desperate, as he already knows the answer. “We’re smart, we could make it.”

It’s dumb, and you’re well aware of that, but you can’t help but imagine what might happen if you said yes. If you shook him awake right now, stuffed the items back into his suitcase and left everything behind.

Desert it all, escape the hamster wheel. No more immoral shit like this, no more planning the murder of the SMY members during operations, no more of this toxic endless cycle of an almost-relationship you’ve gotten yourself wrapped up in with your boss.

But even if you managed to leave it all, would it ever really leave you?

You’ve done too much to turn your back on this life now. You’re too tainted. This is your job. It’s what you’re good at, because really, it’s all you’ve ever done. Unlike Yeosang, you aren’t someone brave enough to dream of anything else, to chase after what may lay beyond the boundaries of this city.

You swallow deeply, trying to shake off both the pain and guilt that rests upon your shoulders. Smoothing out your jacket, you watch him for only a moment longer, how his arm drapes over the spot where your figure had just been. He smiles when he sleeps.

Turning around, you make your way back down the hallway and towards the door. Slipping on your heels, you don’t close the door completely when you leave, as not to wake him.

Making your way down the apartment complex hallway, you still smell of the cigar smoke. The bourbon and the whisky. Like sex and longing. Like regret.

You’re afraid a shower won’t be enough to wash that away.

Sending a quick text to Hongjoong, you ask him to send you a car, this area of the city still entirely foreign to you.

When you make it out of the apartment building, it has begun to snow. The first of the season. You pay no mind, you feel cold enough already. And even as you stare down the street, waiting for the car to pick you up to take you back to your real life, your mind does not leave Yeosang.

You blink, and your eyes water for the first time in as long as you can recall. Funny, you thought you were immune to the trials of the job at this point, your plots no longer containing the power to phase you. Apparently, there is a line to this however, and you have managed to cross it.

Eventually, the car comes, a long and jet-black vehicle with tinted windows. When you settle into the back seat, the driver immediately sets the car in motion. You stare out your own window, eyes drifting up towards the top of the building, knowing that in one of those rooms Yeosang sleeps. Unaware.

You sigh.

You can only hope SMY doesn’t kill him when they discover where KQ found the floorplan.

~~~~~

thanks for reading!!

here are my ateez and skz masterlists for your convenience, and feel free to come chat with me about any of your thoughts if you enjoyed. i hope to see you around :3

327 notes · View notes