Latest Posts by that-jax - Page 6

Fix You Masterlist

hybrid!Min Yoongi x female!reader

Summary: When you take in a stray cat, you have no idea he’s secretly a hybrid trying to escape his past. Can you help him heal?

Genre: hurt/comfort, angst, slow burn, fluff

Word Count: 36,863

Rating: M

Warnings (topics may not appear in every part): minor character is a dick to animals, mentions of a gun, main character injury (non-serious), discussion of physical abuse, emotional abuse, discussion of sexual abuse, discussion of self-harm

banner by @birbdae

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six 

Part Seven

Part Eight 

Part Nine

Part Ten

Part Eleven

Part Twelve

Part Thirteen - End.

Read the Sequel

FY Bonus Masterlist

Read more about the characters and the universe of Fix You from the 100 Days of Fix You Celebration

The Fix You Ending Celebration

As always, your feedback is appreciated. Please feel free to pop into my ask box with questions or comments about the series!

Taglist: @min-yus, @melindagrace31, @shrimpmsg, @ghostkat23, @demcreeps, @ggsmashgg, @findingyourtreasure, @20emma0, @springbean, @black-rose-29, @cuteipat, @agustneeds, @deeepvibes, @yzkyzkuniverse, @softbbyg0rl, @lostatthebarns, @fangirl125reader, @janeelizabeth1216, @nabo39, @ignixte, @namecannotbblank, @horanghae18, @aria217x, @moon-write, @narcissism-iskey, @mygpuffs, @someonekeepstakingmyusernames, @baby-boy-v, @barbikatherine, @loveyoongles, @ohmydarlin-g, @sugasbabiie, @lorielulu7, @xxlovingfandomsxx, @forvever-ddaeng, @rosquilleta, @novakitten0901, @xjordynary, @dinorahrodriguez, @halesandy, @wayward-student-philosopher, @precededbychaos, @overtherainbow35, @expectonothinfromme, @xthefuckerysquaredx, @lettucecabbage-kun, @deathkat657, @madjanmil, @childfmoonn, @eddievoid, @seolaquotes​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Little Leopard [1]

"If it weren't for seven men that fateful night you wouldn't be here now. They showed you good people did exist. That life can be great, that you can be loved and cared for. These seven men were the men you loved and cherished. These men were your mates. Your safety blanket. And to them. You were their Little Leopard.

Pairing: OT7 X Hybrid!Reader

Genre: Hybrid! AU, Strangers to Lovers! AU, Rich!BTS, Fluff, Angst(And I mean Angst), Polyamorous!BTS

Warnings: Past Abuse/Sexual Abuse, Explicit Language, Anxiety, Suicidal Thoughts, Mentions of blood/injuries, Trust Issues.

Word Count: 2.2K

Author Note: I wrote this when I had a sudden urge to write ad this is the outcome, I hope you guys enjoy it, it's quite depressing but I promise there is a happy ending and that themes do get brighter the more you read, it's not my best but I did my best since I haven't written properly for a while! Our Good Girl will be released soon I promise!

This was it. This was the end of the miserable thing you called life. Finally sweet sweet release from the years of abuse and torment. It was finally ending, your body had enough, you were giving up. You had enough and it seems the universe has had enough of you too.

For years you had been bought, sold, traded to different owners. Not one treated you well. Being a rare breed of hybrid caused you to be shipped off constantly to different owners, either for money or simply for your new owner’s entertainment. It had been an endless cycle since you were a cub. Torn from your parents so young that you can’t even remember them.

Your final owner had been the worst, you were used to the poor treatment but this time had been too much. Beaten black and blue to the point of barely conscious, he thought you were already dead, demanding his bodyguard to dispose of you, which leads to where you are now, a bloody pulp, curled up in a glacial and damp alleyway, shivering and barely able to stay awake, life feeling like it’s being sucked out of you, there was no one to help, everyone inside from the pouring rain and night sky. It’s not like they would anyway. You couldn’t cry out for help even if you wanted to. So here you are, accepting death's kiss willingly. Your misery was finally about to en-

Your hybrid ears twitch at the sound of voices, two to be precise. You could barely open your eyes, you just wanted to give up. You didn’t want any more suffering yet you prepared yourself for it.

“No, I swear I saw someone dump something here Joonie! They looked so sketchy I just want to make sure it’s nothing harmful! Kids walk this street all the time, what if it’s something that could hurt them?”

“Jimin, if that's the case then we should call the police to deal with this instead. Are you one hundred per cent sure you saw someone dump something here?”

“Yes, Namjoon! Are you doubting me? Let’s see what it was first before we do anything, we don’t want to waste their time if there is nothin- Is that blood?”

The two men were immediately much more alert and worried, the tallest pushing the youngest behind him as they peer properly into the alleyway, turning their lights on their phones on and gasping in horror seeing the small malnourished body curled up and fighting for their life.

“Oh my god Joonie it’s a hybrid, they’re hurt badly, we gotta help them.” The smallest says heartbreaking at the sight. He would never understand what people get out of hurting something so unique.

“Her. It’s a female, I can’t tell what hybrid breed she is, her fur is too dirty. Jimin go to the car, get the blanket we leave in there, she’s ice cold.” Namjoon orders and without any protests, the man rushes away to grab it.

“Hey there, stay with me okay? My boyfriend and I are going to help you okay? You’re safe now, I’m Namjoon, what’s your name?” Namjoon says softly, hesitant to touch you in case he hurt you more, he didn’t want to scare you more than you already were. You part your lips and let out a tiny humourless laugh making Namjoon frown.

“T-That’s what t-they all say, g-go ahead f-finish t-their job, e-end it please, make i-it quick.” You choke out, your ribs were most definitely broken. Namjoon felt like he could have thrown up at your words, you sounded so broken, done with life. He immediately shakes his head at you, gently moving some hair out of your face, he wasn’t going to give up on you. He begins to panic as he watches your eyes roll into the back of your head, finally succumbing to the exhaustion and pain, just as Jimin appears again.

“I got it! Here.” He pants handing it to Namjoon who quickly wraps your limp body in it and scoops you up into his arms turning to Jimin and breathing out,

“Drive us home. Now.”

------

“What’s taking them so long? They only went to pick up some files from the office.” Jungkook pouts looking at his watch then back up to the window where had been staring out for a good half an hour already. He was concerned. Namjoon and Jimin were never late home. Ever.

“They’ll be home soon, I’m sure Jungkook-ah, they could have got caught in traffic or they’re driving slow because of the rain?” Seokjin says reassuringly, giving the youngest a soft smile and nodding his head over to the dinner table.

“Come help me set up for dinner?”

Jungkook hesitates but nods, getting up from where he sat and beginning to gather cutlery to place on the table, trying to distract his mind from worrying after two of his boyfriends, looking up when he hears someone coming down the stairs noticing it was Yoongi.

“I’ve rung both of them and I’ve gone straight to voicemail. I might head to the office to see if they’re still ther-'' Yoongi starts but is cut off when the front door is slammed open, revealing a dishevelled Jimin and behind him, a serious-looking Namjoon, cradling a body close to his chest.

“Jin Hyung we need your help, we found her in an alleyway, she’s in pretty bad shape and ice cold.” Jimin breathes out, heart pounding, the entire drive home was stressful, he would have thought you were dead if it weren’t for Namjoon reassuring him that you had a pulse.

“We can’t take her to the hospital, she’ll most likely be taken back to who did this to her. We can’t. I can’t tell what hybrid species she is. Jin help her.” Namjoon pleads. He was a CEO of a hybrid protection company. He refused to let this happen to you again. He fought for your rights, he wasn’t about to let the system fail you.

“O-Okay, oh god she’s so thin, Yoongi go start a bath, not warm, cold, too hot will hurt her, we’ll progressively warm it up so she can get warmth, the bath will help me find where she’s bleeding from, Jungkook, get my first aid kit, quickly, Jimin, get a pair of your clothes ready for her once she’s patched up, she’ll fit best in yours. Taehyung! Get our biggest towel we have, put it in the dryer to warm it up!” Jin orders, everyone moving to do as they were told, Taehyung’s feet pattering from upstairs before rushing down the stairs, towel in hand and gaping at the sight in front of him but not having time to question it as the current three eldest in the house rush up the stairs.

“What…?”

Yoongi quickly fills the bath and feels the water as it begins to fill the bath to make sure it was the right temperature, quickly taking your body from Namjoon, hissing from the ice-cold feeling of your skin and slowly placing you into the bath, jumping as you flinch but make no move to wake up. It was the first sign of life they had seen.

“What the fuck happened to her? What sick bastard does this? She might as well befucking dead.” Yoongi snarls angrily as he gently holds your head up so it doesn't go under the water, gently pouring water over your head to loosen all the grime and blood matted into your hair and fur. It disgusted him that people saw hybrid’s so lowly. Like pets.

“I don’t know what’s happened or who’s done this but hopefully when she wakes up if she's ready she’ll tell us.” Namjoon says keeping out the way as Jin and Yoongi begin to pull the torn and worn clothes off you, being respectful not to let their eyes wander over places they knew they should not see without consent.

“Hopefully...Namjoon, call Hobi, tell him he needs to come home asap, maybe he can help figure out how these were caused before she tells us, we need his knowledge on how to go about this, from a law enforcement perspective.” Jin says, hissing seeing how bad that damage really was now you were being cleaned. He knew it was bad, but he wasn’t expecting it to be this bad.

Namjoon nods before exiting the bathroom and bumping into Jungkook who peers in shyly, grimacing seeing the once clear water, crimson, placing the first aid kit on the counter and staring at your tail in awe,

“Hey Hyung’s look...She’s a leopard.”

Yoongi looks down and lets a small smile appear on his face. You were a feline. Cute. He strokes your hair letting Jin begin to patch you up, murmuring,

“Poor little cub, you must have suffered so much. You’re safe now. No one will hurt you again.”

-----

You groan as you begin to stir awake, you were aching everywhere, were you dead? Everything felt soft and warm below you. Nothing compared to the cold floor of the cage you used to reside in. You were...comfortable?

You peel your eyes open and hiss at the headache you now had, looking around, sitting up in surprise, whimpering at the pain in your body too quickly. You were in fact, not dead. You were in someone’s home, many scents filling your nose now that you were fully aware of your surroundings. They had a gentle and soft scent to them but that didn’t mean you trusted them this soon. Your heart was racing. You couldn’t suffer anymore, you didn’t want to obey another ‘master’ or ‘mistress’. You wanted freedom. This wasn’t happening. Why were you here? What is going on? Whose clothes were these? Who dressed you?

Your head snaps over to the door as it begins to click open and a tall man comes in carefully, eyes widening when he sees you sat up, fully aware of your surroundings. You had been in and out of consciousness for hours. He opens his mouth to speak but flinches slightly as you growl in defence shrinking into yourself, ears pinning back and your tail swaying warningly.

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay I’m not going to hurt you kitty, I’ll stay over here ‘kay? I promise you’re safe, no one is going to hurt you. My boyfriends and I have been looking after you, you were pretty hurt love, we’re just helping you, nothing more, I’ve just come to check on you, you’ve been out for a few hours. I’m Taehyung, I’m a hybrid representative lawyer, I swear to you right now, no harm is going to come your way whilst in this house, can I know your name?.” Taehyung says gently, holding his hands up so you could see them, so you knew he meant no harm and he begins to relax seeing your guard slowly come down. No one had ever been so respectful of your personal space or even spoke to you so gently. Your instincts were telling you to leave, having been fucked over multiple times but your gut was telling you to stay, no one had ever been so nice, maybe he was different.

“Y/N…” You whisper softly but Taehyung hears it and smiles at you sweetly.

“That's a pretty name Y/N, you should lay down though, you’re pretty hurt like I said, you need the rest okay? I promise none of us will come near you until you want us too but Jin might have to change your bandages and then he’ll be right back out of your bubble okay? Here I brought some food up in case you woke up, which thankfully you have, is it okay if I come closer to give you this?” He says and you shrink back into yourself, staring at him intensely.

“How do I know if you’ve not drugged it? Why am I getting that? I’m a hybrid. I should be given pellets…” You frown and Taehyung’s heart sinks. He felt ill. Just how much have you been through? To think the food is drugged? To think you’re not allowed human food.

“Here look, I’ll eat a bit and I’ll sit here just to prove to you it’s not drugged. No, no hybrid pellets, they’re inhumane, you’re part human too, human food is just as much yours as it is ours okay?” Taehyung says, making sure you watch him take a mouthful and shows to you that he swallowed it once he chewed on it before, slowly handing it to you, not wanting to make any sudden moves to startle you and sitting down, back against the door just like he had promised, smiling as you hesitantly take your first bite before beginning to wolf it down, the hunger now hitting you like a ton of bricks. Taehyung would make sure to bring you a second plate and a drink once you finished. He watched you carefully and he was already picking up on habits you had, how you kept looking up from your food to make sure he hadn’t gotten closer or how you keep the plate close to you like someone was going to take it off you.

Yeah. This was going to be a long way to recovery. There was a lot to work on. But none of them was going to give up on you.

the special one

requested: yes

group: mamamoo

pairing: moonbyul x fem!reader

genre: fluff, angst

contents: vampire!moonbyul, bartender!reader

warnings: blood, weapons, vampires

synopsis: Moonbyul was always used to getting her way. So encountering an entire bar warned against her powers, and led by a surprisingly feisty human, wasn’t exactly on her bucket list.

a/n: lowkey wanted to wait for byul’s birthday to post this but i couldn’t wait :D enjoy!!

word count: 3.3k

As soon as she stepped into the bar, Byulyi could smell the thing she had been craving for the past month. Well, two things: blood, and some good alcohol.

She paid no mind to the hands grabbing at her as she slid through the crowd, skillfully evading being pulled into a dance circle by a group of admittedly pretty girls. Sure, they were easy targets for feeding, but there needed to be some alcohol in her system before she dealt with horny foreigners.

“A bottle of your finest soju, please.”

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just friends.

synopsis : in which two rivals are forced into working together, making them the ‘it’ couple of the modelling industry. trailer.

pairing : seonghwa x reader.

theme ( s ) : romcom, angst & smut.

word count : 36.7K

“y/n for donatella versace!”

you grab a sip of the coffee, the only thing keeping you awake from your intense jet lag from a flight from new york to milan for the fashion week.

“okay,” you’re stopped, eyes closing as the makeup artists do the very last second touch-ups on your face. “you’re closing the show off with donatella in the middle, gigi on the left and you on the right.”

“got it.”

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Puppy Love

♡ Masterlist~

synopsis: you met him in a dog park, quickly falling in love with his beautiful border collie. And it didn't take long before you were head over heels for him too.

note!! the mini-series will consist primarily of sfw chapters. nsfw chapters will be posted under a separate account and will not be essential to the storyline. if you are of legal age and would like to read the nsfw parts, please dm me so I can give you the url privately.

genre: fluff, slight angst, friends-to-lovers, (n)sfw, idol au

warnings: tooth-rotting fluff, some cursing, mild angst, suggestive content/jokes, and a sickeningly happy ending

teasers: one, two

this is my entry for @seoulbinz 's Puppy Love collab!

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Part 1: Heart

Part 1 and 1/2: Someday (dm for link)

Part 2: Heartbroken

Part 3: One Day

Part 3 and 1/2: All Day (dm for link)

Part 4: Layla-Bound

Part 4 and 1/2: Epilogue (dm for link)

coming January...

¤°•○♡○•°¤°•○●♡●○•°¤°•○♡○•°¤

join the taglist in advance!

limbo; lee minho

(8,036 words) - large

summary - 

“You hate me.” 

“If you want to believe that, fine. I’m tired of trying to convince you otherwise.”

Trainees Minho and Y/N, rivals for as long as they can remember, try and retrace their steps to where it all started.

requested - 👍

Keep reading

meeting mr. mistletoe

→ Pairing: Namjoon x Female Reader

→ Summary: When your company hosts its annual gift exchange, you don’t expect to receive anything since you’re the one setting it up. But the holiday magic works its way back around to you, giving you not only a Secret Santa of your own, but a Santa who’s also your Secret Admirer. Even though this person has you totally flattered, you’re nervous about learning who he is at the annual Holiday Santa Soirée. You weren’t ever one to approve of office romances, and you still aren’t exactly sure how to navigate this, especially when you uncover who Mr. Mistletoe really is.

→ Genres: Fluff | Romance | Humor

→ AU: CEO x Secretary | Idiots to Lovers | Christmas/Holiday-themed

→ Word Count: 16.2k

→ Rating: pg-13

→ Warnings: mentions of alcohol & alcohol consumption

→ Other: A big thank you to Maggie @kimtaehyunq for making this banner ages ago and letting me reuse it again!! This a repost of my old fic titled the same thing! I hope you like this updated version and give it the same amount of love, oh and happy early holidays!!

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White Love

iceprince!hongjoong x fireprincess!reader

genre: fantasy, fluff, angst, hongjoong being an absolute flirt-

word count: ~24k

synopsis: there seems to be an eternal winter set in wonderland caused by the ice prince hongjoong, and you- the fire princess who has been laying low for a while- set out to end it. what you don't expect is to find him freezing to death trapped in a tower, and as you save him, you find out that the mages in wonderland are uprising to end the original bloodline- titled prince and princesses. creating a small team with your childhood friend seonghwa and a water mage yunho, you and hongjoong fight against the threat to your life while uncovering secrets and finding unexpected friends and love.

You've had enough of the cold.

You didn't hate winter- it used to be your favourite time of the year, especially the part where you'd brew yourself some coffee and burn your tongue while you sat out in the snow, gloved hands both warm from the cup of coffee in your hand but freezing because of the chilly air.

You loved snow, you loved the white blanket of cloud on earth, and you loved sitting in front of the fire- something you really couldn't do the rest of the year. You loved the cloudy skies and the cool palette of colours that came only in winter. You also loved cuddling to your friends or cats or dogs in winter, putting a hand in someone's pocket and warm both your hands, playing with someone and shoving ice down their back, earning satisfied screams as you giggled and ran away, making snowman and snow animals and having a snowball fight.

But this time, the winter wasn't ending- it had been well past the time for spring to arrive. The trees were still bare, lakes still frozen and it felt like the temperature was dropping every passing day. It should have been summer by now, but nobody dared complain.

It was because of him.

People were careful when they called his name or talked about him- they didn't want the wind to carry their complains to his ears in case he got angry- which couldn't end well. It was already cold enough.

Hongjoong, his name was. The Ice Prince.

Wonderland lived up to its name- a place full of wonders. Anyone with an affinity for magic who couldn't adjust to the lands of the humans settled in Wonderland. It was a free place for all humans whether they possessed magic or not, given they lived peacefully. Of course, the majority was of the Wonderers- the name given to those who possessed any sort of magic.

And you- well, you tried to pass away unnoticed. Your magic was, if not more, as dangerous as Hongjoong's- where his was the gift of ice, yours was the gift of fire.

Polar opposites, that's what you both were, in every aspect. He was a Prince. Every child grew up hearing stories about the Prince of Ice- and he'd built quite a reputation for himself. There were just so many rumours about him that you didn't know what to believe.

The Prince froze his enemies and then shattered their bodies.

The Prince burned him with his cold.

The Prince is just a young kid.

The Prince healed my freezing skin.

The Prince played in snow with my child.

You had no idea what to believe, and whenever you pictured him, you pictured a middle-aged man, even though most of the people had told you he was around your age. You just couldn't help but form this picture of a sulking old man sitting on his ice throne all dressed in white when you thought of him.

But you were no one to judge- you weren't quite in the place to complain when you were living two different lives. Most of the people knew you as a person with a little affinity for fire- enough to light stoves and burn the fire even in the winter, enough to burn metal if you tried long enough.

However, you were called the Fire Princess too- though no one had made the connection yet. It was just that you were too good at your disguise- and you weren't as dramatic as this Hongjoong person. You didn't involve yourself in any sort of politics or drama. The reason you were called the Fire Princess was because you had once saved Wonderland from flooding by a hurricane when you had steamed off all the water threatening to drown your homeland.

That was 5 years ago, and you had since kept a very low profile, getting well adjusted to your mundane life- an owner of a bookstore café. It was cozy and fit well with the vibe of winters, but-

The winter needed to stop.

You were wondering what the reason was- what had the Ice Prince all... disturbed? Was he okay? Was he doing this on purpose? Did he like to see the people suffer because of this endless winter?

Your friend Seonghwa- who basically lived in the café though he was a part-timer- was the only one alive who knew of your true identity. He was your childhood friend and the closest thing you had to a family. You looked at him as he sat in front of the fireplace- he really wasn't handling the cold well anymore. His fingers and toes would often swell due to the cold and you made him stay near you for the time-being. You could keep the café warm enough for him all day long, everyday as long as he needed.

You picked a candy and made your way next to Seonghwa, handing him the candy with a smile as you sat down. "Are your fingers better now?"

"They are, but as soon as I go out and stay too long, they start to freeze again," he sighed, shaking his head.

"I wonder what's got this Hongjoong's panties in a twist," you mumbled, and Seonghwa slapped your arm, but you only shrugged, "What? It's not like he's gonna hear me."

You had a point- but Seonghwa was too involved in the gossip that ran around, and he only shushed you, saying you never knew when the cold could get worse than it already was because he heard one of us complaining.

"Do you think I should get out of my hole and go talk to the Prince of Ice?" You asked after a moment, genuinely wondering if it was time that you confronted this man.

Seonghwa shook his head no rather strongly, making you laugh a bit, "You've kept a low-profile. If you go now and end this winter, it's gonna be too obvious that you're the one they've been searching for."

You supposed he was right- anyone would make the connection this time. One is an incidence, twice is a coincidence, and thrice would be a pattern- your cover would blow.

"But Seonghwa," you leaned forward, "I'm so tired of this cold, I'm beginning to hate it. I really think I should make things normal, see what's up and what's going on. Maybe I can't do anything about it, but at least I can try, for everyone's sake."

"You're gonna miss winter when it's gone," Seonghwa laughed, and you bit your lip to keep from smiling- one of the major reason that you loved winter was that you could burn from within without attracting attention. You could release fire here and there without making it strange. In summers... you really didn't handle the hot weather well, which was ironic.

"Maybe this time, I won't," you said your weak retort, ignoring his snickers and thinking. Should you, or should you not?

You did.

Early morning the very next day, you packed a bag with some simple belongings- some clothes, food, weapons, books for when you got bored and a map. Seonghwa came to see you off as you instructed him on how to take care of the bookstore while you were gone.

"I know," Seonghwa laughed, "Anyone who's curious gets to stay as long as they want and read books, in which case coffee is on the house."

You smiled, "Don't scare the poor souls away, will you?"

Seonghwa smirked- he knew you were talking about his shadow magic. He had a tendency to prank people when he got bored, and you had hence prohibited him from using magic inside the bookstore and the café. "I won't. Promise."

Pleased, you gave him a hug, telling him to look after himself and make sure he didn't stay out long, and he told you to be careful and come back if it got too dangerous. "I can turn him to ashes if he tries anything, you know," you told him, referring to Hongjoong.

"He can turn you to ice just as easily, so don't do anything stupid," Seonghwa pinched his nose bridge, already regretting ever agreeing and not stopping you- but he couldn't.

You left while the sun was rising, going north- you could feel the heat in the air and could feel where it was the coldest- north it was. You didn't need to wear much clothes to protect from the cold since you could warm yourself, but to prevent unwanted attention you had donned a long coat and boots- the latter being a necessity since the ice was getting thicker the further you travelled north.

It wasn't going to be a long journey- it would take two days at most, travelling on horses for the most part until you'd reach the mountains, which was when you'd had to resort to walking.

The mountains stretched some hundred miles, and you were worried just how you were going to find someone who you'd never seen- especially because you knew that when you'd get close, it'd confuse your senses and maybe you'd end up getting lost (not a big deal, you could find your way back somehow) or never finding him (big deal).

Or maybe he'd find you first- which was a big possibility. You'd have to mask your magic as soon as you were closer- but that would result in you feeling the actual cold. So you were weighing your options- risk getting detected by Hongjoong who you're going to find anyway, or risk freezing in the cold and maybe miss the chance to find him?

You shrugged- you'd go with the risk of getting detected. It could work as a shortcut.

The two days to the mountains were as uneventful as they could be. You had tagged along with two older women going in the same direction, exchanging food and gossip, from which you learnt more about what was going on in Wonderland.

You used to be the center of gossip, either as a subject or as a contributor. But ever since the incident 5 years ago, your life had changed. It wasn't the incident itself that changed your life but how people started treating you differently, which made you move and start fresh, Seonghwa soon following after you simply because he wanted a change too- and you were glad he had.

You learnt from the ladies that it was getting restless in the south- the water magicians were causing problems again just like 5 years ago, maybe to provoke the others or call out the fire princess for revenge for their brother. You listened with mundane curiosity, only nodding or reacting with a gasp sometimes, the ladies unknown to the fact that you were the fire princess they were talking about.

Once you reached the mountains and started travelling alone, you really started to feel the gravity of the situation. You really had no idea how the Ice Prince was going to be like. He could be ruthless. He really could kill you if you weren't fast enough. He could do anything to you.

For a while that you hiked, you mused about the other possibilities. Maybe he was just a kid, trying to get his powers in control- much like you had struggled in your early teens. Or maybe he was an old man who looked like cotton candy, all white hair and white beard- like the Santa Claus humans believe in.

Or he could be an angry old man too.

While you were snickering at the thought of the Ice Prince being a wrinkly old man, you reached the foothill of the mountain range, sighing when you looked up to the endless height all covered in a thick blanket of ice.

You sighed, clutching your necklace- a gift from your late mother which acted as a siphon, willing more heat into your body to keep yourself from freezing- it really was cold here. You noticed a group of men a few feet away, all bundled up, probably going their way up to hike too. Thinking it would be better to travel with a group rather than alone yet again, you decided to join them, stopping when a tall boy with dark hair and red streaks noticed you.

"You wanna go up the mountain?" He asked, scanning you once, and you could immediately feel his magic- something to do with water.

"Yep," you nodded, looking back at the group of men, "Are they all going?"

"We collect ice to sell, from the frozen lake. Blocks of ice," he told you, nudging you to follow him, "What's taking you up the mountains in such cold?"

"Just going to... visit a friend who lives in the north," you said casually, but he didn't miss your unintentional pause, and he didn't probe further either.

He introduced you to the old men, who laughed when you denied extra coats and mufflers from them, saying you had a 'little' affinity for fire magic and that would keep you warm.

"I hope it does, we don't want to bring your freezing corpse back," one of the men laughed.

"Uncle!" The boy- you had noticed the only young company they had- shook his head, "Don't mind him- he loves joking about death. It's how he rolls."

"I don't," you smiled, "So, what's your name?"

"Yunho," he smiled this time, and you thought he was incredibly cute for such a tall giant, "And you are?"

You told him your name, taking the stick he gave you as you started walking up, "What do you think about this never-ending winter?"

"To be honest, I'm kinda sick of it, even when business has been good lately," he smiled guiltily, eyes darting to the men as if afraid they'd hear him, "I miss summer."

"Me too," you sighed wistfully, "Even though winter was my favourite season, I'm beginning to hate it."

"I wish the Fire Princess could set his ass on fire," he snorted, making you laugh out loud, "He needs a taste of fire, this Ice Prince."

"Have you ever seen him? The Ice Prince, his name is Hongjoong, right?"

"So we've heard," Yunho said, offering you his hand as you stepped on a rock too high for you, "I haven't seen him, but he has-" he pointed to one of the men- the one with a rather aged face, he probably looked older than he actually was, "he's only seen him from afar, but he says you'd recognize him instantly."

"Because of his overwhelming magic?" You wondered.

"He lives up to his name," Yunho said, "Hair and skin as pale as snow. His eyes are... icy too."

"Oooo," you grinned, "Is he young?"

"What are you thinking?" Yunho wriggled his brows as he laughed and you shook your head, stifling your laugh, "He is probably in his 20s."

"Ah, I thought he was a... I don't know. Old man? Grumpy old ice man with a cold heart."

"That's what people usually tend to think," Yunho chuckled, "Much like the Fire Princess. People used to think she'd be a woman who'd be 'as hot as fire'. They were rather disappointed to find her only a scrawny teenager."

"And what's wrong with that? Everybody is a kid before they turn 'hot as hell'," you pouted, your voice giving away your disappointment and Yunho raised a brow.

"I suppose you have a point- I wonder where she is now. Have you ever had the chance to see or meet her?"

"Not really," you shrugged, "Have you?"

"Sadly, no," Yunho sighed wistfully, "I'd like to see her though."

"You wanna see if she is hot as hell?" You poked his arm, making him grin.

"No, I just... I have water magic, you know. Most of us have a grudge against her, you know the history," he told you, and you realized too late that you were treading on dangerous waters, literally.

"Do you think what she did was wrong?" You asked, genuinely curious.

"I don't, actually," he sighed deeply, "Our own people- the water mages were wrong. They have no right to control the flow of nature. I'm glad Wonderland was saved from the flood and destruction, but at the same time... I think it was unnecessary to make a spectacle of his death."

"Spectacle?" You gaped at him- what was he talking about?

"I heard she burned that water mage alive in front of hundreds of people," Yunho looked at you.

"Well, do you think she could have gotten away alive if she had?" You frowned, "Don't you think she would have been detained at the spot?"

"I don't know- I've heard a lot of versions of the event," Yunho admitted, "I don't know what to believe anymore."

You nodded- people had made various versions of the actual incident. And you were the last person who was going to tell them what really had happened.

After two hours of hiking, you all sat down in a circle to eat, and you lit them a fire, preventing it from burning off thanks to the strong wind at this height. They roasted chicken and vegetables on the fire, exchanging stories of their times in the mountain and you listened eagerly.

The men were a friendly bunch, you found out as you talked to them. They were pretty used to the snow since they worked in the mountains, and you learned that Yunho was one of the men's nephew, learning to adjust the temperature of his water magic- but none of them had water magic so Yunho was on his own.

"I could teach you," you offered, his eyes lighting up, "I have to control the temperature of my fire magic too- it should be the same thing."

"As much as I like the offer, is this really gonna come in handy to me?" Yunho wondered.

"Of course," you told him, "Think of the possibilities. You can extend your magic to ice and fire- you can freeze water and make vapours too- you can be the Ice Prince and Fire Princess, Yunho."

He giggled at that, making you join, "I like the sound of Fire Princess."

"I'm serious!" You laughed a bit, "Think about it- water so hot you could burn someone from the inside out- you know our bodies are one-third water."

"Why would I need to do that!" Yunho groaned, "I don't want to burn people alive!"

"You should always be prepared," your tone was grim, "You never know when someone is gonna come after you."

Yunho looked at you as you said that, a curious glint in his eyes. Just who were you? "Do you have people coming after you?"

"Fire magic is rare as it is, and in the winters it gets worse," you admitted, "Just like water magic- not rare but people take it for granted."

You travelled north along with the group until it was dark and they were tired, leading you to the cabin- you learned that there were such cabins for travellers and hikers situated every few miles, open to everyone. After a few fruits you decided to rest, tired from all the hiking you had done, your legs aching because you had never hiked such a long distance in one day.

The next morning, drinking some warm tea and eating fruits, Yunho told you that the rest of them were going to the lake only a few miles west from here.

"Are you still going north?" He asked, standing beside you as you peeked down from the height, wowing at the scene in front of you- it was winter wonderland, literally. The trees had icicles hanging from them, and everything in sight was just a beautiful shade of white.

"Yes, I don't know how long I have to go, but I have a map so I should be fine," you shrugged, and Yunho failed to stifle his smile, shaking his head as he put his hands in his pocket, and you narrowed your eyes at him, "What?"

"You do know there's nothing up north anymore, don't you?" He was grinning shamelessly now.

"Ah, is that so?" You shrugged, "I'll just explore a bit. I have to meet my friend a bit further up north."

"Hey, there's literally nothing up there. No cabins- no one is able to go further because of the blizzard. Are you sure you have a friend up there?"

You bit your lip, wishing Seonghwa was here- he would have saved your ass. You were not a good liar, opting to shut your mouth when you couldn't say the truth.

"You're going to the Ice Prince, aren't you?" Yunho was smiling.

"And why would I go to him? I haven't even seen the dude," you pouted.

"I have high suspicions of who you are, and don't try to deny it- you're a bad liar."

You pursed your lips, looking at him, "Whatever you're thinking, you're probably wrong."

"Maybe I am," he sighed, rather happy with how the situation turned out, "But you're not really denying anything either."

You looked at Yunho who was grinning in victory and you rolled your eyes, "Whatever. Yeah, I am going to see the Ice Prince and maybe I'll set his ass on fire too. Someone has to."

Yunho laughed, "Can I tag along? I'd love to see the sight."

You scanned him- he really was all positive vibes, chill and happy. You sensed no danger from him, and his presence was relaxing- something quite rare. "If you want to learn about your magic, you can tag along."

"Alright," he jumped happily, "I'm going to tell my uncle then- don't run away!"

You waved at him, sighing as you looked at the sun peeking from behind the clouds. Yunho really was different, considering he was a water mage too. He wasn't like the rest of them who were bitter towards all fire mages since the incident, and the fact that he didn't believe anything he heard about the incident said a lot about his personality.

Yunho came back with his bag and yours, taking out a muffler and wrapping it around his head and burying his nose inside too, "There's gonna be a strong blizzard up there. We'll freeze to death- unless you have a way to keep me warm. I'll probably be the only one dying- you won't let me freeze to death, will you?"

"I won't," you laughed at how his eyes searched your face, "Come on, I'll even teach you how to keep yourself warm with your own magic."

"Alright, I'll trust you on that- if you ditch me out in the cold, my uncle remembers your face- he told me to tell you that."

You saluted, grinning, "Alright, sir. Shall we?"

-----------------

"The storm's crazy," you shook your head, Yunho close by as you hiked up the snow- it was very thick and your boots were sinking in the snow much more than before, "What the hell is up with this Hongjoong?"

"I know right," Yunho shivered a bit- even when you had created a circle of warmth around the two of you, it still didn't stop the chill from entering your body. You weren't using all your magic though, keeping as much reserved as you could manage without getting sick in the cold, "Do you think he might be... I don't know- in some sort of trouble?"

"Let's hope not," you muttered. It was unlikely. He was probably being a little bitch and testing his powers here, unaware of the magnitude of it. Or maybe he was aware and doing this on purpose-

You paused- you didn't want the incidents from 5 years ago to repeat again.

"Is something wrong?" Yunho frowned, and you opened your mouth to speak but then shut up.

"Nothing," you managed to say, motioning him to carry on walking, "Just had a thought."

"Are you... worried about what's gonna happen when you do meet him?"

"Yeah," you nodded, "This could turn out really bad, actually. Now is the time to back out, Yunho."

"I tagged along to learn about my magic, so I think I'll stick," he said and you smiled at that.

Finding a little cave, the two of you went inside, eating the lunch box the uncles had packed you two, deciding to eat less to save the food for when you'll actually need it. You warmed water for both of you, sitting in front of a fire that burned without wood- suspended in the air.

"So, how much can you do with your magic currently?"

"I can handle the water part well," Yunho told you, crossing his legs, "Bending, controlling the flow- not the best with a large amount but I can handle it okay."

You nodded- it was good enough for a normal mage, "You're not from the original bloodline, are you?"

You were referring to the greater mages, as people called them. You and Hongjoong both were from the original bloodline, hence dubbed Prince and Princess of your elements. "Do you think I'd tell you if I was?"

You made an impressed face as Yunho grinned, shaking his head, "I'm not. I'm... normal."

"Way to phrase it," you muttered, "Okay, so considering you're 'normal', that's good enough. Can you manifest water right now and burn out this fire?"

Yunho nodded, raising his hand and concentrating for a few seconds, water forming in his hand drop by drop until it swirled around his hand and he sent it to the fire which burned out with a sizzle.

"Good," you said, and the fire burned again without you moving an inch, and Yunho gaped at you, "Can you manifest your magic without movement, with a thought?"

"I thought only the greater mages could do that," he raised a brow, but you shook your head.

"Anyone who's well trained can do that. It just requires a lot of focused concentration. You can learn that too. You'll need to use your imagination- picture creating a body of water in front of you. Your hand isn't the outlet actually- it just helps you with the focusing part."

"You're making it sound easier than it is," Yunho laughed nervously, "Should I try?"

"You can, but it's gonna take some time. Just try picturing it daily until you can feel it- it's gonna require a lot of glaring in the space- which is exactly what you're doing right now."

Yunho groaned- he had been glaring daggers at the fire. You shook your head as you smiled, "You don't need to be angry to manifest it either. It'll come naturally- don't forget to practice like 8 hours a day."

"8 hours!" Yunho wailed, and you glared at him.

"Do you want me to kick you down from where we came from?"

"No ma'am," he saluted, straightening, "So what about the temperature part?"

"That's harder than manifesting your magic with a thought, so I say you get to that first."

"Can you control your fire's magic?" He asked. You put your hand in front of Yunho, a flame drawing from your index finger, "Go ahead and touch it."

Yunho frowned at you, but you shook your head, "It's not gonna burn, I promise. Go ahead."

Skeptical, he put his fingers right above the flame as if feeling for heat, but you raised your finger and let the flame make contact with his skin, Yunho drawing his hand back reflexively, but then testing it himself, touching your flame, and then you lit your hand in cold fire.

"That's... amazing- it's only a little warm- how is it possible?"

"It can be hot too- hot enough to burn my own skin," you told him, "Your magic can hurt you too- never forget that."

Yunho stared at you- his suspicions about you were turning into belief and your show of magic abilities wasn't really helping your case. "You know what? I'm gonna assume you are the Fire Princess."

"But I'm not," you smiled.

"I'm gonna assume until I actually see the Fire Princess in front of me," he smiled, "Until then, you are her."

"Do I look like a Fire Princess though?" You wondered out loud, "People assume she has fiery red hair and eyes that glow like fire-"

"You're definitely looking like the scrawny kid they talk about," Yunho snickered, making you slap his arm.

"I'm not scrawny and definitely not a kid anymore!"

"You tell yourself that," he grinned, "But I'll say... your eyes. You do know they kind of glow whenever you use your magic more?"

You gaped at Yunho- "You're not serious."

Yunho gaped back at you, "Has no one told you that?"

You shook your head no, "I just don't really use my magic much, so I guess people didn't notice. The cold fire requires more strength so that's why you must have noticed."

"Well," Yunho shifted, "My case rests. No set of eyes glow even when you use all of your magic. I guess that rumour was true after all."

You raised a brow, "What rumour?"

"The water mages remember your eyes," Yunho said, "From when you steamed all the water."

"Oh," you nodded absently, looking at Yunho and realizing a second later that you had fallen in his trap when you saw him smirking, "But I'm not the Fire Princess."

"Whatever you say," he laughed, shaking his head and you laughed a bit too. You were going to keep denying it shamelessly.

As the two of you walked further up, you couldn't believe just how easily you had shown Yunho your magic and how relaxed you were with him. You wondered if it was because he reminded you of a younger you- back when you were still learning the strengths and weaknesses of your magic, so curious about how you could control it better. The two of you engaged in small talk as you walked, helping each other whenever a tough spot came, and you found the blizzard getting stronger than before, Yunho shivering now despite your circle of warmth.

"He must be close," you wondered, looking at Yunho and finding his teeth chattering- you couldn't increase the temperature of your warmth anymore- it would require too much magic, "You should have told me you were feeling cold, Yunho. Why didn't you?"

"Didn't want to bother you," he simply said, passing a weak smile.

"I would have been bothered more if I had to deal with your frozen corpse," you muttered, "Take off your gloves."

"Are you crazy?" Yunho frowned at you, hugging himself and you rolled your eyes.

"Take it off- just this one," you pointed to his hand beside you, and as he took off his glove, you took off your own, folding your fingers in his, raising your hands as you looked at your joined hands, "You're hands are... very big."

Yunho laughed out loud, "Yours are small," he squeezed your hands, muttering 'tiny', noticing that he had stopped shivering. "Is this easier than creating that circle around us?"

"This is nothing to me," you told him, "The circle required magic- this is just my subconscious, you could say."

Yunho nodded, thanking you for not letting him freeze, and you continued following the source of the blizzard which grew so strong that you had to melt any snow that made way to your face, asking Yunho if he could lend you some power.

"Don't drain me too much," he warned, "Otherwise you'll have to deal with my corpse."

"I know how much you hold, Yunho, don't worry," you told him and he nodded, lending you as much as you wanted, until you found another cave- it was getting dark so you decided to rest.

Once again, you built a fire on which Yunho cooked some raw chicken, you wowing because he had way too may food supplies in his bag- he was probably wearing all the clothes he owned at this point. As you two ate, Yunho asked you just what you planned to do once you were face to face with the Ice Prince.

"Ask him politely to put an end to this winter and keep it to the mountains," you sipped on your tea, "I haven't thought about what to do if he denies."

"You really came without a plan, didn't you?" Yunho shook his head, "How did that friend of yours even let you go?"

"He believed I'd set the Ice Prince on fire if he denied, so maybe I should do that?" You wondered, making him laugh.

"Okay, Princess," Yunho shook his head, and you once again denied you weren't the Fire Princess. "Come on, no one else other than the Fire Princess would dare confront the Ice Prince without a plan."

"Some people are just dumb and think they can rule the world, you know," you shrugged, "maybe I'm one of them."

"Maybe you're both," Yunho pointed, and you had to acknowledge that.

When you were done eating, you took out your sleeping bags, and you stood wondering what to do with your magic- you couldn't control the fire when you were asleep. Yunho looked at you from where he sat on his bag, yours next to him.

"Sorry to inconvenience you," you finally said, "But I can't hold the fire when I'm asleep. So... the only option you have is to stay in contact with my skin to keep you warm while we sleep."

Yunho shook his head at the way you worded that, smirking a little, "How do you suggest we do that?"

"Well," you took off your sweater, leaving you in a half-sleeved T-shirt, "just hold my hand or arm as we sleep- and if I turn... I don't know, man, do whatever it takes to stay alive at this point. I don't want to deal with your frozen corpse in the morning."

Yunho laughed at that, a little nervous, "Sorry for inconveniencing you, princess, but you brought this upon yourself when you offered to teach me magic," he said as you lay down beside him, sleeping bags side by side, burning the fire out, the moonlight slowly filling the cave and giving you a little vision as your eyes adjusted to the darkness, your hands joined as you lay side by side, "You're basically a walking furnace, aren't you?"

"I am, and don't you go calling me princess," you laughed a bit, "that sounds so weird."

"That's all I'm calling you from now," he grinned, and you told him to shut up and sleep, smiling as he squeezed your hand unconsciously.

----------------

You, of course, woke up with Yunho hugging you as the big spoon.

And oh, he was a big ass spoon. He was basically engulfing your figure, one arm draped over your waist and over your own arm, hand on your hand, and you lazily played with his hands as you took your time to wake yourself up fully.

You couldn't help but smile at your joined hands, feeling a little giddy inside- the events really had turned out so unpredictable. You hadn't expected to make a friend out of your journey, let alone feel like a stupid giddy teenager with hormones because a guy was sleeping with you like that.

You mentally slapped yourself- this wasn't your first time sleeping with a guy, technically. You and Seonghwa had a habit of lying down on bed and gossiping until you passed out- but Seonghwa really didn't count. You decided to blame your fluttering heart to the lack of love in your life- you had a habit of driving away anyone who tried getting closer. You really didn't want anyone to know you were the Fire Princess. It would have only caused complications. Plus, the town you now lived in was small, and all the guys around your age knew you liked being alone. You hadn't gotten much action the past few years, if you were being honest.

And here you were with the man who was calling you princess, having found out your deepest secret two days in staying with you. You thanked the force above that Yunho had no filter and was honest and rational, not doubting you even when he was a water mage. He was just... different. Nice.

Yunho unconsciously tugged at you, bringing you closer and you decided it was time to wake the hell up. You tried putting his arm up and sliding away, but it was heavy- you later realized he was awake.

"Good morning to you too," Yunho scoffed.

"You're so heavy, let me go!" You groaned, making him snicker as he finally put his arm up and you lit a fire, no longer in contact with Yunho, "someone slept really well."

"I did, actually," Yunho rubbed his eyes. His cheeks were flushed- morning face, you had seen it yesterday too. It was kinda cute.

"I'm hoping to find that little brat today," you referred to the Ice Prince, "so eat up to your fill. He better prepare a feast for us when we arrive."

Yunho laughed, "What's got you in a bad mood, princess?"

"Even I'm beginning to feel cold," you sighed, "And we're running out of food. If we don't find him today we'll have to go back."

"Alright," Yunho finally got up, "Let's do that."

Eating only an apple each for breakfast and running on coffee, you turned a notch down on your siphon, allowing you to access a bit more power as you and Yunho ascended the mountain, the blizzard now in full force and you had to hold Yunho's hand not only to keep him from freezing but also for his physical strength as he led you into the eye of the storm.

"There's no way he's doing this on purpose, unless he's an evil maniac," you shouted- you really couldn't hear each other well anymore due to the strong wind, "He must be in some sort of trouble."

"I think so too!" Yunho basically dragged you up, "Is this like when you lose control of your magic? Would you set the world on fire if you did?"

"Exactly like that," you confirmed, "I once nearly burned my own self and the whole house."

Yunho grimaced, and you kept moving forward- maps were useless. You both were utterly lost and maybe doomed too. You needed to get to the Ice Prince today and see what all this fuss was about.

It had been a few more minutes of walking to the apparent source when you sensed magic- and not of a single person, but-

There were at least 10 people with ice magic and other magic here.

You tugged at Yunho's hand and when he looked at you, you motioned him to stay quiet and went behind a big rock to take cover.

"There are at least 10 mages here," you began, "can you veil your magic so they won't sense you?"

"I've never needed to do that," Yunho looked sorry, but you shook your head and told him it was okay.

"We have to deal with them anyway- I'm sure you know basic offence and defence, right?"

Which was how you ended up using Yunho as a bait.

As a water mage, he could easily pass by as someone who came for the ice and isn't affected by the blizzard because most of the water mages can control ice to some extent too.

You were in front of a building- you didn't know what else to call it, it was all steel and rocks from the outside, and it was quite huge as well, like a mini-palace of sorts, probably built this way to keep the cold away. Three men were stationed at the entrance, two a few feet ahead and Yunho strolled in, saying hi all well-mannered, saying he was passing by for ice and talking about how the storm was so bad.

You didn't have much time- Yunho was barely keeping himself together, since he was no longer in contact with you and your magic that kept you warm. You couldn't risk his life. So as soon as the men relaxed from their tense position, playing along with pretending that they knew nothing about the storm, you came in range and sent some smoke their way, making them choke hard and pass out, Yunho running to you and holding your already extended hand hastily, teeth chattering.

"This was easier than I thought," Yunho commented.

"Only because they didn't feel me, and because you're an incredible actor," you grinned at him and he grinned back. "Now let's deal with the guards at the entrance- stick with me, okay? They won't sense me."

"Okay," Yunho said and you two walked right ahead, hoping the two men wouldn't notice the absent guards towards their left, and as soon as they noticed you, they came for you, but they were out when you choked them on the very air they breathed, and Yunho stood with his mouth hanging open, shaking his head at you.

“What?” You shrugged, unaware of the source of his surprise.

“There’s absolutely no way you’re not her,” he said, narrowing his eyes at you, “No fire mage could have as much control as you- suffocating the men without burning their lungs from the inside out? Who the hell trained you if you’re not her?”

“Let’s pretend you didn’t see that,” you pursed your lips in amusement, beckoning him forward, standing in front of the steel doors where you paused before you opened them, and turning towards him. “Now is the time to back out, Yunho. I don’t know how dangerous it can get from here, and I cannot guarantee your safety though I’ll try my absolute best, but… now is the time to reconsider this.”

Yunho huffed, jumping up and down enthusiastically, shivering once because he had let go of your hand, “I’m going in there with you, whether you like it or not, simply because you’re a tiny girl and I want to protect you.”

“This tiny girl could set your ass on fire,” you muttered, smiling as you opened the door, telling him to put up a defence because you were going full offence from here.

The lobby was huge, all ice and blue and white, a chandelier hanging in the middle. You had no time to admire the beauty of the interior- men after men came, hurtling their magic at you, sending sharp icicles that could slice your skin open but they melted before they came in your focus- you had a ring of fire around the two of you, and Yunho was glad for that. He wasn’t sure if his water magic was going to be any use in front of these very skilled ice mages.

“Who the hell are you?” One of the mages muttered, and you turned to him- a rather tall man with dark hair and even darker eyes, if that was possible.

“Who do you think?” You sent a shot of fire at him, but he put up an ice shield, making you stop, “Where is the Ice Prince? Take me to him.”

“As if,” he scoffed, “You’re not taking him anywhere- who sent you? Are you here to save him or kill him?”

Save him? Were you right about this?

You heard Yunho groan and you noticed he had just deflected a sharp icicle aimed for you, and you set the man on fire, leaving him gasping for air as he burned the fire out from within, which proved your theory that these men were not under-skilled.

You raised your hands- you really had no time for this chit-chat. In a matter of seconds, all the men in your vision were gasping for air and passing out, and you put the ring of fire out from around you.

“We need to lock them and tie them good,” you muttered, and Yunho immediately started dragging the men in a corner piling them in front of you- there were 6 of them.

This was not good.

As you bit your lips, thinking, Yunho looked at you, also waiting for an explanation. You finally sighed, “We don’t have much time- we should check to see where the Ice Prince is at before we think about what to do with this lot. They’ll stay out for a while. Let’s go.”

You and Yunho made your way around, checking room after room, until Yunho found a narrow passageway that led upstairs to a tower-like structure you had managed to see a glimpse of from the outside. You took the lead, Yunho right behind you, and you noticed it was getting colder and colder- frost covered the walls in decorative patterns. You squeezed Yunho’s hand- he would freeze without you.

There was a single door, and you could instantly feel the strong presence inside, as could Yunho as he looked at you. “It’s too dangerous,” you told him, taking off your necklace- the siphon and putting it around his neck, “This should keep you warm- go downstairs while I deal with this.”

“But it’s too dangerous for you alone-“

“No buts,” you shushed him, “Trust me, I got this. Now go. I don’t want to drag your corpse out now, do I?”

Yunho smiled, trusting you and before he started to go down, you stopped him, “Do not touch the necklace’s notch. You’ll find this building on fire if you do, so be careful.”

“Oh- is this a siphon?” Yunho asked and you nodded, and he raised his brow as if to say ‘you keep proving my point’, grinning as he ran downstairs.

You breathed, turning around and touching the doorknob, melting the locks and opening the door after a moment-

You did not expect to see the Ice Prince chained to the walls, head on his knees, making himself appear smaller than he was, his silver hair- almost white- falling messily, icicles hanging from his hair-

Gosh, he was freezing himself.

You walked to him cautiously- it looked like he was unconscious. Slightly poking him, you realized that either he was, or he was out for a moment, but the sudden irrational fear crawled inside you that there was a possibility that he was only a step away from death.

“…Hongjoong?” You tried calling him but he didn’t respond, and you gently pushed his figure to the back, revealing his face-

Gosh, he was… beautiful- even when frost was covering his eyelashes and his lips were blue and frosted. You touched his face- he was freezing from the inside out, and the gauntlets on his hands didn’t help, especially since they looked like they were made to block his magic, the iron covering his hands completely, his arms falling limply to his side.

Biting your lips, you pulled at the chains- you’d had to melt them without burning them, but it was too risky. You didn’t want to burn his hands, so you only melted the chain from near the wrists and his gauntlets, freeing him from the wall, and then you lay him down, putting a hand on his forehead and sending a little spark of fire inside him- enough to start the process of waking him up from his frozen state. You took out a kerchief, wiping his eyes as the frost on his eyelashes melted, then wiping his face as colour seeped through his skin, and you realized he wasn’t as pale as you thought he’d be.

The room was still ice-cold, making your breath materialise in the air, so you decided to start with putting the temperature of the room down, getting up and walking to the window as you started to melt the ice-

You didn’t even hear him wake up from his sleep and you only turned when it was too late-

He was upon you and pushed you, making you instinctively hold on to him as the window shattered and you two were then hurtling out to your death- your screams ringing in the air as he tried to choke you, realizing his hands were still blocked.

You only had time to scream, “I’m here to save you, you fucker!” before Hongjoong’s eyes changed, and he put his blocked hand out, making an icy slide to save you from breaking your head open on the rock (or save himself, probably, because he had plans to kill you) and then you two were rolling down on the soft snow, halting slowly and you coughed, spitting ice out from your mouth, finding Hongjoong on top of you, pinning your hands down.

“Who sent you?” He practically growled, his icy blue eyes burning you.

“I came to save you, you idiot,” you groaned, kicking him on the stomach and pushing him off, sending him moaning in pain loudly as he clutched at his stomach- he was probably weak right now, “I came to end this never-ending winter and see what got your icy ass in trouble, and you- you decide to push me out of that freaking tower?”

“Then why are my hands still inside this?” He put them in the air as if proving a point, and you rolled your eyes.

“I’m a fire mage, for fuck’s sake. I could burn the flesh off your hands if I tried breaking that. You’d like that, I’m sure.”

He stared at you for a moment, the icy wind circling around you two as you realized you were in the eye of the storm, and you raised your brows impatiently. He sighed, “How do I get this thing out?”

“I don’t know, man, try breaking it,” you groaned, getting up and squealing in pain as you saw the shards buried in your arms, “I’m gonna kill you later.”

He said nothing, and you shook your head because the only shard of broken glass he had gotten was on his cheek, sending blood trickling down, already frozen to his skin.

Yunho came outside, calling your name and Hongjoong instinctively sent a bolt of ice in his direction, which you melted before it could cut him, glaring daggers at him. “That’s my friend, you idiot. We mean no harm. Stop acting like a brat while we figure this out."

Hongjoong only sighed, bringing his knees to his chest again as Yunho rushed to you, examining your hurt state, glaring at Hongjoong. “I have healing magic- let me try healing your arms."

You nodded- most water mages had an affinity for healing. Yunho pulled the pointy shards out of your skin, healing them with a swipe of his finger over the open wound. By the time he was done you were seething in pain and anger, dimming it down a notch when you saw the guilty look in Hongjoong’s eyes.

“You gonna tell me why you were locked in that tower?” You asked, and Hongjoong sighed.

“Where are the ice mages?”

“Out cold, but not for too long,” you said.

“They planned to kill me, but I am too powerful, so they were trying to weaken me before getting rid of me.”

“You in your weakened state have put the entire land in eternal winter,” you muttered.

“I’m sure you like the cold,” Hongjoong raised his brow, “Fire Princess.”

Yunho met your eyes, and you pursed your lips- no point denying it now, really. “I may like the cold but it got too much for everyone, Hongjoong. And you…. You were freezing from the inside. You do know that you were only a step away from death, don’t you?”

Hongjoong’s eyes flashed, and you realized that he had no idea, “You really mean me no harm?”

“Unless you try to kill me or my friend here, no, I mean no harm.”

Hongjoong sighed, getting up, “We should lock the men first. Do not underestimate their skills. We can get to this…” he looked at his shackled hands, “later.”

With that, the three of you went inside, Yunho dragging them to the nearest room and you helping while Hongjoong watched, and when they all were in the same room, Hongjoong looked at the ceiling, drawing sharp icicles down and trapping them such that they couldn’t move without hurting themselves or killing themselves, and you whistled- he wasn’t joking around.

“Now,” Hongjoong said as the three of you went to the lobby, “How do you suggest I get rid of these?”

You thought for a minute, “Try freezing them and breaking them?”

“You could try melting them,” Yunho suggested.

“It’s too risky, I’d burn him,” you bit your lips, but Yunho was shaking his head.

“If you can suffocate the men without burning their lungs, you can surely try breaking this without melting him too.”

Hongjoong raised a brow at that, but you shook your head. It was too risky.

“What if,” Hongjoong began, “You melt from the outside and I freeze from the inside? It’s gonna break it, right?”

“Technically, it should, but don’t blame me if I burn you,” you put your hands in the air and Hongjoong only shrugged to give you an okay.

Taking his imprisoned hands, you looked at him, finding his eyes glowing as he focused on controlling the amount of magic he sent, and you realized your eyes must be glowing too- did they glow like fire? You shut your eyes, focusing on feeling your magic, stopping when you felt the ice of Hongjoong’s and working backwards from there, until the iron started crumbling in your hands.

Hongjoong flexed his hands, making an impressed face at you, “Thank you, I guess.”

“You guess?” You sighed, but smiled. He must have been through a lot for him to be like this- so distrustful of everyone.

“Make yourself at home,” Hongjoong offered.

“Don’t tell me this is your home,” you frowned.

“It has to be,” Yunho smiled, “I mean, look at that,” he pointed at the chandelier, and you noticed that it was made of ice- blue flame glowing in the middle that could only be the flame of ice rather than of fire.

“You live alone, and these- people, they came for you, why?” You looked at him, “Also if this is your home I’m expecting there is food here because I am famished.”

Hongjoong scoffed, leading you to the kitchen, groaning at the mess the men had made of his home, “Has no one come for you yet? I mean, you are the Fire Princess. You don’t pretend to be someone else, do you?”

You looked guiltily as Yunho who grinned, “And what if I do? Should I have built myself a fire palace and set the whole land on fire?”

Hongjoong winced, “I did not sent the blizzard on this land on purpose, Princess. You must know. And you still haven’t answered my question.”

Hongjoong put some fruits on the table and you and Yunho took the frozen fruits, you touching them lightly to make them normal before you started eating the strawberries and the grapes, “No one except the water mages come after me- you know because of what happened 5 years ago. But I’ve been living in peace for quite a while now.”

Hongjoong looked suspiciously at Yunho- after all, he was a water mage too. “You won’t be in peace for longer. There’s been a… movement going on, you could say. They’re planning to get rid of the original bloodlines. They’ve already killed my uncle, who was the only remaining member of the original family apart from me here in Wonderland. Do you have someone in your family?”

“Well, they all died 4 years ago- just how long has the movement been going on?” You frowned- your parents had died a rather suspicious death. You had tried finding out more but you had no idea and found no clue.

“Long enough,” Hongjoong said, as if to tell you that your family’s death might have to do something with that, “The other originals have all left this land for the fear of their life. It’s only you and me now, Princess.”

You rolled your eyes at how he called you princess- as if he was being sarcastic, nothing like the endearing way Yunho called you. “What do you suggest then, Prince? If they got you, they could get me too.”

“Well, lucky for you, there are only a few fire mages around here. Their plan was to fight ice with ice, fire with fire, you know the deal. But they’ll come after me- these were only a few men. The rest are coming soon, so we should get the hell away from here as soon as possible.”

“And go where? With you looking like… this,” you scanned him, and he raised his arms.

“Me looking like what?”

“Like the Ice Prince,” you looked at Yunho, “Tell me someone will look at him and not make the connection right away.”

“She’s right,” Yunho said, “You look like the Ice Prince. Your hair and eyes kind of give you away.”

“So?” Hongjoong pointed at you, “Her eyes turn amber and glow when she uses her magic!”

“But she could pass as a normal fire mage, you, on the other hand… it’s gonna be hard.”

Hongjoong groaned and you looked at Yunho in amusement, “I’m so glad I look normal enough.”

“Well,” Hongjoong put a cherry in his mouth, “Is there somewhere we can go and lay low for a while?”

You noticed how Hongjoong had casually joined your gang and was going to follow you wherever you go. You looked at Yunho, “Why am I so tempted to ditch him here?”

“Hey!” Hongjoong looked offended, “Fine, I can go my way. Don’t come crawling to me when they come after you!”

“Crawling?” You scoffed, “You don’t come crawling to me when they get you again! Oh wait- you won’t be able to. You’d just set the whole world on ice and hibernate.”

Yunho snorted, failing to hold his laugh as the two of you bickered back and forth, finally getting up and stopping you two from jabbing fingers at each other’s faces. “Okay, okay, stop. We go together from here- it’s better to stick together.”

“You’re not the Water Prince, are you?” Hongjoong eyed Yunho suspiciously.

“I’m not,” Yunho raised his hands, and Hongjoong eyed the necklace he was wearing, making Yunho look at you and take the necklace off.

“I almost forgot,” you breathed, putting the necklace around yourself, you had been warming the room subconsciously anyway, “Anyways, we should definitely leave this place. As much as I hate it, the only place I got is where I live right now, so… let’s go there and plan from there. And Hongjoong? Please try putting this blizzard out if you can help it. But take it down bit by bit- I don’t want anyone to be suspicious of you.”

Hongjoong nodded- he could do that.

Packing food for the journey and asking Hongjoong to cover himself like a normal man who gets cold, the three of you left the house, Hongjoong icing the door shut and sending a mini blizzard around the house for precautionary measures.

You and Yunho naturally took the lead, Hongjoong following close by as you discussed which route to take.

"Should we drop by the site?" Yunho asked, mentioning the cabins where the men who had accompanied you up would be, "We could get a hot meal definitely."

"Let's do that, I'm starting to abhor the idea of more fruits," you muttered.

"Won't it be too suspicious if I drop by?" Hongjoong almost mumbled as if he didn't really want you to hear that, but you did, and you pursed your lips.

"Just blend in, can you? If anyone asks, your name is... Jongho. Can you do that?"

"I don't know about the 'blending in' part," Hongjoong shrugged and you glared at him.

"That is the least you can do for all of us."

"Now don't you go giving me shit about my appearance. You should have been born with hair the colour of fire. You'd know how it'd feel to stick out like a sore thumb then."

You glared at him, "I'm not giving you shit about your appearance, Prince. All I'm asking of you is to act friendly when you meet anyone and try to keep a low profile. Not so hard, is it?"

"It is, Princess, because everyone seems to recognize me no matter how hard I try to stay low. I'm sure you of all people know how that feels."

"Now, now," Yunho stepped in between you two, patting your back to calm you down, "Those men won't say a word if I ask them to."

"They better not," Hongjoong only kept glaring at you and you made a face when you had enough, making him snort, "So very charming."

"I wonder what's keeping me from setting your smartass on fire," you sighed.

"I'd like to see you try, Princess. Let's see whose fire burns more," Hongjoong's eyes glowed, and Yunho waved his hands awkwardly between you two.

"I'm changing the topic. So where are we going?" Yunho asked you.

"I live south, near the sea," you smiled a bit when you thought of home, "I own a bookstore café. Try not to ruin the warm atmosphere of that place when I take you there, will you, Prince?"

He only snorted, ignoring you, and you continued, "I have a friend who practically lives there. I think you and him will get along well."

"Me and him?" Hongjoong frowned, "and why do you think so?"

"You'll see when we get there," you smirked, and Hongjoong straightened as if to say no force on this Earth could do so.

----------------

You could barely keep your laughter in when you saw Hongjoong obeying Seonghwa- it wasn't that Seonghwa was ordering him around, but when he'd give him a simple task like 'hand me that', or 'get me that from outside', Hongjoong would find himself doing the task without complaining.

You supposed the poor boy had been alone long enough and found something comforting about Seonghwa- everybody seemed to. There was just something about Seonghwa's nature that was so caring and motherly that everyone found themselves comforted by his presence.

You recalled when Hongjoong had challenged you when you'd said he'd get along well with Seonghwa. He'd been so persistent on not getting along with you, at least. Even Yunho and him would share a giggle over jokes every now and then, but you?

You wondered if Hongjoong hated you. Sometimes he'd listen to what you said, but sometimes he'd act like a... brat and spoil your mood. You wonder if he annoyed you on purpose.

He had definitely annoyed you all the way down from that damned mountains of the north. He had failed to keep a low profile in the cabin and Yunho had to ask the uncles to keep their secret because of the threat on your heads, which had led them to make the connection about you too. Though they were impressed and maybe a little intimidated by the presence of two of the originals, they had treated you two well, giving you warm meals and a place to sleep as a thanks for keeping them all warm during your trip up.

You had made it back without much happening, and when you entered your home with the two boys, Seonghwa's jaw had dropped.

"So which one of them is your boyfriend?" Was the first thing that Seonghwa had asked and the two had immediately burst into laughter and groans while you had scolded Seonghwa and told him all about what happened as he made you all coffee and gave you something to eat.

"So he's the Ice Prince," Seonghwa smiled, "Nice to meet you. You look younger than I thought."

"And how old did you think I'd be?" Hongjoong out one leg over the other.

"I don't know- I used to think my age- I guess you are. But she-" he pointed at you, "used to imagine a wrinkly old man, so my ideas mixed a bit..."

"Wow," Hongjoong shook his head at you, "I don't remember thinking of the Fire Princess as a wrinkly old hag."

"I don't remember thinking of the Fire Princess as a scrawny kid, but here we are," Yunho sighed and you yelled at the two, tempted to throw your dessert at them but Seonghwa calmed you down with a touch, and you only huffed.

Seonghwa had told stories about your pasts, especially embarrassing stories about how you'd set everything you touched on fire when you were recovering from the incident 5 years ago, having a laugh over it as he showed off his burns that he got from you proudly.

"These are friendship marks," Seonghwa showed them off as if it was a badge. You rolled your eyes as the others shook their head at you, disappointed.

"I should have friendship marks too," you muttered, feeling sorry for Seonghwa. He had refused to let go of the scars even though he could have gotten them healed, saying it was a reminder that you got through the hard times with him, and your own burns, which Seonghwa didn't mention because they were too personal, were a reminder of that. Seonghwa looked at you pointedly as if to remind you of your own burns, and Hongjoong didn't miss that look.

You had two rooms in your house at the back of the bookstore, so the guys decided to share the room, leaving you alone with your thoughts in your room, the smaller of the two with a queen sized bed and a table at one end, not much to the room.

The next day was busy for you- you had to go out in the town for supplies and to catch up on the gossip which would reveal if Hongjoong was right about this uprising- if you could call it that- and see if people were suspicious about your guests.

When you came back, Seonghwa had already prepared a meal for the four of you, and you instantly slumped in the chair, telling Seonghwa about how your day was, and Hongjoong watched you two interact with curiosity- the way you and Seonghwa rolled was too smooth and natural. Even Yunho fit right in and he sometimes felt like an outsider.

After eating, Seonghwa was instructing Hongjoong to pick up the dishes and telling him where to put what, which was why you were holding back your amusement. They really got along well, and you were glad, though you could feel Hongjoong still felt awkward.

You and Hongjoong were still arguing with each other every moment you had a chance, calling each other prince and princess like it was a curse word, and though Yunho and Seonghwa would try to calm you down, they decided to team up and enjoy watching you bicker back and forth instead as they sipped on their drinks.

"You set your own hair on fire!" Hongjoong laughed as he recalled a story Seonghwa had told him, "Is this why your hair is so dark but looks like rust in the sunlight?"

"Says the person who put on frost mascara," you raised a brow, "I should have plucked your unbelievably pretty lashes when I had the chance."

"At least you acknowledge they're pretty, Princess," Hongjoong smirked.

"Crazy how the only thing remotely pretty about you are your lashes, but your ugly personality is just so overpowering that I only noticed your lashes when you were almost dead. Now what does that say about you?"

Yunho hooted, Seonghwa giving him a clap saying 'that's my girl', and Hongjoong clenched his jaw.

"I don't know if you're trying to flirt with me or fight with me," Hongjoong muttered, and you pretended to throw up.

"Flirt with you? I'd rather set my own self on fire, Prince."

"Would you now?" Hongjoong leaned in a bit, "Interesting."

"What is your problem?" You leaned in as if trying to figure him out, "Do you want me to hate you? Because you're doing a damn good job."

"You're really the Princess of Fire, aren't you?" Hongjoong smirked, "It's just so easy to get you all hot and angry, it's tempting, really."

"And you really are the Prince of Ice, aren't you?" You leaned back, "Should I melt that frozen heart of yours?"

"You're really bad at this," Seonghwa ended up laughing painfully, making all of you laugh with him, "I really can't tell if you're fighting or flirting anymore."

"I can't either," Yunho wiped his eyes from laughing too hard, "She really sucks at this."

Hongjoong danced in his seat in victory, but Seonghwa shook his head at him, "Your retorts are too weak, Hongjoong. You both are unbelievable."

"Hey!" Hongjoong yelled at him, "At least I'm not the one subtly flirting!"

"I'm not flirting!" You glared at him, the fire in the fireplace catching intensity, "You know perfectly well what I meant!"

"Yeah, go ahead, melt my frozen heart, Princess," Hongjoong grinned, pausing when your eyes glowed, and Seonghwa realized what was happening, instantly rushing to you and putting his hand on your shoulder but shrieking in pain because you were burning.

You hadn't meant to lose control, but something about Hongjoong... and the way he worded that- it reminded you of a particular incident from 5 years ago when you had that fight with the Water Prince, and you were triggered- you were feeling so hot. You were burning from the inside.

"Yunho- can you bring cold water, quick!" Seonghwa's eyes were wide with worry, and Hongjoong looked at Seonghwa in confusion and worry, then looked at you with your eyes glowing and hair rising as smoke seeped out from your skin, making you get up and fall on your knees on the floor.

Seonghwa noticed the guilt behind Hongjoong's eyes, "It's not you, Hongjoong. She went through something in the past- sometimes she gets triggered and this happens."

"Is there something I can do? She's burning from the inside, isn't she?"

Yunho came inside with a bucket of cold water and Seonghwa placed it in front of you, using his shadow-phantom hands to place your hands inside the water but it instantly evaporated, and before one of them could get up and get more, Hongjoong leaned in front of you, motioning to Seonghwa that it was okay.

"Hey," Hongjoong said softly, calling your name- you could hear him call your name but it felt as light as a whisper because of the roaring in your ear and the pain in your chest- you couldn't breathe. Hongjoong tried taking your hand but you shook your face absently as you flinched away, trying to tell him to be careful, but he took your searing hot hands anyway, and you reveled in how cold they were.

"It's okay, you can't burn me," Hongjoong whispered, taking your other hand as well and sending the cold inside your skin bit by bit, until you started to shiver and then fell unconscious on his lap.

"Well," Seonghwa wowed, "This definitely saved me from dragging her out and burying her in the snow and worrying my ass off for hours until she got okay."

Yunho winced as he heard that, "That bad?"

Seonghwa nodded, taking your limp figure in his arms, "Let's get her upstairs."

Hongjoong and Yunho followed, opening the door to your room and he lay you on the bed, spreading your blanket over you, checking to see if your necklace was okay. The other two looked around your room, finding it strangely empty as if no one lived here, only a few of your belongings in sight.

"She doesn't like getting attached to a place," Seonghwa explained, "she won't admit it but she's gotten very attached to her café."

"I can see why," Yunho nodded, "she practically lives there. This is only for sleeping, isn't it?"

"Pretty much," he smiled, "Let's go to sleep- it's late. She'll be out cold for a while too."

Hongjoong couldn't really sleep that night- he kept recalling how your eyes changed and you went in that trance, and something about it reminded him of when he was first caught and had given up, hence setting this never ending winter in motion.

Feeling a bit stuffy, Hongjoong decided to go out and get some air, wearing snow boots if he changed his mind for a walk, almost screaming when he shut the door, took a turn and saw you sitting in the snow with your knees drawn to your chest and bare feet and legs buried in the snow.

"Gosh, you scared me," Hongjoong muttered and scared you, making you flush because you hadn't expected to get caught sitting here like this. He sat beside you, "Are you... okay?"

"I am... I don't know," you looked away from him, "I still feel like I am on fire."

Hongjoong touched your hand to check- you weren't completely normal, you were still hot as if you were running a fever. "Do you always come and sit in the snow like this?"

"Seonghwa buries me in the snow or puts me in the tub and piles ice on me," you muttered, finding yourself laughing a bit at that and Hongjoong joined, "Usually does the trick, as stupid as it sounds."

"How long have you been out here?"

"An hour or more," you admitted, and Hongjoong shook his head.

"Let me..." he looked at you for permission and you nodded. He took your hand, interlacing his fingers with you, staring at your joined hands. "Does the siphon not work properly?"

"It does, it's just... the fire magic is too much for me. I feel like I wasn't build to handle it."

"You're built for the fire magic," Hongjoong assured you, "You have to embrace it. I don't wear a siphon- they did no good at keeping my own magic in control."

"Well," you scoffed, "You almost froze yourself too."

"I was trapped, of course I did. I felt helpless. But you... I won't ask what happened unless you want to tell me, but whatever happened... don't hate your magic because of that."

You stared at him, his eyes almost dark blue as tendrils of his hair fell over them. "Have you ever hated yours?"

"More times than I'll admit," he sighed, "with people like us... our relationship with magic really is a love-hate one, isn't it?"

You smiled as you nodded, already feeling better as you felt your body getting cooler, "It is. I think this winter was the first time I felt my magic was a blessing."

Hongjoong nodded- Seonghwa had mentioned something about how you were secretly making the fire in all the fireplaces in the town warmer, "I guess something good did come out of all this. But can I ask you something?"

You looked at him and he hesitated a bit before asking, "You could have left me to die. There was no reason for you to save me."

You heard the question behind that statement good and clear. You squeezed his hand, "You reminded me of myself. Nobody should have to die like that, all alone engulfed by their own magic. I knew the risk- I knew you could be a madman who was having fun with this winter, but even if you were, I couldn't leave anyone like that."

Hongjoong nodded, but it still didn't make sense to him. Were you just being kind? What was your reason? You laughed as you saw his confused state, "I didn't need a reason to save you, Hongjoong, it's as simple as that."

Hongjoong smiled not at your answer but because it was perhaps the first time you had called him by his name and not a sarcastic spat of his nickname 'prince'. As if you had heard his thoughts, you surprised him by saying, "Don't let it get to you, Prince."

Hongjoong laughed out loud for the first time in a while, and you smiled at how endearing and lively his laugh was.

"You know you sound better when you're laughing and not being an ass," you commented.

"Don't get used to it, Princess," he raised a brow at you and you rolled your eyes.

You didn't take your hand away from each other even when the both of you knew that there was no need to keep holding them anymore.

-----------------

If you had thought that last night's interaction was going to shift your hot-and-cold relation with Hongjoong, you were very wrong because the two of you were back to nonsensical bickering as if last night hadn't happened at all.

"Why would you waste your energy on boiling water again and again when all you could do was touch it!" Hongjoong threw his hands in the air, "Tell me, Yunho, how does this make sense?"

Yunho looked at you as if to ask you for your explanation, and you began, "Not everyone flaunts their magic at every opportunity, you cold piece of shit who sends blizzards out just for the heck of it."

Yunho snorted, "But he didn't do that on purpose?"

"I'm not talking about this time, I've seen enough random blizzards to know which were natural and which weren't," you glared at Hongjoong as if to prove your point, who didn't say anything because you were right, and then you turned to Yunho, "And you! Whose side are you on!"

"No one's," Yunho laughed, clearly enjoying this, "Was just asking, calm down."

"You're telling her to calm down? That's like asking fire not to burn you," Hongjoong muttered.

"Shut up and come for lunch," Seonghwa called and the three of you immediately got up, joining Seonghwa at the table, and Yunho commented on how Seonghwa was basically the mother of this house.

"I am, and what about it?" Seonghwa grinned proudly, making even Hongjoong smile.

"He loves doing this," you dig into the bowl of rice, "you should see him clean this place, he cleans as if-"

"I'm gonna have to stop you there," Seonghwa warned you and you immediately shut up, "Anyways, Hongjoong, can you tell me more about the people who are rebelling against the original bloodline? Because I think I have something to tell you guys."

"What is it?" You asked, but Hongjoong began.

"There are a very few originals and most of them have left this land to blend in with the humans, which I believe is because they got wind of the uprising, if you can call it that," Hongjoong glanced at you, "She and I are currently the only ones remaining, and since she... killed the Prince of Water-"

"But she did not kill the Prince of Water," Seonghwa said as if he was stating the obvious, and both Hongjoong and Yunho looked at you, Yunho more in surprise and Hongjoong more in amusement.

"Is that what she told you?" Hongjoong raised a brow, and Seonghwa put his chopstick down a bit too furiously, glaring at Hongjoong.

"I am an eye-witness, and if you do not believe this, you can get out of this house right now."

"Seonghwa, there's no need-"

Seonghwa only raised his hand, looking at Yunho and Hongjoong as if daring them to challenge his statement, and Hongjoong stared between you and Seonghwa back and forth as you said, "I told you, Seonghwa, that there is no need to keep defending me. I may not have killed the Prince but he died because of me-"

"He did not," Seonghwa glared at you this time, shutting you up- you two had argued enough about this already, "So?"

"I believe you," Yunho said and you looked at him in surprise, "If you had really killed him and made a 'spectacle' out of it, you would have killed me or Hongjoong too. You're far too kind and nice to have done that."

You felt the sudden urge to hug Yunho but instead found yourself waiting for Hongjoong's answer, and his icy blue eyes scanned you, "I mean... if you say so. Just saying what I heard."

"Well, I hope you get your facts straight," Seonghwa smiled as if nothing had happened and urged Hongjoong to continue, which he did hesitantly, "So the Prince of Water is dead... right?" You nodded, "That leaves only the two of us, as far as I know. I don't know how they haven't found you yet, but they got to me first- they have been after me for quite a while now. I just thought it was petty revenge or something at first but I heard the gossips, I heard them talk, so I know that it's a thing now."

"But what are they going to get from getting rid of us?" You frowned, "I mean, it's not like we're ruling this land or taking over their properties or something. We're just... kids, trying to live a normal life."

"That's what you and I know, and that's what people who know us know," Hongjoong looked at Yunho and Seonghwa, "But if I have to blame someone, I have to blame the Prince of Water. He strengthened the belief that the original bloodline thinks of themselves as superior and wants to change the flow of nature and whatnot. You know all that he did, don't you?"

Yunho nodded, "Most of the water mages weren't on his side, but when he started threatening his own kind... there was nothing we could do. And only the people close to the Prince know of how things got bad to the extent that the Princess of Fire had to intervene and put a stop to this, but that only enraged them, mostly because they thought that as water mages, they should have been the one to stop him, and because they suspected her intentions, that she was going to follow in his footsteps."

"That makes sense..." you nodded as you tried to digest all the information.

"What I don't understand is," Yunho began, shifting so he was facing you, "Why you weren't denying the rumours. What really happened that day, princess?"

Hongjoong raised a brow at how he'd called you princess- Yunho hadn't called you that much since you'd arrive here- hadn't been too long so you didn't feel awkward about it, but even Seonghwa smiled at the contrast between Yunho's and Hongjoong's way of calling you princess.

You pursed your lips, looking at Seonghwa- would they believe you? Seonghwa nodded- you knew he was urging you to try, and whether they believed you or not would say a lot about them and where you all stood.

But that's what you were afraid of. Yunho was your friend, and you knew it would hurt if he didn't believe you. Even Hongjoong, who was a little shit if you could sum it up, was something like a friend now and you cared about what they thought of you.

"It was my father- he told me to put an end to all this. He was sick- he had a leg problem so he couldn't go out and solve this feud with the Prince of Water. Apparently our fathers went way back. Anyways, I didn't expect things to spiral out of control- it started with a normal conversation with the water mages, some of my friends including Seonghwa with me. But then... it was like he was possessed. He started fighting with his own friends and it got physical, and then he took off his siphon and lost control. His mother had air magic so she tried to change the direction of the incoming flood but it was no use- she asked me to step in."

You sighed as you recalled the events, a shiver running down your spine, "I made the hurricane evaporate before it could touch the land, but somehow... it burned the Prince too."

"What do you mean?" Yunho frowned.

"Make a water ball," you asked Yunho, and he raised his hand in the air, making a water ball swirl in the air, and you sent fire for it, making it evaporate.

"It didn't hurt you, right?" You asked, and Yunho nodded, "But somehow, it burned the Prince. I didn't even realize- I turned and he was burning as if I'd set him on fire."

"But that's... impossible," Hongjoong frowned, "There's no way that could have happened."

"I saw it," Seonghwa looked grim, "I know she was only focusing on the flood- I could feel her magic better than anyone else since I'm familiar with it. But the Water Prince... I have suspicions that she was framed. That this was all a grand scheme to frame the Fire Princess but I was always confused because why would they need to do that?"

"Until you heard about the uprising," Yunho finished.

Seonghwa nodded, "I heard gossips too- even though I didn't tell you," he looked at you, "but it seemed too far fetched of an idea. But what Hongjoong went through, trapped for months... while you were gone, a few men came in this town asking if there was a fire mage here. I asked them what made them think so, and they said the fire is warmer than normal fire."

"And only a fire mage could have felt that," you narrowed your eyes as you leaned forward and tried to connect everything, "do you think even fire mages are in league with the uprising?"

"Mages of all kinds," Hongjoong assured you, "In fact, the ice mages were going to fetch a fire mage to end me, which was why I attacked you when I gained consciousness."

"I still don't hear you apologizing about it, you ass."

"Why should I? It was defence."

"It's called defence when someone attacks you in the first place!" You looked at him with disbelief in your eyes as he grinned shamelessly, throwing a little spark of fire for him which he caught between his fingers and turned to a snowflake, sticking his tongue out at you.

"You kids," Seonghwa shook his head, "Maybe the men came to fetch you to be the fire mage that ends Hongjoong, since they wouldn't have known that you were also the other original they needed to end."

"Plausible," Yunho commented, "Which means they'll be back."

Silence fell as you all thought about it, "Should we be prepared?"

You looked at Yunho, "I don't know. Should we?"

"It would be wise to prepare- you don't want to go through what I went through," Hongjoong looked at you, "it's not like you can hibernate yourself. Or would you turn yourself toast?"

You turned to him haughtily, "Do not test me, Prince."

"Hongjoong," Seonghwa warned, shaking his head, and Hongjoong was about to protest but he realized why Seonghwa was shaking his head- something about him taunting your magic would trigger you again, which led him to think just what had you gone through again.

"Anyways," Yunho got up, feeling the thick tension in the air, "We have two originals here, so we're better and stronger than anyone who comes. We just have to be careful and watch our backs for now, don't we?"

Seonghwa nodded and you got up as well, "I need to go to the market. Does anyone wanna come?"

Both Yunho and Hongjoong raised their hands and you folded your arms as you looked at Hongjoong, "Give me one solid reason why I should let you accompany me."

"And why aren't you asking Yunho?" Hongjoong narrowed his eyes at you.

"Because he won't be a pain in my ass during the short trip, Prince," you told him and Yunho did a silly dance to further spice it up between you two.

"I'll be on my best behaviour," Hongjoong promised.

You should have known he meant it sarcastically.

"You eat mint-choco?" Hongjoong made the most disgusted face he could muster as you were picking out ice-cream flavours.

"You're literally eating a rainbow ice-cream, you kid," you snorted.

"At least I'm not eating toothpaste flavoured ice-cream."

Yunho almost choked on his own ice-cream as he heard that, "You both should have settled on cookies and cream. Can you two let each other live?"

You both smiled as if you were enjoying this, and Yunho rolled his eyes, muttering 'get a room'. You picked another rainbow ice-cream.

"Ha, are you finally trying it?"

"It's for Seonghwa," you told him, and he gaped at you.

"Seonghwa's not a kid for eating rainbow ice-cream but I am?"

"He gets to be a kid sometimes because he's not being one 24/7," you looked at him pointedly, and Yunho laughed out loud.

"You guys are getting better at this!" Yunho clapped, "Definitely better than 'should I melt your frozen heart'- ow!"

You made Yunho shut up as you pinched his arm, noticing Hongjoong's attention elsewhere, following his eyes to see he was staring at the kids playing in the snow outside.

"I'll wait outside while you get the rest done," Hongjoong told you both and you nodded, taking Yunho with you as you walked down the aisles and Yunho read the grocery list Seonghwa had made.

You were utterly surprised, to put it simply, to find Hongjoong playing with the little kids and having a snowball fight when you went outside after the two of you finished shopping.

"I did not expect him to get along with kids," Yunho muttered, sharing your disbelief of the situation.

"He's literally cheating in the snowball fight," you laughed as you noticed how he was only pretending to make snowballs when in reality he had them ready in a matter of seconds.

You watched him laugh out loud as he ran from the attacks, throwing snow at the kids and running around, saving a little girl who must be on his team, stopping when he noticed you and getting hit with a snowball in the process, making the kids yell in victory.

"Are you done?" Hongjoong asked.

You nodded, waving the bags in the air, "Should we all have a snowball fight?"

Hongjoong smirked, and you made 3 teams, the kids joining you- but really...

This was war.

You were melting any attack that came for you, as was Yunho. Hongjoong's snowballs were turning into ice-balls now, hard ice balls and you yelled at him.

"You'll hurt us!" You glared at him, making a snowball and wrapping it in cold flame, "Have a taste of this!"

"You can't win against me, Princess," Hongjoong only waved a hand to deflect it, "I'd be surprised if you win against Yunho-"

Which was when Yunho sent a snowball for Hongjoong's face and it hit home, making you howl in victory.

"You!" Hongjoong laughed, sending a giant snowball for Yunho, "Have a taste of this!"

Yunho laughed, falling on his butt on the soft snow as he let the snow ball fall on him, popping out of it like a snowman, making the kids watching laugh and run to him as they shaped the snow.

"Kids!" You clapped your hand, grabbing their attention, "This guy here can make really good snowmen!"

The kids immediately ran for Hongjoong who rolled his eyes, Yunho thanking you as he got out of the snow, shivering. The two of you sat on a bench recovering from the cold while Hongjoong really did make the best snowmen of every sizes and shapes, teaching the kids how to.

You watched Hongjoong with mundane curiosity- it was like a veil had shed from his personality, revealing a simple person who enjoyed playing with the kids in the snow and laughed without a worry in this world. It made you wonder just who Hongjoong was- not the ice prince but simply Hongjoong.

Though you had only met a while ago, there was something comforting about the way you all clicked and though you'd never say it out loud, there was also something comforting about the nonstop bickering between Hongjoong and you. It was a nice change in your home- the café, because Seonghwa and you were the type to mostly stay silent and busy yourself with your own work. Having new friends certainly lifted up the mood.

Even the customers in your café liked Yunho- you supposed he was the type to make place in everyone's heart. Yunho had been helping around more in the mornings, mostly serving. Hongjoong was always hiding somewhere in the bookstore, and sometimes you'd catch him have a little conversation about books with someone who came to stop by.

Hongjoong noticed you hadn't commented on his behaviour since you guys had left the store, and he wondered whether it was because you were surprised (he hoped in a good way) or because you simply weren't interested and had nothing to say.

But his lips curled in a smile when you later sat with him late at night drinking coffee in front of the fireplace while Yunho and Seonghwa went out for a walk, and finally commented on it.

"You look like you had fun earlier," you said, keeping your voice neutral.

"I had," Hongjoong smiled, gazing at the fire, "it's been long since I had that kind of fun."

"What?" You laughed a bit, "You're telling me that you have ice magic but you didn't go around playing with the snow and making someone slip in the snow?"

Hongjoong looked at you, amused, "What do you think my life was like before everything happened? Do you think I owned an ice-cream truck and went around town?"

"You're seriously telling me you never made someone slip in the snow when they annoyed you?" You looked at him in disbelief.

Hongjoong held your stare but then gave in, "Okay, maybe once, maybe twice. I stayed low mostly. It's not like you used to go around setting people on fire, did you?"

"Not much fun you can have playing with fire," you nodded grimly, "But ice, man! If I had your magic I'd have a little snowman accompany me everywhere I go."

"Which would speak for how lonely you are," Hongjoong retorted, "Speaking about that, is Seonghwa the only friend you have?"

"And what about it?" You frowned, "You like him, don't you?"

"I do, it's just... how did you get here?" Hongjoong looked around, "I mean... how come you, of all people, run a bookstore café with their childhood friend?"

"That sounds like a backhanded insult, but I'll ignore that," you said and Hongjoong smirked, "We used to live in the same town, until that incident happened. Things got too much for me, every water mage was after me, and then some. I had to leave town, my family came with me. It was only mom and dad anyway. We settled in a nearby town, but then they passed away in an accident. I went back to Seonghwa, since he was the only family I had. We decided to move here then."

Hongjoong nodded, "Can I ask what kind of an accident it was?"

"I'm actually not sure," you replied, "some sort of a ship accident when they were going to Mist Island-"

You paused. The incidents couldn't be related, could they?

"I know what you're thinking," Hongjoong's voice was low, "there's a chance that it's connected to the uprising. But we can't be sure. Don't let it get to you- it might have been just an accident-"

"But..." you looked at him, "They drowned. If there were water mages on board, they would have lived, wouldn't they? Maybe they couldn't save everyone and that's understandable, but... maybe I should find the survivors and interrogate them."

Hongjoong noticed your choice of words, "Hey, we can't be sure. Don't attract unnecessary attention, your life's already in danger as we speak-"

"If there's a chance that it wasn't an accident," you breathed, the fire in the fireplace turning red, "and they died because of me, I won't forgive the water mages- and I mean all of them."

"Hey," Hongjoong got up, noticing your glowing eyes, bending in front of you as he put a hand on yours, cooling you down, "it's gonna be okay. We'll find out, okay? And remember- you don't have to blame all the water mages if that was the case. Yunho is your friend, and he's one of the kindest people we know, isn't he? He is a water mage, and he is your friend. Be wise about this, will you?"

You took a deep breath, nodding, the fire dimming back to normal, "Sorry, I- I nearly lost control, I'm sorry-" you noticed his hand on yours, taking it and examining it to check if it was okay, "I could have burned you, Hongjoong."

"You couldn't," he only smiled, "you can't burn me, you should know."

"I can definitely set your ass on fire," you raised a brow.

"I'd rather you melt my frozen heart, Princess."

You rolled your eyes, but your heart fluttered unexplainably at that as you scanned Hongjoong's face, taking in his features, realizing you two were closer than ever with him bending down in front of you.

"I might burn and hurt you in the process," you managed to say, your voice barely coming out more than a whisper.

"Well, good for you," Hongjoong leaned in to whisper in your ear, "I like playing with fire."

You laughed a bit as he drew back and took his seat, smirking at you. "I'm not even sure if you were flirting or just being yourself."

"I can do both at the same time," he winked at you.

"Gosh, I should have left you in that tower," you finished your coffee, getting up, "You look prettier when you're hibernated and all frosty."

"At least you're admitting that I'm pretty, Princess," Hongjoong got up too, bringing his cup with him.

"Don't let it get to your head, Prince," you scoffed, mentally cursing yourself because Seonghwa was right- you sucked at this.

"You're prettier too," Hongjoong said, and you turned to look at him, finding him grinning devilishly, "When you're all angry and hot-"

You sent a bolt of fire his way and he snubbed it with merely a wave, making you send another for his butt which he dodged expertly.

"Come on, what did I say?!" Hongjoong cried out, laughing in disbelief when you started grinning.

"You like me angry and hot, I'm going to give you angry and hot."

You both kept sending fire and ice for each other, running around and laughing out loudly, cursing at each other and giggling like kids, not even noticing when Yunho and Seonghwa entered and stood in the doorway frozen while they watched you play like kids in your own little world.

"Should we maybe go for another round?" Yunho muttered, "I feel like I'm interrupting somewhere."

Seonghwa scoffed, "Fire and Ice? Who would've thought."

Yunho looked at Seonghwa and laughed, "You think they...?"

"I know that they are going to become a thing," Seonghwa nodded at him, smiling, "can't say I dislike the idea. Come on, let's give them five more minutes, then I'm ending this-"

You gasped as you realized the snowball Hongjoong had sent for you hit Seonghwa square in the face.

"I- I didn't mean to-" Hongjoong attempted to say but ended up laughing as he saw Seonghwa sigh in disappointment.

"Come out!" Seonghwa glared at Hongjoong, "Let's have a man-to-man snowball fight!"

Yunho stood grabbing Seonghwa's arm trying to hold him back but ending up in tears because he was laughing so hard as Seonghwa sent phantom hands and started dragging Hongjoong out, Hongjoong screaming in help, and you pinched the bridge of your nose, smiling.

"Let's not be kids about this," you told Seonghwa, who let go of Hongjoong.

"Rich coming from you," Seonghwa raised a brow at you and you blew a kiss at him, sticking your tongue out.

-----------------

You and Yunho were trying to practice your magic, you teaching him about the basic principles and how he should be able to control his magic better, and you discovered that Yunho was a quick learner, apart from being very patient and cooperative. It was probably why he learned and listened to you well, and he would do even better if-

If Hongjoong wasn't practically breathing down your necks as you taught him.

"Shouldn't he be learning from me?" Hongjoong questioned, "water and ice are related. Fire and water are enemies in all sense."

"It's actually better when you learn from your enemy- not that Yunho is mine," you said, "it's better when you know how to defend yourself against the magic that is the most threatening to you, don't you think so Yunho?"

"Definitely," Yunho nodded, grinning at Hongjoong, "you should learn a bit from her too."

"You're enjoying this way too much, aren't you?" Hongjoong scoffed, "ice and fire are equals, I'd say. No one lived to tell which one's better if they battled it out."

"Should we check and decide once and for all?" You offered, and Hongjoong raised his hands in the air in surrender, making you shake your head. You noticed Seonghwa coming out and propping himself in the chair next to Hongjoong with a knitting set in his hands.

"You should learn with me," Hongjoong told Seonghwa, "After all, what goes better than cold and dark?"

"Now don't you go corrupting my friend," you glared at him, ignoring when Hongjoong asked you just how he was 'corrupting' Seonghwa, turning back to focus on Yunho.

"Sorry for being distracted, Hongjoong doesn't let me breathe," you muttered, and Yunho told you it was okay, "so, where were we?"

"Water has memories," Yunho told you, "doesn't every magic have memories?"

"Water is always there, in one form or another," you told him, sitting down and touching the snow, "this snow was water at some point. But water bodies, like lakes and oceans, they have memories. So if it's been in contact with anything, you can access the memory."

"I've heard about it," Yunho nodded, running his hands over the snow- you stared shamelessly because at this point, you had a thing for his hands, "But isn't it like something specific to the Water Prince maybe?"

"No magic is specific only to the original bloodline," you corrected him, "We just have more strength of everything in our magic. If you train long and hard, you can open every chamber of your magic. You do know that even the originals can't access every chamber of their magic, don't you?"

"I heard you have to keep one or two closed so it doesn't consume you," Yunho looked at you and you nodded in confirmation.

"Since you're not an original, you don't have to worry about it consuming you- you can open every chamber because you'll only be accessing some of it- you can't delve in completely."

"That theory sucks, by the way," Hongjoong commented, "What if he ends up unintentionally focusing all his energy in one chamber? What if it consumes him?"

"It won't consume him if it's only one chamber- rather he'd become a master of it," you corrected.

"That's only your theory. No one has done it before."

"I know it works, Prince," you huffed, and Hongjoong was about to speak up but Seonghwa put a hand on his arm.

"Don't ask how, ever," he warned, "she went through literal hell herself to find this out."

Hongjoong opened his mouth to speak but shut up instantly- literal hell? For you, literal hell could only be your own magic-

Hongjoong's eyes went wide in realization as Seonghwa nodded- it must have had to do something with the incident 5 years ago, he realized. He watched you put your hand through the snow and turn it into water- such control, such power... you must really have gone through literal hell to know all of this. It made him wonder just how it had happened. Had you lost control of your magic?

It was the next day when he got his answer as you rushed through the bookstore, row after row, to find Seonghwa but finding Hongjoong instead, and he took in your state.

"Everything okay?"

"Where's Seonghwa?" You asked, trying to catch your breath.

"He went out for grocery- what's wrong?"

"I have no time to explain, he's in danger," your eyes glowed for a second before you came back, "Help me find him."

Hongjoong immediately got up, not questioning how you knew, calling Yunho over and Hongjoong used his tracking magic, the three of you running to the site.

You had almost reached the store when you spotted Seonghwa's magic- phantom hands in the air as a signal, and you tugged Yunho's arm-

"Water mages," you looked at him, "You shouldn't go if you don't want to be in their blacklist."

"Seonghwa's my friend too," Yunho simply said as he took your hand and ran to where Seonghwa was.

Hongjoong stopped you, raising his hands and marking the men- there were 4 of them, and Seonghwa was barely holding, his face etched into a pained expression.

"Stay back," you said, "I'll handle this."

With that, your eyes glowed as you raised your hand and swiped it, knocking all of them unconscious in seconds and Hongjoong made an impressed face.

"That's certainly handy," he commented, and you shrugged, rushing to Seonghwa who was out of breath.

"I felt it- are you okay? Was I late?" You asked as you grabbed Seonghwa by the shoulders, examining him. He laughed a bit, patting your cheek.

"I'm fine, but you definitely could have arrived earlier- I was losing hope. But I guess the fire you put in my necklace definitely works."

"Sorry," you muttered but Seonghwa told you he was joking and that it was fine.

"Are all of them water mages?" Yunho frowned as he looked at the fallen bodies, "I don't think I recognize any of them."

"Seems like it," Hongjoong sighed, "We should do something about this before people notice."

Which was how you ended up with the 4 men tied to the chairs in your basement, waiting for them to wake up so you could start questioning them. When one of them stirred, you all met eyes and Seonghwa wrapped his dark magic around the man's hand, rendering him unable to use his magic. The man blinked a few times, adjusting himself to the surroundings, looking around and then ended up laughing like a maniac, which had you nervously bite your lip as you looked at Hongjoong.

"I didn't expect such a weird group of friends, Princess," he looked at each of them, "keeping friends close and enemies closer, aren't you?"

"And why would I need to keep my enemies closer? I'm sure you must have an answer to that?"

"I must say, I didn't expect the Ice Prince in your company," he scanned Hongjoong, his lips curling in a devilish smile, "Had a good time with my friends in the mountains?"

Hongjoong got up, circling around the man, "Who's behind this uprising?"

"Wouldn't you love to know," the man practically spat, his dark hair falling on his face, and when Hongjoong's eyes glowed in anger, you stepped in.

"If you value your life, you'll answer my questions," your eyes glowed and your voice was steel, "You do know I was framed for your Prince's death, don't you?"

His eyes flashed, "Is that an excuse for burning him to death? Is this how you're going to save your hide now?"

"Were you present 5 years ago when all of that happened?" Yunho asked, "Did you see the Princess burn him to death?"

"Who else could have?" The man scoffed, "What's your point, girl?"

"I don't care whether you believe me or not," you leaned in front of him, "Do you have any knowledge of the incident that drowned the rest of the original fire bloodline?"

Hongjoong called your name in warning while Seonghwa and Yunho gasped in realization, the man staring at you, thinking, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Please," you scoffed, "All of Wonderland knows exactly how the last of the fire bloodline died, and you don't know what I'm talking about? Tell me, do you know the water mages that were on board? Or..." your hand was on fire now as you threatened to burn him, "Were you on board?"

"I wasn't!" He cringed away from the burning sensation that neared his hand, "I don't know the water mages who were!"

"I can smell the lies on you," you whispered, bringing your hand closer to his, "Would you like to burn to death like your Prince?"

Hongjoong called your name in warning again but Seonghwa stopped him and Yunho too, who looked like he would get up any second now. You waited until the man sighed, giving in.

"I may know one of the water mages who were on board- not personally. I'm not sure, but I think I have an idea- he goes by the name of Kwangsoo."

You nodded, taking a step away from him and he sighed in relief, Hongjoong making you back away further as he took over.

"Who sent you and who is behind this stupid idea to end the original bloodline?" Hongjoong's voice was as icy as his magic, making you shiver a bit as you joined Seonghwa and Yunho, Seonghwa rubbing your back.

"Does it matter?" The man asked, "It's been going around for decades now, longer before you were born, the both of you. It's only rising in magnitude now, that's why you noticed."

That was news to all of you- it seemed like the ones who were a part of the uprising were taught about how it began and all that too. Hongjoong made the man talk, learning some history and their plans with him and you, finally stopping and standing back with you.

"Shall we kill them or let them go?"

"I don't kill people," you raised your hands in surrender, "be my guest, do whatever you'd like."

So Hongjoong let them go with a message to convey to their little gang- do not mess with the Ice Prince and the Fire Princess, who're living in peace and will continue to do so unless provoked.

Later that night, Hongjoong joined you when he found you sitting bare-feet in the ice again, shivering a bit. He shook his head at you, "You know, you don't have to do this every time you feel as if you're burning- I'm here. I'm here for you."

Something about the way he said that made you look up and stare at him for a good minute, "I didn't want to bother you- plus, it's awkward to ask you to do that."

"So you're considerate and shy?" Hongjoong grinned, making you roll your eyes and throw a fistful of snow at him, "But really, it's not gonna be awkward if we don't make it."

"I'm not quite sure if I understand," you muttered, watching Hongjoong sigh and offer you his hand.

"Walk with me?"

The two of you walked with hands joined as he sent his magic to cool your insides down, and you suddenly felt wary of how it would look like to anyone else who noticed. Hongjoong looked like he was comfortable with this- you, however, were both comfortable and nervous.

"Earlier today... would you really have burned the man for answers?" Hongjoong finally asked you.

You pursed your lips, "I would say no but now that I think about it... I'm not quite sure."

"That's okay, you know?" Hongjoong squeezed your hand, "I think it's a bit suspicious- your parents' death. We should make sure, just in case, but... are you sure you can handle the truth?"

"That's exactly why I was out there in the snow thinking," you smiled sheepishly, "It would be ugly if I lose control again."

"Again?" Hongjoong asked, "When did that happen last time?"

"I suppose you should know," you looked at him, "When the Prince of Water was burned to death, I was the obvious suspect. I was... imprisoned, like you, for a while. That's how it happened- I ended up burning my own shackles and the very ground I sat on. They had to let me go- if it weren't for my father, I would have set Wonderland on fire."

"Ah," Hongjoong realized there really was a reason you were so considerate when you first saw him- he must have reminded you of yourself, "How do you think that happened, the Prince?"

"A simple trick of fire and an air mage is the most probable answer," you said, "We fire mages tend to burn a man from the inside out- not the outside, like setting a person on fire. Fire mages have a bit of a... dramatic flair, you could say."

Despite the seriousness of the topic, Hongjoong was grinning, "I heard ice mages make it dramatic too- slowly freeze a man."

"What a spectacle," you muttered bitterly, sharing a laugh with Hongjoong, noticing your still joined hands realizing you were okay now, "You can let go of my hand- I'm normal now."

"And if I want to keep holding on?" Hongjoong looked at you, his long lashes casting a shadow on his eyes in the strong moonlight.

"I really don't get you," you laughed, flushing despite yourself, "Do you have a thing for holding hands?"

"I like how warm your hands are, actually," Hongjoong raised your joined hands as if looking at them, "I may be the Ice Prince but I like the warmth, just like you like the cold."

"We're polar opposites," you stopped walking, "crazy how we fit with each other, isn't it?"

Hongjoong smiled warmly at you, tucking your hair behind your ear, patting your cheek, and you stood with lips parted, watching him scan your face until his smile grew into a smirk. "Flirting back, are we?"

"I really should have left you in that damned tower," you muttered, beginning to go away but Hongjoong pulled you back to him, wrapping his arms around you, never letting go of your hand. You tried wriggling out of his embrace as you groaned, but he only held you tighter, laughing a bit, and you couldn't tell if he was being playful or what.

"I'm gonna set your ass on fire if you don't let me go, Hongjoong," you warned, though you were smiling.

Hongjoong shifted so he could whisper in your ear, "It's been a while since I've hugged a human and not a snowman, Princess, let me be."

You weren't sure if he was joking or not, so you only stood awkwardly, finally melting into the hug after a few seconds. "You feel like a snowman."

"And you feel like home- warm and safe."

You finally wrapped your arms around him after that, letting him get his share of hug that he had craved so much, stealing warmth and cold from each other.

-----------------

"Either you go with me or you don't go," Seonghwa gave his verdict, turning back to cleaning the library while you stood with the broom in your hand and jaw clenched.

"It's dangerous, why don't you understand that if something happened to you, I won't be able to take it?"

"As happy as I am to hear that," Seonghwa let out a short laugh, "I'd rather we go together. I may not be an original but you know I can look after myself better than the others. And you're taking Hongjoong with you, someone you only met a few weeks ago. That hurts my pride."

That was a fact you could not deny, "But... Seonghwa, I wouldn't be too sad if something happened to Hongjoong now, would I?"

"I hear you loud and clear, Princess!" Hongjoong shouted from the other row where he and Yunho were arranging books, and you heard Yunho's breathy giggles, "Back at you!"

You pointed a thumb backwards, looking at Seonghwa smugly as if your point was proven, "See? We won't be sad if something happened to one of us."

"But Yunho's going too!" Seonghwa started cleaning furiously.

"We're using him as a guide and we're going to drop him off afterwards- maybe even earlier if the situation calls."

"I can look after myself too!" Yunho shouted.

"I'd be sad if something happened to you!" You shouted back.

"Hey, what's with the discrimination!" You heard a furious shuffle as Hongjoong came to you, laughing in disbelief, "You wanna go, Seonghwa? Let's go, all of us."

"Hongjoong," you warned, but you were cut off by him.

"They're adults, good with their magic and can take care of themselves," Hongjoong's voice was not sarcastic anymore, and you knew you were being unfair about this. You sighed, shaking your head as you went back to cleaning, and Seonghwa stifled his laugh when he saw steam rise from your head, deciding to not comment on it in case you really did burn his ass like you always threatened to.

The four of you shut the café and Seonghwa met with the grandma next door to tell her they'd be gone for a few days. Hongjoong didn't need to be told to wear a hoodie and cover his head- silver hair like his could be seen and recognized from quite a distance, and with the threat hanging on his head and yours, you guys were better off safe than sorry.

It was quite a week that you travelled- constant bickering between you and Hongjoong in the day but in the nights when both of you had trouble sleeping, you'd sit watch and get to know each other. You didn't realize how it became a routine- something you were beginning to look forward to, when the two of you weren't Prince and Princess but Hongjoong and... you.

Yunho and Seonghwa had been the most cooperative, as if they were afraid you'd both ditch them because it was dangerous and go on your own. Yunho learned his magic with you and Hongjoong while Seonghwa practiced his deadly magic as well- there really was a lot you could do with shadows and phantoms. But you realized with every passing day that the four of you got along really well, and that you were going to miss them when you would part ways. You secretly wanted to keep them all to yourselves, and you were going to offer them the mundane life of running the bookstore café with you before you'd part ways.

You were on your way to the coast where most of the water mages dwelled, having passed as a group of friends travelling. You all had ditched the idea of carriages after people started to notice Hongjoong and you- you supposed it was just the aura you both gave that caught people's attention. You and Seonghwa were just bickering over something stupid when Hongjoong heard an arrow whoosh your way and pushed you both to the ground, an ice shield automatically forming around the four of you.

You heard the distant yells of 'ice prince' along with the loud buzzing in your ears as Hongjoong shook you from your initial shock, and you pushed Seonghwa and Yunho behind you as you stood beside Hongjoong.

"There are 6," Hongjoong muttered, "They must have been following us for a while now. What do we do?"

"I'll handle this," Seonghwa stood up, and you watched a black smoke seep out of him as he sent phantom hands, knocking the men off their feet, but one of them sent a strong light your way which negated Seonghwa's magic and he shook his head.

"Drop the shield, Hongjoong," you said, "take cover, you two."

With that, you sent arrow after arrow of fire while Hongjoong both defended and attacked, Yunho yelling half in surprise and victory when he managed to create an ice shield of his own, Hongjoong sharing a grin with him. Seonghwa sat with his knees on the ground, sending an imperceptible thread of shadow and blinding the men.

"Should we run or should we do something about them?" Yunho asked.

"I say knock them unconscious and run," you muttered, "I'm not killing if you're not."

So you did that, tying the men together and leaving them in the middle of the forest to their fate while you continued travelling.

"This is exactly why I did not want you along with me," you glared at Seonghwa, "You could have been hurt and I could have done nothing about it."

"You could have been hurt too, if it weren't for Hongjoong," Seonghwa glared back, "What I'm saying is that we're in this together, whether you like it or not."

"I don't," you said, "and you both are staying with Yunho's family until we come back with information."

You and Seonghwa argued for a bit until Hongjoong intervened, telling you both to shut up. You huffed in anger and started walking a bit behind, Yunho joining you while Hongjoong gave you a knowing look- he'd made Seonghwa understand.

"You know she loves you a lot," Hongjoong said, "She wants you safe, and she doesn't want to worry about you."

"She thinks of me as a burden," Seonghwa sighed.

"No, she doesn't. She thinks of you as someone precious enough that she would lose herself if she lost you," Hongjoong smiled as he said that, "I think that's better than taking me as a scapegoat."

Seonghwa laughed, shaking his head, "She cares for you too, more than she'd like and would ever admit. I understand why she's comfortable with you- she thinks of you as an equal, someone who'll have her back without worrying the hell out of her- but she worries about you too- not the same reasons as me."

"Good to hear," Hongjoong was grinning and Seonghwa scanned his face, a knowing smile creeping on his face.

"You like her, don't you?"

"Me? Her?" Hongjoong barfed, "ew, no."

"You keep telling yourself that," Seonghwa laughed knowingly while Hongjoong brought his icy hands to cool his now warm cheeks.

Meanwhile, Yunho was patting your back. "I understand why you want us to stay, but... the way you talk to Seonghwa, I'm not sure he understands your intentions. Or if he does... he just doesn't like the way you voice them."

"And how do I talk?" You asked.

"Aggressively-caringly," Yunho laughed, "It's like watching siblings fight- they'll never admit they love each other but they'll also give their life for the other."

You finally smiled at that, "We'll be fine too, Seonghwa needs to understand. I know he understands, it just.... you said it," you laughed in defeat.

You reached the village where Yunho's uncle lived, recognizing the group of men you'd met that day during the mountain hike, and they welcomed all of you, including Hongjoong. They shut the windows, telling you all that you could be comfortable.

"Is there a reason why they aren't a part of the uprising like most of the mages?" You asked Yunho out of genuine curiosity as you examined the group of men who were playing board games, Hongjoong joining them in a game of chess and Seonghwa watching them excitedly.

"They really don't agree with the ideology," Yunho told you, "What's the point in killing the originals? There's always gonna be someone who's more powerful than the rest of us- it all comes down to whether they wield their power with the wrong intent or not."

"Exactly," Yunho's uncle propped down on your table, "The Prince of Water was my friend- he always thought of himself as superior. He had this planned for a while, and what happened to him... he had it coming."

"You do know who I am, don't you?" You asked, "you don't think I killed him?"

"You were just a little girl," he sighed, "I wasn't there, but my friends over there-" he pointed to Hongjoong's table, "they saw it, saw the whole thing. There was no way even an original could stop a flood and burn a man at the same time- plus I know how dramatic fire mages are. They don't set fire like that."

You smiled knowingly at Yunho, who smiled back, "Thank you for having us. It must be risky even for you- we won't be long here, just take care of my friend Seonghwa till we come back."

"Are you going to inquire about the ship accident that drowned your parents?" He asked, and you nodded- he was quick. "There's no use inquiring around. I know it was done on purpose- there were water mages on the ship, but they aren't to blame- it was one of the Illusioners."

"Illusioner? As in people who can make you think your magic isn't working and stuff like that? Aren't they extinct or something?"

"They live in a close community, the few remaining ones. I heard one of them was aboard. That's the only explanation that makes sense as well."

He was right, and this changed everything. After a quiet meal where you sorted your thoughts out, you hugged Seonghwa and Yunho, telling them to stay safe and wait patiently.

"I don't know how long it's gonna take, but if I'm dead, you'll know it. So don't go back before that."

"Don't say things like that," Seonghwa scolded, hugging you tighter, "You better come back."

With a kiss to your forehead, he let you go, and Yunho ruffled your hair, the two of you waving at and thanking everyone for their hospitality, donning your cloaks and setting out, the salty tinge of seawater in the air hitting your nostrils now that you had been inside for a while. Upon the instructions, you both took the ship that lead to Mist Island, where the Illusioners should be.

You told Hongjoong all about what you'd learned, and he agreed with that theory- it was the strongest lead you had so far. You had to find the person responsible for the accident, but...

"I don't know what I'm going to do once I find the Illusioner," you told Hongjoong when night time fell and you sat at the edge, watching land fade away.

"If you want me to... I could kill him for you."

You looked at Hongjoong in surprise, but his eyes were steel. He really meant it. You shook your head, "Would that solve anything? It would only fuel the uprising if people learn we killed one of the rarest mages."

"What are we going to do about the uprising anyway?" Hongjoong asked, "They're gonna keep coming after us. I don't want to leave Wonderland, even if it feels unsafe."

"You have a home with me, Hongjoong," you looked at him, "You don't have to go anywhere."

"I thought you couldn't stand me, Princess," Hongjoong scoffed, "Are you really offering that?"

"As long as you stop being a pain," you told him, making him laugh, "but really. Isn't it cool, us 4 running the café and just living life? We could expand the business. You could open an ice-cream truck right outside, maybe go around town, grow a beard like Santa."

Hongjoong shook his head at you, "You really enjoy my suffering, don't you?"

"Can't say I don't," you grinned.

"Thanks for the offer," Hongjoong sighed as he looked at the sky, "I'll think about it."

"Look at you pretending to think about it- you even left your stuff back there!" You slapped his arm, and he gasped in realization, "Should we make a detour and go to the tower, get the rest of your stuff too?" You teased, "I'd like to bring home the ice chandelier-"

Hongjoong flicked your forehead, making you howl in pain and try to flick his forehead but he leaned back, making you lean further in until you were almost on top of him and he had to hold your waist to keep you from falling. "If you wanted to be on top of me, you could have asked nicely."

You rolled your eyes, going back to sitting and Hongjoong only laughed at your embarrassed state, putting an arm around your shoulder and bringing you closer, cuddling into your side. "You're very clingy, Prince."

"You love it, Princess."

You made a face but you were too tired to argue further, so you put a head on his shoulder as the two of you watched the calm waves of the sea pull you further away from Wonderland.

The next evening, you reached Mist Island, the mountains large enough to make you shiver a bit- it had an eerie feel to it, just like its name. "Funny that it's called Mist Island," you said, "I really can't see much."

Hongjoong nodded- there was a strange fog spread over the surface of the ground, making the place seem haunted, the only reason you weren't scared being that it was day and it felt okay. "You think someone make this fog on purpose?"

"Definitely," you grinned, "If I had an island to myself, I'd have an eternal fire burning somewhere too- for the people to recognize it from far away."

Hongjoong laughed at that, "How dramatic."

You narrowed your eyes at him, "Have you forgotten how you built a freaking ice palace? With the ice chandelier? You're seriously gonna call me dramatic when you look like that? Have you dyed your hair, Prince?"

"I have not!" Hongjoong pouted, "Stop giving me shit about my appearance!" You grinned- you actually were pretty sure that you had a thing for Hongjoong's hair now- it was just such a beautiful shade of white and silver and the faintest hint of blonde, and it went so well with his icy blue eyes. "You can stop staring at me now, Princess. I'm not even sure what you're thinking, and I'm not sure I wanna know."

"Come on," you poked his arm before putting yours around his, "you know I like your hair."

"Do you now?" Hongjoong smirked.

"Nah, I just said that to make you feel better," you rolled your eyes, "Can we move now?"

Hongjoong pouted and was muttering some curses while you dragged him further into the island, trying to formulate a plan but getting distracted whenever Hongjoong pointed at something or teased you over something, and you wished you had Seonghwa with you- he was the only one who could shut Hongjoong up.

You were just walking through the forest following the sound of the city when a woman stepped in front of you all of a sudden, seemingly appearing from the fog, making you bite your tongue to keep from screaming.

"The original fire and ice mages," the woman scanned you both and you instinctively held on to Hongjoong tighter, "to what do we owe the pleasure?"

You couldn't feel any magic from her, and she looked normal enough- dark hair and darker eyes- but something about her was making the magic in your blood scream. "We come in search of the Illusioners. Just some questions to ask- all in peace," Hongjoong assured, and you nodded.

The woman let out a short laugh, "In peace? Questions? I don't think those two go well together," she suddenly put her hands up and you reacted instinctively, creating a shield, but-

You failed.

Your magic wasn't working.

"You're an Illusioner," you muttered, and she grinned, making you both drop to your knees, and you had no time to look how Hongjoong was holding up, seeing more people join the woman before everything went black.

-----------------

You woke up in chains again.

You weren't sure if this was a dream or reality, but when you saw Hongjoong chained in front of you, his skin going paler and frost spreading on his lips and eyelids, you realized this was real. You really were chained, yet again.

Just like 5 years ago.

"No, no, no," you mumbled, staring at your gauntlets, preventing you from using your magic, and you panicked. You had no time to think, no time to plan, you just panicked as memories crept up your mind-

You were burning, and you would die.

There was nothing left in this world anymore. Just burning, hot fire. You were going to set Wonderland on fire before burning from the inside out.

You shook your head- there was no time to dwell on the past memories that always triggered you, now was not the time to be triggered and start burning from the inside out, but-

You couldn't help it. You could feel your magic roiling restlessly inside you.

You were going to burn from the inside out, and there was no Seonghwa to help you-

"Hongjoong," you almost whispered, looking around- you were in a basement, of all the places, just like that time, "Hongjoong!"

He didn't stir. He was out cold, and he was probably freezing from the inside too, just like you were burning. His head was hanging painfully to his side, chains around his waist holding him half-up like yours were.

You couldn't burn- not without getting Hongjoong out. You had to save Hongjoong, just like he had saved you so many times without even knowing. Just like you had saved him when you first met him.

You shut your eyes, trying to stop your restless magic from clouding your brain as you tried to think- these gauntlets were somehow presenting you from using magic altogether. Five years ago, you didn't have the ability to use magic without your hands, but this time it seemed it didn't matter.

You were so scared- for Hongjoong, more than yourself. For the innocent people on this island. For the destruction you'd cause if you lost control. Just what was the Illusioner thinking when she tied you both like this? Did she not know the amount of destruction you were capable of if you lost control?

Illusioner. Makes you think you are unable to use your magic.

Was this an illusion? Or were your gauntlets an illusion?

You looked down at your gauntlets, wondering if they were real. It certainly felt real- especially since it weighed your hands down, but... were they just for show? Could you somehow use your magic itself to break through the illusion?

You concentrated the magic to your hands- to hell with it if the metal would burn and melt the flesh on your hands. This was your only chance at making it out alive and saving Hongjoong and the rest of the island.

I am the Princess of Fire.

You brought your hands to the siphon, struggling to turn the notches down so you could have access to your full powers.

I am the Princess of Fire, and I will not be afraid of my own magic.

You shut your eyes in pain, willing your magic to travel to your hands, melting the gauntlet.

I will not be afraid of my magic, because it cannot burn me.

These were the last words your father, the original fire mage, had told you to keep close to your heart, because as soon as you were scared of your magic, it would start hurting you. You never understood why and how you could not be scared of the magnitude and hazard of your magic, but now it was starting to make sense.

Your mother had always told you that there needed to be something you wanted to protect- if not your own self (which should be the case), something so precious to you that you would risk your life to protect that. As you opened your eyes and looked at Hongjoong, you understood what she meant.

It was crazy how you had such a soft spot for the Prince of Ice you'd met only a few weeks ago. You'd never expected him to care about you either, but he clearly did. You'd learn how his family had left Wonderland in the fear of their life, but Hongjoong felt at home here- despite the threat to his own life. Despite going through something similar than what you had- what had broken you down completely. You were in awe of how strong he was- he embraced his magic, even when it hurt him like it was hurting him now. He only needed someone who believed in him to be okay.

You recalled your conversation from one of the nights when you were on your way to the coast and couldn't sleep, Hongjoong with you for 'night watch' as you both stared at the full moon. You finally asked him how long had he been imprisoned, since the winter season had come naturally enough but it only had gotten prolonged.

"5 months," Hongjoong sighed, "give or take."

"5 months?" You gaped at him, and he only smiled, "That's crazy, Hongjoong. How did you not, I don't know, freeze from the inside out, become an ice statue and shatter while engulfing Wonderland in some crazy blizzard that would freeze everyone too?"

Hongjoong laughed at your panicked state, "I think it's because I came to terms with my magic or something like that. I used to hate my magic too- people always said I felt too cold, even to the touch. My hair wasn't always white as well, believe it or not-"

You let out a scandalous gasp and Hongjoong slapped your arm before continuing, "People started to hate me, and I first thought I was the problem, but then I realized that I really wasn't. Those who actually care stick with you, whether you look like and feel like a snowman or not."

"Well," you grinned, "you make a pretty snowman. But, Hongjoong, you know I was imprisoned too. I barely made it three weeks before I started to melt everything around me. It's impressive that a prolonged winter was the only thing you really caused."

"You really should love yourself more, Princess," Hongjoong caressed your hair with a sad smile, and you noted how this time he didn't have that sarcastic tone every time he called you princess, "You should know that you matter, if not to anyone else, than to yourself. If no one's gonna love you, you have to love yourself."

"I have Seonghwa," you said, "And I had my parents- I know they loved me... but- then why was I so weak?"

"You weren't weak," Hongjoong shook his head, "Don't ever think of yourself as weak. The fact that you didn't set Wonderland on fire but only started burning from your own self before anything else, that means you didn't believe in yourself. Sometimes it happens- no matter the amount of people who love you and believe you, you end up doubting yourself."

"And I suppose in your case, since no one believed in you... you believed in yourself?"

Hongjoong nodded, "Well, you have one more person who believes in you now. Give yourself some credit, Princess. You're stronger than you think you are. Know why? Because despite the fire in your body, that fire doesn't drive people away- it attracts them. The people in your town know that you are the Princess, they just don't show it- because they believe in you. You keep them warm. I have heard them talking about you and how their homes are always warm. You heal the people's hearts without even realizing."

You gaped at Hongjoong- you had never realized the people knew. But... they had always been good to you. You had sometimes suspected that they knew, but now that Hongjoong confirmed it...

You stared at the gauntlets, watching it melt away and fall apart with a crack- it didn't hurt you. You stared at the broken gauntlets in confusion, your mouth opening in surprise when the gauntlets faded into smoke-

The gauntlets were an illusion.

You looked at Hongjoong- he probably didn't realize this was an illusion and was fighting with something inside his head- he was frowning. Perhaps he was battling with his magic. You melted the chains- those were real, and rushed to Hongjoong, touching his face and flinching away at first, because he was beyond ice cold.

You cupped his face, holding it up as you drew his hair back, "Hongjoong, listen to me. Everything is an illusion. You can break free. Hongjoong?"

Hongjoong groaned in response- he didn't seem well. You joined your foreheads, spreading warmth on his body through the skin contact, whispering his name again and again, drawing back when his groan went louder, your hands never leaving his face.

He finally opened his eyes, the frost on his lashes melting away as he looked at you in confusion. "Those gauntlets aren't real," you told him, "it's an illusion, Hongjoong. You can break free. Come on, you can do it."

"Help me," he looked down at his gauntlets and you understood, sending your magic through them, just like that time, while Hongjoong sent his ice magic, making the gauntlets crack and fade away, and he flexed his now free hands, looking at you in surprise as his vision became clearer, as if the mist on his eyes was now gone.

"That was quick," you muttered, laughing, and Hongjoong- still in his chains- bent forward to cup your face, his hands now warm, joining your foreheads again.

"You melted my frozen heart, Princess," he breathed, "exactly how I wanted you to."

You don't know who did it first, but you were kissing each other, quick and good before drawing apart, "We have to get away first, Prince."

With that, you broke apart his chains and melted the door knob, "As long as you realize that the only thing stopping your magic is you, you can break free of any illusions, understand?"

Hongjoong nodded, and the two of you went up the stairs, knocking out two mages before ascending, finding yourself in a dark lobby, instinctively holding on to each other. You heard some movement at your back and lit a fire around the source, trapping the same woman that you'd met. She panicked for a second, and then the fire went out-

"It's still there, the fire," Hongjoong whispered, "she's just making it seem like it isn't."

"Well, well," the woman scoffed, "Didn't expect you two to be so... chummy."

"I need answers, or you burn to death," you left Hongjoong's hand to bring the fire closer to the woman, inch by inch, "Which one of you Illusioner bitches was on board on the ship that killed my parents?"

"You can't kill me- you won't. Just like you couldn't kill the Prince of Water. Just like you couldn't kill the people who imprisoned you. Because your heart is soft, Princess."

"Her heart may be soft," Hongjoong was seething, "But mine isn't."

Your circle of fire burned blue- the hottest of flames, and the woman let out a scream as the fire spread barely inches away from her, "Tell me, Illusioner. Who is responsible for her parent's death?"

"Would you let me go if I told you I was?"

You narrowed your eyes, "Is this your way of saving your friend- or whoever it is you're taking the blame for? Because I don't think you should be doing that when you could burn to death."

"It was me," she glared at you both, "It's true that it was a natural accident- there was only one water mage aboard and he minimized the damage, but some people were bound to die. I just made sure your parents were one of them- I wouldn't have noticed there were fire mages aboard if they hadn't used their magic to try and save people."

You expected your knees to go weak and fall, maybe cry, but you only nodded absently, Hongjoong putting a hand on your shoulder, whispering your name.

"Leave her here, like this," you said to Hongjoong.

"NO!" The woman screamed, putting her arms around herself, her forehead glistening from the sweat, but you smirked.

"You're an Illusioner huh? Maybe make yourself believe there's no fire surrounding you and try stepping through it?"

With that, you turned and grabbed Hongjoong's hand, going outside, noticing a circle of blue fire around every Illusioner and you gaped at Hongjoong. He grinned, "Didn't want anything interrupting you, Princess."

"I didn't even notice," you sighed, "Let's get the hell out of here."

------------------

"I win," Yunho announced, raising his arms in victory as he slumped back on his chair, making the three of you gape.

"Not fair!" Hongjoong looked at him in disbelief, and so did you.

"He's one lucky guy," you scoffed, sharing a laugh with Seonghwa.

"Play games with Yunho, 10 out of 10 times you lose," Seonghwa laughed, all of your attention drawing to the door when the bell sounded and customers entered. Seonghwa got up, gathering the dices and cleaning the table, Yunho going to the counter to take their order.

"Walk with me?" Hongjoong asked, and you smiled, telling Seonghwa you'd be back in a while.

"I could get used to this," Hongjoong smiled as you two walked the empty path to the river, no one out so early in the morning.

"This?" You raised your joined hands, wriggling your eyebrows.

"I was talking about us running your bookstore café and living such a mundane life, but-" Hongjoong brought you closer with a smirk, "I could also get used to this."

It had been a couple of weeks since the encounter with the Illusioners on Mist Island- the fire circles that had trapped the mages were actually hot enough to make them sweat but cool enough to not burn them, leaving them confused and panicked until one of them would take the risk and realize it was only a trick- an illusion. You had both left with a simple message- do not bother us. Don't try to interfere in our lives, and we won't interfere in yours. It was relatively peaceful now- the uprising had died down a little since the mages you'd encounter so far had all made it out alive, which sent a clear message- you meant no harm.

You'd gone back to Wonderland and Seonghwa had almost cried when he saw you unscratched, and Yunho had decided to join you after all- but he joined you a week later, after wrapping up everything back home. The bookstore café was your home now- you'd clear up the store room so the boys could have an extra room, but you guys tended to fall asleep wherever you liked- you loved that it was so comfortable.

It was also really, really comfortable with Hongjoong- ever since that day, you guys were back to your routine of teasing each other until one of you screamed in frustration, but then finding comfort in each other's arms too, sharing light kisses every once in a while as you tried to figure out the change in your relationship and what exactly it meant.

You shook your head at Hongjoong who was muttering sinful things in your ears- something to rile you up and make you blush furiously, but you knew he'd never even touch you without your permission.

"I really, really want to kiss you right now," Hongjoong whispered in your ear, "And cover you in frost."

"You could do that," you said, "And I could cover you in ashes. I'm sure the black soot would look great on you."

"So romantic," Hongjoong laughed, the two of you sitting down by the river, and you looked at Hongjoong- his skin looked warmer now that winter was gone, his white shirt making his hair shine even brighter. Hongjoong turned to look at you, "What are you looking at?"

"You," you bit your lip as your hands travelled to his neck, bringing him in for a kiss.

This time it wasn't the light kisses and pecks you'd been sharing for weeks now- you wanted to dive further. You did as you leaned into him, a groan of surprise leaving him as his hands snaked to your waist, shifting you on top of him so he could meet the fervour of your kiss better, smiling into it.

"You're burning hot right now, you know that?" Hongjoong laughed a bit, your pink cheeks looking lovely to him.

"Good thing I have you to cool me down, isn't it?" You almost whispered.

"Gosh, I think I love you, Princess," he smiled widely as he caressed your face.

"You think?" You laughed, pushing him back on the soft grass as you kissed him, "I think I can tolerate you now, Prince."

"See? This is why I like you," Hongjoong muttered, and you slapped his cheek lightly.

"Shut up and let me kiss you."

"Make me."

You did. And as you pinned his hands on the ground, frost in the shape of flames sketched itself on the grass, leaving a trace of all things good.

You were the Fire Princess, and he was the Ice Prince. And you couldn't have been more perfect for each other.

I'm The One

prince!hongjoong x reader

genre: fluff, angst, suggestive

word count: ~24k

synopsis: In the Kingdom of Wonderland, Prince Hongjoong is holding a Selection: 30 eligible candidates from the kingdom competing against each other, one of which would be his wife and the future princess. You, however, aren't one of the candidates, you're only translator to your best friend Arin, which means you get to talk to the prince directly. In an effort to remain in the shadows and pass unseen, Hongjoong only seems to notice you, and he can't help but think you're the one.

You never imagined that you'd one day get to step inside the Palace itself, let alone live in there and get to interact with the Prince, the King and the Queen.

As your friend Arin shook you back and forth with disbelief and excitement in her eyes, it took you a moment to comprehend the situation, and soon you were responding with equal enthusiasm, jumping up and down in circles as Arin yelled loudly about how if this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.

You laughed, finally hugging her, so happy for your friend. "It's not a dream. Want me to slap you and confirm it?"

"Hell yes!" Arin grinned, her mother shushing her, telling her to act 'ladylike' because she'd be needing that now that she was one of the candidates for the future Princess and Queen of Wonderland.

The Kingdom of Wonderland was in dire need of a distraction- with the unison of two kingdoms into one- Wonderland and Utopia- just a decade ago, the initial happiness and celebrations had long since died down, the people beginning to question the wisdom of the decision, the previous residents of Utopia feeling less favoured since the kingdom was still called Wonderland, rebels growing because there was still discrimination between the Utopians and Wonderers.

Though the King and Queen had long struggled for equality among the residents of the two kingdoms, there had of course been discrimination from both the sides- bound to happen at one point, but the people were now frustrated and rebelling against the royals, because who better to blame?

So the King and Queen had decided to distract the people- to give them something to look forward to, a possible strengthening of the residents of the previously divided kingdoms- the distraction being holding a Selection- an opportunity for random girls to be selected if they met the requirements, which were basic enough (mostly age and specialties)- through which they would stay at the palace and compete for the heart of Prince Hongjoong.

And you were happy for Arin- she was selected to be one of those candidates for Prince Hongjoong along with 29 other girls, which meant that she had a good chance at becoming the future Princess of Wonderland. The only reason you were going to be tagging along was because Arin was bad at Korean- having been raised in an English household, so you were going to be her translator as she learned Korean. This was a drawback, and when Arin finally let you go to hug her parents, you wondered why she was selected- the King and Queen or the Prince, or whoever it was that sorted through the thousands of the girls to select 30 must have seen something special in Arin despite this very large language barrier.

Which meant Arin was special, and you, as her translator and teacher, were going to make sure she would have no problem and would learn Korean soon, for her sake and the Prince's.

Arin's parents told you to stay for dinner to celebrate, and you could barely hold in your smile through the hour, the phone ringing nonstop as Arin's relatives and friends congratulated the lucky girl and her parents, the neighbours stopping by to join the celebration as well, and you kindly excused yourself, saying you needed to prepare everything since you'd be leaving for the capital soon.

"I'm glad you'll be with me- I can trust you with anything," Arin told you as she hugged you.

"Thank you, Arin. I'm just glad for you, truly," you smiled earnestly at her.

Arin and you had met a few months ago when they had moved from Mist Island to the countryside. You were her neighbour, and when Arin realized you spoke fluent English, she immediately announced you her friend, and you had no objection to it- Arin was as sweet as one could be. She looked and felt like literal sunshine, her light blonde hair just adding to her bright personality. You smiled to yourself- she would truly make a great Princess, and you hoped it would happen.

Arin called you as soon as you stepped inside your house, informing you that the people from the Palace would come in two days time to inform Arin about all the rules and regulations that followed this process, as well as process your own application as Arin's personal translator who would be accompanying her basically everywhere she went along with the Prince- unless she wouldn't need you anymore or the Prince dismissed you.

You supposed that would happen sometime too, but you couldn't help but feel awkward about all of this- you would have to tread very, very carefully. You were going to appear nothing more than a shadow, only stepping in when you were needed, and pretending to be the walls or the trees whenever you were following Arin. No one could notice you.

As you picked the books out of the shelf, a picture slipped in from one of your books, and you bent down to pick it up, smiling when you saw that it was the only photo of the Prince that you had, in which he must have been around 10, where your parents had made you stand with the Prince as they clicked the photo, both of you with scowls on your faces.

Prince Hongjoong... He was an interesting character. He had great leadership skills, was great with speeches, didn't seem stiff. He was a natural, and people admired him for that. Girls swooned over his charisma and boys wished they were him. The fact that you would be seeing the Prince in a week... it meant so much to you, since the fact that your parents had served in the castle and had been on good terms with the Queen and the Prince, and had always wanted you to meet the Prince- properly. Not when you two were sticking out tongues at each other from afar.

You wished your parents were alive to witness this- you, finally meeting the Prince, though you laughed at the thought that if your mother was alive, she would have made you enter the Selection itself, just like any other mother of a daughter in this kingdom. You looked at the side, at the frame that contained the family picture, and picked it, slipping it inside the bag, then hesitating before slipping the photo of Hongjoong inside too.

One week. Your life would change.

You fell asleep wondering what the Palace was like and what the Prince was like.

---------------------

"Do I look horrible?" Arin asked you for the 15th time.

"If you ask me again, I'm going to say yes, and then you can start crying," you were pinching the bridge of your nose now, "For the hundredth time, Arin, you look beautiful. Happy?"

Arin grinned, making you grin back- you couldn't help it. She really did look beautiful in her cream coloured gown, diamantes at the neckline, her blue eyes brighter than ever. She had never looked better- the ladies at the parlour had polished and enhanced her natural beauty, not overdoing the makeup and keeping everything simple and elegant, just like Arin wanted.

"Alright, get your sleep- you look like you're gonna faint."

"I will," you pouted, closing your eyes shut.

It had been one hell of a week- two days from when Arin was selected, an official had visited, explaining the guidelines- you, as the translator, had explained everything- the guidelines being a set of rules she had to follow.

"You are now considered the property of Wonderland. You must take care of your body. You have to fill the several forms explaining the guidelines- any failure to comply on your part will result in your immediate removal from the Selection"

It started with you explaining the long list of rules, the official translator present making sure you were doing a good job, rules that informed her that the Selection could stretch as much as years but considering that it was Prince Hongjoong, it would last a few months only, that Arin could not leave the palace of her own accord once she arrives, that she would have to be dismissed by the Prince herself, not even the king or queen could force her out, though they could tell the prince that they did not approve of you, that the prince himself would arrange for her meetings and not her, that she could not stress or steal from other candidates, that romantic relationship with anyone else from now until the end of the Selection would be considered treason and would be punishable by death.

Though you were feeling weirded out by the set of strict rules, it looked like it made absolute sense to Arin seeing how her eyes were set and gleaming as she fiercely nodded along. You contained the urge to squeeze her cheeks at that. You just hoped she understood that it wouldn't be too easy.

You had three hours session with Arin each day- but they weren't very fruitful, especially when Arin was as excited as you'd ever seen someone ever, and you both couldn't help but forget all about teaching and learning Korean and instead memorizing the names of all the other participants and guessing who'd be nice, who'd had a chance, who'd get eliminated first, and having a good giggle over it. You supposed Arin needed these giggling sessions more, considering how stressed she must be because the weight of this was huge as well.

Today, the two of you had been accompanied to the airport after a teary goodbye to Arin's parents and annoying little brother who was just glad he had 'one more room to himself'. After reaching the capital where Arin greeted the crowd and even stopped to sign some autographs and take photos, you both were taken to the parlour first where even you were scrubbed and polished- literally. You told them it made no sense that you had to go through this torture as well, but the ladies just hushed you, saying that you had to look 'refined' since you would be making appearances literally everywhere too, and you realized it did make sense.

You were dressed in a comfortable deep blue suit, thanking heavens because they told you no dresses for you (unless the occasion called for it) to differentiate between the candidates and you, and you couldn't be happier. You wanted to feel sorry for Arin who would be wearing dresses and heels from now, but she looked so beautiful and happy that you realized she didn't need your pity at all- she was living her best life.

"You're smiling," Arin whispered in your ear and you opened one eye to glare at her.

"I'm smiling because I'm not the one in a dress and high heels right now," you told her.

The other two girls that were in your limo on your way to the palace were watching you both interact in English silently- not many in this kingdom spoke the language. But you had, in the beginning when you all sat inside the car, introduced Arin to them, and they had asked you if it would be tough for Arin to communicate with the Prince and if you though that could cause the elimination sooner, and you assured them that Arin was a quick learner and would be able to communicate without your help soon, which wiped the growing smirks on their faces.

You supposed it was going to be competitive- very, in fact. Some fought for the crown, and some fought for the Prince. Arin would be one of the few who genuinely liked the Prince. You hoped the Prince wasn't foolish enough to not notice that.

When you arrived inside the palace, you couldn't help but wow, the surprise echoed from the other girls in the car. The palace was a beautiful structure of coloured glass windows and deep brown rock, a vintage vibe to it even if it was built to be modern. The gardens with the greenest grass you'd ever seen was adorned with flowers of various colours and fountains every few feet.

As you got off the car, you were accompanied inside to the waiting room, the other girls already there, and Arin nervously fidgeted with her hands, biting her lips.

"You'll ruin your lipstick," you patted her shoulders, "You're probably not meeting the Prince right away, so relax."

"Doesn't make me less nervous," Arin laughed a bit, and you smiled hoping it would assure her.

The doors opened and an aged woman entered, glancing at each one of the candidates, and you stepped a bit behind Arin, the woman nodding at you and acknowledging you.

"My name is Sophie, and I will be your guide, watching over your progress and your lessons as you spend time in the palace. Please accompany me to the dining hall- I'm sure you all are famished. We can have a chat over tea, after dinner."

The girls erupted in satisfied sighs, you quickly summing up what Sophie had just said to Arin, and she smiled, the two of you moving along with the rest of the selected to the hall.

The dining hall was one generous hall, with food of every kind and desserts of every shape, making your stomach swoop. You had to remind yourself that you were only here because of Arin, smiling to yourself because you had to thank Arin. After all, when could you have had this opportunity to have so much food to select from!

"I know we're thinking the same thing," Arin laughed as she told you to sit beside her, and you did, figuring it would be easier to keep up with the conversation and translating it for Arin.

The girl next to Arin- Byeol, you recalled from the list of selected you had memorized- said hello, and Arin said hello back, asking how she was. The girl peeked forward to say hello to you too.

"Where are you from?" She asked Arin.

"From Mist Island. My mother... English. My Korean not good right now."

You patted Arin's back in encouragement- she had done well.

"Isn't it hard to be here? How will you even interact with the Prince?"

"It won't be too hard," you butted in with a polite smile, "Arin is able to understand better than she can speak, and I'm sure she'll catch up in no time. She's a quick learner."

"I hope so," Byeol let out a nervous laugh, "I mean, the competition's tough as it is. Wouldn't want her out because of language barrier."

"There are worst reasons to be kicked out," you smiled, hoping she'd get your point. You quickly summed what happened to Arin, who nodded in agreement, and Byeol only shook her head and smiled, as if she had the upper hand here.

Though Arin, being the epitome of kindness, didn't mind anyone's attitude one bit, you wanted to smear the chocolate pastry Byeol was eating all over her face. How dare she think she had the upper hand just because she was a native speaker!

You decided to do the observing as well as you ate, taking in the girls. It was so easy to figure them out, except the few that looked mysterious. You knew that as soon as they would get the first look at the prince, you'd realize if they were here for the prince or the crown.

After the dinner where you definitely did not hold back, Sophie got up from the main seat, clearing her throat and going in a speech of why the girls who were selected all possessed a worthy quality that had the king and queen vouching for them, and that they were to prove themselves in more ways now that they were here, and learn the ways of a lady who one day might bear the crown.

After the very long speech which you translated as she spoke, the girls clicked their glasses and had a drink, after which they left for the night. One guard stationed to accompany each girl stood and you bowed to your guard in greeting. He escorted you two to Arin's room, where three maids waited to attend to Arin, and the guard told you that your room was right next to Arin's, so she could call you whenever she needed. You thanked him, going into Arin's room first.

You helped her settle in with the maids- Sana, Momo and Mina, all very cute young girls, gushing about how they were so happy that they were assigned to Arin since she seemed like she was the sweetest of them all, and you assured them that Arin definitely was. They told you that language wouldn't be much barrier here since Mina knew basic English thanks to her lineage, and you sighed in relief, excusing yourself when Arin threatened to kick you out because 'I have this under control, go rest! We have a big day tomorrow!'

You took a deep breath as you entered your room- as big as Arin's but pretty much empty. Your bag was already placed at the edge of the bed and as you walked to it, you realized you didn't even have the energy to change anymore. You washed your face after taking off your coat, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.

Your parents had spent most of their life in the palace, you raised by your grandmother who lived in the town near. You'd visited the palace as a kid quite a few times, playing with the other children, but you'd never seen the Prince close enough. You, as a kid, wondered just why he couldn't simply play with kids his age.

As you sat on the bed, you suddenly missed your parents immensely. If they were alive, you would have been in their room in the palace right now. Feeling an ache in your chest that was only growing, you got up, drinking a glass of water, but when that ache didn't settle, you decided to get some air.

There was a guard stationed between the distance of your and Arin's room, closer to Arin's, and you informed him that you were going to the gardens to get some air. Since you weren't one of the selected, you had the freedom to roam around the castle (as much as a visitor could) and go outside whenever you wanted, as long as the guards allowed it.

You almost rushed outside, sighing in relief when you breathed in the fresh air- the air truly was different here. You walked around, recognizing the familiar fountains from your childhood, recalling that you used to mark the fountains as a kid as a 'proof' that you had been here.

Smiling to yourself, you bent down and looked under the basin, spotting the scratches- an eight pointed star. You went to the next fountain, and the next, your smile growing bigger as you found all those stars.

"Looking for something?"

You were glad your reflex action wasn't a scream like Arin's, just a jerk, and you immediately straightened to look at the source of the sound-

You struggled to keep your scream in.

It was none other than the Prince standing in front of you.

"Your Highness," you immediately bowed, cursing internally at your state- one too many buttons undone casually, sleeves rolled up, your feet in pink slippers.

"And you are? I'm sorry, I can't recall all the names of the girls right now-"

"Oh no, I'm not one of the Selected," you said and the prince raised his brow, "I'm one of the girls' translator- if you recall."

"Oh," Prince Hongjoong nodded, smiling, "I hope you find the palace comfortable."

"Of course," you smiled, standing awkwardly, not knowing what to do, taking a moment to scan him- his silver hair shining with a slight pink tint, his posture good and straight and you mirrored it automatically, and it looked like he was still in his uniform.

"So, what were you looking for?" Prince Hongjoong smiled.

"Nothing- it's... embarrassing," you laughed a bit.

"I once lost my father's ring in the garden and spent the whole night looking for it myself, telling the guards to warn me if he came. Nothing could be worse than that."

You couldn't help but laugh at that- the Prince wasn't as uptight as he had seemed to you- he was joking around so freely. You supposed he had a similar nature as Arin's.

"I used to visit the palace when I was young, my parents served here," you admitted, "The kids and I played around here, so I'd leave some marks on the fountains every time I visited."

"Oh," Prince Hongjoong's eyes flashed for a brief moment, "And where are your parents now? I'm sure I've met them."

"You have," you nodded, smiling sadly as you looked at the moon- a half-moon, "They passed away in the rebel attack 2 years ago."

The Prince's face fell, and he took a deep breath, "We lost many loyal subjects that night. I'm sure they're in a better place now, and are watching over you and are proud."

"Thank you for your kind words," you smiled.

"So what's the mark?"

"The mark? Oh-" you realized, bending down again and pointing, "Eight-pointed star."

"Eight-pointed star?" Prince Hongjoong bent down as well, examining the scratch, "And you marked most of the fountains?"

"Uh, I may just be realizing that I damaged the king's property..."

Prince Hongjoong threw his head back and laughed, "Kids do most of that, though we'd have to look into it if we catch you scratching another star on one of the fountains," he winked at you.

Once again, silence fell as the two of you stood side by side, watching the water in the fountain. It was you who decided to break the silence.

"If you don't mind me asking... how do you feel about meeting 30 potential candidates tomorrow?"

"I'm very stressed, actually, which is why I came here to take a breather," Hongjoong admitted.

"Oh, I should leave then-"

"No, no, I didn't mean it like that. I'm glad to talk to someone who is not my mother or father right now," he laughed awkwardly, "Actually, it's pretty intimidating. The girls will be expecting something from me during their course of stay, but I'm not sure I can give them anything."

"You realize you are not required to, right?"

"I know," he nodded, "I would just feel bad if they leave broken hearted. I'd feel like an ass."

You let out a short laugh, the Prince joining. "Well, the girls... they're new to this too. They're all pretty excited. You don't have to figure them all out right away. Take your time, roll along... you'll find yourself used to it soon, I hope."

"Thank you," Prince Hongjoong smiled at you, "And what about the girl you'll be translating for?"

"I'm probably biased when I say this but Arin is the sweetest of them all," you smiled, "I've known her for long now. She's the kindest soul, wouldn't hurt an ant if she could manage it, but she's also very strong. She knows where she stands. I'll do my best with the language barrier, but... I feel like you'll click with her well."

"You look like you admire her," he said, and you nodded, "I guess if I click with her, language wouldn't feel like a barrier anymore."

"Exactly what I mean," you grinned at him, forgetting for a moment that he was the Prince and not your friend, until you found him scanning your face.

"I should go," you said, "I just needed some air, and the guards were kind enough to allow it."

"You can come here whenever you like, I'll let the guards know," the Prince said, and your heart swelled in gratitude.

"Good luck for tomorrow," you smiled, "Whatever your decision, I hope you'll end up being happy."

"Thank you, truly," the Prince nodded in acknowledgement when you bowed before beginning to leave.

"I never got your name!"

You turned, laughing a bit at how he'd shouted this after you were a good few feet gone. You told him your name, waving at him before leaving with a smile plastered on your face.

-------------------

You told Arin all about how you accidentally met Prince Hongjoong before any of the girls, and Arin was all squeals and laughter, the maids struggling to make her stay in place as they did her hair.

"How is he like? Is he as handsome as he looks in the pictures? Does the new hair suit him?"

You rolled your eyes- Arin was literally the Prince's fangirl. It truly was a dream come true for her to even be in the proximity of the Prince, let alone be a candidate for his future wife. "I guess the hair suits him- it sort of looks pink with the light."

"Every hair colour suits him," Mina sighed happily, "But I'd personally love it if he goes back to his natural hair colour."

You nodded- the Prince was blessed in that department.

"So? Is he more handsome or more pretty?"

"I don't know," you shifted, looking in the mirror as you fixed your tie, "He seems to be both? I don't know how he manages that. But Arin, please remember what I told you before we came here, okay?"

Arin saluted, smiling. You'd had a nice talk with Arin the night before you'd arrive here, where you'd make sure that Arin understood that being a fan of the Prince was a separate matter, that she had to be completely unbiased now that she was here. Her responsibility would be that of a crown and a princess, and she had to keep in mind that.

"But what if I don't... like him like that?" Arin had asked you.

"I think not everyone is gonna like him like that in the first place," you had assured her, "And I'm sure the Prince would know that. I think you should tell the Prince if you think you won't be happy with him."

"All done!" Mina announced, and Arin got up from her chair, twirling in the deep blue gown that made her eyes look the brightest blue, her curls pinned with pearls and falling like a waterfall down her back.

The guard knocked on the door, announcing that it was time to go, and Arin squeezed your hand once before the two of you went outside, waving goodbye and thanking the maids, who wished Arin best luck. You were led to the Women's Room, where one by one the girls entered, all dressed in beautiful gowns that they couldn't stop touching nervously, and as you stood back and watched them, you realized that though they knew they were each other's competition, they also felt a kind of sisterhood, especially when they tucked someone's stray hair behind or wiped smudged makeup off each other-

"Ugh, why am I the only one wearing pink here?" One of the girls- Nara, who had to be the visually most attractive one present here, huffed as she looked at the other girls' dresses.

Of course there were girls like her too here. You smiled inside- she would get used to it soon, you hoped.

The room immediately quietened when Prince Hongjoong entered, all regal with his slicked back hair and navy blue suit, the girls all curtsying while he smiled, Sophie standing right beside him.

"Good morning, ladies."

The air immediately felt different, the girls now straightening and arranging themselves. The Prince smiled, "I'd like to introduce myself to you all, so if you don't mind, one at a time I will be calling you. I won't take much of your time- do forgive me if I'm a little slow with names."

As he said that, he surveyed the room once, his eyes landing on you and his smile getting wider- you weren't expecting that so you just smiled back, hoping no one else had noticed.

The girls giggled and grinned, waiting by the couch on Sophie's instructions, one by one moving to the Prince who stood by the window with a drink, what seemed like casual conversation flowing between them. It only lasted for a few minutes each with the girls returning with nervous smiles.

"I wonder what he's asking," Arin fidgeted.

"Maybe he's just wondering what's your favourite food," you scoffed, making her laugh a bit.

Before you knew it, it was Arin's turn, and she squeezed your hand before the two of you went to where he stood, Arin saying hello with a smile, you doing the same and standing beside Arin.

"Arin? You look lovely today."

You knew Arin understood that, and she bowed a bit, replying with a thanks. Prince Hongjoong smiled, "I heard you're English. I know a bit of it."

You translated that to Arin, and she replied in Korean, "Really?"

The Prince nodded, "Where are you from?"

"Mist Island, my parents had an English lineage, we moved to this kingdom before I was born."

The Prince looked at you and you translated that for him as he nodded, "Mist Island is beautiful. I've only been there once when I was little, but I hope to visit again. Maybe you could show me around."

Arin noticed the flirtatious smile on his lips as you translated that, and she beamed, "It would be an honour to show you around my home town."

"But you live in the countryside now, right?"

As you translated that for Arin and she nodded, you realized the Prince had done his own research as well- probably on every girl.

"Well, it's been a pleasure meeting you, Arin. I hope we can get along well despite this obstacle."

Arin got that, bowing to the Prince and you did the same, finding his eyes beaming as he looked at you. "You're doing a good job. I hope you find the palace comfortable."

"I do," you assured him with a thanks.

"I didn't get to say this last night, but," Hongjoong sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, "If you wish to visit your parents' room or anything like that, you can talk to Sophie. I've already talked to her."

You were surprised- was the Prince this generous or was this an exception? You shook the thoughts off, thanking him for his kindness and he told you both to join the girls in the dining hall after he announces what's next.

As you both went back, you told Arin what he had just said, who only sighed happily, saying something about how generous he was and how he was a born Prince. You shook your head, smiling as you reached the others, Arin immediately surrounded by the girls who asked what they talked about, and Arin told them in broken Korean, the girls laughing and correcting her mistakes.

Prince Hongjoong walked to the center of the room, clearing his throat, "If I have asked you to move to the dining hall, please follow Sophie out, the rest of you can stay here."

The girls looked at each other in nervousness, most of them following Sophie out, you and Arin along with them, and as you entered the hall, the King and Queen greeted the girls, everyone including you curtsying before taking their seats and digging into the food.

"I wonder why he asked some of them to stay," the girl beside you, Nayoung, said, "Did they do something good? Maybe he wants extra time with them."

"No idea," you muttered, "He wouldn't eliminate someone so soon, would he?"

Nayoung looked at you, "I doubt he would."

But he did. Just like that, 22 girls remained out of 30. And you wondered if Arin really had caught his attention or if he was just giving her a second chance because of the language barrier.

The next morning at breakfast table, everyone thought so as well. Why Arin was kept, why girls like Nora or Nayeon were eliminated, who clearly looked like they had potential. The girls ate nervously, all except Arin, and you had to keep yourself from laughing as Arin moaned after each bite of chicken. Prince Hongjoong sat at the end of the table, watching Arin with amusement in his eyes.

"Lady Arin? Enjoying the food?"

Arin almost dropped her fork, looking at you and you translated.

"Food delicious, but cake-" Arin waved at the dozens of pastries and sweets, "I make better."

The table erupted into laughter and Prince Hongjoong straightened. "Really? Is that a challenge?"

You laughed as you translated, and Arin nodded enthusiastically, the Prince looking at you as if to ask you if Arin was joking or not.

"Arin is an exceptional baker," you were beaming proudly as you announced, "And she accepts the challenge."

"Well," Prince Hongjoong, "I guess I'll have to arrange for a date in the kitchens- mother would be the most happy to learn I'll be stepping in there!"

Everyone looked at Arin in awe for securing her first date with the Prince, and as you conveyed that, Arin smiled and bowed her head a bit in acknowledgement. You felt proud at that moment- a very sisterly pride as you grinned at Arin. She had done it!

The Prince told you both after the breakfast that he would arrange for a suitable time and let you know, and by the time he left, you and Arin were practically jumping up and down, in a very unladylike manner- for Arin. Sophie let you both have your moment before she cleared her throat and told all the girls to write letters home and let them know how you were holding up. The girls sighed collectively in relief, rushing back to their rooms and while Arin went back, you decided to take that moment and ask Sophie about your parents.

"Ah, so it's you," Sophie's face changed as she smiled, "I remember the lot of you. It was always troublesome when the kids gather. Hongjoong would always be at one of these windows watching you all play enviously."

Now that was news. You always thought as a kid that the Prince was a stuck up snob who wouldn't bother to play with kids like you- but apparently all this time he wanted to join?

"You remember me?"

"Not much, but just the few kids playing in the gardens- it has been a memory I look back to sometimes. I was the one who'd always tell you all to keep your voices down, if you remember."

You gasped- it was her! Sophie laughed as you put a hand over your mouth in disbelief, bowing once in recognition as Sophie waved you off. "I remember you!"

"Of course you do," Sophie smiled, "I'll let one of the guards accompany you to your parent's room-"

"Not today," you hesitated, and Sophie looked confused, "I... I need some time. Can I visit once I'm ready?"

Sophie seemed like she understood, "Of course, dear. If you need anything, do let me know. Your mother was the most kind to me. The Queen misses her dearly."

"The Queen does?" You frowned.

"Don't you know? She was one of the queen's personal maids."

"Oh... They kept their work very private," you smiled. Of course she was. There was a reason she sometimes looked guilty when she slipped something about work- or the Queen- in front of you.

"Good to hear that," Sophie said.

"I'll take my leave now," you thanked her and left the room, feeling overwhelmed by the information and the weight of all this.

----------------

The next morning, all the girls including you were having breakfast with the royal family, casual conversation flowing between everyone, the girls around Arin asking her if she had her date yet, Arin shaking her head no repeatedly with a smile.

You were just on your third chocolate cookie when you were interrupted by the sudden opening of the doors, the guards shouting 'rebels!' and the room erupted in chaos.

"To the back of the room, ladies, now!" Prince Hongjoong got up, all except two guards leaving while the two shut and bolted the door from inside, the King putting a protective arm on his wife leading her to a corner, a few girls following them on instinct, and you immediately grabbed Arin's hand, telling her that rebels were inside the palace.

Arin was positively scared and you shushed her, telling her that now was the time to maintain her calm if she wanted to get Prince Hongjoong's attention, and she straightened her back a bit as she followed the girls to the back of the hall. Some of them were quietly sobbing, while some were shaking. It looked like not many had experienced such a situation.

You saw Prince Hongjoong pull down the shutters of the windows one by one and instead of following the girls, you decided to do the same, going to the other end of the room and drawing the shutters down, until there were two windows between you and the Prince, and at that moment you caught a flying object in your direction-

"Prince Hongjoong, duck, now!"

You only had time to say that as you drew your arms in front of you and crouched down, a sigh of relief escaping you when you saw the Prince follow your lead, the sound of a crash following soon after, the shards of broken glass spraying around you.

You heard Arin's scream, glad when you saw one of the girls hold her back protectively, and you got up, waving to her to indicate you were alright. The Prince got up, shutting the remaining two shutters- the window right next to you was broken.

"Are you hurt?" Prince Hongjoong grabbed you by the shoulders as he scanned you.

"Are you hurt?" You scanned him, and he shook his head, looking at the broken shards of glass.

"You're hurt," he noticed a shard of glass buried in your palm, blood trickling down your hand. He took out his handkerchief, and before he could pull the shard out, you stopped him, taking it out yourself and wincing slightly- it was a few inches big. You let the prince tie the handkerchief.

"You should have been careful, I thought I told all of you to get back to the room."

"The girls did," you replied, "I had to do something."

"I clearly addressed 'ladies'," Prince Hongjoong smiled at you, "You fall there too."

"Sorry," you held back a grin but the Prince noticed.

"Get there, please. I need to make sure the situation is okay before I get to the girls," he looked back once at the huddled girls, beckoning you to join them before going to the guards and speaking to them.

You joined Arin who hugged you, "I thought you were hurt badly!"

"Nothing much," you shook her off, "You know my instincts are good- I saw it coming, literally."

Arin rolled her eyes and you smiled- good. She was relaxed now. "You holding up okay?"

"Yeah, I just never expected something like this, I guess," Arin bit her lips, looking at the girl next to her, "Should we comfort them?"

"You should," you smiled, "I'll... see. I should too, I guess."

Arin looked at you knowingly and you gave in- she knew exactly what was going through your head, that some of the girls were sobbing more than they needed so maybe the Prince could come and console them.

And he did, patting every girl's back, telling them it was okay, that they were safe. Some girls even dared put their heads on his chest as they sobbed, and you noticed that the Prince was clearly nervous as he comforted the girls. When he reached Arin, you were proud that she didn't cry and he smiled at you both.

"You should go to the hospital wing after all of this is over," the Prince said, "You might be needing stitches."

"It's just a small cut," you said, but Prince Hongjoong narrowed his eyes at you.

"It's an order."

You couldn't resist rolling your eyes this time and he laughed at that, you internally slapping yourself because how dare you roll your eyes at the Prince? But he didn't mind, telling you both to take care of yourselves as he went to the next girl and the next.

You did go to the hospital wing after everything settled, the nurses cleaning the wound and bandaging it saying it wouldn't need stitches, and you went to Arin's room after that. The girls were going to have dinners in their room since they were a bit shaken after the events of today, and you decided to have dinner with Arin.

"Do you think the rebels come here often?" Arin asked.

"I remember dad told me that they came at least three times a year on average," you said, "Some people aren't happy with the Selection, thinking the royals are neglecting the problems of the people, so I guess this was bound to happen."

"I hope it doesn't happen again," Arin shivered, "I'd hate anyone to get hurt."

"I hope so too," you suddenly weren't hungry anymore.

You decided to go for a walk before sleeping, just to clear your head, dressed in your deep purple silk pyjamas. The guard were now recognizing you and let you out without question, and you walked along the rows of flowers, your head blank, until you noticed a figure strolling casually as well.

"I guess you needed to clear your head too?"

It was the Prince.

You nodded, bowing once, "Are you... alright?"

"I am, thank you for asking," he said, and now that he was closer, you noticed that he was still in the same clothes, the coat off now and sleeves rolled, hair a beautiful mess. "How's your wound?"

"Oh, it's okay," you showed your bandaged palm, "It was a small cut after all."

"I've been meaning to ask you," he shifted, "How did you know to click the shutters close? Not everyone gets that on first try."

"Ah," you nodded, "It's my dad- he taught me how to when I visited the palace once, in case rebels came when I was present."

The Prince nodded, "When I told Sophie about you, she told me who your parents were- I was trained by your dad, in fact."

"You were?" Your jaw fell open- now that was news.

"I was, I knew your dad well," he smiled, "And your mother too. They were very close to us. I'm surprised you didn't tell me earlier."

"I... I didn't know," you admitted, "They always kept their work a secret from everyone, just said they served in the palace. I guess they didn't want anyone asking for favours or something, not even their own daughter."

The Prince noticed how confused you looked, "There must have been a good reason for that. They always talked about you. They were immensely proud of you- your dad was always comparing me to you as well."

"And how exactly? I don't think I can compete with you, Prince."

"Call me Hongjoong," he said, putting his hands in his pockets, "He said you were a better learner than I was. He said, and I quote, 'my daughter could flip you as if you weighed nothing but a sack of potatoes- an empty one at that'."

You couldn't help it, you laughed out loud at that. "I cannot! I mean, I could, but I'm not that good. I'm sure he only said that to get you to learn quicker."

"It worked," Hongjoong laughed, "So he trained you too?"

"Just a bit, mostly defense," you told him.

"Have you visited their room yet? Did Sophie update you?"

"She did, but I... I can't go visit their room right away."

Hongjoong paused a bit before continuing to walk. "Is there a reason?"

"I... I just need some time. Now that I'm here, it feels like they're still running around, mom nowhere in sight like always, dad with the guards while I wait for them to finish their work so we can go home. Plus, with all the new information about their jobs..."

"I understand," Hongjoong assured you, "Take your time. It must be hard for you."

"Thank you," you passed a smile, "Will the rebels be back anytime soon?"

Hongjoong realized you must know a great deal about rebels, "They might come back sooner than we expect. They're not happy with what's going on these days. It'll take some time to calm them down."

You nodded, suddenly aware of the time you'd taken. "I'm sorry- I'm always interrupting your alone time-"

"No, it's perfectly fine, I appreciate this," Hongjoong said, and you narrowed your eyes at him, making him laugh.

"I truly do. I like it when I have someone to talk to, to sort my thoughts out, but there's not many I can talk to. If you'd like... can we be... friends? Can we talk like this sometimes? No pressure though, don't feel obliged to accept just because I'm, well, the Prince."

You shut your mouth before your jaw could drop- did he really ask you to be his friend?

"You don't have many friends, do you?"

Hongjoong put his hands up in surrender, and you pretended to consider. "I guess we can. If you were friends with my dad... you should know I'm very much like him."

"Bad humour and no regard for authority? Can I take my offer back?"

"Too late, Prince," you grinned.

Hongjoong sighed dramatically, asking you if you wanted to take a seat with him and you nodded, sitting on the bench and watching the sky. "Can I ask you why you're holding this Selection in the first place?"

Hongjoong looked at you once before sighing and looking back, "I didn't want to, actually. The thought of 30 girls with their futures depending on my decision is more intimidating than I thought. But it was a tough time for everyone, and the Selection was killing two birds with one stone- providing a distraction and hope to the kingdom, while hoping I find someone who can stand me here."

You looked at him, "You think those girls can't stand you?"

"I know most of them will be changing their minds once they get to know me and this lifestyle more. It's more appealing from a far, as you must know."

"You do have a point," you nodded, "It must be tough. I'm..."

"Don't say you're sorry, I know that if you're like your dad, you're enjoying my misery."

You passed him a guilty look as you both laughed, and you shook your head, "I really hope you find someone you'll like in there. Someone who can actually stand you, the Prince and... Hongjoong. Both."

Hongjoong nodded at that, a little surprised, "Not many people know how I am really like."

"If you want, I can tell the girls you're the type to become jealous really quick."

Hongjoong frowned, and you grinned, "Sophie might have told me how you used to watch us kids play outside with a little scowl on your face-"

"I was a kid!" Hongjoong laughed out loud, "Of course I wanted to join you all!"

"You didn't tell me this the night I told you I was one of those kids," you looked at him pointedly.

"Should I really have told you that I was the one you called 'stuck-up brat'?"

You gasped at that, Hongjoong silly dancing victoriously while you looked away, ashamed. "It's okay, we were kids. I was envious, and you thought I was, well, a stuck-up brat."

"You're not denying it."

"You think I'm a stuck-up brat?"

"I don't know, are you?" You raised a brow, and Hongjoong grinned mischievously.

"I guess you'll find out soon."

The two of you stared at each other, not even realizing until you heard one of the guards walk past, the two of you suddenly drawing out of your trance, and you both got up, suddenly feeling aware.

"I should go," Hongjoong laughed awkwardly, "It's been nice talking to you."

"Same," you told him, brushing your clothes, saying bye and beginning to go back, pausing when you felt a hand stop you by the arm.

"Sorry, I just wanted to say... don't tell about our... interactions, to anyone- not even Arin. I don't want the other girls to give you a hard time because they'll think you're competition or something like that."

"Of course," you said, "I'm only a shadow here, don't worry."

You thought there was something sad about Hongjoong's smile as he said bye and went back.

-----------------

Hongjoong remained busy handling kingdom affairs while you were busy with Arin as you gave her language lessons, kept her up to date with everything, sat with her through the etiquettes lesson and guided her along. Everyone was getting used to conversing through you, and you were glad that no one could hate Arin- she was always so bright, always smiling and happy and clearly meant no harm, but you also understood that part of the reason was because the girls clearly thought Hongjoong would let go of Arin sooner or later.

But everyone sure was envious of Arin's date, scheduled in the evening before dinner. Arin sat in her room in pants and a blouse, wondering which recipes she should try.

"Tell me you'll help me too," Arin narrowed her eyes at you.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to interfere in your date," you grinned slyly.

"You witch!" Arin laughed, "You know we work better together."

It was true- Arin had taught you quite a few recipes and she was usually instructing you to do the menial tasks while she worked on the main ones to save time.

"Will you bring some for us?" Sana sighed dreamily, "It's been forever since I tried food that was not from the palace."

"I know right," Momo slumped in the couch, "I really want to go out and taste something new."

"Maybe you all should come and help us too," Arin said nervously.

"No, never," Mina scolded Arin, "Stop being nervous! The Prince will be here any second."

As if on cue, a knock sounded, and the maids immediately got up in a flurry, gushing over how Arin looked one last time before opening the door, letting Hongjoong in while they left, grinning.

"Ah, so you're prepared," Hongjoong scanned Arin- it was his first time seeing Arin so casual, yet she still looked elegant enough.

"Prince Hongjoong," Arin curtsied.

"Please skip the formalities and call me Hongjoong when we're alone," he smiled at the two of you.

"You're going in the kitchen in that?" Arin asked, and you kept in your laughter as you told Hongjoong what she had said.

"Now what's wrong with this-" Hongjoong looked down at his very polished black jacket, his prince attire- his usual attire.

"Do you think you're just going to be sitting back and watching her cook?" You asked Hongjoong, "You're helping."

Hongjoong's jaw dropped and as you told Arin what you'd said, she grinned, giving you a thumbs up, and Arin went ahead, snaking her arm in his and saying, "Lead the way."

"If I had known I was going to be the one doing the work," Hongjoong looked at you, "I would have maybe changed the location of the date and accepted Arin as a better chef."

"Which is why this was a surprise, but you should have figured it out," Arin said with a wink, making him laugh.

He led you both to the kitchens, where the staff greeted the Prince, Arin and you, saying this was a first time someone would have a date in the kitchen.

Arin asked for aprons, helping tie Hongjoong's and you smiled at how comfortable they looked with each other. Arin asked for the chef and looked at you as she said, "We're making brownies and scones. Should I leave the brownie batter to you?"

"Of course," you nodded, "I'll stay close by- you and Hongjoong can work on the scones."

You translated that to everyone and the chefs went to get the ingredients, Arin following them as she picked some of her own while you rolled your sleeves.

"You should roll your sleeves too," you said to Hongjoong who was watching you, "And do keep your arms tucked in as you work."

"Alright, ma'am," Hongjoong saluted, following your lead.

"So have you never baked before?"

"I have never cooked or baked," Hongjoong said, "I was always too busy."

"Well, first time for everything," you smiled, "Don't worry, Arin is a sweetheart. Even if you do something wrong, she'll tell you you did excellent with a smile."

And sure enough- Hongjoong was supposed to be following Arin but he was way too clumsy, which earned a good laugh from everyone, but Arin kept encouraging him- in Korean, thanks to the last lesson you'd given her where she'd specifically worked on phrases she'd probably need. It was cute to watch Hongjoong struggle with English while Arin struggled with Korean.

You were standing beside Hongjoong, not too far so you could help if they mistranslated anything, and the few cooks were following your lead, asking you about how Arin knew so much about baking- which you told them was thanks to her aunts being professional bakers.

"That looks way better than mine," Hongjoong looked at your batter as you dropped the chocolate chunks in the bowl, "can I have the chocolate?"

"No," you continued pouring the rest of the chocolate in, but Hongjoong slipped a hand in and picked a chunk, grinning in victory.

"Focus on your batter, Prince," you scoffed, "You don't wanna embarrass yourself on your first date, do you?"

"I'm afraid it's too late to worry," Hongjoong sulked as he fiddled with the spoon.

"Now we bake," Arin announced, smiling at you two and wriggling her brows at you, and you told her you just needed 5 more minutes to be done. Arin helped Hongjoong with the rest of his batter, and Hongjoong finally sat and watched as she set the tray and put it in the oven.

"Good riddance," Hongjoong muttered, and you kicked his leg from under the table before going to pour your own batter and tossing it in the ovens.

There were enough scones and brownies for everyone in the kitchen- a few people only, which meant you could take some back to the maids too. The three of you sat side by side as you watched the scones and brownies rise dreamily.

"I love this smell," Hongjoong muttered, "Maybe I should come in the kitchen when I want to relax."

You were sitting beside Arin so you quickly told her what he'd just said, and she smiled, "I used to do that. The smell alone made half my worries disappear."

"I can see that," Hongjoong smiled.

"The kitchens are open to you lot whenever you want to come," the head chef announced, "Especially you, Arin. I already know these are going to taste amazing. We could learn a thing or two from you."

Arin grinned, "Maybe I could learn from you all too- the food is amazing here. Thank you."

Hongjoong noticed how everyone was looking at Arin with admiration- she truly was humble and kind.

One by one the bells started to ding and Arin and the chefs picked out the trays from the oven, setting it on the tables to cool down, Arin swatting Hongjoong's hand away when he tried to pick one, scolding him because it was hot and 'a Prince should be patient' at which Hongjoong rolled his eyes and slumped down as he glared at the scones and brownies.

"Come on," you teased, "you're sulking way too much."

"Just because I'm a prince doesn't mean I can't," his sulk went deeper, making everyone around laugh.

Arin fanned one of the trays, making Hongjoong's face lift in hope, and when she finally touched the food to make sure it wasn't burning hot, she picked a scone and a brownie, setting it on a plate and adding a few toppings before handing it to Hongjoong.

"Go ahead and try," she smiled.

Hongjoong looked at you for confirmation and you nodded, and he finally picked the fork and took a bite of the scone, then a bite of the brownie, Arin eagerly waiting for him to react.

Hongjoong looked at the chef first, who raised his brows, then at Arin, then at you, and then slid his plate away.

"This is too good to eat."

Arin's face fell but you laughed, telling her what he had just said, and she almost cried, scolding Hongjoong for making it look like he hated it, at which he laughed, digging into his sweets again, everyone else passing scones and brownies too, compliments flowing for Arin and you didn't need to translate any of that- their faces said enough.

"For the maids," Arin picked some scones and brownies and asked for a box, and Hongjoong smiled.

"Maybe we should make these again for dinner one day. I'm sure the king and queen would love these too."

Arin gasped in surprise, but when Hongjoong nodded to assure her, she smiled, "Maybe."

"I should compliment you too, after all, you made the brownies," Hongjoong looked at you.

"This was Arin's recipe, I only followed the instructions," you told him.

"You know, my mother says that nothing tastes the same when made by different people even when the instructions followed remain perfectly same- the taste of one's hand- or heart," Hongjoong smiled, "you got that too."

You rolled your eyes but you were clearly pleased, "Thanks. I guess I do."

After eating until you all felt like you would throw up if you ate any more, Hongjoong thanked Arin for this experience, saying he'd never forget it and he promised to come to the kitchen more. Arin told him he didn't need to, but he could come if he wanted to relax. He walked her to the room, leaving with a kiss to her cheek that had her jumping up and down after he left, and you laughed at how she was going on about her 'fantasies fulfilled'. Entering, the maids waiting, you waved the boxes in front of them and they thanked Arin graciously before eating and moaning because these were too good.

The news of Arin's date got to the girls too, and you heard them talk about it the next morning, asking Arin how the Prince was like, if he was too uptight or if he was funny, etc. Arin truly felt like a star.

You sat through the history lesson, learning things yourself as you conveyed everything to Arin. It was the history about how the kingdoms of Wonderland and Utopia had united, how they always used to be at war for one reason or another, until about 49 years ago when the two had been united by the king, peace settling for a few decades, but the people growing restless with every passing year as discrimination grew.

Sophie asked how the rebels could be handled, and the girls had interesting answers to give- ranging from getting rid of the rebels altogether to actually finding a solution, such as a hearing from the rebels where they talk about the problems with the royal family and figure something out together.

Two days passed by, Hongjoong spending time with all the girls whenever he could, the girls who hadn't had a date yet getting insecure and nervous about it, until it was finally the day for the report- the first time the girls would have a live talk and reveal themselves to the public after getting in the palace.

Sophie had done you a favour and let you in on the script for Arin's questions, so she could prepare her English accordingly, and you were glad for it. Though you would be present and guiding her along, it would really help if Arin already knew what could be asked.

The maids insisted on getting you in a dress, but you strongly rejected- you really did not want to steal Arin's spotlight. You would only distract the public if you appeared the same as Arin. And even though Arin pouted and asked you (something you couldn't usually refuse), you had to shake your head no this time.

"Just dress me in the best suit," you winked at the maids, "I'll be good with that."

So while Arin had dressed in a deep red gown with lots of frill and pearls, her hair half tied with curls framing her face, you had dressed to match in a deep red three-piece suit. You absolutely loved it and thanked the maids for coming up with this- the pearls near the neckline were cherry on top. Your hair was slicked back, pearl earring in your ears the only jewellery you had along with a watch. You had matching heels to finish your outfit.

"We look more like a couple than I could ever look with Hongjoong," Arin grinned.

It was true. You grinned back, "We'll get Hongjoong to match with you one day and see who makes the better couple."

Arin slapped your arm playfully, and then you were escorted by the guards to the room where the broadcast would be conducted, and you had to blink your eyes a few time to adjust to the lights and the colours of the selected girls seated in the front. You both went inside, sitting side by side in the second row, Byeol next to you.

"Arin looks gorgeous, but you? Holy hell, woman."

"Is it too much?" You frowned- you hadn't expected to grab attention.

"I'm just saying you look great- if you weren't in a different dress, you could easily pass as one of the selected," she smiled, focusing her attention back on the crowd.

You thought about it- would people think the same after seeing you on television? Probably not. You were only a translator, you'd be sitting in the shadows as you translated everything to Arin- and you hoped she wouldn't need you.

The girls were pretty nervous, one even having to rush to the toilet because she felt like she was going to throw up. You looked at Arin- she seemed excited but the way she was unconsciously cracking her knuckles gave her away.

"If you crack your knuckles while you sit there I'll break your fingers," you warned.

Arin laughed, "You're such a mother. But if I do, feel free to poke me. I'll do the breaking myself."

You chuckled, the lights getting dimmer, and the host Kang Yeosang entered, his hair in a blonde mullet, and looking as beautiful as ever.

If there was one man you thought looked perfect, it was Yeosang. He looked too perfect to be real, and you were probably more nervous about getting to meet your favourite celebrity and host of variety shows or talk shows than the interview itself.

"I think I'm gonna have to shake you one or two times during the interview," Arin said as she closed your mouth shut with a finger, laughing at how star-struck you were after seeing Yeosang, and as you glared at her, you pointed to the girls- you weren't the only one with a hanging jaw.

"Good evening, Wonderland!" Yeosang announced, looking as much a prince as the Prince himself in his deep purple suit, "Tonight, we'll be getting an inside scoop from these young ladies I know you're all dying to meet. We'll learn how things are going with Prince Hongjoong, we're just going to ask! Let's welcome... Miss Kim Kahi from Utopia City!"

Kahi moved elegantly from the first row to the stage, greeting Yeosang with a curtsy before settling down. She was composed and did well, so did the others, but it was pretty predictable. Some girls were acting shy on purpose- you'd never seen them like this and you knew because you were usually the one sitting back and watching everyone objectively. Some were clearly nervous but Yeosang joked a bit, which helped them calm down.

Arin was called when there were two girls remaining- the two of you got up, you immediately rushing to the backstage from where you would seat yourself as Arin would walk to the stage and greet Yeosang. You stood waiting until Arin was ready to sit, which was when Yeosang shook your hand too, and you prayed your hand wasn't sweaty as you smiled.

"Miss Arin from Mist Island, a unique case here because of the language barrier- I hope you're holding up well?"

Arin looked at you in confirmation and you nodded, and she smiled as she looked at Yeosang, "I'm doing well, thank you for asking."

"Ah, you sound good! Do we have your translator to thank for that, Miss...?"

You told him your name, "Arin is a quick and eager learner, I'm sure she'll get the hang of this is no time."

"Definitely! So, Arin, tell us, have you had a date with the Prince yet?"

"I have, we made cake in the kitchen," Arin was gleaming, making Yeosang chuckle.

"Now that's something unheard of! So tell us- is our Prince as good at baking as he is at running the kingdom or does he need practice?"

Arin looked at you with confusion this time, and you quickly told her what he'd said, "He's very good! Pro!"

As she said that, she looked at Hongjoong sitting in the front row who was laughing and shaking his head, making the crowd laugh as well as the cameras panned back and forth.

"I think the Prince disagrees, now which one of you is lying?" Yeosang narrowed his eyes dramatically, and you told Arin, Arin instead asking you to explain.

"She says she would never lie about this," you tried to stop the grin appearing on your face.

"Let's hear from the Prince," Yeosang looked at Hongjoong, who picked up his mic.

"Arin refuses to admit I'm a bad chef, but I did exceptionally well thanks to Arin's instructions. She's an excellent guide and baker!"

"Ah, that's great to hear," Yeosang smiled, "So Miss Arin, how do you feel about the Selection?"

Now Arin got the question, and she spoke confidently, "I'm honoured to be a part of it, no matter the outcome. Whoever he marries will be a lucky person. And..."

Arin turned to you as she spoke, and you cleared your throat, "Arin says that Prince Hongjoong is an amazing person, and she hopes he finds a good partner through this process, no matter who that is."

Yeosang smiled warmly at the two of you, "Thank you, Miss Arin. We hope to see you again in the next report, good luck!"

With that, you and Arin took off, you going backstage while Arin stood for a few pictures before leaving the stage. As you made your way back, the girls grinned at you. "You two were amazing. Arin did such a good job, I feel happy for her."

"Thank you Byeol, Nayoung," you smiled.

After the interviews, you all were led to have dinner in the hall, where Hongjoong joined, applauding everyone for doing a good job with the interviews. He was going from one girl to the other to have small talk after dinner, and then he finally reached the two of you.

"Good job, Arin!" Hongjoong smiled and Arin thanked him, "You did better than I expected."

"You should thank her," Arin said, but the two of you shook your head.

"It was all you, Arin," you said, and Hongjoong nodded.

"A little bit of her too, but all you," he laughed.

Arin smiled, and Hongjoong looked at you, "Are we walking in the garden tonight?"

"Are we?" You cocked your head- was that an invitation? Hongjoong only smiled.

"I'm not supposed to tell you already, but there's an assignment coming up where Arin would have to present something verbally. Just dropping a hint- foreign visit taking place soon."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," you zipped your lips, squeezing Arin's hand as in 'wait'.

"I'll be taking my leave then, have a good night, Arin."

"Good night," Arin smiled and Hongjoong took her hand and kissed it before taking his leave, leaving Arin watching him dreamily.

"Snap out of it, woman, we have work to do," you clicked your fingers in front of her, "Assignment. Foreign visitors, you'll have to present something. Don't tell anyone- he only told us."

"Why did he only tell us though?" Arin frowned.

"He probably wants you to do a good job," you put a hand on your hip, "Which means you might be one of his favourites right now."

"Wow... that's good to hear," she let out a breathy laugh.

"Also... I should tell you this, but Hongjoong knows me from our childhood too- not much," you sighed, "Remember how I told you I used to visit the palace often? He's seen me around."

"Ah, that's so cool!" Arin gushed, "I wish he'd known me too."

"That's not cool in any way," you muttered, flashbacks of your dark past- especially the fact that he knew you used to call him a stuck-up brat flowing in your head, and you shook the thoughts away.

"I'll tell you more later- I found out that my mother was the queen's maid and father was Hongjoong's personal trainer- tell no one, okay?"

"Who would I tell, you're my only friend," Arin rolled her eyes, "But how come you did not know this? They didn't tell you?"

"That's what I keep asking," you bit your lips, "Why am I the last person who knows this?"

----------------

You tried to ignore the excitement you felt simply because Hongjoong had very casually invited you for a walk. You supposed that now that you were 'friends', you'd be hanging out more. Plus, it really looked like he needed someone like you right now- someone who could understand Hongjoong but understand the selected girls too, help him sort his thoughts out.

What you did not know was the thoughts that ran through Hongjoong's mind when he saw you at the broadcast room.

Hongjoong knew it was somewhat wrong, seeing how there were literally 22 girls who all dressed up for him, in absolutely beautiful gowns- and they did look beautiful. However, when you had walked in with your slicked back hair dressed in a suit... he couldn't take his eyes off of you.

He would never say it out loud- there was a goddamned Selection going on just for him. But you were stunning, you were funny, you knew more about how the palace and this country ran than any of the girls here, and Hongjoong had one question in his mind that he wanted to ask you tonight.

Now that part was tricky. He would have to remain as casual as possible, and he knew you were very clever and would realize if something was off too.

Hongjoong thought it was crazy- you two hadn't known each other for two long, but the way you clicked... he supposed you were just one of those people who he'd felt like he'd known forever. And even if you were going to be just friends, he really appreciated that.

He arrived in the garden first- or so he thought, until he saw you playing with a flower in a corner and he took in your appearance- you were still in your dress, only your heels changed.

Hongjoong had to shake his head- this was downright cruel. He was sure you didn't realize the effect you had on him tonight but maybe the deities did and they were punishing him for having these thoughts when 22 girls were waiting for him.

As if you'd notice him watching you, you turned to him, smiling and waving at him, unknown to the fact that he had been here and thinking about you. Hongjoong neared, taking a deep breath.

"Long night," he sighed, "You didn't change."

"Neither did you," you pointed out, and he looked down as if he hadn't realized.

"I was busy," he laughed, and you raised a brow.

"I was busy too."

"With what?"

"Just this and that," you sighed, "Helping Arin calm down after all the excitement, playing a game of cards with the maids. I didn't realize it was so late until I went to my room, and I wouldn't want to keep our busy prince waiting now, would I?"

"I love how you always find a way to mock me with my title," Hongjoong shook his head.

"So," you turned to him, beckoning him to walk and he did alongside you, "Is there a reason you called me for a walk?"

"Can't friends do that?" Hongjoong pouted.

"True," you shrugged, "How was tonight then? Like anyone?

"Well," Hongjoong took a long time to think, "Arin certainly did a great job. Kahi was a natural. The people love Nayoung. Byeol is well educated."

"I asked about who you liked," you gave him a pointed look, and laughed at how torn he looked, "Too early to ask?"

"Yes," Hongjoong sighed, running a hand through his hair, "I don't know if I like any of them like that. I don't feel a spark with anyone- maybe there's no such thing as a spark."

"There is," you assured him, and he raised a brow.

"Have you felt it?"

"I felt it, tonight," you smirked, watching his expressions change into confusion.

"Who, exactly, are you talking about?"

"Well, who do you think? Come on, it's easy. Who looked like a Prince tonight?"

"Me?" Hongjoong pointed at himself, and you laughed.

"I said looked like a Prince. It was Yeosang, of course. I can't believe how handsome he is! The camera really doesn't do justice to his beauty, and that's crazy because he looks so beautiful even on tv."

Hongjoong groaned, "Come on! Yeosang?"

"And why not?" You put your hands on your hips, "Can't a girl dream?"

"Sure. Dream along, I won't stop you," Hongjoong waved a hand in dismissal, "For a moment I thought there was a special someone back home."

"Nah," you smiled, shaking your head, "Never has been, and at this rate, never will be."

"Why? I think you're pretty fun to be around."

"You think that because you have no one to talk to and I'm your best option."

"Not at all," Hongjoong shook his head, "I know a lot of people. I'm not lying."

"Okay, let's accept that I'm fun and likable. I never liked anyone. Well, maybe if Yeosang would give me a chance..."

"I'll banish him if he looks at you funny," Hongjoong mumbled, making you snort in a very unladylike manner, "But I was wondering... did you enter the Selection?"

"Me?" You looked at him, and he nodded, "No, I didn't."

"Why?" Hongjoong asked, and you scanned his face.

"A number of reasons, but the main one being the lack of self confidence I have. The probability of getting picked, and then getting picked after the Selection... it's too little and too stressful. Why would I do that to myself? Also, I don't think I'm princess material."

"Well," Hongjoong began, "I can understand that you thought you didn't stand a chance, but I think... I think you would have done well."

"Oh, come on," you slapped his arm lightly, "Stop making fun of me."

Hongjoong grinned, and you shook your head. You'd just never fantasized about Hongjoong or being a princess. You were glad for Arin though, who had. Hongjoong was staring at you and you caught him.

"Would you have liked me to enter?" You wriggled your brows, and Hongjoong pretended to throw up, making you mutter a few curse words under your breath.

"Anyways," Hongjoong exhaled, "I'm thinking of announcing an elimination tomorrow. I've talked to every one of the girls. I don't want to keep hanging this matter."

"Ah, do take your time. It's your future, after all."

"Of course," he sighed, "Wife. Friend. Partner. I don't know what I'm looking for, but I hope to find it soon."

"Don't worry about the sparks, by the way," you said, "you should really get to know the girls. Sparks will come if you click with them and begin to like them."

"I suppose so," Hongjoong said.

"Can I ask you something?" You said after a moment, and he nodded, "Will I be going home tomorrow, with Arin?"

"Isn't this cheating?" Hongjoong asked, and you rolled your eyes.

"I'm not telling Arin. Come on, as a friend, I should know if I should sleep after packing my bags or not."

"Well, you're not going. I like Arin more than most of the girls there- she's easy to be with. Plus, I think I'll keep her anyway if it means I get to eat those scones and brownies anytime-"

"Prince Hongjoong, are you out of your mind-"

"I'm kidding!" Hongjoong laughed, "About the brownie part. Though I certainly wouldn't mind- I'm just saying that I'll keep Arin for now. And don't worry, if I decide to send her home, I'll let you know beforehand."

"Can you promise me one thing?" You said, and Hongjoong stopped as he looked at you. "Promise me that if you don't like Arin, you won't keep her hanging in here. You'll let her go. She's my best friend, and I don't want her to live here longer if she would be living in false hope."

"Does she really like me?" Hongjoong asked, and you shrugged.

"I'm still trying to figure that out- if she's still in her fantasy phase or if she genuinely likes you. But can you please consider her, despite the language barrier?"

"Of course, I am already," Hongjoong assured you.

"Thank you," you gave him a nod, "I know I shouldn't be asking this of you- you're the Prince, for heck's sake-"

"I'm just Hongjoong when I'm with you, so... you can ask anything."

You looked at him in gratitude, trying to ignore the way your heart flipped when you heard that. "Thank you. Should we go now? It's pretty late."

"We should," Hongjoong said, and his face twisted into surprise when you tucked the little flower you had been playing with in his hair over his ear.

"You look pretty," you laughed, beginning to walk back.

"Hey," Hongjoong said, and you turned, "I don't think I told you... but you looked really beautiful tonight."

"Me?" You pointed at yourself, making him laugh a bit as he nodded.

"Yes, you. I like this look on you. I mean it."

You made an impressed face as you playfully ran your hands over your hair as if to slick them back, making him laugh before saying bye and taking off.

As you lay in bed, you tried to ignore the fact that he'd call everyone pretty in the hall just a few hours ago, but-

He'd called you beautiful. And he had said that he meant it.

You wondered what life would have been like if you had entered the Selection, and wondered if you were better off like this.

------------------

The next few days were the busiest days you'd all seen so far- with the royal family of Halaland visiting Wonderland, it was all hustle and bustle in the palace, and you'd think the palace had months to prepare as they set the tents, as decoration was done and champagne of the highest quality was brought out from the cellars.

You'd all learn that the royals of Halaland were easy to offend, so the selected girls especially had to be super careful with their etiquettes and manners, but they were no boomers as well and loved to enjoy so you had to charm them. Natural charmers like Kahi and a few other girls were pretty relaxed compared to girls like Sohee and Wonyoung who were naturally shy and reserved.

As for Arin... she was both nervous but also confident now that everyone including Hongjoong had praised her for her natural charms, and you were glad she finally understood that she just needed to be herself.

This time, you had to give up wearing the suit, since it was a very formal event, and your maids came up with the brilliant idea combining the elegance of a suit with a dress- a sheath surplice neck asymmetrical dress with sleeves that reached a bit below your elbows, the length of it just above your knees. You felt strangely exposed after wearing suits and pants for so long, but you couldn't deny you felt good- the pale mauve colour of it seeming more purple when you shifted in the light- you couldn't help but admire the dress.

"You guys always outdo yourselves," you breathed as you looked at yourself in the mirror, paired with heels of the same colour, "How did you even come up with this colour? It's so nice!"

"Wait till you see Arin," Momo smiled, "She'll look different tonight- we've had enough of her innocent looks."

"Ooh," you raised a brow, "I'm looking forward to that."

"Come on, let me do your hair," Mina made you sit, tying your hair in a loose bun with messy curls falling, pearls in your hair, a pearl bracelet the only accessory you would be wearing tonight apart from your usual diamond studs.

"Dressing you up feels like you're one of the Selected too," Sana smiled as she patted your arm.

"Even I start to feel like it- you guys do too much to me, it's really unnecessary."

"Please, where's the fun if you hang beside Arin looking as plain as a mouse? Everyone deserves to look stylish."

You shook your head, the maids taking you to Arin's room who was already done getting ready before you, and you audibly gasped when you saw her in the midnight black off-shoulder dress with a silver belt on the waist, shimmery stars growing more as you looked down, her hair left straight and open, pinned at one side, her eyes bold and smokey.

"Now, now," you scanned her up and down, "Who is this? I don't think I recognize this sexy lady."

"Shut up," Arin laughed, "Is it too much?"

"I think it's perfect. Hongjoong won't be able to look away from you after this. And if he does, I'll assume he's blind."

Arin smiled half-heartedly, and you assumed she was nervous, asking her if she was feeling okay.

"Let's just go, I need to go over the things with the girls too," Arin said.

You reached the great hall where some of the girls were already there, and the way they gasped when Arin came, hugging her and complimenting her, you felt a little teary eyed. After every elimination, the remaining girls seemed to get closer too despite the growing competition, and now that Hongjoong had eliminated 6 more girls, they were down to 16.

"You look wonderful too, I'm glad I'm seeing you in something that is not a suit," Nayoung scoffed, and you scoffed back playfully.

"Ladies!" Sophie came hurriedly, dragging all the girls to the entrance so they could receive the guests, "Remember- chins up, backs straight, and don't forget to smile."

The girls stood in two rows, in front of each other. The sounds of laughter and chatter grew stronger with every passing minute, and you stood on your tiptoes to peek at the guests, noticing Arin doing the same, and you poked her from the back.

"Stand straight, miss," you ordered, and she gave you a guilty smile.

The ladies and the gents started to enter, all in the most elegant dresses you'd ever seen, mostly shades of blue and blacks, the girls all greeting with hugs and kisses, getting compliments with a smile. It seemed that the royal family of Halaland was very interested in the Selection.

As the guests dispersed, greeting the queen who looked regal in her own black gown, the king and Hongjoong were at the farthest corner of the hall, and the girls all dispersed around him, hoping to catch Hongjoong's eye.

You and Arin stood by the table, you sipping on the champagne which tasted as expensive as it must be, while Arin was looking around nervously.

"Go ahead," you told her, "I think you're good enough in Korean to have a basic conversation. Or should I tag along?"

"You should, just in case. I don't wanna embarrass myself," Arin pouted.

"Arin, honey, you're adorably sexy today and if you fumble a bit with words, that would only add to your charm tonight. I'll tag along, lead the way, wherever you wanna go."

Arin grinned as she led the way, the two of you walking around until one of the younger guests, who you assumed was the Princess of Halaland approached Arin.

"It's so good to see you in person," she said in English and took Arin's hand, "You're my pick, just so you know."

Arin gasped, "Really? Thank you!"

"You're cute," she grinned, looking at you, "And you're definitely doing a great job since she's still here."

"Thank you, your Highness," you bowed.

"Call me Miyeon," she said to the two of you, "Should I put in a good word for you with Hongjoong?"

"Thank you, but I think Hongjoong should like me without anyone telling him to," Arin smiled.

"That's wise," Miyeon grinned, "Do you like Hongjoong?"

"I was more of a fan before the Selection, but I'm trying to really get to know him and how the palace works."

"See?" Miyeon looked at you, "I had a reason I picked her."

You gleamed at Arin, "See? You're doing great, Arin."

Arin laughed, and Miyeon told you she could take it from here, that she wanted to get to know Arin and would introduce her to the royal family. You thanked her, and though Arin looked nervous, you told her it was a great opportunity to interact with everyone with you not by her side, and Arin reluctantly but happily went with Miyeon.

You watched the two of them go away like a proud mother, going back to sipping your champagne, watching the girls interact with Hongjoong one by one too, Hongjoong all polite smiles.

"Penny for your thoughts?" A deep voice sounded, and you looked at the source- a tall boy around your age with a sharp face and even sharper eyes.

"Just observing," you said, "And you are?"

"Prince San of Halaland," he bowed, and you gasped, curtsying and apologizing for not recognizing him.

"I'm not one of the Selected girls, by the way, in case you want to interact with them."

"Oh no, why would I want to interact with the ladies who are only interested in Prince Hongjoong?" Prince San grinned, making you shrug as you smiled, "I saw you on the TV, you know. With Miss Arin. My sister Miyeon is crazy about her, and with the amount of times she watched her clips in front of me..."

"Ah, is that so?" You couldn't help but grin at that as you looked at Miyeon and Arin talking like long lost best friends, "They do look like they have been apart for too long now."

"Indeed," San huffed as he put his pockets and shook his head at the way his sister was chatting with Arin, all laughs and giggles, "How's job as a translator?"

"I'm actually Arin's best friend before translator, so I'm good," you told him, offering him a glass which he took, "And what brings the Prince to a measly translator?"

"Well," Prince San looked at you as he drank, "This mere old Prince wanted a break from girls in frills."

You scoffed, "I could have been in frills tonight too."

"And I still would have approached you," his gaze was... flirty. You raised a brow, and he laughed.

"I'm saying I could use good company," Prince San said as he scanned you up and down, and you suddenly felt uncomfortable-

"Prince San," a familiar voice sounded and you almost sighed in relief when you saw Hongjoong, "Long time."

"Long time," Prince San hugged him, "How's the Selection treating you?"

"I don't even know how it's treating me," Hongjoong said, finally looking at you and smiling, "You're alone."

"Arin was snatched by my sister," Prince San put a hand up as in surrender, "She's a bit of a fan of hers."

"Ah, I forgot you both were fluent in English. It's good for her to hang out without a translator for once," Hongjoong looked at you.

"Definitely, I had to push her, but she really needed this," you smiled.

"Well, you've got eyes, Prince San," Hongjoong pointed to a group of older ladies calling him over, and he rolled his eyes, muttering a bye before taking off.

"What did he want?" Hongjoong asked you, and you raised a brow at his tone.

"Nothing, he was just talking."

"Be careful of him- he loves to talk to people and then use them for 'distraction'," Hongjoong sighed, and you nodded- you'd got that vibe from him too, "Anyways, I never thought I'd see you in a dress."

You rolled your eyes, "It had to happen one day."

"I'm not complaining, you look as beautiful as always," Hongjoong said.

"Well, thanks, I guess. It's definitely a change I needed tonight- I think it would have been odd wearing a suit tonight, no one's wearing one."

"Exactly," Hongjoong nodded, "Can we see you in a skirt next time?"

"Stop teasing me," you almost slapped his arm, remembering you were very much in public, "Don't you have other girls to go to and tell them they look beautiful or something?"

"No," Hongjoong smiled distantly, and you frowned.

"Hello, you're still in the Selection. Go. The girls are literally waiting for you to notice them, and do compliment everyone at least. They all probably spent the whole day dressing up for you."

"Ugh, it's so pressurizing!" Hongjoong waved dramatically, and this time, you did push him forward, sending him laughing as he walked away to the nearest girl, who eagerly snaked her arm in his.

The rest of the event was mostly boring for you, making small talk with anyone who came to greet you, trying to avoid Prince San, and running into Hongjoong again, who said he needed to charge himself for at least two days after this event. Food was served and you finally sat with Arin and Miyeon as you ate, mostly listening to their conversation, adding a joke or two in between.

The night was still young, and you needed to take a breather. Telling Arin you'd be back, you went to freshen up a bit, deciding to go outside and take a breath of that chilly fresh air. You took a turn and nearly bumped into someone-

That someone being Hongjoong, your faces incredibly close as you both took ahold of your footing, finally breathing when you stepped away.

"Careful when you walk, we could have crashed rather painfully."

"What's got you in a rush?" You asked as you tried to calm your beating heart.

"Nothing, just coming back after taking a breather," he ran a hand through his hair, "I guess you're in need of one too."

"Absolutely," you said, "See you around, Prince."

With that, you took off into the night, leaving Hongjoong staring at your back for a good minute before he shook his head and walked back inside.

The rest of the night was as uneventful as it could be, Arin and Miyeon engaged in a heated conversation and you couldn't help but smile at the two- good for Arin. She had little to no conversation with the selected girls and you really liked that she was talking to someone finally.

As for Prince San, he kept coming back to you after every half an hour, apologizing for making you feel uncomfortable, saying he just wanted good company since he would be here for three days. So you accepted, the two of you finding yourself talking about anything and everything, from childhood stories to habits.

"Don't tell anyone, but I really adore cats," he smiled.

"That's surprising, but nothing to be ashamed of. You should tell everyone this, in fact. Don't you have pet cats? If I were you I would have opened my palace gates for all cats."

"Miyeon's allergic, so I can't do that," he sighed, looking at Miyeon and smiling warmly.

"You two seem close."

"We're practically best friends. We tell each other everything."

"That's sweet," you smiled, "What do you do other than performing your princely duties though?"

"Well, I like working out. I like to play with my cats- stray cats, in the garden. I also like to sing in the shower."

"You should hold a shower concert sometime, your cats could be your audience," you said, and he laughed out loud, putting his hand over his face- a habit of his. "Also, I have a question- I'm curious about something."

"Ask away."

"Do you and Miyeon have as much responsibility as Hongjoong, or is it less of a burden to you?"

"It's definitely less, my elder sister is in line for the throne. In fact, don't tell anyone, but we were considering their marriage before the Selection."

You gasped, "Really? Did they know each other or like each other?"

"They know each other, but not really- they've only met twice or thrice. But considering how things are in this kingdom, we decided against the unison of our kingdoms."

"Ah, so it just happened."

"I think it's sad," San shook his head, "I can't imagine marrying someone I don't know or like. I can't imagine having a Selection either- I don't know how he's handling it."

"I know. I think it's sad that he doesn't have the freedom to date and explore. What if he doesn't like any one of them?"

"Let's pray he does," San said.

-----------------

The next day was chaotic, to put it lightly.

Kahi had basically announced that she and Hongjoong had kissed last night. Nayoung admitted that she had kissed him a few days ago too.

The reactions ranged from jealousy to anger to curiosity- what was it like? Who kissed first? How did it feel?

You supposed it was bound to happen sooner or later, though you were a bit disappointed in the obvious choices- Nayoung being the palace star and Kahi being people's favourite.

However, you were more surprised when you conveyed all of this to Arin and she showed little reaction.

"Did you already know?" You asked.

"I didn't," she admitted, saying nothing, but you didn't spot disappointment on her face either, so you shrugged it off.

Arin told you that she would be spending more time with Miyeon since she was here for only two more days, offering you to join but you turned it down. You didn't want to be the third-wheel and you really wanted her to talk to someone else as well. You were glad that she had a friend now.

You went to Arin's room, chatting with Momo, Mina and Sana, catching up with palace gossip such as what the selected were up to, who was whose favourite, etc. After a game of cards, you went to your room and slumped on your bed, wondering if it was time to finally visit your parent's room.

You were still conflicted, but you decided to go to the kitchen and steal something while you would decide.

However, you were surprised with the sight of Hongjoong sitting by himself in a corner, watching the brownies in the oven bake, the rest of the kitchen busy with their own work, paying no heed to the Prince.

"How long has he been coming over?" You asked a woman you knew was the assistant chef.

"Every other day, basically. Sometimes he eats, sometimes he just watches us, poor thing," she waved her hand in a motherly nature.

As if Hongjoong had felt your stare, he turned, his face lighting at the sight of you as he patted the spot next to him.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have a kingdom to run or girls to kiss?"

You cringed a bit, wondering if you sounded jealous, but he just put his face in his hands, clearly ashamed. "I guess everyone knows now."

"Well, it was bound to happen," you shrugged.

"I didn't mean to. With Nayoung... she kissed me at our date. And Kahi... I was really frustrated and- ugh, I feel ashamed."

You grinned, "No need to. You can kiss whoever you like."

Hongjoong clapped when the oven went off, and you got up to take the brownies out, placing them on the table you sat.

"Enough about that, why are you here?"

You sighed, "I was wondering if I had grown the balls to visit my parent's room."

Hongjoong choked on his brownie, muttering 'language'. "Do you want me to come with you?"

You looked at him, wondering if that was what you needed. Someone to be with you. Someone who knew.

"I don't know... I don't know if I am ready."

"Well, if you're here, you're ready," he told you, "Let's go after eating."

You watched him eat his brownie as he gazed at the rest dreamily. You wondered how you two had become so comfortable with each other- to the point you'd forget he was the Prince. Hongjoong caught you staring.

"What are you looking at?"

"You, obviously," you scoffed, shrugging awkwardly as you took a bite, "Just wondering how we got... here."

"I know," Hongjoong smiled, "I didn't expect a friend out of the Selection."

After eating another brownie, Hongjoong told you to wait while he got the keys from Sophie, and you sat trying to muster up your courage.

You were finally going to go to their room and not find them there, only their belongings left. You didn't know what to expect.

Hongjoong led you to the other side of the palace, stopping in front of a room you assumed was your parents. "If you really feel like not going in, I understand."

You shook your head, "Rather go in then turn around from here."

He smiled, putting in the key and turning, opening the door.

The first thing you noticed was the sunlight illuminating the white sheets on the bed, and it looked like someone had packed their belongings. You stepped in, Hongjoong behind you, turning once.

"This doesn't feel like their room anymore- everything's packed."

"Your mom's friend packed the stuff. Do you want me to leave while you look at it?"

"No- you can stay," you told him, and he took a seat, you bringing a box to the seat next to his, opening it to find your dad's clothes.

One by one, you opened the boxes- clothes, personal belongings, a few of their favourite books, and then you found a few pictures- pictures of you, pictures you had never seen. You didn't even remember half of the moments.

"You were cuter when you were little," Hongjoong laughed as he saw one of your pre-teen years.

"I admit that I was," you smiled, finding a photo album and flipping through it, Hongjoong bringing his seat closer.

You didn't realize you were crying until your tears fell on the album, and you hastily wiped your eyes, holding back a sob but failing when Hongjoong put a comforting hand on your back.

"It just... feels real, now that I'm in their room alone without them. They'd never let me come here alone," you smiled sadly.

"It's okay, let it out," Hongjoong rubbed your back as you sniffed, bursting in a sob and holding your face in your hands, Hongjoong's arm wrapping around you as he held you.

You really felt their absence now. You'd grown up away from your parents, but this was the one place you'd always be with your parents, with your dad's funny face as he cracked jokes while your mom would scold you both for being too loud.

Hongjoong handed you his handkerchief and you wiped your eyes and nose, apologizing for being a mess.

"It's okay, really," he said, "I know it's hitting now that you're here."

You nodded, another stream of tear escaping your eyes, and Hongjoong's heart ached- he had always seen you with a smile or a smirk on your face. He couldn't bear to see your eyes full of tears, pain evident on your face. He didn't realize what he was doing- he brought his hand to your face, cupping it as he wiped your tears, kissing your cheek once, drawing back rather slowly and you looked at him.

It was as if time stilled- his hand remained on your face, fingers unmoving, while the two of you stared at each other. You were the first to draw away from your trance, muttering a sorry, looking away awkwardly, staring at the distance as you wiped your face.

"Do you want to take some of these to your room?" He asked, getting up, "We can make a box and you can take that."

"That's actually a good idea," you got up, putting all the pictures and photo albums in a separate box, some of your mom's jewellery, your dad's favourite books, and then you were done. You noticed Hongjoong smiling at a picture.

"What are you looking at?"

"I think this is the most recent one," he waved it at you- he was right. It was from the time they visited your home, a candid picture of you where you were out in the sun with a hand in front of your face to block the light. Your mom was always clicking such random pictures of you. "I'm keeping this."

"You are not," you glared at him, coming forward to snatch it away from him but he only stepped back, holding it in the air, smirking playfully.

"I'm gonna frame it and keep it in my room, caption it, 'the only time she looked normal'- hey!"

Hongjoong was startled when you jumped, holding on his shoulder for support, but he took another step back, which was a mistake, and he ended up loosing his footing, his free arm automatically going around your waist for support, but he ended up falling back- thankfully on the bed-

And you on top of him.

You groaned loudly, getting up a bit and laughing loudly when you snatched the picture from him, waving it in front of his face in victory.

But he wasn't having any of that- and he really wanted to wipe the smirk off your face. He brought you closer- dangerously close- and you realized only then the position that you were in, your eyes going wide.

"You're giving me that photo back," his voice was hoarse, expressions smug.

You shook your head, putting your hand behind you, only one hand holding you up for support.

Hongjoong shook his head, muttering 'you're gonna make me regret this' as he pushed himself up and caught your lips in his, kissing you rather furiously, swallowing your surprised moan, his hand tightening around your waist as one hand snaked up your face.

He wasn't even giving you time to think or breathe as he moved his lips along yours, and you didn't realize you were responding to the kiss until you heard his own satisfied moan, your hand on his shoulder now squeezing it unconsciously, because this was wrong, this shouldn't be happening, but you didn't care in that moment, those thoughts being pushed out and out-

Hongjoong snatched the photo from you, and you thought he'd stop, but his hand went to the back of your head, guiding you along better, pushing into you until you both had switched position, your back arched very low.

You had to break apart for breath, your foreheads still joined as you both tried to catch your breath and you couldn't help but sigh at how out of breath you both were. His arms stayed around you as he drew apart, out of words as you stared at each other.

You shook your head, "All this for one photo?"

"I'm definitely framing it," he muttered.

You exhaled, licking your lips as your gaze fell on his, and you finally came to your senses, getting up and away from his warm embrace, suddenly feeling cold.

Hongjoong cleared his throat as he straightened himself, and you picked the box, awkwardly standing in the middle of the room.

"This was definitely only because you wanted to distract me and snatch the photo, right? Because you're in a goddamn Selection, Prince Hongjoong, and Arin is my best friend and I could never do this to her."

He felt his heart twist, but he nodded, "Definitely."

The two of you knew you weren't being honest. But you decided to ignore it for now. "Let's go then. I'll be taking this to my room."

"Alright," he said, motioning you to go forward, locking the room back. As he walked you to the chamber where the girls and you were staying, he told you he was gonna go to his room.

"Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"That was... just how many girls have you kissed?"

Hongjoong realized you basically meant he was a pro, and he threw his head back as he laughed, making you laugh as well, the ice breaking for now. "I'm not that experienced!"

You made a face that said that you were not having any of it. "Liar."

"Believe it or not, before the Selection, I've only kissed twice," he admitted, and you gasped.

"I guess you're a natural. Let's forget about this, okay? Stay focused, Prince! 16 girls waiting for your response, and I'm not one of them."

Hongjoong saluted, going back to his room- once he was inside, he slumped down with his face in his hands.

He was glad you were cool and things hadn't messed up indefinitely, but...

One thing he was sure of was that he'd never felt anything like this in his life before- and he wanted more. He wasn't sure if he could forget this.

------------------

You knew you were never going to look at Hongjoong the same way again.

Something had inevitably changed between the two of you, and though you were trying not to think of it, you were now aware of him, more than ever. And though Hongjoong was an excellent actor, you could see that he was a bit awkward too.

But maybe you two only needed time to forget that.

What you did not know was that Hongjoong was trying to forget about it, he really was. And he was busying himself in more work than usual, trying to interact with the Selected girls more, another broadcast taking place as well.

With Arin hanging out with Miyeon, you didn't have anyone to talk to- but you were scared to face Arin after that. If Arin really liked Hongjoong and was serious about it (of course she did, there were no ifs!), you had messed up. Your friendship with Arin was worth so much to you and you couldn't ruin it.

With Hongjoong busy, you spent most of the time in your room or with San- who was surprisingly very easy to talk to. You two had a lot in common, in fact, which created a very comfortable bond between you two.

You sat with San near the pond, the two of you glum as you tossed pebbles in the pond. If anyone would see you two, they'd think you'd lost a war- the amount of sighs you two were breathing were too much.

"What's got you so down?" You finally asked, "I thought you were enjoying your stay."

"I was, and I'm not ready to go back to my normal life. I need a break so bad," San sighed, looking up at the sky wistfully.

"Ah... I can't imagine going back to my normal life either now," you could relate to him- even though it had been only three days for him, he must have been needing this breather.

"I'm sure Miyeon must be crying right now, in Arin's arms," he grinned.

"You wanna cry too? I'll join," you laughed, and San shook his head.

"Why do you wanna cry?" San looked at you, and you pursed your lips.

"You ever do something that you regret?" You asked, and he scoffed.

"If there was one thing-"

"No, like," you turned to him, "It wasn't your fault. But somehow... you got involved. And it was a bad decision- there is too much at stake. And you regret that- nothing's damaged yet, but you can't forget it either."

San narrowed his eyes at you, "Is this what I think it is?"

"I don't know what you think it is, but it's not that, and no, I don't even want to hear what you think it is-"

San burst out laughing, shaking his head as he looked at you, clicking his tongue at you. "Does this involve Hongjoong?"

You opened your mouth to say no, but his eyes said he had you, and you shut your mouth. "Why do you think this involves Hongjoong?"

"I've seen the way he looks at you- and don't tell me I'm wrong. I know a man's gaze and what it means."

You bit your lip, turning your face away from him. What was going on? Was San right about this?

"Something happened between you two?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," you muttered, and San patted your back.

"There are some things in life we cannot change. But... I think we should be able to make our decisions without caring about someone else. You know what I mean? Sometimes we should put ourselves first, if the risk is worth it."

"I really don't understand what you're saying, and this... sober talking doesn't suit you at all, San."

San slapped your arm, "One day my words are gonna make sense to you. 'til then... Let's forget about this, eh?"

You glared at him, nodding as he smiled, pinching your cheek. "You're cute. I'm gonna miss you when I go back. You should visit Halaland with Arin soon- promise me."

"No promises," you huffed, and San started whining, making you cringe away and laugh as you promised.

"I don't understand what's so Princely about you. If anyone saw you whining like a little- can I curse?" San nodded and you did, "They'd strip you of your title."

"Come on, just because I'm a Prince doesn't mean I can be a little brat- and yes, I'm censoring it. You're too harsh."

"I'm stating facts-"

You heard a rustle, and the two of you frowned as you looked at the source of the sound.

It was Miyeon and Arin, hand in hand as they giggled in low voices, walking along the footpath. You almost got up to say hi, but San held you by your arm, putting a finger to his mouth as he shook his head, and you frowned, not understanding why-

You looked at Arin and Miyeon- they were too close. Miyeon was rubbing Arin's hand almost lovingly, but-

"They like each other- or so Miyeon says."

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion as you looked at San, then at the disappearing figure of the two, then back at San.

"Like each other? As in?"

"You know what I'm saying," San looked grim, "They like each other... and they kissed. I told her to be careful- if Arin gets caught now... she'd have to face a serious punishment."

You felt as if you were drowning as the words from the set of rules rang in your head: if any of the Selected are caught in a romantic relationship with someone else during that period, it would be considered treason and be punishable by death.

"But... they only met 3 days ago!" You frowned- it didn't make sense.

"3 days is enough to fall in love," San's tone was serious, "And you know how they clicked right away. Don't tell me you didn't know about Arin's preferences."

"She never talked to me about that," you put a hand on your head, trying to make sense of everything, "I don't know why, but... San, she was serious about this Selection. She was practically in love with Hongjoong."

"She only knew Hongjoong from afar, she was a fan. Her heart could have changed with or without Miyeon being here."

"But... this doesn't make sense, I need a minute to think," you stared at the pond as you thought about it- how Arin hadn't been too excited these days. How she hadn't seem disappointed when she had discovered that Hongjoong had kissed the other girls. How she wasn't even waiting for a date anymore, too busy since Miyeon came.

"I know it must be hard to digest- I was surprised too. This is a first for Miyeon too."

"Really?" You looked at him and he nodded, "I guess... whatever makes them happy. That means Arin would have to get dismissed from the Selection without anyone knowing what was going on. Shouldn't they be more careful?"

"It's not like they're doing anything right now," San chuckled, "It's just them finding themselves right now. They decided to wait- Arin is gonna go on with the Selection and see what she really wants. Miyeon would spend time away from her- maybe everything will change. Maybe it's just the heat of the moment. We should give them time and space to think."

"I'm kinda hurt that Arin hasn't told me anything yet," you admitted, "Miyeon told you everything?"

"She really wanted to think this through. So much could go wrong, even for her. She's a Princess. There's much to consider."

You shook your head, "Everything is so messed up."

"But it's beautifully messed up," San smiled.

And two days later, it was time for an elimination.

You wondered if Hongjoong would dismiss Arin- he had gone on another date with her last night, but not much had happened- the two had walked, you following beside, and he'd just asked Arin about her hobbies, her life before Selection, getting to know her.

If Arin was dismissed today, you'd be going home along with her. There were more girls who were confident that they'd stay today than girls who weren't.

Hongjoong entered after breakfast, scanning the girls once, his eyes falling on you for a second longer before he drew away. "Ladies, I hoped you slept well last night. Today is the inevitable elimination- only 8 of you will be staying."

The girls gasped- they hadn't expected it to cut to half already. "I'll be announcing those who are staying now."

He started calling the names- and Arin squeezed your hand out of nervousness, you squeezing back as you heard the satisfied gasps and the sobs that rang through the room.

The last name he called was Arin's- and you looked at him in surprise, finding him looking at you instead of Arin. Arin only sighed, slumping in her seat.

"I'm sorry to all those who were dismissed- I hope you live a happier, healthier life from this point on. If you have anything you want to say or ask, you can meet me in the Men's Room."

With that, he took off, leaving the 8 eliminated girls sobbing, and you couldn't help but sigh in relief- wondering what your sigh meant. Were you happy for Arin or relieved that you weren't going home?

That night, you went to the garden, not surprised when Hongjoong arrived an hour later, sighing when he saw you, sitting down with you on the bench.

"You've been busy," you smiled.

"I really wanted to talk to all of them once more before the elimination, just to be sure," he said.

"And? Feeling any sparks yet?"

"Not really," he looked down, the silver tendrils of his hair falling down on his forehead, and you admired his side profile- he really had the most unique nose you'd seen on a person- "I don't know what to do anymore."

"What do you mean?" You frowned as he looked at you, his eyes full of worry.

"In the next elimination I'm supposed to cut this down to 3. I don't think I like anyone more than the others- I really don't feel anything for them. This Selection was a bad idea- the rebels won't calm down just because I get married. They've tried attacking again, two days ago, but they couldn't enter. I don't want to end up choosing someone because she's someone's favourite- the king's, or the queen's, or the people's. I don't want to live with someone I don't love."

"I understand, Hongjoong," you put a hand on his back, "It's hard, I get it. But... I don't think you can back out of this now. You're a Prince, Hongjoong. There are so many people looking forward to this, waiting for your decision-"

"I didn't expect you to say that- you really don't understand," Hongjoong shook his head in frustration, "I think... I don't think I like any of the Selected. I like you. I want you, not them. They don't know me like you do- and I don't feel comfortable with them like I do with you."

You almost sobbed- your heart absolutely ached at his words. "Hongjoong, this isn't about us, please. I shouldn't even have been here. If I wasn't here, you would have proceeded normally with the Selection and found someone you actually liked- you probably only like me because I'm not one of them-"

"No. I like you because you're you. If you were in the Selection, I would have chosen you. If you were one of the Selected... I would have ended it today."

"Hongjoong, think again- you're the Prince. You can't be selfish-"

"Just tell me- tell me you like me too. If you do, nothing else matters," he locked his eyes with you, pain evident in them as he waited expectantly for an answer, his hand on top of yours squeezing it unconsciously.

You wanted nothing more than to lose yourself in the moment, but you had to be rational, "Hongjoong, this really isn't about you and me. This is about the future Princess, who one day will be Queen. Who'll share the burden of your kingdom. I can only be your friend- I don't think I can be more."

Hongjoong's face fell, and he sighed as he looked at the sky, his hand still on yours. "Would it have been different if you had entered the Selection? Or if... if I wasn't the Prince?"

"I don't know. But Hongjoong... we've only kissed once. Please forget about that and focus on what's important. It was just in the heat of the moment, okay? You're confused- all this pressure with the Selection is making you look at me. Maybe we shouldn't even hang out anymore-"

"No- that would make it worse, I know that," he finally took his hand off yours, "Just tell me one thing. Promise me you won't lie."

You narrowed your eyes at him but his eyes were firm- he was serious. "Okay."

"No lies. Just a plain answer. A yes or no. I promise to go back to the Selection, I'll properly think this through, I promise, just don't lie."

"Okay," you laughed nervously, "What is it?"

"When we kissed... you felt something, didn't you? You still do, and you did before we kissed. Is that right?"

You scanned his face- his eyes were holding your gaze as if he could tell if you would lie. You pursed your lips, wondering how you should say it-

"Your silence says enough," a slow smile creeped up his face, "You don't need to say it. It's plain as day on your face."

"You could be imagining it, you know. You could be wrong."

Hongjoong looked at you, tucking your hair behind your ear as he patted your cheek. "I don't think I'm wrong about this, dear."

-----------------

As promised, Hongjoong spent more time with the girls, going on dates and actually talking to them and getting to know the 8. Arin had another date where the two played table tennis, and you only sat back and watched, because god, you sucked at table tennis and you'd only make a scene if you tried.

After that date, Arin told you she wanted to sleep in your room tonight, and you internally smirked, wondering if she was finally going to tell you everything.

"I really don't like Hongjoong that way," she finally admitted, "And I'm sure Hongjoong doesn't like me either."

You pursed your lips, and she narrowed her eyes, "Did you suspect that already?"

"Of course I did, I'm your best friend, Arin. I saw how your interest in him kept going downfall."

"I don't even know why he decided to keep me. Perhaps he wanted to give me a chance because of the language barrier. Anyways, I'm not wife material- I can't do this. I'll just wait for the next elimination."

"Is your heart somewhere else, Miss?" You tested the waters, watching Arin's cheeks go red- it always gave her away.

"Actually, it is," she admitted, and you gasped dramatically, putting a hand over your mouth, "I'll tell you once I'm out- I want to properly introduce her to you."

"Her?" You wriggled your brows, and it was her turn to gasp, "You know?"

"San may have told me."

"San?" Arin wriggled her brows, but you laughed and shook it off, "Nothing as juicy as your story, Arin. It's best we don't talk about it here. Let's just wait to go home."

"Should I, I don't know, disappoint Hongjoong and speed it up?"

"No!" You slapped Arin's arm, "Poor guy already has it tough!"

The two of you burst into giggles, but almost screamed when the door opened loudly and a guard stepped inside.

"Rebels are inside- please follow me," he went to the right corner of the room, clicking behind a frame and opening a doorway, "Inside, now. Follow the tunnel and you'll find yourself in the room with the King and Queen and the rest of the girls."

You felt your heart sink, wondering if Hongjoong was safe, and you and Arin made your way down the dark tunnel, you leading the way, one hand in Arin's and the other feeling the tunnel out, following the dim light until it grew and you were in the large hall with the Queen huddled beside the King, only 3 girls inside so far, trembling with fear, and Arin joined them, comforting them as best as she could.

You asked one of the guards about the Prince's whereabouts and he told you he was making sure the girls were coming here before he would join, and you felt your heart fill with pride- he was really out there making sure everyone of them was safe.

It took another very long 15 minutes until one by one the girls came, Hongjoong coming in last. Some of the girls were shaken so bad that they seemed numb. Hongjoong stood beside you, staring at them as he caught his breath.

"It was an ugly fight out there- these girls witnessed it. They want to go home as soon as this is over."

"Oh," you bit your lip, "What do the rebels want, Hongjoong?"

"They probably want to overthrow us, like every other rebel in every other country. They are not ready to accept that Wonderers and Utopians could be one."

The Queen called Hongjoong over, and Hongjoong looked at you, "Come over- I should introduce you to mom and dad."

"Now?"

"Yes, now. Now is the time they miss them the most."

He took you to them, and you awkwardly stood and bowed as Hongjoong told them whose daughter you were. The King smiled, saying the resemblance was uncanny, and the Queen smiled warmly at you as well, "I miss Mira the most these days. She would have had so much fun with the Selection."

"It's an honour to me that you remember my parents," you said, and they laughed as they shook a hand in dismissal.

"Your father was a fine man," the King smiled, "His sacrifice means a lot to us. We miss the two dearly, and you... You are welcome in this Palace anytime. I heard how you and my son are friends now."

You looked at Hongjoong and he grinned, "Mom was making fun of me, saying I finally made the friend that I should have made some 20 years ago."

You laughed, shaking your head as you went back to where Arin was sitting, and she put her hands on her hips.

"You, miss, have something going on with Hongjoong."

"I have nothing," you said, but she wasn't having any of it.

"Have you seen the way he looks at you? He's never looked at one of us this way," she said, referring to the Selected, "I say you've won his heart."

"Shut up, Arin, he's the Prince. I'm no one. I'm only his friend, that's it."

"Whatever you say, I can't hear this bullshit. You're both either blind as hell or stupid as fuck."

"Arin!" You widened your eyes at her language, "Etiquettes!"

She only grinned, silly dancing and you wished you could wipe that smug look off her face. But she had caught you red-handed. and you couldn't deny it now, it was too late.

You watched Hongjoong comfort the girls one by one. He really was better off with one of them, not you. You weren't princess material. You were only... you. Simple you who was only good at translating and being a friend. You couldn't allow yourself to hope, you couldn't mess everything- the whole kingdom was hanging on the Selection and who the future princess would be. You didn't want to create a mess.

You couldn't allow yourself the luxury of thinking that you could be Hongjoong's, because really, before anything else... He was too good for you. You didn't deserve him.

By the next night, 4 girls had gone home, leaving only 4- Arin, Kahi, Nayoung and Sohee. Sophie had announced that Hongjoong would make his decision and propose his choice on the live broadcast in a week from now, and now that the end was real, you found yourself more anxious than ever, and as you were making your way back to your room, you almost bumped into Hongjoong.

"Whoa, careful there," he looked at you, frowning when he saw your face etched with worry, "Something wrong?"

"No, just tired," you shrugged it off, and Hongjoong scanned your face.

"You wanna hang out tonight? Help the poor Prince relieve some stress?"

"Sure, poor Prince," you grinned, going to your room.

Before you could go down to the garden though, you heard a knock. You were still in your navy blue suit, your tie a bit loose, and you thought it was Arin coming to ask you something, but when you opened the door-

It was Hongjoong.

He scanned your figure rather slowly, taking in the loose messy hair and tie, and god, he would never get tired of seeing you in suits.

"What are you doing here?" You asked, your heart sinking at the way he was looking at you.

"I just thought I'd come by and surprise you," he laughed, "and you're very surprised."

"I am," you laughed a little, allowing him to enter, "What's up?"

"I just had a meeting with everyone regarding the Selection, he slumped on your couch and you sat beside him, shifting so you faced him, "They think Kahi might be the better choice."

"Thought so," you muttered, and he laughed at the annoyance in your tone, "She's the obvious choice. Do you like her?"

"Honestly? She's okay. Tolerable. She just goes along with whatever I say. She doesn't fight back, just accepts whatever I say or give. I think she just wants to end up with me because of her strong family connection and because she could be a 'Princess'."

"Ah, here for the title, and to please you while she bathes in the royal treasure," you giggled, "Somehow, I can picture that."

"Right! I can too," he scoffed.

"But that's what everyone thinks- what do you think?"

Hongjoong bit his lips, folding his hands, "I... I don't know. Not Kahi. Not Nayooung. Not Sohee and not Arin either. I mean, I could pick anyone, but I don't think I'll ever truly be myself with them."

"That's... maybe you will, Hongjoong. It might take some time, but eventually, you'll be comfortable with them. You'll find the happiness you deserve, Hongjoong."

"I think I don't deserve happiness," he sighed, turning to look at you, "Maybe I'm damned. I don't know why I'm going through this- mom and dad had a chance and they fell in love. They didn't need a damned Selection. Why am I going through this?"

You frowned, "What's really bothering you, Hongjoong?"

Hongjoong gazed at you for a few seconds before turning as if he was in pain, "It's useless to say it out loud."

You sighed, figuring you'd give him some time to sort his thoughts out, getting up and opening your drawer, smiling at the photo before you sat back down. "You might wanna see this."

Hongjoong scooted nearer, taking the photo and frowning before bursting out in a fit of laughter, "I look like a wimp, and you look worse!"

You laughed, "I definitely look better than you. This might be the most un-princely photo of you that exists- we should frame it and hang it in the Great Hall."

"I remember this," Hongjoong smiled at the photo, "Your dad actually slapped my head and told me to act like a Prince because he wanted me to impress you- but we both ended up like this. You got an earful from your mom too, didn't you?"

"She made me do this, I didn't want to," you scoffed.

"I miss being little," Hongjoong sighed, "When I had nothing to worry about. My only worry was not being caught staring at you kids from the windows."

"You should have joined," your smile was sad as you two looked at each other.

"Don't you think we were meant to meet each other and be friends, sit here together like this?" Hongjoong's voice was low as he scanned your face, "When I'm here, with you, I feel... like Hongjoong. Not the Prince that has to put up and act."

"Should I be honoured?" You teased, but he only smiled, holding your hand.

"I'm only myself when I'm with you," he caressed your hand and you felt your stomach swoop, "I really wish I could call you mine."

You wanted to take your hand away- that was what had to be the rational thing to do, but the way he was gazing at your joined hands with his eyes full of sadness... it made you pause. He looked at you, "Have you ever wanted something or someone so much that you felt like you were nothing without it? That if you didn't get it, you'd just be an empty shell for the rest of your life?"

"Chocolate?" You shrugged, Hongjoong almost wheezing as he laughed, shaking his head, mumbling something about how you ruined the moment, but you squeezed his hand.

"I don't know, Hongjoong, but I... I think it'll be too late before I realize that I let go of the thing I wanted."

His eyes flickered with hope, "It doesn't have to be that way. If you have a chance, don't you think you should take it?"

"You know... I thought about it, Hongjoong. I wondered what it would be like to be with you," you said, making his heart sink as you looked at your joined hands, caressing his hand, "I wondered if I could really do this. If I could call you mine and sit with you like this every night," you looked at him, taking your hand away only to caress his face, "If we could talk like friends yet... be more. But Hongjoong, I'm not one of the Selected, and you can only select one of them. It's for the better."

"How is it better for me," he leaned in to your touch, "if I won't ever have something like this with someone else?"

Your smile was sad and unconvincing, and Hongjoong leaned closer, already out of breath by you words, "I'd break the rules for you. I'd accept any sort of punishment. I'd lose my title if it meant that I'd get to be with you- with you, who I love with all of my heart, because you're the one that I want."

You cupped Hongjoong's face in your hands, "I know. I know you'd do that for me. I know you love me, Hongjoong, and I... I love you too." You gave yourself a moment to scan Hongjoong's face who couldn't have looked more relieved, "But you're a Prince. You have a whole kingdom to look after. Every subject of yours is waiting for an opportunity for you to slip, to make a mistake, so they can use that excuse and destroy your kingdom. You understand that, don't you?"

Hongjoong hesitated before nodding, taking your hands away from his face, holding them as he looked down and thought about it. "It's cruel that you told me you love me only to let me go."

"I'm sorry for that," your eyes teared, "We're not meant to be."

When Hongjoong leaned in to kiss you, you didn't stop him, tears rolling down your cheeks as he kissed you softly, his hands holding your face as if it was fragile, and when he drew back, his own eyes were glazed as he wiped your eyes.

"I only have one week," he began, "please don't let me be alone for this week. I don't want to let go of you without knowing what it could be like if you were mine."

You shook your head but he squeezed your hand as if telling you that it was alright, "One week, that's all I ask. Forget about everything else, forget about the stupid Selection and the fact that I'm a Prince. Just be mine for this week, please."

"And you'll let me go? After one week?" You looked at him, and he nodded.

"If that's what you want."

You leaned in to hug him- your answer. You sat in his arms for a few minutes, holding him as if someone would snatch him away from you if you let him go. "One condition."

"What?" He was caressing your hair.

"Please don't contact me after the Selection is over. I won't want you to be unfaithful to your wife because of me. And... I'd need time but I'll move on too. But please... don't contact me, Hongjoong."

He held you tighter, his heart screaming against this but he nodded, and you sighed.

Tonight was all about sweet lies anyway.

He held you for a few minutes longer, then kissed your forehead and told you that he'd be back tomorrow, that he'd be wasting no moment from now on and that he'd like it if the two of you weren't so sad every time you met, and you laughed, promising him and yourself that you'd make the most of this one week.

But tonight, you'd cry. You didn't know how long you sat on your couch and cried silently until Arin slipped inside your room, gasping in surprise and sitting beside you asking what was wrong and you cried your heart out for the first time in Arin's arms, and she shushed you as she held you and comforted you.

"You should tell me what happened before I pass away out of worry," she frowned.

You told her then. You told her that you hadn't meant for this to happen, that you two were just friends- until you two were so comfortable with each other and realized it must be love. Though Arin was listening somberly at first, she was nearly laughing by the end of this.

"I fucking knew it!" She clapped, and you resisted the urge to choke her, "I knew the way Hongjoong looked at you was different! He's smitten by you, and you were blind!"

"Arin, I'm trying hard not to cry again, you're making this worse," you said but ended up laughing because she was too excited.

"I say fuck the Selection! Fuck this kingdom! He should choose you-" Arin was interrupted by you putting a hand over her mouth and telling her to tone it down before anyone heard and got you two kicked out.

"I'm serious, though," Arin insisted, "Hongjoong like you, you like him. Simple. Who cares about the Selection? He should marry you. He should put himself first. What has this Kingdom given him anyway? A damned burden! If the people really cared about their Prince, they'd let him marry whoever he wants."

"It's too complicated, Arin, you don't understand," you said, shaking your head, "If it was as easy, I wouldn't have been sitting here crying."

Arin bit her lip, thinking. She really wanted to lift your spirits, which was why she kept joking around, knowing you always gave in after a while of wanting to kill her. "Well, at least I'm able to joke because I'm not involved in this. Can't you see? It was meant to be. Me meeting Miyeon, deciding Hongjoong wasn't for me- I know if that hadn't happened, you wouldn't have even looked at Hongjoong that way- or allowed this."

"Maybe Miyeon shouldn't have come. You would be getting selected next week then."

"Come on, that's not the point," Arin waved a hand, "Just... forget about everything else and make most of this week. We'll figure something out."

"There's no figuring this out," you sighed, "I've just prepared myself for the biggest heartbreak of my life."

------------------

It was both painful and lovely to be with Hongjoong- a brush of your hands as you bumped into each other in the hallway, stolen kisses in secret, winks sent across the room- really, you two were making it obvious. But since Arin was with you most of the times, the remaining girls thought it was Arin who was getting this special treatment, and they were upset because of that.

But you couldn't care less. You had one week, and you wouldn't let anyone come in between that.

In the days, Hongjoong was mostly busy, making sure he spent some time with the girls too so that no one would suspect. Each night, Hongjoong and you would walk in the gardens, hands brushing playfully as you talked just like usual. And two nights later, Hongjoong led you to a secret room in the palace through the tunnels.

"I'm pretty sure no one knows of this room," he told you as he lit the candles, "I used to explore the secret passages, leave a string of thread along."

"Hongjoong!" You gasped, "You could have gotten lost! How careless could you be? Imagine if someone found your bones here after years of searching-"

"Well, I'm here," he blew the matchstick away, turning to you, "And I need you to shut up for a bit."

You rolled your eyes as he wrapped his arms around your waist and brought you in for a lazy kiss, your arms automatically going to his chest.

"I could never get tired of this," Hongjoong mumbled, tracing his nose along your cheeks as he breathed, "I could do this all day and all night."

"Shut up," you slapped his chest lightly, suddenly feeling shy and Hongjoong grinned at that, kissing your cheek and trailing his lips down to your neck, and you gladly let him take control. He was taking his sweet time, rocking you back and forth as he played with your neck. When he drew up, he smiled as he scanned your face. "What are you thinking?"

"Nothing," you shrugged, but he brought you closer, tucking your hair behind your ears as he whined, making you roll your eyes, "Thinking about how it started."

"Hmm," Hongjoong brought you to the couch, making you sit in his lap as he played with your hair, "Totally unexpected?"

"Totally," you laughed, "I was... so happy for Arin. She really, really was in love with you, Hongjoong- or so she thought."

"I think her situation is more surprising than ours," Hongjoong shook his head, "But I have to thank her for not being in love with me."

You laughed at that, "It would have been a mess if she was still in the game." You had told Hongjoong about Arin's situation, and he had suggested that she wait until the Selection was over and lay low for a good few months before going to Miyeon or anyone else for that matter since all eyes would be on the last few candidates for a good while. "But you know what? I think I would have fallen for you anyway. I think it wasn't because of Arin being involved or not."

"Ah," Hongjoong grinned, "Is that so?"

"I really wanted to meet you, you know. And when you caught me the first night in the gardens- I think that's how everything changed, no?"

Hongjoong's smile was sad this time, and you kissed him, "We promised not to be sad anymore."

"I can't help it," he cupped your face, "How will I be able to let you go after this? How will I ever be okay after knowing what it feels like to be in love and letting it go? What kind of a prince I am if I can't even choose my princess?"

You ran your hand through his hair lovingly, caressing his cheekbone, "I feel like this is enough- if I ask for more, I'll be selfish. The fact that we are here now... that's a blessing in itself. I can't be selfish with you, Hongjoong."

The two of you stared at each other for the longest time as if memorizing each other, tracing each other's face, and you spent hours just talking about this or that or kissing each other or teasing- it was just so natural. And throughout the night, Hongjoong held you close, making you lose your mind as he kissed you like it was his last time- and it very well might have been. Each passing night of this short week had you two getting more desperate to be with each other and feel each other, skin on skin had nothing on you.

And each passing day made you weaker inside- you really had grown used to the palace and everyday life here and most importantly, Hongjoong. You promised not to be sad in front of Hongjoong but whenever you were alone (mostly Arin there to hold you), you were crying. Sometimes it was silent tears rolling down your face, sometimes hysteric crying- even Momo, Mina and Sana were worried for you, though they were kind enough not to intrude on your privacy and ask.

It was your last night here- the last time you'd be in Hongjoong's arms. Everything was going to change tomorrow.

You sat waiting for Hongjoong in your room, staring at the moon through the window, barely holding it all in. You were afraid you were gonna break down when you saw Hongjoong.

But when the knock sounded, you immediately knew it was not Hongjoong. And when you opened the door, your jaw almost dropped as you bowed.

"Your Majesty- you could have called for me."

The Queen patted your cheek- she was in a very casual attire, as if she had just decided to come to your room. You had a billion thoughts in your head but only one question- what the hell was going on?

"Please, do sit and be comfortable," the Queen said, "I wanted to see you and have a little talk."

You scanned her face- she was smiling as if she knew something. She laughed at your expressions and began, "I know you must be confused. But I had to see the reason why my son was waking up with puffy eyes these days."

She knew.

"Your Majesty- I... I'm sorry-"

"Oh no," the Queen waved a hand in dismissal, "I'm not here to scold you, dear. Hongjoong doesn't know of this, neither did he say anything, but he's my dear son, and I could see something was weighing him down. It looked like he had lost a war."

You bit your lips, "How did you know then?"

The Queen laughed, "I knew you were friends, dear. But I also saw the way he looked at you- and the way you looked at him. Now what kind of a mother would I be if I couldn't recognize the look in my son's eyes? Your King looks at me the same."

You smiled at that, "So... I don't know what to do, I... I told Hongjoong to go on with the Selection. I told him that his kingdom is more important and that he has to consider his subjects before he makes a hasty decision. And he'll go on with this decision. I'll be here no more tomorrow."

"I'm sorry, dear," the Queen's face was sad, "if it were anyone else, maybe I wouldn't have understood. But since it's you... I can see why Hongjoong loves you, dear. Your mother and father were great people. They've taken our secrets to the graves. But they were also our friends, and me and my husband had love for them as a friend would. They cherished you, their only child. I'm sure they would be so proud of you if they were alive today."

You wiped your eyes and the Queen got up, putting a hand on your shoulder, giving you a reassuring squeeze. "Sometimes, the future has things stored for us that we do not expect. Do not be sad. You are my pick, honey. And tomorrow... stay, until the announcement. I have to give you something."

You nodded, surprised at her words but also confused at how cryptic she was being. She patted your cheek and left the room, and only a few minutes had passed, you still thinking about the Queen when Hongjoong knocked and entered, and you instantly knew that he had no knowledge of the Queen's visit.

You got up, going to his arms and silently hugging him. There were no tears left to cry now. It was only silence- comfortable sad silence surrounding you two as you hugged for the longest time.

"Can I hold you tonight?" Hongjoong drew back a bit, caressing your face, and you saw it then- his eyes, as puffy and red as yours. Anyone would have known, really.

You nodded and he led you to the bed, taking his jacket off and sliding inside the covers, spreading them over you both as you lay half seated in each other's arms, your head on his chest hearing his heart in sync with yours, his arm around you as he played with your hair- a habit of his.

"You're quiet today," you muttered, looking up at him- laughing a bit when you saw him pouting.

"I don't feel like talking tonight," he pouted again, "I'll listen tonight if you want to do the talking."

"Hmm," you shifted, "not even silly retorts or dad jokes?"

"I'll try to hold them back," he finally laughed, and you kissed him slowly, smiling into it.

"Let's not be sad tonight, Hongjoong," you kissed his cheek, "I don't want the last thing I remember of you to be your swollen eyes."

"I think that's quite a pretty sight to remember," he grinned and you shook your head, kissing him when he nodded, his hand going behind your neck as the kisses got more desperate and picked speed, losing all composure and calm because really, you were kissing like this because it was your last time.

You let Hongjoong cry as he kissed you, and you only realized your face was wet with your own tears when he wiped them away, never breaking apart. You both were smiling into the kiss anyway. And when Hongjoong and you lay in each other's arms, Hongjoong muttered something in your ear repeatedly that had you smiling like a kid.

"Can you stop calling me your princess?" You cringed back, his breath making you tickle and laugh way too hard, "It's getting annoying!"

"But you are the queen of my heart," Hongjoong mumbled it in your ear on purpose, making you giggle and slap his bare shoulders. "Ah, you're getting naughty."

"I'm not! You're making me- hey!" You were interrupted as he turned so he was on top of you, his eyes now dark and changed, making your stomach flutter dangerously.

"You wanna do that again?" He challenged, smirking.

"Do what- this?" You slapped his arm, acting innocent, and he laughed out loud at your antics, pinching your cheek because you were being way too cute, and then kissing you.

"You don't let me breathe, woman," he muttered, falling back on bed and bringing you closer.

You trailed your finger down his chest suggestively, "Don't you like this? Should I let you breathe once in a while?"

He shook his head- he'd had enough of you. He held your face as he muttered something in your ear that made you go red and your knees go weak. And then he acted upon it, making love to you, the two of you trying to push the thought that this was your last night together but it leaked in to your actions as he kissed you desperately, as you ran your hands all over his body like you were deprived of his touch, as you held each other throughout the night.

------------------

The two of you slept in each other's arms, though when you woke up, his absence hit you so hard that you were screaming into your pillow. You had never felt so alone.

Gathering yourself for an act for the last time, you washed your face and let the girls do your makeup, Arin watching you sadly. You put on the deep red suit that Hongjoong loved so much, wondering if you would ever be able to wear suits again since it would be a constant reminder of your short time here.

You only drank coffee to keep you going, waiting in the Women's Room for the staff to call you to the broadcasting room where Hongjoong would announce his wife- the future princess of Wonderland. You suddenly felt nauseous- you couldn't watch that.

You wouldn't be able to.

You told Arin, and she understood, hugging you once, nice and good, but when she drew back, she was smiling.

"I am so proud of you," she patted your cheeks, "You'll get through this."

The ladies were escorted to the broadcast room, and you stayed behind, surprised beyond anything again when the Queen arrived, this time with Hongjoong.

"I told you I'd be back with something," the Queen smiled, and you looked at Hongjoong- even he was confused. She took off her wedding ring and handed it to Hongjoong- "Your decision, my son. It's time you think for yourself, as Hongjoong. Leave the kingdom to us."

You gaped at them, Hongjoong equally surprised, "But- father-"

"Your father is okay with this and he would have been here with me but he's handling the broadcast right now," she patted his back, "Go on, we don't have all day. If she is your happiness, then choose her. I don't want you to have regrets, son, and I don't want you to hate your parents who made you go with this Selection when they themselves didn't."

Hongjoong looked at you, then back at his mother, then finally smiled the most happy smile you'd seen on him so far, "You know, I had a ring of my own today. You beat me to it, mother."

You had to look away as you laughed and pinched your nose because Hongjoong pulled out his own ring, "I was going to go on with this anyway- I was going to tell you before you dragged me here, mother, you nearly gave me a heart attack! You should have warned me!"

"You should have warned me!" The Queen laughed, "Can you imagine the chaos if I hadn't made the connection and taken care of everything beforehand!"

"Unbelievable," you muttered, laughing through your tears, "Your Majesty... are you sure I deserve this?"

"My dear, you deserve to be Hongjoong's wife. The Princess thing- anyone can learn that, but I think the only person who could ever truly make him happy is you. Look at him smiling like an idiot- I have never seen him smile like that, and I am his mother!"

You nearly fell with relief, shaking your head in disbelief as Hongjoong stood in front of you, the Queen leaving you two. "So... can we stop crying and start being happy now?"

You laughed, shaking your head again as Hongjoong hugged you, sighing into it, "I told you last night. That you are meant to be my princess."

"Did you already have this planned out?" You looked at him, and he shook his head.

"All I did the whole week during my spare time was research over the past Selection laws, find a loophole, anything. But then mother came today and said that some laws needed to change anyway, so I better not disappoint her with my choice- you know you are her pick after all."

"I suddenly feel like I was one of the Selected all along," you groaned, "What about the girls?"

"Mom will break it to them. But enough about them-" Hongjoong drew back, taking out the two rings, "Which one are you gonna choose, Princess?"

You rolled your eyes, pretending to consider before putting both hands in the air, and Hongjoong slid his mother's ring on your right hand and his own in your left hand, kissing your knuckles before looking at you, and holding your face, kissing your lips so gently it felt like it was your first kiss, not quite able to draw back right away.

You only had a moment to yourself before Arin, not so ceremoniously, ran inside, squealing excitedly and hugging you and Hongjoong altogether, crying from happiness, saying she had 'too much of your sad ass' and scolding Hongjoong for not coming up with this earlier, which, even though you did not translate, he understood very well, apologizing as he laughed.

The staff called Hongjoong for the official announcement and he squeezed your hand, nudging you to come along. Arin took off her diamond studded hairpin, clipping it to your hair.

"Go show them who's the real queen."

You put your arm in Hongjoong's, walking proudly for the first time in your life.

Wrapped Up | Lee Minho

Pairing: Lee Minho x reader (college!au, f2l)

Summary: The dance soc is not the place to flirt but you promised yourself you’d try new things this year, and when the boy wearing the colourful cosy sweater approaches you with a compliment you can’t resist but respond to him.

Genre: smut, romance, fluff (pwp)

Wc: 12.4k (I am so sorry)

Rating: 18+

Warnings: dirty talk, sensory play (ish), creampie, mirror sex, clothed sex (not dry humping but that too), fingering, oral (f receiving), Lino's a keen bastard and I am obsessed with that cardigan that is it.

A/N: Thank you for looking over this fic and the amazing feedback @btssmutgalore (this one is for you) and thank you @notyouroppar for patching up my plot holes even if all you wanted was to eat your cake! Insanity part 2 but I wanted to write it, and I hope it is enjoyable to read.

Copyrights for the story and banner @joyfulhopelox

That being said please enjoy! I would love to hear from you so please leave me a message! 💌

He was wearing that stupid sweater again. Another gruesome day in the dance studio. The preparation for the upcoming show for the holidays made you stay behind for hours to practice. And your best friend, danseur extraordinaire Lee Minho who dragged you into the production was wearing that stupid brightly coloured jumper. Again. And by the looks of it, the strip of skin and peek of collarbone you got when he made certain movements meant he was scarcely wearing anything underneath it.

“Anything wrong?” His voice broke you out of your concentration, the surprise of having been addressed whilst you were busy staring at the bright fluffy sweater imagining what may be underneath it, making you jump.

Prying your eyes away from his chest, you met his amused expression, aware of your own flustered one. “No, why would you say that?” You asked quickly, swallowing hard at the mischievous look he was throwing your way. If anything, Lee Minho was a serious tease, but a harmless one. He always found new ways to make the heat rise up under your skin by teasing you, but he’s never made a move to follow through with it.

And as much as you wanted it to happen, he was your friend, and you couldn’t risk your friendship for something like that. So you chose to ignore his teasing most of the time, brushing it away with light jokes hoping it would deter him from continuing. Unfortunately, your plan backfired when he became more and more insistent, his jokes switching to light touches here and there and compliments with every opportunity he got.

“You were staring,” he shrugged, taking a swig of his water, his breathing still heavy from the effort. You tried to disprove his point by avoiding the wet trail of sweat that mapped his jawline, slowly making its way down the smooth skin of his neck only to disappear underneath the hem of his jumper.

“Are you not hot in that?” You threw back at him, forcibly turning away from him if only to evade the satisfied smirk you knew all too well.

“Depends, want me to take it off?” He fired back and you gasped, appalled at his preposterous proposal. Despite your strong reaction, your mind instantly wandered to places you told yourself you would not touch. Minho was not ugly. In fact, he was the exact opposite - high cheekbones, defined jawline, and a slightly downward pointed chin, all making him incredibly good looking. Enough that you would find yourself thinking about his lips and what they would feel like pressed all over your skin. The lustful thoughts suddenly intruding in your mind made you squirm and it was you who ended up feeling too warm.

“N-no, thanks,” you said, clearing your throat vigorously in hopes that it would serve to clean your mind of your own thoughts. Trying to change the subject, you ran through the choreography in your head, your feet trying to copy what you remembered from your class earlier that day.

“No, not like that. It should be like this,” Minho interrupted you, his body automatically catching up with your moves and correcting you. Taken by surprise, you stopped moving, your eyes narrowed in annoyance, breath coming out in rasps from the effort.

“No, it’s not, not my part,” you disagreed with him once your breathing levelled and you could stand up straight. Coming face to chest with him, you took a step back.

If you were squaring back with him, you needed to not be in close proximity. His being alone made you malfunction. “My part goes slower at the beginning and then quicker at the end. I’m the third row,” you told him matter of factly.

Minho was silent for a second before he sighed, shaking his head. Turning away from you, he grabbed his discarded water. “Do you really think,” he said, taking a sip out of it before putting it back down and moving nearer to you. Swallowing hard, you forced yourself to stay rooted on the spot. The impulse to move away from him and put some distance between the two of you was too strong, you could barely think let alone argue an intelligent point. “Do you really think I don't know what row you are in?” He repeated making you look at him in confusion.

He looked serious, his eyes framed by light coloured bangs shadowing them, his lips pursed in concentration. It was all you needed for your heart to stop beating and your breath to cease.

“I’m always keeping an eye on you and what you’re doing, Y/N,” he simply said. The way his voice lowered as he said it made it sound so natural that for a second you almost believed him. Then you remembered he was normally the one to step in when the dance teachers needed extra hands.

Still flustered and disappointed at yourself for entertaining these thoughts, you looked away. “Clearly not, there is a different part to the choreography than what you’ve just shown me,” you didn’t know why you were so adamant to prove him wrong. Maybe it was the disappointment of not being more special in his eyes, or maybe it was the stubbornness of not wanting to admit that his intense stare on you in every class meant the exact opposite. But, you felt the strong need to argue your point and refute his. “Regardless, I won’t get them. It’s too hard.”

“Y/N…” he trailed off, sighing, frustration clear in his voice.

“Minho, what–?” Unable to finish your sentence as he pulled you to him, hand holding onto your wrist, the other keeping you secure by the waist, you struggled to make sense of what was happening. One moment you were arguing about dance moves, the next you were enveloped in his warmth, the soft material of his sweater brushing the inside of your palm.

“What are you doing?” Your voice wavered, your hand subconsciously grabbing onto his top, the plush feeling offering the comfort your heart needed.

“You said you don’t get the steps. I will show you them,” his voice wasn’t louder than a whisper, but the pointed way in which he said it, eyes staring intensely into yours, made your toes curl. In awe at the determination you found in Minho’s eyes, paired with the way his fingers gripped onto your own flimsy sweater entranced you. You couldn’t help but mindlessly nod, letting him pull you slightly to the middle of the room. Stood there, you refused to look away from him, his eyes still trained on you, lips slightly parted – he was a vision.

“You have to move, Y/N,” he gently coaxed, his feet slowly shuffling, pulling you along with him. “You can’t dance if your feet are not moving.” The mischievous look flashed again in his eyes, yet his smile remained gentle and comforting. Under his movements, your feet followed – slow and uncertain. One step, two step, three step, four.

“That’s it,” Minho encouraged, his face breaking out in a smile. Your hand twitched on his jumper, your fingers accidentally scraping at the skin underneath, making him hiss.

“Shit, I’m so sorry,” you said, gasping, going to pull away. His quick reflexes prevented you from doing so, the arm around your waist pulling you back in before you could move further away. Not expecting his reaction, you stumbled over your feet almost stepping over his.

“There is no need to apologise, shall we try again?” He asked, not waiting for an answer.

Minho’s feet had already started moving, his movements quicker and more certain than before. Feeling as if you were going to trip once more over your own feet, or worse, his, you looked down worriedly. The way he moved had always enthralled you, so much precision and confidence. But the way he moved now paired with your own shabby movements as comparison, made it so you couldn’t look away.

“Ah, embarrassing,” you muttered to yourself, willing your feet to be more graceful. When it didn’t work, you sighed, feeling another wave of dejectedness washing over you.

“Hey, eyes up. This is not a waltz, I will need to move behind you,” Minho announced, not giving you any time to redress yourself before he pulled away, not further than a few centimetres. You could feel the air whoosh around you as he moved, his body emanating heat, the goddamned sweater brushing against you as he went. Settling behind you, he encircled your waist once more.

“Now slowly,” he instructed and you obeyed, eyes still trained on Minho, your feet followed the movement. “You will need to look in the mirror. Eyes up. On yourself. Dance with your reflection.”

His words made you groan. You didn’t have the best relationship with mirrors, especially not when dancing, the lack of self confidence that came with being a newbie in the studio put a damper on any outrageous moves like that.

“This is stupid, Minho, let’s drop it,” you whined, trying to pull away. Stepping away from him was easier than before as he was not holding your hand anymore, but he followed right behind you, his hand gripping at your top. You whined for him to let you go, entirely self-aware of how sweaty and grimy you were.

“We’re dancing, Y/N, not having sex,” Minho said and you gasped at his outrageous behaviour. Turning your head to look at him, you felt the heat rush to your face, your knees almost buckling at the impish smile he threw your way. “Unless you want to of course,” he winked, gauging your awed expression.

Feeling like a fish out the water, your mind reeling with possibilities, you breathed easily when he didn’t push for a response. Instead, his expression turned serious, and you found yourself admiring him. He had a certain spark in his eyes whenever he was dancing – probably because that was the only time he was genuine enough. Having experienced Minho’s teasing for so long whenever you two spoke, you tended to forget that he could be serious on occasion. Dancing always being the one you saw him most often in.

“Now, look at yourself. If you can’t do that,” he took a step closer, his hand grabbing your wrist again, “ look at me.” He was close enough now that you could feel his heat through both of your jumpers once more. You couldn’t help but listen, the tone in his voice leaving no room for argument. You looked up, your heart beating rapidly against your ribcage.

Catching a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, you felt your skin grow hotter. Your hair was in disarray, your flushed skin was shiny, the beads of perspiration from earlier giving you a glow, your lips were swollen from biting them too much in concentration. What made your stomach clench and the heat pool all the way down your spine was the look he was throwing you in the mirror. Not looking better than you, Minho sported the same flushed face, his hair mussed from dancing earlier , the sheen of sweat more prominent on his skin. When your eyes met in the mirror, his darkened for a split second, and you felt your throat constrict.

“Let’s go,” he moved. “Keep your eyes in the mirror, watch me.”

It was not the appropriate context and you could have sworn at yourself for allowing your thoughts to wander where they shouldn’t. But, the slight waver in his voice told you that his words held more meaning than dancing. Letting your feet move, you mulled over what he meant, your mind furthest away from dancing.

“Eyes on me, Y/N,” Minho sounded strict, yet his fingers gently reached to grab your chin, pulling your head back up and holding it in place for a few seconds, asserting himself.

Showing you once more the movement, you tried to focus on the way his whole body moved. It wasn’t hard, he was demanding your attention from the moment he started moving. However, you were not thinking clearly, and certainly not about the dance.

His jean-clad thighs, tight enough that you could see the muscles moving underneath the material as he showed you the steps, paired with the goddamn sweater were drawing your thoughts to your aching core.

You struggled to keep up with him and your own thoughts at the same time and, when your concentration completely broke and you took a misstep falling flat onto your ass, the dam broke. Swearing out loud, you could feel the tears gather in your eyes, the frustration building up until you couldn’t take it anymore. Aware of Minho’s gaze on you, you tried to play it off by reaching for your bottle of water.

“Maybe I should just call it quits now,” you grumbled, throwing the bottle you drank out of far into the corner. Sweat was dripping down the side of your face, and the inertia after the vigorous exercise made your joints ache. You wanted nothing more than to be in a bath at home, curled up and crying. Feeling the tears in your eyes you sniffled, you didn’t want to show him your pain, but you couldn’t stop yourself.

“Shit, are you ok?” Minho quickly approached you, his warm hand attaching itself onto your shoulder.

His voice sounded panicked and, as soon as he realised you were close to tears, he crouched in front of you, eyes full of worry and teeth gnawing at his lips. Even in this state, you couldn’t help but set aside your pain and marvel at him. How he managed to distract you in such a way you’d never know. But then again, you’ve had a crush on him for the longest time; rekindled by a chance meeting on a train. Wearing the same stupid coloured sweater.

=====

Rush hour was the bane of everyone’s existence, you were certain of this fact. Anyone who claimed to not see it that way either had no idea what they were talking about or were lying straight through their teeth. There was nothing worse than being stuck on a train, a can on wheels, for at least half an hour, pressed up against one thing or another. If it wasn’t the pole of the train, it was against the doors or, worse, another human whose life was made as miserable as yours by you squishing into them. When the same scenario happened that day though, you swore things would never be the same. For the first time, being pressed like a bug between the door and someone else didn’t feel like hell. It felt comfortable.

That day you had the misfortune of leaving university later than you normally would, your assignments seemed to be piling up by the hour and you struggled to concentrate. It didn’t help that you went out with your friends to celebrate a birthday the night before, got drunker than you would normally and declared loud and proud that you would gracefully exit your celibate ways. When your friends made fun of you, reminding you how unlikely it was for you to have a spontaneous date or one night stand, you retaliated quickly promising that by next week you wouldn’t have had either or.

Remembering all that the next day during your classes was a hammer to your head; alongside your hangover, it made you want to crawl underneath the desk and pray for a swift death.

“Excuse me,” a soft voice whispered. Broken out of your thoughts, your body further being pressed against the door, you closed your eyes for a moment prepared to experience the harsh feel of someone’s coat against you and the stench of a day’s worth of cheap cologne and body odour.

Surprisingly, none of these hit you, but rather the gentle brush of soft wool combined with a sweet scent assaulted your senses and you opened your eyes confusedly. The array of colorful patterns that greeted you made you frown—it was rare that anyone wore anything outside of the earthy spectrum of colours. What furthered your confusion was the soft material that brushed against your hand from time to time when the train would take a turn and the person wearing it would lean further into you.

You resisted the urge to reach out and pat the material, not wanting to come across as the creep on the train. Intrigued by their fashion choice, you tried to focus on the other aspects of the person. Trailing your eyes away from the buttons of the sweater, you couldn't help but note their height and the amount of skin that was displayed right in front of you.

Gulping, you slowly pried your eyes away from the defined collarbone that would peek out of the edge whenever the person’s body moved closer towards you. If you would have been in a different situation, you wouldn’t have hesitated to turn around to save yourself from the embarrassment of ogling someone. However, you were stuck between this person and the door with little room for movement. Accepting your fate, you sighed dejectedly, regretting it immediately as the sweet cologne invaded your nostrils once more.

Carrying on with your inspection felt like an intrusion now, yet you couldn’t help yourself as curiosity got the better of you. The person was tall, but not as tall to impede you from getting a perfect view of his face. You bit your lip, the urge to groan in frustration dying in your throat. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that he was good looking. With a softly defined jaw, plump lips with a slight pout, high cheekbones and incredibly soft looking skin, he looked like a winner in the looks department and his brightly coloured sweater only served to accentuate that.

“Goddamn,” you muttered to yourself, gripping the strap on your shoulder. You would remember those features anywhere, the features that tormented you in dance school as he mocked your skills until he brought you to tears.

“Are you ok? I’m not squishing you, am I?” You jolted at the question, eyes immediately snapping back in focus. Finding the handsome yet forbidden man staring at you in concern, a slight frown on his face didn’t surprise you as much as your response did.

“Don’t worry, I’d rather get squished by you than groped by a pervert,” you replied instantly, feeling the embarrassment crawl up your skin and heat up your face. Not one to let your words out without a filter, you felt mortified at your bravery.

You didn’t think he’d be able to get more handsome, but as he snorted at your comment, his lips slightly parted in laughter you realised how wrong you were.

“Do you always place that much trust in good looking people? Or is it just me?” He asked, the humour in his eyes making your palms sweat in mortification. Mortification because you easily recognised that face now that you stared at it long enough.

“Pffft, you’re not that special, who said you’re good looking?” You smartly responded, congratulating yourself for your swift comeback. You could’ve kicked yourself for not realising who he was sooner.The unmistakable lips and high cheekbones should have given him away.

“You were staring,” Minho responded, too quickly for your liking. Wondering how long he’s noticed you giving him the once over, you cleared your throat scrambling to find a good enough answer when your eyes caught sight of his lanyard.

“It’s not like I can look anywhere else,” you mumbled, shuffling on your feet. “Anyways Minho, what are you doing on this train? Do you live around here?” You inquired, eyes narrowing suspiciously. Trying not to cringe at your own prodding, you kept your eyes on his as a last attempt to make yourself look confident.

“As a matter of fact, I go to university around here. Now I’m questioning who the perverted one is. It’s been so long, Y/N, never thought you’d turn up in my life like this,” he laughed lightheartedly, leaning in towards you. The strong scent paired with his demeanour made your breath catch in your throat and you pulled back as much as you could. Your thoughts were jumbled, the realisation of your situation finally dawning on you. This was Lee Minho, your crush since middle school and your tormenter since before that.

“Trust me, it wouldn’t have happened if I could’ve helped it,” you muttered looking away from him, missing the slight frown that crossed his face. The train was close to pulling into the station, the jostle of the tracks paired with the shuffling of passengers desperate to make it to the door through the crowd caused you to stumble. Back hitting the door of the carriage, you yelped, the slight awkward angle that you hit it at made it pulse in pain.

Minho grabbed your shoulder a bit too late, his eyes widened as you hurt yourself. He winced as you let out a yelp. He could almost feel the bruise and could imagine it wasn’t a pleasant experience. “You good?” He asked worriedly. Not wanting to allow him to be privy to your moment of weakness, you shrugged.

“Who’s the pervert now?” Before he could respond, a look of confusion still etched onto his face, the train stopped announcing your stop. “Ah, well I have to dash,” you muttered, not bothering to look back as you exited the train hurriedly.

Later you would find out, he went to the same university as you did, and he had been going there for a while, you just never happened to cross paths. But when you decided to be brave and go for extracurricular activities that you wouldn’t normally go for, such as the dance society, you literally bumped into him.

=====

Running like a madwoman before you were about to enter a dance class was not a good idea and you knew it. You would be out of breath before the hour even started. But with the amount of presentations you had to take care of, and the pit stop you made by the coffee shop before heading to the dance club made you later than you’d intended. Sad that you had to down the rest of your drink before even getting to fully enjoy it, you legged it to class. Cursing softly under your breath, you realised you were already ten minutes late, something not so bad when it came to an elective, but this happened to be the first day of class. And you’ve just managed to brand yourself as the late one.

You didn’t even care that you were running at risk of bumping into anyone who may be rounding the corner until you slammed into a body, the force of it knocking you back. Almost losing your balance, you yelped as a hand grabbed you roughly stopping you from planting your bum onto the hard floor.

“Woah there. Are you alright?” A soft voice asked, sounding concerned. Too dazed to apologise, you could only nod, your sole focus set on regaining your breath.

“Yes, I’m sorry, I am late for class,” you said panting, gaze focused on the floor. You were feeling dizzy, the impact serving as a good reminder that you were not someone who had good stamina. Making a mental note to yourself that running across campus was probably something you shouldn’t attempt ever again, you straightened up. Feeling like the ground was not at risk of running away from you, you were ready to properly apologise to the victim of your mad dash when you came face to face with a familiar sweater. Eyes widening in recognition, you stumbled back a step grateful for the hand still holding onto you. “Oh.”

Minho chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “It’s ok. Just be careful, you don’t want to hurt yourself,” he bent down towards you, lowering his voice, ”or anyone else for that matter.”

“I, uh, thank you,” you swallowed hard, his proximity to you making you dizzy once more. His sweet scent, the one that followed you even after you have exited the train, enveloped you and you fought the urge to inhale. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bash into you like that. Did I hurt you?” You said panicked that you may have caused him harm, his words finally registering in your head. Without thinking, you immediately touched the arm that was still firmly holding onto you, prepared to check for any bruises until his laughter stopped you.

“I am ok, Y/N. You’re not that strong,” Minho teased, his eyebrow raised in amusement. “Where are you off to in such a hurry?” He watched as your face contorted in horror.

“Crap! Dance class! I am going to be late,” you let your head drop in your hands, ashamed at yourself for being so late. When Minho chuckled at you, you reeled back looking at him flabbergasted. “Do you think this is funny?” Appalled by his reaction, you prepared to yell at him about how important time keeping was for you, until he shook his head, the amusement never leaving his eyes.

“No, not at all. I am just laughing at the fact that somehow we managed to not only intersect as complete strangers on a train when we were friends before and we seem to be in the same university. But we are also part of the same society,” he chuckled, pushing your shoulder lightly as he started to walk down the corridor. “Don’t worry, I am their best dancer, if you go in with me you won’t look as bad, newbie,” Minho teased and you fought the urge to roll your eyes, not believing his audacity for a second.

“Pshhhyea right,” you mocked, making him throw you a look of disbelief.

“Well, I guess we will see. You will eat your words, Y/N,” he warned as you came up to the doors of the dance room.

And eat your words you did. In high resolution, eight step choreographies and nights where all you could think of was him and the passion he put into moving.

==========

“Y/N? Are you ok? If you need to cry, just cry,.” his voice brought you back to the present, the amusement at the memory of when you met him having passed, you felt useless once more.

You didn’t know whether it was the pent-up frustration or the comfort his touch brought you, but you found yourself leaning onto him, the onslaught of tears hidden by his sweater. Your body was shaking with the force of your sobs, your hands grabbing tightly onto the plush material of Minho’s top in a last attempt to find some grounding.

Hiccuping your apologies before another fresh wave of tears made you tremble in his arms and when he brought you closer to him, your face slotted in between his shoulder and neck, you didn’t hesitate to wrap your arms around him. Everything came out of you at once, your struggles and pain pouring out of you in waves, not stopping until Minho gently shushed you.

“It’s ok, let it all out. I’m here,” he wrapped his hands around your shoulders, his hand gently patting your head in a comforting manner.

When you profusely apologised the next second, he tightened his grip on you, his lips mindlessly pressing down onto the crown of your head. The soft pressure made you pause, the blood rushing to your cheeks. Even through the tears, you could feel the rhythm of his heartbeat, the pulse rapidly increasing, making your sobs subside to light sniffles. Not able to process what had happened, you stayed in his arms until your heart stopped banging about your chest and the heat in your cheeks subsided.

“You’re not a failure, you’re one of the best dancers we have. You’ve not only learned everything from scratch and managed to hold your own against some of our older, more experienced members, but you also got chosen to perform for this round. Plus I think –” he cooed, his voice ringing clearly in your head. Minho paused for a second as if trying to decide whether he should carry on or not, before he took a deep breath in. “I think you’re one heck of a partner,” he admitted so softly you almost didn’t catch it.

“I can’t even get down a simple step sequence,” you breathed, feeling a fresh new wave of tears well up in your eyes.

When you finally pulled away, you tried to scoot as further away as possible from him, your hands busy with clearing the marks on your cheeks.

“Thank you,” you mumbled, feeling flustered. You refused to meet his eyes, the reality of what’s happened hitting you like a freight train. “Oh God, I’m really sorry,” you hurriedly added, noticing the wetness on his skin. Without a thought, you pulled your own sweater over your hand reaching out to pat him dry until his hand gently grabbed yours.

“Y/N, please don’t,” he softly whispered, his voice sounding strained. Frozen, you hesitantly looked up only to meet his eyes. His brows were furrowed as if he was in pain, his bottom lip between his teeth and his eyes darkened.

“Minho,” you whispered, the pain in his eyes making your heart clench with worry. “Are you ok?”

For a second, it seemed like he was about to keel over in pain, his eyes closed a frown etched onto his face. Your heart was beating faster and faster, mind reeling with possibilities as to what may have made him hurt like that. Your hand still in his, you pulled lightly at it in an attempt to free yourself from his warm hold. Even through your sweater, the heat radiating off of him was burning itself as a memory onto your skin. The movement seemed to have snapped something in him—in the next second your hand was freed and Lee Minho was as far away from you as possible.

Confused, and a bit hurt you stared at him, your hand cradling the one he pushed away from him to your chest. You didn’t know what happened, but the way he paced the floor, the soles of his sneakers squeaking against the polished wood, a concentrated look on his face told you he was done talking. Deciding to not push it, you cleared your throat and hoisted yourself up onto your feet.

“Right, well seeing as this turned into something none of us wanted, I will be calling it a day,” you announced, hoping to keep the hurt from your voice. You weren’t expecting him to treat you like this after letting you cry into him, but you assumed you’ve pushed a limit and you not only felt the need to extract yourself from the situation, but also to apologise. “I’m sorry if I made this more uncomfortable than needed.”

The way he stopped pacing when he heard your words and the incredulous look on his face surprised you entirely.

“You think…” He trailed off, hands running through his hair before he continued. “You think you made me uncomfortable?”

You didn’t know what to answer, stuttering, your mind completely confused at the turn of events. Did he think it was the opposite way round?

“I thought I made you uncomfortable,” he huffed out, his pacing resuming once more. Not able to withstand the frenzy with which he behaved, you grabbed the end of his sweater, stopping him before he did another full round.

“Minho, stop. You’re going to wear the floor down, or even worse, your own shoes,” you tried to joke, but the worry in your own eyes spoke of a different feeling. “You never made me uncomfortable, why would you even think that?” You questioned him, your grip on him tightening in case he tried to evade your questions once more. You could see the conflict in his eyes, the slight flicker of uncertainty behind them but you decided to press on. You needed answers, his behaviour an odd occurrence.

“Did I ever give off that feeling?” You tilted your head to the side, observing his reaction.

Not able to believe what he was hearing, Minho’s eyes locked on yours, his brows furrowed. “No, that is stupid,” realising he might have offended you, he was quick to add, “I don’t know, I kept making jokes, and I kept pushing my feelings onto you, thinking that one day they may be reciprocated. Then you go and do something to make me think that they are.”

You could feel your breath catch in your throat at his confession, but the slight pull against your hold told you he was prepared to flee once more.

“Don’t,” you pulled him towards you, not realising the strength with which you did. Instead of him stumbling into you, you managed to pull yourself closer to Minho as he resisted. Closer than before, you could once again smell him, his scent never changing even after hours of practice, he still smelled good to you.

“Don’t what? Get my hopes up? Have feelings for you?” He whispered, his eyes trained on yours before they flickered to your lips. “Because I do. And I can’t do anything about it. It’s been months. I tried to tell myself it’s not useful, that I should be indifferent. And yet, here I am miles away from even reaching that indifference.”

You couldn’t feel the way his heart sped up at the small smile you offered him, but you could see the light in his eyes as you stood up on your tiptoes to press your lips to his.

With a low moan he parted away from you, your slightly parted lips red and bruised from his kiss, breath coming out in pants - you wanted more, and you decided to ask for it.

“Minho,” you called his name sweetly, watching carefully as he opened his eyes, the soft look in them almost making you falter. But the heat in your stomach and the way you could feel the palms of your hands sweating over his sweater pushed you to vocalise your thoughts to him.

“Hm?” His hand still held onto the back of your neck. You shivered in pleasure at the way his thumb subconsciously traced circles around the sensitive point underneath your earlobe.

“If I asked you to fuck me, right here right now in this dance studio, would you do it?” You felt your breath catch in your throat, the courage leaving you as soon as the words left your mouth. His silence was concerning, and for the first time in your life, you felt like burying yourself underneath the earth. Cursing at your own stupidity, you breathed out a sigh. “Ah, look - forget I said anything. Let’s just -”

Minho couldn’t believe his ears, the way you asked him such a filthy question after having kissed him like that, your hands digging into his shoulders, your body moulded onto his made him bashful. He knew what the answer would be, no doubt, but before he gave in to his wishes, he needed to make sure that you knew what you were asking of him.

“You -” he cleared his throat, his voice coming out raspy. “Are you....?”

You knew what he was going to ask. You haven’t dated him, and you weren’t that close, but you knew him well enough to know how considerate he was of others. Despite his teasing persona and tough exterior, he would always make sure that everyone was alright. And of course, this was no exception.

Not allowing him to think too much about it, and not having the courage to speak about it again, you pushed your lips onto his again, your hands burying themselves into his hair. “Shut up and make me scream your name, Lee Minho.”

He didn’t need you to ask him more than once. Fuelled by your demanding tone, Minho gripped your hips tightly pulling you closer to him, his lips pressed onto yours, his tongue seeking the warmth of your mouth. Allowing him to do as he pleased, you pulled at his hair lightly, eliciting a low groan from him. Pulling away, his eyes hooded with desire, he smirked at you making your knees weak.

“If that is what you want,” his fingers dug into your hips before he turned you around to face the mirror, your back to him. Bending you slightly, he made quick work of your pants, pulling them down in one swift movement. “That is what you get.”

Minho didn’t give you any time to respond before he dropped to his knees, his mouth attaching itself to your clothed cunt. Not wasting time, he sucked at the underwear, soaking it through with his saliva as well as your juices before he pulled away.

“You taste so good. I could sit here and eat you forever,” he hummed, his fingers latching onto the side of your panties, pulling them down. The way you moaned and pressed your hips into his hand asking for more made him forgo tasting you for the time being.

Pulling himself up and you against him, he prodded at your entrance with his fingers, one hand tightly on your hip, the other sliding underneath your sweater, cupping your breast.

“So needy... First you ask me to fuck you into oblivion in the dance studio,” Minho grunted, parting your legs slightly with his knee. “A studio everyone will be in tomorrow with no knowledge of what has happened. That is incredibly dirty,” he softly bit into the smooth flesh of your neck, his tongue flicking to lick the area between bites.

You should’ve felt embarrassed for being so wet without him even having entered you, but the way his fingers prodded at your folds, sliding up and down, coating themselves into your slickness wiped all thoughts away. Pushing your hips back against his hand, desperate to feel more of his long slender fingers in you, around you, you mewled when he found your clit.

“You‘re so wet and ready for me, aren’t you, Y/N?” Bending over you, his clothed dick pushing into the soft flesh of your ass, he whispered lowly, as his finger started to circle your nub softly at first, picking up the pace when you prompted him with your ass.

“All this wetness, just from dancing, hm?” He teased, knowing full well it wasn’t the dancing. Feeling his cock twitch at the prospect of his dancing making you this hot, he pushed harder against your ass, the material of his jeans rubbing against his length.

In the process of bending you over and discarding your bottoms, your top had also risen up, allowing you to feel the soft sweater brush against your skin. The sensitive area of your lower back and ass being caressed by it made you shiver craving more of that. “Minho, more,” you moaned, finding it hard to express yourself.

“More what?” He bent over again, the finger circling at your clit relentlessly flicking at it. You could feel the wetness pooling out of you, making a mess of your inner thighs, but you couldn’t worry about it, not when you had a mission.

“Please,” you begged with shaky fingers grabbing at your top, going to pull it off of yourself. The clumsy movement only served to push the material above your breasts, finding it hard to take it off completely without pulling away from Minho’s fingers. Minho paused slightly, his fingers lazily pressing on your clit, the change in movement making you whimper in need.

“Want me to help?” He asked amusedly and you prepared to tell him off for ruining the mood until he pulled his fingers away from your pussy. The room was not well lit as you didn’t turn on the lights, and it was dark enough outside to make it difficult for you to see anything.

Despite that, you could see as clear as day how wet his fingers were, the shine of your slickness making you flush for a second.

“Mmm, look at this,” he scissored his fingers in the air, a string of fluid forming between his fingers as he did so. “Such a naughty girl. You’ve coated my fingers completely,” he drawled, and you watched enthralled as he slowly brought them to his mouth, slipping them in. You couldn’t take your eyes off of him, the heat increasing in your abdomen as he pulled the fingers out, his breathy moan as he tasted you on his hand, his lips smacking as if you were the tastiest thing he’s ever had.

“Delicious,” Minho purred, bending over you. You were so focused on him tasting you that you forgot what set you off in the first place. When he bent over and the material of his sweater brushed over you, making your knees buckle, you begged him to touch you again. Your need to feel him against you gripping at your throat.

“Minho,” you breathed, hips circling grinding against his hardened dick. He seemed bigger than before, his tip poking at you through his thick trousers and your toes curled with the knowledge that it was your taste that made him this hard.

“I want you to tell me what you want,” he coaxed, his clean fingers going to unbutton his top. Jerking, you whined your disapproval.

“No, keep it on. I want to feel it,” you blurted, afraid that he would take it off before you could express yourself.

When he paused, his hand hovering over his buttons, you felt the embarrassment wash over you. You were never into sensory play, but there was something about that sweater that made you crave the feeling of it. You wanted to know what it would feel like for it to brush against your back, teasing the sensitive skin there as he fucked you from behind.

It didn’t take long for Minho to catch onto your wishes seeing as he already had an inkling about your preference towards his sweater. He's seen you stare at it multiple times, each time more and more insistent. It was the reason he started wearing it more often, each time more adventurous than the previous one.

At first he wore a top underneath, but as he slowly figured out you were inclined towards him more as he wore it, he wondered if he could push it. The last few times Minho forwent the top, choosing to only wear the sweater buttoned up as a top. He didn’t miss your stares, or the increase in breathing whenever he moved, displaying more of his skin.

He also didn’t miss the way you subconsciously started to touch him more. If he were to admit to himself, you were not wrong, his sweater did feel like heaven over his skin. The warm material brushing over his nipples made him twitch in his pants on more than one occasion. That paired with the brush of your hands on his arm from time to time prompted him to go and relieve himself in the toilets quite often.

“Ah,” Minho sang, smirking at you in the mirror. Gulping, you stilled, wondering what was playing on his mind. “You dirty girl, you want to feel my sweater don’t you?” He asked, his hips pushing into you.

You couldn’t hide it anymore, the heat underneath your skin and your wanton pussy clenching at air made you nod, thrilled at the prospect of having your wishes granted.

Minho never thought he’d be so turned on at the thought, but as soon as you nodded, he felt something shift in him, an animalistic growl leaving his throat. Not in a rush, he looked at you darkly, the smirk not leaving his features.

“I see, well… who am I to not grant you your wishes?” he asked, the hand hovering above your ass falling down onto the skin making it sting. Yelping, you arched your back at the feeling, grinding your hips into his hand as he kneaded the flesh. “First, I need to hear you beg.”

Desperate for his touch, you obeyed, your eyes locked onto his, your flushed face proof of your desires. “Minho please, let me feel you,” you tried, but when he made no move apart from his fingers settling deeper into the flesh of your ass, you grunted again. “Please, I want to feel your sweater touching me as you fuck me hard from behind,” you pleaded – propriety be damned. You let all the cats out of the bag, not feeling in the least ashamed of what you were feeling.

“That is it, no need to say more,” he rasped, your words reaching his cock making him tense. His hands pulled away from your ass, reaching for his belt and unzipping his trousers.

You couldn’t see him in the mirror due to the angle but when you tried to turn around wanting to see him, you felt another sting to your left ass cheek. “No peeking, Y/N, you wanted sensory play, that is all you will be getting today,” Minho warned and you breathed out slowly.

Grabbing your shoulder roughly, he pulled you to him, straightening your back. Not quite touching, he pulled your top, prompting you to lift your arms so he could pull it off you.

“Is this what you wanted?” He panted, his arm wrapping around your front, pulling you flush against him. “Widen your legs.”

You bucked your hips against his crotch, enjoying the way his hardness poked at the sensitive area of your ass. You obeyed him, spreading your legs open, your head leaning back onto his shoulder. Minho’s demanding tone contrasted greatly with the affectionate way his fingers danced along the sensitive skin tracing the pattern of your ribs. You shuddered under his touch, your core throbbing at the teasing and comforting feel of his woollen sweater against your back.

“Minho, that’s it, yes,” you prompted him, arching your back to feel as much of him as you could. His teeth were still nipping at your neck when his hand found your nipple, deft fingers circling it in slow motion making the skin pucker.

“Dirty girl, you like the feel of the sweater don’t you?” He asked, testing his theory by pinching your nipple at the same time as he pressed himself harder into you.

The material roughly rubbed onto your skin with the movement making you shiver. You grabbed onto his wrist tightly pressing yourself further into him. The length of his cock freed from its confines slipped between the two of you, and you could feel its searing temperature on your lower back. Smiling impishly, you decided to taunt him, circling your hips in a slow movement rubbing him between your ass cheeks and his own abdomen.

Hearing Minho’s low moan vibrate in your eardrums as he buried his face in your hair spurred you on, your hips rocking faster, showing him exactly why you loved his sweater so much.

“Ah, look at you rutting so desperately, does that feel good?” You asked, your hand reaching behind you to grip as much of his ass as you could, digging your fingers, waiting for a reaction. “Do you know now, why your sweater drives me so mad whenever you wear it?” You punctuated each word with more friction.

The low groans and the increasing wetness against your ass told you what you needed, but you wanted him to respond. “Minho,” you whispered, your attention on his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were closed, his face scrunched up as if he was concentrating hard, the hand on your breast gripping tightly at the flesh.

Hearing you call his name so sweetly, after you’ve uttered pure filth, got his attention. Struggling to keep his breathing leveled and his mind clear, with your hips still brushing against his dick, Minho found it hard to not come then and there, so he opened his eyes. Looking at you, he could see your whole naked form in the mirror. The way your hips rolled enticingly, your spread legs giving him a full view of your wet mound, he could barely contain himself from shoving himself into you until he bottomed out.

It had been a long time coming – your relationship, the tension between the two of you. With each touch of skin in class, each teasing remark he would throw at you only to be countered immediately.

“Minho, eyes on me,” you said softly, your hips ceasing their movement, your hand slowly sliding away from his ass, dancing above the dip of your belly button before slowly sliding towards your needy clit.

The position you were in made it easy for your middle finger to slide in between your pussy lips, your finger expertly finding your clit. You’ve done this more than you could count, touched yourself, but you’ve never done it in front of anyone, and the thought both excited you and made you nervous at the same time. The slow circles you traced around your nub before you added more pressure shot a jolt of electricity up your spine.

“Ah, so good, Minho,” you didn’t know where that came from, never having uttered his name whilst you were pleasuring yourself, but it seemed to have done the trick.

Hearing you moan his name so wantonly, your hand working shamelessly away at your pussy on your own, your soft warm lips wetly mouthing his name in pleasure even though he was barely touching you, switched something in him. With your feet so lewdly spread open, it was easy for Minho to mannouver you so that he could slip his cock between your folds, the tip reaching where your fingers thrummed at your clit.

The sudden movement jolted you out of your own world, the pleasurable haziness clearing off your mind, and you suddenly realised what you were doing. You couldn’t feel ashamed, he wouldn’t allow you to, the sight you’ve just presented him with was to be engraved in his memory forever.

“Tell me, do you mutter my name whilst you come all over your own fingers, think of me when you’re pleasuring yourself like that?” he murmured languidly, moving his cock between your folds, coating it in your juices. “You’re so wet, you are after all a dirty girl, aren’t you?” He groaned, his hand letting go of your breasts, reaching out to grab his own dick.

His breathing stilled when your hand movement stopped, your heavy breathing being the only thing he could hear in the stillness of the air around you. Wondering if he’d gone too far, he went to let you go but you wouldn’t allow him to, your soft voice calling out to him. “Minho.”

With his attention back on you, you could clearly see in the reflection the way his eyes trailed over every inch of your skin available, the intense gaze only softened by the way he bit his lip softly. “It’s ok to be as rough as you want,” you reassured him, craving the uncouth Minho from a few minutes ago.

Your words gave him the permission that he needed, and within a second, something shifted behind his eyes, a darker look glazing over before he slid himself within you with a powerful thrust. Bottomed out and almost pressed all the way against the mirror, you could only let out a scream of pleasure, your hands fighting to steady yourself.

Minho stilled, fighting hard to not come straight away. Your teasing riled him up enough that he was hard and ready to go. Once your warm walls swallowed his cock, fighting to adjust to his size, squeezing against the intrusion, he felt his cock twitch within you, desperate to pound you senseless.

“Good girl, you’re taking me so well,” Minho praised softly, sliding himself slowly in and out of you, gauging your reactions in the mirror. Your eyes were closed, a silent moan painted on your lips.

“Want me to go faster?” He asked, slapping his hips against yours aggressively. “I want to stay like this forever, fucking you and filling you up with my cum.”

The implications of his own words hit him and he slowed to a lazier pace. Even at that speed, he was still hitting your sensitive area, and you felt the pressure building up in your abdomen.

“Can I come inside?” He asked tentatively, his voice hoarse.

Your mind was far away riddled with pleasure, your words barely coming out in a full sentence. “Minho, fuck, yes, fill me up with your cum,” you groaned, your voice breaking out into a moan when you felt his fingers anchor themselves in the flesh of your hips, his movements frenzied.

He was grunting just as loudly behind you, the material of his top now sticking to his own skin as much as yours, irritating the sensitive area. Snapping his hips frantically, the sound of your skin slapping together reverberated throughout the dance room.

“You like that hm, you like the idea of being filled up with my cum, don’t you?” Minho panted, bending forward. You yelped, hands shooting forward to prevent yourself from falling. His dick pounding into you at a deeper angle made your skin tingle with electricity as he hit the tip of your cervix repeatedly, the pleasure crashing over you in waves.

You didn’t realise when you leaned onto the mirror, the sheen of sweat on your hands making them slip with every thrust of his hips into you. Struggling to keep yourself upright, you arched your back. The movement caused your inner muscles to clench around him, gripping his cock tightly within your velvety walls, breaking the fast paced rhythm. Minho grunted, his need to carry on fucking you into tomorrow overpowering any other thought. Realising you were in a precarious position, close to crumbling onto the floor, he stopped moving, a look of worry crossing over his face.

“Are you ok?” He said, voice breaking from using it so aggressively earlier.

You nodded and spread your legs further apart in an attempt to give yourself more stability. Seeing you struggle Minho grabbed your left hand in his, his other letting go of your hip to encircle your waist. Without a word, he slowly moved you closer to the mirror, his lips peppering soft kisses on the sweaty skin of your shoulder. His dick still being lodged deep into your pussy drew a whimper out of your throat as it slowly pushed further in along with his movements.

“Hold on,” he softly instructed, placing your hand flush against the mirror, holding it in place with his own. The hand around your waist slid further down to your sensitive folds and anchored you on it like a harness. The position left you placing your whole weight on his hand, the pressure of his palm against your inflamed clit sending sparks up your spine, making you dizzy.

“Ah, fuck, Minho,” you croaked while grinding your cunt onto his hand, your slickness coating his wrist dripping down his fingers. From this position, you were completely at his mercy, the only thing that kept you secure was his hold on you.

Minho groaned, your name being the only thing on his lips. The more pressure he put against your clit, the further you leaned into his hand, your smooth warm walls contracting around him.

“You like that, don’t you?” he asked teasingly, thrusting his hips against yours once, eliciting a shuddered breath out of you. “You like being handled as you’re stuffed full of my cock, hm? Look how tightly you’re gripping onto me as if you’re afraid I'd let you go,” he said, his lips ghosting over your sweaty skin, making goosebumps appear with each pointed word.

“Do you want me to move?” He carried on, lazily slipping his length out of your wet folds until only the tip remained in you.

The reflection in the mirror caught his attention. His breath caught in his throat at the view, your slightly bent over body, your hand on the mirror clenched into a fist tightly secured by his larger one, his hand around your midriff covering your mound from view.

The way your eyes were closed, a look of pleasure etched onto your face, eyebrows furrowed in concentration, sweaty forehead covered the strands of hair that made it onto your face, lips red and swollen from biting them too much made him pause. Minho could see the way your breasts slightly juggled from the movement of your own hips against his arm

He couldn’t see your pussy or the way it was wrapped around him, but he could feel your wetness on his skin, his entire hand bathed in it, your velvety folds grinding against his palm. If he didn’t want to make you come first, he would have filled you with his cum then and there. You were beautiful, you looked thoroughly fucked, you wanted more, and you were his.

Needing to share this moment, Minho kissed your neck once more, slightly blowing on the overheated skin. “Open your eyes,” he coaxed, his hand on your wrist squeezing lightly to garner your attention. “Dance with yourself in the mirror, Y/N,” he softly instructed. “Look how beautiful you look, all like that, sweaty and lewdly spread like that - and only for me.”

Obeying him, you opened your eyes, catching a glimpse of yourself in the mirror. Your eyes glazed over with lust, the sight urging the fire underneath your skin. You immediately honed into the way his hips lazily moved, feeling the way he slid in and out of you, deep within your pussy.

The lewd squelching sounds that reverberated through the darkened room paired with the languid kisses he placed on your skin forced your inner walls to spasm in pleasure, and you closed your eyes, enjoying the intimate moment. You could feel yourself getting closer and closer to the edge - his movements paired with the way your mound rubbed against his arm drawing your orgasm out of you with a quick thrust of his hips.

“Fuck Minho, I’m going to come. Shit,” your eyes rolled back as your body came undone, your muscles tensing and tremors wrecked through your body from head to toe.

Minho felt you spasm around him, your pussy gripping onto him in a vice like, your wails of pleasure spurring him on. With an unrestrained growl, he tightened his grip on you, the hand on your mound pressed roughly onto your clit bearing down on it to prolong the peak of your orgasm. “You’re already a mess, wetting my dick like that, let yourself go, baby,” he demanded, his hips snapping into you at a rapid pace at the same time as he was watching you fall apart for him in the mirror.

“You’re beautiful like that, coming all over my cock. Shall I make more of a mess of you?” Minho asked, feeling his own dam burst and, with a last deep thrust, he spilled his cum deep into you, painting your walls, claiming you as his. You whined as you felt him come, the strangled noises ripped out of your throat as your sensitive cunt milked him of the last of his drops.

“Let me taste you,” Minho said, his voice hoarse from the high he’s just experienced. You drew in a sharp breath. His unexpected request made you stutter, and you wondered if he realised what he was asking. In the aftershocks of your orgasm, you thought you did not hear him well, but when you turned around, your shaky legs forcing you to brace yourself against him for support, his serious expression left you speechless.

“You– you’re serious.”

It wasn’t a question, you were certain he meant it, but you just needed to express your feelings at this brazen statement. Not knowing how to react, you thought about it for a moment, your eyes trailing from his eyes down to his mouth. The moment you imagined his lips on you, sucking on your cunt, drawing out his own cum, you felt yourself getting hotter.

Minho nodded, noticing the way your eyes found his lips, shifting from one foot to another. Smirking to himself, he decided to give you one final push, knowing that if you allowed him this, you would not regret it.

Licking his lips, he breathed out slowly, trying one more time. “Can I clean you up? Look how messy it’s getting,” he pointed to the floor where a small amount of his cum dripped down it. It was only a few drops but the sight of it made you moan, your mind already settled.

“Yes,” you said automatically, taking a step closer to him. “Clean me up, you’ve made a mess, now you need to clean up after yourself, bad boy.”

You weren’t sure where the courage came from. Maybe it was from the way he drew a sharp intake of breath, maybe it was the way his hands immediately found the curvature of your hips, gently massaging the area, or maybe it was the way he dropped to his knees in front of you, his hands trailing to the inside of your thighs.

His deft fingers traced the soft skin, his face was so close to your pussy you could feel his breath on your sensitive nub. “Open your legs wider for me, love,” Minho prompted, his hands guiding you.

You whimpered as the cold air hit your core directly. The initial hesitation you felt being so exposed to his eyes didn’t last long, as he dove straight in with a hungry slurp, his tongue slipping right between your folds. The suddenness of his movement made your knees buckle, a loud moan being ripped out of your throat.

The lewd sounds from his mouth on you loudly echoed in your mind, fuelling the build up pleasure from his tongue lapping at you. You could feel the pressure of his hands onto your thighs, certain that he would leave bruises.

“Ah, Minho.”

He parted from your pussy with one last lick, his tongue flattened brushing your overly sensitive clit making you buckle.

“Steady,” he laughed, his soft voice sending shivers up your spine. He let go of your legs and interlaced his fingers with yours supporting your weight. You didn’t know if you had the courage to look down, instead you tried to catch a glimpse of him in the mirror, but the angle you were both at proved to be an inconvenience.

“You’ve got such a pretty pussy, so soft and you taste so good,” he dove in for a tentative lick, the tip of his tongue circling your clit. Unable to hold back, your eyes snapped down, his words almost enough to make you come.

“Are you ready, love?” Minho asked, locking eyes with you. His face was shiny and wet from both your juices, but the glint in his eyes told you he was far from done. Barely able to breathe, let alone speak, you threw him an uncertain look, unsure what he meant by asking you that.

“What do you- ahhh!”

Minho had no inhibition, his mouth finding your entrance without a hesitation, prodding at you scooping up his own mess with his tongue all the while massaging your walls. His hands let go of yours and you felt your world shift for a moment before he tightly grabbed your ass, burying himself deeper into your dripping pussy.

He didn’t let you breathe, licking and prodding like a starved man. His tongue traced your lips lightly, applying pressure on the sensitive bundle of nerves. Minho was determined to clean all of you out, he prodded you in all the right ways to make you approach your second orgasm.

You felt it building up the moment his tongue slipped into you once more acting as a substitute of his dick earlier, swirling inside of your warmth, tracing the inside of your velvet walls. The familiar feeling of needing to pee crawled up your spine until you felt yourself let go with a loud groan as tears gathered in your eyes from the intensity.

“Shit, I’m coming,” you let your head fall back as your hands found their way into his hair, holding him to you as you rode out your orgasm. The intensity of it almost made your knees fold under you and you would have fallen over if not for his hands holding onto your ass, anchoring you upwards.You felt his tongue languidly lapping at your clit, guiding you through your peak, the warmth travelling all the way down to the tip of your toes.

“That’s it,” he mumbled, his face still buried in your cunt, “give me more of you.” He lapped at your sensitive pussy until he felt you stop spasming, your whine of displeasure telling him you were too sensitive. Savouring your taste, Minho breathed out, his tongue licking your wetness off his lips, the feeling of satisfaction washing over him. He had never imagined you would let go with so little inhibition and the thought made him giddy. He made you come twice.

Out of breath and bodies slick with sweat, you pulled away from him, your eyes already searching for your clothes. The embarrassment of what happened a few seconds before washed over you like a douse of cold water. Having sex with him was one thing, but asking him to go that far and enjoying it so much that you came twice filled you with horror at what he may think of you.

It took him a few seconds to gather his bearings, the aftermath of his orgasm paired with both of your tastes on his tongue made him dizzy and euphoric. As soon as he heard your frenzied shuffle, his eyes wandered over to you, springing up, realising you were about to flee.

“Hey, what are you doing?” He asked cautiously, going to reach out for you. His heart threatened to burst out of his chest at the dejected look you offered him. He didn’t know whether he’d done something wrong or if it was something else. All he knew was that he couldn’t allow you to leave like that. Not when his heart hurt only by seeing the slight quiver of your lips.

“Please, talk to me,” Minho pleaded when you refused to respond. Despite your aversion to vocalise your thoughts, you didn’t make a move to stop him when he engulfed you in his arms.

Regardless of how sweaty and cold you were, you allowed yourself that moment, closing your eyes, you let yourself enjoy the warmth his hug provided, basking in the safety of his arms. For a few moments neither of you spoke — both taking in the feeling of peace that followed after your intense moment. To you, it felt as if being in his arms nothing could reach you, not even the tumultuous conflicted feelings rushing through your mind.

You knew you owed him an explanation, he’d been nothing but considerate towards you, yet, you’ve reacted this brashly without an ounce of regard towards his feelings. Gathering the courage to speak, your head buried into his sweater, the same stupid sweater that started it all, you took a deep breath in allowing his scent to calm down your racing heart.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me,” you muttered, hands reaching out to grip tightly at the material covering his back. Hearing his sharp inhale, you hurried to apologise thinking you’ve hurt him, only to be shushed gently.

“You don’t have to apologise, please. If anything it’s me who needs to apologise,” Minho countered, his voice caring despite the fear coursing through his body. Had he gone too far?

Unable to believe what you were hearing, you pulled away from him, your eyes scanning his face for any sign of deceit. Meeting his eyes stole your breath. His eyes were clear, albeit a bit sad, but the soft, almost dejected smile he offered you – an attempt to make you feel better, pressed on your heart.

Ashamed of your own doubt towards his feelings, you looked down, your fingers toying with his top. “It’s not just this stupid sweater,” you muttered, closely resembling a petulant child.

Minho looked at you in confusion, before he finally understood what you meant. He tried his best not to laugh, but the ridiculousness of the situation got to him, and he let a snicker escape.

“Wait, you think–” Minho carried on, the sadness he felt at the thought of you rejecting him replaced with utter happiness. “You think, I think, this” he motioned between the two of you, “happened because of a stupid sweater?” He couldn’t help himself, the way you looked at him so offended made you look so endearing he just had to kiss you.

His lips first pressed lightly onto the frown etched onto your forehead, kissing the lines away before they softly peppered your whole face in soft pecks. Pausing right above your lips, his hot breath fanning over your face, Minho whispered softly, “This was never about a sweater, nor was it about fulfilling any fantasies - though I would love to do that for as long as you allow me to,” you couldn’t help but shiver at the implications of his words, “I genuinely like you. But,” he paused to take a sharp intake of breath as if what he was about to tell you next hurt him, “if you don't, and all you want is this physical relationship…”

You were prepared to protest, but he shushed you softly. “Let me just say this before I lose the nerve to. If all you want is a quick fuck, I can also give you that. It would hurt, but I could only hold onto the hope that by being close this way, one day you will see me as more.”

Your heart clenched at hearing his words, you never thought he would put himself down in such a way that he would never assume that you liked him back the way he did.

“Minho,” you said, demanding his attention. Your pointed voice rang loudly in the empty studio, a complete contrast to his own voice.

“Hm?” He asked distractedly, his face was still close to yours, his soft lips ghosting over your own. Without saying a word, you motioned for him to wait. Gulping, you looked down at the sweater he was still wearing, the light sheen of sweat covering his soft skin. Resisting the urge to press your lips to his collarbones, you focused on his buttons, slowly undoing them one by one.

“Woah, Y/N, what-?” he looked at you incredulously, his eyes wide, however, he wasn’t making a move to stop you. Shushing him roughly, you undid the last button, trying your hardest to not revel in the way his skin felt underneath your palms as you pushed it off his shoulders. You had been right, he was not wearing anything underneath it, not even a vest.

Allowing your eyes to soak in what the sweater had been masking all this time, you clenched your fists to your sides, refusing yourself the need to touch him. You were aware that if you did, it was game over.

“What are you doing?” Minho tried again, his heart beating rapidly in his chest at the look you threw him. The fire in your eyes, your hands glued to your sides, lips pursed - you looked beautiful, and if you hadn’t kissed him next, he would’ve without a doubt.

“Shut up,” you said before you pressed your lips to his, your arms wrapping around his neck. Your naked and cold breasts pushed against his warm skin and you both shuddered at the difference in temperature. It took him a moment to gather his bearings and respond, his arms wrapping tightly around your waist pulling you further into him.

As you moulded your bodies and lips together, something shifted between the two of you. As fiery and frenzied as the kiss was, your hands never stayed for too long in one place touching everything you both could, commiting each and every curve to memory. You could almost taste the feelings between the two of you, the connection that was already there but you were both too blind to see it.

Pulling away from him, you finally rested your hands on his chest, enjoying the rhythmic thump of his heartbeat, and knowing it was as rapid as yours made you smile. Finally opening your eyes, you found his already on you, a dazed look on his face.

“Don’t be stupid, as much as I like that sweater,” you laughed at the ridiculousness of this whole situation, “and I would love for us to be physical, I don’t want anything more than I want you, feeling what you are feeling right now for me. I like you too, stupid man with a stupid sweater.”

Even though you knew you wouldn’t be rejected, your heart still stopped waiting for his next answer. The seemingly myriad of emotions crossing his face made you smile, until he settled onto one; the usual cocky one he had when he spoke to you. You resisted the urge to roll your eyes at him, ready to slap him if he dared to say anything inappropriate.

“Minho,” you warned as he pulled you into him again.

He simply laughed before he responded by kissing your forehead lightly. “It’s good that you like me. Because I had 4 more sweaters similar to that one ready to come out and try to woo you.”

Mᴀɪɴ Mᴀsᴛᴇʀʟɪsᴛ

𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑛.

𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦 : months after ghosting your sugar daddy, lee know, he gives you a call. you answer. 

𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔: lee know x fem!reader

𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡: 12.3k

𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑟𝑒: smut, fluff, and angst || sugar daddy!au 

𝑠𝑚𝑢𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠:  reunion sex, soft dom!minho, (a lot of) teasing and sexual tension, edging, oral (female and male receiving), dirty talk, choking, praising, grinding, marking, hair pulling, (some) spanking, unprotected sex (always remember to stay safe!!!), creampie

a/n: oml ! i didn’t think it’ll be this long, but here we are! i tried to make the plot as coherent as possible. oh and, oh my god! this is my first time writing a blowjob scene heheh the whole fic is inspired by bruno mars’s new song of the same title! 

feedback is most definitely welcome!! i hope you enjoy, dear reader!

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷masterlist 

based on this request and @/lilixeu’s request (sorry this took so long!)

taglist: @lilixeu @moonlit-lixie @meow-minho @etherealeeknow @iwanttobangchan @bobateastay @kpopssuregi @twnklbb @cuokka @bxngchxn @jisungsplatforms​

please don’t interact with this post if you are under the age of 18! 

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Gossamer || jjk

↔Genre: romance; angst; fluff; singledad!jungkook x babysitter!reader; slow burn.

↔Warnings: themes of embarassment; fear.

↔Synopsis: You're a baby sitter in desperate need of a job and Jungkook is a perpetually busy single dad of two children, could there be more to you both than the call of your jobs?

Checking the note Taehyung had hurriedly scrawled the designated address, you looked over the house once again to assure yourself you were correct.

203 Amber st.

It perfectly matched the paper that was to direct you to where you would hopefully snag a new job.

Even as a young girl, your dreams of caring for children were your only heart's desire, so once you bid farewell to the last family you cared for, you returned to Taehyung with the loss of your responsibilities.

His answer to your now empty heart was the struggle of his closest friend, a single father with his ex wife far from the picture and six year old attached to his hand and a nine month old nestled in his arms and a job that demanded far too much of his life, leaving him in a desperate search of assistance.

And in Taehyung's words, money was nothing as an issue and your help would be readily welcomed.

Your finger pushed into the door bell to beckon your future employer, but the male the crack of the door revealed was not what you were expecting.

His hair was devoid of silver tendrils and his exhausted features were replaced by a youthful glow, though the dark circles of his eyes told of his sleepless nights, most likely due to the cooing young boy within his grasp. He was breath taking.

You simply gaped at him from where you hugged your belongings close, your heart pounding against your chest.

"Ah, you must be the friend Taehyung told me of." He smiled lightly as the child cooed in happiness at your presence though he hadn't known you longer than the handful of seconds you stood before him.

His father's eyes that were nearly identical to his own dropped to where he made grabby hands towards you, giggling as you greeted him with a smile and small wave.

It was plain to see where his adorableness was derived from, from his cute grin to the crinkle of his dark eyes.

Your breath caught within your throat, you couldn't be thinking of the father of the children you were to babysitting in such a way.

It was far too unprofessional, and the rings coiled around his fingers may signify he belonged to another already, your heart dropped lightly at the sobering thought.

"Let's try not to chase this one away, right buddy." He playfully teased the child before welcoming you inside his extravagant house.

Every dignified brick and exalted iron gate did nothing to compare to the sleek steps that climbed to the floors above and the dripping shine of the chandeliers.

The mere plants that cascaded from their pots snagged your eye to claim their roots costed more than a year's worth of your paychecks linked together.

He led you into what appeared to be his office, the messy papers that lay sprawled upon his desk telling you this was where most of his time was spent.

"Forgive the mess, the life of a father and a business man doesn't mix well."

He offered a wry laugh as you seated yourself upon the luxurious chair where he directed you to place yourself.

His hand that was free of the gurgling baby reached for a form and a pen that was yours to fill out.

"My most trusted friend, Taehyung couldn't stop singing your praises." He admitted as your eyes skimmed over the words of the paper.

"I do hope you'll meet his claims."

Your eyes flicked into his that held sincerity and the want to place you in the safety of his children, but you couldn't help but to peer deeper, something you couldn't name luring you deeper into his ebony abysses.

But the unknown flame flickered as he snuffed it out entirely to continue on from his quiet pause he took, to allow his eyes to linger just this once.

"Most of my time and my work will be done in this room, and Eli is never any trouble so we shouldn't be a problem for you." He smiled as your heart leapt silently.

"However, your appeal may come to be a problem for my oldest daughter, Ava."

His warning did nothing to deter you from his pull as well as the adorable grasp of his youngest son.

"I aim to please sir."

You found his warning of Ava was not simple play.

Though she was a mere six years, her tantrums were nothing to be reckoned with.

Her distaste for you being in place of her father was apparent in all she did, after you had picked her up from school, it was her mission to avoid you at all costs, unless it was to make your job harder.

Though you attempted to breathe through her troubles, the moment she hid your keys plucked at your nerves.

But with every soft word and playful game you conjured, just to persuade her to eat her vegetables.

You sluggishly tamed the roaring beast into a gentle kitten who's purrs came about as laughter.

Her every smile filled you with relief, now knowing just how tough her dislike for others could be.

You had just placed Eli within his crib, remembering how stern Jungkook had been with bed time.

But his eldest refused sleep, not one wink would be caught without a goodnight kiss from her father.

Just from how she rambled so excitedly about him, informed you of just how well his relationship with his babies were.

But your every plea of sleep was denied as you chased her about with her stuffed bear. You hugged the bear close as you nibbled upon your bottom lip, you were no more than a week into your job and you feared you had failed already.

Jungkook had left you with the two to attend a meeting of some sort and there was no telling when he may return, it was important you thought of something quickly.

"Ava, what if I told you a bed time story?" You offered the ebony haired girl who's fiery eyes held not even a hint of sleepiness.

The clock struck nine, telling you it was a whole hour after her bed time. Her arms crossed and her bottom lip stuck into a pout.

"It won't be as good as daddy's." She huffed, none the less falling into your arms to be carried into her bedroom.

You placed her amongst the frills of her blankets that simply matched her personality with their bold sparkles; your fingers ran along the spines of her books, asking her of which she would prefer.

You ended in reading along the words of a royal adventure until her eyes grew heavy as she drifted by your side.

But her wakefulness remained just long enough to murmur through sleepy pouts.

"Are you gonna stay here forever? And be our mommy?"

The words stilled your form and rounded your eyes until you choked out an answer.

"I'm here to help your daddy care for you and Eli, Ava." You whispered, wanting anything other than pledging an empty promise to the young girl.

"I think Daddy likes you already, he smiled so bright today when talking about you." With a soft smile of your own, you willed your heart to ease it's leaps.

"I'm sure it was because of you, his little princess." Your fingers offered her hand a reassuring squeeze of a silent gesture of love for the little one you had known for a mere week.

"Good night love." You whispered with a chaste kiss to her temple.

You remained until her eyes fell closed before you slipped away from her bedroom, closing the door behind you, oblivious to the taller male before you.

"You're the only person she lets tuck her in at night aside from me." His low voice entered the serenity of the night, causing your heart to still.

Your breath hitched with your words in the little space between you, the closeness of your forms that neared each other in the darkness almost seemed natural.

As if you belonged at his side as well as Eli's and Ava's, caring for them as well as eliciting their smiles.

With a breath, you released those thoughts to hush such wishful thinking that wasn't yours to be had.

You were no more than a hired babysitter, to care for his children in his absence, even if by some miracle he did care for you, his work refused to allow time for his own children, you were nothing.

But every linger of his eyes and genuine word of thanks for all you did held no lies, none had ever dared to look at you the way he did.

"If it's any consolation, she did put up a little bit of a fight at first." You tried with a breathy laugh that brought a grin to his features.

Even in the darkness, the joy his children brought to his lips was breath taking, just as the warmth of his eyes and almost siren- like voice of his had ensnared your heart.

"It seems it wasn't only Eli's and my own heart you've stolen."

If he had lacked the soft huff of amusement that followed his words, your knees would have buckled at what seemed to be a hint at flirting.

"Good night (Y/n)." He finished with a smile before he halted his steps within his foyer, his duty of walking you to the door finished along with his conversation.

"Good night, mister Jeon." You bowed lightly, your hand hovering over the handle before he spoke once more.

"You can call me Jungkook."

You flashed him a smile that was rendered weak by him as you hurried yourself to your car with a racing heart.

Your choice of your job taken under closer consideration with how your employer made you feel, always taunting you with something so much more than he concealed so well until he desired to reveal it.

| Masterlist | Next Chapter |

Tag list: Open

( CLICHÉ. )

ミ☆ he likes fading into the background. unfortunately, you do not.

⤷ PAIRING knj x m!reader

⤷ WORD COUNT 3.2k

⤷ TAGS nerd/jock trope, high school au, blushy joon

⤷ REQUESTED

HELLOOO JUNNN

i wanted to request a prompt where the reader pretends to be dumb so namjoon can tutor him since he has a big crush on namjoon and so he ends up eventually asking him out after a lot of teasing and stuff ??

cupid has visited, and his aim is worse than the juniors’ archery club.

of all people to develop a massive crush on, it’s on the one guy who’s got a loyal fanclub who actually gather at lunch to share printed pictures of him. of course namjoon’s silent affections have to be directed towards someone whose friends would never think to give people like him the time of day. of course he has to look so terribly good glistening with sweat on the sports field.

and of course they share nearly every class together.

that last point is, surprisingly, not particularly eventful. namjoon is what some would call a little bit of a nerd. he’s quiet, he’s shy, and he can run the hardest equations through his head like a ticket machine, popping out the answer in a matter of seconds. the hardest thing on an exam, for him, is remembering to write his name on the front.

he slumps into his seat at the cafeteria table inelegantly. he heaves the heaviest sigh he’s given all day.

sympathetically, taehyung pushes a can of soda towards namjoon with his index finger, flicking it at the end to give it an extra boost. it slides over the white table, spinning a half-circle before slowing to a stop. “you look like crap.”

namjoon exhales a huff of laughter. he sweeps his glasses off his face and rubs his blurry eyes. “yeah, and i feel like it, too. rough week, right?”

“hyung, it’s tuesday.”

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( LOVERBOY. )

ミ☆ he’s been working up the courage for this very moment for a long time. he can only hope you say yes.

⤷ PAIRING kth x m!reader

⤷ WORD COUNT 4.5k

⤷ TAGS model!reader, anxiety-ridden gays being dorks

⤷ REQUESTED 

taehyung x reader 😼 tete in a distress on how to propose reader

“i love you,” taehyung whispers against your lips. it’s dark in the private room, and taehyung’s over-the-phone request for candles had been kindly obliged by the staff. this week is his turn for date-planning, and he brought you all the way across seoul to a restaurant so luxurious that even he feels intimidated by it.

you chuckle, folding your arms over the table. your suit fits you so well – taehyung does his best to keep his eyes on your face, but that, too, is swoon-worthy. he feels like a teenager all over again, staring at you longingly when he thinks you’re not looking.

“you’ve said that a thousand times tonight, baby,” you murmur. “you seem stressed. are you okay?”

he shakes his head absently. after a moment, upon realising that your question had been ‘are you okay’ and not ‘are you stressed’, he bobs his head rapidly, blushing. his soft hair flops over his eyes and he sweeps it away.

“i – i’m okay. sorry. it’s just… i know i haven’t really been present in our relationship lately, and i don’t want you to think i don’t love you – i really do! – or that i’m not as invested anymore, and i just want to make sure you know that you mean the world to me.”

Keep reading

Hi! Whenever you get time can I request hcs for what makes albedo, kazuha and diluc crazy flustered? Like, what makes them go char.exe has stopped working, and their whole face has flushed red.

Also, may I marry the how to fluster the chief alchemist fic pls?

<3

how to fluster them.

▸ includes . . . albedo. diluc ragnvindr. kaedehara kazuha.

▸ synopsis . . . you've managed to make ___ so incredibly flustered that he seems at a loss for words, a vibrant blush on his cheeks!

▸ warnings . . . gn! reader. mentions of marriage and children (kazuha's).

▸ ve's note . . . !! you may absolutely marry 'how to fluster the chief alchemist' hehe i hope i get invited to the wedding though! also thank u for the request it has my entire heart just flustering these cutie pies!! please enjoy!

♡ ៸៸ albedo ⸻

genuine affectionate words.

"i'm so in love with you," you mumble, eyes scanning over him as he simply eats some dinner- although now he's choking and you're much more alert than lovesick, sitting up and making sure he's okay after he stops choking and instead intakes some air. "a-are you okay?"

"i'm... i'm alright," he clears his throat, not meeting your gaze, an intense blush taking over his cheeks. "i just wasn't expecting your words, that's all." he eats some more food, not wanting to talk more on the matter however it's piqued your interest now.

"well, i mean it! i don't know how i managed to get so lucky- meeting you was hands down one of the best days of my life. i love you, albedo." albedo really can't process why and how you're managing to make his heart flutter so quickly, but he can't handle much more of it!

"i... i love you, too." he says in a quiet voice, glancing at you from the corner of his eye to see you smiling brightly. he hopes you know how much he means it, even if he can't express it as outwardly as you do.

staring lovingly at him whilst he works.

he could feel your eyes on him as he worked, so an intense gaze that he could barely focus. he glances at you before looking back at his work, before frowning as he stares at the painting. "is everything alright?" he finally asks, setting down the paintbrush and looking over at you fully- just why were you staring so intensely at him?

it isn't until he turns to look at you that he notices the loving look in your eyes. "sorry!" you chuckle and look away, "you just look really pretty when you're focused, i didn't realize i was staring." albedo's eyes widened a fraction, a shaky breath leaving him.

"ah, i see..." he quickly faces his canvas again, hoping you think the redness on his ears and cheeks is from the cold of dragonspine rather than the bashfulness he sudden feels. your staring at him again, in such a loving, intense way that he can't focus anymore.

it seems this painting is going to take a little while longer, for your stares are too much for poor albedo's heart.

sudden acts of dominance (kabedonning).

"hey," your arms suddenly cage albedo against the wall, catching him off guard completely. "you free this saturday?" you ask, tilting your head to the side with a small grin. albedo blinks, trying to grasp what just happened but his mind is running to fast for him to understand anything.

"u-uhm, i-... what?" he looks up at you, face warming to a beautiful pink. your chuckle makes his stomach grow butterflies and he wonders if you can hear how hard his heart is beating.

"i was wondering if you're free this saturday?" your eyes look over albedo, finding it adorable how flustered he grew from simply kabedonning him. "albedo, pay attention to me~" you tease him, enjoying how for once the composed alchemist was a flustered mess. "so, saturday, yes or no?"

"oh! yes. yes, i'm free." you hum, pulling away from him and giving him a little wink that once again sends his mind in a frenzy.

"see you saturday, then."

♡ ៸៸ diluc ragnvindr ⸻

calling his name oh-so-sweetly.

you frown, diluc could be so stubborn, but you knew a way to get him to pay attention to you. you sigh, lingering around him and clasping your hands together, batting your lashes. "oh, diluc~" you coo, "diluc, i'm sorry, please forgive me. won't you, diluc?" his face flushes and he covers his face with his hand.

"w-what do you need?" he manages to get out, and if you peek around his shoulder you can see a blush dusting across his cheeks and ears. when you stay silent, he glances over at you and his breath hitches- why, why do you have to be like this when he's trying to be mad.

"diluc," you call, wrapping your arms around him and nuzzling into him. "please don't be mad at me anymore," in all honesty, from the way you're calling his name, so saccharine, his mind grows fuzzy and the little argument from earlier fades away.

"fine, i forgive you." he huffs, looking off to the side, but glancing at you from the corner of his eye- your victorious small making his heart skip a beat as well.

sudden physical contact/affection.

"ah! there you are!" you rush the rest of the way over to him, nearly sliding thanks to your socks on the hardwood floor of his home office. "how dare you leave me without a kiss," you scoff, remembering the time he get upset due to you not giving him a kiss. so, wrapping your arms around his neck, you pepper a few kisses to his cheek.

diluc is too stunned to speak, your sudden affection welcomed but very much a shock. he can't help the way he blushes, your touch always affects him as such. "can't even say good morning?" you pout, peering at his face and noticing the blush that adorns his face. you can't help but coo and poke his warm cheeks.

"aw, did my kisses fluster you, oh mighty diluc ragnvindr?" he catches your wrist and stops you from poking him, looking at you with furrowed brows and blushy cheeks. you chuckle, pressing one last swift kiss to his lips. "alright, i'll stop messing with you."

"thank you." he sighs, placing a hand over his heart and watching you walk away to attend to your own work. he relaxes in his seat, closing his eyes and the places you kisses him feeling warm. "the things you do to my heart," he mumbles, before continuing his work.

fixing his clothes/hair.

"i know you just got back from your nightly duties, but at least try and look presentable here." you grumble, "you are the host of this party after all." sure he was being the darknight hero, which you admired, but he was the one to throw this party so he could get better connections, the least he could do was make sure his tie was straight.

you straighten out his tie, and brush off the dirt on his jacket, tsking and tugging, making him look more presentable. "why are you so quiet? no excuse, no exclamation of how important your duties are?" you tease, looking up at him and noticing for the first time how red he was in the face.

"s... sorry," he mumbles, looking up at the ceiling. you quirk a brow, what's got him so flustered? all you were doing was fixing his clothes and scolding him! you sigh, grabbing his face and making him look at you. "y/n?" he looked like he was expecting a kiss. too bad.

"even your hair!" you chide, quickly running your fingers through his hair and trying to make it look less of a mess. diluc sighs dejectedly, upset he didn't get a kiss after you made his heart race like that.

♡ ៸៸ kaedehara kazuha ⸻

complimenting him.

kazuha isn't a stranger when it comes to compliments, so you didn't think it would affect him so greatly yet there he was, a vibrant red blush on his cheeks and tongue tied all due to your sweet and genuine compliment!

"kazuha, you're amazing." it was that simple, just your words complimenting his instrumental skills and quickness with words. why was he so stunned? he can't even manage out a 'thank you' despite desperately wanting to. he just likes you so much, and he can't help but feel this way every time you compliment him— although his composure is much less sturdy than usual.

"are you alright? should i get you some water?" you ask when he still hasn't responded. kazuha, perhaps a little too into the dramatics, looks up at you with a lovestruck look, grasping your hand and finally managing to speak.

"i'm alright," he smiles gently, "your words just seem to have quite the affect on me, please allow me some time to recuperate." with that kazuha stands, and excuses himself to his dorm, because if he's with you for one more second he might start composing love songs that instant!

picking him up/carrying him around.

kazuha was growing tired, you could tell by the way he swayed and stumbled over his steps every now and then. you, on the other hand, felt quite lively, and so, to help out, you swiftly and easily pick up kazuha, carrying him bridal style.

"i'll carry you the rest of the way, okay?" kazuha can't breath, whether from being in such close proximity to you, or realizing just how strong you are, he can't tell. were you always able to pick him up with such ease? it makes his entire face flush and mind race- could you hear his heart?

"are you comfortable, kazu?" he looks up at you, blush growing darker- he's thankful that it's night time and you can't see how red his cheeks are. he just nods, resting his head against your shoulder and closing his eyes, trying to calm his racing heart. oh, the things you do to his heart and mind.

seeing you with children.

"roar!" you chased after the children, pretending to be a monster, whilst they pretend to be fearless pirates. kazuha watched from afar, a smile on his lips at the lovely sight before him- you playing with children was always a sight to see, it would set anybody's heart aglow.

however, unlike most, kazuha's ever restless began to come up with scenarios similar to this in the future- where perhaps you two would be married with your own kids to chase after. after thinking thoughts like that, kazuha's face always grew a lovely shade of pink and he'd grow unusually quiet.

you notice his intensive face, staring out at the sea whilst lost in thought. you wonder what he's thinking, and after the kids leave, you approach him, noticing the blush the closer you get to him. "kazuha?" he jumps a bit, looking down at you. kazuha not noticing your presence was definitely something unusual. "what's got you so lost in thought you didn't even notice me?"

"ah, it's nothing!" he waves his hand dismissively, looking anywhere but your eyes. you swear his blush grew down his neck and likely to his chest from how flustered he grew- it was quite the sight to see!

How they would react to a s/o who has a beautiful voice.

The genshin men react to you singing in your beautiful voice ( ˘ ³˘)♥︎

Characters: Kaeya, Diluc, Childe, Zhongli x gn!reader

Warnings/Disclaimer: Fluff, c/n means character's name, a bit of Darknight Hero quest spoilers, mentions of death in Childe's part, I may have gotten a bit overboard with Diluc's part~

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You were in the middle of doing what you were doing, whether it's be cleaning, reading or anything really. You were singing your favorite song while no one was around. Atleast you thought you were alone. It turns out c/n was watching you sing your favorite song! How embarrassing! Little did you know, you had a beautiful voice, but due to your parents' strict nature, they don't allow you to listen to any songs back when you were a child. So now you're making up for lost time, and listening to songs and singing them, maybe even dancing to them at times when you feel like it!

❄︎ Kaeya

You were in the middle of cooking breakfast for yourself and for Kaeya, singing in a beautiful melody. It was all nice and peaceful, when SOMEONE had to intervene.

"well well~" you abruptly turn around to see Kaeya leaning against the doorframe, smirking. "Didn't know my darling could sing oh so well" He said walking towards you, you pout in response. "You startled me" you replied. Kaeya chuckles and ruffles your hair. "Apologies, though I'd like to hear you sing again" he grins, "I'll sing when you don't come out of nowhere and startle me" you huff, continuing to cook the bacon and eggs. He wraps his arms around your waist. "I've already apologizied~ forgive me sweetheart~" Kaeya gives you a peck on the lips. "Fine, only if you agree on my proposition!" Raising your index finger up, it looks as if you're a parent scolding their children. "Alright then, what must I do to earn my darling's forgiveness?" You look at him, pleased. "You must take me on a date, Sir. Kaeya Alberich!" You declare confidently. Kaeya smirks. "Anything for your Royal Highness~" He bows and takes your hand in his as he kisses the back of your hand. "Shall we get ready?" You giggle. "We still have breakfast you know~" He smiles and let's go of your hand. "Of course, silly me~ let's eat shall we?"

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☕︎ Diluc

Diluc was exhausted, he had to keep an eye on the tavern, file out paperworks and to protect Mondstadt as the Darknight Hero. He was working his night shift in Angel's share, making everyone a drink, cleaning their glasses, and so on. Nothing new and certainly nothing special, Diluc was used to this due to the fact that he owns the tavern.

You agreed to go to Angel's share with a certain green, carefree bard Venti my beloved. "Oh oh! What ifffff, we both preform a song and then get dandelion wine afterwards? It sounds like a fool proof plan to me!~" the bard chuckled. "Sure why not? Although, you've gotta control your drinking Ven.." you sigh entering the tavern with Venti, you expect to see Charles behind the bar counter but instead you see your red haired boyfriend. And by the looks of it, he wasn't expecting to see you here aswell. "Evening Master Diluc! Hope you don't mind me bringing your s/o with me, we're gonna preform tonight ehe~" Diluc looks at you then the bard then back to you. "You're gonna preform tonight with this bard?" He asks almost in disbelief. "Yep, didn't expect to see you here" you smile, Diluc sighs and shows a tiiiinnnnnyyy smile that only you would be able to see. "Well it can't be helped, Charles had some urgent matters to tend to." You nod, smile never faltering. Venti grabs your wrist. "Apologies for intervening but (Name), we have to go! it'll be our turn soon enough" with that you give Diluc a look as if telling him that you'll continue this conversation with him later. Diluc, completely understanding the look you gave him, nods for you to accompany the bard.

Venti and you are currently on stage, you waiting patiently for Venti's introduction and speech to end. Atlas! After the bard has give his speech, both of you start singing, you and Venti alternating lines and harmonizing, it was a outstandingly melodic performance. Diluc can't help but stare in awe, time slowing down and all he could hear is your voice. He thinks you have quite an angelic voice.

After the performance, you head to the counter to get 6 orders of dandelion wine 5 of the orders being Venti's. Sitting on one of the bar stools, you tell Diluc your order. "6 orders of dandelion wine please" Diluc sighs, already knowing that a cheeky bard told you to order him some wine. "Your singing was.. great" He says while preparing the orders. You blush, not used to Diluc complimenting you in public. "Thank you, I think my singing would sound better with yours" you say, openly but subtly asking him for a duet. Diluc's gaze softens, and he utters a quiet response, to which you could hear quite clearly. "I think our voices would compliment one another."

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⚠︎ Childe

Your boyfriend rarely had nightmares, and if he ever did, most of them are about you. He told you that most of his nightmares about you are you leaving him for another or you dying.

Childe would always wake up in distress, profusely sweating, wide eyes and trembling shoulders. And in these cases, you are either still awake, or will wake up because of him. Either way, you assure him that you don't mind waking up because of him and his nightmares. He really appreciates that <33

Although this particular night, he had a nightmare about you leaving him for another person and you end up marrying them, create a family with them, and all the things Childe wanted, no, yearned to do with you. All the while you were happy with your family, Childe was left miserable and lonely. You end up dying infront of him because of the Tsaritsa's orders, and that's how his nightmare ended.

He woke up, crying and trembling so hard that there was no way you wouldn't wake up.

"Childe? There.. there.." you rub his back, Childe hugs you and nuzzles his face in the crook of your neck. "Ple..ase don't leave.. me.." he says sniffing and trying his best to stop crying. You only did what you could think of to comfort him, you sang to him. You sang him your comfort song, a song that never fails to cheer you up. Soon enough, Childe fell asleep on your chest after a few minutes.

The sight of him broke your heart, red puffy eyebags, dried tears, and a red nose. You wondered what kind of nightmare would make him cry and tremble so much, but you'll ask him in the morning when he feels better because right now, your top priority is to comfort him after his grueling nightmare. You kiss the top of his head and hug him. "I love you Childe, I'll never leave you okay..?"

To your suprise, Childe heard what you said and let out a muffled response. "I love you too, (Name)" Melting your heart in the process.

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ꕥ Zhongli

You recently found this book about types of massages and how to set up the relaxing mood. You've already read the whole book and you wanted to try your massage skills out. And who better than your boyfriend? You proceeded to tell him all about the book and how much you've learnt from it, eventually you ask him if he could be your first test subject customer.

Zhongli agrees on the idea, mainly because it's been a while since he's gotten a massage and second because it's you ofc!

Setting up the towels, essential oils, candles, lukewarm water, and scents. You set him up, laying on his stomach and face down. You lit up the candles and add scents around the room, you then start adding essential oils on his back and proceed to massage. You're not gonna lie, his back was as stiff as a surfing board 😪

Remembering the contents of the book, it said that the customer will feel a lot more relaxed if the masseur/masseuse sings or hums any song that will set up a relaxing mood.

Sure enough, you start singing. Zhongli is taken aback by the sudden singing, but nonetheless he loves it. He feels as though he could fall asleep at any moment and he may or may not have.

After the massage, he admits that he has never felt that relaxed before and that he would love to experience it again. You happily oblige.

"I must say, never in my whole life time have I felt such tranquil feeling before." You laugh. "You flatter me too much, love" He smiles. "I speak of the truth, please do let me experience this again. It was quite a memorable feeling."

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𝐘𝐚𝐡𝐨!~ 𝐢 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐭 1:02 𝐚𝐦 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲, 𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐡 𝐢'𝐦 𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐝~ 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢'𝐦 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐮𝐲𝐬! 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬! 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 ♥︎

𝙻𝚘𝚟𝚎, 𝙸𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚎 <3

Better

Kang Yeosang x reader

enemies to lover au

word count: 9.4?k

genre and warnings: angst, suggestive, violence

synopsis: ateez au in which kang yeosang and you are sworn enemies belonging to rival gangs until you both are at the mercy of a common enemy and have to work together, discovering those strong feelings you had for each other might not be hate.

Seconds. Minutes. Hours.

Days. Months. Years?

You had no idea how much time had passed, but you finally opened your eyes and saw light- the door to your cell opened and a tall figure stood with another figure which was now pushed roughly to the concrete floor, hands cuffed, a groan of pain escaping them.

You squinted your eyes, the world a blur as you tried to make what you could see of their face- who was it this time?

The figure finally got up on its knees and sighed, having sit back, their shoes brushing against your feet, and you wished it was day so the sunlight would have revealed the identity of the figure.

"Are you... okay?" You managed to say, your throat parched. In this pitch dark, you couldn't make out anything, and you were glad, because you weren't sure the figure in front of you would like the sight of you-

"You sound strangely familiar," the voice said- clearly a man, and very, very familiar to you too.

In fact, you recognized him instantly.

Kang Yeosang.

But it couldn't be. What was Kang Yeosang, basically the right hand to his boss doing in your cell?

But then, what were you, also your own boss' most trustworthy employee and his assassin doing in this cell?

"I'm sure you don't know me," you scoffed internally at the irony of the situation. Kang Yeosang, your worst nightmare and enemy, now in front of you. You should take this chance and kill him, except you were tied to the post as well, and you were in no condition to move.

"I'm sure I do, actually," you could hear the haughtiness in his voice which indicated that yes, he recognized your voice too. You suddenly regretted the pointless verbal arguments and fights you've had with him over the years which had left your voices printed in each other's memories- as well as habits, such as-

"Fancy seeing you here."

- how to make you angry instantly.

But it went both ways.

"Miss me too much, Yeosang?" You laughed sarcastically, "Can't spend three days without seeing me?"

As a matter of fact, he was used to seeing you, and you him. You both worked for the top drug dealers- rivals though sometimes business partners. And nothing was dramatic about it save for the fact that you and Yeosang hadn't hit it off very well and had infamously become sworn enemies, both of you bent on driving the other to the edge.

"How many days do you think have passed?" Yeosang asked, genuinely worried because you thought it had only been three days. And you dreaded answering because you weren't sure you would like what you had to hear.

"Don't tell me," panic laced your voice, and in that moment, an understanding passed between you two- and both of you were glad the other couldn't see your face.

"How did you even get here?" You asked, "I didn't think you could slip. Losing your touch already?"

"Well, you wouldn't believe it," Yeosang's voice was low, "But it's a deal between our gangs gone wrong. I came to save you."

"Ha," you scoffed loudly, "As if."

"I'm not lying," Yeosang simply said, "You've been missing for 3 weeks now. We were working together after all, even though I hated the idea of it from the beginning. And when you got taken, your boss might have... lost it a bit."

Though you did feel as if a bucket of water had been dumped on you because 3 weeks? but you had to scoff at the mention of your boss.

"As if he cares."

The bitterness with which you spat those words had Yeosang raising his brows. His own boss, Hongjoong, was like a friend to Yeosang, so he couldn't imagine why you were so bitter. Were you not close to your boss?

"He does, I guess, because he chose me to get you. Though now that I'm here... I think it was a wrong decision. Maybe I should just get out of here alone..."

"Did he really send you?" You had to ask, "I can't imagine why- oh."

You had almost forgotten about it, and you loudly cursed as you realized just why your boss cared so much about getting you back-

You had the key.

The key to all his wealth that he had slipped in your hand when you both had found yourself at your enemy's den, the small key that you had hid in your shoe first, occasionally changing its spot according to the situation.

"Oh?" Yeosang echoed, "Must be a big reason."

"Oh you have no idea," you had to laugh, "You have no idea."

Silence fell as you thought about the whole situation, finally breaking it as you said, "Think about it- my boss sent his rival's right hand- basically an enemy- to retrieve me. Now what value would a person like me have? Why did he not send one of his cronies?"

"Ah," Yeosang said, "You either have or know something that's valuable to him, and he can't let you die right now."

"Bingo," you said, "And now that I have the chance, I would die before letting him have it."

Yeosang was shaken at your words- just what had you gone through these past three weeks? And what fate awaited him?

"What's happened to you?"

"Worry about yourself," you sighed, "you're gonna regret making a deal with my boss real soon."

And regret he did, to some extent.

He blamed himself for getting caught and being put in this tiny cell. As daylight poured and woke him up from his sleep, he looked at you and his heart sank dangerously at the sight of you-

Your button up shirt was okay from the front, but tattered at the back, hanging only from the sleeves, covering your front- but your back had to be bare and he couldn't see it. Your hair was matted to your face and neck and fell down messily, and your face-

So pale. Void of colour. Your cheekbones were protruding rather sharply, and Yeosang had to commend you because you were still hanging on to life even though you looked as good as dead.

You were one stubborn soul, after all.

"Like what you see?" A voice boomed and Yeosang's head whipped to the source- one of the men who had caught him watching you from the window.

Yeosang didn't dare reply as he unlocked the door and arrived with a tray of food- rather good treatment seeing the food consisted of rice and chicken and put it in front of Yeosang, injecting a drug in him- the same drug they had used to catch both him and you- rendering him weak enough to not fight back but not weak enough to not eat his own food.

"Eat," he ordered, "Boss has asked for special treatment for you- maybe your boss is good to you, after all. He's trying to strike a deal to get you out unharmed. As for her-"

The man looked at you and you grinned at him, infuriating him (because why not?) and he went out for a moment, coming with a bowl of soup only, pushing it on your lips and forcing you to drink, drops of it dripping down and your tongue burned because it was too hot but you couldn't retort- you had to eat whatever they gave or else you'd starve.

But Yeosang there had lost his appetite at the sight of this- why wasn't your boss trying anything to get you out, he wondered? Especially when you supposedly had something he wanted? Was he scared the enemy would figure out? Or was he just a coward, hoping you'd die with the item in question?

Why were these people keeping you alive then?

Just what had you caught yourself into?

Yeosang took a chicken leg and hid it behind him, his hands shaking from the effects of the drugs, eating the rest as the man watched him the whole time, saying he'd be back in an hour so they could go to relieve themselves.

As the man shut the cell and went away, Yeosang waited for a good five minutes before calling your name and grabbing your attention.

"Just what have you caught yourself into?"

"Forget that," you said, your eyes bright as you worked out a plan, "Can you get me out of here? Or will you go alone?"

"Of course I will get you out," Yeosang said, and you raised your brow at the quick response- it didn't sound right coming from his mouth, since you two, in normal circumstances, would have done anything to get the other in trouble. And Yeosang understood, rolling his eyes, "They're basically torturing you here. And even though we're... enemies, as everyone likes to call us... I wouldn't wish this sort of a treatment on anyone."

"Not even me?" You smiled.

"Not even you."

You were impressed- he had principles, after all.

"Okay, here's the plan. When that scumbag comes back and takes us, you need to somehow get close to the man and take one of his hairpins out- keep it hidden. Don't reveal it until we're back and I say so- you'll be tied and so will I, but you need to give me the pin before you get out, Yeosang, you hear me? From the looks of it, your boss is gonna get you out by tomorrow night. Can you do this for me?"

Yeosang nodded, figuring he could do that for you, but still surprised at how you believed you were doomed if not for him.

And he really couldn't stand how tired you looked- as if you had given up altogether. Your hands tied up made it difficult for you to sit in a position other than being on your knees- and it was brutal. And about your back-

He had a glimpse, and he wasn't sure he wanted to see what damage they had done.

So one hour later when the man came and drugged the two again, waiting for a minute before uncuffing the two and dragging you both rather easily to the toilet, Yeosang went in first. When he came out and you tried going in, Yeosang purposely bumped into the man, rather swiftly turning and apologizing to nobody in general, the man groaning in warning.

Tied back at their usual spots, you looked at him, worry lacing your eyes. "Tell me you did it."

Yeosang stuck out his tongue and you laughed in disbelief- he had done it, the hairpin right in the middle of his tongue, of all the goddamn places. "I can't uncuff myself, or you," Yeosang said, his hands tied behind him, "But you... you can."

"I can," you admitted, "after the effects of the drug wears off."

"And you know I'll get out on my own, but will you... uncuff me too?"

"Well," you sighed, "We may have a problem- I can't exactly fight on my own anymore. I may have a broken something and my back hurts like hell. You're pretty fresh, so if you're up for it..."

"And what do I get out of it?" Yeosang smirked, and you rolled your eyes because this wasn't the time to get playful.

"What do you want?"

"What do I want... interesting."

"Yeosang, we don't have all day, and if you come up with something disgustingly evil I'll personally end you after we get out of here."

"Nothing... for now," Yeosang announced, "But you owe me one after this."

"Done. Now hand it over."

Yeosang smirked as he slid closer to you, the chains on his cuff preventing him from getting too close but it was enough- he stretched until his face was near you, and you brought your face closer too, rolling your eyes at the devilish smirk as he pushed the pin out of his mouth, holding it at the tip from his teeth, and you caught the pin from the other end, your lips slightly brushing with his, a sigh of relief escaping you as you drew back, because the key of freedom was now in your mouth.

Yeosang drew back and watched as you pushed yourself up with excruciating effort, working your mouth expertly and uncuffing yourself in a minute, falling to your knees in a very abrupt motion and almost crying in relief-

But Yeosang's breath stuck in his throat, because your back-

Your back was littered with scars- and the worst thing was that only a few of them were new.

"Who did this to you?"

Yeosang's voice was grim, and you looked up to see his gaze fixed at your back.

"That scumbag, of course-"

"Not those scars," Yeosang shook his head, "The others."

You bit your lips, having completely forgotten about the long scars that decorated your back. "Nothing you need to know."

You wobbled behind Yeosang, uncuffing him and almost falling down, Yeosang holding you up, making you lean at his side and use him for support. He brought the chicken leg in front of you, making you laugh and shake your head as you took it rather gladly, eating it and oh, you haven't had something normal in weeks now.

You didn't notice how Yeosang was absently tucking your hair behind- you were too busy eating. And when he took off his own outer shirt and wrapped it around you, it was only then you noticed his gaze that made you flush because of a number of reasons-

First- the gesture itself. All your lives you had hated each other just for the sake of it, and this... this was making you wonder why you both ever got stuck in that meaningless cycle of hate.

And second- he was extremely buff, his biceps now visible in the black half sleeved shirt he was left with. His streaked hair contrasted rather well with it, and you had to stop your eyes from roaming all around him, praying he hadn't noticed.

"So," Yeosang's deep voice broke you out of your trance, "What's the plan?"

--------------

The two of you pretended to be chained for the remainder of the evening, waiting for the time when the man would come for interrogation- it was a fixed time of the day, you had noted. So anyone who peeked in out of curiosity would find you both chained well, but right before the man arrived, Yeosang stationed himself next to the door, punching the man once and knocking him out instantly.

"Wow," you breathed, "Forgot for a second you were strong."

"Forgot?" Yeosang huffed, "Do you not remember the time I knocked you out with just a-"

"Let's not dwell on the past," You weakly got up, "Chain him like he did me."

Yeosang understood, chaining him just like you had been for the past weeks, taking all his weapons, handing two daggers to you and keeping one and a gun for himself. He finally looked at you, thinking.

"Can you run?"

Which was how you both found yourselves running for your lives, you gathering all your energy to fight close range while Yeosang covered you with the gun, encountering a good five men before Yeosang jumped out of the first floor window to the truck, promising to catch you and urging you to jump instantly.

And he didn't let you down; he caught you rather carefully, as if afraid to hurt you further, grabbing your hand and jumping down, running further down the alley, taking two turns and you stopped him abruptly, pointing at the narrow alley where a couple were making out rather heatedly, and Yeosang understood, dragging you in the alley, grabbing the fur jacket on the bike of the couple and wearing it over himself, turning and embracing you in what would look like a make-out session to anyone passing by-

Except it was his forehead on yours, noses brushing, his hands in your hair, your arms automatically going around his waist for support as he bent you back a bit.

You were suddenly conscious of how you hadn't washed in days- one of the people in that building, a woman, had attended to your scars about three days ago and had washed you as best as she could, saying the boss didn't like his captives dirty when he came during interrogations.

But this should be the last of your concerns right now-

"They're gone?" Yeosang whispered, his breath warm against your skin, the statement coming out more like a question- not what he had intended. But his heart was beating like crazy and it was a surprise his voice hadn't cracked-

"I think so," you whispered back, eyes meeting his-

And that was a mistake.

Because his eyes locked back, and you couldn't pull away from his gaze, having noticed for the first time just how light his eyes were-

"That's my jacket!"

Yeosang rolled his eyes, taking it off and apologizing, saying he was hiding from his friends. Thankfully, the man didn't argue further, and Yeosang grabbed your hand, walking to the next street and getting into a convenience store, your eyes scanning your surroundings for any signs of the enemy.

Yeosang used the phone to contact one of his friends while you waited, wrapping Yeosang's shirt tighter around yourself since it was a bit chilly. Yeosang came back with two bowls of ramen, preparing them and waiting for it to be cooked.

"You've got nowhere to go, do you?"

You pursed your lips, "Boss... he'll kill me once he finds me and gets what he needs."

"Why?"

"Because he'll never believe I kept his secret to myself and did not betray him," your lips quivered, "Because... because I kept the secret to myself after going through everything-"

You didn't know whether it was the relief of escaping alive or the thought of death at your doorstep, or simply the fact that your boss, that bastard would never believe you didn't sell him out- but you were suddenly crying, and you hid your face, turning away from Yeosang as you sobbed, trying to stop but you held it in too long-

Yeosang said your name, which just made you cry harder, telling him between hiccups that you didn't know why you were crying, but he understood. He only rubbed your shoulders as you sniffed, cursing yourself because you were crying in front of Yeosang, of all the people, which could also be the reason why you were crying harder.

"Come with me," Yeosang simply said, turning you to face him, "We'll figure something out. For now, come with me."

"Yeosang," you shook your head, "my boss will go at war with your gang if he knows you guys have me. And he will know, because those men we just escaped from? They're gonna tell him that you, Kang bloody Yeosang, helped me escape. So just drop me off at the port or something- no need to involve yourself-"

"Oh, the ramen's getting soggy," Yeosang, completely ignoring you, handed you chopsticks and blew at his noodles, wowing at how good it tasted, urging you to eat. And you did- because he clearly wasn't ready to have this conversation.

Just as you finished eating, a car stopped in front of the store and Yeosang motioned for you to follow him. Unsure, you did- ironically, he was the only one you could trust right now.

"Why am I even following you when we hate each other," you muttered, and Yeosang scoffed.

"Why am I even inviting you, huh? Get in," he held the door open for you and you sat at the backseat, Yeosang going in the front and when the driver turned to get a look at you-

"You!"

You were going to escape- you weren't sure you would survive the ride to wherever the destination was when the driver was none other than Wooyoung.

"Oh how the tables have turned!" He laughed, Yeosang slapping his arms and looking apologetically at you, as if saying that yes, this was his only option and he's sorry.

"She's been a captive for 3 weeks, can you tone it down a bit?" Yeosang glared at Wooyoung who couldn't stop grinning as he drove.

"Almost didn't recognize you, you poor thing," Wooyoung looked at you from the rear-view mirror and you just stared out of the window, "Did they not feed you there?"

You and Wooyoung were actually on friendlier terms than you and Yeosang had ever been, which came as quite a surprise to everyone who learned that, since Yeosang and Wooyoung went quite a way back and well... Wooyoung was friends with basically everyone. He was someone you warmed up to instantly. And though you weren't his 'friend', you could easily have been because you had never found it difficult to have a simple chat with him whenever they met up for business- or as rivals, in a fight.

"They did not, actually, if you can't tell from my face," you retorted, Wooyoung ooh-ing at your response, noticing that you were very angry right now.

"What do you wanna eat? Come on, I still owe you a meal, don't I? Or was it the other way round?"

It was the other way round, but you weren't going to admit it. "You do. And I would like some coffee and anything with sugar very, very much."

Which was how you ended up in Yeosang's room, wide awake with coffee in your system, digging into the brownies as Yeosang and Wooyoung examined your back, allowing Wooyoung only because apparently he was 'good at this'.

As for Yeosang... he had already seen it.

"I would ask about the old scars, but I feel like it's not my place," Wooyoung bit his lips, meeting Yeosang's gaze and Yeosang nodded, the both of them strangely feeling angered at the sight of her torn back, but you- you were trying to distract yourself.

"Gosh, I could eat the whole box," you muttered as you took a third brownie, and Yeosang shook his head at you, but he was internally pleased to see you eat.

"You'll end up throwing up if you eat too much," Wooyoung warned, "Take the box away, Yeosang."

"No!" You wailed, trying to get up but Yeosang was quicker, the brownies out of reach now. Grumpily, you nibbled at the one in your hand.

"I have to go," Wooyoung read a text from his phone and announced, "Business calls. Yeosang, patch up the wound- you can wash up if you want to first."

"Oh I do," you got up, finishing the brownie, "You better have a good fucking shampoo, Yeosang."

After a very long shower, your back literally burning as you stifled your screams, the shampoo residue stinging the still open wounds, you wrapped yourself in the bathrobe, coming out to get your wounds treated.

Yeosang cleared his throat, realizing that you'd be quite naked as he tended to your back. But all thoughts left him when he beheld your now red wounds.

"Maybe you shouldn't have showered..."

"Please, I felt filthy," you muttered, "Just get it over with."

Yeosang applied ointment to your wounds, his hands gentle, then taped bandages, and before he knew, he was running his finger across an old scar-

And you noticed.

"Who did this to you?"

His voice barely came out as a whisper, and you just ignored the question, asking for clothes. Yeosang handed you new clothes which included a soft button up shirt, trousers and even undergarments, and you eyes him suspiciously.

"Got these at the store," Yeosang simply said, and you realized he had planned all this before hand. Thanking him, you ditched the bra- it would only hurt your wounds and you wore the rest. Coming out of the bathroom, you stood awkwardly, and Yeosang motioned at the chair next to him, where he had been sitting and gazing out at the sky.

You turned on the dim lamp and turned off all other lights before you joined him, and he offered you water, which you gladly took.

"My boss... you know he practically raised me, right?"

Yeosang hadn't expected you to chat with him so he was caught off-guard, but he shook his head yes.

"Well... let's just say he didn't quite know how to tame me."

Yeosang was about to speak but then he realized what you were talking about-

The scars.

"You know nothing justifies what he did to you."

"I know," you sighed, "I know."

"And now... the fact that he'll kill you the first chance he gets-" Yeosang let out a frustrated sigh as he ran his hands through his hair.

"I still have to go-"

"Don't," Yeosang practically begged, surprising you with the desperation that laced his voice, "Don't go back."

"Yeosang-"

"No," he took your hand, surprising you yet again, your heart picking pace, "You don't need to go back, okay? He will find out that you're here and he'll come after us anyway, even if we let you go... but we got you, okay? I got your back. So trust me, and don't go."

You scanned his face- there was no hint of mischief in his eyes anymore, in fact it was worry that you saw. And you were conflicted- in any other situation, you would have known this was a simple prank- something you both often did; making bold confessions out of nowhere just to rile the other person up, but this...

You looked down at the hand that held yours, caressing it absently. And you knew there was nothing but truth here.

"If you insist," you scoffed, "What's got you all chummy, Kang Yeosang?"

Yeosang laughed shyly- shyly? You hadn't expected this either.

"You know what," Yeosang got up, helping you up and taking you to one of the single beds in the room, "We don't have to fight anymore. Why did we fight anyway? Let's be friends instead."

"Now where would the fun in that be?" You retorted, and Yeosang clapped.

"I was going to make fun of you if you were going to say yes," Yeosang smirked, and you realized some of this was a prank after all. You couldn't figure him out. "Get some sleep. It's gonna be a big day tomorrow."

----------------------

"Bloody hell."

All it took was one look at your face for those words to escape Kim Hongjoong's mouth- the gang leader. And you knew you had to be looking horrible for him to lose his demeanor.

Truth be told, you hadn't taken one look in the mirror ever since you got back, and you weren't eager to as well. But you bit your lip as you looked at Yeosang, and he nodded in confirmation.

Bloody hell indeed.

"Tell me you're feeding her," Hongjoong slumped back, "You're all skin and bones."

"I can imagine," you took your seat in front of Hongjoong, only three of you in his office, "now, shall we?"

"So tell me," Hongjoong leaned forward, elbows on the table, "What do I get out of this?"

"Well," you cleared your throat, "I don't have any idea how valuable this key is," you picked it out from your shoe, waving it in the air, "but I am sure it is too valuable to lose. I'll have to see the contents to be sure."

"And you said it belongs to a safe, which is located..."

"We'll have to raid one of my boss' resorts, it seems."

It was Yeosang's idea- all night he had been thinking while you had slept comfortably for the first time- and you had been out for a good 26 hours, especially with the fever. You were force-fed medicines and you were finally able to walk without falling after two days.

So Yeosang had suggested that she join their gang- or stay on the run forever. You couldn't imagine joining their gang since the 8 of them were so closely knit, and you told him, but he was having none of it. Wooyoung came by, agreeing that it was a good idea- all of them already were familiar with you so it wouldn't be too awkward, plus, according to Wooyoung, 'this place needs a feminine touch'.

You could run away- but you knew the life ahead wouldn't be easy that way. You would always be cautious of every step you took and you'd have to look behind your back everywhere. Your boss wouldn't let you live peacefully, ever.

"Raiding is a specialty of ours," Hongjoong grinned, "And you have the key to access something so valuable to your boss that he couldn't risk getting out his most trustworthy employee."

"Correct," you nodded, "What do I get in return?"

"Welcome to the gang," Hongjoong announced, "You'll work with Yeosang and San- you're all assassins, so it shouldn't be a problem. However, you'll have to be faithful."

"Of course," you set your chin high, "I was faithful to my boss even in captivity, but it looks like he betrayed me. So yes, I can guarantee my loyalty as long as you guarantee yours."

Hongjoong scanned your face, slowly nodding, "I say we got ourselves quite a gem, eh Yeosang?"

Yeosang laughed, "Are we not enough for you Hongjoong?"

You were surprised at how casually Yeosang and Hongjoong could interact- with your boss, it had been all formalities and him practicing his authority on anyone and everyone, but this...

It felt warm, and you couldn't help but smile.

"We need to be quick with this operation," Hongjoong said, "We have planted a false trail indicating you ran away, but your former fellow employees will soon realize it's us you're with. How quick can you be?"

"Tonight," you said, nodding at Yeosang, "Let's do it tonight."

----------------

"Are you sure you can do this?" Yeosang asked for the fifth time, and you stopped in the middle of wearing your gear.

"Yeosang," you sighed, "What's got you so worried about me?"

Yeosang noticed the playfulness in your tone, "A number of things, actually. Apart from the fact that this could still be a trap that you're setting us up for, apart from the fact that you might possibly betray us tonight, I do think your physical health isn't so fit right now."

You jumped in the air, "I feel lighter, which means I'll be quicker."

Yeosang raised his brow, waiting for you to address the other problem in question. You counted your daggers and bullets, finally looking at him.

"I can't prove it with words, so you'll just have to see if I pass the test tonight."

"She does have a point," San said as he handed you a bulletproof vest and night vision glasses, "It's not like she'll tell you if she plans on betraying us."

"See," you smirked, "He knows. You're asking dumb questions, Yeosang."

"Well," Yeosang waited for San to leave before slowly stepping forward, until he was almost touching you, his figure towering over you and he glared at you.

"If any of my friends get hurt tonight because of you," Yeosang's voice was deep, making a shiver run down your spine, "I won't spare you."

"Well," you retorted, glaring back, standing on your tip toes, "If you hand me over to the very person who has tortured me all my life and who I finally have the chance to escape from... I'll never forgive you, Kang Yeosang."

Something flashed in Yeosang's eyes, but he only matched your glare, the two of you thinking, none of you moving.

"The tension between them is so obvious," Wooyoung muttered to San, the two of them giggling, and you just hmph-ed at Yeosang before turning away.

"Are we going or what?"

-------------------

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

"I have a good memory, Seonghwa," you tsk-ed at his question, "And when I tell you I saw a glimpse of the address to the resort he most frequently visits, it has to be this- or the one least frequently visited."

"Have you ever seen the safe?" Seonghwa asked, using his binoculars to count the number of men stationed outside, "I have to say, with the number of men stationed outside..."

"My boss is... a dumb man, actually," you admitted, and Seonghwa grinned because you both knew it was true, "He doesn't believe in the art of deception. He's straightforward like that- stationing 40 men outside a single resort? You'd think it was made of gold."

"How has no one robbed him till date?"

"Me," you flipped your hair and Yeosang, who was right next to you, scoffed, "Plus manpower. Simple and efficient."

"Right," Seonghwa slid down from the tree, motioning for everyone to gather for the plan.

"Alright, we have to get her inside since she won't just hand over the key to us," Seonghwa gave you a side-eye and you stuck your tongue out, "Our first priority is getting Yeosang and her inside, and we'll prevent any of those men entering the house."

"I'll distract them," Wooyoung said, winking once before acting like a drunken person, a bottle in his hand as he sang a song about illusions, slowly trailing to the path that led to the gate. Meanwhile, San went at the back, acting the same and you and Yeosang waited for the cue while Yunho and Seonghwa went to clear the path.

And a few moments later, when fire lit the sky, you and Yeosang jumped over the wall, swiftly running to the nearest window and getting down.

"I know where the alarms are, but there's no guarantee if boss replaced some after I got caught," you whispered, motioning for him to follow you, "The safe is actually in the basement, or so the rumours say."

"Let's get inside," Yeosang said, breaking the window with a rock and clearing the glass with his sleeve, entering first and making sure it was clear before allowing you to enter, and as soon as you did-

You jumped on Yeosang, landing on the floor, the bullet narrowly escaping his head, and in a quick motion your dagger went flying for the attacker's heart, rendering him immobile. Yeosang was breathless for a few moments before getting up.

"Watch your back," you said, taking the dagger out and sliding it back, letting the man bleed to death- you didn't look at his face, because you knew you'd recognize him- or anyone who dies tonight, as a matter of fact.

"Thanks," Yeosang breathed, and you led the way to the stairs, noticing two men stationed at the door of the single room in the basement.

"Now that's an upgrade too," you muttered, turning to look at Yeosang who was so close to you as he peeked over you that your face bumped on his shoulder, "Back off a bit, give me space to breathe."

Yeosang purposely got closer, almost making you lose your step and fall in front of the guards, and you slapped his arm as he stifled a giggle, "This is no time to play!"

"Oh? What time do we play then, pray tell?"

Ignoring him, you loaded your gun with tranquilizers, Yeosang doing the same, aiming to take the guards one on one since they had the element of surprise. Knocking them out in seconds and unarming them, you tried opening the door that was locked.

"Okay, hear me out," you said, raising your hands in surrender, "I have no idea what's inside. This could be a trap, we could find too much inside, I don't know what happens, okay?"

"Okay," Yeosang practically dismissed your statement, bending over to unlock the door with pins, and you sighed.

"I'm serious," you warned, "I'm not responsible for whatever happens."

Having unlocked the door, Yeosang sighed, putting his hands on your shoulders as he scanned your surprised face.

"I... I know. I know you can be trusted, just don't let me down on your part, will you?"

The dim lights were making Yeosang's facial structure seem like art- truly a sculpture. You gulped, nodding, and didn't miss the smirk as he took his hands off, nodding at you once and opening the door.

It was a simple room set like an office, but-

Another room.

"I'm betting 10 that there's an assassin who's not me or you in this room-"

Yeosang almost knocked the breath out of you as he whirled you at the side, meeting the said assassin's dagger with his own, the two engaging in close combat and it took you a few seconds to grasp the situation, taking a dagger in each hand and waiting for an opening-

But the two were blindingly quick and a grunt of pain escaped Yeosang as the dagger sliced his arm, and at the very moment when Yeosang's defense dropped and the assassin let loose-

You sent the dagger flying for the nape of his neck, grinning when it hit home.

"Go easy with the killings, will you?" Yeosang shook his head, examining his arm, "Who pissed you off tonight?"

"I can't believe my boss stationed a person here who is not me when I'm the one he's supposed to have been trusting the most."

Yeosang stared at you- your training had taught you to kill brutally and that was a fact known to everyone, and he realized you were your boss' right hand for a reason.

You were practically invincible, and oh, he never realized how hot you looked in your assassin gear.

"You done gawking?" You said, bending down to unlock the door you hoped was the last door tonight, and Yeosang shook his head as he grinned.

"The old you is back, it seems," he said, referring to your tone.

"That's still me, don't expect me to be all chummy with you-"

"Easy with this pin," Yeosang's hand slid over yours, guiding it to twist the pin in the door and you didn't hear the door unlock because all you could hear was Yeosang's breath near your ears.

He was getting to you, and both of you knew it.

As if on purpose, he slid his hand across your arm before withdrawing it away, opening the door before you could question his actions-

"That is one big ass safe."

You breathed- Yeosang was right. It was one big ass safe alright. You took out the key that you had safely taped to your bra, Yeosang watching with his mouth agape, and you both held your breath unconsciously when you put in the key, marveling at how it fit right in and turned it.

You opened the door to reveal a shitload of papers- documents, probably property documents and whatnot, but in the middle of it was another password protected safe.

"Should we just, I don't know, carry it with us?"

"Boss isn't that dumb," you let out a short laugh at Yeosang's question, motioning at the wire behind the locker, indicating it was either going to combust or activate an alarm if anything went wrong.

"Now what?" Yeosang said.

"First of all, now you know I can be trusted."

Yeosang scanned you. "For all I know, there's gonna be a 'got you' card inside."

You rolled your eyes, burning holes as you glared at the locker- as if your eyes could unlock them. "Now what could the password be?"

"Try 0000."

"Yeosang," you sighed, running a frustrated hand through your hair, "It must be a date- an important date to him."

Yeosang's phone vibrated, and he picked it up, his eyebrows furrowed in worry as he listened.

"They're largely outnumbered now," Yeosang said, "We have two minutes max. Think."

"I can't think right now," you groaned, clenching your hair, "There must be a number of possibilities. I can't go back without checking the locker, Yeosang, without taking what he has, he'll come and get me-"

"Hey, hey," Yeosang called your name, grabbing you by the arms and making you sit on a chair he dragged, rubbing your shoulders in comfort.

"You are a genius, you know that, right? You know you got a brain that works, right?"

You nodded, "Not working."

Yeosang shook his head at your words, watching your leg fidget and your hands tremble as time ran out, and you had to stand up because this was too much-

"Look at me," Yeosang said, and you turned, not expecting what happened next, which was Yeosang's hands cupping your face, tucking your hair aside gently, basically just...

Comfort touch. That's what it was.

"Relax," he whispered, "You'll be safe whether we get this or not. I won't let anything happen to you, you hear me?"

You couldn't really hear him, in fact, because your heart was pounding loudly because of the pressure and the situation you were in right now. Yeosang brought you closer, wrapping his arms around you, his hand caressing your head.

"Take a deep breath, with me, come on," he instructed, and you followed, your breaths syncing, "You've done so well. You've held on for so long, any one would have given in by now. But not you. You know why?"

Yeosang drew back, caressing your face.

"Because you're strong. You're the strongest person I know, you hear me?"

You knew it wasn't the time to cry, but you couldn't stop the tears that pricked your eyes, and Yeosang only smiled as he wiped your eyes, planting a lingering kiss on your forehead.

"You have 3 tries. We can try, or we can turn back. It's your choice."

"We have to try," you said, and Yeosang nodded.

"Do your best. I got you."

You were glad for the words and were convinced there was some magic to all this because suddenly your head was clear, and you stepped inside the safe, entering your boss' birthday-

The beep that sounded was awful.

"It's okay, go on," Yeosang rubbed your back gently, and you nodded, entering the date he became the leader of this gang-

Wrong.

"I don't know," you cried, but Yeosang only hugged you again, assuring you it didn't matter, and though you told him it could be dangerous, he only said they'd had enough time to take cover in case that happened.

You wracked your brain- what was so important to him that he'd use it as a password?

It felt like you were downed in ice as realization dawned upon you-

He had handed you the key.

He had always told people that you were his most important asset.

It had to be the date he met you for the first time.

You went down memory lane as you recalled the events of that time 15 years ago- when you had just been a child, freshly orphaned and left with what people presumed was your father's insurmountable wealth all passed down to you (but had been passed to charity, from what you knew)- but because your father had enemies, you had been running for your life until your boss- your father's friend- had found you and taken you in.

You were suddenly dreading what the locker held in.

Your fingers felt numb as you pressed the date and waited for that awful beep to sound- but the only sound you heard was Yeosang's gasp as the locker clicked open.

"You did it," Yeosang breathed, clapping.

"I did it," you laughed, looking at Yeosang, "I did it."

"Take whatever you want," Yeosang said, "No time to look, fill our bags and let's get away."

You nodded, Yeosang opening the bags and you filling it with the cash, the gold bars and some documents- you made sure the locker was as empty as new before you shut it, shutting the safe too and taking the key with you, Yunho joining you as soon as you exited the building, and you stopped for a second, burying the key beneath a random plant only you would remember.

You saw all the men knocked out on the way and you had to praise Seonghwa, Wooyoung, Yunho and San for so efficiently having done the job, only minor cuts and bruises as the damage. You didn't dare open the bags until you were back in the room with Yeosang, the rest giving you the space you needed because it was your right to see it first.

And yours alone- however Yeosang had tagged along casually, and you didn't mind.

"I can't believe this," you groaned, "In my enemy's room, with my boss' wealth at my feet."

"That sounds... interesting," Yeosang smirked, and you rolled your eyes, "I like it better when we're not at each other's throats."

"I don't," you said casually, but it looked like Yeosang had other plans as he slid behind you, drawing your hair at one side and whispering in your ear-

"How about being at each other's throats... like this?"

You had to squeeze your eyes shut at the feel of his breath on your skin as he breathed in, his nose tingling your neck-

"Yeosang-"

"Shh," he whispered, his arms wrapping around your waist, "I want you so bad."

You couldn't tell if this was him getting at you like he used to- back when things were normal. He'd do things like this to rile you up, and though you both would never admit it, it turned you both on in inexplainable ways. However, you were always confused as to what he wanted-

You turned around, grabbing Yeosang's hands before he could try anything, "Can you stop being a dick for two minutes?"

"You think I don't want you?" Yeosang raised his brow as he pulled you dangerously close, "You think I'm lying?"

"I wouldn't believe you, Kang Yeosang," you glared at him, "All you do is lie anyway."

"I've never lied about how I felt about you."

"And that's a lie too."

Yeosang groaned in frustration, "Why do you think I never made a move on you?"

You pursed your lips- was he actually serious about this?

"All this... flirting we did, as 'enemies'- and what a title for us when all I wanted was you this close to me," Yeosang sighed, and you couldn't believe what you were hearing, "I didn't want to get you in trouble with your boss- I knew he was an animal. I care about you, even though it might not seem like it. And now that I know what an absolute monster he's been to you..."

You watched Yeosang's brows furrow in a pained expression as he brought his hand to your face.

"I'm never going to let you go back."

You sighed, leaning into his touch, and that was all the confirmation he needed as he brought his face closer until your lips brushed-

And then he drew back.

"You might want to make sure nothing in there would change your mind," Yeosang's voice was hoarse, "I don't... I'm not doing this if you are going to go away."

Your knees were already weak and truth be told, you knew nothing in there would change your mind- you were never going back, not to him. You sighed, resting your head against Yeosang's chest as you calmed your breathing, not looking at him as you made your way to the bag which contained the documents.

You examined them one by one, Yeosang counting the cash and the gold in the meanwhile, and by the time you were done, you were crying rather hysterically.

"What's the matter?" Yeosang rubbed your back but you just slumped further down in the bed as you muffled your cries, muffled your screams. Yeosang held you as you cried, and between your sobs you managed to say some words-

Lies. Betrayal.

Your boss... he had never been that dumb, alright. He'd given 10 year old you the proof you needed- fake documents that said your father's wealth had been passed down to charity except a small amount for you, which wasn't enough in any way. However, the documents in your hands now said otherwise-

Your father, one of the wealthiest businessman of his time, had left all his wealth to his sole heir- you. He'd left nothing to his friend- your boss. Everything inside the locker, all the contents belonged to you alone- all legal money so you wouldn't get in trouble for it.

You cried for the life you could have had, for the pain of the scars you had on your back.

And Yeosang was fuming as he heard that, promising to teach your boss a lesson- and his tone said he was serious.

Sipping from the cup of coffee that Yeosang got for you, you finally calmed down, looking at the cash and the gold spread around you in sets.

"All of this... it's only yours."

"What am I gonna do, with all of this?"

"Anything you want," Yeosang's smile was genuine.

"Tell me one thing, Yeosang," you set your cup down, "Why do you like me?"

Yeosang sighed, smiling, "You got me good since the day we met. I did hate you at first, just like you must have hated me, but... somehow, I started looking forward to our interactions."

You smiled, shaking your head, making him laugh out loud- the laugh that had always been music to your ears.

"What am I going to do with you, Kang Yeosang?"

Yeosang couldn't take it anymore- he climbed on the bed, crawling forward until his lips met yours, and the sigh that escaped you said enough.

Finally.

Fucking finally.

Your arms immediately wrapped around his neck as he pushed you back, getting on top of you and kissing you, the kisses picking pace with every passing second, and he had to break apart when you groaned into the kiss.

"I wish I did this earlier," he couldn't breathe.

"Never too late," you smirked, and he brought his mouth back on yours, moving in unison, and you marveled at how they fit as if made for each other. One of his hands guided your face, holding at your neck, his thumb caressing your face while the other roamed around your waist, teasingly slow.

Yeosang broke the kiss, catching his breath as he took his time to memorize your face, his eyes roaming slowly around, taking in the curves and angles.

He caught you by surprise when he started peppering soft kisses all over your face- on your forehead, cheeks, nose, until you were a blushing mess and you couldn't take it anymore.

"You owe me one, remember?"

It took you a good moment to realize what he was talking about: when he had freed you from captivity.

You did owe him one.

You scanned his face, biting your lip. What was he thinking?

Before you could ask, he was kissing your jaw, travelling down your neck, satisfied grunts escaping both of you and you almost forgot what he had just said until he mumbled-

"I want you. So. Bad."

Your stomach sank dangerously at his words, and you just responded by fisting his shirt and connecting your mouths again, and Yeosang started unbuttoning your shirt and broke apart only to take off his own, going to attack your neck, wringing out moans from you as he teased your bare skin, his hands going lower and lower, stopping again as he scanned your eyes for any sign of discomfort, smiling when he found them dazed instead.

"You owe me one." He caressed your face so gently, as if it held something fragile, "Don't leave. Stay here, with me. That's what I want."

"I was going to tell you to keep it for later because I was going to stay anyway," you smirked, "too bad you've lost your opportunity-"

"I take it back," Yeosang laughed, kissing your forehead, "How come you've decided to stay?"

You took a deep breath, thinking how to word it and Yeosang lay down with you, "I've always admired how close knit the 8 of you are, and work like friends, without hierarchies, without pulling ranks. And the way you're willing to accept me, no questions asked... I'm overwhelmed, to be honest."

Yeosang smiled, tracing shapes on your waist, making you tickle slightly, "We're practically friends, the guys adored you anyway."

"You hated me!"

"Never," Yeosang shook his head, "I just needed a reason to talk to you and rile you up. You know how I love it when you frown at me or glare at me-"

You slapped Yeosang's hand, making him laugh out loud, "I hate you."

"Do you, now?"

"Anyways," you gulped, ignoring the devilish smirk on his face, "You have to let me do one thing."

Though Yeosang strongly rejected your idea, you only pushed forward, seeing it as a sort of investment, promising it wasn't a gift and you were getting something out of it too- though everyone thought it was too much to accept, especially Hongjoong. But you told them you weren't going to take the money to your grave-

And you had to take your property back from your boss.

The very lavish house he lived in that belonged to you- you had to take it back. He wasn't allowed to dwell there anymore. You were going to whip him like he did to you all those years, and if you felt merciful enough, you would give him the gift of death. And then you'd get your boys out of the old mansion they currently lived in, and make your house the new residence.

You didn't let yourself be distracted by anyone- especially Yeosang- as you planned the downfall of your previous gang, and when you stood outside your home, the 8 of them by your side, you kissed Yeosang and made him promise he wouldn't interfere and wouldn't risk his life, making everyone promise the same.

"Once night time comes," Yeosang growled in your ear, "I am gonna make you mine."

You practically melted right there- you wanted to tell him that he already owned you. But you only sighed, nodding.

He had you alright.

And he only proved it when it was the middle of the night, your bodies still sore from all the fighting, your minds relieved because you were now in your home, safe, and your boss was... well, dead, not before you made him sign a document that made you the sole heir to all his property and wealth as well. The men and women, his employees, either died fighting or surrendered- most of them had known you and hated their boss like you did.

It had been laughably easy.

And you could have said you were prepared for how the events turned out, but nothing could have prepared you for when you and Yeosang finally went in your room and he shut the door, practically slamming you against the wall as he kissed the living soul out of you.

And you knew it was gonna be a long, long night, especially with the both of you fighting for dominance, none of you giving in, clothes off in a hurried motion, slamming on basically every wall and furniture, marking each other's skin and making each other moan so loud you were positive everyone heard it.

And as you lay in bed, in Yeosang's embrace, you felt safe, for the first time in your life.

"I think I like us better when we're at each other's throats after all," you grinned, making Yeosang open one eye to see what you actually meant. And his smile told you he wasn't disappointed.

"I like us better like that too," Yeosang said, making you squeal as he attacked your neck with kisses and bites again.

Better than Perfect

You meet a cute rapper at the BBMAs.

Request: I would like to request a Yoongi x Reader Oneshot in which the reader is a young Singer-Songwriter and they meet at the BBMAs (it’s the readers first time there) :)

Pairing: Yoongi x Reader

Word Count: 3.7k

Genre: Flooooffy fluff

|mlist|

“You’re kidding.”

Sana shakes her head, biting her lip to hold back a grin. “Cross my heart. You’re nominated for Top New Artist!”

“Oh my god!” you shriek, jumping up and down. “I didn’t think– I can’t believe–”

“Hey, you earned this.” Sana’s eyes go from gleeful to focused in a second. “Now, we need to take advantage of this while we can. You’re not performing, which is fine– it is only your first time there. As for your outfit … I can cash in a lot of favors to get you something from Gucci’s new line, and then we have to practice interview questions… I think we can find you a late night spot–“

“Sounds great,” you interrupt, clapping your hands. If you let Sana go into Full Agent Mode, she won’t come back for a while. “I’m gonna head to the studio, text me when I can, y’know, do anything.”

Sana nods, gripping your arm. “Alright. Y/n, I can’t tell you how happy I am for you.”

You blink hard to hold back tears. “Th-thanks.”

“Get going, superstar.”

Twenty minutes later finds you in the extra room that you converted into a music studio when you first moved to the city. Biting your lip, you scribble lyrics into your battered notebook. Sure, you can dance– sort of– and singing is a strength of yours, but for you it’s always been about the lyrics. Nothing matters more to you than the message you send, and finding the perfect rhythm and syllable count to convey that message is always your goal. You’re just working on a new song, tapping out a beat on your thigh, when your phone rings.

“Hello?”

“AAAAAAAH!”

You laugh. “Hi, Sunmi.”

“You got nominated oh my god I’m so proud I’m already crying why didn’t you tell me?!”

You lean back in your chair. “I found out less than an hour ago, girlfriend.”

“That’s literally too long,” Sunmi whines. “I need time to plan your BBMA-winning party.”

“You know for a fact that I won’t win– my first nomination? No way.”

“You’re winning or I’m fighting you,” Sunmi insists. “You’re good, y/n, really good. You just need to go to the BBMAs and be your beautiful badass talented self and they’ll be throwing trophies at you.”

“Sounds terrifying.”

Sunmi scoffs. “Not as terrifying as me if my best friend doesn’t win. Call me when you’re getting ready for the BBMAs so I can help out.”

“Will do,” you laugh.

“Oh, and do you know Korean?”

To anyone else, it’s a weird question, but you’ve always been a polyglot– you pick up languages with ease. You’re fluent in English, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin, and Russian.

“Not too well, but I’ll practice. Why do you ask?”

You hear Sunmi giggle. “Definitely practice, and no reason.”

You sigh in bemusement before hanging up and going back to your lyrics. You’re working on a power ballad, and you’re struggling with the balance between empowerment and unkindness. As much as you’d like to be strong and opinionated in your songs, you can’t afford controversey right now. “Having something doesn’t mean anything… I’m mine alone, don’t need a ring.” You stare at the words before scrunching up your nose and crossing them out. The lyrics need to be perfect.

Time passes, and soon enough the awards show is in less than a week. You’ve spent the last month practicing everything– interview questions, polite clapping, walking in heels, and (just in case) an acceptance speech. You’ve also worked on memorizing the names and faces of all the other nominees. It’s a lot, but at least you can prepare.

“Who would you love to collaborate with?” Sunmi reads from an index card.

“Probably Ariana Grande,” you reply with a smile. “She seems amazing.” Breaking character, you shake your head. “Was that too vague?”

“I think you’re good,” Sunmi replies, tossing the index card aside and reaching for the next one. “Sana told you to be vague, after all.” She squints at the latest question. “How does it feel to be nominated for Top New Artist alongside blah, blah blah?”

You giggle at your friend’s impatience. “It’s a huge honor. It still doesn’t feel real…” you falter, reaching for the perfect words. “Uh, I can’t believe it–”

Sunmi shakes her head. “Nope. You can believe it, remember? You can’t act like you’re not good enough.”

You squeeze your eyes shut. “But I’m not. I’m not perfect enough–”

Your friend rolls her eyes. “When are you gonna stop thinking that? You’ve worked ridiculously hard. You’re the most talented person I know. Get over yourself, because you deserve this.”

You inhale shakily at her words. “Yeah. Yeah, you’re right.”

“Good. Now I’ve got to get going, and don’t you have a meeting with Sana? Good luck,” Sunmi says, blowing you a kiss. “Dedicate your Grammy award to me in a few years.”

You smile at your friend. “Of course.”

As soon as she leaves, you get a text from Sana: My office. Now.

Faster than you think is humanly possible, you find yourself in Sana’s office.

“What’s… wrong…?” you pant, leaning on the wall. Sana looks up from her desk.

“Hm? Oh, nothing,” she says. “I just wanted you here quickly so I could show you these.”

With a flourish she holds up a set of clothes hangers.

“This is what you’re wearing to the airport,” she murmurs distractedly, handing you a stylish outfit. “These two are for your late night interviews, I forget which… Oh, this is for after the awards show, I got you an invite to Justin Beiber’s afterparty… aha!” she pulls out a dress, and your jaw drops.

You’re looking at the most gorgeous black dress you’ve ever seen, a dress shimmering as the light hits it.

“Isn’t it too much?” you whisper in awe. You reach out, but you’re scared to touch it. The cloth looks more expensive than you’ll ever be.

“Nah, you’re gonna wow them. Trust me on this,” Sana winks. “Wigs’ll be flying as soon as you show up.”

You take the dress, stroking the fabric in awe. “I hope you’re right.”

“Aaaand I’m joined by y/n l/n, who’s been making a splash in the charts! Y/n, how does it feel to be nominated for Top New Artist alongside such amazing new stars?”

“It still doesn’t feel real, honestly,” you laugh, alternating eye contact with the red carpet interviewer and the camera. Around you… so this is the hustle and bustle before an awards show. “I’m honored.”

“And who are you wearing tonight?”

You smile graciously. “Gucci.” Giving you just a hint of cleavage and hugging your curves in all the right places, you’ve never felt more powerful.

“Well, you look great, and best of luck to you tonight!”

You’re about to thank the interviewer when a sudden chorus of screams makes you jump. What the hell? You strain your ears, making out a consistent cheer.

“BTS! BTS! BTS! BTS!”

Holy shit, they’re here. You’ve done your fair share of googling on the nominees– BTS is easily the biggest boy band in the world, known for their dedicated fanbase. You’ve listened to some of their songs, and they’re talented to say the least– but you don’t have time to get distracted, as you’re soon approached by another interviewer.

Your feet are aching by the time the cameras follow the guests inside, and you’re led to your seat. Why a barely known singer like you has been seated in the very front row, you don’t understand, but you’re not complaining– Sana will be squealing at the additional screentime.

The front row is barely filled in by the time you sit down. There are seven empty seats to your right, and you’re left twiddling your thumbs, your body tense with nervous energy.

A few minutes later, you hear the roar of another thousand teenage girls, and you twist around. Looks like BTS has entered the building, and when one of the members raises their hand to wave the volume of the screams increases tenfold.

You stare in awe. That’s what it means to be famous. These guys… these guys have made it. They’re perfect. They’re talented. They’re… sitting next to you?

You hold your breath as the members settle in their seats. Beside you, if those Wikepedia articles you read are correct, is Suga. He’s… wow, he really is even more attractive in person.

You keep your eyes trained on the stage as the MC of the night begins to talk, but you can’t help but focus your attention on your peripheral vision. You’re entranced by the ethereal beauty of the men beside you.

“And we’ll be right back!” you hear the MC say, snapping you out of your fog. The first commercial break already?

You turn, and you’ve never been more grateful to your best friend– you’ve been focusing on Korean ever since Sunmi mentioned it, so that now…

“Hello,” you say to Suga.

He notices, his eyes widening in surprise. “You speak Korean?”

You hold your thumb and index an inch apart. “A little bit. I’m learning.”

“Hyung, we’re getting some drinks,” one of the members– RM, perhaps?– says. “You coming?”

“In a second,” Suga replies, his eyes trained on you. Something in his gaze sends shivers down your spine.

“You should go with them,” you breathe as the members file away. “The cameras will want to see you all together.”

“The cameras see us together enough,” Suga says, leaning back and folding his arms. “How do you know Korean?”

You shrug. “I’m good with languages. My friend told me to improve my Korean–” you laugh. “Now I know why.”

Suga smiles. It’s a cute smile: his lips pull up above his gums and his catlike eyes sparkle with delight. Inside your chest your heart flutters, but you calm yourself– you’re not here to pick up guys, and idols like him basically can’t date anyways–

“Are you nominated or here as a guest?” he asks.

“Oh, uh, I’m nominated for Top New Artist,” you say, beginning the sentence in Korean and finishing in English. “I’m small fry.”

Suga raises his brows. “Seems like a big deal.”

“Not as big as you,” you reply. “Top Social Artist, right? That’s impressive.”

“Yeah.” Suga tries for a smile, but his eyes dull a bit.

“Is… is something wrong?”

“Ah, no.” Suga rubs his temples. “It’s just… don’t get me wrong, a BBMA is a huge honor for a foreign group like us, but I feel like people care more about our fanbase than our music.”

He shakes his head, covering his face with his hands. “Aah, that sounded bad, sorry.”

“Not at all,” you reassure him. “Trust me, I’m a songwriter, and I get more questions about my outfits than my lyrics. It can be frustrating, huh?”

“You write your own songs?”

You open your mouth to reply when the lights start flickering to signal the commercial break’s end. The other members of BTS return to their seats as the MC takes the stage once more to introduce the next performer.

“Are you performing?” Suga whispers while the audience applauds.

“God, I wish. I’m not nearly famous enough,” you whisper back. “You are, aren’t you?”

“Yeah.” Suga winks at you, and you blush happily. “Look forward to it.”

You feel your phone buzz and you check it discreetly.

Sana: Quit flirting, there are cameras on you.

Your head snaps up and you notice the familiar red blinking lights of dozens of cameras around the grand room, some of them apparently trained on you. Or rather, you acknowledge, trained on the members of BTS.

You focus on the stage once more, glueing a smile to your face as two more trophies are awarded.

“After the break, Ariana Grande is back with her latest single!” The MC says, smiling brightly into the camera. “Coming up, Top Social Artist and Top New Artist. We’ll be right back!”

As soon as the lights brighten to signify they’re no longer broadcasting, you lean over to Suga.

“Gee, I wonder who’s gonna win Top Social Artist,” you tease.

Suga shakes his head bemuseadly. “No clue.”

“Turn around and make a heart with your hands,” you suggest. “Every single scream is a vote for you winning. And I’ve heard some of your stuff, you guys deserve it. Your lyricist should get a raise.”

Yoongi laughs. “I’ll tell the others, but I think we’re pretty well off already.”

“Huh?”

“Me, Namjoon, and Hobi-ssi, sometimes the others– we write and produce a lot of our music.”

“Really?” you ask in wonder. “I thought… I mean, you’re such big stars…”

Suga shrugs. “We love the music as much as the performance. Could you ever quit songwriting?”

“Never,” you reply instantly, and you’re about to say something else when the lights dim again. Suga turns back to the stage and for a second you can’t help but be struck by his side profile. He truly is inhumanly beautiful. And funny, and kind, and passionate… he is perfection, you decide.

Another buzz from your phone.

Sana: If u keep staring at him ur gonna be a meme before midnight smh

Blinking guiltily, you tune in just in time to hear the MC finish up the nominations for Top Social Artist.

“…and BTS!”

The accompanying screams drown out any hope you have of wishing Suga luck.

“And the Billboard Music Award goes to…”

You cross your fingers behind your back. Sure, you only met Suga this evening, but there’s something about him that makes you feel as though he’s an old friend. You want him to win.

“BTS!”

You clap politely as a clip of the group’s latest single begins playing. Suga turns and says something to you before standing, but it’s lost amid the rabid screams of the fangirls. The septet files onstage to accept the award and RM makes a speech, all graciousness and gratitude. When the music swells once more the group disappears backstage to take pictures, and a sudden realization turns your blood to ice: your category is next.

The MC makes a short introduction full of scripted puns and half-clever witticisms before introducing the nominees for Top New Artist. You’re screaming inside as you hear your name:

“…and y/n l/n!”

From the crowd you can hear the yells of some of your fans or those that’ve heard your latest single. The song blew up way past expectation, landing you this nomination.

“And the Billboard Music Award goes to…”

Time slows down. Or does it speed up? Are you even breathing? You don’t think so. Your skin prickles in anticipation and your heartbeat is deafening, but the cameras are trained on you and so all you do is smile hopefully, twining your fingers together. It’s fine. You won’t win, no way. It’s fine.

“Y/n l/n!”

Huh? You’re frozen for a second, surely you misheard, for a second you thought they’d announced your name, and around you people are clapping and the guy to your left is nudging you forward and when you stand up the cheers get louder and wait a second they’re cheering for you.

You walk– actually, you practically float– to the stage. Do you really deserve it?

You accept the trophy from the MC and step up to the mic.

“Wow.” You look at the audience and swallow. You have precious few minutes to speak, and you’ll use them.

“Every moment of my life is spent working towards becoming perfect,” you say. “Whenever I get close, ‘perfect’ seems to get farther away. And I’ve realized that being an artist means not being perfect, but being better. Thank you to my parents, my amazing agent Sana, of course Sunmi. Y’all make me better.” You smile at the camera. “But my biggest thanks have to go to my fans. You inspire me every day to become better, and you make me believe that I can be better. Every note, every lyric– that’s all you guys. Thank you!”

You walk backstage to the sound of applause, swelling with pride.

“Y/n! Over here!” A photographer waves you over, motioning to a backdrop. “Could you stand right here? Hold up the trophy– like that, perfect! Okay, we’re good. You can get back to your chair now. Door’s that way.”

Well, that was easy. You head in the direction the photographer indicated, turning a sharp corner and suddenly bumping into someone.

“Oh! My bad, I– oh.” You’ve accidentally run into another member of BTS– Jimin, you think?

You switch to Korean. “Sorry, I should’ve watched where I was going.”

The singer’s expression changes to delight at your words. “Yoongi hyung, is this the girl you mentioned?”

Suga suddenly appears from behind Jimin, and you let out a surprised squeak.

Suga chuckles. “Yeah, she was sitting next to me. Had the nerve to say she wasn’t fluent.” He eyes you teasingly.

You decide to ignore his snark. “What are you guys doing back here?”

“Jimin-ssi had to use the restroom, and I wanted to greet the top new artist,” Suga says with a smirk. “Whoever it may be.”

“Bullshit, you heard me win,” you reply.

He shrugs, and you notice Jimin has already hastened back to his seat. “Maybe I wanted to chat,” Suga continues. “Without the cameras, because I’ve already gotten scolded for talking to you so much.”

You laugh. “Hey, me too.”

“We never really introduced ourselves,” Suga says. He offers you his hand and you shake. “I’m Min Yoongi– Yoongi’s my first name– I’m a rapper, lyricist, and overall pretty average person.”

“Y/n l/n,” you reply. “Singer, lyricist, and overall incredibly awkward nerd.”

Yoongi laughs, a surprised and mirthful sound that makes your heart skip a beat.

“Are you going to an afterparty?” you blurt out.

Yoongi thinks. “Joonie mentioned… yeah, I think so, if our managers are okay with it.” He clucks his tongue. “Parties here are hard, with only one translator. It doesn’t give us a lot of freedom to move around.”

“That’s a shame,” you say, sudden confidence overtaking you. He’s been nothing but flirtatious all night, why shouldn’t you reciprocate? “If we were going to the same party, I could be your personal translator for the entire night.”

Yoongi looks at you, a mischivious glint in his eye. “Whose afterparty are you going to?”

“Justin Beiber’s.”

“Huh. Well, c’mon, we have to get back to our seats,” Yoongi says, gesturing to the backstage exit.

Just as you open the door, you hear the MC’s voice: “We’ll be right back!”

“A commercial break already?” you hiss at Yoongi, and he shrugs.

“To them, it’s all money, isn’t it?”

“Hyung!” RM suddenly rushes up to Yoongi. “We need to get changed, we’re on after the next two awards!”

Good luck, you mouth at Yoongi as RM leads him away.

Thanks, he mouths back, winking.

You settle in your seat as the commercial break ends and the next two awards are given away. From time to time you smile randomly– how could you not? Yoongi is by far the most attractive man you’ve ever met and he’s more than attractive; he’s just so cute…

You’re snapped out of your stupor by the announcement of the next performance: “And here’s the record-smashing phenomenon with their latest single. Give it up for BTS!”

After the performance, you’re still in a daze. They were just so good. You couldn’t help but be captivated by Yoongi’s raps. Whatever he may think, you’re not fluent, and so you only got about seventy percent of his verse but still it was so good…

You’re still thinking about it when you’re led to your trailer to change into your afterparty outfit, a tight-fitting but not uncomfortable cocktail dress. You’re still thinking about it when you arrive at the party location with no clue as to how you got there. You’re standing in Justin Beiber’s living room, positively dumbstruck, when you feel a tap on your shoulder. You whirl around to see–

“Yoongi!” you want more than anything to give him a quick hug, but you refrain. The other members surround him.

“Hi, I’m y/n,” you introduce yourself nervously. That much beauty at once is intimidating.

Yoongi says something quickly to the other members in a dialect you don’t understand, and the six of them surreptitiously melt into the crowd.

“What was that?”

Yoongi smirks. “I was promised a personal translator. I don’t want to share you tonight.”

Somehow his words sound far from innocent. “Whatever you’re thinking, I’m not that kind of girl,” you warn him.

Yoongi snorts. “I was gonna ask if you wanted to go for a walk in the backyard. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my hands to myself.” As if to prove his point, he jams his hands into his pockets.

You giggle, following him onto the perfectly manicured lawn. You and Yoongi stay outside for hours or maybe days, and at some point you look down and notice his fingers intertwined with your own.

“Didn’t you say you’d keep your hands to yourself?” you ask, raising an eyebrow.

“Do you want me to?”

The word is out of your mouth before you have time to regret it: “No.”

Yoongi grins widely. “You’re too smart for a hurried party hookup. I have an idea, if you’re interested… it might mean we can see each other after I fly home?”

“Tell me.”  

“Want to collaborate? I heard that clip of you singing earlier, god, I could write a thousand songs for that voice of yours.”

“Collaborate… with you? On a song?”

“Not if you don’t want to,” Yoongi says hurriedly.

The human embodiment of perfection– better than perfection– is asking to collaborate. “Are you kidding? It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, in more ways than one.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

You lean towards Yoongi until your noses are mere centimeters apart. The space between your bodies feels electric. “Whatever you want it to.”

A/N thanks for the request, @minanna01! I hope I did your vision justice. As always, my inbox is open and feedback is welcome and appreciated :)

Petals In The Wind

Pairing: Writer!Jin x Botanist! Namjoon

Genre: Fluff| Very light angst | Smut

Word Count: 6.3k

Prompt: Cherry Blossoms

Rating: 18+ (bc of the smut, thats about it)

Summary:  Jin, a young writer in Seoul has always had problems writing in the Spring. He can’t seem to find any inspiration, even in the season where many others write of love and flowers in bloom. Everything changes when he meets a young, handsome aspiring botanist named Namjoon.

A/N: @kimlinebiased Hey honey! This is your gift uwu. Also I know the prompt was Cherry Blossoms but I suppose I got a little carried away with the plum blossoms too, huh? Please enjoy and let me know what you think c’:

AO3 Link

Kim Seokjin never considered Spring to be one of his favorite seasons. It rained too much for his liking and despite the fact that it gave him ample opportunities to flourish and write, the artist found that the very concept of Spring was overrated and overused. Jin believed there weren’t many things that could inspire him to actually finish his work in Spring, and that the season would just be a dead zone of sorts as far as his writing went.

Until that day.

Keep reading

Eunoia // Masterlist

eunoia (noun): beautiful thinking, the possession of a well-balanced mind, which exhibits goodwill and kindness

Pairings: Hybrid! BTS x reader

Summary: You are a world famous director and you have dedicated your life to your job.You have everything you could ever dream of; wealth, recognision, talent, your friends and family. But loneliness ins’t cured by success. So what happens when you somehow rescue seven hybrids? Can they fill the void?

Genre: Angst, fluff, hurt/comfort, eventual smut

Warnings: past abuse, past sexual abuse

Part I

✧ Chapter 1

✧ Chapter 2

✧ Chapter 3

✧ Chapter 4

✧ Chapter 5

✧ Chapter 6

Part II

✧ Chapter 7

✧ Chapter 8

✧ Chapter 9

✧ Chapter 10

Part III

✧ Chapter 11

✧ Chapter 12

✧ Chapter 13

✧ Chapter 14

✧ Chapter 15

✧ Chapter 16

Part IV

✧ Chapter 17

✧ Chapter 18

✧ Chapter 19

✧ Chapter 20

✧ Chapter 21

✧ Chapter 22

Part V

✧ Chapter 23

✧ Chapter 24

✧ Chapter 25

✧ Chapter 26

A Hard Day’s Night - One

Masterlist

Summary: After graduation from the FBI Academy, all new agents go through a year of New Agent Training before becoming official agents of the bureau. By some stroke of luck, you get assigned to complete your training with the department you’ve always wanted to join– the Behavioral Analysis Unit. You signed up for a year of profiling, case work, and catching serial killers, but you’re in for more than you could ever dream of…

Chapter Summary: As the newest and youngest member of the BAU, you’re always looking to prove yourself. The perfect opportunity arises when Hotch asks you to come along to interview a prolific serial killer. Unfortunately, the interview doesn’t quite go as planned…

(A/N: Hello hello! I am beyond pleased to bring you the first chapter in this series! Our twelve-chapter journey begins during the events of season 3, episode 14: “Damaged” and continues from there. Look forward to long chapters, mutual pining, hurt/comfort, found family, bed-sharing, domestic fluff, and even some sexual content 👀. But this is just the beginning, so I hope you all enjoy the ride!)

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine

“A Hard Day’s Night”

You love a good work rhythm. There’s something so satisfying about finding the right music to play, finally sitting in the right position, and then letting the motivation just flow into productivity. 

So you were pretty happy, seated in your place at the round table (you didn’t have a desk), your headphones playing the perfect playlist and your fingers typing up a consultation for a sheriff out in Albuquerque. 

Well, it wasn’t an official consultation. Just a practice consultation. Kind of. 

As a NAT assigned to the BAU for a year of field experience prior to being assigned an official position in the Bureau, you weren’t quite sure how much your work actually impacted the work of the unit. The consultation request was real, but any paperwork you filled out had to go through one of the full-fledged BAU profilers before being sent off to whichever local law enforcement had asked for help. 

In your first few weeks, you were grateful for the extra step between you and the case consultations. Morgan, Prentiss, or Reid would catch the little mistakes in your profiles, usually bringing the case back and helping you figure out how to correct the errors. After almost four months, the mistakes were becoming fewer and further between. Only on the really difficult ones would they have to circle back and help you work through it. Most of the time your paperwork would pass over their desks with a once-over and a nod. 

So far, the Albuquerque case seemed fairly cut and dry. The case showed all the indicators of a sexual sadist. You were relaying the information accordingly when a tap on your shoulder startled you out of your focus. 

You quickly pulled one of the earbuds out, swiveling around in your chair to see Penelope Garcia. 

“Sorry to interrupt, lovie dove,” She smiled apologetically, “But I just heard some good news and I knew I needed to pass it along.” 

With her bright colors and even brighter smile, she’d made you feel welcomed and loved from your very first day with the BAU. You were forever grateful, considering how terrified you’d been. 

You were young, and though every professor and supervisory agent had assured you of your intellectual and professional capabilities, actually facing the work of the famous Behavioral Analysis Unit wasn’t something you could ever feel prepared for. But the cheerful technical analyst had connected with you and taken you under her wing, and the others had followed suit. 

“It’s okay,” You smiled, taking out the other earbud and giving her your full attention. “What’s up?”

“Well, the beautiful city of Atlanta just got two new residents– Jack and Katie Reese.” 

“Jack and Katie–?” You furrowed your brow, trying to understand, before it clicked. “Oh! Jack and Lindsey!” 

Garcia nodded. “All settled into a new neighborhood where, hopefully, things will be better for them.” 

Lindsey Vaughn and Katie Owen were two teenage girls kidnapped in Chula Vista, California a few weeks earlier by a gang of boys led by an incredibly troubled drop-out from Lindsey and Katie’s high school. They killed Katie before the BAU even joined the case, and Lindsey’s father Jack turned out to be a former member of the Irish mob out of Boston, his witness protection status adding an extra layer of complication to the case. 

You stepped up for that case in a way you hadn’t been able to before. Being not too far out of your teenage years, you understood Katie and Lindsey’s behavior and dynamic and the team needed your help more than ever. Katie’s murder hit close to your heart, but Lindsey made it out alive. 

And now she could start over. You hoped she would be able to find safety and happiness in Atlanta. She deserved some security and stability. 

“Oh, that’s great.” You grinned. “And she’s using Katie’s name. That’s…I mean it’s an interesting coping mechanism, but I’m glad to hear it.” 

“She wouldn’t have gotten there without you, mon petit cheri, I hope you realize that.” 

You shook your head, cheeks heating up at the praise as you looked down at the floor.

“No, look at me you little goober,” Garcia squished your cheeks between her hands, making you look up at her. “You were instrumental in finding her before it was too late. You saved her. You did that. We don’t have days like that all the time around here. Hold onto it. Be proud of it. Own that stuff, baby!” 

She let go of your face, doing a little shimmy as if to demonstrate “owning” it. You couldn’t help but laugh, smiling gratefully at her. 

“Thanks, Garcia.” 

“Seriously darling, keep working cases like that and Reid might have competition for his title as resident genius.” 

“Oh, please,” You rolled your eyes, waving her away, “Now you’re just making stuff up.” 

“I don’t know…even Hotch looked impressed after we got back. Do you know how hard it is for him to look like anything?” 

As much as you wished it didn’t, your stomach fluttered at the revelation. 

While most of the team had eagerly adopted you as their kid-sister, one member remained distant and inscrutable– Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner. 

Keep reading

Not Your Wife [Aaron Hotchner]

Pairings: Aaron Hotchner x fem!Reader

Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Derek Morgan, Penelope Garcia, Jennifer "JJ" Jareau, Jason Gideon, Spencer Reid

Words: 11.6K

Summary: They say in college you can find many things, but the most important thing you found was your best friend

Warnings: Typical Criminal Minds violence, vague descriptions of murder scenes, swearing, some allusions to sex, non-sexual nudity, alcohol consumption, nightmares

A/N: Oh my God! I am so excited to finally post my first technically second Criminal Minds fic and honestly, I'm planning for it to be the first of many. Please let me know what you think in the comments! I'm always looking for feedback and I can't wait to give you guys more Hotch content :)

First day of class, freshman year. A new start at a new school with new people and new classes. It was just the kind of revamp you needed to start your adult life. No more taking math because it was required, no more stupid group projects (you hoped at least those seemed to follow you wherever you went) and most importantly you wouldn’t have to see even one person in your graduating class.

With much excitement you entered your first class, taking a seat upfront, there was no way you would risk not being able to see the notes on day one.

Seemed as though someone else was of a similar mind to you, picking the seat right next to yours and pulling out a notebook and pens.

From first glance you could tell he was organized, dressed casually but nicely, his raven-coloured hair combed and styled. Yet he didn’t say one word to you even after getting his things set up.

“Not good at starting conversations?” you asked and his head shot up.

“Hmm, oh sorry,” he apologized. “Guess my mind was wandering a bit,”

“First day jitters, count me in on that one,” you nodded. “You're not from around here?”

“No, but I’d venture a guess and say neither are you,”

“That would be correct,” you said, taking a sharp inhale, but stretched your hand out towards him. “I’m (Y/N),”

He took it and his lips quirked up slightly, “Aaron,”

“Aaron, sounds like a debate team name, were you on the debate team?”

The boy scrunched up his nose like he didn’t want to admit you were right and you smiled triumphantly, pointing a victorious finger at him.

“I knew it! You totally were,”

“Am I really that easy to read?” he asked.

You leaned back in your seat, looking over into his soft brown eyes,

“I mean isn't that why we’re taking the class? To learn to read people? Understand how their minds work?”

“Okay now this is just a shot in the dark but are you a psych major?” he asked sarcastically and you rolled your eyes.

“And you’re not?”

“Haven’t declared yet, we’ll see,” he shrugged. “Might drop the class cause I have a really annoying seatmate,”

“Wow, real smooth Aaron, first day and you’re already picking on people,” you rolled your eyes, but couldn’t help but let out a chuckle, he followed your lead.

The class slowly filled up with more students and when the short arm of the clock hit 11 the teacher didn’t waste a second to start his lecture.

Aaron may have been organized, but behind that exterior was someone with a cheeky and mischievous spirit. In the middle of the lecture, not really a portion that one would need to pay attention to, the teacher had gone off on a tangent, he scribbled something on a piece of paper in his notebook and passed it off to you.

You looked at him curiously, taking the paper from between his fingers and unfolding it to read what it said.

Pick a person and make them a backstory if this guy talks about his racist aunt in Italy for one more second I might die

You tried to hold back a chuckle, turning over the paper and writing

Guy in the red shirt, middle row, got here on a football scholarship and is only taking the class so it can keep his GPA high

You tried to furtively slip the paper back to Aaron and he took it, giving it a read and glanced in the direction you discreetly pointed to with your finger before doing the same thing he had instructed you to do.

By the end of class that seemed to be all you were doing and you missed half the notes as a result. The teacher dismissed you all and you were packing up your bag with your textbook and notes.

“Well, I missed half the class thanks to you Aaron, that might be worse than a group project,”

“You have no regrets, I see it in your eyes,” he retorted.

“Fine, but you owe me,” you said, taking his pen from behind his ear and grabbing his notebook, opening to the first page and scribbling down your name, phone number, and apartment building. “Be there at eight o’clock, I can order pizza and we can go over what we missed together. Deal?”

Aaron smiled and nodded.

“You got a deal (Y/N),”

—

“Aaron Hotchner this is all your fault!” you exclaimed, walking straight into the apartment and tossing down a transcript on the table.

Aaron peeked his head out from the washroom and came into the living room wearing a pair of pants, no shirt and a towel in his hands to dry his dripping wet hair.

“Let me see that,” he reached his hand out and you picked up the transcript, putting it in his hand. “(Y/N),” his eyes looked up at you, head still tilted down towards the paper. “These are A’s,” he noted. “Most people would say that a good thing,”

“Yeah not me,” you grumbled.

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand you,” he shook his head, then proceeded to continue to dry his hair with the towel, its normal neat appearance nowhere to be seen.

“It’s my parents,” you said finally. “They’re going to want me to move back now that my grades are good… because it’ll be ‘easier’ to transfer into the big shot university,”

“Do you want to go back home?” he asked, his face trying to block out any emotions of disdain, but it was still obvious enough for you.

“Not in the slightest,” you shook your head. “Can't leave you here alone can I?” you pressed your lips in a thin line and nodded.

“Just um...can you give me one second?”

You nodded and Aaron jogged over to his room, grabbing a t-shirt and slipping it on and then going into his closet and pulling off his high school grad sweater from the hanger. It had only been two years since he graduated but the sweater was already well-loved because it seemed to have passed hands frequently, it was just as much yours as it was his.

He came back out of the room, the sweater in his hands. He glanced down at the embroidery and the school logo before reaching out and handing it to you.

“If you leave you’re probably gonna need something to keep you warm on the plane,” he said. “Go on (Y/N) I know you want it,”

You ignored the sweater in his hands, instead, rushed into his arms and allowed him to pull you into a tight hug.

“You’re gonna help me find a way to say right?” you whispered.

“Of course,” he nodded. “How else am I supposed to get through studying for McClerick’s midterm next year?”

“I’m sure you would do fine without me Mr. I’m gonna be a lawyer,” you poked. “I’m pretty sure your grades are good enough that they’d just let you into law school now,”

“Still got a little ways to go,” he chuckled. He was about to pull away but you squeezed him a little tighter.

“Not yet,” you shook your head. “Just a little longer,”

He nodded and tightened his grip around you again, pressing a kiss to the side of your head.

“Alright, come one, we had plans tonight, the semester’s over we need a break,”

“Aaron Hotchner needs a break? Sounds like bullshit,” you shook your head. “More like I need a break and you’re humouring me,”

“That would be correct, I have an evaluation for some higher-level courses in a few weeks, but that can wait for a night,”

“You see this,” you poked him in the shoulder, “This is why we’re best friends,”

“Because I forsake my studying for you?”

You nodded, linking your arm with his and dragging him out the door, “Yeah for you that’s the highest honour,”

He let out a small chuckle and nodded his head.

“And for that, I’ll let you chose the movie,”

Aaron grinned triumphantly, already knowing what he was going to pick, you missed his little smile and were instead paying attention to the directions to get to the nearest Blockbuster.

When you entered the store he broke away from you, heading straight for the action/adventure aisle and scanning around for his favourite movie.

“You know if you pick that one you’re gonna have to wear the hat,” you pointed to him while looking for some snacks and treats to buy.

“Hat or no hat, we’re watching it,” he came back, with two movies in hand, “And the second one if we have time,”

“We just got the third one too kid, haven’t brought it out from the back yet,”

“Really?” Aaron’s eyes lit up. He turned over to you, as if to ask permission to get the third installment in the series.

“Oh go on,” you rolled your eyes and he did a small victory dance in his spot while the cashier went to the back to go grab the movie. “What is it with you and Indiana Jones, I mean they’re no Star Wars…”

“Don’t even start (N/N),” he pointed warningly at you. “You’re telling me you never wanted to go off to different countries and look for buried treasure?”

“Nah I’d rather fight my dad in space with a lightsaber,” you retorted and he let a snort slip past before you both burst out laughing.

“Alright, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Temple of Doom, and The Last Crusade,” the man rang the three through the till along with your snacks. “And you guys college students?’ he asked.

You and Aaron both nodded.

“We’ve got a discount going on, if you can show me your student card I can give you 25% off,”

“And that’s why I carry this bad boy around,” Aaron looked at you knowingly while pulling the card out of his wallet.

“Oh this bad boy,” you picked up the card before the cashier could, pointing to the image on the card.

He had decided when it was time to go in for photos that it would be best to wear a white collared shirt with a red tie, his glasses that he rarely even wore to class and that wasn’t the half of it. The photographer had snapped the photo before he even gave him the chance to do a proper smile and his hair, well that was another story. It was at that awkward point where it was longer than he normally wore it, but not long enough to merit a cut. Maybe that time it did though because now that look was completely immortalized in that photo.

“What! The outfit is smart,” he huffed, and snatched the card back from you and gave it to the cashier who tried his best not to snort at the image.

“See, even Mark can’t keep it together, you look ridiculous, honey,”

Aaron sighed and you wrapped an arm around his shoulder, taking the bag from Mark and paying for your stuff before going back to the apartment.

Aaron set up the TV while you went in search of the hat.

“Aaron where did you put it?” you asked, scouring his room for some sign of the hat.

“Check the back of the closet under my hopes and dreams,”

“Oh stop being so dramati-found it!” you exclaimed excitedly, running back out to the small living room and placing the hat delicately on his head. “There we go, now you’re really Indiana Jones,”

He looked at you from underneath the rim of the hat and you tried to hide the grin that was coming across your face, but it was proving to be quite the challenge. And for a short moment, you forgot that all this might be over soon. You would be back home, studying at the humongous university your parents wanted you to go to. Right now it was just you and Aaron, two best friends doing stupid things and you never wanted that to change.

—

“Oh my God! Oh my God!”

“Aaron did you-?”

“I got them!” he put down the phone on the table. “I won the tickets!”

“No way,” your face lit up with excitement.

After five hours on the phone and a lucky answer to a radio host's question, you were both the very happy owners of tickets to see Dire Straits, in concert, live. It was going to be your last big blowout before the school year started. A celebration of you being able to stay, finish your junior and senior year together. All in all, it was going to be a blast.

The night was filled with loud amazing music and you didn’t think you had ever seen Aaron smile that wide. You had the unfortunate affliction of being shorter than the people in front of you and it was quite tricky to see the stage, but as usual, Aaron came to your aid, somehow, despite the lack of room, getting you on his shoulders so you could clearly see the band as they performed on stage.

“Have you been lifting?” you asked with a laugh as he rolled his eyes.

“Maybe,” he shrugged and slapped his arm lightly.

The song ended and they started to transition to the next one and you both recognized it immediately.

“This is our song!” you exclaimed.

The smooth guitar, bass, and keyboard filled the stadium and you carefully rested your hands on Aaron’s head, your chin placed on top of them. He squeezed your legs gently where he held them and if you closed your eyes and concentrated enough you could hear him singing along softly, a couple of beers he had probably aiding his confidence to let the song slip past his lips.

You had never seen him sing sober, mainly because he refused to, but every time you got the chance to see him let loose you savoured it. He was strung up too tight for his own good.

It was a wonderful close to the evening, almost too quiet and calm for a concert, but you were both still on that high as you drove to the motel.

“That. Was. Awesome!” you grinned as you stumbled into the room.

“I didn’t think it would ever happen but it did,” Aaron shook his head in disbelief. “I want to keep listening to their music like it’s playing over and over in my head,”

“Lucky for you I brought this,” you grabbed your stereo from your bag with some CDs.

“Oh you’re the best (N/N),” he hugged you and kissed your forehead.

“Ew you’re all sweaty,” you laughed.

“So are you!”

“Which is why I’m taking a shower,” you noted. “Don't break my stereo or scratch my CDs,” you warned.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,”

Aaron set up some music while you grabbed some pyjamas and went into the washroom to rinse off. For a moment you were a little concerned as the volume got louder thinking he had turned it up (it was already late you didn’t need to get yelled at) but when you saw the shadow on the other side of the curtain you peeked past and saw the door was open and Aaron was looking for something by the sink.

“Aaron! I’m trying to take a shower! A little privacy maybe?”

“Eh nothing I haven’t seen before,” he waved you off dismissively and you reached out to slap him while calling him an asshole. He chuckled, knowing he was right and you huffed under the water and turned it off reaching out to him.

“Towel please,”

He passed you the towel and you wrapped it around yourself, hopping out of the shower and joining him in brushing your teeth so you could get ready for bed.

It was cheaper to get a room with one bed and on a college student’s budget, it worked best for the both of you to split the cost of one room rather than two (or one with two beds for that matter, textbooks were expensive).

So a good fifteen minutes later, the music was turned off, Aaron was out of the shower and you were both under the covers of the bed, squirming around and trying to find a comfortable position.

“(Y/N) stop kicking me,” he whined while you pushed away from him.

“You’re like five hundred degrees, seriously I’m gonna burn up if I touch you,” you fired back.

“Stop taking all the blankets!”

You groaned and gave up, lay off on your back and stopped pulling the blankets, having Aaron tug a little too hard and fall off the side of the bed.

“This is what we get for being on a college student’s budget,” he groaned.

You sat up on the bed and gave him a hand that he used to pull himself back up, sneaking under the covers and wrapping an arm around your waist, pulling your back to his chest.

“I know you get cold at night, maybe being five hundred degrees isn’t so bad then,” he mumbled and you smiled softly to yourself, not wanting to admit it, but the nights you slept best were the nights where he was by your side, there was no doubt about it.

—

You chewed the inside of your cheek, sitting across from Aaron on the couch,

“Okay I didn’t want to tell you because I thought you might get mad,” you explained.

“Mad about what?”

“You know how you’re moving back to Virginia. To go to law school?”

He nodded his head, “I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do, but then I figured teaching might be a good run for me, so I applied to do my joint graduate and Ph.D. studies at the University of Virginia, and I was looking for work so I could make myself of some use… I didn’t really think anything would come up from it, but,” you handed him the envelope, a job offer as a consultant with the BAU. “I’d work with the FBI so I guess that might mean we could work together, who knows maybe I’ll bring you over to the dark side,” you joked nervously.

“Why would I be mad?” he smiled. “(Y/N) we could work together, be on the same campus, but wait-I thought you didn’t like profiling?”

“No see that’s where you were mistaken,” you chuckled. “But you sure you’re okay with this I don’t want it to feel like I’m pushing on your school or-,”

“(Y/N) are you even listening to yourself, we’ve been trying to find a way to stay in contact after graduation, you don’t think living in the same city might do the trick?”

“So you think I should accept it then?”

“For completely selfish reason yes,” he nodded, “Please accept it,”

You laughed softly to yourself, you hoped he would never change.

“I will,” you said but raised your brows. “On one condition,”

“(Y/N) I swear to-,”

“You have to take the night off to celebrate with me. It’s been four years Aaron come on you deserve a night to yourself,”

“A night to myself would be going to bed early, a night with you is a very different story,”

You rolled your eyes and stood up, headed for the kitchen and grabbing two beers from the fridge.

“Come on, do you want me to take the job or not?”

He pressed his lips together and reached out a hand for the drink, silently agreed to the deal you practically forced him to take.

Aaron was rarely a heavy drinker, tonight not being one of the nights that he indulged himself, instead, watching you down drink after drink with amazement just as to how much your personality seemed to be accentuated by the alcohol.

He was slightly buzzed, just at that point where the night might feel a bit like a hallucination, but still lucid enough.

You on the other hand were a sight to see.

“I cannot be-lieve I dropped my parents for you, how goddamn baller is that?!” you exclaimed, stumbling over to the couch and pointing at him with your beer bottle in hand. “See that’s friendship Hotchner,”

“Sure is,” he chuckled with a nod, sipping some more of the alcoholic beverage.

“I bet when ya go to lawyer school everyone’s gonna call ya Hotch,” you said. “Watch me, I’ll be right,”

“Hotch,” he hummed. “That’s not bad, I don’t mind that,”

“But I’ll still call you Aaron,” you poked his nose with a giggle, that made him smile.

“And I wouldn’t want you to call me anything else (N/N), you hear?”

“Mhmm,” you sighed loudly, “Aaron I wanna do something,” you whined.

“What do you wanna do (Y/N)? You’re drunk off your ass, I’m too buzzed to drive,” he listed the facts.

“Wait a sec,” you grinned wildly, standing up and running to his room, stumbling all the way there and coming out with a familiar hat. “You wanna know what I can do now cause of you?”

“What?” he asked, leaning forward.

“I could probably recite half of Indiana Jones by heart, I think I know all of Marion’s lines,”

“Well I know almost all of Indiana’s, prove it,” he dared.

“Okay, my scene though,” you said, tossing him the hat. “They’re in the boat, right before the Nazis get there. All alone in the room,”

Aaron put on the hat sitting on the couch, watching as you walked over to him, coming to his side.

“Wait...I don’t need any help,” he quoted from the movie, wanting to see how well you delivered the lines.

“You know you do,” you insisted, leaning forward slightly. “You’re not the man I knew ten years ago,”

“It’s not the years honey, it’s the mileage,” he watched as she reached out to lay him back on the couch so she could pretend to take care of his wounds.

“You are-,”

“Please I don’t need a nurse,” he was practically smirking, watching the look in your eyes, so determined to deliver the scene exactly as it was shown. “I just want to sleep,”

“Don’t be such a baby,” you pressed, a hand on his chest.

“(Y/N) leave me alone,” he slipped up, using your name instead of that of the character.

“What’s this here,” you pointed to a spot on his collarbone. In the movie, Indiana sported a cut and bruise there.

“Go away, ah! Yes, it hurts,” Aaron hissed, the inflections practically ingrained into his mind. “Ow!”

“Well, goddamn it Indy! Where doesn’t it hurt!?”

Aaron’s voice was caught in his throat, he knew what came next, were you...were you really going to do it?

“Here,” he pointed to his temple, you leaned in and pressed a soft kiss there. “Here,” he pointed again to another spot. “Here’s not too bad,” his voice stretched into a whisper, your lips against his jaw.

You moved away, waiting for him to give the last sign, and he did, pointing to his lips and mouthing ‘here’.

You leaned in, and unlike the movie your lips only ghosted his, leaving him with the faint taste of beer and an imprint. The faintest imprint of you.

He would close his eyes, almost squeezing them so tight hoping that maybe it would help him feel them more, but they remained the ghost of a touch that pulled away.

“See I told you,” you grinned, pulling away from him. “And that’s all thanks to you. I’ve probably watched that movie thirty times in the past four years. Hell Mark even gave us a copy after we rented it for like the fifteenth time,”

Aaron gave you a smile, it was small but a smile no less.

“I-I’m a bit tired,” he noted. “I think I might head to sleep. You should stay the night though I don’t want you walking home like this okay?”

You nodded. “I’ll take the guest bedroom. Probably about time I hit the hay too,”

You wrapped your arms around him one more time before making your exit to the room, leaving Aaron alone with a memory that would turn into a faint fever dream. Something he never realized actually happened.

—

“Okay we’re gonna need all hands on deck for this case,” Aaron noted, placing the files on the table.

“Does that mean-,”

“That Dr. (L/N) is in the house? I think yes,” you grinned, walking into the conference room through the door, high-fiving Morgan underneath the table before making your way to your best friend and pressing a kiss hello to his cheek.

“(Y/N) come on we’re at work,” he nudged you.

“Then call me Doctor, Agent,” you raised your brows and the group let out some chuckles and a few eye rolls.

“What’s it gonna take for you guys to just get over yourself and bang it out? You’re practically an old married couple already,” Garcia wiggled her eyebrows and twiddled her pen between her fingers.

“Guys,” Aaron said warningly. “We need to focus,”

While he turned around to face the board you motioned at them to play nice pointing to your bag to say that you had something to show them later.

That was probably half the reason they loved you so much, every single time you came to help with a case, without fail, you would bring along either an embarrassing story or memento from your college days, making SSA Hotchner just a little less serious.

The case was big, that was for sure. A lot of victims which is probably why they needed more help, if things were disorganized it was harder to find a connection, a link in the victimology.

In the beginning, everyone was motivated, ready to get some new information, brains buzzing with thoughts, but by the evening when it seemed things were getting nowhere was when it hit hard. They needed a little boost in morale and you knew just how to give it to them.

Since the case was out of D.C. you stayed at the BAU office in Virginia. Everyone, besides Aaron and Gideon, was gathered in the conference room, tiredly flipping through numerous files and making notes.

“Hey guys,” you said quietly, passing around some coffee and tea.

“Why are we whispering?” Morgan queried in a soft voice.

“Glad you asked Derek,” you grinned, pulling out a card from your purse and placing it on the table. “Pretty sure this was during sophomore year student card, poor Aaron thought he was looking good,” you chuckled.

“Hotch wore glasses?!” Garcia gasped, grabbing the card while the others also fought for a look.

There were soft chuckled and giggles pointing to the image until there were shushes and you sighed,

“He’s right behind me isn’t he,”

They nodded and before anyone could act he came up to them and grabbed the card out of Morgan’s hand giving you a pointed look, his eyebrows in that signature furrowed expression on his face.

“This, seriously (Y/N),”

You couldn’t hide your smile, simply shrugging,

“They needed a bit of a pick me up,” you said simply.

“I didn’t know you wore glasses,” Reid piped up.

You could tell Aaron was biting back a smile, trying not to show how stupid he thought he looked, but then again you always did have a knack for profiling him.

“I did, got contacts the year after,” he explained. Looking quickly at the group then at you he sighed, knowing what he had to do, “You guys promise it’s gonna motivate you and you won’t get sidetracked?”

Everyone seemed to nod their heads vigorously while his hold lingered a while longer, tracing the edges of the ID.

He placed the card back on the table, sliding it over to the group before walking towards the door with a faint smile on his lips.

You stopped him quickly, giving him a look before he simply turned his head to the group of smiling profilers. It was a hard job, they would take a moment of laughter where they could get it and he wasn’t about to take that away from them.

The years working had changed you both, some for the better and maybe others for worse. For one Aaron’s strings seemed to be strung up even tighter than before. He found it hard to relax almost always on edge, thinking about what was to come next, the next case, his next steps. But every once in a while the kid you knew back in college would come out to say hello and you felt lucky that it was always when you were around. You brought out his young side, reminding him of where he came from, the intro psych class that started it all.

While everyone had their focus drawn back to the files, his card sitting on the centre of the table you quickly pushed yourself up on the top of your toes and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.

“Don’t work too hard. Okay, Aaron?”

“No promises (N/N),” he placed a hand on your shoulder and squeezed it before leaving the room and going back to his office to make some calls.

You let out an exhale before joining in on reading the files. It was going to be a long night.

—

“Are you sure this is how you want to spend your time off? Didn’t your sister invite you to go to Barbados with her?” Aaron asked while carrying a few boxes from the garage to the living room.

“Nah we both know when she says that my parents will be there and then that’ll just ruin my vacation,” you shook your head. “Plus we both know you are not getting any of this done without my help,” you motioned to the boxes of old things littered across the living room. You might say he was a borderline organized hoarder but you knew better than that. He was just more sentimental than he let on and each little trinket had some special meaning.

Music was playing softly in the background while you practically forced Aaron to get rid of some piece of trash from high school that he insisted was important for some reason or another.

“Oh Aaron we’re keeping this,” you grinned, pulling out a very familiar hat that had not surfaced in a while.

“What do you mean we (Y/N) this is all my-Nooo,” his jaw dropped as he caught sight of the cowboy hat, his protest elongated in surprise making you almost fall over in a fit of laughter.

“Come on SSA Hotchner I know the kid in you loves it,”

You spun the hat on your finger before jumping onto and over the couch to put it on his head before he could protest. He gave you the face he gave the team when he was unimpressed with their shenanigans and you scrunched up your nose in delight, he almost looked like the kid who became your best friend, sending you back ages.

“Oh look at you,” you grinned, holding his face in your hands as you stood taller than him on the couch.

“Not impressed,” he said simply and you just waved him off with a roll of your eyes.

“Aaron you’re so serious! Loosen up a bit!”

“I am not!” he retorted as you stepped away.

“Are too,” you stuck your tongue out childishly at him.

“I can be loose, I’m not uptight,” he muttered to himself, taking off the hat and placing it on the couch.

“Then prove it,” you raised your brows, making your way over to the stereo and flipping the track until it reached the song you were looking for, your song. “Sing it Hotch,”

The man shook his head and you nodded yours as if you knew that’s what was coming. You turned around to pick up another box but stopped when the music transitioned into the lyrics and you could hear Aaron’s voice, clear as day along with the lead singer of his favourite band.

“I wonder where you are tonight, you’re probably on the rampage somewhere. You have been known to take delight, getting in somebody’s hair. You always had the knack… Fade to black,”

You spun around, a bright smile on your face as you saw him with a duster in his hand, being used as some sort of mock microphone. He tossed it aside and motioned for you to come closer, taking your hand in his, spinning you around so your back was pressed against his chest, arms crossed as he held your hands to your waist, swaying side to side as he continued to sing.

The amount of surprise in your expression probably couldn’t be put into words, it was rare to hear him sing even with a few shots of tequila in him first. He must have really wanted to prove you wrong.

You had danced with him before, you were friends, it was something you had done on many occasions, but for some reason, this time around it felt more personal. He was holding you the way you had seen him hold his girlfriends, singing your song quietly in your ear, doing all this for you.

And maybe you felt a twinge of jealousy, all those girls who got to be near him, hold him, kiss him. They got to experience that other side and a part of you wanted that badly because deep down you knew Garcia was right, you were like an old married couple. All those girls got a piece of him while you were just his best friend. Just the person that took care of him, just the person that loved him unconditionally. At least for now (as in the past seven to ten years), Aaron wasn’t focused on dating, not when work took over his life.

You leaned into him, only a little bit more, wanting to savour the feeling of being close to him.

His voice faded away but the music kept going for a while longer and you couldn’t help but let out a half-hearted chuckle.

“What? Was I off-key?”

“Nope, just think maybe you should have been in musical theatre, I would pay to see you on Broadway,” you teased and he didn’t even wait a moment to squeeze the sensitive part of your waist making you squirm. “Aaron! Don’t taser me!”

“You asked for it,” he said in a sing-song voice and you managed to twirl yourself back around, accidentally pushing yourself into his chest and sending you both down on the couch, laughter echoing around you.

You laid your forehead down on his chest and sighed while he gently rubbed your back, moments like these being those things that kept you both going when work got tough when it seemed like there was no more good in the world.

Because even when the world got you down you still had your Indiana Jones.

—

You woke up abruptly, a scream caught in your throat as you pushed yourself up on the bed, clutching the duvet covers until your knuckles went pale.

Your mind was racing, not wanting to come down from the nightmare, images, words still flashing through your mind, voices in your head that would only get louder, and louder, and louder.

With a shaky breath you grabbed your phone and keys, and a hoodie, you didn’t even realize it but it was the one Aaron had given you, his high school grad hoodie.

Your body seemed to be on autopilot, driving a few blocks away from your townhouse and parking your car in front of another set of doors.

Climbing out you knocked lightly, as if you were hesitant about what you were doing, your hands gripping onto your arms as you shook, a little too violently for the warm summer night.

You didn’t hear a sound coming from inside so you raised your hand again to knock, more assured, but the door swung open, revealing a confused and tired Aaron wearing only a concert t-shirt and a pair of boxer shorts whose face immediately softened when he saw the state you were in.

“I-I-,”

“Shh it’s okay,” he assured you. “Come here sweetheart,”

You walked into his open arms, letting him tuck you under one shoulder as he closed the door before wrapping the other around you and letting your tears soak his shirt.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked and you shook your head desperately.

You all wanted to say the job didn’t get to you, it didn’t upset you, but there were always those triggers, those things that would set you off, eat at your very core. And no matter how close you and Aaron were sometimes you needed to keep that to yourself. He understood that.

But after a few minutes of just standing there and letting you hold him, he decided you needed to get back to bed, there was no point in fighting the exhaustion. So he took your arms from around his waist and wrapped them around his neck, taking hold of your thighs afterwards and picking you up so you were pressed flush against him.

Your legs found a comfortable spot wrapped around him and resting on top of his hips while he walked up the stairs, holding you like a child.

You thought he might take you to the guest room you normally stayed in when it was late, but he headed straight for his room, the covers already pulled back on his bed when he laid you down and climbed over you to the other side, turning off the bedside lamp.

Even though it was especially warm for a night outside, Aaron’s home was freezing (probably because he was always overheating), so he came close and wrapped his arms around you, your legs tangled together in a mess like things on the forest floor. He pressed a kiss to the top of your head, squeezing you tightly as he whispered,

“You’re gonna be alright. I’m here. I’ve got you,”

Over and over again until the words were stuck in your mind and all you could say to yourself.

You were gonna be alright. Aaron was there. He had you.

And you said it to yourself over and over until you believed it, or believed it enough to fall back asleep.

—

“Hey Aaron, what’s up?” you asked, pressing your cell phone to your ear the next day. Your students had just left your classroom and you were done for the week, but if Aaron was calling that probably wouldn’t be the case.

“Are you feeling better?” he asked and you took a deep breath and nodded,

“Yeah, I’m alright,”

“Good, good…” he trailed off. “Um we have a case, it’s in Denver. The higher-ups are wondering if you might come with,”

“Yeah sure, I’ll grab my bag and meet you guys at the airport,” you confirmed. “Aaron,” you started.

“Yes (N/N)?”

“Have you eaten anything today?”

You swore you heard a snort on the other end of the line, and you knew that was only because you were definitely 100% right.

“Aaron you’ve got to stop skipping breakfast, coffee on an empty stomach isn’t good,” you mumbled practically to yourself, grabbing your bag and slinging it over your shoulder. “I’m picking you something up on the way there okay?”

“Okay,” he nodded.

“And no more coffee until the plane,”

He sighed loudly and you mocked him by repeating the sound, “I’ll see you, Aaron, don’t take too long,”

Hanging up the phone you made your way to your car, stopping by a Dunkin Donuts and grabbing some iced coffees for everyone plus breakfast for Aaron.

You were first to the airport (as usual the university was closer to it than the office), and made yourself comfortable on the jet. Around ten minutes later the rest of the team came up and hellos and case files were passed around.

You motioned for Aaron to sit in the seat next to you, grabbing the bag of food and placing it in front of him.

“Eat Hotchner,” you instructed and he peeked into the bag with a slight frown and you held up another bag and showed him. “Eat the food first then you can have a donut and coffee,”

“Oh my God Mrs. Hotchner much,” Morgan chuckled.

“What? He doesn’t take care of himself, someone has to,” you rolled your eyes. “But come on, fill me in what’s the case about,”

“Killer’s targeting married couples,” Aaron said before taking a bite of his bagel. “Oh is this herb and garlic cream cheese?” he asked you quietly and you just patted his back.

“Anything specific that the police have found yet? Like connections between the couples?”

“They’ve all been together since college, but that seems to be the only thing we’ve seen so far,” Morgan explained.

“Did you know that 28% of married couples actually meet in college?” Reid added a small anecdote. “But although the percentage is interestingly high the rate of divorce is also higher between couples who have gotten together in college or high school,”

“But these couples were still together, the ones that managed to stand the test of time,” you noted. “Maybe the unsub’s stressor was a failed relationship, something personal that hit a nerve. If he can’t have it neither can anyone else. I would say it’s safe to rule out a sexual sadist for the time being, especially if there’s no sign of assault on the victims,”

“There’s been very little evidence left at the scene,” Gideon added. “We’ll get a better sense of things when we get there,”

“I’ll take (Y/N) and Morgan to the crime scene. Gideon, you take Reid and JJ to the FBI office and we’ll meet you there,” Aaron instructed and you all nodded.

“Derek, be sure to have Garcia on the line, we might need her to dig up records while we’re there,” you instructed and he gave you a nod.

Aaron nudged your side and you looked over to him, his eyes pointing to the empty paper bag that held the bagel and the muffin.

“You’re such a baby,” you chuckled with a sigh, reaching over to your side and pulling out the, thankfully, still warm coffee along with a donut. “But I got your favourite,”

Aaron opened up the box but glared at you when he saw what was inside.

“Your favourite donut is vanilla glaze with rainbow sprinkles?” Reid asked while the rest of the group tried to stifle chuckles.

“Alright, time for a Hotch story,” you clapped the table and leaned back in your seat while Aaron groaned, it was too early for this. “When Aaron and I were in college he was a perfectionist, still is, I mean look at this little overachiever,” you jokingly pinched his cheek between your finger and he continued to give that look with his furrowed brows. “Anyways, we had this shitty teacher, God I hated her,” you sighed.

“McClerick,” Aaron sighed and you nodded.

“She gave him a C+ on his midterm and he almost lost it. But there was nothing he could do about it so he got piss drunk and ate only,” you grabbed the donut right out of his hand. “You guessed it, donuts with vanilla glaze and rainbow sprinkles,”

“Oh Hotch,” you heard Garcia’s voice over the monitor and you all turned to look at her, sitting in her office. “Honey that can’t be healthy,”

“It wasn’t,” you shook your head. “He got sick and I had to nurse him back to health. Anyways, any important news for us Garcia?”

“Only that I did some more background checks on the victims and it came up that they all went to college in and around Denver,”

“So maybe our unsub has or had connections at the colleges,” Reid commented and you nodded in agreement.

“We’re making our descent so we should be able to get a better sense of things once we hit the crime scene,”

As promised, not before long you were all packed in cars, headed to your respective areas of the city.

The last murder happened in Aurora so straight from the large, albeit, oddly shaped airport you drove into the city and directly to the crime scene. That’s always how it was with the job, no time to get adjusted, just go, go, go.

When you entered the crime scene there was a minimal mess, not a lot of blood spatter, very controlled.

“Unsub used a gun and not a knife, that’s another tick away from a sexual sadist,” Morgan noted. “Most commonly used weapon for them is a knife, blunt force trauma, some way to get their hands dirty, it’s what gives them the release,”

The room was neat, tidy actually, the only spot of displacement being the two dead bodies, one on the bed, the other on the ground, both fully clothed in pyjamas.

You looked through the bookshelves, noticing the many volumes of encyclopedias, books on by-laws, mainly a lot of stuff to do with law, to be honest.

“Hey Morgan, call Garcia and put her on speaker,” you asked and the man obeyed your instructions, holding up the phone for you to hear.

“You’ve reached the goddess of infinite wisdom, how can I assist you mere mortals?” you smiled softly to yourself at Garcia’s classic antics.

“Hey darlin’,” you called over the line. “Can you ring up Josh and Lindsay Hardman for me, I want to see what these guy’s jobs for, hobbies, get a better sense of what we’re looking at,”

“Alright, umm, says here the husband was a lawyer, a prosecutor, and the wife was a professor at the college they graduated from” she started. “Husband liked concerts, classic rock by the looks of it, that's all that’s on his social media. He and his wife seemed close, all of their pictures are together too,”

“Tell me more about the wife,” you asked and you could hear faint clicking on the line before,

“Aha, she was a psych major, teaching master’s classes on abnormal psych,”

You tensed, this felt a little too familiar. A little too close for comfort.

You looked up at Aaron who seemed to have the same feelings as you, then Morgan who was the only person brave enough to say something on the topic.

“Well no one’s saying it so I’m just gonna get it out there… but this sounds like you guys,”

You nodded, taking a deep breath, “I think I need a minute, thanks, Penny,”

“Anytime my love,” she responded and Morgan hung up the phone while you left the room. You could hear Aaron say something to Morgan and soon his footsteps followed you until you reached the car, leaning against it.

“Are you alright?”

“Fine, just needed some air. To clear my head,” you nodded.

There was a moment of silence before he piped up, “You know we’re not really at risk here (Y/N) because we’re-,”

“Not together I know,” you nodded. “Doesn’t mean it isn’t scary as shit when you see a victim that’s just like you,” you admitted. “He’s a lawyer Aaron, a prosecutor who likes classic rock,”

“There are a lot of prosecutors who like classic rock,” he tried to counter, but you shook your head, that wasn’t the point.

“Feel however you want Aaron, but there’s no escaping the truth that either this,” you pointed to the crime scene “this is either a coincidence or we should be legitimately concerned,”

Aaron nodded with a sigh, “You’re sticking with me this case,” he said. “You don’t have the clearance to carry a firearm so I don’t want you out of my sight, understand?”

“Aaron,” you turned to him, “Look at me Aaron, look at me,” you whispered and his eyes finally met yours.

“Don’t keep it in here,” you pointed to his chest. “Do you understand?”

He nodded and quickly turned his head to make sure no one had their eyes on you before gently holding the back of your head and pulling you in so he could press a quick kiss on your forehead. A very minor comfort given the situation, but you were at work, you realized the significance of his actions and you took that to heart.

Morgan came out of the house giving you both a nod saying he’d gotten what he needed and huh could reconvene at the FBI office.

The rest of them were already set up in a conference room, a board with all the details of the victims and what they could currently gather from the unsub.

“This one’s creepy,” Morgan said as you entered the room. “Very very creepy,”

“What do you mean?” Reid asked.

“The victims just have a similar story to Hotch and me that’s all,” you waved them off, not wanting to cause unnecessary worry among team members.

“Maybe that comes to our advantage,” Aaron suggested. “You take the two of us and create some sort of victimology from that,”

“I thought we had a rule,” you whispered to him. “No profiling each other,”

“They’re not profiling us,” he said. “Just trying to get into the unsub’s mind through looking at us,”

“Is that not weird to you?” you asked. “Cause it seems a little weird,”

“We can use it if we have to,” Gideon said, not wanting the conversation to have to go much further. “For now I think our victims will give us plenty of insight into the unsub,”

And so the discussions continued, but you decided to take a step back from the psychology and went to go find JJ, maybe you could be of some assistance to her. You could feel Aaron’s eyes burning into your back as you turned to leave and with a few strides he was blocking you.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“To find JJ, don’t worry I’ll be inside the bureau,” you swallowed thickly. “Drink some water, okay?” you said noticing his dry lips.

“Alright, just check in with me when you’re done,”

You nodded and left the room, seeing JJ in front of a computer speaking with Garcia on the phone no doubt.

“Hey JJ,” you tapped her shoulder and she turned around nodding and putting Garcia on speakerphone.

“Garcia I’ve got (Y/N) here with me,” she said.

“Oh hey sweetheart, you doin' alright?” she asked and you coughed,

“Could be better,”

“Yeah, she was just telling me about the victims, must have been a bit of a spook,” JJ noted.

“It’s definitely uncomfortable,” you nodded. “But I’ve been reminded I am of ‘no real risk’ and you know how I cope with this,”

“You take care of everyone else,” JJ nudged you. “Especially Hotch,”

“You can’t tell me he doesn’t need it though,” you poked.

“Yeah that man can be hopeless sometimes,” Garcia added.

“A little oblivious too,” you chuckled. “For a profiler, that’s a special combination,”

JJ wrapped an arm around your shoulders and gave you a squeeze and you didn’t hesitate to lean into her side. Even though you were older than most in the group you still found a lot of comfort in their company. They were like your younger siblings.

“Do you want me to fight him?” Garcia asked. “Cause I think I could take him,”

“You wish,” you snorted. “He can carry me up a flight of stairs without batting an eyelash,” you said thinking back to last night. “I think you might have a bit more trouble than you think. And it’s alright. I’ll be okay,” you tried to assure them. “I’ll just be Mrs. Hotchner without the tax benefits,”

You figured there wasn’t much use in trying to hide your growing feelings for your best friend, after all, they had been present for some time now and in a room surrounded by some of the best profilers in the world, you wondered if the rest of them caught on, but chose to stay silent. And Aaron, he was another story altogether. For the life of you that was the one part of him, you couldn’t read, so you would just mull over your own love hoping that knowing he loved you as a best friend was enough, even though you had never said it, and neither had he.

“(Y/N),” you could hear Aaron’s voice pulling you out of your thoughts. “I’m going to speak to the victim's parents, are you up to join me?” he asked.

“Yeah, I can come,” you nodded, pushing yourself up. “Bye you two, don’t work too hard,”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, sugar,” Garcia’s voice rang through JJ’s cellphone and you chuckled lightly, taking your place by Aaron’s side and exiting the building and heading for one of the standard-issue SUVs.

You didn’t talk much during the ride, opting for silence with the radio playing in the background. You could sense his eyes flicking to your side often, maybe he wanted to say something, reassure you, but it was possible that part of the reason you were on edge was from your nightmare.

Before you knew it your hand was reaching out to his that was resting on the gear shift. He looked down when he felt the soft touch and carefully lifted his hand and entwined his fingers with yours, placing it on his thigh, his thumb tracing the veins along the back of your hand.

“Aaron, stop frowning,” you said gently. “You’ll get wrinkles,”

“I think it’s a little too late for that,” he joked and you pressed your lips together in a small smile. “You still think I’m handsome though,”

“Very,” you nodded, but you weren’t sure how much of a joke it was. Whether it was the nerdy overprepared college student or the serious Unit Chief, Aaron Hotchner knew how to pull off a look.

“Alright, I can do most of the talking this time around, jump in when you feel comfortable. They’ve already been informed of the murder so at least we won’t be breaking the news,” he instructed and you nodded, finally loosening your grip on his hand and slipping it back into your lap, missing its softness and warmth.

You both left the car and knocked on the door, waiting for the answer. When it came there was a sweet older lady with puffy red eyes. You assumed she had probably been grieving her son and daughter-in-law up until that moment.

“Hello ma’am, I’m SSA Aaron Hotchner and this is Dr. (Y/N) (L/N),” he introduced. “We’re with the FBI, we’ve come to ask you a few questions about your son and daughter-in-law, is that alright?”

“Yes of course,” she sniffed, opening up the door and allowing the two of you to enter the household.

Her husband sat on the couch a box of tissues placed close by and you and Aaron took your seats across from him.

“Can I get you two anything?” she asked.

“Oh no that’s quite alright,” you spoke up. “Your help is more than enough,”

She nodded and took a seat next to her husband, taking a deep breath and nodding her head for you to begin your questions.

“Do you think you could tell us a bit more about Josh and Lindsay?” Aaron asked. “What were they like as people, how did they interact with others,”

“J-Josh was determined,” his father started. “He was a top student through all his studies, that’s how he met Lindsay,”

“Psychology wasn’t his forte but he wanted the class...thought it would help him get into law school,” his mother said. “She tutored him and they became friends. Did everything together,”

“Did they-um did they have many friends? People they interacted with?” you asked.

“Just people from work on both ends, but they enjoyed going out and doing things together, concerts, movies, the likes,”

“And is there anyone you can think that for any reason might wish them harm?” Aaron added.

“No...everyone-everyone loved them,” she choked on her words and it made your heart break.

“I’m sorry,” the husband said. “but I don’t think there’s any other way we can help,”

You nodded and pulled out your card from your pocket.

“If you can think of anything don’t hesitate to call,”

The rest of the day seemed to move by in a blur, and before you knew it you were sitting in your hotel room, a bathrobe wrapped around your body as you relaxed in your chair with a cup of tea.

You could hear the shuffling in the room next to yours along with the sound of papers shuffling, right near the desk. Those walls must have been thin.

You slapped the wall,

“Aaron you better go to sleep right now!” you called and you could almost hear his heavy sigh from the other side.

Grumbling, you pulled out your phone and messaged JJ.

Come to my room I need a drinking buddy.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at your door and expected JJ, but when you opened it you saw Aaron on the other side. Frowning, you looked up at him, then down at your phone.

It seemed like you had texted the wrong number, and instead of a girl's night, you had just cornered yourself in with the person you were trying to get away from.

Well maybe getting away was a little strong.

“So you tell me to go to bed then you text me to come and drink with you. Sending some mixed messages Dr. (L/N),” he raised his brows.

“Just get in here,” you rolled your eyes, and opened the door wider for him to enter.

He came inside, not even hesitating to make himself comfortable on the bed, his back pressed to the headboard and arms crossed over his chest.

His tie and jacket must have been discarded in his room because he only wore his white button-down, the top few undone, and dress pants.

“Alright, pick your poison, it’s on me,” you said, opening the mini-fridge and displaying the alcohol inside.

“Forget the booze (N/N), come here,” he even reached out for you with his hand.

“Why Aaron?” you asked, stepping only to the edge of the bed. He came to meet you, on his knees up to the corner of the mattress. He was still a great deal taller than you,

“Because, you told me not to keep it in here,” he pointed to your chest. “This case...it’s unsettling,” he offered. “And I just want to hold my best friend for a little bit to forget about it,”

Best friend.

There it was again those two words that stung so badly, but the two words you kept clinging onto for dear life because it’s what was holding you to reality.

“Alright,” you caved immediately, “But-,” you said stepping away before he could get you firmly in his hold. You went over to your bag and pulled out the sweater, handing it to him. “Get comfortable first, you’ve been wearing this all day,” you tugged at his shirt.

He untucked his shirt from his pants and undid the buttons, sliding off the material from his arms while you held out the hoodie for him to slip his head into. After all those years it still fit you both surprisingly well.

You took his shirt to put on a hanger and bent down to check and see what pyjamas you had packed when you remembered that they were still in your dryer in the laundry at home.

“Shit,” you muttered.

“What is it?” Aaron asked, coming up to your side.

“I don’t have any clothes to sleep in,” but your eyes flicked to the collared shirt, it would be big and comfortable on you, at least you hoped it would be.

“I saw your eyes (Y/N), do you want to use the shirt?” he asked.

“Well it’s all I’ve got right now isn’t it,” you shrugged. “Go on Hotchner, turn around, nothing to see here,” you added while untying the belt of your robe.

“Nothing I haven’t seen before,” he teased as he obeyed your wishes and you rolled your eyes at his antics. It felt like coming back from the night of the concert all over again.

You slipped off the robe from your shoulders allowing it to drop on the ground while you quickly put on his shirt and buttoned it up, missing the top few just like he had earlier.

Before you could say a word his arms were wrapped around you and you quickly spun around to hold him face to face.

“You always looked nice in my clothes,” he gave you a low chuckle and you savoured the sound. Something you rarely heard anymore.

He pulled you towards the bed, sitting again with his back to the headboard, only this time, he placed you in between his legs while you leaned your back into his chest. Breathing in you could faintly smell his cologne on the shirt of his you wore and before you could even recover from the immensely satisfying feeling it brought you could feel his nose and lips on the top of your head.

You steadied your breathing, mind drifting back to the case for a moment. They said you were safe because you weren’t together, but every single day it felt like you were his wife in every sense but the word.

—

“(Y/N) you’re staying here I don’t have time to argue with you on this!” Aaron was frustrated, no even angry, but you weren’t going to let that stop you from trying one more time.

The unsub had been located, he was holding another couple hostage at the university, he devolved fast, just like you had predicted he would. Despite everything, you thought you could still talk him down. Maybe get him to come in peacefully where no one would have to die.

But Aaron was determined not to let that happen, especially after the letter.

“Aaron listen to me please! I’ve taken so many hostage negotiations courses it would make your law degree look easy, just let me come with you! I’ll wear a vest!”

“(Y/N) he knows who you are,” he said firmly. “Even though whatever is going on in his mind is clearly fractured he was of sound enough mind to target you,” he pointed to your chest, but not in the soft manner he had done only mere nights before. “You’re staying here. That’s it, end of discussion,”

“Aaron-,”

“End of discussion,” he repeated. “In the field, I am your boss, and it’s my job to look out for your safety. I’m not taking this chance (Y/N), do you understand,”

“Yes,” you muttered.

“I said, do you understand?”

“Yes sir,” you spoke up, your mouth going dry and he nodded, walking away from you to get into the car. “Fuck my life,” you said the minute you entered the conference room where JJ was sitting, listening to the chatter going on over the communications.

“That bad huh?”

“I really need to get licensed to carry a gun then maybe he’ll let me fucking do something for once,” you rested your elbows on the table. “I just wanna go home JJ, I’m so tired,” you sighed, resting your head on the wood in defeat.

She placed a comforting hand on your back while you continued to listen in, waiting for more details, listening to what was going on.

But after a certain point, things became fuzzy until the radio clicked and things went silent.

“Did they-?” you asked.

“Everyone’s safe,” she assured you and your heart felt relieved, but that’s when the exhaustion kicked in.

From then until you got onto the jet was muddled. JJ was by your side the entire time making sure you were getting to where you needed to be and the minute you entered the plane and your head hit the couch you were knocked out cold.

“You think I was too hard on her?” Hotch said softly to Morgan who sat next to him, playing a game of solitaire.

“On (Y/N)?” the man bit the inside of his cheek and sighed. “Maybe a little, but I think she understands where it’s coming from,”

“What do you mean where it’s coming from, Morgan I’m her boss-,”

“But you’re also someone who cares for her deeply. You don’t need a profile to see that,” he said firmly. “And she cares for you too, in so many ways Hotch,”

“I know,” Aaron nodded, glancing towards his folded hands in front of him before his eyes flicked to your sleeping frame on the chair. “I know,”

—

When you entered the BAU’s office in Quantico late that night you thought you might see at least a few team members lingering but the only lights that were on were those in Aaron’s office.

You were just there to drop off the files, if you didn’t do it now you would forget later. Entering Aaron’s office, he stood leaning against the front of his desk, glancing down at some papers and scanning them, his eyes running back and forth furiously.

You coughed and he looked up, noticing you were there and immediately put his files down.

“I came to bring these back,” you said. “Before I headed home,”

“Thanks,” he said, taking them from your hands. “You know...about earlier...” he trailed off.

“Yes,” you nodded motioning for him to continue.

“I just,” he chewed on the inside of his bottom lip. “Out there, when we’re out in situations like that, your safety is my top priority,”

Your safety.

Not the teams.

Not his.

Yours.

It sounded like something a spouse would say and before you could even filter what you were saying it came out.

“I’m not your wife Aaron,”

That made him frown. He looked at you curiously, his features softening when he saw the way you looked, almost hurt having to say that.

“W-What prompted you to say that?” he asked, genuinely curious.

You took a deep breath, throwing your hands up in the air and letting them drop to your sides with a shake of your head.

“I don’t know Aaron, you tell me,” you said. “I come and bring you food when you forget to eat, you’re on the other end of the line when I have a nightmare. I make sure you go to sleep early, you try to make sure I don’t die when we’re out there,” you listed. “Doesn’t this all sound to you like something people who are more than best friends would do for each other?”

Aaron listened avidly, hanging on to your every word.

“A-And I don’t know whether you’re trying to make me confused but I don’t understand why you hold me the way you do, why you make me smile, why do you look at me with your eyes shining like that Aaron? Because I keep doing all these things for you, I keep dragging you away from your job every once in a while so you can remember there’s a world out there that’s not filled with murder, and rape and the worst humanity has to offer, but I do all that...I take care of you...I’m your wife in every single way except one,” your lips were trembling at this point and you could see that look in his eyes, the one he got when he wanted to hold you, help you, protect you and say everything would be okay. “Wifes get love, Aaron. And I love you, but do you… do you love me?”

“Of course,” he whispered, without so much as a thought, finally pushing away from the desk, coming to stand in front of you, centimetres away.

You were no stranger to closeness with Aaron Hotchner, but this felt different. Again, it felt more personal. It felt like everything you ever wanted.

His hand came to cradle the side of your face, thumb wiping a tear away from your cheek.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you, that you didn’t know,”

You sniffed, nodding your head, your hands now pressed between your chest and his.

He brought your face closer to his until your foreheads were pressed together before he said,

“I want to say it for you, out loud so you know it,” he started. “And I want to kiss you so I can show it,”

You nodded your head again, feeling his lips brush gently against yours, a faint distant memory coming back from years ago, the taste of beer somehow still present on his tongue, but before he fully pressed his lips to your he whispered,

“I love you,”

And his lips were finally on yours. When they parted you almost whined, but he took your face, cradled in his hands and said it again,

“I love you,”

This time his lips met the corner of your mouth.

“I love you,”

Your cheekbones, two on each side.

“I love you,”

The tip of your nose, making you tilt your head up once more to align his lips with yours.

“I love you,” he said one more time, pressing his lips to yours so firmly it made your knees wobble and go weak.

You and Aaron had always made a good team, this was no exception. His lips moved with yours in such a rhythm, in such synchronicity one would almost think it was rehearsed, but you just knew each other that well. That was part of who you were.

In the end, there were plenty of things you had done and would come to do for Aaron Hotchner, the same from him to you, but by far your most favourite was getting to say I love you.

if you enjoyed this fic please consider reblogging! it's the best way to help creators get exposure!

special thanks to @itsalonglongwaytobasingse and @writingtoforgetreality for helping me with this one and letting me ramble about it 24/7

Minho - Hybrid AU!

part II

“one, two, three, four!” Minho was clapping his hands to mark the rhythm as the cheerleaders practice their moves

“again! and pay attention to the twist this time, Chaewon!” you rolled your eyes just hearing her name

Chaewon was a light brown Mini Lop bunny hybrid and a pain in the neck ever since she was transferred to your school last semester

she got extremely attached to Minho because he’s also a Mini Lop hybrid, but a black one

and she was always around, always trying to get his attention, always doing him favors, always looking for an excuse to be touchy with him, always annoying the life out of you

and you hated her

she was pretty, she had gorgeous hair, big bunny eyes and a cute smile, she was so nice and so docile, the perfect bunny hybrid

and you really hated her because you, a lynx hybrid, were none of those things

your facial features were more intimidating, your feline eyes always keen on everything surrounding you, your ears twitching to sounds far away, your reflexes faster than average, your tongue ready to snap at anyone who crosses you the wrong way…

you would never reach Chaewon’s level of perfect

and it wrecks you inside because you know that eventually Minho will choose her and leave you behind

it’s only the natural option since you’re a predator and they’re both preys

predators never end up with preys, everyone knows it

why would a Mini Lop bunny be with a freaking lynx? Lynx eat rabbits for breakfast, lunch and dinner

it was bad enough that Minho was your best friend, it shocked the entire school when you both started hanging out

it took them almost a year to get over the fact that you both were indeed friends with each other

but there’s still some people who think it’s weird

Chaewon is one of them

she never said anything in front of you because you know she’s scared to death of you, maybe because you’re always angry around her and your angry face is not really friendly

but you don’t care because you’re constantly hearing her say hurtful things about you to her friends

saying that you’re probably coercing Minho to be your friend, that you have eerie eyes and a chilling presence, that the only time she saw you laughing was horrifying and she had nightmares because of it, that she doesn’t understand why you don’t let Minho alone, that she’s a better choice for him since they have so much in common, etc etc etc

she’s not completely wrong, though, but it still hurts hearing her say that Minho will probably “wake up and run away from your predator trap”

you shouldn’t have a crush on him, it’s wrong

but your heart is stupid and does stupid things, like falling in love with Minho

Keep reading

BTS Series Masterlist

- Coming soon

Arcane | Hybrid!au | a, s, f | Hiatus

Summary: Some secrets are kept for the good of people. Some secrets are kept for abuse or power. Yoongi had been a victim of abuse and power, and he wasn’t going to let anyone else use secrets for that purpose. So, when Y/N comes into his life with secrets, he doesn’t want to fall into that rabbit hole again. He doesn’t want to give all his trust to someone who will abuse their power over him. But maybe Y/N’s secrets are a good thing.

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |

- Coming soon

- Coming soon

- Coming soon

- Coming Soon

Golden Time | Hybrid!au | 30k+ | a, s, f | COMPLETED

Summary:  Y/N has been rescuing and recovering hybrids her entire life. Now she has inherited her grandparent’s hybrid sanctuary. It was a normal rescue, get the hybrid, recover him and give him a choice, stay on the sanctuary or find a life for himself. Why was this one so different?

01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |

Hybrid Laws

Golden Time Drabbles:

- In which they cuddle for the first time

- In which she meets the parents

filtering light 「 ch. 1 」

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pairing: park jimin x reader x jeon jungkook

includes: bunny!reader, human!park jimin, human!jeon jungkook, golden retriever!jung hoseok, human!min yoongi, tiger!kim taehyung, human!kim namjoon, human!kim seokjin.

word count: 6k

warnings: none

summary: the reader is a bunny hybrid with a past that has left her traumatized and struggling to heal. some things can be helped with therapy, but some things can only be fixed through realizing you're not all of the things that hurt you—you are, in fact, just loved.

[ one ] [ two ] [ three ] [ four ] [ five ] [ six ] [ seven ]

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The garden of The Violet was lush and sprawling, filling everything the eye could see with green leaves, bright flowers, and twinkling butterflies. The day was perfect; spring had just begun and the days were perfectly cool, the sun warming whatever parts of people it could touch. The humans moving around were all smiling, making polite conversation, and snacking on whatever food had been put out by the catering company. The banner that hung over the entrance to the garden reminded everyone that they were there for a cause: The Violet Hybrid Awareness Fund. As if the attendees could forget anyway.

The Violet had set up the event to raise awareness for hybrid care and hybrid lives—something the foundation had become directly involved in when they opened a shelter of their own almost a decade prior. Hybrid rights was a young movement but there were more and more people dedicating themselves to being a voice for the hybrids who were constantly being silenced. The Violet had invited some of the community’s most powerful and influential people to spend the day learning more about hybrid life and how they can help hybrids even if they didn’t want to adopt one.

There had been classes on almost every kind of hybrid and what they were like. There were classes on hybrid treatment (and cases of mistreatment). There were classes detailing The Violet’s plan to improve as many hybrid lives as possible. Currently, hybrids still had to be adopted to be free, and when they were in public they were required by law to wear their collars. The Violet, however, wanted hybrids to be enabled to gain their independence and autonomy without fear of humans interfering or hurting them.

While it was now generally frowned upon to have hybrids as servants, there were plenty of people in the world who thought of hybrids as property they paid for and could do what they wanted with. There were a few programs forming that worked to create policies that protected hybrids and made it possible to prosecute people who treated their hybrids inhumanely, but there was still a lot of work to be done. The Violet was asking communities to partner with them in the fight.

The morning had been filled with information and passionate words from founders of The Violet as well as from employees who had one story or another of how they were faced with the injustice of hybrid treatment and how they chose to stand and fight for those who were not allowed to fight for themselves. It was all very emotional and moving, if Park Jimin did say so himself.

Jimin had been invited alongside his partner, Jeon Jungkook, and a few of their friends. They felt strongly about the treatment of hybrids—anyone with eyes to see the abuse they suffered would be—but truly the two had no idea there was so much they didn’t know about hybrids in general. Their friend Namjoon was more knowledgeable on the subject, and he had been excited about the event for weeks. Namjoon was heavily involved in The Violet’s efforts to raise the quality of life for hybrids, even volunteering his time on top of donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to the foundation every year. How he found time on top of being the CEO of his own clean energy company was anyone’s guess. But if he struggled with balance it didn’t show as he approached the table his people sat at. He was grinning with excitement.

“Are you excited to meet the hybrids?” He asked, sitting down and stealing a cheese cracker off of Jungkook’s plate.

“Hybrids?” Jimin asked, looking up from the pamphlet he’d been reading. It was about hybrid nesting and he found it interesting enough that he’d been reading in silence, paying little attention to his surroundings until Namjoon spoke up.

“Yeah, the lady said it earlier. Some hybrids from the shelter are going to be here so we can meet them.” Jungkook remembered.

“Oh,” was all Jimin said.

He felt a little overwhelmed with information about the reality hybrids faced. In the seminar he sat in, they had talked about cases in which hybrids were mistreated and defended themselves but were impounded as a result. Past shelters were nothing like what The Violet had going on. There were pictures of small cages, unsanitary living conditions, and overcrowding. Staff members were just as likely to abuse the hybrids they were responsible for as the monsters the hybrids had just escaped.

“One of my trainers has a hybrid,” Jungkook said around a bite of melon. “She’s a cat hybrid. Kind of feisty.”

“Our CFO has a cat hybrid.” Namjoon nodded. “They usually have their person and everyone else can fuck off.” He chuckled.

“What kind of hybrid is the best to work with?” Jungkook asked Namjoon, wide eyes inquiring up at him.

“I get along well with dog hybrids. They’re the most approachable.”

“You mean you scare the other ones off.”  Jimin laughed. Namjoon blushed and shifted in his seat like he was being put out by the teasing.

“Ah—okay, okay.” He rolled his eyes. Everyone knew Namjoon was a bit clumsy. Dog hybrids found it funny if anything. He did in fact alarm a lot of the prey hybrids, who were already weary of him because of his size. “Anyway, most of the hybrids visiting will be low key. Some dogs, some cats, maybe a hamster. The more agreeable hybrids.”

“Agreeable?” Jungkook questioned.

“Yeah,  the ones who are okay with people for the most part. Some of the more exotic hybrids take a while to warm up to humans and wouldn’t benefit from something like this.” He sipped his drink. “But The Violet wanted to bring some hybrids who wouldn’t mind people but could also benefit from more exposure to people.”

The three men hummed in thought.

“Will you know any of them?” Jimin asked.

“No, probably not. Most of my work is done in the offices.”

And they fell into conversation about Namjoon’s work with The Violet, his business trying to make clean energy for the city, and his partner Jin. Jin was out of town on his own business, and wasn’t able to make it. None of the men missed the way Namjoon’s eyes softened when he spoke about missing his husband. It made the guys promise to try and distract him until Jin got back, making an offer to look around at the new art exhibit that had opened downtown. Namjoon was taking them up on that when the hybrids arrived.

There was no announcement at first, so as not to make the hybrids uncomfortable. But slowly, they started trickling in from inside the building. The first to be noticed was a golden retriever that spoke loudly and with an excited lilt in his tone. There was a scottish fold hybrid that sat alone until a few women approached her to make conversation. There weren’t more than twenty-five hybrids but the guests could see where they were based on the pockets of people that surrounded them.

Most thrived on the attention, their tails shaking back and forth behind them as they answered people’s questions. Others were visibly nervous and it seemed as though the staff members would notice and subtly guide attendees elsewhere so the hybrid would not be overwhelmed. It was truly interesting to witness. With images of hybrids being mistreated still fresh in their minds, everyone was being mindful and kind.

After about fifteen minutes, the announcement was finally made that The Violet’s hybrids had arrived and were making themselves comfortable. There were some activities for everyone to do to just relax and have fun. A corner for painting with easels and canvases was set up off to the side, away from where a game of soccer had started out between some dog hybrids and a few athletes who had come to support The Violet. Some younger hybrids were drawing with chalk along the walkways of the garden. Some hybrids kept to themselves and others joined in groups with humans, making small talk and just enjoying the opportunity to meet people who weren’t staff members. Everyone seemed occupied, doing their own thing, and Jungkook had decided he wanted to try his hand at painting.

There were a couple mouse hybrids that had started up in the paint area, and he greeted them as he looked around the supplies for what he might want. Jungkook had seen hybrids in passing, but had never really interacted with them. None of his friends owned any, and the ones he had met on the street were often not allowed to interact with strangers. That was why an event like this was important, he thought, to teach hybrids they shouldn’t have to be afraid of strangers. Though, a small part of his mind whispered that more often than not hybrids had a reason to fear humans. Regardless, humans should learn to be more comfortable with hybrids as well.

He grabbed a few sheets of watercolor paper, some brushes, a pen, some paint, and headed back to the table where his friends were. On his way he also snagged a plate of pastries, grinning to himself at the sight of the sweets. He placed his things down on the table and realized Jimin was talking with a hybrid. It was the golden retriever he had seen come out first.

When the hybrid got to the table where Jimin and Namjoon were chatting, he told them his name was Hoseok. Hoseok was very obviously friendly and extroverted. He had made his rounds talking to anyone and everyone. His conversation with Jimin was about what kind of work Jimin did. Jimin, it turned out, worked in security.

“Yeah? Like Park Systems level security?” Hoseok joked. Park Systems was a well known security company based in the city. The company was trusted with most of the big business security teams as well as basic home security systems. Hoseok had made the joke because the idea of the CEO of Park Systems being at The Violet talking to a golden retriever hybrid seemed laughable. When Jimin extended his hand and introduced himself as Park Jimin, Hoseok’s face had dropped in shock.

“No way.”

Hoseok had a million questions about it. He erupted in a flurry of inquiries. Jungkook was giggling at the hybrid’s enthusiasm when Namjoon leaned over to whisper in his ear.

“Hey, Kook, I think you have a shadow.”

Jungkook looked at him with confusion and Namjoon’s eyes flicked over his shoulder. The younger man slowly turned his head and there, pretending to play with a wildflower, was a hybrid he hadn’t noticed before.

You had started out at the front of the garden, playing with some of the younger hybrids and making hop-scotch. The kids loved when you jumped around with them, your ears flopping back and forth. You were only the second bunny hybrid The Violet had housed, and the children all found you adorable. However, when they had inevitably run off to play, you were left to your own devices with no excuse to avoid talking to the humans around.

You knew the staff was keeping a close eye on you. This was the first event you had been to since you came to The Violet, and you still struggled with big crowds of people. You were promised it would be relaxed and lowkey, and it was true. No one was staring too much, and no one was approaching you to ask questions. The people at the event were conscious that you were a bunny, and the one thing on the pamphlet about bunny hybrid care that was emphasized was their skittishness. When they were spooked, they would bolt. The caterer who handed you a plate of snacks even smiled softly at you, gentle and soothing as if trained. You assumed The Violet actually had trained them.

You had just settled in a particularly sunny patch of grass when you saw him. At first your heart stopped, thinking he was another bunny hybrid like yourself. But you realized almost immediately that he was human. However, the longer you looked the more you could see why you had mistaken him for a hybrid. His eyes were big and brown, and flicked this way and that as he took in his surroundings. He nibbled on his food while listening to the large man beside him talk about something. When someone said something he found amusing his nose would scrunch up in a way you found endearing. The man wasn’t a hybrid but he almost acted like one.

You had been content watching from afar as he relaxed and talked to the people at his table. He didn’t seem too interested in the hybrids around them, though when one walked by he gave them a nod or a small smile to be polite. When he got out of his seat, you had panicked slightly, fearing he was leaving though you had no grounds to. When you followed at a distance, it was clear he was just going to entertain himself.

You watched him look through the paints and brushes in the section for art, his brow furrowing in thought. He was frowning slightly with concentration, though when he noticed the two mouse hybrids looking at him he quickly softened his expression to say hello. He was choosing his colors after agonizing over the options and then he was moving back toward the table. In his arms he juggled the paper and all of the supplies he wanted. You were worried he was going to drop them. When he stopped to snag a plate of treats, you had giggled into your hand as you watched his balancing act of holding art supplies and piling desserts on the plate before balancing it all for the home stretch.

You tried to remain casual about it. You’d stop to admire a flower and debated picking it. You’d made small talk with a hybrid who asked if you were enjoying yourself. All the while your eyes were flicking back to the man, as if you were afraid he would disappear. Eventually, you had settled back in your spot, holding several flowers you deemed too pretty to not pick. The man was starting to mess around with his paints, listening to the people around him talk, sometimes smiling to himself as though he was just happy to exist in the same place as his friends. It was the first of only two times you would think to yourself that a human was beautiful. Not just attractive, but beautiful. In the same way as your flowers, or a sun shower or the sound of your friend Hoseok singing in the morning when he brought you a glass of juice and some fruit to nibble on.

You were so transfixed on the man that you didn’t register his friend’s attention on you. He had noticed you get up and had watched with curiosity as you lingered behind the youngest of their friend group. He was sure you weren’t aware of his gaze as you watched Jungkook wander around. He even chuckled to himself at your expression when a chatty pomeranian hybrid intercepted you and struck up a conversation. You were trying to be polite but the worry in your brow and shiftiness of your eyes told Namjoon you were agitated. It was almost heartbreaking how obviously enraptured with Jungkook you were. He couldn’t help but tell Jungkook about it the moment he thought no one would be paying attention.

When Jungkook moved and you realized he was turning to look at you, you froze. Your head tipped down and your fingers nervously rubbed at the flowers in your lap. Your cheeks were pink with the embarrassment of getting caught and part of you was gnawing at itself with fear. No one liked to be stared at. You were supposed to keep to yourself and not bother guests. You had learned that attracting attention from humans was dangerous. You should have been more careful, no matter how interested you were in the man.

Jungkook was also blushing. You were perhaps the cutest creature he had ever seen. With your head down, all he could see were your ears. One was a warm brown, almost black like your hair, and the other was white. He hadn’t seen a hybrid with two different colored ears before, and he found it charming. Even if you weren’t trying to make yourself as small as possible (like you presently were) you would be one of the most delicate hybrids there. He realized he had seen you earlier, playing with the children, and had mistaken you for one of the younger hybrids. By yourself, however, it was clear you were older, maybe around his age even. Jungkook had only gotten a glimpse of your eyes before you had ducked your head down, but from just a look he knew they were big and round, expressive in their emotion. He was intrigued.

“What do I do?” He asked, almost speaking out of the side of his mouth as if any movement would send you away. Namjoon found it incredibly cute.

“Don’t scare her away.”

Jungkook rolled his eyes. Very helpful, hyung. He racked his brain for what he had learned about bunny hybrids, but all he could remember was that they flopped sometimes and it was a good thing. Jungkook was so caught up in trying to remember what the staff had said about bunny hybrids that he didn’t notice Jimin’s conversation with Hoseok had paused at Jungkook and Namjoon’s whispering. Hoseok was looking between Jungkook and you, his eyes thoughtful before a grin appeared, bright and energetic.

“She likes strawberries.” Hoseok whispered. The men followed his eyes to the plate of fruit Jimin had abandoned. There was a small pile of strawberries in the middle. Jungkook met Hoseok’s eyes and didn’t notice the way Jimin was watching him..

A few feet away, you knew they were talking about you.. Hoseok usually took enough of the attention that you could get by unnoticed but even he was whispering. You wanted to glare at him to communicate your feelings of betrayal but couldn’t bring yourself to look at any of them.

“Jimin, are you going to finish these strawberries?” Jungkook asked, his voice raised loud enough for it to carry across the garden. It was the first time you had really heard it fully and your ears twitched.

“Oh, I don’t think I can. They look delicious, but I’m so full.” Jimin played along, rubbing his tummy as though stuffed when in reality, he hadn’t eaten much.

Your ears were tilting towards them, intrigued by the idea of fresh strawberries. You snuck a peak and saw the forbidden fruit, piled high on a small plate by Jungkook’s elbow. But in the short glance you saw that Jungkook was still looking at you and you felt so shy you couldn’t move from where you sat.

Two emotions were warring in your chest. There was the desire to draw nearer to someone who seemed like you—who seemed safe (Hoseok wasn’t sensing any danger, surely, or he wouldn’t be engaging with them)—and the feeling that it was a trap. Like you would approach the table and the moment before you touched the berries a hand would shoot out and grab your wrist and you’d be punished for not fighting your temptations. You’d be punished for not controlling your urges, once again.

Was this a trap? You looked again at the strawberries and tears began to brim your eyes. You desperately wanted to go closer but the risk was too much. The conflict was stressing you out. So you didn’t move from your spot, paralyzed with the desire to move and the fear to go.

Over at the table, Jungkook deflated. Jimin gave him an encouraging smile and his hand went to squeeze his shoulder in an attempt to comfort the younger boy. Hoseok, however, was undeterred.

“Just give her time.” He said firmly. He watched the way your ears twitched and knew you wouldn’t be able to resist the fruit for long.

“Do you know her?” Jimin asked.

“Yeah, she’s my best friend,” he grinned proudly. The surprised looks didn’t go unnoticed. It was a surprise that you let the loud hybrid anywhere near you. You looked like a leaf falling to the ground would convince you to run for cover.

But Hoseok knew you better.

He struck up a conversation with Jungkook instead, trying to distract them to give you the window to feel safe enough to move.

It turned out that Jungkook’s occupation went hand in hand with Jimin’s. He had a studio where his trainers lead different exercise classes like Bikram yoga or boxing, as well as taught self-defense classes such as Krav Maga and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It was obvious that Jungkook himself was very athletic and in shape, even in his oversized clothing.

Jungkook was talking about why he started working out when out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement. He stuttered almost imperceptibly in his speech but recovered quickly, fighting a smile at the sight of you shifting your posture. He could have laughed at himself. He had never paid so much attention to one person before. Besides Jimin, of course.

When Hoseok had gotten Jungkook talking, the lull of his voice was almost too much to resist. You were struggling against the movement of your inner self weighing the risk of coming closer. Your inner bunny wanted to hide just in case, but even she was being drawn in by the sight of the fruit lying out, just asking to be eaten. All of your lines of defense were crumbling.

You were moving slowly, almost not of your own volition. It was as if something else was propelling you forward and you were inching toward the corner of the table where the plate rested.

When you reached the table, directly next to him, Jungkook kept talking but watched as your small hand reached out. Your fingers clutched a strawberry, your eyes darted around at each face at the table to see if they were paying attention to you but each of the males’ faces were trained anywhere else though they were all aware of you. Tension was coiled in your chest as you envisioned the hand that threatened to grab you. At last you brought the fruit to your lips and you took a nibble.

It was like every man at the table exhaled. Jungkook was beaming inwardly and Jimin was wiping at his nose to hide his smile. Namjoon was pushing his food around his plate with a small smile of his own and Hoseok was grinning in victory. You made a small noise, almost a clicking sound in the back of your throat, and all of them wondered what it was except for Hoseok, who knew it meant you were happy.

You weren’t being punished. You were a little closer to the stranger who kept looking at you out of the corner of his eye.

“Hello, happy bun. Would you like to sit down?” Hoseok was the first to address you and Jungkook’s eyes cut to him in fear that he was going to scare you away. Somehow, in the way that Hoseok just seemed to know things, it was exactly what you needed. Verbal affirmation that you could stay. You looked shyly at Jungkook and he immediately scooted, practically sitting on Namjoon. Namjoon cursed and also moved to the empty seat at his right. The older man’s grumpiness made you giggle and Jungkook’s eyes widened at the sound. He looked directly at Jimin to see if he had heard it and Jimin’s expression was one of slight awe. Jungkook ignored Namjoon’s grumbling as you lowered yourself in the now empty chair, timidly glancing at Jimin to your left and Jungkook to your right.

The seat was warm, and you could smell something warm, musky, and slightly floral.

“I like your flowers,” Jungkook told you. “Could I draw them?” He asked. You nodded, lifting the flowers to hand to him but Jungkook stopped you. “You’re fine. Just hold them like you were.”

Jimin started telling Hoseok about how Jungkook was incredibly talented at drawing and painting things. “Jungkook drew our friend’s wedding portrait.” He bragged. It was the first time you’d heard someone say his name. Jungkook.

You weren’t speaking but watching Jungkook draw, leaning slightly closer to get a better view. He was not just drawing the flowers, but you could see he was also drawing you. Or at least part of you. The watercolors were roughly spreading across the page, making the image of the flowers in your grasp. You practically preened, making a happy noise as you leaned into Jungkook, unaware of the fact that you were now touching beyond the unconscious comfort it gave you to be close to him.

Jimin was melting, however, watching the attention you gave his love. How you looked is how he felt. You watched Jungkook with thee expression he had only ever seen Jungkook himself make, when he found something interesting and beautiful and inspiring. He was sure you weren’t aware you were doing it.

While you were in your own little world, the afternoon went on with the activities. There were classic games like a two-legged race (which Jimin and Hoseok lost phenomenally at), a game of musical chairs that Hoseok won, and an egg toss that resulted in some impressive work by a pair of labrador hybrids. You watched everyone running around and having fun, and you looked like you wanted to get closer as Jimin and Namjoon entered the tug-of-war competition. Jungkook’s gaze went from you to the people lining up and back to you. Then he asked, “Want to go watch?”

You squeaked in surprise that he had directly addressed you and Jungkook patiently waited for you to compose yourself. You looked back at where Jimin and Namjoon playfully pretended to stretch and warm up, jokingly eyeing the hybrids that had volunteered to play. It looked fun, and Jungkook’s large friend looked strong, like a bull hybrid you’d seen once. You found yourself nodding and wordlessly, your hand moved to grasp Jungkook’s.

He watched it happen in slow motion, your hand moving from your lap towards his own where he mindlessly swung his pen around. He let the pen fall from his fingers in favor of opening his palm to you. Your hand was so small compared to his that he almost cooed. Your fingers wrapped around his and you looked at him with a vulnerability that made him want to place himself between you and anything that even thought about looking at you.

Hoseok saw the exchange from his place by the snack table and grinned. He allowed himself a single yip of celebration.

Jungkook led you to the tables nearest the competition and when Jimin saw the two of you watching he started acting cute, doing little dances and waving. It made you blush and hide in Jungkook’s shoulder, giggling to yourself. Jungkook gave Jimin a thumbs up and mouthed ‘keep it up’. Namjoon watched the whole interaction with thinly veiled amusement and made a note to himself. Before Jimin could make you laugh any more, the staff member officiating the tug-of-war game started talking and telling everyone the rules.

The tarp with mud was pulled into the middle of the field and the players lined up. You peaked out from behind Jungkook’s shoulder and watched as his friends lined up with five other random attendees and got into place.

You were sure the hybrids would win immediately. Hybrids were created to be stronger than humans. However, when the whistle blew and everyone started pulling in their own direction, it was clear why the human team had put Namjoon at the very back of the rope. At first he was leaning back to resist the pull of the hybrids, but after a moment, when the team had gotten their bearings, he turned and started walking in the other direction, the rope over his shoulder. Namjoon was strong. You watched him with wide eyes, huddling close to Jungkook.

Just like when you had taken his seat, this scent surrounded you. It was lavender and something else you didn’t have a name for: but with him close you got a better whiff. It was a warm scent, earthy and musky. You hadn’t smelled something like it before and you decided you liked it. You tried to inhale discreetly, rubbing your cheek against Jungkook’s shoulder. The scenting was almost unconscious. Almost. There was a part of you that wanted some of the smell on yourself, so even when the day was over and you were back in your room at The Violet, you would have the memory of him still on your cheek.

Jungkook was completely unaware of the scenting. All he knew was that you had started nuzzling him and he thought it was endearing. He was struggling to focus on the tug-of-war match in front of him. And when one of the humans slips and falls into the tarp of mud, his laughter is partly at their expense and partly an excuse to indulge in the happiness he felt that you had warmed up to him. He doesn’t catch you looking at him over his shoulder, smiling at the sound of his laughter.

Eventually, nature had the last say. Namjoon was strong, but not seven hybrids strong. The human side of the rope was pulled into the mud and Jimin’s shout of defeat startled you. So much so that you jumped and moved back behind Jungkook. He let you grip his hand, moving his other hand to stroke your arm in assurance.

“It’s okay…” He realized at that moment that he didn’t even know your name. “Jimin is just playing.” He soothed. Jimin. That was his name.

“Is he okay?” You ask quietly. It’s the first full sentence you’ve spoken in the hour you had spent with him. Jungkook grinned and it was stunning you.

“He’s fine, bun.” He resorted to the nickname he’d heard Hoseok use, and you clicked your approval and rubbed your forehead against Jungkook’s back. Your face warmed with embarrassment but you couldn’t help yourself.

Jimin came bounding up then, covered in mud and grinning ear to ear. He gave Jungkook a kiss that Jungkook scrunched his nose at because Jimin was completely covered in mud.

“We almost won.” He insisted.

“If only your team was full of Joonies.” Jungkook laughed.

Jimin noticed you peeking out at him from behind Jungkook’s shoulder but didn’t say anything. He just gave you a smile that left you smiling yourself. Then he excused himself to try and get as much mud off as possible for the ride home. “Make sure Kook doesn’t get into any trouble, okay?” He asked you. He waited until you nodded shyly before taking off.

The mention of the event ending had dread plummeting your stomach to the ground. You knew eventually that Jungkook would leave but you had pushed those thoughts out of your mind. Of course he had to go. Jimin had to go, too. They had lives to get back to and they couldn’t stay and feed you strawberries all day. It made you sad and your ears drooped, tickling Jungkook’s cheek. He could sense the mood shift and to cheer you up asked if you wanted to share a plate of strawberries. Then when you two sat back down you ate all of them.

When the staff members started canvasing the garden, the sun was starting to set. They were rounding up hybrids and telling them to say their final goodbyes to the friends they had made. You were sitting in between Jimin and Jungkook, dozing off, your head lolling forward as you struggled to stay awake and enjoy your last moments with them. In your heart you longed for a different life. One where instead of the staff member squeezing your shoulder and quietly letting you know it was time to start heading out, Jungkook would let you sleep, safe and warm with his scent beside you, until it became so late that he carried you to your bed—no, your nest. In this dream you had a nest of your own. A warm place of blankets, pillows, lavender, and bergamot.

But that wasn’t your life, and in your life, Hoseok was coming to collect you and walk with you back to your dorm. Pushing the urge to cry down, you barely managed a sound as you gave Jungkook’s hand one last squeeze. You two hadn’t let go since the tug-of-war game. It was a heartbreaking thing to see, and Jimin was equally moved when you said goodbye to him, your soft voice floating up to his ears.

The group watched you go and when you disappeared around the corner, the mood was noticeably depressed. Jungkook looked like a kicked puppy. Jimin’s hand was going up and down his back in an attempt to soothe him but honestly, even he didn’t know what to say. Jungkook had obviously connected with you and you with him.

“Maybe we can come back and visit her,” he offered quietly. Jungkook was blinking rapidly, nodding his head.

“Have you ever thought of adopting a hybrid?” Namjoon chose this moment to bring up what he had been thinking the whole day. Jimin and Jungkook shot their heads in his direction.

“What?” Jimin asked at the same moment Jungkook said “Could we?”

Namjoon’s expression was that of self-satisfaction.

“Those were all hybrids that live at The Violet.” He stated the obvious. “The long-term goal isn’t for them to spend the rest of their lives there. It’s for them to be adopted and get to live their lives in a home where they are safe and free to live autonomously with people who will love and care for them. That’s probably part of The Violet’s aim in bringing them here to the event. If anyone were to be interested in adopting a hybrid, they have the opportunity to interact with some and get a feel for what would fit best in their homes and lives.”

Jimin was going back and forth between looking at Namjoon and looking at Jungkook, who was looking as though someone had handed him banana milk on a platter and he found out there was a million dollars in the bottom of the jug.

Then, Jungkook seemed to deflate. He was staring at the table, processing what Namjoon had said. Watching you leave had felt like having his heart wretched out of his chest. It was worse knowing you didn’t want to leave. But he had learned enough in the seminars to know that taking care of a hybrid was a big job. They needed a lot of attention and care. You had to be an expert on your hybrid because they were relying on you to keep them safe and healthy. Jungkook didn’t know if he was up for that kind of responsibility. “I can’t take care of a hybrid by myself.”

The words were mumbled, as though he were just processing aloud and hadn’t realized he’d spoken at all. And he hadn’t realized. Not until Jimin made a disapproving sound and his hand went to Jungkook’s thigh. He squeezed it lightly and Jungkook looked up at him.

“No, you can’t.” He was staring so softly at Jungkook that the younger boy almost missed how negative his words were. Almost. Part of him had hoped Jimin would disagree and tell Jungkook he was entirely capable of taking care of you. So, Jungkook looked on, confused and slightly betrayed as his boyfriend leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

“But we can.”

© sybilwriting 2021

the enemies to lovers project | lee minho

𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙩𝙮𝙥𝙚: 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘵; 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘶, 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘵, 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘧𝘧

𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘫𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘨'𝘴 𝘱𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦 – 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺, 𝘭𝘦𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘰, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵. 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥.

𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩: ~18𝘬+

𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨: 𝘴𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨

𝘢/𝘯: 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺!!! 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦! 𝘪 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘩𝘩 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 >.< 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘪 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵! 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥!

prologue.

“You know I despise you, right?”

“Oh, despise. Such a big word, baby,” Minho drawled with an obnoxious smirk, the one that simultaneously made you want to rip his hair out and kiss those perfectly delectable lips of his, “If it’s any consolation, I abhor your presence as well.”

“Wonderful,” you crossed your legs, a smile creeping onto your face as you leaned backward in your chair, “So why exactly are you here?”

Minho laughed, “The same reason I presume that you’re here for. A hundred dollars to put up with you is a tempting offer.”

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Lover of Mine

university!au - fluff, angst, crack humour (kind of. i’m not very funny 🥴)

music major!bang chan x english major!reader

description: she doesn’t hate him, she just... doesn’t want anything to do with him anymore. “it’s bad for my heart”, she claims. and she succeeds for a whole year until her clown of a friend felix, decides to take up music production as a summer extra credit unit knowing absolutely nothing about writing lyrics or composing. now who else to ask for help other than a creative writing major who specialises in poetry, and the best music production student on campus?

general warning: my characters swear quite a bit. it’s probably in every episode sksksks. so um... yes.

A/N: do let me know if you would like to be on the taglist or something! i'm a new blog so i've got like...2 followers 😭😂

p.s. pay attention to the timestamps in the chats and tweets ✌🏻

episode 1 - pilot (meet the gang)

episode 2 - clownlix

episode 3 - the awesome threesome

episode 4 - there goes the ship

episode 5 - lock and key

episode 6 - starbucks date?

episode 7 (part 1) - somebody else

episode 7 (part 2) - lino’s new hoe

episode 8 - late night rendezvous

episode 9 - when hannie met jinnie

episode 10 - hyunjin memes

episode 11 - welcome to the foresome

episode 12 - a series of unfortunate events

episode 13 (part 1) - never too busy for you

episode 13 (part 2) - i found you

episode 14 - the crash...

episode 15 - ...and burn

episode 16 - stop acting like my therapist

episode 17 (part 1) - hyunjin’s off switch

episode 17 (part 2) - apple slices in the parking lot

episode 18 - d*caf

episode 19 - lost in the rain

episode 20 - you want me to romance you?

episode 21 - felix’s kink

episode 22 - game night

episode 23 - rekha and minho

bonus episode - the art of flirting

episode 24 (part 1) - aren’t we already dating?

episode 24 (part 2) - hyunjin’s pollen allergies

episode 25 - why is love so difficult?

episode 26 (part 1) - confusion

episode 26 (part 2) - frustration

episode 27 - not in the same way

episode 28 (part 1) - ilysb

episode 28 (part 2) - bros and bro wives

episode 29 - pretty man with pretty freckles

episode 30 - football highlights

bonus episode - changbin’s tinder disaster

episode 31 - can i be him?

episode 32 (part 1) - basic love songs

episode 32 (part 2) - can’t get you outta my head

episode 33 - road to spotlight

episode 34 - sunflower

episode 35 - almost

episode 36 (part 1) - serial rick roller

episode 36 (part 2) - yellow

episode 37 (part 1) - afterparty

episode 37 (part 2)

episode 37 (part 3)

episode 38 - aftermath

episode 39 - lovely jisung

episode 40 - how to say i love you

episode 41 (part 1) - devdas

episode 41 (part 2) - lino’s favourites

episode 42 (part 1) - i love you

episode 42 (part 2) - stay here darling

episode 43 - idiot watch

episode 44 (part 1) - bright lights and rainy nights

episode 44 (part 2) - 24 hour flower shop

episode 45 - felix’s project

episode 46 - john legend’s wife

episode 47 (part 1) - corona borealis

episode 47 (part 2) - felix’s parents

episode 48 (epilogue) - lover of mine

thank you! (interview with the 8some)

lover of mine extra blurbs

ask my muse - search the hashtag for all the asks ^^

pinterest board

By The Moon; ONGOING

(pls ignore time stamps)

disclaimer: spelling and grammar mistakes are included. ♡

↳ warnings: swear words

namjoon x reader au; soulmate!au

In a world where two souls are bonded for life, your soul tattoo or mark appears once you lock eyes with your soulmate. Y/n, was born with hers. She’s not really curious as to why though, so she just lets it be. She was too busy causing trouble and living her best life with her best friends anyways. It’s her last year of high school and she’s determined to to make the very best of it. No worries, no drama, just having fun. But what happens when she locks eyes with this nerdy looking kid who transferred at the start of senior year? She finds herself with a burning tattoo and bond she not even sure she’s ready for. Who was this kid? how does he know her friends? what’s in his past that he can’t seem to get over? and most importantly, what the fuck does the moon have to do with all of this?

prologue

1 - head game strong

2 - problems???

3 - R A V E N

4 - selfish

5 - 25 to life

6 - i would kill for you

7 - purple

8 - one step at a time

9 - reality check

10 - civil

11 - on my soulmate bond

12 - i’m struggling here fellas

13 - namjooning

14 - art

15 - missed you

16 - i’ve disappointed myself

17 - it’s the bunny smile

18 - shit show

19 - that’s rough buddy

20 - careful

21 - skank waffles

22 - i fucked up

23 - confused and stupid

24 - exquisite if you will

25 - i’ll kill her

26 - what if?

27 - food coma

28 - so did you

29 - ooop there it is

30 - for a long time

31 - baby

32 - i hope you stay

33 - hands of a goddess

34 - make me choose

35 - exhausted

36 - hook, line, and sinker

37 - don’t act

38 - that’s what i thought

39 - now why tf

40 - i lost

41 - void

42 - her over me

43 - i don’t care

44 - i love her

45 - thank FUCK

46 - moon souls

47 - whether you love him

48 - i’m an idiot

49 - kookie wookie

50 - you think it’s fun?

51 - the project part 1

52 - the project part 2

53 - toe licker

54 - hell yeah he is

55 - By The Moon, The end.

epilogue

heavy sugar || (M)

↳ PART OF MY REWIND SERIES

The Roaring Twenties were a time of great economic wealth and social change. But beneath the jazz music and colorful speakeasies were mafia led organized crimes and bloodstained cash. You knew this well, but try as you might, you just couldn’t ignore the dark and enigmatic gangster whose eyes lingered on you from across the room.

pairing: gangster!yoongi x flapper!reader

word count: 8k

genre: 1920s au, smut, mafia au

warnings: unprotected rough sex, face fucking, power play, choking, alcohol, guns, and death

A/N: Part of my time period series. This takes place in 1920s Chicago! Thank you @introseesaw for letting me use her likeness!

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

“Would ya lighten up, sourpuss? The boss said he’d be back in a jiffy.” The familiar voice of your friend, Doyeon, called to you.

You let out a sigh as she bumped her hip into yours, causing you to pull your eyes away from where your boss had disappeared to.

You pouted, “That was ten minutes ago.”

When you overheard your boss talking about some cops causing trouble out front, you couldn’t help but be on edge. With the 18th amendment now in place, establishments such as the very one you worked in had been pushed underground, trying to work around the ban on alcohol.

Keep reading

If It’s Lovin’ That You Want

“…to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.”

Parings: Mafia Boss!Kim Namjoon x Wife!Reader

Genre: Arranged Marriage AU, Slight Mafia AU, Strangers 2 Lovers, Age-Gap(everyone’s legal),  Angst, Smut, A sprinkle of Fluff, Oneshot

Ratings: NSFW, Mature, R, 18+

Word Count: 10K

Summary: He’s dangerous (so they say), but he’ll give you anything you want. Even the things that money can’t buy. You just have to ask for it.

Warnings: Mature, Mafia related and dark themes, a little violence(she slaps him once), Insecurities, Cursing, Explicit Sex, Unprotected Sex, Very light Dom/Sub/Switch Themes(like probably none at all but just to be safe), Impreg Kink, Multiple Orgasms, Praise Kink, A little spanking, Oral Sex ( M. & F. Receiving), Thigh Riding, Slight hair Pulling, Squirting, Light Choking, Creampie, Throat fucking, Biting/Marking, Nipple/Breast Play, Knife Play(consent is given and he just pops a button on her shirt with it), Body Worshipping, Some Blood, Mentions violent acts, Fingering, Vanilla Sex(wow Dee), Crying. This is a slightly darker fic. Please proceed with caution.

A/N: Well here it is. This is just something I needed to do. Sorry, if you don’t like it. I apologize for any errors

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