Undesired99 - Untitled - Tumblr Blog

♡ into the aurora | series masterlist.

summary: you didn’t expect to run into choi san outside of the venue, especially when your phone was dead and you were stranded in a random city. a kind offer for a phone charger turns into so much more, and you end up falling into a relationship with all eight members of ateez.

pairings: ot8 x reader

genre: fluff, angst, romance, ateez ensemble x reader, polyamory, non-idol!reader, fem!reader, eventual smut

warnings: handled on a chapter by chapter basis, any cw/tw will be clearly identified. if any need to be added, please contact me directly and I will update accordingly!

current word count: 208.6K

✶ one ✶ two ✶ three ✶ four ✶ five ✶ six ✶ seven ✶ eight ✶ nine ✶ ten ✶ eleven ✶ twelve ✶ thirteen ✶ fourteen ✶ fifteen ✶ sixteen ✶ seventeen ✶ eighteen ✶ nineteen ✶ twenty ✶ twenty-one ✶ twenty-two ✶ twenty-three ✶ twenty-four ✶ twenty-five ✶ twenty-six ✶ twenty-seven ✶ twenty-eight ✶ twenty-nine ✶ thirty ✶ thirty-one ✶ thirty-two ✶ thirty-three ✶ thirty-four ✶thirty-five ✶

please note, there will be a sequel! i'm taking a bit of a break before working on that, but new aurora content will be posted in 2023~!

if you prefer to read on AO3, you can find that here

my fic masterlist can be found here!

pirate king masterlist

Life as an amnesiac on board a pirate ship ruled by the one and only Pirate King doesn’t seem very promising, but hey, anything’s better than becoming shark food.

pirate king (251.8k words) ✔️.

extra

> chapter 22 vlive

beginning

> one

> two

> three

> four 

> five

> six 

> seven

> eight

> nine

tortuga

> ten

> eleven

> twelve

> thirteen

> fourteen

> fifteen

> sixteen

> seventeen

> eighteen

nassau

> nineteen

> twenty

> twenty one

> twenty two (org.)

> twenty two (edited)

> twenty three

> twenty four

> twenty five

> twenty six

> twenty seven

> twenty eight

> twenty nine

> thirty

sea witch

> thirty one

> thirty two

> thirty three

> thirty four

> thirty five

> thirty six

> thirty seven

> thirty eight

> thirty nine

> forty

> forty one

> forty two

familial bonds

> forty three

> forty four

> forty five

> forty six

> forty seven

> forty eight

> forty nine

> fifty

> fifty one

> fifty two

> fifty three

> fifty four

> fifty five

> fifty six

> fifty seven

> fifty eight

> fifty nine

> sixty

> sixty one

> sixty two

chains

> sixty three

> sixty four

> sixty five

> sixty six

> sixty seven

> sixty eight

> sixty nine

> seventy

> seventy one

> seventy two

> seventy three

> seventy four

> seventy five

crumbling

> seventy six

> seventy seven

> seventy eight

> seventy nine

> eighty

> eighty one

> eighty two

> eighty three

> eighty four

> eight five

conclusion

> eighty six

> eighty seven

> eighty eight

epilogues

> hongjoong

> wooyoung

treasure spinoff

> your name (hongjoong)

> their voices (seonghwa)

> brothers forever (yunho)

Stink's Ultimate Ateez Rec List (1)

As of 18/5/24

🌟 = personal all-time favorite 🔥 = smut

OT8/Multiple Members

poly!Ateez/poly!ship name x reader = all members are in a relationship with each other

Ot8/shipname x reader = all members are after/share reader

Ateez/Member x reader = all members are after or have been/will be with reader individually

Circus [ongoing] (Ot8 x Reader | Hybrid AU) by @lani-heart🔥🌟

Blinding Lights [ongoing] (poly!Seongjoong(?) x Reader | Mafia AU) by @kpoppers-anonymous 🔥🌟

Player 1117 [ongoing] (Ot8 x Reader | Dark Fantasy Otome AU) by @peachesyeo 🌟

like the moon [ongoing] (poly!Ateez x Reader | Non-idol Clan(?) AU) by @sunmoonjune 🌟 no smut (yet?) but rated mature

pirate king [completed] (pirate!Hongjoong x Reader, pirate!Wooyoung x Reader) by @chaseatinydream 🌟

Cleopatra [ongoing] (Ot8(?) x pharaoh!Reader) by @thelargefrye 🔥🌟

Dragon From the Window [ongoing] (poly!dragon!Ateez x witch!Reader) by @thelargefrye 🔥

subtle variations of heartbreak [completed] (Ateez x Reader | Non-idol AU) by @nonclassyparty 🔥🌟

Starring Role [completed] (San x Reader, Mingi x Reader | Non-idol AU) by @nonclassyparty 🔥🌟

blurred lines and lies [completed] (Yeosang x Reader, Jongho x Reader | Non-idol AU) by @yuyusuyu

time of love [completed] (poly!Woosan x reader | Non-idol SMAU) by @desayunho 🔥🌟

this night together [ongoing] (alpha!yungi x omega!reader) by @honeyhotteoks 🔥🌟

Coffee House Diaries SERIES [6/8 completed | 2/8 ongoing] (Ateez x Reader | Non-idol AU) by @escapewriter

Misfits [ongoing] (Ot8 x Reader | Non-idol AU) by @tainsan 🌟 no smut yet but I think there will be

His to Take [completed] (Wooyoung x Reader, Yeosang x Reader | High-school AU) by @santheestallion 🔥

Gentle (owner!Seonghwa x bunny hybrid!reader x fox hybrid!wooyoung) by @cheollipop 🔥

Black Ocean SERIES [completed] (pirate!Ateez x Reader) by @bvidzsoo!

whichever way [ongoing] (poly!woosan x aro!reader) by @igbylicious poly might not be the best descriptor for this one but it's okay they all fuckin 🔥🌟

murphy's law [completed] (alien!poly(?)!Ot8(?) X Reader) by @atzfilm all members are soulmates but not all romantically involved 🔥

We Ransacked The City [completed] (rich snobs!Seongjoong x reader) by @tenelkadjowrites 🔥

sway with me [ongoing] (Ot8 x Reader | Space AU) by @luvt0kki 🔥

Our Precious [ongoing] (Ot8 x Reader | Non-idol AU) by @xerotiny99 🔥

Seonghwa Fics

mr & mrs park. (Seonghwa x Reader | Mafia AU) by @baekhvuns 🔥🌟

you're the one that I want [completed] (bad boy!Seonghwa x Reader) by @ateezmakemeweep 🔥🌟

playing with fire [completed] (sugar daddy!Seonghwa x Reader) by @ateezmakemeweep 🔥🌟

The Way to His Heart [completed] (general!Seonghwa x Reader | Joseon Era Arranged Marriage AU) by @edenesth

amazing grace (churchboy(?)!Seonghwa x Reader) by @yoongiseesawmp3 🔥

Take Me Home [completed] (faerie prince!Seonghwa x OC) by @sorryimananti-romantic 🌟

Compass of Our Hearts (pirate!Seonghwa x reader | Black Ocean) by @bvidzsoo

iced americano [completed] (Seonghwa x Reader | Non-idol SMAU) by @escapewriter

Hongjoong Fics

Wanbelyn [completed] (surgeon!single dad!Hongjoong x nurse!nanny!Reader| SMAU) by @songmingisthighs 🌟

marigold (frat boy!Hongjoong x best friend!Reader) by @yoongiseesawmp3! 🔥

Blue Skies [completed] (producer!Hongjoong x single mom!Reader | SMAU) by @hanniiesuckle17

I'm the One (prince!Hongjoong x Reader) by @sorryimananti-romantic 🌟

The Nightfury (pirate captain!Hongjoong x pirate captain!Reader | Black Ocean) by @bvidzsoo

White Love (ice prince!Hongjoong x fire princess!Reader) by @sorryimananti-romantic

Stitched Hearts [completed] (dressmaker!Hongjoong x noblewoman!Reader | The Way to His Heart Spinoff) by @edenesth

Yunho Fics

Music of the Heart [ongoing] (ex-childhood friend!Yunho x Reader | SMAU) by @noonaishere 🌟

The Cat and Dog Game [ongoing] (restaurant owner!Yunho x chef!Reader) by @makeitmingi

Project: Make You Love Me [completed] (Yunho x Reader ft. fboy!Seonghwa | Non-idol AU) by @hwaslayer 🔥🌟

killing me (frat boy!Yunho x Reader) by @yoongiseesawmp3 🔥

Seeing Myself in You [completed] (idol!Yunho x idol!Reader | SMAU) by @hanniiesuckle17 🔥

Guerilla (serial killer!surgeon!Yunho x crime fiction author!Reader) by @sorryimananti-romantic 🌟

Promise (prince!Yunho x princess!Reader | Arranged Marriage AU) by @sorryimananti-romantic

opposites attract (tutor!Yunho x popular!Reader) by @tainsan 🔥

the drill (Yunho x Reader | Non-idol AU) by @byuntrash101 🔥

summer's dive/summer's storm/summer's end (brother's best friend!Yunho x Reader) by @santheestallion 🔥

summer nights/summer's end (roommate!Yunho x Reader | Non-idol AU) by @honeyhotteoks 🔥

the fall (idol!Yunho x dancer!Reader) by @honeyhotteoks

dance for you [completed] (dancer!Yunho x dancer!Reader) by @santheestallion 🔥🌟

Irrevocable Love (pirate!Yunho x Reader | Black Ocean) by @bvidzsoo 🌟

chai latte [ongoing] (Yunho x Reader | Coffee House Diaries SMAU) by @escapewriter

Little Touch of Heaven [completed] (physician!Yunho x herbalist!Reader | The Way to His Heart Spinoff) by @edenesth

Yeosang Fics

Entropy (Yeosang x Reader | Mafia AU) by @in-san-ity 🔥🌟

lessons in intimacy (camboy!yeosang x reader) by @honeyhotteoks🔥🌟

Better (Yeosang x Reader | Mafia Rival AU) by @sorryimananti-romantic

Salty tears, agog whispers (pirate!Yeosang x reader | Black Ocean) by @bvidzsoo

matcha latte [completed] (Yeosang x Reader | Coffee House Diaries SMAU) by @escapewriter

San Fics

back to you [completed] (badboy!San x Reader) by @ateezmakemeweep 🔥🌟

1024UB [completed] (San x Reader | Non-idol Fwb AU) by @bro-atz 🔥

champagne problems [ongoing] (trainee!San x heiress!Reader) by @mingigoo 🔥🌟 no smut yet tho

ceilings [completed] (gym teacher!San x single mom!Reader) by @yoongiseesawmp3 🔥

Serendipity [completed] (San x Reader | College SMAU) by @staytinys

Mist (San x spirit medium(?)!Reader | High-school AU) by @sorryimananti-romantic

Horizon [completed] (faerieprince!San x OC) by @sorryimananti-romantic 🌟

An Imprisoned Nightingale (pirate!San x Reader | Black Ocean) by @bvidzsoo

mocha [completed] (San x Reader | Coffee House Diaries SMAU) by @escapewriter 🌟

Love to Hate You [ongoing] (royal secretary!San x female scholar!Reader | The Way to His Heart Spinoff) by @edenesth

u got it bad (baseball player!San x reporter!Reader) by @yoongiseesawmp3 🔥

Perfidy (San x Reader | Mafia Au) by @in-san-ity 🔥

Mingi Fics

Cause Baby You're My Muse [completed] (idol!Mingi x producer!Reader) by @makeitmingi

Ditto (Mingi x Reader | Non-idol AU) by @sluttywoozi 🔥

Wave (teacher!Mingi x teacher!Reader) by @sorryimananti-romantic 🌟

Fine Line of Our Worlds (pirate!Mingi x Reader | Black Ocean) by @bvidzsoo

iced tea [completed] (Mingi x Reader | Coffee House Diaries SMAU) by @escapewriter

Wooyoung Fics

tins without labels [discontinued] (Wooyoung x Reader | Non-idol AU) by @nonclassyparty 🌟

Wooyoung's Playlist (Wooyoung x Reader | Non-idol AU) by @nonclassyparty 🔥 spin-off from subtle variations of heartbreak

Midnight Kisses [completed] (best friend!Wooyoung x single mom!Reader ft. San) by @mingigoo 🔥

made for this (churchboy(?)!Wooyoung x Reader) by @yoongiseesawmp3 🔥🌟

Good Lil Boy (prince!Wooyoung x Princess!reader) by @sorryimananti-romantic 🔥🌟

If Without You (best friend!Wooyoung x Reader) by @sorryimananti-romantic

Heavy is the head that wears the crown (pirate!Wooyoung x princess!Reader | Black Ocean) by 🌟

cold brew [completed] (Wooyoung x Reader | Coffee House Diaries SMAU) by @escapewriter

Take Me Away (investigator!Wooyoung x courtesan!Reader | The Way to His Heart Spinoff) by @edenesth

Jongho Fics

Zemblanity (Jongho x Reader | Mafia AU) by @in-san-ity 🔥🌟

Secret Garden [ongoing] (prince!Jongho x Reader | SMAU) by @staytinys

Time of Love (brother's best friend!Jongho x Reader) by @sorryimananti-romantic 🌟

Lullaby of the seas (pirate!Jongho x siren!Reader | Black Ocean) by @bvidzsoo

caramel macchiato [completed] (Jongho x Reader | Coffee House Diaries SMAU) by @escapewriter

social media au

summary; one drunk night out will turn your finally easy life into a trainwreck, and lead your upstairs neighbors to become far more than what you anticipated.

pairing; woosan x fem reader (she/her)

contents; slooow burn, cursing, bad jokes/humor, name calling, sexual jokes, mean!wooyo, cheating, poly, unnecessary drama (yk, the usual)

started: 14.01.22 finished: 21.04.22

[disclaimer] remember this is a work of fiction, the characters do not portray any of the people mentioned accurately.

let me know if you want to be added to the tag list!!

profiles: the three musketeers // woosan and company

01: girls night out

02: fake number

03: hate to love uh la la

04: time to be spontaneous

05: it had to be him

06: what are you hiding

07: i feel dirty

08: why do men

09: win her back

10: mingi has a crush

11: my time to shine

12: friends can make out

13: i hate jung wooyoung

14: the perfect man

15: i had to bleach my eyes

16: are you jealous

17: night walks and others

18: just yell and run

19: busy making friends

20: held hostage

21: booty call

22: a bet

22.1: i can be your chair

23: let women win

24: homemade pasta

25: two dates

25.1: knowledge is power

26: more than a friend (📝)

27: just tell him

28: track his phone

28.1: very nice by seventeen

29: may the best man win

30: we have a situation

31: pep talk

32: kidnap her or something (📝)

33: sexy/funny boyfriend

33.1: you had one job (📝)

34: the bat-signal

35: damage control (📝)

36: joongyn time

36.1: drunk yeosang

37: a pity party

38: kick his ass

39: pic or it didn't happen

40: my spidey senses ofc

40.1: its simple maths

41: he died (📝)

42: girls' day

43: joongyn time part 2

44: THEY BROKE HER

45: big boy brains

46: i'm throwing tomatoes

47: birthday queen

47.1: one still missing

48: time of love

bonus: three months later, new year's eve, two years later

project: make you love me (jyh) | eight.

♣︎ spotify playlist | series masterlist

—summary: yunho can’t stand how you’re so wrapped up in the notorious campus fuckboy, park seonghwa. he would gladly love you the way you deserve, despite being shy, awkward and the complete opposite of seonghwa. thus, when he finds himself spending more time with you over literature reviews and random study sessions, he decides to take on the challenge to win you over.

—pairing: jeong yunho x f. reader x park seonghwa

—genre: (18+ - minors dni) strangers/friends to lovers, college au | fluff, angst, smut

—word count: 3.2k

—chapter content/warnings: scary movie night with friends!!, flashback scene with seonghwa 😅, snuggles, holding hands, yunho is the sweetest and super gentle with oc 🥺, a kiss on the cheek hehe, the next two updates will also be very crucial for these lovebirds!! 🖤

"What else should we buy in this aisle?" Chaery slowly pushes the cart down the chip aisle.

"Dude? We already have so much chips." Seungmin points at the popcorn boxes, nachos and other chips already sitting in the cart. "We haven't even gone to the desserts yet."

"Kim Seungmin, we are hosting a scary movie night. Back to back scary movies." She pauses to glare at him. "Of course people are going to look for food. We need to over-compensate than under-compensate." She continues to lecture him.

"She's kinda right." Soobin shrugs. "Gotta be good hosts." He shows the big pack of sour worms in his hand. "Sour worms?"

"Yes, but for decoration!" She grabs the bag and tosses it into the cart.

"Decoration?"

"Yeah, I'm going to put it into a fancy jar and organize it all cutely." Chaery giggles, making you shake your head as you trail behind with Soobin. 

"Can we please just eat these normally?" Seungmin continues to bicker with Chaery as they finally lead the way out of the aisle and onto the baked goods/dessert section. Soobin tucks his hands in his pockets, looking down at you with a smirk. You furrow a brow, confused as to what he's smiling like that for.

"What? Weirdo." He laughs and shakes his head.

"Oh, nothing." You playfully hit him on the bicep. "Ouch!"

"You can't just look at me then say that."

"Nah. It's nothing serious. But, Yunho is still coming right?"

"Yes." You squint your eyes at him.

"Goodluck making sure Chaery stays quiet."

"Oh hush, she'll be fine."

"Mhm." He wiggles his eyebrows.

"Just friends, remember?"

"Hm." Soobin hums. "We'll see about that tonight."

"Choi Soobin, what is that supposed to mean?"

"Scary movies are the best environment for PDA."

"Or, scary movies are just a good environment for friends in general."

"Mm, no." Soobin shuts you down, making you scoff. "But, we can say that if it makes you feel better."

"It does." You continue to squint at him. "You guys are such instigators."

"Sorry." He smirks. "Just know I think it's adorable." You make a face and roll your eyes. "On a more serious note, have you heard from Seonghwa?" You shake your head.

"Not really. Not after I told him we should end things." You shrug. "He can be mad all he wants, but I'm done with it. He doesn't realize he's wrong."

"Good." Soobin scratches at his temple. "What if he ends up running back to you, though?"

"No, I highly doubt that." You say lowly. "Why?"

"Just wondering. I, um, was just reminded of when Seonghwa never wanted to join in on movie nights or our kick-its. I know it's a small thing but it meant a lot to you. It's nice knowing Yunho is making the effort, even as your friend."

"Mm, yeah." You look at your feet as you continue to walk alongside of him.

♣︎ FLASHBACK

"Hwa." You gently nudge him while lifting your head from his chest to look at him directly in the eye.

"Hm?" He hums, eyes still glued onto his tv screen in front of him. The both of you lay in his bed, his apartment awfully quiet after San and Mingi left for a late night fast food run. Seonghwa's fingers gently trace circles on the edge of your shoulder, his expression flat as he continues to watch the show that's on.

"We're having a movie night at the apartment in a few days. You should come." He lets out a small, pathetic chuckle before shaking his head.

"I don't know."

"Why not? You never come even though it's just my roommates and a few of our friends."

"Exactly. I don't know your friends like that, so why would I go?" You furrow your brows and lift your head from his chest.

"So wouldn't you take that as an opportunity to get to know them?"

"What makes you think your friends are interested in getting to know me? I know they don't like me." Seonghwa has a small smirk forming at the corner of his lips.

"Because they're my friends at the end of the day. They'll still try because they know it matters to me. Just like me asking you to do the same with them."

"It's just weird. I don't wanna be around people who don't like me. On top of that, I know they're your friends, but I'm sure they truly care less." He sighs. "Sorry, I just don't see myself doing it."

"Not even for me?"

"Why do you have to form it that way? You're trapping me into the situation." You roll your eyes, throwing your leg over him to start getting dressed again. "Where are you going?"

"Home."

"I'm being honest, Y/N. I don't see the point of this." He sighs and tries to grab at your wrist. "You don't have to act like that. If it really makes you feel better, I'll do the next one. Okay?" He says just to give you what you wanna hear, though he doesn't mean it and he'll find another way to get out of it.

"Nevermind. Just forget it."

♣︎ END

"My point is.. people always realize after they lose something good. I just don't wanna see you get hurt by Seonghwa again, is all." Soobin chimes in again.

"Thanks." You give him a small smile. But, it immediately fades when you both hear Seungmin and Chaery bickering over the types of dessert they should buy, and whether or not Chaery should arrange a small charcuterie board last minute. Soobin cuts in and tells Chaery not to, while grabbing a pack of freshly baked cookies for dessert. He takes the cart from them and heads towards the self-checkout, making you laugh at how frustrated he's gotten in the past few minutes. When you and your roommates finally get home, you all get washed up and clean the apartment to start setting up the food at the table.

You're excited to see Yunho tonight, especially since you both haven't seen each other over the weeks due to tremendous amounts of tests, papers and projects. But, he still checked on you through random texts and calls, keeping it short for the sake of deadlines and letting you get rest. But, you missed Yunho, his company. You missed the random walks. You missed the McDonald's runs. You missed seeing him in the library— which, you haven't really gone to just because you've been spending more nights studying with your roommates comfortably in your apartment.

You remember asking him if he was still down to come tonight, reassuring him that he wasn't obligated and that you'd completely understand if he had other things to do. To be honest, you were ready for it. You were ready for Yunho to tell you he indeed did have other [better] things to work on.

'Nope. I'm gonna be there.' 

Is what he surprisingly comes back with when you tell him. When you heard his response on the other line, you felt your palms get a little sweaty, nerves starting to get to the best of you. How could you keep him entertained? Did he feel pressured? Did he even want to go? What was he going to think of you with your friends?

He is going because he is genuinely interested in going, right?

You couldn't help but overthink.

"Hey, what're you thinking about?" Chaery looks at you before unloading the chips into a big bowl.

"I hope Yunho didn't feel pressured or obligated to come."

"Are you kidding?! Absolutely not!" She sets the empty bag aside. "If he didn't want to come, I am certain Yunho respects you enough to be honest about it. But, I genuinely think he wants to come and just hang out with you." Chaery brushes your hair back. "Don't think that way, babe. If I were him, I'd love to spend time with you, too." You chuckle and roll your eyes.

"Please. We are just friends."

"For now." She winks with a playful pinch to the arm. "Promise he will enjoy himself."

"Thank you." You poke out your bottom lip. "So, how can I make myself useful?" She laughs.

"You are always useful. But, a bit of help with organizing the snacks would be great! People are gonna be here soon." You chuckle and help her set up the rest of the snacks, spreading the decorations across the table shortly afterwards. 

Just as she had mentioned, your friends started arriving quickly— all falling into your apartment one by one. You start to worry a bit when Yunho hasn't arrived, anxiously fiddling with your fingers and checking your phone. You head into the bathroom to relieve yourself and take a moment to calm down.

If he didn't want to be here, he would just say so.

You let out a breath and swing the door open, eyes landing on the front door ahead.

"There you are! She's finally done doing her business—" Your eyes widen when you see Yunho standing next to Seungmin, furrowing your brows at your roommate for having no filter most of the time.

"Seungmin." You say with clenched teeth, making him laugh.

"Kidding! Jeez." He gently taps Yunho on the arm with the back of his hand. "Anyway, I'm gonna help Chaery with the rest of this stuff in the kitchen. Feel free to grab whatever you need and get comfortable." Seungmin jogs over to the kitchen, leaving you and Yunho alone.

"I honestly thought you were gonna back out last minute." Yunho raises a brow before laughing a bit.

"Is that what you think of me?" You shake your head. "I told you I wanted to come."

"I'm glad you didn't change your mind." You smile up at him. "Hungry?"

"A bit?" You laugh and show him to the food, letting him greet your friends and roommates on the way. Yunho helps himself to a slice of pizza, while you take two— getting a bowl of chips and popcorn to share before you plop onto the couch and set your things down on the coffee table. Everyone is pretty much situated at this point, all sprawled throughout your living room while waiting for the first movie to play.

"Okay! Is everyone ready?!" Chaery asks, making sure everyone has their food before beginning.

"Let's go! Play it!" Hyunjin responds excitedly from the floor. And with that, the first movie begins: The Devil Inside.

Of course, with any scary movie, things can start off slow. It gives the illusion that it may not be as bad as you think— when indeed, it eventually does get to that point. Yunho sits next to you on the couch, hugging close to the arm rest to give you space in case you needed it. But, he feels your leg brush against his and he feels himself loosen up. He doesn't feel so tense when you set your plate back onto the coffee table and give him a few gentle taps on the thigh, asking him if he needs anything with that pretty smile of yours. He almost gets lost in the way your eyes twinkle when you look at him, the way your smile feels so genuine.

You are warm.

You are safe.

"I'm okay." Yunho responds to your question with a low whisper. You give him a small nod before proceeding to eat your food while watching the movie.

As the movie progresses, there are a few moments when you've already had to sit back and cover your eyes, the scenes too intense for your liking. Yunho actually hates these movies, truly. He can't stand them because he hates the visuals, the sounds. He doesn't really know where he lies about all this stuff, he truthfully wouldn't know how to explain it. But, he just doesn't like it. It's unsettling, and it's not his cup of tea. Of course, probably stating the obvious for most people.

The point here is that even if you had told him about the movie choice beforehand, he'd still show up. Because he genuinely wants to be here with you. He'll take any time he gets outside of school purposes.

"Oh shit!" You jump from the loud sound, instantly covering your face and digging it against Yunho's shoulder. He laughs at you, before wrapping his arm around your waist— pulling you closer to his body. 

"It's okay, it's over." He chuckles, looking at you while you continue to hide behind your hands.

"Don't lie to me!"

"I would never. I promise." 

"Ugh." You whine. "I'm sorry, I'm gonna hide from time to time."

"It's fine, I don't mind." 

"Really?" You look up at him as you find your body comfortably resting against his, Yunho's arm still wrapped around you to keep you there. He simply nods with a small smile, subtly biting onto his bottom lip when he feels you adjust in your position and scoot even closer. Yunho is trying his best not to be stiff, awkward; but in all honesty, he likes having you close and he just wants you comfortable. 

"Really." He whispers as the intensity in the movie climbs again. You smile at him before returning your attention to the tv, Yunho's hand gently resting on your thigh. 

"Dude." Seungmin whispers over to Chaery and subtly nods in your direction. "Cute."

"Stop." She harshly whispers back with a playful tap to the chest. "Leave them!"

"Says you." Seungmin bites back sarcastically before earning another hit on the bicep. 

You continue to let Yunho hold you, hand gently resting against your thigh as you keep close to him. He draws tiny circles on the surface of your leggings, making you silently giggle to yourself from the ticklish feeling due to his gentle touch. At some point, your hand lingers near his, but you're too afraid to make the first move [if any]. So, you don't. You can barely focus on the movie because you're too busy deciding if you should just say fuck it or not.

The movie says otherwise, though. Especially when a loud jump scare happens yet again.

"Oh my god, can they stop doing that!" You jump, hands coming up to cover your face.

"Y/N, watch the movie." Yunho teases, trying to pry your hands away from your face.

"Only if they promise to stop the bullshit." You joke.

"Okay, I'll call them and discuss." Yunho successfully pries your hands off after that statement, eyes peering into yours to check if you're okay. He doesn't necessarily let go of your right hand, letting you lace your fingers with his. 

"You're funny." You giggle. 

"At least you're laughing, though." He smiles. "Promise the rest of the movie won't be that bad. I got you, okay?"

"Okay." You nod, sinking back into your position against Yunho, hands still laced together. 

"Comfortable?" You smile at him.

"Mhm. If you are."

"Don't worry about me. As long as you don't feel threatened by the movie." You let out a small laugh.

As the movie continues, your position shifts in a way where you're almost laying onto Yunho, while he continues to have an arm wrapped around you and his hand locked with yours. Being with Yunho makes you feel comfortable, and the movies seem less threatening with him here. You can handle scary movies for the most part, but having him feels like a warm blanket on a cold, snowy day; having Yunho feels like the one sunshine ray poking through the clouds.

Yunho is safe.

The rest of the movie goes on, with Yunho being there to soften the blows of the remaining jumpscares. Before the next movie, you run to grab a few more snacks, with Yunho still welcoming you in his arms just like before. When the second movie gets rolling, things continue in the same manner with him. No one is really batting an eye, but everyone is also aware that you and Yunho have gotten closer lately. They try to mind their own business, except they all can agree on one thing: You deserve better than Park Seonghwa. You have been happier without him.

That's all that matters.

During the second movie, Yunho continues his subtle acts of affection— little pinches on your thigh, squeezing your hand, caressing the surface of your hand with his thumb as his way to console you, teasing you whenever you hide;

Nothing more, nothing less.

And it brings you so, so many butterflies. Yet, you're still not really sure of what you feel for Yunho. Maybe you're scared, maybe you're overthinking? Maybe Seonghwa was partially to blame since you're afraid of getting hurt. But, what you do know is that you hate when the movie marathon comes to an end because this means your friends go home, Yunho goes home. 

Everyone does their role in helping you and your roommates clean up, even though you've reassured them that they didn't need to. With that, the house is clean under half an hour, friends bidding their farewells shortly after. Yunho sticks around to make sure nothing else is needed, giving you leverage to join him outside once your roommates thank him for his help.

"What a night." Yunho laughs at your statement just as he slips back into his shoes, throwing his hood over his head. 

"Exhausting?"

"A bit." You giggle. "I can walk you to your apartment—" Yunho shakes his head.

"No, then who is gonna walk you back?" He smirks. "We'll go back and forth." You snort.

"Fine." You cross your arms and look up at him. "Did you have fun, though?"

"I did have fun watching you cover your eyes and accidentally hit me from time to time." You laugh.

"Hey!"

"Kidding. I did." He chuckles and gently taps you on the tip of your nose. "I'll be okay on the walk over."

"Okay." You smile. "Thank you for coming, and for being my shield?" You say in a questioning tone and Yunho smiles.

"Of course." You walk closer and open your arms for a hug, immediately wrapping them around his waist when he pulls you in. You hold your position against him for a bit, taking in his scent while he continues to hold you. 

Yunho is warm.

Yunho is safe.

When you finally pull back and look up at him, you hesitate with your next move. But, with the way Yunho continues keep his gaze on you, you almost feel like he's expecting your next move. Maybe he'd like it? You can't exactly help yourself, either. He was so sweet and gentle with you earlier, and he didn't have to come tonight. He didn't have to, especially not knowing anybody besides your roommates. Yet, he did. And he was there by your side the entire time.

You can't exactly help yourself.

So, you toss the overthinking out the window, tippy-toe and give Yunho a chaste kiss to the cheek. He smiles a bit, ears instantly hot and red.

"Seriously, thank you."

"You don't need to thank me, Y/N. I like your company." He digs his hands into his pockets. "Get some rest."

"Okay. I will. Goodnight, Yunho."

"Goodnight." He bites onto his bottom lip before turning on his heel for the lonely walk back to his apartment. It's a little past midnight and Yunho really does feel the loneliness the farther he gets from your apartment. When he steps into his own, he kicks his shoes off and gets ready for bed. As soon as he slips into his covers and his head hits the pillow, he can't help but think of you.

You.

Tonight, Yunho doesn't think sleep will find him. But he's okay with it for once. Because it's you— you're the reason why sleep won't find him. You're the reason why he's been happier.

You.

And he hopes you feel the same way, too.

♣︎ taglist: @s-nsanshine @soupbinlily @tyongff-ff @jiminiscricket @g1g1l @staytinyinmybpack @woomyteez @gfksz @bitchwhytho @savluvsmingi @thisisntmyrightera @hyukssunflower @miriamxsworld @tmtxtf @kuromibabe04 @lmnhead @carrietwrites @tournesol155 @persphonesorchid @txt-yaomi @marsattacks @mxnsxngie @h-nji @mundayoonimnida @jalapeno-princess @nakiiko @asjkdk @kunikku @idkwgoh @kyeos4ng @agust-d2 @araknoid @bintific @primoppang @betray-the-light

this night together | series masterlist.

summary: you're finally getting your dream job, working with some of the best dancers in the business, but a job change means a break in your healthcare coverage and suppressants these days are expensive. going into heat at the studio pretty much seems like the worst case scenario, but you find yourself in the care of two alphas who won't let you go through it alone.

pairings: yunho x mingi x reader as the main pairing, but features seonghwa x san x wooyoung x reader

genre: smut, a/b/o/omegaverse, angst, fluff, romance, polyamory, non!idol!reader, non!idol!ateez, alpha!yunho, alpha!mingi, omega!fem!reader, alpha!seonghwa, alpha!san, omega!wooyoung

warnings: handled on a chapter by chapter basis, but just know now that this is an omegaverse fic so everything that goes with that like heat, knotting, etc. will be discussed across the board. any stronger cw/tw will be clearly identified, but please note that there are conversations around consent throughout.

current word count: 112.2k

main storyline:

one ✿ two ✿ three ✿ four ✿ five ✿ six ✿ seven ✿ eight ✿ nine ✿ ten ✿ eleven ✿ twelve ✿ thirteen ✿ more to come...

deleted/extra scenes:

in their hands; 7.7k (chapter 12 from the boys perspective)

if you prefer to read on AO3, you can find that here.

my fic masterlist can be found here!

The Generals Daughter

Bodhi Durran x Arya Melgren

"As the daughter of the most ruthless general on the continent, Arya doesn`t has it easy. She has to be on top of everything she does. Can't disappoint her father, can she?"

Follow her through her time in Basgiath, the war college for soon to be healers, infantry, scribes and riders. While she`ll find friends and gain enemies, something dark lingers behind the wards. Waiting for the right time to strike. And a certain handsome second year at the end of the Parapet.

She has to prove herself and everyone else that she is more to that than just her last name. After all, she is nothing like her father, right?

Masterlist

Arya Melgren

Chapter I: Conscription Day

Chapter II: Conscription Day II

Chapter III: Battle Brief

Chapter IV: Assessment

Chapter V: Assessment II

Chapter VI: Fury Bonus Chapter: Liam (Ch. VI)

Chapter VII: Challenges

Chapter VIII: Punishments

Chapter VIIII: Gauntlet Training

Chapter X: Formation

TIME OF LOVE — (27) just tell him

masterlist [prev — next]

a/n: btw they're talking about the debate wheels vs. doors that's been happening on tiktok, stuff is all over my fyp

taglist: @perfectlysane24 @m0chimix @baguette-atiny @w0oyoung @noonaishere @wooyeouu @nycol-ie @utopiakys @yxnkigi @ohmy-fandoms @90s-belladonna @arminandjeanandannieandhange @jeongcats @elliotsbeigeguitar @hwasatiny @paralumanniluna @shainingu @super-btstrash-posts @r000l @yeosangsbiceps @rosefvkk @tenebrisirae @whosayeonjunie @enclosureorg @blaaiissee

The Way to His Heart [Spinoff Masterlist]

Pairing: general!Seonghwa x wife!reader ↪ The Way to His Heart [Main Story]

Pairing: private investigator!Wooyoung x courtesan!reader ↪ Teaser | Part 1 | Part 2 [Completed]

Pairing: dressmaker!Hongjoong x noblewoman!reader ↪ Teaser | Part 1 | Part 2 [Completed]

Pairing: physician!Yunho x herbalist!reader ↪ Teaser | Part 1 | Part 2 [Completed]

Pairing: royal secretary!San x female scholar!reader ↪ Teaser | Part 1 | Part 2 [Completed]

Pairing: military strategist!Mingi x royal physician!reader ↪ Teaser | Part 1 | Part 2 [Completed]

Pairing: assistant!Jongho x new maid!reader ↪ Teaser | Part 1 | Part 2 [Coming soon]

Pairing: prince!Yeosang x princess!reader ↪ Teaser | Part 1 | Part 2 [Coming soon]

A/N: Leave a reply/comment to let me know if you'd still want to be included on the tag list for when the spinoff stories are released!

All Rights Reserved © edenesth

DO NOT REPOST, TRANSLATE, PLAGIARISE OR OTHERWISE REPURPOSE ANY OF THE WORK HERE.

svthub presents ... ☆ 2024 world tour ☆

This summer, SVTHUB is coming to a venue near you! From Tokyo, Italy, and Hong Kong to Brazil, join us and check in at your favorite cities all around the world! Our special guests have worked hard to prepare their performances, and we can't wait to share these chart-topping hits! parental advisory warning: you must be 18+ to attend the show. some songs on the setlist are explicit. see each individual city for more details and warnings. Get your tickets now before they sell out - click here to join the taglist!

now playing: "when in rome" by @highvern NSFW 💿 0:08 ─ㅇ─────── 4:05 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 최승철 choi seungcheol > genre: pop, r&b, elevator music, jazz — smut, fluff, comedy, romance > key: E minor, G major — friends to lovers, idiots to lovers > instrumentals: synthesizer, electric guitar, harmonica, xylophone — non-idol au, happy ending, drunken confessions, tbd > lyrics: "After months of no contact, Seungcheol isn't sure what to expect when he sees you again at Jeonghan's wedding. He's prepared to apologize, to grovel, to bear the weight of a cold shoulder. Whatever it takes to have you back, his best friend since diapers; or whatever will ensure the last third of your trio has the best day of his life. But when he overhears the most recent development in your relationship, he must come to terms with something he was never prepared for, or risk losing you for good."

now playing: "somebody" by @onlymingyus NSFW 💿 0:08 ─ㅇ─────── 4:05 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 최승철 choi seungcheol > genre: pop, r&b, indie, jazz — smut, fluff, angst, romance > key: E-flat major, G minor, G major — neighbors, fake dating, idiots to lovers > instrumentals: synthesizer, electric guitar, clarinet — non-idol au, happy ending, single parent au > lyrics: "When you need someone to help you out of a bind quickly you pick the first person you see to be your 'boyfriend', you just didn’t expect it to be your single hot dad neighbor, Choi Seungcheol..."

now playing: "ashes seattle, left behind" by @synthetickitsune SFW 🎧 1:00 ───ㅇ───── 4:05 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 윤정한 yoon jeonghan > genre: indie, electronic, punk — angst, supernatural, horror > key: D major, B-flat minor — strangers, unrequited love > instrumentals: synthesizer, cello, trumpet — non-idol au, flower shop au, reincarnation/soulmates au > lyrics: "Everything eventually comes to an end. Life. Love. Even marriage only lasts until death do us apart. So why should a soul bond be any different?"

now playing: "the mirror blue night" by @neoneun-au NSFW 💿 1:23 ────ㅇ──── 3:05 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 홍지수 hong jisoo > genre: indie, jazz, pop — angst, romance, suggestive (not explicit) & mature themes > key: D major, D minor — strangers, forbidden love > instrumentals: synthesizer, xylophone — non-idol au, infidelity/affair au > lyrics: "After the discovery that your husband is having an affair with a woman in your building, you run into her husband. At first you simply cling to each other in mutual destruction and betrayal, but as your lives entangle further you think there might be more there than just misery between you."

now playing: "when we met in venice: half past five high prologue" by @multi-kpop-fanfics NSFW 💿 1:23 ───ㅇ───── 3:05 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 홍지수 hong jisoo > genre: r&b, pop, elevator music — fluff, smut, comedy > key: D major — strangers to lovers > instrumentals: synthesizer, electric guitar — non-idol au, happy ending > lyrics: "In the world of fashion, social media and influence, you're one of the game changers. But you never knew that a smaller player in the form of a freelance photographer would be able to change you."

now playing: "ocean view" by @junkissed NSFW 💿 0:06 ─ㅇ─────── 6:10 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 文俊辉 wen junhui > genre: r&b, jazz, pop — fluff, romance, smut > key: D major — strangers to lovers > instrumentals: synthesizer, electric guitar, trumpet — non-idol au, happy ending, soulmates au > lyrics: "An all expenses paid trip to Greece for your friend's wedding seems too good to be true, but it gets even better when you meet a handsome stranger on the beach. With the help of a mysterious old lady, her magic deck of tarot cards, and one too many coincidences, you're starting to believe things really do happen for a reason."

now playing: "tracing time" by @wooahaeproductions NSFW 💿 0:06 ─ㅇ─────── 6:15 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 권순영 kwon soonyoung > genre: pop, r&b, indie, jazz, elevator music — smut, fluff, angst, romance, comedy > key: D major, F major, E-flat minor — strangers to lovers, enemies to lovers, neighbors > instrumentals: synthesizer, cymbals, electric guitar — non-idol au, college au, happy ending > lyrics: "In order to cope with your mother’s death, you decide to study abroad in Rio for the summer just like she did. You come upon the diary she kept during that time, following all that she did 20 years ago. However, you didn't expect finding love would be part of that process."

now playing: "rain or shine cafe" by @wonustars NSFW 💿 0:06 ─ㅇ─────── 6:15 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 권순영 kwon soonyoung > genre: pop, r&b, elevator music, jazz — smut, fluff, comedy, romance > key: A major — coworkers > instrumentals: synthesizer, violin, xylophone — non-idol au, coffee shop au, meet-cute/divine encounters > lyrics: "With no umbrella in hand on a rainy day, you felt like your life couldn’t get any worse. Losing your glasses while it’s pouring cats and dogs, well maybe your life really was the worst. Thankfully a faceless stranger was there to pick up your glasses and hand you his umbrella. You weren’t able to ever thank him for his act of kindness, but the sweet memory stays with you for awhile. Soonyoung was in need of a new job and on the first day of his interview he stumbles across a blind stranger with no umbrella, and no glasses. He didn’t think too much about the stranger then, not until his first day of work at Rain or Shine Cafe."

now playing: "strawberry wine" by @seokgyuu NSFW 💿 1:12 ──ㅇ────── 6:22 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 이지훈 lee jihoon > genre: pop, r&b, jazz — smut, fluff, romance > key: D major, G major — strangers to lovers, idiots in love > instrumentals: synthesizer, electric guitar — non-idol au, happy ending > lyrics: "After breaking off your engagement to your cheating fiancé, you decide to take the planned trip to Paris anyway. A vacation alone with the honeymoon suite all to yourself seems like the perfect distraction. Just that, due to an internal error at the hotel lost soul Jihoon, who still isn't over his first love's death five years ago, is staying in the same honeymoon suite as you."

now playing: "asellus australis" by @wongyuuu NSFW 💿 1:17 ───ㅇ───── 7:17 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 전원우 jeon wonwoo > genre: pop, r&b, jazz — smut, fluff, romance > key: D major, G major — strangers, idiots to lovers > instrumentals: synthesizer, electric guitar — non-idol au, happy ending > lyrics: "Wonwoo couldn’t possibly be the only person living in Sydney who didn’t know how to swim, so he reluctantly says yes to the lessons his friends signed him up for. When he learns that you are his instructor, he figures learning how to swim as an adult isn’t all that embarrassing after all."

now playing: "34.6037° S, 58.3816° W" by @the-boy-meets-evil NSFW 💿 1:17 ───ㅇ───── 7:17 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 전원우 jeon wonwoo > genre: indie, pop — angst, smut > key: D major, F major — strangers to lovers, enemies to lovers > instrumentals: synthesizer, xylophone — non-idol au, tbd > lyrics: "Your latest assignment has you jetting off to Argentina hoping to finally catch the infamous art thief that's escaped your agency one too many times already. You know what's at stake if you lose your focus. Enter: the beautiful stranger that has you questioning everything you know."

now playing: "prince of belvedere" by @drunk-on-dk NSFW 💿 1:17 ───ㅇ───── 7:11 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 徐明浩 xu minghao > genre: pop — smut > key: A major, F major, G minor — coworkers, enemies, fake dating > instrumentals: synthesizer, electric guitar, cymbals, harmonica — non-idol au, happy ending, college au, drunken confessions > lyrics: "As an architecture student, you couldn’t have felt more blessed than when you received the opportunity to visit Austria with the firm you’re interning at. The only shortcoming? The fact that you were stuck with your coworker and classmate Minghao for the week. He’s always been your main competitor in class, somehow landing the same internship as you, and did you mention, he’s also quite the art snob? However, regardless of the rift between you two, you both are all too similar. Can a trip to Vienna allow for you both to enjoy the finer things in life, together?"

now playing: "meet me in amsterdam" by @okiedokrie NSFW 💿 1:17 ───ㅇ───── 7:11 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 徐明浩 xu minghao > genre: pop, r&b, indie, jazz — smut, fluff, angst, romance > key: F-sharp minor, B-flat minor, G major — friends with benefits, unrequited love, idiots to lovers > instrumentals: synthesizer, electric guitar, banjo, harmonica — non-idol au, happy ending, religious themes, drunken confession > lyrics: "Y/N and Minghao are both artists who grew up together, feeling a connection to each other because of the subject of their work, they start a friends with benefits situation. Of course, someone falls in love and they break the arrangement. "If there is a 'next time', meet me in Amsterdam." "

now playing: "food wars" by @beomcoups NSFW 💿 0:46 ──ㅇ────── 4:06 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 김민규 kim mingyu > genre: r&b, pop, indie — fluff, smut, angst > key: A major, E minor — coworkers, friends to lovers > instrumentals: synthesizer, electric guitar — non-idol au, happy ending > lyrics: "You and Mingyu are rival but friendly chefs competing for a spot to be an executive chef at a new location in Madrid. This position would change your life; no matter how attractive he is, you WILL get that spot."

now playing: "i get to love you" by @millennial-fangirl NSFW 💿 0:46 ──ㅇ────── 4:06 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 김민규 kim mingyu > genre: pop, jazz — smut, romance > key: C major — established relationship > instrumentals: drums, electric guitar — idol au, happy ending > lyrics: "Y/N and Mingyu decided to spend both of your honeymoon in Glascow. This is the first time in a long time that you spent so many days together without interruption. Whatever will happen."

now playing: "head over heels" by @gyupremacy NSFW 💿 0:28 ───ㅇ───── 2:18 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 이석민 lee seokmin > genre: r&b, jazz, pop — fluff, romance, smut > key: C major — established relationship > instrumentals: drums, electric guitar — idol au, happy ending > lyrics: "Dokyeom decided to take you away for a fun week in New York City. With his career as an idol always taking center stage, it'll be a refreshing change of pace. You can't help, but think your boyfriend has something big in store."

now playing: "after nightfall" by @wonuvs NSFW 💿 0:28 ───ㅇ───── 2:18 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 이석민 lee seokmin > genre: r&b, pop, disco — fluff, smut, historical au > key: D minor — forbidden love > instrumentals: piano, electric guitar — royalty au, happy ending > lyrics: "Deemed as the goody-two-shoes of the palace by your sisters and friends, you'd never not abided by your parents' rules—but when your eyes met his in the turmoil of your older sister's wedding preparations, breaking every single one of them had never seemed more appealing."

now playing: "strawberry jazz: love on the train to tokyo" by @idyllic-ghost SFW 🎧 1:16 ───ㅇ───── 6:16 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 부승관 boo seungkwan > genre: r&b, jazz — fluff, romance > key: E-flat minor, D major — neighbors, strangers to lovers > instrumentals: synthesizer, electric guitar — non-idol au, happy ending > lyrics: "In an attempt to let go of your past, you travel to a new city and pretend to be a new person. On the train to Tokyo, you meet a handsome stranger but miss the opportunity to get his name and number before you part ways. Lucky for you, your fates seem to be intertwined as you meet again just a few hours later."

now playing: "fall from grace" by @kwanisms NSFW 💿 0:18 ──ㅇ────── 2:18 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 최한솔 chwe hansol > genre: pop, electronic — smut, supernatural > key: D minor — forbidden love > instrumentals: synthesizer, banjo, xylophone — non-idol au, religious themes, guardian angel, demon au > lyrics: "Vernon has spent the past 26 years following Seungkwan around, protecting him from harm and the forces of evil; such is the life of a guardian angel. His abstention is put to the test when he meets Y/N, an initially unassuming server working in a club in Shanghai where Seungkwan is currently performing. He soon learns that Y/N is more than what she seems and intends on taking Seungkwan's soul to Hell, even if it means she has to corrupt him along the way."

now playing: "continuity error" by @nebulousbrainsoup NSFW 💿 0:18 ──ㅇ────── 2:18 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 최한솔 chwe hansol > genre: pop, r&b, jazz, indie — smut, fluff, romance, angst > key: E-flat minor, F major, G major — neighbors, enemies to idiots to lovers > instrumentals: synthesizer, cymbals — non-idol au, college au > lyrics: "The dreaded film bros of 1104 are the bane of your existence, none so much as Vernon Chwe. You've shared courses for the past two years and kept your distance, and as you go into your junior year, you don't see any reason to change that. Fate seems to have something against you, though, as you soon find that not only is he your next door neighbor this year, but you're stuck in the same thesis course, filming together all semester. You're not sure how or when, but before you know it, everything has changed."

now playing: "fate" by @cheolism NSFW 💿 2:11 ─────ㅇ─── 5:05 ⇆ ◁ II ▷ ↺

> vocals by: 이찬 lee chan > genre: pop, jazz, electronic — smut, romance, supernatural > key: D major — strangers > instrumentals: synthesizer, trumpet, harp — non-idol au, reincarnation/soulmates au, magic au > lyrics: "You never see his face; only the white hem of his robes, the way his hands grip the hilts of his dual swords as he twirls and dances alongside the river. You do not know him, this mysterious dancer; you know not the emotions that swell within you, that leave your chest sharp with pain. You do not know him, this river dancer, other than the fact that he is yours and belongs to a time before your blood turned black and the demon's mark was seared into your wrist. Meanwhile, shrouded in mist, unknowing who is truly friend or foe, Lee Chan is set up for a blind date by his company's ceo. (or: a my demon au)"

“But if you forget to reblog Madame Zeroni, you and your family will be cursed for always and eternity.”

Never Shall We Die (1)

«« Nothing is too outlandish when it’s a life of liberty on the line. »» 

PAIRING: kwon soonyoung x reader

PLAYLIST: right here!

pirate lingo glossary (pls refer!)

SYNOPSIS: Deadliest pirate on the high seas or a damn fool? The stupid King and his men have snatched Hoshi's precious pirate ship with their too clean, too soft hands; grounds to question his own vices. Except, when he and his crew land in the quarters of a navy ship, revenge on their roster, they stumble across a princess in its gallows. Hoshi wonders if he's just struck gold, or if you'd become the final tread to his downfall.

GENRES: pirate!au, enemies to lovers, slowburn, angst, fluff, smut [minor dni], some pirates of the carribean vibes but ? idk

WORD COUNT [full fic]: 48.1k

Part 1: 17.07k | Part 2: 15.2k (June 6th, 8PM GST) | Part 3: 15.8k (June 7th, 8PM GST)

@highvern's out of context comment box: new fear unlocked: hoshi with explosives, victorian ankle moment, HATE HIM (need him carnally), hoshi covered in soapy water would distract me enough, strip for me pirate mingyu [hes litrally taking off his jacket], your honor hes a bitch, freaks!, mingyu crushes hoshi's head like a grape, WONWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, massive dick, the way i literally gasped like an old scandalized woman

masterlist

WARNINGS: slowburn, plot heavy, happy ending bc no angsty endings in this household, being taken hostage, knives, bombs, and guns, mentions of blood, mentions of SA (does not happen and it is not explicitly mentioned), alcohol, mentions of death (patricide), hoshi is ✨selectively moral✨but kind of moral nonetheless, side character death, [pls lmk if im missing something its alot] smut tagin following parts

[AN]: thank you so much to @highvern for betaing for me and helping out with the plot so much, this fic would not exist if it weren't for her!!!! and thank you reader!!! for clicking on this and reading it, this one's been about 7 months in the works and I would love to hear what your thoughts are when you're done, plsplspls leave a rb or a reply with your brainrot lol <3 happy reading

HOSHI’S BOOT IS STUCK in the ground. 

No, that’s a branch. 

Or is it a plank? 

He doesn’t try to find out as he yanks his foot out of whatever stopped him from moving. A tree root, he finds as he kicks the remnants of jungle rubbish from the surface of the shrouded root. He kicks it to satisfy himself. 

His crew resides on the beach; where he can see them attempt to build a fire before sundown, the mound of discombobulated twigs making up most of the sad pile of wood. Hoshi trudges up to it and drops another handful of puny branches into the mix. 

Exhaling loudly as Mingyu calls for him, he falls to his bottom and sits cross legged on the sand. Mingyu trudges up next to him to inspect his pile, sighing when he realised this was all he had to work with. He picks up two hefty looking stones and begins to strike them together, putting his faith in the primitive fire. 

Hoshi stares into the horizon, watching the died down waves drift onto the shore, moving closer by the minute. 

Hoshi thinks, which he can’t say is something that he does very often. Perhaps that’s why he was sat on this nature-overrun island as a shipless captain of his shipless crew. He chews on his tongue as he thinks of his Tigress, his beloved hunk of wood and metal; the beloved hunk of wood and metal that he could not see on the shoreline, because she was taken by the royal navy. 

He wonders if Tigress would ever forgive him for letting that happen to her, for letting those clean, soft handed soldiers rip her away from his grasp. 

Hoshi needs to start thinking more often.

Mingyu is frantic over the small flame that erupts in the middle of his leaves, dropping his rocks to blow into the fire, encouraging it to grow. 

“Captain, it’s done! We can rustle up those fish we caught, have supper sorted.” 

“Hm.”

The bustle of the entire crew lasts until night has fallen and they’ve gotten food in their stomachs. Hoshi hasn’t moved from his spot for hours, something the others noticed very quickly, but decided not to mention for fear of waking something dangerous. They understood he was suffering from a broken heart. 

It isn’t until the first of the crew had begun to doze off that Hoshi speaks. Chan is propped up against a tree while Seungkwan and Jeonghan laugh at the dangerously low coconut that hangs above his head. Mingyu readjusts his trousers after a full meal. Minghao stretches onto the sand, feet facing the water. 

His voice isn’t loud, nor is it commanding, nor does it have his usual edge of jest—in fact, it sounds nothing like Hoshi at all. 

Or does it?

“Who wants to steal a ship?”

YOU'RE AWOKEN BY THE sound of yelling. Which is never a good sign in any case, but especially not when it’s pitch black outside and you’re on a ship in the middle of the ocean.

The grogginess is quick to fade as you try to understand what’s going on outside your quarters. Your room isn’t a mess, all the trinkets and royal seals remaining in their places on the walls and shelves. Nor is the ship lurching or moving in odd angles to indicate an unexpected spat from the skies. A quick peek outside the window shows you clear, calm water amidst the mostly dark expanse of ocean. 

There is only one other answer in your head that would cause this much commotion—especially on a boat where the admiral resides (and a princess). 

Slipping out of the covers, your feet hit the cool hardwood floors of your quarters, a small shiver going through your spine from the cold, with nothing to cover you but your thin nightgown. You’re in the middle of tying your robe to see what the ruckus was about outside when a particularly loud thud hits outside of your door. You immediately freeze. 

Staring at the doorknob, you attempt to move backwards in the space, heart beating faster as you watch the knob move slightly. The back of your knees hit the bedside table with a thud, the sound has you gasp out loud. Whoever it was outside your door jiggles the knob harder, the force exerted having you scan the room for something you could use as a weapon. 

Spotting the letter opener on your desk, you lurch across the room to grab it, holding it in front of you as you back away from the door. The knob continues to bang against the wood as you refuse to take eyes off of it. There’s sounds of men outside, loud and rambunctious, momentarily halting the grievances. 

Until the knob moves again, slower this time, a light click that could be heard as it unlocks itself, opening into the low light of your quarters. 

You recognise the frazzled looking soldier at your door. 

“Lieutenant,” you voice in recognition. “What’s going on?”

He eyes the letter opener that you hold defiantly in front of you from across the room, and it has you retracting your force slightly. 

“Pirates, your Highness,” he breathes out. “We must get you to lower deck—”

“Where is the Admiral? The Captain?” you ask as you take a couple steps forward. 

“They’re handling the situation, your High–” 

An arm has come up behind the soldier that pulls him into a headlock, a swift pull to have him dragged away from your vision. You would’ve gasped if your voice hadn’t been caught in your throat, refusing to make itself known as fear brews in the pit of your stomach. Your hold on your makeshift weapon is tighter than ever before, yet you doubt how it’s going to help you as the culprit finally steps over something to appear in your doorframe. 

His clothes are in a disarray; slashed, torn and covered in grime. There’s a deadly looking machete in one hand, the blood that coats it has you eyeing the trail that drips onto his hand and on the floor. His forearms are perched up on the doorframe as he inspects you, tongue to cheek as he stares. 

Threatened as you feel, there was less hunger in his gaze as you had expected, more like he was trying to figure out who you were. He eyes your tiny letter opener you hold like a knife and lets out a little exhale you think might be a laugh. It has you gripping the handle impossibly tighter. The man moves his face into the hallway, to where you know the staircase to the main deck is. 

“Hoshi!” he yells loudly. “How’s this for bait?” 

Your back is pressed inexplicably against the wall, wanting to sink into the wooden boards as you attempt to gain your bearings amongst the nauseous bouts of mortification that surge through you. Your only exit is blocked.

No. You have one more option. 

The sound of more men bounding down the hall has you praying there were more soldiers here, but the calm regard the man has for the approaching people has your heart sink to the depths of this very ocean itself. 

More faces peer into the room, men with the same haphazard, grimey clothing complete with  equally sinister weapons in their grasps. One of the men breaks out into the biggest grin as he lays his eyes on you. You nearly throw up. 

For the first time in your life, you wish you’d listened to your father. 

“Jun, you savvy motherfucker,” the grinning man explodes, slapping the man who found you on the back. 

Another voice speaks from behind him, “Ships cleared, captain.” 

“Perfect. Bring a spring upon ‘er. Get as far away from those cleans as you can, let them fend for themselves in a tiny boat for once.” 

Captain. The grinning, stupid looking one is their captain. 

He regards the rest of his crew as he finally steps through the threshold, waving them away as he enters your quarters.

It was taking everything out of you to not buckle your knees as you stood, every step he takes is turning your strength into dust. He keeps his eyes on you, eyes on your sorry excuse of a weapon. He registers the mix of fear and determination in your eyes. 

He stops a few feet away from you, looking directly at you past the makeshift knife you hold. 

He says nothing as he drops the knife in his own hand to the ground with a loud clang. He removes a pistol, a couple more knives, a grenade and a sword. Weapons drop to the floor one after the other, emerging from all over his body and clothes. All in a pile on the wooden floors. He puts his hands in the air.

“No weapons on me. I merely wish to talk.” 

The look on his face is not ordinary, some strange combination of mock innocence and jest. You don’t answer him.

He continues, “You can keep your… scalpel… if you so wish.” 

“What did you do to the soldiers?” you finally rasp out.

“They’re not dead, if that's what you’re asking.”

“Yet?” you ask with a slight tremble to your voice. 

“They’ve been shoved into a boat with a map and a compass to fend for themselves. I’m not entirely ruthless,” he adds with raised brows and a hint of a smile. “Admiral, were they calling him? You must be his wife.”

“W-what?”

“Oh, guess not. Daughter? Captain’s wife, Captain’s daughter?”

Your previously stagnant brain is now running a derby with all the thoughts galloping across your mind. He doesn’t know who you are. Yet, anyway.

He’s scanning the room now, nodding at the trinkets and trophies scattered across the place. “Can’t imagine giving a lieutenant’s anybody quarters like this.” He circles back on you, eyes sharp. “Who are you, darling?”

You don’t think you have anything that should give you away, but the way he starts pacing the room has your anxiety going through the wooden roof.

He has his back turned to you. You’re not sure if he’s confident or careless considering you could drive your weapon into his back and make a run for it. But then what? By the looks of it there’s an entire crew of pirates pacing the deck. Perhaps the soldiers haven’t gotten that far; they know you’re still on board, they know it’s their heads on a pike if they leave you here. 

He’s reached your desk during your thinking, inspecting your stationary, picking at the bejewelled quills and paper weights as he mutters nonsense to himself. 

“Oh!” he announces, a little too enthusiastic. “What’s this?” 

He brandishes the loose leaf of paper, and you recognise the print on the back immediately. It was a letter from your father, the King.

“How on Earth did you read this, the writing is illegible.” He flips the paper over, double taking when he sees the royal seal on the back. He looks into the letter closer now. 

You wait with baited breath. 

“The kingdom needs their princess…your father…ah.” 

Should you plunge the knife into him anyway? You almost do it, but stop when he begins to turn around to face you again. His eyebrows are raised, a slight hint of exasperation on his face when he begins to laugh a loud, loud cackle. 

It’s mortifying, especially when you don’t understand what on earth was so funny to elicit a reaction like that. The man is downright hysterical. He wipes a lone tear from the corner of his eye as he drops the letter back onto the desk.

“W-what’s so funny?” you try to sound brave.

“It seems, miss princess, that we’ve gotten more than we bargained for,” he says, looking straight at you as he sobers up. “You’re the King’s daughter, now, are you? What are the odds the first ship I hop onto with a royal seal slapped on it, held the crown jewel of the kingdom in its gallows.” 

And then he starts walking, towards you, for that matter. Imperative because you know for sure that this is how it all ends. 

You know you still have your one last option, the option that is now pressed against your back as you shimmy to it with miniscule movements. The window is cool on your hand that rests on the glass, you know the lamp will be enough to break it, enough for you to push through and fall into the abyss of the dark, dark sea. He knows who you are now, and you’d rather drown than die at the hands of a pirate—or go through whatever it was that’s curling the minds of all the men on this ship. 

He takes another step forward, hands on his hips. “He’s not going to like this, is he? His dear daughter in the hands of the Kingdom’s favourite degenerate captain.” 

What?

He then adds in a whisper to himself mostly, “Or least favourite with all the wanted posters off the churches and brothels.” 

Hoshi. Hoshi. Hoshi. 

The man who had found you had called him Hoshi. Hoshi the pirate. Hoshi the pirate that’s been giving the Kingdom and its court absolute hell for as long as you can remember. 

The man that you are now trapped alone with on a ship is the most feared pirate the Kingdom has ever seen. 

You don’t doubt your face has gone grey, feeling your breathing turn near erratic. “Oh God.”

He smiles wryly as the life is sucked out of your very soul. 

This was bad. Very bad.

“Now, fear not, you will soon be returned to daddy dearest,” he places a mildly dramatic hand over his heart. “Pirate’s honour.”

He paces back to pluck the letter off the table, pocketing it. “All you need to do is relax and tell me a few things so we can part ways as soon—”

“No.” The word blurts out of your mouth before you can stop it, horrified at the thought of giving information to any pirate, let alone this one. 

“No?” Hoshi looks genuinely shocked, his eyes wide, eyebrows raised. He laughs a little incredulously, “Oh, I see, can’t tell all the delicate details to a scary ol’ pirate.”

He smiles a little bit, “Worry not, miss princess, we shall only need a few minor details. Just enough to have your father sprinting to get you out of here. We all win.”

He stares at you almost expectantly, and you wonder if you look as confused as you feel. 

“Well, I’ll be bidding you goodnight now, I’m sure we’ve interrupted your beauty sleep enough. Rest assured we won’t be bothering you for the rest of the morning.”

Hoshi begins to make his way to the door, picking up his pile of weapons off the floor before wrenching the door open. He’s calm as ever, but your mind is in a disarray.

A ransom, but whatever for? Gold could’ve been retrieved by raiding any ship, and it sounded like he’d chosen to hop on a ship belonging to the navy. Come to think of it, as much of a nuisance this man has proved himself, you don’t remember a case where he’s directly meddled with the Kingdom. All of this can’t just be for gold. 

Steeling yourself, you bet your odds against your voice and asked him, “What do you want from my father?” 

You watch as he halts in his tracks, halfway through the door as he finally looks over his shoulder. The look on his face has you wanting to break open the window immediately and let the water flood in, once and for all as you take these bastards down with you. 

“Your father has something of mine. And I intend to take it back,” he says, before finally slamming the door shut. You hear a shuffle and a thud, and you do not doubt that he’s locked you in. 

Your knees give out almost immediately, dropping to the ground as you breathe in quick, shallow breaths. Trying to look past the dizziness, you try not to think about the last thing he’d said before he left, moreso the look on his face as he did. 

The first rays of morning sun are beginning to shine through the windows, casting the beginnings of a glow in your quarters. You think of the supposed assurance he had given you, that they wouldn’t hurt you, that they intended to return you. 

The thought leads to a faraway memory, yet one that’s tucked itself into a front corner of your mind, you can almost hear your father's voice as he says it; never trust a pirate.

You remain on the floor, and you remain wide awake. 

THE SUN IS HIGH in the sky by the time you put your limbs to work. 

The first hours after the pirate locked you in your quarters were spent trying to reign yourself to earth. You can’t be entirely sure your soul has come back to your body, but whatever little of it that has landed is whispering some very dangerous things. 

The lamp remains, the ornate jewels glinting almost enticingly in the afternoon light. The flame inside it has long died, but you itch to give it another purpose. You don’t note the trembling of your hand as you reach for it, pushing yourself to your feet as you get a feel for the heavy hunk of glass and metal in your hands. 

If there was a level of regard before, it disappears when you set eyes on the bright window and the creases of crystal blue water. With all your strength, you don’t think twice when the lamp makes hard contact, a loud thud erupting as a result, but no damage when you pull away. 

You go again, harder this time, and only vaguely register the glass of the lamp that shatters into your hands. Gripping the metal bit tighter, you swing for the third time, pulling back for the strongest blow yet. 

A hand wraps around your elbow and you’re yanked backwards, landing on the floor. There’s a kick at your hand that’s flown into the air, the one that holds the bludgeoned lamp. It goes flying across the room as you retract your hand into yourself. 

You don’t register a thing as you’re suddenly being pulled back up to your feet. Face to face with the pirate captain, your soul finally clicking back into place. 

“Didn’t think I scared you this bad.” He’s made a joke, but all you can see is his face that’s a mask of rage.

The initial instinct is to move away, pulling your elbow out of his grasp in an attempt to flee. You fail as he tightens his grip to a painful degree, hauling you towards the ajar door of the quarters. 

It’s only then that you realise that there’s more people in the room.You note another big, burly man next to the window you just assaulted, inspecting it with another shorter man. You don’t get to note more as you’re pulled into the narrow hallway, begging the saints he doesn’t take the turn towards the lower decks. Instead you find he leads you upstairs to where the main deck is. 

Walk the plank? Did navy ships have planks to walk on? Not that you’d mind too much, you were trying to drown yourself and this ship in any case. But then there’s a settle of dread in the pit of your stomach, realising death may be the most merciful thing this man could give you. 

The pirate captain pushes you against a mast, one of his other minions rushing in with coils of rope on his shoulder. The sun beats down on the deck, not a gust of reprieve from the wind. 

“Keep the ropes tight, she’s got less wit than I’d thought,” the pirate captain says with a grunt, huffing as he lets go of you. He takes a few steps away, hands at his hips, the image of vexation. 

The person who ties the cords around your hands whispers slowly, “Stop moving.”

But you can’t, not when the panic is near the lip, not when all the possibilities are flashing gore filled images into your vision. It's scary to blink. 

“Why won’t you let me die?” you ask to the back that’s turned.

He turns around, not even bothering hiding the exasperation that paints his face, mouth opening furiously before closing again. “Why won’t—Because you were trying to take us all with you!”

“Kill me!” you all but scream. “They won’t know till you’ve gotten what you want, I’d rather be dead than let you try whatever’s brewing in all your sick heads!” 

He’s silent for a moment, noting your defiant gaze, your pull against the ropes, the heaving of your chest. Taking a few steps forward, Hoshi seems to be attempting to bring the boil in his blood to a low simmer, “Listen, princess. We’re pirates alright, but me and my crew, we keep to ourselves. If your daddy the king hadn’t decided to meddle and steal my fucking ship, you would’ve been home in your pretty palace, asleep in your bed of gold by now.” 

The pirate captain’s face is closer than you’d ever be comfortable with, seething in a way that has you pressing further into the mast. “We may be degenerates but we keep our own morals, as twisted as your people heed them to be.” 

When he finally pulls away, you take a breath and thank the air that simply exists, eyes downcast as you attempt to look braver than you feel. 

“I’m not pushing you overboard. I’ve duped your people once, they’ll be more prepared next time. We need you alive while you’re in our hands.” 

“How are you going to summon a ransom? You sent away your only messengers,” you ask, a sad attempt at a mock, but also because you wanted to know what his plan was. 

“Your useless Admiral’s taken up that job.”

“By lifeboat? You’ve left them all for dead, how do you expect this genius plan to work?” 

“They could’ve swam to shore if it came to it, we were close enough.”

“How are you so sure?” you spit.

“Do I need to gag you too?” he gives you one last irritated look before stalking off towards the lower deck. You’re left alone in the cooling afternoon heat, the sound of the sea keeping your ears company along with your own slowing breaths. 

Everything he said has a good enough chance to be a complete and utter lie. Never trust a pirate. No weapon to cut yourself out of your impossibly tight binds, nothing to protect you or give you reassurance besides a pirate’s word—the worst pirate’s word. 

Your battered thinking leads you straight through the setting of the sun, the orange glow of the sky shrouding the ship in the dreamiest backdrop while you live what you can only sum as a nightmare. Perhaps not, for you doubt your mind could ever conjure up a terror like this. 

This was life, the most terrifying nightmare of all. 

Having managed to wiggle your tied hands downwards, you had seated yourself with your head against the wood of the mast, staring into the translucent skies. So much freedom that taunts you in its illusion of proximity, yet so far still. 

There’s murmurs below deck, the only semblance of life you’ve heard in the past few hours after the stupid pirate captain stormed off. It seems to be on the stairs, a heated argument. 

“Obviously this wasn’t part of the plan, the chances were supposed to be zero to absolutely none. We landed with that scumbag’s successor, that’s just our piss luck and nothing more.” 

“You wanted a woman for bait, this should work the same.”

“Hao, I wanted a woman for bait to trigger a lukewarm reaction, this princess could either doom us all or make our job a fat punch easier, and I’m not betting on the latter.”

There’s a pause. 

“If only she’d cut it with the random hysterics and creepy-staring-at-the-sky we could actually get something useful out of her.” 

“Pray that window holds up or any chance of a miracle is gone to the wind.”

It’s like you’ve woken up with the way the stupid idea begins to form in your head. You think of your father, the kind of man he is, the kind of ruler he is. All the ‘if’s are guiding you to a conclusion. One that gives you a fighting chance, one that may go beyond this massive navy ship and clear into the rest of your life—if you make it that far anyway. 

Your father and his men would come, give this unhinged pirate what he desires so dearly, you know that for sure. But you also know it wouldn’t be for you, but for the crown that’s destined to fall upon your cursed head. 

If it’s his ship that he wants…

The next time you see one of the pirate captain’s goons on the deck, you ask for an audience. 

“DID YOUR STUPID FATHER drop you on your head as a baby?” 

Hoshi stands before you under the light of the midnight moon, an incredulous expression on his face. You try to keep the scowl off your own but it proves difficult when his voice pierces your skull. 

You ignore him from your position on the floor, “I know my father, and I know he loathes you enough to finally want you and your incompetent crew gone for good.”

He scratches his chin, “Can’t be that incompetent if he hates us so much.”

“I can help you.”

“You were ready to die than to be on the same ship as us a few hours ago. What’s changed?”

“Perspective,” you shrug in an attempt to remain nonchalant. 

“Are you gonna go back to wailing in the morning then?” 

God, this was going to be the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do. 

“You want your ship back and you were hoping for someone less important to exchange it for. But you’re stuck with me and you know it’s not going to end well for you. You need my help.” 

“Why so merciful, miss princess? Are you not on your father’s side?” 

You gulp as discreetly as possible.

“I want something in exchange.”

He raises his eyebrows, staring at you to continue. 

“I want you to kill my father.”

If his eyebrows were raised before, they’ve broken for the skies now. He leans his head back, eyes closing for a moment before reopening, reigning back to you before asking very gracefully, “What?” 

“I want you to kill my father.”

“No, I got that bit,” he snaps. “Your father as in, the King?”

“Yes, as you’ve pointed out far more times than anyone ever has.” You can’t help but roll your eyes despite the weight of the situation and the hammering in your chest. 

He stares at you in an expression you can’t quite read, and it unsettles you deeply. For a moment, you wonder if you’ve gravely miscalculated, watching as he moves around the mast you’re tied to. Out of the corner of your eye you see the metal glint of a dagger, and you nearly short circuit. 

Is he about to cut your hands off?

You feel a distinct tug at your wrists, the sound of slicing, and the voice in your head asking why it didn’t hurt. 

Suddenly your hands are free, intact and free as you achingly bring them in front of you, wincing audibly at the pain of moving them after so long. 

“You can jump into the water if you’d like, I won’t stop you.” He walks back over, sitting cross legged opposite you, at eye level. 

“What?”

“You’ve clearly gone mad, I’ll find another way to get my ship back.”

“I’m being serious.”

“Of course, and I utterly enjoy having a kingdom’s worth of blood on my hands. Shall I take the entirety of the court down while we’re at it? Carry out a fucking waltz with Jack Ketch?”

“Why are you acting like you’re above murder? Another part of your strange moral code?” 

“No, no, not above it at all. But I like my head and rather not have it guillotined. They might skim over the death of some too-nosy soldier but I doubt they’d leave me be after I put a bullet between the King’s eyes.”

“I’ll protect you.”

He looks at you for a moment, “Quite reassuring.” 

You sit up straighter, licking your lips as you prepare yourself. “My father isn’t a good man.”

The pirate captain snorts, “Oh, I’m well aware.”

You try not to stare too hard at the still unsheathed dagger that he digs into the floorboards, knifing out splinters in disregard. 

“My father doesn’t want me home, he wants the crown home. He wants me to be a carbon copy of himself, he wants to be in control long after he’s gone.” You try not to grind your teeth too hard but it’s difficult when your father’s face burns behind your eyelids. “I want control over the throne, full control.”

“And your conclusion is to eliminate him.”

“I don’t have another choice.”

“Then what? You’ll pardon me and my crew after we get our hands dirty for you?” he asks, eyes wide in mock hope. 

“Yes. You can do whatever it is that you sail about doing and no one will be of bother. I might ask you for sparing favours. For a wage of course. But other than that, you can live as lawlessly as you wish.”

“You’re asking me to become your personal lackey?”

“Having a queen’s favour is no small feat I hope you’re aware. Besides, it's a leap better than the hoops you’ve been jumping through during my father’s reign.” 

You realised his face had been shrouded by the dark between your negotiating and the clouds that had veiled the moon. Every moment that was supposed to strengthen your understanding of the man that sat across from you only brought you more confusion. 

“You want your ship and freedom of land and sea,” you continue when it’s silent for a beat too long. “I only ask for a small favour in return.”

“I’d argue the miniscule nature of what you’re asking from me,” he scoffs.

“Nothing is too outlandish when it’s a life of liberty on the line.” 

There crawls in the silence once again, the same one that seems to grab you by the throat for every moment that ticks past undisturbed. 

“We’ll have to see to that,” he says, huffing as he gets back on his boot clad feet. You follow him with your eyes as he walks towards the creaky stairs that lead to the lower deck, utterly confused. 

“Where are you going?” you ask, bewildered at his strange behaviour. 

Turning around, just as he had a mere day ago in your quarters and you feel yourself suppressing a shudder. “I have a crew to consult.”

So he was considering it. 

“But you’re the captain.”

“And?” 

THE SKY IS A lighter sheen of blue, leaning towards the premature hours of the morning. He’d left you untied, and as you gaze into the duned waters in the minimal light, the urge to jump in and create a ripple that goes beyond just the water is less tempting than you’d thought. The prospect of having a dead father, and a dead king, was enough to snap you out of your hysteria despite it being a plot of your own devising. 

You’ve been alone for a while, little indication that there was other life on this ship at all with the lack of human activity. There wasn’t much that you knew of sailing or ship handling, but leaving the deck unmanned for this long gave you the vague impression that you were on a vessel with poor practising pirates. If they’d thought you’d be equipped to handle any hiccups, they’d either find out the hard way, or whenever it was that you could find the wit to bring it up to the pirate captain and his strangely attached crew. 

Something that sounds distinctly like boots are thudding gradually up to the main deck, the unmistakable blond of the pirate captain himself coming into view. You aren’t quite sure what it is, but the low thuds are sending your heart racing, panic overcoming your senses for a brief moment before you recalibrate. It’s only then that you realise it’s been more than 24 hours since the ship was hijacked. Somehow, you could have believed it was a lifetime. 

He’s disturbingly nonchalant, hand at the sheathed hilt of the dagger at his hip, a casual glance around at the empty abyss of ocean and sky. When he reaches the far end of the deck, right above the prow, he stops. 

“Are you going to push me off the rails?” you ask, half genuine, half trying to fill the silence as you face one another. 

“No.” He said it plainly, the single word reply leaving you even more uncomfortable. 

“Have you thought about what I said…with your crew?” you ask, hand coming up to grab the railing for support. 

“I did.” 

“Do I sense an objection?” you ask, swallowing the lump in your throat

“Not exactly,” he says. “We want to hear your master plan for this heist before we agree to anything.” 

He’s asking for a plan, a plan that you do not have.

You aren’t sure how he figured it out, perhaps it was the slight darting of your eyes as you thought of a response, but he seemed to read you like a book. He snorts loudly, “You don’t have a clue, do you?”

“You’ve done this before, you’d know better.”

“And if I led you astray?”

You look at him, this time right into his dark eyes, “Then you lead me astray.” 

“Your contentment with death is wildly unsettling.” There’s a ghost of a sneer at his lip. 

“I’d rather be lounging in the bottom of the ocean than live with a prospective future with my father.” 

“So I’ve heard.”

There’s a huff that leaves you as you steel your voice. “I’m not trying to set you up if that’s what you’re afraid of.”

“I doubt you’d have that capability,” he says as he leans his forearms over the railing. You briefly consider pushing him over but think better of it. 

As much as you wanted to be a sneaky link, you simply didn’t have that trait. You blame all the dependency your father’s fostered into you, ensuring that you couldn’t rule without his influence. 

“Are you willing to brew a plan or not? I need to time my dip in the ocean accordingly,” you say, sounding almost disgruntled.

He lets out a big sigh, “Follow me.”

He’s made himself familiar with the ship, you soon realise, as he leads you right downstairs to the lower deck towards the war room. When he opens the door, the room is lit with lamps, casting a golden glow on the reddish interior, warmer than the rest of the ship. 

“Stay here, and don’t do anything stupid,” he tells you as he shuts the door behind him, leaving you alone in the cabin. 

You only exhale in response as you turn away from the door, towards the large table in the centre. It’s slightly cluttered, studying the scrawled notes as you realise they’re all from the Admiral, his directions and plans of course littered across the table. Turning towards the map on the walls, you lift a finger to trace the lifted ridges of snow capped mountains, trailing towards the dipped shallows of the blue water. 

It was an exact replica of the tactile map in the war room back home, and you’re suddenly hit with a pang of nostalgia. Not that you’d been away from home for too long, but the end result of what you're about to do, regardless of the outcome, would change your life forever. 

You feel yourself breathing in the lingering scent of mildew, a strange comfort in the warm quarters.

There’s a creak at the door, and you quickly retract to find the pirate captain back at the door, walking in with a trail of men behind him. You recognise them by their faces, watching as they all take their places in the edges of the room. They look relaxed. You note the pirate captain taking his place behind the main drawing table. 

“Your throne, miss princess.” He gestures exaggeratedly towards the lone cushioned chair across from him. You’re hyper aware of all the eyes that are trailed on you, and you feel almost embarrassed to take the only seat. 

It only lasts for a moment. You walk up to the chair with what you hope exuded confidence and take your place across from the pirate captain. His men circle the edge of the room, and you count five other men. 

He sighs, “I think introductions are in order.”

“Mingyu, Minghao,” he points to the two men that had inspected your window right after you tried breaking it open. 

“Jun,” he gestures to the one who had found you in your quarters the night it all went wrong. 

“Seungkwan and Chan,” you recognize the latter as the one who’d tied you to the mast at his captain’s command. 

“They’ll be helping kill your dear father.” 

It’s silent for a moment as you attempt to moisten your mouth. You’re reminded you haven’t eaten or drank for hours, not since one of them had come up with a tray of whatever they could find for you from the reserves. 

“I know I may not be the most admissible person to trust, or vice versa—” You hear someone snort but choose to ignore it. “But I’m willing to make myself useful to you if it means you would help me too.”

“Would it not be easier to lock him up instead?” someone asks, and you turn to find Seungkwan asking the question from next to the tactile map. 

“He has too many people indebted to him, too many that are too loyal for their own good. I cannot truly rule for as long as he’s alive and well.”

“And how do you expect his loyal court mongers to let you bid favour to the people who killed their king?” the pirate captain asks with a raised brow. 

“Which is why it needs to look like an accident.” 

“How do you reckon we go about that?”

“What message have you given the Admiral?”

“You don’t answer a question with another question—”

“We need to be transparent with each other if either of us wants to make it out relatively unscathed.”

He doesn’t look too happy but he answers anyway, “My ship and five hundred thousand for all our trouble. Two months from now at the Green Islands up north.”

The Green Islands were anything but green, the glaciers being near uninhabitable owed to the ruthless weather. It was smart enough, it’d be near impossible to bring as much violent power that far north, no matter how influential anyone is.  

“Is five hundred thousand all I’m worth?” you feel the beginnings of a sneer rise up your mouth. You aren’t sure what prompted it but you don’t want to fight it either. 

“Didn’t know I was bartering for a fucking princess’ case, did I?” he snaps. “Now tell us how you want us to commit the undetected homicide of a King.”

“We need to blow up his ship.” To your surprise (and maybe even a little horror), the pirate captain breaks into a slight grin. Neither do you miss other bits of his crew releasing a bit of a snicker. 

There’s a flare of defiance within you, “Do you have any better ideas then?” 

“No, no. Go on,” he says with his head hung. You’re surprised he has the character to shield his smile. 

“He doesn’t frequent the seas but I’m almost sure he’d be present at the exchange.”

“Almost?” he questions.

You hesitate. The combined chance of needing the crown home and seeing to the downfall of his enemies would be enough warmth to send him to the greenlands himself. You were confident, but your father could also be unpredictable.

“He’ll be there. I’m sure of it.” 

The pirate captain lifts his head, locking eyes with you. You try not to look as weak as you felt, as unsure as you felt, pooling all the remaining confidence into your face. 

He swallows before looking away, addressing one of the crew members. “How big are we talking?”

Jun looks up like he’s only just begun to pay attention, fumbling over the revolver in his hands as it thuds to the ground like a theatrical mistake, “What?”

His captain sighs before replying, “Explosion. How big does it need to be to blow up a naval ship with a King on it?”

The man brings a hand up to the back of his head, scratching his nape. “If it’s anything like this one, we’re gonna need a lot of ammo.” 

“Just enough to sink it,” you speak before you could decide not to. “Even better if they don’t realise it’s happening.”

He thinks for a moment. “We could plant it in the bilge somehow.”

“But how do we get on that ship? When they’re giving us a tour of the lower decks?” The man you recall as Seungkwan scoffs. 

“Throw a grenade on board somehow?” you hear one of them suggest. 

“Real subtle, Chan,” you hear another mock. 

The war room is in shambles before you know it, loud voices talking over threats to slit throats and to shove people overboard. The room is humid and it feels as though the light from the oil lamps are fading. You close your eyes amidst the utter chaos, rubbing the heel of your palm on your temple in an attempt to soothe the throbbing vein. 

“Enough!” The pirate captain has spoken and you have the urge to ask what took him so long. 

Tranquility once again and you almost thank the man. Before anyone can say another word, nausea begins to build in your stomach. 

It takes you a minute to realise the room was spinning and that you weren’t completely losing your mind. The ship begins to rock harder as the seconds tick by, everybody in the room seemingly still as they perceive the change.

“Batten down the hatches,” the pirate captain says to no one in particular.

Chan is the only one who moves to the door to leave before he’s interrupted. 

“All of you. Those clouds weren’t looking too nice up there, we’ve got a storm on our hands.”

By everyone he surely did not mean you, because as the room rushes out and you hear the thuds of boots clamouring up to the main deck, you’re left alone with the captain. Yet again.

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep steady, and you wonder how he’s able to remain balanced while on his feet. It isn’t long before your chair begins to slide as well, the legs croning as they slip on the hardwood. You spring up on instinct, hands coming to the bolted down drawing table to stabilise yourself. 

The pirate captain seems unphased, moving the curtains on the far end to try to get a glimpse at where the water breaks. He steps like he knows exactly where the evermoving floor would be, barely glancing below to gauge his footing. 

“Shouldn’t you be up there?” There’s effort in your voice, your grip on the table as hard as ever as the ship banks to a hard left. He barely grabs the wall in support. 

“Huh? They can figure it out themselves, they’re big boys,” he grunts.

“Your big boys were at each other’s throats a moment ago,” you grunt back, stumbling at a particularly forceful lurch. 

“If you weren’t so ill prepared they wouldn’t need to use their brains, that’s always dangerous,” he shoots back. He’s on the other end of the room, pushing the unbolted cabinet back in its place 

“I gave you a job and it's up to you to see it done, I’m not—ah— I’m not supposed to be planning at all!” 

“Are you?” He’s turned to look at you know, mouth hitched in a snarl as his forehead reflects a light sheen. “Because trying to murder a—”

“Trying to murder a King isn’t a normal task,” you finish for him in a hiss. “Yes, as you’ve reiterated a million times.”

“Great, so you know!” Sarcasm is a deadly look on him, you realise as he walks over from the cabinet to where you were in the middle of the room. The waves have given in, the rocking becoming significantly slower. “Now do you mind telling us about a plan that actually has better odds?”

Your white knuckles have relented, the hands that gripped the table coming loose as you stare back at the pirate in defiance. “I should just hand you over.”

“It’s sweet you think you’re in charge here,” the grit in his voice is evident. “This isn’t your turf anymore, miss princess.”

“You don’t trust me, and you don’t give me reason to trust you—ugh.”

The waves seemed to have decided she hadn’t had enough just yet, this particular lurch sending you hurtling backwards into the wall, back hitting the hardwood as the stable pirate himself loses his footing. You could almost believe you’d landed sideways with the gravity that’s lost its way beneath your feet. 

The chair you were once sitting on is hurtling towards you with a vengeance, gaining momentum as you simply watch it approach like a wooden bullet. A boot clad foot kicks it to the other end and you realise the pirate captain’s gotten hold of his bearings before you have. 

“What happened to being transparent with one another?” he huffs, breathless and wide eyed as he attempts to pull himself to his feet. 

There’s another lurch that sends you both skidding towards the table, just short of grabbing on before you’re hurtled into the cabinet that had moved again, and now slams back into the wall with the weight of the sea and two humans with a bang!

“Fine. You give me your ammo to blow up the bilge, let me on the ship with my dear father and one of you scoops in and saves me before I drown with him,” you yell over the sounds of clanging and banging of everything on this cursed ship, and the whooshing and thunders of the skies, winds and water. “And if I riddled the chances of you letting me drown with my father? Where does that leave me?”

“On the bottom of the seabed,” he deadpans. “But that also leaves me without my freedom.”

You find the opportunity to look at him for a moment, and he’s looking at you too. He looks away towards the door, already making moves to walk out and join his crew above deck. The conversation was over, and it was evident in your lack of reply.

Mother nature, however, sends another one in as a surprise and you're both sent flying to the other end of the ship, yet again. 

There’s a cushion to your blow this time as you find yourself landing right into the pirate captain’s chest, hand above his heart in your instinct to save yourself any more bruises. Between your bickering and the staggering of the ship, his shirt had flown open nearly down to his navel. 

Your eyes barely register the nasty scar across his left pec, instead moving upwards to lock eyes with him. It’s insanity, how you instinctively dart your eyes towards his half open mouth. 

“If you wanted me that bad, miss princess, you could’ve just asked.”

Whatever airborne drug that’d been willy nillying in your noggin seems to spin into a rage as his words register a moment too late. Clenched jaw and a vice grip on his shirt, you spit back. 

“I don’t ask for things. They come to me.”

There’s a crash above you and you realise the oil lamp that was suspended above has shattered, raining glass over your forms. 

Expect you don’t feel it, because he’s ducked over you and suspended his arms in the air to catch the crystalline. 

Before you can decide whether it was instinct or not, you hear a yell at the door.

“Captain! One of the—oh.” 

A barely balancing Mingyu, is staring into the now dimly lit war room, his captain and their supposed prisoner pressed against one another in a dark corner of the room. 

Your instinct forces you to take a slow step backwards. 

“Get back up,” he snarls, already pushing past you to stalk towards the door. He actually makes it this time, shoving Mingyu into the hall towards the stairs. 

Not as much as a glance back before he slams the door shut, leaving you in the tattered war room alone, shards of glass at your feet.

THE STORM SEEMS TO have done its damage as it calmed itself for the rest of the morning and well into the day. 

One of them had come down and escorted you to your quarters, Chan telling you that you could keep it while the rest of them adjusted in the other cots and quarters aboard. Changing out of your ragged, days old clothes felt luxurious, the familiar scent of your quarters putting your tense shoulders at ease; or at least a semblance of such. 

Neither you nor the captain have attempted to speak to each other after the incident in the war room. Having berated yourself for letting your guard down enough, you chalked it up to the lack of food and sleep and put the matter to rest in some deeply buried chest in your head. 

For now you board up the door of your cabin (because you haven’t completely lost it), and burrow under the covers for some much needed shut eye. 

You aren’t sure how long the universe lets you rest, because unless you’ve slept all the way to the Green Islands the banging on the door seems incessant enough to warrant an arrest of its own. The sleep is slow to leave, and it’s hard enough to push an entire drawer against a door, the bleariness paired with whoever the fuck was outside the door isn’t making it easier to push it away from the entrance either. 

By the time you’ve wrenched the door open, you’re thoroughly annoyed, and met with a very alarmed Seungkwan. 

“Oh thank goodness, I was about to try opening it,” he says, looking genuinely relieved. “I thought you might’ve….anyway.”

“You weren’t trying to break in before?” you ask.

He only thrusts a tray of rations and water towards you, “Captain said to give this to you.”

Accepting the tray, you try to balance it in one hand with furrowed brows, “Oh.”

“Um. That’s it, sorry for waking you up.” He makes a move like he’s about to turn around and leave but falters. “If…if you need anything a bunch of us are on the main deck.”

And then he’s gone. 

You take it as your cue to shut the door, kicking one of the heftier pieces of furniture against it before moving back inside. 

When you peer up your tiny window, it’s late afternoon and the beginnings of orange on the surface tell you the sun is beginning to set. You decide it was a good enough amount of sleep. Setting the tray down on the smaller than usual desk, you find that these pirates do not have a knack for subtlety. Many of your letters and papers are haphazardly stacked and shoved into one corner of the table, very obviously sifted through. 

Not that you care too much, there was nothing awfully important that you wouldn't have told them yourself. Ripping off a piece of bread from the tray, you take pleasure in chewing as loudly and as open mouthed as you wished, plucking the parchment at the top of the pile to study. 

It’s another one signed by your father, not a question of your wellbeing in sight as he scrawls ink on paper all the incorrect things you did in the Southerner’s banquet last month. If anything, you were glad the stupid Admiral was away from your presence, his incessant habit of reporting your every breath and turn to your father was becoming too much to handle. 

This was one of his tamer letters, less insults attached to his criticisms but a pain to read anyway. You don’t brush away the crumbs that fall onto the parchment. 

There is not a diplomatic bone in your body. Perhaps move on from drinks and dessert and into more important territories besides the Duke’s son. Our kingdom needs a ruler that’s strong, not one that forgets where she is after a sip of brandy!

If you squint hard enough, it almost reads as a parent scolding a child for a spill, like regardless of what you did, he might just love you the same. 

You wonder how good of a mood he was in when he wrote this. 

Sifting through the rest of the papers you take a mental note of every reason he’s given you to believe that you’d be a hopeless ruler, a few years ago you even questioned why he kept you around before realising his contradicting intentions. As you read, letter by letter, you think of reasons you know are going to make you a better ruler, better than him and better than his stupid court of old men.

These pirates are a blessing, you think, and you aren’t about to let this chance from the universe drown in these waters.

HOSHI ISN'T IN TROUBLE. No, he isn’t. On his butt on the sleek floorboards of the ship, his own golden dagger glinting in the sunlight as it's held in a threatening hold, except it isn’t in his hands. 

It’s pointed right into his jugular vein, held by some grimy sailor who considers himself something akin to a pirate. Perhaps the stench this sorry excuse of a crew carries around may be their idea of a criteria, but as Hoshi remains inches away from death, all he can think about is the atrocious fingers around his dagger, and all the scrubbing he’s going to be doing after this is all over. 

Mingyu had warned him, told him to take down the flag of the navy from the mast, the royal seal in the smack middle of the ginormous thing. He brushed it off. He wasn’t quite sure if he was tipsy, hungry or just plain exhausted when he made that decision, because he’d forgotten just how stupid some of these simpleton sailors could get. 

They were taken by surprise, their only weapons mops and buckets of soapy water as they were ambushed by some overlooked wherry that had suddenly thrown hooks over their railing and climbed up like uninvited sewer rats. 

In the initial confusion, interrupted mid-chorus of some pretty siren and her pirate prince, the first few intruders had simply crumpled over onto the slippery deck, a few slipping overboard completely from the suds and water on the wood. His crew, and Hoshi himself, could only stand and watch as the newcomers sabotaged themselves for a few incredulous moments before they gained their bearings. 

Chan and Seungkwan swang their mops right into the necks of a couple, sending them into the ocean without waiting for a splash. 

Hoshi slips out his dagger with practised ease, swinging the butt of the hilt over the head of another ambushing intruder, right on the head as he crumpled to the floor with a loud thud. He kicks him over for an indication of where he came from. No ink that shows an alliance, no brooch or jewels with a crest. 

New guys, ones that were clearly still learning the ropes. 

Hoshi’s crew had better senses than required for him to yell out orders, and it only took a few more disgruntled minutes to disable the remaining extra men aboard. 

“Where the fuck did these guys come from?” he asks no one in particular, mostly just annoyed that they were disturbed. 

Minghao, who’s peeking over the railing replies, “It’s a tiny thing. They either lost their actual boat or didn’t have one at all.”

He vaguely registers him making a jerking arm movement over the exterior before he hears a wail and a splash. “Disgusting.” Minghao holds his hands away from his body like he didn’t want it anymore. 

Hoshi’s mistake was keeping his guard down, because before anyone could warn him, the dagger that he held loosely against his hip had slipped out his palm. The next thing he knows, his neck is in some grimy sleeve’s grip, and the point of his dagger is lodged into his own throat. He holds his breath, afraid he might pass out completely from the stench alone. 

“Not a move.” He sounds like a boy more than anything, but his grip indicates a harsher life. “Everybody into that fishing boat. I’ll throw this one in when you’re done.” 

He sounds unstable, but that only makes him more dangerous. Hoshi can’t try to wiggle his way out of this one, one wrong move and it’s the end. His crew can’t do anything as they stand with broken mops and empty buckets as their weapons. 

It was stupid of him to even allow himself to be cornered like this, not when he’s weaselled his way out of more dangerous situations with more ease than this. 

His crew looks at him, and he can only close his eyes in encouragement. He watches as Jun steps over one of the defeated bodies to reach the hooks that’ve lodged into the railing. His movements are slow, and he can tell he notices the unhinged nature of this boy that he doubts is barely over 17. 

Chan follows, then Seungkwan as Jun double checks the integrity of the ropes. He’s stalling. 

“Hurry!” It was supposed to come out as a threat, but it sounded more like a plea from the boy. 

And then Jun stops completely, his eyes trained on Hoshi. His eyes are wide, his grip on the rope so tight he can see the whites of his knuckles from the other side of the ship. 

No, he wasn’t looking at him, he was looking behind him. Before he can register, there’s a loud bang of a gunshot, and Hoshi feels the body of his captor slump against his back, his dagger dropping to the ground with an ominous clang. He falls with him, turning over to push the dead weight of the body off of him. 

There’s smoke in the air when Hoshi looks back and it takes him a moment to realise who just basically saved his life. 

You stand in your nightgown, shawl over your shoulders, and a revolver, Jun’s revolver, clenched tightly in both hands. It remains frozen in the air, hovering as he takes in your face. Eyes wide, mouth open slightly, the colour drained from your face. 

Hoshi scrambles to get up as the rest of the crew swarm both him and you. He grabs his dagger before anything else, looking back to see a bullet lodged in the back of his captor’s skull, blood pooling the deck. 

He looks back at you shoving the revolver back into Jun’s hands eagerly, like you didn’t want to feel the warmth of the metal any more than you wanted to make that shot. 

He looks back at the cooling body, and then back at you, an undeniable warmth overcoming his chest. 

You just saved his life.

“Are you alright?” he hears Chan ask you. You nod slowly, and then quickly. 

“Where did you find this?” Jun asks. 

“Uh, in one of the quarters. Downstairs. I went down because I thought it’d be safer, you were handling it and I didn’t want to get in the way. But then…all your weapons were there.” 

Your voice sounds airy, like you were in a daze. Hoshi comes to the stark realisation that this may have been your first time with a weapon, and then even more horrifying, your first kill. 

“I’m sorry, I just thought it was getting out of hand and—” 

“It’s alright,” Seungkwan says. He watches as you let him lead you back down the stairs below decks. 

It was like the shock turned you into a different person, complacent, less defiant. Seungkwan clearly had more of an emotional range, because it certainly took Hoshi too long to realise you might be on the edge of panic. 

Hoshi doesn’t say a word as you disappear, the smell of gunpowder from the singular shot wafting through the deck. He doesn’t realise he’s staring into space until Mingyu interrupts. 

“Should we—”

“Throw them overboard,” Hoshi says, voice flat. 

“But, this one seems like he’ll come around. We could question him and drop him off wherever next—”

“He’s a shit seaman, if even a pirate, he’s got what came for him. Throw. Him. Overboard.” Hoshi is out of breath, yet grits the words out through clenched teeth. “All of them.”

Hoshi slips his dagger back into its sheath at his hip. All he can think about is your blown pupils and you in your nightgown. All he can think about is how they were almost bested by a child. All he can think about is how you had to make that final shot to save his ass, that he couldn’t do it himself. 

Mingyu senses his mood and asks no more questions, simply pushing the remaining bodies out into the water. He vaguely registers Minghao sending the men a prayer into the sea. Mingyu’s already trying to get the stupid naval flag off the mast, stripping off his jacket and disposing of it at the base to start climbing. 

Chan pushes a clean rag into his chest, and he looks down to receive it and notes a tinge of blood at his collar. Right, he was bleeding. 

They go back to cleaning, except it’s a lot more silent. 

Jun walks back up to help, but this time he has both of his clean, black revolvers strapped at his hip.

THERE WERE FEWER PEOPLE in the war room this time around, the captain sits beside Mingyu, Jun and Minghao as they attempt to sketch out a crude rendition of your discussion. The pirate captain does nothing but use his dagger to pick under his nails, barely speaking as he listens in on the conversation. 

Not that you cared, you and the rest of his crew seemed to get along better than you did with the captain anyway. Saving the man’s life seemed to hold no weight to him, not that you expected it but a ‘thank you’ would have sufficed. 

“Keep the grenade til the last minute if it makes you feel better, so you’ll know I’m not trying to sink the wrong ship,” you sigh as you clarify. Minghao doesn’t reply as he scribbles the details. Jun rolls his eyes at his meticulous nature. 

“We need to port in the next couple days if I’m gonna finish this grenade in time,” he says, looking at his captain pointedly. 

“We can stop at Port Ash,” Hoshi says. 

Port Ash was no man’s land, which also meant it was every man’s land. 

Being mostly occupied by pirates and other thieves and criminals it was considered dangerous territory for anyone who didn’t speak in lies, deceit and fists. This crew would fit right in, but you worry for yourself. 

“That’s not gonna be till a week and a half,” Mingyu interjects. 

Jun frowns as he looks at Mingyu and then back at his captain, “I can’t wait that long.”

“We’ll pick up what we can at Hasry when we stop for rations,” Hoshi replies. 

“But—”

“Deal with it. There’s nothing we can do about it.”

Jun looks like he wants to say something, and Mingyu has the good sense to interject again to ask more questions about the plan. 

“How much manpower do you think the king’ll have?” he asks.

You sigh, crossing your arms as you lean back in your chair. “I have no idea. Could be five, could be fifty.”

“Not even an inkling?”

“Considering how he wants the lot of you gone, it’s probably on the larger side. But…” you pause. 

“But?”

“He’s smart. Always seemingly one step ahead. I wouldn’t be surprised if he catches us blind.” 

“I know enough about that,” Hoshi snorts. There’s a glint in his eye that suggests something, but you don’t press.

“I was wondering…we should probably change course even if it takes us longer. My father might intercept—”

“Did that. Didn’t take the obvious alternative route either,” Mingyu replies, and you note that he looks proud of himself. “We can take our time too, the ransom note suggested we took the way past Scarsfield.”

“We should be careful of other boats anyway,” you say, gulping down a lump in your throat before continuing. “Those other sailors could’ve been my father’s men too, for all we know.”

“They were on a smaller boat too,” Hoshi adds, he looks like he’s making connections in his brain. “What’re the odds they were dropped farther back into a smaller boat?”

There’s a pause as you absorb what he’s implying. “Are you saying they’re on our tail?”

“I wouldn’t doubt it,” he says, exhaling heavily through his nose. “He’s done it before. It was a sorry attempt then and it was a sorry attempt now.”

“How did you shake him off last time?”

The panic in your chest is barely there, but as you register the possibility, you find yourself breathing increasingly heavy. 

“Circling farther out before going the opposite way so we wouldn’t cross paths.” He shakes his head. “But we can’t do that now, not when we can’t afford detouring. The port stops are as late as I’m willing to go.”

“What if we skip Hasry? It’s our more obvious stop, we’ll just stop at Ash later,” Minghao suggests. 

“We’ll starve, we’ve got no food,” Hoshi gruffs.

“Portwater?” 

“Too far.”

It’s silent yet again as everyone racks their brains. You feel very useless all of a sudden, you didn’t know the names of harbours or ports this far out.

“We’ll just port at Hasry and be extra careful, there’s nothing we can do.” Hoshi sighs at his own ultimatum. 

He gets up and walks around the table to the door, “I’ll update the others.”

You glance as he walks past you, his figure leaving a gust of wind in your face. He smelled nice, which was saying something considering the state some pirates are known to be in. As he brushes past, your gaze is met with the other side of the war room, an empty oil lamp bracket on the wall. 

The memory of the storm floods your mind, and suddenly your cheeks are burning. Snapping your head back, you're thankful they’re all absorbed in the papers and plans on the table, oblivious to the memory that’s flashed before your eyes. Mingyu was the one who saw you in your compromising position, and you didn’t know him well enough to decide whether he’d do something as dumb as dish out his captain’s ‘affairs’. 

You file out the room with them. They don’t escort you to your rooms, make sure you stay in one place, restrict your wandering anymore. Perhaps they’d realised you weren’t actively attempting to sink the ship anymore, or that if you jumped off the edge it didn’t matter to them that much, but you appreciated the space anyway. 

Briefly catching Seungkwan filling Mingyu in on the past couple hours they’d been below deck, you turn over to catch his eye. He waves, and you wave back. You don’t realise what you did till it already happened, noting the smile on his face as he did it. You choose to move past it and find the captain. 

There was something you wanted from him. 

There’s no trace of him on the main deck, eyes scanning the area to no avail. A movement from above catches your peripheral attention, eyes squinting as you crane your neck up to look. Hoshi has leaned his back against the railing of the crow’s nest, arms crossed, visible hand occupied with a brass telescope that glints in the sunlight. 

He isn’t using it though, merely gazing at the horizon with furrowed brows. As though he could see better without the device in his hand. In the few minutes that you’re looking at him, you notice the muraled, multicoloured shirt that blows with the wind, a kaleidoscope of beiges, greens and reds. The crop of his blonde hair blends in with the clear blue-white sky. 

Briefly wondering how he’s managing the impossible heat, a hand coming over your own eyes as a visor, you simply look back down. Seungkwan is next to you. You aren’t quite sure how he got there, but he stands next to you, hands on his hips, a pleasant expression on his face. 

“Is there anything you want when we dock? We’re trying to make a list,” he says. Somehow, the prospect of pirates making lists boggled you a little. It was a little jarring, not quite sure why he asked a captive anyway.

But then again, were you a captive anymore?

“I don’t think so, no,” you reply and then juggle whether you should push it with another measly formality. “Thank you for asking.”

“That was your first kill, wasn’t it?”

“What?” You knew what he was talking about, but you weren’t expecting him to bring it up in the moment when he’s asking you about restocking supplies. And especially not with a smile on his face. 

“That day, when you used Jun’s revolver to shoot the lad.” 

A kid. He was a child. 

“I…yeah I’d never done it before.”

“What made you do it?” he asks, remaining as nonchalant as ever. 

“I—I don’t know, it looked like there wasn’t another option,” you say, not quite sure of yourself either. 

Why did you shoot him? You’d never laid hands on a gun before, your father forced you into the category of archery and crossbows, not that you were very good at them either but it was also because you simply wanted to spite your father by being plain bad. It worked, because it only took a year and a half and an arrow straight into his study window to retire from the sport entirely.

Even then, your targets had been apples, barrels and tree trunks. Never a person. 

You’d heard of what people tended to do in pressuring situations, and with the way the aftermath unfolded, it didn’t seem like you made the wrong decision to pick up that revolver anyway. 

But the feeling lingers, the same one that you saw as you gazed into the back of the boy that held the captain of this ship hostage. It felt wrong. Like watching the pirate captain cornered was a picture you couldn’t quite make sense of in your head. 

So you pulled the trigger. 

“In any case, we’re glad you made that decision. We all owe you for it.”

You don’t know what to say to that, so you gulp, inhale and press your lips in a line. “That’s a lot for a pirate to say.”

“I know.”

BY THE TIME YOU manage to corner Hoshi it’s already the next day, and you’re only a couple hours away from docking at Hasry. 

It’s an anxious ordeal, the crow’s nest constantly occupied by someone trying to catch sight of a possible tail. There was no sign, yet anyway. 

“I want to learn to use a knife.”

He was piling coiled ropes when you’d said it, pushing the heap to the side, sweating through his clothes. There was a flash of confusion on his face as he registered you. 

“Why? So you can slit all our throats in our sleep?” he grumbles as he pushes a barrel against the railing. He’s too aggressive, and the force has the splashback soaking his clothes in freshwater, tsk-ing audibly. 

You ignore the way his previously loose shirt now sticks to him, ignore the way the droplets land on your boots when he shakes his sleeve. 

“We’ve discussed what we might be up against, I don’t want to be useless when the time comes.”

“Seemed pretty alright with that revolver.”

“Anyone can shoot a gun,” you say, getting the sudden urge to fidget with the front of your shirt. You try to make your voice sound as declarative as possible. “I want to learn to fight. With a knife, with a sword, with my hands if I have to.” 

He doesn’t say anything as you look down, fiddling with the tassels on your shirt. Your excuse was the sun and the way it was beating down on the deck this afternoon, getting tired of squinting to simply look straight. When the silence prolongs you look up to push further, juggling with bringing up the fact that you saved his life and that, as Seungkwan very graciously told you, he owes you. 

The sound your throat makes is unhuman, because when you look up the captain's soaked shirt is now off his back. 

The skin is near white from the glare of the sun, remnants of glazed water that’s somehow made its way to his back as well. The dip in his shoulder blade reflected a dark marking, one that you couldn’t make out. 

He wrings it as you can only watch, mouth gaping like a fish. Hanging it over one of the suspended ropes to dry, he mutters as he walks to the lower decks. 

“Fine,” he says nonchalantly. “We’ll get you a knife at Hasry.”

Hasry. Right. 

The port is quiet, at least as quiet as a port can be. There’s not much to see but fishermen both returning and leaving for another week's worth of fish supply. Minghao manages to pay and convince the harbourmaster that they were merchants on their way back to the Kingdom, stopping for supplies. The naval make of the ship helped, and then the crew pulled lines and ropes secured from masts in ways you couldn’t quite decipher. 

You assumed you would stay on board, yet when Chan knocked and brought you some roughspun clothes from the town, you were informed you’d be joining them. 

Hoshi deemed it safer, keeping the rest of the crew on board while he, along with you and Seungkwan, ventured into the village to get what was needed and leave before the sun fully set. If they really were being followed, the ship was going to be the first thing they seized. 

Pulling the grey shawl further up your head, you attempt to look as blended as you could, Chan pressing down your shoulders to force you into a slouch. 

“Stop walking like you're important,” he had said. 

“I’m a princess,” you snapped back, but he wasn’t listening, only jabbing at you to keep the haughtiness out of your tone before it caught somebody’s attention. 

The town was a quaint little place, something out of what you were read from storybooks, reminiscent of the paintings that you’d run past on the walls of the palace. The streets cleaner than you’d expected, the faint scent of baked goods in the air mixed with, onion soup, was it? In any case you were glad you were past the fish market, the yelling and the stench nearly sending you to the pavement, gagging. 

When Hoshi returns, you and Chan are looking at a jewellery stall that’s selling necklaces, bracelets and anklets that look like rosaries; colours of deep ocean blue and sunset pinks, beautifully vibrant against their grey canvas backdrop. 

You can only observe from afar, instructed to not interact with anyone while he was gone. Hoshi was gone to get food supplies, but returned empty handed. Systems were in place, that the crates would be on their way to the “big naval ship” at the docks for the rest of the crew to receive.

“They said there was a blacksmith up this alley” Hoshi says, eyes also trained on the uncharacteristically colourful jewellery stall, but he does nothing to move towards it. “We can get your knife there.”

“Knife?” Chan asks, confused. 

“Miss princess wants to learn to fight—”

“Don’t!” Chan hisses, eyeing the men in black uniform that patrol the market from the shadows. 

“It’s fine, they’re too far,” Hoshi says. “Let’s get this over with.”

You do find a blacksmith, an older man with a greying beard and bloodshot eyes that presents Hoshi and Chan with an array of knives and daggers. Either they were able to give an excuse, or he gave no mind to the third woman that trailed behind, the blacksmith continued to deal with the two men as they haggle over prices. 

There’s another seller a ways away, and she’s laid out her goods on the floor on what looks like old drapes. It’s a woman, not much older than you were, unravelling a long string of leather cord. She cuts it, strings a charm through and seals the frayed end with a candle flame that burns at her side. 

The curtain she’s laid her accessories on is patterned with bright colours, and you realise you can’t make out any of it from where you stand. 

Glancing behind you, the men are still occupied with their bartering, seemingly forgetting of your presence. Taking a step back, you pretend to skim through the neighbouring stalls, glancing breezily at woven baskets, layers of folded fabric and towers of painted ceramic cups. 

You stop before the laid out array of more necklaces and earrings, scanning the ground. The vendor looks up and gives you a big, crooked toothed smile, urging you to come forward, to take a look at what she has to offer. 

Something does catch your eye, and you immediately crouch down to see it better. Picking up the necklace from the charm, you let the gold and red rest on your fingers as you study the make. 

“That one’s new,” the woman says. “Practical too.”

The small brass letter opener that’s looped through the cord looks like it could do its job just fine despite its miniscule size. 

“It’s quite popular among the busy merchants,” the vendor speaks in a rough tone, almost like she had a perpetual sore throat. “Easier to use this instead of looking for those bulky ones in their neverending drawers and—and in their cabinets.”

She lets out a laugh, “Quite pretty too.”

You stare at it for a moment, “How much?”

“Ten coin.”

You sigh, setting the necklace back down onto the cloth. Standing straight, you turn to walk away before she yells again. 

“I’ll do seven!” 

You consider whether you should speak, but you also doubt you’d be recognized just by the sound of your voice.

"I don’t have coin,” you rasp. 

“How about that pretty thing on your finger then?” she asks. 

The ring on your middle finger is a simple band of silver, a coming of age present from your father’s court a few years ago. You stare at the band, worth boatloads more than what this woman in an alley was offering you.

But you find yourself moments later, middle finger empty, and pocket lined with the long leather necklace with the miniature letter opener charm. 

By the time you return to the blacksmith’s shop front, Chan is handing the man his coin as Hoshi holds an object sheathed in fabric. They turn around just soon enough to make it seem like you never left. 

“Why are you standing so far away?” Chan asks. “Come closer.”

You listen, moving closer to the both of them as they get ready to make the trek back to the docks where the ship waits. 

“The crates have probably been loaded too,” Hoshi says, his hands suddenly empty. You assume he’s pocketed the knife somewhere. “Let’s hurry and leave before—”

“Princess?”

It was your mistake that you turned around to acknowledge the title, something you realise as soon as you register the man that spoke to you. 

Henley was a stout man, dressed even now in the finest suit of a berry colour, hair white as a ghost. There was no reason for a merchant so rich he had ties with the royal family to be wandering in a harbour market, but he also had every reason to be here. 

If it was the recognition in your eyes, or the fact that they were just being smart, you feel one of the pirates wrap their fingers around your upper arm and pull you to walk away from the alley. 

“Princess!” Henley yells and you cringe at his volume. People are looking now, and you briefly wonder why you aren’t running yet. 

Your heart is pounding against your chest so hard it’s deafening any other sound in your ears, you still don’t know which one has a hold of you, but you let them guide you into a speed walk as you exit the narrow alleys of the main market. 

The shawl above your head is pushed further down, shielding your face in a shadow. There’s nothing in your mind other than Clarence Henley and his rich suit, his gold pocket watch, his trimmed, white hair. His face that you only ever saw within palace walls, always accompanied by your father. 

There’s a good chance you’re shaking, because you can feel your body rejecting it with the pain in your palms that you can only consider to be your own nails pressing into your hand. 

The stench of the fish market helps, bringing you back from your daze as you finally register the ground beneath your feet. It’s only a few more minutes till you reach the docks and you’re suddenly being pushed up the ramp that leads to the main deck of the ship.

It’s immediate comfort, the familiar brown of the floorboards, the scent of saltwater and warping sounds of the sails. You’re led to your quarters, where you finally let the makeshift hood and cape fall. 

“Are you alright?” 

Snapping your head up, you’re met with Seungkwan and his concerned gaze. 

“Oh, erm.” Your voice sounds…not like your own. 

“It’s okay, breathe.” It helps, because it really did feel like you’d forgotten to breathe. 

“We’re leaving in just a few, everything’s been loaded. Nobody followed you on board, don’t worry.”

Right. You were on the ship, you were in your quarters with some of the most feared pirates on the seas. 

The way Seungkwan is easing you through your gulps of water suggests legends in the mix, but you appreciate it regardless. 

When you’ve come round, feeling more like yourself, the ship has already left Hasry Harbour, sailing into the deeper waters of the ocean. 

“Captain said they couldn’t run because it just would’ve been more suspicious,” Seungkwan informs you as you nod. “Did you…did you recognise him? The man at the market.” 

The thoughts come flooding back, the colour of his suit, the jarring nature of a man of such wealth standing in a rundown port market. 

“He’s a merchant, one of the wealthiest. A friend of my father’s. If he even has any friends.” 

You pause as you think about the near blackout you’d had, the way the panic more than boiled over, taking over your senses and your rationality. 

“I think…” you trail off. “I think I just felt like it was the end. I finally had an opportunity to get rid of that tyrant and seeing something that was from home, felt…it felt like I was going to end up right back where I started.”

Seungkwan doesn’t say a word as you digest your own words, accepting your own fear that had rendered you useless in the time it probably mattered most. 

“Do you feel better now?”

“A little,” you answer. 

“Maybe a weapon can help.”

At the door stands Hoshi, a stern expression on his face as he looks directly at you on the bed. In his hands, the same fabric covered knife he acquired at the market. 

You know that you asked for this, but the jolt in your stomach still makes itself known. 

“He’s right,” Seungkwan says, lifting from his chair. “Blades have a way of calming you in any case.”

You note the glinting hilt of Seungkwan’s sword sheathed at his hip, remember Hoshi’s own daggers that he seems to be emotionally attached to. 

Lifting your head back to Hoshi, you ask, “Can we start now?”

He smirks. 

ALL NIGHT, THE STUPID pirate captain had you taking swings at the air. 

“Your opponent’s baked a fruit cake by the time you were done with that swing,” he comments, continuously unhelpful. “Swing faster.”

It’s nighttime, nothing but a few oil lamps on the floor of the deck keeping you and Hoshi in the light. Your shoulder burns, your forearms are liquid, and your non-existent opponent remains forever stronger than you. 

“I’m done,” you huff, thoroughly spent. Crumbling to the floor, you bring your non-dominant hand up to your aching shoulder in an attempt to massage it. 

It’s been a while, the moon high up in the sky when you finally decide to quit it for the night. He lets you go without a fight, and you doubt you’d have the energy to if he decided to do it anyway. 

The following day, he’s tweaked his regiment a little, and you find that you’re finally swinging at something tangible; him. 

He leaves himself open, an invitation to strike wherever you want. You feign for his shoulder, but he sees you coming from a mile away, already deflecting your flattened blade that comes for his thigh.

“Don’t look where you want to strike, you’re giving yourself away.”

Furrowing your brows, you dislodge your knife from his own and back away again. He’s immediately cocking a brow, telling you to come at him again. You go for his middle, slashing your knife in an arc as he simply deflects. 

“Come on, find a pace,” he grunts. 

Coming down with your knife again, he blocks you but this time with his forearm, pushing you back by the wrists. It was a battle of strength, as he forces your wrists down. He was stronger than you, and there was no way you could push away, so you dispel your own force. He stumbles from the sudden forward force, and you pull away to take a swing from above. 

He recovers faster than you thought he would, already coming up when you’re ready to swing. He raises a hand to deflect, half a moment too late as your blade slashes across the heel of his hand. 

There’s a brief splash of red against the blue backdrop of the sky, and you gasp on instinct, immediately moving away. 

There’s an apology ready on your lips, mouth gaping as you watch him inspect the wound. You don’t get to say anything because he beats you to it. 

“Deep enough,” he comments, like he was inspecting a painting. “Keep this up and you might actually be good by the end of the week.”

Oh. 

“Alright,” he says again, moving back into position.

“Are you gonna wrap that?” you ask, referring to the bloody hand. 

“It’s fine, I’ve fought with worse,” he says. 

You blink as you reluctantly get back into position, bracing yourself as you continue to look at his hand dripping blood onto the deck. 

“You’re getting the hang of pacing, but you need to start considering your blade as an extension of yourself—JESUS!”

You’ve swung at him faster than you ever have, putting everything into that single tug of your knife. He wasn’t expecting it, still talking over your glances at his palm. He had his guard down, and you took the chance. He ducks on instinct, but it could’ve been another scar for him to remember if you’d made it. 

You stumble as he circles you to the other end, flattening his blade on your back.

“Nice try,” he says. “Really nice try. But you never turn your back to your opponent.”

“I lost my footing,” you defend, but even you knew that wasn’t an excuse. 

“And I just stabbed you in the back. And now I’ll have to present your corpse to your father and hope he’ll accept it and give me my ship. We all lose.” 

The pressure of the blade leaves your back and you're suddenly left looking stupid despite doing something somewhat right. 

“You’d just swindle another poor sailor off his boat and move on,” you say. “You’re a slippery thing.”

He has a smile on his face that borders a smirk yet is innocently mischievous enough. It’s a strange sight, bloody hand, relaxed face. There’s a clean-ish rag on a nearby closed barrel that he uses to wipe the excess blood off his hands. 

“I keep going because I live without regret.”

You can only roll your eyes as a scoff leaves your mouth before you can stop it. You simply turn around, settling to the floor, going back to massaging your still aching shoulder. That last blow only made it worse.

“I don’t regret things, miss princess. Ask me why.”

You remain silent. 

“Come on,” he urges, that silly smile remaining on his face. He’s washing the wound now with freshwater from the barrel.

Sighing, you ask him, “Why?”

“Because I don’t ever do things I’d regret.”

“That insinuates you think before you act.”

“Right-O,” he declares, wrapping another torn cloth on his cleaned wound.

“Funny,” you answer. “Because I dont think I’ve ever seen any hint of light behind your eyes.”

He turns around to you, sheathing his dagger at his hip, a dangerous look in his eye.

“You’ve looked into my eyes?” 

The clench in your jaw must have been visible, or the look of disgust on your face might’ve been apparent just the same, because the pirate captain simply laughs out loud before retreating towards the stairs to go below deck. 

“I’ll send Jun up, practise with him.”

You wanted to send your knife, point first, hurtling into his retreating form. 

Never turn your back to your opponent, my ass. 

But you don’t, mostly because he’d probably manage to deflect that too. So you resort to sitting cross legged on the deck, staring at your dagger while waiting for Jun to meet you upstairs. 

Hoshi said he picked the knife based on a number of things you’d already forgotten, something about carbon steel and having a good grip. It’s quite pretty, you’ll have to admit. It’s plain silver, but the reflection it makes in the sun makes it difficult to look away. You’d gotten used to the handle and how it fit in your palm, Hoshi assured you that the more you used it, the more the hilt would mould into your grip. 

Jun stomps onto the deck, revolver-less and instead equipped with an array of knives that he deposits on the deck. 

“Should’ve picked a plain old gun,” he grumbles as he holds one of the longer blades in his hand. “Job’s done and you don’t need to get within ten feet.”

“Don’t have to reload a knife, do I?” you comment, taking the first swing. 

Jun may have an affinity for guns and explosives, but his handling with a knife was still nothing below an expert level. He pushes your arm off before spending you into a ballroom spin, flatting his blade at your collarbone. 

That could’ve been your throat.

“No, but by now I could’ve shot you, thrown you overboard, and been on my way to a nap,” he says in your ear, before releasing you as you get back into position again. 

That could’ve been your throat.

THE FOLLOWING WEEK PASSES with your days and nights muddled into a strange mixture of swinging knives and taking breaks slumped against the deck of the ship, unmoving. 

It’s a particularly hot day, the giant glowing orb beating down on the deck with no mercy. Not that it stops you, because the sun remains unwavering, high in the sky, and you remain unwavering in your wide legged stances as you lunge for Chan again. 

Chan’s entire being glistens in the afternoon light, the beads of sweat that he wipes off his forehead only seem to reappear every couple minutes. His clothes cling to him like a second skin, taking long breaths through his teeth amidst the difficult, humid air. 

You don’t doubt you look the same, one hand in your hair suggesting you just took a bath in your own sweat. But Chan seems accustomed to the heat, and while you weren’t, you couldn’t deny your growing comfortability with it all. 

It’d been a while since your meal, hence your sluggish movements were slowly turning increasingly sharp, having cornered Chan multiple times in the duration. You’re determined to not be the one to call for a time out, so you find yourself pushing beyond what you’ve been doing for the past week or so. 

There’s a particular punch of heat at your sides, and you can feel yourself slowing. 

One deep breath, a slow exhale.

It’s all clangs and reflections of knives, tiny droplets of blood as evidence of both of your tiny, unintentional nicks and cuts. You’re succeeding, pushing the man further and further back. 

“You’re getting sloppy, aim for the blade not my tendons,” Chan seethes through his teeth. 

“I’m trying,” you grunt through the effort. 

You’re set back for a couple minutes before you go back to pushing. Your lungs burn, your entire side is numb from exertion, but you give more than your body is made for, and you succeed—kind of. 

Chan back is against the railing of the deck before he realises it, and perhaps it was momentum, or sheer exhaustion, because one minute you’ve got eyes on Chan’s hands and his blade, and the next he’s gone. There’s a loud splash, and you suddenly realise what you’ve done. 

You just pushed Chan overboard. 

You scream before you can help it, dropping your knife with a loud, resonating clang. Pushing against the rails, you peer down to find a giant ripple on the surface of the ocean, whipping your head around to the stairs leading below deck to find Mingyu and Hoshi bounding upstairs. 

“What? Where’s Chan, he was supposed to be with you,” Hoshi asks, whipping his head around the deck. 

Your wide eyed, horrified response from near the edge tells them all they need to know. 

By the time Chan’s pulled himself on board, soaked and dripping like a wet poodle, you’ve sat yourself the furthest away from the railing to prevent any more trouble. He drops onto the floor, creating a human sized puddle. 

With the way the two men had merely sighed and threw the ladder over the exterior of the ship, you concluded that this must happen enough for them to be beyond the point of concern. It only adds to it when you see Mingyu nudge Chan’s unmoving but heaving body with the toe of his boot, giggling at his expense. 

You make your way over, crouching beside Chan sheepishly. 

“Sorry about that, got carried away.”

He’s sitting up now, quickly pulling himself back to his feet and you spring back from your crouched position. 

“It’s fine, happens.” He has a small smile on his face as he says it and you conclude that he may find the situation laughable as well. 

“Now, Chan,” Hoshi says, not letting Chan move into the deck any further from the railing. “What’s the first thing you learn about brawling on a ship?” 

Chan looks slightly embarrassed as he answers, “Be aware of your surrounding—ARGH.”

Hoshi pushed him into the water. 

You jump as you run back to the rails, watching as Chan’s head re-emerges at the surface after his second dip in the ocean. 

Just as you’re about to say something to Hoshi, he’s stuck his head over the railings as well, yelling at Chan in some singsong voice. 

“One time was a mistake, twice is a problem!”

To your left, only adding to your horror, is Mingyu doubled over in his fit of laughter, heaving as he giggled uncontrollably. He’s also holding onto the railings for dear life, but clearly, for reasons completely different from yours. 

The situation resolves itself as both you and Chan learn a few lessons of practicality. Deciding you’ve done enough damage to your body, you announce that you’d be retiring for the day. 

“Thank goodness, I was about to confiscate that stupid knife, I’ve been hearing clanging in my sleep,” Mingyu mumbles as he pulls the rope ladder back up to the deck. 

In any case, you have the urge to take a dip in the ocean yourself, feeling increasingly uncomfortable in your drying sweat. 

Grabbing a clean washcloth, you fill a bucket of freshwater from one of the barrels on deck and lug it into your quarters. The soaked washcloth does wonders for your overheated body, feeling enormously better after a change of clothes. 

Your scalp, however, remains itchy and burning, so you decide to go back up to the main deck, hoping to manoeuvre a hair wash situation without needing to mop the floors of your quarters. 

Refilling the bucket of freshwater, you set it down before scanning the empty deck for another spare bucket. You try not to scoff at the unwavering determination of the pirate crew to keep the deck unoccupied for such long increments, that last altercation teaching them absolutely nothing. You wonder how they’ve managed to survive for so long like this. 

Shaking the thought, you use the spare bucket as a way to deposit your waste water as you pour cups of clean water over your aching scalp. The feeling does wonders for you, letting the water wash away weeks worth of grime, sweat and stress. 

You’re almost back home in your quarters when the whiff of your hair salts hits your nose, the ones you’d packed for yourself, closing your eyes for a moment as you rub them into your scalp. You don't expect the clench that seizes your chest, but you falter when it happens anyway.

It’s nostalgic, and you hate it. 

It smells like the palace, like the incense your ladies in waiting always burned, the stench of citrus having made its way into your bones from the years of exposure to the scent. It’s too much as you blink back tears, owing them to the suds that have made their way into your eyes. 

The sting helps bring you back, opening your eyes to an orange glow and the waft of seasalt  hitting your nose. You’re more aggressive when you dunk your cup into the bucket this time, too aggressive as you feel the half full bucket tip over and spill water all over the deck as you cause yet another accident. 

Cursing loudly, you try to blink away the suds from your eyes, soap still in your hair as you try to figure out how to get another bucket of water without ruining your fresh change of clothes, mentally kicking yourself at not thinking this through.

“You realise we have to make do with that freshwater till we make it to Ash?” 

Wet hair still in your hands, you attempt to peer up at the voice, only to find Hoshi standing above you, arms crossed over his chest with a funny expression on his face. Huffing, you grumble out in response, “Can you just get me a fresh bucket?”

“Hm, I don’t know, can I?” He removes his gaze and begins to pretend looking over at the horizon and the setting sun. 

Chiding yourself for even bothering to ask, you reach for the tipped bucket yourself, deciding you’d figure it out yourself if this dumb pirate was choosing to be of no help. But before you could latch your fingers on the handle, the bucket’s snatched away. 

At first you think he’s being funny, taking the bucket away to watch you struggle even further. “You—”

Except you watch him as he dunks the bucket back into the barrel of freshwater, lugging it back to where you could reach. “Try not to paint the deck with it this time, I’ve already mopped twice.”

The thank you freezes on your tongue, and for some reason you can’t say it to him. So you make a scene of splashing into the bucket with vigour, sending spills over the rim and taking mild satisfaction in hearing him sigh at the sight of more mopping. 

He’s already gotten hold of the worn mop by the time you’re done as you remerge with clean hair, wringing your own mop of hair to deposit the excess water. Straightening out your back, you take hold of the spare cloth you brought along with you, patting your hair with it. 

The sun remains in its mission to cast its golden glow, but only illuminates Hoshi’s grumbling form as he mops up all the water you’ve spilled. 

“You know, I should really be making you—” He halts as he makes eye contact with you, your hands still occupied with patting your hair dry, flicking the wet strands. You have a rebuttal already prepared, waiting for him to finish his jab. 

“Make me what? you grind. 

You can’t make out the look on his face, somewhere between constipated and on the edge of a yelp, he keeps staring at you. You note a slight trickle of water making its way down your neck and chest, bleeding into your shirt as yet another water stain. 

“Nothing,” he says, to your surprise. 

And with that uneventful climax, you trudge back down to your quarters, a strange brewing in your chest.

[AN]: congrats you made it to the end of part 1!!!!! reblog ur thots and opinions or send me an ask, id love to hear the turmoil in ur minds lol

Wildest dreams Masterlist

Summary: Imprinting on his high school crush who hated him was the last thing Paul expected to happen as he’s nearing his thirties. But what truly unnerves him is the sequence of their future he sees - unlike his pack brothers, Paul doesn’t see a happy ending.

Keep reading

STAR STUDDED BAGGAGE [MASTERLIST].

SYNOPSIS. the saying “never meet your idols” exists for a reason. you just didn’t expect the reason to be because said idols would end up declaring that you’re their alleged lover from a past life (past lives, rather). now you have three big celebrities vying for your attention, and it’s not as dreamlike as you imagined it to be.

PAIRINGS. choi yeonjun, choi soobin, choi beomgyu x female! reader. GENRES. reincarnation! au, celebrity! au (soloist! yeonjun, actor! soobin, rock band member! beomgyu), slight college! au, slight historical! au, rom-com, angst if you squint, reverse harem woohoo. GENERAL WARNINGS. possible historical inaccuracies because light google searches are my best friends, swearing, secondhand stress and embarrassment, explicit jokes and mentions of sex (no smut! at least nothing explicit), loserboy behavior AND weirdo behavior because i don't like it when my male leads are normal! (check each chapter for specific warnings).

UPDATE SCHEDULE. there is none! so don’t ask me when/if i’ll be updating this. TAGLIST. open.

NOTE. impulsive decisions part 26473. haha. blurted out this idea at one point and somehow, for some mysterious reason, i suddenly have a word doc and wow! i actually started writing it!

feedback and questions about these three funky guys are very welcome. hope you enjoy!

CHAPTER 1 — working with a choi is definitely a curse. CHAPTER 2 — these meet-cutes aren’t cute at all. CHAPTER 3 — can we go back to being parasocial? ↳ CHAPTER 3.5 — speedrunning to disillusionment.

. . . more chapters tba!

tracking tag: #star studded baggage.

STAR STUDDED BAGGAGE. © hannie-dul-set, 2023-2024.

do u have any fav fics / writers on here ? pls do recs!! love u

hi<3 love u too!!! i dont read fanfics that much so im just gonna make a list of my favorite work of each member c:

seungcheol - the great war by @amourcheol

jeonghan - titty-shirt by @beefboyandbabygirl

joshua - virgin killer by @wonusite

jun - boobjob virgin by @wonuvs

hoshi - make me feel by @secndlife

wonwoo - meant to be yours by @cheolhub

woozi - the perks of being that guy by @ncteez

seokmin - yuck! by @himbocoups

mingyu - boyfriend chronicles by @euphor1a

minghao - midnight cravings by @onlyhuis

seungkwan - voice by @cheolism

vernon - now you see me by @miraclewoozi

chan - crybaby by @toruro

SBIADITO - Scarlet Fever 2/2

Main Masterlist // SVT Masterlist

Group: Seventeen

Members Mentioned: Hoshi//Soonyoung, S.Coups//Seungcheol, The8//Minghao, Han//Jeonghan

Pairing: Werewolf!Soonyoung x Reader (Fem Perspective)

Genre: Angst / Fuff / Heavy Smut / Werewolf!SVT, minors dni !!

Word Count: Just over 17K

T/W’s: Heavy smut with frequent mention of Werewolf features & lore. This is purely fiction and not intended to harm. If you don’t like Werewolf!au’s, please scroll on, with peace and love!! 

(Pls dm me if you would like a trigger warning added ♡)

SPECIAL SHOUTOUTS & A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL MY BETA READERS:

Banner, Header & Divider Art: @classicscreations

MTG Discord Furries /jk/: @slightlymore // @raibebe // @starlitmark// @just-come-baek

IMPORTANT AUTHOR NOTES:

(For this post): listen up yall, I'm over writing this shit 😈, imma post it, balls to the walls & errors intact, thanku n GOODNIGHT!!! (its 10.14 am and im at work) (Copied from previous post): Wow. So I think it's fair to say I never ever ever thought in my time here writing that a werewolf series would even be in my league, but here we are, wahahaha... This beast took me over 3 months to fully draft, write and edit. (There's already an Epilogue of the original series, (Spider Boy Is A Dog In This One) in the works, along with an edit of the OGS!)... So please stick around for more ;) Asks welcome!!

Music to listen to while reading ♡  (in no particular order)

None currently on the OP's mind - please feel free to recommend some via my ask inbox ;)

Soonyoung slid his hands down the curve of your arms to grip the middle of your shirt, ripping until the buttons pinged off. Then he continued his hot and open-mouthed kisses down the length of your stomach. A simple squeeze to your right breast made you furl into him with a cry. 

Soonyoung chuckled with a mocking tone; knocking your knee out of the way and pressing your legs apart with his elbows.

"You left these on?" he growled against your stomach, hooking two fingers in the elastic waistband of your completely soiled trousers only to let the fabric snap back against your skin.

His mouth continued to lick and suck down your belly, Marking the skin there with wet, bruising, lovebites, as he travelled to your hipbone.

“Y-yes, they’re m-my nesting pyjamas...” Your lips trembled as you moaned beneath him, words barely strung together.

His nails scraped against your skin as he pulled your silk sleeping shorts down towards the crease of your ass. It was humiliating. You held your hands to your chest as his face travelled everywhere but where you needed him.

“Yeah, well. They smell fucking good. Try not to wear these around the house again - unless you're in the market to be bred full of pups.”

He seemed to have some kind of affiliation with your left side. In theory, you figured, maybe because it was the side closest to your heart. 

But then again he was never one for methodical balance. As he spread his tongue across the thin skin of your hip, teeth teasing over your bone, you knew he was about to leave his Mark.

Soonyoung anticipated - or really rather, caught - your hands as they attempted to fly out to him. Wrists held in an iron grip as you struggled, pausing only to pant and whine loudly.

“Soonyoung, please, it hurts, please just fuck me, please, please please please please, fuck me, please please, please God I need you -”

The pleaded words were a surprise to you both, but you just couldn't help it.

Your body was burning now; set alight, cunt clenching for a release, that he seemingly was refusing to give. 

Soonyoung barely even reacted. He simply growled against your hip, tightening his grip on your wrists until you huffed and whined in defeat.

Satisfied with the way you were giving in to him, Soonyoung released you, giving you the grace to thread your fingers through his hair, dragging your nails across his scalp and earning a deep moan. 

His hand spread long fingers across the soft of your belly. Gripping and kneading before weighing you down with strong, lean palms.

“Do you want me to breed you, pup? Fill you up until cum drips out of you and you leak all over your den?”

“Yes, yes, God, please -”

“Mark you till you have no skin left to bruise?”

“Please, please touch me Soonyoung, please -”

Soonyoung chuckled at your begging. Hi smoothed his hand over your belly and your right inner thigh until you settled. Shushing you with kisses and a hickey at the thin of your hip. 

“Then settle down for me, angel. And be a good bitch for me. Can’t do much when you’re kicking me, can I pup? All this moving is doing is telling me that you want me to leave you all alone in here like this. Sopping wet and needy.”

You released a deep belly whine, one last kick and twist proving that you wanted him and you needed him badly. His use of 'bitch' was meant in an entirely carnal and sinful way, not degrading at all.

But you complied, panting breaths as you lay below him in a complete and utter willingness to be used.

"Good girl," He purred fiercely against your hip. 

Your momentary submission allowed him space to press his palm up against your clit, pushing the silk fabric into your dripping wet cunt. Soonyoungs eyes closed upon contact, nostrils flaring and a deep familiar growl vibrated against your legs as he caught your skin caught between his teeth.

You just couldn't help yourself, grinding yourself down upon his strong palm. The movement of the silk against your boiling skin sent you into ecstasy. Your belly tensed and fluttered under his left palm, keeping you pinned to the bed. 

“Soonie, I’m close I - I can’t stop it, I’m so close, please, please don’t stop -”

“I know, beautiful,” He hummed against your skin, watching you with adoration. “You don’t need to stop. Don't stop. Just let it happen. Chase that high till you've got it; then tell me when. I’ve got you.”

You moaned aloud as he flexed his hand to add sensation to the friction, the fingers of his free appendage splaying across your stomach to ground you, your only anchor to the bed.

Quickly, the coil in your belly turned and twisted until it was impossibly tight. Your thigh muscles spasmed and as you moved to curl backwards; you cried out his name, hips bucking up against the palm still firmly pressed to your stomach.

Soonyoung growled loudly before sinking his teeth into the skin of your hips. 

The feeling was insatiable. 

He groaned deeply as you cried out, his eyes rolling into the back of his head to betray the ecstasy he felt at getting to watch you twitch and writhe against his hold.

It was different here, covered in nerves and much more sensitive. You gushed instantly through the fabric and his nose flared at your scent coating his hand. 

Finally, he moved his palm in patterns against your cunt that had you gripping his wrist and seeing stars.

Your orgasm didn’t seem to stop. Your fingertips with frazzled electricity while you pulsated around nothing, aching to be filled and grinding against him wanting more, more, more.

As your orgasm settled you yowled deeply, panting and tugging at his hair as a silent urge for him to ease up, your body unable to take any more of his attention directed at your most sensitive spot.

You could feel yourself dripping down the back of your thighs, the fabric of your trousers and tainting your mate's hand. Your body was pleasantly numbing with energy while your cunt continued to throb wildly.

You could smell yourself from where you lay.

Retracting his teeth from deep within your hips with a groan, Soonyoung licked the wound until it clotted and he could no longer taste blood. He grumbled gently as you gasped short breaths beneath him, stomach still shaking. 

He rose to meet your face but saw a blissfully closed expression instead.

"Well done, pretty dove."

Your mate welcomed you, allowing your arms to wrap around his neck, legs curling to lock your feet at the small of his back.

'I'm here.' Soonyoung spoke through the link; the sound bounced around in your mind. 'I've got you. You're safe.'

His body weight pressed you back down into the bed, the vibration of his rumbles grounding your mind and allowing you to give in. 

You panted, trying to force your body to breathe at a normal pace while a buzz settled into your mind, your cheeks growing numb.

You released a loud, long moan that sounded more and more like howling as it went on. Shivering as your mind flashed stars behind your eyes, completely clearing your thoughts.

Soonyoung could sense it immediately.

The way you curled into him. Clinging to him and burying your face against his neck. 

The twist in his lungs was followed by clarity. 

He allowed you space to settle into this new feeling for a moment. Letting the ripples in your after-orgasm glow settle against his ever-so-sensitive skin. Your lustful pants had turned into the smallest sounds against his skin. Murmurs. Whispers of trust.

"Can I see you, angel?" he whispered through a deep growl, feeling your small whimper and a nod against his neck as a response.

Soonyoung rose on his elbows, seeking your face.

With a soft exhale, he met your eyes. 

They were newly painted in gold, pupils blown out wide and dark, edged by his purple claim, unique to himself and a high-ranking Alpha.

The colour was permanent. Soonyoung could feel it in his soul. 

Deja vu to eyes he had never met before; a love from another lifetime. 

He reached a hand to brush the hair from your face, meeting your eager reach for reassurance. A gentle kiss, pressing once, twice three times before settling. Your lips brushed against him, noses bumping against one another before shying away.

“Hi, flower. Well, this is new, isn’t it?” He spoke quietly, lips curling into a kind smile. 

His grin widened when you nodded, eyes turning into crescent moons of joy that make you fall in love with him over and over again.

“You’re beautiful, my brave Omega. I'm so proud of you for trusting yourself. For letting me take over. I'm honoured - honoured to call you mine.”

You groaned at the beautiful words whispered by your lover, and the groan coupled with the curl of a familial growl in your stomach, the likes of which you've never felt before.

Soonyoung nodded at you, encouraging you to ‘try it again’. You did, and your brain fuzzed in a way that shook your shoulders, eyes drooping from the warmth on the back of your neck.

“Are you scared? Scared of the new things happening to you?” Soonyoung asked., watching your face carefully for any signs that indicated you were uncomfortable, or that you wanted to stop before you linked completely. 

But you were placated. Scented and Marked three times over. He knew you were stubborn, but fighting this would be God-like. And he knew that if you truly wanted it to end, he would be a slave to your pleas. 

“If you want, we can stop? You have one last chance before it’s too late. Before we commit to this. You just need to say the safeword, angel. You know I would never push you.”

Gently, you shook your head. You knew your Wolf. And the only anxiety you felt was the anticipation of judgement from absolutely anybody else. So you shook it again.

“Want it. Want you. I’m ready, want to feel you Alpha.” Your voice was once again accompanied by the purr of a growl, and the feeling was alien on your tongue. But it felt good, and it felt right. "I'm nervous, it feels weird - but I trust you. I want it. I promise. Want. Want…"

Soonyoung huffed tenderly in response, the air over your face causing you to blink into a smile. 

“Do you want me to scent you?” he asked benevolently, voice barely above a whisper. This close to each other your noses brushed, gazes locked with bated breath. His thumbs brushed against either side of your eyes. 

You admired his eyebrows, hands smoothing up and onto his strong shoulders to make him shiver. Then you admired the fluctuations in his skin tone, the length of his pretty lashes, his eyelashes, his tiger-like eyes you had traced and outlined in your mind many times. 

“Y/N, listen to me. Would you like me to scent you?” 

Soonyoung searched your face as your body tried to match his demand for an answer. His pupils constricted and you felt a tug in your belly to respond to his question. But you were slow to come to a decision. Your lips twitched and your nose flared; pupils fluctuating until you were able to form a coherent thought.

“You liked it before, and it may make the pain of the bites less intense. I will never force you to be scented, love. Tell me what you want, and I’m yours.”

Scenting, depending on the environment, acted like a mild sedative or a calming aphrodisiac for Wolves and their sexual partners. At this point, you were already beyond turned on. If there was such a thing as a Wolf-subspace, you were on the one-way train of getting there. But it would cause you to sink into him even further. Smell like him for weeks, rely on the otherworldly pull to get by.

“Please,” You sighed into his lips. “Please yes, Soonie. Want it. Want you. Don't make me wait, I can't take it…”

You were met with a heavy, placating kiss that lay you back down. Padding kisses from your cheek down to your jaw. Your knees curled up further into him, onto his strong back. Holding onto his bicep, supporting his head as he moved your neck out of the way.

He could scent you any place on your body. 

The back of your legs. Even your feet. 

Such was the powerful scent of an Alpha. 

But he chose to do it near your original scar. Kissing, nuzzling, growling and whining against your skin. Wiping his cheek against your own and purring into you until all he could smell was himself.

The scent hit you heavily, and it hit you hard. A lot harder than usual due to the scenario. Making you feel inebriated with a full body buzz, despite being completely cold-stone sober.

“My den -” You mumbled airily with heavy eyelids, feeling his warmth leave your body as he lifted himself up and away from you.

Soonyoung gracefully turned you onto your belly with his strength. 

“It’s -” You rested on your elbows in a cobra-like yoga pose while his hands smoothed along the back of your thighs. Massaging their way back up in adoration of your body. Total praise. "It's -"

“Mhmm?” Soonyoung hummed, spreading your cheeks apart with one hand as his other stroked languidly at his cock. The visual made him groan. "What is it, little dove?"

He was already erect. And he likely would remain so for a long time. 

He checked your body for any resistance as he pushed his thumb into your entrance. But he was only met with a dipped head and a strong moan, his hips twitching into the ghost of momentum.

“It smells of you. An Alpha. Of my cum. Of - of us. Both of us. It's so heavy I can feel it in my lungs, Soonyoung.” You finally whimpered. Jaw slack at the two fingers that readily entered you. "Want it to gather till I can't breathe, Soonie ~"

Soonyoung smiled against your shoulder. 

"Intense, isn't it love?" He hummed in agreement. Moving to kneel over you as his abs flexed against the feverish ache in his muscles. Fingers hooking down into your stomach and making you tremble.

“Is it bad?” He huffed. 

He was asking you if it was a bad thing, the way it smelled. 

How it filled your lungs with weights and smoke screened your virgin scent den with a scent of pure sex. 

He moved his body onto his strong arms and pecks either side of you; sliding forward to kiss your shoulder and hold your elbows as you tried to speak.

You nasally whined, knocking your cheek against his with a dizzying shake of your head.

“No. It’s good. So. Fucking. Good. Nngh -"

He chuckled at you, placing a chaste kiss on the height of your cheek.

'Breathe, sweet dove.' 

Soonyoung pressed the head of his cock into you as slowly as he was able, hands trembling. Your hips twitched upwards, moaning into the open air as you gripped the sheets between your fingers. Meeting his face at your side for the meetings of cheeks as he thrust forward.

Unusually girthy, thanks to the intense rut making his cock throb filthily, it was a new stretch to accommodate. But with your multiple orgasms already, and your own liquid sipping from your cunt, he knew you were ready and soaked through as soon as he had entered your den, moments ago.

With one movement, a sloppy thrust and a grunt permeated the feeling of complete fullness, cock stuffing you full. 

You moaned loudly, brows creased as Soonyoung moaned and growled loudly into your shoulder blades. Pulling his hips back to slowly push back in. 

The action pushed both his precum and yours out with a loud wet sound, and he could feel you throbbing around him.

He set a slow pace. Pulling most of the way out, before hitting the hilt of your cervix. Making your toes curl and head fall forward in ecstasy. Soonyoung was never a shy lover and became even less so as you lay pliant and pleasure rode beneath him. 

His voice only spurred you on further. 

Moving your hips back to chase him whenever he pulled out, pushing up against him when your ass met his cervix. 

At such an angle where you were lying down, he was unable to go much faster, but you didn’t care. 

On one particularly deep thrust, you shuddered, moaning as your hand tapped across the bed to fold over his hand. He accepted you willingly, pausing his thrusts to gyrate his hips while he left hot open kisses on your shoulder blades. 

“F-fuck Soonie, you’re - so deep, nghh - fuck -”

Soonyoung purred at you once more, feeling your walls press in against his cock as you hit a very slow and steady peak. 

“You’re close already, aren’t you pup? I can feel you, you know. Can feel you squeezing me tight. Feel your heartbeat racing inside your cunt.”

He nipped at the skin on your right shoulder, finding his preferred spot and Marking it before he snapped his hips into you in quick succession. 

It made the heat in your skin prickle up until the pressure in your abdomen gave way, moaning and fucking yourself even further on his cock and dropping your head to practically drool onto the duvet. 

Your walls pulsated, gripping onto him and making such sinful moaning sounds as you came.

When you whined for him after catching your breath, Soonyoung moved to nuzzle your cheek, cock still deep inside of you. 

But even from all this fucking, you were buzzing from head to toe. The other shoulder now sparking under your skin in a way that blew your Wolf's eyes open even further.

He chuckled next to your ear in amusement.

You made a noise of confusion before he moved a hand back and swiped it ever so carefully over your shoulder blade. 

You flinched at the sensation of something new and sensitive.

“You didn’t even notice that one, pup.” 

Dropping his hand, he traced his teeth over your skin until it dipped into the already-closing wounds. The fit was snug. And your skin was no doubt swollen and 

sensitive.

You shivered deeply, mewling as he shifted positions behind you. Your eyes drooped and your jaw loosened at the sensation of being anchored to him by his Marks. Sensing where he was moving his body weight without having to look. He was moving away, to kneel behind you.

Experimentally, he thrust back up into your awaiting hips - sat back on the heels of his feet - tilted forward in the air and just begging to be filled. You moaned deeply at the unexpected thrust but didn’t move to push him away. Instead, you pushed your hips back, shuffling low onto all fours just to be able to feel that heavenly pressure again.

It seemed Soonyoung could hardly wait.

With calloused hands, he used your pliancy to pull you up, back, and into his chest, holding your wrists at the soft of your belly. 

The placement of your hands meant his knuckles rubbed against your new mark on your hip with every tiny movement; making you keen with a moan at the feeling of numbness being sparked up your thigh and cunt every time it hit.

You had started panting. Wolf's eyes bleary from the moving lights in the room. You arched your back, pressing into him with a loud open-mouthed moan as his other hand moved to hold your throat. Head pressed back to his shoulder.

He wasn’t choking you. Merely holding you upright with his large hand wrapping around your jugular and pressing into your new Mark. Growling against your cheek with bared canines as his hips hit fast and sharp upwards into you. 

A total change up from the pattern before. 

And by God's - it felt amazing. 

“Look at you, my pretty little Omega, getting fucked dumb. You take me so well, love; I can’t wait to make you gush all over this den.” 

Sooyoung's uncharacteristically harsh growls vibrated into your brain, clenching down on him and crying out until he gripped your cheeks, moving to hold your face and point downwards.

“Look at yourself, getting split open on my cock. Look at it, my precious Marked bitch. You’re close already and we haven’t even done anything yet.”

He didn’t need to command you twice.

With bleary eyes, you looked down at where your bodies met. Over your chest and stomach, face held by Soonyoung to watch as his thick cock pumped in and out of you with wet noises followed by slick dripping down your legs. The view made you fold over in ecstasy.

Once again your stomach is bundled. Whining and trying your hardest to withstand his hard thrusts into your hips. 

Soonyoung was close, you could tell by the way he stared at you with a gentler expression, eyes full of love. His hips jutted up in a sharper, shorter sequence until he came hard.

It felt like he was filling you to the brim. Making your thighs ripple in pleasure as your fluids dripped down the inside of your leg. Fucking it back up into you all the while.

“Fuck - fuck - fu - fuck - fuck -” Your mantra continued as you ground down on him in a totally different headspace than you ever had experienced before.

He was literally going to fuck your brains out. 

And for the unknown time this night, you felt the sensitivity of your walls rub against his hot cock slick with thick warm cum and your belly twisted desperately with the need to release. Shaking with shut eyes and grinding down on him until you were positively vibrating. Totally missing his next bite onto your outer shoulder, holding you up by a squeezed breast and upwards thrusts alone.

And his efforts to fuck you until dumb became even more apparent when despite cumming himself once, despite feeling you orgasm on him twice, he was still rock hard and thick inside of you. 

Now with his thick cum creaming inside of you, you dropped forward onto the bed. His cock made you moan and drool, fists gripping at the fabric next to your mouth as you slithered open an eye to see him.

Soonyoung’s hips never stopped. They moved with a stiff judder, thanks to the fever, but if anything it made him hit the right parts of you even harder. 

He moved you so your knees stayed together, ass up in the air and between his knees. Hitting the deepest you had felt yet. A strong palm pushed your ribs into the bed and in honesty - you had no wish to fight.

“How - do you - feel - pup?” Soonyoung panted between thrusts. Teeth grit and tone tight.

Your response was immediate. Garbling as he commanded you to respond. Fingers curled into the blankets and eyes blown impossibly wide. Meeting his eyes in your peripherals as he fucked you until you couldn’t breathe. 

He knew how you felt. 

He just wanted to hear you say it.

“Full.” Your mouth hung open as he thrust harder and quicker; your toes curled until you gasped for air, eyes closed and sound falling out of you from behind your lungs coupled with rippling vibrations in your vocal cords that satiated the eternal ache in your gums. For once, it was enough. For once, you couldn’t ask for more. 

“So. Fucking. Full. So good. So warm… Yours…”

“Good.” He snarled. “You deserve it, and more Y/N. Whatever you want. I'll give it to you."

He was content. His instincts were pleased by your display of vulnerability. 

Your back was Marked by teeth and tongue. Flushed skin indicated the healthy blood pumping through your veins, the aphrodisiac poison making your limbs go numb in pleasure. 

There was no resistance to the bonding anymore. 

No want or need to fight for control. 

You were finally letting yourself get lost in the motions of it all. 

And he was so proud of you and your bravery.

In a final display of possession, Soonyoung lifted onto all fours to press you even further into the mattress. 

Fucking down into you until your legs began to uncontrollably shake, voice strained and stuttering, moving and gyrating as he watched his second load pour out of you like a fountain. At this angle, a stream slipped along the length of your back, but the majority of it dripped onto your belly and your bedsheets. Making Soonyoung groan from the sight alone.

Distinctly, he felt you shudder; legs kicking and hips moving to continue the pace as you shoved your face into the blankets and pressed your ass up in a deep curl of your spine. 

Well, this was new.

If he didn’t know any better; if he wasn’t acutely aware of your cycle and multiple methods of birth control; he would’ve taken that as a begging to be bred full. 

Not that you weren’t milking him currently.

He decided to help you chase your body and its high; fucking into you at the same pace and angle that made you cry out and grip the sheets against your hot body. 

Until eventually something panged deep in your cervix. You released a loud, pitiful and erotic cry as a feeling of release seeped across the muscles in your abdomen. 

Your body began to tremble as Soonyoung continued to plough into your sensitive and soaking-wet cunt, until you were twitching away from him with a sharp whine.

Seeing you squirt all over his cock and onto your bed, your safe and quiet comforting nesting bed, made Soonyoung practically cum again on command. With your sensitivity finally appearing, he pulled out with only one goal in mind. 

He released strips of sticky hot semen all over your ass and pussy, pushing the stream down your belly like melting ice cream.

And like his favourite dessert, he intended to eat you whole.

“Relax, Y/N. You’ve done so well pup. So, so good, pretty girl. Catch a breath.”

Without your eyes even opening, you relaxed fully into the mattress. Whining and moaning and sniffling as Soonyoung held your hips up by your love handles. 

You curled the blanket up into your mouth to bite into it; each hit against your canines caused you to moan in dumb satisfaction. 

Fucked dumb and yet still writhing for more.

He chuckled at your method of trying to satisfy the deep ache in your gums but wasted no more time in swiping his tongue up the majority of the stream, lapping into your folds as your entrance moved in response. Pulsating around nothing. Clenching to be filled, but pushing your fluids out all the same.

The sight made Soonyoung short circuit. 

And before he could help himself, his gums sat snug in the flesh of your ass cheek on the right side. His thumb slipped into you easily as you moaned and moaned and moaned, hips grinding into nothing as he held you there.

It twanged the coil inside of you to suddenly coil and release.

But he wasn’t about to let this orgasm of yours come and go so easily. Even if he was your; totally wholeheartedly obsessed mate.

He removed his thumb to circle your hole, holding you with one firm grip. He slipped two of his fingers into you up to his knuckles, and with surprising ease. You groaned into the fabric in your mouth. 

Gnawing with closed eyes.

“You look good, pup, fucked nice and full.” Soonyoung hooked his fingers down towards your belly, moving in and out at a fast pace before gliding slower. He smiled at your pitiful whines, eyes droopy and fucked into oblivion.

“Try holding the bite. That should satiate it.” A particular flick of his wrist pooled cum to pull out with his fingers, quickly lapping at your clit to catch it. 

You weren’t listening to him. He kissed his teeth in annoyance before pulling back to see you. 

Of course, you weren’t listening. 

You had no active thoughts left between those rolling, spaced-out eyes.

With a roll of his own eyes and a sympathetic shake of his head, Soonyoung reached to give you his forearm. 

“Go on, baby girl. Bite me, you pretty idiot.” 

He growled with a firm tug at your link, smiling at his own humour. 

Even fucked brainless you could still follow the command. Releasing the fabric to sink your teeth into his forearm.

The skin there was so soft and pleasant and warm against the very snug top of your canines. A completely new satisfaction that made you drool. It completely eased the throbbing against your skull to just get a hold of something. 

You didn’t exactly have any poison like an Alpha would, but the Mark of Claim was enough, and his pulse against your tongue only spurred you forward towards your next climax.

Soonyoung groaned as he sped up the pace of his fingers fucking the liquid back out of you, adding a third finger that had you curling your toes and biting down harder.

When you did eventually cum, and for the very last time, Soonyoung moved down what couldn’t have been two more inches downwards behind you, keeping you up steady as he bit into you one last time at the very back top of your thighs. That made your pussy drip onto his nose. By now, you didn’t even register the pain. 

Moaning and whining as the poison seeped like the aether of the gods into your veins. Releasing his arm to bury your face into the bed.

For a moment, you were sure that you must have blacked out.

But you were merely fucked so good that you had started to dissociate. 

Soonyoung lapped lazily at your broken skin, scenting the area (your inner thighs) as the wounds closed.

The scars looked clean. Probably some of the best work he had ever seen, aesthetically. 

And he cleaned you up with his tongue. 

Lazily. 

Leisurely. 

He diverted for a small moment to lick his own wound, still holding you with one lean arm. He growled in comfort at the Mark you had left on him. Watching your face carefully.

"You okay down there pretty dove? Not going to pass out on me, are you?"

"Mmmm - hhhgh - no - good - feel good -"

"Alright, if you say so." Soonyoung chuckled, kissing your thigh.

He was impressed at how deep and hard you had bit him; imagining that with the look on your face it had finally eased the ache that your human biases told you so incorrectly to ignore. 

He was so proud, smitten even, as you melted against the duvet.

With no thought at all he reached his hand up to spread the beads of cum on your legs and stomach, up and over the back of your thighs. It made his cock twitch, and he growled loudly against the fresh bite to your thigh.

"Where do you want me to come, sweetheart?"

Soonyoung asked with grit to his teeth. One hand holding you, the other starting to squeeze at the base of his cock. 

"Inside." You moaned dumbly into the duvet.

"You sure?" Soonyoung chuckled, growling possessively as he moved to kneel again. 

"Yeah - Want it Soonie…"

Pumping himself on his fist despite his efforts to just clean you up. Fucking his fingers imagining it was your squeezed cunt before - thrusting into you in one fluid pump and groaning.

He gripped your ass harshly, staying there for a moment before reluctantly pulling out.

Pushing in one last time to pump you full of thick white beads of cum.

Soonyoung pulled out and crashed to sit weakly on the bed behind you, holding you up as he regained the blood rushing around his head.

He had come so hard and heavy he saw stars.

He satiated himself afterwards by lapping at your labia. Slipping in between your folds and sucking until you moaned, pushing against his face. Yet twitching in sensitivity.

He amused himself by licking until there was nothing left. Nipping and sucking at your thighs to hear you sigh. 

But nothing more. You needed to rest.

Finally, pleased with his work, Soonyoung placed your hips onto the bed. Leaving to clean himself, clean his teeth and change the blanket. 

Then, eventually, he doted on you selflessly until you awoke.

—-----------------------------------------

The next thing you remembered was Soonyoung sitting beside you on the bed. 

His heartbeat was steady. And you were curled up into an oddly tight ball at his side as he applied ointment to your wounds. 

Your knees were tucked unusually tight to your chest. And every intake of breath smelt of him. Eyelids heavy as you moved to find him, his warmth. 

You weren’t sure exactly where you were going, so dizzy, full, and content; but you knew you needed to make contact with him.

“Soon -” You called with a sharp and desperate whine, catching his immediate attention as he quickly pulled his oily hand away from you. "Soonyoung, please -"

Soonyoung blinked down at you, growling protectively and with a huge amount of affection in response to your link tugging so suddenly.

“Hey, pretty girl. You shouldn’t be awake yet. What’s up?” 

You just about made out his smile in the haze, aching to move up, up, up.

He realised quickly what you were doing. Moving forward to bump against your head. Eyes closed. Breath shallow. 

“Easy, angel. I’m just cleaning your bites…" He grumbled, huffing affectionately against your cheek. "I'm right here. You can rest."

You held there for as long as you could.

Whining through your nose with a new wolfish peak to the tone made Soonyoung practically whine back. He was enamoured with you, by you.

'You’re okay, Y/N. I'll care for you now. Easy, pretty girl.'

Soothed, you lay back down. Feeling a gentle brush of his knuckles then an even softer kiss against the side of your head.

"They don’t look that bad at all, actually. Nothing like your first Claim. I think your body actually accepted them this time.”

His voice was low, rough and sore. But back to his usual tone. And it made you reach for him. He smiled fondly at your hands curling into the corners of his shirt. Giggling at your canines tucking your lip into a funny position.

“The fever…” You mumbled before a huge yawn prickled over your scalp, stretching your sore and aching limbs out then back in again. “Is it gone?”

Soonyoung laughed softly with a small cough into his bicep, using his non-greasy hand to press his fingertips into the crown of your head. Sliding back into your scalp with an eye-rolling pressure.

“New discovery. I think it can be fucked out of me.”

“Mmhmm…” You yawned into his knee, curling around his back and placing your arm over his thigh. 

“Aching.” You sighed airily.

Soonyoung smiled down at you.

“I think you’re going to be feeling that poison there for a little while, pup. Scenting will help. Sorry, I went pretty hard on you. About ten bites total. I know - it was a lot."

Soonyoung scratched his neck sheepishly.

"Speaking of… second new discovery: you might be the one suffering from the first discovery when it comes to practice... In the future I mean… Sorry, love.”

You shook your head, curling even further around him with an even bigger yawn. Mumbling something along the lines of ‘Don’t be silly. It felt amazing! Would do it again anytime, 10/10 rating’.

But if you knew anything about Soonyoung’s chuckle, you knew that you hadn’t even delivered one line successfully. 

But you really didn’t need to say anything for him to understand.

His thumb brushed next to your eyes as your pupils expanded. Enraptured by you.

“Get some rest, love. You’ll be aching tomorrow. Or whenever you wake up. Trust me on this one.”

And being the stubborn beast that you were, you tried to fight it, you really did.

“Go back to sleep, precious dove. I’ll lay with you soon.”

“Please don’t leave… don’t go…” Your eyes dipped heavily as a yawn rippled up your throat, face pressed into the outside of his thigh and lips tucked in front of the gums of your canines. “Stay here… my den… Don’t go…”

Soonyoung laughed softly, shaking his head and scrunching his nose. You were adorable. “I’m right here, Y/N. I’m not going anywhere, anytime soon. I just need to clean you up first, after using and abusing your body so much. You’re safe, angel. I won’t leave you. Close your eyes. Get some rest. Go on. I’ll be here when you wake up. Sleep well, my love.”

But with all that comforting and coaxing, and a healthy dosage of his pressuring ability pulling at your already weak consciousness, you could do nothing but melt into his touch and submit whole and fully to his gentle command. 

The grip from your hands slowly released, until they rolled to the bed and into your chest. 

“Good job, beautiful.” He whispered, tugging at your link until he felt content enough that you were steady into a deep sleep. 

And as your body eased, Soonyoung leaned to kiss your temple one last time before continuing his attention to your wounds. 

Scraping out one last viscous lump of earth-scented goop and spreading it into the crease of your ass cheek before shaking his head with a soft laugh to himself. 

Of all the places to bite - he really did think with his dick first.

The ointment congealed against the open teeth-shaped wounds on your skin as your Wolf immune system mixed with it to heal. Creating a barrier over your skin to encourage scarring and clotting any chance of bleeding. 

But with how diligently he had Marked you, there was nothing much beyond body liquids to clean up. 

Most of which he had already swallowed; the heavily scented blanket shoved into your wash bin until a later date.

He watched it dutifully to make sure the skin was completely coated and had hardened before using a damp cloth to wipe away the excess on your skin, testing as he did the others with a poking thumb, stretching the skin. 

In the quiet of your room now, alone with you and caring for you, he blushed at such an action. At everything that had happened. He was so happy. And more connected to you than ever.

He placed the ointment on your nightstand and moved away to rinse his hand in the bathroom sink in the hall and change his clothes before coming back into you. 

He closed the room to your door with a soft putt. Immediately picking up on, and then further appeasing the sounds coming from your body, curled up in your sleep with a hand to your head and a thumb moving against your tense brow.

“Easy, easy, easy now. You’re so silly Y/N. I’m here, flower. Right here. And I'm not going anywhere. Get some rest.”

As you settled down again, he pulled your weighted blanket down from the overhead cupboard. Doing his best to place it down gently as he stepped over you, lying on his side to curl his legs underneath you. He tucked his arms under your ribs and onto your belly. Crossing them to pull you flush to his abdomen. Anchoring you as your eyes fluttered open, shut, open, shut. In a place between sleep and consciousness.

Soonyoung growled softly at a steady and deep vibrating pace, whispering commands of deep, restful sleep until your movements subsided. Anchored in his arms. Heartbeats matching. 

Finally, finally, after hours of stressful waking, you could rest. 

Soonyoung thought much the same; burrowing his face into your neck, and curling into you until he felt safe. Comforted by holding you. 

His Scarlet Fever was placated. 

For now.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------

You woke up alone… but not entirely.

While it was true your nesting room and safe bed were now otherwise empty; it was still warm, and six other beings were moving around and making unwelcome noises in the sanctity of your usually silent apartment. 

More noise than you found comforting, in this current state. And it strung a tense band around your head and between your eyes.

You could hear them through the walls. 

Their voices and distinct heartbeats. 

Could sense their presence like a rash on your skin as a stranger's coy laugh bounced between your ears. 

Though muffled, it was intrusive. And as you rose, wiping your bleary eyes, you realised just how much you were aching.

It must have been a day or two that you had spent in and out of deep sleep, you realised with slight shock. 

You remembered drinking and relieving yourself with his aid. But never had you felt a sleep this deep. And you didn't even feel hungry, or thirsty.

Soonyoung had flipped over your calendar for you on your bedside table. And as you moved to sit up, a hot water bottle flopped along the floor, until it came to a stop in front of your dresser, where he had hung one of his nightshirts and your favourite nesting drawstring joggers.

“Oh…” You mumbled, clutching the heavy-weighted blanket to your chest as your heart and belly fluttered. Touched. Humbled. Enamoured with love.

He had been doting on you.

The thought to text him came to mind, but you saw his phone on charge next to your own on the bedside, and you huffed in defeat. The time read 8am; which while reasonable on any other day, was an awful time to wake up in your current state. You couldn’t call him from across the suite, you would embarrass yourself in front of these strangers. But you couldn’t exactly run out to him on strong legs either.

As you shuffled out to the edge of the bed, you whined deeply, so deep that you gasped for air afterwards. Scrunching the blanket between your palms. 

You had caught a whiff of Soonyoung, disorienting you completely as you knew he wasn’t in the room. 

But it was coming from… the blanket? 

Curious, you inhaled deeply against the fabric in your hand; dragging it along with a dazed mania until you reached the side he had slept under. 

It smelt just like him.

You found some small form of new comfort in rubbing against his scent for a moment, but it just wasn’t enough. 

Soon it was replaced with the smell of your usual bedding, and you whined at the ache you felt, desperate to just get near him.

It was a strange feeling for someone who usually defended their independence so fiercely.

Rising from the bed, you changed at a slow pace, and in a great amount of discomfort. You were aching bitterly, but you weren’t suffering from any usual symptoms of heat. This was an entirely new feeling. And you figured the intense tug in your gut to reach him, the strain in your ear and nose muscles to follow your mate’s tracks, was due to his intense imprinting upon you. And yours upon him.

And as you passed the large oval mirror hidden in the alcove of your oddly shaped room, you parted the decorative fake ivy to peer into your own golden yellow eyes. 

Well, that was new.

At your own shocked noise, you spooked yourself, watching in morbid fascination as your pupils contracted. Making yourself relax just to watch them expand again, if only slightly. And the colour; a deep matte brown gold edged by an electric purple, which you correctly presumed to be a sign of your mate's imprinting; he had left a Mark on you that was simply gorgeous.

Well, that was something you would just need to get used to.

The thought of trying to suppress your emotions to see the switch into your normal eyes occurred, but before even putting the thought into action you shuddered with a deep whine. 

Another time, then. Noted.

Your skin also looked… softer? 

And while you knew he had probably helped you to the toilet already RE: a lack of sudden pressing urge to after-sex-pee after being rudely awoken, you hadn’t realised he had also brushed your hair for you. 

You huffed a breath into your hand to check your morning breath, but it was just… minty.

“Huh…” You mumbled to yourself. 

And your neck, your shoulders… He must have bitten you more than you had realised in the throws of lust and carnal passion.

Two scars lay on either side of your pulse points under your jaw, one old and healed, the original bite that turned you, the other freshly melded and hot to the touch. There was another above your heart, two more on your left shoulder, and two on your right. And you caught sight of one at your shoulder blade and slightly lower on your back and in the middle as you spun with a craning neck to try and see them.

A weak growl rippled from your lips, vibrating your throat. 

He had been gnawing at you like a dirty old fishbone. 

And you were smitten. 

Entirely besotted by them. 

Oh if your human companions could see you now - well, they would never understand. 

You even pulled up the shirt to brush your palm over the particularly sensitive bite on your hip, and the other on the soft of your belly. It made you twitch with a pang of desire, and with thoughts of the nights before flooding behind your eyes, you decided to leave it alone, for now. 

Dropping your shirt to puff out a sigh.

All-in-all, it was an unfamiliar sight. A new, heart-wobbling and consuming image. It sent a message to the world that you could never take back or deny. But it was not unwelcomed, not at all. You had only ever seen glances and been taught about this level of Claiming by your pack elders. It took many a decade to build that level of trust. 

That fact made you feel entirely seen. 

And you mostly just felt… loved.

Your attention soon turned to your den door. It had never seemed this unfriendly. 

But hearing Soonyoung’s small giddy laugh, your body rushed with energy to leap out, hands outstretched.

Before you could realise what you were doing, you stood outside of your room with the door pulled tightly shut.

You just… stood there for a moment. 

Outside of your place of security. In shock. In fear. 

You even considered hiding. That was what it was made for, you argued with yourself, before deciding that no, it was only to be used when threatened - it’s our home, and there’s no reason to be scared. Not while Soonyoung was near.  

While considering whether to lean into your human flight or Wolfish fight instincts; you caught Soonyoungs scent on your shoulder; chasing it to breathe in the smell until you had pressed yourself silly into the corner. 

You had practically breached the wall to chase your mate’s track. Huffing with frustration towards yourself as you rubbed your head, punching the stupid wallpaper with a weak open palm. 

But eventually, that trace also disappeared. The residual scent still stayed; as yours did to your nesting clothes. And you realised with a flip in your heart that that was the reason he had left it for you. Hugging yourself tightly in his scent before taking a deep inhale and gathering the courage to leave your safe place pressed in the corner to move forward.

You made it about three steps, moving closer to the noise and smells and the unwelcome coats and shoes in your entryway. Almost instantly you felt a small pang of anxiety hit deep inside your belly and up into your chest. You held yourself tighter. Shrinking in against the wall and against yourself until the shaking in your legs stopped and your irises unpinched. But it took an unusually long time, swallowing with a dry throat as your peripherals fuzzed completely.

This was entirely unlike you. Or anything you had experienced in your turning.

‐—---------------‐—---'xxxxxxxxzzzxxxxxx

With a deep huff of frustration towards yourself and such a foreign wave of anxiety, you gripped the fabric of Soonyoung’s thick cotton shirt between your fingers and slid them back out, breathing through your mouth in deep fear of becoming overstimulated. 

Your nose twitched as you padded to the edge of the wall.

You could tell that the majority of them were people you knew, with just one remaining stranger unidentified and otherwise unwelcome. Your senses were sharper and more sensitive than ever thanks to your strengthened link. Being Marked by an Alpha was no small thing. And you felt its repercussions in the ache of your bones and the trembling of your legs.

You squeezed yourself in frustration as you just tried to concentrate. They were right around the corner, just  - they’re right there! Why couldn’t you properly smell, or even hear them!? 

Truthfully, the world was muffled. And as you closed your eyes, inhaling deeply through your nostrils and holding it as Soonyoung had taught you - all you could sense was him. His shallow and relaxed breathing. His pulse. The sound of his hair as he scratched behind his ear; fabric rubbing against his arms. 

Even with your new ‘abilities’, you just knew you had to reach him, and fast, before you gave in to your urges to get near him and ended up hurting someone.

He must have felt you coming. A silly thought, you realised, considering how connected you were to each other now. But it was all just so new that you found your brain chasing nature with logic.

Truthfully; he had picked up on the change in your heartbeat as soon as you had awoken from a deep slumber. He had listened out for you as you had shuffled from under your bed covers, anxious to your whines as you got changed, feeling the minute shift of your mood in the mirror, even feeling your anxious heartbeat against his skin as you stopped dead in your tracks at the hallway to your open home.

He found it a true test of his will that he was able to withstand your tugging and reaching for him while there were so many other Alphas present in your home. Let alone other Wolves. And he felt your grievance in the way you moved, the urgency and uneasiness of your footsteps to reach him.

But he had to push you. Had to see if you would follow the pull. Had to see if you had finally accepted him. Needed to test if you trusted yourself enough after years of encouragement to finally lean into your new instincts and lean into them more than ever before. Enact upon teachings that could sometimes take natives decades of processing to understand.

So of course, as soon as you had rounded the corner of the entryway - your eyes wide with strikingly pinched irises, hair loose and appearance soft, while your fists lay white and clenched at your sides, pink scars making themselves known - Soonyoung locked onto you with a pleased smile. 

As you locked eyes with your mate, you choked down a pained sound. Face scrunched and body language screaming as you pressed your back, back against the other side of the hallway. Soonyoung watched as you struggled, feeling your own fast pulse beat seemingly in his own throat.

But he had to let you move. For you to come to him. And so he waited. Removed and unbothered by the conversation in front of him; his sole focus was on you, even as the voices in the room stuttered into silence.

Your mate had been leaning forward with crossed arms onto the island separating the modern kitchen and open living area. 

Upon seeing you, he straightened his spine. A movement that alerted the company to your arrival. 

All attention snapped to whatever the trusted and well-reputationed bodyguard had become alert to. 

What they didn’t expect to find a bother to their security was the small stiff form of a female hovering near the front of the apartment.

Soonyoung wore a pressed suit; his family ring pinned to his breast pocket. 

He had washed since your activities. 

And before he had been expecting you, you imagined his expression was as fiercely sharp and intimidating as it usually was in his job. And with his hair gelled back, he looked as handsome and as eye-catching as the day you had met him. 

Well, maybe you were slightly biased. 

But he did catch eyes easily.

In the anxious silence of the room; he smiled at you discreetly with an aching heart. The tips of his lips twitched up until his cold expression completely cracked; nodding his head for you to come further into the room.

"Come here, angel. Come in." Inviting you to come into the circle of Wolves, to be seen by several sets of eyes, to come towards him, to arrive safely in his presence.

And despite everything; he was still peering into you with those bright red Scarlet Fever eyes. With a purple ring that now finally matched your own deep and settled gold canvas. Soonyoung was already grumbling with glee, pleased even from this distance at your visual.

His prized partner in life now stood before him, Marked into a possession nobody could ever touch. He wasn’t the type to show off, but he admired you as you stood there; strong despite your nerves. Defiant despite your submission. It reinforced that you had given yourself to him willingly, pulling an enchanted smile across his cheeks.

You had wandered straight into a family business meeting you realised very, very quickly. 

Anxiety in the form of carnal fear bubbled in your veins as you stuck to the wall. 

Something innate screamed inside you that they shouldn’t be here. That it was too soon, they were too close, too loud. And finally that they needed to leave. You had to get them out of your home before they could come near you. It tormented your mind's eye enough that you began to tremble, with eyes pinched so harshly it was nought but feral impulses driving you now.

Having located your mate, you looked quickly at the other five Alphas.

You could tell they were Alphas by their domineering presence; the knowing of the power they held. You could feel it pressing against your throat like it had sucked all the clean air out of the room.

You knew four of them in total. Your family leaders and eldest brothers; Jeonghan and Seungcheol. Your mate, and his closest friend, Soonyoung’s brother Minghao, who you considered a brother to you now also.

But there was a stranger with his back to you. And it stuck a fist in your gut that had your brain spinning gears.

You huffed quietly in desperation, rocking on your feet before gripping the wall and hauling yourself forward. With thick night socks, large oversized clothes and a deep ache in your bones, you juddered forward as fast as possible until you reached the island.

Running into your mates' arms with a heart-jolting cry and eyes squeezed shut.

Soonyoung caught you behind the island in a tight embrace. He lifted you into the momentum of your run with a graceful spin, before rounding back. His stomach was vibrating as you struggled to breathe, gripping your mate with tears in your eyes.

“Easy, easy, easy now, flower. You’re safe. I've got you.” Soonyoung whispered gently, holding you so tightly against him that you truly believed it for once. 

"You're okay, I'm here. You're alright." 

He kissed and grumbled against your hair, cradling you between his shoulder and his cheek.

Until after about three minutes, your grip ever so slightly loosened. 

"Soonie - please -"

Your body was shaking, nerves still in your throat, irises painfully slit thin, but you were just so desperate to see his face.

When you pulled away; Soonyoung anticipated your nerves and grumbled deeply as he met your forehead. He bumped your nose with his while turning you gently, to shield you from the eyes of your guests in momentary privacy. 

His lips met your own; pressing once, then again, then one last time. His eyes blew wide; pouring love and security into your own.

“Hey there, gorgeous. Calm down, you're alright. Can you tell me how you're feeling? Or what you’re feeling, pup?”

Before answering you looked wildly at the room. Looking back into his eyes with the most hushed version of a whining plea that you could muster.

"Hey, don't look at them. Look at me. Look at me, love."

You whined on a long exhale before surrendering.

“Strange, Soonie. I’m so anxious it hurts, my bones ache without you near and their heartbeats are giving me a headache… Please don’t leave me again. I'm so frightened of - of this, it's new and I don't want to get overwhelmed -"

“Hey, hey, hey. I'm not about to let you freak yourself out after reaching the finish line. You've done so well dove, even if everything is a little much right now. I’m also not going anywhere anytime soon. You're my priority. I’m right here. Always have been; less than a room away. Not that far away at all, hmm, silly?”

At his words you whined loudly; so loud that even Soonyoung laughed in shock, the sound piercing across the otherwise relaxed aura of the room. 

But he stopped laughing, smiling lovingly instead as soon as you pressed yourself against him, tucking under his chin and reaching to intertwine your hands against the hot, inflamed skin of your cheek. 

He felt your heart pounding against him, burying your face into his collarbone with a short, puttering set of cries. Skin hot to the touch like it would be during your heat; though no sweet smell to accompany it.

“See to your mate, Soonyoung.” An older, deep and rumbling voice purred with amusement across the room. “She looks about ready to kill someone.”

Soonyoung pulled away from hushing you to look to his side, observing with a curled lip the eyes that watched you. 

It made his skin crawl, and he was never usually the overly possessive type, especially in front of his brothers. 

But with his mate shaking so vulnerably in his arms, he had to cut off the tension and fast.

"Quit fucking staring at her before I lose my patience. All of you. You’re intimidating her. She's already newly Claimed and anxious and you're making it worse."

"We're just anxious as to how she might react to us, Soonyoung," Jeonghan explained calmly, with accusing caution written all over his features. 

"This isn't - well, we all realise that it's not an ideal scenario for a freshly marked to be exposed to. You’re not naive. She can now shift and lash out violently brother, so please be realistic here."

Soonyoung snarled fiercely in response.

"You're already doing a great fucking job scaring her by impressing yourself upon the room so much, so do me a favour and fuck off glaring holes into her back like a rabid dog. She won’t shift if you don’t give her any reason to." 

Soonyoung growled lowly towards everyone in the room. His tongue curled and pressed to the roof of his mouth to make some fearsome gurgling sound. 

"I'm sure you’d all like your eyes still stuck firmly in the sockets of your skull by the end of this meeting. Give her some space and we'll keep it that way."

You held him tighter and with a sense of desperation as his sounds caused you to shake in fear. Was he indicating danger? He said you were safe but - were you really?

“Okay, okay, okay. Just - quickly now, please. Everyone divert your eyes for just a moment. Respect and some space.” Seungcheol pressed in a low voice, cautiously eyeing you from beneath his younger brother's arms. 

While he couldn’t exactly see you, he could smell and hear how much you intended to get them out of here and away from your newly scented home in the snarl against your throat and anger rushing off you like a wave of heat.

Seungcheol didn’t exactly blame you for being angry.

The three of them had sensed, smelled and tasted that their brother had Scented the entire floor as soon as the elevator had opened its huge reinforced doors to them early that morning.

It was an impossible thing to hide, even despite Soonyoung’s attempts at open windows and odour-neutralising sprays; or the building’s deliberately thick-lined architecture; it was just something innate that a Wolf didn’t have to touch in order to feel.

Seungcheol just preferred his guests to be mauled at a later arranged date - rather than in his brother’s comfy and swish living room by the hands of his newly Marked, freshly Claimed, reasonably pissed off and honestly his favourite, little sister.

You hadn’t quite anticipated the ferocity of your snarl until it curled up against the back of your throat; eyes wide and pure gold as Soonyoung gripped your wrists. 

Before you could struggle against him he moved fast and with purpose; dragging you with him in one solid gripped hand and a chair in the other.

"Come on." He grumbled. "Sit down, you pretty pup, and tell me what's wrong. What is it exactly, love, that's stressing you out so badly?"

"Want. Them. Out."

By now you were shaking, about ready to let out another blood-curdling growl before Soonyoung gripped your hips, lifting you into the opposite stool and dragging you into his space until your knees hit up against the chair between his legs. 

Growling with wild eyes and a racing pumping beat of adrenaline in your ears; Soonyoung gripped your wrists. Shaking you to look at him again.

“Stop it, Y/N. Quit it. Look at me. Look at me, you precious thing. They’re not going anywhere, and neither are you. Get a hold of yourself before you black out - I'm right here, you are safe.”

Your muscles rippled and tensed visibly all over your body as you shook your head, eyes squeezed shut and teeth bared; somewhere between fighting him and curling in on yourself. Your knees knocked up loudly against the chair as you pulled at his grip on you with some might.

“Look at me, you’re going to hurt yourself in a minute - Y/N, I -” 

The leaders watched with accusing eyes; what they saw as a threat, Soonyoung simply knew you were just deeply afraid. Terrified, even. And their pressuring ability was simply making it worse.

Soonyoung growled viciously through grit teeth. Fighting his instinct to smother you to instead allow you to come to him when you needed him. Right now, you were too highly strung to need much at all.

“Fine then, resist it, see what happens. You’re not going to like it, or last long at all. I'll catch you when you fall."

As soon as Soonyoung stopped fighting you, letting go of your hands and leaning back, you paused in shock. And became instantly consumed by a trembling, whole-consuming fear of your mate pulling away from you. 

You peered up at him with a desperate plea, one that he answered with a deep grumble you could feel against your connecting skin.

He was right; you couldn’t have lasted longer than a few seconds. 

He met you in a teeth-clashing kiss, blunt nails digging into the crown of your head and holding your scalp in his palms as his teeth migrated across your cheek in a forceful growl. You choked for breath, holding him against you as your last fight kicked in.

"Want them out - want - they're scenting our home, Soonie - want them - them to - LEAVE - out - get out of our home, please! It's not their place to stay!"

Soonyoung hushed your manic cries with his tongue lapping at your hot and relatively unscented pulse. He could sense now that he had left you alone for too long and caused you to get overwhelmed by the fight mode in your Wolf.

"Soonie - I can't breathe -" You cried, body flinching harshly at the faux panic coursing through your muscles.

"Easy, you're alright, you're okay. Give in, angel. Lean into me. Stop fighting the pull. Breathe love. I'm here." 

He sucked and gnawed and growled against you until your legs shook. His free palm pressed your shaking leg against your bar stool, soothing over the joggers until your body tensed, then fell against him. He held your scalp in a tight grip as he scented you, but this time he went the direct route.

"Let go, beautiful. I've got you. You don't need to protect anyone. You're safe. Let me take over."

Like a predator holding its prey's neck, until it stops moving, Soonyoung sunk his teeth into your new Claim on your shoulder, holding you there until you stopped struggling. The wound wouldn't re-pierce now even if he tried - not that that was what he was even trying to do.

He licked at it occasionally, but mostly he was using it to anchor you to him. The scar was sensitive and soft, the flesh hardening over the last few days but still deep and so snug to the hurting gums that he reacted in a way that made him growl so possessively you couldn’t help but mewl audibly in response, curling into his hold.

"Soonie -" You cried pitifully. " I - my - it feels like you're pulling me into you b-but - h-how do I make it stop - I can't grab onto it, Soonyoung please it feels like you're ripping away from me -"

‘Remember to breathe, my frightened little dove. You're doing so well. Take a deep breath for me. I've got you. Let go, whenever you're ready, let go.’

Soonyoung growled like a rattling engine still canine deep, kneading at the aches in your thighs as you clung to him. Closing your eyes to give in and lean on him in every way.

"Nngh - my head - it hurts -"

‘Is she going to make it, Soon?’ Minghao asked with a timid tone, through the link and across the room. ‘We’ll need to remove her, if not. I don’t want it to come to that. I know you don’t want it to come to that. And neither do the boys… But this is worrying, brother.’

Soonyoung grumbled with a nod and a smile that was tempered completely with love, lips secured over his connection with you.

‘She’ll make it.’

Slowly but surely, you indeed came around.

You relaxed completely in his arms, a pang in your heart causing you to moan a few pained breaths through burning lungs. Your heart rate slowed until it matched his. And he could pull away to Eskimo kiss you. A sense of clarity washed over your scalp like a mint bath as he removed his teeth from your scar, lips pressing to your cheeks and growling hushed against your hair.

‘Well done, beautiful. The link wasn’t snapped, it won't ever break now - but you were so scared that it might, you started to panic. Just another day, another lesson. I'm so proud of you gorgeous. You’re safe. Catch your breath.’

A warm, aching whimper echoed from you, Soonyoung purring a deep growl in response. Your heartbeat and adrenaline slowed dramatically, gasping a breath as you leaned to pull him forward for his comfort. He met you without question.

“Easy, love. You’ve got time.”

You curled your fist up into your aching canines, eyes drooped under the mind-numbing security now occupying your thoughts. You gnawed at your knuckles until Soonyoung tugged your hand away. 

“I'm sorry… It's just… It’s all too much, Soonie…" You whispered against his blazer collar. “Thank you…”

The light from the window dazzled you for a moment. Bright and sparkling. 

With your irises blown wide; it was not exactly a great idea to stare straight into the morning sun, at least not so soon. Jeonghan moved ever so subtly into the ray of light; growling affectionately, but acting indifferently to the room.

“I know,”  Soonyoung laughed gently, after observing the interaction with his brother. He moved to support your head and brush a thumb over your eyebrows; forcing you to blink and break eye contact. “I know it’s a lot.”

‘The boys are worried for you.’ He added mentally, letting you rest for a moment.

Suddenly, your body followed your mind; your eyes flooded out wide and your lip twitched in tandem with your nose. 

“Is it - are we safe? Are any more people coming? When will they leave?”

At the urgency in your voice; all eyes returned to you in Soonyoung’s arms. He purred something pretty as he tucked you into his shoulder, embracing you as best he could at this angle. 

“You’re okay, flower. You’re safe.” He growled softly through open lips. His heart melted for you. “Nobody is going to hurt you. Nobody else is going to come. They'll leave under Seungcheol's command. Relax, Pup. No one is going to touch you, or me, or our home, without our permission.” 

'But - your brothers - why are they here -' You whined through the link.

He understood where your fear came from. You weren’t used to having so much power and it was devouring your usual mind into more instinctual behaviours.

"They're your brothers, Y/N. They would never deliberately hurt you. You're safe." 

You took a second to compute. Eyeing them all suspiciously with contracting, then expanding golden eyes. Soonyoung smiled widely as you squeezed the knee stuck between your thighs, accepting your affection as you rubbed your cheeks to his neck. Meeting your embrace.

You had just given him your first non-verbal sign. Agreeing with him by performing the equivalent of folding your ears and rolling; wilfully submitting to his lead.

He took a second to tilt your jaw away from your shoulder.

Your neck and shoulder were Marked so beautifully he couldn't help but deeply growl in comfort. Continuing the soothing of your thighs as he removed his hands to let you curl into him, arms around your shoulders instead in a momentary embrace. 

Seungcheol addressed you both now. 

The elder watched your reaction closely and with a great amount of caution.

The whole ordeal seemed to have lasted hours. But it was only a minute or so outside of your little bubble. Soonyoung did a good job deliberately shielding you with his body for the majority of the interaction, anyways.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As you had dashed to meet him; Soonyoung’s nightshirt had hung low on your shoulder blades. Flowing off Soonyoungs heavy, musky scent in waves and exposing your collarbone and upper back scarred and marked for the world to see. 

Not that you cared. You hadn’t even noticed it. Tunnel vision set upon Soonyoung and your desperate need to reach him.

But everybody else did. 

Everybody else had noticed.

Everybody else had taken it in with a sharp, focused vision.

Minghao averted his eyes as soon as he took note of you at the corner of the room with a knowing private smile. Instead, he watched your dash to his brother with a warm heart. Laughing to himself as your nails dug into his blazer, desperate for reassurance. Ready to crawl into him in an effort to be soothed.

Jeonghan had stiffened against the window he was propped up against. His lip had twitched up into a sour expression at the scent of a newly claimed entering the space; before shaking out the red that seeped into his eyes. He only glanced back up again at your whine upon contact with your mate, smiling to himself. 

He heard the emotion in your voice. But he wasn’t convinced. Uncomfortable in his entire being that they were even in your space after being Claimed so soon.

Seungcheol had also stiffened upon your presence being made known but was the only one to watch you dash the whole distance to his brother. 

He had been waiting for your appearance all morning. And you hadn’t failed to please him. Hands outstretched and eyes blown wide for your mate. He was mildly disgusted with his brother and the thought of him even performing the act; but otherwise, he was touched.

 And this guest - they seemed to be staring at you far too much. 

Seungcheol put two and two together and made a note to watch this newcomer closely, especially around you. His intense staring had been putting you at unease at a much more suffocating pressure than any of the brothers.

As Seungcheol’s younger brother tended to you, the guest seemed to watch with bated breath. 

As he understood it; his guest also had brothers, 5 in total, that had never mated, pressured or even bought an Omega from the outer cities. It was strange to him. But he guessed with good knowledge that he likely watched the two of you with envy, slight lust, but mostly pure fascination.

Seungcheol had curled his lip into a snarl until the stranger quickly apologised and averted his eyes. 

"Cut it out." He had growled lowly and directly as Soonyoung placated you. "Or I'll gauge your eyes out with my tongue." 

The young man bowed his head in apology, but despite his size and physique, he didn’t appear to be at all threatening.

Your pack leader stared him down until he was confident the action was not done with offence, and the heavy beating in your chest had settled into a gentle matching pattern to your mate’s, before looking up at you both.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You looked so out of place. 

Your usual sharp-witted self with a sweet musk of an aroma was newly replaced with a bed-soft, Marked and scented female. 

It's hard to describe to a human, but the connection and the new binding of the bond could be felt by everyone in the room. It was present as much as Wolf’s pulse, breathing and own Alpha imprints upon the space around them, the type that the eye could not see.

Seungcheol was unfamiliar with the golden eyes that stared back at him over the height of his brother's blazer sleeve. Your gaze was sharp and cold, unlike your natural eye colour and humility he was so used to. He would be lying if he said he didn’t like this new side of you. 

But it would take some work.

“Good morning, Y/N. Apologies, I hope we didn’t wake you.” Seungcheol spoke with a softer and far more hushed voice than normal. 

With your nose pressed into Hoshi’s shoulder, it was hard to fight the pliancy of the pull and bite back. "You most certainly did." But you still managed. Hoshi giggled behind a knuckle.

“I'm sorry - we’ll try and give you both some more warning next time; so as not to scare you so much. We didn’t realise the situation until we had sat down.” Though he remained his usual sarcastic Leo self. “Thank you for your understanding.”

Jeonghan eyed Seungcheol with suspicion before turning to see your reaction. His brother seemed to know what he was doing; you hadn’t bit back and seemed to genuinely be considering his words from behind your mate’s arms that leaned at ease on the bar stool’s flared edges on either side of your hips.

All six pairs of eyes turned to you. Some yellow, some red, some green. The new male’s eyes struck silver in the mid-morning light.

You growled from within deep in your belly, moving to shift your chair even closer, then behind Soonyoung. He let you move to his side; practically behind his taller frame. The two of you were sitting up with your eyes locked together.

“What are you all doing here?” You growled, nose pressed against Soonyoung’s shoulder as he peered down at you. He was watching you in case you reacted suddenly but he also acted as your grounding in such a volatile state.

“In our home. At this particular moment in time. With a stranger. This early in the morning. Couldn’t you have held this meeting somewhere - anywhere else but here?”

A beat of silence pulsated in the room.

And your gaze was locked with Seungcheol’s.

Soonyoung growled in warning as he moved to lean his weight on the palm planted between your anxiously tensed thighs; lips pressed to your temple in pattered kisses.

‘Drop it, Y/N. Not now, not here.’

Seungcheol met your tension until he heard Soonyoung’s voice through the link. Then he kept it strung tight purely out of his classic morbid curiosity.

Soonyoungs growl grew deeper. And his fang pressed into your cheek, teeth bared.

‘Now.’

Instantly; your thighs eased, instead focusing on his body leaning into you as you nuzzled his bicep with a dizzy expression. One hand gripped his blazer back as the other slipped between his fingers. In a complete tunnel vision of affection, ears once again metaphorically folded. Soonyoung kissed the corner of your eye in thanks.

But you tensed once again as your attention was drawn away, back to the wider room. Eyes pinched at the stranger who stared far too much into your eyes for your liking.

“It’s a fair question.” Minghao shrugged, smiling knowingly at Seungcheol who simply rolled his eyes. Jeonghan remained quiet and watched you with sincere caution. As anxious of you as he would be any other newly turned. “Who wants to take this?”

Soonyoung jumped at the opportunity.

“The neighbouring pack has offered us a treaty, in unity, pup.”

You met Soonyoung’s gaze. His eyes were soft; the purple and red softened by his love for you. 

But no matter how much you fought it; these basic customs still churned your stomach into bits.

“You’re marrying off one of our Betas?” You questioned. Tone hurt, sad. Smooth to his ears. “One of our Omega girls? They’re not even ready to consort like that, Soonyoung… You would do that? Marry off one of your own girls?”

Soonyoung considered your words. But didn’t physically react. You were asking a deeper implied question here; speaking for the pack as if the Omegas were your own, shared children. The Omegas in question were well of age, and the Betas in question fell within the gender and sexuality spectrum, more than ready to move on.

“No.” Soonyoung purred plainly. 

It was alarming how much he could control his body; but he was determined to keep you steady, so aggressively shaking his head would do no good here.

“At least, not yet pup - that’s why they’re here to discuss it. To see if there are any suitable matches. I’m here to make sure nobody gets hurt, like at every head meeting.”

Your mate spoke in a soothing tone as his thumb circled your palm. His expression was calm, and it spoke to you a thousand words. Tactfully melding you into a state of ease. Your cheek dropped to Soonyoung’s chest, one sharp eye watching the said stranger.

“I’m presuming you already know the implications of the unity, hmm?” Soonyoung asked; words muffled as his nose brushed against your hair. 

You nodded against him.

“That’s why they’re here, in our home. That’s why I'm here, Y/N. And not outside. At the office. The company bank. Anywhere else. The meeting came here, so I wouldn’t have to leave you. You're my priority here, love. I’m not sure there’s much more I can do to prove it.”

You didn’t respond verbally. Instead, you rubbed your forehead against his neck; infatuated and submissive. Soonyoung brushed the hair from your cheeks and pressed a kiss to the crown of your head; nodding that it was okay for them to continue.

The brothers in the room audibly sighed.

Every careful step to counter your anxiety was saved effort in preventing your potential sudden and violent shift. This was a critical time, and everybody could sense it. Even the guest.

“I can now see why Soonyoung didn’t want to leave you alone in here, little sis,” Minghao spoke, voice gaining your attention.

“And why he recovered so quickly,” Seungcheol added in humour, voice as gruff as ever.

“Right,” Minghao chuckled to himself quietly. “We weren’t sure how long the meeting was going to take.”

“I’m sorry, we should have considered you further,” Minghao added from his place on the sofa next to the stranger. He sat up suddenly from his resting elbows to stretch his arms.

This allowed the visitor to eye you curiously.

Soonyoung pressed his thumb into your palm as you growled into his bicep.  Your pinched eyes pressured the guest until he looked away. 

Soonyoung eyed him curiously - exchanging a few mental words with Seungcheol about him - before rounding back to you. 

“You’re safe here, little sis.” Minghao continued. 

“I’m sorry we spooked you, pup,” Seungcheol uttered through a heartfelt mumble; leaning forward with heart-melting amber eyes that you very rarely got to see. “If I would have put two and two together sooner, I personally would have forced us to rearrange,” 

“You’re okay - I promise. Nothing out of the ordinary is going to happen. And we’ll leave as soon as the meeting is done. Okay?”

You considered his words deeply before whining weakly and hugging Soonyoung tightly, burying your face in his scent. 

“My. Head. Hurts.” You growled moodily. “And they stink. Want their scent gone, Soonie… They’re making me nauseous..”

“I know, flower. It’s a lot to take in, a little too soon.” Soonyoung laughed softly, smiling down at you. "You're doing so well, though. Just don't push yourself. Your senses are viscerally stronger, so you don't want to process too much too fast and get a mild sensory-hangover…"

"You never even told me that was… a thing…" You grumbled in a long sigh.

"Well, it wasn't really an option before - you weren't able to shift completely - but, it will be an issue from now." Soonyoung smiled fondly down at you. His face pressed into his blazer, glaring at him. "You could always go back into your den until -?"

Before Soonyoung could even finish that sentence your grip around his ribs tightened and you shook your head against his stiff jacket. 

“Okay, pup.” He laughed benevolently, looking up to see an anxious Jeonghan as the other two brothers cooed at the massaging hand on your head. “Just don’t strain yourself.”

'I think my big-brain of an older brother wants to talk with you, love, whenever you're ready.' Soonyoung purred inwardly, awaiting your eyes to meet him before nodding back towards the window.

Jeonghan remained tense until you caught his eye from behind his brother.

The older Wolf growled in a way that you imagine a young female Wolf would. It was pretty. Delicate. And the type of sound you wanted to hear again and again.

It was at that moment that you realised you had never actually heard Jeonghan growl before. 

Soonyoung laughed through his nose as he heard your mind wander; nodding for Jeonghan to come towards you both.

'She's settled, brother. You can come to say hi.' 

Cautiously, he walked forward. 

Edging into your space before he stopped at the edge of your comfortable bubble, senses sharp and in tune with your body as he anticipated a reaction.

But there was no reaction. Curiously, your new instincts knew what to do, and your heart followed. 

You kept a hand locked with Soonyoung and met Jeonghan’s gaze as he stepped in front of you. His eyes seeped a lighter yellow, closing the distance by holding his breath and closing his eyes to lean forward and knock his head against your own.

You were starting to grow accustomed to this. 

It was… a nice and new feeling of familial intimacy.

Closing your own eyes with a sharp inhale, you immediately felt Jeonghan’s love he had been guarding in front of the others. 

Something about it.

Something about his gentle exhales and the pretty rumbling as he leaned a hand on the edge of the chair, breath fanning over your cheeks. You could feel all of his worries and anxiety surrounding you and Soonyoung come rushing forward through the link.

'Are you okay, Y/N? Did he hurt you? Are you cleaned properly? Are you able to control yourself around the guest?'

The strangest feeling took over your throat; chuffing delicately against Jeonghan’s cheek. His worrying was coming from a place of love.

'I'm okay, Hannie.' You confirmed in a noticeably weak tone. 'We're okay. I’m just… Worn out and tense, is all.'

Jeonghan nodded ever so slightly, moving to hug you.

'You’ll get to rest together, soon, Y/N. I know it's a lot to get used to. You're doing good, pup. Just shout us if it becomes too much.'

The embrace was a little… odd, given the situation. But you could smell his scent in a new way, and it comforted you greatly. Something like the perfume of a sibling. It filled you with familiarity and love.

'I'm sorry - if we had realised, we - I … Just don't push yourself. We're in your newly Marked territory. But we won't do anything to disrupt it, Y/N.'

You opened your eyes slightly to see him.

Strikingly pale yellow irises against a light brown outline and an inner brighter yellow ring met you.

'I promise.'

You hadn't much to say. But you didn't need to say anything. Not with your new body.

He could read you better than you could read yourself.

You matched Jeonghan's strength until he pulled away, settled now he knew you weren’t going to lash out.

Soonyoung kissed your head on the way back, rounding you to stay by his side. 

One arm stopped you from retreating backwards while the other was free to move. Your thighs and side pressed into his suit, a solid hand laying between your knees and gripping the soft flesh under the thick joggers.

"Good job, beautiful." He purred against your hair as your cheek rested on his shoulder.  

From this angle, he could see your irises had begun expanding greatly; blown wide whenever Soonyoung pressed against you, but also by Jeonghan. Being still new to muscle control; they would almost touch black if it wasn't for the purple ring.

"You follow your instincts more easily now. I can feel it, pretty dove " Voice hushed so only you could hear, his puffs of air pushed your heavy eyelids to blink wistfully. "Just take it slowly. You're doing so well. Can you try and unfocus your eyes for me, love? You've blown them out a little too wide. And give me these -"

He moved to slowly pull away the fingers curled up and pressed between your throbbing teeth and under the sharp point of your canines - the second time in mere minutes the habit had appeared - to smooth over the grazes and indents and small, sharp, thin but deep cuts with his thumb. A new habit he would have to watch out for. 

Your fingers were bleeding.

He popped the finger into his mouth - to make contact with his saliva - without much thought. But winked at you with a giggle as you shied away into his shoulder. Releasing you with a chuckle.

You looked exhausted. 

Small pained whimpers fell from your lips as your pupils expanded and pinched at every single dart across the room. A dazed look of confusion began settling on your face with your brows tugged low.

"I know, baby. Try and focus on me. Or Hannie, or Hao if you need to. I know it hurts to process so many people in your territory right now, but you'll be alright, I promise." 

Soonyoung was tender to your wants of not disrupting your home, but there was little he could do against his older brother's instructions. 

He placed a gentle kiss on your brow bone, smiling deeply as your dazed line of view spun around until your face met his own. He wasn't convinced you could totally comprehend what he was saying at the moment, but your eyes blew wide under his watch and eyebrows eased their tension. And this was enough.

"I'll help you rest again soon, angel. We'll sleep later, get some real good food down you, then afterwards I'll scent you until your nerves settle again. Lean on me, the link, for now. It will all be over soon."

“I’m guessing now would be a good time to introduce myself?”

The stranger's voice made you flinch hard.

Your irises pulled together unreasonably quickly; Soonyoung anticipated the spike in your pulse as a solid warning to place himself in front of you. 

You had intended to run towards him. 

And to no doubt maul him with your extended and exposed canines appearing from under your lips.

'Don't. Do not. Don't you dare lunge at him.' 

Soonyoung growled slowly. Pressuring you not to fight his guidance again. Unable to truly command you with such a soft spot for you. 

'Do not move, Y/N. I mean it.'

He held you steady, growling almost inaudibly as you gripped him. His lips pressed against your head as you folded into the tug of him grounding you. 

But this action was mirrored by a watchful growl from Jeonghan.

'Sister, you have to resist it. I know it's hard. Try and control yourself. He is safe in your territory. You have many guards here. You are safe.'

You knew logically you were safe. But it was a lot to process and by now your vision was blurry and you had already worn yourself out; sinuses burning as much as the ache in your gums. 

So you took his previous offer up immediately.

With a scratchy nasal exhale, your eyes closed and you moved to lean into him in every aspect. 

His hand withdrew from your leg for a moment to press into the muscles under the height of your cheekbones, where he presumed you were throbbing into your skull.

"Good pup." He whispered, kissing the corner of your eye with a creased-eye smile before settling again. "Good choice."

Your instant moans of relief proved he was right. 

Luckily hidden by his blazer; you had your mouth open and eyes closed so he could easily slip under your lips and press the pads of his fingers into the throbbing ache in your gums. 

It was heavenly, but not enough. 

You needed to mark him again.

Soonyoung growled softly, tugging at the link while he rested the heavy meat of his palm against your lips. 

You followed your body; discreetly sinking into the flesh of either side of his palm with eagerly smooth canines and sinfully muffled moans until he winced.

'Hold it.' Soonyoung reminded you. Brushing his thumb over the hand that held his palm to your mouth. Smiling sheepishly at you despite the sharp pinch.

And you did hold it.

It was terribly tender for him, but you couldn't stop pressing down with new Werewolf jaw force until the tension panged out from your link. 

“Enough,” Soonyoung whispered, eager to guide you to stop, aware of the hunger versus the limits of marking in your current state. “Let go.”

You pulled away upon his instruction, pliant and eager to please; processing the taste of iron with a muted moan; gasping for air. The blood spooled from his palm quickly upon the break; dripping down your lips and chin and the veins of his hard-working hands.

"Good girl." He growled affectionately, tactfully avoiding blood stains on his pressed suit by forcing gravity to suppress the flow and hold your face up via a pinched chin. 

As you peered up at him with a dizzy expression, he pulled to make eye contact. 

'Eyes on me, angel. I’m right here.'

He waited until your irises pinched to make sure you saw him and no one else in such a vulnerable state.

You simply melted under his gaze.

All consumed. Mesmerised like a kid in front of a fire.

He held your gaze until your irises completely expanded; pulled intensely by his powers. 

And he was barely even exerting himself. Preferring never to use it on you; the rare occasions he did made such a difference.

"That's enough." He calmly whispered, allowing the grounding to snap. “Rest.”

Like a weight dropping; your eyes drooped with an exhausted whimper. Soonyoung had been holding you in anticipation; pressing you to his chest between his arms instead of letting you fall. You folded towards him as he caught the towel chucked at him via Jeonghan from the counter. 

"How unsanitary." Jeonghan mused. He was being light-hearted, luckily. “Marking with company present, next to the kitchen, of all places. Didn’t Mother teach you better?”

Soonyoung snickered but moved to wipe at your face, then his wrists. He was holding the wound behind your back. But mostly he was watching you.

You were placated. And it pleased him, greatly.

Minghao's expression softened greatly from where he sat. 

'That’s going to hurt Soon…' He spoke, gently scolding his younger brother. "Not a wise place to put a mark brother, not at all…"

'I know.' Soonyoung replied, looking up at his close companion as he licked at his hand. 'I know it will hurt…'

'Hmm. But not as much as she's hurting;  right?'

'Right.' Soonyoung confirmed. 'She's been aching badly, Hao. I can feel it. I've been taking some of the pain from her while she sleeps.'

Minghao pressed a finger against his lips and pulled tight in consideration. 

'You're a good mate, Soonyoung. She loves you dearly. You have my wholehearted protection, brother. We'll keep her safe while she's out of your sight. But just look at her, Soonyoung. Her eyes are beautiful. You placed the scars well - even if it makes me gag thinking about the fucking shit you did to even think about placing them. You dog.'

Soonyoung shared a silent smile. 

'She just looks so weak, Soon. We're worried about her. All of us. We're also sorry if we upset you.'

'She's so tired already.' Soonyoung confirmed. But he shook his head. 'And thank you. I appreciate it, but you don't need to explain. It's okay, Hao. Really.'

His brother nodded.

'I didn't get a chance to scent her before you guys turned up. The whole thing has really spun her off her axis…'

A pause.

'She's scared, Hao. So, so scared. It's all so new to her. I think the family tends to forget she wasn't born like us sometimes, because she puts on such a brave act. Even I do. But it's mostly a front.' 

He growled a consistent hum as you nuzzled against him. Your heartbeat had settled greatly. It grounded him.

'All to cover how lost she truly feels. Vulnerable in amongst the pack. And I don't blame her; do you?'

Minghaos eyes floated to your face; delightfully puffy lips and eyes folded over with grief. 

'No brother, I don't blame her. Not at all.'

'Ever since she's let me in - I can feel it, Hao. She's terrified… I think it's all very new for both of us. But one of us was born a human. Please be patient with her. That's all I ask of you. She's trying so so hard for all of us, but it will take her a little longer to get used to it than one of our own.'

Minghao smiled lovingly with a soft muted growl. Sharing a glance with Jeonghan over your shoulders.

Though not speaking directly to him; Jeonghan was being pulled into the link via Minghao. And Seungcheol by Jeonghan. 

So in this way, the link in a family acts like a Web. 

Whereas a mated pair can communicate solely between themselves; not much outside of that can be hidden from the pack.

Even Seungcheol’s eyes strayed from distracting the guest to the way you folded against his brother so feebly.

How could they say no?

'I know.' Minghao smiled gently. 'We all do. You're both doing so well. We're here if you need us. And you're right; we shouldn't judge too quickly. We won't. And we'll remind the younger ones to do the same… Just make sure she's secure before the next time either of you leave this building. We don't want anybody getting hurt. Especially not our new sister.'

Soonyoung chuffed; deeply touched by his brother's words.

He was talking on a deeply spiritual level. You were now tied into their bond, whether you liked it or not. And they were equally as tied to yours.

'We love you, brother.' Jeonghan added faintly. 'Love you both. We all do. It will be a big adjustment for all of us. There are three of us who have mated until linked now. We'll discuss this later.'

The three dipped their heads to each other discreetly before Seungcheol spoke, bringing them back into the open space.

“I think now would be a great time to introduce yourself!” Seungcheol chuffed through an amused smile, curious to see your reaction. 

Softened by you and your vulnerability towards the family. Listening to the link while entertaining the guest until you were all ready.

In fact, everyone was enamoured by you. 

But none seemed nearly as humoured as the elder. He knew you too well. Like he got some kind of dark joy out of testing your limits. 

“Soonyoung, may I speak for your mate?”

You were far gone again; face buried into his blazer collar. Soonyoung nodded. 

He moved to place a grip on your thigh, just in case. “Sure, go ahead.” Rolling his eyes then his jaw, releasing the tension in his own neck to rest his cheek against your hair.

“Thank you. Chan, Y/N is Soonyoung’s mate - if that wasn’t already fairly obvious. She delegates his safety teams where and when needed, in collaboration with Minghao in our statistics team. Oh, and she also helps Jeonghan and me with our accounts. Though I imagine you’ll need to be a little gentler with her today, you’ll usually find our sister to be quite the tough cookie. She has a reputation for being sharp and is a valued member of our family."

Minghao scoffed at his brother, rolling his eyes now, with a kiss to his teeth.

“We’re still not entirely sure how these two paired up. An intern with a killer work ethic and an idiot in clown-to-clown combat training. But there you go. Fate has her own initiative.” 

Seungcheol snickered, nodding to his guest; “Go ahead, she doesn’t bite.”

His voice trailed off with a cruelly amused smile as the young and totally oblivious Alpha stood to jump in your direction with a loud booming voice and an outreaching, palm down hand, flashing his gums at you in an eager smile. 

He may as well have lunged at you in this state. 

Seungcheol didn’t even have to move or give a signal, to know you were protected.

“Hi Y/N, my name is Chan -”

As he stood to speak to you, a snarl ripped from your throat so firmly that it forced Minghao to rise with quick reflexes to stop Chan dead in his tracks. 

Demeanour switched in an instant with a hand gripped firmly into the guest’s throat. 

Jeonghan had also stepped forward, ready to block. But as usual, he remained able to see all, ready to catch you instead if you ran forward.

"Woah, woah, woah, easy now boys… Stand down before either of you start something we will all have to regret…" Jeonghan mumbled with a snappy tone to his younger brothers, but stepped forward to shelter you further. 

"Think about what you're saying before you ruin a fucking pack unity, Soonyoung." He whispered harshly down at your mate. "Take a damn second."

But by now, Soonyoung was furious. 

Body shaking and eyes glaring into Chan as Jeonghan moved back out of the way on high alert.

"Sit down, or get the fuck away from my mate, you naive mutt, before I take that choice away from you. Learn a thing or two about body language before you come into someone else's den and start lunging at newly Claimed females. You're lucky you're under my brother's explicit protection, or you would already be staining my wife's 30-thousand-dollar-rug."

Soonyoung growled deeply, lowly and genuinely enough for Seungcheol to quit laughing.

"And you - your shit isn’t funny, Cheol. Don't make me maul our guest like one of your sick and twisted fighting pens for your own fucking amusement in the middle of our own apartment."

nodding at his brother and maintaining mental communication before the elder's face dropped completely, waving his hands for everyone to sit back down. 

You don't know what was said, but it was extremely rare for Seungcheol to back down. And maybe more so for Soonyoung to get so genuinely angry. Such is the hierarchy of a pack. But Cheol had considerably overstepped his Mark.

"She's Exhausted, and afraid, Seungcheol. Think of Y/N as your own mate before you start playing your fucking power-hungry games around her."

"That's enough, Soonyoung." Jeonghan spoke quietly from his place against the dark window. Turning around from his view with an unimpressed demeanour.

"Cheol - it's time to move on. Continue with the meeting, please, brother." He turned with a scowl to the elder. "Before one of us gets hurt."

Jeonghan was entirely unamused by everyone this morning, and it hadn't even hit 9am.

“Alright - alright! The fun’s over, that’s enough now, let’s leave the poor woman alone and continue our discussion. Chan, please sit your cute ass back in that chair before my sibling rips your throat out. Either one of them. And Minghao, step down, for fuck’s sake. He’s not going to touch Y/N, you’ve made that perfectly clear, thank you. Thank you again.”

Chan had reacted appropriately to the sudden aggression; though naive he knew how to defend himself and snarled at the tall man digging his nails into his jugular simply for the following instruction. Standing down from his counter with Minghao upon the eldest brothers’ instruction to ‘take a seat’.

Minghao turned to you with emerald eyes as his hand left Chan’s throat. He looked frightful. 

It was rare to see your brother angry. 

And you were pretty sure the last time he flashed his gums at anyone they died long and viciously in an alleyway outside of a bar - which now that you think about it, was to protect his own mate.

He stepped towards you fluidly, reaching your cheek in an embrace, meeting your forehead and squeezing his eyes shut. 

The contact felt strange with your gut tugging you back to Soonyoung, but when he pulled away he stuck to your cheek with a soft growl. It washed over your skin like sparklers and you groaned gently in a confirming response.

'Are you okay?' Minghao spoke through the link so only you could hear. Speaking you through what he had just confirmed non-verbally.

You nodded with a jaw-cracking yawn and a grumbling vocation. 

'I’m okay. He didn’t even get close. Thank you.' 

You smiled, accepting the final contact of his forehead against yours before curling back up into Soonyoung’s side. 

But this time for good.

Putting your legs over his knees - and loving the contrast of your clothes in some deep part of you - as you growled gently. The sensation was… nice. New, but comforting. Soonyoung watched you with a kiss on your forehead.

'Yeah, right, no worries.' Minghao laughed softly as he plopped back into his seat. His eyes were partially green as he bit at his lip, at odds with the stranger next to him.

"Welcome home, Y/N." Seungcheol spoke low and with gummy-grinned intent. And you felt it, what he truly meant. Despite Minghao's dismissive scoff, or Jeonghan’s glance of confusion.

Welcome home. 

Finally, he had seen you in your entirety, and accepted you.

"Bangchan, I hope, overall, that you aren't insulted by our younger sister, or my brother's. As you can maybe tell, she has recently been Marked. You're a stranger in her home. And though you haven’t had the chance to experience this yet; I'm sure your mate would react exactly the same way. And your bothers would protect your mate also, I hope."

He was the only one laughing, the only one with years of wisdom and hundreds of dog fights under his belt. But as he nodded to confirm your security across the lounge, a private understanding of boundaries was shared. You never know unless you rock the boat; Seungcheol had almost tipped it.

“Right, golden eyes?” He poked softly.

All eyes looked at you as you nodded back, moulding into your mates’ side and taking refuge in the solid sound of his beating heart as the meeting continued. 

At some point in the meeting, Soonyoung purred at you lightly dozing on his shoulder. With little effort, he pulled you onto his lap. Quickly your forehead met his neck, arms hugging yourself tightly as he held you. One hand on your knee and the other on your back.

"I'm so proud of you." He whispered kindly. "Get some rest while you can. We'll talk later. Take some of my energy, if you need it. You know how now."

You managed to mumble something back but mostly moved to find one last piece of comfort. And you found it in the bite against your heart. And the feeling it gave you as your hand curled against it. 

Soonyoung felt a tug in his gut, something otherworldly that meant you were aching for him. Pulling on the newly strengthened link is like testing the strength of a new elastic band straight out of the box.

Your mate simply swooned. Kissing your hairline with an enraptured smile, Soonyoung released your knees to press his palm firmly under your own, intertwining your fingers. 

'There’s no need to search for me, when I'm already here with you, Y/N. My love is free. You only have to ask. And I'll always leave a part of myself with you, wherever we go. Get some rest, love. I'll be here when you wake up. Closer, this time. Sleep, my brave dove. You deserve it.'

Finally. You felt safe. Secure. Connected.

And your eyes drooped until numbness eased over your brain.

As Soonyoung soothed you, the eldest brother, Jeonghan, mused something new to himself. Something he had been waiting over four years to witness.

You had a bark. 

But you most definitely had the spirit to bite.

Both physically - Jeonghan had already noted the deep wound on his wrist and the one settling into his palm - and metaphorically too - despite all the reassurance and placating pheremones in the world; you still went to bite at the guest when wrongfully approached.

They could use that. 

It was sadistically amusing to him, just as much as it was to his brother. One of them could just hide it better. One of them deal in relations while the other watched men and dogs bleed out for fun.

And in your new tight-knit family, you were beyond willing to help with anything asked of you. Surviving every test put past you without failure; even with initial barks and doubts.

And despite their sickly sinful inclinations; the family in that room with you would die for you, on a very quick dime.

A good match, even by Jeonghan's standards.

The Tiger and the Dragon - two beasts in their own rights, pushing to face the world one surprise at a time.

“So,” Your subdued voice spoke into the room. “What comes next?”

(BACK TO PART 1/2) ~ (THIS IS THE END OF PART 2/2) ~ (CONTINUE TO SVT MASTERLIST….. )

Well would you look at that: 13/April/2023

— 『 𝐖𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐋; 𝐨𝐭8 』 [m.list]

— 𝚠𝚘𝚗 • 𝚍𝚎𝚛 • 𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚕,adjective. having someone who serves as a pillar in your life, who offers a sturdy place to lean in times of trouble. somebody you find yourself thinking about constantly and are completely infatuated with.

❝humans were such strange creatures. wretched in their mere existence. none of the eight were ever truly interested in them until they found you. they just find it strange that despite their status and rank, you’d rather spend time with your lover. that isn’t much of a problem, though. one they can fix with ease.❞

〘ʏᴀɴᴅᴇʀᴇ, ᴍʏᴛʜ, ꜱᴍᴜᴛ, ꜰᴀᴇʀɪᴇꜱ〙

— note: this is a yandere fic. sensitive topics such as manipulation, gaslighting, murder, and other topics involved with the genre. please heed the warnings and read this work of fiction while keeping this in mind. mxm is often referenced in this fiction

FIC WARNINGS: murder, manipulation, blood, blood drinking, torture references, dark magic, kidnapping. this series is very dark, if you’re uncomfortable with the subjects listed do not read. warnings will change but be listed in each chapter. there is no tag list for this series.

Keep reading

S.COUPS Military Enlistment

Hey! So I've seen many people talking about how Cheol's exemption from both military and public service means that his injury is worse than we thought, but that may not be the reason.

I left a comment on one post talking about this, but I thought I'd post it so that anyone coming to the following tags could see it.

Yes, his exemption means that his injury was bad. However, they said the surgery went well. When ACL's heal, they almost never regain the same strength as before, but that doesn't mean you can't be activve anymore. It's also weaker and more prone to tearing again, and having an injury that causes you to be unable to walk would serve no purpose in the military.

That being said, I think the main reason for him being exempt from service was that the risk of him re-injuring himself was too threatening, since even those going into public service need to undergo a period of military training. There's not much of point to enlist someone who's likely to be hurt during basic training, so exemption is just a way to avoid that possibility. It's been about 6 months since his surgery, and full-recovery of an ACL injury typically takes around 9 months. Though he's resuming SEVENTEEN activies alongside Jeonghan soon, that doesn't mean he's fully recovered.

At the same time, we still need to be supportive of him. I'm sure it's common knowledge that enlisting is a big part of every (required) Korean citizen's life, and for him to no longer be able to experience this big event may be upsetting for him. Don't give him hate. This entire process couldn't have been easy for him, so we need to give him the most support we can and DON'T SPREAD HATE!

The Way to His Heart [Masterlist]

Pairing: general!Seonghwa x wife!reader

AU: arranged marriage au (Joseon era)

Summary: Life has been hell ever since your mother's passing many years ago. Despite being from a prominent family, you've never received the privileges associated with it. It only got worse with the arrival of your stepmother and her daughters. When the intimidating General Park was in search of a wife, your father seized the opportunity to dispose of you, simultaneously securing a connection with the powerful general—killing two birds with one stone.

Genre: heavy angst, fluff, hurt/comfort

Trigger Warnings: mentions of past physical abuse, mistreatment, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, scars, trauma (lmk if I missed any)

Status: Ongoing

ATEEZ Masterlist

📢 Notice: Tag List | Group Chat | Poll

Teaser | Mood board 1 | Mood board 2

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

Part 12

Part 13

Part 14

Part 15

Part 16

Part 17 (Coming soon)

SPINOFF MASTERLIST

All Rights Reserved © edenesth

DO NOT REPOST, TRANSLATE, PLAGIARISE OR OTHERWISE REPURPOSE ANY OF THE WORK HERE.

choi seungcheol must die masterlist

📌synopsis: Mingyu wasn't the one with his heart broken. It was his little sister. And Seokmin's older sister. And Chan's best friend. Choi Seungcheol is a menace to society and needs to be put down. Immediately. The sure fire way to do it is to give him a taste of his own medicine: break his heart. 📌pairing: fem!reader x ??? (seungcheol, mingyu, seokmin, chan) 📌genre: slight angst, romance, humor, eventual smut 📌series tags: 18+ only, SMAU, inspired by “John tucker must die”, John tucker!seungcheol, college au, revenge fic, tags will vary from chapter 📌status: COMPLETED WITH BONUSES TO COME 📌started: oct 6th 📌Tag list: please reply to this post, send an ask, or dm to get updated

Profiles #1, #2, #3

Act I :

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Act II :

11 | 12 | 13+bonus written scene | 14+bonus written scene | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25

Act III

26 | 27 | 28 | 29 written scene | 30+bonus written scene(18+) | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37

Epilogue

Bonus:

I'm Not Afraid - Chapter 6

Word Count: 3,753

Characters: Female Reader Argent Character, Original Male Argent Character, Derek Hale, Allison Argent, Scott McCall, Stiles Stilinski, Isaac Lahey, Lydia Martin, Chris Argent, Jackson Whittemore

Story Description: (Y/N) Argent arrived at Beacon Hills to put to rest her father’s sister, Kate Argent. For the first time, her family has decided to settle down and sustain a life in this interesting small town. After 17 years, (Y/N) has the opportunity to establish interpersonal relationships but will she be ready to face the complications that come with relating to her cousin’s, Allison, friends; especially, the infamous Derek Hale. She will face the adventure of being associated with the Derek and McCall pack as well as being faced with the discovery of certain aspects of her life she never imagined.

*DISCLAIMER* I do not own in any way Teen Wolf, all credits of the pre-established characters, script, and storyline belong to Jeff Davis and MTV Network. The only thing I own is Argent Reader insert, her immediate family, and her storyline, as well as her effects in the others’ storyline.

Chapter: 6/?

Warnings: mentions of murder, arson, and blood

A/N: The ending is dark, y'all, dark. If you enjoy my writing I’ll also be posting them in AO3 and Wattpad along with other stories (I also hope to start taking requests if ya’ll want) Hope you enjoy and all constructive criticism is encouraged.

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Chapter 6

I followed my father inside the house, my hands trembling and sweating. The only topic I believed they would seriously need to talk to me about was the supernatural and the family business. Just as I had told Derek, if I hadn’t met him and Scott, I would have probably joined without a second thought. But I had met them, I had been embraced by them, and I didn’t know what I was going to answer.

I sat across from my parents on the kitchen’s island. They seemed excited, but a bit anxious. Obviously, revealing to your daughter the existence of supernatural beings and the fact that the whole family hunted them wasn’t an easy task. At least, she already knew the most hard-hitting information and she wouldn’t feel blindsided.

“Honey, what we have to tell you is very important, and we don’t want you to feel like we have been keeping this from you on purpose,” my mother started. “But you need to understand that everything we have to say today is nothing but the truth. Okay?”

“Guys, what is it? You’re scaring me.”

“You know that all Argents work at the family company, Argent Arms International, and that at some point you’d probably end up working there.”

“Yeah, dad. The reason I know too much about weapons,” I laughed. I couldn’t let on that I knew more than they thought.

“Well, the company is actually a front for the real work we do behind the scenes, and the reason we’re on the road a lot,” my father started. “Since the start of our lineage Argents have been hunters.”

“Hunters of what?”

“Now, I need you to remember that what I am about to tell you is the full honest truth.” I nodded. “We hunt supernatural creatures, but mainly werewolves. You remember the tattoo I have on my arm that you asked about when you were younger?”

“Yeah, ‘Nous chassons ceux qui nous chassent’. French, we hunt those who hunt us. I always thought it was more of a psychological phrase.”

“That’s our family mantra. All Argent generations have been trained since childhood to become hunters one day, Chris and I were the only ones that decided to give you and Allison the choice once you became teenagers to know about our world. It’s completely up to you to join us.”

“So, all the training, physical and with weapons, was all in preparation for this?” My father nodded. I could see the worry in his face of how I would take this news – a one-worded answer was going to shift my whole life. It was one thing to be knowledgeable of this life, it was another to be in the center of all of it.

“We run by a code,” my father explained. “We only hunt those who have been proven to have harmed innocent lives – only adults, no young ones, and no humans. Any hunter that breaks that code is an enemy to our cause.”

“Is that what aunt Kate did?” I spoke in a hushed tone knowing this was a difficult topic for my father, one that we hadn’t touched upon in the time we had been here.

“Yes, it is” my mother answered. Her dislike towards her sister-in-law wasn’t a secret. Mom had always thought of her as arrogant and self-centered – or so she would state when in an alcohol-induced rant.

“Unfortunately, my sister did break the code, but that’s beside the point,” dad interjected. “Sweetheart, we make sure that everyone around us is protected from the creatures that are unknown. So, what do you think? Do you want to join us?”

They both studied my face, waiting on any reaction that could arise from me. All I could think is how my decision could affect the people that had made their way into my life. Allison had accepted, and although her relationship with Scott was strained, she still managed to keep him close. But what if I accepted and all it did was deteriorate all the new relationship I was trying to build?

“Yes.”

After the conversation, my father warned me that training would start soon, after I passed some sort of test. They were happy that I had agreed to join the family trade, but I noticed a sign of worry in my father’s eyes. His whole life had been built around supernatural hunting, so what was he worried about? Whatever it was, he did not express. They had both been called away on a meeting and excused themselves before leaving. With the house to myself, I basked in my decision sitting on the living room couch, petting Brody.

“What do you think, bub? Did I make the right choice?” Brody looked up at me, his tongue hanging out, a smile on his face. A bark came after and I took it as confirmation that I had. “Maybe you’re right. We’ll see, huh? Should I call Derek and tell him?”

At the sound of Derek’s name, Brody barked out happily. I laughed at his reaction and decided to call Derek. It still surprised me that Brody had taken to Derek so quickly – probably had to do with him being a werewolf and an alpha. I clicked on his contact on my phone and waited on speaker for him to pick up.

“Hello?” His voice rang out, exciting Brody once more. “Hey, buddy!”

“He’s been very excited to hear from you.”

“I can see,” he chuckled. “I can assume you made it home safely?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“What’s wrong? You sound weird.”

“How can you possibly deduct my tone from over the phone?”

“Intuition, you could say. But seriously, what’s wrong?”

“Well, my parents talked to me about the family business,” I breathed out, nerves building up inside. I didn’t know what his reaction would be, and I hope my decision wouldn’t push him away. “They asked me to join them.”

“And what did you say?” He already knew the answer. Asking was just courtesy.

“I said yes.” He kept quiet for a second, and I truly believed I had ruined our relationship before anything had ever started. “Are you mad?”

“I can’t be mad. I understand why you did it, they’re your family. Why would you think I would be mad?”

“I don’t know. I’m gonna be actively working on hunting you and your kind, that would put a strain on any kind of relationship.”

“And what kind of relationship would that be?” He teased.

“Derek, this is serious. What kind of relationship could we have when we’re born enemies?”

“Allison and Scott seem to make it work. It’s hard, but it’s not impossible.”

“So, sneaking around, worrying every second that we’d be found out by hunters. Seems viable,” I snickered. “And in no way, shape, or form stressful. Believe me, Derek, I have enough anxiety as it is. I don’t need the stress of keeping all my relationships secret.”

“Do you have any other choice?”

“I guess I don’t.”

“The way I see it, (Y/N), is you can use this opportunity and work for both sides. You can protect us from the inside, and hunt those that are a real threat. Like the Kanima,” he stated. It made sense to work with my family to protect my friends, even if my family was hunting them. “And, as much as I hate saying this, you should talk to Allison about this. She seems to be handling this way better than I thought.”

“I will. Thanks, Derek. I’ll call you soon, okay?”

“I’ll be waiting. Sleep well, (Y/N).”

“You too, Derek.”

I hung up the phone and breathed out. My life had turned a lot more complicated than I had ever imagined, and I was sure it was going to turn a lot worse. I had just started dipping my toes in the supernatural pot we were living in, something told me that there was still so much that I didn’t know. And there was one person I knew would have the answers I was seeking.

I grabbed my jacket off the coat rack and got on my motorcycle, a clear route ingrained in my brain. The night was cold, and the breeze nipped at my skin as it blew under my shirt. There was so much I had to learn, and so little time.

The drive wasn’t long, and I was still surprised I remembered the way.

The lights in the McCall house were off, but the car was in front, so I assumed Scott was home. I would have gone to Allison, but I needed to know everything, and I was sure she would try to protect me from the worst of it. Scott seemed like someone I could trust, and being at the center of everything gave him a lot more insight that I could use. I looked around the house and, remembering which room was his, found a way to climb up the side to his window. Hopefully, I didn’t encounter something I didn’t want to see.

Looking away, I knocked on his window – loud enough for him to hear, but silent enough to not alarm his mom. I clutched my jacket tighter as I waited for an answer, the wind finding me easier on higher ground. It didn’t take long for the window to slid open, revealing a very confused Scott.

“(Y/N)?” He rubbed sleep off his eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“I need to talk to you. Can I come in?”

“Sure.” He stepped aside and let me through. His room was messier than the last time I had seen it, and the bed was disheveled. On his desk, his computer was propped open, and a disarray of papers lived atop the wooden surface.

“Sorry for waking you, but this couldn’t wait.”

“Don’t worry. I couldn’t sleep anyway,” he chuckled. A lopsided smile taking place on his face. “So, what’s up?”

“Tonight, I was asked by my parents to join the hunters, and I agreed. But, going into this, I’m the one that knows the least about this world. Apart from Lydia, that is. I need to know everything you know about what we are up against. I don’t think our parents would have asked Allison and me to join now unless we were facing something truly dangerous.”

“Okay, I get it. And please don’t take this the wrong way, but why are you asking me and not Allison or even Derek? It seems like they would be the natural choice to ask about this.”

“Because they would try to shield me from the most dangerous aspects of what’s happening. Hopefully, you being a third party you’ll be truly honest about the situation we are in.” My tone came out friendly, but the underlying threat was evidently laced with it.

“Alright, where do you want me to start?”

“I want to know everything. No detail left out.”

“For me, this all started last year…”

And everything I learned. Scott had been bitten by Peter Hale, Derek’s uncle, who was alpha at the time. Most of last year he spent learning about his new werewolf life, which he believed he was alone in, until Derek, who came from a long line of werewolves that resided in Beacon Hills. The very same family my aunt had murdered. When he explained that part of Derek’s history, I couldn’t help but tear up. How could he ever stand being near me when my own blood had done that to him? Ripped him from his family in such a horrifying manner. I knew she had killed people but knowing that Derek was one of the survivors made my stomach knot.

He also told me how Derek came to be the alpha, and how Peter had held the alpha title also. And how my aunt had truly died. Everyone’s stories seemed to bundle into the same mess of supernatural chaos.

“Then, Jackson asked for the bite, which Derek gave him. And the thing about the bite, you sometimes turn into something other than a werewolf due to internal issues you could say. So, he became the Kanima, which is a lizard type-creature that looks for a master as we just recently learned. His main objective is to do as his master commands, and in his case, it's killing a bunch of people. He also secretes a venom that paralyzes people, but it didn’t work on you and Lydia.” Me? “Which was really weird – Lydia, we think it has something to do with Peter biting her. But you, we’re not sure. Because there’s no indication as to why you could possibly be immune. Unless you’re not human, but that would mean that Lydia’s not human either, and that doesn’t make sense.”

“Okay, Scott. You’re rambling,” I chuckled dryly, stopping him in his track. How he talked for so long, I did not understand. I believed Stiles was the only one with that ability. “How could you know that I was immune though? I haven’t had any contact with the Kanima or this venom.”

“Well, actually, the day we were making rock crystals in lab, Isaac had left some venom on Lydia’s crystal. You weren’t supposed to taste it, but it was a surprise when nothing happened to you. Have you ever been in contact with any other supernatural beings?”

“Seeing as I didn’t even know my parents were hunters, it’s safe to assume I haven’t. But I think finding out why I am the way I am is at the bottom of the list with this Kanima going around.”

“Yeah, and your family is making it very hard to do so when they’re actively hunting us.”

“They can’t be, they run by a code, and you guys are innocent.”

“But your grandfather doesn’t care. He lifted the code. He’s on a rampage towards all supernatural creatures, us included. They’re even keeping an eye on us at school – with Gerard running it and Victoria being our new teacher.”

“But we have the upper hand in learning about the Kanima, right? I mean, if my family is actively recruiting the younger ones, it means they are up against a threat they don’t know about, and we have the bestiary translated.”

“Kind of. I just have a feeling Gerard knows a lot more than he lets on.”

“Can’t really give insight on a person I don’t know. But anything I find out I’ll be sure to pass it along,” I smiled. “I still can’t believe all of this was happening right under my nose. How did I not notice?”

“It’s easy to ignore when you don’t know it exists. If I hadn’t been in the forest that night, I would be as in the dark as you were.”

“I guess so,” I smiled. “Thank you, Scott. For your honesty, and for trusting me with this information.”

“You’re one of us now, (Y/N). We look out for our own.”

“Thank you, Scott. I’ll leave you now to hopefully catch up on some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow at school.”

“Of course, (Y/N). We’re gonna meet up with Allison in the library to talk about the Kanima. I think it’d be good for you to be there.”

“I will.” My body was outside the house, squatting in front of the window. “Again, thanks, Scott. It’s good to know I have a friend looking out for us.”

“Don’t mention it, (Y/N).” He smiled, scratching his neck trying to hide the blush that had crept to his face. “Get home safe.”

I felt uneasy the whole ride back home. I truly couldn’t fathom how Derek old even spend a second with me after everything my family had put him through. My stomach hadn’t stopped turning, and I felt like I could throw up at any second. He didn’t deserve to have to look at a person that resembled the person that had screwed up his life. The tears started streaming from my eyes before I could stop them. It didn’t feel right, and it wasn’t right.

Somehow I made it back home. I had blacked out at some point and was moving out of muscle memory. I was glad my parents had not made it back home yet — I could let tears cascade without having to hide them. Allison and I had always looked up to our aunt. To us, she presented herself as a confident, independent, and badass woman. I still remember how one Christmas Allison and I had gotten into her clothes and pretended to be her. When Kate found us, she couldn’t help but laugh at the two little irks in front of her. She questioned what we were doing and we told her we wanted to be just like her. I recalled how I told her I wanted to grow up to be her. There’s nothing I wouldn’t have done to take that back. Had I know back then what I knew now, I would have stayed as far away from her.

“This family is all types of messed up. Huh, Brody?” My dog looked up at me, a questioning glance on his face. “What am I gonna do, bub? I don’t think I’m strong enough to face him. I really don’t.”

Brody barked, leaving kisses on my cheeks — a nimble approach to getting rid of my tears. I snuggled closer to him, enjoying his comforting presence. There was no way I was going to be able to sleep well tonight.

I was standing in the middle of Derek’s family home, the only light coming from the moon peeking through the clouds. It was a cold night, and the low temperature was seeping into my bones. My whole body ached and the air smelled of soot. I felt uneasy standing there. Now knowing its history, my heart clenched tightly. I could only imagine the pain that had ensued in what I presumed was an agonizingly slow death. The tears that escaped from my eyes burned into my skin, and my ears rang with an unknown high pitch. I kneeled on the floor, and attempt to catch m breath.

“It hurts doesn’t it?” I stood up, the unknown voice startling me. “The smell is the worst part.”

“Aunt Kate.”

“The screams weren’t that bad,” she chuckled. “They died down quickly. There’s so much screaming you can do when smoke fills your lungs.”

“Stop,” I sobbed. “Please.”

“I can just imagine them thinking it was a normal afternoon, and then the fire starts. You know, wooden houses are a very good catalyst to speed up a fire.”

“Stop.”

“(Y/N), come on.” Kate was grinning, a sinister smile that would have anyone shivering. “It’s only a matter of time before you do something similar. You and I have always been the most alike — centered, strong, morally grey. It’s in your blood, baby girl. At first, you’re gonna believe you’re on their side, but soon you’ll see that they’re all bad. Sooner or later they all spill innocent blood. It’s better to get them when they’re fresh, it’s so much easier”

“How can you talk like that? These are people’s lives you are talking about.”

“It’s different, sweetheart. They’re not normal, they’re a living abomination,” she rationalized. “This is all a game of power. We can’t allow them to have the upper hand. If we let that happen, they’ll overtake us, and there is a natural order to things.”

“Is that why you murdered a whole family of innocent beings? The family of a kid you tricked to fall for you, leaving him alone to suffer!” I yelled, the loudness hurting my throat. “You tricked Derek and used him to end his line. Why?”

“A pack is only as strong as its number. The bigger they are, the stronger they are. I was just doing my job,” she grinned. “Just like you did.”

“What are you talking about? I would never do something as heartless as you have.”

“Are you sure, honey? Why don’t you walk through that door and say that again.”

I stared at her like a deer stuck in headlights. My body shook as I slowly made my way to the dark front door of the house. Her eyes burned into every step I took, the sinus eerie grin still prominent on her face. With every step, her stare edging me on forward. There was a scene to unfold behind that door, and she was eager for me to see it.

I stretched my hand towards the doorknob but flinched when I felt the burning temperature it held. Kate said nothing as she encouraged me to open the door, daring me to face whatever I had to with just her gaze. I braced myself for the feeling and clasped my hand around the knob, turning it to reveal whatever it was that she wanted me to see.

The scene in front of me was heartbreaking. We now stood in front of Derek’s apartment complex, his loft lit aflame. The smell of ash was more prominent and the heat was almost unbearable. I tried to run into the building, the need to help any survivors growing in me. But Kate held me back, a painful grip holding onto my arm.

“Let me go!” I yelled through tears. “I need to save my friends.”

“Darling, don’t you get it?” She chuckled. “They’re all gone. All thanks to you. Look at your hands, honey.”

I did as she told, and my breath hitched in my throat when I did. My clothes were drenched in blood, and in my hands, I carried a bloody knife and a lighter. “No, I would never do this.”

“You already did.” She pointed forward, fixing my sight on the bodies that laid on the floor of the lot. “And some of them were innocent, too. But in war, there are always casualties. I mean, your cousin sided with them, and look how she ended up.”

I walked around the bodies, trying to find a sign of life in any of them as a flood of tears streamed out of my ducts.

Scott.

Stiles.

Lydia.

Isaac.

Allison.

Even Boyd and Erica were there.

But I didn’t see one important person. “Where’s Derek?” My voice croaked, barely the volume of a whisper.

“Who do you think is inside the building? It’s a fitting end for him. Dying in the way he shucked have years ago,” she laughed maniacally. “At least he’ll relate to his family when he gets to the other side.

“NO!” Once again I tried to run into the building, needing to risk my ice to save his. But she stopped name in my tracks once more, her grip tightening. “Let me go, please. Just let me go, I have to save him.”

“Honey, he’s already gone,” she scoffed. “Don’t you get it, sweetheart? There are only two ways this will end — it’s either you or them. And the sooner you accept it, the easier it will be; you are just like me.”

Tag List: @hellowinterlane​ @lokisgoddesofpower​ @mersuperwholocked-lowlife @malar-region @sunshine-flower

COLLISION MASTERLIST

Status: Ongoing

Mood Board

Summary: (Y/N) Uley is back home after being away for four years. Her life is at its first standstill and she is taking this time to find out who she is without school. But she never thought that coming back to the reservation would turn her whole life around. In the midst of secrets and mystery, a man crashes into (Y/N)’s and her life will never be the same.

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

All stories on Tumblr are written as reader inserts. For original characters, you can read the same stories in AO3 or Wattpad under the same username. For any requests, leave me a message in my inbox or by DM. For tagging, make sure your account allows your username to be tagged, or else you’ll still miss out.

SPEAK MASTERLIST

Status: Ongoing

Mood Board

Summary: Bella Swan was a disaster when Edward had left. Deciding she needed a little help, Charlie Swan receives with open arms his younger daughter (Y/N) Swan. She helps Bella during her depression and becomes inseparable from her long-lost friend Jacob. What she didn’t expect was falling for a hotheaded short-tempered silver wolf.

Chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

All my stories on Tumblr are written as reader inserts. For original characters, you can read the same stories in AO3 or Wattpad under the same username. For any requests, leave me a message in my inbox or by DM. For tagging, make sure your account allows your username to be tagged, or else you’ll still miss out.