Btswriterscorner Presents - Tumblr Posts
Way To You
For the @btswriterscorner - Amor Fabula Launch Project in celebration of the month of Valentine’s Day!
Plot: Taehyung is happy with his life because that’s how he’s supposed to feel. He lives his life by routine to the minute. In the new world order, love is a dangerous emotion - and therefore illegal. That’s perfectly fine - until the lingering ‘dreams’ of a strange woman throw him out of sync. Mostly because that woman isn’t his wife.
Rating: M // NSFW
Genre: dystopian! au/dystopian themes | angst | smut | fluff if you squint
Pairing: Kim Taehyung x Female OC (Tempest Estrellado)
Warnings: Strong language, interracial relationship, mentions of drugs, blood, main character injury, implied smut
Word Count: 2,886
AN: This hot mess has 3 parts. Please enjoy and thank you for loving all that we do © thebiasrekkers (Admin T). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.
Links:
FAQ
||
BTS Masterlist
||
[ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]
--
“Can we stay like this forever?” She always asked him this after. Their bodies drying in a cool summer breeze through an open window. Their limbs tangled and he could feel her breath against the skin of his neck. The gentle rise and fall of her shoulders. Taehyung kept his eyes closed, living within the sounds and sensations around him. His fingers could trace the colony of goosebumps on her skin. He could smell the heat of her so close. The faint sweet, salty mix of their love lingered on his lips turning upward into a dreamy smile. The rumble of his laugh deep and sensual caused her to smile.
He could always remember her eyes - they were unique. Leonine. A golden-amber concoction, a genetic mutation that added something wild to the already fierce attitude within that petite form.
His mouth formed her name, but he could never hear it. She tilted her gaze to his face as his fingers slid along her jaw.
He’d always say something - it was something that he knew he shouldn’t be saying. But, they said it to each other. They said it freely.
Then there was always pain that seared his mind.
Then the alarm would ring and it would be forgotten again.
5:30 am.
Wake up.
5:45 am.
Shower.
6 am.
Coffee. Toast. Protein bar.
6:15 am
Run 4 miles.
7 am.
Shower again. Protein bar. Protein Shake.
7:15 am.
Lock the door.
7:55 am
Arrive at work. Clock in.
8 am.
To say that Taehyung was methodical was to point out the obvious. He always showed up minutes early to work, making sure the office was lit and inviting. As inviting as their line of work was, anyway. He stared at a stack of folders on his desk. They never seemed to shrink, these stacks. Names, faces, and pertinent information lined flimsy manila folders.
It was time to gather candidates to increase the population.
He sipped a cup of coffee as the voices began to filter into the office. Taehyung carried the stack of folders to the meeting room nearby. A presentation loaded as he stood in the corner.
“Good morning, everyone. We’ve compiled the candidates for this year.” Everyone settled in their seats.
He talked numbers and statistics for almost 3 hours.
“Any other questions?” The room was silent as the lights brightened. “Alright, you know what to do.” They all stood with a nod in his direction before they filed out of the room.
12 pm.
Lunch and coffee in his office.
5 pm.
Debriefing with The Council liaison.
7 pm.
Lock up and head home.
8 pm.
Late Dinner.
“Taehyung, dinner is in the oven. I have to report to R&D tonight.” A female voice spoke softly as he walked into his home.
“I suppose it cannot be helped. Do be careful, April. Things have been slightly tense in the riot zone.” He hung up his jacket as his ‘Wife’ slid hers on. She offered a slight smile as she grabbed her badge.
“Rest well, Taehyung.” A brief touch on his shoulder. Like a dear friend wishing another friend well.
10 pm.
Sleep.
“Taehyung! Seriously! You’re slow as molasses.” A voice taunted him, a petite figure outlined in front of him. He could feel himself licking his lips. An eagerness, an urgency to get his hands on her.
She was teasing him. She knew better than to tease him. He felt heat fire through his veins. The world was so bright and vibrant. There was the crash of water, the air salty like the...sea?
The ocean - the moon was full. Full like he hadn’t seen it in ages. When was the last time the sky looked like this?
He called her name and she turned around, her full lips tilted upward in a smile. She reached behind her back tugging at the string of a bikini top. Turning away from him as it fell down her arms. He heard a sound, like an animal nearby.
He realized it was him. He growled as the sight of skin glowing under the moonlight fueled him further. It was like time sped forward and he saw her face beneath him. Their bodies intertwined, her face scrunched in orgasmic bliss as she purred. He was losing his mind, he could swear he felt her around him.
The sound of the ocean was like a lullaby as their voices crescendoed and they cried out freely. She dug her fingers into his back and dragged them across his shoulder blades. He roared as he exploded inside of her.
Time went funny as they lay together, again, on the sands. Her face obscured as she leaned over him. She smiled down at him, saying something. She called him...something. The world began to fizzle as exhaustion washed over him.
“We could stay like this forever, querido.”
The pain was stronger this time.
5:31 am
Turn the alarm off.
Taehyung clawed at the throbbing pain in his skull. He stumbled to the bathroom, reaching for the vitamins April reminded him constantly not to forget. He swallowed them down with a glass of water.
He winced as the pain throbbed behind his eye. His hands gripped the sink until his knuckles were white.
It took ten minutes for the pain to subside.
Taehyung saw the reflection in the mirror and hardly recognized it. There were bags under bloodshot eyes. He splashed cold water on his face. He stripped down to jump into a hot spray of water. He stood there for fifteen minutes letting the water loosen his muscles.
“What the hell was that?”
Flashes of dreams kept creeping into his mind, the pain increased each time he tried to access them.
7:27 am
Hasty breakfast.
7:58 am
Barely makes it ‘early’.
8:05 am
Two cups of coffee as he grabs the stack of folders for today’s patients.
“Good morning, everyone. We’ve compiled the candidates for today.” Everyone settled in their seats.
There was a new face today. It was scary how all heads turned in her direction. She adjusted the glasses on her face as she stood.
“I’ll be working with your department as the liaison from the Medical Division starting today.” She approached Taehyung with a hand extended. “My name is Tempest Estrellado.”
She looked up at him ...leonine eyes. Taehyung’s brow twitched momentarily as he accepted her hand. “Ms. Estrellado, a pleasure. I look forward to our continued success.” He held her hand for one second more than he should have. “If you please take your seat?” She offered a curt nod before settling in her seat. Tae cleared his throat, clapped for the lights to dim.
Taehyung paced around the table slowly as he flipped between screens. Numbers, percentages, and her eyes are so bright even in the low light. He shook his head as he found himself staring at the top of her head.
The peek of collarbone caused his lips to part as two people spoke on some extra bit of information just made available. His thoughts suddenly wandered to the delicate fingers tapping on the keypad of her tablet.
“Mr. Kim…” Someone calling him had his gaze snapping upward. The young tech from R&D tilted her head. “...your thoughts, sir?”
“Ah, right. If we run into the same rabid sequences as last year? Protocol as normal unless we get clearance to combine genetic materials. It is still a curious matter for The Council if proper citizens can come from Rebel couplings.” He waved a hand moving toward the front of the room.
“Any other questions?” The room was silent as the lights brightened. “Alright, you know what to do.” They all stood with a nod in his direction before they filed out of the room.
1 pm
Lunch.
1:30 pm
“Mr. Kim.” A voice caused him to look up from his desk.
“Yes, Ms. Estrellado?” He wiped his mouth, cleared his hands and stood. An arm spread to offer her the seat in front of his desk.
She wore her hair in a ponytail, slicked back. Its length easily the middle of her back. She was petite - even for what he was used to. She was maybe 5’5 outside of the two-inch heels she wore, that is.
“...so I’m going to need a space to work. I hope you don’t mind?” She arched a brow as he shook his head again.
“Uh, n-no. That’s not a problem. The office next to me is quite large. I’ll have it ready for you tomorrow, should that suffice?” He maintained his professionalism as she offered that slight smile.
“Splendid.” She stood offering her hand once more. “I’ll be heading to collect my things - I’ll be here bright and early.”
They shook hands.
She left his office, and he found himself sagging against his desk.
The pain ringing like a bell in his ears.
Promise me, Taehyung. No matter what. Promise.
He shook his head violently as he settled back at his desk. It seemed like he stared at nothing until his phone rang.
“This is Mr. Kim.” A receptionist pleasantly announced his Wife calling.
“Taehyung.” April spoke, that pleasant friendly tone, “...are you alright?” His brow furrowed as she asked.
“Of course, why wouldn’t I be?”
“You didn’t eat your protein bar this morning. That’s unlike you.” He could detect the stirring of worry.
“Ah, I had a bit of a headache this morning.” He sighed quietly.
That worry seemed to turn into something...else. “Did you take your vitamins, Taehyung? You know how important it is for you to take your vitamins.”
There was something almost cold, ominous in her tone. His brow furrowed deeply as he answered her, making sure the hesitation was absent from his voice. “Of course, April. I took them immediately when I woke up. I was quite fine after a shower. I think I was just alarmed at the one minute tardy. I assure you, I’m fine.”
There was a long, thick silence before she spoke again. Her tone was light and friendly once more. “I’m sure it was jarring, Taehyung. Just let me know if you feel strange, alright?”
He forced himself to smile, so it filtered through into his voice. “Of course, April. I need to stay late tonight. We have a new colleague who’ll be using the empty office. I’d like to have it ready for her use.”
“Of course, Taeyung. You’re not the only ones busy. I will leave dinner for you. Have a good night, Taehyung.”
“Of course, April. You do the same.” The line goes dead but he still holds the phone aloft. It’s almost a full minute before he placed the handset onto its base. There was that bothersome echo in the back of his mind again.
It was exhaustion - wasn’t it?
10:37 pm
Nails on a chalkboard. That was the sound of the heavy furniture sliding across the floor. Tae had removed his jacket and dress shirt. His white t-shirt had slightly grayed from cleaning the other office. He worked quietly adjusting the office to spec. There was a certain placement for all of the furniture in the office. They all looked the same, even when facing different directions.
11: 32 pm
Taehyung grunted as he dropped a box onto the floor. He rotated his shoulder to work out the strange soreness. It was unusual for him to suffer such strains. “Mm, I didn’t have much to eat today.” He sighed. That conversation with April caused his brow to furrow. He glanced at his watch with a deeper sigh. He didn’t understand that sudden change in her demeanor. He didn’t understand why he felt the need to keep up appearances. There had been no reason to be dishonest with her.
She was his wife. She was also a medical researcher. She would have understood his symptoms, right? April would have offered some kind of solution, right?
Why am I thinking about this so hard? Taehyung pushed to stand. One more cup of coffee would give him the energy he needed to push through. That’s what he believed. The office was a strange place at night. There were a few occasions that warranted his presence in the office so late. He shouldered into the break room, pulling the fridge open in the darkness. The light seemed eerie as perfectly situated rows of water and milk lined the shelves. There were fruits and vegetables in the drawers. Small bags of freshly cooked proteins.
He reached for one of each, plus a bottle of water. He waited those few extra minutes to brew a small pot of coffee. His hand scrunched over the tops of the bags holding the food. The other held a hot cup of caffeine against his face.
1:48 am
Exhausted.
Taehyung was exhausted and he couldn’t explain why this sensation caused something to spark inside of him. He sprawled on the floor, making sure not to disturb the exact precision of his work. His eyes closed as he paid attention to the thundering in his ears. The tightness in his chest as he fought for more air.
Why did this interest him so? Why did it seem suddenly...familiar?
“I shouldn’t have had that extra coffee.” His voice was gruff as he drifted into sleep. Just a small nap, just a moment to close his eyes and rest.
The sky was bright, fiery - hot.
“Taehyung!” She called him her hand extended as he pulled himself up from the ground. “We have to get out of here.” Those leonine eyes were hard and filled with determination. He could feel his heart thundering in his chest.
The coppery taste of blood filled his mouth causing him to spit. The sound of gunfire echoed above their heads. They returned to fire on opposite sides hiding behind the shattered pieces of building near them.
“We have to make a run for it.” He told her. She frowned but hardened her gaze with a nod. They were sitting ducks this way. Taehyung reached out and grabbed her hand - there was a break in the fire. Then they ran - hard.
“We have to find a way to meet up with the resistance, Tae!” The female’s voice was loud over the sound of violence around them.
“We have to live through this first!” He growled pulling her in front of him as he spun around a corner. “Listen to me, we …” His hands framed a set of tiny shoulders, holding them firm. “...we need to split up.”
And as he anticipated, “No. NO! Fuck no, Tae! Tae that’s madness! We can’t!”
“LISTEN TO ME.” He shook her harder feeling his brow crease. He didn’t like it. He abhorred the idea of being away from her. But this new world order gave them no option. They had to find their way to the Rebels that would help them. “Please, I beg you. Please, we have to split here. I’ll draw their fire. You have to run. I promise you, I’ll find you.”
He hated it. He hated seeing those rare eyes filled with tears. He hated seeing that strength seep from her. “Please.” He framed her face as their foreheads touched. She grabbed his wrists squeezing her eyes shut.
“Don’t you die, Taehyung.” The female took a shuddering breath as her tears fell over his fingers. “Do you hear me? Don’t you fucking die. I will find you.” She dug half-moon indentations into his arm as their lips smashed together for the last time. He could feel his tears burning hot craters against his cheeks.
“Go ____..” He croaked as she sobbed quietly. She finally pulled away running toward a thicket of bushes. Taehyung felt himself hyperventilating as he held his weapon tight. He wanted to run after her. He wanted to scream for her to stay where she was. He swallowed his cowardice as he moved beyond the cover to open fire on the enemy.
I won’t die.
He pushed toward the open field, drawing their attention to him. Searing pain radiated on his left side, causing him to take a knee. The world was silent as the sky seemed to come to meet him - or he met it?
The weightlessness of the world was apparent as the blue of the sky filled his eyes. The fiery blast sent him, others, and debris hurtling to the sky. He heard the crack of his body as he landed on his spine.
The tears filled his eyes as the world crumbled around him. He made a promise. “I’m sorry…” Taehyung coughed blood in spurts as his world began to fade to black.
Taehyung. He could hear her voice even as his body pulled him into the darkness.
Taehyung, wake up! It was her. He was sure of it.
I want to go back to her. I want to go back to her!
Taehyung!
He sat up grabbing the arm that shook him from his slumber. His eyes wide as their close proximity gave them both pause. “T-Tempest?” There was worry etched across her face. He could feel her pulse racing under his hand.
They both glanced at their connected skin - and Taehyung saw the time.
7:52 am
Way To You - 2
Plot: Knocked from his routine, Taehyung finds himself discovering [or is it remembering?] the reality of his situation. It’s especially disturbing since his Wife has been acting rather strange.
Rating: M // NSFW
Genre: dystopian! au/dystopian themes | angst | smut | fluff if you squint
Pairing: Kim Taehyung x Female OC (Tempest Estrellado)
Warnings: Strong language, interracial relationship, mentions of drugs, blood, main character injury, implied smut
Word Count: 1,488
AN: This hot mess has 3 parts. Please enjoy and thank you for loving all that we do © thebiasrekkers (Admin T). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.
Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]
--
9 am
“Mr. Kim, you seem to be unwell.” Tempest frowned as she pressed the back of her hand against his forehead. “Have you eaten?” He felt himself leaning into the coolness of her palm. There was a brow arch as she watched him. “Mr. Kim? Did you eat?”
Tae blinked sleepily as he straightened himself. The meeting happened earlier in order for him to retreat back to his office. “N-no. I wound up losing track of time. I had something small and coffee. I apologize for concerning you.” He let his chest expand on an inhale. “I’ll be alright, Ms. Estrellado.”
She lowered her hands just as the door swung open.
“Taehyung!” The voice sounded upset, but April paused as Tempest and Taehyung turned toward her. What was that look just now? He tilted his head as April seemed to shift her demeanor. “I-I was concerned about you. It was apparent you hadn’t been home.” She moved over toward him as Tempest took a step back.
There was a look that lingered too long for Tempest’s liking from the woman, who was obviously Taehyung’s wife. “I take it your Ms. Estrellado?” April spoke cooly as she let her fingers dance along his shoulder.
Tempest tilted her head politely. “I am. I was just asking Mr. Kim if he had eaten. I was going to suggest that he should go home to rest.” There was a darkness to April’s eyes as she watched the other woman. Tempest clasped her hands in front of her, nonplussed by the other woman’s focus.
“I think that’s a good idea, Taehyung.” She turned to him placing a warm hand on his cheek. A wave of nausea hit that had him pulling away from April.
“M’fine, I just need t-to..” He swayed. Tempest was under his arm before April realized he stumbled.
“Mr. Kim, I’m afraid I’m going to have to order you to go home.” He tensed at the word order. The Medical personnel held more power than even the military. The Medical personnel was responsible for keeping balance. For keeping the maintenance of The System which allowed the Council power and prestige.
If someone was called unwell by Medical staff? It was a dire situation. Life was too precious, too important to waste. April glared as Taehyung leaned too heavily on the other woman. She cleared her throat getting under Taehyung’s other arm. “I can take it from here.” She offered a tight smile as Taehyung’s weight transferred.
“Of course, Mrs. Kim.” Tempest stepped aside.
“Thank you, Tempest.” Taehyung murmured quietly as he gathered his things. April gave him a stern look that caused him to compose himself before stepping out of the office. Tempest gave a short nod before leaving before them.
11:17 am
“Do you know how embarrassing that was?” April’s voice cut the thick silence in the elevator. Taehyung said nothing as the bell rang to announce their floor. He was tired, his head hurt and all April could do? All she had been doing - was bitching.
He waved his keyfob in front of their door.
“Taehyung, are you listening to me?” April followed him inside as he hung his jacket and bag. The shirt shrugged off his frame, causing her to tilt her head. Why hadn’t she noticed it before? It was as if he had somehow filled out? There was something enticing about him in this state.
It was so close to that time before. When he was so lively and full of fight. April bit into her bottom lip as she admonished the train of thought. He ran his fingers through his hair as he opened the fridge. He guzzled a bottle of water turning to the hand outstretched next to him.
“You need to take your vitamins and rest, Taehyung. You know you get thrown off if you don’t keep up your regimen.” April held out a small pack of pills. And for the first time in years, he hesitated before taking them.
“April, I’ll be fine. You have work to do.” He emptied the packet into his mouth followed by vigorous guzzling of water. “I assure you I can handle myself alone.” He arched a brow as April seemed pleased by his compliance. She sighed letting a hand settle against his cheek.
“Rest. Eat. I’ll be home in the morning. Hopefully, before you leave.” A slight smile before she spun on her heel to leave. He waited for the door to click shut. He waited for the distant ring of the elevator bell.
Then he turned to the kitchen sink and was violently sick.
The pills, undigested, floating in bile and a swirl of water as he washed them down the drain.
1:30 pm
“Why is it so hot?” He’d been sweating profusely. His fingers dug into the hem of his t-shirt as he peeled it off. It landed on the floor with a wet plop as he made his way to the shower. The water squeaked on as he dropped the last of his work clothes to the floor. The cool water pelted his skin for much-needed relief. It was strange to think that he’d never really taken a long shower before this moment. He adjusted the heat to wash his hair.
Taehyung squeezed his eyes shut as the lather slid down his face.
“You should let me wash your back, querido.”
A voice echoed in the bathroom - or was it in his head? His eyes popped open too quickly, blurring at the shampoo irritant filling his gaze. It was as if something flickered in front of him. He saw a body, a form - a voice that sounded so familiar. But they were dreams, right?
He felt fingers pushing the wet hair back from his face. A body pressed against his and those leonine eyes snagging his soul again.
“What is it, mi amor?” She purred quietly, concern written across delicate features. He felt his hands on her body, so real.
He suddenly felt a burn in the pit of his stomach at her proximity. His body knew hers, responded to hers, wanted her. But, that’s impossible? These urges were a thing of the past. It was against protocols. These emotions, these sensations had been done away with. Yet, here he was in the shower - with a woman, not his wife. And he was on fire.
Taehyung spun in a circle shaking the soap from his eyes. He blinked rapidly as his fingers dug into pectoral space above his heart. He let the thundering of the shower pound against his head. Both hands were used to push wet strands of hair from his face. He reached behind his shoulder to make sure he was rinsed clean.
“Huh..” He tilted his head as he felt a small scar in the middle of his back.
He grabbed a towel as the handles squeaked into the off position. Taehyung frowned as he rubbed the condensation on his mirror. He turned to get a look at the scars.
Scars? Scars?? How had he never remembered these?! How had he never looked at his body’s reflection? His eyes grew wide as he took in the scattered warzone of his back. His hands gripped the sink as he felt the weight of something pressing against the front of his skull.
I promise I’ll find you. Don’t die.
He shook his head again, stumbling out of the bathroom. Taehyung didn’t understand the fatigue suddenly falling over him. He collapsed atop his bed, towel still wrapped around his waist, an arm across his forehead.
Taehyung.
He murmured something, half asleep. A voice that set his soul on fire. A voice that spread color through his world. A voice - that didn’t belong to April.
Taehyung sighed softly, nuzzling into the phantom fingers that caressed his face.
“..I promised.” He murmured sleepily. “...kept my promise.”
A body settled on the edge of his bed as he entered deep sleep.
A pair of glossy leonine eyes watched him until he was finally resting comfortably.
“...And I kept my promise too, querido.” Tempest watched his chest rise and fall for a few minutes before she stood. “Just a little longer. You’re almost there.” She brushed her lips against his forehead.
9:30 pm
It’s the first dreamless sleep he’s had in some months now. There was a scent in the room that had him reaching for his face. Did he get up and change clothes? He stared down at the sweats and t-shirt.
He reached for the glass of water at his bedside, draining it quickly. The glass hung between his fingers as the heel of his palm pushed into his eye socket.
9:45 pm
“Taehyung, I’m home to check on you.” April’s voice echoed from the front of the house.
For some reason, for the first time that he can remember - the sound of her voice - causes him to frown.
Way To You - 3
For the @btswriterscorner - Amor Fabula Launch Project in celebration of the month of Valentine’s Day!
Plot: Everything isn’t what it seems. The truth finally sets him free.
Rating: M // NSFW
Genre: dystopian! au/dystopian themes | angst | smut | fluff if you squint
Pairing: Kim Taehyung x Female OC (Tempest Estrellado)
Warnings: Strong language, interracial relationship, mentions of drugs, smut [like maybe softish? maybe sorta needed cause it’s been a while]
Word Count: 3,422
AN: And this is the end. Please enjoy and thank you for loving all that we do © thebiasrekkers (Admin T). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.
Links:
FAQ
||
BTS Masterlist
||
[ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]
WC: 3,422
---
10:05 pm
They always sat in relative silence at dinner time. When was the last time they really sat to dinner? Taehyung pushed food across his plate idly. April made dutiful cuts into a piece of meat. “Taehyung, you’re not eating.” She barely spared him a glance as the fork disappeared between her teeth.
“How come I don’t remember the scars on my back?” He asked quietly. There was no need to lift his head. He heard the scrape of a knife across the porcelain. The sound of her chewing was suddenly thunderous in that silence.
“Whatever do you mean, Taehyung?” April’s brow rose as she continued with her routine. The routine of eating. The routine of being his Wife. The routine of keeping...s e c r e t s. “You told me it was something that happened as a child. We’re so busy these days, I’m sure it slipped your mind.” Her voice never wavered. He knew she believed that to be true.
Or maybe she wanted him to believe that she believed it to be true.
“See, that’s just the thing, April..” He placed his utensil down quietly. “I don’t remember a lot from my childhood. Don’t you find that strange?” The molten brown of his eyes lifted to the woman across from him. Because in the span of the last week, he realized he didn’t know just who the hell April really was.
She placed the last bite of food in her mouth. A napkin dabbing at the corners, hopefully hiding the irritation in her frown. “Taehyung.” She sounded like a mother chastising a young child. “A lot of things were forgotten when The Unification happened. Not all of us came out the same or mentally intact.” Her hands clasped over her lap as she sighed. “This is what happens when we stray from our routine. It’s a butterfly effect, Taehyung. That one late morning has spiraled into …” A hand waved as she tried to put into words his paranoia. “..this. I think you should get a check-up. We’ll make sure everything is ok, perhaps adjust your vitamins. Maybe lay off the caffeine, I’m sure you’ll be back to your usual self soon.”
April pushed away from the table grabbing her plate. “For now, I think you should ease up on your workload. I know this year’s matching protocols are different - I believe it’s taking its toll.” Taehyung narrowed his eyes as she disappeared into the kitchen.
“I’m going to give you something to help you sleep. It should get you back on schedule.” Taehyung stared at his plate of food again, the fork pulling through the vegetables.
And he saw it again.
The green pellets - similar to the inside of the vitamins that April insisted on shoving down his throat.
He lost his appetite.
11:30 pm
April sat in a chair at the side of the bed. Taehyung had seemed suspicious of the sleeping aid. But, he relented after admitting he was tired. Her fingers pinched at the skin of his wrist. She kept count of his pulse before letting his hand down gently.
She stepped out of the room, the door a gentle click as she moved to the front of the house. The cell phone buzzing continued until it was retrieved from her lab coat.
“Well?” The voice on the other end inquired.
“I don’t know what to make of it, honestly.” She sighed. It was rare to feel the frustration of this level. Everything had been going smoothly for some years now. She wasn’t sure when things began to change - but Taehyung was destabilizing. “We need to get a handle on this before it gets too far.”
There was a deep, disappointed sigh that echoed in her ears. “April, I thought you said you could handle this.” The tone caused her to frown.
“I-I can. It’s just a small oversight. I will get him stabilized again. You have my word.” What was this nervousness? Why did she have a hard time believing her own words?
There was a thick silence that allowed her to hear the volume of her own swallow. “Fix it, April.” Clear irritation in the male voice. “Because we don’t need a former leader of the Rebel Uprising to regain his memory. Are we clear?”
April released a quiet breath as she nodded. “I won’t let you down, Hoseok.”
“See that you don’t, Mrs. Kim.” The call disconnects. April ran nervous fingers through her hair. A hand clutched at her chest as she rushed out of the house. There’s got to be a stronger dosage that won’t kill him. Their research was imperative to keep rebels under control. It was important to the stability of their society.
Her prestige was on the line - and while having Taehyung as a trophy was all well and good? April’s reputation was a far more precious thing.
11:37 pm
Hoseok pinched the bridge of his nose as the call disconnected. “Did she buy it?” A female voice asked. He steepled his fingers turning to the fierce leonine gaze across from him. He offered a quiet nod.
“She’s spooked enough to make a mistake. But, it also proves that destabilization happens faster than the research project.” Hoseok pursed his lips at the stack of folders opened across his desk. “And to think, it just takes a break in routine and a couple missed doses.” This almost absently as Tempest flipped through a folder in her lap.
“It’s taken a long time to even figure this out.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She closed her folder with a snap. Her hands raised to cradle her face. Hoseok watched her shoulders shake before looking off into the distance.
“You’ve done well to be this patient, Tempest.” He rose to round the desk. A comforting hand on her shoulder as they rose on an inhale. “I know it’s been a long time. We’re almost there.” Tempest nodded while placing a hand on his. Hoseok took her hand placing a syringe in her palm, curling the fingers over it. “This is it. If this works?” They held each other’s gaze for a long moment.
“And if it doesn’t, Hoseok?” The unshed tears in her eyes erased all his hesitation.
“Tempest. It will work.” It has to. She stashed the syringe in her coat pocket. They both turned to a monitor that showed April walking into the downstairs lab. “Go. I’ll keep her occupied. If anything seems off, you get him out of there immediately. You know where to go.”
She was out the door without another word. Leaving him to watch April fret over her data. His lips curled into a knowing smirk when she picked up the phone at her desk. He didn’t let the phone ring long as he sank back into his role. “Mrs. Kim, how can I help you?”
1:15 am
“We have to do something.” Conviction burned in the depths of his eyes. She knew she couldn’t sway him in this state. “It’s not right, Tempest. You know that as well as I do!” He threw a hand to the hair as his voice escalated.
“Of course it’s wrong, Taehyung. But, what are we going to do against a whole global movement? This is madness!” She tried to get him to look at her as he paced. “We need to be smart about this. That’s all I’m asking. That’s all I’m saying.”
“There’s no time for smart, Tempest. If we don’t act now, soon? What becomes of us? All of us? Any of us?” His hands were tight on her shoulders. They were afraid - both of them. Irrational and mindless with fear. To think that the UN felt that eradicating certain emotions would allow humanity to sink into harmony. They likened the state of the world to Troy. A beautiful woman could cause nations to war and fall. So to solve the inconsistencies in the world? They would implement a new regime. One that would erase boundaries and barriers caused by status, race, religion, sexuality, and gender.
In a way, it would be starting over. Everyone would be assigned a partner. Someone that would genetically yield strong, proper citizens of this new world order.
And they meant everyone. The prospect of relationships that have lasted decades being split on a whim, had more than half the population ready to riot.
“I love you. I don’t want to lose you.” His fingers slid up the column of her neck. Her fingers latched onto his wrist as he tilted her gaze to his. “And I’m willing to fight and die to keep you.”
“I don’t want to lose you. I don’t need you to die for me, Tae.” She shook her head at the thought. “Let’s just go? Let’s just find someplace, the two of us. Let’s just go.” He smiled sadly as her head pressed into his sternum.
“Tempest, there are others like us. There will be others like us. We need to stick together while we can.” There was a quiet sob that muffled into his shirt. She knew he was right - and even she was surprised at her selfishness.
“We are going to have to fight, aren’t we?” She sniffled against the beat of his heart against her ear.
“As long as we’re together..” He murmured into her hair.
“Can we stay like this forever?” Her fingers clinging to him as if he’d disappear at that moment.
2:45 am
“You are interfering with human evolution!” A great debate ensued in the following months. Those who had lost faith in humanity gathered to champion the change in regime. This one of the few public, and cordial, debates that were happening across the globe.
Taehyung stood at a podium as the politician ranted until he was red in the face. He sighed deeply when the applause thundered in the building. “Listen, since time immemorial we have all paved a way for ourselves. Humanity has made its share of mistakes, this will surely be another one. While the theory is sound, the application is not. We can find a way to achieve this harmony by working together to help those less fortunate. By building up those weaker, sicker, than us. Thus helping to strengthen the very foundation of our society. We can help each other stand.” Tempest watched as those gathered contemplated, considered quietly the path they were about to take.
“That’s been the key this whole fucking time! But instead of doing that work? You just decide to just wipe us clean of the very thing that makes us human. Where is the evolution in that?” The politician looked around as the masses murmured.
He narrowed his gaze at Taehyung a fist clenched against the podium edge.
It was that day - that Taehyung became a beacon for those who wanted progress without the overbearing regime. It was the day that Taehyung became public enemy number one.
3:30 am
He felt a pinch in the side of his neck.
Taehyung’s eyes rolled like marbles in his skull. A wave of heat and nausea rushed through him. He turned to the side to wretch into a small garbage can. Dizzy, feverish, and half-asleep a disjointed voice echoed in his ears.
“Shh. It’s ok. You’re almost there.” His breathing labored as his body spasmed and arched off the bed. It felt like someone was taking a razor blade to his nervous system. His mouth opened on a silent scream as a pair of hands pushed at his chest.
He felt a weight settle over his abdomen pinning his body down to the bed. Tears squeezed from the corners of his eyes as pain scraped him from head to toe.
Tempest moved his arms under her knees as she tried to avoid being bucked off the bed. A determined, teary, gaze locked onto him as she waited. It was, unfortunately, a part of the process. The only way to complete the destabilization was to essentially scrape the drug from the receptors in the central nervous system. It moved through the body, sweeping in to gobble the remnants of the chemical protocol.
3:50 am
“Ah, Kim Taehyung. You’re going to be a fine example of our research.” April let her fingers dance along the dip in his waist. A satisfied smirk as she watched the staff strap him down to the table. He radiated pain as they stretched his limbs outward.
“You’re not going to get away with this, you psychotic bitch!” He spat. Their research had yielded fruit in curing his spinal injury. Now, it was time for the piece de resistance. He saw the multiple IV bags attached to the lines running into his hands and feet. They healed him but kept him weak and fatigued. Enough that they could do what they needed without much physical fight on his part.
April leaned down to brush a hand across his forehead. “I will get it away with it, Taehyung. And you won’t remember a thing.” She smiled as his vision blurred.
It all came back to him in a rush - his life. Memories burst from the chemical floodgate in his brain. He fought against something trying to hold him back. Taehyung make sure to take your vitamins. Something kept him pinned, restrained - and he bucked to fight against it.
April’s voice began to fade away. April’s face began to dissolve away in his memory. His brow furrowed as the uncertainty was replaced with anger.
Rage.
His body twisted beneath the weight on top of him.
“Don’t die, Taehyung.”
His heart thundered against his ribcage as another voice became louder.
“Can we stay like this forever?”
“I love you, Tempest.”
Tempest? The name that caused his body to heat. Her presence caused his heart to calm. His brow furrowed as emotions swept over him. Because he remembered, suddenly, Tempest Estrellado. The woman he loved. The woman who brought joy to a decade of his existence. He was ready to ask that stubborn woman to marry him. To let him make an honest woman out of her - and then The Decree was made.
They spent another five years gathering like-minded people to rebel against The Regime. Then they were separated during The Uprising. And then…?
And then?
And then he was captured.
“Tempest.” His voice a half sob as his muscles finally released. His body slumping into the mattress as the lie that had been his life fizzled away.
“I’ve missed you, querido.” His eyes flew open to those leonine eyes fixed to his face.
“Tempest?” She moved her knees as his hands shot up to frame her face. Trembling fingers, pupils wide as he touched her. “You’re here? You’re really here?”
“Si, mi precioso.” Her fingers raked through his hair, nails scraping against the nape of his neck. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as their foreheads touched. “I’m really here. It’s over now. You’re ok. You’re safe.”
Taehyung’s lips trembled, opened and closed with too many questions for his brain to process.
“Seven years.” She spoke as the meat of her bottom lip slipped between her teeth.
His brow furrowed as his head tilted. “W-what?”
“It’s been seven years, Taehyung.”
“It’s...that’s impossible?” He croaked. “It was just…”
“Seven years, Tae.” Tempest grabbed his hands, holding them steady as if she could stop the tremors. “It took us five years to find you. These last two years we’ve been trying to find a way to reverse the re-education process. It’s been seven years since the Rebel Uprising.” Tae swallowed thickly with her words.
“And now?” His voice barely above a whisper.
“And now we know that it works.” Tempest framed his face with her hands. “And now I have you back. Now the hard work begins. Now we can-” Her nostrils flared as his hands pressed into her hips. His lips crashing onto hers silencing anything else she had left to say.
“Shut up.” Feverish kisses as his fingers sank into the wealth of her hair. They weren’t exactly at the pinnacle of youth when the world changed. “Just shut up…” Tempest whimpered under his assault. “The only thing I want now? Is you. Just you.”
“Please.” She whispered against his mouth. “Please.” The need ripped through her gut as he flipped her over. Her legs wrapped around him pulling her against the heat burning between her legs. He leaned back on his knees peeling off the damp shirt. His hands slid up her torso before tearing the shirt from her body. Buttons ricocheted against hard surfaces as she unbuttoned her pants. His mouth blazed a hot moist trail against her collarbone and over the swell of her breast. His tongue swirled a nipple over the satin fabric of her bra.
He pulled her up to shrug the shirt off, the bra followed flung into the shadows of the room. They stayed apart only seconds long to maneuver out of the rest of their clothes. They were out of breath and completely naked staring at each other.
Taehyung’s mouth began to water as she filled his vision. The beaches. The summer. Their time all of it, rushing back to him as he pulled her against him. She felt him hard, throbbing, and warm against her stomach. Taehyung’s fingers flexed against her ass he tried to pull her into him. His tongue slithered against her bottom lip as she opened for him. They fell back against the bed as he nudged his way between her legs. “I’m sorry. I can’t wait. I promise I’ll be gentle later. But right now…” He growled against her mouth as his arms lifted her legs.
“Taehyung, please just - dios mio!” Her eyes rolled into her skull as Taehyung pushed against the lewd wetness of her slit.
And he bottomed out.
In one stroke.
He wanted to take his time remembering every inch of her body. He wanted to take her slow, build her up and watch her fall apart beneath him. But, it’s been seven whole years that they’ve been apart.
It’s been twelve years since they were last in each other’s arms. He needed this - he needed her to chase away this bitterness inside of him. “Tempest.” He leaned back letting his fingers dig possession into her hips. Her breasts jiggled with the force that he pounded into her. “God, I missed you. I missed this.” Beads of sweat dotted his hairline as she clutched the sheets. He knew he wouldn’t last it’d been too long. Hell, he couldn’t even remember a time that masturbation even came to mind.
He moaned her name over and over. She spoke his name like prayer to deities long gone. Taehyung’s hands slid upward to cup her breasts, her nipples caught between his fingers with a light tug.
That was all it took. She lifted her hips to meet each thrust as her hips vibrated with the force. His hands raked down her body holding her hips upward. Keeping her right where he needed her as he pounded that soft spongy area inside of her. Her toes curled, legs cramping as she thrashed her head against the pillows.
Faster. Faster. Harder. Veins bulging in both of their necks as they reached for the finish. One thrust, two thrusts. Taehyung froze as she snapped down on his length with a gargled cry. His head fell back as he lurched forward once more. Grunting with their skin sticky as he emptied into her. The orgasm was so swift and strong his thighs quivered with the effort to stay still.
He took a ragged breath as he collapsed atop of her, pulling her to the side immediately. They lay in the afterglow, the light of pre-dawn filtering through the window. The sound of their breathing turned to quiet sobs as they held each other.
Their limbs were tangled and he could feel her breath against the skin of his neck. The gentle rise and fall of her shoulders. Taehyung kept his eyes closed, living within the sounds and sensations around him. His fingers could trace the colony of goosebumps on her skin. He could smell the heat of her so close. The faint sweet, salty mix of their love lingered on his lips turning upward into a dreamy smile. The rumble of his laugh, deep and sensual, caused her to smile.
And this time he asked, “Can we stay like this forever?”
“We can, querido. We can now.”
F I N