#and i know immediately who he is and why he knows me

[kxsagi]

Can u do blue lock boys reacting to their s/o being in a Victoria secret add and it blows up😅🤞

“𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝’𝐬 𝐚 𝐕𝐒 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥”

a/n: DREAMMMMMM IF ONLY I MET THE HEIGHT REQUIREMENT BRUH

ft. isagi yoichi, itoshi rin, itoshi sae, nagi seishiro, mikage reo, shidou ryusei, karasu tabito, kaiser michael, ness alexis

isagi yoichi

isagi doesn’t get the news from you. no, of course not. he finds out the most humiliating way possible: during practice, bachira is grinning ear to ear, phone in hand, yelling across the field: “yo, isagi!! your girlfriend’s an angel – literally, she’s in the new victoria’s secret ad!!!” 

poor isagi almost swallows his tongue. he jogs over, sweaty, confused, only to be met with you on-screen in lingerie looking like a goddess. he immediately short-circuits, blurting: “that’s… that’s my girlfriend.” 

but instead of awe, his teammates howl with laughter at how flustered he is. chigiri pats his back like, “congrats, man, but how are you gonna survive knowing the entire world just saw this?” 

later, in the locker room, he’s frantically scrolling through comments like some middle-aged dad trying to figure out facebook. he mumbles things like, “why are there heart emojis from random dudes? she doesn’t even know you.” 

he calls you right after practice, voice still cracking: “you could’ve warned me! i almost fainted in front of everyone. everyone saw!” 

when he finally sees you in person, he tries to act casual, but he can’t stop blurting compliments like, “you were so pretty– wait, i mean, you are always pretty but like… that ad was insane.” 

despite his panic, he saves every screencap. folder labeled “for research,” but really it’s just him being your biggest fan in secret. 

itoshi rin

rin is walking to practice, hands in his pockets, minding his own business… when boom. giant billboard. victoria’s secret. you. 

he literally stops mid-step and just stares up at it, jaw tightening. some random fan walks by and mutters “damn, she’s hot,” and rin nearly turns around to fight a civilian on the spot. 

doesn’t mention it right away, but when he gets home, he sits on the couch with his arms crossed. when you walk in, he just goes: “so… lingerie ads, huh?” in his driest voice. 

you laugh nervously, and he doesn’t even blink. just stares at you like he’s trying to figure out why you didn’t tell him. 

“you looked good,” he mutters eventually, turning away so you don’t see the tips of his ears turning red. 

rin acts like he doesn’t care, but if teammates bring it up in a teasing way, he cuts them off with a death glare sharper than any blade. no one dares to joke twice. 

he secretly memorized the ad frame-by-frame. if you catch him staring at you at home, he’ll mutter something like, “the red set looked better in person,” as if he’s not replaying it in his head constantly. 

and god help the guy who stares at you too long in public – rin will stand right in front of you like a human wall, muttering, “eyes forward, asshole.” 

itoshi sae

sae is watching TV one evening, bored out of his mind, but you’d think with all the money he has, he’d pay for a no ads premium plan. so suddenly, there you are, strutting across the screen. victoria’s secret ad. lace. lights. music. sae almost drops the remote. 

he just… stares, expression unreadable, then calmly sets the remote down like, so that’s what she’s been hiding. 

when you walk into the room, he greets you with: “you weren’t gonna mention the part where the entire world was about to see you in lingerie?” completely deadpan. 

you explain it was work, you didn’t want to make a big deal of it, and sae just hums. but you can see his lips twitch, like he’s fighting off a smirk. 

sae pretends to be annoyed, but deep down? he’s smug. everyone wants her, but i’m the one who has her. 

when your name starts trending, he casually sends you links with no context: “you’re popular now.” “everyone’s losing their mind.” sometimes he even adds a little “lol.” 

but if an interviewer says something weird like, “your girlfriend looked hot in that ad,” sae’s eyes go cold instantly: “watch how you talk about her.” 

at home, he’ll rest his chin on your shoulder and whisper things like, “cute. next time, tell me so i can clear my schedule and watch it live.” 

nagi seishiro

nagi’s laying in bed, scrolling twitter, when suddenly - -boom. your face. your body. victoria’s secret trending at #1. 

he blinks once, twice, then slowly sits up (which is rare, because getting him to move is impossible). “huh?” 

immediately texts you: “when did you do a lingerie ad? lol”, like it’s the most casual thing ever. 

when you come home, he’s sprawled on the couch, phone raised like evidence: “babe… you didn’t even tell me? i could’ve been your manager. or at least held the snacks.” 

he doesn’t get jealous, but he does whine: “now everyone else gets to see you looking hot, and i thought i was special.” 

every time the ad comes on, he shushes the room. reo almost throws the remote at his head because nagi’s like: “wait wait, it’s starting – look, that’s my girlfriend. best part of the whole commercial.” 

openly shows everyone. if someone says “okay, we get it,” he just goes, “no, you don’t. look again.” 

sets the ad as his lockscreen by accident (or maybe on purpose). when you notice, he just shrugs: “too lazy to change it.” 

his favorite thing? hugging you after and mumbling against your neck, “you’re prettier in person anyway,” before falling asleep on you. 

mikage reo

reo already knew you landed the gig (he probably pulled some strings to get you in), but when the ad drops, he treats it like the world cup final. 

he invites friends over, orders catering, sets up a projector: “ladies and gentlemen, presenting: my girlfriend!!” 

the ad plays and he’s clapping like a proud dad, but also wolf-whistling like the world’s biggest fanboy. 

when it goes viral, reo’s thrilled. he buys every magazine issue, every billboard, every poster. his room basically turns into your shrine. 

“my angel,” he calls you every day after. if you’re embarrassed, he laughs, pulls you in, and goes, “don’t be shy. the whole world agrees with me now.” 

gets competitive about it, too. if someone says, “that other model looked good,” he’s instantly: “yeah, but did you see my girlfriend? she stole the whole ad.” 

he buys the exact lingerie sets you wore – “for you, obviously. but also maybe for me. i like the view.” 

reo adores that you’re trending. he loves attention, and he loves you getting it even more. if it were up to him, the ad would play on repeat on every TV in the city. 

but the best part? every night after hyping you up all day, he pulls you into bed, kisses your forehead, and says softly, “still, no one gets the real thing except me.” 

shidou ryusei

shidou doesn’t just “see” your ad, he discovers it like it’s the second coming of christ. he’s in the middle of scrolling youtube when it autoplayed, and the second you appeared, he literally screamed: “HOLY SHIT THAT’S MY GIRLFRIEND.” 

immediately replays it ten times. slows it down. screen records it. zooms in. if anyone walked in, they’d think he was doing frame-by-frame analysis. 

texts you in all caps: “WTF YOU LOOK SO HOT??? WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?? DO YOU WANT ME TO DIE FROM A BONER??” 

next practice, he’s showing everyone. “see this goddess? she’s mine. don’t even think about it or i’ll break your legs.” he says it while grinning, but you know he means it. 

jealous? oh, he’s worse than jealous, he’s possessive. every time the ad comes on, he points at the screen like a caveman: “MINE.” 

he starts trying to buy every single lingerie set you wore, but shidou being shidou, he’s like: “nah, let’s match. i’ll wear the pink lace one.” and he would. 

when you scold him for showing the ad to strangers, he just laughs: “what? i’m proud. if the world’s drooling over you, i’m the only one who gets to touch you. win-win.” 

at home, he’s constantly reenacting the ad in the dumbest way possible – tripping over himself trying to strut in lingerie, yelling, “look, babe, i’m a victoria’s secret angel, too!!” 

karasu tabito

karasu finds out because he already follows victoria’s secret models on instagram (of course he does). he’s scrolling and suddenly sees your face pop up. 

his first thought? “damn, she’s fine– wait, that’s MY girl.” 

calls you immediately, doesn’t even say hello, just: “so ya’ve been keeping secrets from me, huh?” with that sly little smirk in his voice. 

pretends to be unbothered, but he loves the attention. “guess i gotta step up my game if my girlfriend’s out here stealing the internet.” (yes, karasu, maybe unfollow those other girls first.) 

when the ad blows up, he teases you relentlessly: “so what’s it like being everyone’s crush? must be exhausting.” 

but he’s also petty. if some guy posts “marry me” under your ad, karasu replies from his burner account with: “bro she would never marry you. cry about it.” 

to his teammates, he’s smug. “yeah, she’s the hottest, no surprise there. don’t be jealous.” 

at home, though, he’s softer – wraps his arms around you and whispers, “ya looked unreal… but honestly, nothing beats the way ya look when yer just in my hoodie.” 

still, every time you’re on TV, he whistles and throws an arm around you dramatically like, “ladies and gentlemen, that’s MY victoria’s secret angel. free autographs later.” 

kaiser michael

kaiser’s ego + your victoria’s secret ad? oh, he’s thriving. 

he already knew, of course (you probably told him and he forgot), but when it drops, he’s acting like he booked the campaign. 

throws a mini press conference on his instagram story: “yes, that was my girlfriend in the ad. yes, she’s hotter than all your faves. no, you can’t have her.” 

when it goes viral, he’s smug beyond belief. “trending? of course she is. i wouldn’t date anyone who isn’t top-tier.” 

the bastard münchen locker room suffers because he will not shut up. “did you guys see it? no, seriously, did you? here, let me play it again.” 

secretly keeps a copy downloaded because he doesn’t trust the internet to “do you justice.” 

buys the entire lingerie line you modeled in and makes you do a private runway show for him in the living room. he even sits there with fake scorecards like, “10/10. perfection. the crowd goes wild.” 

interviews? he’s unbearable. “yes, that was my girlfriend. no, you can’t DM her. but you can congratulate me on having the best taste.” 

if he catches someone looking at you too long in public, he smirks, puts an arm around you, and says loudly: “take a picture, it’ll last longer. oh wait, you can’t, because i won’t let you.” 

ness alexis

ness finds out because kaiser won’t stop screaming about it. kaiser’s like: “LOOK, LOOK, YOUR GIRLFRIEND’S IN A LINGERIE AD,” and ness is just like, “… wait. WHAT?” 

poor boy almost faints. he’s blushing so hard, he can’t even process. “she’s… she’s so pretty. i don’t deserve her.” 

while kaiser is oogling, ness is quietly panicking about how many people just saw you. he gets protective in his soft, awkward way: “what if people start… y’know… looking at her too much? like what you’re doing right now…” 

he goes into full supportive-boyfriend mode, though. “you were amazing! you looked like an angel! i’m so proud of you!” he says it every five minutes until you tell him to stop. 

he makes you rewatch the ad with him, but hides behind a pillow half the time because he gets flustered seeing you like that, even though you’re literally his girlfriend. 

comments sections stress him out. he’ll text you screenshots like, “do you think this stranger is serious about wanting to marry you?? should i be worried??” 

kaiser teases him endlessly: “relax, nessie, she loves you. so don’t fumble.” ness just sulks until you hug him. 

he secretly buys the lingerie line for you, but gets so embarrassed giving it to you that he shoves the shopping bag at you and runs out of the room. 

© 𝐤𝐱𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐢

[velvet-milk]

omg pls feed us more bsf dick grayson we yearnnnn for him 🙏🙏🙏 they’re so good btw i love ur works

𓂃 ࣪ ˖ ♡ 𖥻 you and your best friend dick grayson share a lot of secrets. ꗃ dick grayson x fem!reader .ᐟ

──── "truth or dare?" wally asked as soon as the spinning bottle landed between him and dick. you were all gathered in the cramped living room of your small apartment after another mission. the speedster had called you both, claiming it was time for the "best trio since the trinity" to hang out like old times. which, in practice, meant getting drunk and singing outdated pop songs. last time, you'd gotten completely wasted with dick while dedicating my all by mariah carey to him. he'd laughed the entire night, cheeks flushed red, and you remembered thinking maybe it wasn't such a bad idea.

"truth," dick said but you could tell he immediately regretted it, especially when the redhead smirked.

"you never told me the name of the girl who took your v-card," wally said, taking a long swig of his beer. "actually, you never told me anything about this, which is pretty fucked because i'm supposed to be your best friend."

"fuck off, that title is mine," you said, tipsy, brushing past him to sit on the couch next to dick. your hand grazed his shoulder, and he shifted slightly, letting you lean closer as if it were completely natural. dick's eyes flicked to yours, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "already drunk, dove?" he muttered, his voice teasing but easy, relaxed.

"yeep," you shot back, nudging him gently, and he responded with a quiet chuckle, his arm settling comfortably near yours as if it belonged there.

wally threw an empty can of beer at you two and made a dramatic gagging sound. you easily caught it. "you two are fucking disgusting and you, richard, answer my question."

you grinned, the buzz of alcohol and adrenaline making your chest feel light. "yeah, richard, answer it," you teased, leaning closer, your body brushing against his. he smelled like him, warm, faintly of his usual scent mixed with something uniquely.

dick groaned, sinking back into the couch cushions as if the floor might swallow him whole. he was clearly buying time, trying to figure out how to dodge, or maybe delay the question. in your slightly dazed state, fragments of memory floated to the surface, the subtle scrape of his robin gear, the familiar scent of the cave, the faint but intoxicating hint of his cologne. you were fifteen, reckless and impulsive, too young to fully understand the weird tension. you remembered the first time you'd gotten close, heart hammering in your chest.

your hands had trembled as you yanked at his utility belt and mask, and he'd cornered you against the wall with calm patience, his presence overwhelming and grounding at once. you'd wrapped your legs around his waist instinctively, caught in a mix of desire and adrenaline, and the memory of his wide eyes scanning your naked body, like he'd just discovered something sacred, made your cheeks flush even now. his hands had traced your body with that nervous eagerness of someone just learning, hesitant yet desperate to explore.

shit. dick noticed the way your eyes went wide, and a low, amused laugh escaped him. wally didn't need to know the type of memories you shared together. those nights, those moments, were just yours. that's why you'd never truly told anyone about them. it was your secret.

"uh, it was with kory, duh, my first girlfriend," he said with a casual shrug.

"yeah, i remember you trying to climb her one night," you said, trying not to laugh, resting your head against his shoulder. "guys, i think i'm gonna throw up."

wally nearly choked on his beer, eyes wide. "uh… maybe that's the tequila talking?"

[clemmmmmmmmmmmmmm]

“Why don’t we just kiss like real people do?”

BATBOYS X READER;Devotion

Request by: @zuekdaria they had one the best written request I’ve ever seen 😭it wouldnt let me respond to it for some reason

I hate seeing teenagers/younger people saying that they will never find love.Being loved and to love is the greatest honour one can have and i truly hope everyone gets to experience that.

Bruce Wayne

• You mention it quietly one night — almost like a joke.

“You could have anyone. Models, socialites, people way more glamorous than me.”

• His heart clenches, because he knows insecurity well. He steps closer, steady eyes on yours.

“Anyone? No. I chose you. Not because I could — because I wanted to. Because I needed to.”

• When you laugh it off, he tips your chin up. His voice softens, but it’s steel underneath:

“Don’t ever think you’re second to anyone. You’re the reason I even believe in peace when I come home.”

• And he kisses you slow, deliberate, like he’s proving it with every touch.

⸻

Dick Grayson

• You tease him about all the attention he gets.

“You could be with a supermodel, Dick. Why settle for me?”

• His face immediately falls.

• He grabs your hands, squeezes them tight, blue eyes shining like he’s on the verge of tears.

“Settle? You think being with you is settling?”

• He shakes his head, laughing breathlessly.

“when I look at you, I feel like I finally found home. I don’t care if the whole damn world wants me — I only want you.”

• And he proves it by pulling you into his arms, spinning you just a little, like he can’t believe you’re real.

⸻

Jason Todd

• You say it bitterly one night, not meaning to sound so raw.

“You could have anyone you wanted. I don’t get why it’s me.”

• Jason goes quiet. Too quiet.

• Then he steps forward, cups your face in his big hands, and his voice cracks just a little.

“It’s you because you’re the only one who sees me. Not Red Hood. Not some tragic sob story. Me.”

• His thumb brushes your cheek like you’re fragile glass.

“You think I look at anyone else like this? You’re it, sweetheart. Endgame. Don’t you get it? You ruined me for anyone else.”

• And he kisses you like he’s daring you to doubt him again.

⸻

Tim Drake

• You admit it softly, almost whispering as you sit with him late at night.

“Tim, you could have anyone smarter, prettier, more… together. Why me?”

• He looks up from his laptop, shocked.

• Then he’s pushing it aside, scooting closer, his hand slipping into yours.

“Do you really think I’d stay up until 4 a.m. just to hear you breathe in your sleep… if I wasn’t in love with you?”

• He laughs nervously, but his eyes are so, so sincere.

“It’s not about who I could have. It’s about who I can’t live without.”

• He holds onto your hand like a lifeline — refusing to let you pull away.

⸻

Damian Wayne

• You mutter it under your breath when he’s sketching you.

“You could have someone prettier. Stronger. Better.”

• His pencil stops. His eyes snap up, sharp and blazing.

“Tt. Foolishness.”

• He stands, crossing the space in a few strides, tilting your chin up with a firm hand.

“There is no one better. Do you understand? I chose you. I see you. And I will not waste my time convincing you of what is already truth.”

• His gaze softens, just a fraction.

“When I look at you, I see forever. The stars pale beside you.”

• Then he kisses your forehead — reverent, like a vow.

[jojoturnip]

I (a queer, progressive woman) lived in bumfuck Iowa for like one high school semester and somehow rocked the boat 24/7 without even trying. Like I joined FFA and tried to help build a hay maze for kids and they were shook because women can't lift hay stacks (hell yeah we can). This place felt like it was 50 years in the past.

I made very few friends in that school, but I remember riding the bus home with one towards the end of my time there and he was trying to get me to rock the boat a little less for my own safety. I couldn't wrap my head around why, and he got all flustered and let it slip that "You wouldn't want to know what they say about you here."

I've always been interested in how the world perceives me, so I immediately said, "TELL ME TELL ME TELL ME."

Under his breath, with regret, he admitted they called me a "Rapscallion" [cue gasps]

I laughed my ass off. These teenagers were unironically calling me a bad boy onion. In the modern times.

As a botanist who now would sometimes very much like to knock the boat over entirely, I'll take it.

love the word “rapscallion”. like not only are you a rascal but you’re also kind of spring onion about it too

[eveningcherryblossoms]

Like, I get it, suspension of disbelief and all that in fiction, but here's an explanation I like as to why the Batfam might neglect reader so badly:

It's because meta!reader uses their power to influence the Batfam's mind to ignore them.

Imagine, if you please. Reader who has a power to not precisely control someone's mind, but to influence it. Nudge it here and there, hey isn't this getting late, shouldn't you be getting home? or hey it's been hours since we last ate, why not have a break now?. Like hypnosis (theoretically anyway, never been hypnotized before) if one has sufficiently strong will or even sufficiently strong feelings about the particular suggestion then one can resist it, but otherwise?

Imagine further. Reader, whether they have had a good or bad childhood, whether they often use their power or not. Perhaps their dear parent(s), biological or otherwise, die violently in front of them to protect them. Perhaps they've been captured by a trafficking ring and are about to be used in some horrifying manner. Either way it results in them being placed with the Batfam... and so, so, so traumatized they immediately use their power full force.

IGNORE ME. DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO ME.

It works. But only temporarily.

The Batfam, especially Batman, is notorious for being anal retentive. With contingency plans upon contingency plans, there's no way that they have nothing for mind control or suggestion. It's just a matter of time before they realize something is wrong.

Alfred frowns at the meals he's been plating. He is sure he's cooked for everyone in the house, but who...? Oh. Mx Reader. He's forgotten them again, goodness.

Damian pauses while putting away his daggers. Why did he get them out in the first place? Oh, right. He was going to give them to Reader as a welcome present. ...Why did he forget it?

Tim checks the surveillance cameras the fourth time. Weird, he keeps feeling like he's overlooked someone. But who– Reader. He hasn't installed the cameras in Reader's room again.

Jason stares blankly at the school pamphlets in his hand. What on earth did he have these for? It's not like anyone in this freaking family is–fuck, there is Reader now. Aren't these for Reader?

Dick scrolls down his contacts after sending personalized Happy New Year messages to them all. He's not missing anyone, so all good– Hold on. He hasn't even added Reader's number.

Bruce looms over the evidence board, face grim. On it are displayed multiple reminders, a list of every time he's forgotten. At the center Reader's power evaluation test: Confirmed Meta.

They're... offended. Hurt and disappointed, even. They genuinely only want to help you, you know? They truly want to welcome you to the family. To do their best by you. Even though they're bound to mess up someday, they still intend to at least try and give you a pleasant life here.

And you dare deny them that?

You make them the bad guys, you make them neglect you, you spit on their goodwill towards you?

Hope you've had therapy while being neglected by the Batfam, darling Reader. They're mad and sad and perfectly willing to make you face them properly now. Don't make this harder on yourself, all right?

[vnillamacarons]

𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙝 ˖᯽ ݁˖

𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙣𝙚 𝙭 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

In which your boyfriend finds comfort in the soft touch of your skin and the reminder that you’re there, waiting for him.

reader is gender neutral, no use of y/n, non lustful intimacy. sort of a reverse comfort?? a small page of quick but deep love

flavours :

The golden glow of the sun slowly rose to shine on the coffee table, 7:00 am, your phone buzzed earning a groan from you as you fluttered your eyes open. its too early for this. you thought to yourself with distaste but that almost immediately drifted away when you saw who it was from and the sound of heavy footsteps filled your ears. you glanced up to see a sulking damian hovering over you, a soft but firm sigh leaving his nose before he collapsed right on-top of you, leaving no room for debate as you both laid on the couch.

“dami? you alright?” your voice spoke out, sending a shiver up his spine. cold fingers travelled up to interlock with yours, black hair brushing against your cheek when his face hovers over yours just enough so your noses touch. lips slightly parted but not aching for lust, no, he wanted love.

His eyes squeezed shut for a moment, taking a deep breath as if he was basking in the moment as much as he could. “stay.” he muttered quietly, his breath hitting your lips. there was a small cut laid right on his left cheekbone, multiple other small cuts and bruises also lay around his body from the previous crime-fighting filled night.

Your thumb brushed against his cheek bone gently before you pressed a soft kiss to it, hushing him, making sure he knows he doesn’t have to force himself to speak. “shh, i’ve got you” you murmured against his skin, faces close, bodies pressed against each other and sharing warmth. this didn’t usually happen, but why would you complain?

Your hands trailed down his chest just to hook under his shirt, slowly lifting it up and throwing it to the coffee table while he did the same thing for you. his lips pressed lightly on your sternum before he rested his cheek on your shoulder, his skin touched yours and rested there. trading warmth, scent, and love.

A hum escapes your slightly parted lips, damian wayne had once again, coaxed you to stay with him just for one more day before you went on your own crime-filled night, he hated them because you always had a chance of getting hurt, but right now all he had to focus on was the slow rise and fall of your chest and the steady heartbeat filling his ears that lulled him to sleep.

a/n : hey!! i’m sorry this was so short but please leave requests for me, english is my first language but I still suck so feel free to call me names that I can use for future angst fics… please comment and lmk if I should continue this acc !!

[sorreldolli]

𝜗𝜚 unaffectionate bf!sukuna who doesn’t know how to hold your hand. # angst → fluff , possessive!sukuna , hurt/comfort , hand-holding , insecurity themes , protective cuddling , ___ m.list

You’d known what you were getting into with Sukuna. He wasn’t the flowers-and-chocolates kind of man. He didn’t whisper sweet nothings in your ear, didn’t lace your fingers together in public, didn’t look at you like you were the center of his world.

Sukuna just wasn’t a man built for tenderness. His hands were meant for violence, destruction—his mouth was meant for cruel words, degradation, and his presence enough to make men drop to their knees in fear.

You knew this. You told yourself, again and again, that you were fine with it. That you didn’t need whispered compliments or fingers laced with yours in the daylight. That his silent, looming protection was enough.

But sometimes.. just sometimes—you wished he would love you the way other people did. Openly. Softly.

You never said it aloud. Your ex had taught you better than that. Every time you’d asked for more, you’d been made to feel ungrateful, demanding, too much. So you swallowed the ache, wore your best smile, and pretended.

And for the most part, you convinced yourself you were happy.

Until little cracks began to show.

You’d see couples in the market, laughing together as though the world wasn’t crumbling beneath Sukuna’s reign. You’d notice the way someone absentmindedly brushed the hair back from their lover’s face, the way hands were held so easily, thoughtlessly, like breathing. And every time, it hit you with the same dull ache in your chest. You told yourself you didn’t need that. Not really. Sukuna gave you security no one else could. He gave you his time, his presence, his protection. That should have been enough.

But your heart was greedy, whispering traitorous things in the quiet hours of the night. Why can’t he look at me like that? Why can’t he touch me like that?

And maybe it wouldn’t have mattered—maybe you would’ve buried those thoughts forever—if he hadn’t noticed.

It was a careless moment, really. The two of you walking through town, his long strides forcing you to keep pace, his aura clearing a path without him needing to say a word. You should have kept your eyes down, should have minded your business. But across the street, you saw them—two people walking arm in arm, laughing at something you couldn’t hear. Their hands swung between them, their faces lit with ease and warmth.

It was nothing. Ordinary. And yet you felt yourself staring, stomach twisting with longing.

You blinked and looked away almost immediately, hoping Sukuna hadn’t seen. But when you glanced up, his crimson eyes were already fixed on you, unreadable.

He didn’t say a word.

Not then. Not later.

But the silence that followed was different—heavier somehow, pressing on you with every step. And as the two of you returned home, you couldn’t shake the feeling that he had seen too much.

That night, lying beside him, you kept your back turned. You knew he was awake—his breathing was too even, too purposeful. But he didn’t touch you. Didn’t speak. Didn’t close the distance like you secretly wished he would.

And so you curled in on yourself, biting the inside of your cheek to keep the tears at bay.

This is what you chose, you reminded yourself. This is who he is. You don’t get to want more. You don’t get to be selfish.

But still, beneath the weight of that truth, the thought echoed in your chest, raw and desperate:

‘I just want him to hold me.’

You woke up the next morning with a stiff ache in your chest. Sukuna was already gone, as he usually was, leaving only the faint dip in the mattress where his body had been. No kiss on your shoulder, no lazy touch, not even a word before he left.

You told yourself it didn’t matter. That you didn’t need those things. That you weren’t the kind of person who needed to be coddled.

And yet, when you washed your face, your reflection looked tired. Drained.

Days passed like that. Him, ever-present and untouchable. You, silent, smiling, going through the motions while the weight inside you grew heavier.

It was almost easier when you were alone—when you didn’t have to see how obvious the difference was. But then there were moments, cruel in their simplicity, that tore at you.

A girl being pulled into her lover’s arms as they joked with a merchant. A man brushing crumbs off his wife’s cheek while they ate. Fingers threaded together so casually, like it was second nature.

Every time you caught yourself staring. Every time you forced yourself to look away.

And every time, Sukuna noticed.

He didn’t comment. Didn’t mock you. He only looked at you with that piercing, unreadable gaze—like he was dissecting you without a word. And each time, you wanted to crawl out of your own skin.

One evening, when the sun had just sunk below the horizon, you sat on the edge of the bed with your hands in your lap. Sukuna came in late, his presence filling the room like smoke. He didn’t speak, just started untying his robe, movements sharp and deliberate.

You tried not to look at him. Tried not to let the ache spill into your face.

But then his voice cut through the silence, low and jagged.

“…Why do you look at them like that?”

You froze.

He didn’t move closer, but his eyes burned into you. “Those pathetic humans. You look at them like you want what they have.”

Your throat went dry. “I—I don’t—”

“Don’t lie to me.” His tone sharpened, a command. “You think I don’t see the way you stare? Like you’re starving.”

Your lips parted, but no words came out. Shame clawed at your chest, hot and suffocating.

Sukuna tilted his head, expression unreadable, his four arms crossing over his chest. “Is that what you want from me? To fawn over you? To play at softness?”

Your stomach twisted. The answer was there, aching in your ribs, but your lips refused to shape it. You shook your head, forcing a smile that didn’t reach your eyes. “No. I know you’re not… that type.”

The words felt like glass in your throat.

For a long moment, the only sound was the steady thrum of your pulse in your ears. Then Sukuna’s mouth curled into something between a sneer and a grin.

“Tch. Pathetic.”

He turned away, unbothered, and for the first time you realized how cold it felt to lie in a bed with a man who ruled the world but couldn’t reach for your hand.

And it broke you a little more than you wanted to admit.

You lay awake long after Sukuna had settled into the sheets, his breathing deep and steady beside you. His word echoed in your skull—pathetic—cutting sharper than any blade.

It wasn’t the insult itself. You were used to his tongue, his barbs, his cruel little amusements. But tonight, it hit different. Tonight, it had landed too close to the truth you were trying so hard to bury.

Pathetic. Wanting him to hold you. Wanting him to say something soft. Wanting him to see you.

You stared at the ceiling, eyes burning. ‘Does he even love me? Or am I just a body in his bed? A convenience?’

The questions clawed at your chest until you couldn’t breathe. You turned onto your side, curling into yourself, the ache in your throat threatening to spill out in sobs. You bit them back. You couldn’t let him hear. Not when he’d already made you feel so small.

But Sukuna heard everything.

The tiny hitch in your breath. The restless shift of your body. The tremor you tried to hide.

For a long moment, he stayed still, eyes closed, jaw tight. He wasn’t good at this. Never had been. He didn’t do soft, didn’t do comfort. He broke things, conquered them, bent them to his will. That was who he was. That was all he knew.

But the sound of your muffled breathing made something dark coil in his chest—an ache he didn’t want to name.

“Stop that,” he growled, voice low in the dark.

You stiffened, back still to him. “Stop what?”

“Crying. Thinking. Whatever the fuck it is you’re doing that makes you sound like you’re about to break.” His voice was sharper now, frustrated. “I can hear it.”

You swallowed hard. “I wasn’t—”

“Don’t lie to me.”

Your chest cracked open then, all the words you’d buried spilling out in a rush before you could stop them. “Do you even love me, Sukuna? Or am I just—just something to pass the time?”

Silence.

The kind that stretched so long you almost wished he’d laugh, sneer, say something cruel, because at least that would be an answer.

Then the mattress shifted violently. His weight loomed over you, massive and suffocating. You flinched when a clawed hand grabbed your jaw, tilting your face up until his crimson eyes bore down into yours.

“You think I don’t love you?” His voice was a snarl, but beneath it, something wavered—something dangerous. “You think I’d keep you here, in my bed, under my roof, if you were nothing to me?”

Tears blurred your vision, your chest rising and falling in shaky breaths. “You never show it. Not the way—” Your voice cracked. “Not the way other people do.”

His grin was sharp, bitter. “Other people.” He spat it like venom. “Those weak, simpering little worms holding hands like children. You want that? You think their scraps of affection mean more than what I’ve given you?”

Your lips trembled, but you couldn’t look away.

Sukuna leaned closer, his forehead pressing hard against yours, his voice dropping to a raw rasp. “I don’t know how to be gentle. I don’t know how to love the way you want me to. But don’t you dare fucking doubt that you are mine. Every breath, every glance, every inch of you—mine. Do you understand?”

His grip on your jaw tightened, not enough to hurt, but enough to anchor you in the weight of his words.

Your tears spilled over then, but for the first time, they weren’t born of emptiness—they were born of release. The jagged, brutal honesty of him broke something open in you, filling the hollow space with something fierce and undeniable.

Slowly, you nodded, your voice trembling. “I understand.”

He stayed there, glaring down at you, chest heaving like he was restraining himself from ripping apart the very air. Then, slowly, like it cost him something, his grip softened. One hand slid from your jaw to the back of your head, claws sifting through your hair with surprising care. His other arms—powerful, scarred, terrifying—wrapped around you, pulling you against him.

It wasn’t gentle. His embrace was crushing, suffocating, like he meant to fuse you into him, to make you disappear inside the cage of his body. But it wasn’t cold, either.

“Don’t ever doubt me again,” he rasped into your hair, his voice rough, breaking. “I don’t know how to be soft. I don’t know how to fucking… say the things you want me to. But you’re mine. And that’s never changing.”

The words were jagged, imperfect, but they cracked you open anyway. You clung to him, sobs shaking through you, the ache in your chest finally breaking into something warm and raw.

For the first time, you felt it. His love. Brutal, suffocating, unrefined—but real.

You stayed like that for what felt like forever, wrapped up in the terrifying safety of him, until exhaustion finally dragged you under.

The morning was different.

You stirred awake to sunlight spilling across the room, warm against your face. At first, you thought the weight around your hand was just the sheets. But when you shifted, you realized—Sukuna’s massive clawed fingers were tangled with yours.

It wasn’t neat. His grip was too tight, his claws grazing your skin, his palm engulfing yours completely. But it was there.

Your chest ached as you stared at the sight, tears pricking fresh at your eyes. He wasn’t awake—not yet. His expression was as harsh and unreadable as ever. But he’d done this. Somehow, awkwardly, he’d reached for you.

And for you, it was everything.

𝜗ৎ requested by anon

[disillusioned-phantasma]

“I mean, the audacity to put your name on it knowing damn well if anyone even tried it, I’d gorilla glue all their holes shut.” He snorted, face scrunching slightly at your unusual threat. But, something told him deep down you were being serious. 

You continued ranting while pacing back and forth. “But not only that, they completely warped your entire sexual identity just because, what, you know how to mind your business and happen to have a RBF?” 

“RBF?” He tilted his head, making you halt mid-rant to admire the adorable sight. How dare he? You were in the middle of seething, dammit. 

“Resting Bitch Face.” 

He frowned. “I don’t have that.” 

“Tobio, you’re doing it right now.”

He huffed, looking away from you in defiance. His face was fine, he thought, a perfectly normal face indeed. A handsome face, he’d even say. Immediately picking up on his sourness, you chuckled softly before reaching over to cup his face and make him look at you. Kageyama instinctively wrapped his arms around your waist, his frown still apparent, but a little less heavy once it met your soft gaze. “Don’t be pouty.”

“I’m not…” he mumbled, cheeks squished under your palms. A small blush bloomed across the apples at your teasing giggle. “You’re the one that’s upset, not me. Why do you care if they misrepresented how I am in bed? Shouldn’t you be happy it’s inaccurate?” 

Now it was your turn to huff, your bottom lip sticking out. Kageyama’s eyes honed in on its pillowy surface instantly, licking his own as he restrained himself; there’d be plenty of time for that later. 

“I mean, yeah but…I don’t know. It just…feels icky knowing there are random people around campus theorizing about your dick size in the comments, or if you cry after an orgasm. The least they could’ve done was be a little accurate if they’re gonna cause us all this trouble.” 

“Us? Pretty sure I’m the victim here. Who sucks at aftercare, apparently.” He scoffed, of which earned another giggle from you. “Besides, the only person I care about knowing any of that stuff is right here. They can take their 6/10 and fuck right off. I know my baby would rate me higher than that, right?” 

You pursed your lips, avoiding eye contact as you playfully ignored his obvious bait for praise. Kageyama doesn’t take too kindly to that. He softly glared at you, arms tightening their hold around your waist and pulling you even closer to his toned chest. 

“Oh, it’s like that, huh? That’s fine.”

Before you could register what happened, your boyfriend swept you up without struggle and gently tossed you onto his bed. “However, I will admit they were right about one thing.” 

With a slight bounce, you couldn’t fight the delighted squeal as you watched him prowl towards you. 

“Oh, really? And what’s that?”

He hummed softly, large hands traveling up your legs from the ankles all the way to your inner thighs before spreading them open to rest in between them. Finding home there for a brief moment, Kageyama practically smothered you under his gaze, attention once again zeroing in on your lips. He could feel his restraint dissipating, biting his own lip before slowly leaning down to place warm kisses against your skin. He left no spot unloved until he eventually stopped at your ear, his warm breath sending chills down your spine. 

“I’m pretty damn good with my hands.” 

Like Kageyama, AKAASHI didn’t care to know much about the list. He knows a good chunk of guys that ended up on it personally, and based on the conversations he’s heard them have it sounded like nothing but trouble. 

And he was right to assume such. 

One afternoon a few of his friends came barreling toward him during his break in between classes, each sporting various expressions that ranged from extreme determination (Bokuto) to absolute amusement (Kuroo), while the third looked as if they were brought there against their will (Kenma). Slowly, Akaashi lowered his sandwich with a sigh; so much for a peaceful lunch. 

“AKAASHI.” Bokuto exclaimed, hands slamming down on the table to keep himself from nearly toppling the man. Akaashi flinched slightly at the volume, but before he could reprimand him, Bokuto grabbed him by his shoulders and looked him square in the eyes with grand intensity. “How could you be so selfish? I thought I raised you better than this, young man!”

The former setter gaped; that’s not at all what he was expecting to hear. It didn’t help when Kuroo started busting a lung, both hands on his knees as his hyena-esque laugh bounced off the walls of the canteen. Kenma side-eyed the business major before going back to playing some game on his phone, offering the ravenette a soft greeting, then helping himself to a chair. 

Akaashi acknowledged the pudding-head with a small nod, sharp eyes redirecting back to his senior as he removed the rough hands from his shoulders. “What are you talking about?” 

“I’m talking about you cheating on [_____]!” 

Akaashi blinked. Then, like a switch, his eyes nearly popped out his head as he registered the spiker’s words.  

“WHAT.” 

Kuroo, after finally catching his breath, gave a hearty exhale as he placed a hand on Bo’s shoulder. “Way to rip off the bandaid, buddy. Thought we agreed to work our way up to that part.” 

“Screw that! I demand answers! Can’t believe I’ve been friends with a no good, cheating scumbag, hmph.” Akaashi blanched at the harsh accusation, falling deeper and deeper into a state of pure shock. 

“Wait, hold on—”

“Whoa there, let’s not jump to conclusions. The man hasn’t even gotten the chance to speak for himself. I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for this whole thing.” Kuroo reasoned, but was obviously eating it up. Kenma lightly scoffed.

“You’re so full of shit.” He voiced, not even bothering to lift his gaze away from the game. Kuroo gasped dramatically at the dig, hand over his heart and everything. The former paid him no mind. 

Akaashi abruptly stood. “Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on? I’m not cheating on [______], who’s spreading such a thing?” 

Bokuto squinted. “Oya? Then how do you explain this?” 

Like incriminating evidence being shown to a jury, the silver-haired tank pulled up the updated version of the list on his phone that was posted over an hour ago. Akaashi was still perplexed until he saw it. His name. Oh, god no. 

Akaashi snatched the device to get a closer look just to make sure it wasn’t some sort of prank. To his dismay, the post was legit. Oh, god no. 

“You’ve gotta be kidding me…” 

“Uh huh, busted your ass!” Bokuto snatched the phone back only for Kuroo to then take it from him. “Hey!”

Clearing his throat, the sly bastard began reading the caption. “‘Keiji Akaashi. 6’0ft tall, pretty boy with intelligent steel blue eyes. His mysterious nature and bored expression would automatically put him under the Dom category, but I can see right through him.’ Wow, they make you sound like some sort of experiment.” 

“Don’t read that outloud!” Akaashi lunged forward, only to be stopped by a large hand in his face. “Omf-! Fohkuto-son!” 

“What? Ashamed of yourself? You should be, traitor!” 

Kuroo continued. “‘What many would believe to be the strong silent type, I believe there’s a sensitive side to him. That’s why I declare Keiji Akaashi to be a Switch with Sub-leaning tendencies, who’s not afraid to be vocal and would 100% let you peg him. 11/10. Would fuck again.’ Holy shit, this is gold.” 

“Jesus Christ,” Akaashi felt like his entire face was on fire. This was like his worst nightmare come to life, and apparently now everyone on campus could participate in his misery. “This cannot be happening to me…” 

“Oh, me, me, me. Is that really all you can say for yourself? What about [_____], huh? How do you think they’d feel after finding out their boyfriend is an unfaithful—”

“I DIDN’T CHEAT ON MY S/O, BOKUTO-SAN. That isn’t even the purpose of the list, you should know, you’re on it too!” 

Bokuto gaped. “I am??” 

Akaashi groaned, sinking back into his seat. His hands dragged across his face in distress, feeling as if he aged ten years from this mishap alone. But, Bokuto had a point—How were you feeling about all this? Had you seen it?

Luckily, he didn’t need to wonder for long. 

“Keiji!” 

He flinched, as did the two stooges hovering near him. Kenma was the only one to greet you normally while everyone else resembled deer in headlights; this immediately alarmed you. What you expected to be a surprise lunch with your boyfriend since your class let out early, now felt as if you just walked in on an intervention. After taking in the weird atmosphere, you eyed Akaashi with mild confusion. “Uh…is everything okay?”

“It’s all good, [_____]! Turns out my best friend isn’t a scumbag after all. Akaashi is definitely not cheating on you, so no harm done!” 

You did a double-take in bewilderment; didn’t expect that. “O..kay?”

Bokuto looked so proud of his declaration, chest puffed out whilst Kuroo looked like he could barely hold it together. Your boyfriend clearly had seen better days, frown heavy as he glared at his seniors; all he wanted was to eat his goddamn sandwich. 

Eventually, you decided to just take a seat next to him, pulling out your own food while the two former captains began bickering about who knows what. Kenma continued to play his game, happily taking the apple slices you graciously slid over to him as a boost. After you got situated, Akaashi instantly plopped his head right on your shoulder, desiring comfort from the emotional turmoil he just endured. 

You kissed away the stress lines on his forehead before opening up your bento, already having an idea in mind as to what’s gotten him so deflated. But, you spared him any further humiliation—You planned to report that stupid post later anyways. 

You chilled outside the locker rooms waiting for ATSUMU, upon his request to walk you back to the dorms after practice was over. You told him there was no need, that you’d be fine walking back on your own, but he insisted. 

And you were so glad he did. 

While you were waiting, you mindlessly scrolled on Twitter until a familiar username caught your attention; @/FckIt22. Everyone knew of the infamous ‘Horny Bucket List’ going around and boosting already inflated egos, speculating and even sometimes outing people of their most lewd fantasies with popular guys on campus. You couldn’t help but watch the drama unfold every time there’d be a new update to the list, eating it up whenever it’d be someone you knew, or someone you would’ve never guessed to be on it. 

And to your surprise, after you refreshed the page, it was both. Your mouth was slightly ajar when a picture of your boyfriend’s boyish grin greeted you, in his volleyball jersey, soaked with sweat and hair pushed back from his forehead; looking like a full course meal. 

Eagerly, you tapped in to read the thread attached to the image, intrigued to know what was said about Atsumu until… 

“...The fuck?” 

As quick as your excitement came, there it went. Right there, in big letters for the whole campus, no, the entire internet to see was your boyfriend’s face attached with someone else’s name. And not just any someone. 

‘O S A M U   M I Y A’ 

You didn’t know whether to laugh, or what. Could they’ve seriously not been bothered to make sure they had the right twin? And not only that, they mentioned you in the thread. Didn’t bother to @ you, though.

That only pissed you off even further.

‘Osamu Miya. 6’1ft of muscle and charm, whose insatiable appetite won’t be satisfied until he’s had your thighs wrapped around his face for an hour AT LEAST. Not the most expressive, but make no mistake that he’s the ultimate brat tamer; no doubt [______] could attest to that.’

“I know damn well they didn’t just…” You muttered in disbelief, shaking your head as you read on.

‘But, if you’re good, he mayyyy let you top. Don’t think for a second you’re in control tho. Unlike his brother, he’s got Dom energy for daysss. Doubt this man does anything but grunt and groan, but overall he still gets an 8/10. Yum ♡.’ 

Wow.

You weren’t expecting to see your future brother-in-law painted in this light today, but supposed there was a first for everything. To be fair, whomever ran the account sure knew how to sell a fantasy, but it didn’t excuse the lack of decorum they had. You felt a little disturbed, almost violated. One could only imagine how the twins would feel if they saw this…

“Hey there, stranger.” You jumped slightly at the sudden intrusion; speak of the devil. Atsumu wrapped his arms around your middle from behind, placed his chin on your shoulder, and gave a loving squeeze. “Ya ready?” 

“Uh, yeah.” You quickly locked your phone.

A little too quick. 

A small pout formed on his face. He immediately called you out. “What’re ya lookin’ at?” 

“Hm?”

“Your phone, y’were lookin’ at something.” Noticing your shifty behavior, his grip around you loosened a little as he strained his neck to look you square in the face. It wasn’t long before a teasing grin spread across his. His eyebrows wiggled, “Ya lookin’ at porn?” 

With a roll of your eyes, you lightly jabbed him in his bicep. “Yeah, ‘Tsumu. I was totally looking at porn. You got me.”  

Atsumu shrugged, sporting an even bigger grin as he started to sway both of you. “Hey, no judgement here. But don’t forget ya got the real deal right here, darlin’. Whenever you need it, your lovely boyfriend will take care of ya. All’s ya gotta do is ask.”

He spun you around in his hold, and grabbed your hips. With low, tired eyes he stared deeply into your soul. His lopsided grin brought more damage to your already fluttering heart, not to mention his semi that was now pressed against your stomach; this man had been dying to have you in his arms for a while, it seemed. However, even with this sexual tension growing between the two of you...you just couldn’t help yourself. 

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind, Osamu.”

Immediately, his grin dropped. You did your best to remain stoic, but the absolute disgust that took over his face was just too good. Your body began to shake with laughter, small snickers escaping you as you bit your lip to hold it back. Atsumu was not amused.

“That joke wasn’t funny back in high school, [______], still ain’t funny now…”

“Oh, this is no joke. As of today, my boyfriend’s Osamu Miya, and apparently he’s my brat-tamer. Did you know that he won’t even let me top unless I’ve been good-?”

“Knock it off.” Atsumu glared, gently pinching your sides. You squirmed, but the teasing smile you had didn’t falter. “What’s gotten into ya? Tryin’ to get a rise outta me or somethin’?”

“Oh, you haven’t seen it yet?”

“Seen what?”

You unlocked your phone and showed him the thread. Atsumu held a look of utter confusion, squinting at it until it eventually registered what you were showing him. He’d heard about the list that circled around on campus, some of his friends and teammates used to brag, or complain about it to him when they ended up on it. At first, he found it entertaining…but now?

“THE FUCK?”

He snatched the phone out of your hands to get a closer look, catching on to what you’d originally been hiding from him in the beginning; Atsumu wished it had been porn.

“That’s what I said!” You laughed, incredulously. “The nerve of them to just mix the two of you up like that. And to add me into it without even bothering to tag me? Probably ‘cause they knew I’d call them out on their bullshit. Can you believe-”

“‘Unlike his brother, he’s got Dom energy for days’?? I totally have Dom energy! We’re fucking twins, why wouldn’t I? And ‘Samu ain’t no brat-tamer! If anythin’, he’s the goddamn brat.” Somewhere on campus, Osamu sneezed.

You stood there in bewilderment. That’s what he’s concerned about? 

Crossing your arms, you watched him in astonishment. “So, you don’t care that they used your picture? Or the insinuation that I sleep with your brother?”

“‘Course I do! Ya think I like the idea of his filthy mouth being anywhere near you? And usin’ my picture to clickbait my supporters is just cheap. But nothin’ pisses me off more than anyone thinkin’ that bastard has better game than me. 8/10 my ass…”

You snorted. Why were you not surprised?

Taking a small step closer you grabbed his wrist and lowered it, bringing his attention away from the phone. Atsumu now wore a heavy pout, one that you couldn’t help but to kiss; so you did. With a free hand you reaching up to his nape and pulled him downward, capturing his lips. Catching him off guard, man nearly dropped your phone when your tongue slipped into his mouth. With a soft groan, Atsumu wrapped an arm around your waist as he tilted his head in response to your sudden affection, deepening the kiss as it instantly made his mind go blank.

You pulled away too soon for his liking, the blonde blindly chasing after you with his eyes still closed as a light chuckle escaped you. You thumbed at his bottom lip, wiping some of the spit left behind as he slowly opened his eyes. Atsumu’s honey-gaze seared right into you, the hunger from early returning as the semi he sported was now fully hard, thick and heavy as it pressed against your stomach—So fucking whipped, after just one kiss. And you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Gazing at him lovingly, your nails raked gently through his hair as he practically melted into you. For a moment, you thought he’d start purring.

“What do they know, huh? How about you take me to my dorm and remind me why Atsumu Miya, my lovely boyfriend, is the only one who takes good care of me. Then, we’ll put that account on blast afterwards, what d’you say?”

His boyish grin reappeared, leaning in to place his forehead on yours. “Thought you’d never ask.”

KENMA felt indifferent about the list. Nothing about it made sense to him, and he left it at that. It didn’t matter how many times his friends brought it up, or how many people whispered about it during lectures—He had no opinion on it. 

“You’re not even a little curious?” Hinata asked.

“No. Not in the slightest.”

The two of them were chilling in the canteen, in the student gaming section, both occupied with their own respective poisons. While Hinata farmed pixelated fruit on his switch, Kenma battled npcs on the public-shared ps4. The copper-head talked on and on about trivial subjects since they’ve arrived, ranging from tough assignments he nearly failed to new moves he tried in volleyball, while the quieter of the two responded occasionally when he felt it necessary. 

Hinata gasped, looking up from his game in genuine surprise. “Whoa, Bakayama said the exact same thing. You and him are probably one of the few guys I know who aren’t interested in knowing if they’re on the list. Well, you two and Suckyshima. And Sakusa-san...and...”

This went on for a good minute. 

Kenma sighed, neutral expression not matching the rapid movement of his thumbs across the controller. “It’s just some dumb list. Not like it benefits anyone.”

“Sure it does! I heard it brought lots of people together,” Hinata paused, tilting his head as he hummed in thought. “Although, I also heard it split people up, too. And caused a lot of rumors…and got that one professor fired…”

Yet another minute, passed. 

Kenma couldn’t help but snort, at least finding his rambling endearing enough to stomach yet another pointless conversation about that accursed list—Why people were so obsessed with it was beyond him. 

“Sounds like a lot of drama. No thanks.”

There’s silence between the two of them, the sound effects from their games being the only thing filling the space. Kenma continued rapidly mashing buttons, tongue sticking out as he concentrated on the level. However, he couldn’t help but feel like they were being watched. They were in a public space, sure, but…something definitely felt off. Choosing to ignore it, he refocused on the game. Hinata just finished up harvesting his watermelons when he suddenly let out a teasing chuckle.

“I wonder if [______] checked.”

Kenma’s thumbs stop. His character was taking incredible amounts of damage, but none of it registered after the mere mention of your name; the pudding-head flushed red. After a moment, he regained composure and went back to smashing buttons, ignoring how slippery his hands just got.  

 “…Why would they do that?” He muttered. 

Hinata shrugged, “Well, just because you’re not curious doesn’t mean they aren’t. Believe it or not, you’re a good looking guy, Kenma-san. And if there’s a fuck-list going around where my s/o might end up on it, I’d wanna be the first to know.”

Hm. Couldn’t argue with that. He always feared you’d end up on the list, but eventually realized it only catered to a certain demographic, mostly focused on the more sociable students, so he figured there was no other reason to care. It’d be a waste of time, Kenma knew for a fact there’d be no chance of him being on it, his outward appearance be damned.

He practically spent his first couple of semesters cooped up in his room, going to class, bare minimum socializing, streamed with his camera off, rinsed and repeated. He didn’t make many new friends during that time, and met you completely by happenstance during a late night cram session in the library; how in the fresh hell would anyone think about fucking him if he rarely gave other people the time of day? 

Kenma kissed his teeth, “You’re being annoying.”

Hinata merely flashed a bright grin, leaning over to playfully poke him in the arm. “Don’t mind~!” 

The dirty-blonde playfully swatted at the intruding hand, earning a bright laugh and another poke from the ginger just for shits n’ giggles, before he returned back to his video game. Unfortunately, the eyes around him didn’t falter, some being less obvious about it whilst others didn’t even try to hide their blatant staring. After a while it started to get uncomfortable, even Hinata couldn’t help getting concerned once he started to notice.

“Uh…is it just me, or are we drawing in a crowd?”

“I dunno. Maybe they’re just waiting for me to get off the game…” Kenma reasoned. But deep down, something told him that wasn’t the case at all.

After some time passed with the situation not getting any better, he decided to just call it a night. There was no point in trying to relax anymore with all those people pointing and whispering. As he began to leave the game, not bothering to save his progress, his phone buzzed. Immediately, Kenma knew it had to have been you—He kept everyone else on DND. When he unlocked his phone, though, the gamer was shocked to see the overwhelming amount of notifications on the screen, all from his closest friends, minus the one he’s currently with. 

It appeared they’d been trying to get his attention for a while. You must’ve been the last resort, as your message urged him to meet at your place.  He didn’t need to be told twice, grateful for this escape from the prying eyes of the random bystanders. 

“I’m heading over to [_____]’s. Sorry to cut our time short.” 

The ginger simply smiled. “It’s okay, know you don’t like crowds. See ya later, Kenma-san!” 

Kenma curtly nodded, offering a tiny smile in gratitude. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he made haste for the nearest exit, keeping his gaze locked on the ground until he made it outside. He could feel the eyes following him as he left, making a cold chill run down his spine. He couldn’t wait to get to your place.

When he eventually arrived, his knuckle barely grazed the door before it flew wide open, startling him a little. Before he even had time to catch his jumping heart, you pulled him into your embrace, making him tense up slightly until he soon melted into your familiar warmth. Sanctuary. 

“I’m so sorry, Ken. You must be devastated.” 

“Um, I’m fine...” he mumbled. Your arms only grew a little tighter around him, as if you were…shielding him? Eventually you pulled back just enough to look at him, searching his eyes for something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. “Why would I be devastated?”

You blinked widely at him. “You mean you hadn’t seen it?”

He squinted, visibly confused, and your silence did little to calm his wariness. Another cold chill traveled down his spine, hairs on the back of his neck standing straight up as he struggled to figure out what this feeling meant. It wasn’t until after you gave a strained smile, sympathy swirling within your gaze, did it eventually hit him like a semi truck. The flooded messages, the suffocating stares, the whispers...It couldn���t be. 

He slowly began to shake his head. “No...”

You exhaled. “Yes.”

‘Kenma Kozume. 5′6ft recluse with the mannerisms of a kitten. But don’t let his meek demeanor fool you—it’s always the quiet ones you need to look out for. Though his posture may appear questionable, we all know it’s because of the monster between his legs dragging him down, baggy clothes no doubt concealing an absolute masterpiece of toned skin for you to mark up. The effort he puts into playing video games, don’t expect the same amount in the bedroom. I believe Kenma to be a lazy Switch with Sub energy, who’ll spend most of the session on his back, but that’s okay. We stan a pillow prince. 9/10.’

He looked at your phone with mild disgust. “You’re fucking joking.”

“'fraid not. It was posted less than an hour ago, probably while you were gaming with Hinata. Kuroo was the first to see it, and sent it to the groupchat. That’s why I assumed you had seen it already. Dammit, I knew someone would notice how hot you were sooner or later. And here I thought I was doing a good job gate-keeping you. ”

“Don’t just say stuff like that out loud...” He flushed, tugging on your sleeve in mild embarrassment. After composing himself, Kenma let out an irritated exhale. “What a pain. Whatever, this’ll probably blow over by tomorrow. Someone else will be posted and they’ll forget all about me. Guess I’ll just keep an even lower profile until then. Shouldn’t be too difficult.” 

Laying together on your Snorlax beanbag chair, Kenma turned on his stomach to bury himself in the plush cushion, wanting to forget this whole nightmare. But, you weren’t gonna let him wallow so easily. Tugging on the shoulder part of his sleeve to get his attention, Kenma groaned before tilting his head slightly to peek at you with one eye through the curtain of his hair. 

“You don’t understand, Ken. Bitches practically froth at the mouth for the sexy, socially awkward, gamer-boy type with the messy hair and lax attitude. I would know, I am bitches!” He snickered softly, rolling his visible eye. “My point is, this most definitely will not blow over by tomorrow. Not when they’re already hooked on the fantasy of you.”

“Exactly, a fantasy.” He said, slightly muffled. Shifting to lay on his back, Kenma rested his arms behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. “Meaning they’ll never get to know the real thing, so eventually they’ll get bored. You shouldn’t work yourself up over this, kitten.” 

“Yeah, but what if someone-” 

Reaching over, Kenma gently flicked your forehead. With a soft yelp, you half-heartedly glared at him before going to retaliate with your own flick. He merely grinned, eyes full of mirth as he swiftly grabbed the hand and used it to pull you in closer. “They won’t. And even if they do, I'll just get Kuroo to tell one of his lame jokes to scare ‘em off. Problem solved.” 

You lightly hit his arm, but still graced him with a laugh. Somewhere on campus, said rooster-head sneezed. 

“ the fuck-it list ” || hq!

two || three || four || five

synopsis: there’s a list going around consisting of hot guys on campus that are deemed “fuckable” with theories as to what they’d be like in bed. it’s all fun and games until somehow your boyfriend ends up on this list. 

pairing: various x gn!reader [ kags, akaashi, atsumu, kenma ]

warnings: cursing, suggestive language, mild objectification, mentions of cheating, cringe descriptions that aren’t 100% accurate lol 

notes: based this off how my friend and i speculate about how the men in hq would be like in bed sooo it’s really just a little jokey joke, so have fun with her :] thinking of making more parts of this with other characters, lemme know what you guys think, and hope you enjoy!! 

To be completely honest, KAGEYAMA wouldn’t know much about the list aside from maybe surface level stuff. He knew it was full of nonsensical speculations, nothing but weird projections put onto strangers by other strangers who found them attractive. It creeped him out a little, so that’s as far as he wished to know. 

Plus, he had no reason to care about some dumb list—He had you. 

“Have you seen this bullshit?!”  Well, speak of the devil. 

All the training in the world couldn’t have prepared his reflexes for the amount of whiplash you put him through in the span of ten seconds. There he was, minding his business in his dorm room, chilling with a volleyball, then BAM; he’s getting bum-rushed by his 5-foot-something significant other with smoke coming through their ears.

Good thing you had a key because the setter was certain you would’ve smashed right through his door by sheer force. 

“Huh??” Frankly, you startled the poor man. The ball that was in the middle of being set toward the ceiling came barreling down on his face, causing him more disorientation. “See—ouch. See what?” 

You stood there next to his bed, one hand on your hip while the other practically shoved your phone in his face. He squinted at the harsh light, but eventually his eyes adjusted enough to read the post. His lips formed a confused pout. “That stupid, horny hit-list? What about it?” 

“What about it? Some bitch put you on there! Just listen to this garbage, ‘Tobio Kageyama. 6’2ft stoic, and mean Dom who’s pretty damn good with his hands. It’s obvious how much of a perfectionist he is, so be ready for some killer overstimulation. Probably won’t make any noise, and doesn’t know much about aftercare. Overall score: 6/10’. Are they deadassright now?” 

Ah. Now he gets it. 

He figured it was only a matter of time, homie was very much aware of his status around campus, not to mention being a looker to top it off. However, he figured being in a relationship would lessen his chances of him ending up on it, especially since you weren’t a secret or anything. Guess that list really had no morality after all. Who’d have thought? 

Keep reading

[pixiefelixie]

જ⁀ ⚾︎₊˚⊹ 김승민 : AS WE ARE prologue.

synopsis: seungmin traded old dreams for new ones, walking away from baseball and the girl he loved, even when it broke him to let go. when your paths cross again, he finds all the pieces of himself he thought he had left behind.

pairing: idol!seungmin x fem!reader, series, exes to lovers warnings: 3k words, heavy angst, flashback chapter, ugly break up, crying, argument, tense dialogue, physical aggression (one slap), nausea and vomiting but not graphic, quick disclaimer: i don’t support or encourage physical violence in any way. this is purely fictional.

this is technically the first chapter but it's really a prologue. it’s gonna be super angsty, i know 😭 but i promise it gets better from here. thank you so much for reading 💕

series masterlist, next

8 years ago

the seats were horrible.

you were basically in the birdwatching section of the stadium. up so high, the players looked like ants in matching uniforms, and every sound hit your ears on a second delay. 

but it was tradition.

seats like this were cheap enough that you didn’t have to dip into your monthly budget—or worse, the little stash you were saving for dumb teenage dreams like plane tickets to tokyo or a camcorder. 

and the truth was, you didn’t mind it. it was your thing. you liked pointing out players by their stances instead of their numbers, you liked watching seungmin lean forward in his seat, calling the plays because you couldn’t hear the umpire. 

so you’d sat in bad seats before, plenty of times. but today’s seats were a new low.

you didn’t even know this section existed until today. they were so far up you could see the curve of the earth. someone two rows down pulled out binoculars. and kim seungmin was the one who picked these.

one month ago, you remembered it clearly, walking home from a game. he had squinted at the stadium and groaned, “next time, i’m getting us closer. i’m not going blind again.” he seemed very serious at the time.

yet here you were. going blind.

you nudged your boyfriend lightly with your elbow. “why are we sitting here again?”

once the words reached his distracted head, he came up with an answer immediately. “they were the only ones left.”

“that’s funny,” you said, sitting upright to seem more assertive. “because i checked yesterday and there were better ones for a similar price. like, seats where you can actually see the ball.”

he shifted in his seat, an eyebrow slightly raised. “does it matter?”

you tilted your head, watching him. he always got like this when he was being difficult. 

you loved your boyfriend. but boy, you could not stand his infuriating calm which always made you feel like you were the one being weird.

does it matter?

no. it didn’t.

because with seungmin, even the worst seats felt like front row. you could be watching from the clouds, and it still felt like you were part of the game if he was next to you.

but today did not feel like that.

you reached down, plucking a piece of popcorn from the bag between your knees more out of habit than hunger.

“you’re the one who always complained when i wanted to budget for baseball,” you said. “remember the time i bought seats behind the pole and you swore off trusting me with ticket purchases forever?”

he didn’t answer.

you glanced over at him, squinting against the red glare of sun that was setting. he was hunched forward, elbows on his knees, chewing the edge of a plastic straw. his cap was pulled low over his face. 

“seriously,” you said, nudging him gently with your elbow. “what’s going on with you today?”

you watched him for a moment. he wasn’t doing anything except for staring straight ahead. then he let out a slow sigh and set his drink on the ground, like he was bracing to tell you something you wouldn’t want to hear. when he finally turned to look at you, his expression gave nothing away.

“do you think love is enough?” he asked, quiet.

you blinked. “what?”

“to make something last,” seungmin said. “is love enough?”

seungmin had always been the type to throw out random deep questions when you least expected them. you’d known for years how emotionally intelligent he was, in ways most people weren’t, but the vulnerable topic of love had never been on his list. he showed it to you in gestures rather than words. hearing him talk about it out loud left you completely unprepared.

“if you strip everything else away: timing, distance, all the stuff that makes it hard… if love’s the only thing left, does it still work?” he continued.

you stared at him. “is this a hypothetical or…”

“yea, i’m just asking.”

you straightened up instantly, “no but you’re not ‘just asking.’”

his jaw clenched. he didn’t deny it.

“why are you asking me that now?”

seungmin leaned forward again, elbows on his knees. you waited.

when he still didn’t say anything, you spoke again, quieter this time. “seungmin.”

you’ve had enough. for days, seungmin had been acting strange like this, and you figured maybe all you needed was a classic y/n-and-seungmin baseball date to snap things back into place. this was your last ditch effort and it wasn’t working. was it even worth trying this hard anymore?

he finally turned his head to look at you. his eyes stayed on you for a few more seconds, brow furrowed like he was deep in thought. 

seungmin then reached up and took off his cap. without a word, he settled it onto your head, adjusting it gently until the brim shielded your face from the sun. his fingers brushed your temple as he did it. then they trailed lightly down your cheek before disappearing back to his lap.

your cheeks warmed immediately. you hated how easily he could make you do that. you blinked a few times, trying to shake the flustered feeling crawling up your neck.

the cap sat snug on your head now, slightly loose the way his always was, brim tilted just enough to block the worst of the evening sun. you realized then how much your face had been burning, making you squint and shift and complain.

you looked back at the field, chewing your lip for a second.

the faint crack of the bat signaled the final out of the inning, and the crowd let out a collective rustle—people standing to stretch, vendors shouting about beer and dried squid, 2017’s best hits swelling through the speakers.

“yeah. i think love is enough.” you finally answered. 

your eyes stayed on the field, watching the outfielders switch positions, though the game had stopped mattering a while ago. 

“i know it’s not always practical,” you added, “i know people say timing and circumstances matter and it’s never that simple. but i think love is enough to stay”

a beat passed. then he let out a short breath, almost like a laugh. “that’s kind of a naïve answer, don’t you think?”

you felt a pit in your stomach. still, you didn’t turn to him. “it’s not naïve,” you said. “it’s just what i believe.”

another pause.

when he finally spoke again, his voice was lower. “even if everything else is falling apart?”

you nodded once, a bit frantic. “especially then. isn’t that the point?”

seungmin exhaled slowly. you glanced down, suddenly hyperaware of the way your knee bounced against the plastic seat, jittering out all the nerves you couldn’t put into words.

the silence stretched. it wasn’t the comfortable kind you’d grown used to with him, the kind where you could sit shoulder to shoulder and let the noise of the game fill in the gaps. this was thick and uneasy.

you couldn’t remember it ever feeling like this with him before.

your fingers dug into the hem of your shorts, but the pit in your stomach only grew. you risked a quick look at him. his jaw was tight, his eyes were fixed straight ahead, like even turning toward you was too much.

something has been coming between you lately, and you didn’t know how to stop it.

the jumbotron suddenly lit up in a burst of bright pink. cartoon hearts danced across the screen, the music switching to something sugary. and then, in big, glittery hangul:

kiss cam.

the camera panned to a middle-aged couple two sections over, who blinked, laughed, and obliged with a quick peck. 

it hadn’t even cut to the next couple before seungmin moved. one second he was next to you, slouched low in his seat with that tight look on his face, and the next he was on his feet.

“seungmin?” you said, your voice catching in the roar of the crowd.

he didn’t answer. he turned away from you, pushing past knees and popcorn buckets without looking back. you froze for half a second, then set your drink down too quickly, a bit of soda spilling on the floor as you stood up.

“where are you going?” the words came out thin as you mumbled an apology, stepping over legs in the narrow row, catching a few annoyed glances.

by the time you reached the aisle, he was already taking the stairs two at a time, shoulders tense, climbing higher and higher. panic rose in your chest as you hurried after him, eyes fixed on his back.

at the top, he disappeared under the shaded concourse, where the noise dulled and the air felt cooler. you followed, confusion twisting in your stomach.

you finally caught him near an empty vendor stand, your pulse loud in your ears. “seungmin,” you said, grabbing his arm.

he turned so sharply you nearly lost your balance. his expression stopped you cold. his features were drawn tight, his eyes left no trace of light.

“what is your problem?” you asked, your voice breaking. “why are you storming off like that?”

for a moment, he just stared at you, chest rising and falling like he’d run miles instead of just a flight of stairs. his silence stretched until you almost thought he wouldn’t answer.

“i didn’t wanna appear on the screen,” he muttered finally, voice low.

you blinked, thrown. “look, i know it’s embarrassing,” you said, softer now. “but you don’t normally freak out about stuff like that. it’s just the jumbotron. we’ve made dumb faces at it before. except now it’s just—”

“i know,” he cut in, sharper than he meant to. his voice cracked a little, betraying him.

your grip on his arm loosened, but you didn’t let go. “then what is this?” you pressed, desperate.

his breath left him in a sharp exhale. “i don’t want us to be put out there like that, y/n.”

the words landed. 

he can't be seen with you.

and in that instant, the pieces clicked into place—why he’d chosen the worst seats, why he shoved his cap onto your head, why he’d seemed so far away even sitting right next to you.

this was the moment you feared most, the thing you’d been ignoring for as long as you could. 

seungmin couldn't be seen with you. you were terrified of what that meant.

he let out a slow sigh, as he brought his head down.

“i think you know where this is going,” he said quietly.

your jaw clenched. you looked down at your shoes, then back up at him, heart starting to race.

of course you knew. you weren’t stupid. you’d known since the first time he skipped movie night. you’d known when he stopped walking you home after class, always in a rush to be somewhere else. you’d known when the baseball cap he wore every day was replaced by headphones and you never got the old him back completely.

because seungmin liked singing. loved it, actually. he was chasing something you didn’t really understand. then came the audition for jyp. he passed. and after that, it wasn’t just practice. it was training, hours stacked on hours, until it filled every part of him. 

your fingers curled tighter around your sleeve, knuckles pale.

“i thought… i don’t know. i guess i thought we had a little more time.”

“i thought so too,” he said. “but the company’s starting to keep tabs now. on who we talk to. what we do after training. they’ve already warned me twice. they said i’m not supposed to be distracted. that if i want this to work, i have to…give everything.”

you dropped your gaze again, staring hard at the concrete beneath your sneakers as your vision blurred. hot tears welled before you could stop them, and your shoulders started to shake.

seungmin froze, watching the way you crumbled in front of him.

“y/n…” his voice broke as he reached for you, his hand hovering uncertainly before settling on your arm. 

“i knew this was coming.” you said, mostly to yourself.

your hands were trembling, and the words were catching in your throat.

you really thought you could be okay with it. you thought you could just be proud of him and be mature about letting him go because that’s what you're supposed to do. that’s what seungmin needs to you to do.

seungmin looked up at the ceiling, eyes glassy, blinking hard like he was trying to force it all back in. his jaw clenched, but he was trembling now, and he didn’t have the strength to hide it anymore.

your tears finally came down, and you didn’t try to stop them. you slowly folded into him before you even knew what you were doing, burying your face in his chest, your arms locking around him like your body had made the decision for you.

seungmin caught you instantly, arms coming around you so tightly it hurt. you felt him exhale, shaky and uneven as he gripped the back of your shirt like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.

you were shaking against him, the force of it knocking your words loose.

“you’re leaving,” you cried. 

“i’m sorry,” he choked out, voice thick with tears.

how do you tell the girl who’s only ever loved you right that you found something bigger than staying? that you would give all of this up—for music. he hadn’t meant to. he hadn’t planned for it. but somewhere along the way, his love for music had grown bigger than his love for you, and now he couldn’t carry both without dropping one.

“i’m sorry i couldn’t choose you.” he said. that was easiest way to said it.

your sobs tore out of you before you could hold them back, muffled against the fabric of his shirt. you clutched at him anyway, even as the words gutted you, even as your body shook harder with each breath.

he pressed his face into your hair, his voice hoarse.

“i’m sorry,” he whispered. his throat worked like the words were knives. “i never wanted to hurt you. i swear i didn’t.”

you shook your head, choking on another sob. you twisted out of his hold. his hands tried to follow, to catch you again, but you stepped back, shaking your head hard.

“don’t,” you said, your voice breaking halfway through. 

“y/n,” he said softly, pleading.

“no,” you snapped, wiping at your face with the heel of your hand. “you don’t get to say sorry and hold me like i’m supposed to understand.”

his face crumpled, but you wouldn’t let yourself look at him too long. if you did, you knew you’d crumble too.

“so i was… i was nothing to you. just some girl to waste time with before you got what you wanted.”

“that’s not true,” he said quickly, voice raw. “you were everything to me—”

your chest heaved, tears dripping hot down your cheeks.

“everything?” you shouted. “if i was everything you wouldn’t be leaving like this,”

seungmin’s eyes darkened as he took a step forward, “don’t twist it like that—”

you cut him off immediately, “you’re chasing money and fame while i’m left here like an idiot who thought i was enough!”

“so you think that’s all this is about?” his voice finally rose a little. “do you even know me at all? i don’t give a damn about any of that.”

you wiped at your soaked cheeks with the back of your hand. “then what is it? why am i not enough to make you stay?”

“why aren’t you enough?” he repeated, voice shaking as it climbed. “you think i haven’t asked myself that a hundred times already? you think this is easy for me?” his voice rose, rough and shaking. “do you have any idea what it feels like to walk away from you? to know i’ll never get this back? don’t you dare act like i don’t care.”

you wiped at your soaked cheeks with the back of your hand. “caring doesn’t mean anything if you still leave. if you cared, we’d matter more than a stage and a crowd that doesn’t even know you.”

his hands curled into fists at his sides. “this isn’t just a stage to me—this is what i wanna do. it’s everything i’ve worked for. you don’t get it, y/n.”

your shoulders shook as the tears kept coming, your voice breaking in gasps. “i don’t get it,” you cried, the words ripping out of you before you could hold them back. “i never did.”

you pressed on, your voice raw and trembling.

“every time i tried to ask after you came back from training, every time i wanted to understand what it meant to you—you brushed me off. you always brushed me off. and now you’re standing here saying i don’t get it? of course i don’t! you never even gave me the chance.”

his face twisted, anger and guilt clashing in his eyes. “because i knew if you really saw how much it meant, if you really knew what i was willing to give up for it, then this—this fight, this pain—it was inevitable. and i didn’t want to lose you before i had to.”

“so you just strung me along until the day came that you could finally say it?” you spat, your voice trembling but sharp. “you let me love you like this, knowing you’d never stay. you let me believe.”

“y/n—” his voice cracked, reaching for you again, but you stepped back so quickly it made him freeze.

“no.” you shook your head harder, swallowing against the sob clawing up your throat. “i don’t want to hear it.”

“please,” he said, his voice raw, desperate now.

“i don’t want to see you anymore,” you whispered, so quietly it almost got lost in the silence. “not ever again.”

you turned, your steps uneven but determined. before you could make it to the door, seungmin’s hand shot out, grabbing your arm.

“y/n, don’t—” his voice broke, raw and desperate.

you yanked against his grip, your fury surging. “let go of me!” you shoved at his chest, stumbling back a step yourself from the force.

he didn’t release you, his face crumpling as his own tears spilled freely. “please,” he begged, sobbing, his voice shredded and trembling. “don’t go like this.”

your chest tore open at the sound of him, but you shook your head hard, choking on your own sobs. “then you go. you’re the one who wants to leave so badly, so go!”

“i can’t,” he rasped, shaking his head violently. his fingers tightened on your wrist as if he could anchor you there. “not like this.”

he reached for you again, his other hand desperate to catch you, to hold you, and without even thinking, your hand snapped up.

the sound of the slap echoed in the room.

everything went still.

you froze, your palm stinging, your heart slamming into your ribs. seungmin stood there, breathing hard, his cheek reddening where you’d hit him. he didn’t look at you. didn’t say a word.

“i’m… i’m sorry,” you whispered, horrified.

and then he turned.

“seungmin,” you called, your voice breaking into a whisper.

he turned and walked off, hands shoved deep into his pockets, disappearing around the corner.

you wanted to run after him. to undo the last five minutes, to unsay everything, to stop the sting of your hand against his skin.

but your body wouldn’t move.

you stood there for a second, not moving.

then your knees gave out.

you stumbled to the nearest bathroom, shoved open the heavy door, and collapsed in front of the sink. the nausea hit fast and hard. you just made it to the toilet before you threw up. 

your body started to shake with sobs as your stomach twisted in knots. the fluorescent lights above buzzed faintly. your legs were cold against the tile floor.

you pressed your forehead to your knees and started crying harder than you ever had.

the cap he gave you slid off your head and hit the floor beside you.

that was the worst day of your life.

and you would never talk about it again. not years from now, not when joking with friends over drinks, not when someone asked about your first love. you would never soften the edges, never make it sound poetic. because there was nothing poetic about breaking like this.

you stayed curled there, arms wrapped tight around your legs, sobbing until you had nothing left to give.

and that was how it ended.

[dissociativewriter]

Crow Family- Silent Night

Young Luke and Kieran AU, Sylus x nonMC!Reader | fem reader, not proofread | 1572 words | Crow Family Masterlist

author’s note: this is a long one! with some good old fashioned angst lol. i like this one a lot. expect some more fluff in the future though :) (based on this request)

requests and asks (always) open for crow family shenanigans!

Getting a call from you so late in the night was something Sylus didn't expect, especially when he was out on Onychinus business. You should be asleep at the base right now, cuddled up on the couch or in the guest bedroom (or his personal favorite, though it was rare, his bedroom). Still, one of the twins might have had a nightmare and you were struggling to talk them down. Sylus picked up the phone.

Your sobs crackled through immediately and Sylus's entire body stilled. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," you whispered, broken and cracked, with every shred of pain tangible and piercing Sylus's impenetrable armor.

Mephisto appeared at his side then, squawking and cawing in panic.

"Sweetie," Sylus finally said, forcing his voice steady. "Breathe. What happened?"

"I didn't— the house—" Your voice halted, body wracked with shudders. "The twins," you finally said. "They took them."

Sylus's gaze hardened as he motioned for Mephisto to play his recorded feed. "Who's they?" His mind was already flipping through the rival factions, factions the not only knew about the twins, but knew Sylus would be out tonight.

"I don't know, there were these big guys and they had guns, Sylus. They said if I did anything, they only needed one of the twins alive." Your voice cracked. "I don't understand why they're doing this."

Sylus grimaced. "I'll be there in five minutes," he said firmly, ending the call. This was not how he planned for you to find out about Onychinus, but he couldn't very well keep it from you now. "Track them." He looked at Mephisto, tucking his phone in his pocket as a crimson mist swirled up his forearm.

He appeared at the front door of the base just seconds later. Sylus took a minute to wipe the blood and grime from his skin, not wanting to frighten you any more tonight, before he pushed the door open. He faltered upon seeing you flinch at the door opening.

You stared at him for a moment, mouth opening and closing a few times. "I'm so sorry," you finally choked out.

Sylus closed the distance between you. "It's not your fault," he said, placing his hands on your shoulders. His gaze trailed down you, noting the bruises on your wrists shaped suspiciously like hand prints, fire searing in vermilion eyes. "I'm glad you were cautious, really. Though it seems you weren't spared."

You followed his harsh gaze to the bruises, shrugging helplessly. "I tried to get the twins when they first came in, fight them off, you know? They didn't like that very much…"

His jaw clenched, glancing away from your wide eyes. "I've got Mephisto tracking the twins," he finally said after a few beats of silence. "I should be able to get them soon."

"I'm coming with you," you said immediately.

Sylus shook his head. "It's too dangerous."

"So you can go and I can't?"

"I can handle it."

"How do you know I can't?" You sighed. "Why won't you let me help?"

He avoided your eye contact again, swallowing down the lump in his throat. "I don't want you getting hurt, too," he said quietly.

"Sylus," you whispered, softening slightly. "I'll be fine. I promise. Please, let me help."

Nodding hesitantly, Sylus looked as if he were at war with himself. He'd have a lot to explain to you, and it would have to happen quickly. "Sweetie," he asked suddenly. "Do you trust me?"

Within minutes you found yourself on the back of Sylus's bike, arms wrapped tight around his torso, the chill of the night air distracting you from all the doubts and regret.

"Here's what I don't understand," you began, calling out to Sylus over the wind.

His chuckle was clear and loud, however strained it was. "What's that, sweetie?"

"How do you intend to bring the twins back on this bike?"

Sylus was silent for a minute. "I intend to steal a car."

"Steal?" you cried. "Sylus!"

"Are you familiar with Onychinus, sweetie?" he asked abruptly. Seems like there will only be a worse time for this conversation, he thought.

You blinked. "I guess so? Why?"

"Because," Sylus took a deep breath, "that's why the twins are kidnapped. I'm involved in that kind of business, someone took the twins to try to get to me."

You gasped, but Sylus cut you off before you could say anything.

"If you don't want to be around me anymore, I understand. I'm only putting you in danger, and my hands aren't exactly clean, either."

"Sylus—"

"I shouldn't have brought you out here before telling you, I can take you home right now—"

"Sylus!" He stopped talking. "I'm going to help you get the twins back, however I can."

"Thank you," he murmured.

He pulled the bike to a stop outside of a large, darkened building. Shattered glass and broken fences were scattered on the yard outside of it, most of the windows covered with planks of wood. Sylus kept you close, eyes scanning every surface and shadow. He entered the building hesitantly, keeping you behind him. The sight of nothing set him on edge.

"Well, well, well." A voice came from the opposite end of the room. "What do we have here?"

"Papa!" The twins's voices sounded next, trembling and shaking. Another man raised a hand and the boys immediately flinched back, falling silent.

"How sweet," the man sneered. "Seems I've collected the whole family!"

Sylus's evol wrapped around him before another word could be said, more mist gathering around the other man behind the twins, his grip on them loosening as Sylus's hold increased. The twins ran as soon as they could, straight into Sylus, holding onto his legs with trembling hands.

"Take them outside, please," he told you. "I don't want them to see this."

You nodded, wordlessly ushering the boys into the yard outside. As the heavy door fell shut behind you, you could still make out Sylus's voice. His tone was cold, precise, completely unfamiliar to you.

All he said was, "You dared to touch what is mine."

You moved the twins a distance away, but the bloodcurdling scream that echoed through the building still rang loudly in your ears.

You took a deep breath, crouching down to the twins. "Are you alright, my loves? Did they hurt you?"

"We're fine," Kieran said, voice quiet and somber and all-too-telling.

"We tried to stay brave for you, Mama," Luke added.

You pulled them in for a hug, pressing kisses onto their foreheads. "You were very brave, my loves. I'm so proud of you." Quieter now, your voice shaking, "I'm so glad you're okay."

You flinched as gunshots rang out, more glass shattering and loud crashes coming from the upper floors of the building. Sylus hadn't gone in with a gun, and you were struck with the horrific thought that he might not make it out.

Kieran placed his hand on your shoulder. "Don't worry, Mama." He tried to offer a reassuring smile. "Papa will be fine."

He said it with such certainty, you really wanted to believe it.

When the night fell silent, you held your breath. No sounds of struggle, no gunshots, no screams. You'd never thought that the absence of such sounds could incite such terror, but now you were struggling to hold your composure in front of the twins.

Sylus emerged then, hair just barely disheveled and clothes still pristine. He looked at you as he approached, eyes finally moving to the twins as he dropped to his knees in front of them. "You're okay?" he asked, hands cupping their faces.

"We're alright now, Papa." Luke nodded.

Sylus pulled them into his chest, scattering kisses into their hair and murmuring thanks to every god he could think of. His heart pounded loudly in his chest, not going unnoticed, though the twins didn't say anything.

The ride home was silent. The stolen car was large, black, blending in with the night in the N109 Zone. Sylus brought you and the twins into the base quietly, washing off the twins and bandaging any cuts with a subtle precision. He checked you next, fingers ghosting over the bruises and looking for any cuts.

"Are you alright?" you whispered as he pulled a blanket over the twins. He paused for a moment before sitting down on the edge of his bed, eyes locked on the soft rise and fall of their chests. They'd fallen asleep almost immediately, not arguing with Sylus's insistence that they sleep in his bed tonight.

"I am now." He gave you a sidelong glance, crimson eyes wide and hesitant, his usual confidence gone. "I'm… sorry you had to deal with all of this."

"I'm just glad everything is okay." Your voice came out quieter now. "You're amazing with the twins, you know."

Sylus hummed, disbelief tinging the edges of it, but no response came. You took a step towards him, watched the slight tension in his body.

"Your hands may not be clean," you whispered, cradling one of his hands in both of yours. "But they're most gentle hands I know."

Sylus swallowed. "Does this mean you'll stay?"

"I was always going to."

"It may be selfish, but," Sylus's hand wrapped around yours, pulling you close to him, body heat radiating onto you, "I was hoping you'd say that."

"You can be a bit more selfish," you murmured. "I'm not going anywhere."

disso rambles: okay i didn’t want to say this at the beginning but at this point reader does not know 100% that sylus is the leader of onychinus, she just knows he’s involved and he’s killed some people. the extent of it all is not fully addressed yet, i figure that’s a separate scenario altogether. she might have her suspicions, though… anyway yeah i almost made them kiss in this one but then i decided that a.) it needed to be twin/family-focused, not romance-focused and b.) i like to make yall suffer <3

comments and reblogs appreciated and asks open! <3

masterlist

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[thelazydetectivecat]

it's like seeing him for the first time

Danny had enough. He has been a vigilante for 2 years and 2 years he has been suffering in both ghost and human form it's like no matter where he went everyone had it out for him!

Everyone called him a menace no matter how many times he saved them. Everyone kept a begging for him to come back every time there was a ghost attack. Mr lancer absolutely hates him and believe the only form of value is learning from books and even when he told him about the bullying he has done nothing but ridicule him or ignore him and the rest of the teachers just simply don't care. It is phantom form everyone hunts him down even his own parents who still haven't realized that their son had died.

Hypocrites

He still doesn't know why he even bothered saving his town multiple times putting himself at risk no matter the cost. Actually that's a lie the reason he did it in the first place was because he felt guilty that he was a reason that ghosts were coming through.

He was never properly trained and learned everything through adrenaline and last minute experience. The final straw came when Dani destabilized for good this time

Jazz and Sam tried to dissuade him but in the end except that his decision after he broke down Tucker made him a fake identity and he spoke with red Huntress one last time to tell her the truth and laying out all the contingencies as well as plans if anything happens and simply left.

Ever since then amity park has never seen phantom or Danny Fenton again

....

It had been years ever since Casper high last saw Danny Fenton. At first they thought it was simply a phase and that he would come back or maybe he was kidnapped by a ghost but no after the police got involved Jazz told the truth that Danny simply left after having enough and told her parents that they will only realize why he left after they opened their eyes and started to think about when it all started.

It seemed that Sam and Tucker also knew seeing as they often were on the phone with someone and Valerie seemed more stressed than usual but that was all in the past

Dash leaned against the wall looking back on his teenage memories with past regrets. Dash looked up at the night sky deep in thought about that boy who went missing.

He deeply regretted all his choices from the time he was in high school from harassing jazz to bullying down to the point of thinking he was superior than anyone because of high school status yet here he is now college dropout disowned by his own parents working at a gas station barely making ends meet just like he feared in high school

Liam walked up to him and before starting to eat his sandwich: rough night?

Dash: "yeah... Thinking about regrets in high school and one certain boy who want to missing. Still wonder if the kids alive. He used to love the stars"

Liam his coworker who was older than him simply just stood next to him looking at him with a raised brow: "I know what it feels like kid. But I am curious why do you always think about this Danny person? You talk about him Non-Stop even when you try to tell me you're guilt about harassing his sister if I didn't know any better I'd say you had a special interest in him"

Dash solemnly chuckles looking at the ground: "maybe I did back then but was too stupid to actually realize but it's too late I still regret everything"

Dash groaned as he came to a realization: "oh gosh what a idiot I am just realized looking back on it now it's pretty clear that he had depression or showed signs of it he even made death jokes! Fuck was he suicidal too?! Aghhh fuck I'm such an idiot!"

Dash buried his head in his hands as Liam patted him when suddenly Dash's phone started ringing

Liam: "going to pick that up kid?"

Dash: "agh... probably let me check wait it's Paulina? We haven't talked since I dropped out of college why would she be calling"

Dash picked up through the phone only to hear paulina's screaming from the other side of the line he immediately covered his ears only to hear Paulina tell him to check Twitter and check superboys account

Dash's face went pale the post had not been not posted for long before it got deleted and replaced with something along the lines of pranking

The post was a picture of Superboy taking a photo of Danny fucking Fenton in a hotel room with him with Danny being more buff then when he last saw him sleeping on the bed with scratch marks on his back with the caption "hes amazing would do it again" clearly that was meant to be private saying that it was almost immediately deleted

Dash: "what.the.fuck"

[kxsagi]

can i order a reader who’s lowk nonchalant and cold with a resting bitch face but lowk a secret softie who pats every stray they see GULGULGUP

come home soon btw our 67 kids miss u

“𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫”

a/n: 67 KIDS??? yes bae

ft. isagi yoichi, itoshi rin, itoshi sae, nagi seishiro, mikage reo, bachira meguru, shidou ryusei, karasu tabito, kaiser michael, ness alexis

isagi yoichi

isagi notices your rbf way before he notices your soft side. when you first started dating, he thought you were lowkey terrifying. not because you ever said anything mean, but because your face always looked like you were judging everyone around you. 

he’d be like, “... are you mad at me?” at least once a week. and every time you reply, “no, this is just my face,” and he doesn’t know whether to believe you or not. 

but then one day he catches you crouched on the sidewalk, patting the scraggliest stray cat with the gentlest smile he’s ever seen on your face. it’s the kind of smile that makes his heart stutter. 

he stands there frozen, trying to process. “wait… you like cats?” and you’re immediately like, “shut up. don’t look at me.” 

now, he makes it his mission to point out strays wherever you go. “look, babe! kitty over there!” and you always sigh and pretend you’re annoyed, but next thing you know you’re sitting on the curb trying to get the cat to come to you. 

isagi teases you about it constantly, but secretly he’s obsessed with seeing that soft look in your eyes. it makes him feel like he unlocked a hidden level of you. 

itoshi rin

rin is… basically the male version of your vibe. cold, blunt, and not the best at showing warmth. so he gets you immediately. 

the two of you probably look like the scariest, most unapproachable couple on the block. resting bitch face x2. random people definitely move out of your way when you’re walking together. 

but rin is also the first to notice how your whole demeanor changes the second you see a stray animal. the way your eyes soften, how your hand instinctively reaches out, the way you crouch down without hesitation. 

the first time he catches it, he doesn’t comment. he just watches silently, something oddly warm tugging at his chest. 

later, he’ll casually buy cat treats or a packet of food for strays and hand them to you without saying a word. if you ask why, he just shrugs. “you’ll need it.” 

you two end up being a total menace – picking up every stray on the street and feeding them until you’re followed home like pied pipers. 

rin pretends he doesn’t care, but he’s lowkey proud of your softness because he knows you’d never show it to anyone else. 

itoshi sae

sae finds your nonchalant, cold attitude refreshing. you’re not clingy, you’re not overly excitable, and you can match his detached energy. to him, you’re the perfect balance. 

but when he discovers your secret soft spot for strays, he gives you so much shit for it. 

“you look like you’d kill a man for looking at you wrong, but you’re out here baby-talking a dirty cat on the street? unbelievable.” 

he teases you endlessly, and you always roll your eyes and ignore him, but he notices how you don’t actually stop. you keep petting, keep smiling at those animals. 

if he’s with you, he’ll stand there with his hands in his pockets, smirking. “don’t touch it too much. you’ll catch fleas.” (spoiler: he says this every single time.) 

secretly though, sae finds it endearing. you’re cold to the world, but your heart is soft where it matters. 

he’ll never say it out loud, but one day you notice he started keeping little packs of snacks in his car, for “emergencies.” the kind of emergencies where you find another stray. 

nagi seishiro

nagi doesn’t even notice at first. you both look perpetually unbothered by everything, so he doesn’t expect you to have a hidden soft side. 

then one day you’re both walking home, and you suddenly squat down to pet a stray dog like your life depends on it. nagi stops mid-step, blinks at you, and goes, “… huh? when did you get so… cute?” 

he crouches down next to you and starts petting the dog too, immediately matching your energy because it’s low effort and comforting. now, it’s your thing together. 

every time you two go out, nagi somehow spots animals before you do and nudges you lazily. “look, kitten.” you always melt immediately, and he just watches with a little smile. 

sometimes, he’ll even scoop the stray up and plop it in your lap, just to watch you fuss over it. “see? it likes you.” 

honestly, nagi loves this side of you because he gets to be the only person who witnesses how soft you actually are. he thinks it’s sweet, and it makes him more attached to you.  

mikage reo

reo thinks your rbf is adorable. he’s all smiles and warmth, so the contrast between you two is hilarious. he literally introduces you as his “scary, but secretly sweet girlfriend.” 

at first, he doesn’t realize how soft you actually are. he just knows you’re cold to strangers and tend to keep a distance from people. 

but when he sees you kneeling on the sidewalk, patting a stray cat like it’s the most precious thing in the world, he’s floored. 

“wait, you like animals? this is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” and then he pulls out his phone to snap pictures immediately. 

reo goes all-in once he realizes this about you. suddenly he’s buying food for strays, donating to shelters, even joking about building you a cat café just so you can be surrounded by them. 

he thinks it’s the sweetest secret side of you, and he brags about it constantly. “yeah, she looks scary, but the second she sees a cat? melted. gone. you should see it.” 

and he lives for the little smile you try to hide when you’re petting strays. he swears it’s his new favorite sight. 

bachira meguru

bachira is obsessed with your rbf. he thinks it’s so cool and mysterious, like you’re a main character walking around in your own movie. 

but when he discovers that behind the cold face is someone who melts at the sight of strays? oh, he thinks he’s cracked the ultimate cheat code. 

the first time he catches you crouched down, scratching a scruffy stray dog behind the ears, he’s grinning ear-to-ear. “aha! i knew it! you’re not scary at all, you’re a marshmallow.” 

he calls you out constantly, making exaggerated cooing noises every time you bend down to pet an animal. “look at youuu, you’re so squishy for them!” 

but he also fully joins in. bachira has zero shame, so he’ll sit cross-legged on the street with you, calling every stray he sees. half the time, the animals come running to him first, which you pretend annoys you but secretly find cute. 

one time, he jokingly said, “we should adopt them all and make a soccer team of cats,” and you caught yourself laughing out loud, which made him go, “see? that’s the real you.” 

shidou ryusei

shidou thinks your cold, unbothered aura is hot. he loves how you look like you’d bite someone’s head off if they annoyed you. 

so imagine his absolute shock when he catches you crouched on the ground, patting a tiny stray kitten with the most gentle look in your eyes. his jaw drops. 

“wait. you? ms. death glare? baby-talking a furball?” and then he laughs so loud people turn their heads. 

he doesn’t let you live it down. every single time you frown or roll your eyes at him, he’ll snicker, “yeah, yeah, tough guy, bet you’d melt if i meowed right now.” (he meows. often.) 

shidou will literally scoop strays up and plop them into your arms just to watch you lose composure. he lives for seeing you panic because your soft side slipped out. 

but in a rare serious moment, he’ll admit he likes seeing you like that. “’cause everyone else just gets the cold shoulder. but me? i get to see this sugar-coated version. feels special, y’know?” 

karasu tabito

karasu finds your rbf endlessly entertaining. he pokes at it all the time, calling you “the ice queen” or asking if you practiced glaring in the mirror. 

when he finds out about your stray obsession, he laughs for a solid five minutes. “you? the neighborhood cat whisperer? no way.” 

but he watches you anyway, his usual smirk softening a bit as you gently stroke a stray’s head. and even though he teases you mercilessly – “ya’ve got a softer heart than me, huh? should’ve known” – he’s genuinely endeared. 

karasu starts pointing out strays wherever you go, just to mess with you. “hey, yer little friends are back.” 

sometimes he’ll exaggerate your soft voice when calling animals, imitating you in the most dramatic way possible. but the second you glare at him, he grins and says, “see? that’s the face i know.” 

secretly, though, he thinks the duality is perfect. he likes that the world sees you as untouchable, but he gets to witness you melt over small things. it makes him feel like he’s in on a secret no one else deserves. 

kaiser michael

kaiser adores your cold exterior. he thinks you’re the perfect accessory to his ego – intimidating, chic, impossible to read. 

so when he finds out you’re weak for strays, he dies laughing. “mein gott, you’ve been hiding this the whole time? priceless.” 

he’ll whip out his phone immediately to take photos and send them to ness with captions like, “our scary girl is actually a disney princess.” 

kaiser weaponizes it against you constantly. if you’re annoyed with him, he’ll tilt his head and go, “oh come on, don’t look at me like that. save the soft eyes for the cats, hm?” 

but he also makes it his job to spoil this side of you. suddenly, you’re “randomly” bumping into strays everywhere you go – gee, wonder why? (spoiler: kaiser paid some kids to feed them in certain areas so you’d have “coincidences.”) 

deep down though, he loves it. the softness you show animals makes him feel special when you look at him the same way, even if he’d never admit it out loud. 

ness alexis

ness is honestly terrified of your rbf at first. he thinks you don’t like him, or that you’re constantly mad at him, so he’s always trying to overcompensate with kindness. 

the first time he sees you kneeling down to pet a stray dog, though, he freezes in shock. “… wait. you’re… actually nice?” 

he gets ridiculously excited about it. “i knew there was a soft side under there!” and he practically bounces as he kneels next to you to pet the stray too. 

ness thinks it’s the cutest thing in the world. now he points out every animal on the street, tugging at your sleeve like, “look! look! a kitty!” 

he also tells everyone about it – reo, kaiser, random teammates – “you think she’s scary? nah, she melts for cats. total sweetheart.” 

but with you, he’s genuinely sweet about it. he’ll smile softly while watching you, thinking it’s his favorite side of you because it proves you’re not as unreachable as you look. 

© 𝐤𝐱𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐢

[moviecritc]

the adventures of loverboy and hategirl ୭̥⋆*｡

/☆ mark grayson x fem!reader, or mark and his girlfriend who hates everyone but it's a total babe when she's with him

You’re in the GDA briefing room, planted against the wall, arms crossed so tight it’s a wonder your circulation isn’t cut off. You’re glaring holes through everyone. Not because they did anything specific to you no, just existing in the same space feels like an insult.

Rex is already talking, of course. Loud and obnoxious. He’s halfway through some brag about how he saved the day on a mission last week. You let him ramble for about four seconds before you cut in, your voice sharp as a knife.

“Do you ever shut the hell up, Rex? Or is running your mouth your actual power?”

His smug grin falters, but only for a second. He opens his mouth to come back with something, probably another bad joke about how you secretly want him. You don’t even let him get the words out.

“Don’t bother,” you snap, glaring daggers at him. “I’ve heard enough of your bullshit in one lifetime.”

He clenches his jaw, visibly fighting the urge to throw something back. But you’re already rolling your eyes, muttering under your breath, “God, you’re pathetic.”

The silence after is heavy, cut only by Rex’s muttered curse. Kate finally speaks up, looking at you with that mix of disapproval and exhaustion she always seems to reserve just for you.

“Do you have to be so—”

“Yes,” you interrupt immediately, not even letting her finish. “I have to be so. Deal with it. Or don’t. Not my problem.”

Her jaw tightens, but she doesn’t bother continuing. You’ve already won the moment. You always do.

You pivot then, eyes landing on Immortal. He’s droning on about something strategic, but you can’t resist cutting across him either. “You know, for a guy whose like a billion years old, you’re painfully boring. Maybe spice it up next time? Add a fucking Subway Surfers screen while you talk.”

He doesn’t rise to the bait, he rarely does, but the slight twitch at the corner of his eye tells you you landed a hit. You smirk, satisfied, and lean back against the wall again, arms crossed tighter.

The room is stiff with tension now. Rex is sulking, Kate’s glaring at you, Cecil’s pretending not to be annoyed, and even Rudy has paused in that silent, calculating way he does, as if he’s running data on just how unpleasant you are.

And you don’t care. Why should you? Let them hate you. Let them choke on it.

Then the ceiling door opens.

Mark steps in, a little sweaty from flying, suit clinging perfectly around his abs. He’s smiling in that soft, easy smile that makes him look so painfully human in a room full of people pretending they’re more.

And just like that, your glare falters.

Your chest seizes up, like someone pressed pause on your heartbeat. You don’t even realize you’ve moved until you’re crossing the room toward him, all that venom dissolving as if it never existed.

“Hi,” you say, and your voice is suddenly softer, almost shy, barely recognizable compared to the razor-blade tone you’d just skewered Rex with.

Mark’s grin widens. He leans down and presses a kiss to your cheek, casual, gentle. “Hey, babe.”

You practically melt, slipping your hand into his arm like it’s magnetic. The others stare, dumbfounded, watching your transformation as if you’ve just shape-shifted into another person entirely. Two seconds ago, you were all fire and acid. Now you’re gazing at Mark like he hung the stars.

“How was your day?” you ask, fingertips brushing a hair strand out of his forehead, your voice warm. “Did you est?”

“I’m good,” he laughs, slipping an arm around your waist like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “You don’t have to fuss over me.”

“Yes, I do,” you murmur, leaning up to kiss his jaw, shutting out the stunned silence around you.

Rex blurts, disgusted, “What the actual fuck—”

You snap your head toward him, eyes blazing. “Shut your mouth before I break it.”

Then you look back at Mark, smile sweet, tender, sugary soft. “You look really good today.”

He laughs, squeezing you closer. You bury your face against his chest, breathing him in, letting the sharp edges melt right off you. The rest of the world doesn’t matter when you’re pressed against him like this.

You can feel every pair of eyes drilling into you. Immortal, for once, has actually stopped talking, Rudy looks like he’s buffering, Kate is flat-out staring, and Rex… oh, Rex is the first to recover.

He leans back in his chair, a slow grin tugging at his mouth. “Oh my god.” He points at you, then at Mark, laughing under his breath. “You were just tearing everyone a new one five seconds ago, and now you’re over here, batting your lashes like some Disney princess. This is insane.”

You don’t even look at him. “Jealousy is ugly, Rex. Though, to be fair, so is your face, so you’re consistent.”

The room winces.

But Rex just keeps pushing, his smirk widening. “Nah, I’m serious. Mark, dude—” He gestures toward Mark. “You realize your girlfriend was basically threatening to skin me alive ten seconds ago, right? And now she’s all ‘Did you eat, baby?’” He pitches his voice high and mocking, fluttering his eyelashes. “It’s hilarious. You’re whipped.”

Mark just raises his brows, more amused than anything. That was probably the worst part of everything, he loved seeing you be mean to others, he ate it up every time, sometimes even encouraging to be meaner. Before he can even answer, you cut in.

“Careful, Rex.” you say, your voice dropping low and sharp, “I don't give a fuck that you try to be mean to me, but to my boyfriend? You’ll be drinking your meals through a tube.”

The grin slides right off his face. He slumps back into his chair, muttering something no one catches. You don’t give him the dignity of your attention. You’ve already turned back to Mark, your smile blossoming again like it had never left.

“So,” you murmur, brushing your thumb over the seam of his glove, “what are we doing this evening when these fuckers stop wasting our time?”

Mark’s smile softens, like you’re the only thing anchoring him in the room. “My mom keeps saying you should stay for dinner more.”

Your expression warms instantly. “Then I’ll stay,” you whisper, like it’s some secret just for him.

He grins, leaning down just a little closer. “Good. She likes you. Almost as much as I do.”

You roll your eyes at the cheesiness, but you’re smiling too hard to mean it.

Being with you alone was even better. You were the definition of clingy and flirty at the same time. You and Mark spend all your free time together, laying on his bed. Talking, kissing, having sex... It didn't matter to you as long as you could have him close.

You'd listen to him talk about Seance Dog with the biggest heart eyes and muttering, "you are the cutest geek" mid kiss.

And if you doubt it, he is as down bad for you as you are for him.

He held you like you were something fragile, even when you crawled all over him, demanding his attention. His hand always found its way into your hair, always brushing across your waist, always grounding you as if to remind himself you were really there.

Sometimes he’d get quiet in the middle of your rambling, just staring at you like you were something unreal. His thumb would trace the line of your jaw, his lips brushing the back of your hand like he couldn’t help it. You’d tease him for looking so lovesick, but deep down you lived for it, the way his whole world seemed to stop for you.

A lot of people ask him how does he puts up with you.

The first impression his friends had of you was you shouting at a car after almost running over an elder woman crossing the road. It was a total crash out scene, you almost puncturing one of the car's tires. William was scared, Rick a little dumbfounded and Amber actively worried about Mark's well-being. But then you spotted him, and of course, your red face of screaming turned into a blush.

They wondered how someone like Mark —all sweetness, patience, and big brown eyes— could ever fit with someone like you.

But Mark knew better. He’d never once seen you as “too much.” He loved the bite in your voice, the fire in your chest, the way you never let anything slide. He loved that you scared people a little, because when you softened for him, it made him feel like he had something no one else would ever get.

There was one time when you tried to be mean to him. You were so angry at him, furious even. He’d shown up late after promising he’d be there hours earlier, bruised from a fight he hadn’t even told you about. You’d been pacing his room, rehearsing every sharp word you were going to throw at him the second he walked through the door.

And then he did. Hair mussed, lip split, eyes tired and still, somehow, he smiled at you. That soft, lopsided grin that made your chest ache.

You started strong. “Do you even care about me at all? Do you realize how pathetic it feels waiting around like an idiot while you’re out there getting half your ribs broken?” Your voice was sharp, every word laced with heat.

Mark just stood there, quiet, letting you get it out. He dropped his bag by the door and stepped closer, not even defending himself. Just… looking at you. Those big brown eyes full of guilt and affection and something so gentle it made your throat tighten.

You tried again, desperate to hold onto your anger. “You can’t just keep doing this to me, Mark. You can’t just disappear, come back looking like hell, and expect me to—”

But your voice cracked before you could finish. Because he reached for you, thumb brushing over the back of your hand so carefully it felt like a plea. His eyes met yours, and he whispered, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry. I’ll try to be better. I promise.”

And just like that, your fury collapsed. It was humiliating, how quickly it happened. One look at him, those damn eyes, that earnestness, and all the fire drained right out of you. Instead, you were cupping his face, muttering into his skin about how much you hated him scaring you like this, even as your hands shook from relief that he was standing there in front of you.

He kissed your forehead like you hadn’t just tried to bite his head off. “You don’t have to be mean to me,” he murmured, pulling you against his chest. “I already know you care.”

And you wanted to argue, to claw back some of your edge, but the truth was he was right. You could be mean to anyone in the world. But never him.

mark grayson masterlist ☆ for my favourite girl @suigenerisisadiva (go check her fics bc she's amazing)

[stateofmarauders]

ALL TOO WELL

remus lupin x fem!muggle!reader

summary: because of his lycantrophy, remus tried to keep you away until he gives up and runs back into your arms. because of that, you broke up and got back together so many times you can’t count. you don’t know if you’re going to be together forever but you knew one thing for sure. you were going to remember it all too well.

warnings; reader is 20 and remus is 21-22 (so is lily, sirius, etc). reader is lily’s cousin (so random but who cares), implied sex, angst, remus’s self hatred and not feeling enough, ik that september isn’t a cold month but let’s pretend ok??

w/c; 7.8k

a/n: catch all the taylor references challenge

September 6th 1982. - Scarf

“They will love you,” Remus comforted you, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. “Don’t worry, it’ll all be alright.”

You caught your lower lip in between your lips, his words did little to calm your nerves. Of course, he had to say it’ll be okay. If he said his parents would hate you, you wouldn’t come in the first place.

He sighed when you didn’t respond and turned his whole body to you, his hands immediately travelling to hold your face.

“Just be yourself, okay?” he asked gently. “Seriously, the chances that you fuck it up are zero.”

You managed to nod, even if you didn’t believe him entirely. The chances that you were going to screw up were fifty-fifty. Never zero.

You watched him knock on the door and you formed your hands into fists, causing your nails to dig into your palms. The doors opened five seconds later, revealing a kind-looking woman in her mid or late fourties. She immediately smiled at Remus and pulled him into a tight hug, even kissing his cheek.

You had to smile at the interaction, heart warming. Remus told you how much he loved his mum and now you finally got to meet the woman he spoke so highly of. It made you even more nervous.

After they pulled away, her eyes immediately found you. And before you could even say hello, her arms were wrapped around your neck. It took you three whole seconds to hug her, taken aback by the sudden affection.

“Mum,” Remus spoke behind her, smile tugging at his lips, “let her breathe.”

She eventually pulled away from you, but you didn’t mind her embrace at all. She took your appearence in and then said, “I can’t believe Remus was hiding a pretty girl like you from us for so long. I’m Hope, by the way.”

You turned red at her words, giving her a nervous laugh before shaking her hand. Hope then hushed you both inside. Remus reached intertwined his fingers with yours as you walked through the door.

Something about it felt like home somehow. You removed your red scarf from around your neck and hung it over the banister. You didn’t know why, you just did.

Remus helped to take off your coat, hanging it by the door right next to his before leading you from the hallway into the dining room with his hand on your lower back.

There was an older man sitting at the table, reading the newspaper with furrowed eyebrows. Upon hearing the noise of you two, he looked up with a smile. He stood up and immediately went to introduce himself to you.

“I’m Lyall. Nice to meet you.” The resemblance between him and Remus was unmistakeable.

“I’m Y/N,” you smiled politely. “Thank you for having me.”

“Well, someone has to make sure my son’s treating you well,” Lyall jokes, his eyes glistening. You hear Remus groan but ignore him as Lyall leads you to sit down.

Your boyfriend takes a seat next to you and moments later, Hope approaches the table with a big pot of whatever she cooked.

The dinner seemed to be going flawlessly. Hope and Lyall asked you all about the muggle word since they were Halfbloods and didn’t know it that well. Remus had his left hand on your lower thigh almost the entire time, drawing circles whenever he felt you were getting nervous again. He had this weird sixth sense to feel it. Had to be something magical, you were sure.

After everyone finished eating, you helped Hope to clean up despite the fact that she said she was forbidding you to do so.

When all the dishes were clean, Hope got the brilliant idea to show you pictures of Remus from when he was a kid and soon, you found yourself leaning against the kitchen counter with the photo album opened right in front of you. You were laughing at the photograph of Remus in a twin-sized bed with ridiculously big glasses – that belonged to Lyall – on his face.

When your boyfriend came strolling into the kitchen to check on you, he froze.

You smirked when you noticed him and reached for his hand to pull him closer.

“You were so adorable,” you told him and gave his cheek a peck. You watched his cheeks turning red at both the emberassment of the photo album and your affection. You turned your attention back to Hope.

“Oh, and this,” Hope cooed and pointed to a picture of a young Remus reading a book on the sofa in the living room. “He was in a book club when he was in primary school. I think he’s about nine here.”

You gave Remus a look that said, “you were so cute, I could literally eat you”.

The poor young man looked like he wanted to dig himself a hole and die there, but he couldn’t help the smile forming on his lips. His two favorite women getting along so well. That was exactly all he wanted.

You let him drag you away despite your protests. You bid Hope and Lyal goodnight in case you didn’t see them until the morning and then walked up the stars, following Remus with your hand in his.

“It looks exactly like you,” you said when you stepped into his old room. The walls were painted beige with posters of his favorite artists splattered arcoss. His bed was neatly made, probably because he hasn’t slept there for a year. There was a bookshelf filled with books and you were surprised to find toy dragons standing on all of the shelves. You turned to him, eyebrow raised in amusement.

“I used to be obsessed with dragons,” he admitted sheepeshly. “Couldn’t throw them away, even when I became an adult.”

You stepped closer and wrapped your arms around his neck, grinning from ear to ear.

Remus chuckled, eyes darting to your lips and back to your eyes. You took the hint and pushes his head forward, your mouths connecting. His hands moved from his sides to your hips and then lower back, pulling you closer, your bodies now flushed against the other.

The kiss turned heated rather quickly even though his parents were downstairs and could walk on you two any second. However, those thoughts disappeared when Remus’s lips brushed right under your jawline, making you whimper. You pulled at his hair as he began to suck, surely leaving a mark but you couldn’t bring yourself to care. Not when it felt so good.

You didn’t even realize you were walking backwards until the back of your knees hit the edge of his bed. He lied you down carefully before taking a moment to admire you. Your hair was already slightly messy, your lipstick smudged and your eyes wide with anticipation. He got on top of you, connecting your lips once again.

As his hands travelled from your face to your sides and then under your blouse, reality hit you.

You were going to have your first time ever. With him. In his parents’s house.

You felt light panic wash over you and Remus, because he sensed it, immediately pulled away.

“Are you okay?” He asked breathlessly.

You managed to nod.

His eyes studied you. “We…don’t have to do this. It’s okay, if you don’t want to.”

You quickly shook your head. Not doing it was the last thing you wanted.

“I want to,” you answered, your voice barely above a whisper. “It’s just…I’ve never done….it.”

He looked almost suprised. “You’ve never had sex?”

Your face twisted, suddenly feeling embarrassed because of how he said the word sex so casually. It was casual for most people, you knew that. But not for you.

You were twenty. All your friends had already done it, and your cousin was even married and had a child. You felt certain pressure to do it since you turned sixteen but you never felt safe enough with anyone to go further than just snog. Not until now.

“No.” You exhaled. “I’ve never had sex. But I want to with you,” you quickly added.

“Alright,” Remus nodded, his eyes still on you, searching for any kind of hesitation or discomfort. When he didn’t find any, he said, “It will most likely hurt.”

“I know,” you replied. You’ve heard enough stories from your friends to know what first time feels like.

“You’ll tell me when you want to stop?”

“I will,” you reassured. And with that, you grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him in.

You left more than your red scarf at his parents’s house.

September 13th 1982 - A masterpiece

You had your suspicion for a while. Since you’ve first met him, actually, which was when you were dropping off Lily at the platform and 9 3/4. Your cousin introduced you two and you couldn’t help your eyes to curiously stare at his scars on his face, neck, and even hands. He must have known at what you were looking, and so you shook his hand and smiled brightly.

You wondered about what could have happened to him to leave him so scarred. Some looked even fresher than the others and so, the realization hit you as you remembered full moon was just a few days before that. And you’ve heard enough from Lily about werewolves to know what that meant.

However, your suspicions were confirmed after you got to know him more. You tracked the full moons in the calendar by your bed and watched as his behaviour changed just the week before his transformations. How he became quieter, face twisting in pain more often, his irritation growing because of the littlest things, how he made excuses of why not to spend time together. You couldn’t blame him at all. You didn’t know what he was going through but you could imagine how painful and scary it must be to turn into an animal and lose control over yourself for a whole night.

You walked on tiptoes around him if you happened to be together days before the full moon. You became quieter too, you didn’t talk about your day, of what happened when you were looking over little Harry, or that your favourite book was getting a film adaption. You talked only when neccessary and barely touched him at all.

You waited for him to tell you on your own but three months later, you lost hope that he was going to ever tell you at all.

Until one day, when you were in his bed in the flat he shared with Sirius. It was close to midnight after the whole afternoon spent watching him as he fought not to let his pain show. You so badly wanted to hold him, to tell him you knew and that you were there for him, willing to do anything to help him. But you didn’t and kept your hands to yourself.

He barely looked at you, his gaze glued to the space between you and him.

At one point, you let out a shaky breath, and that’s when he said it.

“You know, don’t you?”

It wasn’t a question. He knew you knew and there was no point in pretending you had no idea what he was talking about or to deny it.

You simply nodded, even though you didn’t know if he could even see it through the darkness.

“I do,” you whispered, feeling suddenly relieved.

“Why are you even here, then?”

That questioned caught you off guard. Cause I love you, you almost said before you stopped yourself, feeling like it was too early to say it out loud.

“Cause I want to be,” you answered simply as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. And to you, it was.

“I’m not exactly an entertaining company during this time,” he laughed bitterly.

You shrugged. “I’m not here for entertainment. I’m here for you,” you paused, rethinking your words before saying, “I can go if you don’t want me here.”

Silence followed and you thought he was about to tell you to go home.

You felt his fingers brushing against yours. You thought it was an accident but then he intertwined them and you were sure it wasn’t.

“I always want you here.”

You squeezed his hand, sensing that there was nothing else needed to be said. You sat up a bit and placed a gentle kiss on Remus’s forehead, hearing a sigh escape his lips.

“Goodnight, Remus.”

“Will you stay?” He asked, voice shaky.

And of course, you did.

October 10th 1982 - First Crack in the Glass

The full moon the very next month was worse.

You called to his flat that day, just to ask Remus if he was okay, if he wanted anything from the store you were going to before visiting him.

“Hello, sweetheart.” Came from the other line and you recognized it to be Sirius. You didn’t know how he knew it was you but you decided not to ask anything.

“Hi, Sirius,” you greeted, feeling anxiety creeping into your bones for no particular reason.

“Listen, uh,” he paused and that’s when you knew something was wrong. Sirius sounded serious and he rarely did. “I don’t think Remus is in a good mood for any visitors. I’m myself just on the way out.”

You closed your eyes and sighed, gaze dropping into your lap. You knew what Sirius was saying. Remus didn’t want to see you.

“Oh,” was all you managed to say.

“Yeah,” Sirius agreed. “Oh.”

When you said nothing else, he continued. “Don’t take it personally, sweetheart, alright? I confirm that he still very much likes you. He’s just not himself.”

You nodded, even though you knew he couldn’t see it. “Okay. Thank you, Sirius. Have a nice day.”

“You too, Y/N.”

The line went off and another sigh left your lips. You thought about what Sirius said. He himself wanted to get out of the flat and you wondered how bad the atmosphere must have been. You knew you shouldn’t go. You told yourself you shouldn’t. There were millions of other things you could be doing instead of disrupting Remus. But, unfortunately, before you knew it, you were unlocking the door of his flat.

The evidence of the toll this full moon took on him were everywhere.

Unfinished breakfast, although it looked more like Remus didn’t even take a bite. There was a cup with coffee filled to the half and too many cigarettes in the ashtray. On the floor lied a broken plate. The whole place smelled like something bad was about to happen soon. You quietly took off your coat and shoes and put your bag down on the kitchen floor. You carefully moved over to the broken plate and began to pick up the pieces. Remus would’ve gone mad if he saw you picking it up with your bare fingers, scolding you that you were going to cut yourself.

And you did.

You hissed as you felt the sharp edge slit your skin of your palm. You glanced down at it to see a red line forming and you cursed quietly under your breath, abandoning the pieces and moved over to the sink to wash your hand. Sighing happily as the cold water hit your wound, you didn’t hear Remus making its way to the kitchen at the smell of your blood.

“What are you doing here?”

You almost jumped at the sound of his voice and turned around to see your boyfriend standing in the door way, with a bandage in his hand. He looked so incredibly tired and weak, with his shoulders down and a look in your eyes that looked far from the boy you knew.

“I…..” you couldnt finish your sentence as you watched him slowly making his way over to you. He grabbed the scissors from the kitchen table and cut the bandage. He handed out his hand, asking for yours without asking out loud. You obeyed, silently watching as he began bandaging.

“You should’ve been more careful,” he scolded without looking at you. “You should’ve just left the plate where it was. You shouldn’t be cleaning up my mess.”

You had a feeling this wasn’t about just cleaning up his flat anymore.

“I just wanted to help,” you tried to reason and his hands sped up, but you could see he was struggling. “Remus, I love you—“

He dropped your hand. “Then don’t!” He lashed out, his voice far harsher than he intended, but you heard it break.

You froze.

“Seriously, Y/N. I have never asked you for anything. Not for cleaning my flat just because you think I can’t do it myself–“

“I don’t think that,” you cut in desperately.

He ignored your words. “And I have certainly never asked you for sticking around nor have I ever asked for your love!”

You glanced down on your feet and gripped your injured hand. Not because it hurt – you were sure your heart was in a whole lot worse condition – but because you needed something to hold onto.

Was Remus breaking up with you? Was that what it was about?

“I’m sorry,” you managed to mumble. “I- I’ll go.”

You walked past him, unable to look him in the eye and he seemed to be struggling too. You grabbed your things, got dressed and walked out without another word, trying to ignore how your heart ached.

You ended up at James and Lily’s house with the excuse that you just wanted to see Harry. Which was not completely false, you loved him to death and always wanted to see him.

However, as you stepped into the living room, your eyes landed on Sirius who was sitting on the floor and playing with your – and his – godson.

His eyes lit up when he saw you, and Harry was too busy playing with cars to notice you. However, he frowned in confussion as if he sensed something was wrong.

“Hi, sweetheart,” he said unsurely, eyes flicking to Lily and James who just shrugged. Suddenly, his eyes widened a bit before asking, “You’ve been to see Remus, haven’t you?”

There were a few “ah”’s coming from your cousin and her husband and you sighed in defeat.

“You and your dog senses,” you said before sitting down on the floor next to Harry who was already making grabby hands at you. You chuckled and pulled him into your lap, giving him a kiss on the top of his head and that’s when they all saw it. The bandage on your hand.

“Oh God,” Lily gasped, her hand over her mouth. “Did he….?”

Your eyes went wide at what she was implying. “No!” You shook your head quickly. “That was all me, he was the one bandaging it.”

James raised an eyebrow. He’s been uncharacteristically quiet the whole time. “So… what happened?”

You remained quiet. Harry was giving you a grin, looking up at you with curious eyes.

“Went to his flat. There was, uh, a broken plate on the floor. I wanted to clean it up and cut myself. Remus appeared like thirty seconds later with a bandage. Then he started about how I should’ve been more careful and that he never asked me for any of this and that he certainly never asked me for my love.”

“Jesus Christ….” Lily mumbled.

And that’s when it hit you. The reality of his words.

“I think he was breaking up with me,” you admitted. Your voice broke on the last word and tears began streaming down your face. Before you knew it, Sirius took Harry out of your hold to give you some space, which was the last thing you wanted but you didn’t protest. Lily crouched down next to you and began caressing your back.

“I’m sure he wasn’t,” James said, giving you a sad smile. “Moony wouldn’t do that.”

Sirius tsked and you turned your head to face him.

“Moony would do that,” he corrected. You opened your mouth to argue, but then you realized you didn’t know him long like Sirius did. That made your heart ache even more.

“Sirius!” Lily scolded.

The said boy put his hands up in surrender. “I’m sorry, Lils, but there’s no point at lying to the poor girl. Remus is the type of person to push everyone away, especially the closest people. He can be so casually cruel in the name of being honest.”

You felt a lump in your throat and no matter how much you tried swallowed it, it never went away.

You eventually nodded, slowly, accepting your fate.

“He broke up with me.”

Lily sighed from her spot beside you. “You can’t know that for hundred precent.”

“Yeah,” James agreed. “Remus always says things he doesn’t mean when it’s close to the full moon. I say call him or meet up with him after.”

You shook your head. “I’m not going to call first—“

Then, the phone rang, cutting you off. James went over to answer it. You couldn’t hear the voice on the other line to figure out who it was, only James’s quiet responses.

“Yeah, uh, she’s here,” he said. “I’m not sure she wants to talk to you, mate–“

You were already in your feet, making your way to the phone. “Is that Remus?”

James nodded unsurely. He wanted to say you didn’t have to talk to him if you didn’t want to, but you were already reaching for the phone before he could say anything.

You heard him breathing, and then holding it just before you spoke.

“Rem?” You asked softly.

“Y/N,” he breathed out as if hearing your voice was the best thing ever. And for him, it was. “I’m sorry. Godric, I am so sorry.”

“It’s okay,” you mumbled, leaning against the wall.

“No, it’s not,” Remus argued, his voice gentle yet firm. “I shouldn’t have talked to you like that.”

“It’s alright, Rem, really,” you said honestly. You could see Lily, James, Sirius, and even Harry watching you. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through. Sirius told me not to come and I should’ve listened. It’s my fault.”

“No.” You imagined him shaking his head. “You were just being your kind self. You wanted to help. And I was awful to you. You should yell at me.”

You let out a chuckle. “I’m not going to yell at you, love.”

“I know,” he said and paused. The silence was somewhat comfortable cause you now knew he wasn’t breaking up with you. “I love you.”

And there, he said it. And you swore you could hear your heart quite literally leaping out of your chest. You hid your face in your free hand to cover your smile as you felt your cheeks heat up.

“I love you.”

You heard Remus let out a sigh of relief. You were still together, now stronger than ever.

Everything was going to be okay.

Or….so you thought.

October 20th 1982 - Wind in My Hair, I Was There

The leaves finally turned autumn colours.

You dragged Remus out of his flat despite his protests about wanting to curl up on the sofa with a good book. You promised him you’ll do it with him later that day and eventually, with a sigh, he agreed.

And so there you were, walking hand in hand through the colourful forest towards a lake. It had been fun so far, even for Remus. He let you talk his ear off about anything that came into your mind. It would be annoying for many, but not for your boyfriend. He loved your voice and how excited you got about things you liked. Sometimes you were so lost in what you were saying he had to lead you so you wouldn’t step into a puddle.

“And Sara got this beautiful cat and—“ you abruptly stopped yourself.

Remus raised his eyebrow, confusion written all of his face. “And what, dove?”

You scrunched up your nose and looked down at the ground. “I’m talking too much, aren’t I?”

He brought your hand to his lips and kissed your knuckles. “Nonsense.”

You slowed your walking when you felt him to do so and smiled up at him. When you two stopped in your tracks entirely, he framed your face with his scarred hands and placed a gentle kiss on your mouth. He didn’t pull away entirely, you could feel his breath on your face.

You wrapped your arms around his waist and stood up on your tiptoes to kiss him once again. He hummed happily into your mouth, his thumb brushing over your jawline.

“You’re too nice to me,” you said when you continued your way to the lake. “If you want me to shut up, you have to tell me.”

He pouted teasingly. “But I want to hear our voice.”

And, God, you folded.

Despite the cold weather, the sun found its way to cast its light through the tree branches onto the water, creating a sparkling effect. The wind was messing up your hair the whole time, but you gave up on trying to fix it.

You and Remus sat into the grass next to the lake. There were only a few people, mostly passing by without really interrupting you two. You kissed some more, until your lips turned blue, clinging onto the heat radiating from him. He was so warm.

“Swear to remember this all too well,” you pleaded, with your head on his shoulder.

You felt him kiss the top of your head.

“I promise.”

October 27th 1982 - Breaking Point

You let yourself in Remus’s flat. You were so excited to show him the halloween costume you got for James and Lily’s party. It was a witch, ironically. But a bit more…revealing, you’d say.

You definitely hoped the afternoon would end up a different way than it did.

You hanged your coat by the door and kicked off your shoes. You felt as if you knew something was going to happen but told your anxious brain it was paranoid. It worked, for a while.

Sirius was in the kitchen, cigarette hanging from his lips as he read the newspapers, shaking his head and muttering something under his breath. He looked up at the sound of your footsteps and grinned.

“Hello, doll,” he greeted you. You learned not to take the nicknames anything more than casually. It was simply in Sirius’s nature.

“Hi, Sirius,” you greeted back and looked around the kitchen and the living room. “Is Remus here?”

“Bedroom,” Sirius responded and before he could say anything else, you were on your way over there.

You knocked on the door softly, exactly three times and waited patienly for Remus to answer. After hearing the faint sound of “come in”, you excitedly entered.

Except, your excitement wore off when you saw Remus sitting on the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees and his face in his hands.

You dropped your bags and immediately approached. You sat down in front of him, your hand brushing over his shoulder.

You spoke in panicked voice. “What happened, love? Are you hurting?”

He shook his head, his voice still covered. Then, he finally looked at you. There was this kind of sadness in his eyes. He hadn’t been crying, at least not in the past thirty minutes, you could tell that. But that didn’t make you feel any more better.

“What happened?” You repeated, more urgently this time.

He opened his mouth but no words came out. You furrowed your eyebrows worryingly.

And then–

“I don’t think this will work out.”

Seven words.

Enough to make your whole world fall apart.

Your eyes widened in cofussion, hand drawing from his shoulder back to your side.

“What?”

He sighed, as if it pained him to say it again.

“I don’t think this will work out, Y/N.”

It made your heart ache in ways you never experienced before. You were completely frozen by his words. You thought you two talked everything out. He literally just met your parents a week ago! Charming your dad with self-effacing jokes, sipping his coffee like he was on a late night show. He gave your mother flowers and complimented her cooking. He made love to you later that night in the exact bed you were just sitting next to and now he was breaking up with you?

“Why?” You managed to croak out. When he didn’t answer, you asked again. “Why, Remus?” This one came out harsher than intended and he winced.

“You have to think of your future.” Was his answer. The thing, he said you were his future and you believed him.

Stupid girl.

You stood up and threw hands in the air. “I do think about my future, and you are in it!”

Remus sighed again, as if he didn’t want to continue this conversation.

“You have to think a bit more beyond that,” he couldn’t even look at you, keeping his gaze on the linoleum floor. “I’ve got a badly-paid job because of what I am. I can’t give you the life you want.”

A sob left your lips before you could stop it. “I don’t care about my life as long as you’re in it,” you said weekly. Remus hated that he made you like this, but he was convinced that you were better off without him.

“You’re saying that now.” His eyes finally met yours. “But what about when we’re going to be in debts because of all the bills we couldn’t pay?”

You knew he had a point, but you wouldn’t let him know that. “Then we’re going to be in it together!”

“Love can’t safe us from that, dove.”

Your shoulders dropped in defeat, silently begging him to change his mind. Unfortunately, you knew that there was nothing else you could do to prevent him from leaving.

“So, that’s it?”

He nodded, slowly. His eyes drifted back to the floor. “Yes. That’s it.”

You let out another sob. You were torn between wanting to hug him, hold onto him for dear life and never wanting to see him again. You chose for the second option and turned around, grabbed your bags, and left his bedroom.

Sirius was still in the kitchen, smoking probably another cigarette. You wanted to sneak past him without him noticing you but that was impossible.

“Y/N?” He asked at the sight of your teary face. You shook your head, signalizing ou couldn’t and didn’t want to talk to him about it. He only nodded and kissed your cheek, squeezing your arm. You thanked him in a whisper and then left the apartment.

You broke down outside the building.

November 4th 1982 - You Call Me Up Again

One week.

Seven days.

168 hours.

10 080 minutes.

604 800 seconds.

Some really painful seconds without him.

You never knew how devestating it can be to get your heart broken. You’ve seen movies and read books about it, sure. But experiencing was something completely different.

You felt this presistent ache in your chest from the moment you woke up to the very second you drifted to your dreamland. And even then, the pain wouldn’t give you rest.

You dreamed of him.

The dreams didn’t really make sense most of the time, but he was there. Always.

Waiting. Watching. Smiling.

And when you opened your eyes, the reality hit you like a train.

You haven’t spoken to him in seven whole days. You have been barely speaking to anyone at all.

Lily called about twenty of times, just to ask you how you are. She even put Harry on the phone, but the boy could only speak gibberish and you pretended like you could understand him. It cheered you up, though. Harry always did.

Sirius called every other day and stopped by when you told him to so you could give him his birthday present. He didn’t make you feel guilty for missing his party. Not after seeing how heartbroken you looked that day.

Everyone called. Everyone stopped by. Just not Remus.

You spend your days in bed, crying until your eyes hurt and you felt sick. You’d look at the pictures of you and him or the pictures of him that you took while the songs he loved played in the backround.

No wonder you were miserable.

And you yearned for Remus in ways that made you feel crazy.

You knew you’d forgive him in a heart beat if he reached out and you hated yourself for that a tiny bit. But, at the same time, it’s not like he did something unforgivable. You thought about it hard enough to understand why he did what he did and you even wondered about what would you do if the roles were reversed. You came to the conclusion that you would do the exact same thing.

But the thing was, you couldn’t forgive him until he asked for forgivness.

And he didn’t. For seven days.

And then, the call came. Completely out of the blue.

You were curled up in your bed, staring into nowhere when the phone rang in the living room. Faintly, but you could hear it anyway.

You were about ninety-nine percent sure it was going to be Lily. The other one percent went for Sirius.

You sighed, getting into the act of being totally fine before picking it up.

“Hello?” You said, anticipating your cousin’s voice on the other line.

You never expected it to be him.

But then you heard it, the shaky breath and your name.

You closed your eyes and leaned against the wall. “Remus.”

Silence prevailed. You couldn’t even hear his breath, suspecting he was holding it.

You held the phone as if it was him, gently but firmly at the same time.

“I miss you,” he eventually croaked out. “I miss you really badly.”

And, God, how badly you wanted to hear him saying that. You imagined it multiple times, but this was better than your brain could ever form.

“I miss you really badly, too,” you admitted quietly. You started wondering what it meant. Did he just call you to say he missed you just to leave you stranded and confused? Did he think it was a romantic thing to do?

“Mum found out about what I did to you,” Remus said after a while. “From Sirius, of course. She gave me hell for it. I was convinced to call you and talk.”

You mentally thanked Hope Lupin for being the most amazing woman in the whole world.

“Well, did you want to talk to me, at all?” You asked, biting the inside of your cheek.

“Course,” he said honestly. “I always want to talk to you, even if I pretend I don’t.”

You let out a quiet chuckle and smiled for the first time in days. You heard Remus let out a sigh of relief at the sound.

“Would you….” He paused. “Would you like to meet up? Maybe at the café you wanted to go to?”

“Yes,” you spoke faster than you meant to. “I’d like that.”

November 10th 1982 - Down the Stairs, I Was There

A week later, you couldn’t be happier.

You and Remus were back together and everyone was delighted to hear the news. You started socializing again and didn’t cry when you heard David Bowie anymore.

Just like now.

You were back at his parents’ house. Lyall and Hope were out of town and asked Remus to take care of it while they were gone. You ended up hanging out with him there, without anyone interrupting you two.

There, downstairs in the kitchen, you and Remus decided for brownies at midnight. Your boyfriend was the one making the batter while you were seated on the kitchen counter and tasting it, despite the multiple times Remus playfully smacked your hand away before kissing you on the cheek. Each single time.

You watched him, not really his work, rather how beautifully he looked in the refrigerator light. Hair all messy from previous activity – you know what I mean, smile plastered on his face the entire time, eyes glistening.

You didn’t want to look at anything else ever again.

His records were playing softly in the backround. You recognized all of the songs. He played Bowie often enough for you to memorize them word by word. Your favourite was definitely Heroes and so when it started playing, you jumped off the counter and dramatically asked Remus to dance.

And who was he to say no to that?

He gladly took your hand and you lead him in the middle of the kitchen to move the dining table and chairs so you had enough space to dance.

Like you two stood a chance.

He placed one of his hands on your waist and you put one of yours on his shoulder. The dance was messy and uncoordinated but none of you cared enough. You were both laughing the whole time, even when Remus accidentally stepped on your feet.

By the end if the song, you had your head leaning against his chest, moving slowly. At one point, you looked at him, smiled and he just couldn’t not lean down and kiss you softly on the lips.

He murmured “I love you” when your finger threaded into his sand brown locks.

There, down the stairs, your sillhouettes luminated by the light from the refrigerator, in your lover’s arms, you felt like exploding.

November 16th 1982 - Just To Break Me Like A Promise

Unfortunately, Remus likes breaking his favourite toys.

What was more unfortunate, was that you were one of them.

It came just as unexpectedly as the first break up. This time, he couldn’t even meet you in person to tell you

You told him he was a coward, he said he knew. You didn’t know what to say after that. You remembered the last time, how you tried to convince him and nothing worked. He broke you like a promise he never really made.

You stayed on the phone with him in silence for a few minutes. The tick of the clock in your kitchen suddenly felt too loud, as if mocking you.

Your time ran out.

Then suddenly, you picked all your courage to ask him. “Will you come to my birthday party?”

That caught him completely off guard.

“What?” He asked, the shock evident in his voice.

“I want you there,” you admitted. Silence followed. “Please, tell me you’ll come.” Silence. “Remus–“

“I’ll be there,” he responded finally. “I promise.”

You didn’t know if he said it just to satisfy you or if he actually wanted to be there but you couldn’t bring yourself to ask, afraid of the answer.

“Thank you,” you mumbled.

The line went dead.

November 23th 1982 - The Moment I Knew

That day of the party, you wore your favourite dark purple party dress and his favourite red lipstick of yours.

Your friends came flooding in.

Lily, James, and Harry came first, carrying one present each. Sirius arrived a few minutes after that, complaining about the traffic before giving the top of your head a kiss and placing his present for you among the others.

Your childhood friends Sara and Lisa bursted through the door with bright smiles on their faces. They embraced you so tightly you could barely breathe.

You patiently waited. For Remus to arrive with Peter.

And then the door opened.

And only one of them made it.

Your smile faltered when you saw only Peter walking through the doorway. At the sight of you, he quickly explained;

“He said he’ll come later. Got caught up at work.”

You trusted Peter he was telling the truth. You didn’t trust Remus that he told his friend the truth.

But you still got hope as you joined all your friends.

However, twenty minutes passed. Then forty-five. Then a whole hour. And you felt the reality sinking in.

You got your eye on the door the entire time, only halfly listening to James and Sirius sharing funny stories from school. You could tell that they were trying really hard to not mention Remus and you were somewhat grateful for that.

The more time passed, the more sadder you’ve become and it became harder to pretend you were alright.

Everyone noticed. Of course, they did. You hardly said anything at all the entire evening, only speaking when spoken to.

And when Lisa asked if you were okay, you couldn’t hold the tears back anymore.

You quickly excused yourself and made your way into the bathroom. You could hear steps behind you and didn’t need to look back to know it was Sirius. Hence why you didn’t close the door to the bathroom, torn between wanting to be alone and speaking about it to someone.

Your back was facing the door when he entered, your face in your hands as you quietly sobbed, the noises muffled by your palms.

“Y/N,” Sirius sighed and wrapped his arms around your shaking figure. You were sure you’d be on the floor if he didn’t come in.

You burried your face in his shoulder, gripping his white shirt.

“He said he’d be here,” you cried out, followed by another broken sob.

“I know, I know, I’m sorry,” Sirius mumbled into your hair. He hold you tightly, as if afraid you were going to fall apart otherwise. And you would.

You stayed like that for about ten minutes, until you calmed down. Your eyes were red, mascara completely ruined and your lipstick was smudged on Sirius’s tshirt. He waved you off when you apalogized and fixed it with a flick of his wand. He then fixed your appearance, too. Minus the red eyes, he wasn’t sure what to do about that.

You hesitated joining your friends again in the living room but you felt guilty about your dissapearence. You stared at the floor for a second, your lip in between your teeth.

“Come on,” Sirius nudged you playfully, making you look up. He was grinning but it didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s supposed to be fun turning twenty one.”

Two hours later, you were in your flat alone once again. The presents remained wrapped as you weren’t in the mood to open them. You poured yourself a glass of wine and sank into the sofa. Your appearance a devastating contrast to the decorated flat.

You played back your last phone call with Remus. How he promised he’d come.

He should’ve been there.

You were too tired to cry anymore, and you weren’t sure if you had any tears left. You lied down, still with your dress and your heels that you picked out just for him.

His voice played in your ears.

“I’ll be there. I promise.”

Foolish one.

You were awaken by the phone ringing.

Your eyes shot open into the dark and your chest tightened.

It must be him, you thought. It must be.

You slowly got up, praying that he wouldn’t give up and hang up because you were sure you couldn’t call him yourself. Finally your hand reached for the phone and held it close to your ear.

“Y/N?” He questioned, as if he wasn’t sure you’d even pick up. You didn’t know what time it was, but considering the dark outside, it must have been at least eleven.

“Yeah,” you murmured. “It’s me.”

You waited for him to say something.

“I’m sorry I didn’t make it,” he apologized. It sounded sincere but that wasn’t enough to mend your broken heart.

You wanted to yell at him. You wanted to ask him to put your name on the top of his list. How throughout the whole relationship, you asked for one thing and one thing only. To be with you when you wanted him. You wanted him to answer of why he was doing this to you. Why he was keep breaking your heart in a blink of an eye.

But you didn’t have the energy to fight anymore. Not because you didn’t care but because deep down you knew there was nothing to fight for anymore.

Instead, you sighed and said, “I’m sorry, too.”

Then, you hung up.

And that was the moment you knew.

December 14th 1982 - How It Glistened As It Fell

You stared into your coffee.

The café you were in wasn’t busy in the late afternoon, only clinking of dishes and the low sound of people talking could be heard.

You thought it was hilarious. Remus asked to meet you here to talk and yet, he didn’t say a single word except of “hi” and “I’m glad you came”.

It was awkward. The silence. The way you sometimes accidentally bumped your leg against his. The way you caught his stare when he was looking at your face.

You sighed. “What did you want to talk about?”

He glanced down on the table and took a deep breath. “Nothing. I just wanted to see you.”

Oh, God.

You tilted your head and studied his face. “Why did you want to see me, then?”

Silence. And then–

“I miss you.”

You looked out the window and saw a couple walking by, hand in hand, the girl laughing at something the boy said.

“You broke up with me, Remus,” you whispered. “You don’t get to say that.”

He nodded slowly, knowing where you’re coming from. “I know. And I’m sorry.”

You didn’t say it was okay, because it wasn’t. “I just wish you wouldn’t let it get between us like that.” It being lycantrophy. “I’d love you so hard if you just let me. We could make it work. But you gave it up. You gave us up.”

Remus swallowed the lump in his throat. “Maybe if…I wasn’t what I was then… It would’ve been fine.”

And that made you want to die.

You stayed silent, not trusting your voice to break if you spoke. You could feel tears stinging your eyes and you used your sleeve to wipe them.

But the grief was too much.

You looked out of the window again and let the tears fall this time. Seeing the first fall of snow should make you happy. But it didn’t. Nothing mattered.

You looked back at him, only to see his gaze already on you. You needed to say it. “I love you.”

Remus closed his eyes as if the sentence physically pained him to hear it. And with a shaky breath, he said;

“It’ll pass.”

You looked down on your shaky hands as if it could comfort you.

Fifteen minutes later, you said your goodbyes. You didn’t hug each other, afraid that if you did, you wouldn’t be able to let go.

And Remus knew it was for the better.

It was all for you.

You watched him walking away from you, hands in his pockets and head down low.

He didn’t look back, not once.

You looked up and let the first snowflakes fall on your face, admiring how it glistened as it fell.

Time passed. Like it always did.

But you still remembered every little detail of his breathing. Every detail of the colour of his eyes. The sound of his laugh. The was his fingers felt on your face when he kissed you.

You were going to remember how it felt to love him.

You were going to remember it all.

Too well.

[svt-luna]

ʚིᵋ ⋆ LUNA IN JEONGWAJA ࣪ ! ˓ ౨ৎ ࣪˖ ─── now playing…

synopsis: KAI x LUNA ordered to a boot camp experience at the Military Science Department! A special episode of Jeongwaja where curiosity and a simple bet drags SEVENTEEN’s princess into a day of military training. Expect nonstop chaos, laughter, and unforgettable moments as they try (and fail) to keep things serious.

wc: 15.8k

i simply couldn’t help myself, i NEEDED to write this! and since a lot of you guys asked for me to do this… it just sealed the deal! this was so much fun to write! we get a little bit of background on this post as to why our Luna decided to join this show… but my next post will be the one-shot explaining the lore and JeongNa’s reaction to the final episode, so look out for that! 🫡🤍

p.s this is long as hell… almost cried writing it 😖

╰౨ৎ JeongNa reaction one-shot ╰౨ৎ 250829: Jeongwaja

╰ ౨ৎ LUNA-VERSE MASTERLIST ╰ ౨ৎ more interviews

[added captions are in brackets] ღ

[Changing Majors!]

[Jeongwaja]

The sun was relentless, hanging over the wide field like a heat lamp turned to its highest setting. The air was sticky, heavy, and the faint smell of grass baked under the August sun clung to everything.

[Sweaty weather…]

Kai stood at the center of it all, squinting against the glare, beads of sweat already forming along his hairline. He tugged slightly at the collar of his shirt, visibly uncomfortable, before turning to the cameras with the most professional smile he could muster despite the weather.

[He already hates this]

“Reviewing all majors in the world, I’m Jeongwaja, Kai. Nice to meet you, everyone.” He bowed formally, his posture crisp though his face betrayed how much the humid air was already winning against him. The staff around the cameras chuckled, amused by his mix of professionalism and discomfort.

Straightening up, he continued, trying to match the energy he always had in his opening. “Everyone, I’m seeing you quite often even during vacation, right?” His tone was light, teasing, earning more laughter from the staff who already knew what was waiting for him today.

[Summer vacation rules]

From behind the camera, the producer’s voice cut in, curious and playful. “Do you know where this is?”

Kai blinked, scanning the open field as if the scenery might give him some sort of clue. “Isn’t this Anyang?” he answered, tilting his head slightly, waiting for confirmation.

“It is Anyang, but the background is intense. It’s unusual. Are we doing farm activities today? Or what activity are we doing today?” Kai asked, fanning himself a little with his hand and then squinting again into the distance like he might actually see tractors or haystacks pop up any second.

[It is something very familiar]

“Starts with a C,” the producer offered, voice laced with mischief.

“Club activity?” Kai guessed immediately, hopeful, his eyes lighting up as though the possibility of something normal was within reach.

The producer laughed at his attempt. “Vacation special edition.”

[Really?]

Kai’s eyebrows knit together. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, wiping at his brow, waiting for the real answer. There was a pause, the kind that dragged just long enough for tension to build. He looked at the producer, then back at the cameras, his lips pressed tight.

“Companion enlistment,” the producer finally revealed.

[Ta-da!]

[Very familiar]

It was like watching the life drain out of Kai’s face in real time. His smile froze, trembled, then melted off completely as his jaw dropped a little. He blinked at the staff, his hand half-raised like he wanted to argue but couldn’t yet find the words. “Hey!” he finally burst out, pointing an accusatory finger at the crew. “You said it was vacation! Who enlists during vacation?” His voice cracked halfway through, part outrage, part disbelief, which only made the staff laugh harder.

[PTSD is creeping in]

Gesturing wildly now, Kai stomped his foot against the dry ground, his sneakers kicking up little puffs of dust. “We’re not even at two million yet. Why are we suddenly enlisting?” he demanded, his words tumbling out in rapid-fire.

“To be precise, it’s not the military. It’s a department. Seokyeong University Department of Military Science,” the producer explained casually, as though this distinction would ease his panic.

[It’s the same thing…]

Kai froze again, staring at the producer in sheer disbelief. His mouth opened, closed, then opened again. “Are you out of your mind?” he finally exclaimed, hands thrown into the air in pure dramatic flair.

[Cultivating military expertise]

“But if it’s companion enlistment,” he continued after a beat, his tone now dripping with suspicion, “who’s coming? You?” He jabbed his finger toward the producer in accusation, his face half a glare, half a pout. The crew broke into laughter again at the absurdity of the situation.

[Nope]

“Is it going to be tough today?” Kai asked, almost pleading now, voice rising a little. “Just say it, is today hard or not?” There was no point pretending anymore, his fate was sealed, and he knew it. Still, he clung to the tiniest hope.

[Yes]

“But since there’s someone to go with today, isn’t it a bit better?” the producer teased back.

Kai tilted his head, curiosity sparking despite himself. He rubbed his temple like he was bracing for the worst. “Who is it, really?” he asked, now dying to know who in their right mind would willingly sign up to be part of this chaos with him.

[The answer is very surprising]

“A high school alumnus,” the producer hinted.

[Artist nurturing ground]

Kai blinked, his mind whirring, before he repeated slowly, “High school alumnus… an alumnus? Seoul School of Performing Arts? Yellow uniform?” His eyes narrowed, gears clearly turning as he started piecing things together.

“There was SEVENTEEN… Mark of NCT… BTS as well… EXO as well,” Kai muttered to himself, listing off the possible idols he knew had once walked the same hallways. His expression was a mix of genuine intrigue and complete dread, like a man uncovering the punchline to a joke he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear.

[The answer is in one of the choices he gave]

“Did that person volunteer to enlist with me?” Kai asked, tone dropping to a flat disbelief.

[Incomprehensible]

“We were planning to invite someone else, but that person said they wanted to go to the military,” the producer explained with the kind of casual delivery that made it all the more ridiculous.

[The guest was adamant]

Kai just stared, eyes widening until they nearly doubled in size. His voice cracked again as he practically shouted, “Why is he doing that? Isn’t he supposed to discuss it with me?”

The staff doubled over laughing, the sticky air now filled not just with humidity but with the sound of Kai’s dramatic suffering echoing across the field.

Kai was about to ask another question when the sound of boots crunching over gravel cut through the humid air. The cameras swung, almost instinctively, catching the figure that strode toward them from the edge of the field.

[Someone is coming]

[Who is it?]

It was a sight that made Kai’s jaw slacken.

A figure, fully clad in camouflage uniform, boots laced to perfection, strode in with easy confidence. Her wavy hair tumbled through the air, catching the sunlight and bouncing with each step. And in her arms, neatly folded, was another set of uniform. She was laughing softly to herself as she caught sight of Kai’s expression, the incredulous shock plastered across his face, like someone had just told him his vacation had been swapped for conscription.

[His enlistment buddy looks more excited that him]

It was Luna.

[SEVENTEEN’s Luna!]

The crew erupted into muffled laughter, some already clapping their hands over their mouths to contain themselves as Kai pointed and squawked wordlessly before finally managing, “Oh, what’s this? Hello.” He bowed in reflex, chuckling through his disbelief at the reveal.

[Not who he was expecting]

“Hello, oh, this person… Why is she here to enlist with me?” Kai’s words tumbled out fast, his finger still half-pointing at her as if needing confirmation from everyone else that this was, in fact, real.

[In disbelief]

“Hello! I brought a gift.” Luna’s voice was bright, carrying easily across the sticky field as she extended the folded uniform to him. Kai accepted it with both hands, the corners of his lips twitching like he wasn’t sure if he should thank her or beg her to leave before it was too late.

“Thanks. Is this a good thing?” Kai muttered with a chuckle, looking down at the uniform in his hands as though it might bite him.

Then, turning to the cameras with the ease of someone who had been doing this since she was a teenager, Luna bowed politely and greeted, “Hello!”

“Nice to see you again,” Luna added, still smiling, the laughter bubbling under her words as she remembered the times they had briefly crossed paths before from award shows, music programs, fleeting greetings between packed schedules.

“Oh, nice to see you again too,” Kai said, shaking his head with an incredulous grin.

“Yes, this person will enlist together with me today.” He gestured to her with mock formality, turning back to the cameras. “It’s Luna from SEVENTEEN.”

[SEVENTEEN Princess…]

[…is going to enlist]

“Nice to meet you,” Luna said again with a small bow before raising her hand to wave. Her smile widened as she addressed the lens directly. “Hello, everyone, I’m Luna.”

“I can’t put on a happy face though,” Kai admitted, shoulders slumping, his dread written all over his features.

[Doesn’t want to enlist]

Luna laughed immediately at his expression. “Why not? We’re enlisting together today. Aren’t you okay with that?”

Kai tilted his head, repeating her words with dramatic emphasis. “Aren’t I okay with that?” He blinked exaggeratedly.

[He’s not okay]

“I heard that originally, when you hit two million subscribers you promised to go to the military,” Luna said, her tone playful.

“Yes, that’s right,” Kai nodded solemnly, resigned to his own words being thrown back at him.

“I couldn’t wait so I said I wanted to come out,” Luna explained, laughing at her own reasoning.

[She’s excited]

Kai’s eyes widened, his head jerking back. “I mean, it’s great to appear. It’s really great to see you here but why choose to enlist together?” He still sounded like he was waiting for someone to yell “it’s a prank.”

[He’ll be excited in a different circumstance]

“Looking at the departments you went to… you even went to the ballet department which was really impressive,” Luna started, her hands moving animatedly as she explained.

“You’re a ballerina right? Or you were? Why didn’t you join that one instead of this?” Kai asked her, his voice tinged with disbelief, which only made her laugh harder.

“Yes but that wouldn’t be a challenge for me though would it? You’ve been to so many. If we’re going together I wondered where should we go? So then… I was like ‘Should I go to the military with Kai?’” Luna explained, her words spilling into a chuckle.

[She said that with a smile]

Kai broke into laughter, shaking his head as if the absurdity was too much to process.

“Why with Kai? Why me? This isn’t an ordinary matter, you know? You should be prepared today,” Kai told her, trying to sound serious but unable to stop grinning.

[As if he is pleading her to back out and take him with her]

“Right now, I’m still very much in a field of flowers emotionally,” Luna admitted, which sent them both into laughter again.

“Why are you interested in enlisting though? That doesn’t seem like something you’d be interested in,” Kai asked, still baffled.

“To be honest, I’ve only been interested recently because my members are starting to enlist… sadly,” Luna said with a soft chuckle, shrugging as Kai nodded in understanding.

“I want to know at least a little bit of what they are going to be going through. And…” Luna trailed off, her chuckle slipping into something shy.

[And what?]

“Why?” Kai prompted, leaning in curiously.

“I’m very competitive and when I voiced my interest and curiosity on enlisting… my partner told me I’d hate it and wouldn’t be able to go through it… so we made a bet,” Luna confessed, laughter spilling out at the ridiculousness of it.

[She’s scary]

“Wah! So you’re doing this for a bet,” Kai said, chuckling in disbelief.

“Yes but don’t get it wrong, that’s only half of the reason,” Luna added quickly, still laughing.

“What is your imagined image of the military?” Kai asked, shaking his head in amusement.

“First, they look cool in their military uniforms all dressed up,” Luna said, gesturing down at herself with a grin.

[She looks like a model]

“You really do look cool,” Kai admitted, gesturing to her with a nod.

“First, dressing sharply,” Luna said, striking a pose with her hands on her hips.

[Military Barbie with Military Ken who doesn’t want to be there]

Kai burst into laughter. “I’ve never seen someone so dressed up for the army.”

[Only Luna]

“Thank you,” Luna said with a chuckle.

“What kind of experience do you think we’ll have?” Kai asked, tilting his head.

“Since it’s the military after all maybe we’ll have to load some guns…. Bang bang bang.” She pointed her fingers like pistols, firing them toward the sky with playful precision.

[Cute]

Kai doubled over laughing, pointing toward the cameras. “She says she’ll shoot a gun.”

“I want to,” Luna laughed, covering her mouth.

“How do you shoot? A gun?” Kai asked, baiting her.

“Bang bang bang,” Luna repeated, pulling out both finger guns again with exaggerated seriousness.

Kai mimicked her, chuckling, before switching into the iconic EXO “Love Shot” move, finger guns crossed as he swayed. “I thought you’d shoot a gun like this,” he teased.

Luna nodded enthusiastically, laughing until her eyes crinkled.

“Quickly get changed and come back,” Luna told him, waving toward the uniform still in his hands.

[She’s too eager to start]

“Oh, I have to change too,” Kai said with a long sigh, shoulders drooping.

“Yes, before changing today we’ve invited the head of the department,” their producer cut in, voice bright with mischief.

The humid air clung to their clothes as the producer’s words trailed away, and then from the far end of the field, a figure emerged. It was an older man, suit crisp despite the heat, shoes clicking firmly against the dry ground as though the field were a polished floor. The cameras zoomed in instinctively, capturing the slow, deliberate walk.

[Chae Sung Joon / Head of Department Director of Security Strategy Research Center]

[Former Anti-Corruption Defense Commissioner Nick Fury of Seokyeong University]

Both Kai and Luna instinctively straightened as his presence drew closer, exchanging a quick, silent look of panic.

[Tense]

“So, how should we…” Kai’s voice trailed off mid-thought, his eyes flicking nervously between the man and Luna. Almost reflexively, he lifted his hand in a stiff salute, as though bracing for inspection.

[Trauma response]

“How… Isn’t the angle here extremely precise?” Luna asked, hesitantly lifting her hand, unsure of where to place her fingers. Her eyes darted toward Kai’s posture, trying to copy it with the same earnestness as a school kid peeking at their neighbor’s test answers.

“Yes, it’s precise,” Kai confirmed, suddenly adopting the role of instructor despite his own shaky confidence.

“How should I?” Luna trailed off, her hand hovering awkwardly near her forehead.

“Right here next to the eyebrow,” Kai instructed, demonstrating carefully. His hand moved with exaggerated slowness.

[It’s muscle memory]

Luna nodded quickly and adjusted her hand.

“Salute!” Kai said firmly, snapping his hand up.

“Salute!” Luna echoed, mirroring him with just enough delay to make the staff giggle from behind the cameras.

“Nice to meet you,” the department head greeted, his tone formal.

“Nice to meet you,” Kai replied promptly, dropping the salute.

“Yes, nice to meet you,” Luna added, bowing politely, her smile a touch sheepish as the cameras captured every second.

“I see your attire is already prepared,” the department head gestured toward Luna’s camo-clad figure.

[She’s excited]

“Yes, I’ve come fully prepared,” Luna said proudly, placing her hands neatly in front of her, like a model showing off her uniform on a runway.

[Proud]

“First, I wonder whether you know what kind of department military studies is,” the department head said, folding his hands behind his back with an air of expectation.

[No…]

“Surely… I don’t think she knows at all,” Kai deadpanned, jerking his thumb at Luna. His straight face made the staff laugh loudly, and Luna herself chuckled, shaking her head in mock betrayal.

“Actually, I’m not really sure,” Luna admitted, her honesty sparking another round of laughter.

“It would be great if you could explain,” Kai said, gesturing politely toward the department head as if to say, please enlighten us before she embarrasses herself further.

“The military department is for training officers,” the head began. His words rolled out steady, practiced, and very much like a lecture hall speech. “One method to become an officer is Military Academy, ROTC. In ROTC, while attending school you receive education and training and directly commission as an officer. After graduating from a 4-year university and passing an exam, you become an officer. The military studies department, besides military academies, designs a career path to become a different type of officer.”

[A thorough explanation]

Both Luna and Kai nodded solemnly, their expressions politely attentive, though their eyes were glassy with the slow creep of zoning out. Kai blinked too many times; Luna pursed her lips, nodding rhythmically as though trying to look more awake than she was.

[They are listening… maybe?]

“Usually, among those who want to serve long-term come to us,” the department head continued.

[What?]

That line snapped both of them back like rubber bands.

[Caught their attention]

“Long-term?” Luna repeated, her voice rising with unease, already picturing endless drills in dirt.

“I mean, just listening briefly I keep getting surprised,” Kai said, chuckling in disbelief, his hands fidgeting with the hem of the uniform Luna had handed him earlier.

[Laughing away the pain]

The department head cleared his throat and pressed on, clearly used to such reactions. “Usually provided by the military is what we call the ‘Military Scholarship Program’. They receive full tuition support while enrolled in university. It’s a structure for pursuing a career as a long-term professional soldier…”

Kai and Luna both nodded, but their eyes had long glazed over. Kai’s gaze drifted upward to the sky, squinting, then suddenly jabbed a finger toward the horizon.

[Just like the students at the back of the class]

“Look… bird,” he whispered sideways.

Luna followed his gaze instantly, eyes lighting up as if the sight of wings was the most fascinating thing she had seen all day. She nodded, pretending to study it intently, clearly more invested in the bird than the lecture.

“Attention!” the department head’s sharp call snapped them upright. Both of them jumped and straightened, chuckling awkwardly under the weight of his gaze.

[First time they got scolded today]

[Luna and Kai getting scolded counter: 1]

“While attending the Military Science Department you learn how military structures operate,” the department head concluded firmly, finally ending his long-winded explanation.

Luna and Kai immediately clapped in unison, their timing so perfectly synchronized it drew laughter from the staff.

“It’s a bit lengthy, isn’t it?” the department head asked, raising an amused brow.

“No,” Luna replied quickly, smiling politely.

“No, it was long,” Kai countered bluntly, his timing killing the tension and making everyone burst into laughter again.

[Honesty is the best policy]

“But it’s a school located in Jeongneung, Seoul. Why are we here?” Kai asked, confusion etched across his face.

[Why are they there?]

“The reason is that we are currently on break,” the department head explained calmly.

“Exactly,” Kai muttered, nodding in mock triumph as though that clarified everything.

[He wants to go home and enjoy his break too]

“Because we have an agreement with the Army, in the first year we usually go into the military base for a simple experience called military life experience,” the head elaborated.

“Military… life… experience?” Kai stuttered, his voice trailing upward like someone who had just been told their vacation included manual labor.

“Oh, it sounds like it could be fun,” Luna said brightly, clasping her hands together in excitement.

[Excited]

“What are you talking about?” Kai turned to her immediately, eyes wide, completely unable to comprehend how she could be enthusiastic about this. His tone made Luna laugh harder, clutching her stomach.

“It seems to suit you,” the department head added with a chuckle, gesturing toward Luna, clearly amused by her positive mindset.

“Your mindset… is really insane. Wow, I am… I should learn too, I need to learn from this. Though I’m older, I need to adopt this mindset,” Kai said, shaking his head in exaggerated awe, sending the staff into another fit of laughter.

[In awe]

“Is it just us doing it?” Kai asked, still hoping to hear there was an escape route.

“Because there is a military base nearby, some students have currently arrived there. Then you’ll meet together and engage in the military life experience,” the head explained.

“Oh, that’s nice,” Luna said, clapping her hands enthusiastically like a child being told they were going on a school trip.

[You’ve got a friend in me]

“So it’s a military life experience…” Kai began, trying to accept it, but suddenly stopped mid-sentence. He whipped his head toward Luna, eyes narrowing. “Did you say nice?”

[Very Nice!]

His outrage sent Luna into another fit of giggles, covering her mouth with her hands.

[She’s enjoying this way too much]

“But then it is a military life experience! So that’s not Military Science! We aren’t going to school!” Kai shouted toward the producer and staff, still stuck in his own disbelief. His voice cracked with emphasis, his hands waving in the air as Luna’s laughter rang out behind him, bright and unbothered by his dramatics.

The crew, by now, was struggling to hold the camera steady through their laughter, perfectly capturing the chaotic duo’s dynamic.

[It is time for them to enlist!]

[Entering & Training 1: PT Drill]

Kai and Luna trudged their way up the uphill dirt road, dust clinging to the soles of their heavy boots. Kai’s hair sat low on his forehead beneath his helmet, shading his eyes, while Luna’s wavy hair had been pulled back into a neat low bun under hers, a few strands already escaping to stick against her temple.

They both looked the part now… two reluctant “soldiers” enlisting for the day.

[They are off]

Kai adjusted the strap of his helmet with a weary sigh and muttered, his voice dripping with disbelief, “We have just entered the army.” He glanced at the cameras trailing alongside them, his face grim, while beside him, Luna couldn’t help but chuckle at his dramatic tone.

[Two very different moods]

“It’s your first time, right?” Kai asked her, eyeing her with mock seriousness.

“Of course.” Luna said simply, still amused, her voice light as if this whole ordeal wasn’t as daunting as Kai made it sound.

[She’s acting like they’re going to Disneyland]

Kai let out a long breath, kicking at the dirt under his boots. “Wow… you know, the first time I entered the army, do you know what I heard first?” His tone shifted slightly, curiosity sparkling as he dug into his memory.

[Sharing military stories already]

Luna perked up, genuinely curious now as they continued to climb. “What was it?” she asked, tilting her head at him.

Kai pressed his lips together before bursting into laughter at the memory. “They asked everyone who their favorite idols were. And guess what? Half of the people in my unit said you.” He pointed straight at Luna, his words exaggerated, clearly enjoying telling the story.

[Famous Luna]

Luna’s eyes widened in surprise, her steps faltering for just a second before she clapped her hands together in disbelief, laughing. “Really?” she asked, half embarrassed and half delighted at the revelation.

“It’s true!” Kai insisted, nodding furiously. He straightened his posture and reenacted the moment, lowering his voice into a mock-serious soldier tone. “‘I like SEVENTEEN’s Luna!’ That’s what I heard mostly.”

[Accurate recreation]

“That’s what you heard?” Luna asked with a grin, her voice filled with amusement.

Kai smirked, looking smug. “That’s what I heard.”

She raised a brow at him curiously. “Did you answer?”

[The important question]

“I answered…” Kai hesitated, scratching at the side of his helmet. “Should I say the truth? Do I tell the truth or what?” His words tumbled out awkwardly, stuttering in a way that made Luna chuckle instantly, already seeing through his hesitation.

“Make it up.” Luna teased, clapping him lightly on the arm as she laughed. The way she said it sounded like a challenge, and it only made the crew behind the cameras laugh harder.

[She already knows]

Kai stalled, his lips twitching as he weighed his options, clearly enjoying dragging out the suspense.

“You’d better answer well now.” Luna warned him in a mock stern tone, suddenly snapping into a drill instructor impression. She narrowed her eyes and puffed out her chest, pointing at him as though she were his superior.

Kai straightened instantly, his voice booming with fake confidence. “Then I like Luna!” He threw up a sharp salute, standing stiffly like a soldier caught in inspection.

[The only right answer]

“That’s what I said.” Kai added cheekily after the salute, grinning at her.

“Well done.” Luna told him proudly, nodding her head like she was approving a recruit’s performance.

Kai let the moment breathe before finally cracking and admitting, “Actually, at that time I said I like Aespa.”

[Belated confession]

The confession sent a ripple of laughter through the crew. Luna’s mouth dropped open in mock offense before she bit back playfully, “Not even your own group.”

[Nope]

“I know…” Kai laughed, shaking his head at himself. “Not even my own group.”

By now, the pair had reached the top of the hill, their boots crunching against gravel as they slowed down. Spread out in front of them was a platform where three figures stood tall, one drill sergeant in black and two more in red, their stances sharp and intimidating. Below them were eight other people in full camouflage gear lined up, their expressions unreadable but clearly prepared for training.

[They have arrived]

But what caught Luna and Kai’s eyes immediately weren’t the soldiers. Off to the side, gleaming under the harsh sun, were parked ambulances.

[???]

“Uh, why is there an ambulance?” Luna asked, pointing directly at it, her brows knitting in confusion.

“We might get taken away.” Kai deadpanned, his voice flat and hopeless.

[Don’t jinx it]

“Is the ambulance for us?” Luna wondered aloud, her tone far too casual for the implication. She tilted her head and added as though reasoning with herself, “I mean, the weather has been unusual today.” Her voice softened slightly, noting how sticky and oppressively hot the air had been since morning.

Before either of them could comment further, their casual stroll was shattered by a sudden roar.

“Run up!”

[Excuse me?]

The commanding yell sliced through the heavy air, making both Luna and Kai freeze mid-step. They snapped their heads toward the drill sergeant in black, eyes widening in shock.

“…Run up!” the instructor barked again, louder this time, his voice leaving no room for excuses.

[Luna and Kai getting scolded counter: 2]

Startled, Luna and Kai shared a frantic glance before instinctively breaking into a jog, helmets bouncing slightly as they scrambled up the last stretch toward the line of recruits.

“Yes, sir!” they shouted in unison, their voices mingling awkwardly as they ran, the comedic timing of their synchronized response sending the camera crew into muffled laughter.

[And now they are running]

The line of ten recruits stretched like a jagged row of dominoes at the top of the hill, boots planted firmly on the flattened earth, backs ramrod straight under the unyielding weight of heat and expectation. The eight who had arrived before were already statues, faces taut with determination, sweat slipping silently down their temples.

[Perfectly maintained military discipline]

[Wearing everything perfectly from combat boots to helmets]

[Fellow trainees not moving an inch]

By some twisted luck or perhaps simply for the comedy the cameras demanded, Kai and Luna found themselves positioned at the very front, shoulder to shoulder, two entertainers masquerading as soldiers under the heavy gaze of the sun and the lens.

[Tension is high]

The black-clad instructor stood before them, eyes sharp as if they could pierce even through helmets. He drew a steady breath and introduced himself with the crisp authority of someone who lived in orders.

“Hello everyone, nice to meet you. I’m Jo Min Jae, your instructor in charge of guerrilla training,” the instructor introduced himself.

[Instructor Min Jae]

For a long beat, the only sound was the buzzing of cicadas and the faint rattle of camera equipment. Not one trainee dared move, all seemingly locked in the silent uncertainty of how to respond. The pause grew awkward, the heat pressing it down heavier.

Then… clap, clap, clap.

Luna, smiling like she was at a fan meet instead of an enlistment drill, brought her hands together in cheerful applause.

[First timer who doesn’t know what to do]

[Claps on her own]

The sound rang out awkwardly against the silence. Kai side-eyed her, his lips twitching treacherously as he fought not to laugh. He pressed his mouth shut, jaw tight, shoulders trembling with the effort of stifling it.

[Help him]

The absurdity of her lone clapping cracked the tension. One by one, the rest of the line followed suit, their palms slapping together until the awkward trickle became a full, synchronized applause. The sound filled the air properly this time, lifting the heaviness just a little.

Luna’s smile widened, triumphant.

[Proud of herself]

“If the sound of your applause is only this loud, training might become difficult. Understood?” the instructor said, wanting their claps louder.

“Yes, sir!” they all said.

“Let me introduce myself once again. I am Instructor Jo Min Jae in charge of guerrilla training,” he said.

On cue, all ten trainees clapped in unison, louder and sharper this time, the rhythm snapping like firecrackers.

[Much better]

“Ah, PTSD,” Kai muttered under his breath, making Luna snicker.

Her shoulders shook with the effort of swallowing her laughter, and the sound of it came out like a tiny hiccup, quickly covered by another clap.

[She is enjoying this way too much]

The instructor’s eyes scanned the line, hawk-like, catching everything. “Trainees number 1 and 2, lower your sleeves,” Instructor Min Jae eyed Kai and Luna, who were number 1 and 2 respectively and the only two who had their long sleeves rolled up.

[Luna and Kai getting scolded counter: 3]

“Ah!” the two gaped in unison before they started lowering them.

Kai’s fingers fumbled as he tugged at the fabric, the sweat sticking cloth to skin.

“My sleeves won’t lower,” Luna said, struggling a little.

“Argh,” Kai muttered under his breath.

“Please save me,” Luna said to the camera, eyes wide with mock despair as she wrestled her sleeve down inch by stubborn inch.

Finally, with much tugging and muffled grumbles, their uniforms were properly adjusted. The instructor gave a curt nod of approval before continuing.

[Let’s begin]

“Guerrilla PT exercises, summer military camp, foster teamwork and relieve muscle tension. Everyone, take a look around you. What are you surrounded by?” Instructor Min Jae told them.

The line turned their heads as one, obediently sweeping their gaze over the horizon of jagged greenery.

“Mountains,” they said.

“In this kind of terrain, swiftly and safely and strongly being able to fight a war is the purpose of guerrilla training. Understood?” Instructor Min Jae said.

“Yes!” they all said.

“And the answer is not ‘yes.’ We’ll unify with ‘Ah!’ Understood?” he instructed them again.

“Ah!” they answered.

“We will now begin guerrilla exercise training,” the instructor told them, making Kai stifle a laugh.

“Do you know it?” Luna whispered to him.

“Yes,” Kai whispered back.

[Has PTSD]

“Understood?” the instructor asked them.

“Ah!” they answered, making Luna smile innocently, enjoying answering with ‘Ah’ instead of ‘Yes.’

“Good. Entire group, left turn,” Instructor Min Jae instructed them.

Ten boots pivoted in crisp harmony, the collective left turn surprisingly smooth. Kai blended in easily, his past experience snapping back into place like muscle memory. Luna, sharp as any idol mid-choreo, followed flawlessly, her body used to rehearsed synchrony. Together, they didn’t look out of place at all.

[The idol training is proving to be useful]

“When doing guerrilla training, shout ‘Guerrilla confidence’ loudly. Understood?” the instructor told them.

“Ah!” they answered.

“Understood?” he asked them again.

“Ah!” they said.

“With that voice, the training cannot proceed. Understood?” he asked again.

“Ah!” they said in unison much louder this time.

“Now, everyone run!” Instructor Min Jae said.

“Ah!” they said louder.

“Go,” he said.

The line broke into motion at once, boots pounding against dirt as they charged uphill again. The air filled with the chorus of their voices.

[More running]

“Guerrilla confidence! Guerrilla confidence! Guerrilla confidence!” they chanted as they ran up and followed another instructor.

Sweat slid down temples, helmets bobbing as they moved in imperfect unison, the mountain air thick with heat and the absurd rhythm of the chant.

“Guerrilla confidence! Guerrilla confidence! Guerrilla confidence!” they chanted as they neared the uneven terrain of the mountain to their next location.

[The crew are struggling]

By the time they stopped, the recruits were split into two neat lines, breaths sharp and shoulders heaving. Luna ended up directly behind Kai, her helmet slipping slightly to one side.

[Already look tired]

“Hold on a moment. It’s hot,” she muttered with a chuckle and out of breath as she fixed her helmet.

[Spoiler alert: she hates the heat]

“We’re rolling,” Kai said to her.

He turned back over his shoulder, sweat shining across his jawline, eyes flicking to hers with mock curiosity.

“Do you regret it?” he asked her.

“I’m sorry, I was too short-sighted,” Luna admitted with a chuckle, making Kai laugh as well.

[Admits her mistake]

The staff behind the cameras burst into muffled chuckles, the timing of her confession too perfect.

Luna, catching herself, spun slightly toward the cameras, hands raised in mock protest. “Cut that out,” she chuckled as she did a scissors-cutting movement with her fingers, not wanting to admit defeat since she was here because of a bet and she was not losing.

[Oops]

[It was in fact not cut out…]

“Everything to win that bet, huh?” Kai muttered, chuckling at her.

“Yes,” she replied as they chuckled.

“No chatting!” they got scolded by Instructor Min Jae, making Luna and Kai clamp their mouths shut as they stifled their laughter.

[Luna and Kai getting scolded counter: 4]

Instructor Jo Min Jae, a tower of authority in black, looked over the line, his eyes narrowing slightly as if gauging not only their posture but their spirit.

“We will be starting the guerrilla PT exercise. Be mindful of health issues. If you experience nausea or dizziness, you must report it immediately. Understood?” Instructor Min Jae’s voice boomed.

[Health is important]

“Ah!” they replied in unison, the sound rolling like a single chant across the hilltop.

“Secondly, if it gets too hot, you may remove your helmet. Understood?” Instructor Min Jae instructed again.

“Ah!” they replied again, louder, sharper.

And just like that, the training officially began.

Luna blinked hard as she refocused, sweat already gathering along her brow. She adjusted her helmet slightly, lips pressing into a line of both determination and amusement. Kai exhaled slowly beside her, shoulders rising and falling with the familiarity of someone dragged back into a world he thought he had already escaped.

[Guerrilla PT exercise 1, high jump]

“The first guerrilla exercise we will learn is the high jump. By observing the demonstration of the skilled instructors, we will proceed. Understood?” Instructor Min Jae told them, gesturing toward the two other instructors in red, who immediately stepped forward with disciplined precision.

“Ah!” the line answered.

“Instructors, prepare for number one, high jump!” Instructor Min Jae barked.

“Guerrilla!” the two instructors shouted, dropping into position like coiled springs.

“Instructors, begin two sets!” Instructor Min Jae ordered, his whistle shrill as it pierced the heavy air.

“One! Two!”

The instructors launched into their high jumps, feet thudding against the dirt in perfect rhythm, bodies snapping upward like pistons and landing with exact form.

Luna’s eyes followed every movement, her gaze sharp and analytical as though she were studying choreography. She nodded once, quietly mouthing the count to herself, her brain filing away the proper posture and rhythm.

[She is serious]

Kai tilted his head slightly, watching too, though his lips twisted into a half-smile as if the moves were an old enemy resurfacing.

The whistle blew again, cutting through the air. The two instructors stopped immediately, arms straight at their sides, posture never faltering.

“So you can develop team unity and cooperation, we will skip the repetitive chant. Understood?” Instructor Min Jae said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“Ah!” they replied.

“Now, everyone, prepare for number one, high jump!” Instructor Min Jae barked.

“Guerrilla!” the line of trainees shouted, dropping into position. Luna bent her knees, setting her posture carefully, while Kai adjusted the strap of his helmet with a sigh before focusing.

“Five times. How many times?” Instructor Min Jae demanded.

“Five times!” they answered in unison, voices carrying across the training ground.

“Five times. Start!”

“One! Two! Three! Four! Five!”

The line jumped in rhythm, boots thudding against the uneven dirt. Luna kept perfect form, legs springing with surprising energy despite the weight of the helmet and heat pressing down. Kai matched, though his extra strength made his last landing heavier than the rest. Without realizing, his body sprang upward once more.

Six.

A sharp voice cut through immediately.

“Trainee number one,” Instructor Min Jae called out, his eyes narrowing on Kai.

[Kai gets scolded alone this time]

“Ah!” Kai replied instantly, snapping his attention forward.

“Isn’t this like reenlisting?” Instructor Min Jae asked him, tone heavy with pointed disbelief.

“That’s correct!” Kai answered, louder than necessary.

“Then why did you forget?” Instructor Min Jae pressed.

“I’m a social service agent!” Kai admitted, his face cracking a smile.

The confession slipped into the open air, hanging there for a moment before it detonated. Luna’s hand flew up to cover her mouth, laughter threatening to burst free. She squeezed her eyes shut, shoulders trembling. Kai’s lips quirked, stifling his own laugh. Even Instructor Min Jae’s stern façade cracked for a moment, his jaw tightened, his head briefly turned as if to hide the curve tugging at his mouth.

[Couldn’t help himself]

Then, as quickly as it appeared, the stern mask snapped back into place.

“Again. We will proceed again. Prepare for number one, high jump,” Instructor Min Jae said, his voice tight with authority, though the brief slip of humor lingered in the air like static.

“Guerrilla!” the trainees shouted, dropping back into position.

“Now, we will repeat twice. Start,” Instructor Min Jae commanded.

“One! Two!”

The line of ten moved in clean synchrony, the sound of boots hitting dirt filling the air. This time, no extra jumps, no mistakes just the gritted determination of bodies moving together under watchful eyes.

When the second jump landed, Instructor Min Jae’s gaze swept over them, expression once again unreadable.

“We will not chant repetitively. Understood? Ah! From now on, if a repetitive chant is given, the number of times you do the jump will be doubled. Understood?” Instructor Min Jae asked them.

“Ah!” they replied, the sound rolling off their tongues louder, more disciplined this time.

Instructor Min Jae stood tall in front of them as he barked, “Instructor, prepare for number 7, side exercise!”

[Guerrilla PT exercise 2: Number 7, side exercise]

At his words, the two red-uniformed instructors stepped forward in perfect unison. Without hesitation, they raised their arms high above their heads and began stretching side to side, their movements exaggerated, crisp, and almost robotic.

Luna’s eyes followed closely, her mouth tightening as though mentally bracing herself for yet another strange exercise. Kai, however, was slowly zoning out, his gaze wandering off toward the ambulance parked at the side as though wondering if faking collapse was an option.

“Prepare for five times,” Instructor Min Jae commanded.

The line of trainees instantly raised their arms up, preparing to mirror the move. Everyone except Kai. His hands hung limp at his sides as if he were on another planet entirely.

[Out of it]

“Trainee, are you not preparing?” Instructor Min Jae’s sharp voice cut through the air.

Kai blinked rapidly, snapping back to reality like a student caught daydreaming in class. He scrambled to lift his arms up, slightly delayed compared to the others.

“Concentrate, understood?” Min Jae barked at him.

“Ah!” Kai answered, straightening in alarm.

The whistle blew, and they began swaying side to side, their arms rising and falling with stiff rhythm. Luna tried her best to keep form, but she couldn’t stop the little huff of laughter escaping her lips when she saw Kai nearly tip over too far to one side before jerking himself upright again.

Not long after, the side stretches flowed into the next routine, jumping jacks. Boots thudded into the soil in uneven rhythm, dust flying into the air in little clouds. The sound of helmets clinking faintly together echoed whenever someone misjudged their spacing. Kai was already breathing heavily, muttering numbers under his breath while Luna, though keeping pace, puffed her cheeks out like she was regretting every life decision that had led her to this field.

[It’s one after the other]

Then came push-ups. The command was barked, and all of them dropped down into the dirt.

Luna froze for a moment, staring at the ground beneath her palms. It wasn’t the push-ups that bothered her, her form was strong, her arms steady but the realization that her face was now inches away from soil, tiny bugs scuttling across in her line of sight. Her nose wrinkled in disgust. With every dip down, she muttered under her breath about the indignity of it all, though her arms never faltered.

By the time Instructor Min Jae called them back up, their breaths came sharp and heavy. Luna was already dusting off her palms on her pants, muttering complaints while Kai wiped his sweaty forehead dramatically with his sleeve.

[They both hated that]

“The next exercise we will learn is…” Instructor Min Jae began, but was abruptly cut off.

“I have a question.”

[???]

All heads snapped toward Luna, who had boldly raised her arm high in the air.

“Yes?” Min Jae replied, his voice calm but curious.

“How many are there, by any chance?” Luna asked, her tone genuine.

Kai’s lips twitched violently as he tried not to burst into laughter right beside her.

“There are up to number 14,” Min Jae answered, keeping his composure.

“Just a little, just for today… could you negotiate, please?” Luna bargained earnestly, her tone almost polite, like she was speaking to a store clerk about a discount.

[She is truly shameless]

Kai let out a strangled sound, doubling over slightly from holding in his laughter, while Min Jae turned his head for the briefest second to compose himself before answering, “This isn’t the set of a negotiation show so that won’t be possible.”

“Ah.” Luna sighed, shoulders slumping, her dejection so comical.

The next command came.

“Instructors, prepare for whole body twist!” Min Jae ordered.

[Guerrilla PT exercise 3 number 8, whole body twist]

The two red-uniformed instructors immediately dropped flat onto the dirt, arms stretched out wide at 180 degrees, legs pressed together, lifting them straight up before swaying side to side with military precision.

[The ultimate challenge]

Luna’s eyes went wide. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth as she stared at the instructors lying down on the soil with absolute seriousness. The absurdity of it made her shoulders shake, while Kai chuckled beside her, mumbling something about slowly losing his mind.

“Arms positioned at 180 degrees. Eyes focused on your navel. Understood?” Min Jae instructed.

“Ah!” the trainees chorused.

“We will observe the instructors repeat two times. Two times, start.”

The two instructors swayed their legs stiffly side to side again, boots pointing like arrows.

“Prepare for number 8, whole body twist,” Min Jae commanded.

“Guerrilla!” the trainees shouted, dropping onto the ground. Luna hesitated for a few seconds, her whole body rebelling at the thought, before finally surrendering and lowering herself flat into the dirt.

[Hesitates]

“Three times, how many times?” Min Jae called.

“Three times!” the group answered.

“Three times, how many times?” he repeated.

“Three times!” they chorused again, louder.

“Five times, how many times?” he suddenly tested them.

“Five times!” they shouted without hesitation.

“Thirteen times, how many times?” he pressed again.

“Thirteen times!” came the reply, some voices cracking.

“Three times, how many times?”

“Three times!” they said, some sounding more desperate now.

“Three times, start,” Min Jae finally ordered.

“One! Two! Three!” they counted in unison, legs swaying stiffly side to side. But then, from somewhere in the back, someone let out a loud “Four!”

[Too much]

Luna’s head whipped around in disbelief, while Kai’s jaw dropped, both of them groaning.

“Since the repeated chant was used we will do six times,” Min Jae declared.

Luna and Kai cringed together, their groans blending into one.

“Six times, how many times?” Min Jae demanded.

“Six times!” they shouted, though this time with less enthusiasm.

“Three times, start.” Min Jae said, baiting them.

“One! Two! Three!” they chanted, but again—someone in the back enthusiastically went to “Four!”

[Who is doing that?]

“Straight!” Min Jae barked, and they all scrambled to their feet.

“Since the repeated chant was used you all will do six times.”

Kai turned immediately, scanning the line with narrowed eyes. “Who is it?” he muttered, glaring like he was ready to drag the culprit into the dirt. Luna chuckled, amused at his sudden detective mode.

“Trainee number 1.” Min Jae’s voice cut sharply.

Kai stiffened. “Yes… Ah!” he responded nervously.

[Scolded again]

“Do you dislike trainee number 7 behind you? What did I say is the purpose of guerrilla training?” Min Jae asked firmly.

“Isn’t it hardship?” Kai replied uncertainly.

“It’s unity,” Luna whispered to him out of the corner of her mouth.

“Unity. Teamwork,” Kai repeated quickly, correcting himself.

“It’s teamwork! But it seems trainee number 1 dislikes trainee number 7, right?” Min Jae accused.

“No, I don’t! I love him!” Kai blurted, his voice breaking slightly.

[Sudden confession]

“Do you love him?” Min Jae pressed.

“Ah!” Kai replied with all the conviction he could muster.

“Shout loudly to the front, ‘I love you, trainee number 7.’ Start!” Min Jae ordered.

Kai took a deep breath and bellowed, “I love you, trainee number 7!”

Luna broke into a wide grin at the sight, her shoulders shaking in silent laughter.

“Trainee number 7 responds with, ‘I love you, trainee number 1.’ Start!”

“Trainee number 1! I love you more!” trainee number 7 shouted back, his voice echoing across the field.

The whistle blew, sharp against the mountain air, and the sound of boots scraping dirt and gravel slowed as Instructor Min Jae raised his hand.

[Training 2: Obstacle Course Training]

“While you all are moving you will overcome various obstacles. From your current position, take off your helmets for a five-minute break. We will move safely, understood?” he ordered, voice carrying across the field.

[A break finally]

“Ah!” the trainees replied in unison, their throats hoarse but loud.

“Break,” he instructed.

“Break!” they all repeated, like a wave echoing him before hands immediately went to unclasp the heavy helmets.

The air was warm, and as Kai tugged his helmet off, his hair stuck out at odd angles, damp with sweat. Luna wasn’t faring any better, her bun had already begun unraveling, little strands poking out rebelliously. Both of them looked dazed, blinking against the sun, before instinctively turning toward each other.

[Defeated]

Luna narrowed her eyes at the path ahead, then back at Kai, her voice deadpan and dry.

“Can you catch a taxi here?”

Kai broke instantly. A laugh burst out of him, loud and unrestrained, his hand flying up to cover his mouth but failing miserably. Luna only tilted her head innocently, as if she’d asked a perfectly normal question.

[She may be serious]

Soon, the group collapsed onto the ground for their short break, dirt clinging to uniforms as helmets rolled beside them. The atmosphere loosened just a little.

Kai, ever the one to stir conversation, leaned forward toward the cluster of trainees. “Are you all from the Military Science Department?”

“Yes, that’s correct,” one of them answered politely, shoulders straight even while sitting.

“Do you do things like this in the military department?” Kai pressed, still catching his breath but genuinely curious.

“While attending school for four years we definitely do this kind of military camp once,” a trainee explained. “And we also go for training according to the officer development system.”

Both Kai and Luna nodded as though absorbing a lecture.

[Making friends]

“So, how many times has everyone been here?” Kai followed up.

“This is the first guerrilla training for all. As for the winter training and ROTC trainings department, the third-year students of the 3rd company have all been there once,” another trainee replied matter-of-factly.

Luna leaned in, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she chuckled. “But everyone seemed to have a hard time. Is today particularly tough?”

“Yes, it is. It seems quite tough because of today’s weather,” came the honest answer, the other trainees chuckling lightly with her.

“We started sweating as soon as we began,” Luna added, gesturing toward herself and then to Kai, who raised his brows as if to say she’s not lying.

Kai wiped the back of his neck with his hand, sighing dramatically. “We should come up with a strategy.”

[Starts strategizing out of nowhere out of sheer desperation]

“What strategy?” Luna asked, curious, leaning a little closer.

Kai grinned, eyes glinting mischievously. “When it’s tough or something, you can raise your hand saying, ‘I have a question.’ Just like you did earlier.”

[Making her do it]

“Yes, and?” she prompted, nodding as if taking mental notes.

“Just say, ‘Can we rest?’ or, ‘Can we take a break now?’” Kai suggested, his voice low, trying not to laugh. He clearly wanted her to be the one brave or shameless enough to pull it off.

[The perfect candidate to do it]

“Understood… Roger that,” Luna said solemnly, though the corners of her lips betrayed a smile.

“‘Roger that’ sounds good,” Kai said, chuckling at her mock-serious tone.

“Roger that,” Luna repeated as they both raised their fists and bumped them together, sealing the deal with a gesture that only made the staff behind the cameras stifle laughter.

[Five minutes later]

The whistle blew once more, and their five-minute break came to an end. The trainees groaned faintly, gathering their helmets again and fastening the straps under their chins. Dust clung to their uniforms as they pushed themselves up from the ground and returned to formation.

With Instructor Min Jae leading at the front, they began marching toward their next training location. Boots struck dirt in steady rhythm, crunching on rocks and patches of dried grass. The sun beat down mercilessly, and the air shimmered slightly in the distance, making the long walk feel even heavier.

Luna trudged beside Kai, her brows furrowed in concentration. Her hair still stuck up awkwardly from removing the helmet earlier, and every time the wind caught it, a tuft lifted, making her look like she had been electrocuted. Kai noticed but kept his laughter bottled in, biting his lip until his cheeks puffed.

[Can’t help but laugh]

Finally, after a stretch of marching, they reached an open space where an obstacle course sprawled before them. Wooden beams, rope nets, and dirt pits lined the area, but one structure stood out immediately, a bridge, suspended a few feet off the ground. Its wooden beams were spaced far apart, wide enough that one wrong step could easily make someone slip through.

[Guerrilla equipment training: The magical bridge]

Luna blinked at it, tilting her head. They want us to cross that?

Instructor Min Jae stepped forward, his hands clasped neatly behind his back as he addressed the group.

“The magical bridge is the training ground where you practice creating bridges to move from point one to point two across countless guerrilla battlefield situations,” he explained.

As he spoke, another instructor demonstrated. He climbed onto one end of the bridge, straightened his shoulders, then carefully stepped forward. The wooden beams creaked under his weight, and the entire bridge shook slightly, wobbling side to side. His arms extended outward like wings as he balanced, his steps slow but steady, until he crossed safely to the other side.

[Very shaky]

The trainees followed every move, their heads turning in sync, eyes wide at how precarious it looked.

“Understood?” Instructor Min Jae asked firmly.

“Ah!” the trainees shouted back.

“Overcoming the magical bridge requires courage above all, understood?” he pressed, his sharp gaze sweeping across the group.

“Ah!” they repeated again.

“Listen at your voice, understood?” Instructor Min Jae shot back immediately.

“Ah!” the group answered, louder this time, voices echoing across the training ground.

His eyes flicked toward Luna. “Trainee number 2, understood?”

[Gets called out]

Her voice, unusually high and clear, cut above the others. ���Ah!”

Instructor Min Jae arched a brow, amused. “Listen at your voice, understood? Aren’t you a singer?”

“Yes,” Luna replied simply, standing stiff and proper even though the corners of her lips twitched.

He nodded, then turned to Kai. “Show us, trainee number 1. Can you do well?”

“Ah!” Kai answered with full confidence, puffing his chest slightly.

“Can trainee number 2 do well?” Instructor Min Jae turned back toward Luna.

“Ah!” Luna said again, but this time her voice dropped lower, deeper, as if deliberately overcompensating.

[She is being serious by the way]

A few trainees stifled their laughter behind her. Kai covered his mouth with his fist, his shoulders shaking.

Satisfied, Instructor Min Jae gave his command. “Trainee number 3, move to the position.”

The first trainee stepped forward, nerves visible in his stiff movements as he climbed onto the bridge. The rest of the group immediately sank to the ground, helmets resting beside them, knees pulled up as they leaned forward to watch. Their eyes followed every wobble and shift of the bridge, cheering the trainee on with shouts of “Fighting!” and claps that echoed like a drumline.

[They are very supportive]

One by one, each trainee took their turn. Some moved carefully, arms flailing for balance; others tried to rush across only to nearly slip between the beams. Every successful crossing was met with cheers, and every stumble with gasps followed by laughter. When each person reached the end, they circled back down to sit again, still sweaty and out of breath but grinning from the thrill of it.

At last, Instructor Min Jae’s voice rang out again. “Trainee number 2, move to the position.”

Luna pushed herself up and dusted off her knees before walking toward the bridge. The wooden structure loomed closer with every step, and by the time she reached the end, she was already biting her lip. Still, she squared her shoulders and placed her foot firmly on the first beam.

[It is finally her turn]

“Report,” Instructor Min Jae demanded from his post.

Luna raised her chin. “Trainee number 2, ready to cross.”

From below, Kai cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “Fighting!” His tone was playful but earnest, eyes fixed on her.

Luna inhaled, puffing her cheeks before exhaling sharply. “Guerrilla confidence! Guerrilla confidence! Guerrilla confidence!” she chanted as she took her first steps.

The bridge wobbled immediately, but Luna’s pace was surprisingly quick. Despite the gaps being wide, her foot placement was sure, her arms stretched outward for balance. She moved with unexpected agility, her voice steady as she continued chanting with every step.

[She is doing well]

Kai’s jaw dropped, his head snapping side to side as if to double-check what he was seeing. “Fighting, you’re doing well! You’re faster than me!” His voice cracked between disbelief and slight offense, his pride clearly bruised.

[Shocked at what he is seeing]

The trainees laughed, clapping and whistling as Luna kept her rhythm, her voice echoing, “Guerrilla confidence!” step after step.

Finally, she reached the end, landing firmly on the last beam before hopping down to the dirt.

“Report!” Instructor Min Jae called sharply.

“Trainee number 2 crossing complete!” Luna announced, her stance firm, her chest heaving but her grin wide.

“Move to position,” Instructor Min Jae instructed, his face betraying the faintest twitch of amusement.

Luna headed back toward the group, helmet tucked under her arm, her expression bright. “That was fun,” she admitted, smiling wide.

[A big smile on her face]

Kai, still looking equal parts offended and amazed, jabbed a finger in her direction. Then he turned straight toward the camera crew, his laugh spilling out. “She said ‘it’s fun.’ Are you an adrenaline junkie?”

“Yes.” Luna laughed along with him, shoulders shaking, as the group began lining back up, preparing to march toward their next course.

The sun was still blazing as the group marched along the dirt path, sweat clinging to their uniforms and dust sticking to their boots. Their bodies were heavy with fatigue, but the moment they turned the corner and spotted their next course, the exhaustion was instantly replaced with dread.

[What is that?]

This bridge was nothing like the last one.

[Assault Course Training: Mountain Three-Line Crossing]

It stretched long across the clearing, swaying even in the mildest breeze. Unlike the wooden “magical bridge,” this one was nothing but rope. One single, taut rope stretched from one end to the other, serving as the walkway. On either side, two more ropes were strung tightly as railings for the trainees to hold. Beneath the center, a safety net drooped like a spider web, though it didn’t look particularly comforting. Aside from that net and the harness secured around their bodies, it was essentially a tightrope walk over empty space.

Kai froze the moment his eyes landed on it. His mouth dropped slightly, his brows rising higher and higher. “Wow, what is this?”

[Shocked is an understatement]

Luna stood beside him, her helmet slightly tilted from the march. She followed his gaze up and down the rope bridge, her lips pursed. “Isn’t this where you fall while crossing?” she said flatly, as if the design itself was an invitation to fail.

Kai blinked rapidly, his voice dropping low, almost as if he didn’t want the instructors to hear. “Are we really going to cross this?” His question sounded more like he was talking to himself, half in disbelief, half in resignation, as his eyes trailed the wobbling line of rope.

[Yes]

Instructor Min Jae stepped forward, his posture as steady as ever, voice sharp and commanding despite the comedic tension buzzing among the trainees. “When there is no means of transportation available. In such cases we weave ropes together to build a bridge and move across,” he explained, pointing to the structure.

The trainees shifted on their feet, their eyes wide as they listened.

“The rope bridge shakes a lot, so make sure to hold on tightly to the wires on both sides. If you look at your combat boots,” he paused, gesturing to the thick black boots on their feet, “there’s a groove like this. Through this groove, slightly scraping forward while sliding. Understood?”

“Ah!” the trainees shouted together.

On cue, one of the instructors climbed onto the bridge to demonstrate. The rope wobbled violently under his weight, dipping and swaying side to side. He gripped the railings firmly, his body bent slightly forward as his boots slid along the rope one step at a time. The creak of tension echoed in the air with every move he made.

From the sidelines, Kai’s jaw slackened again. “Oh my god.” His voice cracked as he watched the rope twist slightly under the instructor’s careful step.

Next to him, Luna furrowed her brows deeply. She pointed at the center of the bridge where the ropes met at a lower dip. “Wow, huh oh? But if your foot lands wrongly, aren’t you going to end up with rope between your legs? Isn’t this completely dangerous?” She spoke with the seriousness of someone giving a PSA, but her words only made Kai snort in half-hysterical agreement.

[Yea exactly that]

“This is truly very dangerous, isn’t it?” Kai muttered back, his eyes fixed on the poor instructor wobbling on the middle rope like a circus act.

Luna squinted at the sight, her head tilting as she measured the height. “Wow, that middle bridge is really high.” Her tone was matter-of-fact, but her eyes widened as though she was already envisioning herself dangling helplessly in the net below.

Kai turned slowly to face the camera crew filming them, raising his brows with the most exasperated expression he could muster. “I mean, really, while doing Jeongwaja I never imagined I would be doing something like this.” He let out a disbelieving laugh, gesturing wildly at the shaking rope bridge behind him.

[Still in denial]

Without missing a beat, Luna flashed a smile toward the same camera, sweat glistening on her forehead but her tone light and teasing. “But if the viewers like it, I don’t mind at all.”

[Pretty smile]

Kai whipped his head toward her, his face the definition of betrayal. “Even if viewers like it, I won’t do it. I’m on vacation now.” His voice was firm, his tone half-joking, half-serious, as if he was really trying to talk his way out of this military scenario entirely.

[Pretty serious]

Luna burst out laughing at his persistence, covering her mouth as she tried and failed to stifle it. They were halfway through the day, and he was still complaining with the energy of someone who had been through weeks of training.

“The most important thing for rope walking is the strength of the forearm muscles. That’s why you will stretch both arms straightforward and clench.” His voice cut across the clearing, sharp and crisp. He twisted his hands demonstratively, wrists rolling in a motion like wringing out a towel. “Twist like this as if wringing a towel. We will do a total of 50 reps. A total of 50 times, understood?”

[Another exercise for them to do]

“Ah!” the trainees shouted back, voices echoing unevenly in the warm air.

Then, without missing a beat, Min Jae’s lips curved in the faintest hint of mischief. “Now, get ready. We’ll do only 20 reps.”

[Another fake out]

“Twenty reps, start!” Min Jae blew his whistle, and the air filled instantly with the rhythm of voices.

“One! Two! Three!”

Their arms stretched forward in unison, twisting as though wringing invisible towels, forearms straining with each repetition. Luna’s expression was focused, determined, her jaw set as she twisted with precision, her body moving sharply in rhythm with the chant. Beside her, Kai looked far too casual, eyes half-lidded as though his brain was already elsewhere, but his arms moved with the same practiced discipline.

[They are doing well]

They were nearing the end, muscles burning, count sharp in the air… then….

“Twenty!”

The group stopped, arms dropping slightly, breaths heavy with relief. But from the left, one voice and one movement continued.

Kai.

His arms twisted one last extra time.

A single, unnecessary twenty-one.

[Too much again]

Luna snapped her head toward him, her helmet shifting slightly from the force of her glare. She muttered just loud enough for him to hear, “Ha, you’re really…”

[Glare]

Kai’s lips pressed together immediately, his eyes shutting tight as if that would stop the laugh threatening to burst out of him. His shoulders shook ever so slightly. Luna’s glare only sharpened, her patience thinning under the weight of the heat and dust.

[The heat is making her lose all composure she had left]

“Let’s try 20 more reps. Twenty reps, start.” Instructor Min Jae’s command rang out without hesitation, whistle slicing through the air again.

The trainees raised their arms once more, resigned to their fate.

“One! Two! Three!”

Their arms twisted again, slower this time, fatigue dragging down their movements but not their voices. The chant was louder now, almost defiant against the punishment. Luna twisted with a bit more force than necessary, stealing daggers of side glances at Kai, who was still fighting to keep his face straight.

[Watchful eye]

By the time the twentieth rep finished, their arms dropped like dead weight, muscles trembling, breaths ragged.

“Trainee number 1, to position,” Instructor Min Jae barked suddenly.

Kai’s head snapped up, the smirk finally wiped clean. “To position,” he repeated dutifully, though his tone carried the faintest grumble of resignation. He jogged toward the first end of the rope bridge where two instructors were already waiting. They clipped his harness onto the safety lines with mechanical efficiency, tugging at the straps to ensure they were secure.

[He is up first]

Luna and the rest of the trainees stood at the end to watch.

Kai stepped carefully onto the rope, his boots finding their groove. The entire bridge wobbled immediately, swinging side to side under his weight. His arms shot outward to grip the side ropes, his body instinctively lowering into a slight crouch to stabilize himself.

Step by step, he moved forward, his boots scraping across the taut rope. His body wobbled, jerking left and right every few seconds as the bridge bounced. From the ground, Luna squinted, following every shaky movement with half concern and half amusement.

“Guerrilla confidence,” Kai muttered to himself under his breath, his tone both mocking and encouraging as he inched forward. He paused once, knees buckling slightly as the rope dipped harder than expected, but he tightened his grip and pressed forward.

The trainees cheered lightly, a ripple of voices urging him on as he neared the midpoint. Sweat glistened on his face, but his mouth tugged into a triumphant grin the moment he found his rhythm. The last stretch passed quicker than expected, and he hopped off the end with a sharp exhale, saluting slightly toward the instructors as if he’d just landed from a mission.

The group clapped for him out of courtesy, Luna raising her brows and shaking her head in disbelief at his dramatics.

[He made it]

One by one, the other trainees followed. Some crossed steadily, some wobbling dangerously. Still, each made it across safely, collapsing onto the ground afterward, harnesses tugged loose by the waiting instructors.

Finally, the line narrowed until only one remained.

“Trainee number 2, prepare to move,” Instructor Min Jae called out.

[It is Luna’s turn]

Luna’s helmet bobbed slightly as she looked up. All eyes turned to her, the other trainees already seated comfortably in the dirt, waiting with a mixture of anticipation and amusement.

She stepped toward the end of the rope bridge, the instructors already reaching to fasten her harness.

The instructors tightened the harness straps around Luna’s waist and chest, tugging firmly before giving the final nod of approval. The thick ropes of the bridge swayed gently in the warm summer air, creaking every so often as though mocking the next poor soul who dared to step on it.

Instructor Min Jae adjusted his cap and looked directly at her.

“Trainee number 2, report!” his voice boomed.

Luna snapped upright, feet together, chin high. “Trainee number 2 ready to cross!” she called out.

“Report again,” he ordered without pause.

Her lips parted, a small sigh escaping before she repeated, louder this time. “Trainee number 2 ready to cross!”

“Can you do well?” Min Jae asked, eyes narrowing with seriousness.

“Yes, I mean, ah!” Luna blurted, her answer stumbling over itself.

“Listen at your voice, do you understand?” Min Jae replied, his tone sharp but his mouth twitching at the corners.

Luna puffed out her cheeks and exhaled through her nose, a soundless groan, before tilting her head up and bellowing with all the strength she had left, “Ahh!”

[Yells]

The sudden pitch startled even the staff, and Min Jae himself bit back a laugh, his shoulders tightening briefly before he composed himself. “Now, report.”

[Had to control himself]

“Trainee number 2 ready to cross.” Luna repeated, this time with that sharp edge of frustration in her tone.

[She is frustrated for the first time today]

“Crossing,” Instructor Min Jae said firmly, granting her permission.

With that, Luna took hold of the two ropes at her sides, knuckles whitening instantly as she stepped one boot onto the taut rope beneath. It dipped slightly under her weight, the whole bridge swaying as if to remind her she wasn’t safe yet.

“I can do this,” she muttered to herself, breath steadying. Her eyes narrowed with sudden focus, and then her lips moved again in rhythm with her steps. “Guerrilla confidence! Guerrilla confidence! Guerrilla confidence!”

[Confidence is really what she has]

Her boots angled sideways instinctively, heels pressed close together while her toes pointed outward, the natural turnout of years of ballet training. Without realizing it, she moved in what looked like a dancer’s first position, her balance sharp and her pace surprisingly steady.

“Fighting!” Kai shouted from the ground below, cupping his hands around his mouth. Then, instead of continuing his cheer, he spun slightly toward the other trainees and lowered his voice conspiratorially, his words directed at them and the staff alike.

[Started talking about her behind her back]

“Actually, I couldn’t speak properly before, but the reason I came here today is because of trainee number 2.” His tone was half complaining, half amused, his eyes darting toward the camera for emphasis. “She wanted to do this, so I got dragged here even though it’s summer break. What do you think?”

[He has not moved in yet]

One of the other trainees laughed softly before admitting, “Honestly, doing this during summer break might make you a bit angry.”

“Do you think one could get a bit angry?” Kai asked again, milking the moment with mock seriousness.

“But you’re friends,” the trainee reminded him.

Kai’s expression turned deadpan as he leaned closer, lowering his voice. “Because we’re friends? This is the first time we’ve properly spoken to each other.” He chuckled at his own absurdity, shaking his head.

From above, Luna’s voice suddenly cut across the air. “Is Kai there?” she shouted, eyes glued on the rope as her body swayed with the bridge’s motion.

[She sensed him talking about her]

“I’m here!” Kai yelled back immediately, standing up from his seat to make sure she could spot him.

“I have something to say,” Luna called, her voice strong though her feet inched carefully across the rope.

[What?]

Kai shielded his eyes from the sun, looking up. “Go ahead.”

“I’m sorry for asking you to come,” Luna said, her tone almost apologetic but still laced with that stubborn determination.

[Admits to her mistake]

Kai burst into laughter, shaking his head in disbelief. “Do you understand me now?” he shouted back, still laughing.

“Yes!” Luna called out. She moved forward another step, the bridge bouncing beneath her boots. “There’s too much left. Ah, wait a moment. I can do it. The instructor with red hair… a red cap over there.” She muttered to herself, eyes narrowing at the endless stretch of rope ahead.

[Starts talking to herself]

Kai smirked at her rambling and called up, “You’re not going to see each other again after today anyway, so say something to the instructor.”

Without missing a beat, Luna lifted her head and yelled, “Instructor! Please support SEVENTEEN and come to our upcoming world tour!”

[Started promoting]

Kai doubled over in laughter, clapping his hands. “Are you going to get them tickets?” he shouted back.

“Yes I will… as long as he doesn’t yell at me anymore!” Luna retorted, her voice carrying across the training ground.

[She has requirements]

Even Instructor Min Jae, stern to the core, pressed his lips together in a tight line, turning slightly away to disguise the smile threatening to break across his face.

Luna steadied herself, inhaled deeply, and resumed her chant as the end drew nearer. “Guerrilla confidence! Guerrilla confidence! Guerrilla confidence! This is fun—” Her voice trailed off suddenly, eyes widening. “Wow, the flowers are beautiful. Wow. If not for this, I wouldn’t have seen these.” Her tone was almost dreamy, as if she were strolling through a garden instead of tiptoeing across a rope bridge.

[Admiring the flowers as if she wasn’t walking on a rope]

“She really has a different mindset,” Kai said with a chuckle, looking straight into the camera, his amusement plain as day.

Finally, Luna stepped onto the solid platform at the other side.

“Report,” Instructor Min Jae ordered immediately.

“Trainee number 2, crossing complete!” Luna said with effort, her chest heaving slightly.

“Can’t hear you, report,” he barked again.

[She hates hearing that]

Luna’s lips pulled into a pout, frustration breaking through as she repeated louder, “Trainee number 2, crossing complete!”

“Return to position.”

“Thank you,” Luna muttered, bowing slightly before heading back toward where the others sat. She unstrapped herself, helmet bobbing as she moved, then dropped onto the dirt right beside Kai with a tired exhale.

Kai glanced sideways at her, a smug grin spreading across his face. “Ah, your voice has grown much louder. This is the power of guerrilla training. You worked hard. Well done. You can sit here and take a break.”

“Thanks,” Luna breathed out, wiping sweat from her forehead.

“Your voice has become incredibly loud,” Kai repeated, almost gleefully.

[Amused she is finally having a hard time]

Luna flopped back against her arms, her expression caught between annoyance and disbelief. “A voice I didn’t know I had is coming out. It comes out because the instructor keeps yelling.”

[And she explodes]

Kai burst into laughter immediately, joined by the staff members behind the cameras.

“We’re all trying to make our voices louder, but doesn’t it seem like the instructor’s making us do it even louder on purpose?” Kai added, shaking his head as he replayed her earlier shouting in his mind.

“Exactly! There’s no way he can’t hear me. I was shouting so loudly,” Luna snapped, her voice raising again in pure exasperation.

The staff chuckled louder, their cameras zooming in to catch the rare sight of Luna’s frustrated expression.

“It wasn’t even far. I was right next to him,” Luna deadpanned, her delivery so flat and serious that Kai collapsed forward in laughter, clutching his stomach.

This was, without a doubt, the most frustrated she had been all day.

[Finally it’s lunch time]

The trainees shuffled into the sleeping quarters, boots dragging against the floorboards, helmets under arms, sweat still sticking damply to their hair. The air inside was cooler than outside, a relief after hours of sun and shouting. Rows of thin mats lined the floor, and soon everyone dropped down cross-legged, forming two linesfacing one another.

“How was today’s training?” one of the female trainees asked, turning her head toward Luna, curiosity plain in her voice.

Luna blinked, lips parting before she sighed and said flatly, “I really feel like I made a mistake.”

[Exhaustion gets you speaking the truth]

The room erupted in laughter. Luna, realizing too late that her words were being caught by every camera in the room, whipped her head toward one of the lenses. She raised her hand and chopped the air in frantic “cut it, cut it” gestures, her fingers slicing across her neck, silently begging the editors to save her pride. The staff snickered behind their cameras.

[They didn’t cut it out]

“So how are we going to eat now?” Luna asked quickly, changing the subject as she looked around.

“I’ll bring the meal. Our production team prepared it,” the producer said off-camera.

Kai rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “Since we worked hard, they’re giving us good food.” His tone was hopeful, as if he already envisioned steaming rice and hot side dishes.

“Really?” Luna perked up, eyes lighting briefly.

But her excitement was short-lived. A staff member slid a cardboard box into the middle of the circle, opening it to reveal rows of vacuum-sealed military rations stacked neatly inside.

[What is that?]

The second Kai saw them, he let out a betrayed groan and kicked the box lightly with the side of his foot, sending the packets shifting. The others burst out laughing, Luna clapping her hands as her body shook.

[Nope]

Begrudgingly they began distributing the packets, each trainee grabbing one at random. The plastic crinkled loudly in the quiet room as they inspected their meals.

“What is this?” Kai asked, squinting at the unfamiliar label.

“Oh, cake. Wow.” Luna read hers aloud, tilting the package toward the camera.

“It’s a cake,” Kai confirmed with a solemn nod, as if trying to convince himself.

“There’s some stir-fried pork bibimbap,” Kai added as another meal packet was passed down the circle.

But Luna, staring at hers, suddenly frowned. “But really, it hurts my heart. What is beef-flavored bibimbap?” she said, lifting the package as though presenting evidence of a crime. Her eyes darted toward the trainee next to her. “She has beef bibimbap, but why do I have beef-flavored bibimbap?”

“We can exchange,” the trainee beside her offered kindly.

“No, it’s okay. I was only joking,” Luna said quickly, laughing as she hugged the packet to her chest like she’d grown fond of it.

“Pour hot water, and it’ll be cooked in fifteen minutes,” the producer instructed, handing a kettle around. One by one, they filled their packets with steaming water, the smell of powdered sauces and rice beginning to fill the room.

While they waited, conversation sparked naturally, the exhaustion softening their barriers.

“Why did you come as a guest?” one trainee asked Luna, curiosity edging their tone. After all, she didn’t quite fit into the military science mold the others shared.

[Her reason is absurd]

Luna chuckled, shaking her head like she was embarrassed to admit it.

“Her reasoning is next level,” Kai cut in immediately, grinning as if he’d been waiting for this moment.

The group leaned forward in anticipation, and Luna finally exhaled. “I was curious,” she admitted. “Because my members are starting to enlist, and I want to know as much as I can about what they’ll be going through.”

The trainees nodded, some murmuring “Ahh,” in understanding.

“Watching Jeongwaja, the thought of wanting to experience the military suddenly came in the middle of the night,” Luna continued, her hands gesturing animatedly. “So I told them right the next day.”

“That was a really dangerous thought. Midnight emotions are the most dangerous,” Kai deadpanned, sending them into laughter again.

“That’s why midnight emotions are truly dangerous,” Luna agreed, laughing at herself. “So I said I want to do the military experience that I’ve always wanted to do, and that’s how it started. That’s where it went wrong because…” She trailed off with a laugh, covering her face for a second before continuing. “I told my fiancé about it, and he told me I’d hate it.”

[He was right]

The room filled with chuckles, several heads nodding knowingly.

“And the two of us are competitive,” Luna admitted, her smile crooked with amusement. “So he bet me that I would hate it.” She paused, chuckling under her breath. “And here I am.”

Kai threw his head back with a laugh and pointed at her dramatically. “She’s here because of a bet.”

The entire circle erupted into laughter, some trainees clapping their hands together, others shaking their heads in disbelief.

Kai leaned forward, shaking the packet in his hands as if he were testing the weight of it. “Seems like the rice is done, let’s try it,” he said, ripping the pouch open with exaggerated flair.

[Time to eat]

One by one, the trainees followed suit, the smell of rehydrated sauce and rice filling the room. Plastic spoons clattered against the sides of packets as they dug in.

“The sauce, I mean…” Kai said with his mouth half-full after the first bite, eyes widening in genuine surprise. “The sauce did everything. No matter the texture, it’s just stimulating. It tastes like buldak noodles, it’s so delicious.” He nodded vigorously, spoon waving in emphasis.

[Surprised is an understatement]

Luna scooped up a bite herself and chewed slowly, tilting her head as though deep in evaluation. “Tastes like it’ll bring a food coma,” she finally declared, her tone flat and serious enough to send a ripple of laughter around the circle.

[It doesn’t taste healthy at all]

“If you eat this and sleep…” Kai trailed off ominously, spoon still hanging in the air.

“Then you can’t open your eyes,” Luna cut in immediately, not missing a beat.

Kai smacked his hand against his knee and laughed, pointing at her like she’d stolen his line. “Yeah, you can’t open your eyes. If you eat this and sleep in that situation, you can’t open your eyes.”

“It’s delicious,” Luna admitted after another bite, her voice muffled through a mouthful of rice. She chewed thoughtfully before nodding. “Mmm, it tastes like seasoning.”

“Yeah, it’s not bad, right?” Kai agreed, though his attention shifted quickly to the unopened packet sitting beside him.

“But I was so curious about this earlier,” Luna said suddenly, her fingers already prying open the sealed edges of the smaller pack. She peeled it back with anticipation, only to stop and stare. “The pound cake I know isn’t like this.” She held up the solid block of cake, a perfect square with no fluff, no softness just dense, unyielding sponge.

[It is hard as a rock]

“Isn’t it just a giant hardtack?” Kai said, chuckling as he opened his own and tapped the corner against the table for effect.

“Hey, this is a cell phone,” he added, holding the rectangular slab up to his ear.

Without hesitation, Luna mirrored him, pressing her cake block against the side of her head. “Hello,” she said, slipping into the bit effortlessly.

[A sudden skit]

[This is what exhaustion does to a person]

“Ah, yeah.” Kai’s voice dropped into mock seriousness as he continued the imaginary call. “Why suggest going to the military?”

“Sorry, but it was fun,” Luna replied, her shoulders shaking with laughter even as she kept her tone playful.

“It is fun,” Kai admitted with a grin, lowering the cake.

“Should I try it?” Luna asked, breaking off a corner with her fingers. She hesitated for a moment, examining the crumbly texture, then popped it into her mouth.

Kai leaned closer, watching intently. “How is it?” he asked, before biting into his own.

The moment the dry sponge hit her tongue, Luna’s eyes widened. She chewed slowly, then launched into the most specific description possible. “Oh, this is like when you eat castella and don’t seal the lid with plastic wrap, and after about three days it became all dry and shriveled up.”

[Very specific]

The trainees burst into another round of laughter, but Kai nearly doubled over, pointing at her with his spoon in hand, his eyes wide in perfect recognition.

“Exactly! Accurate. Just the same,” he said between laughs, nodding hard.

“But all these foods… if you don’t expect much, they taste fine,” Kai added after managing to swallow, shrugging as he dug back into his rice.

“Better taste than expected,” Luna agreed, her tone mock-serious as if she were a food critic wrapping up her review.

The last spoons scraped the edges of the meal packets, the sound of plastic crinkling as everyone leaned back with the heavy, satisfied sigh that followed a good meal even if it was military rations. The air in the sleeping quarters had shifted; it was no longer just the exhaustion of the day, but the easy warmth of conversation waiting to happen. Naturally, the chatter started up again, with Kai and Luna leaning forward eagerly like two kids at a campfire.

They began asking the trainees about their lives outside the drills, curious about the world these students were immersed in.

“Are there unique aspects of the Military Science Department?” Luna asked, her tone curious as she tilted her head and watched the students closely.

“As can be seen, we wear uniforms and battle uniforms,” one trainee answered matter-of-factly, gesturing down at himself.

Luna and Kai both nodded in unison, impressed by the discipline that clung to every detail.

“I thought college friends were just people you take classes with,” another trainee chimed in, “but since we stay together from the first year even during tough times like today…” his voice trailed off, but the meaning was clear.

“Yes, camaraderie is built. We’ve become close,” another trainee agreed, smiling faintly at his friends across the circle.

“The bond of camaraderie is really strong,” Luna said, nodding as she acknowledged it. She related to it to some extent, her thoughts clearly flickering to her own group and the family-like bond she knew so well.

[Relates to it]

“Certainly, it becomes strong. But when it gets this strong some might start dating. Does that kind of thing happen?” Kai said suddenly, his voice full of mischief, clearly instigating.

[Great question!]

The trainees burst into chuckles at the way he leaned in as if fishing for gossip.

“Actually, there are two couples here,” one trainee admitted, voice playful but daring.

Luna and Kai immediately whipped their heads around to scan the line, their mouths falling open before they exclaimed in perfect unison, “Really?”

[The most excited they have been today]

The two of them shot up onto their knees as if it were breaking news, slicing their hands across their necks with exaggerated motions and huge smiles on their faces, teasing with body language that screamed: this news is killer. The staff behind the cameras couldn’t hold back their laughter at the dramatic flair.

[They now share one mind]

“It’s the most fun today,” Kai said, chuckling, eyes bright with amusement.

“The most fun thing,” Luna agreed with a giggle.

“Once you find them, you’ll be disappointed,” one trainee teased, leaning back casually with a grin.

Kai narrowed his eyes theatrically before turning the mood playful again. “Has love changed?” he asked before suddenly pointing at one trainee, his grin widening, “Didn’t you say you loved me?” Kai teased, recalling their earlier exercise.

“I think it’s definitely the ‘I love you’ guy,” Luna agreed quickly, pointing with both hands like she was exposing a suspect, her voice full of playful certainty.

“There is a couple,” another female trainee said, fanning the flames with a sly smile.

“If there’s a couple, is it you?” Kai replied back at her, pouncing on her words immediately.

“It’s classified,” she shot back smoothly, her answer firm but cheeky.

The room erupted in laughter again, the circle of trainees shaking their heads as Kai and Luna leaned back, satisfied at stirring up just the right amount of chaos in the middle of the military’s serious environment.

[As lunch ended…]

[It was time to bid their goodbyes]

After bidding their goodbyes to the trainees from warm handshakes, playful waves, and laughter echoing off the walls, it was only Kai and Luna left, sitting side by side cross-legged on the worn mats.

[Officially discharged]

The room suddenly felt larger with just the two of them, their knees brushing lightly as they faced forward toward the production team.

Kai glanced at Luna, his voice slipping into something lighter now that the day was almost over. “How was it coming to the military department?” he asked, the question gentle but teasing, as if expecting her to already crack a joke.

[Impressions of enlistment]

Luna let out a small sigh before answering, her lips curving into an amused smile. “I was genuinely very curious about the military and soldiers. But now I understand why men talk about the military so much when they gather. I think I get it now.” Her voice carried a mix of sincerity and disbelief at herself. Then, without missing a beat, she added cheekily, “I’m planning to join in on that now.”

[She is very proud of herself]

The sudden shift made Kai throw his head back with a laugh, his shoulders shaking. “And now, when you go somewhere you can say you’ve been to the military,” he teased, grinning at her with mock seriousness.

Luna immediately turned toward the nearest camera, raising her chin proudly as if she was making a declaration to the nation. “I’ve served in the military. Have you experienced Number 8 PT? The three-line crossing under the scorching sun?” she announced, her tone dripping with faux bravado that cracked Kai up even harder beside her.

[She can brag all she wants]

His laugh filled the room, but Luna’s face softened as she leaned a little closer to the lens, her voice lowering into something honest. “But really… this just made me respect everyone who is currently in the military, and everyone who served in the military, and everyone who will be serving… especially my members.” Her hands folded into her lap, her thumbs pressing together nervously, but her eyes didn’t waver from the camera. “Just thinking about it makes my heart hurt. But I’ll be cheering them on, wishing them strength and a safe return. They truly have my respect.”

[SEVENTEEN, fighting!]

The room stilled for a moment, the weight of her sincerity hanging between the laughter, and Kai nodded quietly as though agreeing without needing to add much.

“Experiencing it again after a long time, I think it was really meaningful. I felt a renewed respect for the soldiers,” Kai said, his voice now carrying more calm than comedy.

“I genuinely felt the camaraderie too,” Luna chimed in softly, the corners of her mouth pulling into a small smile as she reflected.

“You felt the camaraderie, right?” Kai asked.

“Being together during really tough times, there’s something that makes you get close,” Luna replied, her tone filled with both recognition and amusement, as if she was only now realizing just how much bonding had happened in one exhausting day.

“Finally, before we end, an acrostic with the ‘Military Science Department’,” the producer announced from behind the cameras.

[Last exercise of the day]

Luna’s head tilted, her eyes suddenly sparkling with challenge. “Are you ready?” she asked Kai, her voice brimming with confidence.

“Just a moment,” Kai said, closing his eyes dramatically as though summoning inspiration from the military spirits themselves. After a pause, he nodded with mock solemnity.

“‘M,’” the producer called out.

Kai straightened his posture, his voice booming with playful gravity. “Military Science Departments, how was it?” he declared.

“‘D,’” the producer prompted.

Without missing a beat, Luna clasped her hands together as if in prayer, her voice light but dramatic. “Deep apologies. I underestimated it.”

[The end]

The two of them dissolved into laughter, joined by the crew, the sound bouncing across the empty room as the camera caught their grins. It was the perfect ending note, funny, chaotic, and honest, exactly the kind of chemistry that carried the entire day.

And that was the end of the video.

comments…

@/caratlandia • 20 hours ago ╰ Kai’s face when Luna walked in with a military uniform 💀 man looked like he just got PTSD flashbacks.

@/shining17 • 20 hours ago ╰ Kai: “I just finished my military service.” Luna: “Bet.” Producers: “Perfect casting.”

@/vernonsshoes • 20 hours ago ╰ Luna looking so pretty while literally SWEATING in army greens?? Be serious rn 😭 goddess behavior.

@/dkloverrr • 20 hours ago ╰ Editors adding a “Luna & Kai getting scolded” counter >>> this show KNOWS its audience.

@/hanngelic • 20 hours ago ╰ Only Luna and Jeonghan would make a marriage-level bet about the military of all things 😫 their relationship is actually insane.

@/soonhoya • 20 hours ago ╰ 20:35 “This is fun!” - Bae Jiyeon, while dangling on a rope bridge. Girl… you’re an adrenaline junkie and Kai was right to call you out.

@/moonlover17 • 20 hours ago ╰ Luna glaring at Kai when he messed up the rep count??? 💀 the way she almost combusted in the sun in frustration, Jeonghan might’ve been on to something saying she’d hate this.

@/wonwoowwhipped • 20 hours ago ╰ Sending the Disney princess to the military was NOT in my 2025 bingo card.

@/unitmaknae • 20 hours ago ╰ Luna: “Cut this part out.” Editors: “Bet.” Jeonghan rn: 😏 smug AF.

@/s.coupsthighs • 15 hours ago ╰ The way Jiyeon clapped & smiled after every answer like the cutest student in class 🥹 my heart 10:02

@/hoshisparkles • 15 hours ago ╰ 23:53 Luna casually admiring flowers while she’s on a literal tightrope… ma’am this is not a botanical garden 😭

@/mingyutokki • 10 hours ago ╰ The instructor 100% was holding back laughter at Luna, like who WOULDN’T be amused at her chaos??

@/gyuult • 10 hours ago ╰ Kai: complains for 10 mins straight Luna: “Guerrilla confidence! 🗣️” The duality of man.

@/joshupreme • 10 hours ago ╰ Luna being better at the drills than half the trainees… she’s thriving while Kai’s just surviving trying to get home 🤣

@/caratforever • 10 hours ago ╰ Never in my LIFE did I think Luna of all people would willingly sign up for military training. The power of Yoon Jeonghan’s smirk is terrifying.

@/hanngoddess • 8 hours ago ╰ 33:40 Jiyeonie talking about the members enlisting and you can SEE her face fall 🥹 she really loves them so much, my heart.

@/dinooowoo • 8 hours ago ╰ Kai looked at Luna as if she was insane when she was like “it’s fun.” Bro was TERRIFIED.

@/wonwoof • 8 hours ago ╰ “Beef-flavored bibimbap???” 😭😭 Luna shading military meals on national YouTube is peak comedy.

@/the8zone • 5 hours ago ╰ Luna & Kai when they found out there were couples??? actual comedians

@/scoupscarat • 1 hour ago ╰ JeongNa are so unserious… the fact Luna went THROUGH ALL THIS just to prove Jeonghan wrong 💀 they really share one chaotic brain cell.

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[jannie-belaerys]

Paused & Held

Pairing: Bob/Robert Reynolds x Avengers!Fem!Reader

Summary:On any given night, Mario Kart on pause, colored lights in the living room, and Bob, trying—so stubbornly—to convince himself he doesn't need your attention. Until his pride gives way and he collapses into your chest, laughter and tickles spilling out, whispers leaving him both vulnerable and happy.

Warnings: Fluff & Soft Intimacy • Playful Teasing • Vulnerable Bob Reynolds • Spooning & Cuddling • Light Suggestive Themes (No Explicit Smut) • Mario Kart Chaos

Author's Note: Yes, I wrote a story where Mario Kart is put on hold because the real “game” was watching Bob try to deny that he wanted to bury his face in your chest. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Priorities, right?

P.S: I was just lounging on my couch, letting my thoughts wander… and suddenly I imagined Bob pressing his head against my chest, nuzzling his nose against my neck and lips against my breasts. And here we are.

Word Count: 2,570

The room was bathed in a dim, yellowish light, like a warm lantern that refused to let the darkness of night completely take over. The ceiling light was softened by the television screen, which flickered with rapid flashes: green, blue, red, the bright colors of the Mario Kart track. This alternation of lights was reflected on the coffee table, on the dark glass, and played like fireworks confined to the intimacy of the room.

The air conditioner murmured with a constant hum, creating a cool breeze that brushed your skin like invisible fingers. That's why the fluffy blanket—the kind that almost looks like a stuffed animal—became necessary. It covered your leg like a soft hug, trapping the warmth that escaped between the soft fibers.

The sofa sank beneath your semi-reclining body, comfortable, almost conspiring with you so that you would never want to move from there. Your fingers clung to the controller, tense and agile, while a concentrated grimace appeared on your lips.

Suddenly, a deep, familiar voice interrupted the luminous bubble of colors.

“Hey, baby… oh, this is new.” Bob's tone sounded half surprised, half smiling. “I don't remember coming in here and finding you playing alone before. All right… it must be a good game. Is it for two players? Huh?”

Without taking your eyes off the curve closing in front of your kart, you responded automatically, with a concentrated murmur, “Hey, baby… Oh, don't you remember that the other controller broke?”

Bob let out a soft, resigned snort and plopped down on the sofa next to you.

“Well, it's okay, it's fine. I'm fine.” He settled himself, sinking his large body into the cushion, with that careless way of taking up space. “I'm just relaxing here.” It's like some kind of weird reversal, you know? Usually, you're the one who comes in and distracts me when I'm playing… I'm not saying you always distract me, but you know, you always come in when I'm playing a game or something. I don't even know what to do with myself now.

The click-click of the buttons filled the room, competing with the cool air from the air conditioner and the frantic flashes of the screen. Bob settled deeper into the sofa, watching your quick fingers on the remote, and his voice interrupted again, deep but soft.

“Maybe I could read a book here next to you… or make a snack… I don't know what I want, I'm in a weird mood. I don't know why, love.”

Your lips curved into a distracted smile, without breaking your concentration on the track. “And what's up with you, hm? Are you on your male period or something?” You glanced at him sideways, just for a moment, mischievously.

He raised an eyebrow and let out a low laugh. "Oh, very funny. No, it's not my “man period,” I don't have that. It's okay, keep playing your game, I don't want to be an intense boyfriend, coming in here and demanding your attention.

The game was immediately paused; the cheerful music stopped as if it understood the slight tension floating in the air. You turned to him with a half-smile, the one you knew always disarmed him.

“Are you sure you don't want my attention, baby?” you asked, tilting your head playfully.

Bob shrugged, feigning indifference, although his eyes already betrayed the opposite.

“Really, it's okay,” he replied, looking down, followed by, “Babe, keep playing, I can entertain myself,” he said, almost whispering, as if trying to convince himself.

A few minutes passed where only the sound of buttons and the game track filled the room. Suddenly, his voice returned, curious, seeking to open a window to you. “What did you do today?”

Without looking away from the screen too much, you replied calmly, “I checked some appointments early… and finally decided to try this new Mario Kart racing game. It's great, although the rainbow track is a bit difficult. Other than that, nothing special.”

“Nothing special?” Bob repeated, but his gaze was already fixed on you, taking you in from head to toe.

A second later, his voice sounded different, slower, full of surprise. “Hey… I don't think I've ever seen you in that top before. Is it new?”

“Yes,” you replied vaguely, as if it weren't a big deal, “I bought it last week.”

“Oh… well, you look amazing. Seriously, that color suits you really well, you should wear it more often. It's… a little low-cut, isn't it?” He let out a nervous laugh. “Yeah, it shows quite a bit. Not in a bad way, I don't mean that… in fact, you look really, really good. I just wasn't expecting it.” I walked in here and it was like, “wow.” You look… mmm… provocative, sexy… so hot.

That last word gave him away. It made you turn your head toward him, catching him with the suggestive spark in your voice.

“So hot?” you asked softly, as if you hadn't quite heard him but wanted him to repeat it.

Bob shifted in his seat, cleared his throat, his ears beginning to redden. “No, baby, I don't mean it in a bad way. I'm your boyfriend, I can appreciate it, enjoy it, you know? No, don't get the wrong idea.”

You smiled, that smile that exposed him, watching as every word he said sank him deeper.

“Okay, okay, you know what?” he finally conceded, shaking his head in sweet frustration. “My compliment backfired. I didn't mean that. I just wanted to say that you're very, very beautiful. Okay. I want you to wear that more often.”

Your body shifted on the couch with calculated innocence: a little adjustment of the blanket, a slight arch, gentle movements that seemed natural but had that suggestive spark.

“Oh, really? Do you like this top that much, baby?” you asked, with a playful tone that pushed him into a corner.

He looked away, a blush rising to his cheeks, seeking refuge in anything other than your collarbones and your soft, beautiful breasts exposed. “Well… And besides… you look adorable. Sweet, soft, with that little blanket over you, all curled up…” he murmured, as if trying to regain his balance.

A small laugh escaped you, light, mischievous. Your head fell back, revealing the clean line of your neck and the suggestive curve of your collarbone. You knew it made him nervous.

You could feel his breathing become heavier, more intense in the room that, until a moment ago, had been filled only with the noise of the video game.

He swallowed hard, looking away, as if now admitting, just to himself, that this was really what had drawn him in at the beginning: not the game, not the trivial conversation, but the closeness he always sought with you.

“You know?” he began, scratching the back of his neck with an awkward gesture. "I was reading an article last night about relationships and how important physical contact is." I found it really interesting. "And the more I read, the more I thought, “Yes, wow, this is my love language.” Like you told me before, because I always want to hold you in my arms… but I wasn't so sure. After reading it, I confirmed it."

He paused for a moment, as if afraid of sounding too vulnerable.

“The article said that it's very beneficial to let yourself be hugged, and that many men are afraid to ask for it.”

You looked at him, softening your expression, with a hint of a smile that conveyed understanding and tenderness. “Like when we spoon?” you asked amused.

Bob laughed nervously, a little relieved and a little caught up in your confidence.

“Yes, yes, of course we spoon a lot, I know that. But you should read it. And no, I'm not implying anything… well, maybe a little.” He laughed nervously. "Look, I love being the big spoon, but if you ever wanted to try holding me… letting me rest my head on your chest, playing with my hair, hugging me like that… I think I might be willing to try it. I'm not saying I'll love it or that it'll become a habit, because I really do like being the big spoon, but… I'm open to it. You know?"

Your lips curved into a sweet smile, different from the previous one, more tender. You understood everything: his shyness disguised as disinterest, that look that gave him away, the way he tried to pretend it didn't affect him, when in reality every word he said exposed him to you.

With a gentle gesture, you put the controller aside, your fingers releasing the final button as your body moved slightly toward him. You pulled him toward you, trying to settle him on your lap, with that mixture of delicacy and insinuation that only you knew how to give.

“What are you doing? Are you grabbing me? Are you sure you don't mind? You don't mind your game or anything? Are you sure I'm not interrupting your game?” Bob asked, his eyes wide and his voice full of surprise and nervousness.

“No, I didn't say I wanted to. We don't have to do it now if…! I didn't say that. I didn't say I wanted to… I was just saying that… well, okay, let's try it. I'm just going to rest my head here…” His voice softened as he slowly settled down, burying his face against your chest.

“Ah, yes… much better. It feels so good, so soft and warm. God, baby, you're like a walking pillow,” she murmured, her warm breath gently brushing your skin.

“You could have just asked, sweetheart,” you said, the smile still on your lips, playful but tender.

“What do you mean? Why didn't I ask? What am I supposed to say? I want to come here and bury my face in your chest and have you hold me close, that's not my style, honey,” he said, with a mixture of pride and vulnerability that made him irresistible.

His nose brushed constantly against your skin, trapped between your breasts, as his breathing quickened.

“I'm not going to do that, no… it would be too awkward for me,” he murmured, his nose tickling your neck. “Although it feels really good when you play with my hair, it's very relaxing.”

Your fingers gently tugged at his curls, playing with each loop as you said, “You brought this on, love.”

“What? Baby? No, I didn't plan it, I just couldn't help myself… you looked good,” he replied, his voice almost a whisper.

You pulled him a little closer to your chest, feeling how perfect it was, his nose buried in your cleavage, his breath hitting your breasts. He murmured something incomprehensible, lost between your curves, and your heart raced.

Until he pulled away slightly and said, "I can't talk… Oh, it's just that you looked perfect sitting there. Yes, I just wanted… I just wanted to hug you," he said as he settled on top of you.

You could only hug him back. Your hand buried itself in his hair, caressing and pulling gently, while with the other you pushed him away from your chest a little, took his chin and tilted his head up so he would look at you. His blue eyes sparkled, his cheeks and nose rosy, his lips parted… damn, you loved seeing him so vulnerable to you.

“Oh, come on, just admit it, baby, you brought it on,” you whispered, your voice full of playfulness and affection.

“What do I have to admit…?” “Admit what?” His voice trembled slightly, a mixture of pride and desire evident. “Admit what I wanted… Oh, hey, sweetheart, I need you to squeeze me.”

You smiled when you saw him like that because of you. "Like this? Is this how you want it, sweetheart?" you let out as you took his cheeks and pressed them against your breasts, his mouth snorting right at the edge of your top's fabric.

His lips let out little grunts and snorts as you held him there, until he let go. "No, that's going too far… it's going too far. I'm enjoying it, but I have my pride. Okay, yes, my pride isn't standing in the way much right now. “It's okay, well, I love it… can you hold me closer? It's not enough, baby, I need you more closer.”

Let me wrap my arms around you, you asked softly, feeling his body press even closer to yours.

Bob arched his eyebrows, trying to maintain his composure, but your hand began to slide playfully, tickling him lightly along his sides, while his head remained resting on your breasts, sinking into the softness of your skin and the warmth of your chest.

“Hey, no, no, no, not that, not that, no, no, oh,” he protested, stifling laughter and nervousness. “It's okay, I'm not going to let my tender little sweet girlfriend defeat me, absolutely not.”

You insisted, playing with him gently, your other hand caressing his hair and neck, while you pressed him a little closer to your chest, enjoying how he squirmed slightly, uncomfortable and trapped, but surrendered at the same time.

“Hey, no, baby, now you're playing with fire. Look, I may be really enjoying this, but I can still turn you over and tickle you, and I will, don't even try it,” he warned with a mixture of amusement and caution, trying to maintain control.

Ignoring what he said, you gently wrapped your arms around him and began to sit up a little, lifting his torso slightly and moving his head away from your chest, separating his face from your breasts as if you were going to “escape,” teasing him, while he tensed and stirred.

“Okay, I'm kidding, I'm kidding,” he said, laughing softly. “Don't move, don't move, don't move…” whispered Bob, his cheeks pink and his breathing heavy. “No, no, this is the perfect position… don't make a sound… no… actually, it's making me a little sleepy.”

“You're sleepy right now, baby? Really?” Really?" you asked, gently stroking his back as you looked at him with playful eyes.

“Love, yes, maybe, a little bit. I can't help it, of course not.” His voice was a whisper, almost sleepy. "It's obvious, if I'm lying on your chest… like this, right now, I'm very happy. So go back to playing your video game, just put your arm over my head. I'm going to slide one arm under your top… it's always better that way, yes.

“I can feel your heart,” he whispered, half asleep, as your hand slowly caressed his hair, his shoulders, and his back, your lips leaving little kisses on his forehead.

“Yes… it beats faster when something happens in the game. It's great… So this is what it feels like when you lie on my chest,” he murmured, lost in the sensation. "I feel so close to you right now. Yes, your heart sounds so fragile, but at the same time so comforting. I'm going to close my eyes… It's okay, yes, just for a few minutes," he whispered, his voice low and hoarse.

Your hand continued to roam his back, caressing his shoulders, sliding your fingers through his soft curls, leaving kisses in his hair, as you whispered against his ear: "You're so mine… only mine, Bob Reynolds.

˚ ⭐༘｡˚ ੈ ˚ 🪙ੈ ˚ ༘ ⭐｡˚

𖹭 Please comment and reblog my work, it means so much to me and inspires me to keep writing.